Another delightful day here on Tuesday, but still very hot in the West and wet in the East

Tuesday will be another comfy summer day around Minnesota, much like Monday but a few degrees cooler and without most of the smoky haze that had drifted in from Canada.  High temperatures should range from the upper 70s to the mid 80s unless you are near Lake Superior.  Dewpoints will not be a topic of conversation.  There just might be enough solar forcing this afternoon to kick off a few stray showers in southern and western Minnesota.

While we enjoy a balmy early July, the weather patterns across the U.S. are not progressing eastward as usual.  That means that toasty hot weather will continue across the West.  Forecast highs for later today include 111 in Las Vegas, 112 in Phoenix and Yuma, 100 in Reno and even 102 up north in Spokane, Washington.

Meanwhile, the East is stuck in a rainy pattern.  Surges of moisture will continue to plague many areas.  Flood Watches, Flash Flood Watches and Flash Flood Warnings cover much of the East from Florida to New Hampshire.  The most likely area for flash flooding later today might be along the eastern slopes of the Appalachian Mountains in South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia.

By this evening, rain will be building across much of the East, not only near the Appalachians, but also approaching northwestern Florida.

As we get farther into this first week of July, some of the most serious rainfall totals might occur in the Florida Panhandle as repeated surges of moisture come onshore from the eastern Gulf of Mexico.

Back home in Minnesota, Wednesday and Independence Day Thursday will be just a little warmer with abundant sunshine.  Highs will be mainly in the low to mid 80s.

Heat and more humidity will build as we get closer to the weekend.  And then there will be the very good chance of showers and thunderstorms Saturday night and Sunday.