Summer makes an early visit to Minnesota.
A warm front surged northward across Minnesota on Thursday, May 17th and in its wake were warm temperatures and gusty southerly winds. The peak wind gust on May 17th was 54 mph at Redwood Falls. The peak wind gust on May 17th at the Twin Cities International Airport was 41 mph. May 18th brought the first 90 degree temperatures of the year to many places in central and southern Minnesota. The Twin Cities broke a record high temperature on May 18th with 93 degrees. The old record was 91 set back in 1911. The strong winds, heat and low humidity increased the fire danger risk, especially in west central and northwest Minnesota.
Listed below is Public Information Statement from the National Weather Service.
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN 1255 AM CDT FRI MAY 18 2012 ...STRONG WINDS OBSERVED THURSDAY ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA INTO WESTERN WISCONSIN... AS A WARM FRONT APPROACHED FROM THE SOUTHWEST THURSDAY...STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS WERE OBSERVED ACROSS THE REGION. THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF THE STRONGEST WINDS REPORTED FROM A VARIETY OF OBSERVATION PLATFORMS... ...MINNESOTA... ...YELLOW MEDICINE COUNTY... HANLEY FALLS (1068 FT)(MNDOT) 629 AM MAY 17 49 MPH GRANITE FALLS (1000 FT)(AWOS) 931 AM MAY 17 48 MPH 1 N CANBY (1194 FT)(AWOS) 635 AM MAY 17 43 MPH ...WRIGHT COUNTY... 1 SE CLEARWATER (995 FT)(MNDOT) 1152 AM MAY 17 41 MPH MAPLE LAKE (AWOS) 1054 AM MAY 17 37 MPH BUFFALO (AWOS) 1134 AM MAY 17 32 MPH 2 ESE MONTICELLO (971 FT)(APRSWXNET) 1209 PM MAY 17 30 MPH 2 W COKATO (1055 FT)(AWS) 339 PM MAY 17 25 MPH ...WATONWAN COUNTY... ST JAMES (AWOS) 235 PM MAY 17 44 MPH MADELIA (1005 FT)(APRSWXNET) 1232 PM MAY 17 35 MPH 4 E SAINT JAMES (1063 FT)(MAP) 100 PM MAY 17 32 MPH ...WASHINGTON COUNTY... 3 N HASTINGS (APRSWXNET) 108 PM MAY 17 36 MPH 3 E LAKE ELMO (935 FT)(AWOS) 415 PM MAY 17 33 MPH 2 ENE NEWPORT (1013 FT)(APRSWXNET) 149 PM MAY 17 33 MPH 2 N HASTINGS (689 FT)(APRSWXNET) 1226 PM MAY 17 29 MPH LAKE SAINT CROIX BEACH (710 FT)(APRSWXNET) 100 PM MAY 17 25 MPH ...WASECA COUNTY... WASECA (AWOS) 316 PM MAY 17 44 MPH ...TODD COUNTY... 1 ESE ROUND PRAIRIE (1332 FT)(AWOS) 1155 AM MAY 17 32 MPH ...SWIFT COUNTY... BENSON (1040 FT)(AWOS) 712 AM MAY 17 40 MPH APPLETON (AWOS) 535 PM MAY 17 40 MPH ...STEVENS COUNTY... MORRIS MUNI - CHARLIE SCHMIDT FLD AIRPORT 513 PM MAY 17 44 MPH MORRIS (1174 FT)(APRSWXNET) 1006 AM MAY 17 26 MPH ...STEELE COUNTY... 5 NNE ELLENDALE (1192 FT)(MNDOT) 113 PM MAY 17 47 MPH 1 SE LEMOND (1131 FT)(APRSWXNET) 204 PM MAY 17 45 MPH ...STEARNS COUNTY... 