Cooler Weather Monday - Not Many Rain Chances This Week

A Very Wet May In The Twin Cities

It was a wet May across the Twin Cities. Overall, we saw fourteen total days with measurable (0.01"+) precipitation, which tied for the fifth most days in May with measurable precipitation on record. The most was just a few years ago in 2013 when we saw 18 days with measurable precipitation.

The day that saw the most rain was back on May 17th when 1.81" fell setting a new record for the day. Overall, we saw 4.80" of rain last month, which ended up being the 27th wettest May on record for the Twin Cities. We have started off the month of June with a little less precipitation, but when could we see more? More on that in a moment.

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The Warm Streak Ends

Did you find last month a bit cooler than average? Well, in fact it was. Thanks to a cool start to the month, and relatively cool end to the month as well, May 2017 ended the longest streak of consecutive months with an above average temperature at twenty. The average temperature ended up 0.6 degrees below average. Read more from the State Climatology Office here.

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Cooler Weather Monday - Not Many Rain Chances
By D.J. Kayser, filling in for Paul Douglas

For the most part, June has started off warm and dry - quite the opposite of what May was here in the Twin Cities.

May 2017 will go down in the record books as the twenty-seventh wettest May on record in the Twin Cities, with 4.80" of rain falling over fourteen separate days. Those rainy days helped us break the streak for the most consecutive months with an above average temperature at twenty, as the month ended 0.6 degrees below average.

The drier pattern we've witnessed to begin the month will continue for the most part this week across the region. The main chance during the work week of seeing any rain will be Thursday, and even that has numerous factors working against it. Highs will be back in the 70s to low 80s, slightly above average for this time of year.

A pattern shift will occur as we head into next weekend, bringing warmer and more humid air back into the picture. Rain chances could exist here as well, and is something we'll have an eye on over the next several days.

Until then, enjoy the cooler weather!

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Extended Forecast for Minneapolis

MONDAY: Sunny. More comfortable. High 79. Low 54. Chance of precipitation 0%. Wind NE 5-10 mph.
TUESDAY: Sunny skies. Highs slightly above average. High 80. Low 57. Chance of precipitation 0%. Wind NE 3-5 mph.
WEDNESDAY: A few more clouds. High 80. Low 60. Chance of precipitation 10%. Wind S 3-5 mph.
THURSDAY: Chance of a few showers and storms. High 78. Low 58. Chance of precipitation 30%. Wind SW 5-10 mph.
FRIDAY: Mix of clouds and sun. High 79. Low 59. Chance of precipitation 10%. Wind NW 5-10 mph.
SATURDAY: A little warmer. Mainly sunny skies. High 82. Low 64. Chance of precipitation 10%. Wind SE 5-10 mph.
SUNDAY: Clouds return. Stronger southwest wind. High 82. Low 62. Chance of precipitation 20%. Wind SW 10-15 mph.

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This Day in Weather History
June 5th

1930: Heavy rain falls at Waseca. 4.3 inches of rain would fall over 24 hours.

1915: This date marks the first of a long stretch of days of measurable rain at Winton near Ely. Measurable rain would fall on each day until 19th. The total amount of rain for the fifteen days was over six inches.

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Average Temperatures & Precipitation for Minneapolis
June 5th

Average High: 76F (Record: 92F set in 1925)
Average Low: 55F (Record: 40F set in 2000)
Average Precipitation: 0.13" (Record: 2.53" set in 1980)
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Sunrise/Sunset Times for Minneapolis
June 5th

Sunrise: 5:27 AM
Sunset: 8:55 PM

*Length Of Day: 15 hours, 28 minutes and 8 seconds
*Daylight Added Since Yesterday: ~1 minutes and 8 seconds

*Earliest Twin Cities Sunrise During The Year: June 13th-17th (5:25 AM)
*Next Sunset At/After 9 PM: June 12th (9:00 PM)

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Minnesota Weather Outlook

We will see a cooler day across the state today, with the warmest weather expected out to the west. While areas like Marshall, Mankato and Fargo will reach the 80s for highs, most of us will be stuck in the 70s. Again, though, if you want it cooler, Duluth and Grand Marais will be the spots to hit!

