National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

The following are astronomical summer summaries for La Crosse WI & Rochester MN...

La Crosse, WI...
 

...Astronomical Summer was Much Warmer and Wetter than Average in La Crosse WI... 

 

During the astronomical summer of 2018 (June 21 through September 21), it was 4th warmest (tied with 1980 and 1998) and 21st wettest at La Crosse Regional Airport.

The average minimum temperature of 64.0°F was the warmest ever recorded for an astronomical summer. The previous record was 63.7°F in 1947.  Temperature records date back to 1873.

More details are listed below... 

Temperatures - Tied for 4th Warmest with 1980 and 1998

During astronomical summer, La Crosse Regional Airport had an average temperature of 73.9°F.  This was 3.8°F warmer than the long-term average of 70.1 °F. This was tied for the 4th warmest with 1980 and 1998.  It was the warmest since 1998.  The table below lists the ten warmest astronomical summers in La Crosse WI...

   Ten Warmest Astronomical Summers
           in La Crosse WI
              1873-2018

               Average
    Rank     Temperature     Year
    ----     -----------     ----
      1        74.5°F        1936
      2        74.4°F        1931
      3        74.2°F        1955
      4        73.9°F        2018
               73.9°F        1998
               73.9°F        1980
      7        73.7°F        1988
      8        73.5°F        1948
      9        73.4°F        2005
               73.4°F        1995 

The average maximum temperature was 83.7°F.  This was 3.3°F warmer than the long-term average of 80.4°F.  The was tied for 14th warmest with 2003.

The average minimum temperature was 64.0°F.  This was 4.1°F warmer than the long-term average of 59.9°F.  This was the warmest ever recorded.  The previous record was 63.7°F in 1947.  Temperature records date back to 1873.

Other temperature tidbits this summer...

  • The hottest temperature was 98°F on June 29th.
  • The coldest high temperature was 68°F on September 19th. 
     
  • The coldest temperature was 45°F on September 21st. 
  • The warmest low temperature was 73°F on June 29th.

The temperature climbed to or exceeded 90°F on 17 days.  Normally, there are 13 days in a summer.  

Precipitation - 21st wettest

During the astronomical summer, La Crosse Regional Airport received 16.66 inches of rain.  This was 4.80 inches wetter than the long-term
normal of 11.86 inches.  

Other precipitation tidbits this summer...

The wettest calendar day occurred on August 27th when 3.04 inches of precipitation fell.

Measurable rain fell on 33 days (35.5%) and trace amounts fell on another 7 days (7.5%). 

  • 0.01 inches or more - 33 days (35.5%)
  • 0.10 inches or more - 24 days (25.8%)
  • 0.50 inches or more - 12 days (12.9%)
  • 1.00 inches or more -  5 days ( 5.4%)

Rochester, MN


...Astronomical Summer was Warmer and Wetter than Average in Rochester Minnesota...

 

During the astronomical summer of 2018 (June 21 through September 21), it was 19th warmest (tied with 2013) and 16th wettest at Rochester International Airport.

More details are listed below... 

Temperatures - Tied for 19th warmest with 2013

During astronomical summer, Rochester International Airport had an average temperature of 69.6°F.  This was 1.5°F warmer than the long-term average of 68.1°F.  The table below lists the 20 warmest astronomical summers in Rochester MN...

  Twenty Warmest Astronomical Summers
           in Rochester MN
              1887-2018

               Average
    Rank     Temperature     Year
    ----     -----------     ----
      1        72.9°F        1936
      2        72.3°F        1955
               72.3°F        1931
      4        72.0°F        1947
      5        71.3°F        1948
      6        70.9°F        2012
      7        70.8°F        1941
      8        70.5°F        1988
               70.5°F        1916
     10        70.3°F        1983
     11        70.2°F        1949
     12        70.1°F        2005
               70.1°F        1939
               70.1°F        1937
     15        70.0°F        1913
     16        69.9°F        1908
     17        69.7°F        2002
               69.7°F        1919
     19        69.6°F        2018
               69.6°F        2013

The average maximum temperature was 79.4°F.  This was 0.2 degrees warmer than the long-term average of 79.2°F.  

The average minimum temperature was 59.8°F.  This was 2.8°F warmer than the long-term average of 57.0°F.  This was tied with 2010 for the 4th warmest.  The only summers with a higher average minimum temperature were 1947 (60.4°F), 2016 (59.9°F), and 2012 (59.9°F).  Temperature records date back to 1887.

Other temperature tidbits this summer...

The hottest temperature was 92°F on September 17th.
The coldest high temperature was 65°F on June 21st. 

The coldest temperature was 43°F on September 21st. 
The warmest low temperature was 70°F on June 29th and July 12th.

The temperature climbed to or exceeded 90°F on 4 days.  Normally, there are 9 days per summer.  

Precipitation - 16th wettest

During the astronomical summer, Rochester International Airport received 15.57 inches of rain.  This was 3.84 inches wetter than the long-term normal of 11.73 inches.  This made it the 16th wettest summer and the wettest since 2016 (21.17 inches - 5th wettest).  Six of the 20 wettest summers have occurred since 1997. The table below lists the 20 wettest astronomical summers in Rochester MN...

  Twenty Wettest Astronomical Summers
           in Rochester MN
              1887-2018
               
    Rank     Rainfall     Year
    ----     --------     ----
      1       24.13"      1978
      2       22.68"      1938
      3       22.37"      1986
      4       21.74"      1942
      5       21.17"      2016
      6       19.99"      2007
      7       19.28"      1990
      8       18.83"      1981
      9       18.19"      1913
     10       17.58"      1959
     11       17.32"      1999
     12       17.07"      1951
     13       16.08"      2010
     14       16.07"      1983
     15       15.85"      1952
     16       15.57"      2018
     17       15.29"      1993
     18       15.03"      1997
     19       14.65"      1947
     20       14.45"      1994

Other precipitation tidbits this summer...

The wettest day occurred on September 4th when 3.32 inches of precipitation fell.

Measurable rain fell on 37 days (39.8%) and trace amounts fell on another 7 days (7.5%). 

  • 0.01 inches or more - 37 days (39.8%)
  • 0.10 inches or more - 23 days (24.7%)
  • 0.50 inches or more -  9 days ( 9.7%)
  • 1.00 inches or more -  3 days ( 3.2%)