2024 Was Warmest Year On Record Across Minnesota Cities

MINNEAPOLIS — The year of 2024 was officially the warmest year on record for the Twin Cities and Saint Cloud, according to data released by the National Weather Service.

With an average annual temperature of 50.9 degrees, the Twin Cities surpassed the previous record of 50.8 degrees set in 2012.

Similarly, Saint Cloud recorded an average temperature of 48.3 degrees, breaking its prior high of 47.9 degrees in 1931.

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Nearby Eau Claire, Wisconsin, also experienced exceptional warmth, ranking third in its history with an average temperature of 48.7°F.

The record-breaking year featured historically warm winter across all three locations, with fall temperatures in the Twin Cities and Saint Cloud also reaching unprecedented levels.

This warming trend reflects a broader pattern of rising annual temperatures observed across the region, according to weather officials.

Minneapolis-St. Paul Metro area

The average temperature in 2024 of 50.9 degrees in the Twin Cities topped the previous record by a narrow margin.

Other notably warm years for the region include 2012 (50.8 degrees) and 1931 (50.8 degrees).

This marks the second consecutive year in which the Twin Cities experienced significant warmth, with 2023 ranking fourth at 49.9 degrees.

Saint Cloud Breaks a 93-Year Record

For Saint Cloud, the milestone of 48.3 degrees in 2024 eclipsed a record set nearly a century ago in 1931.

Other warm years in the top five include 2012 (47.1 degrees) and 1987 (46.4 degrees).

Colder start to 2025

Looking ahead to this month, 2025 will start slightly below normal temperatures:

"It'll remain cold and dry through this weekend, with a clouds decreasing throughout the day before increasing again by Saturday afternoon," the National Weather Service said. "Wind chills will be in the single digits to teens below zero through the weekend."

Here's the latest NWS forecast from the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport:

Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 0. Wind chill values as low as -14. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 12. Wind chill values as low as -14. Northwest wind around 10 mph.

Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 1. Wind chill values as low as -13. North northwest wind around 10 mph.

Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 13. North northwest wind 10 to 15 mph.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 3. North wind 10 to 15 mph.

Monday: Partly sunny, with a high near 16. North northwest wind around 10 mph.

Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 5. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 14. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph.

Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 0. Northwest wind around 10 mph.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 10. Northwest wind around 10 mph.

Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 2. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming south after midnight.

Thursday: Partly sunny, with a high near 16. South wind 5 to 10 mph.