Record dodged! -1 at 11:59PM! Clipper parade; Friday south-Sunday metro?

Thursday morning Update: From Twin Cities NWS:

"The Twin Cities Tied a Record for the Latest Below Zero Temperature

It is official... The Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport recorded their first below zero temperature one minute before midnight. Therefore, we tied the record for the latest "below zero temperature" since 1889."

***Original post 11:54pm Wednesday***

0 temperature at MSP Airport at 11pm Wednesday!

-1 reported by NWS at MSP Airport at 11:53pm Wednesday!

26 degrees 6 hour temp drop at MSP between 5pm and 11 pm Wednesday

-10 air temp in the metro early Thursday morning

Coldest so far this winter

-23 GFS forecast low temp for 1st week of February!

On the edge of snow in the metro Friday

3" to 6" possible along I-90 corridor Friday

Plowable snow potential Sunday for much of Minnesota including

metro

Record averted but tied!?

Now that's a shame! It appears we came within 1 hour, or even a few short minutes of setting a new record for the latest sub-zero temp ever recorded at MSP Airport.

The official temps at MSP at 11pm was right at 0. As of this writing it appears we'll dip slightly below zero just before midnight, Wednesday January 18th. If verified that ties the record for the latest sub-zero temp at MSP on record.

C'mon! If we're that close we might as well set a new record. Let's see where we end up when NWS verifies.

Now that's a cold front!

Teps plunged 26 degrees at MSP and in much of Minnesota s the front roared through Wednesday night. The harsh winds stiffened flags and sent people scurrying to find cars and shelters Wednesday night.

Dangerously cold wind chills will be the rule Thursday.

Sign of the season, this was the first time this winter I've seen a tow truck staring a stalled car in the Lunds parking lot at Ridgedale Wednesday night.

Clipper Parade:

A fast moving northwest flow will send a series of Alberta Clipper toward Minnesota in the coming days.

Friday's system appears to be aimed at southern Minnesota and northern Iowa. The metro looks to be on the northern edge of the snow Friday. Early indications are that there may be little or no snow in the north metro, and some light accumulations south.

Heavy snow band in northern Iowa and along I-90 Friday?

A good 3" to 6" is looking more likely by the hour for the I-90 corridor towns of Worthington, Fairmont, Albert Lea and Rochester. Northern Iowa may see some 6"+ totals.

Plowable metro snow Sunday?

The second clipper on the horizon for Sunday seems to be aiming at a bigger area, including the metro. It's early, but the maps favor a north-south oriented "warm advection type" snowfall Sunday. Translation? It could snow for several hours and add up to a few inches Sunday.

There may be another potential system next Tuesday.

Stay tuned!

PH