Minnesota WeatherTalk

Preliminary Climate Summary for September 2018: September continued a trend of warmer than normal months. Most climate stations reported a mean monthly temperature from 1 to 3 degrees F warmer than normal. Over 60 climate stations reported at least one day with a 90 degrees F temperature or higher, while Marshall topped the state with a reading of 100 degrees F on the 15th. Many northern communities reported overnight lows in the 20s F the first and third weeks of the month. Brimson reported a low of 26 degrees F on the 22nd, but there may be colder readings yet for this coming weekend. For the third year in a row Minnesota has seen abundant rainfall during the month of September. Furthermore, this time around it appears that September will be the wettest month on the calendar for many climate stations in the state during 2018. This is unusual, but not unprecedented. For south-central and southeastern counties September of 2018 will rank among the wettest five in history. ...

Another round of heavy rain: Last week a slow-moving Hurricane Florence brought 20-30 inches of rainfall to portions of North and South Carolina. So in this context, our Minnesota rainfall recently is relatively minor. But Wet is Wet. This week, a slow moving, almost stalled warm front boundary along the Iowa-Minnesota border brought consistent and sometimes heavy doses of rainfall to the southern counties of the state. Many climate stations reported from 3 to 6 inches of rainfall over the Monday-Thursday period (September 17-20), with some stations setting new daily rainfall records. Minneapolis Crystal Airport reported over 7.5 inches of rain this week. For the month of September so far many parts of southern Minnesota have seen 6-9 inches of rainfall. In southeastern Minnesota both Winona and Elgin have reported over 9 inches of rain. Some of the more recent new daily rainfall records set on Wednesday included: 2.37 inches at Lake Wilson 2.22 inches at Marshall 2.07 inches...

A look at the climate of 2018 so far for Minnesota: On a statewide basis we just concluded the 12 warmest June-August period in state history. In addition it was the 24th wettest summer back to 1895, but with great disparity, notably surplus rainfall in the south and deficit rainfall in the northwest. Also on a statewide basis the first 8 months of the year averaged only about 1°F above normal, but it was the 4th year in a row, and 15 out of the last 20 years that the first 8 months of the year have produced an above average statewide temperature. In addition the first 8 months of 2018 brought a statewide average precipitation about two-thirds of an inch above normal, the 9th consecutive year this has happened. So, when we talk about Minnesota getting warmer and wetter with each passing decade, it appears that the year 2018 will follow that trend line. Gusty winds: The month of September is not known as one of Minnesota’s windiest months, but the last three days have brought a ...

Wet start to September, followed by cool temperatures: With measurable rainfall on four of the first five days of the month, suffice to say September started off wetter than normal for many parts of Minnesota. Most of the heavier rains followed the closing of the Minnesota State Fair, which set record attendance this year of well over 2 million people over the 12-day run. For the first week of the month Winona (Winona County), Theilman (Wabasha County), and Owatonna (Steele County) all report 5 or more inches of rain so far. Most of the heavier doses of rain (1-3 inches) fell over portions of southern and central Minnesota and came on the 4th and 5th, fueled in part by dew points in the 70s F. Some of the rainfall set new daily records in places such as Rochester with 3.32 inches and Granite Falls with 2.43 inches on the 4th. Other places reported new daily record amounts for the 5th. Too numerous to list all of them, some of those with longer climate histories that set new da...