Winter 2025/26 Banter Thread

[A-L-E-K]

 

 

[Powerball]

^^^Cool...

[sbnwx85]

Amazing to see how long those Texas and California droughts last.

[SchaumburgStormer]

This may be a hot take, but I wouldn't hate a "sandwich" winter with a hot start, CAD, and another active period.

The hot start really satiated that early season itch, and with it being a very decent start to the year I was appreciative during holiday travel not to be fighting the weather. Give us a pattern change before the end of the month and let us stack for a couple weeks then move on to spring. 

[michsnowfreak]

11 minutes ago, SchaumburgStormer said:

This may be a hot take, but I wouldn't hate a "sandwich" winter with a hot start, CAD, and another active period.

The hot start really satiated that early season itch, and with it being a very decent start to the year I was appreciative during holiday travel not to be fighting the weather. Give us a pattern change before the end of the month and let us stack for a couple weeks then move on to spring. 

This is not a forecast but rather food for thought. Looking ahead, definitely appears winter will return after this coming January thaw. As to what happens Feb and beyond idk, but Feb in Ninas can be great months for winter storms in our region.....they also have a tendancy for a torch (esp late Feb) before March sees winter roar back (and we are due for a snowy March). 

[A-L-E-K]

torching

 

 

[A-L-E-K]

Spotted on the ground today, seems odd?

 

[sbnwx85]

I had a mosquito in my house last night. wtf?

[Chicago Storm]

14 minutes ago, A-L-E-K said:

Spotted on the ground today, seems odd?

 

 

1 minute ago, sbnwx85 said:

I had a mosquito in my house last night. wtf?

funny you both bring it up...

last weekend while it was mild, i saw a few mosquitos outside as well.

[CheeselandSkies]

12 hours ago, A-L-E-K said:

Spotted on the ground today, seems odd?

 

Yeah, those should definitely be in winter hibernation.

Founding queen of Vespula germanica (German yellowjacket).

[TheClimateChanger]

On 1/6/2026 at 4:53 PM, A-L-E-K said:

Spotted on the ground today, seems odd?

 

Nice. I wanted to bring up the insects I've been seeing but I figured I'd be accused of lying, so it's nice to see others are seeing them in their homes and backyards. I had a massive moth fly in last week (thought it was a bat - lol), ticks on the Christmas decorations and, yes, a mosquito tonight as I let the dog back in. And there were dandelions in the lawn on Christmas day. "BuT iT's ThE cOlDeSt WiNtEr EvEr" 

[A-L-E-K]

u keep doing u comrade

[DocATL]

You get these warmer temps and man it feels good. Fantasy looks showing up in the models and staying in the fantasy range. There’s something nice about all this.

[Malacka11]

I thought you guys might appreciate my windshield

[DocATL]

I thought you guys might appreciate my windshield

Spring showers bring…

[Brian D]

Dec was impressive both ways this year.

From CC cringe

 

To CC orgasm

[Baum]

January doldrums……

[A-L-E-K]

will be are most exciting week since early december with frequent mood dust opportunities for sickos who dig that kind of thing

[DocATL]

Standing by to see if KLOT issues a severe duster advisory

I will say that mood flakes are only uplifting with a snowpack. Otherwise it’s annoying and you’d rather have a ridge flex and sunshine.

[Brian D]

Was going to start posting these at the New Year, but slipped my mind. 

This date in weather history in MN

January 1

2003: On this date there is an inch or less of snow on the ground from Duluth to the Iowa border. In the Twin Cities there isn't even a dirty snowbank to be found.

 

1997: Freezing rain causes numerous accidents along the North Shore. In Lake County, vehicles could not get up hills and were blocking roads. Highway 61 was closed for several hours from Two Harbors to Silver Bay.

 

1864: Extremely cold air moves into Minnesota. The Twin Cities have a high of 25 degrees below zero.

January 2

1941: Grand Portage gets over 4.5 inches of precipitation in 24 hours. That's roughly how much normally falls there during the 'winter' months from November to February.

January 3

1981: Arctic air visits Minnesota. Embarrass, Wannaska, and Tower all hit 38 below zero.

 

1977: 14.2 inches of snow falls in Mankato.

January 4

1981: Air cold enough to freeze a mercury thermometer pours into Minnesota. Tower hits 45 below zero.

 

1971: A snowstorm moves through the Upper Midwest. Winona gets over 14 inches.

January 5

2012: Record warmth is felt across the state. Many locations in western Minnesota soared over 50 degrees, with temperatures reaching the 60s at Marshall, Canby, and Madison. This was the first record of any 60 degree temperatures in Minnesota during the first week of January.

January 6

1942: The temperature rises from 32 below zero to 41 above in 24 hours in Pipestone.

January 7

2003: Record warmth develops over Minnesota. Many places reached the 50s, including the Twin Cities. St. James hit 59 and the Twin Cities reached 51. Nine golf courses were open in the Twin Cities and 100 golfers were already at the Sundance Golf Course in Maple Grove in the morning.

 

1873: A storm named the 'Great Blizzard' hits Minnesota. This three-day blizzard caused extreme hardship for pioneers from out east who were not used to the cold and snow. Visibility was down to three feet. Cows suffocated in the deep drifts and trains were stuck for days. More than 70 people died, and some bodies were not found until spring. Weather conditions before the storm were mild, just like the Armistice Day storm.

January 8

1902: A January Thaw occurs across Minnesota. The Twin Cities experience a high of 46 degrees.

January 9

1982: Both January 9th and 10th would have some of the coldest windchills ever seen in Minnesota. Temperatures of -30 and winds of 40 mph were reported in Northern Minnesota. This would translate to windchills of -71 with the new windchill formula, and -100 with the old formula.

 

1934: A sleet and ice storm hits southwest Minnesota. Hardest hit locations were Slayton, Tracy and Pipestone. The thickest ice was just east of Pipestone with ice measuring 6 to 8 inches in diameter. At Holland in Pipestone County three strands of #6 wire measured 4.5 inches in diameter and weighed 33 ounces per foot. The ice was described as: 'Very peculiar information being practically round on three sides, the lower side being ragged projectiles like icicles: in other words pointed. The frost and ice were wet, not flaky like frost usually is. In handling this, it could be squeezed into a ball and did not crumble.'

January 10

1990: A January 'heat wave' forms. MSP Airport warms to 49 degrees.

 

1975: The 'Blizzard of the Century' begins. Also called the 'Super Bowl Blizzard,' it was one of the worst blizzards ever. The pressure hit a low of 28.62. This was the record until 1998.

January 11

1975: A blizzard continues with hurricane force winds in southwestern Minnesota.

 

1899: An odd flash of lightning lights the clouds up around 9 pm at Maple Plain.

January 12

2000: Snow falls in a narrow band over the Twin Cities. Maplewood receives 5.5 inches, while Chanhassen gets 12.

 

1888: The infamous 'Blizzard of '88' occurs. It hit during a mild day when many children were heading home from school. They made up the majority of the 200 people that died. At the end of the storm the thermometer at St. Paul read -37.