340
FXUS63 KBIS 131807
AFDBIS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
107 PM CDT FRI MAR 13 2026
KEY MESSAGES
- MEDIUM TO HIGH CHANCES FOR SNOW SOUTHWEST TODAY, LOW TO MEDIUM
CHANCES NORTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL.
- SNOW DEVELOPS OVER MUCH OF THE AREA SATURDAY INTO EARLY
SUNDAY, WITH MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW AND THE GREATEST IMPACTS
POSSIBLE ALONG AND SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 94. GUSTY WINDS
DEVELOPING MAY CREATE BLOWING SNOW IMPACTS SATURDAY NIGHT
INTO SUNDAY.
- WELL BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES THIS WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT
WEEK, FOLLOWED BY A MODERATE TO STRONG WARMING TREND THROUGH
THE MIDDLE TO LATER PORTIONS OF NEXT WEEK.
UPDATE
ISSUED AT 1251 PM CDT FRI MAR 13 2026
FOR MID-DAY UPDATE ONLY CHANGE WAS TO STRETCH SNOW CHANCES A
LITTLE FURTHER INTO NORTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA AS SOME MODEST AREAS
OF SNOW HAVE BEEN PASSING THROUGH PER LATEST OBSERVATIONS.
REMAINDER OF FORECAST CONTINUES TO BE ON TRACK.
UPDATE
ISSUED AT 902 AM CDT FRI MAR 13 2026
FOR MID-MORNING UPDATE MAIN CHANGE WAS TO INCREASE SNOW CHANCE
OVER THE SOUTHWEST WHERE AREAS OF SNOW HAVE ALREADY DEVELOPED,
WITH A LITTLE ACCUMULATION SHOWING UP ON A FEW ROADS PER AREA
NDDOT WEBCAMS. HAVE ALSO BUMPED UP CLOUD COVER THROUGH THE DAY
AS MOST LOCATIONS LOOK TO STAY OVERCAST.
UPDATE
ISSUED AT 629 AM CDT FRI MAR 13 2026
NO MAJOR CHANGES TO THE FORECAST FOR THIS MORNING. SEE BELOW FOR
MORE DETAILED DISCUSSION AND UPDATED AVIATION SECTION.
DISCUSSION
ISSUED AT 440 AM CDT FRI MAR 13 2026
CURRENTLY, STRONG NORTHWEST FLOW WITH A 150KT UPPER LEVEL JET
ALOFT. RIDGE OF SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING SOUTH-SOUTHEAST
ACROSS THE WESTERN AND CENTRAL DAKOTAS THIS MORNING, WITH
DIMINISHING WINDS ACROSS THE LOCAL REGION. EARLIER DROPPED THE
REMAINING HIGH WIND WARNING AND WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY WITH THE
IMPROVING CONDITIONS. A CLOUDY SKY ACROSS THE REGION, WITH BOTH
LOW AND MID LEVEL BKN-OVC CLOUDS OVER WESTERN AND CENTRAL ND TO
START THE DAY.
EMBEDDED WAVE AND ITS ASSOCIATED SUBTLE SURFACE LOW TRACK EAST-
SOUTHEAST ACROSS MONTANA AND THROUGH WESTERN ND INTO NORTHERN
SOUTH DAKOTA TODAY AND THIS EVENING. COUPLED WITH UPPER LEVEL
JET DYNAMICS WE EXPECT SNOW TO DEVELOP ACROSS WESTERN INTO SOUTH
CENTRAL AREAS OF THE STATE, FOCUSED OVER THE SOUTHWEST WHERE THE
BEST FORCING COMBO IS PROJECTED OVER THE NEXT 12-24 HOURS. UP TO
AN INCH OR TWO OF SNOW IS CURRENTLY FORECAST OVER SOUTHWEST ND
THROUGH TONIGHT, WITH LESSER AMOUNTS AS YOU HEAD NORTH AND EAST.
