Father’s Day weekend of 2018 was a hot, muggy, and stormy one across Minnesota, yielding high temperatures in the 90s in the south, widespread rainfall totals in excess of two inches, and prolonged periods of dew point temperatures at or above 70 degrees.
A warm and very humid air mass moved into Minnesota from the southwest beginning Thursday June 14, in association with weak and slow-moving low pressure systems over the Dakotas and a large area of high pressure to the east. The heat intensified rapidly on Friday, with many locations in the southern half of the state recording temperatures well into the 90s, including a daily record high for June 15th of 95 degrees in the Twin Cities. Waves of heavy thunderstorms erupted over northern Minnesota Thursday night, over the north again on Friday afternoon and evening, over nearly the entire state throughout Saturday, the north again Saturday night, then over the northeastern quarter of the state Sunday and the southern half of the state Sunday night. In between stormy episodes, the tropical heat resumed with a vengeance, yielding highs from the upper-80s to mid-90s, with dew points frequently exceeding 75 degrees.
The inclement weather brought welcomed rains to much of Minnesota, but also produced pockets of extreme rainfall and flash-flooding. Approximately 70% of the state received over two inches of rain for the week ending the morning of Monday June 18, and a large area covering much of western, central, and northeastern Minnesota received at least three inches of rain.
The heaviest rains occurred during the evening of Saturday June 17th , with several inches or more falling from the Mille Lacs and eastern Brainerd Lakes area into northwestern Wisconsin, where 6-10” totals produced catastrophic flooding. The heaviest rains in Minnesota fell where observers are sparse, along the Minnesota-Wisconsin border south of Duluth. The largest 4-day totals (June 15-17) observed by National Weather Service volunteers in Minnesota include 8.08" in Bruno, 6.06” in Two Harbors, 5.37” at Island Lake, and 5.01” at Moose Lake.
The highest temperatures recorded over the weekend include 97 degrees F at Canby and Marshall, and 96 at Montevideo and Theilman. Although the dew points remained at 70 degrees F or above over much of the state from Friday evening through Sunday, they were most extreme on Saturday afternoon and evening, hitting a steamy 78 degrees in the Twin Cities for two consecutive hours and marking the highest dew point reading since July of 2011.
National Weather Service Storm Summaries
Storm Reports and Public Information Statements from the National Weather Service
