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Spring Flood Outlook
"Overall Outlook More Big Changes in the last two weeks... The early March updated outlook for spring flooding in the upper Mississippi, Minnesota, and Chippewa River basins has been upgraded to well above normal, particularly on the Mississippi from St. Paul downstream. The addition of more rain and snow over the past two weeks has raised the amount of water in the snowpack to very high levels for this time of year. Factors that could help alleviate at least some of the snowmelt threat are becoming less relevant the longer the snowpack holds on. And as always, the threat of seeing major flooding will still depend on what kind of rainfall/temperature patterns we get later in March and April. Due to the nature of this year's flood potential, we will issue an additional spring flood outlook on March 23rd, 2023."
See more from the NWS Twin Cities HERE:
Extended Temperature Outlook
The NBM extended temperature outlook for Minneapolis shows slightly cooler than average temps into early next week. We'll warm into the 40s midweek before another brief cool spell late week and into next weekend.
Snow Depth
As of Friday, March 12th, the MSP Airport had 10" of snow on the ground. Much of the state of Minnesota and into northern Wisconsin has a pretty significant snowpack. Nearly 2ft of snow is on the ground near Lake Superior and almost 3ft on the ground near Marquette, MI.
Consecutive Days With At Least 1" of Snow Depth
Believe it or not, the MSP Airport has had at least 1" of snow on the ground for 101 consecutive days as of March 10th, which is 24th longest stretch on record. We'll definitely have snow on the ground for quite a while, so we'll definitely be making a run as we head through the rest March and into April.
Seasonal Snowfall
Many locations are nearly 2ft to 3ft above average snowfall for the season from Sioux Falls to the Twin Cities and north toward Duluth. Prior to Saturday's snowfall, MSP was sitting at 78" of snow for the season (since July 1st), which is the 4th snowiest start to any season on record and nearly 35" above average. Duluth has seen nearly 104" of snow this season and the 5th snowiest start to any season on record there.
Twin Cities Weather Outlook For Sunday
The weather outlook for the Twin Cities on Sunday, March 12th shows lingering snow showers through the day with blustery WNW winds. Temps will be a little cooler for this time of the year with highs only warming into the low/mid 30s.
Weather Outlook on Sunday
Temps across the region on Sunday will warm into the 20s and 30s across much of the state, which will be close to if not slightly above average for mid March. Skies will be cloudier with lingering snow showers.
Meteograms For Minneapolis
The weather outlook for the Twin Cities through the day Sunday shows temps starting in the mid 20s morning and warming into the low/mid 30s in the afternoon. Skies will generally remain Cloudy with areas of light snow showers possible. WNW winds will be a little breezy through the day with gusts approaching 20mph to 25mph in the afternoon.
Hourly Feels Like Temps
Feels like temps on Sunday will hover in the upper 10s and low/mid 20s through the day.
Weather Outlook
After a somewhat snowy day Saturday, snow showers will eventually end across the region on Sunday with blustery winds. We'll have a break in the weather through the first half of the upcoming week, but another storm system appears to be taking shape later next week with a chance of rain and snow. Stay tuned...
Extended Temperature Outlook For Minneapolis
Temps through early next week will warm into the 20s and 30s, which will be a little cooler than average. However, Wednesday will be quite warm with temps warming into the mid 40s.
Extended Weather Outlook For Minneapolis
It'll be quieter through early next week with temps running at or slightly below average for this time of the year. A bigger storm system looks to develop mid/late week with a chance of rain and snow. Stay tuned...
8 to 14 Day Temperature Outlook
According to NOAA's Climate Prediction Center, the 8 to 14 day temperature outlook shows cooler than average temperatures across much of the nation and especially across the Western US.
8 to 14 Day Precipitation Outlook
According to NOAA's Climate Prediction Center, the 8 to 14 Day precipitation outlook shows more active weather in place across much of the nation and especially in the Western US. Meanwhile, drier weather will settle in across the Great Lakes and into the Northeast.
Snow: Inching Closer to Record Territory
By Todd Nelson, filling in for Douglas.
Yaaaawn! Sorry, I am a little tired after the time change last night. If you think losing an hour of sleep is tough, you're right! Studies show that there is an increase in strokes, heart attacks and car accidents the week following the time shift. One thing we can't argue is the additional daylight in the evening. Tonight the sunset is near 7:15pm. Hallelujah!
Yesterday's snowfall bumped MSP into one of the top 10 snowiest winters on record. We'll need to get to 85 inches to get into the top 5 and it's entirely possible. Don't forget, it's tourney time in Minnesota and history shows that it snows at this time of the year.
The precipitation is great, but now we're working toward spring flood season and the latest update from the NWS suggests that the spring flood threat has increased. The deep snowpack is holding 3 to 5 inches of liquid across the state, which will likely bump local rivers into flood stage at some point over the next few weeks!
Congrats to the State High School Hockey Champs. What a great weekend & season!
Extended Forecast
SUNDAY: Snow showers. Breezy. Winds: WNW 10-20. High: 33.
SUNDAY NIGHT: Lingering flurries. Blustery. Winds: NNW 15-30. Low: 18.
MONDAY: Peeks of PM sunshine. Winds: NNW 7-12. Wake-up: 18. High: 29.
