Record Heat Again: May 20, 2009

Hot and windy conditions prevailed over much of central and southern Minnesota out ahead of a cool front on Wednesday, May 20. Temperatures in the 90's were common over the central and south. The Twin Cities set another record high temperature of 94 degrees as of 4pm, May 20. This broke the old record of 91 that was set in 1934, 1948 and 1975. Record high temperatures were also set at St. Cloud with a high of 92, and at Mankato with a high of 93.

Not only was there heat, but very gusty winds caused tree branches to fall, and even caused some minor damage to a roof of a business in St. James in Watonwan County. The highest wind gust so far in the Twin Cities was 46mph at 1pm. Wind gusts has high as 55mph were noted at Marshall in Lyon County and at Redwood Falls in Redwood County. The strong winds whipped dust in the air lowering visibilities to one mile at times at the St. Cloud Airport. Suspended dust, along with some high clouds, filtered the sun over much of central and southern Minnesota. The atmosphere was very dry out ahead of the cool front. The relative humidity was 15% at the Twin Cities at 4pm. Both Owatonna and Albert Lea had relative humidity readings of 13% at 4pm, May 20.

Listed below are public information statements from the National Weather Service regarding the May 20 heat and strong winds.


PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
538 PM CDT WED MAY 20 2009

...MAXIMUM OBSERVED WIND GUSTS ON WEDNESDAY...

A DEEPENING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVED FROM THE DAKOTAS
INTO NORTHERN MINNESOTA ON WEDNESDAY. IN RESPONSE...STRONG
SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS OVERSPREAD SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL
MINNESOTA AND WESTERN WISCONSIN ON WEDNESDAY.

THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF THE MAXIMUM OBSERVED WIND GUSTS
AT AUTOMATED STATIONS ACROSS THE REGION. NOTE FOR MOST OF
THESE SITES...THE VALUE IS THE MAXIMUM GUST THAT WAS
OBSERVED AND HIGHER GUSTS MAY HAVE OCCURRED BETWEEN
OBSERVATIONS.


.HIGHEST AREA-WIDE GUSTS...

RANK      SITE            MAXIMUM GUST           HOUR
-----------------------------------------------------
1.     REDWOOD FALLS MN      55 MPH              1 PM
2.     FAIRMONT MN           54 MPH             12 PM
2T.    ST JAMES MN           54 MPH             12 PM
4.     ST CLOUD MN           53 MPH             12 PM
4T.    WASECA MN             53 MPH             12 PM


.ALL SITES...

SITE                   MAXIMUM GUST              HOUR
-----------------------------------------------------
ALBERT LEA MN             38 MPH                 3 PM
ALEXANDRIA MN             41 MPH                 9 AM
APPLETON MN               39 MPH                12 PM
BENSON MN                 39 MPH                10 AM
BLAINE MN                 43 MPH                 3 PM
BUFFALO MN                37 MPH                 3 PM
CAMBRIDGE MN              40 MPH                 3 PM
CANBY MN                  48 MPH                 9 AM
CRYSTAL MN                48 MPH                12 PM
EAU CLAIRE WI             46 MPH                 1 PM
EDEN PRAIRIE MN           50 MPH                12 PM
FAIRMONT MN               54 MPH                12 PM
FARIBAULT MN              39 MPH                 1 PM
GLENCOE MN                47 MPH                 3 PM
GLENWOOD MN               41 MPH                 9 AM
GRANITE FALLS MN          48 MPH                 9 AM
HUTCHINSON MN             45 MPH                 2 PM
LADYSMITH WI              37 MPH                 5 PM
LAKE ELMO MN              44 MPH                 1 PM
LAKEVILLE MN              48 MPH                 1 PM
MADISON MN                49 MPH                 9 AM
MANKATO MN                48 MPH                11 AM
MAPLE LAKE MN             39 MPH                 2 PM
MENOMONIE MN              44 MPH                 1 PM
MINNEAPOLIS MN            50 MPH                 4 PM
MORA MN                   43 MPH                 1 PM
MORRIS MN                 41 MPH                10 AM
MONTEVIDEO MN             41 MPH                 9 AM
NEW ULM MN                47 MPH                 3 PM
NEW RICHMOND WI           46 MPH                12 PM
OLIVIA MN                 48 MPH                 2 PM
OSCEOLA WI                44 MPH                 3 PM
OWATONNA MN               51 MPH                11 AM
PAYNESVILLE MN            39 MPH                11 AM
PRINCETON MN              41 MPH                 1 PM
RED WING MN               40 MPH                 4 PM
RICE LAKE WI              39 MPH                 3 PM        
REDWOOD FALLS MN          55 MPH                 1 PM
SOUTH ST PAUL MN          45 MPH                 4 PM
ST CLOUD MN               53 MPH                12 PM
ST JAMES MN               54 MPH                12 PM
ST PAUL MN                47 MPH                 2 PM
STANTON MN                46 MPH                 1 PM
STAPLES MN                39 MPH                 1 PM
TRACY MN                  51 MPH                10 AM
WASECA MN                 53 MPH                12 PM
WILLMAR MN                40 MPH                 3 PM

