


Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Bismarck, ND
Issued by NWS Bismarck, ND
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
817 FXUS63 KBIS 170352 AFDBIS Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Bismarck ND 1052 PM CDT Mon Jun 16 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... - Isolated thunderstorm chances will remain through tonight, mainly in southern North Dakota. An isolated strong to severe storm is possible, with winds to 60 mph and hail to the size of a quarter. - Patchy fog possible in central and eastern North Dakota overnight tonight into Tuesday morning. - Active pattern with periodic shower and thunderstorm chances during the workweek into the weekend. A few severe storms are possible, more notably later in the week. - Overall temperatures remain around average for this time of year. && .UPDATE... Issued at 1052 PM CDT Mon Jun 16 2025 Thunderstorm coverage is starting to diminish as instability becomes more capped after sunset. A broad trough pattern and elevated instability could still linger at least isolated thunderstorm chances through tonight, mainly across southern North Dakota where MUCAPE is modest. Effective bulk shear could remain up to 40 knots, with some elevated 0 to 3 km shear, and modest DCAPE. Thus winds to 60 mph are possible in any stronger storms tonight. With enough elevated CAPE, some hail is also possible. These will likely stay sub severe, unless any weak rotation can be found in a stronger storm. Overall the threat for severe weather is low tonight, although thunderstorms are still possible across the south. Meanwhile, light winds and increased moisture from recent rains could bring some patchy fog tonight into Tuesday morning mainly across central and eastern portions. Although confidence in this occurring are low to moderate given dryer soundings than previous nights, added mention of patchy fog in for this update. UPDATE Issued at 750 PM CDT Mon Jun 16 2025 Unstable air in a northwest flow pattern is providing for a few showers and thunderstorms to develop across the northcentral. MUCAPE in these areas is up to 2000 J/KG, with effective bulk shear 30 to 40 knots. So far the storm mode has been discrete to multicluster with limited rotation in them. They appear to be more pulse like storms, with abundant CAPE and modest shear. These storm can produce near severe criteria and will be worth monitoring this evening. Remnant boundaries from past storms may also play a role in enhancing these storms. All things considered, the main hazards could be hail up to an inch in diameter, or abundant small hail, and winds up to 60 mph. Worth watching too are some thunderstorms in eastern MT that could clip the far southwest. Timing for this would be later this evening into the early overnight hours. Made some minor updates to PoPs to account for thunderstorm potential through tonight. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 147 PM CDT Mon Jun 16 2025 Currently, the remnants of the MCV are pushing from eastern North Dakota into Minnesota. Surface pressure rises behind the MCV are situated over southwest into south central ND with meager pressure falls starting to develop from north central into west central ND. Latest WV loop shows quite a bit of drier air in the lower atmosphere pushing in behind the MCV but we remain modestly unstable with MLCAPE values of 500-1000 J/KG across the forecast area. There is a shortwave noted over southern Saskatchewan with showers and thunderstorms increasing over the southern Prairie Provinces, and even a couple cells developing over northern North Dakota. Most of ND is within the SPC general thunderstorm risk area. Area forecast soundings indicate a couple hours of slight to moderate instability and modest (north) to strong (far southwest) bulk shear. The far southwest is the only area within the SPC marginal risk for severe weather. Convection is beginning to fire in the higher terrain of central Montana and northern Wyoming. The 12Z HREF indicates the strongest path of UH tracks remaining to the south of far southwest ND. Will have to keep an eye on this, but right now, think the better probabilities here will stay out of the state. In the north, and really the rest of the forecast area, overall the severe potential looks to remain low, but a few stronger cells can not be ruled out. Convection is expected to taper this evening with the loss of heating. Tuesday looks to be another day similar to today (temperature wise) but with less instability and less bulk shear over the area. Diurnally driven, isolated showers and possibly a thunderstorm will be possible, but by and large expect a mostly dry day with little to no severe potential. Wednesday will bring another day with highs in the upper 70s to lower 80s. Currently SPC has a general thunderstorm risk across the forecast area. We do see a cold front drop south into the forecast area from Canada. Forecast soundings from central and northern ND do show an environment with more CAPE than today and Tuesday, but not a lot of bulk shear. Soundings also show a inverted V signature, with some speed and directional shear. We`ll see how things develop, but think there might be some potential for an upgrade to a marginal severe thunderstorm risk. Thursday may bring a mostly dry day with high pressure at the surface and aloft behind the Canadian cold front, although an isolated diurnally driven thunderstorm chance will likely remain in the forecast. Thursday night into Friday we transition into a southwest upper flow with surface low pressure ejecting from the central and northern Rockies into the Northern Plains. A strong eastern Pacific upper low will also move onto the Pacific Northwest coast and track into the Northern Rockies, keeping a chance of thunderstorms over the Northern Plains. The CSU ML page shows a decent signal for severe storms Friday and Saturday. As the upper trough approaches, cooler temperatures move in for Sunday, although thunderstorm chances will probably linger. && .AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z WEDNESDAY/... Issued at 750 PM CDT Mon Jun 16 2025 Mainly VFR conditions are expected through the forecast period. Showers and thunderstorms could be found through this evening and possibly into the early overnight hours. Some sites have TS mention either with VCTS or PROB30 to account for this potential. Any thunderstorms could bring strong winds and perhaps some brief MVFR conditions. Thunderstorm coverage becomes more isolated tonight. Some lower level clouds and perhaps patchy fog may return tonight into Tuesday morning as well. Confidence was only high enough to include some lower ceilings at KJMS and KDIK at this time. Mainly VFR conditions are then expected for Tuesday. Some isolated thunderstorms are possible, although confidence was not high enough to include in TAFs at this time. Light winds tonight will become a light northerly wind on Tuesday. && .BIS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && $$ UPDATE...Anglin DISCUSSION...TWH AVIATION...Anglin