June Monsoon: Wettest in 8 years

NWS storm total rainfall shows a band of 2" to 3" rainfall from near Marshall into the southern Metro Saturday night.

Welcome to the June Monsoon.

We've just experienced the wettest June in 8 years in the metro and much of Minnesota. So far this month, 6.25" of rain has fallen at Twin Cities International Airport. That's about 2.25" above average for the month, and marks the wettest June since 2002 when 8.30" fell in the Twin Cities.

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Many communities in southern Minnesota have recorded similar rainfall totals.

NOAA rainfall analysis for the past 14 days shows general 2" to 4" rainfall in southern Minnesota, with some pockets of 6" rainfall. Some areas in Iowa picked up 6" to 10" during the past two weeks.

Severe storm reports spiked too.

Check this out from Twin Cities NWS today.

The number of preliminary severe weather reports in the NWS Chanhassen county warning area during the ten day stretch from June 17th-26th was 199. Prior to that, 23 reports of severe weather had been received. The amount of preliminary severe weather reports across the country has spiked as well during the same stretch, with June 17th being initially the most active tornado day in the country so far in 2010.

The weather maps insist the rest of June will remain dry, and the next chance of storms will not approach the region until late Saturday or Sunday.

Latest sunsets of the year this week:

Sunset behind Big Island on Lake Minnetonka Sunday June 27th. Note the crepuscular rays shooting up from above the sun. (Photo by Paul Huttner. Click for bigger image)

The suns sets this week in the Twin Cities at 9:03pm. This marks the latest sunset time of the year in the northern hemisphere. Here are some sunset times this week for select Minnesota locations. Since the sun sets north or due west this week, note that the sun sets later as you move northwest.

Rochester 8:56pm

Twin Cities 9:03pm

Redwood Falls 9:09pm

St. Cloud 9:10pm

Brainerd 9:13pm

Duluth 9:06pm

Ely 9:10pm

Moorhead 9:25pm

Bemidji 9:20pm

Roseau 9:30pm

Enjoy the longest evening daylight of the year this week!

PH