Minnesota WeatherTalk

Snow storm for southern Minnesota: Portions of northern Iowa, southern Minnesota, and Wisconsin received a significant snowfall from a late season winter storm on March 23rd this week. Across the path of the storm snowfall amounts ranged mostly from 2 to 9 inches, with some climate stations reporting over 10 inches. Some of the Minnesota reports included the following amounts, with record setting daily amounts noted by an asterisk:

4.7" at Rochester Airport
5.0" at La Crescent* and Winona
5.1" at Caledonia
6.0" at Springfield
6.1" at Eau Claire, WI*
6.8" at Gaylord
7.0" at Hastings
7.3" at Jordan and Rosemount
8.5" at Zumbro Falls
9.0" at Grand Meadow
10.0" at Owatonna* (tied record from 1966)
10.7" at New Prague
11.0" at Ellendale*
11.2" at Wabasha*

Water content of the snow ranged typically from 0.25 inches to 0.75 inches. But both Caledonia (1.29") and Hastings (1`.80") reported new daily record pre…

Last weekend produced some record-setting March high temperatures. Some of those reported over March 12 and 13 included: 74°F at Madison
73°F at Milan, Marshall, and Pipestone
72°F at Wheaton and Browns Valley
71°F at Montevideo
70°F at MSP, Willmar, Mora, Redwood Falls, and Lake Wilson
69°F at Winnebago and New Ulm
68°F at Windom, Lakefield, St Cloud, and Morris
67°F at Ada, Kimball, and Moose Lake
66°F at Moorhead and Isle
65°F at Austin and Preston
60°F at Duluth and International Falls

So far this month over 60 new daily warm maximum temperature records have been reported across Minnesota, and over 60 new warm daily minimum temperature records have been reported as well. Communities around the state are reporting average March temperatures so far that run from 11 to 15 degrees F above normal. This has provoked very early ice-out dates for many of Minnesota’s lakes, including Lake Minnetonka (Hennepin and Carver Counties), which saw loss of ice on March 17th, the earliest date…

Comments on meteorological winter: We just concluded meteorological winter (Dec-Feb) in Minnesota and a few comments on the prevalent weather patterns are in order. Enhanced by the warmest December in history the meteorological winter finished as the 6th warmest of all-time in Minnesota dating back to 1895. The average temperature for the three months was about 13°F warmer than normal. Only 1930-1931, 1986-1987, 1997-1998, 2001-2002, and 2011-2012 were warmer. Extremes for the winter season ranged from 65°F at Browns Valley (Traverse County) on February 27th to -36°F at Cotton and Embarrass (both in St Louis County) during the month of February. The warmth this winter was due mostly to unusually warm nights rather than unusually warm days.

Total precipitation for meteorological winter ranked as the 13th wettest in state history. Many places reported over 4 inches of precipitation, much of it coming as rain rather than snow. Except for the north shore areas and some portions o…