Rain, snow and possible thunder; first 70s next week?

One thing about Minnesota weather. It’s rarely boring.

In the next week, Minnesota will enjoy rain and possible thunder, slushy snow, sunshine, and the first 70 degree temperatures of the year for some locations.

Soggy system now

Our latest unusually warm March storm slogs across Minnesota through Wednesday. This system wrings out more rare March rain for Minnesota, with some slushy accumulations up north.

Our sprawling low-pressure system spins northward from Iowa into Minnesota tonight. NOAA’s GOES-16 satellite loop shows the main rain shield is spinning through southern Minnesota. You can also see the tighter circulation around the system’s core producing thunderstorms near Des Moines, Iowa, to the south.

NOAA’s NAM 3 km resolution model shows the system spinning northward into Wisconsin by 6 a.m. Wednesday morning. Note the rain changing to snow across parts of northern Minnesota.

Precipitation totals still range from .50 inch to more than an inch across the Upper Midwest by Thursday morning.

A few slushy inches will fall across northern Minnesota.

A shot at 70 next week?

Next week’s upper air charts look promising for delivering the warmest temperatures so far this year to the Upper Midwest. Monday and Friday look like the mildest days.

Forecast models are cranking out highs in the 60s to near 70 degrees once again by Monday afternoon.

The average date for the first 70-degree temperature in the Twin Cities is April 13. The smart money is on hitting 70 in the Twin Cities earlier than average this year.

NOAA’s eight to 14-day outlook favors more unseasonably mild air as we move into the first week of April.

Stay tuned.