Record heat this Labor Day weekend

The unofficial end of summer is going to be one of the hottest we’ve seen in years, and some of us in northern Iowa and southern Minnesota may see record highs being set. Friday’s highs will top out in the 80s, which is a primer for the heat of the weekend where high temperatures will top out in the mid to upper-90s. Along with the heat will be a strong breeze and an unusually low relative humidity. Because of that combination, in addition to extreme drought conditions, there is an increased fire danger over the entirety of the holiday weekend. Some cities and counties have already put burn bans in place, so keep that in mind if you had plans for a backwoods bonfire.

There will be sunshine, a south-southwest wind, and record heat this weekend, so be sure to take it easy if you’re planning the weekend outdoors, at the State Fair, or the campground. Thanks to the fact that dew points (humidity) won’t be getting out of hand, evenings and mornings will be a bit more comfortable than the last heatwave, and the heat index shouldn’t be much higher than the actual temperature.

We should get some respite from the heat late Tuesday into Wednesday, and there is a VERY slight chance of a thundershower or two along the front that should drop our temperatures going into Wednesday. Don’t get hopes up too high for a soaking rain, it’s not looking to me like we’re going to see a widespread, ground-soaking rainfall anytime soon.