892  
FXUS63 KBIS 172343  
AFDBIS  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND  
643 PM CDT FRI JUL 17 2026  
   
KEY MESSAGES
 
 
- SEASONABLY WARM TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED SATURDAY WITH HOT  
CONDITIONS RETURNING SUNDAY.  
 
- TEMPERATURES ARE FAVORED TO FALL CLOSER TO NORMAL NEXT WEEK,  
WITH FORECAST HIGHS MOSTLY IN THE 80S.  
 

 
   
UPDATE
 
 
ISSUED AT 643 PM CDT FRI JUL 17 2026  
 
SHOWERS THAT WERE PRESENT IN THE SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL  
HAVE GENERALLY MOVED INTO SOUTH DAKOTA, THOUGH ARE ALSO IN THE  
PROCESS OF DISSIPATING. ALL IN ALL, THE FORECAST REMAINS ON  
TRACK.  
 

 
   
DISCUSSION
 
 
ISSUED AT 250 PM CDT FRI JUL 17 2026  
 
CURRENTLY THE LARGE UPPER LEVEL RIDGE CONTINUES OVER THE  
WESTERN UNITED STATES. THIS RIDGE IS CARRYING UPPER LEVEL  
MONSOON MOISTURE FROM ARIZONA, THROUGH THE NORTHERN ROCKIES, AND  
OVER THROUGH THE DAKOTAS. THIS MOISTURE HAS BROUGHT IN ELEVATED  
SHOWERS INTO SOUTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA THIS MORNING, AND THEY NOW  
CONTINUE IN THE SOUTH CENTRAL. ALONG WITH THESE SHOWERS IS A  
LARGE AREA OF MID LEVEL CLOUDS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE  
STATE. THESE CLOUDS ARE PROHIBITING ANYMORE DIURNAL HEATING, AND  
MOST OF THE SOUTH IS STUCK IN THE UPPER 70S. THIS AREA WILL  
LIKELY NOT HIT THE NBM HIGH OF THE LOWER 90S.  
 
THIS WEEKEND THE VERY HOT RIDGE WILL CONTINUE, LEADING TO HIGH  
TEMPERATURES BACK IN THE LOWER 100S BY SUNDAY. SATURDAY NIGHT A  
VERY VERY SLIGHT SHORTWAVE COULD FORM OFF THE MONTANA MOUNTAINS  
AND BRING SOME SHOWERS TO THE STATE. THE NBM CHANCES HAVE  
REALLY BACKOFF ON THEM THIS MORNING, AND THAT IS NICELY  
REFLECTED IN THE GLOBAL MODELS AS WELL. SUNDAY THE RIDGE AXIS  
MOVES DIRECTLY OVER NORTH DAKOTA, BRINGING THE WARMEST  
TEMPERATURES OF THE WEEKEND IN. EXPECTS HIGHS ALONG AND WEST OF  
THE MISSOURI RIVER TO BE IN THE LOWER 100S. WE WILL LIKELY NEED  
A HEAT ADVISORY FOR SUNDAY. ELSEWHERE WILL BE IN THE LOWER TO  
MID 90S. SUNDAY EVENING AND NIGHT A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL SWEEP  
THROUGH, LEADING TO A VERY BREEZY MONDAY. FROM THIS, THE NORTH  
ON MONDAY WILL BE COOLER IN THE UPPER 70S AND LOWER 80S, WHILE  
THE SOUTH WILL STAY IN THE 90S. SINCE THE STATE HAS HAD VERY  
LITTLE RAIN AND VERY HOT TEMPERATURES, THE GRASSES HAVE STARTED  
TO BROWN. WITH THE POTENTIAL OF 40 MILE PER HOUR NORTHWEST  
WINDS, THE BROWN GRASS, AND LOW HUMIDITIES, WE HAVE STARTED TO  
MESSAGE NEAR-CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS ACROSS THE  
SOUTHWEST ON MONDAY.  
 
FOR THE REST OF NEXT WEEK, THE WARMING TREND WILL RESTART AFTER  
TUESDAY. TUESDAY THE UPPER LEVEL PATTERN TURNS TO THE NORTHWEST,  
LEADING TO THE COOLEST DAY OF THE WEEK. EXPECT HIGHS IN THE MID  
70S NORTH TO LOWER 80S SOUTH. THE REST OF THE WEEK THE RIDGE  
BUILDS BACK IN, STARTING THE WARMING TREND ALL OVER AGAIN.  
TEMPERATURES COULD RETURN TO THE UPPER 90S BY NEXT WEEK. THE NBM  
PERCENTILE RANGES ARE STARTING TO HINT AT THAT BY NEXT FRIDAY.  
 

 
   
AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z SUNDAY/
 
 
ISSUED AT 643 PM CDT FRI JUL 17 2026  
 
VFR CEILINGS AND VISIBILITY ARE GENERALLY EXPECTED THROUGH THE  
PERIOD. HOWEVER, MODELS DO HINT AT SOME PATCHY FOG POTENTIALLY  
DEVELOPING TONIGHT, MAINLY EAST OF HIGHWAY 83. THERE MAY BE  
INCREASING NEAR-SURFACE SMOKE TONIGHT AND ESPECIALLY SATURDAY.  
HOWEVER, CONCENTRATIONS AT THIS TIME DO NOT APPEAR TO BE ENOUGH  
TO DROP BELOW VFR VISIBILITY.  
 

 
   
BIS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
 
 
NONE.  
 

 
 

 
 
UPDATE...TELKEN  
DISCUSSION...SMITH  
AVIATION...TELKEN  
 
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