Dry but bright conditions today around the Northland sand with low relative humidity the region is in near-critical fire weather conditions – so no campfires please.

Looking ahead, a series of two large systems will barge into the Northland for the weekend bringing a wide variety of precipitation and gusty conditions. Rain, ice and snow are all expected around the different regions as this double whammy weather event works its way in. Winter weather advisories and winter storm watches have already been issued to go into effect tonight through late Saturday night.

 It will start up north late Thursday night and sink south across the Iron Range bringing mostly freezing rain and sleet to northern Minnesota on Friday. Temperature gradients will be the key for the distinction between rainfall and ice accumulation as surface temperatures will be very impactful on the precipitation types observed.  The ice accumulation and strong winds will impede road conditions and potentially trigger some localized power outages in our area.

There will be a short break Friday night into Saturday morning allowing temperatures to fall back below freezing as the second system works its way northward. This secondary storm will steer eastward bringing snow, ice, and sleet to northern Wisconsin, the UP, and splitting up to the North Shore.

Skies will be clear by Sunday evening and we will see another system bring another chance for snow to the Northland by the middle of the week.

Today

Sunny, with a high near 46. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming east in the afternoon.

Tonight

A chance of freezing rain, mainly after 4am. Increasing clouds, with a low around 30. Breezy, with an east wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Friday

Rain or freezing rain likely before 11am, then rain likely between 11am and 1pm, then rain or freezing rain after 1pm. High near 34. Breezy, with an east wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New ice accumulation of around a 0.1 of an inch possible.

Saturday

A 30 percent chance of snow after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 32. Breezy, with a northeast wind around 20 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph.

Sunday

A slight chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 36. Breezy, with a northeast wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Monday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 38. North wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.

Tuesday

A slight chance of snow. Mostly sunny, with a high near 40. Breezy, with an east wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Wednesday

Snow likely, possibly mixed with rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 41. Breezy, with an east wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.