Updraft: December 22, 2008 Archive

A December to remember

Posted at 7:01 AM on December 22, 2008 by Craig Edwards

The average temperature for the first 21 days of December in International Falls is running 11.5 degrees below normal. They have received just shy of thirty inches of snow, with slightly more than one inch of moisture. That comes out to about a thirty to one ratio of snow and water equivalent.

The National Weather Service in Chanhassen has posted the tally of Saturday's snowfall. Snowfall measurements in your local area

Winds have dropped off considerably as the center of the arctic high is overhead this morning. Winds will turn to the southeast during the day with a push of somewhat milder air. Clouds thicken and snowflakes follow later today.

This snow making system arriving tonight will spread nasty weather across the Great Lakes on Tuesday and continue into Wednesday.

Click on the map to get your destinations weather

After a chilly start on Christmas morning, temperatures may stay on the positive side of the ledger through the weekend in the Twin Cities.

CE
naturesmessenger.com

Currier and Ives

Posted at 5:52 PM on December 22, 2008 by Paul Huttner

NWS forecast map highlighting snow accumulation by Tuesday afternoon.

Here we go again.

Another fast moving system will push a band of snow through Minnesota overnight into Tuesday. This one looks like a moderate event, not huge but not insignificant either.

Look for snow to spread from western Minnesota during the evening hours and reach the metro by about midnight. Snow could be falling during morning rush on Tuesday, making for yet another slick, slow, slog into work.

By the time the snow tapers Tuesday after lunch, we could have another 2" to 5" inches in much of central Minnesota and Wisconsin. The best chance for 5" will be east of the metro in Wisconsin.

We've had 14.9" of snow so far this month at Twin Cities Airport. If we get another 4.2" that will put our December snowfall at 19.1" and boot us into the top 10 snowiest Decembers on record in the metro. There is a decent chance we'll get there this month with another shot at snow this weekend.

The all time December record in the Twin Cities is 33.2" set in 1969.

It's a Currier and Ives landscape around our region this Christmas week. If you don't have to drive too much, it's a great year to get out and play in our abundant snowfall. It's also a great year for snow related retailers. Who knew a little snow cloud help our regions economy?

Look out your window and enjoy the finest a Minnesota winter has to offer!

PH