A brisk, early-autumn cold front pushed through Minnesota on Thursday, leaving a largely clear but windy evening across the Twin Cities and a band of lingering showers and drizzle in southeastern counties at 6 p.m., according to the CBS News Minnesota 6 p.m. weather update. Temperatures ranged from roughly 42°F in the Arrowhead region to 58°F in parts of southern Minnesota, while sustained winds of 15–25 mph and gusts near 35 mph produced wind chills 5–10 degrees colder than the air temperature.

“We’re looking at a notable drop compared with earlier today,” a CBS News Minnesota meteorologist said during the broadcast. “Expect the wind to keep things feeling raw tonight, with a few pockets—mostly east and southeast—seeing lingering light rain through the evening.” The forecast called for overnight lows to fall into the upper 20s to mid-30s across northern and central counties, raising frost concerns for farmers with late-harvest corn and soybeans.

The 6 p.m. update followed a sequence of reports through the day—5 a.m., 7 a.m., noon, 4 p.m. and 5 p.m.—as forecasters tracked the front’s progress and adjusted precipitation probabilities for different regions. While the state escaped widespread severe weather, a wind advisory was posted for parts of northwestern Minnesota, where gusts could briefly impact high-profile freight and grain-drying operations.

The immediate economic footprints are modest but meaningful for specific sectors. Utilities typically see a jump in residential heating demand when temperatures dip below seasonal averages; analysts estimate heating-degree-day increases of several percentage points during events like Thursday’s, elevating near-term natural gas and electricity consumption. “Short-term spikes in heating demand are rarely market-moving on their own, but they can amplify price volatility in regional energy markets, particularly if the pattern persists,” said an energy market analyst who monitors Upper Midwest supply-demand balances.

Agricultural interests are watching more closely. Millions of acres in Minnesota were still in late stages of harvest, and an overnight frost could force growers to accelerate combining or risk quality losses in susceptible fields. Local co-op managers reported a small uptick in calls from producers seeking to dry grain or adjust equipment schedules.

Municipal operations also face marginal costs. Road crews in several counties prepared salt and sand trucks for the colder overnight conditions, a seasonal expense that contributes to municipal winter budgets. Insurers and catastrophe modelers say repeated unseasonable swings can increase claims frequency for weather-related damage and amplify long-term premium pressure, a concern as Minnesota’s climate record shows measurable change: NOAA data indicate the state has warmed over the last century, with winters experiencing the largest increases.

Looking beyond the immediate forecast, Thursday’s pattern fits a broader trend toward increased variability, with more pronounced temperature swings and a longer shoulder season between summer cooling and winter freezing. For households, businesses and policymakers, that translates into planning challenges for energy procurement, crop risk management and municipal infrastructure spending as the state adjusts to a more volatile autumn climate.