Duluth, Minnesota – Roads across northern Minnesota could turn slick within hours Monday night as a thin but impactful layer of ice develops before the Tuesday morning commute.
According to the National Weather Service in Duluth, a 20% to 40% chance exists for ice accumulation between 0.05 and 0.10 inches from late Monday night through Tuesday morning, with the highest totals near Lake Superior into Itasca County. Even lighter amounts near 0.01 inches can create hazardous travel, especially on untreated roads and elevated surfaces.
Communities including Duluth, Grand Rapids, Virginia, Hibbing, and Silver Bay sit in the highest risk zone. I-35 near Duluth, Highway 53 through Virginia, and rural county roads could see a thin glaze form by early Tuesday morning, increasing crash risk during peak travel hours. In Ashland and Bayfield counties in Wisconsin, similar icing could impact bridges and shoreline roads.
Drivers should avoid unnecessary travel overnight, reduce speeds, and allow extra stopping distance. Residents are urged to charge devices and prepare for isolated power outages where ice approaches a tenth of an inch.
The icing threat is expected to ease by late Tuesday morning, but additional advisories may be issued if conditions worsen overnight.
