Drier pattern emerging for Minnesota into next week

Our record-setting June deluge may be on its last legs.

Parts of Minnesota have recorded more than 10 inches of rainfall this month. You can see the incredible rainfall totals so far in June on the map at the top of this post.

A drier weather pattern is emerging for Minnesota starting Sunday and lasting through much of next week. We could string together more dry days next week with only isolated rain chances if current forecast models pan out.

That would be a blessing for soggy fields and flooded rivers around Minnesota. Climatologist Mark Seeley, my MPR News colleague, points out that Minnesota is already recording a top 20 wettest June with nine days left in the month!

Here’s a snapshot from Mark’s Minnesota Weather Talk this week:

Frequent and Heavy Rains Continue in June:

 This week was dominated again by widespread rainfall, and in some cases record-setting rains that produced minor to moderate flood warnings for portions of the Cottonwood River, Crow River, Minnesota River, and Mississippi River, as well as streams and creeks in northeastern Minnesota, including the Vermilion River near Crane Lake. 

 Many observers have reported rainfall on 15 of the first 20 days this month. Dozens of new daily record rainfall amounts have been recorded so far this month within the state climate observation network.  Many NOAA climate observers reported record-setting rainfalls on June 18-19.  The heavy thunderstorms were associated with dew points in the 70s F, the highest of the year so far.  Some of these rainfall amounts were close to all-time daily rainfall records for June, including:

— Brimson, 5.18 inches

— Tower, 4.60 inches

— Cook, 5.10 inches

— Tettegouche State Park, 5.02 inches

— Embarrass, 4.33 inches

— Wolf Ridge, 5.32 inches

— Orr, 3.42 inches

 The 5.32 inches measured at Wolf Ridge in Lake County on June 19 will likely be a new all-time statewide record within the NOAA network for Minnesota.  Other observers who are part of the State Climatology Office networks reported from 5 to 7 inches of rainfall.

 With this week’s rainfall totals many climate stations (over 270) now report over 6 inches of rainfall for the month so far.  Many climate stations have reported over 7 inches of rainfall for the month so far, and some are nearing record monthly totals.  A few examples:

— Cook (St Louis County), 7.65 inches ranks as wettest June in history

— Brownton (McLeod County), 10.37 inches ranks as 2nd wettest June in history

— Embarrass (St Louis County), 7.84 inches ranks as 2nd wettest June in history

— Faribault (Rice County), 10.38 inches ranks as 4th wettest June in history

— Forest Lake (Washington County), 8.40 inches ranks as 7th wettest June in history

Overall, on a statewide basis this June ranks among the wettest 20 historically with a statewide average well over 5 inches and we still have 9 days left in the month.  It will clearly be our third consecutive month with above normal rainfall for most places in the state.

Friday brought yet another multi-inch rainfall event to southern Minnesota.

Drier starting Sunday

We may still pick up a few scattered thunderstorms on Saturday, but Sunday looks sunny and dry with highs around 80 degrees in the south.

All forecast models show a trend toward drier weather with only isolated rain for much of next week.

We may finally string together a few dry days. Right now, the period Sunday through Thursday looks mainly dry across most of Minnesota. A few isolated storms may rumble on Monday.

Heat and some humidity return Monday and Tuesday with highs in the 80s to near 90 in southern Minnesota: