Latest Duluth Area Text Forecast Discussion product from NWS:
842
FXUS63 KDLH 302124
AFDDLH
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Duluth MN
324 PM CST Tue Dec 30 2025
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Light snow and areas of freezing drizzle may make the evening
commute hazardous this afternoon and early evening.
- Very cold temperatures will lead to dangerous wind chills
Wednesday night.
- More periods of light snow are expected throughout the week.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 254 PM CST Tue Dec 30 2025
The lingering snow showers from this afternoon are gradually
tapering off and moving to the southeast as dry air pushes in
from the northwest. Some areas are seeing freezing drizzle as
the snow exits the Northland as we lose moisture aloft. These
are expected to end this evening as all forcing exits with the
system. While most of the region will see a break in the
precipitation this evening, the South Shore will remain active
as cold air flowing over the relatively warmer waters of Lake
Superior triggers persistent lake effect snow. Northern Iron
County, in particular, should expect these snow showers to
continue through Wednesday morning before drier air finally
begins to cut off the moisture supply.
A weak weather system will brush our southwestern counties early
Wednesday morning along an area of frontogenesis ahead of the
cold air mass moving south, bringing less than an inch of light
snow to the Brainerd Lakes area. For the rest of the Northland,
the main story will be the arrival of a much colder arctic air
mass. High temperatures on Wednesday will struggle to reach the
low teens, and as the pressure gradient tightens, northwest
winds will increase. This combination of cold and wind will
lead to biting wind chills throughout the day.
Wednesday night into Thursday morning looks to be the coldest
period of the week. With clear skies for at least the first half
of the night and light winds under an arctic high, ambient
temperatures are expected to drop into the double digits below
zero. Wind chills will become dangerous, potentially reaching 35
degrees below zero in the Iron Range, Arrowhead, and
Borderlands. Residents should prepare for these conditions now,
as a Cold Weather Advisory will likely be needed for the New
Year.
Looking further ahead, the region remains stuck in a northwest
flow pattern. This means we can expect several more rounds of
light, fluffy snow through the end of the week. While
significant accumulations are not expected outside of the South
Shore snow belts, the frequent light snow could keep roads
slippery. There is some evidence of a brief warming trend toward
the end of the weekend as a ridge attempts to move in, though
confidence in the timing and duration of this warmup remains
low.
&&
.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z WEDNESDAY/...
Issued at 1134 AM CST Tue Dec 30 2025
Light snow continues across the Northland. Visibilities are
expected to be up and down as showers become more scattered, so
opted for TEMPOs for most of the sites. BRD has been reporting
some FZRA/FZDZ, but have not seen any impacts at the surface, so
have left it out of the TAF for now. MVFR and occasional IFR
ceilings are expected for the TAF period for all sites. BRD may
see more snow showers Wednesday, so have included a PROB30 to
account for that for now. Winds increase out of the northwest
tonight and will be up to 20 kts by morning.
&&
.MARINE...
Issued at 254 PM CST Tue Dec 30 2025
A Gale Warning is in effect for the North Shore from Taconite
Harbor to Grand Portage starting Wednesday afternoon through
Thursday morning for northwest gusts up to 45 knots. Elsewhere,
Small Craft Advisories are in effect for the nearshore waters of
Western Lake Superior as northwest winds gust between 25 and 30
knots. Waves will generally be 1 to 4 feet, highest in the open
waters and near the Apostle Islands.
For the open water discussion, refer to the NWS Marquette Area
Forecast Discussion at weather.gov/mqt.
&&
.DLH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MN...None.
WI...None.
MARINE...Small Craft Advisory from 4 AM to 4 PM CST Wednesday for
LSZ121-144-148.
Small Craft Advisory from 4 AM to noon CST Wednesday for
LSZ140-141.
Gale Warning from noon Wednesday to 10 AM CST Thursday for
LSZ140-141.
Small Craft Advisory from 4 AM Wednesday to 10 AM CST Thursday
for LSZ142-143.
Small Craft Advisory from 4 AM Wednesday to noon CST Thursday
for LSZ147-150.
&&
$$
DISCUSSION...KML
AVIATION...KML
MARINE...KML
NWS DLH Office Area Forecast Discussion
