Wintry mix spreads across Minnesota

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. 

Turn Up Your Support

Another welcome rainfall is pouring down from the sky over Minnesota Thursday. 

The storm complex moved out of the eastern Dakotas into western Minnesota Thursday morning. There are reports of some tree damage in Appleton in western Minnesota. Winds gusted to 78 mph just west of Benson in Swift County at 11:36 a.m. 

Here are some additional storm reports from Thursday morning.

2 W Benson [Swift Co, MN] AWOS reports TSTM WND GST of M78 MPH at 11:36 AM CDT -- AWOS STATION KBBB BENSON AP.

It looks like two main rain waves will cross southern Minnesota through Friday morning. The first wave may lose some steam as it approaches the Twin Cities Thursday afternoon, but could stay stronger across southern Minnesota. 

A break in rainfall appears likely Thursday evening, with a second, heavier wave of rain and thunder rolling east across southern Minnesota including the Twin Cities area after midnight into early Friday morning. 

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s High-Resolution Rapid Refresh model captures the notion of the two separate rain waves:

The Twin Cities National Weather Service has expanded the severe thunderstorm watch a bit east. It includes counties just west of the Twin Cities until 3 p.m. Thursday.

The most unstable air and the highest severe risk lies across southern Minnesota south of the Twin Cities.

 midday update paints a slight risk zone for southern Minnesota, with just a marginal risk for the Twin Cities area. 

It still looks like much of southern Minnesota will pick up 2 or more inches of rainfall by late Friday. Thursday’s late morning forecast model runs still crank out multi-inch rainfall across much of southern Minnesota, including the Twin Cities area.

A second rain wave arrives late Saturday across most of Minnesota. Northeastern Minnesota will likely miss most of the rain through Friday, but the fire zones could get an inch or more of rain this weekend.

Here’s another look at the latest European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts model rainfall output through Sunday.

Weather and Climate News

Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Paul Huttner

Author

Another soaking rain in progress for much of central and southern Minnesota Thursday. 

Rain, thunder rolling eastward Thursday; heavier rain likely after midnight

Go Deeper.

Like this?

News you can use in your inbox