Issued at 5 PM CST, Friday, February 20th, 2009
Weather History:
On this date in 2005, 4.6″ of snow fell at Duluth Minnesota.
On this date last year, the low temperature fell to -16 degrees at Duluth Minnesota.
Here are some low temperatures from around the area earlier Today, Friday, February 20th, 2009.
Duluth MN: -8 degrees
International Falls MN: -23 degrees
Hibbing MN: -14 degrees
Ely MN: -20 degrees
Orr MN: -18 degrees
Crane Lake MN: -18 degrees
Cook MN: -20 degrees
Bigfork MN: -15 degrees
Superior WI: -4 degrees
Embarrass MN: -24 degrees
3 miles West of Floodwood MN: -15 degrees
Kabetogama MN: -25 degrees
3 miles East of Orr MN: -25 degrees
Littlefork MN: -18 degrees
Northome MN: -14 degrees
Surface Analysis at 22z:
Low pressure averaging 1012 mb was heading into Western Iowa. A trough stretched from Southwest Ontario across Western Minnesota into Southeast South Dakota. High pressure averaging 1028 mb was centered over Southwest Saskatchewan.
Upper Air Analysis at 22z:
A vigorous upper level disturbance is digging S/E across the Northern Plains into the Upper Midwest This Afternoon with the H5 low clearly visibile on satellite imagery passing south-southeast through Southeast North Dakota into the Northeast half of South Dakota. A pocket of 90-120 meter 500 mb height falls were located over Central and Southern North Dakota through Northern, Western, and Central South Dakota with this storm system. Quite a nice thermal gradient was in place around the Plains and Upper Midwest Today with late Afternoon H85 temps ranging from +2 to +12 degrees C from Southwest Iowa and Southern Nebraska south through Kansas and Oklahoma with -6 degrees in far Southwest Minnesota down to -14 degrees C across Northern Minnesota.
Today’s Weather:
Strong upper level low along with a weaker surface low continued to track SE out of the Northern Plains. Good warm advection, some frontogeneis, and a plume of .20″-.30″ PWS has resulted in the development of snow Today from Western through Central down into Southern Minnesota. Many locations have had visibilities fall to one quarter to one half mile Today in the heavier snow bursts. Movement of the snow was toward the east-southeast. The only parts of Minnesota that haven’t seen much if any snow Today was the Northern part and the Southeast part of the state. Partly to mostly cloudy skies covered Minnesota Today with high temperatures in the teens, 20s, and low 30s. Winds were out of the south, east, or north around 5 to 20 mph.
Tonight and Saturday:
*Winter Weather Advisory* is in effect until 9 PM CST for parts of Southwest and Westcentral Minnesota including the cities of… Alexandria… Morris… Glenwood… Madison… Benson… Montevideo… Willmar… Granite Falls… Olivia… Redwood Falls… New Ulm… St Peter… St James… Fairmont… Wheaton… Ortonville… Ivanhoe… Marshall… Slayton… Windom… And Jackson…
*Winter Weather Advisory* is in effect until Midnight CST for parts of Westcentral Minnesota including the cities of… Moorhead… Detroit Lakes… Breckenridge… Fergus Falls… And Elbow Lake…
*Winter Weather Advisory* in effect until 6 AM CST Saturday for parts of Southcentral Minnesota including the cities of… Le Sueur… Faribault… Mankato… Waseca… Owatonna… Blue Earth… And Albert Lea…
*Winter Weather Advisory* in effect until 12 PM CST Saturday for a part of Southeast Minnesota including the cities… Rochester… Winona… And Austin.
Low pressure at the surface and aloft combined with a potent H5 trough will continue to track southeast-east across the Upper Midwest through Tomorrow. Snow will continue Tonight over all but Northern parts of Minnesota with snow tapering off from northwest to southeast during the late night hours. The heaviest snow will be confined to the Southern half of Minnesota. Any lingering snow will end in Southeast Minnesota Saturday Morning, with flurries possible over parts of the state through the day Tomorrow. Total snow accumulations by Saturday Morning will range from 2 to 4 inches from Western to Central to Southern Minnesota with isolated higher amounts possible across Southern Minnesota. Snow totals of an inch or less are expected for Eastern Minnesota with little if any accumulation up North. An area of high pressure will build into Minnesota from the west behind this weather system. Partly to mostly cloudy skies will be found around the state into Tomorrow with lows Tonight in the single digits, teens, and 20s with some subzero readings possible Northwest. Highs Saturday will be in the single digits, teens, and 20s. Winds will be out of the south, east, or north Tonight at 5 to 15 mph with gusts of 20 to 30 mph over Western-Southern areas of the state. Winds on Saturday will be from the north or northwest at 10 to 25 mph.
Saturday Night:
High pressure will be in control of our weather with partly cloudy skies. Lows will bottom out in the single digits below to above zero with some teens below in the North. Winds Tomorrow Night will be out of the north or west around 20 mph or less.
Extended Forecast:
High pressure will remain in control of our weather through Monday with this ridge of high pressure then pushing off toward our south and east by Tuesday. Mainly dry conditions will continue around the state Sunday and Monday with high temperatures both days mainly in the teens and 20s with a few 30s possible Southwest. Lows Sunday Night and Monday Night will be mainly in the single digits and teens above to below zero. The period from Tuesday into Wednesday, and possibly even Thursday could feature some snow, rain, or mixed precipitation around Minnesota as a pretty strong baroclinic zone develops around the Northern Plains/Upper Midwest while some areas of low pressure track west to east through our area. There is a small chance that one of the lows deepens over the Plains and ejects toward the Upper Great Lakes around the middle of next week, which if it occurred may bring more significant amounts of precipitation to parts of Minnesota…Otherwise will likely see lighter amounts of snow, rain, or mixed precipitation between Tuesday and possibly Thursday.
5 Day Forecast for Duluth/Superior:
.Tonight… Mostly cloudy. Light snow or flurries possible with accumulations under one inch. Low zero to 5 above. Wind variable under 12 mph, becoming north at 10 to 15 mph.
.Saturday… A few flurries possible, otherwise partly sunny. High 15 to 20. Wind north to northwest at 10 to 20 mph.
.Saturday Night… Partly cloudy. Low 3 below to 4 above. Wind northwest under 12 mph.
.Sunday… Mostly sunny. High 15 to 20.
.Sunday Night… Partly cloudy. Low 2 below to 4 above.
.Monday… Partly cloudy. High 20 to 25.
.Monday Night… Partly to mostly cloudy. Low 5 to 10.
.Tuesday… Mostly cloudy. Light snow or flurries possible. High 23 to 29. Chance of snow 20%.
5 PM Thompson Hill Observation:
Current Temperature 18 degrees
Dewpoint: -1 degree
Humidity: ENE at 1 mph G 4 mph
Max Temperature Today: 24.3 degrees
Max Humidity Today: 68%
Min Temperature Today: -1.1 degree
Min Humidity Today: 30%
Normal High Temperature Tomorrow 26 degrees
Normal Low Temperature Tomorrow 7 degrees
Tim
