The melt is on

Strong March sunshine hangs over the weather lab Monday.

This is the week many Minnesotans have been waiting for. Longer sunnier days with temperatures well above freezing. Rooftop snow turning into therapeutic drips that make sweet music in the downspouts as Chickadees sing spring songs.

It's March alright, and here are a few highlights.

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-Today is the 4th straight day with temperatures at or above freezing in the metro and most of eastern Minnesota. It looks like our first 40 degree day since December 1st is in the bag this week. We could see a string of 40s as we move into the weekend.

KMSP GFSX MOS GUIDANCE 3/01/2010 1200 UTC

FHR 24 36| 48 60| 72 84| 96 108|120 132|144 156|168 180|192

TUE 02| WED 03| THU 04| FRI 05| SAT 06| SUN 07| MON 08|TUE CLIMO

N/X 20 33| 21 34| 19 36| 21 42| 25 42| 27 42| 27 45| 25 19 37

-Temperatures have already broken the 40 degree mark today in Brainerd, Park Rapids, Big Fork and Hinckley.

BRAINERD MOSUNNY 41 16 36 N5 30.27S

BIG FORK MOSUNNY 41 16 36 CALM 30.26F

PARK RAPIDS MOSUNNY 40 10 29 CALM 30.26F

HINCKLEY FAIR 41 22 47 N5 30.27F

Weather lab driveway reappears for the first time since early December.

March Gone Wild: March features wild temperature and snowfall swings

Average is definitely a relative term in March weather. Perhaps more than any other month, March can feature wild swings in temperature and snowfall from week to week or year to year.

-The average high today is 34 in the metro. By March 31st, it warms to 49 degrees.

During the past 5 years, it has been as warm as 81 degrees (2007) in March in the Twin Cities. It has been as cold as -6 (2008), a stunning 87 degree difference in extremes in one month.

-The average March snowfall for the Twin Cities is 10.4".

During the past 5 years in March we have seen as little as 1.5" of monthly snowfall (2009) and as much as 20.4" (2006).

March is truly the roulette wheel of weather in Minnesota. Or maybe the Forest Gump analogy works best. March is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're going to get.

Downspouts gleefully running with water today.

PH