605  
FXUS63 KUNR 122316  
AFDUNR  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION FOR WESTERN SD AND NORTHEASTERN WY  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RAPID CITY SD  
516 PM MDT FRI JUN 12 2026  
   
KEY MESSAGES  
 
- UNSETTLED AND COOL WEATHER THIS WEEKEND  
- FROST POSSIBLE NORTHEASTERN WY PLAINS SUNDAY MORNING  
- WARMING TREND NEXT WEEK  
 
 
   
DISCUSSION  
(THIS EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY)  
ISSUED AT 142 PM MDT FRI JUN 12 2026  
 
19Z SURFACE ANALYSIS HAD WEAK TROUGH OVER THE CWA WITH A FRONTAL  
BOUNDARY ACROSS NORTHERN MT/ND. WATER VAPOUR LOOP HAD MEAN TROUGH  
OVER CENTRAL CANADA WITH NEXT SHORTWAVE TROUGH OF INTEREST OVER  
SOUTHERN AB/NORTHWEST MT, CURRENTLY CONJURING SOME SHRA/TS. FEW CU  
OVER THE CWA. MAIN CONCERN THIS FORECAST IS UPSTREAM SHORTWAVE  
TROUGH.  
 
TONIGHT/SATURDAY, SHORTWAVE TROUGH SLIPS EAST/SOUTHEAST ALONG  
FRONTAL BOUNDARY. NICE BAND OF 800-600MB FRONTOGENESIS SETS UP  
BEHIND FRONT TAPPING INTO LIMITED MOISTURE. SHOULD SEE A BAND OF  
SHOWERS OVER SOUTHEAST MT/NORTHEASTERN WY LATER TONIGHT (PROBABLY  
POKING INTO FAR WESTERN SD), PEAKING SATURDAY MORNING. SYNOPTIC  
SUPPORT QUICKLY ENDS MIDDAY SATURDAY, ALLOWING QPF BAND TO  
DISSIPATE. GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS EXPECTED ON THE SD PLAINS  
SATURDAY GIVEN BOUNDARY LAYER FLOW/MIXING. TEMPERATURES  
TONIGHT/SATURDAY NEAR GUIDANCE.  
 
CLEARING SKIES AND SLACKENING WIND SATURDAY NIGHT MAY LEAD TO  
FROST OVER NORTHEASTERN WY PLAINS SUNDAY MORNING. WILL LET LATER  
SHIFTS TAKE A LOOK AT POTENTIAL HEADLINES.  
 
LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK, MOST GUIDANCE SUGGESTS SLOW EXPANSION  
OF UPPER/THERMAL RIDGE INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS, BUT WE'LL STILL  
BE UNDER NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT WITH POTENTIAL FOR MOISTURE-STARVED  
WEAK DISTURBANCES/FRONTS AND EVEN PERHAPS A SMATTERING OF POPS.  
OVERALL GENERAL TREND WILL BE WARMER/DRIER, HOWEVER.  
 
 
   
AVIATION  
(FOR THE 00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z SATURDAY EVENING)  
ISSUED AT 514 PM MDT FRI JUN 12 2026  
 
VFR CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THIS EVENING.  
RAIN SHOWERS WILL PUSH INTO NORTHEAST WYOMING LATE TONIGHT,  
DEVELOPING AFTER 13/11-13Z ALONG WITH MVFR/IFR CEILINGS. THESE  
SHOWERS AND LOWERED FLIGHT CONDITIONS WILL BE FOUND ACROSS  
NORTHEAST WYOMING (INCLUDING KGCC) AND INTO THE BLACK HILLS,  
INCLUDING KSPF AND KCUT; TRANSIENT LIFR CONDITIONS POSSIBLE FROM  
13/11-20Z ACROSS THESE AREAS. CONFIDENCE IS LOW THAT SHOWERS AND  
LOWERED FLIGHT CONDITIONS WILL IMPACT KRAP; HAVE ADDED A PROB30  
GROUP BEGINNING AT 13/16Z FOR KRAP. EXPECT VFR CONDITIONS TO  
PERSIST OUTSIDE OF THESE AREAS ACROSS THE WESTERN SD PLAINS INTO  
CENTRAL SD.  
 
 
   
UNR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES  
 
SD...NONE.  
WY...NONE.  
 
 
 
 
DISCUSSION...HELGESON  
AVIATION...SCHULTZ  
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