A bit warmer and more humid this weekend; chance of a thunderstorm in the metro Sunday night
It was a very comfortable Friday.
If you like it a bit warmer, you'll probably enjoy our weekend temperatures, although our dew points will be on the rise too.
Temperature trends
Most of Minnesota will see highs in the 80s on Saturday, but parts of the northwest will top 90 degrees:
Create a More Connected Minnesota
MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.
Dew points near 70 degrees could combine with the warm temps to generate heat index values of 100 degrees or higher in parts of northwestern Minnesota Saturday afternoon.
The NWS has issued a heat advisory that includes five counties of northwestern Minnesota from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday:
The Twin Cities metro area will see dew points creep into the lower 60s on Saturday.
Sunday highs will be in the 80s across most of Minnesota:
A few spots in southern Minnesota and in the Twin Cities metro area could touch 90 degrees.
Metro area dew points will probably reach the mid to upper 60s Sunday afternoon.
Twin Cities metro area highs are expected to reach the mid 80s Monday, followed by upper 80s to around 90 next Tuesday and Wednesday. The outlook for late next week and the following weekend is for warmer than normal temps.
Thunderstorm chances
Some locations in the southern half of Minnesota will see scattered showers and thunderstorms early this Friday evening.
There’s a chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms in northern Minnesota late Saturday night and Sunday.
Southern Minnesota and the Twin Cities metro area will have a chance of showers and thunderstorms Sunday night and early on Monday.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s North American Mesoscale forecast model shows the potential rain pattern Saturday evening through Monday morning:
The color chart to the right of the loop refers to the strength of the signal that returns to the radar, not to the amount of rain.
Updated weather information can be heard on the Minnesota Public Radio Network, and updates are also posted on the MPR News live weather blog.
Flooding update
Flood warnings continue in parts of southern Minnesota.
Here are a few flood warning details, from the Twin Cities office of the NWS:
Flood Warning
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
245 PM CDT FRI JUL 6 2018
MNC015-127-072100-
/O.EXT.KMPX.FA.W.0009.000000T0000Z-180707T2100Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Redwood MN-Brown MN-
245 PM CDT FRI JUL 6 2018
The National Weather Service in The Twin Cities has extended the
* Flood Warning for...
Southern Redwood County in southwestern Minnesota...
Southwestern Brown County in south central Minnesota...
* Until 400 PM CDT Saturday.
* At 244 PM CDT, local law enforcement and river gauge readings
indicate flooding continuing along the Cottonwood River. The river
has crested, but it will take a few days for the water to
recede.
* Some locations that will experience flooding include...
Sleepy Eye, Springfield, Walnut Grove, Lamberton, Sanborn, Lucan,
Clements, Revere, Wanda and Cobden.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Turn around, don`t drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood
deaths occur in vehicles.
Excessive runoff from heavy rainfall will cause flooding of small
creeks and streams, country roads, farmland, and other low lying
spots.
241 PM CDT FRI JUL 6 2018
The National Weather Service in The Twin Cities has extended the
* Flood Warning for...
West central Redwood County in southwestern Minnesota...
* Until 415 PM CDT Saturday.
* At 238 PM CDT, local law enforcement and river gauge readings
indicate flooding continuing along the Redwood River. The river
has crested, but it will take a few days for the water to recede.
* Some locations that will experience flooding include...
Vesta and Milroy.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Turn around, don`t drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood
deaths occur in vehicles.
Excessive runoff from heavy rainfall will cause flooding of small
creeks and streams, country roads, farmland, and other low lying
spots.
Flood Statement
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
1006 AM CDT Fri Jul 6 2018
...The flood warning continues for the following rivers in
Minnesota...
Cottonwood River at New Ulm affecting Brown County
Minnesota River at Mankato affecting Blue Earth and Nicollet
Counties
Minnesota River at Henderson MN19 affecting Le Sueur...Scott and
Sibley Counties
Minnesota River near Jordan affecting Carver and Scott Counties
Minnesota River at Savage affecting Dakota...Hennepin and Scott
Counties
Redwood River near Redwood Falls affecting Redwood County
.Overview...
This river forecast is based on preciptation over the past 24 hours
and forecast precipitation over the next 24 hours. Additional rainfall
could cause river levels to rise higher than predicted. The
National Weather Service will monitor this situation and
issue followup statements as conditions or forecasts change.
You can find graphical NWS updates on river levels for many spots around Minnesota throughout the day and night.
If the location of interest is not listed there, try the Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service page and click on a location for river level details and forecasts.
The latest hydrograph for the Cottonwood River at New Ulm, Minn., shows that it is at major flood stage:
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.