Temps Thaw Briefly Before Deep Freeze Plunge This Weekend in Minnesota

The great mid-January thaw has begun. Enjoy it while you can because we're heading back into the deep freeze this weekend when we're going to see some of the coldest temperatures of the season.

A polar vortex will send bitterly cold air and strong winds to the Land of 10,000 Frozen Lakes. That Siberian airmass will impact us and the upper midwest Friday night through Tuesday.

The National Weather Service says temps in the St. Cloud area will warm today (Wednesday) to around 29, although we can expect a little snow and some freezing rain this afternoon. It'll be windy, but it'll be warmer.

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Temps will continue to rise to around 30 Wednesday evening. Partly sunny on Thursday with temps around freezing. Friday -- cloudy and warmer yet. High near 36, but windy.

Then the cold returns Friday night with lows around 3-above.

Saturday's high: Falling to just above 0 in the afternoon under partly sunny skies.

Saturday night's low: -13 and mostly cloudy.

Sunday's high: -5 with cold sunshine.

Sunday night's low: -17 (gulp...)

MLK Monday high: -8 and more cold sunshine.

Monday night: -17 with clear skies.

Tuesday's high of 11-above and mostly sunny may feel downright balmy.