Forecast Discussions mentioning any of "HRRR" "RR" "RUC13" "RUC" received at GSD on 11/24/11


AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MOUNT HOLLY NJ
616 PM EST WED NOV 23 2011 .SYNOPSIS... A HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER THE TENNESSEE VALLEY THIS EVENING WILL BUILD INTO THE REGION AND DOMINATE OUR WEATHER THROUGH THE WEEKEND. A COLD FRONT, APPROACHING FROM THE WEST, WILL MOVE SLOWLY ACROSS OUR REGION SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY. LOW PRESSURE MAY DEVELOP ON THE FRONT ALONG THE MID ATLANTIC COAST AND MOVE SLOWLY NORTH MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY NIGHT. ANOTHER FRONTAL SYSTEM, WITH A REINFORCING SHOT OF COLD AIR, WILL APPROACH FROM THE NORTHWEST WEDNESDAY. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM THURSDAY MORNING/... THE LATEST SHORT TERM UPDATE WAS MAINLY TO LOWER CURRENT TEMPS AS THEY ARE FALLING FASTER, BUT CONVERSELY CLOUDS ARE LINGERING SLIGHTLY LONGER. THE LATEST HRRR AND WRF-NMM SEEM TO HAVE A PRETTY GOOD HANDLE ON ANY RESIDUAL SHOWERS ASSOCIATED WITH THE SHARPENING TROF OVER THE SERN PART OF OUR CWA. HIGH PRESSURE BACK OVER THE TENNESSEE VALLEY WILL CONTINUE TO WORKS ITS WAY TOWARDS OUR REGION TONIGHT. A TIGHTENING PRESSURE GRADIENT AND STRONG COLD AIR ADVECTION WILL HELP TO KEEP THE STRONGER WIND GUSTS IN THE FORECAST THROUGH AT LEAST 03Z. LATEST VAD WIND PROFILE AND ACARS SOUNDINGS ARE SHOWING THAT THE WRF-NMM IS OVERFORECASTING THE CORE OF THE BLO 850MB CAA JET BY ABOUT 10 KNOTS. WE START TO DECOUPLE UNDER CLEARING SKIES AND COMPLETELY LOSE THE GUSTS. TEMPERATURES WILL BE AT LEAST 10 TO 15 DEGREES COLDER THAN TUESDAY NIGHT WITH THE COLD AIR ADVECTION AND DECREASING COLD COVER. THANKSGIVING MORNING LOOKS TO BE A PLEASANT ONE WITH TEMPERATURES IN THE UPPER 30S AND A BRISK WESTERLY WIND AROUND 10 KNOTS. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH 6 PM THURSDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE CONTINUES TO MOVE INTO OUR REGION TOMORROW HELPING US TO MAINTAIN THE NORTHWESTERLY WINDS AND CLEAR SKIES. THE PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL BEGIN TO SLACKEN EVEN MORE TOMORROW AND DEEP MIXING APPEARS OUT THE QUESTION SO GUSTS SHOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE...AROUND 15 KNOTS OR LESS. IT IS CERTAINLY GOING TO BE ONE GORGEOUS THANKSGIVING DAY. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!! && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... A LARGE HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM, CENTERED JUST TO OUR SOUTH, WILL MOVE SLOWLY EAST TO A POSITION JUST OFF THE NORTH CAROLINA COAST ON SATURDAY. THIS SYSTEM WILL SUPPLY US WITH FAIR AND RELATIVELY MILD WEATHER THROUGH THE WEEKEND. WILL SEE PLENTY OF SUNSHINE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. CLOUDS WILL BEGIN TO INCREASE SUNDAY AS THE HIGH MOVES OFF TO THE EAST AND A COLD FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. THERE COULD BE A FEW LIGHT SHOWERS SPREADING INTO OUR NORTHWEST SECTIONS LATE IN THE DAY. DAYTIME HIGHS FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY WILL BE IN THE MID 50S TO MID 60S. OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL BE MAINLY IN THE 30S THURSDAY NIGHT AND IN THE MID 30S TO MID 40S FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY NIGHT. RAIN IS LIKELY SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY AS THE COLD FRONT CROSSES THE REGION. LOW PRESSURE WILL THEN DEVELOP ON THE FRONT ALONG THE MID ATLANTIC COAST AND MOVE NORTH. THIS COULD MORE RAIN TO OUR AREA MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY NIGHT. WITH CLOUDS AND RAIN, HIGH TEMPERATURES MONDAY AND TUESDAY WILL BE SLIGHTLY LOWER THAN OVER THE WEEKEND, WITH READINGS IN THE UPPER 40S AND 50S. BY WEDNESDAY, ANOTHER FRONT WILL BE APPROACHING FROM THE NORTHWEST, AS AN UPPER TROUGH MOVES EAST FROM THE GREAT LAKES. THIS FRONT WILL USHER IN A REINFORCING SHOT OF COLD AIR BUT WILL BE MOISTURE STARVED. LOOKS LIKE THE MOST WE COULD GET WOULD BE SCATTERED SHOWERS. HIGH TEMPERATURES WEDNESDAY WILL BE IN THE 40S TO LOWER 50S. && .AVIATION /23Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... THE FOLLOWING DISCUSSION IS FOR KPHL, KPNE, KTTN, KABE, KRDG, KILG, KMIV, KACY AND SURROUNDING AREAS. THE SOON TO BE ISSUED 00Z TAFS WILL FEATURE IMPROVING CONDITIONS WITH ANY MVFR CIGS DISAPPEARING AS THE EVENING PROGRESSES. ANY LEFTOVER SHOWERS EARLY SE TERMINALS SHOULD NOT PRODUCE VSBY RESTRICTIONS. THE FORECAST MODELS ARE CLEARING SKIES A BIT TOO HASTILY BASED ON UPWIND FCST SOUNDINGS AND OBSERVATIONS. SO WE DID LINGER A MAINLY VFR STRATOCU CIG SLIGHTLY LONGER. NORTH TO NORTHWEST WINDS WILL BE GUSTY THIS EVENING, BUT BASED ON ACAR SOUNDINGS SHOULD MAINLY REMAIN BELOW 30KTS. AS THE HIGH NEARS, CLEAR SKIES WILL PREVAIL AND WE SHOULD LOSE THE WIND GUSTS OVERNIGHT. THE PREVAILING FCST WIND SPEEDS MAY BE A BIT TOO HIGH FOR THE EARLY MORNING HOURS, THESE ARE WEIGHED TOWARD THE START OF THE OVERNIGHT FCST PERIOD GROUP. VERY DRY AIR MASS ON THURSDAY, THANKSGIVING DAY, AND WE ARE NOT EXPECTING ANY CLOUDS TO FORM. WINDS WILL SLOWLY BACK TO THE WEST AND THERE IS THE SUGGESTION OF SOME MID TEEN WIND GUSTS POSSIBLE DURING THE AFTERNOON. BUT THERE WILL BE A QUICK DECOUPLING OF THE WINDS ONCE THE SUN SETS. OUTLOOK... THE HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM TO OUR SOUTH WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE US WITH GOOD VFR FLYING CONDITIONS WELL INTO SUNDAY. A COLD FRONT MOVING IN FROM THE WEST AND A LOW DEVELOPING ON THIS FRONT, ONCE IT MOVES JUST OFF TO OUR EAST, WILL BRING OUR NEXT ROUND OF INCLEMENT WEATHER SUNDAY NIGHT INTO THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. LOWER CIGS/VSBYS IN RAIN AND FOG CAN BE EXPECTED FOR MUCH OF THAT TIME PERIOD. && .MARINE... WITH THE COLD FRONT NOW TO OUR EAST AND HIGH PRESSURE TRYING TO NOSE IN FROM THE WEST THE SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL REALLY TIGHTEN UP TONIGHT. NORTHERLY TO NORTHWESTERLY WINDS WILL BEGIN TO REALLY HOWL WITH MULTIPLE HOURS OF GALE FORCE GUSTS EXPECTED TONIGHT. SEAS WILL ALSO REMAIN QUITE ELEVATED TONIGHT IN THE WAKE OF THE STRONGER NNW FLOW RUNNING AROUND 6 FEET. THE GALE WARNING IS STILL IN AFFECT FOR ALL OUR COASTAL ZONES THROUGH 09Z...THAT REMAINS UNCHANGED. AFTER THAT TIME PERIOD THE GUSTS DROP INTO SMALL CRAFT RANGE FOR A FEW MORE HOURS FOLLOWED BY SMALL CRAFT FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS BEING A POSSIBILITY. OUTLOOK... HIGH PRESSURE TO OUR SOUTH WILL BRING QUIET CONDITIONS TO OUR WATERS THROUGH THE WEEKEND. AS THE HIGH MOVES OFF TO THE EAST, A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH FROM THE WEST. THE PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL TIGHTEN BETWEEN THESE TWO SYSTEMS. THIS WILL MEAN INCLEMENT WEATHER WITH INCREASING S TO SE WINDS AND BUILDING SEAS SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY. LOW PRESSURE IS THEN FORECAST TO DEVELOP ON THE FRONT ONCE IT MOVES OFF THE EAST COAST. DEPENDING ON THE TIMING AND LOCATION OF THE LOW, ADVISORY OR GALE CONDITIONS COULD OCCUR IN THE SUNDAY NIGHT TO MID WEEK TIME FRAME. && .TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING... THE CONSENSUS OF THE LATEST GUIDANCE PRODUCTS (STEVENS, MDL AND THE BOFS FAMILY) GIVES TIDAL DEPARTURES THAT WOULD JUST TOUCH MINOR TIDAL FLOODING LEVELS ALONG THE OCEANFRONT. MOST OF THE FORECAST DEPARTURES ARE LESS THAN HALF A FOOT AS THE BULK OF THE TIDE ISSUES HAVE TO DO WITH THE ASTRONOMICAL SPRING TIDE ASSOCIATED WITH THE NEW MOON. BECAUSE OVERALL WAVE ACTION IS NOT EXPECTED TO BE UNUSUALLY HIGH AND NO RAIN IS EXPECTED, WE HAVE DECIDED TO ISSUE A COASTAL FLOOD STATEMENT VS AN ADVISORY. THE FORECAST NORTH WINDS ARE CAUSING SOME OF THE HIGHER GUIDANCE TIDAL DEPARTURES AT SANDY HOOK AND LEWES. FARTHER UP IN DELAWARE BAY AND THE TIDAL DELAWARE RIVER, THE WIND DIRECTION SHOULD ASSIST. OVERALL TIDAL DEPARTURES HAVE TO BE GREATER THAN AT THE SHORE, GENERALLY AROUND THREE-QUARTERS OF A FOOT. THE ONE CAVEAT THAT WE WILL HAVE TO WATCH IS THE BELOW FLOOD STAGE RIVER CREST NOW WORKING ITS WAY DOWN THE DELAWARE RIVER. ALONG CHESAPEAKE BAY, NO TIDAL PROBLEMS ARE BEING REPORTED WITH THE CURRENT HIGH TIDE CYCLE AND DEPARTURES ARE ALREADY DECREASING. THE OVERALL NORTHWEST TO NORTH WINDS SHOULD HELP CONTINUE DRAIN IT AND LOWER DEPARTURES INTO THURSDAY MORNING. ASTRONOMICAL HIGH TIDES WITH THE CURRENT NEW MOON SPRING TIDE CYCLE WILL PEAK ON FRIDAY MORNING. CURRENT EXPECTATIONS ARE FOR THE WIND DIRECTION TO BE LESS FAVORABLE AND BY THEN THE DELAWARE RIVER FRESH WATER CREST WILL ALSO BE THROUGH. && .PHI WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...NONE. NJ...NONE. DE...NONE. MD...NONE. MARINE...GALE WARNING UNTIL 4 AM EST THURSDAY FOR ANZ430-431-450>455. && $$ SYNOPSIS...RPW NEAR TERM...GIGI/HEAVENER SHORT TERM...HEAVENER LONG TERM...RPW AVIATION...GIGI/RPW MARINE...HEAVENER/RPW TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS TALLAHASSEE FL
900 PM EST Wed Nov 23 2011 .SYNOPSIS... 01Z water vapor and H4 RUC analysis show the main upper level trough axis that impacted the forecast area the past 36 hours is now exiting off the Atlantic seaboard to our east. One final impulse is sliding down the backside of this trough...however the atmospheric column is now far to dry for this energy to pose any threat. KTLH sounding from this evening shows a PW values all the way down to 0.4", and a very dry profile above 900mb. With this profile, not a cloud to be found over our land zones, and this will hold through the overnight. With the drier atmosphere and clear skies, temps will be cool overnight, reaching the 40s at most inland locations. The current grids show the normally colder spots reaching the lower 40s by sunrise. This seems like it would be the coldest scenario, as the gradient never really relaxes. Expecting to see winds occasionally bump up to 4 to 5 knots, even for the more sheltered area, and would not be surprised if low temps end up above what is currently forecast. A dry atmosphere and surface high pressure will provide a pleasant Thanksgiving day across the Southeast U.S. Forecast will show plenty of sunshine and temperatures reaching the upper 60s/lower 70s during the afternoon hours. Enjoy! && .MARINE... The gradient will tighten overnight across the northeast Gulf of Mexico as strong high pressure passes well to our north. Winds will shift to the north and eventually northeast by early Thursday morning and increase to around advisory levels. Winds will diminish below advisory levels by around midday Thursday...however winds will continue to reach cautionary levels at times through at least Thursday night. && .Aviation (through 00Z Friday)... Skies have cleared across the entire region in the wake of the cold front. VFR conditions are expected to prevail through the TAF period. Winds will veer around from north to northeast by the morning hours and will become gusty at 10 to 15 knots during the later morning and afternoon hours. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Tallahassee 43 72 38 72 49 / 0 0 0 0 0 Panama City 48 69 45 68 55 / 0 0 0 0 0 Dothan 44 70 39 71 48 / 0 0 0 0 10 Albany 43 69 39 72 47 / 0 0 0 0 0 Valdosta 46 71 40 74 49 / 0 0 0 0 0 Cross City 45 72 39 74 50 / 0 0 0 0 0 Apalachicola 51 70 47 69 57 / 0 0 0 0 0 && .TAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AL...None. GA...None. FL...None. GM...None. && $$ MROCZKA/CAMP
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MELBOURNE FL
8 PM EST WED NOV 23 2011 .DISCUSSION... CURRENT ROUND OF METARS...BUOY REPORTS AND SURFACE ANALYSIS PLACED A WEAK COLD FRONT STRETCHING FROM NORTHERN BREVARD COUNTY TO THE TAMPA BAY AREA WITH HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING ACROSS NORTH FLORIDA AND MOVING DOWN THE PENINSULA. UPSTREAM DEW POINTS WERE STILL IN THE LOW 60S FROM AROUND SAINT AUGUSTINE TO GAINESVILLE AND CROSS CITY BUT TO THE NORTH THE DEW POINTS WERE IN THE LOW AND MID 50S. THE FRONT WILL CONTINUE TO WEAKEN AS IT MOVES DOWN THE PENINSULA OVERNIGHT. LATEST RUC 500MB HEIGHT ANALYSIS SHOWED THE UPPER TROUGH AXIS OVER THE EASTERN GULF WITH NORTHWEST FLOW OVER THE SOUTHEAST. WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH BRIEF PERIODS OF LOW CLOUDS FIRST PART OF THE NIGHT AS THE COOLER AIR MASS RUNS OVER THE STILL RELATIVELY MOIST AND WARMER AIR BELOW IT BUT AFTER MIDNIGHT WILL SEE CLEAR SKIES EVOLVING NORTH TO SOUTH. EVENING UPDATE MAKES CHANGES TO SEVERAL GRIDS...SKIES...WINDS AND TEMPERATURE GRIDS TO SHOW A SLIGHTLY SLOWER FRONTAL MOVEMENT. WINDS SHOULD START TO INCREASE TOWARD SUNRISE AS THE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OVER CENTRAL FLORIDA. PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS THU...BREEZY (WINDY NEAR THE COAST?) AND COOLER WX ON TAP AS LARGE AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE SE BUILDS TO THE MID ATLC STATES. MAY SEE SOME MARINE SC PUSH ONSHORE COASTAL AREAS BY AFTERNOON BUT BY AND LARGE SKIES SHOULD BE SUNNY-MOSUNNY WITH MAXES IN THE 70-75F RANGE. THU NIGHT...THE TAIL END OF A MID-LEVEL TROUGH WILL SWEEP DOWN THE EAST FLORIDA COAST OVERNIGHT. AT THE SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE SOUTHEAST U.S. WILL STRENGTHEN ITS GRIP ACROSS THE FLORIDA PENINSULA WITH WINDS OUT OF THE NORTHEAST. CONDITIONS WILL REMAIN DRY AS MOISTURE WILL HAVE BEEN SCOURED OUT WITH THE MOST RECENT FRONTAL PASSAGE...BUT WILL HAVE TO WATCH FOR POSSIBLE MARINE STRATOCUMULUS CLOUDS ALONG THE COAST. MIN TEMPS IN THE L/M50S ALONG AND N OF THE I-4 CORRIDOR AND THROUGH THE INTERIOR (NEAR CLIMO) WITH L/M60S ALONG THE SPACE AND TREASURE COASTS (ARND 5F ABV CLIMO). FRI-FRI NIGHT...AS THE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED UPPER TROUGH MOVES AWAY FROM THE PENINSULA...SHORTWAVE RIDGING WILL AMPLIFY AND SLIDE EASTWARD ACROSS THE PENINSULA AS ANOTHER UPPER TROUGH DIGS ACROSS THE CENTRAL CONUS. THE SURFACE RIDGE LOCATED TO THE NORTH WILL HOLD TIGHT THOUGH WINDS WILL VEER TO EASTERLY. WILL HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF POSSIBLE MARINE STRATOCUMULUS CLOUDS OVER THE COASTAL WATERS AND PERHAPS NEAR THE COAST AS MOISTURE GETS TRAPPED BENEATH A RATHER STOUT INVERSION LOCATED AT AROUND 850 MB. WILL KEEP CONDITIONS DRY THROUGH THIS PERIOD FOR NOW. MAX TEMPS IN THE M/U70S (NEAR CLIMO)...MIN TEMPS L/M60S (5-7F ABV CLIMO)...EXCEPT UPPER 50S LAKE COUNTY. SAT-TUE...(PREVIOUS EXTENDED DISCUSSION)...EXTENDED GUIDANCE SHOWING SOME DISPARITY WRT TO THE NEXT FL FROPA. THE HI AMP FRONTAL TROF WILL BE FED BY A VERY STRONG H25 JET MAX. BOTH GFS/ECMWF MODELS INDICATE THE SYSTEM BCMG A FULL LAT TROF BY DAYBREAK SUN...THOUGH THE GFS IS A BIT FASTER WITH THE MID LVL TROF AXIS. ALSO...BOTH INDICATE A SECONDARY LOW WITH NEGATIVELY TILTED MID LVL TROF DVLPG OVER THE DEEP SOUTH BY DAYBREAK MON...THOUGH AGAIN GFS HAS A FASTER SOLUTION AS WELL AS A DEEPER SFC LOW. NOT SURPRISINGLY...GFS PUSHES ITS FRONTAL MOISTURE BAND THRU THE FL PENINSULA A GOOD 24HRS AHEAD OF THE ECMWF. THE JET PATTERN OVER THE N PAC IS QUITE STRONG AND EXTENSIVE WITH 100KT ISOTACH NEARLY SPANNING ITS LENGTH BTWN THE 30TH AND 40TH PARALLEL. THIS SHOULD FAVOR A MORE PROGRESSIVE WX PATTERN THRU THE FIRST PART OF NEXT WEEK. TOWARD THIS END...WILL LEAN TOWARD THE FASTER GFS SOLUTION AND FOCUS PRECIP SUN INTO MON. RIDGING OVER THE ATLC WOULD TEND TO MAKE THE FROPA A FAIRLY SLOW ONE WITH POPS BEGINNING BY MIDDAY SUN AND CONTINUING THRU MIDDAY MON. TEMPS ABV CLIMO THRU THE WEEKEND WITH MAXES IN THE U70S/L80S...MINS IN THE L/M60S. MEX NUMERICAL GUIDANCE HAS TRENDED COLDER BEHIND THE FRONT WITH MIN TEMPS N OF I-4 FALLING INTO THE L/M50S MON MORNING AND INTO THE L/M40S TUE MORNING...BUT HOLDING IN THE L/M60S ALONG THE TREASURE COAST MON MORNING BEFORE DROPPING INTO THE L50S TUE MORNING. MAX TEMPS IN THE M60/L70S BOTH DAYS. && .AVIATION...PREVAILING VFR. TEMPO MVFR CEILINGS THROUGH MIDNIGHT THEN SKC. && .MARINE... BUOYS RECORDING WEST NORTHWEST WINDS AROUND 15 KNOTS AND 2 TO 3 FOOT SEAS OUT TO 20NM AND ONLY 3 FEET AT BUOY 010. WINDS WILL SHIFT TO THE NORTH AND INCREASE TOWARD SUNRISE AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS DOWN THE COASTAL WATERS. SEAS WILL INCREASE AND BECOME CHOPPY... ESPECIALLY IN THE GULF STREAM WHERE NORTHERLY WINDS PUSH AS THE NORTHWARD FLOWING STEAM OF WATER. LATEST GFS WINDS AND SWAN WAVE GUIDANCE BRING PRETTY SOLID SCA CONDS FROM N-S INTO THE 0-20NM LEGS LATE TONIGHT/EARLY THU MORNING...AND AS SUCH HAVE EXPANDED THE SCA TO INCLUDE THE ENTIRE MAOR. THU NIGHT...INITIAL NNE WINDS AROUND 20+ KTS VEER TO NE/ENE OVERNIGHT AND DECREASE SLIGHTLY TO 15-20/20KTS. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CONDITIONS CONTINUING. A FRESH NORTHEAST LONG PERIOD SWELL WILL PLAGUE THE COASTAL WATERS DRIVING SEAS OUT TO 20 NM OFF THE COAST AND 7-9 FT 20-60NM OFFSHORE. FRI-FRI NIGHT...HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE SOUTHEAST WILL REMAIN IN PLACE KEEPING WINDS ONSHORE...ENE/NE WINDS THROUGH THIS TIME WITH SPEEDS AVERAGING 15-20/20 KTS. SEAS REMAIN STUBBORN AND SLOW TO SUBSIDE WITH 5-8 FT SEAS AWAY FROM THE COAST AND ACROSS THE GULF STREAM...SLIGHTLY LOWER HEIGHTS CLOSER TOWARD THE COAST. SAT-MON...E WINDS WILL BEGIN TO VEER LATE SAT NIGHT TO ESE/SE WITH SSE/S WINDS INTO MON AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING FRONTAL BOUNDARY. IF THIS FRONT PICKS UP STEAM WINDS COULD EASILY VEER MORE SW OR W DURING THE DAY ON MON. THE SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE WILL WEAKEN DURING THIS TIME AND GET PUSHED FURTHER OUT INTO THE WESTERN ATLC. THE TIGHTENING PRESSURE GRADIENT MAY AGAIN INCREASE WIND SPEEDS LATE SUN INTO MON AHEAD OF THE NEXT SYSTEM. WHILE SOME SHOWER ACTIVITY MAY BEGIN TO INCREASE THROUGH THE LATTER HALF OF THE WEEKEND AS MOISTURE PROFILES STRENGTHEN...THE BIGGEST THREAT FROM HEAVIER SHOWERS OR AN ISOLATED LIGHTNING STORM MAY BE LATE SUN NIGHT OR INTO MON AS THESE CELLS WOULD PUSH OFF OF THE COAST. AS OF THIS WRITING...TIMING OF THIS SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE IRONED OUT FOR FURTHER CONFIDENCE. && .MLB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...NONE. AM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 5 AM THURSDAY TO 4 AM FRIDAY FROM FLAGLER BEACH TO JUPITER INLET OUT 20 NM. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 4 PM SATURDAY FROM FLAGLER BEACH TO VOLUSIA BREVARD COUNTY LINE 20 TO 60 NM OFFSHORE. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 4 PM SATURDAY FROM VOLUSIA BREVARD COUNTY LINE TO SEBASTIAN INLET 20 TO 60 NM OFFSHORE. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 1 AM THURSDAY TO 4 PM SATURDAY FROM SEBASTIAN INLET TO JUPITER INLET 20 TO 60 NM OFFSHORE. && $$ UPDATES/AVIATION...WIMMER IMPACT WX.....PENDERGRAST
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS JACKSONVILLE FL
933 AM EST TUE NOV 22 2011 .UPDATE...PATCHY DENSE FOG/STRATUS NOTED AT THIS TIME AND VISIBLE IMAGERY SHOWS MULTILAYERED CLOUDS OVER MOST PORTIONS OF THE REGION. MODEL THICKNESS FIELDS WHEN COMBINED WITH CLOUDINESS SUGGEST A WARM FRONT OVER N CENTRAL FL AND RADAR HAS BEEN SHOWING A FEW LIGHT SHOWERS/SPRINKLES SE OF A LINE FROM ST AUGUSTINE TO PALATKA NEAR THIS FRONT. 12Z JAX SOUNDING SHOWS PWAT OF 1.1 INCHES MOST OF IT BELOW 650 MB AND SIGNIFICANT SUBSIDENCE INVERSION ABOVE THAT. LLVL FLOW PER SOUNDING IS GENERALLY S TO SW...WHILE CURRENT SFC DATA SHOWS VERY WEAK SE E TO SE WINDS. FOR REST OF TODAY...Q-VECTOR CONVERGENCE ALONG WITH SURGE OF DEEPER MOISTURE AND THE WARM FRONT WILL ALLOW FOR ISOLD TO SCT SHOWER ACTIVITY (MAINLY AFTN HRS)...MAINLY OVER NE FL. RUC MODEL SOUNDING SHOWS ENOUGH INSTABILITY (CAPE 1200 J/KG AND LI -3) IN THE AFTERNOON TO SUPPORT A THUNDERSTORM OVER NE FL. SREF OUTPUT ALSO INDICATING AT LEAST 20-30% CHANCE OF A THUNDERSTORM BY AFTN HRS. THE SLY FLOW WILL ALSO AID IN TEMPS REACHING THE UPPER 70S AND LOWER 80S WITH PARTLY TO MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES. && .AVIATION...CONDS RANGE FROM LIFR TO VFR AT THIS TIME. GNV STILL DOWN AT 1MI BKN003 AND SHOULD IMPROVE WITHIN NEXT HR BUT AFT THAT STILL MVFR EXPECTED AT TIMES THROUGH NOON. IN THE AFTN/EARLY EVENING...VFR EXPECTED TO PREVAIL THOUGH ANTICIPATE SCT-LCL BKN030-045. ANTICIPATE MVFR CIG/VSBY DEVELOPING 03Z-06Z WITH COMBINATION OF MVFR/IFR POSSIBLE DUE TO CIGS AFT 06Z. && .MARINE...ESE FLOW IS 5-10 KT AND SEAS GENERALLY 2-4 FT. ANTICIPATE WINDS COMING AROUND TO SE AND INCREASING DURING THE DAY AS PRES GRADIENT INCREASES AHEAD OF APPROACHING FRONT. WILL REMOVE FOG FROM FCST AND ONLY MINOR ADJUSTMENTS TO WINDS/SEAS. RIP CURRENTS: MODERATE RISK TODAY DUE TO LONG PERIOD SWELL ~10 SECONDS FROM THE E TO SE. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... AMG 81 61 75 45 / 20 60 70 0 SSI 76 64 75 51 / 20 30 60 0 JAX 81 61 79 47 / 30 30 50 10 SGJ 78 63 80 55 / 30 30 50 20 GNV 82 60 81 48 / 30 20 60 20 OCF 83 61 81 49 / 30 30 60 20 && .JAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...NONE. GA...NONE. AM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 4 AM TO 11 AM EST WEDNESDAY FOR ALTAMAHA SOUND GA TO FERNANDINA BEACH FL 20 NM TO 60 NM OFFSHORE. && $$ SHASHY/KEEGAN
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CHARLESTON SC
953 PM EST WED NOV 23 2011 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO THE REGION FROM THE WEST TONIGHT AND PERSIST THROUGH THE WEEKEND. ANOTHER COLD FRONT WILL AFFECT THE REGION EARLY NEXT WEEK...FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM THURSDAY MORNING/... NO MAJOR CHANGES ARE NEEDED TO THE GRIDS AND TEXT PRODUCTS FOR THE LATE EVENING UPDATE. A PRONOUNCED WIND SURGE IS MOVING STEADILY SOUTH AND WILL CLEAR THE SOUTHERN PARTS OF THE FORECAST AREA BY MIDNIGHT. BOTH TEMPERATURES AND DEWPOINTS ARE FALLING QUICKLY IN ITS WAKE. LOWS FROM THE LOWER 40S WELL INLAND TO UPPER 40S AT THE BEACHES SEEM QUITE REASONABLE. LAKE WINDS...WINDS AT BOTH PINEVILLE AND PINOPOLIS INDICATE WINDS ARE SOLIDLY WITHIN LAKE WIND ADVISORY THRESHOLDS. ALTHOUGH WINDS SHOULD PEAK WITHIN THE NEXT FEW HOURS...IT WILL TAKE SOMETIME FOR SPEEDS TO DIMINISH. A LAKE WIND ADVISORY WILL CONTINUE FOR LAKE MOULTRIE UNTIL 6 AM. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH SATURDAY/... AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH OFFSHORE ON THURSDAY AS RIDGING BUILDS INTO THE REGION FROM THE WEST. THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGE WILL THEN PREVAIL OVER THE SOUTHEASTERN STATES THROUGH SATURDAY. AT THE SURFACE...EXPANSIVE HIGH PRESSURE WILL PERSIST ACROSS THE MID-ATLANTIC REGION AND SOUTHEAST STATES THROUGH FRIDAY...THEN BEGIN TO SHIFT OFFSHORE ON SATURDAY. STRONG SUBSIDENCE AND A LACK OF ANY SIGNIFICANT MOISTURE WILL RESULT IN RAIN FREE CONDITIONS AND MAINLY CLEAR SKIES INTO FRIDAY. THEN...AS THE LOW LEVEL FLOW BECOMES MORE ONSHORE SOUTH OF THE SURFACE HIGH...AN INCREASE IN CLOUD COVER IS EXPECTED INTO THE START OF THE WEEKEND...ESPECIALLY ACROSS SOUTHEAST GEORGIA. TEMPERATURES WILL BE SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL ON THURSDAY...MODERATE TO NEAR NORMAL ON FRIDAY...THEN BECOME SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL BY SATURDAY. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... MEDIUM RANGE GUIDANCE IS IN FAIRLY GOOD AGREEMENT SHOWING A BLOCKING RIDGE DEVELOPING OVER THE WESTERN ATLANTIC BY THE END OF THE WEEKEND...RESULTING IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A HIGHLY AMPLIFIED UPPER LEVEL TROUGH NEAR THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. MODELS THEN SHOW A CLOSED UPPER LEVEL LOW DEVELOPING SOMEWHERE OVER THE SOUTHEAST STATES EARLY IN THE WEEK...BUT THERE IS SIGNIFICANT SPREAD IN THE MODELS WITH RESPECT TO THE LOCATION AND PROGRESSION OF THE UPPER LEVEL LOW...WITH THE 23/00Z GFS MORE PROGRESSIVE THAN THE 23/00Z ECMWF AND CANADIAN. THIS LEADS TO A RATHER LOW CONFIDENCE FORECAST...BUT WILL FAVOR THE GFS SOLUTION WHICH IS IN LINE WITH HPC THINKING. AS A RESULT...A COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO APPROACH FROM THE WEST LATE IN THE WEEKEND...PUSHING THROUGH THE AREA SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY AS THE TROUGH AXIS TAKES ON A NEGATIVE TILT. A GOOD MOISTURE FEED AHEAD OF THE FRONT SHOULD RESULT IN A SOLID CHANCE OF SHOWERS ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA...WITH PERHAPS A FEW STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ACCOMPANYING THE FRONT ITSELF. DRIER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY AS THE FRONT SHIFTS OFFSHORE AND THE UPPER LOW LIFTS NORTHWARD. ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES LATE IN THE WEEKEND WILL FALL BELOW NORMAL IN WAKE OF THE COLD FRONT. && .AVIATION /03Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL THROUGH THE 00Z TAF PERIOD FOR BOTH KCHS AND KSAV. THE MAIN ISSUE OVERNIGHT WILL BE WHETHER GUSTY CONDITIONS PERSIST AT KCHS...OR WHETHER SURFACE WINDS WILL DIMINISH BELOW 10 KNOTS RESULTING IN LLWS. UPSTREAM OBS CONTINUE TO GUST NEAR 20 KNOTS...AND THIS IS EXPECTED TO TRANSITION ACROSS KCHS FOR SEVERAL HOURS INITIALLY THIS EVENING. THEREAFTER...SURFACE WINDS WILL LIKELY DIMINISH AND WITH MODEL SOUNDINGS SHOWING VEERING 35 KT WINDS ALOFT...MARGINAL LLWS WOULD THEN PERSIST THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE EVENING. OCCASIONAL GUSTS CAN NOT BE RULED OUT ACROSS KSAV PRIOR TO 03Z...BUT EXPECT OVERALL WIND SPEEDS AT THE SURFACE TO REMAIN 10 KNOTS OR LESS THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT. THEREFORE...WENT AHEAD AND INITIALIZED KSAV WITH LLWS THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING. EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...SUB-VFR CONDITIONS POSSIBLE SUN/MON IN SCATTERED SHOWERS AND T-STORMS. && .MARINE... SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES CONTINUE FOR ALL MARINE LEGS. BUOY OBSERVATIONS AND RADAR DATA INDICATE THE INITIAL WIND SURGE CONTINUES TO WORK SOUTH. A SPECIAL MARINE WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE LEADING LEDGE TO COVER GUSTS TO 35-40 KT FOR LESS THAN 2 HOURS. INCOMING RUC DATA SUGGEST MARGINAL GALES MAY OCCUR BEHIND THE WIND SURGE FOR SEVERAL MORE HOURS WITH BOUNDARY LAYER WINDS FORECAST TO BE RIGHT AT 35 KNOTS. MODIS WATER TEMPERATURE DATA INDICATE SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURES ARE IN THE UPPER 60S TO LOWER 70S BEYOND 40 NM...SO GALES COULD CERTAINLY OCCUR IN THE WARMER WATERS WERE MORE VIGOROUS MIXING WILL OCCUR. HOWEVER...PER COORDINATION WITH WFO JAX...HAVE OPTED TO HOLD WINDS AT 25-30 KT FOR NOW SINCE THE EVENT LOOKS MARGINAL AND HANDLE WITH A STRONG SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY. A GALE WARNING MAY STILL BE NEEDED...BUT CONFIDENCE IS NOT GREATER THAN 80 PERCENT ATTM. THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY...IMPROVING CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED ON THURSDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO THE REGION FROM THE NORTHWEST. WINDS AND SEAS SHOULD FALL BELOW SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CRITERIA FOR ALL NEAR SHORE WATERS BY THE END OF THE DAY THURSDAY...BUT A FAVORABLE FETCH WILL KEEP SEAS ELEVATED ABOVE ADVISORY CRITERIA ACROSS THE OUTER GEORGIA WATERS THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON. THE AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL PREVAIL OVER THE REGION INTO THE WEEKEND...WITH A COLD FRONT THEN EXPECTED TO APPROACH FROM THE WEST LATE IN THE WEEKEND AND PUSH OFFSHORE EARLY NEXT WEEK. ADDITIONAL SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES ARE POSSIBLE OVER PORTIONS OF THE WATERS IN ASSOCIATION WITH THIS FRONT. && .TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING... GIVEN THE UPCOMING PERIGEAN SPRING TIDES THERE IS A PRETTY GOOD CHANCE OF EXCEEDING COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY CRITERIA DURING THE MORNING HIGH TIDES THURSDAY THROUGH AT LEAST SATURDAY. WITH THE ASTRONOMICAL PREDICTED VALUES RIGHT AT 7.0 FT IN CHARLESTON HARBOR THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY MORNINGS...ONLY A NEUTRAL OR HIGHER ANOMALY WILL BE NECESSARY FOR MINOR COASTAL FLOODING. THIS APPEARS QUITE LIKELY GIVEN THE VEERING WIND PROFILE LATE TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY. LATER SHIFTS MAY NEED TO ISSUE A COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY. && .CHS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...NONE. SC...LAKE WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM EST THURSDAY FOR SCZ045. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 11 AM EST THURSDAY FOR AMZ330-352. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM EST THURSDAY FOR AMZ350. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 5 PM EST THURSDAY FOR AMZ354. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM EST FRIDAY FOR AMZ374. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS NORTHERN INDIANA
322 PM EST TUE NOV 22 2011 .SHORT TERM... TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT... KIWX RADAR SHOWING LARGE EXPANSE OF MODERATE RAIN...WITH EMBEDDED HEAVIER BANDS...COVERING THE ENTIRE CWA THIS AFTERNOON. SFC ANALYSIS INDICATING LOW PRESSURE CENTER HAS MOVED INTO SW INDIANA...WITH PRESSURE FALL ANALYSIS TAKING LOW ON NE TRACK BETWEEN DAYTON AND LIMA THIS EVENING. THIS TRACK WOULD BRING 700MB LOW AND ASSOCIATED DEFORMATION AXIS ACROSS THE AREA AND RESULT IN CONTINUED MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN OVER THE EASTERN HALF OF THE CWA THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING. WATER VAPOR IMAGERY AND LATEST RUC ANALYSIS HAS UPPER TROUGH OVER SE MO/W IL THIS AFTERNOON AND IS EXPECTED TO MAKES ITS WAY EASTWARD TO IN/OH LINE BY 06Z AND BRING AN END TO THE PRECIP BY LATE TONIGHT TO THE EASTERN CWA. SFC HIGH PRESSURE TO BUILD INTO THE REGION ON WEDNESDAY AND BRING A QUIET WEATHER PATTERN TO THE REGION HEADING TOWARD THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY ALONG WITH SEASONABLE TEMPS WITH HIGHS WEDNESDAY NEAR 50 AND L30S FOR LOWS. && .LONG TERM.../THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/ MODELS IN GOOD AGREEMENT LATE THIS WEEK THAT A GRADUALLY STRENGTHENING LONG WAVE TROF WILL PROGRESS EASTWARD ACROSS THE WRN U.S. WHILE AHEAD OF IT A STRONG UPR LEVEL RIDGE WILL MOVE EAST ACROSS ERN PORTIONS OF THE COUNTRY. THIS SHOULD RESULT IN A WARM DRY AIRMASS IMPACTING OUR CWA THU-FRI. LITTLE CLOUDINESS AND DECENT MIXING FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR...ESPECIALLY FRIDAY... SHOULD ALLOW HIGHS TO REACH THE M50S THU AND THE L60S FRI OVER MOST OF THE CWA. TEMPS SHOULD REMAIN ABOVE NORMAL SATURDAY... BUT WITH UPR RIDGE MOVG TO THE EAST COAST AND INCRSG CLOUDS AND PRBLY EVENTUALLY SHOWERS ASSOCIATED WITH THE APCHG TROF SPREADING INTO THE CWA DURING THE DAY... HIGHS SHOULD BE A BIT LOWER THAN FRIDAY... IN THE M50S. THE LONG WAVE IS FCST BY ALL OPERATIONAL MEDIUM RANGE MODELS TO CLOSE/CUT OFF OVER THE CENTRAL U.S. SUNDAY... BUT LARGE DIFFERENCES REMAIN ON WHERE THIS WILL OCCUR BOTH AMONG LATEST GUIDANCE AND AMONG THEIR RESPECTIVE RECENT RUNS. GFS ENSEMBLES ALSO SUGGESTING CUT OFF LOW WILL DEVELOP BUT SPREAD IS VERY LARGE. THUS, CONFIDENCE IN LONG RANGE FCST GOOD THROUGH SAT... THEN GOES DOWNHILL SUNDAY THROUGH TUE... THOUGH DOES APPEAR THAT TEMPS WILL BE CONSIDERABLY COOLER...CLOSER TO IF NOT BLO NORMAL EARLY NEXT WEEK. ALSO HARD ATTM TO LEAVE OUT A CHC OF PRECIP IN EACH 12HR PERIOD SUN-TUE GIVEN POTENTIAL FOR LOW CLOSING/CUTTING OFF OVER CENTRAL U.S. SUNDAY AND THEN SLOWLY LIFTING OUT TO THE NE MON-TUE. && .AVIATION... /18Z TAFS/ KIWX RADAR SHOWING WIDESPREAD RAIN OVER THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE INTO THE EARLY EVENING HOURS. 17Z OBS SHOWING IFR CONDITIONS WORKING UP TOWARD BOTH TAF SITES AND WILL TREND THAT DIRECTION ACCORDINGLY. GUSTY EAST WINDS WILL BACK AROUND TO THE NORTH OVERNIGHT WITH THE PASSAGE OF SFC LOW. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO THE REGION AND VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL BY EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING. && .IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IN...NONE. MI...NONE. OH...NONE. LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 5 PM EST WEDNESDAY FOR LMZ043-046. && $$ SHORT TERM...LOGSDON LONG TERM...JT AVIATION...LOGSDON
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS NORTHERN INDIANA
122 AM EST TUE NOV 22 2011 .AVIATION... /06 UTC TAFS/ MINOR TWEAKS TO ONGOING FCST. LARGE FLUX OF MSTR INTO NRN IN LTR THIS AM AS STORM SYSTEM CURRENTLY OVR NCNLT ARK DEEPENS AND TRACKS INTO SERN IN BY MIDDAY. EXPECT RAPID DETERIORATION TO IFR MET CONDS WITH ONSET OF RAFL...AND FURTHER TO AT OR BLO LIFR CONDS AFTR FEW HOURS OF CONTINUOUS RAFL BRINGING SATURATION LVL FURTHER TOWRD SFC. TRENDED KSBN ABOVE FUEL ATL TOWARD END OF FCST PD AS SYSTEM PULLS WELL EAST INTO NERN/ERN OH BY 06 UTC. && .UPDATE... SOME EROSION OF LOW CLOUD DECK ACROSS SOUTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN INTO EXTREME NORTHERN INDIANA NOTED EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. SATELLITE IMAGERY EARLY THIS EVENING INDICATES LITTLE OVERALL CHANGE IN POSITION OF NORTHERN EXTENT OF THIS LOW CLOUD DECK RUNNING ROUGHLY FROM KVPZ...TO KGSH...JUST NORTH OF KDFI. SLIGHT VEERING OF LOW LEVEL WINDS IS ANTICIPATED LATE THIS EVENING INTO THE OVERNIGHT AS AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH CONTINUES TO PULL OUT OF THE ROCKIES INTO THE SOUTHERN PLAINS. A TIGHT LOW LEVEL THETA-E BOUNDARY WILL BEGIN TO ADVECT BACK NORTHWARD OVERNIGHT...AND THUS SHOULD SEE GRADUAL NORTHWARD EXPANSION OF THIS LOW CLOUD DECK ACROSS THE FAR NORTH OVERNIGHT. IN THE MEANTIME...MOSTLY CLEAR TO PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES HAVE ALLOWED TEMPERATURES TO DROP INTO THE MID 30S ACROSS THE FAR NORTH...ALTHOUGH THESE READINGS WILL LIKELY BE CLOSE TO MINS FOR THE NIGHT. JUST SOME MINOR TWEAKS TO SKY COVER AND TEMPS MADE TO ACCOUNT FOR THESE TRENDS...BUT OTHERWISE NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE GOING FORECAST WITH MEASURABLE PRECIP MOST LIKELY HOLDING OFF UNTIL TOWARD 12Z ACROSS THE SOUTH. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 718 PM EST MON NOV 21 2011/ AVIATION... 00Z TAFS...CIG TRENDS AND TIMING PRECIPITATION ONSET WILL BE THE PRIMARY AVIATION FORECAST CONCERNS DURING THIS CYCLE. PERSISTENT LOW CLOUD DECK ACROSS NORTHERN INDIANA...APPARENTLY ENHANCED BY UPWIND LAKE ERIE BOUNDARY LAYER MODIFICATION HAS SLOWLY ERODED ACROSS EXTREME NORTHERN INDIANA EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON LEAVING KSBN WITH SOME JUST CIRRUS. LATEST SATELLITE IMAGERY SUGGESTS THE NORTHERN EDGE OF THIS MVFR DECK EXTENDS FROM NEAR KOXI TO KGSH TO JUST WEST OF KTOL. AS AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH ACROSS THE ROCKIES EJECTS INTO THE PLAINS TONIGHT...STALLED LOW LEVEL MOISTURE GRADIENT SHOULD BEGIN TO LIFT SLIGHTLY BACK NORTHWARD ACROSS FAR NORTHERN INDIANA EVENTUALLY ALLOWING A RETURN TO MVFR DECK AT KSBN OVERNIGHT. DO NOT SEE MUCH POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT AT KFWA...WITH TREND TO IFR CIGS EXPECTED LATER TONIGHT AS THIS BOUNDARY LIFTS NORTHWARD. STRONG ISENTROPIC UPGLIDE TO OVERSPREAD NORTHERN INDIANA FROM SOUTH TO NORTH ON TUESDAY MORNING ALLOWING FOR A WIDESPREAD RAIN EVENT. EVEN AFTER THE INITIAL ISENTROPIC LIFT SURGE...STRONGER DEFORMATION FORCING SHOULD MAINTAIN RAIN AT TERMINALS THROUGH THE END OF THE PERIOD. DO NOT ENVISION MUCH IMPROVEMENT AT TERMINALS IN TERMS OF FLIGHT CATEGORY...WITH LIFR CONDITIONS APPEARING TO BE A GOOD POSSIBILITY AT KFWA ON TUESDAY. && PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 304 PM EST MON NOV 21 2011/ SHORT TERM... TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT... WATER VAPOR IMAGERY AND LATEST RUC ANALYSIS DEPICTING SHORT WAVE ENERGY EJECTING OUT OF THE BASE OF UPPER TROUGH ALONG SW US/MEX BORDER THIS AFTERNOON. THIS WILL QUICKLY MOVE THROUGH THE MORE PROGRESSIVE ZONAL FLOW EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI AND RESULT IN SFC LOW DEEPENING AND MOVING ALONG THE OHIO RIVER VALLEY ON TUESDAY. FORECAST AREA WILL BE IN THE OVERRUNNING PRECIP NORTH OF THIS SYSTEM MAINLY DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS. PRONOUNCED BACKING OF THE WINDS ALONG THE 300K THETA SFC WILL LEAD TO ENHANCED ISENTROPIC ASCENT OVER THE AREA TUESDAY MORNING...BUT WILL TAKE SOME TIME TO OVERCOME MID LEVEL DRYING...SO HAVE BACKED DOWN A BIT ON POPS IN THE 12-18Z TIMEFRAME OVER THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE CWA. ENTIRE COLUMN WILL THEN QUICKLY SATURATE EARLY TUESDAY AFTERNOON LENDING CREDENCE TO A DEFINITE RAIN EVENT OVER ALL OF THE FORECAST AREA TUESDAY AFTERNOON/EVENING. WHILE AXIS OF HEAVIEST PRECIP EXPECTED TO BE SOUTH OF THE FORECAST AREA...SOUTHERN CWA COULD STILL SEE IN EXCESS OF ONE INCH OF RAIN. SYSTEM TO EXIT THE AREA TUESDAY NITE WITH JUST CHANCE POPS LEFT IN SE CWA AFTER MIDNIGHT. SOUTHERLY TRACK OF SFC LOW WILL KEEP FCST AREA IN COOL EASTERLY FLOW AT LOW LEVELS WHICH WILL HAMPER MIXING DOWN WAA ALOFT...HAVE CUT HIGHS TUE FROM CURRENT FCST MORE TOWARD LATEST MOS GUIDANCE TO BETTER REFLECT THIS THINKING. && LONG TERM... RIDGING SFC AND ALOFT TO BLD IN ACRS THE CWA TO START THE PD ON WED BEHIND DEPARTING SHRT TERM SYS AND APCHG DEEP LYRD TROUGH CROSSING THE ROCKIES FRI. BIGGEST CHG WAS TO BUMP TEMPS CONSIDERABLY THU-SAT AND AGAINST PREVAILING ALLBLEND PROCEDURE WHICH AGAIN TDA WAS BIASED WET AND COOL. OTHERWISE PROBS ABOUND W/POTENTIAL PHASING ISSUED RELEGATED TO SPLIT STREAM FLW ACRS THE WRN US LT WEEK AND NXT WEEKEND. GREATER CONTINUITY LIES W/OP GFS AND ECM/GFS ENSEMBLES AND HAVE GENERALLY FOLLOWED SUGGESTION OF MODEL CONSENSUS THIS AFTN ESP IN LIGHT OF MORE AGREEABLE SLOWING TREND SEEN IN SUBSEQUENT MODEL ITERATIONS SINCE YDA AND DISCUSSED YDA. THUS DROPPED FRI NIGHT PCPN MENTION ALTOGETHER AND NOTCHED W-E GRADIENT FURTHER SAT. REMAINDER ON TRACK ATTM TIED TO PROGGED DEEP MID MS VALLEY CUTOFF LT NXT WEEKEND YET STILL HIGHLY UNCERTAIN W/CONSIDERABLE MODEL SPREAD ALOFT NOT TO MENTION VARIOUS PLACEMENT VAGARIES. THUS WILL HOLD SHORT OF ANY PERCEIVED LIKELY MENTION AT THIS TIME IN LIGHT OF THE UNCERTAINTY. && .IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IN...NONE. MI...NONE. OH...NONE. LM...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...LOGSDON LONG TERM...T AVIATION...MURPHY UPDATE...MARSILI
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS TOPEKA KS
306 PM CST TUE NOV 22 2011 .DISCUSSION... SHORT RANGE FORECAST (TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY) 20Z WATER VAPOR SHOWS THE UPPER WAVE THAT BROUGHT THE RAIN THIS MORNING CONTINUES TO MOVE EAST WITH A SHORTWAVE RIDGE BUILDING INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS. AT THE SFC THERE WAS A BROAD AND WEAK RIDGE OVER MUCH OF THE CENTRAL U.S. FOR TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...THE MAIN CONCERN IS THE LOW CLOUDS AND POTENTIAL FOR DENSE FOG FORMING. INCREASING SUBSIDENCE FROM THE SHORTWAVE RIDGE SHOULD PREVENT ANY PRECIPITATION FROM OCCURRING. HOWEVER THE LOW STRATUS HAS PREVENTED THE BOUNDARY LAYER FROM MIXING OUT THIS AFTERNOON AND DEWPOINTS REMAIN IN THE 30S AND LOW 40S. BOTH THE NAM AND RUC INSIST ON THE STRATUS DECK MOVING EAST EARLY THIS EVENING. IF THIS IN FACT OCCURS...THE SETUP FOR RADIATIONAL FOG LOOKS GOOD WITH CLEAR SKIES AND VERY LIGHT WINDS ANTICIPATED OVERNIGHT. RIGHT NOW THE FORECAST HAS MIN TEMPS FORECAST TO BE ANYWHERE BETWEEN 5 AND 10 DEGREES COOLER THAN THE CURRENT OBSERVED DEWPOINTS. SINCE THERE CONTINUES TO BE UNCERTAINTY IN THE STRATUS MOVING EAST...THE LOW TEMP FORECAST COULD BE TO COOL AND RADIATIONAL COOLING MAY NOT DEVELOP. OTHERWISE I WOULD CONSIDER A DENSE FOG ADVISORY THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING. THE EVENING SHIFT SHOULD BE ABLE TO MONITOR CLOUD COVER AND SEE IF DENSE FOG WILL FORM AND THE MOST LIKELY LOCATION FOR ITS FORMATION. OTHERWISE MODELS SHOW WARM AIR ADVECTING IN FROM THE SOUTH FOR WEDNESDAY WITH THE BOUNDARY LAYER MIXING TO AROUND 925MB. THIS SHOULD LEAD TO HIGHS IN THE LOWER AND MIDDLE 60S TOMORROW AFTERNOON. WOLTERS MID RANGE FORECAST (WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY) MODEL CONTINUE TO SHOW WARM ADVECTION INCREASING WEDNESDAY NIGHT AS WELL AS AN INCREASE IN MIXING. AS A RESULT...EXPECT LOWS TO BE 8 TO 10 DEGREES ABOVE TONIGHTS LOWS...ALTHOUGH SKIES WILL BE CLEAR. ALTHOUGH SOME HIGH CLOUDS WILL MOVE INTO THE COUNTY WARNING AREA (CWA) ON THANKSGIVING...THEY SHOULD NOT BE THICK ENOUGH TO OFFSET THE PERSISTENT WARM AIR ADVECTION. AXIS OF WARMER AIR AND WARMEST HIGH TEMPS STILL APPEARS WILL SET UP FROM NEAR SALINA INTO THE MANHATTAN AREA WHERE TEMPS SHOULD APPROACH 70 BY MID AFTERNOON...ALTHOUGH THE MIDDLE TO UPPER 60S LOOK IN STORE FOR MOST LOCATIONS IN THE CWA. LATE THURSDAY NIGHT AND ESPECIALLY DURING THE DAY FRIDAY...SOME LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WILL BEGIN TO ADVECT NORTHWARD INTO THE CWA...ALTHOUGH IT WILL PRIMARILY OCCUR IN THE LATTER HALF OF THE DAY AS THE ATMOSPHERE IN THE 700-850MB LAYER WILL BE SLOW TO MOISTEN. WILL KEEP CHANCE POPS ALL AREAS EXCEPT THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF THE CWA. ALSO...ELEVATED CAPE REMAINS VERY LIMITED AT BEST...SO WILL KEEP WEATHER GRIDS AS SHOWERS FOR NOW. ALTHOUGH FRIDAY WILL START OUT A GOOD 15 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL... THE AXIS OF WARMER LLVL TEMPS WILL STEADILY SHIFT SOUTHEAST OF THE CWA AS CLOUDS THICKEN THROUGH THE DAY. THE SOUTHEAST HALF OF THE CWA SHOULD RISE INTO THE LOWER 60S TO MIDDLE 60S....BUT THE NORTHWEST COUNTIES SHOULD ONLY MAKE IT INTO THE MIDDLE TO UPPER 50S. 63 EXTENDED FORECAST (FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY) FRIDAY NIGHT A HIGHLY AMPLIFIED SHORTWAVE TROUGH WILL MOVE OUT OF THE DESERT SOUTHWEST INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS. A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE EAST ACROSS THE STATE OF KANSAS ON FRIDAY AND GRADUALLY CLEAR THE CWA EARLY SATURDAY MORNING. BUMPED UP PRECIPITATION CHANCES ON FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY MORNING WITH GOOD AGREEMENT IN THE MEDIUM TO LONG RANGE MODELS...GOOD UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT FOR PRECIPITATION AND MODEL SOUNDINGS INDICATING A DEEP SATURATED LAYER DURING THIS TIME-FRAME. MODELS THEN CLOSE THE UPPER LEVEL LOW OFF TO THE EAST OF THE CWA BUT DIFFER ON WHERE THE LOW WILL CUT OFF AND VARY FROM THE GREAT LAKES REGION TO THE SOUTHEAST U.S. THIS IS HIGHLY DEPENDENT UPON THE STRENGTH AND AMPLIFICATION OF THE UPPER LEVEL WAVE. HOWEVER...THE CENTRAL U.S. WILL REMAIN ON THE WESTERN SIDE OF THE CUT OFF LOW WHICH WILL KEEP NORTHWESTERLY FLOW AND COLD AIR ADVECTION OVER THE REGION FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE EXTENDED FORECAST WITH COOLER AND DRY CONDITIONS EXPECTED FOR LATE NEXT WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. ANDERSON && .AVIATION... THE PERSISTENT IFR STRATUS IS EXPECTED TO GRADUALLY CLEAR TO VFR EARLY TUESDAY EVENING OVER THE TERMINALS AS THE SFC RIDGE SETTLES OVER THE REGION. NORTHWEST WINDS SWITCH TO A LIGHT WESTERLY DIRECTION AS BOUNDARY LAYER DECOUPLES AND DRIER AIR IS ADVECTED IN. LATEST BUFKIT SOUNDINGS INDICATE DENSE GROUND FOG DEVELOPING TUESDAY EVENING WITH AMPLE GROUND MOISTURE PRESENT. PLACED LIFR CONDITIONS AS CONFIDENCE IS HIGH...HOWEVER TIMING IS UNCERTAIN. AT THIS TIME...PLACED FOG FORMING AFTER 05Z BASED ON A COMBINATION OF THE RUC AND NAM ANALYSIS. BOWEN && .TOP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS TOPEKA KS
1140 AM CST TUE NOV 22 2011 ...UPDATE TO AVIATION... .DISCUSSION... TODAY/TONIGHT...MAIN FOCUS WILL BE PRECIPITATION CHANCES OVER THE NEXT 10 HOURS AS UPPER WAVE PASSES OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS. AS OF EARLY THIS MORNING...WIDESPREAD SHOWERS WERE OBSERVED OVER MUCH OF EASTERN KANSAS. THIS DEFORMATION ACTIVITY WAS LOCATED IN A FAVORABLE REGION OF FRONTOGENETICAL FORCING AND STRONG ASCENT. AS THE MORNING PROGRESSES...EXPECT THE BEST ASCENT TO SHIFT MAINLY EAST OF THE CWA AS LARGE SCALE DOWNGLIDE MOVES INTO THE AREA. PRECIPITATION WILL GENERALLY END FROM WEST TO EAST...WITH MOST SECTIONS DRY BY MIDDAY. WITH SURFACE TEMPERATURES THIS MORNING CONTINUING TO HOLD IN THE MIDDLE 30S OVER NC KS TO THE LOWER 40S IN FAR EASTERN SECTIONS...ALONG WITH H85 TEMPERATURES +3 TO +5...CONCERN FOR ANY TYPE OF WINTRY PRECIPITATION HAS BEEN MITIGATED. MUCH DRIER AIR THROUGH THE TROPOSPHERE WILL ADVECT INTO THE REGION THROUGHOUT THE DAY...RESULTING IN GRADUALLY CLEARING SKIES FROM WEST TO EAST. MOST SECTIONS SHOULD BE MOSTLY CLEAR BY SUNSET TONIGHT. THE REAR OF THE UPPER SYSTEM HAS LITTLE ASSOCIATED COLD AIR...WHICH WILL ALLOW MODEST MODIFICATION OF THE AIRMASS THIS AFTERNOON...ESPECIALLY SECTIONS THAT EXPERIENCE A MODEST PERIOD OF SURFACE HEATING. AFTERNOON READINGS WILL TOP OUT IN THE UPPER 40S TO LOWER 50S. A QUIET NIGHT IS EXPECTED WITH MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES AND READINGS FALLING INTO THE UPPER 20S TO LOWER 30S. SOME PATCHY FOG MAY BE REALIZED AFTER MIDNIGHT OVER THE EASTERN QUARTER OF THE CWA...ESP IN VALLEYS...WITH MOIST GROUNDS AND LIGHT SFC WINDS IN PLACE. WEDNESDAY INTO THURSDAY...AN AMPLIFICATION TO THE PATTERN IS EXPECTED BY MIDWEEK WITH UPPER LEVEL RIDGING OCCURRING OVER MUCH OF THE CENTRAL PLAINS. AT THE SURFACE...HIGH PRESSURE WILL MOVE TO THE EAST WITH A LEE TROUGH FORMING ACROSS THE HIGH PLAINS...RESULTING IN SOUTHERLY FLOW RETURNING TO THE AREA. TEMPERATURES WILL BE MILD...WITH MAXIMUM READINGS APPROACHING OR TOPPING THE 60 DEGREE MARK EACH AFTERNOON. A BREEZY DAY CAN BE EXPECTED ON THURSDAY AS THE SOUTHERLY FLOW STRENGTHENS...ALONG WITH INCREASING MOISTURE...WILL MAKE FOR A WARM THU NIGHT WITH LOWS IN THE MIDDLE 40S. EXTENDED...A POTENT SHORTWAVE TROUGH WILL EJECT FROM THE FOUR CORNERS REGION INTO THE PLAINS ON FRIDAY. IN ADVANCE OF THE SYSTEM...MODEST SOUTHERLY SFC FLOW WILL CONTINUE ON FRIDAY...WITH HIGHS IN THE 58-62 RANGE. A COLD FRONT WILL SLIDE THROUGH THE CWA FRIDAY AFTERNOON/EVENING...AND WITH GOOD UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT...PRECIPITATION CHANCES LOOK GOOD FRIDAY EVENING/NIGHT. ATTM...LITTLE IN THE WAY OF APPRECIABLE INSTABILITY WITH MUCAPE VALUES UNDER 100 J/KG...THEREFORE REMOVED ISO THUNDER. THEREAFTER FORECAST LOOKS DRY AND COOLER. MODELS STILL TRYING TO ACQUIRE BETTER HANDLE ON DEPARTING UPPER TROUGH AND DEGREE OF AMPLIFICATION/EVOLUTION OVER THE WEEKEND ACROSS THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY REGION...WHICH HAS SOME IMPACT TO TEMPERATURE TRENDS IN THE FAR EXTENDED. NO OTHER SIGNIFICANT DEVIATIONS TO PREVIOUS PACKAGE. BLAIR && .AVIATION... THE PERSISTENT IFR STRATUS IS EXPECTED TO GRADUALLY CLEAR TO VFR EARLY TUESDAY EVENING OVER THE TERMINALS AS THE SFC RIDGE SETTLES OVER THE REGION. NORTHWEST WINDS SWITCH TO A LIGHT WESTERLY DIRECTION AS BOUNDARY LAYER DECOUPLES AND DRIER AIR IS ADVECTED IN. LATEST BUFKIT SOUNDINGS INDICATE DENSE GROUND FOG DEVELOPING TUESDAY EVENING WITH AMPLE GROUND MOISTURE PRESENT. PLACED LIFR CONDITIONS AS CONFIDENCE IS HIGH...HOWEVER TIMING IS UNCERTAIN. AT THIS TIME...PLACED FOG FORMING AFTER 05Z BASED ON A COMBINATION OF THE RUC AND NAM ANALYSIS. BOWEN && .TOP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LOUISVILLE KY
1248 PM EST TUE NOV 22 2011 ...Updated Aviation Discussion... Forecast Update #2... Warm front has moved north into southern Indiana late this morning. Temps on south side of front have surged several degrees with its passage. Widespread moderate to embedded heavy rain this morning within isentropic lift zone north of warm front has moved well out of our area at this time. This has left behind a relatively benign axis of showers over our eastern and southern forecast area. It is this area where surface-based lifted indices show -1 to -2. Isolated storm redevelopment is expected in this area this afternoon, within or near the only area that remains in SPC`s reduced slight risk area over central Kentucky. To the west, clouds remain very dense which will not allow destabilization through insolation. However, with a strong low-level jet, low-level warm advection has been significant with boundary- layer warming through advection. As the surface low moves northeast this afternoon, it still looks like scattered to perhaps numerous showers and a few thunderstorms may redevelop this afternoon over much of central Kentucky into southern Indiana. With such wind fields, still can`t rule out isolated strong wind gusts with any cells which develop. In reality, with limited instability (moist adiabatic lapse rates aloft), there should be little or no lightning with any convection which forms. Will continue to monitor trends. Another forecast update to account for latest trends will be sent shortly. Forecast Update #1... Steady rain with embedded pockets of heavy rain has been the rule through mid morning north of the warm front, which extends east- northeast along the Ohio River from low pressure centered over southeast MO at 14 UTC. Rainfall rates from the embedded pockets of heavy rain have resulted in significant ponding of water on some roads, underpasses, and low spots, but we have received no reports of flooding at this time. Have received several reports of rainfall around one inch since last night, with a couple reports up to 1.5 inches. The heaviest rains will move northeast out of our area late this morning. This will still leave an axis of showers and a few thunderstorms over central KY well ahead of the cold front. The question remains whether additional storms can fire this afternoon with any potential for severe. Low-level wind fields still will be strong over KY into southern IN along and south of warm front. However, primary instability will remain south over TN Valley into Gulf States. In those locations, current radar already shows a line of thunderstorms from parts of middle TN and especially southwest in central LA. As this axis of showers and storms moves east this afternoon, could see some stronger/isolated severe storms develop over our southern/ southeastern forecast area (eastern parts of south-central KY) this afternoon where current satellite imagery suggests clouds are not as dense and surface-based lifted index values are already below zero. Chances for any severe cell development over rest of central KY appears predicated on any additional cells developing behind current activity. It`s this area which is shrouded by extensive denser cloud cover right now, although with temps in 60s and dewpoints in lower 60s in this area, there may be just enough instability to allow a some low-top storms to develop, perhaps with little lightning, but still with isolated strong to perhaps severe wind potential given ambient low-level wind fields and shear. 12z NAM, 06z in-house WRF, and latest HRRR suggest development of a narrow line later today right along the cold front. Will maintain situational awareness on this throughout the day. For now, have updated precip/POP trends to account for latest radar observations and expected short-term trends. Max temps also are problematic. For now, kept lower 70s downstate considering current temps and less dense cloud cover. Over the north, lowered temps a bit, but they should still rise today as warm front continues to move northeast. && .Short Term (Today - Tonight)... ...Heavy Rain and Severe Weather Possible Today... Low pressure over Arkansas at 07Z will move quickly to the northeast as it deepens today, crossing southeast Missouri this morning and south central Indiana this afternoon. A warm front reaches from the low northeast up the length of the Ohio River. A pre-frontal trof will enter the far west CWA around 19Z with the cold front following two or three hours later, while the warm front moves very little until the low passes by just to our north. A large mass of rain with embedded thunder over the middle Mississippi Valley early this morning will move northeast ahead of the surface low and will primarily affect southern Indiana and far northern Kentucky through the morning hours. An inch of rain is not out of the question with this activity, especially from Hoosier National Forest over to Scottsburg. South of there, scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms will be possible this morning as was the case overnight. Because the heaviest rain is expected to move over areas that have received the least rain during the past few wet days, widespread flooding is not anticipated at this time. Localized minor flooding will be possible in pockets of particularly heavy rain and poor drainage. A long squall line is still expected to erupt ahead of the advancing trof and front this afternoon. The main question is how far north it will be able to stretch. With widespread stabilizing rains and clouds in southern Indiana this morning, the feeling is that the severe threat will be primarily south of the Ohio River today, especially south of a Hartford to Taylorsville to Cynthiana line. Surface dew points will be in the lower 60s with precipitable water values well above seasonal normals in the 1.2 to 1.5 inch range. Instability will not be great, with boundary layer lifted index values bottoming out only around -1. Nevertheless there are strong dynamics with this system with a 90kt 500hPa jet max streaming over head this afternoon along with strong low level winds and significant 0-1km and 0-3km helicity. Given the expected QLCS nature of the storms it appears that strong gusty winds will be the main threat, and although the better tornado chances will be over MS/AL/TN we can`t rule out an isolated tornado or two in central Kentucky. Large hail will be possible in the taller storms. With all the wind associated with this system, the storms will be fast movers...possibly around 50 mph. Those strong SSW winds will also bring very warm air into the region, with highs expected to range from the middle 70s along the Tennessee border to the lower 70s near the Ohio River and mid to upper 60s in southern Indiana where there will be more rain and more time spent on the cool side of the warm front. A possible fly in the ointment: over the past couple of days, various model solutions have suggested that the LMK CWA will be in a relative lull between widespread showers and embedded thunder to the north and severe storms to the south. Today the GFS40 and especially the NAM12 have backed away from that slightly and are more suggestive that central Kentucky will indeed see a squall line, however the SPC SREF is still holding on to the Kentucky gap solution. Having said that, however, the SPC SREF is doing some odd things in its solution this morning and is not a model of choice at this time. Bottom line: best chance for storms today will be along and south of a line from Hartford to Taylorsville to Cynthiana. Best timing looks to be from as early as 11am CST in the far west for commencement, to as late as 8pm EST in the far northeast for conclusion. Strong winds are the main threat, with isolated tornadoes and isolated large hail as secondary threats. Behind the front tonight temperatures will plunge but not far enough for any snow. Light post frontal rain will be possible this evening, gradually tapering off overnight. Lows will be in the middle to upper 40s with west to northwest winds of 10 to 15 mph. .Long term (Wednesday - Monday)... Other than a few lingering light rain showers over the far eastern Bluegrass counties, conditions will improve on Wednesday behind the storm system. Surface high pressure and ridging aloft will move in behind the system, keeping our conditions pleasant for the rest of Wednesday, and especially for the Thanksgiving holiday. Look for highs Wednesday to be a bit cool, but with ample sunshine moving in. Highs in the 50s can be expected, followed by a bright and sunny turkey day with highs in the upper 50s and low 60s. By Friday, the surface high pressure will slide east, turning our winds southerly. Anyone shopping early in the morning will be met with temperatures around 40 increasing into the low and mid 60s with a few wind gusts here and there. After Friday, we will see another system approach from the west next weekend as troughing will not only develop off the southwest California coast, but a stronger, northern stream trough will enter the Pacific NW. These will combine to generate surface low pressure over the Plains by Saturday. The GFS develops a northern stream surface low initially, and then shows a southern stream low taking over by the end of the extended forecast as the upper lows wrap up over the Mid-Mississippi Valley region. The Euro sticks with the northern stream surface low as the dominate one. Regardless of the details, both models indicate the reinforcing shot from the upper disturbance in the northern stream diving southeast across the central CONUS and overhead by late in the weekend. This entire system looks to bring another round of heavy rainfall with embedded thunderstorms (too early to tell if strong-severe will occur) late Saturday over the western CWA, and then overspreading the area by Sunday. The reinforcing northern stream trough will bring cold temperatures aloft and saturated conditions Monday night, and perhaps Sunday night, too. Monday night looks like a decent shot at a rain/snow mix, but given the forecast lows for Sunday night, too, went ahead and included the RASN mix for then, as well, especially since this agrees with the previous extended forecaster`s thoughts. Timing differences this far out (models continue to slow this progression) could greatly change the outcome, so caution is warranted. Friday and especially Saturday could turn out to be warmer than MOS guidance indicates if the models continue to slow the eastward progression of the next system. At any rate, Fri-Sat will be mild with highs in the 60s, with lows Fri. night and Sat. night in the 40s to around 50. Sunday and Monday will likely see highs in the 50s and 40s, respectively, with each night dropping to the low to mid 30s. && .Aviation (18Z TAF Issuance)... Surface low pressure at 17 UTC was over southeast IL and will continue to move east-northeast this afternoon along warm front extending east from the low. Southerly surface winds south of this front have been gusting at times to 30 mph over central Kentucky, and this trend should continue for another few hours before winds veer to southwest and start to diminish a bit late this afternoon. Scattered to numerous showers will continue this afternoon along and ahead of a cold front to the west. Instability is limited but low-level winds remain strong (about 50 kts at 4000 ft). Scattered low-top convection may develop this afternoon as the cold front moves across central Kentucky. The areal extent of convection should be limited, so have included it mainly as VCTS in TAFs or only a 2-hour TEMPO window for convection for now. Otherwise, showers with VFR or MVFR vsbys and cigs expected this afternoon. After cold front passes late today and this evening, winds will switch to west and eventually northwest. It will remain cloudy with mvfr cigs for much of the night. Low clouds will begin to clear from northwest to southeast on Wednesday, and have reflected this near end of current TAF valid forecast period. && .LMK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IN...NONE. KY...NONE. $$ Updates..........TWF Short Term.......13 Long Term........AL Aviation.........TWF
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LOUISVILLE KY
1156 AM EST TUE NOV 22 2011 Forecast Update #2... Warm front has moved north into southern Indiana late this morning. Temps on south side of front have surged several degrees with its passage. Widespread moderate to embedded heavy rain this morning within isentropic lift zone north of warm front has moved well out of our area at this time. This has left behind a relatively benign axis of showers over our eastern and southern forecast area. It is this area where surface-based lifted indices show -1 to -2. Isolated storm redevelopment is expected in this area this afternoon, within or near the only area that remains in SPC`s reduced slight risk area over central Kentucky. To the west, clouds remain very dense which will not allow destabilization through insolation. However, with a strong low-level jet, low-level warm advection has been significant with boundary- layer warming through advection. As the surface low moves northeast this afternoon, it still looks like scattered to perhaps numerous showers and a few thunderstorms may redevelop this afternoon over much of central Kentucky into southern Indiana. With such wind fields, still can`t rule out isolated strong wind gusts with any cells which develop. In reality, with limited instability (moist adiabatic lapse rates aloft), there should be little or no lightning with any convection which forms. Will continue to monitor trends. Another forecast update to account for latest trends will be sent shortly. Forecast Update #1... Steady rain with embedded pockets of heavy rain has been the rule through mid morning north of the warm front, which extends east- northeast along the Ohio River from low pressure centered over southeast MO at 14 UTC. Rainfall rates from the embedded pockets of heavy rain have resulted in significant ponding of water on some roads, underpasses, and low spots, but we have received no reports of flooding at this time. Have received several reports of rainfall around one inch since last night, with a couple reports up to 1.5 inches. The heaviest rains will move northeast out of our area late this morning. This will still leave an axis of showers and a few thunderstorms over central KY well ahead of the cold front. The question remains whether additional storms can fire this afternoon with any potential for severe. Low-level wind fields still will be strong over KY into southern IN along and south of warm front. However, primary instability will remain south over TN Valley into Gulf States. In those locations, current radar already shows a line of thunderstorms from parts of middle TN and especially southwest in central LA. As this axis of showers and storms moves east this afternoon, could see some stronger/isolated severe storms develop over our southern/ southeastern forecast area (eastern parts of south-central KY) this afternoon where current satellite imagery suggests clouds are not as dense and surface-based lifted index values are already below zero. Chances for any severe cell development over rest of central KY appears predicated on any additional cells developing behind current activity. It`s this area which is shrouded by extensive denser cloud cover right now, although with temps in 60s and dewpoints in lower 60s in this area, there may be just enough instability to allow a some low-top storms to develop, perhaps with little lightning, but still with isolated strong to perhaps severe wind potential given ambient low-level wind fields and shear. 12z NAM, 06z in-house WRF, and latest HRRR suggest development of a narrow line later today right along the cold front. Will maintain situational awareness on this throughout the day. For now, have updated precip/POP trends to account for latest radar observations and expected short-term trends. Max temps also are problematic. For now, kept lower 70s downstate considering current temps and less dense cloud cover. Over the north, lowered temps a bit, but they should still rise today as warm front continues to move northeast. && .Short Term (Today - Tonight)... ...Heavy Rain and Severe Weather Possible Today... Low pressure over Arkansas at 07Z will move quickly to the northeast as it deepens today, crossing southeast Missouri this morning and south central Indiana this afternoon. A warm front reaches from the low northeast up the length of the Ohio River. A pre-frontal trof will enter the far west CWA around 19Z with the cold front following two or three hours later, while the warm front moves very little until the low passes by just to our north. A large mass of rain with embedded thunder over the middle Mississippi Valley early this morning will move northeast ahead of the surface low and will primarily affect southern Indiana and far northern Kentucky through the morning hours. An inch of rain is not out of the question with this activity, especially from Hoosier National Forest over to Scottsburg. South of there, scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms will be possible this morning as was the case overnight. Because the heaviest rain is expected to move over areas that have received the least rain during the past few wet days, widespread flooding is not anticipated at this time. Localized minor flooding will be possible in pockets of particularly heavy rain and poor drainage. A long squall line is still expected to erupt ahead of the advancing trof and front this afternoon. The main question is how far north it will be able to stretch. With widespread stabilizing rains and clouds in southern Indiana this morning, the feeling is that the severe threat will be primarily south of the Ohio River today, especially south of a Hartford to Taylorsville to Cynthiana line. Surface dew points will be in the lower 60s with precipitable water values well above seasonal normals in the 1.2 to 1.5 inch range. Instability will not be great, with boundary layer lifted index values bottoming out only around -1. Nevertheless there are strong dynamics with this system with a 90kt 500hPa jet max streaming over head this afternoon along with strong low level winds and significant 0-1km and 0-3km helicity. Given the expected QLCS nature of the storms it appears that strong gusty winds will be the main threat, and although the better tornado chances will be over MS/AL/TN we can`t rule out an isolated tornado or two in central Kentucky. Large hail will be possible in the taller storms. With all the wind associated with this system, the storms will be fast movers...possibly around 50 mph. Those strong SSW winds will also bring very warm air into the region, with highs expected to range from the middle 70s along the Tennessee border to the lower 70s near the Ohio River and mid to upper 60s in southern Indiana where there will be more rain and more time spent on the cool side of the warm front. A possible fly in the ointment: over the past couple of days, various model solutions have suggested that the LMK CWA will be in a relative lull between widespread showers and embedded thunder to the north and severe storms to the south. Today the GFS40 and especially the NAM12 have backed away from that slightly and are more suggestive that central Kentucky will indeed see a squall line, however the SPC SREF is still holding on to the Kentucky gap solution. Having said that, however, the SPC SREF is doing some odd things in its solution this morning and is not a model of choice at this time. Bottom line: best chance for storms today will be along and south of a line from Hartford to Taylorsville to Cynthiana. Best timing looks to be from as early as 11am CST in the far west for commencement, to as late as 8pm EST in the far northeast for conclusion. Strong winds are the main threat, with isolated tornadoes and isolated large hail as secondary threats. Behind the front tonight temperatures will plunge but not far enough for any snow. Light post frontal rain will be possible this evening, gradually tapering off overnight. Lows will be in the middle to upper 40s with west to northwest winds of 10 to 15 mph. .Long term (Wednesday - Monday)... Other than a few lingering light rain showers over the far eastern Bluegrass counties, conditions will improve on Wednesday behind the storm system. Surface high pressure and ridging aloft will move in behind the system, keeping our conditions pleasant for the rest of Wednesday, and especially for the Thanksgiving holiday. Look for highs Wednesday to be a bit cool, but with ample sunshine moving in. Highs in the 50s can be expected, followed by a bright and sunny turkey day with highs in the upper 50s and low 60s. By Friday, the surface high pressure will slide east, turning our winds southerly. Anyone shopping early in the morning will be met with temperatures around 40 increasing into the low and mid 60s with a few wind gusts here and there. After Friday, we will see another system approach from the west next weekend as troughing will not only develop off the southwest California coast, but a stronger, northern stream trough will enter the Pacific NW. These will combine to generate surface low pressure over the Plains by Saturday. The GFS develops a northern stream surface low initially, and then shows a southern stream low taking over by the end of the extended forecast as the upper lows wrap up over the Mid-Mississippi Valley region. The Euro sticks with the northern stream surface low as the dominate one. Regardless of the details, both models indicate the reinforcing shot from the upper disturbance in the northern stream diving southeast across the central CONUS and overhead by late in the weekend. This entire system looks to bring another round of heavy rainfall with embedded thunderstorms (too early to tell if strong-severe will occur) late Saturday over the western CWA, and then overspreading the area by Sunday. The reinforcing northern stream trough will bring cold temperatures aloft and saturated conditions Monday night, and perhaps Sunday night, too. Monday night looks like a decent shot at a rain/snow mix, but given the forecast lows for Sunday night, too, went ahead and included the RASN mix for then, as well, especially since this agrees with the previous extended forecaster`s thoughts. Timing differences this far out (models continue to slow this progression) could greatly change the outcome, so caution is warranted. Friday and especially Saturday could turn out to be warmer than MOS guidance indicates if the models continue to slow the eastward progression of the next system. At any rate, Fri-Sat will be mild with highs in the 60s, with lows Fri. night and Sat. night in the 40s to around 50. Sunday and Monday will likely see highs in the 50s and 40s, respectively, with each night dropping to the low to mid 30s. && .Aviation (12Z TAF Issuance)... Low pressure moving from southeast Missouri to eastern Indiana today will pull a warm front across southern Indiana this morning and a cold front through central Kentucky this afternoon. Widespread showers can be expected until mid morning in association with the warm front, especially at SDF. Fortunately most of the ceilings in the area of showers are VFR with only occasional forays into MVFR VSBY. A squall line is expected to form ahead of the cold front this afternoon, primarily from southern Kentucky south into the Tennessee Valley. BWG will be most affected, with LEX grazed by the northern tip of the squall line. SDF may be just a bit too far north to be significantly influenced by the squalls. So, will bring TSRA into BWG and LEX when we expect the line of storms to push through, and will keep SDF at SHRA with VCTS. SSW winds will be brisk and gusty ahead of the front today, especially this afternoon. With the passage of the front early this evening, winds will switch to the WNW. At SDF and LEX winds will remain brisk and gusty, while BWG won`t see as high of a wind since they will be farther away from the low crossing from Indiana into Ohio. Low clouds are expected to sweep in behind the departing system. They should last through the night and possibly into Wednesday morning. && .LMK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IN...NONE. KY...NONE. $$ Updates..........TWF Short Term.......13 Long Term........AL Aviation.........13
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LOUISVILLE KY
1005 AM EST TUE NOV 22 2011 ...Forecast Update... Steady rain with embedded pockets of heavy rain has been the rule through mid morning north of the warm front, which extends east- northeast along the Ohio River from low pressure centered over southeast MO at 14 UTC. Rainfall rates from the embedded pockets of heavy rain have resulted in significant ponding of water on some roads, underpasses, and low spots, but we have received no reports of flooding at this time. Have received several reports of rainfall around one inch since last night, with a couple reports up to 1.5 inches. The heaviest rains will move northeast out of our area late this morning. This will still leave an axis of showers and a few thunderstorms over central KY well ahead of the cold front. The question remains whether additional storms can fire this afternoon with any potential for severe. Low-level wind fields still will be strong over KY into southern IN along and south of warm front. However, primary instability will remain south over TN Valley into Gulf States. In those locations, current radar already shows a line of thunderstorms from parts of middle TN and especially southwest in central LA. As this axis of showers and storms moves east this afternoon, could see some stronger/isolated severe storms develop over our southern/ southeastern forecast area (eastern parts of south-central KY) this afternoon where current satellite imagery suggests clouds are not as dense and surface-based lifted index values are already below zero. Chances for any severe cell development over rest of central KY appears predicated on any additional cells developing behind current activity. It`s this area which is shrouded by extensive denser cloud cover right now, although with temps in 60s and dewpoints in lower 60s in this area, there may be just enough instability to allow a some low-top storms to develop, perhaps with little lightning, but still with isolated strong to perhaps severe wind potential given ambient low-level wind fields and shear. 12z NAM, 06z in-house WRF, and latest HRRR suggest development of a narrow line later today right along the cold front. Will maintain situational awareness on this throughout the day. For now, have updated precip/POP trends to account for latest radar observations and expected short-term trends. Max temps also are problematic. For now, kept lower 70s downstate considering current temps and less dense cloud cover. Over the north, lowered temps a bit, but they should still rise today as warm front continues to move northeast. && .Short Term (Today - Tonight)... ...Heavy Rain and Severe Weather Possible Today... Low pressure over Arkansas at 07Z will move quickly to the northeast as it deepens today, crossing southeast Missouri this morning and south central Indiana this afternoon. A warm front reaches from the low northeast up the length of the Ohio River. A pre-frontal trof will enter the far west CWA around 19Z with the cold front following two or three hours later, while the warm front moves very little until the low passes by just to our north. A large mass of rain with embedded thunder over the middle Mississippi Valley early this morning will move northeast ahead of the surface low and will primarily affect southern Indiana and far northern Kentucky through the morning hours. An inch of rain is not out of the question with this activity, especially from Hoosier National Forest over to Scottsburg. South of there, scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms will be possible this morning as was the case overnight. Because the heaviest rain is expected to move over areas that have received the least rain during the past few wet days, widespread flooding is not anticipated at this time. Localized minor flooding will be possible in pockets of particularly heavy rain and poor drainage. A long squall line is still expected to erupt ahead of the advancing trof and front this afternoon. The main question is how far north it will be able to stretch. With widespread stabilizing rains and clouds in southern Indiana this morning, the feeling is that the severe threat will be primarily south of the Ohio River today, especially south of a Hartford to Taylorsville to Cynthiana line. Surface dew points will be in the lower 60s with precipitable water values well above seasonal normals in the 1.2 to 1.5 inch range. Instability will not be great, with boundary layer lifted index values bottoming out only around -1. Nevertheless there are strong dynamics with this system with a 90kt 500hPa jet max streaming over head this afternoon along with strong low level winds and significant 0-1km and 0-3km helicity. Given the expected QLCS nature of the storms it appears that strong gusty winds will be the main threat, and although the better tornado chances will be over MS/AL/TN we can`t rule out an isolated tornado or two in central Kentucky. Large hail will be possible in the taller storms. With all the wind associated with this system, the storms will be fast movers...possibly around 50 mph. Those strong SSW winds will also bring very warm air into the region, with highs expected to range from the middle 70s along the Tennessee border to the lower 70s near the Ohio River and mid to upper 60s in southern Indiana where there will be more rain and more time spent on the cool side of the warm front. A possible fly in the ointment: over the past couple of days, various model solutions have suggested that the LMK CWA will be in a relative lull between widespread showers and embedded thunder to the north and severe storms to the south. Today the GFS40 and especially the NAM12 have backed away from that slightly and are more suggestive that central Kentucky will indeed see a squall line, however the SPC SREF is still holding on to the Kentucky gap solution. Having said that, however, the SPC SREF is doing some odd things in its solution this morning and is not a model of choice at this time. Bottom line: best chance for storms today will be along and south of a line from Hartford to Taylorsville to Cynthiana. Best timing looks to be from as early as 11am CST in the far west for commencement, to as late as 8pm EST in the far northeast for conclusion. Strong winds are the main threat, with isolated tornadoes and isolated large hail as secondary threats. Behind the front tonight temperatures will plunge but not far enough for any snow. Light post frontal rain will be possible this evening, gradually tapering off overnight. Lows will be in the middle to upper 40s with west to northwest winds of 10 to 15 mph. .Long term (Wednesday - Monday)... Other than a few lingering light rain showers over the far eastern Bluegrass counties, conditions will improve on Wednesday behind the storm system. Surface high pressure and ridging aloft will move in behind the system, keeping our conditions pleasant for the rest of Wednesday, and especially for the Thanksgiving holiday. Look for highs Wednesday to be a bit cool, but with ample sunshine moving in. Highs in the 50s can be expected, followed by a bright and sunny turkey day with highs in the upper 50s and low 60s. By Friday, the surface high pressure will slide east, turning our winds southerly. Anyone shopping early in the morning will be met with temperatures around 40 increasing into the low and mid 60s with a few wind gusts here and there. After Friday, we will see another system approach from the west next weekend as troughing will not only develop off the southwest California coast, but a stronger, northern stream trough will enter the Pacific NW. These will combine to generate surface low pressure over the Plains by Saturday. The GFS develops a northern stream surface low initially, and then shows a southern stream low taking over by the end of the extended forecast as the upper lows wrap up over the Mid-Mississippi Valley region. The Euro sticks with the northern stream surface low as the dominate one. Regardless of the details, both models indicate the reinforcing shot from the upper disturbance in the northern stream diving southeast across the central CONUS and overhead by late in the weekend. This entire system looks to bring another round of heavy rainfall with embedded thunderstorms (too early to tell if strong-severe will occur) late Saturday over the western CWA, and then overspreading the area by Sunday. The reinforcing northern stream trough will bring cold temperatures aloft and saturated conditions Monday night, and perhaps Sunday night, too. Monday night looks like a decent shot at a rain/snow mix, but given the forecast lows for Sunday night, too, went ahead and included the RASN mix for then, as well, especially since this agrees with the previous extended forecaster`s thoughts. Timing differences this far out (models continue to slow this progression) could greatly change the outcome, so caution is warranted. Friday and especially Saturday could turn out to be warmer than MOS guidance indicates if the models continue to slow the eastward progression of the next system. At any rate, Fri-Sat will be mild with highs in the 60s, with lows Fri. night and Sat. night in the 40s to around 50. Sunday and Monday will likely see highs in the 50s and 40s, respectively, with each night dropping to the low to mid 30s. && .Aviation (12Z TAF Issuance)... Low pressure moving from southeast Missouri to eastern Indiana today will pull a warm front across southern Indiana this morning and a cold front through central Kentucky this afternoon. Widespread showers can be expected until mid morning in association with the warm front, especially at SDF. Fortunately most of the ceilings in the area of showers are VFR with only occasional forays into MVFR VSBY. A squall line is expected to form ahead of the cold front this afternoon, primarily from southern Kentucky south into the Tennessee Valley. BWG will be most affected, with LEX grazed by the northern tip of the squall line. SDF may be just a bit too far north to be significantly influenced by the squalls. So, will bring TSRA into BWG and LEX when we expect the line of storms to push through, and will keep SDF at SHRA with VCTS. SSW winds will be brisk and gusty ahead of the front today, especially this afternoon. With the passage of the front early this evening, winds will switch to the WNW. At SDF and LEX winds will remain brisk and gusty, while BWG won`t see as high of a wind since they will be farther away from the low crossing from Indiana into Ohio. Low clouds are expected to sweep in behind the departing system. They should last through the night and possibly into Wednesday morning. && .LMK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IN...NONE. KY...NONE. $$ Update...........TWF Short Term.......13 Long Term........AL Aviation.........13
