Rain and Storms Will Stick Around Through Start of Week in Northern U.S.

Another round of storms fired up across portions of the northern Plains and into the Upper Midwest over the weekend with more on the way to start the new work week. Here is a look at what is happening in the northern tier of the country.

Storms to Roam the Northern U.S. to Start the Week, Continuing Rocky Weather Pattern

It has been an active period of weather for much of the Midwest and the northern Plains. The line of storms has stretched into the Ohio Valley over the last several days. For instance, there were over 1,000 filtered storm reports recorded between July 29 and August 2 in the zone from the Dakotas and down into the Ohio Valley. The filtering of the reports removes duplicate instances of storm impacts, giving meteorologists a more accurate picture of the amount of activity.

A new storm that emerged out of the northern Rockies on Saturday sent another round of severe weather throughout Minnesota. The hardest-hit communities recorded hail that measured the size of golf balls with this system.

By Sunday, the storms were training over parts of South Dakota and into the southwestern corner of Wisconsin. The risk of torrential rain, hail, and strong winds were all on the table over the weekend.

Heading into the new week, forecasters are warning that more rain and severe weather will take aim at the general region from the foothills of the Rockies and across to the Great Lakes. Rainfall ranging between 1 to 3 inches is possible on a widespread scale through Monday.

Dreary for the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest

It will be a dreary Monday for the northern Plains. Minot, North Dakota is forecast to be under cloudy skies throughout the day. While the threat of rain will linger, the greatest chance of significant rainfall will be in the morning hours. The forecast is calling for about a quarter of an inch of rain. The cloud cover will keep the mercury suppressed in the mid 60s for a high while winds out of the east-northeast at 10 to 15 mph will make it feel even cooler. Overnight readings will drop all the way into the low 50s.

Areas to the south will likely dodge the bulk of the moisture, however, the clouds will make for a gray summer day. For instance, Pierre, South Dakota is forecast to be under cloudy conditions with just a slight chance of a stray rain shower. Highs will make it into the upper 70s, pairing with winds out of north-northeast at 10 to 20 mph.

Moving to the east, those in Minneapolis will need to pack their rain gear when heading out for the day. About an inch of rain is in the forecast for the daytime hours with another quarter of an inch likely in the evening. Like the rest of the region, highs will hover in the 60s before dropping into the 50s overnight. These cool readings are a dramatic contrast from the temperatures in the 80s from the day before.