Latest Duluth Area Text Forecast Discussion product from NWS:
287
FXUS63 KDLH 272138
AFDDLH
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Duluth MN
338 PM CST Sat Dec 27 2025
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Moderate to heavy snowfall is expected Sunday late morning
through Monday late morning in the Northland.
- Blizzard conditions are expected along parts of the South
Shore Sunday evening to Monday morning.
- Wind gusts to 60 mph in southern Cook County Sunday late
evening and through Monday daytime may create localized power
outages and downed trees. Localized gusts around 50 mph also
expected in southern Lake County north of Two Harbors.
- Dense fog and areas of freezing fog continues tonight. Light
glaze of ice possible from any freezing fog.
- Sharply colder temperatures and strong winds arrive Sunday
with wind chills dropping well below twenty degrees below zero
by Sunday night with strong northwest winds.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 226 PM CST Sat Dec 27 2025
The ongoing low clouds, dense fog, and occasional freezing
drizzle persist along the North Shore and have re-emerged into
the Brainerd Lakes to I-35 corridor this afternoon. Dense Fog
Advisories have been recently extended in time for these areas
in the overnight hours. Spots along the North Shore are
forecast to see some freezing drizzle into this evening along
with the visibilities around 1/4 mile. Light ice accumulations
are possible as a result for the southern Lake and Cook County
zones into the early overnight hours. A rapidly intensifying
low pressure system will track toward the Great Lakes tonight
into Sunday daytime. This system is expected to undergo
significant deepening which will aid in transporting moisture
and producing high winds and heavy snowfall across Northeast
Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin.
Snow will begin to spread into the Brainerd Lakes and North
Central Minnesota Sunday morning, reaching the Twin Ports and
Northwest Wisconsin by Sunday morning. The most intense
snowfall is forecast for Sunday night through early Monday
morning. A swath of heavy snow is expected to set up in the
Brainerd Lakes to along the I-35 corridor and across much of
Northwest Wisconsin, where 4 to 8 inches of snow are likely.
Conditions will be even more impactful along the South Shore of
Lake Superior, where lake enhancement will push totals into the
10 to 14 inch range and locally higher amounts in northern Iron
County towards 18 inches. Winter Storm Warnings and Winter
Weather Advisories are now in effect for most of the Northland.
The wind will be a major factor with this storm. North-northwest
winds will increase sharply Sunday evening, gusting between 35
and 50 mph into Monday morning. This will lead to blowing snow,
most notably on the South Shore and North Shore. Frequent
whiteout conditions are expected particularly in Ashland and
Iron Counties. The previous Winter Storm Watch was upgraded to a
Blizzard Warning for Ashland and Iron Counties from Sunday
afternoon through Monday morning due to these conditions. For
the North Shore, persistently strong northerly winds gusting 40
to 60 mph are expected. Downed trees and power outages are
possible from these strong winds in southern Cook County. The
strongest winds will be Sunday late evening to Monday pre-dawn
hours, but gusts to 50 mph linger into Monday afternoon hours.
Travel is expected to become very hazardous for parts of the
South Shore and potentially along the North Shore during the
peak of the storm Sunday night and Monday morning.
Temperatures will drop through the day on Sunday, with overnight
lows falling below zero. The combination of frigid air and
strong winds will produce dangerous wind chills of 20 to 30
below zero Monday morning. These cold temperatures will persist
through much of the upcoming week, with another likely clipper
system bringing light snow on Tuesday followed by even colder
air for the New Year. Expect warming temperatures back towards
normal next weekend.
&&
.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SUNDAY/...
Issued at 1132 AM CST Sat Dec 27 2025
VLIFR to LIFR ceilings are largely expected through the next 12
hours as this very low stratus deck persists. Terminals that are
seeing fog this afternoon are expected to keep fog and possibly
even produce/drop back into dense fog after 23Z this evening.
Expect winds to slowly shift southwesterly 03-09Z and help lift
ceilings a bit and improve visibility. A period of heavy
snowfall begins first in north-central Minnesota 12-15Z tomorrow
and in northwest Wisconsin around 18Z.
&&
.MARINE...
Issued at 226 PM CST Sat Dec 27 2025
A dangerous period is ahead for Western Lake Superior. Strong
northwest winds will ramp up Sunday evening with widespread gales
of 35 to 45 knots expected. Along the North Shore from Grand Marais
to Grand Portage, a Storm Warning is in effect for gusts up to 50
knots. These winds will produce large, hazardous waves up to 12
feet in the Apostle Islands. Additionally, a Heavy Freezing Spray
Warning is in effect as the arriving Arctic air causes rapid ice
accumulation on vessels Sunday night through Monday.
For the open water discussion, refer to the NWS Marquette Area
Forecast Discussion at weather.gov/mqt.
&&
.DLH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MN...Dense Fog Advisory until 6 AM CST Sunday for MNZ020-021-037.
Winter Storm Warning from noon Sunday to 3 AM CST Monday for
MNZ020-021.
Wind Advisory from 3 AM to 6 PM CST Monday for MNZ020.
Winter Weather Advisory from noon Sunday to midnight CST
Sunday night for MNZ010>012-019.
Winter Weather Advisory from 9 AM Sunday to midnight CST
Sunday night for MNZ018-025-026-033.
High Wind Warning from 6 PM Sunday to 6 PM CST Monday for
MNZ021.
Dense Fog Advisory until midnight CST tonight for MNZ033>036-
038.
Winter Storm Warning from 9 AM Sunday to 6 AM CST Monday for
MNZ034>038.
WI...Winter Storm Warning from 9 AM Sunday to 6 AM CST Monday for
WIZ006-007.
Winter Storm Warning from noon Sunday to 9 AM CST Monday for
WIZ001-002-008-009.
Blizzard Warning from noon Sunday to noon CST Monday for
WIZ003-004.
MARINE...Gale Warning from 6 PM Sunday to 6 PM CST Monday for LSZ121-
141>148-150.
Gale Watch Monday evening for LSZ121-141>148-150.
Storm Warning from 6 PM Sunday to 6 PM CST Monday for LSZ140.
Heavy Freezing Spray Warning from 9 PM Sunday to 6 PM CST
Monday for LSZ140-141-145>148-150.
Storm Watch Monday evening for LSZ140.
Heavy Freezing Spray Watch Monday evening for LSZ140-141-
145>148-150.
Dense Fog Advisory until 6 AM CST Sunday for LSZ142.
Winter Storm Warning from noon Sunday to 3 AM CST Monday for
LSZ142.
Wind Advisory from 3 AM to 6 PM CST Monday for LSZ142.
&&
$$
DISCUSSION...NLy
AVIATION...NLy
MARINE...NLy
NWS DLH Office Area Forecast Discussion
