textproduct: Duluth

KEY MESSAGES

- Scattered to isolated rain and snow showers are forecast over the Minnesota Arrowhead and portions of northwest Wisconsin today. Precipitation amounts will be less than a few hundredths of an inch.

- Rain shower chances return Saturday evening and early Sunday morning. Precipitation amounts will be light.

- A clipper will bring a chance of rain and snow showers to the Northland Sunday night through Monday night with light precipitation amounts.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 208 PM CDT Thu Apr 30 2026

Tonight through Saturday...

Cool air aloft and cyclonic flow over the region supported isolated to scattered rain and snow showers early this afternoon over the Arrowhead and portions of northwest Wisconsin. No accumulation is expected from these showers due to relatively warm ground and the short duration of snow at any given location. The showers will dissipate this evening with the loss of daytime heating. Skies will gradually clear and low temperatures will dip into the low to upper 20s.

Broad high pressure at the surface and drier air aloft will limit cloud cover and allow for slightly warmer temperatures Friday. Highs will top out in the low 40s along the North Shore to the low 50s in central Minnesota into Pine and Burnett counties. There's a small chance of sprinkles or flurries over the Arrowhead during the afternoon.

Fairly quiet conditions and warmer temperatures are forecast Saturday. Conditions will be a little drier with RH values dipping into the 25 to 35 percent range. Winds will be be a little stronger from the southwest at 5 to 12 mph with gusts up to 15 mph. near-critical fire weather conditions may develop. Highs will be near-normal and range from the upper 40s along the North Shore to the low 60s in central Minnesota.

Saturday night through next week...

A fast-moving clipper will bring a chance of scattered rain showers to the Northland Saturday night and early Sunday. Moisture appears limited with that system and precipitation amounts should be less than a tenth of an inch. A weak cool front will follow the clipper and turn winds northwesterly on Sunday. RH values will be low once again and winds will be a little stronger at 8 to 15 mph with gusts of 10 to 20 mph. Sunday is shaping up as another day of near-critical fire weather conditions.

A more potent clipper will move across the region early Monday morning through Monday night. A stronger cold front will accompany that system. Rain showers are likely for Monday possibly mixing with a few snowflakes Monday night. Winds will be gusty and temperatures will trend cooler with highs in the upper 40s near the Canadian border and the upper 50s south.

In the wake of Monday's system a broad upper-level trough will set up over the western Great Lakes and Upper Midwest and persist through Friday, keeping the Northland in cool northwest flow aloft. Gusty northwest winds persist on Tuesday with highs in the middle 40s to middle 50s. Despite the cooler temperatures, RHs will be low during the afternoon and near- critical fire weather conditions are possible. Cyclonic flow aloft and cool air advection will support scattered diurnal showers over the Northland. Temperatures remain cool with chances of scattered showers Wednesday and Thursday.

AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z SATURDAY/

Issued at 625 PM CDT Thu Apr 30 2026

VFR conditions will prevail through the TAF period at all sites. Mid-level clouds with ceilings as low as 4kft will lift and scatter out overnight, with clear skies for some sites in Minnesota, before another round of diurnally driven 5-8kft scattered to broken ceilings return on Friday. Winds falling to calm for a time overnight, increasing to 5 to 8 kts out of the north on Friday, except near Lake Superior where winds off the lake will result in more of a northeast to easterly wind at DLH on Friday.

MARINE /FOR NEARSHORE WATERS OF WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR/

Issued at 208 PM CDT Thu Apr 30 2026

Winds will be light and variable over the waters this afternoon and evening at 5 to 10 knots with a stray gust to 15 knots. A few rain or snow showers are possible and will taper off this evening. Friday and Saturday are shaping up fairly quiet with variable winds up to 10 knots and a few gusts to 15 knots. A weak low pressure system will pass by to the north Saturday night and will bring a chance of rain showers. A cold front will turn winds westerly on Sunday with slightly stronger winds of 5 to 15 knots with gusts of 10 to 20 knots. Winds turn southwesterly by early Monday morning and strengthen as a stronger low pressure system passes to the north. Sustained winds of 10 to 20 knots are forecast with gusts of 20 to 30 knots. Those conditions will be hazardous to smaller vessels. There is a 20% chance of gales over the waters of the North Shore Monday.

For the open water discussion, refer to the NWS Marquette Area Forecast Discussion at weather.gov/mqt.

FIRE WEATHER

Issued at 101 PM CDT Thu Apr 30 2026

Weak low pressure near the ground and a relaxed pressure gradient will provide winds generally from the north at 5 to 12 mph through early evening. Friday will be similar with high pressure nearby and light northerly winds. RH values will fall into the 25 to 35 percent, a little drier than today. Highs will be below normal, though a few degrees warmer than today. Highs will be in the low 40s to low 50s. A little warmer Saturday as weak low pressure passes over northwest Ontario. Highs will be in the upper 40s along the North Shore to the low 60s in central Minnesota. Winds will turn southwesterly and should still be relatively light. RH values will bottom out between 25 and 35 percent. Sunday is shaping up warmer with low 50s to middle 60s. Winds will turn northwesterly behind a "cool" front overnight. Wind speeds and gusts will be a little stronger 8 to 15 mph sustained with gusts of 12 to 20 mph. Afternoon RH values will be in the 25 to 35 percent range. Both Saturday and Sunday have the potential for near-critical fire weather conditions over the northeast quarter of Minnesota.

See the Fire Weather Forecast product for a more thorough breakdown of fire weather conditions.

DLH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

MN...None. WI...None. MARINE...None.