Mild pattern through next week; patchy light snow/freezing drizzle possible on Friday

-No major snow events are expected in the Northland through early next week, this includes for Christmas Eve and for Christmas Day.

-A weak system combined with an easterly wind off Lake Superior could cause a little snow in parts of the Northland around the middle of next week but this doesn’t look like a major event at the moment.

-Long range computer models continue to show a more active weather pattern returning ~December 26, but whether we see a stronger system affect the Northland is still uncertain, but the time frame to keep an eye is from December 28-30.

A warm front will lift slowly north into the area on Friday. We could see some patchy light snow or freezing drizzle develop north of this warm front in northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin on Friday. A light glaze of ice is possible for locations that get any freezing drizzle while snowfall amounts remain under an inch.

Highs on Friday are forecast to range from the 20s to lower 30s across the Northland with much warmer temps farther west/south.

Here’s a look at the radar forecast valid from 11 PM tonight to 6 AM Saturday.

Some light lake effect snow showers could develop later tonight along the North Shore of Lake Superior (north of Duluth.

Then on Friday we could see a little light snow or flurries and possibly some patchy light freezing drizzle in parts of the area.

Source: 18z NAM-WRF model; https://weathermodels.com/

Low temperature forecast for Friday morning, December 20. Source: https://graphical.weather.gov/

High temperature forecast for Friday, December 20.

Forecast for Duluth and Superior

.Tonight… Partly to mostly cloudy. Low 13 to 18. Wind east 5 to 15 mph.

.Friday… Mostly cloudy. Light snow showers, flurries and patchy light freezing drizzle possible. High 28 to 33. Wind east 10 to 15 mph becoming south later in the day.

.Saturday… Partly to mostly cloudy. High 34 to 39. Wind southwest 10 to 20 mph.

Thanks for reading!

Tim