Issued at 4:16 PM CST, Tuesday, December 21st, 2010
Snowfall report from Monday-Tuesday, December 20th-21st, 2010. Source: NWS Duluth, Minnesota.
Note: Snow continues to fall late This Afternoon, especially near Lake Superior so the totals below may not represent the final amount.
Duluth, MN (St. Louis county) 12.7″ measured at Hawk Ridge.
2 miles south-southwest of Duluth, MN (St. Louis county) 11.0″ measured in the Lincoln Park neighborhood
Duluth, MN (St. Louis county) 10.9″ measured at the National Weather Service
Arnold, MN (St. Louis county) 11.5″
3 miles northwest of Cloquet, MN (Carlton county) 10.5″
7 miles northwest of Two Harbors, MN (Lake county) 9.9″
6 miles east of Solon Springs, WI (Douglas county) 8.2″
Two Harbors, MN (Lake county) 8.0″
Wrenshall, MN (Carlton county) 7.8″
5 miles southeast of Grand Rapids, MN (Itasca county) 7.5″
Park Falls, WI (Price county) 7.5″
4 miles west of Clam Lake, WI (Burnett county) 7.5″
Bayfield, WI (Bayfield county) 7.5″
Solon Springs, WI (Douglas county) 7.2″
6 miles northeast of Cloverdale, WI (Douglas county) 7.1″ measured at the Mouth of the Brule.
Phillips, WI (Price county) 7.0′
Hawthorne, WI (Douglas county) 7.0″
Maple, WI (Douglas county) 6.8″
Leech Lake, MN (Cass county) 6.5″
Floodwood, MN (St. Louis county) 6.5″
Mercer, WI (Iron county) 5.8″
Silver Bay, MN (Lake county) 5.5″
Ashland, WI (Ashland county) 5.3″
Breezy Point, MN (Crow Wing county) 5.0″
Beaver Bay, MN (Lake county) 5.0″
Moose Lake, MN (Carlton county) 5.0″
4 miles south of Bruno, MN (Pine county) 4.3″
12 miles northeast of Grand Marais, MN (Cook county) 4.0″
Webb Lake, WI (Burnett county) 4.0″
Chisholm, MN (St. Louis county) 4.0″
Northome, MN (St. Louis county) 3.6″
Askov, MN (Pine county) 3.5″
International Falls, MN (Koochiching county) 3.2″
Finland, MN (Lake county) 3.1″
…RECORD EVENT…
0.33″ of precipitation fell at Duluth, Minnesota on Monday, December 20th, 2010 which establishes a new 24 hour precipitation record. The previous record for December 20th occurred in 2008 and in 1884 with 0.27″ of precipitation.
Note: 6.0″ of snow fell at Duluth, Minnesota on Monday, December 20th, 2010 which was just 0.8″ shy of the daily snowfall record of 6.8″ which was set in 2008.
Weather history:
On this date in 1989: A record low temperature of -28 degrees occurred at Duluth, Minnesota.
Forecast Discussion for Northeast Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin
Today’s Weather:
Broad area of low pressure averaging 1016 mb covered most of Northern and Central Wisconsin late This Afternoon. Plenty of moisture wrapping around this system kept cloudy skies and areas of snow in local area Today, the heavier snowfall has been confined to the North Shore of Lake Superior This Afternoon with visibilities at times dropping below a mile. There has also been some patchy freezing drizzle throughout our area Today. High temperatures were in the 20s to lower 30s which is above average for late December. Winds Today were out of the north, east, or southwest under 15 mph.
Today’s Upper Level Analysis:
500mb flow was becoming N/NW over the Upper Midwest late Today with an upper level trough and a couple upper level lows covering Central Canada and the Upper Midwest per water vapor satellite imagery. A zonal flow was in place in the Plains with an upper level ridge covering the Southern Plains where temperatures Today topped out in the 70s and 80s! Deep 500mb troughs covered areas west of the Rockies through the Eastern half of the Pacific Ocean with another 500mb trough in place across the Northeast U.S./Eastern Canada per RUC model analysis and water vapor satellite imagery.
