WeatherTalk Blog

Record dew points for June 29 combined with severe weather

3 days 17 hours ago

Record dew points for June 29 combined with severe weather:Monday, June 29th was by far the warmest day of the summer so far. Afternoon Heat Index Values widely ranged from 100°F to 108°F. There were even some values as high as 110°F to 112°F reported at some western and southern locations. The Heat Index Values were driven by record high dew points.

Daily record high dew points of 78°F occurred at MSP and St Cloud, as well as at Rochester with a dew point of 79°F. There were widespread reports of record dew points between 80°F and 84°F within the state climate station network, especially from western and southern counties.

Some stations reporting dew points of 80°F or higher included:
Preston
Austin
Albert Lea
Dodge Center
St James
New Ulm
Slayton
Worthington
Pipestone
Benson,
Appleton
Morris
Sauk Center
Willmar
Glenwood
Fergus Falls
Princeton

In my 48 years of reporting on Minnesota weather I have never seen such widespread reports of dew points this high in the month of June.

The sultry air mass on June 29 produced some severe weather as well, as there were reports of brief tornadoes in Clay, Becker, and St Louis Counties in the north, as well as reports of large hail from 9 counties, including 3 inch diameter hail near Moorhead. Some thunderstorm related wind gusts topped 60 mph. Many areas of the state reported rainfall from 1 inch to over 3 inches. Some of the record rainfall amounts included:

3.04 inches at Silver Bay
2.63 inches at Brimson
2.59 inches at Two Harbors
2.58 inches at Wolf Ridge
2.07 inches at Tettegouche
1.60 inches at Winnebago

The DNR-State Climatology Office produced a brief summary of these storms on its web site.

Despite ending the month of June with hot and wet weather, the Minnesota landscape entered the month of July with about 19 percent of its land area in Moderate Drought, and 12 percent in Severe Drought.
Weekly Weather Potpourri:According to the BBC and the UK Met Office the month of June was the warmest in history for England and the second warmest for the UK as a whole. There were many record-setting warm days and warm nights during June of 2026, including the highest daily maximum temperature ever measured in the country, 99.9°F at Lingwood in Norfolk on June 26. Record high temperatures were also prevalent during June across many parts of Western Europe and followed on the heals of a warmer than normal month of May.

Speaking of the June Heat Wave in Western Europe, France24 news service reported this week that 2025 people died in France during the June 22-28 Heat Wave. Many of the deaths were in the Paris region. Health officials claimed that this count was preliminary, as a comprehensive survey of deaths attributed to the Heat Wave was not yet available. Many areas of the country reported triple digit temperatures during the Heat Wave. Yet more heat is expected to prevail across the UK, France and Spain beginning this weekend.

The Joint Typhoon Warning Center was tracking two large storms this week in the Western Pacific Ocean. Typhoon Bavi is expected to strengthen and threaten damage to Guam over thw weekend with winds up to 150 mph. Remnants of Typhoon Maysak were bringing rain and wind to Hainan (China) and to portions of Vietnam as it is expected to die out over the weekend.
MPR listener question:We heard that some southeastern areas of the state reported 4 to 6 inches of rainfall on Thursday this week, with one report of 6.66 inches from Caledonia (Houston County). Would that be a statewide record for July 2nd?
Answer:The statewide record for July 2nd is 6.44 inches at Newfolden (Marshall County) in 1901, so yes that would be a new statewide record if the report from Caledonia is deemed accurate. However, I also noticed a report of 7.30 inches from a climate observer at Grand Meadow (Mower County) for July 2nd this week, so indeed that would be a new statewide record. The storms Thursday dumped widespread rains of 4 to 6 inches over portions of Houston, Winona, Fillmore, Mower, and Olmsted Counties, with lots of flooded roads and highways. Some daily record rainfalls reported on that day included:

3.62 inches at La Crescent

April snowfall ranged from 5 inches to 18 inches across most of the northern half of Minnesota. Kelliher and Mahnomen reported over 20 inches. Many areas in the southern half of Minnesota reported just an inch or less of April snowfall.

Severe weather episodes brought large hail, high winds, and tornadoes on April 13 and April 17, the Monday and Friday of Severe Weather Awareness Week. Comprehensive reports of these severe weather episodes are available at the Minnesota State Climatology Office web site.

Speaking of high winds, April was a very windy month. Many climate stations reported between 15 and 18 days with wind gusts of 30 mph or greater. Both Rochester and the Twin Cities reported 20 such days.

There were multiple mornings with fog throughout Minnesota, especially in northern areas, and in contrast, there were numerous days when the relative humidity was extremely low (10-19 percent) with brisk winds and the National Weather Service had to issue Red Flag Warnings for fire danger.

Though farmers made some progress in spring planting during April, by month’s end there was still a long ways to go in terms of the acreage that remained to be planted for most major crops. So in this context the first two weeks of May will be extremely busy for farmers.

Weekly Weather Potpourri:

Congratulations to Paul Huttner, Chief Meteorologist at Minnesota Public Radio since 2007. He retired on April 30th, leaving an outstanding legacy as a forecaster, and also as an educator on climate change. His Climate Cast series of podcasts are still available on the MPR web site for those still interested in learning more about climate change. Thanks for your service Paul and best wishes for a pleasant retirement.

Congratulations as well to Belinda Jensen, retiring Chief Meteorologist at KARE-11 television in Minneapolis. She has ended a 33-year career there and left her mark on so many Minnesotans as an educator about both meteorology and gardening. Very best wishes to her. The KARE-11 web site features a good retrospective of her career.

There is a fascinating article on the Weather Underground web site this week about how the smell or sent of rain varies with the seasons. The rain itself does not smell, but the moistening of the vegetation and soils produces different chemical reactions depending on the season. A lot of this has to do with the aerosols released from plant oils or soil bacteria when they are moistened by rain. What is not surprising is that winter rains produce the most bland smells, as soils are typically cold or frozen and vegetation is dormant.

MPR listener question:

When was the last measurable snowfall during the month of May in the Twin Cities?