Public Information Statement National Weather Service Duluth MN 354 PM CDT Mon Jun 18 2018 ...Highest 3 Day Rainfall Totals From June 15-17 2018... The reports below are not necessarily the final amount for each location. All report times are valid from June 17, 2018. Inches Location ST County Time ------ ----------------------- -- -------------- ------- 15.04 2 W DRUMMOND WI BAYFIELD 0729 PM 10.73 11 SSE BRULE WI BAYFIELD 0706 PM 9.36 11 W DRUMMOND WI BAYFIELD 0700 AM 8.32 GILE WI IRON 0840 PM 8.08 BRUNO MN PINE 0740 PM 7.45 WASHBURN RAWS WI BAYFIELD 0702 PM 7.16 1 E ODANAH WI ASHLAND 0734 PM 6.51 6 ENE PATZAU WI DOUGLAS 0741 PM 6.36 ASHLAND WI ASHLAND 0738 PM 6.32 1 SSW PLEASANT VALLEY MN CARLTON 0645 PM 6.06 7 NW TWO HARBORS MN LAKE 0700 PM 5.94 7 WNW MINONG WI WASHBURN 0703 PM 5.85 HURLEY WI IRON 0800 AM 5.56 1 S HAWTHORNE WI DOUGLAS 0700 AM 5.50 2 NW KERRICK MN PINE 0530 PM 5.44 HAYWARD AIRPORT WI SAWYER 0653 PM 5.40 1 WSW MAPLE WI DOUGLAS 0732 PM 5.25 HAYWARD RAWS WI SAWYER 0703 PM 5.21 1 W SOLON SPRINGS WI DOUGLAS 0700 AM 5.00 BREEZY POINT MN CROW WING 0835 AM 4.90 4 SSE SOUTH RANGE WI DOUGLAS 0740 PM 4.70 12 ENE FIFIELD WI PRICE 0647 PM 4.69 1 WSW PHILLIPS WI PRICE 0800 PM 4.52 1 NNW CLOQUET MN CARLTON 0729 PM 4.31 GLIDDEN RAWS WI ASHLAND 0700 PM 4.24 3 NNE JENKINS MN CROW WING 0645 PM 4.17 6 W CASTLE DANGER MN LAKE 0731 PM 4.09 3 W CLAM LAKE WI BAYFIELD 0733 PM 3.94 2 SW MOOSE LAKE MN CARLTON 0708 PM 3.87 5 NW SAND BAY WI BAYFIELD 0721 PM 3.85 LITTLEFORK MN KOOCHICHING 0730 PM 3.79 6 ESE CLOVERDALE MN PINE 0715 PM 3.75 3 E NAMEKAGON WI BAYFIELD 0702 PM 3.68 13 SSE LITTLEFORK MN KOOCHICHING 0700 PM 3.64 FEDERAL DAM 3 WNW MN CASS 0700 PM 3.59 CROSS LAKE DAM MN CROW WING 0700 PM 3.54 1 SW SAGINAW MN ST. LOUIS 0708 PM 3.53 2 ENE OLIVER WI DOUGLAS 0700 PM 3.45 BIG FALLS MN KOOCHICHING 0730 PM 3.43 7 SSE WALES MN LAKE 0855 AM 3.39 BURNETT MN ST. LOUIS 0715 PM 3.31 16 E BUYCK MN ST. LOUIS 0704 PM 3.28 1 NW BEAVER BAY MN LAKE 0645 PM 3.27 2 NW SUPERIOR WI DOUGLAS 1030 PM 3.22 2 S WRENSHALL MN CARLTON 0830 AM 3.20 2 WNW PALMERS MN ST. LOUIS 0729 PM 3.16 SCANLON MN CARLTON 0730 PM 3.15 2 SE BAYFIELD WI ASHLAND 0733 PM 3.14 1 S BUYCK MN ST. LOUIS 0645 PM 3.12 NORTHOME MN KOOCHICHING 0731 PM 3.12 1 ESE ESKO MN CARLTON 0735 PM 3.00 3 E PAYNE MN ST. LOUIS 0143 PM Observations are collected from a variety of sources with varying equipment and exposures. We thank all volunteer weather observers for their dedication. Not all data listed are considered official. RTPMPX Max/min Temperature And Precipitation Table For Central And South Central Minnesota And West Central Wisconsin National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN 1107 AM CDT Mon Jun 18 2018 Values represent highs yesterday...Lows over the last 12 hours and precipitation over the last 24 hours : ASOS Airports - West Central/Central/Southern MN/West Central WI with precipitation/snowfall/snow depth reports : .BR MSP 0618 C DH01/TAIRZX/DH07/TAIRZP/PPDRZZ/SFDRZZ/SDIRZZ : : Max Min :ID Location temp temp Pcpn EAU : Eau Claire : 92 / 70 / 3.01 MSP : Minneapolis/St. Paul : 91 / 68 / 0.52 STC : St. Cloud : 87 / 65 / 0.28 AXN : Alexandria : 78 / 66 / 0.46 MIC : Crystal : 91 / 67 / 1.05 FRM : Fairmont : 91 / 70 / 1.11 FCM : Flying Cloud : 90 / 68 / 0.52 MKT : Mankato : 91 / 70 / 0.64 RWF : Redwood Falls : 86 / 65 / 0.26 STP : St. Paul : 90 / 68 / 0.66 : : : AWOS airports - West Central/Central/Southern MN/West Central WI : AEL : Albert Lea : 91 / 72 / AQP : Appleton : 79 / 66 / BBB : Benson : 79 / 64 / ANE : Blaine : 90 / 66 / CFE : Buffalo : 87 / 65 / CBG : Cambridge : 88 / 66 / CNB : Canby : 89 / 67 / FBL : Faribault : 91 / 70 / GYL : Glencoe : 90 / 66 / GHW : Glenwood : 75 / 64 / GDB : Granite Falls : 85 / 67 / HCD : Hutchinson : 89 / 66 / 21D : Lake Elmo : 88 / 66 / LVN : Lakeville : 91 / 70 / LJF : Litchfield : 86 / 66 / LXL : Little Falls : 77 / 63 / 14Y : Long Prairie : 73 / 63 / DXX : Madison : 82 / 68 / MGG : Maple Lake : 88 / 66 / MVE : Montevideo : 82 / 64 / JMR : Mora : 86 / 63 / MOX : Morris : 73 / 64 / ULM : New Ulm : 88 / 66 / OVL : Olivia : 82 / 64 / OWA : Owatonna : 91 / 72 / PEX : Paynesville : 82 / 64 / PNM : Princeton : 90 / 66 / RGK : Red Wing : 95 / 72 / ROS : Rush City : 86 / 64 / D39 : Sauk Centre : 74 / 63 / SAZ : Staples : 75 / 59 / JYG : St James : 91 / 68 / SGS : South St. Paul : 90 / 67 / ACQ : Waseca : 93 / 72 / BDH : Willmar : 84 / 64 / RCX : Ladysmith : 88 / 66 / Y23 : Chetek : 88 / 67 / UBE : Cumberland : 84 / 63 / LUM : Menomonie : 92 / 68 / RNH : New Richmond : 89 / 66 / OEO : Osceola : 89 / 66 / RPD : Rice Lake : 88 / 65 / .End : Cooperative weather observation sites .BR MSP 0618 C DH07/TAIRZX/TAIRZN/PPDRZZ : : Obs Max Min :ID Location time temp temp Pcpn : : in Minnesota : ALBM5: Albert Lea MN : DH0800/ 93 / 71 / 0.75 ADVM5: Andover MN : DH0600/ 88 / 66 / 1.97 BTHM5: Blue Earth 1S MN : DHM / M / M / 0.88 BRCM5: Bricelyn MN : DH0700/ M / M / 0.43 BWNM5: Brownton MN : DH0800/ 87 / 64 / 1.20 CLSM5: Carlos MN : DH0530/ M / M / 0.96 MPXM5: Chanhassen NWS : DH0700/ M / M / 0.86 CHNM5: Chanhassen MN : DH0700/ M / M / 0.90 FBTM5: Faribault MN : DH0700/ M / M / 1.00 ZMPM5: Farmington CWSU : DH0700/ M / M / 3.42 HSTM5: Hastings L/D2 : DH0600/ 92 / 72 / 2.15 JORM5: Jordan MN : DH0530/ 89 / 68 / 1.46 KIMM5: Kimball MN : DH0600/ 85 / 64 / 0.64 LSTM5: Lester Prairie MN : DH0700/ M / M / 0.91 LNGM5: Long Prairie MN : DH0600/ 74 / 62 / 1.02 MADM5: Madison MN : DH0800/ 72 / 65 / 0.81 MLRM5: Melrose MN : DH0700/ 77 / 62 / 0.25 LSAM5: Lwr St Anthony MN : DH0600/ 93 / 68 / 0.37 MVDM5: Montevideo MN : DH0700/ 78 / 64 / 0.92 MRAM5: Mora MN : DH0700/ 84 / 64 / 0.41 MRRM5: Morris MN : DH0800/ 71 / 63 / 0.75 OWAM5: Owatonna MN : DH0800/ 93 / 71 / 0.54 RWGM5: Red Wing MN : DHM / M / M / 2.06 RDWM5: Red Wing L/D3 : DH0529/ 94 / 71 / 1.25 RSMM5: Rosemount : DH0700/ 92 / 92 / 0.67 SCSM5: St Cloud SCSU : DH0700/ M / M / 0.26 STIM5: Stillwater MN : DH0800/ 87 / 66 / 0.90 