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December 2016 Saint Cloud Weather Summary


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(December 2016 Summary)

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Up-And-Down December Finishes 6th Warmest Year

December 2016 St. Cloud Weather Summary

Jekyll and Hyde Temperatures End Up Warmer Than Average

December 2016 broke the string of well-above average months seen through the fall. The month averaged 17.5 degrees, 1.6 degrees above the average. However, the month was a pair of mild periods surrounding a mid-December cold wave. The first 6 days of December were warmer than average, with three days at least 10 degrees warmer than average.

That was followed by a cold outbreak December 10-19 with 7 days at least 10 degrees below average. On December 18, the temperature remained colder than zero all day, the third such day in 2016. While the December 18 low temperature hit -28, it did not break a record. That -28 was, however, the coldest temperature seen in St. Cloud since January 21, 2011.

A late December warm spell produced 11 of the last 12 days with temperatures at least 10 degrees above average. Readings were warm enough to produce a Christmas Day ice and rain storm across central and southern Minnesota with some thunderstorms thrown in. The high for December was 41 degrees, set at 2 AM on December 26. This system did end up producing a huge snowstorm in northwestern Minnesota and North Dakota that stopped traffic for 2 days.

The warmer than average December finished off a 2016 that tied for the 6th warmest year in St. Cloud records ( see below).

The frequent precipitation seen during much of 2016 continued in December. The melted precipitation total was 1.58 inches, 0.76 inch above average. Nearly half of that precipitation fell during the freezing rain and thunderstorms of December 25 and 26. There were two other mainly snowstorms that deposited 4.5 inches on St. Cloud on December 10-12 and 3.3 inches on December 15-17. The December 10-12 storm dumped 8-10 inches of snow in a swath of southern Minnesota between Benson, Marshall, St. Peter and Winona.

However, it was the frequent precipitation with 10 days of measurable precipitation that helped to lead to a near record in 2016 precipitation freqent (see below)

 

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(December 2016 Summary)

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     December 2016 Statistics

Temperatures (°F)
December 2016
Normal
December Average High Temperature (°F)
24.5
24.7
December Average Low Temperature (°F)
10.4
7.1
Mean Temperature for December (°F)
17.6
15.9

 

   

December Extremes

Temperature(°F)
Date
Warmest High Temperature for December 2016 (°F)
41
December 26
Coldest High Temperature for December 2016 (°F)
-5
December 18
Warmest Low Temperature for December 2016 (°F)
30
December 1,24,25
Coldest Low Temperature for December 2016 (°F)
-28
December 18
Record Temperatures in December 2016
Temperature(°F)
Date
Old Record
No temperatures records set
Temperature Thresholds
Number of Days
Normal
December 2016 Days with High Temperatures <= 32°F
19
23.5
December 2016 Days with High Temperatures <= 0°F
1
1.0
December 2016 Days with Low Temperatures <= 32°F
31
25.7
December 2016 Days with Low Temperatures <= 0°F
1
9.9
December 2016 Days with Low Temperatures <= -20°F
0
0.9
Melted Precipitation (in)
December 2016
Normal
December 2016 Melted Precipitation (in)
1.58
0.82
 
Precipitation Thresholds
Number of Days
Normal
December 2016 Days with Measurable (>= 0.01 inch) Precipitation
13
6.6
December 2016 Days with >= 0.10 inch Precipitation
3
2.0
December 2016 Days with >= 0.25 inch Precipitation
1
0.7
December 2016 Days with >= 0.50 inch Precipitation
1
0.1
December 2016 Days with >= 1.00 inch Precipitation
0
0.0
December Extremes
Precipitation (in)
Date
Most Daily Precipitation in December 2016
0.74 inch
December 25
Record Precipitation in December 2016
Precipitation (in)
Date
Old Record
No records set
     
Snowfall (in)
December 2016
Normal
December 2016 Saint Cloud Airport Snowfall (in)
8.8
10.5
2016-2017 Seasonal Snowfall (1 Oct 2016 - 31 Dec 2016)
16.1
20.1
 
Snowfall Thresholds
Number of Days
Normal
December 2016 Days with Measurable (>= 0.1 inch) Snowfall
10
8.3
December 2016 Days with >= 1.0 inch Snowfall
2
3.2
December 2016 Days with >= 2.0 inch Snowfall
2
1.6
December 2016 Days with >= 5.0 inch Snowfall
0
0.2
     
December Extremes
Snowfall (in)
Date
Most Daily Snowfall in December 2016
3.0
December 11
Record Snowfall in December 2016
Snowfall (in)
Date
Old Record
No records set
     

 

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.

