Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Above-normal temps return; aurora may be visible overnight into Tuesday

Rain chances later in the week

5 d
Forecast for the Twin Cities area
National Weather Service

Clouds will increase some Monday and it will be warmer with highs well into the 70s for most. Southern Minnesota will see 80s Tuesday through Friday with rain possible late week.

Temperatures trend upward

Highs Monday will be well into the 70s across central and southern Minnesota with low 80s west. Parts of northeastern Minnesota will remain cooler, in the 60s.

mon hi 8a
Forecast highs Monday
National Weather Service

We’ll see an increase of high clouds through the afternoon and even some isolated showers across southeastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin Monday evening.

MON POP
Forecast chance of rainfall Monday evening
National Weather Service

Temperatures continue to warm to readings that will be 10 to 15 degrees above normal midweek. Highs Tuesday will be near 80 for the Twin Cities and into the 80s west.

tue hi 8a
Forecast highs Tuesday
National Weather Service

Highs will be well into the 80s across southern Minnesota Wednesday.

wed hi 8a
Forecast highs Wednesday
National Weather Service

Possible aurora viewing Monday night

If cloud cover can cooperate, you may get a view of the northern lights late Monday night into the early hours of Tuesday morning. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s space weather forecast calls for a KP index of 6 after midnight Monday night.

KP fcst
When KP index forecast values are higher than 5, it means most of Minnesota can view auroras.
University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute

When the index reaches values greater than 5 or 6, that’s a geomagnetic storm with enough energy to be viewed as far south as southern Minnesota.

aurora forecast
Forecast aurora oval viewing for late Monday night into early Tuesday
University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical institute

We will have high clouds in the evening but most of those should move out through the night.

MON NT clouds
Forecast cloud cover 7 p.m. Monday through 7 a.m. Tuesday
College of DuPage weather lab

Potential rainy pattern developing?

It’s definitely smart to be skeptical when we’re stuck in a stubborn drought, but increasing the models are painting a picture of an unsettled pattern developing late Wednesday into especially the weekend.

wed-sun prec
Forecast precipitation late Wednesday through Sunday
European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, via Pivotal Weather

Total rainfall over the next seven days could add up to a widespread inch or more for most of Minnesota. Keep in mind, however, places like the Twin Cities and Rochester are 8 to 10 inches behind normal since June 1.

QPF 168 WPC
Forecast total potential precipitation over the next 7 days
NOAA, via Pivotal Weather