After warm Thursday, cooler and wet weekend ahead

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After finally hitting the 80-degree mark for the first time this season in the Twin Cities metro, temperatures are likely to tumble with several rounds of rain looking more likely as we get into the weekend.

Friday will be the transition day with mostly dry conditions and temps returning close to seasonable norms, falling 10 to 15 degrees across the area from where we were just one day earlier. But by Friday night, rounds of rain will be developing and will likely move in and through the area both Saturday and Sunday.

While there are likely to be some significant breaks in the rain both days, it will certainly be a soggy weekend with widespread amounts of 1 inch to 3 inches of water likely across much of central and southern Minnesota, as well as western Wisconsin. Isolated pockets of up to 4 inches of rain isn't out the question either.

What will be especially tricky are temperatures on Saturday. A stationary boundary will meander northward out of Iowa and waffle across the area. This boundary will harbor very humid warm air to the south, with much cooler and cloudier conditions to the north. This means that depending on where the front lands will determine who ends up warm and muggy or who stays cool and wet. This is one of those scenarios where 50 miles can mean the difference between highs near 80 degrees or highs in the 40s. Nearest the front is where we find the greatest uncertainty in overall temperatures, which includes the Twin Cities metro and much of the southern half of Minnesota.

By Sunday though, much cooler northerly flow will likely grab hold for all areas, dropping temps into the 40s and 50s Sunday afternoon for much of the region with rain still likely into the evening hours. With ingredients like these, forecasts can change rapidly so stay tuned to Fox 9 on Friday and over the weekend for the very latest.