Star Tribune from Minneapolis, Minnesota • Page 26

WtednesdayFebruary 271991 Star Tribune gms Twin Cities forecastBy Paul Douglas life TodaySome sun, then increas- "7J7 ing clouds with west winds at 6- 1 2 miles per hour. High 28. 3 TonightClouding up with flurries developing. Low 18. Tomorrow Mostly cloudy with a chance of light snow or flurries.

High 33. Low 23. FridayClearing, windy and brisk. High 27 with a low of 8. Saturday Increasing clouds.

High 32 with a low of 19. 63 i Yesterday's temps Twin Cities readings (at Mlnneapolis-St. Paul International Airport) rTN U3 Upper Midwest i YVw 4 tfiri Mostly. cloudy, breezy and cfan An Winning. vS cold with scattered light AV SeatJe 7L Winnipeg snQW Hj wj be 2Qs A IN fiiw Boise )Twin U1 ttf4 tepid fa 1 Temperature Albert tea 426 Last Yesterday's Alexandria 822 Tuesday year Average records Bemldjl NA 819 High 24 42 30 64 In 1696 Pulutn 20 Low 14 20 13 -21 in 1897 i i Hlbblng- 918 Yesterday's hourly readings international Faiia 719 M'nlght15 4p.m.22 Mankato -129 9a.m.l7 Pxiuot lakea NA 422 2a.m.14 10a.m,20 Redwood Falla O01 1525 3 a.m.

14 11a.m.22 7p.m.21 Rochester 0.02 1426 4a.m.15 Noon23 8p.m.20 St Cloud 625 5a.m.14 1p.m.23 9p.m.18 Worthlngton NA 1925 Ba.m.i4 I0p.m.16 Wisconsin lh Iowa lh 7a.m.14 3p.m.23 11p.m.15 Eau Claim 624 C'dar Rapids 1229 Heating degree daysFebruary 25 own Bay -324 Pet Moines 1733 1990-91 19B9-90Average 2-5 4. Milwaukee- 1228 Slou-Cttv' 2230 V41J CltV "1 5585 5656 5918 Season 721 waio -ms 7 De.nver ashinsi.ciy:, sKrhS; N.Dakota lh S. Dakota lh fFranoro St 1 PtA J' near the Lakes. Highs in Heating degree days measure trie amount of energy needed to heat a residence. They are calculated by subtracting the average daily temperature from 65 degrees.

Precipitation 24 hours to 6 p.m. yesterday Month to yesterday Grand Forks 522 Pierre 2231 AW Las Vegas T- Jamestown 923 Rapid CHy 1640 QXrf J- Vt' Mlnot 1530 SIouk Falla 1025 1 7 IT JK Southeast .91 wmiaton 1937 Watertown 1722 A 60s JV--x Mostly sunny skies and -i wVr ni. 3- warm temperatures will Hn r.H I Phoenix 1 7 prevail today. Highs will Sun and moon VA AantaV be In the 60s. la Sunrise: 6:54 a.m.

Sunset 5:57 p.m. I I 3 101 ln19B1 Total daylight 1 1 hours, 03 minutes I Dallas 1 Jf Abovebelow average Year to yesterday Abovebelow averege Today's precipitation record Snowfall dh TS a ISAX rt Worth "I 1 I I I 1 i 24hour.U,6p.m.y.Wd.y jg Ajl Tufl nS 7 llS 9tft 80s 70s 60s 50l 40s 3Ss Season to 6 p.m. yesterday 35.2 Mar. 16 Mar. 23 Feb.

28 Mar. 8 A 11 dwnt 1 I I 1 Weather in other U.S. cities II FV.n msnow Yttltfitay Today Tomorrow YMMntoy Today Tomorrow v'ff I I fSurrlfla lHProej). SkyLH 8kyLH LHPrtclp. 8kyLH SkylH .1 I I kl 30 56 Atbuouorquo 0 30 58 35 58 54 69 LosAnglM 53 68 62 62 i ill 7fl5 a "lEriOW bplpl JThUndOrStOrmS 32 40 .08 Anottoff 0 26 40 0 26 42 23 40 LoutovW 0 23 45 0 31 64 I'l I W3 I JrT sm' 31 40 o226ia 23 69 28 50 MmpM 31 66 a 40 62 Tsropsraturs forecasts sis tfis for the day: 34 46 0 30 66 8 36 61 70 79 .27 Mtort 8 60 73 0 6176 A Weaef pattefflS 3 fff Conditions 8t Ikm 32 35 .27 Alton) CHy 0 27 40 0 27 50 12 28 MHwmAM 8 16 30 8 18 35 A li 1 oio wwiiwimwiio iiwii.

