Warmer than average temperatures on Tuesday gave way to frigid cold Wednesday as the Twin Cities saw a 48-degree swing, according to the National Weather Service in Chanhassen.

Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport recorded a high of 53 on Tuesday, followed by a low of 5 degrees Wednesday. The Twin Cities also received a dusting of snow Tuesday evening.

NWS Metereologist Brennan Dettmann said it would certainly be “within the top ten” of day-to-day temperature records, though he didn’t have historical data immediately available. Much of the rest of the state also experienced swings of temperatures around 40 to 50 degrees or so, he noted.

What’s causing it?

“Things are starting to warm up as the sun angle changes, you get … warmer weather at higher latitudes,” Dettmann said. “You start to get big temperature differences between air masses in Canada and near the equator … you get those really quick shifts in temperatures. We’re right in the middle line of where those air masses fluctuate.”

Don’t expect the cold to stick around, though. Dettmann said temperatures are forecast to start climbing back into the 40s and 50s, and even 60s by this weekend — which is roughly 20 degrees warmer for this time of the year.

Dettmann said this is his first winter in the Twin Cities.

“It certainly stands out for how warm it’s been and it’s been one of the least  snowiest winters ever,” he said. “This is unofficially in contention for the warmest winter (on record).”

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