Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Steamy weekend: 100 degrees possible Saturday in SW Minnesota

Hot steamy air mass ahead this weekend. Tornado survey data coming in.

Forecast high temperatures Saturday
Forecast high temperatures Saturday
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

It’s a mix of sun and a few isolated thundershowers across Minnesota in this Wednesday afternoon. On the map below, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s High-Resolution Rapid Refresh model shows the isolated nature of a few showers into Wednesday evening.

NOAA HRRR model
High-Resolution Rapid Refresh model between 2 p.m. and 10 p.m. Wednesday
NOAA, via Pivotal Weather

Most of us will escape any rain Wednesday, but don’t be surprised if a passing thundershower pops up into the evening hours. Overall rainfall coverage across Minnesota will be less than 10 percent of the state.

The next best chance for thunderstorms arrives with a warm front Friday morning. Another wave of potentially severe storms favors the northern half of Minnesota Friday night.

The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts model shows the trends between Thursday night and Friday night:

European ECMWF model
Precipitation model Thursday night to Friday night
European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, via Pivotal Weather

There is a slight risk for severe storms especially north of the Twin Cities Friday night.

Severe weather risk areas
Severe weather risk areas Friday
NOAA, via Iowa Environmental Mesonet of Iowa State University

Tornado reports are still coming in from Monday’s severe weather outbreak. Here’s data on two EF1 tornadoes in central Minnesota near Gull Lake and Merrifield.

Tornado reports
Tornado reports from Monday's storms
Duluth National Weather Service office

Steamy weekend ahead

This weekend looks like the steamiest of the season so far. Highs will reach the 90s across the south. Temperatures could push 100 degrees in southwestern Minnesota Saturday!

Forecast high temperatures Saturday
Forecast high temperatures Saturday
NOAA

Dew points will soar into the tropical 70s across much of Minnesota this weekend.

Check out the deep plume of tropical moisture surging north into Minnesota this weekend:

NOAA GFS dew point output
Global Forecast System dew point output between 7 p.m. Friday and 7 p.m. Sunday
NOAA, via Tropical Tidbits

Stay cool and classy, Minnesota.

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