Cloud filled forecast ahead, with warmer temperatures as well

Happy Saturday, and first day of Winter everyone! We started the day off with some sunshine and MUCH COLDER temperatures than anticipated, with lows bottoming out around -7F last night in Rochester. Less cloud cover and the fresh snow allowed for optimal radiational cooling at the surface, resulting in colder than expected temperatures across most of Minnesota. Temperatures have warmed into the mid to upper teens in Minnesota and lower 20F’s for most of northern Iowa this afternoon.

Temperatures will not cool down much tonight, thanks to increasingly breezy southerly winds, and cloud cover through around midnight. Looking at lows in the mid teens for most locations, with decreasing clouds through the night.

Sunday will be much warmer, with highs in the low to mid 30F’s, under a partly to mostly cloudy sky. Winds will be quite breezy out of the south, gusting up to 30 mph at times during the afternoon. Not a bad late December day by any standards!

A weak upper level disturbance passes overhead Sunday night into early Monday morning. Forcing looks optimal, and moisture availability is looking more favorable than it did this time yesterday. As a result, have added chances for a wintry mix late Sunday night into early Monday morning. Little to snow snow/ice accumulation is expected, but you’ll want to be on the cautious side heading out Monday morning in case of slick spots!

Any wintry precipitation exits the area Monday morning, with cloud cover, and the potential for fog during the afternoon and into Tuesday. That’s how most of next week is shaping up in fact, cloudy skies and foggy conditions at times through the Christmas holiday, and end of the week.

High temperatures remain in the low 30F’s through the first half of the week, with mid 30F’s by Christmas Day. Temperatures continue to warm into the upper 30F’s, to even lower 40F’s by weeks end. Well above average for this time of year!

We will be monitoring the chance for some rain Friday into Saturday of next week, as a low pressure systems passes through the area from the southwest. Details are still far from hashed out due to how far out in time the event is, but a majority of model guidance shows something being in our area during this time frame. Just something to watch for now!