Talk:Climate of Minnesota/Archive 1

Minnesota is a state in the Upper Midwestern portion of the United States. It is rightfully thought of by most of the U.S. as being a very cold state, but in reality the cold is just one of many types of weather that Minnesota endures. Its location in the Upper Midwest allows it to experience some of the widest variety of weather in the nation, and each of the four seasons has its own distinct characteristics.

General climatology
Due to its location in the Midwestern United States, Minnesota experiences temperature extremes characteristic of its continental climate, with cold winters and mild to hot summers in the south and frigid winters and generally cool summers in the north. Each season has distinctive upper air patterns which bring different weather conditions with them. However, another feature of a continental climate is that weather patterns can be unpredictable. For example, an Alberta clipper, a low-pressure system originating in the province of Alberta in Canada, would be a common occurrence in winter in Minnesota but with the general unpredictability of weather in a continental climate, such a storm system could occur in spring, or in late autumn. Hot weather, though usually confined to June, July, and August, can sometimes begin as early as April or May, and could spill over into September. Being 1000 miles from any large body of water (with the exception of a limited area along Lake Superior), temperatures and precipitation in Minnesota can vary widely. Minnesota is far enough north to experience -60 °Fahrenheit (-51 °C) temperatures and blizzards during the winter months, but far enough south to experience 114 °F (45.5 °C) temperatures and tornado outbreaks in the summer. The 174 degree variation between Minnesota's highest and lowest temperate is the 11st largest variation of any U.S. State, and 3rd largest of any non-mountainous state (behind North Dakota and South Dakota). Because Minnesota is so far from a major source of moisture, it is one of the drier states in the U.S. Average precipitation across the state ranges from around 35 inches in the southeast to just 20 inches in the northwest. Snow is the main form of precipitation from November through March, while rain is the most common the rest of the year. Snowfall extremes have ranged from 150 inches in the rugged Superior Highlands of the North Shore to as little as 10 inches in southern Minnesota.

Lake Superior
The region of Minnesota that often does not go along with rest of the state's climate trends are the areas along and near Lake Superior in the Minnesota Arrowhead region. The moderating effect of Lake Superior keeps locations around it relatively cooler in the summer and relatively warmer in the winter, giving those areas a taste of a maritime climate. Grand Marais for example, which is on the shore of Lake Superior, has an average July high temperature of 70o F. 100 miles to the west in Virginia, the average July high temperature is 77o F.  Conversely, Virginia's average high temperature in January is 15o F, while Grand Marais is a relatively balmy 23o F.  Places near the shoreline also can receive Lake effect snow, but because it lies on the north side of Lake Superior the snowfall amounts aren't nearly as large as they are as towns in Wisconsin and Michigan that lie to the south of the lake. At 85 inches per year, Duluth has the highest average snowfall total of any town in Minnesota. Even though Lake Superior has a large impact on the local climate along the shore, the impact does not stretch very far. Just a few miles inland from Lake Superior are the Sawtooth Mountains. This elevated area of land largely keeps the moderate marine air masses close to the shoreline.

Winter
Even though winter doesn't officially start until late December, Minnesota usually starts experiencing winter-like conditions in November, sometimes as early as late October. As with many other Midwestern cities, winter in Minnesota is characterized by cold (below freezing) temperatures and snowfall. Weather systems can move in from the north, west, or south, with the majority of the weather being driven in from the north. A vigorous jet stream brings high and low-pressure systems through in quick succession, which can cause large temperature variations over a short period of time.

Temperature
As the last remnants of summertime air in the southern U.S. starts to lose its grip. Cold polar air building up in northern Canada starts to push farther and farther south, eventually spreading into Minnesota. By the time December and January arrive, Minnesota is fully engulfed in the polar air and is then subjected to arctic air masses moving in. Because there are no natural barriers north or northwest of Minnesota to block arctic air from pouring south, Minnesota gets regular shots of the arctic air through the winter. High-pressure systems which descend from the Canadian plains behind the fronts bring light winds, clear skies, and bitterly cold weather. The northern part of the state gets the brunt of the cold air with temperatures commonly reaching -30o F. The air mass then moderates as it moves south. Alberta clippers alternate with these high-pressure systems, bringing slightly warmer temperatures and fairly regular snowfall.

Minnesota occasionally gets breaks from the polar and arctic air when a zonal flow takes hold. This means that the jet stream will move in a west to east motion (rather than north to south) and push air from the Pacific Ocean into the region. In Minnesota this pattern commonly leads to a prolonged period of above freezing high temperatures that gives Minnesotans a break from the winter freeze. Storms that move into Minnesota from a more westerly direction usually do not bring significant amounts of snow.

