Dakota Storm Center: Wednesday's Weather Blog

9:00pm

Overview
There is a low pressure system over the Great Lakes region and the Ohio River valley with a cold front stretched south and into the SE U.S. A ridge of high pressure is anchored over the upper Midwest and well into the Northern & Central Plains. A second low pressure system is over Canada with a warm front stretched south, through the Dakotas and a cold front stretched SW into the Pacific Northwest.

Discussion
Across the area today we saw sunny skies with unseasonably warm temperatures (avg temps 65/35) and light to moderate winds. Today, high temperatures were well above average and on either side of 80 degrees for Southwest North Dakota. Northwest North Dakota, saw a few temps in the mid to upper 80s & the Eastern half of the state topped out in the lower 70s. Minot was the warm spot on the map at 88 and Williston got up to 85.

A warm front is stretched north to south, through the Dakotas. This front is bringing hit & miss cloud cover with an unseasonably warm air mass in its wake. By tomorrow, we will be in the warm sector of a low pressure system. This means that we will continue to see plenty of sunshine with even warmer temperatures, across the area. Tomorrow night a broad ridge of high pressure that has been over the plains will give way to an approaching cold front from the NW. Through Friday & Friday night we will see more clouds, low rain chances and winds becoming Moderate to Strong. This cold front that will move through the Dakotas will not pack much of a punch when it comes to rain. Most of the model runs are keeping it dry. However, we may see a few showers. If this front produces any rain, it will be hit & miss and not very significant at all. Friday's cold front will also bring temperatures back into the 70s. This weekend temps will be mild with plenty of sunshine and in & out cloud cover across the state.

Headlines include plenty of sunshine with some light cloud cover during the next couple of days. Temperatures will climb into an unseasonably warm range before highs top out on either side of 90 for some, tomorrow. Our forecast will mostly be rain free until we get to the end of the work week.

Through the rest of tonight & Thursday
We will continue to see mostly clear skies with temperatures falling through the 60s and well into the 50s. There will only a few clouds and winds becoming light. By tomorrow morning it will feel mild, but you can leave the jacket at home. Temps will climb through the 70s and well into the 80s with another round of sunshine and light winds across the area that will pick up at times.

7day planner
Through tomorrow we will see more sunshine and warmer temps. A weak cold front will move through the Dakotas, Friday & Friday night. This system will bring low rain chances with in & out clouds, followed by a cooler feel. Daytime highs will fall back into the 70s through the weekend with mostly sunny to partly cloudy skies. Though slightly cooler, highs in the 70s are still above average. Next week will bring off/on rain chances with temps in a more seasonable range by the mid-week.

Tonight, expect mostly clear skies with a mild feel. Lows on either side of 50 with a light wind out of the South.

Thursday, we will see plenty of sunshine with a few clouds and unseasonably warm temps. Highs in the 80s and a south wind 5-15mph, becoming a little gusty at times.

Thursday night, expect fair to partly cloudy skies with mild temps. Lows 49-55 with a South wind 2-12mph, becoming variable before speeding up.

Friday we will see mostly sunny to partly cloudy skies with in & out cover. A cold front will move through our area, bringing low rain chances. Scattered, light rain is possible. Highs in the 70s with a North wind 10-20mph. 20% chance for rain

Friday night expect partly to mostly cloudy skies with low rain chances early, followed by clearing. Lows will be in the 40s with a NE wind 5-15mph.