Updraft Category Archive: Target Field

Coldest Twins "Opening Day" yet at Target Field; "Hard Freeze" Tuesday AM

Posted at 5:12 PM on April 9, 2012 by Paul Huttner
Filed under: Target Field

35 degree "Wind Chill" at Target Field at 4pm Monday in Twins Home Opener

Source: NWS

Warm jackets go with cold beer at Twins Opener Monday
Photo by Paul Huttner-MPR News

Freeze warnings in effect until 10AM Tuesday morning

25 to 32 degrees in the metro early Tuesday

Even "Urban Heat Islands" should see freezing temps Tuesday morning

70s return by Saturday?

Precious rain (and some thunder) likely Thursday-Sunday

Warmly clad fans file into Target Field Monday
Photo Paul Huttner-MPR News

Play ball! With parkas and baseball caps:

If there was ever a "Star Wars Bar" in Minnesota, it was been at Target Field Monday afternoon.

It was one of those classic Minnesota scenes for the Twins Home Opener Monday.

Fans donned a seasonally confused mix of baseball caps, winter hats, polar fleece and even parkas mixed in with various Twins gear.

Photo Paul Huttner-MPR news

The game time temp of 43 degrees and a raw northwest wind gusting as high as 30 mph combined to drop wind chills into the mid 30s Monday afternoon.

Photo Paul Huttner-MPR News

It was by far the coldest Opening Day in the brief 3 year history at Target Field, and it was a full 20 degrees colder than last year's 64 degree high! Throw in the wind and it felt 30 degrees colder in the shade...more like March.

2010: Sunny - 68 degrees (April 12th vs. Boston Red Sox)

2012: Mixed sun & clouds, windy Temp: 43 degrees - Wind Chill 35 degrees!

Fans huddled in the seat rows in the shade, but it wasn't as bad in the sun.

Photo Paul Huttner-MPR News

A tail wind at Target Field Monday seemed to help when Josh Willingham crushed a 389 foot home run to left-center in the bottom of the 4th inning.

At least that's how it looked from the comfy confines of the press box!

"Hard Freeze": Tuesday Morning:

It looks cold enough for a hard freeze (3 or more hours below 28 degrees) in most of Minnesota Tuesday morning.

Source: NWS

Even in the metro, temps should dip to or below freezing in the Urban Heat Island.

Freeze warnings are in effect until 10am Tuesday!

Source: NWS

Pattern Change: Late week rain?

A shift to a southwest upper air flow will bring a series of low pressure systems toward Minnesota last this week. Several batches of showers & T-Storms should rumble through Minnesota between Thursday night and Sunday.

The flow looks promising to deliver some significant rainfall totals to central and southern Minnesota. 1" to 2"+ rainfall is a possibility.

Source: ISU

We really need the rain...so I'm watching this one with hopeful eyes as a Minnesotan, and watchful eyes as a meteorologist!

PH

Responding to the warning; take it personal

Posted at 6:22 AM on April 5, 2012 by Craig Edwards (0 Comments)
Filed under: Target Field, Tornadoes

In May of 1999 I was part of the NOAA assessment team of the Oklahoma City tornado. Devestation was like a bomb had exploded. Trees were reduced to stumps and houses were splinters of wood and concrete. Fatalities could have been in the hundreds. Warnings were heeded, but few had basements.

Our team had the chance to walk the path of destruction with emergency management officials and speak to residents who survived the EF5 twister. Some had taken last minute refuge in the hall closest as the house collapsed down on them.

I was struck by one young lady's comment when she said she heard the siren, the sky was black and threatening. She was not tuned into a source for weather information, but was listening to a CD in her car. Only when she arrived home and heard two messages from her aunt on her phone recording did she seek more information. The meteorologist on the radio delivered a forceful warning. She survived. The house didn't.

Few tornadoes will occur during prime time news coverage. Still fewer will be covered with live video from chasers or helicopters. Images are a game changer in inciting a response. As the say in Missiouri, "show me."

NOAA Weather radio has been available for decades yet is hardly mentioned by journalists covering tornado survival stories. It seems the warning response is always dependent on whether the siren went off. That is an outoor warning system.

Here's what a NOAA weather radio receiver looks like. It is integral to the warning process and information direct to you 24 hours a day. It needs to be in your house.

Range of the reception is limited and the frequency is defined for your location. This maps shows the coverage in central Minnesota into west central Wisconsin.

Statewide Weather Radio coverage can be found here. A complete story on NOAA Weather Radio is available here.

An automobile or a truck for that matter is not good shelter during a strong tornado. It should be abandoned for a sturdy shelter.

There is still time to attend local Skywarn spotter training. Check out the location nearest you. Regional spotter training schedule click here. Timely severe weather reports validate warnings and lend confidence to warning decisions.

A slug of Marchlike air arrives just in time for Easter. Ladies, hold on to your bonnet, if it's still considered fashionable. Chilly air hangs around for the Twins Opener on Monday afternoon.

CE

Comment on this post

Target Field microclimate 2011: Is TF still a pitcher's ball park?

Posted at 12:19 PM on November 2, 2011 by Paul Huttner (1 Comments)
Filed under: Target Field

You may recall my posting and analysis last year that the Target Field "microclimate" could be a home run buzz kill.

With two season's worth of data in the books, it looks like that may be true.

Twins & Yankees do battle at "roomy" Target Field.
(Photo by Paul Huttner)

Recall the numbers from the 2010 inaugural season at TF.

(Data from hittrackeronline.com)

1.43 HR per game average

3rd fewest in MLB (30 teams)

Now the 2011 numbers from TF's second season.

1.56 HR per game average

8th fewest in MLB

Scatter plot diagram of Target Field home runs.

Jim Thome crushes #598

Wit two seasons in the books it looks like Target Field is living up to it's reputation as a cavernous ball park that can swallow potential home run balls that would fly out of some other parks in the majors.

PH

Comment on this post

Increasing threat of dangerous storms

Posted at 3:55 PM on August 1, 2011 by Craig Edwards (3 Comments)
Filed under: Climate, Rainfall, Target Field, Thunderstorms, Tornadoes, dew point

This visible satellite image shows a couple of important aspects about this afternoon's weather. First, the clouds that remained over eastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin which kept temperatures from climbing into the lower 90s. Second, the clearing in western Minnesota that has allowed sunshine and high dew points to produce heat index values about 100; including 106 at 3PM in Canby.

