Thunderstorms at times Sunday afternoon and evening; Severe weather is possible

Updated at 4 p.m. Sunday

The northern half of Minnesota saw the most numerous thunderstorms Sunday morning, with scattered thunderstorms at times in the southern half of Minnesota and parts of western Wisconsin.

Northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin will see the most thunderstorm activity early Sunday afternoon, with scattered thunderstorms elsewhere in Minnesota and western Wisconsin. More numerous thunderstorms could develop in much of northern and central Minnesota plus northwestern Wisconsin during the mid and late afternoon hours, then spread southeastward during the early evening hours.

A severe thunderstorm watch continues until 2 p.m. this Sunday in north-central Minnesota and part of northeastern Minnesota:

Here are details of the watch:

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED Severe Thunderstorm Watch Number 456 NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK 1015 AM CDT Sun Jul 10 2022 The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Watch for portions of North central and northeast Minnesota * Effective this Sunday morning and afternoon from 1015 AM until 200 PM CDT. * Primary threats include... Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph possible Isolated large hail events to 1 inch in diameter possible SUMMARY...An ongoing convective system is expected to continue eastward across northern Minnesota for the next few hours, with the threat for damaging winds of 60-70 mph and isolated large hail to near 1 inch in diameter. The severe thunderstorm watch area is approximately along and 65 statute miles east and west of a line from 20 miles east northeast of International Falls MN to 35 miles east southeast of Brainerd MN. For a complete depiction of the watch see the associated watch outline update (WOUS64 KWNS WOU6). PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... REMEMBER...A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are favorable for severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area. Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible warnings. Severe thunderstorms can and occasionally do produce tornadoes. && OTHER WATCH INFORMATION...CONTINUE...WW 455... AVIATION...A few severe thunderstorms with hail surface and aloft to 1 inch. Extreme turbulence and surface wind gusts to 60 knots. A few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 500. Mean storm motion vector 27045.

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1:20 p.m. Update

The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a severe thunderstorm watch that continues until 6 p.m. this Sunday in portions of west-central Minnesota:

Here are details of the watch:

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED Severe Thunderstorm Watch Number 457 NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK 110 PM CDT Sun Jul 10 2022 The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Watch for portions of West central Minnesota Exreme southeast North Dakota Extreme northeast South Dakota * Effective this Sunday afternoon and evening from 110 PM until 600 PM CDT. * Primary threats include... Scattered large hail and isolated very large hail events to 2 inches in diameter possible Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph possible SUMMARY...A broken band of slightly elevated storms is expected to persist while moving east-southeastward, with the potential for more surface-based storms and some supercell structures this afternoon. Isolated very large hail near 2 inches in diameter and severe outflow winds of 60-70 mph will be the main threats. The severe thunderstorm watch area is approximately along and 40 statute miles north and south of a line from 95 miles west northwest of Alexandria MN to 35 miles east northeast of Alexandria MN. For a complete depiction of the watch see the associated watch outline update (WOUS64 KWNS WOU7). PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... REMEMBER...A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are favorable for severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area. Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible warnings. Severe thunderstorms can and occasionally do produce tornadoes. && AVIATION...A few severe thunderstorms with hail surface and aloft to 2 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind gusts to 60 knots. A few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 550. Mean storm motion vector 30025.

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4 p.m. Update

The National Weather Service has cancelled the severe thunderstorm watch that had been in effect for portions of west-central Minnesota.

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In addition to the watches, the NWS Storm Prediction Center shows a slight risk (shaded yellow) of severe weather Sunday afternoon and Sunday night for much of Minnesota and parts of west-central and northwestern Wisconsin:

The northern half of the Twin Cities metro area is included in that slight risk area, which indicates that scattered severe t-storms are possible. The best chance of severe weather in the Twin Cities metro area would tend to be late Sunday afternoon and Sunday evening, with an isolated severe thunderstorm possible earlier.

An isolated severe thunderstorm is possible this afternoon and tonight in the darker-green shaded area that includes the south metro and southern Minnesota.

Check forecast updates and be sky aware today and this evening.

You can hear updated weather information for Minnesota and western Wisconsin on the Minnesota Public Radio News network, and you can see updated weather info on the MPR News live weather blog.

Programming note

You can hear my live weather updates on MPR News at 7:35 a.m., 9:35 a.m. and 4:39 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday.