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Quick Tuesday Clipper
Here's the weather outlook from AM Tuesday to AM Thursday, which shows a quick moving clipper diving through the region late Tuesday into early AM Wednesday. This system will be responsible for a burst of narrow snowfall across the northern half of the state. The Twin Cities could see a little light rain/snow as this system slides through, but the bulk should fall north of the metro.
Light Snow Accumulations Late Tuesday
A fast moving clipper system will slide through the region late Tuesday with a chance of minor snow accumulations across parts of northern MN & Wisconsin. The best potential of 1" to 2" will be from the Fargo/Grand Forks area to Duluth and into northern Wisconsin. Again, the bulk of the precipitation will fall north of the Twin Cities, but don't be surprised if there are a few sprinkles or light snow showers later in the day.
Milder Air Continues
Here's the 850mb temp anomaly from midday Tuesday to midday Thursday. Note the warmer oranges and reds early in the loops, those are the milder temps that much of the eastern half of the nation will continue to see through midweek before a slight cooldown moves in later this week. The good news is that the cooler air won't be anywhere as cold as it was over the last couple of weeks.
Extended Temperature Outlook
Here's the extended weather outlook for Minneapolis over the next 5 to 7 days. We'll have another shot at 40F on Tuesday, which will be nearly +5F to +10F above average for the end of February; more typical of mid March. Highs through the rest of the week should warm into the mid 30s, which will be close to if not slightly above average for this time of the year. Our next best chance of snow arrives late weekend with a slight cool down expected as we slide into March.
Tuesday Weather Outlook
Here's the weather outlook for Minneapolis on Tuesday. Note how warm temps will be throughout the day. Highs could hit 40F once again with a light wintry mix possible later in the day.
Tuesday Meteograms for Minneapolis
The meteograms for Minneapolis on Tuesday. Temps much of the day will be in the 30s, but could sneak up close to 40F by the afternoon with some light wintry mixed potential. South to southwesterly winds will increase through the day and could gust up to 15mph during the afternoon.
Tuesday Weather Outlook
Here's the weather outlook across the region for Tuesday. Many locations across Minnesota will warm into the 30s, but a few low 40s can't be ruled out across the southern half of the state. These temps will be running nearly +10F above average, which is more typical of mid March.
Extended Temperature Outlook
Here's the ECMWF & GFS extended temperature outlook for Minneapolis through the last few days of February and into early March. Note how much warmer it'll be over the next couple of weeks compared to how cold it was during the first half of February. Other than a slight dip in the temps late weekend/early next week, we're seeing more 30s and even a few 40s on the extended temperature map!
8-14 Day Temperature Outlook
According to NOAA's Climate Prediction Center, the 8 to 14 day temperature outlook suggests warmer than average temperatures across the Eastern half of the nation. Cooler than average temps will lingering across the western US and into Alaska.
40F Never Felt So Nice! Signs of Spring
By Todd Nelson, filling in for Douglas.
If you listen closely, you might be able to hear northern cardinals singing CHEER, CHEER, CHEER in a backyard near you. These optimistic spring calls are some of the first signs of spring across the wintry landscape.
Believe it or not, we've gained more than 2 hours of daylight since the Winter Solstice nearly 3 months ago. Early risers will be able to enjoy sunrises before 7AM for the first time since September later this week. If that's not enough, Spring Training for you Minnesota Twins is underway in Fort Myers, FL. The Home Opener at Target Field is only 6 weeks away!
With that being said, there's still plenty of time to enjoy the frozen tundra. The Twin Cities is reporting about 6 inches of snow on the ground, while folks in northern Minnesota and Wisconsin are boasting more than a foot!
Outdoor hockey rinks might look a little sloppy out there today as the mercury climbs to near 40 degrees once again. Don't be surprised if you see a few rain drops mixed with snowflakes later today.
Oh, and Happy National Banana Bread Day!
Extended Forecast
TUESDAY: Mild. PM sprinkle or flurry Winds: WSW 5-10. High: 40.
