Summery this week, with highs near 90

By Todd Nelson, filling in for Douglas:

Ahh, the sweet sound of September cicadas. Incredibly, that noisy buzzing bug can reach 90 decibels, which is as loud as everyone’s favorite Toro lawn mower. According to farmers’ folklore, the first frost will occur six weeks after the cicadas first sing.

Francine developed in the Gulf of Mexico Monday and is the first named storm since Ernesto on Aug. 12. Meteorologist Philip Klotzbach from Colorado State University says the last time the Atlantic did not produce a named storm from Aug. 13 to Sept. 8 was 1968. Francine will make landfall along the Louisiana coast Wednesday as a hurricane with strong winds and up to 8 inches of rain. Believe it or not, clouds from this storm will drift over parts of Minnesota this weekend.

Summerlike temps continue with highs approaching 90 degrees by midweek. Other than a few isolated sprinkles Tuesday, the extended forecast remains mostly dry through the weekend. There are signs of more active weather returning for the second half of the month. Stay tuned.