July 2000 Saint Cloud Weather Summary

The trend of cool summers continued in St. Cloud during July 2000. The average temperature of 69.2 degrees was nearly a full degree below normal. As was the case in June, the month began warm and humid, with 2 90+ degree highs by the 9th and frequent outbreaks of thunderstorms. However, a major cool push moved in between the 17th and the 25th. This period included cloud cover due to lingering thunderstorm moisture and a cool Canadian air mass. The lingering clouds from morning thunderstorms on the 18th resulted in record cold high temperatures across much of Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin. In St. Cloud, the high temperature of 57 on the 18th broke the record cool high for the date by 10 degrees and tied the coolest July high of all time (see below). Temperatures did rebound during the last 4 days of the month, breaking 90 degrees for the third time during the month. Still, for the most part, St. Cloud has been spared the searing heat seen in the Southern Plains.

As was the case in June, there were many rain events in July, but few heavy ones. Despite having 13 days with measurable precipitation, St. Cloud only received 3.25 inches of rain, only .14 inch above normal. The near normal rainfall left St. Cloud still nearly 3 inches behind for the growing season. In fact, the St. Cloud Airport is part of a small area from eastern Stearns County through eastern Wright County and parts of Sherburne and Anoka Counties which have only received 60-80% of the normal growing season rainfall. Again, because of the cool conditions, the effects of the dry spell has been limited. Still, it has resulted in the uneven crop development in much of central Minnesota.

Now that two of the three summer months have had below normal temperatures, it's time to remember that the decade of the 1990's (1991- 1999) has had the coldest average summer temperatures of any decade in St. Cloud records. So far, the summer of 2000 appears to be along the same trend.

JULY STATISTICS                  JULY 2000              NORMAL
TEMPERATURE ( F)
Average high temp                80.6                    82.6
Average low temp                 57.7                    57.6
Average temp                     69.2                    70.1
Hottest high temp for the month  93 on the 1st
Coolest high temp for the month  57* on the 18th (tied record for month;
                                                   see below)
Warmest low temp for the month    68 on the  8th 
Coolest low temp for the month    47 on the 21st
Days with highs of at least 90    3                      4.7
Total for season                  8                      10.7


Records:
Monthly record cold high:          57 on the 19th (tied record of July 3, 1927)                          
Daily record cold high:            57 on the 19th (old record: 67 in 1939)


PRECIPITATION (IN)               JULY 2000              NORMAL
Total for month                  3.25                    3.11
Maximum daily amount             .91 on the 25th 
Growing season precip (1 Apr-    10.32                   13.22
                      31 July)