With the sun setting on Halloween 2012, so ends the streak of consecutive above normal temperatures in the Twin Cities. The preliminary average temperature for October 2012 is 47.5 degrees, or 1.4 degrees below normal. March 2012 with an average temperature of 48.3 degrees was warmer than October 2012 with an average temperature of 47.5 degrees. This is the first time in the threaded Twin Cities record (1872-2012) that this has happened.
Dating back to June 2011, the Twin Cites average monthly temperatures stayed above normal for each month. The top three months above normal during the streak were March, 2012 with 15.5 degrees above normal, December, 2011 with 8.1 degrees above normal, and January, 2012 with 7.7 degrees above normal. There were also 2 months that were less than one degree above normal (September 2011 with .9 degrees above normal and August 2012 with .8 degrees above normal.)
During the month of October, 2012, temperatures remained above average for parts of the month but the final week determined the end of the streak. Persistent balmy, but chilly pattern dominated the weather for the final week as a high pressure lingered in the area.
MONTH AVG. MONTHLY TEMP. DPTR FM NORMAL -------------------------------------------- May (2011) 58.4 -0.9 June 69.5 1.1 July 78.8 5.6 August 73.6 2.4 September 62.9 0.9 October 55.3 6.4 November 39.2 5.5 December 27.8 8.1 January(2012) 23.3 7.7 February 27.7 6.9 March 48.3 15.5 April 50.0 2.5 May 63.7 4.6 June 72.3 3.5 July 80.2 6.4 August 72.0 0.8 September 63.9 1.9 October 47.5 -1.4
By: Pete Boulay with assistance from Climatology Volunteer Ben Drew