Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Spectacular now; Memorial Day the sunniest day of the weekend

A few hours of showers Saturday and Sunday, but not a washout.

Blue sky at the Weather Lab Wednesday
Blue sky and a few puffy clouds at the Weather Lab Wednesday
Paul Huttner/MPR News

It’s a bright blue classic May sky across eastern Minnesota today.

Drier air has eroded the cloud deck across the eastern half of our state. You can see the clouds that linger in western Minnesota Wednesday afternoon on the GOES-16 visible satellite loop.

GOES 16 satellite loop
GOES 16 satellite loop
NOAA/College of Dupage

Temperatures across Minnesota reflect the sun east, clouds west pattern. It’s well into the 70s in the east, while temperatures hover in the 60s west.

Temperatures Wednesday afternoon
Temperatures Wednesday afternoon
Oklahoma Mesonet

Mostly 70s

Highs in the 70s will be most common across Minnesota through the Memorial Day weekend. Friday’s temperature pattern looks fairly typical for the next few days.

Forecast high temperatures Friday
Forecast high temperatures Friday
NOAA

Spotty weekend showers

Model trends suggest a trend toward spotty showers this weekend. A front approaching Friday brings more focused showers to the western half of Minnesota, but the system shows signs of diminishing in coverage as it moves east Saturday.

Forecast rainfall zones Friday
Forecast rainfall zones Friday
NOAA

Overall a few hours of showers look likely for Memorial Day weekend. I don’t think we’re looking at any all-day washouts this weekend. The highest rain chances fall on Saturday and Sunday.

Stay tuned as forecast models try and pinpoint timing on a relatively weak weekend system.