Forecast Discussions mentioning any of "HRRR" "RAP" "RR" "RUC13" "RUC" received at GSD on 09/05/12


AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS PHOENIX AZ
300 PM MST MON SEP 3 2012 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE ALOFT WILL REMAIN CENTERED OVER OR NEAR NEW MEXICO THROUGH MUCH OF THE UPCOMING WEEK. VERY MOIST AND MODERATELY UNSTABLE AIR WILL OVERSPREAD THE AREA...WHILE WEAK WEATHER DISTURBANCES PERIODICALLY MOVE WEST ACROSS NORTHERN MEXICO. AS A RESULT...EXPECT A RATHER ACTIVE PERIOD OF WEATHER THIS WEEK...WITH AN ABOVE NORMAL CHANCE FOR MAINLY LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING THUNDERSTORMS. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL AND STRONG WINDS ARE LIKELY WITH THE MORE INTENSE STORMS. && .DISCUSSION... LATEST RAP ANALYZED A DIFFUSE TROUGH EXTENDING FROM SOUTHERN NM TO HERMOSILLO MEXICO...THOUGH THIS IS DIFFICULT TO IDENTIFY ON WV IMAGERY. STRONG STORMS HAVE DEVELOPED IN THE DIFLUENT REGION BETWEEN THIS TROUGH AND AN ANTICYCLONE CENTERED NEAR THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. FURTHER NORTH ACROSS THE MOGOLLON RIM...OROGRAPHICALLY-INDUCED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAVE ALSO FORMED BUT CONTINUE TO DRIFT NORTHEASTWARD TOWARDS THE CO PLATEAU WITHIN A 10 KT MEAN LAYER FLOW. EARLIER MOISTURE SURGE ALONG THE GOC AND ACROSS YUMA AND THE IMPERIAL VALLEY YIELDED HEAT INDICES BETWEEN 110 AND 115 DEGREES...BUT HAVE SINCE LOWERED AS THE ATMOSPHERE MIXES OUT. LATEST MESOANALYSIS SHOWS MODERATELY STRONG CONVECTIVE INHIBITION ACROSS MUCH OF THE FORECAST AREA...LARGELY DUE TO A RIDGE AND THE ASSOCIATED WARM/DRY AIR IN THE 800-700 MB LAYER. MODEL SOUNDINGS INDICATE THAT THIS LAYER WILL MOISTEN ACROSS WESTERN AZ THIS AFTERNOON...WHICH WILL HELP TO ERODE THE CIN AND INITIATE ISOLATED CONVECTION. NMM-B BASED WRF FROM UNIV OF AZ APPEARS TO HAVE THE BEST HANDLE ON THE SHORT-TERM EVOLUTION AND SUGGESTS STORMS WILL FIRE ACROSS YUMA AND LA PAZ COUNTIES THIS AFTERNOON. ISOLATED ACTIVITY IN THE IMPERIAL VALLEY ALSO CANNOT BE RULED OUT...GIVEN THE SOUTHWESTERLY STEERING FLOW AND PRESENCE OF CB/TCU ON VISIBLE SATELLITE ALONG THE BAJA SPINE. ACROSS THE PHOENIX METRO AREA...THE MAIN IMPACT APPEARS TO BE THE POTENTIAL BLOWING DUST FROM THUNDERSTORMS TO THE SOUTH...THOUGH POPS REMAIN 5 TO 10 PERCENT ABOVE THE CLIMATOLOGICAL AVERAGE. && .PREVIOUS DISCUSSION... IN THE SHORT TERM (MONDAY-WEDNESDAY)...EXPECT A DAY TO DAY INCREASE IN STORM ACTIVITY...ESPECIALLY OVER AZ PORTION OF THE CWA. VERY MOIST AIR MASS CURRENTLY EXISTS OVER NORTHWEST MEXICO. SYNOPTIC PATTERN...WITH RATHER STRONG TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE MOVING EAST ACROSS SOUTH-CENTRAL CANADA WHILE A TROPICAL DISTURBANCE (NOW TS JOHN) MOVES WEST JUST OFF THE SOUTHERN END OF BAJA CALIFORNIA...CERTAINLY SUPPORTS A MOISTURE INCREASE OVER OUR AREA...AND THE GFS/ECMWF/NAM CERTAINLY AGREE THE ATMOSPHERE WILL MOISTEN SIGNIFICANTLY DURING THE NEXT 36 HRS. WITH ATMOSPHERIC MOISTENING CONTINUING ON TUESDAY (ANOMALOUSLY HIGH PRECIPITABLE WATER NEAR 2" BY THEN) AND MORE DIFLUENT UPPER LEVEL FLOW OVER SOUTHEAST AZ BY TUESDAY AFTN...PRECIP CHANCE WILL BE A BIT GREATER TUESDAY EVENING... ESPECIALLY OVER SOUTH-CENTRAL AZ. VERY MOIST AND MODERATELY UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE REMAINS IN PLACE ON WEDNESDAY...AND PRECIP CHANCES WILL BE ENHANCED AS A WEAK WEATHER DISTURBANCE MOVES WEST ACROSS SONORA. WITH SUCH HIGH ATMOSPHERIC MOISTURE CONTENT...DECENT CAPE...AND WEAK STEERING FLOW...LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL CAN BE EXPECTED...THOUGH STRONG/DAMAGING WINDS WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE. IN THE EXTENDED PERIOD(THURSDAY-SUNDAY)...NUMERICAL MODELS INDICATE ATMOSPHERE WILL REMAIN ANOMALOUSLY MOIST AND MODERATELY UNSTABLE WHILE WEAK WEATHER DISTURBANCE CONTINUE TO AFFECT THE DESERT SOUTHWEST. WENT WITH SLIGHT CHANCE POPS DURING THE LATE AFTN/EVENING HOURS FOR SOUTH-CENTRAL AZ EACH DAY...BUT WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED IF PRECIP CHANCES WILL ACTUALLY BE SOMEWHAT HIGHER THAN CURRENTLY PORTRAYED. && .AVIATION... SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA...INCLUDING KPHX...KIWA...AND KSDL... THROUGH 06Z TUE...INCREASING CLOUDS BECOMING SCT-BKN AOA 14 THSD MSL LATE IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING...WITH POSSIBLE ISOLATED SHWRS/TSTMS. WEST WIND 5 TO 15 KNOTS...BUT VARIABLE AND GUSTY WITH CONVECTIVE OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES IF NEARBY CONVECTION DEVELOPS. FROM 06Z TUE TO 19Z TUE...SCT-BKN CLDS AOA 14 THSD MSL. LIGHT WIND UNDER 10 KNOTS. SOUTHEAST CA AND SOUTHWEST AZ...INCLUDING KIPL AND KBLH... THROUGH 06Z TUE...INCREASING CLOUDS BECOMING SCT-BKN AOA 14 THSD MSL LATE IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING...WITH ISOLATED SHWRS/TSTMS. SOUTH WIND 5 TO 15 KNOTS...BUT VARIABLE AND GUSTY WITH CONVECTIVE OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES IF NEARBY CONVECTION DEVELOPS. FROM 06Z TUE TO 19Z TUE...SCT-BKN CLDS AOA 16 THSD MSL. SOUTH WIND 5 TO 15 KNOTS. AVIATION DISCUSSION NOT UPDATED FOR AMENDED TAFS. && .FIRE WEATHER... THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY... SIGNIFICANT MONSOON MOISTURE WILL COVER THE REGION. A SLIGHT CHANCE OF AFTERNOON AND EVENING THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE MAINLY OVER SOUTH CENTRAL ARIZONA...PARTICULARLY MOUNTAINS. MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL RANGE FROM 20 TO 25 PERCENT...EXCEPT 15 TO 20 PERCENT IN IN SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA. RELATIVELY LIGHT WINDS ARE EXPECTED. && .PSR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AZ...NONE. CA...NONE. && $$ VISIT US ON FACEBOOK...TWITTER...AND AT WEATHER.GOV/PHOENIX DISCUSSION...HIRSCH PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...DG AVIATION...VASQUEZ FIRE WEATHER...VASQUEZ
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS TUCSON AZ
930 AM MST MON SEP 3 2012 .SYNOPSIS...THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF MOISTURE AROUND FOR SCATTERED AFTERNOON AND EVENING THUNDERSTORMS AGAIN TODAY...MAINLY SOUTH AND WEST OF TUCSON. DEEPER MOISTURE WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY FOR AN UPSWING IN THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. && .DISCUSSION...UPPER AIR PLOTS THIS MORNING PLACED MID LEVEL HIGH OVER W-CNTRL NEW MEXICO WHILE FURTHER UP AROUND 300 MB THE HIGH WAS OVER NE SONORA MEXICO. THUS WE HAVE WEAK E-SE MID LEVEL FLOW AND A BIT STRONGER SW FLOW AT 300 MB. PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES ARE UP A BIT FROM 24 HOURS AGO...ESPECIALLY OVER THE EASTERN AREAS AND THEY HAVE INCREASED A LOT OVER SONORA MEXICO AS DEEPER TROPICAL MOISTURE CONTINUES TO PUSH NORTH ACROSS THE GULF OF CALIFORNIA AND SONORA MEXICO WHERE OVER 2 INCHES OF PW RESIDES FROM HERMOSILLO S. VALUES ACROSS SOUTHERN ARIZONA THIS MORNING RANGED FROM 1.30" ALONG AZ/NM BORDER TO 1.60" IN WESTERN PIMA COUNTY. NO DISCERNIBLE FEATURE ALOFT CAN BE SEEN ON WATER VAPOR IMAGERY BUT BOTH 12Z NAM/GFS DO SHOW A WEAK INVERTED TROF OVER CENTRAL SONORA...WHICH THEY BOTH MOVE NORTH TO THE INTERNATIONAL BORDER THIS AFTERNOON. THE WRF VERSION OF THESE MODELS ALONG WITH THE LATEST HRRR MODEL RUN ARE INDICATING THAT SANTA CRUZ AND SOUTHERN COCHISE COUNTY ALONG WITH SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE TOHONO OODHAM NATION WILL BE THE FOCUS FOR STORMS THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING. STILL LOOKING AT WET MICROBURSTS PRODUCING LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN WHERE RAINFALL AMOUNTS COULD BE IN THE 1-2" RANGE. WITH THIS IN MIND MADE SOME SLIGHT ADJUSTMENTS TO POP/QPF GRIDS FOR THESE AREAS WITH UPDATE DUE OUT SHORTLY. WILL ALSO HIGHLIGHT ENHANCED CHANCES FOR FLASH FLOODING FOR THE ABOVE MENTIONED AREAS IN THE HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK. AT THIS TIME DO NOT BELIEVE AREAL COVERAGE WILL BE WIDESPREAD ENOUGH TO WARRANT FF WATCH. HIGHS TODAY WILL BE A BIT COOLER VERSUS SUNDAY. TROPICAL MOISTURE WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH NORTH INTO ARIZONA TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY AS TROPICAL STORM JOHN MOVES TO THE WNW INTO COOLER WATERS WELL OFF BAJA COAST. AS WE HAVE BEEN ADVERTISING FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS NOW...BOTH TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY LOOK PRETTY ACTIVE. DUE TO THE ADDED MOISTURE AND CLOUD COVER...HIGHS TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY WILL BE BELOW NORMAL. && .AVIATION...MAIN AREA OF CONCERN FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING WILL BE SOUTH AND WEST OF KTUS WHERE THEY WILL BE MORE NUMEROUS. SURFACE WIND GENERALLY LESS THAN 10 KTS...EXCEPT FOR GUSTS TO 45 KTS NEAR SCTD TSRA/SHRA BTWN 03/19Z AND 04/04Z...ESPECIALLY FROM S AND W OF KTUS. AVIATION DISCUSSION NOT UPDATED FOR TAF AMENDMENTS. && .FIRE WEATHER...EXPECT SCATTERED MAINLY AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THE WEEK. ERRATIC AND GUSTY WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED NEAR ANY THUNDERSTORMS THAT DEVELOP. && .TWC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && $$ VISIT US ON FACEBOOK...TWITTER...AND AT WEATHER.GOV/TUCSON
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GRAND JUNCTION CO
948 PM MDT TUE SEP 4 2012 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 238 PM MDT TUE SEP 4 2012 WATER VAPOR IMAGERY CLEARLY SHOWING MUCH DRIER AIR THAT HAS FILTERED DOWN FROM THE NORTH OVERNIGHT WITH RH VALUES ACROSS TOP THIRD OF THE FORECAST AREA IN THE TEENS. PWATS REMAIN NEAR .7 INCH FOR THE SAN JUANS AND AREAS SOUTH SO SOME LIGHT SHOWERS OR QUICK POP AND DROP STORM IS NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS. WATER VAPOR IS ALSO SHOWING SOME SMALL DISTURBANCES MOVING THROUGH THE MEAN FLOW CAUSING SOME CONVECTION ACROSS ARIZONA AND CENTRAL UTAH...POSSIBLY REACHING SOUTHEASTERN UTAH IN THE NEXT HOUR OR TWO. DID INCREASE POPS FOR THAT AREA THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS AS WELL AS KEEPING CURRENT POPS IN PLACE FOR THE SAN JUANS. PLENTY OF SUNSHINE TO CONTINUE FOR THE REST OF THE FORECAST AREA WHICH WILL PERSIST THROUGH REMAINDER OF SHORT TERM. ANY CONVECTION SHOULD END NEAR SUNSET WITH CLEAR SKIES EXPECTED OVERNIGHT. TEMPS SHOULD DROP TO PLEASANT CLIMATOLOGICAL NORMS FOR MOST LOCALES. NOT MUCH CHANGE WEDNESDAY WITH CHANCES FOR PRECIP CONTINUING TO DECREASE WITH ONLY VERY ISOLD POPS OVER THE HIGHEST TERRAIN OF THE SAN JUANS. SUNNY SKIES WILL BE THE RULE WITH TEMPS RUNNING ABOUT 4 TO 6 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL. OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL STAY NEAR NORMAL. .LONG TERM...(THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 238 PM MDT TUE SEP 4 2012 A SHORTWAVE DISTURBANCE IS EXPECTED TO DROP ACROSS ID/MT ON THURSDAY AND CLIP NE CO BY MIDDAY FRIDAY. AN ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT SHOULD REACH NE UT/NW CO THU EVENING AND PUSH ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST AREA THURSDAY NIGHT. AS THE SHORTWAVE APPROACHES...MOISTURE IS PULLED IN AHEAD OF IT FROM THE WEST FOR INCREASING CLOUDS THURSDAY...WITH ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS DEVELOPING BY LATE AFTERNOON INTO EVENING. SOME INITIAL STORMS MAY BE DRY...BUT MODELS FORECAST PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES BETWEEN 1/2 TO 3/4 INCH BY THU EVENING...SO EXPECT STORMS TO WET UP. DRIER AIR WILL BE MOVING IN ON NORTHWEST FLOW BY FRI AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE THROUGH SATURDAY AS A HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE BUILDS OVER THE GREAT BASIN. A PACIFIC TROUGH MOVES INLAND LATE THIS WEEKEND PULLING UP A SLUG OF MOISTURE AHEAD OF IT AND PUSHING THE RIDGE EAST. THIS SHOULD INCREASE THE CHANCE OF SHOWERS MONDAY AND TUESDAY. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z WEDNESDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 947 PM MDT TUE SEP 4 2012 VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL TONIGHT THROUGH NOON WEDNESDAY...AFTER WHICH ISOLATED MOUNTAIN THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE BRIEF AND LOCALIZED MVFR CIGS OVER THE RIDGES. THESE STORMS WILL MOSTLY BE DRY WITH WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH POSSIBLE. && .FIRE WEATHER... ISSUED AT 238 PM MDT TUE SEP 4 2012 WIND GUSTS IN THE 20-25 MPH RANGE ACROSS THE NORTH THIS AFTERNOON WITH A FEW SITES SHOWING A BIT STRONGER GUSTS. LOCALIZED AREAS LIKELY TO SEE A BRIEF PERIOD OF CRITICAL RH AND/OR WIND GUSTS BUT WIDESPREAD CRITICAL CONDITIONS ARE NOT EXPECTED. HIGH-RESOLUTION HRRR AND RUC13 MODELS SHOW WIND GUSTS DIMINISHING QUICKLY EARLY THIS EVENING. NE UT/NW CO SHOULD CONTINUE TO REMAIN ON THE SOUTHERN FRINGE OF THE STRONGER WINDS THROUGH WEDNESDAY. THURSDAY AFTERNOON MAY SEE A BIT STRONGER WINDS ACROSS THE NORTH...20-30 MPH GUSTS...AS A SHORTWAVE AND ASSOCIATED SURFACE COLD FRONT APPROACH FROM THEN NORTH. HOWEVER...MOISTURE WILL ALSO BE INCREASING WITH AFTERNOON HUMIDITY EXPECTED TO BOTTOM OUT RIGHT AROUND 15 PERCENT. WITH INCREASING CLOUDS...WILL CONTINUE TO HOLD OFF ON ANY FIRE WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS FOR NE UT/NW CO ALTHOUGH ISOLATED AREAS COULD SEE CRITICAL WIND/RH CONDITIONS DEVELOP FOR A FEW HOURS THURS AFTERNOON. WILL CONTINUE KEEPING A WATCH ON THIS. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS MAY BE DRY INITIALLY THURS AFTERNOON BUT SHOULD WET UP BY THURS EVENING. THE COLD FRONT SHOULD PUSH THROUGH THURS NIGHT. && .GJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CO...NONE. UT...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...TGR LONG TERM...JAD AVIATION...CC FIRE WEATHER...JAD
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GRAND JUNCTION CO
253 PM MDT MON SEP 3 2012 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 252 PM MDT MON SEP 3 2012 JET STREAM REMAINS OVERHEAD WITH STRONGEST JET STREAK HAVING MOVED WELL EAST OVER SRN MN/NRN IA. CONVECTION CONTINUES TO FAVOR THE ROAN/TAVAPUTS THIS AFTN IN RESPONSE TO DISTURBANCES MOVING THROUGH MEAN FLOW AND ALSO FAVORABLE OROGRAPHICS. POT VORT FIELDS ALSO FAVOR THIS AREA SO EVENTS PLAYING OUT AS EXPECTED. AS HAS BEEN THE CASE LAST FEW DAYS...BIGGEST CONCERN WILL BE GUSTY OUTFLOW WINDS REACHING 40 TO 45 MPH AND ALSO SOME SMALL HAIL. DID EXPECT MORE CONVECTION DOWN SOUTH SINCE AVAILABLE PRECIP TABLE WATER IS MUCH HIGHER. BELIEVE CONVECTION IS LIMITED FOR TWO REASONS. FIRST...STEERING FLOW IS ALMOST FROM DUE WEST WHICH IS NOT THE BEST DIRECTION FOR OROGRAPHICALLY INDUCED CONVECTION. SECOND...AND MORE IMPORTANTLY...THERE IS NO REAL TRIGGER TO KICK OFF SOME LIFT LIKE THERE IS UP NORTH. SO FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON...SOME MINOR DISCREPANCIES HAVE CROPPED UP BETWEEN MODELS BUT HRRR IS DOING A REMARKABLE JOB NAILING DOWN WHERE CONVECTION HAS AND IS OCCURRING. LATEST HRRR GUIDANCE SUGGESTS SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL DIE DOWN BY 6PM WITH VERY LITTLE IN THE WAY OF PRECIPITATION AFTER THAT. THIS DOES MAKE SENSE AS MODELS ALSO CONTINUE TO DRY OUT ATMOSPHERE. FORECAST FOLLOWS SUIT THOUGH NOT SO DRAMATICALLY WITH CONVECTION ENDING AROUND SUNSET. CLEAR SKIES WILL BE DOMINANT OVERNIGHT ALLOWING LOW TEMPS TO BE A BIT COOLER THAN SEEN THE LAST FEW DAYS THOUGH STILL A DEGREE OR TWO ABOVE NORMAL. ON TUESDAY ZONAL FLOW SETS UP FROM THE H3 LEVEL TO H7 WHICH EFFECTIVELY CUTS OFF THE FLOW OF MOISTURE FROM THE SOUTH. THE MUCH TOUTED DRIER AIR WILL FINALLY ARRIVE IF THE NAM12/GFS40 ARE TO BE BELIEVED WHICH WILL GREATLY INHIBIT CONVECTION. KEPT POPS AS THEY WERE WITH SOME VERY ISOLD SHOWERS AND STORMS POSSIBLE OVER SAN JUANS AND TO SOME EXTENT CENTRAL MOUNTAINS THOUGH TREND IS TO KEEP LOWERING POP AND QPF AMTS AND COVERAGE. THE REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST AREA WILL SEE PLENTY OF SUNSHINE WITH SEASONAL TEMPERATURES EXPECTED. OVERNIGHT...CLEAR SKIES EXPECTED WITH NEAR NORMAL LOW TEMPERATURES. .LONG TERM...(WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 252 PM MDT MON SEP 3 2012 SOMEWHAT ACTIVE NORTHERN STREAM THE LAST HALF OF THE WEEK AS SHORTWAVES ROTATING AROUND A CENTRAL CANADA LOW DROP INTO THE NRN TIER STATES. FIRST SHORTWAVE MOVES INTO THE UPPER MIDWEST ON WEDNESDAY... A SECOND DROPS DOWN ACROSS MT WED NIGHT...AND A THIRD AND STRONGER ONE CLIPS NE CO LATE FRI. A RATHER WEAK WESTERLY UPPER JET OVERHEAD ON WED STRENGTHENS THU-FRI AS THAT THIRD WAVE APPROACHES...AND MAY RESULT IN STRONGER SURFACE WINDS ACROSS NE UT/NW CO. BROAD HIGH PRESSURE DOMINATES THE SOUTHWEST STATES AND FOUR CORNERS AND WILL BE MAIN INFLUENCE ON SE UT/SW CO. MODELS KEEP ENOUGH MOISTURE PRESENT FOR ISOLATED TO PERHAPS SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS MAINLY OVER THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MTNS THURSDAY. THE SOUTHWEST UPPER HIGH BUILDS NORTHWEST INTO THE GREAT BASIN FRI AND SAT AND SHOULD RESULT IN DRIER NW FLOW FOR OUR FORECAST AREA THIS WEEKEND. MODELS SHOW A PACIFIC TROUGH REACHING THE NORTHWEST COAST BY MONDAY...SHIFTING THE HIGH EAST AND ALLOWING MONSOONAL MOISTURE TO RETURN NEXT MONDAY. CONFIDENCE BELOW AVERAGE ON THIS... HOWEVER...GIVEN MODEL AND RUN-TO-RUN INCONSISTENCIES...SO WILL STAY CONSERVATIVE WITH POPS FOR MONDAY. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z TUESDAY EVENING) ISSUED AT 252 PM MDT MON SEP 3 2012 CONVECTION CONTINUES WITH SOME GUSTY WINDS BEING REPORTED ACROSS THE AREA. KRIL JUST EXPERIENCED A GUST OF 44 MPH FROM A STORM THAT IS WELL NORTH OF THE AERODROME. THESE GUSTY WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS WITH KEGE AND KASE HAVING THE BEST CHANCE TO SEE THESE WINDS AND A PASSING SHOWER OR THUNDERSTORM. BRIEF MVFR IS POSSIBLE FOR THOSE TWO SITES THROUGH 9 PM. REMAINING AERODROMES SHOULD REMAIN VFR FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS. THE REST OF THE STORMS AND SHOWERS SHOULD END AROUND SUNSET GIVING WAY TO CLEAR SKIES THAT WILL PERSIST THROUGH TOMORROW. && .FIRE WEATHER... ISSUED AT 252 PM MDT MON SEP 3 2012 WIND IN GENERAL LOOKS TO REMAIN JUST BELOW CRITICAL LEVELS ACROSS DAGGETT COUNTY AND NORTHERN DUCHESNE COUNTY /FWX ZONES 481 AND 485/ IN NE UT AND MOFFAT COUNTY /FWX ZONE 200/ IN NW CO TUESDAY AFTERNOON. WIND GUSTS 20-25 MPH ARE PROBABLE DURING PEAK HEATING TUESDAY AFTERNOON. WHILE LOCAL AREAS MAY SEE CRITICAL CONDITIONS BELOW 8000-9000 FT DUE TO WIND GUSTS AND LOW RH...DO NOT THINK AREAL COVERAGE OR DURATION IS ENOUGH TO WARRANT A FIRE WEATHER HIGHLIGHT FOR NE UT/NW CO AT THIS TIME. SOME CONCERN THAT WIND GUSTS COULD APPROACH/EXCEED CRITICAL LEVELS ACROSS NE UT/NW CO ON THU AS A DISTURBANCE APPROACHING FROM THE NW BEGINS TO STRENGTHEN WINDS ALOFT...WHICH COULD THEN MIX DOWN DURING PEAK HEATING. HOWEVER...IT APPEARS THAT HUMIDITY WILL REMAIN ABOVE CRITERIA THU AS MODELS CURRENTLY SHOWING SOME INCREASE IN MOISTURE. && .GJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CO...NONE. UT...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...TGR LONG TERM...JAD AVIATION...TGR FIRE WX...JAD
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS PUEBLO CO
1129 AM MDT MON SEP 3 2012 .AVIATION... VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED NEXT 24H AT ALL 3 TAF SITES...KCOS...KPUB AND KALS. WINDS WILL BE DIURNALLY DRIVEN AND LIGHT. THERE IS A VERY SLIGHT CHANCE OF A WEAK -TSRA AT THE 3 TAF SITES THIS AFTERNOON BUT PROBABILITY OF OCCURRENCE IS TOO LOW TO MENTION IN TAF PRODUCTS. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 431 AM MDT MON SEP 3 2012/ SHORT TERM... (TODAY AND TONIGHT) RADAR IS STILL PICKING UP SOME ECHOES OVR THE FORECAST AREA...BUT COVERAGE IS SPOTTY. WV SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWING A PLUME OF MSTR ACRS THE STATE THIS MORNING. MODELS SHOW DRIER AIR WORKING INTO THE AREA FROM THE WEST...BUT REMAINING OVR ERN AREAS. AS A RESULT...THE FORECAST MODELS HAVE LITTLE IN THE WAY OF PCPN OVR THE CONTDVD TODAY. HOWEVER...THERE MAY STILL BE ENOUGH RESIDUAL MSTR TO KEEP SOME ISOLD POPS IN THE FORECAST FOR THAT AREA. OVR THE ERN MTS AND PLAINS...THE 4KM WRF HAS SOME VERY SPOTTY PCPN OCCURRING THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING WITH THE BEST CHANCES BEING ALONG THE SRN BORDER. THE HRRR IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE 4KM WRF. THE NAM ON THE OTHER HAND HAS SOME LIGHT PCPN BEING POSSIBLE MOST LOCATIONS OF THE ERN MTS AND PLAINS. WITH THE MST PLUME STILL EXPECTED TO BE IN PLACE...WL GO WITH GENERALLY ISOLD POPS ACRS MUCH OF THE SERN PLAINS. MOST AREAS WILL AGAIN SEE HIGH TEMPS THAT ARE 5-10 DEGREES ABOVE AVERAGE. TONIGHT THE MSTR PLUME CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST...BUT CONTINUES TO LINGER OVR THE FAR SERN AREAS. BY MIDNIGHT MOST AREAS SHOULD SEE AN END TO THE PCPN...BUT THE MODELS DO CONTINUE TO HANG ON TO SOME PCPN INTO THE LATE NIGHT HOURS OVR THE FAR SERN PLAINS. LONG TERM... (TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) TUESDAY...TROUGH MOVES ACROSS THE NORTHERN ROCKIES WITH COLORADO BEING ON THE SOUTHERN EDGE OF THE TROUGH. MAIN FORECAST CHALLENGE WILL BE THE AMOUNT OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE ON THE PLAINS. LATEST NAM AND GFS HAVE DEW POINTS IN THE 50S TO LOWER 60S ON THE PLAINS TUESDAY AFTERNOON. MODELS HAVE BEEN PLAGUED BY OVER-FORECASTING DEW POINTS DURING THE ENTIRE SUMMER...AND HAVE DEW POINTS IN THE 40S TO LOWER 50S IN THE GRIDS. BELIEVE HIGHEST DEW POINTS WILL CLOSE TO THE NEW MEXICO BORDER WHERE GRIDS HAVE ISOLATED TO SCATTERED POPS. OTHERWISE...ONLY HAVE SILENT POPS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE PLAINS. IN THE MOUNTAINS...DRIER AIR WILL MOVE INTO THE REGION AND HAVE POPS OVER THE SOUTHERN MOUNTAINS. A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE SOUTHWARD ACROSS THE PLAINS TUESDAY NIGHT. WITH SOME LOW LEVEL MOISTURE REMAINING OVER THE SOUTHEAST PORTION OF THE PLAINS...A STORM OR TWO COULD DEVELOP ALONG THE FRONT...AND MAINTAINED ISOLATED POPS OVERNIGHT OVER PORTIONS OF THE PLAINS. WEDNESDAY...COLD FRONT WILL MOVE SOUTH OF THE STATE BY THE AFTERNOON...WITH EASTERLY FLOW POOLING LOW LEVEL MOISTURE MOSTLY OVER NORTHERN NEW MEXICO. SOME OF THE GUIDANCE HAS ENOUGH MOISTURE REMAINING OVER SOUTHERN COLORADO FOR A FEW AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING STORMS. DECIDED TO MAINTAIN SOME ISOLATED POPS IN THIS REGION...BUT HEAVIER PRECIPITATION WILL STAY TO THE SOUTH OF THE STATE. TEMPERATURES ON THE PLAINS WILL COOL TO NEAR NORMAL BEHIND THE FRONT. THURSDAY...A WEAK DISTURBANCE WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REGION WITH LOW LEVEL DRYING OVER THE INTERSTATE 25 CORRIDOR. GFS CONTINUES TO BE MUCH TOO HIGH WITH SURFACE DEW POINTS NEAR THE KANSAS BORDER...WITH DEW POINTS IN THE LOWER 60S AND CAPES AROUND 1500 J/KG. GRIDS HAVE DEW POINTS NEAR THE KANSAS BORDER IN THE MID TO UPPER 40S...AND ONLY HAVE ISOLATED POPS NEAR THE KANSAS BORDER. THE PASSING DISTURBANCE SHOULD HELP FIRE CONVECTION OVER THE MOUNTAINS...FOR SOME AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING STORMS. .FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...A TROUGH MOVES SOUTHEAST OUT OF CANADA AND INTO THE HIGH PLAINS FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT. A SHARP COLD FRONT WILL MOVE SOUTHWARD ACROSS THE PLAINS ON FRIDAY. GFS HAS WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION OVER THE EASTERN PLAINS AND INTERSTATE 25 CORRIDOR BEHIND THE FRONT AS SYNOPTIC SCALE LIFT AHEAD OF THE TROUGH PASSES OVER THE MOIST LOW LEVEL AIR MASS. GFS DEW POINTS ON FRIDAY ARE IN THE UPPER 50S TO LOWER 60S ON THE PLAINS. ONCE AGAIN...BELIEVE DEW POINTS ARE MUCH TOO HIGH. EC DEW POINTS ARE IN THE 40S...WHICH IS MORE REASONABLE. HAVE GENERALLY ISOLATED POPS ON THE PLAINS AND INTERSTATE 25 CORRIDOR ON FRIDAY TO ACCOUNT FOR SOME SHOWERS. LOW LEVEL AIR MASS BEHIND THE FRONT WILL BE COOL AND LACK OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WILL RESULT IN A GENERALLY STABLE AIR MASS. COOL LOW LEVEL AIR MASS REMAINS ON THE PLAINS SATURDAY WITH THE ATMOSPHERE REMAINING CAPPED. BY SUNDAY...THE COOL AIR MASS MOVE TO THE EAST WITH WARMER TEMPERATURES. MOISTURE LOOKS TO BE LIMITED WITH ONLY SILENT POPS. --PGW-- AVIATION... VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED AT THE TAF SITES FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS. SOME SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP TODAY...BUT MAY BE FAIRLY SPOTTY NR THE TAF SITES. KCOS WL PROBABLY HAVE THE BEST CHANCE OF SEEING SOME SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS IN THE VCNTY. HOWEVER...CONFIDENCE IS TOO LOW AT THIS TIME TO INCLUDE ANY MENTION OF TSRA IN THE TAFS. && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ 34/34
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS PUEBLO CO
431 AM MDT MON SEP 3 2012 .SHORT TERM... (TODAY AND TONIGHT) RADAR IS STILL PICKING UP SOME ECHOES OVR THE FORECAST AREA...BUT COVERAGE IS SPOTTY. WV SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWING A PLUME OF MSTR ACRS THE STATE THIS MORNING. MODELS SHOW DRIER AIR WORKING INTO THE AREA FROM THE WEST...BUT REMAINING OVR ERN AREAS. AS A RESULT...THE FORECAST MODELS HAVE LITTLE IN THE WAY OF PCPN OVR THE CONTDVD TODAY. HOWEVER...THERE MAY STILL BE ENOUGH RESIDUAL MSTR TO KEEP SOME ISOLD POPS IN THE FORECAST FOR THAT AREA. OVR THE ERN MTS AND PLAINS...THE 4KM WRF HAS SOME VERY SPOTTY PCPN OCCURRING THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING WITH THE BEST CHANCES BEING ALONG THE SRN BORDER. THE HRRR IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE 4KM WRF. THE NAM ON THE OTHER HAND HAS SOME LIGHT PCPN BEING POSSIBLE MOST LOCATIONS OF THE ERN MTS AND PLAINS. WITH THE MST PLUME STILL EXPECTED TO BE IN PLACE...WL GO WITH GENERALLY ISOLD POPS ACRS MUCH OF THE SERN PLAINS. MOST AREAS WILL AGAIN SEE HIGH TEMPS THAT ARE 5-10 DEGREES ABOVE AVERAGE. TONIGHT THE MSTR PLUME CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST...BUT CONTINUES TO LINGER OVR THE FAR SERN AREAS. BY MIDNIGHT MOST AREAS SHOULD SEE AN END TO THE PCPN...BUT THE MODELS DO CONTINUE TO HANG ON TO SOME PCPN INTO THE LATE NIGHT HOURS OVR THE FAR SERN PLAINS. .LONG TERM... (TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) .TUESDAY...TROUGH MOVES ACROSS THE NORTHERN ROCKIES WITH COLORADO BEING ON THE SOUTHERN EDGE OF THE TROUGH. MAIN FORECAST CHALLENGE WILL BE THE AMOUNT OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE ON THE PLAINS. LATEST NAM AND GFS HAVE DEW POINTS IN THE 50S TO LOWER 60S ON THE PLAINS TUESDAY AFTERNOON. MODELS HAVE BEEN PLAGUED BY OVER-FORECASTING DEW POINTS DURING THE ENTIRE SUMMER...AND HAVE DEW POINTS IN THE 40S TO LOWER 50S IN THE GRIDS. BELIEVE HIGHEST DEW POINTS WILL CLOSE TO THE NEW MEXICO BORDER WHERE GRIDS HAVE ISOLATED TO SCATTERED POPS. OTHERWISE...ONLY HAVE SILENT POPS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE PLAINS. IN THE MOUNTAINS...DRIER AIR WILL MOVE INTO THE REGION AND HAVE POPS OVER THE SOUTHERN MOUNTAINS. A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE SOUTHWARD ACROSS THE PLAINS TUESDAY NIGHT. WITH SOME LOW LEVEL MOISTURE REMAINING OVER THE SOUTHEAST PORTION OF THE PLAINS...A STORM OR TWO COULD DEVELOP ALONG THE FRONT...AND MAINTAINED ISOLATED POPS OVERNIGHT OVER PORTIONS OF THE PLAINS. .WEDNESDAY...COLD FRONT WILL MOVE SOUTH OF THE STATE BY THE AFTERNOON...WITH EASTERLY FLOW POOLING LOW LEVEL MOISTURE MOSTLY OVER NORTHERN NEW MEXICO. SOME OF THE GUIDANCE HAS ENOUGH MOISTURE REMAINING OVER SOUTHERN COLORADO FOR A FEW AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING STORMS. DECIDED TO MAINTAIN SOME ISOLATED POPS IN THIS REGION...BUT HEAVIER PRECIPITATION WILL STAY TO THE SOUTH OF THE STATE. TEMPERATURES ON THE PLAINS WILL COOL TO NEAR NORMAL BEHIND THE FRONT. .THURSDAY...A WEAK DISTURBANCE WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REGION WITH LOW LEVEL DRYING OVER THE INTERSTATE 25 CORRIDOR. GFS CONTINUES TO BE MUCH TOO HIGH WITH SURFACE DEW POINTS NEAR THE KANSAS BORDER...WITH DEW POINTS IN THE LOWER 60S AND CAPES AROUND 1500 J/KG. GRIDS HAVE DEW POINTS NEAR THE KANSAS BORDER IN THE MID TO UPPER 40S...AND ONLY HAVE ISOLATED POPS NEAR THE KANSAS BORDER. THE PASSING DISTURBANCE SHOULD HELP FIRE CONVECTION OVER THE MOUNTAINS...FOR SOME AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING STORMS. ..FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...A TROUGH MOVES SOUTHEAST OUT OF CANADA AND INTO THE HIGH PLAINS FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT. A SHARP COLD FRONT WILL MOVE SOUTHWARD ACROSS THE PLAINS ON FRIDAY. GFS HAS WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION OVER THE EASTERN PLAINS AND INTERSTATE 25 CORRIDOR BEHIND THE FRONT AS SYNOPTIC SCALE LIFT AHEAD OF THE TROUGH PASSES OVER THE MOIST LOW LEVEL AIR MASS. GFS DEW POINTS ON FRIDAY ARE IN THE UPPER 50S TO LOWER 60S ON THE PLAINS. ONCE AGAIN...BELIEVE DEW POINTS ARE MUCH TOO HIGH. EC DEW POINTS ARE IN THE 40S...WHICH IS MORE REASONABLE. HAVE GENERALLY ISOLATED POPS ON THE PLAINS AND INTERSTATE 25 CORRIDOR ON FRIDAY TO ACCOUNT FOR SOME SHOWERS. LOW LEVEL AIR MASS BEHIND THE FRONT WILL BE COOL AND LACK OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WILL RESULT IN A GENERALLY STABLE AIR MASS. COOL LOW LEVEL AIR MASS REMAINS ON THE PLAINS SATURDAY WITH THE ATMOSPHERE REMAINING CAPPED. BY SUNDAY...THE COOL AIR MASS MOVE TO THE EAST WITH WARMER TEMPERATURES. MOISTURE LOOKS TO BE LIMITED WITH ONLY SILENT POPS. --PGW-- && .AVIATION... VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED AT THE TAF SITES FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS. SOME SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP TODAY...BUT MAY BE FAIRLY SPOTTY NR THE TAF SITES. KCOS WL PROBABLY HAVE THE BEST CHANCE OF SEEING SOME SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS IN THE VCNTY. HOWEVER...CONFIDENCE IS TOO LOW AT THIS TIME TO INCLUDE ANY MENTION OF TSRA IN THE TAFS. && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ 28/06
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS TAUNTON MA
1018 PM EDT TUE SEP 4 2012 .SYNOPSIS... A WARM FRONT WILL PUSH NORTH OF THE REGION TONIGHT...THEN LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE ACROSS NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND WEDNESDAY. ITS ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT WILL WEAKEN AS IT PUSHES OFFSHORE LATE WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT. WARM AND HUMID CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK INTO THIS WEEKEND. ALL EYES WILL THEN FOCUS ON THE POSSIBLE TRACK OF TROPICAL STORM LESLIE LATE THIS WEEKEND AND EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING/... 1030 PM UPDATE... A STRUGGLING FCST THIS EVNG. WHAT IS WELL KNOWN IS THAT ATMOS COLUMN IS SATURATED UP TO H5 WITH PWATS AROUND 2 INCHES /SEE THE 0Z ALY-CHH-OKX SOUNDINGS/. TROPICAL AIRMASS WELL IN PLACE WITH SFC DWPTS IN THE LOW-MID 70S. BOUNDARY LYR HAS DECOUPLED WHICH HAS ALLOWED FOR THE ENHANCEMENT OF H925-85 S/SWLY FLOW /20-30 KTS/ AHEAD OF THE APPROACHING BAROCLINIC TROUGH PRESENTLY STRETCHED ACROSS THE ERN GRT LKS WITH ATTENDANT SHRTWV IMPULSES AT VARIOUS ATMOS LVLS. WHAT IS DIFFICULT TO PINPOINT ARE THE BETTER RGNS OF LOW-LVL MOISTURE CONVERGENCE AND ENHANCED ASCENT. WHILE THE BROAD AREA ACROSS UPSTATE NY IS RESULTANT OF DEEP-LYR LIFT PER ENHANCED ASCENT AND STRONG DIV ALOFT...ALONG AND AHEAD ACROSS NEW ENGLAND IT BECOMES TEDIOUS TO ACCURATELY FCST THE AREAS OF BEST FORCING TOWARDS SCTD HEAVY SHOWERS WITH PSBL EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS. CHC TO LIKELY POPS WILL CONTINUE. HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING CLOSELY TO THE LATEST HRRR FCSTS. SCTD ACTIVITY CONTINUES TO MOVE NEWD ACROSS CENTRAL NEW ENGLAND. RENEWED FOCUS PERTAINS TOWARDS THE SW WHERE A STRONG BAND OF HEAVY SHOWERS AND EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS IS LIFTING NEWD OUT OF THE NRN DELAWARE RVR VLY...INVIGORATED BY A CONVERGENT RGN OF H925-85 FLOW PER LATEST MESORUC. THERE ARE SOME CONCERNS WITH REGARDS TO SEVERE WX WITH THIS BAND AS 0-1 KM SHEAR IS FAIRLY STRONG. WILL HAVE TO WATCH CLOSELY WITH ITS APPROACH. THE ENVIRONMENT ACROSS NEW ENGLAND EXHIBITS WEAK SHEAR AND INSTABILITY...BUT IT IS THE ANTICIPATION THAT THE APPROACHING BAROCLINIC TROUGH WILL SHIFT BETTER CONVECTIVE PARAMETERS INTO PORTIONS OF NEW ENGLAND. CONTINUING THE DISCUSSION CONCERNING THOUGHTS BEHIND THE EVOLUTION OF TONIGHTS WX...THE EXPECTATION IS FOR THE AFOREMENTIONED INITIAL BAND TO LIFT NEWD INTO NEW ENGLAND BY MIDNIGHT. THIS BAND IS PROGRESSIVE...BUT THAT DOES NOT RULE OUT THE THREAT OF 1-2 IN/HR RAINFALL RATES AND PSBL FLOODING. FROM MIDNIGHT INTO MORNING...THE INITIAL BAND WILL LIFT NEWD TOWARDS THE BETTER AXIS OF MOISTURE CONVERGENCE AS EMPHASIZED BY MDL FCSTS ACROSS CENTRAL VT/NH...AS THE MAIN BAND ACROSS UPSTATE NY SLIDES E/SEWD INTO NEW ENGLAND. IT IS WITH BETTER CERTAINTY THAT WITH THE BAROCLINIC TROUGH AND ATTENDANT FORCING DURING THIS TIMEFRAME WILL YIELD A LINE OF HEAVY RAINS AND PSBL FLOODING. HIGH CATEGORICAL POPS ACCORDINGLY. HYDROLOGY SECTION OF THE AFD BELOW STILL APPLIES TO THE CONTINUING SITUATION. WARM AND HUMID CONDITIONS CONTINUE. TEMPS EXPECTED TO ONLY FALL A FEW MORE DEGREES IN THE UPR 60S TO LOW 70S. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH 6 PM WEDNESDAY/... WEDNESDAY... EXPECT REMNANT LOW TO MOVE E THROUGH MAINE DURING THE MORNING...THEN THE ASSOCIATED FRONT WILL SLOWLY WORK ACROSS THE REGION DURING THE DAY. HOWEVER...AS THE FRONT BECOMES PARALLEL TO THE H850 UPPER FLOW...WILL TEND TO SLOW DOWN. BEST MOISTURE CONVERGENCE AND DYNAMICS MOVE WITH THE LOW...SO APPEARS THE FRONT WILL WEAKEN AS IT SLIDES ACROSS. BEST SHOT OF PRECIP IS EXPECTED DURING THE MORNING...AND THERE IS STILL A CHANCE OF LOCALIZED FLOODING. THE PRECIP WILL THEN TEND TO WEAKEN AS IT SLIDES SE. HAVE TRENDED POPS DOWNWARD DURING THE AFTERNOON. THE FRONT WILL FINALLY REACH THE S COAST LATE IN THE DAY. SHORT RANGE MODELS IN GOOD AGREEMENT IN BRINGING DRIER AIR INTO NORTHERN AREAS BY EVENING. EVEN WITH CLOUDS AND PRECIP ACROSS THE REGION...THE TROPICAL AIRMASS WILL ALLOW TEMPS TO RISE TO THE UPPER 70S TO AROUND 80. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/... * WARM/HUMID WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS/TSTMS POSSIBLE THU THROUGH SAT * LARGE SURF FROM TROPICAL STORM LESLIE LIKELY IMPACTS SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND WATERS THIS WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK OVERVIEW... 04/12Z GUIDANCE HAS COME INTO BETTER AGREEMENT WITH THE TRACK OF LESLIE. STILL PLENTY OF QUESTIONS ON THE INTERACTION OF TROPICAL STORM LESLIE AND AN AMPLIFYING MID-LEVEL TROUGH IN THE APPALACHIANS LATE THIS WEEKEND. CONFIDENCE IS HIGHEST PRIOR TO SATURDAY...THEN DIMINISHES QUITE A BIT SUNDAY INTO MONDAY. STILL THINKING LESLIE WILL BE TRACKING EAST OF SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND AT THIS TIME. 04/12Z ECMWF IS ALSO NOW KEEPING LESLIE WELL EAST OF NEW ENGLAND...WHICH IS MORE IN LINE WITH THE GFS AND GEFS MEAN. WEDNESDAY NIGHT... A FRONTAL BOUNDARY ACROSS SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND WILL SLOWLY APPROACH THE COAST OVERNIGHT. DEEPER MOISTURE PLUME AND LOW LEVEL JET WILL BE OFFSHORE BY WED EVENING...SO HEAVIER RAINFALL SHOULD HAVE MOVED OFF TO THE EAST AS WELL. HIGH PRECIPITABLE WATER AIRMASS AND LOW-LEVEL CONVERGENCE ALONG THIS FRONT WILL CONTINUE THREAT OF SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS. WILL HAVE HIGHEST POPS NEAR THE COAST WHERE AXIS OF HIGHER THETA-E AIR WILL BE LOCATED...WITH POPS DECREASING OVERNIGHT. PATCHY DENSE FOG EXPECTED TO DEVELOP. THURSDAY-SATURDAY... A BROAD MID-LEVEL TROUGH OVER THE CENTRAL USA IS EXPECTED TO AMPLIFY AND SHIFT ITS AXIS OVER THE GREAT LAKES DURING THIS PERIOD. 04/12Z CANADIAN IS MUCH MORE PROGRESSIVE THAN THE OTHER GUIDANCE AND WAS DISCOUNTED. EXPECTING A FRONTAL BOUNDARY TO LINGER BETWEEN THE SOUTH COAST OF NEW ENGLAND AND THE MID ATLANTIC COAST. HUMID AIRMASS WILL REMAIN ACROSS THE REGION...WHICH COMBINED WITH DAYTIME HEATING AND CYCLONIC FLOW WILL LEAD TO A THREAT OF DIURNAL SHOWERS/TSTMS THROUGH THIS PERIOD. FORECAST CAPES DURING MAX HEATING EXPECTED TO BE 1000+ J/KG SO WOULD EXPECT ISOLD TO SCT CONVECTION TO DEVELOP...ESPECIALLY INTERIOR WHERE AXIS OF INSTABILITY SETS UP. WARM AND HUMID AIRMASS EXPECTED WITH 850 MB TEMPS 15-16C SUPPORTING MAXES INTO THE LOW TO MID 80S AWAY FROM THE COAST...BUT LIKELY COOLER SATURDAY DUE TO MORE CLOUD COVER. SUNDAY-TUESDAY... TS LESLIE WILL BE THE PRIMARY CONCERN DURING THIS PERIOD AS IT TRACKS NORTHWARD OVER THE OPEN ATLANTIC. WHILE THERE ARE TIMING DIFFERENCES AMONGST THE MODELS...THERE IS DECENT AGREEMENT ON A TRACK WELL EAST OF THE BENCHMARK. COMPLEX PATTERN GIVEN UNCERTAINTY WITH EVOLUTION OF CUTOFF LOW TO THE SOUTHWEST AND EXTENT OF DOWNSTREAM RIDGING...AND FORECAST TIME RANGE LEADS TO A LOW CONFIDENCE FORECAST FROM AN IMPACT PERSPECTIVE. AT THE VERY LEAST EXPECTING LARGE SURF TO IMPACT THE SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND OCEAN BEACHES DURING THIS TIME. DID NOT MAKE MANY CHANGES TO THIS PORTION OF THE FORECAST. && .AVIATION /02Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... FORECASTER CONFIDENCE LEVELS... LOW...LESS THAN 30 PERCENT MODERATE...30 PERCENT TO 60 PERCENT HIGH...GREATER THAN 60 PERCENT OVERVIEW...LOW TO MODERATE CONFIDENCE. TONIGHT...MAINLY MVFR-IFR CIGS THROUGH 04Z...THEN IFR-LIFR CIGS IN AREAS OF RAIN...WHICH MAY BE HEAVY AT TIMES. VFR-MVFR VSBYS LOWERING TO MAINLY MVFR WITH AREAS OF IFR MAINLY ACROSS S NH/N MA. ISOLD-SCT TSTMS MAINLY AFTER 03Z. WEDNESDAY...EXPECT S-SW WINDS TO PICK UP ALONG THE S COAST...GUSTS TO 20 KT. CIGS REMAIN IFR-LIFR THROUGH MIDDAY...THEN SLOWLY IMPROVE TO MVFR EXCEPT REMAINING IFR ACROSS SE MA/CAPE COD. VSBYS MAINLY MVFR WITH POCKETS OF IFR IN RAIN...HEAVY AT TIMES...AND ISOLD TSTMS. KBOS TAF...MODERATE CONFIDENCE IN TAF. MVFR-IFR CIGS THROUGH WED. VSBYS START OFF VFR...BUT EXPECT MAINLY MVFR VSBYS BECOMING IFR TONIGHT. MAY SEE PERIODS OF LIFR CIGS/VSBYS IN PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN. LOW CONFIDENCE OF A TSRA HITTING THE TERMINAL. KBDL TAF...MODERATE CONFIDENCE IN TAF. MVFR-IFR CIGS THROUGH MIDDAY WEDNESDAY...THEN MAY SEE SLOW IMPROVEMENT TO VFR AFTER 18Z. VFR VSBYS INTO THIS EVENING...THEN LOWERING TO MVFR-IFR THROUGH MIDDAY WED. VSBYS SHOULD IMPROVE AROUND OR AFTER 18Z WED. LOW CONFIDENCE OF A TSRA HITTING THE TERMINAL. OUTLOOK...WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY... WEDNESDAY NIGHT...MODERATE TO HIGH CONFIDENCE. MVFR/IFR CONDITIONS IN STRATUS AND FOG AND SCT SHOWERS. THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...MODERATE CONFIDENCE. AREAS OF LATE NIGHT AND EARLY MORNING MVFR/IFR IN STRATUS/FOG...IMPROVING DURING THE DAYTIME. ISOLD TO SCT SHOWERS/TSTMS POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS. && .MARINE... OVERVIEW...MODERATE TO HIGH CONFIDENCE. WITH INCREASING S-SE SWELLS WITH LONG PERIODS FROM DISTANT TROPICAL STORM LESLIE...ON THE ORDER OF 13-15 SECONDS...HAVE DECIDED TO ISSUE HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR THE SOUTH FACING BEACHES. HAVE PUT THIS UP THROUGH THU FOR NOW...BUT WILL LIKELY NEED TO BE EXTENDED DEPENDENT UPON LESLIE/S TRACK AND STRENGTH. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES ALSO CONTINUE FOR THE OPEN WATERS AS WELL AS BI AND RI SOUNDS. S-SW WINDS WILL GUST TO 25 KT LATE TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY OVER THE OUTER WATERS. EXPECT SEAS TO CONTINUE TO BUILD THROUGH WEDNESDAY...UP TO 8 FT ON THE FAR OUTER WATERS. MAY SEE VSBY RESTRICTIONS DUE TO HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND PATCHY FOG. OUTLOOK...WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY... SEAS WILL BE TRICKY ACROSS THE COASTAL WATERS...LEADING TO A MODERATE CONFIDENCE FORECAST. MOST OF THE AVAILABLE WAVE GUIDANCE DEPICTS LOWER WAVE HEIGHTS THURSDAY AS WINDS DIMINISH SLIGHTLY. THE BIG QUESTION IS HOW MUCH SWELL IMPACTS THE WATERS FROM DISTANT TROPICAL STORM LESLIE. HAVE MOVE CONFIDENCE IN LARGE SWELL ASSOCIATED WITH LESLIE ARRIVING THIS WEEKEND. && .HYDROLOGY... AS REMNANTS OF HURRICANE ISAAC APPROACHES...EXPECT LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL TO PUSH ACROSS THE REGION OVERNIGHT. EXPECT A GENERAL 1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAINFALL ACROSS THE REGION. THERE COULD BE SOME HIGHER AMOUNTS...POSSIBLY UP TO 2.5 TO 3 INCHES ACROSS N MA/S NH. SHOWERS AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE FORECAST...SOME OF WHICH MAY PRODUCE RAINFALL RATES OF 1 TO 2 INCHES AN HOUR. FLOODING OF MAINSTEM RIVERS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS POINT...BUT THERE MAY BE LOCALIZED FLOODING OF SMALL STREAM AND TRIBUTARIES...AS WELL AS URBAN AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. && .BOX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CT...NONE. MA...HIGH SURF ADVISORY FROM 6 AM WEDNESDAY TO 6 AM EDT THURSDAY FOR MAZ020-022>024. NH...NONE. RI...HIGH SURF ADVISORY FROM 6 AM WEDNESDAY TO 6 AM EDT THURSDAY FOR RIZ006>008. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM EDT THURSDAY FOR ANZ235-237- 250-254>256. && $$ SYNOPSIS...BELK/EVT NEAR TERM...BELK/SIPPRELL/EVT SHORT TERM...EVT LONG TERM...BELK AVIATION...BELK/EVT MARINE...BELK/EVT HYDROLOGY...WFO BOX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS TAUNTON MA
746 PM EDT TUE SEP 4 2012 .SYNOPSIS... A WARM FRONT WILL PUSH NORTH OF THE REGION TONIGHT...THEN LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE ACROSS NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND WEDNESDAY. ITS ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT WILL WEAKEN AS IT PUSHES OFFSHORE LATE WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT. WARM AND HUMID CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK INTO THIS WEEKEND. ALL EYES WILL THEN FOCUS ON THE POSSIBLE TRACK OF TROPICAL STORM LESLIE LATE THIS WEEKEND AND EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING/... 730 PM UPDATE... SCATTERED SHOWERS CONTINUE TO MOVE NORTHEAST ALONG A LOW-LEVEL AXIS OF HIGHER DEW POINTS. OBSERVED TRENDS HAS BEEN FOR THIS AREA TO SHIFT FARTHER NORTH THIS EVENING. NOT EXPECTING MUCH IN THE WAY OF THUNDERSTORMS THIS EVENING...DESPITE THE HIGH DEW POINTS...AS THE INSTABILITY AND WIND FIELDS ARE RATHER WEAK. TWEAKED POPS USING THE 21Z RAP AND LAV GUIDANCE TO REFLECT THE LATEST OBSERVED TRENDS. ALSO TWEAKED TEMPERATURES AND DEW POINTS. MAIN CONCERN CONTINUES TO BE POTENTIAL FOR LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL OVERNIGHT. ALTHOUGH MOST OF SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND DID NOT SEE APPRECIABLE RAINFALL EARLIER TODAY. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION... BAND OF SHOWERS AND ISOLD TSTMS OVER E MA HAS WEAKENED AND MOVED INTO MASS BAY AT 20Z...BUT MORE SCT SHOWERS HAVE DEVELOPED ACROSS CENTRAL AND WESTERN AREAS. ANOTHER CLUSTER OF SHOWERS/SCT TSTMS HAS ALSO DEVELOPED ACROSS N NJ/SE NY AHEAD OF APPROACHING WARM FRONT. DEWPTS HAVE BEEN STEADILY INCREASING ESPECIALLY ACROSS S MA/RI/N CT DURING THE AFTERNOON. PW/S UP TO 2 TO 2.2 INCHES NOTED IN THIS AREA FROM SPC MESOANALYSIS...AS WELL AS K INDICES IN THE LOWER-MID 30S. SYSTEM TO THE SW BEING CARRIED ON H850 FLOW TO THE NE...SO EXPECT ANOTHER ROUND OF SHOWERS AND A FEW EMBEDDED TSTMS THIS EVENING. THE CLUSTER OF PRECIP WILL MOVE OFFSHORE AS THE WARM FRONT MOVES N OF THE REGION TONIGHT. THE UNSTABLE...TROPICAL AIRMASS WILL CAUSE MORE SHOWERS/SCT TSTMS TO DEVELOP...WHILE LOW PRES /REMNANTS OF HURRICANE ISAAC/ MOVES TOWARD NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND. STEADY RAINFALL...WHICH WILL BE HEAVY AT TIMES THANKS TO VERY GOOD LOW AND MID LEVEL MOISTURE CONVERGENCE AS WELL AS HIGH PW/S...WILL MOVE INTO WESTERN AREAS AROUND OR AFTER MIDNIGHT. EXPECTING HEAVIEST RAINFALL ACROSS S NH/N MA...CLOSEST TO THE BEST DYNAMICS. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR FOR POSSIBLE LOCALIZED FLOODING IN ANY HEAVY RAINFALL... PLEASE SEE FLOODING SECTION BELOW AS WELL AS THE HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK. HAVE CARRIED CATEGORICAL POPS FOR MOST AREAS. WITH THE TROPICAL AIR SURGING INTO THE REGION BEHIND THE WARM FRONT...DO NOT EXPECT TEMPS TO FALL BACK VERY FAR TONIGHT. WILL BE WARM AND HUMID WITH LOWS IN THE MID 60S TO LOWER 70S...WHICH MAY OCCUR AROUND MIDNIGHT BEFORE HOLDING STEADY OR EVEN SLOWLY RISE OVERNIGHT. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH 6 PM WEDNESDAY/... WEDNESDAY... EXPECT REMNANT LOW TO MOVE E THROUGH MAINE DURING THE MORNING...THEN THE ASSOCIATED FRONT WILL SLOWLY WORK ACROSS THE REGION DURING THE DAY. HOWEVER...AS THE FRONT BECOMES PARALLEL TO THE H850 UPPER FLOW...WILL TEND TO SLOW DOWN. BEST MOISTURE CONVERGENCE AND DYNAMICS MOVE WITH THE LOW...SO APPEARS THE FRONT WILL WEAKEN AS IT SLIDES ACROSS. BEST SHOT OF PRECIP IS EXPECTED DURING THE MORNING...AND THERE IS STILL A CHANCE OF LOCALIZED FLOODING. THE PRECIP WILL THEN TEND TO WEAKEN AS IT SLIDES SE. HAVE TRENDED POPS DOWNWARD DURING THE AFTERNOON. THE FRONT WILL FINALLY REACH THE S COAST LATE IN THE DAY. SHORT RANGE MODELS IN GOOD AGREEMENT IN BRINGING DRIER AIR INTO NORTHERN AREAS BY EVENING. EVEN WITH CLOUDS AND PRECIP ACROSS THE REGION...THE TROPICAL AIRMASS WILL ALLOW TEMPS TO RISE TO THE UPPER 70S TO AROUND 80. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/... * WARM/HUMID WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS/TSTMS POSSIBLE THU THROUGH SAT * LARGE SURF FROM TROPICAL STORM LESLIE LIKELY IMPACTS SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND WATERS THIS WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK OVERVIEW... 04/12Z GUIDANCE HAS COME INTO BETTER AGREEMENT WITH THE TRACK OF LESLIE. STILL PLENTY OF QUESTIONS ON THE INTERACTION OF TROPICAL STORM LESLIE AND AN AMPLIFYING MID-LEVEL TROUGH IN THE APPALACHIANS LATE THIS WEEKEND. CONFIDENCE IS HIGHEST PRIOR TO SATURDAY...THEN DIMINISHES QUITE A BIT SUNDAY INTO MONDAY. STILL THINKING LESLIE WILL BE TRACKING EAST OF SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND AT THIS TIME. 04/12Z ECMWF IS ALSO NOW KEEPING LESLIE WELL EAST OF NEW ENGLAND...WHICH IS MORE IN LINE WITH THE GFS AND GEFS MEAN. WEDNESDAY NIGHT... A FRONTAL BOUNDARY ACROSS SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND WILL SLOWLY APPROACH THE COAST OVERNIGHT. DEEPER MOISTURE PLUME AND LOW LEVEL JET WILL BE OFFSHORE BY WED EVENING...SO HEAVIER RAINFALL SHOULD HAVE MOVED OFF TO THE EAST AS WELL. HIGH PRECIPITABLE WATER AIRMASS AND LOW-LEVEL CONVERGENCE ALONG THIS FRONT WILL CONTINUE THREAT OF SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS. WILL HAVE HIGHEST POPS NEAR THE COAST WHERE AXIS OF HIGHER THETA-E AIR WILL BE LOCATED...WITH POPS DECREASING OVERNIGHT. PATCHY DENSE FOG EXPECTED TO DEVELOP. THURSDAY-SATURDAY... A BROAD MID-LEVEL TROUGH OVER THE CENTRAL USA IS EXPECTED TO AMPLIFY AND SHIFT ITS AXIS OVER THE GREAT LAKES DURING THIS PERIOD. 04/12Z CANADIAN IS MUCH MORE PROGRESSIVE THAN THE OTHER GUIDANCE AND WAS DISCOUNTED. EXPECTING A FRONTAL BOUNDARY TO LINGER BETWEEN THE SOUTH COAST OF NEW ENGLAND AND THE MID ATLANTIC COAST. HUMID AIRMASS WILL REMAIN ACROSS THE REGION...WHICH COMBINED WITH DAYTIME HEATING AND CYCLONIC FLOW WILL LEAD TO A THREAT OF DIURNAL SHOWERS/TSTMS THROUGH THIS PERIOD. FORECAST CAPES DURING MAX HEATING EXPECTED TO BE 1000+ J/KG SO WOULD EXPECT ISOLD TO SCT CONVECTION TO DEVELOP...ESPECIALLY INTERIOR WHERE AXIS OF INSTABILITY SETS UP. WARM AND HUMID AIRMASS EXPECTED WITH 850 MB TEMPS 15-16C SUPPORTING MAXES INTO THE LOW TO MID 80S AWAY FROM THE COAST...BUT LIKELY COOLER SATURDAY DUE TO MORE CLOUD COVER. SUNDAY-TUESDAY... TS LESLIE WILL BE THE PRIMARY CONCERN DURING THIS PERIOD AS IT TRACKS NORTHWARD OVER THE OPEN ATLANTIC. WHILE THERE ARE TIMING DIFFERENCES AMONGST THE MODELS...THERE IS DECENT AGREEMENT ON A TRACK WELL EAST OF THE BENCHMARK. COMPLEX PATTERN GIVEN UNCERTAINTY WITH EVOLUTION OF CUTOFF LOW TO THE SOUTHWEST AND EXTENT OF DOWNSTREAM RIDGING...AND FORECAST TIME RANGE LEADS TO A LOW CONFIDENCE FORECAST FROM AN IMPACT PERSPECTIVE. AT THE VERY LEAST EXPECTING LARGE SURF TO IMPACT THE SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND OCEAN BEACHES DURING THIS TIME. DID NOT MAKE MANY CHANGES TO THIS PORTION OF THE FORECAST. && .AVIATION /00Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... FORECASTER CONFIDENCE LEVELS... LOW...LESS THAN 30 PERCENT MODERATE...30 PERCENT TO 60 PERCENT HIGH...GREATER THAN 60 PERCENT OVERVIEW...LOW TO MODERATE CONFIDENCE. TONIGHT...MAINLY MVFR-IFR CIGS THROUGH 04Z...THEN IFR-LIFR CIGS IN AREAS OF RAIN...WHICH MAY BE HEAVY AT TIMES. VFR-MVFR VSBYS LOWERING TO MAINLY MVFR WITH AREAS OF IFR MAINLY ACROSS S NH/N MA. ISOLD-SCT TSTMS MAINLY AFTER 03Z. WEDNESDAY...EXPECT S-SW WINDS TO PICK UP ALONG THE S COAST...GUSTS TO 20 KT. CIGS REMAIN IFR-LIFR THROUGH MIDDAY...THEN SLOWLY IMPROVE TO MVFR EXCEPT REMAINING IFR ACROSS SE MA/CAPE COD. VSBYS MAINLY MVFR WITH POCKETS OF IFR IN RAIN...HEAVY AT TIMES...AND ISOLD TSTMS. KBOS TAF...MODERATE CONFIDENCE IN TAF. MVFR-IFR CIGS THROUGH WED. VSBYS START OFF VFR...BUT EXPECT MAINLY MVFR VSBYS BECOMING IFR TONIGHT. MAY SEE PERIODS OF LIFR CIGS/VSBYS IN PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN. LOW CONFIDENCE OF A TSRA HITTING THE TERMINAL. KBDL TAF...MODERATE CONFIDENCE IN TAF. MVFR-IFR CIGS THROUGH MIDDAY WEDNESDAY...THEN MAY SEE SLOW IMPROVEMENT TO VFR AFTER 18Z. VFR VSBYS INTO THIS EVENING...THEN LOWERING TO MVFR-IFR THROUGH MIDDAY WED. VSBYS SHOULD IMPROVE AROUND OR AFTER 18Z WED. LOW CONFIDENCE OF A TSRA HITTING THE TERMINAL. OUTLOOK...WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY... WEDNESDAY NIGHT...MODERATE TO HIGH CONFIDENCE. MVFR/IFR CONDITIONS IN STRATUS AND FOG AND SCT SHOWERS. THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...MODERATE CONFIDENCE. AREAS OF LATE NIGHT AND EARLY MORNING MVFR/IFR IN STRATUS/FOG...IMPROVING DURING THE DAYTIME. ISOLD TO SCT SHOWERS/TSTMS POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS. && .MARINE... OVERVIEW...MODERATE TO HIGH CONFIDENCE. WITH INCREASING S-SE SWELLS WITH LONG PERIODS FROM DISTANT TROPICAL STORM LESLIE...ON THE ORDER OF 13-15 SECONDS...HAVE DECIDED TO ISSUE HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR THE SOUTH FACING BEACHES. HAVE PUT THIS UP THROUGH THU FOR NOW...BUT WILL LIKELY NEED TO BE EXTENDED DEPENDENT UPON LESLIE/S TRACK AND STRENGTH. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES ALSO CONTINUE FOR THE OPEN WATERS AS WELL AS BI AND RI SOUNDS. S-SW WINDS WILL GUST TO 25 KT LATE TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY OVER THE OUTER WATERS. EXPECT SEAS TO CONTINUE TO BUILD THROUGH WEDNESDAY...UP TO 8 FT ON THE FAR OUTER WATERS. MAY SEE VSBY RESTRICTIONS DUE TO HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND PATCHY FOG. OUTLOOK...WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY... SEAS WILL BE TRICKY ACROSS THE COASTAL WATERS...LEADING TO A MODERATE CONFIDENCE FORECAST. MOST OF THE AVAILABLE WAVE GUIDANCE DEPICTS LOWER WAVE HEIGHTS THURSDAY AS WINDS DIMINISH SLIGHTLY. THE BIG QUESTION IS HOW MUCH SWELL IMPACTS THE WATERS FROM DISTANT TROPICAL STORM LESLIE. HAVE MOVE CONFIDENCE IN LARGE SWELL ASSOCIATED WITH LESLIE ARRIVING THIS WEEKEND. && .HYDROLOGY... AS REMNANTS OF HURRICANE ISAAC APPROACHES...EXPECT LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL TO PUSH ACROSS THE REGION. LOOKS LIKE THE BEST SHOT OF HEAVY RAINFALL WILL MOVE IN LATE THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. EXPECT A GENERAL 1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAINFALL ACROSS THE REGION. THERE COULD BE SOME HIGHER AMOUNTS...POSSIBLY UP TO 2.5 TO 3 INCHES ACROSS N MA/S NH. SHOWERS AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE FORECAST...SOME OF WHICH MAY PRODUCE RAINFALL RATES OF 1 TO 2 INCHES AN HOUR. FLOODING OF MAINSTEM RIVERS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS POINT...BUT THERE MAY BE LOCALIZED FLOODING OF SMALL STREAM AND TRIBUTARIES...AS WELL AS URBAN AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS...WILL BE POSSIBLE. && .BOX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CT...NONE. MA...HIGH SURF ADVISORY FROM 6 AM WEDNESDAY TO 6 AM EDT THURSDAY FOR MAZ020-022>024. NH...NONE. RI...HIGH SURF ADVISORY FROM 6 AM WEDNESDAY TO 6 AM EDT THURSDAY FOR RIZ006>008. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM EDT THURSDAY FOR ANZ235-237- 250-254>256. && $$ SYNOPSIS...BELK/EVT NEAR TERM...BELK/EVT SHORT TERM...EVT LONG TERM...BELK AVIATION...BELK/EVT MARINE...BELK/EVT HYDROLOGY...WFO BOX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS ALBANY NY
129 AM EDT MON SEP 3 2012 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE WILL KEEP OUR REGION MAINLY DRY THROUGH MONDAY. THE REMNANTS OF ISAAC WILL APPROACH THE AREA ON LABOR DAY...BRINGING AN INCREASE IN CLOUDINESS AND A THREAT OF RAIN STARTING MONDAY NIGHT AND CONTINUING THROUGH THE MID WEEK PERIOD. RAIN WILL BE HEAVY AT TIMES. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TODAY/... AS OF 100 AM EDT...SKIES REMAIN MOSTLY CLEAR ACROSS THE REGION...WITH THE EXCEPTION OF PATCHY LOW CLOUDS DEVELOPING ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE LITCHFIELD HILLS AND MID HUDSON VALLEY. EVENTUALLY...WINDS SHOULD GRADUALLY VEER MORE INTO THE E/SE...WHICH SHOULD BRING INCREASING LOW LEVEL MOISTURE BACK INTO THE REGION...ESPECIALLY LATE. THE LATEST NAM 12 AND RUC BOTH DEPICT LOW CLOUDS DEVELOPING ACROSS WESTERN MA AND NW CT AROUND OR SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT...THEN EXPANDING WEST INTO THE SE CATSKILLS...AND POSSIBLY NORTHWARD WITHIN THE HUDSON RIVER VALLEY FROM ALBANY SOUTH BY DAYBREAK. WILL ONLY MENTION PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES FOR MOST AREAS AS CLOUDS SHOULD BE RATHER PATCHY. IN ADDITION...PATCHY FOG MAY FORM WITHIN RIVER VALLEYS...AND ALSO ACROSS HIGHER ELEVATIONS ACROSS THE GREENS/BERKSHIRES/LITCHFIELD HILLS EARLY THIS MORNING. EXPECT OVERNIGHT MINS TO FALL INTO THE 40S AND 50S ACROSS MOST AREAS FROM THE MOHAWK RIVER VALLEY NORTH INTO THE SOUTHERN ADIRONDACKS...WITH 50S TO LOWER 60S FURTHER S AND E...WHERE SOME CLOUDS AND HIGHER LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AMOUNTS SHOULD DEVELOP. ON LABOR DAY...EXPECT MID AND HIGH CLOUDS TO INCREASE FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST WITH SOME WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS DEVELOPING DURING THE AFTERNOON ACROSS SW PTNS OF THE FA. HIGHS ARE EXPECTED TO BE IN THE MID 70S TO AROUND 80. && .SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... WHILE QPF AMOUNTS VARY SOME AMONGST THE MODELS...ALL THE GUIDANCE SUGGESTS THAT THE REMNANTS OF ISAAC WILL IMPACT OUR REGION THROUGH THE MID WEEK PERIOD WITH INCREASING POPS MONDAY NIGHT ESPECIALLY DURING THE SECOND HALF OF THE NIGHT AND THEN LIKELY TO CATEGORICAL POPS TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY ALTHOUGH ACTIVITY MAY START TO DIMINISH BY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON WITH STEADIER PCPN BECOMING MORE SCATTERED ESPECIALLY ACRS NW PTNS OF THE FA. THE HEAVIEST PCPN AT THIS TIME APPEARS TO BE DURING THE TUESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING TIME FRAME ACRS THE BULK OF THE REGION. THIS IS THE PERIOD WHEN THE H10-H8 THETA E RIDGE IS THE STRONGEST ACRS THE FA SLIDING FORM NW TO SE WITH TIME AS WELL AS PWATS 1.5 TO SLIGHTLY OVER 2 INCHES. SPECIFICALLY FOR THE PERIOD FROM MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY...EXPECT CHANCES OF RAIN AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS TO INCREASE FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST ACROSS THE REGION MONDAY NIGHT. RAIN AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WITH RAINFALL HEAVY AT TIMES CONTINUE TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT. ON WEDNESDAY EXPECT THE HEAVIEST RAIN IN THE MORNING WITH MORE SCATTERED CONVECTION DURING THE AFTERNOON. ON WEDNESDAY THERE MAY ALSO BE SOME BREAKS IN THE OVERCAST WHICH COUPLED WITH SURFACE HEATING AND AN UNSTABLE AIRMASS STILL IN PLACE WILL INCREASE THE CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS...SO HAVE CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS MENTIONED ON WEDNESDAY. WHILE THE THUNDERSTORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BE SEVERE MORE HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE POSSIBLE. EXPECT LOWS MONDAY NIGHT IN THE MID 70S TO MID 80S. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/... A SECONDARY COLD FRONT WILL IMPACT THE FORECAST AREA IN THE WAKE OF THE MOISTURE ASSOCIATED ISAAC WED NIGHT INTO THU. THE GFS SHOWS MODEST AMOUNTS OF INSTABILITY WITH SFC DEWPTS IN THE M50S TO L60S. PWATS REMAIN AROUND AN INCH. THE BEST CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE WITH THE COLD FRONT THU. MAX TEMPS WILL GENERALLY BE IN THE M70S TO L80S. THU NIGHT THRU FRI NIGHT...THE HPC GUIDANCE/GFS/ECMWF SHOW A BREAK IN THE MID WEEK UNSETTLED WEATHER...WITH HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING IN FROM THE OHIO VALLEY OVER PA AND THE NORTHEAST. LOWER HUMIDITY LEVELS AND DRY CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL BEFORE THE NEXT UPSTREAM SYSTEM OVER THE CNTRL MS RIVER VALLEY IMPACTS NY AND NEW ENGLAND ON THE WEEKEND. LOWS WILL BE IN 50S TO L60S THU NIGHT...AND U40S TO U50S FRI NIGHT. NEAR NORMAL HIGHS ARE EXPECTED ON FRI IN THE M70S TO NEAR 80F IN THE VALLEYS...AND U60S TO M70S OVER THE HILLS AND MTNS. SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY...SOME TIMING DIFFERENCES FOR NEXT WEEKEND WITH THE EVOLUTION OF THE POSITIVELY TILTED LONGWAVE TROUGH OVER THE ERN HALF OF THE CONUS AND THE DEVELOPING SW FLOW ALOFT OVER THE ERN SEABOARD. THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY ON THE LEADING EDGE OF THE UPPER TROUGH WILL LIKELY HANG TO THE WEST OF THE COASTAL PLAIN WITH PERHAPS AREAS OF LOW PRESSURE BRINGING SHOWERS/RAINFALL TO THE FCST AREA BOTH DAYS ON THE WEEKEND. SOME OF THE GUIDANCE WOULD KEEP SAT DRY...AND SUNDAY MORE UNSETTLED. THIS UPPER TROUGH SHOULD HELP STEER LESLIE FAR ENOUGH EAST OF NEW ENGLAND FOR NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS. WE TRENDED CLOSER TO THE LATEST HPC GUIDANCE WITH A LOW CHANCE OF SHOWERS EACH DAY. HIGHS WILL BE SEASONABLE FOR THE 2ND WEEKEND OF SEPT. OVERALL...TEMPS WILL TREND SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL...AND PCPN MAY BE NEAR NORMAL OR SLIGHTLY ABOVE FOR THE EXTENDED. && .AVIATION /06Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE WILL MOVE EAST OF MAINE THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. A WARM FRONT WILL SLOWLY APPROACH FROM THE OHIO VALLEY AND PENNSYLVANIA LATER TODAY. LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WILL GRADUALLY INCREASE FROM THE SOUTHEAST LATER THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. THIS SHOULD ALLOW STRATUS/MIST AND MVFR/IFR CONDITIONS TO DEVELOP...ESPECIALLY AT KPOU AND KPSF...BUT AT LEAST SCATTERED CLOUDS BETWEEN 1000-3000 FEET ARE EXPECTED AT ALL SITES THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. SOME AREAS OF FOG...ESPECIALLY NEAR KGFL/PSF MAY FORM LATE TONIGHT AS WELL. THE LOW STRATUS AND/OR ANY FOG WILL DISSIPATE BTWN 12Z- 15Z/MON...HOWEVER A HIGHER STRATUS DECK WILL INCREASE THROUGHOUT THE DAY...AS A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM AND ITS WARM FRONT MOVES INTO THE AREA. WINDS THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING HOURS WILL BE LIGHT TO CALM AND SHIFT TO MORE OF A SOUTHEAST DIRECTION AFTER 12Z AT 5-10 KTS. WINDS MAY BE A BIT STRONGER AT KALB DUE TO FUNNELING EFFECTS UP THE HUDSON RIVER VALLEY. OUTLOOK... MON NIGHT...VFR BECOMING MVFR/IFR. CHC -SHRA AND ISOL -TSRA LATE. TUE...MVFR/IFR. SHRA LIKELY. WED-THU...VFR/MVFR. CHC -SHRA/-TSRA. FRI...VFR...NO SIG WX. && .FIRE WEATHER... HIGH PRESSURE WILL KEEP OUR REGION MAINLY DRY THROUGH TONIGHT. THE REMNANTS OF ISAAC WILL APPROACH THE AREA ON LABOR DAY...BRINGING AN INCREASE IN CLOUDINESS AND A THREAT OF SHOWERS STARTING MONDAY NIGHT AND CONTINUING THROUGH THE MID WEEK PERIOD. RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL INCREASE TO 80 TO 100 PERCENT TONIGHT...DROP TO 50 TO 70 PERCENT ON MONDAY...RECOVER TO 100 PERCENT MONDAY NIGHT...AND ONLY DROP TO 70 TO 90 PERCENT ON TUESDAY. WINDS WILL BE LIGHT AND VARIABLE TONIGHT...AND SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST MONDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. && .HYDROLOGY... MAINLY DRY WEATHER IS EXPECTED THROUGH LABOR DAY. THE REMNANTS OF ISAAC WILL INTERACT WITH A FRONT AND BRING RAIN TO OUR AREA BEGINNING MONDAY NIGHT AND CONTINUING THROUGH THE MID WEEK PERIOD. AT THIS TIME THE LATEST MODEL GUIDANCE SUGGESTS A WIDESPREAD 1 TO 3 INCHES OF RAIN WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS OF AROUND 4 INCHES ACROSS SOUTHEAST PORTIONS OF THE AREA. NO RIVER FLOODING IS FORECAST AT THIS TIME. 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. && .ALY WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CT...NONE. NY...NONE. MA...NONE. VT...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...11/JPV NEAR TERM...KL/11/JPV SHORT TERM...11 LONG TERM...WASULA AVIATION...NAS FIRE WEATHER...11 HYDROLOGY...11
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS ALBANY NY
102 AM EDT MON SEP 3 2012 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE WILL KEEP OUR REGION MAINLY DRY THROUGH MONDAY. THE REMNANTS OF ISAAC WILL APPROACH THE AREA ON LABOR DAY...BRINGING AN INCREASE IN CLOUDINESS AND A THREAT OF RAIN STARTING MONDAY NIGHT AND CONTINUING THROUGH THE MID WEEK PERIOD. RAIN WILL BE HEAVY AT TIMES. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TODAY/... AS OF 100 AM EDT...SKIES REMAIN MOSTLY CLEAR ACROSS THE REGION...WITH THE EXCEPTION OF PATCHY LOW CLOUDS DEVELOPING ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE LITCHFIELD HILLS AND MID HUDSON VALLEY. EVENTUALLY...WINDS SHOULD GRADUALLY VEER MORE INTO THE E/SE...WHICH SHOULD BRING INCREASING LOW LEVEL MOISTURE BACK INTO THE REGION...ESPECIALLY LATE. THE LATEST NAM 12 AND RUC BOTH DEPICT LOW CLOUDS DEVELOPING ACROSS WESTERN MA AND NW CT AROUND OR SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT...THEN EXPANDING WEST INTO THE SE CATSKILLS...AND POSSIBLY NORTHWARD WITHIN THE HUDSON RIVER VALLEY FROM ALBANY SOUTH BY DAYBREAK. WILL ONLY MENTION PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES FOR MOST AREAS AS CLOUDS SHOULD BE RATHER PATCHY. IN ADDITION...PATCHY FOG MAY FORM WITHIN RIVER VALLEYS...AND ALSO ACROSS HIGHER ELEVATIONS ACROSS THE GREENS/BERKSHIRES/LITCHFIELD HILLS EARLY THIS MORNING. EXPECT OVERNIGHT MINS TO FALL INTO THE 40S AND 50S ACROSS MOST AREAS FROM THE MOHAWK RIVER VALLEY NORTH INTO THE SOUTHERN ADIRONDACKS...WITH 50S TO LOWER 60S FURTHER S AND E...WHERE SOME CLOUDS AND HIGHER LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AMOUNTS SHOULD DEVELOP. ON LABOR DAY...EXPECT MID AND HIGH CLOUDS TO INCREASE FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST WITH SOME WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS DEVELOPING DURING THE AFTERNOON ACROSS SW PTNS OF THE FA. HIGHS ARE EXPECTED TO BE IN THE MID 70S TO AROUND 80. && .SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... WHILE QPF AMOUNTS VARY SOME AMONGST THE MODELS...ALL THE GUIDANCE SUGGESTS THAT THE REMNANTS OF ISAAC WILL IMPACT OUR REGION THROUGH THE MID WEEK PERIOD WITH INCREASING POPS MONDAY NIGHT ESPECIALLY DURING THE SECOND HALF OF THE NIGHT AND THEN LIKELY TO CATEGORICAL POPS TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY ALTHOUGH ACTIVITY MAY START TO DIMINISH BY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON WITH STEADIER PCPN BECOMING MORE SCATTERED ESPECIALLY ACRS NW PTNS OF THE FA. THE HEAVIEST PCPN AT THIS TIME APPEARS TO BE DURING THE TUESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING TIME FRAME ACRS THE BULK OF THE REGION. THIS IS THE PERIOD WHEN THE H10-H8 THETA E RIDGE IS THE STRONGEST ACRS THE FA SLIDING FORM NW TO SE WITH TIME AS WELL AS PWATS 1.5 TO SLIGHTLY OVER 2 INCHES. SPECIFICALLY FOR THE PERIOD FROM MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY...EXPECT CHANCES OF RAIN AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS TO INCREASE FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST ACROSS THE REGION MONDAY NIGHT. RAIN AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WITH RAINFALL HEAVY AT TIMES CONTINUE TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT. ON WEDNESDAY EXPECT THE HEAVIEST RAIN IN THE MORNING WITH MORE SCATTERED CONVECTION DURING THE AFTERNOON. ON WEDNESDAY THERE MAY ALSO BE SOME BREAKS IN THE OVERCAST WHICH COUPLED WITH SURFACE HEATING AND AN UNSTABLE AIRMASS STILL IN PLACE WILL INCREASE THE CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS...SO HAVE CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS MENTIONED ON WEDNESDAY. WHILE THE THUNDERSTORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BE SEVERE MORE HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE POSSIBLE. EXPECT LOWS MONDAY NIGHT IN THE MID 70S TO MID 80S. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/... A SECONDARY COLD FRONT WILL IMPACT THE FORECAST AREA IN THE WAKE OF THE MOISTURE ASSOCIATED ISAAC WED NIGHT INTO THU. THE GFS SHOWS MODEST AMOUNTS OF INSTABILITY WITH SFC DEWPTS IN THE M50S TO L60S. PWATS REMAIN AROUND AN INCH. THE BEST CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE WITH THE COLD FRONT THU. MAX TEMPS WILL GENERALLY BE IN THE M70S TO L80S. THU NIGHT THRU FRI NIGHT...THE HPC GUIDANCE/GFS/ECMWF SHOW A BREAK IN THE MID WEEK UNSETTLED WEATHER...WITH HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING IN FROM THE OHIO VALLEY OVER PA AND THE NORTHEAST. LOWER HUMIDITY LEVELS AND DRY CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL BEFORE THE NEXT UPSTREAM SYSTEM OVER THE CNTRL MS RIVER VALLEY IMPACTS NY AND NEW ENGLAND ON THE WEEKEND. LOWS WILL BE IN 50S TO L60S THU NIGHT...AND U40S TO U50S FRI NIGHT. NEAR NORMAL HIGHS ARE EXPECTED ON FRI IN THE M70S TO NEAR 80F IN THE VALLEYS...AND U60S TO M70S OVER THE HILLS AND MTNS. SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY...SOME TIMING DIFFERENCES FOR NEXT WEEKEND WITH THE EVOLUTION OF THE POSITIVELY TILTED LONGWAVE TROUGH OVER THE ERN HALF OF THE CONUS AND THE DEVELOPING SW FLOW ALOFT OVER THE ERN SEABOARD. THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY ON THE LEADING EDGE OF THE UPPER TROUGH WILL LIKELY HANG TO THE WEST OF THE COASTAL PLAIN WITH PERHAPS AREAS OF LOW PRESSURE BRINGING SHOWERS/RAINFALL TO THE FCST AREA BOTH DAYS ON THE WEEKEND. SOME OF THE GUIDANCE WOULD KEEP SAT DRY...AND SUNDAY MORE UNSETTLED. THIS UPPER TROUGH SHOULD HELP STEER LESLIE FAR ENOUGH EAST OF NEW ENGLAND FOR NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS. WE TRENDED CLOSER TO THE LATEST HPC GUIDANCE WITH A LOW CHANCE OF SHOWERS EACH DAY. HIGHS WILL BE SEASONABLE FOR THE 2ND WEEKEND OF SEPT. OVERALL...TEMPS WILL TREND SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL...AND PCPN MAY BE NEAR NORMAL OR SLIGHTLY ABOVE FOR THE EXTENDED. && .AVIATION /06Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE WILL MOVE EAST OF MAINE TONIGHT. A WARM FRONT WILL SLOWLY APPROACH FROM THE OHIO VALLEY AND PENNSYLVANIA TOMORROW. LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WILL GRADUALLY INCREASE FROM THE SOUTHEAST LATER THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. THIS SHOULD ALLOW STRATUS/MIST AND MVFR/IFR CONDITIONS TO DEVELOP THROUGHOUT THE AREA BETWEEN MIDNIGHT AND DAYBREAK. SOME AREAS OF FOG...ESPECIALLY NEAR KGFL/PSF MAY FORM LATE TONIGHT AS WELL. THE LOW STRATUS AND/OR ANY FOG WILL DISSIPATE BTWN 12Z- 15Z/MON...HOWEVER A HIGHER STRATUS DECK WILL INCREASE THROUGHOUT THE DAY...AS A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM AND ITS WARM FRONT MOVES INTO THE AREA. WINDS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT WILL BE LIGHT TO CALM AND SHIFT TO MORE OF A SOUTHEAST DIRECTION AFTER 08Z/MON AT 5-10 KTS. WINDS MAY BE A BIT STRONGER AT KALB DUE TO FUNNELING EFFECTS UP THE HUDSON RIVER VALLEY. OUTLOOK... MON NIGHT...VFR BECOMING MVFR/IFR. CHC -SHRA AND ISOL -TSRA LATE. TUE...MVFR/IFR. SHRA LIKELY. WED-THU...VFR/MVFR. CHC -SHRA/-TSRA. FRI...VFR...NO SIG WX. && .FIRE WEATHER... HIGH PRESSURE WILL KEEP OUR REGION MAINLY DRY THROUGH TONIGHT. THE REMNANTS OF ISAAC WILL APPROACH THE AREA ON LABOR DAY...BRINGING AN INCREASE IN CLOUDINESS AND A THREAT OF SHOWERS STARTING MONDAY NIGHT AND CONTINUING THROUGH THE MID WEEK PERIOD. RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL INCREASE TO 80 TO 100 PERCENT TONIGHT...DROP TO 50 TO 70 PERCENT ON MONDAY...RECOVER TO 100 PERCENT MONDAY NIGHT...AND ONLY DROP TO 70 TO 90 PERCENT ON TUESDAY. WINDS WILL BE LIGHT AND VARIABLE TONIGHT...AND SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST MONDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. && .HYDROLOGY... MAINLY DRY WEATHER IS EXPECTED THROUGH LABOR DAY. THE REMNANTS OF ISAAC WILL INTERACT WITH A FRONT AND BRING RAIN TO OUR AREA BEGINNING MONDAY NIGHT AND CONTINUING THROUGH THE MID WEEK PERIOD. AT THIS TIME THE LATEST MODEL GUIDANCE SUGGESTS A WIDESPREAD 1 TO 3 INCHES OF RAIN WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS OF AROUND 4 INCHES ACROSS SOUTHEAST PORTIONS OF THE AREA. NO RIVER FLOODING IS FORECAST AT THIS TIME. 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. && .ALY WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CT...NONE. NY...NONE. MA...NONE. VT...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...11/JPV NEAR TERM...KL/11/JPV SHORT TERM...11 LONG TERM...WASULA AVIATION...KL/WASULA FIRE WEATHER...11 HYDROLOGY...11
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS TALLAHASSEE FL
316 PM EDT Mon Sep 3 2012 .NEAR TERM [Through Tonight]... With the presence of the upper level trough digging into the region, areas of convection may linger into the overnight hours longer than is typical for this time of year. The highest rain chance during the overnight hours is expected to be in southeast Alabama and portions of southwest Georgia closest to the influence of the upper level trough. In fact, the model consensus suggests likely PoPs in that region for the overnight hours and the official forecast follows suit. Our local 12z hi-res ARW run (12z RAP initialized with 12z NAM boundary conditions) is somewhat concerning and indicates that an area of training convection could develop during the overnight hours across portions of southeast Alabama and adjacent sections of southwest Georgia. The large scale environment could support such an occurrence with precipitable water values forecast around 2.25 inches and relatively weak steering flow. This is something that we will need to keep a close eye on through the evening hours. A mention of heavy rain was added into the forecast for late tonight across southeast Alabama and adjacent areas of southwest Georgia. Hopefully our local 18z hi-res ARW run (18z RAP initialized with 12z GFS boundary conditions) will shed some additional light on this potential scenario. Min temperatures in the low to mid 70s are expected areawide. && .SHORT TERM [Tuesday Through Wednesday Night]... The unsettled weather pattern which begins tonight, will continue right through Wednesday night. A weak trough (loosely associated with the remnamts of Isaac) is forecast to slide south across the region over the next several days, with a weak surface low possibly developing over the northeastern Gulf by Wednesday. With copious amounts of moisture available (PWAT 2-2.5 inches) along with modest upper forcing, expect solid coverage of convection each day. The guidance is in good agreement in showing the development of multiple convective complexes over the the next 60 hours. However, the exact timing, intensity, and location of these episodes remains highly uncertain. Given the generally weak flow aloft, severe weather is not the primary threat. However, there may be a risk for localized flooding given the tropical nature of the airmass. Some of the CAMS guidance is showing isolated rainfall totals of 5-10 inches over the next 48 to 60 hours. Will continue to monitor the evolution of this system, and a Flash Flood Watch may need to be considered later if the convective trends indicated by the hi-res guidance bear out. Have bumped up PoPs through Wednesday night from previous forecast, with likely PoPs for much of the area Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons. Kept southeastern Big Bend a bit drier since it will be closer to the subsident region on the west side of a TUTT low over central/south Florida. && .LONG TERM [Thursday through next Monday]... Rain chances will continue each day with possibly the best chance late next weekend as models show a very deep trough over the eastern CONUS with an upper low closing off over the Ohio Valley. This will send a strong cold front into the southeastern U.S. over the weekend with a frontal passage possibly by the end of the forecast period. Would like to see more run to run consistency before increasing PoPs higher than chance and dropping temps and dew points too low for the start of next week. && .AVIATION [Beginning 18Z Monday]... As an upper level trough affects the region, areas of convection may linger into the overnight hours with the highest chance around KDHN and KABY. Some MVFR to IFR cigs may also affect the terminals towards dawn on Tuesday. && .MARINE... Relatively light southwesterly flow will continue through Tuesday morning. However, by Tuesday afternoon and evening, the gradient is forecast to tighten as weak low pressure drops south towards the Gulf Coast. Exercise caution conditions are possible by Wednesday morning over the western waters, speading eastward by Wednesday afternoon. A period of advisory conditions is not out of the question at some point on Wednesday or Thursday. Winds and seas should diminish by late in the week as the trough of low pressure moves east into the Atlantic. && .FIRE WEATHER... Relative humidity values will remain safely away from critical levels for the next several days. Thus, no fire weather hazards are currently anticipated. && .TAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...None. GA...None. AL...None. GM...None. && $$ NEAR TERM...Van Dyke SHORT TERM...Camp LONG TERM...Barry AVIATION...Van Dyke MARINE...Camp FIRE WEATHER...Van Dyke
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS COLUMBIA SC
1032 AM EDT MON SEP 3 2012 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE REGION WILL GIVE WAY TO THE REMNANTS OF ISAAC AS THE CIRCULATION PUSHES EAST INTO THE TENNESSEE VALLEY. ATMOSPHERIC MOISTURE WILL BE INCREASING AND SO WILL THE CHANCES OF RAIN ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH MID WEEK. A FRONT WILL PUSH THROUGH BY THURSDAY...BEFORE YET ANOTHER UPPER DISTURBANCE APPROACHES FOR THE WEEKEND. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... THIS MORNING...UPPER LOW CONTAINING REMNANTS OF ISAAC STILL TO THE WEST. BOTH NAM20 AND RUC13 SHOW UPPER RIDGING WITH NVA OVER REGION AHEAD OF UPPER SYSTEM. A FEW SHOWERS HAVE DEVELOPED IN SOUTHEAST GEORGIA AS UPPER RIDGE CONTINUES TO WEAKEN BUT PRECIP SHOULD BE SLOW TO MOVE INTO AREA DURING THE LATE MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON HOURS. HAVE A 20 POP CENTRAL AND WEST PORTION OF CAE CWA LATE THIS MORNING INTO EARLY AFTERNOON. JUST 10 PERCENT EAST PART BUT INCREASE TO 30 PERCENT CHANCE BY EARLY AFTERNOON. THIS AFTERNOON...THE REMNANTS OF ISAAC WILL DRIFT SOUTHEASTWARD TOWARDS THE AREA TODAY BUT BECOME LESS DEFINED AS THE UPPER LOW SHEARS OUT AND BECOMES A WEAK OPEN WAVE BY TONIGHT. ATMOSPHERIC MOISTURE IS ALREADY QUITE HIGH WITH PWATS CLOSE TO 2 INCHES AS NOTED ON THE 06Z LAPS SOUNDING AND THESE VALUES WILL INCREASE FURTHER BY THIS AFTERNOON. MODEL GUIDANCE SUGGESTS SOME UPPER ENERGY ROTATING AROUND THE CIRCULATION WILL MOVE THROUGH THE UPSTATE DURING PEAK HEATING AND IS LIKELY TO ORGANIZE SOME CONVECTION WHICH WILL IMPACT THE WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA. HI-RES WRF IS IN LINE WITH OPERATIONAL MODELS IN SHOWING A LINE OF CONVECTION DEVELOPING JUST WEST OF THE FORECAST AREA AND PUSHING SLOWLY EASTWARD INTO THE WESTERN MIDLANDS AND CSRA LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. DESPITE THE MOS GUIDANCE SHOWING LOW CHANCE POPS TODAY AND TONIGHT HAVE OPTED TO MAINTAIN PERSISTENCE WITH THE POP FORECAST AND HOLD LIKELY POPS WESTERN MIDLANDS WITH A GRADIENT TO CHANCE EASTWARD ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. SPC HAS CAE FORECAST AREA IN A SEE TEXT. MODERATE TO STRONG AFTERNOON INSTABILITY. LIS -4. CAPES AROUND 2000 J/KG BUT WILL HAVE TO OVERCOME A MID LEVEL CAP. HOWEVER...PULSE STORMS MAY BECOME STRONG AND APPROACH SEVERE LIMITS IF THERE IS A HIGH REFLECTIVITY ELEVATED CORE PRESENT IN ANY OF THE STORMS. THE VIL OF THE DAY IS 69. TONIGHT...PRECIPITATION IS LIKELY TO LINGER INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. SEVERE THREAT LOOKS MINIMAL GIVEN A NEARLY MOIST ADIABATIC SOUNDING PROFILE WITH A WARM CLOUD LAYER DEPTH OVER 10000 FT...AND THINK HEAVY RAIN FROM TRAINING STORMS COULD BE MORE OF AN ISSUE THROUGH TONIGHT. TEMPERATURES TODAY WILL AGAIN BE WARM IN THE LOWER 90S TO AROUND 90 AND BE DEPENDENT ON CLOUD COVER. LOWS TONIGHT WILL BE LIMITED BY CONVECTIVE DEBRIS CLOUDS AND SHOULD BE IN THE 70S. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... THE REMNANTS OF ISAAC FURTHER SHEAR AND THE PLUME OF TROPICAL MOISTURE BECOMES ELONGATED FROM THE GULF COAST NORTHEASTWARD ALONG THE APPALACHIANS INTO NEW ENGLAND BY TUESDAY NIGHT. THETA-E MOISTURE TRANSPORT WILL INCREASE OVER THE UPSTATE AND WESTERN MIDLANDS AND THE INTERACTION WITH DAYTIME HEATING SHOULD YIELD ANOTHER ROUND OF DIURNAL DEEP MOIST CONVECTION WITHIN A MOIST ADIABATIC ENVIRONMENT WITH PWATS EXCEEDING 2 INCHES...CLOSE TO 150 PERCENT OF NORMAL. WILL CONTINUE WITH A GRADIENT IN POPS FROM WEST TO EAST RANGING FROM HIGH CHANCE WESTERN MIDLANDS AND CSRA TO LOW CHANCE EASTERN MIDLANDS. CHANCES DECREASE DURING THE OVERNIGHT PERIOD TUESDAY NIGHT...ESPECIALLY IN THE EASTERN PART OF THE FORECAST AREA WITH THE LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING. TEMPERATURES SHOULD BE COOLER ON TUESDAY IN THE MID TO UPPER 80S DUE TO EXTENSIVE CLOUD COVER IN THE TROPICAL AIRMASS. ON WEDNESDAY...A WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL PUSH TOWARDS THE FORECAST AREA AND THE AXIS OF DEEP LAYER MOISTURE...LEFTOVER FROM THE REMNANTS OF ISAAC ALSO SHIFTS TO THE EAST. OPERATIONAL MODELS DIFFER IN THE TIMING OF THE FRONT PUSHING THROUGH THE AREA...WRF BEING FASTER AND GFS SLOWER. NEVERTHELESS...WILL AGAIN NEED TO CARRY MID CHANCE POPS WITH ABUNDANT DEEP LAYER MOISTURE PRESENT...PWATS CONTINUING OVER 2 INCHES AND MODERATE INSTABILITY. THE HEAVY RAIN THREAT WILL ALSO CONTINUE THROUGH MID WEEK RESULTING FROM THE TRAINING OF STORMS WITH HIGH LIQUID WATER CONTENT. TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN WARM IN THE MID TO UPPER 80S FOR HIGHS AND LOWS IN THE 70S. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... LITTLE CHANGE IN THINKING DURING THIS PERIOD. MEDIUM RANGE GUIDANCE IN REASONABLE AGREEMENT WITH PUSHING A WEAK BOUNDARY THROUGH THE AREA OR HAVING THE FRONT BECOME DIFFUSE OVER THE AREA THURSDAY WITH A BREAK IN THE ACTIVE WEATHER FRIDAY. TEMPERATURES WILL REBOUND BACK TO HIGHS AROUND 90 FOR FRIDAY WITH LOWS FALLING INTO THE UPPER 60S ACROSS MOST OF THE FORECAST AREA AS SOME DRIER AIR WORKS IN FROM THE NORTHWEST. BOTH OPERATIONAL RUNS OF THE GFS/ECMWF SHOWING A DYNAMIC UPPER TROUGH DIGGING ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES AND MIDWESTERN STATES ON SATURDAY AND CLOSING OFF AN UPPER LOW OVER THE WESTERN OHIO VALLEY BY SUNDAY. STRONG JET ENERGY ROTATING THROUGH THE BASE OF THE UPPER TROUGH SHOULD BRING INCREASED DYNAMICS TOWARDS THE FORECAST AREA BY SUNDAY AND RESULT IN INCREASED CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION. && .AVIATION /14Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... SCATTERED MID LEVEL CLOUDS STILL LINGERING INTO THE LATE MORNING HOURS AS LEFTOVER CONVECTIVE DEBRIS CLOUDS WERE OVER AREA THIS MORNING. OTHERWISE...MOISTURE WILL ADVECT INTO THE FORECAST AREA AHEAD OF THE TROUGH SLOWLY MOVING INTO THE AREA FROM THE WEST. EXPECT HEATING AND MIXING WILL HELP CAUSE MAINLY VFR CEILINGS TODAY INTO THE EVENING. THIS IS SUPPORTED BY MOST OF THE GFS AND NAM MOS. HOWEVER...RESTRICTIONS WILL OCCUR IN SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS BUT THIS WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE TERMINAL FORECASTS BECAUSE OF TIMING UNCERTAINTY AT THIS TIME. INCREASING LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE AND DIURNAL COOLING WILL LIKELY RESULT IN MVFR OR IFR CEILINGS AND VISIBILITIES DEVELOPING LATE TONIGHT. EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...EXPECT MAINLY LATE NIGHT AND EARLY MORNING FOG AND STRATUS...AND SCATTERED AFTERNOON THUNDERSTORMS. && .CAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SC...NONE. GA...NONE. && $$ 07
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
728 PM CDT TUE SEP 4 2012 .MESOSCALE DISCUSSION... 728 PM CDT CLOSELY MONITORING CONVECTION OVER WESTERN WISCONSIN EARLY THIS EVENING FOR ANY POTENTIAL IMPACTS ON OUR CWA TONIGHT. CLUSTER OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN APPEARS TO BE CONGEALING IN A LARGE MASS OF STORMS WHICH COULD RESULT IN FORMATION OF COLD POOL AND A MORE ACCELERATED MOTION. FORWARD PROPAGATING CORFIDI VECTORS FROM WRF-NAM AND RUC BOTH SUGGEST CONVECTION WOULD RACE QUICKLY EAST-SOUTHEAST TOWARD CHGO METRO...HOWEVER SPC OBJECTIVE MESOANALYSIS DATA SHOWS A REGION OR MUCH LESSER INSTABILITY AND GREATER INHIBITION OVER SOUTHERN WISCONSIN. VISIBLE SATELLITE IMAGERY TUES AFTERNOON SHOWED A DISTINCT ABSENCE OF CUMULUS IN A SWATH FROM NE IL (AHEAD OF LAKE BREEZE) NNW INTO CENTRAL WISCONSIN...WHICH WOULD LEND SOME CREDENCE TO THE WEAKER INSTABILITY/STRONGER CAPPING SHOWN IN THE SPC OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS DATA. RELATIVELY WEAK LOW LEVEL FLOW SUGGESTS ANY RAPID NORTHEASTWARD TRANSPORT OF MOISTURE OR INSTABILITY IS UNLIKELY THIS EVENING...SO WOULD ANTICIPATE CONVECTION TO WEAKEN AS IT PROGRESSES EASTWARD INTO THE LESS UNSTABLE ENVIRONMENT OVER SOUTHERN WISCONSIN. LOOKING LIKE A MORE PLAUSIBLE SCENARIO WOULD BE FOR MOST INTENSE VIGOROUS CONVECTION TO FAVOR THE WESTERN PORTIONS OF THIS DEVELOPING MCS AND FOR THE STRONGER CELLS TO TEND TO PROPAGATE MORE SOUTHWARD INTO THE AXIS OF GREATER MOISTURE/INSTABILITY WHICH WAS NICELY DEPICTED BY THE CUMULUS FIELD THIS AFTERNOON. MODELS REALLY NOT SHOWING ANY SIGNIFICANT LOW LEVEL JET OR LOW LEVEL WARM AIR ADVECTION OVERNIGHT SO ITS QUESTIONABLE HOW WELL SUSTAINED THIS CONVECTION WILL BE INTO THE MID TO LATE EVENING...BUT REGARDLESS GIVEN ITS ALREADY RATHER CLOSE PROXIMITY FEEL SOME UPWARD ADJUSTMENTS TO POP GRIDS FOR TONIGHT ARE WARRANTED...ESPECIALLY WESTERN CWA. IZZI && .DISCUSSION... 307 PM CDT MAIN FORECAST CONCERN FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS WILL FOCUS ON THE INCREASING CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TONIGHT AND TOMORROW ASSOCIATED WITH A COLD FRONT DROPPING SEWD OUT OF THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING...CONDITIONS WILL REMAIN GENERALLY QUIET...HOWEVER...WITH AMPLE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE LINGERING OVER THE REGION FOLLOWING THE PASSAGE OF TROPICAL CYCLONE ISAAC...DAYTIME WARMING COMBINED WITH A LAKE BREEZE BOUNDARY PUSHING INLAND FROM LAKE MICHIGAN WILL ALLOW FOR AT LEAST A SMALL CHANCE OF SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE AREA THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING. FOR THE LARGER SCALE...A PERSISTENT POLAR LOW CONTINUES TO SIT AND SPIN OVER NRN MANITOBA WHILE A SERIES OF WEAK IMPULSES TRACK ALONG THE SRN PERIPHERY. INITIALLY...THE SFC PRESSURE PATTERN REMAINS VERY DIFFUSE WITH LITTLE SFC FORCING. HOWEVER...BY LATE TONIGHT...THE SHORT RANGE GUIDANCE IS IN GOOD AGREEMENT ON INCREASING THE PCPN THREAT AS A STRONG SHORTWAVE DROPS OUT OF THE NORTHERN ROCKIES AND PUSHES INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS TONIGHT AND ACROSS THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY TOMORROW. THIS SHORT WAVE WILL REINFORCE A WEAK SFC COLD FRONT...WHICH WILL PROVIDE THE SFC FORCING TO IGNITE THUNDERSTORMS. THE MAIN FORECAST CONCERN WITH THIS SYSTEM WILL BE HOW FAR SOUTH TO EXTEND THE HIGHER POPS THROUGH THE MIDWEST AND INTO THE MIDDLE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. WHILE THE STRONGEST FORCING SHOULD REMAIN TO THE NORTH OF THE LOCAL AREA IN WISCONSIN WITH THE TRACK OF THE MAIN VORT MAX...THERE SHOULD BE ENOUGH UPPER LEVEL FORCING EXTENDING SWD...COINCIDENT WITH THE SFC COLD FRONT TO WARRANT KEEPING LIKELY POPS ACROSS THE CWA BEGINNING EARLY TOMORROW MORNING OVER THE ROCKFORD AREA AND THEN SPREADING EWD THROUGH THE DAY AS THE COLD FRONT PUSHES EWD. THE WARM SECTOR ENVIRONMENT SHOULD BE PRIMED FOR THUNDERSTORMS BY LATE MORNING/EARLY AFTERNOON AS TEMPERATURES SHOULD REACH INTO THE UPPER 80S TO CLOSE TO 90 DEGREES WITH SFC DEW POINTS IN THE UPPER 60S TO LOWER 70S. DEEP LAYER INSTABILITY WILL ALSO BE MORE THAN ADEQUATE FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT AS IS EVIDENCED BY BUFKIT SOUNDS FROM THE NAM12 ADVERTISING CAPE VALUES EXCEEDING 1500 J/KG BY THE LATE MORNING HOURS AND INCREASING TO ARND 2500 J/KG DURING THE AFTERNOON. THE GIVEN THE ELEMENTS EXPECTED TO BE IN PLACE TOMORROW...THE ;LATEST SPC DAY 2 OUTLOOK KEEPS THE CWA IN A SLIGHT RISK AREA FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. THE GREATEST THREAT SHOULD BE DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON HOURS AS THE COLD FRONT CROSSES THE AREA DURING THE TIME OF PEAK HEATING. THE MAIN SEVERE THREAT SHOULD BE STRONG...DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS GIVEN A RELATIVELY DRY LAYER EXPECTED BETWEEN 850MB-700MB...THOUGH THERE MAY ALSO BE A LARGE HAIL THREAT AS COOLER AIR MOVES IN ALOFT WITH FREEZING LEVELS DROPPING TO ARND 12KFT. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BE LESS OF A CONCERN AS THE COLD FRONT WILL BE PROGRESSIVE THROUGH THE DAY AND PWATS ARE EXPECTED TO BE 1.5 INCHES OR LESS. THURSDAY IS SHAPING UP TO BE DRY AND THE NEXT CHANCE FOR PCPN WILL COME BY EARLY FRIDAY MORNING AS A LONG WAVE TROUGH DROPS INTO THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. A WEAK FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH THE UPPER TROUGH IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO NWRN IL EARLY FRIDAY...BUT THE MAIN CONCERN WILL BE SFC WAVE DEVELOPMENT ALONG THE COLD FRONT. THE LONGER RANGE GUIDANCE IS IN GOOD AGREEMENT ON THE FORMATION OF A DECENT SFC WAVE ON THE FRONT...BUT THERE IS LESSER AGREEMENT ON THE STRENGTH AND LOCATION OF THE SFC WAVE DEVELOPMENT. HOWEVER...THERE IS ENOUGH CONFIDENCE TO CARRY LIKELY POPS FOR THE SRN PORTIONS OF THE CWA...WITH A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS...BUT LESSER CONFIDENCE TO THE NORTH...SO WILL ONLY CARRY CHANCE POPS FOR THE NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE CWA. FOR TEMPERATURES...FOLLOWING THE PASSAGE OF THE COLD FRONT TOMORROW...HIGHS WILL DROP BACK INTO UPPER 70S TO LOWER 80S FOR THURSDAY. FOR FRIDAY AND SATURDAY...AS THE LONG WAVE UPPER TROUGH MOVES ACROSS THE REGION...HIGHS SHOULD ONLY BE IN THE MIDDLE 70S FOR FRIDAY/ THE COOLEST AIR WILL MOVE OVER THE AREA FOR THE WEEKEND WITH TEMPS ONLY REACHING INTO THE UPPER 60S TO AROUND 70F ON SATURDAY AND THE LOWER 70S FOR SUNDAY. WEAK UPPER RIDGING SHOULD RETURN TO THE AREA BY EARLY NEXT WEEK...BRINGING SLIGHTLY WARMER WEATHER WITH HIGHS IN THE MIDDLE 70S. KREIN && .AVIATION... //ORD AND MDW CONCERNS...UPDATED 00Z... * TSRA WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. * GUSTY SOUTHWEST WINDS WEDNESDAY. CMS //DISCUSSION...UPDATED 00Z... SEVERAL FORECAST CONCERNS THIS PERIOD WITH THE MAIN CONCERN BEING TSRA TIMING/DURATION WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. IN THE SHORT TERM...ISOLATED CONVECTION DEVELOPED OVER PARTS OF NORTH CENTRAL IL EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON AND HAS SINCE DISSIPATED. NOT EXPECTING ANY FURTHER DEVELOPMENT BUT IF ANYTHING DOES DEVELOP IS SHOULD REMAIN ISOLATED AND BRIEF. LINE OF TSRA OVER SOUTHWEST WI IS EXPECTED TO MOVE EAST AND BEGIN TO WEAKEN LATER THIS EVENING BUT WILL NEED TO BE MONITORED TO SEE IF IT BEGINS TO TURN SOUTHEAST AND MOVE INTO NORTHERN IL AND EVEN IF THE CONVECTION DOESN/T MAKE IT...COULD POSSIBLY BE AND OUTFLOW BOUNDARY PUSHING INTO NORTHERN IL. ATTENTION THEN SHIFTS TO THE WEST WITH SOME ELEVATED ACTIVITY POSSIBLY DEVELOPING OVER IA OVERNIGHT. CONFIDENCE IS FAIRLY LOW THAT THIS WILL HAPPEN BUT IF ANYTHING DEVELOPS...IT WILL MOVE GENERALLY EAST AND INTO NORTHWEST IL TOWARD DAYBREAK. EVEN THEN...IT WOULD LIKELY BE WEAKENING AND THUS HAVE MAINTAINED A DRY FORECAST INTO MID MORNING. A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND IT APPEARS THE BEST CHANCE FOR TSRA WILL BE ALONG/AHEAD OF THIS FRONT. CONFIDENCE FOR A LINE OF STORMS TO MOVE ACROSS THE TERMINALS IS GROWING AS IS CONFIDENCE FOR TIMING IN THE MID AFTERNOON HRS...BUT THIS TIMING AS WELL AS DURATION WILL LIKELY NEED TO BE TWEAKED WITH LATER FORECASTS. INSTABILITY COMBINED WITH FAIRLY STRONG WINDS ALOFT WILL LIKELY LEAD TO STRONG/GUSTY WINDS AT THE TERMINALS WITH THESE STORMS. LAKE BREEZE NOW WEST OF DPA WILL WASHOUT THIS EVENING WITH EASTERLY WINDS TURNING SOUTHEAST THIS EVENING THEN SOUTHERLY OVERNIGHT WITH SPEEDS ALSO DIMINISHING TO 5 KTS OR LESS. WINDS REMAIN SOUTH/SOUTHWEST INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING AND AS NOTED ABOVE SOUNDINGS SUGGEST FAIRLY STRONG WINDS ALOFT. HAVE BUMPED WIND GUSTS UP TO 20KTS MIDDAY BUT SOUNDINGS WOULD SUGGEST GUSTS COULD BE AS HIGH AS 25KTS. SPEEDS/GUSTS WILL BE DEPENDENT ON CLOUD COVER AND LOW LEVEL MIXING...THUS CONFIDENCE ISN/T ALL THAT HIGH AS TO HOW HIGH PREVAILING SPEEDS/GUSTS WILL BECOME. WHILE THE LOW LEVELS REMAIN QUITE MOIST...MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES TODAY COMBINED WITH SOME MODEST DRYING...SHOULD PREVENT ANY WIDESPREAD FOG PROBLEMS TONIGHT...BUT WITH LIGHTER WINDS EXPECTED TOWARD MORNING COULD SEE SOME LIGHT/SHALLOW GROUND FOG...ESPECIALLY IN THE USUAL AREAS. CMS //ORD AND MDW CONFIDENCE...UPDATED 00Z... * HIGH CONFIDENCE TSRA WILL IMPACT ORD/MDW WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON... MEDIUM CONFIDENCE ON TIMING...LOW CONFIDENCE ON DURATION. * MEDIUM CONFIDENCE REGARDING WIND SPEEDS/DIRECTIONS THROUGH THE PERIOD...LOW CONFIDENCE REGARDING GUSTS WEDNESDAY. CMS //OUTLOOK FOR ORD/MDW FOR 12Z THURSDAY-12Z TUESDAY...UPDATED 00Z... * THURSDAY...VFR. * FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY...CHANCE OF SHRA. MVFR POSSIBLE. * SUNDAY...SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHRA. * MONDAY...VFR. && .MARINE... 323 PM CDT LIGHT VARIABLE WINDS WILL BEGIN TO FAVOR A SOUTHERLY DIRECTION TONIGHT AND GRADUALLY FRESHEN AS A COLD FRONT ADVANCES EASTWARD INTO THE UPPER MIDWEST OVERNIGHT. THE COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS NORTHERN LAKE MI BY MID AFTERNOON WED AND ACROSS SOUTHERN LAKE MI BY MID EVENING...WITH WINDS VEERING TO SOUTHWEST THEN WEST AND NORTHWEST WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE COLD FRONT. A SECOND COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS LAKE MI LATE THU NIGHT AND FRI. WINDS WILL BECOME SOUTHWESTERLY AS THE FRONT NEARS...THEN VEER TO OUT OF THE WEST AND NORTHWEST AGAIN WITH THE COLD FRONT PASSAGE. HIGH PRESSURE OF OVER SASKATCHEWAN AND MANITOBA WILL EXPAND OVER THE PLAINS AND NORTHERN GREAT LAKES FRIDAY NIGHT. WINDS WILL INCREASE TO STRONG NORTH TO NORTHEAST BREEZES FOR SAT AND SUN...WITH SOME GUSTS NEAR GALE FORCE ON SOUTHERN LAKE MI AS THE PRESSURE GRADIENT ACROSS THE REGION INCREASES BETWEEN THE HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE TO THE N AND W...AND A LOW MOVING FROM THE MID MS VALLEY UP THE OH VALLEY. TRS && .LOT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IL...NONE. IN...NONE. LM...NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LINCOLN IL
1249 PM CDT MON SEP 3 2012 .DISCUSSION... ISSUED 1039 AM CDT MON SEP 3 2012 15Z/10 AM SURFACE CHART SHOWS 1009MB LOW CENTERED NEAR KEVV...WITH CLOUD SHIELD EXTENDING ACROSS MUCH OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS. FURTHER WEST...ENOUGH SUBSIDENCE IS OCCURRING ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE SYSTEM TO ALLOW SKIES TO BECOME PARTLY TO MOSTLY SUNNY ALONG AND WEST OF I-55. WITH ONLY VERY SLOW EASTWARD MOVEMENT...THINK CLOUDS WILL PERSIST ACROSS THE E/SE KILX CWA THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. 12Z HRRR SUGGESTS A FEW SHOWERS MAY DEVELOP ACROSS THIS AREA AS WELL...HOWEVER AREAL COVERAGE WILL BE MINIMAL. HAVE UPDATED FORECAST TO REMOVE MENTION OF THUNDER...OPTING INSTEAD TO GO WITH ISOLATED TO SCATTERED LIGHT SHOWERS ALONG AND EAST OF I-57. HIGH TEMP FORECAST APPEARS TO BE ON TRACK...WITH COOLEST READINGS IN THE LOWER TO MIDDLE 80S ACROSS THE CLOUD-COVERED EAST/SOUTHEAST AND UPPER 80S FURTHER WEST. ZONE UPDATE HAS ALREADY BEEN ISSUED. BARNES && .AVIATION... ISSUED 1249 PM CDT MON SEP 3 2012 CLOUD SHIELD ASSOCIATED WITH DEPARTING LOW PRESSURE HAS NOW SHIFTED SOUTHEAST OF THE TERMINALS...HOWEVER ENOUGH LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE REMAINS TO SUPPORT SCT-BKN MVFR CEILINGS THROUGH 20/21Z. AFTER THAT...MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES WILL BE NOTED THIS EVENING BEFORE A WEAK UPPER-LEVEL DISTURBANCE BEGINS TO SPREAD MID/HIGH CLOUDS BACK INTO THE AREA OVERNIGHT INTO TUESDAY MORNING. 12Z NAM/GFS BOTH SUGGEST SCT SHOWERS WITH THIS SYSTEM...HOWEVER CONFIDENCE CONCERNING EXACT AREAL COVERAGE AND TIMING IS LOW...SO WILL ONLY FEATURE A PERIOD OF VCSH AT ALL SITES AFTER 08/09Z. FORECAST SOUNDINGS ALSO INDICATE THE POTENTIAL FOR AREAS OF FOG TONIGHT...HOWEVER INCREASING HIGH CLOUDS MAY MITIGATE THIS THREAT. AT THIS POINT...HAVE INCLUDED 3-4SM VISBYS ACROSS THE BOARD...BUT THESE MAY NEED TO BE LOWERED FURTHER IF CLOUD COVER DOES NOT MATERIALIZE AS CURRENTLY FORECAST. BARNES && .PREV DISCUSSION... ISSUED 330 AM CDT MON SEP 3 2012 SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT 1008 MB LOW PRESSURE (REMNANTS OF ISAAC) WAS OVER FAR SE IL BETWEEN LAWRENCEVILLE AND EVANSVILLE AND CONTINUED TO BRING LOW CLOUDS TO AREAS FROM I-55 SE EARLY THIS MORNING WHILE NEARLY CLEAR SKIES OVER THE IL RIVER VALLEY WITH A LIGHT FOG SO FAR. GALESBURG VSBY WAS DOWN TO 2 MILES. HUMID AIRMASS LINGERS OVER CENTRAL/SE IL WITH DEWPOINTS STILL IN THE LOWER 70S...EXCEPT 65F AT GALESBURG. RADAR MOSAIC SHOWS MOST LIGHT SHOWERS HAVE TEMPORARILY ENDED OVER CENTRAL/SE IL EARLY THIS MORNING...THOUGH COULD BE A FEW SPRINKLES/DRIZZLE AROUND IN THE LOW CLOUDS FROM I-55 SE. MODELS CONTINUE SLOW DRIFT OF LOW PRESSURE FROM FAR SE IL INTO WESTERN KY TODAY AND STILL CLOSE ENOUGH TO BRING A CHANCE OF SHOWERS OVER EASTERN IL LATER THIS MORNING AND AFTERNOON AND PERHAPS AN ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS IN SE IL THIS AFTERNOON. MORE LOW CLOUDS LINGER OVER EASTERN IL AS WELL AND KEEP TEMPS A BIT COOLER THERE. HIGHS IN THE MID 80S TO UPPER 80S WITH WARMER READINGS WEST WHERE MORE SUNSHINE EXPECTED. WILL MENTION PATCHY FOG FROM I-55 WEST UNTIL MID MORNING. SOME FOG WILL LIKELY DEVELOP AGAIN OVERNIGHT AS LOW CLOUDS DECREASE AND LINGER LONGER ALONG THE INDIANA BORDER. A WEAK DISTURBANCE AND WEAKENING FRONT MOVE INTO NORTHERN/CENTRAL IL TUE AND TO BRING ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS BACK INTO AREA. SPC HAS MUCH OF CENTRAL/SE IL IN A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE STORMS WED AFTERNOON/EARLY WED EVENING UNTIL SUNSET. THIS DUE TO A STRONG UPPER LEVEL SHORT WAVE AND COLD FRONT MOVING SE THROUGH IL. VERY WARM AND HUMID AHEAD OF THIS FRONT THROUGH WED AND THEN TURNING COOLER AND LESS HUMID THEREAFTER. LONG TERM...THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY EXTENDED MODELS CONTINUE TO BE PROGRESSIVE WITH YET ANOTHER FAIRLY STRONG UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE TRACKING ESE INTO THE REGION LATE THIS WEEK AND RETURNING A GOOD CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS OVERNIGHT THU NIGHT INTO SAT. MODELS ALSO CONTINUE TO SHOW A STRONG UPPER LEVEL TROF AND POSSIBLE CUTOFF LOW TAKING SHAPE OVER THE GREAT LAKES/OHIO VALLEY REGION THIS WEEKEND...BRINGING BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES ALONG WITH DIURNALLY ENHANCED CHANCES OF SHOWERS AND CLOUDS DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS. KH && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LINCOLN IL
1039 AM CDT MON SEP 3 2012 .DISCUSSION... ISSUED 1039 AM CDT MON SEP 3 2012 15Z/10 AM SURFACE CHART SHOWS 1009MB LOW CENTERED NEAR KEVV...WITH CLOUD SHIELD EXTENDING ACROSS MUCH OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS. FURTHER WEST...ENOUGH SUBSIDENCE IS OCCURRING ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE SYSTEM TO ALLOW SKIES TO BECOME PARTLY TO MOSTLY SUNNY ALONG AND WEST OF I-55. WITH ONLY VERY SLOW EASTWARD MOVEMENT...THINK CLOUDS WILL PERSIST ACROSS THE E/SE KILX CWA THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. 12Z HRRR SUGGESTS A FEW SHOWERS MAY DEVELOP ACROSS THIS AREA AS WELL...HOWEVER AREAL COVERAGE WILL BE MINIMAL. HAVE UPDATED FORECAST TO REMOVE MENTION OF THUNDER...OPTING INSTEAD TO GO WITH ISOLATED TO SCATTERED LIGHT SHOWERS ALONG AND EAST OF I-57. HIGH TEMP FORECAST APPEARS TO BE ON TRACK...WITH COOLEST READINGS IN THE LOWER TO MIDDLE 80S ACROSS THE CLOUD-COVERED EAST/SOUTHEAST AND UPPER 80S FURTHER WEST. ZONE UPDATE HAS ALREADY BEEN ISSUED. BARNES && .AVIATION... ISSUED 630 AM CDT MON SEP 3 2012 COVERAGE OF IFR/MVFR CIGS AND FOG THIS MORNING THE MAIN FORECAST CHALLENGE. WEAK LOW PRESSURE TO OUR SOUTHEAST WILL CONTINUE TO SLOWLY MOVE AWAY FROM THE MIDWEST TODAY. OUR AREA WILL STILL BE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF SOME WEAK CYCLONIC FLOW AND ABUNDANT LOW LEVEL MOISTURE LEFT OVER FROM THE SYSTEM RESULTING IN THE LOWER CLOUDS AND FOG THIS MORNING...AND THEN AT LEAST SOME BKN MVFR CIGS THIS AFTN. ISOLATED SHOWERS WILL BE POSSIBLE AT DEC AND CMI MAINLY THIS AFTN SO WILL COVER THAT WITH A VCSH IN BOTH LOCATIONS. SETUP APPEARS TO BE MORE FAVORABLE FOR FOG LATE TONIGHT AS WEAK HIGH PRESSURE SETTLES INTO THE AREA BRINGING LIGHT WINDS AND CLEAR SKIES...AT LEAST TO START THE EVENING OUT. HOWEVER...WITH THE ABUNDANT LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AND LIGHT WIND FLOW...IT SEEMS THAT FOG IS A DISTINCT POSSIBILITY OVERNIGHT. WILL BRING IN THE LOWER VSBYS/CIGS AFTR 05Z MOST AREAS. SFC WINDS WILL BE OUT OF THE NE TODAY AT AROUND 10 KTS WITH A FEW GUSTS UP TO 20 KTS POSSIBLE BY LATE MORNING INTO THE AFTN HOURS. LIGHT NNE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TONIGHT. SMITH && .PREV DISCUSSION... ISSUED 330 AM CDT MON SEP 3 2012 SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT 1008 MB LOW PRESSURE (REMNANTS OF ISAAC) WAS OVER FAR SE IL BETWEEN LAWRENCEVILLE AND EVANSVILLE AND CONTINUED TO BRING LOW CLOUDS TO AREAS FROM I-55 SE EARLY THIS MORNING WHILE NEARLY CLEAR SKIES OVER THE IL RIVER VALLEY WITH A LIGHT FOG SO FAR. GALESBURG VSBY WAS DOWN TO 2 MILES. HUMID AIRMASS LINGERS OVER CENTRAL/SE IL WITH DEWPOINTS STILL IN THE LOWER 70S...EXCEPT 65F AT GALESBURG. RADAR MOSAIC SHOWS MOST LIGHT SHOWERS HAVE TEMPORARILY ENDED OVER CENTRAL/SE IL EARLY THIS MORNING...THOUGH COULD BE A FEW SPRINKLES/DRIZZLE AROUND IN THE LOW CLOUDS FROM I-55 SE. MODELS CONTINUE SLOW DRIFT OF LOW PRESSURE FROM FAR SE IL INTO WESTERN KY TODAY AND STILL CLOSE ENOUGH TO BRING A CHANCE OF SHOWERS OVER EASTERN IL LATER THIS MORNING AND AFTERNOON AND PERHAPS AN ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS IN SE IL THIS AFTERNOON. MORE LOW CLOUDS LINGER OVER EASTERN IL AS WELL AND KEEP TEMPS A BIT COOLER THERE. HIGHS IN THE MID 80S TO UPPER 80S WITH WARMER READINGS WEST WHERE MORE SUNSHINE EXPECTED. WILL MENTION PATCHY FOG FROM I-55 WEST UNTIL MID MORNING. SOME FOG WILL LIKELY DEVELOP AGAIN OVERNIGHT AS LOW CLOUDS DECREASE AND LINGER LONGER ALONG THE INDIANA BORDER. A WEAK DISTURBANCE AND WEAKENING FRONT MOVE INTO NORTHERN/CENTRAL IL TUE AND TO BRING ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS BACK INTO AREA. SPC HAS MUCH OF CENTRAL/SE IL IN A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE STORMS WED AFTERNOON/EARLY WED EVENING UNTIL SUNSET. THIS DUE TO A STRONG UPPER LEVEL SHORT WAVE AND COLD FRONT MOVING SE THROUGH IL. VERY WARM AND HUMID AHEAD OF THIS FRONT THROUGH WED AND THEN TURNING COOLER AND LESS HUMID THEREAFTER. LONG TERM...THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY EXTENDED MODELS CONTINUE TO BE PROGRESSIVE WITH YET ANOTHER FAIRLY STRONG UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE TRACKING ESE INTO THE REGION LATE THIS WEEK AND RETURNING A GOOD CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS OVERNIGHT THU NIGHT INTO SAT. MODELS ALSO CONTINUE TO SHOW A STRONG UPPER LEVEL TROF AND POSSIBLE CUTOFF LOW TAKING SHAPE OVER THE GREAT LAKES/OHIO VALLEY REGION THIS WEEKEND...BRINGING BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES ALONG WITH DIURNALLY ENHANCED CHANCES OF SHOWERS AND CLOUDS DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS. KH && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS NORTHERN INDIANA
752 PM EDT TUE SEP 4 2012 .AVIATION...00Z TAFS TONIGHTS CONDITIONS ARE QUITE SIMILAR TO LAST NIGHT AND EXPECT SIMILAR CONDITIONS POSSIBLE AT BOTH TERMINALS. KFWA SAW VISIBILITIES VERY NEAR ZERO BETWEEN 12Z AND 13Z THIS MORNING AND CANNOT RULE OUT SIMILAR CONDITIONS TOMORROW MORNING. RISK FOR IFR/LIFR FOG AT KSBN IS MUCH LESS CONSIDERING LOWER CROSSOVER TEMPS AND WARMER LOW TEMPERATURES EXPECTED. ALSO...UPSTREAM CONVECTION ACROSS WESTERN WISCONSIN COULD BRING CIRRUS DECK OVER THE TERMINAL AFTER 06Z. REMOVED IFR TEMPO GROUP AT KSBN DUE TO THIS DECREASED LIKELIHOOD OF DENSE FOG AND REPLACED WITH MVFR VIS AFTER 07Z. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 339 PM EDT TUE SEP 4 2012/ SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT. SEVERAL CONCERNS TO DEAL WITH OVER THE NEXT 36 HOURS FROM CONVECTION/SVR WX TO FOG. WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY WAS ROUGHLY LOCATED FROM MONTICELLO TO FORT WAYNE TO DEFIANCE WITH ISOL TO SCT SHOWERS STRUGGLING TO TAKE SHAPE ALONG WITH GIVEN WEAK CONVERGENCE AND LIMITED INSTABILITY. WILL KEEP A PRE 1ST PERIOD TO ADDRESS THIS ACTIVITY WHICH SHOULD EXIT BY 00Z. WITH MOIST BOUNDARY LAYER AND LITTLE CHANCE FOR MIXING ACROSS THE AREA TODAY...FOG/STRATUS POTENTIAL WILL REMAIN HIGH ACROSS MOST IF NOT ALL OF THE FORECAST AREA. COULD SEE WIDESPREAD DENSE FOG LATER TONIGHT IN MANY SPOTS WITH TEMPS FALLING PASS CROSSOVER TEMPS IN THE UPPER 60S TO AROUND 70 AND CALM WINDS/CLEAR SKIES. POTENTIAL ISSUES ARISE FROM ANTICIPATED UPSTREAM CONVECTION ACROSS MINN/WI/IOWA. SEVERAL RUNS OF THE HRRR HAVE SHOWN DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THIS AREA DROPPING TOWARDS POSSIBLE WESTERN PARTS OF THE FORECAST AREA LATER TONIGHT/WEDS MORNING...POSSIBLY CAUSING ISSUES WITH FOG DEVELOPMENT. FOR NOW...HAVE BUMPED UP WORDING IN ZONES TO PATCHY DENSE FOG AND WILL DEFER TO EVENING/OVERNIGHT SHIFTS TO ADJUST BASED ON UPSTREAM TRENDS. STRONGER UPPER LEVEL TROUGH AND SFC COLD FRONT STILL POISED TO MOVE INTO THE REGION WEDS/WEDS NGT. STRONG DYNAMICS WILL ACCOMPANY THE SYSTEM WITH A FAVORABLE TIMING OF LIFT AND MSTR CONVERGENCE IN THE LATE AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING. GIVEN 0-6 KM SHEAR IN THE 30 TO 40 KT RANGE SVR THREAT IS STILL POSSIBLE...IF SUFFICIENT HEATING CAN OCCUR AHEAD OF THE ACTUAL FRONT. THE FLY IN THE OINTMENT FOR THIS MAY BE ANY LATE NIGHT/MORNING CONVECTION NOTED ABOVE THAT COULD STABILIZE THE AREA THROUGH OPTIMAL PEAK HEATING...THEREBY REDUCING CHANCES FOR SVR WX. DO STILL FEEL THAT CONVECTION WILL FIRE TO THE WEST ALONG THE FRONT IN ILLINOIS DURING THE AFTERNOON AND MOVE EAST TOWARDS THE AREA. HAVE THEREFORE CAUTIOUSLY HELD WITH LIKELY POPS IN NW AREAS WEDS AFTERNOON BUT FOR NOW BACKED OFF ON POP TIMING EARLIER IN THE DAY ASSUMING THAT MODEL INDICATIONS OF IA/WI/MN COMPLEX DYING AS IT APPROACHES OCCUR. THIS SAME REASONING WARRANTS A SLIGHT INCREASE IN POPS WEDS NGT WITH POTENTIAL FOR SOMEWHAT SLOWER DEPARTURE OF PRECIP...BUT NOT A RAMP UP TO LIKELY IN EASTERN AREAS GIVEN LESS FAVORABLE TIME FRAME FOR CONVECTION TO MAINTAIN ITSELF UNLESS ALREADY WELL ESTABLISHED. LONG TERM... THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY...THE MAIN CHALLENGES THIS PERIOD CONCERN THE CHANCES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CUT OFF LOW OVER THE OHIO VALLEY REGION THIS WEEKEND. ADDITIONAL CHALLENGES INCLUDE THE TIMING AND EXTENT OF PRECIPITATION AND THE EFFECT ON TEMPERATURES IF THE LOW DEVELOPS AND LINGERS OVER OR NEAR THE REGION. FOR THIS PACKAGE...FAVOR THE ECMWF...ALTHOUGH THE 12Z RUN WAS AN OUTLIER COMPARED TO THE PAST SEVERAL RUNS. THE 12Z ECMWF RUN WAS NOT USED FOR THIS PACKAGE. THE PAST SEVERAL ECMWF RUNS HAVE HAD REASONABLE RUN TO RUN CONSISTENCY. AS A WHOLE THE NEW 12Z GFS SOLUTION HAS TRENDED TOWARD THE SLOWER...FARTHER WEST 00Z ECMWF SOLUTION. ALSO...THE 00Z ECMWF HAS HAD BETTER SUPPORT WITH THE SURFACE LOW/SURFACE REFLECTION CLOSER TO THE UPPER LOW THAN THE GFS. HAVE RAISED RAIN CHANCES FRIDAY NIGHT GIVEN REASONABLE CONFIDENCE IN THE TIMING OF THE SHORT WAVE TROF AND ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT. FOR THE REST OF THE PERIOD...WENT WITH PERSISTENCE AND ATTEMPTED TO HOLD TO THE PREVIOUS FORECAST WITH DRY CONDITIONS STARTING SUNDAY NIGHT. && .IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IN...NONE. MI...NONE. OH...NONE. LM...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...FISHER LONG TERM...SKIPPER AVIATION...BENTLEY
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS DES MOINES IA
622 PM CDT TUE SEP 4 2012 ...UPDATED AVIATION DISCUSSION... .SHORT TERM /TONIGHT/... PRIMARY CONCERN TONIGHT WILL BE CONVECTIVE TRENDS BUT CONFIDENCE IN THAT EVOLUTION IS DECREASING AS MOST MODELS...HIGH RES EXPLICIT AND PARAMETERIZED...ARE CURRENTLY OVERZEALOUS IN THEIR DEPICTION OF PRECIP. PRESENT SITUATION HAS 80KT JET FROM ROCKIES INTO IA ENHANCING DEEP/EFFECTIVE SHEAR. LITTLE IN THE WAY OF LARGE SCALE FORCING NOTED IMMEDIATELY UPSTREAM HOWEVER WITH RAP ANALYSIS AND WATER VAPOR IMAGERY FAIRLY BENIGN. ONLY SIGN OF LARGER SCALE UPWARD VERTICAL MOTION /UVM/ SEEMS TO BE ACROSS CENTRAL NE NEAR H85/H7 SHORT WAVE PER VISIBLE IMAGERY. OUR FORECAST AREA SEEMS PRIMED FOR DEVELOPMENT THERMODYNAMICALLY WITH UNCAPPED 2000-4000 J/KG MLCAPES. HOWEVER SPOTTY CONVERGENCE AND LITTLE TO NO UVM OVERHEAD HAVE RESULTED IN NO DEVELOPMENT AS OF YET. SMALL CELL ALONG HIGHWAY 20 DISSIPATED WHICH IS A SIGNAL THAT WE ARE NOT READY TO GO SURFACE BASED AND/OR HAVE INSUFFICIENT UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT. AT THE MOMENT FEEL THAT CONVECTIVE INITIATION IS GOING TO WAIT FOR AFOREMENTIONED NE UVM ALONG WITH INCREASED SYNOPTIC SCALE FORCING AHEAD OF MT/DAKOTAS SHORT WAVE AS IT MOVES EAST THIS EVENING. ECMWF/GFS QG FORCING INCREASES AS IT REACHES MN BY 06Z. 18Z RAP SUGGESTS WEAKLY CAPPED ELEVATED CAPES 2000 J/KG OR MORE WILL BE IN PLACE AND CERTAINLY CAPABLE OF SUPPORTING SEVERE WEATHER CONSIDERING OUR PROXIMITY TO THE JET. DCAPES SHOULD REMAIN QUITE HIGH OVERNIGHT WITH SOUNDINGS SHOWING PLENTY OF DRY AIR BELOW 3KM. THUS EXPECT NE CONVECTION TO SLOWLY DEVELOP AND MATURE AS IT REACHES IA MUCAPE AXIS WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND HAIL QUITE POSSIBLE. .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... FORECAST CONCERNS FOR WEDNESDAY WILL DEAL WITH A STRONG COLD FRONT PUSHING ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA DURING THE MORNING AIDED BY A POTENT SHORT WAVE SWEEPING ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS INTO IA. MOST OF THE CAPE AND SHEAR ARE AHEAD OF THE BOUNDARY SO ONGOING CONVECTION FROM THE OVERNIGHT WILL AFFECT THE EASTERN HALF OR SO OF THE FORECAST AREA. BEHIND THE FRONT MUCH COOLER AND DRIER AIR WILL PUSH INTO CENTRAL IOWA DURING THE AFTERNOON SO ANY THUNDERSTORM THREAT IN THE AFTERNOON WILL BE CONFINED TO THE FAR SOUTHEAST PORTION OF CENTRAL IOWA ON EAST. BEYOND WEDNESDAY WE BEGIN OUR SLIDE IN TEMPS AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH LATE THURSDAY. WARM ADVECTION OCCURS THURSDAY NIGHT AHEAD OF THE NEXT SYSTEM TO AFFECT THE AREA. ON FRIDAY THETA ADVECTION INCREASES AND A SECOND SHORT WAVE ROTATES THROUGH THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL PLAINS BRINGING AND ANOTHER FRONT WILL PUSH ACROSS IOWA BRINGING A REINFORCING SHOT OF COLD AIR. SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR WITH THIS FOLLOWED BY SOME VERY COOL AIR. TEMPERATURES OVER THE WEEKEND WILL ACTUALLY BE BELOW NORMAL BUT IT WILL BE DRY. && .AVIATION...05/00Z AFTERNOON CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT OCCURRED NE AND WEST OF SITES...THEREFORE HAVE DELAYED ONSET OF PRECIPITATION UNTIL LATER...WHEN DEVELOPMENT IN NEBRASKA PUSHES EAST INTO AREA. HAVE ONLY INCLUDED TS MENTION AT KFOD AND KDSM WITH DELAY IN TIMING...BUT COULD SEE AT ALL SITES. CEILINGS WILL REMAIN PRIMARILY VFR WITH HIGH BASED STORMS...BUT COULD SEE PERIODS OF MVFR OR LOWER CEILINGS IF STORMS AFFECT SITES. NOT ENOUGH CONFIDENCE TO INCLUDE MENTION ATTM. AS SYSTEM PUSHES EAST...CONDITIONS WILL BE DRY WITH VFR CEILINGS WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. HOWEVER...WINDS WILL BE GUSTY. && .DMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...SMALL LONG TERM...FAB AVIATION...AWB
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GOODLAND KS
205 PM MDT MON SEP 3 2012 .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 200 PM MDT MON SEP 3 2012 LATEST WV IMAGERY SHOWS A NARROW BAND OF SUBSIDENCE OVER EASTERN COLORADO MOVING INTO THE TRI-STATE AREA BEHIND THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH THAT BROUGHT LIGHT RAINFALL TODAY. RUC ANALYSIS HAS A SECOND SHORT WAVE TROUGH FOLLOWING THE SUBSIDENCE BEHIND THE INITIAL SHORT WAVE. AT THE SURFACE THE COLD FRONT FROM YESTERDAY EXTENDS FROM SOUTHWEST KANSAS NORTHEAST TO IOWA. ANY STORM ACTIVITY THAT DEVELOPS ALONG THE FRONT SHOULD BE WELL SOUTH OF THE AREA. OTHERWISE A SUBTLE SURFACE TROUGH WAS LOCATED BETWEEN WRAY AND SAINT FRANCIS...WHICH MAY SERVE TO HELP FOCUS CONVECTION OVER THE NORTHWEST LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. EARLY THIS EVENING SURFACE CONVERGENCE WILL DEVELOP OVER THE NORTHWEST PART OF THE AREA BELOW A 700-500MB SHORT WAVE TROUGH. THE DEEP LIFTING WILL GIVE THE BEST SHOT FOR RAINFALL TO REACH THE GROUND. MEANWHILE THERE MAY BE SOME LINGERING STORMS IN THE HILL CITY TO MCCOOK AREA...AS THE 700-500MB SHORT WAVE TROUGH THAT BROUGHT RAIN EARLIER TODAY DEPARTS THE AREA. AS THE NIGHT PROGRESSES PRECIP. CHANCES SHIFT FROM THE NORTHWEST TO THE SOUTH AS A ANOTHER SHORT WAVE TROUGH MOVES ACROSS THE AREA. WITH A DEEP DRY LAYER IN PLACE...AM NOT TOO CONFIDENT ANYTHING WILL REACH THE GROUND. TUESDAY ANOTHER SHORT WAVE TROUGH WILL MOVE THROUGH THE AREA. DURING THE LATE MORNING THROUGH THE AFTERNOON A PRE-FRONTAL TROUGH WILL DEVELOP AT THE SURFACE BELOW THE SHORT WAVE TROUGH. LIFT ALONG THE SURFACE AND MID LEVEL TROUGH INCREASE THROUGH THE DAY. WITH STRONGER LIFT OCCURRING DURING THE AFTERNOON HAVE INCREASED PRECIP. CHANCES ALONG AND EAST OF THE SURFACE TROUGH. THESE AREAS WILL BE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS DUE TO THE BETTER INSTABILITY. THE 0-6KM SHEAR WILL BE AROUND 30 TO 35 KTS FOR THE PERIOD...WHICH WILL SUPPORT ORGANIZED STORM STRUCTURE WITH PROLONGED UPDRAFTS. AM THINKING THE MAIN THREAT WITH THESE STORMS WILL BE STRONG TO SEVERE WIND GUSTS DUE TO THE HIGH CLOUD BASES. TEMPERATURES WILL BE SIMILAR TO LAST NIGHT AND TODAY...WITH LOWS IN UPPER 50S TO LOW 60S AND HIGHS IN THE 90S. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY) ISSUED AT 131 PM MDT MON SEP 3 2012 TUESDAY NIGHT-THURSDAY...WILL KEEP A SMALL CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION IN THE FORECAST EARLY TUESDAY NIGHT BEFORE DRIER AIR WORKS INTO THE AREA UNDER NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT THROUGH EARLY THURSDAY MORNING. NOT TERRIBLY EXCITED ABOUT PRECIPITATION CHANCES THURSDAY AFTERNOON DESPITE MOISTURE AVAILABILITY AS DYNAMICS RATHER WEAK. TRIMMED POPS DOWN JUST A BIT. HIGH TEMPERATURES WEDNESDAY IN THE LOW TO MID 80S...WARMING INTO THE UPPER 80S TO LOW 90S THURSDAY. LOWS IN THE 50S TO LOW 60S. THURSDAY NIGHT-FRIDAY NIGHT...PRECIPITATION CHANCES WILL SLOWLY INCREASE THROUGH FRIDAY AS AN UPPER TROUGH AND COLD FRONT APPROACH THEN MOVE THROUGH THE AREA. PRECIP CHANCES DECREASE FROM NORTH TO SOUTH FRIDAY NIGHT AS THE SYSTEM MOVES OUT OF THE AREA AND STABLE HIGH PRESSURE MOVES IN. HIGH TEMPERATURES FRIDAY 75-80. LOWS THURSDAY NIGHT IN THE LOW 60S COOLING INTO THE LOW TO MID 50S FRIDAY NIGHT BEHIND THE FRONT. SATURDAY-MONDAY...DRY. HIGH TEMPERATURES SATURDAY IN THE MID TO UPPER 70S...WARMING INTO THE MID 80S TO AROUND 90 BY MONDAY. OVERNIGHT LOWS NEAR TO SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 1108 AM MDT MON SEP 3 2012 VFR CONDITIONS FORECAST FOR THE 18Z TAFS. AREAS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS SOUTHWEST OF KGLD ARE EXPECTED TO DIMINISH BY MID AFTERNOON. WILL MONITOR AND AMEND KGLD IF NEEDED. KMCK SHOULD BE ON THE WEST SIDE OF ANY PRECIPITATION. OTHERWISE WINDS WILL BE LIGHT THROUGH THE AFTERNOON...WITH MAYBE A FEW GUSTS UP TO 15KTS. TONIGHT STORMS SHOULD REMAIN WEST OF THE TAF SITES OR DIMINISH BEFORE MOVING OVER THEM. LATE TUESDAY MORNING STORM COVERAGE IS TOO ISOLATED FOR THE SITES TO MENTION IN THE TAF AT THIS TIME. && .FIRE WEATHER... ISSUED AT 200 PM MDT MON SEP 3 2012 TUESDAY AFTERNOON AREAS NORTH OF A KIT CARSON TO MCCOOK LINE WILL HAVE RELATIVE HUMIDITIES DROP TO AROUND 15 PERCENT DURING THE AFTERNOON. IN ADDITION WIND GUSTS AROUND 20 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED. WHILE THIS IS BELOW ISSUANCE CRITERIA...CARE SHOULD BE TAKEN FOR ANY OUTDOOR BURNING. && .GLD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... KS...NONE. CO...NONE. NE...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...JTL LONG TERM...99 AVIATION...JTL FIRE WEATHER...JTL
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS PITTSBURGH PA
346 PM EDT MON SEP 3 2012 .SYNOPSIS... THE REMNANT LOW OF ISAAC WILL SLOWLY MOVE ACROSS THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT, BRINGING THUNDERSTORMS AND HEAVY RAIN TO THE AREA. THE SYSTEM WILL MOVE EAST OF THE AREA TUESDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY WEDNESDAY, WITH A BREAK FROM SHOWERS AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN FOR WEDNESDAY. A COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE AREA ON THURSDAY, RETURNING THE CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... THE LATEST RAP MID-LEVEL ANALYSIS INDICATES THE REMNANT 500MB CLOSED LOW OF TC ISAAC CENTERED IN SOUTHWESTERN OHIO. THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY IS IN A MOIST LOW-LEVEL ENVIRONMENT, WITH DEW POINTS IN THE LOW 70S ACROSS MOST OF THE AREA. WITH THE FORCING PROVIDED FROM ISAAC AND MODERATE INSTABILITY, CONVECTION IS BEGINNING TO INITIATE ACROSS CENTRAL WV AND SLIDE NORTHEASTWARD TOWARD THE AREA. THIS EVENING...THE REMNANT LOW OF ISAAC WILL SLOWLY CROSS OHIO, WITH A SOUTHERLY FLOW AHEAD OF THIS FEATURE CONTINUING TO ADVECT DEEP LAYER TROPICAL MOISTURE INTO EASTERN OHIO. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR ANOTHER DAY OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS, WITH PRECIP INCREASING IN COVERAGE BY LATE AFTERNOON AND MOST LIKELY FOR LOCATIONS SOUTH AND WEST OF PITTSBURGH. THIS IS SUPPORTED BY THE HRRR, WHICH INDICATES CONVECTION IN CENTRAL WV STRENGTHENING AND BRINGING HEAVY RAIN WITH THUNDERSTORMS TO NORTH-CENTRAL WV, EASTERN OHIO, AND EXTREME SOUTHWEST PA. RAINFALL, REGARDLESS OF ITS CONVECTIVE/TROPICAL NATURE, WILL BE QUITE EFFICIENT TODAY, WITH THE RAP INDICATING PRECIPITABLE WATER INCREASING TO 2 INCHES IN MOST AREAS SOUTH OF THE I-80 AND EVEN TO 2.2 INCHES IN PORTIONS OF EASTERN OHIO. WITH VERY WEAK LOW-LEVEL WINDS TODAY, SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL BE SLOW MOVING. IN ADDITION, WITH PREVIOUS RAINFALL SATURATING THE GROUND IN NORTH-CENTRAL WV AND SOUTH OF I-70 IN EASTERN OHIO, 1-HR FFG IS 1 TO 1.5 INCHES IN SOME BASINS. WITH THIS IN MIND, FLASH FLOODING IS NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION AND REMAINS IN THE HWO. GENERALLY ANTICIPATE AROUND A HALF INCH OF PRECIP TODAY, ALTHOUGH LOCALIZED AREAS COULD SEE TO 2 TO 3 INCHES. TONIGHT...CONVECTION WILL BE ONGOING EARLY WITH THE MAJORITY OF THE FORECAST AREA TRANSITIONING TO MORE TROPICAL BY DAWN TUESDAY. THE CHANCE OF RAIN CANNOT BE RULED OUT OVERNIGHT AS THE REMNANTS OF ISAAC CONTINUE TO MOVE ACROSS THE AREA. QPF AMOUNTS ARE AROUND A QUARTER OF AN INCH, ALTHOUGH LOCALIZED HIGHER AMOUNTS WILL BE POSSIBLE. A WARM AND MUGGY NIGHT CAN BE EXPECTED WITH LOWS A FEW DEGREES ABOVE MAV/MET GUIDANCE, NEAR 70 ACROSS MOST OF THE AREA. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... THERE IS REASONABLE ECWMF/GFS/NAM AGREEMENT THAT THE BROAD REMNANT SURFACE LOW OF ISAAC WILL FINALLY MAKE ITS WAY INTO THE FORECAST AREA ON TUESDAY. THE LOW IS PROGGED TO BE INTO WESTERN PA BY 00Z ON WEDNESDAY. SYNOPTIC FORCING AND ABUNDANT TROPICAL MOISTURE WITH THIS FEATURE WILL ALLOW FOR ANOTHER DAY OF SHOWERS WITH HEAVY RAIN. THERE IS SOME UNCERTAINTY WITH THUNDERSTORM COVERAGE IN A TROPICAL AIR MASS, AS CLOUDS WILL BE A LIMITING FACTOR FOR INSTABILITY. THUS, JUST WENT LIKELY POPS AND CHC THUNDER. QPF IS ONLY AROUND A HALF OF AN INCH ACROSS THE AREA. HOWEVER, WITH PWAT VALUES ABOVE 2 INCHES AND WEAK WINDS ALOFT, SLOW- MOVING THUNDERSTORMS WILL AGAIN ALLOW FOR A LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING THREAT WHICH IS MENTIONED IN THE HWO. ISAAC WILL FINALLY PULL EAST OF THE AREA TUESDAY NIGHT, WITH A DRY FORECAST ON WEDNESDAY EVERYWHERE EXCEPT THE EASTERN RIDGES. THERE, MOISTURE MAY LINGER ON THE BACK EDGE OF THIS SYSTEM LONG ENOUGH TO WARRANT CHC POPS. THE DRY FORECAST CONTINUES UNTIL EARLY LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT WHEN A COLD FRONT BEGINS TO APPROACH FROM THE NORTHWEST. THE FRONT WILL CROSS THE AREA ON THURSDAY, RETURNING THE CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. AT THIS TIME, A SEVERE THREAT ON THURSDAY APPEARS TO BE LIMITED DUE WITH WEAK SHEAR WITH THE SYSTEM. FOR TEMPERATURES, THE LOWEST CONFIDENCE IS ON TUESDAY WITH CLOUD COVERAGE AND SHOWERS. FORECAST TAKES THE NAM INTO CONSIDERATION, WITH COOLER TEMPS CLOSER TO THE LOW CENTERED ACROSS THE SOUTH. TEMP ADVECTION WILL BE LACKING BEHIND ISAAC, WITH HIGH TEMPS CONTINUING TO BE AROUND 5 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL ON WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY (AHEAD OF THE FRONT). WITH TDS REMAINING IN THE MID TO UPPER 60S THROUGH THE MID-WEEK, TEMPS EACH NIGHT WILL BE AROUND 10 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL FOR LOWS. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE THURSDAY NIGHT IN THE WAKE OF A COLD FRONT IS FORECAST TO BRING DRY WEATHER INTO FRIDAY. A COLD FRONT PUSHING INTO THE OHIO VALLEY SATURDAY WILL BRING AN INCREASING RISK OF SHOWERS FOR SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY. THE FRONT WILL MOVE EAST OF THE DISTRICT MONDAY BRINGING AN END TO THE SHOWERS. && .AVIATION /18Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... RECENT RADAR DATA SHOWS BAND OF MVFR SHOWERS WILL MOVE SLOWLY NORTHWARD ACROSS THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY THROUGH THIS EVENING. SOME ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY IN THE SOUTH BUT THE RISK OF SHOWERS IS TOO SLIGHT TO INCLUDE AS TEMPOS IN THE TAFS. SURFACE WINDS WILL BE MAINLY SOUTHEAST AT 5 TO 10 KNOTS. EXPECT MVFR RESTRICTIONS AFTER 08Z DUE TO FOG DEVELOPMENT. FOG COULD DEVELOP EARLIER IF RAINFALL COVERAGE IS GREATER THAN CURRENTLY PROJECTED. .OUTLOOK /TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... RESTRICTIONS ARE LIKELY TUESDAY DUE TO MORE NUMEROUS SHOWERS ASSOCIATED WITH A COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE. RESTRICTIONS WILL STILL BE POSSIBLE TUESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY DUE TO SCATTERED SHOWERS AND LATE NIGHT FOG UNTIL A SECOND COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE THURSDAY. ENSUING DRY CONDITIONS WILL PROMOTE PREVALENT VFR FRIDAY. && .PBZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MD...NONE. OH...NONE. PA...NONE. WV...NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS PITTSBURGH PA
210 PM EDT MON SEP 3 2012 .SYNOPSIS... THE REMNANT LOW OF ISAAC WILL SLOWLY MOVE ACROSS THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT, BRINGING THUNDERSTORMS AND HEAVY RAIN TO THE AREA. THE SYSTEM WILL MOVE EAST OF THE AREA TUESDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY WEDNESDAY, WITH A BREAK FROM SHOWERS AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN FOR WEDNESDAY. A COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE AREA ON THURSDAY, RETURNING THE CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... 18Z ENHANCED SHORT TERM FORECAST UPDATE HAS BEEN ISSUED TO REDUCE POPS EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. TEMPS HAVE ALSO BEEN INCREASED IN LOCATIONS WHERE THERE HAVE BEEN BREAKS IN THE CLOUDS. THE LATEST RAP MID-LEVEL ANALYSIS INDICATES THE REMNANT 500MB CLOSED LOW OF TC ISAAC CENTERED IN SOUTHWESTERN OHIO. THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY IS IN A MOIST LOW-LEVEL ENVIRONMENT, WITH DEW POINTS IN THE LOW 70S ACROSS MOST OF THE AREA. WITH THE FORCING PROVIDED FROM ISAAC AND MODERATE INSTABILITY, CONVECTION IS BEGINNING TO INITIATE ACROSS CENTRAL WV AND SLIDE NORTHEASTWARD TOWARD THE AREA. THIS AFTERNOON...THE REMNANT LOW OF ISAAC WILL SLOWLY CROSS OHIO, WITH A SOUTHERLY FLOW AHEAD OF THIS FEATURE CONTINUING TO ADVECT DEEP LAYER TROPICAL MOISTURE INTO EASTERN OHIO. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR ANOTHER DAY OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS, WITH PRECIP INCREASING IN COVERAGE BY LATE AFTERNOON AND MOST LIKELY FOR LOCATIONS SOUTH AND WEST OF PITTSBURGH. THIS IS SUPPORTED BY THE HRRR, WHICH INDICATES CONVECTION IN CENTRAL WV STRENGTHENING AND BRINGING HEAVY RAIN WITH THUNDERSTORMS TO NORTH-CENTRAL WV, EASTERN OHIO, AND EXTREME SOUTHWEST PA. FOR TEMPS, DESPITE 850MB TEMPS WARMING TO THE 17-18C RANGE WITH WARM AND MOIST AIR MASS, CLOUD COVERAGE WILL BE A LIMITING FACTOR WITH HIGHS TODAY. TEMPS ARE CLOSE TO THE GFS LAMP, WITH HIGHS RANGING IN THE LOW TO MID 80S ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA. RAINFALL, REGARDLESS OF ITS CONVECTIVE/TROPICAL NATURE, WILL BE QUITE EFFICIENT TODAY, WITH THE RAP INDICATING PRECIPITABLE WATER INCREASING TO 2 INCHES IN MOST AREAS SOUTH OF THE I-80 AND EVEN TO 2.2 INCHES IN PORTIONS OF EASTERN OHIO. WITH VERY WEAK LOW-LEVEL WINDS TODAY, SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL BE SLOW MOVING. IN ADDITION, WITH PREVIOUS RAINFALL SATURATING THE GROUND IN NORTH-CENTRAL WV AND SOUTH OF I-70 IN EASTERN OHIO, 1-HR FFG IS 1 TO 1.5 INCHES IN SOME BASINS. WITH THIS IN MIND, FLASH FLOODING IS NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION AND REMAINS IN THE HWO. WILL HAVE TO CONTINUE TO WATCH RADAR AND MESOSCALE MODEL TRENDS, AS A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MAY BE NEEDED. GENERALLY ANTICIPATE AROUND A HALF INCH OF PRECIP TODAY, ALTHOUGH LOCALIZED AREAS COULD SEE TO 2 TO 3 INCHES. TONIGHT...CONVECTION WILL BE ONGOING EARLY WITH THE MAJORITY OF THE FORECAST AREA TRANSITIONING TO MORE TROPICAL BY DAWN TUESDAY. THE CHANCE OF RAIN CANNOT BE RULED OUT OVERNIGHT AS THE REMNANTS OF ISAAC CONTINUE TO MOVE ACROSS THE AREA. QPF AMOUNTS ARE AROUND A QUARTER OF AN INCH, ALTHOUGH LOCALIZED HIGHER AMOUNTS WILL BE POSSIBLE. A WARM AND MUGGY NIGHT CAN BE EXPECTED WITH LOWS A FEW DEGREES ABOVE MAV/MET GUIDANCE, NEAR 70 ACROSS MOST OF THE AREA. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... SHOWER/STORM CHANCES WILL QUICKLY INCREASE TUESDAY MORNING, AS THE ENTIRE SYSTEM BEGINS TO PICK UP SPEED AND MOVE TO THE EAST. THE PUSH WILL COME FROM A SHORTWAVE TROUGH, WHICH WILL CROSS THE GREAT LAKES TUESDAY MORNING AND MOVE INTO W PA DURING THE AFTERNOON. THE ENERGY FROM THE NORTHERN TROUGH WILL WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE ENERGY AND MOISTURE FROM ISAAC`S REMNANTS TO PROVIDE A WET TUESDAY FOR MUCH OF THE AREA. THE ATMOSPHERE WILL REMAIN JUICY, SO HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE A THREAT ON TUESDAY, ESPECIALLY WITH STORMS THAT MAY DEVELOP. THE SFC WAVE WILL MOVE THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT DRAGGING BEHIND THE SFC COLD FRONT. FRONT WILL STALL ACROSS THE SOUTH AND EAST LATE TUESDAY NIGHT, WAITING FOR A PUSH FROM THE NEXT UL WAVE. WILL SHOW A DECREASE IN POPS TUESDAY NIGHT, WHILE LEAVING RAIN CHANCES INTO WED MORNING ACROSS THE SOUTH AND RIDGES. WEDNESDAY`S SW TROUGH WILL FINALLY KICK THE ENTIRE SYSTEM OUT OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY, WHICH WILL END THE RISK FOR PRECIPITATION AND ALSO BRING A SLOW DECREASE IN CLOUD COVER. SUNSHINE SHOULD MAKE A RETURN BE WED AFTERNOON. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/... A SECONDARY...AND DECISIVE COLD FRONT IS PROJECTED ACROSS THE AREA BY THURSDAY. BUILDING HIGH PRESSURE IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT IS FORECAST TO BRING DRY WEATHER TO CLOSE THE WEEK. ANOTHER FRONT...CURRENTLY TIMED FOR AN EARLY SUNDAY APPROACH MAY BRING THE NEXT CHANCE FOR SHOWERS. && .AVIATION /18Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... RECENT RADAR DATA SHOWS BAND OF MVFR SHOWERS WILL MOVE SLOWLY NORTHWARD ACROSS THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY THROUGH THIS EVENING. SOME ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY IN THE SOUTH BUT THE RISK OF SHOWERS IS TOO SLIGHT TO INCLUDE AS TEMPOS IN THE TAFS. SURFACE WINDS WILL BE MAINLY SOUTHEAST AT 5 TO 10 KNOTS. EXPECT MVFR RESTRICTIONS AFTER 08Z DUE TO FOG DEVELOPMENT. FOG COULD DEVELOP EARLIER IF RAINFALL COVERAGE IS GREATER THAN CURRENTLY PROJECTED. .OUTLOOK /TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... RESTRICTIONS ARE LIKELY TUESDAY DUE TO MORE NUMEROUS SHOWERS ASSOCIATED WITH A COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE. RESTRICTIONS WILL STILL BE POSSIBLE TUESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY DUE TO SCATTERED SHOWERS AND LATE NIGHT FOG UNTIL A SECOND COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE THURSDAY. ENSUING DRY CONDITIONS WILL PROMOTE PREVALENT VFR FRIDAY. && .PBZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MD...NONE. OH...NONE. PA...NONE. WV...NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS PITTSBURGH PA
1030 AM EDT MON SEP 3 2012 .SYNOPSIS... THE REMNANT LOW OF ISAAC WILL SLOWLY MOVE ACROSS THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT, BRINGING THUNDERSTORMS AND HEAVY RAIN TO THE AREA. A FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY WEDNESDAY, BRINGING DRIER WEATHER AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN FOR WEDNESDAY. A COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE AREA ON THURSDAY, RETURNING THE CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... 15Z ENHANCED SHORT TERM FORECAST UPDATE HAS BEEN ISSUED IN ORDER TO ACCOUNT FOR RECENT RADAR TRENDS WITH MORE PERSISTENT RAIN WEST OF I-77 IN OHIO AND CONVECTION DEVELOPING AND MOVING NORTH OF THE MASON-DIXON LINE. THE LATEST RAP MID-LEVEL ANALYSIS INDICATES THE REMNANT 500MB CLOSED LOW OF TC ISAAC CENTERED IN SOUTHWESTERN OHIO. ABUNDANT MOISTURE IS PRESENT IN THE 800-300MB LAYER FOR AREAS WEST OF THE I-77 CORRIDOR IN EASTERN OHIO. THE 12Z KILN SOUNDING AND STRATIFORM PRECIP INDICATED BY RADAR RETURNS ARE MORE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE TROPICAL ENVIRONMENT THERE. MEANWHILE, EASTWARD, THE 12Z KPIT SOUNDING IS REPRESENTATIVE OF A CONVECTIVE ENVIRONMENT WITH 2000 J/KG SBCAPE AND DRIER MID-LEVELS. IN THIS AIR MASS, ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEGUN DEVELOP AND MOVE NORTH OF THE MASON- DIXON LINE. THIS AFTERNOON...THE REMNANT LOW OF ISAAC WILL SLOWLY CROSS OHIO, WITH A SOUTHERLY FLOW AHEAD OF THIS FEATURE ADVECTING DEEP LAYER TROPICAL MOISTURE INTO EASTERN OHIO. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR ANOTHER DAY OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS, WITH PRECIP INCREASING IN COVERAGE THIS AFTERNOON AND MOSTLY LIKELY FOR LOCATIONS SOUTH AND WEST OF PITTSBURGH. DESPITE 850MB TEMPS WARMING TO THE 17-18C RANGE WITH WARM AND MOIST AIR MASS, CLOUD COVERAGE WILL BE A LIMITING FACTOR WITH HIGHS TODAY. TEMPS ARE CLOSE TO THE GFS LAMP, WITH HIGHS RANGING IN THE LOW TO MID 80S ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA. THE RAP INDICATES SBCAPE INCREASING TO AROUND 2500 IN CONVECTIVE ENVIRONMENT IN NORTHERN WV AND WESTERN PA. MEANWHILE, EASTERN OHIO WILL REMAIN INSTABILITY STARVED WITH ONGOING PRECIP. RAINFALL, REGARDLESS OF ITS CONVECTIVE/TROPICAL NATURE, WILL BE QUITE EFFICIENT TODAY, WITH THE RAP INDICATING PRECIPITABLE WATER INCREASING TO 2 INCHES IN MOST AREAS SOUTH OF THE I-80 AND EVEN TO 2.2 INCHES IN PORTIONS OF EASTERN OHIO. WITH VERY WEAK LOW-LEVEL WINDS TODAY, SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL BE SLOW MOVING. IN ADDITION, WITH PREVIOUS RAINFALL SATURATING THE GROUND IN NORTH-CENTRAL WV AND SOUTH OF I-70 IN EASTERN OHIO, 1-HR FFG IS 1 TO 1.5 INCHES. WITH THIS IN MIND, FLASH FLOODING IS NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION AND REMAINS IN THE HWO. WILL HAVE TO CONTINUE TO WATCH RADAR AND MESOSCALE MODEL TRENDS, AS A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MAY BE NEEDED. GENERALLY ANTICIPATE AROUND A HALF INCH OF PRECIP TODAY, ALTHOUGH LOCALIZED AREAS COULD SEE TO 2 TO 3 INCHES. TONIGHT...CONVECTION WILL BE ONGOING EARLY WITH THE MAJORITY OF THE FORECAST AREA TRANSITIONING TO MORE TROPICAL BY DAWN TUESDAY. THE CHANCE OF RAIN CANNOT BE RULED OUT OVERNIGHT AS THE REMNANTS OF ISAAC CONTINUE TO MOVE ACROSS THE AREA. QPF AMOUNTS ARE AROUND A QUARTER OF AN INCH, ALTHOUGH LOCALIZED HIGHER AMOUNTS WILL BE POSSIBLE. A WARM AND MUGGY NIGHT CAN BE EXPECTED WITH LOWS A FEW DEGREES ABOVE MAV/MET GUIDANCE, NEAR 70 ACROSS MOST OF THE AREA. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... SHOWER/STORM CHANCES WILL QUICKLY INCREASE TUESDAY MORNING, AS THE ENTIRE SYSTEM BEGINS TO PICK UP SPEED AND MOVE TO THE EAST. THE PUSH WILL COME FROM A SHORTWAVE TROUGH, WHICH WILL CROSS THE GREAT LAKES TUESDAY MORNING AND MOVE INTO W PA DURING THE AFTERNOON. THE ENERGY FROM THE NORTHERN TROUGH WILL WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE ENERGY AND MOISTURE FROM ISAAC`S REMNANTS TO PROVIDE A WET TUESDAY FOR MUCH OF THE AREA. THE ATMOSPHERE WILL REMAIN JUICY, SO HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE A THREAT ON TUESDAY, ESPECIALLY WITH STORMS THAT MAY DEVELOP. THE SFC WAVE WILL MOVE THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT DRAGGING BEHIND THE SFC COLD FRONT. FRONT WILL STALL ACROSS THE SOUTH AND EAST LATE TUESDAY NIGHT, WAITING FOR A PUSH FROM THE NEXT UL WAVE. WILL SHOW A DECREASE IN POPS TUESDAY NIGHT, WHILE LEAVING RAIN CHANCES INTO WED MORNING ACROSS THE SOUTH AND RIDGES. WEDNESDAY`S SW TROUGH WILL FINALLY KICK THE ENTIRE SYSTEM OUT OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY, WHICH WILL END THE RISK FOR PRECIPITATION AND ALSO BRING A SLOW DECREASE IN CLOUD COVER. SUNSHINE SHOULD MAKE A RETURN BE WED AFTERNOON. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/... A SECONDARY...AND DECISIVE COLD FRONT IS PROJECTED ACROSS THE AREA BY THURSDAY. BUILDING HIGH PRESSURE IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT IS FORECAST TO BRING DRY WEATHER TO CLOSE THE WEEK. ANOTHER FRONT...CURRENTLY TIMED FOR AN EARLY SUNDAY APPROACH MAY BRING THE NEXT CHANCE FOR SHOWERS. && .AVIATION /14Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... MVFR STRATUS CAN LINGER NEAR THE MOUNTAINS UNTIL MIDDAY AND AFFECT KDUJ OR KFKL. RECENT RADAR DATA SHOWS BAND OF MVFR SHOWERS WILL MOVE SLOWLY NORTHWARD ACROSS THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY THROUGH AFTERNOON, BUT MAY NOT REACH KFKL AND KDUJ. AS SURFACE TEMPERATURES HEAT PAST 77, ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN CAN DEVELOP. SURFACE WINDS WILL BECOME MAINLY SOUTHEAST NEAR 10 KTS AFTER 14Z, THEN DECREASE TO 5 KTS THIS EVENING. EXPECT MVFR RESTRICTIONS AFTER 08Z DUE TO FOG DEVELOPMENT. FOG COULD DEVELOP EARLIER IF RAINFALL COVERAGE IS GREATER THAN CURRENTLY PROJECTED. .OUTLOOK /TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... RESTRICTIONS ARE LIKELY TUESDAY DUE TO MORE NUMEROUS SHOWERS ASSOCIATED WITH A COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE. RESTRICTIONS WILL STILL BE POSSIBLE TUESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY DUE TO SCATTERED SHOWERS AND LATE NIGHT FOG UNTIL A SECOND COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE THURSDAY. ENSUING DRY CONDITIONS WILL PROMOTE PREVALENT VFR FRIDAY. && .PBZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MD...NONE. OH...NONE. PA...NONE. WV...NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS PITTSBURGH PA
