MPR meteorologist Paul Huttner discusses the latest research on our changing climate and the consequences we’re seeing here in Minnesota and worldwide. Hear Climate Cast each Thursday on MPR’s 

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MPR meteorologist Paul Huttner discusses the latest research on our changing climate and the consequences we’re seeing here in Minnesota and worldwide.


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Climate normals can downplay just how fast Minnesota is warming

As the climate warms up over time, the 30-year averages for climate variables like temperature and precipitation also increase. These new normals can be misleading of just how fast Minnesota is warming up.


Climate normals downplay just how fast Minnesota is warming

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Updraft® is your source for Minnesota forecasts and insights from our expert meteorologists, Paul Huttner, Sven Sundgaard and Mandy Thalhuber.

MPR News brings you the latest weather outlook, across all of Minnesota, so you can be better prepared for your day.

Get in-depth Minnesota weather forecasts with Updraft® by MPR News. Stay updated with the latest from our meteorologists.

A warm air mass gives way to a cold front Thursday. Storms could be strong to severe with the frontal passage Thursday afternoon.


Summery Wednesday; severe risk ahead Thursday

It’ll feel summer-like today as temperatures soar into the 80s across southern Minnesota. A developing system will touch off storms Thursday, some could be severe. 


Incredibly warm Wednesday with strong storms Thursday 

Our beautiful spring air mass gives way to more scattered strong storms Thursday. There is a risk for severe weather Thursday afternoon and evening.


Taste of July Wednesday; severe risk returns Thursday

The warmup continues as 70s return to most of southern Minnesota today. Tomorrow will be windy and even warmer with widespread 80s. Storms are possible again Thursday. 


Even warmer Tuesday and Wednesday; storms possible Thursday

A red flag warning is in effect across parts of Minnesota Monday night as critical fire weather conditions continue, with an unseasonably warm stretch peaking midweek before storm chances return Thursday.


Critical fire danger and summerlike warmth for midweek

After a chilly weekend, temperatures warm back up quickly early this week. Southern Minnesota will see 80s by Wednesday with more storms possible Thursday.


Temperatures rapidly warm back up 

After a cold weekend, a quick surge of warmth and wind will elevate fire risk across western and central Minnesota on Monday. Summerlike temperatures arrive by midweek before storm chances return to the region later in the week.


Warm, windy start to week raises fire risk

A light coating of snow early Sunday will give way to sunshine and lighter winds. Temperatures stay on the chilly side before a warm-up arrives midweek.


Sunny skies, but a chilly feel continues

After a raw mid-April day, parts of Minnesota could see a quick hit of light snow before a dramatic warm-up arrives next week.


Snowflakes possible Saturday night, followed by a chilly Sunday

A chilly air mass settles in behind Friday’s strong cold front, bringing breezy conditions and below-average temperatures through the weekend.




Chilly, breezy start to the weekend; warmer weather ahead next week

Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Stay informed on weather and climate news in Minnesota and beyond. Get the latest updates and expert insights from MPR News.


A warm air mass gives way to a cold front Thursday. Storms could be strong to severe with the frontal passage Thursday afternoon.

It’ll feel summer-like today as temperatures soar into the 80s across southern Minnesota. A developing system will touch off storms Thursday, some could be severe.

Incredibly warm Wednesday with strong storms Thursday

MN weather: July-like Wednesday; severe risk Thursday

The warmup continues as 70s return to most of southern Minnesota today. Tomorrow will be windy and even warmer with widespread 80s. Storms are possible again Thursday.

Clean up efforts are underway in parts of Rochester, Stewartville and other communities in SE Minnesota after tornados swept through the region Friday afternoon. Olmsted County’s sheriff says at least 60 to 70 homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed.

‘Houses are just gone’: Stewartville, Marion Township clean up after Friday’s tornadoes

Clean up efforts are underway in parts of Rochester, Stewartville and other communities in SE Minnesota after tornados swept through the region Friday afternoon. Olmsted County’s sheriff says at least 60 to 70 homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed. 


Weather and Climate News

Southeast Minnesota cleans up Friday's tornado damage

A red flag warning is in effect across parts of Minnesota Monday night as critical fire weather conditions continue, with an unseasonably warm stretch peaking midweek before storm chances return Thursday.

This year, the state is far outpacing its average of one tornado in April. Just on Friday, the National Weather Service recorded five tornadoes in southeast Minnesota. 

Minnesota sees its most active start to severe weather season in 4 years

NINA MOINI: As we heard earlier in the show, residents in southeastern Minnesota are still cleaning up after several tornadoes passed through this last weekend. MPR News meteorologist Sven Sundgaard says it's been an active start to severe weather season with several tornadoes. For more on what could be ahead for the rest of the season, Sven joins me now. 

