2nd Wettest Christmas Eve Through Christmas Day on Record at MSP
Here are the top 10 wettest Christmas Eves through Christmas Days on record at MSP. Note that in 1982 we had 2.61" of liquid that fell in the metro and the next wettest was in 1893 when 1.35" of liquid fell. The most recent wettest was in 2009 when 1.00" of liquid fell.
Rain & Wintry Precipitation Ends
A long duration storm system will eventually end through midweek as steady rains turn to a light rain/snow mix across parts of the region.
Temperature Outlook For Minneapolis
Temperatures over the next few days will be well above average. We'll see a bit of a cool down into next week with highs hovering around the freezing mark around New Year's Day, which is still above average for this time of the year.
"A Historically Warm and Snowless December in Minnesota"
"December 2023 has been more like November in Minnesota, with bare ground dominating the landscape across the state for much or all of the month, and temperatures remaining mild with a few bouts of very warm weather. Strong El Niño conditions in the Pacific Ocean have kept frigid winter air masses locked up in central and northern Canada, 1,000 to 2,000 miles to our north. Most days have been much warmer than average, and passing cold fronts have struggled to bring in anything other than seasonally-normal air. The lack of snow cover has boosted temperatures further, because bare ground absorbs sunlight and warms the air above it 10-20 times more effectively than fresh snow. Snow cover during winter is a classical climatic "feedback," because snowy ground keeps temperatures lower, making precipitation more likely to fall as snow, which reinforces or deepens the cooling. A lack of snow cover allows temperatures to rise more readily, making rain more likely."
See more from MN State Climatology Office HERE:
Accumulated Winter Season Severity Index (AWSSI)
"Winter seasons have significant societal impacts across all sectors ranging from direct human health and mortality to commerce, transportation, and education. The question "How severe was this winter?" does not have a simple answer. At the very least, the severity of a winter is related to the intensity and persistence of cold weather, the amount of snow, and the amount and persistence of snow on the ground. The Accumulated Winter Season Severity Index (AWSSI) was developed to objectively quantify and describe the relative severity of the winter season."
It's probably no surprise, but most locations around the Midwest and Great Lakes have had a "Mild" winter so far. This by the way doesn't look to be changing anytime soon with milder than average temperatures continuing and very little snow in the forecast. Again, we're still waiting for the other boot to drop, but being in an El Nino setup, a winter like last year is not really in the cards. The Midwest will likely see an overall warmer and less snowy winter.
"Mild" Winter So Far in for the Twin Cities
Here's a look at the Accumulated Winter Season Severity Index (AWSSI) for Minneapolis, MN so far this winter season. With a lack of cold temps and snow, it may be no surprise that we are currently sitting under a "Mild" winter rating so far.
Twin Cities December Summary So Far
Meanwhile, it has been a very warm and snowless December so far in the Twin Cities. Temperatures running +12.0F above average through the first 25 days of the month, we're currently sitting at the warmest start to any December on record. We're also -8.1" below normal snowfall for the month. We still have less than 1 week left of the month, but if we fail to see any additional snow this month, this would be the 8th least snowy December on record.
On Track For the 3rd Warmest Year on Record
It certainly has a warm year, but did you realize that MSP is on track for the 3rd warmest on year record? With only 5 days to go, the average temperature is only 0.6F behind the warmest year on record which occurred in 1931.
Seasonal Snowfall So Far
The Twin Cities has only seen 4.5" of snow this season, which is more than -12.0" below normal snowfall, which is the 26th least snowy start to any season on record. With only 6.3" of snow in Duluth, they are nearly 2 feet below normal snowfall and good enough for the 6th least snowy start to any season on record. Marquette, MI is nearly 46" below normal snowfall and currently sitting at the 4th least snowy start to any season on record.
Seasonal Snowfall Departure From Average
Looking around the region, there is no climate site that has a surplus. The biggest deficits are around the Great Lakes, where we typically get lake effect snow, but with a lack of Arctic air, we haven't seen much in the way of heavy snow yet this season.
