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Updraft: June 16, 2009 Archive

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More rain on the way

Posted at 8:20 AM on June 16, 2009 by Paul Huttner (0 Comments)

WUNIDS_map.jpg
NEXRAD storm total doppler image shows lighter rains around the metro this morning, with over half an inch around St. Cloud.

It's a start.

The first wave of rainfall moved northward overnight through Minnesota. Mostly light rain fell in the Twin Cities, with only about .06" here at the Huttner Weather Lab. The rain picked up as you move north toward St. Cloud, which banked .51" this morning.

A second wave of rain is moving north out of Iowa into Minnesota. Look for the next wave to spread into southern Minnesota this morning, and reach the metro by noon or early afternoon.

The computers are hinting that some areas of southern and central Minnesota may tally up to two inches of rain in the next 48 hours. That forecast may be on the high side for many locations, but an inch or so seems likely as additional waves move in. Sometimes in these situations the forecast models can overestimate rainfall. This is especially true when there are thunderstorms to the south in Iowa and Missouri that can ring moisture out of the atmosphere before it gets to Minnesota.

There is also an increasing potential for a few severe storms later Wednesday and Thursday. The pattern will have to be watched to see if all the right parameters come together for severe weather to develop. The storms later in the week also have the potential to deliver much needed rainfall to the area.

Over all this is a good news scenario for the region. And for once the timing looks right to please many Minnesota weather watchers. It looks like the rain may clear out on Friday, just in time for another sunny spectacular weekend.

Weather fingers crossed.

PH

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Next wave of rain moving north

Posted at 3:18 PM on June 16, 2009 by Paul Huttner (0 Comments)

WUNIDS_map.gif
Twin Cities NEXRAD loop at 3pm shows new wave of rain moving in for afternoon rush in the metro.

There's an old saying. "There really is no bad weather, just different kinds of good weather." That is true this afternoon depending on your perspective.

The next wave of rain is moving into the Twin Cities just in time for PM rush hour traffic. If you're a commuter today, you might not be too thrilled with the timing as it slows the commute home.

If you're a farmer or gardener or proud lawn owner, you're probably greeting the rain with a smile.

Wave number two in our wetter weather pattern is moving through southern Minnesota this afternoon. So far the rain is on the lighter side, but radar shows some embedded areas of moderate rain and thunderstorms.

The latest computer run prints out 1.23" of rain for the Twin Cities this afternoon and tonight. My eyeball look at the rain shield moving in says that's a possibility, but that some areas may end up with a little less, some with a little more. We would expect that with pretty much any system moving through.

The bottom line is to expect rain the next several hours in much of southern Minnesota.

I'm not driving today, so put me and my garden on the happy side of this rain.

PH

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