Every once in a while, one of my kids would begin a "yes-no" period, switching a decision back and forth continuous for an hour...a day....a week. September 2020 in St. Cloud was like one of my children in those phases. There were 6 days during which the average temperature was at least 8 degrees warmer than average. This included September 21-25 when the temperature never got colder than 47 degrees and the high was at least 72 degrees and broke 80 degrees twice. The average temperature is supposed to be in the upper 60's during this time. On the other hand, there were 6 days during which the average temperature was at least 10 degrees colder than average. This included September 7-11, when the low temperature was 33 degrees or colder three times and the high was in the 50's three times. Those 50-degree high temperatures were close to the early September average low. The 53 and 51 degree highs on September 8 and 9 broke records for the coldest high and the 33 and 30 degree lows on September 9 and 10 tied records for the daily low. The early frost on September 10 was more than 2 weeks earlier than average (median date of first frost in St. Cloud is September 26; see average last and first frost dates from NOAA via the Minnesota State Climatology Working Group).

The ups and downs ended up producing a September that was 1.4 degrees colder than average with a high of 68.6 degrees and a low of 45.8 degrees. This September also finished a third straight month without a 90-degree high. St. Cloud had 10 days with a high of 90 or higher (1.4 days less than average), but none later than July 17. The hottest temperature this summer was 96 degrees, only the 2nd time since 2011 that the temperature got to 96 or higher.

Most of the ups and downs continued a very dry period across much of Minnesota. The big break in the rain came on September 24 when 1.13 inch fell. This was an important rain since much of Benton, Sherburne, eastern Stearns, Wright, and Meeker Counties only had 70 percent or less of the average precipitation since April 1 (see September 20 weekly rainfall and anomaly map from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources). That was the main precipitation event for the entire month as the St. Cloud Airport only picked up 1.98 inch for the month, 1.48 inch below average.

Most of Minnesota ended up far below average in September rainfall, except for southeastern Minnesota (see NWS September Minnesota rainfall map). There was more than 2 inches of rain across Morrison and Wadena Counties into Lake Mille Lacs. The dry conditions made wildfire risk above average on any warm and windy day. However, Minnesota only got a small taste of the persistent fires in the West due to the prolonged heat wave and drought. Smoke did swept up in the mid-level steering winds and cut down on some of the potential sunshine.

    September 2020 Statistics