Updated weekend snow forecast; temps retreat a bit

Parts of northern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin have a winter weather advisory until noon today due to mixed precipitation and an icy glaze on roads:

Here are details of the advisory:

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Duluth MN 741 AM CST Sat Dec 30 2023 MNZ010>012-018>021-026-037-WIZ001>003-007>009-301800- /O.NEW.KDLH.WW.Y.0043.231230T1341Z-231230T1800Z/ Koochiching-North St. Louis-Northern Cook and Lake-North Itasca- Central St. Louis-Southern Lake-Southern Cook-South Itasca- Carlton and South St. Louis-Douglas-Bayfield-Ashland-Washburn- Sawyer-Price- Including the cities of International Falls, Ely, Isabella, Bigfork, Hibbing, Two Harbors, Silver Bay, Grand Marais, Grand Rapids, Duluth, Superior, Washburn, Bayfield, Ashland, Spooner, Hayward, and Phillips 741 AM CST Sat Dec 30 2023 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST TODAY... * WHAT...Mixed precipitation. Ice accumulations of a light glaze. * WHERE...In Minnesota, Koochiching, North St. Louis, Northern Cook and Lake, North Itasca, Central St. Louis, Southern Lake, Southern Cook, South Itasca and Carlton and South St. Louis Counties. In Wisconsin, Douglas, Bayfield, Ashland, Washburn, Sawyer and Price Counties. This includes the Tribal Lands of the Lac Courte Oreilles Reservation, the Red Cliff Band, the Grand Portage Reservation, the Fond du Lac Band, the Bad River Reservation and the Bois Forte Band, Deer Creek, Nett Lake and, Lake Vermilion areas. * WHEN...Until noon CST today. * IMPACTS...Plan on slippery road conditions. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Slow down and use caution while traveling. The latest road conditions can be obtained by calling 5 1 1. Road conditions can also be found at 511mn.org for Minnesota or 511wi.gov for Wisconsin.

Snow is in the forecast

A low pressure system is expected to spread light snow across much of northern Minnesota and parts of northwestern Wisconsin Saturday morning and early Saturday afternoon. That snow coverage expands into central Minnesota later this afternoon. Most of Minnesota and western Wisconsin can expect periods of light snow Saturday evening. Snow tapers off from west to east late Saturday night/early Sunday. Light snow showers could continue until later Sunday morning in southeastern Minnesota and in parts of western Wisconsin. 

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s North American Mesoscale Forecast System model shows the potential precipitation pattern from noon Saturday through noon on Sunday:

How much snow?

One inch or less of snow is expected this weekend across much of Minnesota plus west-central Wisconsin. Southwestern Minnesota could see just a light coating of snow. 

The Twin Cities metro area appears to be on track for one-half inch to 1 inch of snow, mainly Saturday evening. A flurry or patchy freezing drizzle is possible Saturday afternoon in the metro area.

Parts of northwestern Wisconsin could see a couple inches of snow this weekend:

You can hear updated weather information for Minnesota and western Wisconsin on the MPR News network. 

Updated forecast information will be posted by the National Weather Service offices in the Twin Cities, Duluth, La Crosse, Wis., Sioux Falls, S.D., and Grand Forks, N.D.

Weekend temps

Saturday highs will be in the 20s across much of the northern half of Minnesota, with mainly lower 30s elsewhere in Minnesota and western Wisconsin:

Some locations in northeastern Minnesota will top 30.

Sunday highs will be in the 20s across much of Minnesota, with lower 30s in the Twin Cities metro area, southeastern Minnesota and west-central Wisconsin:

Programming note

You can hear my live weather updates on MPR News at 7:35 a.m., 9:35 a.m. and 4:39 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday.