Weather perfection today; rain & thunder Friday morning; mixed weekend

Classic Spring Weather

"Normal" weather...what a concept.

No big extremes ahead for the next few days...just a mix of sunny tranquil days, scattered showers and thunderstorms, some local grass greening downpours, and some sunny warm hours mixed in for good measure this weekend.

Kind of sounds like "May" in Minnesota.

Create a More Connected Minnesota

MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.

Our weather pattern starts tranquil today, then takes a turn for the rainy.

In this Updraft we track some probable hefty rainfall totals over the next 5 days, and look between the clouds for some dry, sunny and warm hours this weekend.

Not a total washout...but you may have to pick your spots this weekend.

Typical for May in Minnesota.

Perfect Thursday?

Today is as good as it gets.

Plenty of sun and temps pushing into the low 80s is good tonic for us this spring. Get out and enjoy the sun and warmth today. Clouds will increase later this afternoon and evening.

Friday: Wet start...sunny finish?

I'm watching clusters of showers and T-Storms today rumbling through Nebraska and South Dakota. That's our weather fare for Friday morning.

An upper level wave will trigger round #1 of what could be a series of rain & T-Storm clusters this the next few days. Look for rain to increase in southwest Minnesota tonight...and roll into the Twin Cities before AM drive time Friday morning. It should be a wet commute Friday AM in the metro.

The European Model "meteogram" favors a few rainy hours between 4am and noon tomorrow.

Soaking rainfall totals Friday morning between .50" and 1" are quite possible across the southern third of Minnesota, including the metro.

Weekend Split: Saturday the nicer & drier day?

If you're looking for a few dry hours to stroll Art-A-Whirl or any other outdoor fare this weekend Saturday may be your best bet.

Scattered storms will favor the northern half of Minnesota Saturday, but I can't rule out an hour of rain in the metro or a passing shower/T-Storm.

Sunday looks like the wetter day of the weekend right now...as a slow moving low pressure system stalls in eastern South Dakota.

Sunday & Monday look like the best chances for several hours of rain.

Rainfall totals could easily be over 2" by then in many locations. Keep in mind spring & summer "convective" rainfall is usually scattered...and rainfall totals can vary greatly a mile down the road.

Drought Buster?

Today's new U.S. Drought Monitor shows little change in drought in Minnesota from last week. Southeast Minnesota...and a sliver of far northern Minnesota are still "drought free" with near average soil moisture.

There are still sizeable chunks of western Minnesota that are in moderate to severe drought.

The rains the next few days look well placed to potentially erase some more drought areas in Minnesota.

If 4"+ totals verify by next Tuesday in western Minnesota, that would go a long way toward wiping out drought.

Weather fingers & toes crossed.

Paul Huttner