June preview Friday, weekend soaker ahead
Hooky alert
Attention corporate HR departments. Employee sick calls will spike to near-record numbers Friday morning. Those employees who do show up for work may exhibit signs of restlessness or even giddiness. Some hallways may resemble scenes from "The Walking Dead" with oblivious, non-responsive workers stumbling for the nearest exit.
Spring fever reaches epidemic proportions Friday, as our blissful weather week ends with a taste of early June.
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75 degrees forecast high Friday afternoon in the Twin Cities
June 4 - date average high reaches 75 degrees
Last April, we endured 7 inches of snow and temps nearly 5 degrees colder than average. Flip the switch to April 2015. This month has already featured a remarkable stretch of warmth.
73 degrees high at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport Thursday
5th day at or above 70 degrees this month so far
2 days at or above 70 degrees last April
10 degrees warmer this April than last April so far at MSP
Friday features yet another 70 degree day, and probably the warmest of this week.
Wanted: Rain
Your thirsty lawn and fields are looking forward to a long deep drink of water. It's on the way this weekend as a well organized low pressure system pumps moisture from the Gulf of Mexico into Minnesota. Yes, the timing could be better.
Saturday looks like the milder and drier day of the weekend. Showers and thunderstorms gather in southwest Minnesota Saturday morning, but may hold off until afternoon or evening in the Twin Cities and points east. Saturday night and Sunday look just plain wet at this point, a good widespread soaking rain.
This system looks fairly productive. Models are cranking out a good swath of a half inch to 1 inch or more of potential rainfall totals this weekend.
Here's a closer look at the weekend breakdown. Temperatures down, rain chances up.
A million dollar rain in April?
With 92 percent of Minnesota and 45 percent of the Midwest in drought this week, you'd have to say this is a valuable rain. Here's Thursday's updated US Drought Monitor.
April reality check next week
We've been leading charmed weather lives this month. Next week reminds us the calendar still says April, and that we live at 45 degrees north latitude. Temps run a good 30 degrees cooler next week. A stray April snowflake can't be ruled out. I'm just the messenger.
Enjoy Friday!