Extreme Weather Possible Wednesday: ‘Quite rarely snow and tornadoes’ – WCCO

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CHANHASSEN, Minn. (WCCO) – At least a summer-like storm in mid-December.

READ MORE: Minnesota Weather: Storm System May Bring Tornado December 1 in Minnesota

At the National Weather Service in Chanhassen, a balloon is heading to the top of the atmosphere to help meteorologists. And Wednesday, meteorologist Melissa Dye and her team will be working overtime — because it’s going to be a wild ride.

“All of this is going to be fed into the models and give us a better look at what’s going on,” says Dye. “It’s a really complicated system with all kinds of weather hazards.”

She said that anything is possible on Wednesday. In the morning, you can take a light jacket outside because the temperature is above freezing. It will be more like a late autumn or early spring day than mid-December

In the afternoon and evening, rain and storms move in and gusts of wind, potentially severe weather Thursday morning. It then reverts to its parka and boots, with near-zero wind chill and potential for re-freezing.

READ MORE: How do cities decide which snow is plowed and which is removed?

(credit: CBS)

“The main concerns about that are there will be high winds and there is a risk of tornadoes,” said Dye. “It’s very rare to have snow and tornadoes.”

The last recorded tornado in Minnesota was on November 16, 1931. But there’s another record that could be broken: high temperatures.

And if a severe thunderstorm warning is issued, Dye says it will be the second warning in December in Minnesota.

“High wind warning, that’s pretty rare,” Dye said. “If you have holiday decorations, make sure those decorations are sturdy because they will blow away.”

MORE NEWS: Minnesota Weather: Above Average Temps Before Record Warm, Thunderstorm December

It will be an important day for weather vigilance. The National Weather Service says winds will blow in the afternoon, with possible winds of 50 mph to 60 mph.