Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Severe storms likely to rake Minnesota Wednesday night

Expect 90 degrees Thursday with more storms possible Thursday night

Severe weather risk areas Wednesday
Severe weather risk areas Wednesday.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Welcome to weather that feels like June and July. A steamy and stormy weather pattern is blowing into Minnesota through Thursday.

Waves of thunderstorms rolled through Minnesota Wednesday morning into the early afternoon hours. In southern Minnesota, heavy rain up to 3.2 inches fell in Waseca while Owatonna saw street flooding.

Huge hailstones — greater than 2 inches in diameter — fell in Pine Island, north of Rochester.

More severe storms likely Wednesday night

Scattered storms will rumble across Minnesota Wednesday. A second wave of storms is likely to develop Wednesday evening across southwestern Minnesota and roll later into eastern Minnesota, including the Twin Cities.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s NAM 3 km resolution model shows the developing clusters moving northeast across Minnesota between 5 p.m. and midnight.

NOAA NAM 3 km model
NOAA NAM 3 km model between 5 p.m. and midnight
NOAA, via Tropical Tidbits

The storms in southern Minnesota could produce severe hailstones more than 2 inches in diameter, damaging winds and even tornadoes. It looks like they may congeal into a bow echo, which could produce widespread wind damage along its path.

The most likely timing for severe storms in the greater Twin Cities appears to be between about 8 p.m. and midnight.

NOAA has an enhanced risk for severe storms across much of Minnesota through Thursday.

Stay alert for possible weather watches and warnings today and Thursday. See up to the minute updates on the MPR News severe weather live blog.