Douglas: Teens until next week, then a January thaw?

Bob Statz from Onamia, Minn., shared an interesting observation at startribune.com: “I am a lifelong (78 years) resident of Minnesota, and have “weathered” decades of Minnesota winters, but never have I witnessed two consecutive winters in which plows in the two towns of Isle and Onamia have not been called on to clear city streets during the entire months of November and December. Seems odd to this old codger. Can you comment?”

Thanks for the note, Bob. I share your sense of baffled wonder.

We ended 2024 in severe drought, and that pattern is carrying into the winter, with the biggest, wettest storms tracking south of Minnesota. El Niño winters (like last year) tend to be milder and drier, but we are now in a weak La Niña cooling phase. Sometimes weather gets “locked” into a particular pattern for weeks or even months. We’ll get our snow (probably in March and April).

Teens spill into next week but models hint at a mid-January thaw. Snow? Not much in sight. I’m trying to be patient, but I’m not good at that.