Cool, Wet Week - Feels Like Early April Again

Florida Sunset

Thanks to my good friend Jim Plucinak for this picture out of Cape Canveral, FL. This was the sunset on Sunday night... what are you trying to rub it in, Jim? HA! Thanks for the picture! It looks amazing there!

Sunday Morning Storms

Sunday started off on a fairly noisy note. Scattered showers and storms pushed through metro during the morning hours, here is the radar loop showing the unsettled weather. There were even reports of lightning striking houses on the northwest side of the Twin Cities.

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Cool, Wet Week - Feels Like Early April Again
By Todd Nelson, filling in for Douglas.
Cheerful birds, green grass and popping leaves, it's really starting to look like spring! Now, if it would only feel like spring again, then we'd be set!

Here's the thing, we'll be dancing in and out of showers this week with temperatures running 5 to nearly 10 degrees below average as a parade of Pacific storms sail through the Central U.S.. We'll be on the cooler side of these storm systems with cool rain chances today and again midweek.

Weather conditions look ripe for a potential severe weather outbreak on Tuesday across the Plains and again Wednesday across the Mississippi River Valley. This may be the first 'big' outbreak since Groundhog Day in early February.

Even though weather conditions won't be very ideal for us this week, the soaking rains will really help in the long run! The spring green up is well on its way. Unfortunately, I don't see our next wave of warm sunshine until early May. In the meantime, keep those light jackets and something waterproof handy. Cool, active weather will take us through the end of April.
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Extended Forecast

SUNDAY NIGHT: Scattered showers, a few rumbles of thunder. Winds: E 10-15. Low: 57.

MONDAY: Cloudy and wet, rumble of thunder early. Winds: ENE 10-15. High: 63.

MONDAY NIGHT: Lingering clouds and showers. Winds: NNE 10. Low: 40

TUESDAY: Cool breeze. A few spits. Winds: E 10-15. High: 54.

WEDNESDAY: Breezy. Cool rain returns. Winds: E 10-15. Wake-up: 40. High: 52.

THURSDAY: AM sprinkle. Slow PM clearing. Winds: ENE 10-15. Wake-up: 38. High: 54

FRIDAY: More sun, feels better. Winds: NE 5-10. Wake-up: 40. High: 61.

SATURDAY: Clouds thicken, late PM shower. Winds: E 10-15. Wake-up: 44. High: 60.

SUNDAY: AM sprinkles, more PM sun. Winds: Wind: NE 10-15. Wake-up: 42. High: 60.
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This Day in Weather History
April 25th

1996: Heavy snow falls over northern Minnesota, including 10 inches of snow at Baudette. The International Falls Airport is forced to close for only the second time in history.
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Average High/Low for Minneapolis
April 25th

Average High: 63F (Record: 91F set in 1962)
Average Low: 42F (Record: 25F set in 1907)
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Sunrise/Sunset Times for Minneapolis
April 25th

Sunrise: 6:11am
Sunset: 8:11pm

*Daylight gained since yesterday: ~2mins & 50secs
*Daylight gained since winter solstice: ~5hours & 15mins
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Moon Phase for April 24th at Midnight
3.9 Days Before Last Quarter

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Monday Weather Outlook

High temperatures on Monday will be quite a bit cooler than what we had over the weekend. The storm system responsible for scattered showers and storms on Sunday will begin sagging southeast Monday with cooler temperatures settling in behind it. Highs across much of the state will be in the 40s and 50s with a few 60s still possible in the southeastern part of the state.

Monday Weather Outlook

Winds appear to be a little lighter over central and southern Minnesota as the center of low pressure moves through the area. However, winds surrounding the low across the northern part of the state and into Iowa look a bit stronger.

Monday Weather Outlook

Monday still looks like a soggy day across the region with cloudy skies and lingering rain showers. The heaviest rainfall will begin to fade through the day as the storm system continues sagging southeast through the region.

Simulated Radar

Here's the simulated radar from midday Sunday to Tuesday night. After a very nice Saturday, Sunday featured widely scattered showers and thunderstorms, some of which brought heavy rainfall. The same storm system will still be with us early next week with lingering (colder) rain showers on Monday. We finally start to see some clearing on Tuesday, but it will be brief. Rain showers look to return by midweek.

Precipitation Outlook

Here's the precipitation outlook through midday Wednesday, which suggests some steadier 1" to nearly 2" tallies across parts of northern Minnesota and Wisconsin. Some of this rain will be associated with thunderstorm activity, but much of it will be a steady, soaking rain.

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Extended Outlook

Here's the extended forecast through the end of April/early May, which shows cooler than average temperatures continuing through much of next week. We may flirt with 60F a few times, but overall temps will stay below average.

6 to 10 Day Temperature Outlook

According to NOAA's CPC, the 6 to 10 day temperature outlook suggests a decent chance of cooler than average temperatures across the Midwest by end of the month/start of May.

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National Weather Outlook

Here's the weather outlook through PM Tuesday, which shows 2 different systems moving through the country. The first of which will move quickly east early week, while the next storm system takes shape in the Central U.S. by early/mid week. Severe weather concerns will increase significantly Tuesday and Wednesday.

