On March 29, 1881 snowdrifts in western Minnesota were larger than locomotives. Events 1461 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Towton - Edward of York defeats Queen Margaret to become King Year 1881 ( MDCCCLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common A snowdrift is a deposit of Snow created by Wind into a mound during Snowstorms They resemble Sand dunes and are formed in a similar manner A locomotive is a railway Vehicle that provides the motive power for a Train.

The climate of Minnesota is typical of a continental climate with cold winters and hot summers. Continental climate is a Climate that is characterized by Winter Temperatures cold enough to support a fixed period of Snow cover each Year The state's location in the Upper Midwest allows it to experience some of the widest variety of weather in the United States, with each of the four seasons having its own distinct characteristics. The Upper Midwest is a region of the United States with no universally agreed-upon boundary but it almost always lies within the US Census Bureau 's definition The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The areas near Lake Superior in the Minnesota Arrowhead region experience weather unique from the rest of the state. Lake Superior is the largest of the five Great Lakes of North America. Minnesota ( Native Americans demonstrated the name to early settlers For the former USAF Bomber base in North Queensland and the National Park See Iron Range Australia The Iron Range and Arrowhead The moderating effect of Lake Superior keeps the surrounding area relatively cooler in the summer and relatively warmer in the winter, giving that region more of a maritime climate. An oceanic climate (also called marine west coast climate and maritime climate) is the Climate typically found along the west coasts at the middle latitudes On the Köppen climate classification, the southern half of Minnesota, roughly from the Twin Cities region southward, falls in the warm summer humid continental climate zone (Dfa), and the northern two-thirds of Minnesota falls in the cool summer humid continental climate zone (Dfb). The humid continental climate is a Climate found over large areas of land masses in the temperate regions of the mid-latitudes where there is a zone of conflict between

Winter in Minnesota is characterized by cold (below freezing) temperatures and snowfall. Temperature is a physical property of a system that underlies the common notions of hot and cold something that is hotter generally has the greater temperature Snow is the main form of winter precipitation, but freezing rain, ice, sleet, and sometimes even rain are all possible during the winter months. "Snowfall" redirects here For other uses see Snow (disambiguation or Snowfall (disambiguation. Freezing rain is a type of precipitation that begins as Snow at higher altitude falling from a Cloud towards earth melts completely on its way down while passing Ice is a Solid phase, usually crystalline, of a Non-metalic substance that is liquid or gas at Room temperature, such as Ammonia Rain is Liquid precipitation. On Earth it is the condensation of atmospheric Water vapor into drops heavy enough to fall often making it to Common storm systems include Alberta clippers or Panhandle hooks, some of which evolve into blizzards. Alberta clipper (also known as a Canadian Clipper) is a fast moving Low pressure area which generally affects the central provinces of Canada A Panhandle hook (also called panhandle hooker or Texas hooker) is a relatively infrequent storm system whose Cyclogenesis occurs in the South A blizzard is a severe Winter storm condition characterized by low Temperatures strong Winds and heavy blowing Snow Blizzards are formed when Annual snowfall extremes have ranged from over 170 inches (432 cm) in the rugged Superior Highlands of the North Shore to as little as 10 inches (25 cm) in southern Minnesota. The following is a list of Minnesota weather records observed at various stations across the state during the last 130 years The North Shore of Lake Superior runs from Duluth Minnesota, United States, at the southwestern end of the lake to Thunder Bay Ontario, Temperatures as low as −60 °F (−51 °C) have occurred during Minnesota winters. Spring is a time of major transition in Minnesota. Spring is one of the four Temperate Seasons Spring marks the transition from Winter into Summer. Snowstorms are common in early spring, but by late spring as temperatures begin to moderate the state can experience tornado outbreaks, a risk which diminishes but does not cease through the summer and into the fall. A winter storm is an event in which the dominant varieties of precipitation are forms that only occur at cold Temperatures such as Snow or While there is no single agreed upon definition generally more than six Tornadoes in a day in the same region is considered a tornado outbreak. Autumn (also known as fall in North American English) is one of the four Temperate Seasons Autumn marks the transition from Summer

In summer, heat and humidity predominate in the south, while warm and less humid conditions are generally present in the north. Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air In daily language the term "humidity" is normally taken to mean Relative humidity. These humid conditions help kick off thunderstorm activity 30–40 days per year. Summer high temperatures in Minnesota average in the mid 80s (30 °C) in the south to the upper 70s (25 °C) in the north, with temperatures as hot as 114 °F (46 °C) possible. The growing season in Minnesota varies from 90 days per year in the Iron Range to 160 days in southeast Minnesota. In Agriculture, the growing season is the period of each Year when crops can be grown Southeast Minnesota is the corner of Minnesota south of the Twin Cities metropolitan area extending east and part of the multi-state area known as the Tornadoes are possible in Minnesota from March through November, but the peak tornado month is June, followed by July, May, and August. A tornado is a violent rotating column of air which is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a Cumulonimbus cloud or in rare cases the base of a Cumulus The state averages 24 tornadoes per year. Minnesota is the driest state in the Midwest. Average annual precipitation across the state ranges from around 35 inches (890 mm) in the southeast to just 20 inches (510 mm) in the northwest. For other uses see Red River (disambiguation The Red River Valley is a region in central North America that is drained by Autumn weather in Minnesota is largely the reverse of spring weather. The jet stream, which tends to weaken in summer, begins to re-strengthen, leading to a quicker changing of weather patterns and an increased variability of temperatures. Jet streams are fast flowing relatively narrow air currents found at the Tropopause, the transition between the Troposphere (where temperature decreases By late October and November these storm systems become strong enough to form major winter storms. Fall and spring are the windiest times of the year in Minnesota. Wind is the flow of Air or other Gases that compose an Atmosphere (including but not limited to the Earth's)

General climatology

The average daily temperature of Minneapolis, Minnesota varies from 13 °F (−11 °C) to 73 °F (–10 °C to 23 °C).

