A cold front is moving across the Northland from west to east this afternoon and will pass through by this evening.
Cold air advection is spreading east into the Northland this afternoon behind this cold front, with 850mb temperatures down to +1°C in northwest Minnesota, while the warmest air, which was over the Northland earlier today, has shifted east into upper Michigan, where 850mb temperatures were around +15°C this afternoon.
The low-level jet, (winds around 5,000 feet), has been roaring today at speeds over 45 knots across the Upper Midwest. These winds are expected to ease later tonight as the system driving them moves farther away from the Northland.
A strong system is moving rapidly northeast across central Canada this afternoon. Last night and today, it brought widespread rain to the northern Plains and mountain snow to parts of Montana and Wyoming on its colder side. However, with the main dynamics staying northwest of the Northland today, it resulted in only brief downpours in some areas rather than a prolonged, steady rain event.
Goes-16 water vapor loop ending 3:30 PM CT Sunday, October 5, 2025.
Today has been a windy fall day, with wind gusts reaching 30 to 35 mph in most areas and even exceeding 40 mph in some spots (see below).
- Brainerd: 47 mph
- Ashland: 47 mph
- Duluth Airport: 44 mph
- International Falls: 42 mph
- Hibbing: 41 mph
Strong winds ranging from 25 to 40 mph will persist through this evening, gradually calming down overnight and into Monday. Gusts on Monday may still reach 15 to 20 mph.
The upcoming week in northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin is expected to be mostly dry. While temperatures won’t be as warm as this past weekend, the incoming airmass isn’t forecasted to be too chilly either. Instead, we’ll see weather typical for early October, with lows in the 30s and 40s during the night and morning, and highs reaching the 50s and 60s in the afternoon. Frost and possibly a freeze may occur in some parts of the Northland, but that’s pretty standard for October.
There will be two cold fronts crossing the area this week—or three if you count the one moving through tonight. Another cold front is expected Tuesday morning, followed by a third on Friday morning. A few showers may accompany tonight’s front, but the next two fronts are expected to pass through mostly dry.
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