134
FXUS63 KFGF 082358
AFDFGF
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS ND
658 PM CDT SUN MAR 8 2026
KEY MESSAGES
- PATTERN REMAINS ACTIVE WITH MULTIPLE CHANCES FOR ACCUMULATING
SNOW.
UPDATE
ISSUED AT 658 PM CDT SUN MAR 8 2026
INCREASED CLOUD COVER A BIT AS THERE HAS BEEN MORE MID AND HIGH
CLOUDS EVEN SOUTH OF THE MAIN FRONTAL BOUNDARY JUST NORTH OF THE
INTERNATIONAL BORDER. EVEN WITH CLOUDS IN AND OUT, SOUTHWEST
WINDS AND WARM AIR ADVECTION HAVE BOOSTED READINGS INTO THE
LOWER 60S IN SOUTHEASTERN ND.
DISCUSSION
ISSUED AT 119 PM CDT SUN MAR 8 2026
..SYNOPSIS
A SURFACE LOW EXISTS ONCE MORE OVER SOUTHERN SASKATCHEWAN THIS
AFTERNOON WITH AN ATTACHED WARM FRONT JUST EAST OF BISMARCK AT
THIS POINT IN TIME. AN ADDITIONAL TEMPERATURE GRADIENT FROM
DIFFERENTIAL SNOW COVER EXISTS OVER THE DEVILS LAKE BASIN DOWN
THROUGH THE CENTRAL RED RIVER VALLEY. ALOFT, LOW-LEVEL WARM AIR
ADVECTION IS CONTRIBUTING TO CLOUD COVERAGE AND LIGHT RAIN ALONG
THE INTERNATIONAL BORDER AND WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH EASTWARD
ALONG WITH THE MAIN SURFACE LOW. WARMER TEMPERATURES SHOULD
SPREAD FURTHER EASTWARD AS THIS OCCURS, BRINGING HIGHS GENERALLY
INTO THE UPPER 50S TO LOW 60S SOUTH OF I-94 WITH GENERALLY
40S-50S NORTH.
AS THE LOW CONTINUES TO PUSH EAST-SOUTHEAST, A MAIN SWEEPING
COLD FRONT WILL DIVE SOUTHWARD BRINGING COLDER TEMPERATURES
BEHIND IT THIS EVENING. IT IS LIKELY THAT SCATTERED SHOWERS WILL
BE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS. QPF LOOKS TO BE FAIRLY LIGHT SO THE
IMPACTS WILL REMAIN LIMITED. AS WE PROGRESS INTO TOMORROW,
EXPECT RELATIVELY COOLER TEMPERATURES TO REPLACE TODAYS NICE
DAY.
..EXTENDED THROUGH NEXT WEEKEND
THE PERIOD WILL REMAIN ACTIVE WITH HIGHLY AMPLIFIED FLOW ACROSS
THE CONUS. WE REMAIN SITUATED IN THE NORTHERN PERIPHERY OF A
VERY LARGE CUTOFF LOW WITH 500MB FLOW APPROACHING 100 KNOTS.
THIS IS CONTRIBUTING TO OUR FREQUENT CHANGES IN TEMPERATURE AND
FREQUENT CHANCES FOR LIGHT PRECIPITATION. WE ARE STUCK IN THIS
PATTERN BECAUSE OF A LOW OVER THE BAJA OF CALIFORNIA CURRENTLY
ROTATING ON ITS OWN. THERE IS HIGH CONFIDENCE THAT THIS WILL
EVENTUALLY KICK OUT NORTHEASTWARD, BUT UNTIL THEN EXPECT MORE OF
THESE QUICK MOVING EVENTS AND OSCILLATIONS IN TEMPERATURE.
THE FIRST CHANCE FOR PRECIPITATION AFTER TODAY WILL BE TUESDAY
AS STRONG FRONTOGENESIS WORKS EASTWARD EMBEDDED WITHIN THE FLOW.
