MINNEAPOLIS, MN – A calm morning sky gives little hint of what’s coming. The Twin Cities are on the edge of a sharp weather transition — from mild late-fall air to the first taste of true winter just as Thanksgiving travel peaks.
The National Weather Service in Chanhassen warns that a developing storm system will pull across the Upper Midwest beginning Tuesday. Rain is expected to start early in the day, changing to a mix of rain and snow by afternoon as temperatures slide toward freezing. By Tuesday night, snow becomes more widespread, with gusty northwest winds producing patchy blowing snow and reduced visibility — especially along open stretches of I-35 and I-94.
Commuters and travelers should plan for slick, slushy roads and slower travel conditions through Wednesday morning. Snow totals are expected to stay light — 1 to 2 inches in most metro areas — but blowing snow could linger through Wednesday afternoon as highs struggle to reach 30°F.
Thanksgiving Day brings a cold but quiet stretch, with mostly sunny skies and highs in the mid-20s. Friday and the weekend will stay chilly, with occasional flurries and lows dipping into the teens — a reminder that winter has arrived in Minnesota.
Five-Day Outlook for Minneapolis–St. Paul, MN:
- Tuesday: Rain changes to snow, high 47°F, low 25°F.
- Wednesday: Blowing snow, high 29°F.
- Thanksgiving Day: Mostly sunny, high 26°F.
- Friday: Partly cloudy, high 24°F.
- Saturday: Chance of light snow, high 27°F.
