Football weather, cooler weekend air mass ahead

Our latest September cold front came in with a bang.

Thursday's cold front spawned widespread storms packing high winds, hail and torrential rains of more than 2 inches north of the Twin Cities metro area. Now two inches of rain in 20 minutes is my definition of torrential. The storms packed winds of 50 to 77 mph and downed trees west and north of the metro. Hail as large as eggs fell in Cambridge, Minn., north of the Twin Cities.

Here's the Twin Cities National Weather Service storm reports map from Thursday's action.

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Image: Twin Cities NWS

Anatomy of a squall line

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Talk about an active frontal boundary. By Thursday evening the same front that spawned severe weather in Minnesota was triggering a line of storms that stretched nearly 1,000 miles. Severe storms moved into Madison, Wis.,  to Kansas City to the Oklahoma Panhandle. Here's the Iowa Emergency Management radar shot.

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Image: Iowa Emergency Management

Kinder and gentler -- and cooler

Friday brings a transitions to cooler air, and the chance for a few passing showers. Friday night brings classic football weather.

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Image: Twin Cities NWS

The weekend overall looks beautiful, but cooler. Classic September. The mildest day for a picnic, golf or one more boat ride? Sunday.

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Image: Twin Cities NWS

Enjoy!