Paul Douglas
Star Tribune
United States
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Past articles by Paul:
Record Number of Minnesota Storm Warnings To Date
Well at least the weather isn't boring, although I could live without multi-vortex tornadoes and swarms of "hailers". Good grief, what a spring. Maybe things will simmer down, but not until the jet stream lifts north and consistent 80s and 90s arrive. The earliest that will happen is the third or fourth week of June. In the meantime keep a sweatshirt handy. → Read More
Seasonably Cool and Comfortable Into Next Week
No more atmospheric fireworks looking into next week as cooler, drier, lower-humidity air from Canada dominates our weather pattern. June gets off to a cool(ish) start this year, but don't write off a stinking-hot summer just yet. → Read More
Too Cool for Sirens - Sunday: Nicer Day of the Weekend
Good news and bad news: it will be too cool for severe storms anytime soon. Bad news: puddles are likely Saturday and temperatures will be sweatshirt-worthy during the morning hours - running 5-10F below average into much of next week. Summer heat has been delayed for at least the next week or two. → Read More
Perfect Friday - Warming Up Over The Holiday Weekend With A Few Swarms of T-storms
After a picture-postcard-perfect Friday a sloppy warm front will provide a ripe environment for a few waves of showers and T-storms over the holiday weekend. Although most of the time will be dry, when it does rain it could come down in a hurry - possibly a few severe storms sprouting by late Sunday and late Monday. At least it'll be beach and lake-worthy by Sunday afternoon and much of Monday… → Read More
Memorial Weekend Weather: Warm, Sticky and Thundery
We've seen (much) worse. Probably no steady, sustained rains between Friday evening and Monday evening, but Saturday may get off to a soggy start with a few hours of showers. Skies brighten Saturday PM and I expect enough sunshine for 80s Sunday and Memorial Day, with a nagging thunder threat on the side. → Read More
Showery Spell - Cool Correction This Weekend
With any luck we won't be tracking dangerous thunderstorms this week, although there is a risk of a few rough storms on Thursday. It won't be anything like last week, when there were over 200 tornado and severe storm warnings in Minnesota alone. Showery weather lingers into Friday, followed by an unusually cool weekend. → Read More
A Few Spring Thundershowers
Spring is always two steps forward - one step back. Or is it the other way around? A stray T-storm is possible today, perhaps a swarm of heavier storms Thursday, and a few may turn severe. Behind this frontal passage another rush of cool air is on the way. You may even need a sweatshirt this weekend, but 60s return next week. → Read More
"Enhanced" Severe Storm Risk Today
Here we go again...the stage is set for more atmospheric fireworks today - strong to severe storms capable of large hail and damaging winds, with an enhanced risk that includes the Twin Cities metro area. Stay alert and tuned to local media and apps to get the latest watches and warnings for your location. Things quiet down and cool off as we had into the weekend. → Read More
Premature Taste of July This Week
My neighbors are alarmed that I've broken into my stash of shorts and T-shirts. It's time to put away the jackets and celebrate a real warm front. Temperatures cool off a bit today, but recover into the 80s again Wednesday and Thursday (with more obligatory claps of thunder). → Read More
Heating Up Again With Severe Thunderstorm Risk Peaking Thursday
Yesterday's noisy cool frontal passage has stalled and is about to do a U-turn today and Thursday, dragging more steamy, 80-degree air back into Minnesota the next few days. After a stinking hot/humid Thursday we cool off and dry out on Friday and the weekend doesn't look too bad, with a few pop-up showers up north Saturday midday and afternoon, but we've seen worse for the Minnesota Fishing… → Read More
Back to the 60s - Real Warm Front May Spark 80F and Severe T-storms Next Week
This is it - the calm before the....bugs. And humidity. And raging thunderstorms. I love summer heat and everything that comes with it, but there's something to be said for this brief interlude of bright sun and no humidity (or skeeters). Today will be the day you were daydreaming about last week. Finally. → Read More
Forget Spring - Summer Heat & Storms Arrive Next Week
Here in the Land of All or Nothing we've been cursed with nothing in recent weeks - very little warmth or sunshine. Nice to have the sun back out with greater frequency, and now we're faced with a full-frontal summer hot front next week with a string of 80s, even an outside shot at 90F with a few strong to severe thunderstorms possible. Nothing like skipping a month or two. → Read More
Risk of Summer Next Week - Remembering 1965 Twin Cities Tornado Super-Outbreak
Today and tomorrow will arguably be two of the nicest days of the entire year. We are due for a few postcard-perfect days, and you'll want to take full advantage of this. A few showers may chase mom indoors on Sunday, but some 80s next week will be perfect for gardening and biking, in-between a few spirited rounds of strong thunderstorms. → Read More
Light-Switch-Spring: 80s Early Next Week
Patience. It's a tough lesson to learn in an instant-gratification world. We react to the weather, which is very much out of our control. Spring is late, and many of us feel cheated. The persistence of a cool signal since January has been impressive - with any luck the weather pendulum will swing in the other direction and before long we'll be complaining about heat and humidity. My silent… → Read More
March 57th: Cool, Damp Holding Pattern But May Looks More Promising
Tell me if you've heard this before: yes, it's unusually cool and foul and windy and damp, but weather models insist things will get better! Hooray! It's like a meteorological mirage - you get closer to the (alleged) warm front and things don't look nearly as balmy. The persistence of this cool phase is annoyingly impressive. But all anomalies eventually come to an end. I'm betting on some sense… → Read More
Achingly-Slow Warming Trend
No long strides into an instant-on summer this year, more like tiny little baby-steps. But I do see improvement in the days and weeks to come. No hot fronts, but more numerous 60s and even a few 70s. That said, a wet weekend of rain and 50s is on tap, a good weekend to get stuff done inside. → Read More
Cool, Wet Pattern Spills Into The Weekend
Temperatures are heading in the right direction, just in slow motion. Like the March that wouldn't end. We can whine and complain and maybe that will make us feel better, but probably not. Mother Nature is teaching us patience, a tough lesson to hear when all you want is green, warm and springy. Any day now... → Read More
Unnecessarily Chilly and Windy Next 7 Days, Then Spring Returns
I can't say what I'm thinking right now. It wouldn't be polite, or professional. I'm just as disgusted as everyone else about the state of our "spring". Spring has lost its bounce, but there are some signs of a full-blown temperature recovery the last 7-10 days of April. It's time for our weather pattern to mellow a bit... → Read More
Severe Storm Potential Southern Minnesota Today
I've said it a bazillion times and I'll whisper it again: Minnesotans earn their springs. Additional slush is in the forecast, but I don't think this will be as draconian as April, 2018, when 26.1" of snow delighted residents of the Twin Cities. Prince got it right: sometimes it snows in April. Other times it snows a LOT. → Read More
Stumbling Into Spring
We don't get hurricanes! And it's much too chilly for tornadoes. That's a good start huh? It's getting harder and harder to put a positive spin on the weather. Like everyone else I'm sick of my boots and heavy jackets. I'd like to turn the seat warmer off now OK? Hellooooooo.....? → Read More