Science

We are only 2 feet away from a Top 5 Winter for snowfall in the Twin Ports, and at the rate we're going we may just meet that target. More plowable snow is coming, especially Sunday

It's not your imagination: reports of airline turbulence are increasing, and scientists say a warming atmosphere is increasing the odds of a rough, seatbelt-worthy flight.

We saw an entire winter's worth of snow by March 1. Just looking at the statistics, we have another 25" of snow to go before warm fronts. That puts this winter in the history books.

Promising new technology aims to make roads safer in the winter while reducing the amount of salt and sand that can end up in lakes and wetlands.

If the weather cooperates, you may still get a peek at the best (free) show on Earth during a peak time for the phenomenon.

Predicting spring flooding is as much an art as it is a science. Snow cover is higher than average, with 5-8" of liquid water trapped in all that snow. If we see heavy rain and rapid warming in March and April we may see significant river and stream flooding later this spring. If you've had flooding issues in the past you should stay alert and up to date with the latest NWS flood outlook

Comparisons to the Halloween Blizzard of '91 were, in retrospect, a bad idea, but even though there wasn't a broad area of 2-foot-plus snows, an estimated 25,000 to 30,000 square miles picked up a foot or more of snow.

Canada is grappling with a new breed of wild pig, a cross between feral hogs and domestic pigs that can run over 600 pounds. There are predictions these super-pigs will migrate into the northern tier of the U.S. soon, with a long list of implications for crops, health and safety.

Minnesotans are accustomed to snowstorms of every shape and flavor. Plowable snow? Ho-hum. But the storm brewing for Wednesday and Thursday may be a rare "crippling" storm capable of shutting down a wide swath of both Minnesota and Wisconsin.

The International Space Station did a flyover of Southern Wisconsin into Western Michigan on Sunday giving people on Earth a pretty cool view from space.

On a scale of 1-5, the storm later this week will be a "Category 4", capable of near-blizzard conditions and even coastal flooding and beach erosion on Lake Superior, due to sustained winds of 30-50 mph for 1-2 days. The heaviest snows will stay south, but more plowable snow is on the way.

Residents of Minnesota and Wisconsin are used to snow falling in the winter. It's no big deal. But this won't be an ordinary storm set-up. Cold temperatures and a long-duration snowfall may spark near blizzard conditions by Thursday, and a big swath of the region may pick up 1-2 FEET of snow by Friday morning. Expect major travel disruptions as the week goes on.