ZCZC SPCSWOMCD ALL ACUS11 KWNS 272312 SPC MCD 272312 MNZ000-NDZ000-280115- Mesoscale Discussion 1717 NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK 0612 PM CDT Sat Jul 27 2024 Areas affected...Portions of central/eastern North Dakota into far northwestern Minnesota Concerning...Severe potential...Watch possible Valid 272312Z - 280115Z Probability of Watch Issuance...40 percent SUMMARY...The area is being monitored for thunderstorm development, with a risk of damaging winds and large hail. A watch may eventually be needed for parts of the area. DISCUSSION...As of 2300Z, the KBIS/KMBX radars show increasing surface convergence along a NNW/SSE-oriented cold front draped across central North Dakota. Boundary-layer cumulus is also expanding in coverage and deepening along the front, generally along/south of I-94. Given a warm/moist and uncapped pre-convective air mass, isolated to widely scattered thunderstorm development is expected along the front in the next hour or so. Steep midlevel lapse rates (associated with an EML) above the warm/moist boundary layer are contributing to moderate surface-based instability ahead of the front. This, combined with around 35 kt of west-southwesterly effective shear (oriented oblique to the front), will support a mix of organized clusters and semi-discrete supercells. Large hail (generally up to 1.75 inches) and locally damaging wind gusts (up to 70 mph) will be possible (especially with any initial semi-discrete supercells). With time, the damaging-wind risk may increase if storms can grow locally upscale as they track eastward. There is still some uncertainty on overall storm coverage and longevity (given fairly weak large-scale ascent and gradually increasing nocturnal static stability). Trends are being monitored for a possible watch issuance for parts of the area this evening. ..Weinman/Hart.. 07/27/2024 ...Please see www.spc.noaa.gov for graphic product... ATTN...WFO...FGF...BIS... LAT...LON 48130053 48849985 49019944 49099864 49089708 48809676 48239683 47429765 46629885 46349982 46260062 46340100 46470118 46790122 47370094 48130053 NNNN