To:  Morning Edition 
From:  Mark Seeley
Re:  Topics for MPR's Morning Edition, Friday, December 26, 2003

Topic:  The Minnesota weather of 2003...a review

WARM AND DRY:
Based on state averaged annual temperature and total precipitation,
Minnesota recorded a warm and dry year in 2003.  The statewide
mean annual temperature of 42 degrees F falls in the warmest 
20 percent historically, while the statewide average total
precipitation of 22.25 inches falls in the driest 20 percent of
historical years.  These are not particularly memorable statistics,
but in the details of the weather this past year, we do find some
features that will be long remembered......

TEMP EXTREMES:
Temperature extremes in 2003 included 101 degrees F at Browns 
Valley on August 18th, and -38 degrees F at Embarrass on March 5th.
At least seven different communities hit the century mark in 
temperature last summer, while last winter brought at least 16
different communities a minimum temperature of -30 F or colder.
The coldest temperatures came rather late in the winter near the
end of February and in early March.

DROUGHT:
All but a handful of communities reported below normal precipitation
in 2003.  It was the driest year since 1988.  Over sixty communities
reported less than 20 inches, roughly six inches below the normal
state annual average.  Rochester reported the 12th driest year in
history, while the Twin Cities recorded the 21st driest year since 
1891.  More severe moisture shortages were evident in some south-
eastern communities.  Red Wing and Preston recorded their 3rd 
driest year historically, while Waseca recorded its 5th driest year.
Up north, International Falls recorded near all-time record dryness
with just 16.73 inches of precipitation.

FROZEN GROUND:
The absence of significant snow cover combined with very cold 
temperatures in the late winter produced hundreds, if not thousands
of frozen septic systems and water lines, especially in central
and northern counties.  Frost penetration into the soils was the 
deepest since the mid 80s, with some frost reported below six 
feet.

TORNADOES
In terms of severe convective weather, nearly all of the thunderstorms,
tornadoes and hail occurred in June and July.  There were 48 tornadoes
reported in 2003, 34 classed F0 (73 mph or less), 11 classed F1 (73-
112 mph), and 3 classed as F2 (113-157 mph). Probably the most damaging
tornado was the one that passed through Buffalo Lake (Renville County)
and Gibbon (Sibley County) on June 24th.

Month by month significant weather featured the following....

January:
Very warm January, with new records set on the 7th and 8th when 
temperatures were over 30 degrees above normal.  A 60 F reading 
at Fairmont on the 7th was a new state record for the date. The 
cancellation of the Winter Carnival Giant Snow Slide in St Paul,
was necessary because of the absence of snow, a characteristic
the was in short supply all across the state.

February:
A ground blizzard struck the state on Groundhog Day (Feb 2).
Snowfalls were highly variable ranging from less than 2 inches to
11 inches at Montevideo in western MN. Winds up to 63 mph dropped 
visibility to near zero in many areas.

March:
Maximum frost depths were seen in March when many septic systems
and water lines froze.  The late winter cold produced an unusual
condition, Lake Superior was over 90 percent ice covered the first
week of March. Wind blown ice ridges on Minnesota lakes produced
some significant shoreline damages to cottages, retaining walls,
and boat docks.  A mid month warm up produced some record high
temperatures on the 15th and 16th, when the mercury cracked 70 F
in southern Minnesota.  This proved to be a tease, as more winter-
like weather brought up to a foot of snow to northern counties
on the 27th and 28th. 

April:
The month started with more snow.  Snowfalls of 2 to 14 inches 
blanketed southern Minnesota counties on the 7th.  Fairmont, Blue 
Earth, and Winnebago all reported new snowfall records for the date.
For a brief period summer arrived in mid April as new record high 
temperatures were set on the 14th...the Twin Cities hit 89 F,
Rochester 87 F, Benson 90 F, and Montevideo 93 F.  This heat wave
was followed by severe thunderstorms and heavy rains over the 
15th to the 17th.  A thunderstorm dumpted over 4 inches of rain
on Pipestone, while Tower reported golf ball sized hail.  Most
farmers welcomed the heavy rains before the start of the planting
season.  

May:
Some north-central and northeastern Minnesota counties remained
dry, and the fire danger peaked in some areas.  Very low stream
flows were reported on the watersheds that feed Lake Superior.
Conversely, in southern and central counties, colder than normal
soils and frequent showers caused some delays in planting corn
and soybeans.

June:
Most of the severe convective weather during 2003 occurred in June.
Numerous reports of hail, tornadoes and heavy thunder showers
were reported, particularly across southern and central counties.
Alexandria in Douglas County reported one of the wettest June
months in history with over 10 inches.  At one time every county
and township road was flooded near that western Minnesota city.

July:
The first half of the month was dominated by severe weather, with
numerous tornadoes and heavy thunderstorms.  But, a mid-summer
drought began to show its face in the second half of the month.
One of the most striking features meteorologically was the absence
of a jet stream for much of the latter part of the month.

