Another Hot, Sweltering Day
Undated (KROC AM News) - No break yet for AC units. Hot and muggy weather is expected in southeast Minnesota again Friday.
Temperatures are expected to climb back into the 90’s again and heat index readings will return to the 100 - 110 degree range.
Rochester’s high Thursday was 90 and the heat index reached 106 degrees. Rochester also set a weather record - the low temperature for the day was 78 degrees. That broke the previous warmest minimum for July 21st, which was 75 in 1983.
Severe weather hit northern Minnesota Wednesday night and early Thursday and besides causing widespread damage, it also turned deadly. A Boy Scouts group from Texas was camping in the Boundary Waters area when the storm struck and two members - a 13-year-old boy and a 39-year-old woman - were killed when a tree fell on their tent. Two others were hurt. They were camping along Basswood Lake.
The North Shore was also pounded by the stormy weather that included very strong winds. More than 75,000 Minnesota Power customers lost electrical service and many may not have it restored for a few days. Travel in parts of Duluth was nearly impossible yesterday morning because of all the downed trees, branches and powerlines. The storm system also impacted a large part of western Wisconsin, including Madison.
Considerable damage was also reported in northwest and north central Minnesota. Areas affected include Itasca State Park, Bemidji and the Brainerd Lakes area.
Those with plans to visit parks in the storm zone this weekend may want to check ahead.
Here's the DNR website.
(story includes information from various wire service reports and the National Weather Service)