Brandon Weatherz: Hot Friday with strong storms possible looking west

Our Friday features a breezy south wind that allows heat and humidity to take over the Northland. Highs range from mid-80s to low 90s with the exception of the North Shore. Skies will be sunny to start with clouds increasing from the west through the day ahead of rain chances. A cold front approaching northwest Minnesota will allow shower and thunderstorm chances to reach into north central Minnesota in the afternoon and evening. An isolated storm may be capable of large hail and damaging winds along and west of a line from Brainerd crossing the Iron Range to Ely. Heavy rain will also be possible.

Scattered showers and thunderstorms slowly move east with the front overnight, which will be draped across the Twin Ports around 7 a.m. Saturday. This front will slowly move south through the day, keeping the Twin Ports on the northern edge of additional showers and thunderstorms. This places the focus for heavy rain potential on east central Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin. Temperatures Saturday range from near 70 north to near 80 for much of Wisconsin. By Sunday, the cool air will have settled into the region with highs in low to mid-60s. A chance for showers lingers, with the best chance for additional rain continuing to be across northwest Wisconsin. We finally enter a dry stretch on Monday, and it currently looks to stay through next week.

Today: Hot, sunny and breezy. High 87. S wind 10-15 mph.

Tonight: Mostly cloudy and breezy with scattered showers after midnight. Low 67. S wind 10-15 mph. Chance of rain: 60%

Saturday: Mostly cloudy with a chance for showers. High 76. NW wind 5-15 mph. Chance of rain: 50%

Sunday: Mostly cloudy and breezy with a chance for showers. High 65. NE wind 5-15 mph. Chance of rain: 30%

Monday: Mostly sunny. High 73. N wind becoming S 2-8 mph.

Tuesday: Sunny. High 80. SW wind 5-15 mph.

Wednesday: Sunny. High 81. NW wind 5-10 mph.

Thursday: Sunny. High 78. NW 5-10 mph.