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Summer 1999 A-Z'E ~L~C Page 11 <br />Figure 2. <br />Snow ®ep~h <br />~~ - ~ ~shruary 25, 1999 <br />~~ yV~~ -~ <br />~~. r~ <br />~ ~^ti h <br />~~12~ <br />(N C~ <br />~~ `~ ~z ~ }~~~a <br />' ~~ <br />X4-X~t '4~ <br />i_ ~_ !/ / ;,ti i ' y values are <br />in inches <br />4 <br />~'rM ` ~ 4 <br />i <br />a <br />~ ~ ., 2 ~ <br />i ~ '~ i <br />C~ <br />N ~~ ~~ <br />...continued from page 10 <br />January brought unusually frequent snow to many <br />portions of western and southern Minnesota. In some <br />locations, measurable snowfall was recorded on two <br />thirds of the days during the month. No single snow= <br />storm made headlines, but the accumulation of smaller <br />events added up to a rather snowy January in many <br />areas. By the end of January most of the state reported <br />above-median snow depths, with the exception of some <br />areas of northcentral and northeastern Minnesota. <br />Temperatures began quite cold to start the month, but a <br />significant moderation in the later half of the month <br />caused the monthly mean to balance out to near nor- <br />mal. <br />The warmth of late January continued into the <br />month of February. Much of Minnesota reported <br />temperatures of 8 to 10 degrees above normal for the <br />month. The warm weather, accompanied by a lack of <br />snowfall, diminished Minnesota's snow pack. By <br />month's end, only some sections of far northwestern <br />and far northeastern Minnesota reported snow depths <br />above eight inches (Figure 2). The lack of significant <br />snow cover reduced the threat of spring snowmelt <br />flooding in all but the lower reaches of the Red River <br />of the North. <br />The warm weather of December and February, <br />along with a near normal January, combined to create <br />the second straight mildest winter in Minnesota. Back <br />to back mild winters are rare in Minnesota, occurring <br />only once before in this century. Heating degree days, a <br />measure of energy demand, were 10 to 15 percent <br />below normal during the heating season of 1997-1998. <br />A similar departure is likely for the 1998-1999 season. <br />Dramatically reduced energy costs may explain, in part, <br />the recent strong economy in Minnesota. <br />continued on page 12... <br />"WaterTalk" is published by Minnesota DNR Waters, <br />500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN 55155-4032 <br />Phone: (65i} 296-4800 <br />web site address: <br />httpJ/www.dnr, state.mn. us <br />Editor: Joe Oschwald <br />Circulation: 3,000 <br />O 1999 State of Minnesota, DNR Waters <br />Printed on recycled paper <br />