textproduct: Duluth

KEY MESSAGES

- Dangerous swimming conditions exist along Duluth and Superior beaches this evening due to strong rip currents and waves.

- Dense fog over Lake Superior will create hazardous navigation conditions into this afternoon and probably overnight too.

- A drier but still warm stretch sets up Tuesday and Wednesday.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 1144 AM CDT Mon Jul 27 2026

For the rest of today, a hot and muggy afternoon across the Northland with temperatures warming well into the 80s and even low 90s far inland. Closer to Lake Superior, brisk northeast winds will keep temperatures cooler but will also drive high waves and dangerous rip currents along the Twin Ports beaches - a Beach Hazards Statement is in effect today. Areas of dense fog and will also linger into the afternoon, especially near the lake.

Heading into tonight and Tuesday, high pressure begins to build into our area, ushering in a drier and a slightly more comfortable airmass. While daytime highs on Tuesday will remain unseasonably warm in the 80s to lower 90s, the oppressive humidity will take a subtle break. Expect mostly sunny skies with patchy smoke continuing to drift overhead. A stray afternoon shower or thunderstorm cannot be completely ruled out, but the vast majority of the region will stay dry and pleasant. Marine fog may drift on and off shore but that will also help moderate temperatures.

The quiet weather holds firm through Wednesday as the upper level ridge dominates the central United States. Highs will again reach the mid 80s to lower 90s across northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin. Overnight lows during this stretch will provide some relief, dropping comfortably into the upper 50s and 60s.

Our next significant weather maker arrives on Thursday and Friday as a shortwave trough and associated cold front approach from the west. This system will bring our next widespread chance for showers and thunderstorms, and possibly some severe threat too though shear looks a little weak at the moment and could be the limiting factor. As southerly flow increases ahead of the front, humidity levels will creep back up, maintaining high temperatures in the upper 80s despite the increased cloud cover and precipitation chances.

Looking ahead to the upcoming weekend, the Northland will remain in a somewhat stagnant weather pattern. Afternoon highs will generally stay in the 80s. With the main storm track positioned to our north, we can expect occasional, less organized waves of showers and storms to dive across the area.

Looking toward the first week of August, the Climate Prediction Center indicates that the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes region will likely experience above normal temperatures. Precipitation signals are weaker, but slightly favor near to below normal precipitation across the area as upper level ridging influences the central CONUS.

AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z WEDNESDAY/

Issued at 634 PM CDT Mon Jul 27 2026

Smoke aloft is creating widespread hazy, but VFR sky cover over the Northland this evening. The North and South Shores though are seeing lake effect cloud clover creating IFR to MVFR sky cover this evening. Areas of these conditions likely continue through at least 06Z before a wind shift late tonight occurs that slowly scours out those clouds Tuesday morning. Expect areas of mist and fog as well tonight for shoreline terminals, with a few hours into LIFR most likely at DLH, and potentially HIB, TAF site tonight. Smoke remains aloft with that persistent hazy sky cover Tuesday daytime under light southwest winds.

MARINE /FOR NEARSHORE WATERS OF WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR/

Issued at 1138 AM CDT Mon Jul 27 2026

Hazardous conditions will persist across western Lake Superior into this afternoon and probably overnight. Dense fog will restrict visibility to under one nautical mile for nearshore waters, while northeast winds gusting to 25 knots build waves of 3 to 5 feet. Small Craft Advisories and a Dense Fog Advisory remain in effect today. Winds and waves will subside this evening as high pressure builds in, allowing winds to become light and variable at 10 knots or less for Tuesday and Wednesday. Dense fog may linger overnight though.

For the open water discussion, refer to the NWS Marquette Area Forecast Discussion at weather.gov/mqt.

FIRE WEATHER

Issued at 1138 AM CDT Mon Jul 27 2026

Hot temperatures and lack of precip are the fire weather concerns for most of this week. Relative humidity values will mostly bottom out above 40 percent this week with winds gusting to 10 to 15 mph from various directions through the week, mitigating extreme fire weather conditions.

See the Fire Weather Forecast product for a more thorough breakdown of fire weather conditions.

DLH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

MN...Beach Hazards Statement until 9 PM CDT this evening for MNZ037. WI...Beach Hazards Statement until 9 PM CDT this evening for WIZ001. MARINE...Dense Fog Advisory until 11 AM CDT Tuesday for LSZ121-140>148- 150. Small Craft Advisory until 7 PM CDT this evening for LSZ121- 143>148-150.