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Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News
Paul Huttner

Nice early spring day; mild wet weekend ahead

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Wednesday afternoon may renew your faith in early spring in much of Minnesota. Bright sunshine and lighter winds make it feel almost springy out there.

Sunny, southwest-facing afternoon microclimates are perfect for soaking up some spring sunshine.

If you look closely you can see open water now on smaller ponds and around shore on a few lakes in the Twin Cities. Lake ice is beginning to darken. That's a sign water is getting into tiny cracks in the ice. The ice-out process is underway now.

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Open water and dark ice on Excelsior Bay on Lake Minnetonka this morning. Image via Maynard's webcam.

Edge of spring

Minnesota rides the northern edge of spring Wednesday. One reason? Snow cover lingering in the northern half of Minnesota reflects inbound sunlight. Bare ground in southern Minnesota allows more efficient heating.

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NOAA

That snow cover and a cooler air mass keep northern Minnesota about 10 to 20 degrees cooler Wednesday afternoon. Highs reach the lower 50s across southern Minnesota.

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Forecast highs today via NOAA.

Balmy 60s lurk to the south in Kansas and Missouri Wednesday afternoon. A preview of coming attractions.

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NOAA via Weather Bell.

April showers 

April showers return to the weather picture across southern Minnesota Thursday and this weekend. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Global Forecast System lays out one coverage and timing scenario.

Spotty light showers across southern Minnesota Thursday. Scattered showers Saturday, with more widespread rain Sunday.

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NOAA GFS model Thursday through Sunday via tropical tidbits.

Most models suggest a soaking rain this weekend. Rainfall totals of one-half inch with some local 1-inch totals seem reasonable across southern Minnesota by Monday morning.

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NOAA GFS rainfall totals by 7 pm Sunday via pivotal weather.

Trump proposed NOAA budget cuts 

NOAA's return on investment is high. The proposed budget cuts would fire hundreds of meteorologists and impact tornado research. Here's more from the American Geophysical Union.

The budget proposed by the Trump administration would cut NOAA’s budget by 18%. It would target climate and ocean research programs and also slash education initiatives, grants, and other agency programs.