Much like this past week, Memorial Day weather can be highly variable across the Upper Midwest. Historically, high temperatures for the holiday have ranged from a scorching 98° in 1934, to a chilly 49° in 1992. The average high temperature for the Twin Cities on Memorial Day is about 74 degrees, while the average low is around 53°. The record low of 37° was set back in 1947. Last Memorial Day was not that far away from that record, with a low of 44° in the wake of severe storms the previous day. For precipitation, the record value of 3.48 inches occurred in 1942.
Further information can be found below (note: Memorial Day was observed on May 30th until 1971, when it began to be observed on the last Monday in May).
Year Day Max Min Precipitation
1900 May 30 80 58 0.00
1901 May 30 69 49 0.00
1902 May 30 77 58 0.00
1903 May 30 64 44 0.00
1904 May 30 72 50 Trace
1905 May 30 76 49 0.00
1906 May 30 76 47 0.02
1907 May 30 64 52 Trace
1908 May 30 56 45 0.07
1909 May 30 80 59 0.20
1910 May 30 67 43 0.00
1911 May 30 76 56 0.03
1912 May 30 75 55 0.00
1913 May 30 82 56 0.00
1914 May 30 82 55 0.00
1915 May 30 69 46 0.00
1916 May 30 73 52 0.00
1917 May 30 59 48 1.80
1918 May 30 85 58 0.40
1919 May 30 88 63 0.00
1920 May 30 83 60 0.00
1921 May 30 83 56 0.05
1922 May 30 54 45 0.12
1923 May 30 81 64 0.00
1924 May 30 69 45 0.00
1925 May 30 91 60 0.00
1926 May 30 88 61 0.00
1927 May 30 66 49 0.00
1928 May 30 68 48 0.00
1929 May 30 78 59 0.00
1930 May 30 71 45 0.00
1931 May 30 64 48 0.00
1932 May 30 72 58 0.00
1933 May 30 74 52 Trace
1934 May 30 98* 66 0.00
1935 May 30 70 55 0.00
1936 May 30 82 60 0.00
1937 May 30 87 69 0.18
1938 May 30 85 63 0.00
1939 May 30 95 69 0.00
1940 May 30 81 48 0.00
1941 May 30 65 53 0.34
1942 May 30 73 58 3.48*
1943 May 30 79 64 1.53
1944 May 30 88 69 0.00
1945 May 30 77 46 0.00
1946 May 30 79 57 0.00
1947 May 30 67 37* 0.00
1948 May 30 74 48 0.00
1949 May 30 83 61 0.02
1950 May 30 76 52 Trace
1951 May 30 70 54 0.02
1952 May 30 59 47 0.30
1953 May 30 87 65 0.00
1954 May 30 76 51 0.00
1955 May 30 77 46 0.00
1956 May 30 78 60 0.41
1957 May 30 82 55 0.00
1958 May 30 76 63 0.02
1959 May 30 72 58 0.45
1960 May 30 77 49 Trace
1961 May 30 78 46 0.00
1962 May 30 70 55 0.17
1963 May 30 80 50 0.00
1964 May 30 67 45 0.00
1965 May 30 69 38 0.00
1966 May 30 70 43 0.00
1967 May 30 75 53 0.00
1968 May 30 69 46 0.00
1969 May 30 84 57 0.00
1970 May 30 74 61 0.04
1971 May 31 70 56 0.14
1972 May 29 66 48 0.59
1973 May 28 75 52 0.00
1974 May 27 71 53 Trace
1975 May 26 68 54 0.00
1976 May 31 73 58 0.00
1977 May 30 80 60 1.09
1978 May 29 79 62 0.14
1979 May 28 83 48 0.00
1980 May 26 86 66 0.00
1981 May 25 60 50 Trace
1982 May 31 66 49 0.00
1983 May 30 58 48 0.19
1984 May 28 62 42 0.00
1985 May 27 70 49 0.00
1986 May 26 74 54 0.00
1987 May 25 64 54 0.10
1988 May 30 91 69 0.00
1989 May 29 63 47 0.58
1990 May 28 81 50 0.00
1991 May 27 84 61 0.36
1992 May 25 49* 41 0.35
1993 May 31 60 39 0.00
1994 May 30 91 57 Trace
1995 May 29 76 43 0.00
1996 May 27 61 49 Trace
1997 May 26 67 45 0.00
1998 May 25 74 43 Trace
1999 May 31 67 53 Trace
2000 May 29 65 49 Trace
2001 May 28 74 48 0.00
2002 May 27 77 55 0.04
2003 May 26 76 49 0.00
2004 May 31 68 53 0.13
2005 May 30 76 49 0.00
2006 May 29 94 74 Trace
2007 May 28 82 57 0.00
2008 May 26 65 44 0.00
*denotes record value