We’re experiencing a one-two punch in our local weather as we approach the weekend.  The first of two storm systems to affect the viewing area is swinging through the Upper Midwest today, spreading clouds and some light rain across the Upper Mississippi Valley.  We won’t see any severe weather from this one, but rather just light rainfall in a couple of showers through the afternoon and early evening.  The second storm system is going to be a much stronger one, having a huge impact on our nation’s weather and our local weekend plans.  Ahead of the second low pressure system tomorrow, we’ll have some breaks in the clouds and a slight south breeze, warming things up and destabilizing the atmosphere.  That will set the stage for a few late day and especially evening showers and thunderstorms, some of which may become severe with large hail and damaging winds and then some locally heavy rainfall in some of the stronger storms.  The best chance for severe weather locally will be after 6:00 PM or so tomorrow and in northern Iowa.  Another round of severe weather is possible Sunday, especially for southeastern Minnesota and southwestern Wisconsin locally during the afternoon hours.  Large hail, gusty winds, and tornadoes will be possible Sunday until the storm system’s center and cold front associated with it swing through southern Minnesota and then through central Wisconsin.  The best chance for severe storms will be noon to 6:00PM or 7:00PM Sunday.  Rainfall may exceed an inch over the weekend with more rain chances coming up for the second half of next week.

Severe weather outlook for tomorrow, showing the potential for a major tornado outbreak in the southern plains and a few severe storms closer to home in the evening.

Slight risk for severe weather on Sunday featuring the threat for hail, winds, and tornadoes in our area and in central Wisconsin.

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Today marks the beginning of not only June, but also meteorological summer and it looks like we’re going to be diving head first into the new season with summer-like temperatures and some thunderstorm chances, a couple of elements in a quintessential summer day it seems.  Warm air is flowing into the region ahead of a storm system that is sliding in from the west today, setting the table for those thunderstorm chances.  We’ll have just enough moisture and instability in the atmosphere to go along with the appropriate wind shear aloft to produce some strong storms later in the day.  Right now, the best chances for severe weather locally appears to be after 4:00 this afternoon through sunset this evening.  Large hail, damaging winds, and locally heavy rainfall will be possible with these storms and there may be just the right dynamics to produce a tornado or two during the early evening.  The silver lining here is that we really could use the rain (my lawn is really looking brown these days) and some of these storms may end up producing an inch or two of rainfall. 

Track Storms with our Precision Storm Tracker at KTTC.com and follow along on Facebook, Twitter, and on the air at Noon, 5, 6, and 10 o’clock.

The Storm Prediction Center's severe weather outlook for today

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