Minneapolis and St. Paul are in for another scorcher today, with sunny skies, a high near 95°F, and a heat index climbing to 98° — hot enough that the National Weather Service has extended the Excessive Heat Warning for the entire seven-county metro through Thursday evening. This is day one of what forecasters call a multi-day heat wave, so plan outdoor errands for early morning, hydrate constantly, and check on neighbors without reliable air conditioning.
Today’s Setup
The NWS Twin Cities/Chanhassen office says a strong 1020+ mb surface high combined with a robust upper-level ridge will keep highs in the 90s with little day-to-day change. Winds stay light out of the southwest at 5 to 10 mph, and there’s essentially zero rain chance today or tonight.
Best Window To Be Outside
“Little relief overnight” is the key phrase from forecasters — tonight only drops to around 76°F, so the coolest stretch is really just after sunrise. If you’re walking the Chain of Lakes around Lake Harriet or Bde Maka Ska, or biking the Mississippi River Gorge trails, aim for before 9 AM CT.
Heat, Wind, And Fire Risk
With no rain in sight and a dry, breezy stretch settling over Minnehaha Regional Park and other grassy areas, fire danger for dry brush is worth watching even without a formal red flag warning yet. It’s a smart week to double-check your smoke detector combo pack, keep a fire extinguisher home within reach, and have a go bag emergency evacuation kit packed just in case.
What To Wear Or Bring
Lakes will be busy — pack quick dry swim trunks or a women’s swimsuit, a beach towel oversized enough to actually dry off on, and men’s sport sandals for hot pavement. If you’re floating on Lake Calhoun or Nokomis, the 2-person Intex floating lounge with cooler is a solid grab for outdoor gear deals this week.
Tonight And This Week
Staying indoors tonight isn’t a bad call — the Minnesota Lynx host the Phoenix Mercury at Target Center, a great air-conditioned escape from the heat (grab official team gear on Fanatics). Ella Mai plays The Armory tonight, and Meghan Trainor’s Get In Girl Tour stop hits Grand Casino Arena — get tickets on SeatGeek before they’re gone. Looking ahead, if you’re headed to the Minnesota Yacht Club Festival at Harriet Island on July 18, expect this same heat pattern to still be in play.
Too hot to cook tonight — a cold Thai noodle salad or a smoothie bowl made in a high-powered blender is the move. Need ingredients? You can order groceries on Amazon and have everything for tonight’s dinner delivered to your door.
Next Few Days
Tuesday and Wednesday both bring sunny highs near 96°F with similarly stubborn heat index values, and the Excessive Heat Warning is expected to hold through Thursday evening with no meaningful cooldown or rain chances on the horizon.
