Hot, Humid, But Relief is on the Way.

Been on vacation for a week, went to the International Falls, Mn area which was also quite warm by their standards, but much cooler than we have been lately.  Anyway, today was another late summer day with above normal temperatures and much above normal heat index values.  Notice, for example, the maximum heat index values for today which were at or above triple digits in many areas. 

[img]

Notice also, the max/min temperatures across the state and you can see that we are not cooling off much at night either.  So, the late summer heat and humidity is still hanging tough, but that will soon be changing. 

[img]

To begin with, more cloud cover is expected for Thursday and into the day Friday, partially associated with the remnants of what was once hurricane Newton which made landfall in the Baja California area of Mexico.  The remnants of that system and its associated moisture is streaming northward and will also help set off chances of showers/storms.  Right now, the trajectory of that moisture plume looks to be over the more northern counties and into Kansas, but we should still have more cloud cover and a decent chance of scattered showers/storms for Thursday into the day Friday.

At any rate, the cloud cover will knock at least a few degrees off our daytime highs for Thu/Fri although our overnight lows will still be quite warm as you can see on our forecast page.  The showers/storms that do occur will have the potential for locally very heavy rainfall in a short period of time along with some localized damaging winds.  However, the best chance of showers/storms still looks to be Friday night into the early morning hours of Saturday as a cold front moves through the state.  Those storms may also pose a very limited severe threat as well as locally heavy rains, but again more likely further north.  Notice the 7 day QPF map for example which I have included as we will have another chance for rain by the middle of next week.

[img]

Hopefully, we will receive some decent rainfall as it is certainly needed but one thing this front will bring is a nice cool-down.  Temperatures will be much cooler on Saturday along with a gusty northerly wind bringing in drier air.  That means any showers/storms will have ended or will be ending for the far southern counties that morning along with clearing skies by afternoon.  The drier air will also allow for a very cool start to the day on Sunday but a return to brisk southerly winds will warm things back up by the first of next week.

However, another front looks to be arriving by mid-week bringing another shot of showers/storms and another cool-down.  In fact, looking further downstream, the 8-14 day outlook is suggesting cooler than normal temperatures and wetter than normal conditions.  So, after a few more days of much warmer than normal temperatures along with uncomfortable heat index values, it will finally start to feel more like fall.

[img]

[img]

In the meantime, stay tuned and check back for updates.

Dick Faurot