Warm and humid air could give way to severe storms Thursday afternoon

This warm and humid air is setting up for some thunderstorms later Thursday. Some of those could be on the severe side.

Mike Griesinger is the lead forecaster at the National Weather Service in Chanhassen and he says the threat is there for big storms late in the season.

"Biggest threat, there looks to be the potential for some very large hail along with some wind," Griesinger explains. And can't completely rule out a tornado."

The storms should move through the Twin Cities mid-afternoon. The main line of storms will be most severe in eastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin.

"Somewhere around the I-35 corridor from Albert Lea all the way up through the Twin Cities toward Duluth. Probably 2:00 and 4:00 in the afternoon is when those would start, and then move off into Wisconsin from there as we head into the evening hours."

A couple tornadoes, isolated large hail, and damaging winds may occur with these storms.

The severe weather includes a large swath of the central U.S. with risks stretching from the Canadian border all the way down to northern Oklahoma.

Thursday's storms are also going to usher in some cooler, seasonable weather for Minnesota. Highs will remain in the low-80s Friday and Saturday before a drop into the 60s for highs by Sunday. There is also a slight chance of rain Sunday into next week.