Minnesota WeatherTalk

Variable amounts of June rain continue: This last week brought highly variable rainfall to Minnesota. Many areas received over 1 inch of rain, and there were several reports of 2 to 3 inches. Generally, northern-central and northwestern areas, along with some southwestern counties received less than 1 inch of rain for the week. On the other hand, portions of Faribault, St Louis, and Chippewa Counties reported over 4 inches of rain. Severe weather reports were numerous around the state on Monday, June 16th. Awaiting confirmation from National Weather Service storm surveys, there were reports that day of tornadoes in Otter Tail, Wadena, Todd, Cass, Aitkin, St Louis, and Nicollet Counties. There were also reports of large hail from Otter Tail, Cass, Meeker, Wright, Carver, and Blue Earth counties, with some reports of 2” and 3” diameter hailstones in Carver County. In addition, there were reports of trees down or damaged from thunderstorm winds in Stearns, Hennepin, Crow Wing, and St Loui...

Update on weather for the first half of June: Through the first two weeks of June the weather has brought a number of air quality alerts to most of the state due to smoke from Canadian wildfires. Despite this pattern, near normal to above normal rainfall has been reported from many areas of the state. Dozens of observers have reported over 2 inches, and several reported over 3 inches so far. USDA reports for Minnesota show that the topsoil moisture content is currently rated 85 percent adequate or surplus, a good sign for continued stress-free crop development. Outlooks continue to favor wetter than normal conditions across the state through the 4th week of the month. A more comprehensive update on June weather can be found at the Minnesota State Climatology Office web site . Despite the rains, Moderate Drought remains over about 17 percent of the Minnesota landscape, mostly in the north and southwest. In the drier areas of the state, afternoon temperatures spiked in the 90s F i...

Comments on weather to start June: The month of June is off to a warm and wet start in most parts of Minnesota, especially the southern half of the state. Over 25 counties reported afternoon high temperatures in the 90s on Monday June 2nd, with Lamberton in Redwood County reporting 95°F. Mean while on that same day Grand Marais and Two Harbors were reporting highs of 54°F and 55°F, respectively. Though temperatures are expected to be cooler than normal for the coming weekend, by the middle of next week they will be several degrees above normal again, and that warm pattern is expected to hold up across Minnesota for the balance of June. The rains over June 2-4 brought anywhere from a half inch to an inch and a half of moisture to many parts of the state. A line of strong thunderstorms on June 2nd brought some 1.25 inches diameter hail to parts of Renville County, as well as wind gusts from 59 to 78 mph in western areas of the state like Stevens, Swift, Pope, Grant, Douglas, Otter Ta...