10:00pm update: Latest reported winds/wind gusts

5:00pm update: New record is now for Bigfork, MN: 28.20 inHg or 955.3 mb! 

2:30pm update: New record for Minnesota AND the interior US – KORB (Orr, Minnesota) has reached 28.25 inHg, or 956.5 mb. Pressure still falling…. 

NOON UPDATE: The current air pressure reading in Hibbing, Minnesota is 28.36″, so yet another state record has been established! 

11:00 AM Blog: The mammoth storm system that is whipping up our winds today continues to intensify as it works its way to the north.  Just before 11:00 this morning, the central pressure in that low pressure system dropped to a Minnesota state record 962.07 millibars, or 28.41 inches of mercury as it passed over the Aitkin Municipal Airport.  This breaks the old state record of 28.43 inches in Austin and Albert Lea on November 10, 1998.  The latest forecast data suggests that this current storm system has the potential to reach 28.35 inches of mercury before it leaves the state this evening, heading northward into northwest Ontario.  The main reason we watch the pressure so closely in a storm system like this is because there is an inverse relationship between air pressure and wind speeds in a storm system like this one.  When the pressure readings drop to such incredibly low figures, there is a lot of wind that is pulled into the core of the storm system and in this case, gusts are reaching 50 miles per hour and may reach 60 miles per hour at times this afternoon and then again tomorrow.  The High Wind Warning that is in effect for the entire area today will remain in effect until 7:00 tomorrow night. 

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
1120 AM CDT TUE OCT 26 2010 

1055 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST 2 S PRAIRIE DU CHIEN    43.01N 91.14W
10/26/2010  M46 MPH CRAWFORD           WI   AWOS 

0929 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST 3 SW BARRE MILLS        43.80N 91.16W
10/26/2010  E46 MPH LA CROSSE          WI   PUBLIC 

1049 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST 2 SE EYOTA              43.97N 92.20W
10/26/2010  M46 MPH OLMSTED            MN   MESONET 

1035 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST 3 SE PLATTEVILLE        42.70N 90.44W
10/26/2010  M49 MPH GRANT              WI   AWOS 

1028 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST 2 SW ROCHESTER          43.99N 92.50W
10/26/2010  M46 MPH OLMSTED            MN   ASOS 

1044 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST 2 ESE CANTON            43.52N 91.89W
10/26/2010  M46 MPH FILLMORE           MN   MESONET 

Upper Midwest surface map showing wind barbs that indicate the various wind directions and speeds around the storm system that is now centered in northern Minnesota. The winds are flowing counterclockwise into the storm system's center.

Posted under weather

10:00 p.m. update:All warnings and advisories have been canceled. Winds will still be brisk overnight, and could occasionally gust to 40mph or so.

Earlier…

Click here for high wind reports around the area(thanks to NWS La Crosse for putting this together). Check back as it will most likely be updated to reflect higher gusts…there were some over 60 mph this afternoon.

High Wind Warning in effect for a good chunk of our area (see image to the left). That’s until 1:00 a.m. Monday. Wind gusts could top 50, 55 mph at times. We’ve seen gusts over 40, 45 mph this afternoon. There are some small to medium branches down; loose objects will fly away if you don’t tie them down or bring them in (I can attest to this). There is still a Wind Advisory for the rest of us until around the same time. Winds will gust to around 40, 45 mph and start to let up…a little…this evening.

And for those observant, yes, that is snow/sleet you are seeing in the Rochester area this afternoon. Expect a hard freeze tonight and Tuesday morning. Temps around 39/40 degrees for highs on Monday.

Featured on the NewsCenter at 5…a taste of winter on this fall day!

Posted under KTTC, severe weather, weather