November 2023 Saint Cloud Weather Summary

November 2023 in Minnesota began on pace to produce another top 10 warmest month. Through November 22, the November St. Cloud, Minnesota, average temperature was over 40 degrees, which would have ranked as the 2nd warmest November, just short of 2001. However, the Thanksgiving period of November 23-28 were all colder than the late November average temperatures, including November 27, the coldest temperature of the cold season so far (high of 19 degrees coldest since March 17) and November 28 (low of 3 degrees, coldest since March 30). The final St. Cloud November temperature averaged 35.3 degrees, 4.4 degrees above average, 21st warmest on record.

For meteorological fall (September 1 through November 30), the St. Cloud average temperature was 50.1 degrees, 4.7 degrees above average. That was St. Cloud's 7th warmest fall on record. In recent years, 2016 (50.2 degrees) and 2015 (50.7 degrees) were warmer.

However, St. Cloud got extremely little precipitation during November. The November total was only 0.08 inch., joining a large portion of Minnesota which had less than one-tenth of an inch (lightest shade of blue on the NWS Minnesota November rainfall map). It was St. Cloud's 7th driest November, tied with 1904. There was only one day with measurable snow and that only produced 0.1 inch. There have been 13 Novembers with no measurable snowfall and 16 Novembers with only 0.1 inch or less. There were only 4 days with a measurable amount of precipitation, below the average of 6.

Still, having an extremely dry month during the cold season isn't unheard of. The amount of moisture in the air reduces by a factor of 4 between July and November, so the amount of available moisture is more limited. There have been 4 months with less than a tenth inch of melted precipitation since the rare June 1988, when only 0.05 inch fell. They were:

But, June 1988 had the greatest drought impact because it was the furthest below average (June average rainfall is much lower than the cold season months). Also, the much hotter than average temperatures (8th warmest June on record; 11 90-degree highs ; 5 100-degree highs) led to huge water loss due to evaporation.

The warm and dry November allowed extreme statistics to continue from May through November. The average May through November temperature was 60.8°F, the second warmest on record. The lack of precipitation dropped the May through November precipitation back into the driest 10 years (ranked 9th). See tables below.

There still are enough winter-like milestones to note the last day with a high above certain thresholds, first freezes, and first snowfall. The last 60-degree high was significantly late (16 days) this year, but the first frost and freezes were quite late.