textproduct: Duluth

KEY MESSAGES

- Light lake effect showers over northwest Wisconsin lingering into the afternoon.

- The next clipper arrives tomorrow morning, with widespread snow chances (2-5" total accumulation) continuing into the weekend.

- 30% chance of several hours of freezing drizzle or sleet Thursday morning and early Thursday afternoon over central and north-central Minnesota. - Colder temperatures settle back into the Northland this weekend and through early next week.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 219 AM CST Wed Jan 14 2026

A cold front stretches through central Lake Michigan and across southern WI and MN, with gusty northwest to north winds advecting colder air southward into the Northland. Low stratus and isolated snow bands continue to shift southward, with clearing skies now across much of northeast Minnesota. Over northwest Wisconsin, lake effect snow showers/flurries will continue through sunrise, with better enhancement over Iron County, that will last into the afternoon. Drier air arrives and should cut off the snow machine through the afternoon.

Strong north winds will gradually diminish through the day, as the gradient weakens with high pressure arriving from the west. Gusts along the North Shore will remain elevated, and will need to re-evaluate whether to extend the Wind Advisory (currently valid through 6AM) later this morning. Those strong winds are ushering in colder air, with highs in the single digits and teens this afternoon. Wind chills this morning will drop below zero areawide, with the coldest wind chills in the -15F to -25F degree range over the north central and northeast Minnesota.

Surface ridging slides through the area quickly tonight, with lows falling into the -10F to 5F degree range. Winds quickly turn back to the south tomorrow morning, ahead of the next clipper dropping from the Yukon southeastward through Canada. A warm front, accompanied by a band of strong frontogenetical forcing, will lift through the area, from west to east through the morning. A quick 1-2 inches of snow is possible as the band moves through the area. Behind this band, some drier air could wrap around the south side of the approaching upper trough. This could lead to drying aloft and a low chance of freezing rain mixing in with snow across portions of the west. Little to no ice accumulation is expected. As forcing increases under the upper trough, additional snow is expected Thursday afternoon, lingering into Friday across northwest WI. The trough closes off over the Great Lakes and rotates over the region through Saturday, keeping the Northland in deeper northerly flow. Arctic air spreads southward behind the trough, with highs in the single digits (or below zero across the far north) Friday through the weekend. Another clipper with light snow chances will provide a reinforcing shot of cold air Sunday night into Monday, keeping temperatures below normal into next week.

AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY/

Issued at 1139 AM CST Wed Jan 14 2026

VFR conditions expected through early Thursday morning. Winds will be gusty this afternoon and weaken around sunset. An approaching clipper will bring snow and potentially freezing rain to the region Thursday. Visibility in snow will drop to IFR rapidly after snow begins. Visibility should improve for a time after the initial burst of snow passes. Another round of snow, gusty winds, and low visibility is expected after 15.18Z.

MARINE /FOR NEARSHORE WATERS OF WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR/

Issued at 219 AM CST Wed Jan 14 2026

Gale Warnings remain in effect for all nearshore waters with north winds gusting to 30-40 knots through this morning. Wave heights reaching 4 to 8 feet remain possible along the South Shore. A Heavy Freezing Spray Warning also remains in effect this morning, as colder air interacts with the building waves. Winds will diminish through the morning, but will remain elevated and Small Craft Advisories will be needed this afternoon and evening.

Another clipper moves through the area tomorrow and Friday, and additional Small Craft Advisories will be needed as winds increase from the southwest Thursday afternoon and turn to the northwest Friday morning.

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...Gale Warning until noon CST today for LSZ121-140>148-150. Heavy Freezing Spray Warning until noon CST today for LSZ145>148-150.