A month's worth of rain; better Memorial Day weekend forecast

Well that was a super soaker.

Our soggy rainmaker this week has dumped 2 to nearly 4 inches of rain from the Twin Cities to points west and south this week. That’s almost a month’s worth of rain in a couple days for some areas.

You can see the prolific rainfall totals on the map at the top of this post around the greater Twin Cities area. Several locations in the Twin Cities picked up more than 3 inches of rain this week.

Here are some select rainfall totals from around Minnesota this week, measured in inches:

• Alexandria (Union Lake) 3.96

• Norwood Young America, 3.75

• Hutchinson area, 3.72

• Ham Lake, 3.57

• Glencoe, 3.51

• Woodbury, 3.39

• Minneapolis (Lake Harriet), 3.35

• Roseville, 3.35

• Waconia, 3.28

• Andover, 3.28

• Fridley, 3.26

• Mankato, 3.07

• Montevideo, 3

• Detroit Lakes, 2.37

• Rochester area, 2.20

• Park Rapids, 2.12

• Edgerton, 2.01

• Brainerd, 1.74

• Lake Bemidji, 0.94

• Grand Rapids, 0.62

• Duluth area, 0.50 to 1

Rain-washed air

Our widespread prolonged rainfall has washed particulate matter out of the air over Minnesota. Air quality readings are excellent across our state. I have never seen an air quality index of 1 in Minneapolis!

Nicer Memorial Day weekend ahead

The sun will begin to peek out Thursday through the upcoming Memorial Day weekend. Cool high pressure will build in over the region. Highs through the Memorial Day weekend will be mainly in the 60s across most of Minnesota.

Skies will be partly cloudy with just a 20-percent shower chance through this upcoming weekend.

Warmer air arrives starting Tuesday as highs crack the 70s once again.

Forecast models suggest much warmer temperatures later next week. Highs in the 80s look likely for much of Minnesota in about a week.

Hang in there.