Another winner on Tuesday; Wednesday rain chance

Minnesotans enjoyed some of the finest weather in the country on Monday, and Tuesday will be just as nice.

An outdoor lunch or dinner will be pleasant on Tuesday, with highs in the 70s over northern and central Minnesota, and some lower 80s in the south:

Wednesday highs should be in the 70s across most of Minnesota:

Twin Cities metro area highs will probably be in the 70s Thursday through Sunday.

Green lawns in August

The first 8 days in July were very dry in parts of the Twin Cities metro area.

Only one one-hundredth of an inch of rain was measured at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport from July 1 through July 8.

Some metro area lawns and parks were showing light green shades and even some hints of the grass beginning to go dormant.

Since July 9, we've seen timely rains in much of the Twin Cities metro area, and lawns and park vistas are looking very green again.

However, the rainfall total is still 1.32 inches below normal since June 1 at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport:

Unsettled weather midweek

The atmosphere over Minnesota and western Wisconsin will become a bit unstable on Wednesday.

Showers and a few thunderstorms will be possible at times from Wednesday into Thursday.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Global Forecast System model shows the potential rain pattern:

The color chart to the right of the loop refers to the rainfall rate (mm per hour), not to the total amount of rain.

There will be a smaller chance of a shower or thunderstorm on Friday.

Tropical Storm Franklin 

Late Monday afternoon, Tropical Storm Franklin was getting closer to the eastern coast of the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico.

Here is the latest information from the National Hurricane Center:

DISCUSSION AND 48-HOUR OUTLOOK

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At 400 PM CDT (2100 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Franklin was

located near latitude 18.6 North, longitude 85.9 West. Franklin is

moving toward the northwest near 13 mph (20 km/h), and a

west-northwestward to westward motion is expected over the next 48

hours. On the forecast track, the center will be near the east

coast of the Yucatan Peninsula this evening or tonight. Franklin

is then expected to move across the Yucatan Peninsula on Tuesday,

and into the Bay of Campeche Tuesday evening or Tuesday night.

Maximum sustained winds are near 60 mph (95 km/h) with higher gusts.

Some strengthening is expected before the center reaches the

Yucatan Peninsula, and Franklin could be near hurricane intensity at

landfall on the east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula.

Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 140 miles (220 km)

from the center.

The estimated minimum central pressure is 998 mb (29.47 inches).

 

HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND

----------------------

RAINFALL: Rainfall amounts of 3 to 6 inches, with isolated amounts

of around 12 inches, are possible across the Yucatan Peninsula of

Mexico and Belize through Wednesday, with the highest amounts over

the Mexican state of Quintana Roo. These rains could produce

life-threatening flash floods.

WIND: Hurricane conditions are possible in the Hurricane Watch

area by this evening. Tropical storm conditions are expected to

begin in portions of the warning area this afternoon or evening.

Tropical storm conditions are possible in the watch area in Mexico

on Tuesday.

STORM SURGE: A dangerous storm surge will raise water levels by

as much as 2 to 4 feet above normal tide levels along the immediate

coast near and to the north of where the center makes landfall.

Near the coast, the surge will be accompanied by large and

destructive waves.

Here is the projected path of the center of Tropical Storm Franklin:

As the graphic indicates, Franklin could become a hurricane on Wednesday in the warm waters of the Bay of Campeche, in the southern part of the Gulf of Mexico.

A tropical storm becomes a hurricane when sustained winds reach 74 miles per hour or greater.

The National Hurricane Center will post updates on Tropical Storm Franklin every few hours.

Full moon

Skies will be mostly clear as the full moon rises at 8:33 p.m. CDT Monday.

Find a mosquito-free vantage point and enjoy the sight!