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Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News
Paul Huttner

On track for a low number of 90-degree days this year

Just one 90-degree day in the Twin Cities so far this summer

2024 weather dats in the Twin Cities
2024 weather data in the Twin Cities.
Twin Cities National Weather Service office

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Remember the steamy summer of 2023? I know. I didn’t either until I looked back at the numbers.

Last year was the fifth-warmest summer for the Twin Cities. It was followed by the warmest September on record. The average temperature in the Twin Cities in September was 69.1 degrees, 5.6 degrees warmer than average.

Last year, we sweated through 33 days of 90-degree heat in the Twin Cities. That’s the fifth-highest number of 90-degree days on record for the Twin Cities dating back to 1893.

90 degrees
Years with the most 90-degree days in the Twin Cities dating back to 1893.
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

We also had a record 101 days with temperatures of 80 degrees or more in 2023. So when you look at last summer overall, it was more like a Des Moines or southern Iowa summer in the Twin Cities.

Fast forward to July 17, 2024.

We’ve managed to eke out just one 90-degree day so far this year. And the mercury barely tickled 90 degrees in between hours last Sunday afternoon.

That’s way below the pace to reach the yearly average of 13 days with 90-degree heat in the Twin Cities. Even if we finished at just one 90-degree day this summer, it won’t be a record. Three years — 1902, 1915 and 1993 — sailed by without the mercury hitting 90.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources elaborates on our 90-degree heat stats in Minnesota:

Far northern Minnesota and parts of the north shore of Lake Superior generally average just 1-3 days per year with high temperatures of 90 F or higher per year. Central and eastern Minnesota average 5-10 of these hot days per year. In southern and southeastern Minnesota, it's 10-15 days on average, and parts of southwestern and western Minnesota average 15-20 90-degree days per year.

Based on the 1991-2020 climate normals, the Twin Cities airport averages about 13 days per year with 90-degree F high temperatures. In 1988, the station observed a record 44 such days. There have been three years with no 90 F days in the Twin Cities: 1902, 1915, and 1993.

So with highs mainly in the 70s to 80 in sight for the next seven to 10 days, it will be interesting to see how many 90-degree days we end up getting in the Twin Cities compared to the average of 13 days this year. I’m taking the under.

Stay tuned.