1/14/09: Wednesday’s Weather Report

Issued at 3:39 PM CST, Wednesday, January 14th, 2009

Record low temperature occurred at International Falls Minnesota on Tuesday, January 13th, 2009. Low temperature was -40 degrees and this broke the previous record of -36 degrees set in 1979.

Record low temperature was tied at International Falls Minnesota on Wednesday, January 14th, 2009. Low temperature was -42 degrees and this tied the previous record low of -42 degrees which was last set in 1972.

At 21z, high pressure averaging 1044 mb was centered over extreme Southern Saskatchewan. Some pretty impressive pressure readings were found near this high Today, here’s a list of a few of the higher barometer readings…

Prince Albert Saskatchewan: 30.70″

Saskatoon Saskatchewan: 30.66″

La Ronge Saskatchewan: 30.69″

Dauphin Manitoba: 30.63″

The Pas Manitoba: 30.65″

Aberdeen South Dakota: 30.61″

Huron South Dakota: 30.60″

Grand Forks North Dakota: 30.60″

Fargo North Dakota: 30.62″

Bismarck North Dakota: 30.60″

Williston North Dakota: 30.60″

Wheaton Minnesota: 30.60″

Crookston Minnesota: 30.60″

Northwest flow aloft was in place over the Upper Midwest Today with an upper level ridge of high pressure centered just off the U.S. West Coast. A polar vortex was centered over Western Hudson’s Bay, Northeast Manitoba, and Northwest Ontario This Afternoon with a couple of disturbances dropping S-SE around this low toward Minnesota. 850 mb temperatures around Minnesota ranged from -22 to -24 degrees C around Minnesota late This Afternoon.

Sunny-mostly sunny skies were found across Minnesota Today with 3 PM temperatures ranging from -3 degrees at the Twin Cities to -18 degrees at Thief River Falls to -8 degrees at Grand Rapids to -6 degrees at Duluth to -17 degrees at Fergus Falls to -11 degrees at Windom to zero degrees at Red Wing. Winds around the state were out of the north or west Today around 10-20 mph. Wind chills This Afternoon were in the 20 below to 45 below range for most areas.

Arctic high pressure of 1044-1049 mb will slide into the Dakotas Tonight and will pass southwest and south of Minnesota by Thursday Night. Bitter cold air will remain locked in place across Minnesota through Friday as this high slides slowly to the southeast. Look for clear to mostly clear skies over Minnesota through Thursday Night with partly to mostly cloudy skies expected on Friday. Low temperatures Tonight and Thursday Night will range from around 15 below to 35 below zero with 40s below possible over parts of the North. High temperatures on Thursday will range from around 20 below to zero with highs Friday ranging from around 10 below to 10 above. Winds will be out of the northwest or west through Thursday Evening, then look for winds to shift more to the west or southwest by Friday. Wind speeds will generally be around 20 mph or less. Wind chills around the state will bottom out in the 30 below to 55 below range Tonight through Thursday Morning, then again Thursday Night and Friday Morning…In between those periods, look for wind chills to range from around 15 below to 35 below.

A very amplified upper level pattern will be in place around the Upper Midwest this weekend into early next week. A clipper type system will drop S-SE into the region Friday and Saturday with the track of this system looking like it’ll be farther north and east compared to the last two clipper storms. Looks like will see some snow around most of Minnesota Friday into early Saturday with the best chance to see some accumulation found over Northern, Central, Eastern, and Southeast areas of Minnesota based on the current track this storm is expected to take. Snowfall totals look to range from 1 to perhaps 3 inches from Friday Evening into Saturday Morning.

Low temperatures Friday Night around Minnesota will range from around 10 below to 10 above with high temperatures on Saturday in the single digits, teens, and 20s. Lows Saturday Night will be in the single digits and teens below to above zero.

It does appear that the big ridge out west will advance east and through our region during the early or mid part of next week, if this ridge can move past our area, then we could see high temperatures climb into the 20s and 30s statewide during that time. If the ridge remains off to our west (which is possible) then high temps would likely stay in the single digits, teens, and 20s.

By late next week it’s possible that a weather system could take shape across the Plains as energy moves into the Western U.S. around the middle of next week. If the Upper Midwest can get out of the north-northwest flow aloft and transition to a southwest flow aloft, then we could be dealing with some snow around parts of Minnesota toward the latter part of next week. It also looks like a return to arctic air is in the cards for the Northern Plains-Upper Midwest after next week.

.Tonight… Bitterly cold with dangerous wind chills. Clear to partly cloudy. Low 15 below to 24 below. Wind northwest around 15 mph. Wind chills from 35 below to 50 below.

.Thursday… Frigid… Mostly sunny. High 1 below to 8 below. Wind northwest around 15 mph. Wind chills from 35 below to 50 below during the Morning, and from 20 below to 35 below during the Afternoon.

.Thursday Night… Bitterly cold. Mostly clear. Low 16 below to 25 below. Wind west to northwest under 15 mph. Wind chills from 35 below to 50 below.

.Friday… Very cold. Partly to mostly cloudy. Flurries possible. High 3 below to 5 above.

.Friday Night… Light snow or flurries possible. Lows holding nearly steady around 3 below to 5 above. Chance of snow 30%.

.Saturday… Light snow or flurries possible during the Morning with flurries in the Afternoon. Total accumulations around an inch or two possible. High 15 to 21. Chance of snow 30%.

.Saturday Night… Flurries possible. Partly to mostly cloudy. Low zero to 5 below.

Normal High Temperature Today 17 degrees

Normal Low Temperature Today -2 degrees

Current Temperature: -4.9 degrees

Dewpoint: -18 degrees

Humidity: 52%

Wind: NNW at 4 mph G 13 mph

Max Temperature Today: -2.7 degrees

Min Temperature Today: -16 degrees

Tim