The Twin Cities, host to the 2008 U.S. Figure Skating Championships and the 2008 RNC National Convention, are reknown for their lovely weather and what’s known among weather geeks as a “continental climate”. The record high temperature in Minnesota is 114 degrees Fahrenheit (46 degrees Centigrade); the record low is -60 degrees Fahrenheit (yes, sixty degrees below zero), or -51 degrees Centigrade.
We’re unlikely to see weather anywhere near either of those extremes during either convention, but you never know. Minnesota averages eighteen tornadoes and two blizzards a year, statewide. While Saint Paul is probably safe from the former, the December 7th, 2006 tornado in London, England demonstrated that cities are never totally immune from freak acts of nature.
Skating Championships
The U.S. Figure Skating Championships take place in Saint Paul January 20-27. The average high in Saint Paul in January is 24 degrees; the average low, 5 degrees, with a mean average of 15 degrees Fahrenheit. Average precipitation for the month is just under an inch. Generally at least somewhat breezy, winter winds can be intense, and produce wind-chill temperatures dangerous for even short-term exposure. Dress warmly; you can’t say we didn’t warn you.
RNC Convention
The RNC National Convention takes place the first four days of September. On average, Saint Paul’s temperature this month is 64 degrees, with average highs and lows of 74 and 52, respectively. St. Paul typically sees just under three and a half inches of rain in September, so be sure to pack your umbrella.
During warm-weather months, Saint Paul performs tests of the civil-defense alarms (”tornado sirens”) every month, at 1pm on the first Wednesday of the month. The third day of the convention, September 3rd, is such a Wednesday, and there’s no reason to believe the convention and ensuing chaos will pre-empt the tests. As such, don’t panic when the sirens begin to wail at 1pm central (2pm eastern, noon pacific); it’s just a test.