Winter Weather Headline information. Source: NWS Duluth, Minnesota.
*WINTER STORM WARNING* until 12 AM CST Tonight for Southern Cook county MN…Southern Lake county MN…Southern St. Louis county MN…Carlton MN…Douglas WI…Bayfield WI…Ashland WI…and Iron WI.
*WINTER STORM WARNING* until 6 PM CST This Evening for Central St. Louis county MN.
*WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY* until 12 AM CST Tonight for Northern Lake county MN…and Northern Cook county MN.
*WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY* until 6 PM CST This Evening for Pine county MN…Burnett county WI…Washburn county WI…Sawyer county WI…and Price county WI.
Tonight:
Low pressure will redevelop in Southeastern Wisconsin Tonight with high pressure well to our northwest. Mostly cloudy skies with areas of light snow and flurries will linger in Northern Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin Tonight, there might also be some patchy freezing drizzle mixed in especially This Evening. Additional snowfall accumulations will be under an inch. Lows Tonight will be in the teens and 20s with some single digits possible in western-northern areas if skies can clear later in the night. Winds will be out of the north or east under 15 mph.
…Concerning the lake effect snow potential Tonight…
Temperatures will remain marginal for pure lake effect snow along the North and South Shore of Lake Superior Tonight. Surface temperatures will remain in the 25-30 degree range closer to Lake Superior with water temperatures generally around 35 degrees while 850 mb temperatures hold around -8 degrees C. There will be abundant low level moisture in place, however, thanks to the low to our south-southeast, so the threat for moderate lake enhanced/effect snow bands will likely continue most of the night along the North Shore of Lake Superior as winds remain out of the E/NE. By late Tonight the winds will become N/NE which will shift the lake snow threat to the South Shore. Additional snowfall accumulations of 1-4″ are possible near Lake Superior Tonight.
As far as storm totals go, most areas will have had between 3-8″ of accumulation with the exception to this being in and around the Twin Ports where snowfall totals of 10 to as much as 14″ of snow are expected.
Wednesday and Wednesday Night:
High pressure will be centered to our west/northwest during this period. Partly to mostly cloudy skies are expected on Wednesday with scattered flurries possible. Lake effect snow showers are a threat as well mainly along the South Shore of Lake Superior during the Morning hours with another inch or so of accumulation possible south/east of the city of Superior. Highs on Wednesday will be mainly in the 20s with lows Wednesday Night in the single digits below to around 10 above zero. North or northwest winds are forecast during this period under 20 mph.
Extended Forecast:
Thursday through the upcoming weekend looks rather quiet for our local area as high pressure builds in from Manitoba Province while a low pressure system passes through the Southern Plains, then up the East Coast this weekend and early next week. There might be some flurries at times late this week and this weekend, but no major snow events are expected at this time. High temperatures for Thursday and Friday will be in the teens and 20s with low temperatures in the single digits and teens Thursday Night and Friday Night.
5 Day Forecast for Duluth/Superior
*WINTER STORM WARNING*
Timing: Until 12 AM CST Tonight.
.Tonight… Occasional light snow with some heavier snow showers possible. Patchy freezing drizzle, mainly This Evening. Additional snowfall accumulations of 1-3″ possible with storm totals of 10-14″. Low 20 to 25. Wind east to northeast around 12 mph, becoming north to northeast toward dawn.
.Wednesday… Scattered snow showers and flurries. Partly sunny. High 25 to 30. Wind north at 10 to 15 mph.
.Wednesday Night… Partly cloudy. Low 5 to 10. Wind northwest at 5 to 15 mph.
.Thursday… Partly sunny. High 18 to 23.
.Thursday Night… Partly cloudy. Low 5 to 10.
.Christmas Eve… Partly sunny. High 15 to 20.
.Friday Night… Partly cloudy. Low 5 to 10.
.Christmas Day… Partly cloudy. High 15 to 20.
Normal temperatures for Tomorrow:
High: 20 degrees
Low: 3 degrees
Tim