User:WxGopher/ClimateSandbox

The Climate of Minnesota is typical of a continental climate with cold winters and hot summers. It is rightfully thought of as being a very cold state, but in reality the cold is just one of many types of weather that Minnesota endures. Its unique location in the Upper Midwest allows it to experience some of the widest variety of weather in the nation. Minnesota experiences everything from rain to snow, tornadoes to blizzards, droughts to floods, and temperature extremes ranging from −60 °F (−51 °C) to 114 °F (45.5 °C) as span of 174 °F (96 °C).

Each of the four seasons has its own distinct characteristics, but there enough variables that keep any season from being constant. Winter is generally cold and snowy but can see thaws and rain. Summers are generally warm and humid, but do see frequent Canadian cool fronts in which the air dries out and cools off. Fall and spring are the transition months where wild swings in the weather can be expected, and where parts of summer and/or winter can make appearances.

General climatology

Minnesota experiences temperature extremes characteristic of its continental climate, with cold winters and mild to hot summers in the south and frigid winters and generally cool summers in the north.  Each season has distinctive upper air patterns which bring different weather conditions with them.  

Temperatures and precipitation in Minnesota can vary widely. Minnesota is far enough north to experience −60 °Fahrenheit (−51 °C) temperatures and blizzards during the winter months, but far enough south to experience 114 °F (45.5 °C) temperatures and tornado outbreaks in the summer. The 174 degree (96 °C) variation between Minnesota's highest and lowest temperate is the 11^th largest variation of any U.S. State, and 3^rd largest of any non-mountainous state (behind North Dakota and South Dakota).

Because Minnesota is so far from a major source of moisture, it is one of the drier states in the U.S. Average precipitation across the state ranges from around 35 in (89 cm) in the southeast to just 20 in (51 cm) in the northwest. Snow is the main form of precipitation from November through March, while rain is the most common the rest of the year. Snowfall extremes have ranged from over 170 in (432 cm) in the rugged Superior Highlands of the North Shore to as little as 10 in (25 cm) in southern Minnesota.

Lake Superior

The areas near Lake Superior in the Minnesota Arrowhead region experience unique weather in the state. The moderating effect of Lake Superior keeps the surrounding area relatively cooler in the summer and relatively warmer in the winter, giving that region a taste of a maritime climate.

Winter in Minnesota is characterized by cold (below freezing) temperatures and snowfall. Weather systems can move in from the north, west, or south, with the majority of the weather being driven in from the north.

By the time December and January arrive, Minnesota is fully engulfed in the polar air and is then subjected to arctic air masses moving in. Minnesota gets regular shots of the arctic air through the winter. High pressure systems which descend south from the Canadian plains behind the fronts bring light winds, clear skies, and bitterly cold temperatures.

Snow is the main form of precipitation, but freezing rain, ice, sleet and sometimes even rain are all possible during the winter months.  Larger storm systems, often Panhandle hooks or other storms originating from the Pacific Ocean, can bring large amounts of snow and even blizzard conditions.

Alberta Clippers are usually the storms responsible for ushering arctic air into Minnesota. that is arctic air and dangerous wind chills. Because the air associated with a clipper is usually very cold, the snow that does fall has a very low moisture content and is of the 'fluffy' variety.

these storms usually have a great deal of moisture to work with. As the storms make their turn to the north, they pull in moist air from the nearby Gulf of Mexico and bring it northward with them toward Minnesota or other parts of the Midwest. Panhandle Hooks are responsible for some of the most famous blizzards that have occurred in the Midwest.

Spring

Spring is a time of major transition in Minnesota. As winter nears its end, the sun rises higher in the sky and temperatures begin to moderate. Minnesota is on the northern (cooler) side of major storm systems in the early spring, which instead results in rain, and if it's cold enough, snow. Even though the winter snow pack starts to melt in southern Minnesota during mid-March, there is still enough cold air available in Canada to produce major snow storms into late April.

As spring moves into the later stages, the chances for snow continue to drop and eventually disappear, south to north.  

On average, fall and spring are the windiest times of the year in Minnesota. October is the windiest month in northwest Minnesota, while April is the windiest over the rest of the state. Winds generally average between 9 and 11 miles per hour (14 - 18 km/h) across the state, with one major exception. The heaviest winds in the state are found on the Buffalo Ridge, or Coteau des Prairies, a flatiron-shaped area extending from Watertown, South Dakota, diagonally across southwestern Minnesota and into Iowa.

Minnesota is prone to flooding in its major rivers. Minnesota has been rocked by major flooding in 2001, 1997, 1993 1969 and 1965. The 1965 Mississippi flood was the worst flood in Minnesota history on that river, while the flooding in 1997 was the worst in history on the Red River in the northwestern part of the state.

During a Minnesota summer, heat and humidity predominate in the south, while warm and less humid conditions are generally present in the north. These humid conditions and a jet stream that has pushed into the northern parts of the U.S. help kick off thunderstorm activity 30-40 days a year.

Summer temperatures in Minnesota average in the mid 80's (30 °C) in the south to the upper 70's (25 °C) in the north. The drier air moving into hot and humid summertime air keep the threat of thunderstorms and tornadoes around in Minnesota through July and August. Northern Minnesota is considerably cooler and less humid than southern Minnesota is during the summer months.

July is the hottest month in Minnesota state wide In July 1936 Minnesota and the rest of the Midwest suffered through its worst heat wave on record.

The summer months of June, July and August account for around half of the annual precipitation total across the state of Minnesota. Even though summer is the primary season for Minnesota to experience thunderstorms, they can occur from March to November. These storms can and do become severe, producing large hail, strong winds, and tornadoes.

The growing season in Minnesota varies from 90 days per year in the Iron Range to 160 days in southeast Minnesota.  The growing season is when Minnesota averages its highest percentage of annual precipitation, so a lack of rainfall during this time period can be devastating to crops.  The last major drought in Minnesota was in 1988.  

Tornadoes are possible in Minnesota from March - November, but the peak tornado month is June, followed by July, May and August. The state averages 24 tornadoes per year,

Autumn weather in the Minnesota is largely the reverse of spring weather. The jet stream, which tends to weaken in summer, begins to re-strengthen , leading to a quicker changing of weather patterns and an increased variability of temperatures. By late October and November these storm systems become strong enough to form major winter storms. Some of Minnesota's largest blizzards have come during the middle part of the fall.