Minneapolis experiences colder temperatures than Mars as wintry weather spreads across US

At the end of November, the north-central United States experienced some of the coldest conditions in months. Minneapolis, in particular, recorded temperatures briefly lower than those on Mars. On Thanksgiving Day, the thermometer in Minneapolis reached only 27 degrees Fahrenheit, and for several days afterward, readings remained in the mid- to upper-20s, roughly 10 degrees below the citys typical late-November average. This marked the coldest stretch Minneapolis had encountered since February.

By contrast, approximately 225 million miles away, NASA's Curiosity rover on Mars measured daytime highs around 30 degrees Fahrenheit, slightly warmer than Minneapolis during the same period. Images captured by Curiosity in June 2018 show the rover in Gale Crater, highlighting its ongoing mission to study Martian conditions.

However, the comparison shifted dramatically at night. Late-November evenings in Minneapolis dropped into the teens and 20s, whereas nighttime temperatures on Mars plunged to nearly 100 degrees below zero. These extreme swings on the Red Planet result from its thin atmosphere and minimal water vapor, which allow heat to dissipate quickly after sunset.

Curiosity has been monitoring Martian weather since its 2012 landing, tracking temperature, wind, and pressure to provide insights into the planets daily atmospheric patterns. Despite its thin air, Mars experiences wind activity, with Curiosity documenting numerous dust devils swirling across the landscape, including one captured in August 2020.

For Minneapolis and the wider Midwest, meteorologists forecast even colder conditions ahead, as the polar vortex drives additional waves of Arctic air into the region through mid-December.

Author: Jackson Miller