Rain And Snow Showers Pinwheel Across The State Friday

A couple of rounds of rain impacted the region on Wednesday, with some of the heaviest occurring Wednesday night. 24-hour totals through approximately 7 AM off of the CoCoRaHS reporting network showed 1-2.5" of rain from the west to the north metro, with some 3"+ amounts south of Hutchinson near Steward and Brownton.

That Wednesday night round also came with several rounds of small hail across the region. This is the hail from just one of those rounds that accumulated on my deck in the northwest metro.

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Forecast loop between 7 AM Friday to 7 AM Saturday.

The area of low pressure that brought us rain and snow on Thursday continues to linger across the western Great Lakes on Friday, bringing us scattered rain and snow showers throughout the day.

24-hour expected snow from 7 AM Friday to 7 AM Saturday.

The heaviest snow with this will fall across northern Minnesota, where another 1-3" (with isolated higher amounts) of snow could accumulate. Lesser amounts are expected near the metro, but depending on everything a half inch or so is possible.

Here in the metro, we'll see on-and-off snow and rain/snow showers throughout the day. Temperatures will start off in the mid-30s, climbing to the low 40s for highs.

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Saturday: While a few flakes will still be around Saturday morning, the system that has been impacting us is on the way out. Unfortunately, we'll be stuck with mostly cloudy skies with highs only around 40F. Windy conditions are expected, with northwest winds up to 30 mph.

Sunday: A mix of sun and clouds to mainly cloudy skies are expected for the second half of the weekend. Temperatures will be slightly warmer - in the mid-40s. Winds won't be as strong either, but we will see northwest winds up to 15 mph.

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The Dangers of Rapidly Moving Water
By Paul Douglas

NOAA has a saying worth remembering during flooding scenarios. "Turn around, don't drown". Sitting up high in an SUV or pick-up truck provides a false sense of security. 18-24" of rapidly moving water can turn your pick-up into a boat floating rapidly downstream. Only 6" of moving water can knock you off your feet. It's impossible to estimate water depth, especially at night.

The U.S. Department of Transportation reminds us that rain and wet pavement reduces vehicle traction and maneuverability. Nearly 5,700 Americans are killed and 544,700 people are injured in crashes on wet pavement annually in the US, a staggering number. Take it easy out there.

Plowable snow (starting to really hate that term) is likely over the northwest half of Minnesota today with a little slush on metro lawns, but roads remain wet. A raw, blustery Saturday gives way to sunny peeks Sunday, with a 50s next week.

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Paul's Extended Twin Cities Forecast

FRIDAY: Flurries, a little slush. Wake up 35. High 40. Chance of precipitation 70%. Wind W 15-25 mph.

SATURDAY: Lingering clouds, a cold wind. Wake up 31. High 38. Chance of precipitation 20%. Wind NW 15-25 mph.

SUNDAY: Peeks of sun, still chilly. Wake up 27. High 40. Chance of precipitation 10%. Wind NW 10-20 mph.

TUESDAY: Bright sunshine, feeling better. Wake up 29. High 51. Chance of precipitation 0%. Wind NE 5-10 mph.

WEDNESDAY: Clouds increase, few sprinkles. Wake up 32. High 54. Chance of precipitation 20%. Wind E 5-10 mph.

THURSDAY: Patchy clouds, few rain showers. Wake up 35. High 57. Chance of precipitation 40%. Wind SE 7-12 mph.

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Minneapolis Weather Almanac And Sun Data
April 21st

*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 21st

1910: A snowstorm hits northeastern Minnesota. Duluth picks up 6.5 inches.

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Snow of 6"+ will be possible through early in the weekend from the Northern Rockies to the Upper Midwest as winter just does not give up. Heavy rain will is expected across the mid/lower Mississippi Valley into portions of the Southern Plains with 3-5" possible.

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1 in 3 Americans breathe unhealthy air, new report says

More from Grist: "A new report by the American Lung Association found that more than 1 in 3 Americans were exposed to unhealthy levels of air pollution between 2019 to 2021. Released on Wednesday, the 24th annual State of the Air report grades Americans' exposure to two of the nation's most pervasive air pollutants: ground-level ozone, an air pollutant that forms smog, and particle pollution, also known as soot. The report found that while overall smog and soot pollution continues to decrease across the U.S., racial and geographic disparities are rising. As climate-fueled wildfires and drought increase and intensify, more people living in the West face potentially deadly particle and ozone pollution compared to their Eastern counterparts."

Red States Are Trying To Fight The World On Climate

Why Asia's early heat wave is so alarming

More from Vox: "Climate change is making a safe, slow adjustment to heat much harder by upending what we'd typically expect as seasons change. Summers are getting longer and more intense, encroaching on winter and extending long into the fall. Large parts of Asia have been hit particularly hard the past two weeks. Axios reported how heat records have fallen throughout China, India, Bangladesh, and Thailand, as areas have surpassed 100 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius). Thirteen people have died of heat stroke so far in India. Thailand saw a new all-time temperature record for the month. And more than a dozen Chinese provinces broke new heat records."

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