'Uff da hot this weekend': Temperatures to soar to around 100 degrees
It's going to dangerously hot this weekend, with high temperatures approaching 100 degrees on Friday.
"For Minnesota standards, it's gonna be 'uff da' hot this weekend," Beltrami County Emergency Management Director Christopher Muller said in a news release.
Things start to warm up on Thursday, with high temperatures in the 80s to 90s.
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And then it just gets hotter — the high temps will soar to the upper 80s and 90s, with possibly a few 100-degree readings in western Minnesota, the National Weather Service (NWS) in the Twin Cities said in its forecast discussion Thursday morning.
Record-high temperatures are possible Friday into Saturday, especially across portions of northern Minnesota, where the normal high this time of year is around 70 degrees.
"Northern Minnesota is known for the brutal winters and less known for extreme heat. This coming weekend Beltrami County could experience the warmest temperatures we have seen in many years," Beltrami County Emergency Management said.
This map shows how hot it's expected to be at 5 p.m. on Friday:
"The only saving grace here is the lack of moisture advection will keep relative humidity values, and hence heat index values, in check," NWS said, noting heat index values will be a "negligible increase" over actual temperature values.
So, when it's 100 degrees, it won't feel that much hotter outside than it actually is.
However, with these hot temperatures and low humidity, there's an increased risk for fires, which has prompted the NWS to issue a fire weather watch for Friday in northern, central and western Minnesota. This watch could be extended into Saturday thanks to the southwesterly winds that are keeping things hot and dry through the weekend.
The lows Friday night will only drop to around 70 degrees for most of the area, which will help things heat up quickly again on Saturday.
Highs across Minnesota are forecast to be in the mid-90s Saturday, with some areas inching toward 100 degrees, NWS says.
Here's the temperature forecast for 5 p.m. on Saturday:
Sunday is set to be cooler but still hotter than normal for this time of year. NWS says temps will be in the low 90s but dew points will remain closer to normal, which will help make for a "relatively dry heat overall instead of humid and uncomfortable."
Going into next week, temperatures will stay above normal but it won't be nearly as hot with highs in the mid to upper 80s.
Staying safe in the heat
Minnesota usually doesn't experience this hot of weather this early in the summer, so here are some reminders to stay safe and avoid a heat-related illness like heat stroke or heat exhaustion:
- Drink water (and other non-alcoholic fluids) to stay hydrated
- Stay in areas with air conditioning when possible.
- Do not leave anyone, including pets, in vehicles.
- Wear lightweight, light-colored and loose-fitting clothing.
- Check on the elderly and those who are homebound.
- Avoid rigorous outdoor activity during high heat and humidity (so if you're doing work outdoors, stick to the morning hours when it will be cooler).