Wintry mix spreads across Minnesota

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. 

Turn Up Your Support

It’s a pretty classic spring weather pattern across Minnesota this week. 

Highs have finally reached the 70s across the southern half of Minnesota. Our warmer temperatures and abundant sunshine also make conditions favorable for a few pop-up showers and thunderstorms this week. 

We’ll enjoy plenty of sunny and mild hours this week, but the scattered storms will be capable of changing the weather mood in a hurry. 

As of this post, scattered thunderstorms with downpours and some hail are rumbling across southern Minnesota and western Wisconsin. At least one severe thunderstorm warning has been issued.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s High-Resolution Rapid Refresh model shows the trend of scattered storms sliding eastward across southern Minnesota Monday evening. The forecast model loop below runs between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. Monday.

There is a marginal (low) risk that storms could reach severe limits Monday evening across southern Minnesota. 

Tuesday brings a better chance for increased rainfall coverage. Most of the day will be dry. But a few models favor scattered storms developing Tuesday later afternoon and evening moving through central and southern Minnesota including the Twin Cities. 

NOAA’s North American Mesoscale 3 km model shows scattered showers and embedded thunderstorms moving across our region Tuesday afternoon and evening.

The forecast model loop below runs between 1 p.m. Tuesday and 1 a.m. Wednesday.

Most forecast models bring a bigger low-pressure system into Minnesota by the upcoming weekend. That would likely produce more widespread rainfall. NOAA’s Global Forecast System model cranks out an inch of rain for much of Minnesota by Sunday. 

Most Minnesotans prefer sunnier weekends. Let’s see how the timing shakes out on this one.

Weather and Climate News

Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Paul Huttner

Author

Storms will be spotty but potent this week. 

Occasional scattered rain and thunder this week

Go Deeper.

Like this?

News you can use in your inbox