Tuesday, June 7, 2011

The heat is on!

The big news story lately is the incredible hot air mass over much of the United States as the jet stream has lifted into the southern parts of Canada from the southwest, depicted below.

RUC_255_2011060704_F00_WSPD_250_MB

This allowed the heat “bubble” to travel north and spread through the Midwest, with high temperatures well into the 90s on Monday, and even some sporadic 100-degree temperature readings.

curtemps_600x405

Closer to home, here were some high temperatures from airports across Minnesota and western Wisconsin. MSP airport set a new record for June 6, 2011 with a temperature of 97 degrees. The previous record was 95 degrees set in 1987 and 1979. Areas in southern and southwest Minnesota saw highs climb to 99-degrees! If you wanted to find cooler air around the southern parts of state, you would have to look east into Ladysmith or Rice Lake, Wisconsin, where the mercury was a mere 87 degrees for the day.

hightemps

:                       MAX   MIN 
:ID         LOCATION    TEMP  TEMP
EAU : EAU CLAIRE WI   : 94 /  58 
MSP : MINNEAPOLIS MN  : 97 /  70 
STC : ST CLOUD MN     : 94 /  60 
AXN : ALEXANDRIA MN   : 91 /  61 
MIC : CRYSTAL MN      : 95 /  67 
FCM : FLYING CLOUD MN : 96 /  68 
RWF : REDWOOD FALLS MN: 98 /  66 
STP : ST PAUL MN      : 94 /  65
AEL : ALBERT LEA MN   : 99 /  72
AQP : APPLETON MN     : 95 /  61
BBB : BENSON MN       : 91 /  59
ANE : BLAINE MN       : 91 /  68 
CFE : BUFFALO MN      : 92 /  65 
CBG : CAMBRIDGE MN    : 91 /  66 
CNB : CANBY MN        : 96 /  61 
FRM : FAIRMONT MN     : 99 /  70 
FBL : FARIBAULT MN    : 91 /  70 
GYL : GLENCOE MN      : 96 /  65
GHW : GLENWOOD MN     : 91 /  61 
GDB : GRANITE FALLS MN: 99 /  63 
HCD : HUTCHINSON MN   : 95 /  67 
21D : LAKE ELMO MN    : 91 /  64 
LVN : LAKEVILLE MN    : 93 /  64 
LJF : LITCHFIELD MN   : 91 /  64 
LXL : LITTLE FALLS MN : 90 /  59 
14Y : LONG PRAIRIE    : 90 /  61 
DXX : MADISON MN      : 95 /  61 
MKT : MANKATO MN      : 99 /  72 
MGG : MAPLE LAKE MN   : 92 /  64 
MVE : MONTEVIDEO MN   : 99 /  63 
JMR : MORA MN         : 86 /  55 
MOX : MORRIS MN       : 93 /  61 
ULM : NEW ULM MN      : 97 /  66
OVL : OLIVIA MN       : 95 /  68 
OWA : OWATONNA MN     : 95 /  70 
PEX : PAYNESVILLE MN  : 92 /  61 
PNM : PRINCETON MN    : 91 /  72 
RGK : RED WING MN     : 93 /  66 
ROS : RUSH CITY       : 89 /  58 
D39 : SAUK CENTRE MN  : 93 /  61 
SAZ : STAPLES MN      : 88 /  59 
JYG : ST JAMES MN     : 99 /  70 
SGS : SOUTH ST PAUL MN: 94 /  67 
ACQ : WASECA MN       : 97 /  64
BDH : WILLMAR MN      : 93 /  64 
RPD : RICE LAKE WI    : 87 /  56
LUM : MENOMONIE WI    : 90 /  61 
OEO : OSCEOLA WI      : 91 /  64 
RNH : NEW RICHMOND WI : 90 /  64 
RCX : LADYSMITH WI    : 87 /  58 

While heating home from work, I had an unofficial temperature reading on my car thermometer of 101-degrees(!) in Eden Prairie just after 6 PM (the official high was 96-degrees at Flying Cloud Airport at 5 PM).  I happened to grab a picture of this rare event:

IMG_0509

The forecast models are indicating that Tuesday will be warmer than Monday’s steamy air mass.  Based on the temperatures we saw Monday, it wouldn't surprise me if we saw many locations across the state around the century mark for highs.  Combine that with the humidity, and we’re looking at a heat index well over 100-degrees!

untitled

heatindex

As a result of this early taste of summer heat, along with the humidity, that National Weather Service in Chanhassen has issued the following warnings and advisories:

Heat Advisory valid at Jun 07, 12:00 PM CDT for Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Freeborn, Goodhue, Le Sueur, Rice, Scott, Steele, Waseca, Washington [MN] and Dunn, Eau Claire, Pepin, Pierce, St. Croix [WI] till Jun 07, 8:00 PM CDT

Excessive Heat Warning valid at Jun 06, 3:00 PM CDT for Hennepin, Ramsey [MN] till Jun 08, 7:00 AM CDT


OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL ONLY FALL IN THE MID 70S... FOLLOWED BY HIGHS IN THE MIDDLE 90S TUESDAY AFTERNOON. HEAT INDEX VALUES ON TUESDAY WILL CLIMB TO AROUND 100 DEGREES.

You'll want to make sure to have plenty of water as it’s very easy to suffer from dehydration on days like this, even if you aren’t moving around much.  Any perspiration is less water in your body.  Also, spending time in an air conditioned space, lake, or swimming pool will also keep you cool.  Elderly folks should be checked on, and ensured that their air conditioning units are working.  By Wednesday, we will see a noticeable drop in temperatures/humidity and a return to more seasonable spring weather.  Until then, stay cool and safe!

RS

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