203
FXUS63 KMPX 040012
AFDMPX

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
712 PM CDT Wed Sep 3 2025

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Much colder temperatures through the weekend, before
  rebounding next week.

- Strong clipper to bring another round of rain & thunderstorms
  Thursday afternoon and evening.

- Very gusty winds will follow the clipper system across western
  and southern MN Thursday night.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 247 PM CDT Wed Sep 3 2025

Highs are much cooler compared to Tuesday as CAA following a
cold frontal passage last night. Highs have only warmed into
the upper 50s to lower 60s this afternoon while winds have been
breezy out of the northwest. Gusts have generally been 25-30 MPH
but AXN did gust to 43 MPH near noon. Isolated to scattered
showers are expected to develop this afternoon from the growing
post-frontal cumulus field. Activity will start over northern MN
and WI and travel southward into this evening, dissipating once
daytime heating ends. Best chances for precip are for the Twin
Cities eastward where PoPs maximize around 30%. Tonight`s
temperatures will be chilly as at least partially clearing skies
could drop lows into the upper 30s for rural areas,
particularly in central MN and western WI. Did consider a
possible Frost Advisory for Rusk county but forecast confidence
for frost is currently too low. Still, it may be wise to cover
any sensitive outdoor plants tonight, especially in west-
central WI.

A shortwave within the northwesterly flow will approach during
Thursday, leading to WAA across southern and western MN. Highs
here are forecast to warm well into the 60s while areas north
will remain near 60. This shortwave will also bring our next
round of rain as guidance spins up a surface low over the
eastern Dakotas Thursday afternoon and moves it east thru MN and
into WI by Thursday night. This compact system should provide
rain for much of the area. Have maintained categorical PoPs for
nearly all of the CWA from late afternoon through the evening.
One or two thunderstorms may even be possible in southern MN. A
quick 0.25-0.5" of rain is likely with the heaviest amounts
occurring north of I-94. Northwesterly winds will also ramp up
Thursday evening following another cold frontal passage. Western
to southern MN will likely see the strongest winds with
sustained values nearing 20 knots while gusts reach 30-35 knots.
A Wind Advisory was considered but winds shouldn`t be as strong
compared to our western neighboring CWAs (FSD, ABR). Rain
chances should largely end by Friday morning as the low pressure
continues east into the Great Lakes. Winds will also be
decreasing but still breezy and with highs only warming to near
60, Friday will feel like our first real Fall day.

The weather this weekend looks mostly calm and precip-free as
cool, dry air flows in from the north-northwest and high
pressure settles in. Saturday`s highs will be a few degrees
warmer than Friday`s while Sunday should be in the mid 60s. One
thing to watch will the frost potential on Saturday night. Lows
are already forecast to fall into the upper 30s to lower 40s and
clear skies and calm winds could dip temperatures even farther,
especially in rural areas. A warming trend looks likely
throughout next week as guidance favors upper- level ridging
building across the central CONUS. Hot temperatures aren`t
likely but a return to above normal warmth (highs in the 70s to
near 80) seems certain. Precipitation chances don`t seem as
certain, though, within the ridging regime. But, a stray
embedded impulse could allow us to not be completely precip free
during next week.

&&

.AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z FRIDAY/...
Issued at 640 PM CDT Wed Sep 3 2025

VFR to start with a mixture of SCT/BKN mid-level diurnal decks
still lingering at initialization. As the atmosphere becomes
more stable going into the evening hours, skies will become
mostly clear and remain as such through sunrise Thursday
morning. Enough mixing and lower dewpoints should prevent fog
formation but cannot say with certainly that fog will not form
in some spots so will keep an eye on ob trends for the overnight
hours. Clouds will increase through the day Thursday in advance
of a clipper-type system which will bring rain late Thursday
afternoon through Thursday night (mostly after the 04/00z TAF
cycle). Breezy NW winds through this evening will settle down to
under 10kts overnight, potentially going light/variable during
the early morning hours, then pick up from the S and SW after
sunrise and continue as such through the day with speeds around
10kts.

KMSP...While a few showers are possible prior to 00z tomorrow
evening, best timing is from around 00z onward. Little chance of
CB/TS at this time so have left its mention out of the TAF. With
and after the showers will be MVFR ceilings for tomorrow evening
into tomorrow night.

/OUTLOOK FOR KMSP/
FRI...VFR. Wind NW 10-15G25 kts.
SAT...VFR. Wind NW 10-15 kts.
SUN...VFR. Wind W 5-10 kts.

&&

.MPX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MN...None.
WI...Frost Advisory from 7 AM to 8 AM CDT Thursday for Rusk.

&&

$$

DISCUSSION...CTG
AVIATION...JPC