Cooler but still well above normal this week

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I’ll get to the weekend forecast in a moment. First, I’ll show you the latest drought update from 

Our snow and rain over the past week has reduced the percentage of Minnesota in drought from 74.74 percent last week to 43.37 percent this week:

Of the 43.37 percent of Minnesota currently in drought, 11.43 percent is in severe drought (shaded orange) and 31.94 percent is in moderate drought (beige). 

The numbers under each color in the table refer to the percentage of Minnesota in that drought category plus the percentage of Minnesota in the higher drought categories.

The yellow-shaded area on the map shows 55.25 percent of Minnesota as abnormally dry but not currently in drought, according to U.S. Drought Monitor.

Parts of Wisconsin and much of Iowa are also in drought right now, with extreme drought (red) in a portion of eastern Iowa:

The drought map is released every Thursday morning and includes precipitation (rain plus the water content of snowfall) through 7 a.m. Tuesday. Parts of Minnesota saw between one-quarter inch to three-quarters of an inch of precipitation from 7 a.m. Tuesday to 7 a.m. Wednesday:

That precipitation fell after the data cutoff of 7 a.m. Tuesday.

Portions of Minnesota will see some rain Friday night, with periods of snow in northern Minnesota. Periods of snow will continue in parts of northern Minnesota on Saturday.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s North American Mesoscale Forecast System model shows the potential precipitation pattern from 9 p.m. Friday to 6 p.m. Saturday:

Some forecast models show patchy snow showers in the southern half of Minnesota Sunday morning, with scattered rain showers possible Sunday afternoon. Some forecast models give most of Minnesota a dry Sunday.

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

The average Twin Cities high temperature is 49 degrees on March 30. Metro area highs could reach lower 40s this Saturday.

Most of western and far northern Minnesota will see Saturday highs in the 30s, with 40s elsewhere in Minnesota plus western Wisconsin:

A similar temperature pattern is expected on Sunday, with a slight uptick in high temps:

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

Temps will rebound a bit this weekend. Parts of northern Minnesota will see some snow Saturday.

Weekend weather: Highs in the 30s and 40s; snow chance Saturday up north

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