This Day in Weather History - August 20

 August 20, 2004 Earliest Freeze on Record at Winnipeg Airport

Summer 2004 was one to forget for Manitobans. It was cold and wet by Manitoba standards, and the cold summer was capped off in mid August with some of the earliest frosts ever recorded. After a record low of 1.0°C at Winnipeg Airport on August 19th, another record low of 0.0°C occurred on August 20th. This was the earliest fall freeze in Winnipeg on record since 1872. It was one day earlier than the record early freeze of August 21, 1875 (low of 0.0°C).

From the Winnipeg Free Press Aug 21, 2004, page 3

Because of an unusually cold summer, crops and gardens were weeks behind schedule and growing very slowly. Frosts killed plants from time to time in parts of southern Manitoba, and this August 20th freeze was no exception. 

From the Winnipeg Free Press Aug 24, 2004, page 22

The cold frosty weather was bad news for cottage communities. Businesses suffered from decreased business and even golf courses were unusually quiet. On the bright side, the cold weather kept mosquitoes mostly at bay.

From the Lac du Bonnet Leader, Aug 23, page 2

Other lows across southern Manitoba on August 20, 2004 included: (courtesy of Environment Canada)

Broadview (Saskatchewan) -2.9°C

Souris -2.0°C

Sandy Lake -2.0°C

Wasagaming -2.0°C

Roblin -1.2°C

Strathclair -1.2°C

Brandon CDA -1.0°C

Carberry -1.0°C

St Pierre Jolys -1.0°C

Elkhorn -1.0°C

Emerson -0.8°C

Melita -0.5°C

Steinbach -0.5°C

Baldur -0.5°C

Brandon Airport -0.3°C

Pilot Mound -0.2°C

Binscarth -0.1°C

Piney 0.0°C

Newspapers mentioned there were some unofficial lows down to -3°C or -4°C in localized parts of southwestern Manitoba. Parts of southern Saskatchewan also had frost. 

From the Winnipeg Free Press Aug 20, 2004, page 3