Forecast Discussions mentioning any of "HRRR" "RAP" "RR" "RUC13" "RUC" received at GSD on 09/23/12


AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS DENVER/BOULDER CO
930 AM MDT FRI SEP 21 2012 .UPDATE... && .SHORT TERM...CURRENT FORECASTS ON TRACK SO NO CHANGES NEEDED. BOTH HRRR AND RAP INDICATING THE POSSIBILITY OF GUSTY NORTHWEST ACROSS THE FAR NORTHEAST CORNER DURING THE AFTERNOON...STILL LOOKING LIKE WINDS SHOULD STAY BELOW RED FLAG CRITERIA. AIRMASS REMAINS DRY. .AVIATION...CURRENT TAF TRENDS LOOK REASONABLE. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 411 AM MDT FRI SEP 21 2012/ SHORT TERM...ANOTHER DAY WITH DRY NORTHERLY FLOW ALOFT ACROSS COLORADO. THERE HAS BEEN JUST SLIGHT COOLING IN THE MID LEVELS WHICH WILL TAKE OFF A COUPLE DEGREES FROM YESTERDAYS HIGH TEMPS...BUT READINGS WILL STILL BE A FEW DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL. CIRRUS HAS BEEN THINNING QUITE RAPIDLY SO ANOTHER DAY OF MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES BUT SLIGHTLY HAZY CONDITIONS DUE TO WESTERN U.S. FIRES. OUR FIRE DANGER WILL ONCE AGAIN BE ELEVATED ON THE FAR EASTERN PLAINS WITH DRY AND BREEZY NORTHERLY FLOW...BUT LIKELY JUST SHY OF RED FLAG CRITERIA. MAINLY CLEAR SKIES...LIGHT AND VARIABLE WINDS...AND DRY AIRMASS WILL ALLOW FOR STRONG RADIATIONAL COOLING TONIGHT. LONG TERM...DRY AND WARM WEATHER ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE WEEKEND AND INTO THE BEGINNING OF NEXT WEEK. THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGE AXIS IS FORECAST TO STAY IN POSITION OF COLORADO INTO MONDAY. AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE PLAINS WILL CONTINUE REACHING THE LOWER TO MID 80S THROUGH THE WEEKEND WITH SOME HIGH CLOUDS AT TIMES...BUT OTHERWISE A DRY AIRMASS. NEXT WEEK IS BEGINNING TO LOOK A LITTLE MORE UNSETTLED AS THE GFS AND ECMWF BRING AN UPPER LEVEL LOW ACROSS THE STATE FROM TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. THE UPPER LOW WILL BE ORIGINATING OFF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST COAST AND WILL CONTAIN SOME COOLER AIR ALOFT. THE AIRMASS MAY BECOME UNSTABLE ENOUGH TO SUPPORT A FEW AFTERNOON THUNDERSTORMS EACH DAY. TEMPERATURES WILL ALSO BE COOLING TO MORE SEASONAL VALUES DUE TO THE PRESENCE OF MORE CLOUDS AND A BIT MORE MOISTURE IN THE AIR. AT THIS TIME THE MODELS ARE SHOWING AN ONLY WEAKLY ORGANIZED SYSTEM WHICH IS ALSO DIFFICULT TO TELL HOW FAST IT WILL MOVE OUT. THUS A BROAD-BRUSH FORECAST OF COOLER TEMPERATURES AND A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH MOST OF THE WEEK. AVIATION...WIND PATTERN LOOKS VERY SIMILAR TO YESTERDAY WITH NORMAL DRAINAGE WINDS BECOMING NORTHWESTERLY BY 15Z-16Z AND THEN NORTH/NORTHEASTERLY AROUND 17Z-18Z AS DEEPER MIXING OCCURS. ONLY DIFFERENCE IS WINDS MAY NOT TRANSITION TO NORMAL DRAINAGE TONIGHT WITH A WEAK PUSH FROM HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING OVER THE NORTHERN/CENTRAL PLAINS. THIS SHOULD HAVE A TENDENCY TO KEEP A MORE EAST/SOUTHEASTERLY BUT VERY LIGHT WIND COMPONENT IN PLACE. HYDROLOGY...NO ISSUES THROUGH THIS WEEKEND. && .BOU WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...D-L LONG TERM....DANKERS AVIATION...D-L
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS ALBANY NY
500 AM EDT FRI SEP 21 2012 .SYNOPSIS... A COLD FRONT TO OUR WEST WILL DISSIPATE AS IT WORKS INTO OUR REGION TODAY. IT WILL NEVERTHELESS BRING THE THREAT OF A FEW SHOWERS TO THE SOUTHEASTERN ADIRONDACKS AND CENTRAL MOHAWK VALLEY. A MUCH STRONGER COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH OUR REGION ON SATURDAY...THEN MOVE THROUGH DURING SATURDAY EVENING. THIS FRONT WILL LIKELY BRING SHOWERS AND POSSIBLY THUNDERSTORMS CONTAINING GUSTY WINDS. COOLER WEATHER WILL FOLLOW FOR SUNDAY. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... AS OF 500 AM...SHOWERS...ASSOCIATED WITH A FRONT AND A PIECE OF POSITIVE VORITICTY ON THE LEADING EDGE OF THE UPPER TROUGH HAVE PRODUCED LIGHT SHOWERS TO THE NORTHWEST OF HERKIMER COUNTY. THE 06Z NAM AND THE HRRR ALL INDICATED THIS SHOWER ACTIVITY WILL NOT MAKE INTO OUR REGION...AT LEAST THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. WILL FOLLOW THAT CUE...BUT LATER ON AS THERE WILL BE A BIT MORE INSTABILITY AND THE FRONT/VORTEX CENTER INCH CLOSER...WILL CONTINUE WITH SLIGHT/LOW POPS WELL TO THE NORTHWEST OF THE CAPITAL REGION THIS AFTERNOON. WILL CONTINUE TO MENTION THE SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDER AS WELL. ANY RAINFALL LOOKS PRETTY LIGHT...UNDER A QUARTER OF AN INCH. WE ARE ALSO DEALING WITH SOME AREAS OF LOW CLOUDS AND A LITTLE OF PATCHY FOG. NEITHER ARE EXPECTED TO EXPAND A WHOLE LATE THROUGH EARLY MORNING...AND IN FACT...WILL DISSIPATE BY LATE MORNING. HOWEVER...THERE WILL BE HIGH AND MID LEVEL CLOUDS OCCASIONALLY FILTERING OUT THE SUNSHINE. THE MAJORITY OF THE REGION SHOULD REMAIN DRY TODAY WITH TEMPERATURES RUNNING SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL...LOWER TO MID 70S VALLEY REGIONS...65 TO 70 HIGHER TERRAIN. THERE WILL BE A SOUTH BREEZE 5 TO 10 MPH ALONG WITH A PARTLY SUNNY SKY. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH SUNDAY/... TONIGHT...THE REMNANTS OF THE AFOREMENTIONED COLD FRONT...STILL TO OUR WEST...COULD STILL LINGER A FEW SHOWERS AND A THUNDERSTORM TO THE NORTHWEST OF THE CAPITAL DISTRICT. WHILE NOT REALLY A COLD FRONT ANYMORE...THIS FEATURE COULD PRODUCE ENOUGH LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE ALONG WITH SOME POOLING OF MOISTURE TO KEEP THE THREAT OF SHOWERS THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT PERIOD INTO EARLY SATURDAY MORNING. WITH A SOUTHERLY BREEZE AND SOME CLOUDS AGAIN TONIGHT LEANED WITH THE WARMER MET GUIDANCE REGARDING OVERNIGHT LOW TEMPERATURES. THIS WOULD MEAN THEY WOULD BE RELATIVELY MILD FOR THE TIME OF YEAR...GENERALLY IN THE 50S...WITH SOME UPPER 40S IN SOME OF THE COOLER VALLEY...ESPECIALLY IN THE GREENS. ON SATURDAY...THE UPPER TROUGH WILL BE SHIFTING EASTWARD TOWARDS THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES...WITH ANOTHER STRONGER SURFACE COLD FRONT THAT WILL APPROACH FROM THE WEST AND LIKELY A PRE-FRONTAL TROUGH AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT. AN INCREASING SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL ALLOW FOR TEMPERATURES TO BE ABOVE NORMAL FOR LATE SEPTEMBER...WITH MIDDLE TO UPPER 70S IN VALLEY AREAS...MID 60S TO LOWER 70S HIGHER TERRAIN. IT WILL TURN QUITE BREEZY WITH SOUTHERLY WIND 10 TO 20 MPH GUSTING UP TOWARD 30 MPH. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF OUR NORTHWESTERN ZONES WHERE CHANCES OF SHOWERS CONTINUE...THE WEATHER LOOKS TO START OUT MAINLY DRY ACROSS THE MAJORITY OF THE REGION SATURDAY. POPS WILL INCREASE TO LIKELY DURING THE AFTERNOON IN OUR NORTHWESTERN ZONES...AND BY EVENING...WILL BE LIKELY ACROSS MOST OF OUR REGION AS THE AFOREMENTIONED PRE-FRONTAL TROUGH AND A STRONG VORT MAX WORK INTO OUR REGION. A BAND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL ACCOMPANY THE PRE FRONTAL TROUGH AND THE ACTUAL COLD FRONT FOR SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS. THE TIMING OF BOTH SYSTEMS LOOKS SLIGHTLY FASTER THAN BEFORE...SO THE BULK OF SHOWERS MIGHT BE MOVING OUT AFTER MIDNIGHT SATURDAY. THE STORM PREDICATION CENTER (SPC) CONTINUES WITH WITH A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...MAINLY FOR SATURDAY AFTERNOON. ONCE AGAIN...IT LOOKS AS IF WE WILL BE DEALING WITH ANOTHER SITUATION WHERE THE INSTABILITY IS MARGINAL (BUT MORE THAN TUESDAY) WITH PROJECTED SURFACE CAPE VALUES AROUND 1000 J/KG. THE MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES HOWEVER...DO LOOK TO STEEPEN UP TO ABOUT 6.0 C/KM...STILL BELOW THE 6.5 C/KM CONSIDERED TO BE STEEP TO PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND GOOD DOWNWARD MOMENTUM OF MID LEVEL WINDS. THE H850 JET PROGGED TO REACH AROUND 45KTS. THE LATEST 00Z/06Z NAM RUNS CONTINUE TO SHOW A SPIKE IN THE 0-6KM BULK SHEAR LAYER RIGHT AHEAD OF THE REAL COLD FRONT...UP TO 70KTS BUT AS MENTIONED BY THE PREVIOUS FORECASTER...THIS STRIPE OF STRONG BULK SHEAR DOES NOT FULLY INTERSECT THE AXIS OF MAXIMUM INSTABILITY. SO ONCE AGAIN...THE POTENTIAL OF SEVERE IS VERY MARGINAL...BUT NEVERTHELESS THE POTENTIAL FOR STRONG TO LOCALLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IS THERE AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO MENTION IN OUR HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK BUT NOT IN THE GRIDS. PWATS LOOK TO REACH ABOUT 1.5 INCH RIGHT AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT AND PRE-FRONTAL TROUGH SO WE ARE NOT LOOKING AT THE SAME LEVELS AS TUESDAY/S "TROPICAL CONNECTION." THE SOUTHERLY H850 WIND COMPONENT IS ABOUT 2 STANDARD DEVIATIONS ABOVE NORMAL (NOT THE 4-5 AS WE SAW ON TUESDAY). THIS ALL POINTS TO A PRETTY GOOD SOAKING RAINFALL BUT THE QPF SHOULD BE A LOT LESS THAN TUESDAY. MORE ABOUT THAT CAN BE FOUND IN OUR HYDRO SECTION. THE ACTUAL COLD FRONT LOOKS TO WORK ACROSS THE ENTIRE REGION SATURDAY OVERNIGHT. MUCH COOLER AIR WILL FOLLOW WITH H850 TEMPS FALLING FROM ABOUT A HIGH +14C LATE SATURDAY...DOWN TO ABOUT +1C (NW) TO ABOUT +4C (SE) BY SUNDAY MORNING! WITH PARTIAL CLEARING WE ARE STILL LOOKING FOR TEMPS TO DROP TO ABOUT 50 IN THE HUDSON VALLEY...40S ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN. LARGE HIGH PRESSURE BUILD IN TO OUR SOUTHWEST ON SUNDAY. WITH THE COOL AIR ALOFT...EXPECT PLENTY OF STRATO-CU TO MIX WITH SUNSHINE...ESPECIALLY OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN. AT THIS POINT... THE SURFACE TO 10000 FOOT FLOW DOES NOT LOOK FAVORABLE FOR PURE LAKE EFFECT SHOWERS (ALTHOUGH IT WOULD BE PLENTY COOL AND UNSTABLE FOR THESE). WITH THE FLOW VEERING FROM WNW AT THE SURFACE TO SW ALOFT...LAKE EFFECT SHOULD BE MINIMIZED DUE TO TOO MUCH WIND SHEAR. HOWEVER...UPSLOPE SHOWERS ARE A POSSIBILITY SO WE ASSIGNED LOW POPS TO ELEVATIONS HIGHER THAN 10000 AGL ON SUNDAY...KEEPING THE VALLEYS DRY (ALTHOUGH A SPRINKLE CANNOT BE RULED OUT). TEMPERATURES ON SUNDAY WILL ONLY REACH THE MID TO UPPER 60S IN THE HUDSON VALLEY...LOWER 60S OTHER VALLEY AREAS (NAMELY THE MOHAWK AND SCHOHARIE VALLEYS). TEMPERATURES WILL ONLY BE THE 50S ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... THE LINGERING UPPER LEVEL TROF WILL CONTINUE A THREAT FOR ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS ACROSS THE NORTHWEST PART OF THE FORECAST AREA SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY. LATE SUNDAY NIGHT AND EARLY MONDAY MORNING...IT COULD EVEN BE COLD ENOUGH FOR SOME SNOW TO MIX IN AS WELL ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF THE ADIRONDACKS. ELSEWHERE... EXPECT FAIR BUT COOL CONDITIONS. LOWS SUNDAY NIGHT WILL BE IN THE MID 30S TO MID 40S. HIGHS MONDAY IN THE MID 50S TO MID 60S. HIGH PRESSURE BRIEFLY BUILDS INTO THE REGION FOR MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY WITH MAINLY CLEAR TO PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES. LOWS MONDAY NIGHT WILL BE IN THE MID 30S TO MID 40S. HIGHS TUESDAY 60 TO 70. ANOTHER COLD FRONT AND ASSOCIATED UPPER LEVEL TROF WILL APPROACH THE REGION FROM THE WEST TUESDAY NIGHT...BUT WILL ONLY VERY SLOWLY CROSS THE REGION WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT. HAVE KEPT POPS FAIRLY LOW WITH THIS SYSTEM (20 TO 30 PERCENT) DUE TO ITS RELATIVELY DISORGANIZED NATURE. LOWS TUESDAY NIGHT WILL BE IN THE 40S...HIGHS WEDNESDAY IN THE 60S TO LOWER 70S...AND LOWS WEDNESDAY NIGHT 40 TO 50. HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS SOUTH FROM CANADA ON THURSDAY WITH SKIES BECOMING MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGHS THURSDAY WILL BE IN THE 60S. && .AVIATION /08Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... YET ANOTHER TRICKY CALL ON POTENTIAL FOG AND STRATUS CLOUDS OVERNIGHT. LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WILL INCREASE OVERNIGHT...MAINLY IN THE FORM OF A HIGHER STRATUS CLOUD DECK...MAINLY AT VFR/MVFR LEVELS. HOWEVER...AT KPSF HAVE INCLUDED A TEMPO GROUP FOR THE STRATUS TO BECOME IFR BETWEEN 08Z AND 12Z. THE EXPANSION OF THE STRATUS DECK MEANS THAT IFR VSBY DUE TO FOG WILL BE LESS LIKELY THIS MORNING THAN YESTERDAY MORNING. HAVE ONLY INCLUDED MVFR VSBY DUE TO FOR THIS MORNING AT THE TAF SITES...INCLUDING KGFL. AFTER 12Z TO 13Z EXPECT VFR CONDITIONS AT THE KGFL/KALB/KPOU/KPSF TAF SITES AS SUNSHINE BURNS OFF THE STRATUS DECK TO JUST SCT CLOUDS. EXPECT THE VFR CONDITIONS TO PERSIST THROUGH THE END OF THE TAF PERIOD AT 06Z SATURDAY. CALM TO LIGHT SOUTH WINDS EXPECTED THROUGH A FEW HOURS AFTER SUNRISE...THEN THE SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL INCREASE TO 6-10 KT WITH SOME GUSTS TO AROUND 15 KTS. THE WINDS WILL BECOME LIGHT AGAIN AFTER SUNSET ON FRIDAY. OUTLOOK... LATE FRI NT...MAINLY VFR. NO SIG WX. SAT-SUN...VFR. CHC SUB-VFR SHRA/TSRA LATE SAT INTO EARLY SUN. SUN NT-TUE...VFR. NO SIG WX. && .FIRE WEATHER... A FEW SHOWERS POSSIBLE NORTH AND WEST OF ALBANY TODAY BUT THEY WILL BE LIGHT...WELL UNDER A QUARTER OF AN INCH. OTHERWISE DRY TODAY BUT RH VALUES WILL ONLY DROP TO AROUND 50 PERCENT THIS AFTERNOON ALONG WITH A SOUTH WIND 5-10 MPH. RH VALUES WILL ONCE AGAIN RISE TO 90-100 PERCENT TONIGHT. RH VALUES WILL DROP TO AROUND 50-60 PERCENT ON SATURDAY WITH SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS LIKELY MAINLY DURING THE LATE DAY AND EARLY EVENING HOURS. THESE SHOULD PRODUCE ANOTHER WIDESPREAD QUARTER INCH OR MORE OF RAINFALL. IT WILL BE QUITE BREEZY SATURDAY WITH A SOUTH WIND 10 TO 20 MPH...WITH SOME GUSTS UPWARD OF 30 MPH. MUCH COOLER SUNDAY WITH A WESTERLY WIND 5 TO 15 MPH. A MIX OF SUN AND CLOUDS...AND THERE IS THREAT OF ADDITIONAL LIGHT SHOWERS MAINLY OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN. && .HYDROLOGY... NO WIDESPREAD HYDRO PROBLEMS ARE LIKELY FOR THE NEXT 5 DAYS. SOME LIGHT SHOWERS ARE POSSIBLE NORTHWEST OF THE CAPITAL TODAY. THESE WILL AMOUNT TO WELL UNDER A QUARTER OF AN INCH AND WILL HAVE NO HYDROLOGICAL IMPACT. A FEW MORE SHOWERS POSSIBLE NORTHWEST TONIGHT INTO EARLY SATURDAY. THEN THE THREAT OF MORE NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS AS WE HEAD INTO SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. AT THIS POINT...PWATS LOOK TO REACH ABOUT 1.5 INCHES (NOT THE 2+ INCHES WE HAD ON TUESDAY). AN H850 SOUTHERLY WIND COMPONENT UP TO 45 KTS WILL BE ABOUT 2 STANDARD DEVIATIONS ABOVE SEASONAL NORMALS (NOT THE 4-5 STANDARD DEVIATIONS WE SAW ON TUESDAY). THEREFORE...AT THIS POINT WE ARE CONFIDENT THE RAINFALL ON SATURDAY INTO SATURDAY NIGHT WILL BE NOWHERE WHAT WE SAW ON TUESDAY. WE ARE LOOKING AT A PROJECTED RAINFALL BASIN AVERAGE ANYWHERE FROM ABOUT HALF TO AN INCH OF RAINFALL. OF COURSE...ANY THUNDERSTORM COULD PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVIER RAINFALL...BUT PROBABLY NO MORE THAN TWO INCHES IN ANY GIVEN SPOT. THIS TYPE OF RAINFALL MIGHT RESULT IN SOME WITHIN BANK RISES ON SOME RIVERS AND STREAMS...BUT OTHER THAN THE USUAL PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS AND AREAS OF POOR DRAINAGE...NO SIGNIFICANT HYDRO PROBLEMS ARE ANTICIPATED. THE SHOWERS WILL END ON SUNDAY ALTHOUGH THERE COULD BE A FEW ADDITIONAL LIGHT ONES ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN BUT WITH NO ADDITIONAL HYDROLOGICAL IMPACT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT. DRY MONDAY AND TUESDAY WITH THE NEXT CHANCE OF SHOWERS WEDNESDAY. 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...HWJIV NEAR TERM...HWJIV/FRUGIS SHORT TERM...HWJIV/FRUGIS LONG TERM...GJM AVIATION...GJM FIRE WEATHER...HWJIV HYDROLOGY...HWJIV
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MOUNT HOLLY NJ
601 PM EDT FRI SEP 21 2012 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE LOCATED TO THE NORTHEAST WILL WEAKEN THROUGH TONIGHT. THIS WILL ALLOW A COLD FRONT TO APPROACH FROM THE WEST AND CROSS THE REGION ON SATURDAY INTO SATURDAY NIGHT. A LARGE HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM THEN BUILDS IN FROM THE WEST ON SUNDAY AND PERSISTS THROUGH MIDWEEK. ANOTHER COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE AREA LATE WEDNESDAY OR THURSDAY. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM SATURDAY MORNING/... NO BIG CHANGES TO TONIGHT. BASED ON LATEST HRRR AND COSPA AS WELL AS RADAR RETURNS, WE DROPPED THE LOW CHANCES OF SHRAS GETTING INTO THE POCONOS. TEMPS AND DEW POINTS ARE PRETTY MUCH SPOT ON, WITH LESS SKY COVER WE DROPPED THEM SLIGHTLY FASTER DURG THE EVENING, BUT MAINTAINED CURRENT MINS. THIS SC SHOULD CLEAR THIS EVENING AS THE SUN SETS. DEWPOINTS HIGHER TONIGHT THAN THIS PAST MORNING...ESPECIALLY E PA AND SOME DECOUPLING INDICATED WITH A BL WIND UNDER 15 KT. SREF GUIDANCE AND TSECS OF 12Z/21 MODELS ARE GUIDING US TOWARD AN IFR/LIFR DEVELOPMENT OF ST AND/OR FOG...AT LEAST IN THE INTERIOR AFTER 04Z. IF THERE IS A DECK OF CLOUDS ABV 2000 FT...THAT WOULD MINIMIZE THE LIFR RISK. FOR NOW...PATCHY FOG WILL BE IN THE GRIDS AND THINKING IS THE THICKEST FOG WILL OCCUR IN E PA/FAR W NJ...NEAR AND WEST OF THE DELAWARE. WE MAY NEED TO RUN OUR FOG TOOLS AGAIN THIS EVENING AS I WASNT SATISFIED WITH THE OUTPUT IN THE MID AFTN GRIDDED ISSUANCE. TEMPS/WINDS/DEWPOINTS ARE 50 50 BLENDED 12Z/21 GFS/NAM GUIDANCE. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM SATURDAY MORNING THROUGH 6 PM SATURDAY/... AFTER MORNING FOG/ST CLEAR AROUND 14Z...A VERY FINE DAY IS UPCOMING... PLENTY OF SS...GUSTY SSW WIND TO 20 MAYBE EVEN 25 MPH IN THE MID AFTN AND 600J OF ML CAPE. THE APPROACHING CF THROUGH PA WILL HAVE SHOWERS ALONG IT BUT THE CONVECTIVE INDICES DO NOT LOOK IMPRESSIVE TO ME AND THINKING IS ONLY EMBEDDED ISO TSTMS LATE IN THE DAY IN E PA. DUE TO SPEED SHEAR...THERE COULD BE A GUSTY TSTM TO 35 OR 40 KTS BUT ITS NOT SOMETHING THAT AM FAVORING ATTM. TEMPS/WINDS/DEWPOINTS ARE BLENDED 21/12Z GFS/NAM MOS FAVORING THE WARMER NAM VALUES IN SSW WARM SECTOR BL FLOW. CONFIDENCE: AVERAGE && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY/... A CDFNT WILL BE CROSSING THE REGION AT THE START OF THE PD AND WILL TRIGGER SHWRS AND SOME TSTMS. WE REMAIN IN A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE ON SATURDAY, BUT THE SET UP IS NOT LOOKING ALL THAT PROMISING FOR A WIDESPREAD KIND OF EVENT. THE UPPER LEVEL JET IS CENTERED PRETTY FAR OFF TO OUR NORTHWEST AND BETTER SITUATED WITH THE STRONG MID LEVEL SHORTWAVE. SHEAR IS DECENT BUT STILL REMAINS BEST OFF TO OUR NORTH. TIME OF DAY IS ALSO A FACTOR AS THE BRUNT OF THE WX LOOKS TO OCCUR DURG THE EVE WELL AFTER PK HEATING. THERE COULD BE SOME LCLY HVY RAIN, BUT OVERALL QPF VALUES ARE NOT ALL THAT HIGH. THE FRONT WILL CLEAR THE COAST BY DAYBREAK AND A LARGE AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE MIDSECTION OF THE COUNTRY WILL BEGIN TO BUILD INTO THE ERN STATES. THIS HIGH WILL KEEP CONDS DRY THROUGH ABOUT WEDNESDAY, AS THE HIGH MOVES EWD. BY LATER WED OR THU ANOTHER CDFNT MAY APPROACH THE REGION. TEMPS WILL START OFF BLO NRML BEHIND THE AFOREMENTIONED FROPA THEN REBOUND TO NR SEASONAL BY MIDWEEK. && .AVIATION /22Z FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... THE FOLLOWING DISCUSSION IS FOR KPHL, KPNE, KTTN, KABE, KRDG, KILG, KMIV, KACY AND SURROUNDING AREAS. TONIGHT...VFR TO START...BUT AFTER 04Z OR 05Z FOG AND STRATUS SHOULD START DEVELOPING...MAINLY IN THE AXIS ALONG AND W OF KILG-KPHL-KFWN... ENOUGH EXPECTED TO FORCE IFR OR LIFR CONDS AFTER 08Z IN PARTS OF THAT AREA. LIGHT S-SE WIND. CONFIDENCE AVG. SATURDAY...IFR CONDS TO START AT LEAST IN THE KILG-KPHL-KFWN REGION WESTWARD ACROSS E PA BUT THIS SHOULD ALL BECOME VFR SCT AOA 3500 FT BY 15Z. SSW WIND G 20 KTS IN THE AFTERNOON. SCT SHOWERS ARRIVE FROM W TO E AFTER 18Z IN E PA WITH POSSIBLE EMBEDDED TSTM NEAR 22Z. CONFIDENCE AVG. OUTLOOK... SATURDAY NIGHT...MVFR AND PSBL IFR IN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MAINLY EARLY AS A COLD FRONT CROSSES THE REGION. IMPROVING CONDS BY DAYBREAK. SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...THE COLD FRONT MOVES OFFSHORE EARLY ON SUNDAY AND CONDITIONS SHOULD GRADUALLY IMPROVE TO VFR FROM WEST TO EAST. HIGH PRESSURE THEN BUILDS IN KEEPING GOOD FLYING CONDITIONS ACROSS THE TERMINALS THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK. && .MARINE... NO HEADLINES THROUGH AT LEAST MIDDAY SATURDAY. CONSIDERABLE UNCERTAINTY REGARDING EXCEEDING SCA THRESHOLD FROM MID AFTERNOON SATURDAY INTO SAT NIGHT. WE HAVE GRIDDED SCA CONDITIONS IN THE ATLC WATERS BUT THIS COULD BE SLIGHTLY OVERDONE. 12Z/21 NAM WAS MORE ROBUST THAN THE GFS/ECMWF. ESE WIND G UNDER 15 KTS NOW BECOMING MORE SSE DURING THE NIGHT AND THE SSW SATURDAY. G SAT AFTERNOON MAY NUDGE 25 KTS AND ATLC SEAS MAY REACH 5 FT IN THE AFTN. OUTLOOK... A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY SUNDAY, BRINGING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THE AREA WATERS. SEAS WILL LIKELY BE IN THE 5-6 FT RANGE SAT NIGHT ON THE OCEAN FRONT. AS THE FRONT MOVES THROUGH, THE WINDS WILL TURN TO THE WEST AND BECOME QUITE GUSTY, AROUND 25 KNOTS, WHICH WILL AID IN KEEPING THE SEAS AT OR ABOVE 5 FEET THROUGH MUCH OF SUNDAY. SEAS SHOULD START TO SUBSIDE BY LATE SUNDAY AFTERNOON OR EVENING. A SCA WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED DURG THIS TIME PD. HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN ON SUNDAY AND PERSISTS THROUGH THE MIDWEEK PERIOD, KEEPING WINDS AND WAVES BELOW SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CRITERIA. && .RIP CURRENTS... APPARENTLY A COUPLE OF RESCUES ALONG THE NJ COAST THIS AFTN WITH AN E SWELL OF 3 FT VARYING BETWEEN 6 AND 12 SECONDS. WE UPGRADED THE SRF RISK TO MODERATE FOR NJ. SATURDAY AND SUNDAY...A MODERATE RISK FOR DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS SHOULD PREVAIL WITH A 10 TO 12 SECOND PERIOD 3 TO 4 FT E SWELL. && .PHI WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...NONE. NJ...NONE. DE...NONE. MD...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...NIERENBERG NEAR TERM...DRAG/GIGI SHORT TERM...DRAG LONG TERM...NIERENBERG AVIATION...DRAG/NIERENBERG MARINE...DRAG/NIERENBERG RIP CURRENTS...
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MOUNT HOLLY NJ
441 AM EDT FRI SEP 21 2012 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE LOCATED OFF TO OUR NORTHEAST WILL WEAKEN TODAY. MEANWHILE, A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH FROM THE WEST AND CROSS THE REGION ON SATURDAY. HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN FROM THE WEST ON SUNDAY AND PERSISTS THROUGH MIDWEEK. ANOTHER COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE AREA LATE WEDNESDAY OR THURSDAY. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... THERE ARE A COUPLE OF ISSUES THAT NEED ATTENTION IN THE EARLY MORNING PORTION OF THE FORECAST. THE FIRST PROBLEM IS FOG. THE STRATUS HAS BEEN FAIRLY SLOW TO DEVELOP OUTSIDE OF THE SOUTHERN POCONOS AND PORTIONS OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY. INSTEAD...RADIATIONAL COOLING IS ALLOW MOISTURE TO POOL UNDER THE VERY LOW INVERSION IN PLACE TO FORM FOG. THE GEOCAT PRODUCT SHOWS THAT THE FOG HAS SPREAD INTO THE DELAWARE VALLEY AND INTO PORTIONS OF WESTERN NEW JERSEY. THUS FAR...THE VISIBILITIES HAVE REMAINED ABOVE ONE-QUARTER OF A MILE (WITH KABE AND KUKT THE EXCEPTIONS). SHOULD THE LOWER VISIBILITIES BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD... A SHORT FUSED DENSE FOG ADVISORY COULD BECOME NEEDED. THE NEXT PROBLEM IS THE POTENTIAL FOR LIGHT SHOWER ACTIVITY ACROSS PORTIONS OF EASTERN NEW JERSEY. KDIX IS SHOWING SOME LIGHT RETURNS (GENERALLY LESS THAN 10 DBZ) MOVING WEST TOWARD THE CAPE MAY COAST. AN AREA OF MORE SUBSTANTIAL SHOWERS IS MOVING NORTH ABOUT 85 TO 90 MILES SOUTHEAST OF KACY. THE LATEST HRRR AND 0000 UTC NAM SUGGEST THAT SOME OF THIS ACTIVITY WILL AFFECT EASTERN NEW JERSEY (MAINLY FROM OCEAN COUNTY SOUTH TO CAPE MAY COUNTY) BEFORE DAYBREAK. NAM MODEL SOUNDINGS (WHICH ARE BETTER CAPTURING THE MOISTURE SPREADING OUT UNDER THE LOW INVERSION) SUGGEST THE LOW CLOUDS BREAK BETWEEN 1300 AND 1500 UTC. TIMING MAY BE AN ISSUE SINCE THE SUN ANGLE IS GETTING LOWER...BUT THE CLOUDS MAY END UP HANGING ON THE LONGEST CLOSER TO THE NEW JERSEY COAST. AFTER THE CLOUDS BREAK... SCATTERED CUMULUS COULD REMAIN...ESPECIALLY ACROSS NORTHWEST ZONES. THE SCATTERED SHOWERS (AND EMBEDDED THUNDER) ASSOCIATED WITH THE WARM FRONT AND MID LEVEL SHORT WAVE OVER THE GREAT LAKES SHOULD PASS TO THE NORTHWEST OF THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON. FOR NOW...THE NORTHWEST ZONES WILL REMAIN DRY FOR THIS AFTERNOON...BUT TRENDS ON HOW THE PRECIPITATION EVOLVES TO THE WEST MAY NEED TO BE MONITORED. 850 MB TEMPERATURES SUGGEST HIGHS IN THE IN THE MID TO UPPER 70S OUTSIDE OF THE INFLUENCE OF TERRAIN AND THE WATERS. THIS IS CLOSE TO THE MOS MEAN...AND IS ACCEPTED. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH 6 AM SATURDAY/... THE FORECAST PROBLEM FOR TONIGHT WILL AGAIN BE SKY COVER. THE LOW LEVEL FLOW LOOKS TO REMAIN MORE SOUTHERLY TONIGHT (AS OPPOSED TO SOME VARIATION OF EAST). THE LOW LEVEL WIND DIRECTION CHANGE WOULD IMPLY THAT THE LOWER LEVELS WOULD NOT BE AS MOIST...NOR WOULD THE LOW LEVEL INVERSION BE AS PRONOUNCED. HOWEVER...WARM AIR ADVECTION ON THE NOSE OF THE LOW LEVEL JET MAY ALLOW THE INVERSION TO LOWER...AND THIS PRESENTS THE POTENTIAL FOR LOWER CLOUDS TO MOVE BACK IN AFTER MIDNIGHT. MODEL SOUNDINGS ARE LESS BULLISH ON THE THREAT FOR LOWER CLOUDS... WITH THE GFS EVEN LESS SO. BASED ON THIS...WILL NOT HIT THE LOWER CLOUDS TOO HARD TONIGHT...BUT THIS MAY NEED TO BE REVISITED. SHOWERS SHOULD DEVELOP ON THE NOSE OF THE LOW LEVEL JET. THE MODEL CONSENSUS IS TO TAKE THE WARM AIR ADVECTION DEVELOPING OVER THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY THIS MORNING INTO NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA AFTER 0600 UTC. FURTHER SOUTH AND EAST...THE LIFT GENERATED BY THE WARM AIR ADVECTION SHOULD BE INSUFFICIENT FOR SHOWER GENERATION...AND THE REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST AREA SHOULD REMAIN DRY TONIGHT. THE AIRMASS CONTINUES TO SLOWLY WARM FROM WITHIN. THIS WOULD SUGGEST THAT LOW WOULD BE CLOSER TO A MOS BLEND THAN THE COOLER GFS MOS NUMBERS. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... THE MID LEVEL TROUGH ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST, CONTINUES TO DEEPEN ON SATURDAY AS IT BECOMES MORE OF A CLOSED LOW. A STRONG SHORTWAVE WILL ROTATE THROUGH THE BASE OF THE TROUGH SATURDAY EVENING. ONE THE SHORTWAVE ROTATES THROUGH THE MID LEVEL FLOW, THE TROUGH STARTS TO WEAKEN A BIT AND LIFT NORTH. WHILE THE MAIN MID LEVEL LOW SHOULD BE WELL NORTH OF THE REGION BY MONDAY, ANOTHER STRONG SHORTWAVE WILL ROTATE THROUGH THE FLOW AND ACROSS OUR REGION ON MONDAY. AT THE SURFACE, THE COLD FRONT WILL PUSH ACROSS PENNSYLVANIA DURING THE DAY SATURDAY AND THEN START TO MOVE THROUGH OUR AREA MAINLY LATE SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT, EXITING OFF THE COAST BY EARLY SUNDAY MORNING. OUT AHEAD OF THE FRONT, WE SHOULD SEE SOME DECENT WARM AIR ADVECTION TAKE PLACE AND INCREASE IN MOISTURE AS THE SURFACE FLOW WILL BE PREDOMINATELY OUT OF THE SOUTH. WHILE THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS US IN A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE WEATHER, THE SET UP IS NOT LOOKING ALL THAT PROMISING FOR A WIDESPREAD KIND OF EVENT. THE UPPER LEVEL JET IS CENTERED PRETTY FAR OFF TO OUR NORTHWEST AND BETTER SITUATED WITH THE STRONG MID LEVEL SHORTWAVE. SHEAR IS DECENT BUT STILL REMAINS BEST OFF TO OUR NORTH. PLENTY OF MOISTURE WILL BE AVAILABLE AS PWATS GENERALLY FALL INTO THE 1.5-2.0 INCH RANGE, WHICH IS WELL ABOVE NORMAL FOR MID TO LATE SEPTEMBER, AND DEWPOINTS SHOULD HAVE NO PROBLEM RISING BACK UP INTO 60S. SO WE WILL NEED TO KEEP AN EYE ON HEAVY RAIN AND ANY POTENTIAL FLOODING ISSUES THAT MAY ARISE FROM THAT. TIME OF DAY MAY PLAY A BIG ROLE IN JUST HOW MUCH ACTION WE SEE AHEAD OF AND ALONG THE FRONT. WITH TEMPERATURES EXPECTED TO RISE INTO THE 80S ACROSS NEARLY THE ENTIRE REGION, WE COULD GET ENOUGH SURFACE HEATING TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE SEVERE THREAT. THE LIMITING FACTOR ON THE SURFACE HEATING MAY ACTUALLY BE THE CLOUD COVER. WARM MOIST AIR WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE RISING TEMPERATURES AND DEWPOINTS BUT CLOUD COVER MAY END UP LIMITING THE CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT. AS THE FRONT MOVES OFFSHORE EARLY SUNDAY MORNING, WE WILL SEE A DRYING TREND DEVELOP AS A LARGE AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS ACROSS THE MID-ATLANTIC REGION. SOME MUCH COLDER AIR WILL MAKES IT WAY INTO OUR REGION THROUGH THE DAY ON SUNDAY. MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES WILL BE IN THE UPPER 60S TO LOWER 70S. THE GUIDANCE EVEN INDICATES THAT TEMPERATURES MAY STRUGGLE TO REACH 70 THROUGH THE DAY. WITH THE COOLER AIR IN PLACE AND CLEARING SKIES WE SHOULD RADIATE EXTREMELY WELL SUNDAY NIGHT. TEMPERATURES WILL FALL INTO THE 40S, MAY STAY CLOSER TO 50 IN THE MORE URBAN AREAS, AND TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE NORTHERN ZONES MAY ACTUALLY FALL INTO THE MIDDLE TO UPPER 30S! WE COULD SEE SOME FRONT DEVELOP ACROSS THE NORTHERN AREAS AND WE HAVE ADDED PATCHY FROST INTO THE FORECAST FOR NOW. AS THE GROWING SEASON IS STILL ONGOING, WE WILL NEED TO MONITOR THE NEED FOR ANY KIND OF FROST HEADLINES. THE HIGH WILL INFLUENCE OUR WEATHER THROUGH AROUND WEDNESDAY, WHEN IT STARTS TO SHIFT OFF TO THE SOUTH OF OUR AREA. A SURFACE LOW WILL CROSS THE AREA LATE WEDNESDAY AND DRAG A COLD FRONT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT OR THURSDAY. MEANWHILE, ANOTHER MID LEVEL TROUGH WILL DIG DOWN ACROSS THE NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES AND THE MODELS SHOW A FAIRLY STRONG SHORTWAVE MOVING THROUGH THE FLOW AND CROSSING OUR AREA LATE THURSDAY. && .AVIATION /09Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... THE FOLLOWING DISCUSSION IS FOR KPHL, KPNE, KTTN, KABE, KRDG, KILG, KMIV, KACY AND SURROUNDING AREAS. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF KACY (WITH HAS MVFR CEILINGS ON ITS DOORSTEP)...CONDITIONS ARE VFR AT THE TERMINAL LOCATIONS EARLY THIS MORNING. HOWEVER...THAT IS EXPECTED TO CHANGE AS MVFR/IFR CONDITIONS DEVELOP...MAINLY FROM TWO AREAS OF LOW CLOUDS. THE FIRST AREA OF LOW CLOUDS EXTENDS FROM THE SOUTHERN POCONOS INTO CENTRAL NEW JERSEY (ROUGHLY FROM KMPO TO NEAR KWRI). MOISTURE IS SPREADING OUT UNDER A LOW INVERSION (NEAR 1000 FEET) IN THIS AREA. BASED ON EXPANSION OF THE AREA...KABE...KTTN AND KPNE SHOULD BE AFFECTED BEFORE 0800 UTC. KPHL...KILG AND KMIV SHOULD BE AFFECT BETWEEN 0800 UTC AND 1000 UTC. THERE IS LESS CONFIDENCE CONCERNING THE MVFR CEILINGS AT KPHL...AND TRENDS WILL NEED TO BE MONITORED. THE LOW CLOUDS PROBABLY REMAIN IN PLACE THROUGH ABOUT 1300 TO 1440 UTC...WHEN THE DECK LIFTS INTO A VFR CEILINGS. THE SECOND AREA OF LOW CLOUDS EXTENDS FROM THE SOUTHEAST NEW JERSEY COAST OUT 85 NM SOUTHEAST OF KACY. THE GECOCAT LOW CLOUD PRODUCT SUGGESTS THAT THIS AREA IS NOT GETTING MUCH BETTER ORGANIZED...BUT MVFR/IFR CEILINGS ARE EXPECTED AT KACY THROUGH ABOUT 1400 UTC IN ASSOCIATION WITH THIS AREA. THE CLOUD DECKS SHOULD BREAK BY 1600 UTC...WITH VFR CONDITIONS RETURNING. A LIGHT NORTHEAST WINDS SHOULD BECOME SOUTH THIS AFTERNOON...WITH LOCAL SEA AND BAY BREEZES DEVELOPING. THIS STARTS WITH VFR CONDITIONS...BUT AFTER 0600 UTC THE QUESTION AGAIN BECOMES HOW MUCH MVFR/IFR STRATUS DEVELOPS? MODEL SOUNDINGS SUGGEST THAT IFR CEILINGS DEVELOP BETWEEN 0600 AND 0900 UTC SATURDAY AT MOST LOCATIONS...BUT IT IS UNCLEAR RIGHT NOW JUST HOW WIDESPREAD THE LOW CLOUDS MIGHT GET. THE STRATUS LATE TONIGHT AND EARLY SATURDAY MORNING WILL BE ADDRESSED WITH THE 1200 UTC TERMINAL FORECAST ISSUANCE. OUTLOOK... SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT...VFR CONDITIONS TO START...THEN BECOMING SUB-VFR IN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DURING THE AFTERNOON/EVENING AS A COLD FRONT CROSSES THE REGION. SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...THE COLD FRONT MOVES OFFSHORE EARLY ON SUNDAY AND CONDITIONS SHOULD GRADUALLY IMPROVE TO VFR FROM WEST TO EAST. HIGH PRESSURE THEN BUILDS IN KEEPING FAIRLY GOOD FLYING CONDITIONS ACROSS THE TERMINALS. && .MARINE... WINDS ARE IN THE PROCESS OF SNAPPING BACK TO THE GENERAL NORTH TO NORTHEAST SYNOPTIC FLOW. THE GRADIENT MAY TIGHTEN BRIEFLY THIS MORNING AS THE HIGH OVER NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND REORGANIZES ITSELF. THIS COULD ALLOW WINDS...ESPECIALLY OVER SOUTHERN OCEAN WATERS...TO GET BACK CLOSER TO 12 OR 13 KNOTS FOR A TIME THROUGH MID MORNING. SEAS ARE STILL CLOSE TO 4 FEET ACROSS THE NORTHERN OCEAN WATERS... BUT THE WAVE WATCH MODEL SHOWS SEAS BACKING OFF LATER THIS MORNING. THE GRADIENT BACKS OFF AGAIN BY LATE MORNING...ALLOW WINDS TO SHIFT BACK TO FAVORED SEA AND BAY BREEZE CONFIGURATIONS. IN ANY EVENT... WINDS THIS AFTERNOON SHOULD REMAIN LESS THAN 15 KNOTS. THE GRADIENT SHOULD REMAIN LIGHT INTO THE EVENING HOURS...AS WINDS REMAIN MORE SOUTHERLY THAN EASTERLY. THE LOW LEVEL INVERSION SETTING UP LATER THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT SHOULD KEEP WINDS ASSOCIATED WITH AN APPROACHING LOW LEVEL JET ABOVE THE SURFACE. BECAUSE OF THIS...WINDS AND SEAS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN BELOW SMALL CRAFT LEVELS INTO EARLY SATURDAY MORNING. OUTLOOK... A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH EARLY SUNDAY, BRINGING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THE AREA WATERS. THE SOUTHERLY FLOW AHEAD OF THE FRONT WILL START TO BUILD SEAS AND WE WILL SEE 5-6 FT SEAS BY SATURDAY EVENING ON THE OCEAN FRONT. AS THE FRONT MOVES THROUGH, THE WINDS WILL TURN TO THE WEST AND BECOME QUITE GUSTY, AROUND 25 KNOTS, WHICH WILL AID IN KEEPING THE SEAS AT OR ABOVE 5 FEET THROUGH MUCH OF SUNDAY. SEAS SHOULD START TO SUBSIDE BY LATE SUNDAY AFTERNOON OR EVENING. HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN ON SUNDAY AND PERSISTS THROUGH THE MIDWEEK PERIOD, KEEPING WINDS AND WAVES BELOW SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CRITERIA. && .TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING... TIDES ARE RUNNING ABOUT ONE-HALF TO THREE-QUARTERS OF A FOOT ABOVE PREDICTED EARLY THIS MORNING ON THE OCEAN FRONT. MOST PLACES ON THE OCEAN FRONT WOULD NEED DEPARTURES CLOSE TO A FOOT TO GET CLOSE TO THE MINOR TIDAL FLOODING BENCHMARK THIS AFTERNOON. BOTH THE MDL EXTRATROPICAL SURGE GUIDANCE AND DBOFS BRING CAPE MAY CLOSE TO THE MINOR TIDAL FLOODING BENCHMARK EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. IN ADDITION... THE STEVENS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY CMS MODEL BRING LEWES DELAWARE CLOSE FOR THE EARLY AFTERNOON HIGH TIDE. FOR NOW...NO ACTION WILL BE TAKEN...AS IT WOULD APPEAR THAT ALL OCEAN LOCATIONS WILL REMAIN BELOW THE THRESHOLD FOR THE EARLY AFTERNOON HIGH TIDE CYCLE. && .PHI WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...NONE. NJ...NONE. DE...NONE. MD...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...MEOLA NEAR TERM...HAYES SHORT TERM...HAYES LONG TERM...MEOLA AVIATION...HAYES/MEOLA MARINE...HAYES/MEOLA TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...HAYES
