More warmth, another record: Warm weather expected in Duluth before cold, snow blow in

For the third time in five days and the fourth time this winter, Duluth set another warm temperature record on Monday.

It hit 45 degrees at 1:23 p.m. at Duluth International Airport, breaking the old record of 42 set in 2002.

Thursday, Friday and the day after Christmas also saw the warmest temperatures for those days since records have been kept in Duluth, starting in 1870. Temperatures on Monday hit 49 in Minneapolis, 48 in Superior and Aitkin, 46 in Silver Bay and 40 in International Falls.

Today may follow suit — with the National Weather Service in Duluth forecasting highs in the 40s again. The record for Jan. 10 also is 42, set in 1928.

Bask in the warmth while you can: Forecasters are predicting a major cold wave to descend on the area, with temperatures falling during the day Wednesday and struggling to get to 10 degrees above zero on Thursday and Friday.

The approaching cold air will trigger modest snowfall Wednesday, with an inch or two possible in some areas, the Weather Service says.

The weather pattern appears to be headed back to a more normal tilt, with the national Climate Prediction Center forecasting below-normal temperatures in the Northland for the next few weeks and a better chance at snowfall than in recent weeks.

Low temperatures may even dip below zero in some areas Friday morning, but not too far below. Normal highs this time of year are about 19, with lows about 2 above.

While it’s extremely rare to have three or four all-time records set within a five- or six-day period, it’s not unheard of. In 1936, Duluth saw warm records set each day for an entire week, from July 7-13. And as recently as 2000, Duluth set warm records on Feb. 28 and then March 3, 4 and 7. In 1990, it hit 76 on April 21, 80 on the 22nd, 82 on the 24th and 81 on the 25th — four records in five days.

Tags: news, weather, snow