


Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Bismarck, ND
Issued by NWS Bismarck, ND
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466 FXUS63 KBIS 260324 AFDBIS Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Bismarck ND 1024 PM CDT Wed Jun 25 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... - An isolated thunderstorm is possible across the west tonight. Patchy fog may also form tonight into Thursday morning. - Isolated strong to severe thunderstorms are possible in the far northwest on Thursday. - Isolated to scattered severe thunderstorms are possible on Friday over most of western and all of central and eastern North Dakota. All hazards are possible. && .UPDATE... Issued at 1024 PM CDT Wed Jun 25 2025 Remnants of thunderstorms in Montana from earlier this evening are now pushing across southern North Dakota. The chance for severe weather has diminished as instability is limited. However, there could be some isolated thunderstorms in the west tonight with lingering elevated instability and modest mid level lapse rates. Look for the wave associated with this wave to push eastward tonight bringing some isolated to scattered showers. Abundant low level moisture could also bring some low clouds and perhaps fog tonight into Thursday morning. Overall the forecast remains on track, yet made some updates to PoPs and weather types to limit thunder mention. UPDATE Issued at 657 PM CDT Wed Jun 25 2025 Strong to severe thunderstorms in Montana are getting close to ND, with one severe storm currently in Bowman county. The rest of the evening will see decent instability in the west, with decent shear in the southwest. The wave associated with this convection may cause limited lift through the evening, keeping the severe thunderstorm threat limited. The shear vector is well aligned for some isolated supercells, bringing hail to golf balls and winds to 60 mph as the main threat. Overall made some minor changes to PoPs based on current radar trends. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 202 PM CDT Wed Jun 25 2025 Showers have exited the James River Valley. Isolated showers and a few thunderstorms remain across the far north and continue to track off to the north and east. Farther to the west, scattered thunderstorms are developing over northeast Montana in an area of moderate instability but generally weak shear. Better shear is situated farther east, along the ND/MT border and into central ND. The main question for late this afternoon/evening is with a generally slow eastward propagation, will these storms catch up with the better Shear to the east. Current SPC Mesoanalysis shows the better effective shear will linger over the southwest this evening, which northeast convection could catch up to. Also developing convection later this afternoon over southeast Montana into western South Dakota and NE Wyoming may move into this area of higher bulk shear over southwest ND. Confidence is relatively low, but should either area of convection hold together long enough, we could see a few strong to possibly severe storms in southwest ND. Currently, it looks like the highest instability remains over Montana, and the higher shear remains over southwest ND. Convection that develops over Montana and holds together to make it into ND could be capable of producing hail to the size of ping pong balls and 60 mph winds. On Thursday and Friday, we remain within a broad southwest upper flow. Thursday, a frontal boundary becomes established over eastern Montana and pushes into western North Dakota, most likely Thursday evening, but possibly as early as the late afternoon in the far west. We will once again become moderately unstable with MLCAPE of 1000-2000 J/KG but only modest bulk shear of 20 to 30 knots. Isolated thunderstorms are possible along the surface boundary Thursday afternoon, which currently looks to be over eastern Montana. There could be some discrete supercells initially, but as convection moves into North Dakota the atmosphere becomes more capped. Supercells would normally necessitate larger hail, but with the current forecast position of the boundary, will limit the hail to Quarter size, as was the case with the previous shift. CAMS also currently dissipate convection as it pushes into North Dakota. Will need to monitor however. By Friday, it looks like moderate to possibly strong instability is forecast to develop across much of western and central North Dakota with sufficient deep layer shear for supercells to develop as mid-level flow strengthens. At this time it looks like very large hail and damaging winds would be the main threat. A tornado or two can not be ruled out however. On Saturday the severe potential may linger over south central and into eastern North Dakota, with another day of strong instability and strong shear. The eventual location of the surface boundary will play a big part in the amount and intensity of thunderstorm activity over our forecast area, with a better severe potential probably farther to our south and east, but stay tuned as this may change. Drier and cooler conditions return late in the weekend and into early next week. && .AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z FRIDAY/... Issued at 657 PM CDT Wed Jun 25 2025 Widespread MVFR to IFR conditions expected tonight through Thursday morning, with conditions improving through the day Thursday. This evening, a few showers and thunderstorms may enter into western North Dakota this evening, then become isolated through tonight. Confidence in showers or thunderstorms at TAF sites is too low to include at this time. A push of low level moisture will bring low clouds and perhaps fog tonight through Thursday morning. This is expected to bring MVFR to IFR conditions for most sites, with perhaps LIFR conditions in any fog that may form. Most sites are then expected to see ceilings and visibility improve to MVFR or perhaps low VFR conditions through the day Thursday. Some showers and thunderstorms may return late in the TAF period across the west. && .BIS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && $$ UPDATE...Anglin DISCUSSION...TWH AVIATION...Anglin