REGIONAL— Another exceptionally mild fall in the North Country continued unabated in October as most reporting stations saw temperatures well above average and a continuation of the dry pattern that’s been in place in the region since August.
Among the reporting stations within the Timberjay’s coverage area, temperatures ranged from 4.7 degrees F above average in Tower to 5.6 degrees F above in Orr.
State climatologist Pete Boulay noted that the state has seen another remarkable run of above-normal temperatures. The last time the region experienced a month with below normal temperatures was in July of 2023. “But people don’t generally complain about being slightly below normal in July,” said Pete Boulay from the state climatology office.
This past month was the fourth-straight above-normal October for temperatures, although it wasn’t as warm as October 2021, when the month averaged 7.4 degrees F above average among all reporting stations in the Arrowhead. October 2020 was the last time the region experienced a below-average October.
The exceptionally mild weather is expected to continue at least through the middle of November. Both the 6-10 and 8-14 day outlooks from the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center show a high probability of above-normal temperatures. The forecast for Saturday’s regular firearms deer opener calls for sunny skies and an unseasonably balmy 51 degrees F.
The average high for Nov. 8 in northern St. Louis County is 39.5 degrees F with an average low of 21 degrees.
Drought extending
The drought that has settled into Minnesota the past few months shows no sign of ebbing, even as the 6-10 and 8-14 day outlooks show a better-than-50-percent chance of above normal precipitation. Yet the models so far, suggest only relatively modest amounts of precipitation, not the kind that will be necessary to ease drought conditions.
The more frequent rains that have fallen in the past couple weeks have helped to diminish fire danger, but they’ve done little to replenish soil moisture or prompt a rebound of water levels in lakes and streams.