increasing warmth starting tomarrow. Topping out in the mid 80s Sunday! Slight threat for rain Monday then much cooler Tuesday.

Regional weather view.

A summer like pattern is in place for this weekend, a warm front will bring increasing temperatures, topping out in the low 90s across Iowa and Mid 80s as far north as Southern Minnesota. North of the front will have the best chance of precip with this system on Monday, and it looks mostly light. A cold front will sweep through late Monday and bring cooler but still mild conditions for Tuesday and beyond.

Local and metro views.

A very warm weekend is on tap for us! Saturday will be the start of a significant warming trend. Skies will clear and highs will rise to the lower to mid 70s, with lows in the 50s. Sunday will be the warmest day, under sunny skies, highs will likely reach the lower to mid 80s across the area as record highs are in jeopardy, and it will feel much like Summer, Lows will be in the mid 60s Sunday Night. Monday will be mostly sunny and still warm in the upper 70s with lows near 50. A cold front will sweep through in the afternoon which could spark a few random showers or thunderstorms. Especially in northern areas. Precip amounts look very light at this time. Tuesday behind the sharp cold front it will be sunny and much cooler but still a real nice day with highs near 60 and lows near 40, lows could fall to the mid to upper 30s in a few spots which could lead to light frosts away from the city and warmer spots.


Saturday, Clearing Skies, Mild! Highs in the low to mid 70s. Saturday Night, Skies will be clear and it will be mild for Earth Hour, lows in the mid 50s.


Sunday, Very Warm! Sunny skies with highs in the low to mid 80s. Sunday Night, Clear skies, lows in the mid 60s.

Monday, Sunny skies with the threat for afternoon showers or thunderstorms. Highs near 80.F Monday Night, Clearing skies, lows in the upper 40s.

Tuesday, Cooler, Sunny with light winds. Highs in the low 60s. Tuesday Night, Chilly, Clear skies, lows in the upper 30s to low 40s.


Looking Ahead

The long range charts are hard to follow at this time. We will probably keep going in and out from very mild temps to a bit cooler temps. The models show warm temperatures and plentiful sunshine coming back into the picture for the middle part of next week and sticking around through Saturday, A dry cold front moves through Sunday bringing in cooler conditions. Then for the week of the 9th is shows mild temps moving back in with off and on chances for rain that week. More on this later. 
 

 

Spring Growth Update #3 Tulips in bloom, Trees leafing out & Highest winds speeds today.

Tulips in bloom March 27th 2012.

Spring growth continues to progress along incredibly early and fast as temperatures were in the middle 70s once again today. People were out in shorts like Summer and it sounded like summer as many were out mowing their lawns already. Crocus are done and Daffodils are on the decline and now in bloom this week are Pear Trees, Tulips, Hyacinths and Native Cherries. Soon to follow will be Lilacs, Crabapples and Redbud trees. I'm still waiting for my specialty  tulips to bloom which are supposed to be interesting colors and shapes.

 Crabapple Trees which have leafed out on a warm March day March 27th 2012

 The weather has been so warm recently Earlier trees have leaves unfolded and every tree species now is showing at least some signs of breaking dormancy.

 Native Cherry in full bloom March 27th 2012

This is not typically seen planted in yards, I found this growing in kinda a back woods area but they can be quite beautiful trees when there in bloom.

 Our lawn was mowed for the 1st time this season today! It is stunning to think that were mowing before April 1st!

Highs and Highest wind speeds.

Today was a very windy and warm day through out the region. Even though 70s in March have been the norm this year, Average highs are around 50. Winds today were 39 to near 50MPH, The highest wind gust observed was 48MPH in Rochester. No significant damage was reported with this wind.

Significant warm up for tomorrow, Very Windy with highs in the 70s. Winds could gust to 50MPH, Cooling down by Wednesday with frost chances, then moderating out for temperatures.

Regional Weather View.

A strong low pressure/warm front and cold front system will move across the Upper Midwest Tuesday, bringing a few issues region wide. Winds will be quite strong across Minnesota and Western Wisconsin, gusting to 50MPH at times. For precip, Severe Storms may be an issue in Southern Wisconsin and Illinois. It will be quite warm across the entire region in the 60s and 70s.

Local and Metro views.

Look for a significantly warmer day tomorrow, Any rain chances will be mainly in the morning before it moves off. With strong south winds,. Highs 30 degrees warmer then they were this afternoon staying steady and rising tonight, it may be chilly in the 40s early, but temps will quickly rise to the low 70s in the afternoon with the possibility of a few mid to upper 70 degree readings depending on how far the warm front pushes northward. Winds will be strong and could cause issues as they will be between 30 and 40MPH with gusts as high as 50MPH from the south not out of the question. Loose objects should be kept in, and now that trees are getting leaves, weakened and dead branches could fall in wind speeds this strong. Wednesday the a cold front will have passed through lowering out highs into the mid 50s and it will be breezy with strong west winds, and a dry airmass will be in place Frost is likely Wednesday night with clear skies, especially outlying areas outside of Rochester,  as lows fall into the low to mid 30s are possible. Frost would not normally be an issue here this time of year but becuase of the early growth tender plants should be kept covered. Thursday will be warmer and quite nice as temperatures moderate under a sunny sky. Highs will be in the upper 50s with lows in the low 40s. Showers and thunderstorms may start to develop on our next system overnight Thursday.

