Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Spotty thunder Thursday night; more widespread rains likely this weekend

Parts of Minnesota may pick up rainfall totals over an inch this weekend.

European model (ECMWF) rainfall forecast
European model (ECMWF) rainfall forecast through 7 a.m. Monday.
ECMWF via pivotal weather

We’re finally tracking some much-needed rainfall on Doppler in the next few days.

Spotty showers and thunderstorms ride a weak frontal zone traveling through Minnesota Thursday night. Forecast models show a thin line of cells sliding southeast across Minnesota Thursday evening, generally fading after dark.

There is a marginal (low) risk that a couple of storms could reach severe limits with 1-inch diameter hail and 60 mph wind gusts.

More widespread weekend rains

We’re still tracking a low-pressure system moving through Minnesota this weekend. NOAA’s GFS model paints scattered rain and thunder cells tracking randomly across the Upper Midwest this weekend.

NOAA GFS model from 7 pm Friday to 1 pm Sunday
NOAA GFS model from 7 p.m. Friday to 1 p.m. Sunday
NOAA via tropical tidbits

Keep in mind these animations are best used as just a general idea of precipitation coverage. Specific timing and coverage is often an hour-by-hour process in the rapid life-cycle of summer convective systems. The best approach to this weekend is to expect occasional rain and thunder, and plan hour-by-hour as the weekend unfolds.

Speaking of random, it’s interesting to watch the forecast models try and wrangle rainfall totals this weekend. The European model favors a broad zone of 1 to more than 2 inches of rainfall by Monday across the southern half of Minnesota.

European model (ECMWF) rainfall forecast
European model (ECMWF) rainfall forecast through 7 am Monday.
ECMWF via pivotal weather

NOAA’s GFS favors less rain, while the Canadian model cranks out as much as 3 to 5 inches of rain for some areas.

Stay tuned.