If you’ve lived in Minnesota for more than a week, you know the drill. One day it’s 40 degrees and the snow is melting into giant, muddy puddles, and the next, you’re chipping an inch of ice off your windshield while the wind tries to rip your door hinges off. That’s basically the vibe we’re heading into.
The latest data from the National Weather Service in Chanhassen is painting a pretty messy picture for the metro. We are looking at a messy combination of freezing rain and snow expected for Twin Cities Saturday morning, and honestly, it’s the kind of timing that ruins a good weekend plan.
Why the Saturday Morning Commute Looks Sketchy
Meteorologists are tracking a clipper system diving down from Canada. It's not a "Snowmageddon" situation where we’re getting two feet of powder, but it’s arguably more annoying.
The temperature is the real culprit here. Friday night starts out relatively "warm" (for January), hovering right near the freezing mark. As the sun starts to come up on Saturday, an arctic front is going to slam into that moisture.
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Here is the sequence of events you’ve gotta watch out for:
- The Glaze: Before the flakes even start falling, we’re likely to see a period of freezing drizzle or light freezing rain. This is the dangerous stuff. It’s hard to see on the pavement, especially on bridges and overpasses like the I-35W or I-94 interchanges.
- The Switch: By 7:00 AM or 8:00 AM, that rain should transition over to straight snow as the mercury plummet.
- The Totals: We aren’t talking about shovel-breaking amounts. Most models are currently leaning toward 1 to 3 inches of accumulation for the Twin Cities proper, with slightly higher amounts if you head east toward Hudson or Eau Claire.
The Flash Freeze Factor
There is something called a "flash freeze" that happens when temperatures drop 20 degrees in just a few hours. If the roads are wet from the early morning rain and then the temperature hits 10°F by noon, that slush turns into iron-clad ice.
MnDOT is already prepping, but salt loses its effectiveness once you get down into the single digits. And make no mistake—it’s going to get cold. By Saturday night, we’re looking at lows near zero with wind chills that make you regret every life choice that led you to live in the Midwest.
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If you have a Choice, stay off the roads until at least Saturday afternoon.
The freezing rain and snow expected for Twin Cities Saturday morning means that the first round of plows will be fighting a losing battle against the ice layer underneath the snow. If you absolutely have to be out—maybe you’re a healthcare worker or you just really need a Target run—give the salt trucks a massive amount of room.
I’ve seen too many people try to pass a plow on the right on I-494, only to end up in the ditch because they hit a patch of black ice the plow hadn't reached yet. It’s not worth it.
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What This Means for Your Saturday
- Check the 511mn.org App: This is the gold standard. Don't trust your gut; trust the cameras. If the I-394 corridor looks like a skating rink on the cam, it probably is.
- Pet Safety: This isn't just a "cold" day; it's an "arctic blast" day. If you’re taking the dog out after the snow stops, keep it short. That ice/salt combo is brutal on their paws.
- Charge Everything: High winds are expected alongside this front, with gusts potentially hitting 35-40 mph. While we don't expect widespread power outages from a couple of inches of snow, ice-coated branches plus high winds can sometimes lead to localized flickers.
Basically, Saturday morning is for staying inside, making a second pot of coffee, and watching the neighbors struggle with their snowblowers. The worst of the precipitation should be wrapped up by mid-day, leaving us with nothing but bitter cold and a very white landscape to look at for the rest of the weekend.
Immediate Action Steps
If you're reading this on Friday night, go move your car now if you usually park on a snow emergency route. Even a small accumulation can trigger a "Phase 1" in some municipalities.
Make sure your scraper is actually in the car and not in the back of your garage. You’re going to need it to break through the glaze before you even get to the snow. Check your tire pressure too; these massive temperature swings always trigger that annoying "low pressure" light on the dashboard.
Stay safe, drive slow, and remember that February is only a few weeks away—though that usually just means more of the same.