textproduct: Grand Forks

KEY MESSAGES

- Widespread showers and weak thunderstorms this afternoon into early evening. Additional chances for rain Friday into the weekend.

- Dense fog may develop in portions of eastern North Dakota and northern Red River Valley tonight into early Thursday.

UPDATE

Issued at 1140 PM CDT Wed Sep 16 2026

Backdoor cold front continues to sag into the CWA, with the main stratus band still near the Canadian border, but some fog starting to form in the clear areas ahead and behind the cloud deck. Visibility has gone down to 1/4 mile at Bemidji airport, but web cams in the area show fairly patchy coverage and not totally socked in yet. Models are all over the place with some showing low visibility in a few spots while others develop cloud cover. Confidence is low in where or if any dense fog will form, so will just keep an eye on things for now.

..Fog potential tonight into early Thursday

Confidence is medium in the occurrence of fog somewhere within eastern ND, although confidence greatly diminishes where this occur with more precision. Driving the fog production is a weak cold front moving into ND from Canada, bringing with it ground- scraping low clouds behind the front. Confidence remains low in more precise locations, with uncertainty mainly stemming from questions on influence of mid level cloud cover.

AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z FRIDAY/

Issued at 1140 PM CDT Wed Sep 16 2026

Some fog starting to form at KBJI, so have 1/4 to 1/2 mile through the next few hours. Some improvement there but fog formation possible at KFAR so have them going down to 1SM as a start. Other TAF sites seem more MVFR ceilings as the current stratus band moves south and drops a bit. Probabilities are high for at least some restrictions to ceiling and visibility but models are all over the place as to specifics. All sites should become VFR after mid day Thursday. Winds will become north to northeast but stay below 10 kts by the end of the period.

FGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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