We’ve got some rain in the forecast for northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin tonight into early Monday morning as a cold front moves east and through the area.
Visible satellite loop from today, Sunday, March 21, 2021 showing the thicker cloud cover associated with an eastward moving cold front moving east into northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin this afternoon, but there’s been enough clearing in spots to help boost temperatures well into the 50s and even some lower 60s in parts of the Northland this afternoon.
Note: Highs on Monday will be a good 10-15 degrees cooler compared to the highs we saw this weekend, but we’re still looking at above normal temps on Monday, with highs ranging from around 42 to 54 degrees in northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin.
Another warm afternoon across the Northland with temperatures ranging from the lower 50s to lower 60s. Note: Normal highs on today’s date are in the middle 30s.
It’s been another windy day, however, as south-southwest winds have been gusting as high as 30 to 45 mph in eastern Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin. Duluth Airport had a wind gust to 44 mph at 2:27 PM today.
- 6 days so far this month with a high of at least 50 degrees in Duluth. Normal for March is 2 days at or above 50 degrees.
- A record high temperature was set at International Falls on March 20th with a high of 64 degrees. The old record high for March 20th was 61 degrees set in 1987 and 2012.
Temperatures this afternoon are running 15 to 25 degrees warmer than normal in northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin.
…A widespread soaking rain and possibly some wet snow on the way for the middle of the week…
- Low pressure moves northeast out of west Texas Monday afternoon and is forecast to reach eastern Lake Superior by Wednesday evening.
- Precipitation associated with this storm is forecast to move into parts of the Northland Tuesday morning, but the most widespread and heaviest precipitation is expected to fall from late Tuesday afternoon into Wednesday morning.
- Rain looks to be the main precipitation type for all of northwest Wisconsin and eastern Minnesota including for Duluth and Superior.
- Farther north across northern Minnesota, enough cold air could wrap into the backside of the area of low pressure allowing the rain to mix with or change to wet snow Tuesday night or Wednesday, but this doesn’t look like it will be a major winter storm for the Northland.
- Gusty northeast winds are possible near Lake Superior Tuesday into Wednesday morning, with wind gusts of 25 to 35 mph possible.
Widespread half to one inch or greater precipitation totals are possible with the midweek system which looks to affect the Northland.
Tim