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Happy Mother's Day
Weather outlook for Mother's Day Sunday looks a little unsettled with chances of showers and storms. Temperatures won't be quite as warm as they were on Friday and Saturday with temps only warming into the 50s to near 60F. South to southeasterly winds will also be a bit breezy with gusts approaching 20mph to 30mph at times.
Severe Weather Outlook Sunday & Monday
Unsettled Weather Ahead
Here's the weather outlook from AM Sunday to AM Wednesday, which shows unsettled weather in place late weekend through early next week. Sunday will be wet through the first half of the day with showers and a few rumbles of thunder. There is also a risk for some isolated strong to severe storms close to home. Stay tuned.
Precipitation Potential Through Next Week
Here's the extended precipitation outlook through next week, which shows fairly impressive rainfall amounts across the region. Some spots across the northern half of the state could get 1" to 2" of rain or more.
Precipitation Since January 1st
The last several weeks have been quite active across the Midwest and precipitation amounts have been fairly appreciative in some locations. Note that the Twin Cities has seen nearly 8.50" of liquid so far this year, which is the 21st wettest start to any year on record in the Twin Cities. Marquette, MI is nearly 4.25" above average precipitation so far this year and is good enough for the 5th wettest start to any year on record. Meanwhile, Sioux Falls, SD is nearly -3.00" below average and the 18th driest start to any year on record.
Precipitation Departure From Average Since January 1st
Minnesota Drought Update
Thanks to above average precipitation so far this year, we've wiped out much of the drought that was in place to start the year. In fact, as of early January, nearly 10% of the state in northern Minnesota was considered in a severe drought. Now, only 6% of the state is considered to be abnormally dry.
2022 Official Ice Out Dates
More and more lakes are going ice out across the state. However, thanks to a chillier than average month of April, several lakes went out a little later than average. According to the MN DNR, Lake Minnetonka went ice out on April 15th, 2 days later than normal (April 13th). Lake Mille Lacs typically goes out April 25th, but went out on May 2nd. Look for more ice outs over the coming days and weeks. It won't be long now before the land of 10,000 unfrozen lakes returns!
Average Ice Out Dates
Here's a look at the average ice out dates for lakes across the state. Note that some lakes across the southern part of the state typically see ice out around the end of March. Lake Minnetonka typically doesn't see ice out until mid April. A few lakes in far northern & northeastern MN don't see ice out until late April or early May.
See more from the MN DNR HERE:
Status of Spring
"May 2, 2022 - Spring leaf out continues to progress across the country. Our spring leaf anomaly compares the arrival of spring leaf out this year to a long-term average of 1991-2020. In the East, spring leaf out is patchy this year, arriving days to weeks late across much of the Southeast and upper Midwest, and arriving days to weeks early across the southern part of the Midwest, the Southern Appalachians, the mid-Atlantic, and the Northeast. Parts of Maine are over a week early. In western states, spring leaf out is also patchy, arriving a week late in some locations and over a month early in others. Parts of Montana and South Dakota are 2-3 weeks early. Spring bloom is also spreading north, arriving days to a week late in Texas and Florida and days to several weeks early in California. Spring bloom is over a week early in parts of Georgia, the Carolinas, and Virginia. The mid-Atlantic is patchy, several days early in some locations and several days late in others. The southern part of the Midwest is several days to a week late."
Meteograms for Minneapolis
The hourly temps for Minneapolis on Sunday shows temperature starting in the lower 50s in the morning and warming to near 60F in the afternoon. Mostly cloudy skies will be in place with scattered showers and storms possible, especially during the first half of the day. South to southeasterly winds will be quite strong with gusts approaching 30mph or greater through the day.
Weather Outlook on Sunday
Temps around the region on Sunday will warm into the 60s and 70s across much of the state, which will be nearly -5F below average for early May. There will be areas of scattered showers and storms possible through the day as well.
Extended Temperature Outlook For Minneapolis
The extended temperature outlook for Minneapolis into next week shows temps running well above average for a change, especially on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday when highs will warm into the 80s. It'll also be more humid with dewpoints climbing into the 60s!
Extended Weather Outlook For Minneapolis
The extended weather outlook over the next 7 days shows a big change in the temperature department. After a very chilly spring so far, temps into next week will be MUCH warmer with highs warming into the 70s and 80s with chances of showers and storms. Some of the storms through the week ahead could be a little on the vigorous side with locally heavy pockets of rain.
Extended Temperature Outlook For Minneapolis
According to the ECMWF & GFS extended temperature outlook, temps will be quite a bit warmer over the next week or two. Both models are hinting at highs in the upper 80s later next week. It'll definitely feel like summer!
8 to 14 Day Temperature Outlook
According to NOAA's Climate Prediction Center, the 8 to 14 day temperature outlook shows above average temps across the southern half of the nation.
8 to 14 Day Precipitation Outlook
According to NOAA's Climate Prediction Center, the 8 to 14 Day precipitation outlook shows a better chance of active weather across the eastern US. The Southwestern US will be drier than average.
Puddles Today - 80s Much Of This Week
By Paul Douglas
Moms are like buttons they hold everything in life together. Instead of a card I got your mom a line of heavy thunderstorms. A free lawn & garden watering. You're welcome.