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MOUNT HOLLY NJ
326 AM EDT FRI SEP 21 2012 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE LOCATED OFF TO OUR NORTHEAST WILL WEAKEN TODAY. MEANWHILE, A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH FROM THE WEST AND CROSS THE REGION ON SATURDAY. HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN FROM THE WEST ON SUNDAY AND PERSISTS THROUGH MIDWEEK. ANOTHER COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE AREA LATE WEDNESDAY OR THURSDAY. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... THERE ARE A COUPLE OF ISSUES THAT NEED ATTENTION IN THE EARLY MORNING PORTION OF THE FORECAST. FIRST IS THE LOW CLOUDS. A BANK OF LOW CLOUDINESS HAS DEVELOPED ACROSS THE SOUTHERN POCONOS AND PARTS OF SUSSEX COUNTY NEW JERSEY. THE AREA HAS EXPANDED CONSIDERABLY DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...AND THE LOWER CLOUDS PROBABLY SPREAD INTO THE LEHIGH VALLEY AND NORTHWEST NEW JERSEY BEFORE DAYBREAK. THERE IS ALSO THE POTENTIAL FOR LOW CLOUDS TO AFFECT PORTIONS OF NEW JERSEY AND DELAWARE. THE LOW CLOUD PRODUCT IS SHOWING CLOUDINESS ABOUT 85 MILES SOUTHEAST OF KACY. WHILE THE AREA HAS NOT GOTTEN ANY BETTER ORGANIZED...THE LOW LEVEL EAST SOUTHEAST FLOW WOULD BRING THESE CLOUDS TO THE NEW JERSEY COAST BEFORE DAYBREAK. THE NEXT PROBLEM IS THE POTENTIAL FOR LIGHT SHOWER ACTIVITY ACROSS PORTIONS OF EASTERN NEW JERSEY. KDIX IS SHOWING SOME LIGHT RETURNS (GENERALLY LESS THAN 10 DBZ) MOVING WEST TOWARD THE CAPE MAY COAST. AN AREA OF MORE SUBSTANTIAL SHOWERS IS MOVING NORTH ABOUT 85 TO 90 MILES SOUTHEAST OF KACY. THE LATEST HRRR AND 0000 UTC NAM SUGGEST THAT SOME OF THIS ACTIVITY WILL AFFECT EASTERN NEW JERSEY (MAINLY FROM OCEAN COUNTY SOUTH TO CAPE MAY COUNTY) BEFORE DAYBREAK. NAM MODEL SOUNDINGS (WHICH ARE BETTER CAPTURING THE MOISTURE SPREADING OUT UNDER THE LOW INVERSION) SUGGEST THE LOW CLOUDS BREAK BETWEEN 1300 AND 1500 UTC. TIMING MAY BE AN ISSUE SINCE THE SUN ANGLE IS GETTING LOWER...BUT THE CLOUDS MAY END UP HANGING ON THE LONGEST CLOSER TO THE NEW JERSEY COAST. AFTER THE CLOUDS BREAK... SCATTERED CUMULUS COULD REMAIN...ESPECIALLY ACROSS NORTHWEST ZONES. THE SCATTERED SHOWERS (AND EMBEDDED THUNDER) ASSOCIATED WITH THE WARM FRONT AND MID LEVEL SHORT WAVE OVER THE GREAT LAKES SHOULD PASS TO THE NORTHWEST OF THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON. FOR NOW...THE NORTHWEST ZONES WILL REMAIN DRY FOR THIS AFTERNOON...BUT TRENDS ON HOW THE PRECIPITATION EVOLVES TO THE WEST MAY NEED TO BE MONITORED. 850 MB TEMPERATURES SUGGEST HIGHS IN THE IN THE MID TO UPPER 70S OUTSIDE OF THE INFLUENCE OF TERRAIN AND THE WATERS. THIS IS CLOSE TO THE MOS MEAN...AND IS ACCEPTED. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH 6 AM SATURDAY/... THE FORECAST PROBLEM FOR TONIGHT WILL AGAIN BE SKY COVER. THE LOW LEVEL FLOW LOOKS TO REMAIN MORE SOUTHERLY TONIGHT (AS OPPOSED TO SOME VARIATION OF EAST). THE LOW LEVEL WIND DIRECTION CHANGE WOULD IMPLY THAT THE LOWER LEVELS WOULD NOT BE AS MOIST...NOR WOULD THE LOW LEVEL INVERSION BE AS PRONOUNCED. HOWEVER...WARM AIR ADVECTION ON THE NOSE OF THE LOW LEVEL JET MAY ALLOW THE INVERSION TO LOWER...AND THIS PRESENTS THE POTENTIAL FOR LOWER CLOUDS TO MOVE BACK IN AFTER MIDNIGHT. MODEL SOUNDINGS ARE LESS BULLISH ON THE THREAT FOR LOWER CLOUDS... WITH THE GFS EVEN LESS SO. BASED ON THIS...WILL NOT HIT THE LOWER CLOUDS TOO HARD TONIGHT...BUT THIS MAY NEED TO BE REVISITED. SHOWERS SHOULD DEVELOP ON THE NOSE OF THE LOW LEVEL JET. THE MODEL CONSENSUS IS TO TAKE THE WARM AIR ADVECTION DEVELOPING OVER THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY THIS MORNING INTO NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA AFTER 0600 UTC. FURTHER SOUTH AND EAST...THE LIFT GENERATED BY THE WARM AIR ADVECTION SHOULD BE INSUFFICIENT FOR SHOWER GENERATION...AND THE REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST AREA SHOULD REMAIN DRY TONIGHT. THE AIRMASS CONTINUES TO SLOWLY WARM FROM WITHIN. THIS WOULD SUGGEST THAT LOW WOULD BE CLOSER TO A MOS BLEND THAN THE COOLER GFS MOS NUMBERS. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... THE MID LEVEL TROUGH ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST, CONTINUES TO DEEPEN ON SATURDAY AS IT BECOMES MORE OF A CLOSED LOW. A STRONG SHORTWAVE WILL ROTATE THROUGH THE BASE OF THE TROUGH SATURDAY EVENING. ONE THE SHORTWAVE ROTATES THROUGH THE MID LEVEL FLOW, THE TROUGH STARTS TO WEAKEN A BIT AND LIFT NORTH. WHILE THE MAIN MID LEVEL LOW SHOULD BE WELL NORTH OF THE REGION BY MONDAY, ANOTHER STRONG SHORTWAVE WILL ROTATE THROUGH THE FLOW AND ACROSS OUR REGION ON MONDAY. AT THE SURFACE, THE COLD FRONT WILL PUSH ACROSS PENNSYLVANIA DURING THE DAY SATURDAY AND THEN START TO MOVE THROUGH OUR AREA MAINLY LATE SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT, EXITING OFF THE COAST BY EARLY SUNDAY MORNING. OUT AHEAD OF THE FRONT, WE SHOULD SEE SOME DECENT WARM AIR ADVECTION TAKE PLACE AND INCREASE IN MOISTURE AS THE SURFACE FLOW WILL BE PREDOMINATELY OUT OF THE SOUTH. WHILE THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS US IN A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE WEATHER, THE SET UP IS NOT LOOKING ALL THAT PROMISING FOR A WIDESPREAD KIND OF EVENT. THE UPPER LEVEL JET IS CENTERED PRETTY FAR OFF TO OUR NORTHWEST AND BETTER SITUATED WITH THE STRONG MID LEVEL SHORTWAVE. SHEAR IS DECENT BUT STILL REMAINS BEST OFF TO OUR NORTH. PLENTY OF MOISTURE WILL BE AVAILABLE AS PWATS GENERALLY FALL INTO THE 1.5-2.0 INCH RANGE, WHICH IS WELL ABOVE NORMAL FOR MID TO LATE SEPTEMBER, AND DEWPOINTS SHOULD HAVE NO PROBLEM RISING BACK UP INTO 60S. SO WE WILL NEED TO KEEP AN EYE ON HEAVY RAIN AND ANY POTENTIAL FLOODING ISSUES THAT MAY ARISE FROM THAT. TIME OF DAY MAY PLAY A BIG ROLE IN JUST HOW MUCH ACTION WE SEE AHEAD OF AND ALONG THE FRONT. WITH TEMPERATURES EXPECTED TO RISE INTO THE 80S ACROSS NEARLY THE ENTIRE REGION, WE COULD GET ENOUGH SURFACE HEATING TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE SEVERE THREAT. THE LIMITING FACTOR ON THE SURFACE HEATING MAY ACTUALLY BE THE CLOUD COVER. WARM MOIST AIR WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE RISING TEMPERATURES AND DEWPOINTS BUT CLOUD COVER MAY END UP LIMITING THE CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT. AS THE FRONT MOVES OFFSHORE EARLY SUNDAY MORNING, WE WILL SEE A DRYING TREND DEVELOP AS A LARGE AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS ACROSS THE MID-ATLANTIC REGION. SOME MUCH COLDER AIR WILL MAKES IT WAY INTO OUR REGION THROUGH THE DAY ON SUNDAY. MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES WILL BE IN THE UPPER 60S TO LOWER 70S. THE GUIDANCE EVEN INDICATES THAT TEMPERATURES MAY STRUGGLE TO REACH 70 THROUGH THE DAY. WITH THE COOLER AIR IN PLACE AND CLEARING SKIES WE SHOULD RADIATE EXTREMELY WELL SUNDAY NIGHT. TEMPERATURES WILL FALL INTO THE 40S, MAY STAY CLOSER TO 50 IN THE MORE URBAN AREAS, AND TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE NORTHERN ZONES MAY ACTUALLY FALL INTO THE MIDDLE TO UPPER 30S! WE COULD SEE SOME FRONT DEVELOP ACROSS THE NORTHERN AREAS AND WE HAVE ADDED PATCHY FROST INTO THE FORECAST FOR NOW. AS THE GROWING SEASON IS STILL ONGOING, WE WILL NEED TO MONITOR THE NEED FOR ANY KIND OF FROST HEADLINES. THE HIGH WILL INFLUENCE OUR WEATHER THROUGH AROUND WEDNESDAY, WHEN IT STARTS TO SHIFT OFF TO THE SOUTH OF OUR AREA. A SURFACE LOW WILL CROSS THE AREA LATE WEDNESDAY AND DRAG A COLD FRONT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT OR THURSDAY. MEANWHILE, ANOTHER MID LEVEL TROUGH WILL DIG DOWN ACROSS THE NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES AND THE MODELS SHOW A FAIRLY STRONG SHORTWAVE MOVING THROUGH THE FLOW AND CROSSING OUR AREA LATE THURSDAY. && .AVIATION /07Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... THE FOLLOWING DISCUSSION IS FOR KPHL, KPNE, KTTN, KABE, KRDG, KILG, KMIV, KACY AND SURROUNDING AREAS. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF KACY (WITH HAS MVFR CEILINGS ON ITS DOORSTEP)...CONDITIONS ARE VFR AT THE TERMINAL LOCATIONS EARLY THIS MORNING. HOWEVER...THAT IS EXPECTED TO CHANGE AS MVFR/IFR CONDITIONS DEVELOP...MAINLY FROM TWO AREAS OF LOW CLOUDS. THE FIRST AREA OF LOW CLOUDS EXTENDS FROM THE SOUTHERN POCONOS INTO CENTRAL NEW JERSEY (ROUGHLY FROM KMPO TO NEAR KWRI). MOISTURE IS SPREADING OUT UNDER A LOW INVERSION (NEAR 1000 FEET) IN THIS AREA. BASED ON EXPANSION OF THE AREA...KABE...KTTN AND KPNE SHOULD BE AFFECTED BEFORE 0800 UTC. KPHL...KILG AND KMIV SHOULD BE AFFECT BETWEEN 0800 UTC AND 1000 UTC. THERE IS LESS CONFIDENCE CONCERNING THE MVFR CEILINGS AT KPHL...AND TRENDS WILL NEED TO BE MONITORED. THE LOW CLOUDS PROBABLY REMAIN IN PLACE THROUGH ABOUT 1300 TO 1440 UTC...WHEN THE DECK LIFTS INTO A VFR CEILINGS. THE SECOND AREA OF LOW CLOUDS EXTENDS FROM THE SOUTHEAST NEW JERSEY COAST OUT 85 NM SOUTHEAST OF KACY. THE GECOCAT LOW CLOUD PRODUCT SUGGESTS THAT THIS AREA IS NOT GETTING MUCH BETTER ORGANIZED...BUT MVFR/IFR CEILINGS ARE EXPECTED AT KACY THROUGH ABOUT 1400 UTC IN ASSOCIATION WITH THIS AREA. THE CLOUD DECKS SHOULD BREAK BY 1600 UTC...WITH VFR CONDITIONS RETURNING. A LIGHT NORTHEAST WINDS SHOULD BECOME SOUTH THIS AFTERNOON...WITH LOCAL SEA AND BAY BREEZES DEVELOPING. THIS STARTS WITH VFR CONDITIONS...BUT AFTER 0600 UTC THE QUESTION AGAIN BECOMES HOW MUCH MVFR/IFR STRATUS DEVELOPS? MODEL SOUNDINGS SUGGEST THAT IFR CEILINGS DEVELOP BETWEEN 0600 AND 0900 UTC SATURDAY AT MOST LOCATIONS...BUT IT IS UNCLEAR RIGHT NOW JUST HOW WIDESPREAD THE LOW CLOUDS MIGHT GET. THE STRATUS LATE TONIGHT AND EARLY SATURDAY MORNING WILL BE ADDRESSED WITH THE 1200 UTC TERMINAL FORECAST ISSUANCE. OUTLOOK... SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT...VFR CONDITIONS TO START...THEN BECOMING SUB-VFR IN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DURING THE AFTERNOON/EVENING AS A COLD FRONT CROSSES THE REGION. SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...THE COLD FRONT MOVES OFFSHORE EARLY ON SUNDAY AND CONDITIONS SHOULD GRADUALLY IMPROVE TO VFR FROM WEST TO EAST. HIGH PRESSURE THEN BUILDS IN KEEPING FAIRLY GOOD FLYING CONDITIONS ACROSS THE TERMINALS. && .MARINE... WINDS ARE IN THE PROCESS OF SNAPPING BACK TO THE GENERAL NORTH TO NORTHEAST SYNOPTIC FLOW. THE GRADIENT MAY TIGHTEN BRIEFLY THIS MORNING AS THE HIGH OVER NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND REORGANIZES ITSELF. THIS COULD ALLOW WINDS...ESPECIALLY OVER SOUTHERN OCEAN WATERS...TO GET BACK CLOSER TO 12 OR 13 KNOTS FOR A TIME THROUGH MID MORNING. SEAS ARE STILL CLOSE TO 4 FEET ACROSS THE NORTHERN OCEAN WATERS... BUT THE WAVE WATCH MODEL SHOWS SEAS BACKING OFF LATER THIS MORNING. THE GRADIENT BACKS OFF AGAIN BY LATE MORNING...ALLOW WINDS TO SHIFT BACK TO FAVORED SEA AND BAY BREEZE CONFIGURATIONS. IN ANY EVENT... WINDS THIS AFTERNOON SHOULD REMAIN LESS THAN 15 KNOTS. THE GRADIENT SHOULD REMAIN LIGHT INTO THE EVENING HOURS...AS WINDS REMAIN MORE SOUTHERLY THAN EASTERLY. THE LOW LEVEL INVERSION SETTING UP LATER THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT SHOULD KEEP WINDS ASSOCIATED WITH AN APPROACHING LOW LEVEL JET ABOVE THE SURFACE. BECAUSE OF THIS...WINDS AND SEAS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN BELOW SMALL CRAFT LEVELS INTO EARLY SATURDAY MORNING. OUTLOOK... A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH EARLY SUNDAY, BRINGING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THE AREA WATERS. THE SOUTHERLY FLOW AHEAD OF THE FRONT WILL START TO BUILD SEAS AND WE WILL SEE 5-6 FT SEAS BY SATURDAY EVENING ON THE OCEAN FRONT. AS THE FRONT MOVES THROUGH, THE WINDS WILL TURN TO THE WEST AND BECOME QUITE GUSTY, AROUND 25 KNOTS, WHICH WILL AID IN KEEPING THE SEAS AT OR ABOVE 5 FEET THROUGH MUCH OF SUNDAY. SEAS SHOULD START TO SUBSIDE BY LATE SUNDAY AFTERNOON OR EVENING. HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN ON SUNDAY AND PERSISTS THROUGH THE MIDWEEK PERIOD, KEEPING WINDS AND WAVES BELOW SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CRITERIA. && .TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING... TIDES ARE RUNNING ABOUT ONE-HALF TO THREE-QUARTERS OF A FOOT ABOVE PREDICTED EARLY THIS MORNING ON THE OCEAN FRONT. MOST PLACES ON THE OCEAN FRONT WOULD NEED DEPARTURES CLOSE TO A FOOT TO GET CLOSE TO THE MINOR TIDAL FLOODING BENCHMARK THIS AFTERNOON. BOTH THE MDL EXTRATROPICAL SURGE GUIDANCE AND DBOFS BRING CAPE MAY CLOSE TO THE MINOR TIDAL FLOODING BENCHMARK EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. IN ADDITION... THE STEVENS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY CMS MODEL BRING LEWES DELAWARE CLOSE FOR THE EARLY AFTERNOON HIGH TIDE. FOR NOW...NO ACTION WILL BE TAKEN...AS IT WOULD APPEAR THAT ALL OCEAN LOCATIONS WILL REMAIN BELOW THE THRESHOLD FOR THE EARLY AFTERNOON HIGH TIDE CYCLE. && .PHI WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...NONE. NJ...NONE. DE...NONE. MD...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...MEOLA NEAR TERM...HAYES SHORT TERM...HAYES LONG TERM...MEOLA AVIATION...HAYES/MEOLA MARINE...HAYES/MEOLA TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...HAYES
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MOUNT HOLLY NJ
119 AM EDT FRI SEP 21 2012 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE NORTHEASTWARD TONIGHT AND WEAKEN ON FRIDAY. THEN, A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH FROM THE WEST AND CROSS THE REGION ON SATURDAY NIGHT. HIGH PRESSURE WILL THEN BUILD IN FROM THE WEST AND REMAIN OVER THE AREA THROUGH MIDWEEK. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM THIS MORNING/... NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE FORECAST WITH THE UPDATE...BUT THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS TO WATCH FOR THE OVERNIGHT. FIRST IS THE LOW CLOUDS. A BANK OF LOW CLOUDINESS HAS DEVELOPED ACROSS THE SOUTHERN POCONOS AND PARTS OF SUSSEX COUNTY NEW JERSEY. THE AREA HAS EXPANDED CONSIDERABLY IN THE PAST TWO HOURS...AND THE LOWER CLOUDS PROBABLY SPREAD INTO THE LEHIGH VALLEY AND NORTHWEST NEW JERSEY DURING THE NEXT 2 OR 3 HOURS. THERE IS ALSO THE POTENTIAL FOR LOW CLOUDS TO AFFECT PORTIONS OF NEW JERSEY AND DELAWARE DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. THE LOW CLOUD PRODUCT IS SHOWING CLOUDINESS ABOUT 85 MILES SOUTHEAST OF KACY. WHILE THE AREA HAS NOT GOTTEN ANY BETTER ORGANIZED...THE LOW LEVEL EAST SOUTHEAST FLOW WOULD BRING THESE CLOUDS TO THE NEW JERSEY COAST AFTER 0600 UTC. THE FORECAST ALREADY INCLUDES THE MENTION OF CLOUDS THERE...SO THIS ASPECT OF THE FORECAST IS COVERED WELL. THE NEXT PROBLEM IS THE POTENTIAL FOR LIGHT SHOWER ACTIVITY ACROSS PORTIONS OF EASTERN NEW JERSEY. KDIX IS SHOWING SOME LIGHT RETURNS (GENERALLY LESS THAN 10 DBZ) MOVING WEST TOWARD THE CAPE MAY COAST. AN AREA OF MORE SUBSTANTIAL SHOWERS IS MOVING NORTH ABOUT 85 TO 90 MILES SOUTHEAST OF KACY. THE LATEST HRRR AND 0000 UTC NAM SUGGEST THAT SOME OF THIS ACTIVITY WILL AFFECT EASTERN NEW JERSEY (MAINLY FROM OCEAN COUNTY SOUTH TO CAPE MAY COUNTY) BEFORE DAYBREAK. THE ACTIVITY OUT THERE NOW LENDS SOME CREDENCE TO THE HRRR AND NAM SOLUTIONS...AND A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE ABOVEMENTIONED AREAS. TRENDS WILL BE FOLLOWED IN THE EVENT THE SHOWERS BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM THIS MORNING THROUGH 6 PM THIS EVENING/... THE EXTENT OF MORNING LOW CLOUDS WILL BE THE MAIN CONCERN FRIDAY, BUT THE MODELS INDICATE SUFFICIENT MIXING TO OCCUR BY MID-MORNING, WITH LOW CLOUDS DISSIPATING. THE REMAINDER OF FRIDAY WILL FEATURE FAIR WEATHER WITH MIXED SUN AND CLOUDS AS WEAKENING HIGH PRESSURE REMAINS TO OUR NORTHEAST. A SOUTHERLY TO SOUTHEASTERLY FLOW WILL DEVELOP THROUGH THE DAY AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT FROM THE GREAT LAKES AND OHIO VALLEY REGION. THIS FLOW WILL BRING WARMER, MOISTER AIR TO THE REGION, AND MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO BE A FEW DEGREES WARMER THAN ON THURSDAY. OVERALL, A BLEND OF CONTINUITY WITH STAT GUIDANCE WAS USED FOR TEMPERATURES. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... THE PD BEGINS WITH WK HIGH PRESSURE TO THE NE. THEN A CDFNT OVER THE MIDWEST WILL APPROACH AND CROSS THE REGION LATER SATURDAY INTO SATURDAY NIGHT. MDLS CONTINUE TO KEEP MOST OF THE PRECIP TO OUR W UNTIL LATE AFTN AT THE EARLIEST AND THE BULK OF THE PRECIP DOES NOT OCCUR UNTIL EVENING. THERE IS STILL SOME DISAGREEMENT WITHIN THE MDLS AS TO THE ACTUAL TIMING OF THE FRONT, BUT AT LEAST THE FIRST HALF OF SATURDAY SHOULD BE NICE AND LIKELY MORE. WHEN THE FRONT CROSSES THE REGIONS, IT WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY SHRA AND SOME TSRA BUT TIME OF DAY COULD HAVE AN IMPACT ON WHAT OCCURS AND SEVERE POTENTIAL, BUT THE POSSIBILITY EXISTS FOR SOME HVY RAIN. STRONG HIGH PRESSURE THEN BUILDS IN FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE COUNTRY FOR THE FIRST PART OF NEXT WEEK. ANOTHER CDFNT COULD APPROACH AROUND WEDNESDAY. TEMPS WILL START OUT ABOVE NRML ON SAT, THEN WILL DROP BELOW NRML FOR THE FIRST FEW FULL DAYS OF FALL (THE AUTUMNAL EQUINOX IS SATURDAY AT 1049 AM). && .AVIATION /05Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... THE FOLLOWING DISCUSSION IS FOR KPHL, KPNE, KTTN, KABE, KRDG, KILG, KMIV, KACY AND SURROUNDING AREAS. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF KACY (WITH HAS MVFR CEILINGS ON ITS DOORSTEP)...CONDITIONS ARE VFR AT THE TERMINAL LOCATIONS EARLY THIS MORNING. HOWEVER...THAT IS EXPECTED TO CHANGE AS MVFR/IFR CONDITIONS DEVELOP...MAINLY FROM TWO AREAS OF LOW CLOUDS. THE FIRST AREA OF LOW CLOUDS EXTENDS FROM THE SOUTHERN POCONOS INTO CENTRAL NEW JERSEY (ROUGHLY FROM KMPO TO NEAR KWRI). MOISTURE IS SPREADING OUT UNDER A LOW INVERSION (NEAR 1000 FEET) IN THIS AREA. BASED ON EXPANSION OF THE AREA...KABE...KTTN AND KPNE SHOULD BE AFFECTED BEFORE 0800 UTC. KPHL...KILG AND KMIV SHOULD BE AFFECT BETWEEN 0800 UTC AND 1000 UTC. THERE IS LESS CONFIDENCE CONCERNING THE MVFR CEILINGS AT KPHL...AND TRENDS WILL NEED TO BE MONITORED. THE LOW CLOUDS PROBABLY REMAIN IN PLACE THROUGH ABOUT 1300 TO 1440 UTC...WHEN THE DECK LIFTS INTO A VFR CEILINGS. THE SECOND AREA OF LOW CLOUDS EXTENDS FROM THE SOUTHEAST NEW JERSEY COAST OUT 85 NM SOUTHEAST OF KACY. THE GECOCAT LOW CLOUD PRODUCT SUGGESTS THAT THIS AREA IS NOT GETTING MUCH BETTER ORGANIZED...BUT MVFR/IFR CEILINGS ARE EXPECTED AT KACY THROUGH ABOUT 1400 UTC IN ASSOCIATION WITH THIS AREA. THE CLOUD DECKS SHOULD BREAK BY 1600 UTC...WITH VFR CONDITIONS RETURNING. A LIGHT NORTHEAST WINDS SHOULD BECOME SOUTH THIS AFTERNOON...WITH LOCAL SEA AND BAY BREEZES DEVELOPING. THIS STARTS WITH VFR CONDITIONS...BUT AFTER 0600 UTC THE QUESTION AGAIN BECOMES HOW MUCH MVFR/IFR STRATUS DEVELOPS? MODEL SOUNDINGS SUGGEST THAT IFR CEILINGS DEVELOP BETWEEN 0600 AND 0900 UTC SATURDAY AT MOST LOCATIONS...BUT IT IS UNCLEAR RIGHT NOW JUST HOW WIDESPREAD THE LOW CLOUDS MIGHT GET. THE STRATUS LATE TONIGHT AND EARLY SATURDAY MORNING WILL BE ADDRESSED WITH THE 1200 UTC TERMINAL FORECAST ISSUANCE. OUTLOOK... SATURDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT...VFR CONDITIONS TO START...THEN BECOMING SUB-VFR IN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AFTERNOON/EVENING AS A COLD FRONT CROSSES THE REGION. SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY...THE COLD FRONT MOVES OFFSHORE EARLY ON SUNDAY AND CONDITIONS WILL IMPROVE TO VFR FROM WEST TO EAST. HIGH PRESSURE THEN BUILDS IN KEEPING GOOD FLYING CONDITIONS ACROSS REGION. && .MARINE... GENERALLY SUB-ADVISORY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED ON THE WATERS TONIGHT AND THROUGH FRIDAY. THROUGH EARLY EVENING, A FEW WIND GUSTS APPROACHING 20 KNOTS AND SEAS APPROACHING 5 FEET ARE POSSIBLE FOR OUR NORTHERN COASTAL WATERS, BUT OTHERWISE, WINDS WILL PRIMARILY BE IN THE 10 TO 15 KNOT RANGE. SEAS OF 3 TO 4 FEET ARE EXPECTED FOR THE COASTAL WATERS TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY, WITH 1 TO 2 FOOT SEAS FOR DELAWARE BAY. OUTLOOK... HIGH PRESSURE WILL START THE OUTLOOK PD WITH RATHER CALM CONDS ON THE AREA WATERS, BUT A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA WATERS SATURDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY SUNDAY. THE SOUTHERLY FLOW AHEAD OF THE FRONT WILL START TO BUILD SEAS AND WE COULD SEE 5-6 FT SEAS BY SATURDAY EVENING ON THE OCEAN FRONT. AS THE FRONT MOVES BY, THE WINDS BECOME WESTERLY AND GUSTY KEEPING THE SEAS AT OR ABOVE 5 FEET THROUGH MUCH OF SUNDAY. SEAS SHOULD START TO SUBSIDE BY LATE SUNDAY AFTERNOON OR EVENING. SCA FLAGS WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED FOR A PORTION OF SAT INTO SUN. HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN THE START OF THE WEEK WITH SUB-ADVISORY CONDITIONS EXPECTED. && .PHI WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...NONE. NJ...NONE. DE...NONE. MD...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...NIERENBERG NEAR TERM...HAYES SHORT TERM...KLINE LONG TERM...NIERENBERG AVIATION...HAYES/NIERENBERG MARINE...KLINE/NIERENBERG
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MIAMI FL
928 PM EDT SAT SEP 22 2012 .UPDATE... ALL THE URBAN FLOOD ADVISORIES ISSUED EARLIER IN THE EVENING HAVE BEEN DROPPED.. LATEST RADAR RETURNS INDICATE JUST LIGHT TO MODERATE SHOWERS ACROSS THE CWA. THE SHORT TERM FORECAST WAS UPDATED TO REFLECT THE LACK OF CONVECTION CURRENTLY ACROSS THE REGION. HOWEVER...LATEST GUIDANCE AND WATER VAPOR IMAGERY INDICATED AN UPPER LEVEL SHORT WAVE TROUGH ENTERING THE EASTERN GULF THAT COULD TRIGGER ANOTHER ROUND OF CONVECTION DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS ON SUNDAY. THE OOZ SOUNDING INDICATED CONSIDERABLE MOISTURE LINGERING ACROSS THE AREA WITH THE PWAT NEAR 2.4 INCHES WITH WESTERLY FLOW THROUGH MOST OF THE ATMOSPHERE. THE RECENT GUIDANCE ALSO INDICATED THE POTENTIAL FOR ADDITIONAL CONVECTION OVER NIGHT. SO FOR THE REMAINING EVENING HOURS JUST ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS AND AN OCCASIONAL THUNDERSTORM IS FORECAST WITH GREATER COVERAGE AND AN INCREASE IN POTENTIAL FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS ON SUNDAY. 60 && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 759 PM EDT SAT SEP 22 2012/ AVIATION...AREAS OF LIGHT RAIN ACROSS THE EAST COAST WILL DIMINISH. HOWEVER, ADDITIONAL SHOWERS ARE POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT...ESPECIALLY TOWARDS DAWN SUNDAY. THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR THUNDERSTORMS AS WELL. MAINTAINED VCSH OVERNIGHT WITH PROB30 OF MVFR CONDITIONS ALL EAST COAST SITES BEGINNING SUN MORNING AND INTO EARLY AFTERNOON. IFR WILL AGAIN BE POSSIBLE AT TIMES IN HEAVY RAIN. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 234 PM EDT SAT SEP 22 2012/ SHORT TERM (TONIGHT-MONDAY NIGHT)... AFTER A BUSY START TO THE DAY THIS MORNING DUE TO FLOODING ALONG THE EAST COAST FROM MIAMI- DADE TO PALM BEACH...THE LATEST HRRR MODEL REFLECTIVITIES HAVE INITIALIZED WELL WITH THE CURRENT PATTERN AND CONTINUE TO INDICATE ANOTHER ROUND OF ACTIVITY REDEVELOPING THROUGH THE MID TO LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING PERIODS. FOR COVERAGE...IT IS INDICATING THE BULK OF THE HEAVIEST ACTIVITY SETTING UP OVER THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE LOCAL AREA WITH ANOTHER 1-2 INCHES OF RAINFALL POSSIBLE IN THE HEAVIEST ACTIVITY. THIS SEEMS REASONABLE AS THE LATEST VISIBLE SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS THE LARGEST BREAKS IN CLOUD COVERAGE OVER THESE SOUTHERN AREAS WHERE TEMPERATURES HAVE QUICKLY INCREASED OVER THE PAST 1-2 HRS. AS A RESULT...FLOODING REMAINS THE MAIN CONCERN INTO THE EVENING HOURS. IF THIS ACTIVITY SETS UP OVER THE SAME AREAS AS THIS MORNING WHERE 2-4 INCHES WERE RECORDED...MAINLY FROM AROUND JUST SE OF CUTLER BAY TO NORTH MIAMI BEACH...FLASH FLOODING CANNOT BE RULED OUT. TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT...THE COLD FRONT ENTERING THE REGION FROM THE NORTH IS PROGGED TO CONTINUE SOUTH INTO NORTHERN AND CENTRAL FLORIDA THROUGH THE FIRST HALF OF THE DAY SUNDAY FOLLOWED BY A SURGE OF MUCH DRIER AIR BEFORE STALLING. UNFORTUNATELY...THE DEEP LAY MOISTURE AXIS WITH AROUND 2" PWAT VALUES EXTENDING FROM NE TO SW ACROSS THE AREA WILL REMAIN IN PLACE THROUGH SUNDAY WITH ONLY SOME DRYING POSSIBLE ACROSS THE NORTHERN HALF OR THE LAKE REGION BY TOMORROW NIGHT. THIS COMBINED WITH WEAK UPPER PULSES OF ENERGY TRANSLATING NORTHEAST AHEAD OF THE BROAD UPPER TROUGH JUST WEST OF THE AREA WILL KEEP THE RAIN AND FLOOD CHANCES AS THE PRIMARY CONCERNS THROUGH SUNDAY. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS COULD REACH THE 1 TO 3 INCH RANGE WITH LOCALIZED HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE. MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT...THE LATEST NUMERICAL GUIDANCE REMAINS IN DECENT AGREEMENT AND INDICATES THE BROAD UPPER TROUGH OVER THE EASTERN STATES SHIFTING EAST AND THE MUCH DRIER AIR THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED SHIFTING FARTHER SOUTH INTO OUR AREA IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY. AS A RESULT...DRY AIR WITH LOWER RAINFALL CHANCES CAN BE ANTICIPATED. LONG TERM...(TUESDAY-FRIDAY) THE UPPER RIDGE OVER THE ROCKIES BEGINS TO BREAK DOWN AS AN UPPER LOW MOVES FROM THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST TOWARD THE CENTRAL ROCKIES. THIS SHOVES THE E U.S. TROUGH NE WITH THE COLD FRONT STALLED N OF LAKE OKEECHOBEE. THIS DRIES THE ATMOSPHERE SOMEWHAT FROM THE N TO S ACROSS FLA BUT LONG RANGE MODELS STILL APPEAR TO DEVELOP AN UPPER LOW OVER THE GULF AND WITH THE SW FLOW MAY KEEP AMPLE ATMOSPHERIC MOISTURE OVER THE AREA. PLUS...ANOTHER TROPICAL WAVE MAY NEAR THE AREA MIDWEEK NEXT WEEK. AT HIS TIME...WILL STAY WITH GUIDANCE. MARINE... RAIN CHANCES WILL REMAIN UP ACROSS THE MARINE AREAS THROUGH SUNDAY BEFORE DRIER AIR ASSOCIATED WITH A COLD FRONT SPREADS SOUTH ACROSS THE AREA MONDAY. MODERATE NORTHEAST WINDS WILL FOLLOW THIS BOUNDARY AND LEAD TO INCREASING SEAS MONDAY THROUGH TUESDAY OVER THE ATLANTIC WATERS. FIRE WEATHER... ALTHOUGH SOME DRIER AIR IS FORECAST TO SPREAD SOUTH INTO THE AREA THROUGH THE FIRST HALF OF THE UPCOMING WEEK...RELATIVE HUMIDITIES ARE FORECAST TO REMAIN ABOVE CRITICAL LEVELS EACH DAY. AS A RESULT...THERE ARE NO RED FLAG CONCERNS. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... WEST PALM BEACH 74 81 77 86 / 60 60 50 20 FORT LAUDERDALE 75 86 75 86 / 60 70 50 30 MIAMI 75 88 75 88 / 60 70 60 30 NAPLES 74 87 74 89 / 50 40 40 20 && .MFL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...NONE. AM...NONE. GM...NONE. && $$ DISCUSSION/MARINE/FIRE...60/BD AVIATION/RADAR...57/DG
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MIAMI FL
759 PM EDT SAT SEP 22 2012 .AVIATION...AREAS OF LIGHT RAIN ACROSS THE EAST COAST WILL DIMINISH. HOWEVER, ADDITIONAL SHOWERS ARE POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT...ESPECIALLY TOWARDS DAWN SUNDAY. THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR THUNDERSTORMS AS WELL. MAINTAINED VCSH OVERNIGHT WITH PROB30 OF MVFR CONDITIONS ALL EAST COAST SITES BEGINNING SUN MORNING AND INTO EARLY AFTERNOON. IFR WILL AGAIN BE POSSIBLE AT TIMES IN HEAVY RAIN. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 234 PM EDT SAT SEP 22 2012/ SHORT TERM (TONIGHT-MONDAY NIGHT)... AFTER A BUSY START TO THE DAY THIS MORNING DUE TO FLOODING ALONG THE EAST COAST FROM MIAMI- DADE TO PALM BEACH...THE LATEST HRRR MODEL REFLECTIVITIES HAVE INITIALIZED WELL WITH THE CURRENT PATTERN AND CONTINUE TO INDICATE ANOTHER ROUND OF ACTIVITY REDEVELOPING THROUGH THE MID TO LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING PERIODS. FOR COVERAGE...IT IS INDICATING THE BULK OF THE HEAVIEST ACTIVITY SETTING UP OVER THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE LOCAL AREA WITH ANOTHER 1-2 INCHES OF RAINFALL POSSIBLE IN THE HEAVIEST ACTIVITY. THIS SEEMS REASONABLE AS THE LATEST VISIBLE SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS THE LARGEST BREAKS IN CLOUD COVERAGE OVER THESE SOUTHERN AREAS WHERE TEMPERATURES HAVE QUICKLY INCREASED OVER THE PAST 1-2 HRS. AS A RESULT...FLOODING REMAINS THE MAIN CONCERN INTO THE EVENING HOURS. IF THIS ACTIVITY SETS UP OVER THE SAME AREAS AS THIS MORNING WHERE 2-4 INCHES WERE RECORDED...MAINLY FROM AROUND JUST SE OF CUTLER BAY TO NORTH MIAMI BEACH...FLASH FLOODING CANNOT BE RULED OUT. TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT...THE COLD FRONT ENTERING THE REGION FROM THE NORTH IS PROGGED TO CONTINUE SOUTH INTO NORTHERN AND CENTRAL FLORIDA THROUGH THE FIRST HALF OF THE DAY SUNDAY FOLLOWED BY A SURGE OF MUCH DRIER AIR BEFORE STALLING. UNFORTUNATELY...THE DEEP LAY MOISTURE AXIS WITH AROUND 2" PWAT VALUES EXTENDING FROM NE TO SW ACROSS THE AREA WILL REMAIN IN PLACE THROUGH SUNDAY WITH ONLY SOME DRYING POSSIBLE ACROSS THE NORTHERN HALF OR THE LAKE REGION BY TOMORROW NIGHT. THIS COMBINED WITH WEAK UPPER PULSES OF ENERGY TRANSLATING NORTHEAST AHEAD OF THE BROAD UPPER TROUGH JUST WEST OF THE AREA WILL KEEP THE RAIN AND FLOOD CHANCES AS THE PRIMARY CONCERNS THROUGH SUNDAY. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS COULD REACH THE 1 TO 3 INCH RANGE WITH LOCALIZED HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE. MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT...THE LATEST NUMERICAL GUIDANCE REMAINS IN DECENT AGREEMENT AND INDICATES THE BROAD UPPER TROUGH OVER THE EASTERN STATES SHIFTING EAST AND THE MUCH DRIER AIR THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED SHIFTING FARTHER SOUTH INTO OUR AREA IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY. AS A RESULT...DRY AIR WITH LOWER RAINFALL CHANCES CAN BE ANTICIPATED. LONG TERM...(TUESDAY-FRIDAY) THE UPPER RIDGE OVER THE ROCKIES BEGINS TO BREAK DOWN AS AN UPPER LOW MOVES FROM THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST TOWARD THE CENTRAL ROCKIES. THIS SHOVES THE E U.S. TROUGH NE WITH THE COLD FRONT STALLED N OF LAKE OKEECHOBEE. THIS DRIES THE ATMOSPHERE SOMEWHAT FROM THE N TO S ACROSS FLA BUT LONG RANGE MODELS STILL APPEAR TO DEVELOP AN UPPER LOW OVER THE GULF AND WITH THE SW FLOW MAY KEEP AMPLE ATMOSPHERIC MOISTURE OVER THE AREA. PLUS...ANOTHER TROPICAL WAVE MAY NEAR THE AREA MIDWEEK NEXT WEEK. AT HIS TIME...WILL STAY WITH GUIDANCE. MARINE... RAIN CHANCES WILL REMAIN UP ACROSS THE MARINE AREAS THROUGH SUNDAY BEFORE DRIER AIR ASSOCIATED WITH A COLD FRONT SPREADS SOUTH ACROSS THE AREA MONDAY. MODERATE NORTHEAST WINDS WILL FOLLOW THIS BOUNDARY AND LEAD TO INCREASING SEAS MONDAY THROUGH TUESDAY OVER THE ATLANTIC WATERS. FIRE WEATHER... ALTHOUGH SOME DRIER AIR IS FORECAST TO SPREAD SOUTH INTO THE AREA THROUGH THE FIRST HALF OF THE UPCOMING WEEK...RELATIVE HUMIDITIES ARE FORECAST TO REMAIN ABOVE CRITICAL LEVELS EACH DAY. AS A RESULT...THERE ARE NO RED FLAG CONCERNS. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... WEST PALM BEACH 74 81 77 86 / 80 60 50 20 FORT LAUDERDALE 75 86 75 86 / 90 70 50 30 MIAMI 75 88 75 88 / 80 70 60 30 NAPLES 74 87 74 89 / 80 40 40 20 && .MFL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...NONE. AM...NONE. GM...NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MIAMI FL