In the previous blog you'll note the Storm Prediction Center's rather high probability of tornado potential in western Minnesota. There is a boundary from the differential heating due to the cloud-free area and the persistent cloud cover. This is displayed nicely in the graphic of the dew points, temperatures and pressure field as generated from 3PM surface observations.

Temperature contours are in red, dew point highlighted by colored background and pressure field in black. Basic meteorology suggests the inflow of winds from the south and southeast, along with the advancing low pressure, high dew points and afternoon heating will result in thunderstorm development in eastern South Dakota and western Minnesota.

We'll watch how this unfolds in the later afternoon and early evening hours.

Meanwhile, Pete Boulay of the State Climate Office shared this tid-bit after probing the dew points recorded this summer at the Twin Cities International Airport. So far this summer as of 3pm August 1, there have been 98 hours of dew point temperatures of 75 degrees or higher. This breaks the old record of 78 hours that was set back on 2001.

Some branches were blown down along with power lines as the storms swept through east central Minnesota between 1230PM and 230PM this afternoon. Here's a link to the storm reports out of the Chanhassen NWS Office.

Heavy rain also was reported with over two inches at Hutchison and an inch and a half at Target Field near downtown Minneapolis from late morning to mid afternoon.

Stay abreast of potentially dangerous weather conditions developing as we go into the evening hours.
CE

Comment on this post

Understanding precipitation probabilities or POPs

Posted at 6:36 AM on July 6, 2011 by Craig Edwards (3 Comments)
Filed under: Rainfall, Target Field

Often we get accused of covering the bases with the use of precipitation probabilities. But it is the best way to convey the potential for a specific location to get wet.Here's the definition as used by the National Weather Service Offices.

Below is a table that defines our PoP ranges, their associated qualifying terms and the equivalent areal term we use in the forecast to try to describe the coverage of precipitation events for convective events.

PoP Value Qualifying Term Equivalent Areal Term
20 slight chance/ isolated or widely scattered

30,40, 50 chance/ scattered

60, 70 likely/ numerous

80, 90, 100 none/ none

When I was in Indianapolis I tracked the validity of precipitation proabilities and plotted a reliability curve. Over the meteorological summer months of June, July and August the forecast of rain chances and the actual rain occurrence was nearly on the money. There was one notable exception.

When forecasters called for a 70 precent chance or rain, there was measurable rain about 80 percent of the time. There was a slight bias to pull back a little on the POPs, particularly twenty-four hours out, due to the possibility that the anticipated convective precipitation might steer slightly north or south of a specific location.

When you hear a probability or rain it means the chance of getting measurable precipitation at your location during a particular twelve hour period. It really has little to do with intensity or duration. Climatology (over a long period of years) suggests that on any given day in July there is about a 30 percent chance for showers in the Twin Cities.

Last evening was a great example of a 30 percent probability in the Metro area. Around 330PM thunderstorms developed and were moving southeast from just south of St. Cloud to near Blaine. Thunderstorms split Target Field. One produced a downpour in the western suburbs. The other, a stronger storm, resulted in a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for parts of Ramsey and Washington Counties.

Measureable rain was reported at St. Paul Holman Field, while the International Airport didn't see a drop of rain. There was a report to the National Weather Service in Chanhassen of a brief tornado touchdown on Coon Lake in Anoka County.

Despite the forecast of relatively low probabilities of rain on Thursday and Thursday evening, it does appear that a couple of spots will get wet. Here's the national graphic for potential rainfall on Thursday and Thursday night.

Enjoy today's sunshine and comfortable temperatures.
CE

Comment on this post

Another bout of severe storms possible tonight

Posted at 6:16 AM on July 4, 2011 by Craig Edwards
Filed under: Storms, Target Field

A return of higher dew points today will increase the threat for strong thunderstorms in northern and western Minnesota tonight. The Storm Prediction Center has shaded an area of the Dakotas and parts of Minnesota with the best potential for damaging winds and large hail.

Prior to the storms it will be a warm Holiday with temperatures this afternoon well into the 80s. Here's a graphic from Duluth NWS of the maximum temperature forecasts for the Lake's region.

In case you missed it, last Friday the temperature surged to 99 degrees at the Twin Cities International Airport late in the afternoon. This fell one degree shy of the record high for July 1st of 100 degrees set in 1883. Dew points in the middle 70s resulted in Heat Index values (feels-like temperature) of 105 degrees.

The conditions were very ripe for damaging thunderstorms on July 1st. A large swath of Minnesota and western Wisconsin experienced some wind damage. A storm survey was done by the staff of the Duluth Office on the storms in Burnett County Wisconsin. Here is a summary of the damage and a nice photo of a shelf cloud. Storm reports for the events on Friday can be seen by clicking on the SPC storm report.

You'll recall that July 4th 1999 was the date of the Boundary Water Canoe Area blow down with the derecho that moved from the Dakotas across northern Minnesota and Lake Superior. This event resulted in a long period of recovery and controlled burns to make the region safe for recreationalist. A derecho is a long lived severe weather event of strong to destructive straightline winds that can exceed 100 miles an hour.

Here's the definition of a bow echo, which was observed on radar on Friday afternoon and evening. A bow echo is associated with squall lines or lines of convective thunderstorms. These echoes can range in size from 20 to 200 km, and have a life span of 3 to 6 hours. Bow echoes tend to develop when moderate to strong wind shear exists in the lower 2 to 3 km of the atmosphere. While similar to squall lines, bow echoes are smaller in scale; and are moved by the wind inside them. They tend to push outward and after time die out.

Damage was also considerable in southwest Minnesota. Here's a summary of the damage, with radar imagery posted by the Chanhassen NWS Office from the July 1st storms.

The forecast UV index for the Nation is high on this Fourth of July. If you avoided a sun burn so far, be cautious today. You can damage your skin in less than an hour with a UV index in the seven or above category.

We did a little experiment at Target Field in the heat of the afternoon on Sunday. The shade temperature at 3PM was 85 degrees. We placed a thermometer in the direct sun and it climbed all the way to 101 degrees. The official temperature is reported in the shade.

Stay tuned later today for the potential for strong storms.
CE

Instant spring at Target Field; flood threat; Japan fallout

Posted at 7:55 AM on March 15, 2011 by Paul Huttner (3 Comments)
Filed under: Flooding, Target Field, Winter/spring 2011

Let's start with the good news!

Here's a lighter note in a world of troubling news to start your Tuesday.

