Brandon Weatherz: Rain returns tonight

Our Thursday is comfortable with highs in low to mid-70s under mostly sunny skies. The first widespread accumulating rain event of August is expected tonight into tomorrow. Widespread showers and thunderstorms arrive to north central Minnesota late this evening and extend eastward across the Northland overnight.

Friday features lingering showers in the morning gradually tapering off to the east, then the afternoon and evening brings scattered thunderstorms. Some storms may be capable of large hail and damaging winds. That isolated potential is widespread, with scattered severe storms possible from east central Minnesota into northwest Wisconsin.

Widespread accumulation should range from .25” to .75” from tonight through Friday night with locally higher amounts depending on where thunderstorms set up. Friday will be cool with highs in the 60s for shoreline communities and across the Arrowhead. Temps rise into the 70s looking south of U.S. Hwy 2 with a high near 80 for Brainerd.

Saturday will see most areas in the 70s with partly sunny skies and some lingering showers, mostly in northern Minnesota and along the South Shore of Lake Superior. Sunday is cooler with mid-60s to low 70s and widespread showers. Sunday and Sunday night is expected to be another opportunity for accumulating rain across the Northland.

Today: Mostly sunny. High 73. NW wind becoming E 5-10 mph.

Tonight: Cloudy with rain after midnight. Low 55. E wind 5-15 mph. Chance of rain: 80%. Around a half inch expected.

Tomorrow: Mostly cloudy. Light rain in the morning, then scattered showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. High 67. E wind 5-15 mph. Chance of rain: 60%

Tomorrow night: Scattered showers and thunderstorms, then cloudy. E wind 5-10 mph. Low 56. Chance of rain: 50%

Saturday: Partly sunny with a slight chance for showers. High 72. NNE wind 5-10 mph.

Sunday: Mostly cloudy with showers, mostly after noon. High 69. E wind 5-10 mph. Chance of rain: 70%

Monday: Partly sunny with a chance for showers. High 71. NNE wind 10-15 mph. Chance of rain: 40%

Tuesday: Mostly sunny. High 78. W wind 5-15 mph.