Cooler but still well above normal this week

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Many places saw 60 degrees south of the Twin Cities on Wednesday. It will be about 10 degrees cooler for most in the wake of a cold front that passed through Minnesota late Wednesday. High temperatures Thursday will range from the low 50s in the far south, to the upper 40s in the Twin Cities and 30s in northern Minnesota under a mix of clouds and sunshine. 

10 years ago today was our hottest St. Patrick’s Day on record. The temperature topped out at a whopping 80 degrees. It was part of a March heat wave of four consecutive days of 79 to 80 degree highs, helping put March of 2012 in the top spot for our warmest on record.

We’ve only hit 80 in March six times, but five of those six are just since the 1960s. March temperatures have warmed 2.7 degrees in the last century and that has an exponential affect on extremes. It is five times more likely to hit 80 degrees in March now, compared to 100 years ago. 

Not surprisingly, we had early ice-outs on lakes that year. Here’s an image of a fully open Lake Harriett the day March 18, 2012.

Overnight Thursday night temperatures will be back below freezing for most of Minnesota, so watch out for icy patches once again early Friday morning. 

Friday will be very similar to Thursday, still above normal, but still cool compared to the last two days. Highs will once again be in the 40s to low 50s in the south and 30s north. 

Just in time for the weekend and the vernal — or spring — equinox (Sunday at 10:33 a.m.) things are warming back up to very mild readings. We’ll see highs return to the 50s for the southern half of Minnesota, 40s north.

Highs Sunday will likely be our warmest yet this year, topping out at over 60 from the Twin Cities and south; 50s even in northern Minnesota. 

Cutting through Lake Superior ice for spring

Looking for another sign of spring? The ice cutter, Mackinaw will be out chopping up ice to create a path to start the shipping season later this month. Ice on Lake Superior is above normal for coverage for the date. The average ice coverage for mid-March is about 40 percent and we’re sitting at 70 percent; a result of the cold January and February. 

Weather and Climate News

Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Sven Sundgaard

Author

Temperatures will be cooler Thursday and Friday and we’ll have more clouds around on and off. Highs will range from the low 50s in the southwest to the 30s north. The weekend is looking very nice.

Cooler Thursday; 10 years ago it was 80 degrees!

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