Look for drier conditions toward midweek

Minnesota is still hurricane-free, but we get an extra dose of everything else under the sun. Early Monday we saw a mesoscale convective system, a statewide swarm of strong to severe storms with heavy rain and nearly continuous lightning. Fairly common along warm fronts at night in June, these systems are big rainmakers.

Not to be confused with a derecho, which looks like a boomerang on radar and can travel nearly 1,000 miles, these systems can spark extreme straight-line winds, sometimes more than100 mph. Yes, Mother Nature has no shortage of weapons in her arsenal.

Warm, juicy air comes rushing north again Tuesday, with 80s, steamy dew points and more strong to severe thunderstorms later in the day and night, maybe another 1 to 1½” of rain possible. I expect a dry sky much of Wednesday and Thursday, but a noisy front parks over Minnesota late week with thunderstorms sparking more downpours Friday into Saturday. Sunday will be the sunnier day of the weekend.

I can hear my lawn growing. Skeeters are happy, too.