Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Classic summer weather fare, with a side of humidity

Dew points climb across Minnesota starting Thursday

It’s not the heat. It’s the humidity. — Anonymous

Actually, it’s the dew point.

Meteorologists closely watch dew points in summer. It’s a better measure than humidity for how comfortable we feel in summer. Humidity varies widely throughout the day. But dew points tend to be a more stable indicator of human comfort.

NOAA dew points
Dew point comfort range.
NOAA

Example? Let’s say the dew point is 70 degrees all day. The relative humidity will be much higher in the morning when temperatures are in the 70s and closer to the dew point. But you’ll feel far more uncomfortable in the afternoon when the air temperature is 90 degrees with a 70-degree dew point, even though the relative humidity is much lower then.

Tropical moisture returns

Minnesota feels another air mass change over the next 24 to 48 hours. Watch as another ribbon of tropical moisture surges north, with dew points approaching 70 degrees again by Friday.

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

Highs in the 80s continue through Friday.

Enjoy!