513  
FXUS63 KBIS 020921  
AFDBIS  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND  
421 AM CDT THU JUL 2 2026  
   
KEY MESSAGES
 
 
- ISOLATED TO SCATTERED MORNING THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO PASS  
THROUGH THE AREA, SEVERE WEATHER NOT EXPECTED WITH THESE  
STORMS.  
 
- SCATTERED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE THEN LIKELY THIS AFTERNOON  
AND EVENING, THOUGH TIMING IS A BIT IN QUESTION. THE MAIN  
EXPECTED HAZARDS INCLUDE HAIL UP TO 2 INCHES IN DIAMETER AND  
DAMAGING WINDS UP TO 80 MPH, WITH A TORNADO POSSIBLE.  
 
- MEDIUM CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS FRIDAY THROUGH  
FRIDAY NIGHT, WITH A LOW RISK FOR ISOLATED SEVERE  
THUNDERSTORMS. LOW TO MEDIUM SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM CHANCES  
REMAIN IN THE FORECAST AT TIMES THROUGH THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND.  
 
- HIGHS MAINLY IN THE 80S EXPECTED THROUGH INDEPENDENCE DAY,  
WITH 90S ON SUNDAY.  
 

 
   
DISCUSSION
 
 
ISSUED AT 244 AM CDT THU JUL 2 2026  
 
CURRENT SURFACE ANALYSIS PLACES LOW TO THE SOUTHWEST OF THE  
BLACK HILLS. UPPER LEVEL ANALYSIS PLACES BROAD LOW OVER BRITISH  
COLUMBIA, WITH TROUGH DROPPING DOWN INTO THE WESTERN CONUS,  
WHILE BROAD HIGH REMAINS OVER THE SOUTHEASTERN CONUS. OUR AREA  
REMAINS IN SOUTHWEST FLOW WITH A VARIETY OF SHORT WAVES NOTED.  
CURRENTLY, A MODEST SHORT WAVE SLIDING THROUGH THE REGION IS  
PRODUCING THUNDERSTORMS NOW SLIDING THROUGH WESTERN NORTH  
DAKOTA.  
 
FOR THIS MORNING, AFOREMENTIONED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO  
MOVE EAST-NORTHEAST AS THE SHORT WAVE CONTINUES ON ITS WAY.  
CAMS HAVE GREATLY STRUGGLED WITH COMING TO A SOLUTION WITH THESE  
STORMS, AND CONTINUE TO DO SO. WITH THAT SAID, IF ANYTHING WERE  
TO BECOME SEVERE BELIEVE IT WOULD BE ON THE SOUTHERN END WHICH  
IS NOW NEAR THE SOUTH DAKOTA BORDER WHERE THE GREATEST  
INSTABILITY IS NOTED AND SOME OF THE STORMS HAVE PULSED UP OVER  
THE PAST HOUR OR TWO. FURTHER NORTH, STORMS HAVE BEEN MAINLY  
PRODUCING WIND GUSTS TO AROUND 40 MPH.  
 
FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING, ELEVATED MOISTURE WILL CONTINUE  
TO LIFT INTO THE AREA AHEAD OF AFOREMENTIONED SURFACE LOW. CAPE  
VALUES INCREASE TO AROUND 2000-2500 J/KG IN THE AFTERNOON, AND  
DEEP LAYER SHEAR VALUES WILL BE ELEVATED AT ABOUT 40-50KTS. WITH  
THIS ALL SAID, STORM TIMING REMAINS THE BIG QUESTION AS CAMS  
AGAIN CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE WITH INITIATION. ANOTHER PROBLEM  
ADDED TO THIS WOULD BE HOW THIS MORNINGS CONVECTION WILL ALSO  
AFFECT THE INITIATION. WITH THAT ALL SAID, STILL EXPECT SEVERE  
STORMS TO DEVELOP SOMETIME THIS AFTERNOON/EVENING POSSIBLY  
INITIATING AS SUPERCELLS WITH A DOMINATE HAIL THREAT THEN  
EVOLVING INTO CLUSTERS/BOWING SEGMENTS. SPC HAS BUMPED UP A  
BROAD AREA OF SOUTH CENTRAL ND (GENERALLY EAST OF BISMARCK AND  
ALONG/SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 94 INCLUDING JAMESTOWN) TO AN ENHANCED  
RISK (LEVEL 3 OF 5) FOR SEVERE WEATHER FOCUSED MAINLY ON THE  
POTENTIAL WIND THREAT ONCE STORMS EVOLVE INTO THE  
CLUSTERS/BOWING SEGMENTS. MOST REMAINING AREAS (MINUS FAR NORTH  
CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA) REMAIN IN THE SLIGHT RISK (LEVEL 2 OF 5).  
 
