The lakes area benefited from rain instead of snow as a strong spring storm deposited heavy snow in the Duluth area Sunday morning, which the weather service described as cement.
“At 7:00 AM, we measured 5.8 inches of new snow with a melted liquid equivalent of 1.04 inches. That's a snow/liquid ratio of ~5.5/1, which is why the snow feels like cement. Use caution and take breaks when shoveling this stuff!” the National Weather Service in Duluth stated in a Tweet Sunday morning, March 29.
The storm brought big snowflakes to Duluth along with thunder and lightning and snow-covered and slushy roads.
Weather observations at the Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport recorded .42 inches of rain Sunday. In the Brainerd area, sprinkles on Sunday afternoon turned into a steady rain as the day progressed. But conditions did not produce snow and the rain and warm temperatures continued to make a dent in what’s left of the snowpack.
The forecast calls for highs nearing the mid-50s Monday with sunshine after patchy fog before 8 a.m. With a nearly calm wind, the day should feel like spring warmth.
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Sun should continue Tuesday with a high near 50 degrees. Overnight lows next week are expected to range between 27-34 degrees.
For those looking for warmer weather and dry conditions, the start of the week may be made to order, although Wednesday, Thursday and Friday may bring cooler and wetter conditions.
Snow isn’t out of the forecast yet. There is a 40% chance of snow after 1 a.m. Wednesday with rain and snow likely before becoming all rain after 10 a.m. Highs are not expected to quite reach 50 degrees and the chance of precipitation is 70%. Look for the chance of snow to continue overnight into Thursday and during the day. A chance of rain continues into Thursday night and Friday with a chance of rain and snow before 10 a.m. before changing to a chance of rain. Highs at the end of the week may top out in the low- to mid-40s.
Finally by the coming weekend, the rain and snow chance is gone from the forecast. The weather service forecast expects mostly cloudy skies Saturday, but calls for most mostly sunny skies Sunday.
