Record Heat, April 5, 2021

After a weekend that was very warm by most measures, Monday April 5th produced some of the highest temperatures ever recorded in early April in Minnesota.

Sunny skies and southerly winds had produced warm and very dry conditions on Saturday and Sunday, with temperatures in the 60s and 70s both days, with some lower 80s registered in southwestern Minnesota on Sunday, as temperatures in many locations inched towards record territory.

The warm air mass took things to another level on Monday, as truly summer-like conditions streamed into southern and central Minnesota. Temperatures soared into the 80s throughout the southern half of Minnesota, including high temperatures of 88 F at Redwood Falls and Lamberton. Eighteen other stations recorded high temperatures of at least 85 degrees F, and over 50 stations recorded highs of at least 80 F. At many stations, high temperatures exceeded the normal high temperature values for the hottest days in July.

Thirty-eight stations with at least 50 years of observations broke daily high temperature records. This list includes Milan, St. Cloud, and the Twin Cities, all of which have over 125 years of observation. In fact, those locations, along with about 20 others, observed the highest temperature ever recorded so early in the season. It should be noted that many cooperative observers record their daily highs and lows (and precipitation) in the morning, and so would have logged high temperature values officially on April 6. This distinction matters, because April 6th, 1991 was slightly hotter than April 5th, 2021, so some stations did not set new records during this hot episode.

As often happens in warm surges fueled by southerly winds, many areas bordering Lake Superior were chilled by a lake breeze. Temperatures from Duluth through Grand Marais were generally held to the 50s, though even just 20 miles inland, locations observed high temperatures in the upper 60s and low 70s. Despite the common exception near Lake Superior, April 5th, 2021 was one of the hottest early-spring days on record in Minnesota.

Below are high temperatures across Minnesota observed on April 5th (though recorded and logged officially on April 6th at some locations). Data were retrieved using the Applied Climate Information System (ACIS).

LocationHigh Temperature (F)
LAMBERTON SOUTHWEST RESEARCH AND OUTREACH CENTER88
REDWOOD FALLS MUNICIPAL AIRPORT88
WINDOM87
PIPESTONE87
MARSHALL87
MARSHALL RYAN FIELD87
FAIRMONT MUNICIPAL AP86
WINNEBAGO86
MANKATO MUNICIPAL AP86
THEILMAN 1SSW86
CANBY86
MINNEAPOLIS FLYING CLOUD AIRPORT86
MILAN 1NW86
ELK RIVER86
ST. PAUL DOWNTOWN AIRPORT86
NEW ULM 3SE86
HASTINGS DAM 285
MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT85
NEW HOPE85
MINNEAPOLIS CRYSTAL AIRPORT85
FOREST LAKE 5NE85
WORTHINGTON 2 NNE84
WELLS84
JORDAN 1SSW84
CAMBRIDGE84
WILD RIVER STATE PARK84
LOWER ST. ANTHONY FALLS84
CHANHASSEN WSFO84
ST. CLOUD REGIONAL AIRPORT84
WILLMAR 5N84
RED WING DAM 383
LITCHFIELD83
ARTICHOKE LAKE 1 E83
MELROSE83
KIMBALL 3N83
RICE83
STILLWATER 2SW83
ALBERT LEA 3SE82
WINONA DAM 5 A82
MORA82
BRAINERD CROW WING COUNTY AP82
OWATONNA82
WINONA MUNICIPAL MAX CONRAD FIELD AIRPORT82
AUSTIN WASTE WATER TREATMENT FACILITY81
WASECA SOUTHERN RESEARCH AND OUTREACH CENTER81
ZUMBROTA81
VADNAIS LAKE81
LONG PRAIRIE81
AUSTIN MUNICIPAL AIRPORT81
DODGE CENTER AIRPORT81
GRAND MEADOW80
MINNESOTA CITY DAM 580
COLLEGEVILLE ST. JOHN'S80
ALEXANDRIA CHANDLER FIELD80
ISLE 12N80
ROCHESTER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT80
PRESTON79
BRAINERD79
PINE RIVER DAM79
BRUNO 7ENE79
CALEDONIA78
REDWOOD FALLS78
MADISON WWTP78
BENSON78
BROWNS VALLEY78
PRESTONE FILLMORE COUNTY AIRPORT78
MILACA77
WALKER77
KABETOGAMA77
COOK 8NE77
BRECKENRIDGE 3E77
WHEATON76
LEECH LAKE76
CASS LAKE76
TOWER 2S76
MABEL76
SEBEKA76
WINNIBIGOSHISH DAM75
PARK RAPIDS MUNICIPAL AP75
CELINA 2E75
LA CRESCENT DAM 774
OTTERTAIL74
WRIGHT 3 E74
POKEGAMA DAM74
EMBARRASS74
ORR 3E74
ELY74
SANDY LAKE DAM LIBBY73
HIBBING CHISHOLM HIBBING AP73
INTERNATIONAL FALLS INTL AP73
FLOODWOOD 3 NE73
NEW YORK MILLS73
BABBITT73
SABIN73
GULL LAKE DAM72
ELY 25E72
BAUDETTE INTERNATIONAL AP72
COTTON71
CAMP NORRIS DNR70
WARROAD 4W70
BRIMSON 2S68
WARREN WSD68
GUNFLINT LAKE 10 NW67
DULUTH NWS67
LAKEFIELD 2NE66
RED LAKE FALLS66
Fond du Lac Band65
DULUTH INTL AP61
WOLF RIDGE ELC59
GRAND MARAIS56
TWO HARBORS49

 

Last updated April 7, 2021

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