Minneapolis residents should brace for a weekend filled with showers and potential thunderstorms, as the National Weather Service in Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN issued a hazardous weather outlook early this morning. According to the forecast on their website, the city will see a slew of rain and thunderstorms today and into the evening hours, with a high of 52 degrees and gusty winds reaching up to 35 mph. The weather service has signaled a 100% chance of precipitation, warning about new rainfall that could tally up between a tenth and a quarter of an inch, with higher amounts possible in some areas if thunderstorms develop.
Wet weather returns to close the work week! Off and on rain will be accompanied by an occasional rumble of thunder and gusty winds for most locations, however a few storms may produce hail along I-90 in southern Minnesota this evening. #mnwx #wiwx pic.twitter.com/xTvurts5oX
— NWS Twin Cities (@NWSTwinCities) April 26, 2024
The relentless downpour is set to continue tonight, rising temperatures slightly to 54 degrees by the early morning. Residents should anticipate "showers and thunderstorms before 9 pm, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm, mainly after 9 pm," as the official forecast states. The southeast wind will be slightly less than the day's, but still a strong 15 to 20 mph with chances of gusts up to 35 mph. The likelihood of precipitation remains high at 90 percent, and the city could receive additional rainfall between a quarter and half an inch.
As the weekend progresses, the outlook suggests there's no immediate respite from the wet conditions. Saturday offers a brief dip in the probability of showers to 30 percent, mainly before 8 am with a cloudy high near 63. But by late Saturday night, chances of showers jump back to 50 percent after 2 am. Looking ahead to Sunday, the weather service expects more showers, with a high near 57 degrees and intense east-northeast winds that could reach 30 mph, maintaining a very high chance of precipitation at 90 percent.
The heavy rains are poised to usher in another bout of hazardous weather into the region, extending beyond Minneapolis. The hazardous weather outlook covers vast swaths of central and southern Minnesota, as well as west central Wisconsin. According to the NWS report, it alerts to "a few strong to severe storms" that may occur this evening along the Interstate 90 corridor. Additionally, the forecast includes a cautionary note for potential severe storms from southeast Minnesota into west central Wisconsin late Saturday night through Sunday.
