Metro heat advisory this afternoon through Monday evening; thunderstorm chances increase this evening

It'll be steamy Sunday afternoon and evening across much of southern and central Minnesota and parts of western Wisconsin. You'll want to stay hydrated.

Temperature details

Sunday afternoon highs will be well into the 80s across the northern half of Minnesota, with 90 to lower 90s in the  southern half of Minnesota and parts of western Wisconsin.  Some spots in the Twin Cities metro area will reach the lower 90s. The air will be juicy, with dew points in the low to mid 70s across much of southern and central Minnesota plus parts of western Wisconsin this afternoon and evening.

The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for the Twin Cities metro area that runs from Sunday afternoon through Monday evening:

Here are details of the heat advisory:

National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN

319 AM CDT Sun Jul 14 2019

MNZ060>063-068>070-141700-

/O.UPG.KMPX.EH.A.0002.190714T1800Z-190716T0300Z/

/O.NEW.KMPX.HT.Y.0002.190714T1800Z-190716T0300Z/

Hennepin-Anoka-Ramsey-Washington-Carver-Scott-Dakota-

Including the cities of Minneapolis, Blaine, St Paul, Stillwater,

Chaska, Shakopee, and Hastings

319 AM CDT Sun Jul 14 2019

...HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 10 PM CDT

MONDAY...

The National Weather Service in Twin Cities/Chanhassen has issued

a Heat Advisory, which is in effect from 1 PM this afternoon to

10 PM CDT Monday. The Excessive Heat Watch is no longer in

effect.

* TEMPERATURE...Highs near 90 and dew points in the 70s will make

for heat indices around 95 to 100 degrees for both Sunday and

Monday. Low temperatures tonight will only fall into the mid

70s, providing little relief from the heat.

* IMPACTS...The high heat indices during the day will lead to

increased risk for heat-related illness for those active

outdoors or with limited access to air conditioning.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Take extra precautions...if you work or spend time outside. When

possible...reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or

evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat

stroke. Wear light weight and loose fitting clothing when possible

and drink plenty of water.

To reduce risk during outdoor work...the occupational safety and

health administration recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks

in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone overcome by heat

should be moved to a cool and shaded location. Heat stroke is an

emergency...call 9 1 1.

The NWS has this timely reminder about safety in hot weather :

Monday will be another steamy day, with dew points in the 70s in many areas and also highs at or above 90 in many locations:

Our average high temp is 84 degrees this time of year in the Twin Cities metro area. Twin Cities metro area highs are projected to be in the upper 80s Tuesday through Friday, but we could touch 90 once or twice.

Thunderstorm chances

Far northwestern Minnesota could see some thunderstorms anytime this Sunday afternoon and evening. Additional thunderstorms are expected to develop elsewhere in western Minnesota by mid to late Sunday afternoon, then spread eastward into Sunday evening.

An isolated late afternoon shower or thunderstorm will be possible in the Twin Cities metro area, with a better chance of some thunderstorms at times Sunday evening.  Areas of thunderstorms can be expected in Minnesota and western Wisconsin overnight Sunday night.

As always, updated weather information can be heard on the Minnesota Public Radio Network, and you’ll also see updated weather info on the MPR News live weather blog.

The Storm Prediction Center of the National Weather Service shows a slight risk of severe weather for much of Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin Sunday and Sunday night, which means that scattered severe thunderstorms are possible. Here are local details, from the NWS:

The SPC will update their severe weather outlook several times today.

______________________________________________________________________

3 p.m. Update

The latest SPC severe weather outlook for Sunday afternoon through Sunday night includes more of western Wisconsin in the slight risk area:

_____________________________________________________________________

You can see the recent local NWS radar loop here. The recent radar loop for southwestern Minnesota can be found here, and the southeastern Minnesota loop here. The northeastern Minnesota radar loop and the northwestern Minnesota radar loop are also available.

We could have additional thunderstorms in parts of Minnesota and western Wisconsin Monday and Monday evening.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s North American Mesoscale forecast model shows the potential rain pattern Monday morning through Monday evening:

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. It’ll rain in some areas that look dry in the NAM model, but the loop shows the general rain pattern as it develops and spreads southeastward. Check forecast updates.

Dew point records

If you think today is steamy, with dew point temperatures in the 70s, try to imagine dew points in the 80s. According to the Minnesota State Climatology Office:

80 degree dew point temperatures are rare in the Twin Cities historical record. Since 1945, there have been only twenty-eight hours of 80 degree dew points recorded. Ten of those twenty hours came in a ten hour period on July 12 and 13, 1995. 8 hours are from July 17-19, 2011. The highest dew point temperature ever recorded in the Twin Cities was 82 degrees at 3pm and 4pm July 19, 2011. This broke the old record of 81 degrees at 11am on July 30, 1999.

Barry update

Tropical storm Barry continues to bring heavy rains to parts of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. The NWS National Hurricane Center  is showing this projected track for Barry, along with the cone of uncertainty related to that track:

Here are additional details on the rain and flooding related to Barry:

Some levees have been overtopped in Louisiana:

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.