514  
FXUS63 KFGF 262013  
AFDFGF  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS ND  
313 PM CDT SUN APR 26 2026  
   
KEY MESSAGES
 
 
- WIDESPREAD RAINFALL IS FORECAST LATE SUNDAY INTO MONDAY. THERE  
IS A 70 PERCENT CHANCE FOR SOAKING RAINFALL OF 1 INCH OR MORE  
WITHIN FAR SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA INTO MINNESOTA.  
 

 
   
DISCUSSION
 
 
ISSUED AT 313 PM CDT SUN APR 26 2026  
   
..SYNOPSIS
 
 
A LARGE UPPER LEVEL LOW OVER THE CANADIAN PRAIRIES IS SLOWLY  
PULLING AWAY TO THE NORTH AND EAST. THIS LEAVES SOUTHWESTERLY  
FLOW ALOFT OVER THE REGION TODAY INTO TOMORROW. ONGOING  
CYCLOGENESIS IN THE LEE OF THE ROCKIES THIS AFTERNOON WILL BE  
THE SEED FOR A POWERFUL SYSTEM THAT WILL BRING WIDESPREAD  
PRECIPITATION TONIGHT INTO MONDAY. THEREAFTER, UPPER LEVEL FLOW  
TURNS NORTHWESTERLY, PUTTING US IN A DRY PATTERN WITH HIGH  
TEMPERATURES IN THE 50S EVERYDAY THROUGH THE END OF THE WORK  
WEEK. SHORTWAVE RIDGING LATE IN THE FORECAST PERIOD FROM FRIDAY  
INTO NEXT WEEKEND WILL BRING WARMER WEATHER, WITH WIDESPREAD  
HIGH TEMPERATURES IN THE 60S RETURNING.  
   
..WIDESPREAD RAINFALL TONIGHT INTO MONDAY
 
 
A LARGE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL PROPAGATE NORTHEASTWARD FROM KANSAS  
TO LAKE SUPERIOR OVER THE NEXT 36 HOURS. AS IT PASSES TO OUR SOUTH  
AND EAST, WE WILL FIND OURSELVES IN A REGION OF STEADY STRATIFORM  
PRECIPITATION. RAIN WILL START THIS EVENING IN THE SOUTH, SPREADING  
ACROSS ALL OF SOUTHEASTERN ND AND MN TONIGHT. THERE ARE STILL  
A FEW MODEL DIFFERENCES IN HOW FAR SOUTH/EAST THE LOW TRACKS,  
WHICH WILL DETERMINE WHERE THE CUT OFF IN HEAVIER RAIN VERSUS  
MUCH LIGHTER TOTALS SETS UP. RAIN WILL END FROM WEST TO EAST AS  
THE CENTER OF LOW PRESSURE QUICKLY TRACKS TO THE NORTH AND EAST  
MONDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING.  
 
RAINFALL TOTALS WILL VARY FROM NOTHING/SPRINKLES IN PARTS OF THE  
DEVILS LAKE BASIN TO OVER AN INCH IN OUR FAR EASTERN COUNTIES  
WHERE RESIDENCE TIME OF THE STEADIEST RAIN WILL BE LONGEST.  
PROBABILITIES FOR AN INCH OR MORE OF RAIN ARE HIGHEST IN WEST  
CENTRAL MN AT 70%. TOTALS WILL VARY MOST OVER SHORT DISTANCES ON  
THE WESTERN EDGE OF THE HEAVIEST RAIN, WHERE LITTLE SHIFTS IN  
THE SYSTEMS TRACK WILL MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN THE FINAL AMOUNT  
OF RAIN RECEIVED. THIS INCLUDES PLACES SUCH AS VALLEY CITY,  
GRAND FORKS, THIEF RIVER FALLS, AND ROSEAU.  
 
ADDITIONALLY, IT WILL BE BREEZY ON MONDAY. THE BEST PRESSURE  
RISES ARE TO OUR SOUTH, BUT WITH A 1025 MB HIGH OVER  
SASKATCHEWAN AND A NEAR 990 MB LOW IN SOUTHERN MN, THE PRESSURE  
GRADIENT SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO DRIVE WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH OR SO.  
FUTURE SHIFTS WILL NEED TO MONITOR IF A WIND ADVISORY IS NEEDED  
FOR ANY ZONES MONDAY MORNING AND AFTERNOON. RIGHT NOW, BASED ON  
THE WEAK TEMPERATURE ADVECTION, QUESTIONABLE MIXING DEPTH AND  
THE BULLSEYE OF PRESSURE RISES BEING OUTSIDE OUR CWA, DECIDED TO  
HOLD ON ISSUING ANY HEADLINES AT THIS TIME.  
 

 
   
AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z MONDAY/
 
 
ISSUED AT 1248 PM CDT SUN APR 26 2026  
 
WHILE WE HAVE VFR TO START THE TAF PERIOD, IT WILL NOT LAST.  
OVERNIGHT, CEILINGS WILL LOWER, RAIN WILL BEGIN, AND  
VISIBILITIES WILL DROP. AFTER SUNSET, EXPECT CEILINGS TO DROP  
INTO MVFR, THEN IFR WHICH WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE END OF THE  
TAF PERIOD. WINDS WILL ALSO PICK UP SIGNIFICANTLY ON MONDAY,  
WITH GUSTS OUT OF THE NORTH OVER 30 KNOTS AT TIMES BY LATE  
MONDAY MORNING. THERE IS UNCERTAINTY LATE IN THE TAF PERIOD IF  
RAIN WILL CONTINUE OR IF IT CLEARS OUT A BIT FASTER. IF RAIN  
CLEARS OUT FASTER, VISIBILITIES WOULD IMPROVE QUICKER, BUT ITS  
UNLIKELY CEILINGS WOULD CHANGE MUCH.  
 

 
   
FGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
 
 
ND...NONE.  
MN...NONE.  
 

 
 

 
 
DISCUSSION...RAFFERTY  
AVIATION...RAFFERTY  
 
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