May and June are peak months for tornadoes in Minnesota. What is more life-threatening than a Tornado Warning? If you hear "Tornado Emergency" it's time to head for the basement (or bathtub). The local National Weather Service issues this when a large, confirmed tornado is on the ground, moving toward a densely-populated area. Flood Emergencies work much the same way: life-threatening flooding has already been observed -take action now.
We dry out later today and July comes sweeping into town Monday with 80s and sticky dew points. We stay on the warm side of a slow-moving storm this week with 80s into Friday. A few strong thunderstorms are possible from time to time - it's too early for timing details.
Fishing Opener weather next Saturday? 60s and 70s with a risk of showers Saturday night into Sunday. Par for the course, right?
Extended Forecast
SUNDAY: Showers and T-storms. Winds: S 15-30. High: 61.
SUNDAY NIGHT: Chance of showers and storms. Winds: SSE 15-30. Low: 58.
MONDAY: AM T-storms. Warm PM sunshine. Winds: S 15-35. High: 84.
TUESDAY: Mostly cloudy, a bit cooler. Winds: N 7-12. Wake-up: 56. High: 78.
WEDNESDAY: Some sun, sticky. T-storm risk. Winds: E 10-15. Wake-up: 59. High: 81.
THURSDAY: Early T-storms, then warm sunshine. Winds: S 10-20. Wake-up: 66. High: 86.
FRIDAY: Partly sunny and warm. Winds: W 10-15. Wake-up: 70. High: 83.
SATURDAY: Lukewarm, ripe for a few showers. Winds: NW 8-13. Wake-up: 62. High: 76.
This Day in Weather History
May 8th
1924: A snowstorm brings up to 4 inches to parts of Minnesota. Minneapolis sees a half inch of snow with St. Paul picking up an inch. Up to 50 mph winds accompany the snow.
Average High/Low for Minneapolis
May 8th
Average High: 66F (Record: 90F set in 1874)
Average Low: 47F (Record: 28F set in 1960)
Record Rainfall: 1.73" set in 1872
Record Snowfall: 0.5" set in 1923
Sunrise/Sunset Times for Minneapolis
May 8th
Sunrise: 5:52am
Sunset: 8:26pm
Hours of Daylight: ~14 hours & 34 minutes
Daylight GAINED since yesterday: ~ 2 minute & 31 seconds
Daylight GAINED since Winter Solstice (December 21st): ~ 5 Hour & 48 Minutes
Moon Phase for May 7th at Midnight
0.3 Days Since First Quarter Moon
National High Temps Sunday
The weather outlook on Sunday shows well below average temps along the East Coast with highs running nearly -10F to -20F below average. Meanwhile, much warmer temps are building in the Southern US. Temps will be nearly +10F to +15F above average, where widespread records highs will be found.
National Weather Outlook
Here's the national weather outlook through early next week. A storm system will move out of the Northwest and will bring widespread showers and storms to the Midwest late weekend and into early next week.
Extended Precipitation Outlook
According to NOAA's Weather Prediction Center, areas of heavier precipitation will be found across parts of the Upper Midwest. There will also be some heavier across the high elevations in the Pacific Northwest.
Climate Stories
"The joy of nightwalking under the stars"
"The first time I discovered nightwalking was when my boyfriend was away on tour with his band. Not usually a poor sleeper, I would struggle to drift off without the comfort of knowing he was home, so to clear my head and encourage peaceful thoughts I would make a flask of mint tea, hop in the car and drive to Butser Hill, a favourite spot near my home in the South Downs National Park (one of the best places in the UK for stargazing) Leaving the car parked, I would hike through elder trees and hazel copse, stumble over rabbit warrens and jump over cowpats until I was alone on the summit beneath a veil of stars cascading over Hampshire and Sussex."
See more from Sky At Night Magazine HERE:
"What happens in India doesn't stay in India. Why this deadly heat wave has a wide reach"
"On December 29, 1972, mathematician and meteorologist Edward Lorenz presented a talk at the 139th meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Washington, D.C. The title being: "Predictability: Does the Flap of a Butterfly's Wings in Brazil Set Off a Tornado in Texas?" Though Lorenz was trying to detail the difficulty of weather forecasting, since then, the so-called "butterfly effect" has been used in movies — most notably Jurassic Park — and television to describe chaos theory, or how one small thing may influence something completely unrelated. While the flap of a butterfly's wings won't necessarily influence the weather thousands of kilometres away, in the face of our rapidly warming planet, there are plenty of reminders concerning our interconnectivity. Over the past week, stories have splashed across our computer and television screens about the crushing heat wave that has descended across most of India, and for good reason."
"France hits its 'overshoot' day, using up all its natural resources for the year"
"Each year, the Global Footprint Network research organisation calculates "Earth overshoot day" by comparing the human impact on the environment with the "biocapacity" of the earth to regenerate and absorb waste produced by humans – in particular CO2 emissions. The goal is to highlight the impact of human consumption of Earth's limited resources. For individual countries, their overshoot day shows what the world would look like if everyone lived like them. According to the group, if everyone in the world lived like the French do today, Earth overshoot day would be 5 May. Earth overshoot day in 2021 was 29 July."