Episode

Climate normals downplay just how fast Minnesota is warming

Podcast: Climate Cast
Published: Feb 5, 2026
Duration seconds: 298
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Canonical source: https://www.mprnews.org/episode/2026/02/05/climate-normals-downplay-just-how-fast-minnesota-is-warming
Audio: https://pscrb.fm/rss/p/mgln.ai/e/5/dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/tracking.swap.fm/track/VnCzW2iO9G8z4eDWfXCd/play.publicradio.org/podcast/o/minnesota/podcasts/climate_cast/2026/02/05/climate_cast_normals_02052026_20260205_128.mp3?awCollectionId=apm-ClimCast&awEpisodeId=01KGQDKH6NP446X4DXHKK83GSX
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Summary

NOAA data shows that winters have warmed more than five degrees on average since 1970. And last two years were some of the warmest on record, dating back to the late 1880s. But as the climate warms over decades, so do the 30-year averages for climate variables like temperature and precipitation. These new normals can mask the true magnitude of just how fast Minnesota is warming up. MPR News chief meteorologist Paul Huttner spoke with MPR News meteorologist Sven Sundgaard to explain how these normals can be misleading.