February Siege: Bitter cold and record snowfall

It's a good thing February is only 28 days.

Snowfall records continue to tumble. Hundreds of motorists are still searching for an opportunity to escape drifted roads across Minnesota. And bitter cold is here again.

Let's start with the snowfall records.

The snowiest February on record is now the sixth snowiest month ever recorded in the Twin Cities.

In Eau Claire, Wis., it is now the snowiest month ever recorded.

The weekend storm dumped a foot of snow on southeastern Minnesota.

Intense blizzard 

I can't recall ever seeing such a wide footprint on the blizzard warnings we saw Sunday.

And this road closure map looks like a sick joke. It's all too real for those stuck in places like the National Guard armory in Owatonna, Minn.

Bitterly cold 

The cold is biting early this week. Temperatures moderate gradually, but winter is in the air through the first week of March.

More snow chances

Right now, I don't see anything approaching the severity of the past few storms, but snow will test us again this week. Southwest Minnesota picks up an inch or two Monday. The rest of us do the same on Tuesday. Light snow moves into the Twin Cities Tuesday by mid-morning and continues most of the day.

Here's the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Global Forecast System model Tuesday.

Another inch or two is likely by late Tuesday night.

Thursday may bring another snowy dusting. Friday could bring another couple inches at this point.

Hints of milder air?

If there's any sign of milder air it may come in the March 8-13 time frame. The upper winds suggest a milder Pacific flow may blow in then.

Remember though, it still snows in March even as temperatures near the thawing point.

Hang in there.