GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. — In the Twin Cities, outdoor fun and games sort of have to hit pause because, well, spring is in a holding pattern.
The Twins had to do it last week, and the ever-popular Sea Salt Eatery out at Minnehaha Falls is saying it's going to wait this below-average couple of weeks out.
That's April in Minnesota for ya — wildly predictable in its relentless unpredictability. If variety is your spice of life, April is your month.
And, you know, that's been true for years. We verified it with KARE 11 Meteorologist Ben Dery.
"Well, for instance, last year we saw a string of temperatures in the 70's and even 80's and then a couple years back, you had a half-of-a-foot of snow falling in late April," Dery says.
Last year on Easter Sunday (April 4) it was around 77 degrees. On Easter Sunday the year before that, we had a snowstorm that was no bunny.
April two years before that — 2018 — we had a thunder blizzard that dumped nearly 16 inches in the metro.
If you go back a dozen years to April 11, 2010, it was 70.
So, what do we make of all of this?
"When we talk of averages...say the average high temperature for the middle of April is about 60 degrees. You gotta think if one year is 80 degrees for a high, and the next year is 40 degrees for a high, those average out right at 60 degrees...so it's a lot of boom or bust years."
When you look at the the outlook for the next two weeks, our state is smack dab in the below average category — and the predictions generated for the next six to 10 days in particular have a 90-100% certainty.
But, Ben?
He is betting it could go on for a lot longer.
"Well, the maps show the continuation of this cooler-than-average weather for probably the remainder of the month. We are talking temps 15 to 20 degrees cooler than normal."
But, before we "fired" Ben for breaking our hearts, he did point out...
"You gotta think of some of the positives. Last year we had a streak of extremely warm and dry weather that led to extreme drought over parts of the state, so if we can condense that time frame where we see the hot, dry weather, that will limit our chances of seeing wildfires like what we saw in the Boundary Waters last year. So, there are some positives to delaying the start of spring weather."
It's good for soaking the fields for farmers, too.
But, one other thing we have to always keep on the ready for in spring, is something that is headed our way on Tuesday.
"Big hailers, some heavy downpours, lots of lightning, and there is a non-zero chance some tornadoes can touch down in the far southern part of the state tomorrow evening."