Retrograding Low Brings Light Snow

I love winter days like yesterday where everything is candy-coated in a brilliant white fluff. It's like a scene out of a snow globe after all the snow has settled. The phenomenon is known as "Rime Ice" or "Hoarfrost"

*This explanation of hoarfrost is from www.gi.alaska.edu* "If when air is cooled down it contains enough water to cause the dew point to be above freezing, then dew forms. But if the air is sufficiently dry that the dew point is below 0°C (32°F), then hoarfrost forms. Hoarfrost consists of crystalline structures that grow from water vapor evaporated from liquid droplets suspended in air. Once hoar-frost crystals form, they can remain as long as conditions for their existence are favorable."

Wasn't it a beautiful site yesterday?


Today will be a fairly quiet start to the day, but it'll get somewhat interesting by the end of the day. At our latitude, weather normally comes in from the west, but every once in a while we'll get storms that come in from the east. That'll be the case later today as a storm backs in from the central Great Lakes Region or "Retrogrades" (moves from east to west). Take a look at the animation here - this system weak disturbance will linger through Monday and will have enough moisture to give us some light accumulations Sunday night in to early Monday. The one thing you will notice this afternoon is the increase winds. It will be quite a bit more breezy today and tomorrow compared to the last few days. There will, in fact, be a whiff of wind chill out there the next couple of days, which may take your breath away at times. I am still comparing every 'chilly' day to the cold snap of early January and, good news, we will be no where near that nor will be no where near that the rest of the winter season. Sure, it maybe cold from time to time, but we are pulling out of the deep freeze slowly but surely. By the way, spring is only 34 days away! Have a good Sunday.


Todd's Outlook for the Twin Cities

Sunday: Cupid sightings likely. Some sun early with increasing clouds and light snow showers developing late. Breezy. High 20

Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy with light snow showers and light accumulations by morning. Low: 11

Monday (Presidents' Day): Lingering light snow early, still breezy. High: 22

Tuesday: Mostly sunny, feeling warmer. High: 24

Wednesday: Partly cloudy with scattered flurries and light snow showers developing late. High: 26

Thursday: More sunshine. High: 25

Friday: Mostly sunny. High: 26

Saturday: partly cloudy. A couple of flakes possible. High: 25