Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Scattered showers through Wednesday night; 80s return by Friday

Soaking rain favors NW Minnesota

NOAA HRRR model
High-Resolution Rapid Refresh model between 2 p.m. Wednesday and 7 a.m. Thursday
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, via Tropical Tidbits

Another rain system is crossing Minnesota through Wednesday night. This one is weaker than some of the multi-inch storms earlier this spring, but soaking rains will fall across parts of western Minnesota through Thursday morning.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s High-Resolution Rapid Refresh model shows the system pushing showers and a few embedded thunderstorms across Minnesota. The loop at the top of this post runs between 2 p.m. Wednesday and 7 a.m. Thursday.

The most likely window for rain in the Twin Cities is from around midnight into early Thursday morning.

Precipitation totals will be less than one-quarter inch across much of Minnesota, including the Twin Cities area. An inch of rain is likely from around Fargo, N.D., and Moorhead through much of northwestern Minnesota.

Here’s the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts model precipitation output through Thursday:

European model (ECMWF) precipitation output
Precipitation output forecast
European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, via Pivotal Weather

Warmer air ahead

Another shot of early summerlike air blows into Minnesota Friday into Saturday. Highs will reach the 80s once again across southern Minnesota on Friday.

Forecast high temperatures Friday
Forecast high temperatures Friday
NOAA

Saturday brings similar warmth across southern Minnesota.

Forecast high temperatures Saturday
Forecast high temperatures Saturday
NOAA

A cold front will sweep through Minnesota Saturday with shower chances especially north of the Twin Cities.

Sunday brings a sunny mild day with highs in the 60s north to 70s south.

Forecast high temperatures Sunday
Forecast high temperatures Sunday
NOAA