Thunderstorm chances increase late Friday; Saturday the driest weekend day

Southern Minnesota saw a few pockets of heavy rain and severe weather early Friday morning:

Scattered thunderstorms will continue to track across parts of southeastern Minnesota into late morning.

Another round of storms

Scattered thunderstorms could develop in western Minnesota Friday afternoon, then expand and spread eastward by late afternoon.

Periods of showers and thunderstorms are expected over much of Minnesota and western Wisconsin Friday evening and overnight Friday night.

The Storm Prediction Center of the National Weather Service shows a slight risk of severe weather for much of Minnesota Friday and Friday night:

Slight risk means that scattered severe thunderstorms are possible.

In the Twin Cities metro area, the primary chance for severe weather would be very late Friday afternoon into Friday evening/night.

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Friday afternoon update

The NWS Storm Prediction Center has updated the severe weather outlook for Friday afternoon and Friday night:

The areas marked "MRGL" indicate a marginal risk of severe weather, which means that an isolated severe thunderstorm is possible.  As mentioned earlier, slight risk means that scattered severe thunderstorms are possible.

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There could be some severe weather and flooding rains in portions of northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin late Friday afternoon into Friday evening and Friday night:

Duluth is included in a flash flood watch that begins at 7 p.m. this Friday and runs to 7 a.m. Saturday:

Flood Watch

National Weather Service Duluth MN

426 AM CDT Fri Aug 31 2018

...THREAT FOR FLASH FLOODING THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT...

.Strong to severe thunderstorms are expected to develop late this

afternoon and evening, and move across northeast Minnesota and

northwest Wisconsin through the overnight hours tonight. These

storms will be capable of heavy rainfall rates. Any slow moving

storms, or areas hit by multiple storms, face the threat of flash

flooding. The greatest risk for flash flooding includes nearly all

of our northwest Wisconsin counties and adjacent counties of

northeast Minnesota where soils are wet from heavy rainfall from

earlier this week and this morning.

MNZ037-038-WIZ001>004-006>008-312100-

/O.NEW.KDLH.FF.A.0005.180901T0000Z-180901T1200Z/

/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

Carlton/South St. Louis-Pine-Douglas-Bayfield-Ashland-Iron-

Burnett-Washburn-Sawyer-

Including the cities of Duluth, Pine City, Hinckley, Superior,

Washburn, Bayfield, Ashland, Hurley, Grantsburg, Spooner,

and Hayward

426 AM CDT Fri Aug 31 2018

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH SATURDAY

MORNING...

The National Weather Service in Duluth has issued a

* Flash Flood Watch for portions of Minnesota and northwest

Wisconsin, including the following areas, in Minnesota,

Carlton/South St. Louis and Pine. In northwest Wisconsin,

Ashland, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Iron, Sawyer, and

Washburn.

* From 7 PM CDT this evening through Saturday morning

* Thunderstorms will be capable of heavy rainfall rates, and areas

could be affected by multiple storms where rainfall can

accumulate quickly.

* If you encounter water on a roadway, turn around and don`t

drown.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Flash Flood Watch means that conditions may develop that lead

to flash flooding. Flash flooding is a very dangerous situation.

You should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action

should Flash Flood Warnings be issued.

The NWS is also watching for the potential of some flooding in southeastern Minnesota and parts of Wisconsin due to periods of rain over the next few days:

Updated weather information can be heard on the Minnesota Public Radio Network, and updates are also posted on the MPR News live weather blog.

Weekend thunderstorm chances

Here's how the weekend thunderstorm chances are stacking up:

• The daylight hours of Saturday look dry over most of Minnesota, although there could be an isolated morning shower or storm in the southeast.

• Central and southern Minnesota could see scattered showers and thunderstorms on Sunday.

• There'll be a chance of occasional showers and thunderstorms statewide on Labor Day.

Check forecast updates on this changeable weather situation.

Temperature trends

Friday afternoon highs are expected to reach the lower 80s in much of the Twin Cities metro area and points to the south. 70s will be common in central and northern Minnesota.

A similar high temperature pattern is expected on Saturday:

Highs in the 70s will be common on Sunday:

Labor Day highs will also tend to reach the 70s, with 60s possible near the North Shore of Lake Superior:

Our average high temp is 77 degrees in the Twin Cities metro area during the first few days of September.

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.