textproduct: Duluth

KEY MESSAGES

- Localized rain and snow showers today. Quick and minor snow accumulations most likely for the Borderland and Arrowhead. Snow showers last into Monday afternoon.

- Locally higher snowfall totals of 2-5" along the South Shore late tonight into Monday morning.

- Seasonably cold temperatures Tuesday morning being a few degrees either side of Zero.

- Next chance of precipitation Wednesday with a potential rain/snow mix.

- Extended Period Heads up: 40-60% chance of heavy precipitation primarily for Northwest Wisconsin Sunday April 12 to Monday April 13.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 130 PM CDT Sun Apr 5 2026

Parts of the Northland are currently seeing a brief break in active weather this afternoon, but a fast-moving clipper system is already approaching from the northwest. For the rest of the day, expect increasing cloud cover with rain and snow showers developing from northwest to southeast. Robust convective snow showers are most likely this evening across Koochiching, northern Itasca, and northern St. Louis counties. Under these heavier bursts, a quick inch of snow could accumulate, accompanied by a rapid reduction in visibility that may catch evening travelers off guard. High temperatures today will remain in the upper 30s to lower 40s.

Tonight, a second wave of energy will push through as colder air begins to surge into the region. This will transition all precipitation to snow. A 6 to 12-hour window of moderate snowfall is expected along the South Shore, particularly for Iron County, starting late tonight and lasting through Monday morning. Total snowfall accumulations of 2 to 5 inches are forecast for these lake-effect prone areas. Elsewhere, lighter snow showers will persist overnight with low temperatures dropping into the mid teens to low 20s.

On Monday, a very cold air mass for early April will settle over our area. Residual low-level instability and steep lapse rates will likely trigger more robust snow showers during the midday hours in northern Wisconsin, especially from Ashland and Sawyer counties eastward into north-central Wisconsin. There is a distinct potential for snow squalls in this corridor, which could produce brief whiteout conditions. High temperatures will be significantly below normal, struggling to reach the upper 20s to low 30s. Northwest winds will also be gusty, reaching 25 to 30 mph at times, adding a bite to the air.

Monday night into Tuesday morning looks to be the coldest period of the week as high pressure settles directly over the region. With clear skies and diminishing winds providing an ideal setup for radiational cooling, temperatures will tank. Lows are forecast to range from 5 above zero to 5 below zero, which may challenge daily record lows for April 7th. Despite the frigid start, Tuesday will feature plenty of sunshine with highs recovering into the upper 30s as winds shift to the south.

The next weather system arrives Tuesday night into Wednesday as warmer and more moist air returns. This will bring widespread precipitation chances to the area. Current indications suggest a mix of snow and freezing rain may occur early Wednesday morning before transitioning to all rain by Wednesday afternoon as temperatures climb into the 40s and even low 50s for some southern zones. This active pattern looks to linger into early Thursday with additional rain and snow showers possible.

Looking toward the end of the week and next weekend, a general warming trend is anticipated with highs returning to the 40s on Friday and potentially the 50s by Saturday. However, we are watching a more significant system for the following Sunday April 12 and Monday April 13. Long-range outlooks provided by the Climate Prediction Center favor a 40 to 60 percent chance of heavy precipitation, primarily for northwest Wisconsin. Depending on the track, this could be a heavy rain event which, combined with snowmelt, may lead to rising river levels across the South Shore and the Minnesota Arrowhead.

AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z MONDAY/

Issued at 1248 PM CDT Sun Apr 5 2026

VFR conditions prevail early this afternoon ahead of incoming rain and snow showers later this afternoon and especially this evening to overnight hours. Expect a period of MVFR ceilings through tonight as a clipper passes overhead. Winds will shift from westerly this afternoon to northerly from 06-12Z tonight. Expect gusty northerly winds through Monday daytime. Scattered to broken low-end VFR to high-end MVFR ceilings last through much of Monday behind the clipper. Snow showers tomorrow are likely for the South Shore and Arrowhead.

MARINE /FOR NEARSHORE WATERS OF WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR/

Issued at 1250 PM CDT Sun Apr 5 2026

North to northwest winds return Monday, gusting again 20-30 knots so Small Craft Advisories have again been issued late tonight through Monday afternoon. Peak winds are most likely Monday morning into midday, and then those winds should start to weaken Monday afternoon. Elevated wave heights linger last along the South Shore Monday evening. Tuesday should feature mostly weak winds, becoming southerly through the day. With those south winds, there still could be some stronger gusts up to 20 knots between Grand Portage and Isle Royale.

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 from 1 AM to 1 PM CDT Monday for LSZ140>146. Small Craft Advisory from 1 AM to 4 PM CDT Monday for LSZ147- 148-150.