700 AM EDT MON SEP 3 2012 .SYNOPSIS... THE SYSTEM THAT WAS ONCE TROPICAL CYCLONE ISAAC, WILL TAKE UNTIL MIDWEEK TO FINALLY CLEAR THE AREA. A COLD FRONT WILL PICK UP THE REMNANTS AS THE FRONT MOVES THROUGH LATE TUESDAY. THE RISK FOR SHOWERS OR STORMS WILL CONTINUE INTO EARLY WEDNESDAY. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... BLEND OF RECENT RADAR DATA AND HRRR MODEL OUTPUT SHOW BANDS OF SCATTERED SHOWERS WILL BEGIN TO MOVE NORTHWARD THROUGH THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY TODAY. THESE SHOWER BANDS ARE PART OF THE OUTER FRINGE OF THE POST-TROPICAL SYSTEM THAT WAS ONCE NAMED ISAAC. AS DAYTIME HEATING RAISES SURFACE TEMPERATURES INTO THE UPPER 70S, SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP, SOME OF WHICH CAN PRODUCE HEAVY RAINS. THE I-80 CORRIDOR HAS THE LEAST POTENTIAL OF GETTING ANY BOUTS OF HEAVY RAIN. FORECASTED TEMPERATURES TO BE NEAR NORMAL BASED ON RECENT GFS AND NAM MOS. CONDITIONS WILL REMAIN HUMID WITH SURFACE DEW POINTS 65 TO 70. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... EXPECT A BREAK IN WIDESPREAD ACTIVITY TONIGHT WITH THE LOSS OF SUNSHINE AND A WEAKENING OF THE UL WAVE. AS RAIN EVAPORATES INTO THE HUMID NOCTURNALLY-COOLING SURFACE LAYER, AREAS OF FOG CAN DEVELOP LATE TONIGHT, PARTICULARLY IN THE RIVER VALLEYS. SHOWER/STORM CHANCES WILL QUICKLY INCREASE TUESDAY MORNING, AS THE ENTIRE SYSTEM BEGINS TO PICK UP SPEED AND MOVE TO THE EAST. THE PUSH WILL COME FROM A SHORTWAVE TROUGH, WHICH WILL CROSS THE GREAT LAKES TUESDAY MORNING AND MOVE INTO W PA DURING THE AFTERNOON. THE ENERGY FROM THE NORTHERN TROUGH WILL WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE ENERGY AND MOISTURE FROM ISAAC`S REMNANTS TO PROVIDE A WET TUESDAY FOR MUCH OF THE AREA. THE ATMOSPHERE WILL REMAIN JUICY, SO HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE A THREAT ON TUESDAY, ESPECIALLY WITH STORMS THAT MAY DEVELOP. THE SFC WAVE WILL MOVE THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT DRAGGING BEHIND THE SFC COLD FRONT. FRONT WILL STALL ACROSS THE SOUTH AND EAST LATE TUESDAY NIGHT, WAITING FOR A PUSH FROM THE NEXT UL WAVE. WILL SHOW A DECREASE IN POPS TUESDAY NIGHT, WHILE LEAVING RAIN CHANCES INTO WED MORNING ACROSS THE SOUTH AND RIDGES. WEDNESDAY`S SW TROUGH WILL FINALLY KICK THE ENTIRE SYSTEM OUT OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY, WHICH WILL END THE RISK FOR PRECIPITATION AND ALSO BRING A SLOW DECREASE IN CLOUD COVER. SUNSHINE SHOULD MAKE A RETURN BE WED AFTERNOON. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/... A SECONDARY...AND DECISIVE COLD FRONT IS PROJECTED ACROSS THE AREA BY THURSDAY. BUILDING HIGH PRESSURE IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT IS FORECAST TO BRING DRY WEATHER TO CLOSE THE WEEK. ANOTHER FRONT...CURRENTLY TIMED FOR AN EARLY SUNDAY APPROACH MAY BRING THE NEXT CHANCE FOR SHOWERS. && .AVIATION /12Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... EXPECT ANY REMAINING MVFR CONDITIONS FROM FOG TO END BY 14Z. MVFR STRATUS CAN LINGER NEAR THE MOUNTAINS UNTIL MIDDAY AND AFFECT KDUJ, KLBE, AND KMGW. RECENT RADAR DATA SHOWS BAND OF MVFR SHOWERS WILL MOVE SLOWLY NORTHWARD ACROSS THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY THROUGH AFTERNOON, BUT MAY NOT REACH KFKL AND KDUJ. AS SURFACE TEMPERATURES HEAT PAST 77, ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN CAN DEVELOP. SURFACE WINDS WILL BECOME MAINLY SOUTHEAST NEAR 10 KTS AFTER 14Z, THEN DECREASE TO 5 KTS THIS EVENING. EXPECT MVFR RESTRICTIONS AFTER 08Z DUE TO FOG DEVELOPMENT. FOG COULD DEVELOP EARLIER IF RAINFALL COVERAGE IS GREATER THAN CURRENTLY PROJECTED. .OUTLOOK /TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... RESTRICTIONS ARE LIKELY TUESDAY DUE TO MORE NUMEROUS SHOWERS ASSOCIATED WITH A COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE. RESTRICTIONS WILL STILL BE POSSIBLE TUESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY DUE TO SCATTERED SHOWERS AND LATE NIGHT FOG UNTIL A SECOND COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE THURSDAY. ENSUING DRY CONDITIONS WILL PROMOTE PREVALENT VFR FRIDAY. && .PBZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MD...NONE. OH...NONE. PA...NONE. WV...NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MARQUETTE MI
530 PM EDT MON SEP 3 2012 .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 517 PM EDT MON SEP 3 2012 WATER VAPOR IMAGERY AND RUC ANALYSIS SHOW WSW FLOW OVER THE UPPER GREAT LAKES BTWN UPPER RIDGE EXTENDING FROM THE PLAINS TO THE LWR LAKES AND A DEEP...OCCLUDED LOW OVER NRN MANITOBA. NARROW MOISTURE RIBBON HAS SHIFTED INTO THE UPPER LAKES IN ASSOCIATION WITH DISSIPATING SFC TROF ORIGINALLY ASSOCIATED WITH DEEP SYSTEM IN NRN MANITOBA. LEFT EXIT OF UPPER JET STREAK AIDED EARLY MORNING CONVECTION OVER NW UPPER MI/LAKE SUPERIOR. BASED ON LATEST RUC ANALYSIS...IT APPEARS CONVECTION THAT HAS BEEN DEVELOPING MAY BE GETTING SOME SUPPORT FROM THE RIGHT ENTRANCE OF JET STREAK NOW. ONGOING CONVECTION OVER ROUGHLY THE SE HALF OF THE FCST AREA WILL CONTINUE SETTLE SE INTO THE EVENING HRS. WITH MUCAPE ON THE ORDER OF 1000-2000J/KG AND DEEP LAYER SHEAR AROUND 40KT...ORGANIZED STORMS WILL CONTINUE ALONG WITH THE POTENTIAL OF SVR FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL HRS. SHRA/TSRA SHOULD BE OUT OF THE SE/SCNTRL FCST AREA MID TO LATE EVENING. HEALTHY DRYING ALOFT (NOTE UPSTREAM 12Z KINL SOUNDING) WILL THEN OCCUR THRU THE NIGHT...ENDING ANY THREAT OF ADDITIONAL PCPN. CONSIDERING DRYNESS OF INCOMING AIR MASS AND LIGHT/CALM WIND UNDER BUBBLE SFC HI PRES BUILDING INTO THE AREA...FAVORED THE LOWER SIDE OF AVBL GUIDANCE FOR MIN TEMPS. VIGOROUS DRYING ALOFT/LIGHT WINDS FAVOR FOG DEVELOPMENT...ESPECIALLY SINCE THERE HAS BEEN RAINFALL TODAY. THUS...MAINTAINED MENTION OF AREAS OF FOG OVER MUCH OF THE INTERIOR. ON TUE...ATTENTION TURNS TO A COUPLE OF SHORTWAVES EXTENDING FROM ND INTO MT. ONE OR BOTH OF THESE WAVES WILL REACH THE UPPER LAKES TUE AND WILL LIKELY PROVIDE SUFFICIENT FORCING FOR ISOLD/SCT CONVECTION. GIVEN THAT CONVECTION IS CURRENTLY BEING OBSERVED OVER THE ERN DAKOTAS AHEAD OF THE FIRST WAVE...BUMPED POPS UP INTO THE CHC CATEGORY OVER ROUGHLY THE W HALF OF THE FCST AREA TUE. ALTHOUGH NAM/GFS MLCAPES ARE IN THE 1500-2500J/KG RANGE...DEEP LAYER SHEAR IS UNDER 30KT WHICH WILL WORK TO LIMIT MORE WIDESPREAD SVR POTENTIAL. NONETHELESS...IF STORMS DO DEVELOP...MAY SEE SOME ISOLD/PULSE TYPE SVR STORMS TUE AFTN. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY) ISSUED AT 517 PM EDT MON SEP 3 2012 BASIC OUTLOOK OF THE LONG TERM NOT TOO DIFFERENT FROM YESTERDAY. WV LOOP AND 12Z RAOBS INDICATE PAIR OF UPPER LOWS IN CANADA FROM NORTHERN MANITOBA INTO NORTHERN BRITISH COLUMBIA. MANITOBA LOW STAYS FAIRLY STATIONARY THROUGH WEDNESDAY WHILE THE BRITISH COLUMBIA LOW DIGS TO ITS SOUTH AND EVENTUALLY SOUTHEAST INTO NORTHERN ONTARIO. AS THIS OCCURS...STRONG SFC-H85 COLD FRONT MARCHES ACROSS UPPER GREAT LAKES WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. DYNAMICS PROVIDED BY 12-HR H5 HEIGHT FALLS TO 60M AND A COUPLED JET STRUCTURE COMBINE WITH SFC-H85 FRONT AND SURGE OF H85 MOISTURE TRANSPORT TO GENERATE SHRA ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE FRONT. DEPENDING ON TIMING OF FRONT AND HEATING AHEAD OF FRONT...TSRA COULD BE STRONG GIVEN 0-6KM CAPES UP TO 1500 J/KG AND AS H85 JET INCREASES OVER CWA AND BECOMES PARALLEL TO THE H5 FLOW. SETUP IS FAVORABLE FOR DYNAMICALLY DRIVEN BOW-ECHO SOMEWHERE OVER THE AREA AS THERE IS A DRY H7-H5 LAYER PUNCHING INTO THE AREA FROM THE WEST WITH DWPNT DEPRESSIONS OVR 20C BY LATER AFTN. BEST CHANCE FOR SEVERE PROBABLY ENDS UP SOUTH AND EAST OF CWA WHERE GREATEST MLCAPES ARE FORECAST IN THE AFTN. AT THE LEAST...LIKELY POPS ARE CERTAINLY WARRANTED AS THE SFC-H85 FRONT WORKS ACROSS THE CWA. ONCE FRONT PLOWS THROUGH MAY SEE HIGHER WIND GUSTS WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY AS SFC LOW WRAPS UP BTWN LAKE SUPERIOR AND HUDSON BAY. GFS/ECMWF H85 WINDS NOT THAT STRONG...MAYBE UP TO 30 KTS...SO DOES NOT APPEAR THAT WINDS WILL BECOME TOO STRONG. IF THE SFC LOW ENDS UP DEEPENING CLOSER TO LK SUPERIOR...COULD SEE NORTHWESTERLY WIND GUSTS ALONG LK SUPERIOR 40-45 MPH. AT THIS POINT...WX ON THURSDAY SHOULD END UP QUIET AS UPR MICHIGAN IS BTWN THE STRONG SHORTWAVE TROUGH THAT MOVES THROUGH MID WEEK AND RE-INFORCING TROUGH THAT IS FORECAST TO ROTATE THROUGH ON FRIDAY. FORECAST SOUNDINGS FROM GFS AND OUTPUT FROM GEM-NHEM INDICATE SOME POTENTIAL FOR LIGHT SHRA OVER THE EASTERN CWA IN WEAK AREA OF LOW-LEVEL CONVERGENCE. SEEMS GREATER CHANCE OF SHRA ARRIVES ON FRIDAY WITH THE INCOMING TROUGH AND INDICATION OF SHORTWAVE RIDING THROUGH IN WEST/NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT. THIS FORCING ALONG WITH INCREASING OVER-WATER INSTABILITY WITH LAKE EFFECT CAPES PUSHING AOA 500J/KG SUGGESTS HYBRID LATE SUMMER AND EARLY FALL TYPE SHRA AND MAYBE EVEN MENTION OF TSRA GIVEN LAKE INDUCED EQL OVER 20KFT WHICH PUSHES CONVECTIVE DEPTH BLO 0C. GIVEN LAKE-H85 DELTA T AOA 15C...DEEP LAKE INDUCED CLOUD DEPTH...AND WINDS WITHIN THE MIXED LAYER STAYING BLO 25 KTS...PARAMETERS STILL LINE UP FOR WATERSPOUT POTENTIAL ON FRIDAY...ESPECIALLY IF SUBTLE LOW-LEVEL TROUGH THAT IS SHOWING UP IN MODELS OVER EASTERN LK SUPERIOR/EASTERN CWA DOES INDEED VERIFY. TOUGH TO INCLUDE MENTION OF WATERSPOUTS THIS FAR OUT IN THE FORECAST BUT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE OUTPUT IN THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS FROM THE NEW EXPERIMENTAL GREAT LAKES WATERSPOUT FORECAST BASED ON THE SZILAGYI WATERSPOUT INDEX /SWI/ THAT COMES OUT OF THE INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR WATERSPOUT RESEARCH /ICWR/. IN ADDITION TO WATERSPOUTS...WILL ALSO LIKELY HAVE INCREASED RISK OF RIP CURRENTS ALONG LK SUPERIOR BEACHES...MAINLY IN ALGER COUNTY WITH THE EXPECTED NORTHWEST WINDS. UPPER TROUGH SLOWLY MOVES EAST THROUGH NEXT WEEKEND. THIS PLACES UPPER LAKES WITHIN ZONE OF SHARP CONFLUENCE AND ASSOCIATED SFC RIDGING. ECMWF HAS DEFINITELY TRENDED FARTHER EAST WITH TROUGH AND KEEPS QPF OUT OF UPR MICHIGAN FOR THE WEEKEND. GFS IS SLIGHTLY FARTHER WEST WITH THE TROUGH AND WOULD KEEP THREAT OF SHRA OVER EASTERN CWA ON SATURDAY. BASED ON AMPLIFIED PATTERN CANNOT RULE THIS IDEA OUT AND WILL AT THE LEAST KEEP CONSENSUS SLIGHT CHANCE POPS AND BUMP UP SKY COVER. SUNDAY INTO MONDAY IS TOUGH TO FIGURE OUT AS ECMWF CONTINUES TO INDICATE STRONGER SHORTWAVE WITHIN BASE OF TROUGH LIFTING NORTH AND AFFECTING THE EASTERN PORTIONS OF CWA WITH SOME SHRA WHILE THE GFS KEEPS ALL THIS TOO FAR TO THE EAST TO AFFECT THE AREA. NO REAL CONSISTENT SIGNAL FOR EITHER SOLUTION SO HAVE TO KEEP CONSENSUS POPS AT THIS TIME. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 139 PM EDT MON SEP 3 2012 WITH WEAK SFC TROF MOVING ACROSS UPPER MI...KSAW MAY BE IMPACTED BY BRIEF SHRA/TSRA AND MVFR CONDITIONS OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF HRS. TROF IS ALREADY PAST KIWD/KCMX...SO THE AFTN WILL HAVE VFR CONDITIONS AND NO PCPN AT THOSE 2 SITES. WITH SFC WINDS DIMINISHING TO LIGHT/CALM UNDER UPPER LEVEL DRYING...FOG IS LIKELY TO FORM TONIGHT WITH IFR...POSSIBLE LIFR...CONDITIONS. FOG WILL DISSIPATE WITHIN A COUPLE OF HRS AFTER SUNRISE TUE. NEXT DISTURBANCE APPROACHING THE AREA MAY TRIGGER ISOLD/SCT CONVECTION TUE...BUT MOST LIKELY NOT UNTIL BEYOND THIS FCST PERIOD. && .MARINE...(FOR THE 4 AM LAKE SUPERIOR FORECAST ISSUANCE) ISSUED AT 429 AM EDT MON SEP 3 2012 EXPECT S WINDS UP TO 20 KTS IN ADVANCE OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT TO DIMINISH THIS EVENING AS THE FRONT TENDS TO WEAKEN. LIGHT WINDS WILL THEN PREVAIL THRU TONIGHT AS A WEAK HI PRES SYSTEM MOVES INTO THE UPPER GREAT LAKES. A SERIES OF LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS AND COLD FRONTS WILL MOVE NEAR LAKE SUPERIOR TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...LEADING TO PERIODS OF INCREASED WINDS. HOWEVER...AT THIS TIME WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN BELOW 25KTS. && .MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... UPPER MICHIGAN... NONE. LAKE SUPERIOR... NONE. LAKE MICHIGAN... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...ROLFSON LONG TERM...JLA AVIATION...ROLFSON MARINE...KC/TITUS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MARQUETTE MI
140 PM EDT MON SEP 3 2012 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 429 AM EDT MON SEP 3 2012 00Z RAOBS/LATEST WV IMAGERY AND RUC ANALYSIS SHOW WSW FLOW ALF OVER THE UPR GRT LKS BTWN UPR RDG EXTENDING FM THE PLAINS INTO LWR MI AND DEEP...OCCLUDED LO OVER NRN SASKATCHEWAN THAT IS DRIFTING ONLY SLOWLY EWD. THE REMNANTS OF HURRICANE ISAAC CONTINUE TO DRIFT EWD THRU THE OH VALLEY S OF THE UPR RDG AXIS. WARM CONVEYOR BELT MSTR RIBBON...IN ADVANCE OF COLD FNT MOVING THRU MN THAT IS ATTENDANT TO SASKATCHEWAN OCCLUSION...HAS PUSHED INTO ERN MN/WRN UPR MI. HOWEVER...CIRCULATION ARND ISAAC HAS LIMITED MSTR INFLOW INTO THIS SYSTEM AS EVIDENCED BY VERY DRY AIRMASS SHOWN ON THE 00Z MPX RAOB AND H85 DEWPT DEPRESSIONS NEAR 20C STRETCHING FM THAT SITE SWWD INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS. SINCE THIS DRY AIR IS FEEDING NEWD TOWARD NE MN/UPR MI IN THE SSW SFC-H85 FLOW AHEAD OF COLD FNT...AT 06Z THERE WAS NO PCPN FALLING S OF THE CNDN BORDER FM THIS CLD DESPITE STEEP MID LVL LAPSE RATES AND MUCAPE 500-1000 J/KG AS SHOWN BY SPC MESOANALYSIS. ISOLD -SHRA/A FEW LTG STRIKES WERE EVIDENT IN ONTARIO WHERE MSTR IS DEEPER PER 00Z YPL RAOB CLOSER TO SHARPER DEEP LYR QVECTOR CNVGC ASSOCIATED WITH OCCLUSION TO THE W. HOWEVER...APRCH OF 70KT H3 JET MAX IN THE NRN PLAINS/SOME UPR DVGC HAS CAUSED MORE SHRA/TS TO DVLP OVER WRN LK SUP CLOSER TO FCST ISSUANCE. BEHIND THE COLD FNT IN THE NRN PLAINS...00Z ABERDEEN SDAKOTA AND BISMARCK RAOBS SHOW A VERY DRY AIRMASS. LATEST WV IMAGERY SHOWS THIS DRIER AIR ALF SPREADING EWD. MAIN FCST CONCERNS IN THE SHORT TERM ARE SHRA/TS CHCS TODAY AS COLD FNT/MSTR RIBBON PRESS TO THE E. TODAY...COLD FNT IN MN IS PROGGED TO DRIFT INTO UPR MI AND DISSIPATE AS THIS BNDRY OUTRUNS THE CLOSED LO IN SASKATCHEWAN THAT IS PROGGED TO DRIFT ONLY SLOWLY INTO MANITOBA. PCPN CHCS WL BE HINDERED BY DRY ADVECTION NOTED ABOVE AND EXIT OF DEEP LYR QVECTOR CNVGC TO THE N. HOWEVER...BULK OF MODELS SHOWED THE INCRSG H4-2 UPR DVGC EARLY THIS MRNG IN ADVANCE OF JET MAX MOVING ENEWD THRU THE NRN PLAINS...SO WENT WITH SCT -SHRA/TSRA TO START OFF FCST PERIOD OVER THE W WITH THE SOMEWHAT HIER POPS FARTHER TO THE N CLOSER TO DEEPER MSTR/ LINGERING DEEP LYR QVECTOR CNVGC. THIS UPR DVGC IS PROGGED TO EXIT TO THE NE BY MID MRNG...SO EXPECT POPS TO DIMINISH FOR A TIME. QUESTION THEN BECOMES WHETHER DAYTIME HEATING CAN INVIGORATE DIURNAL CONVECTION IN ABSENCE OF APPRECIABLE DYNAMIC SUPPORT AND AGAINST ONSLAUGHT OF INCOMING DRY AIR THAT IS PROGGED TO DROP KINX BLO 10 OVER THE W HALF BY 18Z FOLLOWING THE DISSIPATING COLD FROPA PER FAVORED GFS THAT BEST MATCHES WV IMAGERY TRENDS OF VIGOROUS DRYING ALF MOVING E FM THE NRN PLAINS. BEST SHOT FOR THIS CONVECTION APPEARS TO BE OVER THE E AND SCNTRL...WHERE KINX IS PROGGED TO REMAIN NEAR 30 THRU 18Z AND WHERE DVLPG LK BREEZES MIGHT ENHANCE LLVL CNVGC. BUT EVEN IN THIS AREA...KINX IS FCST TO FALL BLO 20 BY 00Z EXCEPT FOR AREAS NEAR LK MI. AS FOR SVR THREAT...MODELS DEPICT DEEP LYR SHEAR AS HI AS 30-35 KTS OVER THE SCNTRL AT 18Z. MODIFIED GFS FCST SDNG FOR ESC AT 18Z FOR SFC T/TD 83/66 YIELDS SBCAPE NEAR 1400 J/KG DESPITE LESS IMPRESSIVE MID LVL LAPSE RATES FCST IN THAT AREA. WITH VIGOROUS DRYING ALF...SFC-10K DELTA THETA-E IS PROGGED TO INCRS TO A SGNFT 25-30C BY LATE IN THE DAY...INCRSG THE DCAPE IN THE PRESENCE OF UNIDIRECTIONAL WLY FLOW ALF/THREAT FOR DAMAGING WINDS. DESPITE MID LVL DRYING...FCST HI WBZ NEAR 13K FT WOULD PROBABLY MINIMIZE THE POTENTIAL FOR LARGE HAIL. BUT MAIN CONCERN IS HOW VIGOROUS MID LVL DRYING WL IMPACT SHRA/TS CHCS. IN FACT...THE GREATER SHEAR MIGHT ACT TO ENTRAIN SO MUCH DRIER AIR INTO THE STORM TOWERS AND LIMIT THE INTENSITY OF THE CONVECTION. WL CONTINUE TO MENTION THE THREAT OF SOME STRONGER STORMS IN THE HWO. AS FOR HI TEMPS...MIXING TO H85 ON GFS FCST SDNGS YIELDS HI TEMPS REACHING THE MID/UPR 80S AWAY FM LK MODERATION...IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH MAX TEMPS OBSVD UPSTREAM ON SUN. TNGT...WITH VIGOROUS UPR DRYING PER THE GFS THAT CAUSES H85-5 MEAN RH TO FALL AS LO AS 20 PCT BY 06Z...ANY LINGERING SHRA/TS OVER THE SE CWA IN THE EARLY EVNG WL END WITH LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING IN THE ABSENCE OF ANY DYNAMIC SUPPORT. CONSIDERING DRYNESS OF INCOMING AIRMASS AND LGT WINDS UNDER BUBBLE HI PRES BLDG INTO THE AREA... TENDED TOWARD THE LOWER GFS GUIDANCE FOR MIN TEMPS. VIGOROUS DRYING ALF/LGT WINDS FAVOR FOG DEVELOPMENT...SO WENT WITH AREAS OF FOG OVER MUCH OF THE INTERIOR. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 429 AM EDT MON SEP 3 2012 THE PERIOD STARTS 12Z TUE WITH A CLOSED UPPER LOW OVER NRN MANITOBA...AND A SFC TROUGH/WEAK COLD FRONT W OF THE CWA. SHORTWAVE ENERGY IS THEN COMBINED INTO THE SRN SIDE OF THE UPPER LOW THROUGH WED...CAUSING THE SYSTEM TO MOVE FARTHER W TO FAR NW ONTARIO BY 00Z THU. EXACTLY WHEN AND WHERE THE SHORTWAVE ENERGY MOVES WILL GREATLY IMPACT THE FORECAST FOR TUE AND TUE NIGHT...SO CONFIDENCE IS LOWER FOR THIS TIME PERIOD. WE COULD STAY DRY ACROSS MOST OF THE CWA ON TUE...AS THE 12Z/02 ECMWF SHOWS DUE TO THE SHORTWAVE STAYING FATHER TO THE N THAN IN OTHER MODELS. ALSO...MODEL FORECAST SOUNDING SHOW DIFFERENCES BETWEEN LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WHICH WILL RESULT IN INCREASED TO DECREASED CIN. WILL NOT CHANGE THE PREVIOUS POP FORECAST WITH SLIGHT CHANCE TO LOW CHANCE POPS MAINLY IN THE AFTERNOON. IF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DO DEVELOP...THERE MAY BE SOME STRONG TUE AFTERNOON AS CAPE INCREASES TO AOA 1500 J/KG BUT 0-6 KM SHEAR REMAINS BELOW 25 KTS. A STRONGER COLD FRONT/SFC TROUGH SHOULD MOVE THROUGH ON WED...BUT TIMING AND INTENSITY REMAINS IN QUESTION AS MODELS DO NOT HANDLE THE SITUATION WELL. THIS IS AGAIN RELATED TO THE PATH THE SHORTWAVE TAKES. THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN TIMING PLAY OUT THE MOST WITH THUNDERSTORM INTENSITY ON WED...WITH THE SLOWER GUIDANCE BRING THE FRONT THROUGH AROUND PEAK HEATING WHICH WOULD RESULT IN MORE INSTABILITY. THE FASTER MODELS MOVE THINGS THROUGH EARLIER AND THEREFORE...INSTABILITY RESULTING FROM DAYTIME HEATING IS MAXIMIZED AOA 1500 J/KG. 0-6KM SHEAR SHOULD BE ON THE ORDER OF 40-50 KTS...WITH 0-1KM SHEAR OF AROUND 15 KTS. FLOW WILL BE MOSTLY UNIDIRECTIONAL...SO THE SHEAR IS MOSTLY SPEED SHEAR. MORE ALONG THE LINES OF WORST CASE SCENARIO REGARDING TIMING/INSTABILITY...SOME STORMS COULD BE SEVERE IN THE AFTERNOON WITH WIND GUSTS BEING THE PRIMARY HAZARD /DUE PARTY TO DRY MID LEVELS/. THERE WOULD BE A LARGE HAIL THREAT...BUT THAT IS MORE CONDITIONAL. REGARDLESS OF TIMING OF THE FRONT...PRECIP DOES LOOK MORE CERTAIN THAN ANY OTHER DAY IN THE EXTENDED...BUT THAT SHORTWAVE WILL MAKE THINGS TRICKY. INCREASED POPS TO LIKELY...ESPECIALLY CENTRAL AND E...AND HIGH CHANCE POPS OVER THE FAR W. THE UPPER LOW WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EVERY SO SLOWLY ESE...AND WILL BE CLOSEST TO THE CWA THU NIGHT. EXPECT 850MB TEMPS AROUND 4-6C THU INTO FRI..WHICH MAY LEAD TO SOME LAKE EFFECT RAIN DOWNWIND OF N/NW WINDS. MODEL AGREEMENT AND CONTINUITY DEGRADE SIGNIFICANTLY FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...SO CONFIDENCE IS SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER FOR NEXT WEEKEND. IT DOES APPEAR...HOWEVER...THAT A RETURN TO OR EVEN BELOW NEAR NORMAL TEMPERATURES IS IN STORE FOR THU THROUGH SUN. USED CONSENSUS OF MODEL GUIDANCE GIVEN UNCERTAINTY. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 139 PM EDT MON SEP 3 2012 WITH WEAK SFC TROF MOVING ACROSS UPPER MI...KSAW MAY BE IMPACTED BY BRIEF SHRA/TSRA AND MVFR CONDITIONS OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF HRS. TROF IS ALREADY PAST KIWD/KCMX...SO THE AFTN WILL HAVE VFR CONDITIONS AND NO PCPN AT THOSE 2 SITES. WITH SFC WINDS DIMINISHING TO LIGHT/CALM UNDER UPPER LEVEL DRYING...FOG IS LIKELY TO FORM TONIGHT WITH IFR...POSSIBLE LIFR...CONDITIONS. FOG WILL DISSIPATE WITHIN A COUPLE OF HRS AFTER SUNRISE TUE. NEXT DISTURBANCE APPROACHING THE AREA MAY TRIGGER ISOLD/SCT CONVECTION TUE...BUT MOST LIKELY NOT UNTIL BEYOND THIS FCST PERIOD. && .MARINE...(FOR THE 4 AM LAKE SUPERIOR FORECAST ISSUANCE) ISSUED AT 429 AM EDT MON SEP 3 2012 EXPECT S WINDS UP TO 20 KTS IN ADVANCE OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT TO DIMINISH TODAY AS THE FRONT TENDS TO WEAKEN. LIGHT WINDS WILL THEN PREVAIL THRU TONIGHT AS A WEAK HI PRES SYSTEM MOVES INTO THE UPPER GREAT LAKES. A SERIES OF LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS AND COLD FRONTS WILL MOVE NEAR LAKE SUPERIOR TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...LEADING TO PERIODS OF INCREASED WINDS. HOWEVER...AT THIS TIME WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN BELOW 25KTS. && .MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... UPPER MICHIGAN... NONE. LAKE SUPERIOR... NONE. LAKE MICHIGAN... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...KC LONG TERM...TITUS AVIATION...ROLFSON MARINE...KC/TITUS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MARQUETTE MI
731 AM EDT MON SEP 3 2012 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 429 AM EDT MON SEP 3 2012 00Z RAOBS/LATEST WV IMAGERY AND RUC ANALYSIS SHOW WSW FLOW ALF OVER THE UPR GRT LKS BTWN UPR RDG EXTENDING FM THE PLAINS INTO LWR MI AND DEEP...OCCLUDED LO OVER NRN SASKATCHEWAN THAT IS DRIFTING ONLY SLOWLY EWD. THE REMNANTS OF HURRICANE ISAAC CONTINUE TO DRIFT EWD THRU THE OH VALLEY S OF THE UPR RDG AXIS. WARM CONVEYOR BELT MSTR RIBBON...IN ADVANCE OF COLD FNT MOVING THRU MN THAT IS ATTENDANT TO SASKATCHEWAN OCCLUSION...HAS PUSHED INTO ERN MN/WRN UPR MI. HOWEVER...CIRCULATION ARND ISAAC HAS LIMITED MSTR INFLOW INTO THIS SYSTEM AS EVIDENCED BY VERY DRY AIRMASS SHOWN ON THE 00Z MPX RAOB AND H85 DEWPT DEPRESSIONS NEAR 20C STRETCHING FM THAT SITE SWWD INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS. SINCE THIS DRY AIR IS FEEDING NEWD TOWARD NE MN/UPR MI IN THE SSW SFC-H85 FLOW AHEAD OF COLD FNT...AT 06Z THERE WAS NO PCPN FALLING S OF THE CNDN BORDER FM THIS CLD DESPITE STEEP MID LVL LAPSE RATES AND MUCAPE 500-1000 J/KG AS SHOWN BY SPC MESOANALYSIS. ISOLD -SHRA/A FEW LTG STRIKES WERE EVIDENT IN ONTARIO WHERE MSTR IS DEEPER PER 00Z YPL RAOB CLOSER TO SHARPER DEEP LYR QVECTOR CNVGC ASSOCIATED WITH OCCLUSION TO THE W. HOWEVER...APRCH OF 70KT H3 JET MAX IN THE NRN PLAINS/SOME UPR DVGC HAS CAUSED MORE SHRA/TS TO DVLP OVER WRN LK SUP CLOSER TO FCST ISSUANCE. BEHIND THE COLD FNT IN THE NRN PLAINS...00Z ABERDEEN SDAKOTA AND BISMARCK RAOBS SHOW A VERY DRY AIRMASS. LATEST WV IMAGERY SHOWS THIS DRIER AIR ALF SPREADING EWD. MAIN FCST CONCERNS IN THE SHORT TERM ARE SHRA/TS CHCS TODAY AS COLD FNT/MSTR RIBBON PRESS TO THE E. TODAY...COLD FNT IN MN IS PROGGED TO DRIFT INTO UPR MI AND DISSIPATE AS THIS BNDRY OUTRUNS THE CLOSED LO IN SASKATCHEWAN THAT IS PROGGED TO DRIFT ONLY SLOWLY INTO MANITOBA. PCPN CHCS WL BE HINDERED BY DRY ADVECTION NOTED ABOVE AND EXIT OF DEEP LYR QVECTOR CNVGC TO THE N. HOWEVER...BULK OF MODELS SHOWED THE INCRSG H4-2 UPR DVGC EARLY THIS MRNG IN ADVANCE OF JET MAX MOVING ENEWD THRU THE NRN PLAINS...SO WENT WITH SCT -SHRA/TSRA TO START OFF FCST PERIOD OVER THE W WITH THE SOMEWHAT HIER POPS FARTHER TO THE N CLOSER TO DEEPER MSTR/ LINGERING DEEP LYR QVECTOR CNVGC. THIS UPR DVGC IS PROGGED TO EXIT TO THE NE BY MID MRNG...SO EXPECT POPS TO DIMINISH FOR A TIME. QUESTION THEN BECOMES WHETHER DAYTIME HEATING CAN INVIGORATE DIURNAL CONVECTION IN ABSENCE OF APPRECIABLE DYNAMIC SUPPORT AND AGAINST ONSLAUGHT OF INCOMING DRY AIR THAT IS PROGGED TO DROP KINX BLO 10 OVER THE W HALF BY 18Z FOLLOWING THE DISSIPATING COLD FROPA PER FAVORED GFS THAT BEST MATCHES WV IMAGERY TRENDS OF VIGOROUS DRYING ALF MOVING E FM THE NRN PLAINS. BEST SHOT FOR THIS CONVECTION APPEARS TO BE OVER THE E AND SCNTRL...WHERE KINX IS PROGGED TO REMAIN NEAR 30 THRU 18Z AND WHERE DVLPG LK BREEZES MIGHT ENHANCE LLVL CNVGC. BUT EVEN IN THIS AREA...KINX IS FCST TO FALL BLO 20 BY 00Z EXCEPT FOR AREAS NEAR LK MI. AS FOR SVR THREAT...MODELS DEPICT DEEP LYR SHEAR AS HI AS 30-35 KTS OVER THE SCNTRL AT 18Z. MODIFIED GFS FCST SDNG FOR ESC AT 18Z FOR SFC T/TD 83/66 YIELDS SBCAPE NEAR 1400 J/KG DESPITE LESS IMPRESSIVE MID LVL LAPSE RATES FCST IN THAT AREA. WITH VIGOROUS DRYING ALF...SFC-10K DELTA THETA-E IS PROGGED TO INCRS TO A SGNFT 25-30C BY LATE IN THE DAY...INCRSG THE DCAPE IN THE PRESENCE OF UNIDIRECTIONAL WLY FLOW ALF/THREAT FOR DAMAGING WINDS. DESPITE MID LVL DRYING...FCST HI WBZ NEAR 13K FT WOULD PROBABLY MINIMIZE THE POTENTIAL FOR LARGE HAIL. BUT MAIN CONCERN IS HOW VIGOROUS MID LVL DRYING WL IMPACT SHRA/TS CHCS. IN FACT...THE GREATER SHEAR MIGHT ACT TO ENTRAIN SO MUCH DRIER AIR INTO THE STORM TOWERS AND LIMIT THE INTENSITY OF THE CONVECTION. WL CONTINUE TO MENTION THE THREAT OF SOME STRONGER STORMS IN THE HWO. AS FOR HI TEMPS...MIXING TO H85 ON GFS FCST SDNGS YIELDS HI TEMPS REACHING THE MID/UPR 80S AWAY FM LK MODERATION...IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH MAX TEMPS OBSVD UPSTREAM ON SUN. TNGT...WITH VIGOROUS UPR DRYING PER THE GFS THAT CAUSES H85-5 MEAN RH TO FALL AS LO AS 20 PCT BY 06Z...ANY LINGERING SHRA/TS OVER THE SE CWA IN THE EARLY EVNG WL END WITH LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING IN THE ABSENCE OF ANY DYNAMIC SUPPORT. CONSIDERING DRYNESS OF INCOMING AIRMASS AND LGT WINDS UNDER BUBBLE HI PRES BLDG INTO THE AREA... TENDED TOWARD THE LOWER GFS GUIDANCE FOR MIN TEMPS. VIGOROUS DRYING ALF/LGT WINDS FAVOR FOG DEVELOPMENT...SO WENT WITH AREAS OF FOG OVER MUCH OF THE INTERIOR. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 429 AM EDT MON SEP 3 2012 THE PERIOD STARTS 12Z TUE WITH A CLOSED UPPER LOW OVER NRN MANITOBA...AND A SFC TROUGH/WEAK COLD FRONT W OF THE CWA. SHORTWAVE ENERGY IS THEN COMBINED INTO THE SRN SIDE OF THE UPPER LOW THROUGH WED...CAUSING THE SYSTEM TO MOVE FARTHER W TO FAR NW ONTARIO BY 00Z THU. EXACTLY WHEN AND WHERE THE SHORTWAVE ENERGY MOVES WILL GREATLY IMPACT THE FORECAST FOR TUE AND TUE NIGHT...SO CONFIDENCE IS LOWER FOR THIS TIME PERIOD. WE COULD STAY DRY ACROSS MOST OF THE CWA ON TUE...AS THE 12Z/02 ECMWF SHOWS DUE TO THE SHORTWAVE STAYING FATHER TO THE N THAN IN OTHER MODELS. ALSO...MODEL FORECAST SOUNDING SHOW DIFFERENCES BETWEEN LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WHICH WILL RESULT IN INCREASED TO DECREASED CIN. WILL NOT CHANGE THE PREVIOUS POP FORECAST WITH SLIGHT CHANCE TO LOW CHANCE POPS MAINLY IN THE AFTERNOON. IF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DO DEVELOP...THERE MAY BE SOME STRONG TUE AFTERNOON AS CAPE INCREASES TO AOA 1500 J/KG BUT 0-6 KM SHEAR REMAINS BELOW 25 KTS. A STRONGER COLD FRONT/SFC TROUGH SHOULD MOVE THROUGH ON WED...BUT TIMING AND INTENSITY REMAINS IN QUESTION AS MODELS DO NOT HANDLE THE SITUATION WELL. THIS IS AGAIN RELATED TO THE PATH THE SHORTWAVE TAKES. THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN TIMING PLAY OUT THE MOST WITH THUNDERSTORM INTENSITY ON WED...WITH THE SLOWER GUIDANCE BRING THE FRONT THROUGH AROUND PEAK HEATING WHICH WOULD RESULT IN MORE INSTABILITY. THE FASTER MODELS MOVE THINGS THROUGH EARLIER AND THEREFORE...INSTABILITY RESULTING FROM DAYTIME HEATING IS MAXIMIZED AOA 1500 J/KG. 0-6KM SHEAR SHOULD BE ON THE ORDER OF 40-50 KTS...WITH 0-1KM SHEAR OF AROUND 15 KTS. FLOW WILL BE MOSTLY UNIDIRECTIONAL...SO THE SHEAR IS MOSTLY SPEED SHEAR. MORE ALONG THE LINES OF WORST CASE SCENARIO REGARDING TIMING/INSTABILITY...SOME STORMS COULD BE SEVERE IN THE AFTERNOON WITH WIND GUSTS BEING THE PRIMARY HAZARD /DUE PARTY TO DRY MID LEVELS/. THERE WOULD BE A LARGE HAIL THREAT...BUT THAT IS MORE CONDITIONAL. REGARDLESS OF TIMING OF THE FRONT...PRECIP DOES LOOK MORE CERTAIN THAN ANY OTHER DAY IN THE EXTENDED...BUT THAT SHORTWAVE WILL MAKE THINGS TRICKY. INCREASED POPS TO LIKELY...ESPECIALLY CENTRAL AND E...AND HIGH CHANCE POPS OVER THE FAR W. THE UPPER LOW WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EVERY SO SLOWLY ESE...AND WILL BE CLOSEST TO THE CWA THU NIGHT. EXPECT 850MB TEMPS AROUND 4-6C THU INTO FRI..WHICH MAY LEAD TO SOME LAKE EFFECT RAIN DOWNWIND OF N/NW WINDS. MODEL AGREEMENT AND CONTINUITY DEGRADE SIGNIFICANTLY FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...SO CONFIDENCE IS SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER FOR NEXT WEEKEND. IT DOES APPEAR...HOWEVER...THAT A RETURN TO OR EVEN BELOW NEAR NORMAL TEMPERATURES IS IN STORE FOR THU THROUGH SUN. USED CONSENSUS OF MODEL GUIDANCE GIVEN UNCERTAINTY. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z TUESDAY MORNING) ISSUED AT 730 AM EDT MON SEP 3 2012 EXPECT TS THAT IMPACTED CMX TO BE OVER BY 12Z..WITH DRY AIR FOLLOWING IN THE WAKE OF A WEAK COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE ENDING THE PCPN THREAT THERE AND AT IWD BY MID MRNG AS THE BETTER DYNAMIC SUPPORT LIFTS TO THE N. SOME SHRA/TS MAY IMPACT SAW LATE THIS MRNG INTO EARLY AFTN AS WELL WITH DAYTIME HEATING COINCIDING WITH THE ARRIVAL OF THE FNT. BUT THE ARRIVAL OF DRIER AIR ALF SHOULD END THE SHRA THREAT THERE AS WELL. ALTHOUGH CIGS/VSBY MAY BE LOWER UNDER ANY HEAVIER SHRA...VFR CONDITIONS SHOULD BE THE RULE AT ALL SITES INTO THIS EVNG. WITH LGT NEAR SFC WINDS UNDER THE UPR LVL DRYING...FOG IS LIKELY TO FORM AT SAW/IWD OVERNGT...WITH IFR CONDITIONS POSSIBLE. && .MARINE...(FOR THE 4 AM LAKE SUPERIOR FORECAST ISSUANCE) ISSUED AT 429 AM EDT MON SEP 3 2012 EXPECT S WINDS UP TO 20 KTS IN ADVANCE OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT TO DIMINISH TODAY AS THE FRONT TENDS TO WEAKEN. LIGHT WINDS WILL THEN PREVAIL THRU TONIGHT AS A WEAK HI PRES SYSTEM MOVES INTO THE UPPER GREAT LAKES. A SERIES OF LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS AND COLD FRONTS WILL MOVE NEAR LAKE SUPERIOR TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...LEADING TO PERIODS OF INCREASED WINDS. HOWEVER...AT THIS TIME WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN BELOW 25KTS. && .MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... UPPER MICHIGAN... NONE. LAKE SUPERIOR... NONE. LAKE MICHIGAN... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...KC LONG TERM...TITUS AVIATION...KC MARINE...KC/TITUS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MARQUETTE MI
430 AM EDT MON SEP 3 2012 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 429 AM EDT MON SEP 3 2012 00Z RAOBS/LATEST WV IMAGERY AND RUC ANALYSIS SHOW WSW FLOW ALF OVER THE UPR GRT LKS BTWN UPR RDG EXTENDING FM THE PLAINS INTO LWR MI AND DEEP...OCCLUDED LO OVER NRN SASKATCHEWAN THAT IS DRIFTING ONLY SLOWLY EWD. THE REMNANTS OF HURRICANE ISAAC CONTINUE TO DRIFT EWD THRU THE OH VALLEY S OF THE UPR RDG AXIS. WARM CONVEYOR BELT MSTR RIBBON...IN ADVANCE OF COLD FNT MOVING THRU MN THAT IS ATTENDANT TO SASKATCHEWAN OCCLUSION...HAS PUSHED INTO ERN MN/WRN UPR MI. HOWEVER...CIRCULATION ARND ISAAC HAS LIMITED MSTR INFLOW INTO THIS SYSTEM AS EVIDENCED BY VERY DRY AIRMASS SHOWN ON THE 00Z MPX RAOB AND H85 DEWPT DEPRESSIONS NEAR 20C STRETCHING FM THAT SITE SWWD INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS. SINCE THIS DRY AIR IS FEEDING NEWD TOWARD NE MN/UPR MI IN THE SSW SFC-H85 FLOW AHEAD OF COLD FNT...AT 06Z THERE WAS NO PCPN FALLING S OF THE CNDN BORDER FM THIS CLD DESPITE STEEP MID LVL LAPSE RATES AND MUCAPE 500-1000 J/KG AS SHOWN BY SPC MESOANALYSIS. ISOLD -SHRA/A FEW LTG STRIKES WERE EVIDENT IN ONTARIO WHERE MSTR IS DEEPER PER 00Z YPL RAOB CLOSER TO SHARPER DEEP LYR QVECTOR CNVGC ASSOCIATED WITH OCCLUSION TO THE W. HOWEVER...APRCH OF 70KT H3 JET MAX IN THE NRN PLAINS/SOME UPR DVGC HAS CAUSED MORE SHRA/TS TO DVLP OVER WRN LK SUP CLOSER TO FCST ISSUANCE. BEHIND THE COLD FNT IN THE NRN PLAINS...00Z ABERDEEN SDAKOTA AND BISMARCK RAOBS SHOW A VERY DRY AIRMASS. LATEST WV IMAGERY SHOWS THIS DRIER AIR ALF SPREADING EWD. MAIN FCST CONCERNS IN THE SHORT TERM ARE SHRA/TS CHCS TODAY AS COLD FNT/MSTR RIBBON PRESS TO THE E. TODAY...COLD FNT IN MN IS PROGGED TO DRIFT INTO UPR MI AND DISSIPATE AS THIS BNDRY OUTRUNS THE CLOSED LO IN SASKATCHEWAN THAT IS PROGGED TO DRIFT ONLY SLOWLY INTO MANITOBA. PCPN CHCS WL BE HINDERED BY DRY ADVECTION NOTED ABOVE AND EXIT OF DEEP LYR QVECTOR CNVGC TO THE N. HOWEVER...BULK OF MODELS SHOWED THE INCRSG H4-2 UPR DVGC EARLY THIS MRNG IN ADVANCE OF JET MAX MOVING ENEWD THRU THE NRN PLAINS...SO WENT WITH SCT -SHRA/TSRA TO START OFF FCST PERIOD OVER THE W WITH THE SOMEWHAT HIER POPS FARTHER TO THE N CLOSER TO DEEPER MSTR/ LINGERING DEEP LYR QVECTOR CNVGC. THIS UPR DVGC IS PROGGED TO EXIT TO THE NE BY MID MRNG...SO EXPECT POPS TO DIMINISH FOR A TIME. QUESTION THEN BECOMES WHETHER DAYTIME HEATING CAN INVIGORATE DIURNAL CONVECTION IN ABSENCE OF APPRECIABLE DYNAMIC SUPPORT AND AGAINST ONSLAUGHT OF INCOMING DRY AIR THAT IS PROGGED TO DROP KINX BLO 10 OVER THE W HALF BY 18Z FOLLOWING THE DISSIPATING COLD FROPA PER FAVORED GFS THAT BEST MATCHES WV IMAGERY TRENDS OF VIGOROUS DRYING ALF MOVING E FM THE NRN PLAINS. BEST SHOT FOR THIS CONVECTION APPEARS TO BE OVER THE E AND SCNTRL...WHERE KINX IS PROGGED TO REMAIN NEAR 30 THRU 18Z AND WHERE DVLPG LK BREEZES MIGHT ENHANCE LLVL CNVGC. BUT EVEN IN THIS AREA...KINX IS FCST TO FALL BLO 20 BY 00Z EXCEPT FOR AREAS NEAR LK MI. AS FOR SVR THREAT...MODELS DEPICT DEEP LYR SHEAR AS HI AS 30-35 KTS OVER THE SCNTRL AT 18Z. MODIFIED GFS FCST SDNG FOR ESC AT 18Z FOR SFC T/TD 83/66 YIELDS SBCAPE NEAR 1400 J/KG DESPITE LESS IMPRESSIVE MID LVL LAPSE RATES FCST IN THAT AREA. WITH VIGOROUS DRYING ALF...SFC-10K DELTA THETA-E IS PROGGED TO INCRS TO A SGNFT 25-30C BY LATE IN THE DAY...INCRSG THE DCAPE IN THE PRESENCE OF UNIDIRECTIONAL WLY FLOW ALF/THREAT FOR DAMAGING WINDS. DESPITE MID LVL DRYING...FCST HI WBZ NEAR 13K FT WOULD PROBABLY MINIMIZE THE POTENTIAL FOR LARGE HAIL. BUT MAIN CONCERN IS HOW VIGOROUS MID LVL DRYING WL IMPACT SHRA/TS CHCS. IN FACT...THE GREATER SHEAR MIGHT ACT TO ENTRAIN SO MUCH DRIER AIR INTO THE STORM TOWERS AND LIMIT THE INTENSITY OF THE CONVECTION. WL CONTINUE TO MENTION THE THREAT OF SOME STRONGER STORMS IN THE HWO. AS FOR HI TEMPS...MIXING TO H85 ON GFS FCST SDNGS YIELDS HI TEMPS REACHING THE MID/UPR 80S AWAY FM LK MODERATION...IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH MAX TEMPS OBSVD UPSTREAM ON SUN. TNGT...WITH VIGOROUS UPR DRYING PER THE GFS THAT CAUSES H85-5 MEAN RH TO FALL AS LO AS 20 PCT BY 06Z...ANY LINGERING SHRA/TS OVER THE SE CWA IN THE EARLY EVNG WL END WITH LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING IN THE ABSENCE OF ANY DYNAMIC SUPPORT. CONSIDERING DRYNESS OF INCOMING AIRMASS AND LGT WINDS UNDER BUBBLE HI PRES BLDG INTO THE AREA... TENDED TOWARD THE LOWER GFS GUIDANCE FOR MIN TEMPS. VIGOROUS DRYING ALF/LGT WINDS FAVOR FOG DEVELOPMENT...SO WENT WITH AREAS OF FOG OVER MUCH OF THE INTERIOR. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 429 AM EDT MON SEP 3 2012 THE PERIOD STARTS 12Z TUE WITH A CLOSED UPPER LOW OVER NRN MANITOBA...AND A SFC TROUGH/WEAK COLD FRONT W OF THE CWA. SHORTWAVE ENERGY IS THEN COMBINED INTO THE SRN SIDE OF THE UPPER LOW THROUGH WED...CAUSING THE SYSTEM TO MOVE FARTHER W TO FAR NW ONTARIO BY 00Z THU. EXACTLY WHEN AND WHERE THE SHORTWAVE ENERGY MOVES WILL GREATLY IMPACT THE FORECAST FOR TUE AND TUE NIGHT...SO CONFIDENCE IS LOWER FOR THIS TIME PERIOD. WE COULD STAY DRY ACROSS MOST OF THE CWA ON TUE...AS THE 12Z/02 ECMWF SHOWS DUE TO THE SHORTWAVE STAYING FATHER TO THE N THAN IN OTHER MODELS. ALSO...MODEL FORECAST SOUNDING SHOW DIFFERENCES BETWEEN LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WHICH WILL RESULT IN INCREASED TO DECREASED CIN. WILL NOT CHANGE THE PREVIOUS POP FORECAST WITH SLIGHT CHANCE TO LOW CHANCE POPS MAINLY IN THE AFTERNOON. IF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DO DEVELOP...THERE MAY BE SOME STRONG TUE AFTERNOON AS CAPE INCREASES TO AOA 1500 J/KG BUT 0-6 KM SHEAR REMAINS BELOW 25 KTS. A STRONGER COLD FRONT/SFC TROUGH SHOULD MOVE THROUGH ON WED...BUT TIMING AND INTENSITY REMAINS IN QUESTION AS MODELS DO NOT HANDLE THE SITUATION WELL. THIS IS AGAIN RELATED TO THE PATH THE SHORTWAVE TAKES. THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN TIMING PLAY OUT THE MOST WITH THUNDERSTORM INTENSITY ON WED...WITH THE SLOWER GUIDANCE BRING THE FRONT THROUGH AROUND PEAK HEATING WHICH WOULD RESULT IN MORE INSTABILITY. THE FASTER MODELS MOVE THINGS THROUGH EARLIER AND THEREFORE...INSTABILITY RESULTING FROM DAYTIME HEATING IS MAXIMIZED AOA 1500 J/KG. 0-6KM SHEAR SHOULD BE ON THE ORDER OF 40-50 KTS...WITH 0-1KM SHEAR OF AROUND 15 KTS. FLOW WILL BE MOSTLY UNIDIRECTIONAL...SO THE SHEAR IS MOSTLY SPEED SHEAR. MORE ALONG THE LINES OF WORST CASE SCENARIO REGARDING TIMING/INSTABILITY...SOME STORMS COULD BE SEVERE IN THE AFTERNOON WITH WIND GUSTS BEING THE PRIMARY HAZARD /DUE PARTY TO DRY MID LEVELS/. THERE WOULD BE A LARGE HAIL THREAT...BUT THAT IS MORE CONDITIONAL. REGARDLESS OF TIMING OF THE FRONT...PRECIP DOES LOOK MORE CERTAIN THAN ANY OTHER DAY IN THE EXTENDED...BUT THAT SHORTWAVE WILL MAKE THINGS TRICKY. INCREASED POPS TO LIKELY...ESPECIALLY CENTRAL AND E...AND HIGH CHANCE POPS OVER THE FAR W. THE UPPER LOW WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EVERY SO SLOWLY ESE...AND WILL BE CLOSEST TO THE CWA THU NIGHT. EXPECT 850MB TEMPS AROUND 4-6C THU INTO FRI..WHICH MAY LEAD TO SOME LAKE EFFECT RAIN DOWNWIND OF N/NW WINDS. MODEL AGREEMENT AND CONTINUITY DEGRADE SIGNIFICANTLY FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...SO CONFIDENCE IS SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER FOR NEXT WEEKEND. IT DOES APPEAR...HOWEVER...THAT A RETURN TO OR EVEN BELOW NEAR NORMAL TEMPERATURES IS IN STORE FOR THU THROUGH SUN. USED CONSENSUS OF MODEL GUIDANCE GIVEN UNCERTAINTY. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z MONDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 121 AM EDT MON SEP 3 2012 ALTHOUGH A FEW -SHRA MAY ARRIVE AT KIWD/KCMX LATE TONIGHT AND AT KSAW LATE MON MORNING AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT...EXPECT VFR CONDITIONS AS THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY MOVES THRU THE AREA TODAY AS LOW-LEVEL DRY AIR HOLDS. THERE IS POTENTIAL FOR STRATUS/FOG TO DEVELOP AT KSAW LATE MONDAY NIGHT AS MOIST SFC DEWPOINTS REMAIN AND HIGH PRESSURE SETTLES OVER THE AREA. MODEST LOW-LEVEL JET AHEAD OF COLD FRONT MAY RESULT IN LLWS AT KIWD/KCMX TONIGHT. && .MARINE...(FOR THE 4 AM LAKE SUPERIOR FORECAST ISSUANCE) ISSUED AT 429 AM EDT MON SEP 3 2012 EXPECT S WINDS UP TO 20 KTS IN ADVANCE OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT TO DIMINISH TODAY AS THE FRONT TENDS TO WEAKEN. LIGHT WINDS WILL THEN PREVAIL THRU TONIGHT AS A WEAK HI PRES SYSTEM MOVES INTO THE UPPER GREAT LAKES. A SERIES OF LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS AND COLD FRONTS WILL MOVE NEAR LAKE SUPERIOR TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...LEADING TO PERIODS OF INCREASED WINDS. HOWEVER...AT THIS TIME WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN BELOW 25KTS. && .MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... UPPER MICHIGAN... NONE. LAKE SUPERIOR... NONE. LAKE MICHIGAN... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...KC LONG TERM...TITUS AVIATION...VOSS MARINE...KC/TITUS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MARQUETTE MI
122 AM EDT MON SEP 3 2012 .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH MONDAY) ISSUED AT 347 PM EDT SUN SEP 2 2012 WATER VAPOR IMAGERY AND RUC ANALYSIS SHOW A STRONG SHORTWAVE/MID LEVEL LOW MOVING NE THRU CNTRL SASKATCHEWAN. DOWNSTREAM RIDGE EXTENDS FROM THE SW PLAINS THRU THE UPPER LAKES WHILE REMNANT OF ISAAC DRIFTS THRU THE LWR OHIO VALLEY. DUE TO ISAAC...MOISTURE RETURN THRU THE PLAINS HAS BEEN VERY LIMITED AS 12Z RAOBS SHOW 850MB DWPT DEPRESSIONS BTWN 15-25C. NONETHELESS...SCT HIGH BASED -SHRA/TSRA HAVE BEEN OCCURRING ACROSS THE DAKOTAS INTO NW MN TODAY IN THE VCNTY OF COLD FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH THE PARENT SHORTWAVE OVER SASKATCHEWAN. A COUPLE OF MINOR SHORTWAVES APPEAR TO BE AIDING THE CONVECTION. IN THE SHORT TERM...MAIN FOCUS WILL BE ON PCPN CHANCES LATE TONIGHT THRU MON AS WEAKENING COLD FRONT ARRIVES. WITH ONLY A NARROW RIBBON OF MOISTURE SUPPORTING PCPN TO THE W...THE EVENING HRS TONIGHT WILL REMAIN DRY WHILE AWAITING COLD FRONT/MOISTURE RIBBON TO MOVE CLOSER. IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE COLD FRONT...A SHORTWAVE NOW OVER THE DAKOTAS WILL LIFT NE TONIGHT. ALONG TAIL OF WAVE AND LEFT EXIT OF SUPPORTING JET STREAK...SHOULD SEE A BAND OF SCT CONVECTION TONIGHT. THAT CONVECTION MAY SHIFT OUT OVER LAKE SUPERIOR AND NW UPPER MI LATE TONIGHT. AS FOR TEMPS...THE HIGHEST MIN TEMPS TONIGHT WILL BE IN THE DOWNSLOPE AREAS NEAR LAKE SUPERIOR...PARTICULARLY THE W WHERE MOISTENING WILL BE MORE PRONOUNCED. TEMPS SHOULDN`T FALL LWR THAN THE MID/UPPER 60S IN THOSE AREAS. 50S WILL BE THE RULE OVER THE SCNTRL/E. SHORTWAVE/MID LEVEL LOW CURRENTLY OVER SASKATCHEWAN DRIFTS INTO NRN MANITOBA MON. WITH MAIN SYSTEM WELL TO THE NW OF HERE...SFC COLD FRONT WILL BE WEAKENING AS IT REACHES UPPER MI. LACK OF DYNAMICS AND DIMINISHING LOW-LEVEL CONVERGENCE ALONG FRONT WILL WORK TO LIMIT COVERAGE OF CONVECTION MON...ESPECIALLY SINCE THERE WILL BE SOME DRY AIR TO OVERCOME. HOWEVER...NARROW RIBBON OF BOUNDARY LAYER MOISTURE SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT FOR ISOLD/SCT CONVECTION. AS AFORMENTIONED JET STREAK AIDING PCPN LATE TONIGHT SHIFTS NE...THE RIGHT ENTRANCE OF THE JET WILL PROBABLY PROVIDE BEST SUPPORT FOR NEW CONVECTION IN THE AFTN HRS OVER SCNTRL UPPER MI INTO NE WI. PROVIDED MLCAPE INCREASES TO UPWARDS OF 1500-2000J/KG PER GFS AND ESPECIALLY NAM...DEEP LAYER SHEAR OF 30-40KT WILL SUPPORT ORGANIZED STORMS AND SVR POTENTIAL IF ANY STORMS DO DEVELOP. COVERAGE OF SVR STORMS WOULD LIKELY BE ISOLD. .LONG TERM...(MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 347 PM EDT SUN SEP 2 2012 LONG TERM PERIOD STARTS OUT WITH UPPER LOW OVER MANITOBA WHILE ADDITIONAL SHORTWAVE TROUGH CURRENTLY DIGGING INTO FAR NORTHERN BRITISH COLUMBIA MERGES WITH THE LOW ON WEDNESDAY. INITIAL FRONT THAT MOVES THROUGH UPR MICHIGAN ON LABOR DAY LIKELY STALLS OUT MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY AS IT PARALLELS UPPER FLOW. MAJORITY OF SHRA/TSRA...ALBEIT ONLY ISOLD/SCT COVERAGE...SHOULD BE DIMINISHING BY LATER MONDAY NIGHT. KEPT SMALL POPS IN ONLY FOR THE SOUTH AND EAST CWA AS THOSE AREAS STAY IN AT LEAST A WEAK AREA OF RIGHT ENTRANCE JET FORCING. LINGERED SLIGHT CHANCES FOR THE SAME AREAS THROUGH MOST OF THE NIGHT AS THE SURFACE FRONT REMAINS IN THE VICINITY AND LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE POOLS ALONG THE BOUNDARY. VERY SMALL CHANCES BUT CAN NOT COMPLETELY PULL THE POPS JUST YET. FRONT COULD SERVE AS FOCUS FOR MORE SHRA/TSRA ON TUESDAY AS NAM/00Z ECMWF INDICATE H85 TROUGH AND THETA-E ADVECTION ARRIVES DURING PEAK HEATING OF THE AFTERNOON. H85 DWPNTS ON THE LOW SIDE TO START THE DAY...SO SHOULD SEE BETTER CHANCES OF SHRA/TSRA AFTERNOON AND EVENING...SPREADING FROM WEST TO EAST AS H85 TROUGH CROSSES AREA. THOUGH 0-6KM SHEAR 20-25 KTS NOT TOO IMPRESSIVE FOR ORGANIZED SEVERE STORMS...MLCAPES AOA 1000 J/KG AND HIGH DEWPOINT DEPRESSIONS AT H7-H5 WITH MOIST LOW-LEVELS POINT TO POSSIBLE GUSTY WINDS WITH ANY TSRA. ANY SHRA/TSRA WOULD WANE BY LATER EVENING WITH LOSS OF HEATING/WEAKENING SFC-H85 CONVERGENCE. GFS AND LATEST GEM-NHEM AND 12Z ECMWF FOCUS H85 TROUGH MORE LATER TUESDAY NIGHT AND MORE SO ON WEDNESDAY WITH ARRIVAL OF PRIMARY COLD FRONT. BASED ON TREND FROM LATEST ECMWF...DECIDED TO NOT GO TOO HIGH FOR POPS ON TUESDAY. AS LARGER FORMED UPPER LOW COMPLEX OVER MANITOBA RUMBLES EAST INTO ONTARIO...EXPECT SHARP COLD FRONT TO SWEEP ACROSS GREAT LAKES REGION WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. WOULD THINK THERE WOULD BE DECENT CHANCE FOR RAIN WITH THE FROPA. BY TIME FRONT ARRIVES GFS AND GEM-NHEM SHOWS SHARP H85 WIND SHIFT AND MOISTURE ADVECTION INTO THE AREA. OTHER MODELS ALREADY SHOVE THE H85 TROUGH THROUGH SHUNTING MORE ABUNDANT MOISTURE SOUTHEAST OF CWA...BUT AS MENTIONED BEFORE LATEST ECMWF HAS TRENDED THIS WAY AS WELL. CONSISTENCY ON THESE SOLUTIONS NOT THE GREATEST. THERE ARE ALSO HINTS THAT YET ANOTHER WEAKER WAVE/H7 MOISTURE MAY BE SLIDING THROUGH AREA WHILE FRONT SLIDES THROUGH. DETAILS CERTAINLY STILL NEED TO BE SORTED OUT AS TO LOCATION AND COVERAGE OF BEST RAIN CHANCES ON WEDNESDAY. CHANCE POPS FOR SCT SHRA/TSRA COVER IT FINE FOR NOW. PRESSURE GRADIENT TIGHTENS WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY IN WAKE OF THE COLD FRONT BUT OTHER THAN FOR A BRIEF PERIOD WEDNESDAY EVENING WHERE GFS SHOWS 950-925MB WINDS 30-35 KTS...H925-H85 WINDS INTO THURSDAY ARE ONLY AROUND 20 KTS. SO EVEN THOUGH STEADY COOLING ALOFT OCCURS INTO THURSDAY...THIS SYSTEM DOES NOT LOOK TO PRODUCE VERY STRONG WINDS AS EARLY FALL SYSTEMS SOMETIMES CAN DO. TWO ISSUES THAT WILL NEED TO BE MONITORED THOUGH IN WAKE OF THE COLD FROPA WILL BE AN INCREASED RISK OF RIP CURRENTS AND POSSIBLE UPPER LOW TYPE WATERSPOUTS LATER THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY. ALTHOUGH HIGH PRESSURE TRIES TO BUILD IN LATE THIS WEEK IT REMAINS PRETTY WEAK AND DIFFUSE AS UPPER FLOW IS NOT CONFLUENT. BY FAR THE STRONGER SURFACE FEATURE WILL BE WRAPPED UP SURFACE LOW VICINITY OF HUDSON BAY AND JAMES BAY. BY LATER THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY CANNOT RULE OUT AT LEAST LIGHT LK EFFECT SHRA SINCE H85 TEMPS DROP TO 4-6C /WATER TEMPS STILL RUNNING 18-20C/ AND SINCE THERE COULD BE ANOTHER WEAKER SHORTWAVE/ADDITIONAL MOISTURE PUSHING INTO WESTERN GREAT LAKES PER GFS/ECMWF. NOT A BIG CHANCE AS LOW-LEVEL FLOW IS NOT THAT FAVORABLE GIVEN NEUTRAL TO ANTICYCLONIC LOOK...BUT SOME LIGHT PRECIP SEEMS POSSIBLE. MODEL DIFFERENCES EMERGE BY NEXT WEEKEND WITH THE MAIN ISSUE ON HOW QUICK THE 00Z GFS BRINGS ANOTHER LARGER SCALE TROUGH EAST ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS. 00Z ECMWF INDICATES RIDGING BUILDS IN ALOFT WITH A SHARPER SURFACE RIDGE FROM THE PLAINS INTO FAR NORTHERN PORTION OF UPPER GREAT LAKES. 06Z-12Z RUNS OF GFS HAVE TRENDED ECMWF WAY. LATEST COUPLE RUNS OF ECMWF POINT TO UPPER LAKES BEING ON THE DRY FRINGE OF SET OF DISTURBANCES WHICH WOULD BRING RAIN TO PORTIONS OF GREAT LAKES TO START NEXT WEEKEND. HPC PREFERS TO SIDE WITH ECMWF IDEA AND THIS FORECAST WILL TILT THAT WAY AS WELL WITH A GENERAL DRY FCST NEXT WEEKEND. AFTER SLIGHTLY THAN NORMAL HIGH TEMPERATURES FRIDAY AND SATURDAY...EXPECT SOME MODERATION IN TEMPERATURES BY NEXT SUNDAY. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z MONDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 121 AM EDT MON SEP 3 2012 ALTHOUGH A FEW -SHRA MAY ARRIVE AT KIWD/KCMX LATE TONIGHT AND AT KSAW LATE MON MORNING AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT...EXPECT VFR CONDITIONS AS THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY MOVES THRU THE AREA TODAY AS LOW-LEVEL DRY AIR HOLDS. THERE IS POTENTIAL FOR STRATUS/FOG TO DEVELOP AT KSAW LATE MONDAY NIGHT AS MOIST SFC DEWPOINTS REMAIN AND HIGH PRESSURE SETTLES OVER THE AREA. MODEST LOW-LEVEL JET AHEAD OF COLD FRONT MAY RESULT IN LLWS AT KIWD/KCMX TONIGHT. && .MARINE...(FOR THE 4 PM LAKE SUPERIOR FORECAST ISSUANCE) ISSUED AT 347 PM EDT SUN SEP 2 2012 TIGHTENING PRES GRADIENT BTWN HIGH PRES TO THE E AND AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT TO THE W WILL RESULT IN SE TO S WINDS INCREASING TO AROUND 20KT TONIGHT. SOUTHERLY WINDS MAY GUST TO AROUND 25KT AT HIGHER OBS PLATFORMS...ESPECIALLY OVER CNTRL AND ERN PORTIONS OF THE LAKE. PRES GRADIENT THEN SLACKENS WITH PASSING/WEAKENING COLD FRONT MON...RESULTING IN WINDS DIMINISHING BACK TO UNDER 15KT MON INTO TUE. NEXT COLD FRONT PASSING TUE NIGHT/WED WILL BRING AN INCREASE IN W TO NW WINDS TO AROUND 20KT...MAYBE HIGHER...LATER WED INTO THU. WINDS WILL DIMINISH SLIGHTLY FRI AS NEXT TROF PASSES EARLY IN THE DAY. && .MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... UPPER MICHIGAN... NONE. LAKE SUPERIOR... NONE. LAKE MICHIGAN... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...ROLFSON LONG TERM...JLA AVIATION...VOSS MARINE...ROLFSON
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS HASTINGS NE
1231 PM CDT MON SEP 3 2012 .UPDATE...SENT AN UPDATE TO THE FORECAST TO INCREASE CLOUD COVER THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON HOURS AS LATEST SATELLITE IMAGERY INDICATES A NICE BAND OF MID/UPPER LEVEL CLOUD COVER...ASSOCIATED WITH WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY ACROSS THE AREA... EXTENDS SOUTHWESTWARD ACROSS NORTHWESTERN KANSAS AND INTO COLORADO. WITH THE INCREASED CLOUD COVER...A FEW LIGHT SHOWERS/SPRINKLES AND AN ISOLATED EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORM...ALSO TRENDED DOWN AFTERNOON FORECAST TEMPS A FEW DEGREES. NO OTHER CHANGES NECESSARY TO INHERITED FORECAST AT THIS TIME. .AVIATION...18Z KGRI TAF...PREVAILING VFR CONDITIONS WITH GENERALLY LIGHT WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO PERSIST AT KGRI FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE NEXT 24 HOURS...WITH AN ISOLATED SHOWER OR THUNDERSTORM POSSIBLE...BUT NOT EXPECTED...THROUGH THE AFTERNOON HOURS TODAY. AS A RESULT...KEPT BKN MID LEVEL CLOUD DECK WITH A VCSH POSSIBLE NEAR THE TERMINAL THROUGH 04/00Z...WITH CLOUDS SLOWLY SCATTERING THEREAFTER. SOME INDICATION THAT WITH LIGHT WINDS...CLEARING SKIES AND ELEVATED DEW POINTS OVERNIGHT THAT WE COULD SEE SOME PATCHY FOG DEVELOPMENT...BUT BELIEVE CLOUD COVER OVERNIGHT WILL BE SUFFICIENT TO PREVENT MAXIMUM RADIATIVE COOLING AND KEPT MENTION OF BR OUT 18Z TAF FOR THE TIME BEING. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 345 AM CDT MON SEP 3 2012/ SHORT TERM...THROUGH 12Z THURSDAY. OVERNIGHT UPPER AIR ANALYSIS INDICATES A LONG WAVE RIDGE OVER THE EASTERN CONUS AND A TROUGH OVER THE WEST. SOUTHWESTERLY TO ZONAL MID AND UPPER LEVEL FLOW EXISTS OVER THE MUCH OF THE CENTRAL CONUS AS A RESULT. MID AND UPPER LEVEL JET ENERGY EXTENDS FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA...NORTHEAST INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND PORTIONS OF THE CENTRAL PLAINS...AS WELL AS SOUTHERN CANADA...AND THEN SOUTHEAST INTO THE NORTHEASTERN CONUS. A ~90KT UPPER LEVEL JET STREAK IS ALSO EVIDENT OVER THE CENTRAL AND NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN RANGE. WATER VAPOR IMAGERY INDICATES INCREASED LEVELS OF MID LEVEL MOISTURE EXTENDING NORTHWARD FROM MEXICO INTO THE SOUTHWESTERN CONUS...AND THEN NORTHEAST INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS. AT THE SURFACE A WEAK COLD FRONT EXTENDS FROM NORTHEAST NEBRASKA TO SOUTHWEST KANSAS. THE LOW LEVEL WIND FIELD REMAINS FROM THE SOUTHEAST ACROSS SOUTHEASTERN PORTIONS OF THE OUR CWA...WITH MORE OF A NORTHERLY LOW LEVEL WIND FIELD NOTED FARTHER NORTHWEST ACROSS THE AREA BEHIND THE FRONT. GUIDANCE FROM THE NAM AND OPERATIONAL GFS CONTINUE TO SUGGEST THE UPPER LEVEL JET STREAK...CURRENTLY OVER THE CENTRAL AND NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN RANGE...WILL CONTINUE MOVING EAST/NORTHEAST TODAY...WITH THE RIGHT-REAR QUADRANT OF THIS JET STREAK SETTING UP SHOP OVER NORTHERN PORTIONS OF OUR CWA. QPF FIELDS FROM THE NAM...OPERATIONAL GFS AND SREF-MEAN...AS WELL AS SIMULATED REFLECTIVITY FROM THE 4KM WRF-NMM AND HRRR ALL SUGGEST ENOUGH OF A DIRECT THERMAL CIRCULATION AND RESULTANT FRONTOGENESIS WILL BE PRESENT FOR ISOLATED TO SCATTERED PRECIPITATION PRODUCTION OVER NORTHERN PORTIONS OF OUR AREA THROUGH 18Z. THESE MODEL SOLUTIONS HAVE BEEN FAIRLY CONSISTENCE SETS OF GUIDANCE THROUGH THE PAST THREE DAYS AND AS A RESULT WILL GO AHEAD AND MAINTAIN 20%-30% POPS MAINLY ACROSS NORTHERN PORTIONS OF OUR CWA THROUGH 18Z. GUIDANCE SUGGESTS THE UPPER LEVEL JET STREAK WILL WEAKEN AND PUSH EAST/NORTHEAST OF OUR AREA BY THIS AFTERNOON...WHICH WOULD OTHERWISE BRING AND END TO THE PRECIPITATION CHANCES ACROSS OUR AREA. THAT BEING SAID...THERE REMAIN INDICATIONS FROM THE NAM AND OPERATIONAL GFS OF MULTIPLE SMALL SCALE MID LEVEL PERTURBATIONS PUSHING NEAR OR OVER THE AREA THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. GIVEN THE WEAK FORCING AND DIFFICULTY IN ASSIGNING PRECIPITATION CHANCES TO AN AREA GIVEN THE SUBTLE NATURE OF THESE SMALL SCALE PERTURBATIONS...QPF FIELDS FROM THE NAM...OPERATIONAL GFS...EC...AND SREF-MEAN ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE AND OFFER LITTLE IN THE WAY OF HELP IN TRYING TO DETERMINE WHERE AFTERNOON CONVECTION WILL MOST LIKELY BE REALIZED. YESTERDAY AT THIS TIME IT WAS BELIEVED THE WEAK LOW LEVEL BAROCLINIC ZONE...CURRENTLY OVER OUR AREA...WOULD SLOWLY DRIFT TO THE SOUTHEAST AND WOULD PROVIDE ADDITIONAL LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE FOR SURFACE-BASED CONVECTION DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS. HOWEVER NOW IT APPEARS THIS BAROCLINIC ZONE WILL QUICKLY EXIT OUR AREA TO THE SOUTHEAST BY EARLY AFTERNOON AND WILL OFFER LITTLE IN THE WAY OF ADDITIONAL FORCING FOR CONVECTIVE INITIATION. LONG STORY SHORT...CONFIDENCE IS VERY LOW REGARDING MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION BEING REALIZED AT ANY ONE LOCATION ACROSS THE CWA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. BUT BECAUSE MOST ALL MODELS SUGGEST AT LEAST SOME ISOLATED CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY WILL BE OBSERVED...AGAIN NO TELLING WHERE FOR SURE...WILL GO AHEAD AND CARRY 20% POPS ACROSS THE ENTIRE CWA 18Z MONDAY THROUGH 06Z TUESDAY. AS FOR SEVERE WEATHER CHANCES THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...WILL CONTINUE TO DISREGARD THE OPERATIONAL GFS WHICH SUGGESTS SURFACE DEW POINTS IN THE MID 70S WILL BE REALIZED ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE CWA THIS AFTERNOON. BOIVERIFY SUGGESTS BCCONSALL CONTINUES TO BE A GOOD PERFORMER WITH RESPECT TO SURFACE DEW POINTS ACROSS OUR AREA AND THIS SET OF GUIDANCE SUGGESTS AFTERNOON DEW POINTS WILL REMAIN GENERALLY IN THE LOW TO MID 60S ACROSS OUR AREA...WITH PERHAPS A FEW UPPER 60 READINGS ACROSS OUR EAST...WHICH IS ALSO WHAT THE NAM CONTINUES TO SUGGEST. FOLLOWING CLOSER TO THE NAM WOULD ALSO SUGGEST 0-1KM MLCAPE VALUES OF ~1000J/KG WILL BE IN PLACE ACROSS THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. NOT THAT THESE POTENTIAL INSTABILITY VALUES ARE SOMETHING TO GET OVERLY EXCITED ABOUT BUT WITH THE UPPER LEVEL JET AXIS OVER THE AREA...DEEP LAYER BULK SHEAR VALUES ON THE ORDER OF 40KTS WILL ALSO LIKELY BE PRESENT. ALTHOUGH INITIAL UPDRAFT STRENGTH WILL LIKELY BE MARGINAL AT BEST FOR LARGE HAIL PRODUCTION...THE ROTATIONAL POTENTIAL OF SAID UPDRAFT MAY ENHANCE IT ENOUGH FOR A BETTER HAIL THREAT. GIVEN ALL THIS...IT STILL SEEMS POSSIBLE THAT UPDRAFT STRENGTH COULD BE STRONG ENOUGH TO SUPPORT LARGE HAIL AND AS A RESULT...WILL GO AHEAD AND CONTINUE TO OUTLOOK THE AREA FOR POSSIBLE SEVERE WEATHER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. LOSS OF DIABATIC HEATING POST-SUNSET SHOULD KILL ANY CONVECTION BEYOND 03Z THIS EVENING...WITH AN OVERALL LACK IN KINEMATIC FORCING LIKELY PROVIDING DRY CONDITIONS TO THE AREA 03Z- 18Z TUESDAY. GUIDANCE FROM THE NAM...OPERATIONAL GFS...AND EC ALL SUGGEST A MORE SIGNIFICANT MID LEVEL SHORT WAVE WILL PUSH INTO SOUTH CENTRAL CANADA AND PORTIONS OF THE NORTH CENTRAL CONUS TUESDAY INTO TUESDAY NIGHT. A RESULTANT AREA OF SURFACE LOW PRESSURE IS EXPECTED TO PUSH ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY DURING THE SAME TIME PERIOD...WITH AN ASSOCIATED SURFACE COLD FRONT EXPECTED TO SWEEP ACROSS NEBRASKA. AT THIS TIME THE LOW LEVEL BAROCLINIC ZONE IS EXPECTED TO NEAR NORTH/NORTHWESTERN PORTIONS OF OUR CWA BY 00Z WEDNESDAY...LIKELY CLEARING THE ENTIRE CWA BY 12Z WEDNESDAY. SURFACE-BASED CONVECTION WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THE VICINITY OF THIS LOW LEVEL BAROCLINIC ZONE ACROSS OUR NORTH/NORTHWEST BY LATE AFTERNOON TUESDAY...WITH ADDITIONAL CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY PERHAPS SPREADING SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE CWA HEADING INTO THE EVENING AND OVERNIGHT HOURS TUESDAY. GIVEN ALL THIS...WILL GO AHEAD WITH 20%-30% POPS ACROSS THE CWA 21Z TUESDAY THROUGH 12Z WEDNESDAY. POOLING OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AHEAD OF THE LOW LEVEL BAROCLINIC ZONE...AS SUGGESTED BY THE NAM...MAY ACTUALLY HELP TO INCREASE POTENTIAL INSTABILITY ACROSS OUR AREA WHEN COMPARED TO MONDAY...WITH THE NAM SUGGESTING 0-1KM MLCAPE VALUES ON THE ORDER OF 1500J/KG POSSIBLE TUESDAY AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING HOURS. IN ADDITION...DEEP LAYER BULK SHEAR VALUES OF AROUND 35KTS WILL ALSO BE IN EXISTENCE. GIVEN ALL THIS...WILL CONTINUE THE SEVERE WEATHER MENTION IN THE HWO FOR TUESDAY. A COOLER AND DRIER AIRMASS WILL SETTLE IN ACROSS THE AREA BEHIND THE LOW LEVEL BAROCLINIC ZONE WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT...AND AN OVERALL LACK IN KINEMATIC FORCING SHOULD PRESENT DRY CONDITIONS TO OUR AREA 12Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH 12Z THURSDAY. AN EASTERLY COMPONENT TO THE LOW LEVEL WIND FIELD AND A SLIGHTLY COOLER AIRMASS WILL PRESENT COOLER CONDITIONS TO THE AREA TODAY WHEN COMPARED TO SUNDAY...WITH AFTERNOON HIGHS IN THE LOW TO MID 90S EXPECTED THROUGH MOST LOCATIONS. WARMER WEATHER AHEAD OF THE APPROACHING LOW LEVEL BAROCLINIC ZONE WILL LIKELY PRESENT AFTERNOON HIGHS IN THE MID TO UPPER 90S ON TUESDAY. THE COOLER AIRMASS ON WEDNESDAY WILL LIKELY KEEP AFTERNOON HIGHS IN THE 80S TO FINISH OUT THE SHORT TERM FORECAST PERIOD. OVERNIGHT LOWS IN THE 60S WILL REMAIN THE NORM MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY NIGHT...WITH THE COOLER AIRMASS LIKELY PROMOTING TEMPERATURES IN THE 50S WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY MORNING. LONG TERM...THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. PRIMARY FORECAST CONCERNS LIE WITH END OF THE WEEK PRECIPITATION CHANCES...AND TEMPERATURES. THE START OF THE LONG TERM PERIOD SHOWS MODELS NOT IN TOO BAD OF AGREEMENT WITH THE PATTERN ACROSS THE CONUS...WHICH REMAINS ZONAL...SET UP BETWEEN BROAD HIGH PRESSURE EXTENDING ACROSS THE DESERT SW AND SRN PLAINS...WHILE A LARGE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM SPINS OVER CENTRAL CANADA. THROUGH THE END OF THE WORK WEEK...PRECIPITATION CHANCES CONTINUE ACROSS THE CWA...DRIVEN BY A COUPLE OF DISTURBANCES ASSOCIATED WITH THAT CANADIAN LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM. THE FIRST ONE LOOKS TO AFFECT THE AREA MAINLY ON THURSDAY/THURSDAY NIGHT...ALSO PUSHING A SURFACE BOUNDARY INTO ROUGHLY THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE CWA DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS. THE SECOND DISTURBANCE...DIVING BASICALLY STRAIGHT SOUTH OUT OF CANADA...AFFECTS THE AREA MAINLY FRIDAY/FRIDAY EVENING. KEPT POPS CWA-WIDE THURS/THURS NIGHT/FRI...WITH ONLY A FEW LINGERING POPS INTO FRIDAY NIGHT ACROSS NC KS...AND IF CURRENT MODEL TRENDS CONTINUES...THOSE FRIDAY EVENING/NIGHT POPS COULD BE REMOVED. AS MENTIONED...THURSDAY SEE THE INITIAL FRONT MOVE INTO THE CWA...BUT THAT SECOND DISTURBANCE WILL USHER IN A REINFORCING COLD FRONT...ACCOMPANIED BY THE COOLER/DRIER AIR FOR FRIDAY. FORECAST HIGHS FOR THURSDAY SIT IN THE 80S...WHILE FRIDAY IS IN THE MID 70S/LOWER 80S. WILL KEEP THE MENTION OF SOME STRONG/SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS GOING FOR THIS PERIOD WITH MODELS CONTINUING TO SHOW THE POTENTIAL FOR DECENT INSTABILITY/SHEAR IN THE AREA. PLEASANT CONDITIONS ON TAP FOR THE UPCOMING WEEKEND...WITH MODELS DEPICT DRIER NORTHWESTERLY FLOW SETTING UP IN THE UPPER LEVELS ACROSS THE CENTRAL PLAINS...SITTING BETWEEN THE TROUGH/LOW OVER THE GREAT LAKES AND MIDWEST...WHILE RIDGING BUILDS INTO THE ROCKIES. HIGH PRESSURE LOOKS TO BE THE PRIMARY PLAYER AT THE SURFACE...BUILDING IN FROM THE NORTHWEST BEHIND THE END OF THE WORK WEEK FRONTAL PASSAGE. EXPECTING TO SEE PLENTY OF SUNSHINE...WITH FAIRLY LIGHT WINDS /ESP ON SAT/. THE AREA OF SFC HIGH PRESSURE LOOKS TO BE CENTERED RIGHT OVER THE CWA ON SATURDAY...BEFORE SLIDING OFF SLIGHTLY TO THE EAST ON SUNDAY...AND EXPECTING SATURDAY TO BE A TOUCH COOLER THAN SUNDAY. CURRENT FORECAST HIGHS ON SATURDAY SIT IN THE MID 70S...WITH SUNDAY CREEPING UP INTO THE UPPER 70S TO LOWER 80S...BOTH DAYS FEELING PRETTY NICE WITH DEWPOINTS LOOKING TO BE IN THE 40S FOR MOST LOCATIONS. && .GID WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NE...NONE. KS...NONE. && $$ AVIATION/UPDATE...ROSSI SHORT TERM...BRYANT LONG TERM...ADO
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS HASTINGS NE
622 AM CDT MON SEP 3 2012 .AVIATION...12Z TAF. VFR CONDITIONS FORECAST FOR THIS TAF PERIOD...THOUGH THE TERMINAL COULD SEE A FEW SHOWERS PASS THROUGH THIS MORNING. OUTSIDE OF THIS MORNING...THERE ARE OTHER CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION IN THE AREA...BUT NOT CONFIDENT ENOUGH IN ANYTHING AFFECTING THE TERMINAL TO PUT IN ANY MENTION. VARIABLE WINDS LOOK TO CONTINUE THIS MORNING...BEFORE TURNING MORE TO THE SOUTHEAST THIS AFTERNOON. SPEEDS EXPECTED TO BE ON THE LIGHT SIDE. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 345 AM CDT MON SEP 3 2012/ SHORT TERM...THROUGH 12Z THURSDAY. OVERNIGHT UPPER AIR ANALYSIS INDICATES A LONG WAVE RIDGE OVER THE EASTERN CONUS AND A TROUGH OVER THE WEST. SOUTHWESTERLY TO ZONAL MID AND UPPER LEVEL FLOW EXISTS OVER THE MUCH OF THE CENTRAL CONUS AS A RESULT. MID AND UPPER LEVEL JET ENERGY EXTENDS FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA...NORTHEAST INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND PORTIONS OF THE CENTRAL PLAINS...AS WELL AS SOUTHERN CANADA...AND THEN SOUTHEAST INTO THE NORTHEASTERN CONUS. A ~90KT UPPER LEVEL JET STREAK IS ALSO EVIDENT OVER THE CENTRAL AND NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN RANGE. WATER VAPOR IMAGERY INDICATES INCREASED LEVELS OF MID LEVEL MOISTURE EXTENDING NORTHWARD FROM MEXICO INTO THE SOUTHWESTERN CONUS...AND THEN NORTHEAST INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS. AT THE SURFACE A WEAK COLD FRONT EXTENDS FROM NORTHEAST NEBRASKA TO SOUTHWEST KANSAS. THE LOW LEVEL WIND FIELD REMAINS FROM THE SOUTHEAST ACROSS SOUTHEASTERN PORTIONS OF THE OUR CWA...WITH MORE OF A NORTHERLY LOW LEVEL WIND FIELD NOTED FARTHER NORTHWEST ACROSS THE AREA BEHIND THE FRONT. GUIDANCE FROM THE NAM AND OPERATIONAL GFS CONTINUE TO SUGGEST THE UPPER LEVEL JET STREAK...CURRENTLY OVER THE CENTRAL AND NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN RANGE...WILL CONTINUE MOVING EAST/NORTHEAST TODAY...WITH THE RIGHT-REAR QUADRANT OF THIS JET STREAK SETTING UP SHOP OVER NORTHERN PORTIONS OF OUR CWA. QPF FIELDS FROM THE NAM...OPERATIONAL GFS AND SREF-MEAN...AS WELL AS SIMULATED REFLECTIVITY FROM THE 4KM WRF-NMM AND HRRR ALL SUGGEST ENOUGH OF A DIRECT THERMAL CIRCULATION AND RESULTANT FRONTOGENESIS WILL BE PRESENT FOR ISOLATED TO SCATTERED PRECIPITATION PRODUCTION OVER NORTHERN PORTIONS OF OUR AREA THROUGH 18Z. THESE MODEL SOLUTIONS HAVE BEEN FAIRLY CONSISTENCE SETS OF GUIDANCE THROUGH THE PAST THREE DAYS AND AS A RESULT WILL GO AHEAD AND MAINTAIN 20%-30% POPS MAINLY ACROSS NORTHERN PORTIONS OF OUR CWA THROUGH 18Z. GUIDANCE SUGGESTS THE UPPER LEVEL JET STREAK WILL WEAKEN AND PUSH EAST/NORTHEAST OF OUR AREA BY THIS AFTERNOON...WHICH WOULD OTHERWISE BRING AND END TO THE PRECIPITATION CHANCES ACROSS OUR AREA. THAT BEING SAID...THERE REMAIN INDICATIONS FROM THE NAM AND OPERATIONAL GFS OF MULTIPLE SMALL SCALE MID LEVEL PERTURBATIONS PUSHING NEAR OR OVER THE AREA THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. GIVEN THE WEAK FORCING AND DIFFICULTY IN ASSIGNING PRECIPITATION CHANCES TO AN AREA GIVEN THE SUBTLE NATURE OF THESE SMALL SCALE PERTURBATIONS...QPF FIELDS FROM THE NAM...OPERATIONAL GFS...EC...AND SREF-MEAN ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE AND OFFER LITTLE IN THE WAY OF HELP IN TRYING TO DETERMINE WHERE AFTERNOON CONVECTION WILL MOST LIKELY BE REALIZED. YESTERDAY AT THIS TIME IT WAS BELIEVED THE WEAK LOW LEVEL BAROCLINIC ZONE...CURRENTLY OVER OUR AREA...WOULD SLOWLY DRIFT TO THE SOUTHEAST AND WOULD PROVIDE ADDITIONAL LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE FOR SURFACE-BASED CONVECTION DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS. HOWEVER NOW IT APPEARS THIS BAROCLINIC ZONE WILL QUICKLY EXIT OUR AREA TO THE SOUTHEAST BY EARLY AFTERNOON AND WILL OFFER LITTLE IN THE WAY OF ADDITIONAL FORCING FOR CONVECTIVE INITIATION. LONG STORY SHORT...CONFIDENCE IS VERY LOW REGARDING MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION BEING REALIZED AT ANY ONE LOCATION ACROSS THE CWA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. BUT BECAUSE MOST ALL MODELS SUGGEST AT LEAST SOME ISOLATED CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY WILL BE OBSERVED...AGAIN NO TELLING WHERE FOR SURE...WILL GO AHEAD AND CARRY 20% POPS ACROSS THE ENTIRE CWA 18Z MONDAY THROUGH 06Z TUESDAY. AS FOR SEVERE WEATHER CHANCES THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...WILL CONTINUE TO DISREGARD THE OPERATIONAL GFS WHICH SUGGESTS SURFACE DEW POINTS IN THE MID 70S WILL BE REALIZED ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE CWA THIS AFTERNOON. BOIVERIFY SUGGESTS BCCONSALL CONTINUES TO BE A GOOD PERFORMER WITH RESPECT TO SURFACE DEW POINTS ACROSS OUR AREA AND THIS SET OF GUIDANCE SUGGESTS AFTERNOON DEW POINTS WILL REMAIN GENERALLY IN THE LOW TO MID 60S ACROSS OUR AREA...WITH PERHAPS A FEW UPPER 60 READINGS ACROSS OUR EAST...WHICH IS ALSO WHAT THE NAM CONTINUES TO SUGGEST. FOLLOWING CLOSER TO THE NAM WOULD ALSO SUGGEST 0-1KM MLCAPE VALUES OF ~1000J/KG WILL BE IN PLACE ACROSS THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. NOT THAT THESE POTENTIAL INSTABILITY VALUES ARE SOMETHING TO GET OVERLY EXCITED ABOUT BUT WITH THE UPPER LEVEL JET AXIS OVER THE AREA...DEEP LAYER BULK SHEAR VALUES ON THE ORDER OF 40KTS WILL ALSO LIKELY BE PRESENT. ALTHOUGH INITIAL UPDRAFT STRENGTH WILL LIKELY BE MARGINAL AT BEST FOR LARGE HAIL PRODUCTION...THE ROTATIONAL POTENTIAL OF SAID UPDRAFT MAY ENHANCE IT ENOUGH FOR A BETTER HAIL THREAT. GIVEN ALL THIS...IT STILL SEEMS POSSIBLE THAT UPDRAFT STRENGTH COULD BE STRONG ENOUGH TO SUPPORT LARGE HAIL AND AS A RESULT...WILL GO AHEAD AND CONTINUE TO OUTLOOK THE AREA FOR POSSIBLE SEVERE WEATHER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. LOSS OF DIABATIC HEATING POST-SUNSET SHOULD KILL ANY CONVECTION BEYOND 03Z THIS EVENING...WITH AN OVERALL LACK IN KINEMATIC FORCING LIKELY PROVIDING DRY CONDITIONS TO THE AREA 03Z- 18Z TUESDAY. GUIDANCE FROM THE NAM...OPERATIONAL GFS...AND EC ALL SUGGEST A MORE SIGNIFICANT MID LEVEL SHORT WAVE WILL PUSH INTO SOUTH CENTRAL CANADA AND PORTIONS OF THE NORTH CENTRAL CONUS TUESDAY INTO TUESDAY NIGHT. A RESULTANT AREA OF SURFACE LOW PRESSURE IS EXPECTED TO PUSH ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY DURING THE SAME TIME PERIOD...WITH AN ASSOCIATED SURFACE COLD FRONT EXPECTED TO SWEEP ACROSS NEBRASKA. AT THIS TIME THE LOW LEVEL BAROCLINIC ZONE IS EXPECTED TO NEAR NORTH/NORTHWESTERN PORTIONS OF OUR CWA BY 00Z WEDNESDAY...LIKELY CLEARING THE ENTIRE CWA BY 12Z WEDNESDAY. SURFACE-BASED CONVECTION WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THE VICINITY OF THIS LOW LEVEL BAROCLINIC ZONE ACROSS OUR NORTH/NORTHWEST BY LATE AFTERNOON TUESDAY...WITH ADDITIONAL CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY PERHAPS SPREADING SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE CWA HEADING INTO THE EVENING AND OVERNIGHT HOURS TUESDAY. GIVEN ALL THIS...WILL GO AHEAD WITH 20%-30% POPS ACROSS THE CWA 21Z TUESDAY THROUGH 12Z WEDNESDAY. POOLING OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AHEAD OF THE LOW LEVEL BAROCLINIC ZONE...AS SUGGESTED BY THE NAM...MAY ACTUALLY HELP TO INCREASE POTENTIAL INSTABILITY ACROSS OUR AREA WHEN COMPARED TO MONDAY...WITH THE NAM SUGGESTING 0-1KM MLCAPE VALUES ON THE ORDER OF 1500J/KG POSSIBLE TUESDAY AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING HOURS. IN ADDITION...DEEP LAYER BULK SHEAR VALUES OF AROUND 35KTS WILL ALSO BE IN EXISTENCE. GIVEN ALL THIS...WILL CONTINUE THE SEVERE WEATHER MENTION IN THE HWO FOR TUESDAY. A COOLER AND DRIER AIRMASS WILL SETTLE IN ACROSS THE AREA BEHIND THE LOW LEVEL BAROCLINIC ZONE WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT...AND AN OVERALL LACK IN KINEMATIC FORCING SHOULD PRESENT DRY CONDITIONS TO OUR AREA 12Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH 12Z THURSDAY. AN EASTERLY COMPONENT TO THE LOW LEVEL WIND FIELD AND A SLIGHTLY COOLER AIRMASS WILL PRESENT COOLER CONDITIONS TO THE AREA TODAY WHEN COMPARED TO SUNDAY...WITH AFTERNOON HIGHS IN THE LOW TO MID 90S EXPECTED THROUGH MOST LOCATIONS. WARMER WEATHER AHEAD OF THE APPROACHING LOW LEVEL BAROCLINIC ZONE WILL LIKELY PRESENT AFTERNOON HIGHS IN THE MID TO UPPER 90S ON TUESDAY. THE COOLER AIRMASS ON WEDNESDAY WILL LIKELY KEEP AFTERNOON HIGHS IN THE 80S TO FINISH OUT THE SHORT TERM FORECAST PERIOD. OVERNIGHT LOWS IN THE 60S WILL REMAIN THE NORM MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY NIGHT...WITH THE COOLER AIRMASS LIKELY PROMOTING TEMPERATURES IN THE 50S WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY MORNING. LONG TERM...THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. PRIMARY FORECAST CONCERNS LIE WITH END OF THE WEEK PRECIPITATION CHANCES...AND TEMPERATURES. THE START OF THE LONG TERM PERIOD SHOWS MODELS NOT IN TOO BAD OF AGREEMENT WITH THE PATTERN ACROSS THE CONUS...WHICH REMAINS ZONAL...SET UP BETWEEN BROAD HIGH PRESSURE EXTENDING ACROSS THE DESERT SW AND SRN PLAINS...WHILE A LARGE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM SPINS OVER CENTRAL CANADA. THROUGH THE END OF THE WORK WEEK...PRECIPITATION CHANCES CONTINUE ACROSS THE CWA...DRIVEN BY A COUPLE OF DISTURBANCES ASSOCIATED WITH THAT CANADIAN LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM. THE FIRST ONE LOOKS TO AFFECT THE AREA MAINLY ON THURSDAY/THURSDAY NIGHT...ALSO PUSHING A SURFACE BOUNDARY INTO ROUGHLY THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE CWA DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS. THE SECOND DISTURBANCE...DIVING BASICALLY STRAIGHT SOUTH OUT OF CANADA...AFFECTS THE AREA MAINLY FRIDAY/FRIDAY EVENING. KEPT POPS CWA-WIDE THURS/THURS NIGHT/FRI...WITH ONLY A FEW LINGERING POPS INTO FRIDAY NIGHT ACROSS NC KS...AND IF CURRENT MODEL TRENDS CONTINUES...THOSE FRIDAY EVENING/NIGHT POPS COULD BE REMOVED. AS MENTIONED...THURSDAY SEE THE INITIAL FRONT MOVE INTO THE CWA...BUT THAT SECOND DISTURBANCE WILL USHER IN A REINFORCING COLD FRONT...ACCOMPANIED BY THE COOLER/DRIER AIR FOR FRIDAY. FORECAST HIGHS FOR THURSDAY SIT IN THE 80S...WHILE FRIDAY IS IN THE MID 70S/LOWER 80S. WILL KEEP THE MENTION OF SOME STRONG/SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS GOING FOR THIS PERIOD WITH MODELS CONTINUING TO SHOW THE POTENTIAL FOR DECENT INSTABILITY/SHEAR IN THE AREA. PLEASANT CONDITIONS ON TAP FOR THE UPCOMING WEEKEND...WITH MODELS DEPICT DRIER NORTHWESTERLY FLOW SETTING UP IN THE UPPER LEVELS ACROSS THE CENTRAL PLAINS...SITTING BETWEEN THE TROUGH/LOW OVER THE GREAT LAKES AND MIDWEST...WHILE RIDGING BUILDS INTO THE ROCKIES. HIGH PRESSURE LOOKS TO BE THE PRIMARY PLAYER AT THE SURFACE...BUILDING IN FROM THE NORTHWEST BEHIND THE END OF THE WORK WEEK FRONTAL PASSAGE. EXPECTING TO SEE PLENTY OF SUNSHINE...WITH FAIRLY LIGHT WINDS /ESP ON SAT/. THE AREA OF SFC HIGH PRESSURE LOOKS TO BE CENTERED RIGHT OVER THE CWA ON SATURDAY...BEFORE SLIDING OFF SLIGHTLY TO THE EAST ON SUNDAY...AND EXPECTING SATURDAY TO BE A TOUCH COOLER THAN SUNDAY. CURRENT FORECAST HIGHS ON SATURDAY SIT IN THE MID 70S...WITH SUNDAY CREEPING UP INTO THE UPPER 70S TO LOWER 80S...BOTH DAYS FEELING PRETTY NICE WITH DEWPOINTS LOOKING TO BE IN THE 40S FOR MOST LOCATIONS. && .GID WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NE...NONE. KS...NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS HASTINGS NE
