Drought deepens under smoky sunshine

Warm with wildfire smoke for the weekend

The atmospheric pattern over the U.S. is stuck in place while the jet stream remains well to our north over Canada. A huge heat dome centered over Montana is blocking any rainy weather systems from coming our way.

Minnesota is on the eastern edge of all that heat. High temperatures Saturday will range from the low 80s in southern Minnesota to low 90s in the northwest corner. Most of Minnesota will see highs in the mid to upper 80s. The Twin Cities will have a high around 88 with a light southeast breeze.

Flow around that high pressure ridge continues to bring us smoke from wildfires in Canada and the western U.S.  An air quality alert remains in place until noon Saturday for portions of northern Minnesota from Moorhead to Roseau to International Falls, Hibbing and Ely. The thick smoke has been showing up on visible satellite photos this morning.

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Visible satellite photo at about 8 a.m. Saturday
Visible satellite photo at about 8 a.m. Saturday
NOAA/University of Wisconsin-Madison

Sunday might be a degree or two warmer.

Weather story for northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin
Weather story for northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin
Duluth National Weather Service

Hotter and muggier next week

That heat dome is forecast to shift a bit farther east and raise our temperatures next week. Statewide high temperatures will climb into the mid 80s to low 90s daily. Cooler temperatures can be found wherever a breeze is blowing in from Lake Superior.

Forecast high temperatures for Tuesday
Forecast high temperatures for Tuesday
NOAA Weather Prediction Center

Sparse rainfall possibilities

No significant rainmakers appear to be headed our way over the next several days. One forecast model carries the possibility that a narrow corridor of rain from the northwest might arrive on Wednesday or Thursday, but don’t plan to put your garden hose away anytime soon.