Answer:

Although some recent months of May have brought a Trace of snow to the Twin Cities, the last measurable amount of snow was May 3 of 2013 when 0.5 inches was measured. (BTW on that date Dodge Center in SE MN was getting over 15 inches of snow). Before that year, the Twin Cities had reported measurable snowfall in May for 1991 (0.3 inches) and 1989 (0.1 inches). The largest amount of May snowfall in the Twin Cities climate record is 3.0 inches which occurred in 1892, 1935, and 1946.

Twin Cities Almanac for May 1st:

The average MSP high temperature for this date is 64 degrees F (plus or minus 13 degrees F standard deviation), while the average low is 44 degrees F (plus or minus 9 degrees F standard deviation).

MSP Local Records for May 1st:

MSP records for this date: highest daily maximum temperature of 91 degrees F in 1959; lowest daily maximum temperature of 33 degrees F in 1909; lowest daily minimum temperature of 24 degrees F in 1909; highest daily minimum temperature of 64 degrees F in 1934, and record precipitation of 1.26 inches in 1983. Record snowfall for this date is 0.4 inches in 1887.

Average dew point for May 1st is 36°F; the maximum dew point on this date is 66°F in 2001 and the minimum dew point on this date is 8 degrees F in 1958.

All-time statewide records for May 1st:

The state record high temperature for this date is.100 degrees F at Beardsley (Big Stone County) in 1959. The state record low temperature for this date is 5 degrees F at Cook (St Louis County) in 1966. The statewide record for precipitation on this date is 3.83 inches at Winona (Winona County) in 1936. A record 8.0 inches of snow fell at Hinckley (Pine County) on this date in 1909.

Past Weather:

A very late season winter storm moved across Minnesota over April 30 and May 1 in 1909. It brought snow to almost all parts of the state. Many areas reported from 3 to 8 inches of snowfall. Hinckley and Floodwood reported over a foot of snowfall blanketed the landscape in white to start the month of May.

Perhaps the warmest May 1st in state history was in 1959. Many climate stations reported record-setting afternoon high temperatures, mostly in the 80s and 90s F. It was 90°F as far north as Itasca State Park. Beardsley in Big Stone County reported 100°F.

Much of Minnesota reported record-setting cold minimum temperatures on the morning of May 1 in 1966. Many areas of the state saw morning temperatures in the teens, while portions of northeastern Minnesota where there was still snow on the ground reported temperatures in the single digits.

Outlook:

The weekend will start out cool, with morning lows in the 30s F and areas of frost around the state. Somewhat warmer temperatures for Sunday and Monday, but with chances for rain in northern area. Chances for rains in the south by Tuesday, with temperatures much of the week remaining cooler than normal and continued chances for frost Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights.

Mark Seeley

More Severe Weather and Red Flag Warnings

WeatherTalk Blog

2 months 1 week ago

More Severe Weather and Red Flag Warnings:More severe weather and Red Flag Warnings dominated the Minnesota weather headlines since last Friday. Friday, April 17th brought multiple tornadoes and several reports of large hail to southeastern Minnesota counties. Most of the tornadoes were rated EF-0 (65-85 mph winds) or EF-1 (86-110 mph winds), though two tornadoes, both near the Rochester area, were rated EF-2 (111-135 mph winds). These EF-2 tornadoes caused damage to homes and some farm buildings. There were also lots of reports of hail from 1 inch to 2 inches in diameter over the southeastern counties. The Minnesota State Climatology Office web site provides a summary description of the tornadoes and damage from these storms.

The La Crosse, WI National Weather Service web site offers a good online graphical summary of these storms as well.

For Monday through Wednesday of this week much of the state saw Red Flag Warnings each day from the National Weather Service. These warnings were provoked by windy conditions and very low relative humidity values which inflated the risk for wildfires. Many areas of the state reported afternoon relative humidity values between 10 percent and 19 percent. The Minnesota Interagency Command System had 19 wildfires reported across the state on Tuesday as fire danger continues to rise. On Wednesday (Earth Day), the dry air, along with prevailing south winds and sunny skies contributed to record high daily temperatures being reported from many parts of the state. Over 25 long term climate stations reported setting new record high maximum daily temperatures, with very low relative humidity readings. Some of these were:
93°F at Madison (Lac Qui Parle County)
92°F at Artichoke Lake (Big Stone County) and Wheaton (Traverse County)
91°F at Lamberton (Redwood County)
90°F at Redwood Falls, Alexandria, and Marshall
87°F at St Cloud
81°F at International Falls

Forecasts indicate that temperatures will be closer to normal for the balance of the month.

Winds continue to be strong this April with a large number of days bringing 30 mph or greater wind gusts. So far Rochester reports 17 such days, MSP 16 days, and St Cloud and Duluth 15 days.
Weekly Weather Potpourri:The Weather Underground web site reports this week on a study from Climate Central about warming temperatures across the USA since 1970. The state showing the fastest warming is Alaska, where the mean annual temperature has increased by 4.4°F since 1970. Minnesota has warmed by about 2.7°F. Other comparisons can be found in the report at the Climate Central web site.

A recent report in the journal Nature highlights the subsidence of many global river deltas, where millions of people live. Using satellite-based elevation data to track subsidence rates, the researchers examined 40 major river deltas. For some major global river deltas, subsidence loos of elevation exceeds the rate of nearby sea level rise and poses a real threat to continued use of the delta lands for farming, manufacturing, and other human endeavors. The study concludes that strategies should be developed to slow subsidence rates in some areas.

MPR listener question:So much of the climate change news is depressing. I was wondering, from your perspective, how can people think about climate change in a way that feels more grounded and less overwhelming in everyday life?
Answer:I have two suggestions to help cope with the complexities and trauma associated with climate change news. One, get connected to an organization that is doing something about it in many positive ways. Such an organization is the Minnesota Climate Adaption Partnership MCAP) which provides science-based answers and solutions that give us all hope for dealing with our changing climate. Some of their recent work includes the release of Climate and Weather Ready Toolkits and Guidelines for Homeowners, materials designed to help Minnesota homeowners understand and prepare for local weather and climate risks. They address five major threats facing the state — flooding, wildfire, extreme heat, wind and hail, and snow and ice — and were developed in collaboration with the design firm HGA. They are definitely worth checking out. MCAP also presents annual Climate Adaptation Awards which recognize exceptional achievements in climate resilience. The stories and accomplishments of the individuals and organizations that receive these awards are truly inspiring and give hope to us all that we have the ability to successfully adapt and mitigate climate change. You can find much more detail at the MCAP web site.

