Monthly Archives: January 2012

Issued at 4:06 PM CST, Tuesday, January 31st, 2012

• Warmer than average temperatures thru early next week
• No significant storms for the next 2 weeks

February climate data for Duluth, Minnesota (Airport location)

Average monthly temperature:  15.1 degrees
Average snowfall:  12.4″
Average precipitation:  0.81″

Sunrise on February 1st:  7:33 AM CST
Sunset on February 1st:  5:11 PM CST

Sunrise on February 29th:  6:49 AM CST
Sunset on February 29th:  5:53 PM CST

*Updated February outlook from the Climate Prediction Center*

For Duluth, Minnesota:

33% chance of above average temperatures with equal chances for above, normal or below normal precipitation.

Weather Tidbits:

*January 2012 will finish in the top 10 in least snowiest and warmest at Duluth, Minnesota.  Final numbers will be calculated later This Evening (NWS Duluth, MN)  Note:  Preliminary data has this January at the 6th warmest in Duluth and 9th warmest in the Twin Cities (Updraft MPR)

*Dating back to last year the precipitation deficit going into February stands at -5.49″ at Duluth, Minnesota.

*January 2012 will likely go down as the coldest on record at Bettles, Galena and Nome, Alaska (TWC)

*5th coldest January on record at Fairbanks, Alaska.  Average temperature was -26.7 degrees.  Anchorage, Alaska had their 3rd coldest January on record with an average temperature of 3.0 degrees.  (Capitalweather)

*Temperature dropped to at least 40 below 16 times in January at Fairbanks, Alaska.  This is the most since 1971.  (Capitalweather)

Snow depth report as of 6 AM CST Tuesday, January 31st, 2012
Source:  National Weather Service Duluth, Minnesota

Northeast Minnesota:

Duluth:  4.0″
International Falls:  8.0″
7 miles northwest of Brainerd:  5.0″
Bruno:  5.0″
3 miles east of Wright:  3.0″
Cass Lake:  8.0″
Dixon Lake:  9.0″
Northome:  6.0″
Walker:  4.0″
Cook:  8.0″
Embarrass:  8.0″
Grand Portage:  7.0″
Kabetogama:  16.0″
Finland:  12.0″
3 miles east of Orr:  10.0″

Northwest Wisconsin:

Upson:  14.0″
4 miles west of Clam Lake:  10.0″
Gordon:  7.0″
Solon Springs:  6.0″
Superior:  2.0″
Hurley:  14.0″


Today’s Weather Summary for Northeast Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin

An area of low pressure averaging 1002mb has moved into Central Lake Superior late This Afternoon.  This low brought a light wintry mix of precipitation to the area last night and early Today.  Partly sunny to mostly cloudy skies were common Today with unseasonably warm temperatures as we end the month of January.  Highs were in the 30s and 40s with the warmest temperatures occurring in Northwestern Wisconsin.  Winds Today were out of the southwest or west-northwest at 10 to 20 mph.

Today’s Upper Level Analysis:

RUC model and water vapor satellite imagery indicate a W/NW 500mb flow covering the Upper Midwest with one disturbance exiting to our east while another one drops E-SE into the Northern Rockies.  850mb temperatures have cooled compared to 24 hours ago, but are still mild for this time of year.  4pm 850’s ranged from +4 degrees in Southwest Minnesota to 0 to -2 degrees C in Northern Minnesota per RUC model.

Forecast Discussion for Northeast Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin

Tonight through Wednesday Night (January 31st-February 1st)

Partly to mostly cloudy skies will continue during this period and a few snow flurries cannot be ruled out from time to time.  Low temperatures will be in the teens and 20s Tonight and mainly the 20s Wednesday Night.  Highs on Wednesday will be in the 30s.  Winds during this period will be from the west, northwest or southwest at up to 20 mph.

Extended Forecast (February 2nd-4th)

Upper level pattern will become more amplified late this week.  Strong 500mb trough and area of low pressure will move into the Southern Plains with rain and snow developing on Thursday and lingering thru Saturday for the Central Plains, Western High Plains and Rockies.  All of this precipitation will stay well to the south of our local area as high pressure to our west-north feeds dry air into the region.  High temperatures from Thursday through Saturday will mainly be in the 30s with lows Thursday Night and Friday Night in the 20s.