345 AM CDT MON SEP 3 2012 .SHORT TERM...THROUGH 12Z THURSDAY. OVERNIGHT UPPER AIR ANALYSIS INDICATES A LONG WAVE RIDGE OVER THE EASTERN CONUS AND A TROUGH OVER THE WEST. SOUTHWESTERLY TO ZONAL MID AND UPPER LEVEL FLOW EXISTS OVER THE MUCH OF THE CENTRAL CONUS AS A RESULT. MID AND UPPER LEVEL JET ENERGY EXTENDS FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA...NORTHEAST INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND PORTIONS OF THE CENTRAL PLAINS...AS WELL AS SOUTHERN CANADA...AND THEN SOUTHEAST INTO THE NORTHEASTERN CONUS. A ~90KT UPPER LEVEL JET STREAK IS ALSO EVIDENT OVER THE CENTRAL AND NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN RANGE. WATER VAPOR IMAGERY INDICATES INCREASED LEVELS OF MID LEVEL MOISTURE EXTENDING NORTHWARD FROM MEXICO INTO THE SOUTHWESTERN CONUS...AND THEN NORTHEAST INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS. AT THE SURFACE A WEAK COLD FRONT EXTENDS FROM NORTHEAST NEBRASKA TO SOUTHWEST KANSAS. THE LOW LEVEL WIND FIELD REMAINS FROM THE SOUTHEAST ACROSS SOUTHEASTERN PORTIONS OF THE OUR CWA...WITH MORE OF A NORTHERLY LOW LEVEL WIND FIELD NOTED FARTHER NORTHWEST ACROSS THE AREA BEHIND THE FRONT. GUIDANCE FROM THE NAM AND OPERATIONAL GFS CONTINUE TO SUGGEST THE UPPER LEVEL JET STREAK...CURRENTLY OVER THE CENTRAL AND NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN RANGE...WILL CONTINUE MOVING EAST/NORTHEAST TODAY...WITH THE RIGHT-REAR QUADRANT OF THIS JET STREAK SETTING UP SHOP OVER NORTHERN PORTIONS OF OUR CWA. QPF FIELDS FROM THE NAM...OPERATIONAL GFS AND SREF-MEAN...AS WELL AS SIMULATED REFLECTIVITY FROM THE 4KM WRF-NMM AND HRRR ALL SUGGEST ENOUGH OF A DIRECT THERMAL CIRCULATION AND RESULTANT FRONTOGENESIS WILL BE PRESENT FOR ISOLATED TO SCATTERED PRECIPITATION PRODUCTION OVER NORTHERN PORTIONS OF OUR AREA THROUGH 18Z. THESE MODEL SOLUTIONS HAVE BEEN FAIRLY CONSISTENCE SETS OF GUIDANCE THROUGH THE PAST THREE DAYS AND AS A RESULT WILL GO AHEAD AND MAINTAIN 20%-30% POPS MAINLY ACROSS NORTHERN PORTIONS OF OUR CWA THROUGH 18Z. GUIDANCE SUGGESTS THE UPPER LEVEL JET STREAK WILL WEAKEN AND PUSH EAST/NORTHEAST OF OUR AREA BY THIS AFTERNOON...WHICH WOULD OTHERWISE BRING AND END TO THE PRECIPITATION CHANCES ACROSS OUR AREA. THAT BEING SAID...THERE REMAIN INDICATIONS FROM THE NAM AND OPERATIONAL GFS OF MULTIPLE SMALL SCALE MID LEVEL PERTURBATIONS PUSHING NEAR OR OVER THE AREA THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. GIVEN THE WEAK FORCING AND DIFFICULTY IN ASSIGNING PRECIPITATION CHANCES TO AN AREA GIVEN THE SUBTLE NATURE OF THESE SMALL SCALE PERTURBATIONS...QPF FIELDS FROM THE NAM...OPERATIONAL GFS...EC...AND SREF-MEAN ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE AND OFFER LITTLE IN THE WAY OF HELP IN TRYING TO DETERMINE WHERE AFTERNOON CONVECTION WILL MOST LIKELY BE REALIZED. YESTERDAY AT THIS TIME IT WAS BELIEVED THE WEAK LOW LEVEL BAROCLINIC ZONE...CURRENTLY OVER OUR AREA...WOULD SLOWLY DRIFT TO THE SOUTHEAST AND WOULD PROVIDE ADDITIONAL LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE FOR SURFACE-BASED CONVECTION DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS. HOWEVER NOW IT APPEARS THIS BAROCLINIC ZONE WILL QUICKLY EXIT OUR AREA TO THE SOUTHEAST BY EARLY AFTERNOON AND WILL OFFER LITTLE IN THE WAY OF ADDITIONAL FORCING FOR CONVECTIVE INITIATION. LONG STORY SHORT...CONFIDENCE IS VERY LOW REGARDING MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION BEING REALIZED AT ANY ONE LOCATION ACROSS THE CWA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. BUT BECAUSE MOST ALL MODELS SUGGEST AT LEAST SOME ISOLATED CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY WILL BE OBSERVED...AGAIN NO TELLING WHERE FOR SURE...WILL GO AHEAD AND CARRY 20% POPS ACROSS THE ENTIRE CWA 18Z MONDAY THROUGH 06Z TUESDAY. AS FOR SEVERE WEATHER CHANCES THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...WILL CONTINUE TO DISREGARD THE OPERATIONAL GFS WHICH SUGGESTS SURFACE DEW POINTS IN THE MID 70S WILL BE REALIZED ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE CWA THIS AFTERNOON. BOIVERIFY SUGGESTS BCCONSALL CONTINUES TO BE A GOOD PERFORMER WITH RESPECT TO SURFACE DEW POINTS ACROSS OUR AREA AND THIS SET OF GUIDANCE SUGGESTS AFTERNOON DEW POINTS WILL REMAIN GENERALLY IN THE LOW TO MID 60S ACROSS OUR AREA...WITH PERHAPS A FEW UPPER 60 READINGS ACROSS OUR EAST...WHICH IS ALSO WHAT THE NAM CONTINUES TO SUGGEST. FOLLOWING CLOSER TO THE NAM WOULD ALSO SUGGEST 0-1KM MLCAPE VALUES OF ~1000J/KG WILL BE IN PLACE ACROSS THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. NOT THAT THESE POTENTIAL INSTABILITY VALUES ARE SOMETHING TO GET OVERLY EXCITED ABOUT BUT WITH THE UPPER LEVEL JET AXIS OVER THE AREA...DEEP LAYER BULK SHEAR VALUES ON THE ORDER OF 40KTS WILL ALSO LIKELY BE PRESENT. ALTHOUGH INITIAL UPDRAFT STRENGTH WILL LIKELY BE MARGINAL AT BEST FOR LARGE HAIL PRODUCTION...THE ROTATIONAL POTENTIAL OF SAID UPDRAFT MAY ENHANCE IT ENOUGH FOR A BETTER HAIL THREAT. GIVEN ALL THIS...IT STILL SEEMS POSSIBLE THAT UPDRAFT STRENGTH COULD BE STRONG ENOUGH TO SUPPORT LARGE HAIL AND AS A RESULT...WILL GO AHEAD AND CONTINUE TO OUTLOOK THE AREA FOR POSSIBLE SEVERE WEATHER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. LOSS OF DIABATIC HEATING POST-SUNSET SHOULD KILL ANY CONVECTION BEYOND 03Z THIS EVENING...WITH AN OVERALL LACK IN KINEMATIC FORCING LIKELY PROVIDING DRY CONDITIONS TO THE AREA 03Z- 18Z TUESDAY. GUIDANCE FROM THE NAM...OPERATIONAL GFS...AND EC ALL SUGGEST A MORE SIGNIFICANT MID LEVEL SHORT WAVE WILL PUSH INTO SOUTH CENTRAL CANADA AND PORTIONS OF THE NORTH CENTRAL CONUS TUESDAY INTO TUESDAY NIGHT. A RESULTANT AREA OF SURFACE LOW PRESSURE IS EXPECTED TO PUSH ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY DURING THE SAME TIME PERIOD...WITH AN ASSOCIATED SURFACE COLD FRONT EXPECTED TO SWEEP ACROSS NEBRASKA. AT THIS TIME THE LOW LEVEL BAROCLINIC ZONE IS EXPECTED TO NEAR NORTH/NORTHWESTERN PORTIONS OF OUR CWA BY 00Z WEDNESDAY...LIKELY CLEARING THE ENTIRE CWA BY 12Z WEDNESDAY. SURFACE-BASED CONVECTION WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THE VICINITY OF THIS LOW LEVEL BAROCLINIC ZONE ACROSS OUR NORTH/NORTHWEST BY LATE AFTERNOON TUESDAY...WITH ADDITIONAL CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY PERHAPS SPREADING SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE CWA HEADING INTO THE EVENING AND OVERNIGHT HOURS TUESDAY. GIVEN ALL THIS...WILL GO AHEAD WITH 20%-30% POPS ACROSS THE CWA 21Z TUESDAY THROUGH 12Z WEDNESDAY. POOLING OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AHEAD OF THE LOW LEVEL BAROCLINIC ZONE...AS SUGGESTED BY THE NAM...MAY ACTUALLY HELP TO INCREASE POTENTIAL INSTABILITY ACROSS OUR AREA WHEN COMPARED TO MONDAY...WITH THE NAM SUGGESTING 0-1KM MLCAPE VALUES ON THE ORDER OF 1500J/KG POSSIBLE TUESDAY AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING HOURS. IN ADDITION...DEEP LAYER BULK SHEAR VALUES OF AROUND 35KTS WILL ALSO BE IN EXISTENCE. GIVEN ALL THIS...WILL CONTINUE THE SEVERE WEATHER MENTION IN THE HWO FOR TUESDAY. A COOLER AND DRIER AIRMASS WILL SETTLE IN ACROSS THE AREA BEHIND THE LOW LEVEL BAROCLINIC ZONE WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT...AND AN OVERALL LACK IN KINEMATIC FORCING SHOULD PRESENT DRY CONDITIONS TO OUR AREA 12Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH 12Z THURSDAY. AN EASTERLY COMPONENT TO THE LOW LEVEL WIND FIELD AND A SLIGHTLY COOLER AIRMASS WILL PRESENT COOLER CONDITIONS TO THE AREA TODAY WHEN COMPARED TO SUNDAY...WITH AFTERNOON HIGHS IN THE LOW TO MID 90S EXPECTED THROUGH MOST LOCATIONS. WARMER WEATHER AHEAD OF THE APPROACHING LOW LEVEL BAROCLINIC ZONE WILL LIKELY PRESENT AFTERNOON HIGHS IN THE MID TO UPPER 90S ON TUESDAY. THE COOLER AIRMASS ON WEDNESDAY WILL LIKELY KEEP AFTERNOON HIGHS IN THE 80S TO FINISH OUT THE SHORT TERM FORECAST PERIOD. OVERNIGHT LOWS IN THE 60S WILL REMAIN THE NORM MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY NIGHT...WITH THE COOLER AIRMASS LIKELY PROMOTING TEMPERATURES IN THE 50S WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY MORNING. .LONG TERM...THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. PRIMARY FORECAST CONCERNS LIE WITH END OF THE WEEK PRECIPITATION CHANCES...AND TEMPERATURES. THE START OF THE LONG TERM PERIOD SHOWS MODELS NOT IN TOO BAD OF AGREEMENT WITH THE PATTERN ACROSS THE CONUS...WHICH REMAINS ZONAL...SET UP BETWEEN BROAD HIGH PRESSURE EXTENDING ACROSS THE DESERT SW AND SRN PLAINS...WHILE A LARGE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM SPINS OVER CENTRAL CANADA. THROUGH THE END OF THE WORK WEEK...PRECIPITATION CHANCES CONTINUE ACROSS THE CWA...DRIVEN BY A COUPLE OF DISTURBANCES ASSOCIATED WITH THAT CANADIAN LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM. THE FIRST ONE LOOKS TO AFFECT THE AREA MAINLY ON THURSDAY/THURSDAY NIGHT...ALSO PUSHING A SURFACE BOUNDARY INTO ROUGHLY THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE CWA DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS. THE SECOND DISTURBANCE...DIVING BASICALLY STRAIGHT SOUTH OUT OF CANADA...AFFECTS THE AREA MAINLY FRIDAY/FRIDAY EVENING. KEPT POPS CWA-WIDE THURS/THURS NIGHT/FRI...WITH ONLY A FEW LINGERING POPS INTO FRIDAY NIGHT ACROSS NC KS...AND IF CURRENT MODEL TRENDS CONTINUES...THOSE FRIDAY EVENING/NIGHT POPS COULD BE REMOVED. AS MENTIONED...THURSDAY SEE THE INITIAL FRONT MOVE INTO THE CWA...BUT THAT SECOND DISTURBANCE WILL USHER IN A REINFORCING COLD FRONT...ACCOMPANIED BY THE COOLER/DRIER AIR FOR FRIDAY. FORECAST HIGHS FOR THURSDAY SIT IN THE 80S...WHILE FRIDAY IS IN THE MID 70S/LOWER 80S. WILL KEEP THE MENTION OF SOME STRONG/SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS GOING FOR THIS PERIOD WITH MODELS CONTINUING TO SHOW THE POTENTIAL FOR DECENT INSTABILITY/SHEAR IN THE AREA. PLEASANT CONDITIONS ON TAP FOR THE UPCOMING WEEKEND...WITH MODELS DEPICT DRIER NORTHWESTERLY FLOW SETTING UP IN THE UPPER LEVELS ACROSS THE CENTRAL PLAINS...SITTING BETWEEN THE TROUGH/LOW OVER THE GREAT LAKES AND MIDWEST...WHILE RIDGING BUILDS INTO THE ROCKIES. HIGH PRESSURE LOOKS TO BE THE PRIMARY PLAYER AT THE SURFACE...BUILDING IN FROM THE NORTHWEST BEHIND THE END OF THE WORK WEEK FRONTAL PASSAGE. EXPECTING TO SEE PLENTY OF SUNSHINE...WITH FAIRLY LIGHT WINDS /ESP ON SAT/. THE AREA OF SFC HIGH PRESSURE LOOKS TO BE CENTERED RIGHT OVER THE CWA ON SATURDAY...BEFORE SLIDING OFF SLIGHTLY TO THE EAST ON SUNDAY...AND EXPECTING SATURDAY TO BE A TOUCH COOLER THAN SUNDAY. CURRENT FORECAST HIGHS ON SATURDAY SIT IN THE MID 70S...WITH SUNDAY CREEPING UP INTO THE UPPER 70S TO LOWER 80S...BOTH DAYS FEELING PRETTY NICE WITH DEWPOINTS LOOKING TO BE IN THE 40S FOR MOST LOCATIONS. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 1222 AM CDT MON SEP 3 2012/ AVIATION...06Z KGRI TAF. VFR CONDITIONS TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE NEXT 24 HOURS. INCREASING MID TO HIGH LEVEL CLOUDS WILL BE OBSERVED AT THE TERMINAL DURING THE DAY MONDAY...BUT NOTHING BELOW 10000FT AGL CURRENTLY FORECAST. SURFACE WINDS WILL REMAIN LIGHT AND VARIABLE THROUGH 14Z...THEN BECOMING MORE ESTABLISHED FROM THE EAST AT AROUND 12KTS BEFORE ONCE AGAIN BECOMING LIGHT AND VARIABLE AROUND 02Z. ISOLATED SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE AT THE TERMINAL THROUGH THE NEXT 24 HOURS...BUT CHANCES OF MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION ACTUALLY BEING REALIZED AT KGRI ARE TOO LOW FOR INSERTION INTO THE TAF AT THIS TIME. VISIBILITY RESTRICTIONS ARE NOT EXPECTED THROUGH THE NEXT 24 HOURS. && .GID WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NE...NONE. KS...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM/AVIATION...BRYANT LONG TERM...ADO
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...RETRANSMITTED
NWS RALEIGH NC
805 PM EDT TUE SEP 4 2012 .SYNOPSIS... A WARM AND MOIST AIRMASS WILL PERSIST OVER THE AREA THROUGH THURSDAY... AS A LINGERING TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE HOLDS OVERHEAD. A DRIER AIR MASS WILL MOVE IN LATE IN THE WEEK...BUT A STRONG LOW PRESSURE AREA WILL APPROACH FROM THE WEST OVER THE WEEKEND... BRINGING A RETURN TO UNSETTLED WEATHER. && .NEAR TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 805 PM TUESDAY... THE LATEST SURFACE ANALYSIS SHOWED A WEAK SURFACE TROUGH OVER THE FAR WESTERN PIEDMONT...ALSO SHOWING UP ON MSAS AS AN AREA OF WEAK SURFACE CONVERGENCE. HOWEVER...PARTIALLY DUE TO LIMITED INSTABILITY...A RELATIVE MINIMUM OF THAT IN VICINITY OF THE TROUGH ON THE LATEST MSAS...STORMS WERE HAVING A HARD TIME BECOMING ROBUST. WHERE THE GREATER INSTABILITY WAS OVER THE COASTAL PLAIN...WITH MSAS LIFTED INDEX VALUES NEARLY TO -5C...SLIGHTLY DRIER AIR AND MORE OVERALL CIN AS NOTED ON NEAR-TERM NAM AND GFS BUFR SOUNDINGS WERE LIKELY CONTRIBUTING TO SCANT DEVELOPMENT AS OF THIS WRITING. OVERNIGHT...BOTH THE 18Z AND THE LATEST RAP DIMINISH LIFT BY 06Z... AND EVEN THE GFS...WITH QPF LINGERING LONGER THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT DESPITE STABILIZING BUFR SOUNDINGS IN CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA...HAS 850MB LIFT DIMINISHING AS CONVERGENCE ALOFT INCREASES. THE LATEST RADAR TRENDS SUPPORT THE LATEST HRRR WRF...WITH MUCH OF THE DEEP CONVECTION HAVING DIMINISHED BY 05Z. HIGHER PRECIPITABLE WATER AIR SPREADS EAST OVERNIGHT...SO THAT BY 12Z BASICALLY ALL OF CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA IS IN A SIMILAR AIR MASS WITH PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES AROUND TWO INCHES AND K INDICES AT OR APPROACHING THE MID 30S. SURFACE-BASED AND DCAPE VALUES FALL...AND THE NAM ACTUALLY SEEMS TO FORECAST A SLIGHT INCREASE IN SURFACE RIDGING THAT MAY HELP TO LIMIT DEVELOPMENT OVERNIGHT. IN THE MOIST AIR MASS...AND WITH A SHEAR AXIS ALOFT OR JUST OFF TO OUR WEST... WILL CONTINUE THE ISOLATED SHOWERS OVERNIGHT IN THE FORECAST...BUT CURRENTLY IT IS EXPECTED MOST LOCATIONS LATE TONIGHT SHOULD REMAIN DRY. SREF PROBABILITIES OF VISIBILITIES BELOW 3 MILES ARE LIMITED OVERNIGHT...IN CONCERT WITH THE LATEST MOS GUIDANCE...WHILE SREF PROBABILITIES OF LOW CLOUDS ARE MOSTLY ABOVE 50 PERCENT BY 12Z WEDNESDAY. THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH THE LATEST GFS AND NAM BUFR SOUNDINGS. SHOULD BE PATCHY FOG AT BEST TOWARD THE COASTAL PLAIN WHERE THE INCREASING CLOUDS SHOULD BE NOTED LATER...WITH FOG LIMITED BY SOME WIND...ALBEIT LIGHT...CONTINUING OVERNIGHT. OVERNIGHT LOWS NEAR PERSISTENCE...MAINLY 70 TO 73. -DJF WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT: STRONG DAYTIME HEATING WILL SERVE TO RENEW CONVECTIVE INITIATION ACROSS CENTRAL NC WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON...FOCUSED ALONG THE LINGERING SUBTROPICAL MOISTURE PLUME CONFINED WITHIN THE LOWER-MID LEVEL TROUGH AXIS RESIDING OVER THE AREA. VERY SIMILAR TO THE PAST FEW DAYS...THE MAIN CONCERN WILL BE FROM TRAINING...HEAVY RAIN PRODUCING THUNDERSTORMS...WITH A SECONDARY/ISOLATED SEVERE THREAT DUE TO WEAK WINDS ALOFT AND WEAK FORCING. HIGHS WILL DEPEND ON HOW SOON WE GET CONVECTION TO POP...BUT WESTERN PIEDMONT PORTIONS OF THE AREA SHOULD BE A GOOD 2 TO 3 DEGREES COOLER THAN CENTRAL AND EASTERN AREAS WITH DELAYED HEATING FROM SLOWER BREAKUP/BURN OFF OF MORNING STRATUS/FOG. HIGHS IN THE MID 80S NW TO NEAR 90 JUST ABOUT EVERYWHERE ELSE. LOWS WEDNESDAY NIGHT THE LOWER 70S WITH AREAS OF STRATUS AND FOG. -CBL && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 230 PM TUESDAY... UNSETTLED WEATHER WILL LIKELY PERSIST ACROSS CENTRAL NC THROUGH THE SHORT TERM PERIOD AS WEAK TROUGHING...BOTH ALOFT AND AT THE SURFACE...REMAINS OVER THE AREA. THIS COMBINED WITH AMPLE MOISTURE (PWAT VALUES EXCEEDING 2 INCHES) AND A MODERATELY UNSTABLE AIR MASS WILL RESULT IN SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...MAINLY DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS. AT THIS TIME...AM EXPECTING GOOD CHANCES AREAWIDE ON THURSDAY...WITH THE BEST COVERAGE THEN SHIFTING TO THE EAST FOR THURSDAY AS SLIGHTLY DRIER AIR MOVES IN BEHIND THE AFOREMENTIONED SURFACE TROUGH. THE MAIN THREAT IS EXPECTED TO BE HEAVY RAIN THAT COULD LEAD TO SOME FLOODING...ESPECIALLY IN URBAN AREAS...HOWEVER AN ISOLATED SEVERE STORM (WITH THE MAIN THREAT BEING DAMAGING WIND) CANNOT BE COMPLETELY RULED OUT. HIGH TEMPS WILL BE NEAR NORMAL TO SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL...GENERALLY IN THE MID/UPPER 80S TO NEAR 90 DEGREES...WITH OVERNIGHT LOWS RUNNING SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL...GENERALLY IN THE UPPER 60S TO LOWER 70S. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 230 PM TUESDAY... AN UNSETTLED WEATHER PATTERN IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH MUCH OF THE LONG TERM PERIOD. A SHORT WAVE COMING OUT OF CENTRAL CANADA WILL QUICKLY AMPLIFY AS IT MOVES ACROSS THE MIDWEST ON SATURDAY AND EVENTUALLY BECOME CUTOFF OVER THE TN/OH VALLEY LATE IN THE WEEKEND/EARLY NEXT WEEK. THIS WILL LEAVE CENTRAL NC IN DEEP SOUTHWESTERLY/MOIST FLOW AND COMBINED WITH INCREASINGLY DIVERGENT FLOW ALOFT...WE SHOULD SEE A PROLONGED PERIOD OF GOOD PRECIP CHANCES THROUGH AT LEAST THE END OF THE WEEKEND. AS CAN BE EXPECTED THIS FAR OUT...THERE ARE LOCATION...TIMING AND STRENGTH DIFFERENCES (ESPECIALLY WITH HOW TO HANDLE THE EASTWARD PROGRESSION OF THE CUT OFF UPPER LOW EARLY NEXT WEEK)...BUT WILL BEGIN TO TAPER POPS DOWNWARD LATE SUNDAY AND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. THERE ARE STILL FAIRLY STRONG INDICATIONS THAT COOLER AND DRIER AIR SHOULD ARRIVE SOMETIME EARLY NEXT WEEK AS THE RATHER DEEP TROUGH/CUT OFF LOW DEVELOPS AND EVENTUALLY MOVES EAST OF THE AREA...RESULTING IN DEEP NORTHWESTERLY FLOW ACROSS THE REGION. OVERALL...TEMPS WILL BE NEAR NORMAL EARLY ON IN THE PERIOD BEFORE TRENDING BELOW NORMAL AS INCREASED PRECIP CHANCES AND THE DEEP TROUGH/ASSOCIATED SURFACE FRONT APPROACH AND MOVE THROUGH THE REGION. && .AVIATION /00Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... AS OF 745 PM TUESDAY... CONFIDENCE IS HIGH THAT AVIATION CONDITIONS WILL DETERIORATE AFTER NIGHTFALL... AND PARTICULARLY AFTER MIDNIGHT... AT ALL CENTRAL NC TERMINAL FORECAST SITES. THE RISK OF A SHOWER OR ISOLATED STORM WILL PERSIST NEAR INT/GSO THROUGH 04Z BUT THE CHANCE WILL QUICKLY DIMINISH AFTER 02Z. ELSEWHERE AT RDU/FAY/RWI... THE CHANCE OF A SHOWER OR STORM FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE NIGHT IS VERY SMALL. AFTER 04Z... THE RECENT RAINS AND RESULTANT WET GROUND COMBINED WITH VERY LIGHT WIND FROM THE SE OR SOUTH WILL FAVOR DEVELOPMENT OF LOW STRATUS AFTER MIDNIGHT. SREF AVIATION PROBABILITIES SHOW A VERY GOOD CHANCE OF CIGS UNDER 1 KFT OVERNIGHT... ESPECIALLY AT INT/GSO... AND FORECAST SOUNDINGS SUGGEST THAT CIGS COULD BE LOWER THAN 600 FT AGL. EXPECT AROUND A 200-500 FT CIG AT ALL SITES AFTER 07Z OR 08Z TONIGHT... HOLDING THROUGH AROUND 13Z WHEN THE CLOUDS WILL BEGIN TO LIFT AND MIX OUT TO SCATTERED. VSBYS WILL BE GENERALLY MVFR BETWEEN 07Z AND 13Z... ALTHOUGH VSBYS COULD GET LOWER AT TOWERS... AS CIGS LOWER. VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO RETURN AFTER 13Z OR 14Z WEDNESDAY MORNING. THE CHANCE FOR STORMS WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE HIGH ENOUGH TO INCLUDE AS A PREVAILING CONDITION AT THIS TIME... BUT THE MOST LIKELY LOCATION OF ANY STORMS WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON WILL BE AT INT/GSO/RDU. LOOKING BEYOND 00Z THURSDAY (WEDNESDAY EVENING)... ANOTHER ROUND OF LOW CIGS AND VSBYS IS EXPECTED LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY MORNING AREAWIDE. WE MAY SEE A BRIEF RESPITE FROM THE DAILY SLOW-MOVING HEAVY-RAIN-PRODUCING STORMS FROM FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY... HOWEVER MORE RAIN AND STORMS ARE EXPECTED SUNDAY. -GIH && .RAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...HARTFIELD NEAR TERM....DJF/CBL SHORT TERM...KRR LONG TERM...KRR AVIATION...HARTFIELD
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CHARLESTON WV
147 PM EDT MON SEP 3 2012 .SYNOPSIS... THE REMNANTS OF ISAAC WILL EFFECT THE REGION THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT. BRIEF DRY AIR CAN BE EXPECTED FOR WEDNESDAY. A WEAK COLD FRONT ARRIVES THURSDAY...FOLLOWED BY LOW PRESSURE FOR NEXT WEEKEND. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... 1030 AM UPDATE. CONFIDENCE LOW TO MEDIUM. HAVE INCREASED POPS IN THE EAST THIS AFTERNOON AND MAINTAINED FF WATCH IN THE NORTH. WILL TWEAK TEMPS DOWN JUST A BIT IN THE WEST WITH THE CLOUDS. VERY TROPICAL AND MOIST ADIABATIC ATMOSPHERE WITH PW`S ABOVE 2 INCHES SUGGESTS THAT IT WILL NOT TAKE MUCH TO INITIATE CONVECTION DUE TO HEATING AND ANY VORT MAX ROTATING AROUND THE REMAINS OF ISAAC CENTERED OVER CENTRAL KENTUCKY AT TIME. PROBLEM IS THE LARGE SHIELD OF CLOUDS REMAINING OVER THE CWA FROM RAPIDLY DYING ELEVATED INDUCED SHOWERS FROM THE WEST...AND IN TRYING TO DETERMINE THE MODEL INDICATED VORT MAXES THAT WILL BE ENOUGH TO FORCE CONVECTION IN SPITE OF THE CLOUDS. CURRENT INDICATIONS BY SATELLITE AND RADAR ARE THAT SUNSHINE WILL BE LIMITED THIS AFTERNOON SINCE ANY DECREASE IN MID LEVEL CLOUDS WILL QUICKLY BE REPLACED BY A CU SHIELD...WITH BEST BREAKS IN THE EAST. BOTTOM LINE IS THAT POPS IN THE WEST WILL NOT BE REDUCED GIVEN UNCERTAINTY AND RAISED IN THE EAST WITH MORE CLOUD BREAKS. ANY STORM COULD PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN. 630AM UPDATE... TWEAKED POPS TO ACCOUNT FOR ONGOING PCPN BAND ACROSS SE OH. STILL LOOKING FOR AFTN DEVELOPMENT AFTER SOME OF THE CLDS BURN OFF SOME. LATEST HRRR SHOWS THIS DEVELOPMENT ARND 18Z ACROSS W AND S...AND ROTATING THRU LATER IN AFTN. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION BELOW... CIRCULATION WITH ISAAC TO SLOWLY CONT TO MOVE SE THRU C KY AND TN IN THE NEAR TERM. AS IT DOES SO IT WILL ALSO CONT TO WEAKEN...OPENING UP INTO A BROAD TROF TONIGHT. STILL ROLLING WITH CONSENSUS PLACEMENT OF H5 VORT/MID LVL DEFORMATION AXIS FOR PLACEMENT AND TIMING OF POPS FROM BANDS SPIRALING INTO AREA. ONE SUCH BAND CONT TO WEAKEN ACROSS EASTERN KY...STRUGGLING TO MAKE MUCH E PROGRESS. THINK SOME ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT MAY FORM JUST AHEAD OF WHAT IS LEFT OF THIS BAND WITH LINGERING INSTABILITY NOTED ACROSS THE CWA. WILL FINESSE DETERMINISTIC POPS FOR THIS EARLY MORNING WITH THIS THINKING IN MIND...HOLDING CAT AND LKLY POPS ACROSS W AND S ZONES. TRACK THIS N THRU CWA AFTER SUNRISE WITH YET ANOTHER BAND POISED TO ROTATE THRU LATER IN THE DAY. AS SUCH DONT EXPECT WASHOUT OF A DAY...WITH SOME LULLS IN BETWEEN. QPF TDY DEPENDENT ON HOW CONVECTIVE THE ACTION IS. WITH PWATS STILL RUNNING ABV 2 INCHES...POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR SOME LCL 1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAIN...WITH A GENERAL HALF INCH TO INCH EXPECTED MOST PLACES. FFG CONT TO RUN ON HIGH SIDE ACROSS NE KY DOWN THRU SW WV AND SW VA WITH LWR VALUES ACROSS SE OH INTO C AND N WV. IT IS THIS AREA THAT IS OF CONCERN...AS 1.5 TO 2.5 INCHES OF RAIN FELL THERE YESTERDAY. GIVEN THAT...AND ENOUGH CONFIDENCE ON PLACEMENT OF VORT THIS AFTN AND EVE ACROSS ESPECIALLY SE OH...WILL HOIST A FLASH FLOOD WATCH THRU THIS EVENING FOR NORTHERN TIER OF CO FROM PERRY TO HARRISON. EXPECT ACTION TO WANE AFTER SUNSET WITH LOSS OF HEATING. HOWEVER WITH A COUPLE MORE SPOKES PROGGED ON MDLS TO MOVE THRU OVERNIGHT TONIGHT...KEPT SOME CHC POPS IN. THINK SOME LOW STRATUS WILL BE IN THE CARDS TONIGHT AS WELL...LESS SO PERHAPS OVER C WV DUE TO WEAK DOWNSLOPING. GUIDANCE TIGHTLY CLUSTERED FOR TEMPS...SO ROLLED WITH A BLEND. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... MOISTURE FROM ISAAC REMAINS OVER THE AREA ON TUESDAY. MODEL SOUNDINGS CONTINUE TO LOOK VERY UNSTABLE. THEREFORE WILL GO WITH LIKELY POPS DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS. THE MOISTURE FINALLY PUSHES EAST OF THE AREA TUESDAY NIGHT AND EARLY WEDNESDAY. THEREFORE...WILL REMOVE POPS ON WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. A WEAK MOISTURE STARVED COLD FRONT PUSHES INTO THE AREA ON THURSDAY. PRECIPITATION LOOKS VERY IFFY...SO WILL KEEP ONLY VERY SMALL POPS WITH THE FRONT. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... SOME RESIDUAL MOISTURE REMAINS IN PLACES AS WEAK SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OVER THE FORECAST AREA. BY DAY 7 MODELS SHOW SHOW SOME MODEST SPREAD WITH TROUGH DIGGING INTO THE UPPER MIDWEST WITH BAROCLINIC APPROACHING FROM THE WEST. BOTH GFS AND EURO MODEL GENERALLY CLOSE WITH TIMING THE NEXT FEATURE ACROSS. FOLLOWED HPC POP AND TEMP TRENDS WITH MINOR ADJUSTMENTS. && .AVIATION /18Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... 18Z MONDAY THRU 18Z TUESDAY... THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON...VFR CEILINGS OUTSIDE CONVECTION. CONVECTION INCREASES WITH SFC HEATING...ESPECIALLY IN THE MOUNTAINS. THUS INSERTED TEMPO GROUPS FOR THUNDER...ESPECIALLY MOUNTAINS. TONIGHT...ACTIVITY WANES WITH SUNSET BUT STILL SCATTERED CONVECTION OVERNIGHT...ESPECIALLY MOUNTAINS. GRADUALLY BRING CIGS DOWN INTO MVFR RANGE AS LLVL MOISTURE SHIELD ENCROACHES UPON THE AREA. COULD ALSO SEE SOME IFR CIGS ON THE EASTERN SLOPES ON SE UPSLOPE FLOW AND IN PROTECTED VALLEYS THAT RECEIVE RAIN. AFTER 12Z TUESDAY...BECOMING VFR CEILINGS BY 15Z. WIDELY SCATTERED TO SCATTERED CONVECTION CONTINUES...INCREASING AFTER 18Z. FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND ALTERNATE SCENARIOS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY... FORECAST CONFIDENCE: LOW TO MEDIUM. ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: TIMING OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS COULD VARY. STRATUS AND FOG TONIGHT COULD VARY. EXPERIMENTAL TABLE OF FLIGHT CATEGORY OBJECTIVELY SHOWS CONSISTENCY OF WFO FORECAST TO AVAILABLE MODEL INFORMATION: H = HIGH: TAF CONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL. M = MEDIUM: TAF HAS VARYING LEVEL OF CONSISTENCY WITH MODELS. L = LOW: TAF INCONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL. UTC 1HRLY 18 19 20 21 22 23 00 01 02 03 04 05 EDT 1HRLY 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 00 01 CRW CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H H H H HTS CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H H H H BKW CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H H M M EKN CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H H H H PKB CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H H H H CKB CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H H H M AFTER 18Z TUESDAY... IFR IN HEAVY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE WITH THE REMNANTS OF TROPICAL STORM ISAAC AT TIMES THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT. && .RLX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WV...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 11 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR WVZ010-011- 020-031. OH...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 11 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR OHZ066-067- 076. KY...NONE. VA...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...RPY/30 NEAR TERM...JMV/30 SHORT TERM...RPY LONG TERM...KMC AVIATION...JMV
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CHARLESTON WV
629 AM EDT MON SEP 3 2012 .SYNOPSIS... THE REMNANTS OF ISAAC WILL EFFECT THE REGION THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT. BRIEF DRY AIR CAN BE EXPECTED FOR WEDNESDAY. A WEAK COLD FRONT ARRIVES THURSDAY...FOLLOWED BY LOW PRESSURE FOR NEXT WEEKEND. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... 630AM UPDATE... TWEAKED POPS TO ACCOUNT FOR ONGOING PCPN BAND ACROSS SE OH. STILL LOOKING FOR AFTN DEVELOPMENT AFTER SOME OF THE CLDS BURN OFF SOME. LATEST HRRR SHOWS THIS DEVELOPMENT ARND 18Z ACROSS W AND S...AND ROTATING THRU LATER IN AFTN. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION BELOW... CIRCULATION WITH ISAAC TO SLOWLY CONT TO MOVE SE THRU C KY AND TN IN THE NEAR TERM. AS IT DOES SO IT WILL ALSO CONT TO WEAKEN...OPENING UP INTO A BROAD TROF TONIGHT. STILL ROLLING WITH CONSENSUS PLACEMENT OF H5 VORT/MID LVL DEFORMATION AXIS FOR PLACEMENT AND TIMING OF POPS FROM BANDS SPIRALING INTO AREA. ONE SUCH BAND CONT TO WEAKEN ACROSS EASTERN KY...STRUGGLING TO MAKE MUCH E PROGRESS. THINK SOME ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT MAY FORM JUST AHEAD OF WHAT IS LEFT OF THIS BAND WITH LINGERING INSTABILITY NOTED ACROSS THE CWA. WILL FINESSE DETERMINISTIC POPS FOR THIS EARLY MORNING WITH THIS THINKING IN MIND...HOLDING CAT AND LKLY POPS ACROSS W AND S ZONES. TRACK THIS N THRU CWA AFTER SUNRISE WITH YET ANOTHER BAND POISED TO ROTATE THRU LATER IN THE DAY. AS SUCH DONT EXPECT WASHOUT OF A DAY...WITH SOME LULLS IN BETWEEN. QPF TDY DEPENDENT ON HOW CONVECTIVE THE ACTION IS. WITH PWATS STILL RUNNING ABV 2 INCHES...POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR SOME LCL 1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAIN...WITH A GENERAL HALF INCH TO INCH EXPECTED MOST PLACES. FFG CONT TO RUN ON HIGH SIDE ACROSS NE KY DOWN THRU SW WV AND SW VA WITH LWR VALUES ACROSS SE OH INTO C AND N WV. IT IS THIS AREA THAT IS OF CONCERN...AS 1.5 TO 2.5 INCHES OF RAIN FELL THERE YESTERDAY. GIVEN THAT...AND ENOUGH CONFIDENCE ON PLACEMENT OF VORT THIS AFTN AND EVE ACROSS ESPECIALLY SE OH...WILL HOIST A FLASH FLOOD WATCH THRU THIS EVENING FOR NORTHERN TIER OF CO FROM PERRY TO HARRISON. EXPECT ACTION TO WANE AFTER SUNSET WITH LOSS OF HEATING. HOWEVER WITH A COUPLE MORE SPOKES PROGGED ON MDLS TO MOVE THRU OVERNIGHT TONIGHT...KEPT SOME CHC POPS IN. THINK SOME LOW STRATUS WILL BE IN THE CARDS TONIGHT AS WELL...LESS SO PERHAPS OVER C WV DUE TO WEAK DOWNSLOPING. GUIDANCE TIGHTLY CLUSTERED FOR TEMPS...SO ROLLED WITH A BLEND. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... MOISTURE FROM ISAAC REMAINS OVER THE AREA ON TUESDAY. MODEL SOUNDINGS CONTINUE TO LOOK VERY UNSTABLE. THEREFORE WILL GO WITH LIKELY POPS DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS. THE MOISTURE FINALLY PUSHES EAST OF THE AREA TUESDAY NIGHT AND EARLY WEDNESDAY. THEREFORE...WILL REMOVE POPS ON WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. A WEAK MOISTURE STARVED COLD FRONT PUSHES INTO THE AREA ON THURSDAY. PRECIPITATION LOOKS VERY IFFY...SO WILL KEEP ONLY VERY SMALL POPS WITH THE FRONT. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... SOME RESIDUAL MOISTURE REMAINS IN PLACES AS WEAK SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OVER THE FORECAST AREA. BY DAY 7 MODELS SHOW SHOW SOME MODEST SPREAD WITH TROUGH DIGGING INTO THE UPPER MIDWEST WITH BAROCLINIC APPROACHING FROM THE WEST. BOTH GFS AND EURO MODEL GENERALLY CLOSE WITH TIMING THE NEXT FEATURE ACROSS. FOLLOWED HPC POP AND TEMP TRENDS WITH MINOR ADJUSTMENTS. && .AVIATION /12Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... GENERALLY PREDOMINATE VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGH THIS AFTN. FG AT KEKN SHOULD BURN OFF BY 13Z. WIDESPREAD SHRA ASSOCIATED WITH CIRCULATION WILL STRUGGLE TO MAKE INROADS E INTO THE AREA THIS MORNING. EVEN SO...STILL THINK SCT SHRA A GOOD BET THIS MORNING...ESPECIALLY ALONG AND W OF OH RVR. HAVE SOME VCSH IN MOST TAF SITES. AS DAY PROGRESSES...EXPECT COVERAGE TO INCREASE ONCE AGAIN AIDED ON SFC HEATING. KEPT VFR SHRA VCTS AT THIS DISTANCE THOUGH AS CONFIDENCE ON TIMING OF ANY TERMINAL GETTING HIT IS LOW. ACTIVITY WANES WITH SUNSET BUT STILL ISO TO SCT SHRA EXPECTED TONIGHT. GRADUALLY BRING CIGS DOWN INTO MVFR RANGE AS LLVL MOISTURE SHIELD ENCROACHES UPON THE AREA. ENOUGH DOWNSLOPING MAY EXIST THOUGH TO KEEP KCRW/KCKB IN LOW VFR. COULD ALSO SEE SOME IFR CIGS ON THE EASTERN SLOPES ON SE UPSLOPE FLOW. THE FLOW ALOFT WILL BECOME MODERATE TDY...WHEN SOME GUSTS ARE POSSIBLE AT BKW. FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND ALTERNATE SCENARIOS THROUGH 12Z TUESDAY... FORECAST CONFIDENCE: MEDIUM TO HIGH. ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: TIMING OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS COULD VARY. STRATUS TONIGHT COULD VARY. EXPERIMENTAL TABLE OF FLIGHT CATEGORY OBJECTIVELY SHOWS CONSISTENCY OF WFO FORECAST TO AVAILABLE MODEL INFORMATION: H = HIGH: TAF CONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL. M = MEDIUM: TAF HAS VARYING LEVEL OF CONSISTENCY WITH MODELS. L = LOW: TAF INCONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL. UTC 1HRLY 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 EDT 1HRLY 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 CRW CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H H H H HTS CONSISTENCY H H H H M H H H H H H H BKW CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H H H H EKN CONSISTENCY M M L H H H H H H H H H PKB CONSISTENCY L L H H H H H M H H H H CKB CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H M H H H H AFTER 12Z TUESDAY... IFR IN HEAVY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE WITH THE REMNANTS OF TROPICAL STORM ISAAC AT TIMES THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT. && .RLX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WV...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THIS EVENING FOR WVZ010-011-020-031. OH...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THIS EVENING FOR OHZ066-067-076. KY...NONE. VA...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...RPY/30 NEAR TERM...30 SHORT TERM...RPY LONG TERM...KMC AVIATION...30
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS WILMINGTON OH
222 AM EDT MON SEP 3 2012 .SYNOPSIS... LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE SLOWLY EASTWARD THROUGH THE OHIO VALLEY ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY. A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE AREA ON WEDNESDAY...WITH HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING IN FOR THE END OF THE WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM THIS MORNING/... BROKEN BAND OF SHOWERS ARC FROM NEAR RICHMOND INDIANA...DOWN TO EAST OF CINCINNATI TO NR JACKSON KY IS FORECAST TO CONTINUE TO PIVOT N TO NE OVERNIGHT. LATEST RUNS OF THE RAP AND NAM MODELS ARE SUGGESTING THAT IT WILL WEAKEN/BREAK UP AS THE NIGHT PROGRESSES...SO TRENDED THE FORECAST THAT WAY. KEPT SOME HIGHER CHC POPS IN THE S BY 12Z...WITH MAINLY SLIGHT CHC POPS IN THE N. DIDNT ADJUST LOWS FOR TONIGHT AS THEY LOOK ON TRACK. KEPT THEM IN THE UPPER 60S TO LOWER 70S. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM THIS MORNING THROUGH 6 PM TUESDAY/... THE EXPECTED EASTWARD MOVEMENT OF THE WEAKENING SURFACE LOW APPEARS SLOWER ON THE MODEL RUNS TODAY...NECESSITATING LIKELY POPS AT ALL LOCATIONS ON MONDAY AFTERNOON. THE ATMOSPHERIC MOISTURE SITUATION WILL NOT CHANGE MUCH...SO HEAVY RAIN WILL AGAIN BE A POSSIBILITY. AS POST-ISAAC DISSOLVES AND BECOMES ABSORBED IN THE MEAN FLOW...THERE ARE SOME SLIGHT TIMING DISAGREEMENTS IN HOW QUICKLY THE MOISTURE AND FORCING WILL DEPART THE AREA ON TUESDAY. TAKING A BLENDED APPROACH TO THE TIMING...IT DOES APPEAR THAT LIKELY POPS WILL BE WARRANTED IN THE EASTERN CWA AS THE DIURNAL CYCLE TAKES EFFECT. TEMP FORECAST CHANGES WERE MINIMAL FOR MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT. WITH GREATER EXPECTED CLEARING IN THE WEST ON TUESDAY...MAX TEMPS HAVE BEEN INCREASED...ESPECIALLY WEST OF I-75. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/... A BLEND OF HPC AND THE 00Z ECMWF WAS USED FOR THE LONG TERM FORECAST. THE REMNANTS OF ISAAC SHOULD EVENTUALLY MOVE EAST OF THE REGION TUESDAY NIGHT WITH DECREASING CHANCES OF PCPN. FOR WEDNESDAY...REGION WILL BE IN A RELATIVE A LULL. MODELS INDICATE THAT A S/WV MAY PUSH ACRS THE REGION WEDNESDAY AFTN AND EVENING AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT. THIS WILL WARRANT LOW CHANCE POPS ATTM. TEMPERATURES WILL WARM INTO THE MID 80S TO NEAR 90. A STRONGER S/WV IS FORECAST TO MOVE ACRS THE NRN GREAT LAKES WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY. THIS WILL PUSH A WEAK COLD FRONT ACROSS THE AREA. THERE WILL REMAIN A LOW CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS UNTIL THIS PASSES. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BRIEFLY BUILD IN THURSDAY NIGHT INTO THE FIRST PART OF FRIDAY. WHILE THERE IS SOME DISCREPANCY IN MODEL SOLUTIONS BY THE END OF THE WEEK...THERE ARE INDICATIONS THAT ANOTHER MORE VIGOROUS SHORT WAVE WILL AFFECT THE REGION FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY. THIS SYSTEM AND ITS ASSOCIATED LOW PRESSURE AND COLD FRONT WILL HAVE TEMPERATURE IMPLICATIONS DEPENDING ON HOW IT DEVELOPS AND MOVES ACRS THE OHIO VALLEY. MODELS INDICATE THAT AFOREMENTIONED UPR LVL ENERGY MAY EVOLVE INTO A CLOSED LOW OVER THE REGION FOR THE FIRST PART OF NEXT WEEK. THIS MAY ALLOW A FEW SHOWERS TO LINGER. TEMPERATURES WILL SHOW A GRADUAL COOLING TREND THROUGH THE PERIOD. && .AVIATION /06Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... LOW CIGS WERE DEVELOPING AND MOVING INTO THE KCVG AND KLUK TAF SITES FOR THE BEGINNING OF THE TAF PERIOD. EXPECT CIGS TO LOWER THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT TIME FRAME. SOME LIGHT SHOWERS WILL MOVE ACROSS THE TAF SITES DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. SOME HEAVIER RAIN WILL MOVE ACROSS THE KCMH AND KLCK TAF SITES. ALTHOUGH THUNDER CANNOT BE RULED OUT AT KCMH AND KLCK...THE THUNDER CHANCES ARE MINIMAL AND THEREFORE HAVE LEFT OUT OF THE TAFS AT THIS TIME. CIGS WILL BEGIN TO IMPROVE THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS WITH SOME OF THE AREA TAF SITES EXPERIENCING VFR CONDITIONS FOR A TIME DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS ON MONDAY. ADDITIONAL SHOWER ACTIVITY WILL DEVELOP DURING THE DAY. SOME LOCATIONS MAY SEE MVFR VSBYS WITH SOME OF THE HEAVIER SHOWER ACTIVITY. SOME ISOLATED THUNDER WILL BE POSSIBLE DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS ON MONDAY HOWEVER DUE TO THE ISOLATED NATURE OF THIS THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY HAVE AGAIN LEFT THE THUNDER MENTION OUT OF THE TAFS AT THIS TIME. PRECIPITATION WILL TAPER OFF DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON AND INTO THE EVENING HOURS ACROSS THE TAF SITES. EXPECT LOW CIGS AND REDUCED VSBYS TO DEVELOP ONCE AGAIN MONDAY NIGHT ACROSS THE AREA TAF SITES. .OUTLOOK...MVFR TO IFR CEILINGS AND VISIBILITIES POSSIBLE MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY. THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE WEDNESDAY. && .ILN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OH...NONE. KY...NONE. IN...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...HATZOS NEAR TERM...SITES SHORT TERM...HATZOS LONG TERM...HICKMAN AVIATION...NOVAK
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CLEVELAND OH
1238 AM EDT MON SEP 3 2012 .SYNOPSIS... THE REMNANTS OF ISAAC WILL MOVE EAST ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY THROUGH TUESDAY WITH A HUMID AIRMASS AND PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN. A WEAK FRONT WILL HELP TO DRY US OUT ON TUESDAY NIGHT WITH A STRONGER COLD FRONT WITH AN AIRMASS CHANGE PUSHING SOUTH ACROSS THE AREA ON THURSDAY. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM THIS MORNING/... UPDATED TO SLOW DOWN THE TIMING OF SHOWERS OVER THE EXTREME SOUTHERN COUNTIES AND ADJUSTED THE LOWS A LITTLE. WATCHING SOME SHOWERS TO THE SOUTH OF COLUMBUS. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM THIS MORNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... LOW SPINNING ACROSS ILLINOIS WILL CONTINUE TO FILL AND DRIFT EAST- SOUTHEAST OVER THE NEXT TWO DAYS. COVERAGE OF SHOWERS/TS COULD BE ON THE UPTICK FOR MONDAY. HAVE MAINTAINED SOME OF THE LIKELY POPS ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST. STUCK WITH SIMILAR HIGHS FOR TOMORROW. UPPER TROUGH BEGINS TO OPEN UP AND WITH SOME DIURNAL HEATING TS SHOULD POP UP. WILL HAVE TO CONTINUE THE PRECIP CHANCES INTO MONDAY NIGHT. AT THIS POINT WE WILL BE GETTING SOME EXTRA UPPER SUPPORT IN THE FORM OF A SHORTWAVE/JET COMING ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES. THE COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS TUESDAY. WE WILL STILL HAVE TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR HEAVIER RAINFALL ESPECIALLY LATER MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY WITH BETTER FOCUSING MECHANISMS LOCALLY. LOCALIZED FLOODING WILL STILL BE A CONCERN THROUGH TUESDAY. WEDNESDAY LOOKS LIKE THE FIRST GOOD DRY/IN BETWEEN SYSTEMS DAY. WEAK HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE AREA AND SOME SUN SHOULD BE ABLE TO BRING TEMPS UP INTO THE MID 80S...OR MAYBE EVEN SOME UPPER 80S. WE WILL NOT GET A GOOD AIRMASS CHANGE UNTIL AFTER WEDNESDAY NIGHT WITH THE NEXT SYSTEM IN THE EXTENDED. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REGION THURSDAY WITH SOME SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ANTICIPATED. THE FRONT SHOULD CLEAR THE ENTIRE REGION BY THURSDAY EVENING. THIS WILL ALLOW HIGH PRESSURE TO RETURN FOR FRIDAY. THIS LOOKS TO BE SHORT LIVED AS THE NEXT TROUGH MOVES INTO THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES ON FRIDAY. TEMPERATURES WILL BE NEAR TO SLIGHTLY ABOVE SEASONAL AVERAGES ON THURSDAY. COOLER IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT FOR FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY WITH HIGHS GENERALLY IN THE MIDDLE TO UPPER 70S. && .AVIATION /06Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... SATELLITE LOOP SHOWS THE CENTER OF THE REMNANTS OF ISAAC OVER SERN IL AT 23Z WITH RADAR SHOWING CONVECTION FROM CENTRAL INDIANA THROUGH THE KDAY VICINITY INTO SERN OHIO. MORE CONVECTION IS MOVING NORTH OUT OF KY. ACROSS NWRN OHIO AND NWRN PA CONDITIONS RANGE FROM MOSTLY VFR FAR EAST TO VFR/MVFR WEST AND SOUTH. DEWPOINTS 65 TO 70 ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA WITH LOWER 70S IN KFDY AND UPPER 50S KERI. FOLLOWING THE HRRR HIGH RESOLUTION MODEL HAVE KEPT PRECIP OUT OF THE AREA OVERNIGHT. BEST CHANCES HOWEVER WOULD BE FROM KFDY TO KMFD IF THE BAND DID MANAGE TO REACH THE AREA. MAIN CONCERN OF THE OVERNIGHT WOULD BE LOWERING CIGS AND VISIBILITIES IN FOG AND STRATUS WITH DEEP MOISTURE ACROSS THE AREA. DID BRING TAFS DOWN THROUGH MVFR AFTER MIDNIGHT TO MVFR/IFR AROUND SUNRISE. AT KERI...WINDS EXPECTED TO TURN SE OVERNIGHT WHICH WOULD BRING MORE MOISTURE INTO THE AREA SO DID BRING MVFR CONDITIONS THERE OVERNIGHT AS WELL. ON MONDAY MODELS SHOW CIRCULATION MOVING SE IN KY. BEST CHANCE FOR CONVECTION GETTING INTO THE AREA WOULD BE THE SOUTH CENTRAL COUNTIES OF THE CWA. FOR NOW BROUGHT VCTS TO THE AREA AT KMFD AND KCAK FOR THE AFTERNOON. .OUTLOOK...NON VFR POSSIBLE MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY WITH OVERNIGHT AND EARLY MORNING FOG AS WELL AS SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS. && .MARINE... WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO AROUND 15 KNOTS FOR THE OPEN WATERS AND A PORTION OF THE NEARSHORE WATERS FROM CONNEAUT TO RIPLEY. THIS HAS CAUSED SOME LOCALLY HIGHER WAVES FOR THE ERIE AREA WITH 2 TO 4 FOOT WAVES A DECENT BET INTO THE EVENING. WINDS SHOULD DECREASE THIS EVENING WITH WAVES DECREASING. OTHERWISE WE CONTINUE TO WATCH LOW PRESSURE THAT WILL TRACK ALONG THE OHIO RIVER VALLEY INTO MONDAY NIGHT. THIS WILL KEEP AN EASTERLY FLOW ON THE LAKE UNTIL A WEAKENING COLD FRONT PASSES ON TUESDAY. WINDS WILL SHIFT AROUND TO THE NW AND NORTH WITH THE FRONTAL PASSAGE. WINDS AT THIS POINT DO NOT LOOK STRONG ENOUGH TO NEED A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY. HIGH PRESSURE WILL TAKE CONTROL OF LAKE ERIE TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY. A STRONGER COLD FRONT LOOKS TO ARRIVE ON THURSDAY WITH SOME GUSTY NW WINDS POSSIBLE. THE STRONGER WINDS MAY NOT ARRIVE UNTIL THURSDAY NIGHT AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS ONTO THE WESTERN END OF THE LAKE. && .CLE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OH...NONE. PA...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...OUDEMAN NEAR TERM...KIELTYKA SHORT TERM...OUDEMAN LONG TERM...MULLEN AVIATION...TK MARINE...MULLEN
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
325 AM EDT MON SEP 3 2012 .SYNOPSIS... THE CENTER OF THE REMNANTS OF ISAAC WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE SLOWLY EASTWARD ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY TODAY. MOISTURE OUT AHEAD OF THIS SYSTEM WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE ATOP THE WESTERN CAROLINAS AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA INTO WEDNESDAY BEFORE A WEAK COLD FRONT ARRIVES FROM THE NORTHWEST FOR THE WEEKEND. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 300 AM EDT...THE REMNANT CIRCULATION FROM ISAAC WAS MOVING SLOWLY E OVER THE OH VALLEY. AS THE ASSOCIATED UPPER LOW CENTER CONTINUES TO GRADUALLY FILL AND DRIFT EWD INTO THE APPALACHIANS... LOBES OF VORTICITY WILL CROSS THE REGION TODAY THROUGH TONIGHT. THE UPPER LEVEL FORCING WILL NOT BE ESPECIALLY STRONG...BUT IT SHOULD BE PERSISTENT. MEANWHILE...LOW LEVEL FLOW WILL STRENGTHEN AND BACK THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS. THE LATEST RUC HAS BACKED OFF ON LOW LEVEL BULK SHEAR VALUES APPROACHING 30 KT IN THE SW MTNS THIS MORNING...BUT THE BEST COMBINATION OF FORCING AND SHEAR SHOULD STILL IMPACT SW SECTIONS TODAY. FORTUNATELY...SFC BASED INSTABILITY SHOULD BE MORE LIMITED IN THIS AREA. FARTHER EAST...AN INSTABILITY GRADIENT WILL ONCE AGAIN SET UP THROUGH THE AFTN WITH HIGHER VALUES MAINLY EAST OF INTERSTATE 77. OVERALL INSTABILITY SHOULD BE A BIT LESS TODAY THAN YESTERDAY GIVEN THE GREATER CLOUD COVER...BUT IT SHOULD STILL BE SUFFICIENT FOR NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT WITH AN ISOLD SEVERE WIND THREAT. A WEAK TORNADO CANNOT BE COMPLETELY RULED OUT IN SW SECTIONS TODAY. THE PERSISTENT SRLY UPSLOPE FLOW INTO THE SRN APPALACHIANS MAY POSE THE GREATEST HYDRO THREAT TODAY THROUGH TONIGHT. HOWEVER...ISOLD FLOODING WILL BE POSSIBLE JUST ABOUT ANYWHERE TRAINING CONVECTION DEVELOPS IN THE MOIST SRLY FLOW. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR FOR A POSSIBLE FLASH FLOOD WATCH AS PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES SURGE TO...OR REMAIN ABOVE...2 INCHES IN THE DEEPENING SRLY FLOW AND EXPANDING WARM CLOUD DEPTH. HOWEVER...1 AND 3 HR FFG VALUES ARE FAIRLY HIGH MOST AREAS (2 TO 3 INCHES FOR 1 HR...3 TO 4 INCHES FOR 3 HOURS). WILL HOLD OFF ON AN FFA FOR NOW UNTIL WE SEE WHICH AREAS GET THE MOST WORKED OVER TODAY. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 215 AM EDT MONDAY...THE EXTRATROPICAL CYCLONE ASSOCIATED WITH THE REMNANTS OF T.C. ISAAC WILL CONTINUE TO FILL DURING THE SHORT TERM...EVENTUALLY EVOLVING INTO AN ELONGATED SHEAR AXIS. THE SHEAR AXIS WILL CONTINUE TO WEAKEN AS IT PROGRESS SLOWLY ACROSS THE EASTERN CONUS...BEFORE FINALLY BEING KICKED OUT BY A STRONG NORTHERN CONUS/SOUTHERN CANADIAN SHORT WAVE TROUGH LATE IN THE WEEK. THE UPSHOT OF THIS WILL BE THE CONTINUED PRESENCE OF A PLUME OF EXTREMELY MOIST TROPICAL AIR OVER THE REGION. PRECIPITABLE WATERS OF AT LEAST 2 INCHES ARE EXPECTED...WHICH IS AROUND 2 STANDARD DEVIATIONS ABOVE THE NORM ACCORDING TO A PWAT CLIMATOLOGY FROM NWS/ WFO RAPID CITY. IN ADDITION...FORECAST SOUNDINGS DEPICT EXTREMELY DEEP WARM CLOUD DEPTHS...UP TO IF NOT EXCEEDING 4 KM (DIFF BETWEEN THE LCL AND THE FZL). DIURNAL HEATING OF THIS TROPICAL AIR MASS WILL RESULT IN DEVELOPMENT OF NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND SOME THUNDERSTORMS ON TUE AND WED. ANY CONVECTIVE CELLS THAT DEVELOP WILL BE EXTREMELY EFFICIENT RAINFALL PRODUCERS. OUR SAVING GRACE IS THAT MEAN WINDS IN THE CLOUD-BEARING LAYER ARE EXPECTED TO BE IN THE 10-15 KT RANGE...SO CELLS SHOULD MOVE ALONG RELATIVELY QUICKLY. HOWEVER...TRAINING CELLS...AND LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING WILL CERTAINLY BE POSSIBLE JUST ABOUT ANYWHERE. ON TUESDAY...IT APPEARS THAT THE BEST CHANCE FOR EXCESSIVE RAINFALL AND FLASH FLOODING WILL BE NEAR THE SOUTHERN ESCARPMENT OF THE BLUE RIDGE...AS MODEL SOLUTIONS DEPICT A MODERATELY STRONG (FOR LATE SUMMER) SOUTHERLY LOW LEVEL FLOW. ON WEDNESDAY...THE SHEAR AXIS WILL PUSH INTO THE AREA...AND THE LOW LEVEL REFLECTION OF THIS FEATURE MAY PROVIDE A FOCUS FOR TRAINING CELLS...OWING TO THE BOUNDARY- PARALLEL NATURE OF THE MEAN WIND PROFILE. IN ADDITION...ANTECEDENT CONDITIONS AFTER A COUPLE OF DAYS OF HEAVY RAIN WILL PROBABLY BECOME CRITICAL IN SOME AREAS BY WEDNESDAY. IT/S JUST IMPOSSIBLE TO SAY WHERE THESE AREAS WILL BE AT THIS POINT. REGARDLESS...IT IS LIKELY THAT A FLASH FLOOD WATCH WILL BE ISSUED FOR A PORTION OF THE AREA BY WEDNESDAY. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... AS OF 100 AM EDT MONDAY...VERY WEAK SFC RIDGING LOOKS TO BUILD INTO THE MTNS ON THURSDAY WHILE WEAK SFC BNDRY LINGERS ACRS THE CENTRAL CAROLINAS. MODEL CONSENSUS IS STILL DISPLACING THE DEEPEST RH EAST OF THE CWFA AS THE DAY WEARS ON...BUT DEVELOPING INSTABILITY WITHIN THE UPPER DIFFLUENT FLOW SHOULD BE ENUF TO SUPPORT GOING CHANCE POP CWFAWIDE. THE CONTINUED INFLUX OF LOWER PWAT VALUES SHOULD BE ABLE TO LOWER PRECIP CHANCES TO LESS THAN SLIGHT AT SOME POINT THURSDAY NIGHT. IT STILL LOOKS LIKE A MOSTLY DRY DAY IS ON TAP FOR FRIDAY WITHIN THE DEVELOPING WEAK S/WV RIDGING ALOFT BUT THE VERY LOW END DEEP CONVECTIVE CHANCE WILL BE MAINTAINED ACROSS THE NC MTNS IN THE AFTERNOON. WITHIN THE EXPECTED AMPLIFYING PATTERN THIS WEEKEND...ANOTHER FRONTAL SYSTEM SHOULD AFFECT THE CWFA BUT FOR NOW WILL KEEP THE INHERITED CLIMO/HPC POPS SATURDAY WITH A LITTLE HIGHER CHANCES FOR SUNDAY. && .AVIATION /08Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... AT KCLT...THE TERMINAL AREA REMAINS IN A LULL EARLY THIS MORNING AS OVERNIGHT PIEDMONT CONVECTION IS WELL EAST OF KCLT...AND THE DEEPER MOISTURE STILL REMAINS WEST OF THE AREA. EXPECT FLOW TO BACK SRLY THROUGH A DEEP LAYER TODAY AND STRENGTHEN TO BRING MOISTURE BACK RAPIDLY. THE THICKENING MID AND HIGH CLOUDS SHOULD PERMIT NO WORSE THAN MVFR FOG AROUND DAYBREAK. PIEDMONT TSTMS ARE EXPECTED AGAIN THIS AFTERNOON AS WARM ADVECTION FLOW INCREASES. WILL TARGET 20Z TO 00Z AS THE MOST FAVORED PERIOD FOR TSTMS...WITH SHOWERS LIKELY OUTSIDE OF THAT PERIOD. CIG RESTRICTIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE UNDER ANY CONVECTION...BUT EXPECT MAINLY VFR CIGS OTHERWISE. THERE WERE SOME LOW END GUSTS YESTERDAY AND BOUNDARY LAYER WINDS WILL BE A BIT STRONGER TODAY...SO WILL ADVERTISE G16 KT AFTER 19Z. RESTRICTIONS WILL LIKELY BECOME MORE PERSISTENT JUST PAST THE CURRENT TAF PERIOD. ELSEWHERE...IMPROVING SRLY UPSLOPE FLOW AND MOISTURE WILL ALLOW SHOWERS TO BREAK OUT FIRST AROUND KAVL EARLY THIS MORNING AND SPREAD EASTWARD THROUGH THE DAY AS THE MOISTURE DEEPENS. ANY IFR CIGS AROUND DAYBREAK SHOULD BE CONFINED TO KAVL AND POSSIBLY KHKY. VCTS SHOULD IMPACT KAVL SOONEST THIS MORNING...BUT WILL RESERVE TEMPO THUNDER FOR MAINLY AFTER 18Z AT THE FOOTHILL TAF SITES. OUTSIDE OF ANY CONVECTION...EXPECT VFR CIGS TO STEADILY LOWER...WITH MVFR CIGS LIKELY TOWARD EVENING THROUGHOUT. EXPECT S WINDS AT 10 KT OR LESS. THERE COULD BE A FEW LOW END GUSTS AT THE SC TAF SITES THIS AFTN. OUTLOOK...DEEP MOISTURE WILL PERSIST ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH AT LEAST WEDNESDAY. LOW CLOUD/FOG RESTRICTIONS WILL BECOME INCREASINGLY WIDESPREAD AND PERSISTENT AS SHOWER COVERAGE REMAINS HIGH TUE INTO WED. GRADUAL DRYING FROM THE WEST IS POSSIBLE THU...BUT MORE LIKELY ON FRI. AN EXPERIMENTAL AVIATION FORECAST CONSISTENCY TABLE SHOWING THE PERCENTAGE OF GUIDANCE MEMBERS AGREEING WITH THE SCHEDULED ISSUANCE CATEGORY IS AVAILABLE AT FOLLOWING LINK (USE LOWER CASE)... WWW.WEATHER.GOV/GSP/AVIATION/TABLES.HTM && .GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...NONE. NC...NONE. SC...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...CSH NEAR TERM...HG SHORT TERM...JDL LONG TERM...CSH AVIATION...HG
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION FOR SOUTHEAST SD/SOUTHWEST MN/NORTHWEST IA
NWS SIOUX FALLS SD
1000 PM CDT TUE SEP 4 2012 .DISCUSSION.../ISSUED AT 1005 PM CDT/ THUNDERSTORMS WITH SEVERE WEATHER HAVE BEEN MOVING EAST OVER AREA THIS EVENING INCLUDING CURRENT DAMAGING WIND EVENT IN NORTHWEST IOWA AND SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA. IF TRENDS CONTINUE AND NOTHING DEVELOPS BEHIND THESE STORMS WE MAY BE ABLE TO CUT THEM BACK SOONER BUT FOR NOW WILL HOLD IN. && .AVIATION.../FOR THE 00Z TAF ISSUANCE/ THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE EAST OVER THE AREA THROUGH THIS EVENING THOUGH THEY SHOULD BE GONE FROM TAF AREAS BY SOON AFTER 06Z. LOCAL VISIBILITIES 3-5SM AND SURFACE WIND GUSTS OVER 25 KNOTS IN STORMS. VFR OUTSIDE OF STORMS AS COLD FRONT MOVES EAST OF AREA...AND VFR OVER ALL OF AREA AFTER 09Z THROUGH 06/00Z. && .PREV DISCUSSION.../ISSUED AT 325 PM CDT/ DIFFUSE BOUNDARY IN NORTHWEST IOWA BEGINNING TO LIFT NORTHWARD AS A WARM FRONT THIS AFTERNOON AS SURFACE LOW PRESSURE STRENGTHENS OVER THE BLACK HILLS. MIXING HAS ALLOWED DEWPOINTS TO DRAMATICALLY FALL THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS THE NORTHWESTERN TWO THIRDS OF THE CWA...WHILE DEEPER MOISTURE HAS ALLOWED DEWPOINTS TO REMAIN IN THE 60S ACROSS NORTHWEST IOWA. INSTABILITY CONTINUES TO INCREASE THIS AFTERNOON...ESPECIALLY ACROSS OUR SOUTHEASTERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA WHERE CAPE VALUES ARE GREATER THAN 1500 J/KG...WITH INCREASING LAPSE RATES AND STRENGTHENING WESTERLIES BRINGING SHEAR UP AROUND 40 KT. SO FAR...CAPPING IS PREVENTING CONVECTION FROM DEVELOPING...HOWEVER WITH KSUX ALREADY 95/65 EXPECT THE CAPPING TO BE SURPASSED SOON. THE HRRR AND NAM CONTINUE TO DEPICT CONVECTION MOVING NORTHEASTWARD INTO THE MISSOURI VALLEY...EXTREME SOUTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST IOWA LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THE EVENING. IF CONVECTION DOES MANAGE TO FIRE IN THIS AREA...STORMS COULD POTENTIALLY BECOME SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL TO AROUND WALNUT SIZE AND WIND GUSTS TO 70 MPH. FURTHER WEST...HIGH BASED CUMULUS FIELD NOW MOVING INTO OUR WESTERN BORDER. ISOLATED HIGH BASED CONVECTION WILL BE POSSIBLE IN OUR WESTERN HALF THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...BUT EXPECT LITTLE TO NO SEVERE WEATHER IN THIS AREA WITH SUCH DRY LOW AND MID LEVELS. AS THE LOW BEGINS TRACKING EAST NORTHEAST ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT...THE TRAILING COLD FRONT WILL SHIFT THE CONVECTION INTO CENTRAL AND EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA WHERE CONDITIONS ARE MORE FAVORABLE FOR PRECIPITATION. WINDS WILL LIKELY BECOME FAIRLY BREEZY FROM THE WEST NORTHWEST LATE TONIGHT. LOWS TONIGHT WILL RANGE FROM THE MID 50S FAR NORTHWEST TO THE MID 60S FAR SOUTHEAST. RELATIVELY QUIET WEATHER WITH MILDER TEMPERATURES EXPECTED FOR WEDNESDAY AS SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE SETTLES IN BEHIND THE EXITING SYSTEM. NORTH NORTHWEST WINDS WILL REMAIN A LITTLE BREEZY THROUGH THE DAY...BUT SKIES WILL BE SUNNY AND HIGHS ARE EXPECTED IN THE 70S. / HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN OVER THE AREA FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHT. THUS TRENDED LOWS TOWARDS THE COOLER SIDE OF GUIDANCE...GENERALLY UPPER 40S TO LOWER 50S. A MID LEVEL WAVE AND SOME CLOUD COVER MAY BEGIN ENTERING OUR WEST BY LATE NIGHT...THUS DID NOT GO QUITE AS COOL AS I WOULD HAVE IF COMPLETELY CLEAR SKIES WERE MORE LIKELY. MID LEVEL FORCING OVERHEAD ON THURSDAY OUT AHEAD OF OUR NEXT WAVE...ALSO SHOULD SEE DECENT ISENTROPIC LIFT. ATMOSPHERE WILL BE ON THE DRY SIDE THOUGH...THUS FOLLOWED THE NAM AND GFS IDEA OF A DRY DAY. HOWEVER SHOULD SEE AT LEAST SOME MID LEVEL CLOUD COVER...AND WITH DECENT MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES...WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO SEE A FEW ELEVATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. THINK THE ECMWF IS PROBABLY OVERDOING CONVECTION THURSDAY...BUT LOW POPS MAY NEED TO BE ADDED ON FUTURE SHIFTS IF MODELS TREND A LITTLE MOISTER IN THE MID LEVELS. WITH UNCERTAINTY ON CLOUD COVER...FOLLOWED A BLEND OF THE COOLER MOS AND THE WARMER BIAS CORRECTED NAM FOR HIGHS...GENERALLY MID 70S SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA TO LOW TO MID 80S ELSEWHERE. SURFACE LOW TO OUR WEST ON THURSDAY WILL PRODUCE BLUSTERY SOUTH SOUTHEAST WINDS WEST OF THE JAMES RIVER...WITH GUSTS AROUND 25 TO 30 MPH POSSIBLE. THE BETTER MOISTURE AND DEEP LAYER FORCING MOVES ACROSS THE CWA THURSDAY NIGHT. THUS LOOKS LIKE A GOOD CHANCE OF SEEING SOME SHOWERS IN MOST AREAS. INSTABILITY IS ON THE LOW SIDE...BUT SHOULD SEE AT LEAST A COUPLE HUNDRED J/KG OF ELEVATED CAPE. SO THINKING WE SEE AT LEAST SOME EMBEDDED THUNDER. WITH THE CLOUDS AND SHOWERS AROUND...LOWS WILL STAY A BIT WARMER THAN WEDNESDAY NIGHT...MAINLY IN THE 50S. COULD SEE SOME LINGERING SHOWERS ACROSS NORTHWEST IOWA FRIDAY MORNING...BUT THESE SHOULD EXIT THE AREA BY AFTERNOON AS THE TROUGH AXIS AND DEEPER MOISTURE PUSHES EAST. EXPECT TO SEE GRADUAL CLEARING FROM NORTH TO SOUTH DURING THE DAY. MUCH COOLER AIR WILL BE ADVECTED IN BEHIND THE FRONT FOR FRIDAY...AND THIS COMBINED WITH THE LINGERING CLOUD COVER...SHOULD HOLD HIGHS IN THE MID 60S TO LOWER 70S. AS WE HEAD INTO THE WEEKEND...OUR UPPER LEVEL LOW WILL PUSH EAST AND DIG A DEEP TROUGH INTO THE EASTERN PART OF THE COUNTRY. MEANWHILE A STRONG RIDGE WILL BUILD INTO THE ROCKIES. OUR AREA WILL REMAIN IN BETWEEN THE TWO MAKING TEMPERATURES A BIT TRICKY. WE WILL TEND TO SEE A WARMING TREND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK...BUT HOW WARM DEPENDS ON THE STRENGTH AND POSITION OF THE ABOVE MENTIONED FEATURES. TRENDED HIGHS A BIT ABOVE CONSENSUS SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY CLOSER TO THE 0Z ECMWF AND HPC GUIDANCE. THIS GIVES 70S ON SATURDAY...AND UPPER 70S TO MID 80S SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. THE NEW 12Z ECMWF HAS TRENDED STRONGER WITH THE RIDGE AND THUS WARMER WITH TEMPERATURES...SO WILL HAVE TO MONITOR MODEL TRENDS THIS PERIOD. LOWS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT LOOK TO BE ON THE COOL SIDE...WITH LIGHT WINDS AND CLEAR SKIES EXPECTED. LOWERED THEM A LITTLE BELOW CONSENSUS...WITH MAINLY MID AND UPPER 40S EXPECTED. AS THE RIDGE BUILDS CLOSER...LOWS SHOULD WARM INTO THE 50S BY SUNDAY NIGHT. LOOKS DRY SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. PROBABLY WILL SEE OUR NEXT COLD FRONT APPROACH SOMETIME AROUND TUESDAY...HOWEVER AT THIS TIME DOES NOT UPPER TO BE MUCH MOISTURE WITH IT. /CHENARD && .FSD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SD...NONE. MN...NONE. IA...NONE. NE...NONE. $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION FOR SOUTHEAST SD/SOUTHWEST MN/NORTHWEST IA
NWS SIOUX FALLS SD
315 PM CDT MON SEP 3 2012 .DISCUSSION.../ISSUED AT 315 PM CDT/ LIGHT SHOWERS MAINLY CONFINED TO NORTHWEST IOWA SO FAR THIS AFTERNOON. MID LEVEL CLOUDS ALSO DISSIPATING IN OUR WEST ALLOWING FOR DECENT HEATING. DEWPOINTS HAVE FALLEN RAPIDLY ONCE MIXING COMMENCED...WITH DRY AIR ALOFT. THIS WAS SHOWN WELL BY THE HRRR AND NAM. BOTH OF THESE MODELS SHOW SOME DEWPOINT RECOVERY BY LATER THIS AFTERNOON RIGHT AHEAD OF THE APPROACHING FRONTAL BOUNDARY. THE QUESTION IS WHETHER THEY RECOVER ENOUGH TO HELP BREAK THE CAP. HRRR HAS BACKED OFF SOME OF ITS EARLIER IDEA OF SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS STORMS FORMING AS THE BOUNDARY ENTERED OUR CWA. STILL THINKING WE POSSIBLY GET SOME ISOLATED DEVELOPMENT AFTER 4 OR 5 PM WEST OF THE JAMES RIVER. FULL SUN COMBINED WITH CONVERGENCE ALONG THE FRONT AND AN APPROACHING SHORTWAVE...MAY BE ENOUGH TO AT LEAST GET ISOLATED DEVELOPMENT. CAPE COULD BE AROUND 1500 J/KG NEAR THE BOUNDARY...AND A VEERING WIND PROFILE WITH DECENT WINDS ALOFT SHOULD RESULT IN AROUND 40 KTS EFFECTIVE SHEAR. SO ANY STORM THAT IS ABLE TO FORM COULD BE SEVERE...WITH STRONG WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. STORMS WOULD MOVE EAST OR EAST SOUTHEAST...BUT THINKING MOST ACTIVITY WILL BE DIURNALLY DRIVEN AND THUS DIE AS THE EVENING PROGRESSES. KEPT CHANCE POPS MAINLY ALONG AND WEST OF THE JAMES RIVER....WITH SLIGHT CHANCE THROUGH THE REST OF THE CWA...JUST IN CASE STORMS PERSIST ALONG THERE OUTFLOW LONGER THAN EXPECTED. SKIES SHOULD CLEAR LATER TONIGHT...WITH LOWS IN THE 50S AND 60S. COULD SEE SOME FOG DEVELOPMENT IN THE SOUTH...ESPECIALLY WHERE RAIN HAS FALLEN TODAY IN NORTHWEST IOWA. TUESDAY SHOULD START MOSTLY SUNNY WITH HIGHS IN THE 80S AND 90S. TRICKY PART OF TUESDAYS FORECAST WILL BE HOW FAR SOUTH THE BOUNDARY MAKES IT LATE TONIGHT...AND HOW QUICKLY IT PUSHES BACK NORTH AS A WARM FRONT TOMORROW BEFORE THE COLD FRONT PUSHES THROUGH. WITH STABLE DRIER AIR NORTH OF THIS BOUNDARY...CONVECTION CHANCES WILL BE CONFINED TO ALONG AND SOUTH OF IT DURING THE DAY...AS ANOTHER SHORTWAVE PUSHES ACROSS. NAM IS THE FURTHEST SOUTH WITH THE BOUNDARY...ONLY PUSHING AS FAR NORTH AS SPENCER TO YANKTON BY AFTERNOON. THE GFS IS FURTHEST NORTH...WITH THE ECMWF IN BETWEEN. NAM HAS BEEN A LITTLE TOO AGGRESSIVE WITH FRONTS...BUT GENERALLY HAS BEEN THE BEST. THUS TEND TO THINK A SOLUTION SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THE ECMWF AND NAM WILL BE CLOSEST. THIS WOULD GENERALLY KEEP THE THUNDERSTORM THREAT SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 90 THROUGH 7 PM TUESDAY. STORMS THAT DO FORM IN THE AFTERNOON WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL OF BEING SEVERE...WITH AROUND 2000 J/KG OF CAPE AND DEEP LAYER SHEAR OF 40 KTS. LARGE HAIL AND STRONG WINDS WILL BE POSSIBLE IN ANY STORM THAT DOES FORM. CAP SHOULD HOLD STRONG FOR MUCH OF THE AFTERNOON...HOWEVER CONTINUED HEATING AND THE APPROACHING WAVE SHOULD BREAK IT AT SOME POINT EITHER LATE AFTERNOON OR EVENING. /CHENARD THAT APPROACHING WAVE AND FRONT SHOULD BRING MORE NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TUESDAY EVENING...MAINLY TO THE EASTERN PART OF THE AREA WHERE MOISTURE POOLING AND INFLOW WILL BE GOOD. SYSTEM MOVING FAST ENOUGH AND MID TO UPPER FLOW IS STRONG ENOUGH SO THAT RAINFALL AMOUNTS SHOULD NOT BE TOO HIGH. FRONT WILL BE MOVING ACROSS AREA WITH COOLER AIR SPREADING IN BEHIND IT...AND PRECIPITATION DECREASING STEADILY AFTER MIDNIGHT. GUIDANCE SEEMS OK AT THIS POINT ON COOLING FOR LOW TEMPERATURES. MOVEMENT LOOKS FAST ENOUGH TO KEEP OUT ANY MENTION OF LINGERING SHOWERS FOR WEDNESDAY AND DRYING CERTAINLY LOOKS STRONG...SO WE SHOULD BE HEADING TO A SUNNY/MOSTLY SUNNY DAY WEDNESDAY AFTER MORNING CLOUDS SOUTHEAST DECREASE. LATE THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY LOOKS LIKE ANOTHER THREAT OF SHOWERS AND STORMS AS NEXT WAVE AND COLD FRONT IS PRECEDED BY FAVORABLY THERMAL ADVECTION PATTERN. WILL GO WITH LOW POPS AS PER GUIDANCE FOR NOW BUT OVERALL THREAT SEEMS A LITTLE HIGHER AND WHEN WE CAN NARROW DOWN THE TIMING BETTER...THE POPS FOR AT LEAST PART OF THAT TIME...PERHAPS THURSDAY NIGHT...MAY GO UP. THIS SYSTEM WILL BRING IN EVEN COOLER AIR FOR FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. SOLIDLY DRY PATTERN WILL ALSO DEVELOP BEHIND THIS SYSTEM...AND THE DRY PATTERN WILL REMAIN IN PLACE AS SLOW BUT STEADY WARMING SETS IN SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH MONDAY. && .AVIATION.../FOR THE 18Z TAF ISSUANCE/ GENERALLY VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD. THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT THIS AFTERNOON WEST OF THE JAMES RIVER AFTER 4 PM. ANY STORMS THAT FORM COULD PRODUCE MVFR/IFR CONDITIONS AND ERRATIC WINDS. LOW CONFIDENCE ON WHETHER STORMS FORM...THUS LEFT OUT OF THE TAFS FOR NOW. BEST CHANCE WOULD BE BETWEEN 5 PM AND 7 PM AT KHON...WITH AN EVEN LOWER CHANCE IN THE INTERSTATE 29 CORRIDOR CLOSER TO 10 PM. WITH LOW LEVEL MOISTURE POOLING...COULD ALSO SEE SOME POCKETS OF MVFR FOG TONIGHT...ESPECIALLY IN ANY AREAS THAT GET SOME RAIN TODAY...BUT WILL LET FUTURE SHIFTS ADD IN IF CONFIDENCE INCREASES. /CHENARD && .FSD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SD...NONE. MN...NONE. IA...NONE. NE...NONE. $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION FOR SOUTHEAST SD/SOUTHWEST MN/NORTHWEST IA
NWS SIOUX FALLS SD
