As April Begins, Winter Still Lingers In Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – People visiting Minnesota over Easter weekend and Passover got a chilling welcoming to spring in the Bold North.

"I did know to layer, I was prepared to layer," joked James Alexander who was in town from San Diego. "I was not expecting snow for sure. Easter's definitely spring time weather over there."

Although he wore layers, he admits he had to borrow gloves and boots before heading out to the sculpture garden at the Walker Art Center. The high temperature in the Twin Cities was 30 degrees Sunday. A year earlier it was 60 degrees. The average temperature for April 1 is 50 degrees.

To see and feel spring, people had to step inside the Como Zoo conservatory where balmy temperatures help flowers stay in bloom no matter the season.

"In August you don't like the humidity but now it feels really good," Deb Kopas said of the greenhouse warmth.

That humidity would have felt nice back on Halloween, when winter arrived early with a near freezing day for trick-or-treaters.

Then there was New Year's Eve, where the temperature dropped to -16 in the Twin Cities and much worse further north.

The bitter air continued on Easter and Passover and will linger through Thursday. That's when baseball fans will fill Target Field for the Twins home opener, likely wearing clothes meant for football weather.

"I got here on Friday and I was hoping by the end of March that it would be a little warmer, maybe some spring time weather," Alexander said.

Maybe not. In fact, more snow is expected Monday through Tuesday. And the cherry on top of it all is another snow storm is on the way.

Snow has already postponed a few Major League Baseball games around the country this season. Sunday it happened in Kansas City where the Royals were supposed to play the White Sox.

Snow might not be a problem Thursday for the Twins, but the temperature will be hovering around freezing during first pitch, with a low that night projected around 14 degrees.