Snow to rain today, 40s again by Saturday

It's hard to hang onto any cold air this winter in Minnesota.

Our morning snow shot ran from the North Shore and Iron Range all the way south along Interstate 35 into the Twin Cities metro. The snow band produced 3 inches at International Falls, and a powdered sugar coating in the Twin Cities metro.

Temperatures warm through the 30s today, and top out near 40 degrees in the metro and points south and west this afternoon. The short term breakdown for the next 36 hours shows the transition to some rain showers this afternoon as temps push 40 degrees.

Sunshine returns tomorrow. You would be excused for thinking this forecast looks more like early spring than late winter.

40s again by Saturday

We bounce around through the 30s this week, temperatures still a few degrees above average for the last week of meteorological winter. Another gush of mild Pacific air blows in Saturday.

Another El Nino-driven defrost cycle in a winter of thaws. Saturday's upper winds blow in from the northern Pacific Ocean once again by way of Vancouver and Seattle.

The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts model cranks out another three days in the 40s, and holds off on the next cold air intrusion until next week.

I doubt we'll dip below zero in the Twin Cities next week, but we may make a valiant effort to get there.

It's still too early to say just how much cold or snow March will bring this year. But this winter seems determined to be one of the shortest on record.

Stay tuned.