Low-pressure system dumps 3 inches of rain on Fargo ahead of Election Day

A complex low-pressure system is set to disrupt the upper Midwest with heavy rainfall and strong winds beginning Sunday night. The storm track will push rain from the southwest into the region, with the heaviest steady precipitation arriving between mid-morning and late evening on Monday. Forecasters estimate that central and southern areas will accumulate between 2 and 3 inches of rain by Tuesday night, while northern sections will receive less.

The weather pattern will persist into Election Day, with scattered showers and lingering wet conditions expected to affect Tuesday. In the northwest Minnesota areas, light rain may continue into Wednesday morning. The system will also drive strong wind gusts ranging from 25 to 35 mph between Monday and Tuesday. These winds will drag cooler air into the region, causing temperatures to fall from the 50s on Monday to the 40s on Tuesday.

Monday will be the warmest day of the workweek, with cloud cover and wind keeping highs near 58 degrees. As wind directions shift Monday night into Tuesday, temperatures will drop further. By Wednesday, the weather will become mostly cloudy with few morning showers and breezy conditions. Highs on Wednesday are expected to reach 51 degrees, before dropping to the 30s and 40s for the remainder of the week.

The dry, mostly cloudy weather pattern will hold from Thursday through Saturday. Temperatures will fluctuate between lows in the upper 30s and highs in the upper 40s during this period. By Saturday, some areas may see highs back in the 50s. The forecast indicates that the active weather system will exit the region after Tuesday, leaving behind a cooler but drier start to November.

Voters in the Fargo area should prepare for wet and windy conditions on Election Day. The forecast calls for scattered showers and wind, with a high of 48 degrees and a low of 44 degrees. The previous Sunday morning fog cleared to a mild, cloudy afternoon, but the pattern change begins immediately as night falls. Residents in the central and southern parts of the region are the most likely to experience the full impact of the 2 to 3 inch rain totals.

The wind speeds are expected to peak between Monday and Tuesday, with gusts potentially exceeding 30 mph. This airflow will be the primary driver of the temperature drop. After the system moves out, the week will remain seasonably cool. Lows will hover in the 30s while highs stay in the 40s through Friday. The forecast ends with a return to the 50s by the weekend, marking the end of the wet spell.