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THE DECADE OF THE 1990S

The decade of the 1990s had an average temperature of 45.9 degrees. While the temperature was average for the century, the decade generally experienced cooler than average summers and mild winters. The average summer temperature for the decade of 70.4 degrees, tied for the second coolest decade of the century, and the average winter temperature for the decade of 19.9 degrees was the third warmest . Looking at individual years, the average temperature of 42.2 degrees in 1996 tied for second as the coolest annual temperature for the century. At 66.2 degrees, the average temperature for summer 1992 was the second coolest summer of the century. The average winter temperature of 27.5 degrees in 1991-92 was the second mildest winter of the century. Two months during the decade were the warmest this century - January 1990 with an average temperature of 28.2 degrees and November 1999 at 42.1 degrees. One month during the decade was the coolest of the century - July 1992 with an average temperature of 65.5 degrees. Many more months were amongst the Top 5 coolest this century - May 1997 was the second coolest May with an average temperature of 51.5 degrees, August 1992 was the second coolest at 66.1 degrees, November 1996 was the second coldest at 23.5 degrees, December 1996 was the 4th coldest December at 10.3, degrees and July 1996 was the fifth coolest with an average temperature of 69.1 degrees. The warmest November day of the century occurred on November 8,1999 when the mercury soared to 81degrees. The warmest December days of the century occurred on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd days of the month in 1998 with a reading of 63 degrees each day. The decade recorded the fewest number of 90+ degree and 100+ degree days with 152 days and 6 days respectively. Finally, 1992 had the second fewest number of days at or above 90 degrees this century with two.

Precipitation for the 90s was 261.64 inches which makes this the second wettest decade of the 20th century. The wettest year and summer of the year occurred in 1993 with 36.11 inches and 17.39 inches respectively. The wettest spring of the century occurred during 1995 with 14.65 inches of precipitation. In addition to the wettest spring, 1995 boasts the second wettest March - 4.06 inches, the third wettest April, 5.83 inches, and wettest March day - 2.39 inches on March 25. . The decade also experienced the wettest March with 4.08 inches in 1998. July 1992 was not only the second wettest July of the century with 8.41 inches but also on July 1 the highest single day rainfall for July occurred with 3.35 inches. Other wet months for the decade include May 1993, the second wettest of the 20th century at 8.26 inches, July 1993, the third wettest July with 7.86 inches of rain, and October 1998, the second wettest of the century with 6.28 inches. There were also a couple of dry months during the decade - the 1.14 inches of rain in June 1996 was the fourth driest of the century, the 0.47 inches of precipitation for September 1990 tied as the second driest September of the century.

The snowiest October of the century occurred in 1991 with 10 inches. Significant snowstorms of the decade include 10.5 inches on April 28 1994, 10.6 inches on February 3-4 1997, 12.1 inches October 31-November 1 1991, 13.4 inches November 9-10 1998 and 13.4 inches March 21-22 1993.

Between 5 and 8 PM on May 22 1993 thunderstorms dumped five to seven plus inches of rain on the southwest side of Sioux Falls. Hail up to an inch in diameter fell continuously for an hour an a half in parts of southwest Sioux Falls causing considerable damage. Major urban flooding occurred with water up to the rooftops of cars in the Empire Mall area. The airport north of town officially measured 2.25 inches of rain.

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