Forecast: First freeze and flakes for Twin Cities

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Here it comes.

The first freezing temperature for the metro occurs on average on October 6th. This year looks to be very close to average.

The coldest air of the season is filtering into Minnesota over the next 4 days. It appears temperatures will dip below freezing in the metro both Saturday and Sunday mornings, and highs will not climb out of the low 40s this weekend.

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So far this fall the coldest temperature at Twin Cities Airport has been 39 degrees on September 30th and October 5th.

After a sunny but chilly Friday, Saturday still looks likely to produce the first snow flakes of the season in the metro and much of Minnesota. A north-south oriented band of snow should glide through the state Saturday morning. There could be some light accumulations especially north of the metro, and some interesting visuals at the Gopher football game.

In a quirky atmospheric twist of fate, it will likely be warmer in Fairbanks, Alaska this weekend than it will in the Twin Cities. We'll struggle to reach the low 40s this weekend while Fairbanks should reach the mid-50s with a shot at 60. Due to spacing in large scale atmospheric waves patterns, it's usually warm in Alaska when it's cold in Minnesota, and visa-versa.

The Twin Cities enjoyed a balmy 64 degree high on Wednesday. It was the warmest day so far in October and the warmest all the way back to September 27th.

Grab the parka this weekend and hang in there.

PH