Frosty start; MSP ties record low; BWCA fire takes a breath

MAX/MIN TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION TABLE FOR MINNESOTA

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN

733 AM CDT THU SEP 15 2011

VALUES REPRESENT HIGHS YESTERDAY...LOWS OVER THE LAST 12 HOURS

AND PRECIPITATION OVER THE LAST 24 HOURS

: MAX MIN

:ID LOCATION TEMP TEMP PCPN

DLH : DULUTH MN : 52 / 30 / 0.04

INL : INTERNATIONAL FALLS MN : 51 / 20 / 0.06

MSP : MINNEAPOLIS MN : 60 / 36 / 0.00

RST : ROCHESTER MN : 57 / 31 / 0.00

STC : ST CLOUD MN : 58 / 29 / 0.00

AXN : ALEXANDRIA MN : 55 / 32 / 0.00

GNA : GRAND MARAIS MN : 53 / 35 / 0.08

HIB : HIBBING MN : 51 / 20 / 0.10

RWF : REDWOOD FALLS MN : 58 / 30 / 0.00

Frosty rooftop near the weather lab this morning

"Light Frost" in the central metro this morning:

The low of 36 degrees ties the record low for MSP Airport for this date.

There was a light coating of frost on rooftops at the weather lab in the west metro this morning. It appears the cold wave spared the inner core of the Twin Cities from a hard freeze, but temps dipped below freezing in the suburbs.

MIC : CRYSTAL MN : 59 / 31

LVN : LAKEVILLE MN : 57 / 28

FORM5: FOREST LAKE MN / 60 / 31

Here are some more readings around southern Minnesota Thursday morning.

AWOS AIRPORTS - WEST CENTRAL/CENTRAL/SOUTHERN MN/WEST CENTRAL WI

:

AEL : ALBERT LEA MN : 57 / 30 /

AQP : APPLETON MN : 57 / 28 /

BBB : BENSON MN : 57 / 27 /

ANE : BLAINE MN : 61 / 36 /

CFE : BUFFALO MN : 57 / 32 /

CBG : CAMBRIDGE MN : 55 / 28 /

CNB : CANBY MN : 57 / 32 /

FRM : FAIRMONT MN : 59 / 30 /

FBL : FARIBAULT MN : 57 / 28 /

GYL : GLENCOE MN : 56 / 29 /

GHW : GLENWOOD MN : 55 / 32 /

GDB : GRANITE FALLS MN : 56 / 28 /

HCD : HUTCHINSON MN : 60 / 30 /

21D : LAKE ELMO MN : 59 / 30 /

LVN : LAKEVILLE MN : 57 / 28 /

LJF : LITCHFIELD MN : 55 / 34 /

LXL : LITTLE FALLS MN : 54 / 28 /

14Y : LONG PRAIRIE : 55 / 32 /

DXX : MADISON MN : 55 / 28 /

MKT : MANKATO MN : 59 / 34 /

MGG : MAPLE LAKE MN : 56 / 31 /

MVE : MONTEVIDEO MN : 57 / 30 /

JMR : MORA MN : 54 / 30 /

MOX : MORRIS MN : 55 / 28 /

ULM : NEW ULM MN : 59 / 30 /

OVL : OLIVIA MN : 57 / 32 /

OWA : OWATONNA MN : 59 / 28 /

PEX : PAYNESVILLE MN : 56 / 28 /

PNM : PRINCETON MN : 55 / 27 /

RGK : RED WING MN : 61 / 30 /

ROS : RUSH CITY : 55 / 29 /

D39 : SAUK CENTRE MN : 55 / 30 /

SAZ : STAPLES MN : 54 / 27 /

JYG : ST JAMES MN : 57 / 30 /

SGS : SOUTH ST PAUL MN : 62 / 36 /

ACQ : WASECA MN : 55 / 28 /

BDH : WILLMAR MN : 55 / 30 /

RCX : LADYSMITH WI : 55 / 33 /

UBE : CUMBERLAND WI : 54 / 32 /

LUM : MENOMONIE WI : 57 / 32 /

RNH : NEW RICHMOND WI : 55 / 30 /

OEO : OSCEOLA WI : 55 / 28 /

RPD : RICE LAKE WI : 54 / 32 /

.END

: COOPERATIVE WEATHER OBSERVATION SITES

:

