Weather

December 2018 Saint Cloud Weather Summary


Top of Page
(December 2018 Summary)

Snowy Feb-Apr

Third highest Feb-Apr snow

4th highest Apr snow

Tied for coldest April

May Heat

September 20 tornado outbreak

Heavy rainfall in southern and northeast Minnesota

The November Weather We Never Had in November

December 2018 St. Cloud Weather Summary

On average, November 2018 (24.4 degrees) and December 2018 (21.7 degrees) had close to the same temperature in St. Cloud. However, that November figure was 6.3 degrees below average and accounted for the 18th coldest November. The December figure was 5.8 degrees milder than average and was the 28th mildest December out of 138 Decembers on record. There were only two brief period of colder than average temperature, one a cold outbreak on December 6-8, which produced the one of the two highs colder than 20 degrees and the first sub-zero low of the month. The second period was a two-day interlude near the end of the month, producing the other high colder than 20 and two more lows colder than zero.

Ironically, that second cold period only came after an unusually mild storm hit Minnesota. While the storm produced more than 10 inches of snow in a swath from Fergus Falls through Little Falls, Brainerd, Grand Rapids, and onto the North Shore (24 inches in Finland), the December 26-28 storm produced mostly rain to the south of St. Cloud and an unusually wet snow in the St. Cloud area. There were a total of 5.2 inches of snow in St. Cloud, but that snow contained 0.65 inch of water, making a heavy, wet snow. The typical mid-winter snow in St. Cloud usually has an inch of snow containing 0.06-0.08 inch of water, but this system had 0.12 inch of water for each inch of snow. There were also periods of sleet and freezing rain in this end of the year storm.

St. Cloud mainly missed the other major Minnesota snowstorm of December, the one that hit southern Minnesota on December 1 and 2. There were 8-12 inches of snow from the Minnesota River Valley to the Iowa border and some of that snow brushed the Twin Cities. St. Cloud ended up with only 0.9 inch of snow from that storm.

There were prolonged periods of mild weather with nearly two weeks during which the temperature averaged at least 10 degrees above average. Much of this was caused by relatively mild low temperatures rather than warm highs as the warm air generated by air passing off the eastern slopes of the Rockies had trouble displacing the older portions of cold air masses. This also led to marginal air quality, especially during the week of December 8-12 when the Air Quality Index degraded to the high 90's in parts of Minnesota. This led to air quality advisories for much of the southern part of the state.

The total snowfall for December was 8.3 inches in St. Cloud, still 2.2 inches below the December average. Through January 1, the St. Cloud Prison has recorded 15.1 inches of snow, 5.0 inches below average. The melted precipitation total was slightly above average at 0.89 inch, mainly due to that mixed precipitation storm during December 26-28.

 

Top of Page
(December 2018 Summary)

Snowy Feb-Apr

Third highest Feb-Apr snow

4th highest Apr snow

Tied for coldest April

May Heat

September 20 tornado outbreak

Heavy rainfall in southern and northeast Minnesota

    December 2018 Statistics

Temperatures (°F)
December 2018
Normal
December Average High Temperature (°F)
29.9
24.7
December Average Low Temperature (°F)
13.5
7.1
Mean Temperature for December (°F)
21.7
15.9

 

   

December Extremes

Temperature(°F)
Date
Warmest High Temperature for December 2018 (°F)
44
December 16
Coldest High Temperature for December 2018 (°F)
15
December 29
Warmest Low Temperature for December 2018 (°F)
26
December 1,2,19,27
Coldest Low Temperature for December 2018 (°F)
-9
December 29
Record Temperatures in December 2018
Temperature(°F)
Date
Old Record
No temperatures records set
Temperature Thresholds
Number of Days
Normal
December 2018 Days with High Temperatures <= 32°F
22
23.5
December 2018 Days with High Temperatures <= 0°F
0
1.0
December 2018 Days with Low Temperatures <= 32°F
31
25.7
December 2018 Days with Low Temperatures <= 0°F
5
9.9
December 2018 Days with Low Temperatures <= -20°F
0
0.9
Melted Precipitation (in)
December 2018
Normal
December 2018 Melted Precipitation (in)
0.89
0.82
 