Note:  Map below shows the 5 day precipitation forecast valid thru Sunday, February 5th, 2012 (HPC)

Long Range Forecast (February 5th-11th)

Pattern will deamplify somewhat for next week, but will still be unfavorable for any big storms for the Upper Midwest.  Temperatures are forecasted to remain on the mild side with some cooling (nothing significant) possibly moving in sometime mid-late next week, or after February 8th.

5 DAY FORECAST FOR DULUTH/SUPERIOR

.Tonight…  Considerable cloudiness.  Low 22 to 27.  Wind west to northwest at 10 to 20 mph.

.Wednesday…  Partly sunny.  High 33 to 38.  Wind west at 10 to 15 mph.

.Wednesday Night…  Variable cloudiness.  Low 20 to 25.  Wind west at 5 to 15 mph.

.Thursday…  Partly cloudy.  High 37 to 42.

.Thursday Night…  Partly cloudy.  Low 20 to 25.

.Friday…  Partly cloudy.  High 31 to 36.

.Friday Night…  Partly cloudy.  Low 20 to 25.

.Saturday…  Partly cloudy.  High 30 to 35.

Normal temperatures for Tomorrow

High:  20
Low:    2

Sunrise Wednesday:  7:33 AM CST
Sunset Wednesday:   5:11 PM CST

Tim

Issued at 4:05 PM CST, Monday, January 30th, 2012

• A wintry mix of precipitation Tonight and Tuesday for Northern Minnesota
• Above average temperatures will continue for the next several days
• Generally dry after Tuesday

*WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY*
Source:  National Weather Service Duluth, Minnesota

A winter weather advisory is in effect from 9pm CST This Evening until 12pm CST Tuesday for the following Counties in Northern Minnesota:  Koochiching…Northern Itasca…Central and Northern St. Louis…Northern Lake…and Northern Cook.  Some cities included in the advisory are:  International Falls…Bigfork…Togo…Hibbing…Virginia…Crane Lake…Orr…Ely…Isabella…and Forest Center.

Discussion:  A mixture of sleet, freezing rain and snow will affect Northern Minnesota from mid-Evening through early Tuesday Afternoon.  Snow accumulations of 1-2″ are possible by Tuesday.  Ice accumulations will be under 0.10″.  Roads will become slippery due to the freezing rain and snow.

A winter weather advisory for mixed precipitation means a mixture of freezing rain, sleet and snow is expected.  Some accumulations of snow and ice are expected on untreated roads and sidewalks.  Anyone with travel plans should be prepared for slippery roads and reduced visibility.  Slow down when driving and allow extra stopping distance because you may loose control of your vehicle if you try to slow down or stop quickly.

Weather Advisory outline area per HAMweather

Weather Tidbits:

*50 below at Fairbanks, Alaksa this past weekend.  1st time reaching -50 degrees in 6 years.  (Updraft MPR)

*Today marks the 9th time this winter with a high temperature of 50+ degrees at Chicago, Illinois.  5 is the average for high temperatures to reach the 50s thru January 30th, dating back to 1928.  (Tom Skilling)

*48.5% of the Upper Midwest is covered by snow Today which is down from 90.9% at this time last week.  Last year at this time, 86.5% of the Upper Midwest was covered by snow.  (NOHRSC)

Very warm temperatures Today in Southwestern Minnesota

Below is a listing of temperatures from 2pm, January 30th, 2012

Montevideo, MN:  55 degrees
Madison, MN:  54 degrees
Olivia, MN:  54 degrees
Marshall, MN:  54 degrees
Redwood Falls, MN:  50 degrees

Numerous record high temperatures Today in the Central and Northern Plains
Source:  coolwx.com

Note:  Here are just a few of the record highs from January 30th, 2012.

Omaha, Nebraska:  66 degrees.  Previous record high:  57 degrees set in 1988.
Lincoln, Nebraska:  69 degrees.  Previous record high:  59 degrees set in 1992.
Des Moines, Iowa:  64 degrees.  Previous record high:  57 degrees set in 1988.
Williston, North Dakota:  50 degrees.  Previous record high:  46 degrees set in 1992.
Minot, North Dakota:  46 degrees.  Previous record high:  44 degrees set in 1992.

