The first blast of flurries and wind chill temperatures in the teens is about as welcome as that crazy uncle at Thanksgiving who doesn’t know when to go home. A sense of overwhelming dread. But this is no polar vortex sticking around for weeks on end. After an almost January-like Sunday with a coating of flurries, the mercury may rebound to 50 degrees by the end of next week.
In truth it was a pretty nice fall. September and October were the fourth-warmest on record. The Twin Cities enjoyed a 199-day growing season in 2025, the fourth-longest on record. The long-term mean growing season at MSP since 1873 is 167 days; the record is 219 days in 2016.
Rain showers sweep in later Friday, and by Saturday the lowest mile of the atmosphere will be cold enough for a little snow to reach the ground. A dusting/coating of white is possible Sunday with a few icy roads. It’s time to put the driveway stakes in, to be on the safe side. This is just the first pitch of the Winter World Series.
