Minnesota Forecast Suggests Snow Coming Sooner Rather Than Later

As you start grabbing your hoodies and preparing for cooler fall weather, you might want to get your winter gear ready too because snow is expected to arrive earlier this year in Minnesota.

Football season may have just kicked off, but before long, we'll be shoveling sidewalks, scraping ice off windshields, and dealing with messy roads. The latest forecast even predicts when we can expect to see snowflakes—whether it's the pretty white kind or the slushy gray stuff.

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Last winter was affected by El Niño, which happens when the Pacific Ocean has warmer-than-normal water. This causes the Pacific jet stream to shift, impacting weather around the world and leading to things like floods, droughts, and extreme temperatures in different areas.

For Minnesota, this change in the jet stream resulted in a drier and warmer winter.

Experts say this winter will be influenced by La Niña. La Niña occurs when the sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean near the equator are cooler than usual.

This usually means Minnesota can expect a colder and wetter winter.

In Minnesota, the first measurable snowfall varies by region.

In the Twin Cities, the average date for the first snowfall is November 4th. In St. Cloud, the first inch of snow usually falls by November 15th, and in Rochester, it tends to arrive around November 21st.

Minnesota Forecast Suggests Snow Coming Sooner Rather Than Later

The latest long-range forecast from the Old Farmer's Almanac says there will be snow before November, but it isn't all bad news.

Despite the La Niña weather pattern, their forecasters are predicting a kinder, gentler winter for Minnesota with above-average temps and below-normal precipitation.

Unfortunately, kids might need to add a winter coat to their Halloween costumes this year.

The latest forecast for our region predicts rain and snow showers for the week of Oct 16th. From October 23-26, expect rain, snow, and colder weather, and from October 27-31, rain and snow showers are likely to continue, with temperatures remaining cold.