Spring began at Target Field Monday!

I had a chance to chat with Minnesota Twins Head Groundkeeper Larry DiVito at Monday evening's AMS meeting in the Champion's Club at Target Field. Larry and his crew peeled off the agricultural fabric used to cover the turf at TF Monday.

"Winter began November 13th, and it ended today" said DiVito.

Larry has had the underground heaters turned on all winter long at TF. With the heaters set in the upper 30s and the tarp and snow cover on top of the field, the turf never really froze this winter at TF. These days, Larry cranks up the heaters to a comfy 52 degrees about 10" under the turf.

Larry and his crew are working this week to get Target Field turf ready for baseball. Now there's a sure sign of spring in Minnesota!

Edwards dazzles AMS meeting:

My partner in weather crime, MPR & Twins Meteorologist Craig Edwards put on a good show Monday night at the AMS Twin Cities Chapter meeting. Craig eloquently described the first season of providing weather support at Target Field, including some close calls and highlights. I had the pleasure of giving last months' AMS talk about weather coverage at MPR, and this was Craig's turn.

Edwards works the crowd in the Champion's Club at Target Field.

Fortunately the Twins lead charmed weather lives in 2010, seeming to dodge nearly every storm with only 2 games significantly affected by rain. Let's hope the good luck continues for fans in 2011! My weather "spidey senses" tell me the "law of weather averages" will make Craig a busier weather beaver at Target Field in 2011.

Gratuitous Target Field factoid:

Did you know there are 4.5 miles of "beer pipe" running through Target Field to pump beer to the concessions stands? I didn't either, until last night. I happened to snap a picture of the lines running high above the interior walkway heading the Target Field Weather Lab. (FYI, this was a "dry" AMS meeting.)

Talk about underground "utilities." Anyone besides me thirsty?

"Beer pipe" running under Target Field.

Warming trend kicks into high gear:

You'll really start to notice it's feeling more like spring today and the rest of this week. Southerly winds will prevail most of this week and into next week. With the exception of a minor speed bump on Friday, it looks like we will see a string of days in the 40s and 50s over the next week.

Warm week ahead. (Click to enlarge)

It looks like temperatures in much of Minnesota have a shot at 50 Wednesday, Thursday and again over the weekend into early next week. Temps will be running about 10 to 15 degrees above average this week. 50 is the average high in the metro for April 3rd!

Milder nights too!

One feature of this warm up is that temperatures may stay at or above freezing starting early Wednesday and lasting right into next week in much of Minnesota!

Rapid snow melt:

The string of days in the 40s and 50s and above freezing nights mean the pace of snow melt is going to increase rapidly this week. Several inches of snow will melt in the next week, and many locations could be down to dirty piles of snow by Sunday.

One thing to remember is that the snow that's left is nearly "glaciated" in many spots. That is to say, a winter's worth of water and ice is compresses and still locked up in the bottom few inches of the snow. That makes the last few inches the toughest to melt. (Kind of like losing those last few pounds?)

Flood threat grows:

As the snow melts, water will increase runoff into area rivers and streams this week. The hydrologists at the NCRFC recognize this, and they are in the process of running new models to gauge the increasing flood threat this week.

There is still a good 4" to 6"+ snow water equivalent (SWE) in the snow in the Minnesota River watershed.

4" to 6"+ snow water content in Minnesota River watershed.

Here's the latest flood outlook from NWS.

HYDROLOGIC OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
452 PM CDT MON MAR 14 2011

PLEASE REFERENCE THE NWS TWIN CITIES RIVER WEBSITE AT
WATER.WEATHER.GOV/AHPS2/INDEX.PHP?WFO=MPX

"Rain shock" ahead?

The big wild card in spring flooding is always heavy rain. There are signs that after a couple of chances for light rain this week, (Today & Wednesday) a stronger rain system may move in late Saturday night and Sunday.

Some models are printing out the potential for as much as 1" of rain with this warm, spring like system.

Heavy rain Sunday? (Click to enlarge)

If we get an inch of rain on top of frozen ground following a week of rapid snow melt, that may "flush" copious amounts of runoff into area rivers & creeks. The resulting "rain shock" can send rivers rapidly higher, and we could quickly transition into rapidly rising rivers with the potential for ice jams and with rapidly fluctuating river levels in the next week to 10 days.

Stay tuned as the flood threat could grow quickly in the next week.

A bad wind in Japan:

Weather and wind conditions seem to have taken an unfavorable turn in Japan.

Let me be the first to say I don't think we really have hard information as to exactly what levels of radiation may or may not be escaping into the atmosphere from the reactors in Fukushima. But news reports of detectable radiation in Tokyo are not good.

At this point in time, we just don't know what the scope of the disaster will eventually be.

What we do know from the Japan Meteorological Agency is that surface winds had been blowing out to seas, but have turned inland over the past day or so. A low pressure system off Japan's east coast has turned winds into a more easterly direction, and that may be carrying radiation emissions in the lowest mile of the atmosphere inland to the west and southwest to more populated areas.

Surface map shows low off Japan's east coast. (Click to enlarge)

Surface winds tredning "inland." (Click for bigger image)

Could emissions reach the USA?

In the event of a bigger release of radiation, some are asking if radioactivity could reach the USA. The short answer is yes. The best answer may be, it depends.

There is an entire sub-science of meteorology called "plume dispersion modeling." I used to work for a firm in Chicago that did environmental consulting in plume dispersion for the nuclear power industry.

In fact, part of my responsibility was to issue detailed wind trajectory forecasts for a nuke plant. That forecast (wind direction and speed) would be used in case of a nuclear emergency such as we are witnessing in Japan. I lived 8 miles from that plant. Talk about a humbling forecast responsibility that hit close to home!

In the event large amounts of radiation were released in Japan above 10,000 feet or so, the prevailing westerly winds would carry the "plume" eastward across the Pacific Ocean toward the USA.

The good news is the plume would tend to disperse along the way. The bad news is the radioactive isotopes don't decay quickly, and there could be fallout in the USA, especially from rain. I am not a plume dispersion modeler, and therefore unable to make specific forecasts of what might happen in the event of a large release of radiation.

But I can tell you this, people a lot smarter than me will be working on that question.

Bottom line? While there is no need for any action or panic in the USA, the situation is worth keeping an eye on.

Stay tuned.

PH

Comment on this post

A Yankee wind

Posted at 6:00 AM on October 7, 2010 by Paul Huttner (2 Comments)
Filed under: Baseball, Target Field

The weather was perfect at Target Field for Game 1 Wednesday night. Perfect for the Yankees that is.

On a night when there was little breeze for most of the game, one puff of wind may have played a role in the outcome.

Flags atop left field blowing in during pre game.
Photos by Paul Huttner. (Click to enlarge images)

Make no mistake; the ball was jumping out of Target Field Wednesday night. Numerous players on both teams hit prodigious home run shots during batting practice before the game. The ball carried very well with what seemed to be a helping northwest wind before the game. Twins radio broadcaster and former Twin player Dan Gladden even commented on how the ball "was flying out of the stadium" as he stood at the batting cage during batting practice.

Dan Gladden, Jack Morris, Harmon Killebrew and others look on during BP.

Delmon Young and Denard Span at the cage. Young's towering shots carried into the second deck during warm ups.

The trend continued even as winds died down a bit in the early innings as Michael Cuddyer launched a two run homer over the center field wall in the bottom of the second inning. Center field is usually a place where long fly balls go to die at Target Field. But Cuddyer's low trajectory drive bored through the air, just clearing the wall.

In the 6th, Yankee Curtis Granderson hit another shot that carried well into the night sky. This one caromed high off the wall deep in right center, a two run triple.

Then came the 7th inning.

Mark Teixeira launched a deep fly down the right field line. Michael Cuddyer watched the ball sail over him near from his vantage point near the first base line. He said in his post game comments he thought it might hook foul as pull shots often do.

But just as Teixeira stepped to the plate, the flags in right field began to blow slightly to the left, toward fair territory. The ball's flight stayed true, and instead of hooking foul the ball sailed less than 3 feet inside the fair pole, and the Yankees had a 6-4 lead they would not relinquish.

Did a "helping" wind blowing toward center keep Teixeira's drive fair in the 7th?

I watched the flags in right field hang still one second, then blow toward center field on the next puff of air periodically Wednesday night. The wind speed may have only been between 5 and 10mph with these periodic puffs. It is possible that the timing of that puff of air in the 7th inning had just enough force to keep Texeria's drive in fair territory, and potentially affect the outcome of the game.

A season of wind flow mysteries:

What I observed Wednesday night confirms in my mind that the ideal home run conditions at Target Field occur with light winds, and not necessarily with a tail wind blowing out. Higher winds seem to create turbulence inside the stadium. This includes possible downdrafts after wind rushes over the "airfoil" canopy atop the stadium. The wind also seems to swirl in circular fashion in the outfield.

Target Field "airfoil" canopy may play a role in swirling stadium winds.

Twins fans and players have all observed the same oddities about how the ball carries at Target Field. I asked Twins season ticket holder Jeremy Anderson about his perceptions on ball flight from his vantage point. His seats are well down the right field line in the lower level. It's a perfect spot to watch balls soar into the outfield. "They come off the bat strong, but they don't carry very well. I think it carried better in the Metrodome."

Twins Fans Jeremy Anderson (left) and his buddy during pre game.

More than once I have observed the pennant fags atop the left field wall and the flags in the right field plaza blowing in different directions at the same time. I have even seen them blowing toward each other!

Baseball games are won by the players on the field. Still, as a meteorologist and baseball nut, I find it fascinating to watch wind currents at Target Field. There are mysteries still to be discovered about the many possible "micro vortices" that inhabit the new Twins home.

PH

Here are a few more photos from the game.

A-Rod & Yankees warm up.

Grounds crew preps the field.

Harmon Killebrew at pre game interview.

Francisco Liriano delivers the first ever pitch in post season play at Target Field. It was a strike to Yankee Derek Jeter.

Comment on this post

Target Field weather: Will the ball carry tonight?

Posted at 9:30 AM on October 6, 2010 by Paul Huttner
Filed under: Baseball, Target Field

It's going to be an interesting weather night at Target Field.

The first ever Twins playoff game at Target Field features an above average forecast for October this evening. The big question may be, how well will the ball carry?

There are several factors that affect baseball flight.

All other things being equal, baseballs tend to fly farther in warm humid air. Warm humid air is less dense, creating less friction on a baseball in flight.

With temperatures falling through the 60s and relatively dry air tonight (dew points in the 40s) the air will be a little denser tonight than at times over the past few months. This may act to slow balls in flight more rapidly.

Wind factor:

Of course the biggest single factor in how far a baseball will fly (given the same hitting force) is wind. A tail wind will reduce friction and aid the ball's flight. A head wind or a downdraft will add friction and slow the ball more quickly.

We'll see gusty winds today from the northwest. The winds will taper off a bit after sunset tonight, but may still be in the 5-12mph range by game time. At Target Field, a northwest wind blows out toward right field and Target Plaza.

Northwest winds may fade a bit after sunset tonight.

As I've discussed before in this space, numerous observers in addition to me have noticed that balls that seem to be home run shots as they leave the bat tend to die in the outfield. This effect seems most pronounced in center field, where there may be a vortex of swirling winds that tends to knock balls down as winds circle the high stadium walls and deflect off the scoreboard.

One area that may be favorable for home runs tonight is right field, where the opening onto Target Plaza creates a natural wind tunnel. Watch the flags tonight on the plaza. If they are blowing out briskly you can expect balls to carry further than in other areas of the park given the ambient wind speed.

Right Field and Target Plaza may be a tempting targets for hitters tonight.

There are also flags atop the stadium in right field that may hold clues to potential swirling winds tonight.

You may want to bring a light jacket tonight to the ball game.

Twins playoff game #1 Forecast:

Sky: Mostly clear
Temps: First pitch 67 degrees. Near 59 by 10pm.
Wind: NW 10-20 mph pre game, easing to 5-12 mph during the game.

PH

Target Field Weather: #1 pitcher's park in baseball?

Posted at 8:10 AM on October 5, 2010 by Paul Huttner
Filed under: Baseball, Target Field

Update 8:00 am:

More interesting data shows Target Field as the #1 pitchers ball park in Major League Baseball. According to ESPN, when you compare home vs. away numbers for home runs for all MLB teams, Target Field has the top bias as a pitchers park in the majors when it comes to home runs.

This data is even more pronounced than the raw numbers from HitTracker, which shows Target Field has yielded the 4th fewest home runs in the majors this season.

The abrupt and high rise of the stadium structure is like a mini mountain range that winds have to cross. The result may be an eddy that can actually blow back toward home plate in a downward direction, even though the prevailing wind is blowing out.

