Southerly winds out ahead of a cold front over northwest Minnesota ushered in some mild air into the region on Sunday, December 18. With virtually no snow on the ground over much of the state, air temperatures warmed into the 40's and 50's across much of central and southern Minnesota. The highest temperature found was at an automated station at Montevideo in Chippewa County with 61 degrees. The warmest National Weather Service Cooperative Stations found so far were Madison in Lac Qui Parle County and Milan in Chippewa County, both with 60 degrees. St. Cloud hit a record of 47, breaking the old record of 46 set in 1939. The cold front moved across the state during the evening of December 18th through the early morning hours of December 19th and brought slightly cooler air into central and southern Minnesota.
The Twin Cities saw 47 degrees on December 18. How rare is it to have a temperature of 47 degrees (or higher) for the Twin Cities this late in December? Since 1872 there have only been 31 days in the second half of December to reach 47 or higher. This means that only 1.6% of late December days have been 47 degrees or higher in the Twin Cities. The last time it was this warm in the Twin Cities in the final two weeks of December was in 2004 when it was 51 degrees on December 30.
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN 730 AM CST MON DEC 19 2011 ...HIGH TEMPERATURES ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MINNESOTA AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN ON SUNDAY... UNSEASONABLY WARM TEMPERATURES WERE COMMON ACROSS THE REGION YESTERDAY. A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 47 DEGREES WAS SET AT ST CLOUD. THE PREVIOUS RECORD WAS 46 DEGREES SET IN 1939. THE WARMEST LOCATION WAS MONTEVIDEO MINNESOTA...WHERE THE TEMPERATURE REACHED A BALMY 61 DEGREES. NORMAL HIGHS ARE IN THE MID TO UPPER 20S ON DECEMBER 18TH...SO TEMPERATURES WERE 20 TO 35 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL YESTERDAY. HERE IS A LIST OF HIGH TEMPERATURES FROM AUTOMATED SENSORS ACROSS THE AREA. ...MINNESOTA... ...YELLOW MEDICINE COUNTY... 1 NNE CANBY (1191 FT)(OTHER-MTR) 115 PM DEC 18 58 F HANLEY FALLS (1068 FT)(MNDOT) 340 PM DEC 18 57 F 4 SSW GRANITE FALLS (1046 FT)(OTHER-MTR) 312 PM DEC 18 56 F 4 NW ECHO (1049 FT)(DDMET) 405 PM DEC 18 53 F ...WRIGHT COUNTY... 1 W HOWARD LAKE (1108 FT)(APRSWXNET) 308 PM DEC 18 47 F 1 SE CLEARWATER (995 FT)(MNDOT) 252 PM DEC 18 47 F 2 W COKATO (1055 FT)(AWS) 339 PM DEC 18 45 F 2 ESE BUFFALO (967 FT)(OTHER-MTR) 334 PM DEC 18 45 F 2 ESE ALBERTVILLE (944 FT)(AWS) 304 PM DEC 18 45 F 1 ENE MAPLE LAKE (1026 FT)(OTHER-MTR) 353 PM DEC 18 45 F 2 ESE MONTICELLO (971 FT)(APRSWXNET) 350 PM DEC 18 44 F 1 WNW ROCKFORD (973 FT)(AWS) 339 PM DEC 18 44 F 1 NNW BUFFALO (1003 FT)(AWS) 400 PM DEC 18 44 F ...WATONWAN COUNTY... 3 E SAINT JAMES (1066 FT)(OTHER-MTR) 315 PM DEC 18 52 F MADELIA (1005 FT)(APRSWXNET) 317 PM DEC 18 50 F 4 E SAINT JAMES (1063 FT)(MAP) 300 PM DEC 18 50 F ...WASHINGTON COUNTY... 2 N HASTINGS (2270 FT)(APRSWXNET) 303 PM DEC 18 47 F 1 WNW COTTAGE GROVE (810 FT)(APRSWXNET) 313 PM DEC 18 46 F 3 SE LAKE ELMO (899 FT)(AWS) 339 PM DEC 18 45 F 3 N HASTINGS (3018 FT)(APRSWXNET) 252 PM DEC 18 45 F 2 S WOODBURY (986 FT)(APRSWXNET) 326 PM DEC 18 45 F 2 E LAKE ELMO (935 FT)(OTHER-MTR) 335 PM DEC 18 45 F LAKE SAINT CROIX BEACH (710 FT)(APRSWXNET) 405 PM DEC 18 44 F 1 SE FOREST LAKE (894 FT)(AWS) 304 PM DEC 18 44 F 1 E MAHTOMEDI (968 FT)(AWS) 339 PM DEC 18 44 F 6 ENE HUGO (956 FT)(AWS) 314 PM DEC 18 43 F ...WASECA COUNTY... 8 SSW WASECA (1118 FT)(APRSWXNET) 230 PM DEC 18 49 F 3 WSW WASECA (1125 FT)(OTHER-MTR) 357 PM DEC 18 45 F ...TODD COUNTY... 1 S LONG PRAIRIE (1307 FT)(AWS) 404 PM DEC 18 46 F 1 ESE ROUND PRAIRIE (1332 FT)(OTHER-MTR) 355 PM DEC 18 46 F ...SWIFT COUNTY... 2 NE APPLETON (1020 FT)(OTHER-MTR) 314 PM DEC 18 57 F 2 W BENSON (1040 FT)(OTHER-MTR) 333 PM DEC 18 55 F ...STEVENS COUNTY... MORRIS (1174 FT)(APRSWXNET) 330 PM DEC 18 55 F 3 WSW MORRIS (1128 FT)(OTHER-MTR) 311 PM DEC 18 55 F 1 WNW MORRIS (1137 FT)(AWS) 324 PM DEC 18 55 F ...STEELE COUNTY... 3 NW OWATONNA (1148 FT)(OTHER-MTR) 313 PM DEC 18 48 F MEDFORD (1107 FT)(MESOWEST) 210 PM DEC 18 47 F 5 NNE ELLENDALE (1192 FT)(MNDOT) 313 PM DEC 18 47 F 1 SE LEMOND (1131 FT)(APRSWXNET) 334 PM DEC 18 47 F ...STEARNS COUNTY... 2 SE SAUK CENTRE (1241 FT)(OTHER-MTR) 335 PM DEC 18 52 F 3 ESE BELGRADE (1249 FT)(MNDOT) 311 PM DEC 18 50 F 2 SE SAUK CENTRE (1241 FT)(MNDOT) 322 PM DEC 18 50 F 4 ESE AVON (1200 FT)(APRSWXNET) 319 PM DEC 18 49 F 2 WSW PAYNESVILLE (1181 FT)(OTHER-MTR) 332 PM DEC 18 49 F MELROSE (1216 FT)(AWS) 404 PM DEC 18 48 F 1 N ST AUGUSTA (1070 FT)(AWS) 359 PM DEC 18 47 F 1 E SAINT CLOUD (1036 FT)(AWS) 404 PM DEC 18 46 F ...SHERBURNE COUNTY... 2 SSW ELK RIVER (908 FT)(AWS) 304 PM DEC 18 47 F SAINT CLOUD ASOS (1023 FT)(ASOS) 353 PM DEC 18 46 F 3 E SANTIAGO (1002 FT)(RAWS) 320 PM DEC 18 46 F 1 NNE ZIMMERMAN (1000 FT)(APRSWXNET) 258 PM DEC 18 45 F 2 WNW ELK RIVER (941 FT)(APRSWXNET) 350 PM DEC 18 44 F ...SCOTT COUNTY... 