037 FXUS63 KDLH 091144 AFDDLHArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Duluth MN 644 AM CDT Thu Oct 9 2025
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Breezy south winds today with some rain late this afternoon into tonight
- Briefly cooler Friday with some warmer temperatures into the 60s this weekend.
- More rain Sunday into Monday followed by cooler temperatures into the middle of next week.
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.DISCUSSION... Issued at 256 AM CDT Thu Oct 9 2025
It`s a clear and cool morning out there with freezing temperatures in northwest Wisconsin and in some of the cold spots in northeast Minnesota, but temperatures are in the 40s and even 50s in north-central Minnesota as warmer air is advecting north with southerly flow. A fairly tight pressure gradient will result in some breezy conditions today with wind gusts up to 20 to 25 mph. Humidity should be higher today than yesterday, so fire weather conditions may be a bit elevated with the gusty winds, but not likely to reach near-critical. Clouds will be on the increase during the afternoon as a cold front moves into the region from the west and passes through during the late afternoon and overnight. Showers are expected to develop along this front. While thunder is not likely, a stray storm or two can`t be ruled out mainly in east-central Minnesota into northwest Wisconsin with just a bit of MUCAPE possible. Otherwise, expect showers with rainfall totals up to a tenth of an inch or two, highest in the Arrowhead and northwest Wisconsin.
As the front passes through tonight, winds are expected to shift to northwesterly, and they will be a bit breezy (gusts to around or just above 20 mph). A few wraparound showers are possible, mainly in the Arrowhead. Otherwise, temperatures will briefly cool a bit Friday. As surface high pressure moves in from the west, clouds should start to clear through the day.
High pressure will move east through Saturday and southerly flow is expected to redevelop with more warm air advection. High temperatures are expected to moderate a bit this weekend with highs in the 60s for most places (cooler along the North Shore).
A messy area of upper-level cyclonic vorticity and moisture will advect into the region Saturday night into Sunday in-tandem with a warm front. With that, we`ll get some more rain chances. Ensembles are in pretty decent agreement with bringing a widespread quarter to half inch of rain or so. Some higher amounts to around three quarters of an inch may be possible (~15% chance). At this time, this looks like it will be almost exclusively synoptically-forced rain rather than convective. So, a bit of a rainy Sunday into Monday, then we may get a cold front after surface low pressure (taking a track from ~Montana Sunday northeast to Manitoba/Ontario Monday) moves away from our region. Following that, we`ll probably see some cooler fall weather for the middle of next week. With some broad troughing possible over the western CONUS, we may get into a bit more of an active weather pattern. Perhaps some more rain chances later next week.
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.AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z FRIDAY/... Issued at 644 AM CDT Thu Oct 9 2025
LLWS is expected to persist at HIB/INL for the next 4-6 hours approximately associated with warm air advection aloft ahead of a cold front. Winds will gradually increase at all terminals this morning from the south and are expected to become breezy with gusts from 15 to 25 kt through the afternoon. Clouds are expected to increase today, though largely remaining VFR. Showers are expected ahead of the front late this afternoon into this evening, and while VFR conditions are expected predominantly, there is a ~20-30% chance that there could be temporary MVFR visibilities or ceilings as showers pass through. Thunder is unlikely, but there is a ~10% chance for a stray storm that could pass over HYR. Confidence is not high enough to mention thunder in the TAF at this time. Winds will gradually decrease in speed overnight.
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.MARINE /FOR NEAR SHORE WATERS OF WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR/... Issued at 256 AM CDT Thu Oct 9 2025
Gusty southwest winds are expected to develop today ahead of a cold front. Winds will start off strongest between Grand Marais and Grand Portage this morning with wave heights building up to around 3 to 6 ft tonight. A Small Craft Advisory remains in effect there this morning through Friday morning. Additionally, Small Craft Advisories have been issued for the entire South Shore starting this evening and lasting through tonight as gusts up to 25 kt are expected there. Rain showers are expected as the cold front passes through tonight, then a wind shift to northwesterly is expected Friday. Current Small Craft Advisories cover the period of gusty southwesterly winds ahead of the cold front through early Friday morning, but additional Small Craft Advisories will likely be needed Friday with gusty northwest winds up to around 25 kt. Wind speeds gradually decrease going into Saturday as high pressure passes through.
For the open water discussion, refer to the NWS Marquette Area Forecast Discussion at weather.gov/mqt.
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.DLH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MN...None. WI...None. MARINE...Small Craft Advisory from 10 PM this evening to 10 AM CDT Friday for LSZ121-145>148-150. Small Craft Advisory until 10 AM CDT Friday for LSZ140.
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DISCUSSION...JDS AVIATION...JDS MARINE...JDS
NWS DLH Office Area Forecast Discussion