textproduct: Duluth

KEY MESSAGES

- A strong cold front moving through today is bringing strong west to northwest winds gusting 40 to 60 mph, a potential flash freeze, and a chance for snow squalls in the Borderlands.

- A High Wind Warning is in effect for southern Cook County, with Wind Advisories in effect for portions of the Northland through this evening.

- After a brief shot of Arctic air this weekend, temperatures will gradually warm up heading into next week.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 1228 PM CST Fri Feb 27 2026

Low pressure centered in far northern Ontario is extending a cold front through far northern Minnesota early this afternoon that will move southeastward through into this evening.

Wind Advisories and a High Wind Warning remain in effect through this evening today. Gusts of 40 to 50 mph have already been observed and are expected to become more widespread over the next few hours, lasting into late evening today. Southern Cook County is likely to see gusts around 60 mph from late afternoon to late evening hours today. Current headlines remain the same from the earlier expansion in areal coverage into Northern Cass and Northern Aitkin counties.

The warm air advection over the last 24 hours is being observed today on surface observation stations with high temperatures in the mid-40s to low-50s presently. The exception is the Borderlands where temperatures have already peaked for today. A much colder airmass can be see entering northwest Minnesota this afternoon from the Canadian Plains behind this passing cold front. Expect temperatures to rapidly fall post-frontal passage over the next 6 hours. Any standing water could see a quick freeze over, or a flash freeze, from these rapidly falling temperatures.

A quick moving area of snow showers can be observed on regional radar mosaics up into northwestern Ontario this afternoon associated with the frontal passage. These are being monitored for any movement southward into the MN Borderlands over the next 4-5 hours today. The snow shower mention in the weather grids remains through the post-sunset hours this evening for the Arrowhead. The limiting factor for these snow showers is a deeper moisture pool located just over the International Border, whereas sufficient low-level lapse rates, a band of frontal forcing and instability do exist within 10-25 miles of the Border into Minnesota.

Behind the frontal passage is expected to be a period of lower clouds that take a few hours to clear out past Midnight. Once those winds do shut off though and the sky cover clears, expect temperatures to fall even further for low-lying areas under idealized radiational cooling Saturday morning. Temperatures tomorrow morning are forecast from plus 5 to 10 below zero.

An area of banded snowfall will occur in central Minnesota before moving into central Wisconsin tomorrow PM. This band placement right on the southern edge of the Northland has created an inch or less of snowfall mention in the forecast for areas south of MN 210 to WI 70.

The coldest temperatures of this quick cold spell this weekend are likely early Sunday morning when air temperatures of 10 to 20 below zero are forecast north of US Hwy 2 and 0 to 10 below south of US Hwy 2.

A dry weather pattern sets up Sunday under slowly rebounding temperatures towards normal. Expect near or slightly above freezing temperatures again for Monday into the middle of next week. The hints of a southwesterly low pressure track from the central U.S. remain in global model guidance for late next work week and are reflected with a 20 to 40% chance of precipitation at this time.

AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z SUNDAY/

Issued at 1112 PM CST Fri Feb 27 2026

Winds gradually calming as we head deeper into the night tonight. Mostly VFR across the terminals, but there remains a persistant area of MVFR ceilings in northern Minnesota around HIB and INL. This should move off by early morning. Snow will stay mainly to the south of the terminals on Saturday. Best chance to see some snow will be at BRD where a PROB30 was kept.

MARINE /FOR NEARSHORE WATERS OF WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR/

Issued at 1234 PM CST Fri Feb 27 2026

Dangerous conditions for Western Lake Superior. A Storm Warning is in effect for the Minnesota North Shore for gusts to 55 knots. Gale Warnings cover most of the rest of the nearshore through midnight. Heavy freezing spray will develop this evening, with accumulations of 2 cm per hour likely. Wave heights decrease overnight so ramp down Small Craft Advisories may be needed into Saturday early morning hours still after the current headlines expire early tonight. Light winds around or under 10 knots are likely this weekend.

For the open water discussion, refer to the NWS Marquette Area Forecast Discussion at weather.gov/mqt.

DLH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

MN...Wind Advisory until midnight CST tonight for MNZ012-019-020- 037. High Wind Warning until midnight CST tonight for MNZ021. WI...Wind Advisory until midnight CST tonight for WIZ001>004. MARINE...Storm Warning until midnight CST tonight for LSZ140-141. Heavy Freezing Spray Warning until 4 AM CST Saturday for LSZ140-141-150. Wind Advisory until midnight CST tonight for LSZ142. Gale Warning until midnight CST tonight for LSZ142>146-148-150.