Weekend Outlook For The Twin Cities

The weather outlook for the weekend ahead suggests that a few showers and or isolated t-storms maybe possible on Saturday. However, the best chance of more widespread rains will be found south of the Twin Cities. Skies will clear a bit more overnight Saturday with bright and mild sunshine returning on Sunday.

Simulated Radar This Weekend

Here's the simulated radar from 7AM Saturday to 1PM Sunday, which shows a few showers and storms popping up as we head through the day and especially across the southern parts of the state.

Precipitation Potential

The rainfall potential through the weekend shows areas of rain across parts of southern MN, some of the heaviest will fall across southern parts of the state and especially south of the Twin Cities Metro.

Saturday Weather Outlook

The weather outlook for the Twin Cities on Saturday shows slightly unsettled weather moving in across the region with spotty showers developing during the afternoon. Hight temps will warm into the upper 70s, which will be a little cooler than average for the early/middle part of July.

Minneapolis Meteograms

The meteograms for Minneapolis on Saturday shows slight chances of rain showers moving through during the day and especially in the afternoon hours. Temps will warm from the mid 60s in the morning to the upper 70s in the afternoon with easterly winds around 5 to 15mph.

Regional Weather Outlook for Saturday

The weather outlook across the region on Saturday will depend on where you are across the state. Readings will cooler than average by -5F to -10F across the southern half of the state with spotty showers and storms possible. Meanwhile, folks in the northern half of the state will be above average by nearly +5F with readings warming into the 80s with hazy sunshine.

Extended Weather Outlook for Minneapolis

The extended weather outlook for Minneapolis shows temps warming to below average levels once again on Saturday. However, temps should get to above average levels once again as late weekend and through much of next week with readings warming into the upper 80s. There is also a better chance of showers and storms late Wednesday and into early Thursday. Stay tuned.

Weather Outlook Through PM Monday

Here's the extended weather outlook from AM Saturday to PM Monday, which shows widespread showers and storms rolling through the Midwest. Some of the heaviest rains will fall south of the Twin Cities with some 2" to 4" tallies possible in southeastern Iowa, northeastern Missouri and through central Illinois.

Regional Rainfall Potential Through 7PM Sunday

Here's the rainfall potential through 7PM Monday across the Midwest, which shows very heavy rainfall across the middle part of the country where some 2" to 4" tallies can't be ruled out. Flash Flood watches have been issued in these areas through Saturday.

8 to 14 Day Temperature Outlook

According to NOAA's Climate Prediction Center, the 8 to 14 day temperature outlook shows warmer than average temps continuing across much of the western US and across the northern tier of the nation. Meanwhile, areas in the Southern Plains will be running cooler than average.

Soggier Saturday in Southern MN. Sunnier Sunday
By Todd Nelson, filling in for Douglas.

According to NOAA's Storm Prediction Center, June 2021 saw the 3rd fewest number of tornado watches on record with only 10 across the Continental United States. The only years with fewer tornado watches during the month of June were 2020 and 2019.

A typical June sees nearly 175 tornado reports across the nation, this year had a little more than 100, 1 of which was reported in Minnesota on June 10th in Ottertail County. Interestingly, June tends to be the month when the greatest number of tornadoes touchdown in the state with an average of 15, so needless to say it was a pretty slow month for severe weather closer to home. On the other hand, 2010 saw the greatest number of MN tornadoes for any June on record with 71!

Weather conditions will be somewhat soggy across southern parts of the state this weekend, but the bulk of the rains will fall across Iowa with some 2-4 inch tallies possible. Northern MN will stay dry and sunny with warmer temps lingering into next week. Our next shot of decent rain arrives Wednesday and we need it!

Extended Forecast

SATURDAY: More clouds. Showers south. Winds: E 5-10. High: 78.

SATURDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy, slight chance of showers. Winds: E 5-10. Low: 63.

SUNDAY: Rain SE MN. More sunshine north & west. Winds: ENE 5-10. High: 85.

MONDAY: Partly sunny. Slight chance of showers. Winds: ENE 5-10. Wake-up: 63. High: 83.

TUESDAY: Dry start. Isolated late day rumble?. Winds: WSW 5-10. Wake-up: 63. High: 86.

WEDNESDAY: Increasing PM T-storm chance. Winds: ESE 5-10. Wake-up: 69. High: 86.

THURSDAY: AM puddle potential. Warmer PM sun. Winds: WNW 5. Wake-up: 65. High: 85.

FRIDAY: Looking dry & mild. Nice summer day. Winds: WSW 5-10. Wake-up: 65. High: 87.

This Day in Weather History

July 10th

2002: Intense rainfall causes extensive street flooding in St. Cloud. 2.70 inches of rain falls in 1 hour and 45 minutes at St. Cloud State University. People were stranded in their cars and had to be rescued by the fire department.

