Tornado watch western Minnesota until midnight Saturday; thunderstorm chance overnight and Sunday for the metro

The Storm Prediction Center of the National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for much of west-central Minnesota and part of central Minnesota until midnight Saturday:

Details of the watch:

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED

Tornado Watch Number 180

NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK

340 PM CDT Sat Jun 16 2018

The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

* Tornado Watch for portions of

Western Minnesota

Far southeast North Dakota

Northeast South Dakota

* Effective this Saturday afternoon from 340 PM until Midnight

CDT.

* Primary threats include...

A few tornadoes likely with a couple intense tornadoes possible

Scattered large hail and isolated very large hail events to 3

inches in diameter likely

Scattered damaging winds likely with isolated significant gusts

to 75 mph possible

SUMMARY...Isolated to scattered thunderstorms should develop along a

nearly stationary front this evening. Environment is conducive to

intense storms as a few supercells likely evolve with all severe

hazards possible.

The tornado watch area is approximately along and 55 statute miles

north and south of a line from 40 miles south southwest of Aberdeen

SD to 35 miles east northeast of Alexandria MN. For a complete

depiction of the watch see the associated watch outline update

(WOUS64 KWNS WOU0).

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

REMEMBER...A Tornado Watch means conditions are favorable for

tornadoes and severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch

area. Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for

threatening weather conditions and listen for later statements

and possible warnings.

&&

AVIATION...Tornadoes and a few severe thunderstorms with hail

surface and aloft to 3 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind

gusts to 65 knots. A few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 550. Mean

storm motion vector 25025.

Here's another view of the tornado watch area, with some cities:

The Storm Prediction Center of the National Weather Service also shows an enhanced risk of severe weather this Saturday evening and through the overnight hours for areas just north and northwest of the Twin Cities metro area:

The enhanced risk area includes a small part of northern Anoka county, but most of the Twin Cities metro area is in the SPC slight risk area overnight and Sunday, which means that scattered severe thunderstorms are possible:

Although northern and central Minnesota are expected to see the most thunderstorm activity overnight Saturday night, the Twin Cities metro area and spots in southern Minnesota could see some scattered thunderstorms.

Many spots in Minnesota, including the Twin Cities metro area, will probably see some showers and thunderstorms at times on Sunday and Sunday evening.

There will be some rain-free hours on Sunday too, just have a plan B in case you need to duck indoors at some point.

Here's SPC's severe weather outlook for Sunday and Sunday night:

Updated weather information can be heard on the Minnesota Public Radio Network, and updates are also posted on the MPR News live weather blog.

This will be a good weekend to have your NOAA weather radio or mobile phone nearby for weather warnings that are issued overnight, while you are sleeping.

Travelers will want to be aware of which county they are in, because weather warning headlines typically list the county or counties being warned.

Flooding is possible

Areas that see the heaviest rain this weekend could see flash flooding.

The NWS has flash flood watches from west-central Minnesota into parts of east-central and northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin:

Steamy Sunday

Parts of the southern half of Minnesota will have Sunday afternoon highs in the upper 80s to lower 90s:

Dew points will be in the 70s in the hottest areas, so it'll be steamy. An excessive heat warning continues for the Twin Cities metro area until 7 pm Sunday. Heat advisories continue until 7 pm Sunday in south-central and southeastern Minnesota.

Twin Cities metro area highs are expected to be cooler in the coming week, reaching the upper 70s Monday and Tuesday and the lower 80s on Wednesday through Friday.

Programming note

You can hear my live weather updates on Minnesota Public Radio at 7:49 a.m. Thursdays and Fridays, and at 7:35 a.m., 9:35 a.m. and 4:35 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday.