A History of 100 Degrees in the Twin Cities

Temperatures of 100 degrees F occur in parts of western Minnesota every 1-3 years, but are much less common in the east and north. In the Twin Cities, the maximum temperature has reached at least 100 F on just 67 days since 1873, covering 32 different years. Thus, these ultra-hot days only occur once every 4-5 years on average in the Twin Cities, but years that do have them often have more than one. The most was in 1936, with nine days, thanks to a chart-topping heat wave during July.

The temperature reached 101 degrees F at the Twin Cities International Airport on June 20, 2022. This was the highest temperature recorded at the airport since July 6, 2012, and the first triple-digit temperature since 100 degrees F was recorded on May 28, 2018 (Memorial Day).

The last time high temperatures reached or exceeded 100 degrees F twice in the same week was in July of 2012, and the last year with three or more100-degree maximum temperatures in the Twin Cities was 1988, when there were four.

100-degree F days are most common during July, which is the center of Minnesota's hot season. In the Twin Cities, 70% of the 100-degree days occur during that month (47 out of 67 total). June contains 15% of the days (10), August 10% (seven days), May has had  just two days and September only one. Most of these very hot days are rain-free, and only 15% of them (10 total) have had measurable precipitation; none have recorded even a half-inch.  

Below is a table of all the dates since 1873 of days where the temperature was 100 F or higher at the official Twin Cities observing site.

Year	Month	Day	Precip	High  Low	Average 
1883	7	 1	0	100	72	86
1894	7	11	0	100	71	86
1894	7	26	0	100	75	88
1901	7	20	0	102	76	89
1901	7	23	0	101	74	88
1901	7	24	0	101	67	84
1913	8	15	0	100	74	87
1926	7	16	0	102	68	85
1931	6	28	0	102	82	92
1931	6	29	0	102	83	93
1931	6	30	0	100	82	91
1931	7	15	0	101	77	89
1931	7	16	0	100	80	90
1931	7	27	0	104	80	92
1931	9	10	0	104	75	90
1932	7	20	0.02	101	74	88
1933	6	19	0	100	75	88
1933	7	30	0	100	78	89
1934	5	31	0	106	75	91
1934	6	27	0	104	70	87
1934	7	21	0	105	73	89
1934	7	22	0	105	71	88
1934	7	23	0	105	80	93
1936	7	6	0	104	69	87
1936	7	7	0	101	80	91
1936	7	8	0	101	82	92
1936	7	10	0	106	80	93
1936	7	11	0	106	82	94
1936	7	12	0	106	83	95
1936	7	13	0	105	86	96
1936	7	14	0.04	108	72	90
1936	8	15	0.44	103	70	87
1937	7	10	0	100	76	88
1940	7	18	0	101	68	85
1940	7	19	0.02	100	76	88
1940	7	22	0	103	74	89
1940	7	23	0	103	75	89
1941	7	23	0	100	74	87
1941	7	24	0	104	76	90
1947	8	4	0	102	76	89
1947	8	5	0	100	78	89
1947	8	10	0	101	75	88
1947	8	17	0.28	100	72	86
1948	7	6	0	101	75	88
1949	7	3	0	100	79	90
1949	7	4	0	100	75	88
1955	7	26	0.08	100	73	87
1955	7	28	0	100	72	86
1956	6	13	0	100	77	89
1974	7	8	0	101	73	87
1976	7	13	0	100	69	85
1977	7	19	0	100	79	90
1980	7	11	0.3	100	72	86
1982	7	5	0	100	78	89
1985	6	8	0	102	64	83
1988	6	24	0	101	70	86
1988	7	15	0.06	102	79	91
1988	7	31	0	105	72	89
1988	8	1	0	101	74	88
1990	7	3	0	100	72	86
1995	7	13	0	101	75	88
2006	7	31	0.09	101	80	91 
2011	6	7	0	103	78	91
2012	7	4	0	101	81	91
2012    7	6	0	102	78	84
2018	5	28	0.01	100	73	87
2022	6	20	0	101	79	90

 

Last modified: August 31, 2023
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