National Weather Service briefing on winter storm event tonight into tomorrow morning
National Weather Service graphic: The last time we had over 3 inches of snow on the ground for Thanksgiving was back in 2019. We have at least a decent shot of accumulating that level of snowfall tonight!
PLEASE SHARE...The National Weather Service has issued a WINTER STORM WARNING (in place of the previously issued WIND ADVISORY). This alert is effective from 9 PM this evening until 9 AM Wednesday for all of Rice County. Heavy snow and blowing snow are possible. The National Weather Service's warning text shows that total snow accumulations between 2 and 3 inches are possible, and their forecast maps (more current) show between 3 and 6 inches of snow possible, with winds gusting as high as 45 mph.![]()
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Rain will transition to snow as cold air arrives, with periods of heavy snow possible at times, potentially at rates of around an inch per hour. Winds will increase later today and tonight with gusts as high as 45 mph. Combined with any falling snow, widespread blowing snow and BLIZZARD conditions are possible at times, with visibilities potentially reduced to a quarter mile or less. Plan on slippery road conditions. Areas of blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility. The hazardous conditions may impact the Wednesday morning commute, and gusty winds could bring down tree branches.![]()
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If you are planning travel before the holidays, consider leaving early today or waiting until later Wednesday after winds lessen and blowing snow is less of a concern.![]()
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Keep watching Rice County Skywarn on social media for updates, and check out our Streaming Channel at skywarn.us/streaming for up-to-the-minute weather radar and announcements. Only able to listen? Check out our podcast at skywarn.us/podcast![]()
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This morning's weather briefing...![]()
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It is 45 degrees at 5 a.m. with 81 percent relative humidity. Barometric pressure is falling, and we picked up a tenth of an inch of precipitation. Widespread fog, with visibility often below a mile, covers much of the area this morning. Rain showers will begin to spread across the region from late morning to midday.![]()
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On this day, we had a record high 76 degrees in 1933, high only 7 in 1977. Record low -6 in 1996. In 1977, central Minnesota saw record lows, including Montevideo at -18. In 1820, Fort Snelling had a three-day blizzard dumping nine inches of snow.![]()
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Blowing snow continues through daylight Wednesday until winds gradually diminish. Temperatures will drop sharply into the teens by Thanksgiving morning, remaining cold into early December. Another chance for accumulating snow arrives Friday night into Saturday.
The National Weather Service has issued a WIND ADVISORY for all of Rice County. This advisory is effective from 3 PM Tuesday until 6 AM Wednesday. Northwest winds of 20 to 30 mph with gusts of 40 to 50 mph are possible.![]()
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Gusty winds may blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result.![]()
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Keep watching Rice County Skywarn on social media for updates, and check out our Streaming Channel at skywarn.us/streaming for up-to-the-minute weather radar and announcements. Only able to listen? Check out our podcast at skywarn.us/podcast
Monday, November 24 marks the potential for our first significant winter storm of the season, a reminder of past impactful events like the Thanksgiving Day Blizzard of 1993. That slow-moving storm caused heavy snow and extremely difficult travel across much of Minnesota, with over a foot of snow in some areas and over six inches north of a line from Bricelyn to the Twin Cities metro area. While significant snow accumulations are currently forecast for areas north of Morris and Mora, Rice County will certainly feel at least some impacts of this system.![]()
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Currently, at 6 am in Faribault, it is 39 degrees with a south wind at 6 miles per hour, making the wind chill 35 degrees. The relative humidity is 85 percent, and the barometric pressure is falling. Today, expect a 50 percent chance of rain, mainly after 2pm, with patchy fog after 5pm. The high will be near 51. Tonight, rain is likely between 10pm and 11pm, with patchy fog before 9pm. The low will be around 41, with a 60 percent chance of precipitation.![]()
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Historically, the record high on this day was 62 degrees in 2017, while the high only reached 14 degrees in 1950. The record low was -7 degrees in 1985. Besides the 1993 blizzard, on this day in 1983, a snowstorm dumped almost two feet at Babbitt. Contrastingly, in 1825, a warm spell began over Fort Snelling, with temperatures rising to 70 degrees.![]()
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Looking ahead, a powerful storm system will bring rain early Tuesday, transitioning to snow by Tuesday evening as colder air rushes in. While the heaviest snow is expected north of Rice County, a Winter Storm Watch has been issued for central Minnesota. Critically, strong northwest winds gusting 40 to 45 miles per hour are expected Tuesday afternoon into early Wednesday morning. These strong winds will create dangerous blowing snow, leading to difficult and potentially hazardous travel conditions across Rice County, regardless of snow accumulation. Snow totals are trending upwards and shifting south in forecast models, so stay vigilant. Right now, due to forecast uncertainty, the National Weather Service is saying between a trace and 3 inches of snow will fall here.![]()
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Looking further out, much colder temperatures are expected after the storm, with additional chances for snow later in the week. Winds will ease Wednesday as a fair weather system moves in.![]()
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Please visit our website at skywarn.us where you'll always find the latest local, weather updates, and more about our Rice County Skywarn Program!
