North-central US to face resurgence of heat, severe storms early this week

By Kristina Pydynowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist

July 24,2017, 10:49:26AM,EDT

 

 Heat and humidity will build back across the north-central United States early this week, setting the stage for another round of severe weather.

The cooldown that the Upper Midwest experienced this weekend will quickly get erased by a resurgence of heat early this week.
Heat will build throughout the High Plains on Monday with triple-digit highs returning to Pierre and Rapid City, South Dakota.
Temperatures will soar back into the middle 80s to middle 90s in Minneapolis, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Tuesday following the comfortable start to the week.
Sweltering humidity will accompanying Tuesday’s heat surge across the Upper Mississippi Valley, yielding even higher AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures.
With the return of heat will come a renewed risk for severe weather as a cold front also enters the picture.

The severe weather will first target the northern half of the High Plains on Monday evening.
The threat zone lies from western Nebraska to southern Manitoba, but the severe thunderstorms are expected to be very isolated in nature and impact only a small fraction of this corridor.
Residents of Bismarck and Minot, North Dakota, should still closely keep an eye to the sky as it only takes one severe thunderstorm to endanger lives and property. Storms may erupt just to the east of Rapid City, but residents there should still monitor the situation closely.
“The greatest threats from Monday's severe thunderstorms will be damaging winds and hail,” AccuWeather Storm Warning Meteorologist Brian Knopick said.
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There can be an isolated tornado with the risk highest along and north of the Canadian border.
Brief downpours will also be produced. While motorists will face reduced visibility, rainfall will generally be welcomed across the northern Plains.
A large portion of the upper Missouri River Valley is enduring an extreme drought, according to data released from the U.S. Drought Monitor on Thursday.
More numerous severe thunderstorms are expected to erupt on Tuesday as the front continues to advance across the north-central U.S.

Tuesday’s threat will focus on Minnesota and surrounding areas. This includes Minneapolis, St. Cloud and Duluth, Minnesota, and Aberdeen and Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
It is possible that northern areas of Tuesday's severe weather zone will be spared due to lingering clouds and rain from thunderstorms on Monday night.
“While the main severe weather danger will be around Minnesota on Tuesday, there can also be a localized area of severe weather developing in eastern Kansas and into Missouri,” Knopick said.
The majority of the severe thunderstorms will ignite during the afternoon and evening hours.
In addition to the dangers of damaging winds and hail, Tuesday will bring a greater risk for flooding downpours than on Monday. A few tornadoes may also spin up.
Even in the absence of flooding, motorists planning to travel on stretches of Interstates 29, 35 and 94 should prepare for reduced visibility and a heightened risk of vehicles hydroplaning when traveling at highway speeds.
Drenching and severe thunderstorms may continue to accompany the front as it pushes southeastward across the Midwest and central Plains Wednesday into Thursday.

The thunderstorms are expected to reach Green Bay, Wisconsin; Des Moines, Iowa; and Omaha, Nebraska, on Wednesday. Northeastern Iowa was hit hard by flooding rain on Saturday and could face renewed flooding from these downpours.
Chicago may be rattled by the line of thunderstorms on Wednesday night, followed by Detroit and St. Louis on Thursday.
The front will open the door for another surge of cooler and less humid air in its wake. Thursday will be a gorgeous day for outdoor plans in Minneapolis.
However, heat will already be quickly building back across the northern High Plains late in the week and into the upcoming weekend.