Snow Chances Arrive Tuesday Night, With Heavier Bands North Of I-94: MN Weather

MINNESOTA — Minnesota’s stretch of November warmth ends fast this week as a storm brings rain and then snow to parts of the state from Tuesday into Wednesday. The National Weather Service says the best chance for accumulating snow is north of Interstate 94, where several inches are possible.

The Twin Cities will likely see a light coating. The expected amount is around one half inch, with a high-end scenario of up to three inches.

The NWS says the metro has an 86 percent chance of at least a dusting, a 47 percent chance of one inch, and a 25 percent chance of two inches.

Farther north, the numbers jump. Fergus Falls is forecast to receive about three inches, with a high-end total of seven inches.

St. Cloud’s expected snowfall is one inch, with a high-end of five inches. Brainerd shows one of the widest spreads, with an expected one inch but a high-end scenario near nine inches. Northern Wisconsin towns like Hayward, Ashland, and Solon Springs also fall in the higher-end zone.

South of the Twin Cities, snow chances drop sharply. Rochester, Mankato, Fairmont, Albert Lea, and Worthington all show expected totals of one half inch or less, with low odds of anything higher.

The system arrives after one last mild day Sunday, when highs reach the mid 50s and come close to record levels in parts of Minnesota. Light showers skirt southern Minnesota Monday, but the main wave arrives Tuesday afternoon.

Rain spreads in first, then transitions to snow Tuesday night as colder air pushes in.

By Wednesday morning, the Twin Cities will fall to the upper 20s with gusty west winds up to 30 mph. Highs Wednesday only reach about 30. Thanksgiving Day is cold but mostly sunny, with highs near 28.

NOAA’s 8 to 14 day outlook continues the cold theme, showing a strong chance of below-normal temperatures across Minnesota from Nov. 30 through Dec. 6.

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

Monday: Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, cloudy, with a high near 51. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Monday Night: A 40 percent chance of rain. Cloudy, with a low around 41. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming northeast in the evening.

Tuesday: Rain, mainly after noon. High near 47. Northwest wind 5 to 15 mph becoming west southwest in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Tuesday Night: Rain likely before 9pm, then rain and snow likely between 9pm and midnight, then a chance of snow after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 27. Blustery, with a west wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Wednesday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 30. Blustery, with a west northwest wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.

Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 20. West northwest wind 10 to 15 mph.

Thanksgiving Day: Mostly sunny, with a high near 28. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph.

Thursday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 17. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Friday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 28. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south southeast in the afternoon.

Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 19. East wind around 5 mph.

Saturday: A 30 percent chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 29. East wind 5 to 10 mph.