586
FXUS63 KDLH 251904
AFDDLH
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
104 PM CST WED FEB 25 2026
KEY MESSAGES
- A STRONG COLD FRONT FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING WILL BRING
THE POTENTIAL FOR LOCALIZED SNOW SQUALLS IN FAR NORTHERN
MINNESOTA.
- STRONG WINDS ARE EXPECTED FRIDAY AFTERNOON TO EARLY OVERNIGHT
WHEN GUSTS OF 30 TO 45 MPH ARE EXPECTED. GUSTS TO 60 MPH ON
THE NORTH SHORE FRIDAY EVENING ARE POSSIBLE.
- RAPIDLY FALLING TEMPERATURES FRIDAY EVENING COULD LEAD TO A
FLASH FREEZE ON WET ROADWAYS.
- LIGHT SNOWFALL OF LESS THAN ONE INCH IS EXPECTED LATE TONIGHT
INTO THURSDAY MORNING, FOLLOWED BY A BRIEF PERIOD OF LIGHT
FREEZING DRIZZLE MAINLY IN THE ARROWHEAD.
DISCUSSION
ISSUED AT 104 PM CST WED FEB 25 2026
BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE TODAY AND TONIGHT. A
WARM FRONT ARRIVES TONIGHT, SPREADING A BAND OF LIGHT SNOW
ACROSS THE NORTHLAND. MOST AREAS WILL SEE LESS THAN AN INCH OF
ACCUMULATION THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING. AS THE FRONT PASSES,
TEMPERATURES WILL WARM SIGNIFICANTLY ON THURSDAY, REACHING THE
MID 30S TO LOWER 40S. HOWEVER, LINGERING MOISTURE IN THE
ARROWHEAD MAY CREATE A PERIOD OF LIGHT FREEZING DRIZZLE OR MIST
LATE THURSDAY MORNING AND AFTERNOON, POTENTIALLY LEAVING A THIN
GLAZE OF ICE ON ELEVATED SURFACES.
THE MOST IMPACTFUL WEATHER ARRIVES FRIDAY. A LOW PRESSURE
SYSTEM MOVING THROUGH MANITOBA AND ONTARIO WILL DRAG A STOUT
COLD FRONT THROUGH THE NORTHLAND. AHEAD OF THE FRONT,
TEMPERATURES WILL WARM INTO THE 40S FOR MANY LOCATIONS. AS THE
FRONT CROSS OVER THE REGION FRIDAY AFTERNOON, LOCALIZED SNOW
SQUALLS MAY (20-40% CHANCE) DEVELOP, ESPECIALLY FROM THE IRON
RANGE TO NORTH SHORE AND NORTHWARD. THESE BURSTS OF HEAVY SNOW
CAN REDUCE VISIBILITY TO LESS THAN ONE QUARTER MILE OVER VERY
SHORT DISTANCES AND LEAD TO VERY HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS.
SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS WILL QUICK SHIFT WESTERLY AND INCREASE IN
SPEED BEHIND THE FRONT, THEN FURTHER SHIFT TO NORTHWESTERLY.
THE STRONGEST GUSTS, POTENTIALLY REACHING 60 MPH, ARE FORECAST
FOR THE NORTH SHORE. ELSEWHERE, EXPECT GUSTS OF 35 TO 45 MPH.
TEMPERATURES WILL RAPIDLY DECREASE FRIDAY NIGHT, WHICH MAY LEAD
TO A FLASH FREEZE ON ROADWAYS OF ANY SNOWMELT TO FREEZE RAPIDLY.
MUCH COLDER AIR SETTLE IN FOR THE WEEKEND WITH HIGHS ONLY IN
THE FROM 8 TO 18 F ON SATURDAY. EXPECT WIND CHILLS FROM -10 TO
-25 F FRIDAY NIGHT AS THE COLD SETTLES IN AND COMBINES WITH
LINGERING GUSTY WINDS. EVEN UNDER CALM WINDS SATURDAY NIGHT, THE
AIR TEMPERATURES WILL STILL LEAD TO SEASONABLY VERY COLD
CONDITIONS. AIR TEMPERATURES OF -10 TO -20 F ARE FORECAST NORTH
OF US HWY 2 AND -5 TO -10 F SOUTH OF US HWY 2. SUNDAY REMAINS
BELOW NORMAL FOR TEMPERATURES, BUT NOT TO THE EXTENT OF
SATURDAY. ANOTHER GRADUAL WARMING TREND BEGINS EARLY NEXT WEEK.
AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY/
ISSUED AT 1115 AM CST WED FEB 25 2026
OUTSIDE OF MVFR CEILINGS ALONG THE SOUTH SHORE, VFR CONDITIONS
ARE LARGELY EXPECTED THROUGH THE DAYLIGHT HOURS TODAY. GOING
INTO THIS EVENING, A WARM FRONT LIFTS ACROSS THE AREA LATE
TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY MORNING. THIS WILL BRING A PERIOD OF VERY
LIGHT SNOWFALL TO MOST TERMINALS. A FEW HOUR PERIOD OF IFR
VISIBILITY WITHIN THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL IN FAR NORTHERN
MINNESOTA ALONG AND NORTH OF US HWY 2. AFTER MOST SNOWFALL EXITS
THE AREA TOMORROW, A FEW HOUR PERIOD OF MIST/DRIZZLE MAY OCCUR
IN THE ARROWHEAD AND POTENTIALLY AFFECT KDLH AND KHIB FOR A FEW
HOURS AFTER 12Z THURS. WINDS BECOME SOUTHWESTERLY POST WARM
FRONTAL PASSAGE THURSDAY DAYTIME.
MARINE /FOR NEARSHORE WATERS OF WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR/
ISSUED AT 1243 PM CST WED FEB 25 2026
WESTERLY WINDS TODAY 20 KNOTS OR LESS BACK TO SOUTHWESTERLY
THURSDAY, BUT REMAIN SIMILAR SPEEDS. CONDITIONS BEGIN TO CHANGE
FRIDAY MORNING AHEAD OF QUICK PASSING COLD FRONT FRIDAY
AFTERNOON. GALE AND STORM WATCHES ARE IN EFFECT FOR FRIDAY
AFTERNOON THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT. SOUTHWEST WINDS 15 TO 25 KNOTS
THURSDAY NIGHT WILL SHIFT NORTHWEST AND INCREASE NOTABLY FRIDAY
EVENING. STORM FORCE GUSTS TO 50 KNOTS ARE POSSIBLE NEAR
TACONITE HARBOR AND NORTHWARD, WITH GALES TO 40 KNOTS
ELSEWHERE. WAVES WILL BUILD TO 3 TO 6 FEET. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY
IS ALSO VERY LIKELY FRIDAY AFTERNOON INTO FRIDAY NIGHT WITH
FUTURE WARNINGS LIKELY BEING NEEDED.
FOR THE OPEN WATER DISCUSSION, REFER TO THE NWS MARQUETTE AREA
FORECAST DISCUSSION AT WEATHER.GOV/MQT.
DLH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
MN...HIGH WIND WATCH FROM FRIDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE FRIDAY
NIGHT FOR MNZ020-021.
WI...NONE.
MARINE...STORM WATCH FROM FRIDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE FRIDAY NIGHT
FOR LSZ140-141.
GALE WATCH FROM FRIDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE FRIDAY NIGHT FOR
LSZ142>146-150.
DISCUSSION...NLY
AVIATION...NLY
MARINE...NLY
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