Chance shower/t-storm today; gorgeous Sunday

The official rainfall total yesterday at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport was .85 of an inch.  A bit more, 1.14 inches, was reported at Holman Field airport in St. Paul.  Fairmont, in southcentral Minnesota, came in with 2.32 inches.

Some of us will see some additional rain today and tonight.

A low pressure system will move northeastward from the Dakotas:

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Scattered showers and a few thunderstorms are possible to the east of the low, over Minnesota and western Wisconsin, today and tonight.

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A few showers may linger on the back side of the low pressure system, over northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin, Saturday morning.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s North American Mesoscale 4 km resolution forecast model shows the scattered nature of the showers and thunderstorms today and tonight:

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NOAA NAM 4 km simulated radar, via College of DuPage

The most numerous showers and thunderstorms will tend to be over central and northern Minnesota this afternoon and evening.

The Storm Prediction Center of the National Weather Service shows a marginal risk of severe weather today and tonight over parts of central and northern Minnesota:

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Storm Prediction Center/National Weather Service

The southeastern edge of the marginal risk area covers much of Stearns county. A marginal risk of severe weather indicates that an isolated severe thunderstorm is possible.

Sunday warmup

Highs today will be in the 70s over southern and central Minnesota, with 60s in the north.

Saturday highs will be slightly below average for mid September in many spots:

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On Sunday, NOAA's NAM forecast model shows southerly winds developing ahead of a low pressure system over the Dakotas:

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NOAA/ NAM surface plot for Sunday afternoon

With plenty of sunshine and southerly breezes, Sunday high temperatures could to 80 degrees in southwestern Minnesota:

rt918h2

Upper 70s are expected in the Twin Cities, and much of central and southeastern Minnesota.

We'll have a beautiful afternoon to enjoy, and can delay our Viking football viewing until Sunday evening!

Programming note

You can hear my live weather updates at 7:35 a.m. and 4:35 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday on Minnesota Public Radio.