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FARGO — One year ago today was the first day of an impressive early summer heat wave. The spring had been cool but dry and so the topsoil was quite dry which maximized afternoon temperatures on sunny days. Fargo recorded consecutive days of 97, 102, and 100 degrees. Grand Forks recorded 93, 103, and 100. Bismarck reached as high as 106 degrees. Minneapolis was as hot as 99. Even Duluth recorded a couple of days at 94.
The weather remained mostly dry and warmer than average through the summer with drought becoming severe until regular rainfall returned in August. The situation is quite different this year. The spring has been quite rainy, topsoil is generally quite wet, and this wet soil will likely keep our region from getting any unusually warm weather for a while. Wet soil keeps the weather cooler because heat energy used to evaporate water in the soil keeps the air from becoming as warm as it can when the soil is dry.
