Temperature shock, drought busting weekend rains
This is why I prefer the term "average" to "normal" in the Weather Lab.
Minnesota weather is an amalgam of volatile extremes. From 70s and humid one day, to wind chills in the 30s the next. Defining a normal May weather day in Minnesota? Good luck. It's a little like Weather Twister. Left hand blue. Right foot red.
70 degrees - average high temp in the metro this week
4 months - average high of 70 or higher through Sept. 21
30 degrees - temperature drop in Minnesota in past 24 hours
Freeze warnings out tonight for western Minnesota and the eastern Dakotas
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INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CROOKSTON...EAST GRAND FORKS...ADA...TWIN VALLEY...HALSTAD...MOORHEAD...HALLOCK...KARLSTAD...LANCASTER...WARREN...STEPHEN...ARGYLE...BRECKENRIDGE...CAVALIER...WALHALLA...DRAYTON...PEMBINA...ST. THOMAS...NECHE...GRAFTON... PARK RIVER...LAKOTA...MCVILLE...ANETA...TOLNA...GRAND FORKS... COOPERSTOWN...FINLEY...HOPE...MAYVILLE...HILLSBORO...HATTON...
PORTLAND...VALLEYCITY...FARGO...LISBON...ENDERLIN...GWINNER...MILNOR...FORMAN...RUTLAND...WAHPETON...EDINBURG...ADAMS...LANKIN
321 AM CDT MON MAY 18 2015
...FREEZE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO 9 AM CDT TUESDAY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND FORKS HAS ISSUED A FREEZE WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO 9 AM CDT TUESDAY.
* TEMPERATURES...IN THE LOW TO MID 30S THIS MORNING...MID 20S TO LOW 30S TONIGHT AND TUESDAY MORNING.
* WINDS...NORTH 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH.
* TIMING...HIGH WINDS THROUGH THIS MORNING...FREEZING TEMPERATURES PRIMARILY TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING.
* IMPACTS...WINDS THIS STRONG CAN MAKE DRIVING DIFFICULT...ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES. USE EXTRA CAUTION.
* IMPACTS...THE SUB-FREEZING CONDITIONS WILL KILL SENSITIVE VEGETATION.
Drought busting weekend rains
It rained in Minnesota last weekend. Poured.
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN, MN
1153 AM CDT SUN MAY 17 2015
...PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...
...24 HOUR HEAVY RAIN TOTALS ENDING SUNDAY MORNING...
LOCATION AMOUNT (INCHES)
GLENWOOD MN 11.5 S 3.14
MONTEVIDEO MN 0.4 SSW 2.51
HANCOCK MN 5.3 ENE 2.33
DASSEL MN 3.4 SE 2.30
MORRIS MN 1.1 WNW 2.25
BECKER MN 1.9 NNW 1.93
ST. CLOUD MN 1.89
MILACA MN 1.80
LUCAN MN 0.2 ESE 1.75
SPICER MN 6.1 WNW 1.71
For once, the heavier multi-inch rainfall totals matched Minnesota's drought map. A big chunk of Minnesota picked up 2 inches-plus rainfall in the past week. Several locations picked up 3 to 5 inches, including St. Cloud which measured 5.18 inches in the past week.
Season's first tornadoes in Minnesota
Saturday produced the season's first tornadoes in Minnesota. About 10 preliminary reports came in. There were confirmed touchdowns and some damage west of the metro.
Weather mellows this week
The forecast improves this week as spring temperatures return by Thursday and Friday.
Mixed Memorial Day weekend
It's not your imagination. Memorial Day is the wettest of the big three summer holiday weekends in Minnesota.
The early reads show a decent Saturday, rain and storms Sunday and a breezy and cooler Memorial Day with increasing sunshine.
Saturday: Almost summer. Mixed sun & mild. High 72. Wind SE 5-15 mph.
Sunday: Wet again. Rain & storms. temps 60s. Wind E 15-25 mph.
Memorial Day: Turning sunnier. Cool breeze. High 68. Wind NW 10-20 mph.
Stay tuned.