August 2016 Saint Cloud Weather Summary

Hit and Miss Storms Hit Even More Often in August

Saint Cloud Weather Summary for August 2016 and Summer 2016

Issued: Thursday, September 1, 2016 1:53 PM

August 2016 2nd Rainiest, Summer 2016 5th Rainiest

Much of Minnesota has been in about the same weather pattern for most of meteorological summer (June 1-August 31): being near the boundary between warm and oppressive air to the south and cooler (at times) and drier (at times) air to the north. That put Minnesota in the fertile ground for frequent outbreaks of organized thunderstorms. In June, the heaviest rainfalls were concentrated in northern and southeastward Minnesota and from parts of Stearns County into south central Minnesota. During July, most of Minnesota got hit at some point with huge rainfalls west of St. Cloud and from Park Rapids generally to Lake Mille Lacs and Pine County into Hinckley. But, in August, St. Cloud was engulfed by the heavy rainfall that stayed in central and east central Minnesota (precipitation charts courtesy of the National Weather Service precipitation page).

The St. Cloud Airport got into the August rainfall maximum in large part due to the heavy rain of August 29. On that day, the St. Cloud Airport picked up 4.08 inches of rain, 4.03 inches between 9 and 11 PM. The heavy rainfall extended eastward into Milaca (4.50 inches) and Mora, but fell off dramatically in central St. Cloud (1.72 inch at SCSU) and points north and west (less than an inch in Rice).

That rain was not only of it a quarter inch higher than the average rainfall for the entire month of August, but was the third heaviest August rainfall in St. Cloud records, and the heaviest August rain since 4.56 inches fell on August 3, 1956. That nearly doubled the August 29 record rainfall of 2.03 inches, set in 2014. For single storm rainfall in all months, the August 29 rainfall ranks as the 8th largest total, nudging aside the 4.07 inches that fell on 4-5 October 2005. This is the largest St. Cloud rainfall since 4.39 inches fell on September 5-6, 2002.

The total August rainfall at the St. Cloud Airport was 8.36 inches, 4.90 inches above normal. This ranks as the second wettest August in St. Cloud records with only August of 1900 (9.28 inches) having more.

For the entire summer, St. Cloud picked up 18.47 inches of rain, 7.47 inches above average. That ranks as the 5th wettest summer in St. Cloud records and the wettest since 1990 (19.05 inches). Most areas of Minnesota, except in the southern Red River Valley, part of Lake and St. Louis Counties in the Arrowhead, and southwestern Minnesota have had well above average rainfall during the growing season.

The August 28 soil moisture report in the Minnesota Weekly Crop Bulletin showed 22% of the state's topsoil having surplus moisture (and that was before the St. Cloud and east dousing). Several of the most widespread heavy rainfall events are documented in the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources report on this wet summer.

St. Cloud did manage a warmer than average August, despite frequently being stuck in leftover clouds from overnight thunderstorms. The average August temperature was 69.3°F, 1.5°F warmer than average. Once again, this was a product of the persistently high humidity, since the average high temperature was 80.1°F, 0.5°F above average, but the average low temperature was 58.5°F, 2.5°F above average. Higher moisture tends to lead to more daytime cloudiness, but limits how cool we can get at night.

This trend was in effect all summer. The average temperature in the months of June, July, and August was 68.9°F, 1.0°F above average. The average summer high was within 0.2°F above average, but the average low was 2.2°F above average.

St. Cloud is beginning September alternating between staying near the front and getting some brief relief. While we will stay dry into the start of Labor Day weekend, expect more frequent storms as the holiday weekend goes on. There will be the threat of some severe weather and, more importantly, locally heavy rain that could cause some flooding problems.

     August 2016 Statistics

Summer (June 1-August 31) 2016 Statistics