Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Aberdeen, SD
Issued by NWS Aberdeen, SD
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384 FXUS63 KABR 141734 AAB AFDABR Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Aberdeen SD 1234 PM CDT Fri Aug 14 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - Showers and weak thunderstorms (50-80%) are expected over north central SD today with isolated threats (15-30%) over portions of northeastern SD this afternoon and evening. No severe weather is anticipated, however, heavy rainfall is possible at times. - Additional spotty chances of rain and weak thunderstorms (20-40%) will be possible tonight through Saturday morning, mainly across central SD. - Average to slightly below average temperatures expected through the weekend. && .UPDATE... Issued at 1232 PM CDT Fri Aug 14 2026 Updated aviation discussion below for the 18z TAFs. UPDATE Issued at 728 AM CDT Fri Aug 14 2026 Some patchy fog has popped over portions of central SD. This fog could reduce visibilities as one is driving, so take caution and drive for the conditions occurring. UPDATE Issued at 632 AM CDT Fri Aug 14 2026 The aviation discussion has been updated for the 12Z TAFS. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 118 AM CDT Fri Aug 14 2026 As of 1am radar indicates spotty rain showers in association with weak energy/moisture aloft over portions of south central SD. These will continue to dissipate as they track east/northeast. Current temps range in the 60s to around 70 and dewpoints in lower to mid 60s with winds between 5-10mph. The Northern Plains remains in slight southwest flow aloft with a ridge overhead that will amplify a bit through the day with weak embedded shortwave pulses within it. At the surface winds will continue out of east this morning, switching to more southeasterly by the midday, as a weak low pressure system tracks over the MT/ND border by the midday. In tandem, a lee low develops along the boundary over western/southwestern SD. With this setup, central SD will be the focus for WAA showers and thunderstorms this morning and through the day, with the majority of the NBM pops (50-85%) over north central SD. Another potential area of showers and thunderstorms will be clipping east central SD (NBM pops of 20-30%) per another embedded shortwave tracking northeast from NE through IA this afternoon and evening. Looking at the CAMS, some of these show some daytime heating induced shower or perhaps weak thunderstorms across northeastern SD/MN, so went ahead and added in slight chances to err on the side of caution. Late this evening through the overnight hours, the center of the low will continue to track eastward/northeast across ND (perhaps weakening into a trough) before strengthening again over northeastern ND/Canada by 12Z Saturday and its cold front extending southward through the James River per HREF. The low that was over western SD will track eastward as well and over south central SD by 12Z. Therefore, we will continue with a chance of showers and thunderstorms mainly across central SD to portions of northeastern SD/MN through early Saturday morning. So kept with the NBM which does a good job broadbrushing the pop chances due to the variability between CAMS as it keeps them more spotty with differences in location, timing, and intensity of suggested precip with really any lack of LLJ to sustain them for very long. HREF indicates marginal instability as CAPE values of 500-1000j/kg over the CWA are forecast this afternoon and evening, highest over south central SD, with values decreasing with sunset and bulk shear of 30kts. Along with weak lapse rates, severe weather is not anticipated at this time with just the threat of a weak thunderstorm or two if can grow vertically enough into the cooler air aloft. However PWAT values continue to range between 1.3-1.8" so any stronger rain shower/storm or slow moving could produce heavy rainfall. The center of the low will track northeast through Saturday and into Quebec by the evening with the cold front by then extending from MN, through southeastern SD into NE by 00Z Sunday. As mentioned, pops are possible over central SD Saturday morning, however, low confidence as CAMS do not show much in the way of precip beyond this time, with much of it south and southeast of the CWA, as we really lose that moisture aloft as high pressure will filter into the CWA behind it. This high will keep the region dry Sunday with flow aloft turning zonal. A slight northwestern component aloft over the CWA returns early next as a weak ridge develops over the western CONUS (then flattens out as it tracks a bit east) with the Northern Plains between this and another low/trough moving in over the Hudson Bay. Weak embedded shortwaves aloft interacting with weak surface boundaries along with daytime heating/instability will bring chances of rain/storms each evening into the nighttime hours Sunday and Monday. More widespread pops are possible Tuesday/Tuesday night per stronger cold front. Low confidence in details as this is several days out. With a cooler airmass aloft, high temps will continue to be near to below average, ranging in the 70s to the lower 80s today through the weekend. Other than a bit of a warmup Monday, mainly west river, temps will continue to be on the cooler side at least through the midweek. Lastly, HRRR indicates smoke aloft will continue today, with the higher concentrations tracking north and east this afternoon and evening with little to no concentrations of smoke over the CWA late tonight through Saturday as winds aloft will be out of the southwest, as mentioned. && .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SATURDAY/... Issued at 1232 PM CDT Fri Aug 14 2026 Terminals KABR,KATY,KPIR,KMBG There are lower clouds at KPIR that will continue for a few hours creating MVFR to IFR conditions at times. While these conditions look to improve to VFR later in the afternoon, the conditions at KATY will start to decrease as lower clouds are forecast to move in creating MVFR conditions during the evening and IFR conditions later during the overnight. Some patchy fog also looks to move in to KATY and KABR early Saturday morning, reducing visibilities and conditions to MVFR to IFR and even possibility LIFR at KATY. Otherwise VFR conditions are expected at the other terminals. Southeasterly winds will increase during the afternoon, to be gusting up around 25 mph. The winds will decrease overnight and turn to be from the northwest as a cold front comes through early Saturday morning. There could be occasional showers and storms near the terminals through today and into Saturday. && .ABR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SD...None. MN...None. && $$ UPDATE...12 DISCUSSION...MMM AVIATION...12