Weather History:

On this date in 1994:  A record low temperature of -35 degrees occurred at Duluth, Minnesota.

Today’s Weather Summary for Northeast Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin

A warm front was centered basically along the I94 corridor in Central Minnesota This Afternoon.  Unseasonably warm temperatures were found south of this boundary Today with 40s and 50s in Southern Minnesota with 60s and even some 70s from Southern South Dakot and Central Iowa and points south from there.  Our area was north of the warm front Today and as a result temperatures were much cooler with 20s and low 30s covering the Northland which is still about 5 degrees or so above the average for late January.  A band of light snow passed through the area late last night/This Morning with accumulations anywhere from a few tenths of an inch to as much as 1.5″.  Winds Today were from the south or east at 5 to 15 mph.

Today’s Upper Level Analysis:

Westerly 500mb flow was in place across the Upper Midwest with a disturbance heading east through the Northern Plains per water vapor satellite imagery.  Incredibly warm 850mb temperatures covered the region late This Afternoon.  +10 degrees C in far Southwest Minnesota to +2 to +4 degrees C in Northcentral and Eastern Minnesota with 0 to -6 degree C H85 temps in the Arrowhead of Minnesota.

Forecast Discussion for Northeast Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin

Tonight (January 30th)

Low pressure will move from Northern North Dakota to Northern Minnesota by dawn.  A wintry mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain will affect locations along and north of Highway 2 Tonight with some patchy fog and light freezing drizzle possible in Eastcentral Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin.  Lows Tonight will be in the 20s to around 30 degrees with south or east winds at 5 to 15 mph.

Note:  Map below represents the 850mb temperatures valid at 9pm Tonight per RUC model:  Almost all of the Northland is in the +2 to +6 degree C range at 5,000 feet (850mb)  A warm layer aloft combined with below freezing temperatures at the surface will result in some freezing rain and sleet in Northern Minnesota Tonight.

Tuesday and Tuesday Night (January 31st)

Low pressure will exit to our east Tomorrow while a potent disturbance drops SE through our area.  A mixture of snow, sleet and freezing rain will continue Tomorrow Morning along and north of Highway 2 with a transition to some snow showers taking place during the Afternoon.  Highs on Tuesday will be in the 30s but a few 40s are possible in Northwest Wisconsin.  Lows Tuesday Night will be in the 20s.  South or east winds will become west at 10 to 20 mph.

Extended Forecast (February 1st-3rd)

High temperatures from Wednesday through Friday will reach the 30s in Northern Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin with lows Wednesday Night and Thursday Night in the teens and 20s.  Looks generally dry from mid to late week.

Long Range Forecast (February 4th-10th)

Computer models are struggling this weekend.  A few of them show a storm affecting the Upper Midwest as low pressure heads northeast out of the Plains.  Other models keep any such storm well to our south.  The 500mb pattern is forecasted to become very amplified/blocky by this weekend which could then carry over into next week, result from this will likely be big fluctuations in the computer models during the next couple days.

12z EUROPEAN forecast for Saturday Morning, February 4th, 2012

12z GEM-global forecast for Saturday Morning, February 4th, 2012

5 DAY FORECAST FOR DULUTH/SUPERIOR

.Tonight…  Mostly cloudy.  Light freezing rain, sleet or snow possible at times after 8pm.  Low 21 to 26.  Wind east to southeast at 5 to 15 mph.  Chance of precipitation 40%.

.Tuesday…  Mostly cloudy.  Patchy fog and light freezing drizzle possible during the Morning.  Scattered snow showers or flurries possible through the day.  High 33 to 38.  Wind becoming west at 10 to 20 mph.  Chance of precipitation 30%.

.Tuesday Night…  Mostly cloudy.  Low 20 to 25.  Wind west at 10 to 15 mph.

.Wednesday…  Partly sunny.  High 30 to 35.

.Wednesday Night…  Partly cloudy.  Low 15 to 20.

.Thursday…  Partly sunny.  High 30 to 35.

.Thursday Night…  Partly cloudy.  Low 20 to 25.

.Friday…  Partly sunny.  High 30 to 35.

