Preliminary August Climate Summary

Preliminary August Climate Summary:

For many climate stations in Minnesota, especially in the northern half of the state, the mean August temperature will end up being very close to normal, perhaps a degree either side of normal. For many southern Minnesota climate stations, the mean August temperature will range from 1°F to 3°F above normal. Only observers in Clay, Sherburne, Norman, Polk. Lyon, and Red Lake Counties reported a daily high temperature of 90°F or higher. Most days brought temperatures in the 70s F and 80s F. Extremes for the month ranged from 98°F at Red Lake Falls on the 2nd to 33°F at Tower on the 19th. Not many temperature records were reported from within the state climate station network.

Most climate observers reported below normal rainfall for the month, except for some locations in south-central and southeastern Minnesota where a few heavy thunderstorms occurred. A few places reported some record daily rainfall, including:

3.25” at Grand Meadow on the 1st
2.18” at Albert Lea on the 1st
2.72” at Winnebago on the 8th
1.15” at Cass Lake on the 15th

Not many days brought rainfall to most locations. Some locations reported rainfall on only 6 or fewer days, and mostly light amounts. Many observers reported less than 1 inch of rainfall for the month. Scattered showers expected over the last three days of August may add modestly to these totals.

As a result of the mostly sparse rainfall, drought worsened across the state. The U.S. Drought Monitor reports this week that over 30 percent of the state landscape is in Moderate Drought, while 45 percent is in Severe Drought and 3 percent in Extreme Drought. Early in June these percentages were only 14 percent Moderate Drought and 1 percent Severe Drought. So the summer has not been kind to Minnesota crops. According to USDA Weekly Crop Condition Reports, the condition of corn and soybeans has continued to decline week by week during August. The latest reports from this week show that 64 percent of the state corn crop is still in good to excellent condition with some corn fields already reaching maturity. Reports on the soybean crop this week show that 65 percent is in good to excellent condition with some of the fields already dropping leaves.

BTW one other notable feature of the August climate is that winds were diminished and generally less than average, with several periods of calm. This is distinctively in contrast to most of the months this year which brought above normal wind speeds.

Weekly Weather Potpourri:

The BBC reported that a glacier collapse was the main cause of devastating flash flooding in Nepal and Tibet this week. There was widespread destruction and death as enormous volumes of fast-moving water washed away villages, roads, and bridges.

The Weather Channel web site featured an article this week about how the human body senses heat and cold and what new research is showing about how human cells respond to extreme temperatures. This research may be useful to the medical profession in guidance for taking care of ourselves in extreme heat or extreme cold.

MPR listener question:

Now that we are almost through August, can you tell us how this summer ranked historically in terms of temperature? Seems like a hot one.

Answer:

Yes, it was a warmer than normal summer. On a statewide basis this June through August period will likely fall among the warmest 20 in history. For the Twin Cities Metro Area, it will likely be the 5th warmest summer in history, trailing only 2021, 1988, 1933, and 2012.

Twin Cities Almanac for August 28th:

The average MSP high temperature for this date is 79 degrees F (plus or minus 9 degrees F standard deviation), while the average low is.61 degrees F (plus or minus 7 degrees F standard deviation).

MSP Local Records for August 28th:

MSP records for this date include: highest daily maximum temperature of 94 degrees F in 1955; lowest daily maximum temperature of 61 degrees F in 1935; lowest daily minimum temperature of 42 degrees F in 1934; highest daily minimum temperature of 75 degrees F in 1969; record precipitation of 1.11 inches in 1950. No snowfall has been reported on this date.

Average dew point for August 28th is 59°F; the maximum dew point on this date is 77°F in 1955; and the minimum dew point on this date is 34°F in 1946.

All-time statewide records for August 28th:

The state record high temperature for this date is 104 degrees F at Canby (Yellow Medicine County) in 1937. The state record low temperature for this date is 21 degrees F at Tower (St Louis County) in 1986. The state record precipitation for this date is 6.00 inches at Litchfield (Meeker County) in 1960. No snowfall has been reported on this date.

Past Weather:

August 28, 1984 was the hottest in history with most parts of the state reporting afternoon temperatures in the 90s F. In the west, portions of Lyon, Marshall, Clay, Norman, and Traverse Counties saw the thermometer top 100°F.

Portions of ten northern Minnesota counties reported frost on the morning of August 28, 1986. Tower, Thorhult, Hibbing, and Cotton reported morning lows in the 20s F.

August 28-29, 2002 brought heavy thunderstorms to northwestern Minnesota and the Red River Valley. Many climate stations reported 2-5 inches of rain with hail. Red Lake Falls and Argyle reported nearly 6 inches of rainfall. It was the last heavy rains of a very wet summer in northwestern Minnesota.

Outlook:

Warmer than normal temperatures for Saturday through Monday with a chance for showers and thunderstorms Saturday and again on Monday and Tuesday. Temperatures will generally remain a bit warmer than normal next week, with periodic chances for showers, especially in the southern half of the state.