Baby steps
WCCO-TV legend Dave Moore used to say; "Make no big decisions in March in Minnesota." He was a wise man.
We are all way past ready for spring weather to arrive. We'll get a little taste this week as sun boosts temperatures into the lower 40's and melts a little of our Easter weekend snow.
Spring tends to take baby steps in Minnesota. But it appears the onset of spring warmth is even more sluggish than usual. Check the numbers.
-So far this March the average temperature is 26.1 degrees or 4.1 degrees below average.
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-We are on pace for the coolest March in 6 years. (March 2002 -5.4 degrees)
-So far this March the warmest temp recorded at Twin Cities International Airport is 51 degrees on the 13th.
-We have hit 70 degrees or higher in March 50% of the years in the past decade. We hit 81 last year on March 26th.
-We have hit at least 60 degrees in March every year since 2003, except for 2006, when we managed 56 degrees.
-We've also had 12.5" of snow this March. That's 4.4" above average so far.
So you can see this March has among the coldest and snowiest in recent memory.
Want some good news?
With sunshine, lower 40's and increasing solar intensity the next few days we'll melt a little bit of that snow on your driveway. The models are hinting at a big warm up the end of next week that could take care of most of the snow cover.
Hang in there!
PH