Colder 2nd half of winter?

Posted at 10:41 AM on January 9, 2012 by Paul Tosto
Filed under: Weather

We're hoping to talk in detail later today with meteorologist Paul Huttner on the uber-mild winter we're having so far and what might be to come.

He's giving us some perspective this morning on his MPR News blog. Huttner writes:

Could this be the last major push of near record warmth in Minnesota for a while?

You would be on thin ice to forecast that in this "unwinter" of 2011-'12. But signs in the long range forecast maps may be pointing in a direction that will lead us to colder weather in the next 6 weeks.

Cold air has been building over Alaska the past few weeks. It's been -35 to -50 in Alaskan interior, and there are signs that chunks of that cold are going to break off and head south toward Minnesota and the Great Lakes in the next 2-4 weeks.

Tuesday may be the last time we see temps in the 40s and 50s in Minnesota for the rest of January, and maybe beyond.

The changes in the AO, overall jet stream patterns and my gut tell me we're trending much closer to normal the second half of winter.