000
FXUS63 KFGF 190445
AFDFGF

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Grand Forks ND
1145 PM CDT Thu Apr 18 2024

.KEY MESSAGES...

- West to northwest winds occasionally gusting over 45 mph will
  result in difficult travel conditions for high profile
  vehicles. Locations impacted include parts of eastern North
  Dakota and the far northern Red River Valley in northwest
  Minnesota.

- Scattered snow showers will reduce visibility at times,
  especially Friday afternoon.

&&

.UPDATE...
Issued at 1145 PM CDT Thu Apr 18 2024

Winds are gradually diminishing this evening, with gusts now
falling into the 20 to 25 mph range along and north of Highway
200. Scattered snow flurries continue to be observed across
portions of the area, as well as much cooler temperatures in the
low 30s.


UPDATE
Issued at 616 PM CDT Thu Apr 18 2024

Winds continue to be gusty out of the NW this evening, with
gusts reaching near advisory criteria in the Devils Lake Basin
through the Sheyenne River Valley. Wind advisory continues
through 02z this evening. Otherwise, we continue to see
sprinkles or a few flurries underneath this cloud deck. This
will likely continue (especially for areas along Highway 200
points north) through the rest of the evening hours and into the
overnight.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 232 PM CDT Thu Apr 18 2024

The low that never ends is still spinning Canada. As a result,
rain showers/snow showers continue to feed off of instability to
produce precipitation. Impacts today will continue to be pretty
low as visibility impacts have been limited despite gusty
winds. This activity should diminish along with winds after
sunset, giving a rather quiet night for us.

Tomorrow will be more of the same, albeit with better forcing.
As a result, expect more widespread snow showers tomorrow
afternoon, with visibility reductions becoming expected thanks
to cooler 925mb temperatures. Winds will remain gusty tomorrow,
roughly the same as we are seeing today, thanks to continued
amplified flow. Any impacts to visibility tomorrow will be tied
to heavier snowfall rates thanks to instability. Freezing
temperatures will return Friday night as the low finally begins
to kick out of the region and cold air surges in.

After that, temperatures look to warm this weekend into early
next week. With the increasing temperatures and remaining fuels,
near critical fire weather conditions are a possibility with
sub-30 relative humidities likely by Sunday.

&&

.AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z SATURDAY/...
Issued at 1145 PM CDT Thu Apr 18 2024

VFR to MVFR conditions prevail tonight into early Friday
morning, with an overspreading of MVFR CIGs expected by mid
morning. Snow flurries continue off and on tonight, but will
taper off a bit before picking back up around later Friday
morning. A few heavier snow showers are possible; however,
impacts are not expected to be widespread. Winds will once more
pick up heading into midday Friday and the afternoon, with gusts
out of the northwest that could approach 30 knots. Slow
improvement is expected later Friday afternoon and evening, with
ceilings expected to climb back into VFR territory from west to
east.

&&

.FGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
ND...None.
MN...None.

&&

$$

UPDATE...Spender
DISCUSSION...Perroux
AVIATION...Lynch