Dog days ahead, 90s possible by Sunday
It's been an interesting summer so far across the Upper Midwest.
Temperatures in June hovered just above average. The first week of July has been cool, but that is about to change.
June temps at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport +0.8 degree
July so far at MSP -4.9 degrees (through July 8)
7.27 inches rainfall since June 1 at MSP
+2 inches vs. average
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Get ready for a July-like warm front this weekend.
Southerly flow
When you live in the center of a continent at 45 degrees north latitude, it's all about wind direction. Our winds shift into the south today, and stay there thought the upcoming weekend.
A warm front builds along the Iowa border, triggering a few scattered storms by late Friday night into Saturday morning.
The latest read on heat is mixed depending on which model you choose to believe. I am leaning toward the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Global Forecast System solution, which has been consistent with the notion of 90-plus degree heat by Sunday for the metro and southern Minnesota.
Regardless of the actual high temperature, with dew points reaching the 70 degree mark this weekend, it's going to feel like a sauna out there from late Saturday through Sunday and Monday.
NOAA's Climate Prediction Center agrees with the notion of favoring above average temps over the Upper Midwest through the next week.
A band of smoke lies across far northern Minnesota today. The Twin Cities air quality index has crept higher, and that will continue into the weekend as pollutants near the ground increase in a stagnant air mass.
Keep the air conditioning handy this weekend.