Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Scattered rain, hail and thunder into this evening

Marginal severe risk. Strongest cells south of Twin Cities.

Severe weather risk areas
Severe weather risk areas
NOAA

Radars are lighting up with rain and thunder cells Tuesday across southern Minnesota.

A low-pressure system crosses Iowa Tuesday. The system is generating showers and some thunderstorms across southern Minnesota. NOAA’s NAM 3 km resolution model paints scattered showers, and some thunderstorms into Tuesday evening. The strongest thunder cells favor areas south of the Twin Cities to the Iowa border.

NOAA NAM 3 km model from 3 pm to 9 pm Tuesday
NOAA NAM 3 km model from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday.
NOAA via tropical tidbits

Marginal severe risk

A few of the stronger cells may approach or reach severe limits today into the early evening. These cells will pack some hail and potentially gusty winds along with downpours, lightning, and thunder.

NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center paints the marginal risk area south and east of the Twin Cities. A higher (slight) risk for severe storms covers much of southern Wisconsin.

Severe weather risk areas
Severe weather risk areas
NOAA

The system is feeding off a strong temperature contrast across the Midwest. Cooler air over Minnesota is bumping up against much warmer temperatures across Iowa into Illinois.

Temperatures Tuesday afternoon
Temperatures Tuesday afternoon
Oklahoma Mesonet

Highs hover in the 50s and 60s the rest of the week in Minnesota, but much warmer air is ahead for the first weekend in May.