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10th Driest Meteorological Summer on Record
It has been very dry across much of the region this summer with only 3.50" of rain falling at the MSP Airport since June 1st. This is the 10th driest Meteorological Summer on record with the driest being 1.35" set in 1894. Interestingly, the last two summers (2022 & 2021) were even drier than this one.
10th Hottest Meteorological Summer on Record
Interestingly, this has also be the 10th hottest Meteorological Summer on record, which is actually tied with last year. Note that 2021 was the 4th hottest as well. With that being said, the last 3 summers have been pretty warm and dry.
Isolated Severe Threat on Wednesday
According to NOAA's Storm Prediction Center, there is a risk of a few strong storms across parts of the state again on Wednesday. The threat won't be very widespread, but there will certainly be a chance of large hail and damaging winds in some of the stronger storms.
Severe Risk For Wednesday
Simulated Radar Through Midweek
The simulated radar from AM Wednesday to Midday Thursday shows a stronger line of thunderstorms developing across NW Minnesota around midday Tuesday and drifting south through the afternoon and evening hours. There could be a few isolated strong storms across parts of Central Minnesota PM Wednesday as well.
2 Supermoons This August!!
August has two full Moons this year! You may have heard that there are four supermoons in a row this year; the August 1 supermoon is the second supermoon of this unusual sequence. "Supermoon" is a catchy term for what astronomers call "a perigean full Moon" which is when the full Moon happens at (or very near) the exact time when the Moon is closest to us in its orbit. A supermoon exceeds the disk size of an average-sized Moon by up to 8% and the brightness of an average-sized full Moon by some 16%. You may not perceive the difference in size, but a supermoon will appear brighter in the sky. The full Sturgeon Moon reaches its peak on Tuesday, August 1, 2023, and then we have a full Blue Moon on Wednesday, August 30, 2023—and it will be the closest supermoon of the year!
August 1: Full Sturgeon Moon
August's first full Moon will appear on the afternoon of Tuesday, August 1, reaching peak illumination at 2:32 P.M. Eastern Time. That evening, look toward the southeast after sunset to catch a glimpse of the Sturgeon Moon rising.
August 30: Blue Moon
Later in the month, a second full Moon, a Blue Moon will make an appearance. The term Blue Moon is most commonly used when we have two full Moons in a single month. On Wednesday, August 30, the Full Moon will peak at 9:36 P.M.
60 Day Precipitation Anomaly
The map below shows the 60 day precipitation anomaly, which indicates that some locations are nearly -3.00" to nearly -7.00" below average (in red/pink) since mid/late May. There are a few locations across the state that have surpluses, but most locations are well below average.
Drought Update
Drought conditions continue to deepen across the region with a few pockets of Extreme Drought now showing up (in red). The last time that parts of Minnesota were in an Extreme Drought was back in mid December, nearly 7 months ago.
Extended Precipitation Outlook
The extended precipitation through early next week doesn't look all that bad. It appears that decent rainfall potential could be moving in across the state with some 1" or more tallies possible, especially across the central and northern part of the state.
Hottest Days of 2023 So Far
The hottest day of 2023 (so far) was Thursday, July 27th with a high of 96F and heat index values peaking around 105F to 110F. Uffda! There have been (20) 90F days this year. Our average number of 90F days is 14.
Average Number of 90F Days At MSP
Looking at the last 30 years, the average number of 90F days at the MSP Airport is (14). July is the hottest month with an average of (6) 90F days. We've only had (3) days in the 90s this July, but have already had (14) days in the 90s this year. Last year we had (18) days in the 90s and in 2021 there were (27) days in the 90s. The most number of 90F days in any single year was (44) set in 1988.
Twin Cities Weather Outlook For Wednesday
The weather outlook for the Twin Cities on Wednesday, August 2nd will be quite warm with temperatures warming into the lower 90s, which will be nearly +5F to +10F above average for this time of the year. It'll also be our 21st (90F) day of the year, which is well above normal.
Meteograms For Minneapolis
The hourly temps through the day Wednesday shows readings starting around 70F in the morning and topping out around 90F in the afternoon. The day will be mostly dry, but there could be a few isolated t-showers across parts of central Minnesota. Southerly winds will be breezy at times with gusts approaching 15mph in the afternoon.
