Rain and Thunder on Friday Transitioning to Snow on Saturday

UNDATED (WJON News) -- A powerful storm system will develop over the Plains and push through the Upper Midwest Friday and Saturday.

National Weather Service

Thunderstorms are likely along a cold front late Friday afternoon and evening, especially across southern and eastern Minnesota into western Wisconsin.

The high on Friday in St. Cloud is expected to be about 69 degrees. The temperature will drop down to about 36 degrees for a low on Friday night.

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National Weather Service

The high on Saturday is expected to be about 49 degrees, so we'll still see rain during the day on Saturday. Saturday night's low drops down to 15 degrees, so as the temps fall on Saturday evening that's when we'll see the transition from rain to snow.

National Weather Service

There is a 40% chance of thunderstorms locally on Friday afternoon and evening. Should storms develop, some could become severe as they quickly move northeast. The primary risk with any severe storms would be damaging winds while an isolated tornado cannot be ruled out.

Behind the system, rain will turn to snow across western and central Minnesota on Saturday. Light snow accumulations are possible.

While the timing over the weekend isn't the best, we could use some precipitation. St. Cloud has had 1.44 inches of precipitation since the first of the year, which is 0.39 inches below normal. We've had 27.7 inches of snow so far this season going back to last fall, which is 10.5 inches below normal.

The latest update from the U.S. Drought Monitor is that 95 percent of the state is abnormally dry and 67 percent of the state is in a Moderate Drought.

Minnesota will be on the northern edge of a massive system that will impact much of the central part of the United States, with the most severe weather staying well to our south.

National Weather Service