Highs for Halloween weekend will be in the mid-40s
Even though the Borderland area had a dry, warm start to October, the end of the month brings something different — large amounts of rain and a preview of winter with some snow.
According to Alex Lamers, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Duluth, a feed of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico brought all the rain.
“When massive storm systems move through like there were, rainfall is squeezed out — in this case, in vast amounts,” he said.
Since Sunday, International Falls accumulated 1.16 inches of rain
Other areas around the Midwest were referring to the storms as “hurricane-like-weather.” Lamers said, “not quite.”
A storm is considered a hurricane when winds reach at least 74 miles per hour or more. The strongest gusts Minnesota saw were 66 mph over the Blatnik Bridge in Duluth. Other areas, especially along Lake Superior’s North Shore, averaged 60 mph.
International Falls and surrounding areas had wind, but much milder than the other areas of the state.
Aside from the rain, area residents woke up Thursday morning with another surprise — snow. With such a strong low pressure system moving through as a result of the early week storms, cold air masses were moved around to create snow.
“Those masses cool the air up all the way to the atmosphere,” Lamers said. “That is the perfect ingredient for snow.”
The Borderland only saw a dusting of snow, other areas around Minnesota — especially to the south — got as much as nine inches.
“That is pretty unusual,” explained Lamers.
Even though winter is just around the corner, it isn’t here to stay just yet. This weekend is shaping up to be nicer, which will make trick-or-treaters happy.
Both Saturday and Sunday are looking to have highs in the mid-40s with light winds.
“It will be pretty dry, too,” added Lamers.
For a complete forecast, visit http://www.crh.noaa.gov/dlh.
