Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Bismarck, ND

Current Version |  Previous Version |  Graphics & Text |  Print | Product List |  Glossary On
Versions: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50
-- Highlight Changed Discussion --
-- Discussion containing changed information from previous version are highlighted. --
287 FXUS63 KBIS 211921 AFDBIS Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Bismarck ND 221 PM CDT Tue May 21 2024 .KEY MESSAGES...
-- Changed Discussion --
- Areas of frost are expected to develop across western and parts of central North Dakota tonight into Wednesday morning. Therefore, a Frost Advisory has been issued. - 60 to 80 percent chance of rain Thursday afternoon through Friday morning for most locations along and south of highway 200. 30 to 50 percent chance of rain for locations further north. - Unseasonably cold Thursday night through Friday night, with lows in the 30s and highs on Friday only in the upper 40s to upper 50s.
-- End Changed Discussion --
&& .DISCUSSION...
-- Changed Discussion --
Issued at 221 PM CDT Tue May 21 2024 Presently, strong surface low pressure has moved into central Minnesota. However, with a very tight and narrow gradient on the western side of the low, few impacts have been observed in the forecast area. Breezy conditions have been observed in the southern James River Valley of ND, while light rain has only made it into far eastern Dickey County. Elsewhere, thick diurnal cu has produced isolated showers that should rapidly diminish this evening. For tonight, as surface high pressure nudges into the state, winds are expected to go light in the west while skies are likely to clear. This will result in favorable radiational cooling especially in western North Dakota. As a result, lows are forecast to drop into the mid 30s for most of the western third of the state generating favorable conditions for frost formation. Therefore, opted to issue a Frost Advisory for all counties along and west of Highway 83, except those in the south central including Burleigh, Sioux, and Emmons counties. For Wednesday, overall expect mostly dry conditions along with mostly sunny skies. Highs should range from the 60s to around 70 in the far south. That said, a few showers may develop in the southwest in the afternoon. Low pressure will then begin to organize as it propagates across the Northern Plains Wednesday night through Friday. The exact path of this system remains a little uncertain, although a 60 to 80 percent chance of rain persists across at least the southern two thirds of the state, with lesser chances further north. There may be a few embedded thundershowers as well, although the threat for strong to severe thunderstorms looks to be very low at this time. Periodic showers and thunderstorms are then possible the latter half of the weekend and into early next week. Overall, expect below average temperatures through at least the weekend. Though most days, temperatures will be seasonably cool (within 5 to 10 degrees of average). However, temperatures Thursday night through Friday look unseasonably cool with lows mostly in the 30s and highs Friday mostly in the upper 40s to upper 50s. More widespread frost may develop Friday night as lows potentially drop into the low to mid 30s across the entire forecast area.
-- End Changed Discussion --
&& .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z WEDNESDAY/... Issued at 103 PM CDT Tue May 21 2024 Diurnal cu has developed over most of the west and north where overcast skies were not present. This is generating isolated returns, although with drier air in the west and north, it`s hard to say how much light rain is reaching the ground at this time, if any. These isolated showers will dissipate rapidly as the sun begins to set, at which point, skies should become mostly clear across western through central ND. More stratiform rain showers are trying to work into the southern James River Valley of ND, although are having a hard time pushing into the area. && .BIS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
-- Changed Discussion --
Frost Advisory from 3 AM CDT /2 AM MDT/ to 9 AM CDT /8 AM MDT/ Wednesday for NDZ001>003-009>011-017>021-031>034-040>044.
-- End Changed Discussion --
&& $$ DISCUSSION...Telken AVIATION...Telken