Because of its location in the center of North America Minnesota experiences temperature extremes characteristic of a continental climate, with cold winters and mild to hot summers in the south and frigid winters and generally cool summers in the north. The following is a list of Minnesota weather records observed at various stations across the state during the last 130 years ^[1] Each season has distinctive upper air patterns which bring different weather conditions with them. Being 1,000 miles (1,609 km) from any large body of water (with the exception of Lake Superior), temperatures and precipitation in Minnesota can vary widely. Minnesota is far enough north to experience −60 °F (−51 °C) temperatures and blizzards during the winter months, but far enough south to experience 114 °F (46 °C) temperatures and tornado outbreaks in the summer. ^[2] The 174 degree Fahrenheit (97 °C) variation between Minnesota's highest and lowest temperature is the 11^th largest variation of any U.S. state, and 3^rd largest of any non-mountainous state (behind North Dakota and South Dakota). A US state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of the United States of America that share Sovereignty with the federal government North Dakota ( is a state located in the Midwestern and Western regions of the United States of America. South Dakota ( is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America. ^[3]

Minnesota is far from major sources of moisture and is in the transition zone between the moist East and the arid Great Plains. The Eastern Half of The United States, the American East, or simply the East is traditionally defined as the states east of the Mississippi River. The Great Plains are the broad expanse of Prairie and Steppe which lie east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada Annual average precipitation across the state ranges from around 35 inches (890 mm) in the southeast to 20 inches (510 mm) in the northwest. In Meteorology, precipitation (also known as one class of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric ^[4] Snow is the main form of precipitation from November through March, while rain is the most common the rest of the year. Annual snowfall extremes have ranged from over 170 inches (432 cm) in the rugged Superior Highlands of the North Shore to as little as 2. 3 inches (5. 8 cm) in southern Minnesota. ^[5][6] It has snowed in Minnesota during every month with the exception of July, and the state averages 110 days per year with snow cover of an inch (2. 5 cm) or greater. ^[7]

On the Köppen climate classification, the southern half of Minnesota, roughly from the Twin Cities region southward, falls in the warm summer humid continental climate zone (Dfa), and the northern two-thirds of Minnesota falls in the cool summer humid continental climate zone (Dfb). The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems It was developed by Wladimir Köppen, a German climatologist

Lake Superior

The cool, moist air near Lake Superior makes fog a frequent occurrence near the shore. Fog is a cloud that is in contact with the ground Stratus clouds are usually the only clouds that touch the ground ^[8]

Lake Superior moderates the climate of those parts of Minnesota's Arrowhead Region near the shore. The lake acts as a heat sink, keeping the state's North Shore area relatively cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. A heat sink (or heatsink) is an environment or object that absorbs and dissipates heat from another object using Thermal contact (either direct or radiant ^[9] While this effect is marked near the lake, it does not reach very far inland. For example, Grand Marais on the lakeshore has an average July high temperature of 70 °F (21 °C), while Virginia, at about the same latitude but inland about 100 miles (161 km) to the west, has an average July high of 77 °F (25 °C). Grand Marais is a city in Cook County, Minnesota, United States. Virginia is a city in St Louis County, Minnesota, USA, on the Mesabi Iron Range. Conversely, Virginia's average high temperature in January is 15 °F (−9 °C), while Grand Marais' is 23 °F (−5 °C). ^[10] Just a few miles inland from Lake Superior are the Sawtooth Mountains, which largely confine the marine air masses and associated precipitation to lowers elevation near the lake. The Sawtooth Mountains are a range of low serrated ridges situated on the North Shore of Lake Superior in the U ^[11]

The prevailing northwest winter winds also limit the lake's influence. Places near the shoreline can receive lake-effect snow, but because the state lies north and west of the lake, snowfall amounts are not nearly as large as they are in locations like Wisconsin and Michigan that lie downwind to the south. Lake-effect snow is produced in the winter when cold Arctic winds move across long expanses of warmer lake water providing energy and picking up Water vapor which freezes Wisconsin ( or wɪˈskɑnsɨn (French Ouisconsin) is one of the fifty United States of America, located in the north central part of the United States Michigan ( is a Midwestern state of the United States of America. ^[8] Even so, the single largest snowstorm in Minnesota history was a lake effect event. On January 6, 1994 Finland, Minnesota, received 36 inches (91 cm) of lake effect snow in 24 hours, and 47 inches (119 cm) over a three day period. Events 1066 - Harold Godwinson is crowned King of England. 1205 - Philip of Swabia becomes King Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) Both are Minnesota records. At 85 inches (216 cm) per year, the port city of Duluth has the highest average snowfall total of any city in Minnesota. Duluth is a Port City in the US state of Minnesota and the County seat of St ^[12] At 58. 9 °F (14. 9 °C), Grand Marais has the lowest average summer temperature of any city in the state. ^[13]

The climatological effects of Lake Superior tend to stifle convection, thus limiting the potential for tornadoes. Convection in the most general terms refers to the movement of molecules within Fluids (i ^[7] Although Cook and Lake counties are two of the largest counties in the state, they have experienced only 7 tornadoes in the past 56 years. Cook County is a County located in the US state of Minnesota Lake County is a County located in the US state of Minnesota ^[14] One of those tornadoes was a large F3 that occurred in the 1969 Minnesota tornado outbreak. The 1969 Minnesota tornado outbreak was a Tornado outbreak that affected portions of north central Minnesota on August 6, 1969.