36 43 0 24 42 0 24 51 42 67 NraOrtomt 0 38 66 0 43 64 01 SoWtnotv Ty4 litwutiW Pacific Coast 25 48 0 25 40 22 35 31 32 .23 Now York 27 40 0 29 48 South Central Partly to mostly cloudy A cold front will bring much 31 67 Rocky Mountains Scattered snows are likely in the northern Rockies. The southern Rockies will 0 30 55 0 32 49 31 52 Okli.Crty 0 32 63 0 38 63 OClAtr 0 20 48 0 25 50 29 34 .04 0 27 34 0 24 38 22 34 .01 Omsha 3Parfr cloudy CANADA needed rain to California. Fair weather will continue in the Northwest. with scattered showers in southern Texas. Highs in the 50s and 60s.

49 56 47 61 57 73 61 75 .04 Orlando 0 46 67 61 70 -f-A aj otouoy be sunny and mild. 22 27 .06 Buffalo 8 17 29 23 37 33 40 .01 0 27 40 0 27 50 16 44 18 46 25 46 55 82 Phosjoli 0 53 78 57 73 Catpr Grandl 49 80 .01 39 60 44 63 21 31 .01 Ptttaburgh 17 34 24 44 Forecasts and information from WeatherData Inc. Copyright 1 991 WeatherData Inc. I r-ome I International FaHs I 8 18 31 0 14 34 16 46 .02 Crwynna 0 19 60 0 24 49 23 32 .01 Port, if, i i Jr 12 27 CMcago 16 33 0 24 47 39 67 Port, Pro. 0 38 64 37 66 Pcul Doudas' corner if 19 36 Bndnnrt 0 20 36 0 24 63 35 42 .06 BaWoh 0 23 61 0 28 60 20 30 0 21 46 21 67 24 28 .03 mo 26 59 34 64 34 62 DaftM 36 60 46 66 46 66 Sacramonto 46 64 50 65 20 47 0 22 67 0 28 52 22 40 StLoub 0 16 47 0 29 52 26 60 SattLk.Crty 0 27 55 34715 17 33 .04 OMMokwa 21 41 23 43 Detroit Latos 18 29 0 21 39 37 56 22 28 Detroit San Antonio 42 58 47 68 CUV If A family of clippers The Hovmoller is back.

Now, try to contain your excitement. The mere mention of this experimental long-range fore 31 61 El Paso 34 66 44 70 65 66 SwiDtoge 64 68 52 62 0 0 9 Oi on on 17 30 FaMMnki 0 7 33 0 7 31 48 62 San Fran. 50 62 62 81 0 a 0 a texsrwirta 0 715i 0 65 80 69 88 8m Juan 0 69 87 69 85 nonoww 0 57 79 0 68 80 37 67 46 66 38 57 -8 21 Houaton S. St. Maria -2 21 8 8 25 A ii -jy" 'u 0 nOnOnOArtOn 16 32 8 22 43 91 32 52 38 66 Saattle 0 38 59 0 39 52 CbRiceLaka 0 46 85 51 70 52 69 JackaonvtHa 0 36 61 42 66 60 73 .03 Tampa 23 38 91 46 76 51 71 KanaaaCHy 23 55 0 34 56 46 74 Tucaon handful of Alberta clippers.

One retreating swirl of low pressure will squeeze out some light snow and flurries early today, but skies should brighten later. A potentially stronger clipper could squeeze out an inch or two of snow Thursday, with heavier, plowable amounts possible over central and northern counties. Once again, Minnesota's weather pattern is on the verge of shifting gears. Our brisk northwesterly wind flow aloft will become southwesterly by Sunday, meaning thawing temperatures, and a risk of some wetter snowfalls by early next week. 39 89 91 29 43 0 30 62 UaVagaa 44 68 48 66 35 44 .06 Wai O-Claar T-Thundrlorm a-Partly cloudy -Cloudy R-Riln S-Snow National Mgh: 86, Yuma, Arli.

Naional low. -12, Houtton, Malna Soma lUtliltoal data courtesy ol tha National Waathar Sorvtea and local motaorolorjlat Bruca Watson. casting tool can leave some readers tingling with anticipation. I've never met any of these people, but I'm told they do exist. Based on temperature anomalies at 40 and 60 degrees north latitude, this forecast trend is hinting at significant snow between March 5 and March 7.

