/Issued 3:11 PM CST, Wednesday, January 22, 2014/
-Another night in the freezer. Widespread 20 below to 30 below (if not colder) temperatures across most of the Northland Tonight. Winds will also be up producing feels like temperatures as low as 45 below zero. Stay safe! (Source, 18z RAP model)
Weather Tidbits for Duluth, Minnesota (Airport location)
*37 dates so far this winter (Dec 1-January 22) with a low temperature below 0 degrees. This shatters last winter’s total which was 26 dates (Dec-Feb)
*7 dates so far this winter with a low temperature of 20 below or colder vs. just 3 dates all of last winter.
What I’m trying to say here is that yes this winter has been much colder than last winter, but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that one out.
———————————
Latest hazards issued by the National Weather Service Duluth, MN:
*WIND CHILL WARNING*
Location:
All of Northeast Minnesota and a part of Northwest Wisconsin.
Timing:
Until 12 PM CST Thursday.
Counties included in the warning:
Koochiching MN
Itasca MN
Cass MN
Crow Wing MN
Aitkin MN
Pine MN
Carlton MN
St. Louis MN
Lake MN
Cook MN
Douglas WI
Burnett WI
Washburn WI
Some cities included in the warning:
International Falls…Grand Rapids…Walker…Brainerd…Aitkin…Hinckley…Cloquet…Duluth…Hibbing…Ely…Two Harbors…Grand Marais…Superior…Siren…and Spooner.
Wind chill values:
25 below to 45 below. Exposed flesh can experience frost bite in less than 10 minutes under these conditions.
**A wind chill warning means the combination of very cold air and strong winds will create dangerously low wind chill values. This will result in frost bite and lead to hypothermia or death if precautions are not taken**
———————————
*WIND CHILL ADVISORY*
Location:
Parts of Northwest Wisconsin.
Timing:
Until 12 PM CST Thursday.
Counties included in the advisory:
Bayfield WI
Ashland WI
Iron WI
Sawyer WI
Price WI
Some cities included in the advisory:
Bayfield…Ashland…Hurley…Hayward…and Park Falls.
Wind chill values:
25 below to 35 below. Frost bite on exposed skin will occur in 10 to 20 minutes under these conditions.
**A wind chill advisory means that very cold air and winds will generate low wind chills. This will result in frost bite and lead to hypothermia if precautions are not taken**
——————————
*LAKE EFFECT SNOW ADVISORY*
Location:
Parts of the South Shore of Lake Superior in Northwest Wisconsin.
Timing:
Until 6 AM CST Thursday.
Counties included in the advisory:
Bayfield WI
Ashland WI
Iron WI
Some cities included in the advisory:
Cornucopia…Port Wing…Washburn…Bayfield…Ashland…Odanah…High Bridge…Gile…Upson…and Hurley.
Discussion:
Lake effect snow showers through Thursday Morning along with gusty north to northwest winds resulting in considerable blowing and drifting snow. Travel will become difficult with snow and blowing snow reducing visibility below one quarter mile. Note: There is a possibility that this advisory will be upgraded to a warning This Evening if snow intensities increase.
Total snowfall accumulations:
3-7″ by Thursday Morning with locally higher amounts possible along the Gogebic Range in Ashland and Iron Counties.
**A lake effect snow advisory means lake effect snow is forecast that will make travel difficult in some areas. Lake effect snow showers typically align themselves in bands and will likely be intense enough to drop several inches of snow in localized areas. Use caution when traveling**
—————————-
Today’s Weather Summary for NE Minnesota and NW Wisconsin
Arctic air came in with a vengeance Today as low pressure of 1010 mb moves over the Central Great Lakes while high pressure of 1040mb builds south/east out of Saskatchewan. The difference in pressure between the low and high resulted in a very tight pressure gradient which led to strong northwest winds across the Northland Today with blowing and drifting snow leading to brief whiteout conditions at times. Temperatures late This Afternoon ranged from around 0 to the single digits below zero with north or northwest winds at 15 to 25 mph with higher gusts. Wind chill values late Today were in the minus teens and minus 20s.
