Snow returns Thursday, calm conditions for Christmas

On December 18, 2024By Littum

More snow is on the way for Thursday and accumulation is expected before the weather pattern calms down by Christmas.

We’re looking at mostly cloudy skies becoming partly cloudy to mostly sunny by mid-afternoon today as temperatures climb into the low to mid-20s this afternoon. Winds will be light, reaching up to 15 mph at times, which will lead to wind chill values hovering in the mid-teens. Tonight will be mostly cloudy after midnight with snow showers returning between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m. Thursday morning as temperatures drop into the upper teens.

On Thursday, the cloud starts with scattered snow showers around the area. The bulk of the snow will move through the area through the morning and early afternoon hours before becoming more isolated/spotted through the afternoon and into the evening hours. Temperatures are expected to be slightly warmer and more seasonal with highs in the upper 20s and low 30s across the area. We may need to be careful with minor drift and/or reduced visibility due to blowing snow as winds are expected to reach 20 mph with gusts up to 30 mph possible at times. The snow will pack up through the evening hours, leaving scattered flurry chances for the rest of the night as temperatures dip into the single digits Friday morning.

Snow totals will range from a dusting to an inch for southwestern Minnesota, 1-2 inches for the central parts of the area, and 3-5 inches possible for areas northeast of Mankato.

Friday will then be on the colder side with mostly cloudy skies. Temperatures will top out in the low teens with winds up to 10 mph. Friday night will continue with mostly cloudy skies as temperatures drop back into the single digits Saturday morning.

Saturday and Sunday will remain fairly quiet with mostly cloudy skies. Temperatures will begin to warm back up with highs in the upper teens Saturday and upper 20s Sunday afternoon. Winds throughout the weekend will also be on the lighter side, varying between 5 and 15 mph with occasional gusts up to 20 mph possible at times on Sunday. Overnight conditions will remain calm on Saturday as temperatures dip into the low teens on Sunday morning. Sunday night will remain fairly cloudy with a light wintry mix possible in parts of the area as temperatures drop into the mid-20s Monday morning.

Monday will start fairly cloudy with a light wintry mix possible around the area. The wintry mix may linger into the late morning and early afternoon hours in parts of the area. This would lead to very slick roads as we could see a mix of rain, freezing rain and snow during the early morning hours at times. Temperatures are expected to climb into the low 30s in the afternoon with winds up to 10 mph. Monday night will be quieter despite cloudy skies lingering and temperatures dropping into the low 20s on Tuesday morning.

Tuesday to Friday next week, which includes Christmas Eve (Tuesday) and Christmas Day (Wednesday) will be on the quieter side despite cloudy skies expected to linger over the area. Temperatures will be slightly warmer than average with highs expected to hover in the low to mid 30s throughout the week as winds fluctuate between 5 and 15 mph. Right now, we may only see a few stray storms or sprinkles throughout the week due to the cloud cover lingering above us and the moisture we have in the air. Other than a stray shower or sprinkle, we’re not looking at any actual precipitation possibilities that would lead to accumulation, at least not at this point. Overnight temperatures through next week will continue to be on the warmer side as they are expected to drop into the mid to upper 20s the following mornings.

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