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I’ve been watching Minnesota weather for more than 35 years. This is something I have never seen before.

The massive floodwaters in northwest Minnesota have created (temporary) new lakes. The flood zones are so big, that they are able to generate their own localized weather patterns.

Check out this tweet below from the Grand Forks NWS Office. The dark areas are north-south-oriented flood-created lakes. The lakes string along either side of the Red River from northwest Minnesota and eastern North Dakota northward into Canada. 

Then watch the bumpy white line of cumulus clouds form east of the lake zone. Those are cumulus clouds developing along what is essentially a lake breeze frontal convergence zone. 

Lake breezes and sea breezes form as the land near water bodies heats with strong sunshine like we had Tuesday. The warming air over the land rises, and cooler denser air from the lake blows inland to take its place. 

These temporary flood lakes may not last long, but they are producing some highly unusual localized weather patterns in the Red River Valley. 

Weather and Climate News

Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Paul Huttner

Author

Floodwaters are creating their own weather in northwest Minnesota. 

Floodwaters creating new lakes and their own weather in the Red River Valley

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