Cold front arrives! Minnesota from space – crystal clear images

46 degree high at MSP Airport Monday!

51 record high Monday at MSP (set in 1925)

26 "average" high Monday at MSP

+20 degrees vs. average Monday

Political Coverage Powered by You

Your gift today creates a more connected Minnesota. MPR News is your trusted resource for election coverage, reporting and breaking news. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.

Warmest day since January 10th

(When it reached a record 52 degrees!)

Cold front sweeps in

(20s in northern Minnesota Monday moving south)

2nd cold front due in late Thursday & Friday

Frozen lakes & lack of snow cover clearly visible on MODIS Terra images Monday

"Man Cave:" Ice fisherman pulls his truck up to his ice house on Lake Minnetonka Monday.

(Photo credit: Paul Huttner-MPR News)

Spring fever Monday!

Welcome to March 25th.

That's the date the average high reaches 46 degrees in the metro. We fast forwarded to spring once again Monday in southern Minnesota, even as a cold front stalled temps in the 20s up north.

Our 46 degree high at MSP was just 5 degrees short of another record. It was also the warmest day so far in February, in fact the warmest since our record breaking 52 on January 10th.

MAX/MIN TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION TABLE FOR MINNESOTA

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN

627 PM CST MON FEB 6 2012

: MAX MIN SNOW SNOW

:ID LOCATION TEMP TEMP PCPN FALL DEPTH

DLH : DULUTH MN : 37 / 22 / 0.00/ 0/ 1

INL : INTERNATIONAL FALLS MN : 29 / 16 / T / T/ 6

MSP : MINNEAPOLIS MN : 46 / 25 / 0.00/ 0.0/ 0

RST : ROCHESTER MN : 41 / 27 / 0.00/ 0/ 0

STC : ST CLOUD MN : 43 / 17 / 0.00/ 0.0/ 1

AXN : ALEXANDRIA MN : 37 / 19 /

GNA : GRAND MARAIS MN : 38 / 24 /

HIB : HIBBING MN : 31 / 6 /

RWF : REDWOOD FALLS MN : 48 / 24 /

So far in February MSI is running a full 13 degrees above average!

Deephaven Beach on Lake Minnetonka awaits warmer days.

(Notice how far below the dock the ice (water level) is!

February "reality check" on the way:

It's early, but 46 degrees could end up as the warmest temp this month.

The maps are looking decidedly colder the next 2-3 weeks. We're feeling the effects of cold front #1 now, and cold front #2 is on the way by Thursday night.

The next two weeks look seasonably cool and we should see temps fall closer to average. Look for mostly 20s and 30s the next two weeks. This may end up as the coldest month of winter! (But still near or above average overall)

On a clear day you can see...Lake Mille Lacs!

Check out the amazingly clear images today from NASA's MODIS Terra satellite.

The first high resolution image is a 1,000 meter res shot of Minnesota. Note the brown "snow free" areas in the southwest half of Minnesota. You can see the whiter semi snow covered areas up north.

(click to enlarge images)

Details become even more vivid on this 250 meter resolution shot of central Minnesota. Note the frozen and snow covered lakes, and the snow cover as you move north.

Unfrozen Lake Superior is clearly visible on the right hand side.

After 6 straight cloudy fog filled days it is nice to know Minnesota is still visible from orbit!

PH