textproduct: Grand Forks

KEY MESSAGES

- Our next chance for precipitation will be Wednesday night into Thursday, then late Friday into Saturday.

UPDATE

Issued at 655 AM CDT Wed Sep 23 2026

Persistent southeasterly wind overnight has kept fog from forming. As we go through today, lee troughing to our west and a surface high to our east will keep the pressure gradient sufficiently tight for southerly wind gusts of 30 to 40 mph. On the rainfall side of things, onset timing has not changed much. The expectation is that rainfall will start late this afternoon in the Devils Lake Basin, spreading eastward throughout the evening and overnight hours. Initial shower activity should be spottier due to the weaker WAA forcing responsible. However, as we go later in the night (especially after midnight), rainfall should become more widespread and consistent as the main trough axis tracks through the FA. This should lead to at least a few hours of steadier rain, especially on the MN side of the FA. Rainfall ends from west to east Thursday morning, with some drizzle/mist in its wake. All other portions of the forecast remain on track at this time.

..Synopsis

Low to mid level stratus has been persistent through much of the day in the Devils Lake area, but will gradually diminish heading into the overnight period. The remainder of eastern North Dakota and northwest and west central Minnesota is experiencing mostly clear skies and temperatures in the 60s. South to southeast winds are expected to continue this evening and into the overnight hours as our next shortwave approaches the region. This will bring rain chances into much of the area late Wednesday into Thursday. Slightly warmer temperatures follow on Thursday and Friday as highs reach into the upper 60s to lower 70s. Additional rain chances return on Saturday and Sunday, along with continued high temperatures in the upper 60s to low 70s.

AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z THURSDAY/

Issued at 648 AM CDT Wed Sep 23 2026

Ceilings will be the primary concern throughout the TAF period, although visibilities and wind gusts will also pose potential aviation hazards. Starting off with this morning, stratus is overspreading the region. It is mostly VFR, however, pockets of MVFR exist in southeastern ND around KFAR. Further east, an LIFR pocket has developed over KBJI. These lower ceilings will continue into mid morning, slowly lifting. Therefore, besides KDVL where MVFR ceilings will hang on all day, all terminals will go back to VFR. As we go into the evening, the lower ceilings out west will expand eastward, bringing MVFR and IFR conditions area wide. By late in the overnight period, some LIFR will likely mix in as well. Rain and mist will accompany these lower ceilings. The probability for any -TSRA at any one terminal is very low, and therefore is not mentioned in the TAF.

With a decent pressure gradient over the region today, winds from the south will increase throughout the morning hours, with gusts by afternoon around 30 knots at KDVL, KGFK and KFAR. These stronger winds will persist into the early evening, and then very slowly decrease after sunset, where gusts may drop off but a persistent 15 knot or so wind will likely remain throughout Wednesday night.

FGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

ND...None. MN...None.