Updraft: May 30, 2008 Archive

Looking ahead to June

Posted at 9:04 AM on May 30, 2008 by Craig Edwards

A number of folks have been less than thrilled about the May weather as we close out the month. On only one day did the thermometer reach 80 degrees or warmer in the Twin Cities, St. Cloud and International Falls. The warmest reading at Duluth was just 74 degrees.

Generous rain fell in southern Minnesota yesterday with amounts of around an inch and a half in southeast Minnesota, including Rochester. St. Cloud also was doused with nearly an inch and a half of rain.

Talk about chilly; International Falls recorded eighteen days with the temperature falling to 32 degrees or cooler. Their average temperature for May is about eight degrees below normal.

Breaks in the cloud cover today could bump the mercury well into the seventies. A trough of low pressure is forecast to sweep east across the state. Sunshine, high amounts of low level moisture and this trough could ignite some strong thunderstorms this afternoon.

Grahpical forecast

If you have an outdoor event planned for Saturday, I can't rule out the chances for a stray afternoon thunderstorm. Sunday looks to be the nicer day of the weekend, but keep an eye out for more storms in the west later in the day.

Outlook for June and the summer months
CE