242 PM EDT FRI SEP 21 2012 .SHORT TERM...(TONIGHT-SUNDAY NIGHT) THE LATEST RUC13 400 MB ANALYSIS AND WATER VAPOR LOOP SHOWED THE LOCAL AREA UNDER MOIST SOUTHWEST UPPER FLOW AHEAD OF A LARGE SCALE UPPER TROUGH CENTERED OVER MUCH OF THE COUNTRY. SEVERAL WEAK PIECES OF ENERGY TRANSLATING NORTHEAST OVER THE STATE WITHIN THIS SW UPPER FLOW COMBINED WITH THE OLD FRONTAL BOUNDARY AT THE SURFACE THAT IS FORECAST TO SLOWLY SHIFT SOUTH INTO THE LOCAL AREA THIS WEEKEND WILL KEEP THE RAIN CHANCES IN THE FORECAST. FOR THIS EVENING...THE LATEST HRRR GUIDANCE INDICATES SCATTERED STORMS SETTING UP FROM NAPLES TO THE LAKE REGION...WHICH IS VERY SIMILAR TO YESTERDAY AFTERNOON/EVENING. ON SATURDAY...THE LATEST GFS SOLUTION INDICATES A SURFACE WAVE DEVELOPING ALONG THIS BOUNDARY AS A WEAK VORT MAX LIFTS NORTHEAST OVER THE AREA THROUGH THE DAY. THIS COMBINED WITH PLENTY OF DEEP LAYER MOISTURE COULD LEAD TO AN ENHANCED PERIOD OF RAINFALL TOMORROW ONCE AGAIN TOMORROW. IF THIS DOES OCCUR...WEAK LOW LEVEL FLOW COULD TRANSLATE TO FLOODING CONCERNS DEPENDING ON WHERE THE BULK OF THE ACTIVITY BECOMES CONCENTRATED. SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT...WHATS LEFT OF THE PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED BOUNDARY OR DEEP LAYER MOISTURE AXIS IN PLACE ACROSS S FL IS FORECAST TO SLIGHTLY SHIFT FARTHER SOUTH AS ANOTHER REINFORCING COLD FRONT SURGES SOUTH INTO THE REGION AND THE LARGE SCALE UPPER TROUGH BEGINS TO SHIFT EAST. THE GFS APPEARS TO BE SLIGHTLY FASTER THAN THE ECMWF AND NAM SOLUTIONS AND BEGINS TO INTRODUCE SOME DRIER AIR AROUND THE LAKE REGION COME SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY. 85/AG .LONG TERM...(MONDAY-THURSDAY) THE UPPER TROUGH BEGINS TO SHIFT SLOWLY EAST AS THE UPPER RIDGE OVER THE ROCKIES BEGINS TO BREAK DOWN AS ANOTHER MID LEVEL TROUGH MOVES FROM THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST INTO THE ROCKIES. SOME SLIGHT DRYING /DECREASE MAY OCCUR INITIALLY AS DRIER AIR FILTERS IN THE THE NW BUT THE MODELS HINT AT AN UPPER LOW DEVELOPING OVER THE GULF AND MOVING NE ACROSS THE FLA PENINSULA IN THE LATTER PERIODS. WILL STAY CLOSE TO EXTENDED GUIDANCE AND SEE WHAT DEVELOPS. JR && .MARINE... LIGHT EASTERLY WINDS WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE WEEKEND WITH SEAS REMAINING AROUND NORMAL. A STALLED FRONTAL BOUNDARY COMBINED WITH AN UPPER TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE WILL KEEP THE RAINFALL CHANCES ELEVATED THROUGH THE WEEKEND. WINDS AND SEAS CAN LOCALLY BECOME HIGHER IN AND AROUND ANY HEAVY SHOWERS OR STORMS. && .FIRE WEATHER... NO CONCERNS. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... WEST PALM BEACH 75 83 76 84 / 50 70 60 40 FORT LAUDERDALE 75 85 74 84 / 50 70 60 40 MIAMI 75 86 74 86 / 50 70 60 40 NAPLES 75 86 75 84 / 50 50 50 30 && .MFL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...NONE. AM...NONE. GM...NONE. && $$ DISCUSSION/MARINE/FIRE...85/AG AVIATION/RADAR...84/AK
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MIAMI FL
140 PM EDT FRI SEP 21 2012 .AVIATION... A LARGE AREA OF SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS REMAINS OFFSHORE OVER THE BAHAMAS AND THE SOUTHEASTERN ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS. CLOUD COVER AND LOW LEVEL WARMING AND DRYING DUE TO OVERNIGHT CONVECTION HAS LIMITED SHOWER DEVELOPMENT THUS FAR ACROSS THE REGION. A WEAK BOUNDARY REMAINS NEAR LAKE OKEECHOBEE AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS ARE BEGINNING TO DEVELOP ALONG IT. THE HRRR IS SHOWING THAT STORMS MAY FIRE SOUTHWEST ALONG THIS BOUNDARY TOWARDS KAPF OVER THE NEXT COUPLE HOURS. FOR THE EAST COAST TAF SITES...THERE IS A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY TO WHEN SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL REDEVELOP ALONG THE COASTLINE. IT MAY NOT BE UNTIL LATE IN THE AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING. SHOWERS AND/OR THUNDERSTORMS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT AND THEN THROUGH THE END OF THE TAF PERIOD AS DEEP MOISTURE AND EAST TO NORTHEAST FLOW REMAINS OVER THE REGION. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 1031 AM EDT FRI SEP 21 2012/ UPDATE... THE LATEST RUC13 400 MB ANALYSIS AND THE MORNING WATER VAPOR LOOP SHOWED THE LOCAL AREA UNDER MOIST SOUTHWEST UPPER FLOW AHEAD OF A LARGE SCALE UPPER TROUGH CENTERED OVER MUCH OF THE COUNTRY. SEVERAL WEAK PIECES OF ENERGY TRANSLATING NORTHEAST OVER THE STATE WITHIN THIS SW UPPER FLOW COMBINED WITH THE OLD FRONTAL BOUNDARY AT THE SURFACE LINGERING AROUND THE LAKE REGION AND A WAVE PASSING SOUTH OF THE AREA WILL HELP KEEP THE RAIN CHANCES IN THE FORECAST. ONE PULSE OF ENERGY ASSOCIATED WITH THE OVERNIGHT RAINFALL LAST NIGHT IS NOW LIFTING NORTHEAST OF THE AREA...WHICH HAS LED TO A DOWNWARD TREND IN THE RAINFALL COVERAGE LOCALLY THIS MORNING. THERE IS ANOTHER NOTABLE SHORTWAVE TROUGH LOCATED JUST NORTH OF THE YUCATAN PENINSULA WITH SOME SCATTERED CONVECTION DEVELOPING OUT AHEAD OF IT. MODELS ARE PICKING UP ON THIS AND GENERALLY INDICATE IT LIFTING NORTHEAST TOWARD THE AREA THROUGH THE DAY TODAY. CONSIDERING THE EXTENSIVE CLOUD COVERAGE IN PLACE AND THE DRY LAYER NOTED JUST ABOVE THE SURFACE FROM THE MORNING UPPER AIR SOUNDING MAY BECOME THE LIMITING FACTORS TODAY FOR ANY EARLY CONVECTION BEING TRIGGERED. THEREFORE...WILL SLIGHTLY SCALE BACK THE RAINFALL CHANCES THROUGH A GOOD PORTION OF THE AFTERNOON. OTHERWISE...THE PREVIOUS PACKAGE REMAINS ON TRACK AT THIS TIME. 85/AG PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 734 AM EDT FRI SEP 21 2012/ AVIATION... SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE LOCAL ATLANTIC AND GULF WATERS WILL CONTINUE MOVING NORTH AND NORTHWEST...AND WEAKEN AS THEY MOVE TOWARDS THE SHORE. KEPT -RA AND VCSH FOR ALL TAFS THIS MORNING. DEEP MOISTURE AND THE NORTHERN END OF A TROPICAL WAVE IS EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON. CLOUD COVER AND RAINFALL OVERNIGHT MAY DELAY THIS ACTIVITY FROM MOVING IN UNTIL AFTER 16Z...WHICH IS SHOWN BY THE LATEST HRRR RUN. RAIN WITH EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS IS POSSIBLE AT ALL THE TAF SITES IN THE AFTERNOON AND INTO THE EVENING HOURS. PREVAILING MVFR CONDITIONS MAY BE POSSIBLE AROUND 18Z THROUGH THE AFTERNOON HOURS AS SHOWERS AND EMBEDDED STORMS MOVE FROM THE SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST. FOR NOW WILL KEEP VFR CONDITIONS AND AMEND AS NECESSARY AND REASSESS FOR THE 18Z TAFS. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 344 AM EDT FRI SEP 21 2012/ DISCUSSION...A LARGE SCALE MID LEVEL TROUGH...EXTENDING FROM S CANADA INTO THE CENTRAL GULF OF MEX...WILL CONTINUE TO COVER THE E HALF OF THE U.S. TODAY AND INTO THE WEEKEND AS A STRONG ATLC RIDGE SE OF S FLA AND ANOTHER OVER THE ROCKY MTN W REMAIN IN PLACE WHICH ANCHOR THE UPPER TROUGH IN PLACE. AT THE SURFACE...A WEAKENING FRONTAL BOUNDARY...LOCATED OVER THE LAKE OKEECHOBEE REGION...WILL BECOME DIFFUSE TODAY INTO THIS EVENING WHILE A TROPICAL WAVE MOVES WESTWARD S OF THE AREA BUT WITH THE NORTHERN TIP OF THE WAVE BRUSHING S FLA. THE MID AND UPPER LEVEL WIND FLOW WILL BE WEAK SOUTHWESTERLY AND AT THE LOW LEVEL EASTERLY. PRECIPITABLE WATER AT OR ABOVE 2 INCHES COMBINED WITH SEA BREEZES EACH COAST...THE BOUNDARY TO THE N...THE WAVE TO THE S AND WITH DIURNAL HEATING NUMEROUS AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CAN BE EXPECTED TODAY AND AGAIN ON ON SATURDAY WITH A POSSIBLE DECREASE SUNDAY. STEERING WINDS WILL BE LIGHT AN LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS EXPECTED AGAIN. EXTENDED PERIOD...MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY...THE UPPER TROUGH BEGINS TO SHIFT SLOWLY EAST AS THE UPPER RIDGE OVER THE ROCKIES BEGINS TO BREAK DOWN AS ANOTHER MID LEVEL TROUGH MOVES FROM THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST INTO THE ROCKIES. SOME SLIGHT DRYING/DECREASE MAY OCCUR INITIALLY AS DRIER AIR FILTERS IN THE THE NW BUT THE MODELS HINT AT AN UPPER LOW DEVELOPING OVER THE GULF AND MOVING NE ACROSS THE FLA PENINSULA IN THE LATTER PERIODS. WILL STAY CLOSE TO EXTENDED GUIDANCE AND SEE WHAT DEVELOPS. MARINE...EASTERLY WINDS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE PERIOD WITH WINDS LESS THAN 15 KNOTS AND SEAS LESS THAN 4 FEET BOTH IN THE GULF AND ATLANTIC WATERS. FIRE WEATHER...NO PROBLEMS OR CONCERNS. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... WEST PALM BEACH 77 83 76 84 / 40 50 40 40 FORT LAUDERDALE 77 85 74 84 / 40 50 40 40 MIAMI 77 86 74 86 / 40 50 40 40 NAPLES 74 86 75 84 / 50 50 40 30 && .MFL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...NONE. AM...NONE. GM...NONE. && $$ DISCUSSION/MARINE/FIRE...85/AG AVIATION/RADAR...84/AK
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MIAMI FL
1031 AM EDT FRI SEP 21 2012 .UPDATE... THE LATEST RUC13 400 MB ANALYSIS AND THE MORNING WATER VAPOR LOOP SHOWED THE LOCAL AREA UNDER MOIST SOUTHWEST UPPER FLOW AHEAD OF A LARGE SCALE UPPER TROUGH CENTERED OVER MUCH OF THE COUNTRY. SEVERAL WEAK PIECES OF ENERGY TRANSLATING NORTHEAST OVER THE STATE WITHIN THIS SW UPPER FLOW COMBINED WITH THE OLD FRONTAL BOUNDARY AT THE SURFACE LINGERING AROUND THE LAKE REGION AND A WAVE PASSING SOUTH OF THE AREA WILL HELP KEEP THE RAIN CHANCES IN THE FORECAST. ONE PULSE OF ENERGY ASSOCIATED WITH THE OVERNIGHT RAINFALL LAST NIGHT IS NOW LIFTING NORTHEAST OF THE AREA...WHICH HAS LED TO A DOWNWARD TREND IN THE RAINFALL COVERAGE LOCALLY THIS MORNING. THERE IS ANOTHER NOTABLE SHORTWAVE TROUGH LOCATED JUST NORTH OF THE YUCATAN PENINSULA WITH SOME SCATTERED CONVECTION DEVELOPING OUT AHEAD OF IT. MODELS ARE PICKING UP ON THIS AND GENERALLY INDICATE IT LIFTING NORTHEAST TOWARD THE AREA THROUGH THE DAY TODAY. CONSIDERING THE EXTENSIVE CLOUD COVERAGE IN PLACE AND THE DRY LAYER NOTED JUST ABOVE THE SURFACE FROM THE MORNING UPPER AIR SOUNDING MAY BECOME THE LIMITING FACTORS TODAY FOR ANY EARLY CONVECTION BEING TRIGGERED. THEREFORE...WILL SLIGHTLY SCALE BACK THE RAINFALL CHANCES THROUGH A GOOD PORTION OF THE AFTERNOON. OTHERWISE...THE PREVIOUS PACKAGE REMAINS ON TRACK AT THIS TIME. 85/AG && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 734 AM EDT FRI SEP 21 2012/ AVIATION... SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE LOCAL ATLANTIC AND GULF WATERS WILL CONTINUE MOVING NORTH AND NORTHWEST...AND WEAKEN AS THEY MOVE TOWARDS THE SHORE. KEPT -RA AND VCSH FOR ALL TAFS THIS MORNING. DEEP MOISTURE AND THE NORTHERN END OF A TROPICAL WAVE IS EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON. CLOUD COVER AND RAINFALL OVERNIGHT MAY DELAY THIS ACTIVITY FROM MOVING IN UNTIL AFTER 16Z...WHICH IS SHOWN BY THE LATEST HRRR RUN. RAIN WITH EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS IS POSSIBLE AT ALL THE TAF SITES IN THE AFTERNOON AND INTO THE EVENING HOURS. PREVAILING MVFR CONDITIONS MAY BE POSSIBLE AROUND 18Z THROUGH THE AFTERNOON HOURS AS SHOWERS AND EMBEDDED STORMS MOVE FROM THE SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST. FOR NOW WILL KEEP VFR CONDITIONS AND AMEND AS NECESSARY AND REASSESS FOR THE 18Z TAFS. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 344 AM EDT FRI SEP 21 2012/ DISCUSSION...A LARGE SCALE MID LEVEL TROUGH...EXTENDING FROM S CANADA INTO THE CENTRAL GULF OF MEX...WILL CONTINUE TO COVER THE E HALF OF THE U.S. TODAY AND INTO THE WEEKEND AS A STRONG ATLC RIDGE SE OF S FLA AND ANOTHER OVER THE ROCKY MTN W REMAIN IN PLACE WHICH ANCHOR THE UPPER TROUGH IN PLACE. AT THE SURFACE...A WEAKENING FRONTAL BOUNDARY...LOCATED OVER THE LAKE OKEECHOBEE REGION...WILL BECOME DIFFUSE TODAY INTO THIS EVENING WHILE A TROPICAL WAVE MOVES WESTWARD S OF THE AREA BUT WITH THE NORTHERN TIP OF THE WAVE BRUSHING S FLA. THE MID AND UPPER LEVEL WIND FLOW WILL BE WEAK SOUTHWESTERLY AND AT THE LOW LEVEL EASTERLY. PRECIPITABLE WATER AT OR ABOVE 2 INCHES COMBINED WITH SEA BREEZES EACH COAST...THE BOUNDARY TO THE N...THE WAVE TO THE S AND WITH DIURNAL HEATING .NUMEROUS AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CAN BE EXPECTED TODAY AND AGAIN ON ON SATURDAY WITH A POSSIBLE DECREASE SUNDAY. STEERING WINDS WILL BE LIGHT AN LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS EXPECTED AGAIN. EXTENDED PERIOD...MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY...THE UPPER TROUGH BEGINS TO SHIFT SLOWLY EAST AS THE UPPER RIDGE OVER THE ROCKIES BEGINS TO BREAK DOWN AS ANOTHER MID LEVEL TROUGH MOVES FROM THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST INTO THE ROCKIES. SOME SLIGHT DRYING/DECREASE MAY OCCUR INITIALLY AS DRIER AIR FILTERS IN THE THE NW BUT THE MODELS HINT AT AN UPPER LOW DEVELOPING OVER THE GULF AND MOVING NE ACROSS THE FLA PENINSULA IN THE LATTER PERIODS. WILL STAY CLOSE TO EXTENDED GUIDANCE AND SEE WHAT DEVELOPS. MARINE...EASTERLY WINDS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE PERIOD WITH WINDS LESS THAN 15 KNOTS AND SEAS LESS THAN 4 FEET BOTH IN THE GULF AND ATLANTIC WATERS. FIRE WEATHER...NO PROBLEMS OR CONCERNS. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... WEST PALM BEACH 87 76 87 76 / 60 40 50 40 FORT LAUDERDALE 88 76 85 77 / 60 40 50 40 MIAMI 87 75 87 76 / 60 40 50 40 NAPLES 88 73 87 74 / 70 50 50 40 && .MFL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...NONE. AM...NONE. GM...NONE. && $$ DISCUSSION/MARINE/FIRE...85/AG AVIATION/RADAR...84/AK
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MIAMI FL
734 AM EDT FRI SEP 21 2012 .AVIATION... SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE LOCAL ATLANTIC AND GULF WATERS WILL CONTINUE MOVING NORTH AND NORTHWEST...AND WEAKEN AS THEY MOVE TOWARDS THE SHORE. KEPT -RA AND VCSH FOR ALL TAFS THIS MORNING. DEEP MOISTURE AND THE NORTHERN END OF A TROPICAL WAVE IS EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON. CLOUD COVER AND RAINFALL OVERNIGHT MAY DELAY THIS ACTIVITY FROM MOVING IN UNTIL AFTER 16Z...WHICH IS SHOWN BY THE LATEST HRRR RUN. RAIN WITH EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS IS POSSIBLE AT ALL THE TAF SITES IN THE AFTERNOON AND INTO THE EVENING HOURS. PREVAILING MVFR CONDITIONS MAY BE POSSIBLE AROUND 18Z THROUGH THE AFTERNOON HOURS AS SHOWERS AND EMBEDDED STORMS MOVE FROM THE SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST. FOR NOW WILL KEEP VFR CONDITIONS AND AMEND AS NECESSARY AND REASSESS FOR THE 18Z TAFS. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 344 AM EDT FRI SEP 21 2012/ DISCUSSION...A LARGE SCALE MID LEVEL TROUGH...EXTENDING FROM S CANADA INTO THE CENTRAL GULF OF MEX...WILL CONTINUE TO COVER THE E HALF OF THE U.S. TODAY AND INTO THE WEEKEND AS A STRONG ATLC RIDGE SE OF S FLA AND ANOTHER OVER THE ROCKY MTN W REMAIN IN PLACE WHICH ANCHOR THE UPPER TROUGH IN PLACE. AT THE SURFACE...A WEAKENING FRONTAL BOUNDARY...LOCATED OVER THE LAKE OKEECHOBEE REGION...WILL BECOME DIFFUSE TODAY INTO THIS EVENING WHILE A TROPICAL WAVE MOVES WESTWARD S OF THE AREA BUT WITH THE NORTHERN TIP OF THE WAVE BRUSHING S FLA. THE MID AND UPPER LEVEL WIND FLOW WILL BE WEAK SOUTHWESTERLY AND AT THE LOW LEVEL EASTERLY. PRECIPITABLE WATER AT OR ABOVE 2 INCHES COMBINED WITH SEA BREEZES EACH COAST...THE BOUNDARY TO THE N...THE WAVE TO THE S AND WITH DIURNAL HEATING ..NUMEROUS AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CAN BE EXPECTED TODAY AND AGAIN ON ON SATURDAY WITH A POSSIBLE DECREASE SUNDAY. STEERING WINDS WILL BE LIGHT AN LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS EXPECTED AGAIN. EXTENDED PERIOD...MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY...THE UPPER TROUGH BEGINS TO SHIFT SLOWLY EAST AS THE UPPER RIDGE OVER THE ROCKIES BEGINS TO BREAK DOWN AS ANOTHER MID LEVEL TROUGH MOVES FROM THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST INTO THE ROCKIES. SOME SLIGHT DRYING/DECREASE MAY OCCUR INITIALLY AS DRIER AIR FILTERS IN THE THE NW BUT THE MODELS HINT AT AN UPPER LOW DEVELOPING OVER THE GULF AND MOVING NE ACROSS THE FLA PENINSULA IN THE LATTER PERIODS. WILL STAY CLOSE TO EXTENDED GUIDANCE AND SEE WHAT DEVELOPS. MARINE...EASTERLY WINDS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE PERIOD WITH WINDS LESS THAN 15 KNOTS AND SEAS LESS THAN 4 FEET BOTH IN THE GULF AND ATLANTIC WATERS. FIRE WEATHER...NO PROBLEMS OR CONCERNS. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... WEST PALM BEACH 87 76 87 76 / 60 40 50 40 FORT LAUDERDALE 88 76 85 77 / 60 40 50 40 MIAMI 87 75 87 76 / 60 40 50 40 NAPLES 88 73 87 74 / 70 50 50 40 && .MFL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...NONE. AM...NONE. GM...NONE. && $$ DISCUSSION/MARINE/FIRE...85/AG AVIATION/RADAR...84/AK
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
437 PM CDT FRI SEP 21 2012 .MESOSCALE DISCUSSION... 300 PM CDT CONTINUE TO MONITOR POTENTIAL FOR A COUPLE SEVERE STORMS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN FORECAST AREA...PRIMARILY ALONG AND SOUTH OF U.S. HIGHWAY 24. STRONG WELL-ALIGNED UPPER AND MID LEVEL NORTHWESTERLY JETS CONTINUE TO PROGRESS SOUTHEAST FROM IA WITH AN ELONGATED SHORT WAVE...POSSIBLY TWO...IMPULSE FROM SOUTHERN MN INTO SOUTHEAST IA. LATEST HAND SURFACE ANALYSIS DEPICTS A 1005 MB SURFACE LOW NEAR PITTSFIELD IN WEST CENTRAL IL WITH STRONG PRESSURE FALLS OF ALMOST 5 MB/3 HR IN ADVANCE. THIS IS WELL ALIGNED WITH ROBUST LOW-LEVEL TD ADVECTION /8-14F CLIMBS PER HOUR/ INTO THE MID TO UPPER 50S FROM SPI/TAZ SOUTHEASTWARD ACROSS THE ILX CWA. THIS AREA HIGHLIGHTS WHERE THE DEVELOPING SURFACE WARM FRONT IS AND LIKELY NEAR THE NORTHERN EXTENT OF ANY SURFACE- BASED UPDRAFT POTENTIAL. DEW POINTS REMAIN LOW NORTH OF THIS AREA...INCLUDING IN THE SOUTHERN FORECAST AREA WHERE NAMELY MID 40S PREVAIL ALONG WITH MORE OF AN EASTERLY WIND COMPONENT. WHILE THE MOISTENING BOUNDARY LAYER IS MOVING NORTH QUICKLY IN ADVANCE OF THE LOW...AT THIS TIME IT DOES NOT LOOK TO MAKE IT ALL THE WAY TO THE SOUTHERN FORECAST AREA. SO THE MAIN CONCERNS REMAIN FOR ELEVATED STORMS. MID-LEVEL FLOW ANALYZED BY UPSTREAM PROFILES AND THE RAP MODEL OF OVER 50 KT IS CONTRIBUTING TO DEEP LAYER SHEAR AT OR IN EXCESS OF 60 KT INTO CENTRAL IL. STRENGTHENING SOUTHERLY 850 MB FLOW AND MOISTURE TRANSPORT AHEAD OF THE DEVELOPING LOW PRESSURE IS FURTHERING THE CROSSOVER COMPONENT NEAR THE INTERSTATE 74 CORRIDOR AND UP TO THE SOUTHERN CWA. INSTABILITY IS SOMEWHAT MEAGER...BUT LIKELY UNDERDONE BY MOST GUIDANCE GIVEN THE CONVECTIVE TRENDS...AND COULD BE NEAR 500 J/KG. TOGETHER THIS COULD SUPPORT BRIEF ELEVATED SUPERCELLS OR POSSIBLY A SMALL ARC/CLUSTER OF STORMS TRACKING ACROSS THE FAR SOUTHERN FORECAST AREA BETWEEN 4 AND 7 PM...CAPABLE OF MAINLY A HAIL THREAT. MTF && .DISCUSSION... 348 PM CDT COOL THROUGH THE WEEKEND THEN TEMPERATURES MODERATE FIRST PART OF NEXT WEEK. A SHORT BREAK IN THREAT OF RAIN THIS EVENING THEN CHANCES RETURN OVERNIGHT THROUGH SAT MORNING. MULTIPLE MINOR SHORT WAVES IN THE UPPER FLOW TURNING FROM SSE TO SE AS THEY CROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST AND THEN SE TO ESE AS THEY ROTATE ACROSS THE MID MS VALLEY AND THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES INTO THE BASE OF THE UPPER TROUGH THE REST OF TODAY AND THIS EVENING. FURTHER UPSTREAM OVER SOUTHERN MANITOBA IS A STRONGER SHORT WAVE PROGGED TO REACH SOUTHERN WI BY 12Z SAT. AS THIS DISTURBANCE APPROACHES LATE TONIGHT A CHANCE OF RAIN RETURNS OVERNIGHT...ENDING MIDDAY WITH THIS SHORT WAVE TROUGH PROGGED TO CONTINUE ON TO NORTHERN IND BY 18Z SAT. HIGHEST CHANCES WILL BE ACROSS THE NE 1/2 OF THE FORECAST AREA...ALONG AND N OF THE PROJECTED PATH OF THE VORT MAX. IN THE WAKE OF THE SHORT WAVE/WAVES MOVING ACROSS THE AREA TODAY WEAK LOW LEVEL COLD AIR ADVECTION TO TAKE PLACE. THIS...COMBINED WITH EXPECTED SHOWERS AND EXTENSIVE CLOUDINESS...WILL KEEP TEMPERATURES DURING SAT LIMITED TO THE UPPER 50S AND LOWER 60S. WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE STRONGER SHORT WAVE DURING SAT MORNING STRONGER COLD AIR ADVECTION TO TAKE PLACE WITH 850HPA TEMPERATURES DROPPING TO AROUND 0C FOR THE AFTERNOON. DESPITE THE COLD AIR ADVECTION SURFACE HEATING IS EXPECTED TO MITIGATE THE COOLING AS CLOUDS CLEAR DURING THE DAY IN THE WAKE OF THE SHORT WAVE. A HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE IS TO BE BUILDING FROM THE NORTHERN PLAINS ACROSS THE MO RIVER VALLEY DURING THE DAY SAT AND THE UPPER AND MID MS VALLEY AND LOWER OH VALLEY DURING SAT NIGHT. CLEAR SKIES...DEW POINTS IN THE MID 20S TO LOWER 30S...AND LACK OF BOUNDARY LAYER MIXING AS SURFACE WINDS BECOME NIL ARE EXPECTED TO LEAD TO SAT NIGHT LOWS IN THE LOWER AND MID 30S ACROSS MUCH OF THE LOCAL FORECAST AREA. FROST A GOOD POSSIBILITY ACROSS THE W AND SW PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA...CLOSEST TO THE SURFACE RIDGE AXIS...OVERNIGHT SAT AND EARLY SUN MORNING. YET ANOTHER SHORT WAVE IS SHOWN BY MODELS DROPPING OVER THE UPPER MIDWEST AND THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES DURING SUN. HOWEVER...WITH A VERY DRY AIR MASS IN PLACE POPS ONLY IN THE SINGLE DIGITS. EVEN CLOUDS WILL BE HARD TO COME BY WITH JUST SOME CIRRUS ASSOCIATED WITH THE JET MAX MOVING OVERHEAD. WITH THE UPPER TROUGH BROADENING OVER THE REGION AND THE CENTER OF THE CENTER OF THE LARGE SCALE UPPER CYCLONE REESTABLISHING ITSELF OVER SOUTHERN HUDSON BAY AND NW QUEBEC BY MON MORNING THE MID LATITUDE UPPER FLOW BACKS TO OUT OF THE WNW. WITH THE UPPER LOW FURTHER NORTH DISTURBANCES ROTATING AROUND IT WILL TRACK OVER THE NORTH WOODS AND THE NORTHERN GREAT LAKES KEEPING CHANCES OF PRECIPITATION LOW THROUGH MON NIGHT. HOWEVER...A COLD FRONT IS PROGGED TO SLIP SE ACROSS THE LOCAL AREA TUE AND TUE NIGHT BEFORE BECOMING STATIONARY FROM NE MO ACROSS CENTRAL IL TO NORTHERN IND BY WED MORNING. INCREASING FLOW FROM THE CENTRAL PLAINS ENE ACROSS THE MID MS VALLEY WILL RESULT IN INCREASING WARM AIR ADVECTION AS WELL AS MID AND LOWER LEVEL MOISTURE TRANSPORT INTO THE AREA WITH CHANCES OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...MAINLY FOR THE N 1/2 TO 3/4 OF THE LOCAL FORECAST AREA TUE THROUGH WED BEFORE A STRONG SHORT WAVE DROPPING ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST AND WESTERN GREAT LAKES PUSHES THE SURFACE FRONT FURTHER TO THE S AND ANOTHER LARGE SURFACE ANTICYCLONE BUILDS OVER THE UPPER MIDWEST AND THE GREAT LAKES DURING WED AND WED NIGHT. WED NIGHT THROUGH FRI WILL HAVE LOW POPS AS THE HIGH PRESSURE WILL DOMINATE THE WEATHER OVER THE REGION...CONTINUING TO FEED COOL DRY AIR ACROSS THE AREA. TRS .CLIMATE... RECORD LOW SEP 23 CHICAGO 29 1995 ROCKFORD 29 1974 EARLIEST FIRST FREEZE DATE CHICAGO SEP 22 1995 /32F/ ROCKFORD SEP 13 1975 /32F/ AVERAGE FIRST FREEZE DATE CHICAGO OCT 15 ROCKFORD OCT 7 TRS && .AVIATION... //ORD AND MDW CONCERNS...UPDATED 2130Z... * NORTHEAST WINDS BECOMING VARIABLE THROUGH EARLY EVENING. * OFF AND ON SHOWERS WITH POSSIBLE PERIODS OF LOWER CIGS/VSBYS. RATZER //DISCUSSION...UPDATED 2130Z... NORTHEAST WINDS HAVE BEEN INCREASING A BIT WITH GUSTS AROUND 15 KTS NOTED ACROSS NORTHERN IL. THIS APPEARS TO BE IN RESPONSE TO RAPID PRESSURE FALLS WITH QUICK MOVING DEEPENING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WORKING ITS WAY EAST ACROSS CENTRAL IL. EXPECT BRIEFLY GUSTY NNE WINDS FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS OR SO...BEFORE LOW MOVES QUICKLY OFF INTO INDIANA EARLY THIS EVENING. PERIOD OF LIGHTER VARIABLE/WEST WINDS APPEAR LIKELY DURING THE EVENING AS THE GRADIENT WEAKENS...AHEAD OF THE NEXT COLD FRONT WHICH APPROACHES THE AREA QUICKLY LATE TONIGHT/EARLY SATURDAY. ALSO SHOULD SEE A BREAK FROM THE LIGHT RAIN/SHOWERS BETWEEN SYSTEMS DURING THE EVENING HOURS. RATZER PREVIOUS DISCUSSION FROM 18Z... AN ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN OVER THE NEXT 36 HOURS WILL BRING MULTIPLE CONCERNS TO THOSE WITH AVIATION INTERESTS. A PAIR OF UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES ARE MOVING OVER THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON...AND BOTH IN TANDEM ARE HELPING TO BRING RAIN TO THE AREA. WHILE THIS WAS MORE SHOWERY EARLIER...THIS IS LIKELY TO BE A MORE PERSISTENT RAIN AT TAF SITES THIS AFTERNOON...ESPECIALLY RFD...DPA...AND ORD. TEMPORARY MVFR VISIBILITIES HAVE BEEN SEEN ACROSS SOUTHWEST WI WITHIN THE RAIN AREA...AND GIVEN THE MID-LEVEL FORCING AND JUST OVERALL IMPRESSIVE DYNAMICS...WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO SEE SOME OF THAT AND MAYBE EVEN BRIEF MVFR CIGS. A SURFACE REFLECTION TO THE UPPER LEVEL WAVES WILL BE DEFINED IN A LOW PRESSURE ACROSS WESTERN IL BY MID TO LATE AFTERNOON. THIS WILL HELP TO EVOLVE THE WIND FIELD INTO MORE NORTHERLY ACROSS MOST OF THE TAF SITES THAN ORIGINALLY THOUGHT...AND POTENTIALLY EVEN NORTHEASTERLY BY LATE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. WIND SPEEDS WILL LIKELY BE UNDER 10 KT DURING THAT PERIOD...THOUGH THEY MAY BE CLOSE. SPEEDS WILL DROP TONIGHT AND THE DIRECTION SHOULD AGAIN BECOME VARIABLE. ANOTHER VIGOROUS UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL MOVE OVER THE AREA SATURDAY MORNING LIKELY CREATING SHOWERS BUT IN PARTICULAR BRINGING A SURGE OF STRONGER NORTHWEST WINDS AND COLDER AIR. THIS WILL SET THE STAGE FOR WIND GUSTS IN THE 25-30 KT BALLPARK FROM MID TO LATE MORNING SATURDAY INTO THE AFTERNOON. IN ADDITION...COLD AIR ADVECTION STRATOCUMULUS WILL LIKELY BE MVFR IMMEDIATELY BEHIND THE COLD FRONT SATURDAY MORNING AND GRADUALLY RAISE THROUGH THE DAY. //ORD AND MDW CONFIDENCE...UPDATED 2130Z... * HIGH CONFIDENCE IN NNE WINDS REMAINDER OF AFTERNOON HOURS. LOWER CONFIDENCE IN DIRECTION DURING THE EVENING...WITH LOWER SPEEDS AND MORE VARIABLE/WEST DIRECTION EXPECTED. * MEDIUM TO HIGH CONFIDENCE OF STAYING ABOVE MVFR EXCEPT FOR BRIEF PERIODS. NOT ANTICIPATING IFR THIS EVENING. RATZER //OUTLOOK FOR ORD/MDW FOR 00Z SUNDAY-12Z FRIDAY...UPDATED 12Z... * SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY...VFR. * TUESDAY...CHANCE OF SHOWERS. * WEDNESDAY...CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS SOUTH...OTHERWISE VFR. * THURSDAY...VFR MTF && .MARINE... 230 PM CDT LOW PRESSURE OVER THE UPPER GREAT LAKES WILL TRACK NORTHEAST TOWARD HUDSON BAY OVERNIGHT TONIGHT AND THEN RAPIDLY DEEPEN TOMORROW AS STRONG HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS. A SERIES OF MID LEVEL IMPULSES WILL BRING REINFORCING SHOTS OF COLD AIR OVER THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES TOMORROW. THE RESULTANT STRONG COLD ADVECTION WILL LEAD TO RAPIDLY STRENGTHENING NORTHERLY WINDS TOMORROW...LIKELY REACHING GALE FORCE DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS. THE PRESSURE GRADIENT AND COLD ADVECTION WILL BE STRONGEST OVER THE FAR NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE LAKE...SO HAVE HOISTED A GALE WARNING FOR THE NORTHERN ONE-THIRD OF THE LAKE. THE WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY FOR THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL BE DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS WHEN HIGH PRESSURE SPREADING INTO THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES SHOULD HELP ALLOW WINDS TO SUBSIDE BELOW GALE FORCE. FOR THE SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE LAKE...WINDS AND WAVES SHOULD QUICKLY RISE TO SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY LEVELS TOMORROW AS WELL...WITH THE INDIANA WATERS REACHING SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY LEVELS SOONER THAN THE ILLINOIS WATERS...AND LINGERING LONGER...INTO MONDAY MORNING DUE TO THE GENERALLY NORTHERLY FETCH SETTING UP OVER THE LAKE. BY MONDAY AFTERNOON...ANOTHER DEEPENING LOW TRACKING JUST NORTH OF THE GREAT LAKES MAY POSSIBLY BRING ANOTHER BRIEF PERIOD OF SOUTHWESTERLY GALES TO THE FAR NORTHERN PORTION OF THE LAKE... BUT WILL NOT ISSUE ANY HEADLINES AT THIS TIME SINCE THE STRENGTH OF THE WINDS WILL BE HIGHLY DEPENDENT ON THE EXACT TRACK OF THE LOW. THE OTHER CONCERN FOR LAKE MICHIGAN WILL BE WATERSPOUT POTENTIAL. LAKE SFC WATER TEMPERATURES REMAIN UNUSUALLY HIGH...WITH A TEMPERATURE OF 17C AT THE NORTH BUOY AND 20C AT THE SOUTH BUOY THIS AFTERNOON. WHEN THE MUCH COOLER AIR PLUNGES OVER LAKE MICHIGAN...LAKE SFC TO 850MB DELTA-T VALUES WILL REACH AS HIGH AS 22-23C...INDICATIVE OF A VERY UNSTABLE ENVIRONMENT OVER LAKE MICHIGAN. WHILE CONVERGENCE BOUNDARIES ARE NOT LIKELY OVER THE LAKE...WATERSPOUT POTENTIAL WILL REMAIN HIGH DUE TO LAKE EFFECT RAIN SHOWERS AND DEEP LAYER CONVECTIVE CLOUD DEVELOPMENT. CONDITIONS WILL BE CONDUCIVE TO WATERSPOUTS FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH MONDAY EVENING...ESPECIALLY FOR THE NORTHERN AND EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE LAKE. KREIN && .LOT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IL...NONE. IN...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK...INZ001-INZ002...10 AM SATURDAY TO 10 AM MONDAY. LM...GALE WARNING...LMZ261-LMZ362-LMZ364-LMZ563...2 PM SATURDAY TO 11 PM SATURDAY. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY...LMZ740-LMZ741-LMZ742-LMZ743...4 PM SATURDAY TO MIDNIGHT MONDAY. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY...LMZ744-LMZ745...10 AM SATURDAY TO 10 AM MONDAY. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
