Heat wave day 7: 90-degree streak likely hits 9 days by Friday
We will likely tie the third longest 90-degree streak on record in the Twin Cities
Another day. Another 90.
Wednesday marks the seventh day in a row of 90-degree heat in the Twin Cities and most of southern, central and western Minnesota. That’s the longest streak of 90-degree days on record before June 15 in the Twin Cities.
As you can see on the infographic above, the Twin Cities has set two daily record highs and five daily record lows since last Thursday. I’ve taken the liberty to highlight the record highs and lows on the Twin Cities National Weather Service office graphic at the top of this post.
So our record-setting heat wave is burrowing deeper into the record books with each passing day. We’re likely to tie the third longest 90-degree streak ever recorded in the Twin Cities by Friday. The record is 14 days set in the oppressive summer of 1936.
Create a More Connected Minnesota
MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.
9 in a row?
Most of Minnesota is on lock to hit 90 degrees again Thursday. And temperatures will push the 100-degree mark in western Minnesota again.
It looks like the Twin Cities and eastern Minnesota will manage another 90-degree day Friday before a weak cool front arrives Friday night.
It’s the humidity
Dew point values tickled the 70-degree mark overnight in the Twin Cities and southern Minnesota. So this air mass has grown increasingly tropical over the past few days.
The pool of tropical air to the south of Minnesota is deep. Check out dew point values for this air mass, which run well into the 70s across the southern Plains.
Relief this weekend
A weak cool front slides across Minnesota Friday. It will trigger some scattered rain and thunder, but overall precipitation looks light and will not be enough to stave off the growing drought in most areas. If you’re lucky enough to get under a heavy downpour Friday, you’re one of the lucky ones.
But the weekend air mass behind the front is slightly cooler and noticeably less humid. It will be about 10 degrees cooler than the peak of the heat wave by this weekend. Highs will hover in the 80s across most of Minnesota this weekend.
But dew points will plunge into the 50s, maybe even 40s across parts of Minnesota this weekend. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s GFS model clearly shows the air mass transfusion from Friday to Saturday as dew points near 70 degrees are swept away by a much drier air mass with dew points in the 40s and 50s.
It’s still going to feel like July this weekend, but it will be noticeably more comfortable out there.