by Northern News Now meteorologist
Dave Anderson
I’ve said it before and I will say it yet again: I am not a big fan of long range forecasting. Last month’s FC called for a June that would be warm and dry. It turned out we were cooler than normal by almost a degree and there were quite a few downpours. Since we are now half through 2025, let’s take a look at the climate data compiled by National Weather Service Duluth. Our region has had one warmer than normal month (March at +3.4 from normal mean). We have had two normal months (April and May with plus or minus .5 degree from normal mean). We have had three months colder than normal (January, February and June which ran .9 to 3.8 degrees cooler than normal). The year so far is then .75 degree cooler than normal which is in the realm of normal climate variability.
Take it with a grain of salt or two then that the long range forecast this time calls for temperatures averaging two degrees warmer than normal in July. Rain should be near normal. July 1 to 6 should be warm and stormy. The 7th to 13th aim to be rainy and cool. The 14th to 23rd are forecast to be sunny and dry. The 24th to 31st should be warm and dry. Some sources think August will be hot and dry.
Hot and dry was not the way it was in February, 1996 when Charlie Fowler of Embarrass and Kathy Hoppa of Tower were National Weather Service observers racing to set the state cold record. Kathy won. She passed away last July. Charlie passed away this June at the age of 92. I pay tribute to those two weather legends as we end this month’s forecast discussion.
