What warmer temperatures, record rainfall means for spring in the Twin Cities

By Joseph Dames

MINNEAPOLIS -- The warm days and record rainfall created ponds around the Twin Cities. Where will all that water go and what does it mean for spring?

Meteorologist Joseph Dames shows us where the water is heading.

A touch of green in the form of exposed grass, but there is still plenty of white on the ground and more than a drop in a bucket of water running in the ground.

Tanya Maas isn't quite keen on the liquid precipitation.

"I'm lessened to the rain, to be honest with you," said Maas. "If it's going to precipitate, let it snow."

But she is ready for the water to help fill up the wetlands near her home.

Pete Boulay, a climatologist at the Department of Natural Resources says all this water has found a safe home.

"The rain didn't go very far. It basically went right into the ground," said Boulay. "It went through the snowpack, there is little frost under that snowpack, so basically it percolated right into the ground."

This means the record rainfall from Valentine's Day doesn't necessarily mean trouble come spring.

"We still have six more weeks of winter eventually, so we will find out what happened with the rest of February and March. A lot can happen between now and then," said Boulay.

The extended forecast looks like winter will make a comeback next week with cooler temperatures and possibly snow.