Heavy snow and difficult travel expected again, heaviest snow in southern Minnesota

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A giant pool of record warm ocean water in the north Pacific Ocean developed this summer. Water temperatures averages 68 degrees across the North Pacific basin in August. That’s a degree warmer than the previous record set 12 years ago. Reliable records of North Pacific Ocean temperatures date back to 1854.

giant blob of record warm water is also the 4th largest

 on record since 1982. It runs from Alaska to Hawaii and from Asia to California!

 affects marine ecosystems. But the biggest impacts for us here in Minnesota may be jet stream pattern for this upcoming winter.

The giant warm blob can shift jet stream patterns across North America. Areas in the southwest U.S. can be warmer and drier. 

But further east the jet stream flow can dislodge the Polar Vortex more frequently in the winter season and cause more frequent bitter Arctic outbreaks in the Midwest and eastern U.S.  The prevailing jet stream patterns can mimic La Niña winters.

The previous record warm event in the North Pacific preceded the 2013-14 winter. Minnesota endured multiple bitter subzero Polar Vortex outbreaks that winter.

The Twin Cities recorded 53 nights of subzero temperatures that winter. International Falls suffered through 92 night of subzero temperatures!

And a whopping 70 inches of snow fell in the Twin Cities in the winter of 2013-14, with snowfall totals over 100 inches on the north.

 highlights the bitter snowy memories of that brutal winter. 

There is no guarantee that this winter will turn colder and snowier than normal across Minnesota. But if the warm blob affects jet stream patterns in the same way as 2013-14, we could see a rigorous winter with plenty of cold and snow in Minnesota.

We’ll have to keep an eye on this the next few months.

Weather and Climate News

Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Paul Huttner

Author

There’s a record warm blob in the northern Pacific Ocean right now. That warm water has affected winter weather pattern in the past.

Could the record ‘warm blob’ Pacific Ocean heat wave bring a rigorous winter to Minnesota?

North Pacific Ocean temperature anomalies on September 9

NOAA

North Pacific Ocean temperature anomalies on September 15

Could the record ‘warm blob’ Pacific Ocean heat wave bring a rigorous winter to Minnesota?

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