Chilly Clipper, 30 degrees warmer late next week?
How about that Wild making the playoffs again? Quite the presidential election race this year!
Minnesotans are expert at changing the subject when the weather turns lousy.
I'm convinced it's a defense mechanism to cope with our fickle climate. And it's not your imagination. This winter has been much cloudier than average across Minnesota. It's the irony of winter here. Milder winters are usually much grayer than bitterly cold winters. Frigid but sunny Arctic air masses contain little moisture to generate clouds. Milder Pacific air masses bring moisture and clouds in tow.
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Expect conversations at your local Caribou to drift from politics to cute puppies during the next few days. Anything but the weather forecast.
Minnesota nice.
Next Clipper Thursday
Our next April Alberta Clipper streaks southeast Thursday. Expect a mix of rain and snow showers across Minnesota as the system dives in.
Cold bias continues
Temperatures continue to run a good 10 to 15 degrees cooler than average the next few days. Thursday brings another AM snow to rain mix. Rain showers rule Sunday. The Twins home opener Monday looks probably dry, but chilly. Jackets required. Heaters running at full blast at Target Field.
True spring late next week?
The long awaited warming trend we call spring may finally be here by late next week. The upper air pattern looks favorable for much milder weather starting next Thursday, and lasting through the rest of April. The jet stream appears ready to go north on it's seasonal Canadian vacation.
NOAA's Climate Prediction Center locks onto the trend.
The resulting warm up should push temps at least into the upper 60s late next week, with a shot at 70. That's a good 30 degrees warmer than we will be Friday. Rain and thunder appear in the longer range forecast.
Severe weather awareness week next week
Just in time for what could be our first severe weather watches of the season.
Here's a good preview of severe weather awareness week in from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. NOAA Weather Radio tuned up yet?
From the twitterverse
Precious late-season rain and snow heading for California.
The renewable energy boom is underway.
Big weather data helping aid affected regions.
Rising seas around Miami already spiking flooding.
Tragic and true. This is why you get to shelter at the first indication of severe weather.