791  
ACUS11 KWNS 162211  
SWOMCD  
SPC MCD 162211  
NDZ000-170015-  
 
MESOSCALE DISCUSSION 1635  
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK  
0511 PM CDT THU JUL 16 2026  
 
AREAS AFFECTED...NORTH-CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA  
 
CONCERNING...SEVERE POTENTIAL...WATCH POSSIBLE  
 
VALID 162211Z - 170015Z  
 
PROBABILITY OF WATCH ISSUANCE...40 PERCENT  
 
SUMMARY...THE THREAT FOR AT LEAST ISOLATED OCCURRENCES OF LARGE HAIL  
AND SEVERE WIND GUSTS IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE THIS EVENING.  
CONVECTIVE TRENDS ARE BEING MONITORED FOR A POSSIBLE SEVERE  
THUNDERSTORM WATCH.  
 
DISCUSSION...VISIBLE SATELLITE IMAGERY DEPICTS A DEEPENING CUMULUS  
FIELD ACROSS PORTIONS OF BOTTINEAU AND MCHENRY COUNTIES IN THE  
VICINITY OF A SUBTLE MESO-LOW TRIPLE POINT. LATEST DETERMINISTIC AND  
TIME-LAGGED CAM GUIDANCE SUGGESTS THAT STORM INITIATION WILL BECOME  
INCREASINGLY LIKELY BY 00Z (7 PM CDT) AS THE REMAINING CONVECTIVE  
INHIBITION IS ERODED BY CONTINUED HEATING AND LOW-LEVEL CONVERGENCE.  
AN ADDITIONAL STORM OR TWO IS POSSIBLE FARTHER SOUTH ON A SURFACE  
TROUGH/WEAK FRONT SOUTH OF BISMARCK.  
 
IN THE ABSENCE OF APPRECIABLE LARGE-SCALE FORCING FOR ASCENT, IT  
REMAINS UNCLEAR WHAT THE EVENTUAL AREAL COVERAGE OF STORMS WILL BE.  
NONETHELESS, LATEST OBJECTIVE ANALYSES SUGGEST THAT THE LOCAL  
ENVIRONMENT FEATURES MODERATE TO STRONG INSTABILITY WITH MLCAPE AS  
HIGH AS 3000-3500 J/KG. WHEN COUPLED WITH A VERTICALLY VEERING WIND  
PROFILE WITH 30-40 KT OF EFFECTIVE BULK SHEAR, THE SETUP APPEARS  
FAVORABLE FOR SOME ORGANIZED STORM MODES, INCLUDING SUPERCELLS  
INITIALLY WITH A SUBSEQUENT TRANSITION TO A COLD-POOL DRIVEN  
CONVECTIVE SYSTEM. THE PRIMARY HAZARDS IN THAT SCENARIO WOULD BE  
LARGE HAIL AND SEVERE WIND GUSTS. FORECAST STORM MOTIONS FOR A  
RIGHT-MOVING SUPERCELL SUGGEST THAT RESIDENCE TIME ALONG AN EXISTING  
OUTFLOW BOUNDARY IN THE AREA WILL REMAIN LIMITED, WHICH IS EXPECTED  
TO PRECLUDE A MORE ROBUST TORNADO THREAT.  
 
AS MENTIONED ABOVE, EVENTUAL STORM COVERAGE REMAINS UNCERTAIN, WHICH  
WILL DICTATE THE NEED FOR A WATCH. IF IT BECOMES APPARENT THAT  
MULTIPLE SEVERE STORMS WILL DEVELOP, A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MAY  
BE CONSIDERED.  
 
..MEAD/HART.. 07/16/2026  
   
..PLEASE SEE WWW.SPC.NOAA.GOV FOR GRAPHIC PRODUCT  
 
ATTN...WFO...FGF...BIS...  
 
LAT...LON 48210088 48900059 48979945 48989794 48519760 47689774  
47229800 47129918 47080049 47460094 48210088  
 
MOST PROBABLE PEAK WIND GUST...55-70 MPH  
MOST PROBABLE PEAK HAIL SIZE...1.00-1.75 IN  
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