Air temperatures near or below zero are in store for the Brainerd lakes area in the wake of a winter storm New Year's weekend.
The National Weather Service forecast subzero or near zero weather from Tuesday night until Sunday, with lows as far down as 15 degrees below zero.
Brainerd was also under a Winter Weather Advisory until 6 a.m. Tuesday. Falling snow would cause slippery roads, and snowfall rates could reduce visibility to half a mile or less, the advisory said.
Geoff Grochocinski, a meteorologist with the Duluth NWS office, said Monday's storm would come in two rounds. The first, weaker round of snowfall came earlier Monday with 1.5 to 2 inches. However, the second, stronger wave would move through Brainerd in the evening and continue at least through early morning Tuesday. It would bring the snowfall total up to 3 to 4 inches, Grochocinski said, while the far northern section of Minnesota would get a more severe storm.
What's more, the low pressure system that caused the Monday's storm will pull a blast of cold northern air behind it, Grochocinski said, bringing frigid temperatures.
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"Generally, whenever get a departing low pressure system, that's going draw down northerly winds, and pull down the air from Canada," he said.
Tuesday's forecast called for a high of 16 degrees and a 20 percent chance of snow before 7 a.m., with patchy snow between noon and 5 p.m. NWS forecasted winds northwest 15 to 20 mph, with gusts up to 25 mph. The thermometer plunge begins Tuesday night, with the temperature dropping to about 2 by 5 p.m. and a nightly low near 8 below zero. The winds are expected to die down somewhat to the 10-15 mph range, but still capable of gusts up to 25 mph.
Wednesday was projected to see a high around 1 below, and a west wind 5 to 10 mph. That night was forecast to be mostly cloudy with a low around 15 below.
Thursday's forecast was partly sunny and cold, with a high temperature of zero, which will drop down to a low of 10 below that night.
Friday was forecast to be partly sunny with high around 4, which will plunge to a low of 11 below Friday night.
Saturday's expected high was 4, dropping down to a low of 10 below in the night.
Sunday will be the first significant respite from the subzero temperatures, with a high reaching 14 degrees.