5 Day Precipitation

According to NOAA's WPC, the 5 day precipitation outlook suggests fairly heavy rainfall potential across the Central U.S.. Widespread 1" to near 3" will be possible with several rounds of showers and thunderstorms, some of which could be severe.

Snowfall Potential?

Here's the snowfall potential through the end of April according to the GFS model. Note that most of the accumulations will be found across the higher elevations in the Western U.S., however, note that it is showing some minor slushy stuff from parts of the Upper Midwest to the Great Lakes. While it doesn't appear to be much, it would indicate that temperatures would be chilly down to below average levels for this to occur. So next week looks a little chiller than we've seen in recent days.

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Upcoming Severe Weather Concerns Next Week

...SUMMARY...
   SIGNIFICANT SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS PARTS OF
   THE SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL GREAT PLAINS TUESDAY AFTERNOON INTO THE
   NIGHTTIME HOURS. TORNADOES...SOME STRONG...WILL BE POSSIBLE...IN
   ADDITION TO VERY LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. ADDITIONAL ISOLATED
   STRONG STORMS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS PARTS OF THE APPALACHIANS TO THE
   DELMARVA DURING THE AFTERNOON.

Severe Threat Tuesday, April 26th

...SUMMARY...
   SIGNIFICANT SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS PARTS OF
   THE SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL GREAT PLAINS TUESDAY AFTERNOON INTO THE
   NIGHTTIME HOURS. TORNADOES...SOME STRONG...WILL BE POSSIBLE...IN
   ADDITION TO VERY LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. ADDITIONAL ISOLATED
   STRONG STORMS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS PARTS OF THE APPALACHIANS TO THE
   DELMARVA DURING THE AFTERNOON.

Severe Threat Wednesday, April 27th

...DAY 4/WEDNESDAY...

   A SEVERE THREAT WILL LIKELY SHIFT EASTWARD TOWARD THE MID-MS VALLEY
   INTO AR AND NORTHEAST TX ON WEDNESDAY. THERE IS A BIT OF UNCERTAINTY
   ACROSS MO/IL WHERE ONGOING CONVECTION IS POSSIBLE AT THE BEGINNING
   OF THE PERIOD. FURTHER SOUTH THE AIRMASS WILL LIKELY REMAIN MORE
   PRISTINE WITH RICH BOUNDARY-LAYER MOISTURE IN PLACE BENEATH STEEP
   MIDLEVEL LAPSE RATES...RESULTING IN MODERATE TO STRONG INSTABILITY.
   FORCING FOR ASCENT WILL BE MORE SUBTLE WITH SOUTHWARD EXTENT AS THE
   UPPER TROUGH RESIDES FROM THE CENTRAL PLAINS TO THE MID-MS VALLEY.
   AT LEAST ISOLATED SUPERCELLS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS PARTS OF THE OZARK
   PLATEAU INTO NORTHEAST TX WITH ALL SEVERE HAZARDS POSSIBLE. FURTHER
   NORTH...CONVECTIVE MODE IS MORE UNCERTAIN AND COULD BE RATHER
   MESSY...WITH HAIL AND STRONG WINDS MOST LIKELY.

Severe Threat Friday - April 29th

 ...DAY 5/THU - DAY 6/FRI...

   MODELS SHOW QUITE A BIT OF VARIABILITY ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND
   EASTERN U.S. ON DAY 5/THU AS THE UPPER TROUGH OVER THE MID-MS VALLEY
   WEAKENS AND TRACKS EAST ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES TO THE MID-ATLANTIC.
   HOWEVER...AGREEMENT IS FAIRLY GOOD THAT SHORTWAVE RIDGING WILL OCCUR
   OVER THE PLAINS ON THURSDAY...ALLOWING RICH GULF MOISTURE TO ONCE
   AGAIN STREAM NORTHWARD. AS THIS OCCURS...A DYNAMIC...STRONG UPPER
   TROUGH WILL DIG INTO THE SOUTHWESTERN STATES AND SHIFT EASTWARD
   TOWARD THE PLAINS ON DAY 6/FRIDAY. STRONG SOUTHWEST FLOW WILL
   OVERSPREAD THE SOUTHERN/CENTRAL PLAINS ATOP AN INCREASINGLY UNSTABLE
   AIRMASS FRIDAY AFTERNOON. WHILE UNCERTAINTY DOES EXIST IN EXACT
   LOCATION AND TIMING...IT APPEARS ANOTHER ROUND OF STRONG TO SEVERE
   STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS PARTS OF THE SOUTHERN PLAINS ON
   FRIDAY.

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"Climate Deal Won't Stop Great Barrier Reef From Getting 'Cooked', Say Greens"

"Australia’s lack of follow-through on climate change will leave the Great Barrier Reef “completely cooked” despite it signing the Paris climate deal, the Greens say. The federal environmental minister, Greg Hunt, has joined leaders from 170 other countries in New York to sign the Paris Agreement to limit global warming by at least 2C."

See more from TheGaurdian.com HERE:

(Photo Courtesy: Norbert Probst/Alamy via TheGuardian.com)

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Thanks for checking in and have a great rest of your week and weekend ahead!
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