Sunday promises another warm day with the potential for more record highs. Temperatures in northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin will range from the 70s to low-to-mid 80s, while northern Minnesota will cool down behind a cold front, with highs in the 50s and 60s.
Record Highs for October 11
International Falls, MN: 88 set in 2015
Hibbing, MN: 87 set in 2015
Ashland, WI: 86 set in 2015
Brainerd, MN: 85 set in 2015
Duluth, MN: 84 set in 2015
Note: Duluth came close to its record high today, reaching 80 degrees, just 2 degrees shy of the 82-degree mark set on October 10th back in 1938.
The average date of Duluth’s last 80-degree day is September 11, while last year’s final 80-degree reading didn’t occur until October 4. To find a later last 80-degree day than this year, you have to go back to 2015, when Duluth reached 80 degrees for the final time on October 11. Interestingly, 2015 was also an El Niño fall and winter, adding another intriguing similarity to this year.
Much cooler air will sweep into the Northland on Monday, accompanied by gusty northeast winds of 20 to 40 mph near Lake Superior. Temperatures will only reach the 40s and 50s.
Temperature forecast from the RAP model for Monday afternoon.
Note: Strong northeast winds are expected to develop in Duluth after 9 PM on Sunday and will persist through Monday evening.
RAP model wind gust forecast valid 7 AM Monday.
Unseasonably warm temperatures hit the Northland today, breaking previous October 10th records by 3 to 5 degrees in Brainerd, Hibbing, and Ashland.
New record highs for October 10th
Ashland, WI: 89 degrees
Old record: 86 degrees set in 1938
Brainerd, MN: 89 degrees
Old record: 85 degrees set in 1928
Hibbing, MN: 86 degrees
Old record: 81 degrees set in 1938
Even with southerly winds gusting up to 40 mph, the cooler lake air near Lake Superior held its ground today, as light onshore breezes lingered and kept lakeside temperatures in the 60s. Inland areas saw a much warmer day, with temps in the 80s and Scanlon topping out at 90 degrees this afternoon.
Today’s highs in our area were about 25 to 30 degrees above normal for October 10.
This afternoon, winds at 850mb, or roughly 5,000 feet, were roaring out of the southwest over the upper Midwest at 45 to 55 knots. Much of this momentum was mixing down to the surface, bringing strong wind gusts and unseasonably warm temperatures.
Wind gusts ranging from 30 to nearly 45 mph swept through much of the Northland today, while areas near Lake Superior and far northern Minnesota experienced much calmer conditions.
Temperatures at 850mb ranged from roughly +20 to +22°C across the upper Midwest today, which is about +2 to +3 sigma above average for this time of year.
Snow, shown as blue on the loop below, has been falling today in the chilly air across parts of western Montana, and it’s expected to continue through Sunday, with winter storm warnings and advisories in place.
MRMS radar loop from Saturday, October 10, 2026, loop time 4:18 to 7:18 PM CT.
A few light showers may occur Sunday through Sunday night in parts of northern Minnesota, with only minimal rainfall expected.
Late Sunday night through early Monday morning, increasing easterly winds may bring lake effect rain showers to the North Shore of Lake Superior.
Today’s weather features three main events: a strong trough pushing southeast across the Pacific Northwest, Tropical Storm Rachel moving northeast toward Southern California, and the remnants of Isaias racing northeast into the Ohio Valley tonight.
GOES-East water vapor loop from Saturday, October 10, 2026, running from 7:45 AM to 7:35 PM CT.
