964  
ACUS02 KWNS 230523  
SWODY2  
SPC AC 230521  
 
DAY 2 CONVECTIVE OUTLOOK  
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK  
1221 AM CDT THU JUL 23 2026  
 
VALID 241200Z - 251200Z  
 
...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS PORTIONS OF  
NORTH DAKOTA INTO NORTHWEST MINNESOTA...  
   
..SUMMARY  
 
ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ON FRIDAY ACROSS PORTIONS  
OF THE DAKOTAS INTO NORTHERN MINNESOTA.  
   
..DAKOTAS INTO NORTHERN MN  
 
STRENGTHENING NORTHWESTERLY FLOW ALOFT WILL OVERSPREAD THE REGION  
FRIDAY AFTERNOON INTO EARLY SATURDAY IN RESPONSE TO A SHORTWAVE  
UPPER TROUGH MOVING ACROSS MANITOBA/WESTERN ONTARIO AND THE NORTHERN  
GREAT LAKES. AT THE SURFACE, A FRONT WILL DEVELOP SOUTH/SOUTHEAST  
ACROSS PARTS OF NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHERN MN.  
 
SOUTH/SOUTHWESTERLY LOW-LEVEL FLOW AHEAD OF THE FRONT WILL TRANSPORT  
MODEST BOUNDARY LAYER MOISTURE NORTHWARD ACROSS PARTS OF ND/SD AND  
NORTHERN/CENTRAL MN. THIS WILL OCCUR ON THE EASTERN PERIPHERY OF A  
STRONG UPPER RIDGE BUILDING OVER THE ROCKIES/HIGH PLAINS. AS A  
RESULT OF UPPER RIDGING, WARM TEMPERATURES IN THE 850-700 MB LAYER  
MAY RESULT IN AT LEAST WEAK CAPPING OVER PORTIONS OF THE REGION.  
NEVERTHELESS, A PLUME OF STEEP MIDLEVEL LAPSE RATES WILL SUPPORT  
MODERATE DESTABILIZATION (1000-2000 J/KG MLCAPE).  
 
VERTICALLY VEERING WIND PROFILES, ALSO INCREASING IN SPEED WITH  
HEIGHT, WILL RESULT IN SUPERCELL WIND PROFILES. FORECAST SOUNDINGS  
SHOW A WELL-MIXED BOUNDARY LAYER, WITH STEEP 0-3 KM LAPSE RATES.  
ORGANIZED CELLS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP BY LATE AFTERNOON NEAR THE  
SURFACE BOUNDARY AND SPREAD EAST/SOUTHEAST WITH TIME THROUGH THE  
EVENING. A LOW-LEVEL JET IS ALSO FORECAST TO INCREASE DURING THE  
EVENING/NIGHTTIME HOURS. THE MAIN RISK WITH THESE STORMS WILL BE  
FROM LARGE HAIL AND STRONG TO SEVERE WIND GUSTS. IF STORMS CAN  
BECOME SURFACE-BASED, A TORNADO OR TWO ALSO COULD OCCUR. THE  
STRENGTHENING LOW-LEVEL JET COULD MAINTAIN ELEVATED CONVECTION INTO  
THE NIGHTTIME HOURS ACROSS NORTHERN MN, BUT INSTABILITY WEAKENS AN  
INHIBITION INCREASES WITH SOUTH AND EAST EXTENT ACROSS THE UPPER MS  
VALLEY. THIS SHOULD KEEP SEVERE POTENTIAL RELATIVELY CONFINED WITHIN  
A NARROW CORRIDOR ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE DAKOTAS INTO NORTHERN MN.  
   
..SC VICINITY  
 
ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED FRIDAY AFTERNOON  
WITHIN A MODERATELY UNSTABLE AND VERY MOIST AIRMASS. VERTICALLY  
VEERING FLOW, INCREASING TO AROUND 20-30 KT AROUND 1-3 KM WILL  
PROVIDE AROUND 25 KT EFFECTIVE SHEAR AS A SURFACE BOUNDARY SAGS  
SOUTH AND EAST ACROSS THE REGION. THIS MAY BE SUFFICIENT FOR A  
COUPLE OF ORGANIZED CLUSTERS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SPORADIC WIND  
DAMAGE.  
 
..LEITMAN.. 07/23/2026  
 
 
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