185
FXUS63 KUNR 301709
AFDUNR
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION FOR WESTERN SD AND NORTHEASTERN WY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RAPID CITY SD
1109 AM MDT THU APR 30 2026
KEY MESSAGES
- CLEAR SKIES AND WARMER TEMPS RETURN TO FINISH THE WORK WEEK.
UPDATE
ISSUED AT 942 PM MDT WED APR 29 2026
VERY LITTLE CHANGE TO THE FORECAST THIS EVENING. UPPER TROUGH
SHIFTS EASTWARD TOMORROW, WITH SOME LIGHT SHOWERS POSSIBLE AGAIN
GENERALLY FOR EASTERN SD, HOWEVER CANNOT RULE OUT SOME SHOWERS ON
THE FAR EAST SIDE OF OUR FORECAST AREA FOR THURSDAY AFTERNOON.
ANOTHER WEAK WAVE DOES MOVE IN FROM THE NORTH AGAIN ON FRIDAY,
HOWEVER MODEL INCONSISTENCY ON WHETHER OR NOT WE WILL SEE ANY
LIGHT SHOWERS ON THE PLAINS, HAVE LEFT OUT MENTION OF POPS FOR
NOW. WARMING TREND TO START THE WEEKEND AS UPPER RIDGE BUILDS OVER
THE ROCKIES. RIDGE FLATTENS OUT OVER THE WEEKEND THOUGH, BRINGING
NORTHWEST FLOW BACK OVER THE REGION, INCREASING CHANCES FOR LIGHT
PRECIPITATION AS WE MOVE INTO NEXT WEEK.
DISCUSSION
(THIS EVENING INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK)
ISSUED AT 224 PM MDT WED APR 29 2026
THE FORECAST IS STILL OVERALL ON THE QUIETER SIDE. THAT BEING
SAID, THERE ARE SOME CONCERNS CENTERED AROUND THE THUNDERSTORMS
THAT ARE TRACKING THROUGH THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON.
THESE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE PRODUCED CONFIRMED WIND GUSTS UPWARDS OF
35 TO 45 MPH, LIGHTNING, AND ONE SHOWER THAT PASSED OVER THE
OFFICE HERE IN RAPID CITY PRODUCED ICE PELLETS. THESE STORMS WILL
CONTINUE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING BEFORE FADING OUT
LATE THIS EVENING. NO SEVERE WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME BUT
WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE SITUATION.
THEN A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL GIVE CLEAR AND SUNNY SKIES
THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY. LOW-END POPS RETURN TO THE AREA
LATE SATURDAY NIGHT AS THE RIDGE BREAKS DOWN AND NORTHWEST FLOW
RETURNS. THOSE PRECIP CHANCES WILL LAST INTO SUNDAY, ESPECIALLY
OVER THE BLACK HILLS BUT NOT SO MUCH IN THE PLAINS.
TEMPERATURES ARE STILL EXPECTED TO RISE AS WE HEAD INTO THE
WEEKEND. OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL BE STUCK IN THE UPPER 20S TO LOW 30S
THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT WITH WARMER OVERNIGHT LOWS EXPECTED FOR THE
WEEKEND. THURSDAY IS LOOKING AT HIGHS IN THE 50S TO NEAR 60.
FRIDAY, SATURDAY, AND SUNDAY WILL BE WARMER WITH HIGHS IN THE 60S
TO LOW 70S. WARMER WEATHER TREND CONTINUES INTO NEXT WEEK.
AVIATION
(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z FRIDAY)
ISSUED AT 1108 AM MDT THU APR 30 2026
VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD.
UNR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
SD...NONE.
WY...NONE.
UPDATE...DYE
DISCUSSION/KEY MESSAGES...GS
AVIATION...HELGESON
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