Statistics

Temperature

Precipitation

See also: List of Minnesota weather records

Winter

Even though winter does not officially start until late December, Minnesota usually begins experiencing winter-like conditions in November, sometimes as early as late October. The following is a list of Minnesota weather records observed at various stations across the state during the last 130 years As with many other Midwestern states, winter in Minnesota is characterized by cold (below freezing) temperatures and snowfall. Weather systems can move in from the north, west, or south, with the majority of the weather being driven in from the north. A vigorous jet stream brings high and low-pressure systems through in quick succession, which can cause large temperature variations over a short period of time.

Temperature

A wintry, February day in St. Paul

As the last remnants of summertime air in the southern U.S. start to lose their grip, cold polar air building up in northern Canada starts to push farther south, eventually spreading into Minnesota. Saint Paul ( abbreviated St Paul) is the capital and second most populous city in the U The Southern United States &mdashcommonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South &mdashconstitutes a large distinctive In Meteorology, the polar front is the boundary between the polar cell and the Ferrel cell in each hemisphere Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page By the time December and January arrive, Minnesota is fully engulfed in the polar air and is then subjected to arctic air masses moving in. The Arctic is the Region around the Earth 's North Pole, opposite the Antarctic region around the South Pole. For airmass in Astronomy, see Airmass. In Meteorology, an air mass is a large volume of Air that Because there are no natural barriers north or northwest of Minnesota to block arctic air from pouring south, Minnesota gets regular shots of the arctic air through the winter. ^[25] High pressure systems which descend south from the Canadian plains behind the fronts bring light winds, clear skies, and bitterly cold temperatures. A high pressure area (also called a high or high-pressure is a region where the Atmospheric pressure is greater than surrounding areas The northern part of Minnesota gets the brunt of the cold air. International Falls, sometimes called the "Icebox of the nation", has the coldest average annual temperature of any National Weather Service first–order station in the contiguous United States at 37. International Falls is a city in and the County seat of Koochiching County, Minnesota, United States. The National Weather Service ( NWS) once known as the Weather Bureau is one of the six scientific agencies that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration A weather station is a facility with instruments and equipment to make observations of atmospheric conditions in order to provide information to make weather forecasts 4 °F (3. 0 °C). ^[26] Tower, Minnesota, sinks below zero (−17 °C) an average of 71 times per year, and the ten coldest counties in the country, based on January minimums, are all located in Minnesota. Tower is a city located in St Louis County, Minnesota, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 479 ^[27] The air mass then slowly moderates as it moves south into the rest of the state. Alberta clippers alternate with these high-pressure systems, bringing high winds and some snowfall with them.

Minnesota occasionally gets breaks from the polar and arctic air when a zonal flow takes hold. Zonal flow is a meteorological term meaning that the general flow pattern is west to east along the earth's Latitude lines (as opposed This means that the jet stream will move in a west to east motion (rather than north to south) and push air from the Pacific Ocean into the region. The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions In Minnesota this pattern commonly leads to a prolonged period of above freezing high temperatures that gives Minnesotans a break from the winter freeze. Storms that move into Minnesota from a more westerly direction generally do not bring significant amounts of precipitation with them. ^[28]

Precipitation

Winter precipitation comes in a few different forms. Snow is the main form of precipitation, but freezing rain, ice, sleet and sometimes even rain are all possible during the winter months. Larger storm systems, often Panhandle hooks or other storms that occur with a meridional flow, can bring large amounts of snow and even blizzard conditions. Meridional flow is a meteorological term meaning that the general flow pattern is north to south along the earth's Longitude lines (the opposite of Zonal flow ^[29]

Alberta Clippers

Typical winter storm tracks in Minnesota.

Alberta clippers are fast moving areas of low pressure that move through Minnesota during the winter months. ^[30] Clippers get their name from Alberta, Canada, the province from which they begin their southward track. Alberta (ælˈbɝtə is one of Canada's prairie provinces. It became a province on September 1 1905 (Other variations of the same type of storm systems are "Saskatchewan Screamers" or "Manitoba Maulers". Saskatchewan (səˈskætʃəwən) is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of 588276 Manitoba (English ˌmænɨˈtoʊbə French /manitoba/ is a province of Canada, spanning 647797 square kilometres (250116  sq mi of North America ^[31]) Although clippers often originate over the northern Pacific Ocean, they lose most of their moisture through orographic lift when they collide with the Canadian Rockies. Orographic lift occurs when an Air mass is forced from a low Elevation to a higher elevation as it moves over rising terrain The Canadian Rockies comprise the Canadian segment of the North American Rocky Mountains range. Because of the limited moisture content and quick movement of the systems, clippers rarely produce more than 6 in (15 cm) of snow as they pass through Minnesota. ^[32] The biggest effects of an Alberta Clipper are what follows them, and that is arctic air, high wind speed, and dangerous wind chills. This page is for the movie "Wind Chill" For the term see Wind chill. This often results in severe blowing and drifting snow, and sometimes even blizzard conditions. ^[33] Alberta Clippers often proceed to become copious lake effect snow producers on the southern and eastern shores of the Great Lakes. The Laurentian Great Lakes are a chain of freshwater lakes located in eastern North America, on the Canada–United States border. ^[34]

