626 FXUS63 KFSD 141718 AFDFSDArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD 1218 PM CDT Sun Sep 14 2025
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Isolated strong to severe storms are possible this afternoon and evening, with damaging winds up to 60 mph and marginally severe hail the main threats.
- Temperatures remain well above normal into early next week.
- A cold front brings another chance of rain and storms late Tuesday into Wednesday, and then ushers in cooler, more seasonal temperatures starting Wednesday.
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.DISCUSSION... Issued at 339 AM CDT Sun Sep 14 2025
It`s a warm and muggy start to our day especially for mid-September standards, with temperatures in the 60s to low-70s. Another unseasonably warm day is in store for today with highs ranging from the low-80s west (where cloud cover will be thickest through the day) to the mid-to-upper-80s east. Did blend in a bit of the NBM 25th percentile to highs for today due to the cloud cover forecasted. The main story for today will be the chance for rain and storms, with the potential for isolated severe storms as a negatively tilted trough ejects over the region. At the surface, a low pressure system located over western Nebraska will lift north through western South Dakota through the day into tonight. Mid-level lapse rates are expected to remain fairly weak through the day today, around 6-6.5 C/km and the tall, skinny nature of the CAPE profiles will likely make sustained updrafts hard to come by. However, any updraft that can be maintained will have around 35-45 kts of bulk shear to work with and so can`t rule out isolated severe storms. Skies are expected to be mostly cloudy across the area today, and this will help to limit some daytime heating and thus limit the amount of instability that develops. However, anywhere that sees longer periods of sunshine in the afternoon will have a greater potential for seeing a stronger storm and so trends will need to be watched closely through the day. The main threat will be damaging wind gusts up to 60 mph and marginally severe hail. A tornado cannot be entirely ruled out closer to the surface low, but by peak daytime heating the low should be moving north of the area and thus limiting the tornado threat locally. Any showers and storms will generally move south to north as they develop in tandem with the surface low, but will also be gradually shifting eastward with the push from the upper-level wave into tonight. Storms should exit the area to the east after 2-3 am, though wrap-around light showers around the low pressure system may clip the Highway-14 corridor through sunrise tomorrow.
Skies will clear out tomorrow as the low moves into southern Canada, and with continued southerly flow this will allow for another unseasonably warm day with highs mainly in the mid-80s. Another trough moving across the northern Rockies will push towards our area tomorrow night, sending a weak wave across south-central South Dakota by daybreak Tuesday. This may help fire off a few showers along and just ahead of a cold front for areas west of the James River Tuesday morning, but the better chances of rain will arrive late Tuesday into Wednesday as the trough arrives and pushes the front across the area. The atmosphere will be unstable ahead of the front, so thunderstorms are likely with this activity. Shear may be lacking, but can`t entirely rule out a strong to marginally severe storm Tuesday afternoon. With most of the area expected to be ahead of the west-to-east moving front on Tuesday, another warm day is in store with highs well into the 80s, potentially reaching 90 over parts of northwest Iowa where the front moves through last.
Most guidance shows an upper-level low moving out of southern Canada right behind the late-Tuesday into Wednesday trough, and this could keep general cloudiness along with sporadic rain chances through the remainder of the work week as it hangs around the region. Due to the clouds and the aforementioned frontal passage, it`s looking likely we`ll see cooler temperatures starting Wednesday, with highs returning to the 70s and lows in the 50s. The upper-low finally pushes east of the area by the start of next weekend, which could bring the return of mostly sunny skies unless another trough follows behind it. But as of now, keeping next Saturday dry.
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.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z MONDAY/... Issued at 1214 PM CDT Sun Sep 14 2025
VFR conditions continue over most of the area, however buildup of convective clouds continues along and west of I-29 early this afternoon. Confidence remains low on the coverage and duration of isolated to scattered storms later this afternoon. An initial area of convection may begin to try to form near or west of I-29 and drift eastward, with a secondary area of precipitation forming near or west of the James River later this evening. Will keep prevailing TSRA/SHRA limited and focus more on lower probability groups given uncertainty. Perhaps highest confidence on impacts will be this evening and into the early overnight hours, and will insert vicinity mention at both FSD/SUX. Occasional MVFR to IFR visibility may be possible in heavier rain.
Showers and thunderstorms move east and/or dissipate early in the overnight leaving VFR conditions in most areas and a southwesterly wind. Will need to watch the HON area for lower stratus that may try to build into the area after midnight.
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.FSD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SD...None. MN...None. IA...None. NE...None.
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DISCUSSION...Samet AVIATION...Dux
NWS FSD Office Area Forecast Discussion