Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Sioux Falls, SD
Issued by NWS Sioux Falls, SD
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809 FXUS63 KFSD 151139 AFDFSD Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD 639 AM CDT Tue Sep 15 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - Patchy areas of locally dense fog should continue to dissipate closer as surface winds strengthen. - A few spotty showers will continue through mid-morning mainly across northwestern IA before focusing south of U.S. Highway-20. - Near normal temperatures continues the rest of the week with low rain chances on Wednesday, but significantly higher chances from Thursday night in Friday. Friday`s risk could bring a low severe weather risk by the evening. && .UPDATE... Issued at 348 AM CDT Tue Sep 15 2026 A much quieter start to the morning continues with the main concerns being a few spotty sprinkles to very light showers and areas of locally dense fog. Starting with the fog, lighter surface winds along with lingering low level moisture from yesterday`s rain have led to a few patchy areas of fog mainly across portions of far eastern SD and southwestern MN. Current thinking is as northwesterly winds strengthen with the 850mb cold front, most of the fog should dissipate closer to daybreak. Moving on to the precipitation, a little lingering lift ahead of the previously mentioned boundary is working with a weak LLJ to spur some spotty activity this morning mainly across northwestern IA. While widespread development is not expected, can`t rule out some very light accumulations at times through mid-morning (9am-10am) before this activity focuses south of U.S. Highway-20. Otherwise, should see cloud coverage gradually decrease from northwest to southeast with the cold frontal passage by late morning as highs approach the upper 60s to low 70s for the day. Lastly, with lighter surface winds expected later tonight; can`t rule out some additional areas of fog. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 122 PM CDT Mon Sep 14 2026 THIS AFTERNOON: Showers and isolated thunderstorms continue early this afternoon with considerable cloud debris across the CWA. Latest short term guidance continues to struggle to clear out enough of the warm sector as the prevalence of a persistent 40 knot LLJ through the CWA may just be too strong to overcome. This may result in a much lower surface based storm threat in the far southern CWA. There may still be narrow window, but feel this may end up closer to I-80 than Highway 20. Further west, a surface cold front continues it`s trek southeast. Clearing ahead of this front in south central SD might be just enough to spark a thunderstorm or two towards Chamberlain and Gregory late this afternoon. Any storm should weaken quickly as it moves east. TONIGHT: While stronger surface based storms may just be south of the CWA, we`ll need to watch for a lower probability elevated storm risk late in the evening and early in the overnight hours. A secondary wave moves into Nebraska after 04Z, with soundings showing at least the potential for a few stronger updrafts when lifted off the 850:800 mb layer early in the overnight. Given reasonable shear at that time, an isolated large hail threat could develop over the far southeastern portions of the CWA. The cold front will push through the remainder of the CWA overnight, with a cooler northwest wind developing. TUESDAY: High pressure will be in control of the CWA on Tuesday, with variable cloud cover leading to near normal highs around 70 degrees. WEDNESDAY: Mid-lvl flow turns slightly to the southwest on Wednesday, allowing modest return flow to push low-lvl moisture back northward. While lift itself looks weak, a few showers and isolated storms may develop through the day. Soundings also show a high probability for lower stratus which may limit the overall temperature climb in the afternoon. THURSDAY-FRIDAY: A similar setup continues for Thursday with broad but weak warm advection persisting through the Tri-State area on Thursday. Occasional light showers may develop north of a stalled warm front over central and eastern Nebraska. With low-lvl temperatures climbing slightly, we may see a small uptick in high temperatures towards the mid-upr 70s. The fly in the ointment here is the persistent southeasterly surface wind and cloud cover, which could lower the high temperatures towards the lower to middle 70s instead. By late Thursday night and Friday, a stronger wave ejects out of the Central Rockies inducing stronger return flow and a sharpening of moisture advection back into the Dakotas. The nocturnal LLJ should induce scattered to numerous non-severe showers and thunderstorms into Friday morning. With surface low pressure forming over the western Dakotas during the day, a warm front may surge northward across the CWA by mid-day allowing temperatures to quickly climb into the 80s. This increased instability combined with a cold front that begins to move southeast late in the afternoon and evening could spark a few strong to severe storms into Friday evening. Though the quality of the warm sector, duration of morning stratus, always make severe weather risks this time of year more difficult to pinpoint this far out. SATURDAY-SUNDAY: A stronger trough dips into the Dakotas for the weekend which favors lowering temperatures and more isolated to scattered shower development at times. The severe weather risks will remain low next weekend. && .AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z WEDNESDAY/... Issued at 635 AM CDT Tue Sep 15 2026 VFR conditions will continue this TAF period. Besides some lingering cloud cover across the Highway-20 corridor, most areas should remain clear during the day. Otherwise, marginally breezy northwesterly winds will gradually decrease this afternoon becoming more light and variable overnight with the arrival of a surface high. && .FSD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SD...None. MN...None. IA...None. NE...None. && $$ UPDATE...05 DISCUSSION...Dux AVIATION...05