Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Thursday sprinkles, then milder; drought keeps grip on Minnesota

Extreme drought continues its hold on much of the Twin Cites, latest report shows

precip THU midday
Precipitation forecast midday Thursday
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, via Pivotal Weather

Drought hangs onto Minnesota with little change in the latest U.S. Drought Monitor report. Parts of southwestern Minnesota will see a little measurable light rain Thursday. Milder temperatures build back Friday into the weekend.

Latest drought monitor

The latest U.S. Drought Monitor report, released Thursday, is largely unchanged from a week ago as dry conditions persist for most of Minnesota.

drought monitor 10-27
The latest U.S. drought monitor for Minnesota
National Drought Mitigation Center

The only real change is the area of severe drought expanded from 15 percent to 16 percent of Minnesota. Extreme drought continues to grip much of the Twin Cites into south-central and southwestern Minnesota.

Precipitation deficits are largely negative statewide for the autumn so far but are more mixed year to date:

precip deficits
Precipitation deficits for meteorological fall to date (since Sept. 1) and year to date (since Jan. 1)
Sven Sundgaard, National Weather Service data

Some light rain Thursday then milder

Clouds have returned to Minnesota on the northern edge of a much larger storm system to our southwest.

sat low
Satellite imagery early Thursday showing the return of cloud cover and an upper level low to our southwest
College of DuPage weather lab

It will be a big rain maker for the southern plains into the south, unfortunately not for Minnesota. Most of us will see a few sprinkles with perhaps up to one-tenth of an inch of light rain in southwestern Minnesota.

48 hour QPF
48 hour total rainfall
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, via Pivotal Weather

Sunshine and milder temperatures return Friday into the weekend. That mild air looks to stick around through the middle of next week before colder air arrives.

fri highs 8a
Forecast high temperatures Friday
NOAA, via Pivotal Weather

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