A cold front approaching from the west will be the focus of a severe weather threat this evening across the region. Today is a First Alert Day as a line of strong thunderstorms along that front will rumble through our area after 5 PM. Ahead of that potential outbreak, we’ll have occasional sunshine and a south breeze working to pull warm, humid air to prime the atmosphere for that severe weather scenario. High temperatures will be in the mid and upper 80s, several degrees warmer than the seasonal average.

Thunderstorms will impact our area from early this evening until just before midnight. Large hail and damaging wind gusts will be the main threats, but a tornado will also be possible. Downpours of rain will yield as much as an inch of rainfall. The rain will taper off shortly after midnight and overnight low temperatures will be in the low 60s.

Cooler, drier air will move in behind the cold front on Friday. Clouds will clear off in the morning with mostly sunny skies expected throughout the afternoon. High temperatures will be in the upper 70s with a slight northwest breeze.

The forecast for our holiday weekend features incredibly peaceful, tranquil weather and comfortable temperatures. Expect abundant sunshine across the region each day. High temperatures will be around 80 degrees on Saturday with readings in the low 70s expected on Sunday and Labor Day.

The upcoming week will be pleasant as well. Expect mostly sunny skies with high temperatures slowly climbing from the low 70s to the upper 70s during the week. A few stray thunderstorms will be possible next Friday.

Severe Weather Reports Across Minnesota and Iowa

Strong to severe thunderstorms rolled through Minnesota and Iowa Thursday evening, producing severe wind gusts, which led to power outages and trees knocked down. Here's a look at some of the latest severe weather reports:

Rochester, MN

46 mph wind gusts recorded at the Rochester International Airport.

Lewiston, MN

Fire dispatched for a tree on a power line. Tree branches also reported down in Lewiston.

Colwell, IA

A spotter estimated a 60 mph wind gust near Colwell at ground level.

3 Miles West of Colwell, IA

Reported a 4" diameter tree limb down.

Elma, IA

Power lines reported down in Elma.

Lime Springs, IA

Dispatch reported power poles down in Lime Springs and numerous instances of wind damage in Howard County.

Highland, MN

Trees and power lines were down along the HWY 43 corridor.

Winona, MN

Street flooding was reported on the east side of Winona.

A Time For Relief

The forecast for the holiday weekend is bright and pleasant. Get ready for beautiful sunshine across the region each day, and comfortable temperatures. The break from the stormy weather will be welcome news for many across the region.

Looking Ahead

The upcoming week is also expected to be pleasant. Mostly sunny skies are anticipated, with high temperatures slowly climbing from the low 70s to the upper 70s during the week. However, a few stray thunderstorms may be possible next Friday. Stay tuned for updates on the weather as we head into the weekend.