Easter Weekend Outlook
Here's the weather outlook for the Twin Cities for the Easter Weekend. Temps both days will be well below average, but we'll have a little more sunshine on Saturday vs. Sunday. Another storm system will move through the region late weekend with a chance of light rain/snow and minor snow accumulations for a few spots around the state.
Easter Weekend Weather Outlook
Here's the weather outlook from AM Wednesday to PM Sunday. The same storm system responsible for steady rains across the region on Tuesday will continue to swirl around the Midwest Wednesday and Thursday with more wind, rain, snow and chilly early April temps. We'll finally see some improvement late Friday & Saturday, but could see a few more light rain showers PM Sunday as a weak disturbance slides through the region.
Precipitation Outlook
According to NOAA's WPC, the precipitation outlook through early next week shows lighter amounts across the region. Some of the heaviest, nearly 0.30", will be found across the northern part of the state.
Snowfall Potential Through PM Sunday
Here's the snowfall potential through AM Tuesday, which shows a few inches possible across the northern part of the state. There could a minor coating in the Twin Cities late Sunday, but it'll likely be gone by Monday.
2022 Official Ice Out Dates
Hey - Look at that! More and more lakes are going ice out in the southern part of the state. However, thanks to a chillier than average month of April so far, several lakes are going out a little later than average. Cedar Lake and Lake Nokomis in the metro are officially out, while Lake Minnetonka is not quite ice out just yet. According to the MN DNR, Lake Minnetonka typically goes ice out on April 13th, so we're already past that date. Look for more ice outs over the coming days and weeks. It won't be long now before the land of 10,000 unfrozen lakes returns!
Average Ice Out Dates
We're still several weeks away from ice out across parts of the state, but according to the MN DNR, here's a look at the average ice out dates for lakes across the state. Note that some lakes across the southern part of the state typically see ice out around the end of March. Lake Minnetonka typically doesn't see ice out until mid April. A few lakes in far northern & northeastern MN don't see ice out until late April or early May.
See more from the MN DNR HERE:
Status of Spring
"April 12, 2022 - Spring leaf out continues to progress across the country. Our spring leaf anomaly compares the arrival of spring leaf out this year to a long-term average of 1991-2020. After a slow start to spring across much of the Southeast, spring is progressing more rapidly, arriving days to weeks early across the southern part of the Midwest, the Southern Appalachians, the mid-Atlantic, and the Northeast. Albany, NY is a week early. In western states, spring leaf out is patchy, arriving a week late in some locations and over a month early in others. Parts of Montana and South Dakota are 2-3 weeks early. Spring bloom has also started to arrive in southern states, days to a week late in Texas and Florida and days to several weeks early in California. Spring bloom is over a week early in parts of Georgia, the Carolinas, and Virginia."
Saturday Weather Outlook
The weather outlook for Minneapolis on Wednesday shows lingering rain showers throughout much of the day with breezy winds and chilly temps for early April standards.
Meteograms for Minneapolis
The hourly temps for Minneapolis on Wednesday shows temperature readings starting in the mid/upper 30s in the morning and will warm into the low/mid 40s through the afternoon. Rain showers will be possible much of the day, but could be steadier during the 2nd half of the day. WNW winds will also be quite strong with gusts approaching 30mph in the afternoon.
Weather Outlook on Saturday
Temps around the region on Wednesday will be nearly -5F to -10F below average as the storm system swirls through the region. Scattered rain and snow showers will be possible for many as well with the best chance of snow accumulations to the north.
Extended Temperature Outlook For Minneapolis
The extended temperature outlook for Minneapolis through early next week, which shows well below average temperatures through the weekend. Readings will be nearly -10F to -20F below average, which will feel more like March.
Extended Weather Outlook For Minneapolis
The extended weather outlook over the next 7 days shows chilly and somewhat active weather through the week ahead. A rain/snow mix will be possible Sunday into early Monday. Another system slides through midweek next week with rain chances Wednesday. The 2nd half of the week will feature highs in the 50s, which will still be below average.
