Minneapolis, Minnesota — A significant late-season cold snap will take hold across Minnesota starting Friday, May 8, bringing widespread freezing temperatures that could disrupt travel and pose a serious risk to agriculture across Minneapolis, St. Paul, Duluth, Rochester, and Mankato.
According to NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, temperatures are expected to run 50–60% below normal through May 14, with the most intense cold arriving Friday night into early Saturday. The most dangerous window is from 12 a.m. to 8 a.m. Saturday, when temperatures are likely to fall well below 32 degrees statewide, with some northern and rural areas dipping even lower.
That level of cold in mid-May will create immediate and widespread impacts. A hard freeze is likely, which can kill or severely damage early-season crops and gardens. Frost and ice may form quickly on bridges and overpasses along I-94, I-35, and I-90, increasing the risk of slick spots for drivers during overnight and early morning hours.
Any lingering moisture from light precipitation Friday could freeze on contact, especially in low-lying and shaded areas such as underpasses in Minneapolis and drainage-prone roads near the Mississippi River, creating localized travel hazards.
This is part of a broader stretch of unseasonably cold air pressing deep into the Midwest and eastern United States during this period.
Drivers should use caution on elevated and untreated roads overnight, particularly before sunrise. Residents and farmers should take immediate steps to protect crops and sensitive vegetation from freezing temperatures.
The highest risk for hard freeze conditions and travel impacts peaks early Saturday between 12 a.m. and 8 a.m.
