Meteorologists Unsure What Spring Will Bring

(KNSI) – The National Weather Service office in Chanhassen had expected near normal to slightly above average snowfall this winter.

On the last day of the season, it is apparent Mother Nature had other plans. Meteorologist Brennan Dettmann says St. Cloud will come up short in terms of the white stuff. “We had at St Cloud 26.8 inches for the whole winter. Normal at this point is 34.6, so that’s about eight inches below normal.”

Temperatures told a different story. December was warm but February will end up about four degrees below average. Dettmann says unfortunately for snowmobilers and skiers, the dome of frigid air that settled over the region pushed storms south, even as far down as the Gulf coast.

Meteorological spring begins tomorrow and computer models are split on what we might see weatherwise for March, April, and May. Dettmann believes the only thing certain about the next 90 days is to expect the unexpected. “As we move into March, this is one of our transition months where we can see these warm temperatures going into the 50s, even 60s at times, but then having a day like today, where you have a really strong cold front, where we’re going to drop about 30, 40 degrees.”

Because of the swings in conditions during this transition period, severe weather becomes a concern. Gusty winds and bare trees and brush also elevate fire risks.

On the plus side, Dettmann doesn’t expect flooding. “We didn’t have a lot of snow. What we did have has already kind of melted, so with the current outlook and current conditions, it’s not favored to see flooding like we did last year.”

Even though flooding is unlikely, it is still possible. At this point in 2024, drought was the concern. Historic storms then saturated the ground in short order in the southern part of the state.

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