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January Weather Stats for the Twin Cities
Despite the recent cold weather, temperatures this month are running above average by nearly +5.0F. We're also running well above average in the precipitation and snowfall categories as well. With 22.3" of snow this month, this will go down as the 9th snowiest January on record at the MSP Airport. This will also be the 7th wettest January on record with 2.25" of liquid.
Still Cold This Week, But Much Warmer This Weekend
Here's the 850mb temperature anomaly through the upcoming weekend. Note that it'll still be quite cold with another surge of Arctic air moving in late week. However, we'll see a pretty dramatic warm up as we slide into the weekend with temps warming to above average levels once again.
Extended Temperature Outlook
The NBM extended temperature outlook for Minneapolis shows pretty chilly temps in place though the week ahead, but we'll warm up quite a bit by the weekend. Readings will warm back into the 20s and 30s for the first weekend of February and into the first full week of the new month.
Cold Wind Chills Continue
Bitterly cold wind chills will continue through the week ahead with the coldest mornings being Tuesday and Friday with readings dipping into the -20s. Bundle up!
7th Wettest January on Record
The Twin Cities has also seen more than 2" of liquid this January, which is the 7th wettest on record. The wettest was back in 1881 with a remarkable 4.34" of liquid that year.
Precipitation Potential Through End of January
The extended precipitation outlook from NOAA's WPC shows fairly minimal amounts through the weekend ahead. Anything that falls will generally be light and confined to the northern part of the state.
Snow Depth
As of Sunday, January 29th, the MSP Airport recorded 11" of snow on the ground. Meanwhile, there's nearly 2ft of snow on the ground in Duluth and 1.5ft in International Falls.
January Snowfall
Here's how much snow has fallen across the region so far this month. Nearly 2ft. of snow has fallen from Sioux Falls to Minneapolis, which is nearly 1ft. above average.
Seasonal Snowfall
Taking a look at snowfall since July 1st, many locations have seen above average amounts so far this season, but folks from near Sioux Falls to the Twin Cities and towards Duluth are nearly 20" to 30" above average this month. 55.5" of snow has fallen at the MSP Airport, which is the 5th snowiest start to any season on record.
Twin Cities Weather Outlook For Tuesday
The weather outlook for the Twin Cities on Tuesday, January 31st shows below average temperatures in place once again with a high topping out around 11F under mostly sunny skies. It'll be a very cold start with subzero temperatures in the morning and feels like temps in the -20s below zero. Brr!!
Weather Outlook on Tuesday
Temps across the region on Tuesday will be well below average once again with readings running nearly -10F to -15F below average. Folks across far northwestern Minnesota may not even get above 0F
Meteograms For Minneapolis
The weather outlook for the Twin Cities through the day Tuesday shows temps starting in the single digits below zero in the morning and warming to around +10F in the afternoon. Southwesterly winds will be breezy up to nearly 15mph, which will make it feel even colder through the day.
Hourly Feels Like Temps
Feels like temps on Tuesday will be very cold in the morning with readings in the -20s. We'll warm to the single digits below zero in the afternoon, so it'll be a very cold day.
Weather Outlook
Here's the weather outlook through the upcoming weekend. A wintry mess will unfold across the Southern US this week with significant icing from Texas to parts of the Ohio and Tennessee Valley. Meanwhile, areas of cold will continue to sag south out of Canada this week with a quick moving clipper possible later this week/weekend across the Great Lakes.
Extended Temperature Outlook For Minneapolis
The extended temperature outlook for Minneapolis through the week ahead keeps colder than average temperatures in place as we slide into February. The coldest days will be Tuesday and Friday, but a fairly dramatic shift will take place this weekend as we get back to above average levels.
Extended Weather Outlook For Minneapolis
It'll be cold this week with temps running well below average temps. We'll warm up this weekend with a slight chance of snow on Saturday.
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 Southwestern US, but warmer than average temperatures will settle in across the eastern half of the nation.
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 the nation and especially across the Central US.
The Unspoken Benefits of Arctic Air
By Paul Douglas
My latest life-goal is to intern at The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce. As such I've assigned myself a mission: explain to locals (and the rest of the free world) why arctic fronts are actually a good thing! Bear with me please.
We ice sprains and sport-related injuries. It turns out cold weather can reduce inflammation and pain. Allergies disappear during the winter months. That's a win. There is evidence we study and learn more efficiently when it's cooler (ideal temperature around 62F). Aerobic shivering can burn fat and exercising in the chill strengthens our heart muscles. I'm exhausted, having turned a perceived negative into an overwhelming positive. Is any of this helping?
It's partly-Nanook out there, and a reinforcing clipper turns on a firehose of cold air in it's wake late-week, but I don't see week after week of negative numbers. Pacific-flavored air lures the mercury near 32F from this weekend into mid-February.
