Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Drought continues to expand with more heat Thursday; possible weekend rain

Air quality will be unhealthy at times still Thursday

drought
The latest drought monitor
National Drought Mitigation Center

Drought continues to expand in Minnesota but we have a hopeful chance of rain expanding over the next few days. It will still be hot in southern Minnesota through Friday.

Drought continues to expand in Minnesota

The drought doubled across Minnesota in the past week. Drought now covers 39 percent of Minnesota compared to 19 percent last week. Severe drought now includes Duluth and parts of the North Shore up to Two Harbors. Moderate drought covers all of central Minnesota from the border with the Dakotas to Canada, including all of Cook County.

drought
The latest drought monitor
National Drought Mitigation Center

In the Twin Cities, we’re behind by 5.84 inches since April 1 on rainfall. June has yielded only 0.10 inches of rain, just three percent of normal rain in what should be the wettest month of the year.

Increasing rain chances

The chance of rain will be limited to mainly far western and northern Minnesota Thursday but expands to more of central and northern Minnesota on Friday. By Saturday the chance of rain is likely statewide.

POPS Thu_SUN
Forecast rain chances Thursday through Sunday: a slow expansion east
National Weather Service

While the morning and midday look relatively quiet Saturday with some sun and warm, muggy conditions, storms will develop in the afternoon west and push east.

SAT precip
Forecast precipitation 7 a.m. Saturday through 1 a.m. Sunday
European Centre for Medium range Weather Forecasting via pivotal weather

Those storms could be severe, something that’s been rare this season. There’s a slight risk of severe storms in southern Minnesota for Saturday.

SVR risk SAT
Severe weather outlook for Saturday
National Weather Service

There’s even a slight risk of excessive rain Saturday with the storms that develop.

excess rain
Excessive rain outlook for Saturday
National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration's Weather Prediction Center

It’s still looking very possible that Minnesota gets a widespread soaking over the weekend. While it won’t be enough to end the drought, it will certainly help a lot.

QPF through MON
Forecast total potential rainfall through the weekend
NOAA via pivotal weather

Beyond that temperatures will cool off during and behind the system, but first we’ll likely hit 90 again Thursday and Friday in parts of southern Minnesota.

4 day NWS
Forecast for central Minnesota and the Twin Cities area through Monday
National Weather Service

Low air quality still Thursday

The forecast for Thursday once again calls for unhealthy air  for sensitive groups for most of central and southern Minnesota but may not be as bad as the last two days. Friday is expected to continue to see slight improvement and the weekend weather will further improve air quality.

AQ forecast THU
Air quality forecast for Thursday
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

Check the latest air quality conditions and forecasts here:

Here are air quality forecasts for the next couple of days also: