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Flood Concerns Continue
We continue to track flooding concerns across the region from the recent very heavy rains. The North Shore and parts of northern Minnesota were particularly battered due to snowmelt on top of the heavy rain, causing raging rivers across the region that were threatening landmarks in some areas as seen above from Bryan Hansel. He noted Saturday morning on his Twitter feed that river levels across many of the rivers on the North Shore were on the decrease vs. what was observed Friday.
NWS Duluth has a page set up where you can see the latest from the Rainy River Basin. Above is their thinking from Friday about lake and river levels across the area.
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An Isolated Shower Possible Sunday
Loop: 7 AM to 7 PM Sunday
For those of you trying to enjoy your Sunday - whether it's out on the lake or in the backyard - you may have to dodge an isolated shower or storm at times as we head through the day. By no means will it be an all-day washout, just a few passing raindrops.
So while we'll keep an eye on that shower chance (which really is only at about 20%), we'll see a mix of sun and clouds to mainly sunny skies. Highs will only be in the upper 50s up toward northwestern parts of the state, but they'll climb into the low 70s in the south.
As we look at some of the lakes across northern/central Minnesota, temperatures will generally be in the 60s - a little warmer as you head toward Lake Minnetonka, and a little cooler toward Lake of the Woods where they may only be in the 50s. We watch that isolated rain chance, otherwise a fairly nice day if it weren't for some breezy winds.
As mentioned, it could be a bit breezy and there could be a bit of a chop on area lakes for the second day of the Minnesota Fishing Opener weekend. We'll see west winds sustained around 5-15 mph, with many areas of the state seeing at least 20+ mph wind gusts. Some of the strongest wind gusts will be during the midday to afternoon hours.
Looking at the Twin Cities Sunday, we will watch that isolated shower or storm chance, otherwise will see a mix of sun and clouds to mainly sunny skies. Morning temperatures will start off around 50F with highs climbing into the low 70s - a few degrees cooler than Saturday.
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Cooler Weather Into The Work Week
Slightly cooler temperatures will continue to move into the region for the first half of the week, with highs only in the 60s from Monday to Wednesday. Out of that three-day stretch, the coolest day will be Tuesday. Highs rebound back into the 70s toward the end the week. The best chances of storms this week will return with the warmer weather Thursday and Friday.
And as we look at the extended forecast - all the way into Memorial Day weekend now - cooler weather sticks around with the majority of highs in the 60s and 70s.
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Thursday Severe Weather Recap
We are still seeing storm surveys come in from the severe weather across the region on Thursday. The Minnesota DNR is keeping an updated page with the latest from NWS surveys around the area and other details of the event - you can find that by clicking here. 94 mph wind gusts were reported at Madison and Verndal, which the DNR notes: "were the highest measured gusts in Minnesota since July 6, 2014, when a sensor at Browns Valley recorded a 98 mph gust."
Along with the DNR, NWS Sioux Falls and NWS Twin Cities have pages set up that they are updating information on. On Friday, NWS Twin Cities damage crews found straight-line wind damage of 85-95 mph in Kandiyohi and Renville Counties, as well as straight-line wind damage of 80 mph in Pope County, 90-100 mph straight-line wind damage in Douglas County north of Alexandria and a tornado on the northwest side of Alexandria. NWS Aberdeen found damage from two tornadoes out in Traverse County in far west-central Minnesota.
For an interactive map of the storm reports above, you can click here.
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A Cooler, Quieter Spell of Weather
By Paul Douglas
My name is Paul. I, along with most Minnesotans, suffer from weather amnesia. Crappy spring? Seattle-like April? I have no recollection. I am living in the moment, and at this moment in time the sun is shining, the bugs aren't biting, there's no humidity and I'm thrilled to be applying sunscreen.
We had a rough week. According to the Minnesota DNR, winds gusted to 94 at Madison and Verndale, Minnesota Thursday evening. Those were the strongest straight-line winds since a 98 mph gust observed at Browns Valley, on July 6, 2014. 60% of Minnesota picked up at least 2" of rain, with a swath of 4-7" from Granite Falls to Mille Lacs. I can hear my lawn growing.
Expect comfortable sunshine into Tuesday with a stray shower Wednesday; a few strong T-storms Thursday, before drying out next weekend. A see a cool correction for the next week to 10 days, possibly heavy rain returning in 7-9 days.
