Wednesday's rain clears up for partial solar eclipse; stellar weekend ahead

Clouds are going to be increasing Wednesday as our next frontal boundary approaches. Look for spotty rain chances in the Twin Cities Wednesday afternoon with a few isolated rumbles of thunder possible.

The best chance of rain for the metro is definitely Wednesday night. Rainfall totals appear to be light, mainly under a quarter-inch. Western Minnesota will see rain develop earlier, likely before midnight.

Here's the simulated radar for 7 p.m. Wednesday:

Temperatures are going to remain mild for this time of year. Highs in the Twin Cities should top out in the lower 60s Wednesday with upper 60s and lower 70s possible in southwest Minnesota. Winds remain rather strong from the southeast at 10 to 20 mph ahead of the front.

Partial solar eclipse

Clouds will be on the decrease Thursday. After a patchy start, skies should become partly cloudy by late afternoon just in time for the partial solar eclipse. The eclipse begins at 4:23 p.m., then reaches the maximum phase at 5:35 p.m.

The National Weather Service and NASA have more information on the partial solar eclipse. NASA also has information on how to view it safely.

Stellar weekend

And for the fourth weekend in a row, our weather is going to be stellar!

Skies remain mostly sunny Friday, Saturday and Sunday as temperatures remain well above average. Another surge of Pacific air is going to push highs well into the 60s each afternoon.

In fact, we'll have a decent shot at seeing 70 degrees again Friday. If you're wondering, the "normal" high this weekend is in the lower 50s.