Nearly Perfect Tuesday Ahead; Thundery and More Humid Thursday

Sunflower Field
Thanks to my good friend Melissa Ganje Kramolis for this incredible picture from Hayward, WI of a sunflower field. Beautiful!!



Lack of Intense Heat This Summer?
This summer has been pretty nice. I have few complaints and numbers to back it up! Take a look at the image below, which shows how many hours we've seen with heat index values at certain thresholds this year compared to average. Looking closely, you can see that we have only had 28 hours of 90° heat index values compared to the near 112 hours.



Dead Air
By Paul Douglas
What would happen if there was no news? Would local TV stations run 30 minutes of commercials? Would the newspaper transform into a pamphlet? A frustrated friend in the business once confided that news highlights the crooks, creeps and deviants, whereas sports celebrates the positive attributes of the human condition.
Weather is the pond we live in. It's the one thing that unites us, often against our will.
My son in San Diego laughs when the TV weather comes on. "What time will the fog burn off along the coast; how hot will it get in the high desert; what are the surf conditions?"
This week may be as close as Minnesota ever gets to "no weather". While most of America (and the planet) suffers through a thermonuclear summer, Canada continues to fling a series of September-like airmasses south of the border, each one preceded by thunderclaps - followed by sun-scrubbed skies and a welcome dip in dew point. Translation: San Diego weather into Wednesday.
A noisy shower may bubble up Thursday along a warm front. Highs on Saturday brush 90F before a vigorous cool front sparks T-storms Sunday. A week from Wednesday highs may hold in the 60s.
For now: pure weather bliss.
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MONDAY NIGHT: Mostly clear & quiet. Low: 61. Winds: NNW 5-10
TUESDAY: Bright sun. Pretty much perfect! DP: 58 High: 82. Winds: NW 10
TUESDAY NIGHT: Mostly clear & quiet. Low: 64. Winds: N 5-10
WEDNESDAY: Blue sky, still amazing. High: 85.
THURSDAY:Sunny spurts. PM thunder risk. Wake-up: 68. High: 86.
FRIDAY: Hazy sun. Isolated t-shower. Wake-up: 70. High: 88.
SATURDAY: Hot sun & humid. DP: 64. Wake-up: 71. High: 90.
SUNDAY: Steamy. Few t-storms likely. Wake-up: 73. High: 86.
MONDAY: Partly sunny, cooler. Drier breeze. Wake-up: 66. High: 81.
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This Day in Weather History
August 11th
1945: Downpour over Red Wing. Nearly 8 inches of rain fell.
1899: A lightning bolt from "clear skies" destroys a storefront in Fisher, Polk County.
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Average High/Low for Minneapolis
August 11th
Average High: 81F (Record: 97F set in 1947)
Average Low: 63F (Record: 47F set in 2004)
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 Sunrise/Sunset Times for Minneapolis
August 11th
Sunrise: 6:10am
Sunset: 8:25pm
*Daylight lost since yesterday: ~2min 40seconds
*Daylight lost since summer solstice (June 21st): ~1hour 20minutes
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Moon Phase for August 11th at Midnight
2.3 Days Before New Moon



Best Perseid Meteor Shower in Years?
According to astronomers, this years Perseid meteor shower could be the best in years thanks to a moonless mid August sky. The Perseid meteor shower is expected to peak this week with as many as 100+ meteor per hour! Look northeast on during the predawn hours on August 13th for the best show.

See more from Space.com HERE:


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Minneapolis Temperature Trend
Nearly perfect weather continues through midweek with temperatures near average and respectable dewpoint values. However, it appears that temperatures and dewpoint begin to turn more steamy later this week/weekend with highs approaching 90F. It'll feel a little more like July through mid-month, but still no MAJOR heat waves in sight.



Tuesday Weather Outlook
Tuesday could be one of those days where it will be hard to concentrate on work if you're staring out the office window. More blue sky, mild temps and fairly comfortable dewpoints will make for another amazing summer day. I hope we can keep the tally going!!



Tuesday Weather Outlook
Mostly sunny and light winds for Tuesday. No complaints here, enjoy!



Rainfall Potential
Looking ahead through midweek, I still don't see any appreciative rainfall across the state. The next best chance for more widely scattered thunder appears to be on Thursday with the best chance across the northeastern part of Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin.


