textproduct: Grand Forks

KEY MESSAGES

- Near critical fire weather conditions may occur Friday into this weekend.

- Well above normal temperatures are expected through early next week, with near record highs today and Friday.

..Fire weather concerns into the weekend

RH is highly variable across the region due to low level moist flow from the southeast along the frontal zone in our south and to the west and drier air aloft in the north and east. Winds are periodically gusting around 20 mph along/north of Highway 2, otherwise they are generally around or less than 10 mph. Near critical fire weather conditions are ongoing at locations that have had more widespread 25% or lower RH values this afternoon (mainly in the northern Red River Valley). The orientation of the surface gradient aligns that low level southeast flow across the entire region Thursday, so while winds would be a bit higher mixed layer Tds would also be higher limiting the coverage of potential 25% or lower RH values.

Friday and Saturday there is a much drier air mass expected to be in place off the surface with a strong signal for sub 25% RH region- wide. The question will come down to winds and increasing surface gradient over the central and western Dakotas does supporting at least breezy conditions (strongest west lightest east), and there is a chance (30%) for RFW conditions to develop over parts of our CWA during those periods. At very least we are looking at near critical fire weather conditions where fuels are supportive of rapid spread.

AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z FRIDAY/

Issued at 646 AM CDT Thu May 28 2026

Increasing southeast wind today 10 to 20 kts for eastern ND and the RRV, a few higher gusts late morning and afternoon. Lighter winds as you go east with Bemidji area staying closer to 10 kts. VFR thru the period with scattered to at times broken cirrus coverage moving in.

FGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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