MPR Live in North Minneapolis; Summery today; Storms tomorrow

Quick look forecast: (Click for bigger image)

Source: Twin Cities NWS

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Source: Twin Cities NWS

1 year since the North Minneapolis tornado of May 22, 2011

After the Storm: An All Things Considered Special

MPR news live from North Minneapolis Tuesday

(All Things Considered with Tom Crann Tuesday from 3-6:30pm)

The tornado that hit North Minneapolis on May 22, 2011 resulted in two deaths, more than 3,700 damaged structures and millions of dollars in needed repairs. One year later, MPR News revisits the neighborhood to see how the recovery was managed, what gaps remain and what's next for the North Side.

Join All Things Considered host Tom Crann for a special live broadcast from the University of Minnesota's Urban Research and Outreach Engagement Center in North Minneapolis on Tuesday, May 22 from 3:00 to 6:30 p.m. We will report on the North Side after the tornado, and Mayor R.T. Rybak, MPR meteorologist Paul Huttner, community leaders, activists and residents join Tom Crann to celebrate the progress, discuss lessons learned and consider strategies for the future. The event is free and open to the public.

Boating safety week this week

Here are some great tips for boaters this season.

There are no specific warnings or advisories for lightning but all thunderstorms produce lightning. A lightning strike to a vessel can be catastrophic, especially if it results in a fire or loss of electronics. If your boat has a cabin, then stay inside and avoid touching metal or electrical devices. If your boat doesn't have a cabin, stay as low as you can in the boat.

Next two months are the "brightest" days of 2012 in Minnesota

15+ hours of daylight from now until July 23rd

Tropical Storm Alberto - earliest Atlantic tropical storm since "Ana" in 2003

Windy & warmer Today

Growing T-Storm chances Wednesday PM & Thursday

North Minneapolis Tornado: 1 year after

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Today marks a year since the EF1 North Minneapolis tornado. The twister is a reminder that urban tornadoes can and do occur, and that we're vulnerable to such events.

What strikes me most about the North Minneapolis tornado is the amount of damage a relatively "weak" EF1 tornado with 110 mph winds caused, and the disruption of lives that continues a year later.

Source: Twin Cities NWS

I don't even want to think about what will happen when the next EF3 or EF4 tornado tears through the Twin Cities metro with winds of 150mph to 200 mph. That's a completely different (and for most of us unimaginable) level of damage and destruction.

That's why we produced "Storm Ready?"... the joint tornado project last week with MPR News and KARE11.

Join us today from 3pm to 6:30pm during All Things Considered with Tom Crann as we mark 1 year since the North Minneapolis tornado. The MPR news team will cover numerous angles, and I'll be live in North Minneapolis with Tom Crann with an in depth discussion on the tornado that struck one year ago.

Brightest days of 2012 ahead!

Daylight lovers rejoice!

The next 9 weeks of the year are the "brightest" of 2102.

We're basking in more than 15 hours of daylight between now and July 23rd.

Daylight peaks at 15 hours and 36 minutes the week of the summer solstice, which occurs at 6:09pm on Wednesday June 20th.

These are the earliest mornings and longest evenings of the year in Minnesota and the northern hemisphere. The next 6 weeks are the best time to take that evening bike ride of get in a round of golf after (or before??) work.

http://www.die.net/earth/

One of my favorite things about this time of year is that the sun rises and sets well north of due east/west. You can notice sunlight on clear evenings shining on the north side of homes and into north facing windows in the early morning and evening.

Outlook: Pattern change ahead

A strong but balmy south wind will boost temperatures Tuesday. Bank thermometers will blink mid to upper 80s in southern Minnesota by Tuesday afternoon.

Winds gusting to and over 30 mph will whip up whitecaps on Minnesota lakes Tuesday.

The next frontal system arrives Wednesday with a chance of scattered T-Storms. The front will stall Wednesday night over Minnesota...and a second wave of low pressure will ride northeast along the frontal boundary Thursday.

The waves of showers and T-Storms have the potential to bring more tropical style downpours to Minnesota this week. Rainfall totals may exceed 1" to 2" by Thursday evening in many areas.

Source: NOAA/wxcaster.com

Tropical Storm Alberto: Earliest in 9 years!

Tropical Storm Alberto brushed the Carolina Coast over the weekend. The storm is the earliest to form in the Atlantic Basin since Ana in 2003.

Source: NASA

WxUnderground's hurricane specialist Jeff Masters has some historical context.

Here's an excerpt.

Alberto in historical context

Alberto is earliest-forming tropical storm in the Atlantic Basin since Ana in 2003, which formed on April 21. Alberto is one of only three Atlantic tropical storms to form in May in the past 31 years. The others were Tropical Storm Arthur of 2008, and Tropical Storm Arlene of 1981. There was also a subtropical storm, Andrea, that formed in May of 2007. Formation of an early season tropical storm from an old frontal boundary, like occurred with Alberto, is not a harbinger of an active hurricane season--it's more of a random occurrence. Early season storms that form in the Caribbean, though, often signal that a busy hurricane season may occur.

Native American moon names: A sign of climate change?

This month's Ojibwe moon name according my trusty Minnesota Weatherguide Calendar is the "budding plants moon."

The various Native American moon names say a lot about just how in tune these people were with our changing weather and seasons. They named the moons to describe what was happening in the environment each month of the year.

With our frost landscape fully "leafed out" now for nearly a month, clearly the landscape looks different these days than it did a hundred or more years ago when the moon names evolved.

The Native Americans were astute observers of changes in their environment, even early phenologists. The fact that monthly moon names no longer reflect the reality of our landscape may be as good as any sign that our climate is changing dramatically.

PH