/Issued 3:04 PM CST, Monday, January 5, 2015/
The big blue H! A massive high pressure drops southeast into the Plains on Wednesday with pressures close to 1060mb or 31.27″-31.30″ of mercury — that’s incredibly strong! The end result will be for a reinforcing shot of bitter cold air along with gusty winds leading to dangerous wind chills in the Northland from Tuesday Night into Wednesday.
Several reinforcing shots of arctic air in the pipeline this week. The next one arrives Tuesday PM and lingers into Wednesday. Image below is the 850mb temperature forecast valid at Noon Tuesday per 18z NAM. Widespread area of -25 to -30C temperatures plunging south out of central Canada. Source, college of dupage website.
But wait! There’s another shot for late this week. 850mb temperature forecast valid at Midnight Friday per 18z NAM. Source, college of dupage website.
Light blue area on the map below is a wind chill advisory. Source, NWS hazards map. More information at this link: http://forecast.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=dlh&wwa=wind%20chill%20advisory
Lowest wind chills from January 4-5, 2015
Source: National Weather Service Duluth, Minnesota
Grand Marais, MN (Airport) -50F
International Falls, MN: -47F
Ely, MN: -45F
Bigfork, MN: -44F
3 E of Hermantown, MN: -42F
Duluth, MN (Airport) -41F
Orr, MN: -40F
Cook, MN: -39F
Crane Lake, MN: -38F
Glidden, WI: -37F
Silver Bay, MN: -36F
Phillips, WI: -36F
Superior, WI (Airport) -34F
Sky Harbor Airport, MN: -34F
Siren, WI: -31F
Walker, MN: -28F
Low temperature report for January 5, 2015
Source: National Weather Service Duluth, Minnesota
Linden Grove, MN: -31F
3 SE of Cotton, MN: -29F
Togo, MN: -28F
International Falls, MN: -28F
3 E of Orr, MN: -27F
Embarrass, MN: -27F
Ely, MN: -26F
Littlefork, MN: -24F
Cook, MN: -24F
1 NNE of Hermantown, MN: -23F
Park Falls, WI: -21F
Eveleth, MN: -21F
Winter, WI: -19F
Duluth, MN (NWS) -19F
Gordon, WI: -18F
Cloquet, MN: -17F
Duluth, MN (Airport) -17F
Walker, MN: -16F
Note: High temperature of -1F at the Duluth Airport on January 4, 2015 was the first time since March 1, 2014 with a subzero high temperature.
Temperature and precipitation report for Duluth, Minnesota – Airport location
December 28-January 3, 2014-15
High temperatures:
12/28: 19F/1 degree below normal
12/29: 5F/14 degrees below normal
12/30: 0F/19 degrees below normal
12/31: 14F/5 degrees below normal
1/1: 23F/4 degrees above normal
1/2: 21F/2 degrees above normal
1/3: 26F/7 degrees above normal
Low temperatures:
12/28: -1F/4 degrees below normal
12/29: -10F/13 degrees below normal
12/30: -10F/13 degrees below normal
12/31: -7F/10 degrees below normal
1/1: 2F/1 degree below normal
1/2: 1F/2 degrees below normal
1/3: -1F/3 degrees below normal
Total precipitation: 0.04″
Normal: 0.26″
Departure: -0.22″ below normal
Last week’s temperature departure map. Source, Midwest Regional Climate Center.
Last week’s precipitation departure map. Source, Midwest Regional Climate Center.
Weather Summary for January 5, 2015
Location: Northeast Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin
Low pressure of 1016mb was over central South Dakota late This Afternoon with high pressure of 1036mb covering far southeast Illinois. Outside of some passing high level clouds — skies were generally mostly sunny across the area Today with very cold temperatures with highs in the single digits below to single digits above zero. Winds were out of the southwest at 10 to 15 mph.
Forecast Discussion for Northeast Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin
Short Term Forecast – Confidence: High.
Tonight (January 5)
Low pressure moves quickly toward the southeast out of South Dakota Tonight with high pressure building into the northern Plains behind this storm system. All of the snow associated with that South Dakota low will pass well south of the Northland Tonight. In our local area expect clear to partly cloudy skies with lows in the single digits and teens below zero with some spots in northern Minnesota falling into the 20s below. Winds will be out of the west or southwest at 10 to 15 mph.
Tuesday and Tuesday Night (January 6)
A couple of weak surface troughs will pass through the area on Tuesday. Not looking for any accumulating snow with these boundaries, but there could be a few flurries in some spots, otherwise partly cloudy skies should dominate with highs Tomorrow in the single digits below to around 10 above zero. Lows Tuesday Night will be in the teens and 20s below. Winds become northwest during this period at 10 to 20 mph with higher gusts possible.
Note: As winds turn to the northwest there should be an increase in lake effect snow showers along the South Shore of Lake Superior affecting Bayfield, Ashland, and Iron Counties in northwest Wisconsin from Tuesday into Wednesday.
Extended Forecast – Confidence: High.
Wednesday through Friday (January 7-9)
A powerful high pressure system nearing 1060mb /31.30″/ is forecast to drop south/southeast through the northern and central Plains on Wednesday. Bitterly cold temperatures and gusty winds will be found east of that high across the Northland with highs on Wednesday in the single digits and teens below zero with lows Wednesday Night ranging from the single digits below to 20s below.
A rather potent disturbance and cold front is expected to swing southeast and through the Northland on Thursday — this feature could bring a period of snow to the area with accumulations of about 1-2″ looking possible at this time. Behind this, another shot of bitter cold air for Friday with generally dry conditions.
Highs on Thursday will be in the single digits to around 10 above with lows Thursday Night in the single digits and teens below. Highs on Friday will be in the single digits below zero.
Note: Gusty winds are expected in northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin Tuesday into Wednesday, and again during the Thursday PM-Friday time frame. Will likely see additional wind chill advisories or warnings during those aforementioned periods.
Long Range Forecast – Confidence: High.
(January 10-15)
Below average temperatures from the 10th-12; near to above average temperatures from the 13th-15th. The whole period from the 10th-15th is looking pretty dry/quiet at this time.
The upper level pattern will continue to favor cold temperatures this weekend and possibly into early next week as well, but long range trends continue to support milder temperatures moving back into the Upper Midwest sometime next week, how long the milder temps stick around for is uncertain but either way it’ll be a nice break assuming it does warm up next week.
5 DAY FORECAST FOR DULUTH AND SUPERIOR
Event: *WIND CHILL ADVISORY for Duluth*
Timing: Midnight Tonight until Noon CST Tuesday.
.Tonight… Very cold. Partly cloudy. Low 5 below to 10 below. Wind west to southwest at 10 to 20 mph. Wind chills 25 below to 35 below.
.Tuesday… Very cold. Partly to mostly sunny. High 0 to 5. Wind west at 10 to 20 mph. Morning wind chills 25 below to 35 below.
.Tuesday Night… Bitterly cold. Mostly clear. Low 15 below to 20 below. Wind northwest at 10 to 20 mph with higher gusts possible.
.Wednesday… Frigid. Mostly sunny. High 1 below to 6 below.
.Wednesday Night… Partly cloudy. Low 8 below to 13 below.
.Thursday… Snow possible with accumulations up to 1″. High 2 to 7.
.Thursday Night… Partly to mostly cloudy. Low 10 below to 15 below.
.Friday… Mostly sunny. High 0 to 5 below.
Normal temperatures for Tuesday
High: 19
Low: 2
Sunrise Tuesday: 7:53 AM CST
Sunset Tuesday: 4:36 PM CST
Tim