National Weather Service issues ice storm warning

The National Weather Service has announced that the Northland will see a complex weather situation tonight and Wednesday. A surge of warm and humid air aloft from the south tonight and Wednesday, will combine with cold surface air coming from Canada. This combination will mean a wintry mixture of freezing rain, sleet, and snow for much of northeast Minnesota and parts of far northwest Wisconsin.

The Arrowhead faces an ice storm, and will likely get over a ¼ to ¾-inches of icing from freezing rain. Lighter amounts of freezing rain, as well as some sleet and light snow, are likely for other parts of northeast Minnesota, including the Duluth area, and far northwest Wisconsin.

Gusty north to northeast winds could bring down trees and branches, and pose a risk of power outages, especially for the tip of the Arrowhead.

Temperatures are currently in the lower 30s and will drop to the upper 20s overnight. There will be little, if any warming, during the day Wednesday.

The worst conditions of the storm will likely be late tonight through Wednesday morning. The precipitation will generally begin to lift out of the Northland Wednesday afternoon.

Motorists should be prepared for difficult travel conditions tonight and Wednesday. The ice storm warning remains in effect until 10 p.m. Wednesday night.