Cool weather now but warmup on the way

Here we are approaching the heart of the summer season and temperatures are more like back to school weather.

Readings in the 40s and 50s this morning, accompanied by brisk winds give pause to rushing out to the beach.  Then there are the high water levels and cool lake temperatures.

But a warming trend has been ordered up and is on its way.

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Looking ahead to Independence Day, we'll see temperatures approaching seasonal normals.

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Temperatures statewide should feel quite comfortable on Friday afternoon.

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If you're a sailor, you're looking for a good breeze.  If you fish or water ski, you likely prefer lighter winds that don't toss the boat.  Mother Nature can't be all things to all people.

Here's the wind forecast, direction and speed in knots, for 1 p.m. on Friday:

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You can see the stiff southerly breeze developing in western Minnesota aiding the push of warmer air.

June was very wet in Minnesota but it was a little uneven. For example, St. Cloud measured 6.18 inches, with only 4.47 inches in Duluth, while some places received more than a foot of rain. Chaska: 13.24 inches.

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Percent of normal June rainfall. Image:Midwest Regional Climate Center

Meanwhile to our south, Iowa was seriously soaked in the past seven days.  Iowa cropland is suffering from considerable standing water. The heavy rain extended into parts of Wisconsin and Illinois.

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Seven day rainfall total ending on Monday morning. Image:Midwest Regional Climate Center

Tropical Storm Arthur will be the major weather news as we approach the Fourth of July.

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Visible satellite image of TS Arthur from just after daybreak this morning. Image:NOAA/College of DuPage.

The National  Hurricane Center is expecting Arthur to intensify and track near the east coast the next 48 hours.

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