Sunny weekend ahead; drought conditions easing

Rains early in the week helped drought conditions to keep improving, especially in northern Minnesota. The state sees another rain chance Friday, but sunny skies return for the weekend.

Thursday’s forecast

Thanks to clear skies overnight, Minnesota had another crisp start Thursday morning with much of the state in the 40s, and a few 50s south and west. There were some frosty 30s in the Arrowhead.

Although cool, these temperatures are a couple degrees warmer than Wednesday morning thanks to a southerly wind flow. That wind pattern helps warm almost the entire state back into the 70s Thursday, putting temperatures at to slightly above average.

Sunshine prevails during the day. By late Thursday evening, western Minnesota starts to see more clouds move in ahead of the next weather system.

Extended forecast

The increasing clouds late Thursday are ahead of a cold front that moves through Minnesota from early Friday through Friday afternoon.  

The front does not have much moisture with it, but more clouds and a few showers are expected Friday as the front sweeps by.

For the Twin Cities, the forecast timing for the showers looks likely from late Friday morning into the afternoon.

Cooler air behind the front drops highs into the 60s Friday and Saturday. A couple of showers may linger in the Arrowhead Saturday. Otherwise, skies clear quickly behind the front with plenty of sunshine for the weekend.

Sunshine plus the return of southerly winds helps Minnesota make it back into the 70s Sunday.

That pleasant fall weather should continue for much of next week, with mostly sunny skies and highs predominantly in the 70s.

Drought conditions ease

The drought that gripped Minnesota over the summer was the worst most of the state had seen in well over a decade.

The direst conditions fell in mid to late August, when 97 percent of the state was in some drought category, including 58 percent of the state in “extreme” or greater drought, and 8 percent of Minnesota in the highest category of “exceptional drought.”

Rain in late August and early September reduced the drought level in central and southern Minnesota by at least one category, but northern Minnesota saw little of that relief. 

A storm earlier this week finally brought some significant rainfall northward, and for the first time since early August, Minnesota has no areas in exceptional drought. 

Another huge improvement: “extreme” or greater drought has dropped to only 23 percent (versus 58 percent a month ago). 

Here is the current drought monitor versus a month ago to show those dramatic improvements. 

We still need more wet weather through the fall to continue the trend of improving conditions, but it’s wonderful that Minnesota is finally headed in the right direction after a devastatingly hot and dry summer.

Programming note

You can hear my live weather updates on Minnesota Public Radio at 7:48 a.m. Monday through Friday morning.