We start out this morning in Faribault at 28 degrees with 84 percent relative humidity and steady barometric pressure. The record high for November 23 was a balmy 60 degrees in 2009, while the record low was a frigid -5 back in 1950. Also, on this day in 1983, central Minnesota saw heavy snowfall, with Minneapolis getting 11.4 inches and Farmington 11 inches. In 2003, New London and Little Falls also received 9 inches of new snow. Additionally, strong winds led to considerable damage in downtown Wadena on this day in 1954.![]()
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Today in Rice County, we're anticipating a beautiful and unseasonably warm day with a high near 55 degrees under sunny skies. This warmth, pushed by a light south southwest wind increasing to 5 to 10 mph, brings the potential to approach or even break daily high temperature records in some areas of Southern Minnesota. Tonight's low will be around 40 degrees with winds around 10 mph. It'll be a great opportunity to get outside and wrap up any remaining fall projects before significant changes arrive.![]()
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Scattered rain showers are expected to skirt across Southern Minnesota on Monday. Looking ahead, a second, stronger weather system will bring a greater chance for accumulating snow, especially north of I-94, from Tuesday afternoon into Wednesday morning. As this system moves in, temperatures will rapidly cool across the region, setting the stage for a much colder Thanksgiving holiday and beyond.![]()
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Forecast models indicate an increasing potential for snow, particularly north of I-94, with lower chances for lighter and more scattered snow showers from the Twin Cities south, including Rice County. While we are not talking about specific snow totals yet for our immediate area, the conditions will be ideal for heavy snow further north. Following this midweek system, a high-pressure system from central Canada will usher in plummeting temperatures, ensuring a cold stretch through Thanksgiving and well into the first week of December. Those traveling post-Thanksgiving should definitely keep checking the forecast, as there's high confidence in continued cold, though the potential for other weather events like a large snowstorm next weekend still has low confidence.![]()
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Please visit our website at skywarn.us where you'll always find the latest local, weather updates, and more about our Rice County Skywarn Program!
It's 37 degrees in Faribault this Saturday morning at 8:00 am, with a south wind at 8 miles per hour giving us a wind chill of 30 degrees. The relative humidity is 80 percent, and the barometric pressure is falling.![]()
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Today's record high for November 22 was 68 degrees in 1990, while the high only reached 10 degrees in 1898. The record low was -2 degrees back in 1929. Looking back at Minnesota weather history, on this day in 1996, heavy snowfall of four to seven inches accumulated across areas that had been hit two days earlier. In 1970, gale-driven snow fell across Minnesota with 45 mph winds reported in Rochester and Duluth.![]()
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A warm weekend is ahead for Rice County and Southern Minnesota. High temperatures are expected to reach the mid to upper 50s today and tomorrow. Today will be partly sunny, becoming gradually sunny, with a high near 55. South winds of 10 to 15 mph will become west in the afternoon. Tonight will be mostly clear, with a low around 29 and west northwest winds of 5 to 10 mph. This provides a great opportunity to complete any remaining outdoor preparation before winter sets in.![]()
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Rain showers are likely to arrive on Monday, beginning as early as 8-9 am in southern Minnesota and spreading across the region by midday. These showers will become scattered as they wrap around an approaching system on Tuesday. As colder air moves in, rain is expected to transition to light snow by Tuesday evening. The potential for snow accumulation will depend on how quickly temperatures fall and this transition occurs, with forecast models showing varying predictions for snow amounts due to small differences in the system's timing and position.![]()
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Much colder temperatures are expected after Thanksgiving. Highs will drop into the 20s and lows into the teens by Thanksgiving week. This cold air is projected to settle in, with some longer-range predictions suggesting even colder temperatures for the first week of December, potentially keeping highs in the teens.![]()
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Visit skywarn.us/podcast for our Rice County Skywarn up-to-the-minute Podcast for a great 2 or 3 minute, hands-off listening experience, where you'll hear, in a minute or two, everything you need to know weather-wise to get you through your day! Install our SKYWARN app from there to easily access both the podcast and our streaming channel!
