Midwinter Reality Check

* 1-3" snow Monday, more south, less north of the cities. Snow should gradually taper off by afternoon with a cold north wind.

* Storm-free weather should be the rule from Tuesday through the weekend, temperatures within a few degrees of average for mid February.

* The GFS is hinting at 30-34 degree highs from Feb. 24-28, maybe a few inches of slushy, wet snow by the last 2 days of the month.

* Complete 7-Day Forecast: scroll down to the bottom of the post.

It's good to be home, after a week of "studying tropical weather patterns"in the Caribbean. I keep telling anyone who will listen that the key to surviving a Minnesota winter is a few well-timed get-aways. I figure I should practice what I preach. For the record I spent a week on Royal Caribbean's "Independence of the Seas", an amazing ship. I went on as a "guest", came back off 7 days later as "cargo", determined to get rid of the extra 5-7 pounds I packed on. Yes, at the rate I was eating I was afraid I might show up on Doppler Radar - got out just in time. Quite a shock to the system, going from 90 in San Juan to 20 at MSP, but I don't think I'm 'gonna get much sympathy today.

Barely "Plowable". The latest NAM model shows some 1/2 to 1" snowfall amounts for the north metro, but closer to 2-3" just south of the MN River. Burnsville, Lakeville and Woodbury stand a much better chance of 2-3" of powder than Andover and Elk River today. Most of the accumulating snow should be winding down to flurries by afternoon.

Allow extra time to get to work or school Monday morning: we should easily pick up a couple of inches (1" or so north metro, but 2-3" of powder may grease up highways across the south metro). A stiff north wind will blow, whipping up some minor blowing & drifting, especially outside the metro area, with lower visibility near Burnsville and Lakeville - travel conditions getting tougher the farther south you drive down I-35 or Highway 61. This is about as exciting as it gets all week - most of the big, sloppy storms will detour well south of Minnesota this week, just brushing us with a few flurries late Friday and Saturday, little more than a dusting late-week. No mega-storms are brewing looking out through the end of February, but the GFS model has filled me with hope: daytime highs may top 32 from roughly Feb. 24-28 as the upper level steering winds become more "zonal", more west to east. The latest run brings in a few inches of heavy, wet, slushy snow the last weekend of February, right around Feb. 27-28. We'll see. Let's just say that the Groundhog had the right idea, spring is NOT right around the corner.

Weather Nuggets

* 38.3" of snow on the ground at MSP as of Sunday, Feb. 14: that's about .3" more than usual as of Feb. 15, and 8" more than we had last year at this time. But it's less than HALF as much snow as Washington D.C. and Baltimore have picked up so far this winter.

* According to the DNR there's a cool 18-24" of snow on the ground roughly south/west of I-94. According to NOAA estimates there may be as much as 4-6"+ liquid water tied up in that snow cover. If we see a gradual thaw later in March (and no heavy rain events) then we may dodge the flood bullet later in the spring. Although the odds of a flood similar to the one that haunted the Red River Valley for 60+ days in 2009 is small, I'm still worried about the potential for significant flooding along the Minnesota and the Red River 30-60 days from now. If we "limp into spring" we'll probably be ok. But if we see instant-50s, coupled with a few heavy, consecutive rainstorms, then the risk of serious flooding rises by an order of magnitude.

* According to NOAA - in the last week snow has been reported in EVERY one America's 50 states! The last time that happened may have been the harsh winter of 1976-77, when flurries were spotted as far south as Miami Beach!

* According to a weather-intelligence company called Planalytics, it's estimated that a third to a half of all residents of North America experienced significant snow in the last week.

* FAA reports 20,000+ flights impacted by heavy snow last week, impacting roughly 2 million travelers.

Photo courtesy of the Dallas Morning News.

* Dallas experienced 11" of snow on Feb. 11, the most for any day in the city's history. A total of 12.5" of snow fell, much to the chagrin of local TV meteorologists, who had predicted 1-3" from the storm. This is every meteorologist's worst nightmare, right up there with missing a deadly tornado. For a complete recap on what happened, and why the forecasts were off by so much, click here.

* An estimated 1,200 daily snowfall records were set, nationwide, just last week.

* The DC/Baltimore/Philadelphia area was hit by two 20" snowfalls in less than a week, many cities are reporting 30-45" ON THE GROUND as of this morning - incredible for cities that tend to panic when a measly inch of snow falls!

City Season To Date (Inches) Normal Season (October-March)

Baltimore* 79.9” 22”

Philadelphia* 72.1” 23”

Pittsburgh 57.8” 43”

Washington, DC* 55.9” 22”

Chicago 45.3” 37”

Dallas 15.7” 3”

*All time record for most snowfall in one winter season.

· 1,200 daily snowfall records were set over the past week. Some notables:

o Chicago set a daily record when 12.6 inches fell on February 9 – shattering the old record set in 1885.

o Detroit set a daily record when 6.5 inches fell on February 9 – shattering the old record set in 1886.

o Pittsburgh received 5.2 inches of snow on February 10 – setting a new record and making this the 6^th snowiest month ever in city history.

o Baltimore, Washington, DC and Philadelphia each set numerous daily snowfall records throughout the past week.

Including last week’s snowfall and heavy rain events, the retail year is off to its snowiest and wettest start in over 12 years. (source: Planalytics).

Paul's Outlook for the Twin Cities

Today: Light snow, tapering to flurries by late afternoon. Totals of 1-3" (1-2" north metro, closer to 2-3" for some southern suburbs). Winds: N/NW 15-25. High: 22, falling into the teens PM hours.

Monday night: Flurries taper, slippery roads. Low: 8

Tuesday: Intervals of sun, better travel day. High: 21

Wednesday: Partly sunny, storm-free. High: 23

Thursday: Clouds increase, close to "average" for this time of year. Significant storms pass south of MN. High: 25

Friday: Intervals of sun, gusty winds. High: 23

Saturday: Clouds, flurries, a dusting possible. High: 21

Sunday: Blue sky returns, nothing "arctic" in sight. High: 24

Presidents' Day Gold Medal Forecast

I feel like a bump on a log lately, sitting on the couch for countless hours while I watch some of the most amazing athletes in the 2010 Olympic Games do incredible things. I think the thing that impresses me the most about the games is that there seems to be more Olympic Records and World Records set every year! how do they do it? Take a look at the athletes. They get bigger, faster and stronger every year. The gear the athletes use and wear gets better every year and the facilities/course conditions for various sports tends to stay at optimal levels for a longer periods of time. The variability between each heat and racer is minimized, so that everyone has a chance to perform under 'perfect' conditions. Just think about how much the Olympics Games have changed in years past, no wonder why, eh!


From the touching stories of the athletes to the medal ceremonies to the endless amounts of media coverage, you really can't help but enjoy the games for what they stand for. I'm finding myself even enjoying the 'not so typical' events. The events that I am really looking forward too, though, are the hockey games, both men and women. The men's hockey should be a real treat to watch because most of the players are in the NHL. It'll be like watching the All-Star Game each time the puck drops!

OK - OK - enough about the games, how about this weather. There's nothing too exciting about it really, but that light snow should be just enough to make the morning commute and afternoon commute a little hairy. The morning commute will likely out weight the two, so plan accordingly. You may, however, notice a few less cars on the road today due to it being Presidents' Day. That may help the situation out a little. In the meantime, here's how much storm total snowfall to expect from yesterday through today:


Gusty winds will keep the blowing/drifting snow and wind chill factors in play today, but tomorrow is going to be much quieter. In fact, It'll feel quite a bit warmer tomorrow and through the rest of the week as winds subside and temperatures crawl back to near normal levels. There may be a little light flurry activity by midweek, but it doesn't look like an issue at this point. You'll be able to focus on the tasks at hand this week with little distraction from the local weather. I predict that you'll also hear less and less about the recent "Snowpocalypse" from meteorologists as the dust continues to settle and we all begin taking our medication again. Yes, it's true that meteorologists can get a little carried away when talking about the weather sometimes, but like a kid in a candy shop, it's hard to resist the temptation when storms get loaded and bloated with all the right stuff. I'm still searching the extended models for the next big warm up or Arctic outbreak... still nothing yet. Have a good Monday.


