Happy spring! Near-record warmth Saturday with 70s and 80s south
Records could fall Saturday afternoon in southern Minnesota
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Happy astronomical spring, Minnesota! The sun crossed the equatorial plane at 9:46 a.m. Central Daylight Time Friday. That marks the start of astronomical spring in the Northern Hemisphere.
The sun was about 45 degrees above the horizon over the Twin Cities (45 degrees north latitude) at solar noon Friday.
It will climb higher each day now until the summer solstice on June 21 when it will reach the peak annual sun angle of 68.5 degrees above the horizon at solar noon that day.
The weather maps are in sync with the calendar this year over Minnesota. Springlike temperatures are surging north from the massive record heat dome in the western United States.
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Some locations in the Southwest are breaking records for the earliest 100-degree temperature by more than a month!
The Twin Cities already hit 61 degrees as of this post Friday afternoon. That’s the warmest day in about four months since we hit 61 degrees on Nov. 15.
Record warmth Saturday
You may want to scope out your favorite patio for fun Saturday afternoon and evening. The thermal ridge — the warmest axis of the air mass — passes over Minnesota Saturday.
Highs should have no trouble making the low 80s in southwestern Minnesota. Highs in the 70s look likely for the Twin Cities area.
Temperatures gradually cool as you move north Saturday, but it will still be 10 to 30 degrees warmer than normal for March 21!
The normal high temperature for the Twin Cities for March 21 is 44 degrees. Saturday looks like it will be the warmest day in more than five months since the Twin Cities hit 77 degrees on Oct. 5.
We cool down again Sunday, but next week still looks springy with 50s south Monday and Tuesday. We could see more 60s pop up by next Wednesday.
Enjoy our warmest days in four to five months!
