In transition

In some ways it is a blessing to have a short memory about the weather. But it is nice to recall when the thermometer reached 80 degrees in some portions of the state just last Friday. It was at grand occasion to celebrate the warmest temperatures since early October 2007.

May, which began cool and wet, has generally remained on the cool side. We have made a minor transition out of the wetness. In fact, counting today, it will be ten days since the last good rain occurred in the south metro, with just under a third of an inch at the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport. I know that portions of the north metro received nearly a quarter inch of rain yesterday.

Not only have we seen an overall pattern of cooler than normal temperatures, but there has been an absence of high dew point temperatures. According to data provided by Greg Spoden of the State Climate office, the highest dew point so far in the Twin Cities has been 57 degrees on April 24th. It is hard to ignite nasty thunderstorms without a juiced up air mass. Only been a handful of days with thunder have been recorded this year.

To exercise our long term weather memory, it was this time last May when fire fighters got a handle on the Ham Lake Fire along the International border. From May 19 to May 31, there was only one day without measurable precipitation at International Falls; pretty much ensuring the fire was history.

Ham Lake Fire 2007

CE