Thursday in Minneapolis started clear and crisp, with temperatures hovering near 28°F at Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport and plenty of blue sky overhead. Sunshine is set to do the heavy lifting this afternoon, nudging highs into the low to mid 40s. Light southeast winds will help it feel pleasantly mild later in the day, even if the mornings still deliver a winter-style chill. Forecasters expect this early taste of spring to hang on into next week, turning cold starts into surprisingly warm afternoons.
Afternoon And Weekend Outlook
Today stays mostly sunny with a high near 44°F, then skies remain mostly clear tonight as lows slide back to around 28°F. From there, temperatures step up through the weekend. Friday should be sunny with highs in the mid 40s, and Saturday is on track to climb to around 48°F. By Monday and Tuesday, some neighborhoods could crack into the low 50s. Dry weather is expected to hold through the weekend, with the next real shot at rain or a wintry mix around the middle of next week. These trends and the near-record warmth are laid out by the National Weather Service Twin Cities.
Record Watch
From Saturday through Tuesday, Minneapolis will be flirting with some of the oldest February warm-weather records on the books at MSP and nearby stations, including a few that date back more than 90 years. We already flagged this early surge in temperatures in yesterday’s coverage. For more context on how unusual this stretch is, check out our earlier look at the rare February sun. If you are planning outdoor time this weekend, it might be worth keeping tabs on those afternoon numbers.
Commute And Local Impacts
Afternoons will feel more like early spring, yet mornings and overnight hours still dip close to freezing. That means any wet patches or standing water can re-freeze in low-lying or shaded spots, which could surprise early commuters. The ongoing thaw will steadily chew away at the city’s snowpack and send more meltwater into gutters and storm drains. Once temperatures keep bouncing above and below freezing, that can highlight existing potholes and help new ones form. There are no watches or warnings posted for the Twin Cities at the moment, according to the National Weather Service Twin Cities, although residents may want to keep an eye on the forecast as outdoor events later in the week get closer.
