Weather

December 2008 Saint Cloud Weather Summary


Snowiest December Since 1969 Finishes First Cold Year Since 1996 In St. Cloud

You don't need me to tell you that a lot of snow fell in St. Cloud during December 2008. You can see most of it piled outside. However, the numbers make December 2008 the fourth snowiest December in St. Cloud records and the snowiest since 1969. The St. Cloud Reformatory recorded 23.0 inches of snow in December 2008, more than 14 inches above normal. There were a total of 11 days with measurable snowfall, including 6.1 inches from a major storm on December 30, and daily record snowfalls on December 14 and December 20. St. Cloud even got missed by a couple of southeastern Minnesota snowstorms and did not have nearly the heaviest snowfall in any one storm. The frequent snows were part of a cold weather pattern that propelled many storms and persistently cold Canadian air from Alaska, the Yukon, and the Northwest Territories into the Plains states.

The other part of this weather pattern was the persistently cold air. In December 2008, St. Cloud ended up with an average temperature of 8.5°F, 5.9°F colder than normal. That ranks as the 15th coldest out of the 128 Decembers in St. Cloud weather records and the coldest since December 2000. While high temperatures averaged nearly three degrees below normal,. the average low temperature in December was -3.3°F, 8.8°F colder than the normal average December low. That ranks as the 7th lowest December average minimum in St. Cloud records.

The heavy snow and the cold were definitely related. In our recent streak of mild winters, 2000-2001 stands out as one of the few cold winters since the winter of 1995-1996. One of the key elements of December 2000, the 3rd coldest December in St. Cloud records, was getting an early snow cover that persisted. Snow can reflect 80-90 percent of the sun's energy back to space, so having a bright white snow cover can allow arctic air masses to move into Minnesota without warming very much. Even last winter, only the second colder than normal winter since 1995-1996, we got a snow cover on December 1 and bare ground wasn't seen again until March 30. The quick snowfall on December 4 of this year kept mounting and mounting during the month. We had one day (December 15) during which the temperature never climbed above zero. On that day, St. Cloud tied records for coldest high and coldest average temperature. The following morning, the low temperature dropped to -24, setting a new record for December 16. December 2008 produced 5 days with a low temperature of at least -20 degrees. There are normally 5 days during the entire cold season with a low in the minus 20's. Another cold low on January 5 has pushed the seasonal total to 6, more than during the average cold season.

St. Cloud's melted preciptation totalled 1.58 inches, more than double the normal total. The high precipitation total missed by 0.05 inch cracking one of the 10 wettest Decembers.

The generally cold pattern has continued into early January. With even colder air sitting in Alaska right now and the continuation of the active storm track from the Canadian Rockies into the Plains, it looks like cold weather with frequent snow chances will continue for the next week.

Top of Page
(December 2008 Summary)
Jan-Jul Aug-Dec Year NWS Stats
December 20-21 Snowstorm December 30 Snowstorm
Historic Days with Lows <=-20°F NWS 2008 Minnesota Summary 2008 Minnesota Severe Weather 2008 Minnesota Snowstorms Dry Late Summer from Minnesota State Climatology Office

    December 2008 Statistics

Temperatures (°F)
December 2008
Normal
December Average High Temperature (°F)
20.4%
23.2
December Average Low Temperature (°F)
-3.3$
5.5
Mean Temperature for December (°F)
8.5*
14.4
%Coldest Average December High Since 2000
$Coldest Average December Low Since 2000; 7th coldest average low temperature of 117 Years on record
*Coldest December Average Temperature Since 2000;
15th Coldest December Out of 128 Years
   