ON FRIDAY, CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND STORMS AGAIN ENTER THE  
FORECAST, PARTICULARLY IN THE AFTERNOON/EVENING HOURS. SOME  
QUESTIONS COME INTO PLAY WITH HOW PRECIPITATION EVOLVES, AS  
MODELS INDICATE SOME MODEST MID-LEVEL RIDGING OCCURRING BUT THEN  
A SHORT WAVE SLIDES THROUGH (AGAIN, TIMING IS A BIT TRICKY). IN  
ADDITION, THE AMOUNT OF DEEP LAYER SHEAR APPEARS TO BE QUITE  
LIMITED, THOUGH THERE WILL BE ENOUGH INSTABILITY FOR POSSIBLY A  
FEW ISOLATED STORMS THAT COULD BRIEFLY PULSE UP TO SEVERE  
LIMITS.  
 
ON SATURDAY MODEST RIDGING DEVELOPS OVER THE AREA. SOME  
SHOWERS/STORMS MAY LINGER FROM THE OVERNIGHT INTO THE MORNING  
OVER THE EAST, BUT THEN LOOKS TO BE AN OVERALL QUIET DAY WITH  
POSSIBLY A FEW STRAY LIGHT SHOWERS OR STORMS. HIGHS WILL BE  
MAINLY IN THE 80S, WITH POSSIBLY A FEW SPOTS TOUCHING 90. SUNDAY  
LOOKS TO BE THE HOTTEST DAY WITH RIDGE PASSING OVER, WITH MOST  
LOCATIONS EXPECTED TO BE IN THE 90S.  
 
FOR THE BEGINNING INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE UPCOMING WEEK, A BROAD  
HIGH ATTEMPTS TO SET UP OVER THE SOUTHERN/CENTRAL PLAINS, BUT  
FOR OUR AREA ON THE NORTHERN EDGE WE LOOK TO END UP IN A  
PATTERN WITH VARIOUS WAVES PUSHING THROUGH THE RIDGE FROM TIME  
TO TIME, KEEPING SHOWER/STORM CHANCES IN OUR FORECAST.  
TEMPERATURES LOOK TO REMAIN ABOVE AVERAGE.  
 

 
   
AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z FRIDAY/
 
 
ISSUED AT 1241 AM CDT THU JUL 2 2026  
 
THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO PUSH INTO WESTERN NORTH DAKOTA  
FROM MONTANA AROUND 07-08Z, THEN CONTINUE SLIDING TO THE EAST.  
THERE IS SOME QUESTION AS TO WHETHER THESE STORMS WILL  
DISSIPATE, OR CONTINUE PUSHING EAST THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING  
HOURS. SMOKE ALOFT COULD REMAIN THICKER THROUGHOUT THE FORECAST  
PERIOD, BUT IS NOT EXPECTED TO REDUCE SURFACE VISIBILITY BELOW  
VFR LEVELS AT THIS TIME. CLUSTERS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS  
ARE FORECAST TO DEVELOP THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE INTO THE  
EVENING. SOME STORMS MAY BE SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL AND +50 KT  
WIND GUSTS. ANY STORM WILL BE CAPABLE OF HEAVY DOWNPOURS BRIEFLY  
REDUCING VISIBILITY TO AT LEAST IFR LEVELS.  
 

 
   
BIS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
 
 
NONE.  
 

 
 

 
 
DISCUSSION...JJS  
AVIATION...JJS  
 
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