Minnesota WeatherTalk

Preliminary Climate Summary for July 2021: July of 2021 will be remembered by Minnesotans for worsening drought, Heat Advisories, and frequent poor air quality due to smoke from Canadian wildfires. Warm and dry are the two most appropriate climate words for July. Most climate stations reported a mean monthly temperature that was from 1°F to 4°F above normal. Combined with the near-record warm June, the June-July two month period in 2021 is the 3rd warmest in history on a statewide basis (only 1933 and 1988 were warmer). Extreme temperatures for July were 102°F at Granite Falls (Yellow Medicine County) on July 4th and just 32°F at Seagull Lake (Cook County) on July 8th. Many areas saw 10 to 12 days with afternoon high temperatures of 90°F or greater. MSP Airport reported 10 such days, adding to the 12 recorded during June. The 22 days with 90°F or above at MSP for the months of June and July in 2021 rank 3rd historically (tied with 1894 and 2012). There were 30 such days in 1988

Some Drought Perspectives and Prospects: Drought continued to worsen this week across Minnesota despite some spotty light showers in places. Climate observers around Montevideo, Bemidji, Warroad, Breckenridge, and Park Rapids actually reported rainfall amounts close to 1 inch this week, but those were exceptions. Most areas received very little rainfall. Temperatures averaged 2 to 4°F above normal this week keeping evaporative demand higher than normal. The US Drought Monitor reported 98 percent of the Minnesota landscape is in the grip of at least Moderate Drought, close to 72 percent is in Severe to Extreme Drought, and 18.5 percent is in Extreme Drought. Many areas of the state are now showing year-to-date precipitation deficiencies of 6 to 10 inches. Symptoms of this persistent weather pattern continue to emerge with crops showing signs of stress 53% of corn and soybean crops are in just poor to fair condition), watering restrictions being advised, higher fire danger, and exce

Some Rain, But Not Enough Statewide: Welcome rains occurred in portions of western and southern Minnesota this week. Some areas received over 1 inch of rainfall, and portions of Houston, Chisago, McLeod, Anoka, Hennepin, Wright, and Carver Counties reported over 2 inches. A few places reported record daily rainfall for July 14 or July 15, including: Caledonia 1.93” Wells 1.92” Lester Prairie 2.55” Hokah 2.67” Many areas were missed by the rains and the US Drought Monitor updated on July 15th showed an increase in the state landscape designated to be in Severe or Extreme Drought (now over 52 percent of the landscape). The Extreme Drought category presently encompasses much of Beltrami and Hubbard Counties in northern Minnesota and a portion of Stearns County in central Minnesota. Overall close to 98 percent of the state is in at least the Moderate Drought category. You can find more drought details about the state at the DNR web site . After a drier than normal June, some areas of

Hot Start to July, with Rain and a Brief Cool Respite: July followed the temperature pattern of June, starting out hot, then offering a brief cool respite. The July 4th weekend brought temperatures of 95°F or greater to 34 communities around the state, topping out at 99°F at Granite Falls, a new daily record there. A few other northern Minnesota climate stations reported record daily high temperature on July 4th as well, including 98°F at Itasca State Park, 94°F at Cass Lake, 93°F at Gunflint Lake, and 90°F at Tower. Grand Marais along Lake Superior reported a high of only 78°F. With some moderation this week temperatures for the first full week of July averaged from 2 to 4 degrees F warmer than normal. July 5-6 brought some much-needed rain to the state with cooler temperatures. Many areas reported between a half inch and an inch of rainfall, as several bands of showers and thunderstorms crossed the state. Much of northwestern Minnesota missed out on the rain, while portions of

June Climate Summary: On a statewide basis June of 2021 was the 2nd warmest in history, trailing only 1933, and slightly warmer than 1988. Around the state the mean temperature for the month was mostly 4 to 6 degrees F warmer than normal. Some temperature rankings for June of 2021 for selected cities: MSP 2nd only to 1933 Rochester 2nd only to 1933 Milan 2nd only to 1933 Brainerd 2nd only to 1933 Duluth warmest June in history St Cloud 4th warmest in history International Falls 7th warmest in history Extremes for the month were 104°F at Warren (Marshall County) and Granite Falls (Yellow Medicine County) during the early June Heat Wave and at the other end of the scale just 20°F at Cotton (St Louis County) on June 1st. Many areas of the state saw afternoon temperatures reach 90°F or greater on 12 or more days. Milan (Chippewa County) reported 17 such days. Within the state’s climate station network 244 daily maximum temperature records were set or tied during the month. Similar