Good morning Rice County! It's Friday, November 21st, and a cold start to the day. At 5:30 am in Faribault, the temperature is 24 degrees with a wind out of the southwest at 3 miles per hour, making the wind chill feel like 20 degrees. The relative humidity is 86 percent and the barometric pressure is steady.![]()
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Looking back at past November 21st events, the record high for this day was a balmy 68 degrees in 2012, while it only reached a high of 5 degrees in 1964. The record low plummeted to -4 degrees back in 1937. On this day in 2024, Faribault picked up 1 inch of snow. Elsewhere in Minnesota on this day, in 2001, record highs were set in west and north central areas, with Redwood Falls hitting 68 degrees Fahrenheit and Little Falls reaching 65 degrees. In 1980, around 28,000 Canadian geese were observed spending their nights on Silver Lake in Rochester.![]()
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Today, we can expect mostly sunny skies with a high near 45 degrees, accompanied by light winds. Tonight will be mostly clear with a low around 29 degrees. The abundant sunshine will make these mid-40s feel quite pleasant, despite our daylight hours continuing to decrease as we approach the shortest day of the year. Quiet weather is expected through the weekend, making it a great time to wrap up any remaining outdoor fall work. Overnight temperatures will generally drop to near or below freezing due to the clear skies, a pattern that will continue through Saturday and Sunday.![]()
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Our next chance for rain showers arrives early next week, specifically on Monday by midday. Current forecasts indicate this system could bring a quarter to half inch of rain through early Tuesday to southern Minnesota. Following this, a significant change is expected. Temperatures will cool substantially after Wednesday, just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday. An area of much colder air will descend high up in the atmosphere, with temperatures at about 5,000 feet up potentially 9 to 18 degrees colder than normal. This will eventually translate to surface temperatures in the teens and 20s across the area.![]()
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This cold air is expected to lock in through the Thanksgiving holiday and into early December. While temperatures will be cold enough to support snow, an area of high pressure at ground level is anticipated to prevent significant widespread snowfall later in the week. Therefore, we may have to wait a bit longer for our first widespread snowfall of the season. High temperatures are forecast to struggle to get into the 20s for the first week of December.![]()
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Visit skywarn.us/streaming for our Rice County Skywarn Streaming Channel, featuring the latest radar imagery, historical and future radar, weather outlooks, and weather alerts and forecasts.
It's 42 degrees in Faribault this Thursday morning at 6:00 am, with a southwest wind at 7 miles per hour making it feel like 38 degrees with the wind chill. The relative humidity is 83 percent, and the barometric pressure is steady.![]()
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Today, November 20th, reminds us of Minnesota's diverse weather. The record high on this date was a balmy 74 degrees in 1897, while the high only reached 14 degrees in 1978. The coldest low recorded was -5 degrees in 1921. Minnesota has also seen significant weather on this day; in 1996, parts of Central Minnesota, including areas like Mankato, saw 7 inches of heavy snowfall. In 1953, freezing rain led to 3 inches of ice accumulating on telephone wires at Lake Benton.![]()
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For Rice County, we'll experience patchy fog and areas of drizzle through this morning, reducing visibilities at times. The clouds are expected to scatter out later this afternoon and evening as a boundary of cooler, drier air moves through. This will lead to a cooler night, with temperatures potentially falling into the 20s by Friday morning.![]()
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Looking ahead, we're anticipating very pleasant weather for the upcoming weekend and into early next week, with high temperatures in the upper 40s to low 50s and lows around freezing under generally sunny skies. However, a significant cold snap is looking highly probable for Thanksgiving week, continuing into early December. This is an unusual event for November, driven by a stratospheric warming that weakens the Arctic cold air patterns, allowing more frequent bursts of cold air into our region. While ground-level temperatures during this cold snap are currently projected to be 5-10 degrees below normal, it will mark a definitive shift towards winter.![]()
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Please visit our website at skywarn.us where you'll always find the latest local, weather updates, and more about our Rice County Skywarn Program!
It is Wednesday, November 19th. Current conditions in Faribault are 36 degrees with a light east-southeast wind at 5 miles per hour, making the wind chill 32 degrees. Relative humidity is 84 percent. The barometric pressure is falling, and we picked up about a half of an inch of precipitation from the last system.![]()
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Rice County has no significant weather threats at this time. The forecast calls for patchy fog before 9:00 am, especially in low-lying spots or near water. While dense fog is not expected for our area, visibility could be reduced. A slight chance of drizzle is also in the forecast for this evening into tonight. With temperatures staying above freezing, no weather-related travel impacts are expected.![]()
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We are starting a mild and dry period. High temperatures this week are expected to be 5 to 10 degrees above normal for late November.![]()
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Looking back at Minnesota weather history for November 19, this day has seen tremendous extremes. The record high was 67 degrees in 1930, and the record low was -3 degrees in 1932. The coldest high temperature on this date was only 17 degrees in 1914. Historically, 1 and a quarter inches of precipitation was measured on this day in 2024. More significantly, in 1981, heavy snow and near blizzard conditions caused 10.4 inches of snow at Minneapolis. Just a few decades earlier in 1957, a snowstorm dumped a foot of snow in Winona, leading to heavy crop losses across Southeast Minnesota.![]()
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Our mild weather pattern is due to air currents from Canada where there is no current snowpack to cool the air. This will allow Rice County high temperatures to reach the 40s and possibly lower 50s through the weekend.![]()
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Looking ahead to the middle of next week and the busy Thanksgiving travel period, a significant weather pattern change is likely. Computer models suggest a large weather system will move through the central United States, followed by significantly colder air. While precipitation details are uncertain due to the extended forecast window, the end of our current mild temperatures is expected. Travelers should closely monitor forecasts as the holiday approaches.![]()
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Please visit our website at skywarn.us where you'll always find the latest local, weather updates, and more about our Rice County Skywarn Program!
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