Saturday rain chance; cool and dry on Sunday
If your lawn or garden needs some rain, you could be in luck.
The steadiest rains Saturday morning have been over southeastern Minnesota, but there have been scattered showers and thunderstorms elsewhere.
A cold front will move slowly through Minnesota this afternoon and evening, and some additional showers and thunderstorms are expected.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's North American Mesoscale forecast model shows the potential rain pattern Saturday afternoon through Saturday night:
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It will probably rain in some spots that look dry on the simulated radar loop, but the loop illustrates the general rain pattern that is expected.
The color chart to the right of the loop refers to the strength of the signal that returns to the radar, not to the amount of rain.
Severe weather outlook
The Storm Prediction Center of the National Weather Service shows a marginal risk of severe weather Saturday and Saturday night for parts of eastern Minnesota, including the Twin Cities metro area, and western Wisconsin:
Marginal risk means that an isolated severe thunderstorm is possible.
Information on any severe weather that develops will be shared on the Minnesota Public Radio Network and on the MPR News live weather blog.
Temperature trends
Saturday highs are expected to range from the 50s in far northwestern Minnesota to the 80s over the far southeast.
On Sunday, far northern Minnesota will see highs in the 50s, with mostly 60s central and south:
Some spots in the Twin Cities metro area and southeastern Minnesota could touch 70 Sunday afternoon.
Highs could reach the lower 70s Monday afternoon over much of central and southern Minnesota:
Our average Twin Cities high temp is 72 degrees this time of year.
Metro area highs are expected to be in the mid 70s Tuesday, then upper 70s Wednesday through Friday.
Hurricane Jose
Hurricane Jose was 550 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina this Saturday morning.
According to the National Hurricane Center, Jose had max sustained winds of 80 mph and was moving northwestward:
An eventual turn to the north is expected, and the NHC may need to issue a tropical storm watch for North Carolina and parts of New England:
BULLETIN
Hurricane Jose Advisory Number 44...Corrected
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL AL122017
500 AM EDT Sat Sep 16 2017
Corrected headline
...JOSE MOVING STEADILY NORTHWESTWARD...
...TROPICAL STORM WATCHES POSSIBLE IN THE UNITED STATES LATER
TODAY...
SUMMARY OF 500 AM EDT...0900 UTC...INFORMATION
----------------------------------------------
LOCATION...27.9N 71.8W
ABOUT 550 MI...885 KM SSE OF CAPE HATTERAS NORTH CAROLINA
ABOUT 515 MI...830 KM SW OF BERMUDA
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...80 MPH...130 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT...NW OR 305 DEGREES AT 9 MPH...15 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...983 MB...29.03 INCHES
WATCHES AND WARNINGS
--------------------
There are no coastal watches or warnings in effect.
Interests from North Carolina northward to New England on the east
coast of the United States should monitor the progress of this
system. A Tropical Storm Watch may be needed for a portion of the
coast of North Carolina on Saturday.
DISCUSSION AND 48-HOUR OUTLOOK
------------------------------
At 500 AM EDT (0900 UTC), the center of Hurricane Jose was located
near latitude 27.9 North, longitude 71.8 West. Jose is moving toward
the northwest near 9 mph (15 km/h). A turn toward the north with a
slight decrease in forward speed is expected later today.
Maximum sustained winds are near 80 mph (130 km/h) with higher
gusts. Jose could become a little stronger, and is expected to
remain a hurricane for the next several days.
Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 35 miles (55 km) from the
center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 150 miles
(240 km).
The estimated minimum central pressure is 983 mb (29.03 inches).
HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND
----------------------
SURF: Swells generated by Jose are affecting Bermuda, the Bahamas,
the northern coasts of Hispaniola and Puerto Rico, and the southeast
coast of the United States, and will spread northward along the
Mid-Atlantic coast of the U.S. during the next few days. These
swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current
conditions. For more information, please consult products from your
local weather office.
NEXT ADVISORY
-------------
Next complete advisory at 1100 AM EDT.
Forecasters will be watching Hurricane Jose closely over the next few days.
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., 9:35 a.m. and 4:35 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday.