Latest Duluth Area Text Forecast Discussion product from NWS:
812
FXUS63 KDLH 281933
AFDDLH
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Duluth MN
133 PM CST Wed Jan 28 2026
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Temperatures remain below normal into the weekend before
warming to near normal levels for Sunday into the new week.
- Overall chances for snow remain low outside of some light
lake-effect across northwest Wisconsin and a clipper system
for Sunday into Sunday night.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 133 PM CST Wed Jan 28 2026
High pressure once again stretched from the Canadian Prairies
into the Mississippi Valley. Weak low pressure was analyzed near
Whitefish Bay with a trough extending back across the UP of
Michigan into northeastern Minnesota. An area of stratus was
dropping southward out of Canada into northern Minnesota and is
expected to continue drifting south and scattering out early
this evening. Light lake-effect snow showers will continue along
the South Shore into tonight. Later tonight, a lobe of vorticity
will rotate around an upper low to the south of James Bay and
bring chances for a few light snow showers or flurries to the
Borderlands southward through the region into the afternoon
hours. Forecast soundings remain dry near the surface, so a lot
of this activity will likely evaporate before reaching the
ground. Any snowfall accumulations will be around a half
inch or less. Lows tonight will drop into the teens below zero with
wind chills in the teens and 20s below zero. With the light
winds expected overnight, not anticipating temperatures reaching
advisory level. Highs Thursday will be in the single digits
above zero.
Thursday night will see another area of high pressure work
southward out of the Canadian Prairies into the Northern Plains
with deep high pressure well to the east. This will set up a
pressure gradient over the Northland leading to north to
northeasterly winds at 6 to 12 mph. With lows falling into the
single digits and teens below zero, wind chills will be in the
20s and low 30s below zero. Cold Weather Advisories may be
needed in spots, mainly across the Arrowhead. Lake-effect snow
showers will continue for Friday and into Saturday morning
before ending as high pressure moves to the southwest and swings
more westerly. Any lake-effect accumulations along the South
Shore through Saturday will be around an inch or less. Highs
Friday will again be in the single digits above zero with teens
and low 20s above zero by Saturday.
Southerly winds on Sunday will bring temperatures closer to
normal reaching into the low to mid 20s. A clipper will move
from southern Manitoba to northern Lake Superior Sunday into
Monday morning and bring chances for light snowfall to the
Northland. Probabilities for at least an inch of snowfall have
dropped to 10-20% with the latest run of the NBM, with the best
chances across the tip of the Arrowhead and into Iron County
with lingering lake-effect. Lake-effect snow showers may linger
into Tuesday before winds switch and turn it off. Another chance
for snow is possible for the latter half of the week as another
clipper system moves through the Upper Midwest. Temperatures
will remain near normal for next week with highs in the 20s and
lows in the teens and single digits above zero.
&&
.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY/...
Issued at 1147 AM CST Wed Jan 28 2026
An area of VFR/MVFR stratus has been moving south out of Canada
this morning and has not been handled very well by the models.
Ceilings are also varying within a couple hundred feet of 3000,
so some locations have been waffling between MVFR and VFR.
Expect this area to continue to drop south through the afternoon
and eventually scatter out this evening. A decaying clipper will
then drop south into the area during the early morning hours and
bring another VFR to MVFR stratus deck. There may be some light
snow showers with this deck, mainly at INL, but is not currently
expected to lead to any visibility restrictions. Northwesterly
winds around 10 knots will persist through the afternoon before
becoming light and variable this evening. Winds will remain
light Thursday morning but will be a bit more westerly.
&&
.MARINE /FOR NEARSHORE WATERS OF WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR/...
Issued at 133 PM CST Wed Jan 28 2026
Northwesterly winds of 10 to 20 knots will continue into tonight
before winds turn more northerly then northeasterly as weak
through passes through tomorrow. A few gusts to 25 knots will be
possible late this afternoon and evening with waves of 3-5 feet
across the Outer Apostle Islands and an advisory remains in
effect. Winds will generally remain northerly into Friday then
southwesterly for the weekend. Speeds will remain at 20 knots or
less after tonight.
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 PM this afternoon to midnight CST
tonight for LSZ150.
&&
$$
DISCUSSION...BJH
AVIATION...BJH
MARINE...BJH
NWS DLH Office Area Forecast Discussion
