Below zero temperatures are headed for the Twin Cities
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Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
The Twin Cities this weekend will get its first dose of arctic air in nearly 11 months.
What they're saying: The National Weather Service predicts temperatures will plummet throughout the day and bottom out around 8 degrees tonight.
- Even colder air arrives on Saturday. Temperatures will fall to -9 on Saturday night and they might not get above 0 on Sunday.
By the numbers: The last below-zero reading at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport came on February 24, 2023, when it fell to -8.
- The average date of the first below-zero temperature in the Twin Cities is Dec. 9, according to the Minnesota DNR. We're about a month behind normal and this winter will rank in the top seven for the latest subzero readings.
Threat level: NWS meteorologist Paige Marten told Axios a storm that is expected to dump heavy snow on Southern Minnesota and Chicago this weekend has been shifting and could reach the Twin Cities.
- "It looks like we could see some snow here," she said. "Unfortunately, it's right around the 50% (likelihood) mark, because we're going to be right on the western edge. So it'll depend on how far that low-pressure system shifts."
The bottom line: This cold air — while dangerous — will be welcomed with open arms by ice anglers, pond hockey players, and all kinds of event organizers whose plans have been ruined or complicated by the warmest December on record in Minnesota.
- Lake Harriet was still open water on Wednesday, with the annual on-ice Art Shanty Projects event scheduled to begin Jan. 20.
Yes, but: There's still nowhere near enough snow for many other winter activities.