Eighth warmest January

   I've crunched the numbers, and today's high of 45 in the Twin Cities increased our average monthly temperature a bit. It won't be official until midnight tonight, but this January should replace 1933 as the eighth warmest January in Twin Cities history. You can see the list of the warmest Januarys in our "modern day" record at the Minnesota State Climatology Office website: http://climate.umn.edu/doc/twin_cities/january_msp_rank.htm
Update Feb1: NWS lists average monthly temperature for January 2012 as 23.3 degrees. That makes it the eighth warmest January In Twin Cities history.
   Our warm winter has saved all of us some money on our heating bills, but it has been frustrating for many cross-country skiers, snowmobilers and ice-fishing fans.  I saw fewer than normal ice-fishing houses out on Lake Minnetonka this (Tuesday) afternoon. This was the view looking out from Excelsior Commons Park:

   Winter isn't over, but there aren't any signs of a severe cold snap or a snowstorm over the next 7 days.

A January of small snows

    On average, January is the snowiest month of the year in the Twin Cities.  Our average monthly snow total for January is 13.5 inches. Through Saturday, our total this January was a meager 4.6 inches.  The largest snowfall on any single day this month was the 1.9 inches that accumulated last Monday morning.  Last January we saw plenty of snow...17 inches was our total here in the Twin Cities.
    Our official Twin Cities snow depth on Saturday morning was one inch, but I saw many large patches of brown grass in my travels around the metro area. Here's how it looked near the clubhouse (winter ski chalet) at Como Golf Course:

   It's a good thing that they can make snow for the skiers and snowboarders at Como.  There were plenty of people enjoying the snow-covered hill:

    You can left-click on the pictures for a larger view.
    We'll probably see a bit of snow tonight (Sunday night) into very early Monday, but no big snowstorms are expected over the next few days. Our wimpy winter continues.

Enough snow to make it slow

  I heard that it took some people twice as long as normal to get to work this morning.  Many parts of the metro saw freezing drizzle Sunday evening, then a changeover to snow.  Snow continued through rush hour(s) today in the Twin Cities. The official snow total at MSP airport was 1.9 inches. Here are some additional snow totals, as posted on the Twin Cities National Weather Service web site: 

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
647 PM CST MON JAN 23 2012

...SNOWFALL TOTALS FOR THE JANUARY 22-23RD WINTER STORM...

