Several rounds of heavy rain possible this week

MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) - As we flipped the calendar into spring, we bring back the spring like weather, and while many of us think of warm humid days, and pleasant nights, it’s not often that simple. This week, the warm and humid air has returned, but so has the threat for severe weather, including a flooding and flash flooding potential through the workweek.

While many details are not yet known, the pattern that is emerging this week is one that is historically conducive for heavy rain in Minnesota. Southerly winds at ground level early in the week are pumping in plenty of moisture, with dewpoints heading back into the humid and very humid categories, topping out in the upper 60s.  And with high pressure in the southeast, the Gulf of Mexico has “opened up” which means air is streaming out of the very warm and moisture rich area of the world unobstructed all the way to Minnesota. 

Now once we get to the middle of the week, dewpoints begin to drop. But the only way to do that is squeeze out that moisture from many levels of the atmosphere which would create even more rain by the end of the week and the weekend.

By the time we get to Sunday, it’s looking increasing likely that much of our area will see anywhere from 2 to 5 inches of rain, with isolated spots getting even more than that if the strongest of storms move over some of the same areas.  This could create some flash flooding and river flooding concerns over the next couple of weeks.  While this is far from a certainty, just something to keep in the back of your mind as we head forward.