90! And with humidity it felt even hotter on Friday

It lasted only for a short time Friday, but the Brainerd lakes area hit 90 degrees for the first time this year, and it wasn't pretty.

Just before 5 p.m. the temperature hit 90 degrees, but with the humidity in the air it felt more like 97 degrees, Declan Cannon, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Duluth, said Saturday.

Temperatures hung around in the upper 80s all afternoon before hitting 90 degrees. Cannon said the 90-degree weather stayed in Brainerd for under an hour, as temperatures before and after the 5 o'clock hour sat at 88 degrees.

Brainerd and Siren, Wis., were the only two cities in the Duluth weather service area that hit 90 Friday.

Cannon said the last time Brainerd hit 90 or more was on Aug. 17, 2008, when the temperature was 91 degrees. Brainerd did not see any other 90-degree temperatures at all last summer. Temperature high in June was 87 degrees, July was 89 degrees and in September it was 89 degrees, set on Sept. 1.

Cannon said the reason for the sultry weather was from a humid tropical air mass that went through the Brainerd lakes area. Cannon said this type of weather makes it a perfect time for storms, which is what residents may see this weekend.

Cannon anticipates that the storms were expected to begin late afternoon Saturday and go through the night and into Sunday morning.

"There will be a bit of a break Sunday afternoon and as the storm pursues east of Brainerd the drier air will come," said Cannon. "But there is a lot of moisture in the air before that time. Then the cold front will come in Sunday afternoon where it will be less hot. Sunday morning there should be a lot of clouds in the morning, but they'll break up as the day goes on. It'll be in the 70s, but still be a little clammy."

According to the National Weather Service, highs Sunday will be around 73-78 with lows Sunday night of 50-55. Highs Monday and Tuesday also will be around 73-78. And Tuesday night through Wednesday there is a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms.

JENNIFER STOCKINGER may be reached at jennifer.stockinger@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5851.