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Cool weather with possible rain for Minot area this week

Precipitation remains below normal

There’s an elevated chance of rain in the forecast this week for the Minot area. Two separate systems are expected to influence the region. Any rain that falls will help bring total rainfall for the area closer to the long term norm.

As of Monday morning, this year’s precipitation recorded at the North Central Research and Extension Center, located just beyond Minot’s southern border, totaled 3.26 inches. That amount is 1.48 inches below normal.

Minot appears to be on the northern edge of a pattern of rainfall expected through Wednesday night, but a second dose of rain later in the week is more likely to add to Minot’s total rainfall for the year.

“The first shot of rain for Minot is coming from the south. It could be one-quarter inch or a little more,” said Zach Hargrove, National Weather Service meteorologist in Bismarck, Monday afternoon. “Shortly after that, overnight Thursday into Friday, will be a better system for the north coming. It looks like now closer to an inch of liquid ending by Friday evening.”

Rainfall, especially to the north of Minot, would bring the region closer to the long term average and reverse a recent trend. According to the NWS, precipitation over northern North Dakota the past two weeks has been less than half of normal.

The chance of precipitation from both systems, which is subject to change, was rated Monday at 70% for Minot. To the south, at Garrison, the chance of rain in the first go-round was listed Monday by the NWS at 90% with an 80% chance of precipitation Thursday evening.

Temperatures will continue to run somewhat below average this week throughout the region. Minot’s daytime high Wednesday is expected to be in the mid-50s with Thursday and Friday temperatures hovering around 60 degrees. Normal is considered 69 degrees.

Better weather is likely for the upcoming three-day Memorial Day weekend, considered the kick-off to the summer season.

“Using generalities, we are expecting it to warm up a little bit to the mid to upper 60s all weekend,” said Hargrove. “There’s a real slight chance of precipitation on Sunday but that will probably change.”

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