Feeling like mid summer; late night storms on tap

Warm and rather humid late July weather is in store again today. High temperatures will top out in the middle to upper 80s this afternoon with dew points reaching as high as 70 degrees  in portions of western and central Minnesota.

Highs are expected to be around 85 in Rochester, Minn., where the high on Sunday was a comfortable 81 degrees.

This forecast from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Rapid Update Cycle model for 4 p.m. paints a small pocket or two of 90 degree readings in western and far north central Minnesota.

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4 p.m. CDT temperature, pressure and wind forecast. Image"NOAA/College of Dupage

If your occupation or your recreational activities places you in the late morning and afternoon sunshine, expect high threat for sun exposure. You can read more on the ultraviolet index from the Environmental Protection Agency's website.

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Shortly after daybreak the visible satellite image depicted some clouds shrouding parts of southern Minnesota.  These clouds should thin out as we move through the morning hours.

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645 a.m. CDT satellite image:NOAA/College of Dupate

It has been noted at this time of the year that the highest dew points appear to be clustered in the rural regions of southern and west central Minnesota.

Some believe that the release of moisture into the lower levels  of the atmosphere by the maturing corn crop bumps up the local dew point readings a couple of degrees. You can read more from the United States Geological Survey.

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Image;United States Geological Survey.

Saturday and Sunday delivered nice summer temperatures for the beach and other outdoor activities. Highs were mainly in the 80s.

Temperatures topped out at 90 degrees in Two Harbors, Minn., late Sunday afternoon.

The Duluth Airport recorded a high temperature of 89 degrees.  From the National Weather Service in Duluth:

The warmest temperature at Duluth in nearly 2 years! So far, the temperature has reached 89 degrees at 2:09 p.m. The last time it was this warm was Aug. 26, 2013 with a high of 90 degrees.

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Lake Superior shoreline Sunday afternoon. Image:Amanda Granning, National Weather Service Duluth

Thunderstorms are forecast to erupt in the Dakotas later today and travel southeast overnight. Some of the storms could produce large hail and damaging winds.

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Drenching rains are also expected with these storms, which may lose some punch over eastern Minnesota around daybreak on Tuesday.

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Potential rainfall from storms today and Tuesday. Image:NOAA

Cooler temperatures are in store for the Upper Midwest for Wednesday.

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Highs forecast for Wednesday.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Prediction Center is thinking that the odds favor below normal temperatures as we move into August.

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In case you slept through it on Saturday night, a welcome rain fell on parts of southwest Minnesota.  Pipestone, Minn., recorded slightly more than an inch of rain during the cover of darkness on Saturday night. Sioux Falls, S.D. measured 1.5 inches of rain during a gusty thunderstorm.

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Image:Midwest Regional Climate Center