Highs will be a lot closer to average Monday across most of the state. You'll have to head out to west-central or northwest Minnesota to see departure from average highs that are 5-10 degrees above average.

We'll continue to see highs that stick right around 80 for the work week here in the Twin Cities. We do see a slight warm up as we head into next weekend and particularly next week, with highs potentially pushing 90 again by next Monday or Tuesday.

Precipitation chances won't be the greatest across the region this week as well. Here in the Twin Cities we'll have a rain chance as we head into Thursday, however that doesn't look promising with many factors helping to damper that potential. Another chance could exist as we head into the weekend, but we'll have to watch capping of the atmosphere that could prevent storms from forming. After that, it looks like another chance could work in as we head toward the middle of the month.

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National Weather Outlook

Monday Forecast

We'll watch the chances of widespread rain from Albuquerque to the Northeast on Monday. Highs will be cooler than they were this weekend, however, across parts of the upper Midwest and into Salt Lake City as well. The cool weather continues in the Northeast, however, as highs only make it into the mid 50s in Portland, ME.

The greatest departure from averages (on the warm side) will be from the Desert Southwest to the Northern Plains, where highs are expected to be a good 5-15 degrees above average. It'll be a chilly day, however, in the Northeast, where highs could be up to 20 degrees below average.

The heaviest precipitation through Friday morning will be across the Gulf Coast states, where 2-4"+ of rain is possible due to a slow moving system and lots of available moisture from the Gulf of Mexico. Heavier precipitation - on the order of 1-3" - is possible as well across the Northeast.

As we take a look at rain totals through Wednesday morning in the South Central U.S., the greatest amounts are expected in the eastern part of the region, with over 2" of rain possible for areas like New Orleans.

Shifting to the Southeast, a widespread swath of 1-3" is possible from Memphis and Jackson through Atlanta and south into Florida.

This rain will be good news to parts of the Southeast, especially areas of Florida and southern Georgia, which are currently dealing with drought conditions. About 15% of the state of Florida is currently under extreme drought, with abnormally dry (or higher) conditions covering approximately 83% of the state.

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"I Was Keeping An Eye On It"

Yes, those are the exact words of the guy that was mowing his lawn in the viral photo of the tornado near Three Hills, Canada Friday. More from the Washington Post: "(Cecilia) Wessels told the Canadian Press that mowing the lawn was on her husband’s to-do list. With her husband doing his chores, Wessels decided to take a nap. She told the Press that when her daughter woke her up a short time later, the 9-year-old was upset. There was something in the sky that resembled a tornado, the little girl said, but her father was refusing to come indoors." (Screenshot from the Washington Post article)

National Weather Service Employees "Fatigued" And "Demoralized"

"Fatigued" and "demoralized" - not two words that I want to hear connected with the people that keep us safe by issuing watches and warnings for inclement weather. But, it's something you can thank government bureaucracy for (what's new there). More from Angela Fritz at the Capital Weather Gang: "The employees of the National Weather Service are demoralized, according to a recent report by the Government Accountability Office. They are understaffed and spread thin, covering shifts and positions beyond what they were hired to fill. The weather never sleeps, and apparently neither does the Weather Service."

A Look Back At May

The Southeast was quite interesting during the month of May. Areas from southern Virginia to Florida saw one of their warmest months of May on record, including Tampa (FL) and Cape Hatteras (NC). However, as you went west, some areas around the New Orleans area saw one of their coolest. New Orleans officially saw their 14th coolest May on record, according to the data from the Southeast Regional Climate Center.

Meanwhile it was a very wet May out east as well, with many areas seeing a top ten wettest May on record. At least two major cities saw their wettest May on record - Savannah, GA (11.54") and Montgomery, AL (12.74").

Awesome Storm Timelapses In 4k

Want to watch spectacular storm footage in 4k? Chad Cowan with StormLapse placed a video up recently on viemo you can check out here. This is some of the most gorgeous shots of weather I have seen and is worth your time... even if you are watching it on a phone.

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Thanks for checking in and have a great Monday! Don't forget to follow me on Twitter (@dkayserwx) and like me on Facebook (Meteorologist D.J. Kayser)!

 - D.J. Kayser