Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Soaking rain moving out, springlike weekend on tap

Our Tuesday soaker has delivered

Spring soaker at the Weather Lab
Spring soaker at the Weather Lab
Paul Huttner | MPR News

They say timing is everything in life. I don’t know about that. But rain on a Tuesday, then a sunny mild weekend? I know that works for most Minnesotans.

Our well-advertised Tuesday soaker delivered on schedule across much of Minnesota. Here’s a look at an hour of the radar loop early Tuesday afternoon. It shows the impressive rain shield soaking central Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin as the back edge of the heavier rain works through the Twin Cities.

Early afternoon radar loop Tuesday via NOAA/Weather Underground
Early afternoon radar loop Tuesday via NOAA/Weather Underground
NOAA data via Weather Underground

By 1 p.m., the rain gauge at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport picked up an impressive .76 inch of rainfall. Look for rain to gradually end from west to east Tuesday afternoon across our region.

Spring returns

Our weather trends sunnier and warmer over the next few days. A couple of models hint at a possible weather disturbance with a few more showers Friday, but mostly sunny skies will be the rule through this weekend. Highs push back through the 60s into the 70s once again.

Temperature forecast for Twin Cities
Temperature forecast for Twin Cities
NOAA via Weather Bell

A few models today hint at temperatures around 80 degrees by the second week of May.

Stay tuned.