Fargo, North Dakota – A noticeable temperature split will develop across the Dakotas by Thursday, with cooler-than-normal air settling into North Dakota while South Dakota trends much warmer heading into the weekend.
According to the National Weather Service and NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, North Dakota has a 40 to 50 percent probability of below-normal temperatures from April 16 through April 20, while South Dakota leans 60 to 70 percent above normal during the same period. This north-to-south contrast will be driven by a shifting jet stream and developing storm track across the Plains.
In Fargo and across Cass, Grand Forks, and Ward counties, highs are expected to range from 50 to 60°F during the afternoon hours, with overnight lows dipping into the 30s and low 40s. Cooler air and periodic cloud cover will keep conditions feeling more like early spring.
Farther south, Sioux Falls and southeastern South Dakota will see highs climb into the upper 70s to low 80s, especially along the I-29 corridor. Central South Dakota, including Pierre, will also trend warmer with increasing sunshine and milder nights.
The precipitation outlook shows a 40 to 50 percent chance of above-normal rainfall developing between April 18 and April 22. This will bring increasing chances for rain showers and thunderstorms across both states, with the heaviest activity more likely in South Dakota.
Residents in North Dakota should prepare for cooler conditions and layered clothing, while those in South Dakota should stay alert for increasing storm chances late in the period.
This split pattern is expected to hold through April 20, with additional advisories possible as storm systems begin to organize across the central U.S. early next week.