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CARIBOU ME
542 PM EST TUE NOV 22 2011 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE WILL MOVE EAST OF THE REGION THIS EVENING. LOW PRESSURE WILL APPROACH LATE TONIGHT AND CROSS THE SOUTHERN GULF OF MAINE ON WEDNESDAY. THE LOW WILL MOVE EAST OF THE REGION WEDNESDAY NIGHT WITH HIGH PRESSURE SETTLING IN FOR THANKSGIVING DAY. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... UPDATE: HAVE UPDATED SKY GRIDS TO FIT CURRENT SKY CONDITIONS. USING HRRR AND RUC MODELS HAVE SLOWED DOWN ONSET OF PRECIPITATION ACROSS DOWNEAST FOR TONIGHT AND ACROSS NORTHERN PORTIONS FOR WEDNESDAY. EXPECTING WET SNOW ON WEDNESDAY SO HAVE ALSO REMOVED BLOWING SNOW FROM THE FORECAST. COLLABORATED W/GYX ON SNOWFALL AND HEADLINES AND W/THE NERFC ON QPF. WE LOOK TO LINE UP PRETTY WELL ATTM W/PRECIP STAYING IN THE FORM OF SNOW NOW ALL THE WAY TO THE COAST W/THE EXCEPTION OF THE OUTER ISLAND WHICH COULD SEE A PERIOD OF RAIN MIX IN AT TIMES ON WEDNESDAY AND SOME SLEET DOES LOOK POSSIBLE ALONG THE COAST. DETAILS BELOW. DECIDED STAYING W/A BLEND OF THE NAM AND GFS THROUGH THIS FCST TERM WHICH NOW KEEPS THE BLYR COLDER ALLOWING FOR MORE SNOW TO THE COAST AS THE LOW TRAVELS ACROSS THE GULF OF MAINE. A SHARP CUTOFF IS STILL ANTICIPATED ACROSS THE NORTHERN ZONES(MEZ001>004) AS THE BEST LIFT AND 1000-700MB FRONTOGENETICAL FORCING WILL BE ACROSS THE DOWNEAST AND COAST. A 6 HR WINDOW OF STRONG FORCING IS LIKELY ON WEDNESDAY BEFORE THE STEADIER SNOW WINDS DOWN AS THE BEST FORCING EXITS TO THE EAST INTO NEW BRUNSWICK. SNOW RATIOS COULD CLIMB AS HIGH AS 12:1 AT THE HEIGHT OF THE EVENT ON WEDNESDAY LEADING TO HIGHER SNOWFALL TOTALS. THIS IS RIGHT IN THAT SNOW GROWTH ZONE OF -10 TO -20C. THEREFORE, THE DECISION WAS TO INCREASE THE SNOWFALL TOTALS ACROSS THE DOWNEAST ON TO THE COAST FROM BANGOR TO BAR HARBOR AND EAST INTO WASHINGTON COUNTY 7 TO 10 INCHES. FARTHER NORTH UP THROUGH GREENVILLE...DOVER FOXCROFT TO TOPSFIELD, SNOW TOTALS WILL BE LESS BUT W/SOME DECENT MID LEVEL BANDING ON WEDNESDAY, THERE COULD BE A BRIEF PERIOD OF HEAVIER SNOW BRINGING SNOWFALL TOTALS CLOSE TO 6-7 INCHES. NORTH OF THIS AREA...SNOWFALL CUTS OFF W/WEAK FORCING. MDL SOUNDINGS KEEP PRECIP FROZEN FOR THE W/LITTLE SET UP FOR SLEET ESPECIALLY THE NAM. THE GFS AND EVEN THE RUC HINT AT THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME SLEET. CONFIDENCE IS BUILDING FOR A SNOW EVENT EVEN TO THE COAST BUT SOME CONCERN FOR THE SLEET. IF THE LOW HANGS OVER THE WATER LONGER AND COASTAL FRONT STAYS OFF THE COAST, THE A CHANGEOVER WILL BE TOUGH. ATTM, DECIDED TO KEEP THE MENTION OF SLEET IN THE FCST FOR THE COAST. SOME SUBLIMATION ON WEDNESDAY IS LIKELY FOR DOWNEAST AND THE COAST AS TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO PUSHING INTO THE LOWER AND MID 30S. SO HERE IS HOW IT SHAPES UP, WINTER STORM WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT FOR THE CENTRAL MAINE MEZ011,031-032) ON SOUTHWARD TO THE COAST W/ANYWHERE FROM 6 TO 10 INCHES OF SNOW EXPECTED. THIS WILL NEED TO BE WATCHED ESPECIALLY FOR THE EASTERN SECTIONS AS A LONGER PERIOD OF HEAVIER SNOWFALL RATES COULD VERY WELL LEAD TO HIGHER SNOW AMOUNTS THAN ANTICIPATED. WHILE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES ARE UP FOR THE GREENVILLE, MILLINOCKET AND HOULTON REGIONS FOR 2 TO 5 INCHES OF SNOW. NORTH TO NORTHEAST WINDS WILL BE A FACTOR ON WEDNESDAY LEADING TO BLOWING SNOW AND LOWER VISIBILITIES WHICH WILL ALLOW FOR A HIGHER IMPACT. AS FOR THOSE TEMPERATURES, LEANED W/A BLEND OF THE LAMP AND MAV GUIDANCE AS THIS BLEND IS WORKING QUITE WELL W/THE LATEST CONDITIONS. THIS ALLOWS FOR TEMPERATURES TO LEVEL OFF AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT W/CLOUDS MOVING IN AND A SLOW RISE ON WEDNESDAY. && .SHORT TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY/... THE FAST MOVING LOW WHICH IS EXPECTED TO BRING SNOW TO CENTRAL AND DOWNEAST MAINE ON WEDNESDAY WILL QUICKLY MOVE EAST AND AWAY WEDNESDAY EVENING. ANY LINGERING SNOW IN EASTERN PARTS OF THE DOWNEAST REGION WILL TAPER OFF WEDNESDAY EVENING. THIS WILL BE FOLLOWED BY CLEARING LATER WEDNESDAY NIGHT. HIGH PRESSURE POSITIONED TO THE SOUTHWEST AND RIDGING NORTHEAST ACROSS THE STATE WILL ALLOW WINDS TO CALM...AND TEMPS OVER FRESH SNOW COVER TO DROP INTO THE TEENS OVER MUCH OF THE REGION. HIGH PRESSURE WILL MOVE INTO THE MID ATLANTIC REGION FRIDAY AS A RETURN FLOW OF SOUTHWESTERLY AIR NORTH OF THE HIGH MOVES ACROSS THE STATE. THIS WILL BRING A MOSTLY SUNNY DAY DOWNEAST WITH PARTIAL SUNSHINE ACROSS THE NORTH ON FRIDAY. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/... A WEAK COLD FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL MOVE INTO THE AREA FRIDAY NIGHT BRINGING A BAND OF CLOUDS CROSS THE REGION. THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL REMAIN NEARBY OVER THE SOUTHWESTERN PART OF THE REGION SATURDAY THEN BEGIN TO LIFT BACK NORTH AS A WARM FRONT ON SUNDAY. THE BOUNDARY WILL KEEP SKIES MOSTLY CLOUDY OVER THE WEEKEND ALTHOUGH PRECIPITATION OTHER THAN A LIGHT SHOWER OR SPRINKLE IS NOT EXPECTED. HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE MID ATLANTIC REGION WILL BRING MILD WEATHER ON MONDAY. THE NEXT MAJOR WEATHER MAKER COULD THEN BE A LARGE STORM SYSTEM APPROACHING LATE TUESDAY. THE LOW IS EXPECTED TO LIFT WEST OF THE AREA PULLING AN OCCLUSION THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING. WIND AND A PERIOD OF RAIN WOULD RESULT IF THIS OCCURS. && .AVIATION /22Z TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... NEAR TERM: VFR STARTING IT OUT TONIGHT AND THEN THE TREND IS FOR CONDITIONS TO DROP TO MVFR ACROSS KBGR AND KBHB AFTER MIDNIGHT AND THEN GO TO IFR BY WEDNESDAY MORNING W/SNOW AND WIND. VFR HOLDS ON A WHILE LONGER FOR THE NORTHERN TAFS INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING AND THEN A DROP TO MVFR FOR A BRIEF PERIOD ESPECIALLY FOR KHUL. KHUL COULD VERY WELL SEE IFR FOR A BRIEF TIME WEDNESDAY MORNING BEFORE IMPROVING BY THE AFTERNOON. SHORT TERM: CONDITIONS WILL IMPROVE TO VFR WEDNESDAY EVENING AND REMAIN VFR THROUGH FRIDAY. VFR TO MVFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED ON SATURDAY AS A WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY MOVES IN. && .MARINE... NEAR TERM: COLLABORATED W/GYX ON UPGRADING THINGS TO A GALE WARNING STARTING WEDNESDAY MORNING AND GOING THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT. A BLEND OF THE GFS AND NAM12 SHOWS SUSTAINED WINDS OF 25 TO 30 KT BY LATE WEDNESDAY MORNING W/GUSTS HITTING 35 TO POSSIBLY 40 KTS FOR A TIME ON WEDNESDAY. RAISED WAVE HEIGHTS GIVEN A ESE WIND DIRECTION. THIS IS ABOVE THE WNAWAVE BY 2 FT.. SHORT TERM: A GALE WARNING FOR NORTH TO NORTHEAST WINDS AROUND THE DEPARTING LOW WILL CONTINUE INTO WEDNESDAY EVENING. WINDS WILL DIMINISH OVERNIGHT WEDNESDAY NIGHT THEN REMAIN BELOW SCA INTO SATURDAY. && .CAR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ME...WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 5 AM TO 8 PM EST WEDNESDAY FOR MEZ011-015>017-029>032. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 5 AM TO 8 PM EST WEDNESDAY FOR MEZ005-006-010. MARINE...GALE WARNING FROM 7 AM WEDNESDAY TO 3 AM EST THURSDAY FOR ANZ050>052. && $$ NEAR TERM...FOSTER/HEWITT SHORT TERM...BLOOMER LONG TERM...BLOOMER AVIATION...FOSTER/HEWITT MARINE...FOSTER/HEWITT/BLOOMER
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS HASTINGS NE
1107 AM CST TUE NOV 22 2011 .AVIATION...18Z TAF. MORNING FOG HAS DISSIPATED AND CLEAR SKIES ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE TAF PERIOD. WINDS WILL BE FAIRLY LIGHT FROM A WESTERLY DIRECTION. && .UPDATE...VSBYS HAVE IMPROVED THIS MORNING AND HAVE REMOVED FOG MENTION ACROSS OUR EASTERN ZONES. CLEAR/SUNNY SKIES ARE EXPECTED THE REMAINDER OF THE DAY. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 616 AM CST TUE NOV 22 2011/ UPDATE...JUST REFRESHED FIRST FEW HOURS OF FORECAST...MAINLY TO DROP PRE-FIRST PERIOD FROM ZONE PRODUCT AND ALSO TO DRAG MENTION OF PATCHY FOG AND PATCHY DENSE FOG FARTHER WEST. BASED ON LATEST TRENDS FROM AUTOMATED OBS AND RUC LOW-LEVEL RELATIVE HUMIDITY DATA...AT LEAST PATCHY FOG HAS DEVELOPED AS FAR WEST AS HIGHWAY 281 DURING THE PAST 1-2 HOURS...WITH KGRI BRIEFLY DOWN TO 1/2 MILE AT 11Z. JUST TO THE EAST ALONG THE VERY BACK EDGE OF DEPARTING CLOUD COVER...SITES SUCH AS AURORA AND YORK ARE DOWN IN THE 1/4 TO 1/2 MILE RANGE...BUT HAVE SHOWN SOME VARIABILITY. NOW THAT TEMPS HAVE FALLEN BELOW FREEZING IN THE FOGGY AREAS...SLICK SPOTS ON AREA ROADS ARE CERTAINLY NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION...BUT GIVEN THE LOCALIZED NATURE OF ANY DENSE FOG WILL HOLD OFF ON AN ADVISORY BUT LET THE MENTION IN THE HWO PRODUCT STAND. AS THE CLEARING LINE HAS MARCHED EAST...EARLY MORNING LOW TEMPS HAVE DROPPED EVEN FARTHER THAN THOUGHT A FEW HOURS AGO IN SOME SPOTS. WONDER IF THIS COLD START COULD MAKE REACHING FORECAST AFTERNOON HIGHS A BIT TOUGH IN PLACES...BUT WILL LET IT RIDE FOR NOW AS MANY AREAS SHOULD STILL TOUCH/EXCEED THE 50 MARK. STILL LOOKS LIKE ANY STRATUS/FOG SHOULD BE EAST OF THE CWA BY 15Z OR SO. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 426 AM CST TUE NOV 22 2011/ SHORT TERM...THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT. OTHER THAN SOME FOG IN THE FAR EASTERN CWA THIS MORNING...NOT MUCH WEATHER OF CONSEQUENCE DURING THE UPCOMING 72 HOURS...WHICH WILL BE SEASONABLY PLEASANT BY LATE NOVEMBER STANDARDS. STARTING OFF AT 10Z THIS MORNING...OBJECTIVE SURFACE ANALYSIS AND AUTOMATED OBS REVEALED BROAD HIGH PRESSURE STRETCHED ACROSS SOUTHERN NEB/NORTHERN KS...WITH BREEZES RANGING FROM CALM TO VERY LIGHT WESTERLY. 11-3.9 MICRON SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS A FAIRLY SHARP CUTOFF BETWEEN MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES ACROSS THE WESTERN 2/3 OF THE CWA...AND CONSIDERABLE CLOUDS MAINLY OF THE MID/HIGH VARIETY ACROSS THE EAST. HOWEVER...PER AUTOMATED OBS AND THE LATEST RUC LOW LEVEL RELATIVE HUMIDITY PROGS...A CORRIDOR OF LOW STRATUS IS BRUSHING MAINLY THE FAR EASTERN ROW OF COUNTIES IN THE CWA...WITH LOW DEWPOINT DEPRESSIONS NEAR THE EDGE OF THIS STRATUS EVEN RESULTING IN A NARROW CORRIDOR OF FOG...AT TIMES DENSE...NEAR THE HIGHWAY 81 CORRIDOR AS EVIDENCED BY YORK OBS. RADAR WISE...ONLY A FEW WEAK ECHOES...SPRINKLES AT BEST...HAVE RECENTLY EXITED THE EXTREME SOUTHEAST CWA...WHILE A MUCH STEADIER LIGHT RAIN PERSISTS ACROSS NORTHEAST KS/FAR SOUTHEAST NEB. IN THE MID/UPPER LEVELS...10Z WATER VAPOR IMAGERY ALONG WITH SHORT TERM MODEL DATA HIGHLIGHT THE PRIMARY FEATURE OF INTEREST AS A PROGRESSIVE OPEN SHORTWAVE CENTERED OVER EASTERN KS AND STEADILY LIFTING EAST- NORTHEAST. AS FOR THE SYSTEM STARTING TO DEPART THE REGION...NEEDLESS TO SAY SEVERAL 00Z/06 MODELS FROM 24 HOURS AGO ENDED UP BEING HORRIBLY OVERDONE WITH COVERAGE OF PRECIPITATION ACROSS PARTS OF THE CWA...ESPECIALLY THE NAM...AND AS IT TURNED OUT THE ONLY AREAS THAT MAYBE PICKED UP A FEW HUNDREDTHS AT MOST WERE LIKELY CONFINED TO PARTS OF JEWELL/MITCHELL COUNTIES KS...WITH NOTABLY HIGHER AMOUNTS FOCUSING BARELY OUTSIDE THE CWA SUCH AS CONCORDIA WITH 0.20. STILL...IT WAS A FAIRLY CLOSE CALL AT ONE POINT EARLIER IN THE NIGHT WHETHER ANY OF THIS LIGHT PRECIPITATION WOULD FREEZE...ALTHOUGH IT APPEARS TEMPS REMAINED A FEW DEGREES WARM ENOUGH TO AVOID ISSUES. GIVEN THE MORE OPEN...PROGRESSIVE NATURE OF THE SYSTEM...SKIES ACROSS THE MAJORITY OF THE CWA HAVE ALSO CLEARED FASTER THAN ANTICIPATED 24 HOURS AGO...THUS WHY TEMPS HAVE ALREADY FALLEN OFF INTO THE UPPER TEENS TO MID 20S IN MUCH OF THE CWA...WHILE 30S ARE HANGING ON UNDER THE STRATUS IN THE FAR EAST. OBVIOUSLY THE ONLY REAL CONCERN DURING THE NEXT 3-6 HOURS OR SO INVOLVES THE CONTINUED FOG/LOW STRATUS PLAGUING FAR EASTERN AREAS. WHILE SOME OF IT IS LIKELY DENSE IN LOCALIZED SPOTS...NO PLANS FOR AN ADVISORY AT THIS TIME BUT HAVE MENTIONED IN THE HWO...AND CANNOT RULE OUT A FEW SLICK SPOTS AS TEMPS EDGE BELOW FREEZING DURING NEXT FEW HOURS. PER RUC RH PROGS AND LATEST GFS LAMP GUIDANCE FOR YORK...STRATUS/FOG SHOULD ERODE EAST OUT OF THE CWA BY MID MORNING AT THE LATEST. AS TEMPS CONTINUE TO COOL THIS MORNING...CANNOT RULE OUT AT LEAST LIGHT FOG DEVELOPING BACK WEST TOWARD THE HIGHWAY 281 AS WELL...BUT NOT ANTICIPATING ANYTHING DENSE THAT FAR WEST. ASSUMING THAT STRATUS VACATES THE CWA BY MID MORNING...SUNNY SKIES WILL DOMINATE THE DAYTIME HOURS BEHIND THE DEPARTING SHORTWAVE...WHICH WILL BE WELL OFF INTO THE EASTERN MIDWEST BY SUNSET. WITH THE AID OF LIGHT WESTERLY DOWNSLOPE FLOW...A NICE WARMUP IS IN STORE TODAY...AND KEPT HIGH TEMPS A TOUCH ABOVE THE CONSENSUS OF MET/MAV GUIDANCE...AIMING FOR AROUND 50 FAR EAST...TO MID 50S SOUTHWEST. TONIGHT...LIGHT WESTERLY FLOW PERSISTS AT THE SURFACE...WITH DRY NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT. CHANGED INHERITED LOW TEMPS VERY LITTLE...KEEPING THEM ON THE COLDER END OF GUIDANCE WITH MOST SPOTS IN THE MID TO UPPER 20S. GIVEN RECENT LACK OF RAINFALL ACROSS THE CWA AND FACT THAT BREEZES SHOULD AVERAGE AROUND 5KT...NOT EXPECTING ANY FOG ISSUES TONIGHT BUT SUPPOSE SOME LIGHT DEVELOPMENT IS NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION. CONDITIONS WILL REALLY START TURNING SEASONABLY PLEASANT FOR WEDNESDAY AS MID LEVEL HEIGHTS RISE IN RESPONSE TO A BROAD RIDGE AXIS ESTABLISHING ITSELF ACROSS THE CENTRAL CONUS. FAIRLY LIGHT WESTERLY BREEZES WILL DOMINATE THE DAYTIME HOURS. DESPITE FAIRLY SHALLOW MIXING TO ONLY AROUND 900MB...STILL FEEL THAT MOST OF THE CWA SHOULD BRUSH THE 60 MARK FOR HIGHS...WITH MID 60S FOR MOST KS ZONES. WED NIGHT...STEADY LIGHT SOUTHERLY BREEZES WILL BE IN PLACE AT THE SURFACE AS THE FLOW ALOFT STARTS TO TURN SOUTHWESTERLY IN ADVANCE OF THE NEXT SYSTEM ALONG THE WEST COAST. ALTHOUGH THESE BREEZES WILL HELP KEEP LOW TEMPS A BIT WARMER THAN TONIGHT...FELT THAT RECENT TRENDS OF ENDING UP TOO WARM WITH LOWS UNDER CLEAR SKIES JUSTIFIED KNOCKING 2-3 DEGREES OFF PREVIOUS FORECAST...NOW BRINGING MOST AREAS DOWN INTO THE LOW 30S. THANKSGIVING DAY...DRY AND AT LEAST MOSTLY SUNNY CONDITIONS PERSIST...ALTHOUGH SOUTH WINDS WILL INCREASE A BIT INTO THE SUSTAINED 10-20 MPH RANGE AS A HIGH PLAINS LEE TROUGH DEEPENS A BIT. THE HIGHEST WINDS IN THIS RANGE WILL FOCUS ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST 1/2 OF THE CWA. TEMP WISE...ALTHOUGH MIXING WILL REMAIN SOMEWHAT SHALLOW...SEE NO REASON WHY SOUTHERLY FLOW WON/T BOOST HIGHS ANOTHER NOTCH...AND ACTUALLY RAISED 2-4 DEGREES OVER PREVIOUS FORECAST PUTTING MOST OF THE CWA WELL INTO THE 60S...AND EVEN UPPER 60S IN PARTS OF KS. IF THESE NUMBERS HOLD...THIS LOOKS TO BE THE WARMEST THANKSGIVING DAY IN THE TRI-CITIES SINCE 2006. THURS NIGHT...KEPT DRY...BUT INCREASING HIGH LEVEL CLOUDS WILL ACCOMPANY THE LEADING EDGE OF SHORTWAVE ENERGY EJECTING OUT OF THE WEST. MODEST INCREASE IN LOW LEVEL MOISTURE...SOUTHERLY BREEZES AND INCREASING CLOUDS SHOULD MAKE THIS THE OVERALL WARMEST NIGHT OF THE FORECAST PERIOD...WITH LOWS HOLDING UP IN THE MID/UPPER 30S IN MOST OF THE CWA...AND EVEN LOW 40S SOUTHEAST. LONG TERM...FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY. GENERALLY USED AN INTERMEDIATE COMBINATION OF GUIDANCE SPREADS FOR THE LONG TERM FORECAST. MODELS ARE STILL INDICATING A SHORTWAVE TROUGH TO SWING THROUGH FROM THE NORTHWEST FOR FRIDAY/FRIDAY NIGHT. WITH DRY AIR IN PLACE...THE BEST BET FOR ANY PRECIPITATION WILL BE IN OUR EASTERN CWA WHERE WHERE SOME LOWER LEVEL GULF INFLOW COULD SPREAD INTO THAT AREA WITH THE AID OF SOME BACKING WIND AS THE SURFACE COLD FRONT APPROACHES. THE TRI-CITIES MAY BE ON THE FAR WESTERN EDGE OF ANY PRECIPITATION THAT DEVELOPS BUT MODELS ARE TRENDING A BIT FARTHER WEST. WHERE MODELS HAD INDICATED A CLOSED AND EVENTUALLY CUTOFF LOW OVER THE SOUTHWEST UNITED STATES/MEXICO FOR FRIDAY FROM MODEL RUNS LAST NIGHT...THIS CUTOFF HAS BEEN PUSHED BACK TO SATURDAY NIGHT ON THE ECMWF AND DOES NOT OCCUR AT ALL ON THE GFS AS THE SOUTHERN AND NORTHERN STREAMS PHASE WAVES FOR FRIDAY. MODELS STILL MOVE THE WAVE THROUGH QUICKLY WITH RIDGING FOLLOWING...KEEPING A DRY FORECAST THROUGH THE WEEKEND INTO MONDAY AS THE WAVE DIGS TO THE EAST OF THE MISSOURI VALLEY. SATURDAY IS STILL LOOKING QUITE BREEZY/WINDY AS SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN. MODELS DIFFER BY VARYING DEGREES ON TEMPERATURES...BUT GENERALLY LOOK SEASONABLY COOL. && .GID WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NE...NONE. KS...NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS HASTINGS NE
616 AM CST TUE NOV 22 2011 .UPDATE...JUST REFRESHED FIRST FEW HOURS OF FORECAST...MAINLY TO DROP PRE-FIRST PERIOD FROM ZONE PRODUCT AND ALSO TO DRAG MENTION OF PATCHY FOG AND PATCHY DENSE FOG FARTHER WEST. BASED ON LATEST TRENDS FROM AUTOMATED OBS AND RUC LOW-LEVEL RELATIVE HUMIDITY DATA...AT LEAST PATCHY FOG HAS DEVELOPED AS FAR WEST AS HIGHWAY 281 DURING THE PAST 1-2 HOURS...WITH KGRI BRIEFLY DOWN TO 1/2 MILE AT 11Z. JUST TO THE EAST ALONG THE VERY BACK EDGE OF DEPARTING CLOUD COVER...SITES SUCH AS AURORA AND YORK ARE DOWN IN THE 1/4 TO 1/2 MILE RANGE...BUT HAVE SHOWN SOME VARIABILITY. NOW THAT TEMPS HAVE FALLEN BELOW FREEZING IN THE FOGGY AREAS...SLICK SPOTS ON AREA ROADS ARE CERTAINLY NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION...BUT GIVEN THE LOCALIZED NATURE OF ANY DENSE FOG WILL HOLD OFF ON AN ADVISORY BUT LET THE MENTION IN THE HWO PRODUCT STAND. AS THE CLEARING LINE HAS MARCHED EAST...EARLY MORNING LOW TEMPS HAVE DROPPED EVEN FARTHER THAN THOUGHT A FEW HOURS AGO IN SOME SPOTS. WONDER IF THIS COLD START COULD MAKE REACHING FORECAST AFTERNOON HIGHS A BIT TOUGH IN PLACES...BUT WILL LET IT RIDE FOR NOW AS MANY AREAS SHOULD STILL TOUCH/EXCEED THE 50 MARK. STILL LOOKS LIKE ANY STRATUS/FOG SHOULD BE EAST OF THE CWA BY 15Z OR SO. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 541 AM CST TUE NOV 22 2011/ AVIATION...12Z KGRI TAF. THE FIRST HOUR OR SO OF THE FORECAST WILL BE TRICKY AS FAR AS VISIBILITY IS CONCERNED. THE EDGE OF THE STRATUS IS JUST TO THE EAST AND IS MOVING EAST...SO THE BEST GUESS IS IFR OR POSSIBLY MVFR FOR THE FIRST HOUR...THEN VISIBILITY SHOULD IMPROVE QUICKLY. VFR CONDITIONS WITH LIGHT WIND ARE EXPECTED FOR THE REST OF THE FORECAST. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 426 AM CST TUE NOV 22 2011/ SHORT TERM...THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT. OTHER THAN SOME FOG IN THE FAR EASTERN CWA THIS MORNING...NOT MUCH WEATHER OF CONSEQUENCE DURING THE UPCOMING 72 HOURS...WHICH WILL BE SEASONABLY PLEASANT BY LATE NOVEMBER STANDARDS. STARTING OFF AT 10Z THIS MORNING...OBJECTIVE SURFACE ANALYSIS AND AUTOMATED OBS REVEALED BROAD HIGH PRESSURE STRETCHED ACROSS SOUTHERN NEB/NORTHERN KS...WITH BREEZES RANGING FROM CALM TO VERY LIGHT WESTERLY. 11-3.9 MICRON SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS A FAIRLY SHARP CUTOFF BETWEEN MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES ACROSS THE WESTERN 2/3 OF THE CWA...AND CONSIDERABLE CLOUDS MAINLY OF THE MID/HIGH VARIETY ACROSS THE EAST. HOWEVER...PER AUTOMATED OBS AND THE LATEST RUC LOW LEVEL RELATIVE HUMIDITY PROGS...A CORRIDOR OF LOW STRATUS IS BRUSHING MAINLY THE FAR EASTERN ROW OF COUNTIES IN THE CWA...WITH LOW DEWPOINT DEPRESSIONS NEAR THE EDGE OF THIS STRATUS EVEN RESULTING IN A NARROW CORRIDOR OF FOG...AT TIMES DENSE...NEAR THE HIGHWAY 81 CORRIDOR AS EVIDENCED BY YORK OBS. RADAR WISE...ONLY A FEW WEAK ECHOES...SPRINKLES AT BEST...HAVE RECENTLY EXITED THE EXTREME SOUTHEAST CWA...WHILE A MUCH STEADIER LIGHT RAIN PERSISTS ACROSS NORTHEAST KS/FAR SOUTHEAST NEB. IN THE MID/UPPER LEVELS...10Z WATER VAPOR IMAGERY ALONG WITH SHORT TERM MODEL DATA HIGHLIGHT THE PRIMARY FEATURE OF INTEREST AS A PROGRESSIVE OPEN SHORTWAVE CENTERED OVER EASTERN KS AND STEADILY LIFTING EAST- NORTHEAST. AS FOR THE SYSTEM STARTING TO DEPART THE REGION...NEEDLESS TO SAY SEVERAL 00Z/06 MODELS FROM 24 HOURS AGO ENDED UP BEING HORRIBLY OVERDONE WITH COVERAGE OF PRECIPITATION ACROSS PARTS OF THE CWA...ESPECIALLY THE NAM...AND AS IT TURNED OUT THE ONLY AREAS THAT MAYBE PICKED UP A FEW HUNDREDTHS AT MOST WERE LIKELY CONFINED TO PARTS OF JEWELL/MITCHELL COUNTIES KS...WITH NOTABLY HIGHER AMOUNTS FOCUSING BARELY OUTSIDE THE CWA SUCH AS CONCORDIA WITH 0.20. STILL...IT WAS A FAIRLY CLOSE CALL AT ONE POINT EARLIER IN THE NIGHT WHETHER ANY OF THIS LIGHT PRECIPITATION WOULD FREEZE...ALTHOUGH IT APPEARS TEMPS REMAINED A FEW DEGREES WARM ENOUGH TO AVOID ISSUES. GIVEN THE MORE OPEN...PROGRESSIVE NATURE OF THE SYSTEM...SKIES ACROSS THE MAJORITY OF THE CWA HAVE ALSO CLEARED FASTER THAN ANTICIPATED 24 HOURS AGO...THUS WHY TEMPS HAVE ALREADY FALLEN OFF INTO THE UPPER TEENS TO MID 20S IN MUCH OF THE CWA...WHILE 30S ARE HANGING ON UNDER THE STRATUS IN THE FAR EAST. OBVIOUSLY THE ONLY REAL CONCERN DURING THE NEXT 3-6 HOURS OR SO INVOLVES THE CONTINUED FOG/LOW STRATUS PLAGUING FAR EASTERN AREAS. WHILE SOME OF IT IS LIKELY DENSE IN LOCALIZED SPOTS...NO PLANS FOR AN ADVISORY AT THIS TIME BUT HAVE MENTIONED IN THE HWO...AND CANNOT RULE OUT A FEW SLICK SPOTS AS TEMPS EDGE BELOW FREEZING DURING NEXT FEW HOURS. PER RUC RH PROGS AND LATEST GFS LAMP GUIDANCE FOR YORK...STRATUS/FOG SHOULD ERODE EAST OUT OF THE CWA BY MID MORNING AT THE LATEST. AS TEMPS CONTINUE TO COOL THIS MORNING...CANNOT RULE OUT AT LEAST LIGHT FOG DEVELOPING BACK WEST TOWARD THE HIGHWAY 281 AS WELL...BUT NOT ANTICIPATING ANYTHING DENSE THAT FAR WEST. ASSUMING THAT STRATUS VACATES THE CWA BY MID MORNING...SUNNY SKIES WILL DOMINATE THE DAYTIME HOURS BEHIND THE DEPARTING SHORTWAVE...WHICH WILL BE WELL OFF INTO THE EASTERN MIDWEST BY SUNSET. WITH THE AID OF LIGHT WESTERLY DOWNSLOPE FLOW...A NICE WARMUP IS IN STORE TODAY...AND KEPT HIGH TEMPS A TOUCH ABOVE THE CONSENSUS OF MET/MAV GUIDANCE...AIMING FOR AROUND 50 FAR EAST...TO MID 50S SOUTHWEST. TONIGHT...LIGHT WESTERLY FLOW PERSISTS AT THE SURFACE...WITH DRY NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT. CHANGED INHERITED LOW TEMPS VERY LITTLE...KEEPING THEM ON THE COLDER END OF GUIDANCE WITH MOST SPOTS IN THE MID TO UPPER 20S. GIVEN RECENT LACK OF RAINFALL ACROSS THE CWA AND FACT THAT BREEZES SHOULD AVERAGE AROUND 5KT...NOT EXPECTING ANY FOG ISSUES TONIGHT BUT SUPPOSE SOME LIGHT DEVELOPMENT IS NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION. CONDITIONS WILL REALLY START TURNING SEASONABLY PLEASANT FOR WEDNESDAY AS MID LEVEL HEIGHTS RISE IN RESPONSE TO A BROAD RIDGE AXIS ESTABLISHING ITSELF ACROSS THE CENTRAL CONUS. FAIRLY LIGHT WESTERLY BREEZES WILL DOMINATE THE DAYTIME HOURS. DESPITE FAIRLY SHALLOW MIXING TO ONLY AROUND 900MB...STILL FEEL THAT MOST OF THE CWA SHOULD BRUSH THE 60 MARK FOR HIGHS...WITH MID 60S FOR MOST KS ZONES. WED NIGHT...STEADY LIGHT SOUTHERLY BREEZES WILL BE IN PLACE AT THE SURFACE AS THE FLOW ALOFT STARTS TO TURN SOUTHWESTERLY IN ADVANCE OF THE NEXT SYSTEM ALONG THE WEST COAST. ALTHOUGH THESE BREEZES WILL HELP KEEP LOW TEMPS A BIT WARMER THAN TONIGHT...FELT THAT RECENT TRENDS OF ENDING UP TOO WARM WITH LOWS UNDER CLEAR SKIES JUSTIFIED KNOCKING 2-3 DEGREES OFF PREVIOUS FORECAST...NOW BRINGING MOST AREAS DOWN INTO THE LOW 30S. THANKSGIVING DAY...DRY AND AT LEAST MOSTLY SUNNY CONDITIONS PERSIST...ALTHOUGH SOUTH WINDS WILL INCREASE A BIT INTO THE SUSTAINED 10-20 MPH RANGE AS A HIGH PLAINS LEE TROUGH DEEPENS A BIT. THE HIGHEST WINDS IN THIS RANGE WILL FOCUS ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST 1/2 OF THE CWA. TEMP WISE...ALTHOUGH MIXING WILL REMAIN SOMEWHAT SHALLOW...SEE NO REASON WHY SOUTHERLY FLOW WON/T BOOST HIGHS ANOTHER NOTCH...AND ACTUALLY RAISED 2-4 DEGREES OVER PREVIOUS FORECAST PUTTING MOST OF THE CWA WELL INTO THE 60S...AND EVEN UPPER 60S IN PARTS OF KS. IF THESE NUMBERS HOLD...THIS LOOKS TO BE THE WARMEST THANKSGIVING DAY IN THE TRI-CITIES SINCE 2006. THURS NIGHT...KEPT DRY...BUT INCREASING HIGH LEVEL CLOUDS WILL ACCOMPANY THE LEADING EDGE OF SHORTWAVE ENERGY EJECTING OUT OF THE WEST. MODEST INCREASE IN LOW LEVEL MOISTURE...SOUTHERLY BREEZES AND INCREASING CLOUDS SHOULD MAKE THIS THE OVERALL WARMEST NIGHT OF THE FORECAST PERIOD...WITH LOWS HOLDING UP IN THE MID/UPPER 30S IN MOST OF THE CWA...AND EVEN LOW 40S SOUTHEAST. LONG TERM...FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY. GENERALLY USED AN INTERMEDIATE COMBINATION OF GUIDANCE SPREADS FOR THE LONG TERM FORECAST. MODELS ARE STILL INDICATING A SHORTWAVE TROUGH TO SWING THROUGH FROM THE NORTHWEST FOR FRIDAY/FRIDAY NIGHT. WITH DRY AIR IN PLACE...THE BEST BET FOR ANY PRECIPITATION WILL BE IN OUR EASTERN CWA WHERE WHERE SOME LOWER LEVEL GULF INFLOW COULD SPREAD INTO THAT AREA WITH THE AID OF SOME BACKING WIND AS THE SURFACE COLD FRONT APPROACHES. THE TRI-CITIES MAY BE ON THE FAR WESTERN EDGE OF ANY PRECIPITATION THAT DEVELOPS BUT MODELS ARE TRENDING A BIT FARTHER WEST. WHERE MODELS HAD INDICATED A CLOSED AND EVENTUALLY CUTOFF LOW OVER THE SOUTHWEST UNITED STATES/MEXICO FOR FRIDAY FROM MODEL RUNS LAST NIGHT...THIS CUTOFF HAS BEEN PUSHED BACK TO SATURDAY NIGHT ON THE ECMWF AND DOES NOT OCCUR AT ALL ON THE GFS AS THE SOUTHERN AND NORTHERN STREAMS PHASE WAVES FOR FRIDAY. MODELS STILL MOVE THE WAVE THROUGH QUICKLY WITH RIDGING FOLLOWING...KEEPING A DRY FORECAST THROUGH THE WEEKEND INTO MONDAY AS THE WAVE DIGS TO THE EAST OF THE MISSOURI VALLEY. SATURDAY IS STILL LOOKING QUITE BREEZY/WINDY AS SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN. MODELS DIFFER BY VARYING DEGREES ON TEMPERATURES...BUT GENERALLY LOOK SEASONABLY COOL. && .GID WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NE...NONE. KS...NONE. && $$ UPDATE/SHORT TERM...PFANNKUCH LONG TERM/AVIATION...HEINLEIN
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS HASTINGS NE
541 AM CST TUE NOV 22 2011 .AVIATION...12Z KGRI TAF. THE FIRST HOUR OR SO OF THE FORECAST WILL BE TRICKY AS FAR AS VISIBILITY IS CONCERNED. THE EDGE OF THE STRATUS IS JUST TO THE EAST AND IS MOVING EAST...SO THE BEST GUESS IS IFR OR POSSIBLY MVFR FOR THE FIRST HOUR...THEN VISIBILITY SHOULD IMPROVE QUICKLY. VFR CONDITIONS WITH LIGHT WIND ARE EXPECTED FOR THE REST OF THE FORECAST. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 426 AM CST TUE NOV 22 2011/ SHORT TERM...THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT. OTHER THAN SOME FOG IN THE FAR EASTERN CWA THIS MORNING...NOT MUCH WEATHER OF CONSEQUENCE DURING THE UPCOMING 72 HOURS...WHICH WILL BE SEASONABLY PLEASANT BY LATE NOVEMBER STANDARDS. STARTING OFF AT 10Z THIS MORNING...OBJECTIVE SURFACE ANALYSIS AND AUTOMATED OBS REVEALED BROAD HIGH PRESSURE STRETCHED ACROSS SOUTHERN NEB/NORTHERN KS...WITH BREEZES RANGING FROM CALM TO VERY LIGHT WESTERLY. 11-3.9 MICRON SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS A FAIRLY SHARP CUTOFF BETWEEN MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES ACROSS THE WESTERN 2/3 OF THE CWA...AND CONSIDERABLE CLOUDS MAINLY OF THE MID/HIGH VARIETY ACROSS THE EAST. HOWEVER...PER AUTOMATED OBS AND THE LATEST RUC LOW LEVEL RELATIVE HUMIDITY PROGS...A CORRIDOR OF LOW STRATUS IS BRUSHING MAINLY THE FAR EASTERN ROW OF COUNTIES IN THE CWA...WITH LOW DEWPOINT DEPRESSIONS NEAR THE EDGE OF THIS STRATUS EVEN RESULTING IN A NARROW CORRIDOR OF FOG...AT TIMES DENSE...NEAR THE HIGHWAY 81 CORRIDOR AS EVIDENCED BY YORK OBS. RADAR WISE...ONLY A FEW WEAK ECHOES...SPRINKLES AT BEST...HAVE RECENTLY EXITED THE EXTREME SOUTHEAST CWA...WHILE A MUCH STEADIER LIGHT RAIN PERSISTS ACROSS NORTHEAST KS/FAR SOUTHEAST NEB. IN THE MID/UPPER LEVELS...10Z WATER VAPOR IMAGERY ALONG WITH SHORT TERM MODEL DATA HIGHLIGHT THE PRIMARY FEATURE OF INTEREST AS A PROGRESSIVE OPEN SHORTWAVE CENTERED OVER EASTERN KS AND STEADILY LIFTING EAST- NORTHEAST. AS FOR THE SYSTEM STARTING TO DEPART THE REGION...NEEDLESS TO SAY SEVERAL 00Z/06 MODELS FROM 24 HOURS AGO ENDED UP BEING HORRIBLY OVERDONE WITH COVERAGE OF PRECIPITATION ACROSS PARTS OF THE CWA...ESPECIALLY THE NAM...AND AS IT TURNED OUT THE ONLY AREAS THAT MAYBE PICKED UP A FEW HUNDREDTHS AT MOST WERE LIKELY CONFINED TO PARTS OF JEWELL/MITCHELL COUNTIES KS...WITH NOTABLY HIGHER AMOUNTS FOCUSING BARELY OUTSIDE THE CWA SUCH AS CONCORDIA WITH 0.20. STILL...IT WAS A FAIRLY CLOSE CALL AT ONE POINT EARLIER IN THE NIGHT WHETHER ANY OF THIS LIGHT PRECIPITATION WOULD FREEZE...ALTHOUGH IT APPEARS TEMPS REMAINED A FEW DEGREES WARM ENOUGH TO AVOID ISSUES. GIVEN THE MORE OPEN...PROGRESSIVE NATURE OF THE SYSTEM...SKIES ACROSS THE MAJORITY OF THE CWA HAVE ALSO CLEARED FASTER THAN ANTICIPATED 24 HOURS AGO...THUS WHY TEMPS HAVE ALREADY FALLEN OFF INTO THE UPPER TEENS TO MID 20S IN MUCH OF THE CWA...WHILE 30S ARE HANGING ON UNDER THE STRATUS IN THE FAR EAST. OBVIOUSLY THE ONLY REAL CONCERN DURING THE NEXT 3-6 HOURS OR SO INVOLVES THE CONTINUED FOG/LOW STRATUS PLAGUING FAR EASTERN AREAS. WHILE SOME OF IT IS LIKELY DENSE IN LOCALIZED SPOTS...NO PLANS FOR AN ADVISORY AT THIS TIME BUT HAVE MENTIONED IN THE HWO...AND CANNOT RULE OUT A FEW SLICK SPOTS AS TEMPS EDGE BELOW FREEZING DURING NEXT FEW HOURS. PER RUC RH PROGS AND LATEST GFS LAMP GUIDANCE FOR YORK...STRATUS/FOG SHOULD ERODE EAST OUT OF THE CWA BY MID MORNING AT THE LATEST. AS TEMPS CONTINUE TO COOL THIS MORNING...CANNOT RULE OUT AT LEAST LIGHT FOG DEVELOPING BACK WEST TOWARD THE HIGHWAY 281 AS WELL...BUT NOT ANTICIPATING ANYTHING DENSE THAT FAR WEST. ASSUMING THAT STRATUS VACATES THE CWA BY MID MORNING...SUNNY SKIES WILL DOMINATE THE DAYTIME HOURS BEHIND THE DEPARTING SHORTWAVE...WHICH WILL BE WELL OFF INTO THE EASTERN MIDWEST BY SUNSET. WITH THE AID OF LIGHT WESTERLY DOWNSLOPE FLOW...A NICE WARMUP IS IN STORE TODAY...AND KEPT HIGH TEMPS A TOUCH ABOVE THE CONSENSUS OF MET/MAV GUIDANCE...AIMING FOR AROUND 50 FAR EAST...TO MID 50S SOUTHWEST. TONIGHT...LIGHT WESTERLY FLOW PERSISTS AT THE SURFACE...WITH DRY NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT. CHANGED INHERITED LOW TEMPS VERY LITTLE...KEEPING THEM ON THE COLDER END OF GUIDANCE WITH MOST SPOTS IN THE MID TO UPPER 20S. GIVEN RECENT LACK OF RAINFALL ACROSS THE CWA AND FACT THAT BREEZES SHOULD AVERAGE AROUND 5KT...NOT EXPECTING ANY FOG ISSUES TONIGHT BUT SUPPOSE SOME LIGHT DEVELOPMENT IS NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION. CONDITIONS WILL REALLY START TURNING SEASONABLY PLEASANT FOR WEDNESDAY AS MID LEVEL HEIGHTS RISE IN RESPONSE TO A BROAD RIDGE AXIS ESTABLISHING ITSELF ACROSS THE CENTRAL CONUS. FAIRLY LIGHT WESTERLY BREEZES WILL DOMINATE THE DAYTIME HOURS. DESPITE FAIRLY SHALLOW MIXING TO ONLY AROUND 900MB...STILL FEEL THAT MOST OF THE CWA SHOULD BRUSH THE 60 MARK FOR HIGHS...WITH MID 60S FOR MOST KS ZONES. WED NIGHT...STEADY LIGHT SOUTHERLY BREEZES WILL BE IN PLACE AT THE SURFACE AS THE FLOW ALOFT STARTS TO TURN SOUTHWESTERLY IN ADVANCE OF THE NEXT SYSTEM ALONG THE WEST COAST. ALTHOUGH THESE BREEZES WILL HELP KEEP LOW TEMPS A BIT WARMER THAN TONIGHT...FELT THAT RECENT TRENDS OF ENDING UP TOO WARM WITH LOWS UNDER CLEAR SKIES JUSTIFIED KNOCKING 2-3 DEGREES OFF PREVIOUS FORECAST...NOW BRINGING MOST AREAS DOWN INTO THE LOW 30S. THANKSGIVING DAY...DRY AND AT LEAST MOSTLY SUNNY CONDITIONS PERSIST...ALTHOUGH SOUTH WINDS WILL INCREASE A BIT INTO THE SUSTAINED 10-20 MPH RANGE AS A HIGH PLAINS LEE TROUGH DEEPENS A BIT. THE HIGHEST WINDS IN THIS RANGE WILL FOCUS ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST 1/2 OF THE CWA. TEMP WISE...ALTHOUGH MIXING WILL REMAIN SOMEWHAT SHALLOW...SEE NO REASON WHY SOUTHERLY FLOW WON/T BOOST HIGHS ANOTHER NOTCH...AND ACTUALLY RAISED 2-4 DEGREES OVER PREVIOUS FORECAST PUTTING MOST OF THE CWA WELL INTO THE 60S...AND EVEN UPPER 60S IN PARTS OF KS. IF THESE NUMBERS HOLD...THIS LOOKS TO BE THE WARMEST THANKSGIVING DAY IN THE TRI-CITIES SINCE 2006. THURS NIGHT...KEPT DRY...BUT INCREASING HIGH LEVEL CLOUDS WILL ACCOMPANY THE LEADING EDGE OF SHORTWAVE ENERGY EJECTING OUT OF THE WEST. MODEST INCREASE IN LOW LEVEL MOISTURE...SOUTHERLY BREEZES AND INCREASING CLOUDS SHOULD MAKE THIS THE OVERALL WARMEST NIGHT OF THE FORECAST PERIOD...WITH LOWS HOLDING UP IN THE MID/UPPER 30S IN MOST OF THE CWA...AND EVEN LOW 40S SOUTHEAST. LONG TERM...FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY. GENERALLY USED AN INTERMEDIATE COMBINATION OF GUIDANCE SPREADS FOR THE LONG TERM FORECAST. MODELS ARE STILL INDICATING A SHORTWAVE TROUGH TO SWING THROUGH FROM THE NORTHWEST FOR FRIDAY/FRIDAY NIGHT. WITH DRY AIR IN PLACE...THE BEST BET FOR ANY PRECIPITATION WILL BE IN OUR EASTERN CWA WHERE WHERE SOME LOWER LEVEL GULF INFLOW COULD SPREAD INTO THAT AREA WITH THE AID OF SOME BACKING WIND AS THE SURFACE COLD FRONT APPROACHES. THE TRI-CITIES MAY BE ON THE FAR WESTERN EDGE OF ANY PRECIPITATION THAT DEVELOPS BUT MODELS ARE TRENDING A BIT FARTHER WEST. WHERE MODELS HAD INDICATED A CLOSED AND EVENTUALLY CUTOFF LOW OVER THE SOUTHWEST UNITED STATES/MEXICO FOR FRIDAY FROM MODEL RUNS LAST NIGHT...THIS CUTOFF HAS BEEN PUSHED BACK TO SATURDAY NIGHT ON THE ECMWF AND DOES NOT OCCUR AT ALL ON THE GFS AS THE SOUTHERN AND NORTHERN STREAMS PHASE WAVES FOR FRIDAY. MODELS STILL MOVE THE WAVE THROUGH QUICKLY WITH RIDGING FOLLOWING...KEEPING A DRY FORECAST THROUGH THE WEEKEND INTO MONDAY AS THE WAVE DIGS TO THE EAST OF THE MISSOURI VALLEY. SATURDAY IS STILL LOOKING QUITE BREEZY/WINDY AS SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN. MODELS DIFFER BY VARYING DEGREES ON TEMPERATURES...BUT GENERALLY LOOK SEASONABLY COOL. && .GID WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NE...NONE. KS...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...PFANNKUCH LONG TERM/AVIATION...HEINLEIN
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS HASTINGS NE
426 AM CST TUE NOV 22 2011 .SHORT TERM...THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT. OTHER THAN SOME FOG IN THE FAR EASTERN CWA THIS MORNING...NOT MUCH WEATHER OF CONSEQUENCE DURING THE UPCOMING 72 HOURS...WHICH WILL BE SEASONABLY PLEASANT BY LATE NOVEMBER STANDARDS. STARTING OFF AT 10Z THIS MORNING...OBJECTIVE SURFACE ANALYSIS AND AUTOMATED OBS REVEALED BROAD HIGH PRESSURE STRETCHED ACROSS SOUTHERN NEB/NORTHERN KS...WITH BREEZES RANGING FROM CALM TO VERY LIGHT WESTERLY. 11-3.9 MICRON SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS A FAIRLY SHARP CUTOFF BETWEEN MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES ACROSS THE WESTERN 2/3 OF THE CWA...AND CONSIDERABLE CLOUDS MAINLY OF THE MID/HIGH VARIETY ACROSS THE EAST. HOWEVER...PER AUTOMATED OBS AND THE LATEST RUC LOW LEVEL RELATIVE HUMIDITY PROGS...A CORRIDOR OF LOW STRATUS IS BRUSHING MAINLY THE FAR EASTERN ROW OF COUNTIES IN THE CWA...WITH LOW DEWPOINT DEPRESSIONS NEAR THE EDGE OF THIS STRATUS EVEN RESULTING IN A NARROW CORRIDOR OF FOG...AT TIMES DENSE...NEAR THE HIGHWAY 81 CORRIDOR AS EVIDENCED BY YORK OBS. RADAR WISE...ONLY A FEW WEAK ECHOES...SPRINKLES AT BEST...HAVE RECENTLY EXITED THE EXTREME SOUTHEAST CWA...WHILE A MUCH STEADIER LIGHT RAIN PERSISTS ACROSS NORTHEAST KS/FAR SOUTHEAST NEB. IN THE MID/UPPER LEVELS...10Z WATER VAPOR IMAGERY ALONG WITH SHORT TERM MODEL DATA HIGHLIGHT THE PRIMARY FEATURE OF INTEREST AS A PROGRESSIVE OPEN SHORTWAVE CENTERED OVER EASTERN KS AND STEADILY LIFTING EAST- NORTHEAST. AS FOR THE SYSTEM STARTING TO DEPART THE REGION...NEEDLESS TO SAY SEVERAL 00Z/06 MODELS FROM 24 HOURS AGO ENDED UP BEING HORRIBLY OVERDONE WITH COVERAGE OF PRECIPITATION ACROSS PARTS OF THE CWA...ESPECIALLY THE NAM...AND AS IT TURNED OUT THE ONLY AREAS THAT MAYBE PICKED UP A FEW HUNDREDTHS AT MOST WERE LIKELY CONFINED TO PARTS OF JEWELL/MITCHELL COUNTIES KS...WITH NOTABLY HIGHER AMOUNTS FOCUSING BARELY OUTSIDE THE CWA SUCH AS CONCORDIA WITH 0.20. STILL...IT WAS A FAIRLY CLOSE CALL AT ONE POINT EARLIER IN THE NIGHT WHETHER ANY OF THIS LIGHT PRECIPITATION WOULD FREEZE...ALTHOUGH IT APPEARS TEMPS REMAINED A FEW DEGREES WARM ENOUGH TO AVOID ISSUES. GIVEN THE MORE OPEN...PROGRESSIVE NATURE OF THE SYSTEM...SKIES ACROSS THE MAJORITY OF THE CWA HAVE ALSO CLEARED FASTER THAN ANTICIPATED 24 HOURS AGO...THUS WHY TEMPS HAVE ALREADY FALLEN OFF INTO THE UPPER TEENS TO MID 20S IN MUCH OF THE CWA...WHILE 30S ARE HANGING ON UNDER THE STRATUS IN THE FAR EAST. OBVIOUSLY THE ONLY REAL CONCERN DURING THE NEXT 3-6 HOURS OR SO INVOLVES THE CONTINUED FOG/LOW STRATUS PLAGUING FAR EASTERN AREAS. WHILE SOME OF IT IS LIKELY DENSE IN LOCALIZED SPOTS...NO PLANS FOR AN ADVISORY AT THIS TIME BUT HAVE MENTIONED IN THE HWO...AND CANNOT RULE OUT A FEW SLICK SPOTS AS TEMPS EDGE BELOW FREEZING DURING NEXT FEW HOURS. PER RUC RH PROGS AND LATEST GFS LAMP GUIDANCE FOR YORK...STRATUS/FOG SHOULD ERODE EAST OUT OF THE CWA BY MID MORNING AT THE LATEST. AS TEMPS CONTINUE TO COOL THIS MORNING...CANNOT RULE OUT AT LEAST LIGHT FOG DEVELOPING BACK WEST TOWARD THE HIGHWAY 281 AS WELL...BUT NOT ANTICIPATING ANYTHING DENSE THAT FAR WEST. ASSUMING THAT STRATUS VACATES THE CWA BY MID MORNING...SUNNY SKIES WILL DOMINATE THE DAYTIME HOURS BEHIND THE DEPARTING SHORTWAVE...WHICH WILL BE WELL OFF INTO THE EASTERN MIDWEST BY SUNSET. WITH THE AID OF LIGHT WESTERLY DOWNSLOPE FLOW...A NICE WARMUP IS IN STORE TODAY...AND KEPT HIGH TEMPS A TOUCH ABOVE THE CONSENSUS OF MET/MAV GUIDANCE...AIMING FOR AROUND 50 FAR EAST...TO MID 50S SOUTHWEST. TONIGHT...LIGHT WESTERLY FLOW PERSISTS AT THE SURFACE...WITH DRY NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT. CHANGED INHERITED LOW TEMPS VERY LITTLE...KEEPING THEM ON THE COLDER END OF GUIDANCE WITH MOST SPOTS IN THE MID TO UPPER 20S. GIVEN RECENT LACK OF RAINFALL ACROSS THE CWA AND FACT THAT BREEZES SHOULD AVERAGE AROUND 5KT...NOT EXPECTING ANY FOG ISSUES TONIGHT BUT SUPPOSE SOME LIGHT DEVELOPMENT IS NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION. CONDITIONS WILL REALLY START TURNING SEASONABLY PLEASANT FOR WEDNESDAY AS MID LEVEL HEIGHTS RISE IN RESPONSE TO A BROAD RIDGE AXIS ESTABLISHING ITSELF ACROSS THE CENTRAL CONUS. FAIRLY LIGHT WESTERLY BREEZES WILL DOMINATE THE DAYTIME HOURS. DESPITE FAIRLY SHALLOW MIXING TO ONLY AROUND 900MB...STILL FEEL THAT MOST OF THE CWA SHOULD BRUSH THE 60 MARK FOR HIGHS...WITH MID 60S FOR MOST KS ZONES. WED NIGHT...STEADY LIGHT SOUTHERLY BREEZES WILL BE IN PLACE AT THE SURFACE AS THE FLOW ALOFT STARTS TO TURN SOUTHWESTERLY IN ADVANCE OF THE NEXT SYSTEM ALONG THE WEST COAST. ALTHOUGH THESE BREEZES WILL HELP KEEP LOW TEMPS A BIT WARMER THAN TONIGHT...FELT THAT RECENT TRENDS OF ENDING UP TOO WARM WITH LOWS UNDER CLEAR SKIES JUSTIFIED KNOCKING 2-3 DEGREES OFF PREVIOUS FORECAST...NOW BRINGING MOST AREAS DOWN INTO THE LOW 30S. THANKSGIVING DAY...DRY AND AT LEAST MOSTLY SUNNY CONDITIONS PERSIST...ALTHOUGH SOUTH WINDS WILL INCREASE A BIT INTO THE SUSTAINED 10-20 MPH RANGE AS A HIGH PLAINS LEE TROUGH DEEPENS A BIT. THE HIGHEST WINDS IN THIS RANGE WILL FOCUS ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST 1/2 OF THE CWA. TEMP WISE...ALTHOUGH MIXING WILL REMAIN SOMEWHAT SHALLOW...SEE NO REASON WHY SOUTHERLY FLOW WON/T BOOST HIGHS ANOTHER NOTCH...AND ACTUALLY RAISED 2-4 DEGREES OVER PREVIOUS FORECAST PUTTING MOST OF THE CWA WELL INTO THE 60S...AND EVEN UPPER 60S IN PARTS OF KS. IF THESE NUMBERS HOLD...THIS LOOKS TO BE THE WARMEST THANKSGIVING DAY IN THE TRI-CITIES SINCE 2006. THURS NIGHT...KEPT DRY...BUT INCREASING HIGH LEVEL CLOUDS WILL ACCOMPANY THE LEADING EDGE OF SHORTWAVE ENERGY EJECTING OUT OF THE WEST. MODEST INCREASE IN LOW LEVEL MOISTURE...SOUTHERLY BREEZES AND INCREASING CLOUDS SHOULD MAKE THIS THE OVERALL WARMEST NIGHT OF THE FORECAST PERIOD...WITH LOWS HOLDING UP IN THE MID/UPPER 30S IN MOST OF THE CWA...AND EVEN LOW 40S SOUTHEAST. .LONG TERM...FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY. GENERALLY USED AN INTERMEDIATE COMBINATION OF GUIDANCE SPREADS FOR THE LONG TERM FORECAST. MODELS ARE STILL INDICATING A SHORTWAVE TROUGH TO SWING THROUGH FROM THE NORTHWEST FOR FRIDAY/FRIDAY NIGHT. WITH DRY AIR IN PLACE...THE BEST BET FOR ANY PRECIPITATION WILL BE IN OUR EASTERN CWA WHERE WHERE SOME LOWER LEVEL GULF INFLOW COULD SPREAD INTO THAT AREA WITH THE AID OF SOME BACKING WIND AS THE SURFACE COLD FRONT APPROACHES. THE TRI-CITIES MAY BE ON THE FAR WESTERN EDGE OF ANY PRECIPITATION THAT DEVELOPS BUT MODELS ARE TRENDING A BIT FARTHER WEST. WHERE MODELS HAD INDICATED A CLOSED AND EVENTUALLY CUTOFF LOW OVER THE SOUTHWEST UNITED STATES/MEXICO FOR FRIDAY FROM MODEL RUNS LAST NIGHT...THIS CUTOFF HAS BEEN PUSHED BACK TO SATURDAY NIGHT ON THE ECMWF AND DOES NOT OCCUR AT ALL ON THE GFS AS THE SOUTHERN AND NORTHERN STREAMS PHASE WAVES FOR FRIDAY. MODELS STILL MOVE THE WAVE THROUGH QUICKLY WITH RIDGING FOLLOWING...KEEPING A DRY FORECAST THROUGH THE WEEKEND INTO MONDAY AS THE WAVE DIGS TO THE EAST OF THE MISSOURI VALLEY. SATURDAY IS STILL LOOKING QUITE BREEZY/WINDY AS SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN. MODELS DIFFER BY VARYING DEGREES ON TEMPERATURES...BUT GENERALLY LOOK SEASONABLY COOL. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 1107 PM CST MON NOV 21 2011/ AVIATION...06Z TAF. LATE EVENING 11-3.9 MICRON SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS THE BACK EDGE OF THE MID AND HIGH LEVEL CLOUDS IS MAKING GRADUAL PROGRESS EAST AS A MID LEVEL DISTURBANCE CONTINUES TO TRACK ACROSS THE REGION. A FEW SPRINKLES MANAGED TO DEVELOP IN THE VICINITY OF KGRI...BUT THOSE SHOULD REMAIN ISOLATED ENOUGH TO OMIT FROM THE FORECAST. ANOTHER CONCERN IS THE POSSIBILITY OF MVFR CEILINGS DUE TO STRATUS THAT IS LOCATED JUST EAST OF THE TERMINAL. THE MID AND HIGH LEVEL CLOUDS MAKE IT NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE THE STRATUS ON SATELLITE...BUT SURFACE OBSERVATIONS TELL THE STORY WITH KAUH AT TIMES REPORTING AN MVFR CEILING. THE LATEST RUC SUGGESTS THE CLOUDS COULD MAKE A RUN TOWARDS KGRI AS PER H925 RH FORECASTS...WHILE THE NAM KEEPS THE CLOUDS JUST EAST OF THE TERMINAL LOCATION. WILL CONTINUE TO MENTION SCATTERED CLOUDS AROUND 1500FT...BUT NOT GO WITH A CEILING AT THIS TIME. CLOUDS SHOULD DECREASE QUICKLY AFTER 12Z TUESDAY...AND WILL ONLY CARRY SCATTERED HIGH LEVEL CLOUDS. WINDS SHOULD REMAIN LIGHT AND VARIABLE MUCH OF THE PERIOD. && .GID WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NE...NONE. KS...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...PFANNKUCH LONG TERM...HEINLEIN
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS BURLINGTON VT
954 PM EST WED NOV 23 2011 .SYNOPSIS... LOW PRESSURE IS EXITING EASTWARD THROUGH THE GULF OF MAINE. IN THE WAKE OF THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM...A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD EASTWARD ACROSS THE NORTH COUNTRY BRINGING DRY WEATHER FOR THANKSGIVING AND RIGHT THROUGH THE UPCOMING WEEKEND. TEMPERATURES WILL BE NEAR NORMAL FOR THANKSGIVING WITH HIGHS IN THE UPPER 30S...THEN MODERATING TO ABOVE AVERAGE READINGS FOR FRIDAY THROUGH NEXT MONDAY. THE NEXT CHANCE FOR PRECIPITATION WILL BE LATE SUNDAY INTO MONDAY AS A FRONTAL BOUNDARY APPROACHES THE AREA FROM THE WEST. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 11 AM THURSDAY MORNING/... AS OF 954 PM EST WEDNESDAY...MADE SOME MINOR ADDITIONAL ADJUSTMENTS TO SKY COVER THROUGH TOMORROW AFTERNOON BASED OFF CURRENT OBSERVATIONS AND LATEST NEAR-TERM MODEL DATA. RUC13 275K ISENTROPIC PROGS SEEM TO CAPTURE CURRENT SITUATION NICELY INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...WITH CLOUDS ESSENTIALLY HANGING TOUGH...ESP THE NORTHWESTERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA DESPITE LOW PRESSURE PULLING WELL EAST INTO THE MARITIMES. AS FLOW ALOFT TRENDS WESTERLY LATER TONIGHT...SOME CLEARING LIKELY IN THE CT RIVER VALLEY...AND POSSIBLY INTO THE SLV. ELSEWHERE GENERALLY MOSTLY CLOUDY TO CLOUDY. THIS WILL TEMPER OVERNIGHT LOWS ABOVE 12/18Z MOS GUIDANCE...WITH VALUES GENERALLY BOTTOMING OUT IN THE 20S...THOUGH LOCALLY TEENS IN THE NRN CT RVR VALLEY FROM ORANGE COUNTY NORTHWARD. OUTSIDE A STRAY FLURRY...NO ADDITIONAL PCPN EXPECTED OVERNIGHT AS NORTHERLY WINDS TREND LIGHT. FOR THANKSGIVING DAY...A DRY FORECAST WITH RISING HEIGHTS ALOFT. AS MENTIONED ABOVE I`VE MADE SOME ADDITIONAL CHANGES TO SKY COVER...KEEPING MAINLY CLOUDY SKIES ACROSS OUR CENTRAL/NRN COUNTIES...AND OFFERING PTLY SUNNY CONDS SOUTH. AIR MASS IS SLOWLY MODERATING...BUT GENERALLY EXPECTING HIGHS FROM THE MID 30S ACROSS ERN VT TO THE UPR 30S IN THE CHAMPLAIN VALLEY. WARMEST TEMPS EXPECTED IN THE ST. LAWRENCE VALLEY /LOW TO MID 40S/. SNOW COVER WILL HELP HOLD DOWN TEMPS SOMEWHAT FROM THE ADIRONDACKS EWD ACROSS VT. WINDS WILL START LIGHT...THEN BECOMING S-SW AT 5-10 MPH IN THE AFTN. && .SHORT TERM /11 AM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 247 PM EST WEDNESDAY...A QUIET PERIOD OF WEATHER EXPECTED FOR THE SHORT-TERM PERIOD WITH NIL POPS. SFC RIDGE AXIS SHIFTS SOUTH OF NEW ENGLAND ALLOWING FOR A STRONGER WSWLY GRADIENT FLOW TO DEVELOP OVER THE NORTH COUNTRY. WINDS ON FRIDAY COULD BECOME LOCALLY BREEZY...GENERALLY SOUTHWEST 15-25 MPH. THERE WILL ALSO BE MODERATING TEMPERATURES DURING THE PERIOD. LOWS THURSDAY NIGHT WILL GENERALLY BE 25-30F...THOUGH LOCALLY COLDER READINGS ARE POSSIBLE IN FAR NERN VT. WITH 850MB THERMAL RIDGE AXIS IN PLACE...HIGHS BOUNCE BACK TO THE UPR 40S ON FRIDAY AND A FEW LOW 50S ACROSS NRN NY. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR SOME MELTING OF RECENT SNOWFALL. THERE MAY BE A TENDENCY FOR A FRONTAL BOUNDARY TO DEVELOP ALONG THE INTL BORDER FRIDAY INTO FRIDAY NIGHT. CLOUD FORECAST IS GENERALLY PARTLY TO MOSTLY CLOUDY...WITH THE GREATER CLOUD AMTS ACROSS NRN AREAS. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... AS OF 330 PM EST WEDNESDAY...HIGH PRESSURE IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FROM SATURDAY THROUGH EARLY SUNDAY...WITH DRY WEATHER AND ABOVE-NORMAL TEMPERATURES. EUROPEAN AND GFS CONTINUE TO DISAGREE WITH RESPECTS TO THE SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY TIME PERIOD. BOTH MODELS SHOW A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM LIFTING NORTH OF THE REGION ON SUNDAY...WITH BULK OF PRECIPITATION SUNDAY NIGHT....MAINLY RAIN SHOWERS IN THE VALLEYS WITH SOME SNOW MIXING IN THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS. MODELS DIVERGE GREATLY AFTER SUNDAY NIGHT...WITH THE GFS KEEPING AFOREMENTIONED FRONT AROUND THROUGH TUESDAY AND LIFTING A CUT OFF LOW ACROSS THE REGION. ECMWF DOES NOT HAVE THIS FEATURE AT ALL. THEREFORE...CAN NOT PUT MUCH WEIGHT BEHIND EITHER OF THESE MODELS. WOULD LIKE TO SEE MODELS COME INTO BETTER AGREEMENT WITH RESPECT TO THE EXTENDED. AT THIS TIME BEST CHANCE FOR PRECIP IN THE EXTENDED LOOKS TO BE SUNDAY INTO SUNDAY NIGHT. && .AVIATION /03Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... THROUGH 00Z FRIDAY...ABUNDANT LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE THIS EVENING HAS HELPED TO PERSIST WIDESPREAD MVFR TO IFR CEILINGS/VISIBILITIES. AN AREA OF LAKE EFFECT SNOW HAS DEVELOPED OVER THE PAST COUPLE HOURS SO STILL COULD SEE PERIODS OF LIGHT SNOW AT BTV OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS. OTHERWISE EXPECT MVFR TO IFR CONDITIONS TO PREVAIL THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. NORTH WINDS AROUND 10 KNOTS BECOME LIGHT/VARIABLE OVERNIGHT AS RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN. CONDITIONS TOMORROW TREND TOWARD VFR THOUGH LINGERING MVFR CEILINGS STILL POSSIBLE AT SLK. OUTLOOK 00Z FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY...VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGH THE PERIOD AS A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OVER THE REGION. && .BTV WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VT...NONE. NY...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...BANACOS NEAR TERM...JMG/BANACOS SHORT TERM...BANACOS LONG TERM...NEILES AVIATION...NEILES/LOCONTO
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS BINGHAMTON NY
951 PM EST WED NOV 23 2011 .SYNOPSIS... LOW LEVEL MOISTURE BEHIND DEPARTED FRONT...CAUSES ONLY GRADUAL BREAKUP OF CLOUDS TONIGHT...AND AREAS OF FOG WHERE IT DOES CLEAR. DRY HIGH PRESSURE AND WARMING TEMPERATURES THANKSGIVING DAY RIGHT INTO THE WEEKEND. WET SYSTEM BY EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM THURSDAY MORNING/... 930 PM UPDATE...BACK EDGE OF THE CLEARING SKIES IS MAKING GOOD PROGRESS EAST...NOW INTO STEUBEN AND YATES COUNTIES. THIS LINE WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE PROGRESS EAST THROUGH THE NEXT FEW HOURS...REACHING THE SYRACUSE AREA BY MIDNIGHT. FARTHER SOUTH AND EAST WHILE THE SKY IS STILL EXPECTED TO CLEAR...MOISTURE FROM THE FINGER LAKES AND THE UPSLOPE FLOW (NORTHWEST WIND) MAY KEEP SKIES CLOUDY A BIT LONGER. STILL EXPECT EVERYONE TO CLEAR OUT...AT LEAST CLOUD WISE...BY 10Z. BASED ON THE OBS ACROSS STEUBEN COUNTY WITH HORNELL DOWN TO 1/4SM IN FOG...EXPECT AREAS OF FOG TO FORM OVERNIGHT AND IT COULD BE QUITE DENSE GIVEN OUR RECENT RAINFALL. WILL CONTINUE TO HIGHLIGHT AREAS OF FOG IN THE GRIDS. ONE MORE THING TO ADD....WITH THE RUC SHOWING THE CORE OF COLD AIR OVER THE FINGER LAKES NOW (-3C) AND A WIND OUT OF THE NORTHWEST...KBGM IN CLEAR AIR MODE IS SHOWING SOME LIGHT ECHOES DOWNWIND OF CAYUGA AND OWASCO LAKES (LAKE EFFECT FLURRIES). THROUGH MIDNIGHT SOME SCT. FLURRIES ARE POSSIBLE...MAINLY ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN...ACROSS TOMPKINS...CORTLAND...TIOGA...BROOME...BRADFORD...SUSQUEHANNA...AND WAYNE COUNTIES. AT 3 PM...FRONT IS WELL EAST OF THE AREA...BUT UPPER TROUGH AXIS IS STILL FINISHING ITS TREK THROUGH THE AREA...AS CLEARLY MARKED VIA MOISTURE SPOKE ON THE WATER VAPOR IMAGERY LOOP. UPPER TROUGH AXIS AND WEAKENING MID LEVEL DEFORMATION ARE PAIRED UP OVER THE EASTERN HALF OF THE AREA...YET DEEPER MOISTURE IS ALREADY WELL TO OUR EAST. SO WITH SHALLOW SATURATED LAYER...ONLY DIMINISHING LIGHT SHOWERS AND PATCHY DRIZZLE EARLY THIS EVENING. OUR HIGH TEMPS OCCURRED EARLY TODAY...YET BECAUSE TEMPERATURE WITHIN THE SHALLOW SATURATED LAYER STAYS ABOVE MINUS-5 DEGREES CELSIUS...NOT SEEING ANY OPPORTUNITY FOR CRYSTAL FORMATION. THUS WITH ANY SHOWERS THAT ARE LEFT...VERY LITTLE IF ANY MIX WITH SNOW EVEN AT HIGHER ELEVATIONS...AND CERTAINLY NO ACCUMULATION. TONIGHT...925MB RH FIELDS SUGGEST THAT DESPITE DRY OVERALL AIR MASS...LOW LEVEL MOISTURE FROM LAKE ONTARIO...AND IN GENERAL...GETS TRAPPED UNDER DEVELOPING INVERSION AS WARM AIR ADVECTION ALREADY BEGINS ALOFT OVERNIGHT. THE WET GROUND FROM 1-2 INCHES OF PRIOR RAINFALL ALSO WILL AID IN MOIST LOW LEVELS. THUS...LOW CLOUDS WILL BE VERY STUBBORN TO BREAK...AND SKY GRIDS HAVE BEEN ADJUSTED ACCORDINGLY. THOSE AREAS THAT DO CLEAR COULD HAVE AREAS OF FOG FORM BECAUSE OF THE WET GROUND...WITH WET GROUND AND WEAKENING/DECOUPLING WINDS. AREAS WEST OF I-81 HAVE THE BEST CHANCE FOR FOG FORMATION. WE WILL HAVE TO MONITOR FOR PROSPECTS OF FREEZING FOG EARLY IN THE MORNING IF IT MANAGES TO GET LOCALLY DENSE. WITH AMOUNT OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE...I EXPECT LOW TEMPERATURES TONIGHT TO BE SLIGHTLY ABOVE MODEL GUIDANCE NUMBERS. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH SATURDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE AT SURFACE AND ALOFT TAKES OVER FOR THANKSGIVING AND FRIDAY. IN ADDITION TO ABUNDANT SUNSHINE...THE SOUTHWEST SURFACE FLOW AROUND THE HIGH CENTERED TO OUR SOUTH...AND RISING THICKNESSES...ALL HELP YIELD WARMING TEMPERATURES...ESPECIALLY FRIDAY AND SATURDAY WITH HIGHS ABOUT 15 TO 20 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL. ONLY FLY IN THE OINTMENT IS THAT MOISTURE WILL STILL BE COMING OFF OF LAKE ONTARIO INITIALLY THURSDAY...WHICH MAY MEAN SOME CLOUD COVER IN ONEIDA COUNTY...YET STILL TEMPERATURES WILL BE IN A WARMING TREND THERE. A NORTHERN STREAM FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL ATTEMPT TO SAG SOUTH FRIDAY NIGHT TO SATURDAY MORNING...BUT AT THIS TIME I AGREE WITH NAM/GFS IN NOT BRINGING IT CLOSE ENOUGH TO IMPACT OUR WEATHER OTHER THAN PERHAPS A FEW EXTRA CLOUDS IN THE NORTHERN ZONES. HOWEVER CLOSE THAT FRONT APPROACHES...IT WILL SURGE BACK NORTHWARD SATURDAY WITH INCREASING SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... MAIN FOCUS IN THE MEDIUM RNG IS THE AMPLIFYING TROF WHICH IS FORECAST TO MOV INTO THE CNTRL AND THE ERN U.S. EARLY NXT WEEK. THERE ARE SIG DIFFS IN THE MDLS W/RESPECT TO TIMING...PCPN AMTS...AND NRN/SRN STREAM INTERACTION. GFS PAINTS A POTNL FLOOD SCENARIO WITH SRN PORTION OF THE TROF CUTTING OFF THEN LIFTING NEWD...WITH +RA ACRS THE FSCT AREA SUN NGT INTO MONDAY ALONG AN INVERTED TROF. THE EURO SHOWS LESS INTERACTION BETWEEN NRN AND SRN STREAMS...BUT STILL SHOWS RAIN WORKING NWD INTO THE RGN LATE MON NGT INTO TUE...BUT THE HEAVIEST PCPN IS SHUNTED OFF TO OUR SOUTHEAST. GIVEN THESE DIFFS...WE LEANED HEAVILY ON HPC GUIDANCE FOR THE MEDIUM RNG..WHICH PAINTS AN UNSETTLED PICTURE INTO MIDWEEK. && .AVIATION /03Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... EXTRAPOLATION OF THE BACKEDGE OF THE IFR/MVFR CIGS GETS IT INTO SYR/ELM IN THE 05-06Z TIME FRAME...08Z AT BGM...AND ARND 10Z AT RME. AT AVP...BEST GUESS ATTM IS ARND 05-06Z AS SRN EDGE OF THE LOW CLDS APPEAR TO BE ERODING. AFTER THIS TIME...VFR WILL PREVAIL WITH GNRLY CLEAR SKIES. WILL HAVE TO WATCH FOR PSBL VLY FOG AT ELM TWDS DAYBREAK BUT NOT CONFIDENT ENUF TO ADD IN THIS PCKG. WINDS NRLY TNGT 10-15 KTS DIMINISHING TO 5 KTS...BECMG WRLY 10-15 KTS ON THU. OUTLOOK... THU THROUGH SAT...VFR. SUN/MON...IFR/MVFR IN RAIN. && .BGM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...NONE. NY...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...MDP NEAR TERM...HEDEN/MDP SHORT TERM...MDP LONG TERM... AVIATION...
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS WILMINGTON OH
934 PM EST WED NOV 23 2011 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD IN TONIGHT. HIGH PRESSURE WILL THEN REMAIN IN PLACE THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK...GIVING US DRY CONDITIONS AND A WARMING TREND INTO SATURDAY. A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH BY LATE SATURDAY WITH SHOWERS FOR SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM THURSDAY MORNING/... A BAND OF STRATUS CURRENTLY STRETCHES FROM SOUTH-CENTRAL MICHIGAN...CURVED SOUTH-SOUTHEAST TOWARD LIMA...AND THEN EXPANDING EXTENSIVELY SOUTHWEST INTO SOUTHERN INDIANA AND KENTUCKY. AS THESE CLOUDS SLOWLY DRIFT EAST-NORTHEAST...THEY WILL NOT BE GOING AWAY ANY TIME SOON...AS THE MOISTURE REMAINS TRAPPED UNDER RELATIVE HIGH PRESSURE. THE PRIMARY FORECAST UPDATE WAS TO ADD CLOUDY TO MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES FOR THE WESTERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA...AND ALLOW SOME INCREASE IN CLOUDS FOR THE EASTERN HALF OVERNIGHT. THE HRRR VISIBILITY PRODUCT IS SUGGESTING THAT DENSE FOG COULD FORM IN THE CURRENT CLEAR AREA IN THE EASTERN HALF OF THE CWA...WHERE WINDS HAVE GONE MOSTLY CALM. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS POSSIBILITY...THOUGH IT REMAINS UNCERTAIN GIVEN THE CLOUD COVER MOVING IN THAT GENERAL DIRECTION FROM THE WEST. RAISED TEMPERATURES A BIT IN THE WEST (ESPECIALLY SOUTHWEST)...KEEPING THINGS ABOVE FREEZING FOR ALL BUT THE FAR EAST. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... HIGH PRESSURE WILL BE CENTERED ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY AS IT SLOWLY WORKS OFF TO THE EAST. ANY MORNING LOW LEVEL MOISTURE CLOUDS THAT MIGHT HAPPEN TO DRIFT INTO THE AREA SHOULD DIMINISH. TEMPS NEAR GUIDANCE THROUGH PERIOD EXCEPT A BIT LOWER THURSDAY NIGHT AND LITTLE WARMER FRIDAY NIGHT WITH SOUTHERLY FLOW WITH DRY CONDITIONS THROUGH THE PERIOD. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... A STRONG COLD FRONT WITH COPIOUS MOISTURE WILL APPROACH THE AREA ON SATURDAY. WITH GFS TRENDING FASTER WITH RESPECT TO THIS SYSTEM...SPED UP ONSET OF CHANCE OF SHOWERS TO SATURDAY AFTERNOON IN WESTERN COUNTIES. ENTIRE AREA SHOULD SEE SHOWERS SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY AS THE FRONT PUSHES THROUGH. KEPT THUNDER OUT OF THE FORECAST AS IT APPEARS THAT INSTABILITY WILL BE LACKING. AFTER THE FRONT MOVES EAST ON SUNDAY...AN UPPER TROUGH WILL KEEP A LOW CHANCE OF SHOWERS INTO MONDAY...MAINLY IN EASTERN COUNTIES. ANOTHER UPPER DISTURBANCE PASSING THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES MAY BRING A FEW SHOWERS TO NORTHERN LOCATIONS ON TUESDAY. EXPECT MAINLY DRY WEATHER ON WEDNESDAY WITH HIGH PRESSURE PUSHING IN FROM THE SOUTHWEST. TEMPERATURES WILL START OUT ABOVE NORMAL ON SATURDAY AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT...WITH HIGHS FORECAST TO BE AROUND 60. HIGHS WILL BE NEAR NORMAL IN THE 40S SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. COLDER READINGS AROUND 40 MAY BE IN STORE FOR WEDNESDAY. && .AVIATION /03Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE CURRENTLY CENTERED OVER THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY WILL SLOWLY DRIFT EASTWARD OVERNIGHT INTO THURSDAY WITH LOW LEVEL FLOW BACKING TO THE SOUTHWEST. MAIN FORECAST CONCERN FOR THE TAF PERIOD IS THE POTENTIAL FOR LOW CEILINGS TONIGHT. A PERSISTENT LOW STRATUS DECK OVER INDIANA... SOUTHERN ILLINOIS...AND WESTERN KENTUCKY WAS SLOWLY ERODING EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON. HOWEVER...NOW THAT THE SUN IS DOWN THOSE CLOUDS SHOULD STICK AROUND FOR TONIGHT AND PERHAPS EVEN INCREASE IN AERIAL COVERAGE AS THE LATEST RUC GUIDANCE SUGGESTS. THESE CLOUDS ARE THE RESULT OF TRAPPED LOW LEVEL MOISTURE DUE TO A SUBSIDENCE INVERSION ASSOCIATED WITH THE HIGH. LATEST SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS A SLOW EASTWARD PROGRESSION WITH THIS CLOUD DECK...ALREADY ENCROACHING ON KCVG. WENT WITH IFR CEILINGS TONIGHT FOR THE WESTERN TAF SITES BASED ON WHAT HAPPENED FURTHER UPSTREAM LAST NIGHT. MAY ALSO SEE SOME VFR TO MVFR VSBY REDUCTION AT KCVG/KLUK DUE TO MIST...BUT EXPECT THE CLOUD DECK TO GENERALLY LIMIT MIST DEVELOPMENT TONIGHT. CONFIDENCE IN CEILINGS IS LOWER FOR THE EASTERN TAF SITES SO ONLY WENT WITH A SCATTERED LOW CLOUD DECK THERE. ANY STRATUS THAT LINGERS INTO THURSDAY MORNING WILL TAKE TIME TO ERODE...BUT WENT WITH SKC BY 17Z. OUTLOOK...MVFR CIGS/VSBYS POSSIBLE SUNDAY AND MONDAY. && .ILN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OH...NONE. KY...NONE. IN...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...PADGETT NEAR TERM...HATZOS SHORT TERM...PADGETT LONG TERM...CONIGLIO AVIATION...KURZ
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS WILMINGTON OH
701 PM EST WED NOV 23 2011 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD IN TONIGHT. HIGH PRESSURE WILL THEN REMAIN IN PLACE THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK...GIVING US DRY CONDITIONS AND A WARMING TREND INTO SATURDAY. A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH BY LATE SATURDAY WITH SHOWERS FOR SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM THURSDAY MORNING/... HIGH PRESSURE CONTINUES TO BUILD IN. SKIES HAVE CLEARED EXCEPT FOR THE FAR SOUTHWEST WHERE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE REMAINS. QUESTION IS IF CLOUDS WILL RETURN TO CWA TONIGHT. MOISTURE REMAINS TRAPPED TO THE SOUTHWEST OF CWA. WITH HIGH SHIFTING EASTWARD OVERNIGHT SOME CLOUDS MAY PUSH BACK INTO THE SOUTHWEST PART OF CWA. HOWEVER NOT CONFIDENT ENOUGH TO MAKE WHOLESALE CHANGE TO CURRENT FCST. SO LEFT CLEARING AS IS AND BANK ON CLOUDS JUST STAYING OUT OF MOST OF THE AREA. WILL HAVE TO MONITOR FOR ANY CHANGES TO THIS THOUGHT. HAVE BUMPED UP LOW TEMPS JUST A BIT FROM PREVIOUS FCST BUT BELIEVE COLDER THAN GUIDANCE IS THE WAY TO GO WITH LIGHT WINDS AND GOOD RADIATIONAL COOLING ALONG AS CLOUDS DO NOT RETURN. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... HIGH PRESSURE WILL BE CENTERED ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY AS IT SLOWLY WORKS OFF TO THE EAST. ANY MORNING LOW LEVEL MOISTURE CLOUDS THAT MIGHT HAPPEN TO DRIFT INTO THE AREA SHOULD DIMINISH. TEMPS NEAR GUIDANCE THROUGH PERIOD EXCEPT A BIT LOWER THURSDAY NIGHT AND LITTLE WARMER FRIDAY NIGHT WITH SOUTHERLY FLOW WITH DRY CONDITIONS THROUGH THE PERIOD. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... A STRONG COLD FRONT WITH COPIOUS MOISTURE WILL APPROACH THE AREA ON SATURDAY. WITH GFS TRENDING FASTER WITH RESPECT TO THIS SYSTEM...SPED UP ONSET OF CHANCE OF SHOWERS TO SATURDAY AFTERNOON IN WESTERN COUNTIES. ENTIRE AREA SHOULD SEE SHOWERS SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY AS THE FRONT PUSHES THROUGH. KEPT THUNDER OUT OF THE FORECAST AS IT APPEARS THAT INSTABILITY WILL BE LACKING. AFTER THE FRONT MOVES EAST ON SUNDAY...AN UPPER TROUGH WILL KEEP A LOW CHANCE OF SHOWERS INTO MONDAY...MAINLY IN EASTERN COUNTIES. ANOTHER UPPER DISTURBANCE PASSING THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES MAY BRING A FEW SHOWERS TO NORTHERN LOCATIONS ON TUESDAY. EXPECT MAINLY DRY WEATHER ON WEDNESDAY WITH HIGH PRESSURE PUSHING IN FROM THE SOUTHWEST. TEMPERATURES WILL START OUT ABOVE NORMAL ON SATURDAY AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT...WITH HIGHS FORECAST TO BE AROUND 60. HIGHS WILL BE NEAR NORMAL IN THE 40S SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. COLDER READINGS AROUND 40 MAY BE IN STORE FOR WEDNESDAY. && .AVIATION /00Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE CURRENTLY CENTERED OVER THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY WILL SLOWLY DRIFT EASTWARD OVERNIGHT INTO THURSDAY WITH LOW LEVEL FLOW BACKING TO THE SOUTHWEST. MAIN FORECAST CONCERN FOR THE TAF PERIOD IS THE POTENTIAL FOR LOW CEILINGS TONIGHT. A PERSISTENT LOW STRATUS DECK OVER INDIANA... SOUTHERN ILLINOIS...AND WESTERN KENTUCKY WAS SLOWLY ERODING EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON. HOWEVER...NOW THAT THE SUN IS DOWN THOSE CLOUDS SHOULD STICK AROUND FOR TONIGHT AND PERHAPS EVEN INCREASE IN AERIAL COVERAGE AS THE LATEST RUC GUIDANCE SUGGESTS. THESE CLOUDS ARE THE RESULT OF TRAPPED LOW LEVEL MOISTURE DUE TO A SUBSIDENCE INVERSION ASSOCIATED WITH THE HIGH. LATEST SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS A SLOW EASTWARD PROGRESSION WITH THIS CLOUD DECK...ALREADY ENCROACHING ON KCVG. WENT WITH IFR CEILINGS TONIGHT FOR THE WESTERN TAF SITES BASED ON WHAT HAPPENED FURTHER UPSTREAM LAST NIGHT. MAY ALSO SEE SOME VFR TO MVFR VSBY REDUCTION AT KCVG/KLUK DUE TO MIST...BUT EXPECT THE CLOUD DECK TO GENERALLY LIMIT MIST DEVELOPMENT TONIGHT. CONFIDENCE IN CEILINGS IS LOWER FOR THE EASTERN TAF SITES SO ONLY WENT WITH A SCATTERED LOW CLOUD DECK THERE. ANY STRATUS THAT LINGERS INTO THURSDAY MORNING WILL TAKE TIME TO ERODE...BUT WENT WITH SKC BY 17Z. OUTLOOK...MVFR CIGS/VSBYS POSSIBLE SUNDAY AND MONDAY. && .ILN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OH...NONE. KY...NONE. IN...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...PADGETT NEAR TERM...PADGETT SHORT TERM...PADGETT LONG TERM...CONIGLIO AVIATION...KURZ
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS WILMINGTON OH
552 PM EST TUE NOV 22 2011 .SYNOPSIS... A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL CONTINUE MOVING NORTHEAST THROUGH THE OHIO VALLEY TONIGHT. AFTER A COLD FRONT PASSES THE REGION...PRECIPITATION WILL COME TO AN END EARLY ON WEDNESDAY. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK...PROVIDING FAIR CONDITIONS AND MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING/... 23Z UPDATE > SCALED BACK THUNDER CHANCES EVEN FURTHER THAN THE LAST UPDATE...AND MADE SOME TIMING ADJUSTMENT TO THE POPS TO ACCOUNT FOR CURRENT TRENDS. THE EXPECTED NEAR-ZERO INSTABILITY IS LOOKING MORE LIKE ZERO AT THIS TIME...WITH JUST A FEW CONVECTIVE LOOKING SHOWERS APPEARING NEAR THE COLD FRONT IN INDIANA. NO OTHER SIGNIFICANT CHANGES WERE MADE TO THE FORECAST. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION > SURFACE ANALYSIS CURRENTLY INDICATES THAT LOW PRESSURE IS CENTERED NEAR INDIANAPOLIS...MOVING NORTHEAST TOWARD LAKE ERIE. THE SHIELD OF STEADY PRECIPITATION (NORTH OF THE WARM FRONT) HAS SHIFTED NORTH OF THE FORECAST AREA...WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS REMAINING IN PLACE NEAR THE WARM FRONT AND INTO THE WARM SECTOR. CONVECTIVE POTENTIAL LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT HAS BEEN THE FOCUS OF THE FORECAST TODAY. THE THETA-E SURGE AHEAD OF THE SURFACE LOW HAS BEEN WELL MODELED BY THE NAM12 IN TERMS OF SPATIAL EXTENT AND TIMING...BUT OVERDONE IN TERMS OF MAGNITUDE. MOST OF THE CWA WILL FIND ITS WAY INTO THE WARM SECTOR OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS (ESPECIALLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE METEOROLOGICALLY-CONVENIENT I-71 CORRIDOR). WHAT THIS MEANS IN TERMS OF CONVECTION IS NOT TOTALLY CLEAR. THE NAM12 CAPE DEPICTIONS SHOW UP TO 500 J/KG...WITH MUCH MORE SUBDUED NUMBERS COMING IN FROM THE OTHER MODELS (AROUND 200 J/KG ON THE RUC AND GFS) AND LAPS ANALYSIS. 15Z SREF PROBS FOR >500 J/KG ARE UNDER 20 PERCENT. IN ADDITION...THE EXPECTED SOURCE REGION FOR CONVECTION (ACCORDING TO THE HRRR RADAR SIMULATIONS) IS IN CENTRAL KENTUCKY...WHERE RAIN HAS ESSENTIALLY PUT AN END TO DESTABILIZATION. THUS...IT IS BELIEVED THAT INSTABILITY WILL BE EXTREMELY LIMITED FOR THIS EVENT. WHILE IT IS TRUE THAT DYNAMIC WEATHER SYSTEMS SUCH AS THIS ONE ARE CAPABLE OF DOING A LOT WITH A LITTLE (IN TERMS OF INSTABILITY)...NEAR-ZERO VALUES ARE NOT GOING TO SUPPORT A SEVERE WEATHER THREAT. IT IS EXPECTED THAT...EMBEDDED WITHIN THE LARGER AREAS OF RAIN...SOME WEAK CONVECTION MAY BE ABLE TO DEVELOP. THERE ARE SIGNS (HRRR / SPC-WRF) OF THIS OCCURRING ALONG A PRE-FRONTAL TROUGH WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE HOURS...AND THEN AGAIN ALONG THE COLD FRONT DURING THE MID TO LATE EVENING. THE DYNAMICS OF THE SYSTEM ALONE WILL SUPPORT SOME GUSTY WINDS...EVEN OUTSIDE OF STORMS. BEFORE THE RAIN MOVED IN...THERE WERE GUSTS TO AROUND 40 KNOTS IN THE LEXINGTON/FRANKFORT AREA OF KENTUCKY. HOWEVER...THIS WILL BE AN EXCEPTION AND NOT A RULE. 50 KNOT WINDS ARE UP THERE...BUT AT ABOUT 4000 FEET. IT WILL BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT (IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE) TO MIX TO ANYTHING THAT HIGH IN A MOIST...WARM ADVECTING...PRECIPITATING PATTERN LIKE THIS. ASIDE FROM A BRIEF DOWNPOUR IN A THUNDERSTORM...THE THREAT FOR HEAVY OR PROLONGED RAINFALL HAS ENDED. TOTALS FROM THE RAIN TODAY HAVE GENERALLY RANGED BETWEEN 1.00 AND 1.50 INCHES...NOT ENOUGH TO GENERATE WIDESPREAD FLOODING. RISES ON A FEW RIVERS WILL BE MONITORED (INCLUDING THE QUICK-RESPONDING OHIO BRUSH CREEK IN ADAMS COUNTY...WHICH IS ALREADY IN FLOOD) BUT NO AREAL PRODUCTS WILL BE NEEDED. AS THE COLD FRONT MOVES AWAY FROM THE REGION...ADDITIONAL SHOWERS WILL DEVELOP IN THE WRAP-AROUND COLD ADVECTION FLOW BEHIND THE SURFACE LOW (AND ASSOCIATED WITH THE AXIS OF THE UPPER TROUGH). ACCOUNTED FOR THIS WITH A PERIOD OF CHANCE POPS OVERNIGHT...WITH EVERYTHING ELSE OTHERWISE TAPERED DOWN TO SLIGHT CHANCE OR DRY. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... THE UPPER TROUGH WILL BE MOVING AWAY FROM THE REGION ON WEDNESDAY MORNING...BRINGING AN END TO PRECIPITATION NOT LONG AFTER THE START OF THE FORECAST PERIOD. AN EXTENSIVE AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL THEN BUILD INTO THE EASTERN HALF OF THE COUNTRY...REMAINING IN PLACE THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK. MODEL RH DEPICTIONS...EVEN WHEN CONSIDERING ALL LAYERS OF THE ATMOSPHERE...ARE COMING IN QUITE DRY WITH THIS HIGH AND ITS ASSOCIATED UPPER RIDGE. WILL KEEP SKY GRIDS IN THE CLEAR TO MOSTLY CLEAR RANGE. THE FIRST CLEAR NIGHT (WEDNESDAY NIGHT) LOOKS TO BE THE COLDEST...WITH SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES EXPECTED IN GOOD RADIATIONAL COOLING CONDITIONS. TEMPERATURES SHOULD GRADUALLY MODERATE THROUGH THE REST OF THE PERIOD...WITH NO MAJOR DIFFERENCES DETECTED IN THE VARIOUS MODEL NUMBERS. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... THE LONG TERM WILL START OUT DRY WITH HIGH PRESSURE ACROSS THE AREA. WITH WARM SOUTHERLY FLOW ACROSS THE REGION TEMPERATURES WILL BE WELL ABOVE NORMAL FOR FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL BE IN THE 60S ACROSS MOST LOCATIONS. A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL APPROACH THE AREA SATURDAY EVENING AND WILL IMPACT THE AREA THROUGH THE END OF THE LONG TERM PERIOD. THERE ARE SOME MODEL TIMING DIFFERENCES HOWEVER THE LATEST ECMWF HAS COME INTO PRETTY GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THE GFS. DUE TO THIS AGREEMENT WENT WITH A BLEND. RAIN WILL BEGIN TO MOVE INTO THE AREA SATURDAY EVENING AND WILL BE WIDESPREAD ACROSS THE AREA ON SUNDAY. THE UPPER LOW BECOMES CUT OFF BY SUNDAY AND LINGERS NEAR THE AREA THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR PRECIPITATION TO LINGER ACROSS THE AREA AS WELL. COLDER AIR WORKING INTO THE AREA WILL ALLOW FOR SOME SNOW SHOWER ACTIVITY TO MIX IN AS WELL MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY. && .AVIATION /00Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... LOW PRESSURE OVER SE ILLINOIS WILL TRACK NE TO WEST CENTRAL OHIO THIS EVENING. THE LOW WILL THEN CONTINUE ENE TO A POSITION NEAR CNTRL PENNSYLVANIA BY WEDNESDAY MORNING. A WARM FRONT WILL LIFT N INTO THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON/EVENING...FOLLOWED BY A COLD FRONT. WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BECOME MORE SCATTERED IN NATURE SOUTH OF THE WARM FRONT FROM MID AFTERNOON INTO EARLY EVENING. SOME SHOWER ACTIVITY IS EXPECTED ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT...BUT ITS COVERAGE IS STILL SOMEWHAT UNCERTAIN ATTM. FORECAST DILEMMA REVOLVES AROUND CIGS/VSBYS. IFR/LIFR CIGS SHOULD LIFT BRIEFLY TO MVFR CIGS IN THE WARM SECTOR...THEN BECOME IFR ONCE AGAIN BEHIND THE COLD FRONT IN THE CAA. VSBYS WILL BE LOCALLY IFR WITH HEAVY RAIN ALONG AND NORTH OF THE WARM FRONT...THEN MAINLY MVFR IN ANY SHOWERS ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT. SOME SHOWER ACTIVITY MAY OCCUR ACRS CNTRL OHIO LATE TONIGHT ALONG A TROF AXIS. HAVE HANDLED THIS WITH A VCSH MENTION. AS THE LOW PULLS AWAY FROM THE REGION WEDNESDAY MORNING AND AFTERNOON...HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO THE AREA FROM THE WEST. SIGNIFICANT DRYING IS EXPECTED AND THUS...IFR CIGS WILL SCATTERED OUT AND BECOME CLEAR FROM WEST TO EAST BETWEEN 15Z AND 21Z WEDNESDAY. WINDS WILL BE GUSTY IN THE WARM SECTOR AND BEHIND THE COLD FRONT. HAVE GUSTS OF 25 TO 30 KNOTS...BUT OBSERVATIONS WILL HAVE TO BE WATCHED SHOULD GUSTS BECOME HIGHER IN THE MORE UNCERTAIN WARM SECTOR THIS AFTERNOON INTO EARLY THIS EVENING. OUTLOOK...MVFR CIGS/VSBYS POSSIBLE SUNDAY. && .ILN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OH...NONE. KY...NONE. IN...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...HATZOS NEAR TERM...HATZOS SHORT TERM...HATZOS LONG TERM...NOVAK AVIATION...HICKMAN
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS WILMINGTON OH
413 PM EST TUE NOV 22 2011 .SYNOPSIS... A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL CONTINUE MOVING NORTHEAST THROUGH THE OHIO VALLEY TONIGHT. AFTER A COLD FRONT PASSES THE REGION...PRECIPITATION WILL COME TO AN END EARLY ON WEDNESDAY. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK...PROVIDING FAIR CONDITIONS AND MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES. && .NEAR TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT/... SURFACE ANALYSIS CURRENTLY INDICATES THAT LOW PRESSURE IS CENTERED NEAR INDIANAPOLIS...MOVING NORTHEAST TOWARD LAKE ERIE. THE SHIELD OF STEADY PRECIPITATION (NORTH OF THE WARM FRONT) HAS SHIFTED NORTH OF THE FORECAST AREA...WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS REMAINING IN PLACE NEAR THE WARM FRONT AND INTO THE WARM SECTOR. CONVECTIVE POTENTIAL LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT HAS BEEN THE FOCUS OF THE FORECAST TODAY. THE THETA-E SURGE AHEAD OF THE SURFACE LOW HAS BEEN WELL MODELED BY THE NAM12 IN TERMS OF SPATIAL EXTENT AND TIMING...BUT OVERDONE IN TERMS OF MAGNITUDE. MOST OF THE CWA WILL FIND ITS WAY INTO THE WARM SECTOR OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS (ESPECIALLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE METEOROLOGICALLY-CONVENIENT I-71 CORRIDOR). WHAT THIS MEANS IN TERMS OF CONVECTION IS NOT TOTALLY CLEAR. THE NAM12 CAPE DEPICTIONS SHOW UP TO 500 J/KG...WITH MUCH MORE SUBDUED NUMBERS COMING IN FROM THE OTHER MODELS (AROUND 200 J/KG ON THE RUC AND GFS) AND LAPS ANALYSIS. 15Z SREF PROBS FOR >500 J/KG ARE UNDER 20 PERCENT. IN ADDITION...THE EXPECTED SOURCE REGION FOR CONVECTION (ACCORDING TO THE HRRR RADAR SIMULATIONS) IS IN CENTRAL KENTUCKY...WHERE RAIN HAS ESSENTIALLY PUT AN END TO DESTABILIZATION. THUS...IT IS BELIEVED THAT INSTABILITY WILL BE EXTREMELY LIMITED FOR THIS EVENT. WHILE IT IS TRUE THAT DYNAMIC WEATHER SYSTEMS SUCH AS THIS ONE ARE CAPABLE OF DOING A LOT WITH A LITTLE (IN TERMS OF INSTABILITY)...NEAR-ZERO VALUES ARE NOT GOING TO SUPPORT A SEVERE WEATHER THREAT. IT IS EXPECTED THAT...EMBEDDED WITHIN THE LARGER AREAS OF RAIN...SOME WEAK CONVECTION MAY BE ABLE TO DEVELOP. THERE ARE SIGNS (HRRR / SPC-WRF) OF THIS OCCURRING ALONG A PRE-FRONTAL TROUGH WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE HOURS...AND THEN AGAIN ALONG THE COLD FRONT DURING THE MID TO LATE EVENING. THE DYNAMICS OF THE SYSTEM ALONE WILL SUPPORT SOME GUSTY WINDS...EVEN OUTSIDE OF STORMS. BEFORE THE RAIN MOVED IN...THERE WERE GUSTS TO AROUND 40 KNOTS IN THE LEXINGTON/FRANKFORT AREA OF KENTUCKY. HOWEVER...THIS WILL BE AN EXCEPTION AND NOT A RULE. 50 KNOT WINDS ARE UP THERE...BUT AT ABOUT 4000 FEET. IT WILL BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT (IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE) TO MIX TO ANYTHING THAT HIGH IN A MOIST...WARM ADVECTING...PRECIPITATING PATTERN LIKE THIS. ASIDE FROM A BRIEF DOWNPOUR IN A THUNDERSTORM...THE THREAT FOR HEAVY OR PROLONGED RAINFALL HAS ENDED. TOTALS FROM THE RAIN TODAY HAVE GENERALLY RANGED BETWEEN 1.00 AND 1.50 INCHES...NOT ENOUGH TO GENERATE WIDESPREAD FLOODING. RISES ON A FEW RIVERS WILL BE MONITORED (INCLUDING THE QUICK-RESPONDING OHIO BRUSH CREEK IN ADAMS COUNTY...WHICH IS ALREADY IN FLOOD) BUT NO AREAL PRODUCTS WILL BE NEEDED. AS THE COLD FRONT MOVES AWAY FROM THE REGION...ADDITIONAL SHOWERS WILL DEVELOP IN THE WRAP-AROUND COLD ADVECTION FLOW BEHIND THE SURFACE LOW (AND ASSOCIATED WITH THE AXIS OF THE UPPER TROUGH). ACCOUNTED FOR THIS WITH A PERIOD OF CHANCE POPS OVERNIGHT...WITH EVERYTHING ELSE OTHERWISE TAPERED DOWN TO SLIGHT CHANCE OR DRY. && .SHORT TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... THE UPPER TROUGH WILL BE MOVING AWAY FROM THE REGION ON WEDNESDAY MORNING...BRINGING AN END TO PRECIPITATION NOT LONG AFTER THE START OF THE FORECAST PERIOD. AN EXTENSIVE AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL THEN BUILD INTO THE EASTERN HALF OF THE COUNTRY...REMAINING IN PLACE THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK. MODEL RH DEPICTIONS...EVEN WHEN CONSIDERING ALL LAYERS OF THE ATMOSPHERE...ARE COMING IN QUITE DRY WITH THIS HIGH AND ITS ASSOCIATED UPPER RIDGE. WILL KEEP SKY GRIDS IN THE CLEAR TO MOSTLY CLEAR RANGE. THE FIRST CLEAR NIGHT (WEDNESDAY NIGHT) LOOKS TO BE THE COLDEST...WITH SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES EXPECTED IN GOOD RADIATIONAL COOLING CONDITIONS. TEMPERATURES SHOULD GRADUALLY MODERATE THROUGH THE REST OF THE PERIOD...WITH NO MAJOR DIFFERENCES DETECTED IN THE VARIOUS MODEL NUMBERS. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... THE LONG TERM WILL START OUT DRY WITH HIGH PRESSURE ACROSS THE AREA. WITH WARM SOUTHERLY FLOW ACROSS THE REGION TEMPERATURES WILL BE WELL ABOVE NORMAL FOR FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL BE IN THE 60S ACROSS MOST LOCATIONS. A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL APPROACH THE AREA SATURDAY EVENING AND WILL IMPACT THE AREA THROUGH THE END OF THE LONG TERM PERIOD. THERE ARE SOME MODEL TIMING DIFFERENCES HOWEVER THE LATEST ECMWF HAS COME INTO PRETTY GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THE GFS. DUE TO THIS AGREEMENT WENT WITH A BLEND. RAIN WILL BEGIN TO MOVE INTO THE AREA SATURDAY EVENING AND WILL BE WIDESPREAD ACROSS THE AREA ON SUNDAY. THE UPPER LOW BECOMES CUT OFF BY SUNDAY AND LINGERS NEAR THE AREA THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR PRECIPITATION TO LINGER ACROSS THE AREA AS WELL. COLDER AIR WORKING INTO THE AREA WILL ALLOW FOR SOME SNOW SHOWER ACTIVITY TO MIX IN AS WELL MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY. && .AVIATION /21Z TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... LOW PRESSURE OVER SE ILLINOIS WILL TRACK NE TO WEST CENTRAL OHIO THIS EVENING. THE LOW WILL THEN CONTINUE ENE TO A POSITION NEAR CNTRL PENNSYLVANIA BY WEDNESDAY MORNING. A WARM FRONT WILL LIFT N INTO THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON/EVENING...FOLLOWED BY A COLD FRONT. WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BECOME MORE SCATTERED IN NATURE SOUTH OF THE WARM FRONT FROM MID AFTERNOON INTO EARLY EVENING. SOME SHOWER ACTIVITY IS EXPECTED ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT...BUT ITS COVERAGE IS STILL SOMEWHAT UNCERTAIN ATTM. FORECAST DILEMMA REVOLVES AROUND CIGS/VSBYS. IFR/LIFR CIGS SHOULD LIFT BRIEFLY TO MVFR CIGS IN THE WARM SECTOR...THEN BECOME IFR ONCE AGAIN BEHIND THE COLD FRONT IN THE CAA. VSBYS WILL BE LOCALLY IFR WITH HEAVY RAIN ALONG AND NORTH OF THE WARM FRONT...THEN MAINLY MVFR IN ANY SHOWERS ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT. SOME SHOWER ACTIVITY MAY OCCUR ACRS CNTRL OHIO LATE TONIGHT ALONG A TROF AXIS. HAVE HANDLED THIS WITH A VCSH MENTION. AS THE LOW PULLS AWAY FROM THE REGION WEDNESDAY MORNING AND AFTERNOON...HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO THE AREA FROM THE WEST. SIGNIFICANT DRYING IS EXPECTED AND THUS...IFR CIGS WILL SCATTERED OUT AND BECOME CLEAR FROM WEST TO EAST BETWEEN 15Z AND 21Z WEDNESDAY. WINDS WILL BE GUSTY IN THE WARM SECTOR AND BEHIND THE COLD FRONT. HAVE GUSTS OF 25 TO 30 KNOTS...BUT OBSERVATIONS WILL HAVE TO BE WATCHED SHOULD GUSTS BECOME HIGHER IN THE MORE UNCERTAIN WARM SECTOR THIS AFTERNOON INTO EARLY THIS EVENING. OUTLOOK...MVFR CIGS/VSBYS POSSIBLE SUNDAY. && .ILN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OH...NONE. KY...NONE. IN...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...HATZOS NEAR TERM...HATZOS SHORT TERM...HATZOS LONG TERM...NOVAK AVIATION...HICKMAN
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CLEVELAND OH
