A wet start to spring

Wet, cool weather the past two weeks has bumped some parts of Stillwater County above normal May precipitation numbers for the entire month.
Columbus received 1.79 inches of rain from May 10 through May 17, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). Two days in that time span saw substantial rain – .77 inches on May 10 and .62 inches on May 16.
The monthly total thus far is 1.87 inches, which is already above the normal total of 1.45 inches for May.
Mystic Lake has not been as wet, but is close to normal monthly totals already. The 1.84 inches of rain received there compares to the normal May total of 1.94 inches. That area has also had 8 inches of snow. The normal May snowfall number is 10.2 inches, according to the NWS.
And in Rapelje, the 1.56 inches of rainfall so far this month already surpasses the normal May number of 1.35 inches. Rapelje has also seen 1.7 inches of snow.

Weekend Forecast
The good news is that temperatures should go up starting Thursday, with projected highs of 80 degrees, 75 degrees, 76 degrees and 66 degrees respectively, according to the NWS. The bad news is that it still might be a wet one.
Thursday carries a 50 percent chance of precipitation which drops to 30 percent by the evening. Friday is expected to bring a 20 percent chance of rain during the day, rising to 40 percent in the evening. Saturday and Sunday each currently have a 30 percent chance of rain forecast.
There is also a hazardous weather outlook in place for northern Stillwater County from Thursday through next Tuesday, calling for thunderstorm activity with the potential of strong to severe storms with hail and gusty winds west of Forsyth.