Minneapolis–St. Paul starts the week sunny and warm, with highs near 87°F under a mostly clear sky, so the smart move is to get your outdoor plans — mowing the lawn, a walk around Lake Harriet, a bike ride on the Grand Rounds — done today, before showers and thunderstorms move back in tonight.
Today’s Setup
The National Weather Service has today pegged as sunny with a high near 87°F and a south wind of 5 to 15 mph, a bit breezy but nothing dramatic for the metro itself. The Area Forecast Discussion notes the tightening pressure gradient could push gusts to 30-35 mph farther west, so if you’re headed toward western Minnesota later, expect a gustier drive.
Storms Return Tonight Into Tuesday
A front moving through overnight brings a 52% chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly between 1 AM and 4 AM CT, with lows around 66°F actually rising to near 69°F overnight and south wind gusts up to 30 mph. The Storm Prediction Center’s Day 1 Slight Risk for damaging wind and hail is centered over western Minnesota’s Stevens, Douglas, and Todd counties — well west of the Twin Cities — and forecasters expect that activity to weaken as it tracks east overnight, so the metro should mainly see garden-variety showers and thunder rather than severe weather. Behind the front, winds swing northwest and Tuesday cools off to a high near 78°F (falling to around 74°F in the afternoon), with a slight chance of more showers before 7 AM and patchy smoke drifting through between 9 and 10 AM.
Wind, Smoke & Safety Notes
With gusts to 30 mph possible overnight, tie down anything loose on the deck or patio — a pop-up canopy tent with weights and some outdoor furniture covers secured with a bungee cord assortment will save you a trip chasing lawn chairs down the block. The patchy smoke forecast for Tuesday morning is worth a heads-up for anyone sensitive to air quality; keeping an N95 respirator mask smoke on hand is a smart, low-cost precaution. With active storm season in the region, it’s also a good time to make sure your household has a go bag emergency evacuation kit and a fire extinguisher home ready, just in case.
Games, Concerts & Gear
Kesha: The Freedom Tour hits Mystic Lake Amphitheater tonight (August 3) — read our full concert weather breakdown before you head out, since the overnight storm chance ramps up after midnight, so plan to be home before the late showers arrive. Tuesday brings Goo Goo Dolls to Mystic Lake and Minnesota Vikings Training Camp at the Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center in Eagan, both under that cooler, calmer 78°F afternoon. Find tickets on StubHub or Get tickets on SeatGeek for either show, and grab Official team gear on Fanatics before camp. If you’re headed out in today’s sun, a lightweight linen shirt keeps things comfortable, and don’t sleep on the UPF 50+ sun hoodie deal for lake time — check more outdoor gear deals while you’re at it.
Dinner Tonight & Next Few Days
With storms rolling through after dark, keep dinner simple and indoors — pasta or a quick stir-fry both work well. Need ingredients? You can order groceries on Amazon and have everything for tonight’s dinner delivered to your door, along with the Amazon Fresh groceries you’re already running low on. Looking ahead, Wednesday holds in the upper 70s before temperatures rebound into the upper 80s by the end of the work week and into the weekend, per the National Weather Service.
