List of Minnesota weather records
Encyclopedia
The following is a list of Minnesota weather records observed
Surface weather observation
Surface weather observations are the fundamental data used for safety as well as climatological reasons to forecast weather and issue warnings worldwide. They can be taken manually, by a weather observer, by computer through the use of automated weather stations, or in a hybrid scheme using...

 at various stations across the state during the last 130 years. Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...

 is a state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

 in the Upper Midwest
Upper Midwest
The Upper Midwest is a region in the northern portion of the U.S. Census Bureau's Midwestern United States. It is largely a sub-region of the midwest. Although there are no uniformly agreed-upon boundaries, the region is most commonly used to refer to the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and...

ern region of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. Due to its location in the northern plains of the United States its climate
Climate of Minnesota
The climate of Minnesota is typical of a continental climate, with cold winters and hot summers. Minnesota's location in the Upper Midwest allows it to experience some of the widest variety of weather in the United States, with each of the four seasons having its own distinct characteristics...

 is one of extremes. Minnesota's history of nearly continuous meteorological
Meteorology
Meteorology is the interdisciplinary scientific study of the atmosphere. Studies in the field stretch back millennia, though significant progress in meteorology did not occur until the 18th century. The 19th century saw breakthroughs occur after observing networks developed across several countries...

 record keeping stretches back nearly two centuries to 1819 when Fort Snelling
Fort Snelling, Minnesota
Fort Snelling, originally known as Fort Saint Anthony, was a military fortification located at the confluence of the Minnesota River and Mississippi River in Hennepin County, Minnesota...

 was settled. By 1871 the first official government
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...

 observations were taking place in the Twin Cities and by the early 20th century most state-wide stations that exist today were in operation.

Overall

Event Measurement Date Location
Highest Temperature
Temperature
Temperature is a physical property of matter that quantitatively expresses the common notions of hot and cold. Objects of low temperature are cold, while various degrees of higher temperatures are referred to as warm or hot...

 
114 °F (46 °C) July 29, 1917
July 6, 1936
Beardsley
Beardsley, Minnesota
Beardsley is a city in Big Stone County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 233 at the 2010 census.Beardsley holds two state monthly record high temperatures, 111°F in September, set in 1931, and 98°F Beardsley is a city in Big Stone County, Minnesota, United States. The population was...


Moorhead
Moorhead, Minnesota
Moorhead is a city in Clay County, Minnesota, United States, and the largest city in northwest Minnesota. The population was 38,065 at the 2010 Census. It is the county seat of Clay County....

Lowest Temperature -60 °F February 1996 Embarrass
Tower
Tower, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there are 479 people in the city, organized into 233 households and 137 families. The population density is 176.8 people per square mile . There are 295 housing units at an average density of 108.9 per square mile...

Largest single-day change 71 °F drop (39 °C) April 3, 1982 Lamberton
Lamberton, Minnesota
Lamberton is a city in Redwood County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 824 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.Lamberton is located along U.S...


By month

Event Measurement Date Location
January
Highest Temperature 69 °F (21 °C) January 24, 1981 Montevideo
Montevideo, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 5,346 people, 2,353 households, and 1,444 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,190.5 people per square mile . There were 2,551 housing units at an average density of 568.1 per square mile...

Lowest Temperature -57 °F January 24, 1904
January 21, 1996
January 22, 1996
Pokegama Dam
Embarrass
Embarrass
February
Highest Temperature 73 °F (23 °C) February 26, 1896 Pleasant Mound
Pleasant Mound Township, Minnesota
Pleasant Mound Township is a township in Blue Earth County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 235 as of the 2000 census.-Geography:...

Lowest Temperature -60 °F February 2, 1996 Tower
March
Highest Temperature 88 °F (31 °C) March 23, 1910 Montevideo
Lowest Temperature -50 °F March 2, 1897 Pokegama Dam
April
Highest Temperature 101 °F (38 °C) April 22, 1980 Hawley
Hawley, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,882 people, 744 households, and 514 families residing in the city. The population density was 764.8 people per square mile . There were 787 housing units at an average density of 319.8 per square mile...

Lowest Temperature -22 °F April 6, 1979 Karlstad
Karlstad, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 794 people, 340 households, and 199 families residing in the city. The population density was 522.3 people per square mile . There were 394 housing units at an average density of 259.2 per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 97.86% White, 0.63%...

May
Highest Temperature 112 °F (44 °C) May 31, 1934 Maple Plain
Maple Plain, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,088 people, 770 households, and 536 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,875.4 people per square mile . There were 786 housing units at an average density of 706.0 per square mile...

Lowest Temperature 4 °F (-16 °C) May 1, 1909
May 2, 1909
Pine River
Pine River, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 928 people, 438 households, and 216 families residing in the city. The population density was 834.6 people per square mile . There were 464 housing units at an average density of 417.3 per square mile...


Pine River
June
Highest Temperature 110 °F (43 °C) June 29, 1931 Canby
Canby, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there are 1,903 people, 842 households, and 453 families residing in the city. The population density is 876.5 people per square mile . There are 918 housing units at an average density of 422.8 per square mile...

Lowest Temperature 15 °F (-9 °C) June 1, 1964 Bigfork
Bigfork, Minnesota
Bigfork is a city in Itasca County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 446 at the 2010 census. Scenic State Park is nearby.Minnesota State Highway 38 serves as a main route in the community...

July
Highest Temperature 114 °F (46 °C) July 29, 1917
July 6, 1936
Beardsley
Moorhead
Lowest Temperature 24 °F (-4 °C) July 7, 1997 Tower
August
Highest Temperature 110 °F (43 °C) August 10, 1947
August 1, 1988
Beardsley
Montevideo
Lowest Temperature 21 °F (-6 °C) August 28, 1996
August 2, 2002
Tower
Kelliher
Kelliher, Minnesota
Kelliher is a city in Beltrami County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 262 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....

September
Highest Temperature 111 °F (44 °C) September 11, 1931 Beardsley
Lowest Temperature 10 °F (-12 °C) September 30, 1930
September 22, 1974
Big Falls
Big Falls, Minnesota
Big Falls is a city in Koochiching County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 236 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land.U.S...


Thorhult
October
Highest Temperature 98 °F (37 °C) October 5, 1963 Beardsley
Lowest Temperature -16 °F October 26, 1936 Roseau
Roseau, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,756 people, 1,157 households, and 713 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,153.6 people per square mile . There were 1,229 housing units at an average density of 514.4 per square mile...

November
Highest Temperature 84 °F (29 °C) November 1, 1950 Winona
Winona, Minnesota
Winona is a city in and the county seat of Winona County, in the U.S. State of Minnesota. Located in picturesque bluff country on the Mississippi River, its most noticeable physical landmark is Sugar Loaf....

Lowest Temperature -45 °F November 30, 1896 Pokegama Dam
December
Highest Temperature 74 °F (23 °C) December 9, 1939 Wheaton
Wheaton, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,619 people, 747 households, and 434 families residing in the city. The population density was 909.2 people per square mile . There were 907 housing units at an average density of 509.4 per square mile...

Lowest Temperature -57 °F December 31, 1898 Pokegama Dam

Precipitation

Event Measurement Date Location
Most yearly precip
Precipitation (meteorology)
In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation (also known as one of the classes of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity. The main forms of precipitation...

 (one location)
53.52 inches (1,359 mm) 1991 St. Francis
St. Francis, Minnesota
As of the census of 2009, there were 7,298 people, 1,638 households, and 1,300 families residing in the city. The population density was 210.6 people per square mile . There were 1,686 housing units at an average density of 72.3 per square mile...

Least yearly precip (one location) 6.37 inches (162 mm) 1976 Ortonville
Ortonville, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,158 people, 923 households, and 594 families residing in the city. The population density was 635.8 people per square mile . There were 1,125 housing units at an average density of 331.4 per square mile...

Most yearly precip
Precipitation (meteorology)
In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation (also known as one of the classes of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity. The main forms of precipitation...

 (State average)
33.92 inches (862 mm) 1977 State wide
Longest dryspell
Drought
A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply. Generally, this occurs when a region receives consistently below average precipitation. It can have a substantial impact on the ecosystem and agriculture of the affected region...

 
79 days November 9, 1943 -
January 26, 1944
Beardsley, Canby,
Marshall, Dawson
Dawson, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,539 people, 677 households, and 398 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,043.4 people per square mile . There were 756 housing units at an average density of 512.6 per square mile...


Rain

Event Measurement Date Location
Most rain
Rain
Rain is liquid precipitation, as opposed to non-liquid kinds of precipitation such as snow, hail and sleet. Rain requires the presence of a thick layer of the atmosphere to have temperatures above the melting point of water near and above the Earth's surface...

 in 24 hours
15.1 inches (384 mm) August 18 – August 19, 2007 Hokah
Hokah, Minnesota
Hokah is a city in Houston County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 580 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which, of it is land and 1.37% is water.-Transportation:...

Most rain in one month 23.86 inches (606 mm) August, 2007 Hokah

Snow

Event Measurement Date Location
Earliest recorded snow
Snow
Snow is a form of precipitation within the Earth's atmosphere in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a multitude of snowflakes that fall from clouds. Since snow is composed of small ice particles, it is a granular material. It has an open and therefore soft structure, unless packed by...

 
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
Mizpah, Minnesota
Mizpah is a city in Koochiching County, Minnesota, United States. Its population was 56 at the 2010 census. The name is the Hebrew word for "watchtower."...

Most snow, 24 hours 36 inches (91 cm) January 7, 1994 Lake County
Lake County, Minnesota
Lake County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 10,866. Its county seat is Two Harbors. Lake County was founded on February 20, 1855, as Superior County, though its name was changed on March 3, of that year to St. Louis County. On March 1, 1856, St...

Most snow, one storm
Winter storm
A winter storm is an event in which the dominant varieties of precipitation are formed that only occur at low temperatures, such as snow or sleet, or a rainstorm where ground temperatures are low enough to allow ice to form...

 
47 inches (119 cm) January 6–8, 1994 Lake County
Most snow, one month 66 inches (168 cm) March, 1965 Collegeville
Most snow, season 170 inches (432 cm) 1949 – 1950 Grand Portage State Park
Grand Portage State Park
Grand Portage State Park is a state park at the northeastern tip of Minnesota, USA, on the Canada – United States border. It contains a waterfall, the tallest in the state, on the Pigeon River. The High Falls and other waterfalls and rapids upstream necessitated a historically important portage...

Largest snow cover 88 inches (224 cm) February 21, 1969 Meadowlands
Most fatalities, winter storm up to 200
Schoolhouse Blizzard
The Schoolhouse Blizzard, also known as the Schoolchildren's Blizzard or the Children's Blizzard, hit the U.S. plains states on January 12, 1888...

 
January 12–13, 1888 State-wide

Tornadoes

Event Date Location
Most in one day 48 June 17, 2010 State-wide
Most in one month 71 June, 2010 State-wide
Most in one year 113 2010 State-wide
Earliest in season March 18, 1968 Truman
Truman, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,259 people, 510 households, and 318 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,160.1 people per square mile . There were 542 housing units at an average density of 499.4 per square mile...

Earliest outbreak in season (2 or more) 14 March 29, 1998 Southern Minnesota
Latest in season November 16, 1931 Maple Plain
Most fatalities, single tornado
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...

 
72 April 14, 1886 St. Cloud
St. Cloud, Minnesota
St. Cloud is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the largest population center in the state's central region. The population was 65,842 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Stearns County...

, Sauk Rapids
Sauk Rapids, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 10,213 people, 3,921 households, and 2,599 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,234.1 people per square mile . There were 4,017 housing units at an average density of 878.7 per square mile...

, Rice
Rice, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 711 people, 247 households, and 185 families residing in the city. The population density was 118.8 people per square mile . There were 250 housing units at an average density of 41.8 per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 98.87% White, 0.70% Native...

Most intense damage measured F5
Fujita scale
The Fujita scale , or Fujita-Pearson scale, is a scale for rating tornado intensity, based primarily on the damage tornadoes inflict on human-built structures and vegetation...

 
June 13, 1968
June 16, 1992
Tracy
Tracy, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,268 people, 922 households, and 533 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,045.2 people per square mile . There were 1,013 housing units at an average density of 466.8 per square mile...


Chandler
Chandler, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 276 people, 113 households, and 72 families residing in the city. The population density was 342.7 people per square mile . There were 121 housing units at an average density of 150.2 per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 97.46% White, 1.81%...

Longest track
(broken path)
110 miles (177 km) August 26, 1977 Otter Tail, Wadena, Cass, Crow Wing counties
Longest track
(continuous path)
67 miles (108 km) March 29, 1998 Murray, Cottonwood, Brown, Watonwan, Blue Earth, Nicollet counties
Biggest outbreak 48 Mid-June 2010 tornado outbreak
Mid-June 2010 tornado outbreak
-June 16 event:-June 17 event:-June 18 event:-Wadena supercell:Around 3:20 p.m. CDT , a supercell thunderstorm developed over Stevens County, Minnesota and initially tracked north-northeastward before turning fully northeast...

 
State-wide

Hail

Event Measurement Date Location
Largest hail
Hail
Hail is a form of solid precipitation. It consists of balls or irregular lumps of ice, each of which is referred to as a hail stone. Hail stones on Earth consist mostly of water ice and measure between and in diameter, with the larger stones coming from severe thunderstorms...

stone
6 inches (15 cm) dia.
Diameter
In geometry, a diameter of a circle is any straight line segment that passes through the center of the circle and whose endpoints are on the circle. The diameters are the longest chords of the circle...

 
July 4, 1968
July 28, 1986
Edgerton
Edgerton, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,033 people, 435 households, and 287 families residing in the city. The population density was 890.2 people per square mile . There were 477 housing units at an average density of 411.1 per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 98.84% White, 0.29%...


Reading
Reading, Minnesota
Reading is an unincorporated community in Nobles County, Minnesota, United States.-Geography:Reading is northwest of Worthington. According to A.P Rose's History of Nobles County, Reading is nearer to the geographic center of the county than any other community...


Flooding

Record flood stages for selected cities in Minnesota
Event Measurement Date Location
Middle Fork, Whitewater River
Whitewater River (Minnesota)
The Whitewater River is a tributary of the Upper Mississippi River which flows through the Driftless Area of Minnesota, reaching its mouth in Winona County opposite Buffalo, Wisconsin. The nearest towns are Altura, Saint Charles, and Elba...

Highest flood stage
Flood stage
Flood stage is the level at which the surface of a river, creek, or other body of water has risen to a sufficient level to cause damage or affects use of man-made structures...

 
19.24 ft  August 19, 2007 Whitewater State Park
Whitewater State Park
Whitewater State Park is a Minnesota state park in Winona County in the southeastern blufflands area of the state. The park features scenic overlooks and excellent trout fishing in the spring fed Whitewater River and Trout Run Creek. It has about 300,000 visitors annually, and is located 7 miles ...

Root River
Root River (Minnesota)
The Root River flows for through the Driftless Area of southeastern Minnesota and is a tributary of the Upper Mississippi River. It is an excellent river for canoeing...

Highest flood stage 18.75 ft August 19, 2007 Houston
Houston, Minnesota
Houston is a city in Houston County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 979 at the 2010 census.-History:The community was named after Sam Houston, first president of the Republic of Texas....

Red River of the North
Highest flood stage 40.82 ft March 28, 2009 Moorhead
Highest flood stage 54.35 ft April 22, 1997 East Grand Forks
Minnesota River
Highest flood stage 23.90 ft April 6, 1997 Montevideo
Highest flood stage 35.07 ft April 12, 1965 Jordan
Jordan, Minnesota
Jordan is a city in Scott County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 5,470 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water. U.S. Highway 169; and State Highways 21 and 282 are three...

Mississippi River
Highest flood stage 26.01 ft April 16, 1965 St. Paul
Highest flood stage 20.77 ft April 19, 1965 Winona

Other records

over Minnesota
Event Measurement Date Location
Highest Pressure
Atmospheric pressure
Atmospheric pressure is the force per unit area exerted into a surface by the weight of air above that surface in the atmosphere of Earth . In most circumstances atmospheric pressure is closely approximated by the hydrostatic pressure caused by the weight of air above the measurement point...

 
31.11 inHg
Inch of mercury
Inches of mercury, ' is a unit of measurement for pressure. It is still widely used for barometric pressure in weather reports, refrigeration and aviation in the United States, but is seldom used elsewhere....

