Severe threat increases

Keep an eye on the sky the next 36 hours in the Upper Midwest. Several ingredients are coming together for what could be a significant outbreak of severe weather.

At least two waves of severe (and possible tornadic) storms may rumble across the upper Midwest by Wednesday evening. After a lead batch of mostly non-severe showers and T-Storms today in the eastern Dakotas, a second wave of more potent storms should develop this afternoon in the central Dakotas and come racing east into Minnesota tonight. That wave may form an MCS, or mesoscale convective system that may race east with bow echoes and the potential for damaging winds.

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The favored locations for storms Wednesday will shift east, the question is how far. If debris from tonight's MCS hangs over eastern Minnesota tomorrow and the front slides past the Twin Cities, the storms may develop over Wisconsin. If not, they could blow right over the Twin Cities and eastern Minnesota Wednesday afternoon.

Stay tuned to your favorite severe weather sources through Wednesday for a very changeable forecast scenario.

Major Midwest heat wave next week?

All signs point to the potential for a major Midwest heat wave next week. The Bermuda High, a strong ridge of high pressure looks like it will set up shop over the central USA and amplify starting about next Tuesday.

If the forecast models are right, the central USA could see several days...maybe two weeks of searing heat and humidity. Places like Kansas City, St, Louis, Des Moines and Chicago have the potential to reach 100 degrees.

Minnesota looks to lie on the northern edge of the heat wave. We could see more than a a week of highs well into the 90s, with dew points in the tropical 70s. That's a dangerous level of heat and humidity, and the long duration could become a major news story in the latter half of July.

Get your air conditioner tuned up and get ready for a blast of heat starting next week.

Beautiful Red Wing:

The Huttner Weather Lab had the pleasure of making the trip to beautiful Red Wing last evening for my son's playoff baseball game. Even as a native Minnesotan, I had never made the trip to Red Wing, and I'm glad I did. The town is absolutely lovely with the bluffs and river scenery.

Downtown Red Wing street scene.

(Photos by Paul Huttner. click for bigger images)

Mississippi River in Red Wing.

Red Wing is known for Red Wing Shoes and Red Wing pottery among other things.

Closer look at the bluff at the east end of town.

The historic St. James Hotel overlooks the Mississippi River.

The drive from the Twin Cities is equally wonderful with hills, open vistas and fertile colorful fields along the way. The landscape near the town of Miesville is particularly beautiful. And the ball park for the Miesville Mudhens is visible as you pass through town.

Oh yes, and my son's 14 year old Minnetonka travelling baseball team won the game 15-4. The whole team played great and our son Luke started the game and was the winning pitcher so congrats to the team on a great performance!

PH (proud baseball dad!)