The Twin Cities received a bit of much-needed rain on Sunday but not enough to bring the month closer to normal rainfall totals.
About .4 inch of rain was recorded at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on Sunday, bringing the total rainfall for June to .72 inch, or about 20% of normal for the month. Most of Minnesota is experiencing moderate drought or abnormally dry conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Counties along the southern border of the state are in a severe drought.
The rest of the week promises a chance of scattered showers for the metro area on Tuesday and Wednesday and possible thunderstorms on Thursday, but "we'd have to be extraordinarily lucky to get rain every day that there's a chance to be able to catch up to normal," said Tyler Hasenstein, meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Chanhassen.
With the rain came a short reprieve from the heat. Sunday's high was 74 degrees and Monday's temp isn't expected to rise above the mid-60s. Tuesday may bring highs in the 80s and the mercury could hit the 90s on Wednesday before another slight cool-down heading into the weekend.
The Twin Cities metro area set a record for the earliest stretch of 90-degree days with nine consecutive days June 3 to 11, according to the NWS. The heat wave buckled roads and increased risks for wildfires and drought across the state.
Mara Klecker • 612-673-4440
