Very warm air in the 80s and lower 90s, combined with dew point temperatures in the low 70s to around 80 degrees, resulted in widespread heat indices of 95 to 105 degrees across parts of east central Minnesota on July 20th. The area of heat index readings over 95 degrees stretched as far north as Highway 2 from the Grand Rapids area to nearly Duluth.  The highest readings were across Pine and southern Aitkin Counties.

Excessive Heat in PINE, MINNESOTA
From 20-JUL-16 12:00:00 to 20-JUL-16 20:00:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: ASOS

There were heat index readings around or slightly over 100 degrees across Pine County. The St. Croix RAWS reached 105 degrees, the Hinckley AWOS reached 103 degrees, and the Minnesota Department of Transportation's RWIS near Rutledge reached 100 degrees.

Heat in NORTHERN AITKIN, MINNESOTA
From 20-JUL-16 12:00:00 to 20-JUL-16 20:00:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: AWOS

There were heat index readings from 95 to nearly 100 degrees. The Hill City RAWS reached 99 degrees, the Minnesota Department of Transportation's RWIS near Ball Bluff reached 99 degrees, and the McGregor AWOS reached 96 degrees.

Excessive Heat in CROW WING, MINNESOTA
From 20-JUL-16 12:00:00 to 20-JUL-16 20:00:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: Public

There were heat index readings of 95 to around 105 degrees. A personal weather station on the southeast side of Pelican Lake reached 108 degrees, and another near Breezy Point (west of Pelican Lake) reached 105 degrees. The personal weather station near the Brainerd International Raceway reached 100 degrees, the Brainerd ASOS reached 97 degrees, and the Minnesota Department of Transportation's RWIS near Emily reached 97 degrees.

Heat in SOUTHERN CASS, MINNESOTA
From 20-JUL-16 12:00:00 to 20-JUL-16 20:00:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: AWOS

There were heat index readings around 95 to 100 degrees. While just outside the southwest corner of Cass County, the AWOS at Staples reached 99 degrees.  The Pine River AWOS reached only 92 degrees, but there were readings of 95 to 100 degrees just east of the Cass County border in Crow Wing County.

Heat in NORTHERN CASS, MINNESOTA
From 20-JUL-16 12:00:00 to 20-JUL-16 20:00:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: AWOS

While there were no heat index readings of 95 to 100 degrees specifically within northern Cass County, there were nearby readings of 95 to 100 degrees in nearby southern Itasca County (the Grand Rapids AWOS reached 95 degrees), northern Aitkin County (the Hill City AWOS reached 99 degrees), and Crow Wing County (the Emily RWIS reached 97 degrees). Therefore, it looks like southeastern parts of northern Cass County, probably near Outing and Remer, likely reached 95 to 100 degrees.

Heat in SOUTHERN ITASCA, MINNESOTA
From 20-JUL-16 12:00:00 to 20-JUL-16 20:00:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: AWOS

There were heat index readings to around 95 degrees across parts of southern Itasca County. The Grand Rapids AWOS reached 95 degrees. Also, the Hill City AWOS (just over the border in northern Aitkin County) reached 99 degrees.

Heat in SOUTHERN ST. LOUIS / CARLTON, MINNESOTA
From 20-JUL-16 12:00:00 to 20-JUL-16 20:00:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: AWOS

There were heat index readings of 95 to around 100 degrees, primarily over Carlton County, but also over western parts of southern St. Louis County. The Minnesota Department of Transportation's RWIS near Saginaw reached 101 degrees, the Cloquet and Moose Lake AWOSs reached 98 degrees, and the Twig RWIS reached 96 degrees. The Duluth ASOS and a weather station in Esko only reached 93 degrees. The RWIS along Interstate 35 near Otter Creek and Atkinson reached a whopping 115 degrees, but it seems like such an outlier compared to all the other readings that it seems too suspicious to consider accurate.

Excessive Heat in SOUTHERN AITKIN, MINNESOTA
From 20-JUL-16 12:00:00 to 20-JUL-16 20:00:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: RAWS

There were heat index values near or slightly above 100 degrees.  The Rice Lake RAWS (south of McGregor) reached 102 degrees, and the Aitkin AWOS reached 98 degrees.