Twin Cities: Why does our average winter seem harsh?

Congratulations, you're almost through an average Minnesota winter. That's something to be proud of considering the mild, almost balmy winters of the last decade.

Many Minnesotans are just about fed up with this winter. I understand and sympathize. But it turns out this is just an average winter so far. Are we getting soft after our string of mild winters in the past decade?

With less than 2 weeks to go in meteorological winter (Dec-Feb) It looks like both snowfall and temperature numbers will be pretty close to average in the Twin Cities.

Here's the rundown through Monday Feb 15th.

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Twin Cities:

Monthly average temperatures:

December: -1.4 degrees

January: 0.0 degrees (exactly average)

February: +1.0 degrees (Through 15 days)

Snowfall:

Season to date: 40.6" (+2.0")

I don't see any significant snow in the metro forecast for the next 7 to 10 days, so the chances are we'll end February with season snow a little below average by Feb 28th.

Statewide, snowfall has been more variable. Duluth and Rochester are running above average, but other cities are below average on season snow so far.

Duluth: 60.9" (+3.1")

International Falls: 45.4" (-1.7")

St. Cloud: 30.8" (-2.0")

Rochester: 51.9" (+15.8")

Without any extended thaws this winter, the snow that has fallen is sticking around. Even though our season snow to date is near average, the 17" of snow on the ground in the Twin Cities today is the most in nearly a decade. The last time we had this much snow on the ground in many areas was the winter of 2000-2001.

MSP international airport has recorded continuous snow cover since December 9, 2009. The impressive streak of 70 days (as of February 15) with 5"+ snow cover comes nowhere near the records for snowpack longevity (121 days) in the Twin Cities.

Snow depth on February 11th. (Courtesy Minnesota DNR)

One of the remarkable aspects of this winter is that the storm track has favored heavy snow in southwest Minnesota. The 24" to 30" snow depth this week in southwest Minnesota ranks as one of the top 5 deepest snow covers in that region of the state in the past 100 winters.

Snow depth ranking on February 11th.(Courtesy Minnesota DNR)

While we've been lucky to be near average in the Twin Cities, they are still reeling from the snowiest winter on record in the Washington D.C. area. Baltimore has stacked up an incredible 80" (79.9") of snowfall this season!

The good news for them is, it looks like the snowfest is over. Highs in the 40s and melting snow are in the forecast over the next week.

The southerly extent of snow cover this winter is impressive. It is quite remarkable that snow covered the ground in parts of all of the lower 48 states on Saturday.

National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center (NOHRSC).

Enjoy the kinder and gentler forecast this week. A string of sunny days and temperatures near 30 will feel pretty nice. Better yet, from the looks of the weather maps you won't have to shovel anytime soon.

PH