Minneapolis–St. Paul is bracing for a serious severe weather day Wednesday, with a high near 88°F and thunderstorms likely — some potentially dangerous — this afternoon and evening. The National Weather Service has flagged all severe modes as possible, including damaging wind, large hail, and isolated tornadoes. If you have any outdoor plans today, the safest window is before 10 AM CT.
Today’s Setup
A squall line is tracking northeast across the Upper Midwest, driven by a powerful low-level jet and anomalously high atmospheric moisture. Isolated storm chances begin before 7 AM CT, with activity picking back up between 9 and 10 AM, then storms become likely after noon. The NWS office in Chanhassen forecasts the greatest severe threat shifting into eastern Minnesota — including the Twin Cities metro — and western Wisconsin through Wednesday afternoon and evening. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is already in effect for portions of western Minnesota this morning.
Severe Weather Risk
The National Weather Service is clear: damaging wind is the primary hazard, but large hail and tornadoes are both on the table. The Weather Prediction Center has issued a Slight Risk of Excessive Rainfall for portions of Minnesota, with atmospheric moisture running well above normal and the potential for rainfall rates of 2–3 inches per hour in the strongest cells. The NWS forecast calls for half to three-quarters of an inch of rain locally. If your car is parked outside near Uptown, Northeast, or anywhere without a garage, a hail protection car cover is worth having on standby today.
Best Window To Be Outside
Morning is your friend. Dog walks around Lake Harriet, errands in St. Paul, early lawn work — aim to wrap all of it up before 10 AM CT. After noon, the severe risk climbs fast. Keep a weather app or NOAA Weather Radio active through the afternoon; this is a situation where conditions can deteriorate in minutes.
What To Bring
Wind gusts up to 25 mph will flip a standard umbrella inside out. Go with a packable rain jacket instead — it handles the wind and rain both. If you’re walking the trails at Minnehaha Falls or anywhere along the river, waterproof hiking boots will keep you comfortable. A compact travel umbrella in your bag is useful for the lighter rain that bookends the stronger storms.
Events This Week: Twins, Wallflowers, and Trey Anastasio
The Minnesota Twins host the St. Louis Cardinals at outdoor Target Field on June 12 and 13. Friday looks unsettled with showers possible; Saturday may offer a brief improvement but keep an eye on the radar before heading to the ballpark. Dress smart — a Minnesota Twins fitted cap keeps rain off your face, and a Minnesota Twins jersey layers easily over a tee. Find tickets on StubHub before the series fills up.
The Wallflowers play First Avenue on Saturday, June 13 — an indoor show, so no weather drama, just a great night. Also Saturday, Trey Anastasio takes the stage at the Orpheum Theatre. Grab a Trey Anastasio t-shirt and Get tickets on SeatGeek while seats last.
Rainy Day Dinner
A storm day like this calls for something low-maintenance and warming. Load a programmable slow cooker with chili or beef stew before the afternoon severe window hits, and dinner takes care of itself while you watch the radar. An enameled cast iron Dutch oven is equally solid for stovetop soup if you want more control. Need ingredients? You can order groceries on Amazon and have everything for tonight’s dinner delivered to your door.
Next Few Days
Tonight the storms taper before 8 PM CT, giving way to mostly clear skies and a comfortable low around 62°F. Thursday cools noticeably — high near 76°F with rain showers likely (60% chance) and lighter south-southwest winds at 5–10 mph. Nowhere near today’s severity, just a gray, drizzly day. The pattern stays slightly cooler than normal through the weekend, which should make for pleasant evenings across the metro after a rough Wednesday.
