Douglas: Sunny Tuesday, with rain by Wednesday

Frozen-water season is coming, but winter doesn’t seem to be in a hurry this year. November is 6.3 degrees warmer than average in the metro, and NOAA’s long-range climate model (CFSv2) keeps Minnesota milder than average into February, in spite of a weak La Niña cool phase in the Pacific Ocean. I’m holding off on my driveway stakes for now.

Some good weather news: we seem to be sliding back into a wetter pattern, with rain forecast Tuesday, and again Tuesday and Thursday of next week. Details are still sketchy, with temperatures low enough for snow from Denver into the Dakotas next week, but our supersized October continues. Expect sunshine and 40s Tuesday with Wednesday the wettest day of the week. Southerly winds pick up by late week with 50s likely Friday and Saturday before a cool correction next week (40s). I suspect we can handle that. I get nervous around Thanksgiving, so stay tuned.

Yesterday a nice lady at Cub said her lilacs were in bloom. In mid-November. Go figure.