A thundery start is possible on Saturday; Sunday still looks dry
This really feels like June.
Parts of far southern Minnesota are seeing some generous rains this Friday morning, and it could longer into early afternoon in the southeast.
The southern portion of the Twin Cities metro area will see a few passing showers this morning into early afternoon, but the north metro might stay dry through most of Friday.
Isolated showers and thunderstorms are possible in southern Minnesota later this afternoon and this evening.
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Looking ahead, an area of showers and thunderstorms is expected to expand and move across much of Minnesota overnight tonight into early Saturday.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's North American Mesoscale forecast model shows the potential rain pattern from this Friday evening through Saturday evening:
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.
It’ll probably rain in some areas that look dry in the loop, but the loop shows the general rain pattern picked up by the NAM.
Updated weather information can be heard on the Minnesota Public Radio Network, and updates are also posted on the MPR News live weather blog.
Severe weather outlook
The Storm Prediction Center of the National Weather Service shows a marginal risk of severe weather this afternoon through the overnight hours tonight in west-central, southwestern and south-central Minnesota:
The main chance of a severe thunderstorm in Minnesota will be late this evening and overnight.
Marginal risk means that an isolated severe thunderstorm is possible:
Temperature trends
Minnesota highs this Friday afternoon will be mainly in the 70s, with some lower 80s in the far southwest and far northwest corners.
On Saturday, Minnesota highs will be mostly in the 70s, with some lower 80s in parts of the south and 60s along the north shore of Lake Superior:
Sunday highs will be similar to Saturday's highs, take a look:
Twin Cities highs in the lower 80s Monday through Wednesday of next week.
Our average high this time of year is in the upper 70s.
Memorable record high
The record Twin Cities high for today is 102 degrees:
I was canoeing down Minnehaha Creek that day and our group polished off all the beverages that we brought with us.
My brother-in-law was in the other canoe that day. I later gave him a T-shirt with "I like to canoe when it's 102!" emblazoned on the front.
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.