Thursday soaker, sunshine and 60s by Saturday
It's good to be the weatherman in Minnesota.
I speak of what I know. I was a chief meteorologist in Arizona for nine years.
No risk of weather monotony here. The next rain or snow laden low pressure storm is usually just a commute or two away. Warm front, rain, thunder, cold front, snow, sunshine, repeat.
We enjoy another free ride on Minnesota's Weather Midway the next 72 hours. Gray skies, rain, thunder, and slush potential ends with a return to sunshine and 60 degrees by Saturday.
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It's Minnesota's version of a weather smorgasbord. All you can eat. BOGO.
You don't need an atmospheric rocket surgery degree to see the next low pressure wave above. A red "L" on the weather map surrounded by big green and blue blobs usually means inclement weather. Or in this case, welcome rainfall. After a dry and quiet Wednesday waves of rain surge north Wednesday evening into Thursday.
This looks like a good soaker, potentially a half inch to an inch or more of rain for the Twin Cities and southern Minnesota. My lawn and garden eagerly await.
Our incoming system looks warm enough for mostly rain for central Minnesota this time. Enough sub-freezing air may mix in on the systems back side to produce a burst of wet slushy snowflakes Thursday night as far south as the metro as the system pulls out.
Further north, we are reminded that Minnesota is a long state from north to south -- and spring comes later than in southern Minnesota. One more potentially plowable slushy snowfall accumulation is likely by Thursday night. Still time to run the sled dogs one more time in Ely?
Hope for sunshine
The departing weather system Friday should do a pretty good job of scouring out the gray. The sun may actually break out for a few hours Friday, and Saturday right now looks alike a banner spring day before the next (milder) chance of showers Sunday.
The weather wars continue between the Euro's notion of a cooler week next week, and the GFS insistence on a return to 70 degrees.
Update: The afternoon model run from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts is in, and it has come around to the Global Forecast System notion of a warmer week next week. The Euro is optimistic about some sun and low 60s for the Twins home opener Monday, the GFS still hangs onto a shower chance. Both models hint at 70s by next Wednesday.
Stay tuned.