Edge of summer here; USA has warmest start to summer on record

It's not your imagination. This has been a warmer than average summer in Minnesota and across the USA.

Minnesota still rides the sticky edge of a tropical air mass this week. Dewpoints in the sultry 70s cling to southeast Minnesota. But up north, the air mass is remarkably drier. Dew points in the fresh 40s and low 50s feel fabulous. There is half as much moisture in the air up north.

Check out the huge spread across Minnesota on the dewpoint map.

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NOAA

Stronger cold front next week

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Our next chance for widespread rainfall arrives Sunday into Monday. Low pressure slides by and a stronger cold front pushes south from Canada. The Canadian model shows a stiff northwest breeze building next Monday.

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Canadian model Sunday into Tuesday via tropical tidbits.

Summer continues until further notice in southern Minnesota. Further notice arrives Monday as temps crash into the comfortable 70s. The first days of the State Fair look nice, with highs around 80.

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NOAA forecast temps for Minneapolis via Weather Bell.

Warmest start to summer in the USA

My preliminary number crunching shows the Twin Cities is running about 4 degrees warmer than average since May. That trend is playing out across the U.S. The continental U.S. has recorded the warmest May-June period on record according to NOAA. Those 3 months ran 3.4 degrees warmer than average across the continental USA.

Another top 5 warmest year globally?

July was the 3rd warmest on record globally. So far 2018 is on pace to be yet another top 5 warmest globally.

And so the dance continues.