


Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Sioux Falls, SD
Issued by NWS Sioux Falls, SD
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992 FXUS63 KFSD 021128 AFDFSD Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD 628 AM CDT Sat Aug 2 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... - Areas of smoke will continue to cause impact visibility and air quality at times through the weekend. - Periodic chances for showers and thunderstorm expand east tonight and Sunday, then continue through early next week. Severe weather chances are low this weekend, with isolated strong to severe storms possible Monday. - Below normal temperatures continue through early next week. Warmer air and increasing humidity return mid-late week. - Unsettled pattern continues mid-late week. Could see a greater severe threat at times from Tuesday night, but confidence in storm chances is low from Wednesday onward. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 342 AM CDT Sat Aug 2 2025 TODAY-SUNDAY: Weak MCV over north central SD early this morning with weakening showers/storms trying to swing into our western counties. Could see spotty showers/isolated storms generally west of a Huron-Lake Andes line through mid morning, but this activity should diminish as the MCV lifts northeast into North Dakota. Expect dry conditions to dominate the late morning-afternoon, but a trailing wave could trigger additional showers/storms in central South Dakota this evening. Seeing decent agreement in high-res models in this activity increasing in coverage as the wave slides across southeast South Dakota later tonight into Sunday morning, aided by low level warm advection and a modest low level jet. With weak mid-level lapse rates & little shear, severe weather is not expected. However, may have to watch for pockets of heavy rain as HREF LPMM precipitation indicates a potential for localized 1-2+" amounts late tonight/early Sunday between the James River Valley and I-29. Later Sunday is a little more uncertain regarding placement and exact timing of rain chances, but with the mid-upper level trough lingering over eastern North Dakota, any subtle waves swinging through the base of the trough could keep scattered showers/storms in play through the afternoon and overnight. At this time, the severe weather threat remains low during this period. Temperatures look to remain 5-10F below normal for early August with highs mostly in the 70s this weekend. MONDAY-TUESDAY NIGHT: The stagnant upper trough in eastern North Dakota begins to lift northeast Monday as an upper ridge begins to build eastward into the Plains. Though still slightly below normal, temperatures begin an upward swing and southerly flow will support increasing low level humidity. As a result, will see greater instability by Monday afternoon, with some uptick in deep layer shear in response to stronger mid-upper level winds ahead of the building ridge. Thus cannot rule out a few pulsy strong to severe storms, with isolated large hail and damaging winds as the primary threats. A stronger mid-level wave looks to swing east across the Dakotas and Nebraska Tuesday-Tuesday night, resulting in 30-40kt of deep layer shear. This coupled with steepening mid level lapse rates could support some strong-severe storms Tuesday afternoon and evening, though timing and location are still uncertain. WEDNESDAY-FRIDAY: Mid-late week looks to remain unsettled over the northern Plains as various waves traverse through moderate west-southwest flow in the mid-upper levels. Difficult to pinpoint favored location/timing of storm chances, and it is possible the greater chances may be focused just north of our forecast area with the upper level jet closer to the Canadian border. Warmer and more humid air does return through this period with highs pushing back into the 80s to mid 90s. While this will lead to greater instability with steep mid-level lapse rates, forecast soundings also show a fairly stout capping inversion. Would likely take a stronger wave/boundary to break through the cap and NBM pops reflect this with sub-30% chances for most locations south of Highway 14 through this period. && .AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z SUNDAY/... Issued at 628 AM CDT Sat Aug 2 2025 Showers and a few thunderstorms west of US Highway 81 at the start of the period should weaken through 17Z, but could impact KHON with brief MVFR visibility. Additional showers and storms develop across central and eastern South Dakota during the late afternoon and evening, working across the I-29 corridor and into portions of southwest MN/northwest IA late in this TAF period. Occasional MVFR-locally IFR visibility will be possible with this activity which could contain brief heavy downpours. Aside from any showers/storms, occasional MVFR visibility in FU from Canadian wildfires will continue to impact the forecast area at times through this TAF period and beyond into the day Sunday. && .FSD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SD...None. MN...None. IA...None. NE...None. && $$ DISCUSSION...JH AVIATION...JH