Weekend forecast: Warm and humid; chance of a shower and thunderstorm
Many rain-free hours
Before I talk about the weekend, I’ll mention that the National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for the Twin Cities metro area from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. this Thursday:
Here are details of the heat advisory:
URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN 309 AM CDT Thu Jul 2 2020 MNZ060>063-068>070-022015- /O.NEW.KMPX.HT.Y.0002.200702T1800Z-200703T0100Z/ Hennepin-Anoka-Ramsey-Washington-Carver-Scott-Dakota- Including the cities of Minneapolis, Blaine, St Paul, Stillwater, Chanhassen, Chaska, Victoria, Shakopee, and Hastings 309 AM CDT Thu Jul 2 2020 ...HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING... * WHAT...Heat index values in excess of 95 degrees are expected this afternoon and evening. * WHERE...Hennepin, Anoka, Ramsey, Washington, Carver, Scott and Dakota Counties. * WHEN...From 1 PM this afternoon to 8 PM CDT this evening. * IMPACTS...Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat illnesses to occur. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances. Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location. Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1.
The weekend!
It’ll be a very warm Fourth of July weekend. Our average Twin Cities high temperature on July 4 is 83 degrees. We’ll probably top out in the lower 90s in the metro area on Saturday, sharing lower 90s with roughly the southern half of Minnesota plus western Wisconsin:
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We’ll see a lot of upper 80s in the remainder of Minnesota.
Saturday will be humid. Dew points will be mainly in the upper 60s, with a few lower 70s in southern Minnesota:
Winds will be fairly moderate, with gusts in the 10-15 mph range in eastern Minnesota by Saturday afternoon. Western Minnesota wind gusts will be a bit higher:
Plotted values are in knots, with 10 knots equal to 11.5 mph.
Back to temperatures, Sunday highs could range from lower 80s in northeastern Minnesota to lower 90s in the far south:
Many spots in the Twin Cities metro area may touch 90 degrees Sunday afternoon.
Sunday dew points are forecast to be in the upper 60s, with a few lower 70s in southwestern Minnesota:
Rain and thunder chances
Scattered showers and thunderstorms are possible Saturday afternoon and Saturday night. Southern Minnesota appears to have a smaller chance of Saturday showers and thunderstorms than the north, but all areas should see many rain-free hours on Saturday.
Sunday will bring a better chance of some periods of showers and thunderstorms to Minnesota and western Wisconsin, but no all-day rains are expected.
You can hear updated weather information on the MPR network, and you’ll see updated weather info on the MPR News live weather blog.