Why did Duluth’s temp drop 27 degrees in minutes? Watch the wind
Something odd happened on the shore of Lake Superior Sunday: The temperature dropped 27 degrees in just 21 minutes.
The temperature was 81 degrees at 2:53 p.m., and it dropped to 54 degrees at 3:14 p.m., according to measurements at Sky Harbor Airport in Duluth:
A cold front was wiggling through northeastern Minnesota Sunday afternoon, and the winds shifted from west on the 2:53 p.m. reading (14:53 on the chart) to northeast on the 3:14 p.m. observation.
Sky Harbor Airport is located on Minnesota Point in Duluth, very close to Lake Superior:
When winds shift and start to come in off of the lake, temps can take a big drop in Duluth and along the north shore of Lake Superior.
The most impressive temperature change in U.S. weather records occurred on January 22, 1943 in Spearfish, S.D.
The temperature rose 49 degrees in just two minutes in Spearfish that day. A couple hours later, it dropped 58 degrees in 27 minutes.
Create a More Connected Minnesota
MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.