3 NNE HENDERSON (741 FT)(MESOWEST) 320 PM DEC 18 48 F 1 NW SHAKOPEE (800 FT)(APRSWXNET) 346 PM DEC 18 47 F 1 NNW PRIOR LAKE (938 FT)(APRSWXNET) 330 PM DEC 18 47 F 4 ENE HENDERSON (979 FT)(MNDOT) 326 PM DEC 18 46 F 1 W SHAKOPEE (791 FT)(AWS) 409 PM DEC 18 46 F NEW PRAGUE (1024 FT)(AWS) 404 PM DEC 18 45 F NEW PRAGUE (1024 FT)(APRSWXNET) 330 PM DEC 18 45 F 2 WSW PRIOR LAKE (970 FT)(APRSWXNET) 355 PM DEC 18 45 F ...RICE COUNTY... FARIBAULT (940 FT)(APRSWXNET) 216 PM DEC 18 48 F NORTHFIELD (970 FT)(AWS) 419 PM DEC 18 47 F 3 SSW ELKO (1098 FT)(APRSWXNET) 343 PM DEC 18 45 F 3 NW FARIBAULT (1056 FT)(OTHER-MTR) 414 PM DEC 18 45 F 3 E NORTHFIELD (1023 FT)(APRSWXNET) 319 PM DEC 18 45 F 2 WNW NORTHFIELD (982 FT)(APRSWXNET) 413 PM DEC 18 45 F NORTHFIELD (970 FT)(AWS) 414 PM DEC 18 44 F ...RENVILLE COUNTY... 2 W OLIVIA (1076 FT)(OTHER-MTR) 212 PM DEC 18 52 F 1 SSE RENVILLE (1065 FT)(AWS) 129 PM DEC 18 52 F HECTOR (1092 FT)(AWS) 319 PM DEC 18 47 F ...REDWOOD COUNTY... 1 SW MORTON (840 FT)(MNDOT) 325 PM DEC 18 52 F 1 ESE REDWOOD FALLS (1031 FT)(AWS) 339 PM DEC 18 52 F REDWOOD FALLS ASOS (1023 FT)(ASOS) 253 PM DEC 18 50 F ...RAMSEY COUNTY... SAINT PAUL ASOS (685 FT)(ASOS) 353 PM DEC 18 47 F 3 W WOODBURY (1000 FT)(APRSWXNET) 329 PM DEC 18 47 F 2 NNE SAINT PAUL (835 FT)(MNDOT) 326 PM DEC 18 47 F 1 S MOUNDS VIEW (904 FT)(AWS) 359 PM DEC 18 47 F 1 NW NORTH SAINT PAUL (981 FT)(APRSWXNET) 215 PM DEC 18 47 F 2 N WEST SAINT PAUL (724 FT)(AWS) 359 PM DEC 18 46 F 2 ESE ROSEVILLE (964 FT)(APRSWXNET) 347 PM DEC 18 46 F NORTH SAINT PAUL (984 FT)(AWS) 219 PM DEC 18 45 F 1 WSW ARDEN HILLS (910 FT)(AWS) 339 PM DEC 18 45 F 1 S NORTH SAINT PAUL (M)(APRSWXNET) 236 PM DEC 18 45 F 1 WSW MAHTOMEDI (976 FT)(AWS) 359 PM DEC 18 44 F ...POPE COUNTY... 9 SSW STARBUCK (1272 FT)(MNDOT) 356 PM DEC 18 53 F 3 E GLENWOOD (1394 FT)(OTHER-MTR) 333 PM DEC 18 52 F ...NICOLLET COUNTY... 4 SSW NEW SWEDEN (1007 FT)(APRSWXNET) 305 PM DEC 18 47 F ...MORRISON COUNTY... 2 SSE LITTLE FALLS (1122 FT)(RAWS) 307 PM DEC 18 49 F 1 ESE RANDALL (1246 FT)(APRSWXNET) 333 PM DEC 18 48 F 2 SSE LITTLE FALLS (1122 FT)(OTHER-MTR) 317 PM DEC 18 46 F 7 N GRANITE LEDGE (1290 FT)(APRSWXNET) 318 PM DEC 18 45 F 3 WNW HARDING (1302 FT)(MNDOT) 330 PM DEC 18 42 F ...MILLE LACS COUNTY... 8 N MILACA (1195 FT)(MNDOT) 304 PM DEC 18 46 F 3 WNW BOCK (1115 FT)(APRSWXNET) 248 PM DEC 18 45 F 1 WSW PRINCETON (977 FT)(OTHER-MTR) 333 PM DEC 18 45 F ...MEEKER COUNTY... 3 S LITCHFIELD (1076 FT)(RAWS) 311 PM DEC 18 50 F 2 SE LITCHFIELD (1138 FT)(OTHER-MTR) 333 PM DEC 18 48 F ...MCLEOD COUNTY... HUTCHINSON (1059 FT)(OTHER-MTR) 353 PM DEC 18 49 F 1 WSW HUTCHINSON (1051 FT)(APRSWXNET) 303 PM DEC 18 49 F 1 WSW HUTCHINSON (1051 FT)(AWS) 339 PM DEC 18 47 F 3 WSW BROWNTON (1115 FT)(APRSWXNET) 133 PM DEC 18 46 F 3 E GLENCOE (990 FT)(OTHER-MTR) 314 PM DEC 18 46 F ...MARTIN COUNTY... 