Weather Blog for Duluth and the Northland

-Still quite an expansive area of clouds covering Northern Minnesota early This Evening.  Going to have to get some clearing to take place Overnight in order for some frost to form.  Frost Advisory in effect 4am-7am north of the Twin Ports.

5/20:  56F/8 degrees below normal

5/21:  71F/7 degrees above normal

5/22:  66F/2 degrees above normal

5/23:  69F/5 degrees above normal

5/24:  59F/6 degrees below normal

5/25:  65F/normal

5/26:  60F/5 degrees below normal

5/20:  42F/normal

5/21:  39F/3 degrees below normal

5/22:  51F/9 degrees above normal

5/23:  53F/10 degrees above normal

5/24:  53F/10 degrees above normal

5/25:  47F/4 degrees above normal

5/26:  44F/1 degree above normal

-Temperatures this past week were just slightly above normal in Duluth.

-Precipitation was way above normal in Duluth last week.  We saw precipitation totals some 500% above what we normally would get during the period 5/20-5/26.

Note:  3.92″ of rain fell this past week at the Duluth Airport.

*6.61″ of rain has fallen so far this month which is 3.61″ above normal.

*11.93″ of precipitation has fallen since March 1st which is 5.01″ above normal.

*13.71″ of precipitation has fallen since January 1st which is 5.02″ above normal.

Low pressure of 1000mb has moved into Central Quebec Province with high pressure of 1018mb covering the Northern Plains.  A cool day with partly sunny to mostly cloudy skies in our area.  Spotty light rain showers also occurred.  Highs ranged from the lower 50s in far Northern Minnesota to the middle 50s and lower 60s elsewhere.  These temperatures are running anywhere from 5 to around 20 degrees below normal for late May.  Winds were out of the north or west at 5 to 15 mph with higher gusts.

Northwest 500mb flow was in place across the Upper Midwest per water vapor satellite imagery and RUC model analysis.  A potent upper low/trough with it’s 60-90 meter height falls was beginning to pull east and out of the Upper Midwest This Evening.  A chilly airmass for late May with early Evening 850mb temperatures ranging from 0C in Northern Minnesota to -2 to -6C in Ontario to +2 to +6C in Southern/Eastern Minnesota.

Partly to mostly cloudy skies will continue with any lingering light rain showers ending before Midnight.  Cold air advection will continue ahead of the Northern Plains high Tonight.  Lows will be in the 30s and 40s with north or west winds at 5 to 15 mph.  Scattered frost is expected to develop just before dawn in Northern Minnesota, the Iron Range, and Arrowhead and also for locations inland from the North Shore of Lake Superior.  Frost Advisory is in effect from 4am-7am Wednesday for Koochiching, Itasca, Northern Cass, Central/Northern St. Louis, Northern Lake, and Northern Cook Counties in Minnesota.

-Tonight’s low temperature forecast.

-Tonight’s frost/freeze threat.

High pressure moves into our area during this period.  Expect partly to mostly cloudy skies with highs in the 50s and 60s with lows 30s and 40s.  Could be some patchy frost once again late Wednesday Night.  Winds will be out of the north or west at 5 to 15 mph.

-Wednesday’s high temperature forecast.

This period looks mainly dry, although with a NW flow in place it’s possible that we may see an Afternoon shower or two pop up, especially on Friday and Saturday.  The main weather system for this period will be a strong area of low pressure which is forecast to track NE out of the Southern Plains, reaching the Central-Eastern Great Lakes for Friday and Saturday.  Widespread rain and cool temperatures near this low should stay south/east of our local area.  High temperatures will mainly be in the 60s in Northeast Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin, a few locales may even climb into the 70s by Friday and Saturday.  Lows for Thursday Night and Friday Night will be in the 40s.

May see a wetter pattern redevelop across the region as warmer air begins to lift back to the north while a zonal or southwest 500mb flow develops.  The GFS has a wetter scenario for Minnesota with the EUROPEAN showing a drier and more amplified weather pattern with deep upper troughs over the Western U.S. and Northeast U.S. while an upper level ridge dominates the Central Plains and Upper Midwest which would keep our area generally dry from Tuesday-Saturday June 5th-9th.  Both models, however, do agree on some sort of system coming thru between Sunday-Monday, June 3rd-4th.  Temperatures will be near seasonal levels for early June.

.Tonight…  Partly to mostly cloudy.  Low 38 to 43.  Wind northwest at 5 to 15 mph.

.Wednesday…  Partly to mostly sunny.  High 56 to 61.  Wind north to northwest at 5 to 15 mph.

.Wednesday Night…  Partly cloudy.  Low 37 to 42.  Wind northwest around 10 mph.

.Thursday…  Partly cloudy.  High 60 to 65.

.Thursday Night…  Partly cloudy.  Low 40 to 45.

.Friday…  Variable cloudiness.  High 60 to 65.

.Friday Night…  Partly to mostly cloudy.  Low 40 to 45.

.Saturday…  Partly sunny.  High 65 to 70.

High:  66

Low:  44

Tim