Heads up for potential travel impacts late this weekend into early next week as a low pressure system could affect northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin with freezing rain, snow and rain. Storm track, timing and precipitation amounts to be determined.
Source: https://www.tropicaltidbits.com
18z RGEM model 1-30-19
One more night of barbaric cold for the Northland with widespread lows in the 20s, 30s and 40s below, and a few of the traditional cold spots in the area could make a run at 50 below zero!
Note: Look how far south the 20s to near 30 below zero temps make it early Thursday morning, possibly as far south as central Illinois, central Indiana and Ohio. Incredible!
Source: https://www.weather.gov/dlh/
Wind chill warning remains in effect until 11 AM Thursday for all of northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin. Stay safe!
Wind chills through Thursday morning of 45 below to around 65 below zero.
Source: https://www.ecmwf.int/
12z European computer model (ECMWF) 1-30-19
Upper level low, polar low, polar vortex…whatever you want to call it has made its way into the eastern Great Lakes today with widespread bitterly cold temperatures stretching from central Canada south to the Midwest and Ohio Valley today. Very impressive shot of arctic air.
RAP model analysis at 5 PM Wednesday showed the core of the coldest air associated with this upper low covering Ontario province with 850mb temps of -32 to -34C. Farther south across the Northland, 850mb temps ranged from -28 to -30C as of late Wednesday afternoon.
Source: http://coolwx.com
A lot of record or near record cold temperatures (Blue dots on map) the past few days across the northern Plains, upper Midwest, Great Lakes and Ohio Valley due to widespread bitterly cold temperatures all associated with the famous Polar Vortex!
24 hour low temperature reports
Issued: 9:26 AM CST, Wednesday, January 30, 2019
Source: https://www.weather.gov/dlh/
3 SE Cotton, MN: -43 F
Kabetogama, MN: -42 F
3 N Butternut, WI: -40 F
Northome, MN: -39 F
2 S Brimson, MN: -38 F
2 E Celina, MN: -38 F
Walker, MN: -38 F
Cass Lake, MN: -37 F
2 NNE Bigfork, MN: -37 F
Bruno, MN: -37 F
Aitkin, MN: -36 F
4 N Floodwood, MN: -36 F
Grand Rapids, MN: -36 F
International Falls, MN: -36 F
Pine River, MN: -36 F
Brainerd, MN: -35 F
Cook, MN: -35 F
Chisholm-Hibbing, MN: -35 F
Orr, MN: -35 F
Cloquet, MN: -33 F
3 WNW Twig, MN: -33 F
Kettle River, MN: -32 F
2 SW Proctor, MN: -32 F
Hinckley, MN: -31 F
3 NNE Hermantown, MN: -31 F
Ely, MN: -31 F
7 WNW Minong, WI: -31 F
Moose Lake, MN: -31 F
Duluth Airport: -30 F
4 SSE South Range, WI: -30 F
1 ESE Esko, MN: -30 F
Barnes, WI: -29 F
Gordon, WI: -29 F
Two Harbors, MN: -29 F
Hayward, WI: -28 F
Superior Airport: -28 F
Washburn, WI: -28 F
Grand Marais Airport: -27 F
Glidden, WI: -27 F
Duluth Harbor: -26 F
Siren, WI: -26 F
24 hour wind chill reports
Issued: 9:33 AM CST, Wednesday, January 30, 2019
Source: https://www.weather.gov/dlh/
2 WNW Palmers, MN: -64 F
Grand Rapids, MN: -64 F
Chisholm-Hibbing, MN: -64 F
Cloquet, MN: -62 F
2 S Chisholm, MN: -61 F
Bruno, MN: -61 F
Northome, MN: -60 F
Walker, MN: -60 F
Duluth Airport: -59 F
Longville, MN: -59 F
Orr, MN: -58 F
Aitkin, MN: -57 F
Brainerd, MN: -57 F
2 SW Proctor, MN: -57 F
Two Harbors, MN: -57 F
Cook, MN: -56 F
Grand Marais Airport: -55 F
International Falls, MN: -55 F
McGregor, MN: -54 F
Superior Airport: -54 F
Moose Lake, MN: -52 F
Washburn, WI: -51 F
Ashland, WI: -50 F
Silver Bay, MN: -50 F
Siren, WI: -50 F
Hinckley, MN: -49 F
Glidden, WI: -49 F
Hayward, WI: -47 F
7 WNW Minong, WI: -47 F
1 ESE Esko, MN: -46 F
Glidden, WI: -43 F
…Climate Data for January 29, 2019…
International Falls, Minnesota
2nd lowest maximum temperature on record for January 29 with a high on Tuesday of -16 degrees. The record cold high for January 29 is -18 degrees set in 1951.
Brainerd, Minnesota
2nd lowest maximum temperature on record for January 29 with a high on Tuesday of -9 degrees. The record cold high for January 29 is -10 degrees set in 1965.
5th lowest minimum temperature on record for January 29 with a low on Tuesday of -30 degrees. The record low for January 29 is -38 degrees set in 1965.
Hibbing, Minnesota
2nd lowest maximum temperature on record for January 29 with a high on Tuesday of -13 degrees. The record cold high for January 29 is -14 degrees set in 1951.
5th lowest minimum temperature on record for January 29 with a low on Tuesday of -29 degrees. The record low for January 29 is -34 degrees set in 1951.
Weather Tidbits for Duluth, Minnesota
•15 subzero nights so far this month — Average for January is 14 subzero nights.
•Low temperature of -30 F on January 30, 2019 was the first time with a -30 F or colder temperature since January 29, 2004.
Weather Synopsis for Northeast Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin
The polar vortex of 2019 continues to unleash bitterly cold air across the Northland with highs today only in the teens below zero, which is 30 to nearly 40 degrees below normal for January 30th, absolutely incredible!
Another dangerously cold night ahead under mostly clear skies. Tonight could possibly be the coldest night of this winter with widespread lows ranging from around 30 below to 50 below zero with even a few of the traditional cold spots possibly approaching 55 below by daybreak. With temps as cold as they are it won’t take much wind to push wind chills into the 45 below to 65 below zero range tonight through Thursday morning.
Record lows are possible across the Northland for January 30-31, see list below.
Duluth, Minnesota
Record low for 1/30: -35 F set in 1994
Record low for 1/31: -33 F set in 1982
International Falls, Minnesota
Record low for 1/30: -40 F set in 1950 and 1909
Record low for 1/31: -35 F set in 1996, 1985, 1982 and 1909
Ashland, Wisconsin
Record low for 1/30: -35 F set in 1950
Record low for 1/31: -33 F set in 1996
Brainerd, Minnesota
Record low for 1/30: -40 F set in 1996
Record low for 1/31: -46 F set in 1996
Hibbing, Minnesota
Record low for 1/30: -33 F set in 1951 and 1950
Record low for 1/31: -41 F set in 1996
Will start to get some changes on Thursday as winds slowly back to the south as arctic high pressure begins to pull away from our area. Weak warm air advection begins Thursday with 850mb temps of around -25C during the morning, moderating to between -15 and -22C by Thursday evening. With such a cold start to the day we’re still looking at another frigid afternoon with highs in the single digits below to around 10 below zero. Skies will range from partly to mostly cloudy, and there could be a few flurries in spots during the afternoon/evening as milder air begins to push into the upper Midwest.
Warm air advection will intensify on Friday with 850mb temperatures climbing to around zero to -10C, highs on Friday will be in the teens, maybe even around 20 degrees in a few locations.
Note: Easterly winds develop this weekend which could lead to some light lake effect snow or freezing drizzle along the North and South Shore of Lake Superior from Saturday afternoon into Sunday, in addition, a larger storm system could impact the Northland from late Sunday afternoon into Monday with a more widespread wintry mix of precipitation possible at that time. This will be a storm to watch as it could bring significant amounts of ice and or snow to some parts of the area. And behind this system is another one that could impact the area sometime in the Tuesday-Wednesday time frame, should be cold enough for all snow with that one, if it does affect our area.
Duluth, Minnesota Climate Normals for January 31
High: 20
Low: 2
Sunrise Thursday: 7:35 AM CST
Sunset Thursday: 5:10 PM CST
Tim