Tuesday, Very Windy! A chance of rain in the morning turning mostly sunny. South winds 30 to 40MPH gusting to 50MPH, Highs in the low to mid 70s. Tuesday Night, Windy, Clear skies lows in the low 40s.

Wednesday, Breezy and Much cooler, Sunny with highs in the mid 50s. Wednesday Night, Chilly compared to where it has been, Frost likely with lows in the low to mid 30s

Thursday, Nice! Less windy and sunny. Moderating temps into the upper 50s. Thursday Night, Increasing clouds with a chance of showers and thunderstorms developing late. 

Looking Ahead

The models show weather calming down for the weekend and it being warm in the 60s to near 70 by Sunday. A dry cold front passes through Monday April 2nd and cools things off slightly it remains dry behind that front through Tuesday, then showers and thunderstorms develop on a warm front by Wednesday the 4th they could have heavy rain. More on this later.

Rainy Friday, Drier and mild weekend in the 70s!

Regional weather view.

A persistent slow moving low pressure system moving across the Midwest will still cause influence on our weather. It will keep the treat of clouds and showers alive as it continues to slowly move west. Saturday and Sunday, drier air from the west will finally push in allowing for some clearing to take place. It will be a nice weekend and will continue to be very mild for March.

Local and Metro views.

The low pressure mentioned above will still have influence on our weather for Friday, we can expect that there will be plenty of clouds with occasional peaks of sun. There will be a chance of light showers or drizzle, but it should be tapering down and there will not be much for amounts rain will end Friday Night. Highs will be in the upper 60s with lows in the upper 50s. Saturday will still have more clouds then sun but it will be dry and mild with light winds. It will be a fairly nice day with highs in the low 70s and lows in the mid 50s. Sunday will be the nicest day with sunshine coming into the picture and highs in the low 70s. Lows will cool to the low 50s. Monday will be mostly sunny and warm with highs in the 70s. The threat for thunderstorms will increase in the evening. Lows will be in the low 50s All of these highs and lows are well above the March standards.





Friday, Cloudy with a chance of light showers or drizzle. Highs in the upper 60s. Friday Night, Showers or drizzle ending, Cloudy with lows in the mid 50s. 

Saturday, Nice, Cloudy Skies with peaks of sun, Mild with highs in the low 70s Saturday Night, Partly Cloudy, lows in the low 50s.

Sunday,  Nice! Sunny skies, light winds, highs in the low 70s. Sunday Night, Clear skies, lows in the upper 40s 

Monday, Nice! Sunny with highs in the low 70s. Threat for thunderstorms increasing towards evening. Monday Night, A chance of Showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the upper 40s.

Looking Ahead

A strong cold front moves through on Tuesday bringing thunderstorm chances  back into the picture. Some of these need to be watched for the possibility of becoming severe. Wednesday and Thursday of next week look cooler but sunny. Then during the last weekend of March the 30-1st look wet with a chance for cool rainshowers, some could be heavy on Saturday the 31st. Looks on the cool side compared to where it has been to start of April and actually April 1st may have to be watched for the threat of frost overnight. Doesn't look too bad at this point but it must be watched. Then it warms up as we move into April, there are off and of chances for rain but it appears those chances are not high after the 6th of the month. More on this later.

Photos of our Incrediblely early Spring around the city! Magnolias Trees and Hyacinths in full boom. Looks more like May then March!

 Leonard Messel Magnolia at my college campus  March 21st 2012

Spring is in full swing now as warm temperatures and now added rainfall has allowed it too continue. Magnolias are in full bloom right now and it is quite eye catching becuase these trees get huge flowers about 4" wide on twigs becuase they bloom well before the leaves. The fragrance from them are very strong and pleasing. One thing I noticed about around compared to my hometown area is there are an abundance of Magnolia trees across the area. Around my hometown they were a rare find in gardens there. Some of these trees around Rochester are old, large and quite stunning in their size and bloom numbers. The next few photos are some of the beautiful Magnolias that I found while walking.

 Magnolia March 21st 2012

This the largest Magnolia I found so far, its very beautiful and smells great and can be smelled from blocks away! 

 Magnolia March 21st 2012

I discovered this Magnolia in the Winter becuase of its large buds, I've been passing it every week waiting for it to pop, it was well worth the wait!

 Star Magnolia March 22nd 2012

This is a Star Magnolia, I planted this originally in Wisconsin and it was not properly place there and since I liked it so much I decided to plant it here. The blooms on this are slightly smaller then Magnolias from the photos from above, but they still smell great!

Hyacinths March 21st 2012

Another plant in bloom this week that has really caught my attention and my senses are the Hyacinths, They are short, but have a very strong and pleasing fragrance that fills the entire backyard! I got these as a mixture and was hoping to get some bloom but I got all white along with 1 single pink bloom.