Thanks for being with us, Sven. 

SVEN SUNGAARD: Absolutely, Nina. 

NINA MOINI: Yeah, this is so important. I don't know if you heard us talking with the Sheriff from Olmsted County earlier in the show, but to already have these tornadoes, how many tornadoes have we had already, and how does it line up to other years? 

SVEN SUNGAARD: Yeah, we've had 11 tornado reports so far this April season already. Five of those were just from Friday, two of which were EF2s on Friday. So that's pretty incredible. Minnesota, we tend to see the smaller side of those tornadoes. So those are significant tornadoes, one of which, around Stewartville and Marion, packed 130-mile-an-hour winds and was on the ground for 10 miles. So that's a longer-track tornado. We average only one tornado in the month of April in Minnesota, so that's already way above normal. This is our most active start to the severe weather season in four years. 

68 total severe weather reports, which includes large hail and wind, of course, too. And of course, last year was an active season too, but it was pretty brief. Most of last year's tornadoes and activity came just in the month of June. People might remember we had about three weeks there that were pretty bumpy. 

NINA MOINI: Yeah. So I think people are wondering like, why is this happening? And does winter weather affect this or the type of winter we had? 

SVEN SUNGAARD: Yeah, it can. Severe weather season starts in about February, March in the deep South as things start to warm up there. Spring, of course, gets there earlier and there's still a lot of cold left in the Northern states. And it's that clash of air masses that creates thunderstorms and the potential for severe weather. And this winter was a little odd. People might remember we had some occasional cold, but overall, it was pretty close to average. But we had an unusually strong polar vortex. But it was also very disturbed. We had a lack of Arctic sea ice that helped contribute to that, a La Niña pattern that helped contribute to things. 

And so there's been this leftover blobs of cold air. basically, most of Canada and Alaska have seen very cold temperatures March into early April, and so that lingering cold, combined with some pretty hot weather in the South, has created an unusual temperature contrast. You might remember a couple of weeks ago the Southwest seeing record temperatures, so there's plenty of heat and moisture in the Southern part of the country. And we've just been in that collision course. It's finally been migrating North. And so it's been Minnesota and especially Wisconsin's turn. 

Southern Wisconsin has had four different episodes of severe weather last week, about double what we've seen. So we think it's crazy here, but it's been even worse to our east. 

NINA MOINI: So what does that show, if anything, for spring and summer and how that might go down? 

SVEN SUNGAARD: Yeah, so spent a lot of the weekend deep diving into the data, and there really aren't many correlations between April and June. June is our peak month, usually for severe weather, but there isn't much of a correlation there. Typically what happens in Minnesota is we'll get one month that is particularly active, and then the rest of the season is average or even below average. So this might be the one month or maybe June or July could be more active again. But what we have been seeing is that we've been seeing this above-normal precip for April. That was expected. 

And whenever we see above-normal precip in the spring and summer months, that usually translates to an uptick in severe weather too. So Climate Prediction Center forecasting equal chances of above or below normal precip and temperatures for May. So it might be a little calmer, but this pattern might linger for another couple of weeks yet. 

NINA MOINI: What about trying to assess some of the trends? When you look at the last decade or so, what are you seeing that's shifted? 

SVEN SUNGAARD: Yeah, the biggest interesting trend is that we're seeing two peaks develop now in our severe weather season. Traditionally, it's been June. That's been our peak month. It makes sense. It's the early part of summer, still some cool air left to our North, but things are heating up and we get our humidity around here. But now we're starting to see statistically a secondary peak develop in August and September. What that means and what's causing it is a big question mark. We know that September is one of our fastest-warming months due to climate change, so maybe it's that lingering summer that's allowing for a second peak in severe weather around here. 

NINA MOINI: Fascinating. Thanks so much, Sven. 

SVEN SUNGAARD: You're very welcome, Nina. 

NINA MOINI: That's MPR News meteorologist, Sven Sundgaard. 

This year, the state is far outpacing its average of one tornado in April. Just on Friday, the National Weather Service recorded five tornadoes in southeast Minnesota. 


After a chilly weekend, temperatures warm back up quickly early this week. Southern Minnesota will see 80s by Wednesday with more storms possible Thursday.

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Summery Wednesday; severe risk ahead Thursday

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Summery Wednesday; severe risk ahead Thursday

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Summery Wednesday; severe risk ahead Thursday

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Summery Wednesday; severe risk ahead Thursday

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Climate Cast®

How resilience hubs are giving climate aid before, during, and after a crisis

How a Minnesota research team finds carbon a home in retired croplands

El Niño could affect Minnesota's weather this year