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Prolonged, Intense Heat Wave; Excessive Rainfall in the Southern Rockies; Severe Weather in the Central US

Extremely dangerous heat will persist from the Midwest to the East Coast into late this week. Monsoonal moisture may produce excessive rain and considerable flash flooding and debris flows, especially near recent burn scar areas in New Mexico and west Texas. Severe storms are possible from the southern/central Plains into the Great Lakes and Northeast, and the northern/central Plains today. 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!

                        
197
SXUS43 KUNR 242002
RECUNR

Evening Hot Air Balloon Forecast
National Weather Service Rapid City SD
201 PM MDT Tue Jun 24 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 EVENING HOT AIR BALLOON FORECAST
FOR THE HOT SPRINGS MUNICIPAL AIRPORT...

.THIS EVENING...
    Sunset:                          839 PM.

    Surface Wind Forecast:           5 PM...110/15G25 mph.
                                     7 PM...100/13G22 mph.

    Boundary Layer Wind:             5 PM...120/24 mph. Depth 3200 ft.
                                     7 PM...110/22 mph. Depth 1800 ft.

    RAP Winds (approx. 6 PM):              250ft...120/11 mph.
                                           500ft...130/14 mph.
                                          1000ft...130/16 mph.
                                          2000ft...140/18 mph.
                                          3000ft...150/20 mph.

    Surface Lifted Index:            4 PM...-6.
                                     7 PM...-3.

    Density Altitude:                5 PM...5313 ft.
                                     7 PM...5287 ft.

    Additional Weather Info:         ceilings around 4000 feet AGL,
                                     unrestricted visibilities,
                                     50 percent chance of precipitation.


.OUTLOOK FOR TOMORROW MORNING...
    Sunrise:        511 AM.
    Weather:        ceilings at less than 1000 feet AGL,
                    unrestricted visibilities.
    Surface Wind:   5 AM...030/07 mph.
                    7 AM...040/07 mph.
    Boundary Wind:  5 AM...060/12 mph. Depth 800 ft.
                    7 AM...060/12 mph. Depth 1100 ft.

    RAP Winds (approx. 5 AM):  250ft...040/06 mph.
                               500ft...110/04 mph.
                              1000ft...170/09 mph.
                              2000ft...190/13 mph.
                              3000ft...200/16 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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