Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Summer resumes regular programming

Warmer and more humid days ahead

Lazy, hazy, crazy. The Dog Days of summer return to Minnesota this weekend.

In a normal year, I would be pointing out that the Minnesota State Fair begins three weeks from Thursday. But the year we call 2020 is anything but normal.

A sign reads "Hang in there, Minnesota."
A marquee at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds offers encouraging words the on April 11.
Christine T. Nguyen | MPR News file

Still, our weather patterns seem blissfully unaware of how much has changed this year. Tropical southerly breezes blow again in the coming days. Your favorite lake or beach awaits.

1715 robinsons
A beach on Lake Minnetonka.
Paul Huttner | MPR News

Tropical moisture returns

The Minnesota-Iowa border is about 945 miles due north of the Gulf of Mexico. It doesn’t take long for steamy tropical Gulf moisture to blow north into Minnesota in summer. That process begins again Thursday. By Friday, dew points in Minnesota will push 70 degrees once again.

NOAA’s GFS model tracks the dew point surge in the next 48 hours.

NOAA GFS dew point forecast through Friday evening
NOAA GFS dew point forecast through Friday evening
NOAA via tropical tidbits

A shot at 90

Our warming trend peaks this weekend. Highs reach 85 to 90 across southern Minnesota Friday through Sunday. The best shot at hitting 90 again in the Twin Cities appears to be Sunday.

Forecast high temperatures Sunday
Forecast high temperatures Sunday
NOAA

Scattered thunder

Our tropical airmass will be capable of scattered thunderstorms this weekend. The most likely timing appears to be overnight. The Canadian model captures the essence of storm clusters roving the Upper Midwest this weekend.

Canadian model between Friday night and Sunday night
Canadian model between Friday night and Sunday night
Environment Canada via tropical tidbits

Next week looks less humid once again. Another shot of heat appears likely in about two weeks. Some of our most enjoyable summer weather of the year typically occurs in August.

At least that appears to be holding true in 2020.