Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Drought is unchanged across Minnesota; thunderstorm chances Thursday night and Friday

Some storms could be severe to the west Thursday and east on Friday afternoon

drought 08-10
The latest drought monitor is valid for data through early Tuesday morning, August 8
National Drought Mitigation Center

Minnesota’s drought is unchanged from a week ago, but we do have two rounds of thunderstorms Thursday night and late Friday afternoon.

Minnesota’s drought unchanged

The latest drought monitor shows our stubborn drought hangs on with areas in at least moderate drought remaining at around 80 percent. The areas in severe drought are at 31 percent and extreme drought is at three percent of the state.

drought 08-10
The latest drought monitor is valid for data through early Tuesday morning, August 8
National Drought Mitigation Center

The areas of moderate, severe and extreme drought are largely unchanged and haven’t expanded from a week ago thanks to some frequent rainfalls. The rainfall lately hasn’t been enough to decrease areas of drought but have prevented expansion. 

drought compare
Comparison of this week (top) and last week's (bottom) drought monitor
National Drought Mitigation Center

Two rounds of storms Thursday night and Friday with more rain later Sunday

Some lingering showers will continue across south central Minnesota Thursday morning but the main events come Thursday night and again later in the day Friday. Strong to severe storms will develop late Thursday afternoon in South Dakota. Those storms will fill into a line and track east across Minnesota overnight.

thu prec 8a
Forecast precipitation 7 a.m. Thursday through 6 a.m. Friday
College of DuPage Weather

The storms could be initially severe in South Dakota and southwest Minnesota. There’s a slight risk (level 2 of 5) of severe weather forecast with the main threats being damaging winds and large hail. The risk for severe weather in central and eastern Minnesota will be low.

SPC 1 8a
Severe weather outlook for Thursday into Thursday night
Iowa State University via National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration's Storm Prediction Center

We’ll see that activity clear out early Friday with some midday sunshine. This will destabilize the atmosphere allowing storms to regenerate late in the afternoon and evening Friday.

fri prec
Forecast precipitation 6 a.m. Friday through 11 p.m.
College of DuPage Weather

Those Friday late day storms could become severe for eastern Minnesota into western Wisconsin.

SPC 2
Severe weather outlook for Friday
Iowa State University via National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration's Storm Prediction Center

Saturday should be mostly sunny, but another system will bring the next chance of rain and thunder Sunday afternoon into the evening.

sun prec
Forecast precipitation 4 a.m. Sunday through 7 p.m. Monday
College of DuPage Weather