Thunderstorms Friday, Snow Showers Saturday: MN Weather

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — A powerful spring storm is set to sweep through Minnesota, bringing a mix of severe weather and winter conditions to the region.

The Twin Cities metro will see unseasonably warm and breezy weather Friday morning and afternoon before thunderstorms develop in the evening, some of which could turn severe.

Strong winds will be the main threat, but hail and even an isolated tornado can’t be ruled out, especially south of the metro, according to the National Weather Service.

By Saturday, temperatures will drop sharply as rain transitions to snow, with western Minnesota facing the highest risk for heavy snowfall and potential blizzard conditions.

While the metro isn’t expecting major snow accumulation, strong winds and rapidly falling temperatures will make for a dramatic shift in conditions.

Here's the full NWS forecast from the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport:

Today: Partly sunny, with a high near 74. Breezy, with a south southeast wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.

Tonight: Rain and thunderstorms before 1am, then a chance of rain. Low around 47. Southeast wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Saturday: Rain likely before 3pm, then snow likely. Mostly cloudy, with a temperature falling to around 36 by 5pm. Breezy, with a southeast wind 10 to 15 mph becoming west northwest 20 to 25 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 40 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.

Saturday Night: A 30 percent chance of snow before 7pm. Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly clear, with a low around 21. Blustery, with a northwest wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 41. West northwest wind 10 to 15 mph.

Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 31. West wind 5 to 10 mph becoming east southeast after midnight.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 58. East southeast wind around 10 mph becoming south in the afternoon.

Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 38. East wind around 10 mph.

Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of rain after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 58. East northeast wind 10 to 15 mph.

Tuesday Night: A chance of rain before midnight, then a chance of rain and snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 31. North northeast wind around 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Wednesday: Snow likely, possibly mixed with rain. The snow could be heavy at times. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 40. Breezy, with a north wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 23. Blustery, with a north northwest wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 39. West northwest wind around 15 mph.