Update on Sunday rain chances, plus a look at the week ahead
Weekend rain totals highest in far southern Minnesota
As expected, rainfall totals Saturday and Saturday night were highest in portions of far southern Minnesota and northern Iowa into Wisconsin.
The Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service of the National Weather Service posted the 24-hour rainfall map for 7 a.m. Saturday through 7 a.m. Sunday:
The areas shaded red in far southwestern Minnesota into northern Iowa saw between 3 and 6 inches of rain. Much of southern Minnesota tallied between 1.5 and 3 inches. The official rainfall total at MSP airport Saturday through Saturday night was .57 of an inch, but parts of Carver County and western Hennepin County had between one and two inches of rain. The NWS has posted rainfall totals for locations in various counties here. We’ll add a bit to our weekend rainfall totals today and tonight.
Far southern Minnesota, northern Iowa and southern Wisconsin are expected to see the most persistent rain today, with some embedded thunderstorms. Patchy areas of rain showers are expected today in the remainder of Minnesota and into central and northern Wisconsin, with a thunderstorm also possible at times. An upper level disturbance will probably ignite some more substantial areas of rain and thunderstorms Sunday evening into the overnight hours of Sunday night.
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Flood watch southeastern Minnesota until 7 a.m. Monday
A flood watch continues until 7 a.m. Monday in southeastern Minnesota plus parts of northeastern Iowa and southern Wisconsin:
Here are details of the flood watch, which includes the Rochester area:
Flood Watch National Weather Service La Crosse WI 309 AM CDT Sun Aug 7 2022 IAZ008>011-018-019-029-030-MNZ079-086>088-094>096-WIZ032>034-041>044- 053>055-061-072000- /O.EXT.KARX.FA.A.0005.000000T0000Z-220808T1200Z/ /00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/ Mitchell-Howard-Winneshiek-Allamakee-Floyd-Chickasaw-Fayette-Clayton- Wabasha-Dodge-Olmsted-Winona-Mower-Fillmore-Houston-Buffalo- Trempealeau-Jackson-La Crosse-Monroe-Juneau-Adams-Vernon-Crawford- Richland-Grant- Including the cities of Rochester, Sparta, Viroqua, Alma, Whitehall, Dodge Center, Friendship, Platteville, Winona, Elkader, Tomah, Caledonia, Wabasha, Arcadia, Cresco, Waukon, La Crosse, New Hampton, Austin, Osage, Richland Center, Black River Falls, Prairie Du Chien, Oelwein, Preston, Decorah, Charles City, and Mauston 309 AM CDT Sun Aug 7 2022 ...FLOOD WATCH NOW IN EFFECT THROUGH MONDAY MORNING... * WHAT...Flash flooding caused by excessive rainfall continues to be possible. * WHERE...Portions of Iowa, southeast Minnesota and Wisconsin, including the following counties, in Iowa, Allamakee, Chickasaw, Clayton, Fayette, Floyd, Howard, Mitchell and Winneshiek. In southeast Minnesota, Dodge, Fillmore, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Wabasha and Winona. In Wisconsin, Adams, Buffalo, Crawford, Grant, Jackson, Juneau, La Crosse, Monroe, Richland, Trempealeau and Vernon. * WHEN...Through Monday morning. * IMPACTS...Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations. Flooding may occur in poor drainage and urban areas. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - A moist atmosphere combined with training storms will result in a heightened flash flooding potential. - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... You should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action should Flash Flood Warnings be issued.
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.
Temperature trends
Sunday high temps will be mainly in the 60s in roughly the northern third of Minnesota, with mostly 70s elsewhere in Minnesota plus western Wisconsin.
Monday highs will be in the 70s in most areas:
That’s a bit on the cool side; our average Twin Cities high temp is 82 degrees this time of year.
Monday afternoon dew points will be in the fairly comfortable 50s:
Back to forecast high temps, Twin Cities metro area highs are projected to reach the lower 80s on Tuesday, followed by mid 80s Wednesday and Thursday and upper 80s on Friday. I should mention that it looks fairly rain-free in the Twin Cities Tuesday through Thursday, with a shower/t-storm chance returning late on Friday.
Temperatures may be above-normal next weekend and into the start of the following week. The NWS Climate Prediction Center shows a tendency for above-normal temperatures in the upper Midwest from August 12 through August 16:
We’ll see if that pans out.
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.