Cooling Down Late Next Week
Here's the 850mb temp anomaly from Tuesday to Friday, which shows a very warm bubble of air in place across the Central US on Tuesday before a much cooler than average airmass arrives for the 2nd half of the week.
Extended Temperature Outlook
Here's the NBM extended temperature forecast for Minneapolis, which shows mild temps in place through Tuesday before the bottom falls out with highs only warming into the 60s. It also appears that we could see an extended period of cooler temps into the last week of September. Stay tuned!
Fall Color Update
It's that time of the year again for fall colors and the MN DNR has their fall color finder up and running. Much of the state is still color free, but there are a few colors popping up here and there.
Average Fall Color
The MN DNR has put together a nice graphic that shows typical dates for peak fall color. The northern par of the state starts to peak during the 2nd half of September into early October. Meanwhile, folks in the central part of the state and into the metro typically don't see peak color until the end of September into the middle part of October. It won't be long now - enjoy!
Average First Frost For MSP
Here's the 30 year average for the first frost in Minneapolis, which lands on October 13th. Last year (2021) the first frost was on October 23rd. If you look at the full MSP record, which dates back to 1873, the latest frost was November 18th back in 2016, while the earliest frost was September 3rd back in 1974.
First Measurable Snow at MSP
Here's the average first measurable snowfall (0.01") at MSP over the last 30 years, which lands on November 6th. Last year, MSP had its first measurable snow on November 13th. The last was on December 3rd back in 1928, while the earliest was September 24th in 1985.
Mix of Sunshine & Spotty T-Storms
Here's the weather outlook from AM Tuesday to AM Monday. Weather conditions should be fairly quiet over the next several days, but there is a slight chance of rain late week. Stay tuned.
Extended Precipitation Outlook
The extended precipitation outlook shows areas of 0.25" to 0.50" rainfall potential over the next several days.
Minnesota Drought Update
Here's the latest drought update across Minnesota. As of September 13th, we still have a sliver of moderate and severe drought conditions stretching from the Twin Cities Metro to the Minnesota River Valley.
Weather Outlook on Tuesday
The weather outlook on Sunday shows lingering showers across the Arrowhead and into Wisconsin, while drier weather will be found a little farther west. Temps will warm into the 60s and 70s, which will be a little above average for mid September.
Weather Outlook Tuesday
The weather outlook for Minneapolis on Sunday shows lingering clouds through the first half of the day with temps warming into the mid 70s by the afternoon. Winds will be out of the WNW around 5mph-10mph.
More Humid Next Few Days
The extended weather outlook over the new days shows sticky dewpoints in the 60s through early next week. By Wednesday and Thursday, we'll not only see cooler temps, but dewpoints will start to drop as well!
Meteograms for Minneapolis
The hourly forecast for Minneapolis on Sunday shows temps starting in the mid 60s in the morning with highs topping out in the mid 70s in the afternoon. Cloudier skies will linger during the first half of the day with more sunshine expected in the afternoon. WNW winds will gust to near 10mph-15mph through the day.
Extended Temperature Outlook For Minneapolis
The extended temperature outlook for Minneapolis shows readings running well above average by nearly +5F to +15F through Tuesday. A front moves through Wednesday with much cooler temps in place later in the week. In fact, highs in the 60s will be nearly -10F below average for a change.
Extended Weather Outlook For Minneapolis
The extended weather outlook over the next 7 days shows warm temperatures in place through Tuesday before a few t-showers and cooler temps move in later next week. Note that temps could dip into the 60s with overnight lows in the 40s by Thursday and Friday.
Extended Temperature Outlook For Minneapolis
According to the ECMWF extended temperature outlook, readings will still be fairly mild through the first part of the week, but it'll cool down quite a bit as we approach the end of the week and end of the month.
8 to 14 Day Temperature Outlook
According to NOAA's Climate Prediction Center, the 8 to 14 day temperature outlook shows above average temps continuing across much of the southern and western US.
8 to 14 Day Precipitation Outlook
According to NOAA's Climate Prediction Center, the 8 to 14 Day precipitation outlook shows dry weather in place across much of the northern tier of the nation and the Central US.
"Hurricane Fiona intensifies after 'catastrophic' rain, mudslides in Puerto Rico; 80% without power"
"Hurricane Fiona grew more powerful Tuesday as it rolled past Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic after pounding the islands with up to 30 inches of rain, triggering overwhelming flooding, mudslides, and leaving much of the islands in ruin. More than 80% of Puerto Rico remained without power Tuesday, more than 24 hours after the storm shut down the entire electrical system. More than 100,000 homes and businesses had no running water. At least three deaths were reported, two in Puerto Rico and one in the Dominican Republic. More rain was forecast through the week and conditions were not expected to vastly improve."
Tracking Fiona
Here's a view of Hurricane Fiona from AM Tuesday, which was a major category 3 storm with 115mph winds. Fiona caused catastrophic damage and flooding in Puerto Rico over the weekend and earlier this week. Unfortunately, Fiona is expected to strengthen into a category 4 storm with 140mph winds through the end of the week.
Tropical Alerts
Tropical Alerts continue in the Turks and Caicos as tropical storm and hurricane force winds.
Tracking Fiona
Here's the track of Hurricane Fiona as it drifts north through the rest of the week. Note that Fiona could strengthen to a category 4 as it approaches Bermuda on Friday. Fiona could still be a hurricane as it approaches Nova Scotia this weekend with an intense storm still in place over eastern Canada into early next week.
September Is Minnesota's Fog Season
By Paul Douglas
"The fog comes on little cat feet. It sits looking over harbor and city on silent haunches and then moves on" wrote Robert Frost, a gifted poet. Not a weather guy with a made-up name. Just to be clear.
