Heavy rain and thunderstorms continue across southeastern Minnesota Thursday evening.

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...then on to looming Hurricane Sandy threat

from Sioux Falls to north central Minnesota Thursday

Light snow on grassy Whiteside Park in Ely Thursday PM

 rainfall totals from metro east - forecast models did a great job with this event (click map for bigger image)

 are back this weekend 1st long string of sub freezing nights ahead

- temps may not climb above 40s through next week

  "Historic" nightmare East Coast scenario looms

Meteorologists everywhere are watching with amazement (and a knot in our stomachs) as a potentially unprecedented and historic weather event continues to develop along the U.S. East Coast by Monday.

Here's the latest breakdown & timeline on Hurricane Sandy, and the likely track and effects as Sandy moves north.

 Sandy churns northward through the Bahamas and parelells Florida's East Coast.

Sandy is large enough and close enough that rain squalls , pounding surf and tropical storm force wind gusts to 60 mph will continue to lash Florida's East Coast Friday.

The spaghetti models are fairly tightly clustered on Sandy's short term track.

The model consensus brings the hurricane to a position off the Carolina Coast by Sunday. This means Sandy will ride over the warm waters of the Gulf Stream this weekend, and that may add energy that can help Sandy maintain strength.

The official NHC intensity forecast is for a Category 1 storm packing winds of 80mph Sunday. Forecasting intensity with Sandy is very dicey, and rapid fluctuations in intensity are quite possible as the storm feeds off of warmer than average ocean waters.

Another factor that may throw a wild card into Sandy's intensity is the transition to "extra tropical" status as Sandy moves north. As Sandy interacts with the northern jet stream, additional energy may be transferred into the storm.

So, the potential for rapid intensification of Sandy is there this weekend. Remember hurricane intensity forecast are notoriously difficult.

Billion Dollar Question: Where does Sandy go next Monday?

The grouping of model forecast tracks for Sandy tightened considerably Thursday. The likelihood of a U.S. landfall somewhere between Delaware and Boston increased considerably, probably up to at least 65%, if not higher.

 continues to hold the left (west) side of the forecast envelope, projecting a landfall in Delaware Monday.

continues to hold the nightmare scenario of a direct hit from a damaging storm on New York City.

-No matter where the storm comes ashore, the sheer size of Sandy is likely to be enough to spread tropical storm force winds up to 300 miles from the center. This likely means widespread tree and power line damage in the most populated areas of the USA. The prospect for millions without power from Washington D.C. to New York and Philly leading up to Halloween is indeed scary.

-Inland flooding is possible several hundred miles away from the coast. Most of the damage from Hurricane Irene was from torrential rain induced flooding well inland from "landfall."

-Storm surge and high waves will pound the entire East Coast as Sandy moves north. Check out this animation of 

from NOAA's Environmental Modeling Center as Sandy churns north.

We're still on track, and the odds are growing that a "hybrid" Hurricane Sandy may morph into a monster storm that will slam the east Coast next Monday or Tuesday.

The effects could be widespread, and odds are growing that Sandy may be the USA's next "Billion Dollar Weather Disaster."

“Frankenstorm” Sandy East Coast threat grows; MN: Cold & drier Friday

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