Mild Monday; wintry relapse up north this week
Days like this remind us we live is a tall state. Minnesota stretches 400 miles from north to south. It's a long drive from the rolling wind turbine-studded fields near the Iowa border to the crystal clear Canadian border lakes. At 45 N latitude there are usually big north to south differences in weather across 400 miles.
Especially in April.
I arrived in the beautiful Cross Lake, Minn., area for our annual crappie classic with my hockey buddies Friday evening. Lower Whitefish Lake was nearly glass on a beautiful evening. Welcome to the Land of Sky-Tinted Water.
A mostly sunny Saturday greeted central Minnesota. Temps warmed through the 50s into the 60s as our armada worked the Whitefish chain.
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Like many up north we awoke Sunday morning to a snowy greeting. A narrow band of snow set up north of the frontal zone through central Minnesota. Yes weather fans, it's still April in Minnesota.
Back in the Twin Cities Sunday afternoon to mixed sun and the fourth 70-degree day of April? Priceless. Thanks to my good friends and the beautiful people in Cross Lake and the Whitefish chain for a great weekend.
Big temperature contrast continues
Looking at the maps, our tale of two forecasts this continues across Minnesota week. It's another mild Monday in the metro and southern Minnesota. Meanwhile it feels more like March up north as temps hover in the 30s and 40s. A few bank thermometers may flash 70 in southern Minnesota again today.
Wintry relapse north
The Twin Cities starts mild again this week. But a strong frontal zone is the dividing line between much colder air over northern Minnesota. Rain increases over southern Minnesota Tuesday. There are still significant model differences, but it looks cold enough for accumulating snow in central and northern Minnesota Tuesday night.
Enough to shovel ?
Again there are big model differences in the location and snowfall totals Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. But the notion of several inches of snow seems reasonable for much of central and northern Minnesota.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Global Forecast System cranks out some impressive snowfall up north Tuesday night into Wednesday.
Twin Cities soaker
I can't rule out a stray snowflake Wednesday morning near the Twin Cities, but it's mostly rain for the Twin Cities and southern Minnesota this week. NOAA's North American Mesoscale Forecast System model suggests another one-half inch to 1-plus inches for much of Minnesota.
Our breezy mild Monday gives way to a raw chilly weather pattern by Wednesday. It will feel like March again Wednesday with highs in the 30s and 40s across Minnesota.
Cool weekend ahead?
And in the "weather hits just keep on coming" department, I hope you enjoyed last weekend. Next weekend looks chilly and partially wet. Is there a new binge-worthy Netflix offering this weekend?
Warmer again by May 7?
There are signs of warmer spring weather again by the weekend of May 6-7. The jet stream appears ready to buckle north once again.
Until then the overall weather pattern looks cool and wet. NOAA's GFS cranks out 6 inches of rainfall in the next 16 days. That could be overly aggressive, but the notion of a wet next two weeks looks likely.
70s again by May 7? I'll take it.