Minnesota – Gray skies hang low as cold air bites cheeks and windshields glaze fast, a clear sign winter means business again. The first full week of 2026 begins with slippery pavement and rapidly changing conditions across central and southern Minnesota.
According to the National Weather Service in the Twin Cities, a mix of freezing rain, sleet, and snow spreads through the region today, creating slick roads and sidewalks. A Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect from late morning through mid-afternoon, covering much of the Minneapolis–St. Paul metro and surrounding counties.
In Minneapolis, temperatures hover near 32, a danger zone for flash freezing. Light ice accumulation and sleet up to a tenth of an inch are possible. Snow mixes in at times, though totals stay minor. Even so, bridges, ramps, and untreated roads may turn slick fast. Drivers should slow down on I-94, I-35W, and Highway 52, especially during the afternoon travel window.
Conditions improve slightly this evening, but cold air settles back in. Patchy fog may form later, lowering visibility. Monday stays mostly cloudy with highs in the low 30s, but another round of light freezing rain is possible Monday night into early Tuesday. That warm-to-cold transition keeps black ice in play for morning commuters.
By midweek, drier air arrives. Highs climb into the upper 30s by Wednesday, offering a short break. Still, meteorologists continue tracking a more active winter pattern later in January, with heavier snow likely across the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes between January 17 and 30.
Daylight slowly improves. By late January, the Twin Cities gain about 40 extra minutes of sunlight, welcome relief during long winter days.
Heading out today? Tell us how road conditions look where you are.
Five-Day Outlook for Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Today: Freezing rain, sleet, snow mix, high near 32°F
- Monday: Mostly cloudy, high near 34°F
- Tuesday: Chance of freezing rain early, high near 35°F
- Wednesday: Partly sunny, high near 38°F
- Thursday: Mostly sunny, high near 37°F
