Heat and storms build through Friday
That hum you hear is the chorus of air conditioning units kicking in.
Heat and humidity are on the increase as an increasingly tropical air mass oozes north into Minnesota over the next 48 hours. A developing warm front sparks a few isolated to scattered thunderstorms favoring northern Minnesota and the Red River Valley into early Thursday.
The first rumbles of thunder may reach the Twin Cities metro area after midnight Thursday night. Dew points creep ever upward from the once comfy 50s into the 60s, headed for the unbearable mid 70s by Friday afternoon.
Crowded beaches. Long lines at your local Dairy Queen.
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Yes, the dog days of summer are here.
Classic late July
I almost heard somebody complain a few days ago about the heat. You'll hear more in the coming week. It's late July and a string of highs above 85 degrees with temperatures pushing 90 the next few days will get our attention. The real challenge for many Minnesotans? An increasing number of "high dew point episodes" above 70 degrees. We could see two of those days in the next week.
Slow moving low
Weather systems in summer are like people. They move slower. With weaker steering current to push systems along, slow moving fronts are more common in summer. Our next low pressure wave and anemic cool front slog this way with scattered storms by Friday.
Severe risk
A few severe storms fire in the Red River Valley Thursday. That (fading?) cluster could make it east into the metro late Thursday night into Friday morning. Here's Thursday's slight risk zone from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Storm Prediction Center.
Friday's steamy air mass will be ripe for severe potential. Morning storms may fade below severe limits, but redeveloping storms Friday afternoon could pack high winds and large hail in the metro and eastern Minnesota into Wisconsin.
The best chance for an inch of rain or more runs from the Brainerd Lakes, Minn., area east.
Expect storm coverage to increase Friday. Right now the weekend looks warm and summery with less humidity. A great late July weekend ahead?
Lightyear FM
No, it's not a new music service from MPR. But this is pretty cool.
Radio waves travel at the speed of light into space. So what hit songs would you hear at different distances from earth if you track the radio waves from the time the song was released? Turns out we're spinning a pretty good set list for space travelers. Radio geeks will want to check this out.
