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Temperatures in Minnesota in 2024 continued our strong decadeslong warming trend. Last year was the warmest year on record dating back to 1871 for multiple Minnesota locations. 

The Twin Cities, Duluth and St. Cloud all recorded the warmest year on record. It was the second-warmest year in International Falls and the third-warmest in Rochester. 

The average temperature in 2024 for the Twin Cities was 50.9 degrees. That’s 4 degrees warmer than the 30-year average of 46.9 degrees. It’s also 4.6 degrees warmer than the previous 30-year average temperatures of 45.3 degrees (1980-2010).

 as Minnesota’s climate warms across decades. 

So this year’s warmth is even more remarkable against a 20th century climate context.

Last year’s warmth was punctuated by the warmest 

. Last winter, temperatures were around 10 degrees warmer than normal across most of Minnesota. 

Last year was part of a trend of more frequent warm years in Minnesota this century. 14 of Minnesota’s 20 warmest years on record in the Twin Cities have occurred since 2000. That’s a remarkable number given that records date back to 1871.

, I report on the latest science, news, and solutions every week. 

Have you noticed our Minnesota winters are not as extreme as they used to be? 

One data point that tells the story of our warmer winters is the coldest temperature recorded each winter. It’s warmed about 12 degrees on average since 1970. 

The average coldest temperature of winter in the Twin Cities was about minus 26 degrees in 1970. It’s closer to minus 14 degrees today. So we still get cold in Minnesota in winter, but the frequency of minus 20 degrees in the Twin Cities is dropping dramatically as our overall climate warms.

We’ll still have occasional cold years and winter seasons. They just aren’t occurring as frequently as last century. Expect the frequency of warmer years to continue in the coming decades. 

Weather and Climate News

Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Paul Huttner

Author

2024 was the warmest year on record globally and in Minnesota. 

2024 was the warmest year on record for Minnesota

Paul Huttner | MPR News

Minnesota DNR 

NOAA

Four photos of weather surround a man in the middle

2024 was the warmest year on record for Minnesota

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