Severe weather anticipated in Minnesota early on Friday, accompanied by extreme heat conditions later on.
As the summer season continues, residents of Minnesota are bracing for a period of increasing heat and humidity, accompanied by the possibility of severe thunderstorms.
In the coming days, central and eastern Minnesota, including the Twin Cities metro area, can expect temperatures to gradually rise, reaching highs in the upper 80s to low 90s by the end of the week and mid-90s with heat index values up to 110 degrees by Sunday. The weather forecast also predicts scattered showers and thunderstorms on Tuesday and Wednesday, with particularly strong storm chances in southern Minnesota. After some potentially severe storms on Friday, the heat and humidity will intensify over the weekend.
The Twin Cities can expect mostly sunny skies with scattered rain possible on Wednesday afternoon. However, Friday night into Saturday morning could bring another severe storm complex. Humidity will be oppressive in the Twin Cities metro with dewpoints in the mid-to-upper 70s.
Scattered storm chances are also predicted for next week, as a late summer pattern takes over. Seasonable temperatures are expected next week, providing some relief from the extreme heat.
Northwestern Minnesota, on the other hand, will experience moderate rain chances but no specified severe weather warnings currently. Forecasts around Audubon, MN show chances of showers and thunderstorms with varying precipitation amounts over several days, though rain chances are generally moderate and precipitation quantities small except in thunderstorms.
The risk of strong to severe storms is mainly indicated for Friday in central and eastern Minnesota, particularly in areas prone to damaging winds and hail. Southern Minnesota had active tornado watch areas until 8 p.m. on Monday, and a recent tornado touchdown east of Nicollet was reported, indicating the region can expect severe weather episodes.
Joseph Dames, the weekday morning meteorologist at WCCO, is keeping a close eye on the weather situation. In addition to his regular weather, science, and environmental reporting, he is also working on covering the heat indices near 100 degrees in the Twin Cities metro. Joseph joined the WCCO team during the winter of 2022.
Residents are advised to monitor local updates due to the variable storm risks. A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect for northwestern Minnesota until 7 a.m., and a heat advisory is in effect for the Twin Cities metro on Friday afternoon. A line of storms is pushing into the Red River Valley, adding to the weather watch.
Stay tuned for more updates on this developing weather situation.
In the coming days, Joseph Dames, the weekday morning meteorologist at WCCO, will continue to provide updates on the rising temperatures, humidity, and possible severe storms in central and eastern Minnesota, including the Twin Cities metro area. He is also working on covering the heat indices near 110 degrees by Sunday.
Next week, the weather-forecasting predictions suggest that northern Minnesota will experience moderate rain chances, while scattered storm chances are predicted for the Twin Cities metro and central and eastern Minnesota, indicating the need for residents to monitor local updates due to the variable storm risks.