A second suggestion is to go to the Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) website and listen to archived sessions of Paul Huttner’s Climate Cast, which is a series of information conversations about climate change causes, symptoms, and cures with experts from a variety of professions. Climate Cast will greatly expand your knowledge and understanding of climate change as well as give you more hope for the future. BTW, congratulations to Paul Huttner and his remarkably productive and informative career as Chief Meteorologist at MPR He retires on the last day this month.
Twin Cities Almanac for April 24th:The average MSP high temperature for this date is 61 degrees F (plus or minus 11 degrees F standard deviation), while the average low is 41 degrees F (plus or minus 9 degrees F standard deviation).

MSP Local Records for April 24th:

MSP records for this date: highest daily maximum temperature of 84 degrees F in 1962; lowest daily maximum temperature of 36 degrees F in 1887; lowest daily minimum temperature of 24 degrees F in 1875; highest daily minimum temperature of 62 degrees F in 1915, and record precipitation of 1.43 inches in 1908. Record snowfall for this date is 0.4 inches in 1887.

Average dew point for April 24th is 34°F; the maximum dew point on this date is 66°F in 1948 and the minimum dew point on this date is 8 degrees F in 2018.
All-time statewide records for April 24th:The state record high temperature for this date is 92 degrees F at Madison (Lac Qui Parle County) in 1962 and at several southern and western Minnesota locations in 2009. The state record low temperature for this date is 7 degrees F at Seagull Lake (Cook County) in 2023. The statewide record for precipitation on this date is 5.44 inches at Winona Dam (Winona County) in 1990. A record 15.0 inches of snow fell at Fosston (Polk County) on this date in 1937.
Past Weather:On April 24 of 1909 many citizens of northern Minnesota awoke to record-setting cold temperatures. Morning lows ranged from the single digits to the teens F. Ice was still present on many northern lakes. The afternoon high temperature at Bagley remained below freezing and just reached 30°F.

A late season winter storm brought heavy snowfall to portions of the Iron Range and the north shore of Lake Superior over April 23-24 of 1968. Many areas reported a foot for more of snow. It was the last significant snowfall of the spring that year.

A very warm day prevailed across Minnesota on April 24 of 2009. About half of the state landscape saw afternoon temperatures reach the 80s F, with observers in 11 counties reporting high temperatures of 90°F or higher. Up in Cook County along the north shore of Lake Superior where snow cover remained, the daytime high temperatures remained in the 40s F.
Outlook:Cooler over the weekend, as temperatures fall back closer to normal, There will be slight chances for rain on Saturday and increasing chances by Sunday night. More widespread rain is likely Monday and Tuesday, then drier for the rest of the week as temperatures track a cooler than norma the last few days of April and beginning of May.

Mark Seeley

Rollercoaster Temperature Pattern in April

WeatherTalk Blog

2 months 2 weeks ago

Rollercoaster Temperature Pattern in April:For the first 11 days of April, the average temperatures around the state were generally 4 to 8 degrees F cooler than normal, with many agricultural areas of the state reporting multiple frosts, even some single digit morning low temperatures. But since April 11th, temperatures have averaged 4 to 14 degrees F warmer than normal, with some areas reporting afternoon high temperatures in the 80s F on both the 12th and the 16th. Many climate observers have reported measurable rain on 9 or 10 days this month, as well as wind gusts of 30 mph or greater on 10 or 11 days.

April 13th brought severe weather to portions of southern Minnesota, with tornado reports from Blue Earth, Faribault, and Freeborn Counties. Fortunately, little damage was reported. In addition, 17 southern Minnesota counties reported large hail, ranging in diameter from 1 inch to 3.5 inches. There were reports of car damage and even some damage to buildings due to the hail. It is an interesting coincidence that the first tornadoes of the year, and first widespread hail reports would occur during Severe Weather Awareness Week (April 13-17). A comprehensive summary of the severe weather from April 13th can be found at the Minnesota State Climatology Office web site.

Another wild swing in weather this week can be seen in the dew point temperatures, which is a measure of the water vapor content of the air. Earlier in the week, prior to the severe weather, climate stations reported the first dew points of the year in the 60s F with high values of relative humidity (65 to 85 percent). Three days later, on April 16th, many parts of western Minnesota were under a Red Flag Warning with dew points in the upper 20s F to low 30s F, and relative humidity values only ranging from 10 to 19 percent, exceptionally dry air.
2026 Agricultural Season Getting Underway:Agricultural soils have thawed and drained in most places and farmers are starting to work in coarse textured soils and medium textured soils. In fact, it is estimated that some small grains (mostly oats and spring wheat) have already been planted, while corn planting is just getting underway this week. Soils temperatures at a 4-inch depth are averaging in the upper 40s F to low 50s F around most of the state. Planting will begin at full throttle around the state the week of April 20th. Timely planting is so critical for many producers that they will often work 16 to 20-hour days to take full advantage of good spells of weather. This in part explains why you see so many headlights moving along farm fields at night during the spring.

Over most of the state, rains earlier this month have helped to restore topsoil moisture conditions for planting crops. Some Moderate Drought remains in north-central and southwestern Minnesota. Outlooks for above normal rainfall over the last 10 days of the month should brighten the outlook for good crop germination.
Weekly Weather Potpourri:For those who may be interested, I will be doing a special program with Cathy Wurzer, host of Minnesota Public Radio’s Morning Edition Program, on April 29th from noon to 1pm at the Landmark Center in downtown St Paul. We will talk about our experiences from doing Morning Edition for the last 26 years, as well as doing the State Fair Weather Quiz, sharing stories, weather trivia, listener questions, as well as a few humorous gaffes. The program is free, but seating is limited, so you must register here. Registration is limited to two tickets.

I will be doing another upcoming weather related presentation that may be of interest on April 30, from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm at the Mahtomedi Community Education Center, 1520 Mahtomedi Ave. This one is called “The Art and Science of Cloud Forms & Cloud Appreciation.” We will examine the history of cloud classification, cloud forms and what they tell us about the weather, and cloud art captured in photos from members of the Cloud Appreciation Society. You must register to attend at the Mahtomedi Community Education web site.

