Alert archive / Minnesota / Frost Advisories in 2026

Frost Advisory 6, NWS Twin Cities, MN

May 9, 202627 counties in Minnesota; 7 counties in Wisconsin

NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this frost advisory at May 9, 2026, 12:59 PM CDT for 27 counties in Minnesota; 7 counties in Wisconsin. It took effect at May 10, 2026, 3:00 AM CDT. It was in force for 3 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 9, 2026, 12:59 PM CDT (17:59 UTC)
In effect from
May 10, 2026, 3:00 AM CDT
Expired
May 10, 2026, 6:26 AM CDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Twin Cities, MN
All 34 counties

Benton County, MN, Blue Earth County, MN, Brown County, MN, Chippewa County, MN, Chisago County, MN, Douglas County, MN, Isanti County, MN, Kanabec County, MN, Kandiyohi County, MN, Lac qui Parle County, MN, McLeod County, MN, Meeker County, MN, Mille Lacs County, MN, Morrison County, MN, Nicollet County, MN, Pope County, MN, Redwood County, MN, Renville County, MN, Sherburne County, MN, Sibley County, MN, Stearns County, MN, Stevens County, MN, Swift County, MN, Todd County, MN, Watonwan County, MN, Wright County, MN, Yellow Medicine County, MN, Barron County, WI, Chippewa County, WI, Dunn County, WI, Eau Claire County, WI, Polk County, WI, Rusk County, WI, Saint Croix County, WI

The radar

The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 51 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:03 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 12:00Z, 6.0 hours before the alert went out and 49 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Minneapolis, MN at 12:00Z on 2026-05-09Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 21 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Minneapolis, MN at 12:00Z on 2026-05-09The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 77 square meters per square second.1939587897117136Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
21 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-57 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
955 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
79 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
77 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
204 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

897 
WWUS73 KMPX 091759
NPWMPX

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
1259 PM CDT Sat May 9 2026

MNZ041>045-047>059-064>067-073>075-082-083-WIZ014>016-023-025-027-
028-101300-
/O.NEW.KMPX.FR.Y.0006.260510T0800Z-260510T1300Z/
Douglas-Todd-Morrison-Mille Lacs-Kanabec-Stevens-Pope-Stearns-
Benton-Sherburne-Isanti-Chisago-Lac Qui Parle-Swift-Chippewa-
Kandiyohi-Meeker-Wright-Yellow Medicine-Renville-McLeod-Sibley-
Redwood-Brown-Nicollet-Watonwan-Blue Earth-Polk-Barron-Rusk-St.
Croix-Dunn-Chippewa-Eau Claire-
Including the cities of St Cloud, Madison, Princeton, Alexandria,
Benson, Litchfield, Little Falls, Hutchinson, Menomonie, Cambridge,
Rice Lake, Mankato, Olivia, Redwood Falls, Glenwood, Sauk Rapids,
Granite Falls, Elk River, Monticello, Center City, Hudson, Osceola,
St James, Ladysmith, Willmar, Montevideo, Eau Claire, Long Prairie,
St Peter, Chippewa Falls, New Ulm, Gaylord, Mora, and Morris
1259 PM CDT Sat May 9 2026

...FROST ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM TO 8 AM CDT SUNDAY...

* WHAT...Temperatures as low as 35 will result in frost formation.

* WHERE...Portions of central, east central, south central,
  southwest, and west central Minnesota and northwest and west
  central Wisconsin.

* WHEN...From 3 AM to 8 AM CDT Sunday.

* IMPACTS...Frost could harm sensitive outdoor vegetation. Sensitive
  outdoor plants may be killed if left uncovered.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold.