Panhandle Hooks

In terms of their characteristics, Panhandle hooks are nearly the opposite of Alberta clippers. Instead of forming in the north and dropping south, these low pressure systems form in the southwestern United States and then move northeast. The Southwestern area of the United States could be defined as the states west of the Mississippi River, with the qualification of a certain northern limit such as the 37 They get their name from the location where they usually make their turn to the north; near the panhandles of Oklahoma and Texas. The Texas Panhandle is a region of the US state of Texas consisting of the northernmost 26 counties in the state Unlike clippers, these storms usually have a great deal of moisture to work with. As the storms make their turn to the north, they pull in moist air from the nearby Gulf of Mexico and pull it northward toward Minnesota and other parts of the Midwest. The Gulf of Mexico ( Spanish: Golfo de México) is the ninth largest Body of water in the world ^[35] As these systems move to the northeast, there will usually be a heavy band of snow to the northwest of the low pressure center if there is enough cold air present. A wintery mix of precipitation, rain, or sometimes even thunderstorms will then often occur to the south of it. ^[36] Snowfall over a foot (30 cm) is not uncommon with a panhandle hook, and because of the high moisture content in these systems the snow is usually wet and heavy. Large panhandle hooks can become powerful enough to draw in arctic air after they pass by the state, leaving bitter cold temperatures and wind chills in their wake. Panhandle Hooks are responsible for some of the most famous blizzards that have occurred in the Midwest, including the Great Storm of 1975. The Great Storm of 1975 (also known as the Super Bowl Blizzard, Minnesota's Storm of the Century, or the Tornado Outbreak of January 1975) was an ^[33]

Spring

A Minnesota wetland during the month of April

Spring is a time of major transition in Minnesota. A wetland is an area of Land consisting of Soil that is Saturated with Moisture, such as a Swamp, Marsh, or Bog As winter nears its end, the sun rises higher in the sky and temperatures begin to moderate. As this happens much of the Midwest starts to experience severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. ^[37] Storm systems that move inland from the Pacific begin to collide with the increasingly warm and moist air from the Gulf of Mexico. In the early part of the spring, Minnesota is usually not in a geographically favorable position to experience severe weather since the warm air needed for it has not yet pushed that far to the north. Severe weather is any destructive weather phenomenon. The term is usually used to refer to severe thunderstorms and related phenomena such as Tornados ^[38] Early spring tornado outbreaks do occur occasionally in Minnesota though, as evidenced by the 1998 Comfrey - St. Peter tornado outbreak on March 29, 1998. Events 1461 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Towton - Edward of York defeats Queen Margaret to become King Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) More often, Minnesota is on the northern (cooler) side of major storm systems in the early spring, which instead results in only rain and possibly snow. Even though the winter snow pack typically starts to melt in southern Minnesota in early March, there is usually still enough cold air present over Canada to allow for major snow storms in Minnesota until late April. ^[39]

Wind turbines in western Minnesota

As spring progresses, the jet stream starts to push storm systems farther to the north, and southern Minnesota becomes more prone to severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. ^[38] As spring moves into the later stages, the chances for snow continue to drop and eventually disappear, south to north. By the time it gets warm enough for severe weather in northern Minnesota, the strength of storm systems have usually started to decrease, which results in fewer severe storms in northern Minnesota compared to the southern part of the state.

Wind

With the exception of areas along the shores of Lake Superior, winds in Minnesota generally prevail from the north and northwest in the winter, and south and southeast in the summer. ^[7] On average, fall and spring are the windiest times of the year in Minnesota. October is the windiest month in northwest Minnesota, while April is the windiest over the rest of the state. ^[40] Winds generally average between 9–11 mph (14–18 km/h) across the state, with one major exception. The heaviest winds in the state are found on the Buffalo Ridge, or Coteau des Prairies, a flatiron-shaped area extending from Watertown, South Dakota, diagonally across southwestern Minnesota and into Iowa. Buffalo Ridge is a large expanse of rolling hills in the southeastern part of the larger Coteau des Prairies, and is the second-highest point in Minnesota. The Coteau des Prairies is a Plateau approximately 200 miles in length and 100 miles in width (320 by 160 km rising from the Prairie flatlands in eastern South Ironing or smoothing is the work of using a heated tool or tools (an iron) to remove Wrinkles from fabric Watertown is a city in and the County seat of Codington County, South Dakota, United States. The State of Iowa ( is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States of America. Created by two lobes of a glacier parting around a pre-existing plateau during the (Pleistocene) Ice Age, the Buffalo Ridge is ideal for wind power generation, with average wind speeds of 16. "Glacial" and "Glaciation" redirect here For the geological periods see Glacial period. In Geology and Earth science, a plateau, also called a high plateau or tableland, is an area of highland, usually consisting The Pleistocene ('plaɪstəsin is the epoch from 18 million to 10000 years BP covering the world's recent period An ice age is a period of long-term reduction in the Temperature of the Earth 's surface and atmosphere resulting in an expansion of continental Ice sheets Wind Power is the conversion of wind energy into a useful form such as electricity using Wind turbines At the end of 2007 worldwide capacity of wind-powered generators was 1 mph (26. 8 km/h). ^[41]

Floods

A bridge connecting East Grand Forks, Minnesota to Grand Forks, North Dakota is submerged during the record flooding of the Red River in 1997. East Grand Forks is a city in Polk County, Minnesota in the United States. Grand Forks is the third-largest city in the US state of North Dakota and the County seat of Grand Forks County. The Red River Flood of 1997 was a major Flood that occurred in April and May 1997 along the Red River of the North in North Dakota, Minnesota