337 PM EST TUE NOV 22 2011 .SYNOPSIS... LOW PRESSURE OVER INDIANA WILL MOVE EAST ACROSS THE REGION TONIGHT AND OFF THE NEW ENGLAND COAST ON WEDNESDAY. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD OVER THE REGION FOR THANKSGIVING DAY. THE HIGH PRESSURE AREA WILL SETTLE SOUTHWARD OVER THE SOUTHEAST STATES INTO THE FIRST PART OF THE WEEKEND AND PROVIDE FAIR MILD WEATHER. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING/... THE SYNOPTIC RAIN SHIELD HAS PROGRESSED INTO NW PA WHILE THE SOUTHERN EDGE OF THE SHIELD IS MOVING INTO THE SOUTHWESTERN COUNTIES NEAR MNN. THE DRY SLOT SHOULD PROGRESS ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN COUNTIES WHILE NW OHIO REMAINS MORE IN THE DEFORMATION ZONE WITH STEADIER RAIN. WILL TAPER POPS THROUGH THE EVENING. UNTIL ABOUT 04Z IN THE SOUTHERN AND EASTERN COUNTIES THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDER AS INDICATED BY THE NAM AND HRRR WITH A FEW HUNDRED JOULES OF ELEVATED CAPE. WILL MENTION A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDER UNTIL NEAR MIDNIGHT. EXPECT TEMPERATURES TO RISE THIS EVENING AND REACH A MAX BEFORE MIDNIGHT AS THE WARM SECTOR OF THE LOW PRESSURE AREA OVERSPREADS THE SOUTHERN AND EASTERN COUNTIES. COLD ADVECTION WILL LOWER TEMPERATURES IN THE WAKE OF THE LOW BY 12Z. HAVE USED MAV GUIDANCE TEMPERATURES WITH MINOR CHANGES. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... ON WEDNESDAY LINGERING SHOWERS FROM THE EXITING LOW PRESSURE OVER PA WILL QUICKLY MOVE OUT OF THE AREA DURING THE MORNING WITH CLEARING MOVING IN RATHER QUICKLY. HAVE CHANCE POPS IN THE EAST THIRD EARLY WITH DRY CONDITIONS BY AFTERNOON OVER THE ENTIRE CWA. TEMPERATURES WILL RISE LITTLE IN THE EAST DUE TO LATER CLEARING WHILE READINGS NEAR TOL WILL RECOVER TO NEAR 50. THEN GENERALLY CLEAR WEATHER IS EXPECTED INTO THE WEEKEND WITH GRADUALLY WARMING CONDITIONS. TEMPERATURES WILL BE SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL ON THANKSGIVINGS DAY AND WELL ABOVE NORMAL ON FRIDAY. HAVE USED MAV/MET TEMPERATURES WITH SLIGHT ADJUSTMENTS. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... WEEKEND WILL START OFF DRY AND MILD AS SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST FLOW DEVELOPS AHEAD OF THE NEXT STORM SYSTEM. LOW PRESSURE IS PROGGED TO MOVE NORTHEAST TO THE CENTRAL UNITED STATES FORCING A WARM FRONT NORTH OF THE AREA. THE LOW WILL MOVE NORTHEAST TO ILLINOIS AND INDIANA WHERE IT WILL STALL. THE SYSTEM WILL SPREAD RAIN INTO THE REGION SATURDAY NIGHT AND CONTINUE INTO TUESDAY. THE LOW WILL THEN MOVE NORTHEAST TO EASTERN LAKE ERIE BY TUESDAY AFTERNOON ALLOWING COLD AIR ADVECTION TO TAKE PLACE. MODELS SUGGEST COLD AIR WILL BE STRONG ENOUGH THAT SOME SNOW COULD MIX IN WITH THE RAIN BY LATE TUESDAY AFTERNOON. WILL HOLD OFF ON MENTIONING SNOW AT THIS TIME DUE TO TIMING ISSUES. COLD AIR ADVECTION MAY NOT ACTUALLY ARRIVE UNTIL LATER TUESDAY NIGHT. && .AVIATION /20Z TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... RAIN QUICKLY SPREAD INTO THE REGION THIS MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON QUICKLY CAUSING CEILINGS TO DROP DOWN TO IFR LEVELS. VISIBILITIES BETWEEN IFR AND MVFR ARE ALSO OCCURRING IN THE RAIN. MODERATE RAIN WILL CONTINUE TO SPREAD NORTH INTO THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON. GFS MODEL INDICATES DRY SLOT WILL TRY TO WORK ITS WAY NORTH INTO THE REGION THIS EVENING AND THIS SHOULD HELP TO CUT SOME OF THE RAIN OFF FROM WEST TO EAST. LOW IS EXPECTED TO TRACK NORTHEAST OVER THE REGION AND WE SHOULD SEE WINDS SHIFTING GRADUALLY FROM A SOUTHEAST DIRECTION TO A NORTHWEST DIRECTION FROM WEST TO EAST. IT WILL TAKE A LOT LONGER TO SEE A RETURN BACK TO VFR CONDITIONS IN THE EAST COMPARED TO THE WEST TOMORROW. OUTLOOK...NON VFR SUNDAY. && .MARINE... THE LOW IN SOUTHERN INDIANA IS EXPECTED TO TRACK NE TOWARD ERIE THEN EAST ACROSS PA TONIGHT AND WED MORNING. EAST WINDS SHOULD INCREASE TO ABOUT 30 KNOTS THEN BACK TO NORTH THEN NW THROUGH WED MORNING BEFORE STARTING TO DIMINISH. THE SCA CONDITIONS SHOULD END BY LATE WED EVENING BUT THEY WILL PROBABLY REDEVELOP BY EARLY FRI MORNING AS A SW FLOW INCREASES FOR A WHILE BEFORE DIMINISHING SOME BY LATE IN THE DAY FRI. MAINLY A SOUTH FLOW IS EXPECTED SAT AND MUCH OF SUN BUT DOES NOT LOOK STRONG ENOUGH FOR A SCA. && .CLE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OH...NONE. PA...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 10 PM EST WEDNESDAY FOR LEZ142>149. && $$ SYNOPSIS...REL NEAR TERM...REL SHORT TERM... LONG TERM...LOMBARDY AVIATION...LOMBARDY MARINE...ADAMS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CLEVELAND OH
958 AM EST TUE NOV 22 2011 .SYNOPSIS... A WARM FRONT WILL LIFT INTO NORTHERN OHIO TODAY AS DEEPENING LOW PRESSURE MOVES UP THE LOWER OHIO RIVER VALLEY. THIS AREA OF LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE OVER NORTHERN OHIO TUESDAY EVENING AND DRAG A COLD FRONT ACROSS THE REGION. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN FOR THANKSGIVING DAY AND REMAIN THE DOMINANT FEATURE INTO FRIDAY NIGHT. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... FORECAST FOR TODAY IS ON TRACK WITH ONLY MINOR CHANGES PLANNED AS RAIN OVERSPREADS THE ENTIRE AREA BY EVENING. HEAVIER RAIN IS JUST NOW MOVING INTO THE SOUTHWEST PART OF THE CWA WHICH IS IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH HRRR MODEL AND LOCAL MESOSCALE MODEL. HAVE MADE ONLY MINOR CHANGES TO HOURLY POPS OVER THE NE PART OF THE AREA. WILL LOWER MAX TEMPERATURES JUST A BIT TO REFLECT THE IMPENDING RAIN AND CONTINUED OVERCAST SKIES. WILL USE THE MAV GUIDANCE WITH SLIGHT ADJUSTMENT. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... TEMPERATURES SHOULD HOLD STEADY OR WARM SLIGHTLY ACROSS THE EASTERN HALF OF THE REGION THROUGH THE EVENING. THIS AS LOW PRESSURE MOVES ACROSS NORTHERN OHIO. THE ENTIRE REGION SHOULD BE SEEING PERIODS OF RAIN INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. STILL SOME UNCERTAINTY ABOUT WHETHER THE WARM SECTOR WILL GET INTO THE CWA. AT THIS POINT IT APPEARS IT MAY GET AS FAR NORTH AS A MARION TO KYNG LINE. HAVE ADDED SOME SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS TO THE FORECAST FOR THIS AREA FOR THE EVENING. THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BRING HIGHER RAINFALL RATES WITH THEM AND COULD LEAD TO SOME FLOODING ISSUES. STILL ENOUGH UNCERTAINTY IN THE TRACK OF THE LOW TO NOT GO WITH A FLOOD WATCH AT THIS TIME BUT LATER SHIFTS WILL NEED TO MONITOR THIS POTENTIAL CLOSELY. WILL PLACE A MENTION OF LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL AND MINOR FLOODING POTENTIAL IN THE HWO. THE MAIN AREA OF RAIN WILL END FROM WEST TO EAST THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING. THERE WILL BE SOME LINGERING SHOWERS FOR A FEW HOURS IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT. 8H TEMPERATURES ONLY DIP TO AROUND ZERO SO THERE SHOULD NOT BE ALL THAT MUCH OFF OF LAKE ERIE BUT MAY KEEP SPRINKLES GOING FOR INLAND NW PA INTO WEDNESDAY EVENING. HIGH PRESSURE WILL TAKE CONTROL ON THURSDAY AND REMAIN THE DOMINANT FEATURE INTO FRIDAY. HIGHS WILL RETURN TO NEAR OR SLIGHT ABOVE SEASONAL LEVELS ON THURSDAY. FRIDAY WILL BE EVEN WARMER WITH MANY LOCATIONS NEAR OR SLIGHTLY ABOVE 60 DEGREES. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... BOTH MODELS KEEP HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE AREA ON SATURDAY...BUT DIVERGE AFTER THAT. BOTH MODELS ARE A LITTLE SLOWER THAN YESTERDAY BUT ECMWF MOVES LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM ACROSS THE AREA ON SUNDAY WHILE THE GFS CONTINUES TO HOLD THE SYSTEM BACK UNTIL MONDAY. FOR FORECAST JUST KEPT CHANCE POPS GOING SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY AS CONFIDENCE IN THE EXACT TIMING OF THE SYSTEM IS LOW. && .AVIATION /15Z TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER ARKANSAS WILL MOVE ACROSS OHIO THIS EVENING. RAIN SHIELD AHEAD OF LOW ALREADY INTO SW OH AND WILL SPREAD OVER ENTIRE AREA BY EARLY AFTERNOON. ONCE STEADY RAIN STARTS WILL CONTINUE INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. A WIDESPREAD INCH OF RAIN IS POSSIBLE NEXT 24 HOURS. AS RAIN SPREADS OVER THE AREA SO WILL WIDESPREAD IFR CONDITIONS. 300-500 FT CIGS ALREADY MOVING INTO CENTRAL OHIO. IN ADDITION E-NE WINDS WILL INCREASE TO AROUND 15G25KT BY LATE AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING. FINALLY...DID NOT MENTION IN TAF BUT FEW RUMBLES OF THUNDER PROBABLE SOUTH OF A YNG TO FDY LINE LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO EARLY EVENING. OUTLOOK...NON VFR CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST INTO WEDNESDAY AM. && .MARINE... LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM NOW OVER ARKANSAS WILL TRACK ACROSS OHIO TONIGHT. THE NAM STILL HAS THE TRACK OF THE LOW FURTHER NORTH THAN EITHER GFS OR ECMWF. EXPECT WINDS TO INCREASE TO 30 KNOTS BY THIS TIME TOMORROW...ALTHOUGH A MARGINAL GALE IS NOT OUT THE QUESTION FOR A FEW HOURS. HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND REMAINS IN CONTROL THROUGH SATURDAY. A SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST FLOW SETS UP THURSDAY AND CONTINUES THROUGH SATURDAY. MODELS DISAGREE ON TIMING OF NEXT LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM. THE ECMWF MOVES THE SYSTEM THROUGH ON SUNDAY...WHILE THE GFS HOLDS IT BACK UNTIL MONDAY. FOR WIND AND WAVE FORECAST LEANED TOWARD THE SLOWER GFS. && .CLE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OH...NONE. PA...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 10 PM EST WEDNESDAY FOR LEZ142>149. && $$ SYNOPSIS...MULLEN NEAR TERM...REL SHORT TERM...MULLEN LONG TERM...DJB AVIATION...DJB MARINE...DJB
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS SAN ANGELO TX
418 PM CST TUE NOV 22 2011 .SHORT TERM... HAD ANOTHER DAY WITH LOW CLOUDS OVER AT LEAST SOME OF OUR AREA TODAY. LOW CLOUD FIELD HAS PERSISTED ACROSS THE BIG COUNTRY... THOUGH LATEST VISIBLE SATELLITE TRENDS SHOWING EROSION TO THE NORTHWEST AND A HALT TO THE SOUTHWARD EXPANSION. THE NAM AND RUC BOUNDARY LAYER MOISTURE FIELDS SUGGEST A LOW CLOUD PERSISTENCE AND DEVELOPMENT TO THE SOUTH TONIGHT...ESPECIALLY ACROSS OUR EASTERN COUNTIES. DEWPOINTS HAVE NOT DROPPED AS MUCH TODAY AS PREVIOUSLY EXPECTED. A LACK OF DRY AIR ADVECTION IS INDICATED TONIGHT. AS RADIATIONAL COOLING OCCURS OVERNIGHT...AT LEAST PATCHY FOG DEVELOPMENT IS ANTICIPATED. THE BEST CHANCE FOR FOG DEVELOPMENT IS ACROSS THE CLOUD FREE AREAS. THE EXCEPTION WHOULD BE ACROSS THE SOUTHWESTERN PART OF OUR AREA WHERE THE DRIEST AIR RESIDES. NORTH WINDS WILL DECREASE THIS EVENING AND BECOME LIGHT FOR MUCH OF THE NIGHT. THE UPS FOG TOOL INDICATES A FAVORABLE SETUP FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF FOG ACROSS OUR CENTRAL COUNTIES. WITH THE ABOVE CONSIDERATIONS...CARRYING A MENTION OF SOME CLOUDINESS TONIGHT AND EARLY FRIDAY MORNING. PATCHY FOG IS MENTIONED ACROSS THE BIG COUNTRY AND NORTHWEST HILL COUNTRY...WITH AREAS OF FOG FROM THE CONCHO VALLEY EAST ACROSS THE HEARTLAND. HAVE NOT YET MENTIONED DENSE FOG IN THE FORECAST...AND THIS IS SOMETHING WHICH WILL BEAR MONITORING. THE FOG WILL LIFT QUICKLY BY MID-MORNING WEDNESDAY WITH LOW CLOUD BREAKUP...AND SKIES WILL BE SUNNY DURING THE AFTERNOON. OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL BE IN THE UPPER 30S TO LOWER 40S...WITH AFTERNOON HIGHS WEDNESDAY IN THE UPPER 60S TO LOWER 70S. && .LONG TERM.. SHORT WAVE RIDGING MOVES EAST OF THE AREA WEDNESDAY NIGHT WITH SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT DEVELOPING AHEAD OF NEXT SOUTHWEST CONUS TROUGH. THANKSGIVING DAY WILL BE MOSTLY SUNNY BUT BREEZY AS SOUTH WINDS INCREASE WITH LEE TROUGH DEVELOPING. TEMPERATURES WILL BE ABOVE NORMAL WITH AFTERNOON HIGHS IN THE LOWER 70S. MODELS ARE IN DECENT AGREEMENT THAT THE SYSTEM TO THE WEST WILL CLOSE OFF OVER THE NORTHERN BAHA REGION ON THURSDAY...THEN LIFT NORTHEAST AS AN OPEN WAVE AS IT CROSSES THE ROCKIES AND INTO THE PLAINS ON FRIDAY. THE GFS AND ECMWF BOTH PAINT QPF OVER THE ENTIRE AREA BEGINNING OVER WESTERN ZONES LATE FRIDAY INTO FRIDAY NIGHT. MADE SLIGHT CHANGES TO POPS...MAINLY TO SHIFT POPS WESTWARD ON FRIDAY WITH THE BULK OF PRECIPITATION OCCURRING FRIDAY EVENING AND DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. UPPER TROUGH MOVES EAST OF THE AREA ON SATURDAY WITH A STRONG COLD FRONT DROPPING SOUTH ACROSS THE REGION DURING THE DAY. MODEL PROGS SHOW THE COLD FRONT ENTERING THE BIG COUNTRY AROUND DAYBREAK SATURDAY WITH THE FRONT RACING SOUTH ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF THE AREA DURING THE MORNING HOURS. VERY IMPRESSIVE WIND FIELDS SHOWING UP ON THE LATEST GFS WITH 850 MB WINDS FROM THE NORTH AT 40 TO 50 KT BEHIND THE FRONT. STRONG COLD AIR ADVECTION AND ALIGNMENT OF NORTHERLY WINDS THROUGH 700 MB WILL RESULT IN A VERY WINDY DAY ACROSS THE AREA WITH GUSTS 40 TO 50 MPH POSSIBLE. CURRENTLY HAVE HIGHS ON SATURDAY IN THE MID AND UPPER 50S AND THESE MAY NEED TO BE LOWERED A BIT MORE IN SUBSEQUENT FORECASTS. WINDS DIMINISH SATURDAY EVENING WITH A COLD NIGHT IN STORE SATURDAY NIGHT. CURRENT LOWS ARE NEAR FREEZING BUT AGAIN THESE TEMPS MAY NEED TO BE LOWERED AS WELL. DRY WITH A WARMING TREND SUNDAY INTO MONDAY. HIGHS ON SUNDAY WILL CONTINUE TO BE COOL WITH HIGHS IN THE UPPER 50S AND LOW 60S. WARMER MONDAY WITH HIGHS IN THE 60S. NEXT COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED MONDAY NIGHT OR TUESDAY WITH COOLER TEMPERATURES FOLLOWING THE FRONT. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... ABILENE 40 70 46 72 52 / 0 0 0 0 10 SAN ANGELO 39 71 43 71 50 / 0 0 0 0 10 JUNCTION 39 72 39 73 54 / 0 0 0 0 10 && .SJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ 19/24
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NWS SAN ANGELO TX
1214 PM CST TUE NOV 22 2011 .DISCUSSION... SEE AVIATION SECTION. && .AVIATION... LOW CLOUD FIELD WHICH COVERS ROUGHLY THE NORTHERN THIRD OF OUR COUNTIES IS MOVING SLOWLY SOUTHWARD...WITH LEADING EDGE AT 1745Z EXTENDING FROM JUST NORTH OF STERLING CITY TO SAN SABA. CEILINGS ARE IN THE RANGE OF 800-1200 FT. HOW FAR SOUTH THIS CLOUD FIELD WILL PROGRESS AND HOW PERSISTENT IT WILL REMAIN IS UNCERTAIN AT THIS TIME. THE LATEST RUC13 MODEL BOUNDARY LAYER MOISTURE FIELD SUGGESTS A POSSIBILITY OF PATCHY LOW CLOUDS PERSISTING THROUGH 03Z. FOR THE 18Z TAF PAKCAGE HAVE INTRODUCED LOW CLOUDS AT KSJT AND KBBD THIS AFTERNOON...AND HAVE CARRIED A PERSISTENCE OF LOW CLOUDS LONGER AT KABI. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR SATELLITE IMAGERY AND AMEND AS NEEDED. FOR TONIGHT...POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR FOG DEVELOPMENT WITH GOOD RADIATIONAL COOLING AND NOT MUCH DROPOFF OF THE DEWPOINTS. HAVE NOT INTRODUCED FOG YET...BUT THIS IS BEING CONSIDERED. NORTH-NORTHWEST WINDS WILL DECREASE BY THIS EVENING WITH LIGHT NORTH WINDS EXPECTED TONIGHT. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 536 AM CST TUE NOV 22 2011/ DISCUSSION... /SEE BELOW FOR AVIATION DISCUSSION/ AVIATION... LIFR CIGS AND VISIBILITIES SHOULD IMPROVE TO IFR AT KABI BY 15Z...AS DRIER NORTHWEST AIR OF 5 TO 10 KTS MOVES IN. SHOULD TAKE UNTIL 19Z FOR IFR CIGS TO LIFT TO MVFR HOWEVER. IFR CIGS AT KBDD SHOULD LIFT TO VFR BY 14Z. CIGS AND VISIBILITIES WERE ALREADY AT VFR AT REST OF TAF SITES...AND EXPECT VFR CONDITONS NEXT 24 HOURS AS SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN. NORTHWEST WINDS OTHERWISE TO INCREASE TO 8 TO 10 KTS ACROSS ALL TAF SITES BY NOON. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 348 AM CST TUE NOV 22 2011/ SHORT TERM... UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WAS MOVING NORTHEAST OF WEST CENTRAL TEXAS THIS MORNING. CLOUDS WERE ERODING OVER THE CONCHO VALLEY... CROCKETT COUNTY WITH SUBSIDENCE BEHIND THE SYSTEM. LAST LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS MOVED EAST OF THE REGION AROUND 2 AM. THERE WERE SOME PATCHY AREAS OF DENSE FOG...SWEETWATER WAS AT 1/4 MILE AT 3 AM CST. GIVEN THE PATCHY NATURE HOWEVER...WILL NOT ISSUE A DENSE FOG ADVISORY THIS MORNING. DESPITE SUBSIDENCE BEHIND THE UPPER TROUGH...BOTH THE NAM AND GFS KEEP CLOUD COVER OVER THE BIG COUNTRY...ESPECIALLY EASTERN SECTIONS...UNTIL EARLY AFTERNOON. WILL KEEP TEMPERATURES COOLER IN THE BIG COUNTRY WITH HIGHS NEAR 60...WITH WARMER TEMPERATURES IN THE LOWER 70S IN THE CONCHO VALLEY AND AREAS SOUTHWARD TO THE I-10 CORRIDOR. NORTHWEST WINDS OF 5 TO 15 MPH WILL ALSO HAVE A DOWNSLOPE COMPRESSIONAL HEATING COMPONENT OF 1 TO 2 DEGREES. CENTER OF WEAK SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO WEST CENTRAL TEXAS OVERNIGHT. WENT A COUPLE DEGREES COOLER...TOWARD THE COOLER NAM MOS VALUES...GIVEN GOOD RADIATIONAL COOLING CONDITIONS. LONG TERM... THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH THAT BROUGHT THUNDERSTORMS TO THE AREA TODAY AND LAST NIGHT CONTINUES TO MOVE EAST AT THIS HOUR. BY WEDNESDAY...UPPER LEVEL RIDGING WILL BE OVER THE AREA. BIG COUNTRY TEMPERATURES WILL BE CONSIDERABLY WARMER BY WEDNESDAY THAN THEY WERE TODAY...WHILE SOUTHERN AREAS WILL ACTUALLY BE COOLER DUE TO VERY WARM TEMPERATURES EXPERIENCED TODAY. GENERALLY NEAR OR SLIGHTLY WARMER THAN NORMAL TEMPERATURES CAN BE EXPECTED THROUGH FRIDAY. BY FRIDAY...AN UPPER LEVEL LOW OVER THE AZ/NM AREA WILL BE OPENING UP INTO A WAVE AS IT MOVES TOWARD TX. MODELS ARE IN FAIRLY GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THE GENERAL PATH OF THIS LOW ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PLAINS...BRINGING OUR NEXT CHANCE OF RAINFALL. THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE MODELS IS IN THE SPEED OF THE TROUGH...AND WHEN IT WILL AFFECT THE AREA. THE EC IS A LITTLE SLOWER WITH THE SPEED OF THE TROUGH MOVING ACROSS THE AREA...SO HAVE HELD UP POPS/WX A TAD FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY MORNING. THE BEST CHANCE FOR SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL WILL MAINLY LIE IN AREAS EAST OF A LINE FROM ABILENE...TO JUNCTION. WE WILL STILL HAVE A CHANCE WEST OF THAT LINE...BUT RAINFALL AMOUNTS...SHOULD ANY OCCUR...WILL INCREASE AS ONE MOVES EAST. TEMPERATURES SATURDAY WILL LIKELY BE COOLER THAN NORMAL...AND HAVE KEPT THAT TREND GOING WITH DRY WEATHER THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. ANOTHER PIECE OF ENERGY IS EXPECTED TO FOLLOW THE FRIDAY NIGHT/SATURDAY MORNING TROUGH...POSSIBLY SENDING ANOTHER SHOT OF COLD AIR INTO THE AREA MONDAY NIGHT. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... ABILENE 55 39 70 44 72 / 0 0 0 0 0 SAN ANGELO 69 37 71 43 72 / 0 0 0 0 0 JUNCTION 73 37 72 40 74 / 10 0 0 0 0 && .SJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NWS CORPUS CHRISTI TX
1148 AM CST TUE NOV 22 2011 .DISCUSSION...PLEASE SEE 18Z AVIATION DISCUSSION. && .AVIATION...VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD. CLEARING BEHIND THE COLD FRONT WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE PLACE THROUGH THE EARLY AFTERNOON. OTHERWISE...NORTHWEST WINDS WILL GUST TO NEAR 20-25 KNOTS THROUGH THE AFTERNOON...WITH WINDS SUBSIDING IN THE EARLY EVENING SHIFTING OUT OF THE NORTH TO NORTHEAST AS HIGHER PRESSURE MOVES IN. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 1030 AM CST TUE NOV 22 2011/ DISCUSSION...MADE UPDATES TO THE WINDS AND POPS DUE TO THE COLD FRONT MOVING A BIT FASTER THAN PREVIOUSLY EXPECTED. A WIND SHIFT OUT OF THE SOUTHWEST EARLY THIS MORNING CREATED SOME DRYING IN THE MIDLEVELS. WITH THIS CAPPING...REMOVED MENTION OF THUNDER WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE IMMEDIATE COAST AND THE GULF WATERS. STILL EXPECT THAT WITH HEATING PRIOR TO THE FRONTAL PASSAGE AND DECENT CAPE...COULD SEE AN ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM DEVELOP AS THE FRONT APPROACHES THE COAST EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 551 AM CST TUE NOV 22 2011/ DISCUSSION...UPDATED FOR 12Z AVIATION DISCUSSION BELOW. AVIATION...MAIN FLIGHT CONCERNS TO BE PRECIP CHANCES AND LOW CIGS. XPCT MIX OF MVFR/VFR CIGS THRU EARLY AFTN FOLLOWED BY CLEARING SKIES. SCT SHRA THRU EARLY AFTN VCT VCNTY WITH SLIGHTLY LESSER CHANCES CRP/ALI...KLRD LIKELY TO REMAIN DRY. PRECIP TO BE INVOF SURFACE BOUNDARY THAT WILL PUSH THROUGH S TX TODAY WITH LIGHT S WINDS AHEAD OF BOUNDARY BCMG NNW BEHIND. CLEARING SKIES THIS AFTN AT KLRD FIRST WITH CLEARING LINE PROGRESSING FROM WEST TO EAST. LIGHT TO MODERATE NE WINDS AFTER DARK WITH MAINLY CLEAR SKIES ALL TERMINALS. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 423 AM CST TUE NOV 22 2011/ SHORT TERM (TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY)...CHANCES OF RAIN ARE BIGGEST CHALLENGE FOR SHORT TERM FORECAST. EARLY THIS MORNING A COLD FRONT WAS DRAPED FROM EAGLE PASS TO THE NORTHEAST ACROSS THE HILL COUNTRY WITH A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE FROM EAGLE PASS SOUTHWARD INTO NE OLD MEX. A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAS DEVELOPED ALONG THE COLD FRONT WITH THE LINE GRADUALLY PROGRESSING EASTWARD. AM EXPECTING THIS LINE TO GRADUALLY WEAKEN THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE NIGHT AS IT APPROACHES CWA. FORECAST SOUNDINGS INDICATE CAPPING INVERSION TO EXIST ACROSS WESTERN 2/3 OF AREA AND THUS EXPECT BEST PRECIP CHANCES TODAY TO EXIST ACROSS NE ZONES AND EASTERN COASTAL PLAINS. LATEST 4KM WRF AND HRRR GUIDANCE BRINGS A LINE OF SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH EASTERN ZONES THIS MORNING WITH LINE PUSHING OFF COAST AROUND MIDDAY/EARLY AFTERNOON AND SEE NO STRONG INDICATIONS TO DISCOUNT THIS GUIDANCE ATTM. STRONG STORM POTENTIAL IS LOOKING LESS LIKELY THAN EARLIER GUIDANCE RUNS INDICATED AS LOW LEVEL WINDS VEER TOO STRONGLY AND COOLING OF MID LEVEL TEMPS TO BE SLOWER THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT. IF ANY STRONG STORMS DEVELOP THEY SHOULD BE VERY ISOLATED AT BEST AND ACROSS NE ZONES. SURFACE TROUGH TO SLIDE EASTWARD TODAY WITH WINDS SHIFTING NWRLY BEHIND BOUNDARY AS SIGNIFICANTLY DRIER AIR WORKS INTO S TX. MAIN SURFACE FRONT TO SLIDE THROUGH S TX LATE AFTERNOON WITH WINDS BECOMING MORE NNERLY. ANOTHER DAY OF UNSEASONABLY WARM TEMPS TODAY BEFORE MAX/MIN TEMPS FALL TO SEASONABLE LEVELS TONIGHT THROUGH WED AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO CWA. LONG TERM (WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY)...OVERALL NOT A LOT OF CHANGES (MAIN ONES TO FALL IN LINE WITH ISC). QUIET WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT WITH MOISTURE RETURNING LATE THURSDAY IN TIME FOR THE NEXT UPPER LEVEL TROUGH COMING ACROSS LATE FRIDAY. INTERESTING THAT 00Z ECMWF IS BACK TO CUTTING OFF PART OF THE UPPER LOW THIS WEEKEND AND RETROGRADING IT AGAIN (AFTER NOT DOING SO ON ITS 12Z RUN). THUS...AM AGAIN RELYING MORE ON THE GFS SOLUTION WITH THIS SYSTEM...AND PRETTY MUCH KEEPING THE SAME POPS (DID GO A BIT HIGHER FARTHER SOUTH FRIDAY/FRIDAY NIGHT). SOME RAINS COULD LINGER FOR A SHORT TIME SATURDAY MORNING...BUT SHOULD BE CLEARER...WINDY AND COOLER FOR SATURDAY AFTERNOON WITH CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS PROBABLE....AND WINDS NEAR GALE FORCE OVER THE OFFSHORE WATERS. THIS COULD BE THE COLDEST AIRMASS SO FAR THIS YEAR AS STRONG HIGH MOVES INTO SOUTHERN PLAINS. HOWEVER...WINDS WILL STAY UP ENOUGH SO THAT TEMPERATURES SUNDAY MORNING WILL NOT BE TERRIBLY COLD (MONDAY WILL BE THE COLDEST MORNING...WITH SUNDAY BEING THE COLDEST DAY). AIRMASS MODIFIES ON MONDAY AHEAD OF ANOTHER FRONT POSSIBLE EARLY TUESDAY MORNING. NOT MUCH ELSE TO SAY...SUBTLE CHANGES TO PREVIOUS TEMPERATURE FORECAST. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... CORPUS CHRISTI 55 76 54 78 66 / 10 0 0 10 10 VICTORIA 49 74 46 77 61 / 0 0 0 10 10 LAREDO 54 78 55 82 64 / 0 0 0 10 10 ALICE 54 78 51 80 63 / 0 0 0 10 10 ROCKPORT 55 72 56 75 66 / 10 0 0 10 10 COTULLA 49 76 49 79 58 / 0 0 0 10 10 KINGSVILLE 54 76 51 78 64 / 10 0 0 10 10 NAVY CORPUS 58 72 59 74 68 / 10 0 0 10 10 && .CRP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... TX...NONE. GM...NONE. && $$ CB/85...AVIATION
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NWS CORPUS CHRISTI TX
1030 AM CST TUE NOV 22 2011 .DISCUSSION...MADE UPDATES TO THE WINDS AND POPS DUE TO THE COLD FRONT MOVING A BIT FASTER THAN PREVIOUSLY EXPECTED. A WIND SHIFT OUT OF THE SOUTHWEST EARLY THIS MORNING CREATED SOME DRYING IN THE MIDLEVELS. WITH THIS CAPPING...REMOVED MENTION OF THUNDER WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE IMMEDIATE COAST AND THE GULF WATERS. STILL EXPECT THAT WITH HEATING PRIOR TO THE FRONTAL PASSAGE AND DECENT CAPE...COULD SEE AN ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM DEVELOP AS THE FRONT APPROACHES THE COAST EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 551 AM CST TUE NOV 22 2011/ DISCUSSION...UPDATED FOR 12Z AVIATION DISCUSSION BELOW. AVIATION...MAIN FLIGHT CONCERNS TO BE PRECIP CHANCES AND LOW CIGS. XPCT MIX OF MVFR/VFR CIGS THRU EARLY AFTN FOLLOWED BY CLEARING SKIES. SCT SHRA THRU EARLY AFTN VCT VCNTY WITH SLIGHTLY LESSER CHANCES CRP/ALI...KLRD LIKELY TO REMAIN DRY. PRECIP TO BE INVOF SURFACE BOUNDARY THAT WILL PUSH THROUGH S TX TODAY WITH LIGHT S WINDS AHEAD OF BOUNDARY BCMG NNW BEHIND. CLEARING SKIES THIS AFTN AT KLRD FIRST WITH CLEARING LINE PROGRESSING FROM WEST TO EAST. LIGHT TO MODERATE NE WINDS AFTER DARK WITH MAINLY CLEAR SKIES ALL TERMINALS. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 423 AM CST TUE NOV 22 2011/ SHORT TERM (TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY)...CHANCES OF RAIN ARE BIGGEST CHALLENGE FOR SHORT TERM FORECAST. EARLY THIS MORNING A COLD FRONT WAS DRAPED FROM EAGLE PASS TO THE NORTHEAST ACROSS THE HILL COUNTRY WITH A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE FROM EAGLE PASS SOUTHWARD INTO NE OLD MEX. A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAS DEVELOPED ALONG THE COLD FRONT WITH THE LINE GRADUALLY PROGRESSING EASTWARD. AM EXPECTING THIS LINE TO GRADUALLY WEAKEN THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE NIGHT AS IT APPROACHES CWA. FORECAST SOUNDINGS INDICATE CAPPING INVERSION TO EXIST ACROSS WESTERN 2/3 OF AREA AND THUS EXPECT BEST PRECIP CHANCES TODAY TO EXIST ACROSS NE ZONES AND EASTERN COASTAL PLAINS. LATEST 4KM WRF AND HRRR GUIDANCE BRINGS A LINE OF SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH EASTERN ZONES THIS MORNING WITH LINE PUSHING OFF COAST AROUND MIDDAY/EARLY AFTERNOON AND SEE NO STRONG INDICATIONS TO DISCOUNT THIS GUIDANCE ATTM. STRONG STORM POTENTIAL IS LOOKING LESS LIKELY THAN EARLIER GUIDANCE RUNS INDICATED AS LOW LEVEL WINDS VEER TOO STRONGLY AND COOLING OF MID LEVEL TEMPS TO BE SLOWER THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT. IF ANY STRONG STORMS DEVELOP THEY SHOULD BE VERY ISOLATED AT BEST AND ACROSS NE ZONES. SURFACE TROUGH TO SLIDE EASTWARD TODAY WITH WINDS SHIFTING NWRLY BEHIND BOUNDARY AS SIGNIFICANTLY DRIER AIR WORKS INTO S TX. MAIN SURFACE FRONT TO SLIDE THROUGH S TX LATE AFTERNOON WITH WINDS BECOMING MORE NNERLY. ANOTHER DAY OF UNSEASONABLY WARM TEMPS TODAY BEFORE MAX/MIN TEMPS FALL TO SEASONABLE LEVELS TONIGHT THROUGH WED AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO CWA. LONG TERM (WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY)...OVERALL NOT A LOT OF CHANGES (MAIN ONES TO FALL IN LINE WITH ISC). QUIET WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT WITH MOISTURE RETURNING LATE THURSDAY IN TIME FOR THE NEXT UPPER LEVEL TROUGH COMING ACROSS LATE FRIDAY. INTERESTING THAT 00Z ECMWF IS BACK TO CUTTING OFF PART OF THE UPPER LOW THIS WEEKEND AND RETROGRADING IT AGAIN (AFTER NOT DOING SO ON ITS 12Z RUN). THUS...AM AGAIN RELYING MORE ON THE GFS SOLUTION WITH THIS SYSTEM...AND PRETTY MUCH KEEPING THE SAME POPS (DID GO A BIT HIGHER FARTHER SOUTH FRIDAY/FRIDAY NIGHT). SOME RAINS COULD LINGER FOR A SHORT TIME SATURDAY MORNING...BUT SHOULD BE CLEARER...WINDY AND COOLER FOR SATURDAY AFTERNOON WITH CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS PROBABLE....AND WINDS NEAR GALE FORCE OVER THE OFFSHORE WATERS. THIS COULD BE THE COLDEST AIRMASS SO FAR THIS YEAR AS STRONG HIGH MOVES INTO SOUTHERN PLAINS. HOWEVER...WINDS WILL STAY UP ENOUGH SO THAT TEMPERATURES SUNDAY MORNING WILL NOT BE TERRIBLY COLD (MONDAY WILL BE THE COLDEST MORNING...WITH SUNDAY BEING THE COLDEST DAY). AIRMASS MODIFIES ON MONDAY AHEAD OF ANOTHER FRONT POSSIBLE EARLY TUESDAY MORNING. NOT MUCH ELSE TO SAY...SUBTLE CHANGES TO PREVIOUS TEMPERATURE FORECAST. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... CORPUS CHRISTI 87 55 76 54 78 / 30 10 0 0 10 VICTORIA 83 49 74 46 77 / 70 0 0 0 10 LAREDO 86 54 78 55 82 / 10 0 0 0 10 ALICE 88 54 78 51 80 / 30 0 0 0 10 ROCKPORT 83 55 72 56 75 / 50 10 0 0 10 COTULLA 83 49 76 49 79 / 10 0 0 0 10 KINGSVILLE 88 54 76 51 78 / 30 10 0 0 10 NAVY CORPUS 83 58 72 59 74 / 40 10 0 0 10 && .CRP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... TX...NONE. GM...NONE. && $$ CB/85...UPDATE
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NWS CORPUS CHRISTI TX
551 AM CST TUE NOV 22 2011 .DISCUSSION...UPDATED FOR 12Z AVIATION DISCUSSION BELOW. && .AVIATION...MAIN FLIGHT CONCERNS TO BE PRECIP CHANCES AND LOW CIGS. XPCT MIX OF MVFR/VFR CIGS THRU EARLY AFTN FOLLOWED BY CLEARING SKIES. SCT SHRA THRU EARLY AFTN VCT VCNTY WITH SLIGHTLY LESSER CHANCES CRP/ALI...KLRD LIKELY TO REMAIN DRY. PRECIP TO BE INVOF SURFACE BOUNDARY THAT WILL PUSH THROUGH S TX TODAY WITH LIGHT S WINDS AHEAD OF BOUNDARY BCMG NNW BEHIND. CLEARING SKIES THIS AFTN AT KLRD FIRST WITH CLEARING LINE PROGRESSING FROM WEST TO EAST. LIGHT TO MODERATE NE WINDS AFTER DARK WITH MAINLY CLEAR SKIES ALL TERMINALS. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 423 AM CST TUE NOV 22 2011/ SHORT TERM (TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY)...CHANCES OF RAIN ARE BIGGEST CHALLENGE FOR SHORT TERM FORECAST. EARLY THIS MORNING A COLD FRONT WAS DRAPED FROM EAGLE PASS TO THE NORTHEAST ACROSS THE HILL COUNTRY WITH A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE FROM EAGLE PASS SOUTHWARD INTO NE OLD MEX. A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAS DEVELOPED ALONG THE COLD FRONT WITH THE LINE GRADUALLY PROGRESSING EASTWARD. AM EXPECTING THIS LINE TO GRADUALLY WEAKEN THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE NIGHT AS IT APPROACHES CWA. FORECAST SOUNDINGS INDICATE CAPPING INVERSION TO EXIST ACROSS WESTERN 2/3 OF AREA AND THUS EXPECT BEST PRECIP CHANCES TODAY TO EXIST ACROSS NE ZONES AND EASTERN COASTAL PLAINS. LATEST 4KM WRF AND HRRR GUIDANCE BRINGS A LINE OF SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH EASTERN ZONES THIS MORNING WITH LINE PUSHING OFF COAST AROUND MIDDAY/EARLY AFTERNOON AND SEE NO STRONG INDICATIONS TO DISCOUNT THIS GUIDANCE ATTM. STRONG STORM POTENTIAL IS LOOKING LESS LIKELY THAN EARLIER GUIDANCE RUNS INDICATED AS LOW LEVEL WINDS VEER TOO STRONGLY AND COOLING OF MID LEVEL TEMPS TO BE SLOWER THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT. IF ANY STRONG STORMS DEVELOP THEY SHOULD BE VERY ISOLATED AT BEST AND ACROSS NE ZONES. SURFACE TROUGH TO SLIDE EASTWARD TODAY WITH WINDS SHIFTING NWRLY BEHIND BOUNDARY AS SIGNIFICANTLY DRIER AIR WORKS INTO S TX. MAIN SURFACE FRONT TO SLIDE THROUGH S TX LATE AFTERNOON WITH WINDS BECOMING MORE NNERLY. ANOTHER DAY OF UNSEASONABLY WARM TEMPS TODAY BEFORE MAX/MIN TEMPS FALL TO SEASONABLE LEVELS TONIGHT THROUGH WED AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO CWA. LONG TERM (WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY)...OVERALL NOT A LOT OF CHANGES (MAIN ONES TO FALL IN LINE WITH ISC). QUIET WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT WITH MOISTURE RETURNING LATE THURSDAY IN TIME FOR THE NEXT UPPER LEVEL TROUGH COMING ACROSS LATE FRIDAY. INTERESTING THAT 00Z ECMWF IS BACK TO CUTTING OFF PART OF THE UPPER LOW THIS WEEKEND AND RETROGRADING IT AGAIN (AFTER NOT DOING SO ON ITS 12Z RUN). THUS...AM AGAIN RELYING MORE ON THE GFS SOLUTION WITH THIS SYSTEM...AND PRETTY MUCH KEEPING THE SAME POPS (DID GO A BIT HIGHER FARTHER SOUTH FRIDAY/FRIDAY NIGHT). SOME RAINS COULD LINGER FOR A SHORT TIME SATURDAY MORNING...BUT SHOULD BE CLEARER...WINDY AND COOLER FOR SATURDAY AFTERNOON WITH CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS PROBABLE....AND WINDS NEAR GALE FORCE OVER THE OFFSHORE WATERS. THIS COULD BE THE COLDEST AIRMASS SO FAR THIS YEAR AS STRONG HIGH MOVES INTO SOUTHERN PLAINS. HOWEVER...WINDS WILL STAY UP ENOUGH SO THAT TEMPERATURES SUNDAY MORNING WILL NOT BE TERRIBLY COLD (MONDAY WILL BE THE COLDEST MORNING...WITH SUNDAY BEING THE COLDEST DAY). AIRMASS MODIFIES ON MONDAY AHEAD OF ANOTHER FRONT POSSIBLE EARLY TUESDAY MORNING. NOT MUCH ELSE TO SAY...SUBTLE CHANGES TO PREVIOUS TEMPERATURE FORECAST. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... CORPUS CHRISTI 87 55 76 54 78 / 50 10 0 0 10 VICTORIA 83 49 74 46 77 / 70 0 0 0 10 LAREDO 86 54 78 55 82 / 10 0 0 0 10 ALICE 88 54 78 51 80 / 30 0 0 0 10 ROCKPORT 83 55 72 56 75 / 50 10 0 0 10 COTULLA 83 49 76 49 79 / 10 0 0 0 10 KINGSVILLE 88 54 76 51 78 / 30 10 0 0 10 NAVY CORPUS 83 58 72 59 74 / 40 10 0 0 10 && .CRP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... TX...NONE. GM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 9 AM CST THIS MORNING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: WATERS FROM BAFFIN BAY TO PORT ARANSAS FROM 20 TO 60 NM...WATERS FROM PORT ARANSAS TO MATAGORDA SHIP CHANNEL FROM 20 TO 60 NM. && $$ AVIATION...HART/79
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CORPUS CHRISTI TX
423 AM CST TUE NOV 22 2011 .SHORT TERM (TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY)...CHANCES OF RAIN ARE BIGGEST CHALLENGE FOR SHORT TERM FORECAST. EARLY THIS MORNING A COLD FRONT WAS DRAPED FROM EAGLE PASS TO THE NORTHEAST ACROSS THE HILL COUNTRY WITH A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE FROM EAGLE PASS SOUTHWARD INTO NE OLD MEX. A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAS DEVELOPED ALONG THE COLD FRONT WITH THE LINE GRADUALLY PROGRESSING EASTWARD. AM EXPECTING THIS LINE TO GRADUALLY WEAKEN THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE NIGHT AS IT APPROACHES CWA. FORECAST SOUNDINGS INDICATE CAPPING INVERSION TO EXIST ACROSS WESTERN 2/3 OF AREA AND THUS EXPECT BEST PRECIP CHANCES TODAY TO EXIST ACROSS NE ZONES AND EASTERN COASTAL PLAINS. LATEST 4KM WRF AND HRRR GUIDANCE BRINGS A LINE OF SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH EASTERN ZONES THIS MORNING WITH LINE PUSHING OFF COAST AROUND MIDDAY/EARLY AFTERNOON AND SEE NO STRONG INDICATIONS TO DISCOUNT THIS GUIDANCE ATTM. STRONG STORM POTENTIAL IS LOOKING LESS LIKELY THAN EARLIER GUIDANCE RUNS INDICATED AS LOW LEVEL WINDS VEER TOO STRONGLY AND COOLING OF MID LEVEL TEMPS TO BE SLOWER THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT. IF ANY STRONG STORMS DEVELOP THEY SHOULD BE VERY ISOLATED AT BEST AND ACROSS NE ZONES. SURFACE TROUGH TO SLIDE EASTWARD TODAY WITH WINDS SHIFTING NWRLY BEHIND BOUNDARY AS SIGNIFICANTLY DRIER AIR WORKS INTO S TX. MAIN SURFACE FRONT TO SLIDE THROUGH S TX LATE AFTERNOON WITH WINDS BECOMING MORE NNERLY. ANOTHER DAY OF UNSEASONABLY WARM TEMPS TODAY BEFORE MAX/MIN TEMPS FALL TO SEASONABLE LEVELS TONIGHT THROUGH WED AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO CWA. && .LONG TERM (WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY)...OVERALL NOT A LOT OF CHANGES (MAIN ONES TO FALL IN LINE WITH ISC). QUIET WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT WITH MOISTURE RETURNING LATE THURSDAY IN TIME FOR THE NEXT UPPER LEVEL TROUGH COMING ACROSS LATE FRIDAY. INTERESTING THAT 00Z ECMWF IS BACK TO CUTTING OFF PART OF THE UPPER LOW THIS WEEKEND AND RETROGRADING IT AGAIN (AFTER NOT DOING SO ON ITS 12Z RUN). THUS...AM AGAIN RELYING MORE ON THE GFS SOLUTION WITH THIS SYSTEM...AND PRETTY MUCH KEEPING THE SAME POPS (DID GO A BIT HIGHER FARTHER SOUTH FRIDAY/FRIDAY NIGHT). SOME RAINS COULD LINGER FOR A SHORT TIME SATURDAY MORNING...BUT SHOULD BE CLEARER...WINDY AND COOLER FOR SATURDAY AFTERNOON WITH CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS PROBABLE....AND WINDS NEAR GALE FORCE OVER THE OFFSHORE WATERS. THIS COULD BE THE COLDEST AIRMASS SO FAR THIS YEAR AS STRONG HIGH MOVES INTO SOUTHERN PLAINS. HOWEVER...WINDS WILL STAY UP ENOUGH SO THAT TEMPERATURES SUNDAY MORNING WILL NOT BE TERRIBLY COLD (MONDAY WILL BE THE COLDEST MORNING...WITH SUNDAY BEING THE COLDEST DAY). AIRMASS MODIFIES ON MONDAY AHEAD OF ANOTHER FRONT POSSIBLE EARLY TUESDAY MORNING. NOT MUCH ELSE TO SAY...SUBTLE CHANGES TO PREVIOUS TEMPERATURE FORECAST. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... CORPUS CHRISTI 87 55 76 54 78 / 50 10 0 0 10 VICTORIA 83 49 74 46 77 / 70 0 0 0 10 LAREDO 86 54 78 55 82 / 10 0 0 0 10 ALICE 88 54 78 51 80 / 30 0 0 0 10 ROCKPORT 83 55 72 56 75 / 50 10 0 0 10 COTULLA 83 49 76 49 79 / 10 0 0 0 10 KINGSVILLE 88 54 76 51 78 / 30 10 0 0 10 NAVY CORPUS 83 58 72 59 74 / 50 10 0 0 10 && .CRP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... TX...NONE. GM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 9 AM CST THIS MORNING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: WATERS FROM BAFFIN BAY TO PORT ARANSAS FROM 20 TO 60 NM...WATERS FROM PORT ARANSAS TO MATAGORDA SHIP CHANNEL FROM 20 TO 60 NM. && $$ RH/79...SHORT TERM GW/79...LONG TERM
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NWS AMARILLO TX
1151 PM CST MON NOV 21 2011 .AVIATION... FOG AND LOW CLOUDS WILL BE THE MAIN AVIATION CONCERN. FOG HAS BEEN ABLE TO MOVE FURTHER NORTHWESTWARD TO THE DHT TAF SITE...AND CONTINUES AT AMA. CARRIED VLIFR CONDITIONS AT DHT/AMA THROUGH 15Z/16Z BEFORE IMPROVING TO VFR. LESS CONFIDENCE ABOUT DENSE FOG AT GUY ATTM BUT WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR. NORTHERLY WIND SHIFT MOVING THROUGH THE PANHANDLES ATTM...BUT WINDS SHOULD REMAIN LESS THAN 12 KNOTS. WINDS WILL RETURN THE SOUTH TOWARDS THE LATTER PART OF THE TAF PERIOD. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 926 PM CST MON NOV 21 2011/ UPDATE... HAVE ISSUED DENSE FOG ADVISORY FOR ALL OF THE TEXAS PANHANDLE FOR THE REST OF TONIGHT THROUGH 10 AM TUESDAY. DENSE FOG HAS DEVELOPED ACROSS WESTERN ZONES. POTENTIAL FOR ADDITIONAL MORE WIDESPREAD DEVELOPMENT WILL EXIST ACROSS THE TEXAS PANHANDLE OVERNIGHT AND INTO TUESDAY MORNING. UPDATED TEXT PRODUCTS HAVE BEEN ISSUED. COCKRELL PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 808 PM CST MON NOV 21 2011/ UPDATE... HAVE MADE SOME UPDATES TO GRAPHICAL FORECASTS FOR THE REST OF TONIGHT AND TUESDAY MORNING. HAVE REDUCED POPS DOWN TO ISOLATED TO SCATTERED FOR THE REST OF TONIGHT...BASED ON RADAR TRENDS AND DYNAMICS PRECEIVED THROUGH SATELLITE AND RUC ANALYSES. RUC AND HRRR ARE SLOW TO BRING IN DRY AIR FROM WEST TONIGHT. THIS SCENARIO FITS WELL WITH SURFACE OBS NEAR OR AT SATURATION OVER THE EASTERN PLAINS OF NEW MEXICO AT THIS TIME. HAVE LOWERED WIND SPEEDS...LOWERED MINIMUM TEMPERATURES SLIGHTLY IN NORTHERN ZONES...RAISED DEWPOINTS...RECALCULATED DERIVED ELEMENTS INCLUDING RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND HAVE INSERTED FOG ACROSS ALL SECTIONS BEGINNING EARLIER THAN ONSET IN PREVIOUS FORECAST. HAVE CARRIED FOG INTO TUESDAY MORNING. NO OTHER CHANGES AT THIS TIME. UPDATED TEXT PRODUCTS WILL BE ISSUED SHORTLY. COCKRELL PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 538 PM CST MON NOV 21 2011/ AVIATION... MAIN AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST OF THE TAF SITES...BUT LEFT VCSH REMARKS AT GUY FOR A FEW HOURS. LOW CLOUDS AND FOG WILL BE THE FORECAST CONCERNS AT GUY/AMA AND HAVE TRENDED TOWARDS A MORE PESSIMISTIC FORECAST. LOW DEWPOINT DEPRESSIONS WILL SUPPORT LOW CIGS AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF FOG THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT AND HAVE INCLUDED LIFR CIGS/VSBYS AT GUY/AMA. WILL AMEND AS NECESSARY. IFR CONDITIONS AT DHT SHOULD GIVE WAY TO VFR AS DRIER AIR ATTEMPTS TO MOVE IN FROM THE WEST. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR AND SEE IF FOG IS ABLE TO MAKE IT THAT FAR WEST. EASTERLY TO SOUTHEASTERLY WINDS WILL BECOME MORE NORTHERLY WITH TIME...BUT SHOULD REMAIN BETWEEN 10 AND 15 KNOTS THROUGH THE PERIOD. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 344 PM CST MON NOV 21 2011/ DISCUSSION... SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING ACROSS THE TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES THIS AFTERNOON. THIS ACTIVITY WAS GENERATED BY A LEAD SHORT WAVE IMPULSE LOCATED OVER THE PANHANDLES PER LATEST WATER VAPOR SATELLITE IMAGERY. AN UPPER-LEVEL TROUGH CURRENTLY OVER THE FOUR CORNERS REGION WILL CONTINUE TO LIFT NORTHEAST ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PLAINS TONIGHT. LARGE SCALE ASCENT WILL INCREASE AS THIS SYSTEM DRAWS CLOSER TO THE REGION...SO EXPECT ADDITIONAL SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP AND MOVE ACROSS THE AREA THIS EVENING. OPERATIONAL RUNS OF THE GFS/NAM/SREF/RUC SHOW CONVECTION CONTINUING THIS EVENING BUT QUICKLY SHIFTING TO THE NORTHEAST...WITH THE AXIS OF HEAVY RAINFALL MOVING INTO OKLAHOMA. FORECAST SOUNDINGS AND SPC MESOSCALE ANALYSIS GRAPHICS INDICATE AMPLE AMOUNT OF ELEVATED INSTABILITY PARTICULARLY ACROSS THE SOUTHERN TEXAS PANHANDLE SO EXPECT THE STORMS TO REMAIN ELEVATED AS WE HEAD INTO EVENING. ALTHOUGH THESE STORMS HAVE NOT HAD ANY HISTORY LATELY OF PRODUCING HAIL...THERE STILL REMAINS THE POSSIBILITY THAT SOME OF THE STORMS CAN BECOME SEVERE DUE TO STEEP MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES AROUND 7-9 C/KM...MUCAPES AROUND 1000 J/KG...AND LARGE BULK SHEER VALUES. HAIL STILL REMAINS THE MAIN SEVERE WEATHER THREAT BUT EXPECT THIS THREAT TO DECREASE LATER THIS EVENING. RAIN WILL END LATER TONIGHT ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA DUE TO THE PROGRESSIVE NATURE OF THIS SYSTEM...BUT STILL HELD ONTO SLIGHT CHANCE POPS ACROSS THE EASTERN TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES THROUGH 12Z TUESDAY. A PACIFIC COLD FRONT WILL MOVE INTO THE PANHANDLES AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT. THIS FRONT WILL PUSH FROM WEST TO EAST ALLOWING MUCH DRIER AIR TO MOVE ACROSS THE AREA. THIS WILL QUICKLY SHUT OFF PRECIP CHANCES WHILE ISENTROPIC DOWNGLIDE WILL CAUSE SKIES TO CLEAR FROM WEST TO EAST. DESPITE THIS INFLUX OF DRIER AIR...HAVE MENTIONED PATCHY FOG IN THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN ZONES DUE TO RESIDUAL MOISTURE FROM THE RAINS THIS AFTERNOON/EVENING. NOT EXPECTING FOG TO BECOME WIDESPREAD AND LAST THAT LONG AS DRY AIR ADVECTION SHOULD CAUSE ANY FOG TO LIFT BY MORNING. TEMPS THIS AFTERNOON HAVE HOVERED IN THE 40S AND WITH MOST OF THE AREA REMAINING UNDER MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES...EXPECT LOWS TO ONLY FALL INTO THE 30S. TUESDAY WILL SEE A RETURN TO SUNNY SKIES AS THIS SYSTEM WILL BE WELL EAST OF THE AREA. TEMPS WILL BE WARMER...DESPITE WINDS REMAINING OUT OF THE NORTH FOR MUCH OF THE DAY BEHIND THE DEPARTING COLD FRONT. HEIGHTS RISES ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PLAINS SHOULD HELP TO BUMP TEMPS UP INTO THE UPPER 50S TO LOWER 60S. A SURFACE LEE-SIDE TROUGH DEEPENS ACROSS THE WESTERN HIGH PLAINS MID WEEK WHILE AN UPPER RIDGE BUILDS ACROSS THE ROCKIES. HIGHS WILL CLIMB INTO THE 70S BY THANKSGIVING DAY IN RESPONSE TO BREEZY DOWNSLOPING SOUTHWEST WINDS. BY THE END OF THE WEEK...MEDIUM RANGE MODELS CONTINUE TO DEPICT AN UPPER-LEVEL TROUGH LIFTING NORTHEAST OUT OF THE DESERT SOUTHWEST. THE GFS AND ECMWF DIFFER ON THE TIMING OF THIS SYSTEM...WITH THE GFS HAVING A MORE PROGRESSIVE SOLUTION AND AS A RESULT...BRING IN QPF FRIDAY RATHER THAN SATURDAY AS THE 00 UTC RUN INDICATED. /HOWEVER THE LATEST 12 UTC ECMWF RUN IS TRENDING TOWARD THE GFS AND NOW BRINGS IN PRECIP ON FRIDAY/. THE CANADIAN IS DRY THROUGH THE PERIOD. GIVEN THESE MODEL DISCREPANCIES...HAVE OPTED TO LEAVE THE FRIDAY TIMEFRAME DRY. A FAIRLY STRONG COLD FRONT WILL PUSH INTO THE AREA SATURDAY. STRONG COLD AIR ADVECTION BEHIND THE FRONT SUGGESTS MUCH COOLER CONDITIONS BY THE WEEKEND. CLK FIRE WEATHER... SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THIS EVENING ACROSS THE TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES...AS AN UPPER-LEVEL TROUGH APPROACHES THE SOUTHERN PLAINS. THIS SYSTEM WILL QUICKLY EXIT EAST OF THE AREA BY TUESDAY...WITH WARMER AND DRIER CONDITIONS RETURNING TO THE PANHANDLES. ON TUESDAY LOWEST AFTERNOON RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL FALL TO AROUND 20 PERCENT IN THE WESTERN OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE AND THE NORTHWEST TEXAS PANHANDLE BUT 20 FOOT WINDS WILL BE AROUND 10 TO 15 MPH...PRECLUDING FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS. ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS CAN CREEP BACK INTO THE FORECAST WEDNESDAY ACROSS THE WESTERN ZONES AS MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITIES FALL TO AROUND 15 TO 20 PERCENT WHILE 20 FOOT WINDS INCREASE TO NEAR 15 MPH. ELEVATED OR CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE THANKSGIVING DAY... AGAIN ACROSS THE WESTERN TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES...DUE TO THE COMBINATION OF MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITIES FALL TO AROUND 10 TO 15 PERCENT WHILE 20 FOOT WINDS INCREASE TO AROUND 15 TO 20 MPH. COOLER TEMPERATURES AND THUS HIGHER MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITIES ARE EXPECTED BY THE END OF THE WEEK. RELATIVE HUMIDITIES ABOVE 20 PERCENT ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THE PERIOD...PRECLUDING ELEVATED OR CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS. CLK && .AMA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... TX...DENSE FOG ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM CST TUESDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: ARMSTRONG...CARSON...COLLINGSWORTH...DALLAM...DEAF SMITH...DONLEY...GRAY...HANSFORD...HARTLEY...HEMPHILL... HUTCHINSON...LIPSCOMB...MOORE...OCHILTREE...OLDHAM... POTTER...RANDALL...ROBERTS...SHERMAN...WHEELER. OK...NONE. && $$ 10/03
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
1143 PM CST MON NOV 21 2011 .UPDATE... LATE EVENING UPDATE TO ELIMINATE EVENING WORDING AND TO CONCENTRATE ON THE HIGHER POPS TO THE NORTH. EFFECTS OF THE MID-LEVEL DRY SLOT AND SURFACE TROUGHING OVER WESTERN COUNTIES HAS ENABLED STORM FOCUS TO RECONCENTRATE FARTHER UPSTREAM WITH THE COLD FRONT BECOMING MORE WELL-DEFINED ALONG A SW-NE AXIS FROM DRT TO AQO. 50-70 PERECENT CHANCES REMAIN INTACT FOR THE AUS/SAT METRO AREAS WITH ISOLATED HEAVY DOWNPOURS OVER 1 INCH POSSIBLE. LOWER PORTION OF THE CONVECTIVE SQUALL LINES SHOW SOME BREAKS...SO WILL POPS WERE LOWERED ABOUT 10 PERCENT OVER THIS AREA. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 1128 PM CST MON NOV 21 2011/ DISCUSSION... SEE AVIATION DISCUSSION. AVIATION... NO MAJOR CHANGES FROM PREVIOUS TAF PACKAGE WITH MVFR CIGS AT I-35 TERMINALS IMPROVING BACK TO VFR BETWEEN 15-18Z. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL EXPAND AND MOVE EAST TOWARD I-35 TERMINALS THROUGH EARLY TUESDAY MORNING. AT KDRT...MVFR CIGS ARE FORECAST FOR THE NEXT COUPLE HOURS...WITH VFR CONDITIONS PREVAILING THEREAFTER. MOISTURE TRAPPED IN THE FRONTAL LAYER ACROSS NORTH TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA MAY IMPACT I-35 TERMINALS LATE TUESDAY NIGHT WITH IFR CIGS/VSBYS POSSIBLE. A MODERATE SOUTHERLY LOW LEVEL FLOW WILL BECOME NORTHERLY BEHIND THE FROPA EARLY TUESDAY MORNING...THEN DECREASE IN SPEED. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 855 PM CST MON NOV 21 2011/ UPDATE... EVENING UPDATE ENHANCES POPS FOR THE EASTERN HILL COUNTRY COUNTIES AND INTO THE METRO AREAS. SEVERE POTENTIAL LIKELY TO REMAIN HIGHER TO THE NORTH...BUT THE SURFACE BOUNDARY IS SHOWING A MORE PROGRESSIVE TREND. THE FASTER RUC MODEL WAS POPULATED FOR EARLIER WIND SHIFTS FOR MUCH OF THE HILL COUNTRY AND AUS AREA. THIS TRENDS THE MIN TEMPS DOWNWARD AS WELL. 00Z NAM SHOWED A DECENT INITIALIZATION OF CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY WHICH ALSO SUPPORTS SLIGHLTY HIGHER POPS NEAR THE I-35 CORRIDOR LATE THIS EVENING AND IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. MUCH OF THE INCREASED POPS IS LIKELY ACCOUNTED FOR BY LIGHTER SHOWERS...SO WHILE POPS WERE RAISED...THE QPF AMOUNTS SHOULD NOT BE MUCH MORE THAN PREVIOUSLY ASSESSED. AREAS ALONG AND NORTH OF I-10 COULD SEE RAINFALL AVERAGES OF 1/4 TO 1/2 INCH WITH ISOLATED HIGHER TOTALS UP TO 2 INCHES POSSIBLE NEAR AND TO THE NE OF THE AUS METRO AREA. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 541 PM CST MON NOV 21 2011/ DISCUSSION... SEE AVIATION DISCUSSION. AVIATION... AT I-35 TERMINALS...A MIX OF VFR AND MVFR CIGS THIS EVENING WILL DETERIORATE TO ALL MVFR BEFORE MIDNIGHT...THEN CONTINUE A DOWNWARD TREND PRIOR TO THE FRONT PUSHING THROUGH. IFR CIGS ARE NOT FORECAST AT THIS TIME...BUT ARE POSSIBLE BRIEFLY WITH SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EARLY TUESDAY MORNING. IMPROVEMENT BACK TO VFR IS FORECAST BY MID DAY TUESDAY. AT KDRT...VFR CONDITIONS ARE FORECAST TO PERSIST THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD. A MODERATE SOUTHERLY LOW LEVEL FLOW WILL TURN WEST BEHIND THE FRONT AND THEN NORTH LATE TUESDAY. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 318 PM CST MON NOV 21 2011/ DISCUSSION... MODELS IN AGREEMENT MOVING PROGRESSIVE S/W TROUGH INTO CENTRAL TEXAS OVERNIGHT...BRINGING A COLD FRONT INTO WESTERN PORTIONS AROUND MIDNIGHT AND EXITING EASTERN PORTIONS AROUND MIDDAY TOMORROW. SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP GENERALLY ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE FRONT. SEVERE DYNAMICS (BETTER UPPER LEVEL FORCING MECHANISMS, SHEAR) WILL REMAIN MAINLY NORTH OF OUR CWA TONIGHT AND EARLY TUESDAY...HOWEVER CANNOT RULE OUT TOTALLY SOME OF THE STORMS APPROACHING SEVERE LIMITS OVERNIGHT OVER OUR EXTREME NORTHERN CWA. MAXIMUM RAIN AMOUNTS SHOULD BE AROUND A HALF INCH WITH THIS SYSTEM THROUGH MIDDAY TOMORROW MAINLY OVER OUR NORTHEAST CORRIDOR. THE SYSTEM WILL EXIT TO THE EAST TOMORROW EVENING WITH AN INCREASING DRY NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT AND A DRY SURFACE RIDGE BUILDING SOUTHWARD INTO THE REGION. WEDNESDAY LOOKS TO BE MOSTLY SUNNY AND MILD WITH HIGHS IN THE 70S AND RIDGING ALOFT TRAVERSES THE AREA. AS THE NEXT SYSTEM APPROACHES ON THANKSGIVING... SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL RETURN WITH INCREASING CLOUDINESS BEGINNING IN WESTERN PORTIONS AND GRADUALLY DEVELOPING EASTWARD DURING THE DAY. EARLY MORNING LOWS ON THANKSGIVING WILL GENERALLY BE IN THE 40S WITH AFTERNOON HIGHS RANGING FROM NEAR 70 HILL COUNTRY TO THE UPPER 70S EXTREME SOUTHWEST. LOW TO MID 70S WILL PREVAIL ALONG THE I-35 CORRIDOR THANKSGIVING AFTERNOON. THE MODELS ALSO SEEM TO BE IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THE NEXT UPPER AIR SYSTEM. THIS POSITIVELY TILTED UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL ENTER WESTERN TEXAS THURSDAY NIGHT...PUSHING INTO OUR CWA FRIDAY. THE POLAR JET WILL DIG SOUTH ON THE BACKSIDE OF THIS SYSTEM AS IT PUSHES ACROSS FRIDAY INTO FRIDAY NIGHT MAKING IT SLOW DOWN SOMEWHAT FRIDAY...WHICH FORTUNATELY FOR US...MAY MAKE FOR SLIGHTLY BETTER RAIN AMOUNTS. DUE TO ITS POSITIVE TILT ORIENTATION AND PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT...WE DO NOT ANTICIPATE THIS SYSTEM TO DEVELOP SEVERE WEATHER...AT THE PRESENT TIME. CLEARING...BREEZY AND COOLER SATURDAY AS DRY NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT AND GUSTY NORTH WINDS ACCOMPANY A BUILDING DRY SURFACE RIDGE. MOSTLY CLEAR AND COOL SUNDAY. COLDER MONDAY MORNING WITH LIGHT WINDS AND CLEAR SKIES...MAKE EXPECT SOME FREEZING TEMPERATURES ACROSS OUR CWA NEXT MONDAY MORNING. FIRE WEATHER... ELEVATED TO NEAR CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TOMORROW AFTERNOON OVER WESTERN PORTIONS...GENERALLY WEST OF WITH U.S. HIGHWAY 83. RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL LOWER TO BELOW 20 PERCENT WITH NORTHWEST WINDS OF 10 TO 15 MPH. MORE ELEVATED CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED SUNDAY AFTERNOON AS STRONG DRY NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT MIXES DOWN TO THE SURFACE. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... AUSTIN CAMP MABRY 65 79 49 73 45 / 70 40 0 0 0 AUSTIN BERGSTROM INTL AIRPORT 67 81 43 73 43 / 70 40 0 0 0 NEW BRAUNFELS MUNI AIRPORT 68 81 43 74 44 / 60 30 0 0 0 BURNET MUNI AIRPORT 57 76 45 72 47 / 60 20 0 0 0 DEL RIO INTL AIRPORT 55 81 46 73 49 / 20 - 0 0 0 GEORGETOWN MUNI AIRPORT 60 77 46 72 43 / 70 30 0 0 0 HONDO MUNI AIRPORT 63 83 42 76 42 / 40 10 0 0 0 SAN MARCOS MUNI AIRPORT 67 80 46 73 43 / 60 30 0 0 0 LA GRANGE - FAYETTE REGIONAL 70 80 48 73 43 / 60 60 - 0 0 SAN ANTONIO INTL AIRPORT 65 82 47 75 47 / 50 30 0 0 0 STINSON MUNI AIRPORT 69 84 48 76 46 / 50 30 0 0 0 && .EWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ MESOSCALE/AVIATION...11 SYNOPTIC/GRIDS...18
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NWS AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
1128 PM CST MON NOV 21 2011 .DISCUSSION... SEE AVIATION DISCUSSION. && .AVIATION... NO MAJOR CHANGES FROM PREVIOUS TAF PACKAGE WITH MVFR CIGS AT I-35 TERMINALS IMPROVING BACK TO VFR BETWEEN 15-18Z. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL EXPAND AND MOVE EAST TOWARD I-35 TERMINALS THROUGH EARLY TUESDAY MORNING. AT KDRT...MVFR CIGS ARE FORECAST FOR THE NEXT COUPLE HOURS...WITH VFR CONDITIONS PREVAILING THEREAFTER. MOISTURE TRAPPED IN THE FRONTAL LAYER ACROSS NORTH TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA MAY IMPACT I-35 TERMINALS LATE TUESDAY NIGHT WITH IFR CIGS/VSBYS POSSIBLE. A MODERATE SOUTHERLY LOW LEVEL FLOW WILL BECOME NORTHERLY BEHIND THE FROPA EARLY TUESDAY MORNING...THEN DECREASE IN SPEED. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 855 PM CST MON NOV 21 2011/ UPDATE... EVENING UPDATE ENHANCES POPS FOR THE EASTERN HILL COUNTRY COUNTIES AND INTO THE METRO AREAS. SEVERE POTENTIAL LIKELY TO REMAIN HIGHER TO THE NORTH...BUT THE SURFACE BOUNDARY IS SHOWING A MORE PROGRESSIVE TREND. THE FASTER RUC MODEL WAS POPULATED FOR EARLIER WIND SHIFTS FOR MUCH OF THE HILL COUNTRY AND AUS AREA. THIS TRENDS THE MIN TEMPS DOWNWARD AS WELL. 00Z NAM SHOWED A DECENT INITIALIZATION OF CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY WHICH ALSO SUPPORTS SLIGHLTY HIGHER POPS NEAR THE I-35 CORRIDOR LATE THIS EVENING AND IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. MUCH OF THE INCREASED POPS IS LIKELY ACCOUNTED FOR BY LIGHTER SHOWERS...SO WHILE POPS WERE RAISED...THE QPF AMOUNTS SHOULD NOT BE MUCH MORE THAN PREVIOUSLY ASSESSED. AREAS ALONG AND NORTH OF I-10 COULD SEE RAINFALL AVERAGES OF 1/4 TO 1/2 INCH WITH ISOLATED HIGHER TOTALS UP TO 2 INCHES POSSIBLE NEAR AND TO THE NE OF THE AUS METRO AREA. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 541 PM CST MON NOV 21 2011/ DISCUSSION... SEE AVIATION DISCUSSION. AVIATION... AT I-35 TERMINALS...A MIX OF VFR AND MVFR CIGS THIS EVENING WILL DETERIORATE TO ALL MVFR BEFORE MIDNIGHT...THEN CONTINUE A DOWNWARD TREND PRIOR TO THE FRONT PUSHING THROUGH. IFR CIGS ARE NOT FORECAST AT THIS TIME...BUT ARE POSSIBLE BRIEFLY WITH SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EARLY TUESDAY MORNING. IMPROVEMENT BACK TO VFR IS FORECAST BY MID DAY TUESDAY. AT KDRT...VFR CONDITIONS ARE FORECAST TO PERSIST THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD. A MODERATE SOUTHERLY LOW LEVEL FLOW WILL TURN WEST BEHIND THE FRONT AND THEN NORTH LATE TUESDAY. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 318 PM CST MON NOV 21 2011/ DISCUSSION... MODELS IN AGREEMENT MOVING PROGRESSIVE S/W TROUGH INTO CENTRAL TEXAS OVERNIGHT...BRINGING A COLD FRONT INTO WESTERN PORTIONS AROUND MIDNIGHT AND EXITING EASTERN PORTIONS AROUND MIDDAY TOMORROW. SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP GENERALLY ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE FRONT. SEVERE DYNAMICS (BETTER UPPER LEVEL FORCING MECHANISMS, SHEAR) WILL REMAIN MAINLY NORTH OF OUR CWA TONIGHT AND EARLY TUESDAY...HOWEVER CANNOT RULE OUT TOTALLY SOME OF THE STORMS APPROACHING SEVERE LIMITS OVERNIGHT OVER OUR EXTREME NORTHERN CWA. MAXIMUM RAIN AMOUNTS SHOULD BE AROUND A HALF INCH WITH THIS SYSTEM THROUGH MIDDAY TOMORROW MAINLY OVER OUR NORTHEAST CORRIDOR. THE SYSTEM WILL EXIT TO THE EAST TOMORROW EVENING WITH AN INCREASING DRY NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT AND A DRY SURFACE RIDGE BUILDING SOUTHWARD INTO THE REGION. WEDNESDAY LOOKS TO BE MOSTLY SUNNY AND MILD WITH HIGHS IN THE 70S AND RIDGING ALOFT TRAVERSES THE AREA. AS THE NEXT SYSTEM APPROACHES ON THANKSGIVING... SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL RETURN WITH INCREASING CLOUDINESS BEGINNING IN WESTERN PORTIONS AND GRADUALLY DEVELOPING EASTWARD DURING THE DAY. EARLY MORNING LOWS ON THANKSGIVING WILL GENERALLY BE IN THE 40S WITH AFTERNOON HIGHS RANGING FROM NEAR 70 HILL COUNTRY TO THE UPPER 70S EXTREME SOUTHWEST. LOW TO MID 70S WILL PREVAIL ALONG THE I-35 CORRIDOR THANKSGIVING AFTERNOON. THE MODELS ALSO SEEM TO BE IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THE NEXT UPPER AIR SYSTEM. THIS POSITIVELY TILTED UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL ENTER WESTERN TEXAS THURSDAY NIGHT...PUSHING INTO OUR CWA FRIDAY. THE POLAR JET WILL DIG SOUTH ON THE BACKSIDE OF THIS SYSTEM AS IT PUSHES ACROSS FRIDAY INTO FRIDAY NIGHT MAKING IT SLOW DOWN SOMEWHAT FRIDAY...WHICH FORTUNATELY FOR US...MAY MAKE FOR SLIGHTLY BETTER RAIN AMOUNTS. DUE TO ITS POSITIVE TILT ORIENTATION AND PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT...WE DO NOT ANTICIPATE THIS SYSTEM TO DEVELOP SEVERE WEATHER...AT THE PRESENT TIME. CLEARING...BREEZY AND COOLER SATURDAY AS DRY NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT AND GUSTY NORTH WINDS ACCOMPANY A BUILDING DRY SURFACE RIDGE. MOSTLY CLEAR AND COOL SUNDAY. COLDER MONDAY MORNING WITH LIGHT WINDS AND CLEAR SKIES...MAKE EXPECT SOME FREEZING TEMPERATURES ACROSS OUR CWA NEXT MONDAY MORNING. FIRE WEATHER... ELEVATED TO NEAR CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TOMORROW AFTERNOON OVER WESTERN PORTIONS...GENERALLY WEST OF WITH U.S. HIGHWAY 83. RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL LOWER TO BELOW 20 PERCENT WITH NORTHWEST WINDS OF 10 TO 15 MPH. MORE ELEVATED CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED SUNDAY AFTERNOON AS STRONG DRY NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT MIXES DOWN TO THE SURFACE. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... AUSTIN CAMP MABRY 69 79 49 73 45 / 60 50 0 0 0 AUSTIN BERGSTROM INTL AIRPORT 68 81 43 73 43 / 60 50 0 0 0 NEW BRAUNFELS MUNI AIRPORT 66 81 43 74 44 / 50 40 0 0 0 BURNET MUNI AIRPORT 66 76 45 72 47 / 70 30 0 0 0 DEL RIO INTL AIRPORT 59 81 46 73 49 / 30 20 0 0 0 GEORGETOWN MUNI AIRPORT 68 77 46 72 43 / 70 40 0 0 0 HONDO MUNI AIRPORT 65 83 42 76 42 / 50 30 0 0 0 SAN MARCOS MUNI AIRPORT 67 80 46 73 43 / 50 40 0 0 0 LA GRANGE - FAYETTE REGIONAL 70 80 48 73 43 / 50 60 - 0 0 SAN ANTONIO INTL AIRPORT 67 82 47 75 47 / 50 40 0 0 0 STINSON MUNI AIRPORT 69 84 48 76 46 / 40 40 0 0 0 && .EWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ MESOSCALE/AVIATION...11 SYNOPTIC/GRIDS...18
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GREEN BAY WI
555 PM CST WED NOV 23 2011 UPDATED AVIATION PORTION FOR 00Z TAF ISSUANCE .SHORT TERM...FORECASTING CLOUD COVER IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE OF TONIGHT AND TOMORROWS FORECAST...AS IT HAS BEEN FOR THE LAST FEW DAYS. IT IS USUALLY WISE TO KEEP CLOUDS AROUND IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER AND WILL KEEP MORE CLOUDS IN THE FORECAST THAN THE GUIDANCE WOULD INDICATE. THE RUC HAD THE BEST FORECAST OF THE CLOUD COVER THIS AFTERNOON WITH CLEARING OCCURRING IN THE DOWNSLOPE AREA OF NORTHEAST WISCONSIN. IT WOULD KEEP THE CURRENT CLOUDS IN THE WESTERN PART OF THE FORECAST AREA FOR MOST OF THE NIGHT WITH CLOUDS REFORMING GENERALLY NORTH OF GREEN BAY IN THE EAST. DIFFICULT TO SAY FOR SURE. WE HAVE TRIED JUST ABOUT EVERY MODEL FIELD (1000MB TO 925MB, 925MB, 925 TO 950MB RELATIVE HUMIDITY, MOISTURE TRANSPORT VECTORS, AND HRR CEILING HEIGHTS) BUT NONE DEPICT THE CURRENT CLOUDS THAT WELL. LOWS TONIGHT SHOULD BE ABOVE NORMAL ONCE AGAIN DUE TO MILD BOUNDARY LAYER TEMPERATURES, A STEADY BREEZE AND CLOUDS. THE COOLEST TEMPERATURES SHOULD BE IN VALLEYS WITH CLEAR SKIES AND IN AREAS WITH SNOW ON THE GROUND. THANKSGIVING MAY NOT BE QUITE AS MILD AS IT LOOKED LIKE A FEW DAYS AGO AS THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE DAY COULD START OUT WITH CLOUDS LIKE MOST OF THE LAST FEW DAYS. 925MB TEMPERATURES ARE VERY MILD THOUGH, AND EVEN WITH CLOUDS IT WILL BE 10 TO 15 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL AND THERE SHOULD AT LEAST BE SOME SUNSHINE BY AFTERNOON IN MOST PLACES. .LONG TERM...THURSDAY NIGHT TO WEDNESDAY. SOUTHERLY FLOW AHEAD OF A WEAK COLD FRONT EXPECTED THURSDAY EVENING. GRADIENT EXPECTED TO SLACKEN DURING THE NIGHT...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE NORTH. DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH SNOW PACK IS LEFT...ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO ADD FOG AFTER MIDNIGHT OVER THE FAR NORTH. MODELS TODAY ARE SHOWING LOW LEVEL MOISTURE TRAPPED BELOW AN INVERSION LATER THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY. QUESTION IS HOW QUICK THIS LAYER WILL SATURATE. DO THINK BEST SATURATION WILL OCCUR ACROSS THE NORTH. CONFIDENCE IS NOT THAT GREAT ACROSS THE SOUTH DUE TO DIFFERING NUMERICAL GUIDANCE VALUES FOR CLOUD HEIGHT. WITH EXPECTED LOW CLOUDS TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE NORTH AND WEAK UPWARD VERTICAL MOTIONS...THOUGHTS TURNED TO THE POTENTIAL FOR DRIZZLE LATE THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY. DO THINK MOISTURE WILL BE TOO SHALLOW THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING... BUT CLOUD LAYER MAY BE DEEP ENOUGH TO SUPPORT DRIZZLE FRIDAY AFTERNOON. DID NOT ADD DRIZZLE TO THE FORECAST ACROSS THE NORTH ON FRIDAY AND WILL PASS ON MY CONCERNS TO MIDNIGHT SHIFT. FOR FRIDAY NIGHT...MOIST SOUTHERLY FLOW EXPECTED ACROSS THE AREA. THINK PRECIPITATION WILL START OUT AS DRIZZLE WITH A MORE STEADIER RAIN LATE FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY AS FRONT APPROACHES. PRECIPITATION WILL CONTINUE INTO SATURDAY. MORE QUESTIONS APPEAR ON SATURDAY AS SEVERAL MODELS SHOW A DRY SLOT MOVING ACROSS THE REGION SATURDAY AFTERNOON INTO SATURDAY NIGHT. DESPITE A FEW MODELS DRYING US OUT FOR AWHILE... WILL CONTINUE A CHANCE OF RAIN SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND RAIN OR SNOW SATURDAY NIGHT. MANY QUESTIONS LINGER SATURDAY NIGHT ON HOW FAST THE COLD AIR WILL ARRIVE. LATER SHIFTS WILL PROBABLY NEED TO ALTER TIMING THE CHANGEOVER TO ALL SNOW ACROSS SOME PORTION OF THE FORECAST AREA. OTHERWISE...ANOTHER SYSTEM WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY AND WILL BRING ANOTHER SMALL CHANCE FOR RAIN OR SNOW TO THE AREA. && .AVIATION... CLOUD FORECAST CONTINUES TO BE VERY UNCERTAIN. WINDS OVER THE AREA INCREASING...BUT INVERSION STRONG. SAT IMAGERY SHOWING LOW CLOUD LIFTING NORTH OUT OF FOX VALLEY...THOUGH AREA TO THE WEST LOOKS LIKE IT IS STARTING TO EXPAND ONCE AGAIN. RUC SEEMS TO HAVE BEST HANDLE ON THINGS SO HAVE FOLLOWED...CLEARING EAST FOR MOST OF NIGHT...BRINGING CLOUDS BACK IN AROUND 9Z. WILL KEEP CLOUDS OVER CENTRAL AREAS. WITH INCREASING WINDS...CIG HEIGHTS EXPECTED TO STAY IN MVFR RANGE. LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR POSSIBLE TONIGHT WITH SOUTHWEST WINDS AROUND 35 KNOTS AT 1000 FT AGL AND SURFACE WINDS FROM THE SOUTH AT 5 TO 10 KNOTS. TE && .MARINE...HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS WITH GALE FORCE ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE UPCOMING WEEKEND. MODEL DIFFERENCES IN STRENGTH AND TIMING OF THIS SYSTEM THIS WEEKEND ARE MITIGATING FACTORS IN INTRODUCING GALES IN THE HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK. IT APPEARS THAT THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL BE SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY...BUT COULD START SATURDAY AFTERNOON IF THE QUICKER MODEL SOLUTION IS CORRECT. && .GRB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LA CROSSE WI
532 PM CST WED NOV 23 2011 .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT 250 PM CST WED NOV 23 2011 MAIN FORECAST CONCERNS THIS PACKAGE...RAIN CHANCES CENTERED ON FRI NIGHT/SAT...WINDS SAT...TEMPERATURES THRU THE PERIOD. 18Z DATA ANALYSIS HAD LOW PRESSURE MOVING EAST ACROSS CENTRAL CANADA AND HIGH PRESSURE OVER MO TO EAST TX. VIS IMAGERY/SFC OBS SHOWED LOW STRATUS REMAINED TRAPPED UNDER AN INVERSION NEAR 925MB ACROSS MUCH OF WI/IA AND SOUTHEAST MN. LAPS SOUNDINGS AND PILOT REPORTS INDICATING THE MOISTURE/CLOUDS RATHER SHALLOW UNDER THE INVERSION. MOST MODELS...EXCEPT FOR GFS...DOING A DECENT JOB DEPICTING THE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE/CLOUDS THIS MORNING. INCREASING PRESSURE GRADIENT OVER THE AREA AND WESTERLY FLOW IN THE 925-700MB LAYER FINALLY STARTING TO ERODE/ADVECT THE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE/CLOUDS EAST AT MID-DAY...WITH CLEARING WORKING INTO THE WEST END OF THE FCST AREA. 23.12Z MODELS LOOK TO HAVE INITIALIZED WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT ERRORS AND OFFER RATHER SIMILAR SOLUTIONS FOR TONIGHT THRU FRI. SOLUTIONS DIVERGE WITH STRENGTH/TIMING OF THE TROUGH FRI NIGHT INTO SAT NIGHT. OVERALL TREND LOOKS TO DEVELOP A STRONGER SFC LOW NORTH OF THE AREA FRI NIGHT/SAT...AND SHUNTS THE DEEPER MOISTURE/PRECIP AHEAD OF IT A BIT FURTHER EAST. STRONGER LOW RESULTS IN A STRONGER GRADIENT/LOW LEVEL COLD ADVECTION BEHIND IT ON SAT. DPROG/DT OF 500MB HGTS AT 23.12Z SHOWED MODEL RUNS OF 21.12Z AND 22.12Z VERIFIED QUITE WELL ACROSS NOAM/EASTERN PAC...BUT ALL WERE A BIT WEAK WITH THE TROUGH OVER THE OH VALLEY. THRU THU MODEL TRENDS FAVOR THE MORE PROGRESSIVE OF EARLIER SOLUTIONS WITH A TROUGH EXITING OFF THE EAST COAST. TREND IS A BIT SLOWER/STRONGER WITH A FEATURE OVER THE CA BAJA AT 00Z FRI. FOR THU NIGHT/FRI MODELS TRENDING TOWARD A SOLUTION OF MORE NORTHERN-SOUTHERN STREAM SEPARATION AS THE SHORTWAVE ENERGY COMES EAST INTO MT TO WEST TX. TREND AT 00Z SAT IS ALSO A BIT SLOWER WITH THIS ENERGY. BY 00Z SUN MODELS IN TWO CAMPS WITH THE TROUGHING OVER THE MID/UPPER MS VALLEY...NAM/GFS FASTER...ECMWF/GEM SLOWER. ALL BUT GEM FASTER THAN THEIR EARLIER RUNS BY SAT NIGHT...AND LOOK TO KEEP THE NORTHERN/SOUTHERN STREAM PIECES OF ENERGY MORE SEPARATE UNTIL THE TOUGH AXIS PASSES EAST OF THE AREA. SOMEWHAT BETTER RUN-TO-RUN CONSISTENCY TONIGHT THRU SAT TO ECMWF. CHECK OF OBS VS. MODEL DATA AT 18Z SHOWED MODELS ALL REASONABLE WITH THE SFC MASS FIELDS OVER THE NORTH-CENTRAL CONUS. MOST...BUT FOR GFS...REMAINED GOOD WITH THE TRAPPED LOW LEVEL MOISTURE/CLOUDS OVER THE REGION. PER WV IMAGERY... ALL MODELS LOOKED REASONABLE WITH THE SHORTWAVE DETAILS OVER NOAM/ EASTERN PAC. NO CLEAR MODEL FAVORITE THIS CYCLE...BUT WITH ECMWF OFFERING SOMEWHAT BETTER RUN-TO-RUN CONSISTENCY FAVORED A MODEL/ ENSEMBLE BLEND WEIGHTED TOWARD THE ECMWF. HOWEVER GIVEN THE DETAIL DIFFERENCES...SHORT-TERM FCST CONFIDENCE AVERAGE THIS CYCLE. FOR THE SHORT TERM...SFC-850MB GRADIENT CONTINUES TO INCREASE OVER THE AREA TONIGHT...WITH A DRY WESTERLY COMPONENT OF THE FLOW. LOW CLOUDS WILL FINALLY CLEAR THE AREA LATE THIS AFTERNOON/EARLY THIS EVENING. MODEL SOUNDINGS/X-SECTIONS THEN INDICATE A RATHER DEEP... DRY AIRMASS OVER THE AREA FOR LATER THIS EVENING INTO THU NIGHT AS MID LEVEL SHORTWAVE RIDGING BUILDS OVER THE AREA. MODERATE PRESSURE GRADIENT REMAINS OVER THE AREA FOR TONIGHT INTO THU NIGHT...TO LIMIT ANY FOG POTENTIAL TONIGHT AND FOR SOME LOW LEVEL MIXING ON THU. 925MB TEMPS ON THU PROGGED TO BE IN THE +8 TO +13C RANGE. QUESTION IS DEPTH OF MIXING. MODEL SOUNDINGS ONLY INDICATE MIXING TO ABOUT 950MB. EVEN SO...WITH PLENTY OF SUNSHINE ON THU HIGHS EXPECTED TO BE IN THE 50S...SOME 15-20 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL. SOUTHWEST GRADIENT WINDS CONTINUE THU NIGHT...FOR LOWS REMAINING MUCH ABOVE NORMAL UNDER INCREASING HIGH CLOUDS. TEMPS REMAIN MILD FRI WITH THE WARM START AND SOUTHWEST FLOW AHEAD OF THE APROACHING LOW/TOUGH. GFS NOW THE LONE MODEL PRODUCING SOME -RA OVER THE SOUTHEAST PARTS OF THE FCST AREA FRI AFTERNOON. GFS MODEL SOUNDINGS AND X-SECTIONS INDICATE INITIAL FORCING/LIFT IS ABOVE 500MB WHILE COLUMN BELOW 500MB IS QUITE DRY THRU 00Z SAT. REMOVED SMALL FRI AFTERNOON -RA CHANCE FROM THE SOUTH END OF THE FCST AREA. DEEPER MOISTURE/LIFT AHEAD OF THE TROUGH ARRIVE FRI NIGHT...BUT PLENTY OF DETAIL DIFFERENCES WITH THE DEPTH/STRENGTH/TIMING OF THIS MOISTURE/FORCING/LIFT. GIVEN THESE DETAIL DIFFERENCES...ESPECIALLY WITH DEPTH OF MOISTURE/SATURATION OF THE COLUMN AHEAD OF THE SFC-MID LEVEL TROUGH AXIS...NOT MUCH FOR CONFIDENCE TO MAKE CHANGES TO PRECIP CHANCES IN THE FRI NIGHT/SAT FCST GRIDS. ECMWF WOULD IMPLY RAIN CHANCES NEED TO BE RAISED FRI NIGHT/SAT. MANY OF THE OTHER MODELS WOULD INDICATE THE CHANCES NEED TO BE LOWERED WITH THE DEEPER MOISTURE/SATURATION REMAINING EAST/ SOUTH OF THE FCST AREA. THUS LEFT MOST RAIN CHANCES FOR FRI NIGHT/ SAT AS IS FOR THIS CYCLE. TIGHTER SFC-850MB GRADIENT ON BACK SIDE OF THE SFC-850MB LOW IS OVER THE AREA SAT. THIS WITH MDT TO STRONG LOW LEVEL COLD ADVECTION AND 925MB WINDS INCREASING TO THE 35-40KT RANGE. DEPENDING ON TIMING/ARRIVAL OF THE STRONGER GRADIENT/COLD ADVECTION MAY YET NEED A WIND ADVISORY FOR PARTS OF THE AREA SAT. HIGHS SAT LIKELY TO BE IN THE MORNING WITH STEADY/SLOWLY FALLING TEMPS IN THE AFTERNOON. SOME INDICATIONS FOR SECONDARY SHORTWAVES TO ROTATE SOUTH IN THE BACK SIDE OF THE TROUGH LATE SAT/SAT NIGHT... ALONG WITH MOISTURE WRAPPING AROUND THE SFC-700MB LOW. WITH COLDER AIR IN PLACE...PRECIP CHANCES IN THE 20-40 PERCENT RANGE FOR RAIN/SNOW CHANGING TO SNOW SAT NIGHT REASONABLE FOR NOW. FAVORING A MODEL/ENSEMBLE CONSENSUS...GENERALLY TRENDED LOWS/HIGHS FOR TONIGHT THRU SAT NIGHT TOWARD A BLEND OF THE NUMERICAL GUIDANCE. .LONG TERM...SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY 250 PM CST WED NOV 23 2011 23.00Z MEDIUM RANGE MODELS IN MODEST AGREEMENT WITH EACH OTHER AND THEIR PREVIOUS RUNS SUN...BUT STILL PLENTY OF DETAIL DIFFERENCES IN THE TROUGHING OVER THE EAST HALF OF THE CONUS. MODEST AGREEMENT CONTINUES MON THE NEXT STRONGER SHORTWAVE TROUGH/ENERGY DROPS INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS. TREND IS SLOWER/FURTHER SOUTH WITH AN UPPER LOW IN THE SOUTHEAST CONUS. MODELS DIVERGE CONSIDERABLY WITH THE DETAILS BY TUE AND FOR WED...BUT A GENERAL CONSENSUS FOR LONGWAVE TROUGHING OVER EASTERN NOAM AND LONGWAVE RIDGING ALONG THE WEST COAST. NONE OF THE MODEL DISPLAYING CLEARLY BETTER RUN-TO-RUN CONSISTENCY THAN THE OTHERS IN THE SUN-WED PERIOD. OF NOTE THOUGH 23.06Z GFS TRENDED CLOSER TO 23.00Z ECMWF THRU MUCH OF THE DAY 4-7 PERIOD WHILE 23.12Z GFS TRENDED MUCH MORE PROGRESSIVE WITH THE SOUTHEAST CONUS SYSTEM MON/TUE. NEEDLESS TO SAY...LONG-TERM FCST CONFIDENCE BELOW AVERAGE THIS CYCLE. WITH NO CLEAR MODEL FAVORITE OR NO ONE MODEL SHOWING BETTER RUN-TO-RUN CONSISTENCY...PREFER THE PMDEPD IDEA OF FAVORING A MODEL/ENSEMBLE BLEND FOR NOW. SOME CONSENSUS FOR SHORTWAVE RIDGING AND HIGH PRESSURE TO BUILD OVER THE AREA FOR SUN IN THE WAKE OF THE DEPARTING SAT SYSTEM...FOR A COOL/DRY DAY SUNDAY. NEXT TROUGH/SHORT-WAVE MOVES ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS MON...BUT DIFFERENCES OF SPEED/STRENGTH APPEAR. THESE DIFFERENCES...ESPECIALLY AT THE LOWER LEVELS...INCREASE FOR TUE INTO WED. GFS WITH A SLOWER/ STRONGER SYSTEM ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST/GREAT LAKES LATE MON-WED WITH ECMWF WEAKER/MORE PROGRESSIVE SYSTEM. AGAIN LIKE PMDEPD IDEA...FCST GRIDS FOR MON-WED INCORPORATED A STRONG MODEL/ENSEMBLE CONSENSUS/BLEND UNTIL CLEARER DETAILS/ SIGNALS ARE SEEN. OVERALL LONGWAVE TROUGHING IN THE EASTERN CONUS AND RIDGING OVER WESTERN NOAM RESULTS IN NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT OVER THE NORTH-CENTRAL CONUS. TEMPERATURES FOR THE SUN-WED PERIOD LOOKING TO BE CLOSER TO NORMAL. && .AVIATION...TONIGHT AND THURSDAY 532 PM CST WED NOV 23 2011 STRATUS HAS BEEN STUBBORN TO CLEAR ACROSS THE AREA...WITH MVFR CEILINGS STILL IN PLACE AT KLSE. BACK EDGE OF THE CLOUDS JUST WEST OF THE TAF SITE...BUT SATELLITE TRENDS SHOWING THIS BACK EDGE HAS BECOME NEARLY STATIONARY. MODELS NOT HANDLING THIS LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WELL AT ALL...WITH BOTH THE RUC AND NAM INDICATING CLOUD DISSIPATION BY 00Z THURSDAY. SO BIGGEST CONCERN IS WHEN WILL THE STRATUS CLEAR AT KLSE. AS THE SURFACE HIGH PULLS FURTHER SOUTHEAST...PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL TIGHTEN OVERNIGHT. BOTH THE RUC AND NAM BUFKIT SOUNDINGS SHOWING LOW LEVEL WINDS OFF THE SURFACE INCREASING THIS EVENING AND THUS EXPECT THE STRATUS TO CONTINUE TO DIMINISH AND PUSH EASTWARD. THUS TRENDED THE KLSE TAF SITE TO BE STRATUS FREE BY AROUND 02Z. AFTER THAT VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL. STILL COULD BE SOME 5SM TO 6SM VISIBILITIES THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...BUT NOTHING LESS THAN THAT. WITH TIGHTER PRESSURE GRADIENT AND SOME MIXING THURSDAY WILL LIKELY SEE SOME GUSTS IN THE AFTERNOON AT 19 TO 23 KNOTS AT BOTH TAF SITES. && .ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... 250 PM CST WED NOV 23 2011 WI...NONE. MN...NONE. IA...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...RRS LONG TERM....RRS AVIATION...RABERDING
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LA CROSSE WI
219 PM CST TUE NOV 22 2011 .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY 219 PM CST TUE NOV 22 2011 MUCH OF THE FOCUS OVER THE SHORT TERM IS ON WHEN THE CLOUDS WILL GO AWAY AND THE CONDITIONS FOR THANKSGIVING AND THE TRAVEL DAYS AROUND IT. A DEPARTING POSITIVELY TILTED MID LEVEL TROUGH EXTENDING FROM THE SOUTHWESTERN GREAT LAKES DOWN TO THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY WILL QUICKLY MOVE TO THE EAST TONIGHT WITH BROAD RIDGING ALOFT MOVING IN BEHIND THIS FEATURE. A WEAK MID LEVEL SHORT WAVE TROUGH WILL PROPAGATE AROUND THE NORTHERN PERIPHERY OF THE RIDGE TONIGHT INTO TOMORROW MORNING BUT SHOULD NOT HAVE MUCH OF AN IMPACT OUTSIDE OF ADDING SOME HIGH LEVEL CLOUDS INTO THE MIX. DOWN AT THE SURFACE...A LOW CENTERED OVER THE OHIO RIVER VALLEY WILL TRACK NORTHEAST THROUGH THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES AS A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE EXTENDS FROM SOUTHERN ONTARIO THROUGH THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY REGION. CLOUD COVER WILL REMAIN PROBLEMATIC THROUGH TOMORROW WITH A THIN LAYER OF MOISTURE TRAPPED UNDER A SHALLOW INVERSION PER 22.12Z REGIONAL RAOBS AND RUC SOUNDINGS. THIS THIN LATER OF STRATUS EXTENDS FROM THE GREAT LAKES BACK INTO EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND NEBRASKA...BUT HAS DEVELOPED AN ELONGATED HOLE THAT RUNS FROM NORTHEAST WISCONSIN WEST SOUTHWEST THROUGH LA CROSSE TOWARD CENTRAL IOWA. THE 22.18Z RUC...ALONG WITH PREVIOUS RUNS...HAVE PICKED UP ON THIS DRY SLOT AND BASICALLY KEEPS IT IN PLACE THROUGH TONIGHT. THE BACK EDGE TO THE WESTERN SIDE OF THE STRATUS APPEARS TIED TO THE LOW LEVEL WARM FRONT WHICH IS EXPECTED TO COME THROUGH THE REGION TOMORROW MORNING. EVEN IF THE CLEAR SLOT REMAINS IN PLACE TONIGHT...THIS AREA MAY FOG UP QUICKLY GIVEN IDEAL RADIATIONAL COOLING CONDITIONS WITH LIGHT WINDS AND THE RIDGE OVERHEAD. SO...CONFIDENCE IS NOT HIGH ON WHEN THE CLOUDS WILL COMPLETELY CLEAR OUT...BUT THE BETTER CHANCES APPEAR TO BE AROUND LUNCHTIME TOMORROW WITH THE DRIER AND WARMER WESTERLIES COMING IN. BEYOND THIS...EVERYTHING STILL LOOKS ON TAP FOR A WARM UP GOING INTO THANKSGIVING WITH NEARLY IDEAL TRAVEL CONDITIONS OUTSIDE OF SOME GUSTY WINDS ON THURSDAY. THE SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT TIGHTENS UP ON THANKSGIVING AHEAD OF THE NEXT SYSTEM TRACKING THROUGH THE ROCKIES WITH 22.12Z NAM AND GFS BUFKIT SOUNDINGS SHOWING A SHALLOW MIXED LAYER UNDER THE STEEP 900MB INVERSION. MOMENTUM TRANSFER FROM THESE SOUNDINGS SHOW THAT GUSTS WILL LIKELY GO UP TO AROUND 20-25KT LATE THURSDAY MORNING INTO THE EARLY AFTERNOON. TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO CLIMB INTO THE UPPER 50S TO NEAR 60 IN SOME SPOTS WITH 22.12Z NAM AND GFS 850MB TEMPERATURE ANOMALIES BETWEEN 1 TO 2 STANDARD DEVIATIONS. WHILE RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURES ARE NOT EXPECTED...IT WILL DEFINITELY BE WELL ABOVE NORMAL. AS THE FRONT AND SURFACE LOW APPROACH ON FRIDAY...LOW LEVEL MOISTURE TRANSPORT WILL BE ON THE INCREASE THOUGH DEEP MOISTURE WILL BE SOMEWHAT LACKING INTO THE AFTERNOON. 22.12Z NAM AND GFS SOUNDINGS SHOW A DEEP DRY LAYER THAT THE MOISTURE AND FORCING WILL HAVE TO OVERCOME...WHICH MAY BE TOUGH DURING THE DAY FRIDAY. HAVE LEFT SOME SLIGHT CHANCE PROBABILITIES FOR NOW FRIDAY AFTERNOON...BUT HAVE TRIMMED THEM BACK TO MAINLY BEING IN NORTHEAST IOWA. .LONG TERM...FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY 219 PM CST TUE NOV 22 2011 AFTER A QUIET WEEK INTO FRIDAY...THE WEATHER PATTERN BECOMES MORE ACTIVE THIS WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. RAIN WILL BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD ALONG THE AFOREMENTIONED FRONT FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY AS A NORTHERN STREAM TROUGH BRIEFLY PHASES WITH A SOUTHERN STREAM TROUGH. PLENTY OF QG FORCING WILL BE PROVIDED FROM THIS FEATURE WHILE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE TRANSPORT CONTINUES TO PUMP MOISTURE NORTHWARD FROM THE GULF. THE TREND HAS BEEN TO GO A BIT FURTHER TO THE SOUTHEAST WITH THE BEST CHANCES FOR GETTING THIS RAIN FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY WITH THE MAIN BAND SETTING UP ACROSS EASTERN IOWA INTO CENTRAL WISCONSIN. AS THIS SYSTEM MOVES OFF TO THE EAST THE NORTHERN STREAM TROUGH WILL PROPAGATE OFF TO THE NORTHEAST THROUGH CANADA WHILE THE SOUTHERN STREAM TROUGH GETS CUT OFF AND LINGERS AROUND THE GREAT LAKES INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. CONFIDENCE IS RATHER LOW IN WHERE THIS LOW WILL TRACK AS THE 22.12Z GFS IS FURTHER EAST WITH THE CORE OF THE LOW AND PULLS SOME SIGNIFICANTLY COLDER AIR DOWN INTO THE REGION ON TUESDAY WITH 850MB TEMPERATURES DROPPING TO AROUND -15C. COMPARE THAT TO THE 22.12Z ECMWF WHICH IS FURTHER WEST WITH THE LOW AND KEEPS PRECIPITATION ACROSS THE REGION LONGER INTO TUESDAY. SOME SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE SYSTEM...BUT WHEN AND WHERE IT WILL FALL IS STILL UP IN THE AIR AND THIS POINT. && .AVIATION...THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY 1125 AM CST TUE NOV 22 2011 PLENTIFUL LOW LEVEL MOISTURE REMAINED TRAPPED ACROSS MN/IA/WI... UNDER AN INVERSION NEAR 900MB. GIVEN IT/S LATE NOV THIS IS RESULTING IN WIDESPREAD MVFR/IFR CIGS ACROSS MUCH OF MN/IA/WESTERN WI. EASTERLY SFC-925MB FLOW AROUND LOW PRESSURE IN SOUTHERN IL WAS PUSHING SOME DRIER LOW LEVEL AIR WESTWARD INTO THE FCST AREA AT MID DAY...WITH CIGS/VSBYS RISING TO VFR EAST/SOUTH OF KLSE. SHORT RANGE/ HI-RESOLUTION MODELS DOING A REASONABLE JOB WITH THIS LOW LEVEL DRYING THIS MORNING...AND TRENDED TAFS FOR A PERIOD OF VFR CIGS/ VSBYS THIS AFTERNOON INTO EARLY THIS EVENING. HOWEVER...WITH ANY DECREASE OF CLOUDS INTO THIS EVENING AND THE TRAPPED LOW LEVEL/ BOUNDARY LAYER MOISTURE/LIGHT WINDS...AT LEAST MVFR VSBYS IN BR WILL QUICKLY REDEVELOP WITH DIURNAL COOLING. EXPANSIVE AREA OF MVFR/IFR CLOUDS OVER WESTERN MN/IA WILL ADVECT EAST TONIGHT/EARLY WED AS THE MID MS VALLEY LOW MOVES EAST AND THE SFC-MID LEVEL FLOW BECOMES MORE WESTERLY OVER THE REGION. LOWERED CIGS AGAIN LATER TONIGHT/EARLY WED MORNING AS THIS MOISTURE/CLOUDS MOVE INTO THE AREA. FINAL TRICKY POINT WILL BE HOW QUICKLY THIS MOISTURE/CLOUDS MOVE EAST OF THE AREA WED. MODEL SOUNDINGS/X-SECTIONS INDICATE THIS MOISTURE TO BE VERY SHALLOW BY WED AND WAS OPTIMISTIC FOR THE LOW CLOUDS TO BREAK UP AT THE TAF SITES DURING THE MID MORNING HOURS OF WED. GOOD VFR EXPECTED AT THE TAF SITES FOR LATER WED INTO THU...BUT FOR SOME LATE NIGHT/ EARLY MORNING MVFR VSBYS IN BR. && .ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... 219 PM CST TUE NOV 22 2011 WI...NONE. MN...NONE. IA...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...HALBACH LONG TERM...HALBACH AVIATION.....RRS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GREEN BAY WI
