Tornadoes get all the glory. They’re exotic and rare. People chase them. Others are chased by them. I couldn’t convince Steven Spielberg to follow up “Twister” with “Derecho!”
Which is a shame, because 2 out of 3 storm damage reports in the U.S. come from straight-line winds. According to NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center, Minnesota has seen 316 reports of damaging winds so far in 2025, mostly from thunderstorms.
Climate Central says severe winds have increased 7% for every 1 degree Fahrenheit of warming over the central U.S. since 1980. A warmer, wetter climate and heavier rain triggers more evaporation, causing air to cool and sink faster, creating faster straight-line winds. Great.
Cue the thunderstorms. ECMWF prints out 2 to 4 inches of additional rain from Friday night into Monday. Thunderstorm flooding can’t be ruled out, but I don’t see any widespread damaging winds or hail. Temps in the 80s next week, maybe 70s and a few 60s the last week of August for the State Fair? Sweet relief.
I can’t rule out more thick smoke, but a comfortable front may be on the way.