CYCLONIC VORTICITY ADVECTION ISN'T PARTICULARLY STRONG, BUT THE
STRONG MESOSCALE FORCING SHOULD CREATE SOME UNORGANIZED BANDING
OF SNOWFALL ACROSS OUR SOUTH. DUE TO THE MESOSCALE NATURE OF
THIS, THERE IS HIGH UNCERTAINTY IN THE LOCATION OF THIS, BUT IT
DOES APPEAR LIKE ACCUMULATING SNOW WILL BE LIKELY SOMEWHERE IN
THE SOUTHERN HALF OF OUR AREA. MOISTURE CONTENT IS FAIRLY LIGHT
SO THE REASONABLE WORST CASE SCENARIO WOULD BE AREAS RECEIVING
UP TO 4 INCHES OF SNOW, BUT THE MOST LIKELY RANGE IS BETWEEN 0
AND 3 INCHES OF SNOWFALL. IF SYNOPTIC FORCING DOES IMPROVE,
HOWEVER, THEN THESE TOTALS COULD GO UP. REGARDLESS OF THIS, IT
IS NOT A GUARANTEE THAT AREAS WILL RECEIVE SNOW GIVEN THE
MESOSCALE BANDING NATURE AS STATED ABOVE, SO STAY TUNED FOR
FURTHER UPDATES.
WE FINALLY START TO SEE THE CUTOFF LOW OVER THE SOUTHWEST KICK
OUT, WHICH WILL FORCE RIDGING TO DEVELOP TO OUR WEST. THIS
BRINGS WITH IT THE CHANCE FOR A CLIPPER SYSTEM THAT LOOKS TO
DEEPEN AS IT PROGRESSES EASTWARD. THIS BRINGS THE THREAT FOR
ACCUMULATING SNOW WITH THE WARM AIR ADVECTION REGION AHEAD OF
THE MAIN LOW AND GUSTY WINDS ON THE BACKSIDE, BUT ANY BLOWING
SNOW IMPACTS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO COME FROM EITHER FALLING SNOW
(LOW PREDICTABILITY) OR SNOW ON THE GROUND WHICH SHOULD BE
EXTREMELY CRUSTED OVER SO THIS IS VERY UNLIKELY TO CAUSE ANY
ISSUES AS WELL. AS SUCH, THE PROBABILITY FOR WARNING TYPE
IMPACTS IS VERY LOW WITH ONLY A LOW CHANCE FOR ADVISORY IMPACTS,
WHICH SHOULD MAINLY ARISE FROM ACCUMULATING SNOW.
FINALLY, THERE IS A STRONG ENSEMBLE AGREEMENT FOR A SYSTEM NEXT
WEEKEND BUT WITH VERY LOW PREDICTABILITY IN IMPACTS BASED ON
MODEL SPREAD IN LOCATION. RIGHT NOW, STAY TUNED AS THIS ONE
WOULD HAVE THE BEST SHOT FOR HIGHER MOISTURE CONTENT BASED ON
THE UPPER FLOW PATTERN, WHICH DOES CREATE THE POTENTIAL FOR
ADDITIONAL ACCUMULATING SNOW IMPACTS.
AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z TUESDAY/
ISSUED AT 658 PM CDT SUN MAR 8 2026
VFR CONDITIONS CONTINUE WITH MAINLY MID AND HIGH CLOUDS MOVING
IN FROM THE WEST. SOME RAIN SHOWERS POSSIBLE LATER THIS EVENING AT
ALL OF THE MORE NORTHERLY AIRPORTS AS A COLD FRONT DROPS DOWN.
WILL CONTINUE TO INCLUDE PROB30 MENTION FOR ALL EXCEPT KFAR FOR
THESE SHOWERS. THE FRONT WILL SHIFT WINDS TO THE NORTHWEST,
REMAINING FAIRLY BREEZY AND WITH SOME LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR AS
WINDS OFF THE DECK WILL SHIFT A BIT FASTER THAN THE SURFACE
FLOW. SOME GUSTS TO OVER 20 KTS WILL REMAIN INTO THE OVERNIGHT,
THEN START TO DIMINISH A BIT LATER IN THE PERIOD. SOME MVFR
CEILINGS WILL START TO MOVE INTO SOME LOCATIONS BEHIND THE FRONT
FOR A TIME TOMORROW, ALTHOUGH EXACT TIMING IS STILL A BIT
UNCERTAIN.
FGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
ND...NONE.
MN...NONE.
UPDATE...JR
DISCUSSION...PERROUX
AVIATION...JR
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