Cooler but still well above normal this week

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November was very dry and December has continued that trend.

The November precipitation total at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport was just 4 one-hundredths of an inch (0.04). Just 14 one-hundredths of an inch (0.14) was tallied there in the first 13 days of December. 

The precipitation total at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is just 18 one-hundredths of an inch (0.18) since Nov. 1, which is 1.96 inches below normal for that period. Precipitation includes rainfall plus the water content of any snowfall.

Much of Minnesota has seen unusually dry conditions the past few weeks, so the precipitation that’s in the forecast for Friday into Saturday will be welcomed by many.

Rain in some areas; snow chances highest north

Periods of rain are expected in southern Minnesota and parts of central Minnesota and Wisconsin Friday into Saturday morning. Much of northern Minnesota could see a rain-snow mix that changes to mainly snow during that period and continues into Saturday afternoon.  

Parts of central Minnesota could see mainly rain initially on Friday then a changeover to a mix later Friday followed by mainly snow into Saturday.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s North American Mesoscale forecast model shows the potential precipitation pattern from noon Friday to 6 p.m. Saturday:

The Twin Cities metro area could see periods of rain Friday afternoon into Friday night, with a rain-snow mix in the northwestern part of the metro area later Friday night into Saturday morning while the southeast metro stays mainly rain.

NOAA’s Finite-Volume Cubed Sphere (FV3) model shows a more compact area of snow during that period, mainly confined to northern Minnesota, with rain elsewhere:

A change of just a few degrees in the temperature profile of the lowest part of the atmosphere will skew the precipitation toward either rain or snow. Check forecast updates.

Central Minnesota into northeastern Minnesota seems to have the best chance of seeing an inch or more of snow Friday afternoon into Saturday afternoon. Some locations in the northwestern part of the metro area could see a coating of snow late Friday night or early Saturday.

You can hear updated weather information for Minnesota and western Wisconsin on the MPR News 

The average Twin Cities high temperature is 28 degrees on Dec. 16. Metro area highs are forecast to be around 40 degrees this Saturday.

Much of Minnesota will have Saturday highs in the 30s, with lower 40s in the far south:

Similar high temperatures are expected on Sunday:

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

Weather and Climate News

Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Ron Trenda

Author

We look at the potential for rain and snow this weekend, along with mild temperatures.

Weekend weather: Mild temps with rain or mix Saturday, dry Sunday

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