326 AM CST TUE NOV 22 2011 .SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...SKY COVER AND TEMPERATURES ARE THE MAIN FCST CONCERNS. WV IMAGERY SHOWED A COUPLE POTENT S/W TROFS POISED TO MISS NE WI TODAY. ONE WAS HEADED TOWARD LK WINNIPEG EARLY THIS MORNING... WHILE ANOTHER WAS MOVG INTO WSTRN MO. WITH THE ENERGY SPLITTING AROUND US AND A LACK OF DEEP SATURATION...THE PREVIOUS DRY FCST LOOKS TO BE ON TRACK. CLOUD TRENDS CONTINUE TO BE PROBLEMATIC. LOW CLOUDS WERE GRADUALLY INCREASING ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA AGAIN THIS MORNING. IN ADDITION...SOME HIGHER BASED STRATOCUMULUS CLOUDS WERE SPREADING IN FROM THE WEST...AIDED BY SOME WAA. BASED ON THE LATEST SATL/OBSERVATION TRENDS...WILL STAY WITH A MOSTLY CLOUDY FCST. USED A BLEND OF THE TOP PERFORMING GUIDANCE SETS FOR MAX TEMPS...WHICH RESULTED IN SLIGHTLY COOLER TEMPS THAN THE PREVIOUS FCST. RIDGING AT THE SFC AND ALOFT WILL MOVE INTO WI TONIGHT...WHICH SHOULD RESULT IN A GRADUAL CLEARING TREND OVERNIGHT. CLEARING SKIES AND LIGHT WINDS SHOULD LEAD TO PATCHY FOG DEVELOPMENT... ESP AFTER MIDNIGHT. MIN TEMPS ARE EXPECTED TO DROP INTO THE 20S...WITH SOME LOWER 30S NEAR LK MICH. AFTER PATCHY MORNING FOG AND LOW CLOUDS DISSIPATE WEDS MORNING... EXPECT SKIES TO BECOME MOSTLY SUNNY. MIXING THROUGH 950-925 MB SUPPORTS HIGHS IN THE LOWER TO MIDDLE 40S. THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF NC WI MAY GET JUST AS WARM OR WARMER THAN VALLEY LOCATIONS AS MIXING TAPS INTO THE WARM AIR ALOFT. .LONG TERM...WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH NEXT TUESDAY. THE GFS ENSEMBLE MEAN INDICATES SPLIT FLOW REMAINING IN PLACE OVER NORTH AMERICA THROUGH THIS UPCOMING WEEKEND. ONLY ONE TROUGH TO IMPACT THE REGION OVER THIS PERIOD...WHICH IS PROGGED TO ARRIVE EARLY THIS WEEKEND. OPERATIONAL MODELS SPIN UP A CLOSED UPPER LOW WHICH IS AT ODDS WITH THE GFS ENSEMBLE MEAN THAT SHOWS MORE OF A PROGRESSIVE TROUGH. GIVEN THE FAIR AMOUNT OF SPREAD WITH THE DETAILS...FIGURE THAT CHANGES TO THE FORECAST SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY WILL BE FAIRLY SMALL. WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT...HIGH PRESSURE WILL BE SLIDING TO THE EAST OVER THE OHIO VALLEY WHILE SHORTWAVE TROUGHING WILL BE MOVING NW OVER TOP A MID-LEVEL RIDGE WELL TO THE NORTHWEST OF THE REGION. WITH THE GULF OF MEXICO SHUT OF THANKS TO THE SURFACE HIGH...WILL SEE MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY WITH INCREASING SSW WINDS. BY THURSDAY NIGHT...INCREASING MOISTURE WILL GET DRAWN UP INTO THE NORTHERN MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. WITH A STRONG INVERSION...LOW STRATUS MAY BECOME AN ISSUE OVER N-C WISCONSIN. WILL ADD TO THE FORECAST. HIGHS IN THE UPPER 40S TO MID 50S ON THANKSGIVING. REST OF THE FORECAST...AS HEIGHT FALLS OCCUR OVER THE GREAT PLAINS...WILL SEE A COLD FRONT SAG INTO NW WISCONSIN ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON. LOW AND HIGH LEVEL MOISTURE WILL BE ON THE INCREASE...BUT A SUBSTANTIAL MID-LEVEL DRY WEDGE SHOULD KEEP THE AREA DRY...UNDER INCREASING CLOUDS. HIGH TEMPS REMAINING VERY MILD. THIS CHANGES INTO FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT WHEN INCREASING FORCING ALOFT FINALLY ERODES THE DRY WEDGE AND SURFACE LOW PRESSURE TRACKS ACROSS THE STATE. SOME POTENTIAL FOR SNOW ON THE BACKSIDE OF THE SURFACE LOW SATURDAY NIGHT OVER CENTRAL AND NORTH-CENTRAL WISCONSIN. THE UPPER TROUGH COULD POTENTIALLY LINGER SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY WITH RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS POSSIBLE...PENDING DETAILS LIKE SURFACE LOW POSITIONS AND THERMAL FIELDS. WILL HAVE TO KEEP THE FORECAST GENERIC GIVEN UNCERTAINTIES. && .AVIATION...CEILINGS CONTINUE TO CAUSE GREAT UNCERTAINTY WITH THIS TAF ISSUANCE. WARM ADVECTION AHEAD OF SYSTEM MOVING THROUGH NORTHERN PLAINS...LEADING TO INCREASING CLOUDS BETWEEN 5 AND 7K OVER WESTERN HALF OF STATE. PATCHY LOW CLOUDS SEEN NEAR LAKE AND FAR NORTHERN WI. TREND IS TO LIFT NORTH. MODEL TIME/HEIGHT SECTIONS STILL SHOW RETURN OF LOWER CLOUDS EARLY THIS MORNING... MAYBE LIFTING NORTH OUT OF IL. WILL FOLLOW RUC WHICH SEEMS TO HAVE BETTER HANDLE ON CURRENT TRENDS. WILL CONTINUE TRENDS TO CLEAR THINGS OUT TONIGHT AS THE PLAINS SYSTEM DEPARTS. && .GRB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ TSK/MPC
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MOUNT HOLLY NJ
300 AM EST THU NOV 24 2011 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO OUR REGION THIS THANKSGIVING THURSDAY AND DOMINATE OUR WEATHER INTO SUNDAY. A COLD FRONT... APPROACHING FROM THE WEST...WILL MOVE SLOWLY ACROSS OUR REGION SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY. LOW PRESSURE MAY DEVELOP ON THE FRONT ALONG THE MID ATLANTIC COAST AND MOVE SLOWLY NORTHWARD MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY NIGHT. MORE LOW PRESSURE IS POSSIBLE DURING WEDNESDAY. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... THE LOWER CLOUD DECK CONTINUES TO SHRINK AWAY EARLY THIS MORNING...WITH THE LAST VESTIGES OVER THE SOUTHERN POCONOS AND SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY AND DELAWARE. THE COLD AIR ADVECTION IS ENDING...AND THE MOISTURE TRAPPED UNDER THE INVERSION IS MIXING OUT. THE MOISTURE MAY BE TOUGHER TO SCOUR OUT OF THE HIGHER TERRAIN...AND THIS MAY HAVE TO BE ACCOUNTED FOR IN THE EARLY MORNING FORECAST. ELSEWHERE...THE LOWER CLOUDS SHOULD DISSIPATE BEFORE SUNRISE. CONVECTIVE TEMPERATURES ARE OUT OF REACH TODAY...AND OTHER THAN SOME HIGH CLOUDINESS THIS MORNING...SKIES SHOULD BE SUNNY. THE BEST PART OF THE SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT IS OVER THE FORECAST AREA NOW...AND SOME GUSTINESS LINGERS. THE GUSTINESS TO THE WIND SHOULD DROP BACK EARLY THIS MORNING AS THE LAST OF THE COLD AIR ADVECTION ENDS. IT IS POSSIBLE THERE COULD BE SOME GUSTINESS JUST AFTER SUNRISE...BUT FOR THE MOST PART WINDS SHOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE TODAY. 850 MB TEMPERATURES SUPPORT HIGHS IN THE MID 50S TODAY...WHICH IS CLOSE TO THE MOS BLEND. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH 6 AM FRIDAY/... BUILDING MID LEVEL RIDGING SHOULD KEEP ANY HIGH AND MID LEVEL CLOUDS NORTH OF THE AREA TONIGHT...AND SKIES SHOULD BE CLEAR. AS THE HIGH REACHES NORTH CAROLINA TONIGHT...THE GRADIENT WILL BACK OFF. HOWEVER...WINDS MAY NOT BECOME COMPLETELY CALM OUTSIDE OF PROTECTED AREAS...AS THE GRADIENT WOULD SUPPORT WEST WINDS LESS THAN 10 MPH. THE ABOVE SCENARIO WOULD SUPPORTS LOWS NEAR THE MOS BLEND IN THE URBAN AREAS AND PLACES WITH EXPOSURE. FOR PROTECTED AREAS (INCLUDING THE PINE BARRENS IN NEW JERSEY)...LOWS WERE DROPPED A FEW DEGREES FROM THE MOS MEAN. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... A QUIESCENT PERIOD OF WEATHER IS SHAPING UP FOR THE NORTHERN MID ATLANTIC AREA FRIDAY INTO SUNDAY. THE MODELS HAVE LATCHED ONTO A COLD FRONT WHICH LOOKS LIKE IT WILL AFFECT OUR AREA MAINLY SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY. THEN...MODEL PERFORMANCE HAS SEEMINGLY DETERIORATED OVER THE PAST 24 TO 48 HOURS, WITH RUN-TO-RUN AND INTERMODEL INCONSISTENCY AND CHANGEABILITY. WITH NO CLEAR SIGNALS...IT WAS DECIDED TO JUST USE A BROAD BRUSH OF CHANCE PROBABILITIES FOR SHOWERS THROUGH THE MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY PERIOD, WITH A MODERATE TO HIGH AMOUNT OF CLOUDINESS. THE GFS EVEN PAINTS SOME TYPE OF RAIN/SNOW EVENT WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY. LATER MODEL ITERATIONS WILL BE NEEDED TO GAIN MORE CLARITY ON THIS PERIOD. SO...HPC TEMPERATURES WERE USED AS A STARTING POINT FOR HIGHS AND LOWS, WITH SOME MODIFICATIONS FOR LOCAL EFFECTS AND CLIMATOLOGY. A GENERAL COOLING TREND SHOULD OCCUR THROUGH THE LONG TERM PERIOD... WITH HIGHS IN THE MID 50S AND LOWER 60S OVER THE WEEKEND, DROPPING TO THE 40S TO NEAR 50 BY WEDNESDAY. && .AVIATION /08Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... THE FOLLOWING DISCUSSION IS FOR KPHL, KPNE, KTTN, KABE, KRDG, KILG, KMIV, KACY AND SURROUNDING AREAS. THE LAST OF THE LARGE STRATOCUMULUS CLOUD DECK THAT GOT TRAPPED UNDER THE INVERSION IN THE COLD AIR ADVECTION IS FINALLY BREAKING UP EARLY THIS MORNING. THE LAST OF THE MVFR CEILINGS APPEARS TO NOW BE GONE AT KABE...AND KACY MAY TRY TO HOLD ONTO MVFR CEILINGS THROUGH 0630 UTC OR SO. OTHERWISE...VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED FOR THE OVERNIGHT. THE BEST PRESSURE GRADIENT REMAINS OVER THE AREA EARLY THIS MORNING...BUT THE GUSTINESS HAS BECOME CONFINED TO SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY...WHERE KMIV AND KACY ARE STILL GUSTING. LATE EVENING AMDAR SOUNDINGS SHOWED 32 TO 35 KNOTS AT THE TOP OF THE INVERSION ACROSS THE REGION. THIS COULD ALLOW KMIV AND KACY TO GUST THROUGH 0800 UTC OR SO. THE LATEST HRRR MODEL RUN SUGGESTS THAT THE NORTHERLY GRADIENT REMAINS IN PLACE THROUGH 1200 UTC...SO WINDS PROBABLY DO NOT GO CALM EARLY THIS MORNING. AS SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS TOWARD THE REGION TODAY...WINDS WILL BACK WITH TIME. THE BEST GRADIENT SHOULD BE THIS MORNING...WITH SOME SLACKENING THIS AFTERNOON. ANY GUSTINESS WOULD BE THIS MORNING...AS THE LAST OF THE COLD AIR ADVECTION WINDS ITSELF OUT. THE 0600 UTC TERMINAL FORECASTS DO NOT CONTAIN GUSTS...BUT THIS CAN BE REVISITED LATER. AT MOST...GUSTS PROBABLY TOP OUT NEAR 15 KNOTS. CONVECTIVE TEMPERATURES ARE WELL OUT OF REACH TODAY...SO VFR CONDITIONS SHOULD CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE DAY. WINDS SHOULD DROP OFF FAIRLY QUICKLY THIS EVENING AS THE LAST OF THE GRADIENT DROPS OFF. HIGH PRESSURE AT THE SURFACE AND IN THE MID LEVEL SHOULD RESULT IN CLEAR SKIES. THE AIRMASS LOOKS TO BE TOO DRY FOR EVEN PATCHY FOR LATE TONIGHT AND EARLY FRIDAY MORNING. OUTLOOK... HIGH PRESSURE TO OUR SOUTH WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE US WITH FINE VFR FLYING CONDITIONS FRIDAY INTO...OR PERHAPS THROUGH MOST OF...SUNDAY. A COLD FRONT MOVING IN FROM THE WEST SUNDAY NIGHT WILL MOVE EASTWARD THROUGH OUR AREA. HOWEVER, A SUCCESSION OF LOWS COULD AFFECT OUR REGION AND PERHAPS BRING LOWER CONDITIONS AT TIMES INTO THE EARLY OR EVEN MIDDLE PORTION OF NEXT WEEK. MODEL GUIDANCE HAS BEEN CHANGING AND INCONSISTENT...SO LITTLE IN THE WAY OF CONFIDENCE CAN BE SHOWN UNTIL THE MODELS START TO OFFER BETTER AGREEMENT AND RUN-TO-RUN CONSISTENCY. LOWER CEILINGS AND/OR VISIBILITIES IN SHOWERS/RAIN AND FOG MAY OCCUR THROUGH MUCH OF THE SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY TIME PERIOD, THOUGH. && .MARINE... WINDS HAVE DROPPED BELOW GALE FORCE IN GUSTS JUST ABOUT EVERYWHERE EARLY THIS MORNING. THE GUSTINESS SHOULD LOSE ITS EDGE WITH THE END OF THE COLD AIR ADVECTION...SO THE GALE WARNING WILL BE REPLACED BY A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY WITH THE EARLY MORNING PACKAGE. THE GRADIENT REMAINS IN PLACE MOST OF THE DAY...AND AT A GLANCE DOES NOT APPEAR TO SUPPORT SMALL CRAFT WINDS ANYWHERE AFTER ABOUT 1500 UTC. THEREFORE...THE SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY THAT REPLACES THE GALE WARNING WILL BE RUN UNTIL ABOUT 1400 UTC ON THE DELAWARE BAY (AND IT MAY NOT EVEN BE NEEDED THAT LONG). OVER THE OCEAN WATERS...SEAS ARE STILL RUNNING 5 TO 9 FEET...WITH THE HIGHEST SEAS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN WATERS. WHILE WINDS SHOULD DROP BELOW SMALL CRAFT LEVELS IN GUSTS BY 1500 UTC...THE SEAS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN WATERS MAY TAKE LONGER TO SORT THEMSELVES OUT. BASED ON THE ABOVE...THE SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY WILL BE RUN THROUGH ABOUT 1500 UTC ACROSS THE NORTHERN OCEAN WATERS...AND ABOUT 1800 UTC ACROSS THE SOUTHERN OCEAN WATERS. AFTER THIS...THE GRADIENT LOOKS TO SUPPORT WINDS AROUND 15 KNOTS ON THE OCEAN FOR THE REST OF TODAY INTO TONIGHT. WINDS ACROSS THE DELAWARE BAY WILL BE SLIGHTLY LOWER...BUT PROBABLY DO NOT DROP BELOW 10 KNOTS...AS THE GRADIENT LOOKS TO SUPPORT WINDS OF THESE SPEEDS. OUTLOOK... HIGH PRESSURE TO OUR SOUTH WILL BRING QUIET CONDITIONS TO OUR MARINE AREA FRIDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND. AS THE HIGH MOVES OFF TO THE EAST, A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH FROM THE WEST SUNDAY. THE PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL TIGHTEN BETWEEN THESE TWO SYSTEMS...AND THIS WILL MEAN A GOOD CHANCE OF SHOWERS AS WELL AS INCREASING SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST WINDS AND BUILDING SEAS SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY. A SERIES OF LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS COULD AFFECT OUR AREA THROUGH THE EARLY AND MIDDLE PORTIONS OF NEXT WEEK...BUT MODEL GUIDANCE HAS BECOME TOO CHANGEABLE AND INCONSISTENT TO OFFER ANY KIND OF SPECIFICS. ADVISORY CONDITIONS ARE LIKELY AT SOME POINT...AND EVEN GALE CONDITIONS MAY OCCUR FOR A TIME...IN THE SUNDAY NIGHT TO MID WEEK TIME FRAME. && .TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING... TIDE DEPARTURES HAVE RISEN A BIT EARLY THIS MORNING...EVEN AS WINDS HAVE SHIFTED TO THE NORTH. IT COULD BE THAT AN EKMAN SPIRAL HAS DEVELOPED ON THE OCEAN WATERS...WHICH PRODUCES A NET MASS TRANSPORT OF WATER TO THE SHORE. THIS COULD ACCOUNT FOR THE TIDE DEPARTURES RUNNING BETWEEN THREE-QUARTERS AND ONE AND ONE-QUARTER FEET ABOVE PREDICTED EARLY THIS MORNING. THE HIGH ASTRONOMICAL TIDES WILL BRING THE HIGH TIDE CYCLE WITH ONE-HALF FOOT OF THE MINOR TIDAL FLOODING BENCHMARK WITHOUT ANY RESIDUAL TIDE EFFECTS. GIVEN WHAT IS GOING ON NOW...AS WELL AS THE PREPONDERANCE OF TIDE MODEL GUIDANCE...A COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED FOR THE OCEAN...RARITAN BAY AND THE BACK BAYS FOR THE MORNING HIGH TIDE. TIDE DEPARTURES ARE CURRENTLY NEGATIVE ACROSS THE DELAWARE BAY AND TIDAL DELAWARE RIVER. THE TIDE MODEL GUIDANCE BRINGS BOTH OF THESE LOCATIONS CLOSE TO THE MINOR TIDAL FLOODING BENCHMARK LATER THIS MORNING AND EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. FOR NOW...WILL WATCH TRENDS AND ISSUE A COASTAL FLOOD STATEMENT IF IT APPEARS AS THOUGH IT MAY BE CLOSE. && .PHI WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...NONE. NJ...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY UNTIL 9 AM EST THIS MORNING FOR NJZ012>014-020-022>027. DE...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY UNTIL 9 AM EST THIS MORNING FOR DEZ003- 004. MD...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR ANZ452>455. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM EST THIS MORNING FOR ANZ450- 451. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 8 AM EST THIS MORNING FOR ANZ430- 431. && $$ SYNOPSIS... NEAR TERM...HAYES SHORT TERM...HAYES LONG TERM... AVIATION...HAYES/ MARINE...HAYES/ TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...HAYES
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MOUNT HOLLY NJ
149 AM EST THU NOV 24 2011 .SYNOPSIS... A HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER THE TENNESSEE VALLEY LATE THIS EVENING WILL BUILD INTO THE REGION AND DOMINATE OUR WEATHER THROUGH THE WEEKEND. A COLD FRONT, APPROACHING FROM THE WEST, WILL MOVE SLOWLY ACROSS OUR REGION SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY. LOW PRESSURE MAY DEVELOP ON THE FRONT ALONG THE MID ATLANTIC COAST AND MOVE SLOWLY NORTH MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY NIGHT. ANOTHER FRONTAL SYSTEM, WITH A REINFORCING SHOT OF COLD AIR, WILL APPROACH FROM THE NORTHWEST WEDNESDAY. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM THIS MORNING/... THE STUBBORN STRATOCUMULUS TRAPPED UNDER THE INVERSION IN THE COLD AIR ADVECTION IS FINALLY BREAKING UP. A BATCH REMAINS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN POCONOS...AND THIS ONE COULD TAKE SOME TIME TO BREAK MORE WITH THE UPSLOPE FLOW. THE BATCH OVER SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY AND SOUTHERN DELAWARE SHOULD CONTINUE TO BREAK UP AS DRIER AIR IS ENTRAINED INTO THE LOWER LEVELS. THE BEST SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT IS ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA EARLY THIS MORNING...AND WINDS REMAIN AT OR ABOVE 10 MPH IS MOST PLACES. THERE IS STILL SOME GUSTINESS OUT THERE EARLY THIS MORNING...AS LAST OF THE COLD AIR ADVECTION WINDS ITSELF OUT. AMDAR SOUNDINGS SHOWED 32 TO 35 KNOTS OF WINDS AT THE TOP OF IN THE INVERSION...SO THERE COULD BE SOME GUSTINESS FOR THE NEXT HOUR OR TOW. AFTER THAT...THE GUSTINESS SHOULD ABATE...BUT MOST PLACES PROBABLY KEEP A STEADY NORTH TO NORTHWEST WIND OVERNIGHT. LOW TEMPERATURES APPEAR TO BE IN LINE...AND LITTLE CHANGE WAS NEEDED FOR THE OVERNIGHT. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM THIS MORNING THROUGH 6 PM FRIDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE CONTINUES TO MOVE INTO OUR REGION TOMORROW HELPING US TO MAINTAIN THE NORTHWESTERLY WINDS AND CLEAR SKIES. THE PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL BEGIN TO SLACKEN EVEN MORE TOMORROW AND DEEP MIXING APPEARS OUT THE QUESTION SO GUSTS SHOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE...AROUND 15 KNOTS OR LESS. IT IS CERTAINLY GOING TO BE ONE GORGEOUS THANKSGIVING DAY. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!! && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... A LARGE HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM, CENTERED JUST TO OUR SOUTH, WILL MOVE SLOWLY EAST TO A POSITION JUST OFF THE NORTH CAROLINA COAST ON SATURDAY. THIS SYSTEM WILL SUPPLY US WITH FAIR AND RELATIVELY MILD WEATHER THROUGH THE WEEKEND. WILL SEE PLENTY OF SUNSHINE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. CLOUDS WILL BEGIN TO INCREASE SUNDAY AS THE HIGH MOVES OFF TO THE EAST AND A COLD FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. THERE COULD BE A FEW LIGHT SHOWERS SPREADING INTO OUR NORTHWEST SECTIONS LATE IN THE DAY. DAYTIME HIGHS FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY WILL BE IN THE MID 50S TO MID 60S. OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL BE MAINLY IN THE 30S THURSDAY NIGHT AND IN THE MID 30S TO MID 40S FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY NIGHT. RAIN IS LIKELY SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY AS THE COLD FRONT CROSSES THE REGION. LOW PRESSURE WILL THEN DEVELOP ON THE FRONT ALONG THE MID ATLANTIC COAST AND MOVE NORTH. THIS COULD MORE RAIN TO OUR AREA MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY NIGHT. WITH CLOUDS AND RAIN, HIGH TEMPERATURES MONDAY AND TUESDAY WILL BE SLIGHTLY LOWER THAN OVER THE WEEKEND, WITH READINGS IN THE UPPER 40S AND 50S. BY WEDNESDAY, ANOTHER FRONT WILL BE APPROACHING FROM THE NORTHWEST, AS AN UPPER TROUGH MOVES EAST FROM THE GREAT LAKES. THIS FRONT WILL USHER IN A REINFORCING SHOT OF COLD AIR BUT WILL BE MOISTURE STARVED. LOOKS LIKE THE MOST WE COULD GET WOULD BE SCATTERED SHOWERS. HIGH TEMPERATURES WEDNESDAY WILL BE IN THE 40S TO LOWER 50S. && .AVIATION /07Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... THE FOLLOWING DISCUSSION IS FOR KPHL, KPNE, KTTN, KABE, KRDG, KILG, KMIV, KACY AND SURROUNDING AREAS. THE LAST OF THE LARGE STRATOCUMULUS CLOUD DECK THAT GOT TRAPPED UNDER THE INVERSION IN THE COLD AIR ADVECTION IS FINALLY BREAKING UP EARLY THIS MORNING. THE LAST OF THE MVFR CEILINGS APPEARS TO NOW BE GONE AT KABE...AND KACY MAY TRY TO HOLD ONTO MVFR CEILINGS THROUGH 0630 UTC OR SO. OTHERWISE...VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED FOR THE OVERNIGHT. THE BEST PRESSURE GRADIENT REMAINS OVER THE AREA EARLY THIS MORNING...BUT THE GUSTINESS HAS BECOME CONFINED TO SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY...WHERE KMIV AND KACY ARE STILL GUSTING. LATE EVENING AMDAR SOUNDINGS SHOWED 32 TO 35 KNOTS AT THE TOP OF THE INVERSION ACROSS THE REGION. THIS COULD ALLOW KMIV AND KACY TO GUST THROUGH 0800 UTC OR SO. THE LATEST HRRR MODEL RUN SUGGESTS THAT THE NORTHERLY GRADIENT REMAINS IN PLACE THROUGH 1200 UTC...SO WINDS PROBABLY DO NOT GO CALM EARLY THIS MORNING. AS SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS TOWARD THE REGION TODAY...WINDS WILL BACK WITH TIME. THE BEST GRADIENT SHOULD BE THIS MORNING...WITH SOME SLACKENING THIS AFTERNOON. ANY GUSTINESS WOULD BE THIS MORNING...AS THE LAST OF THE COLD AIR ADVECTION WINDS ITSELF OUT. THE 0600 UTC TERMINAL FORECASTS DO NOT CONTAIN GUSTS...BUT THIS CAN BE REVISITED LATER. AT MOST...GUSTS PROBABLY TOP OUT NEAR 15 KNOTS. CONVECTIVE TEMPERATURES ARE WELL OUT OF REACH TODAY...SO VFR CONDITIONS SHOULD CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE DAY. WINDS SHOULD DROP OFF FAIRLY QUICKLY THIS EVENING AS THE LAST OF THE GRADIENT DROPS OFF. HIGH PRESSURE AT THE SURFACE AND IN THE MID LEVEL SHOULD RESULT IN CLEAR SKIES. THE AIRMASS LOOKS TO BE TOO DRY FOR EVEN PATCHY FOR LATE TONIGHT AND EARLY FRIDAY MORNING. OUTLOOK... THE HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM TO OUR SOUTH WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE US WITH GOOD VFR FLYING CONDITIONS WELL INTO SUNDAY. A COLD FRONT MOVING IN FROM THE WEST AND A LOW DEVELOPING ON THIS FRONT, ONCE IT MOVES JUST OFF TO OUR EAST, WILL BRING OUR NEXT ROUND OF INCLEMENT WEATHER SUNDAY NIGHT INTO THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. LOWER CIGS/VSBYS IN RAIN AND FOG CAN BE EXPECTED FOR MUCH OF THAT TIME PERIOD. && .MARINE... WITH THE COLD FRONT NOW TO OUR EAST AND HIGH PRESSURE TRYING TO NOSE IN FROM THE WEST THE SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL REALLY TIGHTEN UP TONIGHT. NORTHERLY TO NORTHWESTERLY WINDS WILL BEGIN TO REALLY HOWL WITH MULTIPLE HOURS OF GALE FORCE GUSTS EXPECTED TONIGHT. SEAS WILL ALSO REMAIN QUITE ELEVATED TONIGHT IN THE WAKE OF THE STRONGER NNW FLOW RUNNING AROUND 6 FEET. THE GALE WARNING IS STILL IN AFFECT FOR ALL OUR COASTAL ZONES THROUGH 09Z...THAT REMAINS UNCHANGED. AFTER THAT TIME PERIOD THE GUSTS DROP INTO SMALL CRAFT RANGE FOR A FEW MORE HOURS FOLLOWED BY SMALL CRAFT FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS BEING A POSSIBILITY. OUTLOOK... HIGH PRESSURE TO OUR SOUTH WILL BRING QUIET CONDITIONS TO OUR WATERS THROUGH THE WEEKEND. AS THE HIGH MOVES OFF TO THE EAST, A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH FROM THE WEST. THE PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL TIGHTEN BETWEEN THESE TWO SYSTEMS. THIS WILL MEAN INCLEMENT WEATHER WITH INCREASING S TO SE WINDS AND BUILDING SEAS SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY. LOW PRESSURE IS THEN FORECAST TO DEVELOP ON THE FRONT ONCE IT MOVES OFF THE EAST COAST. DEPENDING ON THE TIMING AND LOCATION OF THE LOW, ADVISORY OR GALE CONDITIONS COULD OCCUR IN THE SUNDAY NIGHT TO MID WEEK TIME FRAME. && .TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING... TIDE DEPARTURES HAVE RISEN A BIT EARLY THIS MORNING...EVEN AS WINDS HAVE SHIFTED TO THE NORTH. IT COULD BE THAT AN EKMAN SPIRAL HAS DEVELOPED ON THE OCEAN WATERS...WHICH PRODUCES A NET MASS TRANSPORT OF WATER TO THE SHORE. THIS COULD ACCOUNT FOR THE TIDE DEPARTURES RUNNING BETWEEN THREE-QUARTERS AND ONE AND ONE-QUARTER FEET ABOVE PREDICTED EARLY THIS MORNING. THE HIGH ASTRONOMICAL TIDES WILL BRING THE HIGH TIDE CYCLE WITH ONE-HALF FOOT OF THE MINOR TIDAL FLOODING BENCHMARK WITHOUT ANY RESIDUAL TIDE EFFECTS. GIVEN WHAT IS GOING ON NOW...AS WELL AS THE PREPONDERANCE OF TIDE MODEL GUIDANCE...A COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED FOR THE OCEAN...RARITAN BAY AND THE BACK BAYS FOR THE MORNING HIGH TIDE. TIDE DEPARTURES ARE CURRENTLY NEGATIVE ACROSS THE DELAWARE BAY AND TIDAL DELAWARE RIVER. THE TIDE MODEL GUIDANCE BRINGS BOTH OF THESE LOCATIONS CLOSE TO THE MINOR TIDAL FLOODING BENCHMARK LATER THIS MORNING AND EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. FOR NOW...WILL WATCH TRENDS AND ISSUE A COASTAL FLOOD STATEMENT IF IT APPEARS AS THOUGH IT MAY BE CLOSE. && .PHI WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...NONE. NJ...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY FROM 5 AM TO 9 AM EST THIS MORNING FOR NJZ012>014-020-022>027. DE...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY FROM 5 AM TO 9 AM EST THIS MORNING FOR DEZ003-004. MD...NONE. MARINE...GALE WARNING UNTIL 4 AM EST EARLY THIS MORNING FOR ANZ430-431- 450>455. && $$ SYNOPSIS...RPW NEAR TERM...GIGI/HEAVENER SHORT TERM...HEAVENER LONG TERM...RPW AVIATION...HAYES/RPW MARINE...GIGI/HEAVENER/RPW TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...HAYES
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MOUNT HOLLY NJ
1213 AM EST THU NOV 24 2011 .SYNOPSIS... A HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER THE TENNESSEE VALLEY LATE THIS EVENING WILL BUILD INTO THE REGION AND DOMINATE OUR WEATHER THROUGH THE WEEKEND. A COLD FRONT, APPROACHING FROM THE WEST, WILL MOVE SLOWLY ACROSS OUR REGION SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY. LOW PRESSURE MAY DEVELOP ON THE FRONT ALONG THE MID ATLANTIC COAST AND MOVE SLOWLY NORTH MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY NIGHT. ANOTHER FRONTAL SYSTEM, WITH A REINFORCING SHOT OF COLD AIR, WILL APPROACH FROM THE NORTHWEST WEDNESDAY. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM THIS MORNING/... THE STUBBORN STRATOCUMULUS TRAPPED UNDER THE INVERSION IN THE COLD AIR ADVECTION IS FINALLY BREAKING UP. A BATCH REMAINS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN POCONOS...AND THIS ONE COULD TAKE SOME TIME TO BREAK MORE WITH THE UPSLOPE FLOW. THE BATCH OVER SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY AND SOUTHERN DELAWARE SHOULD CONTINUE TO BREAK UP AS DRIER AIR IS ENTRAINED INTO THE LOWER LEVELS. THE BEST SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT IS ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA EARLY THIS MORNING...AND WINDS REMAIN AT OR ABOVE 10 MPH IS MOST PLACES. THERE IS STILL SOME GUSTINESS OUT THERE EARLY THIS MORNING...AS LAST OF THE COLD AIR ADVECTION WINDS ITSELF OUT. AMDAR SOUNDINGS SHOWED 32 TO 35 KNOTS OF WINDS AT THE TOP OF IN THE INVERSION...SO THERE COULD BE SOME GUSTINESS FOR THE NEXT HOUR OR TOW. AFTER THAT...THE GUSTINESS SHOULD ABATE...BUT MOST PLACES PROBABLY KEEP A STEADY NORTH TO NORTHWEST WIND OVERNIGHT. LOW TEMPERATURES APPEAR TO BE IN LINE...AND LITTLE CHANGE WAS NEEDED FOR THE OVERNIGHT. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM THIS MORNING THROUGH 6 PM FRIDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE CONTINUES TO MOVE INTO OUR REGION TOMORROW HELPING US TO MAINTAIN THE NORTHWESTERLY WINDS AND CLEAR SKIES. THE PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL BEGIN TO SLACKEN EVEN MORE TOMORROW AND DEEP MIXING APPEARS OUT THE QUESTION SO GUSTS SHOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE...AROUND 15 KNOTS OR LESS. IT IS CERTAINLY GOING TO BE ONE GORGEOUS THANKSGIVING DAY. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!! && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... A LARGE HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM, CENTERED JUST TO OUR SOUTH, WILL MOVE SLOWLY EAST TO A POSITION JUST OFF THE NORTH CAROLINA COAST ON SATURDAY. THIS SYSTEM WILL SUPPLY US WITH FAIR AND RELATIVELY MILD WEATHER THROUGH THE WEEKEND. WILL SEE PLENTY OF SUNSHINE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. CLOUDS WILL BEGIN TO INCREASE SUNDAY AS THE HIGH MOVES OFF TO THE EAST AND A COLD FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. THERE COULD BE A FEW LIGHT SHOWERS SPREADING INTO OUR NORTHWEST SECTIONS LATE IN THE DAY. DAYTIME HIGHS FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY WILL BE IN THE MID 50S TO MID 60S. OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL BE MAINLY IN THE 30S THURSDAY NIGHT AND IN THE MID 30S TO MID 40S FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY NIGHT. RAIN IS LIKELY SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY AS THE COLD FRONT CROSSES THE REGION. LOW PRESSURE WILL THEN DEVELOP ON THE FRONT ALONG THE MID ATLANTIC COAST AND MOVE NORTH. THIS COULD MORE RAIN TO OUR AREA MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY NIGHT. WITH CLOUDS AND RAIN, HIGH TEMPERATURES MONDAY AND TUESDAY WILL BE SLIGHTLY LOWER THAN OVER THE WEEKEND, WITH READINGS IN THE UPPER 40S AND 50S. BY WEDNESDAY, ANOTHER FRONT WILL BE APPROACHING FROM THE NORTHWEST, AS AN UPPER TROUGH MOVES EAST FROM THE GREAT LAKES. THIS FRONT WILL USHER IN A REINFORCING SHOT OF COLD AIR BUT WILL BE MOISTURE STARVED. LOOKS LIKE THE MOST WE COULD GET WOULD BE SCATTERED SHOWERS. HIGH TEMPERATURES WEDNESDAY WILL BE IN THE 40S TO LOWER 50S. && .AVIATION /05Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... THE FOLLOWING DISCUSSION IS FOR KPHL, KPNE, KTTN, KABE, KRDG, KILG, KMIV, KACY AND SURROUNDING AREAS. THE LAST OF THE LARGE STRATOCUMULUS CLOUD DECK THAT GOT TRAPPED UNDER THE INVERSION IN THE COLD AIR ADVECTION IS FINALLY BREAKING UP EARLY THIS MORNING. THE LAST OF THE MVFR CEILINGS APPEARS TO NOW BE GONE AT KABE...AND KACY MAY TRY TO HOLD ONTO MVFR CEILINGS THROUGH 0630 UTC OR SO. OTHERWISE...VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED FOR THE OVERNIGHT. THE BEST PRESSURE GRADIENT REMAINS OVER THE AREA EARLY THIS MORNING...BUT THE GUSTINESS HAS BECOME CONFINED TO SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY...WHERE KMIV AND KACY ARE STILL GUSTING. LATE EVENING AMDAR SOUNDINGS SHOWED 32 TO 35 KNOTS AT THE TOP OF THE INVERSION ACROSS THE REGION. THIS COULD ALLOW KMIV AND KACY TO GUST THROUGH 0800 UTC OR SO. THE LATEST HRRR MODEL RUN SUGGESTS THAT THE NORTHERLY GRADIENT REMAINS IN PLACE THROUGH 1200 UTC...SO WINDS PROBABLY DO NOT GO CALM EARLY THIS MORNING. AS SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS TOWARD THE REGION TODAY...WINDS WILL BACK WITH TIME. THE BEST GRADIENT SHOULD BE THIS MORNING...WITH SOME SLACKENING THIS AFTERNOON. ANY GUSTINESS WOULD BE THIS MORNING...AS THE LAST OF THE COLD AIR ADVECTION WINDS ITSELF OUT. THE 0600 UTC TERMINAL FORECASTS DO NOT CONTAIN GUSTS...BUT THIS CAN BE REVISITED LATER. AT MOST...GUSTS PROBABLY TOP OUT NEAR 15 KNOTS. CONVECTIVE TEMPERATURES ARE WELL OUT OF REACH TODAY...SO VFR CONDITIONS SHOULD CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE DAY. WINDS SHOULD DROP OFF FAIRLY QUICKLY THIS EVENING AS THE LAST OF THE GRADIENT DROPS OFF. HIGH PRESSURE AT THE SURFACE AND IN THE MID LEVEL SHOULD RESULT IN CLEAR SKIES. THE AIRMASS LOOKS TO BE TOO DRY FOR EVEN PATCHY FOR LATE TONIGHT AND EARLY FRIDAY MORNING. OUTLOOK... THE HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM TO OUR SOUTH WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE US WITH GOOD VFR FLYING CONDITIONS WELL INTO SUNDAY. A COLD FRONT MOVING IN FROM THE WEST AND A LOW DEVELOPING ON THIS FRONT, ONCE IT MOVES JUST OFF TO OUR EAST, WILL BRING OUR NEXT ROUND OF INCLEMENT WEATHER SUNDAY NIGHT INTO THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. LOWER CIGS/VSBYS IN RAIN AND FOG CAN BE EXPECTED FOR MUCH OF THAT TIME PERIOD. && .MARINE... WITH THE COLD FRONT NOW TO OUR EAST AND HIGH PRESSURE TRYING TO NOSE IN FROM THE WEST THE SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL REALLY TIGHTEN UP TONIGHT. NORTHERLY TO NORTHWESTERLY WINDS WILL BEGIN TO REALLY HOWL WITH MULTIPLE HOURS OF GALE FORCE GUSTS EXPECTED TONIGHT. SEAS WILL ALSO REMAIN QUITE ELEVATED TONIGHT IN THE WAKE OF THE STRONGER NNW FLOW RUNNING AROUND 6 FEET. THE GALE WARNING IS STILL IN AFFECT FOR ALL OUR COASTAL ZONES THROUGH 09Z...THAT REMAINS UNCHANGED. AFTER THAT TIME PERIOD THE GUSTS DROP INTO SMALL CRAFT RANGE FOR A FEW MORE HOURS FOLLOWED BY SMALL CRAFT FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS BEING A POSSIBILITY. OUTLOOK... HIGH PRESSURE TO OUR SOUTH WILL BRING QUIET CONDITIONS TO OUR WATERS THROUGH THE WEEKEND. AS THE HIGH MOVES OFF TO THE EAST, A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH FROM THE WEST. THE PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL TIGHTEN BETWEEN THESE TWO SYSTEMS. THIS WILL MEAN INCLEMENT WEATHER WITH INCREASING S TO SE WINDS AND BUILDING SEAS SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY. LOW PRESSURE IS THEN FORECAST TO DEVELOP ON THE FRONT ONCE IT MOVES OFF THE EAST COAST. DEPENDING ON THE TIMING AND LOCATION OF THE LOW, ADVISORY OR GALE CONDITIONS COULD OCCUR IN THE SUNDAY NIGHT TO MID WEEK TIME FRAME. && .TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING... THE CONSENSUS OF THE LATEST GUIDANCE PRODUCTS (STEVENS, MDL AND THE BOFS FAMILY) GIVES TIDAL DEPARTURES THAT WOULD JUST TOUCH MINOR TIDAL FLOODING LEVELS ALONG THE OCEANFRONT. MOST OF THE FORECAST DEPARTURES ARE LESS THAN HALF A FOOT AS THE BULK OF THE TIDE ISSUES HAVE TO DO WITH THE ASTRONOMICAL SPRING TIDE ASSOCIATED WITH THE NEW MOON. BECAUSE OVERALL WAVE ACTION IS NOT EXPECTED TO BE UNUSUALLY HIGH AND NO RAIN IS EXPECTED, WE HAVE DECIDED TO ISSUE A COASTAL FLOOD STATEMENT VS AN ADVISORY. THE FORECAST NORTH WINDS ARE CAUSING SOME OF THE HIGHER GUIDANCE TIDAL DEPARTURES AT SANDY HOOK AND LEWES. FARTHER UP IN DELAWARE BAY AND THE TIDAL DELAWARE RIVER, THE WIND DIRECTION SHOULD ASSIST. OVERALL TIDAL DEPARTURES HAVE TO BE GREATER THAN AT THE SHORE, GENERALLY AROUND THREE-QUARTERS OF A FOOT. THE ONE CAVEAT THAT WE WILL HAVE TO WATCH IS THE BELOW FLOOD STAGE RIVER CREST NOW WORKING ITS WAY DOWN THE DELAWARE RIVER. ALONG CHESAPEAKE BAY, NO TIDAL PROBLEMS ARE BEING REPORTED WITH THE CURRENT HIGH TIDE CYCLE AND DEPARTURES ARE ALREADY DECREASING. THE OVERALL NORTHWEST TO NORTH WINDS SHOULD HELP CONTINUE DRAIN IT AND LOWER DEPARTURES INTO THURSDAY MORNING. ASTRONOMICAL HIGH TIDES WITH THE CURRENT NEW MOON SPRING TIDE CYCLE WILL PEAK ON FRIDAY MORNING. CURRENT EXPECTATIONS ARE FOR THE WIND DIRECTION TO BE LESS FAVORABLE AND BY THEN THE DELAWARE RIVER FRESH WATER CREST WILL ALSO BE THROUGH. && .PHI WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...NONE. NJ...NONE. DE...NONE. MD...NONE. MARINE...GALE WARNING UNTIL 4 AM EST EARLY THIS MORNING FOR ANZ430-431- 450>455. && $$ SYNOPSIS...RPW NEAR TERM...GIGI/HAYES/HEAVENER SHORT TERM...HEAVENER LONG TERM...RPW AVIATION...HAYES/RPW MARINE...GIGI/HEAVENER/RPW TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...GIGI
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CHARLESTON SC
202 AM EST THU NOV 24 2011 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO THE REGION FROM THE WEST TONIGHT AND PERSIST THROUGH THE WEEKEND. ANOTHER COLD FRONT WILL AFFECT THE REGION EARLY NEXT WEEK...FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM THIS MORNING/... NO NOTEWORTHY CHANGES WERE MADE THIS THE EARLY MORNING UPDATE. FRESHENED UP HOURLY GRIDS TO ACCOUNT FOR FALLING TEMPS AND DEWPOINTS. OTHERWISE...GOING FORECAST IS IN GOOD SHAPE. LAKE WINDS...WINDS AT BOTH PINEVILLE AND PINOPOLIS INDICATE WINDS ARE SOLIDLY WITHIN LAKE WIND ADVISORY THRESHOLDS. ALTHOUGH WINDS SHOULD PEAK WITHIN THE NEXT FEW HOURS...IT WILL TAKE SOMETIME FOR SPEEDS TO DIMINISH. A LAKE WIND ADVISORY WILL CONTINUE FOR LAKE MOULTRIE UNTIL 6 AM. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM THIS MORNING THROUGH SATURDAY/... AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH OFFSHORE ON THURSDAY AS RIDGING BUILDS INTO THE REGION FROM THE WEST. THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGE WILL THEN PREVAIL OVER THE SOUTHEASTERN STATES THROUGH SATURDAY. AT THE SURFACE...EXPANSIVE HIGH PRESSURE WILL PERSIST ACROSS THE MID-ATLANTIC REGION AND SOUTHEAST STATES THROUGH FRIDAY...THEN BEGIN TO SHIFT OFFSHORE ON SATURDAY. STRONG SUBSIDENCE AND A LACK OF ANY SIGNIFICANT MOISTURE WILL RESULT IN RAIN FREE CONDITIONS AND MAINLY CLEAR SKIES INTO FRIDAY. THEN...AS THE LOW LEVEL FLOW BECOMES MORE ONSHORE SOUTH OF THE SURFACE HIGH...AN INCREASE IN CLOUD COVER IS EXPECTED INTO THE START OF THE WEEKEND...ESPECIALLY ACROSS SOUTHEAST GEORGIA. TEMPERATURES WILL BE SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL ON THURSDAY...MODERATE TO NEAR NORMAL ON FRIDAY...THEN BECOME SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL BY SATURDAY. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... MEDIUM RANGE GUIDANCE IS IN FAIRLY GOOD AGREEMENT SHOWING A BLOCKING RIDGE DEVELOPING OVER THE WESTERN ATLANTIC BY THE END OF THE WEEKEND...RESULTING IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A HIGHLY AMPLIFIED UPPER LEVEL TROUGH NEAR THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. MODELS THEN SHOW A CLOSED UPPER LEVEL LOW DEVELOPING SOMEWHERE OVER THE SOUTHEAST STATES EARLY IN THE WEEK...BUT THERE IS SIGNIFICANT SPREAD IN THE MODELS WITH RESPECT TO THE LOCATION AND PROGRESSION OF THE UPPER LEVEL LOW...WITH THE 23/00Z GFS MORE PROGRESSIVE THAN THE 23/00Z ECMWF AND CANADIAN. THIS LEADS TO A RATHER LOW CONFIDENCE FORECAST...BUT WILL FAVOR THE GFS SOLUTION WHICH IS IN LINE WITH HPC THINKING. AS A RESULT...A COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO APPROACH FROM THE WEST LATE IN THE WEEKEND...PUSHING THROUGH THE AREA SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY AS THE TROUGH AXIS TAKES ON A NEGATIVE TILT. A GOOD MOISTURE FEED AHEAD OF THE FRONT SHOULD RESULT IN A SOLID CHANCE OF SHOWERS ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA...WITH PERHAPS A FEW STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ACCOMPANYING THE FRONT ITSELF. DRIER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY AS THE FRONT SHIFTS OFFSHORE AND THE UPPER LOW LIFTS NORTHWARD. ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES LATE IN THE WEEKEND WILL FALL BELOW NORMAL IN WAKE OF THE COLD FRONT. && .AVIATION /07Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... VFR CONDITIONS AT BOTH SITES THROUGH 06Z FRIDAY. GUSTS AT KCHS HAS DIMINISHED AND THIS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE PREDAWN HOURS. HAVE MAINTAINED LLWS MENTION AT BOTH SITES AS 35 KT WINDS AREN/T TOO FAR OFF THE DECK. WINDS WILL TURN TO MORE NE AFTER SUNRISE AND THERE MAY EVEN BE SOME LOW END GUSTS THROUGH LATE MORNING AS THE HIGH CONTINUES TO BUILD IN FROM THE WEST. OTHERWISE...CLOUD FREE CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL WITH NE FLOW INTO TONIGHT. EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...SUB-VFR CONDITIONS POSSIBLE SUN/MON IN SCATTERED SHOWERS AND T-STORMS. && .MARINE... SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES CONTINUE FOR ALL MARINE LEGS. BUOY OBSERVATIONS AND RADAR DATA INDICATE THE INITIAL WIND SURGE CONTINUES TO WORK SOUTH. A SPECIAL MARINE WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE LEADING LEDGE TO COVER GUSTS TO 35-40 KT FOR LESS THAN 2 HOURS. INCOMING RUC DATA SUGGEST MARGINAL GALES MAY OCCUR BEHIND THE WIND SURGE FOR SEVERAL MORE HOURS WITH BOUNDARY LAYER WINDS FORECAST TO BE RIGHT AT 35 KNOTS. MODIS WATER TEMPERATURE DATA INDICATE SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURES ARE IN THE UPPER 60S TO LOWER 70S BEYOND 40 NM...SO GALES COULD CERTAINLY OCCUR IN THE WARMER WATERS WERE MORE VIGOROUS MIXING WILL OCCUR. HOWEVER...PER COORDINATION WITH WFO JAX...HAVE OPTED TO HOLD WINDS AT 25-30 KT FOR NOW SINCE THE EVENT LOOKS MARGINAL AND HANDLE WITH A STRONG SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY. A GALE WARNING MAY STILL BE NEEDED...BUT CONFIDENCE IS NOT GREATER THAN 80 PERCENT ATTM. THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY...IMPROVING CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED ON THURSDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO THE REGION FROM THE NORTHWEST. WINDS AND SEAS SHOULD FALL BELOW SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CRITERIA FOR ALL NEAR SHORE WATERS BY THE END OF THE DAY THURSDAY...BUT A FAVORABLE FETCH WILL KEEP SEAS ELEVATED ABOVE ADVISORY CRITERIA ACROSS THE OUTER GEORGIA WATERS THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON. THE AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL PREVAIL OVER THE REGION INTO THE WEEKEND...WITH A COLD FRONT THEN EXPECTED TO APPROACH FROM THE WEST LATE IN THE WEEKEND AND PUSH OFFSHORE EARLY NEXT WEEK. ADDITIONAL SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES ARE POSSIBLE OVER PORTIONS OF THE WATERS IN ASSOCIATION WITH THIS FRONT. && .TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING... GIVEN THE UPCOMING PERIGEAN SPRING TIDES THERE IS A PRETTY GOOD CHANCE OF EXCEEDING COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY CRITERIA DURING THE MORNING HIGH TIDES THURSDAY THROUGH AT LEAST SATURDAY. WITH THE ASTRONOMICAL PREDICTED VALUES RIGHT AT 7.0 FT IN CHARLESTON HARBOR THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY MORNINGS...ONLY A NEUTRAL OR HIGHER ANOMALY WILL BE NECESSARY FOR MINOR COASTAL FLOODING. THIS APPEARS QUITE LIKELY GIVEN THE VEERING WIND PROFILE LATE TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY. LATER SHIFTS MAY NEED TO ISSUE A COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY. && .CHS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...NONE. SC...LAKE WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM EST EARLY THIS MORNING FOR SCZ045. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 11 AM EST THIS MORNING FOR AMZ330- 352. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR AMZ350. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 5 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR AMZ354. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM EST FRIDAY FOR AMZ374. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
320 AM CST THU NOV 24 2011 .DISCUSSION... 320 AM CST LOW CLOUDS CAN BE A WILDCARD DURING WARM AIR ADVECTION DURING THIS TIME OF YEAR...AND INDEED THE WIDESPREAD STRATUS HAS ENVELOPED THE AREA TO START OUT THANKSGIVING. THE ENVIRONMENT FAVORABLE FOR THIS AND HOW LONG IT WILL HAMPER WARMING TODAY...AND WHETHER OR NOT IT REDEVELOPS TONIGHT TO START FRIDAY...ARE THE PRIMARY CHALLENGES THIS MORNING. THIS IS FOLLOWED BY THE FRONTAL TIMING AND RAIN ON SATURDAY AND THE COLD AIR AND SNOW SHOWER CHANCES BEHIND IT. SYNOPSIS...THE EXPANSIVE STRATUS BANK LINES UP WELL THE LOW-LEVEL RIDGE THIS MORNING...FROM TEXARKANA NORTHEAST TO THE GREAT LAKES. AS OF EARLY THIS MORNING...THE FORECAST AREA IS ABOUT 150 MILES FROM THE NEAREST UPSTREAM SCATTERING IN NORTHEAST MO. ACCORDING TO AN EARLY MORNING ACARS SOUNDING AT RFD...THE CLOUD DEPTH IS AROUND 800 FT THICK OR SO...WHICH LIKELY SPEAKS FOR MUCH OF THE AREA. WHILE THAT IS NOT VERY DEEP...THE INVERSION STRENGTH IS IMPRESSIVE...WITH TEMPERATURES CLIMBING 16F IN ABOUT 1200 FT. THAT PRESENTS THE CHALLENGE TO ALLOW MIXING TO REALLY GET GOING TODAY. SURFACE TEMPERATURES AND DEW POINTS ARE BASICALLY HOLDING STEADY 38 TO 42 AND SHOULD THROUGH MID-MORNING. SOUTHWEST WINDS NEAR 10 MPH HAVE ALLEVIATED ANY DENSE FOG CONCERNS. TODAY...MANY OF THE SHORT TERM MODELS AND ASSOCIATED MOS HAVE GENERALLY STRUGGLED WITH THE LOW CLOUD DEPICTION. A FEW THAT HAVE HAD A GENERAL IDEA INCLUDE THE HRRR AND THE SPC 4KM WRF...AS WELL AS THE MOISTURE IN THE RUC 0-500M LAYER. THE THEME OF BASICALLY NO IMPROVEMENT THROUGH 10 AM IS SEEN IN ALL OF THESE. THE HRRR AND WRF THEN WANT TO SHOW MAJOR IMPROVEMENT. FORECAST SOUNDINGS ON THE RUC CONTINUE TO SHOW AN AGGRESSIVE INVERSION HOWEVER...AND ITS LOW LEVEL MOISTURE IS SLOWER TO IMPROVE...BASICALLY TOWARDS 3 PM. INEVITABLY SOME HOLES WILL DEVELOP IN THE CLOUD SHIELD AND TO PRECISELY INDICATE WHERE IS CHALLENGING MORE THAT A COUPLE HOURS IN ADVANCE. IT WOULD SEEM BY LATE MORNING INTO EARLY AFTERNOON THESE SHOULD INCREASE...ESPECIALLY OVER THE SOUTHERN AND WESTERN FORECAST AREA. THE CHICAGOLAND AREA MAY BE THE LAST PART OF THE CWA TO CLEAR SIMPLY DUE TO THE TRAJECTORIES OF DRY AIR FROM THE DISTANT SOUTHWEST. HAVE TAKEN TEMPS DOWN SOME...WEIGHING GREATLY TOWARDS THE COOLER GUIDANCE. THE 24.06 NAM IS SEVERAL DEGREES COOLER THAN ITS PRIOR RUN...AN INDICATION COOLER IS LIKELY THE WAY TO GO. NORMAL DIURNAL CLIMBS THIS TIME OF YEAR ARE AROUND 15 DEGREES...AND GIVEN CLOUDS FORECAST FOR OVER HALF THE DAYLIGHT HOURS...HAVE CLIMBS CLOSER TO 6-7 DEGREES. OVERALL...THE CONFIDENCE IS LOW FOR A PERIOD ONE FORECAST...BUT THE THEME OF COOLER THAN ORIGINALLY THOUGHT SHOULD HOLD TRUE. FOR MORE ON WHERE TODAYS HIGHS WILL FALL OUT FOR THANKSGIVING CLIMATOLOGY...PLEASE SEE THE CLIMATE DISCUSSION BELOW. TONIGHT AND FRIDAY...THE 24.00 NAM LOW-LEVEL PARCEL TRAJECTORIES OVER THE LOCAL AREA FOR FRIDAY MORNING ORIGINATE IN THE AIR MASS IN AR/SOUTHERN MO AT PRESENT. THAT AREA IS ALSO UNDER THE STRATUS BLANKET...WHICH IS CONCERNING. THERE WILL BE AN EVEN STRONGER LOW- LEVEL WIND COMPONENT TONIGHT WHICH SHOULD AT LEAST HELP TO KEEP THINGS MORE TURBULENT AND MORE CLOUD AREAS AS OPPOSED TO A WIDESPREAD BLANKET...IF CLOUDS DO REDEVELOP. THE NAM 0-500M MOISTURE FIELDS AND SOUNDINGS INDICATE THE POTENTIAL...THOUGH MORE IMPROVED THAN THIS MORNING. SO HAVE AT LEAST INCREASED SKY COVER BY QUITE A BIT GIVEN THE PERSISTENCE OF THE CLOUDS TO EXPAND THE PAST COUPLE NIGHTS. ANY CLOUDS SHOULD MOVE ON OR BREAK UP QUICKER ON FRIDAY MORNING...BEING REPLACED BY CIRRUS IN THE NORTH. TEMPERATURES STILL ARE ON PAR FOR MAINLY MID-UPPER 50S TO LOWER 60S FROM NORTH TO SOUTH. FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY...A STRONG UPPER TROUGH APPROACHING BRITISH COLUMBIA TODAY WILL BE OUR WEATHER-MAKER IN THIS PERIOD AS IT NEGATIVELY TILTS AND DIGS INTO THE UPPER MIDWEST. THE SUITE OF MODEL GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO SHOW SIZABLE DIFFERENCES IN THE SURFACE COLD FRONTAL TIMING FOR SATURDAY...WHICH WOULD DICTATE WHEN DURING SATURDAY THE HIGHEST POPS NEED TO BE FORECAST. WHAT GUIDANCE DOES AGREE ON IS GOOD QG FORCING...MOISTURE RETURN...AND FOCUS FOR RAIN. PRECIPITABLE WATERS INCREASE UP TO NEAR ONE INCH ON THE GFS/NAM IN A NARROW TONGUE AHEAD OF THE FRONT. THE BEST TIMING FOR RAIN STILL APPEARS TO BE DURING THE DAY SATURDAY...AND HAVE FURTHER TAPERED POPS ON FRIDAY NIGHT PRIOR TO MIDNIGHT. WHILE RAIN IS FAVORED ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA ON SATURDAY...THIS DOES LOOK TO BE MORE OF A HIGH POP/LOW QPF EVENT. THE 24.03 SREF QPF CONFIDENCE FOR SATURDAY IS ONLY 40 PERCENT FOR 0.25 OR GREATER OF AN INCH...AND THAT IS IN THE FAR SOUTH. IN THE ABSENCE OF THUNDER OR PRECIPITATION TYPE ISSUES...THE SREF TENDS TO HANDLE SUCH LOWER-END QPF CONFIDENCE FORECASTS WELL. AFTER A VERY MILD FRIDAY NIGHT...TEMPERATURES WILL GO NOWHERE ON SATURDAY...CLIMBING ONLY A COUPLE DEGREES POSSIBLY IN THE MORNING BEFORE GRADUALLY COMING DOWN...AND THEN QUICKLY DOWN AFTER THE FRONTAL PASSAGE. THAT PASSAGE IS RIGHT NOW FAVORED TO BE IN THE AFTERNOON. SATURDAY NIGHT WOULD LOOK TO HAVE SCATTERED SHOWERS IF ANYTHING...POSSIBLY WITH SOME LIGHT SNOW MIXED IN AS THE COLUMN CONTINUES TO COOL. SUNDAY AND BEYOND...HAVE OVERALL TRENDED SLIGHTLY DRIER DURING THIS TIME AS MODELS CONTINUE TO INDICATE A QUICKER PROGRESSION OF THE UPPER LOW...EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE CONTINUED SIGNS IT MAY CUT OFF...LIKE ON THE 24.00 EC. SUNDAY WILL STILL SEE CYCLONIC FLOW IT APPEARS...AND HAVE GONE ABOVE THE MODEL BLEND FOR SKY COVER AND SHOWER CHANCES. THERE IS AN INCREASINGLY BETTER SIGNAL FOR LAKE ENHANCED SHOWERS INTO NORTHWEST INDIANA...WHICH COULD BE SNOW SHOWERS BASED ON THE FORECAST SOUNDINGS. THE NEARLY DRY ADIABATIC LAPSE RATES BASED ON THE COLD AIR ADVECTION OVER THE LAKE...THE LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE...AND CONVERGENCE ALL FAVOR AT LEAST SOME ENHANCED CHANCES FOR SHOWERS. MORE OF AN INFLUENCE OF THE NORTHERN STREAM JET IS EXPECTED IN OUR AREA AS OPPOSED TO THIS LOW BY MONDAY AND TUESDAY. SO COOLER /NEAR NORMAL/ TEMPERATURES ARE FORECAST WITH POTENTIALLY SOME SMALL CHANCES FOR SHOWERS...BUT BELOW MENTIONABLE AT THIS TIME. && .CLIMATE... 215 AM CST FORECAST HIGHS FOR TODAY DO POSSESS A RANGE OF SEVERAL DEGREES OF UNCERTAINTY BECAUSE OF THE LOW CLOUDS. RIGHT NOW...THE COOLING TREND IN THE FORECAST HAS TAKEN THIS BELOW A TOP TEN WARMEST THANKSGIVING. IT IS STILL POSSIBLE HOWEVER...THOUGH A SMALL CHANCE. FRIDAY HIGH TEMPERATURES ARE STILL FORECAST SEVERAL DEGREES BELOW RECORD HIGHS FOR LONG TERM CLIMATE SITES. THOSE RECORDS FOR NOVEMBER 25TH ARE 65 IN 2008 FOR ORD...AND 64 IN 1915 FOR RFD. IT IS UNLIKELY THESE WILL BE REACHED. EVEN AFTER THE COLD FRONT ON SATURDAY...TEMPERATURES ONLY FALL BACK TO NEAR NORMAL. CHICAGO HAS ONLY SEEN TWO DAYS THIS MONTH WHERE THE DEPARTURE FROM NORMAL WAS COOLER THAN -1. A COUPLE DAYS MORE ARE POSSIBLE BY THE END OF THE MONTH BUT THATS IT IN WHAT LOOKS TO SURELY BE A WARMER THAN NORMAL MONTH BY AT LEAST A COUPLE DEGREES. MTF && .AVIATION... //ORD AND MDW CONCERNS...UPDATED 08Z... * IFR CIGS THROUGH MID/LATE MORNING. * GUSTY SOUTHWEST WINDS THROUGH THE PERIOD...PRIMARILY THIS AFTERNOON. * LLWS POTENTIAL TONIGHT. CMS //DISCUSSION...UPDATED 06Z... STRATUS DECK CONTINUES TO SPREAD ACROSS THE REGION AND WILL BE OVER ALL TERMINALS WITHIN THE NEXT HOUR. CIGS QUICKLY DROPPED FROM LOW END MVFR TO HIGH TO MIDDLE RANGE IFR. VERY STRONG SUBSIDENCE INVERSION NOTED ON THE 00Z RAOB OUT OF DVN...AND WOULD EXPECT THE STRATUS DECK TO REMAIN THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS. WARM AIR ADVECTION WILL BEGIN TO RAMP UP AND BOUNDARY LAYER FLOW WILL ALSO INCREASE INTO THE MORNING...AND IT IS THEN THAT THE CLOUDS SHOULD LIFT AND THEN BEGIN TO ERODE. INTO THE AFTERNOON HOURS...EFFICIENT MIXING WILL ALLOW GUSTS IN THE AFTERNOON TO REACH INTO THE LOWER 20KT RANGE AND WILL LAST UNTIL SUN DOWN. AS GUSTS FALL OFF...THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR LLWS INTO THE EVENING HOURS. FORECAST SOUNDINGS SHOWING ROUGHLY 40KT AT 02KFT...JUST FLIRTING WITH CRITERIA. FOR NOW...WILL WITHHOLD ANYTHING IN THE ORD TAFOR. SHEA //ORD AND MDW CONFIDENCE...UPDATED 08Z... * HIGH CONFIDENCE IFR CIGS WILL PERSIST THROUGH MID/LATE MORNING. * MEDIUM CONFIDENCE CIGS WILL LIFT/SCATTER OUT THIS AFTERNOON... LOW CONFIDENCE ON TIMING. * MEDIUM CONFIDENCE REGARDING WIND SPEEDS/GUSTS. * LOW CONFIDENCE IN MEETING LLWS CRITERIA TONIGHT. CMS //OUTLOOK FOR ORD/MDW FOR 12Z FRIDAY-12Z WEDNESDAY...UPDATED 00Z... * FRIDAY...VFR * SATURDAY...RA. MVFR LIKELY WITH IFR POSSIBLE * SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY...MVFR. SHRA WITH POSSIBLE RASN OVERNIGHT SHEA && .MARINE... 300 AM CST WINDS HAVE BEEN A LITTLE SLOW TO INCREASE THIS MORNING DESPITE A FAIRLY TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT AND STRONG FLOW ALOFT IN PLACE. WITH TWO SEPARATE AREAS OF LOW PRESSURE TO THE NORTH AND NORTHWEST OF THE LAKE AND A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE JUST TO THE SOUTHEAST...STRONG SOUTHERLY FLOW CONTINUES TO USHER IN WARMER AIR TO THE NORTH. BELIEVE THIS IS WHAT MAY BE CAUSING THIS SLOW INCREASE IN WIND SPEED AS A SLIGHTLY MORE STABLE LAKE MAY BE IN PLACE THAN WHAT CURRENT GUIDANCE IS INDICATING. NONETHELESS...WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE TODAY AS THIS TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT REMAINS AND FLOW ALOFT INCREASES. PERSISTENT SOUTHWEST WINDS TO 30 KT CAN BE EXPECTED INTO FRIDAY FOR BOTH THE NORTH AND SOUTH HALF OF LAKE MICHIGAN. HAVE LEFT OUT ANY MENTION OF GALES FOR THE LAKE THIS FORECAST ISSUANCE...BUT DO THINK THERE MAY BE BRIEF PERIODS OF HIGHER WINDS AROUND GALES LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING MAINLY FOR THE NORTH HALF OF THE LAKE. ALTHOUGH DO FEEL THAT THIS WILL BE SPORADIC AND BRIEF...THUS LEAVING ANY MENTION OF GALES OUT OF THE CURRENT FORECAST. SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL SLOWLY BEGIN TO DIMINISH FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY...BUT WILL BECOME MORE WESTERLY ON SATURDAY AS AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE AND ASSOCIATED FRONTAL BOUNDARY PUSH ACROSS THE LAKE. THEN A PERIOD OF WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED INTO THE START OF NEXT WEEK. RODRIGUEZ && .LOT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IL...NONE. IN...NONE. LM...NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS NORTHERN INDIANA
411 AM EST THU NOV 24 2011 .SHORT TERM... AS FEARED...POTENTIAL WRINKLES IN TERMS OF STRATUS AND FOG CAME TO FRUITION OVERNIGHT AND ARE CAUSE FOR SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO SHORT TERM FORECAST GRIDS. 11-3.9 MICRON SATELLITE IMAGE SHOWS LARGE AREA OF STRATUS ACROSS THE MS AND OH RIVER VALLEY REGIONS AND QUICKLY EXPANDING NORTHEAST ACROSS OUR AREA AS OF 08Z. 1000MB SW FLOW OF 5 TO 10 KNOTS AIDING IN MOVING STRATUS NORTHEAST. THE ENTIRE SHORT TERM FORECAST HINGES ON WHAT THIS STRATUS DECK DOES OVER NEXT 24 HOURS AND HENCE THE SHORT TERM PROBLEM OF THE DAY. NAM12 AND RUC HAVE SOME CLUE THAT STRATUS EXISTS BUT HRRR SEEMS TO HAVE BEST HANDLE BY FAR. MOS GUIDANCE HAS NO CLUE WITH CLOUD COVER CATEGORIES MAINLY CLEAR THROUGH THE PERIOD AND EVEN LAMP GUIDANCE AS OF 08Z HAS NO INDICATION. THUS MOS TEMPS NOT CLOSE TODAY FOR OPTIMISTIC 50S UNLESS CLOUD COVER ERODES QUICKLY WHICH IS DOUBTFUL AT THIS TIME. NAM12 BUFKIT SOUNDINGS SHOW SATURATED SURFACE TO 1KFT LAYER WITH STRONG INVERSION AND VERY DRY AIR ABOVE. WHILE YESTERDAYS MODEL RUNS MIXED THE LOWER LEVELS...LATEST RUNS ARE MUCH STRONGER WITH INVERSION AND SLIGHTLY DEEPER WITH MOIST LAYER LEADING TO LITTLE MIXING UNTIL LATE AFTERNOON. LATEST HRRR LOW CLOUD PRODUCT HAD STRATUS AREA NAILED AT INITIATION AND KEEPS IT LOCKED THROUGH ITS VALID PERIOD WHICH IS MID AFTERNOON. HRRR 2M TEMPS ALSO REMAIN IN UPPER 30S AND LOWER 40S THROUGH MID AFTERNOON. ALSO SOME CONCERN FOR DRIZZLE FOR A FEW HOURS AFTER SUNRISE AS TURBULENT MIXING OF SHALLOW CLOUD TOPS OFTEN LEADS TO PERIOD OF LIGHT PRECIPITATION...ESPECIALLY WHEN SUB CLOUD LAYER IS MOIST WITH BR OR FOG. HAVE ADDED A CHANCE FOR DRIZZLE TO ACCOUNT FOR THIS POSSIBILITY THROUGH MID MORNING. A LOOK BACK AT SATELLITE TRENDS ON WEDNESDAY REVEALED VERY LITTLE MIXING OF STRATUS AND THUS CONCERNED FOR SIMILAR TREND TODAY INTO TONIGHT. SUBTLE DIFFERENCE TODAY WILL BE INCREASING WINDS IN THE 1000-925MB LAYER... ESPECIALLY ABOVE 950MB WITH 40 TO 50 KNOTS DEVELOPING LATE TONIGHT. HOWEVER...THIS WILL BE JUST ABOVE INVERSION AND MAY NOT BE ENOUGH TO MIX OUT LOWER STRATUS DECK GIVEN STRONG INVERSION IN PLACE. 1000MB WINDS LOOK TO INCREASE BUT ONLY IN THE 5 TO 15 KNOT RANGE WITH LIGHTER WINDS UPSTREAM WHERE STRATUS COULD REDEVELOP AND AGAIN ADVECT BACK IN. AFTER MUCH COLLABORATION HAVE OPTED FOR CLOUDY CONDITIONS THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON WITH A SUBTLE OPTIMISTIC TRANSITION TO PARTLY CLOUDY MID TO LATE AFTERNOON. KEPT SKY COVER IN PARTLY CLOUDY RANGE TONIGHT WITH UNCERTAINTY CONTINUING AS TO DEGREE OF REDEVELOPMENT IF WE ACTUALLY DO BREAK OUT THIS AFTERNOON. STRONGER FLOW ON FRIDAY AHEAD OF NEXT SYSTEM SUGGEST ANY REMAINING STRATUS WOULD MIX OUT MID TO LATE MORNING. TEMPS OBVIOUSLY WILL BE IMPACTED SIGNIFICANTLY WITH THIS STRATUS. HAVE LOWERED HIGHS TODAY SEVERAL DEGREES BUT LIKELY NOT NEARLY ENOUGH IF CLOUDS PERSIST ALL DAY. HAVE TO RESPECT PARTIAL CLEARING IN AFTERNOON SO DID NOT GO AS LOW AS COLDEST MODEL BLENDS. 06Z NAM12 KEEPING TEMPS IN 30S ALL AREAS TODAY. MINS TONIGHT NOW HEAVILY DEPENDENT ON ACTUAL MAX TEMPS TODAY BUT EXPECT LITTLE DROP OFF WITH DECENT GRADIENT AND CLOUD POTENTIAL. KEPT TEMPS IN LOW TO MID 40S TONIGHT. HIGHS ON FRIDAY STILL LOOK TO BE NEAR 60 WITH BETTER MIXING BUT CONCERNS CONTINUE FOR LINGERING STRATUS IN THE MORNING. && .LONG TERM.../SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/ FEW SIG CHANGES TO LONG TERM WITH MODEL TURMOIL STILL ABUNDANT THROUGH THE PERIOD. ARRIVAL OF TROUGH FROM THE WEST AND ASSOCIATED PRECIP STILL NOT MUCH CLEARER WITH NAM/GFS SPREADING RAIN ACROSS THE AREA MID MORNING WEST INTO AFTERNOON EAST VS ECMWF MORE QUICK AFTERNOON ARRIVAL WEST TO EAST. THESE FASTER SOLUTIONS ALSO PUSHES PRECIP OUT AFTER 6Z SUN IN WESTERN AREAS. THINK COMPROMISE STILL NEEDED IN MODELS...MEANING GENERALLY SAME FORECAST FOR SAT/SAT NGT. TEMPS STILL GOING TO BE TRICKY BUT WITH INCREASING MID/HIGH CLOUDS THINK THEY WILL BE KEPT IN CHECK ESPECIALLY WEST. HAVE INCREASED SKY COVER TO REFLECT FASTER CLOUD ARRIVAL. ECMWF ONLY MODEL THAT STARTS PROGRESSIVE SUNDAY WITH GFS/GEFS/GEM ALL SHOWING CLOSED UPPER LOW ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES /IN VARYING LOCATIONS/. WITH TIME...ECMWF AND GEM CONTINUE A DEPICTION OF RAPID DEEPENING OF UPPER LOW AND MAJOR TRANSLATION SOUTHWARD IN ENERGY. GFS/GEFS HOLD WITH NORTHERN INFLUENCE BEING STRONGER. NEXT TROUGH WILL MOVE INTO THE AREA MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY AND INTERACT WITH CLOSED LOW WHEREVER IT MAY BE. THINK THERE WILL BE AT LEAST A DECENT SHOT FOR PRECIP UNDER THE UPPER LOW WITH COOL NW FLOW ACROSS THE LAKE AND SYNOPTIC MSTR STILL ACROSS THE AREA. IN ADDITION...PIECE OF ENERGY SHOULD ROTATE ACROSS THE AREA ON SUNDAY. WILL MAINTAIN MID RANGE CHC POPS FOR NOW WITH POSSIBLE INCREASE TO LIKELY WITH TIME. BASED ON THERMAL PROFILES...HAVE OPTED TO THROW IN MIX MENTION FOR THE DAY AS 1000-850 MB VALUES DROP TO NEAR OR BELOW 1300 M. HAVE ONLY MADE MINOR TWEAKS TO POPS FROM CR INIT TO PLACE HIGHER EMPHASIS ON PAST VS PRESENT WITH SLIGHTLY HIGHER POPS. WHILE AN OUTLIER...IF ECMWF SOLUTION OF UPPER LOW EVENTUALLY WORKING NORTH TOWARDS THE AREA MON NGT INTO TUES NGT BODES TRUE...COULD BE RATHER WET. ECMWF HAS BEEN VERY VARIABLE OF LATE...BUT NO WORSE THAN SOME OF THE OTHERS LEADING TO AT LEAST CONSIDERATION OF THE SCENARIO. REGARDLESS OF SOLUTIONS...NORMAL TO BELOW NORMAL TEMPS WILL BE IN STORE SUNDAY AND BEYOND. && .AVIATION... STRATUS DECK CONTINUES TO ADVECT RAPIDLY NORTHEAST OUT OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND INDIANA. THIS SHOULD OVERSPREAD TERMINAL SITES AROUND 07Z AT KSBN AND 08Z AND KFWA BASED ON LATEST EXTRAPOLATION FROM SATELLITE. CIGS GENERALLY IN THE 4-8HFT RANGE WITH VIS BETWEEN 1 AND 2SM. HAVE TRENDED TAFS TO THIS RANGE. MODELS NOT HANDLING STRATUS AREA WELL BUT NAM BUFKIT HINTED AT IT LAST NIGHT AND DOES SHOW SATURATED LOWER LEVELS BELOW VERY STRONG INVERSION AT BOTH TAF SITES. CONCERN IS NAM12 SOUNDINGS NOW SHOW SATURATED LOWER LEVELS PERSISTING THROUGH MUCH OF THE DAY UNTIL VERY LATE AFTERNOON WHEN MIXING FINALLY DRIES OUT LOWER LEVELS. GIVEN TRENDS ON WEDNESDAY OF SLOW ERODING STRATUS HAVE TRENDED TAFS TO A MORE PESSIMISTIC NATURE WITH SLOWER EROSION OF LOW CLOUD DECK. && .IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IN...NONE. MI...NONE. OH...NONE. LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 AM EST SATURDAY FOR LMZ043-046. && $$ SHORT TERM...LASHLEY LONG TERM...FISHER AVIATION...LASHLEY
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS QUAD CITIES IA IL
335 AM CST THU NOV 24 2011 .SYNOPSIS... SFC HIGH CENTERED OVER THE TN/OH VLYS EARLY THIS AM. MOIST LOW LEVEL RETURN FLOW (SFC DEWPTS IN 40S) ON WESTERN AND SOUTHERN PERIPHERY OF HIGH WITH 11-3.9 MICRON SATL IMAGERY SHOWING LARGE AREA OF LOW CLOUDS WITHIN THIS MOIST AXIS. SOME FOG ALSO FOUND OVER REGION BUT MAINLY LIGHT (2-6SM) DUE TO BLANKET OF LOW CLOUDS AND ALSO S/SW WINDS OF 5-10 KTS KEEPING BL MIXED JUST ENOUGH. && .SHORT TERM...TODAY AND TONIGHT... ANOTHER DIFFICULT FCST REVOLVING AROUND SKY COVER TRENDS WITH HUGE IMPACT ON TEMPS. COMPOUNDING DIFFICULTY IS THAT IT/S HARD TO FIND MODEL DOING WELL IN CAPTURING COVERAGE/EXTENT OF LOW CLOUDS. OBSERVED SOUNDINGS SHOW MOISTURE TO BE VERY SHALLOW ON THE ORDER OF 20 MB OR SO IN DEPTH BUT BELOW VERY STRONG LOW LEVEL INVERSION. IT IS EXPECTED THOUGH THAT MIXING TO INCREASE TDY AIDED BY STRENGTHENING SFC PRESSURE GRADIENT WITH DEVELOPING GUSTY S/SW WINDS. THIS SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT TO TAP LARGE AMOUNTS OF DRY AIR NEAR BASE OF INVERSION TO BEGIN EROSION PROCESS/ CLEARING TREND LATER THIS AM THROUGH AFTN. HIGHEST CONFIDENCE OF SEEING CLEARING TDY IS ACROSS W/SW SECTIONS BEING IN CLOSER PROXIMITY TO BACK EDGE OF STRATUS. LOWEST CONFIDENCE OF ANY CLEARING OF IS ACROSS NW IL COUNTIES WHERE MOIST LOW LEVEL PARCEL TRAJECTORIES ARE AIMED. THE HRRR LOW CLOUD PRODUCT... WHICH DID REALLY WELL YSTDY WITH STRATUS... SUPPORTS THIS IDEA OF BEST CLEARING POTENTIAL W/SW OF MISSISSIPPI RVR TDY AND HAVE TAILORED FCST CLOSELY TOWARD THIS SCENARIO. OBVIOUSLY AS CLOUDS GO TDY... SO GO TEMPS. LOOKING BACK YSTDY TO OUR WEST NOTICED THAT AREAS KEPT STRATUS THROUGH 18Z BEFORE DECREASING SAW HIGHS GENERALLY IN RANGE OF 47-55 DEGS WITH U50S NEAR KC METRO. WENT WITH THIS GENERAL RANGE FOR MOST OF CWA BEING COOLEST NW IL... AND WARMEST SE IA INTO NORTHEAST MO WHERE HAVE SOME U50S/NR 60 DEGS. OF COURSE IF STRATUS HOLDS AND WHERE THAT DOES OCCUR WILL SEE TEMPS ONLY GO UP 3-5 DEGS FOR HIGHS GENERALLY MID 40S. IF CLEARING BUSTS OPEN EARLIER THEN WITH GUSTY S/SW WINDS WOULD SEE MORE AREAS NR 60 OR IN THE 60S FOR HIGHS AND POSSIBLY NEARING RECORDS. SHOULD THIS OCCUR MOST LIKELY WRN/SRN CWA. TNGT... WENT WITH GENERAL IDEA THAT ANY CLEARING TO FILL BACK IN WITH STRATUS WITH MOIST LOW LEVEL SFC PARCEL TRAJECTORIES STILL AIMED AT REGION. THIS ALSO SUPPORTED BY BACKUP RUC MODEL AVIATION FLIGHT CATEGORIES PRODUCT WHICH SHOWS IFR CONDITIONS BLOSSOMING THROUGHOUT REGION. GIVEN THIS AND SLY WINDS AROUND 10 KTS WITH SOME GUSTS STAYED AT OR ABOVE WARMEST GUIDANCE FOR LOWS... WITH WIDESPREAD L/M 40S. SOME FOG POSSIBLE BUT MAINLY LIGHT (2-6SM) DUE TO CLOUDS AND SOUTH WINDS AROUND 10 KTS WITH SOME GUSTS. ..05.. .LONG TERM...FRIDAY THROUGH NEXT WEDNESDAY... FORECAST FOCUS ON RAIN FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY OTHERWISE MAINLY A CHILLY BUT DRY PERIOD. FRIDAY...EXPECTING A WARM DAY IN THE BRISK SOUTHERLY FLOW AS TROUGH DIVES INTO THE NORTHERN ROCKIES AND ANOTHER LIFTS INTO THE SOUTHERN ROCKIES. MAX TEMPS IN THE 60 TO 65 RANGE ROUGHLY SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 30 WITH 55 TO 60 TO THE NORTH. THESE TEMPS BASED ON INCREASING CLOUD COVER AS THE DAY PROGRESSES. BUT IF THERE IS MORE SUNSHINE THEN TEMPS MAY BE SOMEWHAT HIGHER. HOWEVER A BIG PROBLEM COULD BE STRATUS FORMING UNDER THE STRENGTHENING INVERSION EARLY FRIDAY THAT IF LINGERS TOO LONG WOULD PUT A BIG DENT INTO THE WARM TEMPS. BASED ON THIS CURRENT FORECAST RECORD HIGHS ARE NOT IN JEOPARDY. SEE CLIMATE SECTION BELOW. PREVIOUS SHIFT HAD REMOVED MENTION OF RAIN FOR FRIDAY AND BASED ON LATEST DATA THIS STILL LOOKS GOOD. SHOULD HAVE SOUTH WINDS GUSTING TO AROUND 30 MPH. FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT...THE 00Z ECM HAS SLOWED THE PHASING OF THE TWO STREAMS AND KEEPS MUCH OF THE CWA DRY FRIDAY EVENING...AND IN FACT KEEPS OUR FAR EASTERN CWA TOTALLY DRY FRIDAY NIGHT. OTHERWISE WILL GRADUALLY WORK THE LIKELY POPS EASTWARD AS MOST OF THE OPERATIONAL MODELS PAINT A WET NIGHT. RAINY DAY ON SATURDAY MOST OF THE CWA EXCEPT OUR WESTERN CWA WHERE WE WILL HAVE A CHANCE. TIMING THE ENDING OF THE RAIN VARIES UPON THE MODELS AND LATER SHIFTS MAY NEED TO ADJUST. WIDESPREAD 0.20 TO 0.40 INCH RAIN AMOUNTS STILL APPEAR LIKELY. ANY RAIN THAT CHANGES TO SNOW SHOWERS AT THE TAIL END OF THIS EVENT BY SATURDAY NIGHT LOOKS SHORT-LIVED AND UNEVENTFUL AS OF NOW. BACK TO REALITY AS MUCH COLDER AIR RETURNS ON SATURDAY WITH STRONG COLD ADVECTION. MAX TEMPS ONLY IN THE MID 40S TO LOWER 50S...ALONG WITH NORTHWEST WINDS GUSTING OVER 30 MPH ADDING TO THE CHILL. A RATHER WET AND RAW DAY ON SATURDAY. SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...INTERESTING THAT THE PAST COUPLE OF RUNS OF THE ECM SHOWED EITHER A PROGRESSIVE TROUGH MOVING ACROSS THE EASTERN UNITED STATES EARLY NEXT WEEK...OR A CLOSED LOW FORMING WELL TO OUR EAST. AMAZINGLY THE 00Z RUN NOW IS DEPICTING THE CLOSED LOW FARTHER TO THE WEST FORMING IN THE GULF STATES AND MOVING INTO THE OHIO VALLEY. THE PRECIPITATION JUST GRAZES OUR FAR SE CWA. THE GFS/GEM INDICATE A DIGGING TROUGH IN THE EASTERN STATES KEEPING THE PRECIPITATION WELL EAST OF THE DVN CWA. BASICALLY FOR THE PAST 7 DAYS THE GFS/ECM HAVE BEEN ERRATIC AND SHOWING A LOT OF FLIP- FLOPPING. THEREFORE THE EXTENDED REMAINS LOW CONFIDENCE. OTHER THAN A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS EAST OF THE MS RIVER ON SUNDAY THE EXTENDED INDICATES DRY AND CHILLY WEATHER FOR NOW. IF THE ECM IS CORRECT THE RECORD COLD ARCTIC AIR THAT HAS BEEN BUILDING IN ALASKA THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS WILL BE GETTING CLOSER AND CLOSER THE FIRST WEEK OF DECEMBER. FAIRBANKS HAS NOT BEEN ABOVE ZERO FOR THE PAST 10 DAYS. THE ARCTIC OSCILLATION IS ALSO FORECAST TO START GOING NEGATIVE DURING THAT TIME. THIS MAY ALSO INCREASE THE POTENTIAL FOR A SNOWSTORM. ..HAASE.. && .AVIATION... /ISSUED 1135 PM CST WED NOV 23 2011/ THE STRATUS REMAINS IN PLACE OVER THE EASTERN THIRD OF IOWA AND HAD EXPANDED ACROSS NORTHERN IL LATE THIS EVENING. WITH VERY LITTLE CHANGE IN THE LOCATION OF THE BACK EDGE OF THE STRATUS THIS EVENING...IT APPEARS THAT THE CLOUDS WILL REMAIN OVER THE AREA MUCH OF THE NIGHT WITH MAINLY IFR CIGS. AS LONG AS THE CLOUDS ARE IN PLACE...VISIBILITIES SHOULD REMAIN IN THE 3 TO 5SM RANGE DUE TO FOG. AS THE SOUTHWEST LOW LEVEL FLOW INCREASES LATE TONIGHT AND THURSDAY MORNING...THE CLOUDS SHOULD START ERRODING FROM WEST TO EAST. HAVE CLEARED TAF SITES OUT BETWEEN 12Z AND 15Z. EXPECT VFR CONDITIONS THE REST OF THE PERIOD WITH SOUTHWEST WINDS GUSTING TO AROUND 20 KTS BY THURSDAY AFTERNOON. ..DLF.. && .CLIMATE... RECORD HIGHS FOR NOVEMBER 24... MOLINE.........66 IN 1966 CEDAR RAPIDS...63 IN 1931 DUBUQUE........63 IN 1931 BURLINGTON.....68 IN 1915 RECORD HIGHS FOR NOVEMBER 25... MOLINE.........67 IN 1896 CEDAR RAPIDS...68 IN 1896 DUBUQUE........65 IN 1896 BURLINGTON.....68 IN 1915 && .DVN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IA...NONE. IL...NONE. MO...NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS PITTSBURGH PA
1140 PM EST WED NOV 23 2011 .SYNOPSIS... AFTER SOME CLOUDS OVERNIGHT TONIGHT INTO THE MORNING HOURS...HIGH PRESSURE WILL BRING CLEARING SKIES AND SEASONABLY MILD TEMPERATURES FOR THANKSGIVING DAY INTO THE WEEKEND. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY/... CLOUDS ARE FORMING ALONG THE RIDGES...WITH A LARGE AREA OF LOW CLOUDS MARCHING ACROSS WESTERN OHIO. HI RES MODELS SHOW THE AREA TO THE WEST ENVELOPING EASTERN OHIO IN HE NEXT 2-4 HOURS...MOVING INTO WESTERN PA AROUND SUNRISE. FURTHER EAST...THE CLOUD DECK THERE LOOKS TO BE EXPANDING TO THE WEST AND EAST. GIVEN THESE CONDITIONS...WILL INCREASE SKY COVER GRADUALLY OVERNIGHT TO MOSTLY CLOUDY TO OVERCAST AREA WIDE BY MORNING. THINK THIS DECK WILL DISSIPATE BY LATE MORNING...WITH HIGH PRESSURE GIVING A MOSTLY SUNNY THANKSGIVING AFTN. LOWER TO MID 30S WILL PREVAIL FOR LOWS TNGT...WITH LOWER/MID 50S FOR HIGHS THANKSGIVING DAY. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/... LARGE DOME OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL COVER THE EASTERN THIRD OF THE NATION THROUGH PERIOD WITH TEMPERATURES AVERAGING ABOVE NORMAL AND GENERALLY CLEAR SKIES. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... LATEST MEDIUM RANGE MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW A SHARP UPPER TROUGH PUSHING INTO THE EASTERN STATES EARLY NEXT WEEK...BUT GFS AND ECMWF STILL DIFFER ON WHERE AND WHEN SOUTHERN BRANCH TROUGH WILL CLOSE OFF. WENT CLOSE TO HPC GUIDANCE WHICH PUSHES A COLD FRONT THROUGH THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY SUNDAY AND THEN DEVELOPS A SURFACE LOW OVER THE MID ATLANTIC REGION MONDAY INTO EARLY TUESDAY. LIKELY POPS FOR SHOWERS ARE FORECAST FOR SUNDAY INTO SUNDAY NIGHT WITH COVERAGE BECOMING MORE SCATTERED MONDAY INTO TUESDAY. ANOTHER UPPER TROUGH WILL SWING INTO THE GREAT LAKES REGION AND WILL BRING A REINFORCING SHOT OF COLDER AIR AND SCATTERED PRECIPITATION EARLY WEDNESDAY. ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES EARLY IN THE WEEK WILL GRADUALLY COOL DOWN TO A FEW DEGREES BELOW NORMAL BY WEDNESDAY. && .AVIATION /05Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... FORECAST PROBLEM FOR THE SHORT TERM IS THE AREA OF IFR/LIFR STRATUS DEVELOPING IN THE STRONG WAA. MAIN AREA IS TO THE WEST, WITH A SMALLER AREA FILLING IN OVER THE RIDGES. CURRENT HI RES MODELS INDICATE THAT THE AREA TO THE WEST WILL EXPAND EASTWARD DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS, WHILE THE AREA EAST WILL ALSO FILL INTO THE WEST. THIS WILL NEED TO BE MONITORED CLOSELY, BUT WITH HI RES MODELS AND TO AN EXTENT, LATEST NAM RUN, SHOWING THIS EXPANSION, WILL NEED TO BRING IN IFR/LIFR CIGS TO ALL PORTS AS DAWN APPROACHES. WILL USE TIMING FROM HRRR MODEL, IN THE WEST, RESTRICTIONS WILL BEGIN AT ZZV AROUND 08Z AND THEN REACH PIT AROUND 12Z. IN THE EAST, WILL BEGIN FORECAST WITH MVFR CIGS AT LBE AND MGW, THEN MAY NEED TO LOWER FURTHER AS DAWN APPROACHES. OBVIOUSLY, IF EXPANSION OF LOW CIGS DOES NOT TAKE PLACE, WILL NEED TO MAKE MAJOR CHANGES TO FORECAST. MODEL DATA IS SHOWING THAT THE LOWER CLOUDS SHOULD DISPERSE RAPIDLY BY MID-MORNING ONCE THE ATMOSPHERE BEGINS THE MIXING PROCESS. EXPECT A RETURN TO VFR CONDITION FOLLOWING THE ELIMINATION OF THE STRATUS. OUTLOOK... THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY... VFR INTO SATURDAY EVENING. PREFRONTAL SHOWERS WITH RESTRICTIONS POSSIBLE STARTING LATE SATURDAY NIGHT. && .PBZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MD...NONE. OH...NONE. PA...NONE. WV...NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GRAND RAPIDS MI
400 AM EST THU NOV 24 2011 LATEST UPDATE...SYNOPSIS/SHORT AND LONG TERM/MARINE... .SYNOPSIS...(400 AM EST THU NOV 24 2011) THANKSGIVING DAY WILL SEE SOME CLOUDS MOVE IN WITH HIGHS IN THE UPPER 40S. NO RAIN IS EXPECTED UNTIL THE WEEKEND WHEN A COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH. RAIN SHOWERS COULD MIX WITH WET SNOW BY SUNDAY NIGHT AS COLDER AIR MOVES IN BEHIND THE COLD FRONT. && .SHORT TERM...(400 AM EST THU NOV 24 2011) (TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY) FORECAST PROBLEMS IN THE NEAR TERM INCLUDE LOW CLOUDS AND POTENTIAL IMPACT ON MAX TEMPS TODAY AND TIMING IN THE RAIN ON SATURDAY. LOWERED MAXES FROM THE LOWER 50S TO UPPER 40S FOR TODAY AS SATELLITE AND OBS SHOW AREA OF LOW STRATUS MOVING INTO THE WESTERN FORECAST AREA ATTM. MAX TEMPS WERE HELD TO THE LOWER 40S ACROSS IOWA ON WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON UNDER THESE CLOUDS. 00Z NAM RH PROFILES SHOW INVERSION SLOWLY LOWERING AND SUGGESTS CLOUDS COULD BREAK UP THIS AFTERNOON...BUT LATEST RUC IS MORE PESSIMISTIC AND WOULD MEAN A CLOUDY DAY AND MAXES PROBABLY HELD IN THE MID 40S. STRATUS MAY HANG ON EVEN INTO TONIGHT AND POSSIBLE FRIDAY MORNING BEFORE INCREASING WINDS AND MIXING SCOUR THEM OUT. KEPT CHANCE POPS UP NORTH FOR FRIDAY NIGHT AS SOME ISENTROPIC ASCENT AND MID LEVEL MOISTURE IS AVAILABLE. THE STEADIER RAIN SHOULD HOLD OFF UNTIL AFTER 12Z SATURDAY AND POSSIBLY UNTIL 00Z SUNDAY IF THE SLOWER EURO SOLUTION PANS OUT...AS DIGGING SHORTWAVE TROUGH APPROACHES AND COUPLED JET ALONG WITH DEEP MOISTURE MOVES IN. && .LONG TERM...(400 AM EST THU NOV 24 2011) (SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY) THE MID RANGE MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW DIFFERENCES IN THE LONG TERM. THERE IS GOOD AGREEMENT ON THE SYSTEM SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT. HOWEVER... CONFIDENCE IS LOWER FOR THE POTENTIAL PRECIPITATION WITH A SYSTEM MONDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY. IN FACT... THE ECMWF SHOWS THE WEATHER ASSOCIATED WITH A CUT OFF LOW SWEEPING BY TO THE SOUTHEAST OF THE AREA. MEANWHILE... THE GFS HAS NO CUTOFF LOW AND MOVES A WEAK CANADIAN WAVE BY TO THE NORTH. THEREFORE... CONFIDENCE AND THE POPS ARE LOWER AFTER MONDAY AND SOME PERIODS HAVE BEEN DRIED OUT. THE PRECIPITATION... IF IT OCCURS... COULD BE RAIN... SNOW OR A RAIN/SNOW MIX. TEMPERATURES WILL BE A LITTLE ABOVE NORMAL THROUGH THE WEEKEND. THEY WILL BE AROUND NORMAL NEXT WEEK. NORMAL HIGHS THIS TIME OF YEAR ARE AROUND 40 DEGREES AND NORMAL LOWS ARE IN THE UPPER 20S. && .AVIATION...(1146 PM EST WED NOV 23 2011) CERTAINLY A RISK FOR IFR OR LOWER CONDITIONS TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY. LOW LEVEL MOISTURE REMAINS TRAPPED BELOW THE INVERSION LOCATED ROUGHLY 2K FT OFF THE GROUND. ANY POCKETS OF CLEAR SKIES HAVE BEEN FILLING IN WITH FOG AND STRATUS. IN ADDITION A LARGE AREA OF SUB MVFR CLOUDS WILL ADVECT IN FROM THE SOUTHWEST BEGINNING AROUND 08Z. IT IS BECOMING MORE LIKELY THAT THE LOW CLOUDS WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE MORNING AND PERHAPS INTO THE AFTERNOON. EXTRA CAUTION IS ADVISED FOR AVIATORS TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY GIVEN THIS SETUP. ANOTHER RISK FOR LOW CLOUDS AND FOG EXISTS FOR THURSDAY NIGHT AS WELL. && .MARINE...(400 AM EST THU NOV 24 2011) ISSUED A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT AS A TIGHTENING PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL BRING WEST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS GUSTING TO 25 KNOTS AND WAVES BUILDING ABOVE FOUR FEET. && .GRR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MI...NONE. LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT. && $$ SYNOPSIS: OSTUNO SHORT TERM: OSTUNO LONG TERM: 63 AVIATION: MJS MARINE: OSTUNO
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS BINGHAMTON NY
1244 AM EST THU NOV 24 2011 .SYNOPSIS... LOW LEVEL MOISTURE BEHIND DEPARTED FRONT...CAUSES ONLY GRADUAL BREAKUP OF CLOUDS TONIGHT...AND AREAS OF FOG WHERE IT DOES CLEAR. DRY HIGH PRESSURE AND WARMING TEMPERATURES THANKSGIVING DAY RIGHT INTO THE WEEKEND. WET SYSTEM BY EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM THIS MORNING/... 930 PM UPDATE...BACK EDGE OF THE CLEARING SKIES IS MAKING GOOD PROGRESS EAST...NOW INTO STEUBEN AND YATES COUNTIES. THIS LINE WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE PROGRESS EAST THROUGH THE NEXT FEW HOURS...REACHING THE SYRACUSE AREA BY MIDNIGHT. FARTHER SOUTH AND EAST WHILE THE SKY IS STILL EXPECTED TO CLEAR...MOISTURE FROM THE FINGER LAKES AND THE UPSLOPE FLOW (NORTHWEST WIND) MAY KEEP SKIES CLOUDY A BIT LONGER. STILL EXPECT EVERYONE TO CLEAR OUT...AT LEAST CLOUD WISE...BY 10Z. BASED ON THE OBS ACROSS STEUBEN COUNTY WITH HORNELL DOWN TO 1/4SM IN FOG...EXPECT AREAS OF FOG TO FORM OVERNIGHT AND IT COULD BE QUITE DENSE GIVEN OUR RECENT RAINFALL. WILL CONTINUE TO HIGHLIGHT AREAS OF FOG IN THE GRIDS. ONE MORE THING TO ADD....WITH THE RUC SHOWING THE CORE OF COLD AIR OVER THE FINGER LAKES NOW (-3C) AND A WIND OUT OF THE NORTHWEST...KBGM IN CLEAR AIR MODE IS SHOWING SOME LIGHT ECHOES DOWNWIND OF CAYUGA AND OWASCO LAKES (LAKE EFFECT FLURRIES). THROUGH MIDNIGHT SOME SCT. FLURRIES ARE POSSIBLE...MAINLY ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN...ACROSS TOMPKINS...CORTLAND...TIOGA...BROOME...BRADFORD...SUSQUEHANNA...AND WAYNE COUNTIES. AT 3 PM...FRONT IS WELL EAST OF THE AREA...BUT UPPER TROUGH AXIS IS STILL FINISHING ITS TREK THROUGH THE AREA...AS CLEARLY MARKED VIA MOISTURE SPOKE ON THE WATER VAPOR IMAGERY LOOP. UPPER TROUGH AXIS AND WEAKENING MID LEVEL DEFORMATION ARE PAIRED UP OVER THE EASTERN HALF OF THE AREA...YET DEEPER MOISTURE IS ALREADY WELL TO OUR EAST. SO WITH SHALLOW SATURATED LAYER...ONLY DIMINISHING LIGHT SHOWERS AND PATCHY DRIZZLE EARLY THIS EVENING. OUR HIGH TEMPS OCCURRED EARLY TODAY...YET BECAUSE TEMPERATURE WITHIN THE SHALLOW SATURATED LAYER STAYS ABOVE MINUS-5 DEGREES CELSIUS...NOT SEEING ANY OPPORTUNITY FOR CRYSTAL FORMATION. THUS WITH ANY SHOWERS THAT ARE LEFT...VERY LITTLE IF ANY MIX WITH SNOW EVEN AT HIGHER ELEVATIONS...AND CERTAINLY NO ACCUMULATION. TONIGHT...925MB RH FIELDS SUGGEST THAT DESPITE DRY OVERALL AIR MASS...LOW LEVEL MOISTURE FROM LAKE ONTARIO...AND IN GENERAL...GETS TRAPPED UNDER DEVELOPING INVERSION AS WARM AIR ADVECTION ALREADY BEGINS ALOFT OVERNIGHT. THE WET GROUND FROM 1-2 INCHES OF PRIOR RAINFALL ALSO WILL AID IN MOIST LOW LEVELS. THUS...LOW CLOUDS WILL BE VERY STUBBORN TO BREAK...AND SKY GRIDS HAVE BEEN ADJUSTED ACCORDINGLY. THOSE AREAS THAT DO CLEAR COULD HAVE AREAS OF FOG FORM BECAUSE OF THE WET GROUND...WITH WET GROUND AND WEAKENING/DECOUPLING WINDS. AREAS WEST OF I-81 HAVE THE BEST CHANCE FOR FOG FORMATION. WE WILL HAVE TO MONITOR FOR PROSPECTS OF FREEZING FOG EARLY IN THE MORNING IF IT MANAGES TO GET LOCALLY DENSE. WITH AMOUNT OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE...I EXPECT LOW TEMPERATURES TONIGHT TO BE SLIGHTLY ABOVE MODEL GUIDANCE NUMBERS. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM THIS MORNING THROUGH SATURDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE AT SURFACE AND ALOFT TAKES OVER FOR THANKSGIVING AND FRIDAY. IN ADDITION TO ABUNDANT SUNSHINE...THE SOUTHWEST SURFACE FLOW AROUND THE HIGH CENTERED TO OUR SOUTH...AND RISING THICKNESSES...ALL HELP YIELD WARMING TEMPERATURES...ESPECIALLY FRIDAY AND SATURDAY WITH HIGHS ABOUT 15 TO 20 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL. ONLY FLY IN THE OINTMENT IS THAT MOISTURE WILL STILL BE COMING OFF OF LAKE ONTARIO INITIALLY THURSDAY...WHICH MAY MEAN SOME CLOUD COVER IN ONEIDA COUNTY...YET STILL TEMPERATURES WILL BE IN A WARMING TREND THERE. A NORTHERN STREAM FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL ATTEMPT TO SAG SOUTH FRIDAY NIGHT TO SATURDAY MORNING...BUT AT THIS TIME I AGREE WITH NAM/GFS IN NOT BRINGING IT CLOSE ENOUGH TO IMPACT OUR WEATHER OTHER THAN PERHAPS A FEW EXTRA CLOUDS IN THE NORTHERN ZONES. HOWEVER CLOSE THAT FRONT APPROACHES...IT WILL SURGE BACK NORTHWARD SATURDAY WITH INCREASING SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... MAIN FOCUS IN THE MEDIUM RNG IS THE AMPLIFYING TROF WHICH IS FORECAST TO MOV INTO THE CNTRL AND THE ERN U.S. EARLY NXT WEEK. THERE ARE SIG DIFFS IN THE MDLS W/RESPECT TO TIMING...PCPN AMTS...AND NRN/SRN STREAM INTERACTION. GFS PAINTS A POTNL FLOOD SCENARIO WITH SRN PORTION OF THE TROF CUTTING OFF THEN LIFTING NEWD...WITH +RA ACRS THE FSCT AREA SUN NGT INTO MONDAY ALONG AN INVERTED TROF. THE EURO SHOWS LESS INTERACTION BETWEEN NRN AND SRN STREAMS...BUT STILL SHOWS RAIN WORKING NWD INTO THE RGN LATE MON NGT INTO TUE...BUT THE HEAVIEST PCPN IS SHUNTED OFF TO OUR SOUTHEAST. GIVEN THESE DIFFS...WE LEANED HEAVILY ON HPC GUIDANCE FOR THE MEDIUM RNG..WHICH PAINTS AN UNSETTLED PICTURE INTO MIDWEEK. && .AVIATION /06Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... SOME GRADUAL CLRG ATTM BUT WITH PLENTY OF LL MOISTURE STILL ARND...PTCHY IFR CIGS AND VSBYS PSBL THRU THE NGT. ON THU...DRIER AIR ALOFT WILL HELP MIX OUT THE MOISTURE AND RETURN ALL STATIONS TO VFR. VFR CONDS SHD REMAIN THRU THE END OF THE PD WITH THE DRY AIR. OUTLOOK... THU THROUGH SAT...VFR. SUN NGT/MON...IFR/MVFR IN RAIN. && .BGM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...NONE. NY...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...MDP NEAR TERM...HEDEN/MDP SHORT TERM...MDP LONG TERM... AVIATION...DGM
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS BURLINGTON VT