Extended Temperature Outlook For Minneapolis
According to the ECMWF & GFS extended temperature outlook, temps will be well below average through the middle part of next week. However, we're getting indications of a nice warm up by the end of month. In fact, temps could warm into the 60s and 70s, possibly even near 80F!!
8 to 14 Day Temperature Outlook
According to NOAA's Climate Prediction Center, the 8 to 14 day temperature outlook shows warmer than average temps across the eastern two-thirds of the nation. However, cooler temps will be in place across the Western US.
8 to 14 Day Precipitation Outlook
According to NOAA's Climate Prediction Center, the 8-14 Day precipitation outlook shows more active weather across the Central and northern tier of the nation. Quieter weather will be in place across the East Coast and in the Southwest.
Jacket-worthy Weather Into Early Next Week
By Paul Douglas
If this keeps up I may apply to the FBI Witness Protection Program. Friends and family are giving me a hard time. "Paul, is your Doppler malfunctioning?" People are exhausted, from the virus - and this seemingly endless winter hangover.
Here are the facts: for the Twin Cities it's the 57th coldest start to any year since 1873. It's also the 6th wettest start to "Meteorological Spring" (since March 1) on record. The drought has eased. Mosquito, tick and tornado season has been pushed back a couple of weeks. Winter snowfall at MSP: 50.1", which is average. Have we gotten soft or do we just love to complain? Yes.
Cool sunshine today gives way to an Easter Sunday coating of slush, mainly at night. A chilling start next week ends with a May-like finish: in one week we may bein the 70s with T-storms. 40 degrees in 4 days? I should be serving Dramamine with my 7-Day.
Spring is coming reluctantly, but I have a hunch summer will make up for it. Long, sunny and stinking hot. My unscientific spidey-sense.
Extended Forecast
SATURDAY: Partly sunny and cool. Winds: NW 15-25. High: 41.
SATURDAY NIGHT: Mostly clear and chilly. Winds: NW 5-10. Low: 29.
SUNDAY: Light snow. Slushy coating at night. Winds: SE 10-15. High: 40.
MONDAY: Cold wind, flurries linger. Winds: NW 15-30 Wake-up: 28. High: 38.
TUESDAY: Partly sunny. Winds: S 3-8. Wake-up: 24. High: 45.
WEDNESDAY: Periods of rain. Winds: S 10-20. Wake-up: 38. High: 52.
THURSDAY: Sunny and milder. Winds: SE 5-10. Wake-up: 36. High: 51.
FRIDAY: Mild with showers, possible T-storms. Winds: S 10-20. Wake-up: 51. High: 70.
This Day in Weather History
April 16th
1939: A rain, snow, sleet and ice storm begins across southern Minnesota. Despite many phone and power outages, farmers are jubilant that the storm brings needed moisture.
Average High/Low for Minneapolis
April 16th
Average High: 58F (Record: 88F set in 1964)
Average Low: 38F (Record: 10F set in 1875)
Record Rainfall: 1.04" set in 2003
Record Snowfall: 5.0" set in 1961
Sunrise/Sunset Times for Minneapolis
April 16th
Sunrise: 6:25am
Sunset: 7:59pm
Hours of Daylight: ~13 hours & 33 minutes
Daylight GAINED since yesterday: ~ 2 minute & 59 seconds
Daylight GAINED since Winter Solstice (December 21st): ~ 4 Hour & 53 Minutes
Moon Phase for April 16th at Midnight
"0.5 Days After Full "Pink" Moon - 1:55 p.m. CDT - The grass pink or wild ground phlox is one of the earliest widespread flowers of the spring. Other names were the Full Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon, and — among some tribes on the east coast — the Full Fish Moon, when the shad come upstream to spawn. In 2022 this is also the Paschal Full Moon; the first full moon after the spring equinox on March 20. The first Sunday following the Paschal Moon is Easter Sunday, which indeed will be observed the very next day on Sunday, April 17."
