Mild Today then Bitter Cold Weekend ahead.

3 Cold Fronts will pass through Minnesota over the next 12 hours and the 3rd Cold Front arriving around 11 p.m. Tonight will pull Arctic Air south into the Twin Cities and surrounding areas bringing Bitter Cold temperatures and Wind-Chills. Today’s weather will be Mild during the daylight hours with highs in the upper 30s to near 40 degrees by 4 p.m. with West Winds at 10 to 20 mph along with a Mix of Clouds and Sun. The first Cold Front will pass through about 2 p.m. and the only change at that time will be Winds becoming more West-Northwest then the 2nd Cold Front passes through about 7 p.m. which may bring some Snow Flurries and Colder temperatures falling into the 20s. The 3rd Cold Front passing through about 11 p.m. will be the most significant and potent with Gusty Northwest Winds at 15 to 30 mph and Bitter Cold temperatures falling into the single digits and Wind-Chills falling to -12 Below by sunrise ( 7:45 a.m. ) Saturday.

Saturday will be Windy and Very Cold with temperatures around 8 degrees in the afternoon and Northwest Winds at 15 to 30 mph producing afternoon Wind-Chills near -10 Below along with Partly Cloudy Skies and Flurries at times. Partly Cloudy and becoming Dangerously Cold Saturday night with lows near -10 Below and Wind-Chills near -30 Below.

FORECAST FIRST ALERT DAYS ON SUNDAY AND MONDAY FOR THE BITTER COLD CONDITIONS: Partly Cloudy with Gusty Cold Winds on Sunday and highs near -2 Below with Wind-Chills in the afternoon around -20 Below then Clear Skies Sunday night with lows near -14 Below and Wind-Chills at -35 Below by 7 a.m. Monday. Sunny and Bitter Cold on Monday with highs near -6 Below and Wind-Chills at -30 Below then down to -14 Below by Tuesday morning with Wind-Chills at -30 Below.

Not as Cold Tuesday afternoon with highs near 4 degrees and Increasing Clouds with Light Snow possible Tuesday night into Wednesday with any Snow Accumulations on Wednesday 1″ or less. Highs on Wednesday into the mid 20s. JONATHAN YUHAS