April 1, 2009

* Some April Fool's joke huh?
* Another 1-3" of snow through midday, on top of the 7" that fell yesterday.
* First real chance of spying the sun: tomorrow.
* Weekend storm should track south of St. Cloud, slight chance of wet snow, maybe 1" or so. heaviest rain/snow bands should stay over far southern MN.
* Flood Warnings in effect for much of central Minnesota. (see NWS details below).


Today: Light snow morning/midday hours, another 1-2" possible. Mostly flurries by PM hours, wet/slushy drive home. Winds: West 15-25, gusty. High: 35

Tonight: Lingering clouds & flurries, little additional accumulation. Low: 23

Thursday: Peeks of sun, a hint of spring in the air. High: 39

Friday: Sun fades behind increasing clouds. High: 42

Saturday: Mostly cloudy, chance of light snow by PM. High: 39

Sunday: Light snow tapers, maybe 1" of slushy accumulation. High: 38

Monday: A mix of clouds and sun. High: near 40

Paul's Column

"Eye of the Storm"

So, how are you enjoying spring? I thought so. Spring in St. Cloud is always two steps forward, one step back. Yes, we took a big step backward today, with 7" of sloppy, slushy snow piling up on sleepy, slow-moving meteorology students at SCSU by midday. That brings out winter seasonal total up to a healthy 51". The good news? Farmers are a little happier: the risk of a debilitating summer drought dropped off (slightly). Some of that snow will melt and recharge soil moisture, although most of it will run off into streets and streams, thus the flood warnings currently in effect for much of central Minnesota (see the NWS text details following the column). Hopefully we'll warm up gradually, and there won't be any more heavy rain anytime soon. Fingers (and eyes) crossed.

No, the storm isn't over - yet. The heaviest snow is now in our rear-view mirror. A surge of dry air wrapping into the storm center (tracking right over St. Cloud overnight) cut off the snow for a time Tuesday, but the back half of the storm will will be with us through the midday hours, with another 1-3" of accumulation possible. I still think it'll be a rough, slow drive into work or school this morning. But with highs in the mid 30s roads should be mainly slushy & wet for the drive home later today. The sun (you vaguely remember the sun, right?) returns tomorrow with highs near 40, close to average for early April. The next storm slides off to our south over the weekend - computer models show a little light snow surging into southern Minnesota, and we could wind up with a coating to 1", maybe 2" toward Litchfield and Hutchinson, late Saturday into midday Sunday. It does NOT look like a rerun of today's snowy fun, that's for sure. Quiet (dry) weather prevails the first few days of next week with afternoon highs rising above 40.

If you like snow get outside and romp in it soon, because the sun is as high in the sky as it was in mid September, and most of the new slush in your yard will be gone by Friday. Once the snow melts the sun's energy can go into warming the air, instead of melting snow, so we stand a better chance of seeing 40s next week (whoopie!) One computer model is even hinting at (wait for it...) 50 degrees by April 12. Yes, the Reluctant Spring of '09 grinds on. Will this be the last "plowable" snow of the winter season? Next question please. I hope so - and I like snow. It's just that now I'm starting to like spring even more! Hang in there, this too shall pass (but not nearly fast enough for most St. Cloud residents).

Flood Information (NWS)

FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
1110 AM CDT TUE MAR 31 2009

...THE FLOOD WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR THE FOLLOWING RIVERS IN MINNESOTA...LONG PRAIRIE RIVER AT LONG PRAIRIE AFFECTING TODD COUNTY...THE FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES FOR THE FOLLOWING RIVERS IN MINNESOTA...MINNESOTA RIVER AT GRANITE FALLS AFFECTING CHIPPEWA...RENVILLE AND YELLOW MEDICINE COUNTIES MISSISSIPPI RIVER AT ST CLOUD SCSU AFFECTING BENTON...SHERBURNE AND STEARNS COUNTIES.....MINNESOTA RIVER AT MONTEVIDEO AFFECTING CHIPPEWA...LAC QUIPARLE...RENVILLE AND YELLOW MEDICINE COUNTIES
MINNESOTA RIVER AT NEW ULM AFFECTING BLUE EARTH...BROWN AND NICOLLET COUNTIES
SAUK RIVER AT ST CLOUD AFFECTING STEARNS COUNTY.


AN INTENSIVE STORM SYSTEM IS CURRENTLY IMPACTING THE REGION. THE PRECIPITATION THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING MAINLY FELL AS SNOW IN THE HEADWATERS OF THE MINNESOTA RIVER BASIN. FOR LOCATIONS FARTHER SOUTH AND EAST TOWARD NEW ULM...SHAKOPEE AND SAVAGE THE PRECIPITATION FELL IN THE FORM OF RAIN. LIQUID PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS WERE TYPICALLY
0.15 TO 0.35 INCHES BY 8 AM TUESDAY MORNING. IN THE HEADWATERS OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY....THE PRECIPITATION WAS MAINLY IN THE FORM OF SNOW. HOWEVER...FATHER EAST AND SOUTH TOWARD SAINT CLOUD AND THE TWIN CITIES AREA...THE PRECIPITATION BEGAN AS RAIN BUT TRANSITIONED TO SNOW. AMOUNTS WERE LIGHTER...GENERALLY 0.15 INCHES
AND LESS... AS THE PRECIPITATION DID NOT MOVE INTO THE AREA UNTIL THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. AS THE SYSTEM CONTINUES TO EJECT TO THE NORTH AN EAST TODAY AND TONIGHT...THE PRECIPITATION WILL TRANSITION TO ALL SNOW. ADDITIONAL LIQUID AMOUNTS WILL GENERALLY AVERAGE BETWEEN 0.25 AND 0.50 INCHES WITH THE HIGHER AMOUNTS IN THE UPPER MINNESOTA AND MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEYS.

HOWEVER EVEN WITH THE RAIN AND SNOW...ADDITIONAL RISES ARE NOT EXPECTED ON AREA RIVERS. FOR LOCATIONS WHICH MAINLY RECEIVED SNOW...HIGHS WILL WARM TO AROUND 40 THIS WEEKEND. BUT WITH OVERNIGHT LOWS FALLING INTO THE 20S...WE WILL SEE A SLOWER MELT. FOR AREAS THAT RECEIVED THE RAINFALL....WE MAY SEE SOME RESPONSES IN THE
SMALLER RIVERS...BUT NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES ARE EXPECTED ON THE MAINSTEM RIVERS. THE MAIN IMPACT WILL BE A SLOWER RECESSION ON THE MISSISSIPPI AND MINNESOTA RIVERS.

FOR THE LONG PRAIRIE RIVER AT LONG PRAIRIE...WHILE RIVER LEVELS ARE STILL HIGH...SINCE THE PRECIPITATION MAINLY FELL AS SNOW IN UPSTREAM LOCATIONS...THE RIVER IS EXPECTED TO GRADUALLY FALL THIS WEEK. THUS THE RIVER FLOOD WARNING AT LONG PRAIRIE WAS CANCELLED.


DO NOT DRIVE CARS THROUGH FLOODED AREAS. TURN AROUND...DON`T DROWN. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR TV STATION FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS FLOOD EVENT.