2001 Minneapolis–St. Paul, Minnesota (MSP)

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2001 MINNEAPOLIS–ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA (MSP)

The Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul are located at the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers over the heart of an artesian water basin. Its flat or gently rolling terrain varies little in elevation from that of the official observation station at International Airport. Numerous lakes dot the surrounding area. Minneapolis alone boasts of 22 lakes within the city park system. The largest body of water, nearly 15,000 acres, is Lake Minnetonka, located about 15 miles west of the airport. Most bodies of water are relatively small and shallow and are ice covered during winter.

The climate of the Minneapolis–St. Paul area is predominantly continental. Seasonal temperature variations are quite large. Temperatures range from less than −30 degrees to over 100 degrees. The growing season is 166 days. Because of this favorable growing season, all crops generally mature before the autumn freeze occurs.

The Twin Cities lie near the northern edge of the influx of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico. Severe storms such as blizzards, freezing rain (glaze), tornadoes, wind and hail storms do occur. The total annual precipitation is important. Even more significant is its proper distribution during the growing season. During the five month growing season, May through September, the major crops produced are corn, soybeans, small grains, and hay. During this period, the normal rainfall is over 16 inches, approximately 65 percent of the annual precipitation. Winter snowfall is nearly 48 inches. Winter recreational weather is excellent because of the dry snow. These conditions exist from about Christmas into early March. Snow depths average 6 to 8 inches in the city and 8 to 10 inches in the suburbs during this period.

Floods occur along the Mississippi River due to spring snow melt, excessive rainfall, or both. Occasionally an ice jam forms and creates a local flood condition. The flood problem at St. Paul is complicated because the Minnesota River empties into the Mississippi River between the two cities. Consequently, high water or flooding on the Minnesota River creates a greater flood potential at St. Paul. Flood stage at St. Paul can be expected on the average once in every eight years.

NORMALS, MEANS, AND EXTREMES

MINNEAPOLIS–ST.PAUL, MN (MSP)

LATITUDE:    LONGITUDE:    ELEVATION (FT):    TIME ZONE:    WBAN: 1492

44 52′ 59″ N  93 13′ 44″ W  GRND: 871  BARO: 874  CENTRAL (UTC + 6)

ELEMENTPORJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECYEAR
TEMPERATURE FNORMAL DAILY MAXIMUM3020.726.639.256.569.478.884.080.770.758.841.025.554.3
MEAN DAILY MAXIMUM5721.627.239.056.169.078.583.380.870.959.540.626.554.4
HIGHEST DAILY MAXIMUM63586183959610210510298907768105
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE194420001986198019781985198819471976199719991998JUL 1988
MEAN OF EXTREME MAXS.5740.745.361.878.787.693.394.993.688.780.161.246.072.7
NORMAL DAILY MINIMUM302.89.222.736.247.657.663.160.350.338.825.210.235.3
MEAN DAILY MINIMUM574.09.822.136.048.057.762.960.850.539.625.011.335.6
LOWEST DAILY MINIMUM63-34-32-322183443392613-17-29-34
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE197019961962196219671945197219671974199719641983JAN 1970
MEAN OF EXTREME MINS.57-19.5-13.30.020.632.643.551.548.834.824.65.1-11.718.1
NORMAL DRY BULB3011.817.931.046.458.568.273.670.560.548.833.217.944.9
MEAN DRY BULB5712.818.630.646.058.368.073.170.960.749.632.819.045.0
MEAN WET BULB1714.419.129.140.552.161.365.464.055.343.629.618.241.0
MEAN DEW POINT179.213.722.331.444.655.560.759.950.637.324.313.435.2
NORMAL NO. DAYS WITH:
MAXIMUM 90300.00.00.00.10.92.96.63.80.80.00.00.015.1
MAXIMUM 323023.617.88.60.40.00.00.00.00.00.06.721.678.7
MINIMUM 323030.927.025.111.11.10.00.00.00.57.423.430.1156.6
MINIMUM 03014.18.51.80.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.68.133.1
H/CNORMAL HEATING DEG. DAYS3016491319105455824441112216750295414607981
NORMAL COOLING DEG. DAY3000004313727819232000682
RHNORMAL (PERCENT)3070706760606465687168737468
HOUR 00 LST3072737266677274777974767673
HOUR 06 LST3074757674767880838581807878
HOUR 12 LST3066656152515453565958667059
HOUR 18 LST3068656150495252566160697260
SPERCENT POSSIBLE SUNSHINE5853595758616672696255394258
W/OMEAN NO. DAYS WITH:
HEAVY FOG(VISBY 1/4 MI)631.21.41.30.40.50.50.30.60.80.91.11.310.3
THUNDERSTORMS630.00.21.02.65.17.77.66.54.21.80.60.137.4
CLOUDINESSMEAN:
SUNRISE-SUNSET (OKTAS)585.15.05.45.35.14.94.24.24.44.65.75.55.0
MIDNIGHT-MIDNIGHT (OKTAS)324.94.85.15.04.84.54.04.04.24.65.35.24.7
MEAN NO. DAYS WITH:
CLEAR588.37.77.16.97.07.29.810.09.89.85.56.495.5
PARTLY CLOUDY587.36.97.47.79.110.411.811.28.57.56.46.4100.6
CLOUDY5815.413.716.515.314.812.49.59.811.813.718.118.2169.2
PRMEAN STATION PRESSURE(IN)2829.1729.1829.1029.0629.0429.0329.0829.1129.1229.1229.1129.1729.11
MEAN SEA-LEVEL PRES. (IN)1730.1130.1230.0629.9629.9329.9229.9630.0030.0130.0230.0530.1130.02
WINDSMEAN SPEED (MPH)5210.510.311.312.311.310.59.59.310.010.610.910.310.6
PREVAIL. DIR (TENS OF DEGS)3331313112141418141831313131
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE:
SPEED (MPH)531363745494840353738383849
DIR. (TENS OF DEGS)33323228223322263431293222
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE199719992000200019981998199920001999200119991999MAY 1998
MAXIMUM 5-SECOND:
SPEED (MPH)538444959645652464847475164
DIR. (TENS OF DEGS)32313228262221262029293326
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE199719992000200019982001199920001999200119981999MAY 1998
PRECIPITATIONNORMAL (IN)300.950.881.942.423.394.053.533.622.722.191.551.0828.32
MAXIMUM MONTHLY (IN)633.632.144.757.008.039.8217.909.317.535.685.294.2717.90
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE196719811965200119621990198719771942197119911982JUL 1987
MINIMUM MONTHLY (IN)630.100.060.320.160.610.220.580.430.410.010.02TT
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE199019641994198719671988197519461940195219391943DEC 1943
MAXIMUM IN 24 HOURS (IN)631.211.101.662.233.033.0010.007.363.552.952.912.4710.00
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE196719661965197519651986198719771942196619401982JUL 1987
NORMAL NO. DAYS WITH:
PRECIPITATION 0.01309.27.49.911.211.411.19.29.610.08.28.49.8115.4
PRECIPITATION 1.00300.10.10.20.30.71.00.91.00.40.50.20.15.5
SNOWFALLNORMAL (IN)3012.59.211.63.60.10.00.00.00.*0.47.311.356.0
MAXIMUM MONTHLY (IN)6146.426.540.021.83.0TTT1.78.246.933.246.9
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE198219621951198319461995199419921942199119911969NOV 1991
MAXIMUM IN 24 HOURS (IN)6118.59.314.713.63.0TTT1.78.221.016.521.0