Precipitation
Winter precipitation comes in a few different forms. Snow is the main form of precipitation, but freezing rain, ice, and sometimes even rain are all possible during the winter months. Larger storm systems, often Panhandle hooks or other storms originating from the Pacific Ocean, can bring large amounts of snow and even blizzard conditions.
 * Alberta Clippers - These are usually the storms that usher arctic air into Minnesota. The storms form as their name suggest, in and near Alberta, Canada.  Because Alberta is also not located near a moisture source, the storms usually have very limited moisture available to them and rarely drop more than 6 inches of snow, although it is possible to receive up up to a foot or more.  It's what comes in behind Albert Clippers that is the most concerning, and that is the arctic air and dangerous wind chills.  Because the air associated with a clipper is usually very cold, the snow that does fall has a very low moisture content and is of the 'fluffy' variety.  Alberta Clippers often proceed to become copious lake effect snow producers on the southern shores of the great lakes.
 * Panhandle Hooks - These types of storms are about the opposite of Albert clippers. Instead of forming in the north and dropping south, these form in the southwestern United States and then move north and northeast.  They get their name from the location where they usually make their turn to the north; near the panhandle of Oklahoma and Texas.  Unlike clippers, these storms usually have a lot of moisture to work with.  As the storms make their turn to the north, the pull in moisture from the nearby Gulf of Mexico and pull it northward with them toward Minnesota or other parts of the midwest.  Since the air is coming from the south these storms begin with warmer air masses.  If it is cold enough, as winter temperatures usually are, there will be a heavy band of snow somewhere in the midwest, with a mix of wintery precipitation or rain not too far to the south.  Panhandle Hooks are responsibile for some of the most of the famous blizzards that have happened in the midwest.  Snowfall over a foot is not uncommon, and since there is a lot of moisture in these systems the snow is usually very wet and heavy.  Large panhandle hooks can become powerful enough to draw in arctic air as the move east away from the region, leaving bitter cold temperatures and wind chills in their wake.

Spring
Spring is a time of major transition in Minnesota. As winter moves on, the sun starts to rise higher in the sky and temperatures begin to moderate. As this happens much of the midwest starts to experience severe thunderstorms and tornadoes as storm systems move in from the Pacific and collide with the increasingly warm and moist air from the Gulf of Mexico. In the early part of the spring Minnesota is usually located too far to the north to experience severe weather, as the warm air needed for this is not yet pushed that far to north. Early spring tornado outbreaks occur occasionally in Minnesota, as evidence by the Comfrey - St. Peter Tornado Outbreak on March 29, 1998. More often, Minnesota is on the northern (cooler) side of major storm systems in the early spring, which instead results in rain, and if it's cold enough, snow. Even though the winter snow pack starts to melt in southern Minnesota during mid-March, there is still enough cold air available in Canada to produce major snow storms into late April. As spring goes on, the storm systems start to push farther and farther to north, and southern Minnesota becomes more prone to severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. Spring storms can be potent, as evidenced by occasions of simultaneous tornadoes in southern Minnesota and winter storms in northern Minnesota. As spring moves into the later stages, the chances for snow continue to drop and eventually disappear, south to north. By the time it gets warm enough for severe weather in northern Minnesota, the strength of storm systems have usually started to decrease, which results in fewer severe weather storms in northern Minnesota compared to the southern part of the state does.

Winds
April is the windiest month in Minnesota. Winds generally average between 9 and 11 miles per hour across the state, with one major exception. The heaviest winds in the state are found on the Buffalo Ridge, or Coteau des Prairies, a flatiron-shaped area extending from Watertown, South Dakota, diagonally across southwestern Minnesota and into Iowa. Created by two lobes of a glacier parting around a pre-existing plateau during the (Pleistocene) Ice Age, the Buffalo Ridge is ideal for wind power generation, with average wind speeds of 16.1 miles per hour (26.8 kph).

Temperatures
In Summer, heat and humidity predominate in the south, while warm and less humid conditions are generally present in the north. A main feature of Summer weather in Minnesota and the Midwestern United States as a whole is the weakening of the jet stream, leading to slower movement of air masses, a general increase in the stability of temperatures, and less wind. While summertime around much of the country means long stretches of humid weather, Minnesota is located far enough north where cooler, drier shots of air frequently move in behind cold fronts dropping south from Canada. The cooler air typically does not stick around very long though and is quickly replaced by the warmer and more humid gulf air once again. The drier air moving into hot and humid summertime air keep the threat of thunderstorms and tornadoes around in Minnesota through July and August. Northern Minnesota is considerably cooler and less humid than southern Minnesota is during the summer months.

