Summery forecast; Tropical Storm Don aiming for Texas?

Summer lovers rejoice! Some of summer's finest weather is on the way.

The weather pattern over the next few days screams summer in Minnesota. We'll enjoy a series of days with highs in the upper 80s and low 90s.

Meanwhile the intense and prolonged heat wave continues in the central USA.

Political Coverage Powered by You

Your gift today creates a more connected Minnesota. MPR News is your trusted resource for election coverage, reporting and breaking news. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.

100 degree plus heat continues to bake the central USA.

A warm & muggy Wednesday evening will give way to a slightly drier air mass (dew points in the 60s) Thursday into Friday; before tropical moisture pushes back into Minnesota with 70s dew points again this weekend.

Tropical dew points in the 70s making for a muggy air mass in the Upper Midwest.

Tropical Storm Don heading into the Gulf: Taking aim at Texas?

It looks like there's a tropical storm headed for Texas, and that might be good news!

BULLETIN

TROPICAL STORM DON ADVISORY NUMBER 1

NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL042011

400 PM CDT WED JUL 27 2011

...TROPICAL STORM DON FORMS OVER THE SOUTHERN GULF OF MEXICO...

SUMMARY OF 400 PM CDT...2100 UTC...INFORMATION

----------------------------------------------

LOCATION...22.2N 87.0W

ABOUT 120 MI...190 KM N OF COZUMEL MEXICO

ABOUT 755 MI...1220 KM ESE OF CORPUS CHRISTI TEXAS

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...40 MPH...65 KM/H

PRESENT MOVEMENT...WNW OR 295 DEGREES AT 12 MPH...19 KM/H

MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...1001 MB...29.56 INCHES

WATCHES AND WARNINGS

--------------------

THERE ARE NO COASTAL WATCHES OR WARNINGS IN EFFECT. INTERESTS IN

THE NORTHWESTERN GULF OF MEXICO SHOULD MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF DON. WATCHES AND/OR WARNINGS MAY BE REQUIRED FOR PORTIONS OF THE TEXAS COAST TONIGHT OR THURSDAY.

DISCUSSION AND 48-HOUR OUTLOOK

------------------------------

AT 400 PM CDT...2100 UTC...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM DON WAS

LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 22.2 NORTH...LONGITUDE 87.0 WEST. DON IS

MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 12 MPH...19 KM/H. A GENERAL

NORTHWESTWARD MOTION IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS. ON THE

FORECAST TRACK...THE CENTER OF DON SHOULD MOVE THROUGH THE

SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL GULF OF MEXICO TONIGHT AND THURSDAY...AND

APPROACH THE COAST OF THE NORTHWESTERN GULF OF MEXICO FRIDAY.

REPORTS FROM AN AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT INDICATE THAT MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 40 MPH...65 KM/H...WITH

HIGHER GUSTS. GRADUAL STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT

48 HOURS.

TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 45 MILES...75 KM

MAINLY TO THE EAST OF THE CENTER.

THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED BY THE HURRICANE HUNTERS IS

1001 MB...29.56 INCHES.

Official NHC track takes Don into Texas.

Most of Texas is mired in one of the worst droughts in state history. A full 75.5% of Texas is categorized as "exceptional drought" as of this week. That's the most severe drought ranking in the U.S. Drought Monitor.

The majority of forecast model tracks steer Don into Texas by this weekend.

Hurricane model plots for Tropical Storm Don

If that track happens, several inches of badly needed rain could fall over much of Texas. As long as the storm does not get too strong, that would be a blessing for water starved Texas.

PH