Corn sweat helps set near-record dew point in Twin Cities as temps reach 100 degrees
One day after the Twin Cities experienced its hottest day of year so far, a near-record dew point was set early Monday, reaching 81 degrees at 2 a.m. Humidity, however, has since dropped.
A heat advisory that was in effect in the metro for much of Monday has since expired.
High temperatures on Tuesday will be in the low 90s and conditions will be humid. On Wednesday, the temperature will reach 93 degrees and feature similar conditions.
There's a chance for rain between late Thursday and early Friday.
Temperatures will stay above average into the weekend.
MSP Airport hits 100 degrees for first time in 4+ years
The National Weather Service said the temperature at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport reached 100 degrees on Monday, the first time it has done so since June 20, 2022.
According to the federal agency, the dew point being around 60 on Monday afternoon "is a big reason" for the triple-digit temperature since drier air warms "more efficiently than humid air."
The temperature at the airport dropped to 86 degrees by 8 p.m.
What is corn sweat? And why is it making us all extra sweaty?
Joe Strus, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service Twin Cities, says 80-degree dew points are just about unheard of in the metro. He says it's a result of a perfect storm of air from the Pacific and the Gulf — and corn sweat.
The National Weather Service in Des Moines said corn sweat, also known as evapotranspiration, can increase dew points by as much as five to 10 degrees.
"As we get deeper into the summer months, the crops are taller and taller," Strus said. "We really maximize the localized impacts from evapotranspiration, from the release of some moisture from the crops."
"This is exceptionally rare," Strus said. "Before today, Minneapolis had only spent 28 hours of recorded weather history with an 80-degree-or-warmer dew point."
In fact, Strus says the metro has only had 81-degree dew points or higher just five times in recorded history. It's also only happened in July.
The record dew point of 82 was set in July 2011.