Mild, breezy weekend; wet next week

I hope you are enjoying the spring solstice this fine Saturday morning. The sun was directly over the equator at 4:37 a.m. this morning. Today we will have about equal periods with and without sunshine.

Saturday will be a mild but windy day. High pressure and its sunshine have barely budged eastward while a weak low pressure system approaches from the west. The strong pressure gradient will bring in mild, dry air.

High temperatures should range from the mid 50s in the south to the low 60s in the northwest with the Twin Cities topping out around 57 Saturday afternoon. Winds will become 15 to 25 mph with gusts over 30 mph in eastern Minnesota and 20 to 30 mph with gusts in excess of 40 mph in western parts of the state.

Sunday will be mild again, but with increasing clouds and winds diminishing from west to east.

Showers will break out in northwestern Minnesota Sunday morning and develop farther east and south as the day progresses. The Twin Cities might see a shower late in the day.

A much larger weather system from the southwest should reach southern Minnesota later on Monday, gradually overspread most of the state except the northwest and hang around into Wednesday. Precipitation around the Twin Cities and southeastern Minnesota should be almost all rain but will become mixed or even all snow at times farther north and west.

The storm system will also bring in cooler temperatures more typical of late March for a few days.