Minnesota Weather Almanac

By Mark Seeley

Book Overview

During which winter in history did Minnesotans experience the greatest amount of snow? What makes our state prone to tornados? What town claims the highest temperature ever recorded? How does one predict when the leaves will change color? Were hunters really found frozen after the infamous Armistice Day Blizzard of 1940? How will ozone depletion affect our environment? From the dog days of summer and the first sweater weather of fall to "cold enough for you?" winter mornings, Minnesotans love to talk about weather. Now beloved climatologist and Minnesota Public Radio commentator Mark Seeley provides all the answers in Minnesota Weather Almanac. Through charts, maps, and reader-friendly text, Seeley measures Minnesota's history in terms of high temperatures, significant rainfall, and devastating blizzards. He defines the character of our seasons and the climatology of our holidays: Groundhog Day, the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, and everything in between. He shares stories from climate stations around the state and biographies of well-known figures in weather history. Local meteorologist Belinda Jensen writes in the Foreword, "You may not be able to do anything about the weather, but Minnesota Weather Almanacwill help you understand and appreciate its complexity and beauty.
Whether planning your garden, dressing for a February day, settling a bet, or simply making small talk with a neighbor, you will find in this fascinating guide all the facts and figures, trials and tales you need.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0873515544
• ISBN13: 9780873515542
• Release Date: April 2006
• Publisher: Minnesota Historical Society Press
• Length: 294 Pages
• Weight: 1.38 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.9" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

If you love facts!

Nice weather, isn't it?" So goes a typical Minnesota greeting--and if the weather isn't NICE, weather comments are still foremost in our greeting. If you love to watch, think, talk about or curse the weather, the Minnesota Weather Almanac will give you a better understanding of the range of our weather. "Cold enough for you?" If you like tidbits like: "What is the record for consecutive days of temperatures never rising above freezing (32F) in the Twin Cities (p. 85), the choices are 18, 42 and 66. Gads, the answer is 66 days, from December 19, 1977 to February 12, 1978. As they said in the Grumpy Old Men movie --- Brrrrrrrrrr. Whether you are a weather novice or a junkie, this book has it all. Author climatologist Mark Seely is also a Minnesota Public Radio commentator. He has organized the information by seasons, and gives you enough facts and figures for many family dinners or long car rides. It includes quizzes, historical weather pictures, and definitions (what is a wind ripple? p.69). Some of the granddaddy of storms are listed like: Out of the more than 1400 Minnesota tornadoes (from 1920-2005), how many have been classified as F-5s, with wind speeds more than 261 miles per hour? Choices: 7, 15 or 32. Answer is 7 and the most recent was in Chandler in Murray County, June 16, 1992. Armchair Interviews says: Minnesota Weather Almanac is a great book for people who love facts, making this an idea gift for dad or granddad, as men seem to revel in spouting facts, right?