Rainy Thursday; Scattered Friday; Heat kicks in Saturday

Rain is moving across much of Minnesota as expected today. The good news is the potential for flooding; multi inch rain totals appears lower than yesterday. The "bad" news is, it's still going to rain most everywhere today, but the rain is timely and needed in some areas.

-Latest Twin Cities radar loop

Surface chart shows rain shield moving through Minnesota Thursday.

Most of the rain has been "garden variety" so far, but there have been a few bands of heavier rainfall. Doppler storm total rainfall and surface reports indicate 1" to 2" bands from near Fergus Falls through Wadena, Brainerd, to Cloquet.

Patches of heavy rain have also fallen near Montevideo (1.5") and in southwest Minnesota.

In the metro rain will favor the morning and midday hours, and a general .50" is likely with some isolated 1" totals likely today.

Scattered showers linger Friday:

The chance for scattered showers and T-Storms will linger through Friday and into early Saturday. As hot high pressure builds in overhead Saturday, an atmospheric "cap" should put the lid on T-Storms for a few days.

SPC maintains a slight risk for severe storms Friday, but does not sound overly concerned about intensity and coverage.

...UPPER MS VALLEY TO CENTRAL HIGH PLAINS...

ONE OR TWO MCS MAY BE ONGOING AT BEGINNING OF PERIOD OVER PORTIONS

DAKOTAS/MN...MOVING GENERALLY EWD WITH POTENTIAL FOR ISOLATED HAIL.

AS LLJ WEAKENS THROUGHOUT MORNING...THIS CONVECTION SHOULD DO LIKEWISE. REJUVENATION AND/OR ADDITIONAL TSTM DEVELOPMENT ISPOSSIBLE DURING AFTERNOON ALONG NEARBY SECTIONS OF FRONTAL ZONE AND SWWD PAST SFC LOW...RESULTING IN SCATTERED TSTMS IN BANDS AND

CLUSTERS.

Saturday: Heat kicks in:

The real headline of this forecast period continues to be the heat wave setting up for the rest of July.

Model trends continue to indicate a string of days in the mid to upper 90s next week, with high dew points in the 70s pushing heat index values into the 100 range.

Keep the umbrella handy today!

PH