Twin Cities Sets Rare September Heat Record
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – On a picturesque September evening, one last splash of summer had people cooling off in Lake Calhoun.
"I feel like Minneapolis as a whole is like so happy. Everybody's out and about," said Brittney Muzic, who was treating Sept. 24 more like it was late July 24 as she and four friends lay out on the beach.
This group gave this weekend's high heat a warm welcome.
"August was really cold actually, average temperature wise. Kind of a bummer you know," added friend Chris Chantry. "It's nice to be able to get the warm weather."
Warm? More like piping hot. For the third straight day, 90-degree temperatures cooked the Twin Cities. The National Weather Service (NWS) said it's the latest time in a calendar year on record for such a streak. Hitting 90 degrees on Sunday was a record high for Sept. 24, according to the NWS.
Even with a breeze whipping past Williams Arena, the scorching sun beamed down on Minnesota Lynx fans still steaming from watching a tough loss.
Good thing the Barn was recently outfitted with a $1 million air conditioner.
"It was great, had to be especially on a day like today," fan Clair Mars said of the cooling system.
"Oh my goodness I even brought a sweater because I thought it was going to be cold (inside) but it was perfect," fan Staciajohna Randel said.
Earlier Sunday, the Women Run the Cities event had its 10-mile race canceled due to the dangerous temperature and humidity.
Days earlier, several local high schools either delayed their weekly football game to a later time, or rescheduled it to another day when temperatures were lower and safer for sport. As long as the heat wave lasted, it comes to an abrupt end Sunday night courtesy of a cold front carrying with it potential storms.
But as the sun set over Lake Calhoun, Muzic and her friends couldn't help but hold onto their summer activities rather than looking forward to what fall has to offer.
"If I'm going to a pumpkin patch or an apple orchard I want to wear a turtle neck sweater with boots but I'm wearing shorts and a tank top. I'm taking it all in," said Muzic.