On Friday evening I was having my birthday dinner (celebrating No. 49!) of a hot chicken sandwich on the patio at Grand View Lodge near Nisswa. Highly recommended, by the way. A man approached with a smile and said, “Are you Ken Barlow?” That was my big birthday gift.
He asked, “Does a 25 percent probability of rain mean 25 percent of the area will get wet, or it will rain 25 percent of the time?” This is the perception among many people but no-yeah-no. A 25% probability means a 25% chance you’ll see at least 0.01 inches (the minimum measurable amount) at a given point in the forecast area. I prefer using “isolated, scattered or numerous” showers to set expectations for rain.
We dry out Saturday with clouds and a few dribbles of sunshine possible; highs near 70F. An improvement but not great. A few thunderstorms (scattered) return Sunday with some 1-inch rainfall amounts, so have a Plan B. Storms will be most widespread Monday, and again Thursday night, before we dry out by late week.
Drought went from 70% of Minnesota three months ago to 16%. Good news, huh, Ken?
