Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Mainly dry Friday before a steamy, stormy first half of the weekend

Early next week looks calmer

day1
Severe weather outlook Friday into Friday night
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Storm Prediction Center

Friday should be mostly dry with decreasing afternoon clouds. More storms are possible over the weekend, some could be strong to severe. It will also be humid.

Dry Friday but steamy air returns, spawning some weekend storms 

Enjoy a mostly dry Friday after a soggy and stormy couple of days. We’ll start the day cloudy, but clouds should decrease in the afternoon. Most of the sunshine will be in western Minnesota and highs will range from the low 80s there to the low 70s northeast.

fri hi 453
Forecast highs Friday
National Weather Service

We get a brief reprieve from high dew points Friday with most seeing dew points in the 50s to low 60s.

The tropical air mass with dew points in the 70s marches back north Saturday and that will increase chances for storms, even strong to severe storms.

dews 902
Forecast dew points 9 a.m. Friday through 11 p.m. Saturday
NOAA, via Pivotal Weather

Storms will develop in North Dakota Friday evening and will track into western Minnesota late Friday night into early Saturday.

Most forecast models now hold these storms together, bringing them into the Twin Cities area by early (5 a.m. to 7 a.m.) Saturday morning. They will likely not be severe though as they reach eastern Minnesota.

prec1
Forecast simulated radar 7 p.m. Friday through 1 p.m. Saturday
NOAA, via Pivotal Weather

There’s a slight chance (level 2 of 5) of severe storms for portions of western Minnesota Friday night into early Saturday. The biggest threats for western Minnesota will be damaging wind gusts.

spc FRINT
Severe weather outlook for Friday night through 7 a.m. Saturday
NOAA, via Iowa Environmental Mesonet of Iowa State University

We’ll see decreasing clouds into midday Saturday, allowing temperatures to warm well into the 80s to even low 90s in southwest Minnesota.

That heat, combined with high dew points, will help spawn more storms in central Minnesota late afternoon or evening, which will then track east-southeast into the evening and overnight hours Saturday night.

prec2
Forecast simulated radar 6 p.m. Saturday through 4 a.m. Sunday
NOAA, via Pivotal Weather

There’s a slight risk (level 2 of 5) of severe storms for central and southern Minnesota in the evening hours Saturday. All severe threats: large hail, damaging winds, and isolated tornadoes are possible.

spc SAT 904
Severe weather outlook for Saturday into Saturday night
NOAA, via Iowa Environmental Mesonet of Iowa State University

Sunday storm chances look more isolated with likely drier conditions and decreasing clouds. Highs Saturday and Sunday will be in the upper 80s with some low 90s in southwestern Minnesota. It will also be very humid. 

wknd
Forecast highs Saturday and Sunday
National Weather Service

Drier air and more settled weather moves in for the early and middle part of next week as dew points drop. 

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