The autumnal equinox is nearing, just two days away. I like winter and I'm happy for fall, but am sad to see summer go. It's the first time I've felt this way in a long time. Fortunately, I'm headed to NH next week and should see some color. Also, I have a drysuit and should be paddling for many more months.

On the other hand, the Twin Cities forecast for Friday, the equinox, is a low of 72° and a high of 90°. Wowza.

Its been awhile since we had a real Minnesota winter.

Road construction season almost over.

quote nctry: "Road construction season almost over."

Yeh, one of the first signs of changing seasons.

Winter made an appearance last Wednesday, September 13th, in Toulomne Meadows, CA with a hail storm and low temperatures in the mid 20s. A camper from Minnesota didn't realize that a 40 degree sleeping bag at 8600 feet in elevation is not going to meet expectations of staying warm.

The hail shredded a few tents but made for some nice photos.

quote Pinetree: "Its been awhile since we had a real Minnesota winter."

I hope this is not the case this year. It would be nice if I could find 4-6 inches of ice the first week of December instead of Christmas or New years.
I enjoy summer when its not over 75 but fall into winter is my favorite time of year especially up the north shore and in the bwca.

I was in Montana and Wyoming last week. While it was 98F in Sheridan, it was snowing in Yellowstone. Well that is true western weather.

It sure doesn't feel like fall yet here in N. Illinois. We're still picking tomatoes from the garden and there hasn't been any frost yet.

My favorite season is Fall and I can't wait for some cooler weather.

quote Zulu: "

Winter made an appearance last Wednesday Setember 13th in Toulomne Meadows CA with a hail storm and low temperatures in the mid 20's. A Camper from Minnesota didn't realize that a 40 degree sleeping at 8600 feet in elevation is not going to meet expectations of staying warm.
The hail shredded a few tents but made for some nice photos."

Love that place! Thanks for sharing pics and a story!

Yeah, great pics! Looks like treacherous footing, though.

I sure hope we do get some real cold and a bunch of snow this year. Northern MN experienced winter last year, much of the rest of the state didn't.

I wonder if this is going to be the year because mother nature hates an imbalance and there are cottontail bunnies everywhere. On the other hand, the increase in bunnies may be because lyme disease has hit the fox population hard since 2012 at least.

I saw JOHN SNOW on Saganaga :-0

quote Basspro69: "I saw JOHN SNOW on Saganaga :-0"

was waiting for a GoT reference...

Need to get these tropical systems in the Atlantic to be more progressive and moving pole ward to get some cooler weather into the Upper Midwest. Jose in particular is really bogging down the pattern- though its the main reason that Maria should spare the E Coast from a direct landfall. The cooler weather that the West has experienced will then move this way-- but modified.

Can't wait for the first hard freeze.
Then it's the first snowfall.
Then it's the first big snow.
Then it's the first below zero temp and then add in some refreshing wind!!!

I need to move further North!!!

quote Pinetree: "Its been awhile since we had a real Minnesota winter."

I remember the 2010-11 winter being quite snowy and long.

The snowblower has only gotten three uses in the last three years. But then again, we've generally not been known for snow, more so for cold temps.

An interesting tidbit: The 1981-2010 annual snowfall normal for the Twin Cities is 54.0 inches, which is 7.4 inches more than the 120-year long-term average of 46.6 inches.

And a very interesting graphic of Twin Cities days below zero, a pretty clear trend:

http://images.dnr.state.mn.us/natural_resources/climate/journal/at_or_below_zero13_14.jpg

If you are sad to see summer go, come on down to Texas. We have been close to 100 degrees the last week in Dallas, and I don't see that changing any time soon.

I long for the end of summer.

quote dew042: "

quote Pinetree: "Its been awhile since we had a real Minnesota winter."

I remember the 2010-11 winter being quite snowy and long.


The snowblower has only gotten three uses in the last three years. But then again, we've generally not been known for snow, more so for cold temps.


An interesting tidbit: The 1981-2010 annual snowfall normal for the Twin Cities is 54.0 inches, which is 7.4 inches more than the 120-year long-term average of 46.6 inches.


And a very interesting graphic of Twin Cities days below zero, a pretty clear trend:


http://images.dnr.state.mn.us/natural_resources/climate/journal/at_or_below_zero13_14.jpg "

FTR- chart ends March of 14'. Winter 14-15' had 30 occurrences that the minimum daily temp was at 0F or below at KMSP. (the Minneapolis International Airport Automated Surface Observing System or ASOS call sign).
15-16' had 26.
16-17' had 13.

