A chilly and bright Friday; weekend snow update
It's back to the Minnesota shuffle.
Cold air has returned, so we'll need to watch for icy patches on steps, sidewalks, and driveways. Drivers might have to deal with some sneaky icy patches too.
Milder air returns to much of Minnesota this weekend.
Temperature trends
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Highs in the teens are expected in parts of far northern Minnesota Friday afternoon, with highs mostly in the lower 20s elsewhere in our favorite state. Some snow-free areas in west-central Minnesota could see mid to upper 20s.
The southern half of Minnesota will probably reach the 30s Saturday afternoon:
Sunday highs are expected to range from the teens in the far north to the 30s in the south:
Twin Cities metro area highs will probably reach the lower 30s Saturday and Sunday.
Metro area highs are expected to be in the lower 20s Monday through Wednesday of next week, then close to 30 degrees next Thursday.
Saturday and Sunday snow potential
Some areas of light snow are possible in Minnesota on Saturday.
The main snow event this weekend is expected to be over about the northern half of Minnesota.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's North American Mesoscale forecast model shows the potential snow pattern from Saturday through Sunday afternoon:
A swath of plowable snow is possible in northern Minnesota and parts of northern Wisconsin on Sunday:
Check forecast updates if you have Sunday travel plans in those areas.
Accumulating snow central and south Sunday night through Monday night
Much of central and southern Minnesota, including the Twin Cities metro area, could see periods of accumulating snow Sunday night through Monday night.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Global Forecast System model shows the potential precipitation pattern Sunday night through Tuesday morning:
The color chart to the right of the loop refers to the precipitation rate (mm per hour), not to the total amount of precipitation.
Although the precipitation is expected to be mainly snow, freezing rain is also possible in southern Minnesota late Sunday night and on Monday.
The best chance of freezing rain appears to be in southeastern Minnesota on Monday, but the Twin Cities metro area could also see some freezing rain or a mix late Sunday night and Monday, along with snow.
Parts of central and southern Minnesota could see several inches of snow by late Monday.
Check later forecast updates.
Updated weather information can be heard on the Minnesota Public Radio Network, and you can see updated weather info in the MPR News live weather blog.
Snow depth
The latest snow depth map from the Minnesota State Climatology Office shows plenty of snow on the ground in most areas:
Parts of west-central Minnesota have little or no snow on the ground.
Programming note
You can hear my live weather updates on Minnesota Public Radio at 7:49 a.m. Thursdays and Fridays, and at 7:35 a.m., 9:35 a.m. and 4:35 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday.