The pause on heat, humidity continues through Thursday

Here’s your Wednesday evening forecast for July 17, 2024 from Minnesota’s Weather Authority and Meteorologist Matt Serwe.

Wednesday is the coolest day in the Twin Cities since our cloudy and mostly wet Independence Day. The cooler-than-average weather continues for another day. When you wake up Thursday morning, temperatures will likely be in the low to mid 50s across most of Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin. There will be a few cities up north that drop into the upper 40s! Highs Thursday reach the mid to upper 70s, which is 5 to 10 degrees below average.

By the end of the week, the jet stream turns out of the northwest from Canada, sending several weak waves toward the Great Lakes. At the same time, south winds at the surface will bring the humidity up day by day. Adding those two things together, the rain and storm chances increase this weekend too. A few storms are possible Saturday afternoon, then chances go up a little more Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. Severe weather chances are very low, but lightning might keep you inside for an hour or two each afternoon.