6:10 PM Friday, April 11, 2025
Winter might come back on Monday, but the weather looks pretty good until then, especially on Saturday. By Sunday, rain chances increase.
For those wondering, April 2025 is running -3.2 degrees cooler than normal in Duluth, with today (April 11th) marking just the 2nd day this month with an above-average temperature; the other occurred on April 6th.
Precipitation stats for Duluth
Month to date: -0.05 inches below normal
Since March 1st: -0.15 inches below normal
Since January 1st: -0.54 inches below normal
Note: While Duluth is currently experiencing slightly below-average precipitation levels, these deficits are expected to be resolved in the coming weeks due to an increasingly active weather pattern.
The upper-level trough that caused cloudy weather and some rain and snow in parts of the Northland on Wednesday and Thursday has moved east, making way for an upper-level ridge and warmer temperatures.
Temperatures were in the 50s in northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin this afternoon, while farther to the west in the Dakotas we’re seeing temperatures in the 70s and some 80s today.
Temperatures near the upper ridge to the west were running about 20 to 30 degrees warmer than normal this afternoon, while near the upper trough in the Midwest, temperatures were about 5 to 15 degrees below normal today.
The pattern appears to be quite active starting Sunday and continuing into late April as a trough forms in the west and ridging develops to the south/east. This will likely create a more active southwest flow in the upper Midwest over the next two weeks.
The first system crosses the Northland Sunday into Monday.
Initially, the precipitation will be in the form of scattered rain showers on Sunday, but as an upper-level trough approaches from the west while deepening, the column will cool, leading to a transition from rain to wet snow in parts of the Northland as we get to late Sunday night and Monday.
Currently it looks like northern Minnesota into the Arrowhead stand the greatest chance for some snow accumulation with this system on Monday.
European model simulated radar forecast valid 7 AM Sunday to 7 PM Monday.
Rain – green
Snow – blue
Mix – pink
Precipitation of half an inch to an inch is expected in far northern Minnesota and the Arrowhead from Sunday to Monday, while southern areas including Duluth may see a quarter to half an inch.
Note: Although a few showers may occur in parts of northern Minnesota on Saturday, greater chances for showers will occur on Sunday.
This forecast may change over the weekend, but as of late Friday afternoon, far northern Minnesota has the highest chances for potential snow accumulations of 1 to 3 inches between late Sunday night and Monday.
A round of lake-effect snow with some accumulation is also possible Monday night to Tuesday morning along the South Shore of Lake Superior in northern Wisconsin.
Note: Although some flurries may be in the air in Duluth on Monday, it doesn’t look like we will see any snow accumulation.
Widespread precipitation totals of 1 to 2 inches or more are possible in northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin over the next two weeks, with good model agreement seen in the ensemble models today in this active pattern. Precipitation won’t be continuous over the next few weeks, with several breaks likely, but the overall trend is for a wet pattern at times.
Thanks for reading!
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