Don't bet the farm on the basis of this speculative guestimate, but circle the dates on a calendar and let's see what happens. Our confidence level is significantly higher for the 72-hour outlook. Minnesota will host a Fails) mi cty I IOWA Paul Douglas Is chief meteorologist for KARE-11. Mhne80ta forecasts from Total Weather Weather trends Weafnerquiz Why is California facing the worst water crisis In Hovmoller trend for the next 1 5 days The Hovmoller trend is an experimental long-range forecasting tool. Days General weather Temperatures Canada wa a Yesterday lh Havana 7282 Travelers forecasts Calgary 2346 33 Frl j.

Sun. Edmonton 2839 HorraKonfl 6963 SkyLH SkyLH SkyLH rZ. AM.m. R4457 C.3S52 a3453 757 mtZr 7382 R3752 03244 02333 LorL. 4854 Chicago a2132 1230 81320 VMKOUVtt 33753 Madrid Dallas W3454 t3365 03757 Wlnnlpag 097ii Manila 786 Denver 1536 01631 01425 mmmmmmmmmmmmmm Matattan 6484 Honolulu R6880 H6978 06682 WOfld MantcoCrty 4581 KensaaCHy R3151 83144 O3043 Yesterday LH Moacow 3641 LasVegaa O3052 03258 03369 Acapulco 7290 Waaaau 7386 Los Angeles 04874 04973 O4970 Amatardam 3655 NawDaHU 63 MaiaMan 06385 06586 06384 Awnt 4348 Oakt 2546 Miami R6883 06278 a6076 rtd0 7784 fiDl 411 NewQrleana R5165 Q4360 04261 fOUlS.

"k) da Jan. 7279 New York R4454 03444 2735 BYfd ZZ Orlando R593 05172 O5072 Bar 3248 Roma 3963 pnpmu p4164 O4470 O4670 IS sSr5 SanDo O4770 04771 04869 2 Solm San Fran. 04169 04257 04367 C.I.C.. 72-' Sydnay 707i4 Ha 3946 03948 03944 Cop- 3216 TalA.lv Toronto 2840 2125 81723 Ouoitn 46748 Tokyo 3248 Washington 4058 03446 2840 Pnwkturt 3255 Vkwina 3237 o-Clear o-Partly Cloudy e-Cloudy Oanava 3257 Warsaw 3446 R-Raln S-Snow TThunderstorms its history? A) No significant rain in five years; jet stream has been detoured north. B) Rapidly increased consumption of water by agricultural and residential users.

C) Greenhouse effect. Feb. Pleasant March 3 and 4, chance of Chilly through March 2 warming to 40s 28-Mar. 6 a snow storm on March 5 and 6. and 50s on March 3-4, 30s March 5-7.

Mar. Stormy mostly snow March 7 7-13 and Highs mainly in 20s and 30s, 40s and 50s March 8-9. WeatherFact Satellite loops show a very significant storm approaching California, and the Hovmoller is hinting at a wet pattern lingering for several weeks. Whether it'll be enough to break the drought is doubtful. Answer (AHB).

California's drought is the worst since the Dust Bowl days of the 1930s, when the population was nearly 6 million! now mere are more tnan au minion cantomians. WLOL Property tax Continued from page IB Continued from page IB from one year to the next is politically unacceptable. Carlson is under intense pressure from business owners and Twin Cities interests to reduce their property-tax burdens. The tax rates on commercial-industrial property may be five times the rate imposed on lower-valued homes, but it's an existing problem rather than a prospective one. Taking more time to reach the flat rate on homes and the lower rates on businesses may be Carlson's only recourse.

Sen. Dean Johnson, IR-Willmar, a partisan ally of Carlson, said he thinks that a phase-in of rate changes would help sell the program to communities outside the Twin Cities. "I assume there's some sanding off (of the Carlson proposal) going on," he said. The Carlson proposal as it stands "is not something that Dean Johnson is going to wrap himself in," Johnson said. Unclaimed Continued from page IB administrator with the department, said that the lists will generate about 10,000 phone calls and that, judging by past years, about 60 percent of the listings will be reclaimed.

Last year's most valuable item, stocks worth about $265,000, were claimed by a relative of B. Franklin Biggs, who died in the 1940s. Items not claimed and there are 2,796 packages in the department's vault will be sold at auction no later than 1993. Each year the state earns $6 million to $8 million from the transfer of unclaimed accounts or interest on them. Even after accounts are liquidated, however, claimants can still seek their money.

