Summery comeback, tropical air mass returns
Admit it. You thought summer was over after last weekend's cool front.
Take heart summer lovers, today's warm front starts a summery comeback as your local bank thermometer flashes 80 degrees once again this afternoon. By Tuesday, some of us may be begging for another Canadian front to cool things off and drop humidity as dew points push 70 degrees once again Tuesday afternoon.
Another round of thunder rumbles through late Tuesday night. Then it's weather perfection-on-a-stick to open this year's Minnesota State Fair Thursday and Friday with highs in the 70s, lower dew points and a fresh westerly breeze.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's longer range Global Forecast System is hinting at temps near 90 degrees again by Labor Day weekend.
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Summer's swan song?
Summer breeze
Props to 1970s songwriter duo Seals and Crofts, today's southerly breezes renew our faith in summer. It is still August after all. Humidity levels spike ahead of the next thundery cool front arriving Wednesday morning.
Tuesday night thunder
The next wave of thunderstorms crosses Minnesota overnight Tuesday into Wednesday morning. NOAA's NAM 4 km model captures the trends.
Rainfall totals look sketchy with the scattered thunderstorms overnight Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. Heavier storms favor Iowa and Illinois, where some multi-inch totals may fall this week.
Minnesota monsoon
Rain gauges across much of soggy central and southern Minnesota have been overflowing this month. Many locations have received between 5 and 8-plus inches of rain this month. That's two months worth of rain so far in August.
Air mass transfusion
You'll notice the dew point creeping up today as it pushes the 60 degree mark this afternoon. The next tropical "corn sweat" turbo charged air mass peaks tomorrow as dew points hit 70 degrees once again. Wednesday's cold front offer another free Canadian vacation, as dew points crash into the lower 50s by Thursday.
More frequent changes ahead
The medium-range forecast maps offer more frequent weather changes the next two weeks. We alternate between warm humid summer days, and cooler and fresher Canadian incursions every two or three days. The longer range GFS maps suggest another shot at 90 degrees for southern Minnesota Labor Day weekend as the summer heat dome to the south nudges north one last time.
The numbers for Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport in the 16-day range show some diversity. Summer meets back to school.
Enjoy the warmer breezes today. September is right around the next corner.