Rain chances return, but so does a severe weather risk
The humidity rises as temperatures shoot back into the 90s
After a brief taste of cooler temperatures, the heat that has been so prevalent this June returns and brings a severe weather risk along with it.
Tuesday night
Tuesday brought pleasant weather, with mostly sunny skies, low humidity and highs predominantly in the 70s (the Arrowhead was an exception to this, with a few more 60s and a couple showers). It was also noticeably warmer than Monday, and the overnight will similarly be milder.
Unlike the chillier 40s much of Minnesota saw Tuesday morning, almost the entire state will begin Wednesday in the 50s. This milder weather is aided in part by wind flow that comes more consistently from the south through the overnight.
Hot and stormy
Those southerly winds increase and turn gustier Wednesday, with wind gusts over 20 mph for much of the state by the afternoon. That flow draws both heat and humidity back into Minnesota, putting much of the state back in the 90s.
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This pattern shift comes ahead of a storm system that brings showers and storms in from the north by Wednesday afternoon.
The wet weather moves quickly southeast across the state through the overnight before being forecast to slow and linger over southeastern Minnesota much of Thursday.
This means that while the precipitation with the storm will be limited across most of Minnesota, the southeast corner of the state could rainfall amounts over an inch.
The storms also bring an isolated (marginal) severe weather risk to northern Minnesota Wednesday, with large hail and damaging winds as the primary threat. Then the threat elevates to possible scattered (slight risk) severe weather Thursday for southeastern Minnesota and may also produce isolated tornadoes.
We will keep you posted as any severe weather develops.
A cold front associated with that storm system cools northern Minnesota a few degrees Thursday, then the entire state sees slightly cooler air Friday with 70s north and 80s south, which is seasonable for late June. Most of Minnesota can expect highs in the 80s for the weekend, with a return of slightly lower humidity again.
Here is that temperature forecast for the Twin Cities:
Programming note
You can hear my live weather updates on Minnesota Public Radio at 7:49 a.m. Monday through Friday morning.