2011’s last 90? Cooler weekend; T.S. Lee: 20″ in New Orleans?

94 degree high in the Twin Cites Thursday

(Hottest day, and 1st 90 degree day since July 31st.)

15 days at or above 90 degrees in 2011 at MSP

13 days on average at or above 90 at MSP annually

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If you like it hot, I hope you enjoyed what was likely the hottest day of the rest of 2011 Thursday!

It may also have been the last time the mercury hits 90 in the Twin Cities this year.

September averages 1 day of 90 degree heat each year in the Twin Cities and southern Minnesota. Amazon Jungle heat and humidity levels swamped Minnesota with the brief heat wave of September 1st 2011.

90 degree heat surges north ahead of low pressure Thursday.

Dew points in the 70s pool opver Minnesota Thursday.

Here are some selected readings at 3pm Thursday.

WEATHER ROUNDUP FOR MINNESOTA

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN

300 PM CDT THU SEP 01 2011

NOTE: "FAIR" INDICATES FEW OR NO CLOUDS BELOW 12,000 FEET WITH NO

SIGNIFICANT WEATHER AND/OR OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISIBILITY. N/A MEANS

CURRENT SKY AND/OR WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE NOT AVAILABLE.

Twin Cities Metro

CITY SKY/WX TMP DP RH WIND PRES REMARKS

TWIN CITIES MOSUNNY 92 72 51 SE14G20 29.70F HX 99

ST PAUL PTSUNNY 91 74 57 SE14G23 29.71F HX 100

CRYSTAL PTSUNNY 92 73 53 SE18G24 29.67F HX 100

BLAINE PTSUNNY 90 75 62 SE14 29.70S HX 100

EDEN PRAIRIE MOSUNNY 92 74 55 SE18 29.69F HX 101

LAKEVILLE MOSUNNY 90 73 58 SE8 29.71F HX 98

SOUTH ST PAUL PTSUNNY 90 73 57 SE12 29.71F HX 97

Southwest Minnesota

REDWOOD FALLS SUNNY 93 74 53 SE14G21 29.66F HX 103

PIPESTONE MOSUNNY 90 79 70 SW8 29.73F HX 105

South Central Minnesota

CITY SKY/WX TMP DP RH WIND PRES REMARKS

MANKATO SUNNY 90 72 55 S13 29.69F HX 96

NEW ULM SUNNY 90 72 55 SE14 29.68F HX 96

ST JAMES SUNNY 90 72 55 SE12 29.69S HX 96

FAIRMONT SUNNY 91 66 43 S12 29.75F HX 94

GLENCOE SUNNY 88 72 60 SE10 29.68F HX 95

FARIBAULT SUNNY 91 68 46 SE10 29.74F HX 95

OWATONNA SUNNY 91 72 52 SE10 29.74F HX 98

WASECA SUNNY 88 68 51 S9 29.75F HX 91

ALBERT LEA SUNNY 90 66 45 S8G16 29.75F HX 92

$$

Southeast Minnesota

CITY SKY/WX TMP DP RH WIND PRES REMARKS

ROCHESTER SUNNY 88 72 58 S10 29.79F HX 94

RED WING MOSUNNY 91 72 52 S9 29.72F HX 98

STANTON SUNNY 90 71 52 SE9 29.72F HX 96

DODGE CENTER SUNNY 88 72 58 S8 29.77F HX 94

WINONA SUNNY 93 70 46 CALM 29.78S HX 99

PRESTON SUNNY 94 70 46 SW7 29.82R HX 100

Cool Front Friday:

You'll notice falling temps and humidity levels Friday, as cool front delivers a much more comfortable air mass courtesy of Canada.

The front will trigger a few scattered storms as it moves south. There is a (very) slight risk of a severe storm, but overall dynamics are weak.

Tropical trouble brewing: T.S. Lee may dump heavy rain on Gulf Coast.

NHC gives the growing disturbance in the Gulf an 80% chance of becoming Tropical Storm Lee in the next 48 hours.

"A BROAD AREA OF LOW PRESSURE LOCATED A COUPLE HUNDRED MILES SOUTH OF THE LOUISIANA COAST IS PRODUCING A LARGE AREA OF CLOUDINESS...

THUNDERSTORMS...AND GUSTY WINDS OVER THE EASTERN AND CENTRAL GULF

OF MEXICO. UPPER-LEVEL WINDS ARE FORECAST TO BECOME MORE CONDUCIVE

FOR DEVELOPMENT...AND THIS SYSTEM COULD BECOME A TROPICAL

DEPRESSION DURING THE NEXT DAY OR SO. A NOAA HURRICANE HUNTER

AIRCRAFT IS SCHEDULED TO INVESTIGATE THE AREA LATER THIS AFTERNOON. THIS SYSTEM HAS A HIGH CHANCE...80 PERCENT...OF BECOMING A TROPICAL CYCLONE DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS AS IT MOVES SLOWLY NORTHWESTWARD. INTERESTS ALONG THE ENTIRE NORTHERN GULF OF MEXICO COAST SHOULD MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF THIS DISTURBANCE."

Forecast models are moving "Lee" slowly toward the north.

The slow movement means the central Gulf Coast will likely get hammered with torrential rainfall over the next few days. Southern Louisiana, including New Orleans, and Mississippi could pick up 10" to 20" rain totals.

Meanwhile Katia continues to churn westward in the Atlantic. The latest trends in steering currents keep Katia moving more west than north. NHC has adjusted the forecast track westward to reflect the left leaning trend in guidance.

That will bring Katia dangerously close to the Carolina coast late next week. Most of the models stil insist on then recurving Katia and accelerating the storm to the north, east of the U.S. mainland.

But if the track stays any farther west Katia could become a threat to the eastern USA.

Stay tuned!

PH