Weather Blog for Duluth and the Northland

-Another night of a frost/freeze threat in the Northland.  No headlines for frost have been issued by the National Weather Service as of late This Afternoon, but this could change during the Evening hours.

-It’s been an active stretch in regards to the number of severe weather reports across the U.S.  47 tornado reports and 1,669 severe weather reports from May 20-29.  (SPC)

5/20:  86/0 tornadoes

5/21:  111/3 tornadoes

5/22:  156/0 tornadoes

5/23:  106/1 tornado

5/24:  69/2 tornadoes

5/25:  78/32 tornadoes

5/26:  61/0 tornadoes

5/27:  245/5 tornadoes

5/28:  233/1 tornado

5/29:  524/3 tornadoes

On this date in 1990:  A record low temperature of 29F occurred at Duluth, Minnesota.

A ridge of high pressure averaging 1016-1018mb stretched from the Northern Plains to Lake Superior.  A very cool day with skies turning mostly sunny in Northern Minnesota while more clouds than sun was found in Eastcentral Minnesota into Northwest Wisconsin.  Highs Today were in the 50s with variable winds at 5 to 15 mph.

A northwest 500mb flow covered the Upper Midwest with a well defined disturbance tracking SE through the Dakotas per water vapor satellite imagery.  850mb temperatures as of 3pm ranged from 0C in Northeast Minnesota to +2 to +4C in Western, Central and Southern Minnesota.

High pressure will be in control of our weather resulting in partly to mostly cloudy skies.  The disturbance across the Northern Plains will stay well to our west/south Tonight, rain associated with that feature will stay in Southern parts of Minnesota.  Lows Tonight will be in the 30s and 40s with light winds.  Patchy frost is possible away from Lake Superior Overnight.

-Tonight’s low temperature forecast.

The final day of May will be fairly pleasant in our area with partly to mostly cloudy skies.  Temperatures should warm a bit with highs mainly in the 60s with lows in the 30s and 40s.  Winds will be out of the west, southwest or north at 5 to 15 mph.

-Thursday’s high temperature forecast.

A northwest flow will occur for Friday and Saturday.  Can’t rule out a few showers, especially on Saturday. But, for the most part this period looks dry.  High temperatures from Friday-Sunday will be in the 60s and 70s with lows Friday Night and Saturday Night in the 40s to lower 50s.

Upper level pattern is forecast to become rather amplified during this period.  Deep upper troughs are forecast to cover the Western U.S. and Northeast U.S. with an upper level ridge across the Plains.  This will be a slow moving type of pattern, so once it develops it probably will not change for several days.  There is a small chance for showers/thunderstorms next Monday (4th) otherwise it looks generally dry through the 10th.  Temperatures will be near to slightly above normal.

-HPC’s 500mb forecast for next Wednesday, June 6th, 2012.  A highly amplified pattern for the U.S. Troughs over the Northeast U.S. and Western U.S. and a nice ridge for the Plains.  Should the pattern develop like what is shown here, then a period of dry weather should occur across Minnesota for most of next week.

.Tonight…  Partly to mostly cloudy.  Low 37 to 42.  Wind variable under 10 mph.

.Thursday…  Partly cloudy.  High 62 to 67.  Wind variable around 10 mph.

.Thursday Night…  Partly cloudy.  Low 40 to 45.  Wind west around 10 mph.

.Friday…  Variable cloudiness.  High 65 to 70.

.Friday Night…  Partly to mostly cloudy.  Low 45 to 50.

.Saturday…  Partly sunny.  High 65 to 70.

.Saturday Night…  Partly to mostly cloudy.  Low 48 to 53.

.Sunday…  Partly cloudy.  High 70 to 75.

High:  66

Low:  44

Tim