Warmer temps Monday and Tuesday; thunderstorm chance Tuesday afternoon & evening

The high temperature at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport was 60 degrees both days this weekend. The average Twin Cities high temp is 55 degrees this time of year.

Warmer temps are on tap for the next couple of days.

Temperature trends

Monday highs will be in the 60s across much of Minnesota:

50s are expected in north-central and northeast Minnesota, with some upper 40s in the far northeast.

Tuesday highs will range from upper 40s in far northwestern Minnesota to lower 70s in southeastern Minnesota:

Twin Cities metro area highs are forecast to be in the upper 60s to around 70 degrees on Tuesday. Metro area highs are projected to be around 60 degrees on Wednesday, followed by upper 50s Thursday and around 50 on Friday.

Metro area high temps might be in the 40s next weekend, and chilly air could linger into the following week. The National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center shows a strong tendency for below-normal temps from Oct. 28 through Nov. 1:

Warm clothes will be appropriate this Halloween.

Rain chances

Areas of showers are expected to spread from western Minnesota into eastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin as we go through Sunday evening and the night. An isolated thunderstorm is also possible in southeastern Minnesota.

There could be a few scattered showers in eastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin early Monday morning.

You can hear updated weather information for Minnesota and western Wisconsin on the MPR News network. Also check out the MPR News display of National Weather Service radar.

Parts of northern Minnesota could see some rain Monday night, then the rain and thunderstorm chances shift to central and southern Minnesota plus Wisconsin Tuesday afternoon and evening. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s North American Mesoscale forecast model shows the potential rain pattern from 1 a.m. Tuesday to 11 p.m. Tuesday:

The Tuesday afternoon and evening rain/thunderstorm coverage could be more extensive than the pattern that’s shown in the simulation above. Some areas could see strong to severe thunderstorms Tuesday afternoon and evening, so check forecast updates.

Snow potential northwest

Portions of eastern North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota could see accumulating snow late Thursday into Friday. Check forecast updates as we get closer to Thursday.

Fall colors

If you want to do some leaf-peeping, there are still opportunities out there.

Much of northern Minnesota is past peak for fall colors, but beautiful fall colors are on display in large portions of central and southern Minnesota.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources fall color report for Minnesota State Parks and Trails looks like this:

When you look at the fall color map, keep in mind that all deciduous trees are included, not just maples.

The Wisconsin fall color report can be found here.

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.