textproduct: Twin Cities

KEY MESSAGES

- Another round of showers is expected area wide today into Monday, along with a few thunderstorms across southern Minnesota and western Wisconsin.

- A stretch of cooler and drier weather arrives Tuesday through early next weekend. A few mornings will see lows near freezing.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 323 AM CDT Sun Apr 26 2026

Scattered showers are still ongoing early this morning from southwestern Minnesota up through the Arrowhead. These showers shouldn't amount to much and will gradually end by mid morning. This should allow for a window of dry conditions into this evening, with southern Minnesota and western Wisconsin possibly even seeing a few breaks in the cloud cover. Increasing WAA ahead of a developing system in the Central Plains should allow highs today to be 5 to 10 degrees warmer than yesterday. Rain chances return by this evening as the aforementioned low begins to lift to the northeast bringing another surge of Gulf moisture northward. Steady rain is expected into Monday morning with the western half of Minnesota seeing 0.5 to 1" from Sunday afternoon through early Monday, and around 0.2 to 0.3" to the east. The heaviest rain will continue to spread north and east as the low lifts into northern Iowa by early afternoon. Depending on how far north this low moves into Minnesota will determine the placement of the warm sector and the greatest threat for some strong to severe storms. The SWODY2 has a Marginal Risk for severe storms extending back to the northwest as far as St. Cloud and points south and east. Guidance suggests CAPE values of 1000 to 1500 J/kg 30 to 40kts of shear in the warm sector would support a few strong to severe storms during the late afternoon and evening. Large hail will be the primary threat with any of the storms that do develop. Of course, how the morning precip plays out will also have an impact on the extent of the thunderstorm development. In any case, another round of rain will move across the CWA as the low continues to move to the northeast through early Tuesday. Storm total QPF amounts have come down a little from 24 hours ago, but widespread totals of around 1" seem reasonable with western and central Minnesota seeing closer to 1.5 to 1.75".

Rain should be wrapped up by Tuesday morning and we'll see minimal chances for precip through the rest of the period. Temperatures will remain on the cool side to close out the month with highs in the 50s and lows in the 30s. Depending on how close to freezing temperatures get, we will likely be looking at reviving frost/freeze headlines. Looking ahead to the first weekend of May, temperatures should be on the upward trend.

AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z MONDAY/

Issued at 731 AM CDT Sun Apr 26 2026

Primarily VFR conditions this morning will give way to MVR ceilings and visibility as low level moisture increases later today and rain eventually lifts up from the south later this evening and overnight. Did add a small Prob30 for thunder at KMKT and KRWF based on the HREF 1hr thunder probability with increasing instability, but the remaining other locations have too low of thunder chances to include in the TAFs at this time.

KMSP... Mainly VFR conditions expected today, but there are some pockets of MVFR stratus and light rain showers that could impact the terminal this morning. Otherwise look for northeast winds to become more easterly, and eventually east/southeast this evening and overnight. More widespread rain will move up from the south overnight into Monday morning.

/OUTLOOK FOR KMSP/ MON...MVFR/RA likely, chc TSRA/IFR. Wind SE 10-15G25 kts. TUE...MVFR/-SHRA early, then VFR. Wind NW 10-15G25 kts bcmg NW 10 kts late. WED...VFR. Wind NW 10-15 kts.

MPX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

MN...None. WI...None.