Steamy in some areas on Sunday; chance of scattered showers/thunderstorms

Was it steamy enough for you on Saturday? I’d say yes to that.

The Saturday afternoon high temp at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport was 88 degrees. A few spots in the metro area touched 90. Dewpoints were in the steamy mid and upper 70s for much of the afternoon.

Sunday highs will be in the 80s in the Twin Cities and much of Minnesota and western Wisconsin. Northwestern and north-central Minnesota will have highs in the 70s:

Northwestern Minnesota will enjoy dew points in the comfortable 50s by Sunday afternoon, with steamy 70s in the Twin Cities, the southeastern half of Minnesota and most of western Wisconsin:

The excessive heat warning in the Twin Cities metro area expires at 8 p.m. Saturday, replaced by a heat advisory for the overnight hours and much of Sunday. The metro area heat advisory will end at 6 p.m. Sunday. Sunday afternoon heat index values could reach 95 degrees in the metro area.

Thunderstorm chances

Areas of showers and thunderstorms are expected in Minnesota and western Wisconsin Saturday evening and overnight Saturday night. Some locations will have downpours at times. The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center shows a marginal risk of severe weather in Minnesota and western Wisconsin this Saturday evening and overnight Saturday night. Marginal risk means that an isolated severe thunderstorm is possible.

You can hear updated weather information on the MPR network, and you’ll see updated weather info on the MPR News live weather blog.

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8:25 p.m. Update

A flash flood warning was issued Saturday evening and runs until 2:15 a.m. Sunday July 26 for southern Sibley County in central Minnesota, southwestern Scott County in east central Minnesota, northwestern Le Sueur County and northeastern Nicollet County in south central Minnesota:

Flash Flood Warning MNC079-103-139-143-260715- /O.NEW.KMPX.FF.W.0010.200726T0120Z-200726T0715Z/ /00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/ BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED Flash Flood Warning National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN 820 PM CDT Sat Jul 25 2020 The National Weather Service in the Twin Cities has issued a * Flash Flood Warning for... Southern Sibley County in central Minnesota... Southwestern Scott County in east central Minnesota... Northwestern Le Sueur County in south central Minnesota... Northeastern Nicollet County in south central Minnesota... * Until 215 AM CDT. * At 820 PM CDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 2 and 4 inches of rain have fallen. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly. HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms. SOURCE...Doppler radar. IMPACT...Flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as other drainage and low lying areas. * Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches are possible. * Some locations that will experience flash flooding include... Belle Plaine, Le Sueur, Le Center, Gaylord, Winthrop, Henderson, Lafayette, New Sweden, Ottawa, Rush River, Norseland, New Rome and St Thomas. 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.

Here’s a map of the flash flood warning area:

This would be a good night to have your NOAA weather radio active or your weather app available in case new warnings are issued while you are sleeping.
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9 p.m. Update

A flash flood warning has now been issued and runs until 3 a.m. Sunday July 26 for southeastern Renville County and southwestern Sibley County in central Minnesota, plus northeastern Brown County and northwestern Nicollet County in south central Minnesota:

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED Flash Flood Warning National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN 854 PM CDT Sat Jul 25 2020 The National Weather Service in the Twin Cities has issued a * Flash Flood Warning for... Southeastern Renville County in central Minnesota... Southwestern Sibley County in central Minnesota... Northeastern Brown County in south central Minnesota... Northwestern Nicollet County in south central Minnesota... * Until 300 AM CDT Sunday. * At 854 PM CDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 2 and 4 inches of rain have fallen. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly. HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms. SOURCE...Doppler radar. IMPACT...Flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as other drainage and low lying areas. * Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches are possible. * Some locations that will experience flash flooding include... Fairfax, Gibbon, Franklin and St George. 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.

Here’s the map of this flash flood warning:

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A few scattered showers and thunderstorms are also possible on Sunday. By Sunday afternoon, the southern half of Minnesota plus western Wisconsin will have the best chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms.