2 ENE FAIRMONT (1161 FT)(OTHER-MTR) 335 PM DEC 18 50 F ...LE SUEUR COUNTY... LE CENTER (1045 FT)(AWS) 339 PM DEC 18 45 F ...LAC QUI PARLE COUNTY... 2 SSE MADISON (1082 FT)(OTHER-MTR) 153 PM DEC 18 59 F MADISON (1115 FT)(IEM) 227 PM DEC 18 57 F 5 SSW MARIETTA (1169 FT)(MNDOT) 118 PM DEC 18 56 F ...KANDIYOHI COUNTY... WILLMAR (OTHER-MTR) 315 PM DEC 18 54 F 3 WSW PRINSBURG (3504 FT)(APRSWXNET) 257 PM DEC 18 53 F ...KANABEC COUNTY... 1 ENE MORA (1012 FT)(RAWS) 308 PM DEC 18 45 F 1 E MORA (1013 FT)(OTHER-MTR) 334 PM DEC 18 43 F ...ISANTI COUNTY... 2 W CAMBRIDGE (941 FT)(OTHER-MTR) 335 PM DEC 18 45 F 3 W CAMBRIDGE (925 FT)(APRSWXNET) 234 PM DEC 18 44 F 1 ESE CAMBRIDGE (960 FT)(APRSWXNET) 312 PM DEC 18 44 F ...HENNEPIN COUNTY... 2 E MINNEAPOLIS (875 FT)(AWS) 334 PM DEC 18 48 F MINNEAPOLIS ASOS (836 FT)(ASOS) 253 PM DEC 18 47 F FLYING CLOUD ASOS (905 FT)(ASOS) 353 PM DEC 18 46 F CRYSTAL ASOS (869 FT)(ASOS) 353 PM DEC 18 46 F 4 ESE RICHFIELD (833 FT)(MNDOT) 351 PM DEC 18 46 F 2 ESE COLUMBIA HEIGHTS (979 FT)(AWS) 404 PM DEC 18 46 F 1 WSW ROBBINSDALE (2854 FT)(APRSWXNET) 402 PM DEC 18 46 F 1 SE MAPLE GROVE (926 FT)(MNDOT) 350 PM DEC 18 46 F 1 WSW THE LAKE MINNETONK (981 FT)(APRSWXNET) 420 PM DEC 18 45 F 1 W MAPLE GROVE (937 FT)(AWS) 359 PM DEC 18 45 F 1 SW THE LAKE MINNETONK (1053 FT)(APRSWXNET) 333 PM DEC 18 45 F 1 NNW MINNEAPOLIS (862 FT)(AWS) 339 PM DEC 18 45 F 1 NE MINNEAPOLIS (850 FT)(AWS) 339 PM DEC 18 45 F NEW HOPE (929 FT)(AWS) 409 PM DEC 18 44 F 3 WSW PLYMOUTH (1003 FT)(APRSWXNET) 333 PM DEC 18 44 F 2 NE EDINA (919 FT)(AWS) 334 PM DEC 18 44 F 1 NW PLYMOUTH (982 FT)(APRSWXNET) 403 PM DEC 18 44 F 2 SSE OSSEO (899 FT)(AWS) 429 PM DEC 18 43 F 1 ESE ROBBINSDALE (926 FT)(AWS) 414 PM DEC 18 42 F ...GOODHUE COUNTY... 1 NNW ZUMBROTA (981 FT)(APRSWXNET) 158 PM DEC 18 48 F 5 N DENNISON (918 FT)(OTHER-MTR) 234 PM DEC 18 47 F 9 E CANNON FALLS (1026 FT)(APRSWXNET) 245 PM DEC 18 46 F 2 S RED WING (853 FT)(APRSWXNET) 250 PM DEC 18 45 F ...FREEBORN COUNTY... 2 WSW ALBERT LEA (1256 FT)(IEM) 334 PM DEC 18 52 F 8 S ALBERT LEA (1217 FT)(MNDOT) 255 PM DEC 18 51 F 2 N ALBERT LEA (1256 FT)(OTHER-MTR) 412 PM DEC 18 48 F ...DOUGLAS COUNTY... 3 SSE ALEXANDRIA (1440 FT)(MNDOT) 407 PM DEC 18 49 F ALEXANDRIA ASOS (1423 FT)(ASOS) 353 PM DEC 18 47 F 4 NNW ALEXANDRIA (1381 FT)(AWS) 359 PM DEC 18 47 F ...DAKOTA COUNTY... 