Rain Turns To Snow Thursday As Arctic Front Sweeps Through Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — Precipitation will arrive in several phases across Minnesota and western Wisconsin through Thursday, starting as rain before transitioning to snow as a strong cold front moves through the region.

Rain develops Wednesday afternoon and evening and becomes widespread overnight, with the Twin Cities and much of southern Minnesota seeing steady rainfall through the late evening hours. Rainfall amounts are expected to range from a tenth to a quarter of an inch in the metro.

As temperatures hover near freezing, a brief wintry mix is possible Wednesday evening, mainly in western Wisconsin.

The National Weather Service says light freezing drizzle or a mix of snow and drizzle is most likely in that area, with a lower but non-zero chance of freezing drizzle extending into eastern Minnesota and the Twin Cities.

Precipitation tapers off toward early Thursday morning, followed by a short lull. As colder air pours in behind the Arctic front, precipitation redevelops as snow by or shortly after the Thursday morning commute. The transition from rain to snow will occur as temperatures fall steadily through the day.

Snowfall totals are expected to remain light, generally under half an inch, but the timing and temperature drop raise concerns for travel. Wet roads from overnight rain may quickly freeze as temperatures fall, creating icy conditions.

The National Weather Service warns that a combination of falling snow, strong winds, and flash-freeze conditions could lead to hazardous travel Thursday afternoon and evening, especially during the evening commute, even with limited snowfall.

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

Today: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 35. Breezy, with a south southeast wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph.

Tonight; Rain, mainly before 4am. Low around 33. Breezy, with a south wind 15 to 20 mph becoming west southwest after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 35 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Thursday: A 50 percent chance of snow, mainly after noon. Mostly cloudy, with a temperature falling to around 17 by 5pm. Windy, with a west southwest wind 15 to 20 mph increasing to 25 to 30 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 45 mph. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Thursday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 2. Wind chill values as low as -10. Blustery, with a northwest wind 15 to 25 mph decreasing to 5 to 15 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 40 mph.

Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 24. Northwest wind 5 to 15 mph becoming south southeast in the afternoon.

Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of snow after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 15. South southeast wind 10 to 15 mph becoming west after midnight.

Saturday: Partly sunny, with a temperature rising to near 26 by noon, then falling to around 20 during the remainder of the day. West northwest wind 10 to 15 mph.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 0. West northwest wind 5 to 15 mph.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 16. West northwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south in the afternoon.

Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 7. South southeast wind around 10 mph.

Monday: A 20 percent chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 30. South southeast wind around 10 mph.

Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 23. South southeast wind around 10 mph becoming west southwest after midnight.

Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 31. West southwest wind around 10 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon.