An unusual year in weather continues this week as a major storm blasts through most of the country’s midsection, including all of Minnesota. Around Monday evening the winds began to pick up in southern and western Minnesota, and by late Tuesday morning they were sustained at 30mph, with some gusts approaching 60mph! This morning snow was falling here in St. Peter, although no accumulation has occurred. Parts of North Dakota and northern Minnesota however have been seeing blizzard-like conditions over the past 24 hours, and tornadoes have touched down in Wisconson, Illinois, and Ohio. This whopper of a storm is the result of a stronger-than-normal jet stream originating from the Pacific Northwest that mixed with warm air once it reached the Dakotas. According to meteorologists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the barometric pressure of this storm is equivalent to that of a Category 3 hurricane, one of the lowest readings ever for a non-tropical storm in the mainland U.S. Looking ahead, the wind and precipitation should begin to decrease by early tomorrow morning, and the temperature should warm up a bit to the mid-50’s by Friday. High temperatures should remain in the 50’s and lows in the mid-30’s all next week, with mostly sunny days as we enter the first week of November.
Here are some other highlights from this week in the Arb:
– Hundreds of American Robins sheltering at the base of trees throughout Arb and across campus during windstorm 10/26-27
– Late Chipping Sparrows foraging in lawn in front of Interpretive Center 10/26
– Ginkgoes in Arb and across campus mostly devoid of leaves 10/26
– Petunias and other annuals still blooming in annual garden in front of Interpretive Center 10/25
Petunias still blooming in annual garden in front of Interpretive Center, 10/25/10.