Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Sioux Falls, SD
Issued by NWS Sioux Falls, SD
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240 FXUS63 KFSD 161759 AFDFSD Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD 1259 PM CDT Sun Aug 16 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - Isolated non-severe showers and thunderstorms will develop along the Missouri River after midnight. This activity may drift eastward into mid-day Monday. - Monday brings the week`s biggest weather risk. While exact storm coverage is uncertain, isolated to scattered severe storms may be possible after 4pm, with greatest risks after 7pm. Any storm could produce 60 mph winds, golfball size hail, and a very low tornado risk may develop. - Lingering morning rain Tuesday could limit the risk for strong storm redevelopment Tuesday. Though greatest storm potential remains along the Missouri River and Highway 20. - Expect temperatures near or slightly below normal from Wednesday through Saturday. Severe weather and widespread rain is not likely. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 1252 PM CDT Sun Aug 16 2026 THIS AFTERNOON: A pleasant Sunday afternoon across the region and northerly winds continue to push lower dew point air southward and temperatures rise towards the 80 degree mark. The only convective focus into the evening hours will be near the Black Hills region. TONIGHT: High pressure sinks southward this evening and overnight, allowing a quick drop in temperatures. As we reach the midnight hour, gradually increasing low-lvl warm advection over central SD and northern NE should induce a mid-lvl cloud deck. There may be sufficient lift to produce isolated to scattered high based showers and thunderstorms along the MO river, with a secondary wave dropping out of ND also producing a pocket of elevated convection. Latest trends keep PoPs focused along or west of the James River valley through 12Z, with no severe weather expected. MONDAY/MONDAY NIGHT: Strong to severe convection risks remain the biggest story for Monday afternoon and evening. We may start the day with quite a bit of mid-lvl clouds and a few showers near the James River valley. Should a small area of vorticity continue crossing northern SD, then associated warm advection may push eastward towards I-29 by mid-day bringing a low risk for sprinkles to high based showers. By the afternoon hours we should begin to gradually become more unstable as winds turn southwesterly. The degree of instability remains in question partially due to the fact that 70 dewpoints have been pushed well south of the CWA, and southerly boundary layer flow only commences by late morning. Secondly, lingering mid-lvl clouds could also lower temperature potential. We`ll begin watching a front slowly pushing into south central and northeastern SODAK and western MN by late afternoon which may, along with any weak pre- frontal trough, provide enough convergence to develop isolated to scattered convection after 4pm. Greater convection risks may develop later in the evening or early overnight as guidance continues to show weak vorticity in the northwesterly flow entering the region inducing a stronger LLJ response. It`s also possible that the aforementioned front may further slow down. It should be said though, that this northwesterly flow continues to remain problematic for models to resolve. From a parameter perspective, MLCAPE upwards of 1800-2800 J/KG (dependent on T/Td trends and mixing in the afternoon), combined with effective shear AOA 35 knots should produce at least potential for multi-cell/supercellular development capable of golf ball hail and 60 mph winds in the evening. Some storm clustering towards straight line wind risks could also develop given the unidirectional mid-lvl flow. Tornadic risks will remain low, but not- zero, especially if storm development holds off until after 00z when better boundary layer moisture arrives into the Tri- State area and very low- lvl flow begins to increase with the developing LLJ. This could push 0-1 SRH upwards of 100 M2/S2 by 00-03Z. Overall storm coverage remain uncertain given somewhat marginal forcing initially and perhaps some potential for weak inhibition holding on. Will continue with elevated PoPs through the overnight hours given the potential for increased forcing as noted earlier. The severe weather risks should lessen after 10pm, as mid-lvl lapse rates weaken. Though a few gusty storms may continue into Tuesday morning. TUESDAY: There remains quite a bit of uncertainty regarding Tuesday`s forecast. Should convection persist overnight, this may drive any effect boundary south of the CWA. However some guidance continues to hint that any strong convection may develop quickly in the morning near the MO river and Highway 20 and drive southward effectively limiting the afternoon potential in the CWA. Temperatures Tuesday cool back into the 70s. WEDNESDAY-SATURDAY: A larger trough dropping into Hudson Bay by mid- week will push a passing trough eastward through the region on Wednesday. Cooler temperatures and lower instability should keep the risk of severe storms low. Into the weekend, we`ll continue to look for near to slightly below normal temperatures, with no focused area of high PoPs given a uncertainty of waves in the returning northwesterly flow aloft. && .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z MONDAY/... Issued at 1158 AM CDT Sun Aug 16 2026 Diurnal CU field will continue to develop this afternoon, initially MVFR levels, but lifting into the VFR category quickly. North winds will continue into the evening before turning variable. Mostly clear skies continue into the overnight, with a mid-lvl cloud deck building into central SD after midnight. These mid- lvl clouds may spread towards I-29 by mid-morning as winds remain light and variable. && .FSD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SD...None. MN...None. IA...None. NE...None. && $$ DISCUSSION...Dux AVIATION...Dux