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| Image compliments of:
http://www.netstate.com/states/geography/mapcom/mn_mapscom.htm
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Climate controls:
On the regional level, Minneapolis
is situated in a very interesting crux of notable geographic features, none of
which actually call Minneapolis their home. Regionally, Minneapolis weather is
affected by the Great Lakes to the east, namely Lake Superior, and the Canadian
Rockies to the west. Minnesota is also known as the land of 10,000 lakes, which
contribute to the extreme colds and the moderate summers. During the winter
months, Minneapolis is dominated by the Continental Polar air mass, and during
the summer months, the Continental Polar air mass competes with the Continental
Tropic air mass for dominance. On the more local, or micro level, Minneapolis
is fortunate to be home to many parks and lakes, taking up 10 square miles of
the city’s territory. Despite this, the Minneapolis area is still considered an
Urban Heat Island. Minneapolis has a beautiful skyline and the city is massive,
at 58.4 square miles. Coupled with the fact that Minneapolis is also the land
of suburbs and a twin among the twin cities, the city actually finds itself in
the middle of a giant urban sprawl with freeways running in every direction
imaginable. This giant sprawl of urban life throws the natural balance of
energy out of whack, as the city absorbs and stores more heat than the natural
landscape would. Even more specifically, the University of Minnesota weather
station is located in the middle of downtown Minneapolis, which is neither
close to irrigated land, water masses, or industrial outputs, but is almost in
the dead center of the urban heat island, which could and certainly does affect
their specific climatological measurements.
Trendy Temperatures:
Yes, we noticed.
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| Graph compliments of: http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-Midwest/Minneapolis-Geography-and-Climate.html |
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| Graph compliments of me, information gathered from Weather Underground Historical Records. |
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| Graph compliments of: http://weatherspark.com/averages/30956/Minneapolis-Minnesota-United-States |
Minneapolis has a typical continental climate, characterized by
cold winters and warm summers. This is typical for most of the Upper Midwest of
the United States. Minneapolis receives precipitation year round, most of which
comes in the form of rain, with elevated measurements in the warmer months from
the snowmelt. Looking at the first graph, you can see that there is a
relatively even split of months below and above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Looking
at graphs two and three, you can see that cold winters are usually coupled with
cooler summers, and likewise, warmer winters are coupled with hot
summers.
And Finally:
Why almost anywhere else is better
(http://whistlerbcweather.blogspot.com/)
If ever in doubt, let us compare Minneapolis, MN to
Whistler, British Columbia, Canada. Both Whistler and Minneapolis are affected
by the mP, A, and cP air masses. Whistler is affected by the mT air mass
whereas Minneapolis is only affected by the cT. Another difference in wind
patterns between the two cities is that Whistler does not suffer through as
many mid-latitude cyclones as Minneapolis. Ironically, most mid-latitude
cyclones that form near Whistler head southwest and hit Minneapolis. The main
reason for this is that Minneapolis is south of most polar fronts, whereas
Whistler is actually protected by these strong winds.
In
looking at the topography of both cities, there are several major differences
that influence the overall climate. First off, Whistler is situated in the
Canadian Rockies, where as Minneapolis is in the middle of the flatlands of the
American Midwest. This also contributes to Alberta Clippers affecting
Minneapolis and not Whistler. Another huge difference, is the proximity to the
ocean, Whistler is much closer to the pacific ocean where as the nearest large
body of water that affects Minneapolis is Lake Superior, which is to the east,
and has a much lesser effect on the Minneapolis climate than the moisture from
the western pacific has on Whistler. This all cumulates into the noticeable,
perceptible differences in the day-to-day weather of these cities.
Both
cities have a similar overall climate; both cities have cold winters and warm
summers. A key difference is that Whistler receives the majority of its
moisture in the winter, whereas Minneapolis receives most of its moisture in
the warmer summer months. A key reason for this is that Whistler is warmer
overall than Minneapolis. The cold months in Minneapolis make it nearly
impossible for moisture to accumulate enough for any precipitation. On the flip
side, during the winter months in Whistler, cool and moist air from the pacific
is forced over the mountains and allows for plenty of rain and snow.
