Severe Storms Possible for 4th of July in Rochester, Most of Minnesota

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News)- Potentially severe thunderstorms could threaten 4th of July festivities in Rochester and most of Minnesota. 

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The National Weather Service is tracking a storm system that could potentially produce severe thunderstorms across a large swath of the region on Tuesday. The forecast is calling for increasingly warm and muggy conditions in southeast Minnesota through Independence Day. 

The Storm Prediction Center says Rochester, the Twin Cities, Brainerd Lakes, all of southwestern Minnesota, northern Wisconsin and most of Iowa has a level-two risk of seeing severe weather on July 4. The main hazards for the possible storms are damaging winds, large hail and heavy rain. 

Sunday morning’s forecast indicates the potential for thunderstorms will build throughout the day on Tuesday and culminate with a chance of severe Thunderstorms Tuesday evening into Tuesday night. 

Officials say there’s a 60-80% chance for thunderstorm activity across the area on Independence Day, however confidence in predicting the exact timing and possible severity of the potential storms is low as of Sunday morning.