SNOW REPORTS LISTED BY AMOUNT

INCHES  LOCATION           ST  COUNTY                 TIME
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  3.80   MAPLEWOOD                MN  RAMSEY           0354 PM
  3.50   OWATONNA                 MN  STEELE           1006 AM
  3.50   SW ELLENDALE             MN  STEELE           0700 AM
  3.40   NORTH ST PAUL            MN  RAMSEY           0252 PM
  3.30   ST PAUL                  MN  RAMSEY           1047 AM
  3.20   ST CLOUD                 MN  STEARNS          1205 PM
                 MEASURED AT THE PRISON.
  3.00   ANNANDALE                MN  WRIGHT           0507 PM
  3.00   WINTHROP                 MN  SIBLEY           0340 PM
  3.00   LITCHFIELD               MN  MEEKER           0259 PM
                 MOISTURE CONTENT OF 0.2 INCHES.
  3.00   GLENCOE                  MN  MCLEOD           1241 PM
  3.00   CUMBERLAND               WI  BARRON           0957 AM
  3.00   MANKATO                  MN  BLUE EARTH       0953 AM
  3.00   3 SE ALBERT LEA          MN  FREEBORN         0800 AM
  3.00   ZUMBROTA                 MN  GOODHUE          0700 AM
  2.80   HUTCHINSON               MN  MCLEOD           0655 AM
  2.80   E OWATONNA               MN  STEELE           0615 AM
  2.50   2 SSW CAMBRIDGE          MN  ISANTI           0542 PM
  2.50   CLEAR LAKE               WI  POLK             0139 PM
  2.50   MANKATO                  MN  BLUE EARTH       0821 AM
  2.50   3 SE NEW ULM             MN  BROWN            0735 AM
  2.50   1 NNW SPRINGFIELD        MN  BROWN            0700 AM
  2.40   RICE                     MN  BENTON           1021 AM
  2.40   NORTHFIELD               MN  RICE             1012 AM
  2.30   MENOMONIE                WI  DUNN             0340 PM
  2.30   RUSH CITY                MN  CHISAGO          0112 PM
  2.10   MONTICELLO               MN  WRIGHT           1123 AM
  2.10   ST CLOUD                 MN  STEARNS          0600 AM
                 MEASURED AT ST CLOUD STATE UNIVERSITY
  2.00   RIDGELAND                WI  DUNN             0542 PM
                 SIX INCHES ON THE GROUND.
  2.00   CLAYTON                  WI  POLK             0259 PM
  2.00   INVER GROVE HEIGHTS      MN  DAKOTA           0259 PM
  2.00   8 NW MORA                MN  KANABEC          0252 PM
                 OCCURRED IN LAKE TOWNSHIP.
  2.00   MENOMONIE                WI  DUNN             1238 PM
                 REPORT RELAYED VIA WQOW.
  2.00   LAKEVILLE                MN  DAKOTA           1204 PM
  2.00   HASTINGS                 MN  DAKOTA           0956 AM
  2.00   3 SW CARLOS              MN  DOUGLAS          0851 AM
  2.00   MADELIA                  MN  WATONWAN         0811 AM
  2.00   1 SSW RIVER FALLS        WI  PIERCE           0700 AM
  2.00   6 NNW AMERY              WI  POLK             0700 AM
  2.00   3 SE LAKE ELMO           MN  WASHINGTON       0700 AM
  2.00   ELK RIVER                MN  SHERBURNE        0700 AM
  2.00   3 N KIMBALL              MN  STEARNS          0600 AM
  2.00   RED WING                 MN  GOODHUE          0600 AM
  2.00   1 NNW COLD SPRING        MN  STEARNS          0600 AM
  1.90   MINNEAPOLIS              MN  HENNEPIN         1210 PM
                 MEASURED AT THE MINNEAPOLIS INTERNATIONAL
                 AIRPORT.
  1.80   ST PAUL                  MN  RAMSEY           1123 AM
  1.80   ELK MOUND                WI  DUNN             0800 AM
  1.80   2 WNW LAKEVILLE          MN  DAKOTA           0700 AM
  1.50   DURAND                   WI  PEPIN            0323 PM
  1.50   LAKEVILLE                MN  DAKOTA           0805 AM
  1.50   1 S RICE LAKE            WI  BARRON           0802 AM
  1.50   DURAND                   WI  PEPIN            0800 AM
  1.50   WINNEBAGO                MN  FARIBAULT        0800 AM
  1.50   1 S BLUE EARTH           MN  FARIBAULT        0800 AM
  1.50   9 NNE BIRD ISLAND        MN  RENVILLE         0730 AM
  1.50   FAIRMONT                 MN  MARTIN           0700 AM
  1.50   3 SSW MINNEAPOLIS        MN  HENNEPIN         0700 AM
  1.50   3 N BOYCEVILLE           WI  DUNN             0700 AM
  1.30   EAU CLAIRE               WI  EAU CLAIRE       0530 PM
  1.30   1 ENE MINNESOTA LAKE     MN  FARIBAULT        0201 PM
  1.30   1 SW MINNEAPOLIS         MN  HENNEPIN         0856 AM
  1.30   MORRIS                   MN  STEVENS          0800 AM
  1.30   MILACA                   MN  MILLE LACS       0730 AM
  1.30   6 ESE DRESSER            WI  POLK             0700 AM
  1.20   WACONIA                  MN  CARVER           0201 PM
  1.20   NORTH MANKATO            MN  NICOLLET         0700 AM
  1.10   ST LOUIS PARK            MN  HENNEPIN         1204 PM
  1.10   ONAMIA                   MN  MILLE LACS       0800 AM
  1.10   RICE                     MN  BENTON           0700 AM
  1.10   REDWOOD FALLS            MN  REDWOOD          0600 AM
  1.00   BROOKLYN CENTER          MN  HENNEPIN         0203 PM
  1.00   VESTA                    MN  REDWOOD          0108 PM
  1.00   3 N WATERTOWN            MN  WRIGHT           0844 AM
  1.00   BLOOMER                  WI  CHIPPEWA         0800 AM
  1.00   1 ENE ST MICHAEL         MN  WRIGHT           0700 AM
  1.00   3 N CAMBRIDGE            MN  ISANTI           0700 AM
  1.00   HOLCOMBE                 WI  CHIPPEWA         0700 AM
  1.00   LITTLE FALLS             MN  MORRISON         0630 AM
  0.80   CHANHASSEN               MN  CARVER           1205 PM
                 MEASURED AT THE NWS FORECAST OFFICE.

