“The summer sun was not just hot, it was oppressive, like a hand pressing down from the sky,” wrote author Stephen King. Excessive heat watches and warnings? Just a week ago temperatures were stuck in the 50s. “Where is summer, Paul?” you asked. Hang tight. We are all about to enjoy a hot slap across the face.
We have built barriers to extreme heat with air conditioning and insulation, and we have a few thousand lakes to choose from as a great way to cool off. Various estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Environmental Protection Agency suggest 1,200 to 1,300 annual heat-related deaths in the U.S. Underlying health conditions increase the risk.
Thunderstorms taper Friday morning, but return over northern Minnesota on Friday night. Expect tropical downpours. Skies clear Saturday with 90s likely. A dew point in the 70s will make it feel like 103-108 degrees both Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Lows may hold near 80 degrees in the metro. Sweating won’t cool you off. Take it easy out there; the risk of heat-related health problems will be high.
We cool off next week, but a very wet, thundery pattern hangs on into July.
