MPR’s Gary Eichten discusses the record setting cold temperatures found throughout the state with meteorologist Mark Seeley, who explains the atmospheric scenario that created the frigid conditions.
The state record low temperature in Minnesota was recorded at Tower, Minnesota on February 2, 1996. The low was -60 degrees. That was also the coldest temperature ever recorded east of the Mississippi River.
GARY EICHTEN: Joining us now is University of Minnesota meteorologist and climatologist Mark Seeley. Good morning, Mark.
MARK SEELEY: Hello, Gary.
GARY EICHTEN: Feeling a little proud of yourself today?
MARK SEELEY: Oh, I guess so. Yeah, it's a little bit of a weatherman's dream here to break a 100-year-old record.
[LAUGHS]
GARY EICHTEN: Well, why Tower, Minnesota?S Is there something unique about the topography of Tower that sets it apart?
MARK SEELEY: Well, I'm sure there is as is the case with a lot of minimum temperatures, Gary. Overnight minimums tend to reflect the local terrain much more than our afternoon maximums. Because you have still air overnight, that tends to be much more influenced by the surface conditions and the surrounding landscape.
And it is in somewhat of a relatively lower landscape position compared to the surrounding portions of St. Louis County. As you know, it's quite near the Superior National Forest as well.
GARY EICHTEN: Tower is not-- well, of course, they set the record, but everybody's got cold weather today. I understand temperature records have been dropping all around the state.
MARK SEELEY: I believe that's right. Without officially looking at everyone's report this morning, I think it would nevertheless be a safe guess to suggest that somewhere between 70% and 80% of our weather observers in the state of Minnesota are probably setting records this morning with their morning minimum observation.
One that I find quite striking, Gary, is Theilman, Minnesota, which is down in Wabasha County in Southeastern Minnesota, came in at minus 40 this morning. Now, for Southeastern Minnesota, that perhaps may be an unprecedented temperature.
GARY EICHTEN: What is causing this? Is there one weather fact that explains all of this?
MARK SEELEY: We do have an air mass that's encompassed in this high pressure system that probably has incubated, if you will, or in other words, set up in the 60 to 70 degrees north latitude area for quite some time.
We noticed this back in November, when large cold air masses were starting to build in the northern hemisphere, and started to become concerned that over the course of the winter, there might be some trigger that would draw them down as far as Minnesota.
And sure enough, that's happened. This cold air mass has probably, as I said, been in existence up there for quite some time. And that's why the core of it is so cold. It's been stagnant, getting colder and colder until finally drawn down over us.
GARY EICHTEN: I don't know if my memory is failing me or not, Mark, but I cannot recall an extended period of time in Minnesota, where it's been this cold. We always have cold weather, sometimes bitterly cold weather. But I can't recall any break of any sort since the ice storm of January 17.
MARK SEELEY: Yes, you're quite right. We've certainly been below the freezing mark since that time, Gary. And, of course, we've also been recording an awful lot of hours this week below zero as well. The only analogy I can find in the Minnesota historical records that is somewhat similar was the January 1 through January 13 period of 1912, during which the Twin Cities area experienced something like 176 consecutive hours below zero.
We have had a little break in that, seeing as how day before yesterday, we peaked up above two degrees positive before we dropped down again. But in terms of total number of hours below zero, this week is certainly going to go down in the history books.
GARY EICHTEN: Well, if it's going to be cold, it might as well be memorable.
MARK SEELEY: Well, I'm sure we'll be telling our grandchildren about this one.
GARY EICHTEN: And no relief this weekend, apparently. Sometime in the middle of next week, maybe?
MARK SEELEY: Yes, it's hard to believe. But all the models are agreeing and suggesting that by Tuesday or Wednesday, we might creep up into the 20s, maybe even possibly hit the 30 degree mark positive again, which would, of course, be a 60-plus degree shift in temperature.
I suppose we'll all go to short sleeve shirts by then.
[LAUGHS]
GARY EICHTEN: Thanks, Mark.
MARK SEELEY: OK, Gary.
GARY EICHTEN: University of Minnesota meteorologist, climatologist, Mark Seeley.
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