351 PM CDT FRI SEP 21 2012 .MESOSCALE DISCUSSION... 300 PM CDT CONTINUE TO MONITOR POTENTIAL FOR A COUPLE SEVERE STORMS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN FORECAST AREA...PRIMARILY ALONG AND SOUTH OF U.S. HIGHWAY 24. STRONG WELL-ALIGNED UPPER AND MID LEVEL NORTHWESTERLY JETS CONTINUE TO PROGRESS SOUTHEAST FROM IA WITH AN ELONGATED SHORT WAVE...POSSIBLY TWO...IMPULSE FROM SOUTHERN MN INTO SOUTHEAST IA. LATEST HAND SURFACE ANALYSIS DEPICTS A 1005 MB SURFACE LOW NEAR PITTSFIELD IN WEST CENTRAL IL WITH STRONG PRESSURE FALLS OF ALMOST 5 MB/3 HR IN ADVANCE. THIS IS WELL ALIGNED WITH ROBUST LOW-LEVEL TD ADVECTION /8-14F CLIMBS PER HOUR/ INTO THE MID TO UPPER 50S FROM SPI/TAZ SOUTHEASTWARD ACROSS THE ILX CWA. THIS AREA HIGHLIGHTS WHERE THE DEVELOPING SURFACE WARM FRONT IS AND LIKELY NEAR THE NORTHERN EXTENT OF ANY SURFACE- BASED UPDRAFT POTENTIAL. DEW POINTS REMAIN LOW NORTH OF THIS AREA...INCLUDING IN THE SOUTHERN FORECAST AREA WHERE NAMELY MID 40S PREVAIL ALONG WITH MORE OF AN EASTERLY WIND COMPONENT. WHILE THE MOISTENING BOUNDARY LAYER IS MOVING NORTH QUICKLY IN ADVANCE OF THE LOW...AT THIS TIME IT DOES NOT LOOK TO MAKE IT ALL THE WAY TO THE SOUTHERN FORECAST AREA. SO THE MAIN CONCERNS REMAIN FOR ELEVATED STORMS. MID-LEVEL FLOW ANALYZED BY UPSTREAM PROFILES AND THE RAP MODEL OF OVER 50 KT IS CONTRIBUTING TO DEEP LAYER SHEAR AT OR IN EXCESS OF 60 KT INTO CENTRAL IL. STRENGTHENING SOUTHERLY 850 MB FLOW AND MOISTURE TRANSPORT AHEAD OF THE DEVELOPING LOW PRESSURE IS FURTHERING THE CROSSOVER COMPONENT NEAR THE INTERSTATE 74 CORRIDOR AND UP TO THE SOUTHERN CWA. INSTABILITY IS SOMEWHAT MEAGER...BUT LIKELY UNDERDONE BY MOST GUIDANCE GIVEN THE CONVECTIVE TRENDS...AND COULD BE NEAR 500 J/KG. TOGETHER THIS COULD SUPPORT BRIEF ELEVATED SUPERCELLS OR POSSIBLY A SMALL ARC/CLUSTER OF STORMS TRACKING ACROSS THE FAR SOUTHERN FORECAST AREA BETWEEN 4 AND 7 PM...CAPABLE OF MAINLY A HAIL THREAT. MTF && .DISCUSSION... 348 PM CDT COOL THROUGH THE WEEKEND THEN TEMPERATURES MODERATE FIRST PART OF NEXT WEEK. A SHORT BREAK IN THREAT OF RAIN THIS EVENING THEN CHANCES RETURN OVERNIGHT THROUGH SAT MORNING. MULTIPLE MINOR SHORT WAVES IN THE UPPER FLOW TURNING FROM SSE TO SE AS THEY CROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST AND THEN SE TO ESE AS THEY ROTATE ACROSS THE MID MS VALLEY AND THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES INTO THE BASE OF THE UPPER TROUGH THE REST OF TODAY AND THIS EVENING. FURTHER UPSTREAM OVER SOUTHERN MANITOBA IS A STRONGER SHORT WAVE PROGGED TO REACH SOUTHERN WI BY 12Z SAT. AS THIS DISTURBANCE APPROACHES LATE TONIGHT A CHANCE OF RAIN RETURNS OVERNIGHT...ENDING MIDDAY WITH THIS SHORT WAVE TROUGH PROGGED TO CONTINUE ON TO NORTHERN IND BY 18Z SAT. HIGHEST CHANCES WILL BE ACROSS THE NE 1/2 OF THE FORECAST AREA...ALONG AND N OF THE PROJECTED PATH OF THE VORT MAX. IN THE WAKE OF THE SHORT WAVE/WAVES MOVING ACROSS THE AREA TODAY WEAK LOW LEVEL COLD AIR ADVECTION TO TAKE PLACE. THIS...COMBINED WITH EXPECTED SHOWERS AND EXTENSIVE CLOUDINESS...WILL KEEP TEMPERATURES DURING SAT LIMITED TO THE UPPER 50S AND LOWER 60S. WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE STRONGER SHORT WAVE DURING SAT MORNING STRONGER COLD AIR ADVECTION TO TAKE PLACE WITH 850HPA TEMPERATURES DROPPING TO AROUND 0C FOR THE AFTERNOON. DESPITE THE COLD AIR ADVECTION SURFACE HEATING IS EXPECTED TO MITIGATE THE COOLING AS CLOUDS CLEAR DURING THE DAY IN THE WAKE OF THE SHORT WAVE. A HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE IS TO BE BUILDING FROM THE NORTHERN PLAINS ACROSS THE MO RIVER VALLEY DURING THE DAY SAT AND THE UPPER AND MID MS VALLEY AND LOWER OH VALLEY DURING SAT NIGHT. CLEAR SKIES...DEW POINTS IN THE MID 20S TO LOWER 30S...AND LACK OF BOUNDARY LAYER MIXING AS SURFACE WINDS BECOME NIL ARE EXPECTED TO LEAD TO SAT NIGHT LOWS IN THE LOWER AND MID 30S ACROSS MUCH OF THE LOCAL FORECAST AREA. FROST A GOOD POSSIBILITY ACROSS THE W AND SW PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA...CLOSEST TO THE SURFACE RIDGE AXIS...OVERNIGHT SAT AND EARLY SUN MORNING. YET ANOTHER SHORT WAVE IS SHOWN BY MODELS DROPPING OVER THE UPPER MIDWEST AND THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES DURING SUN. HOWEVER...WITH A VERY DRY AIR MASS IN PLACE POPS ONLY IN THE SINGLE DIGITS. EVEN CLOUDS WILL BE HARD TO COME BY WITH JUST SOME CIRRUS ASSOCIATED WITH THE JET MAX MOVING OVERHEAD. WITH THE UPPER TROUGH BROADENING OVER THE REGION AND THE CENTER OF THE CENTER OF THE LARGE SCALE UPPER CYCLONE REESTABLISHING ITSELF OVER SOUTHERN HUDSON BAY AND NW QUEBEC BY MON MORNING THE MID LATITUDE UPPER FLOW BACKS TO OUT OF THE WNW. WITH THE UPPER LOW FURTHER NORTH DISTURBANCES ROTATING AROUND IT WILL TRACK OVER THE NORTH WOODS AND THE NORTHERN GREAT LAKES KEEPING CHANCES OF PRECIPITATION LOW THROUGH MON NIGHT. HOWEVER...A COLD FRONT IS PROGGED TO SLIP SE ACROSS THE LOCAL AREA TUE AND TUE NIGHT BEFORE BECOMING STATIONARY FROM NE MO ACROSS CENTRAL IL TO NORTHERN IND BY WED MORNING. INCREASING FLOW FROM THE CENTRAL PLAINS ENE ACROSS THE MID MS VALLEY WILL RESULT IN INCREASING WARM AIR ADVECTION AS WELL AS MID AND LOWER LEVEL MOISTURE TRANSPORT INTO THE AREA WITH CHANCES OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...MAINLY FOR THE N 1/2 TO 3/4 OF THE LOCAL FORECAST AREA TUE THROUGH WED BEFORE A STRONG SHORT WAVE DROPPING ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST AND WESTERN GREAT LAKES PUSHES THE SURFACE FRONT FURTHER TO THE S AND ANOTHER LARGE SURFACE ANTICYCLONE BUILDS OVER THE UPPER MIDWEST AND THE GREAT LAKES DURING WED AND WED NIGHT. WED NIGHT THROUGH FRI WILL HAVE LOW POPS AS THE HIGH PRESSURE WILL DOMINATE THE WEATHER OVER THE REGION...CONTINUING TO FEED COOL DRY AIR ACROSS THE AREA. TRS .CLIMATE... RECORD LOW SEP 23 CHICAGO 29 1995 ROCKFORD 29 1974 EARLIEST FIRST FREEZE DATE CHICAGO SEP 22 1995 /32F/ ROCKFORD SEP 13 1975 /32F/ AVERAGE FIRST FREEZE DATE CHICAGO OCT 15 ROCKFORD OCT 7 TRS && .AVIATION... //ORD AND MDW CONCERNS...UPDATED 20Z... * VARIABLE WIND DIRECTIONS/SPEEDS THROUGH THE EVENING RUSH. * OFF AND ON SHOWERS WITH POSSIBLE PERIODS OF LOWER CIGS/VSBYS. LENNING //DISCUSSION...UPDATED 18Z... AN ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN OVER THE NEXT 36 HOURS WILL BRING MULTIPLE CONCERNS TO THOSE WITH AVIATION INTERESTS. A PAIR OF UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES ARE MOVING OVER THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON...AND BOTH IN TANDEM ARE HELPING TO BRING RAIN TO THE AREA. WHILE THIS WAS MORE SHOWERY EARLIER...THIS IS LIKELY TO BE A MORE PERSISTENT RAIN AT TAF SITES THIS AFTERNOON...ESPECIALLY RFD...DPA...AND ORD. TEMPORARY MVFR VISIBILITIES HAVE BEEN SEEN ACROSS SOUTHWEST WI WITHIN THE RAIN AREA...AND GIVEN THE MID-LEVEL FORCING AND JUST OVERALL IMPRESSIVE DYNAMICS...WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO SEE SOME OF THAT AND MAYBE EVEN BRIEF MVFR CIGS. A SURFACE REFLECTION TO THE UPPER LEVEL WAVES WILL BE DEFINED IN A LOW PRESSURE ACROSS WESTERN IL BY MID TO LATE AFTERNOON. THIS WILL HELP TO EVOLVE THE WIND FIELD INTO MORE NORTHERLY ACROSS MOST OF THE TAF SITES THAN ORIGINALLY THOUGHT...AND POTENTIALLY EVEN NORTHEASTERLY BY LATE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. WIND SPEEDS WILL LIKELY BE UNDER 10 KT DURING THAT PERIOD...THOUGH THEY MAY BE CLOSE. SPEEDS WILL DROP TONIGHT AND THE DIRECTION SHOULD AGAIN BECOME VARIABLE. ANOTHER VIGOROUS UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL MOVE OVER THE AREA SATURDAY MORNING LIKELY CREATING SHOWERS BUT IN PARTICULAR BRINGING A SURGE OF STRONGER NORTHWEST WINDS AND COLDER AIR. THIS WILL SET THE STAGE FOR WIND GUSTS IN THE 25-30 KT BALLPARK FROM MID TO LATE MORNING SATURDAY INTO THE AFTERNOON. IN ADDITION...COLD AIR ADVECTION STRATOCUMULUS WILL LIKELY BE MVFR IMMEDIATELY BEHIND THE COLD FRONT SATURDAY MORNING AND GRADUALLY RAISE THROUGH THE DAY. //ORD AND MDW CONFIDENCE...UPDATED 20Z... * MEDIUM CONFIDENCE REGARDING WINDS. EXPECT THEY WILL PROMPT SOME REFUSALS FROM TIME TO TIME NO MATTER WHICH CONFIGURATION IS USED. LATEST TRENDS SUGGEST THEY WOULD BE NORTHEASTERLY FOR A WHILE THIS AFTERNOON...BUT STILL SOUTHWESTERLY JUST A COUPLE THOUSAND FEET UP. * MEDIUM TO HIGH CONFIDENCE OF STAYING ABOVE MVFR EXCEPT FOR BRIEF PERIODS. NOT ANTICIPATING IFR THIS EVENING. LENNING //OUTLOOK FOR ORD/MDW FOR 00Z SUNDAY-12Z FRIDAY...UPDATED 12Z... * SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY...VFR. * TUESDAY...CHANCE OF SHOWERS. * WEDNESDAY...CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS SOUTH...OTHERWISE VFR. * THURSDAY...VFR MTF && .MARINE... 230 PM CDT LOW PRESSURE OVER THE UPPER GREAT LAKES WILL TRACK NORTHEAST TOWARD HUDSON BAY OVERNIGHT TONIGHT AND THEN RAPIDLY DEEPEN TOMORROW AS STRONG HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS. A SERIES OF MID LEVEL IMPULSES WILL BRING REINFORCING SHOTS OF COLD AIR OVER THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES TOMORROW. THE RESULTANT STRONG COLD ADVECTION WILL LEAD TO RAPIDLY STRENGTHENING NORTHERLY WINDS TOMORROW...LIKELY REACHING GALE FORCE DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS. THE PRESSURE GRADIENT AND COLD ADVECTION WILL BE STRONGEST OVER THE FAR NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE LAKE...SO HAVE HOISTED A GALE WARNING FOR THE NORTHERN ONE-THIRD OF THE LAKE. THE WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY FOR THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL BE DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS WHEN HIGH PRESSURE SPREADING INTO THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES SHOULD HELP ALLOW WINDS TO SUBSIDE BELOW GALE FORCE. FOR THE SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE LAKE...WINDS AND WAVES SHOULD QUICKLY RISE TO SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY LEVELS TOMORROW AS WELL...WITH THE INDIANA WATERS REACHING SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY LEVELS SOONER THAN THE ILLINOIS WATERS...AND LINGERING LONGER...INTO MONDAY MORNING DUE TO THE GENERALLY NORTHERLY FETCH SETTING UP OVER THE LAKE. BY MONDAY AFTERNOON...ANOTHER DEEPENING LOW TRACKING JUST NORTH OF THE GREAT LAKES MAY POSSIBLY BRING ANOTHER BRIEF PERIOD OF SOUTHWESTERLY GALES TO THE FAR NORTHERN PORTION OF THE LAKE... BUT WILL NOT ISSUE ANY HEADLINES AT THIS TIME SINCE THE STRENGTH OF THE WINDS WILL BE HIGHLY DEPENDENT ON THE EXACT TRACK OF THE LOW. THE OTHER CONCERN FOR LAKE MICHIGAN WILL BE WATERSPOUT POTENTIAL. LAKE SFC WATER TEMPERATURES REMAIN UNUSUALLY HIGH...WITH A TEMPERATURE OF 17C AT THE NORTH BUOY AND 20C AT THE SOUTH BUOY THIS AFTERNOON. WHEN THE MUCH COOLER AIR PLUNGES OVER LAKE MICHIGAN...LAKE SFC TO 850MB DELTA-T VALUES WILL REACH AS HIGH AS 22-23C...INDICATIVE OF A VERY UNSTABLE ENVIRONMENT OVER LAKE MICHIGAN. WHILE CONVERGENCE BOUNDARIES ARE NOT LIKELY OVER THE LAKE...WATERSPOUT POTENTIAL WILL REMAIN HIGH DUE TO LAKE EFFECT RAIN SHOWERS AND DEEP LAYER CONVECTIVE CLOUD DEVELOPMENT. CONDITIONS WILL BE CONDUCIVE TO WATERSPOUTS FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH MONDAY EVENING...ESPECIALLY FOR THE NORTHERN AND EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE LAKE. KREIN && .LOT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IL...NONE. IN...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK...INZ001-INZ002...10 AM SATURDAY TO 10 AM MONDAY. LM...GALE WARNING...LMZ261-LMZ362-LMZ364-LMZ563...2 PM SATURDAY TO 11 PM SATURDAY. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY...LMZ740-LMZ741-LMZ742-LMZ743...4 PM SATURDAY TO MIDNIGHT MONDAY. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY...LMZ744-LMZ745...10 AM SATURDAY TO 10 AM MONDAY. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NWS CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
307 PM CDT FRI SEP 21 2012 .MESOSCALE DISCUSSION... 300 PM CDT CONTINUE TO MONITOR POTENTIAL FOR A COUPLE SEVERE STORMS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN FORECAST AREA...PRIMARILY ALONG AND SOUTH OF U.S. HIGHWAY 24. STRONG WELL-ALIGNED UPPER AND MID LEVEL NORTHWESTERLY JETS CONTINUE TO PROGRESS SOUTHEAST FROM IA WITH AN ELONGATED SHORT WAVE...POSSIBLY TWO...IMPULSE FROM SOUTHERN MN INTO SOUTHEAST IA. LATEST HAND SURFACE ANALYSIS DEPICTS A 1005 MB SURFACE LOW NEAR PITTSFIELD IN WEST CENTRAL IL WITH STRONG PRESSURE FALLS OF ALMOST 5 MB/3 HR IN ADVANCE. THIS IS WELL ALIGNED WITH ROBUST LOW-LEVEL TD ADVECTION /8-14F CLIMBS PER HOUR/ INTO THE MID TO UPPER 50S FROM SPI/TAZ SOUTHEASTWARD ACROSS THE ILX CWA. THIS AREA HIGHLIGHTS WHERE THE DEVELOPING SURFACE WARM FRONT IS AND LIKELY NEAR THE NORTHERN EXTENT OF ANY SURFACE- BASED UPDRAFT POTENTIAL. DEW POINTS REMAIN LOW NORTH OF THIS AREA...INCLUDING IN THE SOUTHERN FORECAST AREA WHERE NAMELY MID 40S PREVAIL ALONG WITH MORE OF AN EASTERLY WIND COMPONENT. WHILE THE MOISTENING BOUNDARY LAYER IS MOVING NORTH QUICKLY IN ADVANCE OF THE LOW...AT THIS TIME IT DOES NOT LOOK TO MAKE IT ALL THE WAY TO THE SOUTHERN FORECAST AREA. SO THE MAIN CONCERNS REMAIN FOR ELEVATED STORMS. MID-LEVEL FLOW ANALYZED BY UPSTREAM PROFILES AND THE RAP MODEL OF OVER 50 KT IS CONTRIBUTING TO DEEP LAYER SHEAR AT OR IN EXCESS OF 60 KT INTO CENTRAL IL. STRENGTHENING SOUTHERLY 850 MB FLOW AND MOISTURE TRANSPORT AHEAD OF THE DEVELOPING LOW PRESSURE IS FURTHERING THE CROSSOVER COMPONENT NEAR THE INTERSTATE 74 CORRIDOR AND UP TO THE SOUTHERN CWA. INSTABILITY IS SOMEWHAT MEAGER...BUT LIKELY UNDERDONE BY MOST GUIDANCE GIVEN THE CONVECTIVE TRENDS...AND COULD BE NEAR 500 J/KG. TOGETHER THIS COULD SUPPORT BRIEF ELEVATED SUPERCELLS OR POSSIBLY A SMALL ARC/CLUSTER OF STORMS TRACKING ACROSS THE FAR SOUTHERN FORECAST AREA BETWEEN 4 AND 7 PM...CAPABLE OF MAINLY A HAIL THREAT. MTF && //PREV DISCUSSION... 338 AM CDT SYNOPSIS...AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL REMAIN CENTERED OVER THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES THROUGH SATURDAY...WITH LOBES OF ENERGY ROTATING AROUND IT. AS SUCH...LOOKING AT A VERY COOL AND RAINY END TO THE WORK WEEK. THE TROUGH AXIS SHIFTS EAST LATE THIS WEEKEND WITH A SECOND TROUGH SINKING SOUTH INTO ONTARIO ON TUESDAY. THIS SECOND TROUGH REMAINS NORTH OF THE CWA ALLOWING SOUTHWEST WINDS TO USHER IN MORE SEASONAL TEMPS BY TUESDAY. THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH SINKS SOUTH INTO THE CWA LATE NEXT WEEK RESULTING IN ANOTHER ROUND OF SHOWERS AND BELOW NORMAL TEMPS. TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY... AN UPPER LEVEL JET STREAK REMAINS OVER THE NORTHERN PLAINS...WITH ITS LEFT JET EXIT REGION SETTING UP OVER NORTHEASTERN IOWA. AT THE SAME TIME AN UPPER LEVEL SHORTWAVE CURRENTLY IN EAST CENTRAL MN BASED ON WV IMAGERY...WILL SLIDE THROUGH CENTRAL WI THIS MORNING. SHOWERS HAVE ALREADY DEVELOPED ALONG THE NOSE OF THE JET AND SHORTWAVE THIS MORNING...AND EXPECTING THE SHOWERS TO MOVE INTO THE RFD AREA BY MID MORNING AND SPREAD EASTWARD. THE GREATEST CHANCE FOR PRECIP WILL BE ALONG THE IL/WI STATE LINE WHERE FORCING LOOKS TO BE MAXIMIZED. SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED NORTH OF I-80...AND SOME COULD BE HEAVY AT TIMES. A WEAK SURFACE LOW OVER EASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA WILL SINK SOUTH AND STRENGTHEN OVER MISSOURI THIS AFTERNOON. CONVECTION WITH THIS LOW LOOKS MORE LIKELY SOUTH OF THE CWA...BUT INCREASED POPS ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE I-80 CORRIDOR LATE THIS AFTERNOON WITH THERE BEING A GOOD CHANCE SOME OF THE SHRA THAT FORM OUT AHEAD OF THE LOW WILL CROSS INTO THE CWA. MODEL SOUNDINGS ARE NOT IMPRESSIVE WITH REGARDS TO THUNDER...THEREFORE WENT WITH JUST SHOWERS. THIS SOUTHERN SYSTEM MAY ALSO AFFECT THE RAIN SHOWERS TO THE NORTH. DEPENDING ON HOW STRONG THE LOW GETS AND HOW SIGNIFICANT THE SHRA AND TSRA ARE OUT AHEAD OF IT...THERE IS A CHANCE THAT THE SOUTHERN SYSTEM COULD STEAL MOISTURE FROM THE SHRA ALONG THE IL/WI BORDER. THIS MAY TURN INTO A HIGH POP/LOW QPF SITUATION DEPENDING ON HOW THINGS DEVELOP. ALL IN ALL...THE BEST CHANCE FOR MEASURABLE PRECIP THROUGH TONIGHT REMAINS NORTH OF THE I-80 CORRIDOR...ESPECIALLY ALONG THE IL/WI BORDER. RAIN TRANSITIONS EASTWARD WITH THE SHORTWAVE IN THE EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. WITH THE UPPER LEVEL JET LYING JUST SOUTH OF THE CWA...ANOTHER CHILLY NIGHT IS EXPECTED WITH OUTLYING AREAS IN THE LOW TO MID 40S...AND AROUND 50 DOWNTOWN. A COLD FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE NORTHWEST EARLY SATURDAY BRINGING ANOTHER CHANCE OF RAIN. THE UPPER LEVEL JET WEAKENS AS THE FRONT ARRIVES...RESULTING IN LESS SYNOPTIC SUPPORT THAN FRIDAYS RAIN. FORCING AND MOISTURE ALONG THE FRONT ALSO DIMINISH AS THE FRONT PASSES THROUGH NORTHERN ILLINOIS. HOWEVER...EXPECTING MEASURABLE PRECIP NORTH OF A LA SALLE-FOWLER LINE FROM THE PREDAWN HOURS THROUGH THE MID AFTERNOON HOURS. BY EVENING THE FRONT WILL BE THROUGH THE WITH NORTHWEST WINDS AND A STRONG PUSH OF COLD AIR. BROUGHT LOW TEMPS DOWN BY A FEW DEGREES ACROSS THE BOARD FOR SATURDAY NIGHT. GUIDANCE SUGGESTS CLEARING SKIES AND THE 850 HPA 0 DEGREE ISOTHERM WILL BE SOUTH OF THE CWA BY 12Z SUNDAY...THEREFORE HAVE TEMPS IN OUTLYING AREAS IN THE 30S AND TEMPS AROUND 40 DOWNTOWN. AREAS PRONE TO SLIGHTLY COLDER TEMPS LIKE AURORA AND ROCHELLE MAY DIP BELOW FREEZING. EXPECTING FROST TO DEVELOP ALONG AND NORTH OF THE I-80 AND OUTSIDE OF THE CHICAGO METRO AREA. WILL HOLD OFF ON ANY FROST RELATED HEADLINES NOW SINCE NOT SURE HOW MUCH OF THE CWA IS STILL GROWING OR SENSITIVE TO FROST GIVEN THIS SUMMERS DROUGHT. NOT TO MENTION SOIL TEMPS ARE STILL RELATIVELY WARM FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR...WHICH MAY RESULT IN FROST DEVELOPING ON ELEVATED SURFACES SUCH AS ROOFS...VEHICLES...AND HANGING PLANTS. SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY... HIGH PRESSURE MOVES IN SUNDAY AND BY MONDAY SOUTHWEST WINDS RETURN. TEMPS SLOWLY WARM WITH SUNDAY NIGHT LOOKING LIKE ANOTHER NIGHT IN THE UPPER 30S IN OUTLYING AREAS. HIGH TEMPS ON MONDAY WILL BE BELOW AVERAGE BUT IN THE MID 60S. A SURFACE LOW FORMS OVER THE MID MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY TUESDAY AFTERNOON WITH A CHANCE OF SHRA ACROSS MOST OF THE CWA TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT. MODEL SOUNDINGS DO NOT LOOK FAVORABLE FOR CONVECTION AT THIS TIME. TUESDAY LOOKS LIKE THE WARMEST DAY WITH NEAR NORMAL TEMPS IN THE 70S. WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY... THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH BEGINS TO SINK SOUTH INTO WISCONSIN TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY. A COLD FRONT PASSES SOUTH THROUGH THE CWA ON WEDNESDAY RESULTING IN A CHANCE OF SHOWERS. THERE IS NOT A SIGNIFICANT PUSH OF COOL AIR BEHIND THE FRONT...THEREFORE TEMPS FOR LATE NEXT WEEK LOOK ONLY SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL. JEE && .AVIATION... //ORD AND MDW CONCERNS...UPDATED 20Z... * VARIABLE WIND DIRECTIONS/SPEEDS THROUGH THE EVENING RUSH. * OFF AND ON SHOWERS WITH POSSIBLE PERIODS OF LOWER CIGS/VSBYS. LENNING //DISCUSSION...UPDATED 18Z... AN ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN OVER THE NEXT 36 HOURS WILL BRING MULTIPLE CONCERNS TO THOSE WITH AVIATION INTERESTS. A PAIR OF UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES ARE MOVING OVER THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON...AND BOTH IN TANDEM ARE HELPING TO BRING RAIN TO THE AREA. WHILE THIS WAS MORE SHOWERY EARLIER...THIS IS LIKELY TO BE A MORE PERSISTENT RAIN AT TAF SITES THIS AFTERNOON...ESPECIALLY RFD...DPA...AND ORD. TEMPORARY MVFR VISIBILITIES HAVE BEEN SEEN ACROSS SOUTHWEST WI WITHIN THE RAIN AREA...AND GIVEN THE MID-LEVEL FORCING AND JUST OVERALL IMPRESSIVE DYNAMICS...WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO SEE SOME OF THAT AND MAYBE EVEN BRIEF MVFR CIGS. A SURFACE REFLECTION TO THE UPPER LEVEL WAVES WILL BE DEFINED IN A LOW PRESSURE ACROSS WESTERN IL BY MID TO LATE AFTERNOON. THIS WILL HELP TO EVOLVE THE WIND FIELD INTO MORE NORTHERLY ACROSS MOST OF THE TAF SITES THAN ORIGINALLY THOUGHT...AND POTENTIALLY EVEN NORTHEASTERLY BY LATE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. WIND SPEEDS WILL LIKELY BE UNDER 10 KT DURING THAT PERIOD...THOUGH THEY MAY BE CLOSE. SPEEDS WILL DROP TONIGHT AND THE DIRECTION SHOULD AGAIN BECOME VARIABLE. ANOTHER VIGOROUS UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL MOVE OVER THE AREA SATURDAY MORNING LIKELY CREATING SHOWERS BUT IN PARTICULAR BRINGING A SURGE OF STRONGER NORTHWEST WINDS AND COLDER AIR. THIS WILL SET THE STAGE FOR WIND GUSTS IN THE 25-30 KT BALLPARK FROM MID TO LATE MORNING SATURDAY INTO THE AFTERNOON. IN ADDITION...COLD AIR ADVECTION STRATOCUMULUS WILL LIKELY BE MVFR IMMEDIATELY BEHIND THE COLD FRONT SATURDAY MORNING AND GRADUALLY RAISE THROUGH THE DAY. //ORD AND MDW CONFIDENCE...UPDATED 20Z... * MEDIUM CONFIDENCE REGARDING WINDS. EXPECT THEY WILL PROMPT SOME REFUSALS FROM TIME TO TIME NO MATTER WHICH CONFIGURATION IS USED. LATEST TRENDS SUGGEST THEY WOULD BE NORTHEASTERLY FOR A WHILE THIS AFTERNOON...BUT STILL SOUTHWESTERLY JUST A COUPLE THOUSAND FEET UP. * MEDIUM TO HIGH CONFIDENCE OF STAYING ABOVE MVFR EXCEPT FOR BRIEF PERIODS. NOT ANTICIPATING IFR THIS EVENING. LENNING //OUTLOOK FOR ORD/MDW FOR 00Z SUNDAY-12Z FRIDAY...UPDATED 12Z... * SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY...VFR. * TUESDAY...CHANCE OF SHOWERS. * WEDNESDAY...CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS SOUTH...OTHERWISE VFR. * THURSDAY...VFR MTF && .MARINE... 230 PM CDT LOW PRESSURE OVER THE UPPER GREAT LAKES WILL TRACK NORTHEAST TOWARD HUDSON BAY OVERNIGHT TONIGHT AND THEN RAPIDLY DEEPEN TOMORROW AS STRONG HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS. A SERIES OF MID LEVEL IMPULSES WILL BRING REINFORCING SHOTS OF COLD AIR OVER THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES TOMORROW. THE RESULTANT STRONG COLD ADVECTION WILL LEAD TO RAPIDLY STRENGTHENING NORTHERLY WINDS TOMORROW...LIKELY REACHING GALE FORCE DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS. THE PRESSURE GRADIENT AND COLD ADVECTION WILL BE STRONGEST OVER THE FAR NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE LAKE...SO HAVE HOISTED A GALE WARNING FOR THE NORTHERN ONE-THIRD OF THE LAKE. THE WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY FOR THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL BE DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS WHEN HIGH PRESSURE SPREADING INTO THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES SHOULD HELP ALLOW WINDS TO SUBSIDE BELOW GALE FORCE. FOR THE SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE LAKE...WINDS AND WAVES SHOULD QUICKLY RISE TO SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY LEVELS TOMORROW AS WELL...WITH THE INDIANA WATERS REACHING SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY LEVELS SOONER THAN THE ILLINOIS WATERS...AND LINGERING LONGER...INTO MONDAY MORNING DUE TO THE GENERALLY NORTHERLY FETCH SETTING UP OVER THE LAKE. BY MONDAY AFTERNOON...ANOTHER DEEPENING LOW TRACKING JUST NORTH OF THE GREAT LAKES MAY POSSIBLY BRING ANOTHER BRIEF PERIOD OF SOUTHWESTERLY GALES TO THE FAR NORTHERN PORTION OF THE LAKE...BUT WILL NOT ISSUE ANY HEADLINES AT THIS TIME SINCE THE STRENGTH OF THE WINDS WILL BE HIGHLY DEPENDENT ON THE EXACT TRACK OF THE LOW. THE OTHER CONCERN FOR LAKE MICHIGAN WILL BE WATERSPOUT POTENTIAL. LAKE SFC WATER TEMPERATURES REMAIN UNUSUALLY HIGH...WITH A TEMPERATURE OF 17C AT THE NORTH BUOY AND 20C AT THE SOUTH BUOY THIS AFTERNOON. WHEN THE MUCH COOLER AIR PLUNGES OVER LAKE MICHIGAN...LAKE SFC TO 850MB DELTA-T VALUES WILL REACH AS HIGH AS 22-23C...INDICATIVE OF A VERY UNSTABLE ENVIRONMENT OVER LAKE MICHIGAN. WHILE CONVERGENCE BOUNDARIES ARE NOT LIKELY OVER THE LAKE...WATERSPOUT POTENTIAL WILL REMAIN HIGH DUE TO LAKE EFFECT RAIN SHOWERS AND DEEP LAYER CONVECTIVE CLOUD DEVELOPMENT. CONDITIONS WILL BE CONDUCIVE TO WATERSPOUTS FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH MONDAY EVENING...ESPECIALLY FOR THE NORTHERN AND EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE LAKE. KREIN && .LOT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IL...NONE. IN...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK...INZ001-INZ002...10 AM SATURDAY TO 10 AM MONDAY. LM...GALE WARNING...LMZ261-LMZ362-LMZ364-LMZ563...2 PM SATURDAY TO 11 PM SATURDAY. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY...LMZ740-LMZ741-LMZ742-LMZ743...4 PM SATURDAY TO MIDNIGHT MONDAY. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY...LMZ744-LMZ745...10 AM SATURDAY TO 10 AM MONDAY. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...CORRECTION
NWS LINCOLN IL
300 PM CDT FRI SEP 21 2012 .DISCUSSION... ISSUED 300 PM CDT FRI SEP 21 2012 SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH MONDAY INITIAL CONCERN IS SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE STORMS INTO EARLY EVENING MAINLY EAST OF THE IL RIVER. SHORT RANGE MODELS FAIRLY SIMILAR THROUGH MON WITH STRONG UPPER LEVEL TROF DIGGING SOUTHWARD INTO THE GREAT LAKES AND OHIO VALLEY REGION BY SAT WITH BELOW NORMAL TEMPS EXPECTED THIS WEEKEND. PATCHY FROST STILL A POSSIBILITY OVER THE IL RIVER VALLEY LATER SAT NIGHT AND IN EASTERN IL LATER SUNDAY NIGHT. MET AND MAV GUIDANCE TEMPS SIMILAR THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT AND STAYED FAIRLY CLOSE TO. MID AFTERNOON SURFACE MAP SHOWS 1006 MB LOW PRESSURE DEEPENING ALONG THE EASTERN IA/MO BORDER WITH ITS WARM FRONT LIFTING NORTHWARD TOWARD I-74...AS ENE WINDS TURN SOUTH WITH ITS PASSAGE AND DEWPOINTS IN THE UPPER 30S AND 40S RISE INTO THE MID TO UPPER 50S. TEMPS RISING AS WELL INTO THE UPPER 70S AND LOWER 80S IN SW IL IN WARM SECTOR WHERE ALSO MORE SUNSHINE. SOME INSTABILITY WITH CAPES PEAKING FROM 1000-1500 J/KG EAST OF THE IL RIVER THIS AFTERNOON WITH INCREASING WIND SHEAR AS WELL DURING MID/LATE AFTERNOON INTO EARLY EVENING AS 35-40KT WSW LOW LEVEL JET WHILE ALSO GETTING STRONGER THAN 80-100 KT JET ALOFT DIVING SE INTO IL LATE TODAY ALONG WITH A SHORT WAVE MOVING INTO CENTRAL IL FROM IA LATE TODAY. VGP PARMETERS ARE FAVORABLE FOR ISOLATED TORNADOES IN SE IL LATE THIS AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING. SO CONCUR WITH SPC/S UPGRADE TO A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE STORMS FROM MID AFTERNOON INTO EARLY EVENING MAINLY SE OF THE IL RIVER. SPC HAS 15% RISK OF LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WIND GUSTS ALONG WITH 5% RISK OF TORNADOES. LOW PRESSURE DEEPENS A BIT MORE TO 1005 MB AND DIVES SE INTO SW IL BY SUNSET AND THEN TURN NE ACROSS THE OHIO RIVER THIS EVENING. RUC13 AND HRRR MODELS KEEP HEALTHY CHANCES OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER EASTERN IL THROUGH MID EVENING AND THEN DIMINISH BY LATE EVENING AND TRENDED FORECAST IN THAT DIRECTION. WESTERN IL SHOULD BE DRY THIS EVENING WITH CONVECTION EAST OF THERE. LOWS TONIGHT RANGE FROM THE LOWER 40S NW OF THE IL RIVER TO THE LOWER 50S SE OF I-70 IN SE IL. UNSEASONABLY STRONG 533 DM 500 MB DOUBLE BARREL LOW OVER NW ONTARIO TO CONTINUE DIGGING SOUTHWARD INTO THE GREAT LAKES AND OHIO VALLEY TONIGHT/SAT WHILE SENDING A STRONG SHORT WAVE FROM LAKE WINNIPEG SE INTO EASTERN IA/NORTHERN IL/SW WI BY SUNRISE SAT AND INTO NORTHERN INDIANA BY 18Z/1 PM SAT. CONTINUE 20% CHANCE OF SHOWERS LATE TONIGHT NORTH OF PEORIA AND 20-30% CHANCE NE OF I-74 SAT MORNING ALONG WITH GUSTS NORTH WINDS UP TO 30 MPH NE AREAS. HIGHS AROUND 60F FROM I-74 NE SAT AND MID 60S IN SE IL AND SW OF SPRINGFIELD. 1026 MB HIGH PRESSURE OVER SASKETCHEWAN TO BUILD INTO THE EASTERN PLAINS SUNDAY AND RETURN LIGHER WINDS TO THE AREA BUT CONTINUE COOL WEATHER. FROST IS LIKELY OVER THE IL RIVER VALLEY LATER SAT NIGHT WITH LOWS IN THE MID 30S. APPEARS SHY OF RECORD LOWS AROUND 30F EARLY SUNDAY MORNING SEP 23 BUT NEAR FREEZING TEMPS POSSIBLE IN NW IL NW OF KNOX AND STARK COUNTIES. PATCHY FROST IS POSSIBLE OVER EASTERN IL LATER SUNDAY NIGHT WITH LOW IN THE MID TO UPPER 30S AS SURFACE HIGH DRIFTS OVER CENTRAL/SE IL AND EVENTUALLY INTO THE OHIO RIVER VALLEY BY DAWN MON. HIGHS SUNDAY STAYING COOL IN THE LOW TO MID 60S DESPITE A FAIR AMOUNT OF SUNSHINE. LONG TERM...MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY UNSETTLED WEATHER PATTERN TAKING SHAPE LATER MON NIGHT THROUGH MID WEEK AS SEVERAL SHORT WAVES WILL EJECT FROM THE CENTRAL PLAINS TOWARD IL AND ALSO HAVE A FRONTAL BOUNDARY MOVING SOUTHWARD AND POSSIBLY LINGERING NEAR CENTRAL/SE IL FOR A FEW DAYS DURING MIDWEEK. THIS WILL KEEP CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS AROUND FOR A FEW DAY BUT THINK GFS IS LINGERING QPF TOO LONGER INTO LATE WEEK AND LEANED TOWARD THE FURTHER SOUTH ECWMF MODEL WITH THE FRONT BY THU/FRI. GENERALLY STAYED CLOSE TO ALLBLEND POPS DURING NEXT WORK WEEK AND LINGERED SLIGHT CHANCES SOUTHERN AREAS AROUND THU. TEMPERATURES TO WARM BACK TO NORMAL BY TUE AND COOLING OFF FROM NORTH TO SOUTH LATER NEXT WEEK AND COULD BE MORE OF A TEMPERATURE CONTRAST THAN WHAT ALLBLEND IS SHOWING DURING 2ND HALF OF NEXT WEEK DEPENING ON POSITION OF FRONTAL BOUNDARY. KH && .AVIATION... ISSUED 1238 PM CDT FRI SEP 21 2012 FEW SCATTERED STORMS BEGINNING TO DEVELOP...AND SHOULD INCREASE DURING THE AFTERNOON. WINDS WILL SHIFT AS THE LOW IS PROGGED TO CROSS THE AREA THROUGH THE EVENING. KEPT VCTS IN THE TAFS AT THIS TIME...AND WILL HAVE TO WATCH FOR LOWER CEILING DEVELOPMENT LATER WITH THE STORM FORMATION. GOETSCH && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LINCOLN IL
259 PM CDT FRI SEP 21 2012 .DISCUSSION... ISSUED 225 PM CDT FRI SEP 21 2012 SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH MONDAY INITIAL CONCERN IS SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE STORMS INTO EARLY EVENING MAINLY EAST OF THE IL RIVER. SHORT RANGE MODELS FAIRLY SIMILAR THROUGH MON WITH STRONG UPPER LEVEL TROF DIGGING SOUTHWARD INTO THE GREAT LAKES AND OHIO VALLEY REGION BY SAT WITH BELOW NORMAL TEMPS EXPECTED THIS WEEKEND. PATCHY FROST STILL A POSSIBILITY OVER THE IL RIVER VALLEY LATER SAT NIGHT AND IN EASTERN IL LATER SUNDAY NIGHT. MID AFTERNOON SURFACE MAP SHOWS 1006 MB LOW PRESSURE DEEPENING ALONG THE EASTERN IA/MO BORDER WITH ITS WARM FRONT LIFTING NORTHWARD TOWARD I-74...AS ENE WINDS TURN SOUTH WITH ITS PASSAGE AND DEWPOINTS IN THE UPPER 30S AND 40S RISE INTO THE MID TO UPPER 50S. TEMPS RISING AS WELL INTO THE UPPER 70S AND LOWER 80S IN SW IL IN WARM SECTOR WHERE ALSO MORE SUNSHINE. SOME INSTABILITY WITH CAPES PEAKING FROM 1000-1500 J/KG EAST OF THE IL RIVER THIS AFTERNOON WITH INCREASING WIND SHEAR AS WELL DURING MID/LATE AFTERNOON INTO EARLY EVENING AS 35-40KT WSW LOW LEVEL JET WHILE ALSO GETTING STRONGER THAN 80-100 KT JET ALOFT DIVING SE INTO IL LATE TODAY ALONG WITH A SHORT WAVE MOVING INTO CENTRAL IL FROM IA LATE TODAY. VGP PARMETERS ARE FAVORABLE FOR ISOLATED TORNADOES IN SE IL LATE THIS AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING. SO CONCUR WITH SPC/S UPGRADE TO A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE STORMS FROM MID AFTERNOON INTO EARLY EVENING MAINLY SE OF THE IL RIVER. SPC HAS 15% RISK OF LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WIND GUSTS ALONG WITH 5% RISK OF TORNADOES. LOW PRESSURE DEEPENS A BIT MORE TO 1005 MB AND DIVES SE INTO SW IL BY SUNSET AND THEN TURN NE ACROSS THE OHIO RIVER THIS EVENING. RUC13 AND HRRR MODELS KEEP HEALTHY CHANCES OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER EASTERN IL THROUGH MID EVENING AND THEN DIMINISH BY LATE EVENING AND TRENDED FORECAST IN THAT DIRECTION. WESTERN IL SHOULD BE DRY THIS EVENING WITH CONVECTION EAST OF THERE. LOWS TONIGHT RANGE FROM THE LOWER 40S NW OF THE IL RIVER TO THE LOWER 50S SE OF I-70 IN SE IL. UNSEASONABLY STRONG 533 DM 500 MB DOUBLE BARREL LOW OVER NW ONTARIO TO CONTINUE DIGGING SOUTHWARD INTO THE GREAT LAKES AND OHIO VALLEY TONIGHT/SAT WHILE SENDING A STRONG SHORT WAVE FROM LAKE WINNIPEG SE INTO EASTERN IA/NORTHERN IL/SW WI BY SUNRISE SAT AND INTO NORTHERN INDIANA BY 18Z/1 PM SAT. CONTINUE 20% CHANCE OF SHOWERS LATE TONIGHT NORTH OF PEORIA AND 20-30% CHANCE NE OF I-74 SAT MORNING ALONG WITH GUSTS NORTH WINDS UP TO 30 MPH NE AREAS. HIGHS AROUND 60F FROM I-74 NE SAT AND MID 60S IN SE IL AND SW OF SPRINGFIELD. 1026 MB HIGH PRESSURE OVER SASKETCHEWAN TO BUILD INTO THE EASTERN PLAINS SUNDAY AND RETURN LIGHER WINDS TO THE AREA BUT CONTINUE COOL WEATHER. FROST IS LIKELY OVER THE IL RIVER VALLEY LATER SAT NIGHT WITH LOWS IN THE MID 30S. APPEARS SHY OF RECORD LOWS AROUND 30F EARLY SUNDAY MORNING SEP 23 BUT NEAR FREEZING TEMPS POSSIBLE IN NW IL NW OF KNOX AND STARK COUNTIES. PATCHY FROST IS POSSIBLE OVER EASTERN IL LATER SUNDAY NIGHT WITH LOW IN THE MID TO UPPER 30S AS SURFACE HIGH DRIFTS OVER CENTRAL/SE IL AND EVENTUALLY INTO THE OHIO RIVER VALLEY BY DAWN MON. HIGHS SUNDAY STAYING COOL IN THE LOW TO MID 60S DESPITE A FAIR AMOUNT OF SUNSHINE. LONG TERM...MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY UNSETTLED WEATHER PATTERN TAKING SHAPE LATER MON NIGHT THROUGH MID WEEK AS SEVERAL SHORT WAVES WILL EJECT FROM THE CENTRAL PLAINS TOWARD IL AND ALSO HAVE A FRONTAL BOUNDARY MOVING SOUTHWARD AND POSSIBLY LINGERING NEAR CENTRAL/SE IL FOR A FEW DAYS DURING MIDWEEK. THIS WILL KEEP CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS AROUND FOR A FEW DAY BUT THINK GFS IS LINGERING QPF TOO LONGER INTO LATE WEEK AND LEANED TOWARD THE FURTHER SOUTH ECWMF MODEL WITH THE FRONT BY THU/FRI. GENERALLY STAYED CLOSE TO ALLBLEND POPS DURING NEXT WORK WEEK AND LINGERED SLIGHT CHANCES SOUTHERN AREAS AROUND THU. TEMPERATURES TO WARM BACK TO NORMAL BY TUE AND COOLING OFF FROM NORTH TO SOUTH LATER NEXT WEEK AND COULD BE MORE OF A TEMPERATURE CONTRAST THAN WHAT ALLBLEND IS SHOWING DURING 2ND HALF OF NEXT WEEK DEPENING ON POSITION OF FRONTAL BOUNDARY. KH && .AVIATION... ISSUED 1238 PM CDT FRI SEP 21 2012 FEW SCATTERED STORMS BEGINNING TO DEVELOP...AND SHOULD INCREASE DURING THE AFTERNOON. WINDS WILL SHIFT AS THE LOW IS PROGGED TO CROSS THE AREA THROUGH THE EVENING. KEPT VCTS IN THE TAFS AT THIS TIME...AND WILL HAVE TO WATCH FOR LOWER CEILING DEVELOPMENT LATER WITH THE STORM FORMATION. GOETSCH && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS QUAD CITIES IA IL
138 PM CDT FRI SEP 21 2012 .UPDATE... A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE HAS BEEN MADE TO THE FCST. CONVECTIVE TEMPERATURE HAS BEEN ACHIEVED IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE CWFA WITH TSRA DEVELOPMENT IN THE PAST HR. RAP TRENDS INDICATE CONVECTION IS DEVELOPING ALONG A THETA E GRADIENT WITH STRONG LIFT. THUS A NARROW LINE OF CONVECTION WILL MOVE GENERALLY EAST THROUGH MID AFTERNOON AFFECTING AREAS SOUTH OF I-80 AND EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI. THE LIGHT RAIN WILL CONTINUE MOVING EAST THROUGH MID AFTERNOON AND ALL BUT THE FAR NORTHEAST AND EAST PARTS SHOULD BE RAIN FREE BY MID AFTERNOON. TEMPERATURES WILL RESPOND APPROPRIATELY WITH THE RAIN ENDING. THE EXTREME SOUTHERN PARTS OF THE CWFA MAY HIT 80 BEFORE THE END OF THE DAY. ..08.. && .AVIATION... TSRA HAS DEVELOPED ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AND IS MOVING EAST. KBRL SHOULD NOT SEE ANY TSRA AND THE TSRA SHOULD REMAIN SOUTH OF KMLI. OTHERWISE VFR WX IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH 00Z/22 WITH WINDS BECOMING LIGHT. ..08.. && .DVN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IA...NONE. IL...NONE. MO...NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS QUAD CITIES IA IL