1217 PM CDT MON SEP 3 2012 .DISCUSSION.../ISSUED AT 1120 AM CDT/ DECENT AREA OF MID LEVEL CLOUDS CURRENTLY OVER THE AREA. SEEING A FEW LIGHT SHOWERS ACROSS THE FAR SOUTH AND WEST AT THIS TIME...AND EVEN SOME LIGHTNING TOWARDS THE JAMES RIVER. THINKING THAT THESE MID LEVEL CLOUDS CONTINUE TO PUSH EAST AND THIN SOME THROUGH THE DAY...WITH MOST OF THE SHOWER ACTIVITY ENDING. THUS KEPT HIGH TEMPERATURES AS ARE FOR NOW...BUT IF CLOUDS STICK AROUND SOME AREAS MAY STRUGGLE TO REACH FORECASTED HIGHS. OTHER CONCERN TODAY IS AFTERNOON CONVECTION POTENTIAL. MODEL SHOW ACTIVITY DEVELOPING ALONG A BOUNDARY ACROSS EASTERN NEBRASKA INTO PORTIONS OF IOWA THIS AFTERNOON. THINKING MOST OF THIS SHOULD STAY SOUTH AND EAST OF OUR CWA...AND WITH CLOUD COVER LIMITING INSTABILITY...NOT SURE HOW ROBUST THAT ACTIVITY WOULD BE EVEN IF IT CLIPPED OUR FAR SOUTHEAST. OTHER AREA TO WATCH WILL BE ALONG AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT FROM THE WEST THIS AFTERNOON. HRRR AND HIGH RES NAM HAVE CONTINUED TO SHOW THE CAP BREAKING ALONG THIS BOUNDARY THIS AFTERNOON IN OUR WEST...GENERALLY AFTER 4 PM. IT APPEARS LIKE DAYTIME HEATING...COMBINED WITH LIFT ALONG THE FRONT AND SOME WEAK UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT ARE ENOUGH FOR THE MODELS TO BREAK THE CAP. MAIN UNCERTAINTY WILL BE HOW MUCH HEATING DOES OCCUR ALONG AND WEST OF THE JAMES RIVER THIS AFTERNOON. HRRR BREAKS THE CAP WITH LOW TO MID 90S TEMPERATURES AND MID 50S TO AROUND 60 DEWPOINTS. LATEST VISIBLE IMAGE DOES SHOW CLOUDS CLEARING IN THAT AREA...SO REACHING THE ABOVE VALUES DOES SEEM POSSIBLE. STEEP LAPSE RATES SHOULD RESULT IN CAPE AROUND 1500 J/KG JUST AHEAD OF THE AFTERNOON BOUNDARY...WITH A DECENT VEERING WIND PROFILE RESULTING IN UP TO 40 KTS OF EFFECTIVE SHEAR. THUS IT SEEMS REASONABLE THAT ANY STORMS THAT FORM COULD BE SEVERE...WITH STRONG WINDS THE MAIN THREAT. ALTHOUGH GIVEN THE LAPSE RATES AND SHEAR...SOME LARGE HAIL IS ALSO POSSIBLE. STORMS SHOULD TEND TO WEAKEN BY THE TIME THEY REACH INTERSTATE 29...ALTHOUGH IF STORMS ARE ABLE TO ORGANIZE ALONG THERE OUTFLOW...CAN NOT RULE OUT THEM MAKING IT THAT FAR EAST. AGAIN...STORM INITIATION IS LOW CONFIDENCE...BUT GIVEN HRRR AND OTHER HIGH RES MODEL CONSISTENCY...WILL HAVE TO WATCH CLOSELY AS WE HEAD INTO THIS AFTERNOON. /CHENARD && .AVIATION.../FOR THE 18Z TAF ISSUANCE/ GENERALLY VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD. THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT THIS AFTERNOON WEST OF THE JAMES RIVER AFTER 4 PM. ANY STORMS THAT FORM COULD PRODUCE MVFR/IFR CONDITIONS AND ERRATIC WINDS. LOW CONFIDENCE ON WHETHER STORMS FORM...THUS LEFT OUT OF THE TAFS FOR NOW. BEST CHANCE WOULD BE BETWEEN 5 PM AND 7 PM AT KHON...WITH AN EVEN LOWER CHANCE IN THE INTERSTATE 29 CORRIDOR CLOSER TO 10 PM. WITH LOW LEVEL MOISTURE POOLING...COULD ALSO SEE SOME POCKETS OF MVFR FOG TONIGHT...ESPECIALLY IN ANY AREAS THAT GET SOME RAIN TODAY...BUT WILL LET FUTURE SHIFTS ADD IN IF CONFIDENCE INCREASES. /CHENARD && .PREVIOUS DISCUSSION.../ISSUED AT 340 AM CDT/ WEAK SURFACE FRONT HAS STALLED ACROSS EASTERN CWA. UPPER LEVEL SHORT WAVE ACROSS CENTRAL NEBRASKA AND MAY SPUR SOME ISOLATED SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY AS WAVE ENCOUNTERS DEEPER MOISTURE AS IT WORKS EAST. STILL FAR FROM A GREAT PRECIPITATION SET UP...AND BULK OF FORCING ONLY SCRAPES THE SOUTHEASTERN CORNER OF THE FORECAST AREA. AS SUCH...HAVE ONLY LEFT SLIGHT CHANCE POPS IN THE SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS. MILD TEMPERATURES EXPECTED ACROSS THE AREA AGAIN TODAY WITH 850 HPA TEMPS NEAR 20 C. FORECAST SOUNDINGS INDICATE THAT ATMOSPHERE MAY HEAT OUT TO NEAR THE CONVECTIVE TEMP BY EARLY AFTERNOON ACROSS CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA. THINK MODELS ARE OVERMIXING SOME...BUT MAY BE CAPABLE OF A STORM OR TWO ACROSS THE WESTERN CWA BY LATE AFTERNOON AS A WEAK BOUNDARY APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. EXPECT CONVECTION TO DIE AWAY THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS AS CONVECTION LOSES ITS HEATING SOURCE. TUESDAY APPEARS TO BE THE LAST WARM DAY IN A WHILE WITH MUCH STRONGER COLD FRONT EXPECTED TO WORK THROUGH THE AREA LATE TUESDAY AFTERNOON INTO TUESDAY NIGHT. MUCH OF THE MIDLEVEL FORCING IS FOCUSED ACROSS THE NORTHERN CWA...AND WITH THE LACK OF MOISTURE AM CONCERNED PREVIOUS FORECAST WAS OVERDOING PRECIP POTENTIAL. LEFT LIKELY MENTION IN THE NORTHEAST...BUT OTHERWISE SCALED EVERYTHING BACK INTO THE CHANCE CATEGORY. MUCH COOLER PATTERN SETTING UP FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK. BREEZY NORTHWEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED ON WEDNESDAY WITH STRONG MIXING AND DEEP NORTHWEST FLOW. A SERIES OF UPPER WAVES ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE THROUGH THE AREA ON THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY...BUT WITH LACK OF AVAILABLE MOISTURE SCALED BACK INHERITED POPS. && .FSD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SD...NONE. MN...NONE. IA...NONE. NE...NONE. $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION FOR SOUTHEAST SD/SOUTHWEST MN/NORTHWEST IA
NWS SIOUX FALLS SD
1122 AM CDT MON SEP 3 2012 .DISCUSSION.../ISSUED AT 1120 AM CDT/ DECENT AREA OF MID LEVEL CLOUDS CURRENTLY OVER THE AREA. SEEING A FEW LIGHT SHOWERS ACROSS THE FAR SOUTH AND WEST AT THIS TIME...AND EVEN SOME LIGHTNING TOWARDS THE JAMES RIVER. THINKING THAT THESE MID LEVEL CLOUDS CONTINUE TO PUSH EAST AND THIN SOME THROUGH THE DAY...WITH MOST OF THE SHOWER ACTIVITY ENDING. THUS KEPT HIGH TEMPERATURES AS ARE FOR NOW...BUT IF CLOUDS STICK AROUND SOME AREAS MAY STRUGGLE TO REACH FORECASTED HIGHS. OTHER CONCERN TODAY IS AFTERNOON CONVECTION POTENTIAL. MODEL SHOW ACTIVITY DEVELOPING ALONG A BOUNDARY ACROSS EASTERN NEBRASKA INTO PORTIONS OF IOWA THIS AFTERNOON. THINKING MOST OF THIS SHOULD STAY SOUTH AND EAST OF OUR CWA...AND WITH CLOUD COVER LIMITING INSTABILITY...NOT SURE HOW ROBUST THAT ACTIVITY WOULD BE EVEN IF IT CLIPPED OUR FAR SOUTHEAST. OTHER AREA TO WATCH WILL BE ALONG AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT FROM THE WEST THIS AFTERNOON. HRRR AND HIGH RES NAM HAVE CONTINUED TO SHOW THE CAP BREAKING ALONG THIS BOUNDARY THIS AFTERNOON IN OUR WEST...GENERALLY AFTER 4 PM. IT APPEARS LIKE DAYTIME HEATING...COMBINED WITH LIFT ALONG THE FRONT AND SOME WEAK UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT ARE ENOUGH FOR THE MODELS TO BREAK THE CAP. MAIN UNCERTAINTY WILL BE HOW MUCH HEATING DOES OCCUR ALONG AND WEST OF THE JAMES RIVER THIS AFTERNOON. HRRR BREAKS THE CAP WITH LOW TO MID 90S TEMPERATURES AND MID 50S TO AROUND 60 DEWPOINTS. LATEST VISIBLE IMAGE DOES SHOW CLOUDS CLEARING IN THAT AREA...SO REACHING THE ABOVE VALUES DOES SEEM POSSIBLE. STEEP LAPSE RATES SHOULD RESULT IN CAPE AROUND 1500 J/KG JUST AHEAD OF THE AFTERNOON BOUNDARY...WITH A DECENT VEERING WIND PROFILE RESULTING IN UP TO 40 KTS OF EFFECTIVE SHEAR. THUS IT SEEMS REASONABLE THAT ANY STORMS THAT FORM COULD BE SEVERE...WITH STRONG WINDS THE MAIN THREAT. ALTHOUGH GIVEN THE LAPSE RATES AND SHEAR...SOME LARGE HAIL IS ALSO POSSIBLE. STORMS SHOULD TEND TO WEAKEN BY THE TIME THEY REACH INTERSTATE 29...ALTHOUGH IF STORMS ARE ABLE TO ORGANIZE ALONG THERE OUTFLOW...CAN NOT RULE OUT THEM MAKING IT THAT FAR EAST. AGAIN...STORM INITIATION IS LOW CONFIDENCE...BUT GIVEN HRRR AND OTHER HIGH RES MODEL CONSISTENCY...WILL HAVE TO WATCH CLOSELY AS WE HEAD INTO THIS AFTERNOON. /CHENARD .PREVIOUS DISCUSSION.../ISSUED AT 340 AM CDT/ WEAK SURFACE FRONT HAS STALLED ACROSS EASTERN CWA. UPPER LEVEL SHORT WAVE ACROSS CENTRAL NEBRASKA AND MAY SPUR SOME ISOLATED SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY AS WAVE ENCOUNTERS DEEPER MOISTURE AS IT WORKS EAST. STILL FAR FROM A GREAT PRECIPITATION SET UP...AND BULK OF FORCING ONLY SCRAPES THE SOUTHEASTERN CORNER OF THE FORECAST AREA. AS SUCH...HAVE ONLY LEFT SLIGHT CHANCE POPS IN THE SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS. MILD TEMPERATURES EXPECTED ACROSS THE AREA AGAIN TODAY WITH 850 HPA TEMPS NEAR 20 C. FORECAST SOUNDINGS INDICATE THAT ATMOSPHERE MAY HEAT OUT TO NEAR THE CONVECTIVE TEMP BY EARLY AFTERNOON ACROSS CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA. THINK MODELS ARE OVERMIXING SOME...BUT MAY BE CAPABLE OF A STORM OR TWO ACROSS THE WESTERN CWA BY LATE AFTERNOON AS A WEAK BOUNDARY APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. EXPECT CONVECTION TO DIE AWAY THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS AS CONVECTION LOSES ITS HEATING SOURCE. TUESDAY APPEARS TO BE THE LAST WARM DAY IN A WHILE WITH MUCH STRONGER COLD FRONT EXPECTED TO WORK THROUGH THE AREA LATE TUESDAY AFTERNOON INTO TUESDAY NIGHT. MUCH OF THE MIDLEVEL FORCING IS FOCUSED ACROSS THE NORTHERN CWA...AND WITH THE LACK OF MOISTURE AM CONCERNED PREVIOUS FORECAST WAS OVERDOING PRECIP POTENTIAL. LEFT LIKELY MENTION IN THE NORTHEAST...BUT OTHERWISE SCALED EVERYTHING BACK INTO THE CHANCE CATEGORY. MUCH COOLER PATTERN SETTING UP FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK. BREEZY NORTHWEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED ON WEDNESDAY WITH STRONG MIXING AND DEEP NORTHWEST FLOW. A SERIES OF UPPER WAVES ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE THROUGH THE AREA ON THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY...BUT WITH LACK OF AVAILABLE MOISTURE SCALED BACK INHERITED POPS. && .AVIATION.../FOR THE 12Z TAF ISSUANCE/ VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL THROUGH 12Z TUESDAY. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP WEST OF I29 AND ALSO SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 90 THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS. && .FSD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SD...NONE. MN...NONE. IA...NONE. NE...NONE. $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS BLACKSBURG VA
1207 PM EDT MON SEP 3 2012 .SYNOPSIS... THE REMNANTS OF ISAAC WILL CONTINUE TO IMPACT THE REGION TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY WITH DEEP TROPICAL MOISTURE AND DAILY WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN. DRIER AIR WILL FINALLY PUSH INTO THE AREA BY FRIDAY AS A SERIES OF COLD FRONTS DROP SOUTHEAST INTO THE REGION. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 1200 PM EDT MONDAY... HAVE ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR THE AREA ROUGHLY ALONG THE FOOTHILLS OF NC...NORTHEAST ALONG THE LEE OF THE BLUE RIDGE TO THE ROANOKE...AND THEN EASTWARD INTO AREAS ALONG AND NEAR VA ROUTE 460. POCKETS OF THIS REGION HAVE BEEN HARDEST HIT OVER THE WEEKEND WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN FROM THUNDERSTROMS. AS SUCH...FLASH FLOOD GUIDANCE VALUES ARE THE LOWER HERE. STORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL RATES ARE EXPECTED AGAIN THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING MAY OCCUR WITH THESE STORMS. AS OF 1002 AM EDT MONDAY... EARLY MORNING PATCHY FOG HAS DISSIPATED IN MOST AREA. JUST A FEW SMALL POCKETS REMAIN...HOWEVER THESE TOO WILL ERODE BY NOON. PRECIPITATION ACROSS THE AREA IS MINIMAL. KFCX 88D SHOWING SOME ISOLATED SHOWERS NEAR AND EAST OF LYNCHBURG VA...AND ALSO A FEW MAKING THEIR WAY INTO THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS OF NORTH CAROLINA FROM NORTHEAST TENNESSEE. THE EXPECTATION IS FOR THIS TO BE THE NORM THROUGH AROUND NOON. STARTING IN THE EARLY AFTERNOON...DAYTIME HEATING WILL YIELD ANOTHER RAPID DEVELOPMENT AND GENEROUS COVERAGE OF SHOWERS AND STORMS ACROSS THE REGION. HAVE TWEAKED POP AND WEATHER GRIDS TO REFLECT THIS LATEST EXPECTATION. ALSO HAVE TWEAKED HOURLY TEMPERATURE...DEW POINT...SKY COVER AND WINDS TO REFLECT THE LATEST OBSERVATIONS AND EXPECTED TRENDS INTO THE EARLY AFTERNOON. AS OF 450 AM EDT MONDAY... WATER VAPOR LOOP SHOWED UPPER LOW OVER EXTREME SOUTHWEST OHIO. AT THE SURFACE...THE 08Z MSAS ANALYSIS HAD THE LOW OVER THE KENTUCKY/ILLINOIS/INDIANA BORDER. ALL MODELS OPEN UP THE UPPER LOW DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. SUSPECT EVEN THE SHORT RANGE GUIDANCE MAY BE A LITTLE ON THE SLOW SIDE WITH THE EVOLUTION OF THE UPPER SYSTEM...SINCE AN MCS OVER MISSISSIPPI AND ALABAMA MAY HAVE ALREADY BROKEN OFF A PIECE OF VORTICITY FROM THE MAIN UPPER LOW. THE MAIN NORTHERN PART OF THE UPPER SYSTEM IS FORECAST TO TRACK TOWARD PENNSYLVANIA AND THE NORTHERN JET STREAM. REGIONAL RADARS INDICATED WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AROUND THE UPPER LOW. MODELS HAVE THIS PRECIPITATION EDGING SLOWLY EAST THIS MORNING. SO THROUGH NOON HAVE THE HIGHER PROBABILITY OF PRECIPITATION IN THE FAR WESTERN COUNTY WARNING AREA. EXPECT COVERAGE TO JUST BE ISOLATED THROUGH MID MORNING FOR THE REST OF THE FORECAST AREA. WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SREF AND LOCAL WRF ALONG WITH OTHER GUIDANCE WAS FOCUSING BEST THREAT OF HEAVY RAIN ALONG THE SOUTHERN BLUE RIDGE...ESPECIALLY IN THE NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS. GIVEN THE AIR MAS IS STILL VERY TROPICAL WITH PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES IN THE 1.5 TO 2.2 INCH RANGE HAVE LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN MENTIONED FOR ALL PARTS OF THE FORECAST AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. FFG IS LOWEST IN THE NEW RIVER VALLEY AND ALONG THE FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE RIDGE FROM PATRICK AND HENRY COUNTIES DOWN TO WILKES AND YADKIN COUNTIES. WILL CONTINUE TO ASSESS ANY FLASH FLOOD THREAT DURING THE MORNING. ANTICIPATE MINIMAL CHANGE IN TEMPERATURES FROM PAST FEW DAYS. STAYED CLOSE TO PERSISTENCE FOR MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES TODAY AND LOWS TONIGHT...WHICH ENDS UP BEING ON THE WARM SIDE OF GUIDANCE. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 254 AM EDT MONDAY... REMNANTS OF ISAAC UPPER LEVEL TROUGH OPENS ON TUESDAY AND SLOWLY MOVES OVER THE REGION TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. THE TROUGH WILL KEEP BULK OF THE RAIN OVER THE MOUNTAINS TUESDAY AFTERNOON THEN ALONG THE BLUE RIDGE AND FOOTHILL COUNTIES TUESDAY EVENING. TUESDAY LOOKS TO BE THE BETTER DAY FOR SEVERE WEATHER WITH A LOW LEVEL JET CROSSING THE REGION. CAN NOT RULE OUT STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS WITH A FEW SUPERCELLS TRACKING ACROSS THE AREA. MOVEMENT OF THESE STORMS WILL BE RELATIVELY SLOW AND AROUND 20-30 MPH. STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS WILL BE HIGHLY DEPENDENT ON HEATING THROUGH THE DAY. THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL MOVE TO THE BLUE RIDGE WEDNESDAY WITH A LINE OF SHOWERS STARTING NEAR THE BLUE RIDGE IN THE AFTERNOON...MOVING EAST INTO THE PIEDMONT IN THE EVENING. STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS ARE POSSIBLE BUT THE BIGGER THREAT WILL BE EAST OF THE AREA AND ACROSS THE COASTAL PIEDMONT OF THE MID ATLANTIC REGION. WEAK HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN WEDNESDAY...PUSHING THE TROPICAL AIR MASS OFF TO THE EAST. AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES WILL BE NEAR NORMAL TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY WHILE OVERNIGHTS CONTINUE TO BE MUGGY AND ABOVE NORMAL. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... AS OF 1230 PM EDT SUNDAY... DEEP TROPICAL MOISTURE ASSOCIATED WITH THE REMNANT OF ISAAC WILL FINALLY GET BOOTED SE DURING THURSDAY AHEAD OF AN INITIAL WEAK COLD FRONT THAT WILL DROPPING SE IN ADVANCE OF A DEVELOPING ERN 5H TROF. HOWEVER STILL ENOUGH LIFT WITH THE RESIDUAL SHEAR AXIS AND WEAK SURFACE TROF TO PROMPT ADDITIONAL SHRA WED NIGHT WITH PERHAPS YET ANOTHER ORGANIZED BAND ESPCLY EAST ON THURSDAY. THUS KEPT IN HIGH CHANCE POPS INTO THURSDAY WHICH MAY NEED TO GO HIGHER IN LATER UPDATES. BOUNDARY MAY TEND TO EDGE SOUTH OF THE AREA DURING FRIDAY BEFORE THE FLOW STARTS TO BACK AGAIN AHEAD OF A MORE POTENT WAVE ROUNDING THRU THE GREAT LAKES COLD POOL SAT. THIS FEATURE SHOULD PUSH A STRONGER SECONDARY COLD FRONT TOWARD THE APPALACHIANS SAT NIGHT INTO SUNDAY WITH A ANOTHER ROUND OF SHRA/TSRA AS DEEPER MOISTURE MAKES A QUICK RETURN. JUST HOW FAST THE FRONT MOVES EAST IFFY GIVEN HINT OF A 5H CUTOFF DEVELOPING OVER THE OHIO VALLEY BY SUNDAY SO FOLLOWING A BIT OF A BLEND GIVEN UNCERTAINTY NEXT WEEKEND. OTRW APPEARS ENOUGH DRYING TO BASICALLY CUT POPS LATER THU NIGHT THRU FRIDAY NIGHT...THEN RETURNING TO CHANCE COVERAGE FROM WEST TO EAST LATER SATURDAY THRU SUNDAY. TEMPS TO REMAIN WARM/MUGGY THU WITH HIGHS MOSTLY IN THE 80S INTO FRIDAY ALTHOUGH A BIT LESS HUMID. MAY SEE THINGS COOL OFF SOME WITH SHRA SAT BUT MORE SO SUNDAY PENDING THE FRONTAL TIMING WITH HIGHS LOW/MID 70S WEST AND LOW 80S EAST. && .AVIATION /16Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... AS OF 740 AM EDT MONDAY... MID LEVEL CLOUDS WILL LIMIT THE EXTENT OF FOG THIS MORNING...BUT STRATUS WITH IFR CEILINGS DEVELOPED OVERNIGHT ACROSS THE REGION. EXPECT CEILINGS TO LIFT TO MVFR BY 15Z/11AM THEN VFR BY 17Z/1PM. HAVE USED THE LOCAL WRF AND HRRR FOR TIMING OF WHEN THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON. THESE MODELS HAVE STORMS INITIALLY DEVELOPING BETWEEN 19Z/3PM AND 21Z/5PM. NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING...THEN COVERAGE WILL DIMINISH AFTER 00Z/8PM. VERY HEAVY RAIN IS LIKELY WITH ANY OF THE STRONGER STORMS WHICH WILL RESULT IN MVFR TO IFR VISIBILITIES. TROPICAL PATTERN WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THURSDAY WITH THE REMNANTS OF ISAAC SLOWLY APPROACHING THE AREA. ANTICIPATE PRIMARILY VFR CONDITIONS WITH BRIEF IFR/MVFR CONDITIONS UNDER ANY STRONGER SHOWERS OR STORMS. LATE NIGHT AND EARLY MORNING IFR/MVFR MOUNTAIN AND RIVER VALLEY FOG IS ALSO EXPECTED. BY THURSDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY FRIDAY...A COLD FRONT WILL SWEEP THROUGH THE AREA WITH A SURGE OF DRIER AIR BEHIND IT BY FRIDAY. && .RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VA...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT TONIGHT FOR VAZ013-014- 016-017-022-032>035-043-045>047. NC...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT TONIGHT FOR NCZ003>005- 019-020. WV...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...AMS NEAR TERM...AMS/DS SHORT TERM...RCS LONG TERM...JH AVIATION...AMS/KM
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS BLACKSBURG VA
1007 AM EDT MON SEP 3 2012 .SYNOPSIS... THE REMNANTS OF ISAAC WILL CONTINUE TO IMPACT THE REGION TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY WITH DEEP TROPICAL MOISTURE AND DAILY WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN. DRIER AIR WILL FINALLY PUSH INTO THE AREA BY FRIDAY AS A SERIES OF COLD FRONTS DROP SOUTHEAST INTO THE REGION. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 1002 AM EDT MONDAY... EARLY MORNING PATCHY FOG HAS DISSIPATED IN MOST AREA. JUST A FEW SMALL POCKETS REMAIN...HOWEVER THESE TOO WILL ERODE BY NOON. PRECIPITATION ACROSS THE AREA IS MINIMAL. KFCX 88D SHOWING SOME ISOLATED SHOWERS NEAR AND EAST OF LYNCHBURG VA...AND ALSO A FEW MAKING THEIR WAY INTO THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS OF NORTH CAROLINA FROM NORTHEAST TENNESSEE. THE EXPECTATION IS FOR THIS TO BE THE NORM THROUGH AROUND NOON. STARTING IN THE EARLY AFTERNOON...DAYTIME HEATING WILL YIELD ANOTHER RAPID DEVELOPMENT AND GENEROUS COVERAGE OF SHOWERS AND STORMS ACROSS THE REGION. HAVE TWEAKED POP AND WEATHER GRIDS TO REFLECT THIS LATEST EXPECTATION. ALSO HAVE TWEAKED HOURLY TEMPERATURE...DEW POINT...SKY COVER AND WINDS TO REFLECT THE LATEST OBSERVATIONS AND EXPECTED TRENDS INTO THE EARLY AFTERNOON. AS OF 450 AM EDT MONDAY... WATER VAPOR LOOP SHOWED UPPER LOW OVER EXTREME SOUTHWEST OHIO. AT THE SURFACE...THE 08Z MSAS ANALYSIS HAD THE LOW OVER THE KENTUCKY/ILLINOIS/INDIANA BORDER. ALL MODELS OPEN UP THE UPPER LOW DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. SUSPECT EVEN THE SHORT RANGE GUIDANCE MAY BE A LITTLE ON THE SLOW SIDE WITH THE EVOLUTION OF THE UPPER SYSTEM...SINCE AN MCS OVER MISSISSIPPI AND ALABAMA MAY HAVE ALREADY BROKEN OFF A PIECE OF VORTICITY FROM THE MAIN UPPER LOW. THE MAIN NORTHERN PART OF THE UPPER SYSTEM IS FORECAST TO TRACK TOWARD PENNSYLVANIA AND THE NORTHERN JET STREAM. REGIONAL RADARS INDICATED WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AROUND THE UPPER LOW. MODELS HAVE THIS PRECIPITATION EDGING SLOWLY EAST THIS MORNING. SO THROUGH NOON HAVE THE HIGHER PROBABILITY OF PRECIPITATION IN THE FAR WESTERN COUNTY WARNING AREA. EXPECT COVERAGE TO JUST BE ISOLATED THROUGH MID MORNING FOR THE REST OF THE FORECAST AREA. WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SREF AND LOCAL WRF ALONG WITH OTHER GUIDANCE WAS FOCUSING BEST THREAT OF HEAVY RAIN ALONG THE SOUTHERN BLUE RIDGE...ESPECIALLY IN THE NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS. GIVEN THE AIR MAS IS STILL VERY TROPICAL WITH PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES IN THE 1.5 TO 2.2 INCH RANGE HAVE LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN MENTIONED FOR ALL PARTS OF THE FORECAST AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. FFG IS LOWEST IN THE NEW RIVER VALLEY AND ALONG THE FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE RIDGE FROM PATRICK AND HENRY COUNTIES DOWN TO WILKES AND YADKIN COUNTIES. WILL CONTINUE TO ASSESS ANY FLASH FLOOD THREAT DURING THE MORNING. ANTICIPATE MINIMAL CHANGE IN TEMPERATURES FROM PAST FEW DAYS. STAYED CLOSE TO PERSISTENCE FOR MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES TODAY AND LOWS TONIGHT...WHICH ENDS UP BEING ON THE WARM SIDE OF GUIDANCE. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 254 AM EDT MONDAY... REMNANTS OF ISAAC UPPER LEVEL TROUGH OPENS ON TUESDAY AND SLOWLY MOVES OVER THE REGION TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. THE TROUGH WILL KEEP BULK OF THE RAIN OVER THE MOUNTAINS TUESDAY AFTERNOON THEN ALONG THE BLUE RIDGE AND FOOTHILL COUNTIES TUESDAY EVENING. TUESDAY LOOKS TO BE THE BETTER DAY FOR SEVERE WEATHER WITH A LOW LEVEL JET CROSSING THE REGION. CAN NOT RULE OUT STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS WITH A FEW SUPERCELLS TRACKING ACROSS THE AREA. MOVEMENT OF THESE STORMS WILL BE RELATIVELY SLOW AND AROUND 20-30 MPH. STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS WILL BE HIGHLY DEPENDENT ON HEATING THROUGH THE DAY. THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL MOVE TO THE BLUE RIDGE WEDNESDAY WITH A LINE OF SHOWERS STARTING NEAR THE BLUE RIDGE IN THE AFTERNOON...MOVING EAST INTO THE PIEDMONT IN THE EVENING. STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS ARE POSSIBLE BUT THE BIGGER THREAT WILL BE EAST OF THE AREA AND ACROSS THE COASTAL PIEDMONT OF THE MID ATLANTIC REGION. WEAK HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN WEDNESDAY...PUSHING THE TROPICAL AIR MASS OFF TO THE EAST. AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES WILL BE NEAR NORMAL TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY WHILE OVERNIGHTS CONTINUE TO BE MUGGY AND ABOVE NORMAL. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... AS OF 1230 PM EDT SUNDAY... DEEP TROPICAL MOISTURE ASSOCIATED WITH THE REMNANT OF ISAAC WILL FINALLY GET BOOTED SE DURING THURSDAY AHEAD OF AN INITIAL WEAK COLD FRONT THAT WILL DROPPING SE IN ADVANCE OF A DEVELOPING ERN 5H TROF. HOWEVER STILL ENOUGH LIFT WITH THE RESIDUAL SHEAR AXIS AND WEAK SURFACE TROF TO PROMPT ADDITIONAL SHRA WED NIGHT WITH PERHAPS YET ANOTHER ORGANIZED BAND ESPCLY EAST ON THURSDAY. THUS KEPT IN HIGH CHANCE POPS INTO THURSDAY WHICH MAY NEED TO GO HIGHER IN LATER UPDATES. BOUNDARY MAY TEND TO EDGE SOUTH OF THE AREA DURING FRIDAY BEFORE THE FLOW STARTS TO BACK AGAIN AHEAD OF A MORE POTENT WAVE ROUNDING THRU THE GREAT LAKES COLD POOL SAT. THIS FEATURE SHOULD PUSH A STRONGER SECONDARY COLD FRONT TOWARD THE APPALACHIANS SAT NIGHT INTO SUNDAY WITH A ANOTHER ROUND OF SHRA/TSRA AS DEEPER MOISTURE MAKES A QUICK RETURN. JUST HOW FAST THE FRONT MOVES EAST IFFY GIVEN HINT OF A 5H CUTOFF DEVELOPING OVER THE OHIO VALLEY BY SUNDAY SO FOLLOWING A BIT OF A BLEND GIVEN UNCERTAINTY NEXT WEEKEND. OTRW APPEARS ENOUGH DRYING TO BASICALLY CUT POPS LATER THU NIGHT THRU FRIDAY NIGHT...THEN RETURNING TO CHANCE COVERAGE FROM WEST TO EAST LATER SATURDAY THRU SUNDAY. TEMPS TO REMAIN WARM/MUGGY THU WITH HIGHS MOSTLY IN THE 80S INTO FRIDAY ALTHOUGH A BIT LESS HUMID. MAY SEE THINGS COOL OFF SOME WITH SHRA SAT BUT MORE SO SUNDAY PENDING THE FRONTAL TIMING WITH HIGHS LOW/MID 70S WEST AND LOW 80S EAST. && .AVIATION /14Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... AS OF 740 AM EDT MONDAY... MID LEVEL CLOUDS WILL LIMIT THE EXTENT OF FOG THIS MORNING...BUT STRATUS WITH IFR CEILINGS DEVELOPED OVERNIGHT ACROSS THE REGION. EXPECT CEILINGS TO LIFT TO MVFR BY 15Z/11AM THEN VFR BY 17Z/1PM. HAVE USED THE LOCAL WRF AND HRRR FOR TIMING OF WHEN THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON. THESE MODELS HAVE STORMS INITIALLY DEVELOPING BETWEEN 19Z/3PM AND 21Z/5PM. NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING...THEN COVERAGE WILL DIMINISH AFTER 00Z/8PM. VERY HEAVY RAIN IS LIKELY WITH ANY OF THE STRONGER STORMS WHICH WILL RESULT IN MVFR TO IFR VISIBILITIES. TROPICAL PATTERN WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THURSDAY WITH THE REMNANTS OF ISAAC SLOWLY APPROACHING THE AREA. ANTICIPATE PRIMARILY VFR CONDITIONS WITH BRIEF IFR/MVFR CONDITIONS UNDER ANY STRONGER SHOWERS OR STORMS. LATE NIGHT AND EARLY MORNING IFR/MVFR MOUNTAIN AND RIVER VALLEY FOG IS ALSO EXPECTED. BY THURSDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY FRIDAY...A COLD FRONT WILL SWEEP THROUGH THE AREA WITH A SURGE OF DRIER AIR BEHIND IT BY FRIDAY. && .RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VA...NONE. NC...NONE. WV...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...AMS NEAR TERM...AMS/DS SHORT TERM...RCS LONG TERM...JH AVIATION...AMS/KM
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS BLACKSBURG VA
748 AM EDT MON SEP 3 2012 .SYNOPSIS... THE REMNANTS OF ISAAC WILL CONTINUE TO IMPACT THE REGION TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY WITH DEEP TROPICAL MOISTURE AND DAILY WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN. DRIER AIR WILL FINALLY PUSH INTO THE AREA BY FRIDAY AS A SERIES OF COLD FRONTS DROP SOUTHEAST INTO THE REGION. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 450 AM EDT MONDAY... WATER VAPOR LOOP SHOWED UPPER LOW OVER EXTREME SOUTHWEST OHIO. AT THE SURFACE...THE 08Z MSAS ANALYSIS HAD THE LOW OVER THE KENTUCKY/ILLINOIS/INDIANA BORDER. ALL MODELS OPEN UP THE UPPER LOW DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. SUSPECT EVEN THE SHORT RANGE GUIDANCE MAY BE A LITTLE ON THE SLOW SIDE WITH THE EVOLUTION OF THE UPPER SYSTEM...SINCE AN MCS OVER MISSISSIPPI AND ALABAMA MAY HAVE ALREADY BROKEN OFF A PIECE OF VORTICITY FROM THE MAIN UPPER LOW. THE MAIN NORTHERN PART OF THE UPPER SYSTEM IS FORECAST TO TRACK TOWARD PENNSYLVANIA AND THE NORTHERN JET STREAM. REGIONAL RADARS INDICATED WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AROUND THE UPPER LOW. MODELS HAVE THIS PRECIPITATION EDGING SLOWLY EAST THIS MORNING. SO THROUGH NOON HAVE THE HIGHER PROBABILITY OF PRECIPITATION IN THE FAR WESTERN COUNTY WARNING AREA. EXPECT COVERAGE TO JUST BE ISOLATED THROUGH MID MORNING FOR THE REST OF THE FORECAST AREA. WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SREF AND LOCAL WRF ALONG WITH OTHER GUIDANCE WAS FOCUSING BEST THREAT OF HEAVY RAIN ALONG THE SOUTHERN BLUE RIDGE...ESPECIALLY IN THE NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS. GIVEN THE AIR MAS IS STILL VERY TROPICAL WITH PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES IN THE 1.5 TO 2.2 INCH RANGE HAVE LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN MENTIONED FOR ALL PARTS OF THE FORECAST AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. FFG IS LOWEST IN THE NEW RIVER VALLEY AND ALONG THE FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE RIDGE FROM PATRICK AND HENRY COUNTIES DOWN TO WILKES AND YADKIN COUNTIES. WILL CONTINUE TO ASSESS ANY FLASH FLOOD THREAT DURING THE MORNING. ANTICIPATE MINIMAL CHANGE IN TEMPERATURES FROM PAST FEW DAYS. STAYED CLOSE TO PERSISTENCE FOR MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES TODAY AND LOWS TONIGHT...WHICH ENDS UP BEING ON THE WARM SIDE OF GUIDANCE. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 254 AM EDT MONDAY... REMNANTS OF ISAAC UPPER LEVEL TROUGH OPENS ON TUESDAY AND SLOWLY MOVES OVER THE REGION TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. THE TROUGH WILL KEEP BULK OF THE RAIN OVER THE MOUNTAINS TUESDAY AFTERNOON THEN ALONG THE BLUE RIDGE AND FOOTHILL COUNTIES TUESDAY EVENING. TUESDAY LOOKS TO BE THE BETTER DAY FOR SEVERE WEATHER WITH A LOW LEVEL JET CROSSING THE REGION. CAN NOT RULE OUT STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS WITH A FEW SUPERCELLS TRACKING ACROSS THE AREA. MOVEMENT OF THESE STORMS WILL BE RELATIVELY SLOW AND AROUND 20-30 MPH. STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS WILL BE HIGHLY DEPENDENT ON HEATING THROUGH THE DAY. THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL MOVE TO THE BLUE RIDGE WEDNESDAY WITH A LINE OF SHOWERS STARTING NEAR THE BLUE RIDGE IN THE AFTERNOON...MOVING EAST INTO THE PIEDMONT IN THE EVENING. STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS ARE POSSIBLE BUT THE BIGGER THREAT WILL BE EAST OF THE AREA AND ACROSS THE COASTAL PIEDMONT OF THE MID ATLANTIC REGION. WEAK HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN WEDNESDAY...PUSHING THE TROPICAL AIR MASS OFF TO THE EAST. AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES WILL BE NEAR NORMAL TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY WHILE OVERNIGHTS CONTINUE TO BE MUGGY AND ABOVE NORMAL. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... AS OF 1230 PM EDT SUNDAY... DEEP TROPICAL MOISTURE ASSOCIATED WITH THE REMNANT OF ISAAC WILL FINALLY GET BOOTED SE DURING THURSDAY AHEAD OF AN INITIAL WEAK COLD FRONT THAT WILL DROPPING SE IN ADVANCE OF A DEVELOPING ERN 5H TROF. HOWEVER STILL ENOUGH LIFT WITH THE RESIDUAL SHEAR AXIS AND WEAK SURFACE TROF TO PROMPT ADDITIONAL SHRA WED NIGHT WITH PERHAPS YET ANOTHER ORGANIZED BAND ESPCLY EAST ON THURSDAY. THUS KEPT IN HIGH CHANCE POPS INTO THURSDAY WHICH MAY NEED TO GO HIGHER IN LATER UPDATES. BOUNDARY MAY TEND TO EDGE SOUTH OF THE AREA DURING FRIDAY BEFORE THE FLOW STARTS TO BACK AGAIN AHEAD OF A MORE POTENT WAVE ROUNDING THRU THE GREAT LAKES COLD POOL SAT. THIS FEATURE SHOULD PUSH A STRONGER SECONDARY COLD FRONT TOWARD THE APPALACHIANS SAT NIGHT INTO SUNDAY WITH A ANOTHER ROUND OF SHRA/TSRA AS DEEPER MOISTURE MAKES A QUICK RETURN. JUST HOW FAST THE FRONT MOVES EAST IFFY GIVEN HINT OF A 5H CUTOFF DEVELOPING OVER THE OHIO VALLEY BY SUNDAY SO FOLLOWING A BIT OF A BLEND GIVEN UNCERTAINTY NEXT WEEKEND. OTRW APPEARS ENOUGH DRYING TO BASICALLY CUT POPS LATER THU NIGHT THRU FRIDAY NIGHT...THEN RETURNING TO CHANCE COVERAGE FROM WEST TO EAST LATER SATURDAY THRU SUNDAY. TEMPS TO REMAIN WARM/MUGGY THU WITH HIGHS MOSTLY IN THE 80S INTO FRIDAY ALTHOUGH A BIT LESS HUMID. MAY SEE THINGS COOL OFF SOME WITH SHRA SAT BUT MORE SO SUNDAY PENDING THE FRONTAL TIMING WITH HIGHS LOW/MID 70S WEST AND LOW 80S EAST. && .AVIATION /12Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... AS OF 740 AM EDT MONDAY... MID LEVEL CLOUDS WILL LIMIT THE EXTENT OF FOG THIS MORNING...BUT STRATUS WITH IFR CEILINGS DEVELOPED OVERNIGHT ACROSS THE REGION. EXPECT CEILINGS TO LIFT TO MVFR BY 15Z/11AM THEN VFR BY 17Z/1PM. HAVE USED THE LOCAL WRF AND HRRR FOR TIMING OF WHEN THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON. THESE MODELS HAVE STORMS INITIALLY DEVELOPING BETWEEN 19Z/3PM AND 21Z/5PM. NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING...THEN COVERAGE WILL DIMINISH AFTER 00Z/8PM. VERY HEAVY RAIN IS LIKELY WITH ANY OF THE STRONGER STORMS WHICH WILL RESULT IN MVFR TO IFR VISIBILITIES. TROPICAL PATTERN WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THURSDAY WITH THE REMNANTS OF ISAAC SLOWLY APPROACHING THE AREA. ANTICIPATE PRIMARILY VFR CONDITIONS WITH BRIEF IFR/MVFR CONDITIONS UNDER ANY STRONGER SHOWERS OR STORMS. LATE NIGHT AND EARLY MORNING IFR/MVFR MOUNTAIN AND RIVER VALLEY FOG IS ALSO EXPECTED. BY THURSDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY FRIDAY...A COLD FRONT WILL SWEEP THROUGH THE AREA WITH A SURGE OF DRIER AIR BEHIND IT BY FRIDAY. && .RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VA...NONE. NC...NONE. WV...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...AMS NEAR TERM...AMS SHORT TERM...RCS LONG TERM...JH AVIATION...AMS/KM
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LA CROSSE WI
637 PM CDT TUE SEP 4 2012 .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT 256 PM CDT TUE SEP 4 2012 MAIN FORECAST CONCERNS ARE ON CONVECTION THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING AND ASSOCIATED SEVERE WEATHER POTENTIAL. CURRENTLY AS OF 20Z...WATER VAPOR LOOP AND RAP 500MB HEIGHT ANALYSIS SHOWED A POTENT SHORTWAVE TROUGH OVER SOUTHERN SASKATCHEWAN INTO EASTERN MONTANA...THEN NEAR ZONAL TO SLIGHT SOUTHWEST FLOW STREAMING EAST INTO NEW ENGLAND. WITHIN THIS FLOW...A SHORTWAVE WAS PRESENT OVER FAR WESTERN WISCONSIN...WITH SOME WEAK RIDGING RIGHT BEHIND IT OVER MINNESOTA. MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES AFTER THE FOG BURNED OFF THIS MORNING HAS ALLOWED FOR STRONG HEATING ACROSS THE AREA. WITH 12Z RAOBS HAVING 850MB TEMPS AROUND 18C...TEMPERATURES HAVE CLIMBED INTO THE MID TO UPPER 80S. DEWPOINTS REMAIN MUGGY FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR...IN THE MID 60S TO AROUND 70. THE COMBINATION OF THE TEMPERATURES AND DEWPOINTS HAS RESULTED IN MLCAPE VALUES OF 2000-3000 J/KG WITH LITTLE CIN. AT THE SURFACE...LOW PRESSURE WAS NEAR AITKIN MN WITH A DRY-LINE ARCING THROUGH NORTHWEST WI INTO SOUTHEAST MN. PLENTY OF CUMULUS GOING UP AHEAD OF THIS DRY LINE. STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP IN THE NEXT HOUR OR TWO OUT OF THIS CUMULUS FIELD. BIG CONCERN FOR SEVERE WEATHER IS WIND GIVEN MID-LEVEL DRY AIR PRESENT...SEEN ON BOTH WATER VAPOR AND THE 12Z MPX SOUNDING. TO THE WEST...FAIRLY QUIET ACROSS THE DAKOTAS AHEAD OF THE POTENT TROUGH. HOWEVER...ANOTHER SURFACE LOW HAS DEVELOPED AHEAD OF IT NEAR PIERRE. IN ADDITION... GOES PRECIPITABLE WATER IMAGERY SHOWS MOISTURE BEGINNING TO SURGE TO THE NORTHWEST THROUGH EASTERN NEBRASKA AHEAD OF THE SURFACE LOW/UPPER TROUGH. REST OF THE AFTERNOON...ASSUMING CONVECTION FIRES IN THE CUMULUS FIELD...WHICH IS INDICATED BY MANY MESO-MODELS...EXPECTING IT TO PROPAGATE EAST-SOUTHEAST QUICKLY DURING THE NEXT FEW HOURS. THIS IS DUE TO THE DRY MID LEVEL AIR ALLOWING FOR RAPID MOVING OUTFLOW AS WELL AS THE MAIN SHORTWAVE ACCOMPANYING IT SHIFTING INTO EASTERN WISCONSIN BY 00Z. THEREFORE...THINKING THE SEVERE THREAT AND PROBABLY MUCH OF THE PRECIPITATION WILL END BY 00Z. ONLY CAVEAT COULD BE IN FAR SOUTHWEST WI AND FAR NORTHEAST IA WHERE THERE ARE HINTS THE TAIL END OF CONVECTION COULD STALL OUT. KEPT SOME HIGHER CHANCES OF PRECIPITATION DOWN THERE JUST IN CASE. TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...THE POTENT SHORTWAVE OVER EASTERN MONTANA IS FORECAST TO MOVE INTO WESTERN MINNESOTA BY 12Z WEDNESDAY. AS THIS OCCURS...THE MOISTURE SEEN LIFTING UP THROUGH EASTERN NEBRASKA RIGHT NOW IS GOING TO GET ISENTROPICALLY LIFTED UP TOWARDS US. SO AFTER SOME BRIEF SHORTWAVE RIDGING AND SUBSIDENCE THIS EVENING...ANOTHER ROUND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS LOOKS LIKELY. DEVELOPMENT MAY OCCUR SOUTH OF I-90 AS EARLY AS 03Z AS SUGGESTED BY THE 04.12Z NAM/GFS. BETTER POTENTIAL FOR PRECIPITATION FOR THE ENTIRE AREA IS AFTER MIDNIGHT AS THE SHORTWAVE APPROACHES AND 850MB MOISTURE TRANSPORT REALLY INCREASES. MID-LEVEL FLOW IS NICELY DIFFLUENT TOO AHEAD OF THE WAVE...AIDING IN FORCING. MCS DEVELOPMENT IS CERTAINLY POSSIBLE...AS NOTED BY THE 04.12Z ECMWF/UKMET/CANADIAN/NAM. REGARDING SEVERE CONCERN...1-6KM SHEAR VALUES VARY FROM MODEL TO MODEL. NAM IS ON THE ORDER OF 30-40 KT WHILE THE GFS IS 20-30KT. THE NAM WOULD DEFINITELY GIVE A SEVERE WEATHER CONCERN...WITH BOTH HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS POSSIBLE. THE GFS NOT AS MUCH SO. THEREFORE... THINK THE SPCS DAY 1 OUTLOOK SLIGHT RISK IDEA IS APPROPRIATE. A BIG NOTE...THERE IS A POSSIBILITY MCS DEVELOPMENT COULD OCCUR FARTHER SOUTH SAY MORE OVER IOWA. IF IT DOES...CORFIDI VECTORS WOULD TAKE IT SOUTHEAST...LIMITING SOME OF THE CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY OVER THE FORECAST AREA. SHORTWAVE TROUGH IS PROGGED TO HEAD EAST TO CENTRAL UPPER MICHIGAN AND LAKE MICHIGAN BY 18Z...ALLOWING STRONG ISENTROPIC DESCENT TO FILTER INTO THE AREA AND CLEAR OUT THE PRECIPITATION/CLOUDS. COLD FRONTAL BOUNDARY TOO LOOKS TO BE THROUGH THE AREA AROUND 18Z. 850MB TEMPS FALL QUITE A BIT WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE TROUGH. THROUGH 12Z WEDNESDAY...THEY HOVER BETWEEN 18-20C. BY 00Z THURSDAY...THOUGH... THEY FALL TO 12-14C. THUS...ANTICIPATE A COOLER DAY TOMORROW...MORE AROUND SEASONABLE NORMALS. WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY...TROUGHING OVER THE FORECAST AREA AS A RESULT OF THAT POTENT SHORTWAVE MOVING THROUGH WEDNESDAY LOOKS TO BE SHORT-LIVED. THAT IS BECAUSE ANOTHER POTENT TROUGH IS PROGGED TO DROP SOUTH INTO MONTANA BY 12Z THURSDAY. THERE WILL BE ENOUGH SUBSIDENCE AND DRY AIR PERSISTING IN THE WAKE OF WEDNESDAYS SHORTWAVE SUCH THAT WEDNESDAY NIGHT STAYS DRY. AT THE SURFACE...A HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE IS PROGGED TO BUILD INTO WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA BY 12Z THURSDAY. GIVEN THE RIDGE POSITION...ENOUGH OF A NORTHWESTERLY BREEZE SHOULD OCCUR TO PREVENT ANY FOG AT LEAST IN THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY. OTHER SMALLER VALLEYS LIKE THE WISCONSIN MAY STILL BE SUSCEPTIBLE...THOUGH. COOLER NIGHT LIKELY WITH WINDS LIGHTENING UP THROUGH THE NIGHT AS WELL AS CLEAR SKIES. SOME OF THE TYPICAL COLD SPOTS COULD FALL INTO THE MID 40S. ON THURSDAY...THAT POTENT TROUGH DIGS DOWN A LITTLE MORE THROUGH MONTANA...SETTING UP WEST-SOUTHWEST MID LEVEL FLOW OVER THE AREA. WITHIN THIS FLOW...THERE COULD BE A SHORTWAVE SKIMMING ACROSS NORTHERN WISCONSIN IN THE AFTERNOON...BUT OTHERWISE MODELS DO NOT SHOW ANY OTHER SHORTWAVES OF SIGNIFICANCE. HOWEVER..WITH THAT POTENT TROUGH DIGGING A LITTLE MORE...IT SETS UP A 310-315K ISENTROPIC LIFT/MID-LEVEL FRONTOGENESIS ZONE DOWNSTREAM ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS INTO OUR REGION. LOOKS LIKE ANY PRECIPITATION RESULTING FROM THIS FORCING WILL STAY WEST OF OUR AREA...BUT AN INCREASE IN MID/HIGH CLOUDS IS LIKELY...ESPECIALLY IN THE AFTERNOON. 850MB TEMPS OF 12-14C COMBINED WITH A DECENT AMOUNT OF SUN AND THE DRY AIR SHOULD ALLOW FOR TEMPERATURES TO CLIMB INTO THE MID TO UPPER 70S. THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY...THE POTENT TROUGH OVER MONTANA IS FORECAST TO DIG SOUTHEAST DURING THIS PERIOD...BEING PUSHED BY RIDGING DROPPING DOWN INTO SOUTH CENTRAL CANADA. BY 00Z SATURDAY...A LONG WAVE TROUGH SHOULD EXTEND FROM NORTHEAST ONTARIO...INTO THE FORECAST AREA AND INTO NEBRASKA. THE MAIN ISSUE WITH THIS POTENT TROUGH COMING TOWARDS THE AREA IS WHERE DOES THE FRONTOGENESIS ZONE AHEAD OF IT LAY UP...AND THUS THE ASSOCIATED PRECIPITATION. THE 04.00Z ECMWF KEPT THE BULK OF IT ACROSS IOWA THURSDAY NIGHT AND INTO ILLINOIS AND MISSOURI ON FRIDAY...THUS FOR THE MOST PART OUR FORECAST AREA ENDS UP DRY. THE 04.12Z NAM IS FARTHER NORTH...HAVING PRECIPITATION FALL SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 94 AFTER MIDNIGHT THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY. 04.12Z GFS IS A LITTLE MORE INTERESTING. THE MODEL SUGGESTS SOME HIGHER LEVEL FRONTOGENESIS PRODUCING A BAND OF MOSTLY LIGHT RAIN...WHICH SLOWLY DROPS SOUTH THROUGH THE AREA AFTER MIDNIGHT THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY. THESE BANDS SOMETIMES VERIFY AND OTHER TIMES NOT. OVERALL...THE BULK OF THE PRECIPITATION IN THE GFS FALLS TO THE SOUTH. IN ANY EVENT...ALL MODELS SUGGEST A NEED TO INCREASE PRECIPITATION CHANCES UP TO 40 FOR NOW...MAINLY SOUTH OF I-90. FURTHER REFINEMENTS WILL BE NEEDED AS WE GET CLOSER TO THIS PERIOD. WITH MORE CLOUDS AS WELL AS COOLER AIR COMING IN WITH THE UPPER TROUGH...ANTICIPATE THIS PERIOD TO BE MUCH COOLER THAN AS OF LATE. THIS WILL BE ESPECIALLY TRUE ON FRIDAY AS 850MB TEMPS FALL TO 6-9C. HIGHS ON FRIDAY MAY GET STUCK IN THE 60S...ESPECIALLY IF IT RAINS ALL DAY LIKE THE NAM. .LONG TERM...FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY 256 PM CDT TUE SEP 4 2012 04.12Z ECMWF/GFS/CANADIAN AND GFS ENSEMBLES ARE A LITTLE DIFFERENT AMONGST EACH OTHER TODAY COMPARED TO YESTERDAY...MOSTLY WITH REGARDS TO HANDLING WHETHER THE UPPER TROUGH COMING THROUGH THE FORECAST AREA FRIDAY ENDS UP CLOSING OFF IN THE OHIO RIVER VALLEY. INTERESTINGLY...THE 04.12Z ECMWF/CANADIAN AND GFS HAVE NOW FLIP-FLOPPED WITH EACH OTHER...WITH THE ECMWF/CANADIAN NOW MORE PROGRESSIVE AND THE GFS CLOSING OFF. FOR OUR AREA...THOUGH...WHICH EVER SOLUTION PANS OUT REALLY DOESNT MATTER...AS BOTH SCENARIOS BUILD HIGH PRESSURE INTO THE FORECAST AREA FOR THE WEEKEND. SO MAYBE AFTER A FEW LINGERING SHOWERS IN NORTHEAST IA/SOUTHWEST WI FRIDAY NIGHT...EXPECT DECREASING CLOUDS AND DRY WEATHER FOR THE WEEKEND. CERTAINLY LOOKS COOL COMPARED TO WHAT HAS BEEN SEEN RECENTLY... THANKS TO 850MB TEMPS OF 6-8C ON SATURDAY AND 10-12C ON SUNDAY. WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED IF SOME OF THE TYPICAL COLD SPOTS END UP SEEING SOME UPPER 30S. FOR EARLY NEXT WEEK...UPPER RIDGING OVER THE WESTERN U.S. IS FORECAST TO BUILD UP INTO THE FORECAST AREA...BUT FLATTEN PRETTY QUICKLY BY TUESDAY AS A SHORTWAVE TROUGH CROSSING SOUTHERN CANADA. WILL SEE A WARM UP WITH THE RIDGING COMING IN...AT LEAST BACK TO NORMAL. DRY CONDITIONS SHOULD CONTINUE AS WELL WITH THE HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE WEEKEND BLOCKING GULF OF MEXICO MOISTURE RETURN. && .AVIATION...TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY 637 PM CDT TUE SEP 4 2012 CURRENT CONVECTION SHOULD PUSH EAST OF THE KLSE BETWEEN 00 AND 01Z...GIVING WAY TO CLEAR SKIES AND GENERALLY WESTERLY WINDS. NEXT FOCUS IS ON OVERNIGHT CONVECTION EXPECTED TO FIRE UP ACROSS SOUTHERN MINNESOTA AT THE NOSE OF THE 850 MB MOISTURE TRANSPORT AND AHEAD OF SURFACE COLD FRONT. STORMS SHOULD DEVELOP AROUND 06Z...AND THEN PUSH EAST ACROSS THE TAF SITES THROUGH AROUND 12Z. ONE CONCERN FOR THE OVERNIGHT GIVEN THIS EVENING/S RAINFALL IS DENSE FOG AT KLSE. IF SKIES REMAIN CLEAR EARLY ON AND WITH LIGHT WINDS...COULD SEE SOME PATCHY RIVER VALLEY FOG AT KLSE. THIS WILL NEED TO BE CLOSELY MONITORED. CONTINUED PREVIOUS FORECAST FOR THE MOST PART...EXCEPT ADDED A VICINITY SHOWER BETWEEN 13-15Z. WINDS WILL SHIFT TO THE NORTH BEHIND COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE AN SKIES WILL BECOME CLEAR WITH SOME GUSTY WINDS POSSIBLY UP TO 20 KTS AT KRST. && .ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... 256 PM CDT TUE SEP 4 2012 WI...NONE. MN...NONE. IA...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...AJ LONG TERM...AJ AVIATION...ZT
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LA CROSSE WI
256 PM CDT MON SEP 3 2012 .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY 256 PM CDT MON SEP 3 2012 MAIN FORECAST CONCERNS ARE ON PRECIPITATION CHANCES THROUGH WEDNESDAY. CURRENTLY AS OF 20Z...WATER VAPOR LOOP AND RAP 500MB HEIGHT ANALYSIS SHOWED BROAD TROUGHING OVER SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL CANADA... WITH NEARLY ZONAL FLOW ON ITS SOUTH SIDE ACROSS MUCH OF THE NORTHERN U.S.. WITHIN THE BROAD UPPER TROUGHING...A PORTENT SHORTWAVE IS EVIDENT OVER CENTRAL ALBERTA. IN THE ZONAL FLOW...THERE ARE NUMEROUS WEAK SHORTWAVES...WHICH DURING THIS MORNING PRETTY MUCH ALL HAD AT LEAST ACCAS OR CONVECTION WITH THEM: ONE IN NORTH DAKOTA...ANOTHER IN WESTERN MINNESOTA...ONE IN WESTERN NEBRASKA AND LASTLY ONE IN CENTRAL IOWA. DPVA AHEAD OF THE SHORTWAVE IN CENTRAL IOWA COMBINED WITH A WEAKENING SURFACE COLD FRONT EXTENDING FROM CENTRAL UPPER MICHIGAN TO NEAR DES MOINES...AS WELL AS MLCAPE VALUES THAT HAVE CLIMBED TO 1500-2000 J/KG WITH LITTLE CIN PER RAP ANALYSIS...HAS ALLOWED FOR SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT. MOST OF THE ACTIVITY HAS BEEN DISORGANIZED...DUE TO 0-6KM SHEAR BELOW 30 KT WHERE STORMS ARE IN THE FORECAST AREA. ALSO...A SURGE OF MONSOONAL MID-CLOUDS THROUGH THE UPPER FLOW IS HELPING TO PUT A LID ON THE AMOUNT OF INSTABILITY. THERE ARE EVEN SOME SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS COMING OUT OF THESE MID CLOUDS. WITH THE VARYING CLOUD COVER AND PRECIPITATION...TEMPERATURES TODAY ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE IN THE FORECAST AREA. MOST LOCATIONS REACHED 80...WHILE BOSCOBEL GOT CLOSE TO 90. ABNORMALLY HIGH DEWPOINTS PERSIST TOO...WITH MOST OF THE AREA SEEING READINGS AROUND 70F. TONIGHT AND TUESDAY...VERY TRICKY FORECAST TO SAY THE LEAST. THE NEAR ZONAL FLOW WILL PERSIST THROUGH THIS PERIOD AS THE POTENT ALBERT SHORTWAVE DIGS DOWN INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS. MODELS CONTINUE TO INDICATE WEAK SHORTWAVES MOVING THROUGH THIS FLOW...LIKE THOSE AROUND THE DAKOTAS TODAY. WITH MUCAPE VALUES PROGGED TO NOT DROP MUCH BELOW 1000 J/KG...HIGHLY CONCERNED THERE COULD BE OFF AND ON SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THROUGHOUT THIS PERIOD. THIS HAS BEEN SUGGESTED THE PAST FEW DAYS...ESPECIALLY BY THE ECMWF...THOUGH THE LATEST 03.12Z ECMWF IS NOT AS ACTIVE. NOW SOME HI RESOLUTION MODEL RUNS HAVE SUGGESTED THAT THE CURRENT AFTERNOON CONVECTION DROPS SOUTHEAST THIS EVENING...WHILE OTHER CONVECTION DEVELOPS IN IOWA AND DROPS SOUTHEAST. THIS ALLOWS THE FORECAST AREA TO END UP DRY AFTER MIDNIGHT. FOR NOW HOLDING ON TO SOME LOW CHANCES OF PRECIPITATION BECAUSE OF TOO MUCH UNCERTAINTY TO GO DRY BASED ON THE ENVIRONMENT. IF SKIES CLEAR OUT TONIGHT...THE HIGH AMOUNT OF SURFACE MOISTURE AROUND AND WEAK WIND FIELD WOULD LIKELY RESULT IN WIDESPREAD RADIATION FOG. NOT ENTIRELY CONFIDENT WE WILL HAVE A LONG PERIOD OF CLEAR SKIES...THOUGH. SO IN SUMMARY...THERE APPEARS TO BE TWO SCENARIOS FOR TONIGHT: 1. SKIES CLEAR AND WE END UP WITH DENSE FOG 2. PERIODS OF ACCAS AND ISOLATED SHOWERS/STORMS RIGHT NOW...BANKING ON NUMBER 2 AND ACKNOWLEDGING THE FOG BY ADDING AT LEAST A PATCHY MENTION AFTER MIDNIGHT INTO TUESDAY MORNING. WITH THE HIGH AMOUNT OF SURFACE MOISTURE...ANTICIPATING TEMPERATURES OUTSIDE OF THE TYPICAL COLD SPOTS TO NOT DROP BELOW THE MID 60S. DEPENDING ON AMOUNT OF SUN ON TUESDAY...WITH 850MB TEMPS BETWEEN 18-20C...HIGHS COULD GET CLOSE TO 90. TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...THE POTENT SHORTWAVE TROUGH COMING INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS AT 00Z WEDNESDAY IS FORECAST TO DIG INTO MINNESOTA BY 12Z...THEN RAPIDLY SHOOT EAST OVER MUCH OF MICHIGAN BY 00Z THURSDAY. THIS RAPID MOVEMENT MEANS AN OVERALL SHORT TIME WINDOW FOR PRECIPITATION FORCED BY THE TROUGH. NOTE THAT THE BEST 500-300MB PV ADVECTION IS STILL SUGGESTED TO STAY TO THE NORTH OF THE FORECAST AREA. HOWEVER...THE COMBINATION OF WEAK 500MB HEIGHT FALLS...A SURGE OF LOW TO MID LEVEL MOISTURE TRANSPORT...AS WELL AS AT LEAST 1000-1500 J/KG OF MUCAPE ACCOMPANYING THE MOISTURE TRANSPORT SHOULD PRODUCE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA. SOME OF THESE COULD GET GOING AS EARLY AS THE EVENING...BUT BETTER CHANCES ARE EXPECTED AFTER MIDNIGHT THROUGH ABOUT 15Z WEDNESDAY...WHEN THE TROUGH IS HAVING ITS BIGGEST FORCING INFLUENCE. 1-6KM SHEAR IS GENERALLY 15-25KT...WHICH SHOULD KEEP CONVECTION SUB-SEVERE. AFTER 15Z...STRONG SUBSIDENCE WILL WORK IN WEST TO EAST...CLEARING SKIES OUT. WINDS SHOULD PICK UP TOO AS THE PRESSURE GRADIENT TIGHTENS... COLD ADVECTION AND DEEP MIXING OCCUR. NOTING ABOUT THE COLD ADVECTION...850MB TEMPS WHICH LOOK TO HOVER BETWEEN 16-20C TUESDAY NIGHT END UP FALLING TO 12-14C OR SLIGHTLY COOLER BY 00Z WEDNESDAY. THUS...EXPECT COOLER HIGHS FOR WEDNESDAY ON THE ORDER OF MID 70S TO LOWER 80S. TUESDAY NIGHT WILL STILL BE WARM WITH LOWS IN THE 60S...THANKS TO SOUTH FLOW AHEAD OF THE SHORTWAVE/ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT AND HIGHER DEWPOINTS. WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY...IN THE WAKE OF WEDNESDAYS POTENT SHORTWAVE...UPPER FLOW TURNS ZONAL OVER THE AREA. BUT THIS IS BRIEF...WITH ATTENTION TURNING BACK TO ALBERTA WHERE YET ANOTHER POTENT SHORTWAVE IS PROGGED TO DROP SOUTH INTO MONTANA BY 00Z FRIDAY. WEDNESDAY NIGHT STILL LOOKS DRY THANKS TO LINGERING DRY AIR AND SUBSIDENCE IN THE WAKE OF WEDNESDAYS TROUGH. THURSDAY IS A LITTLE MORE PROBLEMATIC. TO THE NORTH...MODELS ARE INDICATING A COUPLE OF SHORTWAVES CROSSING NORTHERN MINNESOTA AND WISCONSIN... WHICH BRING DOWN A COLD FRONT INTO NORTHWEST WI BY 00Z. BOTH THE 03.12Z NAM AND 03.06Z GFS DEPICT SOME LIGHT QPF ACROSS TAYLOR COUNTY WITH THIS FEATURE IN THE AFTERNOON. SOUNDINGS SUGGEST VERY LITTLE MUCAPE WITH THIS FRONT AND A FAIRLY DRY BOUNDARY LAYER BELOW 750MB. NEW 03.12Z GFS HAS CAME IN DRY. THEREFORE...HAVE HELD OFF ON MENTION ANY PRECIPITATION CHANCES UP AROUND TAYLOR COUNTY. FOR THE REST OF THE AREA...300-305K ISENTROPIC LIFT GRADUALLY INCREASES DURING THE AFTERNOON...ALL KIND OF DOWNSTREAM OF THAT SHORTWAVE DROPPING INTO MONTANA. SHOULD SEE SOME MID/HIGH CLOUDS DEVELOP AS A RESULT OF THIS LIFT...BUT THINKING THE MAJORITY OF THESE CLOUDS ANY PRECIPITATION POTENTIAL WITH THEM WILL STAY WEST/SOUTHWEST OF THE AREA. THIS AGREES WELL WITH THE 03.12Z GFS/ECMWF. COOLER PERIOD ANTICIPATED. MAY HAVE TO WATCH FOR VALLEY FOG POTENTIAL IF THE SURFACE RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE COMING IN WEDNESDAY NIGHT BUILDS IN FASTER. .LONG TERM...THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY 256 PM CDT MON SEP 3 2012 THROUGH SATURDAY...MODELS REMAIN IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THE HANDLING OF THE POTENT SHORTWAVE OVER MONTANA...HOW IT ENDS UP FORMING A FAIRLY DEEP TROUGH OVER THE UPPER AND MID MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEYS BY 12Z SATURDAY. AS THIS TROUGH FORMS...FRONTOGENESIS DOWNSTREAM WILL LIKELY SPREAD MID/HIGH CLOUDS ACROSS THE AREA THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY...SOME OF WHICH COULD PRODUCE A FEW SHOWERS. OVERALL... BULK OF PRECIPITATION IS ANTICIPATED TO STAY TO THE SOUTH...CLOSER TO A DEVELOPING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM LIFTING OUT OF THE CENTRAL PLAINS. BY FRIDAY NIGHT...AS THE TROUGHING MOVES IN...THE CLOUDS AND POTENTIAL FOR SHOWERS GET PUSHED EAST. HIGH PRESSURE THEN BUILDS IN FOR SATURDAY. MUCH OF THIS PERIOD THROUGH SATURDAY WILL BE BELOW NORMAL...DUE TO FIRST CLOUDS ON FRIDAY AND THEN 850MB TEMPS FALLING TO 6-8C FOR SATURDAY. HIGHS MAY STRUGGLE TO CLIMB TO OR MUCH ABOVE 70. BEYOND SATURDAY...MODELS HANDLE THE TROUGHING DIFFERENTLY...WITH THE 03.12Z ECMWF AND CANADIAN CLOSING IT OFF AND PERHAPS MOVING IT SOUTHEAST...WHEREAS THE 03.12Z GFS AND ITS ENSEMBLES REMAIN MORE PROGRESSIVE. FOR THE FORECAST AREA...EITHER SCENARIO DOESNT MATTER MUCH...AS ALL MODELS END UP HAVING UPPER RIDGING BUILDING UP OVER THE PLAINS AND INTO THE FORECAST AREA LATE MONDAY. THIS WILL KEEP CONDITIONS DRY WITH A GRADUAL WARMING TREND. BY MONDAY...850MB TEMPS ARE BACK UP TO 12-14C...YIELDING HIGHS AT LEAST AROUND NORMAL. && .AVIATION...THIS AFTERNOON INTO TUESDAY 1215 PM CDT MON SEP 3 2012 BKN LINE OF CONVECTION WAS MOVING STEADILY EAST/NORTHEAST ACROSS THE FCST AREA AT MID-DAY. LINE HAD ALREADY CLEARED KRST WHILE DISTANCE SPEED-TOOL PUTS IT THRU THE KLSE AREA IN THE 1830-1930Z TIME FRAME. ADDED A TEMPO MVFR TSRA PERIOD TO KLSE FOR THE EARLY AFTERNOON. CONDITIONS GO BACK TO VFR AFTER THE LINE OF SHRA/TSRA PASSES FOR THE LATE AFTERNOON/EVENING HOURS. HOWEVER...THE MOIST AIRMASS WITH SOME MIXED LAYER OR ELEVATED CAPE REMAINS OVER THE AREA TONIGHT INTO TUE. WITH WEAK SHORTWAVES RIPPLING ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT INTO TUE...ISOLATED TO SCT SHRA/TSRA REMAIN POSSIBLE. GIVEN POOR CONFIDENCE IN THE TIMING/COVERAGE DETAILS OF ANY CONVECTION TONIGHT INTO TUE...LEFT THIS MENTION OUT OF THE TAFS FOR NOW VS. HAVING A RATHER LONG PERIOD OF VCSH AT BOTH SITES. LATER TAF ISSUANCES CAN ADD ANY SHRA/TSRA TO TAFS FOR SHORTER PERIODS OF TIME IF NEEDED AS DETAILS BECOME CLEARER. THE OTHER CONCERN IS THE MOIST LOW LEVEL/BOUNDARY LAYER AIRMASS THAT WILL REMAIN OVER THE AREA TONIGHT. TEMP-DEWPOINT SPREADS ARE LIKELY TO BE LOW GOING INTO SUNSET...ALONG WITH LIGHT/VARIABLE SFC WINDS. IF SKIES TREND TOWARD MORE CLEAR/MOSTLY CLEAR TONIGHT VS. BKN MID/ HIGH CLOUD DECKS...MVFR/IFR BR/FG WILL BE MORE OF A PROBLEM AFTER MIDNIGHT INTO THE MID MORNING HOURS OF TUE. WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR SCT -SHRA TONIGHT AND BKN MID/HIGH CLOUDS LOOKING MORE FAVORED... ONLY ADDED 4SM BR IN THE 08-14Z TIME TO BOTH KRST/KLSE FOR NOW. LATER SHIFTS WILL HAVE TO WATCH THIS FOR IFR FG POTENTIAL AS WELL. && .ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... 256 PM CDT MON SEP 3 2012 WI...NONE. MN...NONE. IA...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...AJ LONG TERM...AJ AVIATION.....RRS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LA CROSSE WI
1215 PM CDT MON SEP 3 2012 .SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY 327 AM CDT MON SEP 3 2012 CONCERNS CENTER AROUND RAIN CHANCES THROUGH THE PERIOD/SEVERE CHANCES TODAY. BUSY WATER VAPOR LOOP THIS MORNING WITH A MID LEVEL TROUGH MOVING THROUGH MN AND THEN A MORE VIGOROUS CLOSED LOW/TROUGH MOVING THROUGH ALBERTA CANADA/MONTANA. AT THE SURFACE...A COLD FRONT EXTENDED FROM NEAR INTERNATIONAL FALLS TO SAINT CLOUD MN...AND THEN SOUTHWESTWARD TO SIOUX FALLS SD. RADAR MOSAIC SHOWING BAND OF SCATTERED SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS AHEAD OF THE FRONT FROM NEAR THE ARROWHEAD OF MN INTO NORTHWEST WI AND EAST CENTRAL MN. RAP SHOWS THIS ACTIVITY WAS ON THE EASTERN PERIPHERY OF FAIRLY DECENT AXIS OF 850MB MOISTURE TRANSPORT. OTHERWISE...TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA AT 3 AM WERE HOLDING IN THE UPPER 60S/LOWER 70S WITH DEWPOINTS IN THE MIDDLE 60S. SUNDAY EVENING MODEL RUNS SHOWING FAIRLY DECENT AGREEMENT THROUGH THE SHORT TERM PERIOD. LOOK FOR THE MID-LEVEL SHORTWAVE AND ASSOCIATED SURFACE COLD FRONT OVER MN TO SINK SLOWLY SOUTHEAST INTO THE AREA TODAY...WHILE UNDERGOING SOME WEAKENING. RAP/NAM MODELS SHOWING BEST 850MB MOISTURE TRANSPORT AHEAD OF THE TROUGH/FRONT PUSHING EAST OF THE AREA BY LATER THIS MORNING. HOWEVER...MODELS FAIRLY PERSISTENT IN PRODUCING SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORM TODAY ACROSS THE AREA...WITH BETTER CHANCES HEADED INTO THE AFTERNOON GIVEN PEAK HEATING/HIGHER DEW POINT POOLING AND 0-3KM MUCAPE PEAKING IN THE 3000-5000J/KG RANGE WITH DOWNDRAFT CAPE IN THE 1500-2000J/KG RANGE. UPPER LEVEL DYNAMICS HELP ALSO GIVEN RIGHT ENTRANCE REGION OF 300MB JET PER THE NAM BY THIS AFTERNOON. MODEL SOUNDINGS SHOW INVERTED-V AND ALTHOUGH 0-3KM BULK SHEAR FAIRLY LIMITED...DOWNDRAFT CAPE HAS ME A BIT CONCERNED FOR DAMAGING WIND POTENTIAL. WILL HAVE TO KEEP A VERY CLOSE EYE ON THINGS TODAY. OTHERWISE...ANOTHER UNSEASONABLY WARM DAY ON TAP WITH HIGHS PUSHING INTO THE 80S ONCE AGAIN. LOOKING FOR THE BULK OF THE SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS TO MOVE SOUTHEAST OF THE AREA THIS EVENING...BUT THEN MODELS SHOWING ANOTHER MID-LEVEL TROUGH PUSHING ACROSS THE PLAINS TOWARD THE AREA AFTER MIDNIGHT WITH WEAK ISENTROPIC LIFT AND MOISTURE TRANSPORT. KEPT SMALLER 20-30 POP SHRA/T CHANCE TO COVER THIS WEAKER SIGNAL. GFS AND NAM HINTING AT SOME SORT OF WEAK TROUGH RIPPLING THROUGH FAIRLY HIGH-ZONAL FLOW ALOFT ON TUESDAY WITH SOME MINOR TIMING DIFFERENCES NOTED. GIVEN THIS RATHER NONDESCRIPT SIGNAL...WILL STICK WITH SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHRA/TS. A MORE VIGOROUS MID-LEVEL CLOSED LOW SWINGS EAST ACROSS SOUTHERN CANADA TUESDAY NIGHT/WEDNESDAY WITH TROUGH AXIS AND ASSOCIATED STRONG SURFACE COLD FRONT SWINGING EAST ACROSS THE AREA. THIS HAS BEEN A RATHER CONSISTENT SIGNAL THE LAST FEW DAYS NOW...SO FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH HIGHER-END CHANCE TO LIKELY SHRA/TS. GIVEN TIMING OF THE FRONTAL PASSAGE THROUGH THE AREA WEDNESDAY MORNING...SEVERE THREAT LOOKS TO BE SOUTHEAST OF THE AREA DURING THE AFTERNOON. OTHERWISE...MODEL SOUNDINGS SHOWING GOOD MIXING/DRYING BEHIND THE FRONT WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON ON BREEZY NORTHWEST WINDS IN THE 15 TO 30 MPH RANGE. TEMPERATURES WILL ALSO RETURN TO NEAR SEASONAL NORMALS IN THE MID 70S TO LOWER 80S. .LONG TERM...WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY 327 AM CDT MON SEP 3 2012 FAIRLY GOOD AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GFS AND ECMWF IN THE WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY TIME FRAME. WEDNESDAY NIGHT/THURSDAY LOOK COOLER AND DRY AS MID/UPPER LEVEL TROUGH SETTLES INTO THE AREA. LOWS WEDNESDAY NIGHT EXPECTED TO FALL INTO THE UPPER 40S TO LOWER 50S WITH HIGHS ON THURSDAY IN THE 70S. SHRA/TS CHANCES RETURN TO THE AREA THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT AS AS ANOTHER MID-LEVEL TROUGH DROPS THROUGH THE REGION WITH A REINFORCING SHOT OF COOLER AND MORE AUTUMN-LIKE AIR. EXPECTING HIGHS ON FRIDAY IN THE UPPER 60S TO MIDDLE 70S WITH LOWS IN THE UPPER 40S TO MIDDLE 50S. SATURDAY CONTINUES TO BE COOL BUT DRY WITH HIGHS IN THE UPPER 60S AND LOWER 70S AFTER OVERNIGHT LOWS IN THE UPPER 40S TO LOWER 50S. APPEARS SUNDAY WILL SEE SOME WARMING AS MID-LEVEL HEIGHTS BUILD IN RESPONSE TO RIDGE BUILDING IN FROM THE PLAINS. LOOK FOR HIGHS IN THE LOWER TO MIDDLE 70S. && .AVIATION...THIS AFTERNOON INTO TUESDAY 1215 PM CDT MON SEP 3 2012 BKN LINE OF CONVECTION WAS MOVING STEADILY EAST/NORTHEAST ACROSS THE FCST AREA AT MID-DAY. LINE HAD ALREADY CLEARED KRST WHILE DISTANCE SPEED-TOOL PUTS IT THRU THE KLSE AREA IN THE 1830-1930Z TIME FRAME. ADDED A TEMPO MVFR TSRA PERIOD TO KLSE FOR THE EARLY AFTERNOON. CONDITIONS GO BACK TO VFR AFTER THE LINE OF SHRA/TSRA PASSES FOR THE LATE AFTERNOON/EVENING HOURS. HOWEVER...THE MOIST AIRMASS WITH SOME MIXED LAYER OR ELEVATED CAPE REMAINS OVER THE AREA TONIGHT INTO TUE. WITH WEAK SHORTWAVES RIPPLING ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT INTO TUE...ISOLATED TO SCT SHRA/TSRA REMAIN POSSIBLE. GIVEN POOR CONFIDENCE IN THE TIMING/COVERAGE DETAILS OF ANY CONVECTION TONIGHT INTO TUE...LEFT THIS MENTION OUT OF THE TAFS FOR NOW VS. HAVING A RATHER LONG PERIOD OF VCSH AT BOTH SITES. LATER TAF ISSUANCES CAN ADD ANY SHRA/TSRA TO TAFS FOR SHORTER PERIODS OF TIME IF NEEDED AS DETAILS BECOME CLEARER. THE OTHER CONCERN IS THE MOIST LOW LEVEL/BOUNDARY LAYER AIRMASS THAT WILL REMAIN OVER THE AREA TONIGHT. TEMP-DEWPOINT SPREADS ARE LIKELY TO BE LOW GOING INTO SUNSET...ALONG WITH LIGHT/VARIABLE SFC WINDS. IF SKIES TREND TOWARD MORE CLEAR/MOSTLY CLEAR TONIGHT VS. BKN MID/ HIGH CLOUD DECKS...MVFR/IFR BR/FG WILL BE MORE OF A PROBLEM AFTER MIDNIGHT INTO THE MID MORNING HOURS OF TUE. WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR SCT -SHRA TONIGHT AND BKN MID/HIGH CLOUDS LOOKING MORE FAVORED... ONLY ADDED 4SM BR IN THE 08-14Z TIME TO BOTH KRST/KLSE FOR NOW. LATER SHIFTS WILL HAVE TO WATCH THIS FOR IFR FG POTENTIAL AS WELL. && .ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... 327 AM CDT MON SEP 3 2012 WI...NONE. MN...NONE. IA...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...DAS LONG TERM....DAS AVIATION.....RRS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LA CROSSE WI
649 AM CDT MON SEP 3 2012 .SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY 327 AM CDT MON SEP 3 2012 CONCERNS CENTER AROUND RAIN CHANCES THROUGH THE PERIOD/SEVERE CHANCES TODAY. BUSY WATER VAPOR LOOP THIS MORNING WITH A MID LEVEL TROUGH MOVING THROUGH MN AND THEN A MORE VIGOROUS CLOSED LOW/TROUGH MOVING THROUGH ALBERTA CANADA/MONTANA. AT THE SURFACE...A COLD FRONT EXTENDED FROM NEAR INTERNATIONAL FALLS TO SAINT CLOUD MN...AND THEN SOUTHWESTWARD TO SIOUX FALLS SD. RADAR MOSAIC SHOWING BAND OF SCATTERED SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS AHEAD OF THE FRONT FROM NEAR THE ARROWHEAD OF MN INTO NORTHWEST WI AND EAST CENTRAL MN. RAP SHOWS THIS ACTIVITY WAS ON THE EASTERN PERIPHERY OF FAIRLY DECENT AXIS OF 850MB MOISTURE TRANSPORT. OTHERWISE...TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA AT 3 AM WERE HOLDING IN THE UPPER 60S/LOWER 70S WITH DEWPOINTS IN THE MIDDLE 60S. SUNDAY EVENING MODEL RUNS SHOWING FAIRLY DECENT AGREEMENT THROUGH THE SHORT TERM PERIOD. LOOK FOR THE MID-LEVEL SHORTWAVE AND ASSOCIATED SURFACE COLD FRONT OVER MN TO SINK SLOWLY SOUTHEAST INTO THE AREA TODAY...WHILE UNDERGOING SOME WEAKENING. RAP/NAM MODELS SHOWING BEST 850MB MOISTURE TRANSPORT AHEAD OF THE TROUGH/FRONT PUSHING EAST OF THE AREA BY LATER THIS MORNING. HOWEVER...MODELS FAIRLY PERSISTENT IN PRODUCING SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORM TODAY ACROSS THE AREA...WITH BETTER CHANCES HEADED INTO THE AFTERNOON GIVEN PEAK HEATING/HIGHER DEW POINT POOLING AND 0-3KM MUCAPE PEAKING IN THE 3000-5000J/KG RANGE WITH DOWNDRAFT CAPE IN THE 1500-2000J/KG RANGE. UPPER LEVEL DYNAMICS HELP ALSO GIVEN RIGHT ENTRANCE REGION OF 300MB JET PER THE NAM BY THIS AFTERNOON. MODEL SOUNDINGS SHOW INVERTED-V AND ALTHOUGH 0-3KM BULK SHEAR FAIRLY LIMITED...DOWNDRAFT CAPE HAS ME A BIT CONCERNED FOR DAMAGING WIND POTENTIAL. WILL HAVE TO KEEP A VERY CLOSE EYE ON THINGS TODAY. OTHERWISE...ANOTHER UNSEASONABLY WARM DAY ON TAP WITH HIGHS PUSHING INTO THE 80S ONCE AGAIN. LOOKING FOR THE BULK OF THE SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS TO MOVE SOUTHEAST OF THE AREA THIS EVENING...BUT THEN MODELS SHOWING ANOTHER MID-LEVEL TROUGH PUSHING ACROSS THE PLAINS TOWARD THE AREA AFTER MIDNIGHT WITH WEAK ISENTROPIC LIFT AND MOISTURE TRANSPORT. KEPT SMALLER 20-30 POP SHRA/T CHANCE TO COVER THIS WEAKER SIGNAL. GFS AND NAM HINTING AT SOME SORT OF WEAK TROUGH RIPPLING THROUGH FAIRLY HIGH-ZONAL FLOW ALOFT ON TUESDAY WITH SOME MINOR TIMING DIFFERENCES NOTED. GIVEN THIS RATHER NONDESCRIPT SIGNAL...WILL STICK WITH SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHRA/TS. A MORE VIGOROUS MID-LEVEL CLOSED LOW SWINGS EAST ACROSS SOUTHERN CANADA TUESDAY NIGHT/WEDNESDAY WITH TROUGH AXIS AND ASSOCIATED STRONG SURFACE COLD FRONT SWINGING EAST ACROSS THE AREA. THIS HAS BEEN A RATHER CONSISTENT SIGNAL THE LAST FEW DAYS NOW...SO FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH HIGHER-END CHANCE TO LIKELY SHRA/TS. GIVEN TIMING OF THE FRONTAL PASSAGE THROUGH THE AREA WEDNESDAY MORNING...SEVERE THREAT LOOKS TO BE SOUTHEAST OF THE AREA DURING THE AFTERNOON. OTHERWISE...MODEL SOUNDINGS SHOWING GOOD MIXING/DRYING BEHIND THE FRONT WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON ON BREEZY NORTHWEST WINDS IN THE 15 TO 30 MPH RANGE. TEMPERATURES WILL ALSO RETURN TO NEAR SEASONAL NORMALS IN THE MID 70S TO LOWER 80S. .LONG TERM...WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY 327 AM CDT MON SEP 3 2012 FAIRLY GOOD AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GFS AND ECMWF IN THE WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY TIME FRAME. WEDNESDAY NIGHT/THURSDAY LOOK COOLER AND DRY AS MID/UPPER LEVEL TROUGH SETTLES INTO THE AREA. LOWS WEDNESDAY NIGHT EXPECTED TO FALL INTO THE UPPER 40S TO LOWER 50S WITH HIGHS ON THURSDAY IN THE 70S. SHRA/TS CHANCES RETURN TO THE AREA THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT AS AS ANOTHER MID-LEVEL TROUGH DROPS THROUGH THE REGION WITH A REINFORCING SHOT OF COOLER AND MORE AUTUMN-LIKE AIR. EXPECTING HIGHS ON FRIDAY IN THE UPPER 60S TO MIDDLE 70S WITH LOWS IN THE UPPER 40S TO MIDDLE 50S. SATURDAY CONTINUES TO BE COOL BUT DRY WITH HIGHS IN THE UPPER 60S AND LOWER 70S AFTER OVERNIGHT LOWS IN THE UPPER 40S TO LOWER 50S. APPEARS SUNDAY WILL SEE SOME WARMING AS MID-LEVEL HEIGHTS BUILD IN RESPONSE TO RIDGE BUILDING IN FROM THE PLAINS. LOOK FOR HIGHS IN THE LOWER TO MIDDLE 70S. && .AVIATION...TODAY AND TONIGHT 649 AM CDT MON SEP 3 2012 THE MAIN FORECAST CONCERNS AT THE TAF SITES ARE WITH THE THUNDERSTORM CHANCES TODAY INTO TONIGHT AS A COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE REGION. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED THIS MORNING FROM NORTHWEST WISCONSIN DOWN INTO SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA AND WILL MOVE EAST TOWARD RST/LSE THIS MORNING. CONDITIONS ARE MAINLY VFR AT THE MOMENT WITH CEILINGS UP AROUND 8-12KFT...BUT IF ANY OF THESE SHOWERS/STORMS HAPPEN TO HIT RST OR LSE THERE COULD BE SOME VERY BRIEF VISIBILITY DROPS TO MVFR OR IFR. VISIBILITY AT RST HAS ALREADY DROPPED DOWN TO 5SM DUE TO SOME HAZE THAT FORMED THIS MORNING DUE TO THE HIGH MOISTURE CONTENT AT THE SURFACE. THE SHOWERS/STORMS THIS MORNING WILL COME TO AN END THIS AFTERNOON AS THE COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH AND WINDS COME AROUND TO THE WEST-NORTHWEST. THERE ARE SOME HINTS THAT MORE STORMS COULD DEVELOP OVERNIGHT...BUT CONFIDENCE IS NOT HIGH ENOUGH AT THIS POINT TO PUT ANY MENTION IN THE TAFS. && .ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... 327 AM CDT MON SEP 3 2012 WI...NONE. MN...NONE. IA...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...DAS LONG TERM...DAS AVIATION...HALBACH
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LA CROSSE WI
327 AM CDT MON SEP 3 2012 .SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY 327 AM CDT MON SEP 3 2012 CONCERNS CENTER AROUND RAIN CHANCES THROUGH THE PERIOD/SEVERE CHANCES TODAY. BUSY WATER VAPOR LOOP THIS MORNING WITH A MID LEVEL TROUGH MOVING THROUGH MN AND THEN A MORE VIGOROUS CLOSED LOW/TROUGH MOVING THROUGH ALBERTA CANADA/MONTANA. AT THE SURFACE...A COLD FRONT EXTENDED FROM NEAR INTERNATIONAL FALLS TO SAINT CLOUD MN...AND THEN SOUTHWESTWARD TO SIOUX FALLS SD. RADAR MOSAIC SHOWING BAND OF SCATTERED SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS AHEAD OF THE FRONT FROM NEAR THE ARROWHEAD OF MN INTO NORTHWEST WI AND EAST CENTRAL MN. RAP SHOWS THIS ACTIVITY WAS ON THE EASTERN PERIPHERY OF FAIRLY DECENT AXIS OF 850MB MOISTURE TRANSPORT. OTHERWISE...TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA AT 3 AM WERE HOLDING IN THE UPPER 60S/LOWER 70S WITH DEWPOINTS IN THE MIDDLE 60S. SUNDAY EVENING MODEL RUNS SHOWING FAIRLY DECENT AGREEMENT THROUGH THE SHORT TERM PERIOD. LOOK FOR THE MID-LEVEL SHORTWAVE AND ASSOCIATED SURFACE COLD FRONT OVER MN TO SINK SLOWLY SOUTHEAST INTO THE AREA TODAY...WHILE UNDERGOING SOME WEAKENING. RAP/NAM MODELS SHOWING BEST 850MB MOISTURE TRANSPORT AHEAD OF THE TROUGH/FRONT PUSHING EAST OF THE AREA BY LATER THIS MORNING. HOWEVER...MODELS FAIRLY PERSISTENT IN PRODUCING SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORM TODAY ACROSS THE AREA...WITH BETTER CHANCES HEADED INTO THE AFTERNOON GIVEN PEAK HEATING/HIGHER DEW POINT POOLING AND 0-3KM MUCAPE PEAKING IN THE 3000-5000J/KG RANGE WITH DOWNDRAFT CAPE IN THE 1500-2000J/KG RANGE. UPPER LEVEL DYNAMICS HELP ALSO GIVEN RIGHT ENTRANCE REGION OF 300MB JET PER THE NAM BY THIS AFTERNOON. MODEL SOUNDINGS SHOW INVERTED-V AND ALTHOUGH 0-3KM BULK SHEAR FAIRLY LIMITED...DOWNDRAFT CAPE HAS ME A BIT CONCERNED FOR DAMAGING WIND POTENTIAL. WILL HAVE TO KEEP A VERY CLOSE EYE ON THINGS TODAY. OTHERWISE...ANOTHER UNSEASONABLY WARM DAY ON TAP WITH HIGHS PUSHING INTO THE 80S ONCE AGAIN. LOOKING FOR THE BULK OF THE SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS TO MOVE SOUTHEAST OF THE AREA THIS EVENING...BUT THEN MODELS SHOWING ANOTHER MID-LEVEL TROUGH PUSHING ACROSS THE PLAINS TOWARD THE AREA AFTER MIDNIGHT WITH WEAK ISENTROPIC LIFT AND MOISTURE TRANSPORT. KEPT SMALLER 20-30 POP SHRA/T CHANCE TO COVER THIS WEAKER SIGNAL. GFS AND NAM HINTING AT SOME SORT OF WEAK TROUGH RIPPLING THROUGH FAIRLY HIGH-ZONAL FLOW ALOFT ON TUESDAY WITH SOME MINOR TIMING DIFFERENCES NOTED. GIVEN THIS RATHER NONDESCRIPT SIGNAL...WILL STICK WITH SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHRA/TS. A MORE VIGOROUS MID-LEVEL CLOSED LOW SWINGS EAST ACROSS SOUTHERN CANADA TUESDAY NIGHT/WEDNESDAY WITH TROUGH AXIS AND ASSOCIATED STRONG SURFACE COLD FRONT SWINGING EAST ACROSS THE AREA. THIS HAS BEEN A RATHER CONSISTENT SIGNAL THE LAST FEW DAYS NOW...SO FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH HIGHER-END CHANCE TO LIKELY SHRA/TS. GIVEN TIMING OF THE FRONTAL PASSAGE THROUGH THE AREA WEDNESDAY MORNING...SEVERE THREAT LOOKS TO BE SOUTHEAST OF THE AREA DURING THE AFTERNOON. OTHERWISE...MODEL SOUNDINGS SHOWING GOOD MIXING/DRYING BEHIND THE FRONT WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON ON BREEZY NORTHWEST WINDS IN THE 15 TO 30 MPH RANGE. TEMPERATURES WILL ALSO RETURN TO NEAR SEASONAL NORMALS IN THE MID 70S TO LOWER 80S. .LONG TERM...WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY 327 AM CDT MON SEP 3 2012 FAIRLY GOOD AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GFS AND ECMWF IN THE WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY TIME FRAME. WEDNESDAY NIGHT/THURSDAY LOOK COOLER AND DRY AS MID/UPPER LEVEL TROUGH SETTLES INTO THE AREA. LOWS WEDNESDAY NIGHT EXPECTED TO FALL INTO THE UPPER 40S TO LOWER 50S WITH HIGHS ON THURSDAY IN THE 70S. SHRA/TS CHANCES RETURN TO THE AREA THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT AS AS ANOTHER MID-LEVEL TROUGH DROPS THROUGH THE REGION WITH A REINFORCING SHOT OF COOLER AND MORE AUTUMN-LIKE AIR. EXPECTING HIGHS ON FRIDAY IN THE UPPER 60S TO MIDDLE 70S WITH LOWS IN THE UPPER 40S TO MIDDLE 50S. SATURDAY CONTINUES TO BE COOL BUT DRY WITH HIGHS IN THE UPPER 60S AND LOWER 70S AFTER OVERNIGHT LOWS IN THE UPPER 40S TO LOWER 50S. APPEARS SUNDAY WILL SEE SOME WARMING AS MID-LEVEL HEIGHTS BUILD IN RESPONSE TO RIDGE BUILDING IN FROM THE PLAINS. LOOK FOR HIGHS IN THE LOWER TO MIDDLE 70S. && .AVIATION...THROUGH 06Z TUESDAY 1154 PM CDT SUN SEP 2 2012 00Z MPX SOUNDING SHOWS CAPPING INVERSION AROUND 800MB AND THUS CONVECTION HASNT DEVELOPED AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT. 03.00Z ARXLAPS AND 03.01Z HRRR DOES SHOW SOME DEVELOPMENT LATE TONIGHT AFTER 09Z...BUT KEEPS IT WEST OF THE TAF SITES AND THUS ONLY EXPECTING SOME MID AND HIGH LEVEL CLOUDS AOA 12K FEET. SOUNDINGS ALSO SHOWING GRADIENT REMAINING UP...ESPECIALLY JUST ABOVE THE BOUNDARY LAYER. WINDS HAVE DECOUPLED AT KLSE...BUT BLUFF TOP WINDS BLOWING AT AROUND 5 TO 10 KNOTS. DID KEEP SOME MVFR VISIBILITIES IN LATE TONIGHT AS DEW POINT SPREADS ARE AROUND 7 DEGREES CELSIUS AT 03Z. COLD FRONT PUSHES ACROSS THE AREA MONDAY AFTERNOON. 03.00Z NAM DOES SHOW CONVECTION DEVELOPING OVER THE AREA...BUT BASED ON FRONTAL POSITION MAY ONLY AFFECT KLSE. DID CONTINUE THE MENTION OF THE VCSH AND LATER SHIFTS CAN REFINE. CEILINGS LOOK TO REMAIN IN THE VFR CATEGORY...BUT CANNOT RULE OUT SOME IFR OR MVFR CEILINGS IF STORMS IMPACT EITHER OF THE TAF SITES. && .ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... 327 AM CDT MON SEP 3 2012 WI...NONE. MN...NONE. IA...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...DAS LONG TERM...DAS AVIATION...RABERDING
