Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Comfortable today; heat and humidity increase on Sunday

Thunderstorm chances highest to the west and north this weekend

If you enjoy moderate temps and comfortable humidity levels, then our Saturday weather will fit the bill.

Most of Minnesota and western Wisconsin will have Saturday highs in the 70s. Some spots in the Twin Cities metro area could hit 80 degrees and a few locations in far southern Minnesota could top 80. Dew points will be in the comfortable 40s and lower 50s.

Summery weather returns

Meteorological summer began June 1 and astronomical summer begins on June 20. Our weather will definitely have a summery vibe on Sunday.

Sunday highs reach the 90s in southwestern and west-central Minnesota, with a lot of 80s elsewhere:

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Sunday forecast highs
National Weather Service

Highs in the upper 80s are expected in the Twin Cities metro area Sunday afternoon. North-central Minnesota will see some 70s, with 60s in much of northeastern Minnesota.

Southern and central Minnesota will have dew points in the sticky 60s Sunday afternoon:

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Sunday 1 p.m. forecast dew points
National Weather Service

Wind gusts of 25 to 35 mph are possible in Minnesota and parts of western Wisconsin Sunday afternoon:

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Sunday 1 p.m. forecast wind gusts
National Weather Service

Plotted values are in knots, with 25 knots equal to 29 mph.

Rain and thunder

Scattered showers and an isolated thunderstorm could develop in western Minnesota later this Saturday afternoon. Northern and central Minnesota, plus northwestern Wisconsin, will see some areas of showers and thunderstorms Saturday evening and overnight Saturday night. Southern Minnesota and the Twin Cities metro area plus west-central Wisconsin could see a shower or isolated thunderstorm Saturday evening and overnight.

Shower and thunderstorm chances linger in northeastern Minnesota Sunday morning, then a second wave of showers and thunderstorms moves into northwestern and west-central Minnesota by Sunday evening and spreads eastward.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s North American Mesoscale (NAM) forecast model shows the potential rain pattern Saturday evening through Sunday evening:

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Simulated radar Saturday evening through Sunday evening
NOAA, via Tropicaltidbits.com

The NWS Storm Prediction Center shows an enhanced risk of severe weather in northwestern Minnesota Sunday and Sunday night:

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Severe weather outlook Sunday and Sunday night
NWS Storm Prediction Center

Enhanced risk means that numerous severe storms are possible:

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Severe weather risk categories
NWS Storm Prediction Center

The best chance of severe weather in northwestern Minnesota appears to be Sunday evening.

You can hear updated weather information on the MPR network, and you’ll see updated weather info on the MPR News live weather blog.

Temperature trends this coming week

Monday highs will reach the 90s across much of central and southern Minnesota and parts of western Wisconsin:

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Monday heat
National Weather Service

Then temps ramp back down. Twin Cities metro area highs are projected to reach the mid 90s on Monday, followed by around 80 Tuesday, mid 70s Wednesday, and lower 70s Thursday and Friday.

Programming note

You can hear my live weather updates on MPR News at 7:35 a.m., 9:35 a.m. and 4:35 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday.