Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Update on Sunday rain chances; Monday looks dry and warmer

No hot weather in sight

A creek in Minnetonka.
May 21, 2021 in Minnetonka.
Ron Trenda | MPR News

Almost 80 percent of Minnesota was in drought on the U.S. Drought Monitor report that was released last Thursday.

Southwestern Minnesota and parts of south-central Minnesota saw some welcome rain Saturday evening and overnight Saturday night, with rain continuing Sunday morning.

As of 7 a.m. Sunday, the weekend rainfall total was 1.94 inches in Bigelow, Minn., and 1.47 inches in Worthington. Both locations are in Nobles County in southwestern Minnesota.

Rain outlook the remainder of Sunday

Southern Minnesota will see the steadiest rain for the remainder of Sunday, with a few embedded thunderstorms possible. Rain activity is expected to diminish after sunset. Parts of southwestern and south-central Minnesota could see heavy rain at times.

Roughly the southern half of the Twin Cities metro area is likely to see periods of showers today. There is a chance of showers in the northern half of the metro area and into central Minnesota and western Wisconsin. An isolated thunderstorm is also possible this afternoon.

Portions of northern Minnesota could see a few scattered showers today, with an isolated thunderstorm possible there too.

Updates

You can hear updated weather information for Minnesota and western Wisconsin on the MPR News network. Also check out the MPR News display of National Weather Service radar.

You can check these National Weather Service sites for updated weather info: Twin CitiesDuluthLa Crosse, Wis., Sioux Falls, S.D., and Grand Forks, N.D.

Dry start to the week

Monday and most of Tuesday are looking dry. Far northern Minnesota could see scattered showers and thunderstorms late Tuesday afternoon into Tuesday evening.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s North American Mesoscale (NAM) forecast model shows the potential rain pattern from noon Tuesday to 7 p.m. Tuesday:

rt0806rad3
Simulated radar from noon Tuesday to 7 p.m. Tuesday
National Weather Service

More of Minnesota could see some showers and thunderstorms late on Wednesday and also late Thursday into Friday.

Sunday highs will be in the 70s across much of Minnesota, with lower 80s in far northwestern Minnesota. Parts of southwestern and south-central Minnesota will have highs in the 60s.

Monday high temps will be in the 70s in far northern Minnesota, with 80s elsewhere:

rt0807h15
Monday forecast highs
National Weather Service

Tuesday highs will be in the 80s in most areas:

rt0808h15
Tuesday forecast highs
National Weather Service

Twin Cities metro area highs are projected to be in the mid 80s on Wednesday, followed by lower 80s Thursday then around 80 on Friday.

Weather nugget

The official Twin Cities high temperature has reached 90 degrees or warmer on 23 days this year. The most 90 or warmer days in Twin Cities weather records was 44 days, in 1988. The official Twin Cities high temp didn’t reach 90 degrees or warmer at any point in 1993. 

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.