Precipitation
Summertime in Minnesota is when the state receives a large percentage of its yearly precipitation. The months of June, July and August account for about half of the annual precipitation total across the state. Most of this rain comes in from thunderstorms, a frequent summer occurrance. The thunderstorms are fueled by dew points that often reach into the 70'so F and sometimes even 80o F. Minnesota averages 30 – 40 days of thunderstorm activity per year.
 * Tornadoes are possible in Minnesota from March - November, but the peak tornado month is June, followed by July, May and August. Tornadoes are most common in the southern part of the state, which is located on the northern edge or tornado alley.  Even though Minnesota does not receive as many tornadoes as other parts of the midwest do, Minnesota has seen its share of deadly storms.  The state averages 24 tornadoes per year, and on average has an F5 tornado once every 25 years.  Some of the memorable Minnesota tornadoes and outbreaks are:
 * On March 29, 1998, separate F4 and F3 tornadoes that were part of a larger outbreak tore through the towns of Comfrey and St. Peter, killing two and causing damage in the millions of dollars.
 * On April 14th, 1886 a large tornado struck Sauk Rapids, Minnesota killing 72. This was Minnesota's deadliest tornado.
 * On May 6th, 1965, four F4 tornadoes ripped through the Twin Cities metro area, killing 13
 * On June 16th, 1992, Minnesota had its busiest tornado day ever with 27 recorded Twisters. The largest tornado in this family was an F5 that struck Chandler, Minnesota, killing one.
 * On August 21, 1883, and F5 tornado struck Rochester, Minnesota killing 37. This tornado led to the construction of a new hospital, which eventually evolved into the Mayo Clinic.

Fall
Autumn weather in the Minnesota is largely the reverse of Spring weather. The jet stream, which tends to weaken in summer, begins to restrengthen, leading to a quicker changing of weather patterns and an increased variability of temperatures. Storm systems associated with the Pacific Ocean again become more common, with each successive storm system bringing colder temperatures until the rain begins to change over to snow, generally in October. The wide variance in temperatures in Minnesota is most noticeable in the fall, with summer time heat still prevalant in the southern U.S., but cold air quickly building up in Canada. Minnesota is in a location where both air masses can affect its weather in a short period of time. As the fall goes on, storm systems become increasingly stronger. By late October and November these storm systems become strong enough to form major winter storms. Some of Minnesota's largest blizzards have come during the middle part of the fall:
 * October 31st, 1991: Most of eastern Minnesota is rocked by the Halloween Blizzard.  A band of snowfall of 24+ inches falls from the Twin Cities north to Duluth.  It is the largest single snowfall producer in Minnesota history.
 * November 11, 1941: Southern and Eastern Minnesota is surprised by the Armistice Day Blizzard.  Temperatures in the 60's on the morning of November 11th drop to the single digits by the morning of November 12th, bringing it with them 27" snowfall totals and 60 mph winds.  50 people died in this blizzard.

In popular culture
I had someone review this section and they agreed with one of the comments on film, and their suggestion was that Grumpy Old Men and Fargo be mentioned in this section. I threw something together quick, but I'm definitely not a film expert, so if anyone is and can run with something like this please do:

"Minnesota's winters have also been noticed by Hollywood. The 1993 film Grumpy Old Men is set in Wabasha, Minnesota during the winter season.  Winter activities such as ice fishing are main themes of the film.  The 1996 movie Fargo also features the backdrop of a Minnesota winter, but in this instance it was a much more bleak portrait.  Several scenes in the film portray the Minnesota winter as barren and descolate, with ever present cold temperatures, and snow blown, white out landscapes." Gopher backer 16:02, 6 February 2007 (UTC)
 * I put something similar in the article. (Everyone) feel free to work on it some more.  --Appraiser 16:31, 6 February 2007 (UTC)
 * Same here. Kablammo 17:12, 6 February 2007 (UTC)

Culture of Minnesota
I have created Culture of Minnesota and stole the paragraph from here because it was getting too big. I Added a main article link as well. Can someone trim down the section here? -Ravedave (Adopt a State) 18:07, 7 February 2007 (UTC)