A bare-chested runner enjoyed springlike weather while running around Lake Nokomis in February 2017. A warm Friday in the Twin Cities will be replaced with a wet, snowy and raw Saturday, the National Weather Service said. (David Joles/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

It will feel a lot like spring in the Twin Cities and across southern Minnesota on Thursday. On Friday, summer will be in the air.

Then on Saturday, a stark reminder that winter is hardly over.

Minnesota’s theater of seasons will be on full display over the next three days with record warmth possible Thursday and Friday. Conditions are expected to sour Friday into Saturday with potential thunderstorms and a temperature freefall, ending with enough snow to whiten the lawn.

“With rapidly changing conditions expected Friday through the weekend, including our first chance of severe weather, make sure you have multiple ways to receive watches, warnings, and forecast updates,” the National Weather Service said.

The roller-coaster ride will start with sunny skies and a high in the mid- to upper 60s on Thursday and peak Friday with temperatures in the low 70s, conditions more reminiscent of beach weather. The record high of 73 degrees set in 2012 in the Twin Cities could go by the wayside, with the Weather Service predicting a high of 75 degrees.

By Friday night, a cross-country storm will take a swipe at the state. A slight risk of strong to severe storms are possible in an area stretching from Red Wing to Albert Lea and covering southeastern Minnesota.

A lower threat will be in place in from southwest Minnesota through the metro and north to Brainerd, the Weather Service said.

By Saturday night, temperatures will drop by 50 degrees and rain will transition to snow across a large portion of the state. Though snow totals are expected to be on the light side, high winds could make travel difficult, the Storm Prediction Center said.

“Areas of blowing snow and possibly blizzard conditions may cause dangerous travel due to low visibility,” the center said.

Highs in the 30s with blustery winds on Sunday will make it feel more like March.

The system is expected to drop 1 to 2 feet of snow across the Sierra Nevada and Northern California before strengthening as it moves into the Plains. A severe weather outbreak is possible across the Mississippi Valley and parts of the western Ohio/Tennessee valleys. Severe thunderstorms are possible across eastern Missouri, southeast Iowa and into Illinois, the Storm Prediction Center said.

A calmer and more seasonable start to the workweek is on tap for Monday, with highs in the Twin Cities in the 50s, the Weather Service said.

about the writer

Tim Harlow

Reporter

Tim Harlow covers traffic and transportation issues in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, and likes to get out of the office, even during rush hour. He also covers the suburbs in northern Hennepin and all of Anoka counties, plus breaking news and weather.