Minneapolis, MN – Minnesota is positioned for a wetter and potentially snowy stretch during the Thanksgiving travel window, as long-range federal outlooks continue to show above-normal precipitation statewide from November 23 through November 29.
According to the Climate Prediction Center’s 8–14 Day Outlook issued Saturday, Minnesota sits in a 40–50% probability zone favoring wetter-than-normal conditions. The state is also located near a significant early-season cold pool building over the northern Plains, a setup that frequently supports mixed precipitation or periods of accumulating snow during late November.
Northern Minnesota, including Duluth, Bemidji, and the Iron Range, appears most likely to see wintry precipitation if temperatures trend toward the colder side of the outlook. This region already sits close to consistently freezing temperatures during this time of year, allowing any passing systems to fall as wet snow more easily.
Across central and southern Minnesota—including the Twin Cities, Rochester, and St. Cloud—temperatures may vary enough to create a mix of cold rain, wet snow, or slushy conditions depending on system timing. Even minor fluctuations could influence whether commutes or travel periods experience meaningful travel slowdowns.
Thanksgiving week brings some of the state’s heaviest annual traffic, especially along I-35, I-94, and US-52. Early-season snow events in Minnesota often produce reduced speeds and scattered delays even when accumulations remain modest.
Air travel may also face potential impacts, as Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport is sensitive to mixed precipitation or rapidly changing conditions associated with incoming fronts.
Forecasters stress that while confidence is solid for wetter-than-normal conditions, snowfall amounts and storm timing will become clearer early next week once short-range models begin resolving individual systems.
Travelers should continue monitoring daily updates as the Thanksgiving period approaches.
