Dakota Storm Center: Wednesday's Weather Blog

8:30pm

Overview

There is a low pressure system over the Great Lakes region with a stationary front stretched West through the upper- Midwest and into Canada. A secondary low is fizzling out, north of the Dakotas. Over the Northern & Central Plains (and into the upper- Mississippi River valley), scattered light showers continue to move NW to SE. Elsewhere a broad ridge of high pressure is over the Southern Plains and parts of the SE US. The tail end of a cold front is stretched across the Atlantic & Gulf Coasts.

Discussion

Across the Dakotas today, we saw mostly to partly cloudy skies with in & out clouds and scattered rain/mix showers. Temperatures were cool and climbed above the seasonable average with daytime highs ranging through the 40s and a few lower 50s.The warm spot on the map was Mobridge with a high of 54. Bismarck- Mandan & Dickinson got up to 47 and Williston & Minot reached 44. Temps Thursday & Friday will be closer to today's average (avg 40/20), topping out on either side of 40.

Hit & miss precip continued to move through the state this evening and rain/mix chances will continue to taper off as we go through tonight. A weak cold front will move South (into the Dakotas) as it continues to fizzle out. This means that another round of slightly cooler air will move into the state. In the wake of this dissipating front, expect some clearing followed by temperatures falling into the 20s. Thursday, we will start off with a mixture of sunshine & cloud cover. Our attention will then turn to a stationary front to our NE. This feature has been stalled out over the Great Lakes region and upper- Midwest. It will transition into a surface trough and slowly back into the Dakotas (Northeast to Southwest). As this trough moves across the state, we will see increasing clouds followed by rising chances for scattered snow. This slow moving system will continue to bring scattered light snow through our area, into Friday Night. Most of Western ND could see light accumulations, if any. At this point, up to 2" is possible for some. Light accumulations are expected with most of our state only seeing up to 1" of snow. 1"-2" are possible in some areas and others will be skipped over, when it comes to accumulation. Our in-house model may be overdoing it with totals, for some.

(In-House Model RPM_12km)

As we go into the weekend, we will begin to see clearing skies followed by warming temperatures. Daytime highs will climb through the 40s and into the 50 by this weekend.

Through the rest of tonight & Thursday

Overnight expect tapering precip chances, followed by some clearing with temps falling through the 30s and settling into the 20s. Winds will become light to moderate and out of the North & West.

Tomorrow, we will start off with in & out clouds through the morning, followed by increasing clouds, West to East. There will be a chance for scattered snow from the midday hours tomorrow, through Thursday night.

7day planner

Expect in & out clouds this evening & tonight with rain/mix chances tapering off. Cloud cover will stick around with a continued NW breeze and a cooler feel during the next couple of days. Temperatures will be close to average as we wrap up the work week with off/on rain and snow chances. The weekend will bring another change-up with more sunshine and a gradual warming trend. Through the beginning of the work week, temps will climb back into the 50s. Our next front will move through the Northern Plains during the mid week.

Tonight, expect partly to mostly cloudy skies with a cool feel and still a little breezy. There will be a few isolated showers/flurries. Lows 23-32 with a moderate to strong wind out of the NW 10-20mph.

Thursday, we will see mostly cloudy skies with a late chance for scattered light wintry mix/snow as an old front moves (East to West) back through the Dakotas. Highs 38-47 with a moderate to strong wind out of the NW, becoming gusty at times.

Thursday night, it will feel cool with mostly cloudy skies and a few scattered light snow showers/flurries. Lows in the 20s with a NW wind 5-15mph. Little to no accumulation is expected as this system fizzles out.

Friday, expect mostly cloudy skies with a cool feel and breezy conditions. Highs on either side of 40 with a light to moderate wind out of the NW 5-15 G20.

Friday night, there will be a cool feel with mostly cloudy skies. Lows 18-25 with a moderate wind out of the NW.