UPDATE: Powerful T-Storms W/Tornadoes Possible For North Dakota

Parts of North Dakota and especially south-central North Dakota could be in for a WILD Wednesday today.

There's not much left in the summer season with Labor Day right around the corner and the leaves are already showing signs of fall.

However, the calendar still says August and that means warm humid air can still build up and bring instability with approaching cold fronts to cause an outbreak of severe weather.

That could be the case for today Wednesday, August 28th, 2024.

A good share of central North Dakota is at a Level 2 risk for severe weather for today.

This Level 2 area has been expanded since yesterday and includes most of our listening area in Burleigh, Morton, McLean, Grant, Oliver, Emmons, Sioux counties, and parts of other counties in our outlying areas.

What are the potential impacts of these storms?

For those of us in the Captial Region who are still dealing with insurance claims for large hail at the end of July, this might sound like a broken record.

According to the National Weather Service in Bismarck, very large hail with tennis ball size potential is possible, with damaging winds, and supercell thunderstorms with heavy rain.  New to the forecast is a tornado or two can not be ruled out with early evening supercells.

How about the timing for these storms?

Thunderstorms are expected to develop across western North Dakota and move to the west throughout the afternoon and evening today.

Showers and thunderstorms are now considered likely late this afternoon and early evening in Bismarck Mandan. We have a 70% chance. These storms will then move east across the state during the evening and overnight.

After the storminess of today, you can expect cooler temps across North Dakota on Thursday in the low to mid-70s.

We should be in store for a very nice Labor Day weekend with temps in the upper 70s to low 80s with mostly dry conditions.