Normal temperatures for Tomorrow

High:  20
Low:    2

Sunrise Tuesday:  7:35 AM CST
Sunset Tuesday:   5:10 PM CST

Tim

Issued at 5:03 PM CST, Sunday, January 29th, 2012

• A cold Evening, then rising temperatures Overnight
• Snow Overnight thru midday Monday, some accumulation likely
• Another system Monday Night-Tuesday takes the northern route
• Temperatures will be above average most of this week

Today’s Weather Summary for Northeast Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin

A chilly day with highs in the teens which is near to slightly below average for late January.  Sunshine was abundant throughout the area with light winds under 10 mph.  A strong warm front was heading east through the Dakotas Today with a big range in temperatures.  26 degrees at Bismarck, North Dakota to 51 degrees at Dickinson, North Dakota (5pm)

Today’s Upper Level Analysis:

Northwest 500mb flow covered the Upper Midwest with strong warm and moist advection heading east out of the Northern Rockies and Northern Plains.  PWS late This Afternoon ranged from 0.10-0.30″ in Minnesota to a half inch in the Central-Western Dakotas.  850mb temperatures as of 4pm ranged from -14 degrees C in Northern Minnesota to +10 degrees C in Southwest North Dakota and Western South Dakota per RUC model analysis.

Forecast Discussion for Northeast Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin

Tonight (January 29th)

Temperatures will drop This Evening under mostly clear skies and nearly calm winds.  Expect temperatures through Midnight to bottom out in the single digits below to single digits above zero with some teens below possible in far Northeast Minnesota.  Temperatures will rise after Midnight and should be in the single digits and teens by dawn as clouds increase while warm air advection spreads into the area.

Snow will develop between 9pm-Midnight from the Brainerd Lakes, Bigfork to International Falls area.  Snow will spread east after Midnight and should reach the I35 corridor, Twin Ports and Iron Range after 2am.

Expect southeast winds to develop during the night at 5 to 15 mph.

Monday and Monday Night (January 30th)

A warm front will reach Central Minnesota and Northcentral Wisconsin during this period with low pressure tracking east through North Dakota Monday Night.  Light snow and flurries will end from west to east on Monday.  Skies will be mostly cloudy Tomorrow with highs in the 20s to lower 30s.  Mostly cloudy skies should continue for Monday Night with light snow or a wintry mix of precipitation developing in Northern Minnesota while areas farther south have a risk for some patchy light freezing drizzle and fog.  Lows Monday Night will be in the 20s.  Winds during this period will be out of the south or east at 10 to 15 mph.

Note:  Snowfall accumulations Tonight and Monday will generally be around an inch in Northeast Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin with 2-3″ possible along the North Shore of Lake Superior, northeast of Duluth.

HPC’s 1″ or greater snowfall threat map for Tonight and Monday:

Extended Forecast (January 31st-February 2nd)

Low pressure will track east across Northern Minnesota on Tuesday.  Light snow or a mixture of precipitation is expected to affect Northern and Northeast Minnesota on Tuesday with patchy light drizzle, freezing drizzle and fog possible in Eastcentral Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin.  Highs on Tuesday will be in the 30s.  This low exits to our east Tuesday Night with some possible flurries lingering in our area.  Lows will be in the teens and 20s.  A few flurries can’t be ruled out for Wednesday and Thursday, but nothing significant is expected at this time.  Highs on Wednesday and Thursday will be in the 20s and 30s with lows Wednesday Night in the teens and 20s.

High probs. for at least 0.01″ of ICE accumulation in the Northland Monday Night-Tuesday (HPC)

Note:  Snowfall accumulations of 1-2″ are possible on Tuesday, mainly north of a Bigfork to Silver Bay, Minnesota line.

Long Range Forecast (February 3rd-9th)

Overall the weather pattern is a dry one for our neck of the woods with a N/NW 500mb flow developing across Central Canada, Great Lakes and Upper Midwest.  Biggest issue for our area will be the temperatures and the computer models seem to be trending toward a cooler regime during this period compared to what they have been showing in previous days.

5 DAY FORECAST FOR DULUTH/SUPERIOR

.Tonight…  Mostly clear This Evening.  Increasing cloudiness Overnight.  Light snow and flurries developing between 1-3am.  Low 3 to 8 with temperatures rising into the teens by dawn.  Light wind, becoming east to southeast around 10 mph Overnight.  Chance of snow 70%.

.Monday…  Light snow and flurries during the Morning.  Total accumulations around 1″.  Mostly cloudy with patchy light freezing drizzle or fog possible.  High 25 to 30.  Wind east to southeast at 5 to 15 mph.  Chance of snow 70% during the Morning.

.Monday Night…  Mostly cloudy.  Patchy fog and light freezing drizzle.  Low 20 to 25.  Wind southeast at 5 to 15 mph.

.Tuesday…  Mostly cloudy.  Patchy fog and light freezing drizzle.  High 30 to 35.

.Tuesday Night…  Mostly cloudy.  Low 20 to 25.

.Wednesday…  Partly sunny.  High 30 to 35.

.Wednesday Night…  Partly to mostly cloudy.  Low 15 to 20.

.Thursday…  Partly sunny.  High 30 to 35.

Normal temperatures for Tomorrow

High:  20
Low:    2

Sunrise Monday:  7:36 AM CST
Sunset Monday:   5:08 PM CST

Tim

Issued at 4:35 PM CST, Saturday, January 28th, 2012

• Flurries and snow showers around the area Tonight
• A cold Sunday ahead
• Warmer temperatures return on Monday and will stick around for several more days
• Amplified weather pattern sets up by the end of next week

Today’s Weather Summary for Northeast Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin

Temperatures cooled off a bit Today compared to the past few days.  Highs were in the upper teens to middle 20s which is right around average for late Janaury.  Partly sunny to mostly cloudy skies were found in our area with occasional flurries and snow showers.  Winds were out of the northwest or west-southwest at 5 to 15 mph with higher gusts.

Today’s Upper Level Analysis:

Northwest 500mb flow covered the Upper Midwest with Friday’s disturbance now in Eastern Canada while a new disturbance drops SE out of North Dakota per water vapor satellite imagery.  A powerful 130-150 knot jet stream extended from Saskatchewan Province to the Western Dakota per RUC model analysis with a surge of colder air pushing south into the Upper Midwest ahead of this strong jet stream.  850mb temperatures as of 4pm ranged from -12 degrees C in Northern Minnesota to -6 degrees C in Southwest Minnesota.  -16 to -20 degree C 850mb temperatures were sitting to our north late This Afternoon and some of this cold air will find it’s way into the Northland during the next 24 hours.

Forecast Discussion for Northeast Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin

Tonight (January 28th)

Occasional snow showers and flurries will linger throughout the area with partly to mostly cloudy skies.  Snowfall accumulations of around an inch will be possible along the South Shore of Lake Superior, especially in Iron County.  Lows Tonight will be in the single digits below to low teens above zero.  Winds will be out of the west or northwest at 10 to 20 mph.

Sunday and Sunday Night (January 29th)

High pressure will keep the area dry on Sunday, although some lake effect snow showers are possible mainly in Iron County where another inch of snow could accumulate on Sunday.  Highs Tomorrow will be in the single digits and teens with northwest or southwest winds at up to 20 mph.  Warm advection pattern develops Sunday Night as high pressure moves off to our east and a warm front approaches from the Northern Plains.  Southerly winds will develop Sunday Night with increasing cloudiness. 

Light snow and flurries will develop by mid-late Evening from the Brainerd Lakes area, north to Bigfork and International Falls.  This snow will spread east, reaching the Iron Range, Twin Ports and I35 corridor after 1am Sunday Night.  Snow should reach the North Shore/Arrowhead and Northwest Wisconsin toward dawn on Monday.

Temperatures Sunday Night will hold pretty steady from Tomorrow’s highs.  Winds Sunday Night will be out of the south or southeast at 5 to 15 mph.

Note:  Snowfall accumulations of around an inch are possible in Northeast Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin from Sunday Night into Monday.

1″ or greater snowfall map for Sunday Night and Monday per HPC:

Extended Forecast (January 30th-February 1st)

Light snow and flurries will persist across our area Monday Morning as warm air advection continues with a warm front to our west/south.  This snow should come to an end from west to east Monday Afternoon.  Low pressure will pass through the Upper Midwest on Tuesday, right now it appears that the best chance for some light snow or a wintry mix of precipitation will be in Northern Minnesota with maybe some patchy drizzle or freezing drizzle affecting parts of Eastcentral Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin on Tuesday.  This system exits to our east for Tuesday Night and Wednesday.  Some flurries could linger in parts of our area Tuesday Night with dry weather for Wednesday.  High temperatures from Monday through Wednesday will be in the 20s and 30s, but a few spots could approach 40 degrees on Tuesday.  Lows Monday Night and Tuesday Night will be in the 20s.

