It’s cliche, but so what. What a difference a year makes. January 31, 2023 we awoke to a crisp -8F at MSP. The high was 10F. 10″ of snow on the ground. Fast forward 365 days. 50-55F on tap today. Perfectly normal for the second week of April.
WCCO Radio producer Jimmy Erickson informs me that 13 Minnesota golf courses are open today. Which is fun, in a vaguely dystopian way, I guess. “Paul, this winter is a fluke!” I sure hope so. 40s, 50s and no snow in mid-winter is sweet relief for many of us. But for the tens of thousands of Minnesotans who rely on predictable cold and snow, this isn’t a “good winter.” Impact on drought, lake water levels, invasive species, soil moisture, flora and fauna? Stay tuned.
If the sun stays out all day Wednesday (likely), we should see low to mid-50s. ECMWF predicts another shot at 50F the middle of next week. A southern storm may brush us with (rain) showers Saturday, with more puddles late next week. Will we see cold fronts, safe ice & slushy snow next month? I sure hope so.