Precipitation Thresholds
Number of Days
Normal
December 2018 Days with Measurable (>= 0.01 inch) Precipitation
8
6.6
December 2018 Days with >= 0.10 inch Precipitation
2
2.0
December 2018 Days with >= 0.25 inch Precipitation
1
0.7
December 2018 Days with >= 0.50 inch Precipitation
0
0.1
December 2018 Days with >= 1.00 inch Precipitation
0
0.0
December Extremes
Precipitation (in)
Date
Most Daily Precipitation in December 2018
0.40 inch
December 27
Record Precipitation in December 2018
Precipitation (in)
Date
Old Record
No records set
     
Snowfall (in)
December 2018
Normal
December 2018 Saint Cloud Airport Snowfall (in)
8.3
10.5
2018-2019 Seasonal Snowfall (1 Oct 2018 - 31 Dec 2018)
15.1
20.1
 
Snowfall Thresholds
Number of Days
Normal
December 2018 Days with Measurable (>= 0.1 inch) Snowfall
8
8.3
December 2018 Days with >= 1.0 inch Snowfall
3
3.2
December 2018 Days with >= 2.0 inch Snowfall
2
1.6
December 2018 Days with >= 5.0 inch Snowfall
0
0.2
     
December Extremes
Snowfall (in)
Date
Most Daily Snowfall in December 2018
2.9
December 27
Record Snowfall in December 2018
Snowfall (in)
Date
Old Record
No records set
     

 

Top of Page
(December 2018 Summary)

Snowy Feb-Apr

Third highest Feb-Apr snow

4th highest Apr snow

Tied for coldest April

May Heat

September 20 tornado outbreak

Heavy rainfall in southern and northeast Minnesota

A Tale of Snowy and Frigid April, Unusual Late May Heat, and Chilly Fall Signifies Nearly Average in Every Way (Except Snow) 2018
2018 Annual Saint Cloud Weather Summary

The story of the final 2018 St. Cloud weather statistics was that there was nearly no story. The average temperature of 41.9 degrees was within a degree of average with total precipitation of 27.76 inches within 0.05 inch of average. The only clue of the wildly unusual year was in the total snowfall of 66.0 inches, nearly 20 inches above average. However, we won't see how weird a year it was by looking at the overall statistics

Blasted With Late Season Snow

The seasonal snowfall was actually 11 inches behind as of February 18. However, a major change in the storm pattern produced 46.3 inches of snow (more than 2/3 of the total) between February and April. This tied for the 3rd highest Feb-Apr snowfall with 1950-1951. The double-digit snowfall totals in each month didn't come close to records in February or March, but did produce the 4th highest April snowfall. The unusual snow cover during most of April helped to allow April tie April 1950 as the coldest April in St. Cloud records. That is because snow reduces heating to the air by both reflecting a lot of the sunlight back to space and using up some warmth to melt the snow. The cold April included 12 daily temperature records tied or broken, including a new record for the latest 0-degree temperature in the season, set on April 5.

There was more than an inch of snow on the ground all the way to April 20, the latest date to end the consecutive streak of at least 1 inch on the ground. That was only after the first 50-degree high was registered on April 19 and the first 60-degree high was reached on April 22. The slow thaw led to minor to moderate flooding along the Red, Minnesota, and Mississippi Rivers. Many Minnesota lakes did not see ice out until the first 10 days of May, giving a slow start to the fishing season.

One of May's Hottest Finishes Ever

While we were stuck under the snow globe through the first half of the spring, the rest of the country was seeing warmer than average temperatures. These worked their way into St. Cloud in the last few days of April and ended up persisting for much of May. So, May ended up being the 6th warmest May in St. Cloud records. May was capped by a 6-day heat wave (temperatures of 90 or higher) from May 24 through May 29. This marked the most May 90-degree days. The old record was 5 days in May 1900 and 1934. The streak included a record-breaking 95 degree high on May 26 with a 96 degree high on May 28, that came up short of a record. Temperatures broke 100 degrees in Minneapolis-St. Paul and hit 100 degrees as close to St. Cloud as Hutchinson and Maple Lake.

