Rochester Could Get a Big Thaw For Christmas

If having some warmer temperatures is on your wish list this holiday season, Mother Nature just might have a present for you this Christmas in southeast Minnesota.

We've already had some sub-zero temperatures and a couple of snowstorms in Minnesota this season-- and keep in mind it's not even officially winter yet. (That officially happens on December 21st.) But could there be a big holiday thaw heading our way?

Could be. At least according to this MPR story anyway. It runs down all the scientific reasons why our last blast of cold Arctic air Wednesday will be receding back up into Canada, while something called a 'zonal flow' is set to take over. (And, I'm not sure, but I think I saw 'Zonal Flow' play a few gigs at First Avenue in Minneapolis back in the 90s...)

Anyway, without getting into too many scientific details (because I don't really understand them myself), that shift in weather patterns could mean much warmer temperatures for most of Minnesota just in time for Christmas. "Zonal flow patterns in winter bring milder Pacific air masses to Minnesota and most of the United States," MPR said in the story.

Meanwhile, the National Weather Service in La Crosse apparently agrees. They're forecasting that high temperatures could top 40 degrees with sunny skies here in Rah-Rah-Rochester on Sunday, December 22nd, with the above-freezing trend continuing right through Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

If I recall correctly, we had a similar thaw over the holidays last year, too. I remember walking our dog, Asher, right after Christmas last year and thinking it was weird to have a December in Minnesota without much snow left on the ground. Of course, we all know what happened later, when Old Man Winter dumped a record amount of snow on us in February!

By the way, whether it's warming up or another snowstorm is bearing down on us, you can always get the latest forecast right on our Quick Country 96.5 app... download it HERE! 

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