Could Be Hottest Summer Ever For South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa

Minnesota, Iowa, and South Dakota saw record summer heat in 2023, but 2024 could be even hotter.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported that 2023 was the warmest year on record globally since temperature measurements began in 1850.

The probability of 2024 surpassing 2023 as the warmest year stands at 1 in 3.

There is a 99% chance that 2024 will rank among the five hottest years ever recorded.

The upper ocean, down to a depth of 2000 meters, stored an unprecedented amount of heat in 2023.

Arctic sea ice extent was among the ten lowest since 1979, while Antarctic sea ice extent reached a new record low.

Globally, there were 78 named tropical storms in 2023, which is below average, but the North Atlantic basin experienced 20, significantly above the norm.

The top ten warmest and wettest years on record in Minnesota have all occurred since 1998.

Sioux Falls and Mitchell, South Dakota both broke records in September.

Read More: NWS Launches 'Heat Risk' Tool Following Hottest Year on Record

Sioux Falls hit +101 on Sept. 2, 2023 for the 3rd Highest September Temperature on Record since 1893.

Mitchell hit +104 that same day 4th Highest September Temperature on Record since 1893.

NOAA said in a statement that “Meteorological winter was the warmest winter on record for the contiguous U.S., with an average temperature of 37.6 degrees F., 5.4 degrees above average. Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Vermont and Wisconsin each had their warmest winter on record. Twenty-six additional states saw their top-10 warmest winters on record.”