“Tornadoes are the perfect expression of chaos: violently ordered and terrifyingly exact.” I’ve seen four twisters, three of them while tornado-chasing in Oklahoma, another from our dock churning above Orono. Live in Minnesota long enough and you may see one, hopefully from a distance.
NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center has an enhanced risk of severe weather over central and southern Minnesota for Monday. To be precise, a 5% risk of an EF2 to EF5 tornado within 25 miles of any point. Wind shear, moisture and ample sunshine heating the low layers of the atmosphere above 80 degrees may initiate convection, with a “squall line” of potentially dangerous storms later Monday. I do expect watches and warnings, but most of us probably won’t experience damaging winds or hail.
We dry out a little Tuesday through Thursday with more T-storms Friday, before a hot front pushes north. We may see 90s next Sunday with dew points in the drippy 70s. From a whiff of windchill on Friday to an excessive heat advisory nine days later? Welcome to Minnesota!