Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Heavy rainfall potential shifting toward Twin Cities Thursday and Friday

Forecast models suggest several inches of rain

European (ECMWF) model precipitation output
Precipitation output forecast through Friday
European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, via Pivotal Weather

We’re enjoying a beautiful but slightly smoky summer day this Tuesday. Temperatures will hit the 80s across most of central and southern Minnesota Tuesday afternoon.

Forecast high temperatures Tuesday
Forecast high temperatures Tuesday
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Wildfire smoke update

We’re getting some sunshine across Minnesota, but you can see an elevated smoky haze above. Air quality here at ground level is in the good to moderate range across most of Minnesota Tuesday:

Air quality index
Air quality index Tuesday afternoon
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

See that smudge of thicker smoke at ground level in North Dakota? Some of that may filter into Minnesota Wednesday.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s High-Resolution Rapid Refresh smoke output shows the trend between 7 p.m. Tuesday and 7 p.m. Wednesday:

NOAA HRRR smoke output
High-Resolution Rapid Refresh model ground level smoke output between 7 p.m. Tuesday and 7 p.m. Wednesday
NOAA, via Pivotal Weather

Air quality forecasts currently call for moderate readings for most of this week, but we’ll have to watch that smoky smudge in North Dakota.

Air quality forecast
Air quality forecast for Wednesday
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

Heavy rainfall potential

A warm front will stall across central and southern Minnesota Thursday and Friday. We may see a few showers starting Wednesday.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s High-Resolution Rapid Refresh model shows lighter rainfall echoes between 1 p.m. Wednesday and 7 a.m. Thursday.

NOAA HRRR model
High-Resolution Rapid Refresh model between 1 p.m. Wednesday and 7 a.m. Thursday
NOAA, via Pivotal Weather

Heavier rainfall in thunderstorms is more likely Thursday into Friday.

The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts model forecast loop below shows rainfall trends between 1 p.m. Wednesday and 1 p.m. Friday.

European ECMWF model
Rainfall between 1 p.m. Wednesday and 1 p.m. Friday
European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, via Pivotal Weather

Forecast models Tuesday have shifted the heaviest rainfall zone northward to include the greater Twin Cities area. The European model cranks out a band of between 2 and 5 inches across much of central and southern Minnesota through Friday. Here’s another look:

European (ECMWF) model precipitation output
Precipitation output forecast through Friday
European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, via Pivotal Weather

Your farm, garden or lawn may get a free heavy watering by Friday evening.

Stay tuned as we monitor heavy rainfall trends this week.

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