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LA CROSSE WI
1154 PM CDT SUN SEP 2 2012 .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY 239 PM CDT SUN SEP 2 2012 MAIN FORECAST CONCERNS ARE ON PRECIPITATION CHANCES THROUGHOUT AND ANY SEVERE WEATHER POTENTIAL FOR MONDAY/LABOR DAY. CURRENTLY AS OF 20Z...WATER VAPOR LOOP AND RAP 500MB HEIGHT ANALYSIS SHOWED A DEEP UPPER LOW OVER SASKATCHEWAN....RIDGING OVER THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES REGION...AND THE REMNANTS OF ISAAC IN SOUTHWEST INDIANA. WITHIN THE SOUTHWEST FLOW BETWEEN THE UPPER LOW AND THE RIDGING...A SHORTWAVE WAS PRESENT FROM LAKE WINNIPEG TO CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA. THE COMBINATION OF DPVA AHEAD OF THIS SHORTWAVE AND LOW TO MID LEVEL MOISTURE TRANSPORT SURGING NORTH HAS KEPT SOME SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS GOING OVER NORTHWEST MINNESOTA. THIS MOISTURE TRANSPORT CAN BE SEEN IN SOME OF THE GOES DERIVED PRECIPITABLE WATER IMAGERY...WHERE VALUES ARE IN THE 1-1.3 INCH RANGE FROM EASTERN NEBRASKA INTO WESTERN MINNESOTA. ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SHORTWAVE AT THE SURFACE IS A COLD FRONT THAT STRETCHES FROM NORTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA BACK INTO SOUTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA. OVER OUR AREA...PLENTY OF SUNSHINE CONTINUES...THANKS TO DRY AIR PRESENT AS SEEN ON THE 12Z MPX SOUNDING. MIXING FROM THE SUN COMBINED WITH 850MB TEMPS AROUND 18C PER 12Z SOUNDINGS ALLOWING TEMPERATURES TO CLIMB INTO THE LOW TO MID 80S. SOME CUMULUS HAS FORMED OVER THE SOUTHEAST HALF OF THE AREA...THOUGH...REFLECTIVE OF ISAAC MOISTURE BEGINNING TO GET PULLED NORTHWEST AHEAD OF THE SHORTWAVE/FRONT. THAT MOISTURE CAN BE SEEN TOO ON GOES PRECIPITABLE WATER IMAGERY. TONIGHT AND MONDAY...THE SHORTWAVE SEEN OVER THE DAKOTAS IS PROGGED TO PUSH EAST-NORTHEAST IN RESPONSE TO THE DEEP UPPER LOW IN CANADA HEADING EAST. AS THE SHORTWAVE HEADS INTO THE RIDGE OVER THE FORECAST AREA...IT LOOKS LIKE IT WILL WEAKEN...BUT COME THROUGH NORTHERN SECTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA AT A GOOD TIME FOR CONVECTIVE INITIATION...I.E. MONDAY AFTERNOON. WITH THE SHORTWAVE WEAKENING... SO DOES THE FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH IT. HOWEVER...ALSO OF INTEREST IS MOST MODELS SHOWING A SHORTWAVE COMING OUT OF UTAH/COLORADO RIGHT NOW. THIS SHORTWAVE GETS PICKED UP BY THE SOUTHWEST FLOW AND ENTERS THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE FORECAST AREA DURING THE AFTERNOON. SO ALTHOUGH THE SURFACE FRONTAL FEATURE IS WEAKENING...THERE ARE A COUPLE OF AIDES ALOFT FOR CONVECTION. BEFORE DISCUSSING MONDAY FURTHER...BACK TO TONIGHT. ANTICIPATING CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT ALONG THE FRONT LATE THIS AFTERNOON OR DURING THE EVENING IN WESTERN MINNESOTA. THIS ACTIVITY SHOULD WEAKEN OVERNIGHT WITH LOSS OF HEATING...BUT SOME COULD LINGER AND SCRAPE THE NORTHWEST SECTION OF THE FORECAST AREA VERY LATE IN THE NIGHT. CERTAINLY THE MOISTURE TRANSPORT THROUGHOUT THE 925-700MB LAYER STAYING FOCUSED UP WELL TO THE NORTH DOESNT HELP TO MAINTAIN CONVECTION. IT IS ENTIRELY POSSIBLE MONDAY MORNING THAT NO PRECIPITATION IS AROUND...A BREAK BETWEEN THE TONIGHT ACTIVITY DIMINISHING AND AFTERNOON ACTIVITY STARTING UP. FOR THE AFTERNOON...BUILDING INSTABILITY WITH MLCAPES OF 1000-2000 J/KG COMBINED WITH THE TWO SHORTWAVES SHOULD INITIATE CONVECTION. IN FACT...THE ONE SHORTWAVE COMING FROM THE SOUTHWEST MAY END UP HAVING MOST OF THE CONVECTION...AS NOTED BY THE 02.12Z SPCWRF-NMM...HIRESW-ARW AND NAM. AS SUCH...HAVE INCREASED PRECIPITATION CHANCES TO 50 PERCENT SOUTH OF I-90. REGARDING SEVERE RISK...ONLY AREA OF CONCERN IS AHEAD OF THAT SHORTWAVE...WHERE LOCALIZED 0-6KM SHEAR VALUES JUMP UP TO 25-30KT. OUTSIDE OF THAT...0-3KM AND 0-6KM SHEAR VALUES ARE GENERALLY BELOW 20 KTS. THEREFORE...THINKING MOST CONVECTION NORTH OF I-90 SHOULD STAY SUB-SEVERE WHILE THERE COULD BE A RISK SOUTH OF I-90. FOR TEMPERATURES...INCREASING SOUTHERLY FLOW AND CLOUDS WILL RESULT IN A WARMER NIGHT TONIGHT. SOME CLOUDS AROUND ON MONDAY MAKE HIGHS A LITTLE DIFFICULT...BUT WITH 850MB TEMPS STILL NEAR 18C AND SOME SUN...HIGHS SHOULD AT LEAST GET BACK UP INTO THE LOW TO EVEN MID 80S. MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY...A WEST-SOUTHWEST 500MB FLOW CONTINUES... AHEAD OF WHAT IS FORECAST TO BE A POTENT SHORTWAVE DROPPING DOWN INTO SOUTH CENTRAL CANADA AND THE NORTHWEST DAKOTAS BY 00Z WEDNESDAY. THERE ARE NO REAL DISCERNIBLE SHORTWAVES COMING THROUGH THE FLOW AND IMPACTING THE FORECAST AREA ACCORDING TO THE MODELS. LOOKING AT MOISTURE TRANSPORT AND ISENTROPIC LIFT FIELDS...THERE IS NOTHING REALLY TO NOTE EITHER THAT SUGGEST PRECIPITATION...AT LEAST FROM THE 02.12Z NAM/GFS. THEREFORE...ONCE WHATEVER CONVECTION OCCURS MONDAY AFTERNOON PUSHES OFF TO THE EAST...LIKELY EARLY IN THE EVENING...DRY CONDITIONS COULD OCCUR RIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY. THIS IS A DEFINITE CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS MODEL RUNS...EVEN THE 02.00Z ECMWF...WHICH HAD SOME BETTER MOISTURE TRANSPORT AHEAD OF THAT POTENT SHORTWAVE COMING DOWN TO INITIATE CONVECTION. FOR NOW WILL LOWER PRECIPITATION CHANCES INTO THE 15-25 PERCENT RANGE...BUT FUTURE FORECASTS MAY BE ABLE TO PULL THESE CHANCES ENTIRELY IF TRENDS CONTINUE. ANOTHER ITEM TO WATCH IS FOG TUESDAY MORNING. IF SKIES CAN CLEAR OUT...DECOUPLING OF WINDS AND ANY RAIN FROM MONDAY WOULD LEAD TO FOG DEVELOPMENT. DUE TO UNCERTAINTY ON CLOUDS...HAVE LEFT OUT FOG. DESPITE THE SHORTWAVE PASSAGE MONDAY EVENING...850MB TEMPS STAY WARM IN THE 18-20C RANGE THROUGH TUESDAY. IN ADDITION... DEWPOINTS DO NOT LOOK TO DROP MUCH IF AT ALL. THEREFORE... ANTICIPATING SIMILAR LOW AND HIGH TEMPERATURES TO TONIGHT AND MONDAY. TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...THAT POTENT SHORTWAVE TROUGH COMING INTO THE NORTHWEST DAKOTAS LATE TUESDAY IS WELL AGREED UPON BY MODELS TO MOVE OVER MINNESOTA BY 12Z WEDNESDAY...THEN CONTINUE ITS FAST MOTION EAST AND REACH WESTERN LOWER MICHIGAN BY 00Z THURSDAY. PRETTY STRONG FORCING THIS TROUGH...NOTED IN 500-300MB PV FIELDS...THOUGH MOST OF IT STAYS NORTH OF THE FORECAST AREA. THERE IS SOME MOISTURE TRANSPORT AND ISENTROPIC LIFT ACCOMPANYING THE TROUGH...SO WITH THE WEAK HEIGHT FALLS IN OUR AREA WE SHOULD SEE SOME PRECIPITATION MOVE THROUGH. MOST LIKELY TIME PERIOD APPEARS TO OCCUR BETWEEN 06Z-18Z WEDNESDAY. PREVIOUS FORECAST PRECIPITATION CHANCES REFLECT THIS WELL. STRONG ISENTROPIC DESCENT AND SUBSIDENCE BEHIND THE TROUGH WILL ALLOW FOR DRYING AND CLEARING CONDITIONS AFTER 18Z WEDNESDAY. THEREFORE...HAVE DRIED OUT THE FORECAST AREA FOR THE AFTERNOON. NOTE...IT COULD ALSO BE PRETTY BREEZY IN THE AFTERNOON AS PRESSURE GRADIENT BRIEFLY TIGHTENS...DEEP MIXING AND COLD ADVECTION OCCUR. REGARDING TEMPERATURES...850MB TEMPS HOLD BETWEEN 18-20C TUESDAY NIGHT...BUT ONCE THE FRONT MOVES THROUGH WITH THE SHORTWAVE WEDNESDAY MORNING...THESE TEMPS FALL TO 10-12C BY 00Z THURSDAY. STILL...HIGHS ON WEDNESDAY SHOULD BE ABLE TO TOP OUT IN THE MID 70S TO LOW 80S WITH THE SUN IN THE AFTERNOON. WARM NIGHT LIKELY TUESDAY NIGHT AHEAD OF THE FRONT AND RELATIVELY HIGH DEWPOINTS. .LONG TERM...WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY 239 PM CDT SUN SEP 2 2012 SURPRISINGLY...THE 02.12Z ECMWF/GFS/CANADIAN AND GFS ENSEMBLES ARE ALL IN REALLY GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THE UPPER AIR AND SURFACE PATTERNS THROUGH SATURDAY. SOME DIFFERENCES START TO SHOW UP ON SUNDAY...BUT GIVEN THE AMPLIFICATION FORECAST TO OCCUR...IT IS SURPRISING TO SEE THE GOOD AGREEMENT. THE LONG TERM PERIOD STARTS OFF WITH UPPER TROUGHING OVER MUCH OF CENTRAL CANADA WITH A POTENT SHORTWAVE DROPPING DOWN THROUGH ALBERTA. THIS SHORTWAVE ENDS UP CARVING OUT A FAIRLY DEEP TROUGH AS IT DIGS SOUTHEAST...REACHING THE OHIO VALLEY SATURDAY MORNING. AS THIS SHORTWAVE DIGS...A FRONTOGENESIS ZONE LOOKS TO FORM ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. THIS APPEARS TO OCCUR THURSDAY NIGHT AND LASTS THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT. OVERALL...THE BEST MOISTURE AND FRONTOGENESIS FORCING STAYS SOUTH...THEREFORE PRECIPITATION CHANCES ARE ONLY IN THE 20-30 RANGE. ON SATURDAY... BOTH THE 02.00Z AND 02.12Z ECMWF END UP DEVELOPING A RELATIVELY STRONG SURFACE LOW IN INDIANA...PARTIALLY CAUSED BY THE UPPER TROUGH BEGINNING TO CLOSE OFF. THE 02.00Z ECMWF HAD DEFORMATION SHOWERS INTO THE SOUTHEASTERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA FOR SATURDAY. HOWEVER...THE NEW 02.12Z ECMWF HAS SHOVED THEM OFF TO THE EAST. FOR NOW...JUST PLACED A 20 PERCENT CHANCE IN THE AREA AROUND GRANT COUNTY. THE GFS AND CANADIAN ARE MOSTLY DRY. THE REST OF THE WEEKEND AND GOING INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK WILL ALL HINGE ON WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE UPPER TROUGH/LOW. THE NEW 02.12Z ECMWF KEEPS IT OVER INDIANA...LIKE SOME OF THE 02.12Z GFS ENSEMBLES. THE 02.12Z GFS HAS IT MORE PROGRESSIVE. EITHER SOLUTION LOOKS DRY FOR THE FORECAST AREA...BUT CLOUDS AND TEMPERATURES WOULD BE GREATLY AFFECTED...WITH THE FARTHER WEST SOLUTION HOLDING MORE CLOUDS AND COOLER AIR IN THE FORECAST AREA. SOME OF THE MOVEMENT OF THE UPPER TROUGH/LOW WILL DEPEND ON TROPICAL STORM LESLIE WHICH IS FORECAST TO MOVE THROUGH THE WESTERN ATLANTIC AND STRENGTHEN...LIKELY BLOCKING UP THE FLOW. REGARDING TEMPERATURES...THEY WILL BE ON THE COOL DOWN AS THE UPPER TROUGH FORMS. 850MB TEMPS FALL FROM THE 10-12C ON THURSDAY TO 6-8C ON SATURDAY. AS SUCH...HIGHS ARE ONLY FORECAST TO PERHAPS REACH 70 ON SATURDAY. SATURDAY NIGHT COULD BE QUITE COOL...DEPENDING ON CLOUDS...WITH HIGH PRESSURE POSSIBLY MOVING IN AT THE SURFACE FROM THE NORTHWEST. SOME SLIGHT REBOUND IN TEMPERATURES ARE ANTICIPATED ON SUNDAY. && .AVIATION...THROUGH 06Z TUESDAY 1154 PM CDT SUN SEP 2 2012 00Z MPX SOUNDING SHOWS CAPPING INVERSION AROUND 800MB AND THUS CONVECTION HASNT DEVELOPED AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT. 03.00Z ARXLAPS AND 03.01Z HRRR DOES SHOW SOME DEVELOPMENT LATE TONIGHT AFTER 09Z...BUT KEEPS IT WEST OF THE TAF SITES AND THUS ONLY EXPECTING SOME MID AND HIGH LEVEL CLOUDS AOA 12K FEET. SOUNDINGS ALSO SHOWING GRADIENT REMAINING UP...ESPECIALLY JUST ABOVE THE BOUNDARY LAYER. WINDS HAVE DECOUPLED AT KLSE...BUT BLUFF TOP WINDS BLOWING AT AROUND 5 TO 10 KNOTS. DID KEEP SOME MVFR VISIBILITIES IN LATE TONIGHT AS DEW POINT SPREADS ARE AROUND 7 DEGREES CELSIUS AT 03Z. COLD FRONT PUSHES ACROSS THE AREA MONDAY AFTERNOON. 03.00Z NAM DOES SHOW CONVECTION DEVELOPING OVER THE AREA...BUT BASED ON FRONTAL POSITION MAY ONLY AFFECT KLSE. DID CONTINUE THE MENTION OF THE VCSH AND LATER SHIFTS CAN REFINE. CEILINGS LOOK TO REMAIN IN THE VFR CATEGORY...BUT CANNOT RULE OUT SOME IFR OR MVFR CEILINGS IF STORMS IMPACT EITHER OF THE TAF SITES. && .ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... 239 PM CDT SUN SEP 2 2012 WI...NONE. MN...NONE. IA...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...AJ LONG TERM...AJ AVIATION...RABERDING
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA
120 AM PDT WED SEP 5 2012 .SYNOPSIS... MOISTURE FROM THE TROPICS WILL STREAM INTO THE REGION THROUGH THURSDAY PRODUCING ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO PARTS OF THE AREA. BY FRIDAY, DRIER AIR WILL MOVE IN FROM THE WEST, BRINGING AN END TO THE THUNDERSTORM THREAT. && .DISCUSSION...I VERY COMPLICATED PATTERN THIS MORNING TO SAY THE LEAST. SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS ONE OF THE MORE PRONOUNCED INFLUXES OF TROPICAL MOISTURE INTO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA IN QUITE A WHILE. OF NOTE IS THE WIND SHEAR DEPICTED BY LOWER LEVEL CLOUDS MOVING NORTHWEST ON SOUTHEAST WINDS WHILE THE MAIN CLOUD AND MOISTURE LAYER MOVES NORTHEAST ON SOUTHWEST WINDS. IF THIS ISN`T ENOUGH DIRECTIONS TO MAKE YOU DIZZY I DON`T KNOW WHAT WILL! ANYWAY, THE MAIN MOISTURE FEED IS COMING FROM THE REMNANTS OF TROPICAL SYSTEM JOHN AND PER THE SAN DIEGO SOUNDING THE LAYER IS RATHER DEEP, EXTENDING FROM AROUND 9000 FEET AT THE BOTTOM TO AROUND 16000 FEET AT THE TOP. THE MAIN FORECAST PROBLEM IS JUST HOW FAR NORTH THIS MOISTURE RICH BAND WILL MIGRATE AND THE ASSOCIATED THREAT OF ELEVATED CONVECTION AS WELL AS THE THREAT OF RAIN SHOWERS OVER THE ENTIRE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA INTERIOR. IN THE VERY SHORT TERM, THE RUC13 MATCHES UP WELL WITH THE SAN DIEGO SOUNDING IN SHOWING THE MOISTURE SITTING JUST ABOVE 700 MB. THE RUC TRANSPORT WINDS AT 700 MB ARE PRONOUNCED SOUTHEAST AND IF MOISTURE WAS ABUNDANT AT THIS LEVEL THE ADVECTION INTO CENTRAL CALIFORNIA WOULD BE SIMPLE. GIVEN THAT THE DEEPER MOISTURE LIES ABOVE 700 MB FOR TODAY THE PROBLEM IS GETTING THIS DEEPER MOISTURE NORTHWARD INTO THE FORECAST AREA FOR ANY CONVECTIVE THREAT. WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SHOWS SOME INTERESTING THINGS OCCURRING OFF OF THE CENTRAL COAST. IT APPEARS A BAROCLINIC LEAF IS DEVELOPING AND A BACKING OF THE FLOW FROM THE WEST TO THE SOUTH IS OCCURRING. THIS WILL HELP TO PULL THE MID LEVEL MOISTURE FROM SOUTH OF POINT CONCEPTION NORTHWARD AND LIFT THE SOUTHWEST FLOW "MOISTURE FETCH" (REMEMBER ALL SOUTHWEST FLOW IS NOT DRY) WELL INTO CENTRAL CALIFORNIA BY TONIGHT. FOR THURSDAY FORECAST MODELS ARE NOW BRINGING MUCH MORE MOISTURE INTO CENTRAL CALIFORNIA WITH THE BRUNT MOVING UP THE COASTAL RANGE AND WEST SIDE OF THE FORECAST AREA. WILL OPT TO INTRODUCE THE CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS TO EVEN THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY TONIGHT AND CONTINUE THROUGH THURSDAY. GIVEN THE TREND OF MODELS TO HOLD ON TO THE MOISTURE INTO FRIDAY. TEMPERATURES WILL BE HIGHLY DEPENDENT ON CLOUD COVER SO WILL LIKELY HAVE ISSUES PINNING DOWN MAX TEMPS FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. WILL GIVE IT MY BEST SHOT AND SEE HOW IT GOES. WITH THIS FRONT LOADED FORECAST, A QUICK GLIMPSE INTO NEXT WEEK SHOWS A RIDGE THAT JUST DOESN`T WANT TO GIVE UP. MAYBE SOME COOLING BY MID WEEK BUT I AM NOT THAT CONFIDENT. && .AVIATION... ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE IN THE MOUNTAINS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT IN ADDITION TO THE FOOTHILLS WEST OF INTERSTATE 5 AND THE KERN COUNTY DESERT. OTHERWISE...VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL ACROSS THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA INTERIOR UNTIL 12Z THURSDAY.&& .AIR QUALITY ISSUES... ON WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 5 2012... UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS IN FRESNO AND KERN COUNTIES AND SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK AND FOREST. FURTHER INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE AT VALLEYAIR.ORG && .CERTAINTY... THE LEVEL OF CERTAINTY FOR DAYS 1 AND 2 IS LOW. THE LEVEL OF CERTAINTY FOR DAYS 3 THROUGH 7 IS MEDIUM. THIS INFORMATION IS PROVIDED AS PART OF A TRIAL PROJECT CONDUCTED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD. CERTAINTY LEVELS INCLUDE LOW...MEDIUM...AND HIGH. PLEASE VISIT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/HNX/CERTAINTY.PHP /ALL LOWER CASE/ FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND/OR TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK. && .HNX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ PUBLIC...DUDLEY AVN/FW...DURFEE SYNOPSIS...WP WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA
931 PM PDT TUE SEP 4 2012 .SYNOPSIS... MOISTURE FROM THE TROPICS WILL STREAM INTO THE REGION THROUGH THURSDAY PRODUCING ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO PARTS OF THE AREA. BY FRIDAY, DRIER AIR WILL MOVE IN FROM THE WEST, BRINGING AN END TO THE THUNDERSTORM THREAT. && .DISCUSSION... NO UPDATE THIS EVE. MID LEVEL MOISTURE...PARTIALLY FROM THE REMNANTS OF FORMER TS/S ILEANA AND JOHN...ARE VERY SLOWLY WORKING N-NE. ISOLD CONVECTION IN THE SRN SIERRA THIS AFTN SHOULD REPEAT WED. SEVERAL SITES IN THE SJV AND HIGH DESERT RECORDED AFTN HIGHS OF 100(+) TODAY. LITTLE CHANGE EXPECTED WED...THO THERE COULD BE A FEW MORE CLOUDS TO HOLD TEMPS UNDER 100. THATS A BIG IFFF. NOT A CONFIDENCE BUILDING UPPER LEVEL PATTERN ACROSS CENTRAL CA...AS REGION IS LOCKED BETWEEN THE LARGE DOMINANT E-W RIDGE STRADDLING THE U.S./MEX BRDR FROM TX TO SOCAL...AND A SEEMINGLY PERMANENT LOW OFF THE NORCAL COAST. THE FCST PROBLEM IS WHERE WILL THE DRY/MOIST INTERFACE BE WITH TIME...AND PRECIP/NO PRECIP LINE. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 324 PM PDT TUE SEP 4 2012/ SCT TO BKN CLOUDS ACROSS THE CENTRAL SJV AND INTO THE TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS TODAY. TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE SJV ARE APPROACHING THE CENTURY MARK IN A FEW LOCATIONS. NO PRECIP HAS BEEN REPORTED WITH THE CLOUD COVER THIS AFTERNOON IN THE VALLEY AND ONLY A FEW HUNDREDTHS IN THE TULARE COUNTY FOOTHILLS AND MOUNTAINS. THE FORECAST CALLS FOR PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES TONIGHT OVER THE CENTRAL CA INTERIOR. VISIBLE SATELLITE IMAGERY INDICATES A LINE OF SHOWERS OFF THE NRN BAJA COAST THAT IS MOVING NORTH. SOME SHOWERS HAVE DEVELOPED IN THE SOUTH LAND THIS AFTERNOON. THE KERN DESERT AND MOUNTAINS REMAIN RAIN FREE THIS AFTERNOON AS RUC SHOWS STABLE ATMS. A FEW LIGHTNING STRIKES ARE OCCURRING IN THE FRESNO COUNTY MOUNTAINS ATTM AS A CLUSTER OF STORMS QUICKLY MOVES EAST. SW FLOW ALOFT IS FORECAST TO CONTINUE THIS WEEK WITH RISING HEIGHTS AND TEMPERATURES CONTINUING ABOVE NORMAL THROUGH THE WEEKEND. THE UPPER RIDGE WILL MOVE INTO SRN CA BY SAT AND REMAIN THERE UNTIL MONDAY BEFORE IT DRIFTS BACK TO THE EAST AS ANOTHER SURGE OF MOISTURE APPROACHES THE AREA BY NEXT TUESDAY. THE ECMWF IS MORE AGGRESSIVE WITH THE MOISTURE ON NEXT TUESDAY THAN THE GFS. && .AVIATION... VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL ACROSS THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA INTERIOR THROUGH 18Z WED. AFTER 18Z WED...A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL BEGIN DEVELOPING OVER THE COAST RANGE...SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA...TEHACHAPI RANGE AND KERN COUNTY DESERTS AND CONTINUE THRU 06Z THU. && .AIR QUALITY ISSUES... ON WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 5 2012... UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS IN FRESNO AND KERN COUNTIES AND SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK AND FOREST. FURTHER INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE AT VALLEYAIR.ORG && .CERTAINTY... THE LEVEL OF CERTAINTY FOR DAYS 1 AND 2 IS MEDIUM. THE LEVEL OF CERTAINTY FOR DAYS 3 THROUGH 7 IS LOW. THIS INFORMATION IS PROVIDED AS PART OF A TRIAL PROJECT CONDUCTED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD. CERTAINTY LEVELS INCLUDE LOW...MEDIUM...AND HIGH. PLEASE VISIT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/HNX/CERTAINTY.PHP /ALL LOWER CASE/ FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND/OR TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK. && .HNX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ PUBLIC...BINGHAM AVN/FW...DS SYNOPSIS...WP WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
218 AM CDT WED SEP 5 2012 .MESOSCALE DISCUSSION... 728 PM CDT CLOSELY MONITORING CONVECTION OVER WESTERN WISCONSIN EARLY THIS EVENING FOR ANY POTENTIAL IMPACTS ON OUR CWA TONIGHT. CLUSTER OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN APPEARS TO BE CONGEALING IN A LARGE MASS OF STORMS WHICH COULD RESULT IN FORMATION OF COLD POOL AND A MORE ACCELERATED MOTION. FORWARD PROPAGATING CORFIDI VECTORS FROM WRF-NAM AND RUC BOTH SUGGEST CONVECTION WOULD RACE QUICKLY EAST-SOUTHEAST TOWARD CHGO METRO...HOWEVER SPC OBJECTIVE MESOANALYSIS DATA SHOWS A REGION OR MUCH LESSER INSTABILITY AND GREATER INHIBITION OVER SOUTHERN WISCONSIN. VISIBLE SATELLITE IMAGERY TUES AFTERNOON SHOWED A DISTINCT ABSENCE OF CUMULUS IN A SWATH FROM NE IL (AHEAD OF LAKE BREEZE) NNW INTO CENTRAL WISCONSIN...WHICH WOULD LEND SOME CREDENCE TO THE WEAKER INSTABILITY/STRONGER CAPPING SHOWN IN THE SPC OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS DATA. RELATIVELY WEAK LOW LEVEL FLOW SUGGESTS ANY RAPID NORTHEASTWARD TRANSPORT OF MOISTURE OR INSTABILITY IS UNLIKELY THIS EVENING...SO WOULD ANTICIPATE CONVECTION TO WEAKEN AS IT PROGRESSES EASTWARD INTO THE LESS UNSTABLE ENVIRONMENT OVER SOUTHERN WISCONSIN. LOOKING LIKE A MORE PLAUSIBLE SCENARIO WOULD BE FOR MOST INTENSE VIGOROUS CONVECTION TO FAVOR THE WESTERN PORTIONS OF THIS DEVELOPING MCS AND FOR THE STRONGER CELLS TO TEND TO PROPAGATE MORE SOUTHWARD INTO THE AXIS OF GREATER MOISTURE/INSTABILITY WHICH WAS NICELY DEPICTED BY THE CUMULUS FIELD THIS AFTERNOON. MODELS REALLY NOT SHOWING ANY SIGNIFICANT LOW LEVEL JET OR LOW LEVEL WARM AIR ADVECTION OVERNIGHT SO ITS QUESTIONABLE HOW WELL SUSTAINED THIS CONVECTION WILL BE INTO THE MID TO LATE EVENING...BUT REGARDLESS GIVEN ITS ALREADY RATHER CLOSE PROXIMITY FEEL SOME UPWARD ADJUSTMENTS TO POP GRIDS FOR TONIGHT ARE WARRANTED...ESPECIALLY WESTERN CWA. IZZI && .DISCUSSION... 307 PM CDT MAIN FORECAST CONCERN FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS WILL FOCUS ON THE INCREASING CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TONIGHT AND TOMORROW ASSOCIATED WITH A COLD FRONT DROPPING SEWD OUT OF THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING...CONDITIONS WILL REMAIN GENERALLY QUIET...HOWEVER...WITH AMPLE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE LINGERING OVER THE REGION FOLLOWING THE PASSAGE OF TROPICAL CYCLONE ISAAC...DAYTIME WARMING COMBINED WITH A LAKE BREEZE BOUNDARY PUSHING INLAND FROM LAKE MICHIGAN WILL ALLOW FOR AT LEAST A SMALL CHANCE OF SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE AREA THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING. FOR THE LARGER SCALE...A PERSISTENT POLAR LOW CONTINUES TO SIT AND SPIN OVER NRN MANITOBA WHILE A SERIES OF WEAK IMPULSES TRACK ALONG THE SRN PERIPHERY. INITIALLY...THE SFC PRESSURE PATTERN REMAINS VERY DIFFUSE WITH LITTLE SFC FORCING. HOWEVER...BY LATE TONIGHT...THE SHORT RANGE GUIDANCE IS IN GOOD AGREEMENT ON INCREASING THE PCPN THREAT AS A STRONG SHORTWAVE DROPS OUT OF THE NORTHERN ROCKIES AND PUSHES INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS TONIGHT AND ACROSS THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY TOMORROW. THIS SHORT WAVE WILL REINFORCE A WEAK SFC COLD FRONT...WHICH WILL PROVIDE THE SFC FORCING TO IGNITE THUNDERSTORMS. THE MAIN FORECAST CONCERN WITH THIS SYSTEM WILL BE HOW FAR SOUTH TO EXTEND THE HIGHER POPS THROUGH THE MIDWEST AND INTO THE MIDDLE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. WHILE THE STRONGEST FORCING SHOULD REMAIN TO THE NORTH OF THE LOCAL AREA IN WISCONSIN WITH THE TRACK OF THE MAIN VORT MAX...THERE SHOULD BE ENOUGH UPPER LEVEL FORCING EXTENDING SWD...COINCIDENT WITH THE SFC COLD FRONT TO WARRANT KEEPING LIKELY POPS ACROSS THE CWA BEGINNING EARLY TOMORROW MORNING OVER THE ROCKFORD AREA AND THEN SPREADING EWD THROUGH THE DAY AS THE COLD FRONT PUSHES EWD. THE WARM SECTOR ENVIRONMENT SHOULD BE PRIMED FOR THUNDERSTORMS BY LATE MORNING/EARLY AFTERNOON AS TEMPERATURES SHOULD REACH INTO THE UPPER 80S TO CLOSE TO 90 DEGREES WITH SFC DEW POINTS IN THE UPPER 60S TO LOWER 70S. DEEP LAYER INSTABILITY WILL ALSO BE MORE THAN ADEQUATE FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT AS IS EVIDENCED BY BUFKIT SOUNDS FROM THE NAM12 ADVERTISING CAPE VALUES EXCEEDING 1500 J/KG BY THE LATE MORNING HOURS AND INCREASING TO ARND 2500 J/KG DURING THE AFTERNOON. THE GIVEN THE ELEMENTS EXPECTED TO BE IN PLACE TOMORROW...THE ;LATEST SPC DAY 2 OUTLOOK KEEPS THE CWA IN A SLIGHT RISK AREA FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. THE GREATEST THREAT SHOULD BE DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON HOURS AS THE COLD FRONT CROSSES THE AREA DURING THE TIME OF PEAK HEATING. THE MAIN SEVERE THREAT SHOULD BE STRONG...DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS GIVEN A RELATIVELY DRY LAYER EXPECTED BETWEEN 850MB-700MB...THOUGH THERE MAY ALSO BE A LARGE HAIL THREAT AS COOLER AIR MOVES IN ALOFT WITH FREEZING LEVELS DROPPING TO ARND 12KFT. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BE LESS OF A CONCERN AS THE COLD FRONT WILL BE PROGRESSIVE THROUGH THE DAY AND PWATS ARE EXPECTED TO BE 1.5 INCHES OR LESS. THURSDAY IS SHAPING UP TO BE DRY AND THE NEXT CHANCE FOR PCPN WILL COME BY EARLY FRIDAY MORNING AS A LONG WAVE TROUGH DROPS INTO THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. A WEAK FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH THE UPPER TROUGH IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO NWRN IL EARLY FRIDAY...BUT THE MAIN CONCERN WILL BE SFC WAVE DEVELOPMENT ALONG THE COLD FRONT. THE LONGER RANGE GUIDANCE IS IN GOOD AGREEMENT ON THE FORMATION OF A DECENT SFC WAVE ON THE FRONT...BUT THERE IS LESSER AGREEMENT ON THE STRENGTH AND LOCATION OF THE SFC WAVE DEVELOPMENT. HOWEVER...THERE IS ENOUGH CONFIDENCE TO CARRY LIKELY POPS FOR THE SRN PORTIONS OF THE CWA...WITH A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS...BUT LESSER CONFIDENCE TO THE NORTH...SO WILL ONLY CARRY CHANCE POPS FOR THE NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE CWA. FOR TEMPERATURES...FOLLOWING THE PASSAGE OF THE COLD FRONT TOMORROW...HIGHS WILL DROP BACK INTO UPPER 70S TO LOWER 80S FOR THURSDAY. FOR FRIDAY AND SATURDAY...AS THE LONG WAVE UPPER TROUGH MOVES ACROSS THE REGION...HIGHS SHOULD ONLY BE IN THE MIDDLE 70S FOR FRIDAY/ THE COOLEST AIR WILL MOVE OVER THE AREA FOR THE WEEKEND WITH TEMPS ONLY REACHING INTO THE UPPER 60S TO AROUND 70F ON SATURDAY AND THE LOWER 70S FOR SUNDAY. WEAK UPPER RIDGING SHOULD RETURN TO THE AREA BY EARLY NEXT WEEK...BRINGING SLIGHTLY WARMER WEATHER WITH HIGHS IN THE MIDDLE 70S. KREIN && .AVIATION... //ORD AND MDW CONCERNS...UPDATED 06Z... * CHANCE FOR SHRA/TSRA AFTER SUNRISE. * CHANCE FOR TSRA THIS AFTERNOON. * POTENTIAL FOR GUSTY SOUTH/SOUTHWEST WINDS. CMS //DISCUSSION...UPDATED 06Z... LINE OF TSRA CONTINUES TO WEAKEN AS IT MOVES SOUTHEAST OF THE TERMINALS WITH SHOWERS EXPECTED TO END OVER THE CHICAGO AREA TERMINALS IN THE NEXT 1-2 HRS. A SMALL SCALE HIGH PRESSURE HAS FORMED ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE PRECIPITATION. AS A RESULT... WINDS WILL TURN NORTHEAST...EAST...SOUTHEAST THEN BACK LIGHT SOUTHERLY OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS AS THIS HIGH MOVES SOUTHEAST. SPEEDS LIKELY TO BE IN THE 10-15 KT RANGE WITH HIGHER GUSTS POSSIBLE BUT THE OVERALL TREND WILL BE FOR SPEEDS TO SLOWLY DIMINISH. FOCUS THEN SHIFTS TO A LINE OF TSRA NOW MOVING ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL IA AND SOUTHERN MN. SHORT TERM GUIDANCE WOULD SUGGEST THIS LINE WILL CONTINUE MOVING EAST AND SHOULD BEGIN TO WEAKEN AFTER SUNRISE. WHILE THE BULK OF THIS ACTIVITY MAY MOVE ACROSS SOUTHERN WI...HAVE OPTED TO INCLUDE A TEMPO FOR TSRA AT RFD AND SHRA AT DPA AND TRENDS WILL NEED TO BE MONITORED EARLY THIS MORNING WITH TSRA POSSIBLY NEEDED TO BE ADDED FOR THE CHICAGO TERMINALS AFTER SUNRISE. THIS ACTIVITY MAY THEN AFFECT ANY ADDITIONAL TSRA DEVELOPMENT LATER THIS AFTERNOON WITH A POSSIBLE OUTFLOW PUSHING SOUTH ACROSS THE TERMINALS DURING THE MORNING AND BECOMING THE FOCUS FOR NEW DEVELOPMENT...WELL AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT WITH PERHAPS WEAKER CONVECTION DEVELOPING WITH THE FRONT. AT THIS POINT...CONFIDENCE IS TOO LOW TO MAKE ANY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES AND HAVE MAINTAINED PREVIOUS TSRA TIMING FOR THIS AFTERNOON. IF CONVECTION DOES MATERIALIZE...STRONG/GUSTY WINDS WILL BE POSSIBLE. UNCERTAINTY ALSO REMAINS REGARDING HOW STRONG SOUTH/SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL BECOME LATER THIS MORNING INTO THIS AFTERNOON AS WELL. NEWEST FORECAST SOUNDINGS WOULD SUGGEST LOW LEVEL WINDS WILL NOT BE QUITE AS STRONG AS PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT...BUT GUSTS TO 20 KTS STILL POSSIBLE IN THE AFTERNOON. CMS //ORD AND MDW CONFIDENCE...UPDATED 06Z... * LOW CONFIDENCE REGARDING POTENTIAL SHRA/TSRA AFTER SUNRISE. * MEDIUM CONFIDENCE REGARDING TSRA THIS AFTERNOON...LOW CONFIDENCE REGARDING TIMING/DURATION. * MEDIUM CONFIDENCE REGARDING WIND SPEEDS/DIRECTIONS THROUGH THE PERIOD...LOW CONFIDENCE REGARDING GUSTS. CMS //OUTLOOK FOR ORD/MDW FOR 12Z THURSDAY-12Z TUESDAY...UPDATED 00Z... * THURSDAY...VFR. * FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY...CHANCE OF SHRA. MVFR POSSIBLE. * SUNDAY...SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHRA. * MONDAY...VFR. && .MARINE... 217 AM CDT THE WINDS EARLY THIS MORNING ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE LAKE HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THE OVERNIGHT CONVECTION. THIS HAS LEAD TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SMALLER SCALE AREA OF SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE ACROSS THE SOUTHERN TIP OF THE LAKE. THE RESULT OF THIS HAS BEEN VARYING WIND DIRECTIONS...WITH PRIMARILY A NORTHWESTERN WIND UP TO 30 KT ACROSS THE NEAR SHORES OF INDIANA AND THE OPEN WATERS. HOWEVER...ACROSS THE ILLINOIS NEAR SHORES THE WINDS HAVE BECOME EASTERLY ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE HIGH. I EXPECT THE WIND SPEED TO SUBSIDE THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING HOURS AND THE PRIMARILY DIRECTION SHOULD BECOME SOUTHERLY DURING THE MORNING. THE MAIN CONCERN FOR TODAY WILL BE THE THREAT FOR ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS...WITH A VERY GOOD CHANCE OF SEVERE WEATHER WITH WINDS OVER 50 KT. THIS WILL OCCUR AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT THAT SHOULD PASS ACROSS THE LAKE BY EARLY THIS EVENING. THIS WILL SWITCH THE WINDS OUT OF THE NORTH NORTHWEST AROUND 20 KT OVERNIGHT TONIGHT. THE WINDS SHOULD GRADUALLY ABATE DURING THE DAY ON THURSDAY AS SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS ACROSS THE LAKE. THE NEXT SYSTEM OF CONCERN LOOKS TO OCCUR LATER FRIDAY AND INTO THE WEEKEND. THERE REMAINS UNCERTAINTY ON HOW STRONG THIS SYSTEM WILL GET...AND THUS THE WIND FORECAST REMAINS A BIT UNCERTAIN DURING THIS TIME. HOWEVER...IT DOES APPEARS THAT A PERIOD OF STRONGER NORTHERLY WINDS UP TO 30 KT ARE POSSIBLE LATE FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY AS SURFACE LOW PRESSURE TAKES SHAPE ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY. KJB && .LOT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IL...NONE. IN...NONE. LM...NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
1253 AM CDT WED SEP 5 2012 .MESOSCALE DISCUSSION... 728 PM CDT CLOSELY MONITORING CONVECTION OVER WESTERN WISCONSIN EARLY THIS EVENING FOR ANY POTENTIAL IMPACTS ON OUR CWA TONIGHT. CLUSTER OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN APPEARS TO BE CONGEALING IN A LARGE MASS OF STORMS WHICH COULD RESULT IN FORMATION OF COLD POOL AND A MORE ACCELERATED MOTION. FORWARD PROPAGATING CORFIDI VECTORS FROM WRF-NAM AND RUC BOTH SUGGEST CONVECTION WOULD RACE QUICKLY EAST-SOUTHEAST TOWARD CHGO METRO...HOWEVER SPC OBJECTIVE MESOANALYSIS DATA SHOWS A REGION OR MUCH LESSER INSTABILITY AND GREATER INHIBITION OVER SOUTHERN WISCONSIN. VISIBLE SATELLITE IMAGERY TUES AFTERNOON SHOWED A DISTINCT ABSENCE OF CUMULUS IN A SWATH FROM NE IL (AHEAD OF LAKE BREEZE) NNW INTO CENTRAL WISCONSIN...WHICH WOULD LEND SOME CREDENCE TO THE WEAKER INSTABILITY/STRONGER CAPPING SHOWN IN THE SPC OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS DATA. RELATIVELY WEAK LOW LEVEL FLOW SUGGESTS ANY RAPID NORTHEASTWARD TRANSPORT OF MOISTURE OR INSTABILITY IS UNLIKELY THIS EVENING...SO WOULD ANTICIPATE CONVECTION TO WEAKEN AS IT PROGRESSES EASTWARD INTO THE LESS UNSTABLE ENVIRONMENT OVER SOUTHERN WISCONSIN. LOOKING LIKE A MORE PLAUSIBLE SCENARIO WOULD BE FOR MOST INTENSE VIGOROUS CONVECTION TO FAVOR THE WESTERN PORTIONS OF THIS DEVELOPING MCS AND FOR THE STRONGER CELLS TO TEND TO PROPAGATE MORE SOUTHWARD INTO THE AXIS OF GREATER MOISTURE/INSTABILITY WHICH WAS NICELY DEPICTED BY THE CUMULUS FIELD THIS AFTERNOON. MODELS REALLY NOT SHOWING ANY SIGNIFICANT LOW LEVEL JET OR LOW LEVEL WARM AIR ADVECTION OVERNIGHT SO ITS QUESTIONABLE HOW WELL SUSTAINED THIS CONVECTION WILL BE INTO THE MID TO LATE EVENING...BUT REGARDLESS GIVEN ITS ALREADY RATHER CLOSE PROXIMITY FEEL SOME UPWARD ADJUSTMENTS TO POP GRIDS FOR TONIGHT ARE WARRANTED...ESPECIALLY WESTERN CWA. IZZI && .DISCUSSION... 307 PM CDT MAIN FORECAST CONCERN FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS WILL FOCUS ON THE INCREASING CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TONIGHT AND TOMORROW ASSOCIATED WITH A COLD FRONT DROPPING SEWD OUT OF THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING...CONDITIONS WILL REMAIN GENERALLY QUIET...HOWEVER...WITH AMPLE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE LINGERING OVER THE REGION FOLLOWING THE PASSAGE OF TROPICAL CYCLONE ISAAC...DAYTIME WARMING COMBINED WITH A LAKE BREEZE BOUNDARY PUSHING INLAND FROM LAKE MICHIGAN WILL ALLOW FOR AT LEAST A SMALL CHANCE OF SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE AREA THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING. FOR THE LARGER SCALE...A PERSISTENT POLAR LOW CONTINUES TO SIT AND SPIN OVER NRN MANITOBA WHILE A SERIES OF WEAK IMPULSES TRACK ALONG THE SRN PERIPHERY. INITIALLY...THE SFC PRESSURE PATTERN REMAINS VERY DIFFUSE WITH LITTLE SFC FORCING. HOWEVER...BY LATE TONIGHT...THE SHORT RANGE GUIDANCE IS IN GOOD AGREEMENT ON INCREASING THE PCPN THREAT AS A STRONG SHORTWAVE DROPS OUT OF THE NORTHERN ROCKIES AND PUSHES INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS TONIGHT AND ACROSS THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY TOMORROW. THIS SHORT WAVE WILL REINFORCE A WEAK SFC COLD FRONT...WHICH WILL PROVIDE THE SFC FORCING TO IGNITE THUNDERSTORMS. THE MAIN FORECAST CONCERN WITH THIS SYSTEM WILL BE HOW FAR SOUTH TO EXTEND THE HIGHER POPS THROUGH THE MIDWEST AND INTO THE MIDDLE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. WHILE THE STRONGEST FORCING SHOULD REMAIN TO THE NORTH OF THE LOCAL AREA IN WISCONSIN WITH THE TRACK OF THE MAIN VORT MAX...THERE SHOULD BE ENOUGH UPPER LEVEL FORCING EXTENDING SWD...COINCIDENT WITH THE SFC COLD FRONT TO WARRANT KEEPING LIKELY POPS ACROSS THE CWA BEGINNING EARLY TOMORROW MORNING OVER THE ROCKFORD AREA AND THEN SPREADING EWD THROUGH THE DAY AS THE COLD FRONT PUSHES EWD. THE WARM SECTOR ENVIRONMENT SHOULD BE PRIMED FOR THUNDERSTORMS BY LATE MORNING/EARLY AFTERNOON AS TEMPERATURES SHOULD REACH INTO THE UPPER 80S TO CLOSE TO 90 DEGREES WITH SFC DEW POINTS IN THE UPPER 60S TO LOWER 70S. DEEP LAYER INSTABILITY WILL ALSO BE MORE THAN ADEQUATE FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT AS IS EVIDENCED BY BUFKIT SOUNDS FROM THE NAM12 ADVERTISING CAPE VALUES EXCEEDING 1500 J/KG BY THE LATE MORNING HOURS AND INCREASING TO ARND 2500 J/KG DURING THE AFTERNOON. THE GIVEN THE ELEMENTS EXPECTED TO BE IN PLACE TOMORROW...THE ;LATEST SPC DAY 2 OUTLOOK KEEPS THE CWA IN A SLIGHT RISK AREA FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. THE GREATEST THREAT SHOULD BE DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON HOURS AS THE COLD FRONT CROSSES THE AREA DURING THE TIME OF PEAK HEATING. THE MAIN SEVERE THREAT SHOULD BE STRONG...DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS GIVEN A RELATIVELY DRY LAYER EXPECTED BETWEEN 850MB-700MB...THOUGH THERE MAY ALSO BE A LARGE HAIL THREAT AS COOLER AIR MOVES IN ALOFT WITH FREEZING LEVELS DROPPING TO ARND 12KFT. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BE LESS OF A CONCERN AS THE COLD FRONT WILL BE PROGRESSIVE THROUGH THE DAY AND PWATS ARE EXPECTED TO BE 1.5 INCHES OR LESS. THURSDAY IS SHAPING UP TO BE DRY AND THE NEXT CHANCE FOR PCPN WILL COME BY EARLY FRIDAY MORNING AS A LONG WAVE TROUGH DROPS INTO THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. A WEAK FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH THE UPPER TROUGH IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO NWRN IL EARLY FRIDAY...BUT THE MAIN CONCERN WILL BE SFC WAVE DEVELOPMENT ALONG THE COLD FRONT. THE LONGER RANGE GUIDANCE IS IN GOOD AGREEMENT ON THE FORMATION OF A DECENT SFC WAVE ON THE FRONT...BUT THERE IS LESSER AGREEMENT ON THE STRENGTH AND LOCATION OF THE SFC WAVE DEVELOPMENT. HOWEVER...THERE IS ENOUGH CONFIDENCE TO CARRY LIKELY POPS FOR THE SRN PORTIONS OF THE CWA...WITH A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS...BUT LESSER CONFIDENCE TO THE NORTH...SO WILL ONLY CARRY CHANCE POPS FOR THE NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE CWA. FOR TEMPERATURES...FOLLOWING THE PASSAGE OF THE COLD FRONT TOMORROW...HIGHS WILL DROP BACK INTO UPPER 70S TO LOWER 80S FOR THURSDAY. FOR FRIDAY AND SATURDAY...AS THE LONG WAVE UPPER TROUGH MOVES ACROSS THE REGION...HIGHS SHOULD ONLY BE IN THE MIDDLE 70S FOR FRIDAY/ THE COOLEST AIR WILL MOVE OVER THE AREA FOR THE WEEKEND WITH TEMPS ONLY REACHING INTO THE UPPER 60S TO AROUND 70F ON SATURDAY AND THE LOWER 70S FOR SUNDAY. WEAK UPPER RIDGING SHOULD RETURN TO THE AREA BY EARLY NEXT WEEK...BRINGING SLIGHTLY WARMER WEATHER WITH HIGHS IN THE MIDDLE 70S. KREIN && .AVIATION... //ORD AND MDW CONCERNS...UPDATED 06Z... * CHANCE FOR SHRA/TSRA AFTER SUNRISE. * CHANCE FOR TSRA THIS AFTERNOON. * POTENTIAL FOR GUSTY SOUTH/SOUTHWEST WINDS. CMS //DISCUSSION...UPDATED 06Z... LINE OF TSRA CONTINUES TO WEAKEN AS IT MOVES SOUTHEAST OF THE TERMINALS WITH SHOWERS EXPECTED TO END OVER THE CHICAGO AREA TERMINALS IN THE NEXT 1-2 HRS. A SMALL SCALE HIGH PRESSURE HAS FORMED ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE PRECIPITATION. AS A RESULT... WINDS WILL TURN NORTHEAST...EAST...SOUTHEAST THEN BACK LIGHT SOUTHERLY OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS AS THIS HIGH MOVES SOUTHEAST. SPEEDS LIKELY TO BE IN THE 10-15 KT RANGE WITH HIGHER GUSTS POSSIBLE BUT THE OVERALL TREND WILL BE FOR SPEEDS TO SLOWLY DIMINISH. FOCUS THEN SHIFTS TO A LINE OF TSRA NOW MOVING ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL IA AND SOUTHERN MN. SHORT TERM GUIDANCE WOULD SUGGEST THIS LINE WILL CONTINUE MOVING EAST AND SHOULD BEGIN TO WEAKEN AFTER SUNRISE. WHILE THE BULK OF THIS ACTIVITY MAY MOVE ACROSS SOUTHERN WI...HAVE OPTED TO INCLUDE A TEMPO FOR TSRA AT RFD AND SHRA AT DPA AND TRENDS WILL NEED TO BE MONITORED EARLY THIS MORNING WITH TSRA POSSIBLY NEEDED TO BE ADDED FOR THE CHICAGO TERMINALS AFTER SUNRISE. THIS ACTIVITY MAY THEN AFFECT ANY ADDITIONAL TSRA DEVELOPMENT LATER THIS AFTERNOON WITH A POSSIBLE OUTFLOW PUSHING SOUTH ACROSS THE TERMINALS DURING THE MORNING AND BECOMING THE FOCUS FOR NEW DEVELOPMENT...WELL AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT WITH PERHAPS WEAKER CONVECTION DEVELOPING WITH THE FRONT. AT THIS POINT...CONFIDENCE IS TOO LOW TO MAKE ANY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES AND HAVE MAINTAINED PREVIOUS TSRA TIMING FOR THIS AFTERNOON. IF CONVECTION DOES MATERIALIZE...STRONG/GUSTY WINDS WILL BE POSSIBLE. UNCERTAINTY ALSO REMAINS REGARDING HOW STRONG SOUTH/SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL BECOME LATER THIS MORNING INTO THIS AFTERNOON AS WELL. NEWEST FORECAST SOUNDINGS WOULD SUGGEST LOW LEVEL WINDS WILL NOT BE QUITE AS STRONG AS PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT...BUT GUSTS TO 20 KTS STILL POSSIBLE IN THE AFTERNOON. CMS //ORD AND MDW CONFIDENCE...UPDATED 06Z... * LOW CONFIDENCE REGARDING POTENTIAL SHRA/TSRA AFTER SUNRISE. * MEDIUM CONFIDENCE REGARDING TSRA THIS AFTERNOON...LOW CONFIDENCE REGARDING TIMING/DURATION. * MEDIUM CONFIDENCE REGARDING WIND SPEEDS/DIRECTIONS THROUGH THE PERIOD...LOW CONFIDENCE REGARDING GUSTS. CMS //OUTLOOK FOR ORD/MDW FOR 12Z THURSDAY-12Z TUESDAY...UPDATED 00Z... * THURSDAY...VFR. * FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY...CHANCE OF SHRA. MVFR POSSIBLE. * SUNDAY...SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHRA. * MONDAY...VFR. && .MARINE... 323 PM CDT LIGHT VARIABLE WINDS WILL BEGIN TO FAVOR A SOUTHERLY DIRECTION TONIGHT AND GRADUALLY FRESHEN AS A COLD FRONT ADVANCES EASTWARD INTO THE UPPER MIDWEST OVERNIGHT. THE COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS NORTHERN LAKE MI BY MID AFTERNOON WED AND ACROSS SOUTHERN LAKE MI BY MID EVENING...WITH WINDS VEERING TO SOUTHWEST THEN WEST AND NORTHWEST WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE COLD FRONT. A SECOND COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS LAKE MI LATE THU NIGHT AND FRI. WINDS WILL BECOME SOUTHWESTERLY AS THE FRONT NEARS...THEN VEER TO OUT OF THE WEST AND NORTHWEST AGAIN WITH THE COLD FRONT PASSAGE. HIGH PRESSURE OF OVER SASKATCHEWAN AND MANITOBA WILL EXPAND OVER THE PLAINS AND NORTHERN GREAT LAKES FRIDAY NIGHT. WINDS WILL INCREASE TO STRONG NORTH TO NORTHEAST BREEZES FOR SAT AND SUN...WITH SOME GUSTS NEAR GALE FORCE ON SOUTHERN LAKE MI AS THE PRESSURE GRADIENT ACROSS THE REGION INCREASES BETWEEN THE HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE TO THE N AND W...AND A LOW MOVING FROM THE MID MS VALLEY UP THE OH VALLEY. TRS && .LOT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IL...NONE. IN...NONE. LM...NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
1009 PM CDT TUE SEP 4 2012 .MESOSCALE DISCUSSION... 728 PM CDT CLOSELY MONITORING CONVECTION OVER WESTERN WISCONSIN EARLY THIS EVENING FOR ANY POTENTIAL IMPACTS ON OUR CWA TONIGHT. CLUSTER OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN APPEARS TO BE CONGEALING IN A LARGE MASS OF STORMS WHICH COULD RESULT IN FORMATION OF COLD POOL AND A MORE ACCELERATED MOTION. FORWARD PROPAGATING CORFIDI VECTORS FROM WRF-NAM AND RUC BOTH SUGGEST CONVECTION WOULD RACE QUICKLY EAST-SOUTHEAST TOWARD CHGO METRO...HOWEVER SPC OBJECTIVE MESOANALYSIS DATA SHOWS A REGION OR MUCH LESSER INSTABILITY AND GREATER INHIBITION OVER SOUTHERN WISCONSIN. VISIBLE SATELLITE IMAGERY TUES AFTERNOON SHOWED A DISTINCT ABSENCE OF CUMULUS IN A SWATH FROM NE IL (AHEAD OF LAKE BREEZE) NNW INTO CENTRAL WISCONSIN...WHICH WOULD LEND SOME CREDENCE TO THE WEAKER INSTABILITY/STRONGER CAPPING SHOWN IN THE SPC OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS DATA. RELATIVELY WEAK LOW LEVEL FLOW SUGGESTS ANY RAPID NORTHEASTWARD TRANSPORT OF MOISTURE OR INSTABILITY IS UNLIKELY THIS EVENING...SO WOULD ANTICIPATE CONVECTION TO WEAKEN AS IT PROGRESSES EASTWARD INTO THE LESS UNSTABLE ENVIRONMENT OVER SOUTHERN WISCONSIN. LOOKING LIKE A MORE PLAUSIBLE SCENARIO WOULD BE FOR MOST INTENSE VIGOROUS CONVECTION TO FAVOR THE WESTERN PORTIONS OF THIS DEVELOPING MCS AND FOR THE STRONGER CELLS TO TEND TO PROPAGATE MORE SOUTHWARD INTO THE AXIS OF GREATER MOISTURE/INSTABILITY WHICH WAS NICELY DEPICTED BY THE CUMULUS FIELD THIS AFTERNOON. MODELS REALLY NOT SHOWING ANY SIGNIFICANT LOW LEVEL JET OR LOW LEVEL WARM AIR ADVECTION OVERNIGHT SO ITS QUESTIONABLE HOW WELL SUSTAINED THIS CONVECTION WILL BE INTO THE MID TO LATE EVENING...BUT REGARDLESS GIVEN ITS ALREADY RATHER CLOSE PROXIMITY FEEL SOME UPWARD ADJUSTMENTS TO POP GRIDS FOR TONIGHT ARE WARRANTED...ESPECIALLY WESTERN CWA. IZZI && .DISCUSSION... 307 PM CDT MAIN FORECAST CONCERN FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS WILL FOCUS ON THE INCREASING CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TONIGHT AND TOMORROW ASSOCIATED WITH A COLD FRONT DROPPING SEWD OUT OF THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING...CONDITIONS WILL REMAIN GENERALLY QUIET...HOWEVER...WITH AMPLE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE LINGERING OVER THE REGION FOLLOWING THE PASSAGE OF TROPICAL CYCLONE ISAAC...DAYTIME WARMING COMBINED WITH A LAKE BREEZE BOUNDARY PUSHING INLAND FROM LAKE MICHIGAN WILL ALLOW FOR AT LEAST A SMALL CHANCE OF SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE AREA THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING. FOR THE LARGER SCALE...A PERSISTENT POLAR LOW CONTINUES TO SIT AND SPIN OVER NRN MANITOBA WHILE A SERIES OF WEAK IMPULSES TRACK ALONG THE SRN PERIPHERY. INITIALLY...THE SFC PRESSURE PATTERN REMAINS VERY DIFFUSE WITH LITTLE SFC FORCING. HOWEVER...BY LATE TONIGHT...THE SHORT RANGE GUIDANCE IS IN GOOD AGREEMENT ON INCREASING THE PCPN THREAT AS A STRONG SHORTWAVE DROPS OUT OF THE NORTHERN ROCKIES AND PUSHES INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS TONIGHT AND ACROSS THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY TOMORROW. THIS SHORT WAVE WILL REINFORCE A WEAK SFC COLD FRONT...WHICH WILL PROVIDE THE SFC FORCING TO IGNITE THUNDERSTORMS. THE MAIN FORECAST CONCERN WITH THIS SYSTEM WILL BE HOW FAR SOUTH TO EXTEND THE HIGHER POPS THROUGH THE MIDWEST AND INTO THE MIDDLE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. WHILE THE STRONGEST FORCING SHOULD REMAIN TO THE NORTH OF THE LOCAL AREA IN WISCONSIN WITH THE TRACK OF THE MAIN VORT MAX...THERE SHOULD BE ENOUGH UPPER LEVEL FORCING EXTENDING SWD...COINCIDENT WITH THE SFC COLD FRONT TO WARRANT KEEPING LIKELY POPS ACROSS THE CWA BEGINNING EARLY TOMORROW MORNING OVER THE ROCKFORD AREA AND THEN SPREADING EWD THROUGH THE DAY AS THE COLD FRONT PUSHES EWD. THE WARM SECTOR ENVIRONMENT SHOULD BE PRIMED FOR THUNDERSTORMS BY LATE MORNING/EARLY AFTERNOON AS TEMPERATURES SHOULD REACH INTO THE UPPER 80S TO CLOSE TO 90 DEGREES WITH SFC DEW POINTS IN THE UPPER 60S TO LOWER 70S. DEEP LAYER INSTABILITY WILL ALSO BE MORE THAN ADEQUATE FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT AS IS EVIDENCED BY BUFKIT SOUNDS FROM THE NAM12 ADVERTISING CAPE VALUES EXCEEDING 1500 J/KG BY THE LATE MORNING HOURS AND INCREASING TO ARND 2500 J/KG DURING THE AFTERNOON. THE GIVEN THE ELEMENTS EXPECTED TO BE IN PLACE TOMORROW...THE ;LATEST SPC DAY 2 OUTLOOK KEEPS THE CWA IN A SLIGHT RISK AREA FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. THE GREATEST THREAT SHOULD BE DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON HOURS AS THE COLD FRONT CROSSES THE AREA DURING THE TIME OF PEAK HEATING. THE MAIN SEVERE THREAT SHOULD BE STRONG...DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS GIVEN A RELATIVELY DRY LAYER EXPECTED BETWEEN 850MB-700MB...THOUGH THERE MAY ALSO BE A LARGE HAIL THREAT AS COOLER AIR MOVES IN ALOFT WITH FREEZING LEVELS DROPPING TO ARND 12KFT. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BE LESS OF A CONCERN AS THE COLD FRONT WILL BE PROGRESSIVE THROUGH THE DAY AND PWATS ARE EXPECTED TO BE 1.5 INCHES OR LESS. THURSDAY IS SHAPING UP TO BE DRY AND THE NEXT CHANCE FOR PCPN WILL COME BY EARLY FRIDAY MORNING AS A LONG WAVE TROUGH DROPS INTO THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. A WEAK FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH THE UPPER TROUGH IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO NWRN IL EARLY FRIDAY...BUT THE MAIN CONCERN WILL BE SFC WAVE DEVELOPMENT ALONG THE COLD FRONT. THE LONGER RANGE GUIDANCE IS IN GOOD AGREEMENT ON THE FORMATION OF A DECENT SFC WAVE ON THE FRONT...BUT THERE IS LESSER AGREEMENT ON THE STRENGTH AND LOCATION OF THE SFC WAVE DEVELOPMENT. HOWEVER...THERE IS ENOUGH CONFIDENCE TO CARRY LIKELY POPS FOR THE SRN PORTIONS OF THE CWA...WITH A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS...BUT LESSER CONFIDENCE TO THE NORTH...SO WILL ONLY CARRY CHANCE POPS FOR THE NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE CWA. FOR TEMPERATURES...FOLLOWING THE PASSAGE OF THE COLD FRONT TOMORROW...HIGHS WILL DROP BACK INTO UPPER 70S TO LOWER 80S FOR THURSDAY. FOR FRIDAY AND SATURDAY...AS THE LONG WAVE UPPER TROUGH MOVES ACROSS THE REGION...HIGHS SHOULD ONLY BE IN THE MIDDLE 70S FOR FRIDAY/ THE COOLEST AIR WILL MOVE OVER THE AREA FOR THE WEEKEND WITH TEMPS ONLY REACHING INTO THE UPPER 60S TO AROUND 70F ON SATURDAY AND THE LOWER 70S FOR SUNDAY. WEAK UPPER RIDGING SHOULD RETURN TO THE AREA BY EARLY NEXT WEEK...BRINGING SLIGHTLY WARMER WEATHER WITH HIGHS IN THE MIDDLE 70S. KREIN && .AVIATION... //ORD AND MDW CONCERNS...UPDATED 03Z... * LINE OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS LATE THIS EVENING. * TSRA WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. * GUSTY SOUTHWEST WINDS WEDNESDAY. CMS //DISCUSSION...UPDATED 03Z... LINE OF TSRA OVER SOUTHWEST WI EARLIER THIS EVENING DID INDEED ORGANIZE INTO A BOW AND IS NOW PUSHING INTO NORTHERN IL. OUTFLOW BOUNDARY OUT AHEAD OF THE MAIN LINE OF STORMS HAS BEEN GUSTING BETWEEN 40 AND 50 KNOTS. HAVE TRIED TO INCLUDE SOME TIMING IN THE 03Z UPDATES WITH THE INITIAL OUTFLOW/GUSTS AND THEN THE LINE OF TSRA...THOUGH OUTFLOW TIME MAY END UP BEING A BIT EARLY. WINDS STILL QUITE GUSTY BEHIND THE OUTFLOW. IFR VIS AND POSSIBLY IFR CIGS LIKELY WITH THE HEAVIEST STORMS. CMS PREVIOUS 00Z DISCUSSION... SEVERAL FORECAST CONCERNS THIS PERIOD WITH THE MAIN CONCERN BEING TSRA TIMING/DURATION WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. IN THE SHORT TERM...ISOLATED CONVECTION DEVELOPED OVER PARTS OF NORTH CENTRAL IL EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON AND HAS SINCE DISSIPATED. NOT EXPECTING ANY FURTHER DEVELOPMENT BUT IF ANYTHING DOES DEVELOP IS SHOULD REMAIN ISOLATED AND BRIEF. LINE OF TSRA OVER SOUTHWEST WI IS EXPECTED TO MOVE EAST AND BEGIN TO WEAKEN LATER THIS EVENING BUT WILL NEED TO BE MONITORED TO SEE IF IT BEGINS TO TURN SOUTHEAST AND MOVE INTO NORTHERN IL AND EVEN IF THE CONVECTION DOESN/T MAKE IT...COULD POSSIBLY BE AND OUTFLOW BOUNDARY PUSHING INTO NORTHERN IL. ATTENTION THEN SHIFTS TO THE WEST WITH SOME ELEVATED ACTIVITY POSSIBLY DEVELOPING OVER IA OVERNIGHT. CONFIDENCE IS FAIRLY LOW THAT THIS WILL HAPPEN BUT IF ANYTHING DEVELOPS...IT WILL MOVE GENERALLY EAST AND INTO NORTHWEST IL TOWARD DAYBREAK. EVEN THEN...IT WOULD LIKELY BE WEAKENING AND THUS HAVE MAINTAINED A DRY FORECAST INTO MID MORNING. A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND IT APPEARS THE BEST CHANCE FOR TSRA WILL BE ALONG/AHEAD OF THIS FRONT. CONFIDENCE FOR A LINE OF STORMS TO MOVE ACROSS THE TERMINALS IS GROWING AS IS CONFIDENCE FOR TIMING IN THE MID AFTERNOON HRS...BUT THIS TIMING AS WELL AS DURATION WILL LIKELY NEED TO BE TWEAKED WITH LATER FORECASTS. INSTABILITY COMBINED WITH FAIRLY STRONG WINDS ALOFT WILL LIKELY LEAD TO STRONG/GUSTY WINDS AT THE TERMINALS WITH THESE STORMS. LAKE BREEZE NOW WEST OF DPA WILL WASHOUT THIS EVENING WITH EASTERLY WINDS TURNING SOUTHEAST THIS EVENING THEN SOUTHERLY OVERNIGHT WITH SPEEDS ALSO DIMINISHING TO 5 KTS OR LESS. WINDS REMAIN SOUTH/SOUTHWEST INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING AND AS NOTED ABOVE SOUNDINGS SUGGEST FAIRLY STRONG WINDS ALOFT. HAVE BUMPED WIND GUSTS UP TO 20KTS MIDDAY BUT SOUNDINGS WOULD SUGGEST GUSTS COULD BE AS HIGH AS 25KTS. SPEEDS/GUSTS WILL BE DEPENDENT ON CLOUD COVER AND LOW LEVEL MIXING...THUS CONFIDENCE ISN/T ALL THAT HIGH AS TO HOW HIGH PREVAILING SPEEDS/GUSTS WILL BECOME. WHILE THE LOW LEVELS REMAIN QUITE MOIST...MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES TODAY COMBINED WITH SOME MODEST DRYING...SHOULD PREVENT ANY WIDESPREAD FOG PROBLEMS TONIGHT...BUT WITH LIGHTER WINDS EXPECTED TOWARD MORNING COULD SEE SOME LIGHT/SHALLOW GROUND FOG...ESPECIALLY IN THE USUAL AREAS. CMS //ORD AND MDW CONFIDENCE...UPDATED 03Z... * HIGH CONFIDENCE REGARDING TSRA AND WIND GUSTS LATE THIS EVENING. * HIGH CONFIDENCE TSRA WILL IMPACT ORD/MDW WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON... MEDIUM CONFIDENCE ON TIMING...LOW CONFIDENCE ON DURATION. * MEDIUM CONFIDENCE REGARDING WIND SPEEDS/DIRECTIONS THROUGH THE PERIOD...LOW CONFIDENCE REGARDING GUSTS WEDNESDAY. CMS //OUTLOOK FOR ORD/MDW FOR 12Z THURSDAY-12Z TUESDAY...UPDATED 00Z... * THURSDAY...VFR. * FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY...CHANCE OF SHRA. MVFR POSSIBLE. * SUNDAY...SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHRA. * MONDAY...VFR. && .MARINE... 323 PM CDT LIGHT VARIABLE WINDS WILL BEGIN TO FAVOR A SOUTHERLY DIRECTION TONIGHT AND GRADUALLY FRESHEN AS A COLD FRONT ADVANCES EASTWARD INTO THE UPPER MIDWEST OVERNIGHT. THE COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS NORTHERN LAKE MI BY MID AFTERNOON WED AND ACROSS SOUTHERN LAKE MI BY MID EVENING...WITH WINDS VEERING TO SOUTHWEST THEN WEST AND NORTHWEST WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE COLD FRONT. A SECOND COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS LAKE MI LATE THU NIGHT AND FRI. WINDS WILL BECOME SOUTHWESTERLY AS THE FRONT NEARS...THEN VEER TO OUT OF THE WEST AND NORTHWEST AGAIN WITH THE COLD FRONT PASSAGE. HIGH PRESSURE OF OVER SASKATCHEWAN AND MANITOBA WILL EXPAND OVER THE PLAINS AND NORTHERN GREAT LAKES FRIDAY NIGHT. WINDS WILL INCREASE TO STRONG NORTH TO NORTHEAST BREEZES FOR SAT AND SUN...WITH SOME GUSTS NEAR GALE FORCE ON SOUTHERN LAKE MI AS THE PRESSURE GRADIENT ACROSS THE REGION INCREASES BETWEEN THE HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE TO THE N AND W...AND A LOW MOVING FROM THE MID MS VALLEY UP THE OH VALLEY. TRS && .LOT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IL...NONE. IN...NONE. LM...NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS NORTHERN INDIANA
200 AM EDT WED SEP 5 2012 .AVIATION... 06Z TAFS...AVIATION CONCERNS CENTER ON EVOLUTION OF MCS ACROSS NORTHEAST ILLINOIS/FAR NORTHWEST INDIANA...FOG POTENTIAL THROUGH EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING...AND THUNDERSTORM CHANCES WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. IR SATELLITE/RADAR TRENDS CONTINUE TO INDICATE WEAKENING TREND TO CONVECTIVE SYSTEM ACROSS FAR NORTHWEST INDIANA/NORTHEAST ILLINOIS AND EXPECT THIS TREND TO CONTINUE AS CONDITIONS DOWNSTREAM ARE NOT AS UNSTABLE. NONETHELESS...A MATURE OUTFLOW BOUNDARY RACING WELL AHEAD WILL CONTINUE TO ALLOW ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS TO DEVELOP...AND PERHAPS A THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS. HAVE INCLUDED A WIND GUST GROUP AT KSBN TO AROUND 20 KNOTS TO ACCOUNT FOR THIS OUTFLOW BOUNDARY THROUGH 08Z...BUT WILL CONFINE PRECIP MENTION TO VCSH AT THIS TIME. OTHERWISE FOR THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...FOG POTENTIAL WILL BE THE BIGGEST CONCERN AND HAVE MADE NO CHANGES TO PREVIOUS TAFS WHICH FOCUS THE LIFR CONDITIONS AT KFWA WHERE CROSSOVER TEMPS ARE HIGHER AND LESS INFLUENCE FROM CONVECTIVE DEBRIS CLOUDINESS IS EXPECTED. FOR WEDNESDAY...NEXT UPSTREAM SHORT WAVE ACROSS THE DAKOTAS WILL APPROACH THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES BY EVENING...WITH A POTENTIAL FOR SMALLER SCALE CONVECTIVE VORTS TO REACH NORTHWEST INDIANA DURING THE AFTERNOON. MODERATELY TO STRONGLY UNSTABLE CONDITIONS ARE ALSO EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ESPECIALLY FOR KSBN AND HAVE INCLUDED VCTS MENTION IN THE 20Z-04Z TIMEFRAME. && PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 339 PM EDT TUE SEP 4 2012/ SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT. SEVERAL CONCERNS TO DEAL WITH OVER THE NEXT 36 HOURS FROM CONVECTION/SVR WX TO FOG. WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY WAS ROUGHLY LOCATED FROM MONTICELLO TO FORT WAYNE TO DEFIANCE WITH ISOL TO SCT SHOWERS STRUGGLING TO TAKE SHAPE ALONG WITH GIVEN WEAK CONVERGENCE AND LIMITED INSTABILITY. WILL KEEP A PRE 1ST PERIOD TO ADDRESS THIS ACTIVITY WHICH SHOULD EXIT BY 00Z. WITH MOIST BOUNDARY LAYER AND LITTLE CHANCE FOR MIXING ACROSS THE AREA TODAY...FOG/STRATUS POTENTIAL WILL REMAIN HIGH ACROSS MOST IF NOT ALL OF THE FORECAST AREA. COULD SEE WIDESPREAD DENSE FOG LATER TONIGHT IN MANY SPOTS WITH TEMPS FALLING PASS CROSSOVER TEMPS IN THE UPPER 60S TO AROUND 70 AND CALM WINDS/CLEAR SKIES. POTENTIAL ISSUES ARISE FROM ANTICIPATED UPSTREAM CONVECTION ACROSS MINN/WI/IOWA. SEVERAL RUNS OF THE HRRR HAVE SHOWN DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THIS AREA DROPPING TOWARDS POSSIBLE WESTERN PARTS OF THE FORECAST AREA LATER TONIGHT/WEDS MORNING...POSSIBLY CAUSING ISSUES WITH FOG DEVELOPMENT. FOR NOW...HAVE BUMPED UP WORDING IN ZONES TO PATCHY DENSE FOG AND WILL DEFER TO EVENING/OVERNIGHT SHIFTS TO ADJUST BASED ON UPSTREAM TRENDS. STRONGER UPPER LEVEL TROUGH AND SFC COLD FRONT STILL POISED TO MOVE INTO THE REGION WEDS/WEDS NGT. STRONG DYNAMICS WILL ACCOMPANY THE SYSTEM WITH A FAVORABLE TIMING OF LIFT AND MSTR CONVERGENCE IN THE LATE AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING. GIVEN 0-6 KM SHEAR IN THE 30 TO 40 KT RANGE SVR THREAT IS STILL POSSIBLE...IF SUFFICIENT HEATING CAN OCCUR AHEAD OF THE ACTUAL FRONT. THE FLY IN THE OINTMENT FOR THIS MAY BE ANY LATE NIGHT/MORNING CONVECTION NOTED ABOVE THAT COULD STABILIZE THE AREA THROUGH OPTIMAL PEAK HEATING...THEREBY REDUCING CHANCES FOR SVR WX. DO STILL FEEL THAT CONVECTION WILL FIRE TO THE WEST ALONG THE FRONT IN ILLINOIS DURING THE AFTERNOON AND MOVE EAST TOWARDS THE AREA. HAVE THEREFORE CAUTIOUSLY HELD WITH LIKELY POPS IN NW AREAS WEDS AFTERNOON BUT FOR NOW BACKED OFF ON POP TIMING EARLIER IN THE DAY ASSUMING THAT MODEL INDICATIONS OF IA/WI/MN COMPLEX DYING AS IT APPROACHES OCCUR. THIS SAME REASONING WARRANTS A SLIGHT INCREASE IN POPS WEDS NGT WITH POTENTIAL FOR SOMEWHAT SLOWER DEPARTURE OF PRECIP...BUT NOT A RAMP UP TO LIKELY IN EASTERN AREAS GIVEN LESS FAVORABLE TIME FRAME FOR CONVECTION TO MAINTAIN ITSELF UNLESS ALREADY WELL ESTABLISHED. LONG TERM... THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY...THE MAIN CHALLENGES THIS PERIOD CONCERN THE CHANCES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CUT OFF LOW OVER THE OHIO VALLEY REGION THIS WEEKEND. ADDITIONAL CHALLENGES INCLUDE THE TIMING AND EXTENT OF PRECIPITATION AND THE EFFECT ON TEMPERATURES IF THE LOW DEVELOPS AND LINGERS OVER OR NEAR THE REGION. FOR THIS PACKAGE...FAVOR THE ECMWF...ALTHOUGH THE 12Z RUN WAS AN OUTLIER COMPARED TO THE PAST SEVERAL RUNS. THE 12Z ECMWF RUN WAS NOT USED FOR THIS PACKAGE. THE PAST SEVERAL ECMWF RUNS HAVE HAD REASONABLE RUN TO RUN CONSISTENCY. AS A WHOLE THE NEW 12Z GFS SOLUTION HAS TRENDED TOWARD THE SLOWER...FARTHER WEST 00Z ECMWF SOLUTION. ALSO...THE 00Z ECMWF HAS HAD BETTER SUPPORT WITH THE SURFACE LOW/SURFACE REFLECTION CLOSER TO THE UPPER LOW THAN THE GFS. HAVE RAISED RAIN CHANCES FRIDAY NIGHT GIVEN REASONABLE CONFIDENCE IN THE TIMING OF THE SHORT WAVE TROF AND ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT. FOR THE REST OF THE PERIOD...WENT WITH PERSISTENCE AND ATTEMPTED TO HOLD TO THE PREVIOUS FORECAST WITH DRY CONDITIONS STARTING SUNDAY NIGHT. && .IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IN...DENSE FOG ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM EDT THIS MORNING FOR INZ006>009- 017-018-024>027-032>034. MI...DENSE FOG ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM EDT THIS MORNING FOR MIZ080-081. OH...DENSE FOG ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM EDT THIS MORNING FOR OHZ001-002- 004-005-015-016-024-025. LM...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...FISHER LONG TERM...SKIPPER AVIATION...MARSILI
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS DES MOINES IA
1225 AM CDT WED SEP 5 2012 ...UPDATED AVIATION DISCUSSION... .SHORT TERM /TONIGHT/... PRIMARY CONCERN TONIGHT WILL BE CONVECTIVE TRENDS BUT CONFIDENCE IN THAT EVOLUTION IS DECREASING AS MOST MODELS...HIGH RES EXPLICIT AND PARAMETERIZED...ARE CURRENTLY OVERZEALOUS IN THEIR DEPICTION OF PRECIP. PRESENT SITUATION HAS 80KT JET FROM ROCKIES INTO IA ENHANCING DEEP/EFFECTIVE SHEAR. LITTLE IN THE WAY OF LARGE SCALE FORCING NOTED IMMEDIATELY UPSTREAM HOWEVER WITH RAP ANALYSIS AND WATER VAPOR IMAGERY FAIRLY BENIGN. ONLY SIGN OF LARGER SCALE UPWARD VERTICAL MOTION /UVM/ SEEMS TO BE ACROSS CENTRAL NE NEAR H85/H7 SHORT WAVE PER VISIBLE IMAGERY. OUR FORECAST AREA SEEMS PRIMED FOR DEVELOPMENT THERMODYNAMICALLY WITH UNCAPPED 2000-4000 J/KG MLCAPES. HOWEVER SPOTTY CONVERGENCE AND LITTLE TO NO UVM OVERHEAD HAVE RESULTED IN NO DEVELOPMENT AS OF YET. SMALL CELL ALONG HIGHWAY 20 DISSIPATED WHICH IS A SIGNAL THAT WE ARE NOT READY TO GO SURFACE BASED AND/OR HAVE INSUFFICIENT UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT. AT THE MOMENT FEEL THAT CONVECTIVE INITIATION IS GOING TO WAIT FOR AFOREMENTIONED NE UVM ALONG WITH INCREASED SYNOPTIC SCALE FORCING AHEAD OF MT/DAKOTAS SHORT WAVE AS IT MOVES EAST THIS EVENING. ECMWF/GFS QG FORCING INCREASES AS IT REACHES MN BY 06Z. 18Z RAP SUGGESTS WEAKLY CAPPED ELEVATED CAPES 2000 J/KG OR MORE WILL BE IN PLACE AND CERTAINLY CAPABLE OF SUPPORTING SEVERE WEATHER CONSIDERING OUR PROXIMITY TO THE JET. DCAPES SHOULD REMAIN QUITE HIGH OVERNIGHT WITH SOUNDINGS SHOWING PLENTY OF DRY AIR BELOW 3KM. THUS EXPECT NE CONVECTION TO SLOWLY DEVELOP AND MATURE AS IT REACHES IA MUCAPE AXIS WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND HAIL QUITE POSSIBLE. .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... FORECAST CONCERNS FOR WEDNESDAY WILL DEAL WITH A STRONG COLD FRONT PUSHING ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA DURING THE MORNING AIDED BY A POTENT SHORT WAVE SWEEPING ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS INTO IA. MOST OF THE CAPE AND SHEAR ARE AHEAD OF THE BOUNDARY SO ONGOING CONVECTION FROM THE OVERNIGHT WILL AFFECT THE EASTERN HALF OR SO OF THE FORECAST AREA. BEHIND THE FRONT MUCH COOLER AND DRIER AIR WILL PUSH INTO CENTRAL IOWA DURING THE AFTERNOON SO ANY THUNDERSTORM THREAT IN THE AFTERNOON WILL BE CONFINED TO THE FAR SOUTHEAST PORTION OF CENTRAL IOWA ON EAST. BEYOND WEDNESDAY WE BEGIN OUR SLIDE IN TEMPS AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH LATE THURSDAY. WARM ADVECTION OCCURS THURSDAY NIGHT AHEAD OF THE NEXT SYSTEM TO AFFECT THE AREA. ON FRIDAY THETA ADVECTION INCREASES AND A SECOND SHORT WAVE ROTATES THROUGH THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL PLAINS BRINGING AND ANOTHER FRONT WILL PUSH ACROSS IOWA BRINGING A REINFORCING SHOT OF COLD AIR. SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR WITH THIS FOLLOWED BY SOME VERY COOL AIR. TEMPERATURES OVER THE WEEKEND WILL ACTUALLY BE BELOW NORMAL BUT IT WILL BE DRY. && .AVIATION...05/06Z ONGOING CONVECTION ACROSS NORTHERN IOWA WILL AFFECT NORTHERN SITES...KFOD/KMCW/KALO THROUGH 12Z. WITH STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS WINDS COULD GUST UP TO 40KTS OR HIGHER...AND WITH HEAVY RAIN COULD SEE VISIBILITIES DROP TO MVFR OR IFR. HOWEVER...CEILINGS WILL PRIMARILY REMAIN VFR WITH HIGH BASED STORMS. COULD SEE PRECIPITATION SPREADING FURTHER SOUTH TO KDSM...AND HAVE VCTS MENTIONED. PRECIPITATION WILL QUICKLY PUSH OUT OF SITES...BUT COULD SEE SOME BR OR HZ DEVELOPMENT NEAR 12Z AT SITES. HOWEVER...BELIEVE WINDS WILL REMAIN STRONG AND HAVE NOT INCLUDED MENTION ATTM. WINDS WILL SHIFT TO THE N/NE AND WILL BE STRONG AND GUSTY THROUGHOUT THE DAY WEDNESDAY. OTHERWISE...CEILINGS WILL BE VFR. && .DMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...SMALL LONG TERM...FAB AVIATION...AWB
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CARIBOU ME
1213 AM EDT WED SEP 5 2012 .SYNOPSIS... LOW PRESSURE WILL APPROACH FROM THE WEST TONIGHT THEN TRACK ACROSS COASTAL MAINE WEDNESDAY. WEAK HIGH PRESSURE WILL RETURN THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... MIDNIGHT UPDATE...NUDGED LIKELY POPS FURTHER NORTH JUST A BIT AS RAIN IS MOVING INTO WESTERN AROOSTOOK COUNTY AND NORTHERN SOMERSET AND PISCATAQUIS COUNTY AND MESOSCALE MODELS LIKE THE HRRR INDICATE RAIN SHOULD EXTEND NORTH INTO CENTRAL AROOSTOOK COUNTY. OTHERWISE FORECAST REMAINS ON TRACK. PREV DISC: PRIMARY LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE INTO THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES THIS EVENING. LATER TONIGHT A SECONDARY LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL DEVELOP ON A BOUNDARY RUNNING ALONG THE MAINE COAST. THIS SYSTEM WHICH IS ACCOMPANIED BY TROPICAL MOISTURE WILL PRODUCE HEAVY AMOUNTS OF RAIN. ADDITIONAL RAIN IS EXPECTED WEDNESDAY AS THE PRIMARY LOW MOVES ACROSS THE STATE. FOR POPS HAVE USED A BLEND OF THE NAM12...GFS40...SREF AND ECMWF. WILL USE SAME BLEND FOR QPF EXCEPT EXCHANGE NAM80 FOR NAM12. FOR WINDS HAVE BLENDED NAM12 AND GMOS. USED THE GMOS FOR THE TEMPERATURE AND DEW POINTS.&& .SHORT TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY/... RAIN WILL BE WINDING DOWN WEDNESDAY NIGHT AS ISAAC`S REMNANT LOW CONTINUES TO MOVE AWAY FROM NEW ENGLAND AND INTO THE CANADIAN MARITIMES. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BRIEFLY BUILD OVER THE REGION ON THURSDAY, BRINGING PARTLY SUNNY SKIES AND FAIR WEATHER TO THE AREA. THIS WILL BE SHORT-LIVED HOWEVER AS A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH FROM OUR WEST LATE THURSDAY AND CROSS THE STATE ON FRIDAY. EXPECT SHOWERS TO DEVELOP AHEAD/ALONG OF THIS BOUNDARY AS IT MOVES THROUGH FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST. MODEL GUIDANCE DOES INDICATE THERE SHOULD BE ENOUGH INSTABILITY FOR THUNDERSTORMS FRIDAY AFTERNOON WITH CAPES PROGGED TO BE 500-1200 J/KG. TEMPERATURES WILL BE SEASONABLE BOTH THURSDAY AND FRIDAY; HIGHS WILL BE IN THE MID 70S AND LOWS IN THE LOWER TO MID 50S. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... THE BIG CONCERN FOR THE LONG TERM PERIOD IS AN UPPER TROUGH THAT IS PROGGED TO DEVELOP OVER THE UPPER MIDWEST AND ITS EFFECT ON WHAT WILL THEN BE HURRICANE LESLIE. CURRENT INDICATIONS ARE THAT THE TROUGH WILL CUTOFF INTO A LOW OVER THE OHIO RIVER VALLEY SOMETIME ON SUNDAY WHICH WILL THEN SLOWLY SHIFT EASTWARD THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. AS IT DOES SO, LESLIE WILL BE PULLED NORTHWARD THROUGH THE WESTERN ATLANTIC ALONG THE LOW`S EASTERN PERIPHERY. MODEL GUIDANCE KEEPS THE TROPICAL SYSTEM WELL OFF THE US EAST COAST AND SOUTH OF NOVA SCOTIA, THOUGH THE 04/00Z RUN OF THE ECMWF BRINGS IT CLOSE ENOUGH TO BRUSH OUR FAR SOUTHEASTERN ZONES WITH SOME RAIN. EVEN IF LESLIE STAYS FAR OUT TO SEA AS IS CURRENTLY EXPECTED, IT WILL STILL IMPACT OUR FORECAST AREA IN TWO WAYS. FIRST, TROPICAL MOISTURE WILL FEED INTO THE SOUTHWEST FLOW AHEAD OF THE PRIMARY UPPER LOW. THIS MOISTURE WILL OVERSPREAD NEW ENGLAND, BRINGING WIDESPREAD SHOWERS TO THE REGION FOR LATE SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY. SECOND, LARGE SWELLS AND HEAVY SURF WILL IMPACT THE MAINE COASTLINE AND COASTAL WATERS SUNDAY AND MONDAY. THIS WILL POSE A RISK FOR PERSONS LIVING ALONG THE IMMEDIATE COAST AND TO ANY MARITIME PROPERTY. PERSONS WITH COASTAL OR MARITIME INTERESTS SHOULD STAY TUNED FOR LATER UPDATES ON THIS SITUATION. && .AVIATION /04Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... NEAR TERM: EXPECT IFR CONDITIONS ALL AREAS TONIGHT DUE TO LOW CEILING ...FOG AND RAIN. SHORT TERM: MVFR/IFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED AT ALL TERMINALS THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT AS RAIN ENDS AND FOG DEVELOPS. CONDITIONS WILL IMPROVE TO VFR THURSDAY MORNING AND SHOULD REMAIN SO THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT. THEN MVFR RETURNS IN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS FRIDAY AND ESPECIALLY FRIDAY AFTERNOON ASSOCIATED WITH COLD FRONT PASSAGE. BRIEF LOCALIZED IFR CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE IN ANY THUNDERSTORMS. VFR IS THEN EXPECTED SATURDAY WITH MORE SHOWERS AND MVFR ON SUNDAY. && .MARINE... NEAR TERM: FOR WINDS HAVE USED A BLEND OF THE NAM12 AND GFS40. WILL ADJUST WINDS INTO EARLY EVENING A LITTLE HIGHER. FOR WAVES: PRIMARY WAVE GROUPS SPLIT BETWEEN INCREASING LONG PERIOD WAVES FROM TROPICAL STORM LESLIE ...FROM 155 DEGREES/13-14 SECONDS... AND DEVELOPING SOUTHEAST FETCH IN GULF OF MAINE ..FROM 190 DEGREES/5 SECONDS... HAVE INITIALIZED GRIDS WITH NAM/SWAN. WILL LOWER WAVE HEIGHTS 1 FOOT BELOW MODEL NUMBER AS GULF OF MAINE FETCH LOOKS A LITTLE TOO HIGH. WILL ADJUST SCA TO START AT 0300Z FOR SAME REASON. SHORT TERM: SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS HAVE BEEN EXTENDED INTO THURSDAY MORNING AS WAVES WILL REMAIN ABOVE 5 FT IN RESPONSE TO LOW PRESSURE MOVING THROUGH THE CANADIAN MARITIMES. THOUGH THERE MAY BE A BRIEF BREAK FOR A FEW HOURS ON THURSDAY WHEN WAVES WILL SUBSIDE TO BELOW 5 FT, SCA FOR SEAS WILL MOST LIKELY BE NEEDED RIGHT THROUGH THE WEEKEND AS SWELLS FROM TROPICAL STORM LESLIE AFFECT THE GULF OF MAINE WATERS. && .CAR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ME...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS UNTIL 11 AM EDT THURSDAY FOR ANZ050>052. && $$ NEAR TERM...KHW/MCB SHORT TERM...HASTINGS LONG TERM...HASTINGS AVIATION...KHW MARINE...KHW/HASTINGS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS RALEIGH NC
