Paul Douglas On Weather
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Soggy Monday Ahead

Here's the simulated radar from Monday into Tuesday, which shows widespread showers and storms across the region. Some of the storms could be strong to severe with locally heavy rainfall.

Rainfall Potential

Here's the rainfall outlook, which shows widespread 0.50" to 1.00" tallies across the region. There could be locally heavier rainfall amounts in some of the stronger storms.

Severe Threat Monday

Some of the storms could be strong to severe PM Monday with gusty winds and hail being the primary threat along and east of the Mississippi River Valley.

Monday Weather Outlook

Monday will be an unsettled day with scattered showers and storms across the region for much of the day. Gusty south winds will switch to the NW through the day allowing temps to fall late into the afternoon.

Meteograms for Minneapolis

Scattered showers and storms will push through the region on Monday as a cold front sweeps through. The cold front will also be responsible for falling temps through the day with highs nearly 20F cooler than they were yesterday.

Weather Outlook For Monday

Highs on Monday will be closer to average on Monday, but they will be falling through the day. Interestingly, they will be nearly 20F cooler than they were on Sunday.

Extended Temperature Outlook For Minneapolis

Behind the cool front, temps will be running slightly below average on Tuesday and Wednesday with highs only warming into the mid 60s. The rest of the week should remain dry, but temps will be closer to average.

7 Day Weather Outlook

Fall Color Tracker

According to the MN DNR, much of the state is already experiencing minor changes in the fall color. Keep in mind that much of the summer was hot and dry, so some of the trees are a bit stressed and could be prematurely changing. With that being said, we are getting closer to that time of the year. See the latest update from the MN DNR HERE:

Fall Color Depends on Weather

Ever wonder why some years, fall color is so vibrant vs some years, fall color tends to be a bit more dull? Val Cervenka, Coordinator from the DNR Forest Health Program, shares how the weather can play a roll in those fall colors. Due to the hot and dry summer that most of experienced, it is likely that fall foliage could be less impressive this year with more tans, bronzes and auburns.

Typical Peak Dates For Fall Color

According to the MN DNR, fall colors typically start to peak across the northern part of the state in mid/late September. Peak color typically arrives in central and southern Minnesota late September and into early/mid October. Note that over the next several weeks, you'll notice some big changes in the landscape as we head deeper into fall.

Active Tropics Continue

We're approaching the 2nd half of the Atlantic Hurricane Season With Peter and Rose ongoing in the Atlantic Basin. The good news that the weather set up seems to be more 'fish storms', where they should be out to sea, but stay tuned for more.

8 to 14 Day Temperature Outlook

According to NOAA's Climate Prediction Center, the 8 to 14 day temperature outlook shows warmer than average temps across much of the nation, especially the Central US.

Soggy Monday Ahead With Falling Temps
By Todd Nelson, filling in for Douglas

Ted Hughes famously wrote; "The flame-red moon, the harvest moon, Rolls along the hills, gently bouncing, A vast balloon, Till it takes off, and sinks upward to lie on the bottom of the sky, like a gold doubloon."

At 6:55pm this evening, behind clouds and drabs of rain, the harvest moon will rise in the eastern sky. A fall favorite, the harvest moon, is typically the full moon that occurs closest to the autumnal (fall) equinox, this year falling on Wednesday, September 22nd. Traditionally, farmers used this extra light to work late into the night to collect their crop in the fall.

Yesterday's warm and windy weather developed ahead of a cold front that will blow through today with scattered showers and storms, some of which could be on the vigorous side. A few lucky backyard rain gauges could pick up a half an inch to an inch of water by this evening. Temps will tumble into the 60s by late afternoon, which will be nearly 20 degrees cooler than Sunday's summery sunshine.

Grab your sweater & pumpkin spice, fall is here!

Extended Forecast

MONDAY: T-Storms & falling temps. Winds: NW 10-20. High: 73 & falling.

MONDAY NIGHT: Showers & storms early, then clearing. Winds: NW 15-30. Low: 52.

TUESDAY: Sunshine returns. Cooler temps. Winds: NW 5-10. High: 66.

WEDNESDAY: Chilly start. Feels like fall. Winds: SSW 7-12. Wake-up: 47. High: 68.

THURSDAY: Bright sun. Getting breezy again. Winds: S 10-20. Wake-up: 49. High: 71.

FRIDAY: More clouds. Rain chances up north. Winds: NW 5-10. Wake-up: 53. High: 68.

SATURDAY: Brisk sunshine. Winds: NNE 5. Wake-up: 49. High: 66.

SUNDAY: Another dry day. Few clouds & comfy. Winds: S 7-12. Wake-up: 49. High: 70.

This Day in Weather History

September 20th

2001: 3/4 to 1 3/4 inch hail falls in Freeborn and Faribault counties.

1972: A downpour in Duluth produces 5 1/2 inches in ten hours.

