More Showers And Storms Thursday With Snow Up North

Forecast loop from 7 PM Wednesday to 7 AM Thursday

After the round of showers and storms in southern Minnesota this morning, another round will impact the region as we head through Wednesday Night, with snow and ice impacting northern Minnesota.

A few of the storms in far southern Minnesota could be on the strong side, with hail and wind the primary threats.

As the area of low pressure crosses the state on Thursday, we will see another round of precipitation. During the daytime hours, precipitation should be in the form of rain (or even a few more storms) from central Minnesota southward. Across northern Minnesota, snow and icing (sleet/freezing rain) will be possible. Especially into the midday and afternoon hours, snowfall rates of 1"+ per hour will be possible in northern Minnesota. The greatest potential of icing during the daytime hours will be along the North Shore through about the midday hours.

Snow Potential 7 AM Thursday - 7 AM Friday.

This will be the heaviest period of snowy weather across northern Minnesota, with areas near the Canadian border from International Falls to Roseau expected to see 5-9" of snow. Plan on snow-covered surfaces with difficult travel.

Icing potential for north-central and northeastern Minnesota will be Wednesday Night into the midday hours Thursday. With this extended period of icing (sleet and/or freezing rain), we could see up to around a third of an inch in parts of the Arrowhead, mainly near Lake Superior and up at the higher elevations of the North Shore. In both of these areas, this icing will cause slick surfaces. We could watch the potential of power outages due to icing and strong winds in parts of the Arrowhead.

Strong winds are expected across the region on Thursday, especially up along the North Shore. The highest wind potential - with gusts up to 60 mph - will be localized between Silver Bay and Grand Portage.

Due to the expected wintry weather, Winter Storm Watches and Winter Weather Advisories are in place.

24-Hour Snow From 7 AM Friday to 7 PM Friday.

Precipitation will linger across the region on Friday, with mostly light rain and snow showers expected. Maybe an inch or two of additional snow could fall across portions of northern Minnesota, mainly early Friday and into Friday Night. Lighter snow accounts are possible farther south, including the metro.

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So we'll still be tracking showers and thunderstorms here in the metro as we head through your Thursday. Temperatures will mainly stay in the 40s during the day, reaching a high of 50F.

Snow and icing is expected in northern Minnesota, with showers and storms in southern Minnesota. Highs will range from the 30s up north to the 50s in southern Minnesota.

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As part of Severe Weather Awareness Week here in Minnesota, Thursday is tornado drill day. Tornado sirens will sound at 1:45 PM and 6:45 PM so you can practice what you would do if there was a real Tornado Warning. Click for more information from HSEM.

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Saturday: A lingering flurry or two is possible - mainly in the morning hours - otherwise mainly cloudy skies are expected. Highs will be in the mid-40s with northwest winds gusting to 25 mph.

Sunday: A mainly sunny day is expected - but it won't be much warmer than Saturday. Highs will once again be in the mid-40s with northwest winds up to 15 mph.

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The good news heading into next week is that we should see a warmer push of air into the region as highs look to climb back to the 50s.

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More Rain Than Slush In The Metro Area
By Paul Douglas

Chinese researchers have discovered a link between temperature extremes and depression. I wonder if they conducted their studies in Minnesota, where weather whiplash is a way of life?

Last week's streak of upper 80s accelerated snow melt and the heavy rain of the past 36 hours is adding insult to injury - in some cases increasing and prolonging flood crests. One way to end a 2+ year drought I guess.

Rain continues today, ending as a little slush in the metro area tonight, with plowable 6-10" amounts from Brainerd and Bemidji to International Falls, as a storm stalls over Minnesota. Friday will feel like early March with windblown flurries and temperatures stuck in the 30s. Which confirms my theory that Minnesota's first European settlers probably arrived during the summer months, blissfully unaware of what would come next.

Flurries taper Saturday with sunshine and 50s returning next week, but no more eye-popping heat spikes anytime soon.

"Slushy with a risk of 90?" Welcome to April in Minnesota!

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Paul's Extended Twin Cities Forecast

THURSDAY: Rain likely. Slush tonight. Wake up 42. High 49. Chance of precipitation 100%. Wind W 15-30 mph.

FRIDAY: Gusty with flurries. Wet roads. Wake up 34. High 39. Chance of precipitation 80%. Wind W 15-35 mph.

SATURDAY: Flurries taper, sun peeks out. Wake up 30. High 42. Chance of precipitation 30%. Wind NW 15-25 mph.

SUNDAY: Peeks of sunshine, still brisk. Wake up 28. High 44. Chance of precipitation 10%. Wind W 10-20 mph.

MONDAY: Sunnier and nicer. Wake up 27. High 51. Chance of precipitation 0%. Wind NW 7-12 mph.

TUESDAY: Mostly cloudy, should stay dry. Wake up 33. High 54. Chance of precipitation 20%. Wind NE 7-12 mph.

WEDNESDAY: Plenty of sunshine, feels like spring. Wake up 33. High 57. Chance of precipitation 10%. Wind NE 7-12 mph.

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Minneapolis Weather Almanac And Sun Data
April 20th

*Length Of Day: 13 hours, 44 minutes, and 29 seconds
*Daylight GAINED Since Yesterday: 2 minutes and 56 seconds

*When do we see 14 Hours of Daylight?: April 26th (14 hours, 1 minute, 49 seconds)
*When Is The Sunrise At/Before 6 AM? May 3rd (5:59 AM)
*When Is The Sunset At/After 8:30 PM? May 11th (8:30 PM)

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This Day in Weather History
April 20th

1970: Snow falls across much of Minnesota.

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A system in the central United States will bring the threat of showers and storms from the Great Lakes to the Lower Mississippi Valley, as well as some icing and heavy snow on the cold side back into the Upper Midwest/Northern Plains. A few storms will be possible along the Pacific Northwest coast as well as in southern Florida.

Heavy rain of 1-4" will be possible across the Mississippi Valley through the end of the week. Meanwhile, some areas of the Northern Rockies could see over a foot of snow.

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In South Sudan, a new front line of climate change after historic flooding

More from ABC News: "The water came in the night, rushing into her home. And as it covered everything she owned in her hometown of Niahldiu, Nyathak took her children through the waters to the shore, waiting to be rescued. Flooding during the rainy season is not uncommon here in South Sudan, but as the weeks and months passed without the waters receding, Nyathak — like so many here — made the decision to leave Niahldiu with her family in search of dry land. She said it took her six days to reach dry land — almost 30 miles away in Bentiu, the seat of Unity State, where, for two years now, tens of thousands of people have come seeking dry shelter, medicine and food, as the flood water claims more and more communities and cuts off many others from supplies."

The $25,000 electric vehicle is coming, with big implications for the auto market and car buyers

More from CNBC: "From the headlines, car buyers might think the most important force driving down the cost of electric vehicles is the $7,500 tax credit that was expanded last summer, followed by Tesla's recent aggressive cost-cutting to gain more market share. Look closer, and the work auto companies are doing themselves to refine EV technology — and, crucially, new manufacturing processes — loom as an even bigger deal. And that's resulting in a series of newly-announced and coming-soon models that will make EVs much cheaper, and more mainstream, highlighted by Tesla's first detailed public explanation of how its next-generation car due next year will come at a lower price tag, expected to start between $25,000 and $30,000. The rise of the mass-market EV will be a milestone — environmentally, economically, financially and even politically. And as the Biden administration pushes changes that seek to aggressively remake the car market in favor of EVs more quickly than previously anticipated."

Berkeley's landmark gas ban overturned, ripple effects may be limited

More from Canary Media: "A federal appeals court has tossed out Berkeley, California's pioneering legislation to ban fossil gas hookups in new buildings. But the ruling, which came Monday, isn't expected to affect most other policies adopted by U.S. cities and states to limit gas consumption in new homes, offices and commercial buildings, experts say. That's mainly because the ruling applies to the specific way Berkeley structured its gas-hookup ban — by using its authority to regulate residents' health and safety. More than 100 municipalities across the country have passed policies to curb planet-warming emissions from buildings, though only about 25 cities in California have followed Berkeley's approach, according to the Building Decarbonization Coalition."

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- D.J. Kayser