Rain chances start to go up Friday, remain likely this weekend

Here’s your Thursday evening forecast for September 21, 2023 from Minnesota’s Weather Authority and Meteorologist Matt Serwe.

There are some spotty rain and storm chances across parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin for the remainder of Thursday. The first is in northern Minnesota, along a stalled front. Anywhere from a Duluth to Detroit Lakes line and north could have isolated storms Thursday evening and overnight. In western Wisconsin, a dying mid-level disturbance still have enough oomph for a few showers and isolated rumbles of thunder. Those are drifting northwest, and they have a small chance at reaching the St. Croix River Valley this evening.

The weekend forecast has not changed a lot: Widespread rain and storms are likely in Minnesota and western Wisconsin. The exact timing of the rain remains difficult. This is a large system that is removed from the jet stream, so nothing is pushing it one way or another. As a result, the time of the rain keeps slowing down a bit. Isolated storms are possible Friday evening through Saturday morning, then another round of storms develops late Saturday afternoon in western Minnesota. The best chances for widespread rain and storms is still Saturday night through Sunday afternoon. Rain totals of 0.50” to 1.0” are likely, with some parts of western Minnesota getting 1.0” to 2.0”.