December Extremes

Temperature(°F)
Date
Warmest High Temperature for December 2008 (°F)
40
December 2
Coldest High Temperature for December 2008 (°F)
-5 (tied record;see below)
December 15
Warmest Low Temperature for December 2008 (°F)
23
December 26
Coldest Low Temperature for December 2008 (°F)
-24 (broke record;see below)
December 16
Record Temperatures in December 2008
Temperature(°F)
Date
Old Record
Daily Record Cold High
-5 (tie)
December 15th
tied record set in 1916, 1951
Daily Record Cold Average
-13 (tie)
December 15th
tied record set in 1916
Daily Record Cold Average
-10 (tie)
December 16th
tied record set in 1897
Daily Record Cold Low
-24
December 16th
-21 set in 1953, 1963
Temperature Thresholds
Number of Days
Normal
December 2008 Days with High Temperatures <= 32°F
25
23.5
December 2008 Days with High Temperatures <= 0°F
1
1.0
December 2008 Days with Low Temperatures <= 32°F
31
25.7
December 2008 Days with Low Temperatures <= 0°F
19
9.9
December 2008 Days with Low Temperatures <= 20°F
5
0.9
Precipitation (in)
December 2008
Normal
December 2008 Precipitation (in)
1.58#
0.83
#11th wettest December on record; wettest December since 1984
Precipitation Thresholds
Number of Days
Normal
December 2008 Days with Measurable (>= 0.01 inch) Precipitation
9
6.6
December 2008 Days with >= 0.10 inch Precipitation
4
2.0
December 2008 Days with >= 0.25 inch Precipitation
3
0.7
December 2008 Days with >= 0.50 inch Precipitation
0
0.1
December 2008 Days with >= 1.00 inch Precipitation
0
0.0
December Extremes
Precipitation (in)
Date
Most Daily Precipitation in December 2008
0.46 inch (set daily record; see below)
December 14th
Record Precipitation in December 2008
Precipitation (in)
Date
Old Record
Record Daily Precipitation
0.46
December 14th
0.25 in - 1927
Record Daily Precipitation
0.34
December 20th
0.28 in - 1990
Snowfall (in)
December 2008
Normal
December 2008 Saint Cloud Airport Snowfall (in)
23.0**
8.6
2008-2009 Seasonal Snowfall (1 Oct 2008 - 31 Dec 2008)
24.3
18.3
**4th Snowiest December On Record
December Extremes
Snowfall (in)
Date
Most Daily Snowfall in December 2008
6.1
December 30th
Record Snowfall in December 2008
Snowfall (in)
Date
Old Record
Daily Record Snowfall
4.2
December 14th
3.7 set in 2005
Daily Record Snowfall
4.5
December 20th
2.8 set in 1990
Top of Page
(December 2008 Summary)
Jan-Jul Aug-Dec Year NWS Stats
December 20-21 Snowstorm December 30 Snowstorm
Historic Days with Lows <=-20°F NWS 2008 Minnesota Summary 2008 Minnesota Severe Weather 2008 Minnesota Snowstorms Dry Late Summer from Minnesota State Climatology Office
St. Cloud's Coldest December Average Low Temperature (1893-2008
Rank
Year
Average Low (°F)
1
1983
-9.9
2
1985
-6.9
3
1927
-6.2
4
1924
-5.7
5
1976
-4.7
6
2000
-4.1
7
2008
-3.3
8
1978
-2.5
9
1955
-2.4
10
1917
-2.1

 

Cool Late Winter, Spring and Cold Start to Winter Make First Cold Year Since 1996
2008 Annual Saint Cloud Weather Summary

For the first time since 1996, St. Cloud ended up with a below normal average temperature for the year 2008. The 2008 average temperature of 40.8°F was 0.9°F colder than normal. This is not extraordinarily cold, but is a marked contrast to recent years. The last 11 years have all been milder than normal with 8 of those years being at least a degree warmer than normal and 5 of those years being among the 11 warmest years in St. Cloud records.Given the fact that several of these recent years have been warm due to the mild winters, the cold late winter, spring, and December has come as quite as shock to transplants and those of us who easily forget about the very cold winters in the past.

The cold spring was spurred on by nearly unprecedented late season snowfall. In 2007-2008, there was more snow since March 1 (28.7 inches) than there was before March 1 (23.5 inches). So, 55.0% of the 2007-2008 snowfall has fallen from March 1 on. That's the 8th highest percentage of spring snowfall. There have been only 10 seasons in which half or more of the snowfall has occurred after March 1. Only three of these season (1964-1965, 2001-2002, and 2007-2008) had above normal snowfall in the year (it's much easier to get a higher percentage when there is less total snow). That included the 7th snowiest March and the 4th snowiest April. And, with us just completing the 4th snowiest December, the calendar year 2008 ended up with 62.1 inches of snow, well above the normal 45.8 inches.

The total 2008 precipitation was within a quarter inch of normal. The total was 27.36 inches, just above the 27.13 inch normal level. However, St. Cloud and central Minnesota sustained yet another growing season shortfall, although not nearly as bad as the 2007 situation. At its height (June 15-September 10), St. Cloud ended up being 4 inches below normal before more normal rainfall in September and October eased the conditions in central Minnesota. However, the summer of 2008 had near normal temperatures with only 3 days with highs of at least 90 degrees. So, the combination of dryness and heat did not approach last year's level. Still, from the Twin Cities south and eastward, moisture conditions were considerably worse, as noted in the Dry Mid-Summer report from the State Climatology Office.

Despite the cool spring, St. Cloud's growing season was well above normal. The last frost of the spring was on April 30 and the first frost in St. Cloud didn't occur until October 4, ranking as one of the later frosts in St. Cloud records. The first hard freeze (low temperature of at least 28°F) occurred on October 21, among the latest 10% of hard freezes in St. Cloud records. The growing season lasted 157 days, the longest growing season in St. Cloud since 159 days in 1970.

It should also be noted that mild winters at high latitudes are consistent with the predictions of continental winters during global warming. If 2008 continues to be an exception to the recent warm winters rather than a sign of returning to normal, then these winters will become more consistent with global warming.

