Warm night ahead sets the stage for sizzling Fourth of July
Severe weather chances Thursday and Friday

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A mild, muggy Thursday night will lead us into a hot July 4 holiday. Temperatures will climb back into the 90s, with heat advisories in effect for parts of the state. There’s also an increasing risk for severe thunderstorms Thursday night and Friday night.
Steamy Thursday night
After another warm day in the low 90s — our sixth of the year — the heat will roll right into the Fourth of July holiday. Overnight temperatures will only dip into the lower to mid-70s across much of the state, with the exception of northeastern Minnesota, where cooler 60s and even 50s are expected near the lakeshore.

There is a slight risk for severe weather in extreme northwestern Minnesota. A few isolated stronger storms are possible, with the primary threats being hail and damaging winds.
The remainder of the state is under a marginal risk, where one or two isolated storms could develop.
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A heat advisory remains in effect for western Minnesota until 8 p.m. Thursday. This includes Big Stone, Lac qui Parle, and Yellow Medicine counties, where heat index values between 105 and 110 degrees are expected during the afternoon and early evening hours.

Another heat advisory covering northwestern and west-central Minnesota as well as the Twin Cities metro area takes effect Friday into Friday evening. Heat indices during this period are expected to reach the upper 90s to low 100s.

Fourth of July forecast
Surface analysis for the Fourth of July shows an approaching cold front from the Dakotas. This cold front is going to be our main concern for the holiday.

Most of day will be dry, and we’ll enjoy another hot, sticky day with temperatures in the 90s.

Our chances for precipitation remain slim until storms begin to fire in western Minnesota around 10 p.m. and move eastward. The time frame for storms to hit the metro area will be sometime after midnight.

There is a marginal risk for severe weather on Friday with strong winds and isolated hail being the primary threats.

It looks like after all that, Mother Nature will cooperate and bring her own fireworks at a more fitting time.
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