MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The Twin Cities recorded a near-record high dew point of 81 degrees Monday morning.
Near-record high dew point at MSP Airport
Big picture view:
Anyone who has stepped outside this morning knows: It's humid out there.
The National Weather Service recorded a dew point of 81 degrees at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport at 2 a.m. Monday. The Twin Cities hasn't experienced a dew point that high in 15 years.
By the numbers:
Dew points have only climbed that high a few days in recorded history. According to the Minnesota State Climatology Officer, an 81-degree dew point was measured on July 17, 2011, on July 17, 2011; July 18, 2011; July 19, 2011, and July 30, 1999.
The record high dew point of 82 degrees was set on July 19, 2011.
The National Weather Service says the Twin Cities had only spent 28 hours with a dew point above 80 degrees before today.
QUICK LINK: Download the FOX 9 weather app for the latest forecasts and alerts.
What is the dew point, and how is it calculated?
Dig deeper:
The dew point is the temperature the air has to be cooled for moisture to condense out—in the form of dew or fog. It acts as an absolute measurement of how much moisture is in the atmosphere.
A dew point of 65 degrees feels muggy and sticky, 70 feels tropical, 75 or higher feels horribly thick and oppressive. Conversely, a dew point of 55 feels comfy and a dew point of 40 can feel quite dry and crisp.
Monday's forecast in Minnesota
What we know:
Monday will be another hot and humid day across Minnesota, with a heat advisory in effect until 8 p.m. for the Twin Cities metro and parts of southern Minnesota.
Dew points in the Twin Cities climbed to 81 degrees early Monday morning, which is the highest since 2011 and just shy of the record dew point of 82 degrees. By the afternoon, dew points are expected to fall into the 60s.
Temperatures will climb to around 94 degrees in the Twin Cities, with heat index values approaching 100 degrees. The day will be fairly bright with high clouds and a smoky haze from the ongoing wildfires.
Monday night remains warm, with a few passing clouds and lows in the 60s and 70s.
The Source: Information in this story comes from the National Weather Service and FOX 9 meteorologists.