Fine Fishing Opener Saturday, stormy Mother’s Day

Mom deserves better weather on Sunday.

Take mom to the nice, long, indoor champagne Sunday brunch. Saturday's 2015 Minnesota fishing opener takes the prize as the better weather day this weekend.

Saturday fishing forecast:

• Partly to mostly sunny skies

• High temperature 60 degrees north to 70 degrees south

• Wind NE 5-15 mph

• Waves 1-2 feet

• Sheltered bays (warmer micro-climate) on north and east side of lakes.

Sunday fishing forecast

• Better day for a cabin nap!

• Windy and raw

• Rain and thunderstorms move north

• Slight severe risk far southern Minnesota

• Temperatures in the 50s

• Wind chills in the 40s

• Wind East 20-35 mph

• Waves 2-4 feet

• Dangerous boating conditions by afternoon on lakes!

Fishing opener weather history

Early May brings a wide variety of weather to Minnesota. Fishing opener weekend can — and has — brought everything from sunny skies and temperatures in the 80s to heavy snow. Here's a detailed look at ice conditions and weather on openers past from the Minnesota Climate Working Group.

2015 Minnesota Fishing Opener Weather

Lakes in southern Minnesota lost their ice from about one to two weeks earlier than the median ice out dates calculated since 1950. Cooler weather settled in after April 1 and ice out progress has slowed, but is still ahead of historical means in central Minnesota and well ahead of2014 and the record late year of 2013, when many large lakes in the north still had ice on them for the fishing opener, including Mille Lacs.

There's been ice on lakes in northern Minnesota in other past years for the fishing opener. The most dramatic besides 2013 was 1950 with lakes still iced as far south as Osakis and Mille Lacs. 1950 was the latest ice out season for the 20th century and many of the late ice out records for lakes with long period of records stem from 1950. Other years with some ice on northern lakes include: 1966, 1979, 1996, 2008, and 2009. With 2009 there were just acouple lakes in the far northeastern tip of Minnesota still had ice on them.

Minnesota's Fishing Opener weather is typified by partly cloudy to cloudy skies, morning temperatures in the low 40's, and afternoon temperatures climbing to near 70. Three out of four years are free of measurable precipitation. A trace of snow has been reported in northern Minnesota on at least five of the last 67 fishing openers. On at least eight occasions, some lakes were still frozen for the opener. Generally there is enough wind to be felt on the face, maybe enough to 'fly' a flag. Weather on Minnesota fishing opener dates is highly variable. 67 years of fishing opener weather data are summarized here to offer a glimpse of what is 'typical' and what is 'extreme'.

Opening day temperatures have started as low as 24 degrees at International Falls (1996,2004), with freezing temperatures possible even in Minneapolis (31 degrees in 1979). On the warm side, St. Cloud saw 92 degrees in 1987, Minneapolis reported 91 in 1987, and International Falls reached 88 in 1977. The average early morning temperature varies from the high 30's in the northeast to the high 40's along the southern border. The averageafternoon temperature generally ranges from the mid 60's along the northern border, to the low 70's in the extreme south. Along the shore of Lake Superior, highs are held in the mid 50's.

 Sunday soaker

The next shot of rain arrives Sunday. The timing could be much better for Mom. To be honest, Sunday looks downright inclement. Windy, raw, rainy with some thunder?

How special.

Here's a good look at a potent low pressure wave wrapping up and moving in by Sunday and Monday.

The rain shield pushing in with this storm Sunday looks impressive. Widespread rainfall totals of an inch or more look to target western and central Minnesota.

Deeper into the warmer air to the south, a severe weather outbreak is likely Sunday. The slight risk zone includes far southern Minnesota. A marginal risk for severe storms brushes areas just south of the Twin Cities.

Black Hills winter storm

On the colder western side of this system, temperatures in the lowest mile of the atmosphere look cold enough for snow. Heavy totals of 1 to 2 feet are looking likely in and around the Black Hills of South Dakota Saturday night into Sunday.

Warmer next weekend?

After a cool start to next week the weather mellows once again. Warmer spring to early summer temperatures return by next weekend according to the latest European model runs.

Stay tuned.