February 14, 2011 Minnesota - A Love/Hate Relationship

Taken from my deck, iPhone using AutoStitch App.

Yesterday, Feb 13, 2011, my home weather station said 50 degrees. We opened the windows in the house, got the fans going to suck in the fresh air and blow out the Winter stale. This is the warmest we have been since November. In Minnesota this is looked at as a gift from God. Jackets disappear, T-Shirts come out, I am positive somewhere some fat guy put shorts on and went for a walk. 45-50 degrees to anyone outside of the area would look at the behavior and think we are nuts. They don't understand that weeks at below zero temps, snow, ice, fog, clouds a shot of warmth like that feels like a tropical heat wave. There could still be snow on the ground and if it touches 55 or 60, forget about it.

I am sure that this little tease by Mother Nature is temporary, a small sampling of things to come, but she will send us back to Winter for a few more weeks. It's only Feb., we can have snow into May and sometimes early June, but then again a few years ago I remember it hitting 90 in mid April. When it comes to Minnesota it's a true love/hate relationship when it comes to weather. I don't mind when the -25 degrees air temps hit us for a day or two but it gets old when it's two weeks. I don't mind the snow, I actually love the snow. It gets old when it's 12 inches storm after storm, one after another close together like this year. The record snowfall I have seen here was a few years ago, I was living in Blaine, MN. A big snowstorm came through and for some reason a 10 mile long, 2 mile wide swath got 30+ inches in 3 days. This is where you can really hate Minnesota is winter. You think you are over it and BAM, 2 more weeks of snow, ice and cold. We have lots of time left this year and I still say we have at least 2 more big 10 inch snowfalls coming. Being it's close to Spring, it will be the big, fat, wet heavy heart attack snow. Not the light, cute, fluffy stuff.

About half way through the storm 2005

That's Minnesota. It's weather keeps you on your toes and you have to be ready for it. We get all the weather except for Hurricanes. Blizzards, snow, ice, rain, fog, hail, tornadoes, wind, forest fires.... Last year in 2010 Minnesota took the crown for the most tornadoes in the country during the season. But thats what I love about Minnesota is the changes. We have all 4 seasons in all their glory. Winter is the worst. Spring is beautiful but wet, muddy, and floods that comes with the transition are pretty bad. Summer, top notch. Fall, the best season by far. From September to Thanksgiving is my favorite. The downward shift, animals on the move, leaves changing color, the weather clam, cool, collective... it can be peaceful just to sit on the porch without any lights and a cigar in your hand listening to the frogs on the pond. Serenity.

I took this photo of the birth of a tornadic thunderstorm, this dropped one near Lakeville, MN  July 14, 2010

Most people who were born here stay here because they choose to. Other flee. It's an acquired taste. To really enjoy the spectacles that this state holds, especially in the North, you have to unplug, put down the phones and get outside. The more you spend time with Minnesota, you can deal with what she can dish out. I have been all over this amazing world but I know that I will never move away from my home that is Minnesota. I am here to stay.

End of Line.
@binaryblogger

Posted in: Minnesota