Mixed rain and sun weekend, cool bias next 10 days?
"If you don't like the weather just wait 15 minutes." - Anonomyous
That tried and true Minnesota weather saying holds once again as we head into another weekend. Here's a quick look at some weather headlines.
Create a More Connected Minnesota
MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.
Brief tornado touchdowns were reported near Luverne in extreme southwest Minnesota Thursday.
Mixed sun and scattered showers Friday
More numerous and widespread showers Saturday
Slightly cool temperature bias seems to be emerging next 10 days for Minnesota
This was the radar shot over Luverne, Minnesota, Thursday at about 5:30 p.m. A rotating "pulse type" supercell thunderstorm spawned a classic hook echo and a confirmed tornado near Luverne in extreme southwest Minnesota near I-90.
Here's the storm report from the Sioux Falls, South Dakota, National Weather Service.
FSD continues Tornado Warning for Rock [MN] till 6:00 PM CDT AT 535 PM CDT...A CONFIRMED TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR LUVERNE...AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 10 MPH.
A call from the MPR News newsroom to southwest Minnesota indicated multiple tornado sighting in rural areas. Thankfully, there are no reports of damage as of this writing.
Unsettled weekend entry
Our weather picture remains unsettled as we head into the first part of the weekend. A slow moving cool front will stall over Minnesota by Saturday.
We may see some sun early Friday ahead of the front, but another batch of showers and thunderstorms will brew Friday afternoon and evening. Friday may actually be the warmest day for a while in the metro and much of Minnesota. Note the cooler air oozing into the Red River Valley.
Preview of coming (weather) attractions.
Saturday looks just plain wet at this point, with the potential for widespread showers and a cool breeze. Right now Sunday still looks like the sunnier day of the weekend.
Weekend rainfall totals look spotty, which is typical of summertime convective systems. Many areas of Minnesota may pick up a half-inch to 1 inch rainfall this weekend. Yes, the timing could be better, but at last we're not counting up inches like last weekend's deluge.
Overall cool bias next 10 days?
Th upper air pattern looks (un?)favorable for slightly cool temps the next 1-2 weeks. Here's the latest from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Global Forecast System, which cranks out mostly 70s and even some 60s the next two weeks.
IPS Meteostar
NOAA's Climate Prediction Center agrees.
Stay tuned.