Minnesota WeatherTalk

Highest Dew Points of the Summer With Thunderstorms: Heat and humidity dominated the state this week, but some thunderstorms also brought hail and heavy rains to a few places. Hallock (Kittson County), Theilman (Wabasha County), Zumbrota (Goodhue County), Kimball (Stearns County), Jordan (Scott County), and Brownton (McLeod County) all reported over 2 inches of rainfall this week. Also portions of Dakota and Washington Counties reported over 2 inches. The DNR State Climatology Office web site presents a comprehensive analysis of the storms of July 25-26. Their summary showed that some areas received over 3 inches from these storms. Despite the rains, the majority of the state landscape remains locked in the grip of Moderate to Severe Drought. Also, thunderstorms brought hail on July 22, 24, and 25th. Large hail was reported from portions of Cook, Lake, Itasca, Pope, Grant, Lincoln, Lyon, Redwood, Cottonwood, Nobles, Sherburne, Olmsted, Goodhue, Dakota, Dodge, Anoka, and Wright Co...

Cool, Dry Pattern to Become Hot, Dry Pattern: Through the first three weeks of July, Minnesota is still seeing a cooler than normal temperature trend with less than normal rainfall. Mean July temperature values are running from 1°F to 4°F cooler than normal, and for many climate stations the month so far is the coolest July since 2009. For some long-term climate stations July temperatures are tracking very cool: Rochester reports its 10th coolest July so far with 12 nights of temperatures below 59°F Redwood Falls also reports its 10th coolest July so far with 10 nights below 59°F In the northern areas of the state: Brainerd reports is 7th coolest July so far with 4 nights of temperatures in the 40s F International falls reports its 7th coolest July so far with 7 nights below 49°F Hibbing reports its 3rd coolest July so far with 14 nights below 49°F Although most climate observers did report some rainfall this past week, the vast majority of the state still has seen less than half of...

Year-to-Date Precipitation Deficits: After reporting the 14th wettest first four months of the year on a statewide basis (Jan-Apr) and coping with spring flooding on many Minnesota rivers, the climate pattern turned dry starting in May and has maintained that trend to mid-summer. MSP with 12.86 inches so far is about 3.80 inches below normal for the year, but total yearly precipitation deficits at some other climate stations are getting to be even more significant numbers: Some examples: Mabel (Fillmore County) 12.43 inches, 8.75 inches below normal Albert Lea (Freeborn (County) 12.22 inches, 7.71 inches below normal Hallock (Kittson County) 4.37 inches, 7.61 inches below normal Morris (Stevens County) 7.96 inches, 6.60 inches below normal Spring Valley (Fillmore County) 13.73 inches, 6.40 inches below normal Wabasha (Wabasha County) 12.94 inches, 6.35 inches below normal Crookston (Polk County) 5.42 inches, 6.25 inches below normal Pipestone (Pipestone County) 9.83 inches, 6.05 inch...

July 4th rains for some: The first week of July has seen near normal to cooler than normal temperatures with the only significant rainfall coming on July 4th. Many climate observers in the southern half of the state reported rainfalls of half an inch up to an inch. Some eastern and southeastern locations reported over an inch of rainfall, mostly from thunderstorms on in the morning and early afternoon of July 4trh. La Crescent in southeastern Minnesota reported 1.54 inches on July 4th, and an observer near Renville in central Minnesota reported 1.66 inches. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, areas of Moderate (57%) to Severe Drought (8%) expanded across Minnesota over the past week, despite the widely scattered thunderstorms on July 4th. The warmer than normal temperatures of June pushed rapid development of the corn and soybean crops, so that corn is near the tasseling stage and soybeans are in the flowering stage, both of which are important for yield potential of these c...