July 2024 Climate Summary

Upper Mississippi River Climate Summary for July 2024:

Temperatures - Below to Near Normal

During July 2024, average temperatures ranged from 66.6°F at Medford Taylor County Airport (AWOS) to 74°F at La Crosse Regional Airport (ASOS). Temperature anomalies ranged from 2°F below normal to near normal. There was a 54°F difference between the warmest and coldest temperatures in the Upper Mississippi River Valley. The warmest temperature was 94°F at Boscobel Airport, WI (ASOS) and La Crosse Regional Airport on July 31. Meanwhile, the coldest temperature was 40°F at Sparta, WI (AWOS) on July 1.

Precipitation - Mainly Wetter than Normal

Rainfall totals varied from 2.35" at Fayette, IA (COOP) to 10.47" near Independence, WI (CoCoRaHS). Rainfall anomalies ranged from 3" drier than normal to 5" wetter than normal. The highest one-day precipitation was 4.56" near Cashton, WI (CoCoRaHS) on July 14.

Below are the July 2024 climate summaries for La Crosse, WI, and Rochester, MN.

La Crosse, WI

July 2024 was Wetter and Slightly Cooler than Normal in La Crosse, WI

...July 2024 Highlights...

Temperatures - Slightly Cooler than Normal

The average temperature was 74°F at La Crosse Regional Airport. This was 1°F cooler than the 1991-2020 normal of 75°F. This was the second consecutive month with an average below normal and the first time since January and February 2022. The average high temperature was 84.2°F. This was 1.2°F cooler than the 1991-2020 normal of 85.4°F.  The average low temperature was 63.8°F. This was 0.7°F cooler than the 1991-2020 normal of 64.5°F.

• The hottest temperature was 94°F on July 31 and the coolest temperature was 52°F on July 1.
• There were 4 days in which the high temperature reached or exceeded 90°F. The 1991-2020 normal is 7 days.

Precipitation - Wetter than Normal

• A total of 5.42" of rain fell at La Crosse Regional Airport. This was 1.19" wetter than the 1991-2020 normal of 4.23".
• A total of 5.36" of rain fell during the 1st half (July 1-16) of July. This was the 7th wettest and the wettest since 2008 when 5.75" of rain fell. The wettest was 7.13" in 1978.
• A total of 0.06" of rain fell during the 2nd half (July 17-31) of July. This was tied with 1890 for the 3rd driest. The driest was 0.02" in 1916.
• Measurable rain fell on 11 days (35.5%) and trace amounts fell on another 2 days (6.5%).
• The wettest day was 2.01" on July 2.

Mississippi River at La Crosse - 2nd highest July average stage

• The average 7 AM stage for the Mississippi River at La Crosse was 11.12 feet. This was 4.85 feet higher than the 1937-2024 average of 6.27 feet. This was the 2nd highest average for July. Only 1993 was higher with an average of 11.61 feet.
• The highest 7 AM stage was 14.89 feet on July 3. This was the highest ever in July. The previous record was 13.7 feet on July 1, 1993.

...Records...

• Daily Rainfall...

  July 13 - 1.58" - Previous record was 1.54" in 1963

• Daily Mississippi River at La Crosse, WI Records...

  • There were 13 daily record high stages either tied or broken in June on the Mississippi River at La Crosse, WI. 

     July 2024 Daily Stage Records
       for the Mississippi River 
           at La Crosse, WI
              1937-2024

            New Record        Old Record
            ----------        ----------
July  1     14.62 feet     13.70 feet in 1993
July  2     14.83 feet     13.50 feet in 1993
July  3     14.89 feet     13.50 feet in 1993
July  4     14.87 feet     13.40 feet in 1993
July  5     14.84 feet     13.40 feet in 1993
July  6     14.73 feet     13.10 feet in 1944
July  7     14.45 feet     12.90 feet in 1993
July  8     14.15 feet     12.70 feet in 1993
July  9     13.77 feet     12.40 feet in 1993
July 10     13.37 feet     12.20 feet in 1993
​July 11     12.90 feet     12.00 feet in 1993
July 12     12.46 feet     11.90 feet in 1993
July 13     12.03 feet     11.80 feet in 1993

• Monthly Mississippi River at La Crosse, WI Records...
  • The highest 7 AM stage was 14.89 feet on July 3. This was the highest ever in July. The previous record was 13.7 feet on July 1, 1993.

...Looking Ahead to August...

• The normal high temperature in La Crosse starts at 85°F on August 1st and falls to 81°F by the end of the month. The normal low temperature starts at 64°F on the 1st and falls to 60°F by the end of the month. The normal mean temperature for the month is 72.8°F.  La Crosse’s hottest August occurred in 1947 with an average temperature of 78.3°F, and their coldest August happened in 1927 and 1915 with an average temperature of 64.8°F. 
• For August, the hottest temperature recorded was 105°F on  August 1, 1988, and the coldest temperature was 35°F on August 30, 1915.  There are typically 4 days with temperatures at or above 90°F. 
• The average precipitation for August is 3.90". The wettest August occurred in 2007 when 13.75" of rain fell and the driest occurred in 1894 when 0.35" of rain fell. The wettest August day was 4.05" on August 18, 2007.  
• Normally, there are 6 days with thunderstorms.
• Valley fog is quite prevalent in the area. On average, this fog reduces the visibility to a quarter-mile or less at the airport on 3 days.

Rochester, MN
 

July 2024 had Near-Normal Temperatures and Slightly Above-Normal Rainfall in Rochester, MN

...July 2024 Highlights...

Temperatures - Near Normal

The average temperature was 70.6°F at Rochester International Airport. This was 0.1°F warmer than the 1991-2020 normal of 70.5°F.  The average high temperature was 80.5°F. This was 0.2°F warmer than the 1991-2020 normal of 80.3°F.  The average low temperature was 60.6°F. This was 0.2°F cooler than the 1991-2020 normal of 60.8°F.

• The hottest temperature was 87°F on July 31. The coolest temperature was 51°F on July 1.
• There were no days in which the high temperature reached or exceeded 90°F. The 1991-2020 normal is 2 days.

Precipitation - Slightly Wetter than Normal

• A total of 4.76" of rain fell at Rochester International Airport. This was 0.57" wetter than the 1991-2020 normal of 4.19".
• Measurable rain fell on 10 days (32.3%) and trace amounts fell on another 4 days (12.9%).
• A total of 4.52" of rain fell during the 1st half (July 1-16) of July. This was the 6th wettest and the wettest since 2019 when 4.62" of rain fell. The wettest was 8.59" in 1981.
• A total of 0.24" of rain fell during the 2nd half (July 17-31) of July. This was the 15th driest. The driest was a trace in 1932.
• The wettest day was 1.49" on July 13.

...July 2024 Records...

• None.

...Looking Ahead to August...

• The normal high temperature in Rochester falls from 79°F on August 1st to 76°F by the end of the month. The normal low temperature falls from 60°F on the 1st to 56°F by the end of the month. The normal mean temperature for the month is 68.2°F. Rochester’s hottest August occurred in 1947 with an average temperature of 77°F, and their coldest August occurred in 1992 with an average of 63.1°F.
• For August, the hottest temperature recorded was 100°F on August 3, 1930, August 15, 1936, August 4, 1947, August 23, 1948, and August 24, 1948, and the coldest temperature was 32°F on August 30, 1915. Normally, there is only 1 day with temperatures at or above 90°F. 
• The average precipitation for August is 4.12". The wettest August occurred in 2007 when 14.07" of rain fell and the driest occurred in 1941 when 0.31" of rain fell.  The wettest August day was 5.16" on August 18, 2007.
• Normally, there are 6 days with thunderstorms.