650
FXUS63 KDLH 030339
AFDDLH

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Duluth MN
939 PM CST Tue Dec 2 2025

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Light snow is expected tonight. Most places less than an
  inch, but up to 2-3 inches in northern Iron County.

- A cold and blustery Wednesday followed by below-zero low
  temperatures Wednesday night and Thursday morning. Wind chills
  as low as -20 to -25 are expected and localized -30 values
  are possible.

- Cold weather with intermittent light snow chances are
  expected for the next week.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 134 PM CST Tue Dec 2 2025

Southwesterly flow with warm air advection continues this
afternoon ahead of a cold front that will pass through tonight.
We`ve had some light fog and flurries with this air mass, and
that is expected to transition more into light snow going into
this afternoon and evening from northwest to southeast as the
cold front quickly passes through. Not much has changed with
this update as far as snowfall amounts; just a very tiny nudge
upward in QPF and resultant snowfall amounts. There won`t be
much moisture to work with and the front will pass by so quickly
that most places will pick up a dusting to around an inch. The
best lift will be over the Arrowhead and into ~Iron County, so
some locally higher amounts are possible there. Perhaps up to 2"
around Grand Marais and to around 3" around Hurley (HREF
probabilities are ~50% for 3" or more there).

Winds become blustery quickly following the cold front and
plenty of much colder (and drier) air will move in from the
northwest for Wednesday. For most places, Wednesday`s highs will
probably happen at midnight with temperatures roughly remaining
steady in the single digits to teens above zero in the
afternoon. There is some question about lingering snow showers
in the post-cold frontal cold air advection regime. I kept some
flurries through the night and into the morning, but ending
after that. Several CAMs hint at some lake- effect snow bands
forming off the larger lakes, and the instability will certainly
be there for that with the cold air moving in. Dry air moving
in may reduce chances for this along with ice cover increasing
on these lakes. Some light accumulations downwind of the large
lakes can`t be ruled out, but it shouldn`t be much. It will be
these places where around an inch or perhaps very slightly
higher amounts may be possible when all is said and done on
Wednesday.

Attention then turns to the cold night expected Wednesday night
into Thursday morning as high pressure passes by to our south
and the coldest air settles over us. At this time, it`s still
looking like most places will be just a bit warmer than criteria
to warrant Cold Weather Advisories given that we may have some
wind that could keep temperatures from falling colder than they
otherwise could. If winds end up being less, temperatures could
fall a bit lower than currently forecast, though we would have
less of a wind chill to worry about. All-in-all, a cold Thursday
morning is expected and it`s possible that some of the usual
cold spots may see some wind chills briefly reaching down to -25
to -30.

A west-northwest flow pattern is looking to stick around for
the foreseeable future. Another clipper and cold front could
arrive Thursday night and bring another round of light snow.
There could be several more chances for that going into the
weekend and early next week. Some more potent shortwaves may be
possible next week, bringing more of the same but possibly with
some slightly higher snow accumulations if the trend right now
remains the same.

&&

.AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z THURSDAY/...
Issued at 547 PM CST Tue Dec 2 2025

A weak clipper will bring light snow to the terminals tonight.
Visibility at INL was as low as 3/4 miles this afternoon. Think
the next burst of snow this evening will produce MVFR
visibility. Dry air in place ahead of the system is making it
tough for snow to reach the ground. Most of the radar returns
over northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin as of 2330Z
were virga. MVFR ceilings and MVFR to IFR visibility is expected
with the light snow tonight. Precipitation tapers off by 03.12Z
as the system departs to the east. Flight conditions are
forecast to improve, however, the Arctic air advancing into the
area may keep MVFR stratus in the picture through the day.

&&

.MARINE /FOR NEAR SHORE WATERS OF WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR/...
Issued at 939 PM CST Tue Dec 2 2025

Breezy southwest winds will veer northwesterly after midnight
in the wake of a cold front. Gusts of 25 to 30 kt are expected.
A very brief lull in winds is expected through early Wednesday
morning. Strong northwest winds with gusts of 25-30 kt are
expected Wednesday into Wednesday night. There remains a rather
small (~10% chance) for gales mainly in the Outer Apostle
Islands for a brief period Wednesday evening. It is more likely
winds will remain just below that criteria. Expect wave heights
to increase up to around 7 ft around the Outer Apostle Islands
as well. Small Craft Advisories were extended Tuesday evening
into Thursday.

Winds will back southwesterly again on Thursday. Gusts and
waves will briefly diminish to less than 3 feet and 20 knots as
another clipper approaches. A cold front will push east across
the waters with much colder air in its wake. Winds will veer
northwesterly in the wake of the cold front. Wind gusts and
wave heights will increase once again. There is a 50-80% chance
of gales up to 40 knots along portions of the North Shore
waters and the Outer Apostle Islands. Wave heights around 6-8 ft
are forecast. A Gale Watch was issued from noon Thursday until
12 AM Friday. Wind speeds are expected to diminish on Friday.

For the open water discussion, refer to the NWS Marquette Area
Forecast Discussion at weather.gov/mqt.

&&

.DLH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MN...None.
WI...None.
MARINE...Small Craft Advisory until 10 AM CST Friday for LSZ121-145>148.
     Small Craft Advisory until noon CST Thursday for LSZ140>144-
     150.
     Gale Watch from Thursday afternoon through Thursday evening
     for LSZ140>144-150.

&&

$$

DISCUSSION...JDS
AVIATION...Huyck
MARINE...Huyck