Temperature trends

Twin Cities metro area highs are projected to reach the lower 80s on Monday and Tuesday, followed by mid 80s Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Hurricane Hanna

Hurricane Hanna made landfall at Padre Island, Texas around 5 p.m. Saturday:

Here’s Hanna’s projected path as it weakens over the next couple of days:

Hurricane Douglas moves closer to Hawaii

Hurricane Douglas has max sustained winds of 90 mph, and it’s tracking toward the Hawaiian Islands.

Here’s the forecast track for the center of Hurricane Douglas, along with the cone of uncertainty for the track:

These are the latest Hurricane Douglas details, from the Central Pacific Hurricane Center in Honolulu:

BULLETIN Hurricane Douglas Advisory Number 22 NWS Central Pacific Hurricane Center Honolulu HI EP082020 1100 AM HST Sat Jul 25 2020 ...HURRICANE DOUGLAS CONTINUES TO MOVE WEST-NORTHWEST TOWARD HAWAII... ...HURRICANE WARNING ISSUED FOR OAHU... SUMMARY OF 1100 AM HST...2100 UTC...INFORMATION ----------------------------------------------- LOCATION...19.5N 150.1W ABOUT 325 MI...525 KM E OF HILO HAWAII ABOUT 520 MI...835 KM ESE OF HONOLULU HAWAII MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...90 MPH...150 KM/H PRESENT MOVEMENT...WNW OR 290 DEGREES AT 18 MPH...30 KM/H MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...984 MB...29.06 INCHES WATCHES AND WARNINGS -------------------- CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY... A Hurricane Warning has been issued for Oahu. SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNING IN EFFECT... A Hurricane Warning is in effect for... * Oahu A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for... * Hawaii County * Maui County, including the islands of Maui, Lanai, Molokai and Kahoolawe A Hurricane Watch is in effect for... * Hawaii County * Maui County, including the islands of Maui, Lanai, Molokai and Kahoolawe A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for... * Kauai County, including the islands of Kauai and Niihau. A Hurricane Warning means that hurricane conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area within 36 hours. A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area within 36 hours. A Hurricane Watch means that hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area, in this case within the next 36 to 48 hours. A Tropical Storm Watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area, in this case within the next 36 to 48 hours. Interests elsewhere in the main Hawaiian Islands, and in the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, should monitor the progress of this system. For storm information specific to your area, please monitor products issued by the National Weather Service office in Honolulu Hawaii. DISCUSSION AND OUTLOOK ---------------------- At 1100 AM HST (2100 UTC), the eye of Hurricane Douglas was located near latitude 19.5 North, longitude 150.1 West. Douglas is moving toward the west-northwest near 18 mph (30 km/h). This motion is expected to continue through the next couple of days, with a slight decrease in forward speed today. On the forecast track, Douglas will be near the main Hawaiian Islands late tonight and will move over parts of the state Sunday and Monday. Maximum sustained winds are near 90 mph (150 km/h) with higher gusts. Gradual weakening is expected through the weekend. However, Douglas is still forecast to be near hurricane strength when it nears the islands. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 30 miles (45 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 110 miles (175 km). The estimated minimum central pressure is 984 mb (29.06 inches). HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND ---------------------- WIND: Hurricane conditions are expected on Oahu on Sunday and Sunday night and are possible across Maui County and the Big Island late tonight and Sunday. Tropical Storm conditions are expected across Hawaii County and Maui County beginning late tonight or Sunday. Tropical Storm conditions are possible across Kauai County late Sunday. SURF: Large swells generated by Douglas are expected to affect the Hawaiian Islands during the next couple of days, and storm surge of 2 to 4 feet above normal tides is expected near the center of Douglas. The large swells and surge will produce life threatening and potentially destructive surf along exposed shores. RAINFALL: Heavy rainfall associated with Douglas is expected to affect portions of the main Hawaiian Islands from late tonight through Monday. Total rain accumulations of 5 to 10 inches are possible from Maui County westward to Kauai County, with the greatest amounts in elevated terrain. This rain may result in life-threatening flash flooding and land slides, as well as rapid water level rises on small streams. Douglas is expected to produce 2 to 5 inches of rainfall over the northern half of the Big Island.

Updates on Hurricane Douglas can be found here.

Programming note

You can hear my live weather updates on MPR News at 7:35 a.m., 9:35 a.m. and 4:35 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday.