DULUTH — Severe storms may impact the Northland Thursday through Saturday, Aug. 7-9, though how they may develop remains unclear, according to the National Weather Service.
The extreme heat and humidity will contribute to favorable storm conditions. The agency’s Duluth office used a campfire analogy: There’s a lot of wood to burn, thanks to the heat and humidity, but there may not be a way to start the fire.
What is certain is the extreme heat risk in the next few days. Temperatures in most of Northern Minnesota will reach the high 80s Thursday and climb into the low 90s Friday before dropping to the low-to-mid 80s on Saturday.
The weather service is advising moderate to major heat impacts. Moderate heat affects those sensitive to heat, while major heat affects anyone without cooling or hydration. Brainerd and communities to the west along highways 210 and 10 and Carlton, eastern Aitkin and southwestern St. Louis counties are expected to see the highest temps.
The National Weather Service in Grand Forks is predicting scattered to numerous severe storms Thursday night into Friday. It’s unclear how far east the storms may move, but Bemidji, Thief River Falls and Detroit Lakes are at slight storm risk (level two of five).
The Duluth office said this line of storms could impact the Leech Lake and Brainerd lakes area, if they hold up.
Damaging winds are the biggest concern, with gusts over 75 miles per hour in North Dakota and western Minnesota and up to 60 miles per hour if they reach north central Minnesota.
There is also the possibility of golf ball-sized hail and a tornado or two. Saturated soil also increases the chances of localized flash flooding.
That risk shifts east Friday evening into Saturday, with Thief River Falls and Detroit Lakes seeing enhanced risk (level three of five) and slight risk stretching to Brainerd, Grand Rapids and International Falls.
