Periods of rain, thunder Friday night; summery weekend temps

Updated at 8 p.m. Friday

Many of us saw soaking rains Friday morning, and additional periods of rain and embedded thunderstorms are on the way for Friday evening and overnight into Saturday.

The evening update from the Storm Prediction Center of the National Weather Service shows a marginal risk of severe weather (darker green) Friday evening and overnight from southwestern Minnesota through central Minnesota, the Twin Cities metro area and on up to Brainerd, Hinckley, Duluth and far northwestern Wisconsin:

Marginal risk means that an isolated severe thunderstorm is possible. Some spots could see scattered severe storms.

A flood watch runs from 10 p.m. Friday to 10 a.m. Saturday from Pine County up to southern St. Louis County and into the portion of Lake County that’s closest to Lake Superior, as well as in Douglas County of northwestern Wisconsin:

Here are details of the flood watch:

Flood Watch National Weather Service Duluth MN 123 PM CDT Fri Sep 29 2023 .Heavy rain and thunderstorms are expected to redevelop this evening and overnight. Accumulations around 0.5 to 2 inches with locally higher amounts will be possible. This heavy rain will fall over saturated soils and high river and stream levels from rainfall in the past week. With both effects combined, flooding issues may result. The Flood Watch has been expanded southward to include Pine and Douglas counties, where some of these locally higher rainfall totals may fall. MNZ020-037-300230- /O.CON.KDLH.FA.A.0002.230930T0300Z-230930T1500Z/ /00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/ Southern Lake-Carlton and South St. Louis- Including the cities of Two Harbors, Silver Bay, and Duluth 123 PM CDT Fri Sep 29 2023 ...FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING... The Flood Watch continues for * A portion of northeast Minnesota, including the following areas, Carlton and South St. Louis and Southern Lake. * From 10 PM CDT this evening through Saturday morning * WHEN...From this evening through Saturday morning. * IMPACTS...Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations. Creeks and streams may rise out of their banks. Flooding may occur in poor drainage and urban areas. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - Rainfall tonight and early Saturday morning may be locally heavy with rain amounts of 2 inches or more possible. Portions of the North Shore and adjacent areas farther inland received heavy rainfall last weekend which increased soil moisture across the watch area. Additional heavy rainfall may lead to localized flooding tonight and early Saturday morning. - Flood safety information can be found at www.weather.gov/safety/flood. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... You should monitor later forecasts and be alert for possible Flood Warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop.

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 also check these National Weather Service sites for updated weather info: Twin Cities, Duluth, La Crosse, Wis., Sioux Falls, S.D., and Grand Forks, N.D.

Summery weekend temps

Our average Twin Cities high temperature is 67 degrees on Sept. 30. Some spots in the metro area will reach the lower 80s Saturday afternoon.

Much of southern Minnesota will see highs in the lower 80s on Saturday, with 70s in central and northwestern Minnesota:

60s are on tap for north-central and northeastern Minnesota.

Saturday dew points will be in the sticky 60s in central and southern Minnesota and west-central Wisconsin. Most of Minnesota and western Wisconsin will have dew points in the 60s on Sunday.

Sunday afternoon highs reach the 80s in most areas, with 70s in north-central Minnesota and much of northeastern Minnesota:

There will be some 60s up along the North Shore of Lake Superior.

Cooler temps by midweek

Twin Cities metro area highs are projected to reach the lower 80s on Monday and Tuesday, followed by lower 70s Wednesday then upper 60s Thursday and lower 60s on Friday.

The metro area will have a chance of rain Tuesday night, Wednesday and Friday.

Fall colors are popping in many areas

Fall colors are popping in much of Minnesota. I saw pockets of brilliant fall color in parts of the Twin Cities metro area the past few days, but many metro area trees are still green.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources fall color report for Minnesota State Parks and Trails looks like this:

The changeover to fall colors is highest in the northern half of Minnesota, but parts of west-central Minnesota are also seeing plenty of fall color.

When you look at the fall color map, keep in mind that all deciduous trees are included. Maples can sometimes be peaking in an area when the overall changeover to fall color is 50 percent or less.

The Wisconsin fall color report can be found here.

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.