One reason for the relatively low number of home runs at Target Field may be that the canopy and stadium walls create what's called a "rotor" effect with certain (primarily westerly) wind directions.

My friend, fellow baseball coach and Twins season ticket holder Mark Werley shares the following observation.

The stadium is on a hill to begin with so a northwest wind has to climb the hill, and the left wall of the stadium, then maybe you just get a downdraft eddie out there - possibly helped somehow by that 'airfoil' shape of the sunshade. We sit in the upper deck on the right field side and the shape you see is a ball going up and out nicely, only to start dropping fast before it get's to the fence. Does anyone else think that what's unusual about the stadium is that the sides are steeper and set closer to the field than most other stadiums? Wonder if that creates different/sharper downdrafts on the field?

It will be intersting to see how the Yankees and Twins home run numbers compare during the upcoming series. Of course weather is only one factor...the fact is if the ball is up in the strike zone these guys are going to hit some out of the park.

PH

Update 10:30pm:

New York Times baseball writer Pat Borzi did a nice piece on the weather and home runs at Target Field here. Pat contacted me on Monday and I shared my observations about Target Field weather with him for the article.

(Original post 4:40pm Monday)

October Baseball: Twins weather winning streak continues

It looks like the Twins winning weather streak will continue as the Yankees come to town this week for the first ever playoff series at Target Field.

Jim Thome and the Twins may have a slight tail wind blowing out to right field Wednesday evening at Target Field.
(photo by Paul Huttner)

A favorably dry early October weather pattern with sunny mild days and clear, crisp cool evenings means great baseball weather this week.

Here's the Huttner Weather Lab forecast as of Monday for the games on Wednesday & Thursday:

Game 1: Wednesday evening. First pitch 7:37pm CDT

Sky: Mostly clear
Temps: 68 degrees first pitch. Near 60 by 10pm.
Wind: NW 5-12 mph (blowing out toward right field)

Game 2: First pitch 5:07pm CDT

Sky: Mostly sunny
Temps: 70 degrees first pitch. Near 64 by 8pm.
Wind: West 5-12 mph (blowing out toward left-center field)

The early outlook for a possible Game #5 next Tuesday looks favorable as well right now.

What a difference a year makes:

Remeber last October in Minnesota?

The words cold, wet and miserable come to mind.

Last October 6th (the date of Game #1 this year) was an absolutely dismal weather day. A raw wet early October storm system dumped a cold rain on the Twin Cities all day. The high was a bone chilling 47 degrees, and the storms dumped 1.38" of rainfall on the metro. A raw, cutting, bone chilling northwest wind blew between 11 and 22 mph.

Not exactly a day for outdoor baseball.

We saw snow on 5 days in the metro in last October, including a daily record snowfall of 2.5" on the 12th...the same day of a potential Game 5 at Target Field this year.

Snow clad deck chairs at the Huttner Weather Lab on October 12th, 2009.
(Photo by Paul Huttner)

Anyting can happen in October in Minnesota:

As fans and local meteorologists eyed the possibilities of outdoor playoff baseball in October, we knew that anything can (and usually does!) happen with Minnesota weather this time of year.

Check out some of the weather extremes for the first 12 days of October in the Twin Cities.

Warmest: 87 degrees on October 6th 2007.
Coldest: 23 degrees October 12th 1917.
Wettest: 1.69" rainfall October 6th 1941.
Snowiest: 2.5" snowfall October 12th 2009.

The Twins weather luck has been uncanny this season. In the most severe weather summer in Minnesota history, only two weather delays have occurred at Target Field this season. Monday marks the 9th straight day with no measureable rain in the Twin Cities. That is the longest dry stretch in over 6 months since late March!

It looks like the weather gods are dancing over Target Field again this week. Let's hope the baseball gods are dancing too.

PH

Seats dictate weather at Target Field

Posted at 5:17 PM on June 9, 2010 by Paul Huttner (1 Comments)
Filed under: Baseball, Microclimates, Target Field

Young Twins Fan soaks in the view to sunny right field as shadows move across the outfield.
(Photos by Paul Huttner. Click for bigger image)

It can be like spring or summer in Target Field at the same moment, depending on where your seats are.

At a recent Twins/Yankees game I took the time to visit several different sections and "take the temperature" of the seats and the fans. What I found are temperatures that vary widely in different sections of Target Field at the same time.

Outfield bleachers in sun and shade on the playing field as the grounds crew prepares for a 7:10 start.

While it is not a surprise to find changing temperatures in Target Field, the magnitude of the difference in the apparent or "feels like" temperature was remarkable. It was like the difference between a cool spring day and a warm summer afternoon depending on the section number on your ticket.

Thursday May 27th
Time: 6:30pm
Location: Left field seats section 313.
-Air temperature: 80 degrees.
-Apparent temperature: Near 90 degrees.

I enter Target Field through Killebrew Gate 3 in center field. Under the crowded but shady concourse with the breeze it feels very close to the ambient air temperature of 80 degrees. But as I emerge into the direct sunshine in the left and center field bleachers, it's instant July.

The seats are very warm to the touch. The fans are dressed for summer. My low tech thermometer and weather spidey senses tell me the apparent or "feels like" temperature in the sun soaked center field seats is close to 90 degrees. Center field faces directly west into the now sinking but still potent evening sun, and you can feel every degree.

Fans settle into a sunny and very warm section 331 minutes before gametime.

Time: 7:10pm
Location: 3rd base line near section 11, row 1 .
-Air temperature: 77 degrees.
-Apparent temperature: 74 degrees.

As Nick Blackburn throws the game's first pich to Derek Jeter, I am in the press pit next to the Yankee dugout at field level just below the first row of section 11.

Yankee Derek Jeter loosens up on deck

Twins starter Nick Blackburn rocks and fires.

The shade of the stadium's high canopy has covered the area along the 3rd base line now for some time, and the temperature is noticeably more comfortable than it was in the outfield just minutes earlier.

Derek Jeter ready at the plate. Note the sunny patch in the right field seats as the game gets underway.

There is now a slight breeze to subtract just a few more degrees from the apparent temperature. I would estimate the feels like temp here is a cozy 74 degrees as the game starts.

Texiera, A-Rod, Jeter, Mauer & Morneau ready for the pitch.

