New Historical Record About to be Set

[Scott Patterson]

Here's an interesting statistic from where I live.

If we don't drop below zero by next Wednesday, this will be the first February in history (records date back to 1894) that it hasn't dropped below zero. +4F is the official low so far this February. In 1987, the temperature at the airport only dropped to -2F, the warmest minimum low in any February (before this year).

For the record, last year's February officially dropped to -40F with unofficial temperatures around town reached -48F.

With the very warm weather forecast, it doesn't look like we will drop below zero by Wednesday:

http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.ph ... 107.55&e=1

Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 8. Calm wind.

Saturday: A slight chance of snow between 10am and 2pm, then a chance of rain and snow. Increasing clouds, with a high near 40. Breezy, with a southwest wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to between 20 and 25 mph. Winds could gust as high as 45 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Saturday Night: A 30 percent chance of snow, mainly before 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 9. Breezy, with a west wind 15 to 20 mph becoming west 5 to 10 mph. Winds could gust as high as 35 mph.

Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 35. North northwest wind between 5 and 10 mph.

Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 15. East southeast wind around 10 mph.

Monday: A slight chance of rain and snow showers after 11am. Partly sunny, with a high near 41. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Monday Night: A 40 percent chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 20.

Tuesday: A chance of snow showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 37.

Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 13.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 39.

Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 18.

[RL3AO]

MSP has had three nights below zero in mid-January. Thats it for the winter.

[Stephanie]

That is unusual, but there's a lot of "unusual" happening all around the world this winter. Doesn't seem like anyone has been spared.

[Scott Patterson]

MSP has had three nights below zero in mid-January. Thats it for the winter.

We had more a few more at the house, but at the official weather station there were no below zero days in November, only 9 in December and only 7 in January. The official low this season was a mild (mid for the coldest temp of the season) -15F (-20F at the house) on January 17. This was the first winter we've lived here when it didn't official drop below -20F. There was no winter this winter.

[Scott Patterson]

The record will stand since there is no way it will drop below zero until midnight. Last night it dropped to 1F at the official weather station. That makes February 2012 the only February that hasn't dropped below zero at the official weather station (though last night did drop to -1F at my house). It also makes it the only winter month in history that hasn't dropped below zero.

[Scott Patterson]

-8F at the house and officially -2F downtown last night. February squeeked by as the first February that didn't drop below zero, but March won't make it without any. Although it is rare in March, sometimes it can go by without dropping below zero. Last time it hasn't dropped below zero in March was 2005.