Sun and rain this week; James Hansen at Macalester Tuesday

Timing is everything in life, and in weather.  A sunny beautiful day on Easter Sunday? Priceless.

The "green wave" has hit Minnesota like a freight train.

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Paul Huttner/MPR News

We pick our sunny spots and walk between the raindrops in another active weather week in Minnesota. Two distinct weather systems bring more rain. The first delivers a wet commute Tuesday morning. The second wave arrives Wednesday afternoon and lingers into early Thursday for southern Minnesota.

Two rain shots this week

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Our active weather pattern continues this week. Two low-pressure systems sail across Minnesota. System No. 1 brings a quick shot of rain by morning. System No. 2 blows in later Wednesday into Thursday morning.

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NOAA GFS into Thursday morning via tropical tidbits.

Most of us pick up another one-quarter inch to one-half inch rainfall this week. Some locally heavier totals up to 1 inch favor northern and southern Minnesota.

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NOAA NAM model rainfall output via College of Dupage.

Western Minnesota still dry

Western Minnesota has missed out on most of the rainfall this spring. That's why fire danger has been running high. The Twin Cities National Weather Service elaborated on Sunday's high fire danger out west.

Spectacular spring weekend ahead

Is it too early to start thinking about next weekend?

Next weekend looks nothing short of spectacular. Canadian high pressure noses into Minnesota Friday through Sunday. Bright sunshine, light winds and temps in the 60s? This could be one of the best weekends of the spring. A true, old-fashioned spring in Minnesota this year?

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NOAA via Weather Bell

Skywarn spotter training opportunity

Ever wanted to become a severe storm spotter? National Weather Service training classes are a great way to do that. The reality is it takes all the tools we have at our disposal to provide complete severe weather warnings and coverage. Trained weather spotters are the eyes and ears, the ground truth during severe weather.

Severe weather awareness week

This is severe weather awareness week in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Somebody please tell that to the tornadoes that touched down on March 6. Yes, tornadoes get big headlines. But most of Minnesota's severe weather damage is caused by straight-line winds, and hail. Flooding rains are increasing in frequency.

James Hansen at Macalester Tuesday

It was a great honor for me to speak to a bright and curious group of students and faculty last fall at my alma mater Macalester College.

Tomorrow climate change pioneer James Hansen speaks at Macalester College at 4:30 pm.

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