The airport near Grand Forks broke its decades-old record for a daily low temperature Friday after chilly weather brought snow to the region, but highs could return to the 70s next week.
The Grand Forks International Airport, which is about 5 miles west of the city, dropped down to 23 degrees, breaking its 1945 record of 24, according to the National Weather Service’s Grand Forks office.
The Friday low in Grand Forks dropped to 28 degrees, according to NWS, just shy of the 1945 record low of 25 but well below the average of 40. The thermometer topped out at 46 degrees, according to NWS readings, below the average high of 67.
Snow fell sporadically throughout Friday morning and afternoon, though not enough for accumulation. Wind gusts hit 38 mph, according to NWS.
About 115 miles northwest of Grand Forks, observers in Langdon, N.D., reported a low of 19 degrees, the coldest temperature reported this morning in the state.
It's possible Langdon also set a record, but NWS doesn’t keep records for many smaller communities, said meteorologist Vince Godon of the Grand Forks office.
Godon said a northwest air flow, which brought the winds, too, caused the cooler temperatures as the Canadian air moved in.
The meteorologist said it was a bit warmer in northern Minnesota, though some snow fell there as well. Early morning temperatures stayed in the upper 20s and low 30s across much of North Dakota and northern Minnesota.
The cold conditions prompted NWS to issue a freeze warning Friday for the Red River Valley, but it had expired by early afternoon after temperatures climbed into the low 50s.
Temperatures across North Dakota and northern Minnesota are expected to dip into the mid-30s and possibly high 20s tonight, causing patchy frost to form into Sunday morning, NWS meteorologists predicted.
Sunday should prove to be the warmest day of the weekend for Grand Forks, with a high of 65 degrees and low of 40, but showers may move into the area in the afternoon, according to the forecast.
Warmer weather is on the way for the Red River Valley, according to NWS. The workweek should start out mostly sunny with highs staying in the 60s, meteorologists predicted, and Wednesday could bring 70-degree weather back to the region. That mild weather could hang around into Saturday.
