Quiet Monday with highs finally returning to the 40s

While 66% of our snowfall this season (through Saturday) has fallen on only four days, that snow - especially what fell very early on in the season - has helped keep the departure from average above average all season in the Twin Cities. The closest we got to dipping below average was back on December 22 when the departure was only 0.1" above average. We saw the pre-Christmas blizzard hit the next day, helping to pop our values back upward. The day that has had the greatest departure from average so far this snow season was back on November 12, when we were 14.6" above the average-to-date snowfall for the season. As of Saturday we sat at 2.7" above average for the season, however that should increase with the snow we saw Sunday.

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While our average temperature so far in February has started to creep upward since we have climbed out of the subzero range for highs, we are still almost 16F degrees below average for the month-to-date through Saturday. Due to that, it's still the 7th coldest start to February on record. With several days this week expected to see above average highs, that average temperature should start to climb a little faster. However, I do expect this February should be at least finish off in the coldest half of Februarys on record.

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Quiet Monday - Highs Finally Returning To The 40s
By D.J. Kayser, filling in for Paul Douglas

I must say, it felt nice to be able to get outside this past weekend and not have the temperatures make me immediately regret the decision!

Through Saturday we have picked up 42.0" of snow so far this snow season at MSP airport. About 66% of that snow has fallen on four separate days: October 20, November 10, December 23, and January 23. However, that has helped keep the departure from average for snowfall above average all season. The closest we got to dipping below average so far? +0.1" back on December 22, right before the pre-Christmas blizzard.

While we will still see rounds of cooler air over the next several weeks, it's probably safe to say subzero highs are behind us. Only once has MSP reported a subzero high in March.

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D.J.'s Extended Twin Cities Forecast

MONDAY: Windy. Decreasing clouds. Wake up 23. High 40. Chance of precipitation 10%. Wind WSW 10-20 mph.

TUESDAY: AM sun. Late day rain/snow shower. Wake up 29. High 40. Chance of precipitation 20%. Wind WSW 5-10 mph.

THURSDAY: Early AM flake? Cool sunshine. Wake up 16. High 29. Chance of precipitation 20%. Wind WNW 5-10 mph.

FRIDAY: Breezy. Light PM snow showers. Wake up 20. High 36. Chance of precipitation 20%. Wind S 10-20 mph.

SATURDAY: More clouds than sun. Wake up 24. High 32. Chance of precipitation 10%. Wind WSW 5-10 mph.

SUNDAY: Cooler. Far southern MN snow showers. Wake up 11. High 24. Chance of precipitation 10%. Wind NW 5-10 mph.

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1922: A blizzard, ice storm and thunderstorms all occur on the same day across Minnesota. Winds hit 50 mph in Duluth while thunderstorms were reported in the Twin Cities. Heavy ice over southeast Minnesota with 2 inches of ice on wires near Winona. Over two inches of precipitation fell. This was also one of the largest ice storms ever in Wisconsin history with ice four inches in diameter on telegraph wires. One foot of ice covered wire weighed 11 pounds. One killed and four injured in Wisconsin.

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Average Temperatures & Precipitation for Minneapolis
February 22nd

Average High: 31F (Record: 59F set in 2017)
Average Low: 16F (Record: -22F set in 1873)
Average Precipitation: 0.04" (Record: 1.13" set in 1922)
Average Snowfall: 0.3" (Record: 8.8" in 1913)
Record Snow Depth: 27" in 1967

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Sunrise: 7:02 AM
Sunset: 5:51 PM

*Length Of Day: 10 hours, 49 minutes and 11 seconds
*Daylight GAINED Since Yesterday: ~3 minutes and 1 second

*When Do We Climb To 11 Hours Of Daylight? February 26th (11 hours, 1 minute, and 25 seconds)
*When Is The Sunrise At/Before 7:00 AM?: February 23rd (7:00 AM)
*When Is The Sunset At/After 6:00 PM? March 1st (6:01 PM)

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Highs look to finally return to the low 40s as we head into Monday here in the Twin Cities after temperatures begin the day in the low 20s. We will see mainly cloudy skies to begin the day, but those clouds should slowly be on the decrease.

Highs will remain in the 40s through Tuesday before we see them start to dip with some cooler air moving back in. While they look to climb back into the 30s by Friday, another cool down could occur just in time for the end of February and the beginning of March.

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As we head into the beginning of another work week, rain and snow will be possible from the Great Lakes into the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, with some icing from western North Carolina to southern Pennsylvania. Storms will be possible in the Southeastern U.S. Meanwhile, rain and snow is expected in portions of the Northwest.

Both the heaviest rain and snow the next few days will be in the Northwest, with feet of snow for the mountains and over 3" of rain near the coast.

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More from Earther: "On Monday night, the temperature in Lake Charles, Louisiana dipped to 14 degrees Fahrenheit (minus-10 degrees Celsius), more than 30 degrees Fahrenheit (16.7 degrees Celsius) below average. Hours later, just before the sun rose on Tuesday morning, the city's power supply abruptly shut off, taking the six local water plants offline with it. When residents woke up, some found themselves cold and in the dark, their water pressure low if working at all. ... For residents in Lake Charles, these conditions have presented particularly acute challenges, impacting a population that has been battered by extreme weather over the past six months. Shouldering the weight of compounding climate crises, locals are struggling to keep up with each new disaster, let alone prepare for future ones. And, waking up once again in the cold and in the dark, they feel forgotten."

'Devastating': Excessive Drought And Heat Put Squeeze On Arizona's Desert Plant Life

More from KJZZ: "The Arizona man known as the "Cactus Doctor" has seen a lot of sick patients lately. "It's heartbreaking. We've never seen this. It's a phenomenon that we've never seen — and it's devastating," said Arizona native Adam Vickers. Vickers has his own landscaping company specializing in their care. And lately, they have needed a whole lot of care, especially the iconic saguaro. "We're seeing the saguaros shrivel up, and actually the soil is heating up as well, and it's causing rotting on the base of the saguaro and the flesh begins to deteriorate and turn in to bacteria," Vickers said."

How Much Does Climate Change Cost? Biden Expected to Raise Carbon's Dollar Value

More from Inside Climate News: "The Trump administration didn't put much value on lowering carbon emissions. In fact, it calculated that the benefits of action on climate change added up to as little as $1 per ton of carbon dioxide, and it set policy accordingly. Almost any steps to reduce greenhouse gases seemed too costly, given the paltry potential gain for society. President Joe Biden's White House is moving forward on a crucial first step toward building back U.S. climate policy and is expected to direct federal agencies to use a figure closer to $52 per ton as their guidance for the so-called "social cost of carbon" number on a temporary basis."

Thanks for checking in and have a great day! Don't forget to follow me on Twitter (@dkayserwx) and like me on Facebook (Meteorologist D.J. Kayser).

- D.J. Kayser