Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Clouds increase, showers develop late

Evening showers with a break Friday before more rain

sat low THU
An area of low pressure to the southwest will be responsible for some showers and thunder late Thursday
College of DuPage Weather

We’ll sneak in some sunshine early Thursday before clouds increase and thicken up ahead of some showers by late in the day. Friday will be milder before more rain moves in for the weekend.

Showers develop later

We’re seeing a little surprise sunshine to start Thursday, but it won’t last. Clouds will thicken up ahead of some scattered showers late Thursday.

cloud loop THUR
Clouds increase quickly Thursday ahead of evening showers
College of DuPage

Most of Thursday will remain dry for most of the state. The southernmost counties will see some showers. For most of central and southern Minnesota, we’ll see scattered showers and even some thunder develop during the evening.

thu precip loop
Showers and thunder develop late Thursday
College of DuPage

It will be breezy Thursday also with winds at 10-15 mph but gusts will be about 20-30 mph.

THU gusts 2
Winds will be breezy Thursday with some gusts over 20 mph
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, via Pivotal Weather

Milder Friday; wet weekend

We’ll squeeze in a mainly dry Friday with milder temperatures. Several spots could hit 60 in southern Minnesota Friday.

highs FRI
High temperatures Friday
National Weather Service

Winds will increase late Friday into the weekend as the next more potent storm system moves in. Gusty winds will be with us for a few days.

wind loop WKND
Winds will increase and wrap around a weekend low pressure
NOAA, via Pivotal Weather

We’ll have scattered showers and some thunderstorms Friday night into Sunday with most of the rain falling Saturday.

precip loop WKND
Showers and thunder Friday night into Sunday
College of DuPage

It still looks like portions of southern and western Minnesota could see over one inch of precipitation.

QPF WKND
Total forecast precipitation through the weekend
NOAA, via Pivotal Weather

Unfortunately, much of this heavier rainfall falls along the Red River where most locations are above flood stage.

river gages THU
Most of the Red River is at or above flood stage
National Weather Service

Not a record but definitely a wet spring so far

Our total precipitation in the Twin Cities so far since March 1 sits at 5.91 inches. This ties for 2019 (which ended up being our wettest year on record) but with showers Thursday night and certainly Saturday, we’ll easily surpass that.

This makes this spring the wettest in 8 years, going back to 2014. If we get more than 1.35 inches of precipitation between now and during the weekend that would make this spring the wettest in 21 years! Most models keep us under that amount at this point.

spring precip
Meteorological spring precipitation totals (March 1 - April 30)
National Weather Service