Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Grand Forks, ND
Issued by NWS Grand Forks, ND
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181 FXUS63 KFGF 141309 AFDFGF Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Grand Forks ND 809 AM CDT Fri Aug 14 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - Scattered showers and storms late Friday into Saturday. The probability for severe storms is very low. - There is a medium chance for thunderstorms early next week. Potential exists for strong to severe storms. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 208 PM CDT Thu Aug 13 2026 ...Synopsis... Water vapor indicates several upper waves along or just off the western CONUS coast. One such upper wave will eject into the Rockies and propagate through the western Dakotas, rounding the upper ridge into Canada. This will effectively flatten the upper ridge with zonal and eventually northwest flow aloft through the period. Confidence is medium to high for this large scale pattern to evolve given general agreement among ensemble members/systems. Temperatures through the period will be near or even slightly below normal. Shower/storm chances this period will be late Friday/Saturday and then again early next week. Surface high pressure mid-late week should keep the weather mostly dry after early next week. ..Showers/Storms Friday-Saturday... The strongest forcing will be west and north of our region, but still anticipate scattered showers/storms within the `warm sector` of the system. That said, most likely scenario indicates upright instability will be very weak to non-existint which would limit storm strength/intensity. Other scenarios/ensemble members do bring greater instability to the region, but not many of these scenarios exists, and the ones that do are not that much more unstable than the most likely scenario. ...Severe Potential Early Next Week... As another stronger wave propagates through Canada greater instability will advect into the region, ahead of a cold front. Multiple scenarios exist regarding how this will evolve, including strength and timing differences, which will ultimately decide on storm coverage and intensity - severe potential. ML/AI guidance indicate a low chance for severe storms Monday- Tuesday, indicating the lower predictability that still exists. && .AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z SATURDAY/... Issued at 807 AM CDT Fri Aug 14 2026 VFR conditions are forecast throughout the TAF period as low level dry air keeps ceilings elevated. After 00Z, chance for rain increases for tonight into Saturday morning. Included PROB30 groups to annotate forecast timeframe, although uncertainty still remains on whether or not showers impact TAF sites. Additionally, there is a chance for weak thunderstorms within this activity. After 12Z, MVFR/IFR ceilings are forecast into west-central MN, potentially impacting KBJI. && .FGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ND...None. MN...None. && $$ DISCUSSION...TG AVIATION...CJ