Douglas: Blustery Ides of March with a slushy coating

Three to 6 inches of slush may fall Saturday from Windom to Wadena and Bemidji.

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The Minnesota Star Tribune
March 14, 2025 at 8:02PM

Beware the Ides of March — especially if you live in Alabama or Mississippi, where there’s a rare high risk of large, violent tornadoes on Saturday. In addition to powering your favorite weather app, local Doppler radar, weather models and county-level warnings, NOAA funds the Storm Prediction Center, where meteorologists monitor the atmosphere and pinpoint where damaging hail, winds and tornadoes are most likely to strike, days before a major event.

Huge north-south temperature extremes can fuel powerful storms and deadly tornado outbreaks in March. Believe it or not, we’re getting the “better” end of Saturday’s storm. No more 70s in sight, just a cold correction after Friday’s June-like warmth.

Three to 6 inches of slush may fall Saturday from Windom to Wadena and Bemidji as cold exhaust blasts Minnesota with windchills in the teens. Spring fever will not be a distraction. A little snow may fall Wednesday, most of it passing south of MSP.

Don’t rule out more slush-storms, but I see 40s and 50s in the weeks ahead.

about the writer

about the writer

Paul Douglas

Columnist

Paul Douglas is a nationally-respected meteorologist, with 40 years of broadcast television and radio experience. He provides daily print and online weather services for the Star Tribune.

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