Unusual weather has been showing up across parts of the northern Plains and upper Midwest today.
1: Earlier this afternoon, parts of west central Minnesota experienced dry thunderstorms, or storms that produced little to no rain, which are fairly uncommon in this area.
2: Widespread reports of blowing dust have been coming in from North Dakota and the western half of Minnesota today, with several alerts in place through late this afternoon. In some areas, visibility has dropped to between a quarter and two miles.
A strong low-pressure system over far eastern Saskatchewan is moving east-northeast and will reach western and central Ontario by Friday. This afternoon, its central pressure dropped to 981mb, or 28.97 inches, making it quite a powerful storm.
Windy weather is expected across the Northland on Friday, with westerly winds gusting between 15 and 30 mph, and occasional gusts likely topping 40 mph.
A cold front linked to this system will move across the Northland tonight, bringing scattered showers and maybe a thunderstorm. Rainfall totals should stay light because of limited moisture, with dew points only climbing into the 30s and 40s near the front.
Scattered showers are likely in Duluth, mostly before midnight tonight.
Radar loop ends 5:36 PM Thursday, May 14, 2026.
Tonight’s rainfall will likely range from just a trace to around 0.10 inches in a few isolated spots, but most areas probably won’t see much rain with this evening’s front.
Friday is shaping up to be the warmest day of the year so far in Duluth, with temperatures expected to approach 80 degrees in the afternoon, helped along by a gusty west wind. Until now, the warmest day of 2026 was April 16, when the high reached 73 degrees.
In Duluth, the average date for the first 80-degree day is May 23, but in 2025, it arrived early on May 6. The last time it hit 80 or warmer was October 4, when the high reached 84.
From Sunday to Tuesday, there’s an increased chance of widespread rain across northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin, as a trough develops out west, placing the upper Midwest in an active southwest flow aloft.
One or two low-pressure systems are expected to move out of the Rockies and Plains between Sunday and Tuesday, likely bringing rain to the Northland from late this weekend into early next week.
Strong northeast winds are expected near Lake Superior, including Duluth, in two rounds—first from Sunday into Sunday evening, then again Monday night into Tuesday morning. Wind gusts could reach 25 to 40 mph during both periods.
There may be thunderstorms in parts of Northland on Sunday and Monday, but it’s unclear if severe weather will reach this far north as it depends on how the system develops over the weekend.
From Sunday to Tuesday, northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin could see widespread rainfall totaling 1 to 2 inches or more.
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