I have to admit, I bought into the whole Bret Favre Viking thing and now I'm even more disappointed that the dream is dead. I know that there were a lot of people against the whole thing from the beginning, but I bought it — hook, line and sinker — and I feel used! Is the "As the Favre Turns" saga over? Probably. Is it the best thing for the Vikings?? I don't know, but it definitely would have been interesting to see Favre in purple. *SIGH*

In other news, July 2009 is just a few days shy of making headlines as the coolest July on record for International Falls, MN and in the top ten coolest July's on record for Duluth, MN. Here are the #'s:

Average July Temperatures:
Interational Falls: -7.3° (Coolest on record)
Duluth: -3.1° (Top ten coolest on record)
St. Cloud: -3.3°
Twin Cities: -2.9°
Rochester: -4.5°

The Upper Level Wind Tells the Tale:

The persistent low pressure system over the Hudson Bay is the reason for our continued cool this July over the Great Lakes. Sure, we've had some warm days, but the prevailing northwesterly winds have been constantly cycling cool, Canadian, air into the region.

Is There an End in Sight?

Long range computer models are hinting at a pattern shift. This forecast for next Tuesday — notice how the jet stream slides farther north along with that pesky low pressure system near the Hudson Bay. A developing storm in the Pacific Ocean will give the cool air a boot... Finally! The other good news, there's still plenty of summer to go around.

Rain on the Way:

The image above shows the 6 hour accumulated rainfall from midnight Thursday to 6am Thursday. Latest computer models print out 0.25" to 0.50" in spots around central and southern Minnesota. Thursday morning's commute may be slower than normal, so you may want to plan ahead. Spotty showers and isolated storms will continue Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Keep in mind that the weekend will not be a washout, but plan for a couple of hours of showers... Stay tuned.

Todd's Outlook

Wednesday: Sunny start, then increasing clouds. Rain possible late, continuing into Wednesday night . High: 75

Wednesday Night: Scattered showers and isolated storms. Low: 53

Thursday: Damp, gray start, then turning partly sunny and brisk — cooler again. High: 68

Friday: Warm sun, feels like summer. High: 78

Saturday: Cooler with morning sun, PM clouds, few showers (best chance northern lakes). High: 75

Sunday: Clouds increase, slight chance of late-day showers. High: 74

Monday: Still waiting for the Dog Days. Partly cloudy, plenty of fresh air. High: 72