Some Twin Cities suburbs will wake up tomorrow to frost for the first time this fall, with a hard freeze up north (28 degrees or colder for a few hours — cold enough to end the growing season). After 80s and 90s in early October this was inevitable.
So is it time to dig out the parkas and boots? Test the snowblower? Not so fast. The Pacific Ocean is experiencing record warmth, and warm water is bleeding off into the atmosphere, helping to keep the U.S. downwind mild. Ironically, if that same “warm blob” in the Pacific lingers into the winter (questionable) it may help to steer more numerous volleys of arctic air into Minnesota. No guarantees that will happen, but we don’t have El Niño to save us. Strong equatorial warming of the Pacific usually results in milder winters, but a La Niña Watch is posted into December.
I see highs in the 60s and a few 70s into next week. No sustained blasts of cold air anytime soon. Showers pop late Thursday, again early next week. It’s drying out again out there. Too crunchy. More puddles please.