2 WNW CANNON FALLS (837 FT)(APRSWXNET) 146 PM DEC 18 49 F SOUTH SAINT PAUL (820 FT)(OTHER-MTR) 314 PM DEC 18 48 F 2 WSW SOUTH SAINT PAUL (995 FT)(MNDOT) 1246 PM DEC 18 48 F 2 ESE FARMINGTON (891 FT)(AWS) 319 PM DEC 18 48 F 2 WSW APPLE VALLEY (1021 FT)(AWS) 319 PM DEC 18 47 F 2 NE LAKEVILLE (984 FT)(APRSWXNET) 343 PM DEC 18 47 F 1 ESE FARMINGTON (900 FT)(AWS) 324 PM DEC 18 47 F SOUTH SAINT PAUL (783 FT)(AWS) 359 PM DEC 18 46 F 3 WSW INVER GROVE HEIGHT (984 FT)(APRSWXNET) 347 PM DEC 18 46 F 3 E APPLE VALLEY (1005 FT)(AWS) 304 PM DEC 18 46 F 2 SW EAGAN (964 FT)(APRSWXNET) 356 PM DEC 18 46 F 2 SE MENDOTA HEIGHTS (866 FT)(AWS) 404 PM DEC 18 46 F 1 SW WEST SAINT PAUL (1023 FT)(AWS) 359 PM DEC 18 46 F 1 SSW FARMINGTON (944 FT)(APRSWXNET) 240 PM DEC 18 46 F 3 WSW FARMINGTON (958 FT)(OTHER-MTR) 349 PM DEC 18 45 F 1 W HASTINGS (752 FT)(AWS) 314 PM DEC 18 44 F ...CHISAGO COUNTY... 3 N HARRIS (922 FT)(MNDOT) 230 PM DEC 18 46 F 2 N NORTH BRANCH (925 FT)(APRSWXNET) 300 PM DEC 18 46 F 3 NNE SCANDIA (925 FT)(APRSWXNET) 334 PM DEC 18 45 F 1 NE RUSH CITY (921 FT)(OTHER-MTR) 254 PM DEC 18 45 F 8 ENE BRANCH (884 FT)(APRSWXNET) 330 PM DEC 18 44 F ...CHIPPEWA COUNTY... MONTEVIDEO (1033 FT)(OTHER-MTR) 234 PM DEC 18 61 F 1 SSE MONTEVIDEO (1024 FT)(APRSWXNET) 300 PM DEC 18 59 F 1 S MONTEVIDEO (1023 FT)(AWX) 310 PM DEC 18 59 F 1 SE MONTEVIDEO (1038 FT)(AWS) 244 PM DEC 18 57 F 2 WSW CLARA CITY (1053 FT)(MNDOT) 228 PM DEC 18 56 F ...CARVER COUNTY... 1 SE CHASKA (916 FT)(AWS) 309 PM DEC 18 49 F 3 S CARVER (845 FT)(RAWS) 349 PM DEC 18 48 F 2 NE LESTER PRAIRIE (938 FT)(MNDOT) 318 PM DEC 18 47 F 1 WSW WACONIA (1012 FT)(AWS) 339 PM DEC 18 45 F 1 ESE WATERTOWN (971 FT)(APRSWXNET) 342 PM DEC 18 44 F ...BROWN COUNTY... NEW ULM (OTHER-MTR) 253 PM DEC 18 50 F ...BLUE EARTH COUNTY... 1 WSW MANKATO (796 FT)(MNDOT) 336 PM DEC 18 51 F MANKATO (839 FT)(OTHER-MTR) 335 PM DEC 18 48 F 5 SE SEARLES (3251 FT)(APRSWXNET) 317 PM DEC 18 48 F MANKATO (839 FT)(AWS) 329 PM DEC 18 47 F ...BENTON COUNTY... 1 NNW RICE (1063 FT)(MNDOT) 304 PM DEC 18 51 F 1 ESE SARTELL (1074 FT)(AWS) 409 PM DEC 18 45 F ...ANOKA COUNTY... 2 W LINO LAKES (907 FT)(AWS) 259 PM DEC 18 48 F 1 SW FRIDLEY (2824 FT)(APRSWXNET) 249 PM DEC 18 48 F 6 WNW FOREST LAKE (899 FT)(RAWS) 306 PM DEC 18 46 F 2 ESE COON RAPIDS (898 FT)(APRSWXNET) 343 PM DEC 18 46 F 1 SW BLAINE (912 FT)(OTHER-MTR) 345 PM DEC 18 46 F 1 S SAINT FRANCIS (908 FT)(APRSWXNET) 303 PM DEC 18 46 F 1 E COON RAPIDS (910 FT)(APRSWXNET) 343 PM DEC 18 46 F 2 SE ANOKA (872 FT)(APRSWXNET) 318 PM DEC 18 45 F 2 NW ANOKA (872 FT)(APRSWXNET) 403 PM DEC 18 45 F 1 WNW COON RAPIDS (864 FT)(AWS) 359 PM DEC 18 45 F 2 SSW RAMSEY (894 FT)(AWS) 419 PM DEC 18 42 F OBSERVATIONS ARE COLLECTED FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES WITH VARYING EQUIPMENT AND EXPOSURES. NOT ALL DATA LISTED IS CONSIDERED OFFICIAL. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE THANKS ITS PRIVATE AND PUBLIC PARTNERS FOR PROVIDING US WITH THIS DATA.