Wintry mix spreads across Minnesota

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Following Sunday’s storm, temperatures turned much cooler, but the heat is already on its way back, with 90s possible again by Wednesday.

Sunday’s weather system brought very beneficial rain across Minnesota, especially to northern and eastern portions of the state, which saw widespread totals over half an inch. The very eastern edge of the state saw the most rain, with several areas seeing over an inch of precipitation. 

For many places, this was the most one-day rain in a month or longer. The Twin Cities’ 0.7 inch was the heaviest rainfall since May 19. Duluth’s 1.06 inches of rainfall was the heaviest rainfall so far in 2021 and the most precipitation since a two-day snow event back in March.

Sunday’s storm also brought through a strong cold front that gave some of Minnesota, including the Twin Cities, its coldest daytime temperatures since May, with highs Monday in the 50s and 60s.  

With cool air already in place, plus mostly clear skies and light winds overnight, temperatures will drop into the 40s for most of the state, with low 50s in the Twin Cities.  

Although not record cold (most of our record lows for June 22 are in the 30s), the Arrowhead could see a couple of isolated areas of frost.

A southerly flow returns to southern Minnesota Tuesday and combines with plenty of sunshine to help temperatures rebound quickly, putting most of the state back in the 70s.

The one exception is northeastern Minnesota, where there has been enough instability to cause cumulus clouds and some spotty rain around the region, which will likely persist during the day Tuesday.  

A more westerly wind flow, plus that extra cloud cover, may keep the Arrowhead stuck in the 60s.

The southerly winds increase and turn gusty Wednesday, funneling hot air into the state, pushing highs for most places at least into the 80s and some 90s likely west and south. 

A cold front starts to cool northern Minnesota a few degrees Thursday, but the southern half of the state remains hot, with that slightly cooler air moving in Friday.

Here is that forecast for the Twin Cities, showing the big warm-up, but how — even behind the next front — we stay above average again:

Thursday’s cold front is part of a storm system that will bring showers and storms back to Minnesota from Wednesday evening through early Friday. Unfortunately, the precipitation totals with this next system look much lower than what Minnesota saw on Sunday. 

Central and western Minnesota especially may get missed by much of the rain, and overall totals in most places appear as though they will stay under half an inch.  

You can hear my live weather updates on Minnesota Public Radio at 7:49 a.m. Monday through Friday morning.

Weather and Climate News

Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Nicole Mitchell 

Author

Following Sunday’s storm, temperatures turned much cooler, but the heat is already on its way back, with 90s back again by Wednesday.

Another chilly night, then temperatures surge again

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