Minnesota’s 5-month summer? Unsettled week ahead

Happy October Minnesota.

The five months we might call the warm season in Minnesota (May-September) have slipped into the weather record books.  Looking back, one can make the case we enjoyed almost five months of summer-like weather this year. Once we got past April, that is.

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2018 temperatures and precipitation plot via Twin Cities NWS.

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  • Each month May through September was significantly warmer than average in the Twin Cities.

  • May through September temperature departure by month at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport: (+8.7,+3.9,+1.2,+2.7.+3.1)

  • Overall the Twin Cities ran about 4 degrees warmer than average from May through September.

  • Each month recorded at least 2 days of 90-degree heat. (May=6, June=3, July=4, August=5, September=2)

  • MSP airport reached 90 degrees or higher on 20 days this year. The annual average is 11 days.

Yes Minnesota, it was a good summer.

Wet week ahead 

We dodge a few light to moderate rain showers across Minnesota Monday. Another rain system arrives Wednesday. The third Thursday night into Friday. Much of southern Minnesota will pick up 1 to 2 inches of rain this week.

Summery spike Wednesday

Tuesday and Thursday will be the brightest days this week. A low-pressure system packing moisture from Tropical Storm Rosa over Arizona today brings rain and warmer weather to Minnesota Wednesday.

But it's a one-day heat spike.

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NOAA via Weather Bell.

Summer lingers in the eastern U.S.

The longer range weather pattern favors unusually warm weather across the eastern U.S. and colder than average temperatures in the west. In this kind of pattern, Minnesota can see strong storms pushing in from the southwest.

Stay tuned.