Long Range Forecast (February 2nd-8th)

Upper level pattern is forecasted to become quite amplified during this period.  The computer models are not handling this pattern change too well with some drastic shifts noted in some of the models from one run to the next.  There are no signs of any big storms affecting the Upper Midwest, but the temperature forecast is up in the air at this time.  It does appear that an upper level ridge will build into the Western U.S. starting late this week which will then carry over into the following week, but how far east this ridge builds is uncertain at the moment.  If this ridge can build into the Upper Midwest, then a period of unseasonably mild temperatures would likely occur..Highs at least in the 30s and 40s, perhaps even warmer! Should this ridge stay farther west, then the Upper Midwest would likely have colder temperatures, possibly even arctic air as cold air would build south from Hudson Bay/Northern Canada.

500mb map for Saturday, February 4th per HPC: 

Note:  Keep an eye on that ridge in the Western U.S. If it ends up farther east than what this map shows, then it would be a warm Super Bowl weekend in Minnesota.  If it stays farther west like what is depicted here, then it would be a chilly Super Bowl weekend for our area.

5 DAY FORECAST FOR DULUTH/SUPERIOR

.Tonight…  Partly to mostly cloudy.  Occasional snow flurries.  Low 0 to 5.  Wind west to northwest at 10 to 20 mph.  Wind chills around 10 to 15 below Overnight.

.Sunday…  Mostly sunny.  High 10 to 15.  Wind northwest at 10 to 15 mph.  Morning wind chills around 10 to 15 below.

.Sunday Night…  Increasing cloudiness.  Light snow or flurries possible after 2am.  Low 5 to 10.  Wind becoming south to southeast around 10 mph.  Chance of snow 40%.

.Monday…  Light snow or flurries possible during the Morning.  Total snowfall accumulations of 1″ or less.  Mostly cloudy.  High 25 to 30.  Chance of snow 60%.

.Monday Night…  Mostly cloudy.  Low 20 to 25.

.Tuesday…  Mostly cloudy.  High 30 to 35.

.Tuesday Night…  Mostly cloudy.  Low 20 to 25.

.Wednesday…  Partly cloudy.  High 30 to 35.

Normal temperatures for Tomorrow

High:  20
Low:    2

Sunrise Sunday:  7:37 AM CST
Sunset Sunday:   5:07 PM CST

Tim

Issued at 3:54 PM CST, Friday, January 27th, 2012

• A quick, but intense snowfall across parts of our area Today
• Colder weekend ahead with Sunday being the coldest day
• Flurries/snow showers possible this weekend
• Warmer temperatures for next week

Snowfall report for Friday, January 27th, 2012
Source:  National Weather Service Duluth, Minnesota.

McKinley, MN (St. Louis County)  5.5″
8 miles south of Bigfork, MN (Itasca County)  5.3″
6 miles west of Bowstring, MN (Itasca County)  5.0″
5 miles north of Virginia, MN (St. Louis County)  4.0″
Dixon Lake, MN (Itasca County)  4.0″
Nashwauk, MN (Itasca County)  3.2″
Cotton, MN (St. Louis County)  2.5″
Bigfork, MN (Itasca County)  2.5″
12 miles north of Grand Rapids, MN (Itasca County)  2.5″
Saginaw, MN (St. Louis County)  2.5″
7 miles northwest of Two Harbors, MN (Lake County)  2.3″
Moose Lake, MN (Carlton County)  2.0″
Little Marais, MN (Lake County)  2.0″  Note:  Fell an 1 hour.
3 miles north of Brainerd, MN (Crow Wing County)  1.0″
3 miles northeast of Nisswa, MN (Crow Wing County)  1.0″
5 miles northeast of Hayward, WI (Sawyer County)  1.0″

5 miles northwest of Duluth, Minnesota (St. Louis County)  1.8″ Official NWS total thru 4pm.
Superior, WI (Douglas County)  2.2″

Weather Tidbits:

*23 days so far this winter with at least 0.1″ of snow at Duluth, Minnesota.  7 days with at least 1.0″ of snow and 2 days with at least 2.0″ of snow.

