The summer of 2006 is already noted for having the most intense drought since 1988. It is also becoming known for heat as well. July 2006 will be the warmest July since the 1930's Dust Bowl in the Twin Cities. As of July 30, the average July monthly temperature in the Twin Cities is 79.3 degrees. With the estimated maximum and minimum on July 31, it appears that 2006 will fall just short of second place.

Below is a table of the top six warmest Julys in the Twin Cities from 1891-2006.

Top Six Warmest Julys in the Twin Cities
----------------------------------------
Rank  Ave Temp  Year

1.     81.4     1936
2.     79.9     1935
3.     79.7     2006*
4.     79.1     1916
5.     78.1     1988
6.     78.0     1955

* if forecasts verify

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
235 AM CDT TUE AUG 1 2006

...DULUTH BREAKS ALL-TIME MONTHLY TEMPERATURE RECORD...

DULUTH HAS SET AN ALL-TIME AVERAGE MONTHLY TEMPERATURE RECORD FOR 
JULY...AND IN FACT...FOR ALL MONTHS GOING BACK TO 1870. THE AVERAGE 
MONTHLY TEMPERATURE FOR JULY 2006 WAS 71.9 DEGREES. THIS BREAKS THE 
PREVIOUS RECORD SET IN JULY 1881...WHEN THE AVERAGE MONTHLY 
TEMPERATURE WAS 71.7 DEGREES. THE NORMAL AVERAGE MONTHLY TEMPERATURE 
FOR JULY IS 65.5 DEGREES. 

FYI...HERE IS HOW THE MONTHLY AVERAGE TEMPERATURE IS CALCULATED...

FIRST...AN AVERAGE OF EACH DAILY HIGH TEMPERATURE FOR THE MONTH IS 
COMPUTED. NEXT...AN AVERAGE OF EACH DAILY LOW TEMPERATURE IS 
COMPUTED. THESE TWO NUMBERS ARE AVERAGED TO DETERMINE THE AVERAGE 
TEMPERATURE FOR THE MONTH. FOR THIS PAST JULY...THE AVERAGE DAILY 
MAXIMUM WAS 83.2...WHICH IS 6.9 DEGREES ABOVE THE NORMAL OF 76.3 
DEGREES. THE AVERAGE DAILY MINIMUM WAS 60.6 DEGREES....WHICH IS 6.0 
DEGREES ABOVE THE NORMAL OF 54.6 DEGREES.  

SEVERAL DAILY TEMPERATURE RECORDS WERE ALSO SET FOR THE MONTH OF 
JULY 2006...WHICH INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING...

JULY 15TH...96 DEGREES
JULY 28TH...97 DEGREES
JULY 31ST...95 DEGREES

THESE WERE THE ONLY DAYS IN WHICH THE TEMPERATURE AT DULUTH CLIMBED  
ABOVE THE 90 DEGREE MARK. THIS IS NOT A RECORD...HOWEVER. THE RECORD 
FOR THE NUMBER OF DAYS IN WHICH THE MERCURY CRACKED THE 90 DEGREE 
MARK WAS IN 1936...WHEN THE TEMPERATURE REACHED 90 DEGREES OR HIGHER 
ON 9 OCCASIONS. 

RECORD EVENT REPORT 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHANHASSEN MN
235 AM CDT TUE AUG 1 2006

...A NEW RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE SET IN EAU CLAIRE...
...A NEW RECORD WARM LOW TEMPERATURE SET IN EAU CLAIRE...
...A NEW RECORD WARM LOW TEMPERATURE SET IN THE TWIN CITIES...


A NEW RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 103 DEGREES WAS SET IN EAU CLAIRE
WISCONSIN YESTERDAY JULY 31ST. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 102
DEGREES SET IN 1988. ALSO...A NEW RECORD WARM LOW TEMPERATURE OF
75 DEGREES WAS SET IN EAU CLAIRE ON JULY 31ST. THE PREVIOUS RECORD
FOR THIS DATE WAS 74 DEGREES SET IN 1933.

A NEW RECORD WARM LOW TEMPERATURE OF 80 DEGREES WAS SET ON JULY 31ST
IN THE TWIN CITIES. THE PREVIOUS RECORD FOR THIS DATE WAS 77 DEGREES
SET IN YEARS 2001 AND 1976.


RECORD EVENT REPORT 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHANHASSEN MN
335 AM CDT MON JUL 31 2006

...A NEW RECORD WARM LOW TEMPERATURE WAS SET IN THE TWIN CITIES...
...THE RECORD WARM LOW TEMPERATURE WAS TIED IN ST CLOUD...


A NEW RECORD WARM LOW TEMPERATURE OF 79 DEGREES WAS SET ON JULY 30TH
IN THE TWIN CITIES. THE PREVIOUS RECORD FOR THIS DATE WAS 78 DEGREES
SET IN YEARS 1955 AND 1933.

THE RECORD WARM LOW TEMPERATURE OF 76 DEGREES WAS TIED ON JULY 30TH
AT ST CLOUD. THE PREVIOUS RECORD OF 76 DEGREES WAS SET IN 1933.

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URL: http://climate.umn.edu/doc/journal/july_heat2006.htm
Last modified: July 31, 2006