170  
FXUS63 KFGF 201052  
AFDFGF  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS ND  
552 AM CDT SUN APR 20 2025  
   
KEY MESSAGES  
 
- NEAR CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED THIS  
AFTERNOON.  
 
 
   
DISCUSSION  
 
ISSUED AT 247 AM CDT SUN APR 20 2025  
   
..SYNOPSIS  
 
SPLIT FLOW ALOFT WITH THE SOUTHERN BRANCH UPPER LOW PASSING BY  
TO OUR SOUTHEAST TODAY AND THEN OFF INTO MN/WI TONIGHT. PRESSURE  
GRADIENT ACROSS THE CWA TIGHTENING THIS MORNING AS A SURFACE  
TROUGH PUSHES INTO CENTRAL ND, BUT THEN RELAXING AGAIN TONIGHT  
AS THAT TROUGH WASHES OUT. BRIEF UPPER RIDGING BETWEEN SYSTEMS  
TOMORROW, THEN ANOTHER TROUGH MOVING INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS  
MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY. THIS ONE TAKING A MORE NORTHERLY  
TRACK FROM THE DAKOTAS INTO MANITOBA AND ONTARIO, BRINGING  
SOME PRECIPITATION. IMPACTS LOOK LOW WITH NOTHING STANDING OUT  
FROM CLIMATOLOGY, AND PROBABILITIES FOR OVER HALF AN INCH OF QPF  
LESS THAN 30 PERCENT. BROAD TROUGH ACROSS THE REGION ON  
THURSDAY, THEN BRIEF NORTHWESTERLY FLOW ON FRIDAY BEFORE RIDGING  
RETURNS ON SATURDAY.  
   
..FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS THIS AFTERNOON  
 
EXPECTING AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES TO GET WARMER THAN YESTERDAY,  
WITH HIGHS CLIMBING INTO THE UPPER 50S TO MID 60S. GOOD MIXING  
WILL BE COMPETING WITH SOME WEAK MOISTURE ADVECTION, BRINGING  
DEW POINTS IN THE 20S TO LOW 30S. AFTERNOON RH VALUES COULD DROP  
BELOW 25 PERCENT, PARTICULARLY IN THE FAR WESTERN CWA AS WELL AS  
PORTIONS OF NORTHWESTERN MN. WINDS WILL PICK UP OUT OF THE SOUTH  
AND COULD GET INTO THE 20 TO 25 MPH RANGE, PARTICULARLY IN THE  
RED RIVER VALLEY DURING LATE MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON. THE  
ISSUE WILL BE THAT BY THE TIME PEAK HEATING AND LOWEST RHS HIT  
LATE AFTERNOON, THE WINDS WILL BE STARTING TO SLACK OFF A BIT AS  
THE GRADIENT RELAXES. THERE IS A JOINT PROBABILITY OF 50  
PERCENT FOR RH VALUES LESS THAN 25 PERCENT AND WINDS OVER 20 MPH  
IN THE NORTHERN RED RIVER VALLEY. HOWEVER, NEED 25 MPH IN THAT  
AREA FOR RED FLAG. THE HIGHEST WINDS CURRENTLY LOOK TO BE WHERE  
THERE IS THE HIGHEST AFTERNOON RH VALUES NEAR 30 PERCENT. WITH  
THAT, WILL KEEP THE NEAR CRITICAL MESSAGING GOING, WITH AN SPS  
FOR THE MN COUNTIES AND MENTION IN THE HWO FOR THE ND SIDE.  
 
 
   
AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z MONDAY/  
 
ISSUED AT 552 AM CDT SUN APR 20 2025  
 
VFR CONDITIONS WITH MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES AND ONLY SOME HIGH CLOUDS  
MOVING INTO WEST CENTRAL MN THIS MORNING. CURRENTLY SOME LOW  
LEVEL WIND SHEAR FOR THE NEXT FEW HOURS, BUT SHOULD END BY 15Z  
OR BEFORE AS WINDS PICK UP AT THE SURFACE AND THE UPPER WINDS  
DECREASE. GUSTS FROM THE SOUTH AT 25 KTS OR GREATER WILL BE  
POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON. WINDS WILL DECREASE A BIT AROUND  
SUNSET, REMAINING MOSTLY SOUTHEASTERLY.  
 
 
   
FGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES  
 
ND...NONE.  
MN...NONE.  
 
 
 
 
 
DISCUSSION...JR  
AVIATION...JR  
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