1152 AM CDT FRI SEP 21 2012 .UPDATE... ANOTHER UPDATE HAS BEEN DONE TO THE FCST TO REFLECT CURRENT TRENDS. A WEAK LOW WAS IN CENTRAL IOWA NEAR KDSM AT 15Z WITH A WARM FRONT EXTENDING SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE FAR SOUTHERN PARTS OF THE CWFA. THE RAIN HAS DEVELOPED A MESO HIGH AROUND KDBQ WHICH IS RESULTING IN STRONGER WINDS IN THE I-80 TO HWY 30 CORRIDOR IN THE WESTERN CWFA. TRENDS FROM THE RAP SHOW THE WEAK LOW PASSING JUST SOUTH OF THE CWFA WITH THE MESO HIGH MOVING EAST ALONG THE WI/IL BORDER THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. FORCING IN THE 700-600MB LAYER CONTINUES TO DEPICT THE LIGHT RAIN REASONABLY WELL. THIS FORCING MOVES EAST DURING THE AFTERNOON WITH CONDENSATION PRESSURE DEFICITS RISING. THUS THE RAIN WILL BE ENDING BY EARLY AFTERNOON IN THE FAR WESTERN CWFA WITH ALL BUT THE EASTERN THIRD TURNING DRY BY MID AFTERNOON. TEMPERATURES WILL BE INTERESTING TODAY. UNTIL THE RAIN ENDS...TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN IN THE 50S. ONCE THE RAIN DOES END TEMPERATURES WILL BEGIN TO RECOVER. AREAS SOUTH OF AN KOTM TO KGBG LINE WILL NOT SEE ANY RAIN TODAY AND WILL BE IN THE WARM SECTOR WITH READINGS IN THE 70S. ..08.. && .AVIATION... THE RAIN ACROSS EASTERN IOWA AND WI/IL HAS CREATED AN AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE AROUND KDBQ. A WEAK LOW WEST OF KDSM WILL MOVE INTO NORTHEAST MISSOURI AND ILLINOIS THROUGH 00Z/22. THE RAIN WILL END FROM WEST TO EAST WITH ALL TAF SITES BEING RAIN FREE BY 00Z/22. VFR CIGS ARE EXPECTED IN THE RAIN. LIGHT WINDS ARE EXPECTED FOR A TIME AFT 00Z/22 WHICH MAY ALLOW SOME MVFR VSBYS TO DVLP. A COLD FRONT WILL ARRIVE AFT 06Z/22 BRINGING A THREAT OF MORE RAIN. HOWEVER...VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE. ..08.. && .DVN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IA...NONE. IL...NONE. MO...NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS QUAD CITIES IA IL
920 AM CDT FRI SEP 21 2012 .UPDATE... AN UPDATE HAS BEEN DONE TO THE FCST TO REFLECT CURRENT TRENDS. BASED ON RADAR TRENDS AND INPUT FROM THE RAP MODEL...POPS HAVE BEEN ADJUSTED AND INCREASED IN SOME AREAS FOR THE MORNING HOURS. THE RAP AGREES WITH THE 12Z SOUNDING IN THAT MOST OF THE CONVERGENCE AND FORCING IS IN THE 700-600MB LAYER WITH AREAS BELOW 750MB REMAINING QUITE DRY. AS SUCH THERE SHOULD BE INTERMITTENT SPRINKLES ACROSS THE AREA WITH POCKETS OF RAIN THIS MORNING. THE FORCING MOVES EAST DURING THE AFTERNOON SO THERE SHOULD BE A GENERAL TREND OF PRECIPITATION ENDING FROM WEST TO EAST DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS. TEMPERATURES WILL BE HIGHLY DEPENDENT UPON CLOUDS/PRECIP TODAY AND READINGS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN IN THE 50S THROUGH THE MORNING. SOME RECOVERY SHOULD BE SEE DURING THE AFTERNOON ONCE THE RAIN ENDS WITH THE WESTERN CWFA HAVING THE BEST CHANCE AT GETTING INTO THE LOWER 60S. ..08.. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 643 AM CDT FRI SEP 21 2012/ AVIATION... /ISSUED 308 AM CDT FRI SEP 21 2012/ VFR WX TO CONTINUE THROUGH 12Z/22. A SHORTWAVE WILL DROP SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE AREA EARLY THIS MORNING AND INTO FRIDAY. IT WILL BRING AN AREA OF -RA SWEEPING ACROSS THE AREA THIS MORNING FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST ENDING IN EASTERN IA APPROXIMATELY 21Z. CLOUD BASES TO STAY AOA 4KFT WITH VISIBILITIES 6SM OR BETTER. WINDS TO GRADUALLY TURN FROM SOUTHEAST EARLY THIS MORNING BECOMING EAST TO NORTHEAST BY MID DAY FRIDAY AS THE SURFACE LOW MOVES SOUTHEAST FROM IOWA INTO MISSOURI SOUTHWEST OF THE TERMINALS. WIND SPEEDS SHOULD INCREASE INTO THE 10-15KT RANGE ABOUT MID DAY...BEFORE DIMINISHING AGAIN. A COLD FRONT WILL ARRIVE LATE TONIGHT INTO EARLY SATURDAY MORNING WITH NORTH WINDS BECOMING GUSTY BEHIND THE FRONT. THERE WILL BE ANOTHER ROUND OF SCATTERED -RA MAINLY NORTH OF INTERSTATE 80 ASSOCIATED WITH THIS FRONT. HAASE PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 308 AM CDT FRI SEP 21 2012/ SYNOPSIS... DEEP TROUGH 2 TO 3 STANDARD DEVIATIONS FROM NORMAL SITUATED FROM ABOUT JAMES BAY TO THE UPPER MIDWEST/GREAT LAKES. A SERIES OF SHORT WAVE TROUGHS WAS ROTATING AROUND THE MAIN VORTEX. ONE OF THESE WAVES WAS PRODUCING LIGHT RAIN ACROSS SOUTHERN MN AND NORTHERN IA AND WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST. MOST OF THE VISIBILITIES IN THIS AREA OF RAIN HAS BEEN ABOUT 10 MILES AS THE LOW LEVELS ARE RATHER DRY. THIS DRY AIR WAS NOTED ON THE KDVN/KMSP 00Z/21 SOUNDINGS. A SIGNIFICANT WAVE AND REINFORCING COLD FRONT WAS MOVING RAPIDLY SOUTHWARD IN MANITOBA WHERE TEMPERATURES THERE ARE IN THE 30S. MEANWHILE...CURRENT TEMPERATURES IN THE DVN CWA RANGED FROM 42 AT DUBUQUE TO 59 AT FORT MADISON. LIGHT RAIN WAS NOTED AT INDEPENDENCE AT 3 AM WITH THE VISIBILITY AT 10 MILES. HAASE SHORT TERM...TODAY AND TONIGHT... FORECAST FOCUS MAINLY ON RAIN CHANCES AND TEMPERATURES. TODAY...LIGHT RAIN WILL SPREAD INTO OUR NORTHERN CWA THIS MORNING AND HAVE RAISED POPS TO LIKELY. FORECAST SOUNDINGS SUGGEST LOW LEVELS MOISTEN UP AND CONDENSATION PRESSURE DEFICITS LOWER SIGNIFICANTLY THIS MORNING. OPERATIONAL MODELS FAVOR THE BULK OF THE RAIN IN OUR NORTH WITH ONLY CHANCE POPS TO THE SOUTH. THIS WAVE MOVES QUICKLY OFF TO THE EAST THIS AFTERNOON WITH THE RAIN ENDING FROM WEST TO EAST. THE RAIN AND CLOUDS SHOULD HOLD TEMPERATURES THIS AFTERNOON ONLY IN THE LOWER TO MID 60S NORTH. HOWEVER EXPECTING A BIT MORE SUNSHINE IN THE FAR SOUTH AND HAVE RAISED MAX TEMPS INTO THE LOWER 70S. TONIGHT...SHOULD BE A DRY EVENING BUT THEN A POTENT SHORT WAVE AND REINFORCING COLD FRONT WILL BE ARRIVING AFTER MIDNIGHT. THE MAIN ENERGY APPEARS TO REMAIN TO THE NORTH IN MN AND WI BUT OUR NORTHERN CWA DOES GET GRAZED SO WILL KEEP THE RAIN CHANCES GOING THERE. THE SOUTHERN CWA SHOULD REMAIN DRY. WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE COLD FRONT WINDS WILL TURN NORTH AND BECOME GUSTY TOWARDS MORNING. MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WILL BE ABOUT 40 TO 45. HAASE LONG TERM...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY... THE LARGE UPPER TROF COVERING MOST OF THE EASTERN U.S. AND CANADA WILL CONTINUE TO FEED COLD CANADIAN AIR INTO THE REGION OVER THE WEEKEND. A SHORTWAVE CURRENTLY OVER NORTHERN MANITOBA WILL DIVE SOUTH AND MOVE JUST NORTHEAST OF THE FORECAST AREA SATURDAY MORNING. FORCING WITH THE WAVE IS PROGGED TO BRUSH THE FAR NORTHEAST COUNTIES SO LOW CHANCE POPS NORTHEAST STILL LOOK REASONABLE ESPECIALLY WITH THE LIMITED MOISTURE THE SYSTEM WILL HAVE TO WORK WITH. THE SYSTEM WILL SWEEP THROUGH THE AREA QUICKLY AND SHOULD BE WELL EAST OF THE CWFA BY 18Z WITH SUBSIDENCE IN PLACE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON...SO THE POPS WERE REMOVED AFTER 18Z. THIS S/W WILL DRAG ANOTHER RE-ENFORCING SHOT OF COLD AIR INTO THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY SATURDAY NIGHT. H8 TEMPS ARE PROGGED TO DROP INTO THE 0 TO -2C RANGE OVER THE NORTHEAST HALF OF THE CWFA BY 12Z SUNDAY. BY LATE SATURDAY NIGHT THE SURFACE RIDGE WILL BE JUST WEST OF THE CWFA ALLOWING NORTH WINDS TO DIMINISH TO LESS THAN 5 MPH. CLEAR SKIES ARE ALSO EXPECTED AND MODEL SURFACE DEWPOINTS ARE PROGGED TO BE ANYWHERE FROM THE MID 20S PER THE 00Z NAM TO THE LOWER 30S WITH MOST OF THE SOLUTIONS CLUSTERED AROUND 30. EVEN IF THE HIGH END OF THE DEWPOINT RANGE VERIFIES THIS SHOULD BE LOW ENOUGH FOR WINDS TO DECOUPLE ALLOWING TEMPERATURES TO DROP INTO THE LOW TO MID 30S. IF THE LOWER NAM DEWPOINTS VERIFY THEN SOME UPPER 20S IN THE LOW SPOTS OVER THE NORTH ARE NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION. THE PREVIOUS FORECAST HAD MINS IN THE 30 TO 35 RANGE WHICH...AT THIS POINT...LOOK REASONABLE AND ARE WITHIN ONE DEGREE OF RECORD LOWS FOR THE 23RD. CONDITIONS CONTINUE TO LOOK FAVORABLE LATE SATURDAY NIGHT/SUNDAY MORNING FOR A WIDESPREAD FROST OVER THE MOST OF THE AREA AS WELL AS A FREEZE OVER THE NORTH HALF TO ONE THIRD. THE SURFACE HIGH WILL MOVE THROUGH THE CWFA SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT. RETURN FLOW WILL DEVELOP WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER BY LATE SUNDAY BUT THE EAST WILL REMAIN IN THE GRIP OF THE HIGH THROUGH MONDAY MORNING. THIS SHOULD ALLOW TEMPERATURES EAST OF MISSISSIPPI RIVER TO DROP BACK INTO THE MID 30S SUNDAY NIGHT WITH THE LIGHT SOUTHERLY FLOW WEST OF THE RIVER KEEPING MINS IN THE UPPER 30S TO AROUND 40. THE REST OF THE WEEK SHOULD SEE THE UPPER FLOW OVER THE REGION FLATTENING SOME AS THE UPPER TROF TAKES UP RESIDENCE OVER THE GREAT LAKES AND NEW ENGLAND STATES. AT THE SAME TIME THE WEST COAST RIDGE BREAKS DOWN IN RESPONSE TO PACIFIC ENERGY MOVING INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS. THE COMBINATION OF A COLD AIRMASS OVER THE GREAT LAKES AND WARM AIR MOVING NORTH AHEAD OF THE WESTERN S/W WILL SET UP A DECENT BAROCLINIC ZONE OVER THE MIDWEST FOR THE MID TO LATE WEEK. THE 00Z GFS/ECMWF ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT DEVELOPING A WARM FRONT NEAR OR SOUTH OF THE CWFA BY LATE TUESDAY AND KEEPING IT CLOSE BY THROUGH THURSDAY. WITH THE BOUNDARY IN THE AREA LOW POPS FAVORING THE SOUTH TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY LOOK REASONABLE. TEMPERATURES MID TO LATE WEEK SHOULD BE NEAR TO JUST BELOW NORMAL. DLF CLIMATE... RECORD LOWS FOR SEPTEMBER 23... BURLINGTON 33 1913 CEDAR RAPIDS 30 1989 DUBUQUE 31 1974 MOLINE 31 1995 && .DVN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IA...NONE. IL...NONE. MO...NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS DODGE CITY KS
937 PM CDT SAT SEP 22 2012 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 930 PM CDT SAT SEP 22 2012 THE FORECAST WAS UPDATED TO INCLUDE A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS WITH AN ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM MAINLY 06Z-15Z...TIED TO A NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST AXIS OF LOWER-MID LEVEL FRONTOGENESIS (PARTICULARLY 800-700MB LAYER). LATEST NAM12 MODEL SOLUTION SUGGESTS 150-300 J/KG OF MUCAPE WITHIN THE ZONE OF STRONGEST WARM FRONTOGENESIS A 750MB...FROM TRIBUNE TO GARDEN CITY TO ASHLAND...SO A FEW LIGHTNING STRIKES WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE. THE 3KM HRRR HAS SHOWN A RUN-TO-RUN CONSISTENCY IN GENERATING SHOWERS ALONG THIS FRONTOGENETIC ZONE. SHOWERS WILL SHIFT TO THE EAST BY DAYBREAK INTO SOUTH CENTRAL KS/NORTH CENTRAL OK WITH POPS DIMINISHING IN THE GRIDS BY MID-MORNING SUNDAY. && .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH TOMORROW) ISSUED AT 248 PM CDT SAT SEP 22 2012 THE MAIN FORECAST CHALLENGES ARE INCREASING CLOUDS TONIGHT AND A FEW SPRINKLES, THEN HIGH TEMPERATURES ON SUNDAY AHEAD OF A WARM FRONT. MODELS IN AGREEMENT WITH MOVING A COLD UPPER LEVEL TROUGH SLOWLY EASTWARD ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST INTO SUNDAY WITH NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT CONTINUING OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS. AS THE UPPER TROUGH MOVES EAST, A RIDGE OF COOLER SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE WILL SLOWLY PROGRESS EASTWARD FROM THE MISSOURI VALLEY INTO THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY ALLOWING A WARM FRONT TO PUSH NORTH INTO EASTERN COLORADO TO JUST SOUTH OF ELKHART AND INTO CENTRAL OKLAHOMA ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON. MID AND UPPER LEVEL MOISTURE AND CLOUDINESS IS ALSO FORECAST TO INCREASE AROUND AND AFTER MIDNIGHT ACROSS WESTERN KANSAS AS WEAK 800-700MB FRONTOGENESIS AND ISENTROPIC LIFT EVOLVE ALOFT AHEAD OF THE SURFACE WARM FRONT. DEEP MOISTURE AND CAPE ARE LACKING FOR ELEVATED THUNDERSTORMS, HOWEVER COULD BE ENOUGH LIFT FOR SOME LIGHT SHOWERS OR SPRINKLES MAINLY IN THE FORM OF VIRGA. WILL KEEP A SILENT POP GOING AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT WITH INCREASING CLOUDINESS. FOR TONIGHT LOOK FOR INCREASING CLOUDINESS WITH SOUTHEAST WINDS DECREASING TO 10 TO 15 MPH. OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL RANGE FROM THE LOWER 40S FROM DIGHTON TO SAINT JOHN AND NORTH TO THE MID AND UPPER 40S ELSEWHERE. THESE TEMPS ARE A FEW DEGREES WARMER THAN CURRENT GUIDANCE DUE TO CLOUDINESS EXPECTED. THEN FOR SUNDAY, MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW INCREASING UPPER LEVEL MOISTURE IN THE FORM OF CIRRUS CLOUDS. HIGH TEMPERATURES WERE LOWERED A FEW DEGREES FROM PREVIOUS FORECAST WITH EXPECTED HIGH LEVEL CLOUDINESS AND SOUTHEASTERLY UPSLOPE FLOW AHEAD OF THE WARM FRONT. WINDS LOOK TO INCREASE TO 15 TO 25 MPH BY LATE MORNING INTO THE AFTERNOON WITH HIGHS FROM THE MID 70S NORTH OF A GARDEN CITY TO DODGE CITY TO MEDICINE LODGE LINE AND WARMER LOW TO MID 80S SOUTH. .LONG TERM...(SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY) ISSUED AT 329 PM CDT SAT SEP 22 2012 FORECAST CHALLENGES LIE AHEAD THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK WITH REGARD TO PRECIPITATION AND CONVECTIVE CHANCES AND TO A LESSER EXTENT TEMPERATURES. WARMER OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL BE EXPECTED ON SUNDAY NIGHT AS A BETTER AS WARMER BOUNDARY LAYER AIR ADVECTS INTO SW KANSAS AHEAD OF THE EASTERN COLORADO TROUGH AND PANHANDLES SURFACE LOW. MONDAY SHOULD REMAIN DRY AND WARMING ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HALF OF WESTERN KANSAS. SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS COULD BE THE WARMEST INTO TUESDAY, AS A SURFACE LOW REMAINS QUASI-STATIONARY OR SLOWLY EAST DURING THE TIMEFRAME. ALTHOUGH THE ATMOSPHERE WOULD BE CONDITIONALLY UNSTABLE, THE LOW` CONVERGENCE REGIONS IN AND OF ITSELF MIGHT NOT BE ENOUGH TO SET OFF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. A BETTER CATALYST APPEARS IN THE MODELS IN THE FORM OF SHORTWAVES BEGINNING AS EARLY AS TUESDAY OR TUESDAY EVENING. WEAK LOW AMPLITUDE TROUGHING WILL REMAIN IN PLACE OVER THE WESTERN STATES AND INTO THE CENTRAL ROCKIES DURING THIS PERIOD WHICH WILL ALLOW OPPORTUNITIES FOR MULTIPLE SHORTWAVE IMPULSES TO INFLUENCE WESTERN AND CENTRAL KANSAS. BY THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEKEND, NEGATIVE VORTICITY ADVECTION AND INCREASED SUBSIDENCE SHOULD BEGIN TO MAKE AN IMPACT AND ELIMINATE CHANCES FOR SHOWERS OR STORMS. TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN SEASONAL THROUGH THE PERIOD, GENERALLY IN THE LOW 80S TO UPPER 70S. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z SUNDAY EVENING) ISSUED AT 641 PM CDT SAT SEP 22 2012 AN EAST TO SOUTHEAST WIND WILL REMAIN 12 TO 15 KNOTS THROUGH MOST OF THE EVENING AND OVERNIGHT HOURS...MAINLY FOR DDC AND GCK TERMINALS. WINDS WILL FALL TO AROUND 5 KNOTS FARTHER NORTH AT HYS CLOSER TO THE CENTER OF THE SURFACE HIGH (WHICH WILL BE MOVING SOUTH THROUGH THE EASTERN DAKOTAS AND NEBRASKA THROUGH TONIGHT). THERE IS A VERY SLIGHT CHANCE FOR LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS AFFECTING DDC OR GCK TERMINALS DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS TONIGHT...BUT LACK OF MOISTURE AND LARGE SCALE UPWARD VERTICAL MOTION WILL PREVENT ANY WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION AND CONFIDENCE IS NOT HIGH ENOUGH TO INTRODUCE A MENTION OF PRECIPITATION IN THE TAFS, SO WILL BE KEEPING THEM DRY FOR TONIGHT. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... DDC 45 76 53 83 / 20 20 0 0 GCK 46 76 52 83 / 20 10 0 0 EHA 49 85 59 89 / 10 10 0 0 LBL 47 84 56 89 / 10 10 0 0 HYS 42 74 52 76 / 10 10 0 0 P28 46 76 56 92 / 20 20 0 0 && .DDC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ UPDATE...UMSCHEID SHORT TERM...KRUSE LONG TERM...RUSSELL AVIATION...UMSCHEID
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS WAKEFIELD VA
848 PM EDT SAT SEP 22 2012 .SYNOPSIS... A COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE AREA TONIGHT AND EARLY SUNDAY. HIGH PRESSURE RETURNS FOR THE FIRST HALF OF NEXT WEEK. ANOTHER COLD FRONT MOVES ACROSS THE REGION EARLY THURSDAY...FOLLOWED BY HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING IN FROM THE NORTH LATE THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM SUNDAY MORNING/... SURFACE COLD FRONT CONTINUES MOVING EASTWARD TOWARD WESTERN VA. CU FIELD BEGINNING TO INCREASE ALONG/JUST EAST OF THE MTNS...ALTHOUGH NO SHWRS/TSTMS HAVE DVLPD ATTM. EXPECT A NARROW BAND OF SHWRS/ISOLATED TSTMS TO DEVELOP ALONG/JUST AHD OF FRONT BY 20-21Z JUST WEST OF CWA...THEN MOVE STEADILY EWD ACROSS CWA THROUGH 06Z. BOTH HRRR AND RUC SUGGEST AN INCREASE IN AREAL COVERAGE OF PRECIPITATION OVER PREVIOUS FORECAST...PRIMARILY SRN PTNS OF CWA. SO HAVE INCREASED POPS A BIT ACROSS PTNS OF SE VA/NE NC. SPC MESOANALYSIS PAGE SUGGESTS SFC CAPE IN TO 1000-1500 J/KG RANGE...BUT MIXED LAYER CAPE BARELY REACHES 1000 J/KG. THUS...DO NOT SEE A LOT OF TSTM ACTVTY OCCURRING..AND HAVE MAINTAINED ISOLATED WORDING IN GRIDS/TEXT PRODUCTS. ENOUGH OF AN INVERTED V SHAPE TO LOWEST PART OF SOUNDINGS TO SUGGEST ANY TSTMS COULD BE ACCOMPANIED BY GUSTY WINDS. SVR THREAT...HWVR...APPEARS SMALL. MIN TEMPS LITTLE CHANGED FROM PREVIOUS FORECAST...WITH MOST INLAND AREAS DROPPING INTO THE 50S...AND CSTL SECTIONS IN THE 60-65 RANGE. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM SUNDAY MORNING THROUGH TUESDAY/... DRY WEATHER AND MOSTLY CLR SKIES ANTICIPATED SUN/MON AS HIGH PRESSURE MOVES INTO REGION FROM THE MIDWEST. ANY PRECIP ASSOCIATED WITH COLD FRONT EXPECTED TO BE OFFSHORE AND OUT OF THE AREA BY 12Z. MAX TEMPS SUN AROUND 70 NW SECTIONS TO MID 70S PTNS NE NC. A LITTLE COOLER MONDAY WITH MOST AREAS IN THE 70-74 RANGE. MIN TEMPS BOTH SUN/MON NIGHTS MAINLY IN THE 40S UNDER CLR SKIES/LIGHT WINDS. DEEPER WARM ADVECTION AHEAD OF MIDWEST TROF WILL CAUSE AN INCREASE IN MID/HIGH CLOUDS ON TUESDAY. THESE CLOUDS WILL KEEP MAX TEMPS FROM REACHING POTENTIAL WRN/CNTRL SECTIONS OF CWA..ALTHOUGH ALL AREAS EXPECTED TO GET INTO THE LOW/MID 70S. DRIER AIR COMING INTO AREA...ALONG WITH DECENT DAYTIME MIXING...WILL FAVOR AFTERNOON SURFACE DEW POINTS A FEW DEGREES LOWER THAN GUIDANCE...AND HAVE GONE CLOSE TO NAM MIXED LAYER DEW POINTS EACH AFTERNOON SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/... THE LAST HALF OF THE UPCOMING WEEK LOOKS TO BE MAINLY DRY WITH NEAR TO SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES. A DEEP UPPER LEVEL LOW OVER EASTERN CANADA WILL SWING A TROUGH THROUGH THE NORTHEASTERN STATES. UPPER LEVEL RIDGING OVER WESTERN CANADA WILL SHIFT EAST AND THE RESULT WILL BE INCREASING 50H HEIGHTS OVER THE SOUTHEASTERN STATES LATE NEXT WEEK. MODELS ARE IN FAIRLY GOOD AGREEMENT WITH BRINGING A COLD FRONT THROUGH THE MID ATLANTIC STATES EARLY THURSDAY...ABOUT 6 TO 12 HOURS EARLIER THAN THEY DID FRIDAY. DUE TO THE AFOREMENTIONED RIDGING TO OUR SW...THE FRONT WILL HAVE MINIMAL EFFECT ON PCPN OR COOLING. THE WARMEST DAY APPEARS TO BE WEDNESDAY BUT TEMPERATURES AT 85H ONLY FALL SLIGHTLY BEHIND THE FRONT THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. MOISTURE WILL BE LIMITED ALONG THE FRONT AND KEPT POPS AOB 20 PERCENT THROUGH THE PERIOD. HIGH TEMPERATURES IN THE UPR 70S TO LWR 80S WEDNESDAY AND COOL SLIGHTLY TO THE MID 70S TO AROUND 80 THURSDAY. CLOUD COVER FROM WEAK SHORT WAVES AND POSSIBLY SOME UPSLOPE LOW LEVEL FLOW MAY HOLD TEMPERATURES DOWN A BIT FRIDAY AND SATURDAY AND KEPT HIGHS IN THE 70S. FORECAST LOWS RANGE FROM THE 50S INLAND TO THE LOWER 60S NEAR THE COAST THROUGH THE PERIOD. && .AVIATION /01Z SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... AS OF 00Z...A LINE OF SHOWERS AND TSTMS ASSOCIATED WITH A PRE FRONTAL TROUGH IS MOVING ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL VA. IF THE LINE HOLDS TOGETHER...A BRIEF PERIOD OF HEAVY PRECIP AND GUSTY 25KT WINDS MAY IMPACT KPHF AND KORF AROUND 03/04Z. EXPECT CLEARING CONDITIONS AS A COLD FRONT CROSSES THE FA OVERNIGHT...TURNING WINDS TO THE NW AND THEN N. HIGH PRESSURE NUDGES E FOR SUN CREATING VFR CONDITIONS. VFR CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST AS HIGH PRESSURE CONTINUES TO BUILD IN FROM THE W MON INTO TUE. && .MARINE... SCA IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF THE WATERS TNGT AND EARLY SUNDAY AS A NORTHERLY SURGE DEVELOPS BEHIND A STRONG COLD FRONT. SEAS WERE APPROACHING 5 FT AT BUOY 09 AND KEPT SCA NORTH OF PARRAMORE ISLAND THAT BEGINS AT 21Z. THE REST OF THE WATERS EXCEPT CURRITUCK SOUND HAVE SCA BEGIN AT 00Z. MOST OF THE SCA CONDITIONS SHOULD HOLD OFF UNTIL AFTER FRONTAL PASSAGE...BETWEEN 03 AND 06Z AND CONTINUE INTO THE COASTAL WATERS BETWEEN 06 AND 09Z. SCA BEGINS OVER CURRITUCK SOUND AT 06Z. WINDS INCREASE FROM THE NORTH TO BETWEEN 20 AND 25 KNOTS OVER THE BAY AND COASTAL WATERS BEFORE DIMINISHING IN THE LATE MORNING. CURRENT SCA IN EFFECT OVER BAY AND INLAND WATERS UNTIL 18Z MAY BE LIFTED PRIOR TO THAT. THE SCA FOR THE COASTAL WATERS SUNDAY AFTN WILL BE MAINLY PREDICATED ON THE SUSTAINING OF 5 FT SEAS WHICH IS QUESTIONABLE AT THIS POINT. CURRENT GRIDS HAVE 5 FT SEAS CONTINUING THROUGH 12Z MONDAY. A SECONDARY SURGE IS EXPECTED MONDAY MORNING...MAINLY SUPPORTED BY MOS GUIDE AND A TIGHTENING OF THE PRESSURE GRADIENT. IT APPEARS THAT MOST OF THE IMPACT OF THIS SURGE WILL BE OVER THE SOUTHERN COASTAL WATERS. THE NEED FOR AN SCA IS UNCERTAIN AT THIS TIME. QUIET MARINE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED FOR MUCH OF THE UPCOMING WEEK BEYOND MONDAY. && .AKQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MD...NONE. NC...NONE. VA...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 2 PM EDT SUNDAY FOR ANZ630>632- 634>638. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 2 AM TO 2 PM EDT SUNDAY FOR ANZ633. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM EDT SUNDAY FOR ANZ650-652-654- 656-658. && $$ SYNOPSIS...LSA/WRS NEAR TERM...WRS SHORT TERM...WRS LONG TERM...LSA AVIATION...DAP MARINE...LSA
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NWS PITTSBURGH PA
445 AM EDT FRI SEP 21 2012 .SYNOPSIS... A WEAKENING COLD FRONT WILL SLOWLY PUSH EASTWARD INTO THE REGION TODAY. A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL CROSS OHIO TONIGHT INTO EARLY SATURDAY AND RETURN SHOWERS TO MUCH OF THE AREA. THE COLD FRONT WILL SHIFT EAST OF THE AREA BY LATE IN THE DAY ON SATURDAY, WITH A CANADIAN AIR MASS BUILDING INTO THE AREA FOR SUNDAY INTO MONDAY. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... THE LATEST RAP MID-LEVEL ANALYSIS INDICATES A BROAD 500MB TROUGH CENTERED ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST WITH THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY IN A SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW AHEAD OF THIS FEATURE. A PLUME OF MID-LEVEL MOISTURE IS ADVECTING ACROSS THE AREA. AT THE SURFACE, A COLD FRONT EXTENDS FROM MICHIGAN SOUTHWESTWARD ACROSS INDIANA AND HAS SLOWED AS IT TRANSVERSES ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY. TODAY...THE COLD FRONT WILL SLIDE ACROSS OHIO AND BECOME MORE POORLY DEFINED AS IT ENTERS WESTERN PA THIS EVENING. A FEW SHOWERS ARE NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION AS WEAK FORCING FROM THE FRONT PUSHES INTO THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON. HOWEVER, GFS/NAM MODEL SOUNDINGS INDICATE A LAYER OF RELATIVELY DRY AIR IN THE 1000-850MB LAYER INHIBITING THE DEVELOPMENT OF SHOWERS. WITH THIS IN MIND, HAVE GONE WITH SCHC POPS EARLY THIS AFTERNOON, INCREASING TO CHC POPS NORTH AND WEST OF PITTSBURGH BY 00Z AS THE LOWER LEVELS BECOME SATURATED. TONIGHT...A WEAK SURFACE LOW IS PROGGED TO MOVE ALONG AND JUST NORTH OF THE OHIO RIVER, ALLOWING FOR WARM AIR ADVECTION TO OCCUR OVER MUCH OF THE OHIO VALLEY OVERNIGHT. AS THE LOW LIFTS NORTHEASTWARD INTO EASTERN OHIO NEAR DAWN, POPS RAMP UP FROM CHC TO LIKELY WITH THE BEST FORCING TO THE NW OF PITTSBURGH. CHANCE POPS ARE FORECAST ELSEWHERE. IN WAA OVERNIGHT, TEMPS WILL ONLY DROP INTO THE MID TO UPPER 50S ACROSS MOST OF THE AREA. && .SHORT TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... GFS/ECMWF ARE IN REASONABLE AGREEMENT WITH THE MID-LEVEL SYNOPTIC FEATURES THROUGH THIS PERIOD WITH MORE DIFFICULTY IN RESOLVING THE SURFACE FRONTAL BOUNDARY. WITH SOME UNCERTAINTY IN ITS TRACK, THE AFOREMENTIONED LOW IS PROGGED TO WEAKEN INTO A SURFACE TROUGH AS IT PUSHES INTO THE AREA ON SATURDAY. THUS, LIKELY POPS CONTINUE NORTH AND WEST OF PITTSBURGH WITH CHC POPS SOUTHWARD. WITH THE FRONT IN THE VICINITY OF THE AREA, A CLOUDY DAY IS ANTICIPATED AND THIS ALONG WITH SHOWERS SHOULD LIMIT HIGHS TO AROUND 5 DEGREES BELOW SEASONAL NORMALS ON SATURDAY. THE CANADIAN AIR MASS BEHIND THE FRONT WON`T BEGIN TO ADVECT INTO THE AREA UNTIL LATE ON SATURDAY INTO SATURDAY NIGHT. IT WILL BE A SHORT WAVE CURRENTLY DROPPING SOUTHWARD INTO MANITOBA THAT WILL SWING AROUND THE BASE OF THE TROUGH AND FINALLY KICK THE FRONT EAST OF THE AREA BY 06Z ON SUNDAY. THIS FEATURE WILL ALLOW FOR LIKELY POPS AS IT CROSSES AREAS NORTH OF PITTSBURGH SATURDAY NIGHT. THE AREA WILL BE IN COLD AIR ADVECTION ON SUNDAY INTO SUNDAY NIGHT IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT. WITH THIS IN MIND, CHC POPS CONTINUE ACROSS LOCATIONS NORTH OF PITTSBURGH THROUGHOUT THE DAY. COOLEST TEMPS ARE FORECAST IN THIS WINDOW WITH HIGHS 10 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL SUNDAY AND 10-15 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL SUNDAY NIGHT. PATCHY FROST IS FORECAST TO DEVELOP NEAR DAWN ACROSS THE EASTERN RIDGES AS CLEARING OCCURS BY EARLY MONDAY MORNING. A FROST ADVISORY MAY BE NEEDED FOR THIS PERIOD. THE FORECAST IS DRY ACROSS THE AREA ON MONDAY AS THE MID-LEVEL TROUGH PUSHES EASTWARD AND A SURFACE HIGH BUILDS INTO THE AREA FROM THE WEST. THE COOLEST 850MB TEMPS (0-2C) WILL REACH THE AREA BY 12Z MONDAY. THUS, HIGHS ON MONDAY ARE FORECAST TO BE AROUND 10 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL EVEN DESPITE MORE ABUNDANT SUNSHINE. && .LONG TERM /MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... MODELS ARE IN DECENT AGREEMENT THAT HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD OVER THE OHIO VALLEY LATER THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK. THE DETERMINISTIC MODELS THEN DIVERGE ON THE TIMING OF THE NEXT UPPER LEVEL SHORTWAVE AND FRONT FOR WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. DURING THIS TIME PERIOD, OPTED TO REMAIN CLOSE TO HPC GUIDANCE LEANING TOWARDS THE SLOWER ECMWF BUT NOT DISCOUNTING THE GFS COMPLETELY. WITH COLD TEMPERATURES ALOFT THROUGH A GOOD PART OF THE LONG TERM, TEMPERATURES WERE KEPT 5-10 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL, MODERATING TO NEAR NORMAL BY THE END OF THE WEEK. && .AVIATION /09Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... VFR CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY INTO THIS AFTERNOON. PREFRONTAL MIDDLE CLOUDS WILL PROVIDE VFR CEILINGS TODAY. AS THE FRONT DRAWS CLOSER TODAY A FRONTAL BAND OF MVFR SHOWERS WILL MOVE EAST THROUGH THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. SURFACE WINDS WILL BE FROM THE SOUTHWEST AT 5 TO 8 KTS THIS MORNING AND THEN INCREASE TO 10 KTS WITH GUSTS TO 20 KTS BY MIDDAY, SHIFTING TO WEST WITH THE COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE THIS EVENING. .OUTLOOK /TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/... TEMPORARY RESTRICTIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH SUNDAY DUE TO BANDS OF SHOWERS ASSOCIATED THE PASSAGE OF AT LEAST TWO SECONDARY COLD FRONTS. HIGH PRESSURE WILL FOLLOW WITH VFR FOR MONDAY AND TUESDAY. && .PBZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MD...NONE. OH...NONE. PA...NONE. WV...NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS PITTSBURGH PA
436 AM EDT FRI SEP 21 2012 .SYNOPSIS... A WEAKENING COLD FRONT WILL SLOWLY PUSH EASTWARD INTO THE REGION TODAY. A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL CROSS OHIO TONIGHT INTO EARLY SATURDAY AND RETURN SHOWERS TO MUCH OF THE AREA. THE COLD FRONT WILL SHIFT EAST OF THE AREA BY LATE IN THE DAY ON SATURDAY, WITH A CANADIAN AIR MASS BUILDING INTO THE AREA FOR SUNDAY INTO MONDAY. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... THE LATEST RAP MID-LEVEL ANALYSIS INDICATES A BROAD 500MB TROUGH CENTERED ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST WITH THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY IN A SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW AHEAD OF THIS FEATURE. A PLUME OF MID-LEVEL MOISTURE IS ADVECTING ACROSS THE AREA. AT THE SURFACE, A COLD FRONT EXTENDS FROM MICHIGAN SOUTHWESTWARD ACROSS INDIANA AND HAS SLOWED AS IT TRANSVERSES ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY. TODAY...THE COLD FRONT WILL SLIDE ACROSS OHIO AND BECOME MORE POORLY DEFINED AS IT ENTERS WESTERN PA THIS EVENING. A FEW SHOWERS ARE NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION AS WEAK FORCING FROM THE FRONT PUSHES INTO THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON. HOWEVER, GFS/NAM MODEL SOUNDINGS INDICATE A LAYER OF RELATIVELY DRY AIR IN THE 1000-850MB LAYER INHIBITING THE DEVELOPMENT OF SHOWERS. WITH THIS IN MIND, HAVE GONE WITH SCHC POPS EARLY THIS AFTERNOON, INCREASING TO CHC POPS NORTH AND WEST OF PITTSBURGH BY 00Z AS THE LOWER LEVELS BECOME SATURATED. TONIGHT...A WEAK SURFACE LOW IS PROGGED TO MOVE ALONG AND JUST NORTH OF THE OHIO RIVER, ALLOWING FOR WARM AIR ADVECTION TO OCCUR OVER MUCH OF THE OHIO VALLEY OVERNIGHT. AS THE LOW LIFTS NORTHEASTWARD INTO EASTERN OHIO NEAR DAWN, POPS RAMP UP FROM CHC TO LIKELY WITH THE BEST FORCING TO THE NW OF PITTSBURGH. CHANCE POPS ARE FORECAST ELSEWHERE. IN WAA OVERNIGHT, TEMPS WILL ONLY DROP INTO THE MID TO UPPER 50S ACROSS MOST OF THE AREA. && .SHORT TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... GFS/ECMWF ARE IN REASONABLE AGREEMENT WITH THE MID-LEVEL SYNOPTIC FEATURES THROUGH THIS PERIOD WITH MORE DIFFICULTY IN RESOLVING THE SURFACE FRONTAL BOUNDARY. WITH SOME UNCERTAINTY IN ITS TRACK, THE AFOREMENTIONED LOW IS PROGGED TO WEAKEN INTO A SURFACE TROUGH AS IT PUSHES INTO THE AREA ON SATURDAY. THUS, LIKELY POPS CONTINUE NORTH AND WEST OF PITTSBURGH WITH CHC POPS SOUTHWARD. WITH THE FRONT IN THE VICINITY OF THE AREA, A CLOUDY DAY IS ANTICIPATED AND THIS ALONG WITH SHOWERS SHOULD LIMIT HIGHS TO AROUND 5 DEGREES BELOW SEASONAL NORMALS ON SATURDAY. THE CANADIAN AIR MASS BEHIND THE FRONT WON`T BEGIN TO ADVECT INTO THE AERA UNTIL LATE ON SATURDAY INTO SATURDAY NIGHT. IT WILL BE A SHORT WAVE CURRENTLY DROPPING SOUTHWARD INTO MANITOBA THAT WILL SWING AROUND THE BASE OF THE TROUGH AND FINALLY KICK THE FRONT EAST OF THE AREA BY 06Z ON SUNDAY. THIS FEATURE WILL ALLOW FOR LIKELY POPS AS IT CROSSES AREAS NORTH OF PITTSBURGH SATURDAY NIGHT. THE AREA WILL BE IN COLD AIR ADVECTION ON SUNDAY INTO SUNDAY NIGHT IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT. WITH THIS IN MIND, CHC POPS CONTINUE ACROSS LOCATIONS NORTH OF PITTSBURGH THROUGHOUT THE DAY. COOLEST TEMPS ARE FORECAST IN THIS WINDOW WITH HIGHS 10 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL SUNDAY AND 10-15 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL SUNDAY NIGHT. PATCHY FROST IS FORECAST TO DEVELOP NEAR DAWN ACROSS THE EASTERN RIDGES AS CLEARING OCCURS BY EARLY MONDAY MORNING. A FROST ADVISORY MAY BE NEEDED FOR THIS PERIOD. THE FORECAST IS DRY ACROSS THE AREA ON MONDAY AS THE MID-LEVEL TROUGH PUSHES EASTWARD AND A SURFACE HIGH BUILDS INTO THE AREA FROM THE WEST. THE COOLEST 850MB TEMPS (0-2C) WILL REACH THE AREA BY 12Z MONDAY. THUS, HIGHS ON MONDAY ARE FORECAST TO BE AROUND 10 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL EVEN DESPITE MORE ABUNDANT SUNSHINE. && .LONG TERM /MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... MODELS ARE IN DECENT AGREEMENT THAT HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD OVER THE OHIO VALLEY LATER THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK. THE DETERMINISTIC MODELS THEN DIVERGE ON THE TIMING OF THE NEXT UPPER LEVEL SHORTWAVE AND FRONT FOR WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. DURING THIS TIME PERIOD, OPTED TO REMAIN CLOSE TO HPC GUIDANCE LEANING TOWARDS THE SLOWER ECMWF BUT NOT DISCOUNTING THE GFS COMPLETELY. WITH COLD TEMPERATURES ALOFT THROUGH A GOOD PART OF THE LONG TERM, TEMPERATURES WERE KEPT 5-10 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL, MODERATING TO NEAR NORMAL BY THE END OF THE WEEK. && .AVIATION /09Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... VFR CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY INTO THIS AFTERNOON. PREFRONTAL MIDDLE CLOUDS WILL PROVIDE VFR CEILINGS TODAY. AS THE FRONT DRAWS CLOSER TODAY A FRONTAL BAND OF MVFR SHOWERS WILL MOVE EAST THROUGH THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. SURFACE WINDS WILL BE FROM THE SOUTHWEST AT 5 TO 8 KTS THIS MORNING AND THEN INCREASE TO 10 KTS WITH GUSTS TO 20 KTS BY MIDDAY, SHIFTING TO WEST WITH THE COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE THIS EVENING. .OUTLOOK /TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/... TEMPORARY RESTRICTIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH SUNDAY DUE TO BANDS OF SHOWERS ASSOCIATED THE PASSAGE OF AT LEAST TWO SECONDARY COLD FRONTS. HIGH PRESSURE WILL FOLLOW WITH VFR FOR MONDAY AND TUESDAY. && .PBZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MD...NONE. OH...NONE. PA...NONE. WV...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...WOODRUM NEAR TERM...WOODRUM SHORT TERM...WOODRUM LONG TERM... AVIATION...
