Dakota Storm Center: Tuesday's Weather Blog

Overview

There is a low pressure system over the NE U.S. with a cold front stretched south along the Atlantic Seaboard. A secondary low over the NW Gulf of Mexico will continue to develop and strengthen. There is a broad ridge of high pressure that stretches through most of the Plains. Just north of the Dakotas a low pressure system has a weakened warm front/trough stretched south, into Montana.

Discussion

Through the afternoon & evening hours, skies continued to clear out and temps climbed into an above average range. Daytime highs topped out in the 20s & 30s across much of the area.

As of 7pm skies were mostly clear across Western, ND with a trough & more wide-spread cloud cover to our West over Montana. This weak front & cloud cover will continue to move East and over the Dakotas. Through the early morning hours, expect a chance for a few scattered flurries/mix (mainly through and east of north/central ND). This front will move through quickly. By the late morning & midday hours, expect clearing skies and increasing winds as they swing around to the NW. In the wake of this front, a warmer air mass will move over the Dakotas, bringing temps even further above the seasonable average (3/24). Mild temps will remain in our forecast with a sun/cloud mix until the end of our work week. Other than a chance for scattered flurries/mix tonight, our next chance for precip will be Friday as another weak (cold) front moves through the Northern Plains. By this weekend daytime high temps will be slightly cooler than and in the 30s.

Through the rest of tonight & Wednesday

Overnight, expect increasing clouds with skies becoming mostly cloudy, again. Lows will occur early in our planner. A weak front will move through and bring scattered flurries/wintry mix. After Midnight warmer air will begin to bring temperatures up (from the west to the east). By sunrise, temps will be in the 20s & 30s and continue to warm through the day. By the late morning and midday hours skies will begin to clear out and winds will pick up, becoming moderate to strong and out of the NW.

7day planner

A warm front will move through the area tonight and bring a chance for scattered flurries/mix. In the wake of this front, temps will rise into a mild range through the next couple of days. A late-week cold front will move through the Dakotas Friday/Saturday and bring a chance for snow/rain as we go into the weekend. This weak cold front will bring temps down a bit (30s for highs & 20s for lows). Temps will fall into a more seasonable range for the beginning of the work week.

TONIGHT...Partly to mostly cloudy skies with a chance for scattered flurries/wintry mix and warming temps. Lows 16-24. SW/West wind 2-12mph. Chills in the teens.

WEDNESDAY... Partly cloudy to mostly sunny skies with in & out cover and temps climbing well above average and into a mild range. Highs 37-45. West wind 15-25mph G30-40mph.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Fair to partly cloudy skies with winds beginning to calm down. Lows 23-29. NW/West wind 5-15mph.

THURSDAY...Mostly sunny to partly cloudy skies and mild. Highs 37-43. West/South wind 2-12mph.

THURSDAY NIGHT...Increasing clouds with temps near freezing. Lows 26-33. Light to moderate wind out of the SW. Chills in the teens & 20s.