Here's why our May has felt so cold

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As we head into the long Memorial Day holiday, most of us are longing for sunshine, warmth and dry conditions…and maybe more so this year than in years past.

That is because we have seen our fair share of cool, cloudy, and wet conditions over the spring season. But, it has not just been spring. Ever since the calendar turned to 2019, we have rarely escaped the chilly conditions.

The Twin Cities has now seen four consecutive months of below average temperatures, dating back to the start of the year, and May will quite likely be our fifth. 

With a below average May a near certainty, this will mark the first time since the polar vortex winter of 2013-14 that we have seen five consecutive months below average. This persistent cool weather likely has many of us feeling like we have suddenly transported to northern Canada.

To add insult to injury, May 2019 has not only been below average, but it has been a while since the month has been this cool. Just like our February, March and April have become snowier over the last few years, our Mays have become a lot warmer on average.

Last year was WELL above average with a string of 90-degree days to finish out the month. The few years prior to that came in around or slightly above the norm. Even the end of the polar vortex spring back in 2014 was a pretty average May. You actually have to go back more than 15 years, to 2002, to find a May that was as cool as this years is likely to finish.

So, it is not just your imagination, but this year has been quite a bit cooler so far. The good news is a little bit of a pattern change has us close to seasonal norms over the long holiday weekend, which, compared to the rest of the month, will feel REALLY nice.