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS PITTSBURGH PA
237 AM EDT FRI SEP 21 2012 .SYNOPSIS... A WEAKENING COLD FRONT WILL SLOWLY PUSH EASTWARD INTO THE REGION TODAY. A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL CROSS OHIO TONIGHT INTO EARLY SATURDAY AND RETURN SHOWERS TO MUCH OF THE AREA. THE COLD FRONT WILL SHIFT EAST OF THE AREA BY LATE IN THE DAY ON SATURDAY, WITH A CANADIAN AIR MASS BUILDING INTO THE AREA FOR SUNDAY INTO MONDAY. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... 06Z ENHANCED SHORT TERM FORECAST HAS BEEN ISSUED TO ADJUST POPS TO SCHC EARLY TODAY, RAMPING UP TO LIKELY BY THE OVERNIGHT HOURS FOR LOCATIONS NORTH AND WEST OF THE PITTSBURGH METRO. THE LATEST RAP MID-LEVEL ANALYSIS INDICATES A BROAD 500MB TROUGH CENTERED ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST WITH THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY IN A SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW AHEAD OF THIS FEATURE. A PLUME OF MID-LEVEL MOISTURE IS ADVECTING ACROSS THE AREA. AT THE SURFACE, A COLD FRONT EXTENDS FROM MICHIGAN SOUTHWESTWARD ACROSS INDIANA AND HAS SLOWED AS IT TRANSVERSES ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY. TODAY...THE COLD FRONT WILL SLIDE ACROSS OHIO AND BECOME MORE POORLY DEFINED AS IT ENTERS WESTERN PA THIS EVENING. HIRES MODELS INDICATE A FEW SHOWERS ARE NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION AS WEAK FORCING FROM THE FRONT PUSHES INTO THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON. HOWEVER, GFS/NAM MODEL SOUNDINGS INDICATE A LAYER OF RELATIVELY DRY AIR IN THE 1000-850MB LAYER INHIBITING THE DEVELOPMENT OF SHOWERS. WITH THIS IN MIND, HAVE GONE WITH SCHC POPS THIS AFTERNOON, INCREASING TO CHC POPS NORTH AND WEST OF PITTSBURGH BY 00Z AS THE LOWER LEVELS BECOME SATURATED LATE. TONIGHT...A WEAK SURFACE LOW IS PROGGED TO MOVE ALONG AND JUST NORTH OF THE OHIO RIVER, ALLOWING FOR WARM AIR ADVECTION TO OCCUR OVER MUCH OF THE OHIO VALLEY OVERNIGHT. AS THE LOW LIFTS NORTHEASTWARD INTO EASTERN OHIO NEAR DAWN, POPS RAMP UP FROM CHC TO LIKELY WITH THE BEST FORCING IN THE NW OF PITTSBURGH. CHANCE POPS ARE FORECAST ELSEWHERE. IN WAA OVERNIGHT, TEMPS WILL ONLY DROP INTO THE UPPER 50S ACROSS MOST OF THE AREA. && .SHORT TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... MODELS IN AGREEMENT ON OVERALL PATTERN BUT DIFFER IN EXACT DETAILS OF SPEED OF SHORTWAVES UNDER VORTEX DROPPING SOUTH OVER THE GREAT LAKES. APPEARS THAT THE FIRST SHORTWAVE WILL CROSS REGION FRIDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY SATURDAY AND THUS HAVE ADDED LIKELY POPS IN THIS PERIOD. BEHIND THIS SYSTEM ANOTHER FAST MOVING DISTURBANCE IN NORTHWEST FLOW WILL MOVE ACROSS THE EASTERN LAKES SATURDAY NIGHT...KEEPING CHANCE POPS IN THE FORECAST. STILL A CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN COLD NORTHWEST FLOW SUNDAY WITH HIGHER POPS ACROSS THE NORTH AND RIDGES BEFORE SURFACE RIDGE BEGINS TO DIMINISH SHOWERS LATE SUNDAY AS IT MOVES EAST. COOL TEMPERATURES A CLOSE BLEND OF MOS WHICH WAS IN LINE WITH FORECAST 850MB TEMPS. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE INFLUENCE LATE SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY MAINTAINING THE CHANCE FOR SHOWERS DOWNWIND OF LAKE ERIE TO START THE PERIOD. MODELS ARE IN DECENT AGREEMENT THAT HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD OVER THE OHIO VALLEY LATER MONDAY THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK. THE DETERMINISTIC MODELS THEN DIVERGE ON THE TIMING OF THE NEXT UPPER LEVEL SHORTWAVE AND FRONT FOR WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. DURING THIS TIME PERIOD...OPTED TO REMAIN CLOSE TO HPC GUIDANCE LEANING TOWARDS THE SLOWER ECMWF BUT NOT DISCOUNTING THE GFS COMPLETELY. WITH COLD TEMPERATURES ALOFT THROUGH A GOOD PART OF THE LONG TERM...TEMPERATURES WERE KEPT 5-10 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL...MODERATING TO NEAR NORMAL BY THE END OF THE WEEK. && .AVIATION /07Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... VFR CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY INTO THIS AFTERNOON. PREFRONTAL MIDDLE CLOUDS WILL PROVIDE VFR CEILINGS TODAY. AS THE FRONT DRAWS CLOSER TODAY A FRONTAL BAND OF MVFR SHOWERS WILL MOVE EAST THROUGH THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. SURFACE WINDS WILL BE FROM THE SOUTHWEST AT 5 TO 8 KTS THIS MORNING AND THEN INCREASE TO 10 KTS WITH GUSTS TO 20 KTS BY MIDDAY ...SHIFTING TO WEST WITH THE COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE THIS EVENING. .OUTLOOK /TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/... TEMPORARY RESTRICTIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH SUNDAY DUE TO BANDS OF SHOWERS ASSOCIATED THE PASSAGE OF AT LEAST TWO SECONDARY COLD FRONTS. HIGH PRESSURE WILL FOLLOW WITH VFR FOR MONDAY AND TUESDAY. && .PBZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MD...NONE. OH...NONE. PA...NONE. WV...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...WOODRUM NEAR TERM...WOODRUM SHORT TERM... LONG TERM... AVIATION...
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MARQUETTE MI
459 PM EDT FRI SEP 21 2012 .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH SATURDAY) ISSUED AT 458 PM EDT FRI SEP 21 2012 WV IMAGERY AND RUC ANALYSIS INDICATED A DEEP MID/UPPER LEVEL TROUGH FROM HUDSON BAY INTO THE WRN GREAT LAKES. THE SHRTWV THAT BROUGHT AN AREA OF RAIN AND SOME TSRA TO UPPER MI THIS MORNING HAS MOVED QUICKLY EAST OF LAKE SUPERIOR. ANOTHER VIGOROUS UPSTREAM SHRTWV/VORT WAS LOCATED JUST SE OF LAKE WINNIPEG. SOME LIGHTNING HAS ALSO ACCOMPANIED A LINE OF SHOWERS AHEAD OF THIS FEATURE. AT THE SFC...LOW PRES WAS LOCATED OVER ERN LAKE SUPERIOR. THE COLD FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH THE UPSTREAM SHRTWV HAS MOVED INTO THE NW CORNER OF MN HAS BRINGING VERY GUSTY WINDS TO AROUND 35KT IN ITS WAKE. RADAR INDICATED SCT SHOWERS LINGERING OVER THE AREA SUPPORTED BY SHALLOW INSTABILITY AND LAKE MOISTURE AS 850/700 MB TEMPS REMAIN NEAR 0C/-10C. TONIGHT...EXPECT A BRIEF PERIOD OF MORE LIMITED SHRA COVERAGE THIS EVENING AS THE LOW LEVEL TROUGH AND BATCH OF SHRA OVER CNTRL UPPER MI MOVES TO THE EAST. HOWEVER SOME LAKE ENHANCED SHOWERS SHOULD STILL LINGER NEAR AREAS FAVORED BY NW FLOW. SATELLITED TRENDS AND MODELS SUGGEST THAT THE MAIN IMPACTS OF THE MANITOBA SHRTWV WILL SLIDE WELL TO THE WEST AND SOUTH OF UPPER MICHIGAN. HOWEVER...AS IT MOVES TO THE SOUTH WINDS WILL VEER MORE NRLY AND COLDER AIR WILL PUSH INTO THE AREA. LAKE EFFECT SHOWERS SHOULD THEN INCREASE FOR N FLOW AREAS AS 850 MB TEMPS FALL TO AROUND -2C. SATURDAY...THE BULK OF THE COLDER AIR MOVES IN WITH 850/700 MB TEMPS FALLING TO AROUND -3C/-12C. NAM FCST SOUNDINGS SUGGEST THAT LAKE INDUCED CAPE MAY CLIMB INTO THE 500-1000 J/KG RANGE. EXPECT HEAVIEST PCPN OVER LOCATIONS FAVORED BY NNW FLOW...ESPECIALLY OVER N CNTRL INTO E UPPER MI. ALTHOUGH LIGHTNING WOULD BE UNUSUAL WITH LAKE EFFECT PCPN...WITH THE VERY COLD AIR ALOFT (500 MB TEMP TO -30C) CANNOT RULE OUT SOME ISOLD TSRA AS WAS OBSERVED THIS MORNING. SIMILAR TO THE LAST FEW DAYS...PERIODS OF GRAUPEL/SLEET MAY ALSO ACCOMPANY THE HEAVIER SHOWERS. WITH WET-BULB ZERO HEIGHTS DOWN TO NEAR 1500 FT AGL. SOME SNOW COULD BE POSSIBLE OVER HIGHER TERRAIN BUT WOULD LIKELY BE VERY TRANSIENT/BRIEF. GALES OVER LAKE SUPERIOR WILL ALSO BRING SOME STRONGER WINDS TO SHORELINE LOCATIONS POSSIBLY REACHING ADVY CRITERIA (45 MPH GUSTS) AT THE MOST EXPOSED LOCATIONS. .LONG TERM...(SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY) ISSUED AT 458 PM EDT FRI SEP 21 2012 SAT NGT...A HEALTHY LAKE EFFECT/ENHANCED SHRA REGIME WL CONT WITH DEEP CYC NW FLOW OF CHILLY AIR /H85 TEMPS -3 TO -5C/ UNDER PERSISTENT SHARP UPR TROF AXIS...ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE AREAS ON THE CYC SIDE OF TRACK OF SHRTWV THAT IS FCST TO DIG SHARPLY THRU THE NNW FLOW ALF. GIVEN THE INTENSITY OF THE TROF AND LOCATION OF H3 UPR JET AXIS THRU MN/WI...PREFER THOSE MODELS THAT SHOW A FARTHER W TRACK FOR THIS DISTURBANCE. RETAINED MENTION OF TS OVER MAINLY AREAS NEAR THE E HALF OF LK SUP WHERE NAM SHOW SBCAPE UP TO 300-400 J/KG. NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION THAT ANY -SHRA OVER THE INTERIOR W COULD MIX WITH SN OVER THE HIER TERRAIN LATER AT HGT IN PRESENCE OF DIURNAL COOLING/MIN TEMPS FALLING CLOSE TO 32 AS 12Z NAM SHOWS H100-85 THKNS AND WBZ HGT FALLING TO 1300-1305M/NEAR 1K FT AGL. WITH MORE OF A LAKE WARMING INFLUENCE ELSEHWERE...PTYPE WL BE RA...BUT DID RETAIN MENTION OF MIX WITH SLEET/GRAUPEL FOR AREAS IMPACTED BY SOME HEAVIER SHRA. SUN...AS CLOSED LO/CORE OF COLD MID LVL TEMPS LIFTS NEWD INTO QUEBEC...MODELS SHOW SLOWLY RISING HGTS UNDER LARGER SCALE DNVA/ SINKING INVRN BASE/RISING H85 OVER THE UPR LKS. SINCE THE LLVL FLOW IS PROGGED TO BACK MORE W AND ADVECT DRIER LLVL AIR INTO THE AREA AS SFC HI PRES CENTER SINKS TOWARD THE MID MS RIVER VALLEY LATE IN THE DAY IN THE PRESENCE OF DIURNAL HEATING THAT WL DISRUPT THE LAKE EFFECT PROCESS...EXPECT STEADILY DCRSG POPS THAT WL LINGER LONGEST DOWNWIND OF LK SUP E OF MQT WHERE LOWER H85 TEMPS AND LLVL MOISTENING OF THE DRIER FLOW WL BE MORE PERSISTENT. SUN NGT...DNVA/LOWERING INVRN BASE AND BACKING/DRYING FLOW TO WSW BTWN HI PRES MOVING INTO THE OH RIVER VALLEY AND SHRTWV DIGGING SEWD FM MANITOBA WL CONSPIRE TO FINALLY DIMINISH ANY LINGERING LK EFFECT PCPN OVER THE E. DESPITE PARTIAL CLEARING BEFORE SOME MID/HI CLDS IN ADVANCE OF APRCHG SHRTWV ARRIVE...LLVL WARMING/STEADY WSW FLOW THAT MAINTAINS SOME MIXING WL RESTRICT DIURNAL TEMP FALL DESPITE PWAT FALLING AS LO AS 0.30 INCH. WHERE THE PRES GRADIENT IS SLOWER TO TIGHTEN UP AND CLDS ARRIVE LATER NEAR THE WI BORDER...MIN TEMPS MAY APRCH 32. MON...SHRTWV EMBEDDED IN NW FLOW ALF ON WRN FLANK OF SLOWLY RETREATING UPR TROF IS PROGGED TO SWING SEWD THRU ONTARIO. ALTHOUGH SOME OF THE MORE IMPRESSIVE DVPA/DEEP LYR QVECTOR CNVGC IS PROGGED TO BRUSH MAINLY THE NE HALF OF THE CWA...DRYNESS OF FCST SDNGS/ ABSENCE OF ANY LLVL MSTR ADVECTION INDICATE ANY SHRA WL BE FEW AND FAR BTWN. MAINTAINED THEME OF LO CHC POPS OVER PORTIONS OF THE NE CWA CLOSER TO MORE IMPRESSIVE DYNAMICS. WARMING H85 TEMPS IN STEADY WSW FLOW AHEAD OF ATTENDANT COLD FNT WL PUSH MAX TEMPS ABV NORMAL...BUT GUSTY SFC WINDS WL MAKE THE AIR FEEL COOLER. MIXING TO H85 ON GFS FCST SDNGS INDICATES MAX TEMPS WL RISE INTO THE 60S AT MOST SPOTS. MON NGT THRU TUE NGT...AS LO PRES TROF CROSSES THE CWA ON MON NGT WITH WSHFT TO THE N...WENT WITH LO CHC POPS MAINLY IN THE UPSLOPE AREAS NEAR LK SUP. THEN TRAILING HI PRES MOVING IN FM CNTRL CAN WL BRING A PERIOD OF DRY WX ON TUE. BUT AS COOLER AIR /WITH H85 TEMPS DROPPING AOB 0C/ ARRIVES ON TUE NGT...SOME LK EFFECT PCPN MAY DVLP MAINLY OVER THE NCNTRL IN AREAS FAVORED BY FCST LLVL NLY FLOW. AWAY FM THE MODERATING INFLUENCE OF LK SUP AND CLOSER TO INCOMING HI PRES CENTER BLDG INTO MN...TENDED BLO GUIDANCE FOR MIN TEMPS TOWARD 32 OVER THE INTERIOR W. EXTENDED...SFC HI PRES IS FCST TO DOMINATE UNDER RISING HGTS AS UPR TROF IN CAN SLOWLY LIFTS TO THE NE. EXPECT DRY WX THRU THIS PERIOD WITH WIDE DIURNAL TEMP VARIATIONS...ESPECIALLY OVER THE INTERIOR AWAY FM THE MODERATING INFLUENCE OF THE LKS. OVERALL HOWEVER...TEMPS SHOULD AVG BLO NORMAL DURING THIS TIME. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SATURDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 136 PM EDT FRI SEP 21 2012 A SERIES OF SHORTWAVES WILL ROTATE THROUGH THE AREA AROUND A LARGE UPPER TROUGH IN PLACE OVER THE REGION. LAKE ENHANCED RAIN SHOWERS IN THE WAKE OF THE FIRST SHRTWV OVER ERN LAKE SUPERIOR WILL AFFECT CMX/SAW THIS AFTERNOON. HOWEVER...IT APPEARS MAIN SHOWER CHANCES COULD STAY AWAY FROM IWD FOR MOST OF THE DAY IN WAKE OF THE WAVE. CONDITIONS SHOULD STAY VFR OR MAYBE HIGH END MVFR. WINDS WILL TURN MORE NORTHERLY THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD...RESULTING IN CONDITIONS COMING BACK DOWN AT SAW AND IWD LATE IN THE PERIOD AS WINDS COME OFF LAKE SUPERIOR. MVFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED LATE TONIGHT AND SAT MORNING WITH INTERMITTENT LAKE EFFECT RAIN SHOWERS. && .MARINE...(FOR THE 4 PM LAKE SUPERIOR FORECAST ISSUANCE) ISSUED AT 458 PM EDT FRI SEP 21 2012 A LAKE ENHANCED LOW OVER ERN LAKE SUPERIOR WILL BE SLOW TO MOVE OFF LK SUPERIOR TONIGHT WHILE HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE BUILDS FROM SCNTRL CANADA INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS. THE PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL TIGHTEN AND EXPECT NNW WINDS TO INCREASE TO GALES LATE TONIGHT OVER NORTH CENTRAL SECTIONS OF LK SUPERIOR. THERE IS A RISK OF WATERSPOUTS TONIGHT...PER NOMOGRAM OUTPUT...AS VERY COLD AIR MOVES OVER THE RELATIVELY WARM WATER BEFORE THE WINDS INCREASE. GALES ARE EXPECTED SAT INTO SAT EVENING FOR THE CNTRL AND EAST PORTIONS OF LAKE SUPERIOR AS THE SFC LOW DEEPENS TO THE E AND COLDER AIR MOVES OVER THE LAKE...CREATING A VERY UNSTABLE TEMP PROFILE. EXPECT WINDS ON SAT NIGHT INTO SUN NIGHT TO SLOWLY DIMINISH AND GRADUALLY BACK TO THE W AS A HI PRES CENTER MOVES FROM THE NORTHERN PLAINS INTO THE OHIO RIVER VALLEY. ANOTHER ROUND OF WSW GALES IS POSSIBLE LATE SUN NIGHT INTO MON AS THE PRES GRADIENT TIGHTENS BETWEEN THE RETREATING HI TO THE SE AND ANOTHER LO PRES TROF DROPPING SEWD FROM CENTRAL CANADA THRU ONTARIO TOWARD LAKE SUPERIOR. FOLLOWING THE PASSAGE OF THIS TROF ON MON...WINDS WILL DIMINISH AND VEER TO THE N AHEAD OF HI PRES APPROACHING FROM THE NW. && .MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... UPPER MICHIGAN... NONE. LAKE SUPERIOR... GALE WARNING FROM 2 PM SATURDAY TO 1 AM EDT SUNDAY FOR LSZ251- 267. GALE WARNING FROM 6 AM SATURDAY TO 1 AM EDT SUNDAY FOR LSZ244- 245-248>250-264>266. GALE WARNING FROM 6 AM TO 2 PM EDT SATURDAY FOR LSZ263. LAKE MICHIGAN... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...JLB LONG TERM...KC AVIATION...JLB MARINE...JLB/KC
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NWS ST LOUIS MO
1257 PM CDT FRI SEP 21 2012 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 1257 PM CDT FRI SEP 21 2012 ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST OVER WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS. THE ONE CURRRENTLY ENTERING MACOUPIN COUNTY EARLIER PRODUCED NICKEL SIZE. HAIL. THERE MAY BE SOME ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT OVER THE EASTERN COUNTIES THIS AFTERNOON FOR TWO REASONS. FIRST IS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS CURRENT ACTIVITY WHICH IS ALONG A WEAK FRONT THAT IS LIFTING NORTHWARD. SECOND WILL BE WHEN A PRE-FRONTAL TROUGH THAT IS CURRENTLY ENTERING THE WESTERN PART OF THE CWA MOVES INTO ILLINOIS LATER THIS AFTERNOON. INSTABILITY WILL BE INCREASING OVER ILLINOIS THIS AFTERNOON WHICH MAY BE ENOUGH TO ALLOW FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT. ISSUED AT 938 AM CDT FRI SEP 21 2012 SKIES HAVE CLEARED OVER CENTRAL AND SOUTHEASTERN MO AS MID LEVEL VORT MIN HAS MOVED INTO MISSOURI. THIS CLEARING WILL CONTINUE TO WORK EAST THIS MORNING INTO THE EARLY AFTERNOON. HAVE LOWERED POPS THE REST OF THE MORNING BASED ON THIS TREND. TEMPERATURES JUMPED INTO THE MID 60S THIS PAST HOUR WHERE THE CLEARING HAS OCCURRED... SO THINK HIGHS IN THE UPPER 70S/LOWER 80S STILL LOOK REASONABLE WITH MID 70S ELSEWHERE. SURFACE LOW IS NOW OVER WESTERN IOWA WITH A COLD FRONT EXTENDING SOUTH SOUTHWESTWARD INTO NORTH CENTRAL OKLAHOMA. DEWPOINTS ARE CLIMBING INTO THE MIDDLE 50S TO AROUND 60 AHEAD OF THIS FRONT WHICH THE RAP SHOWS MOVING ACROSS THE CWA BETWEEN 18-03Z. THE HIGHER DEWPOINTS AND STEEPENING LAPSE RATES WILL CONTRIBUTE TO INCREASING MUCAPES WITH IMPRESSIVE DEEP LAYER SHEAR. MAY SEE A FEW STRONG TO POSSIBLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AHEAD OF THE FRONT THIS LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING. BRITT && .SHORT TERM... ISSUED AT 311 AM CDT FRI SEP 21 2012 (TODAY) MAIN ISSUE IS THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY THAT MOVED THROUGH ON WEDNESDAY AND STALLED OVER SOUTHERN MISSOURI AND STRONGER SHORTWAVE THAT IS SLIDING SOUTHEAST INTO FORECAST AREA TODAY. ELEVATED CONVECTION HAS FIRED UP OVER WFO SGF FORECAST AREA EARLY THIS MORNING AND SLIDING OFF TO THE SOUTHEAST AWAY FROM OUR AREA. THIS ACTIVITY IS FIRING ON NOSE OF DECENT LOW LEVEL JET WITH PLENTY OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY. HOWEVER...MODELS HAVE THIS ACTIVITY LIFTING TO THE NORTHEAST DURING THE DAY TODAY AS SURFACE LOW DEVELOPS ALONG STALLED FRONTAL BOUNDARY...THEN AS IT LIFTS OUT OF REGION...ACTIVITY TO ADVECT NORTHEASTWARD THROUGH FORECAST AREA. BEST CHANCES OF RAIN WILL BE ALONG AND SOUTH OF I-44 IN MISSOURI AND ALONG AND SOUTH OF I-70 IN ILLINOIS. TEMPERATURES WILL BE DEPENDENT ON CLOUD COVER AND PCPN. FOR NOW...WENT WITH THE WARMER GUIDANCE...HIGHS IN THE MID 70S TO LOW 80S. BYRD && .LONG TERM... ISSUED AT 311 AM CDT FRI SEP 21 2012 (TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY) ANY LINGERING CONVECTION ALONG THE SURFACE COLD FRONT LATE THIS AFTERNOON SHOULD QUICKLY RACE OUT OF SE SECTIONS OF OUR CWA BY EARLY THIS EVENING. LAST IN THE SERIES OF SHORTWAVES DROPPING DOWN THE BACK SIDE OF THE LONG WAVE TROF WILL THEN SWING FROM THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY INTO THE OHIO VALLEY TONIGHT- SATURDAY...USHERING ANOTHER STRONG CANADIAN HIGH INTO THE REGION THAT WILL DOMINATE OUR WEATHER FOR THE UPCOMING WEEKEND. AMS WITH THIS CHUNK OF CANADIAN AIR IS PROGGED TO BE A FEW DEGREES COLDER THAN THE AIR THAT PUSHED INTO THE REGION THE MIDDLE OF THIS WEEK. WHETHER THIS IS REAL OR NOT REMAINS TO BE SEEN...BUT IT CERTAINLY POINTS TO BELOW AVERAGE TEMPERATURES THROUGHOUT THE UPCOMING WEEKEND. SINCE WE WILL BE AWAITING THE ARRIVAL OF THE TRULY COLD AIR TONIGHT MAY NOT BE TOO CHILLY...AND LIKE THE DEPICTIONS OF THE SHORT RANGE MODELS THAT SUGGEST LEADING EDGE OF STRONG CANADIAN HIGH JUST BEGINNING TO NOSE INTO NW SECTIONS OF OUR CWA BY 12Z SATURDAY. HIGHS BOTH SATURDAY AND SUNDAY SHOULD PRIMARILY BE IN THE 60S...WITH THE COLDEST NIGHT OCCURRING SATURDAY NIGHT WHEN LOWS WILL RANGE FROM THE UPPER 30S TO LOWER 40S. FROST THREAT NOT TOTALLY OUT OF THE QUESTION...BUT WILL MONITOR A FEW MORE MODEL CYCLES TO DETERMINE WHETHER THIS NEEDS TO BE INTRODUCED INTO FORECAST PRODUCTS. (MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY) MEAN TROF POSITION BEGINS TO WORK EAST FOR THE START OF THE NEW WORK WEEK. WARMER AIR WILL BEGIN TO PUSH EAST IN RESPONSE TO THIS MOVEMENT...AND SHOULD SET UP A ZONE OF ISENTROPIC LIFT MONDAY NIGHT AND INTO TUESDAY THAT COULD PRODUCE A FEW SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. MEDIUM RANGE SOLUTIONS ARE ALSO IN FAIRLY GOOD AGREEMENT THAT A SHORTWAVE WILL DROP INTO THE UPPER GREAT LAKES AND ALLOW A COLD FRONT TO BACK DOOR AND STALL OVER THE AREA DURING THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK...CONTINUING A THREAT OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. SPECIFIC TEMPERATURES THROUGHOUT THE MEDIUM RANGE WILL BE MODULATED BY THE AMOUNT OF CLOUD COVER....BUT IN GENERAL HIGH TEMPS SHOULD BE REBOUNDING INTO THE 70S WITH LOWER 80S POSSIBLE TUESDAY-THURSDAY OVER SW SECTIONS OF AREA. TRUETT && .AVIATION... ISSUED AT 1257 PM CDT FRI SEP 21 2012 HAVE GONE WITH DRY AND VFR TAFS AT THIS POINT...THOUGH WILL NEED TO MONITOR THE POTENTIAL FOR DEVELOPMENT IN THE ST. LOUIS METRO AREA THE NEXT FEW HOURS AS A PRE-FRONTAL TROUGH CURRENTLY OVER CENTRAL MO MOVES EASTWARD. THERE ARE NO CLOUDS DEVELOPING ALONG THIS TROUGH...SO THINK THAT ANY SCT -SHRA/-TSRA WILL DEVELOP TO THE EAST OF THESE SITES. OTHERWISE WINDS WILL BECOME GUSTY FROM THE WEST BEHIND THE TROUGH...AND THEN BECOME LIGHT TONIGHT BEFORE INCREASING FROM THE NORTHWEST BEHIND A COLD FRONT ON SATURDAY MORNING. SPECIFICS FOR KSTL...CHANCES FOR RAIN IS DECREASING AS PRE-FRONTAL TROUGH IS QUICKLY APPROACHING FROM THE WEST. WINDS WILL TURN FROM THE WEST IN THE NEXT TWO HOURS AND THEN TURN LIGHT TONIGHT BEFORE INCREASING FROM THE NORTHWEST MID-MORNING SATURDAY. EXPECT DRY AND VFR THE NEXT 30 HOURS. BRITT && .LSX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MO...NONE. IL...NONE. && $$ WFO LSX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NWS ST LOUIS MO
1010 AM CDT FRI SEP 21 2012 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 938 AM CDT FRI SEP 21 2012 SKIES HAVE CLEARED OVER CENTRAL AND SOUTHEASTERN MO AS MID LEVEL VORT MIN HAS MOVED INTO MISSOURI. THIS CLEARING WILL CONTINUE TO WORK EAST THIS MORNING INTO THE EARLY AFTERNOON. HAVE LOWERED POPS THE REST OF THE MORNING BASED ON THIS TREND. TEMPERATURES JUMPED INTO THE MID 60S THIS PAST HOUR WHERE THE CLEARING HAS OCCURRED... SO THINK HIGHS IN THE UPPER 70S/LOWER 80S STILL LOOK REASONABLE WITH MID 70S ELSEWHERE. SURFACE LOW IS NOW OVER WESTERN IOWA WITH A COLD FRONT EXTENDING SOUTH SOUTHWESTWARD INTO NORTH CENTRAL OKLAHOMA. DEWPOINTS ARE CLIMBING INTO THE MIDDLE 50S TO AROUND 60 AHEAD OF THIS FRONT WHICH THE RAP SHOWS MOVING ACROSS THE CWA BETWEEN 18-03Z. THE HIGHER DEWPOINTS AND STEEPENING LAPSE RATES WILL CONTRIBUTE TO INCREASING MUCAPES WITH IMPRESSIVE DEEP LAYER SHEAR. MAY SEE A FEW STRONG TO POSSIBLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AHEAD OF THE FRONT THIS LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING. BRITT && .SHORT TERM... ISSUED AT 311 AM CDT FRI SEP 21 2012 (TODAY) MAIN ISSUE IS THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY THAT MOVED THROUGH ON WEDNESDAY AND STALLED OVER SOUTHERN MISSOURI AND STRONGER SHORTWAVE THAT IS SLIDING SOUTHEAST INTO FORECAST AREA TODAY. ELEVATED CONVECTION HAS FIRED UP OVER WFO SGF FORECAST AREA EARLY THIS MORNING AND SLIDING OFF TO THE SOUTHEAST AWAY FROM OUR AREA. THIS ACTIVITY IS FIRING ON NOSE OF DECENT LOW LEVEL JET WITH PLENTY OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY. HOWEVER...MODELS HAVE THIS ACTIVITY LIFTING TO THE NORTHEAST DURING THE DAY TODAY AS SURFACE LOW DEVELOPS ALONG STALLED FRONTAL BOUNDARY...THEN AS IT LIFTS OUT OF REGION...ACTIVITY TO ADVECT NORTHEASTWARD THROUGH FORECAST AREA. BEST CHANCES OF RAIN WILL BE ALONG AND SOUTH OF I-44 IN MISSOURI AND ALONG AND SOUTH OF I-70 IN ILLINOIS. TEMPERATURES WILL BE DEPENDENT ON CLOUD COVER AND PCPN. FOR NOW...WENT WITH THE WARMER GUIDANCE...HIGHS IN THE MID 70S TO LOW 80S. BYRD && .LONG TERM... ISSUED AT 311 AM CDT FRI SEP 21 2012 (TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY) ANY LINGERING CONVECTION ALONG THE SURFACE COLD FRONT LATE THIS AFTERNOON SHOULD QUICKLY RACE OUT OF SE SECTIONS OF OUR CWA BY EARLY THIS EVENING. LAST IN THE SERIES OF SHORTWAVES DROPPING DOWN THE BACK SIDE OF THE LONG WAVE TROF WILL THEN SWING FROM THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY INTO THE OHIO VALLEY TONIGHT- SATURDAY...USHERING ANOTHER STRONG CANADIAN HIGH INTO THE REGION THAT WILL DOMINATE OUR WEATHER FOR THE UPCOMING WEEKEND. AMS WITH THIS CHUNK OF CANADIAN AIR IS PROGGED TO BE A FEW DEGREES COLDER THAN THE AIR THAT PUSHED INTO THE REGION THE MIDDLE OF THIS WEEK. WHETHER THIS IS REAL OR NOT REMAINS TO BE SEEN...BUT IT CERTAINLY POINTS TO BELOW AVERAGE TEMPERATURES THROUGHOUT THE UPCOMING WEEKEND. SINCE WE WILL BE AWAITING THE ARRIVAL OF THE TRULY COLD AIR TONIGHT MAY NOT BE TOO CHILLY...AND LIKE THE DEPICTIONS OF THE SHORT RANGE MODELS THAT SUGGEST LEADING EDGE OF STRONG CANADIAN HIGH JUST BEGINNING TO NOSE INTO NW SECTIONS OF OUR CWA BY 12Z SATURDAY. HIGHS BOTH SATURDAY AND SUNDAY SHOULD PRIMARILY BE IN THE 60S...WITH THE COLDEST NIGHT OCCURRING SATURDAY NIGHT WHEN LOWS WILL RANGE FROM THE UPPER 30S TO LOWER 40S. FROST THREAT NOT TOTALLY OUT OF THE QUESTION...BUT WILL MONITOR A FEW MORE MODEL CYCLES TO DETERMINE WHETHER THIS NEEDS TO BE INTRODUCED INTO FORECAST PRODUCTS. (MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY) MEAN TROF POSITION BEGINS TO WORK EAST FOR THE START OF THE NEW WORK WEEK. WARMER AIR WILL BEGIN TO PUSH EAST IN RESPONSE TO THIS MOVEMENT...AND SHOULD SET UP A ZONE OF ISENTROPIC LIFT MONDAY NIGHT AND INTO TUESDAY THAT COULD PRODUCE A FEW SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. MEDIUM RANGE SOLUTIONS ARE ALSO IN FAIRLY GOOD AGREEMENT THAT A SHORTWAVE WILL DROP INTO THE UPPER GREAT LAKES AND ALLOW A COLD FRONT TO BACK DOOR AND STALL OVER THE AREA DURING THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK...CONTINUING A THREAT OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. SPECIFIC TEMPERATURES THROUGHOUT THE MEDIUM RANGE WILL BE MODULATED BY THE AMOUNT OF CLOUD COVER....BUT IN GENERAL HIGH TEMPS SHOULD BE REBOUNDING INTO THE 70S WITH LOWER 80S POSSIBLE TUESDAY-THURSDAY OVER SW SECTIONS OF AREA. TRUETT && .AVIATION... ISSUED AT 622 AM CDT FRI SEP 21 2012 OVERRUNNING PCPN DEVELOPED OVERNIGHT OVER SOUTHWESTERN MO AND IS TRACKING TO THE EAST AND SOUTHEAST...AWAY FROM TAF SITES. FOR NOW...WILL JUST SEE VFR CIGS WITH WINDS PICKING UP FROM THE SOUTH AHEAD OF NEXT COLD FRONT. AS FOR PCPN CHANCES AS SYSTEM LIFTS NORTHEAST THROUGH REGION...HARD TO PIN DOWN TIMING AND COVERAGE. FOR NOW JUST HAVE VCNTY SHOWER MENTION AT METRO AREA TAFS AFTER 17Z. THEN WINDS BEGIN TO VEER TO THE WEST BEHIND THE FRONT...AROUND 20Z AT KCOU...21Z AT KUIN AND AROUND 22Z AT METRO AREA TAFS. BY THIS EVENING...WINDS TO DIMINISH FROM THE NORTHWEST AND MID AND HIGH CLOUDS THIN OUT. SPECIFICS FOR KSTL...OVERRUNNING PCPN DEVELOPED OVERNIGHT OVER SOUTHWESTERN MO AND IS TRACKING TO THE EAST AND SOUTHEAST...AWAY FROM METRO AREA. FOR NOW...WILL JUST SEE VFR CIGS WITH WINDS PICKING UP FROM THE SOUTH AHEAD OF NEXT COLD FRONT. AS FOR PCPN CHANCES AS SYSTEM LIFTS NORTHEAST THROUGH REGION...HARD TO PIN DOWN TIMING AND COVERAGE. FOR NOW JUST HAVE VCNTY SHOWER MENTION AT KSTL AFTER 17Z. THEN WINDS BEGIN TO VEER TO THE WEST BEHIND THE FRONT...AROUND 22Z AT KSTL. BY 05Z SATURDAY...WINDS TO DIMINISH FROM THE NORTHWEST AND MID AND HIGH CLOUDS THIN OUT. BYRD && .LSX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MO...NONE. IL...NONE. && $$ WFO LSX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS BUFFALO NY
139 PM EDT FRI SEP 21 2012 .SYNOPSIS... A WEAK COLD FRONT REACHING THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES REGION WILL BRING A CHANCE OF SHOWERS TODAY...AND POSSIBLY A THUNDERSTORM. A GREATER CHANCE FOR WIDESPREAD RAINFALL WILL HAPPEN FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY AS A STRONGER COLD FRONT MOVES IN. BEHIND THE COLD FRONT MUCH COOLER AIR WILL POUR OVER THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES THIS WEEKEND FOR THE START OF THE AUTUMN EQUINOX. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... REGIONAL RADARS CONTINUING TO SHOW SCATTERED SHOWER ACTIVITY BLOSSOMING ACROSS THE AREA. LATEST HRRR AND WRF SUGGESTING THAT THERE WILL BE ENOUGH INSTABILITY DEVELOPING IN THE VICINITY OF THE DIFFUSE FRONTAL BOUNDARY..TO CONTINUE THE RISK FOR AT LEAST SCATTERED SHOWER ACTIVITY THIS AFTERNOON...PRIMARILY EAST OF THE GENESEE VALLEY. SATELLITE LOOP DOES SHOW SOME CLEARING WILL BE WORKING INTO THE AREA FROM THE SOUTHWEST AND THIS MAY ALLOW ATMOSPHERE TO DESTABILIZE A BIT MORE...WITH SOME OUTSIDE RISK FOR THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. COVERAGE SHOULD BE VERY LIMITED. TEMPERATURES AT 850 HPA AVERAGE BETWEEN 8 AND 10C TODAY...WITH THE HIGHEST TEMPERATURES OVER THE FINGER LAKES REGION. EXPECT SFC HIGHS TO BE ABLE TO SLOWLY CLIMB INTO THE UPPER 60S AND LOWER 70S THIS AFTERNOON. ACROSS THE NORTHERN FINGER LAKES REGION SEVERAL MID 70 READINGS ARE POSSIBLE. TONIGHT THE FIRST BATCH OF SHOWERS WILL CARRY OFF TO THE EAST. AFTER A BRIEF LULL ANOTHER MORE WIDESPREAD AND HEAVIER AREA OF RAIN SHOWERS WILL ENTER THE CWA FROM THE OHIO VALLEY AS A POTENT UPPER LEVEL TROUGH BEGINS TO PUSH INTO THE CENTRAL GREAT LAKES. MOISTURE POOLING AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT WILL FEED RAIN SHOWERS ACROSS WESTERN NEW YORK AND STRETCHING TOWARDS THE NORTH COUNTRY THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT. WITH GOOD FRONTOGENETIC FORCING ALONG A BAROCLINIC ZONE...AND DEEP MOISTURE WILL HAVE CATEGORICAL POPS ACROSS PORTIONS OF WNY AND TOWARDS THE NORTH COUNTRY. FARTHER INLAND NEAR THE FINGER LAKES REGION FORCING WILL NOT BE AS GREAT AND WILL HAVE HIGH END CHC POPS. ANOTHER MILD NIGHT AHEAD OF THE STRONGER COLD FRONT. OVERNIGHT LOWS IN THE 50S...WITH THE MILDEST AIR LIKELY ACROSS THE FINGER LAKES WHERE LESS EVAPORATIVE COOLING FROM FALLING RAIN WILL OCCUR. && .SHORT TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/... SATURDAY WILL START OFF WITH A CLOSED 500 MB LOW ACROSS THE UPPER LAKES. THIS WILL GRADUALLY MOVE EAST AND LIFT INTO HUDSON BAY TOWARD THE LATTER HALF OF THE WEEKEND. THIS WILL BRING IN PROGRESSIVELY COLDER AIR INTO THE REGION...WITH PERIODS OF UNSETTLED SHOWERY WEATHER. ALTHOUGH IT IS A FAIRLY SUBTLE FEATURE...MODEL GUIDANCE (00Z GFS/NAM/RGEM) IS IN GOOD AGREEMENT THAT A WAVE OF LOW PRESSURE WILL LIFT NORTH OF LAKE ONTARIO SATURDAY MORNING AND INTO QUEBEC SATURDAY AFTERNOON. ITS THIS FEATURE WHICH WILL GENERATE THE STEADIEST SHOWERS DUE TO ASSOCIATED WARM AIR ADVECTION IN THE MID-LEVELS. THE COLD FRONT WILL EXTEND TO THE SOUTH OF THIS...WITH THIS BOUNDARY LIKELY TO BRING A ROUND OF SHOWERS TO MOST DURING THE DAY SATURDAY. EXPECT A FAIRLY SOLID LINE OF SHOWERS TO CROSS FROM WEST TO EAST ON SATURDAY...PROBABLY IMPACTING WEST OF ROCHESTER MAINLY DURING THE MORNING HOURS...THEN MOVING EAST OF LAKE ONTARIO SATURDAY AFTERNOON. WITH THE LATER TIMING...DAYTIME HEATING WILL HAVE TIME TO WARM TEMPERATURES EAST OF LAKE ONTARIO. OUTSIDE OF THE WARMER DAYTIME HIGHS...IT WILL ALSO HELP DESTABILIZE THE ATMOSPHERE. THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS SATURDAY AFTERNOON EAST OF LAKE ONTARIO. WIND PROFILES SHOW FAIRLY STRONG WINDS ALOFT...WITH 850 MB WINDS 40 TO 50 KTS. IF THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOP EARLY ENOUGH...THIS COULD RESULT IN GUSTY WINDS AT THE SURFACE...HOWEVER THAT RISK IS STILL MARGINAL WITH CLOUDS LIKELY TO LIMIT HEATING. AFTER THIS...THE FRONT WILL USHER IN MUCH COOLER AIR BOTH AT THE SURFACE AND ALOFT. EXPECT THE FRONT TO INITIALLY BE FOLLOWED BY DRY WEATHER...BUT AS COOLER AIR ALOFT BUILDS IN...CHANCES FOR LAKE ENHANCED SHOWERS WILL INCREASE. A SECONDARY COLD FRONT IS FORECAST TO CROSS SATURDAY EVENING BY SOME MODELS...THOUGH THE 00Z NAM/GFS ARE QUITE DIFFERENT IN HANDLING THIS...AND IN WIND FORECASTS. BECAUSE OF THESE DIFFERENCES...HEDGE THE FORECAST A BIT TO ACCOUNT FOR UNCERTAINTY IN WIND DIRECTION/SPEED. IN GENERAL...LAKE EFFECT/LAKE ENHANCED SHOWERS WILL BECOME MORE FAVORABLE SATURDAY NIGHT AND INTO SUNDAY. 850 MB TEMPERATURES WILL FALL TO NEAR 0C BY SUNDAY MORNING...WITH DELTA T VALUES EXCEEDING 20C AND LAKE INDUCED CAPES EXCEEDING 1500 J/JG...THEREFORE ANTICIPATE PLUMES OF MODERATE TO OCCASIONAL HEAVY LAKE EFFECT RAINS TO DEVELOP...PRIMARILY IN FAVORED WEST NORTHWEST FLOW AREAS. LAKE ACTIVITY SHOULD CONTINUE INTO SUNDAY NIGHT...DIMINISHING AS WINDS DO. THERE WILL BE ANOTHER CHANCE FOR FROST ACROSS INTERIOR PORTIONS OF THE SOUTHERN TIER...DEPENDING ON HOW LONG SKIES CLEAR OUT. SATURDAY CONTINUES TO LOOKS LIKE THE WARMER OF THE TWO WEEKEND DAYS WITH HIGHS IN THE LOWER 70S AHEAD OF THE FRONT...BUT COOLING BACK INTO THE LOWER TO MID 60S ACROSS THE WEST. SUNDAY LOOKS QUITE COOL WITH HIGHS IN THE UPPER 50S TO LOWER 60S. A BRISK WIND WILL MAKE THESE READINGS FEEL EVEN COOLER. && .LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... LATEST MEDIUM RANGE MODELS AND ENSEMBLE GUIDANCE IN GOOD AGREEMENT THAT HEIGHTS WILL INCREASE AT THE START OF THE PERIOD WITH DIMINISHING OVER-LAKE INSTABILITY. THIS SHOULD RESULT IN A PERIOD OF DRIER AND MILDER WEATHER...BEFORE THE NEXT COLD FRONT PUSHES THROUGH BY MID WEEK. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD DOWN ACROSS THE REGION WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND BECOME ESTABLISHED ACROSS THE AREA THURSDAY PROVIDING ANOTHER PERIOD OF FAIR WEATHER. && .AVIATION /18Z FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... VFR FLIGHT CONDITIONS AT 18Z WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE FIRST HALF OF THE TAF PERIOD. A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL PASS THROUGH THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON TRIGGERING SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS. THE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY COULD PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS BRINGING A BRIEF PERIOD OF IFR CONDITIONS. A STRONGER COLD FRONT WILL NEAR THE CWA LATE IN THE TAF CYCLE...WITH STRONG FORCING AND DEEP MOISTURE BRINGING ANOTHER ROUND OF RAIN SHOWERS...WHICH COULD BE MODERATE AT TIMES ACROSS WNY. ALONG WITH THE RAIN FLIGHT CONDITIONS WILL DETERIORATE TO MVFR TO IFR...LARGELY WEST OF THE GENESEE VALLEY BY 12Z. OUTLOOK... SATURDAY...AREAS OF MVFR/IFR WITH SHOWERS. SUNDAY...VFR/MVFR WITH A CHANCE OF SHOWERS...ESPECIALLY SOUTHEAST OF THE LAKES. MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...MAINLY VFR. && .MARINE... A SOUTH TO SOUTHWESTERLY BREEZE WILL CONTINUE TO FEED 4 FOOT WAVES ACROSS THE NORTHEASTERN SHORELINES OF LAKE ONTARIO AND INTO THE MOUTH OF THE SAINT LAWRENCE AND BAYS ON THE EAST END OF LAKE ONTARIO. WILL CONTINUE THIS SCA THROUGH THE EARLY AFTERNOON HOURS...WHERE DIMINISHING WINDS SHOULD ALLOW WAVE HEIGHTS TO FALL. LATER SATURDAY BEHIND A SFC COLD FRONT WINDS AND WAVES WILL INCREASE OVER THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES WITH SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES POSSIBLE LATE SATURDAY AND THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEKEND. && .BUF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NY...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...THOMAS NEAR TERM...THOMAS/TMA SHORT TERM...APFFEL LONG TERM...TMA AVIATION...THOMAS/TMA MARINE...THOMAS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS BUFFALO NY
