Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Twin Cities, MN

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FXUS63 KMPX 172356
AFDMPX

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
656 PM CDT Fri Oct 17 2025

.KEY MESSAGES...

- After today, temperatures will be within 10 degrees of either
  side of normal the next 7 days.

- Breezy conditions through the first half of next week, with
  the windiest period being Monday night into Tuesday morning,
  when wind gusts over 40 mph will be possible.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 252 PM CDT Fri Oct 17 2025

At 2pm, a cold front was just crossing the I-35 corridor. A warm
nose at h7 and dry air above that has really limited precip
development along it this far north. We have seen some storms
develop from northeast KS toward southeast MN, with the CAMS showing
this activity zippering its way up the boundary late this afternoon,
which may allow a brief shower into Eau Claire, though the best rain
chances look to come east of the MPX area. Behind the front, there
will be modest cold advection, but it`s just strong enough to bring
our temperatures back down near normal, but not much more than that.
For Saturday, we`ll see mainly cloudy skies by the afternoon as the
trough currently moving into northern Montana swings through. This
wave will be strengthening as it goes across MN and we`re seeing an
increased signal for some light rain ahead of it along and south of
the I-94 corridor, so did increase PoPs above what the NBM quite a
bit to get some better precip mentions in the forecast for Saturday
afternoon. It won`t be a washout, or very heavy, but most areas
along and south of the I-94 corridor should see a brief period of
light rain, with amounts under a tenth of an inch.

For Sunday through Monday, we`ll see a trough come out of the
Canadian Rockies that will deepen into a closed low over MN on
Tuesday. We`ll be in line for this systems dry slot, so we won`t see
much precip with it in the MPX area, but we will see plenty of wind.
We`ll really start to see southerly winds pick up Sunday night, but
it`s behind the cold front Monday afternoon through Monday night
that looks to bring our strongest winds. Monday afternoon should see
gusts in western MN up near 35 kts with deep mixing bringing down
some stronger winds, but it`s Monday night that has the potential
for the strongest winds. This is when we see an isallobaric high
move in, along with strong CAA as winds switch from the west to
northwest. GFS BUFKIT soundings show potential gusts over 40 kts in
western MN, so we`ll have to watch this period for the potential for
wind headlines. By Tuesday afternoon, we`ll see high pressure moving
in from the Dakotas, with the winds and gusts starting to pull back.

For the rest of the week, we`ll have lighter winds and cooler
temperatures on Wednesday as high pressure moves through, but for
Thursday and Friday, winds turn southerly and we`ll start to see
highs in the 60s growing in coverage each day. It looks dry to end
the week and if you`re looking for the potential for a stronger
system, you need to look on the 10-12 day window. This is when a
deep trough will be coming out of the Rockies, with the potential
increasing for a more meaningful weather system for the local area
around the 27th/28th of October.

&&

.AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z SUNDAY/...
Issued at 655 PM CDT Fri Oct 17 2025

Gusty SW`ly winds will continue to weaken this evening.
The band of low VFR cu from earlier today has finally cleared RNH
and EAU allowing for a brief period of a few high clouds to clear
skies. Albeit these conditions will be short-lived as another
frontal boundary approaches from the west overnight. Cloud
cover is expected to gradually redevelop as the front moves
eastward. Winds shift westerly by mid-morning followed by a
NW`ly shift with increasing gusts between 18-25kts in the
afternoon. Precip is possible with this front. As of now, AXN
and STC have limited potential see any drops of rain however,
better confidence exists farther to the south and east of those
sites, thus prob30s have been introduced but will likely need to
be upgraded to prevailing or tempo groups come the next routine
issuance.

KMSP...Winds will continue to weaken through this evening. A
secondary front will pass through tomorrow morning causing winds to
shift W`ly by mid morning then NW`y by the afternoon with gusts
between 20-25kts. Introduced prob30 for light rain late tomorrow
afternoon into the early evening, will likely upgrade to prevailing
or tempo groups in the next routine issuance.

/OUTLOOK FOR KMSP/
SUN...VFR. Wind WNW 10-15G20kts.
MON...VFR. Wind S-NW 10-15G25kts.
TUE...VFR. Wind NW 10-15G30kts.


&&

.MPX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MN...None.
WI...None.

&&

$$

DISCUSSION...MPG
AVIATION...Dunleavy