Heat warning; Record 82 degree dew point at Hallock!

Call it "crazy heat."

This is Minnesota and not Arizona, right?

Heat index values pushed over 110 degrees in Hallock in the far northwest corner of Minnesota Thursday afternoon.

At 3pm & 4pm Hallock recorded an Amazon Jungle style dew point of 82 degrees. Moorhead recorded a heat index of 113 today!

WEATHER ROUNDUP FOR MINNESOTA

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN

400 PM CDT THU JUN 30 2011

HALLOCK PTSUNNY 90 82 79 S12 29.52S HX 111

According to UM climate guru and MPR colleague Dr. Mark Seeley, that is likely to be an all time sate record high dew point for June 30th.

His email to me and Tom Crann Thursday afternoon.

"Paul and Tom,

I think the 82 degrees F dewpoint at Hallock (3:00 pm) is an all time state record for today's date, but it falls short of the all-time state record of 86 degrees F.

In addition, I am sure that the 113 degrees F Heat Index value from Moorhead is the highest measured so far this year in the state......

Mark"

Weather Channel temps show heat wave in the central USA.

Here are some other observations from Thursday afternoon. Only a few clouds rolling through kept it from being even hotter.

Note the Heat indicies of 111 at Hallock and 112 at Moorhead!

WEATHER ROUNDUP FOR MINNESOTA

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN

400 PM CDT THU JUN 30 2011

NOTE: "FAIR" INDICATES FEW OR NO CLOUDS BELOW 12,000 FEET WITH NO

SIGNIFICANT WEATHER AND/OR OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISIBILITY. N/A MEANS

CURRENT SKY AND/OR WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE NOT AVAILABLE.