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National Weather Outlook
Tuesday will feature some heavier rainfall potential along the East Coast as a cool front slides east. Note how quickly the weather seems to turn midweek as a BIG bubble of high pressure move in behind the front. Sunny, cool and not so humid weather will spread through the eastern U.S. through mid/late week! Enjoy.



Severe Threat Tuesday
...SUMMARY... SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS -- INCLUDING SOME POTENTIAL FOR ISOLATED STRONGER/SEVERE STORMS -- ARE EXPECTED ALONG THE ATLANTIC AND GULF COAST STATES. SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL ALSO OCCUR ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE FOUR CORNERS STATES/INTERMOUNTAIN WEST AND EWD INTO THE HIGH PLAINS.



Severe Threat Wednesday
...SUMMARY... SEVERE WEATHER RISK APPEARS LIMITED AT BEST THIS PERIOD...WITH ONLY A MARGINAL/BRIEFLY STRONGER STORM OR TWO POSSIBLE ALONG THE SOUTHEAST U.S. COASTAL STATES...AND POSSIBLY THE NORTH-CENTRAL U.S. LATE IN THE PERIOD.



5 Day Precipitation Outlook
According to NOAA's WPC, the next 5 days could harbor some heavy rainfall along the East Coast, especially across parts of the Northeast and in Florida. There may also be areas of heavy rain across the the Southwest and into the Plains.

Lightning Dangers

Thanks to my good friend Ty Annette for these pictures out of Maple Grove, MN who took a lightning bolt to the house on Sunday!! Ty said that not only did it blow the electrical, the gas line and start a minor fire in the garage, but it also blew up this nearby tree! So sorry about your house, but I am glad to hear you and your family are alright! Thanks for sharing your pictures Ty!

Lightning Safety

"Lightning strikes the United States about 25 million times a year. Although most lightning occurs in the summer, people can be struck at any time of year. Lightning kills an average of 49 people in the United States each year, and hundreds more are severely injured. This website will teach you how to stay safe and offer insight into the science of lightning. You'll find animated books about lightning, safety tips for all kinds of situations, games for kids and resources for teachers. You'll learn about lightning victims and survivors. Explore our site, and come and visit often!"

Lightning: What You Need to Know

NO PLACE outside is safe when thunderstorms are in the area!!
If you hear thunder, lightning is close enough to strike you.
When you hear thunder, immediately move to safe shelter: a substantial building with electricity or plumbing or an enclosed, metal-topped vehicle with windows up.
Stay in safe shelter at least 30 minutes after you hear the last sound of thunder.

Indoor Lightning Safety

Stay off corded phones, computers and other electrical equipment that put you in direct contact with electricity.
Avoid plumbing, including sinks, baths and faucets.
Stay away from windows and doors, and stay off porches.
Do not lie on concrete floors, and do not lean against concrete walls.

Last Resort Outdoor Risk Reduction Tips

If you are caught outside with no safe shelter anywhere nearby the following actions may reduce your risk:

Immediately get off elevated areas such as hills, mountain ridges or peaks
Never lie flat on the ground
Never shelter under an isolated tree
Never use a cliff or rocky overhang for shelter
Immediately get out and away from ponds, lakes and other bodies of water
Stay away from objects that conduct electricity (barbed wire fences, power lines, windmills, etc.)

See more lightning safety tips from the NWS HERE:

2015 Lightning Fatalities

According to NOAA, there have been 21 lightning fatalities so far this year. A number of states have actually had multiple lightning deaths this year with 4 occurring in Alabama and 3 in Florida.

See more from NOAA HERE:

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"I Always Wanted to Be a WeatherMan"

Who knew Michael "Air" Jordan wanted to be a weatherman... 

"Here’s Jordan’s full response to the question about what we he would’ve done if he couldn’t play basketball or baseball:"
"I went to college. I got my degree in coastal geography. Everybody wants to know: What’s coastal geography? Well, it’s an introduction to meteorology. I always wanted to be the weatherman. Don’t laugh. It’s funny, but that’s what I really wanted to do. So if I wasn’t playing basketball or baseball, I was gonna tell you what the weather’s going to be like tomorrow."

Check out this neat story from Capital Weather Gang HERE:

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Thanks for checking in and have a great rest of your week! Don't forget to follow me on Twitter
@TNelsonWX