2008: COLD WINTER, COOL SPRING, TORNADOES AND FLOODS
Nostalgia was a cold thing for Minnesotans in 2008. An old-fashioned winter ushered in the year with five straight months of below-normal temperatures statewide, the first such streak since 1979. April snows were heavy - depressing, some would say - and many northern lakes were still covered with ice instead of anglers for the walleye fishing opener in May. Some migrating birds starved because the bugs they like to eat when they arrive hadn't been born yet. Gardening and farming started two weeks later than usual all across the state. The worst calamities occurred in late spring - a fatal tornado in Hugo and floods in the Austin area. As the year ended, heavy autumn rains and snow in the Red River Valley had people thinking ahead to spring flooding. Statewide, a deep snow cover held the promise of another "traditional winter" stretching into 2009
To read this chart: Roll the cursor over the feverline to see the high and low temperatures for the day. Vertical lines indicate that there is supplemental information for that day, including significant events, photos or videos. NOTE: Both 2008 high/low temperatures and averages (smooth lines) are shown.
Sources: National Weather Service, Minnesota Climatology Working Group
*High and low temperature data are taken at the Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport | **1971-2000 Daily Normal, Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport | 2007 version