Minnesota is prone to flooding in its major rivers by spring snowmelt runoff and ice jams. A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land a deluge Surface runoff is a term used to describe when soil is infiltrated to full capacity and excess Water, from Rain, Snowmelt, or other sources flows An ice dam (or ice jam) occurs when water builds up behind a blockage of ice Spring flooding to some degree occurs almost annually on some Minnesota rivers, but major floods have occurred in 1965, 1969, 1997 and 2001. ^[42][43] The flooding in 1965 was the worst flood in Minnesota history on the Mississippi River, while the flooding in 1997 was the worst in history on the Red River. The Mississippi River is the second longest River in the United States, with a length of from its source in Lake Itasca in Minnesota to The Red River Flood of 1997 was a major Flood that occurred in April and May 1997 along the Red River of the North in North Dakota, Minnesota The Red River (rivière Rouge is a North American river Formed by the confluence of the Bois de Sioux and Otter Tail rivers in the United States ^[44] The Red River flood of 1997 was aided heavily by the 11 blizzards that struck Minnesota that winter. ^[7][45] Besides heavy winter and spring snowfall, cold winter temperatures and heavy fall and spring rains causing sudden run-off surges are also common causes of spring river flooding in Minnesota. ^[46]

Minnesota is also prone to both river flooding and localized flash flooding by extended periods of heavy late-spring and summer rainfall. The Great Flood of 1993 on the Mississippi River was caused by copious amounts of rain that fell after the spring snow melt. The Great Flood of 1993 occurred in the American Midwest, along the Mississippi and Missouri rivers and their tributaries from April to October ^[47] The 2007 Midwest flooding, which affected the hilly Driftless area of southeast Minnesota was the result of a training pattern of storms mixing warm moist air from Tropical Storm Erin with cooler Canadian air, resulting in record 24-hour rainfall totals of up to 17 inches (432 mm). The 2007 Midwest flooding was a major Flooding event that occurred in the Midwestern United States in the third week of August 2007 The Driftless Area or Paleozoic Plateau is a region in the American Midwest noted mainly for its deeply carved river valleys In Meteorology, training denotes repeated areas of rain typically associated with thunderstorms that move over the same region in a relatively short period of time and are Tropical Storm Erin was the second Tropical cyclone to make landfall in the United States in the 2007 Atlantic hurricane season. ^[48]

Summer

Canoes ready for use on a summer afternoon at Lake Harriet in Minneapolis

During a Minnesota summer, heat and humidity predominate in the south, while warm and less humid conditions are generally present in the north. A main feature of summer weather in Minnesota and the Midwestern United States as a whole is the weakening of the jet stream, leading to slower movement of air masses, a general increase in the stability of temperatures, and less wind. ^[49] The strong wind that does blow almost always comes from the south, bringing in warm temperatures and humidity. These humid conditions and a jet stream that has pushed into the northern parts of the U. S. help kick off thunderstorm activity 30–40 days per year. ^[50]

Temperature

Showy ladyslippers bloom during the summer in Voyageurs National Park. The showy lady slipper ( Cypripedium reginae) also known as the pink-and-white lady slipper or the queen's lady slipper, is a rare Orchid

Daily average summer temperatures in Minnesota range from the low 70s (22 °C) in the south to the mid 60s °F (19 °C) in the north. ^[13] Because summer time air masses are not as volatile as in the winter, daily high and low temperatures rarely vary more than 15 degrees (7 °C) either side of normal. While summertime around much of the country means long stretches of hot and humid weather, Minnesota is located far enough north where shots of cooler, drier polar air frequently move in behind polar fronts dropping south from Canada. A surface weather analysis is a special type of Weather map that provides a view of Weather elements over a geographical area at a specified time based on information ^[6] The polar air typically does not stick around very long though and is quickly replaced by the warmer and more humid air from the Gulf of Mexico once again. The cool, dry polar air colliding with hot and humid summertime air keep the threat of thunderstorms and tornadoes around in Minnesota through July and August. ^[38] Northern Minnesota is considerably cooler and less humid than southern Minnesota during the summer months. For example, Duluth's annual average temperature and dew point are 6 degrees (3. 4 °C) cooler than Minneapolis'. ^[51]

July is the hottest month in Minnesota state-wide and is usually the month when the peak heat waves occur. A heat wave is a prolonged period of excessively hot Weather, which may be accompanied by high Humidity. In July 1936, Minnesota and the rest of the Midwest suffered through its most severe heat wave on record. The 1936 North American heat wave was the most severe Heat wave in the modern history of North America. Most of the state was engulfed in 100 °F (38 °C) temperatures for several days in a row, and Minnesota's all time record high temperature of 114 °F (46 °C) was tied during this stretch. This heat wave was also responsible for setting the Twin Cities' all time record high of 108 °F (42 °C), as well as the all time record high of several other cities across the state. ^[52]

The region of Minnesota that experiences the hottest summer temperatures is the west. Coteau des Prairies can heat cities to the north of it similar to how places in the Rocky Mountains are warmed by Chinook winds. Mountain peaks of the Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains, often called the Rockies, are a Mountain range in western North America. Chinook winds, often just called chinooks commonly refers to Foehn winds ref> in the interior West of North America, where the Canadian Prairies and As southwest winds blow down the slope of Coteau des Prairies, the air compresses and warms. This article covers adiabatic processes in Thermodynamics. For adiabatic processes in Quantum mechanics, see Adiabatic process (quantum mechanics This makes the already hot air even hotter and often causes places like Beardsley and Moorhead to record the warmest temperature in the state, despite their higher latitudes. Moorhead is a city in Clay County, Minnesota, United States, and the largest city in northwest Minnesota ^[6]

