Chilly weekend temps; lows in the 30s in many areas Sunday morning

Our chilly weekend temps will affect some tender outdoor plants that aren’t covered overnight.

Lows were in the 30s Saturday morning in much of northern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin, with a few spots in central Minnesota also dipping into the 30s. Twin Cities metro area lows were mainly in the lower 40s.

Saturday highs are forecast to be in the 40s in roughly the northern third of Minnesota, with 50s elsewhere in Minnesota and much of western Wisconsin.

Cold Saturday night and early Sunday

Low temps late Saturday night and early Sunday morning will be in the 30s in most of Minnesota and western Wisconsin:

Minneapolis and St. Paul and the inner ring suburbs may see lows close to 40 degrees, with mid to upper 30s in the outer suburbs.

When winds are light, the temperature near the ground can be several degrees colder than the official temp which is measured 5 feet above the ground. Check forecast updates…people in some areas may want to cover tender outdoor plants and possibly bring small potted plants into the garage or house Saturday night.

You can hear updated weather information for Minnesota and western Wisconsin on the Minnesota Public Radio News network, and you can see updated weather info on the MPR News live weather blog.

Shower chances?

Northeastern Minnesota and far northwestern Wisconsin could see a few scattered showers Saturday morning. Then a few scattered showers are possible anywhere in Minnesota and western Wisconsin Saturday afternoon and evening. Sunday still looks dry in most areas.

Temperature trends

Our average May 22 high temp is 71 degrees in the Twin Cities. Parts of the metro area could touch 60 on Sunday. Highs in the 50s are forecast for most of Minnesota and western Wisconsin, with the best chance of 60 to the southeast:

Twin Cities metro area highs are projected to be in the lower 60s on Monday, followed by mid 60s Tuesday and Wednesday, then upper 60s Thursday and lower 70s on Friday.

Scattered showers are possible in the metro area late Monday and on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Flood warning in the Rainy River Basin

Flood warnings (shaded green) continue in the Rainy River Basin of northern Minnesota:

Here are details of the flood warning:

Flood Statement National Weather Service Duluth MN 408 PM CDT Fri May 20 2022 MNC071-075-137-252200- /O.CON.KDLH.FA.W.0011.000000T0000Z-220525T2200Z/ /00000.0.RS.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/ Koochiching MN-Lake MN-St. Louis MN- 408 PM CDT Fri May 20 2022 ...FLOOD WARNING FOR PROLONGED FLOODING IN THE RAINY RIVER BASIN... * WHAT...Flooding caused by rain and snowmelt is occurring. Namakan Lake has already surpassed the level reached in the 2014 flood and is continuing to rise. Rainy Lake is expected to exceed the 2014 level. * WHERE...Rivers and lakes within the Rainy River Basin including Lake Vermilion, Crane Lake, Namakan Lake, Kabetogama Lake and Rainy Lake. * WHEN...Flooding is occurring now and is expected to continue for the next several days and weeks. * IMPACTS...Strong lake level rises are ongoing. Flooding continues on areas lakes and rivers. Widespread impacts are ongoing for shoreline residents. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - At 335 PM CDT, Emergency management reported ongoing flooding across the warned area. - Lake levels on Namakan Lake are expected to rise 6 to 7 inches between May 20th and May 27th. Namakan Lake inflows are expected to decline but remain high for the remainder of the month. Rainy Lake is expected to rise 12 inches between May 20th and May 27th. The 2014 level on Rainy Lake will be exceeded early next week and continue at a slower rate beyond the 7 day forecast. Expect minimal rainfall amounts over the next 7 days. - Areas affected include Rainer, Island View, Voyageurs National Park, Crane Lake, Kabetogama Lake and Lake Vermilion. - http://www.weather.gov/dlh/RainyRiverBasin PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Turn around, don`t drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Use extreme caution if venturing our on these water bodies as many hazards exist.

And here is additional info on the flooding:

Weather nugget

One year ago today, the Twin Cities official high temp was 81 degrees.  It was the first of five consecutive days with Twin Cities highs in the 80s. The warmest of those five days was May 24, with a high of 87.

Programming note

You can hear my live weather updates on MPR News at 7:35 a.m., 9:35 a.m. and 4:39 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday.