Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Grand Forks, ND

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269 FXUS63 KFGF 080838 AFDFGF Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Grand Forks ND 338 AM CDT Wed May 8 2024 .KEY MESSAGES...
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- Isolated thunderstorms possible Friday in northwest and north central Minnesota.
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&& .DISCUSSION...
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Issued at 317 AM CDT Wed May 8 2024 500 mb low has moved back west and was moving into SE Montana at 07z. This upper low will then drop south-southeast thru western, south central SD thru today as 500 mb heights rise thru the Canadian prairies. What this means is that overall chances for precipitation today is quite low. Sfc heating with enough cold air aloft will givef a few hundred j/kg CAPE in South Dakota into southern MN with some potential instability skirting our far south. Overall short term models indicate mid aftn to early evening spotty showers a possibility southern 2/3 of the fcst area. Will maintain slight chance wording generally along and south of Hwy 2 19z-00z and far south thru 03z. Cloud cover a mix of some patchy low clouds around Bemidji and Park Rapids (with some fog as well), with potential for some low clouds to expand west into the central RRV. Otherwise stratocu and mid clouds with clear breaks. This variable sky cover will continue today then as upper low sinks farther south tonight and drier air moves in gradually from the north overnight into Thursday will see more widespread clearing. Highs today and Thursday mid 60s to low 70s. 500 mb ridge building into NW Canada will kick an upper level wave southward into Manitoba and NW Ontario Thursday night and this wave will move southeast thru Minnesota on Friday. With it scattered showers, higher chances north central MN (BDE-BJI- PKD) with low pops back into the Red River valley. A few afternoon t-storms are possible east of the Red River in Minnesota where 500 mb short wave tracks though as MUCAPES reach 300-600 j/kg, Focus is more NE into east central MN. That moves out and this weekend overall is pretty quiet and mild. Highs in the 70s. Fast WNW flow aloft will bring potential for a couple weak short waves and with 70s in the aftn some late day or evening showers are possible, with slight chc pops noted near Canadian border and NW MN. GEFS and ECMWF ensembles indicate no clear signal for any signifcant precipitation this weekend from these waves. Into next week...indications are that a stronger 500 mb wave will move east or southeast into the plains by mid next week increasing shower or t-storm chances. A decent signal for this shows up on GFS ensembles with increased chances for precipitation. NBM 4.1 probs for rainfall amounts indicate low probs (20-30 pct) for more than 0.50 inch rainfall 12z Tue-12z Thu). ECMWF extreme forecast index show nothing significant thru thru Wed next week.
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&& .AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z THURSDAY/... Issued at 1114 PM CDT Tue May 7 2024 Latest guidance is showing some fog/stratus possible north of KDVL and around the KBJI to KTVF corridor late tonight into mid Wednesday morning. Seeing a 600 foot BKN layer at KBJI already, so that seems to fit. After this ends, there could be a few showers around late Wednesday afternoon into early Wednesday evening. && .FGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ND...None. MN...None. && $$ DISCUSSION...Riddle AVIATION...Godon