Back-to-back snowstorms with high winds

Back-to-back snowstorms with high winds:

March 12-16 brought powerful back-to-back winter storms across portions of Minnesota, not uncommon for the month of March. The first storm over March 12-13 brought extremely high winds (above 60 mph wind gusts in many areas) and heavy snowfalls to northeastern areas of the state, especially the north shore landscapes along Lake Superior. Many areas reported 9 to 13 inches of snow, with blizzard conditions as well. A few long term climate stations reported daily record snowfalls, including:
7.8 inches at Brimson
7.0 inches at Embarrass and Two Harbors
6.8 inches at Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center

This March 12-13 storm brought remarkably high winds. Many areas, including the Twin Cities, reported wind gusts of 60 mph or greater. For a few locations record-setting March wind gusts were reported, including
53 mph at St Cloud (record for March 13)
60 mph at MSP (record for March 13 and highest since March of 2017)
69 mph at Rochester, record for the month of March
70 mph at Benson and Tracy, record for the month of March
71 mph at Redwood Falls, 2nd highest March wind gust ever at that location

After a brief lull in the weather, a second winter storm passed across Minnesota beginning late on March 14th and exiting early on March 16th. This storm delivered a swath of snowfall ranging from 6 inches to 18 inches across the southern half of the state. A few areas of Wabasha County reported over 20 inches of snow from the storm. Winds gusted between 40 mph and 55 mph, making for blizzard conditions over a wide area of southern Minnesota, including the Twin Cities. A number of long-term climate stations reported record daily amounts of snow. Among those reports were:
17 inches at Lake City (Goodhue County)
13.2 inches at Theilman (Wabasha County)
13.0 inches at Elgin (Wabasha County)
12.4 inches at Rochester (Olmsted County)
11.5 inches at Red Wing (Goodhue County)
11.0 inches at Owatonna (Steele County)
9.0 inches at Wells (Faribault County)
8.0 inches at Pipestone (Pipestone County)

As the storm passed on into Wisconsin and Upper Michigan it gathered even more moisture from the south and produced even more record-setting amounts of snowfall. Across many parts of Wisconsin, two-day snowfall totals ranged from 20 inches to over 30 inches. Many new daily record amounts of snowfall were reported from long-term climate stations, including:
29 inches at Florence
24.0 inches at Forestville
23.4 inches at Wausau
18.2 inches at Appleton
17.1 inches at Green Bay
16.5 inches at Mondovi

Across Upper Michigan, the storm produced two-day snowfall totals ranging from 25 inches to 45 inches, with many long-term daily snowfall records broken. Some of these included:
34 inches at Herman
29 inches at Watton
24.6 inches at Petosky
22 inches at Escanaba
21.7 inches at Marquette
21 inches at Cheybogan
18 inches at Manistique and Charlevoix

For Minnesota, many areas of the state have now received between 10 inches and 20 inches of snowfall for the month. Despite this, portions of north-central and southwestern Minnesota remain in Moderate Drought according to the U.S. Drought monitor, and areas of Carlton, Pine, and Aitkin Counties in eastern Minnesota remain in Severe Drought. Yet more snow may come to northern areas of the state before March ends, and the new NOAA Climate Prediction Center outlook for April favors above normal precipitation across all of the state. So drought may yet be alleviated by the spring planting season at least in some parts of the state.

Weekly Weather Potpourri:

According to the Weather Underground, an expanding Sonoran Heat Ridge has already produced widespread record-setting heat across many western states, including CA, AZ, NV, and OR. Dozens of record high temperatures have been reported over the past week. On Wednesday, a reporting station east of North Shore, California, southeast of Palm Springs, recorded a high of 108 degrees. This tied the highest March temperature ever measured in the USA. That same day, Phoenix reported a record high of 102°F. The Heat Wave is expected to persist into at least early next week.

A recent paper in the journal Global Change Biology reveals an increased frequency in tropical peatland wildfires over recent decades. In fact, the current frequency of such wildfires is unprecedented in at least the last 2000 years. This had caused widespread disruption of tropical ecosystems and increases in carbon emissions to the atmosphere. Much of the increased frequency is attributed to intentional landscape drainage combined with intensified drought. The researchers conclude that “conservation and sustainable land-use practices could be used to mitigate and control peatland burning and protect these carbon-rich sinks.”

MPR listener question:

After hearing reports of 70 mph wind gusts in Minnesota with last week’s snowstorm, we were wondering what is the highest measured wind speed associated with a March storm in Minnesota? We thought you might know.

Answer:

First of all, there have surely been wind gusts over 100 mph in Minnesota, but probably all associated with tornadoes. Although rare, there have been a number of years in Minnesota’s climate history when tornadoes were reported in March. Perhaps the most well known episode was on March 29 of 1998 when 14 tornadoes tracked across the landscape of southern Minnesota, causing widespread damage. The tornado that damage Comfrey and St Peter had a maximum wind speed estimated over 200 mph (EF-4).

From large-scale winter storms like the ones we had last week, the highest measured wind speed was likely associated with the ice storm at Duluth on March 26 of 1950. The Weather Service Office in Duluth measured wind gusts as high as 85 mph with that storm.

Twin Cities Almanac for March 20th:

The average MSP high temperature for this date is 44 degrees F (plus or minus 12 degrees F standard deviation), while the average low is 27 degrees F (plus or minus 10 degrees F standard deviation).

MSP Local Records for March 20th:

MSP records for this date: highest daily maximum temperature of 66 degrees F in 1938; lowest daily maximum temperature of 12 degrees F in 1951; lowest daily minimum temperature of -9 degrees F in 1965; highest daily minimum temperature of 57 degrees F in 2012, and record precipitation of 0.86 inches in 1921. Record snowfall for this date is 7.0 inches also in 1886.

Average dew point for March 20th is 22°F; the maximum dew point on this date is 59°F in 2012 and the minimum dew point on this date is -12 degrees F in 1965.

All-time statewide records for March 20th:

The state record high temperature for this date is 80 degrees F at Cannon Falls, Redwood Falls, St James, and Theilman in 1990. The state record low temperature for this date is -37 degrees F at For Ripley (Crow Wing County) in 1872 and at Bigfork (Itasca County) in 1965. The statewide record for precipitation on this date is 2.12 inches at Browns Valley (Traverse County) in 1982. A record 15.0 inches of snow fell at Browns Valley also on this date in 1982.

Past Weather:

On a statewide basis, March 20 of 1965 was the coldest in state history with over 100 climate stations setting record cold minimum temperature readings. Snow cover across the state varied from 1 foot to 3 feet. Most of the state was gripped by subzero temperatures There were many readings of -30°F or colder in northern counties, and in southern Minnesota it was as cold as -20°F (Preston). The daytime high temperature at Roseau only made 7°F.

A winter storm brought heavy snowfall to portions of central and northern Minnesota over March 20-21 of 1982. Many areas reported 8 inches to 14 inches of snowfall. Browns Valley (Traverse County) reported over 20 inches. Fortunately, the heavy snowfall came on a weekend, so it did not force any school closures.

Undoubtedly, March 20 of 2012 was the warmest in state history, with over 120 Minnesota climate stations reporting a new record high maximum temperature for the date. Many communities reported afternoon temperatures of 70°F or higher, with a few places reporting 80°F.

Outlook:

It will be sunny with very warm temperatures for southern portions of Minnesota this Saturday, perhaps even approaching 80°F which is the statewide record high for March 21st. In northern areas of the state it will be cloudy and cooler with chances for mixed precipitation. Cooler yet on Sunday with chances for snow in northern areas. Generally cloudy but with warmer than normal temperatures across southern Minnesota for the week ahead and chances for rain later in the week. In northern areas, daily temperatures will be cooler with off and on chances for snow.