Warm January 7th and 8th, 2003
High pressure and an unsual lack of snow cover contributed to a very warm January thaw. Looking at preliminary National Weather Service Cooperative Station information the warmest January 7th temperature found in Minnesota was 60 degrees at Farimont. This breaks Fairmont's old record of 52 set back in 1916. The old record was 55 degrees at various locations back on January 7, 1914. This 60 degrees is also the warmest temperature ever recorded on January 7th in Minnesota, and the earliest 60 degree temperature in January for Minnesota. The old record was 60 degrees at Amboy on January 8, 2002.
The Twin Cities shattered its record high of 45 set back in 1949 with a balmy temperature of 52. Many people took advantage of the mild day with golfing and other mild weather outdoor activities. The mild weather continued into the evening with many temperatures still in the upper 30's to the lower 40's.
January 8th was a repeat of the warm weather with sunshine shining through high clouds and temperatures 30 degrees or more above normal. Many places by lunch time over southern Minnesota were already in the mid to upper 40's. The highest temperature in a search of preliminary National Weather Service Cooperative reports on January 8th was 57 degrees at Lakefield and Marshall. Just one year ago there was a heat wave over Minnesota on January 8th and 9th 2002 that was similar in extent.
Listed here are some of the reported new record highs for January 7th, including....
| Farimont 60 F |
Sioux Falls 56 F |
Twin Cities 52 F |
| St. Cloud 51 F |
Duluth 46 F |
International Falls 46 F |
| Rochester 51 F |
La Crosse 56 F |
Brainerd 47 F |
| Cook 45 F |
Marshall 56 F |
Grand Rapids 47 F |
| Rosemont 53 F |
Rushford 52 F |
Worthington 54 F |
| Babbitt 45 F |
Blackduck 51 F |
Browns Valley 49 F |
| Forest Lake 54 F |
Grand Portage 47 F |
Grand Meadow 51 F |
| St. James 58 F |
Preston 54 F |
Thielman 53 F |
The unseasonably warm weather continued for a second day on January 8, with record highs falling again across many
places over Minnesota. Some of the record highs that were broken were set last year (2002).
Listed here are some of the reported new record highs for January 8th, including....
| St. Cloud 54 F |
Sioux Falls 57 F (tied record) |
Twin Cities 54 F |
| Rochester 52 F |
Duluth 48 F |
International Falls 45 F |
| Marshall 57 F |
Lakefield 57 F |
Brainerd 53 F |
| Browns Valley 54 F |
Forest Lake 54 F |
Grand Portage 48 F |
| Gull Lake Dam 47 F |
Grand Meadow 50 F |
Hutchinson 51 F |
| Isle 49 F |
Karlstad 42 F |
Little Fork 48 F |
| Milaca 51 F |
Moose Lake 51 F |
Morris 52 F (tied record) |
| Roseau 42 F |
Preston 54 F |
Thielman 52 F |
| Rosemont 55 F |
Waseca 54 F |
Blackduck 49 F |
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