Minnesota
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Introduction
The name Minnesota means sky-tinted water and is derived from the Dakota Sioux Indian word Mnisota. It has also been defined as clouded water which references the silt that gives the Minnesota River its milky appearance. The state has several nicknames including The Land of Sky Blue Water, Land of 10,000 Lakes, The North Star State and The Gopher State. Minnesota officially declares there are 15,291 lakes, over 10 acres in size, but some debate that 11,842 is a more accurate number. The North Star State is taken from the state motto L'Étoile du Nord meaning Star of the North. The Gopher State was adopted as the territory was being considered for statehood because of the abundance of the five-striped gopher which can be found throughout. Minnesota was admitted into the Union in 1858 becoming the 32nd state. Presently, it is ranked 12th in size.
The southern and western regions of Minnesota are part of the Great Plains though most of the land is now agricultural. The prairies of Minnesota were made famous in the Little House series of books written by Laura Ingalls Wilder and more recently, the television program named after the Little House on the Prairie, which is the most famous of her tales. Other famous literary figures who have used Minnesota as a backdrop have been Sinclair Lewis (Main Street), Ole Rolvaag (Giants in the Earth), Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (The Song of Hiawatha) and Garrison Keillor who has written several books about his fictional hometown of Lake Woebegone. He also hosts the radio broadcast A Prairie Home Companion which airs on National Public Radio.
Minnesota is home to well-known companies such as the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company (which became 3M Company in 2002), General Mills, Best Buy, Target and Cargill - the second largest privately-owned company in the United States. The Vermillion, Mesabi and Cuyuna iron ranges in the northern part of the state are also still in production.
Geography
Cities
Minneapolis-Saint Paul
Minneapolis and Saint Paul are the two largest cities in Minnesota and together form the metropolitan area known as Minneapolis-Saint Paul, or the Twin Cities. The two cities, located across the river from each other, are known for hockey and for the largest indoor mall in America, hosting over 520 stores, a amusement park, an underwater adventures, a waterpark, and attracting over 40 million visitors per year. It's also know as the "Icebox" of the nation for having such extreme cold temperatures.
Other Cities
Smaller cities include Brainerd, Ely, International Falls, New Ulm, Pipestone and Red Wing.
Sights and Activities
- International Wolf Center
- Jeffers Petroglyphs
- Mall of America
- Minnesota Zoo
- Mississippi Headwaters
- North American Bear Center
- Voyageurs National Park
Events and Festivals
- Frostbite Festival
- Lake Calhoun Aquatennial
- Minnesota Renaissance Festival
- Minnesota State Fair
- Saint Paul Winter Carnival
Weather
The climate of Minnesota is typical of a continental climate with cold winters and hot summers. The state's location in the Upper Midwest allows it to experience some of the widest variety of weather in the United States, and each of the four seasons has its own distinct characteristics. The areas near Lake Superior in the Minnesota Arrowhead region experience weather unique from the rest of the state. The moderating effect of Lake Superior keeps the surrounding area relatively cooler in the summer and relatively warmer in the winter, giving that region a taste of a maritime climate.
Winter in Minnesota is characterized by cold (below freezing) temperatures and snowfall. Snow is the main form of winter precipitation, but freezing rain, ice, sleet, and sometimes even rain are all possible during the winter months. Common storm systems include Alberta clippers or Panhandle hooks, some of which evolve into blizzards. Annual snowfall extremes have ranged from over 170 inches (432 cm) in the rugged Superior Highlands of the North Shore to as little as 10 inches (25 cm) in southern Minnesota. Temperatures as low as -60 °F have occurred during Minnesota winters. Spring is a time of major transition in Minnesota. Early spring commonly sees snowstorms, but by late spring as temperatures begin to moderate the state can experience tornado outbreaks, a risk which diminishes but does not cease through the summer and into the fall.
Summer sees heat and humidity predominate in the south, while warm and less humid conditions are generally present in the north. These humid conditions help kick off thunderstorm activity 30–40 days a year. Summer high temperatures in Minnesota average in the mid 80s in the south to the upper 70s in the north, with temperatures as hot as 114 °F possible. The growing season in Minnesota varies from 90 days per year in the Iron Range to 160 days in southeast Minnesota. Tornadoes are possible in Minnesota from March through November, but the peak tornado month is June, followed by July, May, and August. The state averages 24 tornadoes per year. Minnesota is the driest state in the Midwest. Average annual precipitation across the state ranges from around 35 inches (890 mm) in the southeast to just 20 inches (510 mm) in the northwest. Autumn weather in Minnesota is largely the reverse of spring weather. The jet stream, which tends to weaken in summer, begins to re-strengthen, leading to a quicker changing of weather patterns and an increased variability of temperatures. By late October and November these storm systems become strong enough to form major winter storms. Fall and spring are the windiest times of the year in Minnesota.
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