Severe Storm Outlook Narrative (AC)
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Issued by NWS
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208 ACUS01 KWNS 252009 SWODY1 SPC AC 252007 Day 1 Convective Outlook CORR 1 NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK 0307 PM CDT Sat Jul 25 2026 Valid 252000Z - 261200Z ...THERE IS AN ENHANCED RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS CENTRAL AND EASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA...INTO SOUTHWESTER MINNESOTA AND NORTHWEST IOWA... ...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER PARTS OF CENTRAL MONTANA... CORRECTED FOR MISSPELLING ...SUMMARY... Widespread severe gusts are possible across South Dakota late this afternoon and into portions of southwestern Minnesota and northwest Iowa through the evening. ...20 Update Northern Plains/Midwest... Confidence continues to increase in widespread severe gusts developing across parts of central and eastern SD late this afternoon and into the evening. Very hot surface temperatures (100-110F) are supporting very steep-low and mid-level lapse rates of 8-9 C/km over western SD. Initial storms developing now with temperature-dew point spreads of 40-50 F will favor efficient outflow generation and an increasing potential for severe gusts as convection develops and intensifies this afternoon. The primary severe concern across the northern Plains and Midwest remains the potential for widespread severe wind gusts with one or more organized convective clusters. A CIG-2 wind area was added for the potential for some peak gusts in the 80-100 mph range. Some recent CAM guidance has trended toward more clustering and a compact bowing cluster across central and eastern SD late this afternoon and evening. A brief mesovortex tornado or two may also occur if a bowing cluster can develop. However, weaker overall synoptic forcing suggests lower confidence in how widespread the most intense storms will be. See MCD#1729 for short-term information. Downstream, wind probabilities and CIG-1 have been expanded along a surface wind shift/buoyancy gradient into parts of northeast NE, IA and southern MN. Recent HRRR/RRFS time-lagged runs continue to show a strong cluster moving east and then southeastward this evening and into the overnight hours. Strong to severe gusts will remain possible with these storms given the large buoyancy. Farther north across MN, isolated storms, including supercell structures could support isolated hail or damaging gusts this evening. ...MT... Scattered to widespread high-based storms remain likely this afternoon and evening over central and southern MT. Steep-lapse rates in the lowest 3-5 km will support a risk for severe gusts. Some clustering may occur as storms spread eastward into this evening. No changes were made to the outlook, see the prior discussion. ..Lyons.. 07/25/2026 .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 1137 AM CDT Sat Jul 25 2026/ ...SD into adjacent parts of IA/MN... A prominent upper ridge centered over the central/southern Rockies will feature the southern periphery of appreciably strong mid to high-level flow extending from the Pacific Northwest across the northern High Plains and into the north-central states. Late morning surface analysis shows very hot temperatures ensuing across western NE into the western half of SD with richer moisture (surface dewpoints in the lower to mid 70s F) located over the eastern half of NE/SD. Visible-satellite imagery shows some mid to high clouds across northern WY moving towards the Black Hills. This patch of clouds appears associated with a weak disturbance forecast to move into western SD later this afternoon. Downstream across SD, forecast soundings show very steep surface to 500-mb lapse rates developing as temperatures rise into the 100s F. Expecting initially isolated to widely scattered storms to develop near the Black Hills, as convective temperatures are breached. Models show the gradual development of a cluster moving east across SD early this evening. Have increased severe-wind probabilities to account for observational and model-based trends towards an MCS capable of peak gusts in the 75-90 mph range. This activity will probably slowly weaken towards the MN/IA/SD border but perhaps continue into early overnight with a wind threat. ...MT... Isolated to scattered storms will likely form near the higher terrain of southern MT later this afternoon with a gradual increase in storm coverage as this moves east during the early evening. A hot and well-mixed boundary layer will support severe gusts with the stronger cores and associated outflow. There is some indication this activity will cluster and potentially reach parts of eastern/southeast MT by the late evening. ...Upper Midwest/Upper Great Lakes... Conditional severe potential exists across parts of the Upper Midwest spanning Minnesota to Upper Michigan into Wisconsin. Models continue to show low storm chances as mid-level heights rise through the late evening. Nonetheless, appreciable heating of a seasonably moist boundary layer will result in strong potential buoyancy later today into tonight. Elongated hodographs will support organized storms capable of a wind/hail threat. Given a muted diurnal storm signal in models, the greater chance for isolated storms appears to be associated with warm advection activity late tonight. ...Northeast NV/northern UT/eastern ID... Storm development is expected during the afternoon across parts of northeast Nevada, along the western periphery of the upper ridge. These storms will spread into adjacent parts of southeast Idaho and northwest Utah with time. Isolated severe gusts may accompany the stronger downdrafts. ...South-central/southeast AZ... High-based convection is again expected across southeast Arizona during the afternoon, with initial downburst potential. A modest enhancement to easterly flow along the southern periphery of the upper ridge may allow for localized strong to severe wind gusts to spread westward into parts of south-central Arizona, before convection weakens tonight. $$