TUESDAY NIGHT: Chance of light rain/snow. Winds: S 5. Low: 27.
WEDNESDAY: More afternoon drips. Some sun. Winds: WNW 5. High: 37.
THURSDAY: Sunny. Average for late February. Winds: WSW 5-10. Wake-up: 21. High: 32.
FRIDAY: Breezy. Clouds thicken with late PM snow. Winds: SW 10-20. Wake-up: 23. High: 35.
SATURDAY: Few AM flakes. Mix of clouds and sun. Winds: NW 10-15. Wake-up: 22. High: 32.
SUNDAY: Increasing snow chance southern MN. Winds: N 10-20. Wake-up: 15. High: 27.
MONDAY: Mild southerly wind returns. Winds: SW 10-15. Wake-up: 18. High: 38.
This Day in Weather History
February 23rd
1981: Warmth returns to Minnesota with a high of 55 at Pipestone and a high of 52 at Luverne.
Average High/Low for Minneapolis
February 23rd
Average High: 32F (Record: 59F set in 1958)
Average Low: 16F (Record: -25F set in 1889)
Record Rainfall: 0.63" set in 1909
Record Snowfall: 6.3" set in 1909
Sunrise/Sunset Times for Minneapolis
February 23rd
Sunrise: 7:00am
Sunset: 5:53pm
Hours of Daylight: ~10 hours & 46 minutes
Daylight GAINED since yesterday: ~ 3 minutes & 2 seconds
Daylight GAINED since Winter Solstice (December 21st): ~ 2 hours & 6 minutes
Moon Phase for February 23rd at Midnight
3.1 Days Until Full "Snow" Moon
February 27th - 2:17AM CST - Usually the heaviest snows fall in this month. Hunting became very difficult, and hence to some tribes this was the Full Hunger Moon.
What's in the Night Sky?
"On the evenings of February 23, 2021, the waxing gibbous moon is bright enough to erase many stars from the blackboard of night. But you'll likely still see the two bright Gemini "twins" – the stars Castor and Pollux – in the moon's glare. Another bright star is nearby; it's Procyon, brightest star in the constellation Canis Minor the Lesser Dog, also known as the Little Dog Star. The dark side of a waxing moon always points in its direction of travel around Earth – eastward – in front of the backdrop stars. As Earth spins under the sky, the stars, planets and moon all appear to shift westward throughout the night. Meanwhile, the moon's orbital motion is carrying it eastward through the constellations of the zodiac … and through Gemini on these two nights. Visit Heavens-Above to know the moon's place upon the zodiac. Look for the moon and constellation Gemini to reach their high point for the night somewhere around 9 to 10 p.m. local time. That's the approximate time on your clock, no matter where you live around the globe. Every month, the moon in its journey in front of the constellations of the zodiac always travels to the south of the Gemini stars, Castor and Pollux, and to the north of the Little Dog Star Procyon. In fact, an imaginary line drawn from Procyon and going between Castor and Pollux takes you to Polaris, the North Star, although it's a mighty long jump from Procyon to Polaris. You have to be in the Northern Hemisphere to see Polaris in your sky, otherwise this star sits beneath your horizon."
National High Temps Tuesday
What a difference a week makes! Temps across much of the Central US are MUCH warmer than it was last week when we were dealing with historic wintry weather and extreme cold. Keep in mind that many locations across the southern US were dealing with subfreezing daytime highs, so this will be a big change from last week.
National Forecast Map For Tuesday
The weather map on Tuesday shows somewhat unsettle weather across the northern tier of the nation with areas of light rain mixed with snow. Thankfully much of the southern US will be dry and quiet. This will allow folks in the Deep south to continue clean up efforts thanks to the extreme snow and cold last week.
National Weather Outlook
Here's the weather outlook through Thursday, which shows somewhat active weather continuing across the northern tier of the nation. Areas of rain and snow in the Northwest will push east quickly on Tuesday and Wednesday with rain and snow across parts of the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes.
7 Day Precipitation Outlook
The precipitation potential over the next 7 days shows heavier precipitation potential across parts of the Lower Mississippi Valley and into the Tennessee Valley. We'll also see more heavy precipitation across the high elevations and along the coast in the Northwest.
7 Day Snowfall Potential
The extended GFS snowfall forecast doesn't show quite as much activity as it did last week when folks in the southern US were dealing with historic wintry weather and cold. Much of the snow over the next 5 to 7 days will be found along the northern tier of the nation and also in the Western Mountains.
Climate Stories
"To Meet Ambitious Emissions Goals, Large Food Companies Are Looking to Lock Carbon in Soil"
"But the logistics of moving farmers in their supply chains to regenerative agriculture practices can be complicated. ason Johnson, Stonyfield Organic's farmer relationship manager, fires up the AgriCORE soil sampling tool in a pasture with sweeping views of central Maine's rolling hillsides at Dostie Farm, an organic dairy. The auger bit whirrs as it slices through clover and grass, spiraling downward into the earth to retrieve a sample from the 650-acre (263-hectare) farm on a blustery October day. It takes Johnson three tries to get it right, and the auger emerges from the ground, encased in a thin layer of dark soil. Leah Puro, agricultural research coordinator at Wolfe's Neck Center for Agriculture & the Environment, scoops the soil into a tiny foil dish, then pops it into a battery-powered oven to remove its moisture before sending it to Yale University for elemental analysis, one of the most accurate methods for measuring the amount of carbon trapped in the soil. Puro slides another portion of the soil into a portable refractometer to measure the carbon content using a newer method called Quick Carbon that's being tested as a rapid means for measuring carbon in the field. Noting the soil's dark color, Britt Lundgren, director of organic and sustainable agriculture at Stonyfield, says, "I bet it's pretty good. … So, then the trick is to figure out, based on the soil type, how much more carbon it could hold and to what depth."
See more from Smithsonian Mag HERE:
"What Does Wind Chill Mean, Exactly?"
"Though often talked about as the "feels like" temperature, wind chill involves a lot more than just how you feel outside. You know the forecast is bleak when, in the winter months, two sets of digits appear on your local TV weather report. One set of numbers is the daily temperature. The other, colder digits show the wind chill — something the meteorologist might describe with the phrase feels like. Though the phrase makes for a convenient way to talk about wind chill, it's not a perfectly accurate shorthand. The concept of wind chill — and the formula meteorologists use to calculate it — measures how wind speed and outdoor temperature combine to create more challenging conditions than the latter might accomplish alone. The formula has been (and will be) tweaked over time as researchers fine-tune their understanding of how wind and our bodies interact. "Wind chill temperature, I think, is probably a good representation of the scientific process in full view," says Neil Laird, a meteorologist at Hobart and William Smith Colleges."
See more from Discover Magazine HERE:
"Think Cities Have Pothole Problems Now? Just Wait"
"Midwesterners like to joke there two seasons: Winter and road repair. But potholes aren't just frustrating to commuters. They're also a big and costly challenge that engineers face. Extreme heat or cold, water, stress and the good old passage of time all hold the potential to morph roads until they can't take it anymore, causing them to bend or crack in response. "It's really complicated phenomena," says Naser Sharifi, a civil engineer at the University of Pittsburgh. "Honestly, before I started working on pavement, I didn't know that this many details are involved." And while many streets are supposed to stay drivable for 20 to 30 years, climate change is accelerating wear and tear and pushing engineers to rethink how they design this crucial part of our transit network. Where Roads Are Worse Sharifi explains that transit engineers tend to think of different parts of the U.S. according to a couple of key metrics: How dry or wet is the area, and how often is it cold enough to freeze over? When it comes to road durability, "the worst-case scenario is wet-freeze regions." Much of New England and the Midwest falls into this category."
See more from Discover Magazine HERE: