Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Last 90s of the season likely Thursday

Strong storms target southern Minnesota overnight

Severe weather is likely for the southern half of Minnesota late Thursday and into the overnight. Meanwhile, temperatures continue to cool back toward, and even slightly below, average.

Goodbye 90s

Because of an extended cooler stretch in the forecast, and the fact that it’s getting late in the season to see significant heat, it’s doubtful we’ll see the 90s again this year after any 90s in southern Minnesota Thursday. That also means the Twin Cities likely saw its last reading above 90 on Wednesday at 92 degrees.

Thursday and Friday

Behind a front that moved through most of the state Wednesday, northern Minnesota started Thursday noticeably cooler, with lows in the 50s. Meanwhile, the southern edge of the state, where the front is lingering as of Thursday morning, was still warmer and more humid with 60s and 70s.

That temperature contrast holds all of Thursday, with the northern half of the state experiencing more seasonable 70s for highs, while southern Minnesota sees 80s and probably a couple isolated 90s. 

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Thursday high temperatures
National Weather Service

Most of Thursday stays dry and sunny until late afternoon when showers and storms start pushing into northwestern Minnesota, spreading wet weather across the state by late evening.
Some storms will be severe, especially across southern Minnesota.

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Severe weather risk Thursday night
National Weather Service

There could also be heavy downpours with the storms, with more widespread heavy rain possible in southeastern Minnesota. For the Twin Cities, the most likely timing for any storms is Thursday overnight through Friday morning.

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Precipitation forecast Friday morning
National Weather Service

Wet weather clears out starting in western Minnesota Friday morning, and through eastern Minnesota by late Friday afternoon. Highs Friday will be in the 70s and low 80s.

Extended forecast

The weekend stays predominantly dry and mostly sunny until another storm moves in late Sunday, bringing widespread rain overnight and into Monday.  

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Forecast storm location Sunday night
Tropical Tidbits

Over the weekend, most of the state see highs in the 70s, with a few 60s possible along the northern border. 

The front on Monday reinforces that cooler trend, keeping most of next week at or below average and in the 60s and 70s.  Here is that extended forecast for the Twin Cities:

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Twin Cities forecast through Monday
Weather.us

Programming note

You can hear my live weather updates on Minnesota Public Radio at 7:48 a.m. Monday through Friday morning.