September is fog season in Minnesota. Nights are as long as they were back in March, but summer moisture lingers, creating a weather recipe ripe for "lazy clouds". Clear skies and light winds allow the temperature to drop to the dew point, sparking cloud formation at ground-level.
One more surge of summer warmth sparks mid-80s today with a few scattered T-storms possible. A blustery northwest wind treats us to 60s Wednesday, and outer suburbs may awake to 40s Thursday and Friday morning. No frost yet, but I just lugged a few sweatshirts into my closet, just in case. Yes, our T-shirt days are numbered.
"Fiona" brought 90mph winds and 2-foot rains to Puerto Rico. ECMWF (which often does a better job with tropical systems) brings a major hurricane into the Gulf of Mexico late next week. We shall see.
Extended Forecast
TUESDAY: Warm sun, late thunder? Winds: S 7-12. High: 87.
TUESDAY NIGHT: Clear skies with dropping dewpoints. Winds: NW 10. Low: 59.
WEDNESDAY: Partly sunny and gusty. Winds: NW 15-30. High: 67.
THURSDAY: Feels like fall. Intervals of sun. Winds: N 10-15. Wake-up: 51. High: 63.
FRIDAY: More clouds, few showers. Winds: S 10-20. Wake-up: 48. High: 60.
SATURDAY: Partly sunny and milder. Winds: SW 8-13. Wake-up: 53. High: 77.
SUNDAY: Windy with a passing shower. Winds: NW 15-25. Wake-up: 56. High: 66.
MONDAY: Sunny. A fine fall day. Winds: NW 10-20. Wake-up: 52. High: 69.
This Day in Weather History
September 20th
2001: 3/4 to 1 3/4 inch hail falls in Freeborn and Faribault counties.
1972: A downpour in Duluth produces 5 1/2 inches in ten hours.
Average High/Low for Minneapolis
September 20th
Average High: 71F (Record: 91F set in 1895, 1908, 1931)
Average Low: 53F (Record: 28F set in 1962)
Record Rainfall: 3.28" set in 2018
Record Snowfall: Trace set in 1927
Sunrise/Sunset Times for Minneapolis
September 20th
Sunrise: 6:57am
Sunset: 7:14pm
Hours of Daylight: ~12 hours & 16 minutes
Daylight LOST since yesterday: ~ 3 minutes & 6 seconds
Daylight LOST since Winter Solstice (December 21st): ~ 3 hour & 22 minutes
Moon Phase for September 20th at Midnight
1.4 Days After Last Quarter Moon
Widespread Records in the Central US Tuesday
Here's the high temperatures expected across the Central US on Tuesday. All the numbers that are boxed would be record highs for the day Tuesday, September 20th.
National High Temps Tuesday
The weather outlook on Tuesday shows well above average temperatures in place across the Central US, where record highs will be possible. Temps in Billings, MT will be quite a bit cooler behind a cool front that will bring much cooler readings to the Midwest for the 2nd half of the week.
National Weather Outlook Tuesday
Showers and storms will move into the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley, some of which could be strong to severe with locally heavy rain. Areas of rain will also move into California with high elevation rain & snow showers.
National Weather Outlook
Here's the weather outlook through Wednesday, which shows an area of widespread precipitation moving into the Western US. This will bring much needed rainfall to many locations.
Extended Precipitation Outlook
According to NOAA's Weather Prediction Center, There will be areas of unsettled weather across the nation. Some of the heaviest precipitation will be in the Northeast and and also in the Desert Southwest.
Climate Stories
"Drought Causes Great Salt Lake to Dry Up and Release Arsenic Into the Air"
In Utah, the drying up of the Great Salt Lake is leading to horrible pollution as it is expelling dust with toxic chemicals like arsenic into the air. The Great Salt Lake is the largest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere and is drying up because of climate change along with water usage in the state. The water has dropped to the lowest point in history. When the water dries up, the leftover dried out lake bed can be blown with heavy wind and taken to nearby communities like Salt Lake City. Heavy metals like arsenic, as well as calcium and sulfur, are being released into the air. The Environmental Protection Agency says that breathing in arsenic can cause lung cancer, as well as skin, cardiovascular and neurological issues. Parts of the exposed lake bed are also contaminated with residue from copper and silver mining.
See more from One Green Planet HERE:
"The World Has a $1 Trillion La Nina Problem"
"Deadly floods in Pakistan. Scorching heat and wildfires in the US West. Torrential rains in Australia and Indonesia. A megadrought in Brazil and Argentina. As climate change pushes weather disasters to new extremes, it's La Nina, an atmospheric phenomenon, that has been the driver behind the chaos since mid-2020. And now the planet stands on the cusp of something that's only happened twice since 1950 – three years of La Nina. Another year of La Nina means the world is hurtling toward $1 trillion in weather-disaster damages by the time 2023 wraps up. The floods, droughts, storms and fires will destroy more homes, ruin more crops, further disrupt shipping, hobble energy supplies and, ultimately, end lives."
"Batten Down the Hatches: WMO Predicts First 'Triple-Dip' La Niña of the Century"
"The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is predicting that the current La Niña phase will likely continue for the next six months, making it a rare triple-year La Niña and the first of the century. "It is exceptional to have three consecutive years with a La Niña event," Professor Petteri Taalas, WMO Secretary-General, said in a statement. While both El Niño and La Niña phases are complicated weather patterns, in short, they refer to the rise and fall of temperatures in the eastern Pacific Ocean. The cooling phase is La Niña while the warming phase is El Niño. During an El Niño year, the warmest waters in the Pacific gather at the northern end of South America. These ocean temperature fluctuations drive global weather events."
