Hot and windy conditions prevailed over much of central and southern Minnesota out ahead of a cool front on Wednesday, May 20. Temperatures in the 90's were common over the central and south. The Twin Cities set another record high temperature of 94 degrees as of 4pm, May 20. This broke the old record of 91 that was set in 1934, 1948 and 1975. Record high temperatures were also set at St. Cloud with a high of 92, and at Mankato with a high of 93.
Not only was there heat, but very gusty winds caused tree branches to fall, and even caused some minor damage to a roof of a business in St. James in Watonwan County. The highest wind gust so far in the Twin Cities was 46mph at 1pm. Wind gusts has high as 55mph were noted at Marshall in Lyon County and at Redwood Falls in Redwood County. The strong winds whipped dust in the air lowering visibilities to one mile at times at the St. Cloud Airport. Suspended dust, along with some high clouds, filtered the sun over much of central and southern Minnesota. The atmosphere was very dry out ahead of the cool front. The relative humidity was 15% at the Twin Cities at 4pm. Both Owatonna and Albert Lea had relative humidity readings of 13% at 4pm, May 20.
Listed below are public information statements from the National Weather Service regarding the May 20 heat and strong winds.
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
538 PM CDT WED MAY 20 2009
...MAXIMUM OBSERVED WIND GUSTS ON WEDNESDAY...
A DEEPENING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVED FROM THE DAKOTAS
INTO NORTHERN MINNESOTA ON WEDNESDAY. IN RESPONSE...STRONG
SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS OVERSPREAD SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL
MINNESOTA AND WESTERN WISCONSIN ON WEDNESDAY.
THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF THE MAXIMUM OBSERVED WIND GUSTS
AT AUTOMATED STATIONS ACROSS THE REGION. NOTE FOR MOST OF
THESE SITES...THE VALUE IS THE MAXIMUM GUST THAT WAS
OBSERVED AND HIGHER GUSTS MAY HAVE OCCURRED BETWEEN
OBSERVATIONS.
.HIGHEST AREA-WIDE GUSTS...
RANK SITE MAXIMUM GUST HOUR
-----------------------------------------------------
1. REDWOOD FALLS MN 55 MPH 1 PM
2. FAIRMONT MN 54 MPH 12 PM
2T. ST JAMES MN 54 MPH 12 PM
4. ST CLOUD MN 53 MPH 12 PM
4T. WASECA MN 53 MPH 12 PM
.ALL SITES...
SITE MAXIMUM GUST HOUR
-----------------------------------------------------
ALBERT LEA MN 38 MPH 3 PM
ALEXANDRIA MN 41 MPH 9 AM
APPLETON MN 39 MPH 12 PM
BENSON MN 39 MPH 10 AM
BLAINE MN 43 MPH 3 PM
BUFFALO MN 37 MPH 3 PM
CAMBRIDGE MN 40 MPH 3 PM
CANBY MN 48 MPH 9 AM
CRYSTAL MN 48 MPH 12 PM
EAU CLAIRE WI 46 MPH 1 PM
EDEN PRAIRIE MN 50 MPH 12 PM
FAIRMONT MN 54 MPH 12 PM
FARIBAULT MN 39 MPH 1 PM
GLENCOE MN 47 MPH 3 PM
GLENWOOD MN 41 MPH 9 AM
GRANITE FALLS MN 48 MPH 9 AM
HUTCHINSON MN 45 MPH 2 PM
LADYSMITH WI 37 MPH 5 PM
LAKE ELMO MN 44 MPH 1 PM
LAKEVILLE MN 48 MPH 1 PM
MADISON MN 49 MPH 9 AM
MANKATO MN 48 MPH 11 AM
MAPLE LAKE MN 39 MPH 2 PM
MENOMONIE MN 44 MPH 1 PM
MINNEAPOLIS MN 50 MPH 4 PM
MORA MN 43 MPH 1 PM
MORRIS MN 41 MPH 10 AM
MONTEVIDEO MN 41 MPH 9 AM
NEW ULM MN 47 MPH 3 PM
NEW RICHMOND WI 46 MPH 12 PM
OLIVIA MN 48 MPH 2 PM
OSCEOLA WI 44 MPH 3 PM
OWATONNA MN 51 MPH 11 AM
PAYNESVILLE MN 39 MPH 11 AM
PRINCETON MN 41 MPH 1 PM
RED WING MN 40 MPH 4 PM
RICE LAKE WI 39 MPH 3 PM
REDWOOD FALLS MN 55 MPH 1 PM
SOUTH ST PAUL MN 45 MPH 4 PM
ST CLOUD MN 53 MPH 12 PM
ST JAMES MN 54 MPH 12 PM
ST PAUL MN 47 MPH 2 PM
STANTON MN 46 MPH 1 PM
STAPLES MN 39 MPH 1 PM
TRACY MN 51 MPH 10 AM
WASECA MN 53 MPH 12 PM
WILLMAR MN 40 MPH 3 PM
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
550 PM CDT WED MAY 20 2009
...HIGHEST WINDS SORTED BY SUSTAINED SPEED IN THE PAST 12 HOURS...
STATION COUNTY TIME SPEED GUST
DODGE CENTER AWOS DODGE 115 PM 40 MPH 48 MPH
ROCHESTER ASOS OLMSTED 1154 AM 39 MPH 55 MPH
CANTON RWIS FILLMORE 319 PM 38 MPH 45 MPH
ELMA CWOP HOWARD 104 PM 36 MPH 43 MPH
PRESTON AWOS FILLMORE 1259 PM 35 MPH 47 MPH
OELWEIN AWOS FAYETTE 255 PM 35 MPH 41 MPH
AUSTIN AWOS MOWER 1115 AM 33 MPH 40 MPH
DECORAH 2SE RWIS WINNESHIEK 405 PM 33 MPH 37 MPH
CHARLES CITY AWOS FLOYD 215 PM 33 MPH 41 MPH
ST ANSGAR KIMT-TV MITCHELL 1214 PM 32 MPH MPH
WEST CONCORD - KIMT DODGE 1255 PM 31 MPH MPH
ST CHARLES 4W RWIS OLMSTED 1136 AM 30 MPH 49 MPH
MONONA HS AWS CLAYTON 1229 PM 30 MPH MPH
LA CROSSE ASOS LA CROSSE 353 PM 30 MPH 41 MPH
SPARTA AWOS MONROE 155 PM 29 MPH 40 MPH
4N ROCHESTER CWOP OLMSTED 243 PM 29 MPH 41 MPH
NEW HAMPTON RWIS CHICKASAW 237 PM 28 MPH 35 MPH
PLAINFIELD AWS CHICKASAW 129 PM 28 MPH MPH
PRESTON KIMT FILLMORE 315 PM 26 MPH MPH
MEDFORD AWOS TAYLOR 1015 AM 26 MPH 35 MPH
TURKEY VALLEY AWS CHICKASAW 114 PM 25 MPH MPH
BOSCOBEL ASOS GRANT 353 PM 25 MPH 38 MPH
WILLOW CREEK - KIMT OLMSTED 1135 AM 25 MPH MPH
SOUTH WINNESHIEK SCHOOL WINNESHIEK 1114 AM 25 MPH MPH
CENTURY HIGH SCHOOL AWS OLMSTED 1159 AM 24 MPH MPH
AUSTIN KIMT MOWER 116 PM 24 MPH MPH
3N LA CRESCENT CWOP HOUSTON 213 PM 24 MPH 35 MPH
ITHACA AWS RICHLAND 314 PM 23 MPH MPH
NECEDAH RAWS JUNEAU 348 PM 23 MPH 37 MPH
ALMA AWS BUFFALO 359 PM 23 MPH MPH
STANLEY 1 SE RWIS CHIPPEWA 228 PM 23 MPH 41 MPH
3E BURR OAK CWOP WINNESHIEK 247 PM 23 MPH 0 MPH
BUFFALO LUTHERAN AWS BUFFALO 159 PM 23 MPH MPH
BLACK RIVER FALLS RAWS JACKSON 215 PM 22 MPH 36 MPH
WEST UNION AWS FAYETTE 129 PM 22 MPH MPH
WINONA AWOS WINONA 316 PM 22 MPH 31 MPH
DIAMOND LAKE RAWS TAYLOR 314 PM 22 MPH 37 MPH
OSAGE - KIMT MITCHELL 1255 PM 22 MPH MPH
ARCADIA HILL RWIS TREMPEALEAU 211 PM 22 MPH 36 MPH
NEW HAMPTON AWS CHICKASAW 129 PM 21 MPH MPH
VOLK FIELD JUNEAU 255 PM 21 MPH 37 MPH
DOWNTOWN ONALASKA APRS LA CROSSE 1249 PM 20 MPH 31 MPH
ROCHESTER LINCOLN AWS OLMSTED 1244 PM 20 MPH MPH
KEY TO OBSERVATION TYPES
AWS - SENSORS FROM AWS INCORPORATED. OFTEN LOCATED AT SCHOOLS.
APRS - AUTOMATIC PACKET REPORTING SYSTEM. HAM RADIO WEATHER STATION DATA.
CWOP - CITIZEN WEATHER OBSERVER PROGRAM. HOME WEATHER STATION DATA.
RWIS - ROAD WEATHER INFORMATION SYSTEMS. LOCATED ON MAJOR ROADS AND BRIDGES.
RAWS - FIRE WEATHER OBSERVATIONS. OFTEN LOCATED IN FORESTS.
ASOS/AWOS - AVIATION WEATHER OBSERVATIONS. LOCATED AT AIRPORTS.
OBSERVATIONS ARE COLLECTED FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES WITH VARYING EQUIPMENT
AND EXPOSURE. NOT ALL DATA LISTED IS CONSIDERED OFFICIAL.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
247 PM CDT WED MAY 20 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0230 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG ST JAMES 43.98N 94.63W
05/20/2009 WATONWAN MN TRAINED SPOTTER
ONE BUSINESS EXPERIENCED SOME MINOR ROOF DAMAGE. SOME
LARGE TREE LIMBS ALSO DOWN.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
207 PM CDT WED MAY 20 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0145 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG PRIOR LAKE 44.73N 93.43W
05/20/2009 SCOTT MN AMATEUR RADIO
18 INCH LIMB FROM LIVE TREE BROKEN AT MAIN TRUNK AND FELL
TO GROUND.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
111 PM CDT WED MAY 20 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0109 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG STILLWATER 45.06N 92.82W
05/20/2009 WASHINGTON MN PUBLIC
TREE DOWN
RECORD EVENT REPORT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHANHASSEN MN
128 AM CDT THU MAY 21 2009
...A NEW RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE WAS SET AT MANKATO MINNESOTA...
A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 93 DEGREES WAS SET AT MANKATO MINNESOTA
YESTERDAY.
THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 92 SET IN 1970.
RECORD EVENT REPORT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHANHASSEN MN
130 AM CDT THU MAY 21 2009
...A NEW RECORD WARM LOW TEMPERATURE WAS SET AT MINNEAPOLIS...
THE LOW TEMPERATURE WAS 69 DEGREES AT MSP...OR THE MINNEAPOLIS/ST PAUL INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
THIS IS A NEW WARM LOW TEMPERATURE FOR THE DATE.
THE PREVIOUS RECORD WARM LOW TEMPERATURE WAS 66 IN 1972.
Last modified: January 6, 2017
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