textproduct: Duluth

KEY MESSAGES

- Light snow continues this afternoon with "storm" total accumulations of 1 to 2 inches and locally 3 to 4 inches along the North Shore.

- Patchy freezing drizzle is mixing with snow today.

- Colder air arrives tonight on northwest winds, dropping wind chills below zero by Monday morning with some places seeing near -20F.

- A warming trend develops mid-week, followed by another clipper on Thursday that brings a chance for rain and snow.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 139 PM CST Sun Feb 1 2026

A clipper continues to traverse the Northland this afternoon, bringing cloudy skies and widespread light snow and patchy freezing drizzle. While accumulations for most areas will remain in the 1 to 2 inch range, southwesterly flow may slightly interact with the terrain along the North Shore enhancing snowfall rates, where isolated totals of 3 to 4 inches are possible. Any icing is anticipated to only be a light glaze. Satellite Cloud Top Phase RGB's and radar dual pol signatures highlight the fzdz areas quite well with nice areas of near-zero ZDR and high CC in the presence of reflectivity in the system's dry slot.

As the system exits to the east this evening, a cold front will sweep across the region. Winds will shift from southwest to northwest and remain gusty, ushering in a colder airmass. Any lingering snow showers will taper off from west to east tonight. Overnight lows are expected to drop into the single digits above and below zero, with wind chill values dipping as low as 20 degrees below zero by Monday morning.

High pressure builds in for the start of the work week, bringing clearing skies but keeping temperatures on the cooler side for Monday. A gradual warming trend kicks in Tuesday and Wednesday as temperatures climb back into the 20s. Attention then turns to Thursday, when a more organized clipper/low pressure system is forecast to move through the Upper Midwest. This system will likely draw warm air northward, pushing highs into the 30s and introducing the potential for a messy mix of rain and snow with snowfall amounts giving another inch or two if we stay in the colder air.

AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z MONDAY/

Issued at 1208 AM CST Sun Feb 1 2026

IFR and MVFR conditions prevail across most terminals this afternoon due to light snow and low ceilings. A brief period of freezing drizzle is possible at some sites. Conditions are expected to gradually improve from west to east later tonight as the system departs. VFR conditions return to INL/BRD/HIB by late evening and to DLH/HYR by early Monday morning as skies clear. Northwest winds will gust to around 15 to 20 knots.

MARINE /FOR NEARSHORE WATERS OF WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR/

Issued at 139 PM CST Sun Feb 1 2026

Gusty southwest winds continue this afternoon, particularly along the North Shore where a Small Craft Advisory remains in effect until early this evening. Winds along the South Shore have begun to ease slightly but remain breezy. As a cold front passes later today, winds will veer to the northwest across all nearshore waters. Wind speeds will generally remain below advisory criteria for the start of the work week, though northwest gusts to 25 knots are possible tonight - probably will need to ante up another Small Craft Advisory. Waves will subside to 1 foot or less by Monday afternoon.

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 6 PM CST this evening for LSZ140>144.