A chilly stretch, then temps rebound next week
At 7 a.m. Thursday, Thief River Falls, Minn., had a temperature of -12 and a wind chill of -27.
Our 20-degree reading in the Twin Cities metro area was much more reasonable, but we'll probably be in the teens through much of Thursday afternoon as northwesterly winds spread colder air across Minnesota.
Temperature trends
Lows late Thursday night into early Friday will dip into the single digits in the Twin Cities metro area and most of Minnesota and western Wisconsin. Some locations in northern Minnesota will dip below zero.
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Highs in the upper teens to lower 20s are expected on Friday:
Most areas should reach the lower 20s on Saturday:
Highs in the 20s will also be widespread on Sunday.
Twin Cities metro area high temps could reach around 27 degrees on Sunday and Monday, followed by 30 Tuesday and 30s next Wednesday through next Friday.
The Climate Prediction Center of the National Weather Service indicates a strong tendency for warmer-than-normal temperatures for Dec. 11 through Dec. 15:
Our average Twin Cities high temperature on Dec. 11 is 28 degrees.
Snow chances
Some areas of very light snow showers or flurries are possible in eastern Minnesota into western Wisconsin this Thursday morning and possibly early in the afternoon.
Northern Minnesota will have the best chance of light snow showers late Thursday night and Friday morning.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s North American Mesoscale Forecast System model shows the potential precipitation pattern Thursday night through Friday morning:
The color chart to the right of the loop refers to the strength of the signal that returns to the radar, not to the amount of snow.
Central Minnesota and the Twin Cities metro area could see a passing flurry.
As always, updated weather information can be heard on the Minnesota Public Radio Network, and you will also see updated weather info on the MPR News live weather blog.
Snow cover
The Minnesota snow depth map will be issued later today by the Minnesota State Climatology Office.
For now, you can take a look at the snow depths depicted by NOAA:
There's enough snow for sledding in many areas, and enough snow for cross-country skiing and snowmobiling in a few areas too.
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.