Time: 7:30pm
Location: 1st base side concourse at the top of section 109 .
-Air temperature: 74 degrees.
-Apparent temperature: 68 degrees.

I make my way to the concourse along the first base line behind section 109. This area has been in shade pretty much all day. It now feels considerably cooler here. The breeze blowing through the openings in the concourse is cool to the senses. I notice many fans here wearing sweatshirts, even as T-shirt clad fans in center field soak up the last rays of evening sun across the stadium.

A-Rod makes contact with a Blackburn pitch.

Conclusion:

On this relatively warm summer like evening at Target Field, I observed differences in apparent temperature in different sections of the ball park of as much as 22 degrees over a period of about an hour. On this day it was relatively warm, but it would be good to know where you're sitting on a sunny day as you decide how to dress for the game.

I talked with Kevin Smith, Twins media guru about the stark contrast in temperatures around Target Field. His observations seem to indicate that the biggest differences occur on sunny, relatively cool and breezy spring days with temperatures in the 60s. He has seen fleece in the upper deck sections along the 1st base line and shorts and T-Shirts in the sun down the 3rd base line during cool sunny day games.

Bottom line: Know your seat, sun angles and the expected weather before you head out to Target Field this summer.

PH

Here are a few more images from the Twins Yankees most recent game.

Twins warm up on their "field of dreams."

Mauer takes inside.

A-Rod warms up.

Cano warm up throw.

D-Span ready.

"Roof deck guys" soak up the view from above.

Your intrepid weather reporter checks out the roof deck on the way out as the game ends.

Comment on this post

View from space: Oil slick chokes Mississippi Delta

Posted at 8:52 AM on May 26, 2010 by Paul Huttner
Filed under: Remote sensing, Target Field

NASA MODIS Terra satellite clearly shows Gulf oil slick surrounding the Mississippi Delta Monday.
(click on image for bigger picture)

Check out the remarkably clear image from NASA Monday showing the extent of the oil spill from BP's ruptured oil well on the floor of the Gulf of Mexico. The oil changes the reflectivity of sunlight on the ocean's surface, resulting in different appearances depending on the angle of the sun and the satellite's imager.

Several features are noticeable on the image.

-The huge blob of oil (and dispersant?) at the surface is visible a few miles off the tip of the Mississippi Delta in the Gulf.

-Large amounts of oil have clearly infiltrated the marshes and inlets surrounding the Mississippi Delta "bird's-foot" region.

-Streamers of oil extend northeast from the main oil slick just off the Mississippi and Alabama beaches.

-A narrow plume of oil streams southeast away from the main oil slick, possibly a finger having been tapped by the Gulf loop current.

It's remarkably clear (and sad) how extensive the oil spill is when viewed from space.

Perfect weather pattern:

Now for some good news. We are about to enjoy what could be some of the finest weather this spring and summer in the Upper Midwest. Our weather pattern over the next 5 days will feature:

-Sunny days and starry moonlit nights

-A bright full moon Thursday evening (Moon is full at 6:07pm Thursday)

-A dry comfortable air mass with dew points in the 40s and 50s.

-Warm days with highs in the 80s through Saturday.

(click for bigger image)

-A mostly dry and pleasant Memorial Day weekend with only a couple of hours of rain likely on Sunday.

Twins get a break:

Okay time for my baseball soapbox.

I've heard some criticize the Twins for not finishing last night's game with the Yankees. There are a few things I think need to be pointed out here.

-The call to postpone the game is made by the umpires once the game is underway, not the Twins.

-Those that seem to think you can play through moderate to at times heavy downpours may have never played baseball at a high level. It is extremely difficult to throw, field or hit a wet baseball in those conditions.

-The risk of injuries to players increases greatly when field conditions are wet or muddy. Footing for pitchers is extremely difficult. It is easy to blow out a hamstring or groin for pitchers when their front foot slides out as they can't find purchase on a muddy mound when they deliver a pitch. Is it really worth risking a season or career ending injury to a multi million dollar athlete for playing in a few innings of rain?

-There was ample lighting with last night's storms. This is a risk to players and fans alike.

What would those same people who criticized the decision to postpone have said if players or fans had been hit by lightning last night?

There are some illuminating stats on the dangers of lightning here.

Trust me when I say the Twins have some of the best weather support available. There could always be a bad call during the course of a season, but it was a good call to postpone the game last night. The batting average for the Twins weather support team is high so far this year at Target Field.

Okay, I'm off my baseball soapbox now. Time to enjoy a nearly doubleheader today in this beautiful weather!

PH

Target Field Weather: Home run test this week

Posted at 5:15 AM on May 25, 2010 by Paul Huttner (3 Comments)
Filed under: Baseball, Target Field

This will be an interesting week at Target Field.

Not only are the Yankees coming to town, but the weather will be warm and somewhat humid tonight, with much less humidity later in the week. Warm and humid weather is ideal for maximizing ball flight. It's a home run hitters dream.

The view down the left field line at Target Field.
(photos by Paul Huttner)

The physics of baseball flight is important when it comes to determining whether Target Filed is a pitcher's or hitter's ball park. The site specifics, orientation and stadium structure are also important. So far in 2010, Target Filed is definitely playing as a pitcher's ball park.

With just a 1.38 home run per game average, Target field ranks 25th out of 30 major league stadiums so far this year in home runs per game according to the hitrackeronline web site.

Judd Spicer with City Pages and I recently chatted about how weather affects baseballs at Target Field, and why it may be a pitcher's ball park in spring and fall...but morph into a hitter's park when it's warm and humid in summer.

You can read Judd's piece here, but here are a few key elements from our conversation.

Three main weather factors affect a baseballs flight. Air temperature, humidity, and wind.

Humidity affects the flight of a ball as well. Higher humidity air is less dense air, so as a result balls will fly farther in humid air, all other things being equal. Water vapor is lighter than nitrogen and oxygen. But here's the interesting thing about Target Field: Again, the warm and humid winds are southerly, those are blowing in. So on a warm, humid night if there is a breeze, it's generally going to be blowing into the ballpark. So, it counteracts; it's fighting each other. It's almost like the perfect set of circumstances for long home runs to rarely occur at Target Field.

So here's my take on the perfect conditions for long home runs at Target Field.

-Warm humid weather (temps in the 80s or 90s with dew points above 60 degrees)
-Little wind, or a slight southwest breeze (blowing out toward left field)

It will be interesting to see how many home runs per game are hit this week vs. The Yankees. The average so far at Target Field is 1.38 per game. My forecast for the series vs. the Yankees is for 2 to 3 homers per game. One reason is the Yankees are coming to town. The other is this may be the best home run weather so far for Target Field this year.

