Drier and cooler weekend; Big rain Tuesday?
The green wave is about to hit Minnesota.
Friday's showers mark the first opportunity for some much needed rainfall in the Upper Midwest. As a cold front moved through Minnesota from west to east Friday, scattered showers and a few thunderstorms blew by.
The rain marks the first rainfall for the area in nearly a month. The last time we recorded significant rainfall was on March 10-11 when about half an inch fell, and washed away a good deal of our winter snow pack.
It looks as if the system will sweep through by early Saturday morning, giving us a mostly dry and cooler weekend.
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Bigger storm on the horizon?
It looks as if a bigger more potent storm may move in next Tuesday. The system has the wrapped up look of a winter storm, but should be warm enough to produce all rain for most of Minnesota. There may be some snow on the colder west side of the storm in western and north central Minnesota.
Early indications are that this storm could bring an inch or more of rain to many locations Tuesday. The rainfall should help put the kibosh on the spring wildfire season in Minnesota.
NOAA 5-day precip hints at over 2" of badly needed rainfall for eastern Minnesota.
After the system passes, another warm up appears ready to move in by late next week and into the following week. It appears 70s and even 80s may return and continue the trend of our early spring weather this year.
With the rainfall and warmth on the way in the next two weeks, it's going to look a lot greener around here by mid April!
PH