High temperatures in the Northland today were some 20 to 30 degrees colder than normal for February 6 (normal highs on today’s date are right around 20 degrees above zero!). Duluth, International Falls, Brainerd and Hibbing all recorded a top 5 coldest high temp on record for February 6th – See stats below…
- International Falls: -9 F (3rd coldest high on record for 2/6) Record coldest -11 F set in 1994.
- Hibbing: -7 F (2nd coldest high on record for 2/6) Record coldest -8 F set in 1994.
- Duluth: -4 F (3rd coldest high on record for 2/6) Record coldest -6 F set in 1962.
- Brainerd: -3 F (3rd coldest high on record for 2/6) Record coldest -9 F set in 1982.
…Record lows for February 7…
Note: International Falls, Hibbing and Ashland have the greatest chance at getting close to their record low temps Sunday morning, although I don’t think will set any new record lows for February 7.
- Brainerd: -42 F set in 1982
- International Falls: -36 F set in 1994
- Duluth: -30 F set in 1933
- Hibbing: -28 F set in 1994
- Ashland: -25 F set in 1994, 1972 and 1967
This would be an impressive cold snap for Duluth if this forecast verifies. No signs the cold air will break until around mid month, but even that isn’t a guarantee since it’s pretty far away in model land.
Source: https://weathermodels.com/
…Wind Chill Warnings and Advisories cover a large portion of the Northern Plains and upper Midwest…
For the Northland:
- Wind Chill Warning in effect until Noon Tuesday including the cities of International Falls, Ely, Isabella, Bigfork, Grand Rapids, Hibbing, Two Harbors, Silver Bay, Isabella and Grand Marais. Wind chills 40 below to 50 below zero.
- Wind Chill Warning in effect until 11 AM Sunday, and a Wind Chill Advisory in effect from 11 AM Sunday to Noon Tuesday including the cities of Walker, Hill City, Moose Lake, Duluth, Superior, Washburn, Bayfield, Ashland and Hurley. Wind chills as low as 45 below zero tonight into Sunday morning, and around 40 below zero Sunday afternoon through early Tuesday afternoon.
- Wind Chill Advisory in effect until Noon Tuesday including the cities of Pine River, Brainerd and Aitkin. Wind chills as low as 40 below zero.
- The dangerously cold wind chills across the entire Northland could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 10 minutes
It’s here! Now it’s a waiting game to see how long this widespread arctic air sticks around for.
There won’t be a whole lot of change in 850mb temps over the next several days as they remain in the -25 to -30C range across the Northland, while thickness values and 500mb heights both remain very low which is typical for an arctic air mass.
Wind chills are already on the frigid side this afternoon, and they will only get colder tonight. Note the widespread -40s to -50 degree wind chills late this afternoon upstream in Canada, those values will be common in much of the Northland by later tonight.
98% of Lake Superior remains ice-free as of today, February 6, 2021, and with so much cold air moving over the ‘warmer’ and mostly ice-free lake we’re seeing copious amounts of lake clouds and some snow over much of Lake Superior today, but with a WNW wind most of this snow is staying offshore, except around the Keweenaw Peninsula in upper Michigan where heavy snow has been reported today (Houghton area)
Goes-16 visible satellite loop from Saturday, February 6, 2021.
Source: https://weather.cod.edu/
Tim