Forecast Discussion for NE Minnesota and NW Wisconsin
Short Term Forecast – Confidence: High.
Tonight (January 22)
Bitterly cold temperatures Tonight under clear to partly cloudy skies as arctic high pressure averaging 1047mb drops south into the Northern Plains. 850mb temperatures around -26C will be overhead Tonight with lows bottoming out in the teens, 20s, and 30s below. North or northwest winds will continue at 10 to 15 mph with stronger gusts especially near Lake Superior. Areas of blowing and drifting snow will continue mainly This Evening.
Thursday and Thursday Night (January 23)
Strong high pressure of around 1050mb moves into the Central Plains Tomorrow and will exit to the southeast Tomorrow Night which sets up a strengthening warm air advection pattern over the Upper Midwest with a low level jet increasing to 40-55 knots during the night.
A warm front approaching from the west will likely generate a round of snow over parts of Northeast Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin late Thursday Night with up to 1″ accumulation possible.
Highs on Thursday will range from around 10 below to 0 with lows in the single digits, teens, and 20s below with slowly rising temperatures Overnight. Winds will be out of the northwest Tomorrow and out of the southwest Tomorrow Night. Wind speeds will vary between 10 and 20 mph.
-Some portions of the Northland are in a low risk to get at least 4″ of snow between late Thursday Night and Friday (blue area on the map) Source, Weather Prediction Center.
Extended Forecast – Confidence: High.
Friday through Sunday (January 24-26)
A brief thaw takes place on Friday as deep low pressure stays north of the border while dragging a warm front and cold front through the Northland. Periods of snow are expected on Friday with a few inches of accumulation possible.
Cold air returns then from Friday Night through Sunday with the coldest air probably waiting until Sunday to arrive.
Looks mainly dry Friday Night through Saturday Evening. The period from Saturday Night into Sunday Morning will need to be watched as a vigorous clipper system tracks southeast out of the Northern Plains. The track of this system is somewhat uncertain at the moment. If it comes far enough north then parts of the Northland could pick up a couple inches of snow late this weekend, but if it passes west/south of the area, then we would likely stay dry. Stay tuned.
High temperatures on Friday will get into the 20s and maybe even the 30s with teens holding tough over the Arrowhead of Minnesota. Highs Saturday and Sunday will be in the single digits below to single digits above zero. Lows Friday Night will be in the single digits and teens below to the single digits above zero. Lows Saturday Night will range from around 10 below to the single digits above zero.
Long Range Forecast – Confidence: High.
(January 27-February 1)
Hey guess what? Northwest flow aloft continues. Shocking isn’t it? Below average temperatures persist through this period with the coldest weather expected to occur from the 27th-29th, after that there might be at least a little bit of improvement, but still colder than average temperatures. A minor snow event or 2 is also possible during this period but no big winter storms, yet…
5 DAY FORECAST FOR DULUTH/SUPERIOR
*WIND CHILL WARNING until 12 PM CST Thursday*
.Tonight… Bitterly cold with dangerous wind chills. Mostly clear. Breezy. Low 20 below to 25 below. Wind northwest at 10 to 20 mph with gusts to 30 mph This Evening. Areas of blowing and drifting snow before Midnight. Wind chill values 25 below to 45 below.
.Thursday… Very cold. Dangerous wind chills during the Morning. Mostly sunny. High 1 below to 6 below. Wind northwest at 10 to 15 mph. Wind chill values 25 below to 45 below during the Morning.
.Thursday Night… Increasing cloudiness. Snow showers and flurries possible after Midnight. Accumulations of 1″ or less. Low 5 below to 10 below. Wind southwest at 10 to 15 mph.
.Friday… Warmer. Snow showers and flurries. High 25 to 30.
.Friday Night… Flurries possible. Partly to mostly cloudy. Low 0 to 5.
.Saturday… Partly cloudy. High 0 to 5.
.Saturday Night… Partly to mostly cloudy. Low 0 to 5 below.
.Sunday… Partly sunny. High 0 to 5.
Normal temperatures for Today
High: 19
Low: 1
Sunrise Thursday: 7:43 AM CST
Sunset Thursday: 4:59 PM CST
Tim
Leave a Reply