Duluth, Minnesota – Two winter systems moving through the Northland this weekend are expected to bring periods of snow and a growing risk of slippery travel, especially Sunday afternoon and evening when heavier snowfall rates and light icing become possible.
According to the National Weather Service in Duluth, the first system is a fast-moving clipper bringing light snow today. Most locations across northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin are expected to see accumulations of an inch or less as the snow moves through this morning into the afternoon.
A second, more potent system arrives Sunday and continues into early Monday morning. This system is expected to produce a narrow band of moderate to heavy snowfall Sunday afternoon and evening, with snowfall rates potentially reaching up to 1 inch per hour. The highest rates are expected near the Twin Ports and across parts of the Arrowhead, before shifting east into northwest Wisconsin Sunday evening.
Locations including Duluth, Two Harbors, Silver Bay, Grand Marais, Ashland, and Hurley could see several inches of snow by early Monday, with locally higher amounts where the heavier band sets up. Travel conditions are expected to deteriorate quickly during the afternoon and evening hours as visibility drops and roads become snow-covered.
In addition to snow, forecasters are monitoring the potential for light ice accumulations. Freezing drizzle may develop behind the snow Sunday night, particularly around the Brainerd Lakes area and extending east toward the I-35 corridor. Even a light glaze of ice could create hazardous driving conditions on untreated roads and bridges.
Drivers are urged to plan ahead, allow extra travel time, and monitor updates closely as small shifts in the storm track could change where the heaviest snow and ice occur. Winter weather advisories may be issued as confidence increases, with conditions improving gradually Monday as the system exits.
