Sunshine Tuesday with increasing rain, thunder chances into Wednesday

Temperatures and dew points are increasing Tuesday as well as the chance of showers. Western Minnesota will see a few thunderstorms late in the day Tuesday. Wednesday brings the chance of showers and thunder for the rest of Minnesota.

Temperatures and dew points are on the rise Tuesday

We’ll have another warm, sun-filled day Tuesday with temperatures in the mid-80s for most of Minnesota. Dew points will also increase, however, especially in the west, becoming a bit sticky.

That muggy air will persist into Wednesday before moving south Thursday as drier air returns behind Wednesday’s rain-producing disturbance.

Two main rain chances ahead

A vigorous atmospheric “short wave” is moving through the middle of the atmosphere out of Canada Tuesday. This shows up as a tightly spinning bundle of clouds on satellite imagery.

The disturbance will take advantage of warmth and moisture Tuesday, creating a few thunderstorms in northwest Minnesota late in the day.

There could be a few showers or a thunderstorm late Tuesday night and very early Wednesday morning in southern Minnesota, but the better chance will come in the late afternoon and evening Wednesday with daytime heating destabilizing the atmosphere further.

Behind the midweek system, temperatures will be a little cooler Thursday and Friday with drier air returning. We’ll see sunshine again Friday with high pressure parked over Minnesota before the next, more potent system creates a more widespread risk of showers and thunderstorms over the weekend.

The weekend system has the potential to drop heavier rainfall amounts as well.