Sunday, December 27, 2025  1:40 AM 

Prepared by Bob Weisman, SCSU Meteorologist and Professor Emeritus

Blizzard Likely in Much of Minnesota Today and Tonight

The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard warning in a large strip of Minnesota from the Red River Valley through central Minnesota (including the western and southwestern portions of the Twin Cities), the Minnesota River Valley, and southeastern Minnesota. The National Weather Service has a winter storm warning from the Lake Superior North Shore and on the hills overlooking the lake through Duluth and Brainerd through the St. Croix Valley, northern and central Wisconsin, and into the Michigan Upper Peninsula. As noted below, the areas in the winter storm warning will see more snow than the Minnesota blizzard warning areas; only more trees and hills are likely to reduce the winds a little bit. Much of the Upper Peninsula is under a blizzard warning as well.

No Travel Warnings Likely in Blizzard Areas

All of these warnings mean that the combination of heavy snowfall, low visibility, and icy spots will make travel nearly impossible in much of the area, so I would recommend that you put off planned travel until tomorrow. With the snow expected to break out early this morning, there won't be time to 'beat the storm.'

Expected Snow Accumulations

The latest computer forecast has backed the heaviest snow a bit into central Minnesota (see Day 1 of the NWS WPC quantitative precipitation forecast with the half inch accumulation reaching into central Minnesota). It now appears that Duluth, the St. Croix River Valley, and the St. Cloud to Twin Cities corridor will see the heaviest snowfall. Between 4 and 8 inches is likely in this area (set tab time to 12 UTC, 6 AM CST, Mon on the NWS WPC probabilistic winter precipitation guidance and step through the various accumulation thresholds). Amounts will be in the 1 to 4 inch category westward towards Alexandria and Mankato and the Red River Valley will also see between 1 and 5 inches of snow, but the higher winds could still produce those 'white-out' conditions, so they are included in the blizzard warning. Southeastern Minnesota is the most uncertain area, as some forecasts have it in the heaviest snowfall area and others have the bulk of the heaviest snowfall to the north and east, so a range of between 2 and 6 inches is expected. The heaviest snowfall of all will be in western and northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where between 6 and 12 inches are likely with a foot more likely in north central Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula (set tab time to 12 UTC, 6 AM CST, Mon on the NWS WPC probabilistic winter precipitation guidance and step through the various accumulation thresholds). Also, see both the Day 1 (good chance of 4 inches by 6 PM this evening) and Day 2 (more than 4 inches likely) composite accumulation charts from NWS WPC.

The additional problems will still be very strong winds during and after the snowfall. While our recent melting and refreezing cycle has tightly packed the 2-4 inches over central Minnesota, the new snow will be fluffy and blowable. The winds are still expected to blow at 15-30 MPH with gusts over 45 MPH, so there will be pockets of low visibility due to blowing and falling snow in open areas. There is also a chance that the large snow amounts and strong winds may cause downed tree limbs and power lines. These threats are greatest in Red River Valley and along Lake Superior.

Quickly Falling Temperatures This Morning

And, the temperatures are still expected to plunge. While readings have held near or above freezing in southern and central Minnesota from yesterday midday through the night (see NWS: last 72 hours of St. Cloud observations and NWS Aviation Weather Center METAR map), don't get fooled!!! Temperatures will begin to crash just after sunrise, falling from near freezing at daybreak through the 20's during the morning, reaching the teens by midday and slowly falling back to near 10 degrees by sundown. Those cold temperatures and the fluffy snow will also cause icing as the snow blows over roadways. And, the wind chills will fall back below zero by midday and could reach the minus teens during the afternoon (see NWS hourly Minnesota weather round-up for latest temperature, visibility, wind gusts, and wind chills).

The bulk of the snow will fall in central Minnesota between mid-morning and around midnight. The snow will persist until near sunrise tomorrow right on the Wisconsin border.

The snow will taper off in central Minnesota by midnight and southeastern Minnesota early tomorrow. However, the cold and strong winds will persist through most of tomorrow. The blowing and drifting will eventually produce a crust on the snow pack, but there will be problems with low visibility and icy spots in open areas. And, road crews may be pulled tonight due to the persistent wind in the blizzard area. Watch the latest road conditions below:

Ground and Air Travel Links

• Minnesota
• North Dakota
• South Dakota
• Nebraska
• Iowa
• Wisconsin
• Manitoba
• Ontario
• Air Travel Delays and Cancellations from FlightAware.com

And, when it is safe to travel, you should make sure that cold weather survival kit is in your vehicle. Temperatures will remain in the plus single digits all day with some wind chills in the -30 to -15 range. That will become a problem if you get stranded.

You can follow the latest radar, precipitation, winds, and visibility in map form, or text form. And, the links to the latest road conditions are above. 

