Huttner: Fall cool down finally on its way

CATHY WURZER: Well, friends, as you all know, what a roller coaster fall we've had so far when it comes to the weather. Today, we're finally getting away from the record-breaking heat into some more seasonable temperatures. MPR News Chief Meteorologist Paul Huttner is with us right now. How are you doing?

PAUL HUTTNER: Hey, I'm doing great. But these numbers on the weather map, Cathy? They're a little different than I'm used to. Lots of fives and sixes today. I'm used to eights and nines lately.

CATHY WURZER: Yeah, I know. Actually, more normal weather here. Let's talk about why this is some of the warmest summer, early fall weather that we've had on record in Minnesota. It's been just kind of crazy earlier in the week.

PAUL HUTTNER: It has, and this really kind of piled up over the summer, too, so let's look at some quick stats. Fifth warmest summer overall for the Twin Cities. That's June through August, right? And then we throw on the warmest September on record on top of that. 69.1 was the average temperature in the Twin Cities in September. That is 5.6 degrees warmer than average, so that's a record. That was the warmest month ever for September.

For 90 degree days, we had the fifth highest number of 90 degree days. Day 33 was last weekend, and we had the highest number of 80 degree plus days, Cathy, ever recorded this season, 101 days. Yesterday was the 80 plus day. We hit 87 yesterday. So when you look at this summer overall, this was like a Des Moines or a [INAUDIBLE] summer in Southern Iowa with these temperatures-- very remarkable for us to be this warm.

CATHY WURZER: Oh my goodness. And then, of course, we're talking about frost and freezing temperatures this weekend?

PAUL HUTTNER: Yeah. So we could be 50 degrees colder. We were 92 Sunday afternoon. We could be down around 40 by Saturday morning in the Twin Cities. I think the downtowns might escape a frost. The suburbs may get some frost, upper 30s, and we'll see low 30s in Northern Minnesota. So this reality front, this October reality check, is here today.

It's the first front, though. We're in the 50s northern Minnesota, 60s in the South. We will have a few spotty showers, could be a passing shower at the Twins game today. By the way, the wind will be blowing out toward left field this afternoon. And then windy and colder with the second front tomorrow. This one is the real deal falling through the 60s tomorrow into the 50s Friday and Saturday for highs in the Twin Cities.

We'll see 40s in Northern Minnesota. And yes, Cathy, there could be a few snow showers mixed up in Northern Minnesota Friday, it looks like, or Thursday night into Friday. And then this weekend, highs mainly in the 50s across Minnesota, some 40s up North. And again, I think we'll see widespread frost and freeze advisories for Friday night into Saturday morning.

CATHY WURZER: I've got to be honest, I'm not ready for the snow showers. Not at all.

PAUL HUTTNER: I know. I know.

CATHY WURZER: But it is moisture, and I did note that there were some rain last night. So where are when it comes to the drought?

PAUL HUTTNER: Yeah. And some of this rain was impressive West of the Twin Cities. I was just looking at some of the totals. Walker up around Leech Lake had 1.4 inches, Fergus Falls 1.3, [INAUDIBLE] also 1.3, Annandale, about an inch, West of the Twin Cities. Not so much in the Twin Cities. 3/10 of an inch in Lakeville, about a quarter of an inch in [INAUDIBLE], Twin Cities Airport, 0.13, but another inch West of the Twin Cities.

And if you look at rainfall over the last seven days we had 2 to 3 inches in the northern Twin Cities in the last week. This is after the last drought update, and another 1 to 2 was widespread. So when the drought update comes out tomorrow, I expect we might ease back another category in some spots Central and Eastern Minnesota.

I've noticed the ponds, Cathy, around the Twin Cities in my area are brim full again. Of course, I was in that area that got 5, 6, 7 inches of rain. And soils-- the top soil a little bit better than it was a week ago, but we're still behind where we were last year. So bottom line, we still have some drought going on. We still need some additional moisture to dig out of that.

CATHY WURZER: OK. But it's still more positive than it was, which is good.

PAUL HUTTNER: It is.

CATHY WURZER: I'm wondering about the fall colors. I've lost track in terms of peak. I know it's coming. I just don't know when.

PAUL HUTTNER: Yeah. So I just checked the DNR map, and it's peaking up in Northern Minnesota. 75% to 100% color now about the northern third of Minnesota, so this is Bemidji over toward Leech Lake, the Iron Range, about 50% to 75% West Central Minnesota through Brainerd to Duluth and the North Shore. And Twin Cities, Southern Minnesota, still about 25% to 50%.

There's still a lot of green here around the Weather Lab, but color is starting to splash in now. It looks like we'll peak around the Twin Cities probably next week. That's pretty typical, Cathy, mid-October. And they talk about differences in colors, and maybe this year will be a little muted because of the drought. But I can't remember a really bad year for colors in Minnesota. It seems like it always seems to deliver for us.

CATHY WURZER: I agree. And before you go, what's on Climate Cast?

PAUL HUTTNER: Yeah. So the Farm Bill, right? I mean, how often do we think about that? Well, there are a big push to get sustainable ag practices into that bill, and we will talk about that tomorrow on Climate Cast during All Things Considered.

CATHY WURZER: All right. Mr. Huttner, thank you so much. I hope you have a good rest of the day.

PAUL HUTTNER: You, too. Thanks, Cathy.

CATHY WURZER: That is Paul Huttner, our Chief Meteorologist. By the way, you can listen to Paul and Tom Crann during All Things Considered Monday through Fridays right here at MPR News. And of course, for the latest weather information, go to the Updraft blog that's posted fresh a couple of times daily. That is at mprnews.org.