Haven't had time with the busy tropics lately to look in-depth at the upcoming winter season or I would throw an educated forecast guess # out there for times 0F or below at MSP.

Texas is nice for a few months but I moved to Minnesota from a dramatically warmer climate. Seemed like a good place to ride out this weird weather and so far so good.

Glad to see some meat (data) in this thread. Just curious, is there some significance to the 0° threshold being analyzed, beyond psychological?

quote awbrown: "I was in Montana and Wyoming last week. While it was 98F in Sheridan, it was snowing in Yellowstone. Well that is true western weather.


It sure doesn't feel like fall yet here in N. Illinois. We're still picking tomatoes from the garden and there hasn't been any frost yet.


My favorite season is Fall and I can't wait for some cooler weather."

That is one nice thing about living out west. If it is to hot or something,just go up a mountain and you have a good chance of snow etc.

quote WhiteWolf: "

quote dew042: "

quote Pinetree: "Its been awhile since we had a real Minnesota winter."

I remember the 2010-11 winter being quite snowy and long.



The snowblower has only gotten three uses in the last three years. But then again, we've generally not been known for snow, more so for cold temps.



An interesting tidbit: The 1981-2010 annual snowfall normal for the Twin Cities is 54.0 inches, which is 7.4 inches more than the 120-year long-term average of 46.6 inches.



And a very interesting graphic of Twin Cities days below zero, a pretty clear trend:



http://images.dnr.state.mn.us/natural_resources/climate/journal/at_or_below_zero13_14.jpg "

FTR- chart ends March of 14'. Winter 14-15' had 30 occurrences that the minimum daily temp was at 0F or below at KMSP. (the Minneapolis International Airport Automated Surface Observing System or ASOS call sign).
15-16' had 26.
16-17' had 13.


Haven't had time with the busy tropics lately to look in-depth at the upcoming winter season or I would throw an educated forecast guess # out there for times 0F or below at MSP.



"

I will admit the winter of 2012-13 and 2013-14 the winter had significant snow it seemed it came late in the winter and snow didn't melt to mid April. We lost a lot of deer those winters. The toughest part on deer is it is built in their system for their metabolism to pick up with longer days and thus they burn more energy and have a higher heart rate. Thus if you still have snow in April and no food often they will die. I know the spring of 2013 I went spring turkey hunting middle of April on snowshoes,but than it got real warm fast.

In the last decade tho at least in the Brainerd Mille lacs area we haven't had much snow and I know the local Brainerd High School Cross Country Ski team has had to train late into December by just running and no ski training or meets. The last decade also we have had like a January-February thaw taking most of are snow.

Early winters or surprises do happen.

This was just off Highway 1 south of Isabella on a side road around October 12th 1977 when I was moose hunting. We got 20 inches of snow in around 36 hours. You traveled toward Ely or the North shore the amount of snow dropped off fast. We used a ax to clear the jack pine mainly off Highway 1 and the highway looked just like that picture also. About 4 days later it was like 60 degrees and the snow melted fast.

A early snow storm and quite a ordeal

quote Pinetree: "Early winters or surprises do happen.

This was just off Highway 1 south of Isabella on a side road around October 12th 1977 when I was moose hunting. We got 20 inches of snow in around 36 hours. You traveled toward Ely or the North shore the amount of snow dropped off fast. We used a ax to clear the jack pine mainly off Highway 1 and the highway looked just like that picture also. About 4 days later it was like 60 degrees and the snow melted fast.


A early snow storm and quite a ordeal "

Hey Pinetree- years ago you asked me to see if I could dig something up on this and I have forgot. Got some spare time tonight and I found OCT 1977 Monthly summary for ISABELLA,MN after some serious digging. FTR-- Isabella doesn't have very good records (from the late 50's to early 2000's with many data sets missing) but it' is what it is. And in this case- just enough. One must actually find all the data together to put this "puzzle" together because if you just look at snowfall for OCT of 77'-- it's missing. Why is it missing? Likely because the observer was not reporting (told to measure or had proper measuring tools) snow that year until DEC. So after looking at the actual data-- one can see the high on 11th was 43F with a low 30F with 3" of water (which was likely in the 7:1 ratio which = the 20" of snow you witnessed. Snow can accumulate even during the day in OCT on warm ground even with temps at 33F or 34F as long as it falls fast enough. So I'am just about certain with the 30F-- even without your eyewitness that some snow fell . I'am sure it was wet and heavy. And just like you said several days later it was in the upper 50F's and near 70F on the 21st. Good memory!!!!

