Issued at 4:02 PM CST, Wednesday, February 11th, 2009
Record Event:
Record daily maxium rainfall record at Duluth Minnesota on Tuesday, February 10th, 2009. 0.71″ of rain fell which broke the previous record of 0.62″ set in 1965.
Weather History:
On this date last year, the low temperature reached -22 degrees at Duluth with a high temperature of 5 degrees.
Surface Analysis at 21z:
Low pressure averaging 989 mb was over Southeast Lake Michigan. Low pressure averaging 1000 mb was centered over Southern Ontario. A cold front extended from just north of Lake Superior down to Northwestern Minnesota. Intense 2 hour pressure rises of 5-7 mb were occurring This Afternoon over Eastern Missouri and Western Illinois in wake of the surface low over Southeast Lake Michigan.
Upper Air Analysis at 21z:
500 mb trough covered the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest with an upper level low spinning around over Southeast Manitoba. A strong storm was moving rapidly northeast across Illinois and Indiana Today with an H5 jet streak of 100-110 knots from Central Kentucky down to Northern Mississippi per RUC model on the south-southeast side of this deepening storm. 12 hour H5 height falls of 210 meters were found over Southern Illinois Today in association with this potent low pressure system. Off to our west is the next weather system to affect the Plains by Friday as low pressure heads east-southeast through Western Oregon and Northern California per water vapor satellite imagery. 850 mb temperatures around Minnesota late Today ranged from -2 to -6 degrees C, so colder air has moved into the upper levels of the atmosphere.
Today’s Weather:
Mostly cloudy to cloudy skies were found over all but Southwest Minnesota where more sunshine occurred. Areas of light snow, drizzle, and flurries occurred Today over parts of Northern and Central Minnesota with some additional areas of snow currently over Northern, Central, and Eastern North Dakota. Movement of all the precip was toward the east-southeast. High temperatures around Minnesota mostly in the 30s Today with some 20s in Northwest areas of the state. Winds across Minnesota were out of the southwest, west, or northwest Today around 5 to 20 mph.
Temperatures around Minnesota at 4 PM ranged from 35 degrees at St Paul to 30 degrees at Hallock to 28 degrees at Detroit Lakes to 36 degrees at Bigfork to 34 degrees at Duluth to 36 degrees at Madison to 32 degrees at Staples to 34 degrees at Cambridge to 36 degrees at Marshall to 36 degrees at Faribault to 34 degrees at Austin.
Tonight through Thursday Night:
Weather pattern isn’t going to be changing much during this forecast period as low pressure heads toward Eastern Canada and a surface trough extends west from this low back toward Northern Minnesota. Areas of snow showers and flurries will persist through Thursday Night, mainly over Northcentral and Eastern areas of Minnesota, may also see some drizzle or freezing drizzle linger into Tonight. Snow accumulations if any should be in the dusting to perhaps inch or two range through Tomorrow Night. Partly to mostly cloudy skies will cover the state this period with lows Tonight and Tomorrow Night in the teens and 20s with some single digits out West Tomorrow Night. Highs Thursday will be in the teens, 20s, and 30s. Winds during this period will be out of the north or west around 20 mph or less.
Extended Forecast:
Another storm system will eject out of the Rockies and through the Plains Friday and Saturday…At this time it appears that most of the snow associated with this storm will pass south of Minnesota, but some lighter snowfall may sneak into Southern areas of the state for a time on Friday into early Saturday. Otherwise the period from Friday into Sunday will be controlled by an area of high pressure which will cause cooler, but not arctic air around the Upper Midwest. High temperatures Friday and Saturday will be mostly in the teens and 20s with lows Friday Night and Saturday Night in the single digits and teens with some sub-zero readings possible out West. As we move into next week, the chances for some snow may begin to increase for parts of Minnesota as another area of low pressure heads across the Plains while an inverted type trough extends into the Upper Midwest. Since this event is several days down the road, things could change with the timing and storm track, but right now if this event were to affect Minnesota it would do so the early or mid part of next week the way it looks now.
Forecast for Duluth/Superior:
.Tonight… Some light snow or drizzle which will change over to light snow and flurries. A dusting accumulation possible. Overcast. Low 25 to 30. Wind west to northwest around 15 mph.
.Thursday… Snow showers or flurries. Mostly cloudy. High 30 to 35. Wind northwest around 15 mph.
.Thursday Night… Mostly cloudy. Flurries. Low 15 to 20.
.Friday… Mostly cloudy. Flurries. High 22 to 27.
.Friday Night… Partly to mostly cloudy. Low 8 to 14.
.Saturday… Partly sunny. High 20 to 25.
.Saturday Night… Partly cloudy. Low 5 to 10.
4 PM Thompson Hill Observation:
Current Temperature: 34.4 degrees
Dewpoint: 33 degrees
Humidity: 98%
Wind: W at 3 mph G 7 mph
Max Temperature Today: 34.5 degrees
Max Humidity Today: 99%
Min Temperature Today: 32.2 degrees
Min Humidity Today: 98%
Normal High Temperature Tomorrow 24 degrees
Normal Low Temperature Tomorrow 4 degrees
Tim
