Minnesota Weather and Solar Insolation Data from 1989

Weather data collected by the National Weather Service in International Falls, Minnesota, is combined with total solar insolation measurements from Fall Lake Dam in Winton, Minn. The solar insolation values were measured by a University of Minnesota researcher using a Yellow Springs solar cell calibrated against an Eppley Pyranometer. This dataset represents daily climatology for the Superior National Forest area for the year 1989.

Use Cases

• Analyzing daily temperature trends using atmospheric surface temperature columns.
• Studying precipitation patterns via atmosphere precipitation amount data.
• Modeling solar energy potential using measured solar insolation values.
• Correlating atmospheric water vapor indicators with local weather events.
• Validating regional climate models with historical ground-based weather observations.

Strengths

• Data is sourced from authoritative institutions: the National Weather Service and University of Minnesota researchers.
• Solar insolation measurements were made with a calibrated instrument (Yellow Springs cell vs. Eppley Pyranometer).
• The dataset provides a complete year of daily climatology for 1989.

Limitations

• Specific row counts and column names are not provided by any source, limiting detailed analysis.
• There is a conflict in the 'last updated' metadata, with one source showing 2026 and another showing 1989, casting doubt on provenance tracking.
• The license is ambiguously listed as 'other-license-specified' with no further details.

Provenance

Source

National Weather Service (weather data); Prof. Donald Baker, University of Minnesota (solar insolation).

Collection Method

Weather data collected by NWS; solar insolation measured with a calibrated Yellow Springs solar cell.

Time Range

1989

Freshness

2026-03-12 23:00:09.568326

Geography

International Falls, Minnesota and Fall Lake Dam in Winton, Minnesota, representative of the Superior National Forest area.