MNZ060>063-068>070-302200-

Twin Cities Metro

CITY SKY/WX TMP DP RH WIND PRES REMARKS

TWIN CITIES PTSUNNY 94 74 52 SE14 29.70F HX 104

ST PAUL PTSUNNY 92 76 59 SE12G21 29.70F HX 104

CRYSTAL CLOUDY 93 74 53 S13 29.69F HX 103

BLAINE SUNNY 91 75 59 SE9 29.70F HX 102

EDEN PRAIRIE CLOUDY 93 76 57 SE14 29.69F HX 105

LAKEVILLE PTSUNNY 91 73 55 S10 29.71F HX 100

SOUTH ST PAUL PTSUNNY 92 74 54 SE7 29.71F HX 102

LAKE ELMO FAIR 91 73 55 SE9 29.73F HX 100

$$

MNZ001>005-007-008-013>017-022>024-027-028-302200-

Northwest Minnesota

CITY SKY/WX TMP DP RH WIND PRES REMARKS

BEMIDJI PTSUNNY 84 72 65 SE13 29.65F

HALLOCK PTSUNNY 90 82 79 S12 29.52S HX 111

ROSEAU PTSUNNY 88 81 79 S13 29.57F HX 105

WARROAD PTSUNNY 84 75 74 SE16G24 29.58F HX 92

THIEF RVR FALL MOSUNNY 91 75 59 S18G24 29.60S HX 102

CROOKSTON MOSUNNY 91 75 59 SW17 29.56S HX 102

FOSSTON MOSUNNY 90 75 62 S15 29.60S HX 100

DETROIT LAKES MOSUNNY 90 72 55 S15 29.65F HX 96

MOORHEAD MOSUNNY 95 79 59 S10 29.57S HX 112

PARK RAPIDS MOSUNNY 90 74 59 SE13G22 29.66F HX 99

$$

MNZ006-009>011-018-025>026-302200-

North Central Minnesota

CITY SKY/WX TMP DP RH WIND PRES REMARKS

BAUDETTE PTSUNNY 80 71 74 SE10G17 29.63F

FLAG ISLAND CLOUDY 73 68 83 SE18 29.58F

INTL FALLS CLOUDY 76 69 79 S15G24 29.70F

WASKISH PTSUNNY 81 73 78 SE9G16 29.65F

BIG FORK PTSUNNY 81 72 74 S10 29.73F

LONGVILLE PTSUNNY 86 75 70 SE10 29.69F HX 95

GRAND RAPIDS CLOUDY 81 72 74 SE7 29.74F

CRANE LAKE MOSUNNY 75 68 78 SE5 29.76S

ORR CLOUDY 77 68 73 S8 29.74R

COOK CLOUDY 79 70 73 S6 29.77S

$$

MNZ012-019>021-037-302200-

Northeast Minnesota

CITY SKY/WX TMP DP RH WIND PRES REMARKS

DULUTH PTSUNNY 70 61 73 E13 29.80S

ELY PTSUNNY 77 66 69 SE15 29.78S

HIBBING CLOUDY 80 71 74 SE10G18 29.76F

EVELETH CLOUDY 81 70 69 S13 29.79S

DULUTH HARBOR CLOUDY 54 50 87 E9 29.81F

TWO HARBORS CLOUDY 72 63 73 E10 29.78R

SILVER BAY PTSUNNY 70 61 73 NE10 29.79F

GRAND MARAIS N/A 51 47 86 NE8 29.82F

G MARAIS ARPRT PTSUNNY 70 61 73 E8 29.88S

$$

MNZ029>031-032-039>041-046>048-054>057-064-302200-

West Central Minnesota

CITY SKY/WX TMP DP RH WIND PRES REMARKS

FERGUS FALLS SUNNY 91 73 55 S10 29.59F HX 100

WHEATON SUNNY 93 75 55 SE9 29.63F HX 104

MORRIS SUNNY 91 72 52 SE13G18 29.64R HX 98

ALEXANDRIA SUNNY 91 75 59 S12 29.68F HX 101

ELBOW LAKE FAIR 91 72 52 S12 29.63S HX 98

WADENA MOSUNNY 88 73 62 S12G17 29.66F HX 96

GLENWOOD MOSUNNY 91 72 52 SE13G20 29.69R HX 98

APPLETON SUNNY 91 73 55 S12 29.63F HX 100

BENSON MOSUNNY 93 75 55 SW10 29.66S HX 104

ORTONVILLE SUNNY 91 73 55 SE14G20 29.61F HX 100

MADISON SUNNY 93 75 55 S9 29.62F HX 104

WILLMAR FAIR 91 73 55 S7 29.69S HX 100

$$

MNZ033>034-036-042>043-049>051-058-059-302200-

Central Minnesota

CITY SKY/WX TMP DP RH WIND PRES REMARKS

ST CLOUD CLOUDY 92 75 57 SE10G17 29.68F HX 103

SAUK CENTRE FAIR 91 75 59 SE15G21 29.67F HX 102

PAYNESVILLE PTSUNNY 90 73 56 S10 29.68F HX 97

AITKIN PTSUNNY 86 75 70 SE9 29.71F HX 95

PINE RIVER PTSUNNY 88 75 66 SE14 29.72F HX 97

BRAINERD PTSUNNY 92 73 53 SE15G21 29.69F HX 100

STAPLES PTSUNNY 90 75 62 SE6 29.67F HX 100

LONG PRAIRIE FAIR 90 73 58 SE10 29.68F HX 98

LITTLE FALLS PTSUNNY 90 72 55 SE9 29.68F HX 96

LITCHFIELD CLOUDY 90 75 62 SE7 29.69F HX 100

BUFFALO CLOUDY 91 75 61 SE8 29.70F HX 101

MAPLE LAKE CLOUDY 89 76 65 SE7 29.68F HX 101

$$

MNZ037-044-045-052-053-302200-

East Central Minnesota

CITY SKY/WX TMP DP RH WIND PRES REMARKS

PRINCETON PTSUNNY 90 73 58 SE8 29.70F HX 98

MORA MOSUNNY 90 73 58 S8 29.73F HX 98

CAMBRIDGE MOSUNNY 91 73 55 SE8 29.69F HX 100

RUSH CITY MOSUNNY 90 74 60 SE13 29.73F HX 99

MOOSE LAKE PTSUNNY 82 73 74 SE3 29.73F

HINCKLEY MOCLDY 90 73 58 SE9G17 29.74F HX 98

CLOQUET MOSUNNY 70 57 64 E7 29.78F

MCGREGOR PTSUNNY 88 73 62 S10G21 29.74S HX 96

$$

MNZ071>073-080-081-089-090-097-098-302200-

Southwest Minnesota

CITY SKY/WX TMP DP RH WIND PRES REMARKS

MONTEVIDEO MOSUNNY 91 75 59 SW12G18 29.63F HX 102

GRANITE FALLS MOSUNNY 92 72 50 S15 29.68F HX 100

CANBY SUNNY 93 70 46 S5 29.64F HX 99

MARSHALL N/A N/A N/A N/A MISG N/A

REDWOOD FALLS CLOUDY 90 72 55 S14 29.69R HX 97

OLIVIA PTSUNNY 91 72 52 S14G20 29.69R HX 98

PIPESTONE PTSUNNY 91 72 52 S15 29.71F HX 98

WINDOM CLOUDY 90 70 51 S14G20 29.72S HX 95

WORTHINGTON CLOUDY 90 70 51 SW13G18 29.75S HX 95

JACKSON CLOUDY 88 70 55 S16G22 29.73F HX 92

TRACY PTSUNNY 87 70 57 S8 29.70F HX 92

SLAYTON CLOUDY 89 68 49 S10G17 29.74F HX 92

$$

MNZ065>067-074>077-082>085-091>093-302200-

South Central Minnesota

CITY SKY/WX TMP DP RH WIND PRES REMARKS

MANKATO CLOUDY 91 72 52 S14 29.71S HX 98

NEW ULM CLOUDY 90 72 55 S8 29.70R HX 96

ST JAMES CLOUDY 90 72 55 S9 29.70S HX 96

FAIRMONT PTSUNNY 91 72 52 S18 29.75R HX 98

GLENCOE CLOUDY 91 73 56 S7 29.70R HX 99

OWATONNA MOSUNNY 93 75 55 S12G18 29.72F HX 104

WASECA PTSUNNY 90 72 55 S13 29.75F HX 96

ALBERT LEA MOSUNNY 93 73 52 S12G18 29.72S HX 102

$$

MNZ078>079-086>088-094>096-302200-

Southeast Minnesota

CITY SKY/WX TMP DP RH WIND PRES REMARKS

ROCHESTER MOSUNNY 93 74 53 S18G25 29.79F HX 103

RED WING MOSUNNY 97 72 44 S12 29.73F HX 105

STANTON MOSUNNY 95 73 48 S10G18 29.71F HX 103

DODGE CENTER MOSUNNY 90 73 58 S17 29.77F HX 98

WINONA SUNNY 93 73 52 S7 29.78S HX 102

AUSTIN SUNNY 95 75 52 S12G21 29.76F HX 107

PRESTON SUNNY 91 72 54 S13G22 29.81F HX 97

$$

ABBREVIATIONS USED IN REMARKS

TC - TEMPERATURES IN CELSIUS

WCI - WIND CHILL INDEX

HX - HEAT INDEX

VSB - VISIBILITY

$$

Excessive Heat Warnings are rare in Minnesota.

The latest version continues through 8pm Friday.

We asked for this all winter right?? Okay...maybe not this hot.

The air mass surging into the Upper Midwest is a combination of hot and relatively dry desert air that has been baking the Desert Southwest, and a tropically humid Gulf of Mexico air mass.

Minnesota is mostly on the tropical side of things, with dew points surging into the upper 60s and 70s today. In the drier air to the west, temperatures will surge to over 100 degrees as you head toward Omaha.

Heat index tops 100:

Think of heat index as the summer opposite of wind chill. The Heat Index calculates the "apparent temperature" on your body based on the combination of temperature and humidity.

The heat index should reach a dangerous 100 to 107 late Thursday.

Wind direction matters:

Minnesota's topography plays a role when it comes to wind direction and temperatures. While most notable in mountains, upslope and downslope winds do play a role in Minnesota temperatures.

A southeast wind rises up the Mississippi River Valley toward the Twin Cities. The result is rising air...or "upslope" as it is referred to in the weather biz. Rising air cools, and thus temperatures tend to be not quite as hot on a southeast wind in Minnesota.

A southwest wind in Minnesota sinks off the Buffalo Ridge in southwest Minnesota as it descends toward the Minnesota River Valley. This "downslope" wind warms as it sinks...like a little mini "Minnesota Chinook." That is why temperatures are almost always warmer on a southwest wind in Minnesota.

All southerly winds are not created equal in Minnesota. Who knew?

Hotter Friday than today??

Thursday's heat is grabbing all the headlines, but there may be some locations in southern Minnesota that are actually warmer on Friday.

Why?

As winds shift from a southeasterly direction Thursday to southwesterly Friday we'll see more downslope warming. Also, the air mass to the west is drier, and dry air heats more easily than moist air.

The result may be some readings even hotter Friday than today...even though it may feel a bit more comfortable.

Great 4th of July Weekend?

I have to say the upcoming 4th of July weekend looks summery and great. Not perfect maybe...but really, really good. Here's the breakdown:

Friday: Mostly sunny & hot. Highs 90 south and 80s north. A few T-Storms late Friday night into early (pre dawn) Saturday morning.

Saturday: Weather perfection? Mostly sunny & warm but less humid. High near 85. NW wind 5-13 mph.

Sunday: Mostly sunny again & warm. High near 86. Light SW wind.

4th of July: Hazy sunshine & warm with just a slight T-Storm chance...but mostly dry! High near 88.

Wow...does it get any better than that??

PH