Precipitation

A flash flood washed away a bridge on Minnesota State Highway 74 during the 2007 Midwest flooding. A flash flood is a rapid flooding of geomorphic lowlying areas - washes rivers and streams Minnesota State Highway 74 is a Highway in southeastern Minnesota running 30 miles (48 km from Chatfield to the Mississippi River The 2007 Midwest flooding was a major Flooding event that occurred in the Midwestern United States in the third week of August 2007

The summer months of June, July and August account for nearly half of the annual precipitation total across the state of Minnesota. ^[53] Most of this rain falls from thunderstorms, a frequent summer occurrence. Even though summer is the primary season for Minnesota to experience thunderstorms, they can occur from March to November. These storms can become severe, producing large hail, strong tornadoes, and large bow echos that result in damaging straight-line winds. Hail is a form of precipitation which consists of balls or irregular lumps of ice (hailstones A bow echo is a term describing the characteristic radar return from a Mesoscale convective system that is shaped like an archer’s bow. Downburst damagejpg|thumb|right|300px|Downburst damages in a straight line Minnesota has experienced several major derecho events, most recently the Boundary Waters-Canadian Derecho which blew down millions of trees in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness on July 4, 1999. derecho ( from Spanish: " derecho " meaning "right" is a widespread and long-lived violent convectively induced straight-line windstorm that is Boundary Waters-Canadian Derecho, (also called the Boundary Waters Blowdown) was an international Derecho that occurred during the afternoon and evening hours of The Boundary Events 836 - Pactum Sicardi, peace between the Principality of Benevento and the Duchy of Naples Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) ^[54]

Summertime thunderstorms are fueled by dew points that often reach into the 70s °F (21 °C) and sometimes even 80 °F (27 °C). The dew point (sometimes spelled dewpoint) is the Temperature to which a given parcel of Air must be cooled at constant Barometric pressure, ^[55] In addition to severe conditions, thunderstorms produce heavy rain and cloud to ground lightning. Lightning is an atmospheric discharge of Electricity, which typically occurs during Thunderstorms and sometimes during volcanic eruptions or Heavy rain brings flash floods to Minnesota an average of three days per year. A flash flood is a rapid flooding of geomorphic lowlying areas - washes rivers and streams ^[25] With the exception of hail, summer precipitation in Minnesota is almost always in the form of rain. The lone exception is in far northern Minnesota, where in mid-September, small amounts of snow become a possibility. ^[56]

Droughts

Southern Minnesota is located on the edge of Tornado Alley

Droughts are an annual summer concern in Minnesota, especially for farmers. A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply A farmer is a person who raises living organisms for food or raw materials The growing season (which varies from 90 days per year in the Iron Range to 160 days in southeast Minnesota) is when Minnesota averages its highest percentage of annual precipitation, so a lack of rainfall during this time period can be devastating to crops. ^[25] The last major drought in Minnesota was in 1988. During that year, the period of April – July was the 2^nd driest in the previous century, and the period of May – August was the hottest on record. The combination of dry skies and heat caused a severe drought which cost the state approximately 1. 2 billion dollars in crop losses. ^[57]

Other memorable drought years were 1976 and the Dust Bowl years of the 1930s. The Dust Bowl, or the dirty thirties, was a period of severe Dust storms causing major ecological and agricultural damage to American and During the dust bowl, inappropriate farming techniques enhanced by years of drought conditions led to dust storms in Minnesota and the other parts of the Midwest. ^[58] Drought conditions also have helped spawn forest fires. A wildfire, also known as a wildland fire, forest fire, brush fire, vegetation fire, grass fire, Peat fire, In 1894 the Great Hinckley Fire destroyed Hinckley killing an estimated 459 people, and in 1918 a forest fire killed 453 people in the vicinity of Cloquet. The Great Hinckley Fire was a major conflagration that burned an area of 420 square miles or 200000 acres (810 km² Hinckley is a city in Pine County, Minnesota, United States, located at the junction of Interstate 35 and Minnesota State Highway 48 The 1918 Cloquet fire was a massive Fire in northern Minnesota in October 1918 caused by sparks on the local railroads and dry conditions. Cloquet (kloʊˈkeɪ is a city in Carlton County, Minnesota, United States, located at the junction of ^[59] More recently, in 2006, the Cavity Lake Fire burned 31,830 acres (129 km²) in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. ^[60]

Tornadoes

An F3 tornado in southern Minnesota on August 24, 2006

Tornadoes are possible in Minnesota from March – November, but the peak tornado month is June, followed by July, May, and August. Events 49 BC - Julius Caesar 's General Gaius Scribonius Curio is defeated in the Second Battle of the Bagradas River Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Tornadoes are most common in the southern half of the state, which is located on the northern edge of tornado alley. For the book by William S Burroughs, see Tornado Alley (book. Just over a third of tornadoes in Minnesota strike between 4 pm – 6 pm. ^[7] The state averages 24 tornadoes per year;^[38] 99% of which have ratings of F2 or weaker. The Fujita scale ( F-Scale) or Fujita-Pearson scale, is a scale for rating Tornado intensity based on the damage tornadoes inflict on human-built structures On average Minnesota has an F5 tornado once every 25 years. This is a list of all official rated and authoritatively Some of the notable Minnesota tornadoes and outbreaks are:

