Rain has been a total feast or famine for Minnesotans in recent weeks, and Sunday was a prime example. Morris – in far western Minnesota, near the Dakotas borders – received more than three inches of rain. Meanwhile in the far Northeast, there is still critical fire danger. The split is evident in the Twin Cities, which oscillated between rain and sunshine quickly on Monday.
There are still going to be some rain showers in the westernmost quarter of Minnesota through late Monday, even a few rumbles of thunder. That’s the farthest that the Omega Block pattern will shift to start the week. That said, the high pressure corridor of calm weather does shift a few miles southwest through early Wednesday. Long story short, that keeps the Twin Cities and the larger metro drier from when you read this until Wednesday evening.
After many Minnesotans have a stunning way to kickoff the workweek, we’re down to near 60 degrees closer to Minneapolis and St. Paul into early Tuesday. Thanks to the winds wrapping around that same stagnant Omega Block pattern, north Minnesota’s lakeshore will be a lot cooler, down into the lower 40s. The outsized influence of Superior could extend 50-plus miles inland, so be prepared for Sweater Weather in some spots early Tuesday. Through the afternoon on Tuesday, we’ll be a few degrees warmer. We’re talking about the lower 80s around the Twin Cities, middle 80s for much of northern Minnesota. Fun fact: International Falls actually got to 90 degrees earlier than the Minneapolis airport this year, for the first time in decades! Tuesday is also mostly dry across the Gopher State.
The pattern swaps out late Wednesday morning in northwestern Minnesota, where a stronger front finally knocks down the blocking setup. That could mean some fast-moving downpours and even some more intense thunderstorms in places like Roseau, Bemidji, and East Fargo. Those storms progressively move south through the last stages of Wednesday towards southern Minnesota. Right now the timing for strong thunderstorms around the Twin Cities is predawn Thursday. Rain will then be off and on through Friday…