MORE WIDESPREAD SNOW CHANCES THEN QUICKLY DEVELOP SATURDAY/SAT
NIGHT, WHEN AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH DIGS/AMPLIFIES INTO THE
NORTHERN AND CENTRAL ROCKIES IN RESPONSE TO FAVORABLE RIGHT
ENTRANCE/LEFT EXIT REGION JET DYNAMICS. AN ASSOCIATED LEE SIDE
SFC LOW DEVELOPS OVER EASTERN WYOMING/COLORADO SAT AM, THEN
DEVELOPS/DEEPENS EAST INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS BY SAT NIGHT. A
BROAD AREA OF STRONG DIVQ FORCING AND LOW/MID LEVEL
FRONTOGENSIS SETS UP ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE SFC LOW TRACK
DURING THE DAY SAT INTO SAT EVENING, WITH MODELS SHOWING A
NOTABLE NORTHWARD SHIFT TO BRINGING DECENT ACCUMULATING
SNOWFALL TO SOUTHERN AREAS OF THE STATE. GEFS AND EC ENSEMBLES
DEF SHIFTING NORTH, WITH PERCENT CHANCE OF AT LEAST 3" OF SNOW
NOW CLOSE TO 90% ALONG AND SOUTH OF I-94, AND PROBABILITIES FOR
AT LEAST 6" ALSO INCREASING, WITH NBM NOW AT 50-80% CHANCE OVER
MY SOUTHWEST AND FAR SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN JAMES VALLEY
(40-60% CHANCE FOR AT LEAST 8" FOR THIS SAME AREA). GIVEN THE
ABOVE MENTIONED CO-FORCING, SOME BANDED SNOW IS LIKELY, WHICH
MAY BE WHAT IS DRIVING SOME OF THE HIGHER ADVERTISED AMOUNTS.
ALSO EXPECT TO SEE WINDS INCREASING AS THE SFC LOW ORGANIZES
INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS, INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR BLOWING
SNOW IMPACTS. WITH THE ABOVE INFO AND AFTER COLLABORATION WITH
SURROUNDING OFFICES AND WPC, WE OPTED TO ISSUE A WINTER STORM
WATCH FOR ALL OF SOUTHWEST ND, AND ACROSS FAR SOUTH CENTRAL AND
THE SOUTHERN JAMES RIVER VALLEY SOUTH OF I-94 SAT MORNING
THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING. FUTURE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE WATCH ARE
POSSIBLE, AND/OR UPGRADES IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
THEREAFTER, A LARGE AND BROAD UPPER LEVEL RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE
IS FAVORED BY ENSEMBLES TO DEVELOP OVER THE WESTERN CONUS NEXT
WEEK, GRADUALLY MOVING EAST THROUGH THE WEEK. RAIN AND SNOW
CHANCES REMAIN FORECAST MONDAY AND TUESDAY DURING THE
TRANSITION FROM THE COLDER AIRMASS THIS WEEKEND TO THE WARMER
AIRMASS ASSOCIATED WITH THE UPPER RIDGE, FOLLOWED BY MAINLY DRY
WEATHER FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK. TEMPERATURES WILL MODERATE
NICELY AFTER MONDAY, WITH A STRONG WARMING TREND FAVORED TUE-THU
(WIDESPREAD HIGHS IN THE 50S AND 60S NEXT WEEK WED AND THU).
AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SATURDAY/
ISSUED AT 1251 PM CDT FRI MAR 13 2026
AREAS OF IFR WITH OCCASIONAL LIFR VISIBILITY IN SNOW WILL
REMAIN THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON OVER SOUTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA,
INCLUDING THE KDIK TERMINAL. MVFR WITH OCCASIONAL IFR CEILINGS
AND VISIBILITY WILL REMAIN OVER PARTS OF NORTHWEST INTO SOUTH
CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA THIS AFTERNOON, WITH IMPROVEMENT EARLY THIS
EVENING.
LATER TONIGHT, ANOTHER ROUND OF SNOW WILL PUSH INTO THE AREA
(MAINLY SOUTHERN PARTS OF NORTH DAKOTA) AND REMAIN INTO
SATURDAY. CONDITIONS WILL GRADUALLY DETERIORATE LATE TONIGHT
INTO SATURDAY MORNING FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST, LOWERING TO
IFR TO OCCASIONAL LIFR CONDITIONS, WITH THE WORST CONDITIONS
SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 94. OVER NORTHWEST AND NORTH CENTRAL NORTH
DAKOTA, MVFR TO VFR CEILINGS ARE EXPECTED.
BIS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
WINTER STORM WATCH FROM SATURDAY MORNING THROUGH SUNDAY
AFTERNOON FOR NDZ031>034-040>048-050-051.
UPDATE...JJS
DISCUSSION...NH
AVIATION...JJS
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