Milder weekend temps; Top five weather events of 2022

The Minnesota State Climatology Office has compiled a list of the Top Five Weather Events of 2022 in Minnesota. According to the Climatology Office:

Votes were cast from various weather enthusiasts including the National Weather Service, the University of Minnesota, State agencies and Facebook followers.

I was among the Minnesota meteorologists who voted this year.

The final vote tally has been completed and here are the results as posted by the Climatology Office, along with their narrative for each event and links to more info:

#1 The Drought of 2022

For the second year in a row, significant drought conditions developed in Minnesota during 2022, this time in response to quick-hitting and steep precipitation deficits. Unlike the previous year's drought, which hit northern Minnesota the hardest and peaked during late summer, this one originated in southern Minnesota and escalated during the fall. As of early November 2022, the 2021 drought was the larger and "worse" of the two episodes in all categories.

#2 Flooding in the Northland

The exceedingly wet spring set the stage for historic flooding in the far north. International Falls through June 19 had 18.53 inches, which is almost two times the 1991-2020 normal of 9.47 inches. Rainy Lake set a new record high level, breaking the old level from 1950 and Lake of the Woods feel just short if the record level set in 1950. With 100 years of record, the Pigeon River at Grand Portage set a record flow or “discharge” in the spring as well.

#3 (tie vote) May-hem: A Stormy and Damaging May 2022

There were six separate weather episodes in May 2022. Through June 3 there were more severe thunderstorm warnings though June 3, than any year back to when searchable records began in 1986. One of the most extreme thunderstorm wind events seen in years on Thursday, May 12, 2022. The highest wind gusts recorded in Minnesota was 94mph at Madison in Lac Qui Parle County and Verndale in Wadena County. There were at least nine tornadoes. High winds damaged homes, garages, silos, grain bins and numerous trees. One man was killed when a large grain bin fell on his vehicle.

#3 (tie vote) Blizzard, Ice, Slush Storm, and Rain, December 13-17, 2022

A powerful winter storm lasting multiple days brought wind, rain, heavy mixed precipitation, and intense wet snow to Minnesota from Tuesday December 13th, lasting into Saturday December 17th, 2022. Across the state, but especially in northern Minnesota, the storm damaged countless trees, blocked roads, closed snowmobile trails, and knocked out power to tens of thousands of customers. Its massive geographic footprint and duration meant that virtually all of the Dakotas, Minnesota, and Wisconsin received significant snowfall accumulations, with Winter Storm and even Blizzard Warnings covering the entire 300,000 square-mile area at times.

#5 Snow & Holiday Blizzard

An enormous, powerful, and deadly winter storm overtook much of Minnesota and the surrounding region after an abundant and powdery snowfall ending on Thursday December 22, 2022, set the stage for a long-lasting and brutally cold regional ground blizzard.* The virtually impossible and life-threatening conditions on nearly all exposed roads in between cities and towns severely impeded holiday travel across multiple northern and central state

Milder temps return this weekend

The Friday high temp at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport was 25 degrees. That’s equal to our average Dec. 30 high temp in the Twin Cities.

Metro area highs will reach the mid 30s on Saturday, and we’ll share 30s with much of Minnesota and western Wisconsin:

Roughly the northern third of Minnesota will have Saturday highs in the 20s.

Western and northern Minnesota will begin the New Year with highs in the 20s on Sunday. The Twin Cities metro area and points to the southeast and east will reach the lower 30s:

Monday highs will range from upper teens in far northwestern Minnesota to 30s in the metro area and southeastern Minnesota:

Any flakes this weekend?

Most of the weekend will be dry, but eastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin could see a few scattered flurries or light snow showers Saturday afternoon and evening.

Areas of fog will be possible especially during the overnight and morning hours.

You can find updated weather information for Minnesota and western Wisconsin on the Minnesota Public Radio News network, and on the MPR News live weather blog.

Potential winter storm Monday afternoon through Tuesday

Computer models show a low-pressure system moving out of Colorado late Sunday night and then tracking northeastward Monday and Tuesday, spreading precipitation over Minnesota and western Wisconsin.

One forecast model shows that the heaviest snow from this system will fall in west-central through central and northeastern Minnesota, plus northwestern Wisconsin, Monday afternoon through Tuesday.  Another forecast model shows significant plowable snow for central and southern Minnesota plus western Wisconsin beginning Monday afternoon and continuing in some areas through Tuesday night. There’ll be warm air on the eastern side of the low-pressure system, so some locations could see periods of rain and possibly freezing rain and sleet before the changeover to all snow. Check forecast updates as we get closer to Monday.

Programming note

You can hear my live weather updates on MPR News at 7:35 a.m., 9:35 a.m. and 4:39 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.