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Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Rapid City, SD
Issued by NWS Rapid City, SD
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811 FXUS63 KUNR 181810 AFDUNR Area Forecast Discussion For Western SD and Northeastern WY National Weather Service Rapid City SD 1210 PM MDT Thu Jul 18 2024 .KEY MESSAGES... - Near average temperatures with a daily chance of thunderstorms through the weekend. Isolated severe storms possible Friday - Trending warmer and drier for the first half of next week with elevated fire weather conditions. && .DISCUSSION...(Today Through Wednesday) Issued at 210 AM MDT Thu Jul 18 2024 Current surface map places high pressure across the Upper Midwest with weak return flow across the high plains. A few mid/high clouds across the area with temperatures in the 60s on the plains/50s for the Black Hills. Water vapor shows upper high across the Intermountain West with shortwave over the Pacific Northwest. For today, surface high slips southeast with weak trough developing along the Rockies. Steep lapse rates will result in a bit of buoyancy across the forecast area this afternoon and evening. Overall, lack of forcing should limit thunderstorm development this afternoon to higher terrain of eastern Wyoming and the Black Hills. With MLCAPE around 1000J/KG and marginal shear, an isolated severe storm is possible across the central/southern Black Hills this afternoon/early evening. Thunderstorm coverage will increase overnight with combination of shortwave moving into eastern Montana and theta-e advection on nose of low level jet. Thunderstorms continue through the day Friday as shortwave moves through western South Dakota mid-day. Sufficient buoyancy/shear for a few robust updrafts with a severe wind/hail threat later tonight into Friday. Upper ridge becomes more amplified over the weekend with northerly flow aloft over the Plains. Embedded impulses will keep small chances for thunderstorms in forecast each day. Early next week, upper trof moves into Pacific northwest, nudging the ridge into the Northern Plains. This will bring warmer/drier conditions across the forecast area. With that, elevated fire weather conditions are expected. && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS Through 18Z Friday) Issued At 1208 PM MDT Thu Jul 18 2024 Mainly VFR conditions are expected through the valid fcst period. Isolated showers/thunderstorms will develop this afternoon across the Black Hills...with localized MVFR vsbys associated with some of the stronger storms. A stronger upper level disturbance will move through the region aft 06z...bringing scattered -shra/-tsra across the region as well. && .UNR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SD...None. WY...None. && $$ DISCUSSION/KEY MESSAGES...7 AVIATION...Hintz