Top of Page
(December 2008 Summary)
Jan-Jul Aug-Dec Year NWS Stats
December 20-21 Snowstorm December 30 Snowstorm
Historic Days with Lows <=-20°F NWS 2008 Minnesota Summary 2008 Minnesota Severe Weather 2008 Minnesota Snowstorms Dry Late Summer from Minnesota State Climatology Office

 

2008 Statistics

 

Temperatures (°F)
2008
Normal
Average High Temperature (°F)
51.6
52.5
Average Low Temperature (°F)
30.0
31.1
Mean Temperature for 2008 (°F)
40.8*
41.8

*Coldest Year Since 1996; 30th Coldest Year in 128 Years
St. Cloud Average Temperatures: 1996-2008
Link to 2008 Monthly Temperatures

Liquid Equivalent Precipitation (in)
2008
Normal
2008 Total Precipitation (in)
27.36
27.13
Snowfall (in)
2008
Normal
2008 Total Snowfall
62.1*
45.8
2008 Month-by-Month Summary January-July
Temperature (°F)
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul
Average High Temperature 18.8 20.5 33.9 51.7 64.8 76.1 83.2
Average Low Temperature -0.2 1.0 15.3 30.2 41.9 53.9 57.5
Mean Temperature 9.3 10.8 24.6 41.0 53.4 65.0 70.4
Departure from Normal +0.5 -5.2 -3.8 -2.6 -3.1 -0.1 +0.6
2008 Warmest High Temperature 91°F on July 6, 11, August 18
2008 Coldest High Temperature -7°F on February 10
2008 Warmest Low Temperature 67°F on July 17  
2008 Coldest Low Temperature -24°F on January 24; December 16



Precipitation (in)
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul
Liquid Precipitation 0.17  0.54 1.47 2.94 3.83 4.38 1.39
Departure from Normal -0.59 -0.05 -0.03 +0.81 +0.86 -0.13 -1.95
Most in 24 hours 2.36 inches on August 3

 

Snowfall (in)
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul
Snowfall 1.8@ 7.3 17.8# 10.9 0.0 0.0 0.0
Departure from Normal -8.9 +0.6 +9.3 +8.3 - - -
Most in 24 hours 6.1 inches on December 30
@7th Lowest January Snowfall
#7th Snowiest March
5th Highest Combined March-April Snowfall
2nd Highest Percentage of Seasonal Snowfall in March and April
Top of Page
(December 2008 Summary)
Jan-Jul Aug-Dec Year NWS Stats
December 20-21 Snowstorm December 30 Snowstorm
Historic Days with Lows <=-20°F NWS 2008 Minnesota Summary 2008 Minnesota Severe Weather 2008 Minnesota Snowstorms Dry Late Summer from Minnesota State Climatology Office
2008 Month-by-Month Summary August-December
Temperature (°F)
Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec 2008
Average High Temperature 81.6 70.7 57.4 40.1 20.4 51.6
Average Low Temperature 55.2 48.1 36.7 23.7 -3.3 30.0
Mean Temperature 68.4 59.4 47.1 31.9 8.5 40.8*
Departure from Normal +1.2 +2.0 +1.8 +3.1 -5.9 -1.0
*First Colder than Normal Year Since 1996
Precipitation (in)
Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec 2008
Liquid Precipitation 4.18  3.35 2.60  0.93 1.58 27.36
Departure from Normal +0.25 +0.42 +0.36 -0.61 +0.89 +0.23
Snowfall (in)
Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec 2008
Snowfall 0.0 0.0 T 1.3 23.0* 62.1
Departure from Normal - - -0.6 -7.8 +14.4 +14.5
*4th Snowiest December
Top of Page
(December 2008 Summary)
Jan-Jul Aug-Dec Year NWS Stats
December 20-21 Snowstorm December 30 Snowstorm
Historic Days with Lows <=-20°F NWS 2008 Minnesota Summary 2008 Minnesota Severe Weather 2008 Minnesota Snowstorms Dry Late Summer from Minnesota State Climatology Office

Recent Trends In St. Cloud Annual Average Temperature
Year
Temperature (°F)
Departure from Normal
Rank
1996
38.8
-3.0
6th coldest
1997
41.7
+0.9
1998
46.3
+4.5
3rd warmest
1999
44.8
+3.0
11th warmest
2000
42.6
+0.8
2001
43.8
+2.0
25th warmest
2002
43.3
+1.5
36th warmest
2003
42.7
+0.9
2004
43.0
+1.2
41st warmest
2005
45.0
+3.2
6th warmest
2006
45.9
+4.1
5th warmest
2007
44.3
+2.5
17th warmest
2008
40.8
-1.0
30th coldest

 

 

 

Historic temperature data provided courtesy of the Saint Cloud National Weather Service Office, and NOAA/NWS
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Send comments to: raweisman@stcloudstate.edu