List of Minnesota weather records
The following is a list of Minnesota weather records observed at various stations across the state during the Over 160 years. Minnesota is a state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. Due to its location in the northern plains of the United States its climate is one of extremes. Minnesota's history of nearly continuous meteorological record keeping stretches back two centuries to 1819 when Fort Snelling was settled. By 1871 the first official government observations were taking place in the Twin Cities and by the late 19th century and early 20th century most statewide stations that exist today were in operation.[1][2]
Temperature
[edit]Overall
[edit]
| Event[3] | Measurement | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highest Temperature | 115 °F (46.1 °C) | July 29, 1917 | Beardsley |
| Lowest Temperature | −60 °F (−51.1 °C) | February 2, 1996 | Tower |
| Largest single-day change | 72 °F (40 °C) | February 2, 1970 | Nett Lake[4] |
By month
[edit]| Climate data for Minnesota | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 69 (21) |
76 (24) |
88 (31) |
101 (38) |
112 (44) |
110 (43) |
115 (46) |
110 (43) |
111 (44) |
98 (37) |
84 (29) |
74 (23) |
115 (46) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −57 (−49) |
−60 (−51) |
−50 (−46) |
−22 (−30) |
0 (−18) |
15 (−9) |
24 (−4) |
12 (−11) |
10 (−12) |
−16 (−27) |
−47 (−44) |
−57 (−49) |
−60 (−51) |
| [citation needed] | |||||||||||||
| Event[1] | Measurement | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | |||
| Highest Temperature | 69 °F (20.6 °C) | January 24, 1981 | Montevideo |
| Lowest Temperature | −57 °F (−49.4 °C) | January 20, 1869 January 24, 1904 January 20, 1996 |
Embarrass Cohasset Tower |
| February | |||
| Highest Temperature | 76 °F (24.4 °C) | February 26, 1896 | Pleasant Mound |
| Lowest Temperature | −60 °F (−51.1 °C) | February 2, 1996 | Tower |
| March | |||
| Highest Temperature | 88 °F (31.1 °C) | March 23, 1910 | Montevideo |
| Lowest Temperature | −50 °F (−45.6 °C) | March 2, 1897 | Pine City Cohasset |
| April | |||
| Highest Temperature | 101 °F (38.3 °C) | April 22, 1980 | Hawley |
| Lowest Temperature | −22 °F (−30 °C) | April 6, 1979 April 6, 1982 |
Karlstad Tower |
| May | |||
| Highest Temperature | 112 °F (44.4 °C) | May 31, 1934 | Maple Plain |
| Lowest Temperature | 0 °F (−17.8 °C) | May 9, 1916 | Grand Rapids |
| June | |||
| Highest Temperature | 110 °F (43.3 °C) | June 29, 1931 June 24, 1988 |
Canby Browns Valley |
| Lowest Temperature | 15 °F (−9.4 °C) | June 1, 1964 | Bigfork |
| July | |||
| Highest Temperature | 115 °F (46.1 °C) | July 29, 1917 | Beardsley |
| Lowest Temperature | 24 °F (−4.4 °C) | July 7, 1997 and July 13, 2009 | Tower and Kelliher |
| August | |||
| Highest Temperature | 110 °F (43.3 °C) | August 10, 1947 August 1, 1988 |
Beardsley Montevideo Madison |
| Lowest Temperature | 12 °F (−11.1 °C) | August 23, 1936 | Tower |
| September | |||
| Highest Temperature | 111 °F (43.9 °C) | September 11, 1931 | Beardsley |
| Lowest Temperature | 10 °F (−12.2 °C) | September 30, 1930 September 22, 1974 |
Big Falls Thorhult |
| October | |||
| Highest Temperature | 98 °F (36.7 °C) | October 5, 1963 | Beardsley |
| Lowest Temperature | −16 °F (−26.7 °C) | October 26, 1936 | Roseau |
| November | |||
| Highest Temperature | 84 °F (28.9 °C) | November 1, 1950 November 4, 2020 |
Winona Granite Falls |
| Lowest Temperature | −47 °F (−43.9 °C) | November 25, 1945 | Pine City |
| December | |||
| Highest Temperature | 74 °F (23.3 °C) | December 9, 1939 | Wheaton |
| Lowest Temperature | −57 °F (−49.4 °C) | December 31, 1898 | Pine City |
Precipitation
[edit]
| Event[3] | Measurement | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Most yearly precip (one location) | 60.21 inches (1,529 mm) | 2018 | Harmony |
| Least yearly precip (one location) | 6.37 inches (162 mm) | 1976 | Ortonville |
| Most yearly precip (State average) | 33.92 inches (862 mm)[5] | 1977 | Statewide |
| Longest dry spell | 79 days | November 9, 1943 - January 26, 1944 |
Beardsley, Canby, Marshall, Dawson |
Rain
[edit]| Event | Measurement | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Most rain in 24 hours[6] | 15.10 inches (384 mm) | August 18–19, 2007 | Hokah |
| Most rain in one month[7] | 23.86 inches (606 mm) | August 2007 | Hokah |
Snow
[edit]| Event[3] | Measurement | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earliest recorded snow[1] | Trace | August 31, 1949 | Duluth |
| Earliest measurable snow | 0.3 inch (1 cm) | September 14, 1964 | International Falls |
| Latest recorded snow | 1.5 inches (4 cm) | June 4, 1935 | Mizpah |
| Most snow, 24 hours | 36 inches (91 cm) | January 7, 1994 | Lake County |
| Most snow, one storm | 47 inches (119 cm) | January 6–8, 1994 | Lake County |
| Most snow, one month[8] | 66 inches (168 cm) | March, 1965 | Collegeville |
| Most snow, season | 170 inches (432 cm) | 1949 – 1950 | Grand Portage State Park |
| Deepest snowpack[8] | 75 inches (191 cm) | March 28, 1950 | Pigeon River Bridge |
| Most fatalities, winter storm[9] | up to 200 | January 12–13, 1888 | Statewide |
Tornadoes
[edit]
| Event[10] | Date | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Most in one day | 48[11] | June 17, 2010 | Statewide |
| Most in one month | 71 | June 2010 | Statewide |
| Most in one year | 113 | 2010 | Statewide |
| Earliest in season[12] | March 6, 2017 | Faribault County | |
| Earliest outbreak in season (2 or more)[13] | 3 | March 6, 2017 | Sherburne, Faribault, and Freeborn counties |
| Latest in season | December 15, 2021 | Eyota | |
| Latest outbreak in season (2 or more)[14] | 22 | December 15, 2021 | Dodge, Fairbault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Houston, Mower, Steele, Wabasha, and Winona counties |
| Most fatalities, single tornado | 72 | April 14, 1886 | St. Cloud, Sauk Rapids, Rice |
| Most intense damage measured[15] | F5 | June 13, 1968 June 16, 1992 |
Tracy Chandler |
| Longest track (broken path)[16] |
110 miles (177 km) | August 26, 1977 | Otter Tail, Wadena, Cass, Crow Wing counties |
| Longest track (continuous path)[16] |
67 miles (108 km) | March 29, 1998 | Murray, Cottonwood, Brown, Watonwan, Blue Earth, Nicollet counties |
| Biggest outbreak | 48 | June 2010 Northern Plains tornado outbreak | Statewide |
Hail
[edit]| Event | Measurement | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largest hailstone | 6 inches (15 cm) dia. | July 4, 1968 July 28, 1986 |
Edgerton[17] Reading[18] |
Flooding
[edit]
Record flood stages for selected cities in Minnesota
| Event | Measurement | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Fork, Whitewater River | |||
| Highest flood stage[20] | 19.24 ft | August 19, 2007 | Whitewater State Park |
| Root River | |||
| Highest flood stage[20] | 18.75 ft | August 19, 2007 | Houston |
| Red River of the North | |||
| Highest flood stage[21] | 40.82 ft | March 28, 2009 | Moorhead |
| Highest flood stage[22] | 54.35 ft | April 22, 1997 | East Grand Forks |
| Minnesota River | |||
| Highest flood stage[23] | 23.90 ft | April 6, 1997 | Montevideo |
| Highest flood stage[24] | 35.07 ft | April 12, 1965 | Jordan |
| Mississippi River | |||
| Highest flood stage[25] | 26.01 ft | April 16, 1965 | St. Paul |
| Highest flood stage[26] | 20.77 ft | April 19, 1965 | Winona |
Other records
[edit]
| Event | Measurement | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highest Pressure[3] | 31.11 inHg (1053.5 mb) | January 21, 1922 | Collegeville |
| Lowest Pressure[27] | 28.21 inHg (956 mb)[28] | October 26, 2010 | Bigfork |
| Highest dew point | 88 °F (31 °C) | July 18, 2011 July 19, 2011 |
Madison Moorhead |
| Highest heat index | 134 °F (57 °C) | July 19, 2011 | Moorhead |
| Lowest wind chill (estimated)[3] | −100 °F (−73 °C) (old formula) −77 °F (−61 °C) (new formula) |
January 9–10, 1982 – January 29, 2019 |
Thief River Falls |
| Highest wind (sustained)[29] | 121 mph (194 km/h) | September 1, 2011 | Donaldson |
| Highest wind (gust)[1] | 180 mph (290 km/h) | August 20, 1904 | St. Paul |
See also
[edit]- General
- Large-scale events that affected Minnesota
- 2007 Midwest flooding
- Mid-June 1992 Tornado Outbreak
- 1968 Tracy tornado
- 1991 Halloween blizzard
- Great Storm of 1975
- 1936 North American heat wave
- 1997 Red River Flood
- Armistice Day Blizzard
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Seeley W., Mark (2006). Minnesota Weather Almanac. Minnesota Historical Society press. ISBN 0-87351-554-4.
- ^ "History of the NWS in the Twin Cities". National Weather Service - Twin Cities. November 9, 2005. Retrieved June 19, 2007.
- ^ a b c d e "Minnesota Climate Extremes". Minnesota Climatology Office. Retrieved July 14, 2021.
- ^ "Minnesota Climate Extremes".
- ^ "Warm and Wet 2010". climate.umn.edu. Archived from the original on January 9, 2011.
- ^ "New 24-hour precipitation record established in Minnesota". National Weather Service. August 23, 2007. Retrieved August 24, 2007.
- ^ "Monthly Minnesota Rainfall Record Broken". Minnesota Climatology Office. October 18, 2007. Archived from the original on May 14, 2008. Retrieved October 19, 2007.
- ^ a b "Minnesota Snowfall and Snow Depth Extremes". National Climatic Data Center. December 3, 2007. Retrieved February 1, 2008.
- ^ "Famous Minnesota Winter Storms". Minnesota State Climatology Office. March 2, 2007. Archived from the original on January 7, 2009. Retrieved June 28, 2007.
- ^ "Minnesota Tornado History and Statistics". Minnesota Climatology Office. May 21, 2007. Archived from the original on August 11, 2007. Retrieved June 19, 2007.
- ^ 2010 data
- ^ "IEM :: PNS from NWS MPX".
- ^ "Summary of March 06 2017 Severe Weather Outbreak". National Weather Service - Twin Cities. March 7, 2017.
- ^ "Historic, Unprecedented Storm of December 15-16, 2021". National Weather Service - Twin Cities. December 15, 2021.
- ^ "F5 Tornadoes of the United States". Storm Prediction Center.
- ^ a b "How Historically Unusual Was This?". The Southern Minnesota Tornadoes of March 29, 1998. NWS - Twin Cities. March 6, 2008. Retrieved May 8, 2008.
- ^ "NCDC Storm Event Database". NCDC. 1950–2021. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
- ^ "NCDC Storm Event Database". NCDC. 1950–2021. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
- ^ Macek-Rowland, K.M. (April 13, 2005). "1997 Floods in the Red River of the North and Missouri River Basins in North Dakota and Western Minnesota". U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved July 11, 2007.
- ^ a b "Historic Rainfall and Flooding Event of August 18-20, 2007". NOAA. Retrieved August 31, 2007.
- ^ "RED RIVER OF THE NORTH AT FARGO, ND". U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved June 18, 2009.
- ^ "RED RIVER OF THE NORTH AT GRAND FORKS, ND" (PDF). U.S. Geological Survey. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 3, 2007. Retrieved July 20, 2007.
- ^ "MINNESOTA RIVER NEAR MONTEVIDEO, MN" (PDF). U.S. Geological Survey. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 3, 2007. Retrieved July 20, 2007.
- ^ "MINNESOTA RIVER NEAR ALEXANDRIA, MN" (PDF). U.S. Geological Survey. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 3, 2007. Retrieved July 20, 2007.
- ^ "MISSISSIPPI RIVER AT ST. PAUL, MN" (PDF). U.S. Geological Survey. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 3, 2007. Retrieved July 20, 2007.
- ^ "MISSISSIPPI RIVER AT WINONA, MN" (PDF). U.S. Geological Survey. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 3, 2007. Retrieved July 20, 2007.
- ^ "Storm Data and Unusual Weather Phenomena" (PDF). NOAA. Retrieved November 20, 2006.
- ^ "Record Low Pressure Hits Minnesota October 26-27, 2010". Minnesota Climatology Office. October 28, 2010. Archived from the original on October 31, 2010. Retrieved October 29, 2010.
- ^ "121-MPH wind huffed, puffed, blew state record down". Star Tribune.
