Sunnier, milder toward the weekend
A gradually milder forecast through at least Saturday
The weather maps are looking slightly more springy in the next few days.
A bubble of high pressure will bring more sunshine by Thursday afternoon, and the overall weather pattern from Thursday through Saturday looks brighter and milder.
At this point in our seemingly endless winter weather pattern, many Minnesotans are searching for silver linings.
High pressure
Weather 101 reminds us that low-pressure systems bring storms. But high pressure generally brings fair weather to Minnesota.
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There will be a little light snow in far southern Minnesota along the Interstate 90 corridor Thursday, but the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Global Forecast System model shows a nice bubble of seasonably mild high-pressure building over Minnesota.
The loop below runs between 7 a.m. Thursday and 1 p.m. Friday.
Sunnier days
Our evolving weather pattern often produces sunny days, with some low clouds and fog redeveloping at night. NOAA’s NAM 3 km model shows the pulse.
Watch the clouds fade during the morning into midday giving way to sunnier afternoons, and then redevelop at night. The loop below runs between 7 a.m. Thursday and 4 p.m. Friday.
Milder temperatures
The sun is as strong as mid-September now across Minnesota. That’s usually powerful enough to erode morning clouds and fog.
Highs will linger in the 30s in many areas Thursday afternoon but should approach 40 degrees across southeastern Minnesota.
Highs Friday will rise into the mid-40s from the Twin Cities southeastward.
By Saturday many more areas in Minnesota will reach 40 degrees.
We could see more 50-degree temperatures in southeastern Minnesota where snow cover is now fading quickly.
The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts model suggests 50s for the Twin Cities around the middle of next week. We’ll see.
Stay tuned.