Warming trend kicks in as rivers swell

Thermometers are pushing higher this week. So are most area rivers. The Mississippi River in St. Paul continues to rise and swallow Harriet Island. Check the latest river levels and forecast here.

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The Mississippi River at Harriet Island in St. Paul Tuesday morning. Image via City of St. Paul.

Warming trend kicks in

Three factors combine to push temperatures higher Tuesday and Wednesday.

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  • Our sun angle and intensity this week is equal to mid-September.

  • Snowmelt has exposed bare ground from the Twin Cities south. The sun's stronger rays now hit bare ground and warm the lower atmosphere far more efficiently than with snow cover.

  • Southerly breezes blowing in from Iowa over the snow-free landscape advect in milder air.

These three factors boost temperatures well into the 60s across southern Minnesota Tuesday. Northern Minnesota will see highs in the 40s and 50s Wednesday.

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Forecast high temperatures Wednesday via NOAA.

Play ball!

Colder air blows in Thursday. But the Twins home opener still looks favorable. Temperatures hover around 50 degrees at game time. Northwest winds of 10-18 mph will be blowing out toward center field.

We bottom out Saturday, then temperatures moderate again next week.

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NOAA via Weather Bell.

April

April arrives next Monday. No foolin'.

Right now I still don't see any surprise early April snows lurking on the extended range weather maps. The upper air pattern through next week suggests plenty of days with highs in the 50s across Minnesota. So far, so good.

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Upper air forecast map for April 8 via NOAA.

The latest three- to four-week temperature outlook from NOAA favors continued near or above average temperatures overall across the Midwest.

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NOAA.

Stay tuned.