Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Rapid City, SD
Issued by NWS Rapid City, SD
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855 FXUS63 KUNR 262055 AFDUNR Area Forecast Discussion For Western SD and Northeastern WY National Weather Service Rapid City SD 155 PM MST Wed Nov 26 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... - Temperatures to remain below to well below normal through early next week - Snow chances still look on track for Friday afternoon and Saturday && .DISCUSSION...(This Evening Through Wednesday) Issued at 150 PM MST Wed Nov 26 2025 Latest analysis shows closed 500hpa low spinning across the Great Lakes region, with upper midwest remaining in northwest flow aloft. Water vapor imagery shows a quick moving short wave dropping through central MT into northeast WY, bringing areas of light snow/flurries to parts of our northeast WY counties as seen on local webcams along with increasing clouds across western SD. At the surface high pressure continues move south into the upper plains with generally light winds with temperatures currently in the mid 20s to lower 30s. The aforementioned short wave will continue to zip through the area, exiting the region during the evening hours. Any light snow/flurries that occur should end by 06Z this evening as subsidence takes over behind exiting shortwave. Little accumulation is expected with most places expected to be under an inch. Things will be quiet then for Thanksgiving and Friday with basically neutral temp advection under the northwest flow pattern aloft. Expected temperatures will be in the 30s and 40s...with the warmest readings across southwest SD. Attention then turns to the Friday late afternoon/Saturday time frame. Models are showing a 700hpa open wave closing off during the overnight hours Thursday, then dropping southeast across southern ND and into northeast SD by 12z Saturday. Very strong 700hpa theta-e forcing slides east across the state during the day Friday, with ascent increasing by late afternoon with tightening theta-e gradient, east of the Missouri River. Theta-e downglide in full force by 00Z as a cold front moves south through our area during the afternoon Friday, resulting in a reinforcing shot of cold air just in time for the weekend. Generally speaking, snowfall totals are still looking to be in the 3-6 range for the northern Black Hills under upslope conditions, with amounts of 1-3 inches elsewhere. Things will look to remain unsettled heading into next week with nit-noid chances of pcpn as waves move through in NW flow aloft. Below normal temperatures are still on tap. && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS Through 18Z Thursday) Issued At 1006 AM MST Wed Nov 26 2025 Isold -SHSN with MVFR conditions are possible through 02Z across northeast Wyoming and the Black Hills. Otherwise, VFR conditions will prevail through the forecast period. && .UNR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SD...None. WY...None. && $$ DISCUSSION/KEY MESSAGES...Hintz AVIATION...Smith