Heavy Rainfall to Bring Flooding Threat to California; Heavy Snow in the Sierra

A strong atmospheric river will bring heavy rainfall to California through the holiday week. The heaviest rainfall is expected on Wednesday in the Los Angeles Basin. Flash and urban flooding is possible. A prolonged heavy snowfall is expected in the Sierra Nevada from the atmospheric river, raising concerns for major snow‐load impacts. Travel may be difficult to impossible over the passes. Read More >

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48-Hour Graphical Forecast

Hot Air Balloons

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Recreation Areas in Northeastern Wyoming and Western South Dakota Crazy Horse Memorial
Devils Tower National Monument
Mount Rushmore National Memorial
Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway (near the Spearfish entrance)

Parks

Badlands National Park (Interior entrance)
Custer State Park
Wind Cave National Park

Lakes

Sheridan Lake

Reservoirs

Angostura Reservoir
Belle Fourche Reservoir
Cold Brook Reservoir
Deerfield Reservoir
Keyhole Reservoir
Pactola Reservoir
Shadehill Reservoir

Learn About Weather Safety

Angostura Reservoir
Belle Fourche Reservoir
Badlands National Park (Ben Reifel Visitors Center)
Badlands National Park (White River Visitors Center)
Cold Brook Reservoir
Custer State Park Visitors Center
Crazy Horse Memorial
Deerfield Reservoir
Devils Tower National Monument
Keyhole Reservoir
Mount Rushmore National Memorial
Pactola Reservoir
Sheridan Lake
Shadehill Reservoir
Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway (Savoy)
Wind Cave National Park Visitors Center

Latest Hot Air Balloon Text Forecast

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040
SXUS43 KUNR 241002
RECUNR

Morning Hot Air Balloon Forecast
National Weather Service Rapid City SD
301 AM MST Wed Dec 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 MORNING HOT AIR BALLOON FORECAST
FOR THE HOT SPRINGS MUNICIPAL AIRPORT...

.THIS MORNING...
    Sunrise:                         725 AM.

    Surface Wind Forecast:           6 AM...240/12G20 mph.
                                     8 AM...240/12G22 mph.

    Boundary Layer Wind:             7 AM...260/18 mph. Depth 500 ft.
                                     9 AM...260/21 mph. Depth 600 ft.

    RAP Winds (at 7 AM):              250ft...250/10 mph.
                                      500ft...280/21 mph.
                                     1000ft...290/33 mph.
                                     2000ft...280/35 mph.
                                     3000ft...280/33 mph.

    Surface Lifted Index:            6 AM...+11.
                                     9 AM...+15.

    Density Altitude:                6 AM...3258 ft.
                                     8 AM...3652 ft.

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


.OUTLOOK FOR THIS AFTERNOON...
    Sunset:         419 PM.

    Weather:        clear below 12000 feet AGL,
                    unrestricted visibilities.

    Surface Wind:   3 PM...240/07 mph.
                    5 PM...240/05 mph.

    Boundary Wind:  3 PM...230/10 mph. Depth 400 ft.
                    5 PM...220/06 mph. Depth 400 ft.

    RAP Winds (at 3 PM):  250ft...240/03 mph.
                          500ft...250/08 mph.
                         1000ft...260/16 mph.
                         2000ft...250/22 mph.
                         3000ft...260/26 mph.


.OUTLOOK FOR TOMORROW MORNING...
    Surface Wind Forecast:           6 AM...240/22G31 mph.
                                     8 AM...240/26G37 mph.

    RAP Winds (at 7 AM):              250ft...220/08 mph.
                                      500ft...230/23 mph.
                                     1000ft...230/28 mph.
                                     2000ft...240/32 mph.
                                     3000ft...250/35 mph.

    Additional Weather Info:         ceilings at less than 1000 feet AGL,
                                     unrestricted visibilities.


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.

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 (courtesy NSF National Center for Atmospheric Research)

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

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