Summer Solstice Weekend to Bring High Temps, Humid Airmass, Stormy Weather

(KNSI) — The National Weather Service says the summer solstice will usher in all of the summer weather this weekend, starting this evening.

Strong to severe storms are possible starting late Thursday evening and continuing into Thursday night. The Storm Prediction Center, for now, has us under a slight risk, or two out of five, for high winds, hail, and locally heavy rainfall. Scattered storms should develop over the western part of the state in the late evening and spread southeast. Friday afternoon and Friday night bring another potential round of severe weather. Again, the area is in that slight risk, starting as cells in western Minnesota and potentially growing into a line as it marches east. Forecasters aren’t sure exactly where the storms will develop, but models are putting the initiation point north of Interstate 94.

Almost the entire state is under an extreme heat watch for the weekend. It goes into effect at noon on Saturday. The area is expected to see air temperatures in the low 90s with dewpoints pushing the heat index values to between 103 and 108. There will be little relief overnight as lows will only be in the mid 70s to lower 80s.

Heat-related illnesses increase significantly during extreme heat and high humidity events. Experts say to drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors, especially the elderly and those without air conditioning.

The summer solstice is the point at which the Earth’s poles have the maximum tilt to the sun. It’s also the longest day of the year. The official time for the solstice in the northern hemisphere is Friday, June 20th, 2025 at 9:42 p.m. Central Daylight Time.

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