Showers today, wild temperature swings ahead in August?

Into each life some rain must fall.- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Longfellow had it right, and we can be thankful for that. The east coast bakes in record heat. One of the 5 largest fires in California history just north of Los Angeles chokes skies with smoke.

Some rain on a summer Wednesday in Minnesota? A little perspective goes a long way.

The good weather news today? There's little to no threat for severe weather. In our active summer we can be grateful for that at least. One or two storms may bubble up into the strong but not severe category this afternoon around the Twin Cities with locally heavy downpours and some gusty winds.

NOAA's NAM 4 km model has done an excellent job as of late. Here it captures the essence of the frontally driven shower-swirl passing southeast over the Twin Cities from midday through this afternoon and evening.

Rainfall looks generally light today across southern Minnesota and Wisconsin. As is typical with summertime convection, totals will vary greatly over just a few miles. Generally a couple tenths of an inch seems likely for most lawns and fields. Some locally heavier pockets of rainfall are possible if stronger storms stall for a while.

Drier skies tomorrow

Canada's biggest export to Minnesota? Cooler drier weather. If this was winter, you'd be scraping an inch or two of fluffy snow off your sidewalk this evening as colder air poured in tonight. In summer, Canadian high pressure systems bring delightfully clean, cool and drier air masses as they kick out stuffy tropical air masses.

Watch the next blue "H" sag south this week.

Oh Canada!

Whiff of September?

You can give the AC a rest later tonight and tomorrow across the Upper Midwest. Highs in the 70s greet us Thursday.

Comfy dew points return

Dew points near 70 degrees early today give way to a less sticky air mass by tomorrow. The muggy air returns next week.

Temperatures look downright pleasant through the weekend.

Roller coaster temps in August?

The longer range forecast models are showing signs of some dramatic changes in August. Most models suggest at least a couple more days of 90 degree heat across the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes early next week.

Then, northwest flow should  generate a much cooler September preview by late next week. Some rare shades of blue on the weather maps over Minnesota in August?

But NOAA's GFS model then returns intense heat back into Minnesota by around August 10th.

September air mass followed by highs near 100 with a nearly 50 degree temperature swing in August?

Stay tuned.