Cold fronts are inevitable, but arctic air is healthy! Shut up Paul.
Extended Forecast
TUESDAY: Sunny, feels like -25F. Winds: SW 10-15. High: 10.
TUESDAY NIGHT: Increasing clouds. Not as cold. Winds: SSW 5-10. Low: 2.
WEDNESDAY: Clouds increase, not as numb. Winds: SW 7-12. High: 20.
THURSDAY: Another shot, windy and colder. Winds: NW 10-20. Wake-up: 10. High: 13.
FRIDAY: Sunny. Excess fresh air. Winds: NW 7-12. Wake-up: -10. High: 4.
SATURDAY: Clouds increase, breezy and better. Winds: S 10-20. Wake-up: 2. High: 31.
SUNDAY: Thawing out. Sprinkles or flurries. Winds: NW 10-15. Wake-up: 26. High: 35.
MONDAY: Potential for snow or mix. Winds: SE 10-15. Wake-up: 28. High: 36.
This Day in Weather History
January 31st
1893: The temperature drops 40 degrees in five hours during a blizzard at Park Rapids.
Average High/Low for Minneapolis
January 31st
Average High: 24F (Record: 46F set in 1995 & 2009)
Average Low: 9F (Record: -27F set in 1887)
Record Rainfall: 1.16" set in 1881
Record Snowfall: 6.2" set in 1908
Sunrise/Sunset Times for Minneapolis
January 31st
Sunrise: 7:33am
Sunset: 5:19pm
Hours of Daylight: ~9 hours & 46 minutes
Daylight GAINED since yesterday: +2 Minutes & 17 Seconds
Daylight GAINED since Winter Solstice (December 21st): ~ 59 minutes
Moon Phase for January 31st at Midnight
3.7 Days Before First Quarter Moon
National High Temps on Tuesday
Temperatures across the western half of the nation will be quite a bit colder than average. Some locations will be nearly -10F to -20F below average, especially in the Southern US, where significant icing will be possible.
National Weather Outlook Tuesday
The weather outlook for Tuesday shows active weather in place across the Southern US. A number of winter weather headlines have been posted from Texas to parts of the Ohio and Tennessee River Valley, where an ice storm will unfold.
National Weather Outlook
Weather conditions in the Southern US will be quite icy through midweek before heavier rainfall takes over later this week. The rest of the nation will be quieter with colder temps in place.
Extended Precipitation Outlook
According to NOAA's Weather Prediction Center, the extended precipitation outlook shows heavier amounts in the Southern US. There will also be heavier pockets of precipitation in the Western US.
Snowfall Potential
According to the ECMWF (European model), heavy snow will be found across much of the high elevations in the Western US. There will also be decent snowfall potential in the across parts of the Great Lakes Region.
Climate Stories
"The Night Sky Is Twice as Bright as It Was Only 8 Years Ago"
"As city folk sleep blanketed by the warm glow of artificial light that surrounds urban centers, stargazers feel the chill of the night sky and see all its constellations being smudged into a fuzzy blur by those same urban lights. It's a worrying trend that stretches back decades. In 1973, astronomer Kurt Riegel warned that artificial lighting was rapidly changing our view of the night sky. Since then, we've learned that light pollution from expanding urban areas also harms ecosystems and insect populations. A new study shows that the night sky is getting brighter at a staggering rate worldwide and much faster than satellites had previously indicated. In other words, the dimmest stars in the night sky are fast disappearing as artificial light illuminates the night sky."
See more from Science Alert HERE:
"Farmers May Not Have to Choose Between Crops and Solar Panels"
"With a new photovoltaic panel, researchers harness sunshine to harvest energy and food together, taking advantage of the full light spectrum. Arable land is at an all-time premium. Since the last ice age, humans have cleared one-third of the earth's forests and two-thirds of its wild grasslands, much of it for agriculture. And as the world population—8 billion as of last November—continues to expand, there's ever-increasing pressure on farmland to produce not only more food but also clean energy. In places such as Yakima County, Washington, it's created competition for space as land-hungry solar arrays gobble up available fields. Last month, the state's Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council approved plans to cover 1,700 acres of agricultural land with photovoltaic (PV) panels, brushing aside the county's moratorium on solar projects and fueling community concerns over the long-term impacts of losing cropland."
See more from Smithsonian Mag HERE:
"Perseverance just created the first Martian weather report"
"The weather on Mars is proving to be unpredictable and turbulent. After months of roaming the surface of the Red Planet, NASA says that Perseverance has used the instruments onboard to create the first proper Martian weather report, which gives us an average of the temperatures found in the Jezero Crater where Perseverance has been searching for signs of life on Mars. To create this new weather report, Perseverance used five button-sized sensors that are part of the Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer (MEDA) onboard the rover. These sensors pick up various bits of information about the environment on Mars, which has allowed Perseverance to create the first Martian weather report."