National High Temps Saturday
The weather outlook on Saturday shows well below average temperatures across the High Plains and Northwest with record cold high temps in place for some locations. Meanwhile, temps will be warmer than average across the central and southern US, where strong to severe storms will be possible with locally heavy rain.
National Weather Outlook
Here's the national weather outlook through the weekend. Strong to severe storms will be possible across the Southern US and Gulf Coast states with locally heavy rainfall and isolated flood concerns through early next week. Meanwhile, another storm will pass through the Northwest and Midwest with areas of rain and snow.
Extended Precipitation Outlook
According to NOAA's Weather Prediction Center, in the eastern half of the nation with some of the heaviest found across the Gulf Coast States and Northeast. There will also be heavy precipitation across the West Coast and northern Rockies.
Extended Snowfall Outlook
Here's the ECMWF extended snowfall outlook through next week. Areas of heavy snow will be possible across the Northeast and also across the high elevations of the Rockies, Sierra Nevada Range and Cascade Range.
Climate Stories
"Before-and-After Satellite Images Show Fukushima's New Solar Power Hub Amid Nuclear Waste"
"Satellite images captured by NASA's Landsat 8 show how Fukushima, Japan has transformed since a tsunami devastated the region in 2011, setting off a nuclear disaster that is still being cleaned up. Today, vast areas of solar panels can be seen covering the land around Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. A slider image released by NASA's Earth Observatory shows the stark difference in the region from 2014 to 2021. The image below, captured on April 13, 2014, shows the area just three years after the earthquake and subsequent tsunami, which killed more than 15,000 people. The more recent image, shown above, was taken March 31, 2021 and shows recent solar panel installations. According to Japan's Nikkei newspaper, the government there is investing billions to turn the area into a hub for solar and wind power."
"Oceans Aren't Just Warming—Their Soundscapes Are Transforming"
"WANDER INTO NATURE and give a good shout, and only nearby birds, frogs, and squirrels will hear you. Although sensing noise is a critical survival strategy for land animals, it's a somewhat limited warning system, as sounds—save for something like a massive volcanic explosion—don't travel far in air. They propagate much better through water, with undersea noises traveling hundreds or even thousands of miles, depending on the conditions. Those conditions are rapidly transforming as the oceans warm. Changes in salinity, temperature, and pressure change how the sea sounds, with unknown impacts on the life-forms that depend on that noise to survive. Whales talk amongst themselves and navigate with Earth's tones by listening to waves breaking on shorelines. Dolphins echolocate their prey with blasts of sound. Coral-dwelling fishes are born in the open ocean, but then use the noises of the bustling reef to find home. And joining the sounds of life are the sounds of Earth systems: Winds scour the surface of the sea, which takes an extra pounding during storms. Earthquakes and submarine landslides send rumbles across whole oceans. The resulting tsunamis speed along the surface, making a racket—which marine animals are perfectly accustomed to."
"First look: Science group activates to tackle wildfires"
"A new group of more than 1,000 rapid response scientists from multiple disciplines — the International Science Reserves — announced its official activation on Wednesday, which it shared first with Axios. In addition, wildfires are the first challenge ISR members are set to tackle. Why it matters: This is the first test of the new scientific organization that formed last summer through a collaboration between IBM and the New York Academy of Sciences, along with other resources. It is modeled in part on a high-performance computing program that aided researchers in combating the COVID-19 pandemic. How it works: The ISR has conducted readiness exercises among its members to determine how they might conduct work if and when disaster strikes, including wildfire scenarios in the Pacific Northwest and Indonesia. With states like California entering the warm season during its driest-ever start to the year, wildfire is top of mind. What they're saying: "Although wildfires have been ravaging countries around the world for the last decade, many have seen their worst blazes in generations," said Nicholas B. Dirks, president and CEO of NYAS, in a statement to Axios. "Our approach is multidisciplinary and takes a holistic view of the impacts of wildfires," he said."
