Twin Cities, Duluth tie heat records as Minnesotans mark unofficial end to summer

Some of the state's largest public schools sent out tips for battling heat as students prepare to return to classrooms Tuesday.

September 5, 2023 at 2:34AM
James Schmidt was a combination of exhausted from missing naptime and hot from the high 90s temperatures as he leaned on his mom Julie Schmidt’s shoulder on Monday, the last day of the Minnesota State Fair. (Renée Jones Schneider, Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Temperatures in the Twin Cities and Duluth on Monday tied records set nearly a century ago, marking a sweltering unofficial end to summer.

Meteorologists with the National Weather Service recorded 98-degree temperatures in Minneapolis and St. Paul, tying a record set in 1925. In Duluth, the temperature hit 89 degrees, tying a record set in 1897. And Eau Claire, Wis., recorded a high of 97 degrees, surpassing the previous record by one degree.

The sweltering temperatures landed on the closing day of the State Fair — and one day before many students are set to return to school for the start of a new year.

The National Weather Service is forecasting that temperatures will decline slightly Tuesday, but highs in the Twin Cities were still expected to hit the low 90s.

"We cool off a little bit," meteorologist Jake Beitlich predicted. "It's still going to be hot tomorrow."

Both Minneapolis and St. Paul public schools shared heat reminders, encouraging parents to ensure their children stay hydrated and dress appropriately as they return to classrooms on Tuesday.

about the writer

about the writer

Liz Navratil

Reporter

Liz Navratil covers communities in the western Twin Cities metro area. She previously covered Minneapolis City Hall as leaders responded to the coronavirus pandemic and George Floyd’s murder.

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