&&

$$

Dunleavy
2 follow-up statements
024 
WWUS73 KMPX 100316
NPWMPX

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
1016 PM CDT Sat May 9 2026

MNZ041>045-047>059-064>067-073>075-082-083-WIZ014>016-023-025-027-
028-101300-
/O.CON.KMPX.FR.Y.0006.260510T0800Z-260510T1300Z/
Douglas-Todd-Morrison-Mille Lacs-Kanabec-Stevens-Pope-Stearns-
Benton-Sherburne-Isanti-Chisago-Lac Qui Parle-Swift-Chippewa-
Kandiyohi-Meeker-Wright-Yellow Medicine-Renville-McLeod-Sibley-
Redwood-Brown-Nicollet-Watonwan-Blue Earth-Polk-Barron-Rusk-St.
Croix-Dunn-Chippewa-Eau Claire-
Including the cities of Hudson, Madison, Granite Falls, Litchfield,
Olivia, St James, Sauk Rapids, Elk River, Monticello, Eau Claire,
Little Falls, Chippewa Falls, Cambridge, Mankato, Center City,
Montevideo, St Peter, Long Prairie, Redwood Falls, Princeton, Morris,
Rice Lake, Willmar, Ladysmith, Mora, Alexandria, Gaylord, New Ulm, St
Cloud, Hutchinson, Glenwood, Menomonie, Osceola, and Benson
1016 PM CDT Sat May 9 2026

...FROST ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM TO 8 AM CDT SUNDAY...

* WHAT...Temperatures as low as 35 will result in frost formation.

* WHERE...Portions of central, east central, south central,
  southwest, and west central Minnesota and northwest and west
  central Wisconsin.

* WHEN...From 3 AM to 8 AM CDT Sunday.

* IMPACTS...Frost could harm sensitive outdoor vegetation. Sensitive
  outdoor plants may be killed if left uncovered.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold.

&&

$$

NDC
188 
WWUS73 KMPX 101126
NPWMPX

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
626 AM CDT Sun May 10 2026

MNZ041>045-047>059-064>067-073>075-082-083-WIZ014>016-023-025-027-
028-101230-
/O.CAN.KMPX.FR.Y.0006.000000T0000Z-260510T1300Z/
Douglas-Todd-Morrison-Mille Lacs-Kanabec-Stevens-Pope-Stearns-
Benton-Sherburne-Isanti-Chisago-Lac Qui Parle-Swift-Chippewa-
Kandiyohi-Meeker-Wright-Yellow Medicine-Renville-McLeod-Sibley-
Redwood-Brown-Nicollet-Watonwan-Blue Earth-Polk-Barron-Rusk-St.
Croix-Dunn-Chippewa-Eau Claire-
Including the cities of Cambridge, Redwood Falls, Ladysmith,
Hutchinson, Rice Lake, Hudson, Gaylord, Elk River, Menomonie, Little
Falls, Willmar, Alexandria, Madison, Benson, New Ulm, Mora, Osceola,
St Peter, St James, Princeton, Granite Falls, Sauk Rapids, Glenwood,
St Cloud, Montevideo, Long Prairie, Litchfield, Monticello, Mankato,
Eau Claire, Olivia, Center City, Morris, and Chippewa Falls
626 AM CDT Sun May 10 2026

...FROST ADVISORY IS CANCELLED...

Morning cloud cover has kept temperatures in the upper 30s to low 40s
for the majority of the area. With the sun rising, temperatures will
not fall any further this morning, thus the advisory is cancelled.

$$

TDH

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this frost advisory went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Twin Cities, MN wrote its last area forecast discussion before this frost advisory went out at May 9, 12:25 PM CDT, 34 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Cooler this weekend with frost/freeze chances Sunday and Monday mornings before warming next week.
  • After this morning's rain the next chance for rain arrives late Monday into Tuesday.
Area forecast discussion, May 9, 12:25 PM CDT, 34 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
1225 PM CDT Sat May 9 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Cooler this weekend with frost/freeze chances Sunday and
  Monday mornings before warming next week.

- After this morning's rain the next chance for rain arrives
  late Monday into Tuesday.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 229 AM CDT Sat May 9 2026

Rain will continue to slowly advance across the Upper Midwest
this morning driven by broad ascent along a jet streak and
frontal passage. The regions with rainfall have been seeing a
notable increase in dew points into the 40s. This is significant
versus the values down near 30 in southern Minnesota. This gap
in dew point is part of why QPF values drop off quickly to the
south as this drier air will limit rain chances. The other
impact of these dew points will be for fire weather this
afternoon and evening. Higher dew points and rainfall will help
to reduce fire weather risk, keeping the risk lower than it was
yesterday. However clearing skies behind the frontal passage
will allow for ample mixing again today and the sun will also
allow for dropping dew points. This mean another gusty and dry
day is expected today. Therefore yet another bad day for
burning. The other side of the frontal passage will be a period
of cold air advection. This will bring temperatures down
Saturday night through Monday morning. Both mornings will see
frost and freeze potential with most ensemble guidance and
therefore the NBM favoring Monday morning for the more
widespread freeze chance. With the main area of high pressure
moving overhead on Sunday night into Monday morning the clear
skies will favor radiational cooling. Morning temperatures will
be more typical of early March than early May.