1230 AM EST THU NOV 24 2011 .SYNOPSIS... LOW PRESSURE IS EXITING EASTWARD THROUGH THE GULF OF MAINE. IN THE WAKE OF THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM...A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD EASTWARD ACROSS THE NORTH COUNTRY BRINGING DRY WEATHER FOR THANKSGIVING AND RIGHT THROUGH THE UPCOMING WEEKEND. TEMPERATURES WILL BE NEAR NORMAL FOR THANKSGIVING WITH HIGHS IN THE UPPER 30S...THEN MODERATING TO ABOVE AVERAGE READINGS FOR FRIDAY THROUGH NEXT MONDAY. THE NEXT CHANCE FOR PRECIPITATION WILL BE LATE SUNDAY INTO MONDAY AS A FRONTAL BOUNDARY APPROACHES THE AREA FROM THE WEST. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 11 AM THIS MORNING/... AS OF 1212 AM EST THURSDAY...NO CHANGES PLANNED TO GOING FORECAST ATTM. LL CLD COVER REMAINS INTACT OVER THE NORTH COUNTRY...WITH NO REAL SIGNS OF ANY SCOURING OUT TAKING PLACE. SO WILL KEEP CWA CLOUDY. TEMPS SLOWLY DROPPING DESPITE CLDY SKIES...AIDED THOUGH BY WK NORTHERLY FLOW. TRENDS LOOK GD. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...MADE SOME MINOR ADDITIONAL ADJUSTMENTS TO SKY COVER THROUGH TOMORROW AFTERNOON BASED OFF CURRENT OBSERVATIONS AND LATEST NEAR-TERM MODEL DATA. RUC13 275K ISENTROPIC PROGS SEEM TO CAPTURE CURRENT SITUATION NICELY INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...WITH CLOUDS ESSENTIALLY HANGING TOUGH...ESP THE NORTHWESTERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA DESPITE LOW PRESSURE PULLING WELL EAST INTO THE MARITIMES. AS FLOW ALOFT TRENDS WESTERLY LATER TONIGHT...SOME CLEARING LIKELY IN THE CT RIVER VALLEY...AND POSSIBLY INTO THE SLV. ELSEWHERE GENERALLY MOSTLY CLOUDY TO CLOUDY. THIS WILL TEMPER OVERNIGHT LOWS ABOVE 12/18Z MOS GUIDANCE...WITH VALUES GENERALLY BOTTOMING OUT IN THE 20S...THOUGH LOCALLY TEENS IN THE NRN CT RVR VALLEY FROM ORANGE COUNTY NORTHWARD. OUTSIDE A STRAY FLURRY...NO ADDITIONAL PCPN EXPECTED OVERNIGHT AS NORTHERLY WINDS TREND LIGHT. FOR THANKSGIVING DAY...A DRY FORECAST WITH RISING HEIGHTS ALOFT. AS MENTIONED ABOVE I`VE MADE SOME ADDITIONAL CHANGES TO SKY COVER...KEEPING MAINLY CLOUDY SKIES ACROSS OUR CENTRAL/NRN COUNTIES...AND OFFERING PTLY SUNNY CONDS SOUTH. AIR MASS IS SLOWLY MODERATING...BUT GENERALLY EXPECTING HIGHS FROM THE MID 30S ACROSS ERN VT TO THE UPR 30S IN THE CHAMPLAIN VALLEY. WARMEST TEMPS EXPECTED IN THE ST. LAWRENCE VALLEY /LOW TO MID 40S/. SNOW COVER WILL HELP HOLD DOWN TEMPS SOMEWHAT FROM THE ADIRONDACKS EWD ACROSS VT. WINDS WILL START LIGHT...THEN BECOMING S-SW AT 5-10 MPH IN THE AFTN. && .SHORT TERM /11 AM THIS MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 247 PM EST WEDNESDAY...A QUIET PERIOD OF WEATHER EXPECTED FOR THE SHORT-TERM PERIOD WITH NIL POPS. SFC RIDGE AXIS SHIFTS SOUTH OF NEW ENGLAND ALLOWING FOR A STRONGER WSWLY GRADIENT FLOW TO DEVELOP OVER THE NORTH COUNTRY. WINDS ON FRIDAY COULD BECOME LOCALLY BREEZY...GENERALLY SOUTHWEST 15-25 MPH. THERE WILL ALSO BE MODERATING TEMPERATURES DURING THE PERIOD. LOWS THURSDAY NIGHT WILL GENERALLY BE 25-30F...THOUGH LOCALLY COLDER READINGS ARE POSSIBLE IN FAR NERN VT. WITH 850MB THERMAL RIDGE AXIS IN PLACE...HIGHS BOUNCE BACK TO THE UPR 40S ON FRIDAY AND A FEW LOW 50S ACROSS NRN NY. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR SOME MELTING OF RECENT SNOWFALL. THERE MAY BE A TENDENCY FOR A FRONTAL BOUNDARY TO DEVELOP ALONG THE INTL BORDER FRIDAY INTO FRIDAY NIGHT. CLOUD FORECAST IS GENERALLY PARTLY TO MOSTLY CLOUDY...WITH THE GREATER CLOUD AMTS ACROSS NRN AREAS. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... AS OF 330 PM EST WEDNESDAY...HIGH PRESSURE IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FROM SATURDAY THROUGH EARLY SUNDAY...WITH DRY WEATHER AND ABOVE-NORMAL TEMPERATURES. EUROPEAN AND GFS CONTINUE TO DISAGREE WITH RESPECTS TO THE SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY TIME PERIOD. BOTH MODELS SHOW A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM LIFTING NORTH OF THE REGION ON SUNDAY...WITH BULK OF PRECIPITATION SUNDAY NIGHT....MAINLY RAIN SHOWERS IN THE VALLEYS WITH SOME SNOW MIXING IN THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS. MODELS DIVERGE GREATLY AFTER SUNDAY NIGHT...WITH THE GFS KEEPING AFOREMENTIONED FRONT AROUND THROUGH TUESDAY AND LIFTING A CUT OFF LOW ACROSS THE REGION. ECMWF DOES NOT HAVE THIS FEATURE AT ALL. THEREFORE...CAN NOT PUT MUCH WEIGHT BEHIND EITHER OF THESE MODELS. WOULD LIKE TO SEE MODELS COME INTO BETTER AGREEMENT WITH RESPECT TO THE EXTENDED. AT THIS TIME BEST CHANCE FOR PRECIP IN THE EXTENDED LOOKS TO BE SUNDAY INTO SUNDAY NIGHT. && .AVIATION /06Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... THROUGH 06Z FRIDAY...ABUNDANT LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE WILL REMAIN OVER THE REGION INTO THURSDAY WITH WIDESPREAD MVFR AND LOCAL IFR CEILINGS. BY 13Z ALL TAF SITES EXPECTED TO BE MVFR...WITH A TREND TO VFR BY 18Z. EXCEPTIONS WILL BE KSLK/KMSS WHERE MVFR CIGS MAY PERSIST THROUGH THE PERIOD. LIGHT NORTH WINDS OVERNIGHT WILL BECOME SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST ON THURSDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE PASSES WELL SOUTH OF THE AREA. OUTLOOK 06Z FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY...VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGH SUNDAY AS A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OVER THE REGION. SHOWERS WITH MVFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY AS A FRONTAL SYSTEM MOVES SLOWLY ACROSS THE REGION. && .BTV WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VT...NONE. NY...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...BANACOS NEAR TERM...JMG/JN SHORT TERM...BANACOS LONG TERM...NEILES AVIATION...RJS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CLEVELAND OH
406 AM EST THU NOV 24 2011 .SYNOPSIS... A LARGE AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY WILL SLOWLY MOVE EAST THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK. LOW PRESSURE IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER THE PLAINS FRIDAY AND APPROACH THE GREAT LAKES REGION SATURDAY. THE COLD FRONT FROM THE LOW PRESSURE IS EXPECTED TO CROSS THE AREA SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... HIGH PRESSURE TO THE SOUTH WILL KEEP THE AREA DRY TODAY...BUT THE SIGNIFICANT WEATHER FEATURE OF TODAY WILL BE THE LOW CLOUDS THAT HAVE BEEN ADVANCING EASTWARD ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA OVERNIGHT. IR SAT SHOWING A LARGE AREA OF LOW STRATUS CLOUDS EXTENDING BACK INTO IN AND IL THIS MORNING. THERE ARE SOME BREAKS IN THE CLOUDS ACROSS THE WESTERN HALF OF THE AREA...BUT THINKING EVEN THIS AREA WILL FILL IN BY AROUND OR JUST SUNRISE THIS MORNING. MAV AND MET GUIDANCE WAY OFF THIS MORNING HANDLING THESE LOW CLOUDS...SO ACTUALLY LEANED TOWARD THE HRRR MODEL FOR THIS SITUATION. RECENT RUNS SINCE AROUND 04Z HAVE HANDLING THE LOW CLOUDS FAIRLY WELL BRINGING THEM INTO THE AREA...AND THE HRRR ACTUALLY PERSISTS THEM THROUGH MUCH OF THE DAY. LEANED TOWARD THIS SOLUTION WITH A MAINLY CLOUDY FORECAST FOR TODAY ACROSS THE AREA WITH SOME BREAKS POSSIBLE LATE AFTN/AROUND SUNSET THIS EVENING. WITH THE ADDED CLOUDS IN THE FORECAST ALSO HAD TO ADJUST TEMPS ACCORDINGLY. LOWERED TEMPS TO MAINLY UPPER 40S TO AROUND 50 FOR TODAY WITH LITTLE RISE THROUGH THIS MORNING. MY CONCERN IS THAT IF THE LOW STRATUS CLOUDS DO DOMINATE THROUGH THE ENTIRE AFTERNOON THAT TEMPS TODAY MAY END UP EVEN COOLER THAN FORECAST. THEN RATHER THAN A NORMAL DIURNAL CURVE TEMPS SIMPLY JUST CONTINUE TO SLOWLY RISE THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT WITH WAA. FOR NOW WILL PROTECT EITHER SOLUTION AND ALLOW THE FORECAST TEMPS TO BE A COMPROMISE BETWEEN POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS TODAY. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/... HIGH PRESSURE TO THE SOUTH WILL REMAIN IN CONTROL TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT. GUIDANCE SUGGESTING THAT THE CLOUDS SHOULD DISSIPATE TONIGHT ALLOWING FOR MOSTLY CLEAR TO PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES. WILL LEAN TOWARD THAT TREND FOR NOW...BUT WILL BE SOMETHING WORTH WATCHING THROUGH TODAY. TEMPS WILL BE TRICKY REGARDING THE OVERNIGHT TRENDS...BUT OVERALL LOOKING FOR A MILDER NIGHT TONIGHT. WITH INCREASING SOUTHERLY FLOW TEMPS WILL BE MILD ON FRIDAY AND THEN EVEN A FEW BETTER ON SAT AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT. MADE LITTLE CHANGES TO TEMPS FRIDAY NIGHT THRU SAT NIGHT AS LIKED LEANING ON THE WARMER SIDE OF CURRENT GUIDANCE. ALSO MADE LITTLE CHANGES TO POPS THROUGH SAT NIGHT WITH LIKELY ALREADY MENTIONED IN SOME AREAS. KEPT POPS RATHER HIGH IN THE LIKELY CATEGORY ON SUNDAY WITH THE ECMWF A BIT SLOWER...BUT DID TREND TO LOWERING POPS ACROSS THE WEST SUNDAY NIGHT. FOR SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT MADE LITTLE CHANGES DUE TO TIMING ISSUES WITH THE FRONT...AS WELL AS AIRMASS DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE COOLER GFS AND WARMER ECMWF. && .LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... LIKE YESTERDAY...MODELS CONTINUE TO HAVE SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES DURING THE LONG TERM PERIOD. THE GFS CONTINUES TO BE COLDER AND FASTER WITH THE MAIN FEATURES. HAVE NOT MADE MANY CHANGES TO THE LONG TERM DURING THE PERIOD GIVEN THIS UNCERTAINTY. APPEARS THAT NEARLY EVERY PERIOD WILL SEE AT LEAST A CHANCE FOR PRECIPITATION. IT COULD BE COLD ENOUGH FOR MIXED SNOW AND RAIN BOTH TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHTS WITH LIQUID PRECIPITATION DURING THE DAY. TEMPERATURES DURING THE PERIOD WILL AVERAGE WITHIN A DEGREE OR TWO OF NORMAL. && .AVIATION /09Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... BAND OF STRATUS OVER WESTERN OHIO CONTINUING TO MOVE EAST AND EXPAND. ANOTHER AREA OF STATUS MOVING RAPIDLY NORTHEAST FROM CENTRAL INDIANA. THE MODELS DO NOT HAVE A HANDLE ON THIS WHICH IS TYPICAL FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR WHEN LOW LEVEL MOISTURE GETS TRAPPED BELOW THE INVERSION. MY FORECAST IS FOR THE STRATUS TO EVENTUALLY COVER THE ENTIRE FORECAST AREA BY DAYBREAK THURSDAY. THE VISIBILITY SHOULD BE MAINLY MVFR BUT COULD FLUCTUATE TO IFR AT TIMES. THE CEILING SHOULD BE MAINLY IFR BUT COULD IMPROVE TO MVFR AT TIMES. CONDITIONS SHOULD BE WORSE AT DAYBREAK. WITH THE TIME OF THE YEAR THE CEILINGS MAY JUST GO BROKEN DURING THE AFTERNOON. NOT EXPECTING CLEAR SKIES AS THE SURFACE RIDGE WILL BE EAST OF THE AREA...SO NO REAL SUBSIDENCE. THURSDAY AFTERNOON CEILINGS MAY BE NEAR 1000 FEET WITH THE VISIBILITY 6SM OR BETTER. CONDITIONS WILL BEGIN TO DETERIORATE AGAIN THURSDAY NIGHT. OUTLOOK...NON VFR SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT. && .MARINE... PERSIST WSW TO SW FLOW IS EXPECTED ON LAKE ERIE TILL A COLD FRONT CROSSES THE LAKE SOMETIME SATURDAY NIGHT. WILL HOIST A SMALL CRAFT FOR ABOUT THE EAST HALF OF THE AREA AS LOCAL SCHEMES AND MODELS ARE GIVING 4 FOOT OR GREATER WAVES. THE FLOW WILL BECOME WESTERLY BEHIND THE FRONT AND THEN REMAIN THAT WAY THROUGH THE END OF THE PERIOD. LOT`S OF MODEL UNCERTAINTY DURING THE PERIOD SO THIS FORECAST COULD BE IN FLUX...ESPECIALLY EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .CLE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OH...NONE. PA...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 3 AM EST SATURDAY FOR LEZ147>149. && $$ SYNOPSIS...ABE NEAR TERM...ABE SHORT TERM...ABE LONG TERM...KUBINA AVIATION...KUBINA MARINE...KUBINA
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS WILMINGTON OH
1208 AM EST THU NOV 24 2011 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD IN TONIGHT. HIGH PRESSURE WILL THEN REMAIN IN PLACE THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK...GIVING US DRY CONDITIONS AND A WARMING TREND INTO SATURDAY. A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH BY LATE SATURDAY WITH SHOWERS FOR SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM THIS MORNING/... A LARGE AREA OF STRATUS EXTENDS FROM THE CENTRAL AND WESTERN PARTS OF OUR FORECAST AREA...SOUTHWESTWARD ACROSS SOUTHERN INDIANA...WESTERN KENTUCKY...AND MUCH OF THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. THIS MOISTURE IS TRAPPED UNDERNEATH THE RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE CURRENTLY CENTERED JUST SOUTH OF OUR FORECAST AREA. THIS CLOUD DECK WILL SLOWLY MOVE EASTWARD WITH THE RIDGE...WHICH MEANS OUR EASTERN ZONES WILL JOIN THE REST OF THE FORECAST AREA BY BECOMING MOSTLY CLOUDY AS WELL BY LATE TONIGHT. THIS SHOULD PREVENT FOG FROM DEVELOPING ACROSS ANY OF OUR ZONES OVERNIGHT. HOWEVER...THERE WILL STILL BE AREAS OF LIGHT MIST CAUSING MINOR REDUCTIONS IN VISIBILITIES. HAVE UPDATED THE FORECAST TO KEEP CLOUD COVER IN PLACE THROUGH SUNRISE. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM THIS MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... HIGH PRESSURE WILL BE CENTERED ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY AS IT SLOWLY WORKS OFF TO THE EAST. ANY MORNING LOW LEVEL MOISTURE CLOUDS THAT MIGHT HAPPEN TO DRIFT INTO THE AREA SHOULD DIMINISH. TEMPS NEAR GUIDANCE THROUGH PERIOD EXCEPT A BIT LOWER THURSDAY NIGHT AND LITTLE WARMER FRIDAY NIGHT WITH SOUTHERLY FLOW WITH DRY CONDITIONS THROUGH THE PERIOD. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... A STRONG COLD FRONT WITH COPIOUS MOISTURE WILL APPROACH THE AREA ON SATURDAY. WITH GFS TRENDING FASTER WITH RESPECT TO THIS SYSTEM...SPED UP ONSET OF CHANCE OF SHOWERS TO SATURDAY AFTERNOON IN WESTERN COUNTIES. ENTIRE AREA SHOULD SEE SHOWERS SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY AS THE FRONT PUSHES THROUGH. KEPT THUNDER OUT OF THE FORECAST AS IT APPEARS THAT INSTABILITY WILL BE LACKING. AFTER THE FRONT MOVES EAST ON SUNDAY...AN UPPER TROUGH WILL KEEP A LOW CHANCE OF SHOWERS INTO MONDAY...MAINLY IN EASTERN COUNTIES. ANOTHER UPPER DISTURBANCE PASSING THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES MAY BRING A FEW SHOWERS TO NORTHERN LOCATIONS ON TUESDAY. EXPECT MAINLY DRY WEATHER ON WEDNESDAY WITH HIGH PRESSURE PUSHING IN FROM THE SOUTHWEST. TEMPERATURES WILL START OUT ABOVE NORMAL ON SATURDAY AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT...WITH HIGHS FORECAST TO BE AROUND 60. HIGHS WILL BE NEAR NORMAL IN THE 40S SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. COLDER READINGS AROUND 40 MAY BE IN STORE FOR WEDNESDAY. && .AVIATION /05Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE CURRENTLY CENTERED OVER THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY WILL SLOWLY DRIFT EASTWARD OVERNIGHT INTO THURSDAY WITH LOW LEVEL FLOW BACKING TO THE SOUTHWEST. MAIN FORECAST CONCERN FOR THE TAF PERIOD IS THE POTENTIAL FOR LOW CEILINGS TONIGHT. A PERSISTENT LOW STRATUS DECK OVER INDIANA... SOUTHERN ILLINOIS...AND WESTERN KENTUCKY WAS SLOWLY ERODING EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON. HOWEVER...NOW THAT THE SUN IS DOWN THOSE CLOUDS SHOULD STICK AROUND FOR TONIGHT AND PERHAPS EVEN INCREASE IN AERIAL COVERAGE AS THE LATEST RUC GUIDANCE SUGGESTS. THESE CLOUDS ARE THE RESULT OF TRAPPED LOW LEVEL MOISTURE DUE TO A SUBSIDENCE INVERSION ASSOCIATED WITH THE HIGH. LATEST SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS A SLOW EASTWARD PROGRESSION WITH THIS CLOUD DECK...ALREADY ENCROACHING ON KCVG. WENT WITH IFR CEILINGS TONIGHT FOR THE WESTERN TAF SITES BASED ON WHAT HAPPENED FURTHER UPSTREAM LAST NIGHT. MAY ALSO SEE SOME VFR TO MVFR VSBY REDUCTION AT KCVG/KLUK DUE TO MIST...BUT EXPECT THE CLOUD DECK TO GENERALLY LIMIT MIST DEVELOPMENT TONIGHT. CONFIDENCE IN CEILINGS IS LOWER FOR THE EASTERN TAF SITES SO ONLY WENT WITH A SCATTERED LOW CLOUD DECK THERE. ANY STRATUS THAT LINGERS INTO THURSDAY MORNING WILL TAKE TIME TO ERODE...BUT WENT WITH SKC BY 17Z. OUTLOOK...MVFR CIGS/VSBYS POSSIBLE SUNDAY AND MONDAY. && .ILN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OH...NONE. KY...NONE. IN...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...PADGETT NEAR TERM...LATTO SHORT TERM...PADGETT LONG TERM...CONIGLIO AVIATION...KURZ
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS NORMAN OK
219 AM CST THU NOV 24 2011 .DISCUSSION... CLOUD COVER...WITH CEILINGS AROUND 200 FT AND DENSE FOG...CONTINUES TO SPREAD NORTH AND WEST THIS MORNING AROUND 15-20KT. THIS BRINGS AREA OF LOW CLOUDS TO I-35 AROUND 11Z. HRRR WHICH IS USUALLY TOO AGGRESSIVE...HAS LOW CEILINGS TO HWY 81 AND SOUTH OF I-40 BY 13Z. WILL ADJUST SKY GRIDS TO REFLECT CLOUDS NEAR HWY 81 AND NORTH INTO LINCOLN/PAYNE COUNTIES. HEATING AND INCREASING WINDS SHOULD ERODE CLOUDS BY MID MORNING...ESPECIALLY WESTERN EDGE. WINDS TONIGHT AND A MILD THANKSGIVING SHOULD KEEP THE FOG PONTENTIAL LOW BUT SOME LOW CLOUDS MAY DEVELOP/MOVE INTO SOUTHERN PARTS OF THE FA BY EARLY FRIDAY. ONLY MINOR ADJUSTMENTS WERE MADE TO TIMING OF WX/POPS WITH FRIDAY/EARLY SATURDAY TROUGH. OVERNIGHT LOWS FRIDAY NIGHT WILL BE A LITTLE TRICKY WITH PLACEMENT OF COLD FRONT/CAA. MOST OF THE RAIN SHOULD END BY MID MORNING SATURDAY. STRONG...GUSTY NORTH WINDS SATURDAY SHOULD BE THE MAIN WEATHER STORY. RATHER DRY AIRMASS BEHIND EARLY SATURDAY COLD FRONT WILL RESULT IN COLD OVERNIGHT LOWS SUNDAY AND MONDAY. WITH SURFACE HIGH BUILDING SOUTH INTO TEXAS...PER GFS...AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES USUALLY REBOUND QUICKER THAN EXPECTED. ANOTHER COLD FRONT WILL PUSH ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PLAINS LATE MONDAY INTO TUESDAY..BUT NO PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED WITH THE FRONTAL PASSAGE. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... OKLAHOMA CITY OK 68 47 64 45 / 0 0 20 70 HOBART OK 67 48 64 40 / 0 0 40 50 WICHITA FALLS TX 68 48 65 46 / 0 0 40 70 GAGE OK 71 47 65 36 / 0 0 40 40 PONCA CITY OK 68 47 65 43 / 0 0 20 70 DURANT OK 68 48 65 51 / 0 0 30 70 && .OUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OK...NONE. TX...NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...CORRECTED TYPO
NWS LA CROSSE WI
354 AM CST THU NOV 24 2011 .SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY 352 AM CST THU NOV 24 2011 AT 3 AM...VLIFR/IFR CEILINGS WERE SEEN ACROSS ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. THESE CLOUDS HAVE BEEN SPREADING IN ALL DIRECTIONS UNDERNEATH THE STRONG INVERSION LOCATED JUST ABOVE THE SURFACE. OVERALL...THE HRRR HAS BEEN HANDLING THESE CLOUDS THE BEST...AND IT SUGGESTS THAT THERE WILL BE GRADUAL DISSIPATION OF THESE CLOUDS ON THE OUTER EDGES BETWEEN 16Z AND 18Z...AND THEN THIS PROGRESS A BIT FASTER ACROSS THE REMAINING AREAS AS SOME DRIER AIR FROM ALOFT MIXES DOWN. DESPITE THE PERSISTENT CLOUDS THIS MORNING...THE COMBINATION OF SOUTHERLY WINDS AND AFTERNOON SUSHINE WILL HELP THE TEMPERATURES CLIMB INTO THE 50S ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. DUE TO THE SUNSHINE ARRIVE EARLIER...THE WARMEST TEMPERATURES /UPPER 50S/ WILL LIKELY FOUND IN SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA AND NORTHEAST IOWA THIS AFTERNOON. WITH NORTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN BEING ONE OF LAST TO LOSE THE CLOUDS...SO THEY WILL LIKELY ONLY SEE TEMPERATURES CLIMBING TO AROUND 50 DEGREES. FOR TONIGHT...BOTH THE 24.00Z NAM AND GFS SOUNDINGS SUGGEST THAT THE CLOUDS ACROSS NORTHERN AND EASTERN WISCONSIN WILL ONCE AGAIN SPREAD WESTWARD ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. THE COMBINATION OF THESE CLOUDS AND UNUSUALLY MOIST DEW POINTS WILL RESULT IN MINIMUM TEMPERATURES ONLY FALLING INTO THE LOWER AND MID 40S. THIS IS ABOUT 5 DEGREES WARMER THAN OUR NORMAL HIGH TEMPERATURE FOR THIS DATE. ON FRIDAY...THE LOW CLOUDS WILL GRADUALLY LIFT AND DISSIPATE DURING THE DAY. HOWEVER AT THE SAME TIME...MID AND HIGH CLOUDS WILL BE STREAMING INTO THE REGION AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING LONG WAVE TROUGH. AS RESULT...NOT EXPECTING TOO MUCH SUNSHINE. DESPITE THE LACK OF ABUNDANT SUNSHINE...SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL HELP WARM TEMPERATURES INTO THE LOWER AND MID 50S. ON FRIDAY NIGHT...THE MODELS CONTINUE TO INDICATE THAT MODERATE TO STRONG MOISTURE TRANSPORT WILL MOVE INTO THE FORECAST AREA. THIS WILL BE THE BEST ACROSS THE EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA DURING THE EVENING. DURING THE OVERNIGHT...MODERATE TO STRONG ISENTROPIC LIFT AND FRONTOGENESIS WILL MOVE EAST INTO THE AREA. AT THIS TIME...IT LOOKS LIKE THE BEST RAIN CHANCES WILL BE FROM ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER EAST. DESPITE THE RAIN...THE SOUTHERLY WINDS SHOULD HELP KEEP THE MINIMUM TEMPERATURES UNUSUALLY WARM FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR. THEY WILL BE IN THE LOWER AND MID 40S ACROSS SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA AND NORTHEAST IOWA...AND IN THE MID TO UPPER 40S FOR WESTERN WISCONSIN. ON SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT...BOTH THE GFS AND ECMWF SHOW THAT THERE WILL BE RAPID CYCLOGENSIS OCCURRING ACROSS MINNESOTA. THIS IS IN RESPONSE TO SOME INTERACTION BETWEEN THE NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN SHORT WAVE TROUGH EMBEDDED IN THE LONG WAVE TROUGH. THIS RESULT IN THE TROPOPAUSE DESCENDING TO AROUND 500 MB...AND A RAPID TIGHTENING OF THE SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT. SUSTAINED WINDS WILL CLIMB INTO THE 15 TO 30 MPH RANGE...AND THE WIND GUSTS WILL RANGE FROM 30 TO 40 MPH. WITH STRONG COLD AIR ADVECTION BEING FOUND IN THE WAKE OF THE COLD FRONT ON SATURDAY...TEMPERATURES SHOULD FALL STEADILY THROUGH THE EARLY AFTERNOON AND THEN STABILIZE. THIS TREND WAS INTRODUCED TO THE HOURLY TEMPERATURE GRIDS. IN ADDITION...GFS SOUNDINGS ARE COLD ENOUGH FOR A SOME SNOW TO MIX IN. THIS WAS ALREADY IN THE SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA AND NORTHEAST FORECAST GRIDS...BUT IT NOW LOOKS LIKE WESTERN WISCONSIN MAY ALSO SEE SOME OF THIS SNOW TOO...SO IT WAS ADDED TO THE GRIDS DURING THE MID AND LATE AFTERNOON. .LONG TERM...SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY 352 AM CST THU NOV 24 2011 ON SATURDAY NIGHT...IT CONTINUE TO LOOK LIKE THERE WILL BE SOME LINGERING LIGHT PRECIPITATION. AS RESULT...KEPT A CHANCE OF LIGHT RAIN AND SNOW DURING THE EVENING...AND LIGHT SNOW OVERNIGHT. LIKE THE PAST COUPLE OF DAYS...NOT EXPECTING TOO MUCH SNOW AT ALL FROM THIS SYSTEM. IN ADDITION TO THE MIXED PRECIPITATION...THE STRONG WINDS WILL LIKELY CONTINUE THROUGH THE NIGHT. SUSTAINED WINDS WILL REMAIN IN THE 15 TO 30 MPH RANGE...AND THE WINDS WILL GUST UP TO 40 MPH. BEYOND THIS TIME PERIOD...THERE CONTINUES TO BE VERY LITTLE CONSISTENCY. HOWEVER WITH THIS SAID...I DO LIKE THAT THE MODELS ARE STARTING TO BECOME MORE TRANSITORY WITH THEIR SYSTEM. THIS MAKES SENSE WHEN LOOKING AT THE RATHER ACTIVE WAVE PATTERN FROM AFRICA INTO THE WESTERN PACIFIC. THE GFS PATTERN ACTUALLY RESEMBLES ONE OF THE PATTERNS THAT YOU WOULD TYPICALLY SEE DURING A LA NINA. ANOTHER FEATURE THAT WE WILL HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION TO AS WE HEAD INTO DECEMBER IS THE INTENSIFYING MADDEN JULIAN OSCILLATION /WHICH HAS BEEN CONSISTENTLY FORECAST BY THE BRAZILLIAN...ECMWF...JAPANESE...AND U.S. MODEL ENSEMBLES FOR THE PAST WEEK/ THAT IS LOCATED OVER THE WESTERN INDIAN OCEAN. THIS WILL LIKELY CAUSE SOME ISSUES WITH THE MODEL RUN TO RUN CONSISTENCY AT LEAST INITIALLY. IN ADDITION...IT MAY BE ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THE CLIMATE FORECAST SYSTEM VERSION 2 MODEL IS SUGGESTING THAT AT LEAST THE FIRST HALF OF DECEMBER MAY END UP BEING WARMER THAN NORMAL. && .AVIATION...THROUGH 06Z FRIDAY 1135 PM CST WED NOV 23 2011 STRATUS HAD DEVELOPED WESTWARD THIS EVENING AND HAS SPREAD VLIFR CEILINGS INTO KRST WITH A LOWER MVFR CEILING AT KLSE. MODEL SOUNDINGS SHOW THIS LOW LEVEL MOISTURE TO REMAIN TRAPPED UNDER THE INVERSION INTO THURSDAY MORNING. THUS HAVE KEPT THE STRATUS AT BOTH TAF SITES THROUGH AT LEAST 15Z THURSDAY AND THEN WINDS SHOULD MIX THE MOISTURE OUT BY LATE MORNING WITH VFR CONDITIONS. WITH A RATHER TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT...EXPECT SOUTHWEST WINDS TO GUST TO BETWEEN 20 AND 25 KNOTS AT BOTH SITES...WITH THE WINDS REMAINING AROUND 10 TO 12 KNOTS AFTER SUNSET THROUGH 06Z FRIDAY. && .ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... 251 AM CST THU NOV 24 2011 WI...NONE. MN...NONE. IA...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...BOYNE LONG TERM...BOYNE AVIATION...RABERDING
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GREEN BAY WI
329 AM CST THU NOV 24 2011 .SHORT TERM...THANKSGIVING DAY THROUGH FRIDAY...SKY COVER AND IT`S EFFECT ON TEMPERATURES WILL BE THE MAIN FCST CONCERNS. WIDESPREAD LOW STRATUS HAS ONCE AGAIN OVERSPREAD THE ENTIRE CWA THIS MORNING...DUE TO LLVL MOISTURE TRAPPED BENEATH A STRONG INVERSION. PATCHY FOG WAS ALSO OCCURRING...ESPECIALLY OVER NORTHERN WI...WHERE SOME SNOW PACK REMAINED. HAVE DECIDED TO STOP FIGHTING WITH THE CLOUDS. WITH LITTLE CHANGE IN THE PATTERN ANTICIPATED THROUGH FRIDAY...BELIEVE THAT LOW CLOUDS WILL PERSIST. BUFKIT SOUNDINGS AND 950 MB RH PROGS SUPPORT THIS. SOME PARTIAL CLEARING MAY OCCUR DURING THE EARLY TO MID AFTERNOON TODAY...ESPECIALLY IN FAR NE WI... BUT EXPECT CLOUDS TO FILL BACK IN DURING THE EVENING. WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO MENTION PATCHY FOG TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING...WITH AREAS OF FOG OVER THE NORTHERN WI SNOW PACK. ANY CLEARING ON FRIDAY IS DOUBTFUL...AS LLVL MOISTURE DEEPENS A LITTLE IN ADVANCE OF THE APPROACHING COLD FRONT. HAVE LOWERED MAX TEMPS BY 3 TO 5 DEGREES TODAY AND FRIDAY... WHICH SHOULD ACCOUNT FOR THE EFFECTS OF THE CLOUD COVER. USED A BLEND OF THE BETTER PERFORMING GUIDANCE SETS FOR MIN TEMPS TONIGHT...BUT AREAS WITH PARTIAL CLEARING COULD QUICKLY DROP BLO THE FCST VALUES THIS EVENING...SO TEMPS WILL NEED TO BE MONITORED. .LONG TERM...FRIDAY NIGHT TO NEXT THURSDAY. THE GFS ENSEMBLE MEAN INDICATES THAT AN AMPLIFYING TROUGH OVER THE EASTERN CONUS THIS WEEKEND WILL GET REINFORCED THROUGH EARLY TO MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK AS FLATTENED RIDGING BUILDS OVER THE WESTERN CONUS. OPERATIONAL MODELS CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE WITH THE EVOLUTION OF THIS EASTERN CONUS TROUGH...AND THE POTENTIAL FOR A CUTOFF LOW TO MEANDER OVER THE OHIO VALLEY. WILL BLEND THE ECMWF AND GFS...BUT TRIED TO KEEP SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO A MINIMUM. FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT...AS A SHORTWAVE TROUGH DIGS ACROSS THE CENTRAL GREAT PLAINS...LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE ACROSS THE NORTHERN MISSISSIPPI VALLEY AND INTO WESTERN WISCONSIN BY 12Z SATURDAY. WITH UPPER DIVERGENCE INCREASING THROUGH THE NIGHT...AND LOW LEVEL FORCING VIA A WARM FRONT DRAPED OVER NORTHERN WISCONSIN...SHOULD SEE RAIN SHOWERS PUSH NE ACROSS THE STATE...MAINLY AFTER MIDNIGHT AS A BEEFY DRY WEDGE IN THE MID-LEVELS WILL HAVE TO BE OVERCOME. LOW PRESSURE THEN TRACKS ACROSS THE STATE OF WISCONSIN ON SATURDAY...WITH SHOWERS CONTINUING. COLDER AIR WILL EVENTUALLY WRAP AROUND THE LOW INTO THE STATE LATE SATURDAY AFTERNOON INTO SATURDAY EVENING...WITH RAIN SHOWERS TURNING OVER TO SNOW SHOWERS. SOME ACCUMULATIONS APPEAR POSSIBLE SATURDAY NIGHT OVER N-C WISCONSIN...WITH AN ADDED BONUS FROM LAKE EFFECT WHICH SHOULD BE CRANKING UP LATE SATURDAY NIGHT. WILL INCREASE POPS SATURDAY NIGHT. REST OF THE FORECAST...NW FLOW BEHIND THE SURFACE LOW WILL CONTINUE INTO SUNDAY...WITH LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS PROBABLE OVER N-C WISCONSIN AND A FEW SNOW SHOWERS LINGERING OVER THE EASTERN HALF OF THE STATE. DRIER AIR WILL ARRIVE FOR THE AFTERNOON...BUT CYCLONIC FLOW WILL LIKELY KEEP THE CLOUDS AROUND. NW WINDS WILL ALSO BE GUSTY WITH SOME GUSTS TO 30 OR 35 MPH POSSIBLE. A SURFACE RIDGE AXIS WILL QUICKLY PUSH INTO THE STATE SUNDAY NIGHT AND SO WILL WARMER AIR...WHICH WILL ERODE ANY LINGERING LOW STRATUS. THE REINFORCING SHORTWAVE AND COLD FRONT WILL PLOW ACROSS THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES MONDAY INTO MONDAY NIGHT WITH ANOTHER SURGE OF COLD AIR IN ITS WAKE. CURRENTLY CARRYING POPS MONDAY NIGHT FOR THIS FEATURE...AND THIS LOOKS GOOD. THE COLD AIR LOOKS COLD ENOUGH FOR LAKE EFFECT OVER NORTH-CENTRAL WISCONSIN HEADING INTO TUESDAY. UNDER NW FLOW ALOFT...SIGNS OF ANOTHER WAVE ARRIVING WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY. OTHER THAN A BRIEF WARM UP ON MONDAY...TEMPERATURES LOOK NEAR OR BELOW NORMAL FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK. && .AVIATION...(FOR 06Z TAF ISSUANCE) EVENING SOUNDING AT GRB SHOWING STRONG INVERSION...THIS LEADING TO STRATUS ONCE AGAIN EXPANDING ACROSS STATE. RUC SEEMS TO HAVE BEST HANDLE ON THINGS SO HAVE CONTINUED TO FOLLOW IT. IFR CIGS ARE EXPECTED...WITH LOCAL LIFR OVER THE NORTH...INCLUDING RHI. MVFR VSBYS WITH WINDS REMAINING UP OVERNIGHT...ALTHOUGH PATCHY IFR VSBYS WILL OCCUR OVER THE REMAINING SNOW PACK IN NORTHERN WI. LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT WITH SOUTHWEST WINDS AROUND 30 KNOTS AT 1000 FT AGL AND SURFACE WINDS FROM THE SOUTH AT 5 TO 10 KNOTS. && .GRB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ KIECKBUSCH/MPC
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
309 AM CST THU NOV 24 2011 .TODAY AND TONIGHT...FORECAST CONFIDENCE MEDIUM TO HIGH. CURRENT LOW STRATUS DECK AND PATCHY FOG IS LOCATED ALONG AND EAST OF A SUBTLE RIDGE AT SURFACE FROM TWIN CITIES DOWN INTO EASTERN MISSOURI. WEST OF THIS RIDGE THE WINDS ARE MORE SOUTH...EAST OF THE RIDGE THEY ARE SOUTHWEST. THEREFORE...A ZONE OF SUBSIDENCE EXITS IN THIS WIND SEPARATION BAND...AND THIS IS WHERE THE STRATUS EDGE IS...ROUGHLY. MODELS MOVE THIS RIDGE EAST TODAY. THE USUAL EROSION WILL TAKE PLACE AS WELL. BASED ON 1000-950 MB RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES SHOWN BY MODELS OVER MY COUNTY WARNING AREA...AREAS WEST OF MADISON WILL BREAK UP BETWEEN 15Z AND 17Z. AREAS TOWARD MILWAUKEE WILL NOT BREAK UP UNTIL 18-19Z. THEREAFTER...HAZY SUNSHINE WITH SOUTHWEST WINDS IN THE 10 TO 15 MPH RANGE WITH GUSTS TO 20 MPH. MAX TEMPS THIS AFTERNOON SHOULD MAKE IT INTO THE LOWER 50S...WHICH IS A FEW POINTS HIGHER THAN YESTERDAY. BUT..I DON/T SEE THOSE MID-UPPER 50S DUE TO SLOW EROSION/MIXING OF STRATUS DECK AND LOW SUN ANGLE. IF EVERYTHING I SAID IS WRONG...AND STRATUS BREAKS UP EARLIER THAN EXPECTED...THEN WE/LL SEE UPPER 50S TO 60. BUFKIT SOUNDINGS SHOW LOW-LEVEL INVERSION HANGING IN THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT. THE 1000-950 RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES TONIGHT INCREASE ONCE AGAIN TO 90 TO 95 PCT RANGE...SO EXPECT STRATUS DECK AND AREAS OF FOG TO DEVELOP ONCE AGAIN TONIGHT. HOWEVER...SURFACE SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL REMAIN IN THE 8 TO 15 MPH RANGE TONIGHT PER MODEL FORECASTS DUE TO DECENT SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT. JUST ABOVE THE INVERSION...THE RUC AND NAM MODELS HAVE SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 47 TO 54 KNOTS AT AROUND 2000 FT AGL. GOOD THING INVERSION HANGS IN THERE..OTHERWISE WE/D HAVE A WIND ADVISORY OR LOW-END HIGH WIND EVENT ON OUR HANDS. FRIDAY - CONFIDENCE...MEDIUM 1000-950 MILLIBAR RH PROG AND BUFKIT SOUNDINGS SUGGEST STRATUS POTENTIAL BEST BETWEEN 12-15Z. SOUNDINGS ERODE THIS LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AND THEN MID LEVEL MOISTURE INCREASES...AOA 15K FEET DURING THE AFTERNOON. THE 850 THERMAL RIDGE IS REINFORCED BY THE CONTINUED SOUTHWEST FLOW. STRONG SOUTHWEST UPPER FLOW HAS WEAKLY ANTICYCLONIC LOOK TO IT. HOWEVER MODELS DO SHOW INCREASING VORTICITY...MOSTLY SHEARED...INTO NORTHERN WI. THOUGH NAM/ECMWF DO SHOW SOME WEAK DCVA INTO THE CWA IN THE AFTERNOON. FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT - CONFIDENCE...MEDIUM UPPER TROUGH APPROACHES AND DEEPENS WITH CLOSED LOW EVOLVING ACROSS THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES SATURDAY NIGHT. 700 MILLIBAR OMEGA INCREASES FRIDAY NIGHT...ESPECIALLY IN THE 6-12Z TIME FRAME. DIFFERENTIAL CYCLONIC VORTICITY ADVECTION INCREASES FRIDAY NIGHT. BOTH THE ECMWF AND GEMNH SUGGEST A DRY WEDGE IN THE FAR SOUTHEAST SO WILL HAVE LOWER POPS THERE. SEVERAL SPOKES MAY ROTATE THROUGH AHEAD OF THE LOW/UPPER TROUGH RIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT. RIGHT REAR QUADRANT UPPER JET DIVERGENCE IS ALSO NOTED FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY MORNING WITH JET CORE ON EASTERN SIDE OF ADVANCING TROUGH. PROGS SUGGEST LATER FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY MORNING AS THE BEST WINDOW FOR WIDESPREAD RAIN POTENTIAL...SO WILL CONCENTRATE HIGHEST POPS IN THAT TIME FRAME. COLD ADVECTION IS MUCH SLOWER TO ARRIVE ON THE ECMWF WITH GFS AND NAM VERY QUICK TO ADVECT COLDER 850 TEMPS. WITH LINGERING UPPER CYCLONIC FLOW SATURDAY NIGHT...ANY LIGHT PRECIP COULD BECOME MIXY ESPECIALLY IN THE WESTERN CWA...THOUGH ECMWF SUPPORTS LIQUID. SUNDAY - CONFIDENCE...LOW TIMING OF TROUGH AND ASSOCIATED LINGERING PRECIP A QUESTION. GFS/NAM SUGGEST LINGERING LIGHT QPF WITH MUCH COLDER THERMAL PROFILES...WHILE THE ECMWF IS MORE PROGRESSIVE...DRIER AND WARMER. WILL LEAVE ALLBLEND POPS ALONE FOR NOW. MONDAY - CONFIDENCE...LOW TO MEDIUM WHILE THE ECMWF/GEM VARY ON POSITION OF UPPER LOW IN THE SE US...ALL MODELS POINT TO A QUIET REGIME HERE IN SRN WI WITH MID LEVEL RIDGING. WEAK WAVE IN MONDAY NIGHT TIME FRAME...WILL LEAN TOWARDS DRY ALLBLEND POPS. TUESDAY - CONFIDENCE...MEDIUM THE STRONGER LOOKING GFS WAVE PASSES BY TO THE NORTH EARLY WHILE THE ECMWF AND GEMNH HAVE MUCH WEAKER WAVE. IN ALL CASES PRECIP POTENTIAL LOOKS LOW ENOUGH TO GO WITH THE DRY LOOK OF THE ALLBLEND. WEDNESDAY - CONFIDENCE...LOW TO MEDIUM GFS THE OUTLIER AT THIS POINT WITH A MORE VIGOROUS WAVE DRIVING INTO THE AREA...WHILE THE ECMWF AND TRENDS IN GEMNH SUGGEST DRY WITH VORT ACTION WELL NORTH AND BROAD WESTERLY ANTICYCLONIC FLOW. && .AVIATION/12Z TAFS/...LOW STRATUS DECK AND FOG TRENDS PER FORECAST MODEL OUTPUT SUGGESTS EROSION BY 15Z WEST OF MADISON...PROGRESSING TO THE MILWAUKEE TO KENOSHA AREA BY 18 TO 19Z TODAY. SOUTHWEST WINDS TO STAY UP IN THE 8 TO 15 KNOT RANGE WITH GUSTS TO 20 KNOTS...SO DON/T EXPECT VSBYS TO GET BELOW 1 MILE..AND LOWEST CEILINGS WILL BE 3 TO 4 HUNDRED FT. STRATUS DECK WILL SCATTER OUT FOR THE AFTERNOON...WITH HAZY SUNSHINE AND VSBYS OF 5 TO 6 MILES UNDER INVERSION. ABOVE THE INVERSION THE SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL BE INCREASING TO 30 TO 40 KTS. FOR TONIGHT...EXPECT THE LOW-LEVEL STRATUS DECK TO REFORM...IFR CONDS WITH CIGS 5 TO 9 HUNDRED FT AGL. VSBYS SHOULD BE IN THE 2 TO 5 MILE RANGE UNDER INVERSION. FORECAST MODELS INCREASE SOUTHWEST WINDS JUST ABOVE THE INVERSION TO 48 TO 54 KNOTS..ABOUT 2 THSD FT AGL. WILL KEEP LOW-LEVEL WIND SHEAR TERM IN THE TAFS FOR TONIGHT. SURFACE WINDS WILL REMAIN IN THE 10 TO 15 KNOT RANGE WITH SOME HIGHER GUSTS TO AROUND 20 KNOTS. && .MARINE...THE PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL TIGHTEN TODAY...AND REMAIN TIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY. GUSTS TO 20 TO 25 KNOTS ON ORDER...SO HAVE ISSUED A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY THROUGH FRIDAY...ENDING FRIDAY EVENING AS LOW PRESSURE MOVES ACROSS NORTHERN WISCONSIN. SOME PATCHY FOG TODAY AND TONIGHT WITH MOIST LOW-LEVEL AIR UNDER INVERSION WHICH NEVER REALLY BREAKS UP OVER THE WATERS. MORE GUSTY WINDS AFTER THE COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY. GUSTY WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS OF 30 TO 35 KNOTS ARE POSSIBLE. THE HIGHEST WAVES AGAIN WOULD BE TOWARD THE OPEN WATERS WITH THE OFFSHORE FLOW. A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY OR GALE WATCH/WARNING MAY BE NEEDED FOR THIS PERIOD. BRISK WINDS AND HIGH WAVES ARE POSSIBLE AGAIN NEXT MONDAY AND TUESDAY...AHEAD OF AND BEHIND A PASSING COLD FRONT. && .MKX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WI...NONE. LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 10 PM CST FRIDAY FOR LMZ643>646. && $$ TODAY/TONIGHT AND AVIATION/MARINE...KAPELA FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...COLLAR
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GREEN BAY WI
1052 PM CST WED NOV 23 2011 UPDATED AVIATION PORTION FOR 06Z TAF ISSUANCE .SHORT TERM...FORECASTING CLOUD COVER IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE OF TONIGHT AND TOMORROWS FORECAST...AS IT HAS BEEN FOR THE LAST FEW DAYS. IT IS USUALLY WISE TO KEEP CLOUDS AROUND IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER AND WILL KEEP MORE CLOUDS IN THE FORECAST THAN THE GUIDANCE WOULD INDICATE. THE RUC HAD THE BEST FORECAST OF THE CLOUD COVER THIS AFTERNOON WITH CLEARING OCCURRING IN THE DOWNSLOPE AREA OF NORTHEAST WISCONSIN. IT WOULD KEEP THE CURRENT CLOUDS IN THE WESTERN PART OF THE FORECAST AREA FOR MOST OF THE NIGHT WITH CLOUDS REFORMING GENERALLY NORTH OF GREEN BAY IN THE EAST. DIFFICULT TO SAY FOR SURE. WE HAVE TRIED JUST ABOUT EVERY MODEL FIELD (1000MB TO 925MB, 925MB, 925 TO 950MB RELATIVE HUMIDITY, MOISTURE TRANSPORT VECTORS, AND HRR CEILING HEIGHTS) BUT NONE DEPICT THE CURRENT CLOUDS THAT WELL. LOWS TONIGHT SHOULD BE ABOVE NORMAL ONCE AGAIN DUE TO MILD BOUNDARY LAYER TEMPERATURES, A STEADY BREEZE AND CLOUDS. THE COOLEST TEMPERATURES SHOULD BE IN VALLEYS WITH CLEAR SKIES AND IN AREAS WITH SNOW ON THE GROUND. THANKSGIVING MAY NOT BE QUITE AS MILD AS IT LOOKED LIKE A FEW DAYS AGO AS THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE DAY COULD START OUT WITH CLOUDS LIKE MOST OF THE LAST FEW DAYS. 925MB TEMPERATURES ARE VERY MILD THOUGH, AND EVEN WITH CLOUDS IT WILL BE 10 TO 15 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL AND THERE SHOULD AT LEAST BE SOME SUNSHINE BY AFTERNOON IN MOST PLACES. .LONG TERM...THURSDAY NIGHT TO WEDNESDAY. SOUTHERLY FLOW AHEAD OF A WEAK COLD FRONT EXPECTED THURSDAY EVENING. GRADIENT EXPECTED TO SLACKEN DURING THE NIGHT...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE NORTH. DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH SNOW PACK IS LEFT...ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO ADD FOG AFTER MIDNIGHT OVER THE FAR NORTH. MODELS TODAY ARE SHOWING LOW LEVEL MOISTURE TRAPPED BELOW AN INVERSION LATER THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY. QUESTION IS HOW QUICK THIS LAYER WILL SATURATE. DO THINK BEST SATURATION WILL OCCUR ACROSS THE NORTH. CONFIDENCE IS NOT THAT GREAT ACROSS THE SOUTH DUE TO DIFFERING NUMERICAL GUIDANCE VALUES FOR CLOUD HEIGHT. WITH EXPECTED LOW CLOUDS TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE NORTH AND WEAK UPWARD VERTICAL MOTIONS...THOUGHTS TURNED TO THE POTENTIAL FOR DRIZZLE LATE THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY. DO THINK MOISTURE WILL BE TOO SHALLOW THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING... BUT CLOUD LAYER MAY BE DEEP ENOUGH TO SUPPORT DRIZZLE FRIDAY AFTERNOON. DID NOT ADD DRIZZLE TO THE FORECAST ACROSS THE NORTH ON FRIDAY AND WILL PASS ON MY CONCERNS TO MIDNIGHT SHIFT. FOR FRIDAY NIGHT...MOIST SOUTHERLY FLOW EXPECTED ACROSS THE AREA. THINK PRECIPITATION WILL START OUT AS DRIZZLE WITH A MORE STEADIER RAIN LATE FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY AS FRONT APPROACHES. PRECIPITATION WILL CONTINUE INTO SATURDAY. MORE QUESTIONS APPEAR ON SATURDAY AS SEVERAL MODELS SHOW A DRY SLOT MOVING ACROSS THE REGION SATURDAY AFTERNOON INTO SATURDAY NIGHT. DESPITE A FEW MODELS DRYING US OUT FOR AWHILE... WILL CONTINUE A CHANCE OF RAIN SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND RAIN OR SNOW SATURDAY NIGHT. MANY QUESTIONS LINGER SATURDAY NIGHT ON HOW FAST THE COLD AIR WILL ARRIVE. LATER SHIFTS WILL PROBABLY NEED TO ALTER TIMING THE CHANGEOVER TO ALL SNOW ACROSS SOME PORTION OF THE FORECAST AREA. OTHERWISE...ANOTHER SYSTEM WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY AND WILL BRING ANOTHER SMALL CHANCE FOR RAIN OR SNOW TO THE AREA. && .AVIATION... EVENING SOUNDING AT GRB SHOWING STRONG INVERSION...THIS LEADING TO STRATUS ONCE AGAIN EXPANDING ACROSS STATE. RUC SEEMS TO HAVE BEST HANDLE ON THINGS SO HAVE CONTINUED TO FOLLOWED...CLEARING EAST WILL BE TAKEN OVER BY STRATUS BETWEEN 6Z AND 9Z. CIG MVFR CIGS WILL DROP TO IFR...LOCAL LIFR OVER NORTH...RHI. MVFR VISBYS WITH WINDS REMAINING UP OVERNIGHT. LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR POSSIBLE THROUGH 9Z WITH SOUTHWEST WINDS AROUND 30 KNOTS AT 1000 FT AGL AND SURFACE WINDS FROM THE SOUTH AT 5 TO 10 KNOTS. TE && .MARINE...HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS WITH GALE FORCE ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE UPCOMING WEEKEND. MODEL DIFFERENCES IN STRENGTH AND TIMING OF THIS SYSTEM THIS WEEKEND ARE MITIGATING FACTORS IN INTRODUCING GALES IN THE HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK. IT APPEARS THAT THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL BE SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY...BUT COULD START SATURDAY AFTERNOON IF THE QUICKER MODEL SOLUTION IS CORRECT. && .GRB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MOUNT HOLLY NJ
1016 AM EST THU NOV 24 2011 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO OUR REGION THIS THANKSGIVING THURSDAY AND DOMINATE OUR WEATHER INTO SUNDAY. A COLD FRONT... APPROACHING FROM THE WEST...WILL MOVE SLOWLY ACROSS OUR REGION SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY. LOW PRESSURE MAY DEVELOP ON THE FRONT ALONG THE MID ATLANTIC COAST AND MOVE SLOWLY NORTHWARD MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY NIGHT. MORE LOW PRESSURE IS POSSIBLE DURING WEDNESDAY. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... THE COLD AIR ADVECTION IS ENDING. HOWEVER TEMPERATURES WITH THE PREVIOUS FORECAST ARE ON TRACK TODAY WITH SLIGHT ALTERATIONS BASED ON 14Z METAR OBS. RAISED VISIBILITY A BIT ON THIS UPDATE ALSO BASED OFF OF 14Z OBS. PREVIOUS FORECASTER THINKING BELOW STILL LOOKS GOOD SO FEW CHANGES MADE OVERALL ATTM. A VERY NICE THANKSGIVING DAY IS AHEAD OF US! CONVECTIVE TEMPERATURES ARE OUT OF REACH TODAY...AND OTHER THAN SOME HIGH CLOUDINESS THIS MORNING...SKIES SHOULD BE SUNNY. THE BEST PART OF THE SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT IS OVER THE FORECAST AREA NOW...AND SOME GUSTINESS LINGERS. THE GUSTINESS TO THE WIND SHOULD DROP BACK EARLY THIS MORNING AS THE LAST OF THE COLD AIR ADVECTION ENDS. IT IS POSSIBLE THERE COULD BE SOME GUSTINESS TODAY...BUT FOR THE MOST PART WINDS SHOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE TODAY. 850 MB TEMPERATURES SUPPORT HIGHS IN THE MID 50S TODAY...WHICH IS CLOSE TO THE MOS BLEND. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH 6 AM FRIDAY/... BUILDING MID LEVEL RIDGING SHOULD KEEP ANY HIGH AND MID LEVEL CLOUDS NORTH OF THE AREA TONIGHT...AND SKIES SHOULD BE CLEAR. AS THE HIGH REACHES NORTH CAROLINA TONIGHT...THE GRADIENT WILL BACK OFF. HOWEVER...WINDS MAY NOT BECOME COMPLETELY CALM OUTSIDE OF PROTECTED AREAS...AS THE GRADIENT WOULD SUPPORT WEST WINDS LESS THAN 10 MPH. THE ABOVE SCENARIO WOULD SUPPORTS LOWS NEAR THE MOS BLEND IN THE URBAN AREAS AND PLACES WITH EXPOSURE. FOR PROTECTED AREAS (INCLUDING THE PINE BARRENS IN NEW JERSEY)...LOWS WERE DROPPED A FEW DEGREES FROM THE MOS MEAN. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... A QUIESCENT PERIOD OF WEATHER IS SHAPING UP FOR THE NORTHERN MID ATLANTIC AREA FRIDAY INTO SUNDAY. THE MODELS HAVE LATCHED ONTO A COLD FRONT WHICH LOOKS LIKE IT WILL AFFECT OUR AREA MAINLY SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY. THEN...MODEL PERFORMANCE HAS SEEMINGLY DETERIORATED OVER THE PAST 24 TO 48 HOURS, WITH RUN-TO-RUN AND INTERMODEL INCONSISTENCY AND CHANGEABILITY. WITH NO CLEAR SIGNALS...IT WAS DECIDED TO JUST USE A BROAD BRUSH OF CHANCE PROBABILITIES FOR SHOWERS THROUGH THE MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY PERIOD, WITH A MODERATE TO HIGH AMOUNT OF CLOUDINESS. THE GFS EVEN PAINTS SOME TYPE OF RAIN/SNOW EVENT WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY. LATER MODEL ITERATIONS WILL BE NEEDED TO GAIN MORE CLARITY ON THIS PERIOD. SO...HPC TEMPERATURES WERE USED AS A STARTING POINT FOR HIGHS AND LOWS, WITH SOME MODIFICATIONS FOR LOCAL EFFECTS AND CLIMATOLOGY. A GENERAL COOLING TREND SHOULD OCCUR THROUGH THE LONG TERM PERIOD... WITH HIGHS IN THE MID 50S AND LOWER 60S OVER THE WEEKEND, DROPPING TO THE 40S TO NEAR 50 BY WEDNESDAY. && .AVIATION /15Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... THE FOLLOWING DISCUSSION IS FOR KPHL, KPNE, KTTN, KABE, KRDG, KILG, KMIV, KACY AND SURROUNDING AREAS. THE LAST OF THE LARGE STRATOCUMULUS CLOUD DECK THAT GOT TRAPPED UNDER THE INVERSION IN THE COLD AIR ADVECTION IS FINALLY BREAKING UP EARLY THIS MORNING. THE LAST OF THE MVFR CEILINGS APPEARS TO NOW BE GONE AT KABE...AND KACY MAY TRY TO HOLD ONTO MVFR CEILINGS THROUGH 0630 UTC OR SO. OTHERWISE...VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED FOR THE OVERNIGHT. THE BEST PRESSURE GRADIENT REMAINS OVER THE AREA EARLY THIS MORNING...BUT THE GUSTINESS HAS BECOME CONFINED TO SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY...WHERE KMIV AND KACY ARE STILL GUSTING. LATE EVENING AMDAR SOUNDINGS SHOWED 32 TO 35 KNOTS AT THE TOP OF THE INVERSION ACROSS THE REGION. THIS COULD ALLOW KMIV AND KACY TO GUST THROUGH 0800 UTC OR SO. THE LATEST HRRR MODEL RUN SUGGESTS THAT THE NORTHERLY GRADIENT REMAINS IN PLACE THROUGH 1200 UTC...SO WINDS PROBABLY DO NOT GO CALM EARLY THIS MORNING. AS SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS TOWARD THE REGION TODAY...WINDS WILL BACK WITH TIME. THE BEST GRADIENT SHOULD BE THIS MORNING...WITH SOME SLACKENING THIS AFTERNOON. ANY GUSTINESS WOULD BE THIS MORNING...AS THE LAST OF THE COLD AIR ADVECTION WINDS ITSELF OUT. THE 0600 UTC TERMINAL FORECASTS DO NOT CONTAIN GUSTS...BUT THIS CAN BE REVISITED LATER. AT MOST...GUSTS PROBABLY TOP OUT NEAR 15 KNOTS. CONVECTIVE TEMPERATURES ARE WELL OUT OF REACH TODAY...SO VFR CONDITIONS SHOULD CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE DAY. WINDS SHOULD DROP OFF FAIRLY QUICKLY THIS EVENING AS THE LAST OF THE GRADIENT DROPS OFF. HIGH PRESSURE AT THE SURFACE AND IN THE MID LEVEL SHOULD RESULT IN CLEAR SKIES. THE AIRMASS LOOKS TO BE TOO DRY FOR EVEN PATCHY FOR LATE TONIGHT AND EARLY FRIDAY MORNING. OUTLOOK... HIGH PRESSURE TO OUR SOUTH WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE US WITH FINE VFR FLYING CONDITIONS FRIDAY INTO...OR PERHAPS THROUGH MOST OF...SUNDAY. A COLD FRONT MOVING IN FROM THE WEST SUNDAY NIGHT WILL MOVE EASTWARD THROUGH OUR AREA. HOWEVER, A SUCCESSION OF LOWS COULD AFFECT OUR REGION AND PERHAPS BRING LOWER CONDITIONS AT TIMES INTO THE EARLY OR EVEN MIDDLE PORTION OF NEXT WEEK. MODEL GUIDANCE HAS BEEN CHANGING AND INCONSISTENT...SO LITTLE IN THE WAY OF CONFIDENCE CAN BE SHOWN UNTIL THE MODELS START TO OFFER BETTER AGREEMENT AND RUN-TO-RUN CONSISTENCY. LOWER CEILINGS AND/OR VISIBILITIES IN SHOWERS/RAIN AND FOG MAY OCCUR THROUGH MUCH OF THE SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY TIME PERIOD, THOUGH. && .MARINE... WINDS AND SEAS CONTINUE TO DECREASE ON THE WATERS THIS MORNING. THE SCA FLAG FOR THE DELAWARE BAY AND THE NORTHERN COASTAL WATERS HAVE BEEN TAKEN DOWN. SEAS REMAIN UP ACROSS THE SOUTHERN COASTAL WATERS...SO THE FLAG WILL CONTINUE THERE INTO THE MID-AFTERNOON. A FEW GUSTS UP TO 25 KTS STILL MAY OCCUR ON THE WATERS THIS AFTERNOON...BUT THE TREND CONTINUES DOWNWARD AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN. SUB SCA CONDITIONS EXPECTED TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY AND WINDS WILL BACK AROUND TO W THEN SW. OUTLOOK... HIGH PRESSURE TO OUR SOUTH WILL BRING QUIET CONDITIONS TO OUR MARINE AREA FRIDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND. AS THE HIGH MOVES OFF TO THE EAST, A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH FROM THE WEST SUNDAY. THE PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL TIGHTEN BETWEEN THESE TWO SYSTEMS...AND THIS WILL MEAN A GOOD CHANCE OF SHOWERS AS WELL AS INCREASING SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST WINDS AND BUILDING SEAS SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY. A SERIES OF LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS COULD AFFECT OUR AREA THROUGH THE EARLY AND MIDDLE PORTIONS OF NEXT WEEK...BUT MODEL GUIDANCE HAS BECOME TOO CHANGEABLE AND INCONSISTENT TO OFFER ANY KIND OF SPECIFICS. ADVISORY CONDITIONS ARE LIKELY AT SOME POINT...AND EVEN GALE CONDITIONS MAY OCCUR FOR A TIME...IN THE SUNDAY NIGHT TO MID WEEK TIME FRAME. && .TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING... THE CFW FOR THE OCEAN AREAS HAS BEEN CANCELLED WITH THE HIGH TIDE HAVING PASSED. MINOR TIDAL FLOODING LEVELS WERE REACHED ALONG THE SHORE AREAS. TIDE DEPARTURES ON THE UPPER DELAWARE BAY AND TIDAL PORTION OF THE DELAWARE HAVE INCREASED STEADILY THIS MORNING. THE FACT THAT WE WOULD ONLY NEED ABOUT ONE-HALF TO THREE-QUARTERS OF A FOOT OF DEPARTURE FROM PREDICTED (WE ARE JUST ABOUT THERE NOW) SUGGESTS THAT MINOR TIDAL FLOODING WILL OCCUR THERE AS WELL. BASED ON THE ABOVE...AND THE RATE OF INCREASE OF DEPARTURES...A COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE UPPER DELAWARE BAY AND TIDAL SECTION OF THE DELAWARE RIVER. && .PHI WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR PAZ070-071. NJ...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR NJZ016>019-021. DE...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR DEZ001-002. MD...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 3 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR ANZ452>455. && $$ SYNOPSIS... NEAR TERM...GAINES/HAYES SHORT TERM...HAYES LONG TERM... AVIATION...HAYES MARINE...HAYES TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MOUNT HOLLY NJ
925 AM EST THU NOV 24 2011 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO OUR REGION THIS THANKSGIVING THURSDAY AND DOMINATE OUR WEATHER INTO SUNDAY. A COLD FRONT... APPROACHING FROM THE WEST...WILL MOVE SLOWLY ACROSS OUR REGION SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY. LOW PRESSURE MAY DEVELOP ON THE FRONT ALONG THE MID ATLANTIC COAST AND MOVE SLOWLY NORTHWARD MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY NIGHT. MORE LOW PRESSURE IS POSSIBLE DURING WEDNESDAY. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... THE COLD AIR ADVECTION IS ENDING. HOWEVER TEMPERATURES WITH THE PREVIOUS FORECAST ARE ON TRACK TODAY WITH SLIGHT ALTERATIONS BASED ON 14Z METAR OBS. RAISED VISIBILITY A BIT ON THIS UPDATE ALSO BASED OFF OF 14Z OBS. PREVIOUS FORECASTER THINKING BELOW STILL LOOKS GOOD SO FEW CHANGES MADE OVERALL ATTM. A VERY NICE THANKSGIVING DAY IS AHEAD OF US! CONVECTIVE TEMPERATURES ARE OUT OF REACH TODAY...AND OTHER THAN SOME HIGH CLOUDINESS THIS MORNING...SKIES SHOULD BE SUNNY. THE BEST PART OF THE SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT IS OVER THE FORECAST AREA NOW...AND SOME GUSTINESS LINGERS. THE GUSTINESS TO THE WIND SHOULD DROP BACK EARLY THIS MORNING AS THE LAST OF THE COLD AIR ADVECTION ENDS. IT IS POSSIBLE THERE COULD BE SOME GUSTINESS TODAY...BUT FOR THE MOST PART WINDS SHOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE TODAY. 850 MB TEMPERATURES SUPPORT HIGHS IN THE MID 50S TODAY...WHICH IS CLOSE TO THE MOS BLEND. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH 6 AM FRIDAY/... BUILDING MID LEVEL RIDGING SHOULD KEEP ANY HIGH AND MID LEVEL CLOUDS NORTH OF THE AREA TONIGHT...AND SKIES SHOULD BE CLEAR. AS THE HIGH REACHES NORTH CAROLINA TONIGHT...THE GRADIENT WILL BACK OFF. HOWEVER...WINDS MAY NOT BECOME COMPLETELY CALM OUTSIDE OF PROTECTED AREAS...AS THE GRADIENT WOULD SUPPORT WEST WINDS LESS THAN 10 MPH. THE ABOVE SCENARIO WOULD SUPPORTS LOWS NEAR THE MOS BLEND IN THE URBAN AREAS AND PLACES WITH EXPOSURE. FOR PROTECTED AREAS (INCLUDING THE PINE BARRENS IN NEW JERSEY)...LOWS WERE DROPPED A FEW DEGREES FROM THE MOS MEAN. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... A QUIESCENT PERIOD OF WEATHER IS SHAPING UP FOR THE NORTHERN MID ATLANTIC AREA FRIDAY INTO SUNDAY. THE MODELS HAVE LATCHED ONTO A COLD FRONT WHICH LOOKS LIKE IT WILL AFFECT OUR AREA MAINLY SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY. THEN...MODEL PERFORMANCE HAS SEEMINGLY DETERIORATED OVER THE PAST 24 TO 48 HOURS, WITH RUN-TO-RUN AND INTERMODEL INCONSISTENCY AND CHANGEABILITY. WITH NO CLEAR SIGNALS...IT WAS DECIDED TO JUST USE A BROAD BRUSH OF CHANCE PROBABILITIES FOR SHOWERS THROUGH THE MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY PERIOD, WITH A MODERATE TO HIGH AMOUNT OF CLOUDINESS. THE GFS EVEN PAINTS SOME TYPE OF RAIN/SNOW EVENT WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY. LATER MODEL ITERATIONS WILL BE NEEDED TO GAIN MORE CLARITY ON THIS PERIOD. SO...HPC TEMPERATURES WERE USED AS A STARTING POINT FOR HIGHS AND LOWS, WITH SOME MODIFICATIONS FOR LOCAL EFFECTS AND CLIMATOLOGY. A GENERAL COOLING TREND SHOULD OCCUR THROUGH THE LONG TERM PERIOD... WITH HIGHS IN THE MID 50S AND LOWER 60S OVER THE WEEKEND, DROPPING TO THE 40S TO NEAR 50 BY WEDNESDAY. && .AVIATION /14Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... THE FOLLOWING DISCUSSION IS FOR KPHL, KPNE, KTTN, KABE, KRDG, KILG, KMIV, KACY AND SURROUNDING AREAS. THE LAST OF THE LARGE STRATOCUMULUS CLOUD DECK THAT GOT TRAPPED UNDER THE INVERSION IN THE COLD AIR ADVECTION IS FINALLY BREAKING UP EARLY THIS MORNING. THE LAST OF THE MVFR CEILINGS APPEARS TO NOW BE GONE AT KABE...AND KACY MAY TRY TO HOLD ONTO MVFR CEILINGS THROUGH 0630 UTC OR SO. OTHERWISE...VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED FOR THE OVERNIGHT. THE BEST PRESSURE GRADIENT REMAINS OVER THE AREA EARLY THIS MORNING...BUT THE GUSTINESS HAS BECOME CONFINED TO SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY...WHERE KMIV AND KACY ARE STILL GUSTING. LATE EVENING AMDAR SOUNDINGS SHOWED 32 TO 35 KNOTS AT THE TOP OF THE INVERSION ACROSS THE REGION. THIS COULD ALLOW KMIV AND KACY TO GUST THROUGH 0800 UTC OR SO. THE LATEST HRRR MODEL RUN SUGGESTS THAT THE NORTHERLY GRADIENT REMAINS IN PLACE THROUGH 1200 UTC...SO WINDS PROBABLY DO NOT GO CALM EARLY THIS MORNING. AS SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS TOWARD THE REGION TODAY...WINDS WILL BACK WITH TIME. THE BEST GRADIENT SHOULD BE THIS MORNING...WITH SOME SLACKENING THIS AFTERNOON. ANY GUSTINESS WOULD BE THIS MORNING...AS THE LAST OF THE COLD AIR ADVECTION WINDS ITSELF OUT. THE 0600 UTC TERMINAL FORECASTS DO NOT CONTAIN GUSTS...BUT THIS CAN BE REVISITED LATER. AT MOST...GUSTS PROBABLY TOP OUT NEAR 15 KNOTS. CONVECTIVE TEMPERATURES ARE WELL OUT OF REACH TODAY...SO VFR CONDITIONS SHOULD CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE DAY. WINDS SHOULD DROP OFF FAIRLY QUICKLY THIS EVENING AS THE LAST OF THE GRADIENT DROPS OFF. HIGH PRESSURE AT THE SURFACE AND IN THE MID LEVEL SHOULD RESULT IN CLEAR SKIES. THE AIRMASS LOOKS TO BE TOO DRY FOR EVEN PATCHY FOR LATE TONIGHT AND EARLY FRIDAY MORNING. OUTLOOK... HIGH PRESSURE TO OUR SOUTH WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE US WITH FINE VFR FLYING CONDITIONS FRIDAY INTO...OR PERHAPS THROUGH MOST OF...SUNDAY. A COLD FRONT MOVING IN FROM THE WEST SUNDAY NIGHT WILL MOVE EASTWARD THROUGH OUR AREA. HOWEVER, A SUCCESSION OF LOWS COULD AFFECT OUR REGION AND PERHAPS BRING LOWER CONDITIONS AT TIMES INTO THE EARLY OR EVEN MIDDLE PORTION OF NEXT WEEK. MODEL GUIDANCE HAS BEEN CHANGING AND INCONSISTENT...SO LITTLE IN THE WAY OF CONFIDENCE CAN BE SHOWN UNTIL THE MODELS START TO OFFER BETTER AGREEMENT AND RUN-TO-RUN CONSISTENCY. LOWER CEILINGS AND/OR VISIBILITIES IN SHOWERS/RAIN AND FOG MAY OCCUR THROUGH MUCH OF THE SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY TIME PERIOD, THOUGH. && .MARINE... THE GRADIENT REMAINS IN PLACE MOST OF THE DAY...AND AT A GLANCE DOES NOT APPEAR TO SUPPORT SMALL CRAFT WINDS ANYWHERE AFTER ABOUT 1500 UTC. THEREFORE...THE SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY THAT REPLACES THE GALE WARNING WILL BE RUN UNTIL ABOUT 1500 UTC ON THE DELAWARE BAY (AND IT MAY NOT EVEN BE NEEDED THAT LONG). OVER THE OCEAN WATERS...SEAS ARE STILL RUNNING 5 TO 9 FEET...WITH THE HIGHEST SEAS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN WATERS. WHILE WINDS SHOULD DROP BELOW SMALL CRAFT LEVELS IN GUSTS BY 1500 UTC...THE SEAS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN WATERS MAY TAKE LONGER TO SORT THEMSELVES OUT. BASED ON THE ABOVE...THE SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY WILL BE RUN THROUGH ABOUT 1500 UTC ACROSS THE NORTHERN OCEAN WATERS...AND ABOUT 1800 UTC ACROSS THE SOUTHERN OCEAN WATERS. AFTER THIS...THE GRADIENT LOOKS TO SUPPORT WINDS AROUND 15 KNOTS ON THE OCEAN FOR THE REST OF TODAY INTO TONIGHT. WINDS ACROSS THE DELAWARE BAY WILL BE SLIGHTLY LOWER...BUT PROBABLY DO NOT DROP BELOW 10 KNOTS...AS THE GRADIENT LOOKS TO SUPPORT WINDS OF THESE SPEEDS. OUTLOOK... HIGH PRESSURE TO OUR SOUTH WILL BRING QUIET CONDITIONS TO OUR MARINE AREA FRIDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND. AS THE HIGH MOVES OFF TO THE EAST, A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH FROM THE WEST SUNDAY. THE PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL TIGHTEN BETWEEN THESE TWO SYSTEMS...AND THIS WILL MEAN A GOOD CHANCE OF SHOWERS AS WELL AS INCREASING SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST WINDS AND BUILDING SEAS SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY. A SERIES OF LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS COULD AFFECT OUR AREA THROUGH THE EARLY AND MIDDLE PORTIONS OF NEXT WEEK...BUT MODEL GUIDANCE HAS BECOME TOO CHANGEABLE AND INCONSISTENT TO OFFER ANY KIND OF SPECIFICS. ADVISORY CONDITIONS ARE LIKELY AT SOME POINT...AND EVEN GALE CONDITIONS MAY OCCUR FOR A TIME...IN THE SUNDAY NIGHT TO MID WEEK TIME FRAME. && .TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING... THE CFW FOR THE OCEAN AREAS HAS BEEN CANCELLED WITH THE HIGH TIDE HAVING PASSED. MINOR TIDAL FLOODING LEVELS WERE REACHED ALONG THE SHORE AREAS. TIDE DEPARTURES ON THE UPPER DELAWARE BAY AND TIDAL PORTION OF THE DELAWARE HAVE INCREASED STEADILY THIS MORNING. THE FACT THAT WE WOULD ONLY NEED ABOUT ONE-HALF TO THREE-QUARTERS OF A FOOT OF DEPARTURE FROM PREDICTED (WE ARE JUST ABOUT THERE NOW) SUGGESTS THAT MINOR TIDAL FLOODING WILL OCCUR THERE AS WELL. BASED ON THE ABOVE...AND THE RATE OF INCREASE OF DEPARTURES...A COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE UPPER DELAWARE BAY AND TIDAL SECTION OF THE DELAWARE RIVER. && .PHI WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR PAZ070-071. NJ...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR NJZ016>019-021. DE...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR DEZ001-002. MD...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 3 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR ANZ452>455. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 11 AM EST THIS MORNING FOR ANZ450- 451. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM EST THIS MORNING FOR ANZ430- 431. && $$ SYNOPSIS... NEAR TERM...GAINES/HAYES SHORT TERM...HAYES LONG TERM... AVIATION...HAYES MARINE...HAYES TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MOUNT HOLLY NJ
909 AM EST THU NOV 24 2011 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO OUR REGION THIS THANKSGIVING THURSDAY AND DOMINATE OUR WEATHER INTO SUNDAY. A COLD FRONT... APPROACHING FROM THE WEST...WILL MOVE SLOWLY ACROSS OUR REGION SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY. LOW PRESSURE MAY DEVELOP ON THE FRONT ALONG THE MID ATLANTIC COAST AND MOVE SLOWLY NORTHWARD MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY NIGHT. MORE LOW PRESSURE IS POSSIBLE DURING WEDNESDAY. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... THE COLD AIR ADVECTION IS ENDING...AND THE MOISTURE TRAPPED UNDER THE INVERSION IS MIXING OUT. THE MOISTURE MAY BE TOUGHER TO SCOUR OUT OF THE HIGHER TERRAIN...AND THIS MAY HAVE TO BE ACCOUNTED FOR IN THE MORNING FORECAST. CONVECTIVE TEMPERATURES ARE OUT OF REACH TODAY...AND OTHER THAN SOME HIGH CLOUDINESS THIS MORNING...SKIES SHOULD BE SUNNY. THE BEST PART OF THE SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT IS OVER THE FORECAST AREA NOW...AND SOME GUSTINESS LINGERS. THE GUSTINESS TO THE WIND SHOULD DROP BACK EARLY THIS MORNING AS THE LAST OF THE COLD AIR ADVECTION ENDS. IT IS POSSIBLE THERE COULD BE SOME GUSTINESS TODAY...BUT FOR THE MOST PART WINDS SHOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE TODAY. 850 MB TEMPERATURES SUPPORT HIGHS IN THE MID 50S TODAY...WHICH IS CLOSE TO THE MOS BLEND. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH 6 AM FRIDAY/... BUILDING MID LEVEL RIDGING SHOULD KEEP ANY HIGH AND MID LEVEL CLOUDS NORTH OF THE AREA TONIGHT...AND SKIES SHOULD BE CLEAR. AS THE HIGH REACHES NORTH CAROLINA TONIGHT...THE GRADIENT WILL BACK OFF. HOWEVER...WINDS MAY NOT BECOME COMPLETELY CALM OUTSIDE OF PROTECTED AREAS...AS THE GRADIENT WOULD SUPPORT WEST WINDS LESS THAN 10 MPH. THE ABOVE SCENARIO WOULD SUPPORTS LOWS NEAR THE MOS BLEND IN THE URBAN AREAS AND PLACES WITH EXPOSURE. FOR PROTECTED AREAS (INCLUDING THE PINE BARRENS IN NEW JERSEY)...LOWS WERE DROPPED A FEW DEGREES FROM THE MOS MEAN. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... A QUIESCENT PERIOD OF WEATHER IS SHAPING UP FOR THE NORTHERN MID ATLANTIC AREA FRIDAY INTO SUNDAY. THE MODELS HAVE LATCHED ONTO A COLD FRONT WHICH LOOKS LIKE IT WILL AFFECT OUR AREA MAINLY SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY. THEN...MODEL PERFORMANCE HAS SEEMINGLY DETERIORATED OVER THE PAST 24 TO 48 HOURS, WITH RUN-TO-RUN AND INTERMODEL INCONSISTENCY AND CHANGEABILITY. WITH NO CLEAR SIGNALS...IT WAS DECIDED TO JUST USE A BROAD BRUSH OF CHANCE PROBABILITIES FOR SHOWERS THROUGH THE MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY PERIOD, WITH A MODERATE TO HIGH AMOUNT OF CLOUDINESS. THE GFS EVEN PAINTS SOME TYPE OF RAIN/SNOW EVENT WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY. LATER MODEL ITERATIONS WILL BE NEEDED TO GAIN MORE CLARITY ON THIS PERIOD. SO...HPC TEMPERATURES WERE USED AS A STARTING POINT FOR HIGHS AND LOWS, WITH SOME MODIFICATIONS FOR LOCAL EFFECTS AND CLIMATOLOGY. A GENERAL COOLING TREND SHOULD OCCUR THROUGH THE LONG TERM PERIOD... WITH HIGHS IN THE MID 50S AND LOWER 60S OVER THE WEEKEND, DROPPING TO THE 40S TO NEAR 50 BY WEDNESDAY. && .AVIATION /14Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... THE FOLLOWING DISCUSSION IS FOR KPHL, KPNE, KTTN, KABE, KRDG, KILG, KMIV, KACY AND SURROUNDING AREAS. THE LAST OF THE LARGE STRATOCUMULUS CLOUD DECK THAT GOT TRAPPED UNDER THE INVERSION IN THE COLD AIR ADVECTION IS FINALLY BREAKING UP EARLY THIS MORNING. THE LAST OF THE MVFR CEILINGS APPEARS TO NOW BE GONE AT KABE...AND KACY MAY TRY TO HOLD ONTO MVFR CEILINGS THROUGH 0630 UTC OR SO. OTHERWISE...VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED FOR THE OVERNIGHT. THE BEST PRESSURE GRADIENT REMAINS OVER THE AREA EARLY THIS MORNING...BUT THE GUSTINESS HAS BECOME CONFINED TO SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY...WHERE KMIV AND KACY ARE STILL GUSTING. LATE EVENING AMDAR SOUNDINGS SHOWED 32 TO 35 KNOTS AT THE TOP OF THE INVERSION ACROSS THE REGION. THIS COULD ALLOW KMIV AND KACY TO GUST THROUGH 0800 UTC OR SO. THE LATEST HRRR MODEL RUN SUGGESTS THAT THE NORTHERLY GRADIENT REMAINS IN PLACE THROUGH 1200 UTC...SO WINDS PROBABLY DO NOT GO CALM EARLY THIS MORNING. AS SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS TOWARD THE REGION TODAY...WINDS WILL BACK WITH TIME. THE BEST GRADIENT SHOULD BE THIS MORNING...WITH SOME SLACKENING THIS AFTERNOON. ANY GUSTINESS WOULD BE THIS MORNING...AS THE LAST OF THE COLD AIR ADVECTION WINDS ITSELF OUT. THE 0600 UTC TERMINAL FORECASTS DO NOT CONTAIN GUSTS...BUT THIS CAN BE REVISITED LATER. AT MOST...GUSTS PROBABLY TOP OUT NEAR 15 KNOTS. CONVECTIVE TEMPERATURES ARE WELL OUT OF REACH TODAY...SO VFR CONDITIONS SHOULD CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE DAY. WINDS SHOULD DROP OFF FAIRLY QUICKLY THIS EVENING AS THE LAST OF THE GRADIENT DROPS OFF. HIGH PRESSURE AT THE SURFACE AND IN THE MID LEVEL SHOULD RESULT IN CLEAR SKIES. THE AIRMASS LOOKS TO BE TOO DRY FOR EVEN PATCHY FOR LATE TONIGHT AND EARLY FRIDAY MORNING. OUTLOOK... HIGH PRESSURE TO OUR SOUTH WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE US WITH FINE VFR FLYING CONDITIONS FRIDAY INTO...OR PERHAPS THROUGH MOST OF...SUNDAY. A COLD FRONT MOVING IN FROM THE WEST SUNDAY NIGHT WILL MOVE EASTWARD THROUGH OUR AREA. HOWEVER, A SUCCESSION OF LOWS COULD AFFECT OUR REGION AND PERHAPS BRING LOWER CONDITIONS AT TIMES INTO THE EARLY OR EVEN MIDDLE PORTION OF NEXT WEEK. MODEL GUIDANCE HAS BEEN CHANGING AND INCONSISTENT...SO LITTLE IN THE WAY OF CONFIDENCE CAN BE SHOWN UNTIL THE MODELS START TO OFFER BETTER AGREEMENT AND RUN-TO-RUN CONSISTENCY. LOWER CEILINGS AND/OR VISIBILITIES IN SHOWERS/RAIN AND FOG MAY OCCUR THROUGH MUCH OF THE SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY TIME PERIOD, THOUGH. && .MARINE... THE GRADIENT REMAINS IN PLACE MOST OF THE DAY...AND AT A GLANCE DOES NOT APPEAR TO SUPPORT SMALL CRAFT WINDS ANYWHERE AFTER ABOUT 1500 UTC. THEREFORE...THE SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY THAT REPLACES THE GALE WARNING WILL BE RUN UNTIL ABOUT 1500 UTC ON THE DELAWARE BAY (AND IT MAY NOT EVEN BE NEEDED THAT LONG). OVER THE OCEAN WATERS...SEAS ARE STILL RUNNING 5 TO 9 FEET...WITH THE HIGHEST SEAS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN WATERS. WHILE WINDS SHOULD DROP BELOW SMALL CRAFT LEVELS IN GUSTS BY 1500 UTC...THE SEAS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN WATERS MAY TAKE LONGER TO SORT THEMSELVES OUT. BASED ON THE ABOVE...THE SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY WILL BE RUN THROUGH ABOUT 1500 UTC ACROSS THE NORTHERN OCEAN WATERS...AND ABOUT 1800 UTC ACROSS THE SOUTHERN OCEAN WATERS. AFTER THIS...THE GRADIENT LOOKS TO SUPPORT WINDS AROUND 15 KNOTS ON THE OCEAN FOR THE REST OF TODAY INTO TONIGHT. WINDS ACROSS THE DELAWARE BAY WILL BE SLIGHTLY LOWER...BUT PROBABLY DO NOT DROP BELOW 10 KNOTS...AS THE GRADIENT LOOKS TO SUPPORT WINDS OF THESE SPEEDS. OUTLOOK... HIGH PRESSURE TO OUR SOUTH WILL BRING QUIET CONDITIONS TO OUR MARINE AREA FRIDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND. AS THE HIGH MOVES OFF TO THE EAST, A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH FROM THE WEST SUNDAY. THE PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL TIGHTEN BETWEEN THESE TWO SYSTEMS...AND THIS WILL MEAN A GOOD CHANCE OF SHOWERS AS WELL AS INCREASING SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST WINDS AND BUILDING SEAS SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY. A SERIES OF LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS COULD AFFECT OUR AREA THROUGH THE EARLY AND MIDDLE PORTIONS OF NEXT WEEK...BUT MODEL GUIDANCE HAS BECOME TOO CHANGEABLE AND INCONSISTENT TO OFFER ANY KIND OF SPECIFICS. ADVISORY CONDITIONS ARE LIKELY AT SOME POINT...AND EVEN GALE CONDITIONS MAY OCCUR FOR A TIME...IN THE SUNDAY NIGHT TO MID WEEK TIME FRAME. && .TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING... THE CFW FOR THE OCEAN AREAS HAS BEEN CANCELLED WITH THE HIGH TIDE HAVING PASSED. MINOR TIDAL FLOODING LEVELS WERE REACHED ALONG THE SHORE AREAS. TIDE DEPARTURES ON THE UPPER DELAWARE BAY AND TIDAL PORTION OF THE DELAWARE HAVE INCREASED STEADILY THIS MORNING. THE FACT THAT WE WOULD ONLY NEED ABOUT ONE-HALF TO THREE-QUARTERS OF A FOOT OF DEPARTURE FROM PREDICTED (WE ARE JUST ABOUT THERE NOW) SUGGESTS THAT MINOR TIDAL FLOODING WILL OCCUR THERE AS WELL. BASED ON THE ABOVE...AND THE RATE OF INCREASE OF DEPARTURES...A COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE UPPER DELAWARE BAY AND TIDAL SECTION OF THE DELAWARE RIVER. && .PHI WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR PAZ070-071. NJ...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR NJZ016>019-021. DE...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR DEZ001-002. MD...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 3 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR ANZ452>455. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 11 AM EST THIS MORNING FOR ANZ450- 451. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM EST THIS MORNING FOR ANZ430- 431. && $$ SYNOPSIS... NEAR TERM...HAYES SHORT TERM...HAYES LONG TERM... AVIATION...HAYES MARINE...HAYES TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MOUNT HOLLY NJ
630 AM EST THU NOV 24 2011 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO OUR REGION THIS THANKSGIVING THURSDAY AND DOMINATE OUR WEATHER INTO SUNDAY. A COLD FRONT... APPROACHING FROM THE WEST...WILL MOVE SLOWLY ACROSS OUR REGION SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY. LOW PRESSURE MAY DEVELOP ON THE FRONT ALONG THE MID ATLANTIC COAST AND MOVE SLOWLY NORTHWARD MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY NIGHT. MORE LOW PRESSURE IS POSSIBLE DURING WEDNESDAY. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... THE LOWER CLOUD DECK CONTINUES TO SHRINK AWAY EARLY THIS MORNING...WITH THE LAST VESTIGES OVER THE SOUTHERN POCONOS AND SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY AND DELAWARE. THE COLD AIR ADVECTION IS ENDING...AND THE MOISTURE TRAPPED UNDER THE INVERSION IS MIXING OUT. THE MOISTURE MAY BE TOUGHER TO SCOUR OUT OF THE HIGHER TERRAIN...AND THIS MAY HAVE TO BE ACCOUNTED FOR IN THE EARLY MORNING FORECAST. ELSEWHERE...THE LOWER CLOUDS SHOULD DISSIPATE BEFORE SUNRISE. CONVECTIVE TEMPERATURES ARE OUT OF REACH TODAY...AND OTHER THAN SOME HIGH CLOUDINESS THIS MORNING...SKIES SHOULD BE SUNNY. THE BEST PART OF THE SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT IS OVER THE FORECAST AREA NOW...AND SOME GUSTINESS LINGERS. THE GUSTINESS TO THE WIND SHOULD DROP BACK EARLY THIS MORNING AS THE LAST OF THE COLD AIR ADVECTION ENDS. IT IS POSSIBLE THERE COULD BE SOME GUSTINESS JUST AFTER SUNRISE...BUT FOR THE MOST PART WINDS SHOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE TODAY. 850 MB TEMPERATURES SUPPORT HIGHS IN THE MID 50S TODAY...WHICH IS CLOSE TO THE MOS BLEND. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH 6 AM FRIDAY/... BUILDING MID LEVEL RIDGING SHOULD KEEP ANY HIGH AND MID LEVEL CLOUDS NORTH OF THE AREA TONIGHT...AND SKIES SHOULD BE CLEAR. AS THE HIGH REACHES NORTH CAROLINA TONIGHT...THE GRADIENT WILL BACK OFF. HOWEVER...WINDS MAY NOT BECOME COMPLETELY CALM OUTSIDE OF PROTECTED AREAS...AS THE GRADIENT WOULD SUPPORT WEST WINDS LESS THAN 10 MPH. THE ABOVE SCENARIO WOULD SUPPORTS LOWS NEAR THE MOS BLEND IN THE URBAN AREAS AND PLACES WITH EXPOSURE. FOR PROTECTED AREAS (INCLUDING THE PINE BARRENS IN NEW JERSEY)...LOWS WERE DROPPED A FEW DEGREES FROM THE MOS MEAN. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... A QUIESCENT PERIOD OF WEATHER IS SHAPING UP FOR THE NORTHERN MID ATLANTIC AREA FRIDAY INTO SUNDAY. THE MODELS HAVE LATCHED ONTO A COLD FRONT WHICH LOOKS LIKE IT WILL AFFECT OUR AREA MAINLY SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY. THEN...MODEL PERFORMANCE HAS SEEMINGLY DETERIORATED OVER THE PAST 24 TO 48 HOURS, WITH RUN-TO-RUN AND INTERMODEL INCONSISTENCY AND CHANGEABILITY. WITH NO CLEAR SIGNALS...IT WAS DECIDED TO JUST USE A BROAD BRUSH OF CHANCE PROBABILITIES FOR SHOWERS THROUGH THE MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY PERIOD, WITH A MODERATE TO HIGH AMOUNT OF CLOUDINESS. THE GFS EVEN PAINTS SOME TYPE OF RAIN/SNOW EVENT WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY. LATER MODEL ITERATIONS WILL BE NEEDED TO GAIN MORE CLARITY ON THIS PERIOD. SO...HPC TEMPERATURES WERE USED AS A STARTING POINT FOR HIGHS AND LOWS, WITH SOME MODIFICATIONS FOR LOCAL EFFECTS AND CLIMATOLOGY. A GENERAL COOLING TREND SHOULD OCCUR THROUGH THE LONG TERM PERIOD... WITH HIGHS IN THE MID 50S AND LOWER 60S OVER THE WEEKEND, DROPPING TO THE 40S TO NEAR 50 BY WEDNESDAY. && .AVIATION /12Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... THE FOLLOWING DISCUSSION IS FOR KPHL, KPNE, KTTN, KABE, KRDG, KILG, KMIV, KACY AND SURROUNDING AREAS. THE LAST OF THE LARGE STRATOCUMULUS CLOUD DECK THAT GOT TRAPPED UNDER THE INVERSION IN THE COLD AIR ADVECTION IS FINALLY BREAKING UP EARLY THIS MORNING. THE LAST OF THE MVFR CEILINGS APPEARS TO NOW BE GONE AT KABE...AND KACY MAY TRY TO HOLD ONTO MVFR CEILINGS THROUGH 0630 UTC OR SO. OTHERWISE...VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED FOR THE OVERNIGHT. THE BEST PRESSURE GRADIENT REMAINS OVER THE AREA EARLY THIS MORNING...BUT THE GUSTINESS HAS BECOME CONFINED TO SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY...WHERE KMIV AND KACY ARE STILL GUSTING. LATE EVENING AMDAR SOUNDINGS SHOWED 32 TO 35 KNOTS AT THE TOP OF THE INVERSION ACROSS THE REGION. THIS COULD ALLOW KMIV AND KACY TO GUST THROUGH 0800 UTC OR SO. THE LATEST HRRR MODEL RUN SUGGESTS THAT THE NORTHERLY GRADIENT REMAINS IN PLACE THROUGH 1200 UTC...SO WINDS PROBABLY DO NOT GO CALM EARLY THIS MORNING. AS SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS TOWARD THE REGION TODAY...WINDS WILL BACK WITH TIME. THE BEST GRADIENT SHOULD BE THIS MORNING...WITH SOME SLACKENING THIS AFTERNOON. ANY GUSTINESS WOULD BE THIS MORNING...AS THE LAST OF THE COLD AIR ADVECTION WINDS ITSELF OUT. THE 0600 UTC TERMINAL FORECASTS DO NOT CONTAIN GUSTS...BUT THIS CAN BE REVISITED LATER. AT MOST...GUSTS PROBABLY TOP OUT NEAR 15 KNOTS. CONVECTIVE TEMPERATURES ARE WELL OUT OF REACH TODAY...SO VFR CONDITIONS SHOULD CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE DAY. WINDS SHOULD DROP OFF FAIRLY QUICKLY THIS EVENING AS THE LAST OF THE GRADIENT DROPS OFF. HIGH PRESSURE AT THE SURFACE AND IN THE MID LEVEL SHOULD RESULT IN CLEAR SKIES. THE AIRMASS LOOKS TO BE TOO DRY FOR EVEN PATCHY FOR LATE TONIGHT AND EARLY FRIDAY MORNING. OUTLOOK... HIGH PRESSURE TO OUR SOUTH WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE US WITH FINE VFR FLYING CONDITIONS FRIDAY INTO...OR PERHAPS THROUGH MOST OF...SUNDAY. A COLD FRONT MOVING IN FROM THE WEST SUNDAY NIGHT WILL MOVE EASTWARD THROUGH OUR AREA. HOWEVER, A SUCCESSION OF LOWS COULD AFFECT OUR REGION AND PERHAPS BRING LOWER CONDITIONS AT TIMES INTO THE EARLY OR EVEN MIDDLE PORTION OF NEXT WEEK. MODEL GUIDANCE HAS BEEN CHANGING AND INCONSISTENT...SO LITTLE IN THE WAY OF CONFIDENCE CAN BE SHOWN UNTIL THE MODELS START TO OFFER BETTER AGREEMENT AND RUN-TO-RUN CONSISTENCY. LOWER CEILINGS AND/OR VISIBILITIES IN SHOWERS/RAIN AND FOG MAY OCCUR THROUGH MUCH OF THE SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY TIME PERIOD, THOUGH. && .MARINE... THE GRADIENT REMAINS IN PLACE MOST OF THE DAY...AND AT A GLANCE DOES NOT APPEAR TO SUPPORT SMALL CRAFT WINDS ANYWHERE AFTER ABOUT 1500 UTC. THEREFORE...THE SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY THAT REPLACES THE GALE WARNING WILL BE RUN UNTIL ABOUT 1500 UTC ON THE DELAWARE BAY (AND IT MAY NOT EVEN BE NEEDED THAT LONG). OVER THE OCEAN WATERS...SEAS ARE STILL RUNNING 5 TO 9 FEET...WITH THE HIGHEST SEAS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN WATERS. WHILE WINDS SHOULD DROP BELOW SMALL CRAFT LEVELS IN GUSTS BY 1500 UTC...THE SEAS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN WATERS MAY TAKE LONGER TO SORT THEMSELVES OUT. BASED ON THE ABOVE...THE SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY WILL BE RUN THROUGH ABOUT 1500 UTC ACROSS THE NORTHERN OCEAN WATERS...AND ABOUT 1800 UTC ACROSS THE SOUTHERN OCEAN WATERS. AFTER THIS...THE GRADIENT LOOKS TO SUPPORT WINDS AROUND 15 KNOTS ON THE OCEAN FOR THE REST OF TODAY INTO TONIGHT. WINDS ACROSS THE DELAWARE BAY WILL BE SLIGHTLY LOWER...BUT PROBABLY DO NOT DROP BELOW 10 KNOTS...AS THE GRADIENT LOOKS TO SUPPORT WINDS OF THESE SPEEDS. OUTLOOK... HIGH PRESSURE TO OUR SOUTH WILL BRING QUIET CONDITIONS TO OUR MARINE AREA FRIDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND. AS THE HIGH MOVES OFF TO THE EAST, A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH FROM THE WEST SUNDAY. THE PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL TIGHTEN BETWEEN THESE TWO SYSTEMS...AND THIS WILL MEAN A GOOD CHANCE OF SHOWERS AS WELL AS INCREASING SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST WINDS AND BUILDING SEAS SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY. A SERIES OF LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS COULD AFFECT OUR AREA THROUGH THE EARLY AND MIDDLE PORTIONS OF NEXT WEEK...BUT MODEL GUIDANCE HAS BECOME TOO CHANGEABLE AND INCONSISTENT TO OFFER ANY KIND OF SPECIFICS. ADVISORY CONDITIONS ARE LIKELY AT SOME POINT...AND EVEN GALE CONDITIONS MAY OCCUR FOR A TIME...IN THE SUNDAY NIGHT TO MID WEEK TIME FRAME. && .TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING... A FEW POINTS HAVE REACHED THE MINOR TIDAL FLOODING BENCHMARK ALONG THE OCEANFRONT THIS MORNING (SANDY HOOK AND ATLANTIC CITY ARE ALREADY THERE...AND CAPE MAY AND LEWES DELAWARE SHOULD FOLLOW SHORTLY). THE DEPARTURES DECREASED AS HIGH TIDE APPROACHED (WHICH IS TYPICAL IN AN NON-SURGE TIDE)...BUT STILL ENOUGH FOR MINOR TIDAL FLOODING. TIDE DEPARTURES ON THE UPPER DELAWARE BAY AND TIDAL PORTION OF THE DELAWARE HAVE INCREASED STEADILY THIS MORNING. THE FACT THAT WE WOULD ONLY NEED ABOUT ONE-HALF TO THREE-QUARTERS OF A FOOT OF DEPARTURE FROM PREDICTED (WE ARE JUST ABOUT THERE NOW) SUGGESTS THAT MINOR TIDAL FLOODING WILL OCCUR THERE AS WELL. BASED ON THE ABOVE...AND THE RATE OF INCREASE OF DEPARTURES...A COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE UPPER DELAWARE BAY AND TIDAL SECTION OF THE DELAWARE RIVER. && .PHI WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR PAZ070-071. NJ...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY UNTIL 9 AM EST THIS MORNING FOR NJZ012>014-020-022>027. COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR NJZ016>019-021. DE...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY UNTIL 9 AM EST THIS MORNING FOR DEZ003- 004. COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR DEZ001-002. MD...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 3 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR ANZ452>455. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 11 AM EST THIS MORNING FOR ANZ450- 451. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM EST THIS MORNING FOR ANZ430- 431. && $$ SYNOPSIS... NEAR TERM...HAYES SHORT TERM...HAYES LONG TERM... AVIATION...HAYES MARINE...HAYES TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...HAYES
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
