647
FXUS63 KFGF 202321
AFDFGF

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Grand Forks ND
621 PM CDT Thu Aug 20 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Potential for strong to severe storms Monday.

- Seasonable weather with scattered rain chances Tonight/Friday
  and early next week.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 219 PM CDT Thu Aug 20 2026

...Synopsis...

NW flow continues to become more amplified the next few days
with increasing ridging across the Rockies and high plains.
Troughing off the Pacific coast looks to move ashore Saturday
and flatten the ridge bringing increasing precipitation chances
through early next week. Ridging then returns for the mid and
late week next week. Could see some strong to severe storms on
Monday/Tuesday next week though there are still a great deal of
unknowns and wont speculate into the potential too much.
Overall seasonal weather with highs in the mid 70s to mid 80s
each day and the peak daily heat index generally 80-85 making a
it a comfortable stretch of late summer weather.

- Today

A low centered around Baudette continues to drift east along
the International Border this afternoon with a narrow warm
sector to the south along an ill defined trough with a weak wind
shift from SW to W/NW behind the boundary. MLCAPE of 1000-1500
j/kg and MUCAPE exceeding 2000 j/kg will provide plenty of
buoyancy for storms with Eff shear of 30-35kts at least
supporting an initially organized mode as shear vectors remain
perpendicular to the front. Largely unidirectional shear should
support some splitting of cells and an initial hail threat up
to quarter/ping pongs (1-1.5") before cells grow upscale along
the front and transition to a mainly winds threat. Depending on
the timing of storm initiation the front could already be east
of our area with areas from Bemidji to Fergus Falls and east the
only ones with a realistic chance to see a storm still this
afternoon. Chances for any severe reports within our forecast
area this afternoon are 10% or less. Timing will be from 3 to
6pm for any storms to form in our area before the front works
east. Beyond the marginal chances for severe a second shortwave
will rotate through the NW flow overnight bring more scattered
showers/thunderstorms but chances for more than isolated totals
over 0.10 are minimal so dont expect too much.

- Rain/Severe Chances Early Next Week

The AI ensembles agree strongly on the track of a wave through
the canadian provinces on Monday afternoon/Tuesday morning with
the Euro notably being faster than the GFS (typically the GFS is
more progressive). The Euro also maintains a wider and more
stout northward surge in the warm sector owing to its slightly
more developed low and attendant features. Overall the
expectation is for lee troughing east of the rockies with MUCAPE
in excess of 2000 j/kg to support at least a wind and hail
threat on Monday afternoon/evening. Looks like an event that
will be much more spotty on rain amounts and dependent upon
where thunderstorms track but isolated totals over 1 inch area
certainly possible.

&&

.AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z FRIDAY/...
Issued at 621 PM CDT Thu Aug 20 2026

VFR conditions, with most model solutions having the band of
stratus currently along the Canadian border dissipating without
moving much. The only exception to VFR will be later in the
period at KBJI, as several of the model runs bring some stratus
or fog in from the east. Kept it IFR stratus for now for a few
hours tomorrow morning at KBJI, but will see how things develop.
North to northwest winds at 10 to 15 kts will drop below 8 kts
overnight, becoming light and variable at a few spots. Northwest
winds will pick up again tomorrow afternoon with gusts up to 25
kts expected.

&&

.FGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
ND...None.
MN...None.

&&

$$

DISCUSSION...TT
AVIATION...JR