Autumn winds to accelerate falling leaves
Mild southwest winds overnight caused the temperature to climb ten degrees during the darkness hours at Ely overnight, where the mercury went from 30 at 2 a.m. to 43 by 5 a.m.
Brisk southwest winds will continue to usher in warmer air througout the day. High temperatures will top out well into the 70s in southern and central Minnesota. Winds are expected to gust to 30 mph at times.
In southwest Minnesota, a wind advisory has been posted by the National Weather Service for today. Winds could top 40 miles per hour in the afternoon hours.
Autumn colors are peaking in a large section of northern and central Minnesota. Here is a nice write-up on how/why leaves change colors.
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Winds are forecast to ease on Wednesday but become stiff again later in the week.
Friday's midday wind forecast from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Global Forecast System indicates winds once again gusting to 25 mph. Temperatures are also expected to remain on the mild side. The average high temperature for Minneapolis/St. Paul on October 11th is 61 degrees.
I was away from the weather lab over the weekend and lost track of the fading Tropical Storm Karen! It indeed has been a relatively quiet period for strong tropical storms. Last evening I reviewed the winds for Saturday and Sunday and found a gust to 25 mph at Pensacola, Florida. The mega-blizzard in the Black Hills produced wind gusts to near 60 mph.
You can read the details for the potential of tropical storm development from the National Hurricane Center here.
Be prepared for gusty winds today. Showers enter the weather picture for Friday.