Wintry mix spreads across Minnesota

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Thursday will be our warmest day yet with highs in the mid-70s across southern Minnesota. The chance of showers increases into Friday and the weekend for much of the state. After a pause, signs of spring are rapidly progressing again.

We’ve got a warm one on the way Thursday with highs well into the 70s across southern Minnesota — a full 10 degrees above normal. It will remain cooler along the North Shore in the 40s and low 50s with 60s across the rest of northern Minnesota.

We’ll remain seasonable in the 60s and 70s south and 50s and 60s north into early next week, but the pattern becomes more unsettled with some shower chances. Here’s a look at rain chances through Saturday for the Twin Cities area:

Showers will increase Thursday night across southern Minnesota, especially along Interstate 90. That same frontal boundary will touch off some spotty showers late Friday into Friday night. 

Expect scattered showers Saturday, especially in northern and western Minnesota. We’ll have on-and-off chances of at least a few showers into Monday.

A week ago I remarked at how slow the lake ice-outs were progressing. They had nearly stalled thanks to the cold, cloudy weather. 

In the past seven days we’ve had more than 30 new ice-outs declared in central and northern Minnesota compared to just about one in the seven days previous.

Another sign of spring progressing after being nearly on hold — bird migration! 

Thanks to optimal weather conditions, more than 15 million birds passed through Minnesota Wednesday night — our most yet this spring in one night — according to 

 led by researchers at Cornell University’s ornithology lab.

Migration remains behind normal, with just about two-thirds of total birds having passed through Minnesota compared to normal on this date.

track bird migration in real time across Minnesota on Cornell’s BirdCast site.

Weather and Climate News

Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Sven Sundgaard

Author

Thursday will be our warmest day yet with highs in the mid-70s across southern Minnesota. The chance of showers increases into Friday and the weekend for much of the state. After a pause, signs of spring are rapidly progressing again.


Spring's back on track: Very warm Thursday; weekend shower chances

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