As online sources of weather information have become more prolific, the art of headline writing has become more and more oriented to capturing browser’s attention by using stronger or more threatening language about the weather. This is designed to capture the web browser’s attention and get more hits. The UK Meteorological Office has recently undertaken a dissection of weather headlines to investigate how they often do not depict the “official weather forecast” which is usually more balanced or tempered in its jargon and careful not to express complete certainty in what will happen. This week the UK Met Office blog offers some examples of this.
MPR listener question:It wasn’t that many years ago that a new statewide record was set for May snowfall in Minnesota. Can you please remind us where and when it was?
Answer:Yes, the memorable date was May 2 of 2013, when Dodge Center (Dodge County) in southeastern Minnesota reported an all-time record daily snowfall for May of 15.4 inches. Actually, I believe that the National Weather Service was predicting record snowfalls that day, but not quite that much. Dodge Center ended up with 17.2 inches of May snowfall that year, not quite up to the 17.8 inches of May snowfall reported on the Iron Range at Virginia, MN in May of 1954.
Twin Cities Almanac for April 17th:The average MSP high temperature for this date is 57 degrees F (plus or minus 12 degrees F standard deviation), while the average low is 38 degrees F (plus or minus 8 degrees F standard deviation).

MSP Local Records for April 17th:

MSP records for this date: highest daily maximum temperature of 85 degrees F in 1985; lowest daily maximum temperature of 33 degrees F in 1953; lowest daily minimum temperature of 10 degrees F in 1875; highest daily minimum temperature of 61 degrees F in 1976, and record precipitation of 1.44 inches in 1975. Record snowfall for this date is 2.7 inches in 1939.

Average dew point for April 17th is 32°F; the maximum dew point on this date is 62°F in 1977 and the minimum dew point on this date is 4 degrees F in 1989.
All-time statewide records for April 17th:The state record high temperature for this date is 93 degrees F at Stillwater (Washington County) in 2002. The state record low temperature for this date is -5 degrees F at Gunflint Lake (Cook County) in 1983. The statewide record for precipitation on this date is 3.00 inches at Lambert (Red Lake County) in 1896. A record 15.0 inches of snow fell at Wild River State Park (Chisago County) on this date in 2014.
Past Weather:With 3 to 10 inches of snow cover still on the ground, many Minnesota climate stations reported record-setting cold minimum temperatures on the morning of April 17 in 1983. Many areas reported morning lows in the teens, while far northern communities saw single digit temperatures. Portions of Cook, Lake, and St Louis County reported subzero low temperatures. The daytime high temperature at Duluth only reached 27°F.

On perhaps the warmest April 17th in state history, over 60 climate stations set high maximum temperature records on this date in 2002. Over 40 counties reported afternoon temperatures of 80°F or greater. Farmers around the state were quite busy planting crops.

A late season winter storm brought record-setting snowfall amounts to many parts of central Minnesota over April 16-17 of 2014. Most observers reports from 8 to 16 inches of snowfall, but North Branch and Princeton reported over 20 inches of snow. Several schools in east-central Minnesota closed for both April 16th and 17th. There were numerous traffic accidents as well. That April proved to be one of the snowiest in history for parts of the state.
Outlook:Breezy and much cooler over the weekend, with below normal temperatures prevailing. There will be more widespread freezing overnight temperatures too. Then, temperatures will rebound to above normal levels starting on Monday when it will also be quite breezy. For most of next week temperatures will be above normal and not cooling off until next weekend. There will be chances for more rain across the state late on Wednesday and into Thursday.

Mark Seeley

Cool, wet, windy start to April

WeatherTalk Blog

2 months 3 weeks ago

Cool, wet, windy start to April:Through the first nine days of the month, most climate stations are reporting an average monthly temperature that is 4°F to 8°F cooler than normal. Sor far temperature extremes for the month have ranged from 69°F at Wells (Faribault County) on the 8th to -6°F at Mahnomen (Mahnomen County) on the 6th. Temperatures are expected to be near normal or a bit warmer than normal for the balance of the month.

Precipitation so far this month has been above normal in most areas of the state, especially southern and eastern counties. Some areas of southeastern Minnesota have reported over 3 inches, but many other areas have reported between 1 inch and 2.50 inches of precipitation so far. Over April 3-4, a few areas of the state reported record daily precipitation amounts. Some of these included: 1.36 inches at Austin, 1.24 inches at Rochester, and 1.03 inches at Caledonia. This wetter-than-normal weather pattern has dropped the area of the Minnesota landscape affected by Moderate to Severe Drought from 34% to 26%. Most of the state is expected to see above normal precipitation for the balance of the month.

Nearly all of the significant snowfalls this month have been in the northern half of the state, where total April snowfall so far has ranged from 6 inches to 18 inches. A few places like Gonvick (Clearwater County), Mahnomen (Mahnomen County), and Thorhult (Beltrami County) have reported over 19 inches of snowfall. On April 4th, Mahnomen reported a daily record snowfall of 12 inches, and Thorhult a daily record snowfall of 10 inches. With warmer and more humid air expected for the balance of April, it appears that there will be little or no snow for the rest of the month.

So far, April has lived up to its reputation as one of the windiest months of the year. Many areas of the state have reported wind gusts of 30 mph or greater on 5 to 8 days, with some gusts exceeding 50 mph. Rochester reported a 60 mph wind gust on Wednesday of this week (April 8). More strong winds are expected with the weather for this coming weekend and into next week, as there is a possibility for strong thunderstorms too.
Weekly Weather Potpourri:This week’s AGU-EOS Bulletin features a disconcerting article about the removal of the climate science chapter from the Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence that is used by judges for making rulings in scientific cases. This manual has been in play for over 30 years, but Republican Attorney’s General objected to the chapter on climate science and climate change, so it was removed. I am sure that this issue will be revisited in the future as climate science continues to appear in evidence submitted for a variety of court cases.

The Weather Underground reported this week that Hawaii is under another flood watch this week for a tropical disturbance that is bringing heavy rains to all of the islands. This comes on top of record-setting rains and flooding that occurred on many of the islands during the month of March. Those rains and flooding were estimated to have caused a billion dollars in damage.

A recent article published in PLOS Climate (the online non-profit journal for science) highlights the geographic disparities in climate change signals. There no question that measurable climate change is detectable in our wealth of data and official measurements from government agencies, but the magnitude and pace of change is different depending on where you look. For example, this study shows that western areas of the United States are showing more extreme heat, especially in the shoulder seasons, while northern areas are showing a loss of cold during the winter. Similarly, many southwestern areas are showing a decline in annual precipitation, while many northern and eastern areas of the USA are showing increases in average annual precipitation.
MPR listener question:In last week’s Minnesota WeatherTalk Blog you highlighted some of the remarkable April daily and monthly snowfalls that have been recorded in Minnesota. What about highlighting some of the extremes of precipitation in the month of April?
Answer:Historical daily precipitation extremes for April in Minnesota include: 7.07 inches of precipitation at Fosston (Polk County) on April 26 of 1912; 6.90 inches at Morris on April 26 of 1954; 6.70 inches at Northfield on April 20 of 1893; and 6.00 inches at Hector (Renville County) on April 13 of 2018. The extreme for total monthly precipitation is 12.60 inches also at Hector (Renville County) in 2018.
Twin Cities Almanac for April 10th:The average MSP high temperature for this date is 55 degrees F (plus or minus 11 degrees F standard deviation), while the average low is 35 degrees F (plus or minus 8 degrees F standard deviation).

MSP Local Records for April 10th:

MSP records for this date: highest daily maximum temperature of 88 degrees F in 1977; lowest daily maximum temperature of 33 degrees F in 1997; lowest daily minimum temperature of 18 degrees F in 1962; highest daily minimum temperature of 57 degrees F in 1905, and record precipitation of 1.33 inches in 1883. Record snowfall for this date is 6.0 inches in 1891.

Average dew point for April 10th is 29°F; the maximum dew point on this date is 61°F in 2011 and the minimum dew point on this date is 3 degrees F in 1959.
All-time statewide records for April 10th:The state record high temperature for this date is 92 degrees F at Madison (Lac Qui Parle County) and at Browns Valley (Traverse County) in 1977. The state record low temperature for this date is -13 degrees F at Tower (St Louis County) in 1989. The statewide record for precipitation on this date is 3.14 inches at Harmony (Fillmore County) in 2013. A record 14.0 inches of snow fell at Lynd (Lyon County) on this date in 1913.
Past Weather:A late season winter storm brought heavy snowfall to southeastern Minnesota over April 9-10 of 1973. Many areas reported 10 inches to 17 inches of snow. Grand Meadow (Mower County) reported 21 inches of snowfall. Many area schools were close for two days.

Record-setting heat prevailed across Minnesota on April 10 of 1977. Many areas reported afternoon temperatures in the 80s F, while Browns Valley (Traverse County) and Madison (Lac Qui Parle County) reported high temperatures of 92°F. Even the overnight low temperatures were record warm, with many readings in the upper 50s F to mid 60s F.

Record-setting cold temperatures prevailed across Minnesota on April 10 of 1989. Most areas reported morning lows in the teens or single digits. Up north where snow cover was still present, climate observers in 7 counties reported subzero low temperatures. At Hallock (Kittson County) the afternoon high temperature only reached 25°F.
Outlook:Very breezy with a chance for showers, perhaps even thunderstorms over the weekend. It will be humid, with temperatures well above normal for Sunday and Monday. It will remain warmer than normal in southern Minnesota through most of next week, with daily chances for showers and even thunderstorms. In the north, it will cool down closer to normal for much of next week, with chances for rain, especially in the mid-week period.

Mark Seeley

Recent trends in April snowfall

WeatherTalk Blog

3 months ago

Recent trends in April snowfall:Since April of 2000 most years have brought at least a trace of snowfall to the Twin Cities during the first week of April (April 1-7). The list below shows the percentage of April 1-7 that delivered some type of snow to the Twin Cities over the past 26 years (2000-2025)

87% brought at least a trace of snow
42% brought a measurable amount of snowfall (0.1 inches or greater)
31% brought a snowfall of at least 1.0 inches or greater

With snow I the forecast for Friday night and Saturday, the Twin Cities will report snow during the first week of April for 5 consecutive years (2022-2026)

Since April is a huge transition month weather wise, these percentages are interesting to compare to the last week of April (April 24-30). The list below shows the percentage of April 24-30 that delivered some type of snow to the Twin Cities over the past 26 years (2000-2025)

38% brought at least a trace of snow
8% brought a measurable amount of snowfall (0.1 inches or greater)
4% brought a snowfall of at least 1.0 inches or greater

Former State Climatologist Jim Zandlo made a concerted effort in the 1990s to expand the snowfall observation networks in Minnesota. His good work allowed for a better geographical picture of snowfall variation across the state. With the more expansive network it is far more insightful to examine year to year variations in snowfall across Minnesota, as well as the huge disparities in total snowfall that occur geographically.

In this context, I examined the range in total April snowfall across Minnesota for each year since 2000. The geographical variations can be extreme, for example 0 inches in many places to 55 inches at Island Lake in St Louis County in the year 2013. More importantly, the north-central and northeastern counties (especially along Lake Superior), very consistently report the highest April total snowfall amounts, even in Aprils where the rest of the state reports zero snowfall. The list below summarizes the range in total April snowfall across Minnesota since the year 2000. Please note the enormous variation in selected years.

