Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Sun returns; still no subzero temps in Twin Cities yet

There's a strange, bright object in the sky Wednesday. It's called the sun.

One benefit of arctic air in winter? It's parched. Our arctic sunshine dividend pays off Wednesday.

It's the little things.

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Winter sunrise in the Twin Cities. Image: Paul Huttner/MPR News

Respectably cold, for now

Wind chills dipped below zero Wednesday morning across Minnesota. But we're still searching for our first subzero air temperature reading of the season in the Twin Cities.

We won't get there this week. Or next. Temperatures moderate again by the weekend into early next week.

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NOAA forecast temperatures for Minneapolis via Weather Bell.

Cold shot in late January? 

The temperature hit minus 45 degrees again Wednesday morning in the Yukon Territory. The numbers for Dawson , deep in the Yukon Territory, are bitter this week.

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Environment Canada

That pool of bitterly cold air is there for the taking if the jet stream buckles and drives it toward Minnesota. The longer range upper air maps continue to suggest that may happen in late January.

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NOAA upper air map for 6 pm CST January 22.

The 16-day Global Forecast System output continues to suggest a shot at subzero air for the Twin Cities in about two weeks. We'll see. Subzero air has been tough to come by this winter.

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NOAA data via Meteostar.

On average the Twin Cities records temperature at or below zero 23 days a year. We hit zero on New Year's Day, so the official count is just one this winter.

Stay tuned.