


Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Sioux Falls, SD
Issued by NWS Sioux Falls, SD
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920 FXUS63 KFSD 261122 AFDFSD Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD 622 AM CDT Thu Jun 26 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... - Rainfall will continue through Thursday afternoon. Additional rainfall of a quarter to 1.5 inches is possible by the time rain finally ends. Pockets of observed totals of more than 3 inches are already present in some areas. - A risk of strong to severe storms is possible late this morning and afternoon. Low confidence on where stronger storms may initiate, but most likely southeast of a rough line from Sioux City to Spencer. - Additional rain may pose some flood risk. Primarily focused towards urban and small stream flooding as opposed to widespread river flooding. - Temperatures rise into the weekend. Periodic chances of showers and thunderstorms persist Sunday through the upcoming week. Some indication that storms could become strong to severe. Begin monitoring this time period if you have outdoor plans. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 351 AM CDT Thu Jun 26 2025 TODAY: Elevated showers and weak thunderstorms continue this morning, triggering along an area of convergence supported by the nose of the LLJ and a mid to upper level shortwave. These are expected to remain sub-severe due to low instability (only a couple hundred J/kg CAPE) and shallow upper lapse rates (< 6 Deg C). As the surface front makes its final push through northwestern Iowa late this morning into the early afternoon there is a chance of renewed convection. CAMS show a line of stronger thunderstorms forming along this boundary as it moves off, but there is disagreement in the location of initiation. Some have storms initiating as far west as a rough line from Sioux City to Spencer. Others don`t have the stronger convection initializing until it`s east of our area. Looking at the dynamics, 0-6 bulk shear of 30-40 kts could support a few isolated stronger cells. However, the instability is looking less favorable, only a few hundred J/kg, with the better thermal profile just east of our area. In either case, PWAT values are at or near the maximum for climatology. Considering this, the deep, warm cloud layer of 12,000+ feet, and long skinny sounding profiles, these will likely still be efficient rain producers. An additional quarter to an 1.5 inches of rain is possible by the time rain ends this afternoon. Higher pockets are possible for areas in northwestern Iowa. As such, will leave the Flood Watch that is already in place. In addition, as the low passes over the region, an area of enhanced stretching potential and vorticity advection sets up over northwestern Iowa and southwestern Minnesota. Here a few brief funnels are possible this afternoon through this evening. Threat of funnels should wane as the sun sets and afternoon heating dissipates. Storms will gradually cease by late this afternoon. Clouds will gradually decrease from west to east this afternoon. As the sun comes out we can expect temperatures to begin to rise into the upper 70s to 80s for areas along and west of the James River. Slightly cooler east of there where clouds last longer, in the 70s. Overnight lows will be in the upper 50s to low 60s. FRIDAY-SATURDAY: Surface high pressure moves in for Friday, keeping us dry. Through the day, winds will turn to the south-southeast. Areas to the west of James River will see winds increase in response to a tightening SPG as a shortwave approaches from western South Dakota. Gusts in the afternoon will be 15-25 mph in this area, less than 10 mph to the east. As the wave continues to progress east, a warm front will push into the region from the west. This will help our highs for Friday warm into the 80s to low 90s over central South Dakota. As the wave continues its progress, a quick shot of rain is possible early Saturday morning. The best shear remains north of the area, but instability and steep mid-level lapse rates could support a storm or two becoming stronger. The threat is short lived as the wave clears the area quickly. Location of activity is uncertain, as there is low consensus in the model guidance. The rest of the afternoon a very strong push of WAA on southwesterly winds will help our highs for Saturday reach into the 90s. Dew points will be in the upper 60s to mid 70s. These combine to create heat index values in the upper 90s to low 100s. We will need to continue to monitor this trend as it may become necessary to issue a heat headline in the future. SUNDAY-NEXT WEEK: The hot weather will be short lived this time as another short wave and cold front move through the region. Highs will be in the mid 80s to low 90s, with the warmest temperatures along and south of the HWY 20 corridor. Showers and thunderstorms are expected to trigger off this system late Saturday night into Sunday. Guidance is in low agreement on track of this system. The GFS keeps the track to the north, just clipping out Minnesota counties. The EC, CAN, and NAM vary on coverage, but all have the system traversing from northwest to southeast through the day Sunday. The best shear will lag behind the best instability. Soundings are well capped, but do indicate some elevated storms are possible. Plentiful instability will be present with steep lapse rates, however shear will be marginal. It is possible a few isolated to scattered severe thunderstorms may develop. If they do, the primary threats will be large hail and damaging wind gusts. Next week the active pattern aloft looks to continue. Periodic rain chances will be in the forecast through the end of the week. That includes the 4th of July. If you have outdoor plans for that day, keep an eye on the forecast, you may need to make adjustments. && .AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z FRIDAY/... Issued at 622 AM CDT Thu Jun 26 2025 A mix of MVFR to LIFR ceilings and visibilities this morning as rain showers continue to move northeast through the region. Some showers could produce moderate to heavy downpours, reducing visibility to less than 4 miles at times. Showers are expected to gradually decrease from west to east beginning late this morning through this afternoon. Ceilings should improve as clouds begin to break up shortly after. Wind direction varies greatly from one point to another through the region. This is due to the surface low sitting over southeastern South Dakota. As the low continues to move off to the east winds will become northerly by the mid afternoon at 5-10 kts. Winds become light and variable overnight. && .HYDROLOGY... Issued at 351 AM CDT Thu Jun 26 2025 As mentioned above, an additional quarter to 1.5 inches of rain is possible through the end of the precipitation this afternoon. The highest amounts are expected over portions of northwestern Iowa and southwestern Minnesota. Pockets of heavier rain are also possible. There is risk of an increase in thunderstorm activity late this morning into the afternoon for portions of northwestern Iowa. There is low agreement in CAMS where stronger storms initiate. Some have them as far west as a rough line from Sioux City to Spencer, others have them east of the area before intensifying. Stronger convection that develops could potentially produce 0.5 to 1.5 inch per hour rain rates, resulting in isolated flash flooding of small creeks and streams, as well as urban streets. Considering this, have left the current Flood Watch as it is. && .FSD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SD...None. MN...None. IA...Flood Watch until 1 PM CDT this afternoon for IAZ013-014- 020>022-031-032. NE...Flood Watch until 1 PM CDT this afternoon for NEZ013-014. && $$ DISCUSSION...AJP AVIATION...AJP HYDROLOGY...AJP