Early in the week a shortwave trough will move from the Canadian
Prairies into the Great Lakes. This will provide a broad source
of lift for our next, more widespread, rain chance late Monday
into Tuesday. There is a high chance for rain with this system
with >98% of global ensemble members having measurable QPF north
of I-94 and east of I-35. To the west of this region starts to
drop but stays >75% of membership with QPF. Where there remains
spread though is in the amount of QPF, as probs drop by roughly
half for 0.1" of QPF. There could be some instability for
thunderstorms, therefore locally higher QPF, but forecast
soundings do not show much and it is rather elevated. After
Tuesday, the next chance for rain arrives Thursday along a push
of WAA. Not as strong of synoptic forcing as Tuesday's rain
chance, so much lower probabilities in the ensembles. In
additional to the rain chances this looks to be the start of a
period of continued hotter air days with multiple days into the
80s possible late next week into the following weekend.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SUNDAY/...
Issued at 1225 PM CDT Sat May 9 2026

Streaks of lower-mid level cumulus have appeared over mainly eastern
MN/western WI, affecting MSP/RNH/EAU early in the period but are
expected to largely dissipate as we head into the afternoon as the
top of the mixed layer becomes drier. Winds will continue to remain
breezy today, directionally at 310-340 with speeds increasing to 10-
15kts with gusts from 20-25kts at most locations. Gusts will
diminish as mixing weakens by 00z, with speeds dropping further to
below 05kts overnight. Some lower level strato-cumulus clouds are
possible after 06-08z, lifting gradually after 12z as mixing and
winds increase towards the end of the period.

KMSP...Tapered the end of the ongoing cumulus quickly within the
first couple hours of the period as the mixed layer dries out, with
another round of VFR 070 level clouds arriving around 08z. Winds
will gust up to 25kts, falling back after 00z, with 20kt gusts
possible again after 17z tomorrow.

/OUTLOOK FOR KMSP/
MON...VFR. Wind SE 5-10 kts.
TUE...VFR, chc -TSRA/MVFR early. Wind NW 15-20G30 kts.
WED...VFR. Wind NW 10kts.

&&

.MPX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MN...None.
WI...None.

&&

DISCUSSION...NDC
AVIATION...TDH
Hazardous weather outlook, May 9, 2:56 AM CDT, 10 hours 3 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
256 AM CDT Sat May 9 2026

MNZ041>045-047>070-073>078-082>085-091>093-WIZ014>016-023>028-
100800-
Douglas-Todd-Morrison-Mille Lacs-Kanabec-Stevens-Pope-Stearns-
Benton-Sherburne-Isanti-Chisago-Lac Qui Parle-Swift-Chippewa-
Kandiyohi-Meeker-Wright-Hennepin-Anoka-Ramsey-Washington-
Yellow Medicine-Renville-McLeod-Sibley-Carver-Scott-Dakota-
Redwood-Brown-Nicollet-Le Sueur-Rice-Goodhue-Watonwan-Blue Earth-
Waseca-Steele-Martin-Faribault-Freeborn-Polk-Barron-Rusk-
St. Croix-Pierce-Dunn-Pepin-Eau Claire-
256 AM CDT Sat May 9 2026

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central and
southern Minnesota, and west central Wisconsin.

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight.

Elevated fire weather this afternoon and evening due to dry
conditions and gusty winds. Avoid burning and check current burn
restrictions.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday.

Areas of frost and a freeze are possible Sunday and Monday
morning.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SKYWARN spotter activation will not be needed.

Nearby

Frost Advisories in Minnesota, 2026Frost Advisories in Wisconsin, 2026Every frost advisory in 2026

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.