Excessive heat watch in effect for multiple counties in Minnesota, western Wisconsin

An excessive heat watch is in effect for multiple counties in Minnesota and western Wisconsin Friday.

The excessive heat watch is expected to stretch from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Portions of the Twin Cities metro area, southern Minnesota and west-central Wisconsin are specifically named as areas impacted by the heat. For a full list of counties affected, click here.

KSTP meteorologist Jonathan Yuhas says Friday will feel very hot and humid. Highs will hover around 90 degrees and heat index values in the low-to-mid 90s. Severe thunderstorms with damaging winds are possible in the Twin Cities late Friday night into early Saturday morning.

The greatest risk for damaging winds will be along a line from Fargo, North Dakota to Brainerd, and east to Duluth between 10 p.m. near the Minnesota/North Dakota border and 1 a.m. to 4 a.m. Saturday in the Duluth and Brainerd areas, according to Yuhas.

According to the National Weather Services Twin Cities, the highest risk for severe weather Friday night involves northwest and central Minnesota.

The latest SPC Convective Outlook for tonight has extended the highest risk for severe weather farther east into central Minnesota and trimmed back the severe threat across southern Minnesota. #mnwx #wiwx pic.twitter.com/GbCL6qpejF

— NWS Twin Cities (@NWSTwinCities) July 17, 2020

Saturday could feature some more severe weather, starting in the evening hours into the night.