The skies could grow dark Thursday afternoon in eastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin as a cold front moves through and brings a threat for explosive severe storms. "Scattered severe thunderstorms are expected to develop across east-central MN this afternoon and move into western WI this evening,

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect until 10pm for parts of southern Minnesota and northern Iowa, including the Mankato/North Mankato area. We continue to track a cold front that has the potential to bring strong to severe thunderstorms to parts of southern Minnesota and northern Iowa this afternoon into this evening.

FORECAST FIRST ALERT FOR TODAY*Overnight many of us had scattered showers and thunderstorms and some still have some thunderstorms this morning. These were not the severe storms we may have later today.

We will again reach an afternoon temperature of 86° in Madison on Thursday, but it’s not the heat that the forecast will be focused on tomorrow, but our storm chances. A cold front approaching from the west will generate a line of showers and storms late tomorrow morning across portions of Iowa and Minnesota.