The flood zone

La Crosse NWS Doppler radar storm total rainfall estimate. Note the band of 6 to 9 inches from near Mason City to La Crosse.

Yet another flood in southeast Minnesota.

Incredible rainfall totals of 6 to as much as 10 inches over the weekend have sent rivers rushing into streets and homes in southeast Minnesota, northeast Iowa and southwest Wisconsin again.

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La Crosse NWS area rainfall totals

These persistent heavy rain bands like to set up along the southern end a potent jet stream near a deep rich moisture source. Saturday's storms exhibited what we call "training" in the weather biz. That's when thunderstorm cells keep developing and moving over the same ground again and again, like boxcars on a train pass over the same spot.

The good news is the rain is over for now in southeast Minnesota, and a drier 48 hours is on the way. Rivers will recede slowly over the next two days.

This is the week when our sunset hits 9pm in the Twin Cities. I love the long evening light, and we can enjoy a sunset of 9pm or later through July 9th starting on Thursday.

Lake temperatures are still dangerously chilly around the state. I measured 59 degrees on Lake Minnetonka at the surface Saturday. In a normal year surface water temperatures would be closer to 70 by this time of the year.

There is good news in the forecast for those who like summer over the next two weeks.

The Bermuda High that is driving summer heat into the southeast today will migrate westward over the next 10 days. There are signs in the medium range models that it will build northward into the central plains and Iowa late next week. This should bring summer heat well into the 80's into southern Minnesota, with a shot at 90 if the ridge builds strongly enough to the north.

Stay tuned to see how the ridge develops over the next two weeks and for updates on the summer like weather ahead.

PH