 (1053.5 mb
Bar (unit)
The bar is a unit of pressure equal to 100 kilopascals, and roughly equal to the atmospheric pressure on Earth at sea level. Other units derived from the bar are the megabar , kilobar , decibar , centibar , and millibar...

)
January 21, 1922 Collegeville
Lowest Pressure 28.21 inHg (956 mb) October 26, 2010 Bigfork
Bigfork, Minnesota
Bigfork is a city in Itasca County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 446 at the 2010 census. Scenic State Park is nearby.Minnesota State Highway 38 serves as a main route in the community...

Highest dew point
Dew point
The dew point is the temperature to which a given parcel of humid air must be cooled, at constant barometric pressure, for water vapor to condense into liquid water. The condensed water is called dew when it forms on a solid surface. The dew point is a saturation temperature.The dew point is...

 
88 °F (31 °C) July 18, 2011
July 19, 2011
Madison
Madison, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,768 people, 789 households, and 462 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,737.6 people per square mile . There were 882 housing units at an average density of 866.9 per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 99.21% White,...


Moorhead
Moorhead, Minnesota
Moorhead is a city in Clay County, Minnesota, United States, and the largest city in northwest Minnesota. The population was 38,065 at the 2010 Census. It is the county seat of Clay County....

Highest heat index
Heat index
The heat index is an index that combines air temperature and relative humidity in an attempt to determine the human-perceived equivalent temperature — how hot it feels, termed the felt air temperature. The human body normally cools itself by perspiration, or sweating, which evaporates and carries...

 
130 °F (54 °C) July 19, 2011 Moorhead
Lowest wind chill
Wind chill
Wind chill is the felt air temperature on exposed skin due to wind. The wind chill temperature is always lower than the air temperature, and the windchill is undefined at the higher temps...

 (estimated)
-100 °F
(old formula)
-71 °F
(new formula)
January 9 –
January 10, 1982
Northern Minnesota
Highest wind (sustained) 121 mph (194 km/h) September 1, 2011 Donaldson
Donaldson, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 41 people, 18 households, and 10 families residing in the city. The population density was 49.6 people per square mile . There were 22 housing units at an average density of 26.6 per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 97.56% White, and 2.44% from...

Highest wind
Wind
Wind is the flow of gases on a large scale. On Earth, wind consists of the bulk movement of air. In outer space, solar wind is the movement of gases or charged particles from the sun through space, while planetary wind is the outgassing of light chemical elements from a planet's atmosphere into space...

 (gust)
180 mph (290 km/h) August 20, 1904 St. Paul

See also

General
Large-scale events that affected Minnesota
  • 2007 Midwest flooding
    2007 Midwest flooding
    The 2007 Midwest flooding was a major flooding event that occurred in the Midwestern United States in the third week of August 2007. While Hurricane Dean was affecting the Yucatán Peninsula and the Gulf of Mexico, and Tropical Storm Erin was affecting Oklahoma and Texas, a persistent storm system...

  • Mid-June 1992 Tornado Outbreak
    Mid-June 1992 Tornado Outbreak
    The Mid-June 1992 tornado outbreak was a one of the largest tornado outbreaks on record, affecting portions of the Central United States from June 14 to June 18, 1992. The outbreak began on June 14 when six tornadoes touched down in Colorado and Idaho...

  • 1968 Tracy tornado
    1968 Tracy tornado
    The 1968 Tracy tornado was an F5 tornado that struck Tracy, Minnesota on June 13, 1968. The tornado killed nine people and injured 150 others as it tracked through Murray, Lyon and Redwood counties in southwestern Minnesota...

  • Halloween Blizzard
    Halloween Blizzard
    The Halloween Blizzard was a period of heavy snowfall and ice accumulation that affected parts of the Upper Midwest of the United States, from October 31 to November 3, 1991...

  • Great Storm of 1975
    Great Storm of 1975
    The Great Storm of 1975 was an intense storm system that impacted a large portion of the Central and Southeast United States from January 9 to January 12, 1975. The storm produced 45 tornadoes in the Southeast U.S...

  • 1936 North American heat wave
  • 1997 Red River Flood
    1997 Red River Flood in the United States
    The Red River Flood of 1997 in the United States was a major flood that occurred in April 1997, along the Red River of the North in North Dakota and Minnesota...


External links

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