Meteorological time-warp gives way to seasonal reality check
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Last weekend's meteorological time warp was pure July, in late September. Like a new Star Trek episode, the anomalous weekend was the latest ripple in our time-space-weather continuum. Our three-day, 90-degree meteorological hologram broke new ground as the latest such streak on record.
Summer warmth lingering longer
It's not your imagination. We still see year-to-year variations, but the trend is for summer warmth to linger longer in Minnesota and much of the United States. A new study from Climate Central pushes the date of the season's latest 80-degree temperature in the Twin Cities about four days later since 1970.
Our expanded summer season is coming at the expense of winter, which is tending shorter.
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September reality check
So far September temperatures are running 5.8 degrees warmer than average at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. That trend ends today, as a cool front sweeps in. Temperatures hover in the 50s and 60s today for most of Minnesota.
Monday soaker
Roving bands of showers slide northeast today across the weather map. Many of us pick up rainfall totals of one-half inch or more, with some 1 inch-plus totals.
The last week of September feels more like the calendar. Highs in the 60s rule the week for most of Minnesota. Here's are the Twin Cities numbers.
Warmth not done just yet
I still think we're likely to see many more days in the 70s this autumn, and I can't rule out a couple more 80 degree days. Jet stream patterns suggest more late-season warmth as we move into (gulp) October next week.
NOAA's Global Forecast System output cranks out more 70-plus degree days for the Twin Cities and Minnesota next week.
NOAA's Climate Prediction Center agrees with the warmer than average solution over a good chunk of the U.S. as we move into October.
Stay tuned.