Hastings, MN Weather + On This Date: Sunday, August 2, 2026
Original photo by Ashley Media
Sunday is shaping up as one of those easygoing Hastings summer days: a brief touch of early fog, then plenty of sunshine and comfortable warmth. The afternoon and evening look well suited to errands, patios, river walks or time at Levee Park.
Today’s Weather in Hastings
At a glance
High / Low: Near 82°F Sunday; around 59°F Sunday night
Precipitation: No rain is included in the Sunday or Sunday-night forecast
Wind: Calm early, becoming east around 5 mph; light east-southeast wind in the evening
Visibility: Patchy fog before 7 a.m.
Sunday morning may begin with patchy fog that briefly reduces visibility, but the National Weather Service expects it to clear before 7 a.m. After that, sunshine should take over for the rest of the day.
By afternoon, Hastings should reach a high near 82°F with an east wind around 5 mph. It should be a pleasant setup for a patio lunch, a walk near the Mississippi River or an afternoon outside, with little wind to complicate plans.
Sunday evening looks calm and mostly clear. Temperatures will ease toward an overnight low around 59°F, while an east-southeast wind around 5 mph becomes calm during the evening.
What to wear or plan
Choose light summer clothing for the afternoon.
Bring sunglasses, sunscreen and water for longer outdoor plans.
Keep a light layer handy for the cooler evening.
Give early drivers, walkers and cyclists extra room if fog reduces visibility.
Weather Joke of the Day
Why did the patchy fog hurry off the Hastings bridge before 7 a.m.? The sun showed up and said, “You’ve mist your exit.”
AI Infographic by HastingsNow.com
On This Date: A Little Time Capsule
1776 — Delegates Sign the Engrossed Declaration
Exactly 250 years ago, on August 2, 1776, John Hancock and many other delegates signed the engrossed parchment copy of the Declaration of Independence. Congress had adopted the Declaration on July 4 and ordered an official handwritten copy on July 19. Not every signer was present on August 2, but 56 delegates eventually signed.
Source: National Archives — Declaration of Independence (1776)
1909 — The U.S. Army Gets Its First Airplane
On August 2, 1909, the U.S. Army Signal Corps bought the Wright Military Flyer for $30,000 and named it Signal Corps Airplane No. 1. It became the first military heavier-than-air flying machine and remained the Army’s only airplane for nearly two years, a tiny beginning for an enormous new era of flight.
Source: National Museum of the United States Air Force — Wright 1909 Military Flyer
1956 — A Minnesota Veteran Closes a Civil War Chapter
On August 2, 1956, Albert Henry Woolson died in Duluth. He had enlisted in Minnesota at 14 and served as a drummer boy and bugler with the First Minnesota Heavy Artillery Regiment. At his death, he was recognized as the last surviving Union Army veteran, and historians now regard him as the last survivor of either Civil War army.
Source: MNopedia — Woolson, Albert Henry (1850–1956)
How we know
Weather sources
National Weather Service — Hastings, Minnesota Point Forecast — Accessed August 1, 2026, at 8:08 p.m. CT.
History sources
National Archives — Declaration of Independence (1776) — Accessed August 1, 2026, at 8:08 p.m. CT.
National Museum of the United States Air Force — Wright 1909 Military Flyer — Accessed August 1, 2026, at 8:08 p.m. CT.
MNopedia — Woolson, Albert Henry (1850–1956) — Accessed August 1, 2026, at 8:08 p.m. CT.
Weather can change quickly, especially with summer storms, so readers should check official alerts and radar before heading out.
Make a little time to enjoy Hastings outdoors today.
