Dry Memorial Day for most after weekend rain, storms

Memorial Day weekends aren't always rainy, it just seems that way when we have outdoor plans.

Here is the projected rainfall pattern, from today through Sunday morning, per the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's North American Mesoscale Forecast System:

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NOAA/NAM data via College of DuPage

We'll have some showers at times today, and we could also see an isolated thunderstorm. There is a chance of a shower or thunderstorm this evening.

Periods of rain, and a few thunderstorms, are expected late tonight through Saturday and Saturday night.

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The final image in the loop shows the organized areas of rain moving away from us early Sunday morning.

An isolated shower or thunderstorm will still be possible Sunday afternoon and Sunday evening, but it looks like Memorial Day should be dry for most of Minnesota.  Far southern Minnesota has a chance of a shower or thunderstorm on Memorial Day.

The biggest rainfall totals are expected over about the southeastern half of Minnesota and western Wisconsin:

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National Weather Service Twin Cities

Isolated strong thunderstorms could drop much higher rainfall amounts over some areas.

We aren't the only ones getting wet

Most of the Upper Midwest will see some periods of rain today through Saturday:

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The risk of severe weather today and tonight is mainly south of Minnesota. The Storm Prediction Center of the National Weather Service shows an slight risk of severe weather over Kansas and Oklahoma today and tonight:

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Storm Prediction Center/National Weather Service

There is a marginal risk of severe weather over southern Minnesota.

Cooler highs

Some spots in Minnesota, including the Twin Cities, saw highs in the lower 80s yesterday.

With more cloud cover, highs in the 70s will be common today:

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It will be a few degrees cooler in areas that receive the most afternoon shower activity. Areas along the north shore of Lake Superior should see highs in the 60s. Saturday's highs will also be mainly in the 70s:

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Temps rebound on Sunday

Sunday will be much less rainy than Saturday, with some peeks of sunshine. High temperatures will be a bit warmer, with 80 degrees possible in the Twin Cities and a few other spots in southern Minnesota:

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We'll see a few more spots top 80 degrees on Memorial Day:

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By May 30, our average high in the Twin Cities is only 74 degrees, so lower 80s would be nice!

Programming note

You can hear my live weather updates weekend mornings at 7:35 a.m. on Minnesota Public Radio.