Fall perfection today, rain tomorrow, drought creeps back

Pristine.

That's the word I used to describe today's weather across Minnesota. I'm not sure it gets too much better than this for late October at 45-degrees north latitude. We enjoy sun today through a few wispy cirrus clouds.

A much needed soaking rainfall tomorrow? That's actually good weather news as drought creeps back into Minnesota after our mild and dry weather run this fall. Now 40% of Minnesota is 'abnormally dry' in today's updated U.S. Drought Monitor. The driest soils run form the west metro west and north into the Red River Valley and a sliver of southeast Minnesota.

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US Drought Monitor. UNL/USDA

Friday rain

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Almost as if on cue, low pressure moves into the Upper Midwest tomorrow to cover the dry areas with a decent soaking. Another timely rainfall in a year of timely rains for Minnesota.

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NOAA

Rainfall totals still favor .25" to .50" for the metro. Heavier totals as you move north and west.

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Here's the bigger picture. An inch or more favors the northern half of Minnesota.A Texas sized soaking down south?

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NOAA

Flood watches are out for a big chunk of Texas today, including the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.

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The longer range outlook favors a second rain system next Tuesday/Wednesday. NOAA's GFS is hinting at 50s for Halloween, the Euro model below cranks out 60 degrees on Halloween.

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Weatherspark - Euro data

Stay tuned.