Average High/Low for Minneapolis

September 19th

Average High: 70F (Record: 91F set in 1931)

Average Low: 50F (Record: 28F set in 1962)

Record Rainfall: 3.28" set in 2018

Record Snowfall: Trace set in 1927

Sunrise/Sunset Times for Minneapolis

August 15th

Sunrise: 6:58am

Sunset: 7:14pm

Hours of Daylight: ~12 hours & 16 minutes

Daylight LOST since yesterday: ~ 3 minute & 6 seconds

Daylight LOST since Summer Solstice (June 20th): ~3 Hour & 21 Minutes

Moon Phase for September 20th at Midnight

0.3 Days After The Full Harvest Moon

"6:55 p.m. CDT - Traditionally, this designation goes to the full moon that occurs closest to the autumnal (fall) equinox — which is most often in September. On average, October Harvest Moons come at three-year intervals, although the time frame can be quite variable, and there can be situations where as many as eight years can elapse (the next such example will come between 2020 and 2028). At the peak of the harvest, farmers can work into the night by the light of this moon. Usually, the full Moon rises an average of 50 minutes later each night, but for the few nights around the Harvest Moon, the moon seems to rise at nearly the same time each night: just 25 to 30 minutes later across the U.S., and only 10 to 20 minutes later for much of Canada and Europe. Corn, pumpkins, squash, beans, and wild rice — indigenous staples in North America — are ready for gathering."

What's in the Night Sky?

"The moon passes 4 degrees N. of Saturn on September 17, 2021, at about 3 UTC. It passes 4 degrees N. of Jupiter on September 18 at 7 UTC. On any of these evenings – September 15 to 18, 2021 – the moon can guide you to these 2 outer solar system worlds. By the way, though we show Pluto on our chart, it's about 1,000 times too faint to be viewed with the eye alone. Moon, Saturn, Jupiter - On September 2021 evenings, the moon, Saturn and Jupiter are still visible almost everywhere worldwide (except the far-northern Arctic) as night falls. Jupiter is the brighter of the two planets. And, as it's done for some months now, Jupiter follows Saturn westward across the night sky as Earth turns. Both of these worlds passed their oppositions in August. In September 2021, you'll find them already in the east after sunset. They'll set in the wee hours between midnight and dawn. The moon will sweep closest to bright Jupiter on the North American evening of September 17 (September 18 at about 7 UTC). That'll be the most spectacular evening to watch for them. But any night from September 15 to 18 will be fine for looking outside. On these evenings, the moon can guide you to Jupiter and Saturn."

See more from Earth Sky HERE:

National High Temps Monday

The weather outlook on Monday shows above average temps from Chicago to Dallas with temps with temps running well above average. Meanwhile, folks in the western US will be below average with highs running nearly -10F to -15F below average.

National Weather Outlook

The national weather outlook through the early week time frame shows a cold front sweeping across the nation with showers and storms. Some of the rain could be heavy with falling temps behind the cold front.

Extended Precipitation Outlook

According to NOAA's Weather Prediction Center heavier precipitation potential will be found across parts of the eastern US with localized flooding possible. There could be a few showers in the Western US, but not too heavy. However, there does appear to be some rain across parts of California.

Climate Stories

"How many satellites are orbiting Earth?"

It seems like every week, another rocket is launched into space carrying rovers to Mars, tourists or, most commonly, satellites. The idea that "space is getting crowded" has been around for a few years now, but just how crowded is it? And how crowded is it going to get? I am a professor of physics and director of the Center for Space Science and Technology at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell. Many satellites that were put into orbit have gone dead and burned up in the atmosphere, but thousands remain. Groups that track satellite launches don't always report the same exact numbers, but the overall trend is clear – and astounding. Since the Soviet Union launched Sputnik – the first human-made satellite – in 1957, humanity has steadily been putting more and more objects into orbit every year. Over the the second half of the 20th century, there was a slow but steady growth, with roughly 60 to 100 satellites launched yearly until the early 2010s. But since then, the pace has been increasing dramatically.

See more from The Conversation HERE:

"Dirty air can be deadly. Here's how to protect yourself."

"The United States has faced nearly 44,000 wildfires this year alone, and altogether they have burned an area the size of New Jersey. Every one of these fires kicks up tiny particles of liquids and solids, each a fraction of the diameter of a single human hair. These particles can travel for thousands of miles and remain suspended in the air for weeks. Fires in California have polluted the skies as far away as New York City. Microscopic particles in the air, whether from wildfire smoke or other sources of air pollution such as industrial and automobile exhaust, are dangerous: Their size allows them to penetrate deep into the body, even entering the lungs and bloodstream. "It triggers some inflammation in the body that can do everything from destabilize plaques in our blood vessels and cause heart attacks, or even cause inflammation in our neurons," said Aaron Bernstein, a pediatrician who leads the climate center at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. "The more we look, the more we realize that pretty much no part of our body is spared from this exposure to air pollution."

See more from Vox HERE:

"These 11 Cities Are Sinking. They Could Be Gone By 2100"

"There's no denying the fact that climate change is real. The sea levels are rising and the global temperature is increasing at an alarming rate. More than 200 medical journals have published a statement underscoring that the results of an increase in global temperature by 1.5 degrees Celsius will be catastrophic. A study published in the journal Nature Climate Change warned that extreme sea levels will become more common by the end of the century around the world and the rise will be 1-2 meters by 2100. NASA predicts that high tide floods will also cause severe flooding in the U.S.'s coastal areas. The findings aren't mere predictions; the U.S. has fought back-to-back extreme weather crises this year. The Maldives—the world's lowest-lying country—is at risk of disappearing, so it's planning a floating city as a means of survival. But there are many other cities around the world that are facing this threat due to rising sea levels and subsidence (over-extraction of groundwater that makes the land sink). Here's a round-up of what the world is facing losing by 2100 if things don't change."

See more from Fodor's Travel HERE:

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