Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Heaviest rains south tonight, scattered showers/t-storms possible metro

The heaviest rains this Thursday evening and overnight should be over southern Minnesota, especially south of a line from Marshall to Red Wing.

The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood watch until 1 a.m. Friday for southwestern and south-central Minnesota, and until 7 a.m. Friday for southeastern Minnesota and southwestern Wisconsin:

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National Weather Service

The NWS Global Forecast System model shows the heaviest rains moving across far southern Minnesota Thursday night, with scattered showers and thunderstorms possible over the remainder of Minnesota:

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NWS GFS data, via College of DuPage

A few scattered showers and t-storms are also possible on Friday

Rainfall recap

Our average rainfall total for the entire month of August is just over 4 inches. Some spots in Minnesota saw more than one month's worth of rain Wednesday evening and Wednesday night. Willmar is still cleaning up after receiving about two month's worth of rain!

Here is a recap of some of the highest rainfall totals, courtesy of the Twin Cities NWS:

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN

1034 AM CDT THU AUG 11 2016

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...

..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....

..REMARKS..

0600 AM     HEAVY RAIN       5 N WILLMAR             45.19N 95.06W

08/11/2016  M8.09 INCH       KANDIYOHI          MN   CO-OP OBSERVER

CO-OP OBSERVER STATION WILLMAR 5 N /WMRM5/.

0840 AM     HEAVY RAIN       1 SSW WILLMAR           45.12N 95.06W

08/11/2016  M7.90 INCH       KANDIYOHI          MN   COCORAHS

COCORAHS STATION WILLMAR /MN-KD-8/.

0800 AM     HEAVY RAIN       1 SE WILLMAR            45.11N 95.03W

08/11/2016  M7.23 INCH       KANDIYOHI          MN   COCORAHS

COCORAHS STATION WILLMAR 1 ESE /MN-KD-7/.

0615 AM     HEAVY RAIN       5 SE LAKE LILLIAN       44.88N 94.82W

08/11/2016  M7.12 INCH       RENVILLE           MN   COCORAHS

COCORAHS STATION LAKE LILLIAN 5SE /MN-RV-5/.

0700 AM     HEAVY RAIN       6 NE DELHI              44.67N 95.14W

08/11/2016  M6.80 INCH       RENVILLE           MN   COCORAHS

COCORAHS STATION DELHI 5 NE /MN-RV-12/.

0945 AM     HEAVY RAIN       1 SE HUTCHINSON         44.88N 94.36W

08/11/2016  M6.27 INCH       MCLEOD             MN   CO-OP OBSERVER

CO-OP OBSERVER STATION HUTCHINSON (CROW R. S

FK) /HCNM5/.

0700 AM     HEAVY RAIN       2 SSE HUTCHINSON        44.87N 94.36W

08/11/2016  M6.16 INCH       MCLEOD             MN   COCORAHS

COCORAHS STATION HUTCHINSON 1 SSE

/MN-MC-10/.

0700 AM     HEAVY RAIN       2 WNW DANUBE            44.81N 95.14W

08/11/2016  M6.05 INCH       RENVILLE           MN   COCORAHS

Minneapolis-Saint Paul International airport reported 2.63 inches of rain Wednesday night.

A large part of Minnesota received over 3 inches of rain:

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NWS Twin Cities

Rising rivers

Recent torrential rains have caused impressive rises in some river levels. The Middle Fork Zumbro River at Pine Island has risen more than 8 feet since Wednesday night:

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NWS/MN DNR

NWS forecasters say that the river could rise another foot or so. The National Weather Service has issued a flood warning for that portion of Goodhue county until further notice.

You can always check river level forecasts here .

Nice weekend!

Highs Friday will be in the 80s over central and southern Minnesota:

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Friday will still be a bit sticky, but dew points should dip a bit late in the day.

A high pressure system will spread comfortably dry air over Minnesota for the weekend:

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High this weekend will be in the 70s over northern and central Minnesota.  Southern Minnesota will see highs in the lower 80s.

Here are your Saturday highs:

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And Sunday:

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Monday looks dry, with a chance of showers and thunderstorms returning on Tuesday.