Mild Early Months, Fall Fuel Top 10 Finish in Temperature
2016 Annual Saint Cloud Weather Summary

2016 tied for 6th Warmest in St. Cloud Records

The St. Cloud average temperature in 2016 was 45.9 degrees, 3.0 degrees warmer than average. That put the 2016 average temperature in a tie with 1900 and 2006 for the 6th warmest in St. Cloud history. In fact, 6 of the 12 warmest years have taken place during our streak of mild winters since 1997.

The warmth was fueled by the mildness of winter (2015-2016: 8th warmest), a near average spring, a summer that was only about a degree warmer than average, and a very warm fall, topped by the 2nd warmest November on record.

There were 6 days with a high of at least 90 degrees, more than the previous two years combined and the 93 degree high on July 22 was the warmest high seen in St. Cloud since July 21, 2014. On the other hand, December 18 was one of only three days during which the temperature stayed at or below zero all day. It was also the only day with a low temperature of -20 or colder. This used to be a relatively frequent marker of a true arctic outbreak, but the -20 lows are getting quite rare during our milder winters.

Near Record Frequency of Precipitation

The total precipitation in St. Cloud was 33.85 inches, 6.12 inches above average and the 17th wettest year in St. Cloud records. However, there were 136 days with measurable precipitation in 2016, 1 day short of the record set in 1951 and 1977.

Two major precipitation events produced a huge percentage of the rain. The 4.08 inches of rain on August 29 was the 8th heaviest single storm precipitation in St. Cloud records. On July 10 and 11, the St. Cloud Airport picked up 3.64 inches of rain, the 12th heaviest rainfall in St. Cloud records. That was a glancing part of the storm that dumped 7-9 inches of rain over Pine County and produced three tornadoes just to our south.

Nearly Half the Average Snowfall

Snowfall totaled 32.5 inches, 13.6 inches below average.

 

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2016 Statistics

Temperatures (°F)
2016
Average
Average High Temperature (°F)
54.4
53.7
Average Low Temperature (°F)
36.6
32.1
Mean Temperature for 2016 (°F)
45.9#
42.9
# 6th(tie) warmest year    
2016 Temperature Thresholds
2016
Average
Warm Season    
2016 Days with High Temperatures >= 90°F
6
11.4
2016 Days with High Temperature >= 100°F
0
0.5
2016 Days with Low Temperatures >= 70°F
0
3.0
2016 Days with Low Temperatures >= 75°F
0
0.47
Growing Season (Consecutive Days with Low Temp>= 32°F)
144
137
Cold Season
2016 Days with High Temperatures <= 32°F
69
87.7
2016 Days with High Temperatures <= 0°F
3
4.3
2016 Days with Low Temperatures <= 32°F
153
170.4
2016 Days with Low Temperatures <= 0°F
21
42.5
2016 Days with Low Temperatures <= -20°F
1
5.4
Liquid Equivalent Precipitation (in)
2016
1981-2010 Average
2016 Total Precipitation (in)
33.85
27.71
     
Precipitation Thresholds
2016
1896-2016 Average
2016 Days with Measurable (>= 0.01 inch) Precipitation
136$
97.3
2016 Days with >= 0.10 inch Precipitation
59
52.9
2016 Days with >= 0.25 inch Precipitation
41
32.1
2016 Days with >= 0.50 inch Precipitation
13
16.8
2016 Days with >= 1.00 inch Precipitation
6
5.5
$ 3rd highest total of days with measurable precipitation    
Snowfall (in)
2016
1981-2010 Average
2016 Total Snowfall
32.5
46.1
Precipitation Thresholds
2016
1904-2016 Average
2016 Total Days with Measurable (>= 0.1 inch) Snowfall
39
32.5
2016 Total Days with >= 1.0 inch Snowfall
12
14.0
2016 Total Days with >= 2.0 inch Snowfall
5
7.6
2016 Total Days with >= 5.0 inch Snowfall
0
1.5
 
2016 Month-by-Month Summary January-July
Temperature (°F)
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul
Average High Temperature 22.0 30.3 47.0 54.6 69.9 78.3 81.0
Average Low Temperature 5.7 14.3 29.6 34.9 44.4 56.3 59.8
Mean Temperature 13.9 22.3 38.3 44.8 57.1 67.3 70.4
Departure from Normal +2.3 +5.3 +8.9 +0.2 +0.6 +1.7 +0.1
2016 Warmest High Temperature

93°F on July 22 (hottest since July 21, 2014)

2016 Coldest High Temperature -5°F on December 18
2016 Warmest Low Temperature 69°F on July 20
2016 Coldest Low Temperature -28°F on December 18 (coldest low temperature since January 21, 2011)


2016 Monthly Record Temperatures
Temperature (°F)
Date
Record Monthly High Temperature (1 broken)
59
February 27
2016 Daily Record Temperatures
Temperature (°F)
Date
Record Warm High Temperature (5 broken, 1 tied)
59
February 27
66
March 8
62
March 11
68
March 12
89
May 6
72 (tie)
November 5
Record Warm Average Temperature (2 broken, 1 tied)
45 (tie)
February 27
51
March 8
54
November 7
Record Warm Low Temperature (4 broken, 1 tied)
37
March 7
42
March 13
45
March 14
44
March 15
46 (tie)
November 7
Record Cold Low Temperature (1 broken, 1 tied)
13
April 9
29 (tie)
May 14
Precipitation (in)
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul
Liquid Precipitation 0.31   0.63 1.50 1.67 2.17 3.37 6.74
Departure from Normal -0.34 +0.08 -0.05 -0.90 -0.78 -0.80 +3.43
Most in 24 hours 4.08 on August 29
New Daily Precipitation Records Set
Amount (inches)
Date
Daily Record Precipitation (5 broken)
1.55
June 20
1.97
August 10
4.08
August 29
0.98
November 18
0.37
November 30
Snowfall (in)
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul
Snowfall 4.6 7.2 3.0 1.6 0.0 0.0 0.0
Departure from Normal - 3.3 +0.1 - 5.1 - 1.3 - - -
Most in 24 hours 4.1 inches on November 18
New Snowfall Records Set
Amount (inches)
Date
Daily Record Snowfall (1 tied)
4.1 (tie)
November 18

 

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2016 Month-by-Month Summary August-December
Temperature (°F)
Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec 2016
Average High Temperature 80.1 71.0 58.3 49.5 24.5 54.4
Average Low Temperature 58.5 52.3 39.6 30.6 10.4 36.6
Mean Temperature 69.3 61.7 48.9 40.0 17.5 45.9
Departure from Normal +1.5 +3.1 +3.2 +9.6 +1.6 +3.0

 

Precipitation (in)
Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec 2016
Liquid Precipitation 8.36 3.08 2.68 1.69 1.58 33.85
Departure from Normal +4.57 -0.38 +0.19 +0.31 +0.76 +6.12
Snowfall (in)
Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec 2016
Snowfall 0.0 0.0 0.0 7.3 8.8 32.5
Departure from Normal - - - 0.7 - 1.6 - 1.7 - 13.6
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Saint Cloud Hottest Annual Temperatures (1988-2016)
Year
Hottest High (°F)
Date
Days with High >= 97°F
1988
102°F
June 24, July 31
13
(7 days with >= 100°F)
1989
98°F
August 4
1
1990
101°F
July 3
1
1991
95°F
July 18
0
1992
92°F
June 12, August 9
0
1993
90°F
August 10
0
1994
95°F
June 14
0
1995
97°F
June 17, July 13
2
1996
96°F
June 28
0
1997
95°F
June 23
0
1998
94°F
May 18
0
1999
98°F
July 30
2
2000
94°F
June 9
0
2001
98°F
August 6, 7
4
2002
95°F
June 30, July 6
0
2003
96°F
August 24
0
2004
96°F
June 30
0
2005
98°F
June 23
1
2006
101°F
July 31
5
2007
96°F
August 10
0
2008
91°F
June 6, 11, August 18
0
2009
92°F
May 20
0
2010
94°F
May 24
0
2011
101°F
June 7
1
2012
94°F
May 18
0
2013
95°F
May 14, Aug 26
0
2014
94°F
July 21
0
2015
91°F
August 14
0
2016
93°F
July 22
0

 

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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