Minnesota WeatherTalk

Preliminary Climate Summary for March 2019: Following the trend of February, March was colder and wetter than normal across most of the state. Most climate stations will report a mean March temperature that ranges from 3 to 6 degrees F cooler than normal. No daily record high maximum or minimum temperatures were reported within the Minnesota climate station network. However, during the cold first week of the month there were 74 low minimum daily temperature records tied or broken, and 108 daily low maximum temperature records tied or broken. Extreme temperatures for the month were minus35°F at Cotton (St Louis County) on the 8th to 67°F at Windom (Cottonwood County) and Winnebago (Faribault County) on the 27th. Most observers in the state reported above normal precipitation for the month, with the wettest areas in west-central and southwestern counties where totals of 2.5 to 3.0 inches were common. Within the climate station network 103 daily precipitation records were tied or ...

Flood Threats: Many factors have contributed to the current flood threat on Minnesota rivers this month. Perhaps the three most important at this point in time are: -a wetter than normal final four months of 2018 (Sep-Dec was 40-50 percent above normal precipitation) -frost depths in the ground in many areas, ranging from 25 to 45 inches, preventing infiltration of melted snow -Above normal snowfall for the 2018-2019 season (over 125 climate stations report a seasonal total of 65 inches or greater so far) with widespread water content of 4-6 inches. As a result of these climate factors the NOAA-North-Central River Forecast Center flood outlook for certain points along many southern Minnesota Rivers including the Redwood, Cottonwood, Minnesota, Des Moines, Crow Wing, Cannon, and Mississippi Rivers (at St Paul and Hastings) calls for moderate to major flooding. These conditions are similar to those faced in the flood years of 1952, 1965, 1997, 2001, and 2011 on many of these watersh...

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Good Riddance to February: Suffice to say February was a memorable month. It was the snowiest February in history for many cities in our region, as well as very cold. On a statewide basis, February of 2019 will be the 2nd wettest in history (trailing only 1922 which had a lot of rain), and tied for 11th coldest in history with 1910. Some of the communities with long-term climate records that reported their snowiest ever month of February included: Austin 32.5” Worthington 35.9” Minnesota City 45.7” Grand Meadow 35.2” Faribault 38.4” Waseca 30.3” Winnebago 32.4” Rushford 38.0” Theilman 45.5” Zumbrota 39.0” Wabasha 41.6” Marshall 37.9” Redwood Falls 35.8” Tract 35.0” MSP 39.0” (also 4th snowiest month in history) Owatonna 52.5” (a new statewide record for the month of February) Rochester 40.0” St Cloud 27.6” Duluth 36.4” Two Harbors 7NW 40.6” Kabatogama 34.2” New Ulm 37.3” Eau Claire, WI 53.7” During the month 152 daily snowfall records were tied or broken within the Minnesota clima...