PH

Comment on this post

Rain, Snow and Doubleheaders

Posted at 3:00 PM on May 7, 2010 by Paul Huttner
Filed under: Rainfall, Snow, Target Field

Our brief wintery relapse in Minnesota is creating a few firsts.

-This is the first time that much of Minnesota has seen snow since February. The last measurable snow in the Twin Cities was on February 23rd when a mere 0.1" fell.

-The last inch of snow in the metro was Valentine's Day on February 14th. (1.6")

-This is the first time the Twins have postponed a game due to weather at Target Field.

-Saturday's day night doubleheader is the first at Target Field.

-This is the first Twins rainout in nearly 30 years. The last one was at Met Stadium on September 20, 1980.

My partner in weather crime Craig Edwards and I discussed the best options for the Twins today and this weekend given the weather scenario. Craig's advice to the Twins appears to be right on the money as usual.

Rainfall adds up:

Friday's steady rain has added up to an inch in some areas. Check out the NEXRAD stomr total rainfall loop below.

Pockets of yellow indicate 1" rainfall totals scattered around the area.

Most areas around the Twin Cities have received between .30" and .50" of rainfall through Friday afternoon. Rainfall approaching 1" has soaked the north east metro. This is well placed over drought stricken counties.

Rare May Snow:

Models and NWS hint at an inch of slushy accumulation on grassy areas.
(click for bigger image)

Rain changing to snow Friday evening will leave anywhere from a slushy coating on grassy areas in the south metro to as much as 1" to 2" north. There may be some areas that see 3"+ from Brainerd to Hinckley to Rice Lake by Saturday morning.

Enjoy a return to sunshine this weekend.

PH

Scattered rain & thunder

Posted at 8:26 AM on April 14, 2010 by Paul Huttner
Filed under: Rainfall, Target Field, Thunderstorms

Radar watchers will have plenty to look at today in Minnesota.

A weak and slow moving cool front will stall over eastern Minnesota later today. Moisture pooling near the front will provide the fuel for scattered showers and thunderstorms.

The moisture, warm winds and frontal position mean it's the kind of day where scattered storms may pop up with little notice. Remember that old saying if you don't like the weather just wait 15 minutes? Today may be that kind of day with rapid weather changes.

Some of the storms may be strong to marginally severe later this afternoon and this evening. Expect the potential for local downpours, gusty winds, lightning and hail today.

The good news is we could use some more rain. Many spots could see another .25" to .50" today, with a few lucky spots seeing higher totals. The weather lab got a nice shot of rain yesterday, but another half inch would be welcome for many fields, lawns and gardens.

Forecast modles indicate chances for more rainfall today.
(click for bigger image)

It appears the best chance for heavy rainfall approaching an inch will be in the southeast metro and western Wisconsin later this afternoon and this evening.

If you are heading out to the Twins game today, expect the possibility of a shower or T-Storm. Since coverage of the storms will be scattered, there may be rainy periods and breaks in the rain this afternoon. Highs should be in the 70s with a mild south wind blowing in from the outfield.

It is interesting to note that on the day of the Gophers home opener at TCF Bank Stadium it remained dry, while over an inch of rain fell just 1 mile from the stadium in localized downpours. The vertical development of convective precipitation causes wide variation in rainfall over short distances.

Here are some resources to keep track today's changeable weather situation.

-Twin Cities radar loop
-Storm Prediction Center
-Latest hourly observations
-Local storm reports

PH

Twins Forecast: Play Ball!

Posted at 2:50 PM on April 12, 2010 by Paul Huttner
Filed under: Rainfall, Springtime, Target Field

3pm Update:

As if on cue, two rain areas are splitting north and south of the metro. There's still a slim chance a shower could develop overhead as the front moves through, but the best chance is for the game to go off dry, with even some sunshine filtering through.

Play Ball!

PH

Noon Update:

Showers continue to hang west and south of the metro. Good news so far. We'll have to see how things develop as the front moves through this afternoon. There is still a chance of rain, but it's looking better by the hour.

Outdoor baseball is back in Minnesota!

PH

It's going to be touch and go for rain at Target Field today.

If you are headed out to the game today, be prepared for a little bit of everything.

Here's the breakdown on the forecast today.

-A warm front is pushing moisture north into southern Minnesota. The front is pushing more moisture (dew points in the 40s and 50s) into the region today.

-The system is battling dry air initially over the Twin Cities where dew points are in the 20s. That may mean that some of the rain initially may evaporate before it reaches the ground.

-Various forecast models are bringing the best chance of scattered rain and thunderstorms into the metro between about noon and 4pm. There may also be some lighting and thunder as the system moves through this afternoon.

GFS forecast model paints rain into the metro this afternoon.

As is often the case with springtime weather systems, the showers will be scattered in nature. That means there is a chance Target Field may be able to dodge some of the showers today. It could easily be pouring in Bloomington at the MOA (and old Met Stadium site) and not raining at Target Field, or visa versa! There may even be sunny peeks at times today.

Target field is well designed to handle rainfall, so even if we get a batch of showers and thunder, I think it is likely they will play the game today. The dicey part of the forecast looks to be during the pregame and first part of the game today.

After the front pushes through this afternoon, we may see a clearing trend and breezy and milder weather should move in for this evening. Temps should be in the 60s at gametime. Winds should be from the southeast at 10-20 mph. That's blowing in from the outfield.

Here are some resources to keep track of the changeable weather today!

-Twin Cities radar loop
-Latest hourly observations
-Latest surface map
-Target Field Cam

PH

Classic spring weekend; Twins opener dodging showers?

Posted at 6:22 PM on April 9, 2010 by Paul Huttner
Filed under: Rainfall, Springtime, Target Field

This is how you write up an April weekend in Minnesota.

Plenty of sun, cool mornings and milder afternoons.

Our relatively mild and tranquil April weather continues this weekend. Saturday should feature partly cloudy to mostly sunny skies by afternoon. Expect temperatures in the lower 60s in southern Minnesota, and upper 50s to near 60 north. Winds should be from the west at between 5 and 15 mph.

Sunday looks a bit milder in the south with highs in the mid to upper 60s. Northern Minnesota may see a few clouds Sunday. A light NE wind between 5 and 10 mph should make things feel really nice Sunday.