Rest of the Week? Tuesday Milder, then Colder Into New Year

The rest of the upcoming week won't have any major storms. However, the New Year will begin on the cold side. Another cold front is due to pass late Tuesday. That will bring an end to a one-day thaw (highs in the 20's to near 30), as temperatures again fall back to the plus single digits by early Wednesday and stay there all day. The winds won't be nearly as strong as they will be today through tomorrow morning, so the wind chills may barely touch -20.

We will be along the southern edge of the mid-week cold air, so we shouldn't see readings as cold as they were on December 13-14. New Year's Eve has the potential to be a clear and calm night, so we could see lows in the minus teens. If there is a bit of breeze, there could be some wind chills near -20. Highs on New Year's Day will also be in the plus single digits.

This slab of cold air should push into eastern Canada by late next week. That will allow milder air to try to push in, but the computer forecasts generally have Minnesota stuck near the area of largest temperature difference, so there is too much uncertainty to pin down how quickly temperatures will moderate Friday into the weekend.

Detailed St. Cloud, MN, and Vicinity Forecast

Confidence Level: "The Bugs Are Waiting for Me to Mow the Lawn"

Sunday 12/28/2025: Cloudy and turning much colder. Periods of snow developing by mid-morning and continuing through the afternoon. Turning blustery with low visibility due to falling and blowing snow in open areas. Between 2 and 5 inches could accumulate by evening. Early morning temperatures near freezing, falling through the 20's and reaching the teens by midday, then falling to near 10 by sunset. Winds: NW increasing to 15-30 MPH with gusts of 45-50 MPH midday and afternoon. Wind chill: between -15 and +7. Chance of measurable snowfall: 90%.

Sunday Night: Periods of steady, wind-blown snow through midnight, tapering to flurries during the early morning hours. Another 1 to 3 inches could accumulate during the evening. Continued blustery and colder with serious wind chills. Low visibility in open areas due to falling and blowing snow. Low: between 0 and +5. Winds: NW 20-35 MPH with gusts of 45-50 MPH. Wind chill: between -30 and -15 during the early morning hours. Chance of measurable snowfall: 60% evening, 20% after midnight.

Monday 12/29/2025: Mixed sun and clouds, still windy, and cold with serious wind chills. Pockets of low visibility due to blowing snow in open areas. High: between 5 and 10. Winds: NW 15-30 MPH with gusts to 50 MPH near daybreak, then 10-20 MPH with gusts over 30 MPH midday and afternoon. Wind chill: between -30 and -15 early, between -18 and -3 by late in the day. Chance of measurable snowfall: 10%.

Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, lighter winds, and turning a bit milder. Temperatures holding between 0 and 10. Winds: NW 5 MPH evening, SW 5 MPH during the early morning hours. Chance of measurable snowfall: 10%.

Confidence Level: "Extra Bugs Will Come From Every Home on the Block to Hover Around My Head"

Tuesday 12/30/2025: Cloudy, breezy, and milder. A slight chance for midday light snow or flurries. High: between 25 and 30. Winds: SW 5-15 MPH during the morning, NW 10-20 MPH midday and afternoon. Chance of measurable snowfall: 20%.

Tuesday Night: Cloudy, windy, and and turning colder. Perhaps some light snow or flurries. Low: between 0 and 5. Winds: NW 10-20 MPH evening, 8-15 MPH after midnight. Wind chill: between -25 and -10. Chance of measurable snowfall: 30%.

Wednesday 12/31/2025: Perhaps some early flurries, then a mixture of clouds and sun and colder. Temperatures holding in the plus single digits. Winds: NW 5-15 MPH. Wind chill: between -20 and 0. Chance of measurable snowfall: 20%.

Confidence Level: "Enough Bugs Will Fly into My Mouth to Throw Off My Diet

Wednesday Night: Partly clear, light winds, and quite cold. Low: between -15 and -5. Winds: NW 5 MPH. Spotty wind chill: between -30 and -15. Chance of measurable snowfall: 10%.

Thursday 1/1/2026: A cold start to the New Year. Mixed clouds and sun with perhaps a flurry. High: between -5 and +5. Winds: NW 5-10 MPH. Wind chill: between -25 and -5. Chance of measurable snowfall: 10%.

Extended: Slowly turning milder into next weekend, but uncertain how mild and how quickly???

Forecast Confidence (10 - "The Rabbits Will Thump Even Though I Fed Them"; 0 - "The Rabbits Will Offer To Groom My Bald Spot"): 6 Sunday and Sunday night, 7 Monday, 6 Monday night, 5 Tuesday through Wednesday, 3 Wednesday night, 4 Thursday.

Yesterday's High: 35°F; Overnight Low (through 1 AM Sunday): 33°F; Today's High (through 1 AM): 34°F (temperatures falling from 8 AM on);
St. Cloud Airport 24-Hour Melted Precipitation (through 1 AM Sunday): None; SCSU 24-Hour Precipitation (through 1 AM Sunday): None

Next Update: Monday, December 29, 2025 6 AM

Let me know what you think about this forecast and discussion by emailing SCSU meteorology professor Bob Weisman. Please note that I make the forecast, not the weather!

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