Todd's Outlook for the Twin Cities

Monday (Presidents' Day): Lingering light snow early, still breezy. High: 25

Monday Night: Becoming partly cloudy and not as breezy. Low: 12

Tuesday: Mostly sunny, feeling warmer. High: 27

Wednesday: Mix of clouds and sun, a flurry or two possible. High: 28

Thursday: Partly cloudy. High: 29

Friday: Partly cloudy. High: 25

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

Sunday: Mostly sunny and quiet. High: 24

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

Thinking Warm Thoughts

Happy Saturday everyone! I hope you were able to sleep in a bit today and are enjoying your day off, though, if you are a weekend warrior (like myself) I feel you! You may be a bit more tired today after watching the countless number of some of the most amazing athletes from around the world march into BC Place Stadium in Vancouver British Columbia. Unfortunately, the games are shadowed by shocking news of a 21 year old Georgian Luger who crashed a few hours before the opening ceremony. Interestingly, the Vancouver Luge/skeleton/Bob Sled race track is dubbed as the fastest course in the world, where speeds can climb to as high as the low to mid 90's! I have to admit, I went into the evening with a heavy heart, but to see the Georgians march into the stadium after such a tragic event and to have the 'world' give them a standing ovation was uplifting.


Nodar Kumaritashvili 1989 - 2010


Thinking Warm Thoughts

Have you been too cold lately? These numbers might help out a little. Don't be alarmed if you have a quick flashback to summer-like feelings or a warm tingling sensation when I read some of these numbers.

Normal High Temperatures:
Today - February 13th ..... 28 degrees
End of the Month - February 28th ..... 34 degrees
First day of Spring, March 20th, only 35 days away! ..... 42 degrees
End of April ..... 63 degrees
End of May ..... 75 degrees
End of June ..... 82 degrees

Did that help any? I like a good snow storm, but I am an even bigger fan of a rain/thunderstorm... I think I can smell the fresh rain now - SIGH

Here's a picture that I took one summer evening a few years back
I was pretty lucky to get this picture:

Back to reality
As we step back into our bodies and take a look outside, you'll see lots of ice and snow and when you put your nose into the wind, you'll have no doubt that it's still winter. However, at least the sun is feeling decent at this stage of the game.

A clipper will roll through just southwest of us today, keeping the accumulating snow well away from us. We may get a few flurries out of this one, but our next best chance of snow won't swing in until late Sunday. Even then, it appears our snow chances are limited.

Interested in Canadian Weather? Vancouver Weather?
Canada has a government weather office, see here


Todd's Outlook for the Twin Cities

Saturday: Some morning fog, then a mix of clouds and sun with a little light snow possible. Accumulations likely in far southwest MN. High 24

Saturday night: Partly cloudy and chilly. Low: 7

Sunday: Cupid sightings likely. Increasing clouds with flurries and light snow showers developing late. High 22

Monday (Presidents' Day): Mix of clouds and sun with some light snow early. High: 23

Tuesday: Mostly sunny, feeling warmer. High: 23

Wednesday: Looking bright, with increasing clouds late. High: 24

Thursday: Partly sunny with scattered light snow showers. High: 25

Friday: Mostly cloudy and a few flakes. High: 27

Clipper from Olympians

Today is the day that I've been waiting for since the last Winter Olympics (Torino Italy) back in 2006. I grew up a hockey player and living in Minnesota all my life, I've come to love a number of other winter sports, so these next 15 days of sporting events is going to be a treat. Think about it... how many times can you see the some of the best athletes from around the globe compete for their country. It truly is an uplifting event that can take your mind off of the mundane, day to day, tasks that one goes through. Step back for a moment - enjoy the camaraderie , competition and the Canadian hospitality. Vancouver is a beautiful place with some of most interesting weather on Earth. Note, Whistler had a record 220" of snow in the month of November and should remain in the 'snow' during the games, but Vancouver just went through the warmest January on record with an average temperature of 44.9 degrees. How strange is that? For the first time in Olympic history, you will witness an opening and closing ceremony indoors because of the fear of rain. Daytime high temperatures will hover in the upper 40's to low 50's during the Olympic games with rain showers - don't be surprised when you here the commentators talking about rare rain showers during the Olympic events... Vancouver is a harbor city next to an ocean, so the climate is mild even in winter. In fact, Vancouver's average February temperature of 4.8 degrees Celsius and is the warmest city to ever host a Winter Olympics. By the way, 4.8 degrees Celsius is around 40 degrees Fahrenheit.



A Few Numbers/Conversions to Remember During the Olympics:

Now you can convert from Centigrade to Fahrenheit with these quick references...
10 degrees Celsius = 50 degrees Fahrenheit
0 degrees Celsius = 32 degrees Fahrenheit
-10 degrees Celsius = 14 degrees Fahrenheit

Also, remember that every 1 degree Celsius = 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit.


Minnesota Twins and Canada Native, Justin Morneau, Carried Olympic Torch Yesterday @ 3:45 CST
You can watch the LIVE Olympic Torch Relay coverage here

Interestingly, once the Olympic Torch reaches Vancouver, British Columbia, it will have traveled nearly 28,000 miles and have become the longest traveled torch relay in a single country history.


