textproduct: Twin Cities

KEY MESSAGES

- Light snow tomorrow night into Sunday. Most locations will see around 1 to 2 inches of accumulation.

- Temperatures warm to near/above normal values this weekend and into next week.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 248 PM CST Fri Jan 30 2026

For the first time in roughly two weeks, we will enter a milder and more active (albeit nothing major) forecast.

Tonight starts the period of quite cold still, with clear skies allowing for efficient radiational cooling. Tomorrow will be warmer, but may still feel cool with highs in the teens and low 20s combining with breezy southerly winds. The strongest winds will develop during the afternoon across western Minnesota, gusting to around 25 to 35 mph. Temperatures will actually warm a bit overnight as modest WAA continues behind a warm front. Isentropic lift and increasing moisture associated with this frontal passage is expected to result in several hours of light snowfall Saturday night into Sunday. Model consensus remains around a widespread 0.1 to 0.2 inches of QPF, totaling to around 1 to 2 inches of snow. While snow is falling, there is a chance for isolated pockets of blowing or drifting snow, especially across western MN where winds will be strongest. We've also introduced a low chance for wintry mix (a combination of freezing drizzle and light snow) across western MN after the main band of snow moves through and ice crystals become depleted aloft based on forecast soundings. For eastern MN into western WI, precipitation should remain all snow, and could linger through Sunday morning. For areas that do see any freezing drizzle, the initial round of light snow should limit icing impacts with the snow acting as a sponge for the drizzle.

Some areas may reach above freezing Sunday afternoon, which would be the first time since the middle of January. We cool down as winds turn out of the northwest Sunday evening, though highs will remain in at least the 20s for the remainder of the week. The next potential system arrives near the end of the week as a shortwave rides down along the western edge of a ridge. There is still plenty of variability across long range guidance with anywhere from a few tenths of QPF to nothing at all possible. Depending on the track of the associated surface low, Thursday or Friday could end up being our warmest day of the week, with widespread highs above freezing possible.

AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SATURDAY/

Issued at 1132 AM CST Fri Jan 30 2026

Clear skies across all seven terminals this late morning. Mid level clouds across NW WI are heading south and forecast soundings show them lowering to MVFR later this morning and remaining BKN across WI, the question remains how far south and if they will reach RNH or EAU. Confidence for MVFR potential is highest at EAU later this afternoon, with other locations remaining VFR. Winds will remain north today around 10 kts, then diminish to 5 kts tonight while backing westerly tonight.

KMSP...VFR through the period with dry conditions. -SN is not expected until Saturday evening.

/OUTLOOK FOR KMSP/ SAT...VFR. Wind S 5-10kts. SUN...VFR. Chc MVFR -SN. Wind SW 5-15kts. MON...VFR. Wind NW 5-10kts.

MPX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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