Meteorological time-warp gives way to seasonal reality check

Last weekend's meteorological time warp was pure July, in late September. Like a new Star Trek episode, the anomalous weekend was the latest ripple in our time-space-weather continuum. Our three-day, 90-degree meteorological hologram broke new ground as the latest such streak on record.

Summer warmth lingering longer

It's not your imagination. We still see year-to-year variations, but the trend is for summer warmth to linger longer in Minnesota and much of the United States. A new study from Climate Central pushes the date of the season's latest 80-degree temperature in the Twin Cities about four days later since 1970.

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Climate Central

Our expanded summer season is coming at the expense of winter, which is tending shorter.

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Climate Central

September reality check

So far September temperatures are running 5.8 degrees warmer than average at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. That trend ends today, as a cool front sweeps in. Temperatures hover in the 50s and 60s today for most of Minnesota.

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Twin Cities NWS

Monday soaker

Roving bands of showers slide northeast today across the weather map. Many of us pick up rainfall totals of one-half inch or more, with some 1 inch-plus totals.

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Twin Cities NWS

The last week of September feels more like the calendar. Highs in the 60s rule the week for most of Minnesota. Here's are the Twin Cities numbers.

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NOAA via Weather Bell.

Warmth not done just yet

I still think we're likely to see many more days in the 70s this autumn, and I can't rule out a couple more 80 degree days. Jet stream patterns suggest more late-season warmth as we move into (gulp) October next week.

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NOAA

NOAA's Global Forecast System output cranks out more 70-plus degree days for the Twin Cities and Minnesota next week.

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NOAA GFS data via Meteostar

NOAA's Climate Prediction Center agrees with the warmer than average solution over a good chunk of the U.S. as we move into October.

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NOAA

Stay tuned.