August:
Drought intensified and became evident in the appearance of some
crops and low flows on watersheds.  The hottest temperatures of 
the summer occurred mid-month.  The first weekend of the State
Fair saw a temperature of 97 F at the fairgrounds, tying the 
all-time high temperature record at the Fair dating back to 1913.
The month ended as one of the hottest and driest Augusts in 
recent memory.

September:
Soil moisture deficits reached their lowest levels since the 
drought year of 1988 in many areas.  Welcome rains finally came
over the 9th through the 12th bring relief to gardens and trees
under stress, but too late for most crops.  A somewhat rare 
late season tornado passed over Anoka county on the 26th.

October:
New record low temperatures came on the 2nd.  Temperatures as low
as the teens occurred in southern Minnesota counties.  Summer 
returned from the 6th to the 10th with temperatures reaching into
the 80s and low 90s F setting new records.  The fire danger peaked
in the north for a second time.  Finally snows occurred in
northern counties on the 27th and 28th.  Some places reported 
5 to 8 inches, including Two Harbors with 8.5 inches.

November:
Early snows hit central and southern Minnesota on the 3rd and 4th,
with 2 to 7 inches reported.  Interestingly enough, the snow was
coincidental with Winter Weather Awareness Week. Record setting 
low temperatures occurred over the weekend of the Hunting Opener
(7th-9th).  Many northern and western areas reported lows that 
were below zero, including -19 F at Embarrass. On the 21st a heavy
snow storm struck western counties, leaving as much as 10 inches
of snow at Madison.

December:
The month brought more snow, with 4 to 11 inches on the 9th and 10th.
Chanhassen reported a record 9.5 inches on the 9th.  More snow came
on the 15th and 16th with blowing and drifting causing some travel
problems. A mild Christmas week in Minnesota made traveling and
shopping easier.

MPR listener question: What is the working definition of a blizzard? 

Answer: The National Weather Service uses the following criteria
for releasing a blizzard warning:  Sustained winds or frequent gusts
of 35 mph or greater, falling or blowing snow that reduces visibility
to 1/4 mile or less; duration of these conditions must be 3 hours or
longer.  Interestingly enough, there are no set temperature conditions,
though more often than not, temperatures drop significantly and 
combined with the winds produce threatening windchill values. Canada
uses a similar system, but also stipulates that a dangerous windchill
condition exist.  The British Meteorological Services also uses a 
somewhat similar definition, but specify visibility of 1/8 mile or 
less and winds of 30 mph or greater.
                 
Local Almanac:
    
Twin Cities Almanac for December 26th:

The average MSP high temperature for this date is 25 degrees F 
(plus or minus 12 degrees standard deviation), while the average 
low is 8 degrees F (plus or minus 14 degrees standard deviation).

MSP Local Records for December 26th:

MSP weather records for this date include: highest daily maximum 
temperature of 51 degrees F in 1936; lowest daily maximum 
temperature of -9 degrees F in 1934; lowest daily minimum temperature
of -27 degrees F in 1996; highest daily minimum temperature of 
38 degrees F in 1959; record precipitation of 0.57 inches in 1936; 
and record snowfall of 5.1 inches in 1988. There have been 24 
measurable snowfalls on this date since 1945. Maximum snow depth on
this date was 20 inches in 1983.

Average dew point for December 26th is 10 degrees F, with a maximum
of 48 degrees F in 1936 and a minimum of -28 degrees F in 1996. 

All-time state records for December 26th:

Scanning the state climatic data base: the all-time high for this 
date is 57 degrees F at Fairmont (Martin County) and Zumbrota
(Goodhue County) in 1936; the all-time low is -50 degrees F at 
Tower (St Louis County) in 1993.

Topic:  Solitary Christmas in Antarctica

While we experienced a mild Christmas here in Minnesota, at least one
woman spent Christmas alone in a very harsh environment, surrounded 
by ice and snow.  Polar adventurer Rosie Stancer spent a solitary 
Christmas on the frozen landscape of Antarctica. Rosie from London,
England is striving to become the first British woman to trek solo 
and unsupported to the South Pole.

Her journey started from the edge of Antarctica's Ice Shelf and is her
third such adventure.  Back in 1997, she was part of the first 
all-female expedition to reach the North Pole unassisted. Then in 
January 2000, the same team achieved the equivalent feat at the South
Pole.

It appears that there's something in the family which drives Rosie to 
meet such challenges. Her husband's grandfather, geologist James Wordie,
was a member of Ernest Shackleton's Antarctic expedition aboard the 
ill-fated Endurance (reported about on MPR a few years ago). Famously,
the Endurance was crushed to destroyed by the ice pack in 1915.

Actually Rosie experienced a relatively balmy Christmas in Antarctica,
with constant sun and highs from -4 to -10 degrees F. Sure hope she 
makes her solo trek.......More on this adventure can be found on the
BBC web site at.....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/world/news/24122003news.shtml

Outlook:

Stormy for the weekend and much of next week leading up to the New 
Years holiday.  Mixture of precipitation around the state
this weekend will include rain, freezing rain, drizzle, and snow.  
Also much stronger winds on Saturday and Sunday may create some 
travel problems. Chance of snow around New Years, followed by much
colder weather for the first few days of January.