Pattern Change: Slight relief today; Up to 20 degrees cooler next week?
Cool front eases south through the Twin Cities today
Scattered T-Storms north of the front
Near 90 degrees in the metro today
(When did 90 become a "cool front?")
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Heat wave breaks? Major pattern change ahead: Up to 20 degrees cooler next week?
70s for highs in the metro by late next week?
Source: Twin Cities NWS
Cooler front today: Some relief from the heat this week
When did 90 degrees become a "cool front" anyway?
A weak but noticeable cool front will ease south today through the Twin Cities metro.
Behind the front, northeast winds are already brining some noticeably cooler air to central and northern Minnesota.
Scattered showers & T-Storms are also firing north of the front. Spotty rain & thunder will roll from west to east through Brainerd, St. Cloud & Duluth today, and rain chances will increase in the metro later today and especially tonight.
Source: Iowa State University
-Latest Twin Cities radar loop
SPC has a slight risk out for the Dakotas and far western Minnesota today, but it looks like most of the storms will stay below... or just approach borderline severe limits (58mph winds and 1" diameter hail) today and tonight.
Source: NOAA/SPC
Major pattern change ahead: Up to 20 degrees cooler next week?
This is me walking slowly out on a "weather limb."
The (lately horrible) GFS model and to some degree the more reliable Euro model are both strongly hinting at a major pattern change next week that could bring significantly cooler air into Minnesota, and shove the persistent heat wave south for at least a few days later next week.
The models have locked onto this trend for about two days now, which is usually a good sign. If the medium range trends verify next week, a cold front will sail south from Canada around next Wednesday-Thursday.
Source: NOAA/NCEP
Ahead of the front, there are signs heat and storms may linger this weekend into next Monday & Tuesday.
Behind the front, the freshest northwest breeze in several weeks should usher in much cooler air. We could be talking about 20 degrees cooler than the 98 degree temps we saw Monday, meaning highs possibly in the upper 70s by next Thursday-Friday. Lows may actually dip into the 50s in the metro and 40s up north.
This could be the coolest weather in the Twin Cities since about June 13th when the high in the metro was 76 and the low dipped to 55 degrees.
Source: NOAA
This week marks the 110 year anniversary of the invention of the air conditioner.
You may actually be able to give your air conditioner an extended rest next week.
Stay tuned!
PH