Thursday’s wind speeds and a new record for the Twin Cities

This past week’s weather was notable for the gusty winds on Thursday.  A strong pressure gradient from west to east across Minnesota, created by a low pressure center sitting out over the Great Lakes, was responsible for the winds.  A well-mixed air mass and unidirectional winds also contributed to the strength.



Here is a map showing maximum wind speed from around the area:



Text listing of the highest recorded winds from September 29th and some reports from across the Twin Cities metro area:

1.  HANLEY FALLS       1220 PM SEP 29     56 MPH
2.  NEW ULM            1255 PM SEP 29     55 MPH
3.  MANKATO            1155 AM SEP 29     54 MPH
4.  1 SE CLEARWATER     247 PM SEP 29     53 MPH
4T. MINNEAPOLIS ASOS    409 PM SEP 29     53 MPH
4T. MONTEVIDEO         1154 AM SEP 29     53 MPH
4T. EAU CLAIRE ASOS    1227 PM SEP 29     53 MPH

...ANOKA COUNTY...

1 SW BLAINE             445 PM SEP 29     41 MPH
6 WNW FOREST LAKE       406 PM SEP 29     38 MPH
2 NW ANOKA              603 PM SEP 29     33 MPH

...CARVER COUNTY...

3 S CARVER             1149 AM SEP 29     41 MPH
1 ESE WATERTOWN         414 PM SEP 29     41 MPH

...DAKOTA COUNTY...

SOUTH SAINT PAUL       1054 AM SEP 29     51 MPH
3 WSW FARMINGTON       1234 PM SEP 29     48 MPH
2 WSW SOUTH SAINT PAUL 1251 PM SEP 29     45 MPH
1 SSW FARMINGTON       1012 AM SEP 29     37 MPH
2 NE LAKEVILLE          623 PM SEP 29     33 MPH

...HENNEPIN COUNTY...

CRYSTAL ASOS           1153 AM SEP 29     52 MPH
MINNEAPOLIS ASOS        409 PM SEP 29     53 MPH
FLYING CLOUD ASOS       453 PM SEP 29     41 MPH
1 SE MAPLE GROVE        456 PM SEP 29     41 MPH
1 WSW ROBBINSDALE      1102 AM SEP 29     39 MPH
4 ESE RICHFIELD         336 PM SEP 29     37 MPH
1 SW THE LAKE MINNETONK 432 PM SEP 29     36 MPH

...RAMSEY COUNTY...

SAINT PAUL ASOS         353 PM SEP 29     48 MPH
2 NNE SAINT PAUL        356 PM SEP 29     35 MPH

...SCOTT COUNTY...

4 ENE HENDERSON        1246 PM SEP 29     45 MPH
3 W NEW PRAGUE         1137 AM SEP 29     44 MPH
2 WSW PRIOR LAKE       1120 AM SEP 29     41 MPH
1 NW SHAKOPEE           343 PM SEP 29     38 MPH

...WASHINGTON COUNTY...

LAKE SAINT CROIX BEACH 1200 PM SEP 29     44 MPH
2 E LAKE ELMO          1055 AM SEP 29     39 MPH
3 N HASTINGS            516 PM SEP 29     37 MPH
2 N HASTINGS            422 PM SEP 29     37 MPH

Dr. Mark Seeley believes that a new wind record was set in the Twin Cities from a non-thunderstorm for September:

Indeed, 50 mph winds are unusual for the month of September unless they are downburst winds from a thunderstorm. Crystal Airport had a 52 mph wind gust on Thursday (Sept 29) and MSP International Airport reported a wind of 53 mph. The highest September wind gust I can find from MSP is 48 mph back in 2004. So a new non-thunderstorm wind speed record for the month of September was set here in the Twin Cities.

It was quite the amazing phenomenon that we experienced over the past week!

RS