Much of Minnesota swelters as heat index climbs past 100 degrees
Go Deeper.
Create an account or log in to save stories.
Like this?
Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.
Sweltering conditions intensified across southern and central Minnesota on Monday, with the combination of heat and humidity making it feel like more than 100 degrees.
For people attending the Minnesota State Fair, or moving into residence halls at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus, or spending time outside anywhere else across the region — the sodden air made any activity a challenge.
The heat index climbed past 100 degrees in the Twin Cities by early afternoon. In southeast Minnesota, Preston reported a dew point of 86 degrees — just two degrees from the state record of 88, set in Moorhead back in 2011.
Cooler conditions are expected on Tuesday — but the cool front bringing that more-comfortable air was likely to set off strong storms later Monday.
Support Local News
When breaking news happens, MPR News provides the context you need. Help us meet the significant demands of these newsgathering efforts.
Minnesota State Fair
The heat stressed both people and animals at the Minnesota State Fair on Monday.
“Just keep fans on them, keep hydrating them — keep us hydrated. Try to keep them cool as long as you can,” said Daniel Goldsmith, who raises horses in Chatfield. Goldsmith was at the fair with six Belgian mares on Monday morning, trying to keep them cool ahead of a show.
It was hot at the fairgrounds on Sunday, but that heat and humidity worsened on Monday.
Dr. Haley Taormina — a physician with Regions Hospital, and one of four medical directors at the fair — said the medical staff was kept busy on Monday.
“As expected we’ve got quite a few patients that are coming in with signs of heat exhaustion. Nobody I’ve seen so far with heat stroke, but that’s obviously a concern when it gets to be this hot,” she said early Monday afternoon. “It’s busy, but we’re prepared for this. We’ve overstaffed, and we have our state-funded bus parked to the side as well, that can essentially double our capacity for keeping people cool.”
That air-conditioned bus provides extra room for medical staff to work, and for people with heat exhaustion to rest, if the aid station becomes too crowded.
Taormina said it’s important for fairgoers to be well-hydrated before they get there, because it can be very hard to catch up on hydration while at the fair. She also said it’s important to watch for signs of stress from the heat.
“The big things to watch out for would be symptoms of heat exhaustion, which would be muscle cramping, nausea, throwing up, severe headaches, sweating, feeling like you’re going to pass out,” she said. “Those are all warning signs that it’s time to get inside somewhere with air conditioning, drink some water, cool off and listen to your body.”
At the fair’s Dairy Building on Monday, Doris Mold — superintendent of the milking parlor — said “humans and cattle both don’t like it when it’s warm. Nobody really wishes for this temperature, but ... we have fans, they have plenty of water,” she said. “Between the fans and drinking lots of cool water, that helps keep their bodies cool.”
Mold said different breeds of cattle have different tolerance for heat. With temperatures reaching the low 90s on Monday, and high humidity, Mold said most cows would experience some stress from the weather.
Fair attendance
The hot weather appeared to be having some effect on fair attendance, further melting what had been a strong start.
Fair officials reported just under 134,644 people passed through the gates in the hot weather on Sunday — almost 40,000 less than the same day last year, and just over 75,000 off the daily record set in 1994.
This year’s fair started with daily records on Thursday and Friday, before attendance started slipping off record pace on Saturday and fell further on Sunday.
Attendance numbers from the even hotter and more humid Monday will be released on Tuesday afternoon.
U’s move-in day trudges on
At the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, incoming freshman weren’t just sweating from move-in day jitters. The uncomfortable weather made it a trickier campus welcome than usual, said Brian Wray, the administrative associate for Housing and Residential Life.
“As soon as you walk out of a building, you kind of just get hit with the humidity especially,” Wray said. “It’s kind of like a wet blanket on you.”
He added the university provided plenty of water and volunteers were encouraged to take as many breaks as needed.
“A lot more goes into making sure that people are taking care of themselves on a hot day like today,” Wray said.
Sophomore Nicholas Tichenor volunteered with other members of his fraternity, helping students haul belongings into their new home for the year.
“It’s pretty hot. I’m from Texas and this still tops most days there,” Tichenor said. “You can definitely see on some family’s faces that they’re pretty tired of waiting in line just ready to get their kids moved in.”
Community centers close
While move-in day trudged on, and will continue Tuesday, that heat temporarily shuttered 18 community centers in Minneapolis.
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board announced Monday that temperatures at those buildings — which do not have air conditioning — exceeded OSHA safety standards. That included the Lake Nokomis Community Center, Peavey Recreation Center and Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center. A public safety and crime prevention meeting at the latter was canceled, as well.
The park board said wading pools and exterior bathrooms would remain open until 9 p.m., with all centers re-opening Tuesday. In the meantime, the board’s website listed 31 other recreation centers, with air conditioning, that community members could escape to as the Twin Cities remained under an excessive heat warning.