1117 AM EDT FRI SEP 21 2012 .SYNOPSIS... A WEAK COLD FRONT REACHING THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES REGION WILL BRING A CHANCE OF SHOWERS TODAY...AND POSSIBLY A THUNDERSTORM. A GREATER CHANCE FOR WIDESPREAD RAINFALL WILL HAPPEN FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY AS A STRONGER COLD FRONT MOVES IN. BEHIND THE COLD FRONT MUCH COOLER AIR WILL POUR OVER THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES THIS WEEKEND FOR THE START OF THE AUTUMN EQUINOX. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... REGIONAL RADARS CONTINUING TO SHOW SCATTERED SHOWER ACTIVITY BLOSSOMING ACROSS THE AREA. LATEST HRRR AND WRF SUGGESTING THAT THERE WILL BE ENOUGH INSTABILITY DEVELOPING IN THE VICINITY OF THE DIFFUSE FRONTAL BOUNDARY..TO CONTINUE THE RISK FOR AT LEAST SCATTERED SHOWER ACTIVITY THIS AFTERNOON...PRIMARILY EAST OF THE GENESEE VALLEY. SATELLITE LOOP DOES SHOW SOME CLEARING WILL BE WORKING INTO THE AREA FROM THE SOUTHWEST AND THIS MAY ALLOW ATMOSPHERE TO DESTABILIZE A BIT MORE...WITH SOME OUTSIDE RISK FOR THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. COVERAGE SHOULD BE VERY LIMITED. TEMPERATURES AT 850 HPA AVERAGE BETWEEN 8 AND 10C TODAY...WITH THE HIGHEST TEMPERATURES OVER THE FINGER LAKES REGION. EXPECT SFC HIGHS TO BE ABLE TO SLOWLY CLIMB INTO THE UPPER 60S AND LOWER 70S THIS AFTERNOON. ACROSS THE NORTHERN FINGER LAKES REGION SEVERAL MID 70 READINGS ARE POSSIBLE. TONIGHT THE FIRST BATCH OF SHOWERS WILL CARRY OFF TO THE EAST. AFTER A BRIEF LULL ANOTHER MORE WIDESPREAD AND HEAVIER AREA OF RAIN SHOWERS WILL ENTER THE CWA FROM THE OHIO VALLEY AS A POTENT UPPER LEVEL TROUGH BEGINS TO PUSH INTO THE CENTRAL GREAT LAKES. MOISTURE POOLING AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT WILL FEED RAIN SHOWERS ACROSS WESTERN NEW YORK AND STRETCHING TOWARDS THE NORTH COUNTRY THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT. WITH GOOD FRONTOGENETIC FORCING ALONG A BAROCLINIC ZONE...AND DEEP MOISTURE WILL HAVE CATEGORICAL POPS ACROSS PORTIONS OF WNY AND TOWARDS THE NORTH COUNTRY. FARTHER INLAND NEAR THE FINGER LAKES REGION FORCING WILL NOT BE AS GREAT AND WILL HAVE HIGH END CHC POPS. ANOTHER MILD NIGHT AHEAD OF THE STRONGER COLD FRONT. OVERNIGHT LOWS IN THE 50S...WITH THE MILDEST AIR LIKELY ACROSS THE FINGER LAKES WHERE LESS EVAPORATIVE COOLING FROM FALLING RAIN WILL OCCUR. && .SHORT TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/... SATURDAY WILL START OFF WITH A CLOSED 500 MB LOW ACROSS THE UPPER LAKES. THIS WILL GRADUALLY MOVE EAST AND LIFT INTO HUDSON BAY TOWARD THE LATTER HALF OF THE WEEKEND. THIS WILL BRING IN PROGRESSIVELY COLDER AIR INTO THE REGION...WITH PERIODS OF UNSETTLED SHOWERY WEATHER. ALTHOUGH IT IS A FAIRLY SUBTLE FEATURE...MODEL GUIDANCE (00Z GFS/NAM/RGEM) IS IN GOOD AGREEMENT THAT A WAVE OF LOW PRESSURE WILL LIFT NORTH OF LAKE ONTARIO SATURDAY MORNING AND INTO QUEBEC SATURDAY AFTERNOON. ITS THIS FEATURE WHICH WILL GENERATE THE STEADIEST SHOWERS DUE TO ASSOCIATED WARM AIR ADVECTION IN THE MID-LEVELS. THE COLD FRONT WILL EXTEND TO THE SOUTH OF THIS...WITH THIS BOUNDARY LIKELY TO BRING A ROUND OF SHOWERS TO MOST DURING THE DAY SATURDAY. EXPECT A FAIRLY SOLID LINE OF SHOWERS TO CROSS FROM WEST TO EAST ON SATURDAY...PROBABLY IMPACTING WEST OF ROCHESTER MAINLY DURING THE MORNING HOURS...THEN MOVING EAST OF LAKE ONTARIO SATURDAY AFTERNOON. WITH THE LATER TIMING...DAYTIME HEATING WILL HAVE TIME TO WARM TEMPERATURES EAST OF LAKE ONTARIO. OUTSIDE OF THE WARMER DAYTIME HIGHS...IT WILL ALSO HELP DESTABILIZE THE ATMOSPHERE. THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS SATURDAY AFTERNOON EAST OF LAKE ONTARIO. WIND PROFILES SHOW FAIRLY STRONG WINDS ALOFT...WITH 850 MB WINDS 40 TO 50 KTS. IF THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOP EARLY ENOUGH...THIS COULD RESULT IN GUSTY WINDS AT THE SURFACE...HOWEVER THAT RISK IS STILL MARGINAL WITH CLOUDS LIKELY TO LIMIT HEATING. AFTER THIS...THE FRONT WILL USHER IN MUCH COOLER AIR BOTH AT THE SURFACE AND ALOFT. EXPECT THE FRONT TO INITIALLY BE FOLLOWED BY DRY WEATHER...BUT AS COOLER AIR ALOFT BUILDS IN...CHANCES FOR LAKE ENHANCED SHOWERS WILL INCREASE. A SECONDARY COLD FRONT IS FORECAST TO CROSS SATURDAY EVENING BY SOME MODELS...THOUGH THE 00Z NAM/GFS ARE QUITE DIFFERENT IN HANDLING THIS...AND IN WIND FORECASTS. BECAUSE OF THESE DIFFERENCES...HEDGE THE FORECAST A BIT TO ACCOUNT FOR UNCERTAINTY IN WIND DIRECTION/SPEED. IN GENERAL...LAKE EFFECT/LAKE ENHANCED SHOWERS WILL BECOME MORE FAVORABLE SATURDAY NIGHT AND INTO SUNDAY. 850 MB TEMPERATURES WILL FALL TO NEAR 0C BY SUNDAY MORNING...WITH DELTA T VALUES EXCEEDING 20C AND LAKE INDUCED CAPES EXCEEDING 1500 J/JG...THEREFORE ANTICIPATE PLUMES OF MODERATE TO OCCASIONAL HEAVY LAKE EFFECT RAINS TO DEVELOP...PRIMARILY IN FAVORED WEST NORTHWEST FLOW AREAS. LAKE ACTIVITY SHOULD CONTINUE INTO SUNDAY NIGHT...DIMINISHING AS WINDS DO. THERE WILL BE ANOTHER CHANCE FOR FROST ACROSS INTERIOR PORTIONS OF THE SOUTHERN TIER...DEPENDING ON HOW LONG SKIES CLEAR OUT. SATURDAY CONTINUES TO LOOKS LIKE THE WARMER OF THE TWO WEEKEND DAYS WITH HIGHS IN THE LOWER 70S AHEAD OF THE FRONT...BUT COOLING BACK INTO THE LOWER TO MID 60S ACROSS THE WEST. SUNDAY LOOKS QUITE COOL WITH HIGHS IN THE UPPER 50S TO LOWER 60S. A BRISK WIND WILL MAKE THESE READINGS FEEL EVEN COOLER. && .LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... LATEST MEDIUM RANGE MODELS AND ENSEMBLE GUIDANCE IN GOOD AGREEMENT THAT HEIGHTS WILL INCREASE AT THE START OF THE PERIOD WITH DIMINISHING OVER-LAKE INSTABILITY. THIS SHOULD RESULT IN A PERIOD OF DRIER AND MILDER WEATHER...BEFORE THE NEXT COLD FRONT PUSHES THROUGH BY MID WEEK. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD DOWN ACROSS THE REGION WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND BECOME ESTABLISHED ACROSS THE AREA THURSDAY PROVIDING ANOTHER PERIOD OF FAIR WEATHER. && .AVIATION /15Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... VFR FLIGHT CONDITIONS AT 12Z WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE FIRST HALF OF THE TAF PERIOD. A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL ENTER INTO THE CWA THROUGH THE DAY TIME TRIGGERING A FEW SHOWERS. ACTIVITY IS MOST LIKELY FARTHER EASTWARD THROUGH THE CWA AND WILL CONTINUE TO PLACE -SHRA IN THE KART TAF...WHILE HOLDING VCSH ELSEWHERE WHERE ACTIVITY WILL BE LESS IN COVERAGE AREA AND DIFFICULT TO TIME. ANY THUNDER TODAY WILL ALSO LIKELY BE GENESEE VALLEY EASTWARD...THOUGH WITH ONLY LITTLE INSTABILITY DO NOT EXPECT MUCH...AND IT IS STILL TO EARLY TO PLACE ANY THUNDER IN THE TAF. THIS ACTIVITY WILL CLEAR FROM WEST TO EAST THROUGH THE DAY WITH POSSIBLY SOME SUNSHINE LATER THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS THE WEST. THERE MAY BE A FEW LIGHT GUSTS ACROSS THE NIAGARA FRONTIER AIRFIELDS IN THIS SUNSHINE AS MIXING HEIGHTS INCREASE. A STRONGER COLD FRONT WILL NEAR THE CWA LATE IN THE TAF CYCLE...WITH STRONG FORCING AND DEEP MOISTURE BRINGING ANOTHER ROUND OF RAIN SHOWERS...WHICH COULD BE MODERATE AT TIMES ACROSS WNY. ALONG WITH THE RAIN FLIGHT CONDITIONS WILL DETERIORATE TO MVFR TO IFR...LARGELY WEST OF THE GENESEE VALLEY BY 12Z. OUTLOOK... SATURDAY...AREAS OF MVFR/IFR WITH SHOWERS. SUNDAY...VFR/MVFR WITH A CHANCE OF SHOWERS...ESPECIALLY SOUTHEAST OF THE LAKES. MONDAY AND TUESDAY...MAINLY VFR. && .MARINE... A SOUTH TO SOUTHWESTERLY BREEZE WILL CONTINUE TO FEED 4 FOOT WAVES ACROSS THE NORTHEASTERN SHORELINES OF LAKE ONTARIO AND INTO THE MOUTH OF THE SAINT LAWRENCE AND BAYS ON THE EAST END OF LAKE ONTARIO. WILL CONTINUE THIS SCA THROUGH THE EARLY AFTERNOON HOURS...WHERE DIMINISHING WINDS SHOULD ALLOW WAVE HEIGHTS TO FALL. LATER SATURDAY BEHIND A SFC COLD FRONT WINDS AND WAVES WILL INCREASE OVER THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES WITH SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES POSSIBLE LATE SATURDAY AND THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEKEND. && .BUF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NY...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON FOR LOZ045. && $$ SYNOPSIS...THOMAS NEAR TERM...THOMAS/TMA SHORT TERM...APFFEL LONG TERM...TMA AVIATION...THOMAS MARINE...THOMAS/TMA
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS WILMINGTON NC
1016 PM EDT SAT SEP 22 2012 .SYNOPSIS... A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA AND OFFSHORE LATE TONIGHT. CANADIAN HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN BEHIND THE FRONT AND SETTLE OVER THE REGION THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. A SECOND COLD FRONT WILL MOVE IN FROM THE GREAT LAKES BY THE END OF THE WEEK AND DISSIPATE OVER THE REGION. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 1030 PM SATURDAY...UPSTREAM RADARS (MAINLY GSP AND RAX) SHOW SHOWERS AND EVEN ISOLATED T-STORMS ALONG THE FRONT PUSHING EAST INTO CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA. THE TRAJECTORY OF THE CURRENTLY-OBSERVED CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY WILL KEEP IT NORTH OF OUR FORECAST AREA... HOWEVER MODELS (PARTICULARLY THE LAST SEVERAL HRRR RUNS) CONTINUE TO SHOW AT LEAST ISOLATED SHOWERS MOVING ACROSS PORTIONS OF OUR AREA OVERNIGHT. I`M KEEPING A SMALL 20 POP ACROSS OUR NORTHERN TIER OF COUNTIES DOWN INTO DARLINGTON...DILLON AND NORTHERN COLUMBUS COUNTIES...WITH THE EXPECTATION THAT MOST OF THE WEATHER ASSOCIATED WITH THIS FRONTAL PASSAGE WILL REMAIN TO OUR NORTH. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION FROM 730 PM FOLLOWS... THE INLAND CUMULUS CLOUD COVER HAS NEARLY DISSIPATED LEAVING ONLY SOME CIRRUS ALONG THE CAROLINA COAST. LOOKING UPSTREAM THERE IS A BAND OF CLOUD COVER ASSOCIATED WITH A RATHER STRONG COLD FRONT IN THE PIEDMONT OF NORTH CAROLINA. THIS FRONT WILL SLIDE SOUTHEAST AND OFFSHORE LATE TONIGHT...BRINGING IN WHAT SHOULD TURN OUT TO BE THE CHILLEST AIRMASS WE`VE SEEN SINCE BACK IN THE SPRING. UNTIL THE FRONT ARRIVES SKIES SHOULD REMAIN MOSTLY CLEAR...WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE CIRRUS NEAR THE BEACHES ASSOCIATED WITH A DISTURBANCE IN THE JET STREAM OFFSHORE. MODELS ARE SHOWING ONLY SMALL CHANCES OF SHOWERS AS THE FRONT PUSHES OVERHEAD LATER TONIGHT. THERE ARE NO FAVORABLE JET DYNAMICS TO SPEAK OF. LAPSE RATES ARE FAIRLY STEEP ABOVE THE NOCTURNAL INVERSION UP THROUGH ABOUT 650 MB (12000 FT) BUT THE MODELS ALL SHOW A SMALL SUBSIDENCE INVERSION AT 650 MB THAT MAY CAP OFF ANY GROWING CUMULUS TOWERS THERE. SHOWER ACTIVITY WILL DEPEND SOLELY ON LOW-LEVEL CONVERGENCE ALONG THE ACTUAL FRONT ITSELF TO PUSH PARCELS UP THROUGH 850 MB WHERE THEY CAN RISE UNASSISTED THROUGH 650 MB. THIS SHOULD GIVE ENOUGH VERTICAL CLOUD DEPTH (NEARLY 10000 FT) FOR ISOLATED LIGHT SHOWERS. MODELS SHOW THE BEST OVERLAP BETWEEN STRONGER LOW-LEVEL CONVERGENCE AND ELEVATED INSTABILITY WILL BE ACROSS OUR INLAND COUNTIES NORTH OF FLORENCE...AND THIS IS WHERE WE`LL MAINTAIN A 20 POP...MAINLY BETWEEN 03Z AND 06Z. ANY SHOWER ACTIVITY SHOULD HAVE LESS THAN 10 PERCENT COVERAGE SOUTH OF FLORENCE AND CLOSER TO THE COAST. LOWS SHOULD REACH 59-63 INLAND AND MID 60S AT THE IMMEDIATE COAST...NO CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY FROM THE PREVIOUS FORECAST. && .SHORT TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 3 PM SATURDAY...A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE FORECAST AREA AND OFFSHORE PRIOR TO SUNRISE SUN. THE AIRMASS WILL NOT BE SUPPORTIVE OF PRECIPITATION GIVEN THE MAGNITUDE OF DRY AIR IN THE COLUMN WITH A BONE DRY ATMOSPHERE THROUGH THE PERIOD...ABOVE 5-6 KFT...AS HIGH PRESSURE APPROACHES FROM THE NW AND SETTLES OVERHEAD MON AND MON NIGHT. THEREFORE WILL KEEP POPS WELL BELOW THRESHOLD. COLD AIR ADVECTION IS STRONG IN THE WAKE OF THIS FRONT. 850 MB TEMPS DROP TO 9 TO 11 DEG C ON SUN AND TO 8 TO 10 DEG C ON MON. THIS EQUATES TO TEMPS FALLING BELOW NORMAL FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR. SKIES SHOULD BE MAINLY SUNNY BY DAY AND CLEAR AT NIGHT. GIVEN THE COLDER AIR WILL BE JUST ARRIVING ON SUN...WE SHOULD STILL BE ABLE TO REACH THE UPPER 70S TO LOWER 80S DURING THE AFTERNOON...SO ABOUT NORMAL. THEN ON MON...WITH THE CHILLY AIR WELL ESTABLISHED...WE WILL DO WELL TO REACH THE MID AND UPPER 70S. RADIATIONAL COOLING WILL AMPLIFY THE COLD AIR ADVECTION... ESPECIALLY MON NIGHT WHEN WINDS WILL BE VERY LIGHT IF NOT CALM MOST OF THE NIGHT. LOWS SUN NIGHT WILL BE IN THE LOWER TO MID 50S WITH SOME UPPER 40S ACROSS SOME LOCATIONS WELL INLAND. EXPECT MORE WIDESPREAD 40S MON NIGHT WITH PERHAPS SOME MID 40S IN THOSE TRADITIONALLY COLD POCKETS. LOWER 50S SHOULD HANG ON NEAR THE BEACHES. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... AS OF 3 PM SATURDAY...DRY AND FAIRLY TYPICAL EARLY FALL WEATHER TO PERSIST THROUGH THE EXTENDED. FLAT 5H FLOW WILL TRANSITION TO SUBTLE S/W RIDGING THURSDAY...BEFORE GENERAL TROUGHINESS REDEVELOPS ACROSS THE EAST. AT THE SURFACE...HIGH PRESSURE WILL DOMINATE THROUGH THE PERIOD...BROKEN UP ONLY BY A WEAK COLD FRONT EARLY FRIDAY. COOL NE FLOW TUE WILL KEEP TEMPS BELOW CLIMO...BEFORE WARMING TO ABOVE WED/THU. EVEN AS TEMPS WARM...VERY DRY AIR ALOFT WILL INHIBIT ANY CONVECTION. HIGH PRESSURE DRIFTS AWAY/WEAKENS LATE THURSDAY AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT APPROACHING FROM THE NORTH. THESE CREATE THE ONLY RAIN CHANCES THROUGH THE EXTENDED...BUT EVEN THIS WILL BE CAPPED AT SCHC SINCE FRONT LOOKS MOISTURE STARVED DUE TO LACK OF ANTECEDENT MOISTURE ADVECTION. FRONT DISSIPATES ACROSS THE AREA BY EARLY SATURDAY BRINGING A RENEWED SHOT OF COOL/DRY AIR FOR THE START OF THE WKND. && .AVIATION /00Z SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... AS OF 00Z...HIGH CONFIDENCE FOR VFR THROUGH THE VALID PERIOD. AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT WILL PROPAGATE ACROSS THE AREA LATE OVERNIGHT...MOVING OFFSHORE BY SUNDAY MORNING. EXPECT LINGERING FEW/SCT MID TO HIGH CLOUDS OVERNIGHT AND INTO THE LATE MORNING HOURS ON SUNDAY...WITH A LOW CHANCE FOR AN ISOLATED -SHRA INLAND OVERNIGHT. CURRENT SOUTH-SOUTHWEST WINDS AOB 12 KTS WILL DECREASE TO AOB 5 KTS LATER THIS EVENING. AS THE FRONT PROGRESS EASTWARD...A WINDSHIFT WILL OCCUR WITH WINDS BECOMING NORTH INTO THE MORNING HOURS...AND NORTHEAST BY SUNDAY AFTERNOON. EXPECT SUSTAINED WINDS TO INCREASE TO AOB 10 KTS BY THE AFTERNOON...WITH THE EARLIER ANTICIPATED MID LAYER CLOUDS DISSIPATING...GIVING WAY TO NEARLY CLEAR SKIES. THE EXTENDED OUTLOOK...VFR THROUGH THE PERIOD. && .MARINE... NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 1030 PM SATURDAY...PREVIOUS FORECAST IS ON-TRACK AND NO CHANGES ARE NEEDED. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION FROM 730 PM FOLLOWS... SOUTH-SOUTHWEST WINDS THIS EVENING WILL TURN NORTHERLY LATE TONIGHT AS A RATHER STRONG COLD FRONT MOVES ACROSS THE WATERS. MODELS SHOW ONLY A LOW PROBABILITY FOR SHOWERS ACCOMPANYING THE FRONT...AND WE`VE INCLUDED ONLY ISOLATED SHOWER ACTIVITY IN OUR FORECAST ACROSS THE NC WATERS LATE. SEAS ARE CURRENTLY AROUND 2 FT BUT SHOULD BUILD TO 3 FT AWAY FROM SHORE LATER THIS EVENING...AND PERHAPS TO 4 FT OUT NEAR 20 MILES FROM SHORE AS THE FRONT PASSES OVERHEAD LATE. SHORT TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 3 PM SATURDAY...A COLD FRONT WILL BE MOVING ACROSS THE WATERS AT THE START OF THE PERIOD. WINDS WILL BE IN THE PROCESS OF SHIFTING TO THE NE SUN MORNING WITH A MODEST TIGHTENING OF THE PRESSURE GRADIENT DEVELOPING. THE TIGHTEST OF THIS GRADIENT IS EXPECTED LATE SUN NIGHT INTO MON AND THIS IS WHEN THE SURGE SHOULD BE MAXIMIZED. HIGHEST WINDS WILL BE NEAR 20 KT LATE SUN NIGHT INTO MON WITH GUSTS TO 25 KT. SEAS WILL BUILD...REACHING NEAR 6 FT ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE OUTER WATERS ON MON...HIGHEST ACROSS AMZ250 AND AMZ252. WINDS WILL TREND LOWER LATER MON AFTERNOON AND MON NIGHT WITH SEAS FOLLOWING SUIT MON NIGHT. LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... AS OF 3 PM SATURDAY...HIGH PRESSURE RIDGING DOWN THE COAST WILL SLOWLY LOSE ITS GRIP ON THE WATERS DURING THE WEEK. ALTHOUGH NE WINDS WILL PREVAIL TUE AND WED...SPEEDS DECREASE THROUGH MID WEEK FROM AROUND 10 KTS EARLY TUESDAY TO 5 KTS OR LESS MUCH OF WEDNESDAY AS PRESSURE GRADIENT RELAXES. ALTHOUGH A LOW AMPLITUDE E/SE SWELL WILL EXIST WITHIN THE WAVE SPECTRUM...SEAS WILL BE ALMOST ENTIRELY WIND DRIVEN TUE/WED...FALLING FROM 2-4 FT EARLY TUESDAY TO 1-2 FT LATE WEDNESDAY. ON THURSDAY...LIGHT WINDS VEER THROUGH NEARLY ALL DIRECTIONS AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT WHICH WILL APPROACH AT THE TAIL END OF THE PERIOD. SEAS REMAIN 1-2 FT...GROWING TO 2-3 FT BY FRIDAY MORNING. && .ILM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SC...NONE. NC...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && $$ NEAR TERM...TRA SHORT TERM...RJD LONG TERM...JDW AVIATION...SGL
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS RALEIGH NC
156 PM EDT FRI SEP 21 2012 .SYNOPSIS... THE FIRST DAY OF FALL WILL BE WARM AND BREEZY AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT. THE COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE REGION LATE SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT...REACHING THE CAROLINA COAST SUNDAY MORNING. A NOTICEABLY COOLER AIR MASS IS IN PLACE BEHIND THE FRONT FOR SUNDAY AND MONDAY. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 1010 AM FRIDAY... THE LATEST SURFACE ANALYSIS SHOWED A VERY WEAK SURFACE TROUGH OVER THE WESTERN PIEDMONT THIS MORNING...THOUGH OVER CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA THERE EXISTED VIA MSAS A SURFACE THETA-E TROUGH...MOISTURE FLUX DIVERGENCE...AND LIFTED INDICES IN THE DOUBLE DIGITS ABOVE ZERO CELSIUS. ALOFT...THERE WAS CONVERGENCE OVER CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA AT 300MB WITH THE JET AXIS JUST OFFSHORE...AND DRY AIR NOTED ON WATER VAPOR IMAGERY. THE 12Z KMHX SOUNDING WAS STABLE...WHILE THE 12Z KGSO SOUNDING SHOWED SOME COOLING AROUND 600MB AS COMPARED TO 00Z FRIDAY. THE VISIBLE IMAGERY SHOWED LOW CLOUDS TOWARD THE MOUNTAINS WHERE GUIDANCE SHOWS THE BEST LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE REMAINING DURING THE DAY...AND WHERE THE LATEST HRRR WRF AND THE RUC SHOWS THE POTENTIAL FOR JUST A FEW SHOWERS IN BETTER MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY. 06Z GFS BUFR SOUNDINGS ARE CERTAINLY STABLE TO DEEP CONVECTION...AND THE RUC...GFS...AND NAM FORECAST SUBSIDENCE FOR THE DAY. 1000-850MB THICKNESSES SUPPORT HIGH TEMPERATURES OF 80 TO 85...WARMEST OVER THE FAR SOUTHWEST PIEDMONT. AMDAR SOUNDINGS TOWARD GSO SUGGESTS THAT WITH MIXING THERE SHOULD BE A FEW WIND GUSTS IN THE LOWER TEENS KNOTS DURING THE LATE MORNING BEFORE OVERALL BOUNDARY LAYER WINDS BECOME FAIRLY LIGHT FOR THE MOST PART BY MID AFTERNOON. -DJF A SERIES OF POTENT SHORTWAVES WILL PIVOT ABOUT THE UPPER VORTEX OVER SOUTHERN ONTARIO...DEEPENING THE LONGWAVE TROUGH IN PLACE ACROSS THE EASTERN US AND IN THE PROCESS AND PROPELLING A COLD FRONT INTO THE OHIO AND TN VALLEYS BY DAYBREAK SATURDAY. DRY CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE TONIGHT ACROSS THE CAROLINAS AS SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE CENTERED OVER THE REGION SHIFTS OFFSHORE. RISING HUMIDITY LEVELS OVERNIGHT BRING A THREAT OF SOME PATCHY FOG AREA/STATEWIDE. LOWS IN THE UPPER 50S TO LOWER 60S. -CBL && .SHORT TERM /SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 130 AM FRIDAY... MODELS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH TIMING OF AFOREMENTIONED COLD FRONT THROUGH THE AREA...PUSHING IT THROUGH CENTRAL NC BETWEEN 00Z TO 06Z SUNDAY. LOW-LEVEL THICKNESSES INCREASE ANOTHER 10 METERS IN THE W-SWLY FLOW AHEAD OF THE FRONT...WHICH SHOULD YIELD A GOOD 3 DEGREE FAHRENHEIT INCREASE IN HIGHS ON SATURDAY...PLACING CENTRAL NC FIRMLY INTO THE MID 80S. THIS LATE ARRIVAL OF THE FRONT WILL NOT BENEFIT AN ALREADY MOISTURE DEPRIVED SYSTEM...WITH MODELS QUICKLY ERASING WANING CONDITIONAL INSTABILITY OF 500 TO 1000 J/KG MLCAPE WITH INCREASING BL CIN. WITH THE PRIMARY FORCING COMING IN THE FORM OF SHALLOW LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE/FGEN...IT WILL BE HARD PRESSED TO SEE MUCH MORE THAN A WEAKENING LINE/BAND OF SHOWERS...POSSIBLY AN ISOLATED LIGHTNING STRIKE. WILL KEEP POPS IN THE 20 TO 30 PERCENT RANGE...HIGHEST IN THE NW PIEDMONT WHERE THE FRONT COULD INTERACT WITH SOME WANING INSTABILITY. NW TO SE DELAYED COLD DRY AIR ADVECTION WILL MAKE FOR A WIDE RANGE IN TEMPERATURES SATURDAY NIGHT...RANGING FROM THE MID 50S NW TO MID 60S SE. $$ .LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... AS OF 230 AM FRIDAY... A SURFACE FRONT IS PROGGED TO BE NEAR THE COAST EARLY SUNDAY MORNING...WITH COOLER AND DRIER AIR FILTERING INTO CENTRAL NC AS SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS EAST. FAIR WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE LONG TERM PERIOD AS SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE AND FLAT RIDGING ALOFT DOMINATES THE WEATHER. ANOTHER FRONTAL SYSTEM MAY AFFECT THE AREA LATE WEDNESDAY INTO THURSDAY... BUT UNCERTAINTY HAS INCREASED IN THE MODELS AND WILL THEREFORE LEAVE THE FORECAST DRY FOR NOW. HIGHS ARE EXPECTED TO BE IN THE LOW/MID 70S EARLY IN THE PERIOD BEFORE MODERATING SLIGHTLY TO THE UPPER 70S/LOWER 80S AS RETURN FLOW COMMENCES. INITIALLY OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL GENERALLY BE IN THE UPPER 40S TO LOW/MID 50S...WITH MID/UPPER 50S LIKELY BY THE END OF THE PERIOD. && .AVIATION /18Z FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... AS OF 155 PM FRIDAY... THROUGH THE 18Z VALID TAF PERIOD...VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED. OVERNIGHT BETWEEN 2K AND 3K FEET...BASED ON MODEL SOUNDINGS...WINDS SHOULD INCREASE CLOSE TO 30KT. THIS SHOULD KEEP THE AIR MASS MIXED ENOUGH THAT THE PROBABILITY OF IFR FOG SHOULD BE LOW. THE LATEST SREF PROBABILITIES FOR FOG WITH VISIBILITIES UNDER 3 MILES DO NOT EVEN REGISTER IN CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA OVERNIGHT INTO EARLY SATURDAY. STILL...THERE COULD BE AT LEAST SOME MVFR FOG ESPECIALLY TOWARD KRWI FOR A PERIOD OVERNIGHT WHERE THE SURFACE WIND SHOULD BE A LITTLE LIGHTER RELATIVE TO THE REST OF CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA. WITH MIXING SATURDAY MORNING...WINDS SHOULD BEGIN TO GUST INTO THE TEENS KNOTS FROM THE SOUTHWEST. BEYOND THE 18Z VALID TAF PERIOD...A COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA LATE SATURDAY THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF SUNDAY. THE BEST SUPPORT FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IS NORTH OF CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA...BUT THE POTENTIAL FOR ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXISTS FROM VERY LATE SATURDAY AFTERNOON BEGINNING IN THE IMMEDIATE TRIAD...ENDING IN THE PREDAWN HOURS SUNDAY IN THE COASTAL PLAIN. A GUSTY WIND WOULD ACCOMPANY ANY THUNDERSTORM. FROM SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...EXPECT PREDOMINANT VFR CONDITIONS...THOUGH AS THE WEEK CONTINUES...THERE SHOULD BE AN INCREASE IN THE POTENTIAL FOR LOCAL LATE NIGHT AND EARLY MORNING SUB-VFR CONDITIONS PRIMARILY AT KRWI. && .RAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...DJF NEAR TERM...DJF/CBL SHORT TERM...CBL LONG TERM...KRR AVIATION...DJF
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS RALEIGH NC
1011 AM EDT FRI SEP 21 2012 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE WILL HOLD OVER THE REGION THROUGH SATURDAY. A COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE REGION SATURDAY NIGHT...THEN A COOLER AIR MASS WILL ARRIVE FOR SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 1010 AM FRIDAY... THE LATEST SURFACE ANALYSIS SHOWED A VERY WEAK SURFACE TROUGH OVER THE WESTERN PIEDMONT THIS MORNING...THOUGH OVER CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA THERE EXISTED VIA MSAS A SURFACE THETA-E TROUGH...MOISTURE FLUX DIVERGENCE...AND LIFTED INDICES IN THE DOUBLE DIGITS ABOVE ZERO CELSIUS. ALOFT...THERE WAS CONVERGENCE OVER CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA AT 300MB WITH THE JET AXIS JUST OFFSHORE...AND DRY AIR NOTED ON WATER VAPOR IMAGERY. THE 12Z KMHX SOUNDING WAS STABLE...WHILE THE 12Z KGSO SOUNDING SHOWED SOME COOLING AROUND 600MB AS COMPARED TO 00Z FRIDAY. THE VISIBLE IMAGERY SHOWED LOW CLOUDS TOWARD THE MOUNTAINS WHERE GUIDANCE SHOWS THE BEST LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE REMAINING DURING THE DAY...AND WHERE THE LATEST HRRR WRF AND THE RUC SHOWS THE POTENTIAL FOR JUST A FEW SHOWERS IN BETTER MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY. 06Z GFS BUFR SOUNDINGS ARE CERTAINLY STABLE TO DEEP CONVECTION...AND THE RUC...GFS...AND NAM FORECAST SUBSIDENCE FOR THE DAY. 1000-850MB THICKNESSES SUPPORT HIGH TEMPERATURES OF 80 TO 85...WARMEST OVER THE FAR SOUTHWEST PIEDMONT. AMDAR SOUNDINGS TOWARD GSO SUGGESTS THAT WITH MIXING THERE SHOULD BE A FEW WIND GUSTS IN THE LOWER TEENS KNOTS DURING THE LATE MORNING BEFORE OVERALL BOUNDARY LAYER WINDS BECOME FAIRLY LIGHT FOR THE MOST PART BY MID AFTERNOON. -DJF A SERIES OF POTENT SHORTWAVES WILL PIVOT ABOUT THE UPPER VORTEX OVER SOUTHERN ONTARIO...DEEPENING THE LONGWAVE TROUGH IN PLACE ACROSS THE EASTERN US AND IN THE PROCESS AND PROPELLING A COLD FRONT INTO THE OHIO AND TN VALLEYS BY DAYBREAK SATURDAY. DRY CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE TONIGHT ACROSS THE CAROLINAS AS SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE CENTERED OVER THE REGION SHIFTS OFFSHORE. RISING HUMIDITY LEVELS OVERNIGHT BRING A THREAT OF SOME PATCHY FOG AREA/STATEWIDE. LOWS IN THE UPPER 50S TO LOWER 60S. -CBL && .SHORT TERM /SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 130 AM FRIDAY... MODELS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH TIMING OF AFOREMENTIONED COLD FRONT THROUGH THE AREA...PUSHING IT THROUGH CENTRAL NC BETWEEN 00Z TO 06Z SUNDAY. LOW-LEVEL THICKNESSES INCREASE ANOTHER 10 METERS IN THE W-SWLY FLOW AHEAD OF THE FRONT...WHICH SHOULD YIELD A GOOD 3 DEGREE FAHRENHEIT INCREASE IN HIGHS ON SATURDAY...PLACING CENTRAL NC FIRMLY INTO THE MID 80S. THIS LATE ARRIVAL OF THE FRONT WILL NOT BENEFIT AN ALREADY MOISTURE DEPRIVED SYSTEM...WITH MODELS QUICKLY ERASING WANING CONDITIONAL INSTABILITY OF 500 TO 1000 J/KG MLCAPE WITH INCREASING BL CIN. WITH THE PRIMARY FORCING COMING IN THE FORM OF SHALLOW LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE/FGEN...IT WILL BE HARD PRESSED TO SEE MUCH MORE THAN A WEAKENING LINE/BAND OF SHOWERS...POSSIBLY AN ISOLATED LIGHTNING STRIKE. WILL KEEP POPS IN THE 20 TO 30 PERCENT RANGE...HIGHEST IN THE NW PIEDMONT WHERE THE FRONT COULD INTERACT WITH SOME WANING INSTABILITY. NW TO SE DELAYED COLD DRY AIR ADVECTION WILL MAKE FOR A WIDE RANGE IN TEMPERATURES SATURDAY NIGHT...RANGING FROM THE MID 50S NW TO MID 60S SE. $$ .LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... AS OF 230 AM FRIDAY... A SURFACE FRONT IS PROGGED TO BE NEAR THE COAST EARLY SUNDAY MORNING...WITH COOLER AND DRIER AIR FILTERING INTO CENTRAL NC AS SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS EAST. FAIR WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE LONG TERM PERIOD AS SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE AND FLAT RIDGING ALOFT DOMINATES THE WEATHER. ANOTHER FRONTAL SYSTEM MAY AFFECT THE AREA LATE WEDNESDAY INTO THURSDAY... BUT UNCERTAINTY HAS INCREASED IN THE MODELS AND WILL THEREFORE LEAVE THE FORECAST DRY FOR NOW. HIGHS ARE EXPECTED TO BE IN THE LOW/MID 70S EARLY IN THE PERIOD BEFORE MODERATING SLIGHTLY TO THE UPPER 70S/LOWER 80S AS RETURN FLOW COMMENCES. INITIALLY OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL GENERALLY BE IN THE UPPER 40S TO LOW/MID 50S...WITH MID/UPPER 50S LIKELY BY THE END OF THE PERIOD. && .AVIATION /14Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 1010 AM FRIDAY... 24-HR TAF PERIOD: EXPECT VFR CONDITIONS TO PREVAIL THE REMAINDER OF THE TAF PERIOD IN ASSOCIATION WITH DRY HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE AREA. THERE COULD BE SOME EARLY MORNING FOG AGAIN SATURDAY MORNING...HOWEVER LATEST FCST SOUNDINGS ARE SHOWING LESS IN THE WAY OF FOG...POTENTIALLY DUE TO A STEADY SWLY BREEZE OF ABOUT 3 TO 5 KTS...AND THUS HAVE OPTED NOT TO INCLUDE ANY FOG AT THIS TIME. OUTLOOK: STRENGTHENING SOUTHERLY RETURN FLOW AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT WILL RESULT IN BREEZY SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS OF 10-20KT DURING THE DAY ON SATURDAY. A COLD FRONT WILL PUSH SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE AREA BETWEEN 00 TO 06Z SUNDAY. A FEW SHOWERS OR STORMS MAY ACCOMPANY THE PASSAGE OF THE COLD FRONT...AND COULD PRODUCE A BRIEF PERIOD OF SUB-VFR CONDITIONS IN RAIN. OTHERWISE...VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. && .RAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...CBL NEAR TERM...DJF/CBL SHORT TERM...CBL LONG TERM...KRR AVIATION...CBL
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GRAND FORKS ND
1140 AM CDT FRI SEP 21 2012 .DISCUSSION... WATER VAPOR LOOP INDICATED CIRCULATION CENTER OVER NORTH LAKE WINNIPEG AND MOVING SOUTH ABOUT 35 KNOTS. CANADIAN RADAR INDICATED PRECIPITATION WAS SOUTH AND EAST OF SHORT WAVE. SO WILL TRIM BACK POPS OVER THE NORTHERN RED RIVER VALLEY AND SHIFT MORE OVER NORTHWEST MN. COLD FRONT OVER SOUTHERN MAN WILL MOVE QUICKLY ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. FRONT FORECAST TO REACH SOUTHERN MN BY MIDNIGHT. LOWERED TEMPS A TAD FOR THIS AFTERNOON. MODEL SOUNDINGS INDICATED GOOD MIXING UP TO 800 HPA FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. POTENTIAL TO MIX DOWN ABOUT 40 KNOTS WIND. RESPECTABLE PRESSURE RISES EXPECTED JUST NORTH OF COLD FRONT. THINK WINDS WILL BE STRONGEST POST FRONTAL FOR ONE TO THREE HOURS. WILL EXTEND WIND ADVISORY FOR THE FORECAST AREA OUTSIDE OF WOODED AREA IN EASTERN ZONES AND EXTEND IN TIME TO 03Z SAT. && .PREVIOUS DISCUSSION.../ISSUED 328 AM CDT FRI SEP 21 2012/ WATER VAPOR SHOWS A VORT MAX NEAR PARK RAPIDS WITH A ELONGATED VORT LOBE NORTHWEST INTO SOUTHEAST MANITOBA. JUST WEST OF THIS VORT LOBE REMAINS CLOUDS AND A FEW SHOWERS WHICH HAVE CONTINUED TO DROP SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE FCST AREA. CANADIAN RADARS AND SATELLITE INDICATE THE LAST OF THE SHOWERS NOW BTWN GFK/DVL WITH CLEARING UPSTREAM AT BRANDON MB. COORD WITH MPX AND DID INCLUDE A LOW POP FOR REMAINING -SHRA IN THE 12Z-15Z FRI TIME PERIOD IN WCNTRL MN BASED ON LATEST HRRR MODEL. THEN FOCUS TODAY WILL BE ON POTENT AND FAST MOVING UPPER LOW WHICH WILL DROP SOUTH TODAY. CURRENTLY IN NRN MANITOBA...UPR LOW WILL DROP INTO NORTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA NR BAUDETTE AT 00Z. ON WEST SIDE OF UPPER LOW WILL BE SOME SIGNIFICANT DRYING ALOFT ALONG WITH A 130KT 300 MB JET. AS SYSTEMS DROP SOUTH...A COLD FRONT WILL DROP SOUTH ON ITS WEST SIDE AND ENTER FAR NE ND AROUND 18Z THEN DROP SOUTH THROUGH GFK 20Z TIME FRAME AND THEN TOWARD FARGO 22Z TIME FRAME. NAM12 AND RAPID REFRESH MODEL SOUNDINGS ALL SHOW A PERIOD OF GOOD MIXING UP PAST 850 MB WITH UNIDIRECTIONAL FLOW FROM THE NORTH JUST BEHIND FRONTAL PASSAGE. 850 MB WINDS OF 35-40 KTS WILL BE PRESENT AND SHOULD BE ABLE TO BE MIXED DOWN. ALSO 3 HR PRESSURE RISES IN THE 6 MB RANGE WILL OCCUR BEHIND FRONT. FAVORED NORTH WIND DIRECTION SHOULD ENHANCE WIND POTENTIAL IN THE RED RIVER VALLEY ESPECIALLY. BASED ON WIND POTENTIAL DID A WIND ADV FOR THIS AFTN FOR DVL BASIN INTO MOST OF THE RED RIVER VALLEY. WOULD APPEAR BASED ON TRACK OF UPPER LOW MOST OF THE STEADIER LIGHT RAIN WILL IMPACT THE FAR EASTERN FCST AREA THIS AFTN INTO EVE....WITH CHANCE SHOWERS FARTHER WEST INTO ERN ND. MODEL RH FIELDS INDICATE FAST CLEARING OVER ALL BUT FAR EAST DURING TONIGHT PERIOD AS HIGH PRESSURE MOVES INTO SE SASK AND NORTH CNTRL ND. LOCATION OF HIGH WOULD FAVOR BEST CHC OF WELL BELOW FREEZING TEMPS OVER THE MOT-BIS REGION. ALL MODELS SFC TEMPS DO INDICATE SOME UPR 20S AS FAR EAST AS LANGDON-COOPERSTOWN AREAS AS WINDS DIMINISH THERE LATE TONIGHT. BUT STILL SOME UNCERTAINTY ON THIS SO DID A FREEZE WATCH INSTEAD OF FREEZE WARNING AT THIS STAGE. FARTHER EAST INTO THE RED RIVER VALLEY WINDS SHOULD STAY UP 10 KTS OR SO EVEN LATE AT NIGHT. TEMPS WILL FALL INTO THE 32-35 RANGE BUT WINDS WILL PRECLUDE ANY TRUE FROST. NO HEADLINES ATTM....BUT AGAIN LATER SHIFTS CAN EVALUATE IT FOR ANY PSBL ADVISORY HEADLINES INTO THE RED RIVER VALLEY OR NW MN. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BE OVER CNTRL ND SATURDAY. EXPECT GOOD DEAL OF DIURNAL CU TO FORM EAST OF THE RED RIVER PER RH FIELDS. SHOULD BE COOL WITH HIGHS UPPER 40S FAR EAST TO MID 50S. SAT NIGHT-EARLY SUNDAY MORNING LOOKS LIKE A WIDESPREAD FREEZE EVENT. HIGH PRESSURE PROGGED A BIT SLOWER THAN PAST RUNS INDICATED WITH HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE VALLEY AT 12Z SUN. GEM MODEL A BIT SLOWER STILL. WENT FROST IN GRIDS AND LOWS MOSTLY 25 TO 30. COORD WITH NEIGHBORING OFFICES WILL HOLD OFF ON ANY HEADLINES FOR SAT NIGHT EVENT AS PLENTY OF TIME TO DO ADD THEM. SUNDAY WILL START OFF COOL AND WARM UP NICELY WITH LIGHT SOUTHERLY WINDS AND PLENTY OF SUN. LONG TERM (MONDAY-THURSDAY)... MAINLY DRY WEATHER IS EXPECTED THROUGHOUT THIS PERIOD...WITH THE MAIN FORECAST CHALLENGE BEING TEMPS. TEMPS ON MONDAY LOOK TO BE ABOVE AVERAGE IN THE UPPER 60S TO MID 70S...WITH 850 MB TEMPS RISING INTO THE LOW TEENS OVER SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE AREA. RECENT OPERATIONAL MODEL RUNS HAVE SHOWN A SERIES OF IMPULSES DROPPING SOUTHWARD INTO THE UPPER MIDWEST THROUGH MID-WEEK ON THE WESTERN EDGE OF THE SLOWLY PROGRESSING UPPER LOW OVER EASTERN NORTH AMERICA. AS A RESULT...TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY HAVE TRENDED A BIT COOLER WITH HIGHS IN THE 50S AND 60S AND LOWS IN THE 30S TO LOW 40S..AS CANADIAN HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS SOUTH. IT APPEARS SOME WARMER AIR WILL BEGIN TO WORK ITS WAY BACK INTO THE AREA BY THURSDAY AS THE PESKY EASTERN US UPPER LOW FINALLY SHIFTS EAST AND MORE ZONAL MID/UPPER FLOW SPREADS ACROSS THE CENTRAL US. PRECIP CHANCES WITH ANY OF THE IMPULSES AFFECTING THE REGION ARE TOO LOW FOR ANY MENTION AT THIS TIME. .AVIATION... FOCUS TODAY WILL BE ON WINDS. LOOK FOR A NORTHWEST WIND 5 TO 15 KTS THIS MORNING INCREASING A BIT LATE MORNING-EARLY AFTN. FRONT WILL HIT DVL-GFK-TVF AREAS IN THE 19Z-20Z TIME PERIOD WITH A WIND SHIFT TO THE NORTH-NORTHWEST AND LIKELY GUSTS OVER 35 KTS. WIND WILL HIT FARGO CLOSER TO 21-22Z WITH WIND SHIFT AND GUSTS THERE. BEMIDJI WILL SEE LESS WIND BUT MORE SHOWERS THIS AFTN. ATTM EXPECT VFR CLOUDS IN THE SHOWERS BUT COULD SEE SOME MVFR CIGS. WINDS WILL DIMINISH THIS EVE. && .FGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ND...WIND ADVISORY FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 10 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR NDZ028>030-038-039-049-052-053. FREEZE WATCH FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING FOR NDZ006-007-014-015-024-026-028-054. WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 10 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR NDZ006>008- 014>016-024-026-027-054. MN...WIND ADVISORY FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 10 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR MNZ002-003-022-027-029>031-040. WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 10 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR MNZ001-004-005- 007-008-013>015. && $$ HOPPES
