Hastings, MN Weather + On This Date: Tuesday, March 17th

AI image by HastingsNow.com

It’s a classic Hastings March setup: the river can look calm and innocent in the morning, then the sky remembers it still has winter business to finish by late afternoon. Downtown, the bridge, and Levee Park all get the cold-start treatment today—then a possible evening snow encore.

Today’s Weather in Hastings

At a glance

  • High / Low: Around 22–23°F today; around 18–19°F this evening before temperatures edge back into the mid-20s overnight

  • Precip chance + timing: Snow chance builds after 4 p.m.; the better shot for accumulating snow is tonight, mainly before 1 a.m.

  • Wind: Light and variable early, then south around 5–10 mph this afternoon; it will still feel extra sharp outside early

  • Alerts/hazards:(not provided)

The practical version: this morning looks cold and fairly quiet, with more clouds moving in as the day goes on. Late afternoon is the window to watch for snow starting up, and tonight looks like the more serious part of the forecast, with about 1–2 inches possible before 1 a.m. The good news? Wednesday looks sunnier and much milder, with highs pushing toward the low 40s.

What to wear / what to plan

  • Winter coat, hat, and gloves are still doing honest work today

  • Earlier afternoon is the safer bet for walking, errands, or park time

  • Add a little extra drive time for evening plans, especially if you’ll be crossing the bridge or heading through downtown

Weather Joke of the Day

Hastings is serving the full March sampler today: calm early, snow late, and the bridge just trying to stay photogenic through all of it.

Weather infographic by HastingsNow.com

On This Date: A Little Time Capsule

  • 1857 — Jacob Wilhelm Pfaender performed the first marriage ceremony held in New Ulm. It’s a small but memorable snapshot of how quickly Minnesota communities were building civic life in the mid-1800s.

  • 1992 — White South African voters approved a referendum to end apartheid. The vote was a major turning point and helped clear the path to the country’s first multiracial national election two years later.

  • 1958 — Vanguard I launched into orbit. It was the first satellite powered by solar cells, and it remains one of the longest-lasting human-made objects still circling Earth.

How we know

All access times below are Central Time.

  • National Weather ServiceHastings, MN point forecast page — forecast source page for Hastings. Accessed Mar. 17, 2026, about 5:55 a.m. CT.

  • Minnesota Historical Society / MNopedia“Pfaender, Jacob Wilhelm (1826–1905)” — source for the New Ulm March 17, 1857 item. Accessed Mar. 17, 2026, about 5:55 a.m. CT.

  • AP News“Today in History: March 17, white South Africans vote to end apartheid” — source for the 1992 referendum item. Accessed Mar. 17, 2026, about 5:55 a.m. CT.

  • HISTORY“What Happened on March 17” — source for the Vanguard I item. Accessed Mar. 17, 2026, about 5:55 a.m. CT.

Weather can change quickly on March days like this, so it’s smart to re-check official alerts before school runs, evening drives, or late plans.

If this helped, share it with a neighbor or subscribe to HastingsNow.

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Hastings, MN Weather + On This Date: Monday, March 16th