A shorter hot period at the end of June produced a St. Cloud high of 97 degrees on June 30. This was St. Cloud's hottest day since hitting 101 degrees on June 7, 2011 and was only the second temperature of 97 or higher in the past 12 years. The temperature never reached higher than 91 degrees the rest of the summer.

The persistent heat did get the Twin Cities to end up with the 15th warmest summer, but St. Cloud only averaged a degree above normal.

Severe Weather Strikes Minnesota Late in Season

A September 20 outbreak of severe weather ended up producing 24 tornadoes mostly in the Minnesota River Valley and southern Minnesota. There was also widespread wind damage.

The main problem during the summer was a series of storms that produced heavy rainfall, most notably across southern Minnesota and from Lake Mille Lacs to the north and east. Much of this area received more than 40 inches of rain with 50 inches to the south of the Minnesota River Valley. Both Harmony and Caledonia were over 57 inches of rain through November, besting the previous Minnesota record of 56.24 inches in Waseca.

Overall, there was heat with 13 days of highs of at least 90 degrees, three days with a low of at least 70 degrees, 192 days with a low of freezing or colder, a near average 40 days with a low of zero or colder, but only 1 day with a high of zero or colder and one day with a low of -20 or colder.

 

Top of Page
(December 2018 Summary)

Snowy Feb-Apr

Third highest Feb-Apr snow

4th highest Apr snow

Tied for coldest April

May Heat

September 20 tornado outbreak

Heavy rainfall in southern and northeast Minnesota

 

2018 Statistics

Temperatures (°F)
2018
Average
Average High Temperature (°F)
52.1
53.7
Average Low Temperature (°F)
31.9
32.1
Mean Temperature for 2018 (°F)
41.9
42.9
     
2018 Temperature Thresholds
2018
Average
Warm Season    
2018 Days with High Temperatures >= 90°F
13
11.4
2018 Days with High Temperature >= 100°F
0
0.5
2018 Days with Low Temperatures >= 70°F
3
3.0
2018 Days with Low Temperatures >= 75°F
0
0.47
Growing Season (Consecutive Days with Low Temp>= 32°F) April 29-Oct 3
158
137
Cold Season
2018 Days with High Temperatures <= 32°F
97
87.7
2018 Days with High Temperatures <= 0°F
1
4.3
2018 Days with Low Temperatures <= 32°F
192
170.4
2018 Days with Low Temperatures <= 0°F
40
42.5
2018 Days with Low Temperatures <= -20°F
1
5.4
Liquid Equivalent Precipitation (in)
2018
1981-2010 Average
2018 Total Precipitation (in)
27.76
27.71
     
Precipitation Thresholds
2018
1896-2017 Average
2018 Days with Measurable (>= 0.01 inch) Precipitation
107
97.3
2018 Days with >= 0.10 inch Precipitation
60
52.9
2018 Days with >= 0.25 inch Precipitation
33
32.1
2018 Days with >= 0.50 inch Precipitation
16
16.8
2018 Days with >= 1.00 inch Precipitation
4
5.5
Snowfall (in)
2018
1981-2010 Average
2018Total Snowfall
66.0
46.1
Precipitation Thresholds
2018
1904-2017 Average
2018 Total Days with Measurable (>= 0.1 inch) Snowfall
39
32.5
2018 Total Days with >= 1.0 inch Snowfall
24
14.0
2018 Total Days with >= 2.0 inch Snowfall
12
7.6
2018 Total Days with >= 5.0 inch Snowfall
3
1.5
 
2018 Month-by-Month Summary January-July
Temperature (°F)
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul
Average High Temperature 22.6 21.9 36.8 45.1 77.1 79.0 81.8
Average Low Temperature 4.0 -3.2 19.7 22.4 49.0 58.6 59.7
Mean Temperature 13.3 9.4 28.2 33.8$ 63.1# 68.8 70.8
Departure from Normal +1.7 -7.6 -1.2 -10.8 +6.5 +3.2 +0.5
2018 Warmest High Temperature

97 on June 29

2018 Coldest High Temperature 0 on January 5
2018 Warmest Low Temperature 72 on June 29
2018 Coldest Low Temperature -22 on January 6
$Tied with 1950 for coldest April on record #6th warmest May on record


2018 Daily Record Temperatures
Temperature (°F)
Date
Record Warm High Temperature (1 broken)
95
May 26
Record Warm Average Temperature (1 broken)
34
January 20
Record Warm Low Temperature (1 broken)
32
January 10
Record Cold High Temperature (3 broken, 2 tied)
21
April 6
31
April 14
26
April 15
36 (tie)
October 11
37 (tie)
October 14
Record Cold Average Temperature (3 broken, 4 tied)
15 (tie)
April 4
17
April 5
15 (tie)
April 6
16
April 8
27 (tie)
April 14
24
April 15
33 (tie)
October 11
Record Cold Low Temperature (3 broken)
0
April 5
8
April 7
3
April 8
Latest Low Temperature of Zero or Colder April 5, 2018 (0) Old Record: April 4, 1975 (-3)
Precipitation (in)
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul
Liquid Precipitation 0.18  1.40 1.99 1.41 1.75 2.57 4.84
Departure from Normal -0.47 +0.81 +0.44 -1.16 -1.20 -1.60 +1.53
Most in 24 hours 1.75 on August 3
New Daily Precipitation Records Set
Amount (inches)
Date
Daily Record Precipitation (1 broken)
0.73
March 5
Snowfall (in)
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul
Snowfall 4.6 16.1 15.4 11.9# 0.0 0.0 0.0
Departure from Normal -3.3 +9.0 +7.3 +7.3 - - -
Most in 24 hours 6.0 inches on February 24 and March 5
#4th snowiest April    
New Snowfall Records Set
Amount (inches)
Date
Daily Record Snowfall (2 broken, 1 tied)
3.4
January 14
6.0 (tie)
March 5
1.8
March 30

 

Top of Page
(December 2018 Summary)

Snowy Feb-Apr

Third highest Feb-Apr snow

4th highest Apr snow

Tied for coldest April

May Heat

September 20 tornado outbreak

Heavy rainfall in southern and northeast Minnesota

2018 Month-by-Month Summary August-December
Temperature (°F)
Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec 2018
Average High Temperature 79.3 70.5 50.3 31.2 29.9 52.1
Average Low Temperature 58.2 50.3 33.7 17.0 13.5 31.9
Mean Temperature 68.7 60.4 42.0 24.1 21.7 41.9
Departure from Normal +0.9 +1.8 -3.7 -6.3 +5.8 -1.0

 

Precipitation (in)
Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec 2018
Liquid Precipitation 5.73 2.17 3.91 0.92 0.89 27.76
Departure from Normal +1.94 -1.29 +1.42 -0.46 +0.07 +0.05
Snowfall (in)
Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec 2018
Snowfall 0.0 0.0 T 6.8 8.3 66.0
Departure from Normal - - -0.8 -2.1 -2.2 +24.7
Top of Page
(December 2018 Summary)

Snowy Feb-Apr

Third highest Feb-Apr snow

4th highest Apr snow

Tied for coldest April

May Heat

September 20 tornado outbreak

Heavy rainfall in southern and northeast Minnesota


Saint Cloud Hottest Annual Temperatures (1988-2017)
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
2017
92°F
July 17
0
2018
97°F
June 30
1

 

Top of Page
(December 2018 Summary)

Snowy Feb-Apr

Third highest Feb-Apr snow

4th highest Apr snow

Tied for coldest April

May Heat

September 20 tornado outbreak

Heavy rainfall in southern and northeast Minnesota

 

Historic temperature data provided courtesy of the Saint Cloud National Weather Service Office, and NOAA/NWS
National Weather Service logo NOAA logo

Send comments to: raweisman@stcloudstate.edu