Today will be unseasonably warm in the Twin Cities with possible record highs in the upper 70s this afternoon – the record high today is 78 degrees set in 1946, and the average high is 48 degrees. Big temperature contrast will occur across the Twin Cities today with temperatures around 80 degrees in south metro south of Minnesota River to mid to upper 70s in the core of the Twin Cities and mid to upper 60s in the suburbs along a line from Rogers to Anoka to Forest Lake and points north. Skies will be partly cloudy in the Twin Cities and brief isolated thunderstorms are possible from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the far northern Twin Cities along a line from Rogers to Blaine and Forest Lake.

Weather will be changing this evening with scattered thunderstorms mainly between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m. mainly in the suburbs south of the Minnesota River and some of the storms could produce hail. Cloudy with colder gusty winds overnight with lows falling into the upper 30s by 7 a.m. Saturday in the Twin Cities and winds from the northeast at 10 to 20 mph.

Farther north ice and snow with temperatures only in the 30s will cause difficult driving conditions in northern Minnesota including Duluth and areas along US Highway 2 from Duluth to East Grand Forks and points north to the Canadian border.

During the weekend in the Twin Cities, it will be wet and colder with rain Saturday afternoon mixing with snow late Saturday night into Sunday with a light slushy 1″ possible by Sunday. Highs only in the low 40s on Saturday and upper 30s on Sunday. Monday will be calmer but chilly then next storm system comes in with rain/snow mix on Tuesday and rain/storms on Wednesday followed by partly cloudy skies and highs in the upper 40s on Thursday. JONATHAN YUHAS