Arctic Blast Sends Minnesota Into Sub-Zero Temperatures Tonight With Even Colder Wind Chills

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — Arctic air arrives Wednesday night across Minnesota, with widespread below-zero temperatures and wind chills dropping as low as minus 20, according to the National Weather Service.

Many locations across central and southern Minnesota will spend 8 to 10 consecutive hours below zero. The Twin Cities are expected to bottom out near minus 5, with wind chills around minus 15.

In greater Minnesota, the cold bite will be worse:

• Alexandria, Little Falls, Mora — lows around minus 10 to minus 12, wind chills minus 20 to minus 25
• Marshall, Redwood Falls, Fairmont — lows minus 8 to minus 11
• Eau Claire/Ladysmith corridor — lows 0 to minus 5, wind chills minus 10 to minus 20

The NWS noted that winds are not especially strong tonight, a key reason wind chills won’t plunge even further, but the cold is still "dangerous if exposed for long periods."

A quick warmup Thursday

South winds take over Thursday and help push highs into the upper teens to low 20s, with full sun. MSP is forecast to reach 17 degrees, which will feel like a “warmup” only by comparison.

Temps climb into the teens and lower 20s Thursday night as warm advection increases ahead of the next clipper.

Friday clipper: another quick dusting

A fast-moving Alberta Clipper arrives Friday, with the NWS assigning a 40 percent chance of light snow in the Twin Cities. Accumulations should be around an inch or less, consistent with classic clipper moisture limitations.

Clouds hold much of the day, and highs will reach the upper 20s.

Weekend: reinforcing shot of arctic air

Saturday brings another weak wave with a slight chance of light snow in the afternoon and evening (20–30 percent). Behind it, another strong push of cold air dives south:

• Saturday night lows: 0 to minus 5
• Sunday highs: single digits, with many spots stuck between 6–9 degrees
• Sunday night lows: minus 3 to minus 8

Pattern next week: cold dominates, but storm tracks shift

The Climate Prediction Center’s 6–10 day and 8–14 day temperature outlooks both show Minnesota solidly in the “colder than normal” category through at least Dec. 17.

Multiple weak snow chances appear in the extended forecast; Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday each carry 20–40 percent probabilities, but nothing resembling a major system is on the horizon.

Here's the full NWS forecast from the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport:

Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around -5. Wind chill values as low as -15. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming southwest after midnight.

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 17. Wind chill values as low as -16. South wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph.

Thursday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a temperature rising to around 20 by 3am. South southwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Friday: A 40 percent chance of snow. Cloudy, with a high near 29. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 13. West northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Saturday: A 20 percent chance of snow after noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 19. North northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Saturday Night: A 30 percent chance of snow before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around -3. North wind 5 to 10 mph.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 8. North wind around 5 mph becoming west southwest in the afternoon.

Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around -3. South wind around 5 mph.

Monday: A 30 percent chance of snow after noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 23. South wind 5 to 10 mph.

Monday Night: A 30 percent chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 15. South wind around 10 mph becoming west after midnight.

Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 30. West wind around 10 mph becoming south southwest in the afternoon.

Tuesday Night: A 40 percent chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 20. South wind around 10 mph becoming west northwest after midnight.

Wednesday: A 30 percent chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 29. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph.