Warm, dry days to kick off July. Hot Fourth of July weekend
Warm, dry days will get July into gear. The Fourth of July weekend will be hot statewide. Thunderstorms are possible on Sunday.
Second hottest June for the Twin Cities
Official temperatures for the Twin Cities, measured at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, were 7.1 degrees higher than average and made the month the second hottest June on record. It was dry as well with just 2.06 inches of rain. That’s less than half of normal. The storms of June 9 missed my rain gauge so it recorded just 1.78 inches for the month.
Rochester was 5.5 degrees higher than normal. Northern Minnesota was less abnormal. Duluth and International Falls were about 1.5 degrees higher than average.
Starting July warm but quiet
Thursday and Friday will be mostly sunny and warm with little humidity. Winds will be light.
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Most of Minnesota will warm into the 80s Thursday afternoon but the Arrowhead and northwestern Wisconsin will see highs in the 70s, maybe 60s near Lake Superior with that northeast breeze.
Friday will be in the 80s again except for some low 90s in the west as more heat begins to build in from the Dakotas.
The Twin Cities will have highs in the upper 80s both days.
Hot holiday weekend with storms possible
Heat will continue to build for the Fourth of July weekend. High temperatures will be in the upper 80s to mid 90s Saturday and Sunday, including across northern Minnesota.
Monday will be cooler, especially in northwestern Minnesota behind a cold front.
For the Twin Cities, I am forecasting highs of about 93 on Saturday, 95 on Sunday and 92 on Monday.
Dew points will creep up on Sunday.
Saturday will be hot but rain-free. However, the above-mentioned cold front has the potential to generate scattered thunderstorms as Sunday heats up.
Heat relief next week
Next week will become less hot with near-normal highs in the 70s north and 80s farther south.
Mostly dry next week
Little rain is likely next week. One weather system from the west might bring widespread rain about Thursday. Forecast models don’t really have a handle on our weather for next week after the holiday weekend. Stay tuned for updates.
Tropical Storm Elsa
Tropical Storm Elsa has developed over the tropical Atlantic Ocean and is speeding toward the Windward Islands including Barbados. Elsa is forecast to continue its rapid pace toward Cuba and then maybe to the vicinity of Florida early next week.