Weather Outlook For Wednesday
Temps on Wednesday will warm into the 80s and 90s across much of Minnesota, which will be nearly +5F to +10F above average for early August. There could be a few isolated t-storms here and there, mainly north of the Twin Cities, some of which could be a little on the vigorous side.
Extended Temperature Outlook For Minneapolis
The 5 day temperature outlook for Minneapolis shows temps warming into the 90s once again on Wednesday and Thursday, which will be above average by nearly +10F. Chances of showers and storms move in this weekend with cooler temps. In fact, we could see at or slightly below average temperatures this weekend, which may feel quite refreshing.
Stickier Dewpoints Into the Week Ahead
The dewpoint forecast over the next few days looks a little sticky through Thursday before falling into the lower 60s late week and weekend. With temps around 90F and dewpoints hovering around 70F, it'll be pretty steamy through midweek. However, it'll feel quite a bit nicer by the weekend.
Extended Weather Outlook For Minneapolis
The extended weather outlook for the Twin Cities shows warm and sticky weather lingering through Thursday. However, as we approach the weekend, temps and humidity values will fall to more comfortable levels, but we could be talking rain into the weekend as well.
Extended Temperature Outlook For Minneapolis
The extended temperature outlook for Minneapolis into mid August actually looks pretty comfortable. We'll have to get through a few warm and sticky days this week, but the longer-range forecast shows readings possibly dipping into the 70s next week. Maybe even a little September-ish.
Weather Outlook
The National Weather Outlook through the upcoming weekend shows scattered showers and storms here and there across the Central US. Some of the storms could be strong to severe with locally heavy rainfall. Monsoonal thunderstorms will be possible as well in the Intermountain-West, some of which could produce heavy rainfall there as well.
8 to 14 Day Temperature Outlook
According to NOAA's Climate Prediction Center, the 8 to 14-day temperature outlook shows cooler than average temps across the High Plains and the Midwest. Warmer than average readings will continue across the Southern US.
8 to 14 Day Precipitation Outlook
The extended precipitation outlook shows more active weather across much of the nation and especially in the Pacific Northwest. Meanwhile, folks in the Southwest will be drier and quieter.
Peeks of sun, hints of September
By Paul Douglas
Plants Can Reduce Indoor Air Pollution: New research coming out of Australia confirms that indoor plants can remove up to 97% of air pollution inside your home or apartment, including cancer-causing carcinogens. That's reassuring, considering all the wildfire smoke drifting south of the border this summer.
Record May heat and prolific thunderstorms ignited record fires across Canada, which have now burned an area roughly the size of New York State. 47,000 square miles of forestland has gone up in smoke, and those smoke plumes keep pushing into Minnesota. Remind me not to take air quality for granted, ever.
Afternoon high stopping 90F may spark a few lines of T-storms later today, but generally sunny weather should be the rule into Saturday. One big change in the forecast: Saturday now appears to be the sunnier, warmer, drier, more lake-worthy day of the weekend. A weekend storm is moving slower, and that could mean badly-needed puddles and a cooler breeze on Sunday. Highs in the 70s early next week? I'm see some subtle hints of September.
Extended Forecast
WEDNESDAY: Hot sun, PM T-storm? Winds: S 8-13. High: 91.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT: Partly cloudy. Winds: SW 5-10. Low: 72.
THURSDAY: Dog Days of Summer. Bright sunshine. Winds: NW 7-12. High 92.
FRIDAY: Sunny with light winds. Winds: E 5-10. Wake-up: 65. High 88.
SATURDAY: Warm sun. Nighttime storms. Winds: SE 10-20. Wake-up: 65. High: 88.
SUNDAY: Wetter day. Showers and T-storms. Winds: NW 15-35. Wake-up: 68. High: 80.
MONDAY: Cooler with lingering showers. Winds: NW 15-25. Wake-up: 64. High: 76.
TUESDAY: Peeks of sun, hints of September. Winds: NW 10-20. Wake-up: 60. High 77.
This Day in Weather History
August 2nd
1831: Unseasonably cool air moves into Minnesota with light frost reported at Ft. Snelling.