May and June are peak severe weather months. I prefer the sound of chirping birds to blaring sirens. One day at a time.
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Paul's Extended Twin Cities Forecast
SUNDAY: Partly sunny, breezy. Wake up 54. High 71. Chance of precipitation 10%. Wind W 10-20 mph.
MONDAY: Mix of clouds and sunshine. Wake up 53. High 68. Chance of precipitation 10%. Wind NW 15-25 mph.
TUESDAY: Clouds increase, cooler than average. Wake up 48. High 64. Chance of precipitation 20%. Wind E 5-10 mph.
WEDNESDAY: Patchy clouds, stray shower. Wake up 50. High 69. Chance of precipitation 30%. Wind SE 5-10 mph.
THURSDAY: Some sun, a few T-storms. Wake up 57. High 79. Chance of precipitation 70%. Wind S 15-25 mph.
FRIDAY: Some clearing, turning cooler. Wake up 57. High 68. Chance of precipitation 30%. Wind NW 8-13 mph.
SATURDAY: Partly sunny, nicer day of the weekend. Wake up 49. High 64. Chance of precipitation 20%. Wind NW 7-12 mph.
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Minneapolis Weather Almanac And Sun Data
May 15th
*Length Of Day: 14 hours, 51 minutes, and 29 seconds
*Daylight GAINED Since Yesterday: 2 minutes and 16 seconds
*When Do We See 15 Hours Of Daylight: May 19th (15 hours, 0 minutes, 10 seconds)
*When Is The Sunrise At/Before 5:30 AM?: May 30th (5:30 AM)
*When Is The Sunset At/After 9 PM?: June 12th (9:00 PM)
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This Day in Weather History
May 15th
1998: Damaging tornadoes impact Minnesota. One tornado hits a flea market in Albany, killing one person and injuring 30 others. 102 homes are severely damaged in the northern Twin Cities due to another tornado.
1969: Torrential rain occurs in Synnes Township, dumping 8 inches of rain in three hours.
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National Weather Forecast
On Sunday we will watch scattered showers and storms across a good portion of the eastern half of the lower 48s due to several systems. Meanwhile, a system pushing into the Pacific Northwest will bring rain and higher elevation snow chances.
Rainfall amounts across much of the lower 48 will remain below 3" through Monday evening. We will also be watching a few inches of snow fall in the Cascades and other higher elevations out west.
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2022 brings Earth's 5th-warmest April
More from Yale Climate Connection: "April 2022 tied with April 2010 as Earth's fifth-warmest April since global record-keeping began in 1880, 0.85 degree Celsius (1.53°F) above the 20th-century average, NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information, NCEI, reported May 13. NASA rated April 2022 as seventh-warmest April on record, 1.10 degrees Celsius (1.98°F) above the 1880-1920 period, its best estimate for when preindustrial temperatures last occurred. The European Copernicus Climate Change Service rated April 2022 as the sixth-warmest April on record. Minor differences in the agencies' rankings can result from the different ways they treat data-sparse regions such as the Arctic."
A total lunar eclipse will turn the moon red. Here's how to watch
More from CNN: "May's full moon will have stargazers seeing red. The moon will glow a scarlet color during this year's first total lunar eclipse on Sunday — a stark contrast to its ordinarily milky white sheen. A partial eclipse will begin at 10:27 p.m. ET Sunday, with the total lunar eclipse starting at 11:29 p.m. ET, according to EarthSky. The total eclipse will end at 12:53 a.m. ET Monday, and the partial eclipse will end at 1:55 a.m. ET Monday, the site said. A lunar eclipse occurs when the moon, Earth and sun fall into alignment, with the moon passing through Earth's shadow, according to NASA. When the moon passes through the darkest part of the Earth's shadow, called the umbra, it's known as a total lunar eclipse, the space agency said."
Americans will soon be able to buy home solar panels from IKEA
More from Electrek: "IKEA announced yesterday that it's partnering with residential energy services provider SunPower, a 35-year solar veteran, to sell home solar panels to US customers. The Swedish-based multinational company wants to make solar more easily accessible for consumers. Home Solar with IKEA is expected to launch in select California markets in fall of 2022, and then gradually expand across the US."
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Thanks for checking in and have a great day! Don't forget to follow me on Twitter (@dkayserwx) and like me on Facebook (Meteorologist D.J. Kayser).
- D.J. Kayser