817 AM CST THU NOV 24 2011 .DISCUSSION... 320 AM CST LOW CLOUDS CAN BE A WILDCARD DURING WARM AIR ADVECTION DURING THIS TIME OF YEAR...AND INDEED THE WIDESPREAD STRATUS HAS ENVELOPED THE AREA TO START OUT THANKSGIVING. THE ENVIRONMENT FAVORABLE FOR THIS AND HOW LONG IT WILL HAMPER WARMING TODAY...AND WHETHER OR NOT IT REDEVELOPS TONIGHT TO START FRIDAY...ARE THE PRIMARY CHALLENGES THIS MORNING. THIS IS FOLLOWED BY THE FRONTAL TIMING AND RAIN ON SATURDAY AND THE COLD AIR AND SNOW SHOWER CHANCES BEHIND IT. SYNOPSIS...THE EXPANSIVE STRATUS BANK LINES UP WELL THE LOW-LEVEL RIDGE THIS MORNING...FROM TEXARKANA NORTHEAST TO THE GREAT LAKES. AS OF EARLY THIS MORNING...THE FORECAST AREA IS ABOUT 150 MILES FROM THE NEAREST UPSTREAM SCATTERING IN NORTHEAST MO. ACCORDING TO AN EARLY MORNING ACARS SOUNDING AT RFD...THE CLOUD DEPTH IS AROUND 800 FT THICK OR SO...WHICH LIKELY SPEAKS FOR MUCH OF THE AREA. WHILE THAT IS NOT VERY DEEP...THE INVERSION STRENGTH IS IMPRESSIVE...WITH TEMPERATURES CLIMBING 16F IN ABOUT 1200 FT. THAT PRESENTS THE CHALLENGE TO ALLOW MIXING TO REALLY GET GOING TODAY. SURFACE TEMPERATURES AND DEW POINTS ARE BASICALLY HOLDING STEADY 38 TO 42 AND SHOULD THROUGH MID-MORNING. SOUTHWEST WINDS NEAR 10 MPH HAVE ALLEVIATED ANY DENSE FOG CONCERNS. TODAY...MANY OF THE SHORT TERM MODELS AND ASSOCIATED MOS HAVE GENERALLY STRUGGLED WITH THE LOW CLOUD DEPICTION. A FEW THAT HAVE HAD A GENERAL IDEA INCLUDE THE HRRR AND THE SPC 4KM WRF...AS WELL AS THE MOISTURE IN THE RUC 0-500M LAYER. THE THEME OF BASICALLY NO IMPROVEMENT THROUGH 10 AM IS SEEN IN ALL OF THESE. THE HRRR AND WRF THEN WANT TO SHOW MAJOR IMPROVEMENT. FORECAST SOUNDINGS ON THE RUC CONTINUE TO SHOW AN AGGRESSIVE INVERSION HOWEVER...AND ITS LOW LEVEL MOISTURE IS SLOWER TO IMPROVE...BASICALLY TOWARDS 3 PM. INEVITABLY SOME HOLES WILL DEVELOP IN THE CLOUD SHIELD AND TO PRECISELY INDICATE WHERE IS CHALLENGING MORE THAT A COUPLE HOURS IN ADVANCE. IT WOULD SEEM BY LATE MORNING INTO EARLY AFTERNOON THESE SHOULD INCREASE...ESPECIALLY OVER THE SOUTHERN AND WESTERN FORECAST AREA. THE CHICAGOLAND AREA MAY BE THE LAST PART OF THE CWA TO CLEAR SIMPLY DUE TO THE TRAJECTORIES OF DRY AIR FROM THE DISTANT SOUTHWEST. HAVE TAKEN TEMPS DOWN SOME...WEIGHING GREATLY TOWARDS THE COOLER GUIDANCE. THE 24.06 NAM IS SEVERAL DEGREES COOLER THAN ITS PRIOR RUN...AN INDICATION COOLER IS LIKELY THE WAY TO GO. NORMAL DIURNAL CLIMBS THIS TIME OF YEAR ARE AROUND 15 DEGREES...AND GIVEN CLOUDS FORECAST FOR OVER HALF THE DAYLIGHT HOURS...HAVE CLIMBS CLOSER TO 6-7 DEGREES. OVERALL...THE CONFIDENCE IS LOW FOR A PERIOD ONE FORECAST...BUT THE THEME OF COOLER THAN ORIGINALLY THOUGHT SHOULD HOLD TRUE. FOR MORE ON WHERE TODAYS HIGHS WILL FALL OUT FOR THANKSGIVING CLIMATOLOGY...PLEASE SEE THE CLIMATE DISCUSSION BELOW. TONIGHT AND FRIDAY...THE 24.00 NAM LOW-LEVEL PARCEL TRAJECTORIES OVER THE LOCAL AREA FOR FRIDAY MORNING ORIGINATE IN THE AIR MASS IN AR/SOUTHERN MO AT PRESENT. THAT AREA IS ALSO UNDER THE STRATUS BLANKET...WHICH IS CONCERNING. THERE WILL BE AN EVEN STRONGER LOW- LEVEL WIND COMPONENT TONIGHT WHICH SHOULD AT LEAST HELP TO KEEP THINGS MORE TURBULENT AND MORE CLOUD AREAS AS OPPOSED TO A WIDESPREAD BLANKET...IF CLOUDS DO REDEVELOP. THE NAM 0-500M MOISTURE FIELDS AND SOUNDINGS INDICATE THE POTENTIAL...THOUGH MORE IMPROVED THAN THIS MORNING. SO HAVE AT LEAST INCREASED SKY COVER BY QUITE A BIT GIVEN THE PERSISTENCE OF THE CLOUDS TO EXPAND THE PAST COUPLE NIGHTS. ANY CLOUDS SHOULD MOVE ON OR BREAK UP QUICKER ON FRIDAY MORNING...BEING REPLACED BY CIRRUS IN THE NORTH. TEMPERATURES STILL ARE ON PAR FOR MAINLY MID-UPPER 50S TO LOWER 60S FROM NORTH TO SOUTH. FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY...A STRONG UPPER TROUGH APPROACHING BRITISH COLUMBIA TODAY WILL BE OUR WEATHER-MAKER IN THIS PERIOD AS IT NEGATIVELY TILTS AND DIGS INTO THE UPPER MIDWEST. THE SUITE OF MODEL GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO SHOW SIZABLE DIFFERENCES IN THE SURFACE COLD FRONTAL TIMING FOR SATURDAY...WHICH WOULD DICTATE WHEN DURING SATURDAY THE HIGHEST POPS NEED TO BE FORECAST. WHAT GUIDANCE DOES AGREE ON IS GOOD QG FORCING...MOISTURE RETURN...AND FOCUS FOR RAIN. PRECIPITABLE WATERS INCREASE UP TO NEAR ONE INCH ON THE GFS/NAM IN A NARROW TONGUE AHEAD OF THE FRONT. THE BEST TIMING FOR RAIN STILL APPEARS TO BE DURING THE DAY SATURDAY...AND HAVE FURTHER TAPERED POPS ON FRIDAY NIGHT PRIOR TO MIDNIGHT. WHILE RAIN IS FAVORED ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA ON SATURDAY...THIS DOES LOOK TO BE MORE OF A HIGH POP/LOW QPF EVENT. THE 24.03 SREF QPF CONFIDENCE FOR SATURDAY IS ONLY 40 PERCENT FOR 0.25 OR GREATER OF AN INCH...AND THAT IS IN THE FAR SOUTH. IN THE ABSENCE OF THUNDER OR PRECIPITATION TYPE ISSUES...THE SREF TENDS TO HANDLE SUCH LOWER-END QPF CONFIDENCE FORECASTS WELL. AFTER A VERY MILD FRIDAY NIGHT...TEMPERATURES WILL GO NOWHERE ON SATURDAY...CLIMBING ONLY A COUPLE DEGREES POSSIBLY IN THE MORNING BEFORE GRADUALLY COMING DOWN...AND THEN QUICKLY DOWN AFTER THE FRONTAL PASSAGE. THAT PASSAGE IS RIGHT NOW FAVORED TO BE IN THE AFTERNOON. SATURDAY NIGHT WOULD LOOK TO HAVE SCATTERED SHOWERS IF ANYTHING...POSSIBLY WITH SOME LIGHT SNOW MIXED IN AS THE COLUMN CONTINUES TO COOL. SUNDAY AND BEYOND...HAVE OVERALL TRENDED SLIGHTLY DRIER DURING THIS TIME AS MODELS CONTINUE TO INDICATE A QUICKER PROGRESSION OF THE UPPER LOW...EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE CONTINUED SIGNS IT MAY CUT OFF...LIKE ON THE 24.00 EC. SUNDAY WILL STILL SEE CYCLONIC FLOW IT APPEARS...AND HAVE GONE ABOVE THE MODEL BLEND FOR SKY COVER AND SHOWER CHANCES. THERE IS AN INCREASINGLY BETTER SIGNAL FOR LAKE ENHANCED SHOWERS INTO NORTHWEST INDIANA...WHICH COULD BE SNOW SHOWERS BASED ON THE FORECAST SOUNDINGS. THE NEARLY DRY ADIABATIC LAPSE RATES BASED ON THE COLD AIR ADVECTION OVER THE LAKE...THE LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE...AND CONVERGENCE ALL FAVOR AT LEAST SOME ENHANCED CHANCES FOR SHOWERS. MORE OF AN INFLUENCE OF THE NORTHERN STREAM JET IS EXPECTED IN OUR AREA AS OPPOSED TO THIS LOW BY MONDAY AND TUESDAY. SO COOLER /NEAR NORMAL/ TEMPERATURES ARE FORECAST WITH POTENTIALLY SOME SMALL CHANCES FOR SHOWERS...BUT BELOW MENTIONABLE AT THIS TIME. && .CLIMATE... 215 AM CST FORECAST HIGHS FOR TODAY DO POSSESS A RANGE OF SEVERAL DEGREES OF UNCERTAINTY BECAUSE OF THE LOW CLOUDS. RIGHT NOW...THE COOLING TREND IN THE FORECAST HAS TAKEN THIS BELOW A TOP TEN WARMEST THANKSGIVING. IT IS STILL POSSIBLE HOWEVER...THOUGH A SMALL CHANCE. FRIDAY HIGH TEMPERATURES ARE STILL FORECAST SEVERAL DEGREES BELOW RECORD HIGHS FOR LONG TERM CLIMATE SITES. THOSE RECORDS FOR NOVEMBER 25TH ARE 65 IN 2008 FOR ORD...AND 64 IN 1915 FOR RFD. IT IS UNLIKELY THESE WILL BE REACHED. EVEN AFTER THE COLD FRONT ON SATURDAY...TEMPERATURES ONLY FALL BACK TO NEAR NORMAL. CHICAGO HAS ONLY SEEN TWO DAYS THIS MONTH WHERE THE DEPARTURE FROM NORMAL WAS COOLER THAN -1. A COUPLE DAYS MORE ARE POSSIBLE BY THE END OF THE MONTH BUT THATS IT IN WHAT LOOKS TO SURELY BE A WARMER THAN NORMAL MONTH BY AT LEAST A COUPLE DEGREES. MTF && .AVIATION... //ORD AND MDW CONCERNS...UPDATED 14Z... * CIGS AROUND 700 FT SLOWLY LIFTING INTO THE AFTERNOON AND MAY REACH MVFR EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. * IFR/LIFR CIGS REDEVELOPING THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. * PERIODS OF GUSTY SOUTHWEST WINDS TO AROUND 20 KT. * POTENTIAL FOR LLWS TONIGHT. MDB //DISCUSSION...UPDATED 12Z... VERY LARGE AREA OF IFR/LIFR CIGS EXTENDS FROM THE GREAT LAKES SOUTH TO THE ARKLATEX THIS MORNING. LOCALLY THESE CLOUDS ARE TRAPPED UNDER A VERY STRONG INVERSION JUST A FEW THOUSAND FEET ALOFT AND IT WILL LIKELY BE UNTIL AT LEAST EARLY THIS AFTERNOON BEFORE THESE CLOUDS POTENTIALLY SHOW SOME BREAKS OR SCATTER OUT. WHILE CIGS SHOULD SLOWLY DIURNALLY LIFT THROUGH IFR INTO LOW MVFR THIS AFTERNOON...CONFIDENCE ON TIMING AND SPECIFIC HEIGHTS IS LOW. THE INVERSION ALOFT BECOMES EVEN STRONGER TONIGHT AND WITH LOW LEVEL MOISTURE STILL STREAMING NORTH...SHOULD CLOUDS SCATTER OUT THEY SHOULD QUICKLY REDEVELOP BY LATE EVENING/EARLY FRIDAY MORNING. THOUGH THE INVERSION DOES MIX OUT RATHER QUICKLY AFTER SUNRISE FRIDAY MORNING. VISIBILITIES HAVE GENERALLY BEEN IN THE 2-4SM RANGE MOST AREAS AND NOT EXPECTING ANYTHING MUCH LOWER THAN THAT...AT LEAST NOT ANYTHING WIDESPREAD. THE VIS SHOULD IMPROVE THROUGH THE MORNING BUT LIKELY DROP BACK INTO MVFR THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. DESPITE THE LOW INVERSION...WINDS HAVE GUSTED IN THE 15-20KT RANGE DURING THE EARLY MORNING HRS AND EXPECT GUSTS IN THIS RANGE FOR MUCH OF THE DAY...WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME HIGHER GUSTS DURING THE AFTERNOON SHOULD LOW CLOUDS SCATTER OUT. GRADIENT REMAINS TIGHT THROUGH THE NIGHT AND LOW LEVEL WINDS ALOFT INCREASE TO 40-45 KTS BY 2KFT...THUS THE POTENTIAL FOR LLWS. HAVE OPTED TO LEAVE THIS OUT OF THIS FORECAST SINCE IT IS QUITE POSSIBLE SURFACE WINDS WILL BE GUSTY AND CONFIDENCE REGARDING MEETING LLWS CRITERIA IS LOW. CMS //ORD AND MDW CONFIDENCE...UPDATED 14Z... * MEDIUM CONFIDENCE IFR CIGS WILL LIFT TO LOW MVFR EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...LOW CONFIDENCE ON TIMING AND IF CIGS WILL LIFT TO MUCH ABOVE 1000 FT. * LOW CONFIDENCE LOW MVFR CIGS WILL SCATTER OUT THIS AFTERNOON. * MEDIUM CONFIDENCE IFR CIGS WILL REDEVELOP THIS EVENING AND PERSIST INTO MID MORNING FRIDAY. * MEDIUM CONFIDENCE REGARDING WIND SPEEDS/GUSTS. * LOW CONFIDENCE REGARDING LLWS TONIGHT. MDB //OUTLOOK FOR ORD/MDW FOR 00Z SATURDAY-12Z THURSDAY...UPDATED 12Z... FRIDAY NIGHT...VFR. CHANCE OF SHRA. SATURDAY...MVFR WITH IFR POSSIBLE. PERIODS OF RAIN DURING THE DAY. CHANCE OF SHRA/SHSN SATURDAY NIGHT. SUNDAY...MVFR POSSIBLE. CHANCE OF SHRA/SHSN. MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...VFR. CMS && .MARINE... 300 AM CST WINDS HAVE BEEN A LITTLE SLOW TO INCREASE THIS MORNING DESPITE A FAIRLY TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT AND STRONG FLOW ALOFT IN PLACE. WITH TWO SEPARATE AREAS OF LOW PRESSURE TO THE NORTH AND NORTHWEST OF THE LAKE AND A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE JUST TO THE SOUTHEAST...STRONG SOUTHERLY FLOW CONTINUES TO USHER IN WARMER AIR TO THE NORTH. BELIEVE THIS IS WHAT MAY BE CAUSING THIS SLOW INCREASE IN WIND SPEED AS A SLIGHTLY MORE STABLE LAKE MAY BE IN PLACE THAN WHAT CURRENT GUIDANCE IS INDICATING. NONETHELESS...WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE TODAY AS THIS TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT REMAINS AND FLOW ALOFT INCREASES. PERSISTENT SOUTHWEST WINDS TO 30 KT CAN BE EXPECTED INTO FRIDAY FOR BOTH THE NORTH AND SOUTH HALF OF LAKE MICHIGAN. HAVE LEFT OUT ANY MENTION OF GALES FOR THE LAKE THIS FORECAST ISSUANCE...BUT DO THINK THERE MAY BE BRIEF PERIODS OF HIGHER WINDS AROUND GALES LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING MAINLY FOR THE NORTH HALF OF THE LAKE. ALTHOUGH DO FEEL THAT THIS WILL BE SPORADIC AND BRIEF...THUS LEAVING ANY MENTION OF GALES OUT OF THE CURRENT FORECAST. SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL SLOWLY BEGIN TO DIMINISH FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY...BUT WILL BECOME MORE WESTERLY ON SATURDAY AS AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE AND ASSOCIATED FRONTAL BOUNDARY PUSH ACROSS THE LAKE. THEN A PERIOD OF WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED INTO THE START OF NEXT WEEK. RODRIGUEZ && .LOT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IL...NONE. IN...NONE. LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY...NEARSHORE WATERS UNTIL 10 PM FRIDAY. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
601 AM CST THU NOV 24 2011 .DISCUSSION... 320 AM CST LOW CLOUDS CAN BE A WILDCARD DURING WARM AIR ADVECTION DURING THIS TIME OF YEAR...AND INDEED THE WIDESPREAD STRATUS HAS ENVELOPED THE AREA TO START OUT THANKSGIVING. THE ENVIRONMENT FAVORABLE FOR THIS AND HOW LONG IT WILL HAMPER WARMING TODAY...AND WHETHER OR NOT IT REDEVELOPS TONIGHT TO START FRIDAY...ARE THE PRIMARY CHALLENGES THIS MORNING. THIS IS FOLLOWED BY THE FRONTAL TIMING AND RAIN ON SATURDAY AND THE COLD AIR AND SNOW SHOWER CHANCES BEHIND IT. SYNOPSIS...THE EXPANSIVE STRATUS BANK LINES UP WELL THE LOW-LEVEL RIDGE THIS MORNING...FROM TEXARKANA NORTHEAST TO THE GREAT LAKES. AS OF EARLY THIS MORNING...THE FORECAST AREA IS ABOUT 150 MILES FROM THE NEAREST UPSTREAM SCATTERING IN NORTHEAST MO. ACCORDING TO AN EARLY MORNING ACARS SOUNDING AT RFD...THE CLOUD DEPTH IS AROUND 800 FT THICK OR SO...WHICH LIKELY SPEAKS FOR MUCH OF THE AREA. WHILE THAT IS NOT VERY DEEP...THE INVERSION STRENGTH IS IMPRESSIVE...WITH TEMPERATURES CLIMBING 16F IN ABOUT 1200 FT. THAT PRESENTS THE CHALLENGE TO ALLOW MIXING TO REALLY GET GOING TODAY. SURFACE TEMPERATURES AND DEW POINTS ARE BASICALLY HOLDING STEADY 38 TO 42 AND SHOULD THROUGH MID-MORNING. SOUTHWEST WINDS NEAR 10 MPH HAVE ALLEVIATED ANY DENSE FOG CONCERNS. TODAY...MANY OF THE SHORT TERM MODELS AND ASSOCIATED MOS HAVE GENERALLY STRUGGLED WITH THE LOW CLOUD DEPICTION. A FEW THAT HAVE HAD A GENERAL IDEA INCLUDE THE HRRR AND THE SPC 4KM WRF...AS WELL AS THE MOISTURE IN THE RUC 0-500M LAYER. THE THEME OF BASICALLY NO IMPROVEMENT THROUGH 10 AM IS SEEN IN ALL OF THESE. THE HRRR AND WRF THEN WANT TO SHOW MAJOR IMPROVEMENT. FORECAST SOUNDINGS ON THE RUC CONTINUE TO SHOW AN AGGRESSIVE INVERSION HOWEVER...AND ITS LOW LEVEL MOISTURE IS SLOWER TO IMPROVE...BASICALLY TOWARDS 3 PM. INEVITABLY SOME HOLES WILL DEVELOP IN THE CLOUD SHIELD AND TO PRECISELY INDICATE WHERE IS CHALLENGING MORE THAT A COUPLE HOURS IN ADVANCE. IT WOULD SEEM BY LATE MORNING INTO EARLY AFTERNOON THESE SHOULD INCREASE...ESPECIALLY OVER THE SOUTHERN AND WESTERN FORECAST AREA. THE CHICAGOLAND AREA MAY BE THE LAST PART OF THE CWA TO CLEAR SIMPLY DUE TO THE TRAJECTORIES OF DRY AIR FROM THE DISTANT SOUTHWEST. HAVE TAKEN TEMPS DOWN SOME...WEIGHING GREATLY TOWARDS THE COOLER GUIDANCE. THE 24.06 NAM IS SEVERAL DEGREES COOLER THAN ITS PRIOR RUN...AN INDICATION COOLER IS LIKELY THE WAY TO GO. NORMAL DIURNAL CLIMBS THIS TIME OF YEAR ARE AROUND 15 DEGREES...AND GIVEN CLOUDS FORECAST FOR OVER HALF THE DAYLIGHT HOURS...HAVE CLIMBS CLOSER TO 6-7 DEGREES. OVERALL...THE CONFIDENCE IS LOW FOR A PERIOD ONE FORECAST...BUT THE THEME OF COOLER THAN ORIGINALLY THOUGHT SHOULD HOLD TRUE. FOR MORE ON WHERE TODAYS HIGHS WILL FALL OUT FOR THANKSGIVING CLIMATOLOGY...PLEASE SEE THE CLIMATE DISCUSSION BELOW. TONIGHT AND FRIDAY...THE 24.00 NAM LOW-LEVEL PARCEL TRAJECTORIES OVER THE LOCAL AREA FOR FRIDAY MORNING ORIGINATE IN THE AIR MASS IN AR/SOUTHERN MO AT PRESENT. THAT AREA IS ALSO UNDER THE STRATUS BLANKET...WHICH IS CONCERNING. THERE WILL BE AN EVEN STRONGER LOW- LEVEL WIND COMPONENT TONIGHT WHICH SHOULD AT LEAST HELP TO KEEP THINGS MORE TURBULENT AND MORE CLOUD AREAS AS OPPOSED TO A WIDESPREAD BLANKET...IF CLOUDS DO REDEVELOP. THE NAM 0-500M MOISTURE FIELDS AND SOUNDINGS INDICATE THE POTENTIAL...THOUGH MORE IMPROVED THAN THIS MORNING. SO HAVE AT LEAST INCREASED SKY COVER BY QUITE A BIT GIVEN THE PERSISTENCE OF THE CLOUDS TO EXPAND THE PAST COUPLE NIGHTS. ANY CLOUDS SHOULD MOVE ON OR BREAK UP QUICKER ON FRIDAY MORNING...BEING REPLACED BY CIRRUS IN THE NORTH. TEMPERATURES STILL ARE ON PAR FOR MAINLY MID-UPPER 50S TO LOWER 60S FROM NORTH TO SOUTH. FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY...A STRONG UPPER TROUGH APPROACHING BRITISH COLUMBIA TODAY WILL BE OUR WEATHER-MAKER IN THIS PERIOD AS IT NEGATIVELY TILTS AND DIGS INTO THE UPPER MIDWEST. THE SUITE OF MODEL GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO SHOW SIZABLE DIFFERENCES IN THE SURFACE COLD FRONTAL TIMING FOR SATURDAY...WHICH WOULD DICTATE WHEN DURING SATURDAY THE HIGHEST POPS NEED TO BE FORECAST. WHAT GUIDANCE DOES AGREE ON IS GOOD QG FORCING...MOISTURE RETURN...AND FOCUS FOR RAIN. PRECIPITABLE WATERS INCREASE UP TO NEAR ONE INCH ON THE GFS/NAM IN A NARROW TONGUE AHEAD OF THE FRONT. THE BEST TIMING FOR RAIN STILL APPEARS TO BE DURING THE DAY SATURDAY...AND HAVE FURTHER TAPERED POPS ON FRIDAY NIGHT PRIOR TO MIDNIGHT. WHILE RAIN IS FAVORED ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA ON SATURDAY...THIS DOES LOOK TO BE MORE OF A HIGH POP/LOW QPF EVENT. THE 24.03 SREF QPF CONFIDENCE FOR SATURDAY IS ONLY 40 PERCENT FOR 0.25 OR GREATER OF AN INCH...AND THAT IS IN THE FAR SOUTH. IN THE ABSENCE OF THUNDER OR PRECIPITATION TYPE ISSUES...THE SREF TENDS TO HANDLE SUCH LOWER-END QPF CONFIDENCE FORECASTS WELL. AFTER A VERY MILD FRIDAY NIGHT...TEMPERATURES WILL GO NOWHERE ON SATURDAY...CLIMBING ONLY A COUPLE DEGREES POSSIBLY IN THE MORNING BEFORE GRADUALLY COMING DOWN...AND THEN QUICKLY DOWN AFTER THE FRONTAL PASSAGE. THAT PASSAGE IS RIGHT NOW FAVORED TO BE IN THE AFTERNOON. SATURDAY NIGHT WOULD LOOK TO HAVE SCATTERED SHOWERS IF ANYTHING...POSSIBLY WITH SOME LIGHT SNOW MIXED IN AS THE COLUMN CONTINUES TO COOL. SUNDAY AND BEYOND...HAVE OVERALL TRENDED SLIGHTLY DRIER DURING THIS TIME AS MODELS CONTINUE TO INDICATE A QUICKER PROGRESSION OF THE UPPER LOW...EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE CONTINUED SIGNS IT MAY CUT OFF...LIKE ON THE 24.00 EC. SUNDAY WILL STILL SEE CYCLONIC FLOW IT APPEARS...AND HAVE GONE ABOVE THE MODEL BLEND FOR SKY COVER AND SHOWER CHANCES. THERE IS AN INCREASINGLY BETTER SIGNAL FOR LAKE ENHANCED SHOWERS INTO NORTHWEST INDIANA...WHICH COULD BE SNOW SHOWERS BASED ON THE FORECAST SOUNDINGS. THE NEARLY DRY ADIABATIC LAPSE RATES BASED ON THE COLD AIR ADVECTION OVER THE LAKE...THE LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE...AND CONVERGENCE ALL FAVOR AT LEAST SOME ENHANCED CHANCES FOR SHOWERS. MORE OF AN INFLUENCE OF THE NORTHERN STREAM JET IS EXPECTED IN OUR AREA AS OPPOSED TO THIS LOW BY MONDAY AND TUESDAY. SO COOLER /NEAR NORMAL/ TEMPERATURES ARE FORECAST WITH POTENTIALLY SOME SMALL CHANCES FOR SHOWERS...BUT BELOW MENTIONABLE AT THIS TIME. && .CLIMATE... 215 AM CST FORECAST HIGHS FOR TODAY DO POSSESS A RANGE OF SEVERAL DEGREES OF UNCERTAINTY BECAUSE OF THE LOW CLOUDS. RIGHT NOW...THE COOLING TREND IN THE FORECAST HAS TAKEN THIS BELOW A TOP TEN WARMEST THANKSGIVING. IT IS STILL POSSIBLE HOWEVER...THOUGH A SMALL CHANCE. FRIDAY HIGH TEMPERATURES ARE STILL FORECAST SEVERAL DEGREES BELOW RECORD HIGHS FOR LONG TERM CLIMATE SITES. THOSE RECORDS FOR NOVEMBER 25TH ARE 65 IN 2008 FOR ORD...AND 64 IN 1915 FOR RFD. IT IS UNLIKELY THESE WILL BE REACHED. EVEN AFTER THE COLD FRONT ON SATURDAY...TEMPERATURES ONLY FALL BACK TO NEAR NORMAL. CHICAGO HAS ONLY SEEN TWO DAYS THIS MONTH WHERE THE DEPARTURE FROM NORMAL WAS COOLER THAN -1. A COUPLE DAYS MORE ARE POSSIBLE BY THE END OF THE MONTH BUT THATS IT IN WHAT LOOKS TO SURELY BE A WARMER THAN NORMAL MONTH BY AT LEAST A COUPLE DEGREES. MTF && .AVIATION... //ORD AND MDW CONCERNS...UPDATED 12Z... * IFR/LIFR CIGS LIFTING TO LOW MVFR THIS AFTERNOON. * IFR/LIFR CIGS REDEVELOPING THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. * PERIODS OF GUSTY SOUTHWEST WINDS. * POTENTIAL FOR LLWS TONIGHT. CMS //DISCUSSION...UPDATED 12Z... VERY LARGE AREA OF IFR/LIFR CIGS EXTENDS FROM THE GREAT LAKES SOUTH TO THE ARKLATEX THIS MORNING. LOCALLY THESE CLOUDS ARE TRAPPED UNDER A VERY STRONG INVERSION JUST A FEW THOUSAND FEET ALOFT AND IT WILL LIKELY BE UNTIL AT LEAST EARLY THIS AFTERNOON BEFORE THESE CLOUDS POTENTIALLY SHOW SOME BREAKS OR SCATTER OUT. WHILE CIGS SHOULD SLOWLY DIURNALLY LIFT THROUGH IFR INTO LOW MVFR THIS AFTERNOON...CONFIDENCE ON TIMING AND SPECIFIC HEIGHTS IS LOW. THE INVERSION ALOFT BECOMES EVEN STRONGER TONIGHT AND WITH LOW LEVEL MOISTURE STILL STREAMING NORTH...SHOULD CLOUDS SCATTER OUT THEY SHOULD QUICKLY REDEVELOP BY LATE EVENING/EARLY FRIDAY MORNING. THOUGH THE INVERSION DOES MIX OUT RATHER QUICKLY AFTER SUNRISE FRIDAY MORNING. VISIBILITIES HAVE GENERALLY BEEN IN THE 2-4SM RANGE MOST AREAS AND NOT EXPECTING ANYTHING MUCH LOWER THAN THAT...AT LEAST NOT ANYTHING WIDESPREAD. THE VIS SHOULD IMPROVE THROUGH THE MORNING BUT LIKELY DROP BACK INTO MVFR THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. DESPITE THE LOW INVERSION...WINDS HAVE GUSTED IN THE 15-20KT RANGE DURING THE EARLY MORNING HRS AND EXPECT GUSTS IN THIS RANGE FOR MUCH OF THE DAY...WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME HIGHER GUSTS DURING THE AFTERNOON SHOULD LOW CLOUDS SCATTER OUT. GRADIENT REMAINS TIGHT THROUGH THE NIGHT AND LOW LEVEL WINDS ALOFT INCREASE TO 40-45 KTS BY 2KFT...THUS THE POTENTIAL FOR LLWS. HAVE OPTED TO LEAVE THIS OUT OF THIS FORECAST SINCE IT IS QUITE POSSIBLE SURFACE WINDS WILL BE GUSTY AND CONFIDENCE REGARDING MEETING LLWS CRITERIA IS LOW. CMS //ORD AND MDW CONFIDENCE...UPDATED 12Z... * MEDIUM CONFIDENCE LIFR/IFR CIGS WILL LIFT TO LOW MVFR BY EARLY AFTERNOON...LOW CONFIDENCE ON TIMING. * LOW CONFIDENCE LOW MVFR CIGS WILL SCATTER OUT THIS AFTERNOON. * MEDIUM CONFIDENCE IFR CIGS WILL REDEVELOP THIS EVENING AND PERSIST INTO MID MORNING FRIDAY. * MEDIUM CONFIDENCE REGARDING WIND SPEEDS/GUSTS. * LOW CONFIDENCE REGARDING LLWS TONIGHT. CMS //OUTLOOK FOR ORD/MDW FOR 00Z SATURDAY-12Z THURSDAY...UPDATED 12Z... FRIDAY NIGHT...VFR. CHANCE OF SHRA. SATURDAY...MVFR WITH IFR POSSIBLE. PERIODS OF RAIN DURING THE DAY. CHANCE OF SHRA/SHSN SATURDAY NIGHT. SUNDAY...MVFR POSSIBLE. CHANCE OF SHRA/SHSN. MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...VFR. CMS && .MARINE... 300 AM CST WINDS HAVE BEEN A LITTLE SLOW TO INCREASE THIS MORNING DESPITE A FAIRLY TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT AND STRONG FLOW ALOFT IN PLACE. WITH TWO SEPARATE AREAS OF LOW PRESSURE TO THE NORTH AND NORTHWEST OF THE LAKE AND A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE JUST TO THE SOUTHEAST...STRONG SOUTHERLY FLOW CONTINUES TO USHER IN WARMER AIR TO THE NORTH. BELIEVE THIS IS WHAT MAY BE CAUSING THIS SLOW INCREASE IN WIND SPEED AS A SLIGHTLY MORE STABLE LAKE MAY BE IN PLACE THAN WHAT CURRENT GUIDANCE IS INDICATING. NONETHELESS...WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE TODAY AS THIS TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT REMAINS AND FLOW ALOFT INCREASES. PERSISTENT SOUTHWEST WINDS TO 30 KT CAN BE EXPECTED INTO FRIDAY FOR BOTH THE NORTH AND SOUTH HALF OF LAKE MICHIGAN. HAVE LEFT OUT ANY MENTION OF GALES FOR THE LAKE THIS FORECAST ISSUANCE...BUT DO THINK THERE MAY BE BRIEF PERIODS OF HIGHER WINDS AROUND GALES LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING MAINLY FOR THE NORTH HALF OF THE LAKE. ALTHOUGH DO FEEL THAT THIS WILL BE SPORADIC AND BRIEF...THUS LEAVING ANY MENTION OF GALES OUT OF THE CURRENT FORECAST. SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL SLOWLY BEGIN TO DIMINISH FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY...BUT WILL BECOME MORE WESTERLY ON SATURDAY AS AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE AND ASSOCIATED FRONTAL BOUNDARY PUSH ACROSS THE LAKE. THEN A PERIOD OF WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED INTO THE START OF NEXT WEEK. RODRIGUEZ && .LOT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IL...NONE. IN...NONE. LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY...NEARSHORE WATERS UNTIL 10 PM FRIDAY. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
405 AM CST THU NOV 24 2011 .DISCUSSION... 320 AM CST LOW CLOUDS CAN BE A WILDCARD DURING WARM AIR ADVECTION DURING THIS TIME OF YEAR...AND INDEED THE WIDESPREAD STRATUS HAS ENVELOPED THE AREA TO START OUT THANKSGIVING. THE ENVIRONMENT FAVORABLE FOR THIS AND HOW LONG IT WILL HAMPER WARMING TODAY...AND WHETHER OR NOT IT REDEVELOPS TONIGHT TO START FRIDAY...ARE THE PRIMARY CHALLENGES THIS MORNING. THIS IS FOLLOWED BY THE FRONTAL TIMING AND RAIN ON SATURDAY AND THE COLD AIR AND SNOW SHOWER CHANCES BEHIND IT. SYNOPSIS...THE EXPANSIVE STRATUS BANK LINES UP WELL THE LOW-LEVEL RIDGE THIS MORNING...FROM TEXARKANA NORTHEAST TO THE GREAT LAKES. AS OF EARLY THIS MORNING...THE FORECAST AREA IS ABOUT 150 MILES FROM THE NEAREST UPSTREAM SCATTERING IN NORTHEAST MO. ACCORDING TO AN EARLY MORNING ACARS SOUNDING AT RFD...THE CLOUD DEPTH IS AROUND 800 FT THICK OR SO...WHICH LIKELY SPEAKS FOR MUCH OF THE AREA. WHILE THAT IS NOT VERY DEEP...THE INVERSION STRENGTH IS IMPRESSIVE...WITH TEMPERATURES CLIMBING 16F IN ABOUT 1200 FT. THAT PRESENTS THE CHALLENGE TO ALLOW MIXING TO REALLY GET GOING TODAY. SURFACE TEMPERATURES AND DEW POINTS ARE BASICALLY HOLDING STEADY 38 TO 42 AND SHOULD THROUGH MID-MORNING. SOUTHWEST WINDS NEAR 10 MPH HAVE ALLEVIATED ANY DENSE FOG CONCERNS. TODAY...MANY OF THE SHORT TERM MODELS AND ASSOCIATED MOS HAVE GENERALLY STRUGGLED WITH THE LOW CLOUD DEPICTION. A FEW THAT HAVE HAD A GENERAL IDEA INCLUDE THE HRRR AND THE SPC 4KM WRF...AS WELL AS THE MOISTURE IN THE RUC 0-500M LAYER. THE THEME OF BASICALLY NO IMPROVEMENT THROUGH 10 AM IS SEEN IN ALL OF THESE. THE HRRR AND WRF THEN WANT TO SHOW MAJOR IMPROVEMENT. FORECAST SOUNDINGS ON THE RUC CONTINUE TO SHOW AN AGGRESSIVE INVERSION HOWEVER...AND ITS LOW LEVEL MOISTURE IS SLOWER TO IMPROVE...BASICALLY TOWARDS 3 PM. INEVITABLY SOME HOLES WILL DEVELOP IN THE CLOUD SHIELD AND TO PRECISELY INDICATE WHERE IS CHALLENGING MORE THAT A COUPLE HOURS IN ADVANCE. IT WOULD SEEM BY LATE MORNING INTO EARLY AFTERNOON THESE SHOULD INCREASE...ESPECIALLY OVER THE SOUTHERN AND WESTERN FORECAST AREA. THE CHICAGOLAND AREA MAY BE THE LAST PART OF THE CWA TO CLEAR SIMPLY DUE TO THE TRAJECTORIES OF DRY AIR FROM THE DISTANT SOUTHWEST. HAVE TAKEN TEMPS DOWN SOME...WEIGHING GREATLY TOWARDS THE COOLER GUIDANCE. THE 24.06 NAM IS SEVERAL DEGREES COOLER THAN ITS PRIOR RUN...AN INDICATION COOLER IS LIKELY THE WAY TO GO. NORMAL DIURNAL CLIMBS THIS TIME OF YEAR ARE AROUND 15 DEGREES...AND GIVEN CLOUDS FORECAST FOR OVER HALF THE DAYLIGHT HOURS...HAVE CLIMBS CLOSER TO 6-7 DEGREES. OVERALL...THE CONFIDENCE IS LOW FOR A PERIOD ONE FORECAST...BUT THE THEME OF COOLER THAN ORIGINALLY THOUGHT SHOULD HOLD TRUE. FOR MORE ON WHERE TODAYS HIGHS WILL FALL OUT FOR THANKSGIVING CLIMATOLOGY...PLEASE SEE THE CLIMATE DISCUSSION BELOW. TONIGHT AND FRIDAY...THE 24.00 NAM LOW-LEVEL PARCEL TRAJECTORIES OVER THE LOCAL AREA FOR FRIDAY MORNING ORIGINATE IN THE AIR MASS IN AR/SOUTHERN MO AT PRESENT. THAT AREA IS ALSO UNDER THE STRATUS BLANKET...WHICH IS CONCERNING. THERE WILL BE AN EVEN STRONGER LOW- LEVEL WIND COMPONENT TONIGHT WHICH SHOULD AT LEAST HELP TO KEEP THINGS MORE TURBULENT AND MORE CLOUD AREAS AS OPPOSED TO A WIDESPREAD BLANKET...IF CLOUDS DO REDEVELOP. THE NAM 0-500M MOISTURE FIELDS AND SOUNDINGS INDICATE THE POTENTIAL...THOUGH MORE IMPROVED THAN THIS MORNING. SO HAVE AT LEAST INCREASED SKY COVER BY QUITE A BIT GIVEN THE PERSISTENCE OF THE CLOUDS TO EXPAND THE PAST COUPLE NIGHTS. ANY CLOUDS SHOULD MOVE ON OR BREAK UP QUICKER ON FRIDAY MORNING...BEING REPLACED BY CIRRUS IN THE NORTH. TEMPERATURES STILL ARE ON PAR FOR MAINLY MID-UPPER 50S TO LOWER 60S FROM NORTH TO SOUTH. FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY...A STRONG UPPER TROUGH APPROACHING BRITISH COLUMBIA TODAY WILL BE OUR WEATHER-MAKER IN THIS PERIOD AS IT NEGATIVELY TILTS AND DIGS INTO THE UPPER MIDWEST. THE SUITE OF MODEL GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO SHOW SIZABLE DIFFERENCES IN THE SURFACE COLD FRONTAL TIMING FOR SATURDAY...WHICH WOULD DICTATE WHEN DURING SATURDAY THE HIGHEST POPS NEED TO BE FORECAST. WHAT GUIDANCE DOES AGREE ON IS GOOD QG FORCING...MOISTURE RETURN...AND FOCUS FOR RAIN. PRECIPITABLE WATERS INCREASE UP TO NEAR ONE INCH ON THE GFS/NAM IN A NARROW TONGUE AHEAD OF THE FRONT. THE BEST TIMING FOR RAIN STILL APPEARS TO BE DURING THE DAY SATURDAY...AND HAVE FURTHER TAPERED POPS ON FRIDAY NIGHT PRIOR TO MIDNIGHT. WHILE RAIN IS FAVORED ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA ON SATURDAY...THIS DOES LOOK TO BE MORE OF A HIGH POP/LOW QPF EVENT. THE 24.03 SREF QPF CONFIDENCE FOR SATURDAY IS ONLY 40 PERCENT FOR 0.25 OR GREATER OF AN INCH...AND THAT IS IN THE FAR SOUTH. IN THE ABSENCE OF THUNDER OR PRECIPITATION TYPE ISSUES...THE SREF TENDS TO HANDLE SUCH LOWER-END QPF CONFIDENCE FORECASTS WELL. AFTER A VERY MILD FRIDAY NIGHT...TEMPERATURES WILL GO NOWHERE ON SATURDAY...CLIMBING ONLY A COUPLE DEGREES POSSIBLY IN THE MORNING BEFORE GRADUALLY COMING DOWN...AND THEN QUICKLY DOWN AFTER THE FRONTAL PASSAGE. THAT PASSAGE IS RIGHT NOW FAVORED TO BE IN THE AFTERNOON. SATURDAY NIGHT WOULD LOOK TO HAVE SCATTERED SHOWERS IF ANYTHING...POSSIBLY WITH SOME LIGHT SNOW MIXED IN AS THE COLUMN CONTINUES TO COOL. SUNDAY AND BEYOND...HAVE OVERALL TRENDED SLIGHTLY DRIER DURING THIS TIME AS MODELS CONTINUE TO INDICATE A QUICKER PROGRESSION OF THE UPPER LOW...EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE CONTINUED SIGNS IT MAY CUT OFF...LIKE ON THE 24.00 EC. SUNDAY WILL STILL SEE CYCLONIC FLOW IT APPEARS...AND HAVE GONE ABOVE THE MODEL BLEND FOR SKY COVER AND SHOWER CHANCES. THERE IS AN INCREASINGLY BETTER SIGNAL FOR LAKE ENHANCED SHOWERS INTO NORTHWEST INDIANA...WHICH COULD BE SNOW SHOWERS BASED ON THE FORECAST SOUNDINGS. THE NEARLY DRY ADIABATIC LAPSE RATES BASED ON THE COLD AIR ADVECTION OVER THE LAKE...THE LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE...AND CONVERGENCE ALL FAVOR AT LEAST SOME ENHANCED CHANCES FOR SHOWERS. MORE OF AN INFLUENCE OF THE NORTHERN STREAM JET IS EXPECTED IN OUR AREA AS OPPOSED TO THIS LOW BY MONDAY AND TUESDAY. SO COOLER /NEAR NORMAL/ TEMPERATURES ARE FORECAST WITH POTENTIALLY SOME SMALL CHANCES FOR SHOWERS...BUT BELOW MENTIONABLE AT THIS TIME. && .CLIMATE... 215 AM CST FORECAST HIGHS FOR TODAY DO POSSESS A RANGE OF SEVERAL DEGREES OF UNCERTAINTY BECAUSE OF THE LOW CLOUDS. RIGHT NOW...THE COOLING TREND IN THE FORECAST HAS TAKEN THIS BELOW A TOP TEN WARMEST THANKSGIVING. IT IS STILL POSSIBLE HOWEVER...THOUGH A SMALL CHANCE. FRIDAY HIGH TEMPERATURES ARE STILL FORECAST SEVERAL DEGREES BELOW RECORD HIGHS FOR LONG TERM CLIMATE SITES. THOSE RECORDS FOR NOVEMBER 25TH ARE 65 IN 2008 FOR ORD...AND 64 IN 1915 FOR RFD. IT IS UNLIKELY THESE WILL BE REACHED. EVEN AFTER THE COLD FRONT ON SATURDAY...TEMPERATURES ONLY FALL BACK TO NEAR NORMAL. CHICAGO HAS ONLY SEEN TWO DAYS THIS MONTH WHERE THE DEPARTURE FROM NORMAL WAS COOLER THAN -1. A COUPLE DAYS MORE ARE POSSIBLE BY THE END OF THE MONTH BUT THATS IT IN WHAT LOOKS TO SURELY BE A WARMER THAN NORMAL MONTH BY AT LEAST A COUPLE DEGREES. MTF && .AVIATION... //ORD AND MDW CONCERNS...UPDATED 10Z... * IFR/LIFR CIGS THROUGH MID/LATE MORNING. * GUSTY SOUTHWEST WINDS THROUGH THE PERIOD...PRIMARILY THIS AFTERNOON. * LLWS POTENTIAL TONIGHT. CMS //DISCUSSION...UPDATED 06Z... STRATUS DECK CONTINUES TO SPREAD ACROSS THE REGION AND WILL BE OVER ALL TERMINALS WITHIN THE NEXT HOUR. CIGS QUICKLY DROPPED FROM LOW END MVFR TO HIGH TO MIDDLE RANGE IFR. VERY STRONG SUBSIDENCE INVERSION NOTED ON THE 00Z RAOB OUT OF DVN...AND WOULD EXPECT THE STRATUS DECK TO REMAIN THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS. WARM AIR ADVECTION WILL BEGIN TO RAMP UP AND BOUNDARY LAYER FLOW WILL ALSO INCREASE INTO THE MORNING...AND IT IS THEN THAT THE CLOUDS SHOULD LIFT AND THEN BEGIN TO ERODE. INTO THE AFTERNOON HOURS...EFFICIENT MIXING WILL ALLOW GUSTS IN THE AFTERNOON TO REACH INTO THE LOWER 20KT RANGE AND WILL LAST UNTIL SUN DOWN. AS GUSTS FALL OFF...THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR LLWS INTO THE EVENING HOURS. FORECAST SOUNDINGS SHOWING ROUGHLY 40KT AT 02KFT...JUST FLIRTING WITH CRITERIA. FOR NOW...WILL WITHHOLD ANYTHING IN THE ORD TAFOR. SHEA //ORD AND MDW CONFIDENCE...UPDATED 10Z... * HIGH CONFIDENCE IFR/LIFR CIGS WILL PERSIST THROUGH MID/LATE MORNING. * MEDIUM CONFIDENCE CIGS WILL LIFT/SCATTER OUT THIS AFTERNOON... LOW CONFIDENCE ON TIMING. * MEDIUM CONFIDENCE REGARDING WIND SPEEDS/GUSTS. * LOW CONFIDENCE IN MEETING LLWS CRITERIA TONIGHT. CMS //OUTLOOK FOR ORD/MDW FOR 12Z FRIDAY-12Z WEDNESDAY...UPDATED 00Z... * FRIDAY...VFR * SATURDAY...RA. MVFR LIKELY WITH IFR POSSIBLE * SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY...MVFR. SHRA WITH POSSIBLE RASN OVERNIGHT SHEA && .MARINE... 300 AM CST WINDS HAVE BEEN A LITTLE SLOW TO INCREASE THIS MORNING DESPITE A FAIRLY TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT AND STRONG FLOW ALOFT IN PLACE. WITH TWO SEPARATE AREAS OF LOW PRESSURE TO THE NORTH AND NORTHWEST OF THE LAKE AND A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE JUST TO THE SOUTHEAST...STRONG SOUTHERLY FLOW CONTINUES TO USHER IN WARMER AIR TO THE NORTH. BELIEVE THIS IS WHAT MAY BE CAUSING THIS SLOW INCREASE IN WIND SPEED AS A SLIGHTLY MORE STABLE LAKE MAY BE IN PLACE THAN WHAT CURRENT GUIDANCE IS INDICATING. NONETHELESS...WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE TODAY AS THIS TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT REMAINS AND FLOW ALOFT INCREASES. PERSISTENT SOUTHWEST WINDS TO 30 KT CAN BE EXPECTED INTO FRIDAY FOR BOTH THE NORTH AND SOUTH HALF OF LAKE MICHIGAN. HAVE LEFT OUT ANY MENTION OF GALES FOR THE LAKE THIS FORECAST ISSUANCE...BUT DO THINK THERE MAY BE BRIEF PERIODS OF HIGHER WINDS AROUND GALES LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING MAINLY FOR THE NORTH HALF OF THE LAKE. ALTHOUGH DO FEEL THAT THIS WILL BE SPORADIC AND BRIEF...THUS LEAVING ANY MENTION OF GALES OUT OF THE CURRENT FORECAST. SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL SLOWLY BEGIN TO DIMINISH FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY...BUT WILL BECOME MORE WESTERLY ON SATURDAY AS AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE AND ASSOCIATED FRONTAL BOUNDARY PUSH ACROSS THE LAKE. THEN A PERIOD OF WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED INTO THE START OF NEXT WEEK. RODRIGUEZ && .LOT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IL...NONE. IN...NONE. LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY...NEARSHORE WATERS UNTIL 10 PM FRIDAY. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS NORTHERN INDIANA
1053 AM EST THU NOV 24 2011 .UPDATE... STAUNCH LL INVERSION IN PLACE PER RAOB/TAMDAR ANALYSIS WITH WAA REGIME ONGOING ACROSS THE FA. LL MOISTURE REMAINS TRAPPED BELOW THE INVERSION BASE...WHICH IS JUST ABOVE H95...AND INCREASING FLOW WILL LIKELY BE TOO LITTLE TO SUPPORT MIX OUT OF STRATUS TODAY. SATELLITE CONFIRMS STRATUS DECK STRETCHING BACK TO TX...AND GIVEN LOW SUN ANGLE AND A RE-ENFORCING INVERSION PER WAA...HAVE UPDATED SKY GRIDS TO HOLD CLOUDY MENTION THROUGH THE DAY. THE POTENTIAL FOR A FEW BREAKS LINGERS ACROSS THE NW THIRD GIVEN THE INCREASED POTENTIAL FOR TURBULENT BL TOP MIXING...ALBEIT SMALL ATTM. OTHERWISE...EVEN WITH THE LACK OF STRONG INSOLATION TEMPS WILL CONTINUE TO CLIMB THROUGH AFTERNOON GIVEN SIG WAA. HOWEVER...MOST AREAS WILL FALL SHORT OF 50...SAVE THE NW WHERE THERMAL ADVECTION WILL BE THE STRONGEST. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 635 AM EST THU NOV 24 2011/ AVIATION... STRATUS HAS ENVELOPED ENTIRE AREA WITH IFR CONDITIONS AT BOTH TAF SITES. AMDAR SOUNDINGS AND PIREPS INDICATE MOISTURE DEPTH ABOUT 1KFT WITH DRY AIR ABOVE. VERY STRONG INVERSION OF NEARLY 15 DEGREES SEEN IN ONE AMDAR SOUNDING EARLIER THIS MORNING. WILL BE DIFFICULT TO MIX THIS MOISTURE OUT BUT WIND FIELD HAS INCREASED AND YEILDS SOME HOPE FOR AFTERNOON BREAKS. HOWEVER...HRRR RUNS FOR LOW CLOUD PRODUCT HAS BEEN HANDLING THIS STRATUS VERY WELL AND CONTINUES TO SHOW ONLY A SMALL CONTRACTION OF STRATUS WITH FEW BREAKS THROUGH LATE AFTERNOON. THEREFORE HAVE SHOWN ONLY SLIGHT IMPROVEMENTS IN CIGS TODAY BUT VIS SHOULD IMPROVE TO P6SM WITH WIND LATER THIS MORNING. SIMILAR CONDITIONS TONIGHT SO EXPECT STRATUS TO FILL BACK IN. WINDS WILL BE INCREASING THROUGH THE NIGHT IN LOWER LEVELS SO POSSIBLE THIS COULD HELP MIX STRATUS LAYER LATE TONIGHT. SHORT TERM... AS FEARED...POTENTIAL WRINKLES IN TERMS OF STRATUS AND FOG CAME TO FRUITION OVERNIGHT AND ARE CAUSE FOR SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO SHORT TERM FORECAST GRIDS. 11-3.9 MICRON SATELLITE IMAGE SHOWS LARGE AREA OF STRATUS ACROSS THE MS AND OH RIVER VALLEY REGIONS AND QUICKLY EXPANDING NORTHEAST ACROSS OUR AREA AS OF 08Z. 1000MB SW FLOW OF 5 TO 10 KNOTS AIDING IN MOVING STRATUS NORTHEAST. THE ENTIRE SHORT TERM FORECAST HINGES ON WHAT THIS STRATUS DECK DOES OVER NEXT 24 HOURS AND HENCE THE SHORT TERM PROBLEM OF THE DAY. NAM12 AND RUC HAVE SOME CLUE THAT STRATUS EXISTS BUT HRRR SEEMS TO HAVE BEST HANDLE BY FAR. MOS GUIDANCE HAS NO CLUE WITH CLOUD COVER CATEGORIES MAINLY CLEAR THROUGH THE PERIOD AND EVEN LAMP GUIDANCE AS OF 08Z HAS NO INDICATION. THUS MOS TEMPS NOT CLOSE TODAY FOR OPTIMISTIC 50S UNLESS CLOUD COVER ERODES QUICKLY WHICH IS DOUBTFUL AT THIS TIME. NAM12 BUFKIT SOUNDINGS SHOW SATURATED SURFACE TO 1KFT LAYER WITH STRONG INVERSION AND VERY DRY AIR ABOVE. WHILE YESTERDAYS MODEL RUNS MIXED THE LOWER LEVELS...LATEST RUNS ARE MUCH STRONGER WITH INVERSION AND SLIGHTLY DEEPER WITH MOIST LAYER LEADING TO LITTLE MIXING UNTIL LATE AFTERNOON. LATEST HRRR LOW CLOUD PRODUCT HAD STRATUS AREA NAILED AT INITIATION AND KEEPS IT LOCKED THROUGH ITS VALID PERIOD WHICH IS MID AFTERNOON. HRRR 2M TEMPS ALSO REMAIN IN UPPER 30S AND LOWER 40S THROUGH MID AFTERNOON. ALSO SOME CONCERN FOR DRIZZLE FOR A FEW HOURS AFTER SUNRISE AS TURBULENT MIXING OF SHALLOW CLOUD TOPS OFTEN LEADS TO PERIOD OF LIGHT PRECIPITATION...ESPECIALLY WHEN SUB CLOUD LAYER IS MOIST WITH BR OR FOG. HAVE ADDED A CHANCE FOR DRIZZLE TO ACCOUNT FOR THIS POSSIBILITY THROUGH MID MORNING. A LOOK BACK AT SATELLITE TRENDS ON WEDNESDAY REVEALED VERY LITTLE MIXING OF STRATUS AND THUS CONCERNED FOR SIMILAR TREND TODAY INTO TONIGHT. SUBTLE DIFFERENCE TODAY WILL BE INCREASING WINDS IN THE 1000-925MB LAYER... ESPECIALLY ABOVE 950MB WITH 40 TO 50 KNOTS DEVELOPING LATE TONIGHT. HOWEVER...THIS WILL BE JUST ABOVE INVERSION AND MAY NOT BE ENOUGH TO MIX OUT LOWER STRATUS DECK GIVEN STRONG INVERSION IN PLACE. 1000MB WINDS LOOK TO INCREASE BUT ONLY IN THE 5 TO 15 KNOT RANGE WITH LIGHTER WINDS UPSTREAM WHERE STRATUS COULD REDEVELOP AND AGAIN ADVECT BACK IN. AFTER MUCH COLLABORATION HAVE OPTED FOR CLOUDY CONDITIONS THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON WITH A SUBTLE OPTIMISTIC TRANSITION TO PARTLY CLOUDY MID TO LATE AFTERNOON. KEPT SKY COVER IN PARTLY CLOUDY RANGE TONIGHT WITH UNCERTAINTY CONTINUING AS TO DEGREE OF REDEVELOPMENT IF WE ACTUALLY DO BREAK OUT THIS AFTERNOON. STRONGER FLOW ON FRIDAY AHEAD OF NEXT SYSTEM SUGGEST ANY REMAINING STRATUS WOULD MIX OUT MID TO LATE MORNING. TEMPS OBVIOUSLY WILL BE IMPACTED SIGNIFICANTLY WITH THIS STRATUS. HAVE LOWERED HIGHS TODAY SEVERAL DEGREES BUT LIKELY NOT NEARLY ENOUGH IF CLOUDS PERSIST ALL DAY. HAVE TO RESPECT PARTIAL CLEARING IN AFTERNOON SO DID NOT GO AS LOW AS COLDEST MODEL BLENDS. 06Z NAM12 KEEPING TEMPS IN 30S ALL AREAS TODAY. MINS TONIGHT NOW HEAVILY DEPENDENT ON ACTUAL MAX TEMPS TODAY BUT EXPECT LITTLE DROP OFF WITH DECENT GRADIENT AND CLOUD POTENTIAL. KEPT TEMPS IN LOW TO MID 40S TONIGHT. HIGHS ON FRIDAY STILL LOOK TO BE NEAR 60 WITH BETTER MIXING BUT CONCERNS CONTINUE FOR LINGERING STRATUS IN THE MORNING. LONG TERM.../SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/ FEW SIG CHANGES TO LONG TERM WITH MODEL TURMOIL STILL ABUNDANT THROUGH THE PERIOD. ARRIVAL OF TROUGH FROM THE WEST AND ASSOCIATED PRECIP STILL NOT MUCH CLEARER WITH NAM/GFS SPREADING RAIN ACROSS THE AREA MID MORNING WEST INTO AFTERNOON EAST VS ECMWF MORE QUICK AFTERNOON ARRIVAL WEST TO EAST. THESE FASTER SOLUTIONS ALSO PUSHES PRECIP OUT AFTER 6Z SUN IN WESTERN AREAS. THINK COMPROMISE STILL NEEDED IN MODELS...MEANING GENERALLY SAME FORECAST FOR SAT/SAT NGT. TEMPS STILL GOING TO BE TRICKY BUT WITH INCREASING MID/HIGH CLOUDS THINK THEY WILL BE KEPT IN CHECK ESPECIALLY WEST. HAVE INCREASED SKY COVER TO REFLECT FASTER CLOUD ARRIVAL. ECMWF ONLY MODEL THAT STARTS PROGRESSIVE SUNDAY WITH GFS/GEFS/GEM ALL SHOWING CLOSED UPPER LOW ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES /IN VARYING LOCATIONS/. WITH TIME...ECMWF AND GEM CONTINUE A DEPICTION OF RAPID DEEPENING OF UPPER LOW AND MAJOR TRANSLATION SOUTHWARD IN ENERGY. GFS/GEFS HOLD WITH NORTHERN INFLUENCE BEING STRONGER. NEXT TROUGH WILL MOVE INTO THE AREA MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY AND INTERACT WITH CLOSED LOW WHEREVER IT MAY BE. THINK THERE WILL BE AT LEAST A DECENT SHOT FOR PRECIP UNDER THE UPPER LOW WITH COOL NW FLOW ACROSS THE LAKE AND SYNOPTIC MSTR STILL ACROSS THE AREA. IN ADDITION...PIECE OF ENERGY SHOULD ROTATE ACROSS THE AREA ON SUNDAY. WILL MAINTAIN MID RANGE CHC POPS FOR NOW WITH POSSIBLE INCREASE TO LIKELY WITH TIME. BASED ON THERMAL PROFILES...HAVE OPTED TO THROW IN MIX MENTION FOR THE DAY AS 1000-850 MB VALUES DROP TO NEAR OR BELOW 1300 M. HAVE ONLY MADE MINOR TWEAKS TO POPS FROM CR INIT TO PLACE HIGHER EMPHASIS ON PAST VS PRESENT WITH SLIGHTLY HIGHER POPS. WHILE AN OUTLIER...IF ECMWF SOLUTION OF UPPER LOW EVENTUALLY WORKING NORTH TOWARDS THE AREA MON NGT INTO TUES NGT BODES TRUE...COULD BE RATHER WET. ECMWF HAS BEEN VERY VARIABLE OF LATE...BUT NO WORSE THAN SOME OF THE OTHERS LEADING TO AT LEAST CONSIDERATION OF THE SCENARIO. REGARDLESS OF SOLUTIONS...NORMAL TO BELOW NORMAL TEMPS WILL BE IN STORE SUNDAY AND BEYOND. && .IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IN...NONE. MI...NONE. OH...NONE. LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 AM EST SATURDAY FOR LMZ043-046. && $$ SHORT TERM...LASHLEY LONG TERM...FISHER AVIATION...LASHLEY UPDATE...JC
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS NORTHERN INDIANA
635 AM EST THU NOV 24 2011 .AVIATION... STRATUS HAS ENVELOPED ENTIRE AREA WITH IFR CONDITIONS AT BOTH TAF SITES. AMDAR SOUNDINGS AND PIREPS INDICATE MOISTURE DEPTH ABOUT 1KFT WITH DRY AIR ABOVE. VERY STRONG INVERSION OF NEARLY 15 DEGREES SEEN IN ONE AMDAR SOUNDING EARLIER THIS MORNING. WILL BE DIFFICULT TO MIX THIS MOISTURE OUT BUT WIND FIELD HAS INCREASED AND YEILDS SOME HOPE FOR AFTERNOON BREAKS. HOWEVER...HRRR RUNS FOR LOW CLOUD PRODUCT HAS BEEN HANDLING THIS STRATUS VERY WELL AND CONTINUES TO SHOW ONLY A SMALL CONTRACTION OF STRATUS WITH FEW BREAKS THROUGH LATE AFTERNOON. THEREFORE HAVE SHOWN ONLY SLIGHT IMPROVEMENTS IN CIGS TODAY BUT VIS SHOULD IMPROVE TO P6SM WITH WIND LATER THIS MORNING. SIMILAR CONDITIONS TONIGHT SO EXPECT STRATUS TO FILL BACK IN. WINDS WILL BE INCREASING THROUGH THE NIGHT IN LOWER LEVELS SO POSSIBLE THIS COULD HELP MIX STRATUS LAYER LATE TONIGHT. && .SHORT TERM... AS FEARED...POTENTIAL WRINKLES IN TERMS OF STRATUS AND FOG CAME TO FRUITION OVERNIGHT AND ARE CAUSE FOR SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO SHORT TERM FORECAST GRIDS. 11-3.9 MICRON SATELLITE IMAGE SHOWS LARGE AREA OF STRATUS ACROSS THE MS AND OH RIVER VALLEY REGIONS AND QUICKLY EXPANDING NORTHEAST ACROSS OUR AREA AS OF 08Z. 1000MB SW FLOW OF 5 TO 10 KNOTS AIDING IN MOVING STRATUS NORTHEAST. THE ENTIRE SHORT TERM FORECAST HINGES ON WHAT THIS STRATUS DECK DOES OVER NEXT 24 HOURS AND HENCE THE SHORT TERM PROBLEM OF THE DAY. NAM12 AND RUC HAVE SOME CLUE THAT STRATUS EXISTS BUT HRRR SEEMS TO HAVE BEST HANDLE BY FAR. MOS GUIDANCE HAS NO CLUE WITH CLOUD COVER CATEGORIES MAINLY CLEAR THROUGH THE PERIOD AND EVEN LAMP GUIDANCE AS OF 08Z HAS NO INDICATION. THUS MOS TEMPS NOT CLOSE TODAY FOR OPTIMISTIC 50S UNLESS CLOUD COVER ERODES QUICKLY WHICH IS DOUBTFUL AT THIS TIME. NAM12 BUFKIT SOUNDINGS SHOW SATURATED SURFACE TO 1KFT LAYER WITH STRONG INVERSION AND VERY DRY AIR ABOVE. WHILE YESTERDAYS MODEL RUNS MIXED THE LOWER LEVELS...LATEST RUNS ARE MUCH STRONGER WITH INVERSION AND SLIGHTLY DEEPER WITH MOIST LAYER LEADING TO LITTLE MIXING UNTIL LATE AFTERNOON. LATEST HRRR LOW CLOUD PRODUCT HAD STRATUS AREA NAILED AT INITIATION AND KEEPS IT LOCKED THROUGH ITS VALID PERIOD WHICH IS MID AFTERNOON. HRRR 2M TEMPS ALSO REMAIN IN UPPER 30S AND LOWER 40S THROUGH MID AFTERNOON. ALSO SOME CONCERN FOR DRIZZLE FOR A FEW HOURS AFTER SUNRISE AS TURBULENT MIXING OF SHALLOW CLOUD TOPS OFTEN LEADS TO PERIOD OF LIGHT PRECIPITATION...ESPECIALLY WHEN SUB CLOUD LAYER IS MOIST WITH BR OR FOG. HAVE ADDED A CHANCE FOR DRIZZLE TO ACCOUNT FOR THIS POSSIBILITY THROUGH MID MORNING. A LOOK BACK AT SATELLITE TRENDS ON WEDNESDAY REVEALED VERY LITTLE MIXING OF STRATUS AND THUS CONCERNED FOR SIMILAR TREND TODAY INTO TONIGHT. SUBTLE DIFFERENCE TODAY WILL BE INCREASING WINDS IN THE 1000-925MB LAYER... ESPECIALLY ABOVE 950MB WITH 40 TO 50 KNOTS DEVELOPING LATE TONIGHT. HOWEVER...THIS WILL BE JUST ABOVE INVERSION AND MAY NOT BE ENOUGH TO MIX OUT LOWER STRATUS DECK GIVEN STRONG INVERSION IN PLACE. 1000MB WINDS LOOK TO INCREASE BUT ONLY IN THE 5 TO 15 KNOT RANGE WITH LIGHTER WINDS UPSTREAM WHERE STRATUS COULD REDEVELOP AND AGAIN ADVECT BACK IN. AFTER MUCH COLLABORATION HAVE OPTED FOR CLOUDY CONDITIONS THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON WITH A SUBTLE OPTIMISTIC TRANSITION TO PARTLY CLOUDY MID TO LATE AFTERNOON. KEPT SKY COVER IN PARTLY CLOUDY RANGE TONIGHT WITH UNCERTAINTY CONTINUING AS TO DEGREE OF REDEVELOPMENT IF WE ACTUALLY DO BREAK OUT THIS AFTERNOON. STRONGER FLOW ON FRIDAY AHEAD OF NEXT SYSTEM SUGGEST ANY REMAINING STRATUS WOULD MIX OUT MID TO LATE MORNING. TEMPS OBVIOUSLY WILL BE IMPACTED SIGNIFICANTLY WITH THIS STRATUS. HAVE LOWERED HIGHS TODAY SEVERAL DEGREES BUT LIKELY NOT NEARLY ENOUGH IF CLOUDS PERSIST ALL DAY. HAVE TO RESPECT PARTIAL CLEARING IN AFTERNOON SO DID NOT GO AS LOW AS COLDEST MODEL BLENDS. 06Z NAM12 KEEPING TEMPS IN 30S ALL AREAS TODAY. MINS TONIGHT NOW HEAVILY DEPENDENT ON ACTUAL MAX TEMPS TODAY BUT EXPECT LITTLE DROP OFF WITH DECENT GRADIENT AND CLOUD POTENTIAL. KEPT TEMPS IN LOW TO MID 40S TONIGHT. HIGHS ON FRIDAY STILL LOOK TO BE NEAR 60 WITH BETTER MIXING BUT CONCERNS CONTINUE FOR LINGERING STRATUS IN THE MORNING. && .LONG TERM.../SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/ FEW SIG CHANGES TO LONG TERM WITH MODEL TURMOIL STILL ABUNDANT THROUGH THE PERIOD. ARRIVAL OF TROUGH FROM THE WEST AND ASSOCIATED PRECIP STILL NOT MUCH CLEARER WITH NAM/GFS SPREADING RAIN ACROSS THE AREA MID MORNING WEST INTO AFTERNOON EAST VS ECMWF MORE QUICK AFTERNOON ARRIVAL WEST TO EAST. THESE FASTER SOLUTIONS ALSO PUSHES PRECIP OUT AFTER 6Z SUN IN WESTERN AREAS. THINK COMPROMISE STILL NEEDED IN MODELS...MEANING GENERALLY SAME FORECAST FOR SAT/SAT NGT. TEMPS STILL GOING TO BE TRICKY BUT WITH INCREASING MID/HIGH CLOUDS THINK THEY WILL BE KEPT IN CHECK ESPECIALLY WEST. HAVE INCREASED SKY COVER TO REFLECT FASTER CLOUD ARRIVAL. ECMWF ONLY MODEL THAT STARTS PROGRESSIVE SUNDAY WITH GFS/GEFS/GEM ALL SHOWING CLOSED UPPER LOW ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES /IN VARYING LOCATIONS/. WITH TIME...ECMWF AND GEM CONTINUE A DEPICTION OF RAPID DEEPENING OF UPPER LOW AND MAJOR TRANSLATION SOUTHWARD IN ENERGY. GFS/GEFS HOLD WITH NORTHERN INFLUENCE BEING STRONGER. NEXT TROUGH WILL MOVE INTO THE AREA MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY AND INTERACT WITH CLOSED LOW WHEREVER IT MAY BE. THINK THERE WILL BE AT LEAST A DECENT SHOT FOR PRECIP UNDER THE UPPER LOW WITH COOL NW FLOW ACROSS THE LAKE AND SYNOPTIC MSTR STILL ACROSS THE AREA. IN ADDITION...PIECE OF ENERGY SHOULD ROTATE ACROSS THE AREA ON SUNDAY. WILL MAINTAIN MID RANGE CHC POPS FOR NOW WITH POSSIBLE INCREASE TO LIKELY WITH TIME. BASED ON THERMAL PROFILES...HAVE OPTED TO THROW IN MIX MENTION FOR THE DAY AS 1000-850 MB VALUES DROP TO NEAR OR BELOW 1300 M. HAVE ONLY MADE MINOR TWEAKS TO POPS FROM CR INIT TO PLACE HIGHER EMPHASIS ON PAST VS PRESENT WITH SLIGHTLY HIGHER POPS. WHILE AN OUTLIER...IF ECMWF SOLUTION OF UPPER LOW EVENTUALLY WORKING NORTH TOWARDS THE AREA MON NGT INTO TUES NGT BODES TRUE...COULD BE RATHER WET. ECMWF HAS BEEN VERY VARIABLE OF LATE...BUT NO WORSE THAN SOME OF THE OTHERS LEADING TO AT LEAST CONSIDERATION OF THE SCENARIO. REGARDLESS OF SOLUTIONS...NORMAL TO BELOW NORMAL TEMPS WILL BE IN STORE SUNDAY AND BEYOND. && .IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IN...NONE. MI...NONE. OH...NONE. LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 AM EST SATURDAY FOR LMZ043-046. && $$ SHORT TERM...LASHLEY LONG TERM...FISHER AVIATION...LASHLEY
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS QUAD CITIES IA IL
627 AM CST THU NOV 24 2011 .AVIATION... IFR TO LIFR CONDITIONS IN FOG AND LOW CLOUDS CONTINUE TO BLANKET REGION EARLY THIS AM. CLOUD TRENDS THE MAIN CHALLENGE DURING THE TAF CYCLE. IT APPEARS LITTLE CHG THROUGH MID MORNING WITH WIDESPREAD IFR/LIFR CONDITIONS. HOWEVER BY LATE AM AND THIS AFTN EXPECT INCREASED MIXING WITH GUSTY S/SW WINDS 15-25 KTS TO ERODE LOW CLOUDS FROM WEST TO EAST RESULTING IN VFR CONDITIONS. THIS SCENARIO SUPPORTED BY LAST SEVERAL RUNS OF RUC BACKUP FLIGHT RULES PRODUCT AND HRRR LOW LEVEL CLOUD PRODUCT. TNGT WITH LOW LEVEL MOISTURE STILL STREAMING TOWARD AREA AND LOW LEVEL INVERSION STRENGTHENING BELIEVE STRATUS WITH IFR TO LIFR CONDITIONS WILL REDEVELOP OVER AREAS THAT MANAGE TO CLEAR OUT TDY. THIS ALSO DEPICTED BY RUC BACKUP MODEL FLIGHT RULES PRODUCT. MAY HAVE TO WATCH FOR LLWS LATER TNGT AS SOME MODELS INCREASE WINDS TO AROUND 40 KTS IN 1500-2000 FT AGL... BUT BEING MARGINAL WITH POTENTIAL GUSTY SLY SFC WINDS HAVE LEFT OUT MENTION. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 335 AM CST THU NOV 24 2011/ SYNOPSIS... SFC HIGH CENTERED OVER THE TN/OH VLYS EARLY THIS AM. MOIST LOW LEVEL RETURN FLOW (SFC DEWPTS IN 40S) ON WESTERN AND SOUTHERN PERIPHERY OF HIGH WITH 11-3.9 MICRON SATL IMAGERY SHOWING LARGE AREA OF LOW CLOUDS WITHIN THIS MOIST AXIS. SOME FOG ALSO FOUND OVER REGION BUT MAINLY LIGHT (2-6SM) DUE TO BLANKET OF LOW CLOUDS AND ALSO S/SW WINDS OF 5-10 KTS KEEPING BL MIXED JUST ENOUGH. SHORT TERM...TODAY AND TONIGHT... ANOTHER DIFFICULT FCST REVOLVING AROUND SKY COVER TRENDS WITH HUGE IMPACT ON TEMPS. COMPOUNDING DIFFICULTY IS THAT IT/S HARD TO FIND MODEL DOING WELL IN CAPTURING COVERAGE/EXTENT OF LOW CLOUDS. OBSERVED SOUNDINGS SHOW MOISTURE TO BE VERY SHALLOW ON THE ORDER OF 20 MB OR SO IN DEPTH BUT BELOW VERY STRONG LOW LEVEL INVERSION. IT IS EXPECTED THOUGH THAT MIXING TO INCREASE TDY AIDED BY STRENGTHENING SFC PRESSURE GRADIENT WITH DEVELOPING GUSTY S/SW WINDS. THIS SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT TO TAP LARGE AMOUNTS OF DRY AIR NEAR BASE OF INVERSION TO BEGIN EROSION PROCESS/ CLEARING TREND LATER THIS AM THROUGH AFTN. HIGHEST CONFIDENCE OF SEEING CLEARING TDY IS ACROSS W/SW SECTIONS BEING IN CLOSER PROXIMITY TO BACK EDGE OF STRATUS. LOWEST CONFIDENCE OF ANY CLEARING OF IS ACROSS NW IL COUNTIES WHERE MOIST LOW LEVEL PARCEL TRAJECTORIES ARE AIMED. THE HRRR LOW CLOUD PRODUCT... WHICH DID REALLY WELL YSTDY WITH STRATUS... SUPPORTS THIS IDEA OF BEST CLEARING POTENTIAL W/SW OF MISSISSIPPI RVR TDY AND HAVE TAILORED FCST CLOSELY TOWARD THIS SCENARIO. OBVIOUSLY AS CLOUDS GO TDY... SO GO TEMPS. LOOKING BACK YSTDY TO OUR WEST NOTICED THAT AREAS KEPT STRATUS THROUGH 18Z BEFORE DECREASING SAW HIGHS GENERALLY IN RANGE OF 47-55 DEGS WITH U50S NEAR KC METRO. WENT WITH THIS GENERAL RANGE FOR MOST OF CWA BEING COOLEST NW IL... AND WARMEST SE IA INTO NORTHEAST MO WHERE HAVE SOME U50S/NR 60 DEGS. OF COURSE IF STRATUS HOLDS AND WHERE THAT DOES OCCUR WILL SEE TEMPS ONLY GO UP 3-5 DEGS FOR HIGHS GENERALLY MID 40S. IF CLEARING BUSTS OPEN EARLIER THEN WITH GUSTY S/SW WINDS WOULD SEE MORE AREAS NR 60 OR IN THE 60S FOR HIGHS AND POSSIBLY NEARING RECORDS. SHOULD THIS OCCUR MOST LIKELY WRN/SRN CWA. TNGT... WENT WITH GENERAL IDEA THAT ANY CLEARING TO FILL BACK IN WITH STRATUS WITH MOIST LOW LEVEL SFC PARCEL TRAJECTORIES STILL AIMED AT REGION. THIS ALSO SUPPORTED BY BACKUP RUC MODEL AVIATION FLIGHT CATEGORIES PRODUCT WHICH SHOWS IFR CONDITIONS BLOSSOMING THROUGHOUT REGION. GIVEN THIS AND SLY WINDS AROUND 10 KTS WITH SOME GUSTS STAYED AT OR ABOVE WARMEST GUIDANCE FOR LOWS... WITH WIDESPREAD L/M 40S. SOME FOG POSSIBLE BUT MAINLY LIGHT (2-6SM) DUE TO CLOUDS AND SOUTH WINDS AROUND 10 KTS WITH SOME GUSTS. .05.. LONG TERM...FRIDAY THROUGH NEXT WEDNESDAY... FORECAST FOCUS ON RAIN FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY OTHERWISE MAINLY A CHILLY BUT DRY PERIOD. FRIDAY...EXPECTING A WARM DAY IN THE BRISK SOUTHERLY FLOW AS TROUGH DIVES INTO THE NORTHERN ROCKIES AND ANOTHER LIFTS INTO THE SOUTHERN ROCKIES. MAX TEMPS IN THE 60 TO 65 RANGE ROUGHLY SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 30 WITH 55 TO 60 TO THE NORTH. THESE TEMPS BASED ON INCREASING CLOUD COVER AS THE DAY PROGRESSES. BUT IF THERE IS MORE SUNSHINE THEN TEMPS MAY BE SOMEWHAT HIGHER. HOWEVER A BIG PROBLEM COULD BE STRATUS FORMING UNDER THE STRENGTHENING INVERSION EARLY FRIDAY THAT IF LINGERS TOO LONG WOULD PUT A BIG DENT INTO THE WARM TEMPS. BASED ON THIS CURRENT FORECAST RECORD HIGHS ARE NOT IN JEOPARDY. SEE CLIMATE SECTION BELOW. PREVIOUS SHIFT HAD REMOVED MENTION OF RAIN FOR FRIDAY AND BASED ON LATEST DATA THIS STILL LOOKS GOOD. SHOULD HAVE SOUTH WINDS GUSTING TO AROUND 30 MPH. FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT...THE 00Z ECM HAS SLOWED THE PHASING OF THE TWO STREAMS AND KEEPS MUCH OF THE CWA DRY FRIDAY EVENING...AND IN FACT KEEPS OUR FAR EASTERN CWA TOTALLY DRY FRIDAY NIGHT. OTHERWISE WILL GRADUALLY WORK THE LIKELY POPS EASTWARD AS MOST OF THE OPERATIONAL MODELS PAINT A WET NIGHT. RAINY DAY ON SATURDAY MOST OF THE CWA EXCEPT OUR WESTERN CWA WHERE WE WILL HAVE A CHANCE. TIMING THE ENDING OF THE RAIN VARIES UPON THE MODELS AND LATER SHIFTS MAY NEED TO ADJUST. WIDESPREAD 0.20 TO 0.40 INCH RAIN AMOUNTS STILL APPEAR LIKELY. ANY RAIN THAT CHANGES TO SNOW SHOWERS AT THE TAIL END OF THIS EVENT BY SATURDAY NIGHT LOOKS SHORT-LIVED AND UNEVENTFUL AS OF NOW. BACK TO REALITY AS MUCH COLDER AIR RETURNS ON SATURDAY WITH STRONG COLD ADVECTION. MAX TEMPS ONLY IN THE MID 40S TO LOWER 50S...ALONG WITH NORTHWEST WINDS GUSTING OVER 30 MPH ADDING TO THE CHILL. A RATHER WET AND RAW DAY ON SATURDAY. SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...INTERESTING THAT THE PAST COUPLE OF RUNS OF THE ECM SHOWED EITHER A PROGRESSIVE TROUGH MOVING ACROSS THE EASTERN UNITED STATES EARLY NEXT WEEK...OR A CLOSED LOW FORMING WELL TO OUR EAST. AMAZINGLY THE 00Z RUN NOW IS DEPICTING THE CLOSED LOW FARTHER TO THE WEST FORMING IN THE GULF STATES AND MOVING INTO THE OHIO VALLEY. THE PRECIPITATION JUST GRAZES OUR FAR SE CWA. THE GFS/GEM INDICATE A DIGGING TROUGH IN THE EASTERN STATES KEEPING THE PRECIPITATION WELL EAST OF THE DVN CWA. BASICALLY FOR THE PAST 7 DAYS THE GFS/ECM HAVE BEEN ERRATIC AND SHOWING A LOT OF FLIP- FLOPPING. THEREFORE THE EXTENDED REMAINS LOW CONFIDENCE. OTHER THAN A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS EAST OF THE MS RIVER ON SUNDAY THE EXTENDED INDICATES DRY AND CHILLY WEATHER FOR NOW. IF THE ECM IS CORRECT THE RECORD COLD ARCTIC AIR THAT HAS BEEN BUILDING IN ALASKA THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS WILL BE GETTING CLOSER AND CLOSER THE FIRST WEEK OF DECEMBER. FAIRBANKS HAS NOT BEEN ABOVE ZERO FOR THE PAST 10 DAYS. THE ARCTIC OSCILLATION IS ALSO FORECAST TO START GOING NEGATIVE DURING THAT TIME. THIS MAY ALSO INCREASE THE POTENTIAL FOR A SNOWSTORM. .HAASE.. CLIMATE... RECORD HIGHS FOR NOVEMBER 24... MOLINE.........66 IN 1966 CEDAR RAPIDS...63 IN 1931 DUBUQUE........63 IN 1931 BURLINGTON.....68 IN 1915 RECORD HIGHS FOR NOVEMBER 25... MOLINE.........67 IN 1896 CEDAR RAPIDS...68 IN 1896 DUBUQUE........65 IN 1896 BURLINGTON.....68 IN 1915 && .DVN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IA...NONE. IL...NONE. MO...NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MARQUETTE MI
639 AM EST THU NOV 24 2011 UPDATED AVIATION DISCUSSION FOR 12Z TAFS .SYNOPSIS... WV IMAGERY AND RUC ANALYSIS INDICATED A BROAD MID/UPPER LEVEL RIDGE ACROSS THE CNTRL CONUS. A SHORTWAVE TROUGH OFFSHORE FROM THE PAC NW WILL HELP AMPLIFY A PROGRESSIVE MID LEVEL TROUGH THAT WILL MOVE INTO THE PLAINS TONIGHT AND TO THE WRN GREAT LAKES BY LATE SAT. AT THE SFC...SSW FLOW PREVAILED OVER THE REGION BTWN LOW PRES INTO SRN MANITOBA AND A RIDGE OVER THE OH AND LOWER MS VALLEY. 11-3.9 IR LOOP INDICATED LOW CLOUDS ALONG THE WI BORDER FROM IWD TO IMT AND OVER MUCH OF THE EAST HALF OF THE CWA. OTHERWISE...WAA HIGH CLOUDS WERE SPREADING FROM NRN MN INTO WRN UPPER MI. && .DISCUSSION... TODAY AND TONIGHT...VERY MILD AIR HAS SPREAD OVER THE COLDER AIR NEAR THE SURFACE CREATING A STRONG INVERSION AS 00Z KGRB SOUNDING SHOWED 925 MB TEMP AT 9C. MAX TEMPS WILL DEPEND ON HOW QUICKLY ANY MORNING FOG/STRATUS BURNS OFF AND THE MIXING DEPTH. EVEN WITH LATE NOV SUN ANGLE AND A VERY STABLE SFC-900 MB LAYER...EXPECT ENOUGH MIXING FOR TEMPS ABOVE CONS GUIDANCE VALUES...CLIMBING INTO THE UPPER 40S TO AROUND 50. AREAS WITH DOWNSLOPE SW WINDS COULD SEE READINGS INTO AT LEAST THE MID 50S. SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL HELP KEEP MIN TEMPS WELL ABOVE NORMAL TONIGHT WITH READINGS ONLY DROPPING INT0 THE UPPER 30S TO AROUND 40. FRIDAY...INCREASING CLOUDS WILL LIMIT POTENTIAL FOR HIGHER TEMPS BUT WITH THE MILD AIRMASS IN PLACE TEMPS SHOULD STILL CLIMB INTO THE MID AND UPPER 40S. LATE FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY...THE GFS/ECMWF WERE IN REASONABLE AGREEMENT WITH THE PROGRESSIVE MID LEVEL TROUGH AND THE SFC LOW DEVELOPING OVER THE PLAINS AND MOVING INTO TO NEAR IMT BY 18Z SAT. STRONG MOISTURE INFLOW WITH PWAT VALUES TO 0.75 INCH AND 295K-300K ISENTROPIC LIFT AHEAD OF THE LOW SUPPORT LIKELY RAIN CHANCES OVER THE AREA...WITH THE HEAVIEST PCPN MAINLY IN THE MORNING. CAA IN THE WAKE OF THE LOW ALONG WILL BRING A CHANGEOVER TO SNOW AND LAKE ENHANCED SNOW LATE SAT NIGHT INTO SUN MORNING AS 850 MB TEMPS DROP TO AROUND -8C. MODEL DIFFERENCES EMERGE THAT IMPACT THE SNOWFALL POTENTIAL OVER WRN UPPER MI. THE GFS CLOSES OFF A MID LEVEL LOW WHICH KEEPS THE DEEPER MOISTURE AND LIFT ALONG WITH STRONGER CYCLONIC CIRCULATION INTO THE WRN CWA. THE ECMWF AND CANADIAN GLOBAL GEM WITH A MORE PROGRESSIVE MID LEVEL TROUGH WOULD BRING THE DRIER AIR IN FASTER WITH REDUCED CHANCES FOR ACCUMULATING SNOW. UNTIL THE MODELS COME INTO BETTER AGREEMENT A COMPROMISE WAS USED WHICH SUGGEST THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW OVER THE WEST. WITH ONLY MARGINALLY COLD AIR INTO THE REGION...ANY ACCUMULATING SNOW WILL DIMINISH RAPIDLY AS THE DEEPER MOISTURE AND WEAK LIFT MOVE OFF TO THE EAST SUNDAY. MONDAY THROUGH WED...THE GFS...ECMWF AND MAJORITY OF ENSEMBLE MEMBERS NOW SUGGEST THAT THE NRN STREAM WILL PREVAIL ACROSS THE NRN LAKES AND THAT EITHER NO CUTOFF WILL DEVELOP TO THE SOUTH OR IT WILL REMAIN FAR ENOUGH AWAY TO HAVE LITTLE IMPACT ON THE WEATHER OVER THE REGION. SFC AND MID LEVEL RIDGING INTO THE AREA MON ALONG WITH SIGNIFICANT WAA WILL KEEP THE AREA DRY WITH SW WINDS AND TEMPS CLIMBING TO NEAR 40F. LOW CONFIDENCE BY TUE/WED BUT MODELS SUGGEST POTENTIAL FOR A A COLD FROPA BEHIND A NRN STREAM SHRTWV COULD BRING ENOUGH COLD AIR INTO THE AREA FOR SOME LAKE EFFECT SNOW. && .AVIATION /FOR THE 12Z TAF ISSUANCE/... LOW CLOUDS CONTINUE TO MAKE FOR A DIFFICULT FORECAST FOR SOME OF THE TAF SITES. AREA OF LOW CLOUDS OVER NORTHERN WI SPREAD INTO KSAW OVERNIGHT. EXPECT THE LIFR CONDITIONS TO CONTINUE THROUGH MUCH OF THE MORNING BEFORE MIXING BREAKS UP THE CLOUDS. WITH SOUTHWEST FLOW CONTINUING TONIGHT...EXPECT LOW CLOUDS TO ONCE AGAIN REDEVELOP AND PUSH INTO THE TAF SITES. UNCERTAIN ON COVERAGE AND NORTHWARD EXTENT...SO HAVE ONLY WENT MVFR/IFR CIGS AT KSAW/KIWD. LLWS IS EXPECTED AGAIN TONIGHT AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING SURFACE TROUGH ON FRIDAY. && .MARINE /FOR THE 4AM LAKE SUPERIOR FORECAST ISSUANCE/... SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS WILL CONTINUE TODAY INTO TONIGHT...ALTHOUGH A STRENGTHENING INVERSION WILL LIKELY KEEP WINDS FROM GUSTING OVER 30KTS. ON FRIDAY...A WEAK SFC TROUGH WILL STALL OVER LK SUPERIOR AND DIMINISH THE WINDS BELOW 20KTS. A LOW IS THEN EXPECTED TO MOVE OUT OF THE CENTRAL PLAINS AND FOLLOW THE TROUGH OVER EASTERN LAKE SUPERIOR ON SATURDAY. AS THE LOW SHIFTS NORTHEAST ON SATURDAY NIGHT...NORTH TO NORTHWEST GALE FORCE GUSTS TO 35KTS ARE POSSIBLE OVER CENTRAL/EASTERN LAKE SUPERIOR. HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE WILL BUILD OVER LAKE SUPERIOR ON SUNDAY NIGHT AND LEAD TO DECREASING WINDS...BEFORE THEY PICK UP AGAIN OUT OF THE SOUTHWEST ON MONDAY. && .MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... UPPER MICHIGAN... NONE. LAKE SUPERIOR... NONE. LAKE MICHIGAN... NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...JLB DISCUSSION...JLB AVIATION...SRF MARINE...SRF
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GRAND RAPIDS MI
611 AM EST THU NOV 24 2011 LATEST UPDATE...AVIATION... .SYNOPSIS...(400 AM EST THU NOV 24 2011) THANKSGIVING DAY WILL SEE SOME CLOUDS MOVE IN WITH HIGHS IN THE UPPER 40S. NO RAIN IS EXPECTED UNTIL THE WEEKEND WHEN A COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH. RAIN SHOWERS COULD MIX WITH WET SNOW BY SUNDAY NIGHT AS COLDER AIR MOVES IN BEHIND THE COLD FRONT. && .SHORT TERM...(400 AM EST THU NOV 24 2011) (TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY) FORECAST PROBLEMS IN THE NEAR TERM INCLUDE LOW CLOUDS AND POTENTIAL IMPACT ON MAX TEMPS TODAY AND TIMING IN THE RAIN ON SATURDAY. LOWERED MAXES FROM THE LOWER 50S TO UPPER 40S FOR TODAY AS SATELLITE AND OBS SHOW AREA OF LOW STRATUS MOVING INTO THE WESTERN FORECAST AREA ATTM. MAX TEMPS WERE HELD TO THE LOWER 40S ACROSS IOWA ON WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON UNDER THESE CLOUDS. 00Z NAM RH PROFILES SHOW INVERSION SLOWLY LOWERING AND SUGGESTS CLOUDS COULD BREAK UP THIS AFTERNOON...BUT LATEST RUC IS MORE PESSIMISTIC AND WOULD MEAN A CLOUDY DAY AND MAXES PROBABLY HELD IN THE MID 40S. STRATUS MAY HANG ON EVEN INTO TONIGHT AND POSSIBLE FRIDAY MORNING BEFORE INCREASING WINDS AND MIXING SCOUR THEM OUT. KEPT CHANCE POPS UP NORTH FOR FRIDAY NIGHT AS SOME ISENTROPIC ASCENT AND MID LEVEL MOISTURE IS AVAILABLE. THE STEADIER RAIN SHOULD HOLD OFF UNTIL AFTER 12Z SATURDAY AND POSSIBLY UNTIL 00Z SUNDAY IF THE SLOWER EURO SOLUTION PANS OUT...AS DIGGING SHORTWAVE TROUGH APPROACHES AND COUPLED JET ALONG WITH DEEP MOISTURE MOVES IN. && .LONG TERM...(400 AM EST THU NOV 24 2011) (SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY) THE MID RANGE MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW DIFFERENCES IN THE LONG TERM. THERE IS GOOD AGREEMENT ON THE SYSTEM SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT. HOWEVER... CONFIDENCE IS LOWER FOR THE POTENTIAL PRECIPITATION WITH A SYSTEM MONDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY. IN FACT... THE ECMWF SHOWS THE WEATHER ASSOCIATED WITH A CUT OFF LOW SWEEPING BY TO THE SOUTHEAST OF THE AREA. MEANWHILE... THE GFS HAS NO CUTOFF LOW AND MOVES A WEAK CANADIAN WAVE BY TO THE NORTH. THEREFORE... CONFIDENCE AND THE POPS ARE LOWER AFTER MONDAY AND SOME PERIODS HAVE BEEN DRIED OUT. THE PRECIPITATION... IF IT OCCURS... COULD BE RAIN... SNOW OR A RAIN/SNOW MIX. TEMPERATURES WILL BE A LITTLE ABOVE NORMAL THROUGH THE WEEKEND. THEY WILL BE AROUND NORMAL NEXT WEEK. NORMAL HIGHS THIS TIME OF YEAR ARE AROUND 40 DEGREES AND NORMAL LOWS ARE IN THE UPPER 20S. && .AVIATION...(611 AM EST THU NOV 24 2011) IFR AND LIFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE PAST 18Z AS STRATUS DECK HAS MOVED IN AND WILL BE SLOW TO LEAVE. THE LAYER OF CLOUDS WILL HAVE BASES FROM 200 TO 800 FEET AGL AND TOPS LOWER THAN 200 FEET AGL. WILL HAVE SOME CLEARING AFTER 18Z...BUT THIS IS QUESTIONABLE GIVEN THE PERSISTENCE OF THESE CLOUDS YESTERDAY ACROSS AREAS WEST OF LOWER MICHIGAN. && .MARINE...(400 AM EST THU NOV 24 2011) ISSUED A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT AS A TIGHTENING PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL BRING WEST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS GUSTING TO 25 KNOTS AND WAVES BUILDING ABOVE FOUR FEET. && .GRR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MI...NONE. LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT. && $$ SYNOPSIS: OSTUNO SHORT TERM: OSTUNO LONG TERM: 63 AVIATION: OSTUNO MARINE: OSTUNO
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MARQUETTE MI
547 AM EST THU NOV 24 2011 .SYNOPSIS... WV IMAGERY AND RUC ANALYSIS INDICATED A BROAD MID/UPPER LEVEL RIDGE ACROSS THE CNTRL CONUS. A SHORTWAVE TROUGH OFFSHORE FROM THE PAC NW WILL HELP AMPLIFY A PROGRESSIVE MID LEVEL TROUGH THAT WILL MOVE INTO THE PLAINS TONIGHT AND TO THE WRN GREAT LAKES BY LATE SAT. AT THE SFC...SSW FLOW PREVAILED OVER THE REGION BTWN LOW PRES INTO SRN MANITOBA AND A RIDGE OVER THE OH AND LOWER MS VALLEY. 11-3.9 IR LOOP INDICATED LOW CLOUDS ALONG THE WI BORDER FROM IWD TO IMT AND OVER MUCH OF THE EAST HALF OF THE CWA. OTHERWISE...WAA HIGH CLOUDS WERE SPREADING FROM NRN MN INTO WRN UPPER MI. && .DISCUSSION... TODAY AND TONIGHT...VERY MILD AIR HAS SPREAD OVER THE COLDER AIR NEAR THE SURFACE CREATING A STRONG INVERSION AS 00Z KGRB SOUNDING SHOWED 925 MB TEMP AT 9C. MAX TEMPS WILL DEPEND ON HOW QUICKLY ANY MORNING FOG/STRATUS BURNS OFF AND THE MIXING DEPTH. EVEN WITH LATE NOV SUN ANGLE AND A VERY STABLE SFC-900 MB LAYER...EXPECT ENOUGH MIXING FOR TEMPS ABOVE CONS GUIDANCE VALUES...CLIMBING INTO THE UPPER 40S TO AROUND 50. AREAS WITH DOWNSLOPE SW WINDS COULD SEE READINGS INTO AT LEAST THE MID 50S. SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL HELP KEEP MIN TEMPS WELL ABOVE NORMAL TONIGHT WITH READINGS ONLY DROPPING INT0 THE UPPER 30S TO AROUND 40. FRIDAY...INCREASING CLOUDS WILL LIMIT POTENTIAL FOR HIGHER TEMPS BUT WITH THE MILD AIRMASS IN PLACE TEMPS SHOULD STILL CLIMB INTO THE MID AND UPPER 40S. LATE FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY...THE GFS/ECMWF WERE IN REASONABLE AGREEMENT WITH THE PROGRESSIVE MID LEVEL TROUGH AND THE SFC LOW DEVELOPING OVER THE PLAINS AND MOVING INTO TO NEAR IMT BY 18Z SAT. STRONG MOISTURE INFLOW WITH PWAT VALUES TO 0.75 INCH AND 295K-300K ISENTROPIC LIFT AHEAD OF THE LOW SUPPORT LIKELY RAIN CHANCES OVER THE AREA...WITH THE HEAVIEST PCPN MAINLY IN THE MORNING. CAA IN THE WAKE OF THE LOW ALONG WILL BRING A CHANGEOVER TO SNOW AND LAKE ENHANCED SNOW LATE SAT NIGHT INTO SUN MORNING AS 850 MB TEMPS DROP TO AROUND -8C. MODEL DIFFERENCES EMERGE THAT IMPACT THE SNOWFALL POTENTIAL OVER WRN UPPER MI. THE GFS CLOSES OFF A MID LEVEL LOW WHICH KEEPS THE DEEPER MOISTURE AND LIFT ALONG WITH STRONGER CYCLONIC CIRCULATION INTO THE WRN CWA. THE ECMWF AND CANADIAN GLOBAL GEM WITH A MORE PROGRESSIVE MID LEVEL TROUGH WOULD BRING THE DRIER AIR IN FASTER WITH REDUCED CHANCES FOR ACCUMULATING SNOW. UNTIL THE MODELS COME INTO BETTER AGREEMENT A COMPROMISE WAS USED WHICH SUGGEST THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW OVER THE WEST. WITH ONLY MARGINALLY COLD AIR INTO THE REGION...ANY ACCUMULATING SNOW WILL DIMINISH RAPIDLY AS THE DEEPER MOISTURE AND WEAK LIFT MOVE OFF TO THE EAST SUNDAY. MONDAY THROUGH WED...THE GFS...ECMWF AND MAJORITY OF ENSEMBLE MEMBERS NOW SUGGEST THAT THE NRN STREAM WILL PREVAIL ACROSS THE NRN LAKES AND THAT EITHER NO CUTOFF WILL DEVELOP TO THE SOUTH OR IT WILL REMAIN FAR ENOUGH AWAY TO HAVE LITTLE IMPACT ON THE WEATHER OVER THE REGION. SFC AND MID LEVEL RIDGING INTO THE AREA MON ALONG WITH SIGNIFICANT WAA WILL KEEP THE AREA DRY WITH SW WINDS AND TEMPS CLIMBING TO NEAR 40F. LOW CONFIDENCE BY TUE/WED BUT MODELS SUGGEST POTENTIAL FOR A A COLD FROPA BEHIND A NRN STREAM SHRTWV COULD BRING ENOUGH COLD AIR INTO THE AREA FOR SOME LAKE EFFECT SNOW. && .AVIATION /FOR THE 06Z TAF ISSUANCE/... LOOKING AT IR SATELLITE IMAGERY...THE COMBINATION OF DOWNSLOPE SW WINDS AOA 20 KTS WITHIN BOUNDARY LYR AND HIGHER DEWPOINT DEPRESSIONS MAKES STRATUS/FOG DEVELOPMENT LESS LIKELY AT KIWD AND KCMX OVERNIGHT. THUS HAVE DECIDED TO GO WITH CLEAR SKIES AND VFR CONDITIONS AT KIWD AND KCMX. SLOW ADVANCE OF STRATUS/FOG FROM NRN WI WILL LIKELY REACH INTO KSAW BY 08Z BUT MIXING FROM SW WINDS SHOULD SCOUR OUT STRATUS/FOG WITHIN A FEW HRS AFTER SUNRISE. MAINTAINED LLWS IN ALL SITES OVERNIGHT WITH STRONG WRLY WINDS JUST OFF THE SFC. && .MARINE /FOR THE 4AM LAKE SUPERIOR FORECAST ISSUANCE/... SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS WILL CONTINUE TODAY INTO TONIGHT...ALTHOUGH A STRENGTHENING INVERSION WILL LIKELY KEEP WINDS FROM GUSTING OVER 30KTS. ON FRIDAY...A WEAK SFC TROUGH WILL STALL OVER LK SUPERIOR AND DIMINISH THE WINDS BELOW 20KTS. A LOW IS THEN EXPECTED TO MOVE OUT OF THE CENTRAL PLAINS AND FOLLOW THE TROUGH OVER EASTERN LAKE SUPERIOR ON SATURDAY. AS THE LOW SHIFTS NORTHEAST ON SATURDAY NIGHT...NORTH TO NORTHWEST GALE FORCE GUSTS TO 35KTS ARE POSSIBLE OVER CENTRAL/EASTERN LAKE SUPERIOR. HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE WILL BUILD OVER LAKE SUPERIOR ON SUNDAY NIGHT AND LEAD TO DECREASING WINDS...BEFORE THEY PICK UP AGAIN OUT OF THE SOUTHWEST ON MONDAY. && .MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... UPPER MICHIGAN... NONE. LAKE SUPERIOR... NONE. LAKE MICHIGAN... NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...JLB DISCUSSION...JLB AVIATION...VOSS MARINE...SRF
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS BINGHAMTON NY
1035 AM EST THU NOV 24 2011 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE WILL PROVIDE A DRY STRETCH OF WEATHER THROUGH SATURDAY ALONG WITH MODERATING TEMPERATURES. BY SUNDAY, A COLD FRONT WILL BRING SCATTERED SHOWERS TO THE AREA. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... 10 AM UPDATE. TOUCHY CLOUD FORECAST TODAY...WITH LOW LEVEL CLOUDS IN WESTERN NY AND ALSO MOHAWK VALLEY AND PARTS OF THE CATSKILLS...VERY POORLY RESOLVED BY THE MODELS. HIGH RES MODELS HAVE STARTED TO CATCH UP...THOUGH RIC MODEL OVERCOMPENSATING. BASED ON HR RR DEPICTION OF CLOUD COVER...I BRING MORE CLOUDS BACK GENERALLY ALONG AND NORTH OF I-90 CORRIDOR THIS AFTERNOON AND PARTS OF WESTERN FINGER LAKES REGION...WHERE INVERSION IS MORE RETAINED. DRY POCKET WITH SUNSHINE IN BETWEEN...KEEPS THINGS MIXED ENOUGH WITH DISSIPATION OF INVERSION...TO PREVENT CLOUDS FROM CREEPING EASTWARD. TEMPERATURES ALSO ADJUSTED SLIGHTLY LOWER WHERE MORE CLOUDS ARE NOW EXPECTED. LOOKING INTO TONIGHT...EXPECTING CLOUDS TO CONTINUE TO BE STUCK OVER PARTS OF WESTERN MOHAWK VALLEY. MODELS CURRENTLY NOT SUGGESTING ENOUGH LOW LEVEL MOISTURE FOR CLOUDS OVER REMAINDER OF AREA...THOUGH THIS WILL HAVE TO MONITORED SINCE THEY PERFORMED POORLY UPSTREAM FOR LAST NIGHT. && .SHORT TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/... FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY...A BROAD UPPER LEVEL RIDGE WILL BUILD OVER THE NORTHEAST AS AFC HIGH PRES IN THE MID ATLANTIC PROVIDES A MODERATING SOUTHWEST FLOW. LATE FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY, LOW PRES OVER THE UPPER GREAT LAKES WITH WARM FRONT STRETCHING ACROSS NEARBY SOUTHERN ONTARIO WILL PRODUCE MORE CLOUD COVER. ANY THREAT OF PRECIP WILL REMAIN WELL NORTH OF REGION JUST SOME MID CLOUDS DUE TO MID LEVEL WARMING BUT STILL PARTLY CLOUDY. MAX TEMPS FRIDAY/SATURDAY WILL GENERALLY RANGE IN THE MID TO UPPER 50S WITH THE NORMALLY WARMER AREAS NEAR 60. SATURDAY NIGHT...AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT FROM THE WESTERN LAKES WILL BE IN THE VICINITY OF EXTREME WESTERN NEW YORK BY 12Z SUNDAY. WILL CONTINUE WITH SLIGHT CHC POPS FOR RAIN SHOWERS LATE SATURDAY NIGHT OVER THE FINGER LAKES REGION AND CENTRAL SOUTHERN TIER. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... MAIN FOCUS IN THE MEDIUM RNG IS THE AMPLIFYING TROF WHICH IS FORECAST TO MOV INTO THE CNTRL AND THE ERN U.S. EARLY NXT WEEK. THERE ARE SIG DIFFS IN THE MDLS W/RESPECT TO TIMING...PCPN AMTS...AND NRN/SRN STREAM INTERACTION. GFS PAINTS A POTNL FLOOD SCENARIO WITH SRN PORTION OF THE TROF CUTTING OFF THEN LIFTING NEWD...WITH +RA ACRS THE FSCT AREA SUN NGT INTO MONDAY ALONG AN INVERTED TROF. THE EURO SHOWS LESS INTERACTION BETWEEN NRN AND SRN STREAMS...BUT STILL SHOWS RAIN WORKING NWD INTO THE RGN LATE MON NGT INTO TUE...BUT THE HEAVIEST PCPN IS SHUNTED OFF TO OUR SOUTHEAST. GIVEN THESE DIFFS...WE LEANED HEAVILY ON HPC GUIDANCE FOR THE MEDIUM RNG..WHICH PAINTS AN UNSETTLED PICTURE INTO MIDWEEK. && .AVIATION /16Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... DENSE FOG AT ELM...AND PTCHY IFR/MVFR CIGS ELSEWHERE THIS MRNG. DRY AIR UNDER HIPRES WILL HELP MIX OUT THE LL MOISTURE AND BRING ALL CIGS AND VSBY TO VFR. MAINLY CLR CONDS TODAY IN TNGT UNDER THE HI. SOME MVFR FOG PSBL AGAIN TNGT AT ELM...BUT STRONGER LL WINDS SHD KEEP IFR CIGS AND VSBY FROM OCCURRING. OUTLOOK... THU THROUGH SAT...VFR. SUN NGT/MON...IFR/MVFR IN RAIN. && .BGM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...NONE. NY...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...RRM NEAR TERM...MDP SHORT TERM...RRM LONG TERM... AVIATION...DGM
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS BURLINGTON VT
1020 AM EST THU NOV 24 2011 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD OVER THE REGION TODAY...AND REMAIN OVER THE NORTHEAST THROUGH THE UPCOMING WEEKEND. A FRONTAL BOUNDARY APPROACHES THE AREA LATE SUNDAY INTO MONDAY. A LOW MOVING ALONG THIS FRONT WILL KEEP PRECIPITATION OVER THE NORTH COUNTRY INTO TUESDAY BEFORE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO THE AREA FOR MIDWEEK NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM FRIDAY MORNING/... AS OF 1009 AM EST THURSDAY...STRATUS DECK WILL LIKELY HOLD FIRM TODAY GIVEN STRONG INVERSION 950-850MB LAYER PER 12Z ALB SOUNDING AND AVAILABLE RUC FCST SOUNDINGS. THIS WILL LIKELY ALSO HOLD TEMPERATURES SLIGHTLY BELOW MOS VALUES. WINDS WILL GRADUALLY BECOME S-SW 5-10 MPH...MAINLY WEST OF THE GREEN MTNS...WITH WINDS MORE LIGHT/VARIABLE EAST OF THE GREENS. COULD BE A BRIEF FLURRY OR TWO...BUT SHALLOW NATURE OF CLOUD DECK AND BUILDING HEIGHTS ALOFT WILL GENERALLY PRECLUDE ANY PCPN TODAY OR TONIGHT. FOR TONIGHT...CLOUDS REMAIN TRICKY. LIKELY TO SEE A SLOWER CLEARING TREND...BUT STRENGTHENING S-SW FLOW OVERNIGHT SHOULD HELP TO EVENTUALLY ADVECT THE STRATUS AWAY FROM SW-NE. WINDS OVERNIGHT REMAIN 5-10 MPH RANGE WITH PREVAILING GRADIENT FLOW...ESPECIALLY IN THE WIDER VALLEY LOCATIONS. WINDS WILL APPROACH 20 KTS ON LAKE CHAMPLAIN AFTER MIDNIGHT. CLOUDS AND WIND WILL HELP HOLD LOW TEMPERATURES MAINLY IN THE 30S...EXCEPT LOCALLY LOW-MID 20S FOR THE FAR NERN PORTIONS OF VERMONT. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH SATURDAY/... AS OF 227 AM EST THURSDAY...HIGH PRESSURE SOUTH OF THE CWA ON FRIDAY...PUSHING OFFSHORE DURING THE DAY SATURDAY. W/ CWA EXPECTED TO BE UNDER WSW FLOW...WAA WILL BRING IN INCR HIGH TEMPS OVER THE TWO-DAY PERIOD. W/ 850/925 TEMPS NEAR +4C TO +8C BOTH DAYS HIGHS NEAR 50F ARE NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION. HAVE GONE A FEW DEGREES ABV NORMALS/MDL GUIDANCE AS DO NOT SEE ENOUGH COOLING OVERNGT THAT THE NUMBERS SHOW WITH CWA STILL UNDER WAA FROM THE WSW. MDLS DO HINT AT THE POSSIBILITY OF INCR CLDS DURING THE DAY SATURDAY FOR N ZONES/ST LAW VALLEY DUE TO WK WARM FRNT THAT MAY ULTIMATELY INHIBIT SUNSHINE THERE. OTHER WX ISSUE TO BE OF CONCERN WILL BE GUST POTENTIAL OVER N NY DUE TO MID LEVEL JET NEAR CANADIAN BORDER. BUFKIT SUGGEST GUSTS TO NEAR 30 MPH IF MIXING OCCURS SO WILL PUT IN MENTION...OTHERWISE...CWA WILL SEE FAIRLY NICE 2-DAY STRETCH OF WX FOR LATE NOVEMBER. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... AS OF 405 AM EST THURSDAY...DRY CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE SATURDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY SUNDAY AS WE REMAIN UNDER INFLUENCE OF HIGH PRESSURE...WHICH WILL BE MOVING FURTHER OFFSHORE. CHANCES FOR RAIN SHOWERS INCREASE DURING THE DAY ON SUNDAY WITH LOW PRESSURE LIFTING NORTH OF THE REGION AND ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT APPROACHING FROM THE GREAT LAKES/OHIO VALLEY. BUT ECMWF AND GFS CONTINUE TO OFFER SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE PERIOD. GFS DEPICTING FULL LATITUDE TROUGH...WITH SURFACE COLD FRONT MOVING SLOWLY ACROSS THE NORTHEAST. THIS SCENARIO WOULD RESULT IN SOME SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL ACROSS THE AREA SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY WITH GOOD FEED OF MOISTURE OFF THE ATLANTIC. THIS SYSTEM THEN GETS PUSHED TO THE EAST BY SERIES OF POTENT NORTHERN STREAM SHORTWAVES WHICH WOULD TRAVERSE THE REGION TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY...ACCOMPANIED BY SCATTERED RAIN/SNOW SHOWERS. ECMWF BRINGS INITIAL SHORTWAVE AND COLD FRONT ACROSS THE AREA BY MONDAY. SOUTHERN STREAM SHORTWAVE THEN LIFTS NORTHEAST FROM THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY BRINGING POSSIBILITY OF MORE WIDESPREAD RAINFALL FOR TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY. WITH SUCH A WIDE DISPARITY BETWEEN THE MODELS...FORECASTER CONFIDENCE FOR MUCH OF THE EXTENDED PERIOD IS RATHER LOW. BEST CHANCE FOR RAINFALL ON ALL OF THE MODELS APPEARS TO BE SUNDAY NIGHT. FOR THE REST OF THE PERIOD...HAVE GONE WITH FORECAST OF MAINLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF SHOWERS. PRECIPITATION TYPE RAIN THROUGH MONDAY...BUT SOME SNOW SHOWERS POSSIBLE THEREAFTER OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN AS TEMPS RETURN TO MORE SEASONABLE LEVELS. && .AVIATION /15Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... THROUGH 12Z FRIDAY...ABUNDANT LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE WILL REMAIN OVER THE REGION THIS MORNING WITH WIDESPREAD MVFR AND LOCAL IFR CEILINGS. SLOW IMPROVEMENT AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS EAST FROM THE OHIO VALLEY. BY 16Z ALL TAF SITES EXPECTED TO BE MVFR...WITH A TREND TO VFR BY 19Z. EXCEPTIONS WILL BE KSLK/KMSS WHERE MVFR CIGS MAY PERSIST THROUGH THE PERIOD. LIGHT AND VARIABLE WINDS WILL BECOME SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST AT 5 TO 15 KTS TODAY. OUTLOOK 12Z FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY...VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGH SUNDAY AS A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE PASSES SOUTH OF THE REGION. SHOWERS WITH MVFR/IFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY AS A FRONTAL SYSTEM MOVES SLOWLY ACROSS THE AREA. && .BTV WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VT...NONE. NY...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...JN NEAR TERM...BANACOS SHORT TERM...JN LONG TERM...RJS AVIATION...RJS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CLEVELAND OH
640 AM EST THU NOV 24 2011 .SYNOPSIS... A LARGE AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY WILL SLOWLY MOVE EAST THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK. LOW PRESSURE IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER THE PLAINS FRIDAY AND APPROACH THE GREAT LAKES REGION SATURDAY. THE COLD FRONT FROM THE LOW PRESSURE IS EXPECTED TO CROSS THE AREA SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE FORECAST. LATEST IR SAT SHOWING STRATUS CLOUDS ACROSS MUCH OF THE FORECAST AREA THIS MORNING. SOME PEAKS OF SUN MAY BE POSSIBLE ACROSS A FEW LOCATIONS...BUT ANY CLEAR SPOTS ARE FILLING IN SO WILL CONTINUE WITH A MOSTLY CLOUDY TO CLOUDY FORECAST. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION BELOW. HIGH PRESSURE TO THE SOUTH WILL KEEP THE AREA DRY TODAY...BUT THE SIGNIFICANT WEATHER FEATURE OF TODAY WILL BE THE LOW CLOUDS THAT HAVE BEEN ADVANCING EASTWARD ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA OVERNIGHT. IR SAT SHOWING A LARGE AREA OF LOW STRATUS CLOUDS EXTENDING BACK INTO IN AND IL THIS MORNING. THERE ARE SOME BREAKS IN THE CLOUDS ACROSS THE WESTERN HALF OF THE AREA...BUT THINKING EVEN THIS AREA WILL FILL IN BY AROUND OR JUST SUNRISE THIS MORNING. MAV AND MET GUIDANCE WAY OFF THIS MORNING HANDLING THESE LOW CLOUDS...SO ACTUALLY LEANED TOWARD THE HRRR MODEL FOR THIS SITUATION. RECENT RUNS SINCE AROUND 04Z HAVE HANDLING THE LOW CLOUDS FAIRLY WELL BRINGING THEM INTO THE AREA...AND THE HRRR ACTUALLY PERSISTS THEM THROUGH MUCH OF THE DAY. LEANED TOWARD THIS SOLUTION WITH A MAINLY CLOUDY FORECAST FOR TODAY ACROSS THE AREA WITH SOME BREAKS POSSIBLE LATE AFTN/AROUND SUNSET THIS EVENING. WITH THE ADDED CLOUDS IN THE FORECAST ALSO HAD TO ADJUST TEMPS ACCORDINGLY. LOWERED TEMPS TO MAINLY UPPER 40S TO AROUND 50 FOR TODAY WITH LITTLE RISE THROUGH THIS MORNING. MY CONCERN IS THAT IF THE LOW STRATUS CLOUDS DO DOMINATE THROUGH THE ENTIRE AFTERNOON THAT TEMPS TODAY MAY END UP EVEN COOLER THAN FORECAST. THEN RATHER THAN A NORMAL DIURNAL CURVE TEMPS SIMPLY JUST CONTINUE TO SLOWLY RISE THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT WITH WAA. FOR NOW WILL PROTECT EITHER SOLUTION AND ALLOW THE FORECAST TEMPS TO BE A COMPROMISE BETWEEN POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS TODAY. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/... HIGH PRESSURE TO THE SOUTH WILL REMAIN IN CONTROL TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT. GUIDANCE SUGGESTING THAT THE CLOUDS SHOULD DISSIPATE TONIGHT ALLOWING FOR MOSTLY CLEAR TO PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES. WILL LEAN TOWARD THAT TREND FOR NOW...BUT WILL BE SOMETHING WORTH WATCHING THROUGH TODAY. TEMPS WILL BE TRICKY REGARDING THE OVERNIGHT TRENDS...BUT OVERALL LOOKING FOR A MILDER NIGHT TONIGHT. WITH INCREASING SOUTHERLY FLOW TEMPS WILL BE MILD ON FRIDAY AND THEN EVEN A FEW BETTER ON SAT AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT. MADE LITTLE CHANGES TO TEMPS FRIDAY NIGHT THRU SAT NIGHT AS LIKED LEANING ON THE WARMER SIDE OF CURRENT GUIDANCE. ALSO MADE LITTLE CHANGES TO POPS THROUGH SAT NIGHT WITH LIKELY ALREADY MENTIONED IN SOME AREAS. KEPT POPS RATHER HIGH IN THE LIKELY CATEGORY ON SUNDAY WITH THE ECMWF A BIT SLOWER...BUT DID TREND TO LOWERING POPS ACROSS THE WEST SUNDAY NIGHT. FOR SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT MADE LITTLE CHANGES DUE TO TIMING ISSUES WITH THE FRONT...AS WELL AS AIRMASS DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE COOLER GFS AND WARMER ECMWF. && .LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... LIKE YESTERDAY...MODELS CONTINUE TO HAVE SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES DURING THE LONG TERM PERIOD. THE GFS CONTINUES TO BE COLDER AND FASTER WITH THE MAIN FEATURES. HAVE NOT MADE MANY CHANGES TO THE LONG TERM DURING THE PERIOD GIVEN THIS UNCERTAINTY. APPEARS THAT NEARLY EVERY PERIOD WILL SEE AT LEAST A CHANCE FOR PRECIPITATION. IT COULD BE COLD ENOUGH FOR MIXED SNOW AND RAIN BOTH TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHTS WITH LIQUID PRECIPITATION DURING THE DAY. TEMPERATURES DURING THE PERIOD WILL AVERAGE WITHIN A DEGREE OR TWO OF NORMAL. && .AVIATION /12Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... STRATUS DECK HAS MOVED OVER THE ENTIRE AREA OVERNIGHT. STILL A FEW BREAKS FLOATING AROUND BUT THINK THE LOW CLOUDS WILL PERSIST MOST OF THE DAY. BETTER MIXING IS LIKELY LATER THIS MORNING AND AFTERNOON. THIS MAY CAUSE THE CIGS TO LIFT SLIGHTLY AND MAY ALSO ALLOW FOR A FEW PEAKS OF THE SUN. FOR THE MOST PART THOUGH...CIGS WILL REMAIN IFR TODAY. NOT REALLY SURE HOW FAST THE STRATUS DECK WILL DISSIPATE AS THE MODELS HAVE NO FEEL FOR THE CURRENT SITUATION. WILL TRY TO CLEAR THINGS FROM WEST TO EAST THIS EVENING BUT WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO SEE THE CLOUDS PERSIST OVERNIGHT. SW TO S FLOW EXPECTED THE ENTIRE PERIOD. OUTLOOK...NON VFR SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT. && .MARINE... PERSIST WSW TO SW FLOW IS EXPECTED ON LAKE ERIE TILL A COLD FRONT CROSSES THE LAKE SOMETIME SATURDAY NIGHT. WILL HOIST A SMALL CRAFT FOR ABOUT THE EAST HALF OF THE AREA AS LOCAL SCHEMES AND MODELS ARE GIVING 4 FOOT OR GREATER WAVES. THE FLOW WILL BECOME WESTERLY BEHIND THE FRONT AND THEN REMAIN THAT WAY THROUGH THE END OF THE PERIOD. LOT`S OF MODEL UNCERTAINTY DURING THE PERIOD SO THIS FORECAST COULD BE IN FLUX...ESPECIALLY EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .CLE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OH...NONE. PA...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 3 AM EST SATURDAY FOR LEZ147>149. && $$ SYNOPSIS...ABE NEAR TERM...ABE SHORT TERM...ABE LONG TERM...KUBINA AVIATION...KUBINA MARINE...KUBINA
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CLEVELAND OH