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE198219391985198319461995199419921942199119911982NOV 1991
MAXIMUM SNOW DEPTH (IN)5438302710200001232138
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE19821967196519851984196919911991JAN 1982
NORMAL NO. DAYS WITH:
SNOWFALL 1.0303.93.13.20.90.*0.00.00.00.00.12.23.717.1
PRECIPITATION (inches) 2001 MINNEAPOLIS–ST. PAUL, MN (MSP)
YEARJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECANNUAL
19720.840.491.251.692.183.315.122.481.961.771.111.5723.77
19730.920.841.122.322.481.062.903.052.081.291.971.1021.13
19740.171.061.002.422.085.211.142.750.581.690.660.3519.11
19752.820.791.675.403.817.990.584.921.310.274.800.7935.15
19760.870.592.830.801.133.862.451.391.420.490.160.5116.50
19770.650.932.661.842.863.573.729.314.432.341.421.1534.88
19780.380.240.793.633.797.093.195.772.470.191.840.8830.26
19791.091.392.550.664.554.782.347.042.203.160.980.3331.07
19800.940.671.120.832.295.522.303.263.680.660.260.2421.77
19810.302.140.712.172.184.424.094.731.462.692.160.9227.97
19822.450.432.091.624.991.440.923.801.503.453.274.2730.23
19830.671.193.223.976.205.223.073.123.342.614.931.5339.07
19840.881.641.473.862.297.953.035.152.655.480.312.2436.95
19850.870.504.481.813.652.182.205.024.373.661.721.2031.66
19860.900.842.035.883.485.344.114.446.901.770.620.3136.62
19870.630.130.640.161.881.9517.903.671.280.602.071.2532.16
19881.370.301.331.581.700.221.174.292.790.802.860.6719.08
19890.521.042.192.663.383.503.502.921.280.531.380.4223.32
19900.100.773.663.803.369.825.061.711.881.230.651.0133.05
19910.491.032.293.586.352.572.953.145.432.525.291.0536.69
19920.660.571.561.991.153.685.214.545.202.111.951.0529.67
19931.250.391.251.994.026.285.586.502.040.791.570.5532.21
19941.170.780.323.772.213.094.122.904.744.651.390.5329.67
19950.360.252.111.902.433.382.724.592.213.680.881.1525.66
19961.870.241.390.762.374.762.091.431.303.015.081.7526.05
19971.710.301.181.011.703.7012.606.013.192.030.690.3134.43
19981.640.804.561.564.406.522.635.991.322.191.320.4633.39
19992.670.401.863.436.563.684.552.642.730.920.770.3330.54
20000.901.081.121.124.564.566.103.192.151.093.381.2330.48
20011.211.331.097.004.536.352.122.313.501.282.770.7434.23
POR=111 YRS0.900.851.622.213.414.203.603.412.882.001.450.9027.43
AVERAGE TEMPERATURE (F) 2001 MINNEAPOLIS–ST. PAUL, MN (MSP)
YEARJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECANNUAL
19725.510.526.541.961.366.068.569.857.943.732.211.341.3
197317.421.640.244.455.269.573.873.460.153.834.316.746.7
197411.916.929.547.154.465.576.667.355.349.833.724.444.4
197514.515.522.138.960.968.876.371.757.752.837.521.344.8
197611.627.831.451.858.971.776.173.361.844.628.313.645.9
19770.322.737.553.066.968.474.866.160.547.130.814.445.2
19785.511.630.045.261.867.871.172.267.349.832.515.244.2
19793.210.028.944.055.567.373.669.963.446.631.726.043.3
198015.315.327.349.261.567.675.270.759.545.136.619.845.3
198118.023.437.749.157.167.070.969.360.046.738.017.546.2
19822.315.829.043.862.563.775.671.860.950.331.525.744.4
198319.626.934.242.354.668.077.276.862.648.434.03.745.7
198412.027.524.847.156.069.772.273.557.250.733.317.945.2
198510.116.535.652.162.263.973.967.659.947.524.87.743.5
198617.515.733.949.659.468.673.967.159.849.228.224.745.6
198721.231.638.753.563.572.876.069.062.544.637.925.049.7
198810.413.933.847.465.474.478.173.962.444.032.720.546.4
198921.28.626.645.357.568.476.470.860.949.928.010.643.7
199026.323.735.746.856.369.571.370.664.448.137.416.947.3
199112.524.434.349.161.972.972.371.159.047.224.521.245.9
199221.928.033.143.660.565.665.865.959.647.431.421.245.3
199314.617.229.544.257.264.570.370.455.046.530.622.243.5
19944.413.234.745.960.769.970.167.464.352.238.024.545.4
199518.519.335.042.256.971.273.174.760.248.627.419.145.5
199610.218.025.341.455.667.470.070.562.248.825.413.742.4
199710.319.929.343.053.470.071.068.862.450.228.126.944.4
199819.131.931.950.763.464.972.671.666.651.237.224.648.8
199912.427.933.849.060.167.376.270.161.149.641.825.647.9
200015.927.941.146.760.966.172.472.261.653.331.27.646.4
200120.011.827.548.459.769.175.974.260.948.646.427.647.5
POR=111 YRS13.317.530.246.058.367.973.170.661.549.632.919.445.0

