Friday The Warmest Of MEA Weekend - Sun/Cloud Mix Continues

The rain last week once again brought beneficial moisture and decreased the drought across the state. While ~95.9% is still at least abnormally dry, the amount of Minnesota under D3/4 (Extreme) drought is down to 1.13% across parts of southern Minnesota near Austin - the lowest coverage of D3 drought since mid-August.

Over the past month, rainfall analysis shows that areas from the northwestern metro up to around Hinckley have picked up at least 8-10" of precipitation.

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Many areas of the state are either at or past peak color according to the latest update from the Minnesota DNR Fall Color Finder, with 50-75% color from the metro and along the Mississippi River in southeastern Minnesota. Moose Lake State Park (reporting 75-100% color) on Thursday reported: "Right now we are in the peak of our second color wave with Aspen, Birch, and Tamarack bursting with bright yellows! Take advantage of this last big color wave to get out and enjoy Moose Lake State Park."

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Areas of fog will be possible in the morning hours on Friday in the metro before we see a mix of sun and clouds throughout the day. The increase in cloud cover will be partly due to a system that could bring a few rain showers north of the metro. Morning temperatures start off in the low 40s with highs in the mid-60s - the warmest day of the next several.

A wide range of temperatures are expected for Friday across the state, with 40s along the North Shore to the 70s in far western Minnesota. A system moving through the region will bring the potential for a few showers across mainly northeastern Minnesota. Otherwise, mainly sunny skies are expected the farther southwest you go.

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Saturday: Breezy northwest winds will continue on Saturday with gusts to 25 mph possible. A mix of sun and clouds are expected with cooler temperatures back in the upper 50s.

Sunday: Another day of a sun/cloud mix is expected with highs in the mid-50s. Conditions won't be as windy.

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Perfect Weather Today For Leaf-Peeping
By Paul Douglas

Praedictix meteorologist DJ Kayser reports the period since September 23 was the second wettest such stretch on record at MSP with 7.24" rain. At some some point, in spite of El Nino and global warming, the flakes will fly, sparking yelps of hysteria and hoots of joy. The first 1/10 inch of snow (coating) comes November 6. The average first inch of snow arrives November 22 and our first plowable 4-incher on December 17. Later than a generation ago. Old Man Winter is late, but he will eventually stumble into town.

Lukewarm sunshine today gives way to gusty winds, 50s and low clouds Saturday, but Sunday looks nicer with more sun and less wind. I see a little rain next week but no snow. Yet.

NOAA predicts a drier, milder winter for the northern tier of the US, including Minnesota. AOK.

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Paul's Extended Twin Cities Forecast

SATURDAY: Mostly cloudy, windy and cool. Wake up 48. High 56. Chance of precipitation 10%. Wind NW 15-30 mph.

SUNDAY: Partly sunny with less wind. Wake up 43. High 60. Chance of precipitation 0%. Wind S 8-13 mph.

MONDAY: Intervals of sun, still pleasant. Wake up 49. High 64. Chance of precipitation 10%. Wind S 10-20 mph.

TUESDAY: Chance of light rain, cooler. Wake up 49. High 56. Chance of precipitation 70%. Wind NE 10-20 mph.

WEDNESDAY: Cloudy and damp. Wake up 47. High 53. Chance of precipitation 20%. Wind E 10-20 mph.

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Minneapolis Weather Almanac And Sun Data
October 20th

*Length Of Day: 10 hours, 44 minutes, and 48 seconds
*Daylight LOST Since Yesterday: 2 minutes and 59 seconds

*When Do We Drop Below 10 Hours Of Sunlight? November 5th (9 hours, 59 minutes, 11 seconds)
*Latest Sunrise Before We "Fall Back": November 4th (7:55 AM)
*Earliest Sunset Before We "Fall Back": November 4th (5:57 PM)
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This Day in Weather History
October 20th

1916: Accumulating snow falls in south central Minnesota with 4.5 inches recorded in New Ulm, 4 inches in Farmington and Hutchinson, 3.5 inches in Montevideo, and 3 inches in Faribault.

1835: 6 inches of snow falls at Ft. Snelling.

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Rainy weather is expected to end the week across the eastern United States, as multiple systems bring the potential for showers and storms from the Great Lakes to New England and the Southeast. Most of the rest of the nation will be fairly quiet.

Some areas of the eastern United States could see upward of ~2" of rain through the first half of the weekend.

Texas economy slows as summers get hotter, Dallas Fed economists say

More from the Texas Tribune: "Each degree of warming in Texas slows the state's economy, an analysis by economists at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas found. Extreme heat this year may have cost the Texas economy $24 billion, or reduced the state's nominal gross domestic product, or GDP, by about 1 percentage point in 2023, the economists calculated in a report released Wednesday. Using data from the last two decades, the economists found that in general, for every degree of higher temperature in summer, Texas sees a slowdown of 0.4% in economic growth. The results are in line with previous economic studies that have found hotter summers tend to reduce business activity."

The US just made its biggest-ever investment in the grid

More from Canary Media: "The Biden administration is making a historic investment in the core infrastructure of the energy transition — the country's power grid. On Wednesday, the Department of Energy announced $3.5 billion in grants to expand capacity for wind and solar power, harden power lines against extreme weather, integrate batteries and electric vehicles, and build out microgrids that can keep the lights on during power outages. The announcement named 58 projects across 44 states eligible to receive federal funding. When matched by funds from state and local governments and utility and industry partners, they will represent more than $8 billion in investment. All told, it's the ​"largest-ever investment in America's grid," Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said in a press briefing from Locust Grove, Georgia, one of the locations that will receive some of the funding."

The first solar panel factory built since the passage of the IRA is complete

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Thanks for checking in and have a great day!

- D.J. Kayser