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December 30, 1999
Warmth smashes recordsBy SARA SYVERSON Journal Staff Writer NEW ULM -- Record-breaking warmth brought Minnesota snowbirds out of their winter nests Wednesday downtown to the streets of New Ulm. A record high of 57 degrees enticed people from all over the area to get out and about and enjoy the lovely weather. The previous record high for Dec. 29 was 45 degrees in 1922, and the record low for this day was 27 below zero in 1917. With such a warm day what were people up to doing? "I've just been shopping," said New Ulm woman Peg Crowl, "I've been more outside than inside. I've been putting up suet for my birds. It's wonderful to be outside. I love it." Two Comfrey school girls came to New Ulm to shop. "We're just walking around," said Tracy Schumann, of Comfrey, "We took in some walks. We took off our jackets. It is nice compared to yesterday. I don't like the snow and cold." Schumann's friend Lindsay Friesen, said, "I hope it stays this nice." A St. James woman, Betty Tiedken had just got off work at AUI in Sleepy Eye and decided to take in a little shopping downtown New Ulm. "This is very unusual weather for December," said Tiedken, "I like New Ulm, and I come here a lot, especially in nice weather like this." New Ulm Store owner of Fudge & Stuff and Horizon's Gallery Dennis Doran decided it was a good day to get a hair cut. "I'm going to get my ears lowered," said Doran, "I love the weather." Maria Lokensgard, of The Creative Touch, New Ulm said business has been very good these past couple of days, and a lot of families have been out shopping. "It was a great year overall thanks to the weather," said Lokensgard, "A couple from Charlotte, N.C.m came here recently and they were amazed that the weather here was as warm as what they'd been having down there." Jerry Chamberlain, owner of Bookshelves & Coffeecups was asked by customers to pull out the summer table and chairs so they could sit in the sunshine while they drank coffee. "I walked to the bank and paid the utilities today .... I walked up and down town in just my T-shirt," Chamberlain said. Two New Ulm men who were in the group of five men sitting outdoors in the December sunshine rode their brand new Harley Davidsons motorcycles to enjoy some coffee. "I've never rode my bike between Christmas and New Year's before ... it's usually 35 degrees below and two feet of snow here," said Dave Hoffmann, New Ulm. Craig Valhalla, also of New Ulm, had his bike parked by the coffeeshop. "How often can you ride your bike in December?" Valhalla asked. Elsewhere in Minnesota, Duluth broke a 103-year record by reaching 46 degrees at 1:38 p.m. at the airport, breaking the record of 42 in 1896. International Falls tied its previous high of 36 set in 1965, the National Weather Service said. Hutchinson set its sixth high temperature record for December. The old record of 41 was set in 1965. At 1:30 p.m., the temperature reached 54. Willmar broke its 102-year-old record high when the temperature at the airport reached 57, breaking the previous high of 43 set in 1897. St. Cloud reported 52 degrees at 2:55 p.m., breaking the old record of 42 set in 1929. The mercury rose to 53 degrees in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area at 3:32 p.m., breaking the old record of 44 set in 1908. In southern Minnesota, Austin reached 42 degrees just after noon, tying a record set 50 years ago. Rochester reached 46, breaking the record of 42 set in 1936. The weather service said cloudy and cooler conditions will greet Minnesotans Thursday morning. Light snow or flurries will spread across much of northern Minnesota and may reach portions of central Minnesota as well. Information from the Associated Press was used in this story.
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