Weather

October 2012 Saint Cloud Weather Summary



Saint Cloud October 2012 Weather Summary  

The generally dry conditions that have plagued Minnesota since early summer continued in October 2012. According to the rainfall statistics from the Saint Cloud Regional Airport, only 0.73 inch fell during October. That was about double the amount needed to crack one of the 10 driest Octobers, but still 1.76 inches less than average. Combine that total with the extremely dry September (0.24 inch, 2nd driest on record) and the rainfall deficit has swollen nearly 5 inches in the past two months.

During the June-October period, St. Cloud is now 9.08 inches behind on rainfall. The 8.14 inches is the lowest five-month June-Oct rainfall in St. Cloud precipitation records, which date back to 1893. The previous record for low June-October rainfall was 9.06 inches, set in 1950. Note that this is much drier than the dry seasons St. Cloud has had in the past four growing seasons as well as drier than any single year during the last major drought in 1986-1989.

The weekly State Climatology Report on the late summer and fall drought shows that a strip of central Minnesota from Lac qui Parles through Benson, Wilmar, Atwater, Paynesville, St. Cloud, Big Lake and Elk River are running 8-10 inches below normal in rainfall since the third week of June. Because of the low amount of rainfall, the streamflow in the Mississippi River at St. Cloud is now among the lowest 5% of measurements. 88% of the subsoil moisture is rated as being very short or short on the October 31 Minnesota Crop Weather Bulletin. And, that strip of central Minnesota noted above is now rated as being in extreme drought, along with parts of northwest, west central, southwest, and south central Minnesota on the latest US Drought Monitor.

The dry weather culminated with 26 straight days without measurable rainfall between September 22 and October 17. However, many other dry seasons have had similar streaks. In 2010, there were 27 straight dry days between September 26 and October 22. In 2011, there were 26 straight dry days (Oct 24-Nov 18). In St. Cloud precipitation records there have been streaks more than twice as long, including a 57-day dry streak between November 29, 1898, and January 24, 1899.

There was a little relief from the dry conditions on October 23-25. During that time, a total of .56 inch fell, .42 inch on the 25th. In comparison, St. Cloud had only received .49 inch of rain in the nearly two months from August 23 through October 22.

A little bit of the October 25 precipitation fell as wet snow in St. Cloud. 0.3 inches accumulated for the month, 0.4 inches less than average. Note, however, from the monthly snowfall accumulations that Octobers have many years with little snowfall and a handful of years with some. The most recent was 2.5 inches in 2009, 6.4 inches in 2002 (most in October), 0.5 inch in 2001, 0.3 inch in 1997, and 6.0 inches in 1995. In comparison, October 2001 had 3.1 inches since the bulk of the Halloween blizzard snow fell on November 1.

The average October St. Cloud temperature was 44.4 degrees, 1.4 degrees cooler than average. This was the first month with a below average temperature since May 2011. St. Cloud had 14 consecutive months with above average temperatures from June 2011 through July 2012. The last month before October with an average temperature at least a degree below average? March 2011.

If St. Cloud were to have an average temperature in both November and December, 2012 would end up as the second warmest year in St. Cloud records with an average temperature of 46.7 degrees. The only year that was hotter than that was 1931 with an average temperature of 47.9 degrees.

 

 

    October 2012 Statistics

Temperatures (°F)
October 2012
Normal
Average High Temperature (°F)
55.3
56.3
Average Low Temperature (°F)
33.5
34.3
Mean Temperature for October (°F)
44.4
45.7
Temperature Thresholds
Number of Days
Normal
October 2012 Days with Low Temperature of 32°F or lower
15
10.9
October Temperature Extremes
Temperature(°F)
Date
Warmest High Temperature for October 2012 (°F)
77
October 3
Coldest High Temperature for October 2012 (°F)
39
October 26
Warmest Low Temperature for October 2012 (°F)
51
October 23
Coldest Low Temperature for October 2012 (°F)
18
October 12
Record Temperatures in October 2012
Temperature(°F)
Date
Old Record
Daily record cold low
18
October 12
21 in 1933,1988
 
Precipitation (in)
This Year
Normal
October 2012 Precipitation (in)
0.73
2.49
June-October 2012 Rainfall (in)
8.14
17.22
2012 Growing Season Rainfall (April 1-October 31) (in)
19.50
22.39
2012 Wet Period (April 1- May 31) (in)
11.36
5.52
2012 Total Precipitation (in)
22.46
25.53
Precipitation Thresholds
Number of Days
Normal
October 2012 Days with Measurable (>= 0.01 inch) Precipitation
5
7.4
October 2012 Days with >= 0.10 inch Precipitation
2
4.1
October 2012 Days with >= 0.25 inch Precipitation
1
2.5
October 2012 Days with >= 0.50 inch Precipitation
0
1.2
October 2012 Days with >= 1.00 inch Precipitation
0
0.4
October Precipitation Extremes
Precipitation (in)
Date
Most Daily Precipitation in October 2012

0.42 inch

October 25
Record Precipitation in October 2012
Precipitation (in)
Date
Old Record
No rainfall records set
Snowfall (in)
This Year
Normal
October 2011 Snowfall (in)
0.3
0.7
Most Daily Snowfall in October 2012
0.3
October 25
Record Snowfall in October 2012
Snowfall (in)
Date
Old Record
No October Snowfall Records Set

Lowest June-Oct Rainfall at St. Cloud, MN (1893-2012)

(Average = 16.39 inches)

Rank
Year
June-Oct Rainfall (in)
1
2012
8.14
2
1950
9.06
3
1893
9.11
4
1976
9.17
5
1910
9.38
6
1936
9.41
7
1992
9.59
8(tie)
1894
9.63
8(tie)
1922
9.63
10
2001
9.86
Recent Summer-Fall Dry Periods
Year
Dates
Rainfall Departure from Average (inches)
2008 June 15 - Sept 10 -4.00
2009 April 1 - Sept 30 -4.91
2011 Aug 21 - Oct 31 -4.66
2012 June 1 - Oct 31 -9.08
     
1987 Apr 1 - Oct 31 -6.17
1988 Apr-Oct -7.11
1989 Apr 1 - Oct 31 -5.17

 

St. Cloud Monthly Average Temperatures (°F) April 2011-Oct 2012

(Bold >= 3.0°F above normal)

2011
2012
Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct
24,3 43.7 55.6 65.3 75.1 69.6 58.9 51.0 34.1 25.1 20.2 24.7 43.9 47.7 60.3 68.8 76.5 67.8 59.6 44.4
-4.1 +0.1 -0.9 +0.2 +5.3 +1.8 +0.3 +5.3 +3.7 +9.2 +8.6 +7.7 +14.5 +3.2 +3.8 +3.2 +6.1 0.0 +1.0 -1.3

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