Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Record September heat wave ahead

Highs could hit 100 in parts of Minnesota Labor Day weekend

Forecast high temperatures Sunday
Forecast high temperatures Sunday.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Can you believe it’s going to be Sept. 1? Where do our summers go?

Meteorological fall arrives Friday, but September 2023 is coming in like a blowtorch. Get ready for another blast of 90-degree heat as we move into September. Another unseasonably hot weather pattern is setting up over the Upper Midwest this weekend.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Global Forecast System and all other forecast models build a steamy ridge of high pressure aloft over the Upper Midwest this weekend.

The GFS upper air 500-millibar loop below shows the ridge amplifying between Friday and Saturday morning.

Upper air forecast map for
Upper-air forecast map Friday and Saturday
NOAA, via Tropical Tidbits

Thursday brings a breezy but comfortable day with temperatures in the 80s across most of Minnesota.

Things heat up quickly by Friday. Highs will push into the 90s across most of southern and western Minnesota Friday afternoon.

Forecast high temperatures Friday
Forecast high temperatures Friday
NOAA

Record weekend heat wave

Highs will reach the mid-90s by Saturday afternoon. Record highs for the Twin Cities from Saturday to Labor Day are 97 to 98 degrees. We may tie or break multiple records cross Minnesota this weekend.

Our Labor Day weekend heat wave peaks Sunday and Labor Day. Highs will approach 100 degrees across southern Minnesota by Sunday afternoon. Highs in the 90s will reach the Iron Range and Duluth areas.

Forecast high temperatures Sunday
Forecast high temperatures Sunday
NOAA

And Labor Day will be nearly as hot in most areas.

Forecast high temperatures Labor Day
Forecast high temperatures Labor Day
NOAA

Looking for some cooler weather? Tuesday brings a cool front, but with temperatures still above average.

Forecast high temperatures Tuesday
Forecast high temperatures Tuesday
NOAA