textproduct: Duluth

KEY MESSAGES

- Light precipitation ends this morning, with drier air arriving for this afternoon.

- Light wintry mix of rain & snow possible tonight through Wednesday morning across northern & central Minnesota, with more widespread light precipitation for all of the Northland late Wednesday night and Thursday morning.

- Warmer and dry for the weekend and early next week.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 234 AM CDT Tue Mar 24 2026

A weak shortwave is moving over the Borderlands this morning, with a weak cold front pushing southward into the Northland. Light snow/mixed precipitation showers continue across portions of the Arrowhead, but any additional accumulations will be light. Also, cannot rule out flurries or sprinkles where there is stratus. As the weak cold front drops southward this morning, winds turn to the north and drier air arrives. There should be good mixing this afternoon up to 900-800mb, where a significant dry layer exists. This will drop dewpoints down into the teens to mid 20s. With lighter winds aloft, wind gusts should remain below 20mph.

The weak front lifts back to the north quickly tonight into Wednesday, in response to a low organizing over the northern Rockies and disturbances tripping over the ridge axis stretching northward over the western CONUS. Low level and mid level jets increase over a thermal gradient just to our north. Expect a zone of light precipitation stretching west to east across portions of the BWCA and Arrowhead late tonight into Wednesday morning. A warm layer around 850mb will allow for some melting and a wintry mix at the surface. Snowfall amounts will be light, less than 1 inch, but cannot rule out a light glaze of ice early Wednesday morning from INL to CKC.

This boundary remains along the Canadian border through the day Wednesday, with continued low level advection. This will push temperatures into the low 60s from Brainerd to Hayward, about 10-20 degrees above normal. Would not be surprised to see a 30 degree spread Wednesday afternoon, from the warm air over the Brainerd Lakes to the cooler air at the tip of the Arrowhead. The surface low over the Rockies crosses the northern Plains Wednesday night, and expect widespread light precipitation across the area through Thursday morning. Will need to keep an eye on temperature profiles, and the potential for freezing rain along the US-61 corridor along the North Shore, but otherwise, precipitation should start as mostly rain with a transition to snow as the system exits to the east Thursday morning.

Ridging expands across much of the CONUS for the end of the week. This will allow for a longer period of dry conditions for the Northland through early next week. Temperatures will be slightly below normal for Thursday and Friday, but moderate for the weekend into next week. Can expect highs back into the upper 50s by Sunday in the southwest to around 40 degrees at the tip of the Arrowhead.

AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z WEDNESDAY/

Issued at 611 AM CDT Tue Mar 24 2026

Light fog is reducing vis at INL this morning, with MVFR vis possible for the next couple hours, before drier air arrives. A mix of mid and high level clouds cover most of the area, with heights all in the VFR range. Light winds this morning will gradually turn to the east then southeast by this afternoon. Speeds will increase to 8-10kts.

Tonight, MVFR cigs spread back into the area, with low chances of precipitation from INL to DLH late in the forecast period.

MARINE /FOR NEARSHORE WATERS OF WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR/

Issued at 234 AM CDT Tue Mar 24 2026

Winds shift to northerly this morning, and continue to decrease. Winds quickly increase from the east this afternoon and turn to the northeast Wednesday, but should remain below advisory criteria. There may be a need for Small Craft Advisories Thursday, particularly for the North Shore, as winds increase from the north.

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...None.