Douglas: Hot and smoky Sunday, with potential for Northern Lights

We could hit 90 degrees on Monday

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The Minnesota Star Tribune
May 31, 2025 at 8:27PM

A TV viewer once sent me a “weather rock.” A rock dangling on a string. If it’s swaying, it’s windy. If it’s white, it’s snowing. If it’s wet, it’s rainy. If you can’t see the rock it’s foggy (or smoky). A very helpful device for getting current weather right. Who needs AI?

A knowledge of cloud types, barometric pressure trends and wind direction can result in a fairly accurate 3-6 hour forecast. Pilots and farmers can “read the sky” to plan the next few hours. Anything beyond 6 hours requires weather models. Or a highly skilled soothsayer or prophet. I am neither. I rely on my weather rock, NOAA data and a blend of weather models to make predictions.

Cue “Summer Breeze” from Seals and Crofts with smoky sun and upper 80s Sunday. We have a very good shot at hitting 90 degrees on Monday before a soaking rain of .5 to 1 inch on Tuesday. Looking ahead, next Saturday looks nice, but storms may rumble into town one week from Sunday.

NASA reports a severe geomagnetic storm on the sun that may ignite the Northern Lights Sunday night. Worth a peek.

about the writer

about the writer

Paul Douglas

Columnist

Paul Douglas is a nationally-respected meteorologist, with 40 years of broadcast television and radio experience. He provides daily print and online weather services for the Star Tribune.

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