The mid-May moisture surge is expected to persist Sunday in the Twin Cities area, then give way to temperatures flirting with freezing in the days ahead.
That's the outlook from the National Weather Service (NWS), one day after western and central Minnesotans were reporting funnel clouds and tornado touchdowns. The closest sightings to the Twin Cities were tornado in the Stearns County community of Kimball and near Litchfield.
As of midafternoon Sunday, small hail was reported in Darwin, just east of Litchfield, while the NWS noted particularly strong winds in Hector, about 40 miles to the southwest of Darwin. To the north, St. Cloud State's home game against Henderson State was in a holding pattern because of rain.
In the short-term, the NWS gave the metro area a 50-50 chance of rain and thunderstorms by early afternoon, but that possibility seems to have been delayed a bit.
Even so, skies should turn partly sunny as the high reaches the mid-70s. By Sunday's end, the chance of rain becomes almost certain. Totals might get to a half-inch, the weather service continued.
Monday's weather should turn sharply colder, the NWS said, with a high in the Twin Cities failing to crack 50 and a lower within striking distance of freezing. Tuesday and Wednesday is forecast to warm slightly before getting back close to 70 on Thursday.
Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482
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