Rain and more rain, but not tomorrow

Heavy rains dropped two to three inches of sogginess on many of the southern metro suburbs this morning while a half inch to an inch was common a bit farther north. Some of the greatest amounts were west of the Twin Cities. Hutchinson and Arlington both picked up about three and a quarter inches.

As I write this late in the afternoon, more showers and thunderstorms have developed across southern and west central Minnesota. A severe thunderstorm in Blue Earth County in south central Minnesota knocked down some trees in near Vernon Center. Some showers or storms will reach the metro area before diminishing with the loss of heating this evening.

The most severe weather this evening is likely to be in an area designated as High Risk by the Storm Prediction Center:

Source:NWS/Storm Prediction Center

A significant outbreak of severe weather is likely to continue across northern Illinois and then northern Indiana as fast-moving storms cause widespread wind damage and possibly tornadoes. These large, long-track, very persistent storms are often called derechos. Paul Huttner did an excellent Updraft entry about them yesterday, and I encourage you to scroll down to it.

Satellite photos have been showing the towering buildups over southern Minnesota, southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois:

Source:NOAA/University of Wisconsin

Chicago might be in the bullseye for some of these storms this evening.

As with most storms, lightning is the biggest risk:

Source:Vaisala

Rainfall is likely to climb above two inches in areas from Ohio through Pennsylvania over the next 24 hours. It is likely to be a soggy, thunderstormy day for the first round of the U. S. Open golf championship near Philadelphia tomorrow:

Source:NWS/Weather Prediction Center

On the bright side, tomorrow looks like a fabulous day in these parts with mostly sunny skies and highs in the 70s across Minnesota.

Then looks for more on-and-off showers beginning Friday night and then through the weekend.

Bill Endersen