Thundershower chance; some weekend sunshine

Most people aren't amused when it is sunny during the work week, and the following weekend is rainy.

That won't happen this weekend!

We should get most of the rain out of Minnesota by late tonight. There could be a lingering shower early Saturday morning over eastern Minnesota, followed by some sunshine.

Showers/thunderstorms possible today

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A cold front that's moving through Minnesota today could span occasional showers and thunderstorms. A few of those could linger into the early evening hours, especially over southern Minnesota.

The National Weather Service North American Mesoscale forecast model shows that the most numerous showers and thunderstorms are expected over southern Minnesota today and early tonight:

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NOAA/NAM data, via College of DuPage

In the Twin Cities, we could see scattered showers and possibly a thunderstorm this afternoon and early this evening.

The thunderstorms that develop over southern and central Minnesota today are expected to be garden-variety storms. they could have small hail and gusty winds. An isolated severe thunderstorm cannot be rulled out, especially over south-central and southeastern Minnesota.

The Storm Prediction Center of the National Weather Service shows a marginal risk of severe thunderstorms today and tonight over a small part of far southeastern Minnesota:

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Storm Prediction Center/National Weather Service

Weekend breezes

We'll see cool northwesterly breezes on Saturday, followed by warmer southerly breezes on Sunday ahead of an approaching low pressure system:

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Highs on Saturday will be cool, with 60s over northern Minnesota and about 70 degrees in the central and south:

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Sunshine and southerly winds will give us a nice temperature rebound on Sunday:

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Some spots in the south could see upper 70s.

Lower 70s are expected on Monday, followed by highs in the 60s Tuesday and Wednesday. that will feel like October!

Dipping below 50

The official Twin Cities temperature has not dipped below 50s degrees since May 18. That steak is likely to end on Wednesday morning:

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NWS Twin Cities

If we stay above 50 degrees until Wednesday, our streak will reach 118 days. That will be the second longest stretch of 50+ degrees in Twin Cities history!

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.