A messy weather system is expected to move in later this week, mainly from Thursday evening through early Friday morning.
This system could bring a mix of snow, freezing rain, and sleet to northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin, with at least minor impacts likely from snow and ice buildup.
Note: Wind shouldn’t be much of a factor with this system Thursday night, with east to southeast winds generally around 10 to 20 mph, strongest near Lake Superior.
Temperatures in our area are expected to be in the 20s and low 30s Thursday night, but with a layer of warm air moving in above, there’s a chance we could see more of an icy mix of precipitation rather than just snow.
There’s still some uncertainty in the computer models about how much precipitation we’ll get and how far north or south it will reach Thursday night, so keep an eye out for updates.
…Ice Accumulation Forecasts…
The Euro model is showing a pretty aggressive forecast for ice accumulation in parts of north-central and east-central Minnesota, including Duluth, as well as areas of northwest Wisconsin, with amounts ranging from about 0.05 to 0.20 inches Thursday night.
The Euro Ensemble, or EPS model, forecasts ice accumulation in Duluth ranging from a low of 0.01 inches to a high of 0.19 inches for Thursday night.
A blended model approach shows ice amounts generally under 0.05 inches, which is not nearly as impressive as the Euro model forecast.
Here’s a look at the NWS blend of models snowfall forecast ending 6 AM Friday.
The highest amounts could reach 2 to 4 inches or more in far northeast Minnesota, with generally 1 to 2 inches across northern Minnesota, tapering to less than an inch farther south, including Duluth.
Here’s the setup for Thursday night into Friday morning.
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