TUESDAY: More clouds. Sprinkle overnight? Winds: SSE 10-20. Wake-up: 12. High: 33.
WEDNESDAY: Mix of clouds and sun. Mild. Winds: SSW 7-12. Wake-up: 28. High: 45.
THURSDAY: Rain/snow mix develops. Breezy. Winds: NNW 15-25. Wake-up: 32. High: 38.
FRIDAY: Light snow ends in the AM. Cooler. Winds: NNW 8-13. Wake-up: 21. High: 29.
SATURDAY: Quieter. A little more sunshine. Winds: WSW 5-10. Wake-up: 16. High: 30.
This Day in Weather History
March 12th
2009: The record low temperature for Minnesota for the month of March is set at -35. St. Cloud also sets a new daily record low of -15, breaking the previous record of -12 that was set in 1956. The high temperature in St. Cloud was also only 11 degrees on this date, which also set a new record for the low maxium temperature. This broke the previous record low maxium temperature of 12 degrees that was set in 1896.
1990: The temperature at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport hits a record-setting 69 degrees.
Average High/Low for Minneapolis
March 12th
Average High: 40F (Record: 70F set in 2016)
Average Low: 23F (Record: -8F set in 1956)
Record Rainfall: 1.10" set in 1899
Record Snowfall: 11.0" set in 1899
Sunrise/Sunset Times for Minneapolis
March 12th
Sunrise: 7:30am
Sunset: 7:14pm
Hours of Daylight: ~11 hours & 44 minutes
Daylight GAINED since yesterday: +3 Minutes & 8 Seconds
Daylight GAINED since Winter Solstice (December 21st): ~ 2 hour & 58 minutes
Moon Phase for March 12th at Midnight
1.8 Days Before Last Quarter Moon
National High Temps on Sunday
Temperatures on Sunday will be cooler than average across much of the nation with areas of snow across the northern tier of the nation. Warmer than average temperatures will be in place across the Gulf Coast States with highs in the 80s and 90s
Record Warmth on Sunday
A few spots along Gulf Coast and in the Southeastern US will be warm enough for record warmth. Temps in the Southeastern US have had a number of days with record warmth over the past couple/few weeks.
National Weather Outlook Sunday
The weather outlook for Sunday shows areas of rain and snow across parts of the Western US. There will also be snowy conditions across the Gulf Coast. Meanwhile, scattered showers and storms will be in place across the Gulf Coast States, where some strong to severe thunderstorms will be possible.
National Weather Outlook
Areas of snow will linger across the Great Lakes and into the Northeast with a few strong to severe thunderstorms in the Gulf Coast States. The Western US will continue to be inundated with widespread heavy rains and mountain snow.
Extended Precipitation Outlook
According to NOAA's Weather Prediction Center, the extended precipitation outlook shows heavier amounts across parts of the Central & Southern US with localized flooding possible. The heaviest precipitation will be found across the Western US and especially in the high elevations and in California.
Snowfall Potential
According to the ECMWF (European model), heavy snow will be found across much of the high elevations in the Western US and across the northern tier of the nation. Some spots in the Midwest could get some plowable snow once again.
Climate Stories
"This Native American Tribe Is Taking Back Its Water"
"With a new state-of-the-art irrigation project, Arizona's Pima Indians are transforming their land into what it once was: the granary of the Southwest. Cradling her 4-year-old son, Cowboy, Camille Cabello watches tumbleweeds blow across an emerald green field of newly sprouted alfalfa toward a small canal. Water spills over the canal's side, glistening in the brilliant Arizona sun. Not far away, her husband, Cimarron, his head covered in a western hat, guards the stream with a pitchfork. As the tumbleweeds roll into the water, he fishes them out. "On a windy day like this we have to stay out here," Camille says, a dust devil spiraling skyward in the distance behind her. "If we don't get them out of there it will clog the canal and cause problems."
See more from Smithsonian Magazine HERE:
"How Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy Helps Disaster Victims"
"When the tornado first appeared on the horizon, residents of Joplin, Missouri gathered on front porches and peered out windows, trying to catch a glimpse of the storm. "Growing up in this area, you get a sense that when there's a tornado coming, it's a duty to go outside and go out and see it," said Del Camp, chief clinical officer for the Ozark Center, a behavioral healthcare provider with practices across Southeastern Missouri. "That is not treating a tornado with the respect that we came to realize it definitely deserves." The tornado tore through with an intensity of EF-5, the highest rating possible for a tornado on the Fujita scale and the most intense ever seen in the Joplin area. It crushed concrete walls and twisted cars and semi-trucks around tree trunks. Basements where people took refuge were laid bare when homes were ripped off their foundations. "The things that we thought we could control, you were stripped of," Camp said."
"This Enzyme Could Produce Electricity From Thin Air"
"We may some day be able to produce power from thin air—all thanks to bacteria living in dirt. Microbiologists at Australia's Monash University have identified an enzyme within a bacteria found in soil that can produce electricity using nothing but hydrogen from the atmosphere. The research, published in Nature on Wednesday, involves an enzyme called Huc, which the researchers call a "hydrogen gas scavenger" in a press release. Huc is found within the bacteria Mycobacterium smegmatis, which uses the enzyme to grow in harsh environments like Antarctic soils, volcanic craters, and the deep ocean."