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August Weather Summary For The Twin Cities
Here's a look at the weather summary for the Twin Cities for the month of August. Through the first 28 days of the month, temps are running about a +0.5F above average with precipitation running about +0.25" above average as well.
August Precipitation
August ends on Wednesday with no additional rainfall expected through the end of the week. With that being said, here's a look at how main rain has fallen across the region this month. Some of the heaviest tallies fell south and east of the Twin Cities, where some hefty surpluses are in place from Eau Claire to Rochester to Mason City and Sioux Falls. In fact, Sioux Falls and Mason City will likely see their 8th wettest August on record.
Summer Rainfall
Here's how much rain has fallen across the region so far this summer (since June 1st) and it really has been hit or miss. Pierre, SD has seen more that a foot of rain, which will likely be the 5th wettest summer on record there. Meanwhile, the Twin Cities is nearly 6 inches below average, which will likely be its 9th driest summer on record.
9th Driest Summer at MSP
Here are the 15 driest summer's on record at MSP. Note that this summer (since June 1st) has been the 10th driest, last year was the 15th driest. If MSP doesn't see any additional rainfall through the rest of August, this would be the 9th driest summer on record.
Beautiful Week Ahead
Here's the weather outlook from AM Tuesday to Labor Day Monday. Weather conditions will be quite dry across much of the region and a bubble of high pressure drifts through. Temps will be close to average through midweek, but will warm to well above average levels later in the week as the wind turns to the south. There is a slight chance of PM storms Friday, but the main threat will be south and east of the Twin Cities.
Extended Precipitation Outlook
Here's the extended precipitation outlook through Labor Day Monday, which shows mostly dry conditions across the state.
Minnesota Drought Update
Here's the latest drought update across Minnesota. Prior to last week's rain, severe drought was sitting at a little more than 2%, while Moderate drought was at nearly 10%. The good news is that we'll pick up some additional rainfall over the weekend, so we may see some additional improvement into next week.
Weather Outlook on Tuesday
The weather outlook for Tuesday shows temps at or slightly above average across the region. Readings will warm into the 70s and 80s with bright sunshine and somewhat breezy winds.
Weather Outlook Tuesday
The weather outlook for Minneapolis on Tuesday shows temps warming to near 80F with plenty of sunshine. NW winds will still be a bit breezy with gusts approaching 25mph to 30mph.
Comfy Dewpoints This Week
Here's a look at the max dewpoint forecast through the rest of the week. Note that readings will gradually increase to near 60F by Friday, but much of the week should feel pretty comfortable.
Meteograms for Minneapolis
The hourly forecast for Minneapolis on Tuesday shows temperatures starting in the lower 60s and warming to near 80F by the afternoon. It'll be another sunny and somewhat breezy day with NW winds gusting to 25mph-30mph.
Extended Temperature Outlook For Minneapolis
The extended temperature outlook for Minneapolis shows temps running at or slightly above average through midweek. Gradual warming will take place through the week with readings in the mid/upper 80s by Friday, which will be nearly +5F to +10F above average for early September.
Extended Weather Outlook For Minneapolis
The extended weather outlook over the next 7 days shows temps warming into the mid/upper 80s later this week and weekend.
Extended Temperature Outlook For Minneapolis
According to the NBM & ECMWF extended temperature outlook, readings will warm into the to near average levels through much of the week ahead. Readings will warm a bit into the mid 80s later this week and into the weekend.
8 to 14 Day Temperature Outlook
According to NOAA's Climate Prediction Center, the 8 to 14 day temperature outlook shows above average temps returning to much of the nation, especially in the Western US. Meanwhile, lingering cooler than average temps will be found in the Southern US.
8 to 14 Day Precipitation Outlook
According to NOAA's Climate Prediction Center, the 8 to 14 Day precipitation outlook shows drier weather in place across the northern tier of the nation, while more active weather will still be in place across the Southern and Eastern US.
Activity in the Atlantic
According to NOAA's National Hurricane Center, there are several areas of interest in the Atlantic Basin. One of the waves in the Central Atlantic has a high probability of tropical formation over the next 5 days, so we'll have to keep an eye on that over the coming days.
Warm Sunshine Spills Into Labor Day
By Paul Douglas
If anyone asks, and I sure hope they don't, NOAA's Storm Prediction Center says 70 (preliminary) tornadoes have been reported in Minnesota so far in 2022. I'm not sure that includes a handful of small tornadoes spotted over the weekend from Prinsburg to Woodbury. Then again "small tornado" is an oxymoron. Any tornado is a pretty big deal.
Twisters in late August in Minnesota are unusual but not unprecedented.
