A nice couple of days ahead; flooding update
Winds will be out of the northwest on Thursday, and it'll be noticeably less humid.
Thanks Canada, for the shipment of drier air!
Temperature trends
Our average high this time of year is 83 degrees in the Twin Cities metro area.
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That's about where we'll end up Thursday afternoon, sharing lower 80s with much of southern and central Minnesota:
Northern Minnesota will have mostly 70s.
Twin Cities metro area highs are expected to be in the lower 80s Friday, followed by middle 80s this weekend.
Dry stretch
I cannot think of any part of Minnesota that needs rain right now.
Some showers and an isolated thunderstorm are possible overnight this Wednesday night in southern Minnesota and the metro area, but our daylight hours of Thursday and Friday should be mostly dry across Minnesota.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's North American Mesoscale forecast model shows the potential rain pattern Thursday through Friday:
The color chart to the right of the loop refers to the strength of the signal that returns to the radar, not to the amount of rain.
Flood update
Recent rains have led to an extension of the flood warnings in parts of southwestern Minnesota.
Here are some flood warning details:
Flood Warning
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
333 PM CDT WED JUL 4 2018
MNC015-127-052100-
/O.EXT.KMPX.FA.W.0009.000000T0000Z-180705T2100Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Redwood MN-Brown MN-
333 PM CDT WED JUL 4 2018
The National Weather Service in The Twin Cities has extended the
* Flood Warning for...
Southern Redwood County in southwestern Minnesota...
Southwestern Brown County in south central Minnesota...
* Until 400 PM CDT Thursday.
* At 330 PM CDT, local law enforcement, river gauges, and observed
high water along many creeks, streams and rivers, the flood
warning has been extended until 4 PM CDT Thursday. The Cottonwood
River has not crested downstream from Lamberton to New Ulm.
However, based on a river gauge at Lamberton, the river has
crested at this point. In addition, a record flood crest is
expected at Springfield, along the Cottonwood River, on Thursday.
Any additional rainfall will likely alter the river levels through
tomorrow.
* Some locations that will experience flooding include...
Sleepy Eye, Springfield, Walnut Grove, Lamberton, Sanborn, Lucan,
Clements, Revere, Wanda and Cobden.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Excessive runoff from heavy rainfall will cause flooding of small
creeks and streams, country roads, farmland, and other low lying
spots.
Flood Warning
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
344 PM CDT WED JUL 4 2018
MNC127-052115-
/O.EXT.KMPX.FA.W.0010.000000T0000Z-180705T2115Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Redwood MN-
344 PM CDT WED JUL 4 2018
The National Weather Service in The Twin Cities has extended the
* Flood Warning for...
West central Redwood County in southwestern Minnesota...
* Until 415 PM CDT Thursday.
* At 330 PM CDT, several reports from law enforcement, river gauges
along the Redwood River, and observed flooding, the flood warning
will be extended through 4 PM CDT Thursday. The Redwood River from
Russell, downstream to Redwood Falls has fluctuated over the past
24 hours, with another crest likely from Russell, downstream to
Redwood Falls, in the next 24 to 48 hours.
* Some locations that will experience flooding include...
Vesta and Milroy.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Excessive runoff from heavy rainfall will cause flooding of small
creeks and streams, country roads, farmland, and other low lying
spots.
Updated weather information can be heard on the Minnesota Public Radio Network, and updates are also posted on the MPR News live weather blog.
The Twin Cities office of the NWS has flood warnings shaded green on their main page:
You can click on the map on the NWS site to get warning details.
You can also find graphical NWS updates on river levels for many spots around Minnesota throughout the day and night.
If the location of interest is not listed there, try the Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service page and click on a location for river level details and forecasts.