A little snow, slippery roads

  We didn’t see much snow in the Twin Cities Friday (1.1 inches officially at MSP Airport), but it was enough to cause slippery roads.  According to the Minnesota State Patrol, there were over 500 crashes in the metro area between 5am and 7pm.  Here are some snow totals from the Twin Cities office of the National Weather Service :

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
1129 PM CST FRI JAN 20 2012

…SNOWFALL AMOUNTS FROM THE JANUARY 20TH STORM…
THE TOTALS BELOW ARE SEPARATED INTO SNOW…AND ICE AND SLEET CATEGORIES…THEN BY AMOUNT…AND ARE NOT NECESSARILY THE FINAL AMOUNT FOR EACH LOCATION.

SNOW REPORTS LISTED BY AMOUNT

INCHES  LOCATION         ST  COUNTY        TIME (Of report)
________________________________________________
  4.60   ALBERT LEA               MN  FREEBORN         0913 PM
  4.50   COMFREY                  MN  BROWN            0920 AM
  4.20   FAIRMONT                 MN  MARTIN           1106 AM
  3.80   MADELIA                  MN  WATONWAN         0323 PM
  3.00   VESTA                    MN  REDWOOD          0106 PM
  3.00   NEW ULM                  MN  BROWN            1051 AM
  3.00   MANKATO                  MN  BLUE EARTH       1040 AM
  3.00   SPRINGFIELD              MN  BROWN            1032 AM
  3.00   WINNEBAGO                MN  FARIBAULT        0800 AM
  3.00   WSW ST JAMES             MN  WATONWAN         0654 AM
  2.90   1 ENE MINNESOTA LAKE   MN  FARIBAULT     0355 PM
  2.80   NE FAIRMONT              MN  MARTIN           0700 AM
  2.70   MONTICELLO               MN  WRIGHT           0424 PM
  2.00   1 NNW SPRINGFIELD        MN  BROWN            0700 AM
  1.90   1 ESE MILROY             MN  REDWOOD          0700 AM
  1.80   ANDOVER                  MN  ANOKA            0323 PM
  1.70   NORTH MANKATO            MN  NICOLLET         0700 AM
  1.50   WINTHROP                 MN  SIBLEY           0517 PM
  1.40   ST PAUL                  MN  RAMSEY           0159 PM
  1.30   PLYMOUTH                 MN  HENNEPIN         0107 PM
  1.20   MADISON                  MN  LAC QUI PARLE    0800 AM
  1.10   MINNEAPOLIS              MN  HENNEPIN         0609 PM
  1.00   GLENWOOD                 MN  POPE             1030 PM
  1.00   ORONO                    MN  HENNEPIN         1001 PM
  1.00   GOLDEN VALLEY            MN  HENNEPIN         0700 PM
  1.00   CHANHASSEN               MN  CARVER           0609 PM
  1.00   MENOMONIE                WI  DUNN             0605 PM
  1.00   ST LOUIS PARK            MN  HENNEPIN         0517 PM
  1.00   NORTH ST PAUL            MN  RAMSEY           0310 PM
  1.00   BROOKLYN CENTER          MN  HENNEPIN         0300 PM
  1.00   WACONIA                  MN  CARVER           1249 PM
  0.50   ST CLOUD                 MN  STEARNS          1226 PM

Update on record

  We knew early today that the temperature at MSP airport had dropped below zero shortly before midnight on Wednesday.  The Twin Cities Office of the National Weather Service investigated the detailed temperature log, and discovered that the initial dip to one below zero occurred at 11:25 PM Wednesday.  I spoke with NWS meteorologist Michelle Margraf, who reviewed the MSP data. She confirmed that the temperature stayed at one below zero from 11:25 PM to midnight.
    Here is more info from the NWS website,  http://www.crh.noaa.gov/mpx/

The Twin Cities Tied a Record for the Latest Below Zero Temperature

It is official...  The Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport recorded their first below zero temperature shortly before midnight on January 18th.  The temperature dropped to -1 at 11:25 PM and stayed at -1 through midnight.  Therefore, the record was tied for the latest "below zero temperature" set in 1889 and 2002.   The official time of the low was recorded as 11:59 PM, since the official time of the low is the latest time of occurence on a calendar day. 

Record tied, not broken

   We just missed setting a new record for the latest initial dip below zero in a Twin Cities winter. A few minutes before midnight on Wednesday January 18th, the temperature at MSP airport dipped to one below zero.  If we had been one degree warmer for just a few minutes, January 19th would have been the new record. Tying the old record is still pretty impressive, but it sure would have been fun to set a new record!.
    Here are the updated rankings for latest initial below zero readings in the Twin Cities, based on data provided by the Minnesota State Climatology Office :

Twin Cities First Below Zero Temperature: 1872-2012 Winters
 Rank,  Season,  First Below Zero date
------------------------
1)  2011-12  January 18
1)  2001-02  January 18
1)  1888-89  January 18
4)  1954-55  January 16
5)  1881-82  January 14
6)  2002-03  January 11
6)  1974-75  January 11
6)  1913-14  January 11
9)  1877-78  January 4
10) 1969-70  January 2

   If Thursday is too cold for you, hang in there, temperatures rebound nicely this weekend.

