Steamy and stormy: Strong to severe storms likely Monday evening
Your air conditioner and your weather radio will get a good workout Monday.
A heat advisory continues until 10 p.m. for the Twin Cities. Heat index values push 100 degrees again in the afternoon.
Hennepin-Anoka-Ramsey-Washington-Carver-Scott-Dakota-
Including the cities of Minneapolis, Blaine, St Paul, Stillwater,
Chaska, Shakopee, and Hastings
342 AM CDT Mon Jul 15 2019
...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM CDT THIS EVENING...
* TEMPERATURE...Highs near 90 and dew points in the 70s will make
for heat indices around 100 degrees today. The heat and humidity
will last through the early evening with heat indices remaining
above 90 degrees through 10 PM.
* 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.
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Sunday's heat index values in Minnesota peaked at 105 degrees at Cambridge and Litchfield. I saw 102 at Alexandria and Little Falls. The Twin Cities posted a respectable 97.
Severe risk
A weak frontal zone cuts into our steamy air mass late Monday. The short-range mesoscale models favor storm clusters developing near the Twin Cities late in the afternoon and evening.
Here's the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's High-Resolution Rapid Refresh model forecast between 5 p.m. and midnight:
NOAA's Storm Prediction Center paints a slight risk zone across much of Minnesota. Large hail, damaging winds, and torrential downpours are the primary threats.
Steamiest week of summer?
This will likely end up as one of the two hottest weeks of summer. Highs hover a few degrees either side of 90 all week. We'll add to the two days of 90-degree heat this year so far. The annual average is 11 days of 90-degree heat in the Twin Cities.
Keep your eyes and ears tuned for possible severe weather watches and warnings.