Latest Duluth Area Text Forecast Discussion product from NWS:
900
FXUS63 KDLH 302342
AFDDLH
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Duluth MN
542 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 /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z THURSDAY/...
Issued at 542 PM CST Tue Dec 30 2025
Low stratus is looking like it should be persistent for several
more hours per observations, despite models suggesting that
ceilings may rise to MVFR fairly quickly. Within the IFR
stratus, some light snow and freezing drizzle will remain
possible for the next few hours. In general, visibility
restrictions are expected to be limited with light precipitation
rates, but MVFR visibilities are not out of the question
briefly. An area of light snow will likely affect BRD for a few
hours in the morning, leading to MVFR visibilities. After that,
drier air is expected to move in and skies are expected to start
clearing, leading to VFR conditions. Expect breezy northwest
winds through the period with minimal direction change after
they become firmly northwest this evening.
&&
.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...JDS
MARINE...KML
NWS DLH Office Area Forecast Discussion
