The next few days will bring mild weather across the Northland, with temperatures in the 30s and 40s, while southern Minnesota can expect warmer conditions in the 50s, and possibly even hitting the 60s this weekend and early next week.
The only notable weather issue around here in the next few days might be some patchy fog overnight that could linger into the morning. Other than that, there’s not much happening in the short term.
This afternoon, temperatures climbed into the 20s and low 30s in northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin, while southwest Minnesota enjoyed milder weather in the low to mid-50s.
…Next week…
Computer models continue to show a change in the weather pattern that could become more favorable for low-pressure systems to move out of the Rockies and into the upper Midwest and Great Lakes next week.
The strength and path of these systems will stay uncertain for a few more days, as will the type of precipitation we might see in the Northland, with anything from rain to snow or even a wintry mix possible by mid to late next week.
As noted on Tuesday, if much of next week’s precipitation falls as snow (which seems unlikely at the moment), the Northland could end up with some impressive totals, with water equivalents between about half an inch and nearly an inch by next Sunday, February 22.
…Lake Superior Ice Coverage…
As of February 10, 2026, about 45% of Lake Superior was covered in ice, which is higher than the mid-February average of around 35%. Over the past few weeks, there have even been a few spikes reaching about 55% ice coverage.
Early this morning, parts of northern Minnesota dipped below zero, with Ash Lake being the coldest at -6 degrees. International Falls followed at -4 degrees, while Effie and Cook both hit -2 degrees, and Cotton recorded a low of -1.
Temperatures tonight look pretty similar to last night and are forecast to range from the single digits below to teens above zero in northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin.
I have to point out the extreme cold affecting parts of northwest Canada and Alaska. This frigid air mass has lingered for months, though it’s shifted around a bit. Early this morning, temperatures in those areas dropped into the -50s, with wind chills plunging as low as -80 degrees.
The arctic air isn’t moving into the Northland just yet, but it’s worth watching later this month in case we tap into some of that frigid air. Even if it does return, though, I doubt it would be any colder than what we’ve already experienced this winter.
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