To recap: Minnesota endured one week of (real) winter. Something I never thought I would witness in my lifetime.
Warmest December. Warmest February. Warmest meteorological winter on record. Eighteen days of 50-plus at MSP since Dec. 1, shattering the old record of eight days. Six subzero nights, all in mid-January. Average at MSP is 19 nights at/below 0F. Coldest night: -8F. The MSP record for mildest winter low was -2F (2001-02). "So far over 65 long-term climate stations have officially reported 2023-2024 as their warmest winter in history," wrote climatologist Mark Seeley.
Based on a brewing El Niño last summer I predicted a milder, drier winter. But NOBODY predicted this. Off-the-charts weather weirding.
We may come close to 70F later today with stiff winds and a few late-day showers. I see upper 40s and low 50s much of this week with rain Thursday, possibly ending as a slushy mix Friday with rare 30s for highs. ECMWF guidance hints at mid-50s again by mid-March. No polar slaps.
I suspect "winter" is over. Put a fork in it.
![Team Greece's boat parades along the Seine river in Paris, France, during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/GFUTTQG65BGEJF76IYABYF27V4.jpg?h=91&w=145&fit=crop&bg=999&crop=faces)
Paris dazzles with a rainy Olympics opening ceremony on the Seine River
Rain, rain and more rain couldn't drown out the cheers at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony
![Twin Cities meteorologist Paul Douglas is retiring from WCCO after seven years on the radio. He started working for Minnesota news stations in 1983 an](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/KIG3GIEQLRFUBKF6ABXPYJT2ZM.jpg?h=91&w=145&fit=crop&bg=999&crop=faces)