KMSP - Statistically speaking, we are heading into the warmest week of the year for much of North America, but living in Minnesota, you wouldn’t know it. As temperature and humidity levels could be at their highest, they will be anything but as we are likely to get a truly spectacular stretch of weather over the next several days… and could actually take us right into August.
So far, May to July 2018 ranks as the 4th warmest for that 3 month time period dating back to 1874, so it’s been VERY warm already this season. But finally a pleasant stretch of weather appears likely thanks to a pretty strong jet stream for this time of year.
The jet stream is that river of air at the top levels of the atmosphere that is basically the steering current for storms across the globe. Well that river of air is generally the barrier between much cooler air to the north of it from much warmer air to the south. Well, that jet will be stronger than usual for July, which can help instigate an even larger temperature barrier across the country. It can effectively make the warm areas warmer and the colder areas colder. This is an extremely simplified description of what occurs, but I’m sure you get the general idea.
Well, with that jet stream to our south, the heat will be locked away in the southern U.S. where temperatures could top 120 degrees in parts of Arizona and California. Much cooler northerly and northwesterly winds will prevail north of the jet, continuing to reinforce mild and dry Canadian air across the state. This pattern looks likely to hold for at least the next several days, and could stretch even longer if luck is on our side. So it looks like we will finally get a stretch of weather that we all deserve. Not to mention, the water logged areas can will get to dry out as well. Enjoy!!