Frigid temperatures this weekend prompt cold weather advisories

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. 

Turn Up Your Support

April 2021 proves once again that “average weather” is a relative concept in Minnesota. 

A quick look at the weather books this April shows temperatures and precipitation finished about as close to average as you can get. 

But that’s doesn’t tell the weather story. April featured some extreme weather variability in Minnesota this year. 

One glance at the muted colors on the April temperature departure from the average map tells you all you need to know. This month was very close to the average for overall temperature across much of Minnesota

When you add up all the highs and lows in the Twin Cities and divide by the number of days, you get 47.6 degrees for the Twin Cities. That’s very close to the monthly average of 47.2 degrees to date. 

But the overall monthly temperature average belies the extreme swings we saw in Minnesota this month. 

The Twin Cities ranged from a low of 20 degrees on April 1, to a record high of 85 on April 5. early April ran 10 to 20 degrees warmer than average on many days. The rest of the month had a cool flavor. 

The Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport recorded 2.5 inches of precipitation this month. That’s almost spot on the monthly average of 2.55 inches to date. 

But a closer look at statewide precipitation totals this month shows a much wetter story across northern Minnesota. Precipitation ran 2 to 3 times average across the north. 

The wet month up north helped wipe out drought across northern Minnesota heading into the all to short growing season. 

So once again April shows just how much ‘average weather’ in Minnesota is often just a mean of our extreme weather swings. 

Looking for a more stable pleasant climate? I hear San Diego is nice — and crowded.

Weather and Climate News

Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Paul Huttner

Author

A quick look at the weather books this April shows temperatures and precipitation finished about as close to average as you can get. 


NOAA

Midwest Regional Climate Center

April precipitation departure from average

An 'extremely' average April?

Go Deeper.

Like this?