Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Bright Thursday with some scattered storm chances before a hot weekend

A hot and humid weekend is on the way

max t loop
Forecast high temperatures Thursday through Sunday
NOAA via pivotal weather

Central and southern Minnesota will see sunshine while a few storms are possible in northeast Minnesota. More widespread thunder chances are possible Thursday and Friday nights.

A couple of chances at storms before a hot weekend 

We’ll see more sunshine across central and southern Minnesota with brighter skies than the last couple of days. Northeast Minnesota will see a few more clouds. Afternoon highs will start to creep up well into the 80s for central and southern Minnesota with 90-degrees possible in southwest Minnesota.

thu hi 2
Forecast highs Thursday
National Weather Service

Northeastern Minnesota will see some spotty thunderstorms Thursday and then there’s a more widespread chance across the state later Thursday evening into early Friday. This is the first of two rounds of storms with another coming Friday night. Storms looks likely to develop in northwest Minnesota and cut across central and southeast Minnesota into early Friday morning.

thu-fri prec 904
Forecast simulated radar 8 a.m. Thursday through 8 a.m. Friday
NOAA via pivotal weather

Storms that develop could be strong to severe with heavy rainfall potential. There’s a slight risk (level 2 of 5) of severe storms cutting from northwest Minnesota through central Minnesota into western Wisconsin Thursday night into early Friday.

svr tonight
Severe weather outlook Thursday night
Iowa State University via National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration's Storm Prediction Center

After lingering storms move out early Friday, it will get steamy as dew points rise into the 70s. Temperatures will warm well into the 80 with some 90s in southwest Minnesota. More storms develop Friday night, mainly across the northern half of the state, possibly into central Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin into very early Saturday morning.

fri-sat prec 905
Forecast simulated radar 8 a.m. Friday through 7 a.m. Saturday
NOAA via pivotal weather

Again, storms that develop could turn strong to severe with some heavy rainfall. There’s a slight risk (level 2 of 5) for severe storms Friday night across much of northern and central Minnesota.

svr FRI NT
Severe weather outlook late Friday into early Saturday
Iowa State University via National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration's Storm Prediction Center

We have a hot and humid weekend on the way after all that. Highs will be into the 90s for central and southern Minnesota Saturday and Sunday. Southwest Minnesota could hit 100-degrees Saturday.

wknd2
Forecast highs Saturday and Sunday
National Weather Service

An excessive heat watch is posted for all but northwest Minnesota and the North Shore for Saturday and Sunday.

heat watch
Excessive heat watch from 12 p.m. Saturday through 9 p.m. Sunday
National Weather Service

The combination of heat and high dew points mean triple digit heat indices Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

sat index
Forecast heat index Saturday afternoon
National Weather Service

A cold front moves in Monday, touching off storms and setting us up for what looks like a cool, wet, active week next week yet again. Much of the state could see anywhere from 1 to 4 additional inches of rainfall next week.