Drought-busting rain, accumulating snow up north; next snow Saturday night
Several inches of rain fell along the North Shore. A clipper brings more snow this weekend.
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We’ve gone from high fire danger to flood along the North Shore this year.
That’s the transition we’ve witnessed in the past few months as Minnesota’s weather pattern has shifted from drought to flood. Three months ago, nearly all of Minnesota was in drought.
As of Tuesday, drought has been erased in the southwest quarter of Minnesota, and drought conditions have eased around the rest of Minnesota. Note that this product was issued before the heavy rainfall Thursday.
Thursday’s rain and snow system delivered heavy rainfall to some of the worst drought areas along and near the North Shore. Rainfall reports between 2 and 5.75 inches rolled in from the North Shore. And instant waterfalls popped up along Highway 61 between Tofte and Grand Marais.
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Significant snow up north
Most of Minnesota picked up soaking rain, significant snow fell up north on not yet frozen ground. Here’s a look at snowfall totals across the state.
Weekend clipper
Cold air is now in place across Minnesota with temperatures mostly in the 30s. The next weather system streaks into Minnesota from the Canadian Prairies Saturday into Sunday. The Canadian model paints a clipper tracking along Interstate 94 from Fargo, N.D., through the Twin Cities area Saturday night.
It should be warm enough for rain in southern Minnesota, with snow most likely along and north of I-94.
Snowfall totals by most models favor a zone of 1 to 3 inches along and south of I-94 through the Twin Cities. A heavier band of 2 to 5 inches looks likely further north through much of central Minnesota.
If the currently projected storm track forecast holds, that could put 4 inches in the northeast Twin Cities, with closer to 1 or 2 inches in the far southwest.
It should be noted that a few models like the Canadian bring the storm a little further south. That would bring heavier 4 to 5-inch snows into the Twin Cities if it verifies.
With temperatures dipping below the freezing point Saturday night, expect some slick roads around most of central Minnesota.
Stay tuned.