Cold Turkey Day giving way to snow, sleet early Friday

November 28, 2014 at 12:44PM

Drivers in the Twin Cities are dealing with a mix of snow and ice Friday morning as many head to the malls or back to work.

The National Weather Service said that snowfall totals as of 6 a.m. since last evening ranged from 1.4" in St. Cloud and 1.1" at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

It was the coldest Thanksgiving Day in nearly 30 years, but the weather didn't deter runners from braving the elements for several of the races that are held each Thanksgiving in the metro area, including the Life Time Fitness Turkey Day 5K.

The sunshine was bright but deceptive as the temps reached 4 below zero in Minneapolis in the early morning. (New Ulm and Owatonna got to a frosty 17 below.) According to the state Climatology Office, the last time it was subzero in the metro area on Thanksgiving morning was 1985, when it hit 8 below. The typical temp is closer to freezing, or 32.

A reprieve is expected Saturday, with temps in the 40s before another dip in temps Sunday.

KELLY SMITH

Runners race on W. River Parkway along the Mississippi during the LifeTime Turkey Day 5K in downtown Minneapolis on Thursday, November 27, 2014.
Runners race on W. River Parkway along the Mississippi during the LifeTime Turkey Day 5K in downtown Minneapolis on Thursday, November 27, 2014. (Dml - Star Tribune Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
about the writer

about the writer

Kelly Smith

News team leader

Kelly Smith is a news editor, supervising a team of reporters covering Minnesota social services, transportation issues and higher education. She previously worked as a news reporter for 16 years.

See Moreicon