Drier, warmer end of the week after wettest Halloween on record in Twin Cities

MINNEAPOLIS— After the wettest Halloween on record in the Twin Cities, we’re ending the week warmer and mostly dry.

Highs will be in the 40s and 50s across the state on Friday. Initially, clearing skies and calm winds will produce areas of patchy fog, especially in areas with snow cover. A few isolated showers will pass north and west of the Twin Cities, and there is a chance for a hailstorm to reach the metro.

Temperatures will rise to the 50s and 60s this weekend. Widespread rain will fall on Sunday and continue into Monday, with up to 5 centimeters possible in some places.

Next midweek we will see highs in the low 50s and calmer conditions as we dry out.

The National Weather Service said Thursday was the wettest Halloween on record in the Twin Cities. A total of 1.26 inches of rain and snowmelt surpassed the previous record of 0.85 inches of liquid that fell during the Halloween snowstorm of 1991.

The weather forecast for Election Day and beyond appears to be calmer and more seasonal, with highs in the low 50s.

Drought update

Even though some rain fell across the state between October 22 and 29, it was not enough to prevent the drought from spreading further.

Now, more than 90% of the state is in at least moderate drought, while more than half is in extreme drought.

Fortunately, the southern half of Minnesota got a good soaking on Halloween, breaking a daily rainfall record at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, but that won’t bode well for areas to the north where nothing fell.