Rain into Wednesday afternoon; warm again Friday

Rain and wind will prevail most of the day Wednesday. Showers will end by late afternoon. Clouds decrease on Thursday.

Heaviest rain Wednesday in SE Minnesota

A large storm system is bringing rain Wednesday from the Gulf of Mexico to Lake Superior. The heaviest axis of rainfall will run from southeastern Minnesota into western Wisconsin. The Twin Cities will be on the western edge of this area.

Expect showers through late afternoon in the south and into the night in northeastern Minnesota.

Summer temperatures return for the weekend

Just in time for what many consider the first unofficial weekend of summer, temperature warm significantly. We’ll see highs in the 70s Friday and even 80s by Sunday. There are some indications we could be flirting with 90 early next week.

Above normal hurricane season forecast

The National Hurricane Center is forecasting a 70 percent chance of an above-normal hurricane season in the Atlantic this year. The season begins in one week, on June 1.

The National Hurricane Center is forecasting 14 to 21 named storms, including tropical storms; six to 10 hurricanes, which require sustained wind speeds of 74 mph or greater; and three to six major hurricanes.

Major hurricanes are defined as Category 3 or higher (111 mph or greater). Already, surface water temperatures in the tropical Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico are warmer than normal. Warm water temperatures are the primary fuel for energizing hurricanes.