Good Wednesday morning! After enduring another spell of brutal temperatures over the past several days, a nice warm-up is on the way for the second half of the week. The weather will be mainly quiet until we get to the weekend, when a potent storm system looks to track across the central Plains into the Great Lakes. This will bring the potential of a swath of snowfall (possibly significant) to impact portions of the region later this weekend. More details in today’s video and the discussion below. Have a blessed day, and let us know if you have any questions!
Video:
After enduring another spell of brutal temperatures over the past several days, a nice warm-up is on the way! Check out the temperatures 5,000 feet aloft into late week. Note the massive bubble of arctic air pulls away, and replaced by milder, Pacific air.
Expect breezy conditions to develop across the area today, gusting to 30mph. A concern (especially over North Dakota) will be for snow to blow across north-south roads…melt as temperatures rise above freezing, then refreeze tonight as temperatures fall below freezing.
A clipper system will impact mainly northern portions of Minnesota tonight into Thursday morning, bringing a light snow threat. Outside of that, the area stays dry through Friday night.
Snowfall forecast:
Light precipitation will be possible over northern portions of the area Friday, but the main system we are watching comes in Saturday night, and exits late Monday. Current data suggest snow breaking out across South Dakota Saturday night, then expanding east into Minnesota Sunday and Monday. Current trends suggest most of North Dakota misses the snow entirely. Here is a simulated radar loop of the European model from 6pm Saturday to 6am CT Tuesday:
We have highlighted on a map where we think the “best chance” for accumulating snow appears to set-up. We will narrow this down over the next few days as confidence increases on placement. Know that some of that snow could be heavy, with the heaviest snow amounts currently forecast to be over the southern half of Minnesota. Way too early to discuss amounts of snow due to remaining uncertainty regarding the strength of this storm and track. A stronger low will tend to pull the moisture further north…if the low is a bit weaker it will tend to keep the moisture a bit further south.
Week 1 and 2 outlooks:
