Lingering clouds; brighter on Friday
If you live in southern Minnesota or the Twin Cities metro area, sunglasses aren't required today.
Mostly cloudy skies will linger over southern Minnesota and the Twin Cities metro area through most of Thursday. There could even be a few scattered showers, with the best chance over southeastern Minnesota.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s North American Mesoscale forecast model shows the potential precipitation pattern from Thursday afternoon through Thursday evening:
The color chart to the right of the loop shows the strength of the radar signal returning to the radar, not inches of rain!
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Temps will rebound
Our average high temperature this time of year is 49 degrees in the Twin Cities metro area.
We should top out in the upper 40s in the Twin Cities area and much of southern Minnesota. Northeastern Minnesota will also see highs in the 40s.
Northwestern and north-central Minnesota will reach the lower 50s this Thursday afternoon.
Highs in the 50s will be common across all of Minnesota on Friday:
Northeastern Minnesota will see upper 40s.
On Saturday, 50s will be common over most of Minnesota:
The Twin Cities metro area will see highs in the mid-50s on Sunday, and we could be close to 60 degrees Monday afternoon.
Sunday showers
NOAA's Global Forecast System model shows some showers over Minnesota Sunday and Sunday night:
The color chart to the right of the loop shows the hourly precipitation rate, not the amount of rain.
GOES-16 sample
NOAA's newest weather satellite, GOES-16, is in test phase right now.
It's great to see the high resolution pictures from GOES-16. Here's a sample visible loop from a few days ago:
GOES-16 images are of higher resolution than previous satellite pictures, and they are updated more frequently. That's great news for forecasters and the public.
Severe risk shifts northeastward
Tornado touchdowns were reported in Arkansas and east Texas yesterday.
The Storm Prediction Center of the National Weather Service shows an enhanced risk of severe weather for southern parts of Illinois and Indiana plus western Kentucky today and tonight:
Enhanced risk is the category used by the SPC when numerous severe thunderstorms are possible:
Severe weather awareness week is April 17 through April 21 in Minnesota this year.
Programming note
You can hear my live weather updates on Minnesota Public Radio at 7:49 a.m. Thursdays and Fridays, and at 7:35 a.m. and 4:35 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday.