Overnight auroras dazzle; 70s today, rain tonight, Early lilac bloom

Posted at 8:40 AM on April 24, 2012 by Paul Huttner (1 Comments)
Filed under: Astronomy, Phenology

Impressive auroras - sky show over Minnesota last night

70s today over southern Minnesota

Next rain chances move in tonight

Incredible auroras:

It was a pretty good sky show last night over Minnesota. A burst of auroras lit up skies in the darkened areas Monday night, with auroras reported from Grand Portage to Fergus Falls, and from Michigan to Colorado.

Check out the amazing video from Douglas Kiesling shot near Fergus Falls, MN.

Aurora Borealis, AKA Northern Lights time-lapse video from just northwest of Fergus Falls, MN as the geomagnetic storm peaked.

Shot with a 10mm wide angle lens as the Auroras filled the sky to make it look like it was on fire.

There is still a chance for more auroras tonight, though it appears we may be dodging some clouds and showers.

Here are some good places to keep up on all things aurora borealis.

-Spaceweather.com
-Astro Bob

Almost like spring: 70s and more rain ahead

Source: Twin Cities NWS
(click to enlarge)

Today brings a mix of sun and clouds to Minnesota, and milder temps. A few bank thermometers should tickly 70 degrees in southern Minnesota today, and again tomorrow.

The next low pressure wave creates enough instability to trigger a few showers and possibly a thunderstorms overnight into Wednesday morning.

Source: Iowa State University

Early lilac & other blooms this year:

Our record march jump started many blooms in Minnesota this year. In fact, this is one of the earliest lilac blooms I can recall.

April lilacs at the Weather Lab
Photo by Paul Huttner-MPR News

Historically, the first lilac blooms typically come to Minnesota in the first weeks of May. But the date of the first lilac bloom has been moving steadily up during the past several decades, according to my conversations with phenologists like long time observer Jim Gilbert.

Source: Project Budburst

According to dedicated observers like Jim, tracking changing bud and bloom times is one of the best ways to document climate change. The plants don't lie, they bud and bloom when conditions are right. Lilac blooms have moved as much as two weeks earlier since the late 1970s in Minnesota.

Check out "Project Budburst" for more info on what's blooming, and where.

PH

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Comments (1)

I had several lilac bushes in bloom on Easter Day this year. We had lilac flowers as a centerpiece.

Posted by Wissota | April 24, 2012 9:16 AM

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