/Issued 3:55 PM CST, Tuesday, January 20, 2015/
Keeping an eye on a clipper system for Saturday Night or Sunday (January 24-25) Here’s the projected low pressure track as it stands Today (Black line on the map) The blue outlined area is where the greatest snow amounts (2-3″+) is expected to fall based on Today’s track. Things could change since this is still several days down the road.
Note: The recent thaw has made a huge dent in our temperature deficit for the month of January here in Duluth. Back on the 15th we were running -7.4 degrees below average, but in less then a week’s time that temperature deficit went to -3.5 degrees below average. Most of the rest of this month looks to have above average temperatures so we could very well see the month of January go above average in the temperature department by the 31st…Something to watch!
Annual snow totals and their departure from normal
Source: National Weather Service Duluth, MN; Twin Cities, MN; Marquette, MI; La Crosse, WI
Note: Totals are thru January 19
Duluth, Minnesota: 29.9″ (-16.6″ below normal)
International Falls, Minnesota: 36.7″ (-4.2″ below normal)
Twin Cities, Minnesota: 19.4″ (-10.0″ below normal)
St. Cloud, Minnesota: 22.1″ (-2.1″ below normal)
Grand Forks, North Dakota: 11.6″ (-13.3 below normal)
Eau Claire, Wisconsin: 24.9″ (+1.2″ above normal)
Green Bay, Wisconsin: 18.3″ (-6.8″ below normal)
La Crosse, Wisconsin: 15.6″ (-6.1″ below normal)
Rochester, Minnesota: 23.5″ (-3.0″ below normal)
Marquette, Michigan: 103.4″ (+3.5″ above normal)
Sault St. Marie, Michigan: 120.5″ (+50.4″ above normal)
It’s not unusual to see Marquette and Sault St. Marie so far ahead of those other cities I put on this list, thank you lake effect snow! But even Marquette’s annual snow total which is at 103″ is only 3.5″ above normal. Sault St. Marie however is running well above normal at 50″! Incredible
Note: I did further research here and found that Marquette and Sault St. Marie’s monthly snow totals have been trending less after the epic November totals. Stats below…
Marquette, MI:
November snow total: 53″
December snow total: 27″
January snow total (thru the 19th) 20.2″
Sault St, Marie, MI:
November snow total: 65.4″
December snow total: 35.6″
January snow total (thru the 19th) 19.3″
Weather Summary for January 20, 2015
Location: northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin
Three lows on the weather map late This Afternoon. 1016mb over far southeast Saskatchewan, 1014mb over southwest Minnesota, and 1014mb over central Indiana. These lows aren’t bringing any precipitation to the Northland as they are too far south of here, but we continue to have overcast skies with spotty flurries and even a bit of freezing drizzle in isolated spots. High temperatures were mainly in the mid to upper 20s with east or southeast winds generally less than 15 mph.
Forecast Discussion for northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin
Short Term Forecast – Confidence: High.
Tonight through Wednesday Night (January 20-21)
Mostly cloudy skies will continue Tonight with possible flurries and spotty freezing drizzle. Partly to mostly cloudy skies are expected for Tomorrow and Tomorrow Night. Lows Tonight will be in the teens and 20s with winds out of the north or east at around 10 mph. Highs on Wednesday will be in the 20s and 30s with lows Wednesday Night ranging from the single digits to around 20. Winds will shift to the north or northwest at 10 to 20 mph Tomorrow and be out of the northwest or southwest at 10 to 15 mph Tomorrow Night.
Extended Forecast – Confidence: High.
Thursday through Saturday (January 22-24)
Low pressure tracks through Ontario later this week. Westerly winds and unseasonably warm temperatures will be found south of this low on Friday but even Thursday and Saturday look fairly mild for late January standards.
Looks mainly dry through this period although there could be some showers of sleet, snow, or freezing rain late Thursday Night or Friday Morning across northern Minnesota.
Highs on Thursday and lows Thursday Night will mainly be in the 20s. Highs Friday will be in the 30s with even a few 40s certainly possible, lows Friday Night will be in the 20s with highs on Saturday in the 20s to around 30.
Long Range Forecast – Confidence: Medium.
(January 25-30)
My eyes are focused on a clipper system that moves southeast out of northwestern Canada and into the Ohio Valley region between Saturday Night and Monday. The exact track of this system is still somewhat uncertain but at the moment it would appear as if the greatest snowfall accumulation zone will be west and south of the Northland with mostly minor snow accumulations here in our area on Sunday (25th) Again though if the track of the low shifts a bit more to the north, then portions of the Northland would have a better chance at seeing a couple inches of snow late this weekend. Stay tuned! The rest of this period — 26th through 30th will be free of any meaningful snow events with possibly a nuisance snowfall affecting our area periodically. Near to above average temperatures are expected to continue from the 25th-30th.
5 DAY FORECAST FOR DULUTH AND SUPERIOR
.Tonight… Mostly cloudy. Flurries. Patchy freezing drizzle also possible. Low 18 to 23. Wind east to northeast around 10 mph becoming light and variable during the night.
.Wednesday… Partly to mostly cloudy. High 27 to 32. Wind west to northwest at 10 to 20 mph.
.Wednesday Night… Partly cloudy. Low 12 to 17. Wind northwest at 10 to 15 mph.
.Thursday… Partly sunny. High 22 to 27.
.Thursday Night… Partly to mostly cloudy. Low 22 to 27.
.Friday… Partly sunny. High 32 to 37.
.Friday Night… Partly to mostly cloudy. Low 25 to 30.
.Saturday… Partly cloudy. High 30 to 35.
Normal temperatures for Wednesday
High: 19
Low: 1
Sunrise Wednesday: 7:45 AM CST
Sunset Wednesday: 4:55 PM CST
Tim
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