textproduct: Grand Forks

KEY MESSAGES

- Wildfire smoke will continue to impact air quality over parts of the region through early evening.

- There is a level 1 out of risk for severe thunderstorms Sunday. Hail to the size of golf balls and wind gusts to 60 mph would be the primary threats.

- Near critical fire weather conditions are expected Saturday and Sunday across north central Minnesota. Near critical to critical fire weather conditions may in this are for Monday and Tuesday.

..Fire Weather Saturday through Tuesday

There continues to be concerns regarding very dry fuels in forested areas by fire weather partners/fuels experts in MN specifically regarding Lake of the Woods, Beltrami, and Hubbard counties in our CWA. Warmer temperatures and RH around 40% may be enough for any fire starts to spread rapidly in forested areas across those counties even with less winds as forecast, and near critical fire weather conditions are expected there both Saturday and Sunday afternoons and early evenings (SPS currently out for Saturday periods). As the cold stronger trough in Canada approaches early in the week, along with the strong cold front, surface gradient increases along with stronger mixed layer winds during periods of lowest RH values (30- 45%) Monday and Tuesday. This raises the potential for Critical Fire Weather conditions/RFW conditions to develop and those periods are being closely monitored.

AVIATION /03Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z SUNDAY/

Issued at 939 PM CDT Fri Jul 17 2026

VFR skies tonight with some lingering smoke that looks to mostly clear the area by noon Saturday. Smoke will occasionally limit visibility to 6sm or less but limited confidence in when or where more significant impacts such as MVFR vis may occur. Winds otherwise will be 10kts or less through the period creating minimal impacts to flight operations.

FGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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