Minneapolis residents, brace yourselves for a bout of severe weather today. According to a forecast from the National Weather Service, the city will likely see showers and thunderstorms primarily before noon, some with the potential for severe conditions. While the sky is set to clear up gradually, with a high nearing 87 degrees, there's a potent 60 percent chance of precipitation, and residents should be prepared for new rainfall amounts falling somewhere between a tenth and a quarter of an inch—though thunderstorms could result in higher totals.
Looking ahead into the evening, the risk of thunderstorms persists—sitting at a 50 percent chance before 1 a.m. The storms could again be severe, though the night sky is expected to mostly clear up with a low of around 65 degrees. The weather roller coaster continues into Thursday which promises to be mostly sunny, with a temperature peak moving to a slightly more comfortable 82 degrees and a calming west-northwest wind blowing at 5 to 15 mph.
As we proceed towards the weekend, Minneapolis's weather forecast hints at all manner of highs and lows. Friday offers a tranquil respite with sunny skies and a high around 83 degrees, but with it comes the harbinger of a 20 percent chance of showers after 1 a.m. leading to more showers, possibly accompanied by thunderstorms, come Saturday. The likelihood of precipitation shoots back up to 60 percent, with mercury readings topping out near 75 and gusts possibly cresting at 25 mph.
The National Weather Service’s Hazardous Weather Outlook also rings the alarm bells, with a statement indicating that "Thunderstorms will move across the area this morning into the early afternoon. Some storms may be severe, with large hail and damaging winds possible." And it's not just today—this hazardous cycle is predicted to stretch out until next Tuesday, offering windows of sunshine interspersed with significant chances of showers and thunderstorms. Flooding along area rivers is expected to either hold steady or steadily fall over the next few days, but, these anticipated rains could interrupt that pattern.
For the safety-conscious and storm-prepped, it's worth noting that SKYWARN spotter activation may be necessary through tonight. Community members are encouraged to stay aware and prepare for shifting conditions, ensuring they're not caught off guard by nature's unpredictable summer moods in Minneapolis.
