Rain And 40s In The Forecast For Twin Cities This Week: MN Weather

MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL, MN — A noticeable warm-up is on the way this week, but it will come with gusty winds and a brief round of mixed precipitation before colder air returns.

Early Monday morning temperatures were in the teens at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, with mostly cloudy skies and wind chills in the single digits. Highs today will top out near 26 degrees before dropping back into the mid-teens tonight.

Tuesday brings the warmest air of the week, with highs climbing to around 40 degrees under partly sunny skies. South winds will increase, with gusts up to 25 mph. Wednesday stays mild, with highs near 38 and strengthening winds during the afternoon.

Rain is likely late Wednesday night, transitioning to a rain and snow mix overnight as colder air moves in. Little or no snow accumulation is expected, but roads could become slick in spots. Winds will remain breezy overnight.

Thursday marks a sharp change, with falling temperatures through the day and a chance of snow mainly during the morning hours. Highs will drop into the teens by late afternoon, with blustery northwest winds gusting up to 35 mph. Thursday night lows are expected to plunge below zero.

Conditions moderate slightly heading into the weekend. Highs on Friday and Saturday will reach the upper 20s, with occasional chances for light snow. Sunday looks colder again, with highs near 21 degrees.

Overall, expect a brief taste of springlike temperatures midweek, followed by a quick return to more typical December cold as the week wraps up.

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

Today: Partly sunny, with a high near 26. South southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west northwest in the afternoon.

Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 14. West southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south after midnight.

Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 40. South wind 10 to 15 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph.

Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 18. West northwest wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 38. Breezy, with a west wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph.

Wednesday Night: Rain likely before 4am, then rain and snow likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 27. Breezy, with a south wind 15 to 20 mph becoming west after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.

Thursday: A 40 percent chance of snow, mainly before noon. Mostly cloudy, with a temperature falling to around 12 by 5pm. Blustery, with a west northwest wind 20 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around -6. Northwest wind 5 to 15 mph becoming south after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph.

Friday: A 20 percent chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 28. South southeast wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 18. South southeast wind 10 to 15 mph becoming southwest after midnight.

Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 29. West southwest wind around 10 mph becoming northwest in the morning.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 4. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Sunday: A 20 percent chance of snow. Mostly sunny, with a high near 21. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south in the afternoon.