textproduct: Grand Forks

KEY MESSAGES

- Dangerous heat wave this weekend into early next week with very hot temperatures and high humidity through at least Monday.

- MIFC requested Red Flag Watch to be issued for Monday for parts of northwest Minnesota due to RH less than 35 percent and winds more than 15 mph. Did SPS for that area today with RH values 35-40 percent and winds more than 15 mph. Coord with DLH.

UPDATE

Issued at 612 AM CDT Sun Jul 12 2026

Discussed fire weather situation with WFO Duluth and got a clearer idea of what is expected from MIFC. So SPS this afternoon for portions of northwest MN (Bemidji to Baudette, Warroad) as RH values drop to 35-40 percent and winds more than 15 mph. Kept red flag watch for Monday. So decided to go ahead with this plan DLH and I agreed upon.

UPDATE Issued at 402 AM CDT Sun Jul 12 2026

Will maintain the red flag watch that was issued based on user request from MIFC. Dayshift can review RH and see if red flag warning or SPS is next step. Hopefully can get more clarification about what RH threshold to use for the forested parts of our fcst area in regards to fire weather headlines.

No changes to any heat headlines or messaging.

..Heat impacts this weekend into next week

All guidance depicts very hot temperatures into the mid 90s within west-cental MN to mid 100s within the Red River Valley. The locally hotter temperatures within the Valley is bolstered by a favorable downsloping-type wind direction out of the southwest. This will push heat indices well into mid to upper 100s within the Valley, eastern ND, and northwest MN. Heat indices are also driven by seasonably average to high dew points into the 60s and 70s.

Mostly sunny skies and generally lighter winds will push wet- bulb globe temperatures into the High to Extreme categories. Additionally, Heat Risk will be at least Major across the entire region Sunday and Monday, with some areas of Extreme (especially within the Valley). This is driven by abnormally high daytime high temperatures, as well as poor overnight relief Sunday night into Monday morning with temperatures remaining in the mid to upper 70s coupled with high humidity.

For these reasons, an Extreme Heat Warning has been issued Sunday through Monday.

Heat impacts may extend into Tuesday / mid week in southeast ND and west-central MN. This will depend on how far an eventual dry cold front moves through late Monday into Tuesday. It is possible, additionally heat impacts (and subsequent headlines) may linger in these areas into mid week.

AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z MONDAY/

Issued at 612 AM CDT Sun Jul 12 2026

Skies predominately clear today once a few mid clouds move out of northwest MN. South to southwest wind today 12-22 kts sustained with gusts 27 kts. I kept it below 30 kts at KGFK, but it could get up that high but not confident to include it yet.

FGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

ND...Extreme Heat Warning until 1 AM CDT Tuesday for NDZ006>008- 014>016-024-026>030-038-039-049-052>054. MN...Extreme Heat Warning until 1 AM CDT Tuesday for MNZ001>009- 013>017-022>024-027>032-040. Fire Weather Watch from Monday morning through Monday evening for MNZ005-006-008-009-016-017-023-024.