Average High/Low for Minneapolis
August 2nd
Average High: 83F (Record: 99F set in 1988)
Average Low: 65F (Record: 46F set in 1971)
Record Rainfall: 2.69" set in 2006
Record Snowfall: NONE
Sunrise/Sunset Times for Minneapolis
August 2nd
Sunrise: 5:59am
Sunset: 8:38pm
Hours of Daylight: ~14 hours & 38 minutes
Daylight LOST since yesterday: 2 Minutes & 25 Seconds
Daylight LOST since Summer Solstice (June 21st): ~ 58 minutes
Moon Phase for July 31st at Midnight
1.5 Days After Full "Sturgeon" Moon - Aug. 1 at 1:32 p.m. CDT - The Sturgeon Moon, when this large fish of the Great Lakes and other major bodies of water like Lake Champlain is most readily caught. A few tribes knew it as the Full Red Moon because the moon rises looking reddish through sultry haze, or the Green Corn Moon or Grain Moon.
National High Temps on Wednesday
Temperatures on Tuesday will be very steamy across the Southern US, where readings will warm into triple digits. Record highs will be possible for some across the Deep South with highs in the triple digits.
National Weather Wednesday
The weather outlook on Tuesday will feature showers and storms from the Desert Southwest the High Plains. Some of the storms could be a little on the strong side with locally heavy rainfall.
National Weather Outlook
The weather outlook through Thursday shows unsettled weather drifting northeast across the Rocky Mountains. Some of these monsoonal thunderstorms could produce a few isolated strong storms with locally heavy rainfall. There also appears to be a decent rain chance along and east of the Mississippi River Valley through the end of the week.
Extended Precipitation Outlook
According to NOAA's Weather Prediction Center, the extended precipitation outlook shows heavier rain potential from parts of the Northern Rockies, through the Plains and into the Middle Mississippi Valley and the Tennessee River Valley. Through early next week, pockets of heavy rainfall will be possible in the Southeast and also the Northeast. Meanwhile, much of the West Coast will stay dry.
Climate Stories
"We've reached the 'boiling seas' part of the climate crisis"
"Waters off Florida have hit 100ºF as oceans around the world are breaking record temperatures thanks to climate change. I've only been to the beach once this year, despite my best efforts to the contrary. The North Atlantic can be still brisk even in early July. As I approached the water, I braced myself for a potential sting that never came. It turned out the water was almost 4 degrees warmer than it had been on the same day the year before. That tracks when you realize that July was the hottest month ever in recorded history, and we're likewise seeing oceanic temperatures hit worrying highs around the world. Off the coast of Florida, the water has hit 100ºF multiple times in last week, a temperature more suitable to hot tubs than the open sea. The unavoidable truth is that our oceans are warming faster than predicted, and it is beginning to feel like the hackneyed "frog in a slowly boiling pot" analogy for climate change is more apt than ever."
"Can Resilient 'Super Corals' Save Bleached And Boiled Coral Reefs?"
"Coral reefs are critically important habitats for countless animals as well as for people. Globally, one out of every four marine fishes spends at least some part of its life on a coral reef. Billions of people worldwide depend upon coral reefs for food, storm protection and for jobs. The imperilled coral reefs in the Florida Keys that you hear about daily in the news, for example, account for an infusion of some $2.4 million annually into the local economy and provide approximately half of the local jobs. This year, many of the world's coral reefs are either dying or are already dead because of the influx of seawater that has been superheated by climate change. This overheated water triggers corals to become "bleached." Coral bleaching results when corals expel their colorful endosymbiotic algae, leaving the still living, but white, coral skeleton behind (more here). If the water cools quickly enough, the corals can survive. If not, they starve. But tragically, the seawater along the coast of Florida is now so hot that corals are quickly killed — without starving."
"NASA's Project Pathfinder Proved Renewable Energy Flight Was Possible Nearly 30 Years Ago"
"While the EV market is bringing the auto industry closer to more renewable vehicles on the road, a solar-powered aircraft called Pathfinder was proving flight powered by renewable energy was possible over three decades ago. The UAV was designed in the early 1980s by contractor AeroVironment for a classified project. However, the technology powering the craft had not yet matured to an acceptable level, and Pathfinder was mothballed. The project was brought back by the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization in 1993 before transferring it to NASA a year later. As part of NASA's Environmental Research Aircraft and Sensor Technology (ERAST) program, Pathfinder truly thrived. It was there that the aircraft — before and after being modified in 1998 as the Pathfinder-Plus — aided NASA and researchers at the University of Hawaii and the University of California in several scientific missions. Its accomplishments included looking at coral reefs, forest nutrients, sediment and algae concentrations in coastal waters, and forest regrowth after a devastating hurricane."
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