629 AM EST THU NOV 24 2011 .SYNOPSIS... A LARGE AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY WILL SLOWLY MOVE EAST THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK. LOW PRESSURE IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER THE PLAINS FRIDAY AND APPROACH THE GREAT LAKES REGION SATURDAY. THE COLD FRONT FROM THE LOW PRESSURE IS EXPECTED TO CROSS THE AREA SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE FORECAST. LATEST IR SAT SHOWING STRATUS CLOUDS ACROSS MUCH OF THE FORECAST AREA THIS MORNING. SOME PEAKS OF SUN MAY BE POSSIBLE ACROSS A FEW LOCATIONS...BUT ANY CLEAR SPOTS ARE FILLING IN SO WILL CONTINUE WITH A MOSTLY CLOUDY TO CLOUDY FORECAST. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION BELOW. HIGH PRESSURE TO THE SOUTH WILL KEEP THE AREA DRY TODAY...BUT THE SIGNIFICANT WEATHER FEATURE OF TODAY WILL BE THE LOW CLOUDS THAT HAVE BEEN ADVANCING EASTWARD ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA OVERNIGHT. IR SAT SHOWING A LARGE AREA OF LOW STRATUS CLOUDS EXTENDING BACK INTO IN AND IL THIS MORNING. THERE ARE SOME BREAKS IN THE CLOUDS ACROSS THE WESTERN HALF OF THE AREA...BUT THINKING EVEN THIS AREA WILL FILL IN BY AROUND OR JUST SUNRISE THIS MORNING. MAV AND MET GUIDANCE WAY OFF THIS MORNING HANDLING THESE LOW CLOUDS...SO ACTUALLY LEANED TOWARD THE HRRR MODEL FOR THIS SITUATION. RECENT RUNS SINCE AROUND 04Z HAVE HANDLING THE LOW CLOUDS FAIRLY WELL BRINGING THEM INTO THE AREA...AND THE HRRR ACTUALLY PERSISTS THEM THROUGH MUCH OF THE DAY. LEANED TOWARD THIS SOLUTION WITH A MAINLY CLOUDY FORECAST FOR TODAY ACROSS THE AREA WITH SOME BREAKS POSSIBLE LATE AFTN/AROUND SUNSET THIS EVENING. WITH THE ADDED CLOUDS IN THE FORECAST ALSO HAD TO ADJUST TEMPS ACCORDINGLY. LOWERED TEMPS TO MAINLY UPPER 40S TO AROUND 50 FOR TODAY WITH LITTLE RISE THROUGH THIS MORNING. MY CONCERN IS THAT IF THE LOW STRATUS CLOUDS DO DOMINATE THROUGH THE ENTIRE AFTERNOON THAT TEMPS TODAY MAY END UP EVEN COOLER THAN FORECAST. THEN RATHER THAN A NORMAL DIURNAL CURVE TEMPS SIMPLY JUST CONTINUE TO SLOWLY RISE THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT WITH WAA. FOR NOW WILL PROTECT EITHER SOLUTION AND ALLOW THE FORECAST TEMPS TO BE A COMPROMISE BETWEEN POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS TODAY. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/... HIGH PRESSURE TO THE SOUTH WILL REMAIN IN CONTROL TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT. GUIDANCE SUGGESTING THAT THE CLOUDS SHOULD DISSIPATE TONIGHT ALLOWING FOR MOSTLY CLEAR TO PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES. WILL LEAN TOWARD THAT TREND FOR NOW...BUT WILL BE SOMETHING WORTH WATCHING THROUGH TODAY. TEMPS WILL BE TRICKY REGARDING THE OVERNIGHT TRENDS...BUT OVERALL LOOKING FOR A MILDER NIGHT TONIGHT. WITH INCREASING SOUTHERLY FLOW TEMPS WILL BE MILD ON FRIDAY AND THEN EVEN A FEW BETTER ON SAT AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT. MADE LITTLE CHANGES TO TEMPS FRIDAY NIGHT THRU SAT NIGHT AS LIKED LEANING ON THE WARMER SIDE OF CURRENT GUIDANCE. ALSO MADE LITTLE CHANGES TO POPS THROUGH SAT NIGHT WITH LIKELY ALREADY MENTIONED IN SOME AREAS. KEPT POPS RATHER HIGH IN THE LIKELY CATEGORY ON SUNDAY WITH THE ECMWF A BIT SLOWER...BUT DID TREND TO LOWERING POPS ACROSS THE WEST SUNDAY NIGHT. FOR SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT MADE LITTLE CHANGES DUE TO TIMING ISSUES WITH THE FRONT...AS WELL AS AIRMASS DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE COOLER GFS AND WARMER ECMWF. && .LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... LIKE YESTERDAY...MODELS CONTINUE TO HAVE SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES DURING THE LONG TERM PERIOD. THE GFS CONTINUES TO BE COLDER AND FASTER WITH THE MAIN FEATURES. HAVE NOT MADE MANY CHANGES TO THE LONG TERM DURING THE PERIOD GIVEN THIS UNCERTAINTY. APPEARS THAT NEARLY EVERY PERIOD WILL SEE AT LEAST A CHANCE FOR PRECIPITATION. IT COULD BE COLD ENOUGH FOR MIXED SNOW AND RAIN BOTH TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHTS WITH LIQUID PRECIPITATION DURING THE DAY. TEMPERATURES DURING THE PERIOD WILL AVERAGE WITHIN A DEGREE OR TWO OF NORMAL. && .AVIATION /12Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... BAND OF STRATUS OVER WESTERN OHIO CONTINUING TO MOVE EAST AND EXPAND. ANOTHER AREA OF STATUS MOVING RAPIDLY NORTHEAST FROM CENTRAL INDIANA. THE MODELS DO NOT HAVE A HANDLE ON THIS WHICH IS TYPICAL FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR WHEN LOW LEVEL MOISTURE GETS TRAPPED BELOW THE INVERSION. MY FORECAST IS FOR THE STRATUS TO EVENTUALLY COVER THE ENTIRE FORECAST AREA BY DAYBREAK THURSDAY. THE VISIBILITY SHOULD BE MAINLY MVFR BUT COULD FLUCTUATE TO IFR AT TIMES. THE CEILING SHOULD BE MAINLY IFR BUT COULD IMPROVE TO MVFR AT TIMES. CONDITIONS SHOULD BE WORSE AT DAYBREAK. WITH THE TIME OF THE YEAR THE CEILINGS MAY JUST GO BROKEN DURING THE AFTERNOON. NOT EXPECTING CLEAR SKIES AS THE SURFACE RIDGE WILL BE EAST OF THE AREA...SO NO REAL SUBSIDENCE. THURSDAY AFTERNOON CEILINGS MAY BE NEAR 1000 FEET WITH THE VISIBILITY 6SM OR BETTER. CONDITIONS WILL BEGIN TO DETERIORATE AGAIN THURSDAY NIGHT. OUTLOOK...NON VFR SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT. && .MARINE... PERSIST WSW TO SW FLOW IS EXPECTED ON LAKE ERIE TILL A COLD FRONT CROSSES THE LAKE SOMETIME SATURDAY NIGHT. WILL HOIST A SMALL CRAFT FOR ABOUT THE EAST HALF OF THE AREA AS LOCAL SCHEMES AND MODELS ARE GIVING 4 FOOT OR GREATER WAVES. THE FLOW WILL BECOME WESTERLY BEHIND THE FRONT AND THEN REMAIN THAT WAY THROUGH THE END OF THE PERIOD. LOT`S OF MODEL UNCERTAINTY DURING THE PERIOD SO THIS FORECAST COULD BE IN FLUX...ESPECIALLY EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .CLE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OH...NONE. PA...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 3 AM EST SATURDAY FOR LEZ147>149. && $$ SYNOPSIS...ABE NEAR TERM...ABE SHORT TERM...ABE LONG TERM...KUBINA AVIATION...KUBINA MARINE...KUBINA
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS NORMAN OK
545 AM CST THU NOV 24 2011 .AVIATION... RECENT SATELLITE TREND SHOWS LOW CLOUDS AND DENSE FOG EXPANDING MORE NORTHWARD WITH A SLOWER PROGRESSION TO THE WEST. THEREFORE... WILL NOT MENTION IFR CEILINGS AT TAF SITES. COULD SEE SOME LIGHT FOG ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL OKLAHOMA DURING THE NEXT FEW HOURS SO WILL MENTION FOG IN PNC TAF. OTHERWISE VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED AT TAF SITES THROUGH AT LEAST 6Z FRIDAY. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 219 AM CST THU NOV 24 2011/ DISCUSSION... CLOUD COVER...WITH CEILINGS AROUND 200 FT AND DENSE FOG...CONTINUES TO SPREAD NORTH AND WEST THIS MORNING AROUND 15-20KT. THIS BRINGS AREA OF LOW CLOUDS TO I-35 AROUND 11Z. HRRR WHICH IS USUALLY TOO AGGRESSIVE...HAS LOW CEILINGS TO HWY 81 AND SOUTH OF I-40 BY 13Z. WILL ADJUST SKY GRIDS TO REFLECT CLOUDS NEAR HWY 81 AND NORTH INTO LINCOLN/PAYNE COUNTIES. HEATING AND INCREASING WINDS SHOULD ERODE CLOUDS BY MID MORNING...ESPECIALLY WESTERN EDGE. WINDS TONIGHT AND A MILD THANKSGIVING SHOULD KEEP THE FOG PONTENTIAL LOW BUT SOME LOW CLOUDS MAY DEVELOP/MOVE INTO SOUTHERN PARTS OF THE FA BY EARLY FRIDAY. ONLY MINOR ADJUSTMENTS WERE MADE TO TIMING OF WX/POPS WITH FRIDAY/EARLY SATURDAY TROUGH. OVERNIGHT LOWS FRIDAY NIGHT WILL BE A LITTLE TRICKY WITH PLACEMENT OF COLD FRONT/CAA. MOST OF THE RAIN SHOULD END BY MID MORNING SATURDAY. STRONG...GUSTY NORTH WINDS SATURDAY SHOULD BE THE MAIN WEATHER STORY. RATHER DRY AIRMASS BEHIND EARLY SATURDAY COLD FRONT WILL RESULT IN COLD OVERNIGHT LOWS SUNDAY AND MONDAY. WITH SURFACE HIGH BUILDING SOUTH INTO TEXAS...PER GFS...AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES USUALLY REBOUND QUICKER THAN EXPECTED. ANOTHER COLD FRONT WILL PUSH ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PLAINS LATE MONDAY INTO TUESDAY..BUT NO PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED WITH THE FRONTAL PASSAGE. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... OKLAHOMA CITY OK 68 47 64 45 / 0 0 20 70 HOBART OK 67 48 64 40 / 0 0 40 50 WICHITA FALLS TX 68 48 65 46 / 0 0 40 70 GAGE OK 71 47 65 36 / 0 0 40 40 PONCA CITY OK 68 47 65 43 / 0 0 20 70 DURANT OK 68 48 65 51 / 0 0 30 70 && .OUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OK...DENSE FOG ADVISORY UNTIL 8 AM CST THIS MORNING FOR OKZ026- 030>032-040>043-046>048-050>052. TX...NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LA CROSSE WI
536 AM CST THU NOV 24 2011 .SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY 352 AM CST THU NOV 24 2011 AT 3 AM...VLIFR/IFR CEILINGS WERE SEEN ACROSS ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. THESE CLOUDS HAVE BEEN SPREADING IN ALL DIRECTIONS UNDERNEATH THE STRONG INVERSION LOCATED JUST ABOVE THE SURFACE. OVERALL...THE HRRR HAS BEEN HANDLING THESE CLOUDS THE BEST...AND IT SUGGESTS THAT THERE WILL BE GRADUAL DISSIPATION OF THESE CLOUDS ON THE OUTER EDGES BETWEEN 16Z AND 18Z...AND THEN THIS PROGRESS A BIT FASTER ACROSS THE REMAINING AREAS AS SOME DRIER AIR FROM ALOFT MIXES DOWN. DESPITE THE PERSISTENT CLOUDS THIS MORNING...THE COMBINATION OF SOUTHERLY WINDS AND AFTERNOON SUNSHINE WILL HELP THE TEMPERATURES CLIMB INTO THE 50S ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. DUE TO THE SUNSHINE ARRIVE EARLIER...THE WARMEST TEMPERATURES /UPPER 50S/ WILL LIKELY FOUND IN SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA AND NORTHEAST IOWA THIS AFTERNOON. WITH NORTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN BEING ONE OF LAST TO LOSE THE CLOUDS...SO THEY WILL LIKELY ONLY SEE TEMPERATURES CLIMBING TO AROUND 50 DEGREES. FOR TONIGHT...BOTH THE 24.00Z NAM AND GFS SOUNDINGS SUGGEST THAT THE CLOUDS ACROSS NORTHERN AND EASTERN WISCONSIN WILL ONCE AGAIN SPREAD WESTWARD ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. THE COMBINATION OF THESE CLOUDS AND UNUSUALLY MOIST DEW POINTS WILL RESULT IN MINIMUM TEMPERATURES ONLY FALLING INTO THE LOWER AND MID 40S. THIS IS ABOUT 5 DEGREES WARMER THAN OUR NORMAL HIGH TEMPERATURE FOR THIS DATE. ON FRIDAY...THE LOW CLOUDS WILL GRADUALLY LIFT AND DISSIPATE DURING THE DAY. HOWEVER AT THE SAME TIME...MID AND HIGH CLOUDS WILL BE STREAMING INTO THE REGION AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING LONG WAVE TROUGH. AS RESULT...NOT EXPECTING TOO MUCH SUNSHINE. DESPITE THE LACK OF ABUNDANT SUNSHINE...SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL HELP WARM TEMPERATURES INTO THE LOWER AND MID 50S. ON FRIDAY NIGHT...THE MODELS CONTINUE TO INDICATE THAT MODERATE TO STRONG MOISTURE TRANSPORT WILL MOVE INTO THE FORECAST AREA. THIS WILL BE THE BEST ACROSS THE EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA DURING THE EVENING. DURING THE OVERNIGHT...MODERATE TO STRONG ISENTROPIC LIFT AND FRONTOGENESIS WILL MOVE EAST INTO THE AREA. AT THIS TIME...IT LOOKS LIKE THE BEST RAIN CHANCES WILL BE FROM ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER EAST. DESPITE THE RAIN...THE SOUTHERLY WINDS SHOULD HELP KEEP THE MINIMUM TEMPERATURES UNUSUALLY WARM FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR. THEY WILL BE IN THE LOWER AND MID 40S ACROSS SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA AND NORTHEAST IOWA...AND IN THE MID TO UPPER 40S FOR WESTERN WISCONSIN. ON SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT...BOTH THE GFS AND ECMWF SHOW THAT THERE WILL BE RAPID CYCLOGENESIS OCCURRING ACROSS MINNESOTA. THIS IS IN RESPONSE TO SOME INTERACTION BETWEEN THE NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN SHORT WAVE TROUGH EMBEDDED IN THE LONG WAVE TROUGH. THIS RESULT IN THE TROPOPAUSE DESCENDING TO AROUND 500 MB...AND A RAPID TIGHTENING OF THE SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT. SUSTAINED WINDS WILL CLIMB INTO THE 15 TO 30 MPH RANGE...AND THE WIND GUSTS WILL RANGE FROM 30 TO 40 MPH. WITH STRONG COLD AIR ADVECTION BEING FOUND IN THE WAKE OF THE COLD FRONT ON SATURDAY...TEMPERATURES SHOULD FALL STEADILY THROUGH THE EARLY AFTERNOON AND THEN STABILIZE. THIS TREND WAS INTRODUCED TO THE HOURLY TEMPERATURE GRIDS. IN ADDITION...GFS SOUNDINGS ARE COLD ENOUGH FOR A SOME SNOW TO MIX IN. THIS WAS ALREADY IN THE SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA AND NORTHEAST FORECAST GRIDS...BUT IT NOW LOOKS LIKE WESTERN WISCONSIN MAY ALSO SEE SOME OF THIS SNOW TOO...SO IT WAS ADDED TO THE GRIDS DURING THE MID AND LATE AFTERNOON. .LONG TERM...SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY 352 AM CST THU NOV 24 2011 ON SATURDAY NIGHT...IT CONTINUE TO LOOK LIKE THERE WILL BE SOME LINGERING LIGHT PRECIPITATION. AS RESULT...KEPT A CHANCE OF LIGHT RAIN AND SNOW DURING THE EVENING...AND LIGHT SNOW OVERNIGHT. LIKE THE PAST COUPLE OF DAYS...NOT EXPECTING TOO MUCH SNOW AT ALL FROM THIS SYSTEM. IN ADDITION TO THE MIXED PRECIPITATION...THE STRONG WINDS WILL LIKELY CONTINUE THROUGH THE NIGHT. SUSTAINED WINDS WILL REMAIN IN THE 15 TO 30 MPH RANGE...AND THE WINDS WILL GUST UP TO 40 MPH. BEYOND THIS TIME PERIOD...THERE CONTINUES TO BE VERY LITTLE CONSISTENCY. HOWEVER WITH THIS SAID...I DO LIKE THAT THE MODELS ARE STARTING TO BECOME MORE TRANSITORY WITH THEIR SYSTEM. THIS MAKES SENSE WHEN LOOKING AT THE RATHER ACTIVE WAVE PATTERN FROM AFRICA INTO THE WESTERN PACIFIC. THE GFS PATTERN ACTUALLY RESEMBLES ONE OF THE PATTERNS THAT YOU WOULD TYPICALLY SEE DURING A LA NINA. ANOTHER FEATURE THAT WE WILL HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION TO AS WE HEAD INTO DECEMBER IS THE INTENSIFYING MADDEN JULIAN OSCILLATION /WHICH HAS BEEN CONSISTENTLY FORECAST BY THE BRAZILLIAN...ECMWF...JAPANESE...AND U.S. MODEL ENSEMBLES FOR THE PAST WEEK/ THAT IS LOCATED OVER THE WESTERN INDIAN OCEAN. THIS WILL LIKELY CAUSE SOME ISSUES WITH THE MODEL RUN TO RUN CONSISTENCY AT LEAST INITIALLY. IN ADDITION...IT MAY BE ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THE CLIMATE FORECAST SYSTEM VERSION 2 MODEL IS SUGGESTING THAT AT LEAST THE FIRST HALF OF DECEMBER MAY END UP BEING WARMER THAN NORMAL. && .AVIATION...TODAY AND TONIGHT 536 AM CST THU NOV 24 2011 ANOTHER MORNING WITH A LOW STRATUS DECK OVER THE AREA AND THE MAIN PROBLEM IS AGAIN WHEN WILL THE CLOUDS CLEAR OUT. CEILINGS ARE EITHER IFR TO LOW MVFR IN THE DECK AND ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN THAT WAY UNTIL THE CLOUDS SCATTER OUT. THE 24.07Z HRRR LOW CLOUD PRODUCT HAS A GOOD HANDLE ON WHERE THE CLOUDS ARE AND INDICATES A SLOW EASTWARD DRIFT THROUGH THE MORNING AND THEN A PRETTY RAPID EASTWARD PROGRESSION DURING THE LATE MORNING AND AFTERNOON AS THE WINDS INCREASE AND THE SUN BEATS ON THE CLOUDS. THIS IS ALSO IN VERY GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THE 24.06Z NAM BUFKIT SOUNDINGS. WILL INDICATE THE CLOUDS SCATTERING OUT AT BOTH TAF SITES BY 18Z. THERE IS SOME SIGNAL IN THE NAM...24.00Z GFS AND 24.03Z SREFS THAT THE CLOUDS COULD ONCE AGAIN COME BACK LATE TONIGHT. EACH NIGHT THE BACK EDGE OF THE CLOUDS HAS GOTTEN A LITTLE FARTHER TO THE EAST SO THINKING THE BACK EDGE TONIGHT MAY BE JUST TO THE EAST OF KLSE. ALSO...THE TIMING MAY NOT BE UNTIL VERY LATE IN THE FORECAST PERIOD...SO A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY AND WILL NOT REINTRODUCE THE LOW DECK AT THIS POINT. && .ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... 251 AM CST THU NOV 24 2011 WI...NONE. MN...NONE. IA...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...BOYNE LONG TERM...BOYNE AVIATION...04
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS TAUNTON MA
430 PM EST THU NOV 24 2011 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE FROM THE TENNESSEE VALLEY TO THE MID ATLANTIC STATES WILL PROVIDE SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND WITH DRY WEATHER THROUGH THE WEEKEND WITH WARMING TEMPERATURES. LOW PRESSURE OUT OF THE GREAT LAKES WILL MOVE TO THE MID ATLANTIC COAST LATE SUNDAY NIGHT...THEN WILL MOVE SLOWLY MOVE ACROSS THE REGION MONDAY INTO TUESDAY. A COLD FRONT WILL TRAIL THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT. ANOTHER FRONT MAY APPROACH THE REGION LATE NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM FRIDAY MORNING/... 410 PM UPDATE... THE ONLY REMAINING LOW CLOUDS WERE OVER SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE AND NORTH OF ROUTE 2 IN NORTHERN MA. THE RUC SHOWS THIS CLOUDINESS HANGING AROUND MUCH LONGER THAN THE OTHER MODELS. THINK A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF IT WILL CLEAR OUT AFTER SUNDOWN. CLEAR SKIES EXPECTED OVER THE REST OF SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND AS STRONG HIGH PRESSURE FROM THE TN VALLEY TO THE MID ATLANTIC INFLUENCES OUR WEATHER. USED MAVMOSGUID BIAS CORRECTED GRIDS FOR LOWS TONIGHT. LOWERED THEM BY A FEW DEGREES IN NORTHERN CHESHIRE COUNTY WHERE HIGHS TODAY REMAINED IN THE 30S. WITH CLEARING SKIES AND LIGHT WINDS THERE...IT COULD DROP TO MID 20S. ELSEWHERE EXPECTING LOWS IN THE UPPER 20S TO MID 30S. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... FRIDAY...HIGH PRESSURE WITH CONTINUED WARMING TREND ALOFT AND AT THE SURFACE. LIGHT WINDS AND ABUNDANT SUNSHINE EXPECTED. TEMPERATURES AT 925 MB CLIMB TO 10-13C ON BOTH NAM AND GFS. USED MAVMOS GUIDANCE WITH BIAS ADJUSTMENT WHICH YIELDS 60 TO 64 ACROSS CT...MUCH OF RI...AND INTERIOR SE MA. LOWER TO MID 50S IN SOUTHERN NH AND NW MA. FRIDAY NIGHT...CLEAR SKIES AND LIGHT WINDS MAY ALLOW FOR TEMPERATURES TO RADIATE DOWN TO PURE MAVMOS LEVELS WHICH WERE 5 TO 10 DEGREES LOWER THAN THE BIAS CORRECTED ONES. HOWEVER...AM OPTING FOR A BLEND OF THE TWO SINCE WE WILL BE IN AN ANOMALOUSLY WARM PATTERN. LOWS MAINLY IN THE MID 30S TO NEAR 40 BUT COOLER IN NORTHWESTERN AREAS. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... MODEL DISCUSSION AND PREFERENCES... HIGH CONFIDENCE CONTINUES FOR THE FORECAST THIS WEEKEND AS STRONG HIGH PRES BUILDS ALONG THE EASTERN SEABOARD. BEYOND SUNDAY...THE FORECAST BECOMES VERY MUDDY TO SAY THE LEAST. INDIVIDUAL OP MODEL SOLUTIONS HAVE VEERED IN THEIR OWN DIRECTIONS... LEAVING A LOT TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT FOR SENSIBLE WEATHER AND TEMP REGIME...ESPECIALLY WITH APPROACH OF LOW AND ASSOCIATED FRONT EARLY NEXT WEEK. EVEN HPC CHANGED THEIR COURSE FOR THIS AFTERNOON/S MEDIUM RANGE ISSUANCE. DID LEAN TOWARD HPC SOLUTION WHICH WENT TOWARD THE GEFS ENSEMBLE MEANS...BUT THIS ONLY PLACES THE LOW IN BETWEEN THE FAR NE 12Z OP GFS AND FAR SW ECMWF. NEEDLESS TO SAY...CONFIDENCE IS VERY LOW FOR THE MON-WED TIMEFRAME /AT LEAST/. SATURDAY-SUNDAY... SPRING LIKE WEATHER WILL CONTINUE AS HIGH PRES OFF THE MID ATLC/SE U.S. COAST. THIS WILL PUMP MILD AIR UP INTO THE REGION...WITH MODEL 850 HPA TEMPS ON THE ORDER OF +9C TO AS HIGH AS +11C SATURDAY AND EVEN INTO SUNDAY. EXPECT MAINLY CLEAR SKIES ON SATURDAY...THEN QUESTIONS IN PLACE AS TO WHETHER CLOUDS START TO MOVE IN DURING SUNDAY. IN ANY EVENT...WITH RECORD HIGHS AT OUR FOUR MAJOR CLIMATE SITES MAINLY IN THE MID-UPPER 60S...MAY SEE MAX TEMPS ON SATURDAY /AND MAYBE SUNDAY TOO/ GETTING CLOSE TO RECORD LEVELS. HAVE INCLUDED LIST OF RECORDS AND DATES IN CLIMATE SECTION BELOW. SUNDAY NIGHT TO TUESDAY... AS MENTIONED ABOVE...VERY LITTLE FORECAST CONFIDENCE DURING THIS TIMEFRAME. FOR NOW...CONTINUED TO CARRY INCREASING POPS SUNDAY NIGHT...WITH LIKELY POPS INTO WESTERN AREAS AFTER MIDNIGHT. LOOKS LIKE BEST SHOT OF PRECIP COULD OCCUR MONDAY INTO MONDAY NIGHT. LOW PRES ALONG THIS FRONT MAY ENHANCE THE RAINFALL ALONG WITH GOOD TROPICAL CONNECTION UP THE COAST ON LONG S-SE FETCH. CONTINUED WITH VERY MILD TEMPS THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT...RUNNING AT LEAST 10-15 DEGS ABOVE SEASONAL NORMALS...THEN MAY START TO TRIM BACK AS FRONT COULD PUSH E DURING TUESDAY. HAVE TRENDED TO END CHANCE POPS FROM W-E TUE NIGHT. WEDNESDAY... A SECOND FRONT MAY PUSH ACROSS BY WED MORNING...SO MAY SEE SHOT OF COOLER AIR WORKING IN ON W WINDS. TIMING IS HIGHLY UNCERTAIN... THOUGH. DID NOT GO NEARLY AS COLD AS MOS GUIDANCE...PRETTY MUCH LOWERED TEMPS A BIT FROM THE PREV FORECAST. MAY BE A BIT BREEZY ESPECIALLY ALONG THE COAST DURING THE DAY. THURSDAY... WITH SUCH LOW CONFIDENCE...REALLY UNCERTAIN OF WEATHER FOR THIS PERIOD. AT THIS POINT...HAVE CARRIED DRY WEATHER WITH SEASONABLE TEMPS. && .AVIATION /22Z THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... FORECASTER CONFIDENCE LEVELS... LOW...LESS THAN 30 PERCENT MODERATE...30 PERCENT TO 60 PERCENT HIGH...GREATER THAN 60 PERCENT 410 PM UPDATE... REST OF THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...THE ONLY REMAINING MVFR CEILINGS AROUND 2000-2500 FT WERE OVER SOUTHERN NH AND NORTH OF ROUTE 2 IN NORTHERN MA. THE RUC SHOWS THIS CLOUDINESS HANGING AROUND MUCH LONGER THAN THE OTHER MODELS. THINK A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF IT WILL CLEAR OUT AFTER SUNDOWN. ELSEWHERE HIGH CONFIDENCE VFR WITH CLEAR SKIES. TONIGHT...HIGH CONFIDENCE VFR WITH CLEAR SKIES EXCEPT POSSIBLE POCKETS OF MVFR CEILINGS CONTINUING IN THE MONADNOCKS OF SOUTHERN NH. THIS SHOULD REMAIN TO THE WEST OF MHT...MODERATE CONFIDENCE OF THAT. FRIDAY... HIGH CONFIDENCE VFR WITH CLEAR OR MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES. KBOS TERMINAL... HIGH CONFIDENCE VFR THROUGH FRIDAY. THERE WILL BE SCT-BKN CLOUDS IN THE 2000-2500 FT RANGE THROUGH ABOUT 01Z NOT TOO FAR TO THE NORTH OF LOGAN INTL. FRIDAY NIGHT...HIGH CONFIDENCE VFR WITH CLEAR OR MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES. OUTLOOK...SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY... SATURDAY...HIGH CONFIDENCE FOR VFR CONDITIONS. MAY SEE LOCAL MVFR-IFR VSBYS IN PATCHY FOG LATE SAT NIGHT. SUNDAY...MODERATE CONFIDENCE FOR MAINLY VFR. MID TO HIGH LEVEL CLOUDS MAY MOVE IN FROM WEST TO EAST. MAY SEE LOCAL MVFR-IFR VSBYS IN PATCHY FOG EARLY SUN MORNING. SUNDAY NIGHT-MONDAY NIGHT...LOW CONFIDENCE. EXPECT VFR CIGS EARLY SUN NIGHT...THEN MVFR CIGS/VSBYS IN DEVELOPING SHOWERS. MAY SEE PERIODS OF IFR CONDITIONS LATE SUNDAY NIGHT-MONDAY WITH POCKETS OF HEAVY RAIN POSSIBLE. ALSO MAY SEE IFR VSBYS IN PATCHY FOG LATE NIGHTS ON SUN AND MON. TUESDAY...LOW CONFIDENCE. AREAS OF MVFR CIGS/VSBYS IN SHOWERS EARLY DURING THE DAY...THEN SHOULD SLOWLY IMPROVE LATE TUESDAY-TUESDAY NIGHT FROM W-E...BUT TIMING IS HIGHLY SUSPECT. && .MARINE... TONIGHT AND FRIDAY... SEAS HAVE BEEN STEADILY SUBSIDING THROUGHOUT THE AFTERNOON BUT STILL REMAIN AT 5 TO 6 FEET ACROSS THE EASTERN OUTER WATERS. HAVE CONTINUED THE SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS FOR WATERS NORTH OF CAPE COD THROUGH 7 PM AND FOR THE WATERS OFF OF CAPE COD AND SE OF NANTUCKET THROUGH 10 PM. EXPECTING ALL WATERS TO BE BELOW THRESHOLDS BY AROUND 10 PM. PREFERRED WNAWAVE GRIDS TO SWANNAM OR SWANGFS BECAUSE IT KEEPS SEAS HIGHER JUST TO THE EAST OF OUR MARINE FORECAST AREA. MODELS INDICATE THAT THERE WILL BE AN INCREASING PRESSURE GRADIENT OVER THE SOUTHERN COASTAL WATERS ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON. THIS CAUSES WEST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS TO GUST TO AROUND 20 KT AND CORRESPONDINGLY THE SEAS WILL BEGIN TO INCREASE BACK TO AROUND 5 TO 6 FEET OVER THE SOUTHERN AND SOUTHEASTERN OUTER WATERS. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES WILL AGAIN BE NEEDED FOR SOMEWHAT ROUGH SEAS. FRIDAY NIGHT...CONDITIONS WILL REMAIN RATHER STEADY-STATE WITH SEAS NEAR 5 TO 6 FEET OVER THE SOUTHERN AND SOUTHEASTERN WATERS. COULD HAVE W TO SW WIND GUSTS TO 15 TO 20 KT OVER ALL COASTAL WATERS. OUTLOOK...SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY... SATURDAY-SUNDAY...W-SW WINDS MAY GUST CLOSE TO 20 KT DURING THE DAY SAT...THEN WILL BACK TO S ON SUN. SEAS MAY LINGER AT 5-6 FT EARLY SATURDAY ACROSS THE SOUTHERN OUTER WATERS...THEN SHOULD SUBSIDE. SUNDAY NIGHT...S-SE WINDS SHOULD REMAIN BELOW SMALL CRAFT CRITERIA. SEAS WILL BUILD BACK UP TO AROUND 5 FT ON THE SOUTHERN OPEN WATERS MAINLY AFTER MIDNIGHT. MONDAY...EXPECT SE WINDS GUSTING TO 25 KT FOR A TIME DURING THE DAY...THEN SHIFT TO SW AND SHOULD DIMINISH MON NIGHT. SEAS MAY BUILD UP TO 8 FEET OR GREATER...THOUGH SUSPECT WNA WAVEWATCH MODEL MAY BE TOO HIGH USING THE GFS MODEL WHICH HAS STRONGEST GRADIENT AND LOW PASSING CLOSE TO THE WATERS. TUESDAY...W-SW WINDS MAY GUST TO 20 KT. SEAS STILL FORECASTED AROUND 8 FT BUT SHOULD SUBSIDE IF THEY REACH THAT HIGH. && .TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING... HAVE ISSUED ANOTHER COASTAL FLOOD STATEMENT FOR POSSIBLE POCKETS OF MINOR COASTAL FLOODING OR SPLASHOVER NEAR THE TIME OF THE FRIDAY MORNING HIGH TIDE...MAINLY BETWEEN 9 AM AND NOON. ALTHOUGH WE WILL HAVE HIGHER ASTRONOMICAL TIDES THAN TODAY...WE WILL HAVE LOWER SEAS AND AN OFFSHORE WIND WHICH SHOULD PREVENT ANYTHING SIGNIFICANT FROM OCCURRING. MRPSSE GUIDANCE GAVE -0.5 FT SURGE DUE TO THE OFFSHORE WINDS. WE CAPPED THESE AT NO LESS THAN -0.2 FT JUST IN CASE THERE WAS SOME RESIDUAL LEFTOVER FROM TODAY. && .CLIMATE... WITH VERY MILD AIR WORKING UP THE COAST THIS WEEKEND...SEVERAL OF THE FOUR MAJOR CLIMATE LOCATIONS MAY APPROACH RECORD HIGHS. HERE IS A LIST OF THE RECORDS... NOV 26 SAT NOV 27 SUN BOSTON 67/1946 AND PREV 72/1896 WORCESTER 64/1895 66/1896 PROVIDENCE 67/2001 66/1946 BRADLEY 65/1979 64/1976 && .BOX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CT...NONE. MA...NONE. NH...NONE. RI...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS EVENING FOR ANZ250-251. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS UNTIL 10 PM EST THIS EVENING FOR ANZ254-255. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS FROM NOON FRIDAY TO 5 AM EST SATURDAY FOR ANZ256. && $$ SYNOPSIS...EVT/GAF NEAR TERM...GAF SHORT TERM...GAF LONG TERM...EVT/GAF AVIATION...EVT/GAF MARINE...EVT/GAF TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...GAF CLIMATE...EVT
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS TAUNTON MA
415 PM EST THU NOV 24 2011 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE FROM THE TENNESSEE VALLEY TO THE MID ATLANTIC STATES WILL PROVIDE SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND WITH DRY WEATHER THROUGH THE WEEKEND WITH WARMING TEMPERATURES. A COLD FRONT WILL SLOWLY MOVE TOWARD THE REGION SUNDAY NIGHT...MOVING OFFSHORE LATE TUESDAY OR TUESDAY NIGHT. ANOTHER FRONT MAY PUSH ACROSS THE REGION DURING THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM FRIDAY MORNING/... 410 PM UPDATE... THE ONLY REMAINING LOW CLOUDS WERE OVER SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE AND NORTH OF ROUTE 2 IN NORTHERN MA. THE RUC SHOWS THIS CLOUDINESS HANGING AROUND MUCH LONGER THAN THE OTHER MODELS. THINK A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF IT WILL CLEAR OUT AFTER SUNDOWN. CLEAR SKIES EXPECTED OVER THE REST OF SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND AS STRONG HIGH PRESSURE FROM THE TN VALLEY TO THE MID ATLANTIC INFLUENCES OUR WEATHER. USED MAVMOSGUID BIAS CORRECTED GRIDS FOR LOWS TONIGHT. LOWERED THEM BY A FEW DEGREES IN NORTHERN CHESHIRE COUNTY WHERE HIGHS TODAY REMAINED IN THE 30S. WITH CLEARING SKIES AND LIGHT WINDS THERE...IT COULD DROP TO MID 20S. ELSEWHERE EXPECTING LOWS IN THE UPPER 20S TO MID 30S. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... FRIDAY... HIGH PRESSURE WITH CONTINUED WARMING TREND ALOFT AND AT THE SURFACE. LIGHT WINDS AND ABUNDANT SUNSHINE EXPECTED. TEMPERATURES AT 925 MB CLIMB TO 10-13C ON BOTH NAM AND GFS. USED MAVMOS GUIDANCE WITH BIAS ADJUSTMENT WHICH YIELDS 60 TO 64 ACROSS CT...MUCH OF RI...AND INTERIOR SE MA. LOWER TO MID 50S IN SOUTHERN NH AND NW MA. FRIDAY NIGHT... CLEAR SKIES AND LIGHT WINDS MAY ALLOW FOR TEMPERATURES TO RADIATE DOWN TO PURE MAVMOS LEVELS WHICH WERE 5 TO 10 DEGREES LOWER THAN THE BIAS CORRECTED ONES. HOWEVER...AM OPTING FOR A BLEND OF THE TWO SINCE WE WILL BE IN AN ANOMALOUSLY WARM PATTERN. LOWS MAINLY IN THE MID 30S TO NEAR 40 BUT COOLER IN NORTHWESTERN AREAS. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... HIGHLIGHTS... * ABOVE AVERAGE AND DRY WEATHER FOR THE WEEKEND * PRECIP CHANCES INCREASING BEGINNING NEXT WEEK * TEMPS WILL BE CLOSE TO AVERAGE LATER IN THE WEEK CONFIDENCE... ANOTHER TRICKY FORECAST FOR THIS MORNING AS MODEL SPREAD CONTINUES TO BE QUITE LARGE. HAVE HIGH CONFIDENCE IN THE FORECAST FOR SATURDAY AND EVEN INTO SUNDAY. ALSO CONFIDENCE IS INCREASING THAT TEMPS FOR SAT THROUGH TUESDAY WILL BE ABOVE SEASONABLE AVERAGE AS SOUTHWEST FLOW CONTINUES TO DOMINATE THE REGION. VERY LOW CONFIDENCE ON TIMING OF PRECIP ON MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY AS MODELS ARE STRUGGLING WITH THE MEDIUM RANGE. IN THE EXTENDED PORTION OF THE FORECAST...CONFIDENCE IS INCREASING THAT TEMPS WILL BE CLOSE TO OR BELOW AVERAGE. HOWEVER HAVE HIGH UNCERTAINTY ON CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION. FOR NOW LEFT THURSDAY DRY...BUT DEPENDING ON MODEL SOLUTION PRECIP MAY NEED TO BE INSERTED. FRIDAY PM - SATURDAY... ALL SHORT RANGE MODELS ARE CONSISTENT FOR THE BEGINNING PERIODS OF THIS FORECAST. HIGH PRESSURE WILL SET UP ACROSS THE CAROLINAS AND EVENTUALLY BE PUSHED OFF SHORE BY A STOUT TROUGH DIGGING THROUGH THE CENTER CONUS BY SUNDAY. WITH THE HIGH PRESSURE SOUTH OF THE REGION...WESTERLY WINDS WILL SET UP ACROSS SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND. THIS WILL HELP INCREASE TEMPS AT LEAST 10F ABOVE AVERAGE. WITH A GOOD AMOUNT OF WAA...850MB TEMPS WILL INCREASE TO 8-10C. MID TO HIGH LEVEL CLOUDS WILL STREAM THROUGH THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE AREA...WHICH COULD EFFECT HOW MUCH THE REGION MIXES OUT. LOW TEMPS FOR THIS PORTION OF THE FORECAST WILL BE MILD...REACHING THE MID 40S ALONG THE COAST WITH THE UPPER 30S TO LOW 40S IN THE INTERIOR. SUNDAY - TUESDAY... THIS IS THE POINT WHERE ALL MODELS DIVERGE FROM EACH OTHER. THE GFS KEEPS THE LONGWAVE TROUGH INTACT WITH A CUTOFF LOW MOVING ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES. WHERE AS THE ECMWF IS PERSISTENT ON KEEPING A CUTOFF LOW ACROSS THE TX/LA BORDER. WITH THIS CUTOFF LOW...AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL MOVE ACROSS THE THE GREAT LAKES AND INTO THE NORTHEAST. EITHER WAY BOTH MODEL SOLUTIONS BRING PRECIP TO THE REGION LATE SUNDAY NIGHT AND INTO MONDAY. THE QUESTION IS JUST HOW MUCH AND THE EXACT TIMING. THE GFS HAS BEEN THE MOST CONSISTENT FROM RUN TO RUN...AND BEING LESS DRAMATIC WITH THE POTENTIAL OF A CUT OFF LOW. THE ECMWF HAS ALSO BEEN CONSISTENT WITH A CUT OFF LOW IN LA/TX REGION...AS WELL AS CONTINUING TO BE MORE PROGRESSIVE. WITH ALL THE UNCERTAINTY IN HAND...TRENDED TOWARDS THE GFS ENSEMBLES AS WELL AS HPC. STOUT SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL BE BREEZY ON SUNDAY AHEAD OF A SURFACE TROUGH. EXPECT PRECIP TO BEGIN FROM WEST TO EAST IN THE LATE MORNING/EARLY AFTERNOON ON SUNDAY AS SURFACE LOW PASSES ACROSS SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND BY MONDAY AFTERNOON. TEMPS WILL BEGIN TO DECLINING BACK TO AVERAGE BY TUESDAY. BEST TIME FRAME FOR PRECIP WILL BE EARLY MONDAY MORNING. STILL SOME UNCERTAINTY ON TIMING AND AMOUNTS. STAY TUNE FOR FURTHER FORECAST ON THIS SYSTEM. WEDNESDAY - THURSDAY... WITH THE SPREAD OF THE MODELS INCREASING...THIS PORTION OF THE FORECAST REMAINS LOW CONFIDENCE. THE MORE AMPLIFIED...CUT OFF LOW...ECMWF KEEPS THE AREA WET AS THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM GETS KICKED BACK UP INTO THE LONG WAVE PATTERN AND MOVES ACROSS THE REGION. WHERE AS THE GFS KEEPS THE AREA DRY UNTIL AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE PUSHES THROUGH ON BY LATE THURSDAY...INDICATING PERHAPS A COASTAL STORM. BECAUSE OF THE VERY LOW CONFIDENCE...KEPT THE POPS FORECAST LOW AND TRENDED TOWARDS A COOLER TEMPERATURE SOLUTION. && .AVIATION /21Z THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... FORECASTER CONFIDENCE LEVELS... LOW...LESS THAN 30 PERCENT MODERATE...30 PERCENT TO 60 PERCENT HIGH...GREATER THAN 60 PERCENT 410 PM UPDATE... REST OF THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING... THE ONLY REMAINING MVFR CEILINGS AROUND 2000-2500 FT WERE OVER SOUTHERN NH AND NORTH OF ROUTE 2 IN NORTHERN MA. THE RUC SHOWS THIS CLOUDINESS HANGING AROUND MUCH LONGER THAN THE OTHER MODELS. THINK A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF IT WILL CLEAR OUT AFTER SUNDOWN. ELSEWHERE HIGH CONFIDENCE VFR WITH CLEAR SKIES. TONIGHT... HIGH CONFIDENCE VFR WITH CLEAR SKIES EXCEPT POSSIBLE POCKETS OF MVFR CEILINGS CONTINUING IN THE MONADNOCKS OF SOUTHERN NH. THIS SHOULD REMAIN TO THE WEST OF MHT... MODERATE CONFIDENCE OF THAT. FRIDAY... HIGH CONFIDENCE VFR WITH CLEAR OR MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES. KBOS TERMINAL... HIGH CONFIDENCE VFR THROUGH FRIDAY. THERE WILL BE SCT-BKN CLOUDS IN THE 2000-2500 FT RANGE THROUGH ABOUT 01Z NOT TOO FAR TO THE NORTH OF LOGAN INTL. OUTLOOK...FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY... FRIDAY NIGHT...HIGH CONFIDENCE VFR WITH CLEAR OR MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES. SATURDAY...HIGH CONFIDENCE FOR VFR CONDITIONS. SATURDAY NIGHT-SUNDAY...HIGH CONFIDENCE FOR MAINLY VFR. MID TO HIGH LEVEL CLOUDS WILL MOVE IN FROM WEST TO EAST. MAY SEE LOCAL MVFR-IFR VSBYS IN PATCHY FOG LATE SAT NIGHT/SUN MORNING. SUNDAY NIGHT-MONDAY...MODERATE CONFIDENCE. EXPECT VFR CIGS EARLY SUN NIGHT...THEN MVFR CIGS/VSBYS IN DEVELOPING SHOWERS. MAY SEE LOCAL IFR VSBYS IN FOG SUN NIGHT-MON MORNING. && .MARINE... 410 PM UPDATE... TONIGHT... SEAS HAVE BEEN STEADILY SUBSIDING THROUGHOUT THE AFTERNOON BUT STILL REMAIN AT 5 TO 6 FEET ACROSS THE EASTERN OUTER WATERS. HAVE CONTINUED THE SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS FOR WATERS NORTH OF CAPE COD THROUGH 7 PM AND FOR THE WATERS OFF OF CAPE COD AND SE OF NANTUCKET THROUGH 10 PM. EXPECTING ALL WATERS TO BE BELOW THRESHOLDS BY AROUND 10 PM. PREFERRED WNAWAVE GRIDS TO SWANNAM OR SWANGFS BECAUSE IT KEEPS SEAS HIGHER JUST TO THE EAST OF OUR MARINE FORECAST AREA. MODELS INDICATE THAT THERE WILL BE AN INCREASING PRESSURE GRADIENT OVER THE SOUTHERN COASTAL WATERS ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON. THIS CAUSES WEST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS TO GUST TO AROUND 20 KT AND CORRESPONDINGLY THE SEAS WILL BEGIN TO INCREASE BACK TO AROUND 5 TO 6 FEET OVER THE SOUTHERN AND SOUTHEASTERN OUTER WATERS. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES WILL AGAIN BE NEEDED FOR SOMEWHAT ROUGH SEAS. OUTLOOK...FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY... FRIDAY NIGHT...CONDITIONS WILL REMAIN RATHER STEADY-STATE WITH SEAS NEAR 5 TO 6 FEET OVER THE SOUTHERN AND SOUTHEASTERN WATERS. COULD HAVE W TO SW WIND GUSTS TO 15 TO 20 KT OVER ALL COASTAL WATERS. SATURDAY - SATURDAY NIGHT... HIGH PRESSURE WILL SET UP ACROSS THE CAROLINAS KEEPING THE WATERS IN A WEST TO SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW. GOOD MIXING ACROSS THE WATERS WILL HELP BUILD SEAS TO ABOVE SCA...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE OUTER WATERS. AFTER SUNSET ON SATURDAY...BOTH SEAS AND WIND WILL RELAX BELOW SCA. SUNDAY - MONDAY... SURFACE TROUGH WILL APPROACH THE REGION ON SUNDAY...INCREASING SOUTHERLY WINDS TO 20 KTS. EXPECT SEAS TO BEGIN TO BUILD ABOVE 5FT STARTING ON THE SOUTHERN OUTER WATERS AND EVENTUALLY INCREASING ACROSS ALL WATERS BY MONDAY. SURFACE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL APPROACH THE REGION BY MONDAY ALLOWING FOR WINDS TO SWITCH FROM A STOUT SOUTHERLY DIRECTION TO THE WEST. HAVE HIGH CONFIDENCE THAT A SCA WILL BE NEEDED DURING THIS TIMEFRAME FOR THE OUTER WATERS AND ALONG THE COASTS. && .TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING... HAVE ISSUED ANOTHER COASTAL FLOOD STATEMENT FOR POSSIBLE POCKETS OF MINOR COASTAL FLOODING OR SPLASHOVER NEAR THE TIME OF THE FRIDAY MORNING HIGH TIDE...MAINLY BETWEEN 9 AM AND NOON. ALTHOUGH WE WILL HAVE HIGHER ASTRONOMICAL TIDES THAN TODAY...WE WILL HAVE LOWER SEAS AND AN OFFSHORE WIND WHICH SHOULD PREVENT ANYTHING SIGNIFICANT FROM OCCURRING. MRPSSE GUIDANCE GAVE -0.5 FT SURGE DUE TO THE OFFSHORE WINDS. WE CAPPED THESE AT NO LESS THAN -0.2 FT JUST IN CASE THERE WAS SOME RESIDUAL LEFTOVER FROM TODAY. && .BOX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CT...NONE. MA...NONE. NH...NONE. RI...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS EVENING FOR ANZ250-251. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS UNTIL 10 PM EST THIS EVENING FOR ANZ254-255. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS FROM NOON FRIDAY TO 5 AM EST SATURDAY FOR ANZ256. && $$ SYNOPSIS...GAF/DUNTEN NEAR TERM...GAF SHORT TERM...GAF LONG TERM...DUNTEN AVIATION...GAF/DUNTEN MARINE...GAF/DUNTEN TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...GAF
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS ALBANY NY
402 PM EST THU NOV 24 2011 .SYNOPSIS... THE WEATHER PATTERN WILL BE TRANQUIL FOR THIS HOLIDAY WEEKEND AS HIGH PRESSURE REMAINS IN CONTROL ACROSS THE EASTERN SEABOARD. TEMPERATURES WILL SLOWLY MODERATE TO ABOVE NORMAL AS SOUTHERLY WINDS INCREASE. THE NEXT CHANCE FOR SHOWERS ARRIVES LATE SUNDAY INTO MONDAY. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... STRATUS DECK WAS ALONG THE I90 CORRIDOR AS OF 19Z. THIS CLOUD DECK CONTINUES TO SLOWLY ERODE AND MIGRATE NORTHWARD THIS AFTERNOON. NCEP MODEL SUITE AND HOURLY RUC13 LOW LEVEL RH FIELDS SUGGEST THIS STRATUS DECK SHOULD CONTINUE TO LIFT NORTHWARD AND ERODE FURTHER. MEANWHILE...WARM ADVECTION ALOFT AND ITS ASSOCIATED HIGH AND SOME MID LEVEL CLOUDS ARE QUICKLY MOVING ACROSS NEW ENGLAND AND PORTIONS OF UPSTATE NEW YORK. THIS TOO IS EXPECTED TO SLIDE OFFSHORE TONIGHT LEAVING BEHIND A PTCLOUDY-MOCLEAR SKIES. BASED ON CURRENT DEWPOINTS...MOS TEMPERATURES LOOK A BIT COOL AND HAVE FOLLOWED WARMER OVERNIGHT TRENDS WITHIN THE LAV/LAMP GUIDANCE. LARGE AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE...CENTERED OVER THE SOUTHEAST CONUS...WILL BE THE DOMINANT PLAYER FOR THIS NEAR TERM AND INTO THE SHORT TERM. && .SHORT TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/... THIS LARGE AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL KEEP THE WEATHER QUIET EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER THROUGH THIS SHORT TERM PERIOD. IN FACT...RATHER PRONOUNCED WEST-SOUTHWEST FLOW ALONG WITH MILD MID LEVEL TEMPS WILL RESULT IN TEMPERATURES CLIMBING TOWARD OR EXCEEDING 10 DEGREES ABOVE CLIMATOLOGY /IN ADDITION...DOWNSLOPING MAY ENHANCE THESE TEMPS INTO THE VALLEY LOCATIONS/. THE ONLY COMPLICATION COULD BE SOME OVERNIGHT SHALLOW BR/FG AND A POTENTIAL FOR SOME LOW LEVEL STRATUS DEVELOPMENT. IN ADDITION...WITH THE ONGOING WARM ADVECTION...SOME HIGH AND MID LEVEL CLOUD COVER MAY MOVE ACROSS THE SKY THOUGH THIS PERIOD. EITHER WAY...THE WEATHER SHOULD HAVE MINIMAL IMPACT TO HOLIDAY WEEKEND TRAVELS. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN EXPECTED THROUGH THE LONG TERM...BUT MODEL GUIDANCE HAS DIFFERING SOLUTIONS...SO CONFIDENCE IS LOW. WENT WITH HPC GUIDANCE. SFC LOW APPROACHING FROM THE GREAT LAKES REGION SUNDAY MORNING. 12Z GFS...ECMWF AND GFSENSEMBLE MEMBERS HAVE NOT AGREED UPON A TRACK...SPEED...OR QPF AMOUNTS. ECMWF HAS THE MORE PROGRESSIVE AND NORTHERLY TRACK OF SFC LOW...WITH THE COLD FRONT AND PRECIP ASSOCIATED WITH THE LOW MOVING THROUGH THE FA LATE SUNDAY THROUGH LATE MONDAY...WITH QPF AMOUNTS AROUND HALF AN INCH OR LESS. ASSOCIATED UPPER LEVEL POSITIVELY TILTED TROUGH REMAINS OPEN IN ECMWF. MEANWHILE...GFS DEVELOPS A CLOSE LOW WITHIN THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH. AS THIS TROUGH APPEARS TO HAVE A NEUTRAL TILT...GFS KEEPS IT SLOW MOVING OVER THE GREAT LAKES REGION...WHERE THE UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE CENTER REFORMS FURTHER NORTH SUNDAY NIGHT. THE TROUGH BECOMES NEGATIVELY TILTED BEFORE A PIECE OF SOUTHERLY ENERGY BREAKS OFF...TRAVELING TOWARDS THE OBX AHEAD OF THE MAIN TROUGH...BY TUESDAY NIGHT. QPF AMOUNTS UP TO 2 INCHES WITH THE GFS. CHANCE FOR PRECIP POSSIBLE THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/WEDNESDAY WITH GFS ENSEMBLE MEMBERS SLOWLY MOVE SFC LOW NORTHWARD TOWARDS JAMES BAY. ALL GUIDANCE SHOW HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING IN JUST SOUTH OF THE REGION...BUT NO AGREEMENT ON WHEN OR FOR HOW LONG. HPC HAS HIGH PRESSURE WEDNESDAY INTO THURSDAY. TEMPS ABOUT 10 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL TO START THE PERIOD...TRENDING COOLER TO ABOUT NORMAL BY THE END OF THE PERIOD. && .AVIATION /20Z THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... MAINLY VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD ENDING AT 18Z FRIDAY. STRATOCUMULUS HAVE LIFTED NORTH OF KPOU AND WILL LIFT NORTH OF KALB BY 19Z. KGFL WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE STRATOCUMULUS WITH MVFR CONDITIONS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE AFT. SKIES WILL BE MAINLY SKC OR SCT250 TONIGHT WITH SOME FOG PSBL AT KGFL AND KPOU WITH MAINLY MVFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED AFT 07Z. ON FRIDAY SKC CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED AT THE TAF SITES AFT 12Z AS A LARGE RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO THE REGION. EXPECT WINDS WILL REMAIN SOUTH AT 3-5 KTS THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THIS AFT...BECOME LIGHT AND VARIABLE TONIGHT...AND SOUTH AT 4-6 KTS FRI MRNG. OUTLOOK... FRIDAY AFT-SAT NIGHT...VFR. NO SIG WX. SUN...MAINLY VFR. INCREASING CLDS. CHC -SHRA LATE. SUN NIGHT-MON...MVFR/IFR IN RAIN AND MIST. && .HYDROLOGY... DRY WEATHER IS EXPECTED THROUGH MOST OF THE LONG HOLIDAY WEEKEND AS HIGH PRESSURE DOMINATES. OUR NEXT CHANCES FOR WET WEATHER WILL RETURN LATE IN THE WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK AS A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM APPROACHES AND MOVES ACROSS THE REGION. THERE IS MUCH UNCERTAINTY WITH REGARDS TO THE SYSTEM AS THERE IS A LARGE SPREAD IN THE MODEL GUIDANCE. FOR DETAILS ON SPECIFIC AREA RIVERS AND LAKES...INCLUDING OBSERVED AND FORECAST RIVER STAGES AND LAKE ELEVATIONS...PLEASE VISIT THE ADVANCED HYDROLOGIC PREDICTION SERVICE /AHPS/ GRAPHS ON OUR WEBSITE. && .CLIMATE... 2011 HAS MOVED UP INTO FIFTH PLACE FOR WETTEST YEARS ON RECORD FOR ALBANY NEW YORK. WETTEST YEARS - ALBANY NY - SINCE 1820 1) 55.78 INCHES 1871 2) 55.81 INCHES 1870 3) 51.83 INCHES 1850 4) 49.80 INCHES 1827 5) 49.75 INCHES THROUGH NOVEMBER 23ND 6) 49.37 INCHES 1878 7) 48.35 INCHES 1843 8) 48.22 INCHES 1848 9) 47.79 INCHES 2008 10) 47.72 INCHES 2005 && .ALY WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CT...NONE. NY...NONE. MA...NONE. VT...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...BGM NEAR TERM...BGM SHORT TERM...BGM LONG TERM...KGM AVIATION...11 HYDROLOGY...BGM CLIMATE...IAA
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MOUNT HOLLY NJ
1259 PM EST THU NOV 24 2011 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO OUR REGION THIS THANKSGIVING THURSDAY AND DOMINATE OUR WEATHER INTO SUNDAY. A COLD FRONT... APPROACHING FROM THE WEST...WILL MOVE SLOWLY ACROSS OUR REGION SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY. LOW PRESSURE MAY DEVELOP ON THE FRONT ALONG THE MID ATLANTIC COAST AND MOVE SLOWLY NORTHWARD MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY NIGHT. MORE LOW PRESSURE IS POSSIBLE DURING WEDNESDAY. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... THE COLD AIR ADVECTION IS ENDING. HOWEVER TEMPERATURES WITH THE PREVIOUS FORECAST ARE ON TRACK TODAY WITH SLIGHT ALTERATIONS BASED ON 14Z METAR OBS. RAISED VISIBILITY A BIT ON THIS UPDATE ALSO BASED OFF OF 14Z OBS. PREVIOUS FORECASTER THINKING BELOW STILL LOOKS GOOD SO FEW CHANGES MADE OVERALL ATTM. A VERY NICE THANKSGIVING DAY IS AHEAD OF US! CONVECTIVE TEMPERATURES ARE OUT OF REACH TODAY...AND OTHER THAN SOME HIGH CLOUDINESS THIS MORNING...SKIES SHOULD BE SUNNY. THE BEST PART OF THE SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT IS OVER THE FORECAST AREA NOW...AND SOME GUSTINESS LINGERS. THE GUSTINESS TO THE WIND SHOULD DROP BACK EARLY THIS MORNING AS THE LAST OF THE COLD AIR ADVECTION ENDS. IT IS POSSIBLE THERE COULD BE SOME GUSTINESS TODAY...BUT FOR THE MOST PART WINDS SHOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE TODAY. 850 MB TEMPERATURES SUPPORT HIGHS IN THE MID 50S TODAY...WHICH IS CLOSE TO THE MOS BLEND. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH 6 AM FRIDAY/... BUILDING MID LEVEL RIDGING SHOULD KEEP ANY HIGH AND MID LEVEL CLOUDS NORTH OF THE AREA TONIGHT...AND SKIES SHOULD BE CLEAR. AS THE HIGH REACHES NORTH CAROLINA TONIGHT...THE GRADIENT WILL BACK OFF. HOWEVER...WINDS MAY NOT BECOME COMPLETELY CALM OUTSIDE OF PROTECTED AREAS...AS THE GRADIENT WOULD SUPPORT WEST WINDS LESS THAN 10 MPH. THE ABOVE SCENARIO WOULD SUPPORTS LOWS NEAR THE MOS BLEND IN THE URBAN AREAS AND PLACES WITH EXPOSURE. FOR PROTECTED AREAS (INCLUDING THE PINE BARRENS IN NEW JERSEY)...LOWS WERE DROPPED A FEW DEGREES FROM THE MOS MEAN. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... A QUIESCENT PERIOD OF WEATHER IS SHAPING UP FOR THE NORTHERN MID ATLANTIC AREA FRIDAY INTO SUNDAY. THE MODELS HAVE LATCHED ONTO A COLD FRONT WHICH LOOKS LIKE IT WILL AFFECT OUR AREA MAINLY SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY. THEN...MODEL PERFORMANCE HAS SEEMINGLY DETERIORATED OVER THE PAST 24 TO 48 HOURS, WITH RUN-TO-RUN AND INTERMODEL INCONSISTENCY AND CHANGEABILITY. WITH NO CLEAR SIGNALS...IT WAS DECIDED TO JUST USE A BROAD BRUSH OF CHANCE PROBABILITIES FOR SHOWERS THROUGH THE MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY PERIOD, WITH A MODERATE TO HIGH AMOUNT OF CLOUDINESS. THE GFS EVEN PAINTS SOME TYPE OF RAIN/SNOW EVENT WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY. LATER MODEL ITERATIONS WILL BE NEEDED TO GAIN MORE CLARITY ON THIS PERIOD. SO...HPC TEMPERATURES WERE USED AS A STARTING POINT FOR HIGHS AND LOWS, WITH SOME MODIFICATIONS FOR LOCAL EFFECTS AND CLIMATOLOGY. A GENERAL COOLING TREND SHOULD OCCUR THROUGH THE LONG TERM PERIOD... WITH HIGHS IN THE MID 50S AND LOWER 60S OVER THE WEEKEND, DROPPING TO THE 40S TO NEAR 50 BY WEDNESDAY. && .AVIATION /18Z THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... THE FOLLOWING DISCUSSION IS FOR KPHL, KPNE, KTTN, KABE, KRDG, KILG, KMIV, KACY AND SURROUNDING AREAS. THE LAST OF THE LARGE STRATOCUMULUS CLOUD DECK THAT GOT TRAPPED UNDER THE INVERSION IN THE COLD AIR ADVECTION IS FINALLY BREAKING UP EARLY THIS MORNING. THE LAST OF THE MVFR CEILINGS APPEARS TO NOW BE GONE AT KABE...AND KACY MAY TRY TO HOLD ONTO MVFR CEILINGS THROUGH 0630 UTC OR SO. OTHERWISE...VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED FOR THE OVERNIGHT. THE BEST PRESSURE GRADIENT REMAINS OVER THE AREA EARLY THIS MORNING...BUT THE GUSTINESS HAS BECOME CONFINED TO SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY...WHERE KMIV AND KACY ARE STILL GUSTING. LATE EVENING AMDAR SOUNDINGS SHOWED 32 TO 35 KNOTS AT THE TOP OF THE INVERSION ACROSS THE REGION. THIS COULD ALLOW KMIV AND KACY TO GUST THROUGH 0800 UTC OR SO. THE LATEST HRRR MODEL RUN SUGGESTS THAT THE NORTHERLY GRADIENT REMAINS IN PLACE THROUGH 1200 UTC...SO WINDS PROBABLY DO NOT GO CALM EARLY THIS MORNING. AS SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS TOWARD THE REGION TODAY...WINDS WILL BACK WITH TIME. THE BEST GRADIENT SHOULD BE THIS MORNING...WITH SOME SLACKENING THIS AFTERNOON. ANY GUSTINESS WOULD BE THIS MORNING...AS THE LAST OF THE COLD AIR ADVECTION WINDS ITSELF OUT. THE 0600 UTC TERMINAL FORECASTS DO NOT CONTAIN GUSTS...BUT THIS CAN BE REVISITED LATER. AT MOST...GUSTS PROBABLY TOP OUT NEAR 15 KNOTS. CONVECTIVE TEMPERATURES ARE WELL OUT OF REACH TODAY...SO VFR CONDITIONS SHOULD CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE DAY. WINDS SHOULD DROP OFF FAIRLY QUICKLY THIS EVENING AS THE LAST OF THE GRADIENT DROPS OFF. HIGH PRESSURE AT THE SURFACE AND IN THE MID LEVEL SHOULD RESULT IN CLEAR SKIES. THE AIRMASS LOOKS TO BE TOO DRY FOR EVEN PATCHY FOR LATE TONIGHT AND EARLY FRIDAY MORNING. OUTLOOK... HIGH PRESSURE TO OUR SOUTH WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE US WITH FINE VFR FLYING CONDITIONS FRIDAY INTO...OR PERHAPS THROUGH MOST OF...SUNDAY. A COLD FRONT MOVING IN FROM THE WEST SUNDAY NIGHT WILL MOVE EASTWARD THROUGH OUR AREA. HOWEVER, A SUCCESSION OF LOWS COULD AFFECT OUR REGION AND PERHAPS BRING LOWER CONDITIONS AT TIMES INTO THE EARLY OR EVEN MIDDLE PORTION OF NEXT WEEK. MODEL GUIDANCE HAS BEEN CHANGING AND INCONSISTENT...SO LITTLE IN THE WAY OF CONFIDENCE CAN BE SHOWN UNTIL THE MODELS START TO OFFER BETTER AGREEMENT AND RUN-TO-RUN CONSISTENCY. LOWER CEILINGS AND/OR VISIBILITIES IN SHOWERS/RAIN AND FOG MAY OCCUR THROUGH MUCH OF THE SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY TIME PERIOD, THOUGH. && .MARINE... WINDS AND SEAS CONTINUE TO DECREASE ON THE WATERS THIS MORNING. THE SCA FLAG FOR THE DELAWARE BAY AND THE NORTHERN COASTAL WATERS HAVE BEEN TAKEN DOWN. SEAS REMAIN UP ACROSS THE SOUTHERN COASTAL WATERS...SO THE FLAG WILL CONTINUE THERE INTO THE MID-AFTERNOON. A FEW GUSTS UP TO 25 KTS STILL MAY OCCUR ON THE WATERS THIS AFTERNOON...BUT THE TREND CONTINUES DOWNWARD AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN. SUB SCA CONDITIONS EXPECTED TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY AND WINDS WILL BACK AROUND TO W THEN SW. OUTLOOK... HIGH PRESSURE TO OUR SOUTH WILL BRING QUIET CONDITIONS TO OUR MARINE AREA FRIDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND. AS THE HIGH MOVES OFF TO THE EAST, A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH FROM THE WEST SUNDAY. THE PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL TIGHTEN BETWEEN THESE TWO SYSTEMS...AND THIS WILL MEAN A GOOD CHANCE OF SHOWERS AS WELL AS INCREASING SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST WINDS AND BUILDING SEAS SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY. A SERIES OF LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS COULD AFFECT OUR AREA THROUGH THE EARLY AND MIDDLE PORTIONS OF NEXT WEEK...BUT MODEL GUIDANCE HAS BECOME TOO CHANGEABLE AND INCONSISTENT TO OFFER ANY KIND OF SPECIFICS. ADVISORY CONDITIONS ARE LIKELY AT SOME POINT...AND EVEN GALE CONDITIONS MAY OCCUR FOR A TIME...IN THE SUNDAY NIGHT TO MID WEEK TIME FRAME. && .TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING... THE CFW FOR THE UPPER DELAWARE BAY HAS EXPIRED. HIGH TIDE IS OCCURRING AT PHILADELPHIA PRESENTLY AND WILL TAKE A FEW HOURS MORE TO REACH THE UPPER PORTIONS OF THE DELAWARE RIVER. THE CFW FOR THOSE AREAS WILL BE TAKEN DOWN AT 3 PM. && .PHI WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY UNTIL 3 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR PAZ071. NJ...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY UNTIL 3 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR NJZ018-019. DE...NONE. MD...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 3 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR ANZ452>455. && $$ SYNOPSIS... NEAR TERM...GAINES/HAYES SHORT TERM...HAYES LONG TERM... AVIATION...HAYES MARINE...HAYES TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LINCOLN IL
300 PM CST THU NOV 24 2011 .DISCUSSION... ISSUED 300 PM CST THU NOV 24 2011 INITIAL CONCERN WILL BE POSSIBLE REDEVELOPMENT OF LOW STRATUS CLOUDS TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING. THEN ATTENTION TURNS TO THE ONSET OF RAIN LATE FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY AND THE ARRIVAL OF COLDER AIR FOR MUCH OF THE EXTENDED FORECAST. SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT. CHALLENGING FORECAST FOR TONIGHT IN TERMS OF CLOUDS AND RESULTANT LOW TEMPS. THE ONLY MODELS THAT SEEM TO HAVE A DECENT HANDLE ON THE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE ARE THE HRRR AND SPC 4KM WRF. BOTH OF THEM ARE INDICATING CLOUD REDEVELOPMENT ACROSS CENTRAL IL AND EVEN SURROUNDING PORTIONS OF IL. THE NAM AND GFS SOUNDINGS SHOW A LOW LEVEL SATURATION AS WELL...BUT SHALLOW. FORECAST WIND TRAJECTORY FLOWS INDICATE WE SHOULD SEE THE SW RETURN FLOW ORIGINATING WHERE STRATUS CLOUDS ARE LINGERING THIS AFTERNOON IN MO/AR. A TIGHTER PRESSURE GRADIENT WOULD TYPICALLY KEEP WINDS UP AT NIGHT...BUT THE LOW LEVEL INVERSION LOOKS TO BE PLENTY STRONG ENOUGH TO PREVENT MIXING OVERNIGHT. WILL FORECAST CLOUDS TO REFORM...AND KEEP LOW TEMPS A COUPLE DEGREES WARMER THAN GUIDANCE. CLEARING SHOULD COME QUICKER ON FRIDAY AS MORE PROMINENT MIXING WILL OCCUR UNDER A MUCH STRONGER SFC PRESSURE GRADIENT. PLENTY OF DRY AIR ALOFT WILL AID IN CLOUD EROSION. WINDY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITH SSW GUSTS OVER 30 MPH. TEMPS WILL RESPOND IN KIND AS WAA FLOWS PUSH 850 MB TEMPS UP NEAR 12C. THAT COUPLED WITH ADDITIONAL SUNSHINE SHOULD PUT HIGHS INTO THE L-M 60S. BROAD SCALE ISENTROPIC LIFT AHEAD OF THE NEXT COLD FRONT WILL HELP PRIME THE ATMOSPHERE FOR RAIN TO DEVELOP W OF THE IL RIVER AFTER MIDNIGHT FRIDAY NIGHT. HOWEVER...BASED ON FORECAST CONDENSATION PRESSURE DEFICITS /CPD/...IT STILL APPEARS WE WILL HAVE A 5-7 HOUR WINDOW OF STEADY RAINS AS THE FRONT PROGRESSES EASTWARD DURING THE DAY ON SATURDAY. WE WILL CONTINUE WITH CATEGORICAL POPS WEST IN THE MORNING AND EAST IN THE AFTERNOON. SOME SHOWERS MAY LINGER IN THE EVENING ACROSS THE EAST...SO WILL CONTINUE WITH CHANCE POPS AS SUBSIDENT FLOWS BEGIN TO SHUT DOWN MEASURABLE PRECIP. COLD AIR WILL RETURN ON BRISK NW WINDS SAT NIGHT. MOST OF THE PRECIP SHOULD COME TO AN END BEFORE THE AIR COLUMN GETS COLD ENOUGH FOR SNOW. HOWEVER...WE CAN NOT RULE OUT SOME FLURRIES POSSIBLE AFTER MIDNIGHT SAT NIGHT. BY 12Z SUNDAY...ANOTHER WAVE OF ISENTROPIC LIFT AND LOW CPD/S IS INDICATED AS THE UPPER TROUGH MOVES ACROSS IL. ENOUGH RESIDUAL MOISTURE MAY BE PRESENT FOR A FEW LIGHT RAIN/SNOW SHOWERS AFTER MIDNIGHT...AND FLURRIES NORTH/SPRINKLES SOUTH ON SUNDAY. BY SUNDAY NIGHT...ALL PRECIP SHOULD COME TO AN END FROM THIS SYSTEM...AS THE UPPER TROUGH AXIS FINALLY SLIDES EAST. LONG TERM...MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. THE EXTENDED FORECAST SHOWS PERSISTENT COLD CONDITIONS AS A CUT OFF LOW POSSIBLY DEVELOPS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN OHIO RIVER VALLEY. THERE HAS BEEN A WIDE VARIETY OF SOLUTIONS FROM THE MODELS ON THIS CUT OFF FEATURE...WITH THE ECMWF AND THE CANADIAN THE MAIN ONES SHOWING THIS FEATURE. THE ECMWF BEING A BIT MORE PRONOUNCED AND SLOWER THAN THE CANADIAN. THE GFS KEEPS A PROGRESSIVE PATTERN WITH NORTHWEST FLOW AND A DRY FRONTAL PASSAGE ON MONDAY NIGHT/TUESDAY ACROSS IL. DESPITE THE DIFFERING SOLUTIONS...THE OVERALL SENSIBLE WEATHER LOOKS TO BE ON THE CHILLY SIDE WITH PERIODICALLY BREEZY CONDITIONS. SHIMON && .AVIATION... ISSUED 1142 AM CST THU NOV 24 2011 LOW CLOUDS WILL CONTINUE TO STEADILY ERODE FROM WEST TO EAST ACROSS CENTRAL ILLINOIS THIS AFTERNOON. SATELLITE TIMING TOOLS INDICATE SKIES BECOMING MOSTLY CLEAR AT KPIA AND KSPI BY 19Z...THEN FURTHER EAST TO KCMI BY 21Z. AFTER A PERIOD OF CLEAR SKIES AT ALL TERMINALS LATE THIS AFTERNOON/EVENING...THE BIG QUESTION BECOMES WHETHER THE LOW CLOUDS/FOG WILL RETURN LATER TONIGHT. 12Z NAM FORECAST SOUNDINGS ARE SHOWING THE STRONG SUBSIDENCE INVERSION REMAINING IN PLACE...WITH SATURATION OCCURRING BELOW 950MB AFTER 03Z. DESPITE SOME DECENT MIXING/DRYING THIS AFTERNOON...AM HARD PRESSED TO IGNORE THESE SOUNDINGS AS WELL AS SIMPLE PERSISTENCE. AS A RESULT...HAVE BROUGHT CEILINGS BACK DOWN BELOW 1000FT AT ALL TAF SITES AFTER 05Z. IN ADDITION...A DEVELOPING JET STREAK ABOVE THE INVERSION WILL LEAD TO LOW-LEVEL WIND SHEAR OVERNIGHT. HAVE INCLUDED 35 TO 40KT OF SHEAR AT 2000FT ACCORDINGLY. THE LOW CLOUDS WILL MIX OUT BY MID-MORNING FRIDAY...ALLOWING GUSTY S/SW WINDS TO MIX DOWN TO THE SURFACE AFTER 15Z. BARNES && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
254 PM CST THU NOV 24 2011 .DISCUSSION... 320 AM CST LOW CLOUDS CAN BE A WILDCARD DURING WARM AIR ADVECTION DURING THIS TIME OF YEAR...AND INDEED THE WIDESPREAD STRATUS HAS ENVELOPED THE AREA TO START OUT THANKSGIVING. THE ENVIRONMENT FAVORABLE FOR THIS AND HOW LONG IT WILL HAMPER WARMING TODAY...AND WHETHER OR NOT IT REDEVELOPS TONIGHT TO START FRIDAY...ARE THE PRIMARY CHALLENGES THIS MORNING. THIS IS FOLLOWED BY THE FRONTAL TIMING AND RAIN ON SATURDAY AND THE COLD AIR AND SNOW SHOWER CHANCES BEHIND IT. SYNOPSIS...THE EXPANSIVE STRATUS BANK LINES UP WELL THE LOW-LEVEL RIDGE THIS MORNING...FROM TEXARKANA NORTHEAST TO THE GREAT LAKES. AS OF EARLY THIS MORNING...THE FORECAST AREA IS ABOUT 150 MILES FROM THE NEAREST UPSTREAM SCATTERING IN NORTHEAST MO. ACCORDING TO AN EARLY MORNING ACARS SOUNDING AT RFD...THE CLOUD DEPTH IS AROUND 800 FT THICK OR SO...WHICH LIKELY SPEAKS FOR MUCH OF THE AREA. WHILE THAT IS NOT VERY DEEP...THE INVERSION STRENGTH IS IMPRESSIVE...WITH TEMPERATURES CLIMBING 16F IN ABOUT 1200 FT. THAT PRESENTS THE CHALLENGE TO ALLOW MIXING TO REALLY GET GOING TODAY. SURFACE TEMPERATURES AND DEW POINTS ARE BASICALLY HOLDING STEADY 38 TO 42 AND SHOULD THROUGH MID-MORNING. SOUTHWEST WINDS NEAR 10 MPH HAVE ALLEVIATED ANY DENSE FOG CONCERNS. TODAY...MANY OF THE SHORT TERM MODELS AND ASSOCIATED MOS HAVE GENERALLY STRUGGLED WITH THE LOW CLOUD DEPICTION. A FEW THAT HAVE HAD A GENERAL IDEA INCLUDE THE HRRR AND THE SPC 4KM WRF...AS WELL AS THE MOISTURE IN THE RUC 0-500M LAYER. THE THEME OF BASICALLY NO IMPROVEMENT THROUGH 10 AM IS SEEN IN ALL OF THESE. THE HRRR AND WRF THEN WANT TO SHOW MAJOR IMPROVEMENT. FORECAST SOUNDINGS ON THE RUC CONTINUE TO SHOW AN AGGRESSIVE INVERSION HOWEVER...AND ITS LOW LEVEL MOISTURE IS SLOWER TO IMPROVE...BASICALLY TOWARDS 3 PM. INEVITABLY SOME HOLES WILL DEVELOP IN THE CLOUD SHIELD AND TO PRECISELY INDICATE WHERE IS CHALLENGING MORE THAT A COUPLE HOURS IN ADVANCE. IT WOULD SEEM BY LATE MORNING INTO EARLY AFTERNOON THESE SHOULD INCREASE...ESPECIALLY OVER THE SOUTHERN AND WESTERN FORECAST AREA. THE CHICAGOLAND AREA MAY BE THE LAST PART OF THE CWA TO CLEAR SIMPLY DUE TO THE TRAJECTORIES OF DRY AIR FROM THE DISTANT SOUTHWEST. HAVE TAKEN TEMPS DOWN SOME...WEIGHING GREATLY TOWARDS THE COOLER GUIDANCE. THE 24.06 NAM IS SEVERAL DEGREES COOLER THAN ITS PRIOR RUN...AN INDICATION COOLER IS LIKELY THE WAY TO GO. NORMAL DIURNAL CLIMBS THIS TIME OF YEAR ARE AROUND 15 DEGREES...AND GIVEN CLOUDS FORECAST FOR OVER HALF THE DAYLIGHT HOURS...HAVE CLIMBS CLOSER TO 6-7 DEGREES. OVERALL...THE CONFIDENCE IS LOW FOR A PERIOD ONE FORECAST...BUT THE THEME OF COOLER THAN ORIGINALLY THOUGHT SHOULD HOLD TRUE. FOR MORE ON WHERE TODAYS HIGHS WILL FALL OUT FOR THANKSGIVING CLIMATOLOGY...PLEASE SEE THE CLIMATE DISCUSSION BELOW. TONIGHT AND FRIDAY...THE 24.00 NAM LOW-LEVEL PARCEL TRAJECTORIES OVER THE LOCAL AREA FOR FRIDAY MORNING ORIGINATE IN THE AIR MASS IN AR/SOUTHERN MO AT PRESENT. THAT AREA IS ALSO UNDER THE STRATUS BLANKET...WHICH IS CONCERNING. THERE WILL BE AN EVEN STRONGER LOW- LEVEL WIND COMPONENT TONIGHT WHICH SHOULD AT LEAST HELP TO KEEP THINGS MORE TURBULENT AND MORE CLOUD AREAS AS OPPOSED TO A WIDESPREAD BLANKET...IF CLOUDS DO REDEVELOP. THE NAM 0-500M MOISTURE FIELDS AND SOUNDINGS INDICATE THE POTENTIAL...THOUGH MORE IMPROVED THAN THIS MORNING. SO HAVE AT LEAST INCREASED SKY COVER BY QUITE A BIT GIVEN THE PERSISTENCE OF THE CLOUDS TO EXPAND THE PAST COUPLE NIGHTS. ANY CLOUDS SHOULD MOVE ON OR BREAK UP QUICKER ON FRIDAY MORNING...BEING REPLACED BY CIRRUS IN THE NORTH. TEMPERATURES STILL ARE ON PAR FOR MAINLY MID-UPPER 50S TO LOWER 60S FROM NORTH TO SOUTH. FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY...A STRONG UPPER TROUGH APPROACHING BRITISH COLUMBIA TODAY WILL BE OUR WEATHER-MAKER IN THIS PERIOD AS IT NEGATIVELY TILTS AND DIGS INTO THE UPPER MIDWEST. THE SUITE OF MODEL GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO SHOW SIZABLE DIFFERENCES IN THE SURFACE COLD FRONTAL TIMING FOR SATURDAY...WHICH WOULD DICTATE WHEN DURING SATURDAY THE HIGHEST POPS NEED TO BE FORECAST. WHAT GUIDANCE DOES AGREE ON IS GOOD QG FORCING...MOISTURE RETURN...AND FOCUS FOR RAIN. PRECIPITABLE WATERS INCREASE UP TO NEAR ONE INCH ON THE GFS/NAM IN A NARROW TONGUE AHEAD OF THE FRONT. THE BEST TIMING FOR RAIN STILL APPEARS TO BE DURING THE DAY SATURDAY...AND HAVE FURTHER TAPERED POPS ON FRIDAY NIGHT PRIOR TO MIDNIGHT. WHILE RAIN IS FAVORED ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA ON SATURDAY...THIS DOES LOOK TO BE MORE OF A HIGH POP/LOW QPF EVENT. THE 24.03 SREF QPF CONFIDENCE FOR SATURDAY IS ONLY 40 PERCENT FOR 0.25 OR GREATER OF AN INCH...AND THAT IS IN THE FAR SOUTH. IN THE ABSENCE OF THUNDER OR PRECIPITATION TYPE ISSUES...THE SREF TENDS TO HANDLE SUCH LOWER-END QPF CONFIDENCE FORECASTS WELL. AFTER A VERY MILD FRIDAY NIGHT...TEMPERATURES WILL GO NOWHERE ON SATURDAY...CLIMBING ONLY A COUPLE DEGREES POSSIBLY IN THE MORNING BEFORE GRADUALLY COMING DOWN...AND THEN QUICKLY DOWN AFTER THE FRONTAL PASSAGE. THAT PASSAGE IS RIGHT NOW FAVORED TO BE IN THE AFTERNOON. SATURDAY NIGHT WOULD LOOK TO HAVE SCATTERED SHOWERS IF ANYTHING...POSSIBLY WITH SOME LIGHT SNOW MIXED IN AS THE COLUMN CONTINUES TO COOL. SUNDAY AND BEYOND...HAVE OVERALL TRENDED SLIGHTLY DRIER DURING THIS TIME AS MODELS CONTINUE TO INDICATE A QUICKER PROGRESSION OF THE UPPER LOW...EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE CONTINUED SIGNS IT MAY CUT OFF...LIKE ON THE 24.00 EC. SUNDAY WILL STILL SEE CYCLONIC FLOW IT APPEARS...AND HAVE GONE ABOVE THE MODEL BLEND FOR SKY COVER AND SHOWER CHANCES. THERE IS AN INCREASINGLY BETTER SIGNAL FOR LAKE ENHANCED SHOWERS INTO NORTHWEST INDIANA...WHICH COULD BE SNOW SHOWERS BASED ON THE FORECAST SOUNDINGS. THE NEARLY DRY ADIABATIC LAPSE RATES BASED ON THE COLD AIR ADVECTION OVER THE LAKE...THE LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE...AND CONVERGENCE ALL FAVOR AT LEAST SOME ENHANCED CHANCES FOR SHOWERS. MORE OF AN INFLUENCE OF THE NORTHERN STREAM JET IS EXPECTED IN OUR AREA AS OPPOSED TO THIS LOW BY MONDAY AND TUESDAY. SO COOLER /NEAR NORMAL/ TEMPERATURES ARE FORECAST WITH POTENTIALLY SOME SMALL CHANCES FOR SHOWERS...BUT BELOW MENTIONABLE AT THIS TIME. && .CLIMATE... 215 AM CST FORECAST HIGHS FOR TODAY DO POSSESS A RANGE OF SEVERAL DEGREES OF UNCERTAINTY BECAUSE OF THE LOW CLOUDS. RIGHT NOW...THE COOLING TREND IN THE FORECAST HAS TAKEN THIS BELOW A TOP TEN WARMEST THANKSGIVING. IT IS STILL POSSIBLE HOWEVER...THOUGH A SMALL CHANCE. FRIDAY HIGH TEMPERATURES ARE STILL FORECAST SEVERAL DEGREES BELOW RECORD HIGHS FOR LONG TERM CLIMATE SITES. THOSE RECORDS FOR NOVEMBER 25TH ARE 65 IN 2008 FOR ORD...AND 64 IN 1915 FOR RFD. IT IS UNLIKELY THESE WILL BE REACHED. EVEN AFTER THE COLD FRONT ON SATURDAY...TEMPERATURES ONLY FALL BACK TO NEAR NORMAL. CHICAGO HAS ONLY SEEN TWO DAYS THIS MONTH WHERE THE DEPARTURE FROM NORMAL WAS COOLER THAN -1. A COUPLE DAYS MORE ARE POSSIBLE BY THE END OF THE MONTH BUT THATS IT IN WHAT LOOKS TO SURELY BE A WARMER THAN NORMAL MONTH BY AT LEAST A COUPLE DEGREES. MTF && .AVIATION... //ORD AND MDW CONCERNS...UPDATED 20Z... * CIGS NEAR 1000 FT SCATTERING/CLEARING 21-22Z FROM WEST. * POTENTIAL FOR IFR/LIFR CIGS TO REDEVELOP THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT...THEN SCATTERING MID MORNING FRIDAY. * PERIODS OF GUSTY SOUTHWEST WINDS TO AROUND 20 KT. * POTENTIAL FOR LLWS TONIGHT. MDB //DISCUSSION...UPDATED 20Z... STRATUS STARTING TO ERODE MORE QUICKLY FROM THE WEST AND SHOULD BE REACHING RFD NEXT HOUR OR SO AND THE NE IL AIRPORTS 21-22Z AND SOON AFTER AT GYY. STILL HAVE SOME CONCERN THAT FEW-SCT LOW CLOUDS WILL LINGER AS SUNSET APPROACHES BUT HAVE SLIGHTLY BETTER CONFIDENCE THAT VFR WILL PERSIST SO HAVE ADJUSTED TAFS ACCORDINGLY. LOW CONFIDENCE REMAINS IN POTENTIAL FOR LOW STRATUS/IFR TO REDEVELOP SOMETIME THIS EVENING OR TONIGHT. FROM 18Z... IFR AND LOWER STRATUS CONTINUES ACROSS THE TERMINALS EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. SATELLITE TRENDS SHOW THE WESTERN EDGE OF THE STRATUS THINNING AND ERODING FROM NEAR DBQ TO JUST EAST OF GBG DOWN TO NEAR SPI AT 1745Z AND WORKING ITS WAY EAST. STRONG LOW LEVEL INVERSION REMAINS IN PLACE WHICH WILL LIKELY MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR THE CLEARING TO QUICKLY WORK EAST...ESPECIALLY BY LATE AFTERNOON BUT AM THINKING THAT THE TAF SITES WILL BE ABLE TO SCATTER LATE THIS AFTERNOON. HOW QUICKLY THIS OCCURS IS NOT QUITE CERTAIN. UNTIL THEN CLOUD BASES LOOK TO REMAIN FAIRLY STEADY WITH SOME MINIMAL INCREASE INTO MID AFTERNOON...WITH A MORE NOTABLE INCREASE IN BASES POSSIBLE AS SCATTERING OCCURS...THOUGH BASES WOULD LIKELY REMAIN BELOW 1500 FT. SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO BE GUSTY THOUGH GUSTS MAY BE ERRATIC IN FREQUENCY. ASSUMING SCATTERING/CLEARING CAN OCCUR BY EVENING THE NEXT CHALLENGE WILL BE IF IFR/LIFR CEILINGS CAN RETURN OVERNIGHT. INVERSION WILL REMAIN IN PLACE AND LOW LEVEL MOISTURE SHOULD REMAIN HIGH...ESPECIALLY GIVEN THAT SCATTERING WILL HAPPEN CLOSER TO DARK LIMITING THE CHANCE FOR DRIER AIR TO MIX DOWN. CONFIDENCE IS LOW SO WILL CONTINUE WITH THE TREND OF EARLIER FORECASTS TO BRING IFR BACK TO THE TERMINALS LATER THIS EVENING. THE INVERSION SHOULD HAVE A BETTER TIME MIXING OUT LATER FRIDAY MORNING ALLOWING ANY IFR TO CLEAR OUT BY MIDDAY OR SO. SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL REMAIN BREEZY TONIGHT WITH GUSTS INCREASING TO AROUND 25 KT...IF NOT SLIGHTLY HIGHER FRIDAY. MDB //ORD AND MDW CONFIDENCE...UPDATED 20Z... * MEDIUM-HIGH CONFIDENCE IN CIGS SCATTERING/CLEARING 21-22Z. * LOW-MEDIUM CONFIDENCE IFR CIGS WILL REDEVELOP THIS EVENING AND PERSIST INTO MID MORNING FRIDAY. * MEDIUM-HIGH CONFIDENCE REGARDING WIND SPEEDS/GUSTS. * HIGH CONFIDENCE IN WINDS INCREASING OFF THE DECK LATE THIS EVENING...MEDIUM CONFIDENCE THAT STRONG LLWS WILL DEVELOP. MDB //OUTLOOK FOR ORD/MDW FOR 00Z SATURDAY-12Z THURSDAY...UPDATED 12Z... FRIDAY NIGHT...VFR. CHANCE OF SHRA. SATURDAY...MVFR WITH IFR POSSIBLE. PERIODS OF RAIN DURING THE DAY. CHANCE OF SHRA/SHSN SATURDAY NIGHT. SUNDAY...MVFR POSSIBLE. CHANCE OF SHRA/SHSN. MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...VFR. CMS && .MARINE... 229 PM CST STRONG SOUTHWEST WINDS AND WIND GUSTS HAVE DEVELOPED ACROSS THE LAKE DUE TO THE TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT OVER THE REGION. WIND GUSTS TO 30 KT WITH OCCASIONAL GUSTS TO 35 KT GALES CAN BE EXPECTED THROUGH THIS EVENING OVER THE OPEN WATERS. AT THE MOMENT NO GALE GUSTS HAVE BEEN REPORTED...MOST LIKELY DUE TO THE STUBBORN LOW LEVEL STRATUS DECK OVER THE LAKE. HOWEVER...THE POSSIBILITY OF SEEING GUSTS TO 35 KT GALES REMAINS THROUGH THIS EVENING. WITH ONLY OCCASIONAL GALE GUSTS EXPECTED...DECIDED TO HOLD OFF ON GALE RELATED HEADLINES. GUST TO 30 KT WILL PERSIST ON FRIDAY BUT NOT ANTICIPATING ANY GALES. LOW PRESSURE OVER MINNESOTA MOVES OVER LAKE MICHIGAN ON SATURDAY AND THE LOWS COLD FRONT SWINGS THROUGH LATE ON SATURDAY. THE LOW ITSELF WILL REMAIN IN THE GREAT LAKES REGION THROUGH MONDAY BEFORE MERGING INTO A LARGER LOW OVER EASTERN MANITOBA. WINDS WILL TURN OUT OF THE NORTHWEST BEHIND THE LOW WITH NO SIGNIFICANT GUSTS TO MENTION. LOOKING INTO NEXT WEEK...A CANADIAN HIGH SINKS SOUTH FROM ALBERTA INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS ON TUESDAY. THE HIGH THEN MOVES OVER THE EASTERN HALF OF THE US...LEADING TO LIGHT WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS THROUGH THE EXTENDED. JEE && .LOT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IL...NONE. IN...NONE. LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY...NEARSHORE WATERS UNTIL 10 PM FRIDAY. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
155 PM CST THU NOV 24 2011 .DISCUSSION... 320 AM CST LOW CLOUDS CAN BE A WILDCARD DURING WARM AIR ADVECTION DURING THIS TIME OF YEAR...AND INDEED THE WIDESPREAD STRATUS HAS ENVELOPED THE AREA TO START OUT THANKSGIVING. THE ENVIRONMENT FAVORABLE FOR THIS AND HOW LONG IT WILL HAMPER WARMING TODAY...AND WHETHER OR NOT IT REDEVELOPS TONIGHT TO START FRIDAY...ARE THE PRIMARY CHALLENGES THIS MORNING. THIS IS FOLLOWED BY THE FRONTAL TIMING AND RAIN ON SATURDAY AND THE COLD AIR AND SNOW SHOWER CHANCES BEHIND IT. SYNOPSIS...THE EXPANSIVE STRATUS BANK LINES UP WELL THE LOW-LEVEL RIDGE THIS MORNING...FROM TEXARKANA NORTHEAST TO THE GREAT LAKES. AS OF EARLY THIS MORNING...THE FORECAST AREA IS ABOUT 150 MILES FROM THE NEAREST UPSTREAM SCATTERING IN NORTHEAST MO. ACCORDING TO AN EARLY MORNING ACARS SOUNDING AT RFD...THE CLOUD DEPTH IS AROUND 800 FT THICK OR SO...WHICH LIKELY SPEAKS FOR MUCH OF THE AREA. WHILE THAT IS NOT VERY DEEP...THE INVERSION STRENGTH IS IMPRESSIVE...WITH TEMPERATURES CLIMBING 16F IN ABOUT 1200 FT. THAT PRESENTS THE CHALLENGE TO ALLOW MIXING TO REALLY GET GOING TODAY. SURFACE TEMPERATURES AND DEW POINTS ARE BASICALLY HOLDING STEADY 38 TO 42 AND SHOULD THROUGH MID-MORNING. SOUTHWEST WINDS NEAR 10 MPH HAVE ALLEVIATED ANY DENSE FOG CONCERNS. TODAY...MANY OF THE SHORT TERM MODELS AND ASSOCIATED MOS HAVE GENERALLY STRUGGLED WITH THE LOW CLOUD DEPICTION. A FEW THAT HAVE HAD A GENERAL IDEA INCLUDE THE HRRR AND THE SPC 4KM WRF...AS WELL AS THE MOISTURE IN THE RUC 0-500M LAYER. THE THEME OF BASICALLY NO IMPROVEMENT THROUGH 10 AM IS SEEN IN ALL OF THESE. THE HRRR AND WRF THEN WANT TO SHOW MAJOR IMPROVEMENT. FORECAST SOUNDINGS ON THE RUC CONTINUE TO SHOW AN AGGRESSIVE INVERSION HOWEVER...AND ITS LOW LEVEL MOISTURE IS SLOWER TO IMPROVE...BASICALLY TOWARDS 3 PM. INEVITABLY SOME HOLES WILL DEVELOP IN THE CLOUD SHIELD AND TO PRECISELY INDICATE WHERE IS CHALLENGING MORE THAT A COUPLE HOURS IN ADVANCE. IT WOULD SEEM BY LATE MORNING INTO EARLY AFTERNOON THESE SHOULD INCREASE...ESPECIALLY OVER THE SOUTHERN AND WESTERN FORECAST AREA. THE CHICAGOLAND AREA MAY BE THE LAST PART OF THE CWA TO CLEAR SIMPLY DUE TO THE TRAJECTORIES OF DRY AIR FROM THE DISTANT SOUTHWEST. HAVE TAKEN TEMPS DOWN SOME...WEIGHING GREATLY TOWARDS THE COOLER GUIDANCE. THE 24.06 NAM IS SEVERAL DEGREES COOLER THAN ITS PRIOR RUN...AN INDICATION COOLER IS LIKELY THE WAY TO GO. NORMAL DIURNAL CLIMBS THIS TIME OF YEAR ARE AROUND 15 DEGREES...AND GIVEN CLOUDS FORECAST FOR OVER HALF THE DAYLIGHT HOURS...HAVE CLIMBS CLOSER TO 6-7 DEGREES. OVERALL...THE CONFIDENCE IS LOW FOR A PERIOD ONE FORECAST...BUT THE THEME OF COOLER THAN ORIGINALLY THOUGHT SHOULD HOLD TRUE. FOR MORE ON WHERE TODAYS HIGHS WILL FALL OUT FOR THANKSGIVING CLIMATOLOGY...PLEASE SEE THE CLIMATE DISCUSSION BELOW. TONIGHT AND FRIDAY...THE 24.00 NAM LOW-LEVEL PARCEL TRAJECTORIES OVER THE LOCAL AREA FOR FRIDAY MORNING ORIGINATE IN THE AIR MASS IN AR/SOUTHERN MO AT PRESENT. THAT AREA IS ALSO UNDER THE STRATUS BLANKET...WHICH IS CONCERNING. THERE WILL BE AN EVEN STRONGER LOW- LEVEL WIND COMPONENT TONIGHT WHICH SHOULD AT LEAST HELP TO KEEP THINGS MORE TURBULENT AND MORE CLOUD AREAS AS OPPOSED TO A WIDESPREAD BLANKET...IF CLOUDS DO REDEVELOP. THE NAM 0-500M MOISTURE FIELDS AND SOUNDINGS INDICATE THE POTENTIAL...THOUGH MORE IMPROVED THAN THIS MORNING. SO HAVE AT LEAST INCREASED SKY COVER BY QUITE A BIT GIVEN THE PERSISTENCE OF THE CLOUDS TO EXPAND THE PAST COUPLE NIGHTS. ANY CLOUDS SHOULD MOVE ON OR BREAK UP QUICKER ON FRIDAY MORNING...BEING REPLACED BY CIRRUS IN THE NORTH. TEMPERATURES STILL ARE ON PAR FOR MAINLY MID-UPPER 50S TO LOWER 60S FROM NORTH TO SOUTH. FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY...A STRONG UPPER TROUGH APPROACHING BRITISH COLUMBIA TODAY WILL BE OUR WEATHER-MAKER IN THIS PERIOD AS IT NEGATIVELY TILTS AND DIGS INTO THE UPPER MIDWEST. THE SUITE OF MODEL GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO SHOW SIZABLE DIFFERENCES IN THE SURFACE COLD FRONTAL TIMING FOR SATURDAY...WHICH WOULD DICTATE WHEN DURING SATURDAY THE HIGHEST POPS NEED TO BE FORECAST. WHAT GUIDANCE DOES AGREE ON IS GOOD QG FORCING...MOISTURE RETURN...AND FOCUS FOR RAIN. PRECIPITABLE WATERS INCREASE UP TO NEAR ONE INCH ON THE GFS/NAM IN A NARROW TONGUE AHEAD OF THE FRONT. THE BEST TIMING FOR RAIN STILL APPEARS TO BE DURING THE DAY SATURDAY...AND HAVE FURTHER TAPERED POPS ON FRIDAY NIGHT PRIOR TO MIDNIGHT. WHILE RAIN IS FAVORED ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA ON SATURDAY...THIS DOES LOOK TO BE MORE OF A HIGH POP/LOW QPF EVENT. THE 24.03 SREF QPF CONFIDENCE FOR SATURDAY IS ONLY 40 PERCENT FOR 0.25 OR GREATER OF AN INCH...AND THAT IS IN THE FAR SOUTH. IN THE ABSENCE OF THUNDER OR PRECIPITATION TYPE ISSUES...THE SREF TENDS TO HANDLE SUCH LOWER-END QPF CONFIDENCE FORECASTS WELL. AFTER A VERY MILD FRIDAY NIGHT...TEMPERATURES WILL GO NOWHERE ON SATURDAY...CLIMBING ONLY A COUPLE DEGREES POSSIBLY IN THE MORNING BEFORE GRADUALLY COMING DOWN...AND THEN QUICKLY DOWN AFTER THE FRONTAL PASSAGE. THAT PASSAGE IS RIGHT NOW FAVORED TO BE IN THE AFTERNOON. SATURDAY NIGHT WOULD LOOK TO HAVE SCATTERED SHOWERS IF ANYTHING...POSSIBLY WITH SOME LIGHT SNOW MIXED IN AS THE COLUMN CONTINUES TO COOL. SUNDAY AND BEYOND...HAVE OVERALL TRENDED SLIGHTLY DRIER DURING THIS TIME AS MODELS CONTINUE TO INDICATE A QUICKER PROGRESSION OF THE UPPER LOW...EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE CONTINUED SIGNS IT MAY CUT OFF...LIKE ON THE 24.00 EC. SUNDAY WILL STILL SEE CYCLONIC FLOW IT APPEARS...AND HAVE GONE ABOVE THE MODEL BLEND FOR SKY COVER AND SHOWER CHANCES. THERE IS AN INCREASINGLY BETTER SIGNAL FOR LAKE ENHANCED SHOWERS INTO NORTHWEST INDIANA...WHICH COULD BE SNOW SHOWERS BASED ON THE FORECAST SOUNDINGS. THE NEARLY DRY ADIABATIC LAPSE RATES BASED ON THE COLD AIR ADVECTION OVER THE LAKE...THE LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE...AND CONVERGENCE ALL FAVOR AT LEAST SOME ENHANCED CHANCES FOR SHOWERS. MORE OF AN INFLUENCE OF THE NORTHERN STREAM JET IS EXPECTED IN OUR AREA AS OPPOSED TO THIS LOW BY MONDAY AND TUESDAY. SO COOLER /NEAR NORMAL/ TEMPERATURES ARE FORECAST WITH POTENTIALLY SOME SMALL CHANCES FOR SHOWERS...BUT BELOW MENTIONABLE AT THIS TIME. && .CLIMATE... 215 AM CST FORECAST HIGHS FOR TODAY DO POSSESS A RANGE OF SEVERAL DEGREES OF UNCERTAINTY BECAUSE OF THE LOW CLOUDS. RIGHT NOW...THE COOLING TREND IN THE FORECAST HAS TAKEN THIS BELOW A TOP TEN WARMEST THANKSGIVING. IT IS STILL POSSIBLE HOWEVER...THOUGH A SMALL CHANCE. FRIDAY HIGH TEMPERATURES ARE STILL FORECAST SEVERAL DEGREES BELOW RECORD HIGHS FOR LONG TERM CLIMATE SITES. THOSE RECORDS FOR NOVEMBER 25TH ARE 65 IN 2008 FOR ORD...AND 64 IN 1915 FOR RFD. IT IS UNLIKELY THESE WILL BE REACHED. EVEN AFTER THE COLD FRONT ON SATURDAY...TEMPERATURES ONLY FALL BACK TO NEAR NORMAL. CHICAGO HAS ONLY SEEN TWO DAYS THIS MONTH WHERE THE DEPARTURE FROM NORMAL WAS COOLER THAN -1. A COUPLE DAYS MORE ARE POSSIBLE BY THE END OF THE MONTH BUT THATS IT IN WHAT LOOKS TO SURELY BE A WARMER THAN NORMAL MONTH BY AT LEAST A COUPLE DEGREES. MTF && .AVIATION... //ORD AND MDW CONCERNS...UPDATED 20Z... * CIGS NEAR 1000 FT SCATTERING/CLEARING 21-22Z FROM WEST. * POTENTIAL FOR IFR/LIFR CIGS TO REDEVELOP THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT...THEN SCATTERING MID MORNING FRIDAY. * PERIODS OF GUSTY SOUTHWEST WINDS TO AROUND 20 KT. * POTENTIAL FOR LLWS TONIGHT. MDB //DISCUSSION...UPDATED 20Z... STRATUS STARTING TO ERODE MORE QUICKLY FROM THE WEST AND SHOULD BE REACHING RFD NEXT HOUR OR SO AND THE NE IL AIRPORTS 21-22Z AND SOON AFTER AT GYY. STILL HAVE SOME CONCERN THAT FEW-SCT LOW CLOUDS WILL LINGER AS SUNSET APPROACHES BUT HAVE SLIGHTLY BETTER CONFIDENCE THAT VFR WILL PERSIST SO HAVE ADJUSTED TAFS ACCORDINGLY. LOW CONFIDENCE REMAINS IN POTENTIAL FOR LOW STRATUS/IFR TO REDEVELOP SOMETIME THIS EVENING OR TONIGHT. FROM 18Z... IFR AND LOWER STRATUS CONTINUES ACROSS THE TERMINALS EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. SATELLITE TRENDS SHOW THE WESTERN EDGE OF THE STRATUS THINNING AND ERODING FROM NEAR DBQ TO JUST EAST OF GBG DOWN TO NEAR SPI AT 1745Z AND WORKING ITS WAY EAST. STRONG LOW LEVEL INVERSION REMAINS IN PLACE WHICH WILL LIKELY MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR THE CLEARING TO QUICKLY WORK EAST...ESPECIALLY BY LATE AFTERNOON BUT AM THINKING THAT THE TAF SITES WILL BE ABLE TO SCATTER LATE THIS AFTERNOON. HOW QUICKLY THIS OCCURS IS NOT QUITE CERTAIN. UNTIL THEN CLOUD BASES LOOK TO REMAIN FAIRLY STEADY WITH SOME MINIMAL INCREASE INTO MID AFTERNOON...WITH A MORE NOTABLE INCREASE IN BASES POSSIBLE AS SCATTERING OCCURS...THOUGH BASES WOULD LIKELY REMAIN BELOW 1500 FT. SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO BE GUSTY THOUGH GUSTS MAY BE ERRATIC IN FREQUENCY. ASSUMING SCATTERING/CLEARING CAN OCCUR BY EVENING THE NEXT CHALLENGE WILL BE IF IFR/LIFR CEILINGS CAN RETURN OVERNIGHT. INVERSION WILL REMAIN IN PLACE AND LOW LEVEL MOISTURE SHOULD REMAIN HIGH...ESPECIALLY GIVEN THAT SCATTERING WILL HAPPEN CLOSER TO DARK LIMITING THE CHANCE FOR DRIER AIR TO MIX DOWN. CONFIDENCE IS LOW SO WILL CONTINUE WITH THE TREND OF EARLIER FORECASTS TO BRING IFR BACK TO THE TERMINALS LATER THIS EVENING. THE INVERSION SHOULD HAVE A BETTER TIME MIXING OUT LATER FRIDAY MORNING ALLOWING ANY IFR TO CLEAR OUT BY MIDDAY OR SO. SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL REMAIN BREEZY TONIGHT WITH GUSTS INCREASING TO AROUND 25 KT...IF NOT SLIGHTLY HIGHER FRIDAY. MDB //ORD AND MDW CONFIDENCE...UPDATED 20Z... * MEDIUM-HIGH CONFIDENCE IN CIGS SCATTERING/CLEARING 21-22Z. * LOW-MEDIUM CONFIDENCE IFR CIGS WILL REDEVELOP THIS EVENING AND PERSIST INTO MID MORNING FRIDAY. * MEDIUM-HIGH CONFIDENCE REGARDING WIND SPEEDS/GUSTS. * HIGH CONFIDENCE IN WINDS INCREASING OFF THE DECK LATE THIS EVENING...MEDIUM CONFIDENCE THAT STRONG LLWS WILL DEVELOP. MDB //OUTLOOK FOR ORD/MDW FOR 00Z SATURDAY-12Z THURSDAY...UPDATED 12Z... FRIDAY NIGHT...VFR. CHANCE OF SHRA. SATURDAY...MVFR WITH IFR POSSIBLE. PERIODS OF RAIN DURING THE DAY. CHANCE OF SHRA/SHSN SATURDAY NIGHT. SUNDAY...MVFR POSSIBLE. CHANCE OF SHRA/SHSN. MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...VFR. CMS && .MARINE... 300 AM CST WINDS HAVE BEEN A LITTLE SLOW TO INCREASE THIS MORNING DESPITE A FAIRLY TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT AND STRONG FLOW ALOFT IN PLACE. WITH TWO SEPARATE AREAS OF LOW PRESSURE TO THE NORTH AND NORTHWEST OF THE LAKE AND A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE JUST TO THE SOUTHEAST...STRONG SOUTHERLY FLOW CONTINUES TO USHER IN WARMER AIR TO THE NORTH. BELIEVE THIS IS WHAT MAY BE CAUSING THIS SLOW INCREASE IN WIND SPEED AS A SLIGHTLY MORE STABLE LAKE MAY BE IN PLACE THAN WHAT CURRENT GUIDANCE IS INDICATING. NONETHELESS...WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE TODAY AS THIS TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT REMAINS AND FLOW ALOFT INCREASES. PERSISTENT SOUTHWEST WINDS TO 30 KT CAN BE EXPECTED INTO FRIDAY FOR BOTH THE NORTH AND SOUTH HALF OF LAKE MICHIGAN. HAVE LEFT OUT ANY MENTION OF GALES FOR THE LAKE THIS FORECAST ISSUANCE...BUT DO THINK THERE MAY BE BRIEF PERIODS OF HIGHER WINDS AROUND GALES LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING MAINLY FOR THE NORTH HALF OF THE LAKE. ALTHOUGH DO FEEL THAT THIS WILL BE SPORADIC AND BRIEF...THUS LEAVING ANY MENTION OF GALES OUT OF THE CURRENT FORECAST. SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL SLOWLY BEGIN TO DIMINISH FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY...BUT WILL BECOME MORE WESTERLY ON SATURDAY AS AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE AND ASSOCIATED FRONTAL BOUNDARY PUSH ACROSS THE LAKE. THEN A PERIOD OF WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED INTO THE START OF NEXT WEEK. RODRIGUEZ && .LOT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IL...NONE. IN...NONE. LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY...NEARSHORE WATERS UNTIL 10 PM FRIDAY. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
