Severe Thunderstorm Watch in Effect Until 11 p.m.

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The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm watch for Richfield, Hennepin County and the Twin Cities until 11 p.m. tonight.

A strong cold front is expected to move into northwest Minnesota and move through the rest of the state by early Thursday morning. Showers and thunderstorms will likely develop along this front across northwest Minnesota, and spread east-southeast during the afternoon and evening.

Due to the strength of this storm system, severe storms are possible with the greatest threat expected to occur across west-central and central Minnesota through 9 p.m.

The activity will likely evolve into a heavy rainfall event as it moves into east-central Minnesota and west-central Wisconsin. Behind this front, much cooler air will settle in for Thursday into the weekend with what has been a rare occurrence this summer, a several day stretch where temperatures are actually below normal.