Very hot with scattered storms Tuesday night; air quality concerns linger
Some storms could be severe in western Minnesota Tuesday night
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Highs Tuesday will be well into the 90s with muggier conditions. Scattered storms are possible Tuesday night with some becoming severe, especially west. Wednesday and Thursday will be hotter.
Hot Tuesday with scattered evening storms
We topped out at 90 degrees in the Twin Cities on Monday between thunderstorms but Tuesday will be hotter and more muggy. Highs will be into the low to mid-90s with dew points in the 60s.
Our attention then turns to the next thunderstorm chance between hot days.
Minnesota continues to be on the edge of the heat dome and the cap — warm air aloft that stabilizes the atmosphere. This means that any passing disturbances will touch off at least a few thunderstorms.
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Scattered severe storms will develop in South Dakota late Tuesday and that activity will track east across much of Minnesota Tuesday night, clearing out early Wednesday.
There’s a slight risk (level 2 out of 5) for severe weather for eastern South Dakota into western Minnesota. The primary threats are large hail and some damaging wind gusts.
The potential for high wind gusts in particular is something to monitor for west central and southwest Minnesota late Tuesday evening into the early overnight.
Smoke, heat bring poor air quality
While surface level smoke is no longer a problem in southern Minnesota, ozone will be an issue for the Twin Cities metro area as heat and sunshine react with surface level pollutants. Smoke continues to linger in the upper atmosphere making for hazy skies, however.
Surface smoke continues to cause air quality issues in northern Minnesota where the air quality alert goes through 3 p.m. Tuesday. The alert for the Twin Cities is in effect through 9 p.m. Thursday.
Check here for the latest Minnesota Pollution Control Agency air quality conditions and forecasts:
Hottest days come Wednesday, Thursday
The thunderstorm activity from Tuesday night should move out by the early to midmorning hours Wednesday with skies rapidly clearing, allowing it to heat back up Wednesday afternoon.
Dew points will be in the 60s to occasionally near 70, making for a heat index that will be near 100 at times Wednesday afternoon.
Thursday looks to be potentially hotter with an even higher heat index. Values could be between 100 and 105 Thursday afternoon.
We could also have some spotty thunderstorms possible especially in western Minnesota late in the day.
Slightly cooler air moves in for the weekend and that could touch off more thunderstorm chances Friday. Highs will still be in the upper 80s across southern Minnesota over the weekend but not as hot and humid.