331 AM EDT WED SEP 5 2012 .SYNOPSIS... A MOIST AIRMASS WILL PERSIST OVER THE AREA THROUGH THURSDAY IN ASSOCIATION WITH A STALLED SURFACE TROUGH OVER THE CAROLINAS. A BRIEF DRY PERIOD IS EXPECTED ON FRIDAY...FOLLOWED BY A RETURN TO UNSETTLED WEATHER OVER THE WEEKEND AS AN UNSEASONABLY DEEP UPPER LEVEL TROUGH APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. && .NEAR TERM /TODAY AND TONIGHT/... AS OF 245 AM WEDNESDAY... PRECIPITATION CHANCES: AN H5 DISTURBANCE WAS NOTED IN WV IMAGERY AND RAP/MESOANALYSIS DATA OVER THE WESTERN PIEDMONT AT 06Z THIS MORNING. THE DISTURBANCE IS EXPECTED TO PROGRESSES SLOWLY EAST TO THE HWY 1 CORRIDOR BY 15-18Z AND THE COASTAL PLAIN BY 18-21Z. THE LATEST RAP GUIDANCE INDICATES THIS FEATURE WILL BECOME INCREASINGLY SHEARED/DEAMPLIFIED BY THE AFTERNOON HOURS...AND IT IS DIFFICULT TO ASCERTAIN WHAT (IF ANY) CONTRIBUTION TO ASCENT MAY BE ASSOCIATED WITH IT. LIGHT MID-LEVEL FLOW WILL BE PRESENT OVER THE CAROLINAS TODAY...SOUTH OF THE PRIMARY BELT OF WESTERLIES WHERE A WEAKNESS HAS DEVELOPED IN H5 RIDGE EXTENDING WEST-EAST ACROSS THE SOUTHERN 1/3 OF THE CONUS...AND IT WILL BE DIFFICULT FOR ANY ADDITIONAL MID/UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES TO TRACK INTO THE AREA THROUGH TONIGHT. LOWER-LEVEL FORCING WILL BE CONFINED TO CONVERGENCE ASSOC/W A WEAKENING SFC-H85 TROUGH OVER WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE STATE TODAY...WITH THE BEST LOW-LEVEL CONVERGENCE SHIFTING EAST INTO PORTIONS OF THE NW/NORTHERN PIEDMONT OVERNIGHT. RELATIVELY SPEEDY (20-30 KT) SW LOW-LEVEL FLOW WILL BE PRESENT ON THE EASTERN PERIPHERY OF THE TROUGH OVER CENTRAL NC. WEAK MID-LEVEL LAPSE RATES AND BROKEN CLOUD COVER WILL LIMIT DIURNAL DESTABILIZATION IN THE WEST TODAY...WITH MLCAPE VALUES OF ~1000 J/KG OR LESS. ALTHOUGH STRONGER INSOLATION MAY BE PRESENT IN EASTERN PORTIONS...WEAK MID-LEVEL LAPSE RATES COUPLED WITH A RELATIVELY DRIER BOUNDARY LAYER SHOULD LIMIT MLCAPE VALUES TO 1000-1500 J/KG...THOUGH UP TO 2000 J/KG WILL BE POSSIBLE IF BOUNDARY LAYER MOISTURE IS GREATER THAN PROGGED. ABOVE NORMAL MOISTURE WILL BE PRESENT THROUGHOUT THE COLUMN TODAY/TONIGHT...WITH PWAT VALUES PROGGED NEAR 2.00" EVERYWHERE. THE LATEST 00Z CONVECTION ALLOWING MODELS (CAMS) INDICATE CONVECTION DEVELOPING ON THE EASTERN PERIPHERY OF THE WEAKENING H5 DISTURBANCE IN VICINITY OF THE HWY 1 CORRIDOR BETWEEN 12-18Z TODAY...SHIFTING EAST INTO THE COASTAL PLAIN BY MID/LATE AFTERNOON. THE CAMS ALSO INDICATE CONVECTION DEVELOPING IN VICINITY OF THE SFC-H85 TROUGH OVER THE FOOTHILLS/MOUNTAINS THIS AFTERNOON...SHIFTING INTO PORTIONS OF THE NW/NORTHERN PIEDMONT OVERNIGHT IN ASSOCIATION WITH WEAK LOW-LEVEL CONVERGENCE IN THE PRESENCE OF A VERY MOIST AND MARGINALLY UNSTABLE AIRMASS. WILL BASE PRECIP CHANCES THROUGH TONIGHT ON THE AFOREMENTIONED REASONING...HOWEVER...CONFIDENCE IN THE TIMING/ COVERAGE OF CONVECTION REMAINS RELATIVELY LOW GIVEN THE PRESENCE OF WEAK STEERING FLOW. TEMPERATURES: WITH RELATIVELY LITTLE CHANGE IN AIRMASS...HIGHS TODAY WILL BE SIMILAR TO PREVIOUS DAYS...DEPENDING PRIMARILY ON CLOUD COVER AND CONVECTION. WILL INDICATE HIGHS RANGING FROM THE LOWER/MID 80S WEST TO MID/UPPER 80S EAST. LOWS TONIGHT WILL ALSO BE BASED ON PERSISTENCE...IN THE LOWER 70S. HAZARDOUS WEATHER: VERY WEAK DEEP-LAYER SHEAR WILL BE UNSUPPORTIVE OF CONVECTIVE ORGANIZATION TODAY. GIVEN AN INCREASINGLY DEAMPLIFIED PATTERN OVER THE CAROLINAS...A THERMODYNAMIC ENVIRONMENT CHARACTERIZED BY LOW DCAPE AND WEAK MID-LEVEL LAPSE RATES...THE THREAT FOR AN ISOLD SEVERE STORM WILL BE VERY LOW...THOUGH NON-ZERO (AS LONG AS DEEP CONVECTION IS PRESENT) GIVEN ENHANCED (~25 KT) LOW-LEVEL FLOW AND A VERY MOIST COLUMN SUPPORTIVE OF PRECIP LOADING. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL AND ISOLD FLOODING CANNOT BE RULED OUT IN URBAN AREAS... THOUGH THE THREAT APPEARS LOWER THAN PREVIOUS DAYS. -VINCENT && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 230 AM WEDNESDAY... THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS AGAIN THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS A WEAKENING COLD FRONT IS FORECAST TO STALL ACROSS CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA THURSDAY. THE UPPER DYNAMICS WILL BE VERY WEAK. HOWEVER... CONTINUED HI PW`S AND STRONG HEATING ESPECIALLY IN THE SOUTH AND EAST WILL SUPPORT SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS... WITH THE PRIMARY THREATS OF LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN AND GUSTY WIND. WE WILL CARRY THE HIGHEST POP IN THE EAST AND SOUTH... BUT EVEN THE NW WILL HAVE LOW CHANCE POPS. HIGHS IN THE MID TO UPPER 80S NW RANGING TO AROUND 90 SE. THE POPS WILL BECOME SLIGHT CHANCE BY LATE EVENING THURSDAY... SUPPORTED BY THE LINGERING NEARLY STATIONARY BOUNDARY. LOWS GENERALLY 70-73. FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT... THIS MAY BE THE DAY WHEN WE HAVE THE LOWEST POPS... ESPECIALLY OVER THE PIEDMONT WHERE SOME DRIER AIR (VERY SLIGHTLY DRIER AIR MAY FILTER IN WITH DEW POINTS IN THE MID 60S). THAT IS... IF... THE LOW LEVEL BOUNDARY DRIFTS INTO THE COASTAL PLAIN OR WASHES OUT ENTIRELY PER SOME MODEL SOLUTIONS. THIS APPEARS POSSIBLE... YET BY LATE IN THE DAY EXPECT THE SEA BREEZE/OLD FRONT COMBO TO DRIFT BACK WNW INTO THE EASTERN PIEDMONT BY EARLY EVENING BRINGING BACK 70+ DEW POINTS. WE WILL STILL CARRY SLIGHT TO LOW CHANCE POP FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS... MAINLY FROM FAY AND RDU EASTWARD DURING FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. OTHERWISE... PARTLY SUNNY WARM AND HUMID. HIGHS 88-94 NW TO SANDHILLS. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 245 AM WEDNESDAY... BIG PATTERN CHANGE IN THE OFFING... A FAIRLY DEEP MID-UPPER LEVEL TROUGH IS FORECAST TO DEVELOP OVER THE GREAT LAKES AND SWING EASTWARD OVER THE WEEKEND. THE ACTUAL COLD FRONT IS PROJECTED FOR SATURDAY. THIS WILL SWEEP THE VERY MUGGY OPPRESSIVE AIR MASS CURRENTLY OVER THE AREA OUT TO SEA SUNDAY AND MONDAY. THE MODELS HAVE BEEN TRENDING TOWARD A MORE PROGRESSIVE TROUGH PASSAGE FOR OUR REGION AND LATITUDE. THIS WOULD MEAN LESS IN THE WAY OF SEVERE AND FLOODING POTENTIAL OVER THE WEEKEND. STAY TUNED. WE WILL CONTINUE TO CARRY INCREASING CHANCES OF SHOWERS AND STORMS SAT-SAT NIGHT... SHIFTING EAST MORE QUICKLY SUNDAY. MODELS NOW PROJECT THE ACTUAL FRONT TO PUSH EAST THROUGH OUR REGION BY LATE SATURDAY. THIS WOULD MEAN LOWERING HUMIDITIES AND MUCH LOWER POP FOR SUNDAY (A DAY TO A DAY AND A HALF EARLIER THAN PROJECTED 24 HOURS AGO). WE WILL TREND THAT WAY... BUT KEEP A CHANCE POP MAINLY EAST SUNDAY. TURNING COOLER AND MUCH DRIER MONDAY AND TUESDAY. LOWS 55-60. HIGHS 77-82. && .AVIATION /06Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... AS OF 200 AM WEDNESDAY... 24-HR TAF PERIOD: A MOIST/SPEEDY (25 KT AT 1000 FT AGL) LOW-LEVEL FLOW IS EXPECTED TO RESULT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF IFR CEILINGS AT ALL AVIATION TERMINALS BETWEEN 08-10Z THIS MORNING...PERSISTING THROUGH 13Z...THEN LIFTING TO MVFR AND EVENTUALLY SCATTERING OUT TO VFR IN MOST LOCATIONS BY 15Z. EXCEPTIONS INCLUDE THE INT/GSO TERMINALS WHERE MVFR CEILINGS COULD PERSIST THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. LIFR FOG HAS DEVELOPED THE PAST SEVERAL MORNINGS BETWEEN 10-12Z AT THE FAY/RWI TERMINALS AND PERSISTENCE WOULD SUGGEST SIMILAR CONDITIONS THIS MORNING... HOWEVER...A SOMEWHAT TIGHTER MSLP GRADIENT AND PERSISTENT SOUTHERLY BREEZE MAY PREVENT VISBYS FROM FALLING BELOW MVFR. EXPECT THE BEST CHANCE OF CONVECTION AT THE INT/GSO TERMINALS BETWEEN 15Z THIS MORNING AND 03Z THIS EVENING...WHERE VCSH WILL BE MENTIONED. AT THE RDU/FAY/RWI TERMINALS...CONFIDENCE IN AFTERNOON CONVECTION IS LOWER THAN AT INT/GSO. AS A RESULT...WILL KEEP VFR CONDITIONS IN PLACE AT RDU/FAY/RWI ONCE MORNING FOG AND STRATUS HAS LIFTED AND SCATTERED OUT. OTHERWISE...ANTICIPATE A CHANCE FOR IFR CEILINGS/VISBYS ONCE AGAIN BY THE END OF THE TAF PERIOD...06-12Z THURSDAY MORNING. LOOKING AHEAD: SUB-VFR STRATUS OR FOG WILL BE POSSIBLE DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS (07-13Z) ON BOTH FRI/SAT...ALONG WITH ISOLD SHOWERS AND STORMS DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS...PRIMARILY AT THE FAY/RWI TAF SITES. MORE WIDESPREAD SHOWERS/STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE SATURDAY NIGHT/SUNDAY AS AN UNSEASONABLY DEEP UPPER LEVEL TROUGH APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. -VINCENT && .RAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...VINCENT NEAR TERM....VINCENT SHORT TERM...BADGETT LONG TERM...BADGETT AVIATION...VINCENT
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS RALEIGH NC
245 AM EDT WED SEP 5 2012 .SYNOPSIS... A WARM AND MOIST AIR MASS WILL PERSIST OVER THE AREA THROUGH THURSDAY... AS A LINGERING TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE HOLDS OVERHEAD. A BIG PATTERN CHANGE IS EXPECTED BY LATE IN THE WEEKEND AND EARLY NEXT WEEK AS MUCH DRIER AND COOLER AIR WILL ARRIVE FROM THE UPPER MIDWEST. && .NEAR TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 805 PM TUESDAY... THE LATEST SURFACE ANALYSIS SHOWED A WEAK SURFACE TROUGH OVER THE FAR WESTERN PIEDMONT...ALSO SHOWING UP ON MSAS AS AN AREA OF WEAK SURFACE CONVERGENCE. HOWEVER...PARTIALLY DUE TO LIMITED INSTABILITY...A RELATIVE MINIMUM OF THAT IN VICINITY OF THE TROUGH ON THE LATEST MSAS...STORMS WERE HAVING A HARD TIME BECOMING ROBUST. WHERE THE GREATER INSTABILITY WAS OVER THE COASTAL PLAIN...WITH MSAS LIFTED INDEX VALUES NEARLY TO -5C...SLIGHTLY DRIER AIR AND MORE OVERALL CIN AS NOTED ON NEAR-TERM NAM AND GFS BUFR SOUNDINGS WERE LIKELY CONTRIBUTING TO SCANT DEVELOPMENT AS OF THIS WRITING. OVERNIGHT...BOTH THE 18Z AND THE LATEST RAP DIMINISH LIFT BY 06Z... AND EVEN THE GFS...WITH QPF LINGERING LONGER THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT DESPITE STABILIZING BUFR SOUNDINGS IN CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA...HAS 850MB LIFT DIMINISHING AS CONVERGENCE ALOFT INCREASES. THE LATEST RADAR TRENDS SUPPORT THE LATEST HRRR WRF...WITH MUCH OF THE DEEP CONVECTION HAVING DIMINISHED BY 05Z. HIGHER PRECIPITABLE WATER AIR SPREADS EAST OVERNIGHT...SO THAT BY 12Z BASICALLY ALL OF CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA IS IN A SIMILAR AIR MASS WITH PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES AROUND TWO INCHES AND K INDICES AT OR APPROACHING THE MID 30S. SURFACE-BASED AND DCAPE VALUES FALL...AND THE NAM ACTUALLY SEEMS TO FORECAST A SLIGHT INCREASE IN SURFACE RIDGING THAT MAY HELP TO LIMIT DEVELOPMENT OVERNIGHT. IN THE MOIST AIR MASS...AND WITH A SHEAR AXIS ALOFT OR JUST OFF TO OUR WEST... WILL CONTINUE THE ISOLATED SHOWERS OVERNIGHT IN THE FORECAST...BUT CURRENTLY IT IS EXPECTED MOST LOCATIONS LATE TONIGHT SHOULD REMAIN DRY. SREF PROBABILITIES OF VISIBILITIES BELOW 3 MILES ARE LIMITED OVERNIGHT...IN CONCERT WITH THE LATEST MOS GUIDANCE...WHILE SREF PROBABILITIES OF LOW CLOUDS ARE MOSTLY ABOVE 50 PERCENT BY 12Z WEDNESDAY. THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH THE LATEST GFS AND NAM BUFR SOUNDINGS. SHOULD BE PATCHY FOG AT BEST TOWARD THE COASTAL PLAIN WHERE THE INCREASING CLOUDS SHOULD BE NOTED LATER...WITH FOG LIMITED BY SOME WIND...ALBEIT LIGHT...CONTINUING OVERNIGHT. OVERNIGHT LOWS NEAR PERSISTENCE...MAINLY 70 TO 73. -DJF WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT: STRONG DAYTIME HEATING WILL SERVE TO RENEW CONVECTIVE INITIATION ACROSS CENTRAL NC WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON...FOCUSED ALONG THE LINGERING SUBTROPICAL MOISTURE PLUME CONFINED WITHIN THE LOWER-MID LEVEL TROUGH AXIS RESIDING OVER THE AREA. VERY SIMILAR TO THE PAST FEW DAYS...THE MAIN CONCERN WILL BE FROM TRAINING...HEAVY RAIN PRODUCING THUNDERSTORMS...WITH A SECONDARY/ISOLATED SEVERE THREAT DUE TO WEAK WINDS ALOFT AND WEAK FORCING. HIGHS WILL DEPEND ON HOW SOON WE GET CONVECTION TO POP...BUT WESTERN PIEDMONT PORTIONS OF THE AREA SHOULD BE A GOOD 2 TO 3 DEGREES COOLER THAN CENTRAL AND EASTERN AREAS WITH DELAYED HEATING FROM SLOWER BREAKUP/BURN OFF OF MORNING STRATUS/FOG. HIGHS IN THE MID 80S NW TO NEAR 90 JUST ABOUT EVERYWHERE ELSE. LOWS WEDNESDAY NIGHT THE LOWER 70S WITH AREAS OF STRATUS AND FOG. -CBL && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 230 AM WEDNESDAY... THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS AGAIN THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS A WEAKENING COLD FRONT IS FORECAST TO STALL ACROSS CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA THURSDAY. THE UPPER DYNAMICS WILL BE VERY WEAK. HOWEVER... CONTINUED HI PW`S AND STRONG HEATING ESPECIALLY IN THE SOUTH AND EAST WILL SUPPORT SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS... WITH THE PRIMARY THREATS OF LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN AND GUSTY WIND. WE WILL CARRY THE HIGHEST POP IN THE EAST AND SOUTH... BUT EVEN THE NW WILL HAVE LOW CHANCE POPS. HIGHS IN THE MID TO UPPER 80S NW RANGING TO AROUND 90 SE. THE POPS WILL BECOME SLIGHT CHANCE BY LATE EVENING THURSDAY... SUPPORTED BY THE LINGERING NEARLY STATIONARY BOUNDARY. LOWS GENERALLY 70-73. FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT... THIS MAY BE THE DAY WHEN WE HAVE THE LOWEST POPS... ESPECIALLY OVER THE PIEDMONT WHERE SOME DRIER AIR (VERY SLIGHTLY DRIER AIR MAY FILTER IN WITH DEW POINTS IN THE MID 60S). THAT IS... IF... THE LOW LEVEL BOUNDARY DRIFTS INTO THE COASTAL PLAIN OR WASHES OUT ENTIRELY PER SOME MODEL SOLUTIONS. THIS APPEARS POSSIBLE... YET BY LATE IN THE DAY EXPECT THE SEA BREEZE/OLD FRONT COMBO TO DRIFT BACK WNW INTO THE EASTERN PIEDMONT BY EARLY EVENING BRINGING BACK 70+ DEW POINTS. WE WILL STILL CARRY SLIGHT TO LOW CHANCE POP FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS... MAINLY FROM FAY AND RDU EASTWARD DURING FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. OTHERWISE... PARTLY SUNNY WARM AND HUMID. HIGHS 88-94 NW TO SANDHILLS. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 245 AM WEDNESDAY... BIG PATTERN CHANGE IN THE OFFING... A FAIRLY DEEP MID-UPPER LEVEL TROUGH IS FORECAST TO DEVELOP OVER THE GREAT LAKES AND SWING EASTWARD OVER THE WEEKEND. THE ACTUAL COLD FRONT IS PROJECTED FOR SATURDAY. THIS WILL SWEEP THE VERY MUGGY OPPRESSIVE AIR MASS CURRENTLY OVER THE AREA OUT TO SEA SUNDAY AND MONDAY. THE MODELS HAVE BEEN TRENDING TOWARD A MORE PROGRESSIVE TROUGH PASSAGE FOR OUR REGION AND LATITUDE. THIS WOULD MEAN LESS IN THE WAY OF SEVERE AND FLOODING POTENTIAL OVER THE WEEKEND. STAY TUNED. WE WILL CONTINUE TO CARRY INCREASING CHANCES OF SHOWERS AND STORMS SAT-SAT NIGHT... SHIFTING EAST MORE QUICKLY SUNDAY. MODELS NOW PROJECT THE ACTUAL FRONT TO PUSH EAST THROUGH OUR REGION BY LATE SATURDAY. THIS WOULD MEAN LOWERING HUMIDITIES AND MUCH LOWER POP FOR SUNDAY (A DAY TO A DAY AND A HALF EARLIER THAN PROJECTED 24 HOURS AGO). WE WILL TREND THAT WAY... BUT KEEP A CHANCE POP MAINLY EAST SUNDAY. TURNING COOLER AND MUCH DRIER MONDAY AND TUESDAY. LOWS 55-60. HIGHS 77-82. && .AVIATION /00Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... AS OF 745 PM TUESDAY... CONFIDENCE IS HIGH THAT AVIATION CONDITIONS WILL DETERIORATE AFTER NIGHTFALL... AND PARTICULARLY AFTER MIDNIGHT... AT ALL CENTRAL NC TERMINAL FORECAST SITES. THE RISK OF A SHOWER OR ISOLATED STORM WILL PERSIST NEAR INT/GSO THROUGH 04Z BUT THE CHANCE WILL QUICKLY DIMINISH AFTER 02Z. ELSEWHERE AT RDU/FAY/RWI... THE CHANCE OF A SHOWER OR STORM FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE NIGHT IS VERY SMALL. AFTER 04Z... THE RECENT RAINS AND RESULTANT WET GROUND COMBINED WITH VERY LIGHT WIND FROM THE SE OR SOUTH WILL FAVOR DEVELOPMENT OF LOW STRATUS AFTER MIDNIGHT. SREF AVIATION PROBABILITIES SHOW A VERY GOOD CHANCE OF CIGS UNDER 1 KFT OVERNIGHT... ESPECIALLY AT INT/GSO... AND FORECAST SOUNDINGS SUGGEST THAT CIGS COULD BE LOWER THAN 600 FT AGL. EXPECT AROUND A 200-500 FT CIG AT ALL SITES AFTER 07Z OR 08Z TONIGHT... HOLDING THROUGH AROUND 13Z WHEN THE CLOUDS WILL BEGIN TO LIFT AND MIX OUT TO SCATTERED. VSBYS WILL BE GENERALLY MVFR BETWEEN 07Z AND 13Z... ALTHOUGH VSBYS COULD GET LOWER AT TOWERS... AS CIGS LOWER. VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO RETURN AFTER 13Z OR 14Z WEDNESDAY MORNING. THE CHANCE FOR STORMS WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE HIGH ENOUGH TO INCLUDE AS A PREVAILING CONDITION AT THIS TIME... BUT THE MOST LIKELY LOCATION OF ANY STORMS WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON WILL BE AT INT/GSO/RDU. LOOKING BEYOND 00Z THURSDAY (WEDNESDAY EVENING)... ANOTHER ROUND OF LOW CIGS AND VSBYS IS EXPECTED LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY MORNING AREAWIDE. WE MAY SEE A BRIEF RESPITE FROM THE DAILY SLOW-MOVING HEAVY-RAIN-PRODUCING STORMS FROM FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY... HOWEVER MORE RAIN AND STORMS ARE EXPECTED SUNDAY. -GIH && .RAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...BADGETT NEAR TERM....DJF/CBL SHORT TERM...BADGETT LONG TERM...BADGETT AVIATION...HARTFIELD
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS NEWPORT/MOREHEAD CITY NC
1045 PM EDT TUE SEP 4 2012 .SYNOPSIS... A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE REMAINS ANCHORED WEST OF THE REGION THROUGH WEDNESDAY. A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE INTO THE AREA ON FRIDAY. THE FRONT WILL LIFT NORTH AS A WARM FRONT AN SATURDAY. A STRONGER COLD FRONT WILL PUSH THROUGH THE AREA LATE SUNDAY OR EARLY MONDAY. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING/... AS OF 10 PM TUE...CURRENT FORECAST IN GOOD SHAPE. MADE MINOR ADJUSTMENTS TO REFLECT OBS. OVERALL...MOSTLY CLEAR TO PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES ACROSS THE AREA. ADJUSTED POPS TO REFLECT SLIGHT CHANCE OF PRECIP ALONG THE OBX...AS BOTH THE HRRR AND WRF MODELS INDICATES MOISTURE ACROSS THE OCEAN. THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOME PATCHY FOG IS STILL FORECASTED MAINLY. IN THE INLAND AREAS AS WINDS WILL BE LIGHT. ANY FOG FORMATION WILL BE MIXING OUT AFTER SUNRISE. EXPECT TEMPS TO RANGE IN THE LOW 70S INLAND AS THE COASTAL AREAS TO BE IN THE MID-UPPER 70S. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH 6 PM WEDNESDAY/... AS OF 330 PM TUE...BROAD LONG WAVE TROUGH WILL DEEPEN SOMEWHAT ON THUR ACROSS THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS. LOW LEVEL TROUGH/COLD FRONT WILL SHARPEN ACROSS THE WESTERN CAROLINAS. AREA OF SHOWERS AND STORMS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP WEST OF EASTERN NC BY AFTERNOON. BULK OF GUIDANCE KEEPS ORGANIZED ACTIVITY AWAY FROM THE FA...THOUGH SOME PRECIP MAY PUSH THROUGH FAR NORTHER TIER...MAINLY NORTH OF PGV TO MQI LINE. OTHERWISE...SLIGHT CHANCE POPS REMAINER OF THE FA WITH PARTLY SUNNY SKIES EXPECTED. HIGHS EXPECTED TO REACH 90 FOR MOST AREAS...THOUGH A TOUCH COOLER FURTHER NORTH AND WEST WHERE MORE CLOUDS MAY BE PRESENT. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 300 PM TUESDAY...LATEST MODELS INDICATE GOOD CONTINUITY WITH PREVIOUS FCST THINKING. WESTERN EXTENSION OF SUB-TROPICAL RIDGE WILL CONTINUE TO HOLD OVER AREA WED NIGHT AND THU...THEN BEGIN TO WEAKEN THU NIGHT AND FRI AS STRONG NRN STREAM TROF BEGINS TO DIG OVER NRN PLAINS AND WEAK UPR LOW OFF SRN FLA MOVES N-NE. RIDGING WILL TEND TO SUPPRESS CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT ALONG COAST WHILE WEAK UPR TROFFING INLAND SOULED STILL SUPPORT SCT ACTIVITY OVER LAND...THUS CONTINUED MAINLY 30-40 POPS INLAND WITH JUST SLGT CHC ALONG COAST. TEMPS REMAINING ABOVE NORMAL WITH LOWS IN 70S AND HIGHS MID-UPR 80S. FOR SAT-TUE...12Z ECMWF AND GFS40 HAVE TRENDED TOWARD MORE PROGRESSIVE SOLUTIONS WITH DEEP UPR TROF MOVING ACROSS AREA OVER THE WEEKEND...RATHER THAN SLOW MOVING UPR LOW. HOWEVER FCST CONFIDENCE IS BELOW NORMAL PER HPC EXTENDED DISCUSSION DUE TO MODEL FLIP-FLOPS...THUS ONLY MINOR ADJUSTMENTS TO PREVIOUS FCST. CONTINUED NEAR CLIMO 20/30 POPS FOR SAT AND SAT NIGHT...BUT DID INCREASE POPS TO 50% FOR SUN AND SUN NIGHT WITH GOOD MODEL AGREEMENT ON GOOD CHC OF SHOWER/TSTMS WITH UPR TROF ENERGY. PROGRESSIVE UPR TROF PASSAGE WOULD LEAD TO DRY CONDITIONS FOR MON NIGHT AND TUE...BUT KEPT 20 POPS DURING PERIOD GIVEN BELOW NORMAL MODEL CONFIDENCE AND SOME THREAT OF SLOWER TROF PASSAGE AND/OR UPR LOW DEVELOPMENT. TEMPS COOLING TO SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL FOR MON-TUE. && .AVIATION /03Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... SHORT TERM /THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... AS OF 730 PM TUE...VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED FOR THE EARLY EVENING HOURS THEN IFR CONDITIONS AFTER MIDNIGHT. WITH LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AND LIGHT AND VARIABLE WINDS...EXPECT PATCHY FOG FORMATION ACROSS THE TAF SITES. ANY FOG FORMATION AND/OR LOW STRATUS WILL QUICKLY MIX OUT AFTER SUNRISE. EXPECT SCT TO BKN 4K FT CEILING WITH SOME HIGHER CLOUDS TO STREAMING ACROSS THE AREA ON WED. LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/... AS OF 330 AM TUESDAY...PERIOD OF SUB-VFR WITH SCT CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY WILL CONTINUED WED NIGHT THROUGH SAT NIGHT WITH WEAK UPR TROFFING. SHOWERS AND TSTMS EXPECTED TO BE MORE WDSPRD SUN AND SUN NIGHT WITH STRONGER UPR TROF AND ASSCTD COLD FRONT. && .MARINE... .SHORT TERM /THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... AS OF 10 PM TUE...MARINE FORECAST CONTINUES TO BE ON TRACK. CURRENT BUOY OBS IN THE NORTHERN WATERS ARE BTW 4 TO 6 FEET AS THE SOUTHERN WATERS ARE BTW 4 TO 5 FEET. SEAS ARE EXPECTED TO BUILD OVERNIGHT. AS SWELLS FROM TROPICAL CYCLONE LESLIE CONTINUES TO REACH OUR COASTAL WATERS WITH LONG PERIOD SWELL OF 13-14 SECOND. BASED FCST THROUGH WED ON WW4...AS SWAN SEEMS A BIT TOO BULLISH ON BUILDING SEAS TO ABOVE 7 FEET TOO QUICKLY. EXPECT SEAS TO BE 4 TO 6 FEET THROUGH THE DAY ON WED. WINDS WILL BE SOUTHERLY TO SOUTHWESTERLY AT 10 TO 15 KT WITH GUSTS UP TO 20 KT BY WED. LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/... AS OF 300 PM TUESDAY...MAIN IMPACT DURING PERIOD WILL BE INCREASED SWELL ENERGY ASSCTD WITH TS LESLIE. LESLIE IS EXPECTED TO MOVE SLOWLY TOWARDS BERMUDA AND IS FORECAST TO BECOME QUITE LARGE...WHICH WILL AID IN PRODUCING LONG PERIOD SWELLS OF 13-15 SECONDS FROM MID WEEK THROUGH THE WEEKEND. WAVE MODELS TYPICALLY HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME HANDLING THIS KIND OF SWELL AND USED A BLEND OF PREVIOUS FCST...SWAN AND WW3 DURING PERIOD. SWELL EXPECTED TO INCREASE TO AT LEAST 5 TO 7 FEET THURSDAY INTO THE WEEKEND. CLOSEST APPROACH OF LESLIE LIKELY ON SUNDAY...WITH SWELL OF 8-10 FEET PSBL. THIS WILL PRODUCE HIGH THREAT OF DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS...AND COULD SEE HIGH SURF ADVISORY CONDITIONS ALONG WITH COASTAL FLOOD THREAT FOR SUSCEPTIBLE AREAS ON OUTER BANKS. OTHER THAN SCA FOR LARGE SEAS THROUGH PERIOD...S-SW WINDS AROUND 15 KT OR LESS EXPECTED TO PREVAIL WITH FRONTS REMAIN N AND W. && .MHX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NC...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING FOR NCZ095- 098-103-104. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM EDT SATURDAY FOR AMZ150-152- 154-156-158. && $$ SYNOPSIS...TL NEAR TERM...BM SHORT TERM...TL LONG TERM...JBM AVIATION...JBM/BM MARINE...JBM/TL/BM
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION FOR SOUTHEAST SD/SOUTHWEST MN/NORTHWEST IA
NWS SIOUX FALLS SD
1105 PM CDT TUE SEP 4 2012 .DISCUSSION.../ISSUED AT 1005 PM CDT/ THUNDERSTORMS WITH SEVERE WEATHER HAVE BEEN MOVING EAST OVER AREA THIS EVENING INCLUDING CURRENT DAMAGING WIND EVENT IN NORTHWEST IOWA AND SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA. IF TRENDS CONTINUE AND NOTHING DEVELOPS BEHIND THESE STORMS WE MAY BE ABLE TO CUT THEM BACK SOONER BUT FOR NOW WILL HOLD IN. && .AVIATION.../FOR THE 06Z TAF ISSUANCE/ THUNDERSTORMS EASTERN PART OF AREA SHOULD BE JUST EAST OF KSUX AND WELL EAST OF KHON AND KFSD AT START 0F FORECAST PERIOD/ 06Z. VERY LOCAL VISIBILITIES AND STRONG WINDS IN THUNDERSTORMS FAR EASTERN PART OF AREA IN SOUTHWEST MN AND NORTHWEST IA SHOULD END BY 09Z. OTHERWISE VFR OVER AREA THROUGH 06/06Z. A FEW SURFACE GUSTS AROUND 25 KNOTS FROM THE NORTHWEST OVER AREA 15Z-22Z. && .PREV DISCUSSION.../ISSUED AT 325 PM CDT/ DIFFUSE BOUNDARY IN NORTHWEST IOWA BEGINNING TO LIFT NORTHWARD AS A WARM FRONT THIS AFTERNOON AS SURFACE LOW PRESSURE STRENGTHENS OVER THE BLACK HILLS. MIXING HAS ALLOWED DEWPOINTS TO DRAMATICALLY FALL THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS THE NORTHWESTERN TWO THIRDS OF THE CWA...WHILE DEEPER MOISTURE HAS ALLOWED DEWPOINTS TO REMAIN IN THE 60S ACROSS NORTHWEST IOWA. INSTABILITY CONTINUES TO INCREASE THIS AFTERNOON...ESPECIALLY ACROSS OUR SOUTHEASTERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA WHERE CAPE VALUES ARE GREATER THAN 1500 J/KG...WITH INCREASING LAPSE RATES AND STRENGTHENING WESTERLIES BRINGING SHEAR UP AROUND 40 KT. SO FAR...CAPPING IS PREVENTING CONVECTION FROM DEVELOPING...HOWEVER WITH KSUX ALREADY 95/65 EXPECT THE CAPPING TO BE SURPASSED SOON. THE HRRR AND NAM CONTINUE TO DEPICT CONVECTION MOVING NORTHEASTWARD INTO THE MISSOURI VALLEY...EXTREME SOUTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST IOWA LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THE EVENING. IF CONVECTION DOES MANAGE TO FIRE IN THIS AREA...STORMS COULD POTENTIALLY BECOME SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL TO AROUND WALNUT SIZE AND WIND GUSTS TO 70 MPH. FURTHER WEST...HIGH BASED CUMULUS FIELD NOW MOVING INTO OUR WESTERN BORDER. ISOLATED HIGH BASED CONVECTION WILL BE POSSIBLE IN OUR WESTERN HALF THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...BUT EXPECT LITTLE TO NO SEVERE WEATHER IN THIS AREA WITH SUCH DRY LOW AND MID LEVELS. AS THE LOW BEGINS TRACKING EAST NORTHEAST ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT...THE TRAILING COLD FRONT WILL SHIFT THE CONVECTION INTO CENTRAL AND EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA WHERE CONDITIONS ARE MORE FAVORABLE FOR PRECIPITATION. WINDS WILL LIKELY BECOME FAIRLY BREEZY FROM THE WEST NORTHWEST LATE TONIGHT. LOWS TONIGHT WILL RANGE FROM THE MID 50S FAR NORTHWEST TO THE MID 60S FAR SOUTHEAST. RELATIVELY QUIET WEATHER WITH MILDER TEMPERATURES EXPECTED FOR WEDNESDAY AS SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE SETTLES IN BEHIND THE EXITING SYSTEM. NORTH NORTHWEST WINDS WILL REMAIN A LITTLE BREEZY THROUGH THE DAY...BUT SKIES WILL BE SUNNY AND HIGHS ARE EXPECTED IN THE 70S. / HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN OVER THE AREA FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHT. THUS TRENDED LOWS TOWARDS THE COOLER SIDE OF GUIDANCE...GENERALLY UPPER 40S TO LOWER 50S. A MID LEVEL WAVE AND SOME CLOUD COVER MAY BEGIN ENTERING OUR WEST BY LATE NIGHT...THUS DID NOT GO QUITE AS COOL AS I WOULD HAVE IF COMPLETELY CLEAR SKIES WERE MORE LIKELY. MID LEVEL FORCING OVERHEAD ON THURSDAY OUT AHEAD OF OUR NEXT WAVE...ALSO SHOULD SEE DECENT ISENTROPIC LIFT. ATMOSPHERE WILL BE ON THE DRY SIDE THOUGH...THUS FOLLOWED THE NAM AND GFS IDEA OF A DRY DAY. HOWEVER SHOULD SEE AT LEAST SOME MID LEVEL CLOUD COVER...AND WITH DECENT MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES...WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO SEE A FEW ELEVATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. THINK THE ECMWF IS PROBABLY OVERDOING CONVECTION THURSDAY...BUT LOW POPS MAY NEED TO BE ADDED ON FUTURE SHIFTS IF MODELS TREND A LITTLE MOISTER IN THE MID LEVELS. WITH UNCERTAINTY ON CLOUD COVER...FOLLOWED A BLEND OF THE COOLER MOS AND THE WARMER BIAS CORRECTED NAM FOR HIGHS...GENERALLY MID 70S SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA TO LOW TO MID 80S ELSEWHERE. SURFACE LOW TO OUR WEST ON THURSDAY WILL PRODUCE BLUSTERY SOUTH SOUTHEAST WINDS WEST OF THE JAMES RIVER...WITH GUSTS AROUND 25 TO 30 MPH POSSIBLE. THE BETTER MOISTURE AND DEEP LAYER FORCING MOVES ACROSS THE CWA THURSDAY NIGHT. THUS LOOKS LIKE A GOOD CHANCE OF SEEING SOME SHOWERS IN MOST AREAS. INSTABILITY IS ON THE LOW SIDE...BUT SHOULD SEE AT LEAST A COUPLE HUNDRED J/KG OF ELEVATED CAPE. SO THINKING WE SEE AT LEAST SOME EMBEDDED THUNDER. WITH THE CLOUDS AND SHOWERS AROUND...LOWS WILL STAY A BIT WARMER THAN WEDNESDAY NIGHT...MAINLY IN THE 50S. COULD SEE SOME LINGERING SHOWERS ACROSS NORTHWEST IOWA FRIDAY MORNING...BUT THESE SHOULD EXIT THE AREA BY AFTERNOON AS THE TROUGH AXIS AND DEEPER MOISTURE PUSHES EAST. EXPECT TO SEE GRADUAL CLEARING FROM NORTH TO SOUTH DURING THE DAY. MUCH COOLER AIR WILL BE ADVECTED IN BEHIND THE FRONT FOR FRIDAY...AND THIS COMBINED WITH THE LINGERING CLOUD COVER...SHOULD HOLD HIGHS IN THE MID 60S TO LOWER 70S. AS WE HEAD INTO THE WEEKEND...OUR UPPER LEVEL LOW WILL PUSH EAST AND DIG A DEEP TROUGH INTO THE EASTERN PART OF THE COUNTRY. MEANWHILE A STRONG RIDGE WILL BUILD INTO THE ROCKIES. OUR AREA WILL REMAIN IN BETWEEN THE TWO MAKING TEMPERATURES A BIT TRICKY. WE WILL TEND TO SEE A WARMING TREND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK...BUT HOW WARM DEPENDS ON THE STRENGTH AND POSITION OF THE ABOVE MENTIONED FEATURES. TRENDED HIGHS A BIT ABOVE CONSENSUS SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY CLOSER TO THE 0Z ECMWF AND HPC GUIDANCE. THIS GIVES 70S ON SATURDAY...AND UPPER 70S TO MID 80S SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. THE NEW 12Z ECMWF HAS TRENDED STRONGER WITH THE RIDGE AND THUS WARMER WITH TEMPERATURES...SO WILL HAVE TO MONITOR MODEL TRENDS THIS PERIOD. LOWS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT LOOK TO BE ON THE COOL SIDE...WITH LIGHT WINDS AND CLEAR SKIES EXPECTED. LOWERED THEM A LITTLE BELOW CONSENSUS...WITH MAINLY MID AND UPPER 40S EXPECTED. AS THE RIDGE BUILDS CLOSER...LOWS SHOULD WARM INTO THE 50S BY SUNDAY NIGHT. LOOKS DRY SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. PROBABLY WILL SEE OUR NEXT COLD FRONT APPROACH SOMETIME AROUND TUESDAY...HOWEVER AT THIS TIME DOES NOT UPPER TO BE MUCH MOISTURE WITH IT. /CHENARD && .FSD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SD...NONE. MN...NONE. IA...NONE. NE...NONE. $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
328 AM CDT WED SEP 5 2012 .SHORT TERM... TODAY AND TONIGHT...FORECAST CONFIDENCE...MEDIUM MAIN FORECAST CONCERN IS THE APPROACHING SHORTWAVE EXITING THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND MINNESOTA REGION BEFORE REACHING WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR AROUND NOON. 90 KNOT 250 MB JET MAX ROUNDING THE BASE OF THE SHORTWAVE INCREASES TO 100 KNOTS NEAR LAKE SUPERIOR BY SUNRISE AND TOWARDS JAMES BAY THIS AFTERNOON. STRONG UPPER DIVERGENCE MOVES ACROSS NORTHERN WISCONSIN THIS MORNING WITH LESSER VALUES OF DIVERGENCE ACROSS SOUTHERN WISCONSIN...THAT DIMINISHES EVEN MORE THIS AFTERNOON. A RATHER STRONG 700 MB WIND MAX PUSHES INTO WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN BY SUNRISE BEFORE LIFTING INTO NORTHEAST WISCONSIN BY NOON. THE BEST 700 MB MOISTURE CONVERGENCE AND UPWARD MOTION FOLLOWS THIS FEATURE. 850 MB MOISTURE REMAIN HIGH NEAR 15 CELSIUS THROUGHOUT THE DAY. WHILE THE BEST DYNAMICS REMAIN NORTH...THE THERMODYNAMICS ARE BETTER SOUTH WITH ALMOST 20 CELSIUS 850 MB THERMAL RIDGE INTO SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN BY NOON. THAT DROPS TO NEAR THE ILLINOIS BORDER BY EARLY EVENING. ZERO TO 1 KM RESULTING IN 2000 J/KG OF CAPE INTO THE EARLY EVENING IN THE FAR SOUTHEAST AS THE SURFACE FRONT FINALLY EXITS THE FAR SOUTHEAST. THEREFORE EXPECT THE MINNESOTA MCS THAT HAS MERGED WITH THE THUNDERSTORMS ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE OUTFLOW BOUNDARY FROM LAST EVENINGS MCS TO PUSH EAST AS THE 700 MB WIND MAX MOVES THROUGH. BEST LIFT NORTH BUT BEST INSTABILITY WELL SOUTH AS THIS MCS MOVES OUT OF THE HIGH CAPE ENVIRONMENT. THEREFORE EXPECT THE STORMS FROM THIS MCS TO CONTINUE TO WEAKEN AS IT MOVES ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA EARLY THIS MORNING. RAP SOUNDINGS ARE QUITE STABLE WITH MID LEVEL DRY AIR OVER MOST OF THE FORECAST AREA.. THEN THERE WILL BE A CHANCE FOR MORE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON WITH THE COLD FRONT. HOWEVER BEST DYNAMICS ARE NORTHEAST...WITH BEST INSTABILITY TO OUR SOUTH. NAM FORECAST SOUNDINGS DO SHOW STEEP LAPSE RATES IN THE LOW TO MID LEVELS AGAIN THIS AFTERNOON...ESPECIALLY SOUTHEAST WITH 10C/KM AT 900 MB TO 8 C/KM AT 500 MB. WITH PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES AROUND 1.6 INCHES...MORE STORMS ARE POSSIBLE...ALTHOUGH THE BEST SEVERE THREAT SHOULD BE TO OUR SOUTH AND EAST. INTERESTING IS THE LOCAL SEVERE ENVIRONMENT PROBABILITY CWASP OFF THE NAM HAS HIGHER VALUES THIS AFTERNOON 75 PCT THAN IT DID YESTERDAY WITH THE FIRST MCS 65 PCT. STRONG MID LEVEL DRYING LATE TONIGHT BEHIND THE COLD FRONT. THURSDAY...FORECAST CONFIDENCE IS HIGH. A DRIER AND COOLER AIRMASS WILL SETTLE INTO SOUTHERN WI WITH HIGH PRESSURE IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT. THE MAJORITY OF MODELS AGREE THAT THE SURFACE COLD FRONT AND 850MB BAROCLINIC ZONE WILL BE SOUTH OF THE WI BORDER BY 12Z THU SO KEPT THU DRY. EXPECTING A PLEASANTLY MOSTLY SUNNY DAY WITH HIGHS IN THE UPPER 70S AND LOW DEWPOINTS. THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY...FORECAST CONFIDENCE IS MEDIUM. A LARGE UPPER TROUGH WILL SWING ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST AND GREAT LAKES REGION FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT. SHOWERS COULD SPREAD INTO SOUTHERN WI AS EARLY AS THU NIGHT WITH WEAK WARM AIR ADVECTION AND THE NOSE OF THE UPPER JET INTO THE AREA. BY AROUND 18Z FRIDAY IT LOOKS LIKE THE STRONGER FORCING WITH THE RIGHT ENTRANCE REGION OF THE UPPER JET AND STRONGEST FRONTOGENESIS WILL BE MAINLY SOUTH OF THE WISCONSIN BORDER. THE OTHER BETTER AREA OF FORCING WITH THE MAIN UPPER TROUGH AND VORT MAX WILL BE CLOSER TO NORTHERN WISCONSIN AND UPPER MICHIGAN. REDUCED THE POPS SLIGHTLY...BUT KEPT THE CHANCE OF SHOWERS WORDING FOR FRIDAY. EXPECTING RAIN TO BE LIGHT AND NOT AMOUNT TO MUCH. OVERALL FRIDAY WILL BE CLOUDY AND COOL WITH OFF AND ON RAIN SHOWERS. MAX TEMPS EXPECTED AROUND 70. THE SURFACE COLD FRONT SHOULD PUSH SOUTH OF THE WI BORDER BY LATE FRI AFTERNOON. SHOWERS COULD LINGER INTO THE EVENING UNTIL THE UPPER TROUGH CLEARS THE AREA...BUT DRY AIR WORKING IN BEHIND THE SYSTEM SHOULD CUT PRECIP CHANCES SIGNIFICANTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT. .LONG TERM... SATURDAY...FORECAST CONFIDENCE MEDIUM TO HIGH. MUCH COOLER AIR WILL SETTLE INTO WI BEHIND THIS UPPER TROUGH AND SURFACE COLD FRONT BY SATURDAY MORNING AND PERSIST THROUGH THE WEEKEND. ONE MORE LOBE OF VORTICITY IS FORECAST TO SWING DOWN ACROSS WI SAT NIGHT. ECMWF AND GFS SPIT OUT SMALL QPF AMOUNTS...BUT EXPECTING THE ATMOSPHERE TO BE TOO DRY SO LEFT OUT POPS. 925MB TEMPS SHOULD DIP DOWN TO AROUND 12C ON SATURDAY...YIELDING MAX TEMPS IN THE UPPER 60S WITH AMPLE SUNSHINE. THERE COULD BE A BIT OF A NORTHWEST BREEZE DURING THE AFTERNOON. SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...FORECAST CONFIDENCE HIGH. ECMWF AND GFS ARE NOW ON THE SAME TRACK WITH AN OPEN-WAVE 500MB LOW THAT REMAINS PROGRESSIVE AND MOVES EAST OVER THE WEEKEND. A STRONG HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE WILL BUILD BACK INTO THE UPPER MIDWEST THROUGH THE FIRST HALF OF THE WEEK. MAX TEMPS WILL BE IN THE LOW TO MID 70S WITH LOW DEWPOINTS. NO PRECIP EXPECTED AND THERE SHOULD BE PLENTY OF SUNSHINE. && .AVIATION/12Z TAFS/... ONE COMPLEX OF THUNDERSTORMS HAS PUSHED EAST...BUT A SECOND AREA OF STRONG STORMS OVER SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA WILL PUSH EAST ACROSS MUCH OF THE FORECAST AREA BUT WEAKEN DUE TO MORE STABLE AIR OVER SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN. THEN ANOTHER CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH A COLD FRONT THAT WILL PUSH ACROSS SOUTHERN WISCONSIN TODAY. SOME OF THESE COULD BE STRONG LATER THIS AFTERNOON IN THE SOUTHEAST. MAINLY VFR CIGS...BUT MVFR/IFR IN THE THUNDERSTORMS. && .MKX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WI...NONE. LM...NONE. && $$ TODAY/TONIGHT AND AVIATION/MARINE...HENTZ THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY...MRC
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LA CROSSE WI
1145 PM CDT TUE SEP 4 2012 .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT 256 PM CDT TUE SEP 4 2012 MAIN FORECAST CONCERNS ARE ON CONVECTION THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING AND ASSOCIATED SEVERE WEATHER POTENTIAL. CURRENTLY AS OF 20Z...WATER VAPOR LOOP AND RAP 500MB HEIGHT ANALYSIS SHOWED A POTENT SHORTWAVE TROUGH OVER SOUTHERN SASKATCHEWAN INTO EASTERN MONTANA...THEN NEAR ZONAL TO SLIGHT SOUTHWEST FLOW STREAMING EAST INTO NEW ENGLAND. WITHIN THIS FLOW...A SHORTWAVE WAS PRESENT OVER FAR WESTERN WISCONSIN...WITH SOME WEAK RIDGING RIGHT BEHIND IT OVER MINNESOTA. MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES AFTER THE FOG BURNED OFF THIS MORNING HAS ALLOWED FOR STRONG HEATING ACROSS THE AREA. WITH 12Z RAOBS HAVING 850MB TEMPS AROUND 18C...TEMPERATURES HAVE CLIMBED INTO THE MID TO UPPER 80S. DEWPOINTS REMAIN MUGGY FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR...IN THE MID 60S TO AROUND 70. THE COMBINATION OF THE TEMPERATURES AND DEWPOINTS HAS RESULTED IN MLCAPE VALUES OF 2000-3000 J/KG WITH LITTLE CIN. AT THE SURFACE...LOW PRESSURE WAS NEAR AITKIN MN WITH A DRY-LINE ARCING THROUGH NORTHWEST WI INTO SOUTHEAST MN. PLENTY OF CUMULUS GOING UP AHEAD OF THIS DRY LINE. STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP IN THE NEXT HOUR OR TWO OUT OF THIS CUMULUS FIELD. BIG CONCERN FOR SEVERE WEATHER IS WIND GIVEN MID-LEVEL DRY AIR PRESENT...SEEN ON BOTH WATER VAPOR AND THE 12Z MPX SOUNDING. TO THE WEST...FAIRLY QUIET ACROSS THE DAKOTAS AHEAD OF THE POTENT TROUGH. HOWEVER...ANOTHER SURFACE LOW HAS DEVELOPED AHEAD OF IT NEAR PIERRE. IN ADDITION... GOES PRECIPITABLE WATER IMAGERY SHOWS MOISTURE BEGINNING TO SURGE TO THE NORTHWEST THROUGH EASTERN NEBRASKA AHEAD OF THE SURFACE LOW/UPPER TROUGH. REST OF THE AFTERNOON...ASSUMING CONVECTION FIRES IN THE CUMULUS FIELD...WHICH IS INDICATED BY MANY MESO-MODELS...EXPECTING IT TO PROPAGATE EAST-SOUTHEAST QUICKLY DURING THE NEXT FEW HOURS. THIS IS DUE TO THE DRY MID LEVEL AIR ALLOWING FOR RAPID MOVING OUTFLOW AS WELL AS THE MAIN SHORTWAVE ACCOMPANYING IT SHIFTING INTO EASTERN WISCONSIN BY 00Z. THEREFORE...THINKING THE SEVERE THREAT AND PROBABLY MUCH OF THE PRECIPITATION WILL END BY 00Z. ONLY CAVEAT COULD BE IN FAR SOUTHWEST WI AND FAR NORTHEAST IA WHERE THERE ARE HINTS THE TAIL END OF CONVECTION COULD STALL OUT. KEPT SOME HIGHER CHANCES OF PRECIPITATION DOWN THERE JUST IN CASE. TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...THE POTENT SHORTWAVE OVER EASTERN MONTANA IS FORECAST TO MOVE INTO WESTERN MINNESOTA BY 12Z WEDNESDAY. AS THIS OCCURS...THE MOISTURE SEEN LIFTING UP THROUGH EASTERN NEBRASKA RIGHT NOW IS GOING TO GET ISENTROPICALLY LIFTED UP TOWARDS US. SO AFTER SOME BRIEF SHORTWAVE RIDGING AND SUBSIDENCE THIS EVENING...ANOTHER ROUND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS LOOKS LIKELY. DEVELOPMENT MAY OCCUR SOUTH OF I-90 AS EARLY AS 03Z AS SUGGESTED BY THE 04.12Z NAM/GFS. BETTER POTENTIAL FOR PRECIPITATION FOR THE ENTIRE AREA IS AFTER MIDNIGHT AS THE SHORTWAVE APPROACHES AND 850MB MOISTURE TRANSPORT REALLY INCREASES. MID-LEVEL FLOW IS NICELY DIFFLUENT TOO AHEAD OF THE WAVE...AIDING IN FORCING. MCS DEVELOPMENT IS CERTAINLY POSSIBLE...AS NOTED BY THE 04.12Z ECMWF/UKMET/CANADIAN/NAM. REGARDING SEVERE CONCERN...1-6KM SHEAR VALUES VARY FROM MODEL TO MODEL. NAM IS ON THE ORDER OF 30-40 KT WHILE THE GFS IS 20-30KT. THE NAM WOULD DEFINITELY GIVE A SEVERE WEATHER CONCERN...WITH BOTH HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS POSSIBLE. THE GFS NOT AS MUCH SO. THEREFORE... THINK THE SPCS DAY 1 OUTLOOK SLIGHT RISK IDEA IS APPROPRIATE. A BIG NOTE...THERE IS A POSSIBILITY MCS DEVELOPMENT COULD OCCUR FARTHER SOUTH SAY MORE OVER IOWA. IF IT DOES...CORFIDI VECTORS WOULD TAKE IT SOUTHEAST...LIMITING SOME OF THE CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY OVER THE FORECAST AREA. SHORTWAVE TROUGH IS PROGGED TO HEAD EAST TO CENTRAL UPPER MICHIGAN AND LAKE MICHIGAN BY 18Z...ALLOWING STRONG ISENTROPIC DESCENT TO FILTER INTO THE AREA AND CLEAR OUT THE PRECIPITATION/CLOUDS. COLD FRONTAL BOUNDARY TOO LOOKS TO BE THROUGH THE AREA AROUND 18Z. 850MB TEMPS FALL QUITE A BIT WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE TROUGH. THROUGH 12Z WEDNESDAY...THEY HOVER BETWEEN 18-20C. BY 00Z THURSDAY...THOUGH... THEY FALL TO 12-14C. THUS...ANTICIPATE A COOLER DAY TOMORROW...MORE AROUND SEASONABLE NORMALS. WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY...TROUGHING OVER THE FORECAST AREA AS A RESULT OF THAT POTENT SHORTWAVE MOVING THROUGH WEDNESDAY LOOKS TO BE SHORT-LIVED. THAT IS BECAUSE ANOTHER POTENT TROUGH IS PROGGED TO DROP SOUTH INTO MONTANA BY 12Z THURSDAY. THERE WILL BE ENOUGH SUBSIDENCE AND DRY AIR PERSISTING IN THE WAKE OF WEDNESDAYS SHORTWAVE SUCH THAT WEDNESDAY NIGHT STAYS DRY. AT THE SURFACE...A HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE IS PROGGED TO BUILD INTO WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA BY 12Z THURSDAY. GIVEN THE RIDGE POSITION...ENOUGH OF A NORTHWESTERLY BREEZE SHOULD OCCUR TO PREVENT ANY FOG AT LEAST IN THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY. OTHER SMALLER VALLEYS LIKE THE WISCONSIN MAY STILL BE SUSCEPTIBLE...THOUGH. COOLER NIGHT LIKELY WITH WINDS LIGHTENING UP THROUGH THE NIGHT AS WELL AS CLEAR SKIES. SOME OF THE TYPICAL COLD SPOTS COULD FALL INTO THE MID 40S. ON THURSDAY...THAT POTENT TROUGH DIGS DOWN A LITTLE MORE THROUGH MONTANA...SETTING UP WEST-SOUTHWEST MID LEVEL FLOW OVER THE AREA. WITHIN THIS FLOW...THERE COULD BE A SHORTWAVE SKIMMING ACROSS NORTHERN WISCONSIN IN THE AFTERNOON...BUT OTHERWISE MODELS DO NOT SHOW ANY OTHER SHORTWAVES OF SIGNIFICANCE. HOWEVER..WITH THAT POTENT TROUGH DIGGING A LITTLE MORE...IT SETS UP A 310-315K ISENTROPIC LIFT/MID-LEVEL FRONTOGENESIS ZONE DOWNSTREAM ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS INTO OUR REGION. LOOKS LIKE ANY PRECIPITATION RESULTING FROM THIS FORCING WILL STAY WEST OF OUR AREA...BUT AN INCREASE IN MID/HIGH CLOUDS IS LIKELY...ESPECIALLY IN THE AFTERNOON. 850MB TEMPS OF 12-14C COMBINED WITH A DECENT AMOUNT OF SUN AND THE DRY AIR SHOULD ALLOW FOR TEMPERATURES TO CLIMB INTO THE MID TO UPPER 70S. THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY...THE POTENT TROUGH OVER MONTANA IS FORECAST TO DIG SOUTHEAST DURING THIS PERIOD...BEING PUSHED BY RIDGING DROPPING DOWN INTO SOUTH CENTRAL CANADA. BY 00Z SATURDAY...A LONG WAVE TROUGH SHOULD EXTEND FROM NORTHEAST ONTARIO...INTO THE FORECAST AREA AND INTO NEBRASKA. THE MAIN ISSUE WITH THIS POTENT TROUGH COMING TOWARDS THE AREA IS WHERE DOES THE FRONTOGENESIS ZONE AHEAD OF IT LAY UP...AND THUS THE ASSOCIATED PRECIPITATION. THE 04.00Z ECMWF KEPT THE BULK OF IT ACROSS IOWA THURSDAY NIGHT AND INTO ILLINOIS AND MISSOURI ON FRIDAY...THUS FOR THE MOST PART OUR FORECAST AREA ENDS UP DRY. THE 04.12Z NAM IS FARTHER NORTH...HAVING PRECIPITATION FALL SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 94 AFTER MIDNIGHT THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY. 04.12Z GFS IS A LITTLE MORE INTERESTING. THE MODEL SUGGESTS SOME HIGHER LEVEL FRONTOGENESIS PRODUCING A BAND OF MOSTLY LIGHT RAIN...WHICH SLOWLY DROPS SOUTH THROUGH THE AREA AFTER MIDNIGHT THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY. THESE BANDS SOMETIMES VERIFY AND OTHER TIMES NOT. OVERALL...THE BULK OF THE PRECIPITATION IN THE GFS FALLS TO THE SOUTH. IN ANY EVENT...ALL MODELS SUGGEST A NEED TO INCREASE PRECIPITATION CHANCES UP TO 40 FOR NOW...MAINLY SOUTH OF I-90. FURTHER REFINEMENTS WILL BE NEEDED AS WE GET CLOSER TO THIS PERIOD. WITH MORE CLOUDS AS WELL AS COOLER AIR COMING IN WITH THE UPPER TROUGH...ANTICIPATE THIS PERIOD TO BE MUCH COOLER THAN AS OF LATE. THIS WILL BE ESPECIALLY TRUE ON FRIDAY AS 850MB TEMPS FALL TO 6-9C. HIGHS ON FRIDAY MAY GET STUCK IN THE 60S...ESPECIALLY IF IT RAINS ALL DAY LIKE THE NAM. .LONG TERM...FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY 256 PM CDT TUE SEP 4 2012 04.12Z ECMWF/GFS/CANADIAN AND GFS ENSEMBLES ARE A LITTLE DIFFERENT AMONGST EACH OTHER TODAY COMPARED TO YESTERDAY...MOSTLY WITH REGARDS TO HANDLING WHETHER THE UPPER TROUGH COMING THROUGH THE FORECAST AREA FRIDAY ENDS UP CLOSING OFF IN THE OHIO RIVER VALLEY. INTERESTINGLY...THE 04.12Z ECMWF/CANADIAN AND GFS HAVE NOW FLIP-FLOPPED WITH EACH OTHER...WITH THE ECMWF/CANADIAN NOW MORE PROGRESSIVE AND THE GFS CLOSING OFF. FOR OUR AREA...THOUGH...WHICH EVER SOLUTION PANS OUT REALLY DOESNT MATTER...AS BOTH SCENARIOS BUILD HIGH PRESSURE INTO THE FORECAST AREA FOR THE WEEKEND. SO MAYBE AFTER A FEW LINGERING SHOWERS IN NORTHEAST IA/SOUTHWEST WI FRIDAY NIGHT...EXPECT DECREASING CLOUDS AND DRY WEATHER FOR THE WEEKEND. CERTAINLY LOOKS COOL COMPARED TO WHAT HAS BEEN SEEN RECENTLY... THANKS TO 850MB TEMPS OF 6-8C ON SATURDAY AND 10-12C ON SUNDAY. WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED IF SOME OF THE TYPICAL COLD SPOTS END UP SEEING SOME UPPER 30S. FOR EARLY NEXT WEEK...UPPER RIDGING OVER THE WESTERN U.S. IS FORECAST TO BUILD UP INTO THE FORECAST AREA...BUT FLATTEN PRETTY QUICKLY BY TUESDAY AS A SHORTWAVE TROUGH CROSSING SOUTHERN CANADA. WILL SEE A WARM UP WITH THE RIDGING COMING IN...AT LEAST BACK TO NORMAL. DRY CONDITIONS SHOULD CONTINUE AS WELL WITH THE HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE WEEKEND BLOCKING GULF OF MEXICO MOISTURE RETURN. && .AVIATION... 1145 PM CDT TUE SEP 4 2012 ANOTHER ROUND OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT THE AREA AS AN ORGANIZED MCS DRIVES ACROSS THE REGION BETWEEN 05-09Z. STRONG WINDS WILL ACCOMPANY THE STORMS INITIALLY...LIKELY IMPACTING KRST BETWEEN 0530-07Z AND 07-08Z AT KLSE. THE STRONGEST WINDS COULD BE ON A WEAKENING TREND AS THE STORMS REACH KLSE...HOWEVER. SHRA/TS COULD LINGER THROUGH WED MORNING...BUT THE BULK OF THIS ACTIVITY SHOULD HAVE EXITED EAST BY 18Z AS A COLD FRONT SWEEPS ACROSS THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY. TIMING IS ROUGHLY 16Z AT KRST AND 18Z AT KLSE. CLEARING FOR WED NIGHT...AND CONSIDERING THE RAINFALL...SOME INGREDIENTS FOR FOG. AS OF NOW...THINK LOW LEVEL WINDS WILL BE STIRRING TOO MUCH...THUS INHIBITING THE FOG. OF COURSE THIS WILL BE RE-EVALUATED FOR LATER TAF ISSUANCES. && .ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... 256 PM CDT TUE SEP 4 2012 WI...NONE. MN...NONE. IA...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...AJ LONG TERM....AJ AVIATION.....RIECK
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS SAN DIEGO CA
351 AM PDT WED SEP 5 2012 .SYNOPSIS... TWO SOURCES OF MONSOON MOISTURE WILL MOVE ACROSS SOUTHWEST CALIFORNIA THROUGH THURSDAY. ONE IS COMING FROM THE SOUTHWEST...AND WILL BRING ABUNDANT CLOUDS AND INTERMITTENT LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS THIS MORNING. THE OTHER IS COMING FROM THE SOUTHEAST. THIS SHOULD LEAD TO AFTERNOON AND EVENING THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS. A HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE WILL BUILD WESTWARD ACROSS THE AREA ON FRIDAY...TEMPORARILY BRINGING A DRYING TREND. ANOTHER SURGE OF MONSOON MOISTURE IS POSSIBLE OVER THIS COMING WEEKEND. && .DISCUSSION...FOR EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA INCLUDING ORANGE... SAN DIEGO...WESTERN RIVERSIDE AND SOUTHWESTERN SAN BERNARDINO COUNTIES... .THIS MORNING THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON... EMBEDDED SHORT WAVE IN THE MID/HIGH LEVEL MONSOON MOISTURE STREAM COMING IN FROM THE SOUTHWEST IS CAUSING 40-45 DBZ RADAR ECHOES OVER THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BIGHT. USING LAST NIGHT AS AN ANALOG WHEN SIMILAR STRENGTH ECHOES MOVED ACROSS SANTA BARBARA/VENTURA/LOS ANGELES/KERN COUNTIES...THEN SHOULD ONLY SEE LIGHT INTERMITTENT RAIN WEST OF THE MOUNTAINS THIS MORNING. THE HRRR MODEL COMPOSITE REFLECTIVITY MATCHES HAS BEEN DOING VERY WELL WITH THE POSITION AND OBSERVED STRENGTH OF THE RADAR ECHOES. USING THIS MODEL ALSO YIELDS LIGHT RAINFALL...STARTING AROUND 0700 PDT FOR THE ORANGE COUNTY COAST...SPREADING INLAND BY 1100 PDT TO INLAND EMPIRE AND NORTH SAN DIEGO COUNTY. FOR THE EARLY AFTERNOON...SUBSIDENCE FOLLOWING THE SHORT WAVE SHOULD RESULT IN LESS MID/HIGH LEVEL CLOUDS AND END SHOWER ACTIVITY WEST OF MOUNTAINS. OVER MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS...WETTER MID/LOW LEVELS DUE TO MONSOON MOISTURE STREAM FROM THE SOUTHEAST SHOULD YIELD MEASURABLE RAINFALL AMOUNTS THIS MORNING...BUT THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT WILL LIKELY BE DELAYED UNTIL MID AFTERNOON DUE TO EXTENSIVE CLOUD COVER THIS MORNING. .MID AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY EVENING... MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS HAVE A SLIGHTLY GREATER RISK OF FLASH FLOODING TODAY...ASSUMING ENOUGH CLEARING TAKES PLACE TO ALLOW DEVELOPMENT OF CONVERGING DIURNAL WINDS AND RESULTANT LIFTING. THE PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES RANGE FROM 1.25 TO ALMOST 2 INCHES. THE STEERING WINDS WILL INITIALLY BE FROM THE SOUTH AND THEN SHIFT TO SOUTHWEST. THIS WOULD CARRY THE THUNDERSTORMS DOWN THE DESERT SLOPES...ADDING ADDITIONAL RAINFALL TO THE LOWER END OF DRAINAGE BASINS AT THE SAME TIME THAT RUNOFF IS COMING DOWN FROM THE HEADWATERS. NO FLASH FLOOD WATCH AT THIS TIME BUT STAY TUNED FOR UPDATE LATE THIS MORNING. .TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY... PRETTY MUCH FORECASTING PERSISTENCE...ALTHOUGH WITHOUT THE THREAT OF MORNING RAIN WEST OF THE MOUNTAINS. AS NOTED IN PREVIOUS FORECAST DISCUSSION...AMPLE MID-LEVEL MOISTURE REMAINS THROUGH THURSDAY WITH PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES GREATER THE 1.5 INCHES...TRANSPORT WINDS ARE LIGHT SOUTHWESTERLY SO THUNDERSTORMS THAT DO FORM THURSDAY AFTERNOON COULD STILL PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY DOWNPOURS. FRIDAY/SATURDAY... FORECASTING LESS THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY AND SLIGHT INCREASE IN LATE NIGHT/EARLY MORNING LOW CLOUDS WEST OF MOUNTAINS DUE TO HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE BUILDING ALOFT AND CLOSING DOOR ON MONSOON MOISTURE. HOWEVER ENOUGH RESIDUAL MID LEVEL MOISTURE AND DAYTIME HEATING FOR ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT. SUNDAY/MONDAY... MONSOON DOOR REOPENS FOR ANOTHER SURGE AS AN EASTERLY WAVE/UPPER LOW TRACKS AROUND THE SW QUADRANT OF THE HIGH CELL AND MOVES ACROSS NORTHERN BAJA CALIFORNIA/SOUTHWEST CALIFORNIA. HAVE ADDED SOME POPS...AROUND 20 PERCENT...AND MENTION OF THUNDERSTORMS FOR MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS ON THESE DAYS. TUESDAY... GOING WITH THE TROUGH IN THE WESTERLIES FINALLY MOVING CLOSE ENOUGH TO BRING DRIER AIR IN FROM THE WEST. LOOK FOR MOSTLY SUNNY/CLEAR SKIES OVER MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS WITH SLIGHT COOLING...AND MORE NIGHT/MORNING CLOUDS FOR COASTS AND WESTERN VALLEYS. && .AVIATION... 050930Z...PATCHY STRATUS...WITH BASES AROUND 800 FT MSL AND TOPS NEAR 1100 FT MSL...IS HAVING DIFFICULTY DEVELOPING AND MAY STEER CLEAR OF COASTAL AERODROMES THIS MORNING. VERY LIGHT SHOWERS ARE CURRENTLY OVER THE PACIFIC...MOVING TOWARD THE COAST THIS MORNING. PRECIPITATION FALLING FROM THESE SHOWERS WILL MOST LIKELY ONLY CREATE A TRACE AT THE SURFACE. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS AND TSTMS ARE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING OVER THE MTNS AND DESERTS...WITH BASES AROUND 8K FT MSL AND TOPS AROUND 40K FT MSL. OTHERWISE...VFR CONDS WITH SCT/BKN CLOUDS AOA 10K FT AND UNRESTRICTED VIS THROUGH THU MORNING. && .FIRE WEATHER... A POCKET OF VERY DRY AIR REMAINS OVER THE FOOTHILLS AND LOWER COASTAL SLOPES AT ELEVATIONS BETWEEN 1000 FEET AND 3500 FEET MSL. RELATIVE HUMIDITY IN THIS LAYER HAS BEEN IN THE SINGLE DIGITS WITH LITTLE TO NO RECOVERY OVERNIGHT FOR AT LEAST THE PAST 6 DAYS. THIS DRY AIR MAY FINALLY BE MODIFIED TODAY IF THE INTERMITTENT LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS DO OCCUR AS FORECAST. ELSEWHERE RELATIVE HUMIDITY SHOULD BE HIGH ENOUGH TO RETARD FIRE GROWTH FROM ANY LIGHTNING OUTSIDE OF WETTING RAIN AREAS...AND INITIAL ATTACK FORCES MAY BE NEED TO ASSIST WITH OTHER HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH THUNDERSTORMS...SUCH AS FLASH FLOODING. .SGX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CA...NONE AT THIS TIME. PZ...NONE. && $$ PUBLIC/FIRE WEATHER...BALFOUR AVIATION/MARINE...JJT
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS RALEIGH NC
744 AM EDT WED SEP 5 2012 .SYNOPSIS... A MOIST AIRMASS WILL PERSIST OVER THE AREA THROUGH THURSDAY IN ASSOCIATION WITH A STALLED SURFACE TROUGH OVER THE CAROLINAS. A BRIEF DRY PERIOD IS EXPECTED ON FRIDAY...FOLLOWED BY A RETURN TO UNSETTLED WEATHER OVER THE WEEKEND AS AN UNSEASONABLY DEEP UPPER LEVEL TROUGH APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. && .NEAR TERM /TODAY AND TONIGHT/... AS OF 245 AM WEDNESDAY... PRECIPITATION CHANCES: AN H5 DISTURBANCE WAS NOTED IN WV IMAGERY AND RAP/MESOANALYSIS DATA OVER THE WESTERN PIEDMONT AT 06Z THIS MORNING. THE DISTURBANCE IS EXPECTED TO PROGRESSES SLOWLY EAST TO THE HWY 1 CORRIDOR BY 15-18Z AND THE COASTAL PLAIN BY 18-21Z. THE LATEST RAP GUIDANCE INDICATES THIS FEATURE WILL BECOME INCREASINGLY SHEARED/DEAMPLIFIED BY THE AFTERNOON HOURS...AND IT IS DIFFICULT TO ASCERTAIN WHAT (IF ANY) CONTRIBUTION TO ASCENT MAY BE ASSOCIATED WITH IT. LIGHT MID-LEVEL FLOW WILL BE PRESENT OVER THE CAROLINAS TODAY...SOUTH OF THE PRIMARY BELT OF WESTERLIES WHERE A WEAKNESS HAS DEVELOPED IN H5 RIDGE EXTENDING WEST-EAST ACROSS THE SOUTHERN 1/3 OF THE CONUS...AND IT WILL BE DIFFICULT FOR ANY ADDITIONAL MID/UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES TO TRACK INTO THE AREA THROUGH TONIGHT. LOWER-LEVEL FORCING WILL BE CONFINED TO CONVERGENCE ASSOC/W A WEAKENING SFC-H85 TROUGH OVER WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE STATE TODAY...WITH THE BEST LOW-LEVEL CONVERGENCE SHIFTING EAST INTO PORTIONS OF THE NW/NORTHERN PIEDMONT OVERNIGHT. RELATIVELY SPEEDY (20-30 KT) SW LOW-LEVEL FLOW WILL BE PRESENT ON THE EASTERN PERIPHERY OF THE TROUGH OVER CENTRAL NC. WEAK MID-LEVEL LAPSE RATES AND BROKEN CLOUD COVER WILL LIMIT DIURNAL DESTABILIZATION IN THE WEST TODAY...WITH MLCAPE VALUES OF ~1000 J/KG OR LESS. ALTHOUGH STRONGER INSOLATION MAY BE PRESENT IN EASTERN PORTIONS...WEAK MID-LEVEL LAPSE RATES COUPLED WITH A RELATIVELY DRIER BOUNDARY LAYER SHOULD LIMIT MLCAPE VALUES TO 1000-1500 J/KG...THOUGH UP TO 2000 J/KG WILL BE POSSIBLE IF BOUNDARY LAYER MOISTURE IS GREATER THAN PROGGED. ABOVE NORMAL MOISTURE WILL BE PRESENT THROUGHOUT THE COLUMN TODAY/TONIGHT...WITH PWAT VALUES PROGGED NEAR 2.00" EVERYWHERE. THE LATEST 00Z CONVECTION ALLOWING MODELS (CAMS) INDICATE CONVECTION DEVELOPING ON THE EASTERN PERIPHERY OF THE WEAKENING H5 DISTURBANCE IN VICINITY OF THE HWY 1 CORRIDOR BETWEEN 12-18Z TODAY...SHIFTING EAST INTO THE COASTAL PLAIN BY MID/LATE AFTERNOON. THE CAMS ALSO INDICATE CONVECTION DEVELOPING IN VICINITY OF THE SFC-H85 TROUGH OVER THE FOOTHILLS/MOUNTAINS THIS AFTERNOON...SHIFTING INTO PORTIONS OF THE NW/NORTHERN PIEDMONT OVERNIGHT IN ASSOCIATION WITH WEAK LOW-LEVEL CONVERGENCE IN THE PRESENCE OF A VERY MOIST AND MARGINALLY UNSTABLE AIRMASS. WILL BASE PRECIP CHANCES THROUGH TONIGHT ON THE AFOREMENTIONED REASONING...HOWEVER...CONFIDENCE IN THE TIMING/ COVERAGE OF CONVECTION REMAINS RELATIVELY LOW GIVEN THE PRESENCE OF WEAK STEERING FLOW. TEMPERATURES: WITH RELATIVELY LITTLE CHANGE IN AIRMASS...HIGHS TODAY WILL BE SIMILAR TO PREVIOUS DAYS...DEPENDING PRIMARILY ON CLOUD COVER AND CONVECTION. WILL INDICATE HIGHS RANGING FROM THE LOWER/MID 80S WEST TO MID/UPPER 80S EAST. LOWS TONIGHT WILL ALSO BE BASED ON PERSISTENCE...IN THE LOWER 70S. HAZARDOUS WEATHER: VERY WEAK DEEP-LAYER SHEAR WILL BE UNSUPPORTIVE OF CONVECTIVE ORGANIZATION TODAY. GIVEN AN INCREASINGLY DEAMPLIFIED PATTERN OVER THE CAROLINAS...A THERMODYNAMIC ENVIRONMENT CHARACTERIZED BY LOW DCAPE AND WEAK MID-LEVEL LAPSE RATES...THE THREAT FOR AN ISOLD SEVERE STORM WILL BE VERY LOW...THOUGH NON-ZERO (AS LONG AS DEEP CONVECTION IS PRESENT) GIVEN ENHANCED (~25 KT) LOW-LEVEL FLOW AND A VERY MOIST COLUMN SUPPORTIVE OF PRECIP LOADING. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL AND ISOLD FLOODING CANNOT BE RULED OUT IN URBAN AREAS... THOUGH THE THREAT APPEARS LOWER THAN PREVIOUS DAYS. -VINCENT && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 230 AM WEDNESDAY... THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS AGAIN THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS A WEAKENING COLD FRONT IS FORECAST TO STALL ACROSS CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA THURSDAY. THE UPPER DYNAMICS WILL BE VERY WEAK. HOWEVER... CONTINUED HI PW`S AND STRONG HEATING ESPECIALLY IN THE SOUTH AND EAST WILL SUPPORT SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS... WITH THE PRIMARY THREATS OF LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN AND GUSTY WIND. WE WILL CARRY THE HIGHEST POP IN THE EAST AND SOUTH... BUT EVEN THE NW WILL HAVE LOW CHANCE POPS. HIGHS IN THE MID TO UPPER 80S NW RANGING TO AROUND 90 SE. THE POPS WILL BECOME SLIGHT CHANCE BY LATE EVENING THURSDAY... SUPPORTED BY THE LINGERING NEARLY STATIONARY BOUNDARY. LOWS GENERALLY 70-73. FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT... THIS MAY BE THE DAY WHEN WE HAVE THE LOWEST POPS... ESPECIALLY OVER THE PIEDMONT WHERE SOME DRIER AIR (VERY SLIGHTLY DRIER AIR MAY FILTER IN WITH DEW POINTS IN THE MID 60S). THAT IS... IF... THE LOW LEVEL BOUNDARY DRIFTS INTO THE COASTAL PLAIN OR WASHES OUT ENTIRELY PER SOME MODEL SOLUTIONS. THIS APPEARS POSSIBLE... YET BY LATE IN THE DAY EXPECT THE SEA BREEZE/OLD FRONT COMBO TO DRIFT BACK WNW INTO THE EASTERN PIEDMONT BY EARLY EVENING BRINGING BACK 70+ DEW POINTS. WE WILL STILL CARRY SLIGHT TO LOW CHANCE POP FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS... MAINLY FROM FAY AND RDU EASTWARD DURING FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. OTHERWISE... PARTLY SUNNY WARM AND HUMID. HIGHS 88-94 NW TO SANDHILLS. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 245 AM WEDNESDAY... BIG PATTERN CHANGE IN THE OFFING... A FAIRLY DEEP MID-UPPER LEVEL TROUGH IS FORECAST TO DEVELOP OVER THE GREAT LAKES AND SWING EASTWARD OVER THE WEEKEND. THE ACTUAL COLD FRONT IS PROJECTED FOR SATURDAY. THIS WILL SWEEP THE VERY MUGGY OPPRESSIVE AIR MASS CURRENTLY OVER THE AREA OUT TO SEA SUNDAY AND MONDAY. THE MODELS HAVE BEEN TRENDING TOWARD A MORE PROGRESSIVE TROUGH PASSAGE FOR OUR REGION AND LATITUDE. THIS WOULD MEAN LESS IN THE WAY OF SEVERE AND FLOODING POTENTIAL OVER THE WEEKEND. STAY TUNED. WE WILL CONTINUE TO CARRY INCREASING CHANCES OF SHOWERS AND STORMS SAT-SAT NIGHT... SHIFTING EAST MORE QUICKLY SUNDAY. MODELS NOW PROJECT THE ACTUAL FRONT TO PUSH EAST THROUGH OUR REGION BY LATE SATURDAY. THIS WOULD MEAN LOWERING HUMIDITIES AND MUCH LOWER POP FOR SUNDAY (A DAY TO A DAY AND A HALF EARLIER THAN PROJECTED 24 HOURS AGO). WE WILL TREND THAT WAY... BUT KEEP A CHANCE POP MAINLY EAST SUNDAY. TURNING COOLER AND MUCH DRIER MONDAY AND TUESDAY. LOWS 55-60. HIGHS 77-82. && .AVIATION /12Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... AS OF 730 AM WEDNESDAY... 24-HR TAF PERIOD: IFR CEILINGS THIS MORNING ARE EXPECTED TO LIFT TO MVFR AND EVENTUALLY SCATTER OUT TO VFR AT MOST LOCATIONS BY 15Z. MVFR CEILINGS COULD PERSIST INTO THE AFTERNOON AT THE INT/GSO TERMINALS WHERE SHOWER ACTIVITY WILL BE MORE LIKELY AS THE DAY PROGRESSES. EXPECT THE BEST CHANCE OF CONVECTION AT THE INT/GSO TERMINALS BETWEEN 15Z THIS MORNING AND 03Z THIS EVENING...WHERE VCSH WILL BE MENTIONED. AT THE RDU/FAY/RWI TERMINALS...CONFIDENCE IN AFTERNOON CONVECTION IS LOWER THAN AT INT/GSO. AS A RESULT...WILL KEEP VFR CONDITIONS IN PLACE AT RDU/FAY/RWI ONCE MORNING FOG AND STRATUS HAS LIFTED AND SCATTERED OUT. OTHERWISE...ANTICIPATE A CHANCE FOR SUB-VFR CEILINGS/VISBYS ONCE AGAIN BY THE END OF THE TAF PERIOD...06-12Z THURSDAY MORNING. LOOKING AHEAD: SUB-VFR STRATUS OR FOG WILL BE POSSIBLE DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS (07-13Z) ON BOTH FRI/SAT...ALONG WITH ISOLD SHOWERS AND STORMS DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS...PRIMARILY AT THE FAY/RWI TAF SITES. MORE WIDESPREAD SHOWERS/STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE SATURDAY NIGHT/SUNDAY AS AN UNSEASONABLY DEEP UPPER LEVEL TROUGH APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. -VINCENT && .RAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...VINCENT NEAR TERM....VINCENT SHORT TERM...BADGETT LONG TERM...BADGETT AVIATION...VINCENT
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NWS MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
957 AM CDT WED SEP 5 2012 .UPDATE...CLEARING CONTINUES TO PROGRESS WEST TO EAST ACROSS SOUTHERN WISCONSIN THIS MORNING. WITH THE COLD FRONT REMAINING TO THE WEST...THE SUN SHOULD PUSHING TEMPERATURES INTO THE 80S FOR AFTERNOON HIGHS. BIG QUESTION IS WHEN THUNDERSTORMS REDEVELOP AHEAD OF THE FRONT. GIVEN THE EXPECTED TIMING OF THE FRONT...THE BEST CHANCE FOR MORE STORMS WILL BE ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST FORECAST AREA...MAINLY SOUTHEAST OF A LINE FROM DARLINGTON TO SHEBOYGAN. MODELS SOUNDINGS STILL SHOWING PLENTY OF CAPE AND SHEAR THIS AFTERNOON...SO SEVERE STORMS CERTAINLY POSSIBLE IF THINGS GET GOING BEFORE THE FRONT GETS THROUGH THE FORECAST AREA. && .AVIATION/18Z TAFS/...WILL CONTINUE TO SEE CLEARING SKIES THROUGH THIS MORNING. ATTENTION THEN TURNS TO POSSIBLE REDEVELOPMENT OF STORMS AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT. THINK BEST CHANCE OF STORMS THIS AFTERNOON WILL BE ALONG AND SOUTHEAST OF A LINE FROM DARLINGTON TO SHEBOYGAN. STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS ONCE AGAIN POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY FARTHER TO THE SOUTHEAST. LOWER VSBYS LIKELY WITHIN MODERATE TO HEAVY RAINFALL...OTHERWISE VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL THROUGH THE DAY. IF SKIES CLEAR UP AND WINDS ARE LIGHT ENOUGH...COULD SEE SOME PATCHY FOG DEVELOP TONIGHT. QUIET WEATHER THEN EXPECTED THURSDAY UNDER HIGH PRESSURE. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 328 AM CDT WED SEP 5 2012/ SHORT TERM... TODAY AND TONIGHT...FORECAST CONFIDENCE...MEDIUM MAIN FORECAST CONCERN IS THE APPROACHING SHORTWAVE EXITING THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND MINNESOTA REGION BEFORE REACHING WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR AROUND NOON. 90 KNOT 250 MB JET MAX ROUNDING THE BASE OF THE SHORTWAVE INCREASES TO 100 KNOTS NEAR LAKE SUPERIOR BY SUNRISE AND TOWARDS JAMES BAY THIS AFTERNOON. STRONG UPPER DIVERGENCE MOVES ACROSS NORTHERN WISCONSIN THIS MORNING WITH LESSER VALUES OF DIVERGENCE ACROSS SOUTHERN WISCONSIN...THAT DIMINISHES EVEN MORE THIS AFTERNOON. A RATHER STRONG 700 MB WIND MAX PUSHES INTO WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN BY SUNRISE BEFORE LIFTING INTO NORTHEAST WISCONSIN BY NOON. THE BEST 700 MB MOISTURE CONVERGENCE AND UPWARD MOTION FOLLOWS THIS FEATURE. 850 MB MOISTURE REMAIN HIGH NEAR 15 CELSIUS THROUGHOUT THE DAY. WHILE THE BEST DYNAMICS REMAIN NORTH...THE THERMODYNAMICS ARE BETTER SOUTH WITH ALMOST 20 CELSIUS 850 MB THERMAL RIDGE INTO SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN BY NOON. THAT DROPS TO NEAR THE ILLINOIS BORDER BY EARLY EVENING. ZERO TO 1 KM RESULTING IN 2000 J/KG OF CAPE INTO THE EARLY EVENING IN THE FAR SOUTHEAST AS THE SURFACE FRONT FINALLY EXITS THE FAR SOUTHEAST. THEREFORE EXPECT THE MINNESOTA MCS THAT HAS MERGED WITH THE THUNDERSTORMS ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE OUTFLOW BOUNDARY FROM LAST EVENINGS MCS TO PUSH EAST AS THE 700 MB WIND MAX MOVES THROUGH. BEST LIFT NORTH BUT BEST INSTABILITY WELL SOUTH AS THIS MCS MOVES OUT OF THE HIGH CAPE ENVIRONMENT. THEREFORE EXPECT THE STORMS FROM THIS MCS TO CONTINUE TO WEAKEN AS IT MOVES ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA EARLY THIS MORNING. RAP SOUNDINGS ARE QUITE STABLE WITH MID LEVEL DRY AIR OVER MOST OF THE FORECAST AREA.. THEN THERE WILL BE A CHANCE FOR MORE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON WITH THE COLD FRONT. HOWEVER BEST DYNAMICS ARE NORTHEAST...WITH BEST INSTABILITY TO OUR SOUTH. NAM FORECAST SOUNDINGS DO SHOW STEEP LAPSE RATES IN THE LOW TO MID LEVELS AGAIN THIS AFTERNOON...ESPECIALLY SOUTHEAST WITH 10C/KM AT 900 MB TO 8 C/KM AT 500 MB. WITH PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES AROUND 1.6 INCHES...MORE STORMS ARE POSSIBLE...ALTHOUGH THE BEST SEVERE THREAT SHOULD BE TO OUR SOUTH AND EAST. INTERESTING IS THE LOCAL SEVERE ENVIRONMENT PROBABILITY CWASP OFF THE NAM HAS HIGHER VALUES THIS AFTERNOON 75 PCT THAN IT DID YESTERDAY WITH THE FIRST MCS 65 PCT. STRONG MID LEVEL DRYING LATE TONIGHT BEHIND THE COLD FRONT. THURSDAY...FORECAST CONFIDENCE IS HIGH. A DRIER AND COOLER AIRMASS WILL SETTLE INTO SOUTHERN WI WITH HIGH PRESSURE IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT. THE MAJORITY OF MODELS AGREE THAT THE SURFACE COLD FRONT AND 850MB BAROCLINIC ZONE WILL BE SOUTH OF THE WI BORDER BY 12Z THU SO KEPT THU DRY. EXPECTING A PLEASANTLY MOSTLY SUNNY DAY WITH HIGHS IN THE UPPER 70S AND LOW DEWPOINTS. THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY...FORECAST CONFIDENCE IS MEDIUM. A LARGE UPPER TROUGH WILL SWING ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST AND GREAT LAKES REGION FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT. SHOWERS COULD SPREAD INTO SOUTHERN WI AS EARLY AS THU NIGHT WITH WEAK WARM AIR ADVECTION AND THE NOSE OF THE UPPER JET INTO THE AREA. BY AROUND 18Z FRIDAY IT LOOKS LIKE THE STRONGER FORCING WITH THE RIGHT ENTRANCE REGION OF THE UPPER JET AND STRONGEST FRONTOGENESIS WILL BE MAINLY SOUTH OF THE WISCONSIN BORDER. THE OTHER BETTER AREA OF FORCING WITH THE MAIN UPPER TROUGH AND VORT MAX WILL BE CLOSER TO NORTHERN WISCONSIN AND UPPER MICHIGAN. REDUCED THE POPS SLIGHTLY...BUT KEPT THE CHANCE OF SHOWERS WORDING FOR FRIDAY. EXPECTING RAIN TO BE LIGHT AND NOT AMOUNT TO MUCH. OVERALL FRIDAY WILL BE CLOUDY AND COOL WITH OFF AND ON RAIN SHOWERS. MAX TEMPS EXPECTED AROUND 70. THE SURFACE COLD FRONT SHOULD PUSH SOUTH OF THE WI BORDER BY LATE FRI AFTERNOON. SHOWERS COULD LINGER INTO THE EVENING UNTIL THE UPPER TROUGH CLEARS THE AREA...BUT DRY AIR WORKING IN BEHIND THE SYSTEM SHOULD CUT PRECIP CHANCES SIGNIFICANTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT. LONG TERM... SATURDAY...FORECAST CONFIDENCE MEDIUM TO HIGH. MUCH COOLER AIR WILL SETTLE INTO WI BEHIND THIS UPPER TROUGH AND SURFACE COLD FRONT BY SATURDAY MORNING AND PERSIST THROUGH THE WEEKEND. ONE MORE LOBE OF VORTICITY IS FORECAST TO SWING DOWN ACROSS WI SAT NIGHT. ECMWF AND GFS SPIT OUT SMALL QPF AMOUNTS...BUT EXPECTING THE ATMOSPHERE TO BE TOO DRY SO LEFT OUT POPS. 925MB TEMPS SHOULD DIP DOWN TO AROUND 12C ON SATURDAY...YIELDING MAX TEMPS IN THE UPPER 60S WITH AMPLE SUNSHINE. THERE COULD BE A BIT OF A NORTHWEST BREEZE DURING THE AFTERNOON. SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...FORECAST CONFIDENCE HIGH. ECMWF AND GFS ARE NOW ON THE SAME TRACK WITH AN OPEN-WAVE 500MB LOW THAT REMAINS PROGRESSIVE AND MOVES EAST OVER THE WEEKEND. A STRONG HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE WILL BUILD BACK INTO THE UPPER MIDWEST THROUGH THE FIRST HALF OF THE WEEK. MAX TEMPS WILL BE IN THE LOW TO MID 70S WITH LOW DEWPOINTS. NO PRECIP EXPECTED AND THERE SHOULD BE PLENTY OF SUNSHINE. AVIATION/12Z TAFS/... ONE COMPLEX OF THUNDERSTORMS HAS PUSHED EAST...BUT A SECOND AREA OF STRONG STORMS OVER SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA WILL PUSH EAST ACROSS MUCH OF THE FORECAST AREA BUT WEAKEN DUE TO MORE STABLE AIR OVER SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN. THEN ANOTHER CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH A COLD FRONT THAT WILL PUSH ACROSS SOUTHERN WISCONSIN TODAY. SOME OF THESE COULD BE STRONG LATER THIS AFTERNOON IN THE SOUTHEAST. MAINLY VFR CIGS...BUT MVFR/IFR IN THE THUNDERSTORMS. && .MKX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WI...NONE. LM...NONE. && $$ UPDATE...DDV TODAY/TONIGHT AND AVIATION/MARINE...HENTZ THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY...MRC
