Updraft: November 12, 2007 Archive

Indian Summer

Posted at 7:01 AM on November 12, 2007 by Paul Huttner

Welcome to Indian Summer part two.

Sunday's high of 63 was 21 degrees above our average high of 42, and just one shy of the record of 64 set back in 2005! Hope you used the opportunity to get those last few leaves up, and stroll aimlessly down the block.

Highs will linger in the 50s through tomorrow, before a cold front snaps us back to reality Tuesday night. A bracing northwest wind will blow back into town Wednesday and Thursday.

So far November is running 2.6 degrees above average. This makes the ninth straight month of above normal readings in the metro. We will cool off though, and this month may end up closer to average. The models are hinting at our first big chance of snow late on Thanksgiving weekend, but that is way too far out to bet the farm now, so stay tuned.

Let's have some fun with this one. Here's NOAA's GFS Model for Thanksgiving weekend. Let's see how much this changes from day to day between now and then. It should be a good study in how fickle the models can be that far out!

NOAA GFS Model for Thanksgiving Weekend

PH

Creating a new normal

Posted at 2:48 PM on November 12, 2007 by Craig Edwards

If you don’t mind my editorializing, I found the past two days just delightful. Sunday’s maximum temperature in the Twin Cites was just one degree shy of the record high of 64 degrees. Today the mercury once again climbed well above normal for the date. With plenty of sunshine, temperatures reached the middle 50s in central Minnesota. Normal highs are about 10 to 15 degrees cooler.

Back-to-back days of pleasant November weather allowed for a round of golf on this designated Holiday. My weather colleague and I both marveled at how pleasant it was to walk the course with sunshine, comfortable temperatures, no bugs and only a light breeze. Temperatures the past two days were more representative of the Ohio Valley for this time of year. As the daily weather becomes part of the historical records, we are creating the new normal. Clearly trending warmer! February has been the only month with below normal temperatures for 2007.

From the other side, central Minnesota could use some moisture. There has been no significant precipitation since Oct. 19. Newly planted trees and shrubs could use a watering while the soil remains frost-free.

When the other shoe drops, and the reality of a November cold snap blasts across the Plains, remember this Veterans Day when Mother Nature served up an award winning weather day.
CE