096 FXUS63 KFSD 041946 AFDFSD Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD 246 PM CDT Wed Oct 4 2017 .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Thursday) Issued at 242 PM CDT Wed Oct 4 2017 Mid level clouds are rapidly thickening from the south this afternoon as an otherwise very nice Fall day continues. The main forecast concerns continue to focus on rain chances over the upcoming 72 hours. Tonight: Shortwave ridging at 850 mb slides to the northeast this evening, allowing broad southwesterly warm advection and isentropic lift to develop across the Tri-State area. Model guidance has trended drier today with overnight rain chances focusing over north central and northeastern SD after midnight tonight. Very scattered showers and perhaps a few rumbles of thunder will be possible through daybreak even further south, as more widespread convection tries to build along and north of the warm front in North Central and eastern Nebraska by daybreak. Thursday: High resolution models suggesting an inverted sfc trough begins to pivot across the CWA through the day. Convection south of the CWA early in the day should take some of the focus for precipitation away from the area, but the gradual advection of lower stratus should intensify prior to daybreak. Soundings showing an increased potential for drizzle or sprinkles along and east of the sfc front into the afternoon as the lift appears more shallow in nature. Have generally reduced QPF over much of the CWA through the day. .LONG TERM...(Thursday night through Wednesday) Issued at 242 PM CDT Wed Oct 4 2017 Thursday Night: Winds at the sfc turn more northernly and shortwave ridging slides in during the late afternoon hours, which should help push the risk for precipitation southward briefly. A stronger shortwave and more favorable upr jet structure moves in Thursday night into Friday with an increasing rain chance after midnight and into Friday. Friday-Friday Night: Upper troughing swings through the Plains Friday night, and keeps the chance of rain high from Friday afternoon through midnight Friday, focused along a Lake Andes to Sioux Falls and Marshall line eastward. The risk of thunder is generally low, but confined to the southeastern third of the CWA. The heavy rain threat looks to stay across Central and Southern Iowa. This weekend: Broad westerly flow will bring warmer temperatures on Saturday, albeit very breezy. Have bumped up winds a few knots on Saturday afternoon. Continued dry conditions into Sunday. Next week: A large upper trough swings through the central US to start the week, ushering in below normal temperatures quickly on MOnday and Tuesday. GFS/ECMWF in a high degree of disagreement for Monday and Tuesday regarding an upper trough moving through the CONUS. With more ensemble agreement towards the GFS/GEM solutions, have maintained PoPs Monday night into Tuesday. Still a large area of wiggle room for this portion of the forecast to change. Have lowered temperatures slightly through early next week, with decent chances of a widespread frost in the region Wednesday morning. && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Thursday afternoon) Issued at 1216 PM CDT Wed Oct 4 2017 VFR conditions expected into the overnight hours. Lower ceilings begin to advect north later tonight, with a chance for showers and isolated thunderstorms after midnight. IFR ceilings will be possible Thursday morning, with greater probabilities of drizzle or light showers through the morning. If more widespread drizzle could form, then visibilities, especially along and east of I-29 could fall into MVFR levels. && .FSD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SD...None. MN...None. IA...None. NE...None. && $$ SHORT TERM...Dux LONG TERM...Dux AVIATION...Dux