Upside down forecast

Minnesotans are conditioned to think of our weather as colder up north. That's true most of the year. But in summer weather patterns can turn upside down.

This week is a good example. Low pressure and showers across southern Minnesota are producing temperatures  20-degrees cooler than in the sunny, warm north.

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Air temperatures Wednesday afternoon via Oklahoma Mesonet.

It was 22 degrees warmer Wednesday afternoon near the Canadian border than near the Iowa border.

Low-pressure south

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A swirling low-pressure storm over Iowa deals occasional showers and T-Storms to southern Minnesota through Thursday.

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NAM 3 km resolution model via tropical tidbits.

Gradual warming trend

I still see a gradual warming trend for Minnesota over the next week. But no real heat in sight until we approach July.

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NOAA via Weather Bell.

St. Croix River record

We've set another all-time record in the era of climate change enhanced extreme rainfall event. The St. Croix River at Danbury blew away the previous 100+-year-old record this week.

Our weather reality going forward will continue to include rainfall events we have never seen in the Upper Midwest. I hope you have good flood insurance. Places that have never flooded will eventually be inundated in our new  21st Century climate.

Radar trivia

I love this. I won't spoil the answer. Check out the Duluth NWS twitter page for the answer.