Excessive heat watch in effect through Sunday

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We’re tracking the coldest arctic air mass of the season heading for Minnesota next weekend. Call it polar vortex-lite. 

First, we’ll feel a little January thaw Thursday and Friday. Highs on both days will ease into the 30s across much of Minnesota. Bank thermometers in Austin, Rochester, and Winona may flash 40 degrees Friday afternoon. 

Our balmy spell won’t last long. The season’s most potent arctic front to date will blast through Minnesota Friday night and Saturday. 

On the map below, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Global Forecast System model upper-air loop shows the feed of bitter air blowing straight into Minnesota from inside the Arctic Circle.

Temperatures will crash into subzero territory in the Twin Cities late Saturday night. We are likely to stay below zero until around noon Tuesday. That could mean about 60 hours of subzero temperatures in the Twin Cities and much of Minnesota. 

NOAA’s Global Forecast System model shows the intense color bands of subzero air washing over Minnesota between noon Saturday and noon Tuesday:

Low temperatures look likely to reach minus 20s to around minus 30 degrees in northern Minnesota. Lows in the Twin Cities are likely to be between minus 10 degrees and minus 15 degrees on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday mornings.

Temperatures will rebound above zero Tuesday afternoon and could reach the 20s above zero by next Wednesday. 

Our inbound cold wave looks dangerous for anyone caught outside. I expect cold weather warnings will be issued. But temperatures will not reach record low levels.

Record low temperatures in the Twin Cities next week are in the minus 30 to minus 40-degree range. We won't even come close to that 1970s-style cold.

And our likely 60-hour or so subzero streak is par for the course in a typical Minnesota winter. The Twin Cities has endured 28 episodes of at least four consecutive days below zero. 

It spent an eye-watering seven straight days below zero in 1912.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has more detail on 

So get ready for a respectable free arctic vacation, though we won’t be breaking any cold weather records. 

You may be able to pull off some subzero weather tricks near you in the coming week. 

Weather and Climate News

Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Paul Huttner

Author

The coldest air mass of winter so far is heading for Minnesota next weekend. 

60 subzero hours? Arctic blast to whack Minnesota late Saturday into Tuesday

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