Issued at 3:24 PM CST, Tuesday, January 20th, 2009
Weather History:
On this date in 1996, a record low temperature of -35 degrees occurred at Duluth Minnesota.
Surface Analysis at 21z:
A well defined trough with S/SW winds ahead of it and W/NW winds behind it extends from Western Ontario Province to the Eastern Dakotas. Low pressure averaging 1018 mb was over Southern South Dakota.
Upper Air Analysis at 21z:
Huge 500 mb ridge extends from Northwest Canada across the entire Western U.S. Minnesota remains on the east side of this ridge with a NWRLY flow in place Today. Warm air aloft with 850 mb temps of +2 to +4 degrees C had worked into Northwest Minnesota This Afternoon with zero to -8 degree C 850 mb temps covered the rest of Minnesota. Much warmer air with +6 to +12 degree C 850 mb temps covered most of the Dakotas through the Rockies and Central Plains.
Surface temps have warmed into the low and mid 60s This Afternoon as far north as Southern South Dakota with the 32 degree surface temperature line extending from Western North Dakota down to Southeast South Dakota late Today.
Partly sunny to mostly cloudy skies covered Minnesota Today with high temperatures in the teens and 20s. Winds across the state were out of the south or southwest Today at 5 to around 20 mph.
3 PM temperatures around Minnesota ranged from 27 degrees at Bemidji to 21 degrees at Grand Rapids to 18 degrees at Duluth to 18 degrees at Wadena to 26 degrees at Canby to 16 degrees at Alberta Lea to 22 degrees at Stanton.
Tonight through Wednesday Night:
Surface trough will be passing west to east across Minnesota through Wednesday Morning. This boundary could cause areas of flurries or light freezing drizzle to develop over portions of Minnesota Tonight and Wednesday Morning with dry weather expected thereafter. May also have to deal with some patchy fog over parts of Minnesota Tonight into Wednesday Morning. Look for partly to mostly cloudy skies during this period with lows Tonight and Wednesday Night in the single digits, teens, and 20s with highs Wednesday in the 20s and 30s. Winds will be out of the south, west, or northwest around 20 mph or less.
Extended Forecast:
Models Today have come into somewhat better agreement during the extended period, but the spread increases between the models this weekend through early next week.
Arctic front will drop south out of Central Canada and will pass through Minnesota from Thursday Night into Friday Morning. An area of low pressure will track through the Upper Midwest/Upper Great Lakes region later this week along and slightly ahead of the arctic boundary. Should see some flurries or areas of light snow over parts of Minnesota later this week as this front moves through, but right now snow amounts look to be on the light side. Bitter cold temps will then settle into Minnesota from Friday Night through the weekend and possibly into early next week as high pressure settles into the Northern Plains/Upper Midwest. Looks mainly dry across Minnesota this weekend with low pressure tracking into the Rockies during that time which will bring some snow to areas west and south of Minnesota over the weekend. High temperatures around Minnesota will be in the teens, 20s, and 30s on Thursday with lows Thursday Night in the single digits and teens above to below zero. Highs on Friday will be in the single digits and teens below to above zero with some 20s South. Lows Friday Night will be in the single digits, teens, and 20s below zero.
Forecast for Duluth/Superior:
.Tonight… Partly to mostly cloudy. Patchy light freezing drizzle or flurries possible Overnight. Low 8 to 13. Wind southwest around 15 mph.
.Wednesday… Partly sunny. Patchy light freezing drizzle or flurries possible in the Morning. High 22 to 29. Wind west at 10 to 20 mph.
.Wednesday Night… Partly cloudy. Low 15 to 20. Wind west at 10 to 15 mph.
.Thursday… Mostly cloudy. High 23 to 29.
.Thursday Night… Flurries possible. Low zero to 5 below.
.Friday… Flurries possible. High 10 to 15 with slowly falling temperatures.
.Friday Night… Partly cloudy. Frigid. Low 15 below to 20 below.
3 PM Thompson Hill Observation:
Current Temperature: 19.1 degrees
Dewpoint: 9 degrees
Humidity: 67%
Wind: SW at 7 mph G 15 mph
Max Temperature Today: 19.2 degrees
Max Humidity Today: 91%
Min Temperature Today: 4.1 degrees
Min Humidity Today: 66%
Normal High Temperature Today 18 degrees
Normal Low Temperature Today -2 degrees
Tim
