Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

More rain, thunder and heavy snow develop Friday

Heavy snowfall Friday night; 3-7 inches likely across Twin Cities region

hazards
Winter storm warnings and blizzard warnings late Friday
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, via Pivotal Weather

Updated 9:15 a.m.

Minnesota will see somewhat of a lull in the precipitation develop mid to late Friday morning before more showers and thunderstorms develop Friday afternoon turning to heavy snow quickly Friday evening with gusty winds.

Heavy snow Friday night

The first round of moisture with this storm system brought fresh snowfall for portions of northeastern Minnesota. Amounts were generally light, less than 2 inches.

snow reports from Thursday night
Snowfall reports from Thursday night
National Weather Service

We also saw some thunderstorms that produced hail. In southwestern Minnesota, Marshall reported hail measuring seven-tenths of an inch (.7) shortly before 1 a.m. Friday morning.

hail report
Thunderstorms produced hail Thursday night around Marshall with larger, severe hail in South Dakota and Nebraska
National Weather Service

The second round of this storm system will bring more rain and thunderstorms Friday afternoon with heavy snow developing across central Minnesota and moving southeast through the evening and overnight.

fri precip 9
Forecast precipitation 8 a.m. Friday through 7 a.m. Saturday
NOAA, via Pivotal Weather

Helping fuel this classic spring storm is a huge contrast in temperature and moisture. High temperature will be subfreezing in northern Minnesota to around 40 in the Twin Cities. Highs in neighboring Iowa will be in the 70s.

fri high
Forecast high temperatures Friday
National Weather Service

Thunderstorms that develop across far southern Minnesota could become severe with large hail and damaging winds.

svr
Severe weather risk Friday afternoon and evening across far southeast Minnesota
National Weather Service

Gusty north winds will also develop pushing in the cold air and transitioning rain over to heavy snow quickly.

FRI winds
Forecast winds Friday into Friday night
College of DuPage weather lab

Maximum wind gusts will be up to 40-50 mph.

max gusts FRI
Forecast maximum wind gusts Friday
NOAA, via Pivotal Weather

Snow totals will vary, but within the intense bands that develop significant totals will occur. I think most of the Twin Cities area will see 3 to 7 inches of snow but there is the possibility of higher amounts in isolated pockets where convective, heavy snow bands develop.

It will be difficult to pinpoint where these heaviest snow bands set up until they develop.

MN snow
Forecast snowfall totals into early Saturday
National Weather Service

Warmer Sunday, Monday; stormy midweek

Snow will melt rapidly this weekend as temperatures warm above freezing and potentially reach 50 for the first time Sunday in the Twin Cities area. If we don’t hit 50 until after April 4 it will be the latest first 50 in 44 years for the Twin Cities.

sun high 9
Forecast high temperatures Sunday
National Weather Service

Another storm system develops next week with more rain and heavy snow possible in the upper Midwest Tuesday into Wednesday.

next week
Forecast precipitation Monday 7 p.m. through Thursday 1 a.m.
European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, via Pivotal Weather