


Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Sioux Falls, SD
Issued by NWS Sioux Falls, SD
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324 FXUS63 KFSD 050330 AFDFSD Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD 1030 PM CDT Fri Jul 4 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... - Low, but non-zero risk that an isolated strong storm could develop during the overnight hours, with gusty winds being the main threat. - Pockets of heavy rain could accompany storms into Saturday morning. The risk for widespread flash flooding is low, but localized urban flooding is possible. - Additional chances for showers/storms focused on Saturday and next Monday night-Tuesday. Some stronger storms are possible early next week, but details are uncertain. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 205 PM CDT Fri Jul 4 2025 This Evening and Overnight: Mid afternoon WV imagery shows short wave lifting northeastward with a trough axis draped through the central Dakotas down into western Nebraska. These two features have already been the focus of thunderstorm development today and should continue to be so with eastward extent through the evening hours, perhaps aided further late this evening by the arrival of the primary front. Deep layer shear is weak, denoted by both 0-6km shear and EBWD of <20 kts and thus any organization to thunderstorms will be minimal and likely more of a multicell variety. While a lack of shear and rather warm mid levels should limit the hail risk, enough instability exists for a storm to briefly pulse to marginally severe hail levels during initial development. Thereafter, damaging wind gusts to around 60 mph will be the primary risk through the evening with DCAPE values hovering around 1000 J/kg. This is all obviously in addition to lightning which should be of an equal concern for those with outdoor celebrations/activities. A secondary threat to consider that was well discussed in the previous forecast discussion is for locally heavy rain. PWAT sit AOA the 90th percentile of climatology via recent observed RAOBs at OAX and ABR. Additionally, a deep warm cloud layer in excess of 4000m should allow for efficient rain rates in any more persistent storm clusters. While any heavier rain amounts should be highly localized, PMM/LPMM from the HREF show potential for an isolated amount exceeding 2 inches. In terms of timing of thunderstorms, storms will continue through central South Dakota through the afternoon, into the James River Valley by early to mid evening (6 to 9pm) and then into the 1-29 corridor by late evening (9pm to midnight). A secondary wave pivots through the base of the shortwave trough late tonight and very well could keep shower and storm activity lingering across SW MN and NW IA into Saturday morning. Saturday: This previously mentioned strung out vorticity ribbon through the base of the trough lingers east of I-29 through much of Saturday and could keep precipitation chances around, especially by midday through the afternoon/early evening as daytime heating again pushes MLCAPE values as high as 1000-1500 J/kg. Deep layer shear again not supportive of organized severe weather although a storm or two may pulse near the strong category. Temperatures largely in the 80s with apparent temperatures approaching 90 across the Hwy 20 corridor of NW IA where a better overlap of warmer temperatures and moist dewpoints remains. Sunday: A wave pushing into eastern MT/WY Saturday is expected to result in an eastward moving MCS that may approach our western coverage area by the daybreak hours Sunday morning. While an unfavorable diurnal period will likely result in its demise by the time it reaches the James River Valley we`ll wait to see what, if any, convective contamination it leaves behind for the remainder of the day. Monday through Thursday: Fairly zonal flow to start the next work week, eventually transitioning to ridging through the Central US by midweek. A quick moving wave late Monday could bring additional thunderstorm chances with overall pattern recognition and ML probabilities highlighting at least some severe weather risk. Another chance of storms may arrive late Thursday as aforementioned ridging begins to break down. Temperatures in the 80s to lower 90s are currently expected for this period. && .AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z SUNDAY/... Issued at 1030 PM CDT Fri Jul 4 2025 Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms will effect areas from the Interstate 29 corridor and eastward during the night, though shifting to the east toward 12Z. Heavier showers and storms could drop visibilities into the IFR range. Guidance suggests that ceilings will lower late tonight, before lifting late Saturday morning. Additional showers and thunderstorms may develop again on Saturday afternoon - mainly from the Interstate 29 corridor and eastward. A frontal boundary will work across the region tonight into Saturday, with southerly winds transitioning from southerly to northwesterly behind the front. && .FSD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SD...None. MN...None. IA...None. NE...None. && $$ DISCUSSION...Kalin AVIATION...JM