NEXT Weather: Minnesota to experience coldest air mass felt in more than a year

MINNEAPOLIS — After a historically mild December, Minnesota is about to be served up an arctic blast.

Saturday will be a NEXT Weather Alert day in preparation for the big temperature swing. Much of Minnesota will see subzero temperatures as brutally cold air moves on south.

Saturday's high in the Twin Cities is forecasted at 8 degrees, while highs on Sunday and Monday will be in the single digits below zero — meaning much of Minnesota will spend an entire 48 hours in subzero conditions.

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The last time Minnesota felt a subzero high was on Dec. 23, 2022, according to NEXT Weather Meteorologist Mike Augustyniak.

Eventually, the arctic air mass will take over most of the United States. CBS News reports most of the Great Plains and the Midwest will experience feels-like temps near minus-20, including Chicago, Kansas and parts of Montana.  

To date, except for the far southwestern corner of the state, Minnesota has been spared the heavy snow accumulations that its Midwestern neighbors have been dealing with since Monday. A foot of snow blanketed parts of South Dakota, Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska.

Heavy snowfall is in the forecast Wednesday night and Thursday along Lake Superior's north shore, where the National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning along much of Highway 61. 

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WCCO's NEXT Weather team is also monitoring a storm that will produce heavy snow on Friday into Saturday, though right now the heaviest accumulations look to stay south of our area.

A winter storm warning is in effect in Wisconsin's capital Wednesday due to the possibility of up to 9 inches of snow and wind speeds topping out at 40 mph.

Campaigners in Iowa for its caucuses are also in for a frigid fight due to the one-two punch of snowfall and subzero temps.