2 SE SAUK CENTRE (1243 FT)(MNDOT) 1227 PM MAY 17 40 MPH PAYNESVILLE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (AWOS) 953 AM MAY 17 37 MPH 2 SE SAUK CENTRE (1243 FT)(AWOS) 1235 PM MAY 17 37 MPH 4 ESE AVON (1200 FT)(APRSWXNET) 948 AM MAY 17 29 MPH 1 E SAINT CLOUD (1036 FT)(AWS) 1035 AM MAY 17 25 MPH ...SIBLEY COUNTY... 2 W WINTHROP (1031 FT)(MNDOT) 1235 PM MAY 17 53 MPH ...SHERBURNE COUNTY... ST. CLOUD REGIONAL AIRPORT (1037 FT)(ASOS) 1138 AM MAY 17 39 MPH CRESCENT LAKE #1 (980 FT)(GOES) 1220 PM MAY 17 33 MPH ...SCOTT COUNTY... 4 ENE HENDERSON (979 FT)(MNDOT) 126 PM MAY 17 48 MPH 1 NNW PRIOR LAKE (938 FT)(APRSWXNET) 235 PM MAY 17 35 MPH 2 WSW PRIOR LAKE (970 FT)(APRSWXNET) 1150 AM MAY 17 33 MPH NEW PRAGUE (1024 FT)(APRSWXNET) 220 PM MAY 17 25 MPH 1 E SAVAGE (869 FT)(APRSWXNET) 1001 PM MAY 17 25 MPH ...RICE COUNTY... FAIRBAULT MUNI AP (AWOS) 114 PM MAY 17 43 MPH 3 SSW ELKO (1098 FT)(APRSWXNET) 124 PM MAY 17 39 MPH 2 WNW NORTHFIELD (982 FT)(APRSWXNET) 203 PM MAY 17 39 MPH 3 E NORTHFIELD (1023 FT)(APRSWXNET) 106 PM MAY 17 32 MPH ...RENVILLE COUNTY... OLIVIA (AWOS) 1131 AM MAY 17 46 MPH 1 SSE RENVILLE (1065 FT)(AWS) 1040 AM MAY 17 30 MPH HECTOR (1092 FT)(AWS) 950 AM MAY 17 26 MPH ...REDWOOD COUNTY... REDWOOD FALLS MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (ASOS) 759 AM MAY 17 54 MPH ...RAMSEY COUNTY... ST PAUL DOWNTOWN AIRPORT (700 FT)(ASOS) 1254 PM MAY 17 41 MPH 2 NNE SAINT PAUL (835 FT)(MNDOT) 136 PM MAY 17 33 MPH ...POPE COUNTY... GLENWOOD (AWOS) 413 PM MAY 17 40 MPH ...MORRISON COUNTY... 7 N GRANITE LEDGE (1290 FT)(APRSWXNET) 1138 PM MAY 17 37 MPH LITTLE FALLS (AWOS) 1233 AM MAY 18 30 MPH 2 SSE LITTLE FALLS (1149 FT)(RAWS) 107 PM MAY 17 29 MPH 2 SSW FLENSBURG (1246 FT)(APRSWXNET) 1221 AM MAY 18 28 MPH ...MILLE LACS COUNTY... PRINCETON (AWOS) 1232 PM MAY 17 38 MPH 1 SW ONAMIA (1273 FT)(APRSWXNET) 107 PM MAY 17 35 MPH ...MEEKER COUNTY... 3 S LITCHFIELD (1076 FT)(RAWS) 311 PM MAY 17 41 MPH LITCHFIELD (1132 FT)(AWOS) 233 PM MAY 17 31 MPH ...MCLEOD COUNTY... HUTCHINSON (AWOS) 1212 PM MAY 17 39 MPH GLENCOE (AWOS) 116 PM MAY 17 37 MPH ...MARTIN COUNTY... FAIRMONT MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (AWOS) 1235 PM MAY 17 43 MPH ...LAC QUI PARLE COUNTY... MADISON (AWOS) 214 PM MAY 17 48 MPH MADISON SCHOOLNET (UCOOP) 207 PM MAY 17 38 MPH ...KANDIYOHI COUNTY... 3 WSW PRINSBURG (APRSWXNET) 1207 PM MAY 17 50 MPH MUNICIPAL APT (AWOS) 1254 PM MAY 17 44 MPH MUNICIPAL APT (AWOS) 1113 AM MAY 17 44 MPH 3 ESE PENNOCK (810 FT)(AWOS) 734 AM MAY 17 38 MPH ...KANABEC COUNTY... 