Cooler but still well above normal this week

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Move over July 2016 — July 2019 is now the hottest month on record globally.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration confirms that 

last month is the hottest on record globally 

in the 140-year global surface temperature record. Earth’s average temperature last month was 60.4 degrees — 1.71 degrees above the 20th century average. 

It’s interesting to note on the map below that one of the few cooler than average areas globally continues to be central North America. Minnesota was slightly warmer than average in July.

The Arctic continues to warm faster than lower latitudes. Arctic warmth continues to eat away at Arctic sea ice cover. 

Scattered thunderstorms rumble through western and northern Minnesota Thursday evening. The best chance for storms in the Twin Cities arrives around or after midnight. Most of the rain should move out of the Twin Cities before Friday mornings rush hours. 

Here’s NOAA’s North American Mesoscale 3 km model version of events overnight into early Friday.

Overall the next week looks very pleasant. We enjoy a mix of days in the upper 70s and low 80s with tolerable humidity. Not bad for mid-August.

The longer range models suggest Thursday could bring a good weather day to open the 2019 Minnesota State Fair. Highs around 80 degrees and low humidity would make for a great opening day. The European and Canadian models currently favor rain chances next Friday. Saturday and Sunday looks warm and potentially humid. Lately the models have backed off the notion of prolonged heat the following week.

Weather and Climate News

Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Paul Huttner

Author

Latest numbers from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration show hottest month on record — 415th consecutive warmer-than-average month globally.

NOAA

NOAA via tropical tidbits

NOAA temperature forecast for Minneapolis 

NOAA: July hottest month ever recorded globally; overnight thunder

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