Northern Minnesota is under a new alert until Friday at 7 p.m.

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The weather maps across Minnesota look like a bad art project. Two separate low-pressure systems are bringing a wild variety of weather to the state through the upcoming weekend. 

The first system crosses Minnesota early Saturday morning. On the map below, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s NAM 3 km model shows the wintry mix in the north and the potential for a few strong to severe cells to pop up Friday evening just south of the Twin Cities.

There is a marginal risk for severe cells from about the Twin Cities southward Friday evening.

The system is producing snow, sleet, ice and hail across much of northern Minnesota. A rare severe thunderstorm warning was issued for areas south of Duluth Friday afternoon. The storm dumped hail that rapidly covered roadways under the cell. 

Even parts of Interstate 35 were hail-covered Friday afternoon. 

Farther north, it’s a mix of sleet, ice, and snow. Winter weather advisories cover most of the far northern strip of Minnesota into Saturday. 

A winter storm watch covers areas near and south of Duluth:

In the south, temperatures hit the 80s Friday afternoon with 70s into the southern Twin Cities. Fairmont set a new all-time state record high temperatures for March 28 with 86 degrees Friday. That breaks the previous record of 84 degrees set in Bemidji in 1946.

As of this post time it appears Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport has topped out at 74 degrees. That’s just 4 degrees shy of the record high of 78 degrees for March 28 set in 1946.

The second low-pressure system will spread rain and snow across much Minnesota from west to east Saturday. On the map below, the Canadian GEM model shows rain from about the Twin Cities south. To the north it will be snow. 

Rain will change to snow late Saturday night into Sunday morning across the Twin Cities area. 

Snowfall totals will be heaviest from west-central Minnesota through the North Shore. Here’s a look at the snowfall projection for Minnesota through Sunday:

Here’s a closer look at central and southern Minnesota. We could wake to a couple slushy inches Sunday morning around the Twin Cities. The heaviest snows will fall to the north:

 include the Twin Cities Saturday night into Sunday. 

Overall this system will produce 1 to 2 inch precipitation totals across much of central and southern Minnesota. 

Temperatures this weekend return to more wintry notes.

Monday looks quiet, but another strong storms with rain and snow looks likely by next Wednesday.

Minnesota’s storm train is running at full speed.

Paul Huttner

Author

Two storms bring a variety of inclement weather to Minnesota through the weekend. 

Snow, sleet, hail, thunderstorms, record heat across Minnesota

Twin Cities National Weather Service office

NOAA via tropical tidbits

NOAA/FAA

Environment Canada via tropical tidbits

NOAA

European (ECMWF) model precipitation output

Snow, sleet, hail, thunderstorms, record heat across Minnesota

Go Deeper.

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