National Weather Service Warns of Snow and Bitter Cold in Southern Minnesota

Back in October, the National Weather Service released its outlook for the winter of 2025–26, and so far, that forecast has been right on track.

At the time, they called for temperatures to bounce up and down throughout the winter in Minnesota, along with slightly above-average precipitation. Their prediction also noted that not all of the precipitation would fall as snow due to the fluctuating temperatures, and it does feel like we’ve seen more rain this winter than usual.

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Sharp Cool-Down and Snow Chances in Southeast Minnesota

Southern Minnesota is currently on the warmer end of that temperature swing, with highs in the low-40s on Monday and the mid-40s on Tuesday. That’s about to change, though. Colder air is expected to move in and settle over the region for a while, and snow is in the forecast later this week.

Temperatures will be mild on Tuesday, with highs in the mid-40s, but a sharp cool-down arrives on Wednesday with highs near 20 and lows around 9. Snow chances increase Thursday afternoon with highs in the mid-20s, with snow showers continuing into Friday as highs reach around 31.

The coldest air arrives this weekend, expect a high near 6 on Saturday and 8 on Sunday. Early next week remains cold with single-digit highs on Monday and Tuesday before we climb back into the teens on Wednesday and Thursday.

Accumulating Snow Possible in Southeast Minnesota

The National Weather Service in La Crosse posted this update to its Facebook page:

Light snow will move into the local area from the west on Thursday afternoon and continue into the day on Friday. Confidence is high for accumulating snow during this period, with amounts of 3 inches or greater possible, primarily along and north of I-90. Be sure to monitor the forecast if you have travel plans during this period!

 

Not a lot, but enough to make travel a little more difficult. If you do have travel plans, there are some essential items you should have packed in your car. The Minnesota State Patrol recommends adding the 16 items below to your winter survival kit.