Above-normal temperatures through Monday, then much colder

Mild temperatures continue

Today will be our ninth consecutive day with warmer-than-normal temperatures. Daytime highs have been mostly quite mild for late December and cloud blankets have prevented most nights from cooling substantially. I expect this pattern to hold through next Monday.

Wednesday

High temperatures this afternoon should range from 25 to 30 in northern Minnesota. The south will see mostly 30s with a few low 40s possible in the southwest corner of the state. The Twin Cities should have a high around 35.

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A weak weather disturbance will distribute some decorative light snow across mainly the northern half of Minnesota today.

dec-28-wed-fcst-map
Forecast surface weather map for today. NOAA Weather Prediction Center

Early this morning areas of light snow have been spreading northeastward from west central Minnesota through the Arrowhead.

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Duluth weather radar at 646 a.m. today. Duluth National Weather Service

The Twin Cities might see just a few stray flakes later today as blobs of the light snow pass by to the north.

Winds will become a bit gusty from the southwest this afternoon and will continue tonight.

Thursday

Tomorrow will be mostly cloudy and windy with a chance of light snow mainly over central and northern Minnesota. High temperatures likely will range from around 20 along the northern edge of Minnesota to near 30 in the south.

Meanwhile, heavy snow is likely in much of the Northeast tomorrow. Winter storm warnings have already been posted for most of New England.

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Surface forecast weather map for Thursday. NOAA Weather Prediction Center

Looking ahead

An Alberta Clipper storm from the northwest will spread a blanket of light snow across northern Minnesota on Friday and Friday night.

Looking farther ahead

The models are suggesting a shovelable snow for our state next Monday into Tuesday but they are not consistent as to the track or amounts of snow. So at this point all we can give you is a heads-up for possible travel issues early next week.

The end of the mild temperatures

Regardless of where the potential storm of early next week passes, it will be followed by an outbreak of much colder air from our friends north of the border. One forecast, from the long-term GFS model, shows the warmer dark blue colors disappearing to our southeast as the much colder light silver-blue colors target us from the northwest.

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Forecast 2-meter (6-foot) temperatures at 6 p.m. next Tuesday. NOAA/College of DuPage