Twin Cities to briefly warm before brutal Friday cold
FOX 9 meteorologists say the Twin Cities will see a short midweek break from recent deep cold, with Tuesday’s high near 13°F under increasing clouds and only a chance for light evening flakes or a dusting as a system passes mainly south of the metro. Wednesday should be the mildest day, with light snow and up to an inch of 'fluff' possible and highs around 22°F. Arctic air then surges back in Wednesday night into Thursday, with wind chills plunging toward 40 below zero in the metro by Thursday evening and even colder values in northern Minnesota. By Friday the actual high temperature in the Twin Cities is forecast to be about 8 below zero, a level where exposed skin can freeze in minutes and furnaces, vehicles, and outdoor workers are under significant stress. Residents are being advised to use the brief warmup to prepare for another round of dangerous cold later in the week.
📌 Key Facts
- Tuesday forecast high around 13°F in the Twin Cities with increasing clouds and only light evening flakes possible
- Wednesday forecast high near 22°F with light snow and about 1 inch of accumulation possible in the metro
- By Thursday night, wind chills are forecast around −40°F in the Twin Cities and −50°F in parts of northern Minnesota, with a Friday high of about −8°F
📊 Relevant Data
The average daily high temperature in January in Minneapolis is around 24°F.
Minneapolis January Weather, Average Temperature (Minnesota ... — WeatherSpark
The frequency of extremely cold temperatures, such as -35°F readings in northern Minnesota and -25°F in the south, has fallen by up to 90%.
Climate trends — Minnesota DNR
Winters in Minnesota are becoming shorter and milder, with 16 fewer winter days from initial freeze to last frost since 1970.
Recreation, tourism threatened by winter warming — climate.state.mn.us
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