Salvaging Saturday, Sunday puddle potential

Weather Headlines

* Clouds thin out, sun should become more noticeable as the afternoon goes on, temperatures stunted int he 40s and low 50s.
* Yesterday: 60 degree temperature extreme, from 92 at Rochester to 32 at Bemidji (with moderate snow). Even for jaded, weather-weary Minnesotans that was impressive.
* Drying out behind yesterday's cold front, fair skies from late afternoon into much of tonight.
* Patchy frost in the outlying suburbs late tonight (this is why you don't want to even consider planting annuals until after Mother's Day, if you want to be TOTALLY safe, wait until Memorial Day).
* Storm tracking northeast across the Plains shoves rain back into MSP Sunday, .50 to 1" of rain possible - great news for farmer, gardeners, anyone with a lawn.
* Far southeast Minnesota in a severe drought: brushfire threat remains high until soaking rains arrive.
* Monday looks wet, but we brighten up and warm up next week.
*** Apparent spike in tornadoes & tornado damage nationwide. More in Paul's Links.


Right on schedule skies are clearing over central Minnesota as yesterday's vigorous cold front pushes off to our south and east. At one point there was a 60+ degree contrast in temperature (92 at Rochester and Winona, 32 at Bemidji). Factoring in wind chill it was closer to a 90 degree contrast. Even for weather-weary Minnesotans (who've seen it all) that was pretty impressive.
Skies clear out, dry weather persists through the breakfast hour on Sunday, before the next storm spreads rain back into town. You might want to have a Plan B (and C) - indoors - for much of Sunday.

The NAM/WRF computer model prediction for 1 pm Sunday, April 26 shows a big bullseye of moderate/heavy rain over central and southern Minnesota. An area of low pressure lifting northeastward out of central Nebraska will spread a shield of rain into Minnesota. Factor in a stiff east wind at 10-20 mph, and a dry, chilly airmass of Canadian ancestry, and you have the ingredients necessary for a fairly miserable day: a cold rain, 40s, 30s up north (where I wouldn't be surprised to see rain start as a rain/snow mix). I've found that even stoic Minnesotans (who like snow) lose their sense of humor when it snows on top of their rapidly greening lawns.

No snow here in the metro area, but Sunday will be a good indoor day, no doubt. Only the brave and the foolish will be pushing the weather-envelope tomorrow.