Hot, dry weather and wildfire smoke are elevating ground-level ozone across most of Minnesota today.

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We need some rain around these parts. And many of us will get some in the next 36 hours.

A slow-moving cool front will spark scattered rain and a few thunderstorms through Thursday. NOAA’s HRRR model is typical of most that show scattered showers through Wednesday night. 

A more concentrated line of storms will likely develop late Thursday afternoon and evening along the front between Duluth and the Twin Cities then move into Wisconsin Thursday evening. 

There is a marginal to slight severe risk over the next two days. A slight risk covers parts of southwest Minnesota Wednesday.

The slight risk zone shifts east into eastern Minnesota including the Twin Cities Thursday.

Overall rainfall looks patchy with this system. But a few spots could pick up an inch of rain. Here’s the European model rainfall output through Thursday. 

Temperatures will run in the 80s once again Thursday with 70s northwest.

A cold front will finally bring cooler temperatures to Minnesota by next week. There are rain chances over the weekend, but forecast models differ widely on rainfall timing and coverage. The best chance for rain appears to be Sunday night into Monday.

Highs early next week may be in the 60s across much of Minnesota! That will be a shock to the system after weeks of 80-degree warmth.

There are signs we will warm back into the 80s late next week. 

Paul Huttner

Author

A slow-moving cool front will spark scattered showers and thunderstorms across Minnesota through Thursday.

NOAA

NOAA via tropical tidbits

European model (ECMWF) precipitation output

Scattered rain and thunder, slight severe risk

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