textproduct: Aberdeen

KEY MESSAGES

- There is a marginal risk (level 1 of 5) of isolated severe storms to develop or move over northeastern South Dakota and west central Minnesota by late this evening into the overnight. These storms could produce locally damaging wind gusts.

- Wednesday could be another highs in the low to mid 90s day in a few spots, with most areas running up into the upper 80s to around 90F degrees (10 to 20 degrees above normal). High temperatures through the weekend into early next week should continue to top out in the mid 80s to low 90s.

- Isolated to scattered thunderstorm chances (20-40 percent chances) during the evening and overnight exist from Friday through Monday.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 127 PM CDT Tue May 26 2026

At 1 PM CDT, skies are partly to mostly sunny and temperatures are warming through the 80s, on their way to the 90s again this afternoon. Will have to keep a close eye on high temperature records again today. Winds are the lightest along the SD/MN border and strongest out across the Missouri River valley and west rive zones, south at 10 to 25 mph with gusts as high as 35 mph.

The 7-day flow pattern over this CWA could be re-set and described as persistent upper level ridging, interrupted once or twice by shards of mid-level low pressure/shortwave energy lifting northward along the front range of the Rockies before eventually meandering their way north-northeast into Canada. Per QPF ensemble clusters, p recipitation chances are driven during the period by either heat-of- the-day destabilization and/or low level jet focus areas. Each day is expected to bring its own instability areal coverage questions. Deep layer shear will not be enough most days/nights to support severe convection. Overall, weather systems will approach the region from the south or southwest, with the western third/half of the CWA holding the highest chances for measurable precipitation (20-50 percent at times) throughout the 7-day forecast.

For tonight into Wednesday, once again, will be monitoring the evolution of the llj across the CWA. The nose of the llj may be focused up across the far northeast corner of the CWA for a few hours overnight where the best low level moisture will be located. On Wednesday, surface to mid-level high pressure over the Dakotas will through things in reverse and try to redirect/redevelop new shower/weak storm coverage south and southwest into the CWA.

Perhaps after a break in rain chances Thursday/Thursday night, this quasi-ring of fire-type arrangement of systems moving up and around the CWA can bring the periodic episodes of thunderstorm activity north/east off the front range/central high plains and into the far western/southwestern forecast zones each evening/overnight starting Friday and persisting into Monday of next week.

Beneath this warm upper level ridge, high temperatures will not fluctuate all that much, given a general lack of low level thermal advection. Per the NAEFS/ENS S.A. table of 850hpa standardized anomalies (which continue to steadily trend warmer with each passing day), the heat is here and looks to stay until the pattern can change enough to drag a stronger synoptic-scale cold frontal passage through the region. Not seeing any of those during the 7-day forecast period. So, 80s and 90s are expected to persist.

AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z WEDNESDAY/

Issued at 1224 PM CDT Tue May 26 2026

Terminals KABR,KATY,KPIR,KMBG

VFR conditions are forecast through the TAF period. There is a low chance (10-20%) for a -SHRA/TSRA during the late evening/overnight hours across far northeast SD into west central MN. But, with low confidence on coverage/timing, will continue to leave mention out of TAFs at this time.

ABR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

SD...None. MN...None.