Latest Duluth Area Text Forecast Discussion product from NWS:
112
FXUS63 KDLH 292346
AFDDLH
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Duluth MN
546 PM CST Mon Dec 29 2025
.KEY MESSAGES...
- A fast moving clipper system arrives late tonight and will
bring a widespread 1 to 2 inches of fluffy snow through
Tuesday midday.
- Sharply colder air arrives mid-week with dangerous wind
chills of 20 below to 40 below zero possible Wednesday night
and Thursday morning.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 120 PM CST Mon Dec 29 2025
The heaviest lake effect snow has ended along the South Shore
associated with the winter storm that exited the region early
this morning. However additional very light lake effect snowfall
remains for the snowbelts into this evening and tapering quickly
towards Midnight. Temperatures will stay quite chilly today,
hovering in the single digits to lower teens with wind chills
remaining below zero.
Conditions will briefly settle this evening before a quick-moving
Alberta clipper dives into the area from the northwest after
midnight. This system will spread a fresh round of light, fluffy
snow across nearly all of Northeast Minnesota and Northwest
Wisconsin through Tuesday midday. Most locations can expect a
general 0.5 to 2 inches of accumulation by Tuesday evening.
Following the clipper, a surge of Arctic air will take hold for
the remainder of the week. While Tuesday will see a brief
return to normal into the 20s, temperatures will fall Tuesday
night. Highs on Wednesday and Thursday will struggle to get out
of the single digits above zero in northeast Minnesota and low
teens above zero in northwest Wisconsin. The most significant
concern will be the dangerous cold Wednesday night into Thursday
morning. Clearing skies and lingering northwesterly winds will
allow temperatures to drop into the low single digits to near 20
degrees below zero, pushing wind chill values into the 25 below
to 40 below zero range. Frostbite on exposed skin can occur in
as little as 10 to 30 minutes in these conditions.
Lake effect snow will remain a factor for the South Shore snowbelts
from Tuesday night through at least Thursday morning. Another
few inches of light fluff could fall in this time period.
Ensemble guidance points towards a weak quick clipper passing
over the region Thursday PM. This will be watched for if more
system snowfall chances may need to be added into future
forecast issuances.
Temperatures warm back towards normal Friday into Saturday this
coming weekend with still little system snowfall chances.
&&
.AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z WEDNESDAY/...
Issued at 546 PM CST Mon Dec 29 2025
VFR conditions are expected for most of the night. Then, a
clipper system is expected to move in from the northwest,
bringing MVFR to possibly IFR ceilings for the rest of the
period. An initial burst of light to moderate snow should result
in visibilities falling to around or just below a mile (50-70%
chance) at all terminals. Then, lingering light snow is expected
through the afternoon with MVFR visibilities and ceilings
persisting. Expect winds to become lighter tonight and switch to
the southwest by morning. Winds swing back around to the
northwest Tuesday afternoon with some gusts over 15 kt expected
for some terminals.
&&
.MARINE...
Issued at 103 PM CST Mon Dec 29 2025
Gale Warnings have been replaced by Small Craft Advisories for the
nearshore waters as winds begin to subside, though northwest gusts
to 30 knots remain expected through this evening. Waves of 3 to
6 feet along the South Shore and 2 to 5 feet along the North
Shore will gradually subside this evening. A Heavy Freezing
Spray Warning remains in effect through 10 PM this evening for
most areas. Conditions hazardous to small craft are likely
Wednesday as a secondary even colder surge of Arctic air
arrives. Small Craft Advisories are likely Wednesday. Gale
Warnings may be needed Wednesday evening and night has gusty
north winds to 40 knots are forecast near and northeast of Grand
Marais.
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 until 10 PM CST this evening for LSZ121-
142>148-150.
Small Craft Advisory until 4 AM CST Tuesday for LSZ140-141.
Heavy Freezing Spray Warning until 10 PM CST this evening for
LSZ140-145>148-150.
&&
$$
DISCUSSION...JDS
AVIATION...JDS
MARINE...JDS
NWS DLH Office Area Forecast Discussion
