Today the first warning of severe thunderstorms is forecast.

First alert forecast for today for Twin Cities for severe thunderstorms between 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. today with a risk of damaging winds, hail and heavy rain. Thunderstorms will quickly approach Twin Cities from the west after 5:00 p.m. and the leading edge of the thunderstorms will have a risk of damaging winds, then hail and heavy rain behind the strong winds. Tornado danger will also exist mainly in areas between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. from Forest Lake and north toward Pine City, but the main risk for severe weather will again be straight-line winds in excess of 60 mph and heavy rains of 1 to 2 inches falling on saturated soils, which could cause flooding of roads and fields.

Ahead of this afternoon’s thunderstorms, conditions will be hazy, hot and muggy with highs between 80 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit and dew point temperatures between 65 and 69 degrees Fahrenheit, resulting in a heat index of just over 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Winds today from the south at 10 to 15 mph, but stronger gusts near thunderstorms. Thunderstorms will develop quickly west of the Twin Cities by 4 p.m., with strong to severe thunderstorms moving through the Twin Cities between 5 and 8 p.m., then showers and thunderstorms ending around 10 p.m., with calmer conditions overnight and less humidity, with temperatures falling to above 50 degrees Fahrenheit by sunrise (5:28 a.m.) Wednesday.

Wednesday will start with scattered fog patches, then it will become breezy during the day with west-northwest winds 10 to 20 mph with partly cloudy skies and isolated thunderstorms between 4 and 9 p.m. Highs on Wednesday will be in the high 70s, then it will turn cooler on Thursday with partly cloudy skies, gusty northwest winds and highs in the low 70s.

Scattered thunderstorms are possible on Saturday, but mostly dry weather is expected from Thursday, June 6th through Monday, June 10th, which will greatly help the currently saturated soils in the Twin Cities areas. JONATHAN YUHAS