Minnesota WeatherTalk

Preliminary Climate Summary for August 2020: Warm and wet are to two words to describe the climate of August 2020 in Minnesota. Most areas of the state show average temperatures for August of 2020 that are 1-3°F above normal. Extremes for the month ranged from 97°F at Marshall (Lyon County) on the 24th to just 36°F at Seagull Lake (Cook County) on the 4th. There were several days that the NOAA National Weather Service issued Heat Advisories or Excessive Heat Warnings thanks to unusually high dew points. At MSP the number of hours with dew point readings of 70°F or higher exceeded 100 for the month. The total of such hours is now well over 325 for the summer so far. August wraps up meteorological summer and is the third consecutive warmer than normal month. The June-August period in 2020 will rank among the 5 warmest historically for the state of Minnesota. August rainfall was above normal at most locations. Portions of Cass, Clearwater, Stearns, and Itasca Counties reported over

 More Record Rainfalls: August 14-15 brought more thunderstorms to Minnesota. Widespread rains of 1-2 inches were reported and some record daily rainfalls as well. Some of those climate stations reporting new record rainfalls included: Grand Rapids 4.17”(5th larges rain in history there) Alexandria 3.58” Melrose 3.21” St Cloud 3.09” Pokegama Dam 2.89” Ottertail 2.85” Hibbing 2.60” Long Prairie 2.44” Milaca 2.17” In addition, the National Weather Service reported several tornadoes across the state on August 14th and did damage surveys of several of them. Most of them were classified as EF-0 (winds of 65-85 mph), but one near Glencoe (McLeod County) and one near Cushing (Todd County) were rated EF-1 (winds 86-110 mph) and produced some damage. No deaths were reported.  As a result of these recent thunderstorms and earlier ones in the month some observers in Aitkin, Cass, Itasca, Carver, and Clearwater Counties now report over 7 inches of rain for the month. Longville (Cass County) h

 Mid-August Climate Check: After a cooler than normal first week of the month, temperatures fluctuated above normal this past week evening things out. Most climate stations are now reporting average monthly temperature that is a degree or two either side of normal. Extremes so far have been 92°F at Redwood Falls on the 9th to 36°F at Seagull Lake (Cook County) on the 4th. No immediate shift to extreme temperatures, hot or cold, seems likely the rest of the month. Rainfall has certainly been mixed this month. Over 50 climate stations have reported 3 inches or more of rainfall this month so far, while over 20 climate stations, mostly in southeastern Minnesota have reported less than an inch of rainfall. Since last Friday widespread thunderstorms have brought significant daily rainfall to many areas, and some climate stations saw daily records set. Some of the new daily record rainfalls over the past week at long term Minnesota climate stations include: August 8th: 1.80 inches at C