Feels like September; temps rebound a bit this weekend
Highs will be in the 60s across most of Minnesota Thursday afternoon, with a few spots in far southern Minnesota creeping into the lower 70s.
We have a shot at 70 degrees in the Twin Cities metro area, but parts of the metro might only reach the upper 60s.
The coolest July 26 high temperature in official Twin Cities weather records was 68 degrees, in 1972.
By the way, our average high temperature in the Twin Cities is 70 degrees on Sept. 19, so this truly feels like September.
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Temperature trends
High temps rebound a bit on Friday, but they will only reach the 70s:
Similar highs are expected on Saturday:
Twin Cities metro area highs are expected to reach the upper 70s on Sunday, followed by lower 80s Monday through Wednesday of next week.
Our average high temp this time of year is 83 degrees in the Twin Cities metro area.
Speaking of temps, our average temp for July (the average of all our high and low temps) is running 2.1 degrees warmer than normal in the Twin Cities:
This current cool stretch will drop that average July temp a bit.
Rain chances
Northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin will have the best chance of scattered showers Thursday, but a few passing showers are also possible elsewhere in Minnesota and west-central Wisconsin.
Friday looks dry, then the best chance of scattered showers or isolated thunderstorm on Saturday will be in southwestern and south-central Minnesota.
The rest of Minnesota, including the Twin Cities metro area, will have a slight chance of a shower or thunderstorm Saturday afternoon-evening.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's North American Mesoscale forecast model shows the potential rain pattern on Saturday:
Some Minnesotans could also see some scattered showers and an isolated thunderstorm Sunday afternoon and evening.
Who is dry?
Some spots in Minnesota haven't seen substantial rain lately.
The U.S. Drought Monitor shows drought-free conditions across our favorite state, but parts of the north are abnormally dry:
Much of central Wisconsin is also abnormally dry, but not in drought, according to U.S. Drought Monitor.
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.