Blizzard warnings in Northwest Minnesota, winter weather advisories across the state

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Saturday highs reach the 70s across much of central and southern Minnesota, plus western Wisconsin:

Far northern Minnesota will see some 60s.

Afternoon wind gusts of 20 to 30 mph are expected in many areas:

Plotted values are in knots, with 21 knots equal to 24 mph.

Any wildfires that develop this afternoon will likely spread rapidly. Outdoor burning is not recommended today.

Red Flag warnings cover much of Minnesota from noon to 7 p.m. this Saturday:

Here’s a closer look at the central and southern Minnesota portions of the warning:

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN 404 AM CDT Sat May 2 2020 ...Critical Fire Weather Conditions Expected This Afternoon... .Dry and breezy conditions are expected today. Sustained northwest winds of 20 to 25 mph with gusts near 30 mph are likely. Humidity levels will range from 15 to 25 percent by the afternoon. The Red Flag Warning covers most of central Minnesota. MNZ054-060-061-064>069-073>076-082-083-021715- /O.NEW.KMPX.FW.W.0002.200502T1700Z-200503T0000Z/ Lac Qui Parle-Hennepin-Anoka-Yellow Medicine-Renville-McLeod- Sibley-Carver-Scott-Redwood-Brown-Nicollet-Le Sueur-Watonwan- Blue Earth- 404 AM CDT Sat May 2 2020 ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR VERY LOW HUMIDITY AND BREEZY WINDS FOR MOST OF CENTRAL MINNESOTA... The National Weather Service in Twin Cities/Chanhassen has issued a Red Flag Warning, which is in effect from noon today to 7 PM CDT this evening. * AFFECTED AREA...Much of and south central and east central Minnesota. * WIND...Northwest sustained 20 to 25 mph, with gusts near 30 mph. * HUMIDITY...As low as 15 to 25 percent. * IMPACTS...Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly. Outdoor burning is not recommended. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now....or will shortly. A combination of strong winds...low relative humidity...and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior.

Most of Minnesota and western Wisconsin will have a dry Saturday. A stray shower may clip far southern Minnesota this afternoon. 

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s North American Mesoscale (NAM) forecast model shows the potential rain pattern Saturday and Saturday evening:

You can hear updated weather information on the MPR 

, and you’ll see updated weather info on the MPR News 

An updated Updraft with a look at Sunday and the coming week will be posted by around 9:30 a.m.

You can hear my live weather updates on MPR News at 7:35 a.m., 9:35 a.m. and 4:35 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday.

Weather and Climate News

Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Ron Trenda

Author

It’ll be a warm and breezy Saturday.  Outdoor burning is not recommended, and a Red Flag Warning runs from noon to 7 p.m. in many areas.

Breezy and dry; Red flag warning Saturday afternoon

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