Air conditioning and tornadoes in Minnesota. How should I prepare? (warm, state)

[Pincho-toot]

Originally Posted by buzzlightyear00

how humid is minnesota? like mississippi gulf coast with 80+ dew point humid?

There's only a handful of days like that. A lot of days that locals consider hot or humid I consider comfortable. I grew up in Florida and lived in Texas. Highest dewpoints here are low 70s. Only happens a few times a year. It's more humid if you are by a river or something. My only complaint this summer is the lack of heat!

[HighFlyingBird]

It depends where, but August is much cooler, in my experience then june-july. I wouldn't want to not have A/C for those months. That said, we supplement out AC with fans and that works nicely. By now, the weather tends to be really nice. When in places like Texas, its still hot and super humid.

Really, no need to worry about tornados. Just have a plan in your head and you will be fine. People I know who live without basements often use an interior walk in closet as their hunkering down place.

[QuietBlue]

Originally Posted by Glenfield

And you will need air conditioning about 10 days a year but on those days you'll be really glad you have it.

Yep, this. Not because of the heat; lots of places are worse. It's because of the humidity, as others have said.

[601halfdozen0theother]

Depends on where you live in MN. If you live in a cornfieldy or asphalty area, you MAY feel the humidity enough to want a/c on those few bad days. But if you live in the woods, you won't need it.

[Drewcifer]

Originally Posted by BadgerFilms

I just moved to Minnesota in August and my house doesn't have A.C. No central and no window unit. This month has been really rainy and cooler than usual. I came from Texas so, 90 degrees and folks up here talk about how hot it is but for me it's nothing. You can do without A.C. but I recommend a fan. The other night it wasn't really hot but very muggy the low was high 60s and I needed the fan to sleep. Honestly if you aren't too heat sensitive, you'll do fine without A.C. It's not like the South where you pretty much need it. A few fans will do fine.

This has been a fairly cool summer. Minnesota weather tends to run in streaks compared to the other places I have lived so you have several months (or longer) stretches where it is unusually hot/cold/wet/dry etc. When we are having a hot summer I might use A.C. all summer long, this summer I've used it maybe 10 times - mostly at night for sleeping.

[HighFlyingBird]

Originally Posted by Drewcifer

This has been a fairly cool summer. Minnesota weather tends to run in streaks compared to the other places I have lived so you have several months (or longer) stretches where it is unusually hot/cold/wet/dry etc. When we are having a hot summer I might use A.C. all summer long, this summer I've used it maybe 10 times - mostly at night for sleeping.

Mine has been on since June...have it set for 70. Its almost always running. Some (likely newer built) houses build big windows to get in heat and sun during the cooler/winter months. Which is nice. We hardly have to use the heat for a big chunk of the year except a little at night. But it makes us need to us the AC a lot more. Always something to keep in mind.

[slamont61]

Originally Posted by Wandering53

Do you need an air conditioner in the summer time in Minnesota?

If I live in an apartment complex in MN and there is no basement, what do I do if one, there is a tornado watch? two there is a tornado warning?

Well maybe an Air Conditioner would make a good anchor during a tornado, never had the opportunity to try it out. Tie the chord to your leg (if a window unit) or tie yourself to it (if whole house type) - if you are carried away, it didn't matter if you had AC or not.

[siameseifyoupls]

My cousin who lives in Detroit Lakes visited us a few years ago and saw our window air conditioner. We have central air but have this in our bedroom so that we can sleep cool in our hot summers. It sits on the floor and vents out the window, so you could easily move it around if you needed to. He liked it so much he bought one for his house. I just talked with him, and he said he used his air conditioner last night - in late September!

[wit-nit]

This Sept 22-23 it's been 93-94 degrees, 80% humidity. Welcome Florida weather. Air conditioner, yes. No basement then use room in the middle of house like bathroom for tornado.

[Pincho-toot]

Definitely needed an AC last summer. Didn't buy one til end of June when it was 100 degrees. Very different summer than 2017's milder summer.