Temperatures will be running about 8 to 10 degrees above average this weekend. Our averages in the Twin Cities are 54/34. We're on a 6 week winning streak of above average temperatures now. March was 8.9 degrees above average in the metro and April temperatures are off to a running start at 11.2 degrees above average!

Front may affect Twins opener:

All attention will turn to Target Field Monday for the Twins home opener. A warm front will be pushing through southern Minnesota Monday morning. It will likely bring a few showers along as it moves through.

If the front clear the Twin Cities by early afternoon, weather conditions should be nice for opening day baseball at Target Field. Look for breezy SE winds of 15-25 mph (blowing in from right field) and temperatures that could be in the upper 60s to near 70 if we get enough sun.

Twin Cities NWS weather depiction hints at showers and possible thunder at 1pm Monday in the metro.

If the front lingers, weather conditions will change significantly. Clouds and showers could linger into the afternoon, and temperatures could stay in the upper 50s right up to game time.

GFS model rainfall forecast for Monday at 7pm hints at a chance of lingering rain showers in the metro Monday afternoon.

Needless to say, forecasters will be watching the models closely Sunday night and early Monday morning.

Enjoy the beautiful April weekend!

PH

Target Field features many microclimates

Posted at 5:00 PM on March 31, 2010 by Paul Huttner (3 Comments)
Filed under: Baseball, Springtime, Target Field

Much has been written about the beauty of Target Field. It truly is a gem for our community and a jewel of a stadium. What you might not have thought about is how the stadium layout creates many different microclimates for fans.

Fans behind home plate enjoy Saturday's first ever game at Target Field. (Photos by Paul Huttner. Click on image for bigger picture)

As a meteorologist at last Saturday's first ever baseball game at Target Field, I viewed the stadium with sun angles and prevailing wind directions in mind. No matter what kind of weather you're looking for at TF, I think you'll find it. Here are some of my observations about possible microclimates at Target Field.

Sun & shade:

Target Field is oriented so that home plate is on the west end of the stadium. That means looking out toward center field is toward the east, and the center field seats face directly west.

For afternoon games, the sun will be shining directly onto seats from the outfield 3rd base line, and into the bleachers in left and center fields. If you want to bask in the afternoon and evening sun, this will be the place to be. The right field seats will also be in sunshine, but at an angle to the left side of most fans. Shade will also reach these seats first in the late afternoon.

On sunny days it will feel as much as 10 to 20 degrees warmer/hotter in left and center field than behind home plate. This will be nice in cooler days, but excess heat may be an issue on hot sunny summer days. Get ready to see some shirtless fans in the bleachers!

The left and center field bleachers will see the most direct sun for afternoon games.

The taller west side of the stadium structure means that shade will be extensive on the 1st base side, behind home plate, and wrapping over to about 3rd base. This will be a nice place to be on hot sunny summer days, but will make it feel much cooler on chilly days. Those overhead heaters will come in handy on chilly days like Saturday.

Fans catching some heat from overhead heaters in the left field corner.

Wind and shelter:

When the wind blows at TF, things are going to be sheltered areas and some areas where the wind speed may be increased by areas wind tunnel like effects.

The most open part of the structure is in right field next to Target Plaza which opens to downtown. This area opens to the southeast, which is the most prevalent wind direction in the summer months. On windy days from the south or southeast, the wind is going to blast into the stadium from right field blowing toward home plate and 3rd base.

Target Plaza and right field are the most open areas for gusty winds.

This will make the right field overlook one of the most exposed areas in the stadium. Even though it's only 328 feet down the right field line, It may also knock down a few deep fly balls from the Twins lefty-dominated lineup on windy days from the south. Things are going to get really interesting in the wind for right fielders with the overlook hanging in play overhead.

The overlook in right field.

Another area that will be interesting on windy days will be the stadium openings behind 1st base and on either side of the roof deck in the left filed corner near the fair pole. Openings in the stadium will force the wind to rush though these areas, creating a wind tunnel effect. It may not be the hurricane we're used to when leaving the Metrodome, but some bad hair days may result.

Openings around the roof deck and Twin executive office structure may create some "wind tunnel" like effects on windy days.

The flip side is behind home plate and down each base line. Even though there was not too much wind Saturday, I was amazed at how sheltered these areas are from wind. It may be relatively calm on windy days behind home plate.

The view toward home from left field.

It will be interesting to see how the stadium structure creates eddies during a big nor'wester. Our most common wind direction in spring and fall, a northwest wind will blow from near the 3rd base line out toward right field. The stadium structure will create a huge wind break, but may also create an eddy, or rotor on the downwind side. It will be interesting to see how deep fly balls carry in a northwest wind. Will they fly out unimpaired, or will the downdraft from an eddy knock some balls down before they can reach the seats?

Gophers shortstop A.J. Petterson prepares to drive in a run.

Rain returns to Minnesota baseball:

Minnesotans will have to get used to the words rain and baseball in the same sentence again! We've been protected by the "Thunderdome" since the 80s, but this year the elements will be in full play at Target Field.

To be fair, there are many "dry" areas in Target Filed. There is cover under the upper level canopy, in left field, and in the concourse behind the majority of seats from the left field corner all the way around behind home plate to the right field corner. And then there's all the climate controlled luxury of the Legend's Club and many other indoor bars and areas. Not to mention the suites.

The Kriby Puckett Atrium in the Legend's Club features climate controlled comfort.

But if you're in most of the seats at TF, you're going to get wet when it rains. That's just the way it is with outdoor baseball. Again, center and right field will be the most exposed. And there is no hiding on Target Plaza when the rain pours down.

Home field advantage? Home bull pen under cover, visitors in the elements?

In severe weather situations there are many "safe" areas to find shelter. The extensive glass of the metropolitan club and roof deck could be an issue if the winds reach tornadic force. But in that case there would be a lot of debris flying around that blows in from outside TF as well.

Let's hope we never have to test that scenario. While events like the tornado in downtown Minneapolis last August 19th show it can happen, the odds of a direct hit by a tornado on Target Filed are extremely rare.

The bottom line from someone who looks at outdoor spaces with an eye toward weather and climate is that Target Filed is a very well designed outdoor sports venue. It strikes the right balance of open space and shelter. There are areas for fans to move to and seek warmer or cooler microclimates. Like Minnesota weather, Target Field should offer Minnesotans several microclimates or "seasons" in the same day!

PH

Comment on this post