Issued at 5:01 PM CST, Wednesday, November 30th, 2011
- Minor snow event Tonight
- Sunshine returns Thursday and Friday
- Multiple shots of arctic air possible next week
Today’s Weather Summary for Northeast Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin
A cold front sagged south/east through Northern Minnesota Today. As of late This Afternoon the cold front has moved into Northwestern Wisconsin. Light snow did develop during the Afternoon hours across portions of Northern-Eastern Minnesota with accumulations generally of a half inch or less. High temperatures Today were in the lower to middle 30s which is slightly above average as we close out the month of November. Winds Today were out of the southwest or north under 15 mph.
Today’s Upper Level Analysis:
Westerly flow aloft was in place over the Upper Midwest per RUC model analysis. 500mb trough was digging S/SE through the Rockies with an area of 120-180 meter 12 hour 500mb height falls extending from Eastern California to Southern Wyoming per RUC model analysis. A rather tight temperature gradient was found across the Upper Midwest This Afternoon with 850mb temperatures ranging from -6 degrees C in Northwest Minnesota to zero degrees C in Central Minnesota to +4 degrees C in Southern Minnesota, this tight temperature gradient is helping to generate our snowfall Tonight.
Forecast Discussion for Northeast Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin
Tonight:
A cold front will exit Northwest Wisconsin This Evening. Areas of light snow and flurries will continue most of the night. Note: Patchy light freezing drizzle is also possible mainly early This Evening. A considerable amount of cloudcover will be found in our area with lows in the teens and 20s with some single digits possible in Northern Minnesota. Winds will be out of the north or northwest at up to 15 mph.
Thursday and Thursday Night:
Scattered lake effect snow showers/flurries are possible on Thursday along the South Shore of Lake Superior, snow accumulations of around an inch are possible for Northern Douglas, Bayfield, Ashland and Iron Counties in Northwest Wisconsin. Dry weather will return to these areas by Thursday Night while the remainder of our area will be mainly dry after some Morning flurries. Highs on Thursday will be in the teens and 20s with lows Thursday Night in the single digits and teens with some locations in Northern Minnesota possibly dropping a few degrees below zero. Winds will be out of the north or northwest at 10 to 20 mph on Thursday and from the west or southwest under 15 mph Thursday Night.
Note: Total snowfall accumulations by Thursday will range from 1-2″ in Northwest Wisconsin and Northeast-Eastcentral Minnesota with locally heavier amounts of 3-4″ possible along the South Shore of Lake Superior.
Extended Forecast:
A cold front will move E-SE across the Upper Midwest on Saturday with one low passing by to our northwest and another one heading northeast from the Southern Plains. Some snow showers and flurries are possible in Northern Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin from Saturday into early Sunday, but accumulations if any look very light. Highs on Saturday will be in the 20s and 30s with lows Saturday Night in the teens and 20s. Highs for Sunday will be in the 20s with lows Sunday Night in the teens. A clipper type low is forecasted to move into the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest late this weekend into early next week, this system could bring another minor snow event to our area sometime between Sunday Night-Monday the way it looks now.
Two brief shots of arctic air are possible for early next week behind that clipper system with another surge of arctic air possible for late next week, around December 9th.
5 DAY FORECAST FOR DULUTH/SUPERIOR
.Tonight… Light snow and flurries…Patchy light freezing drizzle also possible early. Total snowfall accumulations 1-2″. Considerable cloudiness. Low 18 to 23. Wind north around 12 mph.
.Thursday… Flurries possible early. Becoming partly cloudy. High 23 to 28. Wind northwest at 10 to 20 mph.
.Thursday Night… Mostly clear. Low 5 to 10. Wind west around 12 mph.
.Friday… Partly cloudy. High 25 to 30.
.Friday Night… Partly to mostly cloudy. Low 15 to 20.
.Saturday… Considerable cloudiness. High 25 to 30.
.Saturday Night… Considerable cloudiness. Low 15 to 20.
.Sunday… Partly sunny. High 25 to 30.
Normal temperatures for Tomorrow
High: 27 degrees
Low: 14 degrees
Sunrise Thursday: 7:32 AM CST
Sunset Thursday: 4:22 PM CST
Tim