Twin Cities Average Snowfall
Depending on what 30-year average you look at, December is typically the 1st or 2nd snowiest month out of the year in the Twin Cities. If you look at the last 30 years 1993-2022, December averages 12.7" of snow and is the snowiest month of the year, followed by January with nearly 11" of snow.
Twin Cities Weather Outlook For Wednesday
The weather outlook for the Twin Cities on Wednesday, December 27th will be a little less damp than it has been as of late. There will still be areas of light rain/snow across the state, but the long duration storm system is winding down.
Meteograms For Minneapolis
Temperatures in the Twin Cities will start 30F in the morning and will warm into the mid 30s by the afternoon. Mostly of the day will be cloudy with areas of light rain/snow across parts of the state, but most locations will stay dry. WNW winds will generally be light around 5-10mph.
Weather Outlook For Wednesday
The weather outlook for Wednesday will warm into the 30s across much of the state, which will still be nearly 10F to 20F above average with areas of light rain and some wintry precipitation across parts of the state.
Extended Temperature Outlook For Minneapolis
The 5 day temperature outlook for Minneapolis will be quite a bit warmer than average over the next several days. Highs will warm into the 30s and 40s through Saturday, which will still be nearly +10F to +15F above average for this time of the year. It'll get a little colder by New Year's Eve with highs dipping into the lower 20s.
Extended Weather Outlook For Minneapolis
The extended weather outlook for Minneapolis over the next 7 days will warm into the 30s and 40s through the end of the week. It'll get a little colder on Sunday and Monday behind a quick clipper that could bring a little snow to the area Saturday night.
8 to 14 Day Temperature Outlook
According to NOAA's Climate Prediction Center, the 8 to 14 day temperature outlook shows warmer than average temperatures continuing across the northern tier of the nation. Meanwhile, cooler temps will develop in the Southwestern US.
8 to 14 Day Precipitation Outlook
The 8 to 14 Day Precipitation Outlook shows more active weather across the Southern two-thirds of the nation and especially in the Southeastern and Southwestern US.
Record Warmth Reported December 24-25
By Paul Douglas
Well that was a disturbingly interesting Christmas, weatherwise. I picked up 1.76" in my rain gauge, but I saw nearly 3" of rain for parts of central Minnesota. MSP airport saw 1.61" rain between December 24-26. A total of 1.36" fell on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, the second wettest such period on record.
Even more impressive: the average MSP temperature from December 24-25 was 49F, blowing away the old record temperature by 11F! It was a brown Christmas for most of Minnesota and Wisconsin, and what you see is what you get - not much snow in the extended outlook anytime soon.
The occluded (temporarily stalled) storm responsible for our Christmas soaking may rotate a few hours of light snow into the area today; a little slush north/west of MSP? Another clipper may coat a few lawns late Saturday. Late December in Abilene.
We will cool off into the 20s and 30s the first week of January - enough cold air for snow, but not much moisture.
Nothing subzero in sight. Occasional spits of snow. Oh El Nino...
Extended Forecast
WEDNESDAY: Chilly with flurries. Winds: NW 5-10. High 36.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy. Light rain snow mix. Winds: NNW 5. Low: 32.
THURSDAY: Dry day with a few sunny breaks. Winds: NW 10-15. High 40.
FRIDAY: Sunny and pleasant. Winds: W 5-10. Wake-up: 29 High 43.
SATURDAY: Clipper may spark a coating late. Winds: NW 10-20. Wake-up: 29. High 37.
NEW YEAR'S EVE (SUNDAY): Mostly cloudy and chilly. Winds: N 10-20. Wake-up: 25. High 31.
NEW YEAR'S DAY (MONDAY): Partly sunny. Risk of football. Winds: SW 10-15. Wake-up: 22. High: 34
TUESDAY: Some sun, still milder than average. Winds: W 8-13. Wake-up: 24. High 36.
This Day in Weather History
December 27th
1982: A snowstorm starts across the state, and ultimately dumps 16 inches in the Twin Cities by the time it ends on the 28th.
