Issued at 8:39 PM CST, Wednesday, February 24th, 2010
Weather History:
On this date in 2001… 0.67″ of precipitation with 11.7″ of snow fell at Duluth, Minnesota.
Here are some snowfall reports from Northwest Wisconsin. Source NWS Duluth, MN. Snow totals are from Tuesday and Today…
Gile WI (Iron County) 21.5″
Mellen WI (Ashland County) 8.0″
Gurney WI (Iron County) 14.0″
1 mile Southwest of Bayfield WI (Bayfield County) 2.2″
Hurley WI (Iron County) 11-12″
Saxon WI (Iron County) 8.0″
Montreal WI (Iron County) 14.0″
Here are some low temperatures across Northern Minnesota from earlier Today, Wednesday, February 24th, 2010. Source: NWS Duluth, MN.
International Falls MN: -24 degrees
Orr MN: -18 degrees
Crane Lake MN: -24 degrees
Cook MN: -22 degrees
Bigfork MN: -20 degrees
Pine River MN: -17 degrees
Babbitt MN: -21 degrees
Cass Lake MN: -19 degrees
Kabetogama MN: -21 degrees
3 miles East of Orr MN: -23 degrees
Littlefork MN: -23 degrees
Northome MN: -19 degrees
Forecast Discussion for Northeast Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin
Today’s Weather:
Aside from the South Shore of Lake Superior which saw mostly cloudy skies Today along with lingering snow showers which were heavy at times, mainly across parts of Ashland/Iron Counties…The rest of our area saw plenty of sunshine with high temperatures area-wide in the teens to low 20s. 850 mb temperatures as of 8 PM were sitting right around -12 degrees C. Winds Today were variable or north/east in direction under 12 mph. Surface map as of mid-Evening featured a 1026-1030 mb high pressure ridge stretching from Central Ontario Province south to Minnesota.
This Evening’s 500 mb analysis:
Northerly flow aloft was in place across the Upper Midwest This Evening per RUC model analysis. A (528 meter) upper level low was heading south/east out of Indiana per water vapor satellite imagery. An upper level trough was in place from the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley north to Central Canada while an upper level ridge builds east out of the Northern Plains. Strong upper level jet stream winds >140 knots were in place over the Southeast U.S. northeast through the Carolinas This Evening per RUC model analysis and this core of strong jet stream winds will help form a massive storm across the Northeast U.S. from Thursday through Saturday with 1-4″ of precipitation, 50-65 mph winds, and the potential for 15-40″ of snow…
Tonight through Thursday Night:
High pressure ridge will be in control of our local weather through this period. Expect clear to partly cloudy skies from Tonight through Tomorrow Night with lows in the single digits, teens, and 20s below zero Tonight with single digits below to above zero readings on tap for Tomorrow Night. Highs Tomorrow should reach the 20s for most areas. Winds will be variable under 12 mph during this period.
Extended Forecast:
A major storm will continue to affect the Northeast U.S. through the weekend and into early next week which will result in a blocking pattern for our area. There is a possibility that we could see some Atlantic moisture wrap west off that storm and into portions of our area sometime late this weekend or early next week…Sort of similar to what occurred during Valentine’s weekend, however, at this time it doesn’t appear that will see much more than some extra clouds moving in and possibly some off an flurries during that aforementioned time period. High temperatures for Friday and Saturday will be in the 20s and 30s across Northern Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin with lows Friday Night and Saturday Night in the single digits below to single digits above zero.
Lake effect snow update:
Winds have veered to an easterly direction This Evening and with cold air still in place we have seen a flare up of lake effect snow showers as of mid-Evening at the head of Lake Superior…Including the immediate Duluth-Superior area. Lingering lake effect snow showers also continued across portions of Ashland and Iron Counties Wisconsin This Evening…These areas could pick up another 1-3″ of fluffy snow Tonight while the area from Two Harbors south to Duluth and east to Superior see perhaps a dusting to 1″ of snow by dawn.
It appears that we could see a north or east wind re-develop near Lake Superior this weekend and early next week, although right now it appears that temperatures will warm enough by that time to prevent any lake effect snow from developing, this situation will have to be watched though since the lake is wide open and any cooling that takes place could set off some periods of lake effect snow shower activity near Lake Superior late this weekend or early next week.
5 Day Forecast for Duluth/Superior
.Tonight… Occasional cloudiness with scattered lake effect snow showers and flurries. Snow accumulations less than 1″. Low zero to 5 below, a little warmer closer to Lake Superior. Wind variable at 5 to 10 mph.
.Thursday… Lake effect flurries possible early, otherwise mostly sunny. High 22 to 27. Wind variable around 12 mph.
.Thursday Night… Mostly clear. Low zero to 5 above.
.Friday… Partly cloudy. High 28 to 33.
.Friday Night… Partly cloudy. Low 2 to 7.
.Saturday… Partly cloudy. High 30 to 35.
.Saturday Night… Partly cloudy. Low 8 to 13.
.Sunday… Partly sunny. High 28 to 33.
Normal High Temperature Tomorrow 28 degrees
Normal Low Temperature Tomorrow 9 degrees
Tim