Blizzard warnings in Northwest Minnesota, winter weather advisories across the state

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Monday’s violent October gales on Lake Superior appear to have produced the highest water level ever recorded in Duluth Harbor. 

Extremely wet precipitation patterns the past few years continue to push Lake Superior to near-record high water levels.

Our 2019 weather patterns in Minnesota continue to generate abnormally wet precipitation patterns. 

Rochester and other locations have already recorded the wettest year on record. We’re closing in on the wettest year on record in the Twin Cities. And the growing season in the Twin Cities will be about two weeks longer than average again this year.

The Twin Cities picked up over another inch of rainfall this week. That boosts our annual precipitation total to 38.87” at MSP Airport. That’s just over an inch away from the record of 40.15” set way back in 1911.

The last freeze at MSP Airport in spring was on April 14 when the temperature bottomed out at 24 degrees. It looks like our first official 32-degree (or lower) reading this fall may occur Friday morning, or early next week. If it happens Friday that’s a 184-day growing season at MSP. That’s 16 days longer than the 30-year (1981-2010) average of 168 days. 

Our chilly winds are blowing in a colder air mass that lingers through Thursday. Temperatures recover Friday afternoon and may nudge 60 degrees in the Twin Cities and southern Minnesota Saturday afternoon, with 50s up north. The next cold front arrives by Sunday. 

The weather maps may send chills down your spine during Halloween week. Temperatures in the 30s and upper 20s look possible for trick-or-treat time. 

The warm costumes look like the way to go this year.

Weather and Climate News

Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Paul Huttner

Author

The 2019 growing season is two weeks longer than average.

Record Lake Superior water level Monday? Another long growing season; frigid Halloween?

Go Deeper.

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