Near 70 Friday, balmy Halloween, longest growing season?

Sep-tober

This is getting a little silly. Our balmy October continues Friday with mild southerly breezes and soaring temperatures. Bank thermometers make a run at 70 degrees from the metro south Friday afternoon. Lines at your neighborhood Dairy Queen. Canadian Geese will be forgiven for winging north instead of south.

Friday's warm front is fleeting, but temperatures stay above average this weekend. Halloween is way more treat than weather trick this year. No frost in sight for MSP Airport yet as we track toward the longest growing season on record in the Twin Cities.

Somebody pinch me and wake me from this un-Minnesotan weather dream.

• +3.6 degrees - October temps vs. average at MSP Airport

• 14th straight warmer than average month at MSP

Yet another warm front

Friday's warm front will be brief, but effective. The timing of the 'thermal ridge' arrives at peak heating in the afternoon. The Twin Cities and southern Minnesota works into the so called 'warm sector' around midday Friday.

Temps should soar through the 60s, and may briefly spike at or above 70 from the Twin Cities south. Temperatures around 5,000 feet spike at around +20C Friday. That's usually good enough for 90 degrees under intense summer sun. If everything goes just right, I won't be shocked if we see some 80 degree temps across southern Minnesota Friday afternoon.

Cooler but still warmer than average high pressure slides south this weekend and returns highs to the more seasonal 50s.

Balmy Halloween

Halloween looks mild again. A southerly breeze boost temps into the 60s as low pressure tracks through central Minnesota. Here's NOAA's GFS map for 7 pm Monday evening.

Longest growing season on record at MSP?

If we make it to November 5th we will challenge the longest growing season on record at MSP Airport. The weather dice keep coming up mild into the first week of November.

Stay tuned.