Morning thunderstorms fade but may reload before day is done
A cluster of thunderstorms coalesced over east central and southeast Minnesota this morning. Many locations around the Twin Cities metro experienced a 30 to 40 minute downpour. A number of cities reported rainfall of around three quarters of an inch with this rush of storms.
A few places east of the Twin Cities had to deal with hail up to an inch in diameter and wind gusts to 45 m.p.h. Hail was not as brutal as last evening's storms in southern Minnesota.
Satellite image from 340pm CDT from NOAA/College of Dupage
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This cluster of storms is forecast to strengthen and drift east through the remainder of the afternoon.
Source: NOAA SPC
The Storm Prediction Center lays out this probability of large hail tonight. Incoming and departing flights from Chicago and Milwaukee may experience delays.
Another weak trigger in the mid levels of the atmosphere approaching the upper Midwest on Friday could initiate showers and thunderstorms in Minnesota as it races east. Note the small wind max forecast at 1 p.m. in western Minnesota.
Cooler temperatures will begin to set in for the weekend. The chances for thunderstorms hold rather high. Strong thunderstorms look to be most likely later on Saturday night.
Saturday's forecast high temperatures. Source; National Weather Service
Temperatures at 4 p.m. CDT ranged from 81 at Owatonna to a cool 46 in Duluth Harbor. As we will be saying for the next several months, cooler near the lake.
--Craig Edwards