1214 PM CST THU NOV 24 2011 .DISCUSSION... 320 AM CST LOW CLOUDS CAN BE A WILDCARD DURING WARM AIR ADVECTION DURING THIS TIME OF YEAR...AND INDEED THE WIDESPREAD STRATUS HAS ENVELOPED THE AREA TO START OUT THANKSGIVING. THE ENVIRONMENT FAVORABLE FOR THIS AND HOW LONG IT WILL HAMPER WARMING TODAY...AND WHETHER OR NOT IT REDEVELOPS TONIGHT TO START FRIDAY...ARE THE PRIMARY CHALLENGES THIS MORNING. THIS IS FOLLOWED BY THE FRONTAL TIMING AND RAIN ON SATURDAY AND THE COLD AIR AND SNOW SHOWER CHANCES BEHIND IT. SYNOPSIS...THE EXPANSIVE STRATUS BANK LINES UP WELL THE LOW-LEVEL RIDGE THIS MORNING...FROM TEXARKANA NORTHEAST TO THE GREAT LAKES. AS OF EARLY THIS MORNING...THE FORECAST AREA IS ABOUT 150 MILES FROM THE NEAREST UPSTREAM SCATTERING IN NORTHEAST MO. ACCORDING TO AN EARLY MORNING ACARS SOUNDING AT RFD...THE CLOUD DEPTH IS AROUND 800 FT THICK OR SO...WHICH LIKELY SPEAKS FOR MUCH OF THE AREA. WHILE THAT IS NOT VERY DEEP...THE INVERSION STRENGTH IS IMPRESSIVE...WITH TEMPERATURES CLIMBING 16F IN ABOUT 1200 FT. THAT PRESENTS THE CHALLENGE TO ALLOW MIXING TO REALLY GET GOING TODAY. SURFACE TEMPERATURES AND DEW POINTS ARE BASICALLY HOLDING STEADY 38 TO 42 AND SHOULD THROUGH MID-MORNING. SOUTHWEST WINDS NEAR 10 MPH HAVE ALLEVIATED ANY DENSE FOG CONCERNS. TODAY...MANY OF THE SHORT TERM MODELS AND ASSOCIATED MOS HAVE GENERALLY STRUGGLED WITH THE LOW CLOUD DEPICTION. A FEW THAT HAVE HAD A GENERAL IDEA INCLUDE THE HRRR AND THE SPC 4KM WRF...AS WELL AS THE MOISTURE IN THE RUC 0-500M LAYER. THE THEME OF BASICALLY NO IMPROVEMENT THROUGH 10 AM IS SEEN IN ALL OF THESE. THE HRRR AND WRF THEN WANT TO SHOW MAJOR IMPROVEMENT. FORECAST SOUNDINGS ON THE RUC CONTINUE TO SHOW AN AGGRESSIVE INVERSION HOWEVER...AND ITS LOW LEVEL MOISTURE IS SLOWER TO IMPROVE...BASICALLY TOWARDS 3 PM. INEVITABLY SOME HOLES WILL DEVELOP IN THE CLOUD SHIELD AND TO PRECISELY INDICATE WHERE IS CHALLENGING MORE THAT A COUPLE HOURS IN ADVANCE. IT WOULD SEEM BY LATE MORNING INTO EARLY AFTERNOON THESE SHOULD INCREASE...ESPECIALLY OVER THE SOUTHERN AND WESTERN FORECAST AREA. THE CHICAGOLAND AREA MAY BE THE LAST PART OF THE CWA TO CLEAR SIMPLY DUE TO THE TRAJECTORIES OF DRY AIR FROM THE DISTANT SOUTHWEST. HAVE TAKEN TEMPS DOWN SOME...WEIGHING GREATLY TOWARDS THE COOLER GUIDANCE. THE 24.06 NAM IS SEVERAL DEGREES COOLER THAN ITS PRIOR RUN...AN INDICATION COOLER IS LIKELY THE WAY TO GO. NORMAL DIURNAL CLIMBS THIS TIME OF YEAR ARE AROUND 15 DEGREES...AND GIVEN CLOUDS FORECAST FOR OVER HALF THE DAYLIGHT HOURS...HAVE CLIMBS CLOSER TO 6-7 DEGREES. OVERALL...THE CONFIDENCE IS LOW FOR A PERIOD ONE FORECAST...BUT THE THEME OF COOLER THAN ORIGINALLY THOUGHT SHOULD HOLD TRUE. FOR MORE ON WHERE TODAYS HIGHS WILL FALL OUT FOR THANKSGIVING CLIMATOLOGY...PLEASE SEE THE CLIMATE DISCUSSION BELOW. TONIGHT AND FRIDAY...THE 24.00 NAM LOW-LEVEL PARCEL TRAJECTORIES OVER THE LOCAL AREA FOR FRIDAY MORNING ORIGINATE IN THE AIR MASS IN AR/SOUTHERN MO AT PRESENT. THAT AREA IS ALSO UNDER THE STRATUS BLANKET...WHICH IS CONCERNING. THERE WILL BE AN EVEN STRONGER LOW- LEVEL WIND COMPONENT TONIGHT WHICH SHOULD AT LEAST HELP TO KEEP THINGS MORE TURBULENT AND MORE CLOUD AREAS AS OPPOSED TO A WIDESPREAD BLANKET...IF CLOUDS DO REDEVELOP. THE NAM 0-500M MOISTURE FIELDS AND SOUNDINGS INDICATE THE POTENTIAL...THOUGH MORE IMPROVED THAN THIS MORNING. SO HAVE AT LEAST INCREASED SKY COVER BY QUITE A BIT GIVEN THE PERSISTENCE OF THE CLOUDS TO EXPAND THE PAST COUPLE NIGHTS. ANY CLOUDS SHOULD MOVE ON OR BREAK UP QUICKER ON FRIDAY MORNING...BEING REPLACED BY CIRRUS IN THE NORTH. TEMPERATURES STILL ARE ON PAR FOR MAINLY MID-UPPER 50S TO LOWER 60S FROM NORTH TO SOUTH. FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY...A STRONG UPPER TROUGH APPROACHING BRITISH COLUMBIA TODAY WILL BE OUR WEATHER-MAKER IN THIS PERIOD AS IT NEGATIVELY TILTS AND DIGS INTO THE UPPER MIDWEST. THE SUITE OF MODEL GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO SHOW SIZABLE DIFFERENCES IN THE SURFACE COLD FRONTAL TIMING FOR SATURDAY...WHICH WOULD DICTATE WHEN DURING SATURDAY THE HIGHEST POPS NEED TO BE FORECAST. WHAT GUIDANCE DOES AGREE ON IS GOOD QG FORCING...MOISTURE RETURN...AND FOCUS FOR RAIN. PRECIPITABLE WATERS INCREASE UP TO NEAR ONE INCH ON THE GFS/NAM IN A NARROW TONGUE AHEAD OF THE FRONT. THE BEST TIMING FOR RAIN STILL APPEARS TO BE DURING THE DAY SATURDAY...AND HAVE FURTHER TAPERED POPS ON FRIDAY NIGHT PRIOR TO MIDNIGHT. WHILE RAIN IS FAVORED ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA ON SATURDAY...THIS DOES LOOK TO BE MORE OF A HIGH POP/LOW QPF EVENT. THE 24.03 SREF QPF CONFIDENCE FOR SATURDAY IS ONLY 40 PERCENT FOR 0.25 OR GREATER OF AN INCH...AND THAT IS IN THE FAR SOUTH. IN THE ABSENCE OF THUNDER OR PRECIPITATION TYPE ISSUES...THE SREF TENDS TO HANDLE SUCH LOWER-END QPF CONFIDENCE FORECASTS WELL. AFTER A VERY MILD FRIDAY NIGHT...TEMPERATURES WILL GO NOWHERE ON SATURDAY...CLIMBING ONLY A COUPLE DEGREES POSSIBLY IN THE MORNING BEFORE GRADUALLY COMING DOWN...AND THEN QUICKLY DOWN AFTER THE FRONTAL PASSAGE. THAT PASSAGE IS RIGHT NOW FAVORED TO BE IN THE AFTERNOON. SATURDAY NIGHT WOULD LOOK TO HAVE SCATTERED SHOWERS IF ANYTHING...POSSIBLY WITH SOME LIGHT SNOW MIXED IN AS THE COLUMN CONTINUES TO COOL. SUNDAY AND BEYOND...HAVE OVERALL TRENDED SLIGHTLY DRIER DURING THIS TIME AS MODELS CONTINUE TO INDICATE A QUICKER PROGRESSION OF THE UPPER LOW...EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE CONTINUED SIGNS IT MAY CUT OFF...LIKE ON THE 24.00 EC. SUNDAY WILL STILL SEE CYCLONIC FLOW IT APPEARS...AND HAVE GONE ABOVE THE MODEL BLEND FOR SKY COVER AND SHOWER CHANCES. THERE IS AN INCREASINGLY BETTER SIGNAL FOR LAKE ENHANCED SHOWERS INTO NORTHWEST INDIANA...WHICH COULD BE SNOW SHOWERS BASED ON THE FORECAST SOUNDINGS. THE NEARLY DRY ADIABATIC LAPSE RATES BASED ON THE COLD AIR ADVECTION OVER THE LAKE...THE LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE...AND CONVERGENCE ALL FAVOR AT LEAST SOME ENHANCED CHANCES FOR SHOWERS. MORE OF AN INFLUENCE OF THE NORTHERN STREAM JET IS EXPECTED IN OUR AREA AS OPPOSED TO THIS LOW BY MONDAY AND TUESDAY. SO COOLER /NEAR NORMAL/ TEMPERATURES ARE FORECAST WITH POTENTIALLY SOME SMALL CHANCES FOR SHOWERS...BUT BELOW MENTIONABLE AT THIS TIME. && .CLIMATE... 215 AM CST FORECAST HIGHS FOR TODAY DO POSSESS A RANGE OF SEVERAL DEGREES OF UNCERTAINTY BECAUSE OF THE LOW CLOUDS. RIGHT NOW...THE COOLING TREND IN THE FORECAST HAS TAKEN THIS BELOW A TOP TEN WARMEST THANKSGIVING. IT IS STILL POSSIBLE HOWEVER...THOUGH A SMALL CHANCE. FRIDAY HIGH TEMPERATURES ARE STILL FORECAST SEVERAL DEGREES BELOW RECORD HIGHS FOR LONG TERM CLIMATE SITES. THOSE RECORDS FOR NOVEMBER 25TH ARE 65 IN 2008 FOR ORD...AND 64 IN 1915 FOR RFD. IT IS UNLIKELY THESE WILL BE REACHED. EVEN AFTER THE COLD FRONT ON SATURDAY...TEMPERATURES ONLY FALL BACK TO NEAR NORMAL. CHICAGO HAS ONLY SEEN TWO DAYS THIS MONTH WHERE THE DEPARTURE FROM NORMAL WAS COOLER THAN -1. A COUPLE DAYS MORE ARE POSSIBLE BY THE END OF THE MONTH BUT THATS IT IN WHAT LOOKS TO SURELY BE A WARMER THAN NORMAL MONTH BY AT LEAST A COUPLE DEGREES. MTF && .AVIATION... //ORD AND MDW CONCERNS...UPDATED 18Z... * CIGS AROUND 700 FT LIFTING SLIGHTLY TO NEAR 1000 FT THEN EXPECTED TO SCATTER TOWARDS ROUGHLY 22-23Z. * POTENTIAL FOR IFR/LIFR CIGS TO REDEVELOP THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT...THEN SCATTERING MID MORNING FRIDAY. * PERIODS OF GUSTY SOUTHWEST WINDS TO AROUND 20 KT. * POTENTIAL FOR LLWS TONIGHT. MDB //DISCUSSION...UPDATED 18Z... IFR AND LOWER STRATUS CONTINUES ACROSS THE TERMINALS EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. SATELLITE TRENDS SHOW THE WESTERN EDGE OF THE STRATUS THINNING AND ERODING FROM NEAR DBQ TO JUST EAST OF GBG DOWN TO NEAR SPI AT 1745Z AND WORKING ITS WAY EAST. STRONG LOW LEVEL INVERSION REMAINS IN PLACE WHICH WILL LIKELY MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR THE CLEARING TO QUICKLY WORK EAST...ESPECIALLY BY LATE AFTERNOON BUT AM THINKING THAT THE TAF SITES WILL BE ABLE TO SCATTER LATE THIS AFTERNOON. HOW QUICKLY THIS OCCURS IS NOT QUITE CERTAIN. UNTIL THEN CLOUD BASES LOOK TO REMAIN FAIRLY STEADY WITH SOME MINIMAL INCREASE INTO MID AFTERNOON...WITH A MORE NOTABLE INCREASE IN BASES POSSIBLE AS SCATTERING OCCURS...THOUGH BASES WOULD LIKELY REMAIN BELOW 1500 FT. SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO BE GUSTY THOUGH GUSTS MAY BE ERRATIC IN FREQUENCY. ASSUMING SCATTERING/CLEARING CAN OCCUR BY EVENING THE NEXT CHALLENGE WILL BE IF IFR/LIFR CEILINGS CAN RETURN OVERNIGHT. INVERSION WILL REMAIN IN PLACE AND LOW LEVEL MOISTURE SHOULD REMAIN HIGH...ESPECIALLY GIVEN THAT SCATTERING WILL HAPPEN CLOSER TO DARK LIMITING THE CHANCE FOR DRIER AIR TO MIX DOWN. CONFIDENCE IS LOW SO WILL CONTINUE WITH THE TREND OF EARLIER FORECASTS TO BRING IFR BACK TO THE TERMINALS LATER THIS EVENING. THE INVERSION SHOULD HAVE A BETTER TIME MIXING OUT LATER FRIDAY MORNING ALLOWING ANY IFR TO CLEAR OUT BY MIDDAY OR SO. SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL REMAIN BREEZY TONIGHT WITH GUSTS INCREASING TO AROUND 25 KT...IF NOT SLIGHTLY HIGHER FRIDAY. MDB //ORD AND MDW CONFIDENCE...UPDATED 18Z... * MEDIUM CONFIDENCE IN CEILINGS LIFTING TO NEAR 1000 FT THIS AFTERNOON. * MEDIUM CONFIDENCE CEILINGS WILL SCATTER OUT...LOW-MEDIUM CONFIDENCE IN TIMING. * MEDIUM CONFIDENCE IFR CIGS WILL REDEVELOP THIS EVENING AND PERSIST INTO MID MORNING FRIDAY. * MEDIUM-HIGH CONFIDENCE REGARDING WIND SPEEDS/GUSTS. * HIGH CONFIDENCE IN WINDS INCREASING OFF THE DECK LATE THIS EVENING BUT LOW-MEDIUM CONFIDENCE THAT STRONG LLWS WILL DEVELOP. MDB //OUTLOOK FOR ORD/MDW FOR 00Z SATURDAY-12Z THURSDAY...UPDATED 12Z... FRIDAY NIGHT...VFR. CHANCE OF SHRA. SATURDAY...MVFR WITH IFR POSSIBLE. PERIODS OF RAIN DURING THE DAY. CHANCE OF SHRA/SHSN SATURDAY NIGHT. SUNDAY...MVFR POSSIBLE. CHANCE OF SHRA/SHSN. MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...VFR. CMS && .MARINE... 300 AM CST WINDS HAVE BEEN A LITTLE SLOW TO INCREASE THIS MORNING DESPITE A FAIRLY TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT AND STRONG FLOW ALOFT IN PLACE. WITH TWO SEPARATE AREAS OF LOW PRESSURE TO THE NORTH AND NORTHWEST OF THE LAKE AND A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE JUST TO THE SOUTHEAST...STRONG SOUTHERLY FLOW CONTINUES TO USHER IN WARMER AIR TO THE NORTH. BELIEVE THIS IS WHAT MAY BE CAUSING THIS SLOW INCREASE IN WIND SPEED AS A SLIGHTLY MORE STABLE LAKE MAY BE IN PLACE THAN WHAT CURRENT GUIDANCE IS INDICATING. NONETHELESS...WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE TODAY AS THIS TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT REMAINS AND FLOW ALOFT INCREASES. PERSISTENT SOUTHWEST WINDS TO 30 KT CAN BE EXPECTED INTO FRIDAY FOR BOTH THE NORTH AND SOUTH HALF OF LAKE MICHIGAN. HAVE LEFT OUT ANY MENTION OF GALES FOR THE LAKE THIS FORECAST ISSUANCE...BUT DO THINK THERE MAY BE BRIEF PERIODS OF HIGHER WINDS AROUND GALES LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING MAINLY FOR THE NORTH HALF OF THE LAKE. ALTHOUGH DO FEEL THAT THIS WILL BE SPORADIC AND BRIEF...THUS LEAVING ANY MENTION OF GALES OUT OF THE CURRENT FORECAST. SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL SLOWLY BEGIN TO DIMINISH FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY...BUT WILL BECOME MORE WESTERLY ON SATURDAY AS AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE AND ASSOCIATED FRONTAL BOUNDARY PUSH ACROSS THE LAKE. THEN A PERIOD OF WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED INTO THE START OF NEXT WEEK. RODRIGUEZ && .LOT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IL...NONE. IN...NONE. LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY...NEARSHORE WATERS UNTIL 10 PM FRIDAY. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
1021 AM CST THU NOV 24 2011 .DISCUSSION... 320 AM CST LOW CLOUDS CAN BE A WILDCARD DURING WARM AIR ADVECTION DURING THIS TIME OF YEAR...AND INDEED THE WIDESPREAD STRATUS HAS ENVELOPED THE AREA TO START OUT THANKSGIVING. THE ENVIRONMENT FAVORABLE FOR THIS AND HOW LONG IT WILL HAMPER WARMING TODAY...AND WHETHER OR NOT IT REDEVELOPS TONIGHT TO START FRIDAY...ARE THE PRIMARY CHALLENGES THIS MORNING. THIS IS FOLLOWED BY THE FRONTAL TIMING AND RAIN ON SATURDAY AND THE COLD AIR AND SNOW SHOWER CHANCES BEHIND IT. SYNOPSIS...THE EXPANSIVE STRATUS BANK LINES UP WELL THE LOW-LEVEL RIDGE THIS MORNING...FROM TEXARKANA NORTHEAST TO THE GREAT LAKES. AS OF EARLY THIS MORNING...THE FORECAST AREA IS ABOUT 150 MILES FROM THE NEAREST UPSTREAM SCATTERING IN NORTHEAST MO. ACCORDING TO AN EARLY MORNING ACARS SOUNDING AT RFD...THE CLOUD DEPTH IS AROUND 800 FT THICK OR SO...WHICH LIKELY SPEAKS FOR MUCH OF THE AREA. WHILE THAT IS NOT VERY DEEP...THE INVERSION STRENGTH IS IMPRESSIVE...WITH TEMPERATURES CLIMBING 16F IN ABOUT 1200 FT. THAT PRESENTS THE CHALLENGE TO ALLOW MIXING TO REALLY GET GOING TODAY. SURFACE TEMPERATURES AND DEW POINTS ARE BASICALLY HOLDING STEADY 38 TO 42 AND SHOULD THROUGH MID-MORNING. SOUTHWEST WINDS NEAR 10 MPH HAVE ALLEVIATED ANY DENSE FOG CONCERNS. TODAY...MANY OF THE SHORT TERM MODELS AND ASSOCIATED MOS HAVE GENERALLY STRUGGLED WITH THE LOW CLOUD DEPICTION. A FEW THAT HAVE HAD A GENERAL IDEA INCLUDE THE HRRR AND THE SPC 4KM WRF...AS WELL AS THE MOISTURE IN THE RUC 0-500M LAYER. THE THEME OF BASICALLY NO IMPROVEMENT THROUGH 10 AM IS SEEN IN ALL OF THESE. THE HRRR AND WRF THEN WANT TO SHOW MAJOR IMPROVEMENT. FORECAST SOUNDINGS ON THE RUC CONTINUE TO SHOW AN AGGRESSIVE INVERSION HOWEVER...AND ITS LOW LEVEL MOISTURE IS SLOWER TO IMPROVE...BASICALLY TOWARDS 3 PM. INEVITABLY SOME HOLES WILL DEVELOP IN THE CLOUD SHIELD AND TO PRECISELY INDICATE WHERE IS CHALLENGING MORE THAT A COUPLE HOURS IN ADVANCE. IT WOULD SEEM BY LATE MORNING INTO EARLY AFTERNOON THESE SHOULD INCREASE...ESPECIALLY OVER THE SOUTHERN AND WESTERN FORECAST AREA. THE CHICAGOLAND AREA MAY BE THE LAST PART OF THE CWA TO CLEAR SIMPLY DUE TO THE TRAJECTORIES OF DRY AIR FROM THE DISTANT SOUTHWEST. HAVE TAKEN TEMPS DOWN SOME...WEIGHING GREATLY TOWARDS THE COOLER GUIDANCE. THE 24.06 NAM IS SEVERAL DEGREES COOLER THAN ITS PRIOR RUN...AN INDICATION COOLER IS LIKELY THE WAY TO GO. NORMAL DIURNAL CLIMBS THIS TIME OF YEAR ARE AROUND 15 DEGREES...AND GIVEN CLOUDS FORECAST FOR OVER HALF THE DAYLIGHT HOURS...HAVE CLIMBS CLOSER TO 6-7 DEGREES. OVERALL...THE CONFIDENCE IS LOW FOR A PERIOD ONE FORECAST...BUT THE THEME OF COOLER THAN ORIGINALLY THOUGHT SHOULD HOLD TRUE. FOR MORE ON WHERE TODAYS HIGHS WILL FALL OUT FOR THANKSGIVING CLIMATOLOGY...PLEASE SEE THE CLIMATE DISCUSSION BELOW. TONIGHT AND FRIDAY...THE 24.00 NAM LOW-LEVEL PARCEL TRAJECTORIES OVER THE LOCAL AREA FOR FRIDAY MORNING ORIGINATE IN THE AIR MASS IN AR/SOUTHERN MO AT PRESENT. THAT AREA IS ALSO UNDER THE STRATUS BLANKET...WHICH IS CONCERNING. THERE WILL BE AN EVEN STRONGER LOW- LEVEL WIND COMPONENT TONIGHT WHICH SHOULD AT LEAST HELP TO KEEP THINGS MORE TURBULENT AND MORE CLOUD AREAS AS OPPOSED TO A WIDESPREAD BLANKET...IF CLOUDS DO REDEVELOP. THE NAM 0-500M MOISTURE FIELDS AND SOUNDINGS INDICATE THE POTENTIAL...THOUGH MORE IMPROVED THAN THIS MORNING. SO HAVE AT LEAST INCREASED SKY COVER BY QUITE A BIT GIVEN THE PERSISTENCE OF THE CLOUDS TO EXPAND THE PAST COUPLE NIGHTS. ANY CLOUDS SHOULD MOVE ON OR BREAK UP QUICKER ON FRIDAY MORNING...BEING REPLACED BY CIRRUS IN THE NORTH. TEMPERATURES STILL ARE ON PAR FOR MAINLY MID-UPPER 50S TO LOWER 60S FROM NORTH TO SOUTH. FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY...A STRONG UPPER TROUGH APPROACHING BRITISH COLUMBIA TODAY WILL BE OUR WEATHER-MAKER IN THIS PERIOD AS IT NEGATIVELY TILTS AND DIGS INTO THE UPPER MIDWEST. THE SUITE OF MODEL GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO SHOW SIZABLE DIFFERENCES IN THE SURFACE COLD FRONTAL TIMING FOR SATURDAY...WHICH WOULD DICTATE WHEN DURING SATURDAY THE HIGHEST POPS NEED TO BE FORECAST. WHAT GUIDANCE DOES AGREE ON IS GOOD QG FORCING...MOISTURE RETURN...AND FOCUS FOR RAIN. PRECIPITABLE WATERS INCREASE UP TO NEAR ONE INCH ON THE GFS/NAM IN A NARROW TONGUE AHEAD OF THE FRONT. THE BEST TIMING FOR RAIN STILL APPEARS TO BE DURING THE DAY SATURDAY...AND HAVE FURTHER TAPERED POPS ON FRIDAY NIGHT PRIOR TO MIDNIGHT. WHILE RAIN IS FAVORED ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA ON SATURDAY...THIS DOES LOOK TO BE MORE OF A HIGH POP/LOW QPF EVENT. THE 24.03 SREF QPF CONFIDENCE FOR SATURDAY IS ONLY 40 PERCENT FOR 0.25 OR GREATER OF AN INCH...AND THAT IS IN THE FAR SOUTH. IN THE ABSENCE OF THUNDER OR PRECIPITATION TYPE ISSUES...THE SREF TENDS TO HANDLE SUCH LOWER-END QPF CONFIDENCE FORECASTS WELL. AFTER A VERY MILD FRIDAY NIGHT...TEMPERATURES WILL GO NOWHERE ON SATURDAY...CLIMBING ONLY A COUPLE DEGREES POSSIBLY IN THE MORNING BEFORE GRADUALLY COMING DOWN...AND THEN QUICKLY DOWN AFTER THE FRONTAL PASSAGE. THAT PASSAGE IS RIGHT NOW FAVORED TO BE IN THE AFTERNOON. SATURDAY NIGHT WOULD LOOK TO HAVE SCATTERED SHOWERS IF ANYTHING...POSSIBLY WITH SOME LIGHT SNOW MIXED IN AS THE COLUMN CONTINUES TO COOL. SUNDAY AND BEYOND...HAVE OVERALL TRENDED SLIGHTLY DRIER DURING THIS TIME AS MODELS CONTINUE TO INDICATE A QUICKER PROGRESSION OF THE UPPER LOW...EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE CONTINUED SIGNS IT MAY CUT OFF...LIKE ON THE 24.00 EC. SUNDAY WILL STILL SEE CYCLONIC FLOW IT APPEARS...AND HAVE GONE ABOVE THE MODEL BLEND FOR SKY COVER AND SHOWER CHANCES. THERE IS AN INCREASINGLY BETTER SIGNAL FOR LAKE ENHANCED SHOWERS INTO NORTHWEST INDIANA...WHICH COULD BE SNOW SHOWERS BASED ON THE FORECAST SOUNDINGS. THE NEARLY DRY ADIABATIC LAPSE RATES BASED ON THE COLD AIR ADVECTION OVER THE LAKE...THE LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE...AND CONVERGENCE ALL FAVOR AT LEAST SOME ENHANCED CHANCES FOR SHOWERS. MORE OF AN INFLUENCE OF THE NORTHERN STREAM JET IS EXPECTED IN OUR AREA AS OPPOSED TO THIS LOW BY MONDAY AND TUESDAY. SO COOLER /NEAR NORMAL/ TEMPERATURES ARE FORECAST WITH POTENTIALLY SOME SMALL CHANCES FOR SHOWERS...BUT BELOW MENTIONABLE AT THIS TIME. && .CLIMATE... 215 AM CST FORECAST HIGHS FOR TODAY DO POSSESS A RANGE OF SEVERAL DEGREES OF UNCERTAINTY BECAUSE OF THE LOW CLOUDS. RIGHT NOW...THE COOLING TREND IN THE FORECAST HAS TAKEN THIS BELOW A TOP TEN WARMEST THANKSGIVING. IT IS STILL POSSIBLE HOWEVER...THOUGH A SMALL CHANCE. FRIDAY HIGH TEMPERATURES ARE STILL FORECAST SEVERAL DEGREES BELOW RECORD HIGHS FOR LONG TERM CLIMATE SITES. THOSE RECORDS FOR NOVEMBER 25TH ARE 65 IN 2008 FOR ORD...AND 64 IN 1915 FOR RFD. IT IS UNLIKELY THESE WILL BE REACHED. EVEN AFTER THE COLD FRONT ON SATURDAY...TEMPERATURES ONLY FALL BACK TO NEAR NORMAL. CHICAGO HAS ONLY SEEN TWO DAYS THIS MONTH WHERE THE DEPARTURE FROM NORMAL WAS COOLER THAN -1. A COUPLE DAYS MORE ARE POSSIBLE BY THE END OF THE MONTH BUT THATS IT IN WHAT LOOKS TO SURELY BE A WARMER THAN NORMAL MONTH BY AT LEAST A COUPLE DEGREES. MTF && .AVIATION... //ORD AND MDW CONCERNS...UPDATED 16Z... * CIGS AROUND 700 FT SLOWLY LIFTING TO AROUND 1000 FT SOMETIME EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...POTENTIAL FOR SCATTERING LATE THIS AFTERNOON. * IFR/LIFR CIGS REDEVELOPING THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. * PERIODS OF GUSTY SOUTHWEST WINDS TO AROUND 20 KT. * POTENTIAL FOR LLWS TONIGHT. MDB //DISCUSSION...UPDATED 16Z... IFR/LIFR STRATUS CONTINUES ACROSS THE TERMINALS WITH IFR VSBY AS WELL. STILL EXPECT THAT BASES WILL GRADUALLY LIFT THIS AFTERNOON WITH VSBY ALSO IMPROVING. THE TWO MAIN CHALLENGES IS HOW HIGH BASES WILL GET THIS AFTERNOON AND THEY WILL SCATTER ACROSS ANY OF THE TERMINALS. LATEST SATELLITE TRENDS SHOW THINNING/ERODING OF STRATUS ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER FROM SOUTH OF ST. LOUIS NORTHWARD TOWARDS THE QUAD CITIES AND EXPECT THIS EROSION TO SPREAD EASTWARD. LATEST AIRCRAFT SOUNDINGS CONTINUE TO SHOW VERY STRONG LOW LEVEL INVERSION OVER THE LOCAL AREA WHICH WILL ACT TO KEEP CLOUDS IN PLACE AND LIMIT THE EASTERN EXTENT OF CLEARING INTO THE AFTERNOON. THAT SAID...THINK AREAS SOUTH AND WEST OF THE TERMINALS WILL SCATTER/CLEAR INTO EARLY AFTERNOON BUT INVERSION MAY TRAP ENOUGH MOISTURE TO DEVELOP NEW STRATOCU AS HEATING COMMENCES. FOR THE TERMINALS...THERE IS A CHANCE THAT SCATTERING WILL OCCUR MID/LATE AFTERNOON BUT HAVE LIMITED CONFIDENCE THAT THIS WILL OCCUR SO WILL MAKE LITTLE CHANGE TO THE TAF BEYOND 20Z FOR NOW. FROM 12Z... VERY LARGE AREA OF IFR/LIFR CIGS EXTENDS FROM THE GREAT LAKES SOUTH TO THE ARKLATEX THIS MORNING. LOCALLY THESE CLOUDS ARE TRAPPED UNDER A VERY STRONG INVERSION JUST A FEW THOUSAND FEET ALOFT AND IT WILL LIKELY BE UNTIL AT LEAST EARLY THIS AFTERNOON BEFORE THESE CLOUDS POTENTIALLY SHOW SOME BREAKS OR SCATTER OUT. WHILE CIGS SHOULD SLOWLY DIURNALLY LIFT THROUGH IFR INTO LOW MVFR THIS AFTERNOON...CONFIDENCE ON TIMING AND SPECIFIC HEIGHTS IS LOW. THE INVERSION ALOFT BECOMES EVEN STRONGER TONIGHT AND WITH LOW LEVEL MOISTURE STILL STREAMING NORTH...SHOULD CLOUDS SCATTER OUT THEY SHOULD QUICKLY REDEVELOP BY LATE EVENING/EARLY FRIDAY MORNING. THOUGH THE INVERSION DOES MIX OUT RATHER QUICKLY AFTER SUNRISE FRIDAY MORNING. VISIBILITIES HAVE GENERALLY BEEN IN THE 2-4SM RANGE MOST AREAS AND NOT EXPECTING ANYTHING MUCH LOWER THAN THAT...AT LEAST NOT ANYTHING WIDESPREAD. THE VIS SHOULD IMPROVE THROUGH THE MORNING BUT LIKELY DROP BACK INTO MVFR THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. DESPITE THE LOW INVERSION...WINDS HAVE GUSTED IN THE 15-20KT RANGE DURING THE EARLY MORNING HRS AND EXPECT GUSTS IN THIS RANGE FOR MUCH OF THE DAY...WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME HIGHER GUSTS DURING THE AFTERNOON SHOULD LOW CLOUDS SCATTER OUT. GRADIENT REMAINS TIGHT THROUGH THE NIGHT AND LOW LEVEL WINDS ALOFT INCREASE TO 40-45 KTS BY 2KFT...THUS THE POTENTIAL FOR LLWS. HAVE OPTED TO LEAVE THIS OUT OF THIS FORECAST SINCE IT IS QUITE POSSIBLE SURFACE WINDS WILL BE GUSTY AND CONFIDENCE REGARDING MEETING LLWS CRITERIA IS LOW. CMS //ORD AND MDW CONFIDENCE...UPDATED 16Z... * MEDIUM CONFIDENCE IFR CIGS WILL LIFT TO LOW MVFR EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...LOW CONFIDENCE ON TIMING AND IF CIGS WILL LIFT TO MUCH ABOVE 1000 FT. * LOW CONFIDENCE LOW MVFR CIGS WILL SCATTER OUT THIS AFTERNOON. * MEDIUM CONFIDENCE IFR CIGS WILL REDEVELOP THIS EVENING AND PERSIST INTO MID MORNING FRIDAY. * MEDIUM CONFIDENCE REGARDING WIND SPEEDS/GUSTS. * LOW CONFIDENCE REGARDING LLWS TONIGHT. MDB //OUTLOOK FOR ORD/MDW FOR 00Z SATURDAY-12Z THURSDAY...UPDATED 12Z... FRIDAY NIGHT...VFR. CHANCE OF SHRA. SATURDAY...MVFR WITH IFR POSSIBLE. PERIODS OF RAIN DURING THE DAY. CHANCE OF SHRA/SHSN SATURDAY NIGHT. SUNDAY...MVFR POSSIBLE. CHANCE OF SHRA/SHSN. MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...VFR. CMS && .MARINE... 300 AM CST WINDS HAVE BEEN A LITTLE SLOW TO INCREASE THIS MORNING DESPITE A FAIRLY TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT AND STRONG FLOW ALOFT IN PLACE. WITH TWO SEPARATE AREAS OF LOW PRESSURE TO THE NORTH AND NORTHWEST OF THE LAKE AND A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE JUST TO THE SOUTHEAST...STRONG SOUTHERLY FLOW CONTINUES TO USHER IN WARMER AIR TO THE NORTH. BELIEVE THIS IS WHAT MAY BE CAUSING THIS SLOW INCREASE IN WIND SPEED AS A SLIGHTLY MORE STABLE LAKE MAY BE IN PLACE THAN WHAT CURRENT GUIDANCE IS INDICATING. NONETHELESS...WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE TODAY AS THIS TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT REMAINS AND FLOW ALOFT INCREASES. PERSISTENT SOUTHWEST WINDS TO 30 KT CAN BE EXPECTED INTO FRIDAY FOR BOTH THE NORTH AND SOUTH HALF OF LAKE MICHIGAN. HAVE LEFT OUT ANY MENTION OF GALES FOR THE LAKE THIS FORECAST ISSUANCE...BUT DO THINK THERE MAY BE BRIEF PERIODS OF HIGHER WINDS AROUND GALES LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING MAINLY FOR THE NORTH HALF OF THE LAKE. ALTHOUGH DO FEEL THAT THIS WILL BE SPORADIC AND BRIEF...THUS LEAVING ANY MENTION OF GALES OUT OF THE CURRENT FORECAST. SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL SLOWLY BEGIN TO DIMINISH FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY...BUT WILL BECOME MORE WESTERLY ON SATURDAY AS AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE AND ASSOCIATED FRONTAL BOUNDARY PUSH ACROSS THE LAKE. THEN A PERIOD OF WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED INTO THE START OF NEXT WEEK. RODRIGUEZ && .LOT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IL...NONE. IN...NONE. LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY...NEARSHORE WATERS UNTIL 10 PM FRIDAY. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS NORTHERN INDIANA
352 PM EST THU NOV 24 2011 .SHORT TERM... TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT BROAD SW UPPER FLOW REMAINS IN PLACE OVER THE REGION WITH SFC PRESSURE FALLS CONTINUING OVER THE UPPER MIDWEST IN RESPONSE TO A PROGRESSING NORTHERN STREAM TROUGH. A STAUNCH INVERSION REMAINS IN PLACE PER A SIG WAA REGIME...WITH TRAPPED MOISTURE IN THE BL. INSOLATION AND ENSUED MIXING PROCESSES ARE WORKING TO BREAK THE PERSISTENT CLOUD DECK UP...AND SOME SUN WILL BE POSSIBLE IN AREAS THIS AFTERNOON. HOWEVER...DIURNAL BL COOLING WILL LIKELY SUPPORT RE-SATURATION WITH THE CLOUD LAYER FILLING BACK IN...THIS BEING THE MAIN FORECAST CHALLENGE. TEMPS HAVE STRUGGLED TO RISE ACROSS THE FA GIVEN CLOUD COVER...BUT POSITIVE THERMAL ADVECTION HAS ALLOWED FOR SOME RECOVERY AS LL WIND INCREASES PER HIGHER LATITUDE PRESSURE FALLS. SYNOPTIC EVOLUTION IN THE PERIOD WILL FEATURE CENTRAL PLAINS PHASING OF THE PAC NW AND SW CONUS UPPER TROUGHS...WITH A WAA REGIME CONTINUING THROUGH THE PERIOD AHEAD OF THE LL TROUGH REFLECTION. HEIGHT RISES COMBINED WITH A DIRTY TYPE RIDGE RIDDLED WITH LOW AMPLITUDE IMPULSES WILL SUPPORT INCREASING CIRRUS ON FRIDAY. MUCH WARMER WEATHER IS IN STORE FRIDAY GIVEN A TREND TO MOSTLY SUNNY CONDITIONS AND WARM THERMAL FIELDS IN THE SFC TO H925 LAYER. RAOB AND TAMDAR ANALYSIS CONFIRM A SATURATED LAYER IN THE H975-H95 LAYER...WITH LOCAL CLOUD LAYER SOURCE BACK TRAJECTORY SAMPLING A LARGE PORTION OF THE STRATUS LAYER IN PLACE OVER THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. BULK OF DRY AIR PUSH ASSOCIATED WITH REFLECTED LL FLOW WILL REMAIN NORTH OF THE REGION...WITH H975-H95 FLOW REMAINING SOUTHERLY OVERNIGHT. RUC13 AND NAM12 BOTH SUGGEST RE-SATURATION OF THIS LAYER...WHICH IS VERY REASONABLE GIVEN CLOUD LAYER TRAJECTORIES/A SHARP BL TOP INVERSION/AND AMPLE LL MOISTURE IN THE BL. HENCE...EXPECTING CLOUDS TO FILL BACK IN THIS EVENING. INCREASING NOCTURNAL LLJ AND ASSOCIATED TURBULENT MIX DOWN MAY SUPPORT SOME CLOUD BREAK UP LATE IN THE NIGHT...ESP ACROSS THE NORTHWEST WHERE H95 GEOSTROPHIC FLOW INCREASES TO OVER 35 KNOTS. CLOUD LAYER FLOW WILL VEER SW TOWARD DAWN AND HELP SUPPORT THE ADVECTION OF HIGH PLAINS SOURCE DRIER AIR...WITH CLEARING OF CIGS THROUGH LATE MORNING. PHASING UPPER TROUGH WITH SLOW EAST ADVECTION WILL DELAY ANY PRECIP CHANCES UNTIL SATURDAY GIVEN CONTINUED DRY DEEP LAYER FLOW WITH THE BULK OF ALL SYSTEM GENERATED ASCENT REMAINING WELL NORTH AND WEST OF THE REGION. NO SIG CHANGE TO TEMPS. CLOUDS AND MIXED LL FLOW WILL SUPPORT A RELATIVELY MILD NIGHT TONIGHT AND FRIDAY...WITH LOWS IN THE 40S...COOLEST READINGS TONIGHT. CLEARING LL STRATUS/WARM THERMAL FIELDS/AND GENEROUS MIXING WILL SUPPORT HIGHS INTO THE 50S...WITH SOME LOWER 60S POSSIBLE ACROSS THE SW THIRD FRIDAY. && .LONG TERM... SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. PRIMARY FOCUS ON DY3 PRECIP TIMING AND INTRO RASN MIX LATE SAT NIGHT TO PRIMARY FZN PTYPE ON SUN...IN LES REGN. LARGE DISCREPANCIES IN MID RANGE...HOWEVER FAVOR NAM/GFS/SREF DVLPG GRTLKS CUTOFF DY3 AS OPPOSED TO ECMWF/GEM TAKING FAR SRN DIXIE/GOMEX CUTOFF. GIVEN RAMPED NRN STREAM FLOW ACRS ENTIRE PACIFIC TO JAPAN GTE 150 KTS PER SAT DERIVED WINDS...AIDED BY COMPLEX BC TO ALEUTIANS VORTEX. STRONG/DEEP CAA IN MERIDONAL FLOW AS UL RIDGE FM SOCAL BUILDS TOWARD SRN CANADA 12 UTC SUN. ADNLY NO ENSEMBLE GFS MEMBERS TAKE STRONG SRN CUTOFF APPROACH. NAM/GFS BUFKIT WET BULB PROFILES WOULD SUGGEST THAT PTYPE CHANGEOVER MAY BE COMPLETE TO FZN ACRS NRN/NWRN CWA LATE SAT NIGHT...BUT GIVEN ALL LIQUID PRIOR FCST WL ATTEMPT TO START TREND. SOME ACCUM PSBL IN LES REGN SUN...THOUGH EXTRM DISCREPANCIES IN CBL FLOW AS EXPECTED AT F72-84. ATTENDENT SFC LOW SHOULD BEGIN LIFTOUT MON WITH CONTINUATION OF PROGRESSIVE NRN STREAM FLOW AND IN COLLAB WITH MI NEIGHBORS HAVE AXED PRIOR LOW CHC MENTION MON-TUE NIGHT. FEW CHANGES OTHERWISE...APPEARS NEXT NRN STREAM TROF DIGS INTO WRN GRTLKS/UPR MSVLY PER GEFS ON DY7 WITH POTNL CHC SHSN THEREAFTER. && .AVIATION.../18Z TAFS/ IFR CIGS WILL REMAIN IN PLACE FOR MOST OF THE DAY GIVEN TRAPPED LL MOISTURE UNDER A STAUNCH INVERSION. SCOURING OF THIS CLOUD DECK IS ONGOING ACROSS WESTERN IL AND THIS IS EXPECTED TO SLOWLY SPREAD INTO THE AREA LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING PER NEGATIVE THETA-E ADV INTO THE SATURATED CLOUD LAYER. HENCE...EXPECT A SW-NE IFR- VFR TREND IN TAFS...ESP WESTERN HALF. THIS PROCESS MAY SEE A DELAY GIVEN DIURNAL BL COOLING THIS EVENING...ESP EASTERN AREAS. HOWEVER...ONCE THE EXPECTED NOCTURNAL LLJ DEVELOPS IN RESPONSE TO UPSTREAM PRESSURE FALLS...ANY REMAINING LOW CIGS SHOULD DISSIPATE BY LATE TONIGHT. && .IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IN...NONE. MI...NONE. OH...NONE. LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 11 AM EST SATURDAY FOR LMZ043-046. && $$ SHORT TERM...JC LONG TERM...MURPHY AVIATION...JC
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS NORTHERN INDIANA
1244 PM EST THU NOV 24 2011 .AVIATION.../18Z TAFS/ IFR CIGS WILL REMAIN IN PLACE FOR MOST OF THE DAY GIVEN TRAPPED LL MOISTURE UNDER A STAUNCH INVERSION. SCOURING OF THIS CLOUD DECK IS ONGOING ACROSS WESTERN IL AND THIS IS EXPECTED TO SLOWLY SPREAD INTO THE AREA LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING PER NEGATIVE THETA-E ADV INTO THE SATURATED CLOUD LAYER. HENCE...EXPECT A SW-NE IFR- VFR TREND IN TAFS...ESP WESTERN HALF. THIS PROCESS MAY SEE A DELAY GIVEN DIURNAL BL COOLING THIS EVENING...ESP EASTERN AREAS. HOWEVER...ONCE THE EXPECTED NOCTURNAL LLJ DEVELOPS IN RESPONSE TO UPSTREAM PRESSURE FALLS...ANY REMAINING LOW CIGS SHOULD DISSIPATE BY LATE TONIGHT. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 1053 AM EST THU NOV 24 2011/ UPDATE... STAUNCH LL INVERSION IN PLACE PER RAOB/TAMDAR ANALYSIS WITH WAA REGIME ONGOING ACROSS THE FA. LL MOISTURE REMAINS TRAPPED BELOW THE INVERSION BASE...WHICH IS JUST ABOVE H95...AND INCREASING FLOW WILL LIKELY BE TOO LITTLE TO SUPPORT MIX OUT OF STRATUS TODAY. SATELLITE CONFIRMS STRATUS DECK STRETCHING BACK TO TX...AND GIVEN LOW SUN ANGLE AND A RE-ENFORCING INVERSION PER WAA...HAVE UPDATED SKY GRIDS TO HOLD CLOUDY MENTION THROUGH THE DAY. THE POTENTIAL FOR A FEW BREAKS LINGERS ACROSS THE NW THIRD GIVEN THE INCREASED POTENTIAL FOR TURBULENT BL TOP MIXING...ALBEIT SMALL ATTM. OTHERWISE...EVEN WITH THE LACK OF STRONG INSOLATION TEMPS WILL CONTINUE TO CLIMB THROUGH AFTERNOON GIVEN SIG WAA. HOWEVER...MOST AREAS WILL FALL SHORT OF 50...SAVE THE NW WHERE THERMAL ADVECTION WILL BE THE STRONGEST. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 411 AM EST THU NOV 24 2011/ SHORT TERM... AS FEARED...POTENTIAL WRINKLES IN TERMS OF STRATUS AND FOG CAME TO FRUITION OVERNIGHT AND ARE CAUSE FOR SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO SHORT TERM FORECAST GRIDS. 11-3.9 MICRON SATELLITE IMAGE SHOWS LARGE AREA OF STRATUS ACROSS THE MS AND OH RIVER VALLEY REGIONS AND QUICKLY EXPANDING NORTHEAST ACROSS OUR AREA AS OF 08Z. 1000MB SW FLOW OF 5 TO 10 KNOTS AIDING IN MOVING STRATUS NORTHEAST. THE ENTIRE SHORT TERM FORECAST HINGES ON WHAT THIS STRATUS DECK DOES OVER NEXT 24 HOURS AND HENCE THE SHORT TERM PROBLEM OF THE DAY. NAM12 AND RUC HAVE SOME CLUE THAT STRATUS EXISTS BUT HRRR SEEMS TO HAVE BEST HANDLE BY FAR. MOS GUIDANCE HAS NO CLUE WITH CLOUD COVER CATEGORIES MAINLY CLEAR THROUGH THE PERIOD AND EVEN LAMP GUIDANCE AS OF 08Z HAS NO INDICATION. THUS MOS TEMPS NOT CLOSE TODAY FOR OPTIMISTIC 50S UNLESS CLOUD COVER ERODES QUICKLY WHICH IS DOUBTFUL AT THIS TIME. NAM12 BUFKIT SOUNDINGS SHOW SATURATED SURFACE TO 1KFT LAYER WITH STRONG INVERSION AND VERY DRY AIR ABOVE. WHILE YESTERDAYS MODEL RUNS MIXED THE LOWER LEVELS...LATEST RUNS ARE MUCH STRONGER WITH INVERSION AND SLIGHTLY DEEPER WITH MOIST LAYER LEADING TO LITTLE MIXING UNTIL LATE AFTERNOON. LATEST HRRR LOW CLOUD PRODUCT HAD STRATUS AREA NAILED AT INITIATION AND KEEPS IT LOCKED THROUGH ITS VALID PERIOD WHICH IS MID AFTERNOON. HRRR 2M TEMPS ALSO REMAIN IN UPPER 30S AND LOWER 40S THROUGH MID AFTERNOON. ALSO SOME CONCERN FOR DRIZZLE FOR A FEW HOURS AFTER SUNRISE AS TURBULENT MIXING OF SHALLOW CLOUD TOPS OFTEN LEADS TO PERIOD OF LIGHT PRECIPITATION...ESPECIALLY WHEN SUB CLOUD LAYER IS MOIST WITH BR OR FOG. HAVE ADDED A CHANCE FOR DRIZZLE TO ACCOUNT FOR THIS POSSIBILITY THROUGH MID MORNING. A LOOK BACK AT SATELLITE TRENDS ON WEDNESDAY REVEALED VERY LITTLE MIXING OF STRATUS AND THUS CONCERNED FOR SIMILAR TREND TODAY INTO TONIGHT. SUBTLE DIFFERENCE TODAY WILL BE INCREASING WINDS IN THE 1000-925MB LAYER... ESPECIALLY ABOVE 950MB WITH 40 TO 50 KNOTS DEVELOPING LATE TONIGHT. HOWEVER...THIS WILL BE JUST ABOVE INVERSION AND MAY NOT BE ENOUGH TO MIX OUT LOWER STRATUS DECK GIVEN STRONG INVERSION IN PLACE. 1000MB WINDS LOOK TO INCREASE BUT ONLY IN THE 5 TO 15 KNOT RANGE WITH LIGHTER WINDS UPSTREAM WHERE STRATUS COULD REDEVELOP AND AGAIN ADVECT BACK IN. AFTER MUCH COLLABORATION HAVE OPTED FOR CLOUDY CONDITIONS THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON WITH A SUBTLE OPTIMISTIC TRANSITION TO PARTLY CLOUDY MID TO LATE AFTERNOON. KEPT SKY COVER IN PARTLY CLOUDY RANGE TONIGHT WITH UNCERTAINTY CONTINUING AS TO DEGREE OF REDEVELOPMENT IF WE ACTUALLY DO BREAK OUT THIS AFTERNOON. STRONGER FLOW ON FRIDAY AHEAD OF NEXT SYSTEM SUGGEST ANY REMAINING STRATUS WOULD MIX OUT MID TO LATE MORNING. TEMPS OBVIOUSLY WILL BE IMPACTED SIGNIFICANTLY WITH THIS STRATUS. HAVE LOWERED HIGHS TODAY SEVERAL DEGREES BUT LIKELY NOT NEARLY ENOUGH IF CLOUDS PERSIST ALL DAY. HAVE TO RESPECT PARTIAL CLEARING IN AFTERNOON SO DID NOT GO AS LOW AS COLDEST MODEL BLENDS. 06Z NAM12 KEEPING TEMPS IN 30S ALL AREAS TODAY. MINS TONIGHT NOW HEAVILY DEPENDENT ON ACTUAL MAX TEMPS TODAY BUT EXPECT LITTLE DROP OFF WITH DECENT GRADIENT AND CLOUD POTENTIAL. KEPT TEMPS IN LOW TO MID 40S TONIGHT. HIGHS ON FRIDAY STILL LOOK TO BE NEAR 60 WITH BETTER MIXING BUT CONCERNS CONTINUE FOR LINGERING STRATUS IN THE MORNING. LONG TERM.../SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/ FEW SIG CHANGES TO LONG TERM WITH MODEL TURMOIL STILL ABUNDANT THROUGH THE PERIOD. ARRIVAL OF TROUGH FROM THE WEST AND ASSOCIATED PRECIP STILL NOT MUCH CLEARER WITH NAM/GFS SPREADING RAIN ACROSS THE AREA MID MORNING WEST INTO AFTERNOON EAST VS ECMWF MORE QUICK AFTERNOON ARRIVAL WEST TO EAST. THESE FASTER SOLUTIONS ALSO PUSHES PRECIP OUT AFTER 6Z SUN IN WESTERN AREAS. THINK COMPROMISE STILL NEEDED IN MODELS...MEANING GENERALLY SAME FORECAST FOR SAT/SAT NGT. TEMPS STILL GOING TO BE TRICKY BUT WITH INCREASING MID/HIGH CLOUDS THINK THEY WILL BE KEPT IN CHECK ESPECIALLY WEST. HAVE INCREASED SKY COVER TO REFLECT FASTER CLOUD ARRIVAL. ECMWF ONLY MODEL THAT STARTS PROGRESSIVE SUNDAY WITH GFS/GEFS/GEM ALL SHOWING CLOSED UPPER LOW ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES /IN VARYING LOCATIONS/. WITH TIME...ECMWF AND GEM CONTINUE A DEPICTION OF RAPID DEEPENING OF UPPER LOW AND MAJOR TRANSLATION SOUTHWARD IN ENERGY. GFS/GEFS HOLD WITH NORTHERN INFLUENCE BEING STRONGER. NEXT TROUGH WILL MOVE INTO THE AREA MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY AND INTERACT WITH CLOSED LOW WHEREVER IT MAY BE. THINK THERE WILL BE AT LEAST A DECENT SHOT FOR PRECIP UNDER THE UPPER LOW WITH COOL NW FLOW ACROSS THE LAKE AND SYNOPTIC MSTR STILL ACROSS THE AREA. IN ADDITION...PIECE OF ENERGY SHOULD ROTATE ACROSS THE AREA ON SUNDAY. WILL MAINTAIN MID RANGE CHC POPS FOR NOW WITH POSSIBLE INCREASE TO LIKELY WITH TIME. BASED ON THERMAL PROFILES...HAVE OPTED TO THROW IN MIX MENTION FOR THE DAY AS 1000-850 MB VALUES DROP TO NEAR OR BELOW 1300 M. HAVE ONLY MADE MINOR TWEAKS TO POPS FROM CR INIT TO PLACE HIGHER EMPHASIS ON PAST VS PRESENT WITH SLIGHTLY HIGHER POPS. WHILE AN OUTLIER...IF ECMWF SOLUTION OF UPPER LOW EVENTUALLY WORKING NORTH TOWARDS THE AREA MON NGT INTO TUES NGT BODES TRUE...COULD BE RATHER WET. ECMWF HAS BEEN VERY VARIABLE OF LATE...BUT NO WORSE THAN SOME OF THE OTHERS LEADING TO AT LEAST CONSIDERATION OF THE SCENARIO. REGARDLESS OF SOLUTIONS...NORMAL TO BELOW NORMAL TEMPS WILL BE IN STORE SUNDAY AND BEYOND. && .IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IN...NONE. MI...NONE. OH...NONE. LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 AM EST SATURDAY FOR LMZ043-046. && $$ SHORT TERM...LASHLEY LONG TERM...FISHER AVIATION/UPDATE...JC
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GRAND RAPIDS MI
1246 PM EST THU NOV 24 2011 LATEST UPDATE...AVIATION... .SYNOPSIS...(400 AM EST THU NOV 24 2011) THANKSGIVING DAY WILL SEE SOME CLOUDS MOVE IN WITH HIGHS IN THE UPPER 40S. NO RAIN IS EXPECTED UNTIL THE WEEKEND WHEN A COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH. RAIN SHOWERS COULD MIX WITH WET SNOW BY SUNDAY NIGHT AS COLDER AIR MOVES IN BEHIND THE COLD FRONT. && .SHORT TERM...(400 AM EST THU NOV 24 2011) (TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY) FORECAST PROBLEMS IN THE NEAR TERM INCLUDE LOW CLOUDS AND POTENTIAL IMPACT ON MAX TEMPS TODAY AND TIMING IN THE RAIN ON SATURDAY. LOWERED MAXES FROM THE LOWER 50S TO UPPER 40S FOR TODAY AS SATELLITE AND OBS SHOW AREA OF LOW STRATUS MOVING INTO THE WESTERN FORECAST AREA ATTM. MAX TEMPS WERE HELD TO THE LOWER 40S ACROSS IOWA ON WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON UNDER THESE CLOUDS. 00Z NAM RH PROFILES SHOW INVERSION SLOWLY LOWERING AND SUGGESTS CLOUDS COULD BREAK UP THIS AFTERNOON...BUT LATEST RUC IS MORE PESSIMISTIC AND WOULD MEAN A CLOUDY DAY AND MAXES PROBABLY HELD IN THE MID 40S. STRATUS MAY HANG ON EVEN INTO TONIGHT AND POSSIBLE FRIDAY MORNING BEFORE INCREASING WINDS AND MIXING SCOUR THEM OUT. KEPT CHANCE POPS UP NORTH FOR FRIDAY NIGHT AS SOME ISENTROPIC ASCENT AND MID LEVEL MOISTURE IS AVAILABLE. THE STEADIER RAIN SHOULD HOLD OFF UNTIL AFTER 12Z SATURDAY AND POSSIBLY UNTIL 00Z SUNDAY IF THE SLOWER EURO SOLUTION PANS OUT...AS DIGGING SHORTWAVE TROUGH APPROACHES AND COUPLED JET ALONG WITH DEEP MOISTURE MOVES IN. && .LONG TERM...(400 AM EST THU NOV 24 2011) (SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY) THE MID RANGE MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW DIFFERENCES IN THE LONG TERM. THERE IS GOOD AGREEMENT ON THE SYSTEM SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT. HOWEVER... CONFIDENCE IS LOWER FOR THE POTENTIAL PRECIPITATION WITH A SYSTEM MONDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY. IN FACT... THE ECMWF SHOWS THE WEATHER ASSOCIATED WITH A CUT OFF LOW SWEEPING BY TO THE SOUTHEAST OF THE AREA. MEANWHILE... THE GFS HAS NO CUTOFF LOW AND MOVES A WEAK CANADIAN WAVE BY TO THE NORTH. THEREFORE... CONFIDENCE AND THE POPS ARE LOWER AFTER MONDAY AND SOME PERIODS HAVE BEEN DRIED OUT. THE PRECIPITATION... IF IT OCCURS... COULD BE RAIN... SNOW OR A RAIN/SNOW MIX. TEMPERATURES WILL BE A LITTLE ABOVE NORMAL THROUGH THE WEEKEND. THEY WILL BE AROUND NORMAL NEXT WEEK. NORMAL HIGHS THIS TIME OF YEAR ARE AROUND 40 DEGREES AND NORMAL LOWS ARE IN THE UPPER 20S. && .AVIATION...(1246 PM EST THU NOV 24 2011) A TEMPERATURE INVERSION WAS HOLDING IN THE LOW CLOUDS THIS AFTERNOON. CEILINGS WERE MAINLY IFR ALONG AND SOUTH OF I-96...WITH MVFR TO THE NORTH. DRYING IN THE LOW LEVELS SLOWLY OCCURS FROM THE SW AND THIS IS EVIDENT WITH THE CLEARING THAT WAS OCCURRING ACROSS CENTRAL IL AS OF 17Z. FEEL WE WILL SEE SOME IMPROVEMENT INTO THE EVENING AND OVERNIGHT AS THIS DRIER LOW LEVEL AIR ARRIVES. THE I-94 TAF SITES SHOULD IMPROVE DURING THE 00-04Z TIME FRAME. WHILE THE I-96 AREA SHOULD IMPROVE 03-07Z. SOME LOW CLOUDS COULD LINGER EVEN LONGER ALONG THE LAKE MICHIGAN SHORE. ONCE THE CLOUDS BREAK OUT VFR CONDITIONS SHOULD PREVAIL THROUGH MID DAY FRI. HOWEVER...SW WINDS SHOULD GUST TO AROUND 25 KTS AFTER 14Z FRI. && .MARINE...(400 AM EST THU NOV 24 2011) ISSUED A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT AS A TIGHTENING PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL BRING WEST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS GUSTING TO 25 KNOTS AND WAVES BUILDING ABOVE FOUR FEET. && .GRR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MI...NONE. LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT. && $$ SYNOPSIS: OSTUNO SHORT TERM: OSTUNO LONG TERM: 63 AVIATION: JK MARINE: OSTUNO
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MARQUETTE MI
1230 PM EST THU NOV 24 2011 UPDATED AVIATION DISCUSSION FOR 18Z TAFS .SYNOPSIS... WV IMAGERY AND RUC ANALYSIS INDICATED A BROAD MID/UPPER LEVEL RIDGE ACROSS THE CNTRL CONUS. A SHORTWAVE TROUGH OFFSHORE FROM THE PAC NW WILL HELP AMPLIFY A PROGRESSIVE MID LEVEL TROUGH THAT WILL MOVE INTO THE PLAINS TONIGHT AND TO THE WRN GREAT LAKES BY LATE SAT. AT THE SFC...SSW FLOW PREVAILED OVER THE REGION BTWN LOW PRES INTO SRN MANITOBA AND A RIDGE OVER THE OH AND LOWER MS VALLEY. 11-3.9 IR LOOP INDICATED LOW CLOUDS ALONG THE WI BORDER FROM IWD TO IMT AND OVER MUCH OF THE EAST HALF OF THE CWA. OTHERWISE...WAA HIGH CLOUDS WERE SPREADING FROM NRN MN INTO WRN UPPER MI. && .DISCUSSION... TODAY AND TONIGHT...VERY MILD AIR HAS SPREAD OVER THE COLDER AIR NEAR THE SURFACE CREATING A STRONG INVERSION AS 00Z KGRB SOUNDING SHOWED 925 MB TEMP AT 9C. MAX TEMPS WILL DEPEND ON HOW QUICKLY ANY MORNING FOG/STRATUS BURNS OFF AND THE MIXING DEPTH. EVEN WITH LATE NOV SUN ANGLE AND A VERY STABLE SFC-900 MB LAYER...EXPECT ENOUGH MIXING FOR TEMPS ABOVE CONS GUIDANCE VALUES...CLIMBING INTO THE UPPER 40S TO AROUND 50. AREAS WITH DOWNSLOPE SW WINDS COULD SEE READINGS INTO AT LEAST THE MID 50S. SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL HELP KEEP MIN TEMPS WELL ABOVE NORMAL TONIGHT WITH READINGS ONLY DROPPING INT0 THE UPPER 30S TO AROUND 40. FRIDAY...INCREASING CLOUDS WILL LIMIT POTENTIAL FOR HIGHER TEMPS BUT WITH THE MILD AIRMASS IN PLACE TEMPS SHOULD STILL CLIMB INTO THE MID AND UPPER 40S. LATE FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY...THE GFS/ECMWF WERE IN REASONABLE AGREEMENT WITH THE PROGRESSIVE MID LEVEL TROUGH AND THE SFC LOW DEVELOPING OVER THE PLAINS AND MOVING INTO TO NEAR IMT BY 18Z SAT. STRONG MOISTURE INFLOW WITH PWAT VALUES TO 0.75 INCH AND 295K-300K ISENTROPIC LIFT AHEAD OF THE LOW SUPPORT LIKELY RAIN CHANCES OVER THE AREA...WITH THE HEAVIEST PCPN MAINLY IN THE MORNING. CAA IN THE WAKE OF THE LOW ALONG WILL BRING A CHANGEOVER TO SNOW AND LAKE ENHANCED SNOW LATE SAT NIGHT INTO SUN MORNING AS 850 MB TEMPS DROP TO AROUND -8C. MODEL DIFFERENCES EMERGE THAT IMPACT THE SNOWFALL POTENTIAL OVER WRN UPPER MI. THE GFS CLOSES OFF A MID LEVEL LOW WHICH KEEPS THE DEEPER MOISTURE AND LIFT ALONG WITH STRONGER CYCLONIC CIRCULATION INTO THE WRN CWA. THE ECMWF AND CANADIAN GLOBAL GEM WITH A MORE PROGRESSIVE MID LEVEL TROUGH WOULD BRING THE DRIER AIR IN FASTER WITH REDUCED CHANCES FOR ACCUMULATING SNOW. UNTIL THE MODELS COME INTO BETTER AGREEMENT A COMPROMISE WAS USED WHICH SUGGEST THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW OVER THE WEST. WITH ONLY MARGINALLY COLD AIR INTO THE REGION...ANY ACCUMULATING SNOW WILL DIMINISH RAPIDLY AS THE DEEPER MOISTURE AND WEAK LIFT MOVE OFF TO THE EAST SUNDAY. MONDAY THROUGH WED...THE GFS...ECMWF AND MAJORITY OF ENSEMBLE MEMBERS NOW SUGGEST THAT THE NRN STREAM WILL PREVAIL ACROSS THE NRN LAKES AND THAT EITHER NO CUTOFF WILL DEVELOP TO THE SOUTH OR IT WILL REMAIN FAR ENOUGH AWAY TO HAVE LITTLE IMPACT ON THE WEATHER OVER THE REGION. SFC AND MID LEVEL RIDGING INTO THE AREA MON ALONG WITH SIGNIFICANT WAA WILL KEEP THE AREA DRY WITH SW WINDS AND TEMPS CLIMBING TO NEAR 40F. LOW CONFIDENCE BY TUE/WED BUT MODELS SUGGEST POTENTIAL FOR A A COLD FROPA BEHIND A NRN STREAM SHRTWV COULD BRING ENOUGH COLD AIR INTO THE AREA FOR SOME LAKE EFFECT SNOW. && .AVIATION /FOR THE 18Z TAF ISSUANCE/... LOW CLOUDS/VSBY EARLY THIS AFTN AT KSAW...OTHERWISE SHOULD BE QUIET INTO EARLY EVENING AT ALL TAF SITES WITH JUST SOME GUSTY SW WINDS. AS SOUTHWEST WINDS PUSH MOISTURE BACK INTO THE REGION TONIGHT AND AS INVERSION STRENGTHENS...EXPECT LOW CLOUDS TO REDEVELOP AND PUSH INTO THE TAF SITES. GREATEST CHANCE OF LOW CLOUDS FORMING TONIGHT WILL BE AT KSAW...BUT THERE SHOULD BE IFR/LOWER MVFR CLOUDS AT ALL SITES BY MID MORNING ON FRIDAY. LLWS IS EXPECTED AGAIN TONIGHT AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING SURFACE TROUGH THAT MOVES THROUGH ON FRIDAY. && .MARINE /FOR THE 4AM LAKE SUPERIOR FORECAST ISSUANCE/... SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS WILL CONTINUE TODAY INTO TONIGHT...ALTHOUGH A STRENGTHENING INVERSION WILL LIKELY KEEP WINDS FROM GUSTING OVER 30KTS. ON FRIDAY...A WEAK SFC TROUGH WILL STALL OVER LK SUPERIOR AND DIMINISH THE WINDS BELOW 20KTS. A LOW IS THEN EXPECTED TO MOVE OUT OF THE CENTRAL PLAINS AND FOLLOW THE TROUGH OVER EASTERN LAKE SUPERIOR ON SATURDAY. AS THE LOW SHIFTS NORTHEAST ON SATURDAY NIGHT...NORTH TO NORTHWEST GALE FORCE GUSTS TO 35KTS ARE POSSIBLE OVER CENTRAL/EASTERN LAKE SUPERIOR. HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE WILL BUILD OVER LAKE SUPERIOR ON SUNDAY NIGHT AND LEAD TO DECREASING WINDS...BEFORE THEY PICK UP AGAIN OUT OF THE SOUTHWEST ON MONDAY. && .MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... UPPER MICHIGAN... NONE. LAKE SUPERIOR... NONE. LAKE MICHIGAN... NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...JLB DISCUSSION...JLB AVIATION...JLA MARINE...SRF
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS BURLINGTON VT
119 PM EST THU NOV 24 2011 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD OVER THE REGION TODAY...AND REMAIN OVER THE NORTHEAST THROUGH THE UPCOMING WEEKEND. A FRONTAL BOUNDARY APPROACHES THE AREA LATE SUNDAY INTO MONDAY. A LOW MOVING ALONG THIS FRONT WILL KEEP PRECIPITATION OVER THE NORTH COUNTRY INTO TUESDAY BEFORE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO THE AREA FOR MIDWEEK NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM FRIDAY MORNING/... AS OF 1241 PM EST THURSDAY...STRATUS DECK WILL HOLD TODAY GIVEN STRONG INVERSION 950-850MB LAYER PER 12Z ALB SOUNDING AND AVAILABLE RUC FCST SOUNDINGS. THIS WILL LIKELY ALSO KEEP AFTN TEMPERATURES SLIGHTLY BELOW MOS VALUES. WINDS WILL GRADUALLY BECOME S-SW 5-10 MPH...MAINLY WEST OF THE GREEN MTNS...WITH WINDS LIGHT/VARIABLE EAST OF THE GREENS. COULD BE A BRIEF FLURRY OR TWO...BUT SHALLOW NATURE OF CLOUD DECK AND BUILDING HEIGHTS ALOFT WILL GENERALLY PRECLUDE ANY PCPN THRU REMAINDER OF TODAY OR TONIGHT. FOR TONIGHT...CLOUDS REMAIN TRICKY. LIKELY TO SEE OVERCAST REMAIN MUCH OF THE NIGHT. STRENGTHENING S-SW FLOW TOWARD DAYBREAK SHOULD HELP TO EVENTUALLY ADVECT THE STRATUS AWAY FROM SW-NE...BUT COULD HOLD OFF UNTIL AFTER 12Z. WINDS OVERNIGHT REMAIN 5-10 MPH RANGE WITH PREVAILING GRADIENT FLOW...ESPECIALLY IN THE WIDER VALLEY LOCATIONS. WINDS WILL APPROACH 20 KTS ON LAKE CHAMPLAIN AFTER MIDNIGHT. CLOUDS AND WIND WILL HELP HOLD LOW TEMPERATURES MAINLY IN THE 30S...EXCEPT LOCALLY LOW-MID 20S FOR THE FAR NERN PORTIONS OF VERMONT. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH SATURDAY/... AS OF 227 AM EST THURSDAY...HIGH PRESSURE SOUTH OF THE CWA ON FRIDAY...PUSHING OFFSHORE DURING THE DAY SATURDAY. W/ CWA EXPECTED TO BE UNDER WSW FLOW...WAA WILL BRING IN INCR HIGH TEMPS OVER THE TWO-DAY PERIOD. W/ 850/925 TEMPS NEAR +4C TO +8C BOTH DAYS HIGHS NEAR 50F ARE NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION. HAVE GONE A FEW DEGREES ABV NORMALS/MDL GUIDANCE AS DO NOT SEE ENOUGH COOLING OVERNGT THAT THE NUMBERS SHOW WITH CWA STILL UNDER WAA FROM THE WSW. MDLS DO HINT AT THE POSSIBILITY OF INCR CLDS DURING THE DAY SATURDAY FOR N ZONES/ST LAW VALLEY DUE TO WK WARM FRNT THAT MAY ULTIMATELY INHIBIT SUNSHINE THERE. OTHER WX ISSUE TO BE OF CONCERN WILL BE GUST POTENTIAL OVER N NY DUE TO MID LEVEL JET NEAR CANADIAN BORDER. BUFKIT SUGGEST GUSTS TO NEAR 30 MPH IF MIXING OCCURS SO WILL PUT IN MENTION...OTHERWISE...CWA WILL SEE FAIRLY NICE 2-DAY STRETCH OF WX FOR LATE NOVEMBER. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... AS OF 405 AM EST THURSDAY...DRY CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE SATURDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY SUNDAY AS WE REMAIN UNDER INFLUENCE OF HIGH PRESSURE...WHICH WILL BE MOVING FURTHER OFFSHORE. CHANCES FOR RAIN SHOWERS INCREASE DURING THE DAY ON SUNDAY WITH LOW PRESSURE LIFTING NORTH OF THE REGION AND ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT APPROACHING FROM THE GREAT LAKES/OHIO VALLEY. BUT ECMWF AND GFS CONTINUE TO OFFER SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE PERIOD. GFS DEPICTING FULL LATITUDE TROUGH...WITH SURFACE COLD FRONT MOVING SLOWLY ACROSS THE NORTHEAST. THIS SCENARIO WOULD RESULT IN SOME SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL ACROSS THE AREA SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY WITH GOOD FEED OF MOISTURE OFF THE ATLANTIC. THIS SYSTEM THEN GETS PUSHED TO THE EAST BY SERIES OF POTENT NORTHERN STREAM SHORTWAVES WHICH WOULD TRAVERSE THE REGION TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY...ACCOMPANIED BY SCATTERED RAIN/SNOW SHOWERS. ECMWF BRINGS INITIAL SHORTWAVE AND COLD FRONT ACROSS THE AREA BY MONDAY. SOUTHERN STREAM SHORTWAVE THEN LIFTS NORTHEAST FROM THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY BRINGING POSSIBILITY OF MORE WIDESPREAD RAINFALL FOR TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY. WITH SUCH A WIDE DISPARITY BETWEEN THE MODELS...FORECASTER CONFIDENCE FOR MUCH OF THE EXTENDED PERIOD IS RATHER LOW. BEST CHANCE FOR RAINFALL ON ALL OF THE MODELS APPEARS TO BE SUNDAY NIGHT. FOR THE REST OF THE PERIOD...HAVE GONE WITH FORECAST OF MAINLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF SHOWERS. PRECIPITATION TYPE RAIN THROUGH MONDAY...BUT SOME SNOW SHOWERS POSSIBLE THEREAFTER OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN AS TEMPS RETURN TO MORE SEASONABLE LEVELS. && .AVIATION /18Z THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... THROUGH 18Z FRIDAY...ABUNDANT LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE CONTINUES TO REMAIN OVER THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON WITH WIDESPREAD MVFR AND LOCAL IFR CEILINGS. HIGH PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD EAST...THOUGH DO NOT FORESEE MUCH CLEARING TILL AFTER SUNRISE FRIDAY MORNING. WINDS WILL PICK UP AT THAT TIME AND SKIES WILL FINALLY MIX OUT. SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST AT 5 TO 15 KTS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE PERIOD. OUTLOOK 12Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY...VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGH SUNDAY AS A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE PASSES SOUTH OF THE REGION. SHOWERS WITH MVFR/IFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY AS A FRONTAL SYSTEM MOVES SLOWLY ACROSS THE AREA. VFR CONDITIONS WILL RETURN FOR TUESDAY. && .BTV WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VT...NONE. NY...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...BANACOS NEAR TERM...BANACOS SHORT TERM...JN LONG TERM...RJS AVIATION...NEILES
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS BURLINGTON VT
1245 PM EST THU NOV 24 2011 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD OVER THE REGION TODAY...AND REMAIN OVER THE NORTHEAST THROUGH THE UPCOMING WEEKEND. A FRONTAL BOUNDARY APPROACHES THE AREA LATE SUNDAY INTO MONDAY. A LOW MOVING ALONG THIS FRONT WILL KEEP PRECIPITATION OVER THE NORTH COUNTRY INTO TUESDAY BEFORE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO THE AREA FOR MIDWEEK NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM FRIDAY MORNING/... AS OF 1241 PM EST THURSDAY...STRATUS DECK WILL HOLD TODAY GIVEN STRONG INVERSION 950-850MB LAYER PER 12Z ALB SOUNDING AND AVAILABLE RUC FCST SOUNDINGS. THIS WILL LIKELY ALSO KEEP AFTN TEMPERATURES SLIGHTLY BELOW MOS VALUES. WINDS WILL GRADUALLY BECOME S-SW 5-10 MPH...MAINLY WEST OF THE GREEN MTNS...WITH WINDS LIGHT/VARIABLE EAST OF THE GREENS. COULD BE A BRIEF FLURRY OR TWO...BUT SHALLOW NATURE OF CLOUD DECK AND BUILDING HEIGHTS ALOFT WILL GENERALLY PRECLUDE ANY PCPN THRU REMAINDER OF TODAY OR TONIGHT. FOR TONIGHT...CLOUDS REMAIN TRICKY. LIKELY TO SEE OVERCAST REMAIN MUCH OF THE NIGHT. STRENGTHENING S-SW FLOW TOWARD DAYBREAK SHOULD HELP TO EVENTUALLY ADVECT THE STRATUS AWAY FROM SW-NE...BUT COULD HOLD OFF UNTIL AFTER 12Z. WINDS OVERNIGHT REMAIN 5-10 MPH RANGE WITH PREVAILING GRADIENT FLOW...ESPECIALLY IN THE WIDER VALLEY LOCATIONS. WINDS WILL APPROACH 20 KTS ON LAKE CHAMPLAIN AFTER MIDNIGHT. CLOUDS AND WIND WILL HELP HOLD LOW TEMPERATURES MAINLY IN THE 30S...EXCEPT LOCALLY LOW-MID 20S FOR THE FAR NERN PORTIONS OF VERMONT. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH SATURDAY/... AS OF 227 AM EST THURSDAY...HIGH PRESSURE SOUTH OF THE CWA ON FRIDAY...PUSHING OFFSHORE DURING THE DAY SATURDAY. W/ CWA EXPECTED TO BE UNDER WSW FLOW...WAA WILL BRING IN INCR HIGH TEMPS OVER THE TWO-DAY PERIOD. W/ 850/925 TEMPS NEAR +4C TO +8C BOTH DAYS HIGHS NEAR 50F ARE NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION. HAVE GONE A FEW DEGREES ABV NORMALS/MDL GUIDANCE AS DO NOT SEE ENOUGH COOLING OVERNGT THAT THE NUMBERS SHOW WITH CWA STILL UNDER WAA FROM THE WSW. MDLS DO HINT AT THE POSSIBILITY OF INCR CLDS DURING THE DAY SATURDAY FOR N ZONES/ST LAW VALLEY DUE TO WK WARM FRNT THAT MAY ULTIMATELY INHIBIT SUNSHINE THERE. OTHER WX ISSUE TO BE OF CONCERN WILL BE GUST POTENTIAL OVER N NY DUE TO MID LEVEL JET NEAR CANADIAN BORDER. BUFKIT SUGGEST GUSTS TO NEAR 30 MPH IF MIXING OCCURS SO WILL PUT IN MENTION...OTHERWISE...CWA WILL SEE FAIRLY NICE 2-DAY STRETCH OF WX FOR LATE NOVEMBER. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... AS OF 405 AM EST THURSDAY...DRY CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE SATURDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY SUNDAY AS WE REMAIN UNDER INFLUENCE OF HIGH PRESSURE...WHICH WILL BE MOVING FURTHER OFFSHORE. CHANCES FOR RAIN SHOWERS INCREASE DURING THE DAY ON SUNDAY WITH LOW PRESSURE LIFTING NORTH OF THE REGION AND ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT APPROACHING FROM THE GREAT LAKES/OHIO VALLEY. BUT ECMWF AND GFS CONTINUE TO OFFER SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE PERIOD. GFS DEPICTING FULL LATITUDE TROUGH...WITH SURFACE COLD FRONT MOVING SLOWLY ACROSS THE NORTHEAST. THIS SCENARIO WOULD RESULT IN SOME SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL ACROSS THE AREA SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY WITH GOOD FEED OF MOISTURE OFF THE ATLANTIC. THIS SYSTEM THEN GETS PUSHED TO THE EAST BY SERIES OF POTENT NORTHERN STREAM SHORTWAVES WHICH WOULD TRAVERSE THE REGION TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY...ACCOMPANIED BY SCATTERED RAIN/SNOW SHOWERS. ECMWF BRINGS INITIAL SHORTWAVE AND COLD FRONT ACROSS THE AREA BY MONDAY. SOUTHERN STREAM SHORTWAVE THEN LIFTS NORTHEAST FROM THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY BRINGING POSSIBILITY OF MORE WIDESPREAD RAINFALL FOR TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY. WITH SUCH A WIDE DISPARITY BETWEEN THE MODELS...FORECASTER CONFIDENCE FOR MUCH OF THE EXTENDED PERIOD IS RATHER LOW. BEST CHANCE FOR RAINFALL ON ALL OF THE MODELS APPEARS TO BE SUNDAY NIGHT. FOR THE REST OF THE PERIOD...HAVE GONE WITH FORECAST OF MAINLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF SHOWERS. PRECIPITATION TYPE RAIN THROUGH MONDAY...BUT SOME SNOW SHOWERS POSSIBLE THEREAFTER OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN AS TEMPS RETURN TO MORE SEASONABLE LEVELS. && .AVIATION /18Z THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... THROUGH 12Z FRIDAY...ABUNDANT LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE WILL REMAIN OVER THE REGION THIS MORNING WITH WIDESPREAD MVFR AND LOCAL IFR CEILINGS. SLOW IMPROVEMENT AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS EAST FROM THE OHIO VALLEY. BY 16Z ALL TAF SITES EXPECTED TO BE MVFR...WITH A TREND TO VFR BY 19Z. EXCEPTIONS WILL BE KSLK/KMSS WHERE MVFR CIGS MAY PERSIST THROUGH THE PERIOD. LIGHT AND VARIABLE WINDS WILL BECOME SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST AT 5 TO 15 KTS TODAY. OUTLOOK 12Z FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY...VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGH SUNDAY AS A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE PASSES SOUTH OF THE REGION. SHOWERS WITH MVFR/IFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY AS A FRONTAL SYSTEM MOVES SLOWLY ACROSS THE AREA. && .BTV WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VT...NONE. NY...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...JN NEAR TERM...BANACOS SHORT TERM...JN LONG TERM...RJS AVIATION...RJS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS BINGHAMTON NY
1243 PM EST THU NOV 24 2011 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE WILL PROVIDE A DRY STRETCH OF WEATHER THROUGH SATURDAY ALONG WITH MODERATING TEMPERATURES. BY SUNDAY, A COLD FRONT WILL BRING SCATTERED SHOWERS TO THE AREA. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... 10 AM UPDATE. TOUCHY CLOUD FORECAST TODAY...WITH LOW LEVEL CLOUDS IN WESTERN NY AND ALSO MOHAWK VALLEY AND PARTS OF THE CATSKILLS...VERY POORLY RESOLVED BY THE MODELS. HIGH RES MODELS HAVE STARTED TO CATCH UP...THOUGH RIC MODEL OVERCOMPENSATING. BASED ON HR RR DEPICTION OF CLOUD COVER...I BRING MORE CLOUDS BACK GENERALLY ALONG AND NORTH OF I-90 CORRIDOR THIS AFTERNOON AND PARTS OF WESTERN FINGER LAKES REGION...WHERE INVERSION IS MORE RETAINED. DRY POCKET WITH SUNSHINE IN BETWEEN...KEEPS THINGS MIXED ENOUGH WITH DISSIPATION OF INVERSION...TO PREVENT CLOUDS FROM CREEPING EASTWARD. TEMPERATURES ALSO ADJUSTED SLIGHTLY LOWER WHERE MORE CLOUDS ARE NOW EXPECTED. LOOKING INTO TONIGHT...EXPECTING CLOUDS TO CONTINUE TO BE STUCK OVER PARTS OF WESTERN MOHAWK VALLEY. MODELS CURRENTLY NOT SUGGESTING ENOUGH LOW LEVEL MOISTURE FOR CLOUDS OVER REMAINDER OF AREA...THOUGH THIS WILL HAVE TO MONITORED SINCE THEY PERFORMED POORLY UPSTREAM FOR LAST NIGHT. && .SHORT TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/... FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY...A BROAD UPPER LEVEL RIDGE WILL BUILD OVER THE NORTHEAST AS AFC HIGH PRES IN THE MID ATLANTIC PROVIDES A MODERATING SOUTHWEST FLOW. LATE FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY, LOW PRES OVER THE UPPER GREAT LAKES WITH WARM FRONT STRETCHING ACROSS NEARBY SOUTHERN ONTARIO WILL PRODUCE MORE CLOUD COVER. ANY THREAT OF PRECIP WILL REMAIN WELL NORTH OF REGION JUST SOME MID CLOUDS DUE TO MID LEVEL WARMING BUT STILL PARTLY CLOUDY. MAX TEMPS FRIDAY/SATURDAY WILL GENERALLY RANGE IN THE MID TO UPPER 50S WITH THE NORMALLY WARMER AREAS NEAR 60. SATURDAY NIGHT...AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT FROM THE WESTERN LAKES WILL BE IN THE VICINITY OF EXTREME WESTERN NEW YORK BY 12Z SUNDAY. WILL CONTINUE WITH SLIGHT CHC POPS FOR RAIN SHOWERS LATE SATURDAY NIGHT OVER THE FINGER LAKES REGION AND CENTRAL SOUTHERN TIER. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... MAIN FOCUS IN THE MEDIUM RNG IS THE AMPLIFYING TROF WHICH IS FORECAST TO MOV INTO THE CNTRL AND THE ERN U.S. EARLY NXT WEEK. THERE ARE SIG DIFFS IN THE MDLS W/RESPECT TO TIMING...PCPN AMTS...AND NRN/SRN STREAM INTERACTION. GFS PAINTS A POTNL FLOOD SCENARIO WITH SRN PORTION OF THE TROF CUTTING OFF THEN LIFTING NEWD...WITH +RA ACRS THE FSCT AREA SUN NGT INTO MONDAY ALONG AN INVERTED TROF. THE EURO SHOWS LESS INTERACTION BETWEEN NRN AND SRN STREAMS...BUT STILL SHOWS RAIN WORKING NWD INTO THE RGN LATE MON NGT INTO TUE...BUT THE HEAVIEST PCPN IS SHUNTED OFF TO OUR SOUTHEAST. GIVEN THESE DIFFS...WE LEANED HEAVILY ON HPC GUIDANCE FOR THE MEDIUM RNG..WHICH PAINTS AN UNSETTLED PICTURE INTO MIDWEEK. && .AVIATION /18Z THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... MVFR CIGS PERSIST AT SYR AND RME AT 1230 PM WITH SKC ELSEWHERE. XPCT THE SRN PERIPHERY OF THE MVFR CIGS TO FLIRT WITH SYR INTO THE EARLY EVNG HRS...WITH MAINLY SKC AFTERWARDS. AT RME...MVFR CIGS ARE XPCTD TO PERSIST INTO THE OVRNGT HRS...WITH PSBLTY OF IFR CIGS LATER TNGT IN MOIST WRLY FLOW. OTRW XPCT SKC AT OTHER SITES. AT ELM...POTNL FOR DENSE VLY FOG DOES NOT LOOK AS FVRBL DUE TO INCRSD LOW LVL WINDS...BUT TD`S THERE ARE IN THE M30S AND WITH MIN TEMPS FCST TO BE BLO THE CROSSOVER TEMP...WE COULD SEE SOME RESTRICTIONS THERE. FOR NOW JUST INDICATED PTNL FOR MVFR VSBY`S LATE. MAINLY SKC ON FRI...XCPT FOR SOME LINGERING MVFR AT RME INTO MID MRNG. WINDS THIS AFTN BECMG MORE W TO SW 10-15 KTS WITH G20...SWLY 5-10 KTS TNGT AND SW 10-20 KTS ON FRI. OUTLOOK... FRI THROUGH SUN...VFR. SUN NGT/MON...IFR/MVFR IN RAIN. MON NGT/TUE...PATCHY MVFR IN SCT -SHRA/-SHSN. && .BGM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...NONE. NY...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...MDP/RRM NEAR TERM...MDP SHORT TERM...RRM
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS WILMINGTON OH
1226 PM EST THU NOV 24 2011 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE WILL KEEP LOW CLOUDS AND COOL AIR LOCKED IN PLACE OVER MUCH OF THE REGION TODAY AND TONIGHT. THE RIDGE WILL SLIDE EASTWARD AND BRING SOUTHERLY FLOW AND A WARMING TREND FOR FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. BY SATURDAY NIGHT...AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT WILL INCREASE CLOUD COVER AND CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... IT WILL BE A DIFFICULT CLOUD AND TEMPERATURE FORECAST FOR THIS AFTERNOON. VISIBLE SATELLITE IMAGERY CONTINUED TO SHOW AN EXPANSIVE AREA OF STRATUS ACRS THE FORECAST AREA. THE EXCEPTION WAS OVER NE OHIO AND TO OUR SOUTHEAST OVER EASTERN KENTUCKY AND WESTERN WEST VIRGINIA WHERE STRATUS WAS ERODING AWAY AT THE STRATUS/CLEAR SKY INTERFACE. THE RUC MODEL HAS BEEN HANDLING THE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE THE BEST. HOWEVER...NO MODEL IS GOING TO CAPTURE THE AMOUNT OF ERODING THAT MAY OCCUR TO OUR EAST/SOUTHEAST THIS AFTERNOON. BASED ON EROSION TRENDS...HAVE ALLOWED SKIES TO BECOME PARTLY CLOUDY/MOSTLY SUNNY IN OUR SOUTHEASTERN/SOUTHERN AREAS. WE SHOULD KNOW BY 3 TO 4 PM HOW FAR EROSION TAKES PLACE AND HOW THIS WILL AFFECT TONIGHTS SKY CONDITION AND OVERNIGHT LOWS. HAVE RAISED TEMPS SLIGHTLY SE/S TO AROUND 50 WITH MORE INSOLATION POSSIBLE. OTHERWISE...THE MAJORITY OF THE REGION WILL HAVE HIGHS IN THE MID 40S. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH SATURDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE WILL GRADUALLY SHIFT EASTWARD TOWARD THE MID ATLANTIC TONIGHT. BIGGEST DILEMMA OVERNIGHT WILL BE SKY CONDITION AND OVERNIGHT LOWS. NAM-WRF AND GFS HAVE NOT HANDLED THE CURRENT LOW LEVEL STRATUS AND THUS DO NOT HAVE FULL CONFIDENCE IN ITS RH/MODEL SOUNDING SOLUTIONS WHERE INDICATE A CLEARING TREND FROM SOUTH TO NORTH OVERNIGHT. THAT BEING SAID...CURRENT THINKING IS THAT WHERE CLOUDS STAY SOCKED IN THROUGH THE DAY...THEY WILL LIKELY REMAIN SO OVERNIGHT. HOWEVER...IT IS STILL POSSIBLE THAT SOME DRIER AIR MAY PUSH NORTHWARD IN THE BOUNDARY LAYER. THUS...IT IS A VERY DIFFICULT FORECAST TO PINPOINT CLOUDY TO CLEAR AND WHETHER AREAS THAT CLEAR MAY SEE VERY LOW STRATUS FORM AGAIN. ATTM...HAVE KEPT WEST CENTRAL OHIO...THE WHITEWATER/MIAMI VALLEYS AND MUCH OF CENTRAL OHIO CLOUDY WHILE LEAVING SRN/SERN LOCATIONS IN THE PARTLY CLOUDY/MOSTLY CLEAR REGIME. OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL BE CLOUD DEPENDENT...THUS THEY SHOULD BE WARMEST ACRS THE NW WHERE CLOUDS/WINDS WILL KEEP TEMPS FROM FALLING TOO MUCH. FRIDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT...SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL BRING WARMER TEMPERATURES ACROSS OUR AREA. CLOUDS ON FRIDAY SHOULD ERODE AWAY..LEAVING MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES BY FRIDAY AFTERNOON. SUNSHINE AND SOUTHERLY FLOW THIS WILL BRING MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES ON FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT TO ABOVE NORMAL VALUES. THE SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL SHIFT SOUTHWESTERLY AND INCREASE AS A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM DEVELOPS AND MOVES EASTWARD ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS...AND A COLD FRONT APPROACHES OUR AREA. CLOUD COVER WILL INCREASE AHEAD OF THIS SYSTEM BY SATURDAY AFTERNOON. SINCE THE FORECAST AREA WILL STILL BE IN THE WARM SECTOR OF THE SYSTEM DURING THE DAY SATURDAY...TEMPERATURES WILL BE WELL ABOVE NORMAL. THE COLD FRONT WILL BRING WITH IT AMPLE MOISTURE AND GOOD CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION BY SATURDAY EVENING TO THE OHIO VALLEY. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... ENTIRE AREA SHOULD SEE SHOWERS SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY AS THE FRONT PUSHES THROUGH. KEPT THUNDER OUT OF THE FORECAST AS IT APPEARS THAT INSTABILITY WILL BE LACKING. AFTER THE FRONT MOVES EAST ON SUNDAY...AN UPPER TROUGH WILL KEEP A LOW CHANCE OF SHOWERS INTO MONDAY...MAINLY IN EASTERN COUNTIES. ANOTHER UPPER DISTURBANCE PASSING THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES MAY BRING A FEW SHOWERS TO NORTHERN LOCATIONS ON TUESDAY. EXPECT MAINLY DRY WEATHER ON WEDNESDAY WITH HIGH PRESSURE PUSHING IN FROM THE SOUTHWEST. TEMPERATURES WILL START OUT ABOVE NORMAL ON SATURDAY AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT...WITH HIGHS FORECAST TO BE AROUND 60. HIGHS WILL BE NEAR NORMAL IN THE 40S SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. COLDER READINGS AROUND 40 MAY BE IN STORE FOR WEDNESDAY. && .AVIATION /17Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE STRETCHED FROM CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA SOUTHWEST INTO THE DEEP SOUTH THIS AFTERNOON. THE HIGH WILL MOVE SLOWLY SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD. CIGS AND VSBYS CONTINUE TO BE A CONCERN. VISIBLE SATELLITE IMAGERY DEPICTED AN EXPANSIVE AREA OF LOW CLOUDS FROM EASTERN TEXAS NORTHEAST INTO THE GREAT LAKES. EROSION OF THE LOW CLOUDS...DUE TO DAYTIME HEATING AT THE STRATUS/CLEAR SKY INTERFACE...WAS OCCURRING OVER NE OHIO AND ACROSS SE OHIO...EASTERN KENTUCKY AND WESTERN WEST VIRGINIA. MODELS ARE NOT CAPTURING THIS MOISTURE VERY WELL AND HENCE FORECASTS OF SKIES GOING CLEAR OR GOING BACK TO CLOUDY ARE NOT OF THE HIGHEST CONFIDENCE. EROSION OF THE LOW CLOUDS WILL LIKELY CREEP TOWARD THE KCVG/KLUK TAFS AND THE KCMH/KLCK TAFS...BUT WHETHER THEY MAKE IT BEFORE THE SUN SETS REMAINS TO BE SEEN. ATTM...HAVE DECIDED TO KEEP CIGS IN FOR ALL TAF SITES AND TO BRIEFLY ALLOW THEM TO RISE TO MVFR CIGS AND VFR VSBYS. FOR TONIGHT...RUC MODEL INDICATES THAT WHERE CLOUDS HAVE ERODED...LOW LEVEL STRATUS MAY FORM AGAIN. HAVE ALLOWED CIGS TO DROP INTO THE LIFR CATEGORY WITH VSBYS IN THE MVFR CATEGORY. SOME MODELS INDICATE THAT RELATIVELY DRIER AIR MAY TRY TO CREEP NORTH OVERNIGHT. WHETHER THIS MATERIALIZES INTO CLEAR SKIES IS VERY UNCERTAIN AT THIS POINT. CURRENT THINKING IS THAT ON FRIDAY WITH AN INCREASING LOW LEVEL FLOW AND DAYTIME HEATING...ANY RESIDUAL LOW CLOUDS WILL FINALLY ERODE AWAY COMPLETELY...ALLOWING TAF SITES TO RETURN TO VFR CONDITIONS. OUTLOOK...MVFR/IFR CIGS/VSBYS POSSIBLE SATURDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY. && .ILN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OH...NONE. KY...NONE. IN...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...HICKMAN/LATTO NEAR TERM...HICKMAN SHORT TERM...HICKMAN/LATTO LONG TERM...CONIGLIO AVIATION...HICKMAN
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS WILMINGTON OH
1146 AM EST THU NOV 24 2011 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE WILL KEEP LOW CLOUDS AND COOL AIR LOCKED IN PLACE OVER MUCH OF THE REGION TODAY AND TONIGHT. THE RIDGE WILL SLIDE EASTWARD AND BRING SOUTHERLY FLOW AND A WARMING TREND FOR FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. BY SATURDAY NIGHT...AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT WILL INCREASE CLOUD COVER AND CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... IT WILL BE A DIFFICULT CLOUD AND TEMPERATURE FORECAST FOR THIS AFTERNOON. VISIBLE SATELLITE IMAGERY CONTINUED TO SHOW AN EXPANSIVE AREA OF STRATUS ACRS THE FORECAST AREA. THE EXCEPTION WAS OVER NE OHIO AND TO OUR SOUTHEAST OVER EASTERN KENTUCKY AND WESTERN WEST VIRGINIA WHERE STRATUS WAS ERODING AWAY AT THE STRATUS/CLEAR SKY INTERFACE. THE RUC MODEL HAS BEEN HANDLING THE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE THE BEST. HOWEVER...NO MODEL IS GOING TO CAPTURE THE AMOUNT OF ERODING THAT MAY OCCUR TO OUR EAST/SOUTHEAST THIS AFTERNOON. BASED ON EROSION TRENDS...HAVE ALLOWED SKIES TO BECOME PARTLY CLOUDY/MOSTLY SUNNY IN OUR SOUTHEASTERN/SOUTHERN AREAS. WE SHOULD KNOW BY 3 TO 4 PM HOW FAR EROSION TAKES PLACE AND HOW THIS WILL AFFECT TONIGHTS SKY CONDITION AND OVERNIGHT LOWS. HAVE RAISED TEMPS SLIGHTLY SE/S TO AROUND 50 WITH MORE INSOLATION POSSIBLE. OTHERWISE...THE MAJORITY OF THE REGION WILL HAVE HIGHS IN THE MID 40S. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH SATURDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE WILL GRADUALLY SHIFT EASTWARD TOWARD THE MID ATLANTIC TONIGHT. BIGGEST DILEMMA OVERNIGHT WILL BE SKY CONDITION AND OVERNIGHT LOWS. NAM-WRF AND GFS HAVE NOT HANDLED THE CURRENT LOW LEVEL STRATUS AND THUS DO NOT HAVE FULL CONFIDENCE IN ITS RH/MODEL SOUNDING SOLUTIONS WHERE INDICATE A CLEARING TREND FROM SOUTH TO NORTH OVERNIGHT. THAT BEING SAID...CURRENT THINKING IS THAT WHERE CLOUDS STAY SOCKED IN THROUGH THE DAY...THEY WILL LIKELY REMAIN SO OVERNIGHT. HOWEVER...IT IS STILL POSSIBLE THAT SOME DRIER AIR MAY PUSH NORTHWARD IN THE BOUNDARY LAYER. THUS...IT IS A VERY DIFFICULT FORECAST TO PINPOINT CLOUDY TO CLEAR AND WHETHER AREAS THAT CLEAR MAY SEE VERY LOW STRATUS FORM AGAIN. ATTM...HAVE KEPT WEST CENTRAL OHIO...THE WHITEWATER/MIAMI VALLEYS AND MUCH OF CENTRAL OHIO CLOUDY WHILE LEAVING SRN/SERN LOCATIONS IN THE PARTLY CLOUDY/MOSTLY CLEAR REGIME. OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL BE CLOUD DEPENDENT...THUS THEY SHOULD BE WARMEST ACRS THE NW WHERE CLOUDS/WINDS WILL KEEP TEMPS FROM FALLING TOO MUCH. FRIDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT...SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL BRING WARMER TEMPERATURES ACROSS OUR AREA. CLOUDS ON FRIDAY SHOULD ERODE AWAY..LEAVING MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES BY FRIDAY AFTERNOON. SUNSHINE AND SOUTHERLY FLOW THIS WILL BRING MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES ON FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT TO ABOVE NORMAL VALUES. THE SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL SHIFT SOUTHWESTERLY AND INCREASE AS A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM DEVELOPS AND MOVES EASTWARD ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS...AND A COLD FRONT APPROACHES OUR AREA. CLOUD COVER WILL INCREASE AHEAD OF THIS SYSTEM BY SATURDAY AFTERNOON. SINCE THE FORECAST AREA WILL STILL BE IN THE WARM SECTOR OF THE SYSTEM DURING THE DAY SATURDAY...TEMPERATURES WILL BE WELL ABOVE NORMAL. THE COLD FRONT WILL BRING WITH IT AMPLE MOISTURE AND GOOD CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION BY SATURDAY EVENING TO THE OHIO VALLEY. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... ENTIRE AREA SHOULD SEE SHOWERS SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY AS THE FRONT PUSHES THROUGH. KEPT THUNDER OUT OF THE FORECAST AS IT APPEARS THAT INSTABILITY WILL BE LACKING. AFTER THE FRONT MOVES EAST ON SUNDAY...AN UPPER TROUGH WILL KEEP A LOW CHANCE OF SHOWERS INTO MONDAY...MAINLY IN EASTERN COUNTIES. ANOTHER UPPER DISTURBANCE PASSING THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES MAY BRING A FEW SHOWERS TO NORTHERN LOCATIONS ON TUESDAY. EXPECT MAINLY DRY WEATHER ON WEDNESDAY WITH HIGH PRESSURE PUSHING IN FROM THE SOUTHWEST. TEMPERATURES WILL START OUT ABOVE NORMAL ON SATURDAY AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT...WITH HIGHS FORECAST TO BE AROUND 60. HIGHS WILL BE NEAR NORMAL IN THE 40S SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. COLDER READINGS AROUND 40 MAY BE IN STORE FOR WEDNESDAY. && .AVIATION /18Z THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE IS CENTERED OVER THE MID OHIO VALLEY THIS MORNING WITH A SOLID IFR STRATUS DECK IN PLACE BELOW IT. THIS STRATUS HUNG IN THROUGH THE DAY BACK TO OUR WEST ON WEDNESDAY...SO WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED IF IT HOLDS ON THROUGH MUCH OF THE DAY TODAY. CIGS MAY BRIEFLY GO TO LOW MVFR. HOWEVER...WITH MOISTURE IN PLACE OVERNIGHT...THEY MAY VERY WELL DROP TO LIFR OR LOWER. HAVE SLOWED DOWN ANY ONSET OF CLEARING FOR TODAY AND TONIGHT. OUTLOOK...MVFR CIGS/VSBYS POSSIBLE SUNDAY AND MONDAY. && .ILN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OH...NONE. KY...NONE. IN...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...HICKMAN/LATTO NEAR TERM...HICKMAN SHORT TERM...HICKMAN/LATTO LONG TERM...CONIGLIO AVIATION...HICKMAN/JGL
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS NORMAN OK
1118 AM CST THU NOV 24 2011 .AVIATION... 18Z TAFS... VFR CONDITIONS THROUGHOUT THE TAF PERIOD. SOME LIMITED VISIBILITIES OF MVFR MAY OCCUR EARLY FRIDAY MORNING AT A FEW SITES BUT TOO UNCERTAIN FOR MENTION IN TAF AT THIS TIME. OTHERWISE... GUSTY WINDS WILL AFFECT THE AREA. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 545 AM CST THU NOV 24 2011/ AVIATION... RECENT SATELLITE TREND SHOWS LOW CLOUDS AND DENSE FOG EXPANDING MORE NORTHWARD WITH A SLOWER PROGRESSION TO THE WEST. THEREFORE... WILL NOT MENTION IFR CEILINGS AT TAF SITES. COULD SEE SOME LIGHT FOG ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL OKLAHOMA DURING THE NEXT FEW HOURS SO WILL MENTION FOG IN PNC TAF. OTHERWISE VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED AT TAF SITES THROUGH AT LEAST 6Z FRIDAY. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 219 AM CST THU NOV 24 2011/ DISCUSSION... CLOUD COVER...WITH CEILINGS AROUND 200 FT AND DENSE FOG...CONTINUES TO SPREAD NORTH AND WEST THIS MORNING AROUND 15-20KT. THIS BRINGS AREA OF LOW CLOUDS TO I-35 AROUND 11Z. HRRR WHICH IS USUALLY TOO AGGRESSIVE...HAS LOW CEILINGS TO HWY 81 AND SOUTH OF I-40 BY 13Z. WILL ADJUST SKY GRIDS TO REFLECT CLOUDS NEAR HWY 81 AND NORTH INTO LINCOLN/PAYNE COUNTIES. HEATING AND INCREASING WINDS SHOULD ERODE CLOUDS BY MID MORNING...ESPECIALLY WESTERN EDGE. WINDS TONIGHT AND A MILD THANKSGIVING SHOULD KEEP THE FOG PONTENTIAL LOW BUT SOME LOW CLOUDS MAY DEVELOP/MOVE INTO SOUTHERN PARTS OF THE FA BY EARLY FRIDAY. ONLY MINOR ADJUSTMENTS WERE MADE TO TIMING OF WX/POPS WITH FRIDAY/EARLY SATURDAY TROUGH. OVERNIGHT LOWS FRIDAY NIGHT WILL BE A LITTLE TRICKY WITH PLACEMENT OF COLD FRONT/CAA. MOST OF THE RAIN SHOULD END BY MID MORNING SATURDAY. STRONG...GUSTY NORTH WINDS SATURDAY SHOULD BE THE MAIN WEATHER STORY. RATHER DRY AIRMASS BEHIND EARLY SATURDAY COLD FRONT WILL RESULT IN COLD OVERNIGHT LOWS SUNDAY AND MONDAY. WITH SURFACE HIGH BUILDING SOUTH INTO TEXAS...PER GFS...AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES USUALLY REBOUND QUICKER THAN EXPECTED. ANOTHER COLD FRONT WILL PUSH ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PLAINS LATE MONDAY INTO TUESDAY..BUT NO PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED WITH THE FRONTAL PASSAGE. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... OKLAHOMA CITY OK 68 47 64 45 / 0 0 20 70 HOBART OK 67 48 64 40 / 0 0 40 50 WICHITA FALLS TX 68 48 65 46 / 0 0 40 70 GAGE OK 71 47 65 36 / 0 0 40 40 PONCA CITY OK 68 47 65 43 / 0 0 20 70 DURANT OK 68 48 65 51 / 0 0 30 70 && .OUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OK...NONE. TX...NONE. && $$ 22/25/25
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LA CROSSE WI
1146 AM CST THU NOV 24 2011 .SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY 352 AM CST THU NOV 24 2011 AT 3 AM...VLIFR/IFR CEILINGS WERE SEEN ACROSS ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. THESE CLOUDS HAVE BEEN SPREADING IN ALL DIRECTIONS UNDERNEATH THE STRONG INVERSION LOCATED JUST ABOVE THE SURFACE. OVERALL...THE HRRR HAS BEEN HANDLING THESE CLOUDS THE BEST...AND IT SUGGESTS THAT THERE WILL BE GRADUAL DISSIPATION OF THESE CLOUDS ON THE OUTER EDGES BETWEEN 16Z AND 18Z...AND THEN THIS PROGRESS A BIT FASTER ACROSS THE REMAINING AREAS AS SOME DRIER AIR FROM ALOFT MIXES DOWN. DESPITE THE PERSISTENT CLOUDS THIS MORNING...THE COMBINATION OF SOUTHERLY WINDS AND AFTERNOON SUNSHINE WILL HELP THE TEMPERATURES CLIMB INTO THE 50S ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. DUE TO THE SUNSHINE ARRIVE EARLIER...THE WARMEST TEMPERATURES /UPPER 50S/ WILL LIKELY FOUND IN SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA AND NORTHEAST IOWA THIS AFTERNOON. WITH NORTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN BEING ONE OF LAST TO LOSE THE CLOUDS...SO THEY WILL LIKELY ONLY SEE TEMPERATURES CLIMBING TO AROUND 50 DEGREES. FOR TONIGHT...BOTH THE 24.00Z NAM AND GFS SOUNDINGS SUGGEST THAT THE CLOUDS ACROSS NORTHERN AND EASTERN WISCONSIN WILL ONCE AGAIN SPREAD WESTWARD ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. THE COMBINATION OF THESE CLOUDS AND UNUSUALLY MOIST DEW POINTS WILL RESULT IN MINIMUM TEMPERATURES ONLY FALLING INTO THE LOWER AND MID 40S. THIS IS ABOUT 5 DEGREES WARMER THAN OUR NORMAL HIGH TEMPERATURE FOR THIS DATE. ON FRIDAY...THE LOW CLOUDS WILL GRADUALLY LIFT AND DISSIPATE DURING THE DAY. HOWEVER AT THE SAME TIME...MID AND HIGH CLOUDS WILL BE STREAMING INTO THE REGION AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING LONG WAVE TROUGH. AS RESULT...NOT EXPECTING TOO MUCH SUNSHINE. DESPITE THE LACK OF ABUNDANT SUNSHINE...SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL HELP WARM TEMPERATURES INTO THE LOWER AND MID 50S. ON FRIDAY NIGHT...THE MODELS CONTINUE TO INDICATE THAT MODERATE TO STRONG MOISTURE TRANSPORT WILL MOVE INTO THE FORECAST AREA. THIS WILL BE THE BEST ACROSS THE EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA DURING THE EVENING. DURING THE OVERNIGHT...MODERATE TO STRONG ISENTROPIC LIFT AND FRONTOGENESIS WILL MOVE EAST INTO THE AREA. AT THIS TIME...IT LOOKS LIKE THE BEST RAIN CHANCES WILL BE FROM ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER EAST. DESPITE THE RAIN...THE SOUTHERLY WINDS SHOULD HELP KEEP THE MINIMUM TEMPERATURES UNUSUALLY WARM FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR. THEY WILL BE IN THE LOWER AND MID 40S ACROSS SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA AND NORTHEAST IOWA...AND IN THE MID TO UPPER 40S FOR WESTERN WISCONSIN. ON SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT...BOTH THE GFS AND ECMWF SHOW THAT THERE WILL BE RAPID CYCLOGENESIS OCCURRING ACROSS MINNESOTA. THIS IS IN RESPONSE TO SOME INTERACTION BETWEEN THE NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN SHORT WAVE TROUGH EMBEDDED IN THE LONG WAVE TROUGH. THIS RESULT IN THE TROPOPAUSE DESCENDING TO AROUND 500 MB...AND A RAPID TIGHTENING OF THE SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT. SUSTAINED WINDS WILL CLIMB INTO THE 15 TO 30 MPH RANGE...AND THE WIND GUSTS WILL RANGE FROM 30 TO 40 MPH. WITH STRONG COLD AIR ADVECTION BEING FOUND IN THE WAKE OF THE COLD FRONT ON SATURDAY...TEMPERATURES SHOULD FALL STEADILY THROUGH THE EARLY AFTERNOON AND THEN STABILIZE. THIS TREND WAS INTRODUCED TO THE HOURLY TEMPERATURE GRIDS. IN ADDITION...GFS SOUNDINGS ARE COLD ENOUGH FOR A SOME SNOW TO MIX IN. THIS WAS ALREADY IN THE SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA AND NORTHEAST FORECAST GRIDS...BUT IT NOW LOOKS LIKE WESTERN WISCONSIN MAY ALSO SEE SOME OF THIS SNOW TOO...SO IT WAS ADDED TO THE GRIDS DURING THE MID AND LATE AFTERNOON. .LONG TERM...SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY 352 AM CST THU NOV 24 2011 ON SATURDAY NIGHT...IT CONTINUE TO LOOK LIKE THERE WILL BE SOME LINGERING LIGHT PRECIPITATION. AS RESULT...KEPT A CHANCE OF LIGHT RAIN AND SNOW DURING THE EVENING...AND LIGHT SNOW OVERNIGHT. LIKE THE PAST COUPLE OF DAYS...NOT EXPECTING TOO MUCH SNOW AT ALL FROM THIS SYSTEM. IN ADDITION TO THE MIXED PRECIPITATION...THE STRONG WINDS WILL LIKELY CONTINUE THROUGH THE NIGHT. SUSTAINED WINDS WILL REMAIN IN THE 15 TO 30 MPH RANGE...AND THE WINDS WILL GUST UP TO 40 MPH. BEYOND THIS TIME PERIOD...THERE CONTINUES TO BE VERY LITTLE CONSISTENCY. HOWEVER WITH THIS SAID...I DO LIKE THAT THE MODELS ARE STARTING TO BECOME MORE TRANSITORY WITH THEIR SYSTEM. THIS MAKES SENSE WHEN LOOKING AT THE RATHER ACTIVE WAVE PATTERN FROM AFRICA INTO THE WESTERN PACIFIC. THE GFS PATTERN ACTUALLY RESEMBLES ONE OF THE PATTERNS THAT YOU WOULD TYPICALLY SEE DURING A LA NINA. ANOTHER FEATURE THAT WE WILL HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION TO AS WE HEAD INTO DECEMBER IS THE INTENSIFYING MADDEN JULIAN OSCILLATION /WHICH HAS BEEN CONSISTENTLY FORECAST BY THE BRAZILLIAN...ECMWF...JAPANESE...AND U.S. MODEL ENSEMBLES FOR THE PAST WEEK/ THAT IS LOCATED OVER THE WESTERN INDIAN OCEAN. THIS WILL LIKELY CAUSE SOME ISSUES WITH THE MODEL RUN TO RUN CONSISTENCY AT LEAST INITIALLY. IN ADDITION...IT MAY BE ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THE CLIMATE FORECAST SYSTEM VERSION 2 MODEL IS SUGGESTING THAT AT LEAST THE FIRST HALF OF DECEMBER MAY END UP BEING WARMER THAN NORMAL. && .AVIATION...THROUGH 18Z FRIDAY 1146 AM CST THU NOV 24 2011 STRATUS THAT WAS OVER THE TAF SITES HAS MIXED OUT THIS MORNING ON SCHEDULE...THOUGH SOME MVFR BR STILL PERSISTS. THIS MVFR BR SHOULD GO VFR BY 19Z WITH CONTINUED MIXING. QUESTION THEN BECOMES IF STRATUS CAN REDEVELOP TONIGHT AS MOISTURE SURGES UP FROM THE CENTRAL PLAINS ON BREEZY SOUTHWEST WINDS. THERE IS A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY ON THIS...SINCE IT DEPENDS ON HOW WARM IT ENDS UP THIS AFTERNOON AND HOW MUCH COOLING CAN TAKE PLACE TONIGHT GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF WIND. RIGHT NOW HAVE KEPT THE IDEA OF A SCATTERED IFR/MVFR DECK AFTER 09Z IN CASE CLOUDS DEVELOP. MORE CONFIDENCE EXISTS THAT THE MOISTURE MAY END UP RESULTING IN MVFR BR AND HAVE THIS IN THE FORECAST FROM 09-15Z. ANOTHER ISSUE WITH THE AVIATION FORECAST IS WINDS. MIXING TODAY IS ALLOWING FROM SOUTHERLY GUSTS OF 20-30KT...HIGHEST IN KRST. THIS SHOULD CONTINUE AT KRST THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING HOURS WITH A TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT IN PLACE AHEAD OF TROUGHING OVER THE DAKOTAS. HOWEVER...AT KLSE...LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR IS LIKELY TO DEVELOP AFTER 23Z WITH COOLING AND BEING IN THE VALLEY. SHOULD GUSTS STOP AT KRST...LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR WILL BE NEEDED THERE AS WELL. KEPT THE LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR GOING AT KLSE UNTIL 15Z WHEN AT THAT POINT MIXING CAN START PRODUCING GUSTS AGAIN. && .ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... 251 AM CST THU NOV 24 2011 WI...NONE. MN...NONE. IA...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...BOYNE LONG TERM...BOYNE AVIATION...AJ