Record Recap: Breaking down Sunday’s historic heat

Sunday of Labor Day weekend was the hottest September day in Duluth since records began in 1874. Duluth hit 97° for the first time since 2006.

Duluth shattered the previous daily record for September 3rd of 89° in 1960 by eight degrees. It also broke the monthly high temperature record of 95° set in 1976. The low temperature of 71° set the record for highest minimum temperature with the previous being 68° in 1971.

Hibbing also broke the record for daily and monthly high temperature with 95°. The record for the month of September had been 94° in 1976 and the record for September 3rd had been 94° in 1976.

Brainerd set a daily record of 102° with the previous being 96° in 1983. As is the case with Duluth, this was the hottest temperature recorded here since July 2006. However, this wasn’t enough to set a monthly record. Brainerd’s September record is 103° in 1931. Sunday’s low of 69° tied the previous record in Brainerd from 1939.

Ashland’s high for September 3rd was 91°. This stayed below the daily record of 95° and the monthly record of 100°. However, the low temp of 71° did set a daily record high minimum temperature with the previous being 67° in 1973.

The final climate site for the Duluth National Weather Service, International Falls, did not set any temperature records on September 3rd, 2023. The high of 86° was below the daily record of 88° in 1960 and the monthly record of 96° in 1906.