Instant April, 60 degrees likely this week
Fast forward spring
It's on now.
Spring sprung in Minnesota last weekend, and this week looks to be the warmest since late October. There's nothing to hold back the warm up now over most of Minnesota. Snow cover is gone from the Twin Cities west. The ever-increasing March sun angle ready to turbo-boost temps as it now efficiently heats bare ground.
Last week I said 50s were likely this week for the Twin Cities and Minnesota. Now 60 degrees is looking more likely by the day, and the metro could reach the 60 degree mark as soon as tomorrow afternoon with another shot Thursday. A few early bird golfers this week around the metro?
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October 27 - last time the Twin Cities hit 60 degrees (67 at MSP)
March 29th - average date of first 60 degree temp at MSP Airport
April 20th - date daily high temperature averages 60 degrees in metro
Instant April
Do not adjust your television set. Or backyard thermometer. Temperatures soar this week to mid-April levels across much of Minnesota. The Twin Cities takes a good run at 60 degrees as soon as Tuesday afternoon, and 70s lap at the southwest border on Minnesota.
This week's warm up has staying power. Temperatures likely peak Thursday afternoon with low 60s across southern Minnesota as a bubble of unseasonably warm air locks in over the Upper Midwest. Temperatures run a good 20 degrees above average this week. The average high for MSP Thursday? 39 degrees.
The European model absolutely nailed the warm up to the degree for MSP last weekend. NOAA's GFS cranked out numbers about 5 degrees too low. The Euro is advertising 4 days at or above 60 this week, and with no snow cover, a mild Pacific air mass and plenty of sunshine I'm inclined to agree.
Snow: Going, going, gone
As expected, snow cover is mostly gone from the metro west and southwest. About 6 inches still blankest filed around Rochester, but that too will disappear in the next few days. Any days with west or southwest winds will reach maximum air mass potential in the metro this week.
Staying power
The unseasonably warm air lingers into early next week. This is not a 2 day warm up. There are signs we cool down later next week, but mostly a glancing blow with temps closer to average in the 40s.
As I said last week there's always a chance of a renegade late March or early April snow in Minnesota. But by the time this warm-up is matures, April is just over the horizon.
Stay tuned.