If your weekend plans keep you at the lake on Sunday. Temps will start off in the 40s with highs warming into the mid 70s across much of the state, which will be nearly +5F to +10F above average for mid May. There could perhaps be a couple T-Showers that develop here or there on Sunday, but most locations should stay dry.

According to Pollen.com, pollen levels will high to medium to medium-high levels over the next several days, which means that if you suffer from seasonal allergies, you'll want to keep taking the allergy meds for now.

High temps across the region on Sunday will be nearly +5F to +15F above average for mid May. There may be a few spotty showers or storms late in the day across the far southwestern part of the state, but much of the region will stay dry through much of the day.

The regional weather outlook from AM Sunday to AM Tuesday ongoing shower and thunderstorm potential across the Central US. Some of the storms could be strong to severe with locally heavy rain. Drier weather will begin to filter in early next week with warmer temps building in next week as well.

The precipitation outlook through 7PM Monday shows heavier tallies across the midsection of the nation with some 1" to 3" tallies possible from Kansas to Missouri. Much lighter amounts will be found farther north.

According to the National Weather Service, the UV Index in Minneapolis on Sunday is considered to HIGH, which means that a sun burn can happen in 20 minutes or less.

The weather outlook for Minneapolis on Sunday bright sunshine throughout much of the day with mild temps. Winds will generally be light out of the ESE at 5-10mph.

Here's the extended temperature and weather outlook over the next 5 to 7 days in the Twin Cities. Highs on through next week will be nearly +5F to +10F above average with even readings warming into the upper 70s to lower 80s. Chances of showers and storms increase later in the week with pockets of heavier rain possible.

According to NOAA's Climate Prediction Center, the 6 to 10 day temperature outlook shows warmer than average temps across the eastern two-thirds of the nation, while folks west of the Rockies will remain cooler than average.

Lukewarm. Toasty. Stinking hot. It may be counterintuitive after an on-again, off-again spring, but my spidey senses are flashing STINKING HOT this summer for Minnesota. I'm leaning toward hot and dry vs. cool and wet for a variety of reasons.

Obligatory disclaimer to retain my meteorology degree: Anything beyond 7-10 days is more horoscope than weather forecast. But although day-to-day weather in July remains a mystery, climate models can detect larger trends months in advance. Most of NOAA's climate models are suggesting a much hotter summer for most of the USA this year. A low confidence prediction, but there it is.

Expect a dry sky Sunday and Monday, followed by a firehose of heavy showers and T-storms Tuesday into Thursday with some 1-3 inch rainfall amounts possible. Drought insurance. Temperatures approach 80F every day this week with mid-80s possible next weekend.

SUNDAY: Partly sunny and milder. Winds: S 5-10. High: 75.

SUNDAY NIGHT: Partly cloudy and quiet. Winds: SE 5. Low: 53.

MONDAY: Mild sunshine, breezy. Winds: SE 10-15. Wake-up: 54 High: 77.

TUESDAY: Dig out the shorts. Lukewarm sun. Winds: SE 10-15. Wake-up: 56. High: 78.

WEDNESDAY: Clouds and winds increase. Winds: SE 10-20. Wake-up: 58. High: 80.

FRIDAY: Hello July, slight T-storm risk. Winds: SE 10-20. Wake-up: 64. High: 84.

SATURDAY: Some sun, stray T-storm. Winds: SW 5-10. High: 72.

May 16th

1934: An extreme hot spell results in temperatures over 100 across parts of Minnesota, and record highs of 94 in St. Cloud and Minneapolis.

May 16th

Average Low: 49F (Record: 31F set in 1980 & 1929)

Record Rainfall: 1.10" set in 191105

Record Snowfall: Trace set in 1916

May 16th

Sunrise: 5:42am

Hours of Daylight: ~14 hours & 54 minutes

Daylight GAINED since yesterday: ~ 2 minutes & 13 seconds

Daylight GAINED since Winter Solstice (December 21st): ~ 6 hours & 30 minute

2.5 Days Before First Quarter Moon

See more from Space.com HERE:

See more from Earth Sky HERE:

The weather outlook on Sunday shows below average temps in the Southern Plains, while folks across the northern tier of the nation will remain warmer than average.

Here's the national weather outlook through Monday, which shows widespread showers and storms developing in the Central US. Some of the storms could be strong to severe with locally heavy rains.

According to NOAA's Storm Prediction Center, there is a risk of severe thunderstorms across the Front Range of the Rockies and into the Plains. Some of the storms could produce large hail, damaging winds and even tornadoes.

There is also a risk of strong to severe storms in some of the same areas on Monday. Keep in mind that Flash flooding will also be a possibility with some of these storms.

"Just about every indicator of drought is flashing red across the western U.S. after a dry winter and warm early spring. The snowpack is at less than half of normal in much of the region. Reservoirs are being drawn down, river levels are dropping and soils are drying out. It's only May, and states are already considering water use restrictions to make the supply last longer. California's governor declared a drought emergency in 41 of 58 counties. In Utah, irrigation water providers are increasing fines for overuse. Some Idaho ranchers are talking about selling off livestock because rivers and reservoirs they rely on are dangerously low and irrigation demand for farms is only just beginning. Scientists are also closely watching the impact that the rapid warming and drying is having on trees, worried that water stress could lead to widespread tree deaths. Dead and drying vegetation means more fuel for what is already expected to be another dangerous fire season. U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told reporters on May 13, 2021, that federal fire officials had warned them to prepare for an extremely active fire year. "We used to call it fire season, but wildland fires now extend throughout the entire year, burning hotter and growing more catastrophic in drier conditions due to climate change," Vilsack said."

See more from The Conversation HERE:

"A refinery on the island of St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands has shut down temporarily after oil rained down on surrounding residents' homes and cisterns used to collect drinking water. Astonishingly enough, this nightmarish situation isn't even new; it's just the most recent incident in the past three months and has added to the growing outcry from the community about the safety and future of the private equity-owned facility. Residents of St. Croix have been subject to some truly horrendous conditions since the Limetree Bay facility restarted its operations in February. Noxious fumes from the refinery forced three schools to close just last week, following what the refinery said was maintenance being conducted on its coker unit; some schools also closed in April after the refinery began emitting excess hydrogen sulfide, which also caused headaches and other health impacts for people living nearby. In February, a misfiring valve rained oil residue on more than 130 homes in the area, just three days after the refinery reopened. "When it rains, it doesn't wash out," resident Armando Muñoz told the Washington Post in April of the oil. "It's in all the plants we have, avocado trees, and breadfruit trees, and fruit trees, and regular household plants."

See more from Earther HERE:

"When a wildfire reaches epic proportions, it changes everything around it – even creating its own weather. Scientists around the world are racing against time to understand them. One afternoon in June 2017, villagers in Pedrógão Grande, a small municipality in central Portugal, saw a column of smoke about 1m (3ft) wide approaching from several miles away to the north. Firefighters were on the scene within minutes, but by that point the wind speed around the fire had accelerated and the smoke plume had expanded to nearly a kilometre (0.6 miles) wide. As the afternoon went on, the fire gained speed and heat rapidly, and the plume of smoke grew wider and taller until a dark, thunderous cloud started to form, high up in the atmosphere. Far from being a welcome sign of rain, this was a highly unusual kind of thundercloud. Over in Washington DC, Mike Fromm, a meteorologist at the US Naval Research Laboratory who collaborates with Nasa, was tipped off by an Australian scientist about the news emerging from Portugal."