Windy Thursday, more sun; hot by the weekend

We continue our break from the heat with partly cloudy skies and highs ranging from 70 in the north to the low 80s south. It will be windy from the west. More sun is on the way Friday before heat returns this weekend.

Severe storms in Wisconsin

Thursday evening brought severe storms to Wisconsin, where tornadoes touched down between Tomah and Mauston. Damage was reported to a hospital in Mauston.

This was the same front that came through earlier in the day across Minnesota Thursday but without severe weather.

Two more days of pleasant temperatures

Thursday will be pleasant once again, although northern Minnesota will have a few more clouds and a couple of lingering showers near and behind another cool front.

High temperatures will range from around 70 in far northern Minnesota to the mid-80s southwest. It will be windy from the west with sustained speeds at 15-25 mph, gusts of 30-40 mph.

Heat set to return

The heat already builds into western Minnesota Saturday afternoon. Highs will reach the 90s there.

Higher amounts of moisture also move in over the weekend with dew points reaching the 60s and low 70s by Sunday and Monday.  

The combination of heat and humidity will create triple-digit heat indices. High temperatures Sunday will reach the triple digits in western Minnesota with an even higher heat index.

That excessive heat will spread east giving us a chance at 100 degrees even in the Twin Cities Monday.

We’ll see the heat break some by midweek and that will also allow the chance of some thunderstorms. During the hottest days we’ll be capped, which means the air aloft is very warm. Relatively warmer air aloft prevents air from rising to form clouds and storms.

Thunderstorms will ride up and around the heat dome and cap Sunday and Monday but will start to break through Monday night into Tuesday as the dome subsides some.