Highs of 90 F or Greater in the Twin Cities

There is no formal definition of "hot weather," because what's hot in one place may seem normal in another. In Minnesota, a 90-degree day is as good a threshold as any. Far northern Minnesota and parts of the north shore of Lake Superior generally average just 1-3 days per year with high temperatures of 90 F or higher per year. Central and eastern Minnesota average 5-10 of these hot days per year. In southern and southeastern Minnesota, it's 10-15 days on average, and parts of southwestern and western Minnesota average 15-20 90-degree days per year.

Based on the 1991-2020 climate normals, the Twin Cities airport averages about 13 days per year with 90-degree F high temperatures. In 1988, the station observed a record 44 such days. There have been three years with no 90 F days in the Twin Cities: 1902, 1915, and 1993.

Following are the top years for 90-degree F high temperatures in the Twin Cities since 1873.

Modified May 20, 2024