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Unsettled Weather in the West; Marine and Coastal Impacts Along the East Coast

A series of Pacific fronts will bring periodic waves of showers and thunderstorms to parts of the Great Basin and Pacific Northwest the next few days. Swells, high surf, dangerous rip currents and areas of coastal flooding continue along much of the East Coast from both Humberto and Imelda. Unseasonably hot temperatures continue for much of the Plains and Midwest through the remainder of the week. Read More >

Recreation Forecasts

Latest Hot Air Balloon Text Forecast

We'd like to know how you use this forecast. Please send a note to our Warning Coordination Meteorologist, Aaron Woodward. Thanks!

                        
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SXUS43 KUNR 012002
RECUNR

Afternoon Hot Air Balloon Forecast
National Weather Service Rapid City SD
201 PM MDT Wed Oct 1 2025

This forecast is information to assist pilots and aircrews for flight planning
and is not to be considered as a sole source of information to meet all
preflight actions. Pilots should receive a complete preflight briefing from a
Flight Service Station (1-800-WXBRIEF) or online via 1800wxbrief.com.

...HERE IS THE AFTERNOON HOT AIR BALLOON FORECAST
FOR THE HOT SPRINGS MUNICIPAL AIRPORT...

.THIS AFTERNOON...
    Sunset:                          632 PM.

    Surface Wind Forecast:           4 PM...300/12G21 mph.
                                     6 PM...360/07 mph.

    Boundary Layer Wind:             4 PM...330/20 mph. Depth 7000 ft.
                                     6 PM...360/13 mph. Depth 1500 ft.

    RAP Winds (approx. 5 PM):              250ft...340/11 mph.
                                           500ft...340/13 mph.
                                          1000ft...340/13 mph.
                                          2000ft...340/13 mph.
                                          3000ft...330/13 mph.

    Surface Lifted Index:            4 PM...0.
                                     7 PM...+1.

    Density Altitude:                4 PM...5660 ft.
                                     6 PM...5414 ft.

    Additional Weather Info:         clear below 12000 feet AGL,
                                     unrestricted visibilities.


.OUTLOOK FOR TOMORROW MORNING...
    Sunrise:        652 AM.
    Weather:        clear skies,
                    unrestricted visibilities.
    Surface Wind:   6 AM...190/05 mph.
                    8 AM...230/05 mph.
    Boundary Wind:  6 AM...250/07 mph. Depth 400 ft.
                    8 AM...230/08 mph. Depth 400 ft.

    RAP Winds (approx. 6 AM):  250ft...220/01 mph.
                               500ft...170/09 mph.
                              1000ft...170/13 mph.
                              2000ft...190/15 mph.
                              3000ft...220/12 mph.

This forecast is not routinely updated or amended outside of any scheduled
issuances.

&&

Additional aviation observations and forecasts are available at
aviationweather.gov. You can also read the local aviation forecast discussion
at https://www.aviationweather.gov/fcstdisc.

$$

WFO UNR



                

Note: "Boundary layer" above refers to the planetary boundary layer, or the layer within which the effects of friction are significant (courtesy of the NWS Glossary). The depth of this layer will vary throughout the day, typically reaching its maximum depth in the afternoon and minimum depth overnight.

Latest Soaring Forecast

A major operating system upgrade (May 19, 2025) deprecated the software necessary to create the soaring forecast. The soaring forecast will no longer be available. This tab will be removed this summer.

Link: Vertical Wind Profile for Hot Springs Municipal Airport (courtesy CWSU Seattle)

 

The soundings below show temperature (in red) and dew point (in green) at decreasing pressures (increasing heights) throughout the atmosphere.

Winds (in knots; 1 knot = 1.15078 mph) are shown at right.
Pennants or flags correspond to 50 kt, long barbs represent 10 kt, and short barbs represent 5 kt. Winds are also colored by magnitude.
The shaft points to the direction from which the wind is blowing. More information about wind barbs can be found here.

 

Latest Observed Sounding from Rapid City


Latest Observed Sounding from Rapid City

 

 

Forecast Soundings for the Hot Springs Municipal Airport (click to zoom)

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