June Climate Summary

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. Similarly, 203 warm daily minimum temperature records were set or tied.

The vast majority of Minnesota climate stations reported less than normal rainfall during June, and the most rainfall came on the last few days of the month. Only portions of Winona, Fillmore, Waseca, Wabasha, Houston, and Nicollet Counties reported over 5 inches for the month. Most places reported between 1.5 and 2.5 inches. A few places had a record or near record dry June. These included:
Browns Valley (Traverse County) 0.56 inches, driest in history
Lamberton (Redwood County) 0.49 inches, driest in history
Hutchinson (McLeod County) 0.64 inches, 2nd driest in history
Milan (Chippewa County) 0.78 inches, 2nd driest in history

Five climate stations reported record-setting rainfalls on June 27, including 3.30 inches at La Crescent Dam (Houston County).

The general absence of rainfall during June was associated with some very high solar radiation measurements. Pete Boulay from the Minnesota State Climatology Office reports that this June brought the most measured solar radiation since June of 1988.

There was little change in the Drought Monitoring depiction for Minnesota during the last week of June. About 82 percent of the state landscape is in at least Moderate Drought Status, while portions of 12 southern counties and portions of 11 northwestern counties remain in the Severe Drought Category. The NOAA Climate Prediction Center updated outlook for the month of July (released on June 30th) favors warmer than normal temperatures for the month, as well as a weather pattern that favors less than normal rainfall.

Weekly Weather Potpourri:

The BBC reported this week on the Heat Wave in Western Canada and the northwestern USA. A new all-time high temperature record for Canada was set at Lytton in British Columbia with a reading of 121°F on Tuesday, June 29th. In the Pacific Northwest of the USA Portland, OR hit 115°F and Seattle, WA saw 108°F earlier this week, both all-time records. Being in a area where air conditioning is not a widespread attribute of buildings, many deaths are already associated with this Heat Wave. Tom Di Liberto of NOAA writes an explanation about this Heat Wave as well.

Last August, sea ice north of Greenland showed its vulnerability to the long-term effects of climate change, according to a study published July 1 in the open-access journal Communications Earth & Environment. The study focused on sea ice in August 2020 in the Wandel Sea, an area that used to be covered year-round in thick, multi-year ice. Unknown is how more open water in this region would affect ice-dependent species over the short and long terms.

This week’s AGU-EOS Bulletin features an article about how better seasonal forecasting could help water supply planners in California and the western states where season to season water availability is extremely variable. Better understanding of large scale climate features in the Pacific Ocean can help and perhaps add to the accuracy of seasonal forecasts.

MPR listener question:

Just concluded the driest June in Redwood County history according to many family members. Trying to think positive rainfall thoughts for the month of July. Can you tell us what has been the wettest July here, and what has been the greatest number of days with rain during the month?

Answer:

Sure. From the Redwood Falls records back to 1892 your wettest June was in 2018 with 8.88 inches reported. Lamberton, also in Redwood County, reported 9.84 inches in July of 1963. In terms of days with rain, both 1972 and 1993 brought 20 days with rain in July.

Twin Cities Almanac for July 2nd:

The average MSP high temperature for this date is 83 degrees F (plus or minus 7 degrees F standard deviation), while the average low is 63 degrees F (plus or minus 6 degrees F standard deviation).

MSP Local Records for July 2nd:

MSP records for this date include: highest daily maximum temperature of 99 degrees F in 2012; lowest daily maximum temperature of 60 degrees F in 1892; lowest daily minimum temperature of 49 degrees F in 1924; highest daily minimum temperature of 77 degrees F in 2012; record precipitation of 2.18 inches in 1992. No snowfall has occurred on this date.

Average dew point for July 2nd is 59°F; the maximum dew point on this date is 75°F in 1949; and the minimum dew point on this date is 38 degrees F in 1917.

All-time state records for July 2nd:

The state record high temperature for this date is 105 degrees F at Canby (Yellow Medicine County) in 1925. The state record low temperature for this date is 22 degrees F at Camp Norris (Lake of the Woods) in 2009. The state record precipitation for this date is 6.44 inches at Newfolden (Marshall County) in 1901. No snowfall on this date.

Past Weather Features:

July 2, 1911 was the hottest in state history. It brought temperatures of 90 degrees F or greater to most of the state which was in the grip of a 7-day Heat Wave that had started on June 29th. Thirteen climate stations reported 100°F or greater while the overnight low temperature at Winona only reached 81°F.

A strong thunderstorm complex moved over north-central Minnesota on July 2, 1975 bringing hail, strong winds, and heavy rainfall. Parts of Beltrami, Aitkin, Cass, Pennington, Marshall, and Itasca Counties received 3 to 6 inches of rainfall. Flash flooding was reported in parts of Beltrami and Cass Counties where roads were closed for a time.

July 2, 2009 was the coldest in state history with frost reported at 55 Minnesota climate stations. Cloquet, MN reported a high temperature of 91°F and a low of 29°F, a remarkable daily range.

Outlook: 

Warm over the weekend with daily afternoon temperatures from the mid 80s to mid 90s F. Increasing cloudiness late on Sunday and into Monday with a chance for widely scattered showers and thunderstorms. Temperatures dropping back to near normal by the middle of next week, with a chance for showers or thunderstorms towards the end of the week.