textproduct: Duluth

KEY MESSAGES

- A fast moving clipper system arrives late tonight and will bring a widespread 1 to 2 inches of fluffy snow through Tuesday midday.

- Sharply colder air arrives mid-week with dangerous wind chills of 20 below to 40 below zero possible Wednesday night and Thursday morning.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 120 PM CST Mon Dec 29 2025

The heaviest lake effect snow has ended along the South Shore associated with the winter storm that exited the region early this morning. However additional very light lake effect snowfall remains for the snowbelts into this evening and tapering quickly towards Midnight. Temperatures will stay quite chilly today, hovering in the single digits to lower teens with wind chills remaining below zero.

Conditions will briefly settle this evening before a quick-moving Alberta clipper dives into the area from the northwest after midnight. This system will spread a fresh round of light, fluffy snow across nearly all of Northeast Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin through Tuesday midday. Most locations can expect a general 0.5 to 2 inches of accumulation by Tuesday evening.

Following the clipper, a surge of Arctic air will take hold for the remainder of the week. While Tuesday will see a brief return to normal into the 20s, temperatures will fall Tuesday night. Highs on Wednesday and Thursday will struggle to get out of the single digits above zero in northeast Minnesota and low teens above zero in northwest Wisconsin. The most significant concern will be the dangerous cold Wednesday night into Thursday morning. Clearing skies and lingering northwesterly winds will allow temperatures to drop into the low single digits to near 20 degrees below zero, pushing wind chill values into the 25 below to 40 below zero range. Frostbite on exposed skin can occur in as little as 10 to 30 minutes in these conditions.

Lake effect snow will remain a factor for the South Shore snowbelts from Tuesday night through at least Thursday morning. Another few inches of light fluff could fall in this time period.

Ensemble guidance points towards a weak quick clipper passing over the region Thursday PM. This will be watched for if more system snowfall chances may need to be added into future forecast issuances.

Temperatures warm back towards normal Friday into Saturday this coming weekend with still little system snowfall chances.

AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z WEDNESDAY/

Issued at 546 PM CST Mon Dec 29 2025

VFR conditions are expected for most of the night. Then, a clipper system is expected to move in from the northwest, bringing MVFR to possibly IFR ceilings for the rest of the period. An initial burst of light to moderate snow should result in visibilities falling to around or just below a mile (50-70% chance) at all terminals. Then, lingering light snow is expected through the afternoon with MVFR visibilities and ceilings persisting. Expect winds to become lighter tonight and switch to the southwest by morning. Winds swing back around to the northwest Tuesday afternoon with some gusts over 15 kt expected for some terminals.

MARINE

Issued at 801 PM CST Mon Dec 29 2025

Issued some short-term Gale Warnings until 06Z from Taconite Harbor to Grand Portage as some gales have been observed at Grand Marais. Short-range guidance suggests these gusty terrain-enhanced winds will persist several more hours, then decrease pretty quickly around or just after midnight. No other changes at this time.

Previous Discussion: Gale Warnings have been replaced by Small Craft Advisories for the nearshore waters as winds begin to subside, though northwest gusts to 30 knots remain expected through this evening. Waves of 3 to 6 feet along the South Shore and 2 to 5 feet along the North Shore will gradually subside this evening. A Heavy Freezing Spray Warning remains in effect through 10 PM this evening for most areas. Conditions hazardous to small craft are likely Wednesday as a secondary even colder surge of Arctic air arrives. Small Craft Advisories are likely Wednesday. Gale Warnings may be needed Wednesday evening and night has gusty north winds to 40 knots are forecast near and northeast of Grand Marais.

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

DLH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

MN...None. WI...None. MARINE...Small Craft Advisory until 10 PM CST this evening for LSZ121- 143>148-150. Gale Warning until midnight CST tonight for LSZ140>142. Heavy Freezing Spray Warning until 10 PM CST this evening for LSZ140-145>148-150. Small Craft Advisory from midnight tonight to 4 AM CST Tuesday for LSZ140-141.