NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND 1006 AM CDT SAT JUL 4 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA…NORTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA…SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA AND SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA. .

DAY ONE…TODAY AND TONIGHT THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. SOME STORMS MAY BE SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL AND STRONG WINDS. .

DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN…SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS SUNDAY. A FEW STRONGER STORMS ARE POSSIBLE SOUTH DURING THE DAYTIME HOURS. THUNDERSTORM CHANCES RETURN TUESDAY NIGHT…THEN AGAIN LATE IN THE WORK WEEK AND OVER NEXT WEEKEND.

Independence DayArea Forecast:
A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 3pm. Some of the storms could be severe. Areas of smoke before 1pm. Patchy fog before 1pm. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 85. South wind 15 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph.
Tonight
A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly between 7pm and 10pm. Some of the storms could be severe. Partly cloudy, with a low around 66. South wind 10 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph.
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Sunday
A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 79. Breezy, with a west wind 8 to 13 mph becoming north 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 26 mph. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Sunday Night
A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 59. North wind 7 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.
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Here is the latest North Dakota news from The Associated Press
MANDAN, N.D. (AP) – A dedication ceremony was held at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery for a memorial to prisoners of war and soldiers missing in action. The ceremony began at 11 a.m. Friday inside the cemetery south of Mandan.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – North Dakota’s Game and Fish Department is lifting an overnight camping ban on Tuesday and Wednesday for some wildlife management areas in the western oil path next week due to the July Fourth holiday. The camping restrictions are aimed at people who take shelter in the areas because of a housing shortage in the region. Camping still is prohibited every day of the week at some wildlife management areas. Details can be found at WWW DOT gf DOT nd DOT gov.

MINOT, N.D. (AP) – Some business owners in Minot say a change to the city’s liquor ordinance that restricts their hours of operation is changing the way they run their businesses. KXMC-TV reports the city council amended the liquor license ordinance in early June so that businesses with supper club licenses may only sell liquor for one hour after kitchen operations cease.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – The attorney who led seven same-sex couples to challenge North Dakota’s ban on gay marriage says he plans to seek legal fees from the state. Minneapolis attorney Josh Newville says now that a federal judge has ruled in favor the plaintiffs, he can start to pursue attorney’s fees.

Here is the latest Minnesota news from The Associated Press
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Garrison Keillor celebrates the 41st anniversary of “A Prairie Home Companion” with a live Fourth of July broadcast from Macalester College in St. Paul. Keillor will host his public radio variety show from an outdoor stage on Macalester’s Great Lawn. The show begins at 4:45 p.m. on Saturday.

ALEXANDRIA, Minn. (AP) – Minnesota health officials are warning of the dangers of toxic blue-green algae after they say a child was taken to a hospital after swimming in a central Minnesota lake that had the bacteria. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the state Department of Health said the child was swimming in Lake Henry in Alexandria in early June and showed symptoms of toxic algae contact. KSTP-TV reports the child has been released from the hospital.

EDINA, Minn. (AP) – The H and M clothing store at the Southdale mall in Edina has been closed after a fire that police call suspicious. The Edina Fire Department got the call around 10:30 a.m. Friday after a piece of clothing caught fire.

DAHLGREN TOWNSHIP, Minn. (AP) – Authorities say a wife and husband have died in an accident after they were thrown from the motorcycle they were riding in Carver County. The county Sheriff’s Office says the crash happened shortly after 10 p.m. Wednesday in Dahlgren Township. The sheriff’s office says 40-year-olds Heidi and Patrick Gongoll, both of Norwood Young America, were killed in the crash.

Here is the latest South Dakota news from The Associated Press
PIERRE, S.D. (AP) – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley has joined 14 of his fellow chief legal officers in petitioning Congress to continue tax exemptions for religious organizations that oppose same-sex marriage. Jackley and his fellow attorneys general sent the letter Thursday to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker John Boehner.

RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) – Authorities in western South Dakota say a suspicious package found Thursday night turned out to be a bomb hoax. The Pennington County Sheriff’s Office received a report around 8:30 p.m. from someone who said they had discovered a suspicious package while walking along Norris Peak Road in Rapid City.

CUSTER, S.D. (AP) – Authorities in Custer are searching for two teenagers who ran away from a youth rehabilitation facility Thursday night. Department of Corrections staff members and law enforcement agencies are looking for the 16-year-old and 17-year-old boys who ran away from the State Treatment and Rehabilitation Academy (STAR) near Custer. Three boys in all left the Brady Academy campus shortly before 10:30 p.m. One of them was apprehended south of the academy campus just after 2:00 a.m.

MOBRIDGE, S.D. (AP) – A Mobridge woman whose 2-year-old child allegedly fell from a three-story window has been charged with felony child abuse. The American News reports 27-year-old Irene Thompson also faces a misdemeanor charge of contributing to the abuse, neglect or delinquency of a minor. Thompson is being held at the Walworth County Jail.