Warmer air 24 hours away

Get ready for the Great Warm Up of March 2015.

The core of the coldest air in the nation visited northeast Minnesota this morning.

Looking for warmer numbers? head to Fairbanks, Alaska, where it was 62 degrees warmer than Embarrass, Minn., this morning.

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  • -36 degrees at Embarrass this morning

  • 26 degrees at Fairbanks

The warm up kicks in Friday as temps push well into the 30s (above zero) tomorrow across Minnesota.

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NOAA

The mechanism for rapid temperature changes in the Upper Midwest? Wind direction. With no mountains or temperate ocean nearby, there's little to impede freely sweeping air masses across Minnesota. Winds turn south then west behind the departing arctic high by Friday.

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NOAA

The Pacific warmth builds this weekend, then peaks next Tuesday with warmth pulsing into the Upper Midwest.

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University of Maine

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Global Forecast System model peaks Tuesday around 50 degrees in the metro.

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Weatherspark

The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts model continues to lead the warm charge with a string of 50s next week.

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Weatherspark

The truth? Probably somewhere in between, but either solution is a good 56 degrees warmer than this morning!

The good thing about cold weather? Some amazing sky phenomenon. Michael Crawford sends along this excellent example of a paraselenic circle from Tuesday night.

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Michael Crawford

 Hey Paul,

I was lucky enough to see and capture an amazing show of moon halos on the night of March 3rd just north of Fisher, MN after the blowing snow started to move out.

Thought you may like to see it as well as share,  i have heard it is quite rare to get this amount of refraction with just the moon.

I have attached an image you can share if you choose.  Cheers!

P.S - Venus is shining bright on the far right of the image.

-Mike Crawford

http://ctkmedia.smugmug.com