Average High/Low for Minneapolis

July 10th

Average High: 84F (Record: 106F set in 1936)

Average Low: 64F (Record: 49F set in 1996)

Record Rainfall: 1.93" set in 2002

Record Snowfall: 0.00"

Sunrise/Sunset Times for Minneapolis

July 10th

Sunrise: 5:37am

Sunset: 8:59pm

Hours of Daylight: ~15 hours & 23 minutes

Daylight LOST since yesterday: ~ 1 minute & 20 seconds

Daylight LOST since Summer Solstice (June 20th): ~6 Minutes

Moon Phase for July 10th at Midnight

1.2 Days Since New Moon

See more from Space.com HERE:

What's in the Night Sky?

In the morning before sunup July 5 to 8, 2021, watch for the waning crescent moon and Mercury, plus red Aldebaran and the Pleiades cluster, in Taurus the Bull.

See more from Earth Sky HERE:

National High Temps Saturday

The weather outlook on Saturday shows cooler temps across the Midwest, where temps will be nearly -5F to -10F below average. Meanwhile folks in the Western US will be running above average once again with dangerous and record heat possible.

National Weather Outlook

The national weather outlook through the weekend shows a fairly potent storm system sliding into the Central US with widespread showers and storms, some of which could be strong to severe with heavy rains and flash flood potential.

Extended Precipitation Outlook

According to NOAA's Weather Prediction Center areas of heavy rainfall will be possible across parts of the Central US. Note that some +4" tallies maybe possible in the heartland of America. There also appears to be some decent monsoon moisture possible across parts of Arizona and New Mexico.

Climate Stories

"Accelerated sea ice loss in the Wandel Sea points to a change in the Arctic's Last Ice Area"

"The Arctic Ocean's Wandel Sea is the easternmost sector of the Last Ice Area, where thick, old sea ice is expected to endure longer than elsewhere. Nevertheless, in August 2020 the area experienced record-low sea ice concentration. Here we use satellite data and sea ice model experiments to determine what caused this record sea ice minimum. In our simulations there was a multi-year sea-ice thinning trend due to climate change. Natural climate variability expressed as wind-forced ice advection and subsequent melt added to this trend. In spring 2020, the Wandel Sea had a mixture of both thin and—unusual for recent years—thick ice, but this thick ice was not sufficiently widespread to prevent the summer sea ice concentration minimum. With continued thinning, more frequent low summer sea ice events are expected. We suggest that the Last Ice Area, an important refuge for ice-dependent species, is less resilient to warming than previously thought."

See more from Nature.com HERE:

"Smart fabric radiates heat to keep you cooler in the sun"

Clothes and covers made of a smart fabric that radiates heat and reflects light could help people and objects that are out in the sun stay several degrees cooler. Guangming Tao at Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, China, and his colleagues developed what they call a "metafabric" by combining microscopic beads and fibres of titanium oxide, Teflon and a plastic called polylactic acid, all embedded within larger fibres. The beads of titanium oxide – a substance also found in sunscreens – and the Teflon reflect ultraviolet and visible light, while the polylactic acid fibres emit infrared light. The sizes of the particles are designed to optimise these properties. "Through structural control, our metafabric achieves a nearly perfect mid-infrared emissivity, thereby maximising heat dissipation," says Tao. In one test, a volunteer wearing a vest made half of the metafabric and half of cotton sat in direct sunlight for an hour. The skin temperature under the metafabric rose from around 31°C to 32°C over that time, while the skin temperature under the cotton rose to around 37°C. In another test, one car was covered with the metafabric, another with a shop-bought cover and a third was left uncovered. When left in the sun from 11am to 1pm, the temperature rose to 60°C in the uncovered car, 57°C in the car with the standard cover and 30°C in the one with the metafabric cover over that period.

See more from New Scientist HERE:

"Sizzling in the South: Gulf Coast communities fight for equitable climate solutions"

"Millions of tourists still flock to Miami's prized beaches, but each year the sea steals a little more of those fabled sands. South Florida could see more than two feet of sea-level rise in the next 40 years, according to the region's scientists. For a city built on porous limestone and racial inequality, this reality is already seeping in. With such immediate concerns, Miami has become a frontline community in the fight against climate change. But climate is not the city's only challenge. Miami-Dade is a majority-minority county with a gaping wealth gap. It's also part of a state with a history of environmental exploitation and a climate-change record ranging from lackluster to downright hostile. As city leaders raise funds and develop game plans to tackle climate challenges, local groups are pushing to make sure the region's most vulnerable populations aren't left behind."

See more from Salon.com HERE:

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