Sunday thunderstorm chances highest in northern Minnesota; Wednesday looks wet
Fall color update for leaf-peepers
Highs will be cooler today in many areas, but it’ll still be a bit warmer than average for this time of year.
Sunday highs will reach the 60s across most of Minnesota. Parts of the Twin Cities metro area will top 70 degrees. Our average Twin Cities high is 61 degrees on Oct. 10. Parts of southeastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin could see Sunday highs in the mid 70s and even some spotty upper 70s. It’ll be breezy today.
Rain and thunder chances
West-central Minnesota, as well as the northern half of Minnesota and far northwestern Wisconsin will have areas of showers and t-storms today and this evening. Dry weather is expected much of today in southern Minnesota, the Twin Cities and west-central Wisconsin, with a passing shower or thunderstorm possible.
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The NWS Storm Prediction Center shows a slight risk of severe weather today and this evening in portions of north-central and northeastern Minnesota. Slight risk means that scattered severe t-storms are possible. The slight risk area is shaded yellow on the following map from the NWS Duluth office:
Isolated severe t-storms are possible in the dark-green shaded areas of northern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin. ____________________________________________________________________________________________
Afternoon update
A severe t-storm watch continues until 9 p.m. in portions of northeastern Minnesota:
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You can hear updated weather information for Minnesota and western Wisconsin on the Minnesota Public Radio News network, and you can see updated weather info on the MPR News live weather blog.
Wet Wednesday
Many areas will have several hours of rain and embedded thunderstorms on Wednesday. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s North-American Mesoscale (NAM) forecast model shows the potential rain pattern on Wednesday:
Temperature trends
Monday highs reach the 60s in most areas:
Monday dew points will be in the comfortable 40s and lower 50s:
Back to high temperatures, Twin Cities metro area highs are projected to reach the upper 60s on Tuesday, followed by mid 60s on Wednesday. Cooler temps move in to end the week, with highs in the lower 60s Thursday and upper 50s on Friday. Highs may be in the upper 50s again on Saturday, then rebound on Sunday.
The NWS Climate Prediction Center shows a tendency for above normal temperatures in Minnesota and western Wisconsin next Sunday into the following week:
Fall color report
The percentage of changeover to fall colors is highest in the northern half of Minnesota plus the northeastern part of the Twin Cities metro area right now. Here’s the latest fall color report from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources:
The dark-red shaded areas are past peak. Keep in mind that all deciduous trees are included in the fall color report, not just maples.
Wisconsin fall color info can be found here.
Programming note
You can hear my live weather updates on MPR News at 7:35 a.m., 9:35 a.m. and 4:39 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday.