There were a few fires that broke out today in northeast and east-central Minnesota, but thankfully none of them grew very large, even with the dry and windy conditions we experienced.
- Blackwood Fire (south-southeast of Floodwood, MN) 1.0 acres. 100% containment.
- Whitewater Fire (southeast of Emily, MN) 0.5 acres. 100% containment.
- Big Aspen Fire (east of Atkinson, MN) 0.1 acres. 100% containment.
It was another blustery day across the Northland, with wind gusts ranging from 25 to 40 mph and even reaching 45 mph at Duluth Airport. The winds are expected to settle down by Tuesday.
Today’s peak wind gusts in the Twin Ports varied from 45 mph at Duluth Airport to 39 mph at Duluth Sky Harbor Airport and 38 mph at Superior Airport.
Rain might briefly turn to snow late Tuesday night into early Wednesday morning across far northern Minnesota. It all depends on whether the area cools down quickly enough before the precipitation moves out. If the cold air arrives in time, there could be a trace to 1 inch of snow by early Wednesday morning in parts of far northern Minnesota.
NAM 3km model simulated radar forecast valid 12 PM Tuesday to 6 AM Wednesday.
Rain (green)
Snow (blue)
The majority of the precipitation is expected late Tuesday afternoon through the night, moving east and clearing out by early Wednesday morning.
Note: Rain chances in Duluth look highest Tuesday night, and it doesn’t appear that we will see any snow with this system in Duluth.
Tuesday night’s precipitation totals could range from about 0.05 to 0.25 inches in areas of northern Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin, with the heaviest amounts expected in northern Minnesota and Arrowhead region north of Duluth.
This weekend into early next week, a blast of cold air is expected to push south into the Northland, with 850mb temperatures forecasted to plummet to around -10 to -15°C, which is quite chilly for early November.
High temperatures in the Northland may only reach the 20s and 30s from Saturday through early next week.
If we manage to get a bit of snowpack by this weekend, some areas could see low temperatures drop into the single digits. Otherwise, lows are likely to stay in the teens and 20s this weekend and into early next week.
Note: Lake effect snow potential could ramp up along the South Shore of Lake Superior in northern Wisconsin and upper Michigan on Sunday and Monday if this much cold air crosses Lake Superior with northwesterly winds. Something to watch this week.
The likelihood of snow this weekend will hinge on the path of a potential clipper system and the intensity of an upper-level trough.
With two possible tracks for this low on Saturday, a northern path would increase the chances of snow in northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin, while a more southern path would likely lower the chances of snow across most of our area.
If we end up getting snow on Saturday, the amounts don’t seem too impressive right now, with totals likely around an inch or two at most.
