Day 2: Severe thunderstorm potential increases looking west

The first round of thunderstorms cleared late Wednesday night. Additional thunderstorms are expected Thursday with potential for flash flooding, large hail, damaging winds, and a tornado for western parts of the Northland.

The combination of moisture received Wednesday and heavy rain potential Thursday have lead to a Flood Watch in effect across Northeast Minnesota until Friday morning. The area with the watch in effect could see an additional 1-1.5". Less rain accumulation is expected moving east across Northwest Wisconsin.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been isued for East Central Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin until 5 p.m. A cluster of storms will continue moving east-northeast with large hail and locally damaging winds as the primary storms.

Additional severe thunderstorms are still expected to arrive from the west this evening. Storms will be strongest in West Central Minnesota around 4 to 7 pm near the cold front, then storms gradually weaken tracking east into the Northland tonight. Tornado potential extends as far east as Cass, Crow Wing, Itasca, and Aitkin Counties. Damaging wind potential is greatest in these same areas, then diminishes moving across the Arrowhead and into Northwest Wisconsin. The most widespread threat for the Northland is large hail.

Friday will be much quieter with additional thunderstorm chances along and east of a line from Price County to the U.P.