Frost advisories again; much warmer pattern emerging next week
Highs in the 70s late next week. Much warmer air after that?
It’s been a slow-motion climb into spring this year in Minnesota.
It’s interesting to note that temperatures since March 1 are actually running warmer than average. March was 7.7 degrees warmer than average at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. April was almost exactly average. It feels like it’s been a chilly spring, but the past month has been very close to average overall.
Frost advisories and freeze warnings
Clear skies, dew points in the 20s and light winds. It’s the perfect atmospheric recipe for frost in early May.
Frost advisories include the eastern Twin Cities counties into early Saturday morning. A freeze warning is up further east including Eau Claire, Wis.
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Washington-Dakota-Goodhue-St. Croix-Pierce-Dunn-Pepin- Including the cities of Stillwater, Hastings, Red Wing, Hudson, River Falls, Menomonie, and Durand
150 PM CDT Fri May 7 2021
...FROST ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 8 AM CDT SATURDAY...
* WHAT...Temperatures as low as 32 will result in frost formation.
* WHERE...In Wisconsin, St. Croix, Pierce, Dunn and Pepin Counties. In Minnesota, Washington, Dakota and Goodhue Counties.
* WHEN...From midnight tonight to 8 AM CDT Saturday.
* IMPACTS...Frost could kill sensitive outdoor vegetation if left uncovered.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold.
The temperature bottomed out at 29 degrees that past 2 mornings at MSP Airport. It may dip to around 37 Saturday morning. But most of the inner Twin Cities should once again escape a widespread frost.
Warmer air next week
There are signs our spring pattern is ready to launch into warmer mode. After a cool and mostly cloudy weekend, sunshine and warmer temperatures return next week.
Highs look about 5 to 10 degrees warmer next week, with highs in the mid-60s common across Minnesota.
70s and 80s in sight?
The upper air pattern across North America looks likely to change for the warmer by late next week into the third week of May.
Highs should push 70 degrees by next Friday across much of Minnesota.
Much warmer air appears likely to arrive around May 18-21. NOAA’s eight- to 14-day outlook favors above-average temperatures.
And NOAA’s week 3 and 4 outlook also favors warmth for the Upper Midwest.
The average high in the Twin Cities reaches 70 degrees on May 17.
Get ready for the warmer part of spring, and even some hints of summer in the next two weeks. I expect we’ll see some 80s, and possibly 90 degrees in parts of Minnesota in the next two weeks.
It’s time.