Despite record 'cooler' days, the Twin Cities has had a HOT summer so far. In fact, there have been 14 days with temps at 90F or warmer. The hottest day was June 20th, when the mercury jumped to 101F! Keep in mind that we typically see around 13 days with highs in the 90s or warmer. The most was back in 1988 when the Twin Cities recorded 44 days! More recently in 2012, the metro saw 31 days in the 90s or higher.

Since June 1st, the average temperature in the Twin Cities has been the 8th warmest on record. Note that last summer (through July 24th) it had been the 4th warmest and 8th driest summer on record.

Here's how much rain has fallen across the region so far this summer (since June 1st). Note that the Twin Cities has seen only 2.20". This is more than -5.50" below average and is the 4th driest starts to any Summer on record!

Here's the latest drought update across Minnesota. Thanks to mostly dry weather over the last few weeks, parts of Central Minnesota, including the Twin Cities, are now under severe and moderate drought conditions.

Here's the weather outlook from AM Tuesday to AM Monday. There doesn't appear to be any major rain chances over the next several days, but there will be a few showers and storms possible on Tuesday and again late weekend. Other than a couple of pockets of heavy rainfall here and there, the rainfall amounts should be pretty light across much of Minnesota through the week and weekend ahead.

The precipitation potential through the weekend shows heavier rain chances across the northeastern part of the state with some 0.50" to 1.00" tallies possible. The Twin Cities maybe lucky to see a couple/few tenths of an inch of rain over the next several days.

The weather outlook for Tuesday shows temps warming into the 70s across the region with some locations in the Arrowhead only warming into the 60s. Note that these readings are nearly -5F below average for late July. There will also be a few showers and storms popping up through the day as well.

The hourly temps for Minneapolis on Tuesday shows temperatures starting in the upper 60s and warming into the upper 70s by the afternoon. Spotty showers will be possible throughout the day with a better chance of a few rumbles later in the afternoon. South to southwesterly winds will be a bit breezy at times with gusts approaching 20mph in the afternoon.

The extended temperature outlook for Minneapolis shows slightly below average temperatures continuing through the last full week of July. However, the weekend will be hot again as readings approaching 90F once again.

The extended weather outlook over the next 7 days shows at or slightly below average temperatures through the rest of the week. However, temps spike up to near 90F again this weekend with chances of showers and storms late weekend into early next week.

According to the NBM & ECMWF extended temperature outlook, temps will remain on the 'cooler' side over the next few days, but will warm into the 90s again by early August.

According to NOAA's Climate Prediction Center, the 8 to 14 day temperature outlook shows above average temps east of the Rockies and especially in the Central US. Get ready for another round of heat!

For roughly half the year Minnesota meteorologists (myself included) slander our good friends to the north. "Another bitter CANADIAN COLD FRONT is approaching!" It's lazy. Canada is not to blame for our cold waves. It's geography. So let's give credit where credit is due. "A refreshingly cool, comfortable airmass of Canadian heritage is likely this week!" Better.

Consider this intermission. A break in the action. Long range models suggest more sticky, 90-degree days ahead, as soon as next week. But temperatures run a few degrees below average this week with nights in the 50s - even a few 40s up north later this week. Light jackets in late July? Well why not.

The leading edge of this low-humidity "fresh front" will leave our skies agitated, unstable and capable of a few showers and T-storms later today. Not the soaking we need but at this point any rain helps. 70s for highs later this week, with 80s this weekend.

As we speak I'm writing a thank you note to Canada's Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau.

TUESDAY: Some sun, PM thunder. Winds: SW 10-20. High: 78.

WEDNESDAY: Partly sunny and pleasant. Winds: W 10-20. High: 79.

THURSDAY: Mostly cloudy, cooler. Showers north. Winds: NW 10-20. Wake-up: 61. High: 75.

FRIDAY: Sunny and beautiful. Winds: NW 7-12. Wake-up: 58. High: 76.

SATURDAY: Sunny and warmer. Winds: SW 7-12. Wake-up: 60. High: 85.

SUNDAY: Sticky with a stray T-storm. Winds: S 10-20. Wake-up: 68. High: 84.

July 6th

1981: A chilly morning occurs across the Northland, with 33 degrees at Roseau and Wannaska.

July 26th

Average High: 83F (Record: 100F set in 1894 & 1955)

Average Low: 65F (Record: 45F set in 1962)

Record Snowfall: None

July 26th

Sunrise: 5:52am

Sunset: 8:46pm

Hours of Daylight: ~14 hours & 54 minutes

Daylight LOST since Winter Solstice (December 21st): ~ 43 minutes

1.5 Days Before New Moon

See more from Space.com HERE:

The weather outlook on Tuesday shows hot temps lingering across the Southern US with highs warming into the 100s in Dallas once again. Temp in the Pacific Northwest will be well above average with record highs possible.

Weather conditions through the over the next few days show somewhat unsettled weather in place across the Central US with showers and storms. There will be, at times, some heavy rainfall along with a few isolated strong to severe storms.

"Thirty years ago, a bold plan was cooked up to spread doubt and persuade the public that climate change was not a problem. The little-known meeting - between some of America's biggest industrial players and a PR genius - forged a devastatingly successful strategy that endured for years, and the consequences of which are all around us. On an early autumn day in 1992, E Bruce Harrison, a man widely acknowledged as the father of environmental PR, stood up in a room full of business leaders and delivered a pitch like no other. At stake was a contract worth half a million dollars a year - about £850,000 in today's money. The prospective client, the Global Climate Coalition (GCC) - which represented the oil, coal, auto, utilities, steel, and rail industries - was looking for a communications partner to change the narrative on climate change. Don Rheem and Terry Yosie, two of Harrison's team present that day, are sharing their stories for the first time. "Everybody wanted to get the Global Climate Coalition account," says Rheem, "and there I was, smack in the middle of it."

See more from BBC HERE:

"The Atlantic hurricane season starts on June 1, and the Gulf of Mexico is already warmer than average. Even more worrying is a current of warm tropical water that is looping unusually far into the Gulf for this time of year, with the power to turn tropical storms into monster hurricanes. It's called the Loop Current, and it's the 800-pound gorilla of Gulf hurricane risks. When the Loop Current reaches this far north this early in the hurricane season – especially during what's forecast to be a busy season – it can spell disaster for folks along the Northern Gulf Coast, from Texas to Florida. If you look at temperature maps of the Gulf of Mexico, you can easily spot the Loop Current. It curls up through the Yucatan Channel between Mexico and Cuba, into the Gulf of Mexico, and then swings back out through the Florida Strait south of Florida as the Florida Current, where it becomes the main contributor to the Gulf Stream."

See more from Free Think HERE:

"This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page. If you found yourself doomscrolling in the shade this week between stories of raging European wildfires and government heat wave warnings, you may have noticed the United Kingdom registered its hottest day on record. That one of the most sweltering temperatures, 40.2 degrees Celsius (104.3 degrees Fahrenheit), was found at London's Heathrow Airport (LHR) was apt given how much the aviation world has been affected by the heat waves. On top of having to issue passenger guidance for the rising temperatures, certain airports also had to deal with melting runways."