- By John Smith, Education Program Assistant, Will Steger Foundation

It snowed 4.5 inches the morning of April 23rd, when 60 students from Washington Technology Magnet School came on a field trip to Fort Snelling State Park.  The visit, one of many this spring as a continuation of the Parks Climate Challenge (PCC), was focused on learning about the climate change on the Mississippi River and all those things that rely on it (including us!)

Throughout the morning, the light snow made cardinals look like bright red torches in otherwise quiet, white trees.  The footprints of wild turkey traversed our walking paths like an olympic slalom skiier.  As the snow began to melt, it was bittersweet, but relieving: Minnesotans feel have waited long enough for the sun and flowers we look for this time of year.

Weather observations:

  - Air temperature ranged from: 32 - 43 degrees (f)

  - Precipitation: 4.5 inches of snow overnight (.65 inches if melted)

  - Barometric pressue: 29.4 - 29.6 in/hg

  - Wind speed: 2 mph, out of the east

  - Cloud cover: 10-20% cover of cirrus (fibratus) in the AM, 45% cover of altocumulous in the PM.

  - River temperature: 37 degrees (f)

Phenology observations:

  - Snow! (perhaps the last of the season?)

  - Songs of migratory birds, waterfoul present

  - Buds present and small

See up to the minute data from the Fort Snelling Weather Station!

It was delightful to share a day at Fort Snelling State Park with the 5th and 6th graders of the Friends School of Minnesota on Novermber 8th.  Students and their teachers explored the day's weather and phenology, discussed climate change and solutions to it, and performed a service project for the park removing invasive buckthorn.  The trip was part of the Parks Climate Challenge and compliments the climate and weather sciences taught during their year at school.  Here are some of the things we found together ...

Phenology Observations:

• White-tailed deer! Male ("buck") deer were seen with large racks of antlers and grazing on buds and twigs.
• We found a yearling garter snake that was about to shed its skin - when do they start hibernating?
• The few remaining green leaves were mostly buckthorn - of which there are fewer now thanks to the folks at the Friends School!

Weather Observations:

• Temperature: 55-60 degrees (f) - which is nearly 10 degrees warmed than the historic normal high temperature of 49 degrees (MN Weatherguide Calendar)
• Barometric Pressure: 29.2 - 29.5 in/Hg
• Wind Speed: 2-8 mph
• Cloud cover: 80% cumulous in the morning.  Changed to 5-30% by the afternoon and cirrus.
• River temperature was approximately 44 degrees (f)

See up-to-the-minute weather data from the Fort Snelling State Park weather station!

On October 22nd, Open World Learning Community students visited Fort Snelling State Park for a morning of doing phenology, and studying weather and climate.  Each student also engaged in a service project removing invasive buckthorn, improving the beauty and health of the park ecosystem.  

Their Phenology observations included:

• Leaves past peak color and falling
• Marks of male deer rubbing on trees ("buck rub")

They collected the following weather data:

• Temperature: 60-67 degrees (f)
• Historic HIGH temp: 55 degrees (f)
• Historic LOW temp: 38 degrees (f)
• Barometric pressure: 29.5 in/Hg
• Precipitation: 0" (on this day it was reported that 100% of MN was in drought)
• Wind speed: 0-7 mph
• Cloud Cover: 80-100% stratus clouds
• River level: 687 feet above sea level

The field trip was part of the Parks Climate Challenge, a national project to improve climate literacy through experiences in national parks.  Fort Snelling State Park qualifies as it is within part the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (MNRRA).  The program is administered nationally by the National Parks Foundation and locally it is implemented through a partnership of the Will Steger Foundation, Mississippi River Fund, MNRRA and Fort Snelling State Park.

Author: Megan, Grade 7, Bloomington Lutheran School

Location: Bloomington, MN

Weather: Cloudy, cold, and windy

Very coold outside, coolder than this moring. No birds chreping, or bees, ants, and worms out. Its defentlly beging to look alot like Christmas.

Author: Megan, Grade 7, Bloomington Lutheran School

Location: Prior Lake, MN

Weather: Cloudy, coold

Tuseday afternoon is a very cool afternoon. Not as cloudy as yesterday but it feels colder. Im hoping it will snow soon, but im happy with the rain that came this moring. The wind blew so hard that it made mt ears go numb just standing their.

Author: Rebecca, Bloomington Lutheran School 

Location: Bloomington Lutheran School

Weather: Sunny

7th Grade Students installed 2 rain barrels and planted 14 MN native trees on the school property May 7, 2012. All the trees have buds or leaves and we're using the rain barrels to water the trees. Students set up a watering schedule for the summer.
Thank you for helping us complete this action project to help the Mississippi River.

Author: Nickolas, Great River School

Location: Lauderdale

Weather: Cloudy, windy, cool. a very nice day overall

So this is my last time making one of these backyard observations in this location. When I look around where I live, I see many houses, many roads, and lots of trees in between. I live close to some golf courses so there is a lot nature around where i live because there are trees around the golf courses. Where I will be moving there will be even more, not as close but a lot more. I can look out my window and see trees. Not everybody is able to do that when they live in apartments. Tonight is kind of windy and cloudy but there is no rain, it is very nice. Im going to miss this place. Life goes on and the summer will make this place very nice.

Author: Lilli, Great River School

Location: St.Paul 

Weather: Cloudy. 70 degrees F. winds 5 mph.

It was pretty nice out today, cool winds in the morning but pretty nice, although mostly cloudy. It rained the past few days and so everything is very green and lush. All the trees now have leaves on them, and there are bunnies running around everywhere. There has been a lot of work on the street in front of my house for the sewer and gas lines and so the side walk and grass is torn up in a lot of places. Where there is grass though it is very green and nice to lay on. It has been very noisy around lately not only because of the machines digging and things but also the lawn mowers and dogs barking. But over all it has been very nice out, and today was a calm day with not much weather issues going on unlike yesterday when it was raining buckets!
The maple tree that I have been writing about for the past while has gotten a lot more leaves, and looks more filled out although it is still very small, it has grown a little bit in the last year. Also the hastas that I took a picture of a few weeks ago have grown to their almost full size already, it's impressive how fast plants grow even when there under a tree like that.

Author: Nickolas, Gt River School

Location: Lauderdale MN

Weather: Cloudy with a little bit of sunlight. Cool(61 degrees F. Slightly windy. Bright

Im looking outside and everywhere i look it is a sharp luscious green. It has been raining for the past 2 days on and off and now all of the plants look very good and healthy. The birds are chirping, there are squirrels running around, it smells wonderful and nature is just all in balance right now. Saint Paul is ready for the summer, and so am I. 

Author: Lilli, Great River School

Location: St.Paul

Weather: 68 degrees fahrenheit. A little windy. Cloudy.

It was really nice all day. It got up to 75 I think, and wasn't that windy. All the flowers are really starting to grow, and everything is very green and spring like. The lilac in the back yard are purple and smell really good and my neighbors crab apple tree is so pink and purple it looks like a cloud. My front yard doesn't have very many flowers or anything, but there are a few hostas and such growing around the house an such. The trees are starting to grow, there are little buds everywhere on the maple tree in my front yard. It's supposed to rain a lot tonight which will be good for all the plants, but it's supposed to snow later next week.
I've seen a few bunnies hopping around, and everyone is out with their dogs but no squirrels and I can only hear one bird.