Latest Duluth Area Text Forecast Discussion product from NWS:
525
FXUS63 KDLH 272323
AFDDLH
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Duluth MN
523 PM CST Tue Jan 27 2026
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Below normal temperatures continue into the weekend before
warming back to near normal levels for Sunday into the new
week.
- Little chances for precipitation through the period outside of
some lake-effect across northwest Wisconsin at times.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 327 PM CST Tue Jan 27 2026
High pressure stretched from the Canadian Prairies into the
Northern and Central Plains early this afternoon with low
pressure along the Ontario-Quebec border between James Bay and
Lake Huron. This was setting up a pressure gradient across the
Great Lakes into Minnesota resulting in gusty northwest winds
across the region. This gradient will slacken a bit tonight as
the low moves further eastward. Gusts will likely subside, but
sustained winds will still be around 5 to 15 mph for most
locations. With cold air still in place, lows tonight will drop
into the teens below zero with wind chills in the 20s below
zero. A few locations may fall into the lower 30s below zero,
but this is not expected to be widespread enough for any cold
headlines tonight.
With the persistent northwesterly winds, lake-effect
snow showers will continue across the South Shore in northwest
Wisconsin tonight into Friday. Given the cold temperatures and
building ice on Lake Superior, there isn`t much for moisture to
work with, so snow showers are expected to be light with
accumulations of around an inch or less through Friday. Isolated
higher amounts will be possible along the State Route 77
corridor in northern Iron County.
Generally northwest flow will prevail through the week with high
pressure keeping the clipper train well to our west.
Temperatures will slowly warm through the remainder of the week
with single digits above zero for Wednesday through Friday
before reaching into the teens and low 20s Saturday. Near normal
temperatures in the low to middle 20s will then be seen for
Sunday into the new week. There will be low chance for snow
Friday into Friday night from the Arrowhead into northern
Wisconsin as an upper low and trough drop southward on the
eastern periphery of the high. This system looks moisture
starved and any accumulations will be minimal, if any. A better
chance for snow will arrive in the Sunday-Monday time frame in
association with a clipper. Moisture again looks to be lacking
with this system with chances for at least an inch of snow
remaining in the 15-30% range with about a 40 to 60% chance for
at least a dusting of snow.
&&
.AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z THURSDAY/...
Issued at 523 PM CST Tue Jan 27 2026
Largely VFR conditions across the region this evening. Satellite
shows an MVFR stratus deck moving across the Arrowhead and western
Ontario. Model guidance is suggesting another round of stratus
clouds could sink south and impact northern MN overnight. But
guidance has been pretty poor of late when it comes to ceilings and
upstream observations don`t look super supportive at the moment. For
now we are keeping the TAFs VFR. Chances for seeing some MVFR
ceilings look to be around 30% between 09Z-15Z. Tomorrow, soundings
look to support some scattered cloud decks at MVFR heights. May need
some tempos for MVFR conditions depending on how dense the cloud
field ends up being.
&&
.MARINE /FOR NEARSHORE WATERS OF WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR/...
Issued at 327 PM CST Tue Jan 27 2026
Northwesterly winds will continue to gust to 20 to 25 knots
through this evening before weakening to 20 knots or less after
midnight. A Small Craft Advisory remains in effect for these
gusty winds. Winds will slowly become northerly Wednesday into
Wednesday night and remain under 20 knots. Winds the remain at
20 knots or less into the weekend.
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 midnight CST tonight for LSZ140>146-
148-150.
&&
$$
DISCUSSION...BJH
AVIATION...Britt
MARINE...BJH
NWS DLH Office Area Forecast Discussion
