Bantry, ND Weather

Divide-Burke-Renville-Bottineau-Rolette-Williams-Mountrail- McHenry-Pierce-McKenzie-Dunn-Mercer-Oliver-Sheridan-Wells-Foster- Golden Valley-Billings-Stark-Slope-Hettinger-Bowman-Adams- Northwest Ward-Central and Southern Ward/Minot Area- Western McLean-Eastern McLean-Western Morton- 322 AM CDT Wed Oct 28 2026 /222 AM MDT Wed Oct 28 2026/

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of north central North Dakota, northwest North Dakota, south central North Dakota, southeast North Dakota, and southwest North Dakota.

Day one: Today and Tonight

The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low.

Days two through seven: Thursday through Tuesday

The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low.

Spotter information statement

Spotters are asked to provide reports to the NWS using standard procedures, including through our social media accounts.

Key messages

- Rain likely today across parts of south central North Dakota, including the James River Valley.

- Slightly above average temperatures through the end of the workweek, becoming more noticeably above average this weekend and into early next week.

Discussion

Issued at 304 AM CDT Wed Oct 28 2026

Patchy fog early this morning could become locally dense at times in south central and southeastern North Dakota, though should improve by mid to late morning. Light precipitation will likely develop this morning and into the afternoon over south central North Dakota, including the James River Valley, as another shortwave slides through the Dakotas. In this case, thermal profiles will remain plenty warm to ensure precipitation falls in the form of rain. For the most part, rain should be light, though a narrow corridor of a tenth or two of an inch is possible. As this system moves off to the east, remaining low to mid-level stratus will also clear off from west to east.

Once any precipitation ends in the south central today, mostly dry conditions are expected through Friday night as dry, quasi- zonal flow aloft prevails through Friday. During this timeframe, an upper Pacific low off southwestern Canada will gradually churn towards the Pacific Northwest. By Friday night, flow aloft starts to become more southwesterly as this low gradually enters over the northwest CONUS and associated trough begins to amplify. Come Saturday, low rain chances begin to enter the forecast. However, models are starting to favor a slower progression that holds off more widespread rain chances until Sunday night into early next week. Furthermore, a split flow pattern is becoming more favored to develop, which would likely keep the heaviest precipitation south and possibly also north of the forecast area. Still, uncertainty remains in the evolution of this pattern, including what happens with a strong blocking high at the surface that will travel across the Northern Plains to finish out the workweek, and then through the Great Lakes Region and into the northeast CONUS this weekend.

High temperatures for the remainder of the week and into early next week are favored to become above average most days, for most locations. This translates to highs frequently ranging from the 40s north to 50s south to finish out the workweek, and mostly in the 50s everywhere this weekend. A few 60 degree readings are also possible at times mainly in the southern half of the state. Seasonable lows mostly in the 20s to low 30s are expected tonight through Thursday night, though will warm into the 30s and 40s for most locations by Saturday night.

Aviation

Issued at 1242 AM CDT Wed Oct 28 2026

MVFR/IFR stratus remains the biggest aviation concern through the night tonight and into Wednesday morning. The KBIS ASOS keeps reporting clear skies or FEW at around 800 feet due to a hole that developed right over the airport. However, satellite imagery and nearby observations show that IFR/LIFR stratus is within a few miles of the airport in any direction and one would think it should fill in within an hour or two. The stratus deck is also marching towards KMOT with some uncertainty as to whether it reaches or not, and if so, for how long. Similarly, stratus is rapidly drying out towards KJMS from the south that may result in skies clearing, at least for a time. Ceilings should improve Wednesday morning. Patchy fog is also possible across much of the area tonight into Wednesday morning with the highest confidence near the ND/SD border and parts of the James River Valley.

Watches, warnings and advisories

None.