978  
FXUS63 KDLH 171921  
AFDDLH  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN  
221 PM CDT THU SEP 17 2026  
   
KEY MESSAGES  
 
- SHOWERS WILL SPREAD ACROSS THE REGION EARLY FRIDAY AND LINGER  
INTO SATURDAY MORNING. THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL (30-50% OF 1")  
WILL BE SOUTH OF A LINE FROM BRAINERD TO SANDSTONE TO HAYWARD  
TO PARK FALLS.  
 
- DANGEROUS SWIMMING CONDITIONS EXPECTED FOR THE BEACHES OF THE  
TWIN PORTS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY THEN AGAIN SUNDAY AND MONDAY  
AFTERNOONS AND EVENING.  
 
 
   
DISCUSSION  
 
ISSUED AT 220 PM CDT THU SEP 17 2026  
 
DENSE CUMULUS FIELD ACROSS THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON AS LOW LEVEL  
MOISTURE REMAINS IN PLACE FROM YESTERDAY EVENINGS LIGHT RAIN  
ACTIVITY. DESPITE THE INCREASED CLOUD COVER WE ARE STILL LOOKING AT  
HIGHS IN THE 60S FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE REGION. EXPECT THIS CLOUD  
COVER TO FADE THIS EVENING. HOWEVER, CLOUD COVER WILL GRADUALLY  
INCREASE AND THICKEN OVERNIGHT FROM THE SOUTH AHEAD OF AN  
APPROACHING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM, WITH OVERNIGHT LOWS SETTLING IN THE  
UPPER 30S TO UPPER 40S.  
 
RAIN CHANCES WILL INCREASE EARLY FRIDAY MORNING AS A LOW PRESSURE  
SYSTEM TRACKS OUT OF THE PLAINS TOWARDS THE MIDWEST. MOISTURE WILL  
OVERSPREAD THE REGION FROM SOUTH TO NORTH, BUT DRIER AIR FROM THE  
DEPARTING HIGH PRESSURE OVER CANADA WILL CREATE A SHARP NORTHERN  
EDGE TO THE PRECIPITATION SHIELD. THE LATEST TREND IN THE MODELS  
CONTINUES TO EAT AWAY AT THE RAIN TOTALS WITH OUR SOUTHERN TIER OF  
COUNTIES NOW LESS LIKELY TO RECEIVE AN INCH OF RAIN. CURRENT  
PROBABILITIES HAVE DROPPED TO 30-50% CHANCE OF AT LEAST AN INCHES  
FROM THE BRAINERD LAKES REGION EAST INTO PRICE COUNTY. AREAS FARTHER  
NORTH TOWARD THE BORDERLANDS MAY SEE LITTLE TO NO MEASURABLE RAIN.  
ADDITIONALLY, INSTABILITY WITH THIS PASSING SYSTEM REMAINS LOW SO  
THUNDERSTORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED. RAIN WILL PERSIST INTO SATURDAY  
MORNING BEFORE TAPERING OFF WEST TO EAST.  
 
STRONG NORTHEASTERLY WINDS WILL DEVELOP FRIDAY AND REMAIN ENHANCED  
THROUGH SATURDAY. THE FAVORABLE DIRECTION WILL LEAD TO RIP CURRENT  
AND BUILDING WAVE HEIGHTS FOR THE BEACHES OF THE TWIN PORTS.  
 
HIGH PRESSURE SETTLES OVER THE REGION FOR THE LATE WEEKEND PERIOD,  
BRINGING A RETURN TO DRY WEATHER FOR SUNDAY. SKIES WILL CLEAR OUT  
AS COOLER CANADIAN AIR OVERSPREADS THE NORTHLAND, SETTING UP IDEAL  
CONDITIONS FOR RADIATIONAL COOLING. INLAND LOCATIONS WILL SEE  
TEMPERATURES FALL INTO THE MID AND UPPER 30S SUNDAY AND MONDAY  
NIGHT, LEADING TO THE POTENTIAL FOR PATCHY FROST ACROSS LOW-LYING  
AREAS.  
 
THE DRY PATTERN WILL PERSIST INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK WITH MOSTLY SUNNY  
DAYS AND CHILLY NIGHTS. A GRADUAL WARMING TREND WILL TAKE HOLD BY  
WEDNESDAY, WITH HIGH TEMPERATURES RETURNING TO SEASONABLE VALUES IN  
THE MID 60S TO LOW 70S. RAIN CHANCES MAY RETURN BY LATE WEDNESDAY  
NIGHT INTO THURSDAY, THOUGH CONFIDENCE REMAINS LOW.  
 
 
   
AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z FRIDAY/  
 
ISSUED AT 1223 PM CDT THU SEP 17 2026  
 
A DENSE CUMULUS FIELD IS ENGULFING THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON WITH  
WIDESPREAD MVFR CONDITIONS. THERE WILL BE POCKETS OF SCATTERED  
CONDITIONS AT TIMES BUT IN GENERAL EXPECT THE CLOUD COVER TO PERSIST  
UNTIL THE EVENING HOURS. OVERNIGHT A SYSTEM WILL BE MOVING OUT OF  
THE CENTRAL PLAINS AND IS EXPECTED TO CROSS SOUTHERN MN. CLOUD COVER  
WILL INCREASE ACROSS OUR SOUTH WITH SOME RAIN EXPECTED TOMORROW  
MORNING FOR BRD/HYR.  
 
 
   
MARINE /FOR NEARSHORE WATERS OF WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR/  
 
ISSUED AT 220 PM CDT THU SEP 17 2026  
 
LIGHT WINDS TODAY WILL STRENGTHEN OVERNIGHT AS THEY TURN TO OUT OF  
THE NORTH. EXPECT GUSTS TO AROUND 20 KNOTS. THESE WINDS WILL  
INCREASE THROUGH FRIDAY, SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES MAY BE NEEDED FOR  
AREAS NEAR THE HEAD OF THE LAKE. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO BRIEFLY  
WEAKEN ON SATURDAY BEFORE STRONG NORTHEASTERLIES RETURN ON SUNDAY  
LEADING TO MORE HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS FOR SMALL VESSELS.  
 
FOR THE OPEN WATER DISCUSSION, REFER TO THE NWS MARQUETTE AREA  
FORECAST DISCUSSION AT WEATHER.GOV/MQT.  
 
 
   
FIRE WEATHER  
 
ISSUED AT 220 PM CDT THU SEP 17 2026  
 
NO FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS. MIN RHS THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD REMAIN  
ABOVE 35% THROUGHOUT THE NEXT 7 DAYS, WITH DAILY TEMPERATURES  
GENERALLY IN THE 60S TO LOW 70S. RAIN WILL SPREAD IN FROM THE SOUTH  
FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY MORNING, DELIVERING UP TO 0.75" ACROSS OUR  
SOUTHERN TIER COUNTIES, WITH A SHARP NORTHERN CUT-OFF IN TOTALS.  
DRIER CONDITIONS AND LIGHT WINDS RETURN FOR SUNDAY INTO EARLY NEXT  
WEEK.  
 
SEE THE FIRE WEATHER FORECAST PRODUCT FOR A MORE THOROUGH  
BREAKDOWN OF FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS.  
 
 
   
DLH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES  
 
MN...NONE.  
WI...NONE.  
MARINE...NONE.  
 
 
 
 
 
DISCUSSION...BRITT  
AVIATION...BRITT  
MARINE...BRITT  
FIRE WEATHER...BRITT  
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