July-like heat could approach record highs this weekend
Sunshine, warmer temperatures on the way
Minnesota weather is almost always interesting.
I love it when I talk with young people who are considering careers in weather. Their excitement for Minnesota’s weather is so refreshing to someone like me who still gets jacked about an inbound storm after nearly 40 years in this career. We are truly blessed to live in an area with ever-changing and often unusual weather patterns.
Alas, I digress.
Our next interesting weather pattern emerges this weekend. The calendar turns to October on Sunday, but the weather maps continue to scream July.
Grow the Future of Public Media
MPR News is supported by Members. Gifts from individuals power everything you find here. Make a gift of any amount today to become a Member!
Clouds and a few spotty showers from our stalled low-pressure system will gradually fade across Minnesota on Thursday. We may start cloudy, but clouds should thin as we move into Thursday afternoon. And more abundant sunshine arrives Friday and into the weekend.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Global Forecast System model shows low-level cloud cover into Thursday finally clearing out as we move into the weekend. The forecast model loop below runs between 7 p.m. Wednesday and 7 p.m. Saturday.
Temperatures will rebound in the next few days with increased sunshine and warmer breezes. Highs Thursday will reach the 70s in more of Minnesota. Note the 80s emerging in southwestern Minnesota.
By Friday the 80s expand across the south. It will still be seasonably cool with highs in the upper 60s up north.
This weekend will feel more like July than the start of October. Highs will run into the mid-80s for the Twin Cities and southern Minnesota.
Record highs this weekend are 87 degrees both Saturday and Sunday for the Twin Cities.
We could see 90 degrees again in southwestern Minnesota by Monday.