Winter is pretty much over. What winter there was. Put a fork in it. (Obligatory disclaimer: We will see brief spasms of cold and snow into April, fading death-rattles from an ailing Old Man Winter.) This is probably as close as any of us will come to living through a "Year Without a Winter." Tame by traditional Minnesota standards.

"That seems like a boldly-STUPID thing to say, Paul!" True. But I see highs close to 60 next Monday, again the first weekend of March. Long-range NOAA CFS guidance predicts a Minnesota March 10-15 warmer than average. I'm not taking my snow tires off anytime soon, but a mild, El Nino-enhanced signal is still drowning North America. It's been persistent all winter. La Nina is coming, but not soon enough to save us this winter.

Expect 40s this weekend with upper 50s Monday; a few spots topping 60, close to record territory. There's a small slush chance Tuesday and one or two 30-degree days the middle of next week, then another surge of Pacific warmth as we sail into March. Crazy.