You think a Maytag repairman is the loneliest job? Try being a snowmobile repairman. It’s still cold enough to snow much of the winter, but “usable snow” (enough to play in) is on the endangered species list.
Douglas: Thaw lingers, with 20s later this week
Cold is coming, but warmer winters are our new normal
December 28, 2024 at 9:23PM
December is Minnesota’s fastest warming month: 7 to 8 degrees higher than back in 1980 in the metro, 10 degrees higher for northern Minnesota. Snow still falls, but it melts faster. Continuous snow on the ground is very rare.
Thaws are spilling deeper into traditional winter. Data shows an increase in December hours above 32 degrees, from roughly 90 hours in 1980 to 210 hours in 2023 at MSP. Not a straight line (weather is chaotic and “lumpy”) but there is a trend. Don’t believe me? Ask anyone with a snowmobile or cross-country skis.
Our thaw lingers into Monday, but colder air is coming to greet 2025. 20s later this week, maybe a stretch of subzero lows next week. Hey, it’s January.
A few weather models hint at significant snow one week from today. Too early for specifics, but if it snows make the most of it!
Cold is coming, but warmer winters are our new normal
