Wintry mix spreads across Minnesota

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 has been issued until 7 a.m. for much of central Minnesota including St. Cloud, Willmar and the greater Twin Cities area. 

Thursday’s severe thunderstorms dumped brief but torrential rains across much of the Twin Cities. Many areas picked up close to or above a quick inch of rain. 

Here’s a look at preliminary rainfall totals from Thursday’s storms. 

That was just the first round. It looks like 2 to 3 more rounds of rain and thunder will visit much of Minnesota through the weekend.  

It’s been interesting, and a little frustrating to watch the short-range forecast models try and time out rain waves this week. That trend of model divergence continues as we look through Thursday evening into early Friday.

NOAA’s NAM 3 km resolution model brings another wave of strong storms with heavy rain through central Minnesota and the Twin Cities Thursday evening. 

Other forecast models hold off the heaviest rainfall zone until after midnight into early Friday morning.

Either way, we’re likely to get another wave of heavy rainfall across central and southern Minnesota through Friday morning. 

Additional waves of rain and thunder are likely Friday afternoon and again Saturday afternoon and evening.

In total, the Twin Cities and central Minnesota will likely see at least another 1” to 2” of rainfall. The heaviest rainfall signal remains across southern Minnesota, where an additional 3” to 4” of rain is likely to fall through Saturday night.

Weather and Climate News

Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Paul Huttner

Author

More than 2 inches of rain has already fallen in parts of the Twin Cities this week. 

Flash flood watch includes Twin Cities: Additional waves of heavy rain

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