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
550 PM CDT WED MAY 20 2009

...HIGHEST WINDS SORTED BY SUSTAINED SPEED IN THE PAST 12 HOURS...

STATION                   COUNTY              TIME    SPEED     GUST

DODGE CENTER AWOS         DODGE             115 PM   40 MPH   48 MPH
ROCHESTER ASOS            OLMSTED          1154 AM   39 MPH   55 MPH
CANTON RWIS               FILLMORE          319 PM   38 MPH   45 MPH
ELMA CWOP                 HOWARD            104 PM   36 MPH   43 MPH
PRESTON AWOS              FILLMORE         1259 PM   35 MPH   47 MPH
OELWEIN AWOS              FAYETTE           255 PM   35 MPH   41 MPH
AUSTIN AWOS               MOWER            1115 AM   33 MPH   40 MPH
DECORAH 2SE RWIS          WINNESHIEK        405 PM   33 MPH   37 MPH
CHARLES CITY AWOS         FLOYD             215 PM   33 MPH   41 MPH
ST ANSGAR KIMT-TV         MITCHELL         1214 PM   32 MPH      MPH
WEST CONCORD - KIMT       DODGE            1255 PM   31 MPH      MPH
ST CHARLES 4W RWIS        OLMSTED          1136 AM   30 MPH   49 MPH
MONONA HS AWS             CLAYTON          1229 PM   30 MPH      MPH
LA CROSSE ASOS            LA CROSSE         353 PM   30 MPH   41 MPH
SPARTA AWOS               MONROE            155 PM   29 MPH   40 MPH
4N ROCHESTER CWOP         OLMSTED           243 PM   29 MPH   41 MPH
NEW HAMPTON RWIS          CHICKASAW         237 PM   28 MPH   35 MPH
PLAINFIELD AWS            CHICKASAW         129 PM   28 MPH      MPH
PRESTON KIMT              FILLMORE          315 PM   26 MPH      MPH
MEDFORD AWOS              TAYLOR           1015 AM   26 MPH   35 MPH
TURKEY VALLEY AWS         CHICKASAW         114 PM   25 MPH      MPH
BOSCOBEL ASOS             GRANT             353 PM   25 MPH   38 MPH
WILLOW CREEK - KIMT       OLMSTED          1135 AM   25 MPH      MPH
SOUTH WINNESHIEK SCHOOL   WINNESHIEK       1114 AM   25 MPH      MPH
CENTURY HIGH SCHOOL AWS   OLMSTED          1159 AM   24 MPH      MPH
AUSTIN KIMT               MOWER             116 PM   24 MPH      MPH
3N LA CRESCENT CWOP       HOUSTON           213 PM   24 MPH   35 MPH
ITHACA AWS                RICHLAND          314 PM   23 MPH      MPH
NECEDAH RAWS              JUNEAU            348 PM   23 MPH   37 MPH
ALMA AWS                  BUFFALO           359 PM   23 MPH      MPH
STANLEY 1 SE RWIS         CHIPPEWA          228 PM   23 MPH   41 MPH
3E BURR OAK CWOP          WINNESHIEK        247 PM   23 MPH    0 MPH
BUFFALO LUTHERAN AWS      BUFFALO           159 PM   23 MPH      MPH
BLACK RIVER FALLS RAWS    JACKSON           215 PM   22 MPH   36 MPH
WEST UNION AWS            FAYETTE           129 PM   22 MPH      MPH
WINONA AWOS               WINONA            316 PM   22 MPH   31 MPH
DIAMOND LAKE RAWS         TAYLOR            314 PM   22 MPH   37 MPH
OSAGE - KIMT              MITCHELL         1255 PM   22 MPH      MPH
ARCADIA HILL RWIS         TREMPEALEAU       211 PM   22 MPH   36 MPH
NEW HAMPTON AWS           CHICKASAW         129 PM   21 MPH      MPH
VOLK FIELD                JUNEAU            255 PM   21 MPH   37 MPH
DOWNTOWN ONALASKA APRS    LA CROSSE        1249 PM   20 MPH   31 MPH
ROCHESTER LINCOLN AWS     OLMSTED          1244 PM   20 MPH      MPH

KEY TO OBSERVATION TYPES
AWS - SENSORS FROM AWS INCORPORATED. OFTEN LOCATED AT SCHOOLS.
APRS - AUTOMATIC PACKET REPORTING SYSTEM. HAM RADIO WEATHER STATION DATA.
CWOP - CITIZEN WEATHER OBSERVER PROGRAM. HOME WEATHER STATION DATA.
RWIS - ROAD WEATHER INFORMATION SYSTEMS. LOCATED ON MAJOR ROADS AND BRIDGES.
RAWS - FIRE WEATHER OBSERVATIONS. OFTEN LOCATED IN FORESTS.
ASOS/AWOS - AVIATION WEATHER OBSERVATIONS. LOCATED AT AIRPORTS.

OBSERVATIONS ARE COLLECTED FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES WITH VARYING EQUIPMENT
AND EXPOSURE.  NOT ALL DATA LISTED IS CONSIDERED OFFICIAL.


PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
247 PM CDT WED MAY 20 2009

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0230 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG ST JAMES                43.98N 94.63W
05/20/2009                   WATONWAN           MN   TRAINED SPOTTER

            ONE BUSINESS EXPERIENCED SOME MINOR ROOF DAMAGE. SOME
            LARGE TREE LIMBS ALSO DOWN.

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
207 PM CDT WED MAY 20 2009

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0145 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG PRIOR LAKE              44.73N 93.43W
05/20/2009                   SCOTT              MN   AMATEUR RADIO

            18 INCH LIMB FROM LIVE TREE BROKEN AT MAIN TRUNK AND FELL
            TO GROUND.

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
111 PM CDT WED MAY 20 2009

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0109 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG STILLWATER              45.06N 92.82W
05/20/2009                   WASHINGTON         MN   PUBLIC

            TREE DOWN


RECORD EVENT REPORT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHANHASSEN MN
128 AM CDT THU MAY 21 2009

...A NEW RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE WAS SET AT MANKATO MINNESOTA...


A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 93 DEGREES WAS SET AT MANKATO MINNESOTA  
YESTERDAY. 
THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 92 SET IN 1970.

RECORD EVENT REPORT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHANHASSEN MN
130 AM CDT THU MAY 21 2009

...A NEW RECORD WARM LOW TEMPERATURE WAS SET AT MINNEAPOLIS...

THE LOW TEMPERATURE WAS 69 DEGREES AT MSP...OR THE MINNEAPOLIS/ST PAUL INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.

THIS IS A NEW WARM LOW TEMPERATURE FOR THE DATE.

THE PREVIOUS RECORD WARM LOW TEMPERATURE WAS 66 IN 1972.