Heads up!

At my son's Little League games, whenever a foul ball sails over the fence toward the crowd somebody yells "head up!" This alerts the crowd to look up, or risk getting hit by a foul ball. It's amazing how many people don't bother to look up, and come within inches of getting creamed by a flying baseball.

Well here's your weather "heads up!" for later today and tonight.

It appears all the ingredients are likely to come together late this afternoon, this evening and overnight tonight for severe weather. The SPC is calling for a "significant severe weather event" with possible tornadic supercell thunderstorms. This event may evolve into a derecheo, or widespread damaging wind event, overnight hours. There is a moderate risk for severe weather covering most of Minnesota from Brainerd south today and tonight.

SPC outlooks, watches and storm reports

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As always with severe weather scenarios, everything must come together just right for it to happen. If we don't get sufficient solar heating later today, or if the atmosphere remains "capped" with warm air aloft to our south, storms may not fire and reach severe levels. But things look pretty good for severe storms and possible damaging winds and tornadoes, especially this evening and tonight for much of southern Minnesota.

Twin Cities NWS severe storm page

Stay with Minnesota public radio for update throughout the day today and into tonight as we track this evolving severe weather potential. Have a plan ready for getting timely weather information today, and for what you'll do if severe weather approaches your location.

PH