Valentine’s Clipper “Cupid”; Real winter this year; SKYWARN training schedule

Counting Clippers

The next in our series of February Clipper-Fest is here.

This makes Clipper #6 this month. February has been a "productive" month so far with 9"+ of snow at MSP. This latest edition of Clipper-Fest feature a "rain-slopped" mix on the milder front end for the metro before converting to all snow.

Can you believe International Falls has tallied 61.6" of snowfall this winter so far? That's 11" above average and nearly 3 feet more than last winter. With temps running near average, "The Falls" is in danger of getting it's reputation back as the cold & snowy "Icebox of the Nation" this winter.

Overnight snowfall totals from a coating to 2"+ in the metro means another sloppy trip to work with your once clean car.

I got the "roof raked" yesterday to remove the budding ice dams. In this Updraft we look at the clipper that's here, and the respectable winter that is.

Now where's my shovel?

Winter Weather Advisory through 9am Valentine's Day north of the metro

36F Tuesday at MSP Airport was warmest since January 19th

39F Wednesday at MSP airport continues mini "February Thaw"

-1.9F February temps vs. average so far at MSP

9" and counting February snowfall so far at MSP (+14.9" vs. last winter)

29.4" and counting season to date snowfall at MSP

61.6" season snowfall at International Falls so far

Image: Twin Cities NWS

Clipper Sails In:

Somebody flipped the snow switch this as we rolled into February.

This is the 7th snow system to sideswipe Minnesota this month. Not bad.

The overnight clipper lays down a coating to as much as 2" in the metro, with 2" to 4" likely north toward Alex-St. Cloud & Mille Lacs.

INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ALEXANDRIA...LONG PRAIRIE...

LITTLE FALLS...FOLEY

222 PM CST WED FEB 13 2013

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM CST THURSDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN HAS ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM CST THURSDAY.

* TIMING: SNOW WILL CONTINUE TO EXPAND ACROSS THE AREA THIS EVENING. THE HEAVIEST SNOW IS EXPECTED BETWEEN 8 PM AND 2 AM...WITH SNOW SLOWLY TAPERING OFF THROUGH THE REST OF THE NIGHT.

* MAIN IMPACT: 2 TO 4 INCHES OF SNOW BY THURSDAY MORNING.

Image: snowcrystals.com

A real winter this year:

Don't look now, but this is evolving into a "real winter" in Minnesota.

Temps are running within 1 degree of average in the far north, and the Twin Cities is running about +1.8F vs. average so far this "meteorological" (Dec-Feb) winter.

Snowfall is below average in the south, but we're running about +15" vs. last winter. We actually have a respectable snow cover in Minnesota right now.

Chill returns Thursday & this weekend:

We managed a colder than average month last October at MSP for the 1st time since May of 2011.

Since then we've been running above average....but February is at risk for coming in as the 2nd colder than average month in the past 5 months.

We're running -1.9F so far this month at MSP. After another mini thaw today, the next cold front Thursday will plunge temps a good 10 to 15 degrees below average again as we head into next weekend.

It's going to be nip and tuck, but we may close out the month colder than average.

It seems winter is back this year...and a "cold & snowy" February may be sending us a message that spring may take it's time this year.

SKYWARN Training: 1st sign of spring?

For those of you grasping for any sign of spring here's the best I can do.

It will be spring...and severe weather season soon enough. If spotting severe weather and reporting back to NWS is your thing, the Twin Cities NWS has details on how you can become SKYWARN certified.

Call it "Spring Training" for severe weather season in the field.

We rely on these reports for "ground truth" to what we're seeing on Doppler during severe weather. Thanks to all current and future SKYWARN spotters for your valuable contribution ot severe weather coverage and reporting.

PH