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Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News
Paul Huttner

Scattered thunderstorms increasing Friday across Minnesota

Some welcome local downpours; scattered storms through Saturday

MPR weather interactive radar
MPR News weather interactive radar image mid-afternoon Friday
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, via MPR News

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The radar is finally showing some promising colors Friday around Minnesota. A weak frontal system is triggering scattered garden-variety thunderstorms across much of Minnesota.

The MPR News interactive radar image above shows the storms with local downpours and plenty of lightning as we move through mid-afternoon Friday.

The storms are still localized, but they are dropping some nice downpours if your lawn or farm field is fortunate enough to get under one of these cells.

Scattered storms through Saturday

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s short-range mesoscale models continue the trend of scattered storm waves popping up though Saturday.

NOAA’s FV3 model is typical of those that generate a few waves of thunderstorms across our state through Saturday evening. The forecast model loop below runs between 6 p.m. Friday and 6 p.m. Saturday.

NOAA FV3 model
FV3 model between 6 p.m. Friday and 6 p.m. Saturday
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, via Tropical Tidbits

Severe risk Saturday

A few storms Saturday could reach severe limits with large hail and damaging winds across southern Minnesota. The Twin Cities is included in the marginal risk zone. Southern Minnesota has a slightly higher risk.

Severe weather risk areas
Severe weather risk areas Saturday
NOAA

Rainfall potential

The best chance for significant rainfall still favors the northern half of Minnesota through the upcoming weekend. NOAA’s Global Forecast System model is in the middle of rainfall output solutions for the Twin Cities area with around an inch in many locations.

Multi-inch rainfall totals look quite possible across northern Minnesota.

NOAA GFS precipitation output
Global Forecast System precipitation output forecast through 7 a.m. Monday
NOAA, via Pivotal Weather

Remember summer convective rainfall is usually highly localized, so eventual precipitation totals often vary greatly over short distances.