Recent Minnesota summers have brought warmer temperatures, drought conditions, and — due to Canadian wildfires — air quality issues. On August 23rd, the Twin Cities broke a 1948 heat record when temperatures reached 98 degrees at MSP airport. This Labor Day weekend, the Twin Cities tied longstanding heat records.
Urban communities are experiencing so-called urban heat island effects, which are caused by hot, heat-absorbent surfaces, such as parking lots and roads, that elevate local surface temperatures. Minneapolis is particularly vulnerable to urban heat islands, with roads, parking lots, and other impervious surfaces accounting for nearly 50% of the city’s land area.
— Joe Harrington, Minnesota Reformer