Wednesday, December 24, 2025  2:15 AM 

Prepared by Bob Weisman, SCSU Meteorologist and Professor Emeritus

The Cloudier Side of Mild Through Saturday

Minnesota is still forecast to hang around the area of great temperature contrast into the early weekend (see highs varying from the plus single digits in southern Saskatchewan to the 50's in Kansas on yesterday's 3 PM NWS WPC North America zoom-in map). That temperature contrast would be in the vicinity of the main storm track near the US-Canada border from the Cascades to the Great Lakes (see west to east flow on the College of DuPage North America water vapor loop). The trip down the eastern slopes of the Rockies dries the lowest 10,000 feet of the air, but we will have lingering moisture trapped near the ground when warmer air flows over the top of the colder air.

This combination will create potential for light precipitation in northern Minnesota at times from now through the upcoming weekend (see NWS Duluth forecast chart showing perhaps some light snow this afternoon, a chance for some snow accumulation on the US-Minnesota border Thursday night into Friday with perhaps a light wintry mix in Duluth and Grand Forks, and small chances for light snow again on Saturday and Sunday). Central and southern Minnesota will be further to the south, so the precipitation chances will be lighter. Still, the trapped low-level moisture could produced low-level clouds and, when the winds are light, dense fog that may produce some spotty freezing drizzle. The best chance for this will be Thursday night into Friday and again on Friday evening.

Temperatures will be milder, especially as the low-level moisture moves in, which will keep low temperatures near or above our average high temperatures in the middle 20's. A low near 30 is possible on Friday and Saturday nights.

We will have a short interlude of much colder air pushing in over the weekend. Right now, the cold front is expected during Saturday evening. There could be a small chance for a few rain showers before the front comes through (with temperatures near or above freezing) and a little light snow or flurries after the front comes through during the early morning hours of Sunday. The main weather issue will be the temperatures falling from above freezing Saturday evening into the teens by midday Sunday. The readings could fall to the plus single digits by late Sunday. That means any wet spots from melting or the light precipitation will become icy, so there could be pockets of slippery weather, especially on untreated side roads, sidewalks, driveways, and parking lots. We will also have another round of very strong winds, blowing at 20-35 MPH with gusts possibly above 50 MPH from the second half of Sunday into Sunday night. The falling temperatures means that some areas could see wind chills in the -20's or even -30 from late Sunday afternoon and all of Sunday night.

The colder air will hang around Monday (highs in the plus single digits, lows at least in the minus teens) with lighter winds, but we will resume the temperature roller-coaster during much of next week.

Major Rain and Snow Potential in California Up Through Christmas..

Nationally, the travel issues will be on both coasts. Today will mark yet another of heavy California rainfall and mountain snowfall. The rains are falling over areas hit hard by wildfires during the past year, so there is a major threat of landslides in the flooding (see Days 1-3 on the NWS WPC Excessive Rainfall Outlook and the total Days 1-3, Wed-Sat, NWS WPC quantitative precipitation forecast). See Days 1 and 2 of the composite snowfall outlook for heavy snowfall potential. That precipitation will ease by Saturday.

..Major Snow or Mixed Precipitation Potential Mid-Atlantic and Northeast After Christmas

There is a chance for major Maine and New Hampshire snow today (see Day 1 of the NWS WPC composite snowfall outlook). The Mid-Atlantic and Northeast potential major storm will be a problem from Friday into the weekend (see Days 3-7 on the daily NWS quantitative precipitation forecast). The snow threat begins on Friday in Pennsylvania and New York (set tab to 00 UTC Sat, 6 PM CST Fri, on the NWS WPC probabilistic winter precipitation guidance) and will continue in northern New York and New England on Sunday (see Days 5-6 of NWS Days 4-7 winter weather outlook). See NWS WPC short-range discussion for more details, including the watches and warnings.

Much of the central and southern Plains into the Tennessee Valley and the Southeast will have dry conditions with warmer than average temperatures.

Ground and Air Travel Links

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

Detailed St. Cloud, MN, and Vicinity Forecast

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

Wednesday 12/24/2025: Cloudy through midday, partly sunny during the afternoon, breezy, and milder. High: between 30 and 35. Winds: SE 5-10 MPH, shifting to NE 5 MPH. Chance of measurable snowfall: 10%.

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

Wednesday Night: Partly clear evening, some low clouds and perhaps some fog late, breezy, and seasonably cool. Low: between 22 and 27. Winds: NE 5-15 MPH. Chance of measurable precipitation: 10%.

Thursday 12/25/2025: Cloudy, windy, and a bit cooler. Perhaps some freezing drizzle or flurries late. High: between 27 and 32. Winds: SE 10-20 MPH. Chance of measurable snowfall: 10%.

Thursday Night: Cloudy with a slight chance for rain or snow showers. Fog is possible by morning. Temperatures holding between 27 and 32. Winds: SE 5 MPH. Chance of measurable precipitation: 20%.

Friday 12/26/2025: Some early fog, then perhaps some afternoon sun. Continued mild. High: between 33 and 38. Winds: W-SW 5-10 MPH. Chance of measurable snowfall: 10%.

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

Friday Night: Some evening fog, then mostly cloudy with a bit of a breeze during the early morning hours, and mild. Low: between 27 and 32. Winds: SE 5 MPH during the evening, SE 5-15 MPH during the early morning. Chance of measurable precipitation: 10%.

Saturday 12/27/2025: Cloudy, breezy, and mild. A slight chance for a rain shower. High: between 35 and 40. Winds: SE 8-15 MPH. Chance of measurable rainfall: 20%.

Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy with a chance for rain or snow showers, then blustery and colder during the early morning hours. Icy spots possible by morning. Temperatures in the middle to the upper 20's during the evening, then temperatures falling through the teens during the early morning hours into the plus single digits by morning. Winds: SE 8-15 MPH early evening, shifting to NW by late evening and increasing to 15-30 MPH with higher gusts during the early morning hours. Wind chill: between -20 and -5 during the early morning hours. Chance of measurable precipitation: 30%.

Sunday 12/28/2025: Mixed clouds and sun, blustery, and much colder. Perhaps a flurry. High: between 5 and 15. Winds: NW 20-35 MPH with gusts of 45-50 MPH. Wind chill: between -30 and -5. Chance of measurable snowfall: 10%.

Extended: Continued cold Monday (highs in plus single digits)???? Major temperature swings possible through New Year's Day with uncertain light precipitation chances???

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

Yesterday's High: 30°F; Overnight Low (through 2 AM Wednesday): 18°F
St. Cloud Airport 24-Hour Melted Precipitation (through 2 AM Wednesday): None; SCSU 24-Hour Precipitation (through 2 AM Wednesday): None

Next Update: Thursday, December 25, 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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