Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Another shot of rain Thursday; above average Labor Day weekend

Western Minnesota could see 1 to 3 inches of rain. Less in eastern Minnesota.

European model (ECMWF) rainfall forecast
European model (ECMWF) rainfall forecast.
ECMWF via pivotal weather

September and meteorological fall got off to a lovely start Wednesday.

Thursday brings our next rainmaker to Minnesota. Scattered rain and thunder move into western Minnesota Thursday morning and midday. Rain will slowly push east into eastern Minnesota by late evening. Most forecast models hold off rain in the Twin Cities and northeast Minnesota until after dark or later.

NOAA’s NAM 3 km resolution model paints the rain zones from Thursday morning to after midnight early Friday.

NOAA NAM 3 km model
NOAA NAM 3 km model between 7 a.m. Thursday and 1 a.m. Friday.
NOAA via tropical tidbits

Overall rainfall totals look heaviest in western Minnesota, where 1 to 3 inches plus could fall. The system will likely produce less rain in eastern Minnesota. The Twin Cities looks likely to pick up 0.5 inch to as much as an inch locally. And northeast Minnesota could receive the least rain, unfortunately, with less than 0.25 to 0.5 inch likely.

Here’s the European model rainfall output.

European model (ECMWF) rainfall forecast
European model (ECMWF) rainfall forecast.
ECMWF via pivotal weather

Above-average Labor Day weekend

Labor Day weekend is climatologically the driest of the big three summer holiday weekends. This year looks pleasantly cool and mostly dry.

Skies bring a mix of sun and clouds with only spotty shower chances Saturday. Highs run in the 70s south and 60s north this weekend.

Forecast high temperatures Sunday
Forecast high temperatures Sunday.
NOAA