5:53 PM Thursday, February 3, 2022
Cold weather continues and will throw some snow into the mix just for fun.
The first system for Friday morning won’t amount to much in terms of snowfall amounts with much of the Northland picking up an inch or less of accumulation, and the bulk of this snow should be out of the area by mid to late morning on Friday with mainly dry conditions expected Friday afternoon.
A second system on Saturday may pack a little more punch and has potential to drop several inches of snow across northern Minnesota (generally north of Highway 2) with lesser amounts of snow farther south including for Duluth and all of northwest Wisconsin.
Here’s a look at tonight’s system per 18z NAM 3km model forecast thru Noon Friday (snow in blue colors)
Timing of the snow for Duluth — Starts between 3 AM and 5 AM Friday, ends between 9 AM and 11 AM Friday. Total snowfall accumulations of an inch or less.
Low level winds are beginning to shift to an easterly direction over western Lake Superior this afternoon as evident by the lake clouds which are starting to lift W-NW onto portions of the North Shore late this afternoon.
Also appears that we have two meso-low type features just off the North Shore, and another one along the South Shore east of the Apostle Islands this afternoon — These two features combined with a southeasterly wind should help produce some lake effect snow showers tonight into Friday morning along the North Shore of Lake Superior, mainly from Silver Bay to Grand Marais.
Here’s the National Weather Service snowfall forecast for tonight’s event.
An inch or less of snow in northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin with up to 2 inches of snow possible over the Arrowhead (Grand Marais area)
Temperatures will fall quickly in the Northland early this evening under mainly clear skies and light winds, expect the lowest temperatures to occur prior to Midnight tonight with temps ranging from around -5 to -25 degrees, but increasing cloudiness later tonight will help keep the temperatures from tanking any further.
More subzero overnight lows are likely for Friday night through Sunday night.
Low Temperature Reports from Thursday morning, February 3, 2022
Note: The temperature at the Duluth Airport dropped to at least -20 degrees this morning, February 3rd, 2022 — This is the 4th night so far this winter with a low temperature of -20 or colder in Duluth. Average during an entire winter season (Dec – Feb) is 4 nights using the new climate normal period of 1991-2020.
Ash Lake, MN: -44 F
Birchdale, MN: -43 F
International Falls, MN: -42 F
Kabetogama, MN: -42 F
Seagull Lake, MN: -41 F
2 S Tower, MN: -41 F
Northome, MN: -40 F
Effie, MN: -40 F
Brimson, MN: -40 F
Embarrass, MN: -40 F
Littlefork, MN: -39 F
Cotton, MN: -39 F
Cook, MN: -38 F
Ely, MN: -38 F
Eveleth, MN: -37 F
Cass Lake, MN: -36 F
Hill City, MN: -36 F
Bigfork, MN: -36 F
Orr, MN: -36 F
Hibbing, MN: -36 F
Longville, MN: -35 F
Aitkin, MN: -33 F
Crane Lake, MN: -33 F
Walker, MN: -33 F
Brainerd, MN: -31 F
Deer River, MN: -31 F
Grand Rapids, MN: -31 F
Pine River, MN: -31 F
Twig, MN: -31 F
Minong, WI: -31 F
Moose Lake, MN: -31 F
Barnes, WI: -30 F
Webb Lake, WI: -30 F
Breezy Point, MN: -29 F
South Range, WI: -29 F
McGregor, MN: -29 F
Glidden, WI: -28 F
Moose Lake, MN: -27 F
Siren, WI: -27 F
Saginaw, MN: -26 F
Clam Lake, WI: -25 F
Hayward, WI: -25 F
Butternut, WI: -25 F
Spooner, WI: -24 F
Isabella, MN: -24 F
Duluth, MN (Airport) -21 F
Grand Marais, MN (Airport) -20 F
Superior, WI (Airport) -20 F
Ashland, WI: -18 F
***RECORD LOW TEMPERATURES SET THIS MORNING*** (February 3rd)
International Falls, MN: -42 (old record -40 set in 1982)
Hibbing, MN: -36 (old record -32 set in 1989 and 1996)
With Saturday’s low tracking more to the south this will cause temperatures to be cooler in the Northland than what it looked like 24 hours ago — Instead of highs in the 20s to around 30 on Saturday, we’re now looking at mainly teens in northern Minnesota with 20s farther south from Brainerd to Hinckley to Hayward.
Tim
