Minnesota WeatherTalk

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

Significant Rainfall for Some, Many Areas Missed: August 6-8 brought some of the largest amounts of rainfall measured so far this year within the Minnesota climate reporting network. Many areas in west-central, south-central, and southeastern counties reported 1 to 3 inches, while much of northwestern and north-central Minnesota were missed by the rains. Some record daily amounts were reported for August 8th, including: 5.00 inches at La Crescent Dam 3.08 inches at Caledonia 2.71 inches at Winona Dam 1.77 inches at Wheaton 1.43 inches at Browns Valley The net result on the drought situation across the state was mixed. Some of the geographic area in southern Minnesota designated to be in Severe Drought shrunk, while the Extreme Drought area across central and northern Minnesota expanded. An area of Exceptional Drought emerged roughly from Polk County (northwestern MN) through portions of Koochiching County. About 78 percent of the state landscape remains in Moderate Drought or worse

Hello readers: WeatherTalk will not be published today, August 6. The next WeatherTalk will be available on Friday, August 13.