Quiet Thursday, But Storms (Some Strong) Expected Thursday Night Into Friday

The sunniest period on Thursday in the metro will be during the mid to late morning hours, otherwise, a mix of sun and clouds can be expected during the day. Morning temperatures start off in the low 60s with highs climbing to the low 80s.

A mostly quiet day of weather is expected across the state on Thursday, though a few storms could approach the Red River Valley toward the dinner hour. Highs range from the 60s along the North Shore to the 80s in southern Minnesota.

Forecast loop from 7 PM Thursday to 7 AM Friday.

As we head through Thursday evening into the overnight hours, storms will start to march across the state as a system moves in. Some of these storms - mainly out in western Minnesota - could be strong to severe.

Because of that, a Slight Risk of severe weather (threat level 2 of 5) is in place for areas like Worthington and Marshall, with a Marginal Risk (1/5) extending eastward toward Melrose, Mankato, and Albert Lea. While an isolated tornado or two can't be ruled out, hail and wind are the primary risks.

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Forecast loop from 7 AM Friday to 7 PM Friday.

We could see redeveloping storm Friday afternoon across the region depending on how worked over the atmosphere is from the activity late Thursday night/Friday morning across the region. Something to keep an eye on for any Friday evening plans.

Friday: So we'll watch the chance of storms early and again late - that late chance depending on the morning activity. Highs reach the mid-80s otherwise under mostly cloudy skies (though some peaks of the sun are expected).

Saturday: A nice, but breezy, day of weather is expected with lots of sunshine and highs in the mid-80s. Winds will gust as high as 30 mph.

Sunday: We will watch another system approach which will bring the chance of storms into the afternoon and evening hours. Highs top off around 80F.

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Southern Heat That's Hard To Describe
By Paul Douglas

Heat index is to summer what wind chill is to winter. It's how it really feels, factoring temperature and dew point. In recent days parts of Florida have experienced a heat index over 120 degrees.

A friend, Maria Awes, founder of Committee Films in Eden Prairie, is in Disneyworld with her kids. What's it like? "Imagine the hottest temperature you've ever experienced and then add 20-25 degrees, and 85% relative humidity. It's like being french fried in a vat of hot, sweaty oil, she wrote. Some rides at Epcot had to close because of extreme heat, she added. We've only gotten a small, fleeting taste of the smothering heat gripping much of the southern USA this summer.

If you're heading to the "Pink" concert at Target Field this evening keep an eye on the sky (and Doppler on your smartphone) because a line of strong T-storms should arrive tonight. Always have an escape plan. We dry out Friday with a partly sunny Saturday, before the next (vigorous) clipper whips up heavy showers and T-storms Sunday afternoon.

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Paul's Extended Twin Cities Forecast

THURSDAY: Strong T-storms tonight. Wake up 62. High 81. Chance of precipitation 80%. Wind S 5-10 mph.

FRIDAY: Early shower, slowly drying out. Wake up 66. High 82. Chance of precipitation 40%. Wind W 10-20 mph.

SATURDAY: Sunnier day of the weekend. Wake up 65. High 81. Chance of precipitation 20%. Wind NW 10-20 mph.

SUNDAY: Sun early. Heavy PM showers, T-storms. Wake up 63. High 78. Chance of precipitation 80%. Wind S 10-20 mph.

MONDAY: Windy with AM showers, PM clearing. Wake up 62. High 74. Chance of precipitation 60%. Wind 15-40 mph.

TUESDAY: Sunny and warmer. Wake up 58. High 80. Chance of precipitation 10%. Wind S 8-13 mph.

WEDNESDAY: More wind-whipped showers. Wake up 62. High 76. Chance of precipitation 50%. Wind NW 15-30 mph.

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Minneapolis Weather Almanac And Sun Data
August 10th

*Length Of Day: 14 hours, 18 minutes, and 30 seconds
*Daylight LOST Since Yesterday: 2 minutes and 39 seconds

*When Do We Drop Below 14 Hours Of Sunlight? August 17th (13 hours, 59 minutes, 17 seconds)
*When Are Sunrises After 6:30 AM? August 28th (6:30 AM)
*When Are Sunsets At/Before 8:00 PM? August 27th (7:59 PM)
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This Day in Weather History
August 10th

2004: Cool Canadian air is ushered in on strong northwest winds. International Falls has its record coldest high temperature for this date with 49 degrees. The Twin Cities only saw a high of 59.

1939: Very heavy rain falls at Two Harbors, accumulating to 5.2 inches of rain.

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At least scattered areas of showers and storms will be possible across a good portion of the nation on Thursday, with severe storms possible in the Mid-Atlantic and the Northern Plains. Highs once again reach record levels from Texas to Florida with heat index values over 110F for some.

The heaviest rain across the lower 48 through the end of the week will be in parts of the mid-Mississippi Valley into the Ohio Valley and parts of the Southeast, where at least 2-4" of rain will be possible.

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At least 6 dead as Maui wildfires overwhelm hospitals, sever 911 services and force people to flee into the ocean

More from CNN: "At least six people have died as a result of the fires raging on Maui, the island's mayor, Richard Bissen Jr., said at a Wednesday news conference. "I'm sad to report that just before coming on this, it was confirmed we've had 6 fatalities," he said. "We are still in a search and rescue mode." Several people are also unaccounted for, Bissen added. He did not offer further details about the deaths. The wildfires torching the idyllic Hawaiian island are raging out of control, but the true scope of devastation remains unknown. That's because the infernos have knocked out cell service, hindered emergency communications and trapped residents and tourists on the island, is home to about 117,000. ... The fires are so catastrophic, some people have hurled themselves into the ocean to escape the flames. And Hawaii's governor, who was on a personal trip this week, said he was rushing back to the state Wednesday."

'This is going to get worse before it gets better': Panama Canal pileup due to drought reaches 154 vessels

More from CNBC: "The number of vessels waiting to cross the Panama Canal has reached 154, and slots for carriers to book passage are being reduced in an effort to manage congestion caused by ongoing drought conditions that have roiled the major shipping gateway since the spring. The current wait time to cross the canal is now around 21 days. The Panama Canal is a critical trade link for U.S. shippers heading to Gulf and East Coast ports. The U.S. is the largest user of the Panama Canal, with total U.S. commodity export and import containers representing about 73% of Panama Canal traffic. Forty percent of all U.S. container traffic travels through the canal every year, about $270 billion in cargo. The massive pileup is a result of water conservation measures the Panama Canal Authority deployed in late July due to drought."

Minnesota electric co-ops seek $970M in federal clean energy funds

More from Energy News Network: "A consortium of Minnesota electric cooperatives is preparing to apply for $970 million in federal funding that could help propel rural utilities toward the state's 100% clean electricity target. The state's largest generation and transmission cooperative, Great River Energy, convened the group, which so far includes more than half of its members. The utilities are collaborating on an application for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Empowering Rural America, or New ERA, program. The $9.7 billion program, created under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, is designed to help rural electric cooperatives pay for clean energy, carbon capture, energy storage and transmission projects. It represents the largest federal investment in rural electricity since the 1930s."

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- D.J. Kayser