Some flakes this weekend, temperature roller coaster ahead next week

Happy Friday everyone!!!

Flakes have been falling across southeastern Minnesota and northern Iowa all day today as a thick deck of stratus clouds have covered the sky. These rambunctious flurries and light snow showers will come to an end this evening as we loose daytime instability, with skies partially clearing later on.

We keep rather mild temperatures around across the area tonight, Saturday and the first half of Sunday, with highs in upper 20F’s to lower 30F’s, and lows in the teens. Cloud cover will play a major factor in these warmer temperatures, as well as an approaching Alberta Clipper type system that will pass through Saturday night.

Chances of snow remain, but they are holding on to straws given the increasingly apparent better forcing to the east of our area, namely in Wisconsin and northern Minnesota. The orientation of the upper level trough coming in also suggests little in terms of significant snowfall across our area Saturday night.

Still could see up to 1″ of snow for most locations, enough to cause a few slick spots on the roads. Overall however, this is not looking like the promising snow system that it did just a few days ago.

Behind this system, BRRRRRR. Much colder air races in from the northwest Sunday afternoon, into Sunday night. Temperatures will drop near 0F Sunday night, and only climb into the single digits both Monday and Tuesday. Overnight lows will be in the single digits below 0F. Wind chills as low as -20F at times.

Tuesday and Wednesday will be full of bright sunshine, on a positive note!

Fortunately, the cold is quickly replaced by WELL above normal temperatures by Thursday and Friday of next week, with highs in the mid to upper 30F’s! Downright balmy for this time of year!