Minneapolis residents are facing a mix of fog, cloudy skies, and potential snowfall, as forecasted by the National Weather Service. During the day, the visibility may be hampered by areas of fog before noon, giving way to a cloudy afternoon with a high near 37 degrees and a northwest wind around 5 mph, according to the official report. Tonight, patchy fog is expected before 3am, with temperatures holding steady around a 33-degree low.
Travel conditions might get riskier owing to potentially hazardous weather, especially near and north of Interstate 94. Motorists could encounter slick roads and bridges due to ongoing freezing drizzle and freezing fog formations, leading to minor ice accumulations. "Conditions will improve by late morning as temperatures rise through the mid 30s," detailed a statement released by the National Weather Service.
Looking ahead to the weekend, Minneapolis is set to experience mostly cloudy weather with Saturday highs hovering around 42 degrees. However, by Sunday, a dramatic switch brings a 40 percent chance of snow and sharply declining temperatures — dropping from near 32 in the morning to about 19 by day's end, accompanied by blustery northwest winds which may include gusts up to 30 mph.
The outlook early next week does not promise much reprieve from the cold, as Monday is predicted to be mostly sunny; conditions nonetheless remain brisk with highs reaching only near 16 degrees and northwest winds continuing at 10 to 15 mph. Following a partly cloudy Monday night, with a low around 8 degrees, Tuesday may bring a 20 percent chance of snow before noon and a high near 30 degrees. "Strong northwest wind gusts over 40 mph are expected Saturday night into Sunday from western through south central Minnesota," warned the Hazardous Weather Outlook, which indicates the intensity of the wind conditions to be anticipated.
New Year's Day will bring a brief respite with mostly sunny skies, though the cold continues unabated with a high near 13 degrees. Commuters and travelers are urged to stay vigilant on the roads as these various weather patterns move through the area, impacting visibility and road conditions.
