We're staring down a very hot day across CCO-Land. The National Weather Service has posted a "Heat Advisory" for the Twin Cities metro until 8:00 Tuesday evening.
The high temperatures combined with some serious humidity, making it feel even hotter than it already is, will make it a hot and heavy day says WCCO-TV Chief Meteorologist Chris Shaffer.
"It could feel like the upper 90s, like 98 degrees," Shaffer told the WCCO Morning News with Vineeta Sawkar. "It's just hard for your body to cool off. So try to limit the outdoor activity during those peak afternoon hours, seek shade, stay hydrated. We've been down this road before."
The hot and humid - as we're familiar with in Minnesota - comes with a severe weather risk as well. The dew points are already in the upper-60s in the Twin Cities and low 70's across western and southern Minnesota which is at a tropical level.
Numerous thunderstorms are expected develop through Wednesday morning. A few severe storms could be possible Tuesday afternoon and evening with damaging wind and hail the likely threats. Locally heavy rain is also possible with isolated amounts of 3-4"+ possible. That much rain can always come with the risk of some flash flooding too.
But Shaffer doesn't think this is going to be a major breakout of severe storms with most of it weakening by the time it approaches the Twin Cities. The biggest threat of severe storms is across the central part of the state.
"I think we'll get ours around evening time. The greatest risk for severe storms is actually gonna be west of the metro, pushing, kind of arching over us up toward the Duluth area and into northern Wisconsin," Shaffer says. "The big concerns would be some hail initially with some of these initial thunderstorm cells, and then maybe some strong to damaging winds as well. It's a slight risk, which is about a 2 on a scale of 5. We're in the marginal risk, which is a 1 out of 5 in the Twin Cities metro, but just be ready for some rumbles this evening till about 10:00 or so."
That rain leads to a cool down. How cool? You will notice a dramatic difference.
"73 the high, 20 degrees cooler," he says. "The dew points will be dropping as well so a very cool-comfortable day. I think your favorite day is going to be Thursday, partly cloudy, 76, not humid, not windy. It's just gonna feel refreshing.
The sun stays with us into the weekend along with those more moderate temps.
SMOKE IS STILL THERE
There is also an Air Quality Alert still in effect for far northern Minnesota. Shaffer says the winds coming from the north could push that back into Minnesota.
"The wind will be coming from the northwest behind that front, and it will mix down to the surface," Shaffer explains. "That means there'll be smoky air mainly across northern Minnesota. There's an air quality alert for unhealthy air today until 6 p.m. They will extend that tomorrow. I think the smoke will be worse tomorrow. Down here in the Twin Cities, we might see a little haze that should stay elevated, so no air quality alerts for us. But just something to be mindful of if you're heading up to a cabin up in northern Minnesota."
The air is worse along the north shore of Lake Superior where the Pollution Control Agency lists it as "unhealthy" or in the red category. The rest of northern Minnesota is in the orange, or "unhealthy for sensitive groups" category.
FORECAST
TUESDAY: Partly cloudy and humid. Heat Advisory for the metro noon-8 pm. High 93. SW 10-15 mph.
TUESDAY NIGHT: Rain and thunderstorms by evening into the night. Low 68. NE wind 5-10 mph.
WEDNESDAY: Scattered showers. High 73. NE wind 5-10 mph.
Cool and dry Thursday and Friday. Warming slightly by the weekend.
HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 8 PM TUESDAY
* WHAT...Heat index values up to 98 expected.
* WHERE...Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, and Washington Counties.
* WHEN...From noon to 8 PM Tuesday.
* IMPACTS...Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat illnesses.
AIR QUALITY ALERT NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM TUESDAY
* WHAT...The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has issued an Air Quality Alert for fine particles pollution. The Air Quality Index (AQI) is expected to reach the Red or Unhealthy category.
* WHERE...Northeast Minnesota.
* WHEN...Until 11 PM Tuesday.
* IMPACTS...Some members of the general public may experience health effects. Sensitive groups, such as people with lung disease (including asthma), heart disease, and children and older adults, may experience health effects.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Light winds will allow existing wildfire smoke across northern Minnesota to linger into this evening and overnight. Concentrations are expected to be highest along and near the shores of Lake Superior. An additional round of heavy surface smoke from wildfires across southern Canada is expected to transport into northern Minnesota on Tuesday.