textproduct: Bismarck

KEY MESSAGES

- Temperatures are forecast to be above normal today and tomorrow. Then temperatures will drop below normal Thursday and near normal Friday. Above normal temperatures return this weekend. - Light precipitation chances return Tuesday night through Thursday morning. Rain and snow is the main precipitation type.

- Freezing rain is possible Tuesday night into Wednesday morning along the International Border and the Turtle Mountains. A light glaze is possible.

- Intermittent breezy winds this week, mainly Wednesday and Thursday.

UPDATE

Issued at 945 AM CDT Tue Mar 24 2026

Cloudy skies and mainly quiet weather continue across western and central North Dakota at the time of this mid morning update. Patchy fog has developed in the far north central, mainly in the Turtle Mountains area where melting snowpack lingers. Fog is expected to lift over the next hour or so as south southeastly winds pick up. Other than adjusting fog grids and some slight adjustments to PoPs later this evening, the forecast remains on track.

UPDATE Issued at 622 AM CDT Tue Mar 24 2026

Quiet weather continues across the region no update is needed at this time.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 316 AM CDT Tue Mar 24 2026

Today an upper level ridge will continue to amplify a over Western CONUS keeping the Northern Plains in northwesterly flow aloft. A weak wave will move through the region this afternoon giving around 10-15 percent shot of rain across central North Dakota. Majority of the precipitation will likely evaporate before touching the ground due to the higher cloud bases. High temperatures this afternoon are forecast to warm into the 40s and 50s across the state with southwest warming into the 60s. However, the Turtle Mountains are forecast to sit in the mid 30s today.

Another system is forecast to move through tonight into Wednesday morning. This system will move across the state Wednesday with precipitation chances around 20 south to 40 percent north. Rain is the likely precipitation type across the southern half of the state while light freezing rain is possible along the International Border into the Turtle Mountains. A light glaze is possible making conditions slick. Precipitation will linger into the early morning hours of Wednesday. Wednesday is also forecast to be the warmest day of the week until the weekend as a warm front moves through the region bringing forth temperatures from 40s in the Turtle Mountains to the lower 70s in the southwest. Another upper level wave is forecast to move through the southern half of the state late Wednesday evening into early Thursday morning. A rain snow mix is possible along this cold frontal passage and upper level system.

The upper level ridge over Western CONUS is forecast to flatten by Thursday. The aforementioned cold front will move through the region late Wednesday bringing cooler temperatures for Thursday. This front will bring windy conditions across the eastern half of the state, but a majority of the pressure rises remain over eastern North Dakota and western Minnesota. Temperature are forecast to be below normal ranging from the 20s north to the lower 40s south. Temperatures will rebound Friday to near normal with 40s across much of the central and western half of the state. An upper level ridge is forecast to build across the Western CONUS this weekend. Thus, bringing back above normal temperatures and dry conditions.

AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z WEDNESDAY/

Issued at 945 AM CDT Tue Mar 24 2026

Winds will veer from easterly this morning to southerly by this afternoon. VFR conditions will continue through the period with high clouds passing over. There are some sites that could some slight visibility reductions this morning from BR, will amend TAFs if BR forms.

BIS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

None.