VCTM5: Victoria MN : DH1319/ M / M / 0.80 WACM5: Waconia MN : DH0600/ M / M / 1.02 WELM5: Wells MN : DH0800/ 91 / 72 / 0.80 WLDM5: Wild RVR ST Park : DH0800/ 88 / 65 / 0.87 WMRM5: Willmar 5N : DH0600/ 82 / 65 / 0.61 WNNM5: Winnebago MN : DH0800/ 92 / 71 / 0.81 : : in Wisconsin : AGSW3: Augusta WI : DH0800/ 92 / 70 / M BMRW3: Bloomer WI : DH0800/ 91 / 68 / 2.39 BALW3: Baldwin WI : DH0730/ 89 / 67 / 1.54 CBLW3: Cumberland WI : DH0700/ 85 / 64 / 0.51 ELKW3: Elk Mound WI : DH0730/ M / M / 1.87 HOLW3: Holcombe WI : DH0700/ 88 / 69 / 2.74 RILW3: Rice Lake WI : DH0800/ 90 / 66 / 0.73 RVFW3: River Falls WI : DH0500/ 91 / 67 / 2.37 ROBW3: Roberts WI : DH0800/ M / M / 1.03 SCRW3: St Croix Falls WI : DH0700/ 87 / 68 / 1.10 .End These data are preliminary and have not undergone final quality control by the National Climatic Data Center /NCDC/. Therefore... these data are subject to revision. Final and certified climate data can be accessed at www.ncdc.noaa.gov. In addition snowfall and snow depth are not reported between June 1 and September 30. && CoCoRaHS - MN/WI observer reports .BR MSP 0618 C DH06/PP/SF/SD : : Station Obs 24-hr : name time pcpn : : in Minnesota : MNDS08 : Alexandria 1.7 ENE : DH0700/ 0.54 MN0LS2GT : Bald Eagle 1 SE : DH0600/ 0.73 MNSH10 : Big Lake 5.6 NNE : DH0700/ 0.33 MNRV05 : Bird Island 9.0 NNE : DH0615/ 0.91 MNHN66 : Bloomington 1.2 SSE : DH0640/ 1.26 MNILHXRH : Brooklyn Center : DH0700/ 1.12 MNHN134 : Brooklyn Center 1.1 E : DH0700/ 1.05 MNILHURG : Brooklyn Park 2 NE : DH0700/ 1.23 MNDK15 : Burnsville 3.0 NE : DH0628/ 1.93 MNIS06 : Cambridge 3.0 N : DH0700/ 1.17 MNF2OABM : Cannon City 2 SW : DH0800/ 1.05 MN0M8ZGC : Cardigan Junction : DH0900/ 1.75 MNCV01 : Carver 0.7 W : DH0700/ 1.10 MNCV14 : Chanhassen 1.0 ESE : DH0700/ 0.90 MNCG03 : Chisago city 1.8 ENE : DH0700/ 1.25 MNCG11 : Chisago city 1.3 SSE : DH0700/ 1.15 MNHN51 : Corcoran 3.3 ESE : DH0800/ 0.00 MNHN33 : Dayton 0.4 NE : DH0700/ 0.91 MNHN42 : Eden Prairie 2.1 E : DH0800/ 0.71 MNSE03 : Ellendale 0.3 SW : DH0700/ 1.31 MNMT06 : Fairmont 0.7 NE : DH0700/ 1.29 MNDK34 : Farmington 1.7 SE : DH0700/ 3.43 MNMC06 : Glencoe 3.2 NNW : DH0700/ 1.25 MNFN01 : Glenville 2.3 SW : DH0800/ 0.57 MNHN88 : Golden Valley 0.8 WSW : DH0700/ 1.12 MNSB04 : Green Isle 1.7 WNW : DH0700/ 0.91 MNAA31 : Ham Lake 2.2 E : DH0700/ 1.53 MNPP04 : Hancock 5.3 ENE : DH0700/ 0.59 MNG28BBT : Henderson 1 SE : DH0800/ 1.16 MNTD04 : Hewitt 1.1 N : DH0630/ 0.62 MNGH03 : Lake City 1.2 NNW : DH0700/ 2.93 MN0GWSNW : Lake Elmo 3 SE : DH0700/ 0.85 MNDK49 : Lakeville 2.1 SW : DH0755/ 3.37 MN0M81CB : Lexington 2 NNW : DH0700/ 0.76 MNMR04 : Little Falls 1.2 SW : DH0700/ 0.74 MNHN06 : Long Lake 0.2 WSW : DH0700/ 0.97 MNG0GYSN : Lonsdale 1 SSW : DH0600/ 0.90 MNRW03 : Lucan 0.2 ESE : DH0536/ 0.55 MNWG24 : Mahtomedi 1.0 SSW : DH0700/ 0.85 MNBU10 : Mankato 2.4 SW : DH0700/ 1.00 MNHN31 : Maple Grove 1.0 NNE : DH0715/ 0.85 MNWR20 : Maple Lake 0.5 SE : DH0700/ 0.26 MNBU02 : Mapleton 3.5 N : DH0700/ 0.78 MNAES5HD : Marna 2 NNW : DH0700/ 0.85 MNFS0GAM : Milroy 1 ESE : DH0700/ 0.78 MNHN09 : Minneapolis 3.0 NNW : DH0700/ 1.40 MNHN28 : Minneapolis 3.8 SSW : DH0700/ 0.83 MNHN65 : Minneapolis 2.4 NE : DH0700/ 1.17 MNHN84 : Minneapolis 4.1 SSE : DH0700/ 1.22 MNHN85 : Minneapolis 4.4 NNW : DH0600/ 0.79 MNHN90 : Minneapolis 3.6 SSE : DH0700/ 0.80 MNHN107 : Minneapolis 4.2 S : DH0730/ 0.70 MNHN108 : Minneapolis 3.6 NNE : DH0700/ 1.20 MNHN141 : Minneapolis 3.3 S : DH0700/ 0.78 MNHN36 : Minnetonka 0.7 WSW : DH0630/ 0.80 MNCP01 : Montevideo 0.4 SSW : DH0700/ 0.92 MNRC01 : Montgomery 3.2 ENE : DH0550/ 0.90 MNLS01 : Montgomery 2.6 E : DH0700/ 0.77 MNKB02 : Mora 2.1 N : DH0712/ 0.78 MNGH04 : Nerstrand 4.2 E : DH0700/ 0.93 MN0M8GBG : New Brighton 1 S : DH0700/ 0.90 MNBW02 : New Ulm 0.8 NW : DH0500/ 1.26 MNCG16 : North Branch 1.3 NNW : DH0600/ 0.74 MNRM02 : North Saint Paul 1 NNW : DH0700/ 1.10 MNDK63 : Northfield 2.4 NE : DH0700/ 0.92 MNSE02 : Owatonna 0.8 E : DH0630/ 0.79 MNHN30 : Plymouth 2.4 ENE : DH0700/ 1.16 MNML07 : Princeton 1.1 NNE : DH0700/ 0.43 MNSC02 : Prior Lake 2.0 W : DH0700/ 1.83 MNGH01 : Red Wing 4.4 SE : DH0800/ 2.43 MNGH07 : Red Wing 6.0 S : DH0700/ 1.70 MN228YHJ : Rice 3 WNW : DH0700/ 0.23 MNHN78 : Richfield 1.9 WNW : DH0500/ 0.69 MNHN128 : Robbinsdale 0.6 SSE : DH0700/ 1.35 MNDK44 : Rosemount 4.5 WSW : DH0528/ 2.47 MNRM15 : Roseville 1.8 SW : DH0600/ 1.72 MNCG01 : Rush City 2.8 NE : DH0700/ 2.16 MNSR09 : Sartell 1.4 SSE : DH0700/ 0.33 MNSR04 : St Cloud 4.7 W : DH0700/ 0.27 MNAA04 : St Francis 4.0 E : DH0700/ 0.56 MNWR08 : St Michael 1.3 ENE : DH0800/ 0.35 MNWR25 : St Michael 2.0 ENE : DH0630/ 0.32 MNRM07 : St Paul 3.3 WNW : DH0700/ 0.82 MNRM22 : St Paul 4.1 WNW : DH0700/ 2.07 MNNC03 : St Peter 6.2 WSW : DH0700/ 0.86 MNHN83 : Spring Park 0.2 SSE : DH0541/ 1.22 MNBW01 : Springfield 1.7 NNW : DH0700/ 1.05 MNWG09 : Stillwater 0.3 E : DH0700/ 0.89 MNCV22 : Victoria 1.6 WSW : DH0700/ 0.87 MNGH11 : Wanamingo 3.2 S : DH0700/ 0.66 MNF3KYLV : Warsaw 4 SE : DH0800/ 0.72 MN09SOSJ : Wescott 2 NNE : DH0700/ 1.71 MN0DCFKP : Woodbury 2 WNW : DH0700/ 1.18 MNSH17 : Zimmerman 0.6 S : DH0800/ 0.73 : : in Wisconsin : WIEC05 : Altoona 0.4 SW : DH0700/ 2.29 WIPK07 : Amery 6.5 NNW : DH0700/ 0.76 WIPC09 : Beldenville 7.2 ENE : DH0800/ 1.79 WIRS03 : Bruce 1.9 E : DH0700/ 2.51 WIPK04 : Dresser 6.1 ESE : DH0800/ 1.35 WIEC04 : Eau Claire 2.8 W : DH0700/ 1.80 WIEC14 : Eau Claire 3.0 W : DH0630/ 1.76 WIDN05 : Elk Mound 1.3 NE : DH0700/ 2.03 WIRS01 : Ladysmith 2.8 WNW : DH0700/ 2.58 WIDN03 : Menomonie 0.9 SSE : DH0700/ 1.31 WIDN09 : Menomonie 10.2 SSE : DH0700/ 1.61 WISC20 : River Falls 1.5 NNW : DH0700/ 2.10 WIPP02 : Stockholm 3.0 NE : DH0800/ 2.66 .End These data values not official and are supplemental to local cooperative and official observations.