Minnesota weather: Wet, cloudy and cool Thursday

Minnesota is in for a dreary Thursday as rain showers continue through much of the day alongside cooler temperatures in the 50s.

Rain showers on Thursday

Thursday stays cloudy, cool and dreary as off-and-on rain showers move across much of central and southern Minnesota and western Wisconsin.

Rain is expected to arrive in the morning and continue into the afternoon, with the heaviest amounts expected across southeastern Minnesota. The Twin Cities metro could pick up a quarter to a half inch of rain, while southeastern areas could see three-quarters of an inch or more.

Rain showers gradually taper around sunset, though a few lighter showers will linger overnight into Friday morning.

Temperatures stay in the low to mid-50s across much of the state, with the Twin Cities metro topping out around 52 degrees. Expect northwest winds at 5 to 10 mph during the day.

A cold front moves through after sunset, bringing gusty northwest winds of 10 to 20 mph or higher. Overnight lows fall into the 30s across northern Minnesota and the low to mid-40s elsewhere.

Extended Minnesota weather forecast

Morning clouds and a few lingering showers give way to some afternoon sunshine on Friday. It will be rather blustery and chilly with highs in the upper 40s and low 50s, followed by widespread frost heading into Saturday morning.

Saturday turns much brighter and more seasonable, with highs in the low 60s and breezy conditions. Sunday brings plenty of sunshine and temperatures in the upper 60s.

The warming trend continues next week, with highs in the 60s on Monday and Tuesday before climbing into the 70s by Wednesday.

Here’s a look at the seven-day forecast: