Severe Weather Possible Saturday and Sunday for Northfield, Rice County

The National Weather Service this morning issued a Hazardous Weather Outlook for much of southern Minnesota for later today and tomorrow, including Rice, Dakota, Goodhue and Scott counties.

A strong low pressure system will bring a warm front north into the region today with partly sunny skies and a high temperature near 71.

Thunderstorms are expected to develop over Iowa and Nebraska this evening and lift northeast across much of the area. Severe thunderstorms with large hail and strong winds will be possible over southwest into south central Minnesota this evening and then in central Minnesota overnight. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch are possible. 

Thunderstorms will again be possible into Sunday as a low pressure system and cold front sweep east. The greatest threat of severe thunderstorms Sunday will occur over east central Minnesota around noon and then move rapidly east into western Wisconsin.

Extreme southern Minnesota is also under a slight risk of severe thunderstorms that are part of a forecast calling for a likely outbreak of tornados in parts of Kansas and Oklahoma later today.

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