Hot, dry weather will linger across the Northland for most of the week, with only a slight chance of cooler conditions near Lake Superior by mid to late week. Any relief from the lake will likely be minimal, as the water has warmed with mid-July’s arrival.
…New record High Temperatures set for today, July 12, 2026…
International Falls, MN
New record high: 98 degrees
Old record high: 96 degrees set in 1921
Hibbing, MN
New record high: 92 degrees
Old record high: 91 degrees set in 1969
Along with today’s record highs, several spots might also see new record warm low temperatures for July 12th. Duluth, International Falls, Hibbing, and Ashland are all currently 1 to 2 degrees above the existing record warm lows for this date. Unless temperatures drop below those records by midnight—which seems pretty unlikely—new record warm lows will be set.
…Wild temperature extreme in International Falls this year…
From –36°F back on January 24 to 98°F today, International Falls has swung an incredible 134 degrees this year.
In late January 2026, a piece of the polar vortex dipped out of Ontario toward Lake Superior, driving 500mb heights down to an impressive 498 decameters in far northern Minnesota.
Temperatures from late Sunday afternoon
This afternoon, one spot hit 100 degrees in Meander, MN, northwest of Ely. The heat also pushed into the Arrowhead, with mid to upper 90s from Hog Creek to Seagull Lake.
Duluth hit an official high of 91 degrees today (July 12), marking the first time since August 26, 2024, that temperatures have reached at least 90. Today’s 91 is also the warmest temperature of 2026 so far.
Highs in Duluth on Monday and Tuesday are expected to range from about 91 to 96 degrees, with persistent offshore winds preventing any cooling from Lake Superior.
Dew points were in the muggy 60s to low 70s across most of northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin today, but drier air moved in, dropping dew points into the 50s this afternoon in far northern Minnesota. Similar conditions are expected for Monday and Tuesday, with some areas seeing dew points dip into the 50s, especially in the afternoons.
All of the Northland can expect a drier, less humid air mass to move in on Wednesday.
The ridge continues to intensify and expand northeast out of the Rockies reaching into the northern Plains and upper Midwest today with 500mb heights near the core of the ridge reaching an impressive 596 decameters or greater.
On the northeast edge of this ridge, clusters of strong to severe thunderstorms have been moving south-southeast from Ontario across central and eastern Lake Superior into parts of upper Michigan today. Reports include strong winds and hail, with one instance of golf ball-sized hail (1.75″ in diameter) late this morning in Herman, MI.
Computer models are still predicting the ridge to peak at around 600 decameters over central Minnesota by Monday afternoon and evening, with some, like the RAP, even pushing that 600-decameter line as far north as Duluth, which is practically unheard of.
…Wildfire Update as of Sunday afternoon, July 12, 2026…
Several fires continue to burn across far northern St. Louis County in northeast Minnesota today.
- Thumb Fire: 500 acres
- Bear Trap Fire: 200 acres
- Wolfpack Fire: 60 acres
Last Updated Sunday afternoon, July 12, 2026
The Ridge and Beaver Trail Fires have prompted evacuation warnings in the yellow-shaded areas on the map, with ready conditions in the green-shaded areas.
Level 1, or “Ready,” conditions are in effect for the green-shaded areas on the map due to the Sioux Fire, located north of Echo Trail and east of Jeanette Campground.
Winds from the south and southwest are driving fires in far northeastern Minnesota to spread toward the northeast, while high-altitude northwest winds carry smoke plumes from those fires toward the southeast.
We might start noticing some smoke in parts of the Northland over the next few days, especially by Tuesday and Wednesday as winds shift to the north. For now, though, most of the smoke should stay confined to the Arrowhead in far northeast Minnesota through Monday night.
…Heat Continues…
On Monday, the heat risk will be major (red) across all of northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin, with a few spots reaching extreme (purple) levels.
There’s not much change in Tuesday’s heat risk map, with major (red) risk covering all of northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin, along with a few spots of extreme (purple) risk scattered in.
…Record Highs for July 13 (Monday)…
Duluth, MN: 106 set in 1936
Ashland, WI: 104 set in 1936
Brainerd, MN: 102 set in 1936
International Falls, MN: 93 set in 1983
Hibbing, MN: 92 set in 1983
Based on the records, International Falls and Hibbing have the best shot at hitting another record high on Monday.
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