Temperatures rose into the mid-teens to low 20s across northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin today, and they’re expected to climb even higher on Tuesday, with highs in the 30s and 40s.
Today’s highs and departure from normal for December 15, 2025.
Brainerd, MN
High: 20
Departure: -6 degrees below normal
Ashland, WI
High: 20
Departure: -8 degrees below normal
Duluth, MN
High: 19
Departure: -6 degrees below normal
Hibbing, MN
High: 19
Departure: -2 degrees below normal
International Falls, MN
High: 16
Departure: -5 degrees below normal
…Record Highs for December 16…
- Ashland: 55, set in 2021
- Brainerd: 54, set in 1939
- Duluth: 50, set in 1913
- International Falls: 43, set in 1913
- Hibbing: 41, set in 1984 and 2021
Note: International Falls and Hibbing have the best shot at setting a new record high temperature on Tuesday, while the other records are likely out of reach.
A Wind Advisory is in effect from Tuesday evening to early Wednesday morning for the North Shore of Lake Superior in northeast Minnesota, with west winds forecast to gust up to 40 mph and possibly over 50 mph at times.
A Wind Advisory will be in effect from Tuesday afternoon through Tuesday evening for parts of northern Minnesota, with west winds possibly gusting up to 40 mph.
Strong winds could knock down tree branches, potentially leading to a few power outages in areas under the wind advisory.
Also of note, a gale warning is in effect for Tuesday and Tuesday night, with strong southwest winds expected. Wave heights could reach 8 to 13 feet over open waters, including the Arrowhead of Minnesota along the North Shore from Taconite Harbor to Grand Portage.
Winds around 5,000 feet in the atmosphere will pick up to between 50 and 65 knots (shown in yellow and red on the map) from Tuesday into Tuesday evening, with some of that momentum likely mixing down to the surface.
RAP model 850mb wind forecast valid from 1 AM Tuesday to 6 AM Wednesday.
A few snow or mixed rain and snow showers may pop up Tuesday evening as a cold front passes through, but little to no accumulation is expected.
A stronger system, possibly with a low under 990mb, is still expected to impact the Northland from Wednesday night into Thursday. However, its track remains well to the north, which should limit snow and mixed precipitation in northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin, though some light snow accumulation is still possible. Strong winds and colder temperatures are also expected, with subzero readings likely across the Northland by Friday morning.
The late-week clipper appears to be tracking between the yellow lines on the map, which usually doesn’t bode well for significant precipitation, except perhaps in far northern Minnesota near the Ontario border.
You’d want the low to dip farther south to boost the chances of significant precipitation across much of the Northland, but that doesn’t seem very likely right now.
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