A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY will go into effect late tonight starting at MIDNIGHT and ending on SATURDAY at 6 p.m because of the risk of possible ice accumulation.![]()
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A mix of freezing rain, sleet, and snow may lead to slippery travel conditions on Saturday. Tonight, light precipitation will move into southern Minnesota. A mix of snow and sleet is expected initially, but it will transition to a mix of freezing rain and snow through Saturday morning. A Winter Weather Advisory has been issued for Saturday where the combination of light ice and snow accumulations may result in impacts to travel.![]()
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Total snow accumulations up to 1", sleet accumulations up to 0.1", and ice accumulations up to 0.1" are possible. Plan on slippery road conditions. Slow down and use caution while traveling. Visit 511mn.org for road conditions.
BREAKING: Actual picture of meteorologists trying to find measurable snow for Rice County! ![]()
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We're kidding, of course, but enjoy mostly sunny skies today with a very unseasonable high temperature of 50 degrees, which makes it a perfect evening for Faribault Winterfest's fireworks and parade of lights, starting at 5:30 pm downtown. Sunday will be a little cloudier, but still 45 degrees.![]()
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There are no signs of any significant storms in the long-term forecast.
A WIND ADVISORY will go into effect most of the day TOMORROW (Wednesday from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.)![]()
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Northwest winds of 20-30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph are anticipated.![]()
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Gusty winds will blow around unsecure objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result. Winds this strong can make driving difficult, especially for high profile vehicles. Use extra caution. Secure outdoor objects, including any untethered holiday decorations.
Congratulations Henry Morgan for 50 years and Chas Schroht for 15 years of being a COOP weather observer for the National Weather Service. They are both from Faribault, and are clearly dedicated to making weather observations for their community!![]()
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Original post from National Weather Service:![]()
www.facebook.com/NWSTwinCities/posts/pfbid0EPPq5c13YAnfhzuc3rzH3DPAjhkbyyZY8sLYww3rpjvtRjnaYQmgX7...
Don't be surprised if you see some flurries or light snow tomorrow (Thursday) morning on the back side of this storm system. However, of more interest, check out the soil temperatures compared to last year, courtesy of the Chanhassen National Weather Service office! It's been warm, and any snow will easily melt on ground impact.
NEW RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE! At 2:30 p.m., Faribault reached 81 degrees, which is a new record high temperature for this date. The former record high was 80 degrees set 74 years ago, in 1950.
Mady Keilen sent us this video of dime-sized hail near Northfield Middle School tonight to our Rice County Skywarn Snapchat account! If you haven't added us on Snapchat yet, what are you waiting for? Add us at "ricecoskywarn"
It's beginning to look a lot like, Christmas? Lots of pea-sized hail tonight near Shieldsville as reported by our certified storm spotter Anne Schmidt. Northfield is also getting in on the action tonight!
The National Weather Service presented its winter outlook this afternoon, and in Rice County, there is a 33-40% chance for above-normal precipitation from December to February, contrasting last year's warmest winter on record. Drought conditions persist but are not expected to worsen.![]()
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A weak La Niña is developing, likely leading to a slow winter onset with variable temperatures and potentially prolonged winter conditions into spring. The outlook suggests a mix of snow and rain, with above-normal precipitation favoring the East Coast and Great Lakes.![]()
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Temperatures may be slightly cooler than normal, but are generally expected to be around normal here in Rice County.![]()
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Models suggest a chaotic temperature pattern with frequent warm and cold outbreaks, similar to the 2022-2023 winter. Below-normal temperatures may persist into March and April, indicating a prolonged winter season. It could be a real roller coaster ride with these frequent warm and cold outbreaks and mixes of snow and rain.![]()
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One last thing. wind chill advisories, watches, and warnings are now a thing of the past. Instead, cold weather advisories will be issued around -25 degrees, and extreme cold warnings will be issued around -35 degrees.
The growing season should come to an end tonight.![]()
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A FREEZE WARNING will go into effect on TUESDAY from 1 a.m. to 9 a.m. Sub-freezing temperatures in the mid to upper 20s are expected. Frost and freeze conditions could kill crops and other sensitive vegetation and possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing.![]()
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Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold. To prevent outdoor water pipes and irrigation systems from freezing, wrap or drain or allow them to drip slowly.