Summery winds this Friday; periods of rain on Saturday
Our Friday afternoon will feel almost summery.
High temperatures will climb well into the 70s, with a few spots in the south touching 80 degrees.
Our average high temp for today is only 56 degrees in the Twin Cities metro area, so our projected high in the upper 70s would be more than 20 degrees warmer than normal!
The coolest spots in Minnesota will be near Lake Superior, where peak temps could be in the upper 60s from about Silver Bay to the Canadian border.
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Dew point temps Friday afternoon will be in the 50s in most of Minnesota, giving us a flashback to late summer.
Winds will be gusty Friday afternoon and early evening, so the sound of waves will be in the background if you decide to enjoy your lunch or dinner near a lake.
Temperature trends
Saturday will be cooler, with highs in the 60s in most of Minnesota:
A few spots in the south could touch 70.
Sunday will the coolest day of the weekend, with highs in the 50s in about the northern third of Minnesota and 60s central and south:
Twin Cities highs are expected to stay in the lower 60s on Monday, then dip into the 50s for Tuesday through Thursday of next week.
Rain chances
Periods of rain are expected over most of Minnesota on Saturday and Saturday evening.
There could even be a few thunderstorms at times.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's North American Mesoscale forecast model shows the potential rain pattern Saturday and Saturday night:
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.
Here's the National Weather Service estimate of our rainfall potential Saturday through Saturday night:
The Storm Prediction Center of the National Weather Service shows a slight risk of severe weather Saturday and Saturday night for southeastern Minnesota and a small part of western Wisconsin:
Slight risk means that scattered severe thunderstorms are possible.
The Twin Cities metro area is included in the SPC marginal risk area, which means that an isolated severe thunderstorm is possible Saturday and Saturday night.
Drought update
The latest update from U.S. Drought Monitor shows that the most serious drought conditions in the United States are still in Montana and parts of western South Dakota:
Most of Minnesota is not in drought, but part of Koochiching county in north-central Minnesota is in moderate drought, according to U.S. Drought Monitor:
The yellow shaded area in northwestern Minnesota is abnormally dry, but not in drought, according to U.S. Drought Monitor.
Leaf peepers
I'm still seeing some great fall color in my travels around the Twin Cities metro area.
Beautiful autumn hues can also be found in other parts of our favorite state.
Here’s the most recent fall color report from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources:
All deciduous trees are included in the fall color report, not just maples.
A Wisconsin fall color report is also available.
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.