Minnesota WeatherTalk

2021 Summer Climate Assessment: August ended up as the 7 th warmest in history on a statewide basis, continuing the significantly warmer than normal monthly temperature streak that started in June.   In terms of rainfall, about a third of the state saw below normal rainfall during August, but the month delivered above normal amounts to over 60 percent of the state, helping to mitigate the drought situation.   According to the September 2 nd release from the US Drought Monitor, the area of Minnesota landscape in Extreme to Exceptional Drought shrunk by roughly 35 percent over the last week of August.   As we start September this week about two-thirds of the state remains in Severe, Extreme, or Exceptional Drought.   More details on the Drought of 2021 can be found at the Minnesota State Climatology Office web site: If we look at the statewide mean monthly temperatures for June through August, 70.6°F, this trails only the summer of 1988, 70.7°F on a statewide basis for hottest summ

Preliminary Climate Summary for August 2021: Warmer than normal was the temperature signal across Minnesota during August of 2021. Most climate stations will report a mean monthly temperature that ranges from 1.5°F to 4.5°F above normal. This August when combined with the monthly temperatures for June and July of this year will give us a mean summer temperature across the state that ranks among the warmest 3 in state history and represents the warmest summer since that of 1988. The largest temperature departures were in the northern portions of the state, where many new daily maximum temperature records were set during the month. The climate station at Cotton (St Louis County) reported 8 new daily maximum temperature records during August, including a new record high of 96°F on the 20th. Another northern Minnesota climate station, Thorhult (Beltrami County) reported setting 4 new daily maximum temperature records, including 96°F on the 18th. International Falls known as the nation

Drought Continues to Worsen: Temperatures continue to run warmer than normal so far this month, typically ranging from 2 to 4 degrees F above normal in most places. Though rainfall has been significant in some areas, many parts of the state geography have seen little or only sparce rains. Drought in Central Counties, North-Central Counties, and Northeastern Counties has worsened. According to the recent update from the State Drought Task Force “the Mississippi River Headwaters watershed, the Rainy River watershed and the Red River watershed are experiencing extreme to exceptional drought that necessitates further restrictions on water use to protect drinking water supplies.” In those watersheds more conservation measures will be mandated or encouraged by the DNR for public water suppliers and for irrigators who use surface waters as a source. A look at year-to-date (January 1 to August 18) precipitation on a statewide basis shows the average amount of precipitation for the year 20