textproduct: Duluth

KEY MESSAGES

- Dry this afternoon with low RH values.

- A light wintry mix is possible mainly north of the Iron Range tonight with more widespread wintry mix chances for Wednesday night into Thursday morning.

- Turning warmer and drier for the remainder of the week and into the weekend.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 157 PM CDT Tue Mar 24 2026

Weak high pressure was in place across the Northland early this afternoon in the wake of a cold front. This cold front extended southwestward across southeastern Lake Superior, Upper Michigan, northern Wisconsin and central Minnesota from an area of low pressure just east of James Bay. There were some light radar returns across central Minnesota in the vicinity of the front, but with dry air in place near the surface, no precipitation was reported. With that dry air in place, RH values this afternoon will fall into the 25 to 35% range over much of the region with some pockets of sub-25% values in northern Cass, Itasca and southwestern Koochiching counties. Fortunately, winds will remain light at around 10 mph or less.

Heading into tonight, the cold front to our south will lift back north as a warm/stationary boundary as low pressure develops across the Northern Plains/Northern Rockies in association with upper level impulses cresting the ridge axis over the western CONUS. A low level jet will bring a warm nose northward tonight as well as an area of precipitation sets up along the International Border. Most of this activity will be across the Borderlands into the Arrowhead, but may reach as far south as the Iron Range, the Twin Ports and far northern northwest Wisconsin around daybreak. With that warm nose aloft, a wintry mix of rain, snow, freezing rain, and mix will all be possible. Fortunately, QPF is minimal along and south of the Iron Range, so any impacts are expected to be minimal. A light glaze of ice will be possible from International Falls to Grand Marais by sunrise with perhaps a dusting of snowfall in those same areas.

The frontal boundary will remain along/north of the International Border for tomorrow with warm southerly flow in place across the Northland. This will lead to highs reaching into the 50s and lower 60s in most areas with 40s in the Arrowhead and near Lake Superior. Low pressure will move along the front through the day and then drag it southward Wednesday night as a cold front. This will lead to a more widespread round of wintry mix for Wednesday night into Thursday morning. This round looks to be mainly rain at the start with a transition over the snow shortly before precipitation ends Thursday. Temperature profiles along the North Shore may lead to more in the way of freezing rain. There is the potential for up to a tenth of an inch of accumulation of ice along the North Shore into the Arrowhead.

An extended dry period is then expected for the remainder of the week and into the weekend as surface high pressure builds in. Temperatures will only be in the 30s and 40s on Thursday and Friday before warming through the weekend reaching the 50s and 60s over much of the area by Sunday with 40s in the Arrowhead.

AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z THURSDAY/

Issued at 649 PM CDT Tue Mar 24 2026

VFR conditions expected for the next 6 hours at least, but expect increasing clouds ahead of a passing weather system that will bring some light mixed precipitation during the morning, mainly at INL but possibly impacting HIB briefly. MVFR visibilities are expected at times, and perhaps an hour or two of IFR visibility can't be completely ruled out at INL if precipitation changes to all snow briefly. LLWS is possible especially at INL/HIB/DLH for several hours tonight with warm air advection. MVFR ceilings are expected to persist through the rest of the period at INL after precipitation ends around mid- morning, but expect VFR conditions elsewhere.

MARINE /FOR NEARSHORE WATERS OF WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR/

Issued at 157 PM CDT Tue Mar 24 2026

Easterly winds today will become northeasterly for Wednesday at 15 knots or less. Stronger northerly winds are expected for Thursday with gusts to around 20 mph. There is a small chance (20-30%) of winds reaching advisory criteria Thursday along parts of the North Shore. Otherwise, no hazardous marine conditions are expected.

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.