When will we take the dip?

   It's been an unusually warm winter.  You don't need me to tell you that.  Our lack of snowcover, and the areas of thin ice and patchy open water on lakes are evidence that our average temperature in November, December and early January was well above normal.
   We still haven't seen the temperature dip below zero in the Twin Cities. According to the Twin Cities office of the National Weather Service and the MN State Climatology Office, we've never made it through a winter without seeing a below-zero temperature.  The least number of below-zero days was two, in the winter of 2001-2002.  A peek at the latest computer models shows that our first decent chance of dropping below zero in the Twin Cities is next Wednesday morning,  January 18th. That would tie the record for latest initial dip below zero in the Twin Cities. Using data from the MN State Climatology Office website, I've updated the list below to include our current standing of 4th latest (and counting) initial below-zero temperature:

     Twin Cities First Below Zero Temperature: 1872-2012 Winters

 Rank,  Season,  First Below Zero date
------------------------
1)  1888-89  January 18
1)  2001-02  January 18
3)  1954-55  January 16
4)  2011-12  January 15 (after today) Likely to reach at least third place
5)  1881-82  January 14
6)  1913-14  January 11
6)  1974-75  January 11
6)  2002-03  January 11
9)  1877-78  January 4
10) 1969-70  January 2

January golf in Minnesota!

    I'm a member of the "January Golf" club.  I just made that name up...for those of us who have played golf in Minnesota in January.  Maybe we need a web site and a logo? 
    I had a hunch that some golf courses would be open today, and I found a list of open courses at the Minnesota Golf Association (MGA) website. The closest course was Braemar Executive (9 hole) Golf Course in Edina.  There was a line of golfers waiting on the first tee this afternoon:

    I heard that foursomes had been teeing off since late morning.  Since I happened to have my golf clubs in the car, I decided to play.  With very little wind and temps in the lower 50s ( MSP set a new January 10 record high of 52 degrees), it was a blast.  Golfers filled the course, but there were only a few brief delays on the tees:

   
   Our recent warm weather has led to other strange sights.  Here's what I saw at Lake Harriet this afternoon:

   There were some big areas of open water.  A lot of people were walking and running around the lake, and I saw a lot of smiles. I even saw some bicyclists...a rare event in January!
   Colder air will move in, starting tomorrow, and outdoor skating rinks will be useable again. It's time to put the golf clubs away, at least for awhile.    

How do you like this winter?

   It's been a whimpy winter so far. Temperatures have been warmer than normal, and we've had very little snow. In the Twin Cities, we had an incredible 45 inches of snow at this point in our snow season one year ago.  We've seen only 10.3 inches of snow so far this fall/winter.
   After the robust winter of last year, many people seem to be enjoying the mild temps and limited snow that we've seen recently.  Although area ski resorts have been able to make plenty of snow, I've heard it said that skiers are less likely to visit ski resorts when there isn't much snow in their own backyards.  Many cross-country skiers, snowmobilers and kids with sleds are hoping for snow, but no big snowstorms are showing up on the computer models over the next 7-10 days.
    At least we're all saving on our heating bills.  I wonder if anyone has figured out the net effect that this type of winter weather has on our Minnesota economy.
    You can send comments about this blog to rontrenda@gmail.com .  Let me know if you'd like your comment posted on this blog.

Near-record warmth

  It's not you imagination. The past several months have been unusually warm in the Twin Cities and much of Minnesota. 
  In the Twin Cities, the average temperature for December was 8.1 degrees above the long-term average. November was 5.5 degrees above average and October was 6.5 degrees above average. The October through December period was tied for the second warmest in Twin Cities history, based on weather records going back to 1873.  July through December will go down as the second warmest in Twin Cities history...September was the only month that was close to normal.
Details on the unusual warmth can be found at the Minnesota State Climatology Office web site: http://climate.umn.edu/doc/journal/warm_jul_dec2011_twin_cities.htm 
   December snowfall was about 4 inches below normal.  63% of our December snow total fell by December 3. We did have one inch of snow on the ground on January 1, 2012, so 2004 remains the most recent New Year's Day with less than one inch of snowcover.