Severe Storms Wednesday Evening - Cooler Thursday, But 90s Next Week

Forecast loop from 5 PM Wednesday to Midnight Wednesday Night.

We are watching a cold front sliding across the state Wednesday, which is leading to some strong storms as we head through the late afternoon and evening hours. Already Wednesday afternoon (through about 4:10 PM), a tornado had been reported northeast of Tenstrike in northern Minnesota. There had also been 1.75" diameter hail reported in Saum, near Hendricks, and in Kelliher.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch had also been issued for parts of northern and eastern Minnesota into northwestern Wisconsin until 10 PM Wednesday.

Due to the continued threat of severe weather through Wednesday evening, a Slight Risk of severe weather (threat level 2/5) is in place from north-central Minnesota to the eastern half of the state and many areas of southern Minnesota - including the metro. Very large hail and wind are the primary threats, but an isolated tornado or two can't be ruled out.

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While Thursday is expected to start on the cloudy side on Thursday, we should see some clearing skies into the afternoon hours. Morning temperatures will start off in the mid-60s with highs climbing to around 80F.

While there could be a little haze in the atmosphere Thursday, we aren't expecting to see smoke reach the ground. Most of the state will see a mix of sun and clouds to mainly sunny skies with highs ranging from the 60s along the North Shore to the low 80s in parts of western and southern Minnesota. The rain chance up toward Grand Marais is mainly early in the morning.

Temperatures will be on the increase as we head into the end of the week and the weekend, with low 80s on Friday, mid-80s Saturday, and upper 80s expected Sunday. While most of the weekend will feature mainly sunny skies, a few showers could sneak into the metro late in the day Saturday.

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Meanwhile, you might want to ensure your air conditioner is working properly, as it will get hot next week. Highs look to peak during the middle of the week right now somewhere in the mid to upper 90s.

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Strange But True Lightning Statistics
By Paul Douglas

Yes, more men work and play outside than women. And according to my wife, there is another factor to consider: women have more common sense. Men are more (what's the word) STUBBORN than the fairer sex. "I'm going to get 18 holes in, even if it kills me!" Careful what you wish for.

Data shows the most dangerous time to be outside during a thunderstorm is just before and after it rains. You can even be struck with blue sky overhead. A "bolt from the blue". The first rumble of thunder is God tapping you on the shoulder. Time to find safety in a building or vehicle.

The next chance of T-storms comes PM hours Saturday, with 80-degree highs into Sunday. The heat dome torturing the southwestern US shifts east next week, with mid to upper 90s here. 100F is not out of the question.

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Paul's Extended Twin Cities Forecast

FRIDAY: More sun, less wind. Wake up 63. High 85. Chance of precipitation 10%. Wind NW 8-13 mph.

SATURDAY: Warm sunshine, late T-storm? Wake up 65. High 87. Chance of precipitation 50%. Wind W 8-13 mph.

SUNDAY: Hot sunshine. Wake up 67. High 89. Chance of precipitation 10%. Wind NW 5-10 mph.

MONDAY: Partly sunny, heating up again. Wake up 68. High 91. Chance of precipitation 20%. Wind NW 5-10 mph.

TUESDAY: Hot and sweaty with hazy sun. Wake up 69. High 94. Chance of precipitation 10%. Wind S 8-13 mph.

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Minneapolis Weather Almanac And Sun Data
July 20th

*Length Of Day: 15 hours, 7 minutes, and 21 seconds
*Daylight LOST Since Yesterday: 1 minute and 52 seconds

*When Do We Drop Below 15 Hours Of Sunlight? July 24th (14 hours, 59 minutes, 22 seconds)
*When Are Sunrises After 6 AM? August 2nd (6:00 AM)
*When Are Sunsets At/Before 8:30 PM? August 8th (8:30 PM)
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This Day in Weather History
July 20th

1909: 10.75 inches of rain falls in 24 hours at Beaulieu in Mahnomen County. This record would stand for over 50 years. Bagley receives an estimated 10 inches.

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An area of low pressure across the Great Lakes, along with associated frontal boundaries from the Front Range and Central Plains to the Mid-Atlantic will bring shower and storm activity. Storms will also be possible in parts of the Southwest and Southeast. Record heat continues to plague the Southwest.

A couple of areas of 3"+ of rain will be possible through the end of the work week: one across the Front Range into the western Central Plains, and another in parts of the Ohio and Tennessee River Valleys.

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More from SFGATE: "As the Northern Hemisphere approaches summer's peak, heat is testing the limits of human survival in Earth's hottest spots - and demonstrating the extremes that are increasingly possible and probable against the backdrop of accelerating global warming. In recent days, China set an all-time high of nearly 126 degrees Fahrenheit, while Death Valley hit 128 degrees, two shy of the highest reliably measured temperature on Earth. Phoenix experienced a record-breaking 19th consecutive day at or above 110 degrees Tuesday. And in the Middle East, the heat index reached 152 degrees, nearing - or surpassing - levels thought to be the most intense the human body can withstand."

In the California desert, old EV batteries now store solar power

More from Marketplace: "On a hot, flat, empty stretch of desert in Lancaster, California, a company is trying to solve two of renewable energy's biggest problems at once. Problem one: The dearth of clean energy sources in the evening, when the demand for that energy is at its highest. Problem two: Electric vehicle batteries contain a lot of precious metals that need to be extracted from the Earth — a very energy-intensive process. But as they get older, the battery's mileage range drops, and they may be replaced. In other cases, drivers get new cars long before the batteries stop working completely. B2U Storage Solutions is using the excess supply of used batteries to meet the high demand for stored clean energy. "It's pretty simple: Take it out of the car, put it in, cable it up, and it's ready to go," says Rachel Harper, B2U's operations project manager."

There's no safe port in a changing climate

More from Axios: "Fatal flooding in the Northeast. Blistering heat waves in the South and Southwest. Wildfire smoke pouring in across the Canadian border. This summer's extreme weather across the United States has been a vivid reminder that no corner of the country is immune to the effects of a rapidly warming planet. Why it matters: Americans who move from one region to another are increasingly citing climate change as at least one driving factor, as they seek perceived safety from larger, more frequent wildfires, stronger hurricanes and so on. Yet nowhere is truly safe from extreme weather, some of which is fueled by climate change."

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- D.J. Kayser