Prolonged heat wave kicks in, and it could last until next Tuesday
A week of 90-degree heat ahead for much of Minnesota. Lake Superior provides free AC.
Our July heat wave has arrived in parts of Minnesota.
It looks like the temperature briefly kissed the 90-degree mark at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport Monday afternoon. That’s the 15th day at or above 90 degrees in the Twin Cities so far this year. That’s already well past the annual average of 11 days.
Temperatures are even hotter to the west under the core of the building heat dome. One-hundred-degree heat is already established over eastern Montana and western North Dakota.
Tuesday brings another day of 90s to about the southwest half of Minnesota. Lake Superior will keep northeast Minnesota pleasantly cooler with some free AC off the lake.
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The heat wave likely peaks between Friday and Sunday across the Upper Midwest. Highs should reach the mid-90s as far east as the Twin Cities as we move toward the weekend.
Searching for rainfall
Parts of the Red River Valley and northern Minnesota picked up some scattered rainfall from thunderstorms Monday. And while widespread significant rainfall does not look likely this week, there are a couple of chances for scattered thunderstorms favoring northeast Minnesota.
The European and other forecast models paint scattered rainfall from half an inch to over an inch some locations in northeast Minnesota this week. That’s not enough to change the trajectory of drought, but every drop is welcome.
It looks like our heat wave could last until next Tuesday. The forecast models suggest a break in the heat next week.