Warm and humid this weekend -- and a look at July 4 weather extremes
The chance for rain will be best in northern Minnesota this weekend
When you mention the Fourth of July, it’s fireworks, warmth and humidity that immediately come to mind.
Many fireworks displays have been canceled this Independence Day, but it’ll be plenty warm. It won’t be as warm as it was on July 4, 2012, when we had a record high of 101 degrees in the Twin Cities.
The Minnesota State Climatology Office compiled some stats about our Fourth of July weather over the years. Here’s a sample of their interesting stats:
On average, Minnesota experiences extremes of heat during the week surrounding the Fourth of July about once every 4 to 5 years. In 2012, the Fourth of July had temperatures in the 90s throughout the state with 100s in the south. The Twin Cities recorded a high of 101 and a low of 81 — both records for the day. Along with dew points in the 70s, it was a steamy Independence Day, for sure.
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Several of Minnesota’s most significant straight-line windstorms on record were on or near the Fourth of July also, including the infamous Boundary Waters Blowdown of July 4, 1999, when 80- to 100 mph winds downed tens of millions of trees and stranded hundreds in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Other convective windstorms with gusts of 100 mph or more stretched from the Lake Minnetonka area to the St. Croix River east of North Branch on July 3, 1983, and across the Brainerd, Mille Lacs, and Pine City areas on July 4, 1977.
By the way, that 81 that they mentioned was our low temp in the Twin Cities on July 4, 2012. The Twin Cities’ average July 4 low is 64 and its average high is 83 degrees.
Of course, we sometimes see cool weather on the Fourth of July. According to the Climatology Office:
July 4 can be quite cool, too. In 1967, the Twin Cities recorded a high temperature of just 58 degrees, which was the last time the July 4 high temperature failed to reach 70 degrees in the Twin Cities. The record low temperature for the date in the Twin Cities is 43 [degrees], set in 1972. That same year, Tower, Minn., recorded a low of 27, the state record for the Fourth of July.
Warm and humid this weekend
Saturday highs will reach the lower 90s in the Twin Cities metro area — and in much of central and southern Minnesota plus western Wisconsin.
A few spots in northeastern Minnesota could also top 90, with upper 80s elsewhere in northern Minnesota.
Saturday dew points will be mainly in the sticky upper 60s:
It’ll be a bit less humid in northeastern Minnesota.
Sunday highs will reach the lower 90s in many areas, with 80s to the north.
Sunday dew points will again be in the sticky 60s.
Weekend rain chances?
Northwestern Minnesota and north-central Minnesota will have the best chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms this weekend, mainly in the afternoon and evening. The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center shows a slight risk of severe weather Saturday and Saturday night in northwestern Minnesota.
Northeastern Minnesota may see some scattered showers and thunderstorms late Saturday afternoon and Saturday evening.
Northern Minnesota has the best chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms on Sunday, but they will also have many dry hours. Central and southern Minnesota could see an isolated thunderstorm late Sunday afternoon or 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.
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.