Issued at 8:39 AM CST, Tuesday, January 13th, 2009
*Wind Chill Warning* and *Wind Chill Advisory* covers all but Southwest areas of Minnesota through Noon Today…
Arctic high pressure of 1030 mb was centered north of Park Rapids Minnesota at 14z… 850 mb temperatures around Minnesota ranged from -16 degrees C in far Southwest Minnesota to -25 degrees C up North. The 850 mb temp here at Duluth was sitting at -23 degrees C at 8 AM CT Today.
Air temps around Minnesota have fallen into the teens, 20s, and 30s below with some spots up North dropping into the 40s below zero This Morning!
500 mb analysis at 12z shows a Northwest flow aloft firmly in place around the Upper Midwest with an upper level area of high pressure building offshore of the Western U.S.
The next clipper system to affect parts of Minnesota’s weather This Afternoon through Wednesday Morning was centered over the eastern part of Alberta Province and the Western part of Saskatchewan Province This Morning with a 1008 mb low pressure center. 2 hour surface pressure falls of 3 mb were found over Central South Dakota at 14z…Should see this surface low reach this general area This Evening where the greatest pressure falls were located This Morning.
Strong warm advection was occurring ahead of this low This Morning over the Dakotas with areas of snow breaking out in that area.
Looks like the main snow area for Minnesota will set-up from Western to Southern areas of the state This Afternoon through late Tonight and Wednesday Morning. Pretty similar to where the snow fell with Monday’s clipper system, although this one appears that it will take a track slightly more to the west and south of Monday’s system.
Looks like a general 1 to 4 inches of snow can be expected for those areas of the state with localized amounts possibly reaching 5 inches. This snow will be very fluffy in nature due to the arctic airmass in place with very high snow ratios expected.
*Winter Weather Advisories* are in effect for parts of Westcentral, Southcentral, and Southeast Minnesota for This Afternoon through early Wednesday due to the expected snowfall. Some cities included in the advisory are: Minneapolis MN… Red Wing MN… Rochester MN… Albert Lea MN… Mankato MN… Willmar MN… Morris MN… Wheaton MN… And Ortonville MN…
Behind this clipper low, gusty winds and another push of arctic air will occur across Minnesota with blowing and drifting snow becoming an issue for Western-Southern areas of the state Tonight and Wednesday with dangerously cold wind chills expected statewide Wednesday and Wednesday Night.
*Wind Chill Advisory* is already in effect for Westcentral and Northwest Minnesota from This Evening through Wednesday Morning and it’s expected that additional wind chill headlines will be issued Wednesday around most of Minnesota later Today.
Tim