The storms that fired up Saturday night were especially alarming. They raced along at 45 mph, giving little time to take shelter. And nighttime tornadoes are especially problematic. They are hard to spot and verify, and people aren't expecting them after dark. 70 tornadoes is twice the average tornado count during a Minnesota summer.
One of the nicer weeks of summer is shaping up with comfortable humidity levels into midweek. Expect mid to upper 80s later this week with a mostly-dry sky lingering into Labor Day. Remarkable.
Oklahoma has seen14 tornadoes in 2022. 70+ in Minnesota. Wut?
Extended Forecast
TUESDAY: Sunny and breezy. Winds: NW 10-20. High: 79.
TUESDAY NIGHT: Mostly clear & quiet. Winds: WNW 5-15. Low: 60.
WEDNESDAY: Blue sky with less wind. Winds: NW 7-12. High: 85.
THURSDAY: Sunny and pleasant. Winds: S 7-12. Wake-up: 65. High: 87.
FRIDAY: Hot sunshine, lake-worthy. Winds: SW 10-15. Wake-up: 71. High: 89.
SATURDAY: Sunny, a bit cooler. Winds: NE 7-12. Wake-up: 62. High: 81.
SUNDAY: Plenty of sun, still comfortable. Winds: SE 5-10. Wake-up: 61. High: 79.
MONDAY: Good timing. Sunshine lingers. Winds: SE 7-12. Wake-up: 63. High: 86.
This Day in Weather History
August 30th
1948: An airliner crashes during a thunderstorm near Winona, killing 37 people on board.
1863: A devastating killing frost affects most of Minnesota, killing vines and damaging corn.
Average High/Low for Minneapolis
August 30th
Average High: 78F (Record: 96F set in 1941)
Average Low: 60F (Record: 45F set in 1935 & 1974)
Record Rainfall: 7.28" set in 1977
Record Snowfall: None
Sunrise/Sunset Times for Minneapolis
August 30th
Sunrise: 6:33am
Sunset: 7:53pm
Hours of Daylight: ~13 hours & 20 minutes
Daylight LOST since yesterday: ~ 2 minutes & 59 seconds
Daylight LOST since Winter Solstice (December 21st): ~ 2 hour & 17 minutes
Moon Phase for August 30th at Midnight
3.5 Days Before First Quarter Moon
National High Temps Tuesday
The weather outlook on Tuesday shows temps generally running at or above average across the much of the nation. Temps will actually be near record levels in the Northwest with readings nearly +15F above average.
National Weather Outlook
Weather conditions through Wednesday will be a bit more active in the southern and eastern US with scattered showers and storms, some of which could be strong to severe in the Northeast. Meanwhile, it'll be warm and mostly dry in the Pacific Northwest.
Extended Precipitation Outlook
According to NOAA's Weather Prediction Center, areas of heavier precipitation will be found across the southern part of the country with several inches of rain possible. There will also be pockets of heavy rain the Northeast. Meanwhile, folks in the western half of the nation will stay mostly dry.
Climate Stories
"This Special Radar Satellite Will Measure and Track Earth's Forests"
"Next year, a radar reflector about as wide as a black spruce tree is tall will direct its gaze toward Earth's forests 410 miles below. The European Space Agency's Biomass mission will send a 39-foot radar reflector into orbit to measure the state of our world's forests. The apparatus will look through the leafy canopy of tropical forests to weigh out the woody biomass beneath, taking multiple passes in the very low P-band frequency to mark changes in biomass over time. This band is a special radar wavelength of about 70 centimeters that can penetrate the leafy canopy."
See more from Popular Mechanics HERE:
"Can the world really run on 100 percent renewable energy?"
"In 1975, Danish physicist Bent Sørensen published a paper examining the possibility that his country could run on 100 percent renewable energy. Appearing in the journal Science, it could have been an important moment for beginning to look seriously at transforming the way the world produces energy. Instead, crickets. "It was not a loved idea at all," said Christian Breyer, a faculty member at LUT University in Finland, in a video interview from his office. But things have changed. In the past five years or so, as the world faces the escalating toll of climate change, the concept of 100 percent renewable energy gotten a much more serious look from scientists, policy analysts, and governments."
See more from Fast Company HERE:
"What Plant Sweat Can Tell Us About Wildfires"
"The way plants sweat could be a valuable tool in helping us predict how wildfires behave. That's the conclusion of a recent study published in Global Ecology and Biogeography from researchers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The temperatures of plants can tell us a lot about their health and the health of the ecosystems they live in. Under normal conditions, plants take in water through their roots and release it into the atmosphere through tiny pores in their leaves, a process known as evapotranspiration. But if the plants are under stress—especially if the weather is hotter and drier than usual—they'll retain more water, which increases their temperature."