• August 21, 1883: An F5 tornado struck Rochester, killing 37. Events 1192 - Minamoto Yoritomo becomes Seii Tai Shōgun and the De facto ruler of Japan. Year 1883 ( MDCCCLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The 1883 Rochester tornado was an F5 (estimated Tornado that hit Rochester, Minnesota on August 21, 1883. This tornado led to the construction of a new hospital, which eventually evolved into the Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic is a Non-profit medical practice Its headquarters the Mayo Medical School and its research facilities are in Rochester Minnesota in
• April 14, 1886: A large tornado struck Sauk Rapids, killing 72. Events 43 BC - Battle of Forum Gallorum: Mark Antony, besieging Julius Caesar 's assassin Decimus Junius Brutus in Year 1886 ( MDCCCLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Tornado 400 pm a tornado of approximately F4 intensity cut through the heart of Sauk Rapids This was Minnesota's deadliest tornado on record. ^[61]
• June 22, 1919: The second deadliest tornado in Minnesota history tore through Fergus Falls, killing 59. Events 217 BC - Battle of Raphia: Ptolemy IV of Egypt defeats Antiochus III the Great of the Seleucid kingdom. Year 1919 ( MCMXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The tornado The tornado had a path of, and at times was wide It hit Fergus Falls at approximately 446 p Fergus Falls is a city in Otter Tail County, Minnesota, United States.
• May 6, 1965: Four F4 tornadoes ripped through the Twin Cities metro area (two of them in Fridley), killing 13. Events 1527 - Spanish and German troops sack Rome; some consider this the end of the Renaissance. Year 1965 ( MCMLXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. The 1965 Twin Cities tornado outbreak was the outbreak of six strong Tornadoes that occurred around Minneapolis and St Fridley is a city in Anoka County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 27449 at the 2000 census.
• July 18, 1986: KARE 11 broadcast a tornado in Fridley from a news helicopter live on their 5 pm news. Events 390 BC - Roman - Gaulish Wars Battle of the Allia - a Roman army is defeated by raiding Gauls, Year 1986 ( MCMLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar) KARE, channel 11 is an NBC -affiliated television station licensed to Minneapolis Minnesota, and serving the Minneapolis- St ^[62]
• June 16, 1992: Minnesota experienced its busiest tornado day ever with 27 recorded twisters. Events 1487 - Battle of Stoke Field, the last dying breath of the Wars of the Roses. Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) The Mid-June 1992 Tornado Outbreak was a Tornado outbreak that affected portions of the Central United States on June 15 and 16, 1992 The largest tornado in this family was an F5 that struck Chandler, Minnesota, killing one. Chandler is a city in Murray County, Minnesota, United States. This is the most recent F5 tornado to strike the state.
• March 29, 1998: An F4 and an F3 tornado that were part of a larger outbreak tore through the towns of Comfrey and St. Peter. Events 1461 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Towton - Edward of York defeats Queen Margaret to become King Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) For the plant see Comfrey Comfrey is a city in Brown and Cottonwood counties in the U St Peter is a city in Nicollet County, Minnesota, United States. They killed two and caused damage in the millions of dollars in Minnesota's earliest recorded tornado outbreak.

Fall

Early fall in Voyageurs National Park. Voyageurs National Park is a United States National Park in northern Minnesota near the town of International Falls.

Autumn weather in Minnesota is marked by the rapid decrease of severe thunderstorms, dramatic cooling, and eventually the possibility of blizzards. From September to December the average temperature in the state falls by approximately 43 °F (23 °C), the largest such temperature swing within any Minnesota season. ^[13] But with summer-time heat still prevalent in the southern U. S. and colder air quickly taking hold in Canada, Minnesota can be affected by wide temperature swings in short periods of time. Because of this, the jet stream, which tends to weaken during the summer months, begins to re-strengthen. This leads to quicker changes in weather patterns and increasingly strong storm systems. ^[63][64] As autumn moves on, these storm systems bring with them progressively colder air, eventually changing the rain over snow, generally starting in October in the northern part of the state and November in the south. ^[65]

Blue skies and bright leaves during a Minnesota autumn.

By late October and November atmospheric dynamics are generally in place to allow storm systems to become very intense. In fact, Minnesota's all time record low pressure was recorded during fall on November 10, 1998. Events 1444 - Battle of Varna: The crusading forces of King Vladislaus III of Varna (aka Ulaszlo I of Hungary and Wladyslaw Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) ^[5] If these powerful storm systems are able to draw enough cold air southward from Canada, they can evolve into powerful blizzards. Some of Minnesota's most memorable winter storm events have occurred during the middle part of the fall season. On November 11, 1940, the southeast half of Minnesota was surprised by the Armistice Day Blizzard. Events 308 - The Congress of Carnuntum: Attempting to keep peace within the Roman Empire, the leaders of the Tetrarchy declare Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Armistice Day Blizzard (or the Armistice Day Storm) took place in the Midwest region of the United States on 11 November ( Armistice Temperatures in the 60s °F (16 °C) on the morning of November 11 dropped into the single digits (below –12 °C) by the morning of November 12, bringing with them 27 inches (69 cm) of snow and 60 mph (100 km/h) winds. Events 308 - The Congress of Carnuntum: Attempting to keep peace within the Roman Empire, the leaders of the Tetrarchy declare Events 764 - Tibetan troops occupy Chang'an, the capital of the Chinese Tang Dynasty, for fifteen days 154 people died in this blizzard, 49 of them in Minnesota. ^[66][67] On October 31, 1991, much of Minnesota was hit by the Halloween Blizzard. Events 445 BC – Ezra reads the Book of the Law to the Israelites in Jerusalem (see Nehemiah 91 NLTse Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. The Halloween Blizzard was a period of heavy Snowfall and Ice accumulation that affected parts of the Upper Midwest of the United States A band of snowfall of 24+ in (60+ cm) fell from the Twin Cities north to Duluth. It was the single largest snow storm ever recorded in many communities across eastern Minnesota. ^[68]