Yes thanks for finding that info and your very Good Memory Whitewolf on your part that we talked about it a couple of years ago.

It was like 8-10 miles south of Isabella where it was heaviest. Yes if I can recall it was probably like 30 degrees F. out. I still remember tracking a moose it was snowing so hard you could see only so many feet and snow was literally building up on my glasses. We retreated finally to my truck in a topper that evening and woke up in the morning and decided maybe we better get out of there so we quit hunting for two days. Trees were down everwhere across the roads.That morning on Highway 1 crews were not out yet. Got home to Brainerd and it was nice and sunny and warm and they had no bad weather at all and folks at home y had never even heard of the snowstorm,but weather reporting is so much better now.. I think Ely ended up with like 3 inches of snow during that event.

That whole fall was extremely wet and I remember in September doing some prescouting some highway toward Duluth washed out from rain.

Yes I finally did shoot a 2.5 year old bull Moose by Soup lake south of Isabella. We slid much of him out on a tobbogan with the snow melting extremely fast.

Experiences like that especially when young are great memories.

quote nctry: "Road construction season almost over."

AMEN to that! :)

quote WhiteWolf: "

quote Pinetree: "Early winters or surprises do happen.


This was just off Highway 1 south of Isabella on a side road around October 12th 1977 when I was moose hunting. We got 20 inches of snow in around 36 hours. You traveled toward Ely or the North shore the amount of snow dropped off fast. We used a ax to clear the jack pine mainly off Highway 1 and the highway looked just like that picture also. About 4 days later it was like 60 degrees and the snow melted fast.



A early snow storm and quite a ordeal "

Hey Pinetree- years ago you asked me to see if I could dig something up on this and I have forgot. Got some spare time tonight and I found OCT 1977 Monthly summary for ISABELLA,MN after some serious digging. FTR-- Isabella doesn't have very good records (from the late 50's to early 2000's with many data sets missing) but it' is what it is. And in this case- just enough. One must actually find all the data together to put this "puzzle" together because if you just look at snowfall for OCT of 77'-- it's missing. Why is it missing? Likely because the observer was not reporting (told to measure or had proper measuring tools) snow that year until DEC. So after looking at the actual data-- one can see the high on 11th was 43F with a low 30F with 3" of water (which was likely in the 7:1 ratio which = the 20" of snow you witnessed. Snow can accumulate even during the day in OCT on warm ground even with temps at 33F or 34F as long as it falls fast enough. So I'am just about certain with the 30F-- even without your eyewitness that some snow fell . I'am sure it was wet and heavy. And just like you said several days later it was in the upper 50F's and near 70F on the 21st. Good memory!!!!



"

Pinetree and Whitewolf,
I lived in Isabella for three years working for the USFS there.
We have had a Remote Area Weather Station at the Helibase since at least 2000 when I started there.
We also took the daily precipitation records/totals from right out the back door of our office and called them into the NWS every day.
This is likely where you received your precip info from the 1977 event.

Isabella is a chilly place to live, and is the highest town in Mn, being exactly 2,000 feet above sea level, right at our Weather Station.
It frosted on July 4th one year I lived there.

I'm returning to Mn October 24 from Ak, and am hoping for a warm winter.

quote Basspro69: "I saw JOHN SNOW on Saganaga :-0"

LOL

93° with a heat index for 103°. Heat advisory until 7 PM. I'm getting the sprinklers out for the kids.

We still have 80degrees F. at 1030 PM tonight in Brainerd and Mosquitoes in the woods today are by far the worse that been all year today. They are super tiny.

quote Zulu: "

Winter made an appearance last Wednesday September 13th in Toulomne Meadows CA with a hail storm and low temperatures in the mid 20's. A Camper from Minnesota didn't realize that a 40 degree sleeping at 8600 feet in elevation is not going to meet expectations of staying warm.
The hail shredded a few tents but made for some nice photos."

Dang! That's a sudden onslaught.

quote Zulu: "Winter made an appearance last Wednesday, September 13th, in Toulomne Meadows, CA with a hail storm and low temperatures in the mid 20s.

"

Wow! We were there on September 12th and were in shirt sleeves. Yosemite National Park... what a beautiful place.