1 ENE MORA (1012 FT)(RAWS) 108 PM MAY 17 27 MPH MORA (AWOS) 1237 PM MAY 17 26 MPH ...ISANTI COUNTY... CAMBRIDGE (AWOS) 1156 PM MAY 17 32 MPH 1 ESE CAMBRIDGE (958 FT)(APRSWXNET) 125 PM MAY 17 26 MPH ...HENNEPIN COUNTY... MINNEAPOLIS-ST PAUL INTL AP (ASOS) 1223 PM MAY 17 41 MPH MINNEAPOLIS CRYSTAL AIRPORT (861 FT)(ASOS) 1127 AM MAY 17 38 MPH FLYING CLOUD AIRPORT (920 FT)(ASOS) 339 PM MAY 17 37 MPH 4 ESE RICHFIELD (833 FT)(MNDOT) 1211 PM MAY 17 36 MPH 1 SE MAPLE GROVE (926 FT)(MNDOT) 1206 PM MAY 17 33 MPH 1 WSW ROBBINSDALE (866 FT)(APRSWXNET) 250 PM MAY 17 31 MPH 2 WNW BROOKLYN CENTER (892 FT)(AWS) 315 PM MAY 17 27 MPH 2 NW LORETTO (1013 FT)(APRSWXNET) 1219 AM MAY 18 26 MPH 1 SW THE LAKE MINNETONK (1053 FT)(APRSWXNET) 239 PM MAY 17 26 MPH ...GOODHUE COUNTY... STANTON AIRFIELD (920 FT)(AWOS) 1254 PM MAY 17 41 MPH RED WING (688 FT)(AWOS) 115 PM MAY 17 38 MPH 1 NNW ZUMBROTA (977 FT)(APRSWXNET) 203 PM MAY 17 36 MPH VASA (1026 FT)(APRSWXNET) 120 PM MAY 17 26 MPH ...FREEBORN COUNTY... ALBERT LEA MUNICIPAL AP (AWOS) 106 PM MAY 17 38 MPH 5 SE TWIN LAKES (1217 FT)(MNDOT) 255 PM MAY 17 38 MPH ...FARIBAULT COUNTY... 2 NW BLUE EARTH (1084 FT)(MNDOT) 451 PM MAY 17 43 MPH ...DOUGLAS COUNTY... ALEXANDRIA CHANDLER FIELD AIRPORT (ASOS) 1244 PM MAY 17 39 MPH 3 SSE ALEXANDRIA (1440 FT)(MNDOT) 1242 PM MAY 17 37 MPH ...DAKOTA COUNTY... MINNEAPOLIS (AWOS) 1029 AM MAY 17 38 MPH 2 NE LAKEVILLE (984 FT)(APRSWXNET) 343 PM MAY 17 37 MPH SOUTH ST PAUL MUNI -RICHARD FLEMING FLD 114 PM MAY 17 35 MPH 1 SSW FARMINGTON (944 FT)(APRSWXNET) 1157 AM MAY 17 31 MPH 2 NNW BURNSVILLE (792 FT)(MNDOT) 402 PM MAY 17 30 MPH 2 WSW SOUTH SAINT PAUL (995 FT)(MNDOT) 1141 AM MAY 17 29 MPH 2 WNW CANNON FALLS (837 FT)(APRSWXNET) 416 PM MAY 17 26 MPH 2 ESE FARMINGTON (891 FT)(AWS) 1140 AM MAY 17 25 MPH ...CHISAGO COUNTY... RUSH CITY (AWOS) 1235 PM MAY 17 38 MPH 8 ENE BRANCH (884 FT)(APRSWXNET) 100 PM MAY 17 30 MPH 3 NNE SCANDIA (925 FT)(APRSWXNET) 1204 PM MAY 17 30 MPH ...CHIPPEWA COUNTY... 2 WSW CLARA CITY (1053 FT)(MNDOT) 1023 AM MAY 17 50 MPH MONTEVIDEO (AWOS) 434 AM MAY 17 41 MPH 1 SE MONTEVIDEO (1038 FT)(AWS) 424 AM MAY 17 36 MPH 1 SSE MONTEVIDEO (1024 FT)(APRSWXNET) 320 PM MAY 17 29 MPH ...CARVER COUNTY... 3 S CARVER (845 FT)(RAWS) 149 PM MAY 17 35 MPH 1 ESE WATERTOWN (971 FT)(APRSWXNET) 322 PM MAY 17 32 MPH ...BROWN COUNTY... 5 SE SEARLES (1001 FT)(APRSWXNET) 237 PM MAY 17 45 MPH ...BLUE EARTH COUNTY... MANKATO REGIONAL AIRPORT (AWOS) 115 PM MAY 17 47 MPH 3 ENE MADELIA (995 FT)(MNDOT) 427 PM MAY 17 47 MPH 1 N SKYLINE (796 FT)(MNDOT) 106 PM MAY 17 37 MPH 2 E SKYLINE (971 FT)(APRSWXNET) 1238 PM MAY 17 34 MPH ...BENTON COUNTY... 5 E SAUK RAPIDS (1057 FT)(APRSWXNET) 1116 AM MAY 17 33 MPH 1 NNW RICE (1063 FT)(MNDOT) 1014 AM MAY 17 32 MPH ...ANOKA COUNTY... ANOKA COUNTY-BLAINE AIRPORT (JANES FLD) 1245 PM MAY 17 36 MPH 6 WSW WYOMING (899 FT)(RAWS) 106 PM MAY 17 30 MPH 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.