March 22nd 2012

One last photo showing how the recent rains really has greened everything up. This is a scene you would normally find closer to May and not the other month that starts with the letter M!

Showers and Thunderstorms later today could bring much needed rain but could also have heavy rainfall over 0.50" possible Updated X1

Regional Weather View.

A Weather pattern more you would find in May continues to be the main rule in what is found across the Upper Midwest, Accept now a cold front is sparking much needed showers and thunderstorms across Iowa, Minnesota and Western Wisconsin. Some of the storms could be breifly severe in Iowa, and could bring heavy rain to parts of Minnesota.

Local and Metro views.

Wet stormy Tuesday

We can expect that Tuesday ill not be as nice as the rest of last week. but on a good note we could see some much needed rainfall across the area. It will be mainly cloudy with highs in the low 70s and lows in the mid 50s. A slow moving cold front to our west today will spark showers and thunderstorms ahead of it. These storms will develop and move into the area from Iowa later today, there is a chance that there will be heavy rainfall with some of the storms, some spots may see rainfall totals a half inch or more of rain. A strong thunderstorm or two also cannot be ruled out with gusty winds and small hail the main threat.

Tuesday, Cloudy then showers and thunderstorms developing. Some could be strong and have heavy rainfall, Highs in the low 70s. Tuesday Night, Cloudy with light showers, lows in the low 50s.

Looking Ahead

It turns slightly cooler but still above normal and much wetter as we go into midweek next week. The threat for showers lasts through Friday. It clears out and warms up for the weekend and were looking at  a warm and sunny for the weekend of the 25th. It remains warm as we enter into Monday the 26th and then threat for showers and thunderstorms increase with a cold front moving through Tuesday and Wednesday 27th/28th. Some of these storms could be bring heavy rain. The models keep it wet and warm even into the last weekend of March. More on this later.

Spring Growth Update #2-Daffodils in Full Bloom and early trees leafing out on last day of Calender Winter! Also low end severe storm effected the Rochester area this evening.

Daffodils in Full Bloom March 19th 2012

This may only be the 2nd Spring Growth Update but the Daffodils are already in full bloom! They really progressed very fast this year in the extremely mild temps. Normally there is a time of no flowers between the Crocus Blooms and the Daffodil blooms, but this year it was so warm everything is kinda blooming at once! This garden of Daffodils was planted last fall, since they are are my favorite flower I made sure there were plenty to enjoy.

Forsythia Bush in bloom March 19th 2012

Forsythia bushes across the area are also now in full bloom, this is a new addition for me added this spring. I've never seen Forsythia in bloom but I really like their bright yellow flowers before the leaves. As odd as this sounds I talked to classmates that came back from Missouri last week and they said Forsythia was also blooming there, so it seems there is no difference this year across a wide area.

 Lilac leaves March 19th 2012

The lilacs are also no acceptation, They are well into full leafing out faze and the flowers are now exposed. Lilacs normally do not leaf out until around April 20th. 

Green Crabapples in Downtown March 19th.

As seen in the last post with the temperature report, Most of the earlier changing trees now have small leaves on them and look green. The Crabapples in Downtown seem to be especially far along compared to my part of the city, probably becuase it is warmer.

Japanese Lilac March 19th 2012

This is just another photo to show how green it is across the area. I seriously run out of words to describe just how odd it is to have things this green this early in the month of March. It is as green as Late April into May normally would be, and is downright unheard of!

Daffodils and Crocus Blooms March 19th.

One last shot of the a patch of my Daffodils, Many have said they really look cheery.

 Daffodils Clayton,WI March 19th 2012

I also wanted to take the opportunity to post this photo my brother took from my hometown. He reported the 1st Daffodils have just begun to bloom there, It seems home is just only about 4 days behind us!

It wont be long before im updating again because was walking today and noticed the Magnolia Trees are starting to bloom and there are many large impressive trees around the city! I will be sure to post photos when they bloom fully.

Low end severe storm in Olmsted County This Evening

Video from strong winds that hit Rochester during the evening of the 19th.

A low end severe storm hit the Rochester Area this evening in a line of strong thunderstorms that were seen across the entire area today as a eastward moving boundary sparked a long line of thunderstorms through the state. The storms came with strong winds, frequent lightning and brief heavy rain. One storm in particular got strong as it moved in southern parts of Mower and Fillmore counties, it moved northeast and hit the Rochester area, winds were over 50MPH in the immediate Rochester area, and even 58MPH at the airport which means it was enough for it to be considered severe. From my experience of the storm it came in very short but power bursts of very strong winds ahead of the rain, the winds really rattled agaist the windows. The gauge 2 blocked from my house registered a 53MPH wind gust in the storm, I did not see damage but the morning light will help. There are no other reports of any damage so far this evening as well.

Wind Gust Reports

Rochester Airport 58MPH
West Downtown Rochester 53MPH
Northwest Rochester 52MPH
Zumbrota 49MPH
Red Wing 45MPH
Oronoco 42MPH
Byron 41MPH