REFERENCE NOTES:

PAGE 1:

THE TEMPERATURE GRAPH SHOWS NORMAL MAXIMUM AND NORMAL MINIMUM DAILY TEMPERATURES (SOLID CURVES) AND THE ACTUAL DAILY HIGH AND LOW TEMPERATURES (VERTICAL BARS).

PAGE 2 AND 3:

H/C INDICATES HEATING AND COOLING DEGREE DAYS.

RH INDICATES RELATIVE HUMIDITY

W/O INDICATES WEATHER AND OBSTRUCTIONS

S INDICATES SUNSHINE.

PR INDICATES PRESSURE.

CLOUDINESS ON PAGE 3 IS THE SUM OF THE CEILOMETER AND SATELLITE DATA NOT TO EXCEED EIGHT EIGHTHS (OKTAS).

GENERAL:

T INDICATES TRACE PRECIPITATION, AN AMOUNT GREATER THAN ZERO BUT LESS THAN THE LOWEST REPORTABLE VALUE.

+ INDICATES THE VALUE ALSO OCCURS ON EARLIER DATES.

BLANK ENTRIES DENOTE MISSING OR UNREPORTED DATA.

NORMALS ARE 30–YEAR AVERAGES (1961–1990).

ASOS INDICATES AUTOMATED SURFACE OBSERVING SYSTEM.

PM INDICATES THE LAST DAY OF THE PREVIOUS MONTH.

POR (PERIOD OF RECORD) BEGINS WITH THE JANUARY DATA MONTH AND IS THE NUMBER OF YEARS USED TO COMPUTE THE MEAN. INDIVIDUAL MONTHS WITHIN THE POR MAY BE MISSING.

WHEN THE POR FOR A NORMAL IS LESS THAN 30 YEARS, THE NORMAL IS PROVISIONAL AND IS BASED ON THE NUMBER OF YEARS INDICATED.

0.* OR * INDICATES THE VALUE OR MEAN–DAYS–WITH IS BETWEEN 0.00 AND 0.05.

CLOUDINESS FOR ASOS STATIONS DIFFERS FROM THE NON–ASOS OBSERVATION TAKEN BY A HUMAN OBSERVER. ASOS STATION CLOUDINESS IS BASED ON TIME–AVERAGED CEILOMETER DATA FOR CLOUDS AT OR BELOW 12,000 FEET AND ON SATELLITE DATA FOR CLOUDS ABOVE 12,000 FEET.

THE NUMBER OF DAYS WITH CLEAR, PARTLY CLOUDY, AND CLOUDY CONDITIONS FOR ASOS STATIONS IS THE SUM OF THE CEILOMETER AND SATELLITE DATA FOR THE SUNRISE TO SUNSET PERIOD.

GENERAL CONTINUED:

CLEAR INDICATES 0–2 OKTAS, PARTLY CLOUDY INDICATES 3–6 OKTAS, AND CLOUDY INDICATES 7 OR 8 OKTAS. WHEN AT LEAST ONE OF THE ELEMENTS (CEILOMETER OR SATELLITE) IS MISSING, THE DAILY CLOUDINESS IS NOT COMPUTED.

WIND DIRECTION IS RECORDED IN TENS OF DEGREES (2 DIGITS) CLOCKWISE FROM TRUE NORTH. "00" INDICATES CALM. "36" INDICATES TRUE NORTH.

RESULTANT WIND IS THE VECTOR AVERAGE OF THE SPEED AND DIRECTION.

AVERAGE TEMPERATURE IS THE SUM OF THE MEAN DAILY MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURE DIVIDED BY 2.

SNOWFALL DATA COMPRISE ALL FORMS OF FROZEN PRECIPITATION, INCLUDING HAIL.

A HEATING (COOLING) DEGREE DAY IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE AVERAGE DAILY TEMPERATURE AND 65 F.

DRY BULB IS THE TEMPERATURE OF THE AMBIENT AIR.

DEW POINT IS THE TEMPERATURE TO WHICH THE AIR MUST BE COOLED TO ACHIEVE 100 PERCENT RELATIVE HUMIDITY.

WET BULB IS THE TEMPERATURE THE AIR WOULD HAVE IF THE MOISTURE CONTENT WAS INCREASED TO 100 PERCENT RELATIVE HUMIDITY.

ON JULY 1, 1996, THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BEGAN USING THE "METAR" OBSERVATION CODE THAT WAS ALREADY EMPLOYED BY MOST OTHER NATIONS OF THE WORLD. THE MOST NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCE IN THIS ANNUAL PUBLICATION WILL BE THE CHANGE IN UNITS FROM TENTHS TO EIGHTS (OKTAS) FOR REPORTING THE AMOUNT OF SKY COVER.

