Temperatures tumble over the weekend
Chances continue for needed rain
Rain Thursday morning continues to clear and temperatures rebound Friday. Then cooler weather returns over the weekend, and the month ends with below average temperatures.
Thursday’s forecast
A cold front that passed through Minnesota overnight and cleared southern Minnesota Thursday morning is still bringing showers and storms to southeastern Minnesota as of 9 a.m.
These storms are not expected to be severe, but some areas are seeing heavy rain.
Most of the activity will continue to clear out west to east through the morning, although some isolated wet weather could linger in the very southeast corner of the state into the afternoon.
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As the precipitation clears, more sunshine returns. Behind the cold front, temperatures will be cooler than Wednesday, with 70s south and west, 60s for northern Minnesota and 50s by Lake Superior.
This is still slightly above average for late September.
Much of the reason the North Shore will stay in the 50s is because of the wind pattern off the lake. Gusty northeast winds are also causing higher waves, leading to a small craft advisory, and there is a high rip current risk near Duluth.
Friday through the weekend
Another weather system is right behind the storm on Thursday which will funnel warmer air back into the state early Friday, pushing highs in southern Minnesota back into the 80s with 60s and 70s north.
The associated cold front also moves through quickly, clearing across the state by Friday night.
The active weather brings light showers and a few storms to northern Minnesota Friday.
The weather remains slightly unsettled over the weekend, with spotty chances for showers and storms, but no heavy precipitation is expected. Any rain would be very beneficial, because almost the entire state is in a rain deficit for September.
Behind Friday’s cold front, noticeably colder air starts spreading across the state. Saturday will still be mild, with 60s and 70s, but by Sunday highs drop even more into the 50s and 60s, which puts the state near to slightly below average for late September.
Here is that forecast for the Twin Cities through Sunday:
Even cooler weather settles in next week, and much of Minnesota could end the month of September below average, with highs only in the 50s.
Programming note
You can hear my live weather updates on Minnesota Public Radio at 7:48 a.m. Monday through Friday morning.