*Prior to January 27th, our last day with at least 1.0″ of snow occurred on December 31st at Duluth, MN.

Today’s Weather Summary for Northeast Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin

Low pressure of 1008mb was moving into Western Wisconsin late This Afternoon.  This system produced the snow that affected our area Today.  In general, 1-3″ of snow accumulated, but there was a narrow corridor that picked up 4-5″ of snow north of Duluth.  The heaviest snow lasted about an hour or two with lingering light snow and flurries persisting for about another hour.  Temperatures remained above average Today with highs in the 20s and 30s.  Winds were out of the south, east or northwest at 5 to 15 mph.

Today’s Upper Level Analysis:

Westerly 500mb flow covered the Upper Midwest per water vapor satellite imagery with one disturbance exiting to our east while another disturbance drops SE into the Northern Plains.  850mb temperatures as of 4pm ranged from -8 degrees C in Northeast Minnesota to -4 degrees C in Southern Minnesota.

Forecast Discussion for Northeast Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin

Tonight (January 27th)

Partly to mostly cloudy skies are expected.  Snow in Northwest Wisconsin and the Arrowhead of Minnesota will end from west to east before Midnight.  Snowfall totals in these areas should generally be in the 1-3″ range.  Scattered flurries could occur across the entire area Overnight.  Lows will be in the teens, but some spots could dip into the single digits.  Winds will be out of the northwest or west at up to 20 mph.

Saturday and Saturday Night (January 28th)

An upper level trough will begin to push into the Upper Midwest during this period while an upper level disturbance passes west-south of our area.  Scattered flurries and snow showers are possible in our area during this period with partly to mostly cloudy skies.  Highs Tomorrow will be in the teens and 20s with lows Tomorrow Night in the single digits below to low teens above zero.  Winds will be out of the southwest or northwest at 10 to 20 mph.

Extended Forecast (January 29th-31st)

Sunday will be a chilly one with highs in the single digits and teens.  Lows Sunday Night will be similar to the day’s high due to a warm front which will move into Minnesota from the Dakotas.  This warm front could generate some light snow and flurries from Sunday Night into Monday with accumulations of 1″ or less.  Highs on Monday will be in the 20s to lower 30s with lows Monday Night in the teens and 20s.  Another area of low pressure will pass across the Upper Midwest on Tuesday, this system could bring some light snow or a wintry mix of precipitation to the area, although no significant accumulations are expected at this time.  Highs on Tuesday will mainly be in the 30s.

Long Range Forecast (February 1st-7th)

Looks pretty quiet the middle of next week.  Low pressure and upper level trough could affect our weather to some extent late next week/next weekend with some possible snow showers.  The computer models are at odds when it comes to temperatures, especially from February 3rd-7th.  Some of them show possible arctic air pushing south into the Upper Midwest while others bring quite a bit of warm air into the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest.

Note:  Climate Prediction Center says what cold for the 1st and 2nd week of February.

6-10 day temperature outlook (Feb. 2nd-6th)

8-14 day temperature outlook (Feb. 4nd-10th)

5 DAY FORECAST FOR DULUTH/SUPERIOR

.Tonight…  Partly to mostly cloudy.  Low 10 to 15.  Wind west to northwest at 10 to 20 mph.

.Saturday…  Variable cloudiness.  Flurries possible.  High 20 to 25.  Wind west at 10 to 15 mph.

.Saturday Night…  Variable cloudiness.  Flurries possible.  Low zero to 5.

.Sunday…  Partly cloudy.  High 10 to 15.

.Sunday Night…  Increasing cloudiness.  Light snow or flurries possible after Midnight.  Low 3 to 8.  Chance of snow 20%.

.Monday…  Mostly cloudy.  Light snow or flurries possible.  High 23 to 28.  Chance of snow 30%.

.Monday Night…  Mostly cloudy.  Low 18 to 23.

.Tuesday…  Mostly cloudy.  High 30 to 35.

Normal temperatures for Tomorrow

High:  20
Low:    2

Sunrise Saturday:  7:38 AM CST
Sunset Saturday:   5:05 PM CST

Tim