Dakota Storm Center: Friday's Weather Blog

7:00pm

There is a WCA (Wind Chill Advisory) in effect for most of North Dakota East & North of the Missouri river valley & Lake Sakakawea (except for Emmons County) until 4pm Saturday.

Wind Chill values will range from 25-40 below between 10pm to 3pm Saturday. These conditions may cause frost bite in as little as 30 mins to exposed skin.

This Advisory includes the following counties:
Burleigh, McLean, Sheridan, Wells, Kidder, Stutsman, Logan, McIntosh, Williams, Ward, Mountrail, Divide, Burke, Renville, Bottineau, McHenry, Pierce, Rolette, Downer & Benson.

Overview

There is a low pressure system over the Great Lakes region with a cold front stretched south, along the Mississippi River valley and into the Southern Plains. A secondary low is developing over the pan handle of Texas. A stationary front is just to the west of the Dakotas, running North and South on the lee side of the Rockies.

Discussion
Across Western, ND we did see scattered flurries & light snow that did not add up to much, today. A stationary front to the west of the Dakotas will remain in place and continue to cause scattered flurries tonight and Saturday. Through the later half of the day tomorrow we will begin to see clearing skies becoming mostly sunny to partly cloudy by Sunday. The big headline in weather focuses on temperatures & wind chills, this weekend. An Arctic air mass over Canada will extend over the upper- Midwest & Dakotas through the weekend and beginning of the work week. This will be the coldest air mass that we have seen in the Dakotas, this winter. Temperatures tonight will fall below zero with a light to moderate wind out of the North & NW. Chills will be well below zero and fall into a potentially dangerous range overnight. Temps will continue to fall and even colder air will affect the area Saturday & Sunday night with Chills falling to 30-40 below, Sunday morning.

After the current WCA expires tomorrow, it is likely that more Advisories & possibly Warnings are issued (in North Dakota) concerning continued falling temps/chills. This cold air mass will continue to affect Western, North Dakota into the beginning of the work week. By Tuesday & Wednesday expect gradually warming temps returning to the forecast.

Through the rest of tonight & Saturday

Expect continued cloudy skies with a chance for scattered flurries/light snow. Temperatures will continue to fall as a much colder air mass pushes into the Dakotas. Temps will fall below zero around Midnight for much of the area with a continued light to moderate wind out of the NW. By Saturday morning Chills will range from 15 to 25 below across the area with temps expected to fall even more. Snow chances will begin to end as skies begin to clear out, Saturday. Temperatures will not climb much (from daytime heating) and highs will be on either side of zero before falling more, Saturday night.

7day planner

A cold air mass will cause falling temperatures through the weekend. The coldest nights (for Western, ND) will be Saturday & Sunday nights. By the beginning of the work week, expect gradual warming with highs in the teens Tue & Wed. Highs will top out in the 20s by Thursday & Friday (back to seasonable temperatures). After light snow chances end on Saturday, the next chance for snow will be Tuesday.

TONIGHT...Mostly cloudy skies with temps falling below average and scattered flurries. Lows -3 to -15 . North wind 2-12mph. Chills -20 to -30. 10% chance for light snow.

SATURDAY...Mostly cloudy skies and cold with a chance for scattered snow, followed by gradual clearing. Highs -7 to 1. NW wind 5-15mph G20. Chills -15 to -20s. 20% chance for light snow.

SATURDAY NIGHT...Continued gradual clearing and cold. Lows -25 to -15. NW wind 5-15mph. Chills -30 to -40.

SUNDAY...Partly cloudy to mostly sunny skies with continued clearing. Highs -5 to 3. NW wind 5-15mph. Chills in the negative teens & -20s.

SUNDAY NIGHT...Fair to partly cloudy skies and cold. Lows -22 to 12. Chills -25 to -35.