Image and popular culture

Main article: Culture of Minnesota

The ice castle at the 2004 St. Paul Winter Carnival. The Culture of Minnesota is a Subculture of the United States. The Coolest Celebration on Earth In 1885 a New York reporter wrote that Saint Paul was "another Siberia unfit for human habitation" in winter

Minnesota's climate has done much to shape the image of the state. Minnesotans boast of their "theater of seasons", with a late but intense spring, a summer of water sports, a fall of brilliantly colored leaves, and a long winter with outdoor sports and activities.

"Summer at the lake" is a Minnesota tradition. Water skiing was invented in Minnesota by Ralph Samuelson, and the Minneapolis Aquatennial features a milk carton boat race. Water skiing is a Sport where an individual (or more than one individual is pulled behind a Motor boat or a cable ski installation on a body of water wearing Ralph Wilford Samuelson ( July 3, 1904 &ndash August 28, 1977) was the Inventor of Water skiing, which he first performed The Minneapolis Aquatennial is an annual event held in the US Contestants build boats from milk cartons and float them on Minneapolis area lakes, with recognition based more on colorful and imaginative designs than on actual racing performance. Carton is the name of certain types of containers typically made from Paperboard which is also sometimes known as "cardboard" ^[69]

But while Minnesota's warm summers provide its natives and tourists with a variety of outdoor activities, the state is known for its winters. The state has produced curlers and skiers who have competed in the Winter Olympics, pioneers who invented the snowmobile, and legions of ice fishing enthusiasts. Curling is a team Sport with similarities to Bowls and Shuffle board, played by two teams of four players each on a rectangular sheet of carefully prepared Snow skiing is a group of sports utilizing Skis as primary equipment The Winter Olympic Games are a winter Multi-sport event held every four years A snowmobile (known locally as snowmachine, snowsled or by the Brandname Ski-Doo) is a land vehicle that is commonly propelled by Ice fishing is the Activity of catching fish with lines and fish hooks or spears through an opening in the Ice on a frozen body of Water ^[70]

Ice fishing in Minnesota has been a theme in Hollywood films.

The state is also known for enthusiastic ice hockey players, both at the amateur and professional levels. Ice hockey, often referred to simply as hockey, is a team Sport played on Ice. Eveleth, Minnesota, home to the United States Hockey Hall of Fame, boasts of the number of quality players and the contributions of the city (and the rest of the Mesabi Range) to the growth and development of hockey in the United States. Eveleth is a city in St Louis County, Minnesota, USA. The population was 3865 at the 2000 census The United States Hockey Hall of Fame is a museum located in Eveleth, Minnesota. The Mesabi Iron Range is a vast deposit of Iron ore and the largest of four major iron ranges in the region collectively known as the Iron Range of Minnesota ^[71]

To many outsiders, Minnesota's winters appear to be cold and inhospitable. A World War II newscaster, in describing the brutally cold conditions of the Russian front, stated that at least Minnesotans could understand it. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including ^[70] A New York journalist visited St. Paul and declared that the city was "another Siberia, unfit for human habitation. Saint Paul ( abbreviated St Paul) is the capital and second most populous city in the U Siberia (Сиби́рь Sibir) is the name given to the vast region constituting almost all of Northern Asia and for the most part currently serving " In response, the city decided to build a huge ice palace in 1886, similar to one that Montreal had built in 1885. Montreal, or Montréal in French ( pronounced in French, in English) is the largest city in the Canadian province of Quebec They hired the architects of the Canadian ice palace to design one for St. Paul and built a palace 106 ft (32. 3 m) high with ice blocks cut from a nearby lake. ^[69] This began the tradition of the Saint Paul Winter Carnival, a ten day festival which celebrates Minnesota's winter season. The Coolest Celebration on Earth In 1885 a New York reporter wrote that Saint Paul was "another Siberia unfit for human habitation" in winter ^[72]

Minnesota's winters are the setting of several Hollywood films, including the ice fishing comedies of Grumpy Old Men and Grumpier Old Men, set and filmed in the state. Grumpy Old Men is a 1993 Warner Bros Romantic comedy film starring Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, and Ann-Margret Grumpier Old Men is a 1995 Warner Bros Romantic comedy film starring Walter Matthau, Jack Lemmon, Ann-Margret ^[73][74] The 1996 film noir Fargo also features the backdrop of a Minnesota winter, but like most of the characters in the movie, the climate is portrayed as bleak and inhospitable. Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize moral ambiguity and sexual motivation Fargo is a 1996 American Film produced directed and written by brothers Ethan and Joel Coen. ^[75]

Summer resorts on Minnesota's "10,000 lakes" may prefer to emphasize warm-season activities, but from The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show's Frostbite Falls, Minnesota to Fargo, long and cold winters seem to be the popular image of the climate of Minnesota. The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show is the collective name for two separate American Television Animated series: Rocky and His Friends Frostbite Falls Minnesota is a fictional small town seen on the American Animated series Rocky and His Friends and The

See also

• Climate of the United States
• Meteorology
• Weather lore

References

External links

• Minnesota State Climatology Office
• National Weather Service - Central Region Headquarters
• National Climatic Data Center