Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

A nice Wednesday with a continued heating trend

Showers graze southern Minnesota Thursday

6 to 10 day
6 to 10 day temperature outlook
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, via Pivotal Weather

A very nice Wednesday with sunshine through high clouds and more widespread 60s and 50s across Minnesota. Showers brush southern Minnesota Thursday into Friday.

Nice Wednesday; showers south Thursday

If you liked Tuesday’s sunshine, you’ll love Wednesday. We had a high of 58 degrees in the Twin Cities Tuesday. It will be even warmer, in the low 60s for many places and we’ll have more sun. The sun will be filtered out by some high clouds at times.

Highs WED
High temperatures Wednesday
National Weather Service

A storm system will move mainly south of Minnesota Thursday into Friday but portions of southern Minnesota could see a few showers.

precip THU FRI loop 2
Rainfall Thursday into Friday will mainly be south of Minnesota though southern Minnesota could be grazed by showers
College of DuPage

For most, it will still be mild Thursday. Far southern Minnesota, where there will be more clouds and a few showers will be cooler, in the 50s.

highs THU
High temperatures Thursday
National Weather Service

Summer moves in next week?

The developing story for next week is just how hot it may get. Yes, you read correctly, HEAT.

This is a good time to separate model projected scenarios from forecasts. You’ve certainly heard me and other meteorologists float the possibility of 90 degrees next week since some models are doing so but that’s not a forecast, that’s a possible scenario.

NWS forecast
Forecast high temperatures into early next week for the Twin Cities area
National Weather Service

The forecast is still for 70s to low 80s for Monday into Tuesday and Wednesday next week. That’s because that’s the most likely, middle range of scenarios. However, nearly half of the models we use for the medium range forecasts are now forecasting 90 for the Twin Cities and southern Minnesota at some point next week. That’s a definite trend upward and as we get closer, it becomes a little bit more likely.

Here’s a look at the maximum temperature forecast next week (some are on different days) for several different computer models for the Twin Cities.

models TUE
Seven different computer model scenarios for the highest temperature next week
National Weather Service

Regardless, everyone anticipates above normal temperatures next week and more humid air combined with a potentially stormier setup. The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center has its eye on Monday still for some possible strong storms in southern Minnesota and Iowa.

SVR risk
Potential severe weather risk next Monday
National Weather Service

Making progress on snowmelt up north

Many areas had double (or more) their normal snowfall in the month of April along Minnesota’s North Shore. Finland saw 41 inches of snow since the spring equinox.

snowfall COOP
Snowfall totals since March 20 in northeastern Minnesota
National Weather Service

You can see, however, that we’re making progress at melting that snowpack in northeastern Minnesota. While there is still about 12 to 18 inches of snow along the higher terrain around Finland and between Grand Portage and the Gunflint Trail, that’s down from more than 2 feet a week ago.

snow compare
Snow depth in northeastern Minnesota on April 26 (top) and May 3 (bottom)
National Weather Service