A sunshiny Saturday for most of us
Overnight low temperatures have been unseasonably mild
One benefit from the recent bleak low clouds has been that they provided a blanket to prevent our nighttime temperatures from cooling to normal values. The normal low for the Twin Cities today is 20 and the record low is 16 below (1977). Lawns remain greener than normal. Amazingly, my garden along the south side of our house has one snapdragon that has not been covered this fall still blooming above where the pesky rabbits have been able to eat the blossoms.
Foggy/frosty start
Clearing skies have led to a foggy start to the day across central Minnesota from Brainerd and little Falls to Mora, Princeton, Cambridge and Hinckley. Some areas of fog formed around the Twin Cites metro area, but the rest of the metro had just some heavy frost. The above snapdragon still looks pert, however.
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A pleasant Saturday
Today will bring some welcome sunshine to much of western, central and southern Minnesota. Low clouds are likely to linger in the north central and northeastern parts of the state. High temperatures should range from the mid 30s in the north to the upper 40s near Iowa this afternoon. Winds will be light. Enjoy the chance to get outdoors and generate some vitamin D.
Storm system from Colorado
A storm system will develop over eastern Colorado by Sunday.
This storm center will race to the Dakotas late on Sunday and then stall there. That will put Minnesota on its warm, rainy side for at least a few days.
Here is a quick look at the next several days in the forecast area covered by the Twin Cities National Weather Service Office.
I expect rain to spread northward through Iowa on Sunday, reach southern Minnesota in the afternoon and then advance quickly to the northern part of the state tomorrow night. Highs on Sunday should range from the 30s in the north to the mid 40s in the south.
Thunderstorms in late November?
Widespread rain is likely Sunday night. There is even a chance of a few thunderstorms in the southern part of the state.
Monday
Monday will be the warmest day of the upcoming week. High temperatures will range from the 40s in northern and central Minnesota to the low 50s from the Twin Cities to the south. But the price to be paid will be rain falling on mainly central and northern Minnesota. And it will be breezy.
Snow will be falling across the Dakotas. Here is one forecast of snowfall amounts through the end of Monday.
Tuesday
Cooler air to our west should begin to shift eastward by Tuesday. The chance of rain will continue, but it could be mixed with snow in about the northwest half of Minnesota. Highs should have a rather narrow range in the mid and upper 30s.
Wednesday-Thursday
Wednesday and Thursday will bring us periods of rain and snow, with the precipitation type shifting more toward snow during that time as the storm finally moves farther east. Heavy snow is not likely but there is a good chance of a layer of white, especially across the northern half of the state, by the time it all ends.
All week
Mostly cloudy nights will prevent our nighttime temperatures from plummeting. My snapdragon might live to see December.