Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Rapid City, SD

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090 FXUS63 KUNR 200427 AFDUNR Area Forecast Discussion For Western SD and Northeastern WY National Weather Service Rapid City SD 1027 PM MDT Wed Jun 19 2024 .KEY MESSAGES... - Below average temps continue through Thursday - Unsettled conditions return Thursday and the late week period. Strong storms and heavy rain possible on Friday - Becoming hot and mainly dry Sunday into early next week. && .DISCUSSION...(This Evening Through Wednesday) Issued at 147 PM MDT Wed Jun 19 2024 Upper level troughing remains in place over the western US with a ridge over the eastern US. The northern plains sits under southwest flow. Cold airmass has dipped down from Canada and sits over the western US. This airmass was responsible for our record breaking lows last night with some stations across the area reporting minimum temperatures at or below freezing. At the sfc, high pressure sits centered over the northern plains, shifting off to the east. As the high moves further to the east, southerly flow returns to the region bringing moisture and warmer air back into the northern plains. For tonight, a weak shortwave will move through the region. With ample moisture at the low to mid-levels we could see overnight precip, especially over south central SD and northeastern WY into northwestern SD. MUCAPE of 1000-1500 J/kg will certainly be enough for thunderstorms, though effective shear will be low - generally less than 20 kts - so severe weather isn`t expected. Better instability moves into southern SD by Thursday afternoon with MUCAPE values of 2000-2300 J/kg in south central to southwestern SD by 00z Friday. Effective shear of around 30-40kts will be supportive of a low severe threat, though high CIN of -50 to -100 J/kg will likely limit any risk of widespread severe weather in southern SD. Upper level high over the eastern US retrogrades into the southern US as we move into the weekend, with upper level flow transitioning from southwesterly to more zonal flow. Weak shortwave moves through the region Friday with ample GoMEX moisture advecting into the region. PWATs will increase to 1.2-1.6" (150-200% of normal) by Friday night, meaning storms that do form will be capable of heavy rainfall. South central South Dakota looks to have the best chances for heavy rainfall on Friday with the 12z HREF grand ensemble run painting medium-high (50-75%) probs of 24 hr QPF exceeding 0.25". There is a risk of strong to isolated severe storms on Friday afternoon as well, especially towards central SD. 1000-2000 J/kg MU CAPE with 20-30kt 0-6km shear will be supportive of a few strong to severe storms. Main threats right now look to be large hail and damaging winds. Ensemble and deterministic guidance in fairly good consensus of the evolution of the upper level flow through the weekend. The upper level high continues its westward trek across the southern US through the weekend and then parks itself over the desert SW/Four Corners region by early next week. Broad ridging develops over the central US and hot air mass sets up over the Rockies into the desert southwest. 850 temps by Monday will reach 30C with above average highs through early next week. Ensembles paint 80-100% probs of high temps exceeding 90+F by Tuesday. && .AVIATION...
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(For the 06Z TAFS Through 06Z Thursday Night) Issued At 1024 PM MDT Wed Jun 19 2024 Moisture will continue to stream across the forecast area...with increasing and lowering cigs through 12z Thursday. Look for MVFR ocnl IFR cigs across much of the fcst area aft 14z...with pockets of MVFR vsbys in haze. There will also be scattered showers/thunderstorms across southcentral south dakota through the valid forecast period...with MVFR/IFR cigs/vsbys near some of the heavier storms.
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&& .UNR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SD...None. WY...None. && $$ DISCUSSION/KEY MESSAGES...Wong AVIATION...Hintz