Scattered storms into Saturday morning; heat continues

Some subtle weather features are bringing noticeable weather changes to Minnesota this weekend.

First, a weak low-pressure system crosses Minnesota overnight into Saturday. The system is triggering some strong to severe storms in northern Minnesota. It may also bring some thunderstorms to southern Minnesota in the early hours of Saturday.

NOAA’s NAM 3 km resolution model paints strong to severe storms in northern Minnesota, with better chances for thunder and rain around the Twin Cities and southern Minnesota after midnight into early Saturday morning. The forecast loop below runs between 5 p.m. Friday and 6 a.m. Saturday.

Severe risk highest up north

The best chance for strong to severe storms favors northern Minnesota overnight. As of this afternoon, storms have already generated severe thunderstorms warnings, and the threat will move east across northern Minnesota overnight.

There is a good chance that strong to severe storms will cross the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Friday evening and Friday night with high winds and hail.

Dry front Saturday

That old line about ‘It’s not the heat, it’s the humidity’ comes into play Saturday.

It starts out swampy in the Twin Cities and southeast Minnesota Saturday. Dew points will hover around 70 degrees through noon.

Then a sharp dryline will blow through the Twin Cities and southern Minnesota Saturday afternoon. You should really notice the humidity dropping Saturday afternoon and evening as dew points crash into the 40s and even upper 30s.

Watch NOAA’s NAM 3 km resolution loop of dew points below. You can see the drier air pouring into the region. I haven’t seen many dew point contrast zones this impressive in Minnesota.

Heat continues into next week

It appears the 90-degree heat will persist into at least Wednesday.

There are signs we may cool off later next week with highs mostly in the 80s by next Thursday and Friday.

Stay frosty, Minnesota.