UPDATE Lake Vermilion Area Weekend Weather – January 24-26
KEY MESSAGES
– Light snow continues today with around an inch or less of accumulation expected.
– Temperatures warm to near to above normal levels through Monday before cooling back to near normal starting Tuesday.
– Northwest flow will bring a few clippers through the region next week with chances for light snow.
DISCUSSION
Issued at 455 AM CST Sat Jan 25 2025
An area of low pressure was analyzed north of Lake of the Woods
in northwestern Ontario early this morning with a cold front
trailing back into North Dakota and Montana. Light snow showers
were observed on radar across mainly northeastern Minnesota and
back with the front across North Dakota. This front will move
through the Northland today and keep chances for light snow
showers in place into this afternoon before ending from west to
east, lingering longest across northern Iron County. Snowfall
amounts today will generally be around an inch or less. Isolated
higher amounts to around 2 inches will be possible across the
higher elevations of the Bayfield Peninsula and northern Iron
County. Highs today will be in the 20s with winds becoming
northwesterly and breezy with gusts to 20 to 25 mph. Stronger
katabatic downslope winds are expected along the North Shore
late this afternoon and evening with gusts to 40 to 50 mph
possible (20-30% chance). Have held off on a Wind Advisory for
now but one may be needed. Additionally, there is a low chance
for some snow squalls today with pressure rises and strong low
level lapse rates around the cold frontal passage. The best
chances will be from the IFalls area into the Arrowhead where
the Snow Squall Parameter off the RAP13 is highest.
Sunday will be mainly dry despite an upper trough dropping
through the region. A few isolated flurries cannot be ruled out,
but have kept a dry forecast for now. Highs will again be in the
20s with southwesterly winds gusting to 20 to 25 mph. Another
week trough moves through for Sunday night into Monday night and
may bring a few light snow showers, but any accumulations will
be minimal. Temperatures will warm into the 30s with mid-30s
expected over the southern half of the Northland. Another
katabatic wind event looks possible along the North Shore Sunday
night and may be stronger than the one tonight with up to a 50%
chance for gusts to 45 to 50 knots in the vicinity of Grand
Portage.
Northwest flow will persist through the remainder of the work
week with periodic chances for light snow. One clipper in
particular for Tuesday looks to dive through the Upper Midwest
and bring better chances for snowfall. This system may bring
some Pacific moisture with it and has the potential for a few
inches of snowfall mainly across the Arrowhead and into
northwest Wisconsin. Cooler air will arrive behind this system
and bring more normal temperatures for midweek before trending
warmer at the end of the week.
AVIATION
Issued at 1133 PM CST Fri Jan 24 2025
A cold front approaching the region will keep MVFR ceilings in
place for much of the period along with light snow showers.
There will be times of IFR ceilings overnight at INL before
improving to MVFR. A lull in the snow showers is expected during
the early morning hours before picking back up again after
daybreak as the cold front moves in. Visibilities will drop to
MVFR or lower at times when a snow showers moves over a
terminal. The cold front will clear the region after sunset
Saturday with ceilings beginning to lift and scatter to VFR,
although the lower ceilings may linger if the front is slower
than expected. Winds will remain breezy through much of the
period with gusts to 20 to 25 knots.
MARINE /FOR NEAR SHORE WATERS OF WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR
Issued at 455 AM CST Sat Jan 25 2025
Elevated winds will persist across western Lake Superior through
the forecast period. Southwesterly winds today with gusts to 25
to 35 knots will back northwesterly behind a cold front.
Downslope winds off the terrain of the North Shore will lead to
gales from Silver Bay to Grand Portage with gales for the Outer
Apostle Islands as well. Winds will diminish a bit around
daybreak Sunday before veering southwesterly and increasing once
again with gusts to 25 to 35 knots once again. Another period of
gales along parts of the North Shore and outer Apostle Islands
looks likely Sunday afternoon into Sunday night. The winds may
generate areas of heavy freezing spray at times Sunday and
Sunday night, mainly along the South Shore. Small Craft
Advisories and Gale Warnings remain in effect.
For the open water discussion, refer to the NWS Marquette Area
Forecast Discussion at weather.gov/mqt.