In Our Neck of the Woods
Flurries and light snow showers will be possible the next couple of days, but it appears the heaviest of the snow from the next (Canadian) Alberta Clipper will be in southwestern Minnesota:


Temperatures will fall slightly behind this next clipper system, but just a few degrees. Our high temperatures over the next 5 to 7 days will hover in the mid 20's, slightly below average. I still don't see any big warm ups or Arctic outbreaks in the near future. I do, however, see the sunshine in the extended forecast, which is much stronger now than it was just a few weeks ago. Go ahead, step outside for a few second when the sun is shining brightly... I guarantee you'll notice a dramatic difference in the intensity of the sun and I bet those few seconds in the sun will last, perhaps, for a few minutes. You may even get a hint of spring fever (I know I did).


Todd's Outlook for the Twin Cities

Friday: Mostly cloudy with a few flurries and scattered light snow showers. No accumulation expected. High 24

Friday Night: Mostly cloudy. Perhaps a flurry or two. Low: 8

Saturday: Mostly cloudy. A little light snow, accumulations likely in southwest MN. High 24

Sunday: Cupid sightings possible. Lingering clouds and flurries? High 21

Monday (Presidents' Day): Mix of clouds and sun with a flake or two. High: 22

Tuesday: Partly cloudy, slightly warmer. High: 23

Wednesday: Looking bright, slightly below normal temps. High: 25

Thursday: Mostly sunny. High 26

Snowiest Season on Record Out East

Just for a moment, imagine yourself having to shovel and scoot around town after just going through two major winter storms with as much as 4 feet of fresh snow just under a weeks time. Also imagine the second storm blowing the new snow around at 50mph to 60mph into 10 foot snow drifts! Wouldn't that be something? I have to admit, after watching live coverage of the events unfolding out east yesterday, I was a little jealous to see such an extreme weather event. At times, blizzard conditions dropped visibilities to just a few feet for places around the Megalopolis of Baltimore, Washington D.C., New York and Philadelphia. Speaking of which, those locations just set the all-time snowiest seasons on record after this latest storm.


Records Fall This Winter Season
Take a gander at some of these impressive numbers. Note that D.C. and Baltimore have had a snowier winter than St. Cloud; Duluth; Buffalo, NY and Anchorage, AK so far this season.

Baltimore Washington International Airport as of yesterday afternoon had seasonal snow total a little over 72" beating the old record of 62.5" set in 1995-96. Records go back to 1893.

Washington Dulles International Airport as of Tuesday had a seasonal snow total of 63.5" beating the old record of 61.9" set in 1995-96.

Washington Reagan National Airport as of yesterday afternoon topped the snowiest season on record of 54.4" which was previously set in 1898-99.

Philadelphia International Airport as of yesterday evening, recorded 14" of new snow putting their seasonal snow total at 70.3" and above the snowiest season on record of 65.5" previously set in 1995-96


Proof in Pictures





Storm on Satellite


Closer to Home

We remain quiet through the day today, but clouds will be increasing this afternoon in advance of our next clipper system. Waking up tomorrow there may be a light coating of fluff on the ground, but it'll be pretty minor. Flurries and light snow chances will continue Friday and early Saturday before we clear out on Valentine's Day Sunday. The image below shows the potential snowfall through Saturday.



Looking ahead, temperatures will hover in the mid 20's for daytime highs next week. I don't see any major cold snaps or dramatic heat waves in the extended forecast. I'll keep peering into the crystal ball... until then, have a good Thursday.


Todd's Outlook for the Twin Cities

Thursday: Chilly start. Increasing clouds, a few flurries possible late. High: 19

Thursday Night: Mostly cloudy with a little light snow and not as cold. Low: 10

Friday: Mostly cloudy with light snow showers. High 25

Saturday: Mostly cloudy, a little light snow. High 25

Sunday: Cupid sightings possible, more sunshine. High 23

Monday (Presidents' Day): Threat of a mostly blue sky. High: 24

Tuesday: Partly cloudy, slightly warmer. High: 24

Wednesday: Looking bright, slightly below normal temps. High: 25

Back to Normal (Snowfall)

A quick story for you... Yesterday, I was surfing the web, looking at the latest snow totals across Minnesota when I heard my SKYPE phone ring and who was it? It was my grandmother who called to verbally and visually complain to me about how she dislikes all this snow we've been getting. She asked if I could do something about it because she was sick of shoveling. First of all, I can't believe that my grandmother is still insists on shoveling her driveway at her age and secondly, I can't believe my grandmother knows how to SKYPE. How cool is that! I give her a lot of credit for doing the things she does. She has never had her drivers license, forcing her to walk to the grocery store, to church every Sunday and to her many different community volunteering events, even during the bitterly cold Minnesota winter days. You go Gramma, keep it up!

Our multi-day storm started on Sunday and wrapped up early Tuesday, which gave the MSP Airport officially 5.6" putting us 1.3" above normal snowfall for the season. The range across the metro was around 4" to 5" on the northeast side to as much as 8" to 11" on the southwest side. The biggest snowfall report I saw was 11.5" 9 miles SW of Starbuck in Pope county. Take a look at the snowfall map and other snowfall reports below.

Storm Total Snowfall Map


Storm Total Snowfall Reports

...STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL REPORTS SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING...

WE THANK OUR COOP AND COCORAHS OBSERVERS...TRAINED SPOTTERS AND
PARTNERS FOR THE FOLLOWING PRELIMINARY STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL REPORTS.


SNOW REPORTS LISTED BY AMOUNT

INCHES  LOCATION                 ST  COUNTY           TIME
------  -----------------------  --  --------------   -------
11.50   9 SW STARBUCK            MN  POPE             0949 AM
11.00   GLENWOOD                 MN  POPE             0515 PM
11.00   FARIBAULT                MN  RICE             0800 AM
10.00   ELLENDALE                MN  STEELE           0645 AM
10.00   NEW MARKET               MN  SCOTT            0728 PM
9.80   LAKEVILLE                MN  DAKOTA           0922 AM
9.80   LONG LAKE                MN  HENNEPIN         0800 AM
9.70   LITCHFIELD               MN  MEEKER           0800 AM
9.70   1 NNW COLD SPRING        MN  STEARNS          0800 AM
9.50   MURDOCK                  MN  SWIFT            0812 AM
9.50   3 N KIMBALL              MN  STEARNS          0800 AM
9.50   3 SE ALBERT LEA          MN  FREEBORN         0800 AM
9.50   MINNETRISTA              MN  HENNEPIN         0800 AM
9.50   MEDINA                   MN  HENNEPIN         0755 AM
9.30   BLOOMINGTON              MN  HENNEPIN         0808 AM
9.00   CARLOS                   MN  DOUGLAS          0812 AM
9.00   3 SSW BURNSVILLE         MN  DAKOTA           0515 PM
9.30   2 W PRIOR LAKE           MN  SCOTT            0800 AM
9.10   1 E OWATONNA             MN  STEELE           0800 AM
8.80   HAMBURG                  MN  CARVER           0800 AM
8.50   1 W HUTCHINSON           MN  MCLEOD           0800 AM
8.40   RAMSEY                   MN  ANOKA            0922 AM
8.30   WACONIA                  MN  CARVER           0800 AM
8.20   1 SSW JORDAN             MN  SCOTT            0800 AM
8.10   2 NE BUFFALO             MN  WRIGHT           0800 AM
8.00   MANKATO                  MN  BLUE EARTH       0932 AM
8.00   WELLS                    MN  FARIBAULT        0800 AM
8.00   FAIRMONT                 MN  MARTIN           0800 AM
8.00   KIESTER                  MN  FARIBAULT        0720 AM
7.80   3 ENE MONTGOMERY         MN  RICE             0800 AM
7.80   1 SSW LONSDALE           MN  RICE             0800 AM
7.80   1 SE HENDERSON           MN  LE SUEUR         0800 AM
7.50   RENVILLE                 MN  RENVILLE         0828 AM
7.50   EDINA                    MN  HENNEPIN         0934 AM
7.50   WINNEBAGO                MN  FARIBAULT        0800 AM
7.50   WATERTOWN                MN  CARVER           0743 AM
7.30   NEW HOPE                 MN  HENNEPIN         0638 AM
7.00   DASSEL                   MN  MEEKER           0800 AM
7.00   1 W CARVER               MN  CARVER           0800 AM
7.00   3 ENE SILVER CREEK       MN  WRIGHT           0414 PM
6.80   ALBANY                   MN  STEARNS          0452 AM
6.70   WOODBURY                 MN  WASHINGTON       1039 AM
6.70   5 NW MINNEAPOLIS         MN  HENNEPIN         0800 AM
6.60   ST PETER                 MN  NICOLLET         0800 AM
6.50   SAUK RAPIDS              MN  BENTON           0713 AM
6.50   RAMSEY                   MN  ANOKA            0607 PM
6.40   FRIDLEY                  MN  ANOKA            0848 AM
6.40   MORRIS                   MN  STEVENS          0800 AM
6.20   ST CLOUD SCSU            MN  STEARNS          0800 AM
6.20   NORTH ST PAUL            MN  RAMSEY           0842 AM
6.00   MORGAN                   MN  REDWOOD          0800 AM
6.00   BLUE EARTH               MN  FARIBAULT        0800 AM
5.60   MINNEAPOLIS ST PAUL APT  MN  HENNEPIN         0600 AM
5.50   SLEEPY EYE               MN  BROWN            0849 AM
5.50   MELROSE                  MN  STEARNS          0800 AM
5.50   5 W ST CLOUD             MN  STEARNS          0800 AM
5.50   RED WING                 MN  GOODHUE          0743 AM
5.50   LITTLE FALLS             MN  MORRISON         0650 AM
5.40   RICHFIELD                MN  HENNEPIN         0745 AM
5.10   4 SE RED WING            MN  GOODHUE          0800 AM
5.00   HASTINGS                 MN  DAKOTA           0742 AM
5.00   ST CLOUD                 MN  STEARNS          0600 AM
4.50   ELK RIVER                MN  SHERBURNE        0800 AM
4.50   3 WSW PRINCETON          MN  SHERBURNE        0800 AM
4.50   2 SSW CAMBRIDGE          MN  ISANTI           0629 AM
4.20   REDWOOD FALLS            MN  REDWOOD          0800 AM
4.20   MILACA                   MN  MILLE LACS       0800 AM
4.20   LONG PRAIRIE             MN  TODD             0800 AM
4.00   3 ESE LAKE ELMO          MN  WASHINGTON       0800 AM
4.00   1 N ANDOVER              MN  ANOKA            0800 AM
4.00   2 NNW COON RAPIDS        MN  ANOKA            0800 AM
3.80   1 NW COTTAGE GROVE       MN  WASHINGTON       0800 AM
3.50   1 ESE MILROY             MN  REDWOOD          0800 AM
2.80   7 NNW OGILVIE            MN  KANABEC          1111 AM
2.00   DURAND                   WI  PEPIN            0800 AM
2.00   BALDWIN                  WI  ST. CROIX        0800 AM
1.80   1 NE LAKELAND SHORES     MN  WASHINGTON       0800 AM
1.60   3 NE RUSH CITY           MN  CHISAGO          0800 AM
1.40   CHIPPEWA FALLS           WI  CHIPPEWA         0800 AM
1.40   AUGUSTA                  WI  EAU CLAIRE       0800 AM
1.10   STANLEY                  WI  CHIPPEWA         0800 AM
1.10   EAU CLAIRE               WI  EAU CLAIRE       0600 AM
1.00   CUMBERLAND               WI  BARRON           0800 AM
1.00   BLOOMER                  WI  CHIPPEWA         0800 AM

Cold and Quiet Until Friday
The next two days will be rather quiet as a cold Canadian high sinks south of the international border. Temperature readings will drop below normal and overnight lows will dip into the sub-zero range again Thursday morning. The cold air is dry, so there will be plenty of sunshine. Don't forget the shades as you head out the door, that fresh snow will be darn bright and since we haven't seen the sun in a few days, it'll seem even brighter. Our next snow chance doesn't swing in until Friday and Saturday. A light coating of fluff may be possible then, but that Alberta Clipper could swerve around us like Lindsay Vonn cutting around the last gate before the finish line on her way to her 4th Gold Medal of the 2010 Winter Olympics, so we'll keep an eye on it. Tune in tomorrow for weather facts about the Olympic games and the 2010 host city Vancouver, Canada.


Todd's Outlook for the Twin Cities

Wednesday: Cold sunshine. High: 18

Wednesday Night: Clear, calm and quiet... COLD too. Low: -1

Thursday: Chilly start. Increasing clouds, light snow developing late. High: 20

Friday: Mostly cloudy with light snow showers. High 24

Saturday: Partly sunny, light snow possible. High 26

Sunday: Partly cloudy and quiet. High 21

Monday (Presidents' Day): Threat of a mostly blue sky. High: 23

Tuesday: Partly cloudy, slightly warmer. High: 26