Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Mix of sun and a few showers chances through Memorial Day

Next rain chance for most of Minnesota arrives Thursday night into Friday

Forecast high temperatures Thursday
Forecast high temperatures Thursday
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Ah, Memorial Day weekend in Minnesota.

We wait all year for the big summer holiday weekends. But of the Big 3 summer holidays, Memorial Day climatologically brings the highest rain chances. And the peak of severe weather season occurs in the next four weeks before easing off after the Fourth of July.

Severe weather peak
Severe weather peak
Twin Cities National Weather Service

So a Memorial Day weekend without severe weather or torrential rains is a bonus here.

Our weather pattern brings a few shower chances in the next few days. But most of the hours will be dry between now and next Monday.

Thursday brings a nice warm day for much of Minnesota. Highs will approach 80 degrees in the Twin Cities, with 70s and 60s as you move north.

Forecast high temperatures Thursday
Forecast high temperatures Thursday
NOAA

A frontal system brings a few thunderstorms to the Red River Valley and northwestern Minnesota Thursday night. That front will spark a relatively narrow line of thunderstorms that will sweep through Minnesota on Friday.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s NAM 3 km model shows the trend between Thursday and Friday evening:

NOAA NAM 3 km model 2
North American Mesoscale 3 km model between 4 p.m. Thursday and 4 p.m. Friday
NOAA, via Tropical Tidbits

There is a marginal risk for a severe storm in much of western Minnesota late Thursday as the front approaches.

The weekend brings a few isolated shower chances. NOAA’s Global Forecast System model paints a few blips of rainfall on Saturday and potentially Monday. The most active storm zone favors Iowa this weekend.

NOAA GFS model
Global Forecast System model between Saturday and Memorial Day
NOAA, via Tropical Tidbits

Highs will run mostly in the 70s south and 60s north across Minnesota this upcoming weekend.

Forecast high temperatures Saturday
Forecast high temperatures Saturday
NOAA

There should be plenty of dry hours to get outdoor activities in this weekend.