Rare clouds in the metro; frosty Friday morning in the Northland, followed by a nice weekend

We experienced a weather rarity in the Twin Cities and southern Minnesota on Wednesday when clouds dominated the day. According to the Minnesota Climatological Working Group in St. Paul we had only six days in the entire meteorological summer that went into the books as cloudy. Two days in each month of June, July and August of 2012 had 80 percent or more cloud cover at the Twin Cities International Airport.

Midday visible satellite from Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Source: NOAA/College of Dupage

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Welcome rain fell on the southern Minnesota landscape on Wednesday. Half an inch was recorded at Houston in far southeast Minnesota, with about a third of an inch near Rochester. Only a tenth of an inch accumulated in the southern Twin Cities Metro.

Talk about a swing of temperatures! The game time temperature at Target Field on Tuesday evening was 93 degrees. At 7 p.m. Wednesday the temperature at the Twin Cities International Airport was a cool 58 degrees.

Frost is likely to form in the early morning hours on Friday in northern Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin. it will be a tease of the very chilly air that will arrive early next week.

After a cool start to Friday, the weekend looks to be pretty nice if you are into sunshine and pleasant temperatures. Looking for moisture? You'll have to wait until late Sunday or Monday.

Not too early to travel north and explore the changing fall foliage Minnesota DNR website to monitor the changing colors this autumn. Click here.

As Paul Huttner has been advertising, we are on the threshold of reversing the trend of warmer than normal temperatures. The big change arrives on Monday. The thermometer will settle into the 30s across a good portion of the state in the morning hours the middle of next week and into the following weekend.

Predicted GFS temperatures for daybreak on Tuesday, September 18, 2012.

Source: NOAA/College of Dupage

Due to the continued dry conditions, you'll want to stay abreast of the fire danger this weekend.

Here's the DNR fire danger as of Wednesday, Septemeber 12, 2012:

Source; Minnesota DNR

Click here to track Minnesota fire danger.

Craig Edwards