Average High/Low for Minneapolis
December 27th
Average High: 26F (Record: 46F set in 1959)
Average Low: 12F (Record: -24F set in 1872 & 1886)
Record Rainfall: 0.95" set in 2018
Record Snowfall: 6.0" set in 1971
Sunrise/Sunset Times for Minneapolis
December 27th
Sunrise: 7:49am
Sunset: 4:38pm
Hours of Daylight: ~8 hours & 47 minutes
Daylight GAINED since yesterday: 24 Seconds
Daylight GAINED since Winter Solstice (December 21st): ~ 1 minute and 14 Seconds
Moon Phase for December 27th at Midnight
1.3 Days Until Full "Cold" Moon
"Dec. 26 at 6:33 p.m. CST - The Full Cold Moon; among some tribes, the Full Long Nights Moon. In this month the winter cold fastens its grip, and the nights are at their longest and darkest. Also sometimes called the Moon before Yule (Yule is Christmas, and this time the moon is only just after it; the next full moon that falls on Christmas Day will come in 2034). The term Long Night Moon is a doubly appropriate name because the midwinter night is indeed long and the moon is above the horizon a long time. The midwinter full moon takes a high trajectory across the sky because it is opposite to the low sun."
National High Temps on Wednesday
The weather outlook on Wednesday shows above average temperatures across much of the nation.
National Weather Outlook For Wednesday
The National Weather Outlook on Wednesday will be more unsettled across the eastern half of the nation with lingering rain and snow showers. The heaviest precipitation will be found across the Mid-Atlantic States and the Northeast with more than 1" of rainfall possible in the Northeast.
National Weather Outlook
The National Weather outlook through Thursday shows a more active weather in the eastern half of the country with areas of wintry precipitation. Heavy rainfall will be found in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic States. There will also be rain and wind along the West Coast.
Extended Precipitation Outlook
The extended precipitation outlook shows heavier precipitation across the Northeastern US and also across the West Coast.
Extended Snowfall Outlook
According to the ECMWF weather model, heavy snows are in the forecast across parts of the Western US through next week. Some of the heaviest and most widespread could be in the high elevations in Colorado and Wyoming. However, there will be some decent tallies in the Plains. Also note the heavier snow around the Great Lakes, which will be induced by some colder air on the way into next week.
Climate Stories
"2023 was a tragic and bizarre year of wildfires. Will it mark a turning point?"
"Come August, it's usually the massive wildfires in California and the West that are dominating the headlines. But not this year. The remnants of Hurricane Hilary were dumping record rain on the mostly arid region and instead it was the tropics that were on fire. In Hawaii on Aug. 8, gale force winds from a different hurricane — Dora — collided with extremely dry terrain on the western coast of Maui. Toppled power lines helped ignite what would become the deadliest wildfire in modern U.S. history, killing 100 people and destroying most of the historic tourist town of Lahaina."
"Winter Illness This Year Is a Different Kind of Ugly"
"Facing down simultaneous surges of flu, COVID, and RSV, most Americans still aren't getting the vaccines that could temper the worst effects. Earlier this month, Taison Bell walked into the intensive-care unit at UVA Health and discovered that half of the patients under his care could no longer breathe on their own. All of them had been put on ventilators or high-flow oxygen. "It was early 2022 the last time I saw that," Bell, an infectious-disease and critical-care physician at the hospital, told me—right around the time that the original Omicron variant was ripping through the region and shattering COVID-case records. This time, though, the coronavirus, flu, and RSV were coming together to fill UVA's wards—"all at the same time," Bell said."
See more from The Atlantic HERE
"See the best northern lights photos of 2023"
"Best northern lights photos of 2023 The peak of the sun's 11-year cycle could come as early as 2024. And – if you've been following EarthSky's daily sun news post – you know that auroras (both northern and southern lights) have been brightening high-latitude skies. From his travel photography blog Capture the Atlas, Dan Zafra shared with EarthSky his picks for the 25 best aurora images of 2023 from photographers around the world. The submissions here are from eight countries, including Australia and New Zealand. You can see the full set of 25 images at Zafra's website."