2000 0-12 inches 2001 0-21 inches 2002 0-20 inches 2003 0-18 inches

2004 0-2 inches 2005 0-1 inches 2006 0-4 inches 2007 0-16 inches

2008 0-46 inches 2009 0-19 inches 2010 0-Trace 2011 0-22 inches

2012 0-25 inches 2013 0-55 inches 2014 0-28 inches 2015 0-10 inches

2016 0-16 inches 2017 0-8 inches 2018 0-43 inches 2019 0-26 inches

2020 0-12 inches 2021 0-6 inches 2022 0-29 inches 2023 0-32 inches

2024 0-9 inches 2025 0-18 inches

Extreme values for April are striking: maximum one day snowfall of 28 inches at Pigeon River (Cook County) on April 5 of 1933, and a monthly total snowfall of 55.6 inches at Island Lake (St Louis County) in April of 2013.
It will be interesting to see what the variation in April snowfall looks like this year.
Weekly Weather Potpourri:The Weather Underground web site reported this week that a record warm March occurred in scores of cities from Texas and the western states. Phoenix, AZ reported its warmest March in history, surpassing the previous record by 6.5°F. Many other major cities reported their warmest month of March as well, including Dallas, San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Albuquerque, Denver, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and San Francisco. A record-setting 11-day Heat Wave contributed mightily to this warm March, with many areas reporting several days of 100°F or greater temperatures.

A recent study from the University of Alaska examined the decline in landfast sea ice around northern Alaska. The study, published by the AGU documents the rapid loss of semi-permanent sea ice, especially in the Beaufort Sea. In many areas, the ice forms later in the fall and breaks up earlier in the spring. Researchers suggest that this means more dangerous travel, uncertain hunting conditions, and greater exposure to coastal erosion for cultures living in the area.
MPR listener question:Has there ever been an April when no snowfall occurred across Minnesota?
Answer:This is difficult to answer because in the first 100 years or so of state climate records the snowfall reports were very sparse geographically speaking, and so a large area of the state that is today known to reliably report snow in April had no data to report. But for the modern era, the only year I can find when April delivered no measurable amounts of snowfall was 2010. That April only a handful of places like Grand Portage and Gunflint Lake reported a trace of snow in April.
Twin Cities Almanac for April 3rd:The average MSP high temperature for this date is 51 degrees F (plus or minus 11 degrees F standard deviation), while the average low is 32 degrees F (plus or minus 8 degrees F standard deviation).

MSP Local Records for April 3rd:

MSP records for this date: highest daily maximum temperature of 80 degrees F in 1921; lowest daily maximum temperature of 24 degrees F in 1874; lowest daily minimum temperature of 9 degrees F in 1954; highest daily minimum temperature of 52 degrees F in 1921, and record precipitation of 0.84 inches in 1974. Record snowfall for this date is 7.5 inches in 2018.

Average dew point for April 3rd is 26°F; the maximum dew point on this date is 58°F in 1956 and the minimum dew point on this date is -5 degrees F in 1954.
All-time statewide records for April 3rd:The state record high temperature for this date is 86 degrees F at Beardsley (Big Stone County) in 1929. The state record low temperature for this date is -19 degrees F at Big Falls (Koochiching County) in 1954 and at Thorhult (Beltrami County) in 1975. The statewide record for precipitation on this date is 3.05 inches at Farmington (Dakota County) in 1934. A record 15.0 inches of snow fell at Warroad (Roseau County) on this date in 1959 and at Hovland (Cook County) in 2025..
Past Weather:Record-setting high maximum temperatures prevailed in southern and western Minnesota on April 3 of 1921. Observers in 10 counties reported a maximum temperature of 80°F or greater, and most other counties reported temperatures in the 70s F. There was no snow on the ground, so even nighttime temperatures remained in the 50s F in many areas.

Bitter cold prevailed across the state on April 3 of 1954. With 10 to 20 inches of snow on the ground, many climate stations reported record-setting low temperatures. Morning lows ranged from the single digits to -19°F in the far north. Park Rapids reported an afternoon high temperature of 12°F.

Last year (2025), over April 1-3, a late season winter storm brought rain and snow to most of Minnesota, some of it in record amounts. Many western and northern sections of the state reported from 10 inches to 15 inches of snowfall. Observers near Fergus Falls and Hovland reported over 15 inches. In some cases, it was the largest dose of snow for the 2024-2025 snow season.
Outlook:A rain/snow mix is in store for many places on Saturday, with areas of heavy snow in the west and north and perhaps some freezing rain across central MN and west-central WI. It will be sunnier but still cool on Sunday with a slight chance of snow in the north. Cool weather continues for early next week, with a warm up on Wednesday and increasing chances for rain or snow as we migrate towards the end of next week.

Mark Seeley

Preliminary Climate Summary for March 2026

WeatherTalk Blog

3 months 1 week ago

Preliminary Climate Summary for March 2026:The weather during March was dramatically variable. Most climate stations will report a mean monthly temperature that ranges from 1.0°F above normal to 6.0°F above normal, with the greatest warmth in the southern part of the state which had erratic and mostly sparse snow cover during the month. This March is the 12th year out of the most recent 14 years that has brought warmer than normal mean temperatures to the state. Extremes for the month were -31°F at Seagull Lake (Cook County) on March 1st to 85°F at Pipestone and Worthington on March 21st. The 85°F reading on March 21st was a new statewide record high maximum for the date and the earliest ever in the year for a reading that high in Minnesota.

Minnesota reported the lowest temperature in the 48 contiguous states only 4 times this month. Within the statewide climate network, there were over 80 reports of new daily high maximum temperature records set, as well as 40 reports of new daily high minimum temperature records that were set. The Minnesota State Climatology web site features a write-up of all the records set on March 21st.

Precipitation during March was highly variable. Some areas of the state reported over twice the normal monthly values. Observers in Winona, Mower, Wabasha, Steele,, and Dodge Counties reported over 3 inches of precipitation for the month. Observers in Murray, Cass, Pennington, Hubbard, Clay, Red Lake, Norman, and Lake of the Woods Counties reported less than half an inch of total precipitation. Many others reported a total precipitation from 0.75 inches to 1.50 inches. Within the statewide climate network, there were 30 reports of record daily amounts of precipitation, including 1.16 inches at Rochester and 1.42 inches at Red Wing on March 6th. The drought situation remained pretty much unchanged during the month from beginning to end. The end of the month picture shows about 31 percent of the state landscape in Moderate Drought and about 3 percent in Severe Drought.

Snowfall too was highly variable, with most climate stations reporting from 4 inches to 10 inches. Observers in Cook, St Louis, Brown, and Wabasha Counties reported over 2 feet of monthly snowfall. Within the statewide climate network, there were 40 reports of record daily snowfall amounts, including 13.2 inches at Theilman and 12.4 inches at Rochester on March 15th. The month will end with about three-quarters of the state showing no snow cover.

Blizzards and high winds garnered weather headlines during the month, especially over March 12-16. There were many reports of wind gusts over 60 mph, and even some record-setting wind gust reports of 70 mph or greater. For Rochester and Redwood Falls, nearly half of the days in the month brought wind gusts of 30 mph or greater.
Weekly Weather Potpourri:This week’s AGU-EOS Bulletin features an article about the loss of glacial ice in the eastern Alps of Austria (near the Austria-Italy border). The ice cores from these glaciers were taken in 2019 down to a depth of 31 feet and revealed an interesting climate record close to a thousand years in length. Evidence for deposition by dust storms and volcanic activity dominate the early climate records. But since 2019, climate change has provoked a rapid loss in glacier ice, now estimated to be only about 18 feet deep. So reconstruction of past climates from the eastern Alps may become nigh impossible in the future.

The Weather Channel web site features an interesting article this week about how climate change played a role in the March Heat Wave that plagued areas of the western USA. Over 180 all-time high temperature records were set. Many locations reported daily maximum temperatures of 100°F or greater, as high as 112°F in Arizona. Very warm conditions are expected to prevail in April as well.

The Nation reported earlier this week that a massive Kona Low pressure system brought record or near-record rainfall to parts of Hawaii. Many areas received a month’s worth of rainfall. Some damage estimates exceed $1 billion. Over 130,000 customers lost power during the storm and clean up efforts will take a long time.
MPR listener question:We saw you and Paul Douglas on TPT Almanac last Friday, and you both spoke confidently that you think the 2026 growing season will be hotter than normal and perhaps drier than normal. What is your basis for this opinion?
Answer:We were both speaking from the indications in the North American Multi-Model Ensemble outlook models for the coming May through September period. The multi-models (at least 7 different versions) unanimously favor a warmer than normal growing season for our areas of the USA, and most of the agricultural areas of the country. In addition, though not unanimous, most of the models favor a drier than normal growing season, especially the mid-summer period. So it is likely to be a growing season when our crops will use most of the soil moisture recharge that is stored in the rootzone.
Twin Cities Almanac for March 27th:The average MSP high temperature for this date is 47 degrees F (plus or minus 12 degrees F standard deviation), while the average low is 30 degrees F (plus or minus 10 degrees F standard deviation).

MSP Local Records for March 27th:

MSP records for this date: highest daily maximum temperature of 75 degrees F in 1946; lowest daily maximum temperature of 24 degrees F in 1965; lowest daily minimum temperature of 5 degrees F in 1921; highest daily minimum temperature of 57 degrees F in 1910, and record precipitation of 1.52 inches in 1998. Record snowfall for this date is 5.6 inches also in 1965.

Average dew point for March 27th is 25°F; the maximum dew point on this date is 58°F in 1989 and the minimum dew point on this date is -1 degrees F in 2015.
All-time statewide records for March 27th:The state record high temperature for this date is 88 degrees F at Winona Dam (Winona County) in 2007. The state record low temperature for this date is -29 degrees F at Red Lake Falls (Red Lake County) in 1955. The statewide record for precipitation on this date is 2.70 inches at Two Harbors (Lake County) in 1975. A record 15.0 inches of snow fell at Virginia (St Louis County) also on this date in 1975.
Past Weather:With one to two feet of snow cover on the ground, mid-winter type temperatures prevailed across Minnesota on March 27 of 1955. Nearly two-thirds of the state reported subzero morning low temperatures, with six northern counties reported readings of -20°F or colder. The afternoon high temperature at Argyle (Marshall County) was only 9°F.

A late season winter storm brought a mixture of rain, sleet, and heavy snow to much of northern Minnesota over March 27-29 of 1975. Many northern areas reported 10 to 15 inches of snow. Virginia on the Iron Range reported over 17 inches. Some schools closed on the Friday (March 28) giving the students and staff a long weekend to clean up.

With little or no snow cover and sunny skies, there were scores of record high daily temperatures reported around Minnesota on March 27 of 2007. Most areas reported afternoon temperatures in the 70s F, while observers in 20 central and southern counties reported temperatures of 80°F or higher. Caledonia and Winona reported a record warm minimum temperature too of 51°F.
Outlook:Mostly sunny, breezy, and warmer over the weekend and into early next week with well above normal temperatures mostly in the southern two thirds of the state. In the far north, there will be small chances of rain or snow each day Monday through Thursday. In the south, temperatures will cool down on Wednesday and Thursday with chances for rain or snow.

Mark Seeley

Back-to-back snowstorms with high winds

WeatherTalk Blog

3 months 2 weeks ago

Back-to-back snowstorms with high winds:March 12-16 brought powerful back-to-back winter storms across portions of Minnesota, not uncommon for the month of March. The first storm over March 12-13 brought extremely high winds (above 60 mph wind gusts in many areas) and heavy snowfalls to northeastern areas of the state, especially the north shore landscapes along Lake Superior. Many areas reported 9 to 13 inches of snow, with blizzard conditions as well. A few long term climate stations reported daily record snowfalls, including:
7.8 inches at Brimson
7.0 inches at Embarrass and Two Harbors
6.8 inches at Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center

This March 12-13 storm brought remarkably high winds. Many areas, including the Twin Cities, reported wind gusts of 60 mph or greater. For a few locations record-setting March wind gusts were reported, including
53 mph at St Cloud (record for March 13)
60 mph at MSP (record for March 13 and highest since March of 2017)
69 mph at Rochester, record for the month of March
70 mph at Benson and Tracy, record for the month of March
71 mph at Redwood Falls, 2nd highest March wind gust ever at that location

After a brief lull in the weather, a second winter storm passed across Minnesota beginning late on March 14th and exiting early on March 16th. This storm delivered a swath of snowfall ranging from 6 inches to 18 inches across the southern half of the state. A few areas of Wabasha County reported over 20 inches of snow from the storm. Winds gusted between 40 mph and 55 mph, making for blizzard conditions over a wide area of southern Minnesota, including the Twin Cities. A number of long-term climate stations reported record daily amounts of snow. Among those reports were:
17 inches at Lake City (Goodhue County)
13.2 inches at Theilman (Wabasha County)
13.0 inches at Elgin (Wabasha County)
12.4 inches at Rochester (Olmsted County)
11.5 inches at Red Wing (Goodhue County)
11.0 inches at Owatonna (Steele County)
9.0 inches at Wells (Faribault County)
8.0 inches at Pipestone (Pipestone County)