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS COLUMBIA SC
1055 AM EDT WED SEP 5 2012 .SYNOPSIS... UPPER LEVEL TROUGH ASSOCIATED WITH THE REMNANTS OF ISAAC WILL CONTINUE TO GIVE OUR AREA WARM AND HUMID WEATHER WITH CHANCES OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THURSDAY. THE UPPER TROUGH WILL SHIFT OFFSHORE BY THURSDAY AS A COLD FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE WEST ON FRIDAY. THIS WILL BRING ANOTHER CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO THE AREA FOR THE WEEKEND. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... A FEW SHOWERS STARTING TO DEVELOP IN THE UPSTATE LATE THIS MORNING. IR/WV SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS MAINLY LOW AND MID LEVEL CLOUDINESS ASSOCIATED WITH UPPER TROUGH WHICH HAS WEAKENED AND NOW CONTAINS LESS DEEP TROPICAL MOISTURE. THE WV CURVE ACTUALLY SHOWS SOME DRIER AIR INTERACTING WITH UPPER LOW IN THE WESTERN PORTION OF THE FORECAST AREA. DECIDED TO LOWER POPS ABOUT 4-5 PERCENT BECAUSE EXPECT LESS COVERAGE. WILL CONFINE 40 PERCENT TO NORTH AND WEST OF CAE AREA AND KEEP CLOSE TO 30 PERCENT REST OF AREA. AFTERNOON HIGHS MAINLY IN THE UPPER 80S STILL OK. SPC HAS REGION IN SEE TEXT BUT WITH RUC AND NAM FORECAST SOUNDINGS SHOWING SOME DRYING ALOFT...COULD NOT RULE OUT ISOLATED STORMS WITH STRONG DOWNDRAFTS IF ATMOSPHERE BECOMES UNSTABLE ENOUGH. RIGHT NOW MODELS ONLY SHOW MEAGER INSTABILITY WITH LIS -2/-4 AND CAPES AROUND 1000 J/KG. SPC DOWNDRAFT CAPES LOW LESS THAN 800. SO CHANCES FOR SEVERE STORMS REMAIN QUITE LOW. OTHERWISE...PWS ARE STILL UP AROUND 2 INCHES. SO THE THREAT FOR SOME HEAVY RAIN CONTINUES MUCH LIKE PREVIOUS DAYS. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY/... CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY WILL DIMINISH WITH SUNSET AS THE MOISTURE PLUME AND UPPER LEVEL TROUGH CONTINUE TO SLOWLY SWING INTO THE FORECAST AREA. BY THURSDAY AFTERNOON THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL BE CENTERED OVER THE REGION AND SLIDE TO THE COAST THURSDAY NIGHT. THIS WILL ALLOW SLIGHTLY DRIER AIR TO MOVE INTO THE NORTHERN MIDLANDS ON FRIDAY AS THE CHANCE OF SHOWERS MOVES TOWARD THE COAST. THIS WILL RESULT IN MAINLY DIURNAL SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE AREA EACH AFTERNOON WITH ACTIVITY DIMINISHING WITH THE LOSS OF HEATING. WITH THE MOISTURE PLUME ALSO WEAKENING THE CHANCE OF LOCALIZED HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CONTINUE TO LESSEN. TEMPERATURES WILL GENERALLY BE IN THE UPPER 80S TO AROUND 90 WITH OVERNIGHT LOWS IN THE LOWER 70S. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/... MODELS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT THROUGH THE LONG TERM WITH SOME MINOR DIFFERENCES IN TIMING WITH THE FRONTAL SYSTEM FOR THE WEEKEND. PATTERN WILL REMAIN ACTIVE THROUGH THE FIRST HALF OF THE LONG TERM AS LOW PRESSURE PUSHES THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES REGION AND A COLD FRONT CROSSES THE EASTERN US SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. THIS WILL RESULT IN A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS SATURDAY AND SUNDAY WITH THE FRONT MOVING OFFSHORE SUNDAY NIGHT. BEHIND THE FRONT HIGH PRESSURE ALONG WITH COOLER AND DRIER AIR WILL MOVE INTO THE REGION WITH OVERNIGHT LOW TEMPERATURES EXPECTED TO FALL IN TO THE LOWER 60S. THE HIGH PRESSURE WILL REMAIN DOMINANT OVER THE AREA FROM SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY. TEMPERATURES THROUGH THE LONG TERM WILL BE NEAR TO SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL FOR FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...THEN SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY. && .AVIATION /15Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... STRATUS AND STRATOCU CONTINUE TO LIFT AS SURFACE HEATING HAS BROUGHT TEMPERATURES INTO THE UPPER 70S AND LOWER 80S. MAYBE 1-2 MORE HOURS OF MVFR CEILINGS BUT SHOULD BECOME MOSTLY VFR BY NOON. WITH AFTERNOON HEATING...ATMOSPHERE WILL BECOME MORE UNSTABLE BUT MODELS NOT SHOWING BECOMING VERY UNSTABLE. MODELS GIVE ONLY MEAGER INSTABILITY WITH LIS -2/-4 AND CAPES AROUND 1000 J/KG BUT EXPECT STRONG LOW LEVEL LAPSE RATES WHICH MAY ALLOW SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP. IT LOOKS LIKE THE COVERAGE SHOULD BE LESS THAN YESTERDAY. DUE TO UNCERTAINTY AS TO THE TIMING AND LOCATION...DECIDED NOT TO INCLUDE AT TAF SITES. ANY THAT DO AFFECT ANY TAF SITE MAY HAVE BRIEF IFR-MVFR CONDITIONS. A FEW SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MAY LINGER INTO THE EVENING HOURS BUT ARE EXPECTED TO BE GONE BY 04Z OR MIDNIGHT. AFTER MIDNIGHT... NAM BUFKIT IS SHOWING LOW LEVEL WINDS SOUTHWEST AT 10-15 KNOTS BELOW 1 KFT. SO NOT MUCH IN THE WAY OF FOG EXPECTED BUT MVFR VSBYS STILL POSSIBLE AT AGS AND OGB NEAR SUNRISE THURSDAY. ANOTHER ISSUE IS STRATUS CEILINGS. RIGHT NOW...MODELS SUGGEST LESS LOW LEVEL MOISTURE THAN PREVIOUS DAYS. SO THE POTENTIAL FOR LOW CEILINGS HAS DIMINISHED. WITH LOW CONFIDENCE...DECIDED NOT TO INCLUDE IFR CEILINGS THURSDAY MORNING AT TAF SITES. EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...RESTRICTIONS MAINLY FOR AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. && .CAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SC...NONE. GA...NONE. && $$ 07
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS NORTHERN INDIANA
423 PM EDT WED SEP 5 2012 .SHORT TERM... TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT. SHORT/SMALL WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY WRT DESTABILIZATION INADOV SFC FNTL BNDRY ACRS XTRM SERN WI/NRN IL/ERN IA/MO LATE THIS AFTN. OF NOTE HAS BEEN SPC RAP FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY ASSESS DOWNSTREAM STABILIZATION AMID WAKE OF MATURE BUBBLE MESOHIGH BEHIND LATE AM/ERLY AFTN LINEAR CONVECTION THAT NOW ARCHES FM NRN OH TO OH RVR VALLEY. WHILE EWD ADVANCE OF STEEP 7-5H LAPSE RATES OF 8-9 C/KM OMINOUS...THE CERTAINLY FAR FROM PRISTINE 0-3KM THERMODYNAMIC ENVIRON ACRS NERN IL/CWA AMID DENSE CONVECTIVE DEBRIS AND WELL OVERTURNED ATMOS...WL LKLY QUELL ALL BUT JUST A FLEETING HOPE FOR ANY FIRM CONVECTIVE MAINTENANCE WITH ERN EXTENT. GIVEN CONDITIONALITY WRT LATE AFTN INITIATION WITH MODEST LLVL WIND PROFILE/LWST 100 MB CONVERGENCE AHEAD OF FNT...AND ADDED CONDITIONALITY FURTHER DOWNSTREAM...HAVE CHOSE LOWER END GUID WITH NO HIER THAN MID RANGE CHC POPS AFT 02 UTC. SEVERE RISK ALSO APPEARS TO BE WANING...BUT WL LET HWO CONTINUE TO COVER WITH HIEST RISKS ACRS SRN CWA/ALONG PROGGED OVERLAP OF SFC CAPE RESERVOIR AND MODERATE DEEP LYR SHEAR/INCRSG THIS EVE AS 50 KT 5H WNWLY FLOW ACRS IL/WI SURGES EWD. NIL WX AFTER TONIGHT IN DRYING LLVL ATMOS. HAVE LWRD TEMPS INVOF KBEH SUBSTANTIALLY TMWR NIGHT IN WEAKENING SFC FLOW AS 1018 MB PLAINS HIGH SETTLES ACRS SRN GRTLKS...FAVORING COOL DRAINAGE ALONG LAKESHORE NEAR DAYBREAK FRI. && .LONG TERM... FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...A SIGNIFICANT TROF WILL MOVE ACROSS THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES REGION EARLY IN THE PERIOD. BOTH THE GFS AND THE ECMWF HAVE ABANDONED THE EARLY CUT OFF LOW SOLUTION FROM MANY PREVIOUS RUNS IN LIEU OF A MORE PROGRESSIVE OPEN WAVE SOLUTION DUE TO MORE PHASING WITH THE NORTHERN STREAM AND THE APPROACH OF ANOTHER UPSTREAM UPPER TROF. HOWEVER...THE ONGOING TIMING OF THE ARRIVAL OF THE MAIN TROF OVER THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES REGION STILL APPEARS ON TRACK WITH THE BEST CHANCE FOR RAIN FRIDAY NIGHT. KEPT SHOWERS LIKELY FRIDAY NIGHT. ADDED A CHANCE FOR THUNDER SOUTHEAST HALF PER ECMWF WITH EMBEDDED STORMS POSSIBLE GIVEN MOISTURE AND LIFT AVAILABLE. OTHERWISE...COOLER AND DRY CONDITIONS SUNDAY AND MONDAY FOLLOWED BY A RETURN TO ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES WEDNESDAY AND THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGE BUILDS EAST AHEAD OF THE NEXT UPPER LEVEL TROF CAN BE EXPECTED. THE 500 MB CANADIAN AND GFS ANALOGS ALSO SUPPORT TEMPERATURES RISING ABOVE NORMAL. && .AVIATION... /18 UTC TAF/ UPSTREAM DESTABILIZATION RATHER SLOW TO RECOMMENCE HAS PLACED ADDED CONDITIONALITY UPON CONVECTION ASSOCD WITH PRIMARY FRONTAL BOUNDARY XTNDG FM SCNTL WI SEWD THROUGH IA TO NWRN MO LATER THIS AFTN. TIMING WOULD PLACE THIS INTO NWRN IN AFTER SUNSET. ADDED UNCERTAINTY WRT UNFAVORABLE CONVECTION MAINTENANCE WITH DOWNSTREAM EXTENT WITH SFC STABILIZATION INCRSG AND MEAGER LLVL WIND FIELD. FOR NOW HAVE COVERED GRTST POTNL TIMEFRAME WITH 4 HOUR VCTS GROUPINGS AS GRTR CONFIDENCE FOR TEMPO LACKING ATTM. && .IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IN...NONE. MI...NONE. OH...NONE. LM...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...MURPHY LONG TERM...SKIPPER AVIATION...MURPHY
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NWS ST LOUIS MO
107 PM CDT WED SEP 5 2012 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 1240 PM CDT WED SEP 5 2012 SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVERSPREAD THE AREA THIS MORNING COINCIDENT WITH MULTIPLE OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES AND AN MCV DRIFTING ACROSS THE REGION FROM SW MISSOURI. THUS FAR...RAINFALL AND CLOUDCOVER HAVE KEPT TEMPERATURES QUITE A BIT COOLER THAN ORIGINALLY EXPECTED...AND DESPITE A REBOUND ON TAP FOR THIS AFTERNOON AS THE CLOUDS DISSIPATE...CURRENTLY DO NOT EXPECT THE METRO AREA TO REACH HEAT ADVISORY CRITERIA. LOCATIONS ACROSS SOUTHEASTERN MISSOURI AND SOUTHERN ILLINOIS HOWEVER...WHERE PRECIPITATION AND CLOUDCOVER HAD LESS OF AN IMPACT...COULD VERY WELL SEE HEAT INDICES IN THE 100-105 DEGREE RANGE. SO HAVE CONTINUED THE ADVISORY FOR THOSE AREAS. THE BIG QUESTION THAT REMAINS IS WHETHER ENOUGH DESTABILIZATION WILL OCCUR TO SUPPORT CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING IN THE WARM SECTOR AHEAD OF THE APPROACHING COLD FRONT. MODELS DID NOT CAPTURE THIS MORNINGS ACTIVITY VERY WELL...THOUGH THE MOST RECENT RUN OF THE HRRR DOES FIRE SOME STORMS LATE THIS AFTERNOON AHEAD OF THE FRONT. GIVEN UNCERTAINTY...HAVE CONTINUED CHANCE-HIGH CHANCE POPS FOR THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING. JP && .SHORT TERM... ISSUED AT 331 AM CDT WED SEP 5 2012 (TODAY AND TONIGHT) CHALLENGING FORECAST FOR TODAY...MULTIPLE OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES ARE MOVING INTO THE CWFA FROM THE WEST...THE NORTH-NORTHWEST..AND THE NORTHEAST THIS MORNING. THE AFFECTS OF WHICH MAY BE MANIFOLD. THE OVERALL SYNOPTIC PATTERN LOOKS QUITE HOT. AM DISCOUNTING THE GFS/MAV TEMPERATURES FOR TODAY SINCE IT`S BEEN TOO COLD ALL SUMMER. THE NAM LOOKS MORE REASONABLE WITH HIGHS OF 95 TO 103 ACROSS THE CWFA. 00Z 850MB ANALYSIS FROM LAST NIGHT SHOWS 24-25C AIR LURKING JUST TO OUR SOUTHWEST AND HIGHS REACHED THE 96-105F RANGE ACROSS SOUTHWEST MISSOURI...ARKANSAS...EASTERN KANSAS...AND OKLAHOMA YESTERDAY. I SEE NO REASON THAT WE WON`T GET THAT WARM TODAY...EXCEPT FOR THOSE PESKY OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES AND CONVECTIVE DEBRIS FROM NOCTURNAL CONVECTION. HOWEVER...AM GOING TO STICK WITH A WARM FORECAST TODAY. AM THINKING THAT THE CONVECTIVE DEBRIS WILL CLEAR THE AREA BY MID MORNING AND SHOULDN`T HAVE THAT MUCH IMPACT ON TEMPERATURES. THE OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES AREN`T COOLING THINGS OFF EITHER...ALL THEY`RE DOING IS MIXING DOWN WARMER AIR ALOFT...AND TEMPERATURES ARE ACTUALLY RISING AS THEY PASS. OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES COULD SERVE AS FOCI FOR CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT THIS AFTERNOON...AND IF CONVECTIVE INITIATION OCCURS TOO EARLY WOULD BE THE PRIMARY REASON FOR A HIGH TEMPERATURE BUST. REGARDLESS...HIGH DEWPOINTS AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT OVER EASTERN MISSOURI AND PARTS OF SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS COMBINED WITH TEMPERATURES NEAR 100 WILL LIKELY CAUSE HEAT INDEX VALUES AROUND 105. HAVE GONE AHEAD AND ISSUED A HEAT ADVISORY TO COVER THIS. EXPECTING SOME DRIER AIR TO MIX DOWN ACROSS CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST MISSOURI/WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS WHICH SHOULD HEAT INDEX VALUES BELOW 105. TONIGHT SHOULD BE INTERESTING...NAM IS HINTING THAT A STRONG THUNDERSTORM COMPLEX WILL DEVELOP SOMEWHERE OVER NORTHERN/WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS OR EASTERN IOWA AND DROP SOUTHEAST. NAM AND RAP DEVELOP EYE-POPPING MUCAPE VALUES IN EXCESS OF 4800 J/KG IN THOSE AREAS AHEAD OF THE FRONT EARLY THIS AFTERNOON TO SUPPORT THE CONVECTION...AND 0-6KM SHEAR VALUES IN EXCESS OF 30KTS ARE MORE THAN ENOUGH TO SUPPORT SEVERE WEATHER. THINK A LARGE SEVERE MCS IS LIKELY UP THERE...JUST UNSURE HOW FAR SOUTH INTO OUR AREA IT WILL EXTEND. THINK THAT SOME PARTS OF OUR AREA WILL DEFINITELY SEE THUNDERSTORMS...IF NOT SOME SEVERE WEATHER...JUST UNSURE WHAT THE AREAL EXTENT WILL BE...SO HAVE KEPT CHANCE-HIGH CHANCE GOING FOR NOW. CARNEY && .LONG TERM... ISSUED AT 357 AM CDT WED SEP 5 2012 (THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY) CURRENT THINKING REMAINS BASICALLY UNCHANGED THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. TONIGHT`S COLD FRONT SHOULD BE THROUGH MOST OF THE AREA BY 12Z THURSDAY MORNING. THE FRONT HANGS UP ACROSS EXTREME SOUTHERN MISSOURI OR NORTHERN ARKANSAS THURSDAY TEMPERATURES SHOULD BE 8-10 DEGREES COOLER THURSDAY BEHIND THE FRONT...AND BOTH THE GFS AND NAM HAVE IT FAR ENOUGH SOUTH THAT ONLY EXTREME SOUTHEAST MISSOURI SHOULD HAVE ANY POSSIBILITY OF RAIN. THURSDAY NIGHT THE MAJOR SHORTWAVE DROPS INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS CAUSING THE LOW LEVEL JET TO TO RAMP UP OVER KANSAS AND MISSOURI. ALL MODELS SHOW GOOD LOW LEVEL MOISTURE CONVERGENCE AND SPREAD PRECIP OVER MUCH OF WESTERN AND NORTHERN MISSOURI OVERNIGHT. BY FRIDAY AS THE SHORTWAVE SWINGS INTO NEBRASKA THERE SHOULD BE WIDESPREAD PRECIP ACROSS THE AREA. RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD COME END BEHIND THE COLD FRONT LATE FRIDAY NIGHT. STILL THINK THERE COULD BE SOME SCATTERED AFTERNOON SHOWERS SATURDAY AS COLD ADVECTION CONTINUES...THOUGH LATEST RUNS OF THE ECMWF AND GFS ARE DRIER THAN YESTERDAY`S. SHOULD HAVE A STRETCH OF BEAUTIFUL EARLY-FALL WEATHER SUNDAY AND MONDAY WITH HIGHS IN THE 70S AND LOWS IN THE 50S. COULD SEE SOME WARMER TEMPERATURES BUILD BACK INTO THE AREA BY TUESDAY AS THE ECMWF DEVELOPS AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE OVER THE AREA. CARNEY && .AVIATION... ISSUED AT 1240 PM CDT WED SEP 5 2012 QUITE A BIT OF UNCERTAINTY THROUGH THIS FORECAST PERIOD. ONGOING CONVECTION ACROSS THE REGION HAS TAPERED OFF ACROSS MISSOURI AND CONTINUES TO MOVE EASTWARD THROUGH ILLINOIS...AND WAS NOT CAPTURED WELL BY ANY OF THE MODELS. HENCE...THE POSSIBILITY OF THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON REMAINS UNCERTAIN DUE TO LINGERING CLOUDCOVER AND STABLILZATION. THUS...HAVE CARRIED VFR CONDITIONS THROUGH THE VALID TAF PERIOD FOR ALL SITES...WITH TEMPOS FOR SOME LIGHT RAIN AS SHOWERS SLOWLY PERCOLATE ACROSS THE METRO AREA TAF SITES. A COLD FRONT IS STILL PROGGED TO MOVE THROUGH THE AREA THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT...WHICH WILL VEER WINDS AROUND TO THE NORTHWEST TONIGHT...AND NORTH ON THURSDAY. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR CONDITIONS AND REASSESS THE FORECAST AS NEEDED DEPENDING ON ANY CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE APPROACHING FRONT. SPECIFICS FOR KSTL... JUST A FEW SHOWERS LINGERING ACROSS THE METRO AREA THIS AFTERNOON IN THE WAKE OF MORNING CONVECTION...THUS HAVE INCLUDED A BRIEF TEMPO FROM 18-19Z THIS AFTERNOON FOR SOME LIGHT RAIN AT THE TERMINAL. STABLIZATION DUE TO CLOUDCOVER AND COOLER TEMPERATURES COULD HINDER CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT THIS AFTERNOON AHEAD OF THE APPROACHING COLD FRONT...THOUGH CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE TO BE CLOSELY MONITORED. CONDIFENCE IS TOO LOW AT THE MOMENT TO INCLUDE MENTION OF PRECIPITATION IN THE TAF BEYOND THE TEMPO GROUP...WITH VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGH THE FORECAST AND WINDS VEERING TO THE NORTH BEHIND THE APPROACHING FRONT WHICH SHOULD MAKE IT THROUGH THE TERMINAL BY 00-03Z THIS EVENING. JP && .LSX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MO...HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR IRON MO-MADISON MO- REYNOLDS MO-ST. FRANCOIS MO-STE. GENEVIEVE MO. IL...HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR RANDOLPH IL. && $$ WFO LSX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS ELKO NV
314 PM PDT WED SEP 5 2012 .SYNOPSIS...CURRENTLY...HIGH PRESSURE IS HOVERING OVER THE SILVER STATE. MEANWHILE AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE IS MOVING INTO CALIFORNIA AND WILL CLIP NORTHWESTERN NEVADA TONIGHT. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE LATE THIS EVENING. OVER NORTHEASTERN NEVADA...THE LOWS WILL DIP INTO THE FORTIES LATE TONIGHT AND EARLY THURSDAY. THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE THURSDAY AFTERNOON. && .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY. THE NAM12 DEPICTS ENHANCED CAPES AND PWS OVER CENTRAL NEVADA TODAY. ISOLATED CONVECTION POSSIBLE ALTHOUGH THE BEST INGREDIENTS WILL MATERIALIZE JUST SOUTH OF THE LKN CWA. AS TIME ELAPSES...PACIFIC ENERGY WILL CLIP THE NORTHWEST PORTION OF THE LKN CWA TONIGHT...POSSIBLY FUELING A FEW DRY THUNDERSTORMS. THE FGEN FORCING WITH THIS SYSTEM LOOKS ANEMIC BUT THE UPPER LEVEL DIFFLUENCE WILL BE THERE...EVEN IF TEMPORARILY. THE NAM12 AND THE HRRR ARE BOTH PINGING INTO CONVECTION AGAIN TOMORROW OVER THE CENTRAL ZONES AS MOISTURE GETS ENTRAINED INTO THE BACK SIDE OF THE MID-LEVEL LOW. THE NAM12 IS PROJECTING NEGATIVE VALUES OF LI FROM TONOPAH TO CEDAR CITY BY 21Z AND WELL UP TO DENIO AND JACKPOT BY 00Z...COUPLED WITH A SURGE IN PWS AND +200 J/KG OF CAPE. THE ELY SOUNDING...IS BY FAR...THE MOST IMPRESSIVE WITH TOMORROWS ROUND OF CONVECTION...COMPLETE WITH A CLASSIC INVERTED-V PROFILE AND THE DEEPEST LAYER OF MOISTURE. .LONG TERM...THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH NEXT WEDNESDAY. DRY AND QUIET TO START...BUT RAMPING UP AS FOUR CORNERS LOW AND NORTHEAST PACIFIC HIGH WORK IN TANDEM TO BRING YET MORE SUBTROPICAL MOISTURE INTO THE GREAT BASIN ON THE WEEKEND. THE UPPER LOW DRIFTS TO THE NORTHEAST ALLOWING THE RIDGE TO COME WEST ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY...WHICH INHIBITS MOISTURE FLOW INTO THE REGION. AS THE LOW MOVE OVER THE RIDGE...THE RIDGE FLATTENS AND CREEPS EAST A BIT ALLOWING PW`S TO SHOOT BACK INTO CENTRAL AND NORTHERN NEVADA. BY SUNDAY AFTERNOON...LOOKING AT PW`S IN THE 0.75" TO 0.90" RANGE OVER MOST OF THE AREA. THIS PW AREA ACTUALLY CREEPS BACK IN SOONER THAN THE WEEKEND...BUT LI`S ARE NOT FAVORABLE FOR CONVECTION UNTIL SUNDAY. THEREAFTER...THUNDERSTORMS ARE IN THE FORECAST FOR THE SOUTHEAST HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA...EAST OF LINE FROM ROUGHLY JACKPOT TO TONOPAH THROUGH THE REST OF THE LONG RANGE PERIOD. TEMPS WILL REMAIN ABOVE NORMAL IN THE DAY...WITH NEAR TO SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL AT NIGHT. THE FROST/FREEZE PROGRAM ENDS ON SEP 15...AND IT APPEARS THAT WE MAY NOT BE ISSUING ANY WARNINGS OR ADVISORIES...UNLESS THINGS REALLY CHANGE. && .AVIATION...VFR THROUGH 00Z FRIDAY. ISOLATED -TSRA WILL AFFECT THE VICINITY OF KTPH AND KELY 00Z THURSDAY THROUGH ABOUT 04Z THURSDAY. ANOTHER ROUND OF VICINITY -TSRA WILL AFFECT KTPH...KELY...AND KWMC ON THURSDAY AFTERNOON. AROUND KEKO...SOME CU BUILDUPS BUT NOT BECOMING TS. DRAINAGE WINDS OVERNIGHT...BECOMING SW TO W 10-20 KNOTS AT ALL SITES AFTER 20Z THURSDAY. && .FIRE WEATHER...A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL CLIP NORTHWEST NEVADA TONIGHT PRODUCING ISOLATED DRY THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE WESTERN PORTION OF 467. NEW STARTS POSSIBLE. A SECOND AREA OF CONCERN WILL BE OVER CENTRAL NEVADA WHERE MOISTURE IS PRESENT. LIGHTNING STRIKES ALREADY OBSERVED OVER THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF 457 WHERE THE BEST PWS HAVE BEEN PROGGED FOR THIS EVENING. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED OVER CENTRAL ZONES...HOWEVER...EXPECTING A MIX OF DRY AND WET THUNDERSTORMS. MODELS DEPICT A MORE ROBUST ROUND OF MOISTURE OVER 457 AND 455 TOMORROW AFTERNOON. && .LKN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ 97/98/98/97
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CHARLESTON WV
611 PM EDT WED SEP 5 2012 .SYNOPSIS... AFTERNOON CONVECTION...FOLLOWED BY DYING MCS MOVING INTO NORTHEAST KY AND EXTREME SOUTHERN WV THIS EVENING. COLD FRONT ARRIVES THURSDAY FOLLOWED BY AN UPPER LEVEL LOW AND SURFACE COLD FRONT FOR THE WEEKEND. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM THURSDAY MORNING/... UPDATED POPS/WX PER LATEST RADAR IMAGES SHOWING DIURNAL CONVECTION DEVELOPING ACROSS THE SOUTHERN THIRD OF WV. SO...WENT MORE DETERMINISTIC WITH HIGH LIKELIES. ONLY THE OLD RUN FROM THE HRRR DEPICTED THIS ACTIVITY WITH THE REST OF MODELS OVERDOING THE REST OF THE AREA WHICH REMAINS CLEAR SKIES AND DRY. THE NAM SHOWS FORCING IN THE MID LEVEL OMEGA REACHING THE SOUTHERN COAL FIELDS LATE THIS EVENING BY 00Z THU...BUT BELIEVE THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE APPROACHING MCS FEATURE INTO NORTHEAST KY...WELL AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION BELOW... ALMOST LIKE A MID SUMMER PATTERN WHERE WEAK FLOW IS DOMINATED BY MESOSCALE INFLUENCES...BEFORE COLD FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE WEST LATER THURSDAY. THE HI RES MODELS HAVE DONE A POOR JOB INITIALIZING MCS OVER INDIANA THIS MORNING...AND APPARENTLY TOO AGGRESSIVE IN PUSHING WEAK FRONT AND DEEPER MOISTURE OUT OF AREA THIS AFTERNOON. THE NAM HAS DONE A BETTER JOB THAN THE GFS...AND WILL USE NAM DETAILS. STILL...WILL HAVE TO BE MORE AGGRESSIVE THAN MODELS EARLY IN TONIGHT PERIOD FOR EFFECTS OF THE INDIANA MCS AS IT MOVES EAST AND WEAKENS. WILL INTRODUCE LOW POPS OVER SOUTHWEST THIRD OF AREA EARLY TONIGHT TO ACCOUNT FOR POSSIBLE MCS BEFORE IN SINKS SOUTH OUT OF THE AREA LATE TONIGHT. ALSO...WILL DOWN PLAY NAM AGGRESSIVENESS ON ANOTHER MCS DROPPING SOUTHEAST OUT OF NORTHERN INDIANA LATER TONIGHT...UNTIL WE SEE EFFECTS OF PRECEDING MCS. IN SHORT...HAVE SOME SORT OF LOW POPS OVER THE WESTERN AND SOUTHERN PORTIONS OVERNIGHT. TEMPS AGAIN OVERNIGHT WILL BE HIGHER THAN GUIDANCE WITH THE HIGH MOISTURE...CLOSER TO MET NUMBERS. FOR THURSDAY...COLD FRONT COMES ACROSS FROM THE NORTHWEST...MANLY AFFECTING THE AREA IN THE AFTERNOON. AGAIN...UNCERTAINTY ON HOW VIGOROUS THIS FRONT AND CONVECTION WILL BE PROMPTS A CHANCE POP WITH THE FRONT. TEMPS WILL BE ON THE HIGH SIDE OF GUIDANCE...HITTING 90 MANY LOCATIONS. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/... PRECIP WILL COME TO AN END FROM WEST TO EAST THURSDAY NIGHT AS WEAK FRONT PULLS AWAY/DISSIPATES. NAM LINGERS MOISTURE INTO FRIDAY...WHILE GFS IS A BIT FASTER MOVING IT OUT. HAVE SLIGHT CHANCE POPS IN THE MOUNTAINS FRIDAY AFTERNOON TO ACCOUNT FOR ANY ISOLATED DIURNAL CONVECTION THAT MAY DEVELOP. ONLY A SHORT BREAK BEFORE THE NEXT SYSTEM MOVES IN FOR THE WEEKEND. MODELS AND ENSEMBLES HAVE CONTINUED TRENDING TOWARDS THE IDEA OF AN OPEN TROUGH...AND KEEP IT FAIRLY PROGRESSIVE. WITH THIS IN MIND...SPED UP ENTIRE SYSTEM A BIT...WITH SLIGHT CHANCE POPS ENTERING SE OHIO LATE FRIDAY EVENING AND INTO THE WV MOUNTAINS OVERNIGHT. THEN HAVE LIKELY POPS INTO SE OHIO BY SATURDAY MORNING AND THE WV MOUNTAINS EARLY SATURDAY AFTERNOON. KEPT THE HIGHEST POPS ALONG AND IN FRONT OF THE SURFACE COLD FRONT...WHICH SHOULD CROSS THE OHIO RIVER 18Z-20Z AND EXIT EAST OF FORECAST AREA SATURDAY NIGHT. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... MADE WHOLESALE CHANGES TO THE LONG TERM FORECAST AS MODELS COMING INTO BETTER AGREEMENT THAN YESTERDAY...NOW SHOWING OPEN WAVE SWINGING THROUGH OVER THE WEEKEND...AND A THING OF THE PAST AS WE HEAD INTO THE WORK WEEK. LINGER CHANCE AND SLIGHT CHANCE POPS THROUGH SUNDAY...MOVING OUT SUNDAY NIGHT AS THE UPPER TROUGH MOVES EAST AND OUT TO SEA. THIS WILL PROVIDE A MAINLY DRY FORECAST FOR THE REST OF THE LONG TERM. DID NOT INCLUDE ANY POPS FOR THE WORK WEEK AT THIS TIME DUE TO LACKING MOISTURE...BUT WITH NORTHWEST FLOW IT MAY BE POSSIBLE TO GET A LITTLE SHORTWAVE RIPPLE THAT COULD POP A SHOWER OR TWO AT SOME POINT. TEMPERATURES WILL START OFF BELOW NORMAL ON MONDAY...WITH A GRADUAL WARMING TREND TO NEAR NORMAL BY MID TO LATE WEEK AS UPPER RIDGE MOVES INTO SOUTHERN PLAINS. && .AVIATION /22Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... 18Z WEDNESDAY THRU 12Z THURSDAY... INCREASED CONVECTION THRU EARLY AFTERNOON OVER SOUTHEASTERN WV AND SOUTHWEST VA AS EASTWARD MOVING SHORT WAVE AND WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY COLLIDE WITH DEEPER MOISTURE. MAIN EFFECT WILL BE AT BKW. THIS SHORT WAVE WILL EXIT MOUNTAINS BY 21Z WITH CONVECTION DIMINISHING. VFR OUTSIDE OF CONVECTION THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. DYING EASTWARD MOVING MCS FROM INDIANA MAY CLIP THE SOUTHWESTERN THIRD OF THE AREA EARLY TONIGHT AS IT TRIES TO DROP SOUTHEAST...POSSIBLY AFFECTING HTS. ANOTHER MCS MAY DEVELOP AND TRACK SOUTHEAST FROM NORTHERN INDIANA TO AFFECT NORTHWEST PORTIONS OF AREA AFTER 08Z. ALL THIS OVERNIGHT ACTIVITY FORECAST IS WITH LOW CONFIDENCE...AND WILL GO OPTIMISTIC FOR MAINLY MID CLOUDS WITH THESE SYSTEMS. HOWEVER...FOG WILL FROM LATER TONIGHT AFTER 06Z...ESPECIALLY EAST PORTIONS WITH LESSER CLOUDS. WILL GO WITH MVFR TO LOCALLY IFR FOG UNTIL 12Z. AFTER 12Z...VFR CEILINGS WITH INCREASING CHANCE FOR JUST AFTER THIS PERIOD AS COLD FRONT APPROACHES. FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND ALTERNATE SCENARIOS THROUGH 00Z FRIDAY... FORECAST CONFIDENCE: LOW. ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: EVOLUTION OF ANY OVERNIGHT COMPLEXES WILL DETERMINE AMOUNT OF CLOUD AND FOG. EXPERIMENTAL TABLE OF FLIGHT CATEGORY OBJECTIVELY SHOWS CONSISTENCY OF WFO FORECAST TO AVAILABLE MODEL INFORMATION: H = HIGH: TAF CONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL. M = MEDIUM: TAF HAS VARYING LEVEL OF CONSISTENCY WITH MODELS. L = LOW: TAF INCONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL. UTC 1HRLY 20 21 22 23 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 EDT 1HRLY 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 00 01 02 03 CRW CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H H H H HTS CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H H M H BKW CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H H H H EKN CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H H H L PKB CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H H M H CKB CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H H M H AFTER 00Z FRIDAY... IFR FOG EXPECTED AT MOST TERMINALS 06 TO 12Z THURSDAY. BRIEF IFR POSSIBLE IN THUNDERSTORMS SATURDAY. && .RLX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WV...NONE. OH...NONE. KY...NONE. VA...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...ARJ/JMV/MZ NEAR TERM...JMV SHORT TERM...MZ LONG TERM...MZ AVIATION...JMV
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
530 PM EDT WED SEP 5 2012 .SYNOPSIS... DEEP TROPICAL MOISTURE CURRENTLY OVER THE REGION WILL BEGIN TO PROGRESSIVELY LESSENING THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY. A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL MOVE OVER THE CAROLINAS THIS WEEKEND FOLLOWED BY HIGH PRESSURE THAT WILL PROVIDE COOLER AND DRYER WEATHER INTO THE FIRST OF NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY/... 530 PM EDT UPDATE...MADE LOWERING CHANGES TO THE POPS/QPF BASED ON RADAR TRENDS WV IMAGERY AND WRF/ARW OUTPUT. VERY WEAK FORCING ACROSS THE NRN ZONES AND ACTUAL SUBSIDENCE SOUTH ACROSS THE UPSTATE AND NE GA HAVE PRECLUDED A SIGFNT CONVECTIVE THREAT IN STRENGTH AND SPATIALLY THIS EVENING FOR AREAS OUTSIDE THE CENT/NRN NC MTNS AS WELL AS AREAS SOUTH OF I40. MADE COSMETIC CHANGES TO THE SKY GRIDS AND MINOR TWEAKS TO TEMPS/TDS...MAINLY ACROSS THE NC MTNS. THE LATEST WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SHOWS DRIER MID LEVEL AIR SPREADING ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 40. THE MID LEVEL FLOW IS QUITE WEAK OVER THE UPSTATE...NE GA AND FAR SRN NC AS A SPUR OF DEEP LAYER RIDGING HAS PUSHED INTO THE FA FROM THE WEST...FINALLY DISPLACING THE WEAK...MOIST TROUGH THAT HAD BEEN OVER THE REGION FOR THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS. THE RAP BRINGS A WEAK SHORT WAVE ACROSS WESTERN NC THIS EVENING. LLVL CONVERGENCE IS INCREASING OVER THE NC MTNS AND FOOTHILLS AHEAD OF THE WAVE. THE MODELS ARE SPLIT ON HOW FAR SOUTHEAST THIS CONVECTION GETS. THE GFS KEEPS IT OVER THE MTNS AND FOOTHILLS...WHILE THE RAP AND NAM PUSH IT INTO THE NRN SUBURBS OF CHARLOTTE. WITH THE FINGER OF DRIER AIR PUSHING INTO THE SRN PIEDMONT I/VE GONE WITH A FORECAST THAT KEEPS THE BEST CONVECTIVE CHANCES OVER THE MTNS AND FOOTHILLS WITH LOWER POPS ALONG AND SOUTH OF I-85 AND BACK ACROSS THE SW NC MTNS. THIS IS NOT TO SAY THAT STORMS WON/T PUSH INTO CHARLOTTE LATER THIS EVENING AS THE ATMOSPHERE IS NOT CAPPED AND IS MODERATELY UNSTABLE. HOWEVER...THIS DOES NOT LOOK LIKE THE MOST PROBABLE SOLUTION ATTM. PATCHY DENSE VALLEY FOG IS EXPECTED OVER THE MTNS TONIGHT. ACROSS THE FOOTHILLS AND PIEDMONT CONSIDERABLY LESS LOW CLOUD COVER IS ANTICIPATED OWNING TO A MORE WESTERLY COMPONENT TO THE LLVL WIND FIELD. A SHORT WAVE CURRENTLY OVER CENTRAL MISSOURI IS EXPECTED TO CROSS THE FORECAST AREA DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS ON THURSDAY. THE DEEP LAYER RH IS CONSIDERABLY HIGHER ON THU THAN TODAY ALONG AND AHEAD OF THIS WAVE. BY 21 UTC THE FEATURE IS EXPECTED TO BE OVER THE I-77 CORRIDOR AND IT WILL MOVE EAT OF CHARLOTTE BY THE EARLY EVENING. THE NAM AND GFS BOTH DEVELOP PCPN BY LATE MORNING AHEAD OF THE SHORT WAVE. THE NAM HAS PCPN ENDING WITH WEAKLY DIVERGENT LLVL FLOW OVER MOST OF THE FA DEVELOPING BETWEEN 21-00 UTC. THE WAY IT APPEARS NOW...A BAND OF SHRA AND A FEW TSTMS WILL DEVELOP DEVELOP OVER THE FOOTHILLS BY LATE MORNING...OR THEY MAY MOVE INTO THE MTNS AS A REMNANT OF A WEAKENING MCS. THE CONVECTION WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REST OF THE FOOTHILLS FROM EARLY TO MID AFTN AND EXIT TO THE EAST BY 6 OR 7 PM. THE SHEAR IS WEAK AND CONVECTION ISN/T EXPECTED TO BE HIGHLY ORGANIZED AND MOST OF THE STORMS SHOULD BE SUB-SEVERE. THIS IS GENERALLY SUPPORTED BY THE 12 UTC 4KM SPC WRF AS WELL. FOR NOW I/LL CAP POPS ARE 40 PERCENT...WITH POPS FALLING OFF QUICKLY TOWARD SUNSET. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/... AS OF 2 PM EDT WEDNESDAY...THE CONSENSUS OF THE MODEL GUIDANCE MAINTAINS THAT THE PLUME OF DEEPER MOISTURE WILL HAVE SHIFTED EASTWARD TO THE COASTAL PLAIN. IN THE WAKE OF A WEAK UPPER WAVE... THE ENVIRONMENT SHOULD BE LESS FAVORABLE FOR DEEP CONVECTION. THE CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AND STORMS SHOULD DROP IN THE EARLY EVENING AS THE FORCING AND MOISTURE MOVE OFF TO THE EAST...TO THE POINT WHERE THE FCST IS DRY EAST OF THE MTNS FROM 03Z ONWARD. THERE COULD BE A FEW LINGERING SHOWERS OVER THE MTNS UNTIL LATE EVENING. FRIDAY LOOKS LIKE A RELATIVELY QUIET TRANSITION DAY WHILE WE WAIT FOR THE FORCING AND MOISTURE TO RELOAD. A STRONG SHORT WAVE OVER THE UPPER MS VALLEY WILL DIG AN UPPER TROF DOWN OVER THE UPPER MIDWEST AND GREAT LAKES THROUGH THE DAY...WHICH WILL GRADUALLY TURN THE FLOW ALOFT MORE SW. UPPER FORCING WILL BE MINIMAL. THERE SHOULD BE ENOUGH LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AND BUOYANCY TO SUPPORT SCATTERED SHOWERS AND STORMS DEVELOPING OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN WITH DIFFERENTIAL HEATING...WITH SOME OF THE STORMS MOVING OUT OVER THE FOOTHILLS AND PIEDMONT IN THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. THE STORMS EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE WILL DIE OFF WITH SUNSET...BUT WILL KEEP THE CHANCE OF PRECIP GOING OVERNIGHT ON THE W SIDE OF THE MTNS IN CASE SOME ACTIVITY MOVES IN FROM THE WEST AHEAD OF THE NEXT FRONT. THE UPPER TROF CONTINUES TO DIG OVER THE MIDWEST/OH VALLEY ON SATURDAY AS THE WAVE DROPS SOUTHEASTWARD. DEEP MOISTURE MOVES IN AHEAD OF THE WAVE TO BE ACTED UPON BY IMPROVED UPPER FORCING AS WE WORK THROUGH THE DAY. THE OPERATIONAL RUNS FROM ALL THREE MODELS ARE IN FAIRLY GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THE TIMING OF THE MAIN VORT AXIS REACHING THE GREAT VALLEY LATE IN THE DAY. THE NEW GFS SWEEPS THE UPPER TROF AXIS ACROSS THE WESTERN CAROLINAS OVERNIGHT WHILE THE 00Z RUN PUSHES IT THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING. EITHER WAY...BOTH MODELS SUGGEST AN EARLIER TIMING OF THE MAIN FRONTAL PRECIP BAND. WILL LIMIT THE PRECIP TO THE CHANCE RANGE FOR THE TIME BEING BUT WILL PROBABLY NEED A LIKELY POP FOR AT LEAST THE MTNS...BUT IT IS A MATTER OF WHICH PERIOD TO FOCUS ON...SATURDAY AFTERNOON OR SATURDAY NIGHT. WILL NOT RULE OUT SOME SEVERE STORMS IF THE FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH EARLY ENOUGH. AT THIS POINT...THINK MOST OF THE PRECIP WILL HAVE MOVED EAST OF THE FCST AREA BY SUNRISE ON SUNDAY...WHICH AGREES WITH THE HPC POSITION OF THE MAIN FRONT ON THE COAST AT THAT TIME. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... AS OF 1130 AM EDT WEDNESDAY...AFTER DEALING WITH A SEMI-TROPICAL AIR MASS FOR THE LAST TWO WEEKS...IT APPEARS AS THOUGH WE ARE IN FOR A PERIOD OF SPECTACULAR EARLY AUTUMN-LIKE WEATHER EARLY NEXT WEEK. BUT FIRST...WE HAVE TO GET A FRONT THROUGH THE CAROLINAS EARLY ON SUNDAY. THE GFS MOVES THE MAIN SHORT WAVE LOBE ACROSS THE WESTERN CAROLINAS EARLY SUNDAY MORNING WHILE THE ECMWF HAS THIS FEATURE CROSSING SUNDAY AFTERNOON. THE TIMING IS FASTER THAN PREVIOUSLY INDICATED...WITH THE MAIN SFC FRONT POTENTIALLY MOVING ACROSS THE AREA SATURDAY NIGHT. WILL BACK OFF TO A SLIGHT CHANCE ACROSS THE REGION ON SUNDAY AS A FEW SHOWERS COULD BE TRIGGERED BY A SECONDARY FRONT. EITHER WAY...THERE IS A STRONG INDICATION THAT THE PRECIP WILL BE LONG GONE BY SUNSET SUNDAY...SO THE PRECIP CHANCES ARE ELIMINATED ALTOGETHER AFTER 00Z MONDAY. THE UPPER TROF AXIS WILL REACH THE EASTERN SEABOARD BY MONDAY MORNING AND MOVE SLOWLY OFFSHORE THROUGH MIDWEEK...WHILE AN UPPER ANTICYCLONE REMAINS PARKED OVER THE SRN PLAINS. THE RESULTING UPPER RIDGE TO OUR NW WILL BRING DRY HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING IN SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY. ONCE ESTABLISHED...THIS SURFACE HIGH WILL DOMINATE OUR WEATHER AS IT MOVES SLOWLY PAST TO THE NORTH THROUGH WEDNESDAY. THIS SHOULD BRING MOSTLY CLEAR SKY...DRY AIR...HIGH TEMPS IN THE MID/UPPER 70S AND LOW TEMPS IN THE MID/UPPER 50S. THUS...MONDAY AND TUESDAY WILL FEEL MORE LIKE LATE SEPTEMBER OR EARLY OCTOBER. THE AIR MASS SHOULD START TO MODIFY A BIT BY WEDNESDAY. && .AVIATION /22Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... AT KCLT 21Z UPDATE...BASED ON THE FAIRLY DEEP STABLE LAYER GENERALLY ACROSS THE I-85 CORRIDOR...DECIDED TO REMOVE TEMPO -SHRA/VSBY AND REPLACE WITH A VCSH. A FEW TOWERS COULD GO UP AROUND THE AIRFIELD...BUT NO GOOD EVIDENCE IS HAD TO EXPECT A DIRECT TERMINAL IMPACT. ALSO...BASED ON COORDINATION WITH THE NATIONAL GUARD AND ZLT...AN MVFR CIG WAS INTRODUCED PRE/SUNRISE THROUGH 14Z. AT KCLT...THE BULK OF THE TSTM ACTIVITY IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER THE FOOTHILLS AND STAY 30 TO 50 MILES NORTHWEST OF THE AIRFIELD THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. HOWEVER...THERE IS A LINE OF TCU BACK ACROSS THE UPSTATE AND INTO THE SRN NC PIEDMONT THAT HAS BEEN PRODUCING OCCASIONAL LIGHT SHRA. ATTM I HAVE REPLACED TEMPO THUNDER WITH TEMPO SHRA IN THE TAF. IF STORMS DEVELOP FROM THE LINE OF TOWERS OVER THE UPSTATE WE SHOULD STILL HAVE A COUPLE OF HOURS OF LEAD TIME BEFORE THE STORMS AFFECT THE AIRFIELD. THE MODELS BRING SOME MID LEVEL MOISTURE INTO THE REGION TONIGHT. THE LLVL FLOW ALSO VEERS TO THE WEST. IF WE DON/T SEE ANY PCPN THIS EVENING...I THINK THE TWO FACTORS ABOVE SHOULD KEEP STRATUS FROM DEVELOPING OVER THE REGION TONIGHT. ELSEWHERE...OVER THE UPSTATE ONLY ISOLATED SHRA ARE EXPECTED THE REST OF THE AFTN. THERE IS A SMALL CHANCE THAT THE SHRA WILL BUILD INTO TSTMS...BUT FOR NOW I THINK THE RISK IS TOO SMALL TO INCLUDE THUNDER IN THE TAFS. WINDS WILL BE OUT OF THE SOUTHWEST AT SPEEDS UNDER 10 KTS. THERE WILL BE A BETTER CHANCE OF SHRA/TSTMS AT KAVL AND KHKY CLOSER TO A WEAK SFC TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE. THE FOG AND STRATUS FORECAST IS TRICKIER TONIGHT THAN IT HAS BEEN THE PAST COUPLE DAYS. WINDS WILL VEER TO THE WEST OVERNIGHT. STRATUS MAY APPROACH THE UPSTATE FROM THE SOUTHWEST LATE...BUT OVERALL I ONLY SEE SOME MVFR FOG DEVELOPING. THE EXCEPTION WILL BE THE FRENCH BROAD VALLEY WHERE VALLEY FOG AND STRATUS WILL BE MORE WIDESPREAD...PARTICULARLY IF THERE IS A PERIOD OF CLEARING OVERNIGHT. SHRA MAY SPREAD ACROSS THE MTNS AND FOOTHILLS SHORTLY AFTER SUNRISE AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT THOUGH I/VE TONED THIS BACK IN THE TAFS. OUTLOOK...GRADUAL DRYING FROM THE WEST IS EXPECTED ON THURSDAY...WITH DEEPER DRYING ON FRIDAY. A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH THE REGION FROM THE NORTHWEST ON SATURDAY AND MOVE EAST OF THE AREA ON SUNDAY. AN EXPERIMENTAL AVIATION FORECAST CONSISTENCY TABLE SHOWING THE PERCENTAGE OF GUIDANCE MEMBERS AGREEING WITH THE SCHEDULED ISSUANCE CATEGORY IS AVAILABLE AT FOLLOWING LINK (USE LOWER CASE)... WWW.WEATHER.GOV/GSP/AVIATION/TABLES.HTM && .GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...NONE. NC...NONE. SC...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...PM NEAR TERM...MCAVOY/SBK SHORT TERM...PM LONG TERM...PM AVIATION...MCAVOY/SBK
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
459 PM EDT WED SEP 5 2012 .SYNOPSIS... DEEP TROPICAL MOISTURE CURRENTLY OVER THE REGION WILL BEGIN TO PROGRESSIVELY LESSENING THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY. A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL MOVE OVER THE CAROLINAS THIS WEEKEND FOLLOWED BY HIGH PRESSURE THAT WILL PROVIDE COOLER AND DRYER WEATHER INTO THE FIRST OF NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY/... THE LATEST WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SHOWS DRIER MID LEVEL AIR SPREADING ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 40. THE MID LEVEL FLOW IS QUITE WEAK OVER THE UPSTATE...NE GA AND FAR SRN NC AS A SPUR OF DEEP LAYER RIDGING HAS PUSHED INTO THE FA FROM THE WEST...FINALLY DISPLACING THE WEAK...MOIST TROUGH THAT HAD BEEN OVER THE REGION FOR THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS. THE RAP BRINGS A WEAK SHORT WAVE ACROSS WESTERN NC THIS EVENING. LLVL CONVERGENCE IS INCREASING OVER THE NC MTNS AND FOOTHILLS AHEAD OF THE WAVE. THE MODELS ARE SPLIT ON HOW FAR SOUTHEAST THIS CONVECTION GETS. THE GFS KEEPS IT OVER THE MTNS AND FOOTHILLS...WHILE THE RAP AND NAM PUSH IT INTO THE NRN SUBURBS OF CHARLOTTE. WITH THE FINGER OF DRIER AIR PUSHING INTO THE SRN PIEDMONT I/VE GONE WITH A FORECAST THAT KEEPS THE BEST CONVECTIVE CHANCES OVER THE MTNS AND FOOTHILLS WITH LOWER POPS ALONG AND SOUTH OF I-85 AND BACK ACROSS THE SW NC MTNS. THIS IS NOT TO SAY THAT STORMS WON/T PUSH INTO CHARLOTTE LATER THIS EVENING AS THE ATMOSPHERE IS NOT CAPPED AND IS MODERATELY UNSTABLE. HOWEVER...THIS DOES NOT LOOK LIKE THE MOST PROBABLE SOLUTION ATTM. PATCHY DENSE VALLEY FOG IS EXPECTED OVER THE MTNS TONIGHT. ACROSS THE FOOTHILLS AND PIEDMONT CONSIDERABLY LESS LOW CLOUD COVER IS ANTICIPATED OWNING TO A MORE WESTERLY COMPONENT TO THE LLVL WIND FIELD. A SHORT WAVE CURRENTLY OVER CENTRAL MISSOURI IS EXPECTED TO CROSS THE FORECAST AREA DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS ON THURSDAY. THE DEEP LAYER RH IS CONSIDERABLY HIGHER ON THU THAN TODAY ALONG AND AHEAD OF THIS WAVE. BY 21 UTC THE FEATURE IS EXPECTED TO BE OVER THE I-77 CORRIDOR AND IT WILL MOVE EAT OF CHARLOTTE BY THE EARLY EVENING. THE NAM AND GFS BOTH DEVELOP PCPN BY LATE MORNING AHEAD OF THE SHORT WAVE. THE NAM HAS PCPN ENDING WITH WEAKLY DIVERGENT LLVL FLOW OVER MOST OF THE FA DEVELOPING BETWEEN 21-00 UTC. THE WAY IT APPEARS NOW...A BAND OF SHRA AND A FEW TSTMS WILL DEVELOP DEVELOP OVER THE FOOTHILLS BY LATE MORNING...OR THEY MAY MOVE INTO THE MTNS AS A REMNANT OF A WEAKENING MCS. THE CONVECTION WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REST OF THE FOOTHILLS FROM EARLY TO MID AFTN AND EXIT TO THE EAST BY 6 OR 7 PM. THE SHEAR IS WEAK AND CONVECTION ISN/T EXPECTED TO BE HIGHLY ORGANIZED AND MOST OF THE STORMS SHOULD BE SUB-SEVERE. THIS IS GENERALLY SUPPORTED BY THE 12 UTC 4KM SPC WRF AS WELL. FOR NOW I/LL CAP POPS ARE 40 PERCENT...WITH POPS FALLING OFF QUICKLY TOWARD SUNSET. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/... AS OF 2 PM EDT WEDNESDAY...THE CONSENSUS OF THE MODEL GUIDANCE MAINTAINS THAT THE PLUME OF DEEPER MOISTURE WILL HAVE SHIFTED EASTWARD TO THE COASTAL PLAIN. IN THE WAKE OF A WEAK UPPER WAVE... THE ENVIRONMENT SHOULD BE LESS FAVORABLE FOR DEEP CONVECTION. THE CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AND STORMS SHOULD DROP IN THE EARLY EVENING AS THE FORCING AND MOISTURE MOVE OFF TO THE EAST...TO THE POINT WHERE THE FCST IS DRY EAST OF THE MTNS FROM 03Z ONWARD. THERE COULD BE A FEW LINGERING SHOWERS OVER THE MTNS UNTIL LATE EVENING. FRIDAY LOOKS LIKE A RELATIVELY QUIET TRANSITION DAY WHILE WE WAIT FOR THE FORCING AND MOISTURE TO RELOAD. A STRONG SHORT WAVE OVER THE UPPER MS VALLEY WILL DIG AN UPPER TROF DOWN OVER THE UPPER MIDWEST AND GREAT LAKES THROUGH THE DAY...WHICH WILL GRADUALLY TURN THE FLOW ALOFT MORE SW. UPPER FORCING WILL BE MINIMAL. THERE SHOULD BE ENOUGH LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AND BUOYANCY TO SUPPORT SCATTERED SHOWERS AND STORMS DEVELOPING OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN WITH DIFFERENTIAL HEATING...WITH SOME OF THE STORMS MOVING OUT OVER THE FOOTHILLS AND PIEDMONT IN THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. THE STORMS EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE WILL DIE OFF WITH SUNSET...BUT WILL KEEP THE CHANCE OF PRECIP GOING OVERNIGHT ON THE W SIDE OF THE MTNS IN CASE SOME ACTIVITY MOVES IN FROM THE WEST AHEAD OF THE NEXT FRONT. THE UPPER TROF CONTINUES TO DIG OVER THE MIDWEST/OH VALLEY ON SATURDAY AS THE WAVE DROPS SOUTHEASTWARD. DEEP MOISTURE MOVES IN AHEAD OF THE WAVE TO BE ACTED UPON BY IMPROVED UPPER FORCING AS WE WORK THROUGH THE DAY. THE OPERATIONAL RUNS FROM ALL THREE MODELS ARE IN FAIRLY GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THE TIMING OF THE MAIN VORT AXIS REACHING THE GREAT VALLEY LATE IN THE DAY. THE NEW GFS SWEEPS THE UPPER TROF AXIS ACROSS THE WESTERN CAROLINAS OVERNIGHT WHILE THE 00Z RUN PUSHES IT THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING. EITHER WAY...BOTH MODELS SUGGEST AN EARLIER TIMING OF THE MAIN FRONTAL PRECIP BAND. WILL LIMIT THE PRECIP TO THE CHANCE RANGE FOR THE TIME BEING BUT WILL PROBABLY NEED A LIKELY POP FOR AT LEAST THE MTNS...BUT IT IS A MATTER OF WHICH PERIOD TO FOCUS ON...SATURDAY AFTERNOON OR SATURDAY NIGHT. WILL NOT RULE OUT SOME SEVERE STORMS IF THE FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH EARLY ENOUGH. AT THIS POINT...THINK MOST OF THE PRECIP WILL HAVE MOVED EAST OF THE FCST AREA BY SUNRISE ON SUNDAY...WHICH AGREES WITH THE HPC POSITION OF THE MAIN FRONT ON THE COAST AT THAT TIME. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... AS OF 1130 AM EDT WEDNESDAY...AFTER DEALING WITH A SEMI-TROPICAL AIR MASS FOR THE LAST TWO WEEKS...IT APPEARS AS THOUGH WE ARE IN FOR A PERIOD OF SPECTACULAR EARLY AUTUMN-LIKE WEATHER EARLY NEXT WEEK. BUT FIRST...WE HAVE TO GET A FRONT THROUGH THE CAROLINAS EARLY ON SUNDAY. THE GFS MOVES THE MAIN SHORT WAVE LOBE ACROSS THE WESTERN CAROLINAS EARLY SUNDAY MORNING WHILE THE ECMWF HAS THIS FEATURE CROSSING SUNDAY AFTERNOON. THE TIMING IS FASTER THAN PREVIOUSLY INDICATED...WITH THE MAIN SFC FRONT POTENTIALLY MOVING ACROSS THE AREA SATURDAY NIGHT. WILL BACK OFF TO A SLIGHT CHANCE ACROSS THE REGION ON SUNDAY AS A FEW SHOWERS COULD BE TRIGGERED BY A SECONDARY FRONT. EITHER WAY...THERE IS A STRONG INDICATION THAT THE PRECIP WILL BE LONG GONE BY SUNSET SUNDAY...SO THE PRECIP CHANCES ARE ELIMINATED ALTOGETHER AFTER 00Z MONDAY. THE UPPER TROF AXIS WILL REACH THE EASTERN SEABOARD BY MONDAY MORNING AND MOVE SLOWLY OFFSHORE THROUGH MIDWEEK...WHILE AN UPPER ANTICYCLONE REMAINS PARKED OVER THE SRN PLAINS. THE RESULTING UPPER RIDGE TO OUR NW WILL BRING DRY HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING IN SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY. ONCE ESTABLISHED...THIS SURFACE HIGH WILL DOMINATE OUR WEATHER AS IT MOVES SLOWLY PAST TO THE NORTH THROUGH WEDNESDAY. THIS SHOULD BRING MOSTLY CLEAR SKY...DRY AIR...HIGH TEMPS IN THE MID/UPPER 70S AND LOW TEMPS IN THE MID/UPPER 50S. THUS...MONDAY AND TUESDAY WILL FEEL MORE LIKE LATE SEPTEMBER OR EARLY OCTOBER. THE AIR MASS SHOULD START TO MODIFY A BIT BY WEDNESDAY. && .AVIATION /21Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... AT KCLT 21Z UPDATE...BASED ON THE FAIRLY DEEP STABLE LAYER GENERALLY ACROSS THE I-85 CORRIDOR...DECIDED TO REMOVE TEMPO -SHRA/VSBY AND REPLACE WITH A VCSH. A FEW TOWERS COULD GO UP AROUND THE AIRFIELD...BUT NO GOOD EVIDENCE IS HAD TO EXPECT A DIRECT TERMINAL IMPACT. ALSO...BASED ON COORDINATION WITH THE NATIONAL GUARD AND ZLT...AN MVFR CIG WAS INTRODUCED PRE/SUNRISE THROUGH 14Z. AT KCLT...THE BULK OF THE TSTM ACTIVITY IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER THE FOOTHILLS AND STAY 30 TO 50 MILES NORTHWEST OF THE AIRFIELD THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. HOWEVER...THERE IS A LINE OF TCU BACK ACROSS THE UPSTATE AND INTO THE SRN NC PIEDMONT THAT HAS BEEN PRODUCING OCCASIONAL LIGHT SHRA. ATTM I HAVE REPLACED TEMPO THUNDER WITH TEMPO SHRA IN THE TAF. IF STORMS DEVELOP FROM THE LINE OF TOWERS OVER THE UPSTATE WE SHOULD STILL HAVE A COUPLE OF HOURS OF LEAD TIME BEFORE THE STORMS AFFECT THE AIRFIELD. THE MODELS BRING SOME MID LEVEL MOISTURE INTO THE REGION TONIGHT. THE LLVL FLOW ALSO VEERS TO THE WEST. IF WE DON/T SEE ANY PCPN THIS EVENING...I THINK THE TWO FACTORS ABOVE SHOULD KEEP STRATUS FROM DEVELOPING OVER THE REGION TONIGHT. ELSEWHERE...OVER THE UPSTATE ONLY ISOLATED SHRA ARE EXPECTED THE REST OF THE AFTN. THERE IS A SMALL CHANCE THAT THE SHRA WILL BUILD INTO TSTMS...BUT FOR NOW I THINK THE RISK IS TOO SMALL TO INCLUDE THUNDER IN THE TAFS. WINDS WILL BE OUT OF THE SOUTHWEST AT SPEEDS UNDER 10 KTS. THERE WILL BE A BETTER CHANCE OF SHRA/TSTMS AT KAVL AND KHKY CLOSER TO A WEAK SFC TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE. THE FOG AND STRATUS FORECAST IS TRICKIER TONIGHT THAN IT HAS BEEN THE PAST COUPLE DAYS. WINDS WILL VEER TO THE WEST OVERNIGHT. STRATUS MAY APPROACH THE UPSTATE FROM THE SOUTHWEST LATE...BUT OVERALL I ONLY SEE SOME MVFR FOG DEVELOPING. THE EXCEPTION WILL BE THE FRENCH BROAD VALLEY WHERE VALLEY FOG AND STRATUS WILL BE MORE WIDESPREAD...PARTICULARLY IF THERE IS A PERIOD OF CLEARING OVERNIGHT. SHRA MAY SPREAD ACROSS THE MTNS AND FOOTHILLS SHORTLY AFTER SUNRISE AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT THOUGH I/VE TONED THIS BACK IN THE TAFS. OUTLOOK...GRADUAL DRYING FROM THE WEST IS EXPECTED ON THURSDAY...WITH DEEPER DRYING ON FRIDAY. A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH THE REGION FROM THE NORTHWEST ON SATURDAY AND MOVE EAST OF THE AREA ON SUNDAY. AN EXPERIMENTAL AVIATION FORECAST CONSISTENCY TABLE SHOWING THE PERCENTAGE OF GUIDANCE MEMBERS AGREEING WITH THE SCHEDULED ISSUANCE CATEGORY IS AVAILABLE AT FOLLOWING LINK (USE LOWER CASE)... WWW.WEATHER.GOV/GSP/AVIATION/TABLES.HTM && .GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...NONE. NC...NONE. SC...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...PM NEAR TERM...MCAVOY SHORT TERM...PM LONG TERM...PM AVIATION...MCAVOY/SBK
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
238 PM EDT WED SEP 5 2012 .SYNOPSIS... DEEP TROPICAL MOISTURE CURRENTLY OVER THE REGION WILL BEGIN TO PROGRESSIVELY LESSENING THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY. A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL MOVE OVER THE CAROLINAS THIS WEEKEND FOLLOWED BY HIGH PRESSURE THAT WILL PROVIDE COOLER AND DRYER WEATHER INTO THE FIRST OF NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY/... THE LATEST WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SHOWS DRIER MID LEVEL AIR SPREADING ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 40. THE MID LEVEL FLOW IS QUITE WEAK OVER THE UPSTATE...NE GA AND FAR SRN NC AS A SPUR OF DEEP LAYER RIDGING HAS PUSHED INTO THE FA FROM THE WEST...FINALLY DISPLACING THE WEAK...MOIST TROUGH THAT HAD BEEN OVER THE REGION FOR THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS. THE RAP BRINGS A WEAK SHORT WAVE ACROSS WESTERN NC THIS EVENING. LLVL CONVERGENCE IS INCREASING OVER THE NC MTNS AND FOOTHILLS AHEAD OF THE WAVE. THE MODELS ARE SPLIT ON HOW FAR SOUTHEAST THIS CONVECTION GETS. THE GFS KEEPS IT OVER THE MTNS AND FOOTHILLS...WHILE THE RAP AND NAM PUSH IT INTO THE NRN SUBURBS OF CHARLOTTE. WITH THE FINGER OF DRIER AIR PUSHING INTO THE SRN PIEDMONT I/VE GONE WITH A FORECAST THAT KEEPS THE BEST CONVECTIVE CHANCES OVER THE MTNS AND FOOTHILLS WITH LOWER POPS ALONG AND SOUTH OF I-85 AND BACK ACROSS THE SW NC MTNS. THIS IS NOT TO SAY THAT STORMS WON/T PUSH INTO CHARLOTTE LATER THIS EVENING AS THE ATMOSPHERE IS NOT CAPPED AND IS MODERATELY UNSTABLE. HOWEVER...THIS DOES NOT LOOK LIKE THE MOST PROBABLE SOLUTION ATTM. PATCHY DENSE VALLEY FOG IS EXPECTED OVER THE MTNS TONIGHT. ACROSS THE FOOTHILLS AND PIEDMONT CONSIDERABLY LESS LOW CLOUD COVER IS ANTICIPATED OWNING TO A MORE WESTERLY COMPONENT TO THE LLVL WIND FIELD. A SHORT WAVE CURRENTLY OVER CENTRAL MISSOURI IS EXPECTED TO CROSS THE FORECAST AREA DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS ON THURSDAY. THE DEEP LAYER RH IS CONSIDERABLY HIGHER ON THU THAN TODAY ALONG AND AHEAD OF THIS WAVE. BY 21 UTC THE FEATURE IS EXPECTED TO BE OVER THE I-77 CORRIDOR AND IT WILL MOVE EAT OF CHARLOTTE BY THE EARLY EVENING. THE NAM AND GFS BOTH DEVELOP PCPN BY LATE MORNING AHEAD OF THE SHORT WAVE. THE NAM HAS PCPN ENDING WITH WEAKLY DIVERGENT LLVL FLOW OVER MOST OF THE FA DEVELOPING BETWEEN 21-00 UTC. THE WAY IT APPEARS NOW...A BAND OF SHRA AND A FEW TSTMS WILL DEVELOP DEVELOP OVER THE FOOTHILLS BY LATE MORNING...OR THEY MAY MOVE INTO THE MTNS AS A REMNANT OF A WEAKENING MCS. THE CONVECTION WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REST OF THE FOOTHILLS FROM EARLY TO MID AFTN AND EXIT TO THE EAST BY 6 OR 7 PM. THE SHEAR IS WEAK AND CONVECTION ISN/T EXPECTED TO BE HIGHLY ORGANIZED AND MOST OF THE STORMS SHOULD BE SUB-SEVERE. THIS IS GENERALLY SUPPORTED BY THE 12 UTC 4KM SPC WRF AS WELL. FOR NOW I/LL CAP POPS ARE 40 PERCENT...WITH POPS FALLING OFF QUICKLY TOWARD SUNSET. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/... AS OF 2 PM EDT WEDNESDAY...THE CONSENSUS OF THE MODEL GUIDANCE MAINTAINS THAT THE PLUME OF DEEPER MOISTURE WILL HAVE SHIFTED EASTWARD TO THE COASTAL PLAIN. IN THE WAKE OF A WEAK UPPER WAVE... THE ENVIRONMENT SHOULD BE LESS FAVORABLE FOR DEEP CONVECTION. THE CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AND STORMS SHOULD DROP IN THE EARLY EVENING AS THE FORCING AND MOISTURE MOVE OFF TO THE EAST...TO THE POINT WHERE THE FCST IS DRY EAST OF THE MTNS FROM 03Z ONWARD. THERE COULD BE A FEW LINGERING SHOWERS OVER THE MTNS UNTIL LATE EVENING. FRIDAY LOOKS LIKE A RELATIVELY QUIET TRANSITION DAY WHILE WE WAIT FOR THE FORCING AND MOISTURE TO RELOAD. A STRONG SHORT WAVE OVER THE UPPER MS VALLEY WILL DIG AN UPPER TROF DOWN OVER THE UPPER MIDWEST AND GREAT LAKES THROUGH THE DAY...WHICH WILL GRADUALLY TURN THE FLOW ALOFT MORE SW. UPPER FORCING WILL BE MINIMAL. THERE SHOULD BE ENOUGH LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AND BUOYANCY TO SUPPORT SCATTERED SHOWERS AND STORMS DEVELOPING OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN WITH DIFFERENTIAL HEATING...WITH SOME OF THE STORMS MOVING OUT OVER THE FOOTHILLS AND PIEDMONT IN THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. THE STORMS EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE WILL DIE OFF WITH SUNSET...BUT WILL KEEP THE CHANCE OF PRECIP GOING OVERNIGHT ON THE W SIDE OF THE MTNS IN CASE SOME ACTIVITY MOVES IN FROM THE WEST AHEAD OF THE NEXT FRONT. THE UPPER TROF CONTINUES TO DIG OVER THE MIDWEST/OH VALLEY ON SATURDAY AS THE WAVE DROPS SOUTHEASTWARD. DEEP MOISTURE MOVES IN AHEAD OF THE WAVE TO BE ACTED UPON BY IMPROVED UPPER FORCING AS WE WORK THROUGH THE DAY. THE OPERATIONAL RUNS FROM ALL THREE MODELS ARE IN FAIRLY GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THE TIMING OF THE MAIN VORT AXIS REACHING THE GREAT VALLEY LATE IN THE DAY. THE NEW GFS SWEEPS THE UPPER TROF AXIS ACROSS THE WESTERN CAROLINAS OVERNIGHT WHILE THE 00Z RUN PUSHES IT THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING. EITHER WAY...BOTH MODELS SUGGEST AN EARLIER TIMING OF THE MAIN FRONTAL PRECIP BAND. WILL LIMIT THE PRECIP TO THE CHANCE RANGE FOR THE TIME BEING BUT WILL PROBABLY NEED A LIKELY POP FOR AT LEAST THE MTNS...BUT IT IS A MATTER OF WHICH PERIOD TO FOCUS ON...SATURDAY AFTERNOON OR SATURDAY NIGHT. WILL NOT RULE OUT SOME SEVERE STORMS IF THE FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH EARLY ENOUGH. AT THIS POINT...THINK MOST OF THE PRECIP WILL HAVE MOVED EAST OF THE FCST AREA BY SUNRISE ON SUNDAY...WHICH AGREES WITH THE HPC POSITION OF THE MAIN FRONT ON THE COAST AT THAT TIME. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... AS OF 1130 AM EDT WEDNESDAY...AFTER DEALING WITH A SEMI-TROPICAL AIR MASS FOR THE LAST TWO WEEKS...IT APPEARS AS THOUGH WE ARE IN FOR A PERIOD OF SPECTACULAR EARLY AUTUMN-LIKE WEATHER EARLY NEXT WEEK. BUT FIRST...WE HAVE TO GET A FRONT THROUGH THE CAROLINAS EARLY ON SUNDAY. THE GFS MOVES THE MAIN SHORT WAVE LOBE ACROSS THE WESTERN CAROLINAS EARLY SUNDAY MORNING WHILE THE ECMWF HAS THIS FEATURE CROSSING SUNDAY AFTERNOON. THE TIMING IS FASTER THAN PREVIOUSLY INDICATED...WITH THE MAIN SFC FRONT POTENTIALLY MOVING ACROSS THE AREA SATURDAY NIGHT. WILL BACK OFF TO A SLIGHT CHANCE ACROSS THE REGION ON SUNDAY AS A FEW SHOWERS COULD BE TRIGGERED BY A SECONDARY FRONT. EITHER WAY...THERE IS A STRONG INDICATION THAT THE PRECIP WILL BE LONG GONE BY SUNSET SUNDAY...SO THE PRECIP CHANCES ARE ELIMINATED ALTOGETHER AFTER 00Z MONDAY. THE UPPER TROF AXIS WILL REACH THE EASTERN SEABOARD BY MONDAY MORNING AND MOVE SLOWLY OFFSHORE THROUGH MIDWEEK...WHILE AN UPPER ANTICYCLONE REMAINS PARKED OVER THE SRN PLAINS. THE RESULTING UPPER RIDGE TO OUR NW WILL BRING DRY HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING IN SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY. ONCE ESTABLISHED...THIS SURFACE HIGH WILL DOMINATE OUR WEATHER AS IT MOVES SLOWLY PAST TO THE NORTH THROUGH WEDNESDAY. THIS SHOULD BRING MOSTLY CLEAR SKY...DRY AIR...HIGH TEMPS IN THE MID/UPPER 70S AND LOW TEMPS IN THE MID/UPPER 50S. THUS...MONDAY AND TUESDAY WILL FEEL MORE LIKE LATE SEPTEMBER OR EARLY OCTOBER. THE AIR MASS SHOULD START TO MODIFY A BIT BY WEDNESDAY. && .AVIATION /19Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... AT KCLT...THE BULK OF THE TSTM ACTIVITY IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER THE FOOTHILLS AND STAY 30 TO 50 MILES NORTHWEST OF THE AIRFIELD THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. HOWEVER...THERE IS A LINE OF TCU BACK ACROSS THE UPSTATE AND INTO THE SRN NC PIEDMONT THAT HAS BEEN PRODUCING OCCASIONAL LIGHT SHRA. ATTM I HAVE REPLACED TEMPO THUNDER WITH TEMPO SHRA IN THE TAF. IF STORMS DEVELOP FROM THE LINE OF TOWERS OVER THE UPSTATE WE SHOULD STILL HAVE A COUPLE OF HOURS OF LEAD TIME BEFORE THE STORMS AFFECT THE AIRFIELD. THE MODELS BRING SOME MID LEVEL MOISTURE INTO THE REGION TONIGHT. THE LLVL FLOW ALSO VEERS TO THE WEST. IF WE DON/T SEE ANY PCPN THIS EVENING...I THINK THE TWO FACTORS ABOVE SHOULD KEEP STRATUS FROM DEVELOPING OVER THE REGION TONIGHT. ELSEWHERE...OVER THE UPSTATE ONLY ISOLATED SHRA ARE EXPECTED THE REST OF THE AFTN. THERE IS A SMALL CHANCE THAT THE SHRA WILL BUILD INTO TSTMS...BUT FOR NOW I THINK THE RISK IS TOO SMALL TO INCLUDE THUNDER IN THE TAFS. WINDS WILL BE OUT OF THE SOUTHWEST AT SPEEDS UNDER 10 KTS. THERE WILL BE A BETTER CHANCE OF SHRA/TSTMS AT KAVL AND KHKY CLOSER TO A WEAK SFC TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE. THE FOG AND STRATUS FORECAST IS TRICKIER TONIGHT THAN IT HAS BEEN THE PAST COUPLE DAYS. WINDS WILL VEER TO THE WEST OVERNIGHT. STRATUS MAY APPROACH THE UPSTATE FROM THE SOUTHWEST LATE...BUT OVERALL I ONLY SEE SOME MVFR FOG DEVELOPING. THE EXCEPTION WILL BE THE FRENCH BROAD VALLEY WHERE VALLEY FOG AND STRATUS WILL BE MORE WIDESPREAD...PARTICULARLY IF THERE IS A PERIOD OF CLEARING OVERNIGHT. SHRA MAY SPREAD ACROSS THE MTNS AND FOOTHILLS SHORTLY AFTER SUNRISE AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT THOUGH I/VE TONED THIS BACK IN THE TAFS. OUTLOOK...GRADUAL DRYING FROM THE WEST IS EXPECTED ON THURSDAY...WITH DEEPER DRYING ON FRIDAY. A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH THE REGION FROM THE NORTHWEST ON SATURDAY AND MOVE EAST OF THE AREA ON SUNDAY. AN EXPERIMENTAL AVIATION FORECAST CONSISTENCY TABLE SHOWING THE PERCENTAGE OF GUIDANCE MEMBERS AGREEING WITH THE SCHEDULED ISSUANCE CATEGORY IS AVAILABLE AT FOLLOWING LINK (USE LOWER CASE)... WWW.WEATHER.GOV/GSP/AVIATION/TABLES.HTM && .GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...NONE. NC...NONE. SC...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...PM NEAR TERM...MCAVOY SHORT TERM...PM LONG TERM...PM AVIATION...MCAVOY
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LA CROSSE WI
330 PM CDT WED SEP 5 2012 .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY 329 PM CDT WED SEP 5 2012 FOCUS THIS FORECAST PERIOD WAS ON THE NEXT WEATHER SYSTEM COMING INTO THE AREA THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY. CHANCES ARE INCREASING FOR A SHOWER PRODUCER. CURRENT FRONTAL POSITION TOUGH TO DISCERN RIGHT NOW...BUT MAYBE THE MORE IMPORTANT ELEMENT IS WHERE THE CONVERGENCE AND INSTABILITY IS. SURFACE MOISTURE CONVERGENCE CURRENTLY LIES ACROSS THE SOUTHERNMOST FORECAST AREA PER SPC 19Z ANALYSIS. MLCAPE IS UP TO 1500 J/KG THERE WITH CIN ABOUT 50 J/KG. THERE IS SOME WEAKER CONVERGENCE ACROSS NERN IA ALONG ANOTHER WEAK WIND SHIFT FROM WEST TO N-NW. THE NEXT FEW HOURS HOLD A CHANCE FOR ISOLATED TSRA ACROSS NERN IA AND SWRN WI BUT THIS CHANCE SHOULD SHIFT SOUTHEAST BY EVENING. CURRENTLY DO NOT HAVE A TSRA CHANCE IN THE FORECAST THIS AFTERNOON OR EVENING. 12Z 250 MB RAOB INFORMATION SHOWING A NICE HEIGHT FALL/RISE/FALL SIGNAL OVERHEAD AND UPSTREAM INTO WRN ALBERTA...WITH THE WESTERNMOST FALL OF OVER 100M/12HR ASSOCIATED WITH THE FRIDAY SHORTWAVE TROUGH SHIFTING SOUTHEAST. A NICE WARM POOL OF AIR SEEN WITH THAT SHORTWAVE TROUGH OVER ALBERTA/BRITISH COLUMBIA THERE TOO..AND 100KT JET CORE...WITH LATEST RUC ANALYSIS SHOWING THE TROPOPAUSE FOLD DOWN TO 500MB OVER CENTRAL BC. SHORTWAVE RIDGE TO BUILD IN FOR TONIGHT/THURSDAY IS CENTERED NEAR KGGW WITH 80M/12HR HEIGHT RISES AT 250 MB. RIDGE BUILDING WILL CONTINUE OVERNIGHT WITH ENOUGH 0-2KM AGL FLOW /GREATER THAN 10KTS/ TO KEEP MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY FOG OUT OF THE PICTURE. HOWEVER...HAVE KEPT THE WI RIVER VALLEY FOG IN FOR THU MORNING AS MORE ORTHOGONAL NW FLOW WILL ALLOW FOR DECOUPLING IN THE BOUNDARY LAYER. PLUS...DEWPOINTS WILL BE HIGHEST IN THAT AREA OVERNIGHT...HAVE SLOWED THE DRIER AIR ADVECTION. ALBERTA/BC SHORTWAVE TROUGH TO BRING FALL-LIKE DYNAMICS TO THE AREA THURSDAY NIGHT AND INTO FRIDAY. PRETTY GOOD CONSISTENCY IN THE LARGER SCALE FORCING PRESENTED IN THE 05.12Z NAM/GFS THIS MORNING AND BECAUSE OF THIS...HAVE RAISED RAIN CHANCES LATE THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY. THE SHORTWAVE ROUGH ENERGY SPLITS AS IT HEADS SOUTHEAST WITH A PORTION MOVING IN FROM THE DAKOTAS AND THE SECOND COMING IN FROM THE SOUTHWEST. THESE EACH HAVE A SMALL JET CORE ASSOCIATED WITH THEM AND BY LATER THU NIGHT-FRIDAY...IT APPEARS THEY INTERACT IN A COUPLED JET SCENARIO OVER THE AREA FOR GOOD DIVERGENCE ALOFT. A STRONG BAROCLINIC ZONE IN THE 700-850MB LAYER WITH THE INITIAL SHORTWAVE TROUGH WILL ALSO CREATE A W-E RAIN BAND WITH ITS FORCING IN FRONTOGENESIS FROM CENTRAL MN-NRN WI...WHICH SLOWLY SHIFTS INTO THE NWRN FORECAST AREA BY FRIDAY MORNING. THIS IS SOMEWHAT IN CONCERT WITH 500-300MB QVECTOR CONVERGENCE. MEANWHILE...BACK AT THE RANCH...THETA-E CONVERGENCE IN THE LOW- LEVELS WILL ALSO START INCREASING IN THE WRN AND NRN FORECAST BY 12Z FRIDAY. THEN...QG FORCING INCREASES AS SECOND SHORTWAVE TROUGH ENERGY PIECE SHIFTS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN FORECAST AREA. 05.12Z ECMWF HAS THESE COMPONENTS...JUST FURTHER NORTH AND SOUTH...SPLITTING AROUND THE FORECAST AREA. 05.09Z SREF DATA SUGGESTS ANY CAPE OVER 500 J/KG SHOULD REMAIN SOUTH OF THE FORECAST AREA WITH DEWPOINTS STRUGGLING TO REACH MIDDLE 50S. HOWEVER...WITH STEEPER LAPSE RATES IN THE MID-LEVELS AND STRONGER FRONTOGENESIS...COULD SEE SOME THUNDER THU NIGHT UNTIL IT IS USED UP. OVERALL...THE SIGNALS ARE BEST IN THE NRN AND SRN FORECAST AREA...BUT LARGE ENOUGH SIGNALS EXIST TO MOVE TOWARD A LIGHT RAIN SHOWER SOLUTION FOR LATE THURSDAY NIGHT AND INTO FRIDAY. AMOUNTS MAY NOT BE LARGE WITH LIMITED INSTABILITY IN THE FORECAST AREA...AROUND A QUARTER OF AN INCH TOTAL. RAIN SHOULD CLEAR QUICKLY EAST LATER ON FRIDAY. CURRENTLY THE FORECAST TEMPERATURES HAVE A 10F DIURNAL RANGE FRIDAY...AND IF IT SHOWERS ALL DAY...IT WOULD LIKELY BE ABOUT 5F. CONFIDENCE IS INCREASING ON THE RAIN EVENT...BUT NOT HIGH ENOUGH TO CUT HIGHS FRIDAY MORE. THIS WILL BE NEEDED IF WE INCREASE THE RAIN CHANCES MORE IN COMING FORECASTS. NOTE...THE NCEP GFS MODEL WAS CHANGED TODAY AT 12Z TO TRY AND SOLVE THE COLD/MOIST BIAS IN THE LOWEST 3KM AGL THAT HAS BEEN EVIDENT SINCE LAST YEAR. IT APPEARED BETTER WITH ITS INITIALIZATION IN THE LOW LEVELS. .LONG TERM...SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY 329 PM CDT WED SEP 5 2012 WITH NORTHWEST FLOW OVER THE AREA FOR THE WEEKEND...THERE IS SOME SIGNAL FOR A SHORTWAVE TROUGH TO SHIFT THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES SATURDAY NIGHT. AT THIS TIME THE 05.00Z ECMWF AND 05.12 GEM/GFS/ECMWF REMAIN CONSISTENT IN SHOWERS OVERNIGHT IN EASTERN WISCONSIN. THERE IS A VERY DEEP TROPOSPHERIC QG FORCING SIGNAL MOVING THROUGH EASTERN WI PER THE 05.12Z ECMWF. THUS...HAVE ADDED SOME SMALL SHOWER CHANCES TO CENTRAL WI AREAS. IF THIS SIGNAL CONTINUES...MORE CLOUD AND HIGHER RAIN CHANCES WILL BE NEEDED. IT LOOKS LIKE A FAST MOVER TO LIMIT THE IMPACT ON THE WEEKEND WEATHER. RIDGE BUILDING THEN IN CONTROL OF WEATHER SUN-TUE WITH TEMPERATURES WARMING. THERE ARE SOME SIGNALS THAT TUESDAY COULD BE IN A PREFRONTAL SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW WITH 90F POSSIBLE. HAVE BUMPED HIGHS ABOUT 3F AND THE ONLY THING HOLDING OFF THE FORECAST OF WARMER HIGHS IS THE TIMING OF A STRONG FRONT AT DAY 6 CAN GET TRICKY. && .AVIATION...THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY 1222 PM CDT WED SEP 5 2012 VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED AT KRST/KLSE THROUGH THE PERIOD AND MAIN FORECAST CONCERN IS WHETHER RIVER VALLEY FOG WILL DEVELOP AT KLSE. LATEST SURFACE ANALYSIS DEPICTS COLD FRONT DRAPED FROM NORTHEAST WISCONSIN DOWN INTO NORTHERN IOWA. FOR THIS AFTERNOON...MIXING SHOULD CONTINUE UNTIL AROUND 01Z AND HAVE CONTINUED GUSTS UP TO 18 KTS AT BOTH TAF SITES. REGARDING VALLEY FOG OVERNIGHT...WINDS IN THE 850 TO 925 MB LAYER ARE EXPECTED TO BE IN THE 10-15 KT RANGE. COMBINED WITH PLENTY OF DAYTIME MIXING...AND 03Z T/TD SPREADS BETWEEN 12-15F...ALL OF THESE FACTORS SHOULD PRECLUDE DENSE FOG DEVELOPMENT. THOUGH BY 12Z THE GRADIENT DOES RELAX A BIT AS THE SURFACE HIGH BUILDS IN...SO IF THERE WERE TO BE ANY FOG CONCERNS IT WOULD BE SHORT LIVED...PATCHY AND IN THE 13-14Z TIME FRAME. FOR THURSDAY...NO CONCERNS WITH SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE IN PLACE...AMPLE SUNSHINE AND LIGHT WINDS. && .ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... 329 PM CDT WED SEP 5 2012 WI...NONE. MN...NONE. IA...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...BAUMGARDT LONG TERM...BAUMGARDT AVIATION...ZT