September 2004 Saint Cloud Weather Summary

     After finishing the second coldest August and the fourth coldest Summer in Saint Cloud weather records, September 2004 was basically not-August. The average September temperature at the Saint Cloud Regional Airport was 64.1°F, 6.7°F warmer than normal. This made September 2004 the 9th warmest September of the 124 years on record (10 warmest Septembers) and the warmest September since 1948. In fact, September 2004 ended up being 1.8°F warmer than August, the first year in Saint Cloud history that September was warmer than August. Of course, 2004 was the first year that one of the ten coldest Augusts (2nd) was followed by one of the ten warmest Septembers. The September average temperature was also 1.1°F warmer than the June average temperature, only the 8th time and the first time since 1969 that September has been warmer than June. All of this occurred despite a "cooling trend" during the past week. Through the first 23 days of September the average temperature was 66.5°F, which would have been warm enough to tie 1931 as the warmest September in Saint Cloud history. However, the last week of the month had an average temperature of 56.1°F, which was "only" three degrees above normal. There were no record temperatures broken during the month, but only 4 out of the 30 days of the month had a below normal temperature. After having frost in the area on August 21, the first official frost in Saint Cloud did not occur until September 29, actually 5 days later than the median first frost date of September 24, as can be seen on the Minnesota median first/last frost dates from the Minnesota State Climatology Office. Still, many nearby cities had their first frost during August 19 or 21, more than a month earlier than normal.

    September 2004 also brought an end to our late July-August dry spell. The Saint Cloud Regional Airport picked up 5.13 inches of rain in September, 2.2 inches above normal. Because much of the rain was produced by thunderstorms, rainfall totals varied around the area. At Saint Cloud State University, the September rainfall totalled 6.24 inches. This month's rainfall was nearly equal to the total July 15-September 30 rainfall last year, so there will be no intense dry spell in central Minnesota. There was measurable rainfall on 13 days during the month. There were four days with at least a half-inch of rain and 1 day with at least an inch of rain, pushing the total for both higher than the annual normal. Already, Saint Cloud has nearly as much rain through September (24.49 inches) as in all of 2003 (24.69 inches). The September rainfall put a dent into the dry rainfall totals from northern Morrison County north and east. As can be seen in the weekly Minnesota growing season rainfall from the State Climatology Office, the region of rainfall deficits exceeding 20% has shrunk substantially during the past month. Since there were hard freezes in much of this area, rainfall can be more effective area in easing water shortages since plant usage is down. This week's National Drought Monitor shows that north central Minnesota no longer ranks in any drought category.

     Will we have another dramatic shift in weather? After this morning's cold front crashes through, temperatures will probably average 5-10 degrees below normal into early next week. Will this return to August-like cool spells continue through the month? I wouldn't believe any long range forecast, especially since September was supposed to be colder than normal.

    September 2004 Statistics