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Updraft: July 1, 2009 Archive

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September weather in July

Posted at 8:22 AM on July 1, 2009 by Paul Huttner

You'll forgive Minnesotans if we are a little confused these days.

It's July 1st today. It's supposed to be hot. We're supposed to be able to amble aimlessly down to our favorite lake and cool off in the oppressive heat under a warm July sun. Instead it feels like the first week of fall.

Our high temperature Tuesday in the Twin Cities was 70 degrees. That's the average high for September 18th. It's not even reasonably close to the average high of 82 for June 30th.

I'm getting some pretty pointed questions these days from restless natives.

Q: When are we going to see the sun again?
A: The clouds will hang in the eastern half of Minnesota much of today. We may see some clearing later this afternoon in time for sunset tonight.

Q: When is it going to warm up again?
A: Starting on Thursday we will see a noticeable temperature spike. We should be close to 80 degrees again on Thursday and Friday. A weak disturbance passing overhead on the 4th of July will bring a slight chance of showers with temperatures in the 70s. Look for the potential for a more significant warm up next week.

Q: What the bleep was up with June?
A: This was one of the most variable Junes on record. We began the month with 13 consecutive below average days. High temperatures did not climb out of the 50s for three consecutive days June 6the through June 8th. By June 13th we were already over 7 degrees below average for the month.

Then the pattern changed for the warmer. The next 14 days featured average or above average temperatures. That stretch included 3 days at or above 90 degrees last week. Add it all up and we ended up with near average temperatures (-0.7 degrees) for the month.
June felt anything but average, but in the end that's where the temperature ended up. It goes to show that averages can be deceiving, and are made up of extremes.

Hang in there for one last grey day today, and then our weather will improve as we head toward the weekend.

PH

One state, two forecasts

Posted at 2:27 PM on July 1, 2009 by Paul Huttner

Minnesota.jpg
Visible satellite image shows cloud deck hugging eastern Minnesota, while the west basks in sunshine today.

It's not that far from the Twin Cities to Willmar. It might as well be halfway across the country for the difference in weather today.

For the second day in a row bank thermometers are flashing close to 80 degrees in Willmar while we sit under cool cloud deck with a chilly breeze in the 60s in the metro.

That's what a cold upper low can do in summer. This one has been spinning over the great lakes for a few days now, and we are living on the western edge of the cold pool here in Minnesota. The low stratocumulus deck hugging Wisconsin and eastern Minnesota means less incoming solar radiation. That's called sunshine for most of us.

It's interesting to se the difference in temperatures today. The air mass properties are generally the same, the entire temperatures spread from west to east across the state is due to the difference in sunshine. Check out these temps just a few tens of miles apart at 2pm this afternoon.

Twin Cities: Cloudy 67
Willmar: Sunny 79

Canby has already hit 80 degrees this afternoon.

Here's the good news. Those 80s are headed this way. We should be near 80 tomorrow in the metro, and into the 80s Friday. A weak weather system looks to bring a slight chance of showers Saturday for the 4th. Stay tuned on that one.

Enjoy more sunshine tomorrow and Friday!

PH

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