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

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. 

Turn Up Your Support

You can feel it now. The ascending springtime sunshine is beaming much more energy into Minnesota on sunny days. 

Minnesota is gaining three minutes of daylight per day now. 

Our daylight is now 12 hours and 42 minutes. We’ve gained nearly four hours of daylight since December’s winter solstice.

Tuesday’s midday sun is as high in the sky as it was on Sept. 9. The midday sun peaks at 50 degrees above the southern horizon at solar noon Tuesday.

Solar noon the time of day when the sun reaches peak elevation. With daylight saving time that occurs at 1:17 pm in Minnesota right now. 

Minnesota’s rapidly increasing solar energy really boosts temperatures now on sunny days, especially in areas with no snow cover. 

That’s because bare ground absorbs and converts around 70 percent of incoming solar radiation, and re-radiates it to warm the lower atmosphere. The high albedo of fresh snow cover reflects around 90-percent of incoming solar radiation back into space before it can heat the air.

So, our stronger spring sun and bare ground can add up to 10 degrees to temperatures this time of year vs. snow-covered areas.

Weather and Climate News

Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Paul Huttner

Author

Rapidly growing daylight and a higher sun angle now boosting temperatures on sunny days. Our daylight is now 12 hours and 42 minutes. We’ve gained nearly four hours of daylight since December’s winter solstice.

Brighter days: Minnesota gaining 3 minutes of daylight per day now

Go Deeper.

Like this?