A nice weekend; much cooler by Tuesday
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Minnesota will enjoy some agreeable weather for much of this holiday weekend.
Timing is important when it comes to weather!
Our Saturday highs are expected to be mostly in the 70s, with some lower 80s in the southwest.
On Sunday, 80s will be common statewide:
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A few spots in far northwestern Minnesota could top 90 degrees.
Highs will dip back into the 70s in central and southern Minnesota on Labor Day, with 60s north:
Tuesday and Wednesday highs are expected to be in the 60s statewide.
Low temperatures Tuesday morning and Wednesday morning will probably be in the 40s in northern and central Minnesota, with some spotty 40s in the south as well.
Some low spots in northern Minnesota could see early morning temps dip into the 30s on Tuesday and Wednesday.
High temps return to the 70s for most of Minnesota on Thursday and Friday.
Rain chances
Scattered showers moved through southeastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin Saturday morning.
Northeastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin could see scattered showers and an isolated thunderstorm late Saturday afternoon and/or Saturday evening.
Sunday looks dry in most spots, but an evening shower is possible in northeastern Minnesota.
On Labor Day, some scattered mid to late afternoon showers could pop up over Minnesota, but most of the day will be dry.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's North American Mesoscale forecast model shows the potential scattered shower pattern Sunday evening and Labor Day afternoon:
Hurricane Irma
Hurricane Irma is packing 110 mph winds and moving slowly westward.
Irma is expected to strengthen the next few days, and her center could track just north of Puerto Rico Wednesday night and Thursday:
Here's the latest update on Irma, from the National Hurricane Center:
BULLETIN
Hurricane Irma Advisory Number 13
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL AL112017
1100 AM AST Sat Sep 02 2017
...IRMA MOVING WESTWARD ACROSS THE ATLANTIC AS A SMALL HURRICANE...
SUMMARY OF 1100 AM AST...1500 UTC...INFORMATION
-----------------------------------------------
LOCATION...18.8N 43.3W
ABOUT 1220 MI...1965 KM E OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...110 MPH...175 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT...W OR 265 DEGREES AT 15 MPH...24 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...973 MB...28.74 INCHES
WATCHES AND WARNINGS
--------------------
There are no coastal watches or warnings in effect.
Interests in the northern Leeward Islands should monitor the
progress of this system.
DISCUSSION AND 48-HOUR OUTLOOK
------------------------------
At 1100 AM AST (1500 UTC), the eye of Hurricane Irma was located
near latitude 18.8 North, longitude 43.3 West. Irma is moving toward
the west near 15 mph (24 km/h) and a turn toward the west-southwest
at a slightly slower rate of speed during the next two days.
Maximum sustained winds are near 110 mph (175 km/h) with higher
gusts. Some strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours.
Irma is a small hurricane. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up
to 25 miles (35 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds
extend outward up to 70 miles (110 km).
The estimated minimum central pressure is 973 mb (28.74 inches).
Irma is being monitored closely:
Irma's track beyond five days is less certain, but the east coast of the U.S. is one area of concern:
August recap
The average monthly temperature at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport for August 2017 was 2.5 degrees cooler than normal.
Rainfall was 2.45 inches above normal.
Our official Twin Cities high temp didn't reach 90 degrees on any days in August 2017:
Dr. Mark Seeley of the University of Minnesota summarized our statewide August weather in his WeatherTalk blog:
Mean August temperature values from around the state were generally 2 to 4 degrees F cooler than normal. Only the second cooler than normal month in 2017 (May was the other). Extreme temperatures for the month ranged from 93 degrees F at Granite Falls (Yellow Medicine County) on August 1st, and just 30 degrees F at Embarrass, Brimson, and Crane Lake on the 25th. Some observers in St Louis, Lake, Cook, and Koochiching Counties reported frosts during the month. Minnesota did not report the nation's lowest on any date this month.
The most noteworthy climate attribute of August was the rainfall. Overall the statewide average rainfall was over 5 inches, ranking as the 11th wettest month of August in state history. Some western and southern communities reported their wettest August in history with total rainfall values over 10 inches. Redwood Falls topped the state network reports with over 13 inches. They reported the largest ever 1-day rainfall on August 17th in state history with a measurement of 8.12 inches. In addition over 40 climate stations in the state reported at least one new daily rainfall record during the month.
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.