Issued at 4:50 PM CDT, Thursday, May 21st, 2009
West Duluth Rainfall Total from Wednesday: Around 0.10″
*Record Event*
An all time record high temperature was established at Duluth, Minnesota on Wednesday, May 20th, 2009. The high temperature for the day was 88 degrees which broke the previous record high temperature of 87 degrees which was set in 1925.
Weather tidbits from Wednesday, May 20th, 2009:
Temperature increase of 54 degrees occurred at the Duluth Airport from a Morning low of 34 degrees to an Afternoon high of 88 degrees
One hour temperature increase from 77 degrees to 87 degrees occurred between 2 PM-3 PM at the Duluth Airport.
Temperature difference of over 40 degrees occurred between the Duluth Lift Bridge and the Duluth Airport. Temperatures ranged from 47 degrees at the Lift Bridge to 88 degrees at the Duluth Airport. Then a wind shift to the southwest sent temperatures soaring toward 90 degrees around 5 PM at the Duluth Lift Bridge.
A wind shift to the southwest occurred shortly after 5 PM at Sky Harbor (Park Point area) which caused the temperatures to go from 46 degrees to 87 degrees in a matter of 20 minutes. To put it in other words…The temperature jumped 41 degrees in 20 minutes!
Forecast Discussion for Northeast Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin
(Today’s Weather)
High pressure of 1024 mb was centered near Bismarck North Dakota as of 4 PM Today with a cold front now located well to our south and east. We saw partly sunny to mostly sunny skies across our area Today with Morning sprinkles and rain showers over parts of Northwest Wisconsin. High temperatures Today were running about 20 degrees cooler compared to Wednesday…but the temperatures that were around Today are more typical for late May around our area. Highs Today were generally in the 60s to around 70 degrees with late Afternoon 850 mb temperatures of +3 to +7 degrees C… Winds were out of the northwest at 10-20 mph with some higher gusts.
Note: A wildfire or (possibly a planned burned by the DNR) seems to have started Today between Kimberly and McGregor Minnesota (Eastcentral parts of Aitkin County) a plume of smoke was being picked up by the Doppler Radar out of Duluth This Afternoon and there’s also a hint of a thin smoke plume being picked up on the 1km high resolution visible satellite imagery This Afternoon in that same area. This smoke plume is moving southeast and is affecting the towns of Kimberly and East Lake and into Southwestern Carlton and Northwest Pine Counties in Eastern Minnesota late Today and is also affecting Highway 65 between McGregor and East Lake.
(Today’s Upper Level Analysis)
Flow aloft was generally zonal across the Upper Midwest with fast jet stream winds of 100-130 knots across Central Canada down to far Northern Minnesota per RUC model analysis This Afternoon. A nice plume of moisture extending from the Southwest U.S. through the Plains to the Central/Eastern Great Lakes was visible on water vapor satellite imagery This Afternoon while an upper level low was drifting north/west just off the Florida coast.
(Tonight)
Quiet weather conditions will be found across Northeast Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin with high pressure moving overhead. Look for clear-partly cloudy skies with lows in the 30s and 40s. Winds will be out of the northwest at 5-15 mph with some higher gusts early with winds turning to the south and east Overnight.
(Friday and Friday Night)
High pressure will exit to our east during this period while a cold front currently in Central Canada drops south while the cold front which moved here last night stalls out just south of Minnesota. Some moisture will get drawn north into our area Tomorrow and Tomorrow Night as winds turn southerly out ahead of that front to our north. Looks like we could see some showers develop Friday and Friday Night across our area with the better chances for some rain occurring in Northwest Wisconsin and far Northern Minnesota. Partly-mostly cloudy skies are expected during this period with highs Tomorrow in the 60s and 70s with 40s and 50s along the North Shore of Lake Superior. Lows Tomorrow Night will be in the 30s and 40s. Look for south, southwest, or east winds on Friday with winds from the south or northwest by Friday Night. Wind speeds will generally be around or under 20 mph.
(Extended Forecast)
High pressure builds back into our area this weekend which will result in generally quiet weather conditions with high temperatures in the 60s and 70s both Saturday and Sunday with lows in the 30s and 40s. It does appear that will see a lake breeze develop especially toward Sunday which would mean cooler temperatures near Lake Superior. Rain chances will then move into our area possibly by late Sunday Night…but more likely the early part of next week as a complex weather system takes shape across the Midwest/Northern Plains/and Upper Midwest. Will have to keep an eye on this system as there could be some severe weather associated with it especially if the last few runs per NAVY-NOGAPS model pans out. Other models show more of a rain event with perhaps isolated thunder mixed in, but no real threat for severe weather around our local area.
5 Day Forecast for Duluth/Superior
.Tonight… Mostly clear. Low 38 to 43. Wind northwest at 10 to 20 mph becoming variable late.
.Friday… Partly to mostly sunny. High 65 to 70 but cooler near Lake Superior. Wind southeast at 10 to 20 mph.
.Friday Night… Showers possible. Otherwise mostly cloudy. Low 40 to 45. Wind southwest becoming north to northwest at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 20%.
.Saturday… Mostly sunny. High 60 to 65.
.Saturday Night… Mostly clear. Low 40 to 45.
.Sunday… Partly to mostly sunny. High 60 to 65 but cooler near Lake Superior.
.Sunday Night… Mostly cloudy. Low 42 to 47.
.Monday… Showers possible. Mostly cloudy. High 57 to 62 but cooler near Lake Superior. Chance of rain 20%.
Normal High Temperature Tomorrow 66 degrees
Normal Low Temperature Tomorrow 42 degrees
Tim
Leave a Reply