
When Will Our Mild Weather Bubble Pop?
The Dog Days of Winter have lost their growling bite. Two subzero nights? Data suggests we've saved about 9 percent on heat bills since September. A persistent Pacific signal has kept battery-draining cold confined to northern Canada in recent weeks. But our lukewarm luck may be running out.
All the weather models we study before placing our bets show a spell of much colder weather by the second and third week of February. Probably not record cold, but I could see a 6-12 day run of subzero nights, even a few daytime highs struggling to reach zero.
Pioneer Weather.
In the meantime temperatures mellow into the weekend and the potential for snow has diminished - the storm will track south (again), dumping up to a foot of snow from near Des Moines to Chicago. A few inches may fall in the Twin Cities, possibly enough to plow in some spots.
A much more significant ice and snowstorm is possible late next week, with a better chance of accumulation before bitter exhaust on the backside of the storm pulls a few eye-watering waves of numbing air into Minnesota 7-10 days out.
Fresh air!


Freezing Drizzle to Light Snow. Drizzle may freeze on cold surface by tonight and Saturday morning, followed by a changeover to light snow Saturday into Sunday. A few inches may pile up by Sunday afternoon, but the heaviest amounts should stay south of Minnesota.