Friday, April 3rd, 2009

* Flood warnings continue for Minnesota, Mississippi and Sauk Rivers.
* Mostly bright skies today, grab those sunglasses
* Weekend storm on track for southern MN - Winter Storm Watches posted from Sioux Falls South Dakota to Mankato, MN to Red Wing, MN.

Forecast

Today: Patchy AM fog giving way to a mostly bright sky. A few high clouds begin to stream in from the west late. Winds: north, 5-10. High: 42

Tonight: Increasing clouds, winds picking up ahead of next storm system. Low: 26

Saturday: filtered AM sunshine fades. Becoming mostly cloudy and breezy with a slight chance of flurries late (mainly south of St. Cloud). High: 41

Sunday: A few flakes, mainly south. Breezy, feeling cooler. High: 37

Monday: Flurries early. Still breezy, change in site - hang in there! High: 40

Tuesday: Here we go! Sunny and feeling springy!! High: 45

Wednesday: Weather maps looking warmer! Sunny too! High: Nearing 50?


"Up Close and Personal"

The pictures above are of our sun during/near Solar Minimum and Solar Maximum.
The 11 year cycle ebbs and flows mostly unnoticed - unless you keep track of these things. Our sun is very powerful. It drives many beautiful and sometimes nasty things! Without the sun, of course, there would be no weather on Earth. Because the sun's rays are most direct over the equator - heat builds there! Where the sun's rays are not as strong (near the poles) it is MUCH colder. Weather, here on Earth, is geared towards transporting warm air from the equator to the poles and cold air from the poles to the equator. Large storm systems can efficiently transport these two different air masses, but as long as the sun shines and as long as the world turns, there will never be perfect equilibrium with the atmosphere and thus, always weather!

The reason for the sun pictures today - take a look at this article from SpaceWeather:

http://spaceweather.com/glossary/spotlessdays.htm?PHPSESSID=cq404djodt1sh0eaj7m5u08di2

According to Spaceweather.com our current solar minimum is one of the longest and deepest in recorded history! A typical solar minimum, which can last more than a year, averages around 485 days with no sunspots. Currently, we are at 592 days (spot free) with no end in sight! When the sun is active, which will likely occur again around 2012, sunspots are more frequent. Sunspots are areas of strong magnetic activity that spew superheated gas into space. This gas, Plasma, is the least of our worries! Solar storms also ensue and are capable of throwing charged particles into space that, if strong enough, can cause satellite, cell phone, GPS and power grid disruption and or malfunction! However, these same charged particles can cause brilliant colors in the upper atmosphere when they enter the Earth's magnetic field ~ Aurora Borealis.

Enjoy the sunshine today! Clouds begin to filter in later ahead of our next storm system that will likely miss us to the south. Southern MN and northern Iowa are under a Winter Storm Watch, which will likely be upgraded to Winter Weather Advisories and Winter Storm Warnings by tomorrow. There is a good chance of 6" to 10" along and south of I-90. Breezy conditions will be our main threat for central MN including St. Cloud and the surrounding areas. Wind gusts as high as 25-35 mph will whip any snowflakes that, perhaps, meander this far north. I am happy to report that the weather maps look 'springy' next week! Sunshine and temperatures nearing 50 by midweek will be just what the meteorologist ordered!

Enjoy your Friday and don't forget to check back throughout the day for updated LOCAL weather information. I encourage you to participate and have fun! Send us your weather photos - we'll get them on the air and in the blogs!