Mildest temps since mid-January; snowstorm for northern Minn. Sunday evening into Monday
Happy Groundhog Day!
We'll have mild weekend temps, followed by cooler weather this coming week.
If you're heading out to play in the snow this weekend, you'll be interested in the latest Minnesota snow depth map from the Minnesota State Climatology Office:
Temperature trends
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Saturday afternoon highs are expected to be in the 30s across roughly the southern half of Minnesota, with mostly 20s in the north. The far north could see upper teens. Most of the Twin Cities metro area should reach the upper 30s. The last time that the temp at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport was warmer than 32 degrees was Jan. 15!
Sunday highs will range from the teens in far northwestern Minnesota to the lower 40s in the far southeast:
The metro area will probably reach the upper 30s, which is well above our average high this time of year of 25 degrees.
Falling temps are expected on Monday, and Twin Cities metro area highs are forecast to reach the teens on Tuesday, lower 20s Wednesday and Thursday, then back to the teens Friday.
Areas of fog/drizzle/freezing drizzle
Parts of southeastern Minnesota saw some fog and freezing fog this Saturday morning.
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10 a.m. Update
The National Weather Service has issued a dense fog advisory for the southern part of the Twin Cities metro area from noon today until noon on Sunday:
URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
941 AM CST Sat Feb 2 2019
MNZ069-070-076>078-083>085-092-093-WIZ024-026-022345-
/O.NEW.KMPX.FG.Y.0002.190202T1800Z-190203T1800Z/
Scott-Dakota-Le Sueur-Rice-Goodhue-Blue Earth-Waseca-Steele-
Faribault-Freeborn-Pierce-Pepin-
Including the cities of Shakopee, Hastings, Le Sueur, Faribault,
Red Wing, Mankato, Waseca, Owatonna, Blue Earth, Albert Lea,
River Falls, Prescott, and Durand
941 AM CST Sat Feb 2 2019
...DENSE FOG ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST SUNDAY...
The National Weather Service in Twin Cities/Chanhassen has issued
a Dense Fog Advisory, which is in effect until noon CST Sunday.
* VISIBILITY...Dropping below 1 mile in areas of fog.
* IMPACTS...Patchy icy spots, reduced visibilities.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A Dense Fog Advisory means visibilities will frequently be
reduced to less than one quarter mile. If driving...slow down...
use your headlights...and leave plenty of distance ahead of you.
Southeastern Minnesota is already in a dense fog advisory which continues through noon on Sunday:
Details of the dense fog advisory in southeastern Minnesota:
URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service La Crosse WI
928 AM CST Sat Feb 2 2019
...Extended Period of Dense Fog...
.A milder airmass is interacting with a cold snowpack, producing
widespread dense fog across the area. Besides visibilities being
reduced to near zero at times, this fog is depositing icing on
untreated roadways, which was creating slippery conditions. This
widespread dense fog is expected to last through Sunday morning.
Use extra caution if traveling.
IAZ008>011-018-019-029-030-MNZ079-086>088-094>096-WIZ032-041>044-
053>055-061-022330-
/O.NEW.KARX.FG.Y.0001.190202T1528Z-190203T1800Z/
Mitchell-Howard-Winneshiek-Allamakee-Floyd-Chickasaw-Fayette-
Clayton-Wabasha-Dodge-Olmsted-Winona-Mower-Fillmore-Houston-
Buffalo-La Crosse-Monroe-Juneau-Adams-Vernon-Crawford-Richland-
Grant-
Including the cities of Osage, Cresco, Decorah, Waukon,
Charles City, New Hampton, Oelwein, Elkader, Wabasha,
Dodge Center, Rochester, Winona, Austin, Preston, Caledonia,
Alma, La Crosse, Sparta, Tomah, Mauston, Friendship, Viroqua,
Prairie Du Chien, Richland Center, and Platteville
928 AM CST Sat Feb 2 2019
...DENSE FOG ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST SUNDAY...
The National Weather Service in La Crosse has issued a Dense Fog
Advisory, which is in effect until noon CST Sunday.
* VISIBILITY...near zero at times.
* IMPACTS...drastically reduced visibility and slippery roadways
and sidewalks.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A Dense Fog Advisory means visibilities will frequently be
reduced to less than one quarter mile. If driving...slow down...
use your headlights...and leave plenty of distance ahead of you.
____________________________________________________________________________
Southeastern Minnesota and portions of the Twin Cities metro area could see some fog, and occasional drizzle and patchy freezing drizzle, overnight Saturday night into early Sunday.
Sunday night and Monday snow
A low pressure system is expected to spread snow into parts of northwestern Minnesota on Sunday. The snow area expands across most of northern Minnesota Sunday evening, with the snow continuing Sunday night into Monday.
Southern Minnesota and the Twin Cities metro area could see a wintry mix of rain, light freezing rain, sleet and snow Sunday night, changing over to all snow at some point on Monday.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s North American Mesoscale forecast model shows the potential precipitation pattern from Sunday through Monday evening:
The heaviest snow Sunday evening through Monday is expected to be in northwestern Minnesota and parts of north-central Minnesota:
Notice the potential ice accumulation in the Twin Cities Sunday night/early Monday.
A winter storm watch, for heavy snow and blowing snow, begins at 6 p.m. Sunday in much of northwestern Minnesota and runs to 6 p.m. Monday:
You can check the latest forecasts from the NWS offices in the Twin Cities, Grand Forks, N.D., Sioux Falls, S.D., La Crosse, Wis. and Duluth.
As always, updated weather information can be heard on the Minnesota Public Radio Network, and you’ll also see updated weather info on the MPR News live weather blog.
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.