


Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Rapid City, SD
Issued by NWS Rapid City, SD
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
034 FXUS63 KUNR 011119 AFDUNR Area Forecast Discussion For Western SD and Northeastern WY National Weather Service Rapid City SD 519 AM MDT Mon Sep 1 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... - Dense fog early this morning, especially on the western SD plains - Cold front moves through Tuesday night with a chance of showers and thunderstorms - Another cold front Thursday brings gusty northwest winds && .UPDATE... Issued at 312 AM MDT Mon Sep 1 2025 09z highway cameras and some surface observations showing dense fog starting to expand. Given light winds, antecedent wet conditions, and lack of high clouds, expect trends to continue. Have hoisted a Dense Fog Advisory for a good chunk of western SD. Will adjust through the early morning hours as needed. && .DISCUSSION...(Today Through Sunday) Issued at 202 AM MDT Mon Sep 1 2025 07z surface analysis had west/east-oriented ridge across the CWA with trough exiting south-central SD to the south, taking the last vestiges of precipitation with it. Stratus/fog in place over northeast half of the CWA with a few spots getting thick. Will continue to monitor the need for Dense Fog headlines. Rest of CWA clear. Water vapour loop had upper ridge from the southwest CONUS poking into the northern plains as narrow trough exits the CWA. Today through Tuesday afternoon, upper/thermal ridge builds into the CWA. Morning fog will mix out. Drier air, subsidence, and increasing cap per thermal ridge will preclude mentionable pops. Temperatures will be near guidance. Tuesday night/Wednesday, cold front zips through the northern Plains courtesy of Hudson Bay upper low shifting into the Great Lakes. Moisture pooling along the front will promote weak buoyancy in regime characterized by increasing 0-6km bulk shear per increasing mid-level flow. A couple of stronger TSRA may develop Tuesday evening over northwestern SD. Cooler temperatures are foreseen for Wednesday. Looking ahead, another cold front slips through Thursday/Friday. There are some signs of gusty winds per deterministic guidance with NBM (lesser extent LREF) showing a 30-50% chance of wind gusts >40mph. Nothing to write home about yet for the first week of meteorological Fall. Rest of the period looks seasonal/mainly dry as CWA snuggled in between upper trough over eastern north America and ridge over the western CONUS. && .AVIATION...(For the 12Z TAFS Through 12Z Tuesday Morning) Issued At 517 AM MDT Mon Sep 1 2025 Areas LIFR/IFR conditions (including KRAP terminal) due to fog/stratus will persist on the western SD plains through 15z, but then rapidly improve. VFR conditions are expected elsewhere through the period. && .UNR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SD...Dense Fog Advisory until 9 AM MDT this morning for SDZ001-002- 012>014-025-030>032-042>044-072-073-077-078. WY...Dense Fog Advisory until 9 AM MDT this morning for WYZ060. && $$ UPDATE...Helgeson DISCUSSION/KEY MESSAGES...Helgeson AVIATION...Helgeson