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (base 65 F) 2001 MINNEAPOLIS–ST. PAUL, MN (MSP)
YEARJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNTOTAL
1972–733452218651974166414741208761611299137959
1973–74131853509151493164213441092535338727970
1974–750482894679331252156113791324775188398255
1975–761572313878181346165010741031405195117170
1976–7704162632109215902005118084436575177966
1977–7803514554810161565184214881080584162468511
1978–7957894649681538191415371112623307388602
1979–800241055669921203153614361165484184347729
1980–81012194611845139614531160838472249287258
1981–8211111725648031466194513741111629117718274
1982–83014168448997121214001061947673313497282
1983–8420161514923190116411082124053128478286
1984–855122514359431453169413559044031231047682
1985–860282405371201177414661377957454212308276
1986–87043177480109612431352929809347134136623
1987–882291066238041236168814799625237647532
1988–891161166469631373135315761184583251448106
1989–90061594701105168311941151899569274377547
1990–912513651682014841624113094548119737343
1991–92782285481206135413331067981636190727630
1992–93325218254210031351155713351096617243708080
1993–943183025661025132218791445932569180278268
1994–9524599390802125014341274924678247477192
1995–966020151111231416169713601222699304628601
1996–97321675001182158316881255110065335168490
1997–98272611348311011173141491710194231041076907
1998–990074422829124916251034958473171766911
1999–0002174471690121415151070734542176726660
2000–0112114636410081771138614831155497197548074
2001–821625055521152
COOLING DEGREE DAYS (base 65 F) 2001 MINNEAPOLIS–ST. PAUL, MN (MSP)
YEARJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECANNUAL
197200009410914820813000572
19730001415828027147800769
1974000518933691276100619
1975000066159371220181600850
1976000141422335126972700950
1977000121451293107619000691
1978000072138201236164000811
197900001711327518165000651
1980000168212132219438100774
19810000109620015128000485
19820000464033823253000709
198300000145389368988001008
198400001315523728024000709
198500022437728411893000637
198600014514828611532000627
1987000119525334815937000903
1988000196296412302450001152
198900002615335919241800779
19900002811178206191125100740
1991000810924623820551000857
199200035696648828200337
1993000012601761958000451
199400035218316712686000617
19950000324026430863900887
199600002014216818187400602
199700001163222150413300610
1998000062111243212130000758
199900002815135716664000766
200000005511124922853800704
200100083818435129346200922
SNOWFALL (inches) 2001 MINNEAPOLIS–ST. PAUL, MN (MSP)
YEARJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNTOTAL
1972–730.00.0TT1.115.311.611.30.42.00.00.041.7
1973–740.00.00.00.00.117.92.515.77.77.30.00.051.2
1974–750.00.00.00.01.26.127.49.018.32.20.00.064.2
1975–760.00.00.00.016.25.612.85.113.60.01.20.054.5
1976–770.00.00.02.31.48.313.41.814.61.80.00.043.6
1977–780.00.00.03.011.714.26.84.68.51.90.00.050.7
1978–790.00.00.00.016.515.114.213.58.40.70.00.068.4
1979–800.00.00.0T7.71.712.98.813.78.50.00.053.3
1980–810.00.00.0T0.92.84.611.00.11.70.00.021.1
1981–820.00.00.00.914.010.646.47.410.94.80.00.095.0
1982–830.00.00.01.43.619.33.210.814.321.80.00.074.4
1983–840.00.00.0T30.421.010.69.317.39.80.00.098.4
1984–850.00.00.00.32.016.313.14.236.8T0.00.072.7
1985–860.00.00.4T23.913.510.312.38.70.40.00.069.5
1986–870.00.00.0T4.44.25.51.22.1T0.00.017.4
1987–880.00.00.00.34.57.519.54.53.72.40.00.042.4
1988–890.00.00.00.215.87.26.017.322.70.80.1T70.1
1989–900.00.00.00.011.37.01.110.73.22.20.00.035.5
1990–910.00.00.0T5.011.76.514.24.41.50.30.043.6
1991–920.0T0.08.246.96.75.05.910.80.60.00.084.1
1992–930.0TT1.312.29.212.05.36.90.50.00.047.4
1993–94T0.00.0T7.74.524.312.01.75.50.0T55.7
1994–95T0.00.0T6.26.54.22.110.40.20.0T29.6
1995–960.00.0T0.76.616.114.51.214.12.3T0.055.5
1996–970.00.00.0T15.323.514.24.014.30.6TT71.9
1997–98T0.00.0T8.63.320.41.111.6TTT45.0
1998–990.00.0T0.00.13.133.14.216.0T0.00.056.5
1999–000.00.00.0T0.77.318.27.71.01.30.00.036.2
2000–010.00.00.00.0
2001–
POR=60 YRSTT0.00.57.79.210.58.010.32.80.4T49.4

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