SUNDAY WEATHER FORECAST

Lots of Important Weather details to get updates for over the upcoming week.  Today (Sunday) is going to bring Warmer temperatures causing fast Snow Melting rates that will cause Rapid Rises in smaller streams and rivers.  Flooding Rivers such as Cannon River in Northfield will be at or above flood stage this week and Ice Jams on any Stream or River could cause significant rises in water levels in short period of time.  More flooding is expected this week with current snow melt and upcoming storm system that will produce 1” to 2” of precipitation mostly in form of Rain in Twin Cities and south but over 12” of Snow in western and northern Minnesota Tuesday and Wednesday. 

Intense Spring Storm (Low Pressure area) actually stronger than the storm last Friday/Saturday will move into the Midwest on Tuesday brining Snow, Heavy Rain, Severe T-Storms, Tornadoes and High Winds all across the Midwest.  Twin Cities and southern Minnesota will see some Snow Tuesday morning between 3am and 9am then Warm enough for Rain and T-Storms Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday morning.  Heavy Rainfall could cause Street and River Flooding.  Hail and High Wind Gusts  will be possible with T-Storms as well.   

The center of the storm system ( Low Pressure area ) will move over central Minnesota on Tuesday and off to the northeast over Lake Superior by Wednesday.  The warm sector of the storm areas with Southerly Winds will extend from Twin Cities and south into Iowa Tuesday into Wednesday morning – Heavy Rains and T-Storms are likely.  Rainfall amounts of 1” to 2” likely in Twin Cities and southern Minnesota and this could lead to some Flash Flooding.

In the Colder Air on Tuesday Freezing Rain will cause some Ice Accumulations of .25” along a line from Sioux Falls,SD to Alexandria, Saint Cloud, Brainerd and Duluth. 

Farther west on Tuesday Heavy Snow and Blizzard Conditions likely from Rapid City,SD to Pierre,SD to all of eastern North Dakota including Fargo and Grand Forks and northeast into northern Minnesota along a line from Crookston to Bemidji to International Falls to Hibbing.   

Heavy Snow and Blizzard Conditions will quickly develop over western and central South Dakota and central and eastern North Dakota early Tuesday morning and spread east Tuesday afternoon into western and northern Minnesota along a line from Alexandria to Brainerd and into northeast Minnesota including Duluth, Hibbing, Lutsen, Grand Marais, International Falls, Bemidji, Park Rapids, Detroit Lakes and Thief River Falls. 

The additional upcoming Heavy Rain and Snow this upcoming week along with the precipitation from the most recent storm system along with un-melted Snow will continue to increase the risk for Moderate to Severe Flooding of Rivers all across Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Some of the most intense Flooding in Minnesota and Wisconsin this April is likely to be experienced along St.Croix River from Stillwater, Hudson, Afton, Hastings to Prescott,WI. Smaller Rivers such as the Crow River in Delano/Mayer area and Vermilion River in Farmington and Hastings and southeast Dakota County area  and Cannon River in Cannon Falls/Northfield area will also likely have Flooding too.  Now is the time to plan and prepare for Snowmelt Flooding if your area has had Snowmelt Flooding Problems in the past.

TODAY:  

Cloudy  in  the  morning  with  Light  Snow  or  Rain  Shower  possible  until  10  a.m.  then  Decreasing  Clouds  with  Gusty  Winds  this  afternoon.  Chance  for  Light  Snow  or  Rain  Shower  until  10  a.m.  is  30%.

HIGH:  50  Degrees.  

Wind:   West-Southwest  at  10  to  20  mph. 

TONIGHT:   

Partly  Cloudy  and  Lighter  Winds  –  Re-Freeze  will  lead  to  Icy  Spots.    

LOW:   30  Degrees.  

Wind:  Southeast  at    to  15  mph.    

MONDAY:    

Cloud  and  Sun  Mix  and  Cold  for  early  April.

HIGH:  44  Degrees.  

Wind:  West  at  5  to  15  mph. 

MONDAY  NIGHT:   

LOW:   32  Degrees.   

TWIN  CITIES  METRO  OUTLOOK:

TUESDAY………………..…41 / 40  Cloudy with Snow in the morning ( 1” or less ) then Rain & T-Storms in the afternoon along with Gusty Winds.  Chance for Snow in the AM & Rain & T-Storms in the PM is 100%.

WEDNESDAY………….…42 / 24  Cloudy with Rain & T-Storms in the AM then Windy & Cold with Snow Showers in the afternoon & evening – Snow Accumulation less than 1” but Blizzard Conditions expected 100 miles northwest of Twin Cities Wednesday afternoon & evening & points west into the Dakotas.  Chance for AM Rain & T-Storms and PM Snow Showers is 100%. Temperatures will fall from low 40s at noon to low 30s by 7 pm. 

JONATHAN YUHAS