The Brainerd area is poised to possibly tie another high temperature record Friday, Nov. 6, and was approaching near critical fire danger.
The high temp reached 70 degrees before 1:30 p.m. in the Brainerd lakes area Friday with a possible 74 degree high for the day. The record for Nov. 6 was set in 1975 at 72 degrees. The normal high for this time of year is 44 degrees. A new record for the warmest temperatures overnight should also fall with temperatures in the 50s after 2 a.m. Friday. The Nov. 6 record stood at 47 degrees for the warmest minimum temperature dating back to 1913.
The warm temperatures are expected to continue into the weekend. For those putting up holiday lights or cleaning gutters and raking leaves, this added stretch of warmth and sunshine was a gift.
On the other hand, it came with the expectation of near-critical fire conditions.
The National Weather Service in Duluth issued a special weather statement for areas in north-central Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin noting near-critical fire weather conditions were coming from a combination of dry fuels, low relative humidity and gusty winds. The humidity was 33% Friday afternoon in the Brainerd area.
ADVERTISEMENT
“Please refrain from burning until after 6 p.m. this evening when conditions are expected to improve,” the weather service reported Friday.
Rain is in the forecast with a 30% chance Sunday night and a chance of rain extending into Monday.
Saturday’s high may drop slightly with a forecast for 66 degrees for a high and a temperature of 69 degrees Sunday. Expect the south wind to be breezy with gusts as high of 30 mph Sunday as the sunshine returns amid partly cloudy skies.
But things are expected to change Monday when the high may be 20 degrees colder than Friday. The high could be near 50 degrees Monday with a low of 23 degrees at night. By Tuesday there is a chance of snow and a potential for a high in the mid-30s. Veterans Day on Wednesday may reach a high of 39 degrees. Thursday brings a chance for rain and snow with a high near 37 degrees.
