Live updates: Severe thunderstorm watch issued for Twin Cities metro area

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – Severe weather could work its way across Minnesota Thursday afternoon and evening, bringing the potential for heavy rain, damaging winds and hail.

A cold front moving through Minnesota will likely spark scattered showers and thunderstorms from early afternoon into the evening. Initial storms developing shortly after lunchtime may produce a brief hail threat, but as they grow and organize into lines and clusters, the main concern will shift to damaging wind gusts over 60 mph, along with a very small chance of an isolated tornado.

Read more: Scattered storms Thursday afternoon with warm, humid conditions

The Twin Cities metro and southern Minnesota are under a Level 2 slight risk for severe weather, while central and northern parts of the state are at a Level 1 marginal risk.

2:50 p.m. – Thunderstorm warning in west-central MN 

The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning in the areas of Dassel, Darwin and Kingston, Minnesota. 

2:15 p.m. – Severe thunderstorm watch 

The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm for parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin until 8 p.m. on Thursday. 

Potential threats include tornadoes, scattered hail up to ping pong size possible, and scattered wind gusts of up to 70 mph, according to the NWS. 

Storm chances Thursday 

A cold front moving through will likely trigger scattered showers and thunderstorms. The best chance for storms runs from early afternoon into the evening hours. 

Isolated storms begin to fire up not long after the lunch hour. These first storm cells will hold a short-lived hail threat. But as storms become more widespread, they’ll congeal into small lines and clusters that will switch the main severe threat to gusty winds and a very small chance of a tornado.

There is a large amount of moisture in the atmosphere for this time of year, so some very heavy downpours will accompany the strongest storms that could lead to some minor and short-lived street flooding. 

The metro and areas to the south are under a level 2 slight risk of severe weather. Much of central and northern Minnesota is under a level 1 marginal risk. The main threats include brief heavy downpours, gusty winds over 60 mph and possible hail. An isolated tornado also can’t be ruled out.