As the storm passed on into Wisconsin and Upper Michigan it gathered even more moisture from the south and produced even more record-setting amounts of snowfall. Across many parts of Wisconsin, two-day snowfall totals ranged from 20 inches to over 30 inches. Many new daily record amounts of snowfall were reported from long-term climate stations, including:
29 inches at Florence
24.0 inches at Forestville
23.4 inches at Wausau
18.2 inches at Appleton
17.1 inches at Green Bay
16.5 inches at Mondovi

Across Upper Michigan, the storm produced two-day snowfall totals ranging from 25 inches to 45 inches, with many long-term daily snowfall records broken. Some of these included:
34 inches at Herman
29 inches at Watton
24.6 inches at Petosky
22 inches at Escanaba
21.7 inches at Marquette
21 inches at Cheybogan
18 inches at Manistique and Charlevoix

For Minnesota, many areas of the state have now received between 10 inches and 20 inches of snowfall for the month. Despite this, portions of north-central and southwestern Minnesota remain in Moderate Drought according to the U.S. Drought monitor, and areas of Carlton, Pine, and Aitkin Counties in eastern Minnesota remain in Severe Drought. Yet more snow may come to northern areas of the state before March ends, and the new NOAA Climate Prediction Center outlook for April favors above normal precipitation across all of the state. So drought may yet be alleviated by the spring planting season at least in some parts of the state.

Weekly Weather Potpourri:
According to the Weather Underground, an expanding Sonoran Heat Ridge has already produced widespread record-setting heat across many western states, including CA, AZ, NV, and OR. Dozens of record high temperatures have been reported over the past week. On Wednesday, a reporting station east of North Shore, California, southeast of Palm Springs, recorded a high of 108 degrees. This tied the highest March temperature ever measured in the USA. That same day, Phoenix reported a record high of 102°F. The Heat Wave is expected to persist into at least early next week.

A recent paper in the journal Global Change Biology reveals an increased frequency in tropical peatland wildfires over recent decades. In fact, the current frequency of such wildfires is unprecedented in at least the last 2000 years. This had caused widespread disruption of tropical ecosystems and increases in carbon emissions to the atmosphere. Much of the increased frequency is attributed to intentional landscape drainage combined with intensified drought. The researchers conclude that “conservation and sustainable land-use practices could be used to mitigate and control peatland burning and protect these carbon-rich sinks.”
MPR listener question:After hearing reports of 70 mph wind gusts in Minnesota with last week’s snowstorm, we were wondering what is the highest measured wind speed associated with a March storm in Minnesota? We thought you might know.
Answer:First of all, there have surely been wind gusts over 100 mph in Minnesota, but probably all associated with tornadoes. Although rare, there have been a number of years in Minnesota’s climate history when tornadoes were reported in March. Perhaps the most well known episode was on March 29 of 1998 when 14 tornadoes tracked across the landscape of southern Minnesota, causing widespread damage. The tornado that damage Comfrey and St Peter had a maximum wind speed estimated over 200 mph (EF-4).

From large-scale winter storms like the ones we had last week, the highest measured wind speed was likely associated with the ice storm at Duluth on March 26 of 1950. The Weather Service Office in Duluth measured wind gusts as high as 85 mph with that storm.
Twin Cities Almanac for March 20th:The average MSP high temperature for this date is 44 degrees F (plus or minus 12 degrees F standard deviation), while the average low is 27 degrees F (plus or minus 10 degrees F standard deviation).

MSP Local Records for March 20th:

MSP records for this date: highest daily maximum temperature of 66 degrees F in 1938; lowest daily maximum temperature of 12 degrees F in 1951; lowest daily minimum temperature of -9 degrees F in 1965; highest daily minimum temperature of 57 degrees F in 2012, and record precipitation of 0.86 inches in 1921. Record snowfall for this date is 7.0 inches also in 1886.

Average dew point for March 20th is 22°F; the maximum dew point on this date is 59°F in 2012 and the minimum dew point on this date is -12 degrees F in 1965.
All-time statewide records for March 20th:The state record high temperature for this date is 80 degrees F at Cannon Falls, Redwood Falls, St James, and Theilman in 1990. The state record low temperature for this date is -37 degrees F at For Ripley (Crow Wing County) in 1872 and at Bigfork (Itasca County) in 1965. The statewide record for precipitation on this date is 2.12 inches at Browns Valley (Traverse County) in 1982. A record 15.0 inches of snow fell at Browns Valley also on this date in 1982.
Past Weather:On a statewide basis, March 20 of 1965 was the coldest in state history with over 100 climate stations setting record cold minimum temperature readings. Snow cover across the state varied from 1 foot to 3 feet. Most of the state was gripped by subzero temperatures There were many readings of -30°F or colder in northern counties, and in southern Minnesota it was as cold as -20°F (Preston). The daytime high temperature at Roseau only made 7°F.

A winter storm brought heavy snowfall to portions of central and northern Minnesota over March 20-21 of 1982. Many areas reported 8 inches to 14 inches of snowfall. Browns Valley (Traverse County) reported over 20 inches. Fortunately, the heavy snowfall came on a weekend, so it did not force any school closures.

Undoubtedly, March 20 of 2012 was the warmest in state history, with over 120 Minnesota climate stations reporting a new record high maximum temperature for the date. Many communities reported afternoon temperatures of 70°F or higher, with a few places reporting 80°F.
Outlook: It will be sunny with very warm temperatures for southern portions of Minnesota this Saturday, perhaps even approaching 80°F which is the statewide record high for March 21st. In northern areas of the state it will be cloudy and cooler with chances for mixed precipitation. Cooler yet on Sunday with chances for snow in northern areas. Generally cloudy but with warmer than normal temperatures across southern Minnesota for the week ahead and chances for rain later in the week. In northern areas, daily temperatures will be cooler with off and on chances for snow.

Mark Seeley

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