Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

More showers develop Thursday. Heavy rain Thursday night into early Saturday

Localized flooding is possible into the weekend

qp 72
Forecast additional precipitation through the weekend
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, via Pivotal Weather

Scattered showers will develop Thursday for portions of central and southern Minnesota. Heavier rain and storms are possible Friday into Saturday. Drier weather develops next week.

Scattered showers with more heavy rain Thursday night into Saturday 

After one dry day Wednesday, more scattered showers will develop Thursday for portions of central and southern Minnesota. The silver lining is that Thursday’s daytime rainfall shouldn’t be particularly heavy. 

precip THU 8a
Forecast precipitation 8 a.m. through 7 p.m. Thursday
NOAA, via Pivotal Weather

It will be cooler again with highs mostly in the 70s across the state. 

thu hi 5
Forecast highs Thursday
National Weather Service

Overnight Thursday into Friday, as muggier air surges north once again, we’ll see the possibility of more intense periods of showers and thunderstorms. 

fri prec 8a
Forecast precipitation 7 p.m. Thursday through 7 p.m. Friday
NOAA, via Pivotal Weather

There’s a flood watch for southwestern Minnesota for Thursday night from 8 p.m. through 8 a.m. Friday.

flood watch
Flood watch for southwest Minnesota from 8 p.m. Thursday through 8 a.m. Friday
National Weather Service

There’s a moderate risk of excessive rainfall for southwestern Minnesota Thursday night.

thu nt excessive rain
Excessive rainfall outlook for Thursday into Thursday night
NOAA Weather Prediction Center, via Iowa State University

There’s also the potential for some severe weather in mainly southwestern Minnesota Thursday night. There’s a slight risk (level 2 of 5) for severe storms.

thu spc
Severe weather outlook Thursday into Thursday night
NOAA Storm Prediction Center, via Iowa State University

There’s also a risk late Friday of severe weather for east-central and southeast Minnesota into western Wisconsin. The risk is slight (level 2 of 5) with a broader, marginal (level 1 of 5) risk around that.

day 3 spc
Severe weather outlook Friday into Friday night
NOAA Storm Prediction Center, via Iowa State University

Of particular concern will be more heavy rainfall once again Friday into early Saturday. There’s a moderate risk of excessive rainfall for much of southern Minnesota.

day 2 excessive rain
Excessive rainfall outlook for Friday into Friday night
NOAA Weather Prediction Center, via Iowa State University

There will be waves and clusters of storms with heavy rainfall, potentially damaging winds and large hail. In areas that are repeatedly hit with these storms, rainfall totals could really add up.

fri-sat prec 8a
Forecast precipitation 7 p.m. Friday through 1 p.m. Saturday
NOAA, via Pivotal Weather

The potential for several more inches of rainfall, with locally heavier amounts, is possible for portions of the state into Saturday.

qp 72
Forecast additional precipitation through the weekend
NOAA, via Pivotal Weather

While it looks like a broad area of 3 to 4 inches will fall, some models are pumping out locally heavier amounts, potentially in excess of 6 inches. Where this happens precisely is the question.

NAM 3km QPF
North American Mesoscale Forecast System model rainfall forecast
NOAA, via Pivotal Peather

A drier pattern finally looks to emerge Sunday into next week. It won’t be completely dry, but there will be less frequent chances of showers and thunderstorms. It also looks hotter early next week.