Rainfall tops 1″ in some areas

Now that's what we call a long slow soaker in the weather biz.

A slow sprawling low pressure system has dropped widespread rainfall to Minnesota and the Upper Midwest. The rainfall totals are impressive in most areas.

My tallies from NWS data through 4pm Tuesday

-Twin Cities Airport .66"

-Eden Prairie .67"

-St. Paul .66"

-Alexandria 1.11"

-St. Cloud 1.21"

-Redwood Falls 1.39"

-Litchfield 1.8"

From Duluth NWS Tuesday morning:

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN

854 AM CDT TUE MAY 11 2010

..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...

..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....

..REMARKS..

1102 AM HEAVY RAIN 8 S DANBURY 45.89N 92.37W

05/11/2010 M0.95 INCH BURNETT WI TRAINED SPOTTER

0851 AM HEAVY RAIN 12 N ISLE 46.32N 93.46W

05/11/2010 M0.83 INCH AITKIN MN TRAINED SPOTTER

0851 AM HEAVY RAIN FORT RIPLEY 46.17N 94.36W

05/11/2010 M1.40 INCH CROW WING MN TRAINED SPOTTER

0851 AM HEAVY RAIN 5 SW BRAINERD 46.30N 94.27W

05/11/2010 M1.28 INCH CROW WING MN TRAINED SPOTTER

0851 AM HEAVY RAIN 3 NE NISSWA 46.53N 94.25W

05/11/2010 M0.82 INCH CROW WING MN TRAINED SPOTTER

0851 AM HEAVY RAIN 3 N BRAINERD 46.40N 94.19W

05/11/2010 M1.05 INCH CROW WING MN TRAINED SPOTTER

Look for a brief lull in the rain overnight into early Tuesday. The next weather system will move rapidly back into the region by Tuesday afternoon.

Rainfall totals look generally lighter with the next wave Wednesday into early Thursday. Forecast models are hinting at between .25" and .50" for much of the southern half of Minnesota.

Warming trend this weekend:

Look for a warming trend starting on Friday and lasting into next week. Temperatures should reach 70 by the weekend, and we have a shot at 80 next week. This could be the best fishing opener weekend weather in years. Highs near 70 and lows in the 40s and 50s and mild winds could make for nearly ideal opening weekend weather.

Leave the umbrellas at home and bring the sunscreen!

PH