As for that $64,041 savings account, the matter is pretty much resolved. Its deceased owner, the Rev. Walter Lebeau of St. Paul, was a teacher at the College of St Thomas, and according to his wishes, the college may claim it By coincidence, one of bis former students is the Commerce Department's new commissioner, Bert McKasy. and St.

Paul and that its modest signal is difficult to pick up in Minneapolis' western suburbs, where there are thousands of potential MPR members. "The $35 membership pays the cost of the programming," Kling said. "And the (news) programming is getting more and more expensive. Whether we're on a station on the AM band or a station on the FM band, the cost (of the news service) is the same. Whether we have 19 stations or one station, the cost is the same.

"But if we have a FM station (in the Twin Cities), we'll have a better chance of reaching more people in the metropolitan area and therefore a better chance that the program product can be maintained in the future." MPR's plan is to put its new "expanded" classical service, which features no news or public affairs programming, on 99.5 FM immediately. Through Sunday, KSJN-FM (91.1) will continue to broadcast its usual mixture of classical music and public affairs shows, such as "Midday" and "All Things Considered," and encourage music lovers to seek out the new outlet. At 9 a.m. Monday, 91.1 will become KNOW-FM, broadcasting the local, national and world news already heard on KNOW-AM (1330). KSJN will continue to broadcast only classical music.

warehouse district. An MPR spokesperson said WLOL's equipment eventually will be absorbed by MPR's 1 9-station regional network. MPR revealed its plan in late December to buy WLOL from Emmis Broadcasting Corp. of Indianapolis for $12 million. MPR President William Kling said then that MPR would pay for its new station with revenues from MPR's several for-profit subsidiaries, which include the Wireless mail-order catalog, and proceeds from the sale of KNOW-AM, its Twin Cities news and information station.

The Minnestoa Broadcasters Association criticized the sale, arguing that MPR was trying to make itself more commercially competitive and thus overstepping its mission as a public broadcaster. Several association members filed challenges urging the FCC to deny MPR the WLOL license. MPR had been looking for a second FM outlet in the Twin Cities for a decade. It previously tried to buy KBEM-FM from the Minneapolis public schools and contended for a license allocated to Eden Prairie. Kling said an FM station is needed to make MPR's news service available to more people in the metro area.

He said that KNOWs AM signal has trouble penetrating office buildings in downtown Minneapolis I to about 1 percent on the portion of a home's value that is less than $68,000, 2 percent on the portion between $68,000 and $1 10,000 and 3 percent on the portion of value higher than $110,000. While total per capita spending by state and local governments in Minnesota is among the nation's highest, the property-tax rate on the bottom "tier" of residential property is considered one of the lowest. Almost 90 percent of outstate homes cost less than $68,000, while only 30 percent of Twin Cities homes cost that much or less, according to the Revenue Department. The current system has provoked bitter protests in the Twin Cities real estate market, particularly the suburbs, where owners of relatively modest houses have been boosted into the higher brackets by rising real estate values. Critics of the current system note that many rural homeowners pay as little as $400 a year in return for local government services schools, police and fire protection, parks and many other amenities that may be of many times that value to the property owner.

Large and ever-increasing subsidies to local governments from the state government make such a deal possible, the critics contend. But even if outstate legislators agreed in principle with the adjustment in rates, a 100 percent increase in taxes ft profligate spending and runaway growth. In essence, Carlson is trying to do two things at once. He wants to reduce state government's large subsidies to local governments; he also wants to reduce the wide disparity in property-tax rates between business and residential properties, as well as the large gap between residential properties in rural Minnesota and those in the Twin Cities. He says the effects of his plan have been oversimplified and distorted.

Predictions of massive property-tax increases are "irresponsible rhetoric," Carlson communications director Lou Burdick said yesterday. A doubling of taxes on lower-valued homes, since those rates are among the lowest in the nation, should not be considered outrageous, she said. McClung said Carlson's proposal would multiply by five times the amount put into the "circuit-breaker" refund program for low-income homeowners, boosting it to about $231 million annually. That part of the plan hasn't been adequately reported or figured into the calculations, she said, The Carlson property-tax rate changes, which were only vaguely outlined in the budget proposal last week, would impose a new fiat rate of 2 percent on residential property. Current annual net tax rates amount 1.