User:Grondemar/Drafts/TFA

The history of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) as an administrative division of Australia began after the Federation of Australia in 1901, when it was created in law as the site for Australia's capital city Canberra. The region has a long prior history of human habitation before the Territory's creation, however, with evidence of Indigenous Australian settlement dating back at least 21,000 years. Following the colonisation of Australia by the British, the 19th century saw the initial European exploration and settlement of the area and their encounters with the local indigenous peoples, beginning in 1820 and shortly followed by settlements in 1824. In 1908, the region was selected as the site of the nation's future capital city. The territory officially came under government control as the Federal Capital Territory on 1 January 1911. The planning and construction of Canberra followed, with the Parliament of Australia finally moving there in 1927. (more...)

The climate of Minnesota is typical of a continental climate with cold winters and hot summers. Minnesota's location in the Upper Midwest allows it to experience some of the widest variety of weather in the United States. Winter in Minnesota is characterized by cold temperatures as low as −60 °F (−51 °C). Snow is the main form of winter precipitation, but freezing rain, ice, sleet, and occasionally rain are all possible during the winter months. Common storm systems include Alberta clippers or Panhandle hooks; some of which evolve into blizzards. Annual snowfall extremes have ranged from over 170 inches (432 cm) in the rugged Superior Highlands of the North Shore to as little as 10 inches (25 cm) in southern Minnesota. Spring is a time of major transition; snowstorms are common early, but by late-spring as temperatures begin to moderate the state experiences tornadoes, averaging 24 per year. In summer, humid conditions help kick off thunderstorm activity 30–40 days per year. Summer high temperatures as hot as 114 °F (46 °C) are possible. Autumn weather in Minnesota is largely the reverse of spring weather; the jet stream—which tends to weaken in summer—begins to re-strengthen, leading to a quicker changing of weather patterns and an increased variability of temperatures. By late October and November these storm systems become strong enough to form major winter storms. (more...)