Updraft: July 1, 2008 Archive

Parched in the Twin Cities

Posted at 1:50 PM on July 1, 2008 by Craig Edwards

It has been a couple of weeks since Mother Nature doused us with a generous soaking in parts of east Central Minnesota. Lawns and gardens are clearly showing the stress from the lack of moisture. Not only has there been a shortage of showers, but the sunshine combined with low relative humidity and gusty winds evaporates about a quarter inch of moisture a day.

Prospects for widespread rainfall look minimal the next several days. Dry weather is great news for holiday activities. Enjoy the summer festivities and wait patiently for a natural watering.

The Climate Prediction Center sees a trend that favors somewhat below normal temperatures for southern Minnesota for July. We closed out June nearly right on average for temperatures and well below normal for precipitation in the Twin Cities.

Twin Cities climate data for June 2008

Climate Predicition Center thirty and ninety day outlook

CE

Lazy hazy crazy days

Posted at 5:01 PM on July 1, 2008 by Paul Huttner

Sailors' cruising by Lake Minnetonka's Spirit Island

We are in full summer mode now.

July is our warmest month of the year climatologically speaking. In the Twin Cities our average high is at least 82 degrees all month long. July is the only month of the year when our daily average high exceeds 80 in the metro each day of the month.

Record highs in July are at or above 100 on 25 of the 31 days this month. Our average highs peak at 84 in the metro from July 13th to the 26th.

The lakes are warming up. The surface water temperature of Lake Minnetonka is now pushing 75 degrees. It will usually peak near 80 degrees late this month. Northern lakes are still a bit chilly with our late start this year, but warming fast now.

June turned out to be room temperature with an average monthly temperature of 68.7 degrees. That means there was very little need for heating or cooing last month. You can be thankful for that as your air conditioner hums away this afternoon with temperatures near 90.

Enjoy the great summer weather as we slip into holiday mode this week.

4th of July climatology from Twin Cities NWS

PH