: OBS MAX MIN

:ID LOCATION TIME TEMP TEMP PCPN

:

: IN MINNESOTA

:

ADVM5: ANDOVER MN : DH0600/ 56 / 31 / 0.00

MPXM5: CHANHASSEN WFO : DH0649/ 57 / 34 / 0.00

CHKM5: CHASKA NW MN : DH0500/ 58 / 33 / 0.00

FIRM5: FAIRMONT MN : DH0700/ 59 / 37 / 0.00

ZMPM5: FARMINGTON CWSU : DH0700/ M / M / 0.00

FORM5: FOREST LAKE MN : DH0700/ 60 / 31 / 0.00

HSTM5: HASTINGS L/D MN : DH0600/ 57 / 39 / 0.00

HCSM5: HUTCHINSON MN : DH0705/ 58 / 34 / 0.00

JORM5: JORDAN MN : DH0530/ 58 / 33 / 0.00

KIMM5: KIMBALL MN : DH0559/ 54 / 32 / 0.00

LFLM5: LITTLE FALLS MN : DH0630/ 55 / 28 / 0.00

LNGM5: LONG PRAIRIE MN : DH0600/ 52 / 28 / 0.00

LSAM5: LWR ST ANTHONY MN : DH0600/ 59 / 39 / 0.00

MVDM5: MONTEVIDEO MN : DH0700/ 57 / 30 / 0.00

NUMM5: NEW ULM 3 SE MN : DH0556/ 58 / 31 / 0.00

RDWM5: RED WING L/D MN : DH0600/ 57 / 39 / 0.00

REWM5: REDWOOD FALLS MN : DH0500/ 59 / 34 / 0.00

RCEM5: RICE MN : DH0700/ 55 / 27 / 0.00

SCSM5: ST CLOUD ST MN : DH0600/ M / M / 0.00

SHRM5: SHERBURN MN : DH0700/ 60 / 28 / 0.00

WMRM5: WILLMAR N MN : DH0600/ 55 / 30 / 0.00

:

: IN WISCONSIN

:

HAMW3: HAMMOND WI : DH0600/ M / M / 0.00

HOLW3: HOLCOMBE WI : DH0700/ 56 / 33 / 0.00

JIMW3: JIM FALLS WI : DH0605/ 57 / 33 / 0.00

BWCA Fire takes a breath today:

It's not over by a long shot, but lighter winds under the center of high pressure may help the Pagami Creek Fire to take a breath today and early Friday.

The air has been calm for several hours Thursday morning in Ely.

Smoke and fog can be seen just hanging in the air near the fire area today on the GOES 1km visible images. That's a stark contrast from days past when a significant smoke plume fanned out form the fire.

Light winds should continue today and early Friday. Then the winds will shift and blow form the south.

As temperatures rise, humidity drops and southerly winds gust to 30 mph by Saturday, the fire could make another significant run to the north and east.

"Patchwork" pattern of fire damage:

I covered over a million acres of fire in 9 years in Arizona. One thing you notice in burn areas is that fire damage is not consistent in all areas. Some areas where the fire burned hottest are "moonscaped." Some areas have less severe combustion, and some areas will inexplicably be green and were missed by the fire altogether.

That's the nature of a wildfire.

Early reports coming into the Weather lab form the fire area indicate that Lake One may have fared better than Lake Three, which appears to have been severely burned.

Here's an excerpt from an email I received form Roger Nyquist at Kawishiwi Lodge on Lake One today.

"Hey Paul,

Glad to keep you updated!

Took a quick look around Lake One today and the fire didn't mess things up too badly. Don't think I will be able to say the same thing about the Lake Three area though.. The fire flared up near Rifle Lake today, they have some crews over there and dropped water from the sky as well. The fire has slowed down but is not controlled or contained by any means. Keep your eye on this thing it's not done yet!

Roger"

Stay tuned as we get updates from the fire lines today!

PH