Summery weekend, a few strong storms Sunday?

Our weather is about a month ahead of the calendar this spring. Get ready for a taste of June in early May.

A warm air mass pushes north Saturday with temperatures 15 to 20 degrees warmer than average for early May. Another new twist? The weekend air mass becomes increasingly humid by Sunday afternoon. Dew points push toward 60 degrees late Sunday, and that moisture fuels a few scattered thunderstorms. A few of the storms could be borderline severe with hail and gusty winds.

June preview

You betcha, it feels like June out there this weekend. Minnesotans have been out in droves this spring soaking up our unusually fine spring weather. Human traffic jams on the trails around Lake Calhoun may reach record levels this weekend as temperatures soar toward -- and probably past -- the 80 degree mark.

• 65 degrees: average high for May 2 at MSP Airport

• 82 degrees: forecast high at MSP this weekend

• June 24: date average high hits 82 degrees at MSP

Here's a more detailed breakdown of the weekend. Watch the sky Sunday afternoon for a few billowing thunderheads.

A weak cool front and low pressure system drifts east into Minnesota Sunday afternoon. That triggers just enough instability to spawn a few storms as the unstable thermal ridge ahead of the cool front passes by.

Borderline severe Sunday?

NOAA's Storm Prediction Center has one of the new categories over Minnesota Sunday. A "marginal" risk for severe storms includes the Twin Cities. Translation? The atmosphere may be marginally unstable enough to produce a few locally severe storms late Sunday. The primary threat from the stronger storms Sunday will be high winds, hail, lighting and (welcome?) local downpours.

Wetter next week?

This may be good news for easing Minnesota's drought. After a beautifully sunny Monday and Tuesday, our weather pattern looks to change for the wetter by the middle of next week.

NOAA's seven-day rainfall outlook shows promise for soaking rains in Minnesota. Rainfall could reach local flood proportions to the south in Iowa and Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas.

Enjoy the weekend, but keep an eye on the sky and keep the NOAA weather radio handy Sunday afternoon and evening. Get instant watches and warnings by following @MPRWeather on Twitter.