FROM: Bob Weisman
Earth Sciences - St. Cloud State University
DATE: 4 September 2000
SUBJECT: A private little drought
St. Cloud August 2000 and summer 2000 weather summaries
The dryness, which has plagued a small piece of central Minnesota
from eastern Stearns, southeastern Morrison, and Benton Counties to the
northern Twin Cities Metro, intensified in August, according to the
monthly statistics from the Saint Cloud Airport. August's rainfall was
only 1.21 inches, 2.75 inches below normal. The low rainfall made August
2000 the driest August since August 1981 (no measurable rain recorded)
and the 10th driest August of the 109 years on record. Almost all of
the monthly rainfall occurred in a cool storm on the 16th when 1.00
inch fell. Occasional high heat, especially during the first portion of
the month, put additional strain on water resources and forced
restrictions on outdoor water use in Sauk Rapids, Sartell, and other
communities.
The low rainfall contributed to the low summer (1 Jun-31 Aug)
total of 7.56 inches, the 16th lowest total in St. Cloud records. While
both 1992 (7.49 inches) and 1996 (6.74 inches) had lower summer
rainfalls, the 2000 rainfall was lower than in the drought years of
1988 (8.14 inches) and 1999 (8.29 inches). This brought the growing
season rainfall (1 Apr-31 Aug) to only 11.53 inches, more than 5 1/2
inches below normal.
August 2000 was the only summer month in St. Cloud to have
above normal temperatures. The average temperature of 68.8 degrees was
more than one-and-a-half degrees above normal. No record highs were set,
but one record warm low was broken on the 12th.
However, the summer finished one-and-a-half degrees below normal.
This completes the coolest decade (1991-2000) of summers in St. Cloud
records. The average summer temperatures were below normal every year in
the '90's, except for 1991, 1995, and 1999. The '90's summer average
temperature of 67.0 degrees beat the summer's of the 1970's (the second
coolest on record) by nearly half a degree. The '90's had the coldest Julys
by far (68.6 deg; normal 70.9 deg) and tied the 1880's for the 2nd coolest
Augusts (67.3 deg; normal 68.2 deg).
As far as predictions go, the dryness, although localized (see
http://climate.umn.edu/doc/weekmap/weekmap_000828.htm), does not bode
well considering the recent dry falls (2 1/2 inches below normal last
year). However, the cool summers have contrasted haven't stopped 1998
(3rd) and 1999 (8th-tie) from ranking in the top 10 warmest years in St.
Cloud history.
AUGUST STATISTICS AUG 2000 NORMAL
TEMPERATURE ( F)
Average high temp 81.7 79.4
Average low temp 55.9 54.8
Average temp 68.8 67.1
Warmest high for the month 91 on the 10th and 14th
Coolest high for the month 74 on the 17th
Warmest low for the month 71 on the 12th (broke record; see below)
Coolest low for the month 42 on the 29th
Records:
Daily record warm low 71 on the 12th (old record: 70 in 1969)
PRECIPITATION (IN)
Total for month 1.21** 3.96
Maximum daily amount 1.00 on the 16th
Growing seas precip (1 Apr-31 Aug)11.53 17.18
**10th driest August on record (see below)
SUMMER STATISTICS SUMMER 2000 NORMAL
Avg high temperature ( F) 78.9 79.8
Avg low temperature ( F) 54.5 54.9
Average temperature ( F) 66.7 68.2
Total Precipitation (in) 7.56+ 11.44
Number of highs >= 90 deg 12 10.7
+16th driest summer on record
ST. CLOUD PRECIP--AUGUST (109 YEARS; AVG = 3.59 IN; SDEV = 1.93 IN)
WETTEST DRIEST
9.28 IN 1900 0.00 IN 1981
7.91 IN 1899 0.42 IN 1933
7.55 IN 1956 0.46 IN 1950
7.35 IN 1995 0.60 IN 1976
7.22 IN 1926 0.77 IN 1946
7.01 IN 1980 0.89 IN 1920
6.96 IN 1905 0.90 IN 1894
6.95 IN 1952 1.00 IN 1923
6.95 IN 1958 1.16 IN 1922
6.66 IN 1964 1.21 IN 2000 <--10TH DRIEST ON RECORD;
DRIEST SINCE 1981
SUMMER AVERAGE TEMPERATURES BY DECADE (120 YEARS ON RECORD)
OVERALL SUMMER JULY AUGUST
70.7 1931-1940 74.4 1931-1940 70.1 1931-1940
68.6 1891-1900 71.8 1881-1890 68.7 1891-1900
68.5 1911-1920 71.5 1911-1920 68.5 1941-1950
68.3 1921-1930 71.3 1981-1990 68.4 1911-1920
68.2 1981-1990 71.1 1921-1930 68.4 1951-1960
68.1 1961-1970 70.7 1961-1970 68.3 1921-1930
68.0 1881-1890 70.6 1891-1900 68.2 1961-1970
67.8 1951-1960 70.5 1901-1910 68.0 1901-1910
67.7 1901-1910 70.2 1951-1960 67.9 1981-1990
67.5 1941-1950 69.9 1971-1980 67.3 1881-1890
67.4 1971-1980 69.6 1941-1950 67.3 1991-2000<--
67.0 1991-2000**COOLEST 68.6 1991-2000<-- 66.9 1971-1980
68.2 AVERAGE 70.9 AVERAGE 68.2 AVERAGE
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