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GRAND FORKS ND
328 AM CDT FRI SEP 21 2012 .SHORT TERM... WATER VAPOR SHOWS A VORT MAX NEAR PARK RAPIDS WITH A ELONGATED VORT LOBE NORTHWEST INTO SOUTHEAST MANITOBA. JUST WEST OF THIS VORT LOBE REMAINS CLOUDS AND A FEW SHOWERS WHICH HAVE CONTINUED TO DROP SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE FCST AREA. CANADIAN RADARS AND SATELLITE INDICATE THE LAST OF THE SHOWERS NOW BTWN GFK/DVL WITH CLEARING UPSTREAM AT BRANDON MB. COORD WITH MPX AND DID INCLUDE A LOW POP FOR REMAINING -SHRA IN THE 12Z-15Z FRI TIME PERIOD IN WCNTRL MN BASED ON LATEST HRRR MODEL. THEN FOCUS TODAY WILL BE ON POTENT AND FAST MOVING UPPER LOW WHICH WILL DROP SOUTH TODAY. CURRENTLY IN NRN MANITOBA...UPR LOW WILL DROP INTO NORTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA NR BAUDETTE AT 00Z. ON WEST SIDE OF UPPER LOW WILL BE SOME SIGNIFICANT DRYING ALOFT ALONG WITH A 130KT 300 MB JET. AS SYSTEMS DROP SOUTH...A COLD FRONT WILL DROP SOUTH ON ITS WESTSIDE AND ENTER FAR NE ND AROUND 18Z THEN DROP SOUTH THROUGH GFK 20Z TIME FRAME AND THEN TOWARD FARGO 22Z TIME FRAME. NAM12 AND RAPID REFRESH MODEL SOUNDINGS ALL SHOW A PERIOD OF GOOD MIXING UP PAST 850 MB WITH UNIDIRECTIONAL FLOW FROM THE NORTH JUST BEHIND FRONTAL PASSAGE. 850 MB WINDS OF 35-40 KTS WILL BE PRESENT AND SHOULD BE ABLE TO BE MIXED DOWN. ALSO 3 HR PRESSURE RISES IN THE 6 MB RANGE WILL OCCUR BEHIND FRONT. FAVORED NORTH WIND DIRECTION SHOULD ENHANCE WIND POTENTIAL IN THE RED RIVER VALLEY ESPECIALLY. BASED ON WIND POTENTIAL DID A WIND ADV FOR THIS AFTN FOR DVL BASIN INTO MOST OF THE RED RIVER VALLEY. WOULD APPEAR BASED ON TRACK OF UPPER LOW MOST OF THE STEADIER LIGHT RAIN WILL IMPACT THE FAR EASTERN FCST AREA THIS AFTN INTO EVE....WITH CHANCE SHOWERS FARTHER WEST INTO ERN ND. MODEL RH FIELDS INDICATE FAST CLEARING OVER ALL BUT FAR EAST DURING TONIGHT PERIOD AS HIGH PRESSURE MOVES INTO SE SASK AND NORTH CNTRL ND. LOCATION OF HIGH WOULD FAVOR BEST CHC OF WELL BELOW FREEZING TEMPS OVER THE MOT-BIS REGION. ALL MODELS SFC TEMPS DO INDICATE SOME UPR 20S AS FAR EAST AS LANGDON-COOPERSTOWN AREAS AS WINDS DIMINISH THERE LATE TONIGHT. BUT STILL SOME UNCERTAINITY ON THIS SO DID A FREEZE WATCH INSTEAD OF FREEZE WARNING AT THIS STAGE. FARTHER EAST INTO THE RED RIVER VALLEY WINDS SHOULD STAY UP 10 KTS OR SO EVEN LATE AT NIGHT. TEMPS WILL FALL INTO THE 32-35 RANGE BUT WINDS WILL PRECLUDE ANY TRUE FROST. NO HEADLINES ATTM....BUT AGAIN LATER SHIFTS CAN EVALUATE IT FOR ANY PSBL ADVISORY HEADLINES INTO THE RED RIVER VALLEY OR NW MN. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BE OVER CNTRL ND SATURDAY. EXPECT GOOD DEAL OF DIURNAL CU TO FORM EAST OF THE RED RIVER PER RH FIELDS. SHOULD BE COOL WITH HIGHS UPPER 40S FAR EAST TO MID 50S. SAT NIGHT-EARLY SUNDAY MORNING LOOKS LIKE A WIDESPREAD FREEZE EVENT. HIGH PRESSURE PROGGED A BIT SLOWER THAN PAST RUNS INDICATED WITH HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE VALLEY AT 12Z SUN. GEM MODEL A BIT SLOWER STILL. WENT FROST IN GRIDDS AND LOWS MOSTLY 25 TO 30. COORD WITH NEIGHBORING OFFICES WILL HOLD OFF ON ANY HEADLINES FOR SAT NIGHT EVENT AS PLENTY OF TIME TO DO ADD THEM. SUNDAY WILL START OFF COOL AND WARM UP NICELY WITH LIGHT SOUTHERLY WINDS AND PLENTY OF SUN. LONG TERM (MONDAY-THURSDAY)... MAINLY DRY WEATHER IS EXPECTED THROUGHOUT THIS PERIOD...WITH THE MAIN FORECAST CHALLENGE BEING TEMPS. TEMPS ON MONDAY LOOK TO BE ABOVE AVERAGE IN THE UPPER 60S TO MID 70S...WITH 850 MB TEMPS RISING INTO THE LOW TEENS OVER SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE AREA. RECENT OPERATIONAL MODEL RUNS HAVE SHOWN A SERIES OF IMPULSES DROPPING SOUTHWARD INTO THE UPPER MIDWEST THROUGH MID-WEEK ON THE WESTERN EDGE OF THE SLOWLY PROGRESSING UPPER LOW OVER EASTERN NORTH AMERICA. AS A RESULT...TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY HAVE TRENDED A BIT COOLER WITH HIGHS IN THE 50S AND 60S AND LOWS IN THE 30S TO LOW 40S..AS CANADIAN HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS SOUTH. IT APPEARS SOME WARMER AIR WILL BEGIN TO WORK ITS WAY BACK INTO THE AREA BY THURSDAY AS THE PESKY EASTERN US UPPER LOW FINALLY SHIFTS EAST AND MORE ZONAL MID/UPPER FLOW SPREADS ACROSS THE CENTRAL US. PRECIP CHANCES WITH ANY OF THE IMPULSES AFFECTING THE REGION ARE TOO LOW FOR ANY MENTION AT THIS TIME. .AVIATION... FOCUS TODAY WILL BE ON WINDS. LOOK FOR A NORTHWEST WIND 5 TO 15 KTS THIS MORNING INCREASING A BIT LATE MORNING-EARLY AFTN. FRONT WILL HIT DVL-GFK-TVF AREAS IN THE 19Z-20Z TIME PERIOD WITH A WIND SHIFT TO THE NORTH-NORTHWEST AND LIKELY GUSTS OVER 35 KTS. WIND WILL HIT FARGO CLOSER TO 21-22Z WITH WIND SHIFT AND GUSTS THERE. BEMIDJIJ WILL SEE LESS WIND BUT MORE SHOWERS THIS AFTN. ATTM EXPECT VFR CLOUDS IN THE SHOWERS BUT COULD SEE SOME MVFR CIGS. WINDS WILL DIMINISH THIS EVE. && .FGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ND...FREEZE WATCH FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING FOR NDZ006-007-014-015-024-026-028-054. WIND ADVISORY FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 6 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR NDZ006>008-014>016-026-027-054. WIND ADVISORY FROM 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR NDZ029-030-039. MN...WIND ADVISORY FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 6 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR MNZ001-004-007. WIND ADVISORY FROM 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR MNZ002-003. && $$ RIDDLE/MAKOWSKI
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CLEVELAND OH
141 AM EDT FRI SEP 21 2012 .SYNOPSIS... A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL PUSH EAST OF THE AREA TONIGHT. LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE ACROSS THE CENTRAL LAKES EARLY SATURDAY DRAGGING A STRONG COLD FRONT ACROSS THE AREA. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM THIS MORNING/... RUC CONTINUES TO OUTPERFORM HRRR THIS EVENING. PROBABLY WILL SEE JUST WIDELY SCT SPRINKLES SHIFT EAST REST OF THE NIGHT BUT WILL KEEP SLIGHT CHANCE POPS THAT DECREASE WEST TO EAST REST OF THE NIGHT AS TROUGH AND FIRST WAVES OF ENERGY SHIFT INTO THE EAST. SLIGHT UPWARD ADJUSTMENT TO TEMPS FOR ADDED CLOUDS OVERNIGHT BUT MAINLY FOR EAST HALF OF CWA WHERE CLOUDS SHOULD PERSIST LONGER. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM THIS MORNING THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/... MODELS STILL NOT IN TOTAL AGREEMENT ON THE TRACK AND TIMING OF THE NEXT COLD FRONT THAT WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY MORNING. NAM STILL THE FASTEST OF THE 3 MODELS. BASICALLY RAIN WILL DEVELOP FROM THE WEST TOMORROW EVENING AND MOVE ACROSS THE AREA FRIDAY NIGHT. COULD SEE A FEW LINGERING SHOWERS IN THE EAST SATURDAY MORNING...BUT MOST OF AREA WILL SEE LULL SATURDAY MORNING. THEN SECONDARY TROUGH FORECAST TO ROTATE ACROSS THE AREA SATURDAY AFTERNOON INTO SATURDAY NIGHT. BY 12Z SUNDAY 850 TEMPS DIP TO 0C SETTING UP POTENTIAL FOR SOME LAKE EFFECT SHOWERS IN THE SNOWBELT EAST OF CLEVELAND. && .LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... THE LONG TERM PORTION BEGINS ON MONDAY WITH THE GFS AND ECMWF SIMILAR. BOTH SHOW HIGH SURFACE PRESSURE ACROSS THE TENNESSEE AND LOWER OHIO VALLEY AND AN UPPER LOW OVER HUDSON BAY. 850MB TEMPS ACROSS THE AREA ALSO SIMILAR AT 2 TO 4C. GFS HOWEVER SHOWS DRY AIR ACROSS THE AREA WHILE THE ECMWF IS A BIT MORE MOIST WITH MORE OF A NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT. GIVEN THE DIFFERENCE WILL SIDE WITH THE NEWER GFS. WILL HAVE A SLIGHT CHANCE OF A SHOWER IN THE SNOW BELT COUNTIES BUT WITH THE DRY AIR IN PLACE...NOT LOOKING FOR MUCH. TUESDAY MODELS COME MORE INTO PHASE WITH THE UPPER TROF NOW EXTENDING AVER THE GREAT LAKES AND THE SURFACE HIGH NOW MOVING OFF THE MID ATLANTIC COAST. THE GFS HOWEVER SHOWS AN EMBEDDED SHORT WAVE WITH ASSOCIATED MOISTURE MOVING ACROSS THE AREA DURING THE DAY WHILE THE ECMWF DOES NOT SHOW THIS. WILL SIDE MORE TOWARD THE DRIER ECMWF GIVEN EVERYTHING ELSE IS FAIRLY CLOSE. THE MODELS DO SHOW WARMER AIR MOVING INTO THE AREA WHICH WOULD FAVOR MORE OF A PARTLY SUNNY DAY VS CLOUDS. WEDNESDAY A SHORT WAVE RIDGE WILL BE MOVING ACROSS WESTERN ONTARIO KICKING THE UPPER TROF FURTHER EAST ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES. MODELS START TO DIFFER AGAIN WITH THE GFS TAKING A COLD FRONT SOUTH ACROSS THE REGION WHILE THE ECMWF IS MUCH SLOWER. WILL SIDE HERE WITH THE GFS AGAIN AND BRING THE FRONT THROUGH GIVEN THE SIZE AND POSITION OF THE SURFACE HIGH TO OUR NORTH. && .AVIATION /06Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... WEAK COLD FRONT CONTINUES TO MOVE ACROSS THE EASTERN HALF OF THE REGION. THERE ARE STILL A FEW SPRINKLES AHEAD OF IT BUT BELIEVE ONLY THE KERI AREA MAY SEE THEM. OTHERWISE EXPECT TO SEE VFR CEILINGS FLUCTUATE IN HEIGHT INTO FRIDAY EVENING. THERE MAY BE SOME POCKETS OF MVFR VISIBILITIES AS CEILINGS LOWER TO LOW END VFR AFTER 00Z SATURDAY. ANY PERSIST RAIN WILL LIKELY OCCUR AFTER 02Z. OUTLOOK...AREAS OF NON VFR IN SHOWERS FRI NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT FOR ALL LOCATIONS. NON VFR MAY CONTINUE INTO SUNDAY NIGHT ACROSS NE OHIO INTO NW PA. && .MARINE... LAKE REMAINS CHOPPY WITH A SSW FLOW. HAVE ALLOWED THE WEST END SMALL CRAFT TO EXPIRE WITH SUSTAINED WIND SPEEDS UNDER 22 KNOTS. THINK THE 2 TO 4 FEET WILL HOLD ACROSS THE EAST END AS WE ARE EXPECTING A SUBTLE WIND SHIFT THIS EVENING BUT WINDS RELAXING SOME. IN GENERAL SOUTHWEST FLOW CONTINUES WITH UPPER TROUGH/CYCLONIC FLOW ACROSS THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL LAKES FROM FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY. BETWEEN THOSE TWO DAYS THERE WILL BE SLIGHT FLUCTUATIONS IN THE WIND DIRECTION WITH WEAK DISTURBANCES MOVING ACROSS. BY SATURDAY NIGHT THE UPPER TROUGH SWINGS ACROSS THE EASTERN LAKES AND THE WEST-NORTHWEST FLOW INCREASES. IT IS UNCERTAIN HOW STRONG WINDS MAY BE WITH ONE MODEL HINTING AT GALES AND ANOTHER MUCH LESS. FOR NOW WILL STICK AT 20-25 KNOTS. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY POSSIBLE SATURDAY AND LIKELY SUNDAY. IT WILL NOT TAKE MUCH TO KICK UP THE LAKE THIS TIME OF YEAR. HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS ACROSS THE LAKE EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .CLE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OH...NONE. PA...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...DJB NEAR TERM...DJB SHORT TERM...DJB LONG TERM...TK AVIATION...MULLEN MARINE...OUDEMAN
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS NASHVILLE TN
115 PM CDT FRI SEP 21 2012 .UPDATE...SEE AVIATION. && .AVIATION...18Z TAFS. VFR. SFC LOW PRES SYS WL TREK E ACROSS THE OHVLY THIS AFTN-EVE. MAINLY CI SOUTH OF THE BOUNDARY WITH SOME B/L MOISTENING IN THE MODELS LATE TNGT...STILL KEPT VFR. COLD FRONT EXPECTED TO PUSH INTO THE REGION AROUND 22/12Z...WITH NW WIND SHIFT AND SCT MIDDECK SAT. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 905 AM CDT FRI SEP 21 2012/ UPDATE...CONVECTION MOVING INTO WEST TN. LATEST IR SATELLITE IMAGES SHOW CLOUD TOPS WARMING SIGNIFICANTLY. THIS IS USUALLY A PRECURSOR TO DE-INTENSIFICATION. HRRR MESO MODEL ALSO INDICATES THAT THIS AREA WILL WEAKEN WHILE SPREADING EWD AND NEWD. THUS IT SEEMS OUR SLGT CHC POP FOR THE NRN AND NWRN COUNTIES WILL BE OK. NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES FOR NOW. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 635 AM CDT FRI SEP 21 2012/ UPDATE...FOR 12Z AVIATION FORECAST AVIATION... COMPLEX OVER SOUTHEAST MISSOURI THIS MORNING ON THE NOSE OF A 45 KNOT SOUTHWESTERLY LOW LEVEL JET AND IS IN THE RIGHT REAR QUADRANT OF A 65 KNOT WESTERLY MID-LEVEL JET. H-TRIPLE-R HAS THIS FEATURE INITIALIZED WELL AND WORKS IT EASTWARD WHILE WEAKENING IT ACROSS FAR WESTERN KENTUCKY AND WESTERN TENNESSEE THROUGH ABOUT 15Z THEN DRAGS WHATS LEFT ACROSS NORTHERN MIDDLE TENNESSEE AND CONTINUES TO WEAKEN AS IT APPROACHES NASHVILLE. WILL FORECAST VCSH FOR CLARKSVILLE FROM ABOUT 15Z UNTIL 17Z AND FOR NASHVILLE FROM ABOUT 18Z UNTIL 20Z. WINDS WILL PICK UP IN SPEED TODAY AND BECOME GUSTY ACROSS THE MID STATE AS SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT TIGHTENS. EXPECT FROPA AT CLARKSVILLE AROUND 08Z TONIGHT AND AROUND 11Z AT NASHVILLE WITH WIND SHIFTING TO THE WEST. BOYD PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 329 AM CDT FRI SEP 21 2012/ DISCUSSION... LATEST ANALYSIS SHOWING WEAK QUASI-STATIONARY FRONT DRAPED NORTH/ WEST OF THE MID-STATE...WITH UPPER TROUGH/WEAK IMPULSE MOVING OUT OF THE PLAINS. STORMS FIRING SOUTH KS/MO IN VICINITY OF SFC BOUNDARY AS WELL AS INCOMING LLJET. THESE APPROACHING FEATURES WILL BE FLAVOR OF TODAY/TONIGHT/SAT PLATEAU. UPPER TROUGH/LLJET WILL CONTINUE SLIDING EAST TODAY WHILE WEAK FRONT HOLDS VERY CLOSE TO CURRENT LOCATION. BETTER MOISTURE/ INSTABILITY DOES WORK FURTHER NORTH ACROSS OH VALLEY WHILE MOISTURE ON THE SOUTHERN FLANK OF REMAINS LIMITED. ULTIMATELY HOWEVER A FEW SHOWERS/STORMS MAY MOVE IN/DEVELOP ACROSS THE EXTREME NORTH LATER TODAY/TONIGHT AS UPPER TROUGH/IMPULSE/LLJET WORK INTO THE CWA 06-12Z SAT. WEAK FRONT THEN PASSES 12-18Z OR SO WHICH COULD BRING A FEW SHOWERS TO THE PLATEAU SAT ON THE BACK END. ONCE THESE FEATURES MOVE EAST SAT NIGHT...PCPN CHANCES REALLY DIP AGAIN PRESUMABLY INTO LATE NEXT WEEK. SFC/LL HIGH REMAINS STRONG MOST OF THE WORKWEEK WHILE UPPER FLOW REALLY DAMPENS. A FEW WEAK SHORTWAVES WILL PASS JUST NORTH BUT THE OH VALLEY LOOKS TO BE THE TARGET OF SIGNIFICANT PCPN WITH PRESENCE OF DEEPER MOISTURE THERE. AT THIS POINT WILL BRING SMALL CHANCE SHOWERS BACK INTO THE NORTHEAST THU WITH NEXT WEAK FRONT BUT EXTENDED PERIOD WILL BE DRY FOR THE MOST...WITH TEMPS GOING BACK ABOVE SEASON NORMALS AFTER COOL SPELL SUN/MON. && .OHX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ 04
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS NASHVILLE TN
905 AM CDT FRI SEP 21 2012 .UPDATE...CONVECTION MOVING INTO WEST TN. LATEST IR SATELLITE IMAGES SHOW CLOUD TOPS WARMING SIGNIFICANTLY. THIS IS USUALLY A PRECURSOR TO DE-INTENSIFICATION. HRRR MESO MODEL ALSO INDICATES THAT THIS AREA WILL WEAKEN WHILE SPREADING EWD AND NEWD. THUS IT SEEMS OUR SLGT CHC POP FOR THE NRN AND NWRN COUNTIES WILL BE OK. NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES FOR NOW. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 635 AM CDT FRI SEP 21 2012/ UPDATE...FOR 12Z AVIATION FORECAST AVIATION... COMPLEX OVER SOUTHEAST MISSOURI THIS MORNING ON THE NOSE OF A 45 KNOT SOUTHWESTERLY LOW LEVEL JET AND IS IN THE RIGHT REAR QUADRANT OF A 65 KNOT WESTERLY MID-LEVEL JET. H-TRIPLE-R HAS THIS FEATURE INITIALIZED WELL AND WORKS IT EASTWARD WHILE WEAKENING IT ACROSS FAR WESTERN KENTUCKY AND WESTERN TENNESSEE THROUGH ABOUT 15Z THEN DRAGS WHATS LEFT ACROSS NORTHERN MIDDLE TENNESSEE AND CONTINUES TO WEAKEN AS IT APPROACHES NASHVILLE. WILL FORECAST VCSH FOR CLARKSVILLE FROM ABOUT 15Z UNTIL 17Z AND FOR NASHVILLE FROM ABOUT 18Z UNTIL 20Z. WINDS WILL PICK UP IN SPEED TODAY AND BECOME GUSTY ACROSS THE MID STATE AS SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT TIGHTENS. EXPECT FROPA AT CLARKSVILLE AROUND 08Z TONIGHT AND AROUND 11Z AT NASHVILLE WITH WIND SHIFTING TO THE WEST. BOYD PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 329 AM CDT FRI SEP 21 2012/ DISCUSSION... LATEST ANALYSIS SHOWING WEAK QUASI-STATIONARY FRONT DRAPED NORTH/ WEST OF THE MID-STATE...WITH UPPER TROUGH/WEAK IMPULSE MOVING OUT OF THE PLAINS. STORMS FIRING SOUTH KS/MO IN VICINITY OF SFC BOUNDARY AS WELL AS INCOMING LLJET. THESE APPROACHING FEATURES WILL BE FLAVOR OF TODAY/TONIGHT/SAT PLATEAU. UPPER TROUGH/LLJET WILL CONTINUE SLIDING EAST TODAY WHILE WEAK FRONT HOLDS VERY CLOSE TO CURRENT LOCATION. BETTER MOISTURE/ INSTABILITY DOES WORK FURTHER NORTH ACROSS OH VALLEY WHILE MOISTURE ON THE SOUTHERN FLANK OF REMAINS LIMITED. ULTIMATELY HOWEVER A FEW SHOWERS/STORMS MAY MOVE IN/DEVELOP ACROSS THE EXTREME NORTH LATER TODAY/TONIGHT AS UPPER TROUGH/IMPULSE/LLJET WORK INTO THE CWA 06-12Z SAT. WEAK FRONT THEN PASSES 12-18Z OR SO WHICH COULD BRING A FEW SHOWERS TO THE PLATEAU SAT ON THE BACK END. ONCE THESE FEATURES MOVE EAST SAT NIGHT...PCPN CHANCES REALLY DIP AGAIN PRESUMABLY INTO LATE NEXT WEEK. SFC/LL HIGH REMAINS STRONG MOST OF THE WORKWEEK WHILE UPPER FLOW REALLY DAMPENS. A FEW WEAK SHORTWAVES WILL PASS JUST NORTH BUT THE OH VALLEY LOOKS TO BE THE TARGET OF SIGNIFICANT PCPN WITH PRESENCE OF DEEPER MOISTURE THERE. AT THIS POINT WILL BRING SMALL CHANCE SHOWERS BACK INTO THE NORTHEAST THU WITH NEXT WEAK FRONT BUT EXTENDED PERIOD WILL BE DRY FOR THE MOST...WITH TEMPS GOING BACK ABOVE SEASON NORMALS AFTER COOL SPELL SUN/MON. && .OHX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ 18
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS AMARILLO TX
1127 PM CDT THU SEP 20 2012 .AVIATION... A BOUNDARY DIVING SOUTHWARD HAS CAUSED SURFACE WINDS AT KGUY AND KDHT TO SHIFT TO THE NORTH...AND WINDS SHOULD REMAIN THAT WAY THROUGH 23 Z FRIDAY. THERE A CHANCE FOR A BRIEF SHIFT TO THE SOUTH AT KDHT AS ANOTHER BOUNDARY MOVES NORTHWARD. HAVE KEPT PREVAILING WINDS AT KDHT OUT OF THE NORTH AS THE BOUNDARIES SHOULD CONVERGE SOUTH OF THE TERMINAL. THIS CONVERGING OF BOUNDARIES SHOULD ALSO SLOW THE SOUTHERN PROGRESSION OF THE NORTHERN BOUNDARY. AS SUCH HAVE KEPT SURFACE WINDS OUT OF THE SOUTH FOR KAMA UNTIL SUNRISE FRIDAY. WINDS WILL SLOWLY ROTATE EASTWARD THROUGHOUT THE DAY THEN TAKE A MORE SOUTHEAST DIRECTION TOWARDS THE END OF THE TAF PERIOD. VFR CONDITIONS SHOULD PREVAIL AT ALL TERMINALS THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 832 PM CDT THU SEP 20 2012/ UPDATE... MID LEVEL ATMOSPHERIC CAPPING INVERSION PREVAILED ACROSS THE PNHDLS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THEREFORE...HAVE REMOVED LOW POPS FOR ERN ZONES FOR THIS EVENING. UPDATED PRODUCTS OUT SHORTLY. ANDRADE PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 602 PM CDT THU SEP 20 2012/ AVIATION... NOT MUCH CHANGE FROM THE PREVIOUS TAF PACKAGE. VRF CONDITIONS EXPECTED TO PREVAIL THROUGHOUT THE TAF. A COLD FRONT CONTINUES TO APPROACH THE TAF SITES AND SHOULD FIRST IMPACT KGUY AROUND 4 Z. SURFACE WINDS WILL SHIFT AROUND TO THE N/NW AND COULD CAUSE BRIEF WIND GUSTS UP TO 20 KTS IMMEDIATELY BEHIND THE FRONT. KDHT SHOULD FOLLOW SUIT NOT LONG AFTER KGUY. KAMA SHOULD SEE THE WINDS SHIFT DURING THE LATE MORNING HOURS ON FRIDAY. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS REMAIN A SLIGHT POSSIBILITY THIS EVENING HOWEVER CONFIDENCE IS ON THE SIDE OF NO IMPACTS TO THE TERMINALS. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 344 PM CDT THU SEP 20 2012/ DISCUSSION... A STRONG UPPER LOW OVER HUDSON BAY ALONG WITH AN AMPLIFIED RIDGE ACROSS THE WESTERN CONUS IS MAINTAINING NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT ACROSS THE PANHANDLES. A SUBTLE SHORTWAVE TROUGH WILL MOVE OUT OF THE ROCKIES AND ACROSS THE TEXAS PANHANDLE TONIGHT. A DRY AIR MASS REMAINS ACROSS THE AREA WITH DEWPOINTS ONLY IN THE UPPER 30S TO THE MID 40S. HOWEVER DESPITE THIS LACK OF SUBSTANTIAL MOISTURE...HAVE LEFT IN MENTION OF ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS IN THE EASTERN TEXAS PANHANDLE WHERE LIFT FROM THIS SHORTWAVE CAN INTERACT WITH SLIGHTLY HIGHER MOISTURE VALUES. SPC RUC MESOSCALE ANALYSIS SHOWS SOME INSTABILITY IN THIS AREA WITH SBCAPES AROUND 1500 J/KG. HOWEVER A FAIRLY STRONG CAP ALSO EXISTS IN THIS AREA SO THUNDER DEVELOPMENT LOOKS PRETTY SLIM. LOWS TONIGHT WILL BE SLIGHTLY WARMER WITH LOWS RANGING FROM THE UPPER 40S IN THE WESTERN OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE TO NEAR 60 DEGREES IN THE SOUTHEAST TEXAS PANHANDLE. A COLD FRONT WILL PUSH SOUTH ACROSS THE PANHANDLES FRIDAY. CAN SEE A PERIOD OF GUSTY WINDS INITIALLY BEHIND THE FRONT ALTHOUGH WINDS WILL DIMINISH DURING THE DAY AS SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS ACROSS THE CENTRAL PLAINS. GIVEN THE NORTHERLY FETCH...HAVE LEANED TOWARD THE COOLER MAV GUIDANCE WITH HIGH TEMPS IN THE 80S TO THE LOWER 90S IN THE FAR SOUTHEAST TEXAS PANHANDLE. THE WESTERN CONUS UPPER RIDGE WILL SLIDE TO THE EAST OVER THE WEEKEND WHERE IT WILL FLATTEN EARLY NEXT WEEK IN RESPONSE TO AN UPPER LOW MOVING ACROSS THE GREAT BASIN. ALTHOUGH THE FIRST DAY OF FALL IS SATURDAY...TEMPERATURES WILL BE MORE SUMMER-LIKE OVER THE WEEKEND AND EARLY NEXT WEEK DUE TO SOUTHERLY WINDS AND RISING HEIGHTS. MEDIUM RANGE MODELS ARE COMING INTO BETTER AGREEMENT WITH THE UPPER LOW AS IT MOVES ACROSS THE CENTRAL PLAINS MID WEEK. THE FLOW ALOFT WILL TRANSITION TO THE SOUTHWEST ALLOWING FOR THE TRANSPORT OF MOISTURE ACROSS THE AREA. THIS LOW CAN TAP INTO THIS MOISTURE AND BRING THE NEXT CHANCE OF RAIN TO THE AREA BY AROUND THURSDAY. HOWEVER SINCE THIS IS STILL QUITE AWAYS OFF INTO THE FUTURE HAVE OPTED TO KEEP THE INHERITED DRY FORECAST INTACT. CLK FIRE WEATHER... AFTERNOON RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES CAN DROP TO AROUND 20 PERCENT ACROSS THE OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE AND THE NORTHERN TEXAS PANHANDLE FRIDAY. HOWEVER 20 FOOT WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO STAY BELOW 15 MPH...PRECLUDING ELEVATED AND CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS. A WIND SHIFT TO THE NORTH WILL OCCUR FRIDAY AS A COLD FRONT DROPS SOUTH ACROSS THE AREA. GUSTY WINDS CAN ALSO DEVELOP BEHIND THIS FRONT BUT WILL DIMINISH LATER IN THE DAY. SLIGHTLY COOLER AIR BEHIND THIS FRONT WILL SPREAD ACROSS THE AREA SATURDAY WHICH WILL LEAD TO MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITIES TO STAY ABOVE 20 PERCENT. UNSEASONABLY WARM TEMPERATURES WILL RESULT IN RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES TO FALL TO AROUND 15 TO 20 PERCENT IN THE WESTERN OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE AND THE NORTHWEST TEXAS PANHANDLE SUNDAY AND MONDAY. HOWEVER 20 FOOT WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO BE BELOW 15 MPH...PRECLUDING ELEVATED AND CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS. RELATIVE HUMIDITIES SHOULD STAY NEAR OR ABOVE 20 PERCENT AFTER MONDAY AND WHILE 20 FOOT WINDS FOR THE MOST PART WILL STAY BELOW 15 MPH...THEY CAN INCREASE TO AROUND 15 TO 20 PERCENT AT TIMES. HOWEVER THE STRONGER WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO OCCUR WHERE RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES WILL BE ABOVE CRITICAL THRESHOLDS. THE CHANCE FOR WETTING RAINS IS SLIM THROUGH THE NEXT SEVEN DAYS. CLK && .AMA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... TX...NONE. OK...NONE. && $$ 14/02
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LA CROSSE WI
256 PM CDT FRI SEP 21 2012 .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY 256 PM CDT FRI SEP 21 2012 FORECAST CONCERNS INCLUDE RAIN TONIGHT INTO SATURDAY/POSSIBLE RAIN AND SNOW MIX...THEN INCREASING CONFIDENCE FOR A WIDESPREAD FREEZE SATURDAY NIGHT. THIS AFTERNOON/S WATER VAPOR IMAGERY FEATURES A DEEP LONGWAVE TROUGH ENTRENCHED ACROSS EASTERN CANADA/CENTRAL CONUS. EMBEDDED WITHIN THIS LARGE TROUGH WAS A FAIRLY WEAK SHORTWAVE TROUGH ZIPPING EAST ACROSS SOUTHERN WI. IMPRESSIVE 700MB CONVERGENCE PER THE RAP ENOUGH TO SQUEEZE OUT FAIRLY STEADY LIGHT-MODERATE RAIN AREA ACROSS SOUTHERN WI/NORTHERN IL. COOL CYCLONIC FLOW ALOFT/STEEP LAPSE RATES ALSO PRODUCING SCATTERED SHOWERS ACROSS NORTHERN/CENTRAL WI. A STRONGER SHORTWAVE TROUGH WAS LOCATED OVER SOUTHEASTERN MANITOBA DROPPING SOUTHWARD TOWARD OUR AREA. THIS WAVE WILL BE OUR WEATHER-MAKER TONIGHT INTO SATURDAY. OTHERWISE...AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES WERE SOME 10 DEGREES BELOW SEASONAL NORMALS WITH READINGS AT 2 PM IN THE MIDDLE 50S TO LOWER 60S. 21.12Z NCEP MODEL SUITE ALONG WITH THE 21.09Z SREF ALL IN GREAT AGREEMENT THROUGH THE SHORT TERM...LENDING TO FAIRLY HIGH FORECAST CONFIDENCE. FOR TONIGHT...THE AFOREMENTIONED MID-LEVEL SHORTWAVE OVER SOUTHEASTERN MANITOBA WILL SWING SOUTH INTO THE AREA. NAM INDICATING STRONG/DEEP PV-ADVECTION IN THE 850-300MB LAYER ALONG WITH IMPRESSIVE QG RESPONSE...ESPECIALLY IN THE 700-500MB LAYER. GIVEN STRONG/CONSISTENT SIGNAL...GOING WITH DEFINITE RAINSHOWERS ALONG AND NORTHEAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER MAINLY AFTER MIDNIGHT. LOOKING AT THE NAM PLAN VIEW/BUFKIT DATA SHOWS WETBULB ZERO HEIGHTS GETTING PRETTY LOW WHERE RAINSHOWERS WILL BE OCCURRING....HOVERING AROUND 2000 FEET AGL IN SOME CASES. THIS BEING THE CASE...WILL CONTINUE THE POSSIBILITY OF SOME SNOW MIXING IN AT TIMES FOR AREAS MAINLY ALONG AND NORTHEAST OF I-94. HOWEVER...WITH SUCH WARM GROUND YET...NO ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED. LOOKS LIKE SOME LINGERING DEFORMATION AREA SHOWERS FOR SATURDAY MORNING ACROSS SOUTHERN WI AS THE WAVE MOVES OFF TO THE EAST. OTHERWISE...SUBSIDENCE BUILDS IN FOR THE REST OF THE DAY ALONG WITH INCREASING PRESSURE GRADIENT BETWEEN DEPARTING WAVE AND HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING IN FROM THE DAKOTAS. INCREASED WIND SPEEDS A BIT TO ACCOUNT FOR THIS. PLAN ON BREEZY NORTHWEST WINDS IN THE 15 TO 25 MPH RANGE WITH HIGHS ONLY IN THE 50S. WILL DEFINITELY FEEL LIKE AN AUTUMN DAY TO USHER THE FIRST DAY OF AUTUMN...WHICH STARTS AT 949 AM CDT. ALL ATTENTION THEN TURNS TO HOW COLD WILL IT GET SATURDAY NIGHT AND THE POTENTIAL FOR A WIDESPREAD FREEZE. HIGH PRESSURE CONTINUES TO MOVE TOWARD THE REGION FROM THE DAKOTAS...SPILLING CHILLY AIR INTO THE REGION. NAM DEPICTING 850MB LAYER TEMPERATURES LOWERING INTO THE ZERO TO -4C RANGE ACROSS THE AREA BY 12Z SUNDAY UNDER CLEAR SKIES. THIS WOULD NORMALLY LEAD TO WIDESPREAD FREEZING TEMPERATURES AT THE SURFACE. ONE CONCERN HOWEVER WILL BE WIND AND AMOUNT OF DECOUPLING WITH THE RIDGE AXIS REMAINING WEST OF THE AREA ALL NIGHT. BOTH GFS AND NAM SHOW PRESSURE GRADIENT SLACKENING GOING INTO SATURDAY EVENING. GIVEN THIS...COULD SEE WINDS STAYING UP AROUND 5 MPH OR SO...LEADING TO SOME STIRRING/MIXING OF THE LOWER BOUNDARY LAYER WHICH WOULD IN TURN PREVENT TEMPERATURES FROM DROPPING MUCH BELOW THE FREEZING MARK. HOWEVER...IF WE DO DECOUPLE AND GO CALM...TEMPERATURES COULD REALLY TAKE A TUMBLE FOR A WIDESPREAD HARD FREEZE. WITH THIS IN MIND...WILL GO AHEAD AN POST A FREEZE WATCH VALID FROM 1 AM THROUGH 8 AM SATURDAY. REST OF SUNDAY INTO MONDAY LOOKS QUIET WITH A WARMING TREND AS THE DEEP TROUGH THAT WAS ENTRENCHED ACROSS THE AREA STARTS TO FILL A BIT AND LIFT NORTHEAST. LOOKS LIKE HIGHS WILL BE IN THE 50S TO LOWER 60S ON SUNDAY...WARMING INTO THE 60S TO A FEW LOWER 70S ON MONDAY. .LONG TERM...MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY 256 PM CDT FRI SEP 21 2012 LATEST GFS AND ECMWF IN GENERALLY GOOD AGREEMENT THROUGH WEDNESDAY. BOTH MODELS SHOW A WEAK COLD FRONT DROPPING SOUTH ACROSS THE AREA MONDAY/MONDAY NIGHT WITH MORE OR LESS JUST A WINDSHIFT EXPECTED. PLAN ON HIGHS MONDAY AND TUESDAY IN THE MID 60S TO A FEW LOWER 70S. A SLIGHTLY COOLER AIRMASS SEEPS INTO THE AREA ON WEDNESDAY WITH HIGHS IN THE 60S. FOR THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY...THE 21.12Z GFS SHOWS A WEAK MID-LEVEL TROUGH ROTATING ACROSS THE CENTRAL CONUS WITH ANY PCPN STAYING SOUTH OF OUR AREA. THE ECMWF SHOWS MORE VIGOROUS TROUGHING INTO THE AREA AND THUS PRODUCES SOME PCPN FOR THE AREA THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY. WILL STICK WITH A DRY FORECAST FOR NOW AND GO WITH MODEL CONSENSUS TEMPERATURES...WHICH YIELDS HIGHS THURSDAY AND FRIDAY IN THE 60S. && .AVIATION...THROUGH 18Z SATURDAY 1205 PM CDT FRI SEP 21 2012 VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED FOR THE AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING. CONDITIONS THEN SHOULD DETERIORATE QUICKLY AS A STRONG SHORT WAVE TROUGH OVER CANADA APPROACHES THE AREA. THIS WAVE WILL MOVE QUICKLY ACROSS THE REGION TONIGHT AND PRODUCE STRONG FORCING WITH UP TO 40 PVU/S OF VORTICITY ADVECTION IN THE 500-300 MB LAYER...STRONG QG CONVERGENCE IN THE 850-300 MB LAYER AND AROUND 10 UBAR/S OF UP GLIDE ON THE 300K ISENTROPIC SURFACE. THIS FORCING WILL PRODUCE AN AREA OF RAIN FOR BOTH TAF SITES OVERNIGHT. WILL KEEP KRST VFR FOR THE MOST PART WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF SOME MVFR CEILINGS. KLSE HAS A BETTER CHANCE OF SEEING BOTH MVFR VISIBILITY AND CEILINGS. UP STREAM OBSERVATIONS OVER WESTERN ONTARIO ALREADY INDICATE MVFR CEILINGS WITH THE PRECIPITATION AREA AND THE 21.13Z HRRR SUGGEST VISIBILITIES AROUND 5 MILES IN THE HEAVIEST PRECIPITATION. WINDS WILL ALSO BE AN ISSUE WITH THIS SYSTEM. DESPITE THE CLOUDS...AS THE COLDER AIR MOVES IN QUICKLY IT WILL SET UP STEEP LOW LEVEL LAPSE RATES AND EXPECT GUSTS TO BE PRODUCED AT BOTH SITES DURING THE OVERNIGHT AND THROUGH ALL OF SATURDAY. && .ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... 256 PM CDT FRI SEP 21 2012 WI...FREEZE WATCH FROM LATE SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING FOR WIZ017-029-032>034-041>044-053>055-061. MN...FREEZE WATCH FROM LATE SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING FOR MNZ079-086>088-094>096. IA...FREEZE WATCH FROM LATE SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING FOR IAZ008>011-018-019-029-030. && $$ SHORT TERM...DAS LONG TERM....DAS AVIATION...04
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MIAMI FL
153 AM EDT SUN SEP 23 2012 .AVIATION... WET PATTERN TO CONTINUE ACROSS SOUTH FLORIDA THROUGH THE NEXT 24 HOURS. COLD FRONT WILL PUSH FURTHER SOUTH ACROSS THE FLORIDA PENINSULA THROUGH THE DAY. THIS COMBINED WITH PASSING UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES WILL ENHANCE SHRA/TSRA DEVELOPMENT AGAIN TODAY. KEPT VCSH THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS TRANSITIONING TO VCTS THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. BRIEF PERIODS OF MVFR/IFR CAN BE EXPECTED WITHIN ANY TSRAS AND HEAVY SHRAS. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 928 PM EDT SAT SEP 22 2012/ UPDATE... ALL THE URBAN FLOOD ADVISORIES ISSUED EARLIER IN THE EVENING HAVE BEEN DROPPED.. LATEST RADAR RETURNS INDICATE JUST LIGHT TO MODERATE SHOWERS ACROSS THE CWA. THE SHORT TERM FORECAST WAS UPDATED TO REFLECT THE LACK OF CONVECTION CURRENTLY ACROSS THE REGION. HOWEVER...LATEST GUIDANCE AND WATER VAPOR IMAGERY INDICATED AN UPPER LEVEL SHORT WAVE TROUGH ENTERING THE EASTERN GULF THAT COULD TRIGGER ANOTHER ROUND OF CONVECTION DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS ON SUNDAY. THE OOZ SOUNDING INDICATED CONSIDERABLE MOISTURE LINGERING ACROSS THE AREA WITH THE PWAT NEAR 2.4 INCHES WITH WESTERLY FLOW THROUGH MOST OF THE ATMOSPHERE. THE RECENT GUIDANCE ALSO INDICATED THE POTENTIAL FOR ADDITIONAL CONVECTION OVER NIGHT. SO FOR THE REMAINING EVENING HOURS JUST ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS AND AN OCCASIONAL THUNDERSTORM IS FORECAST WITH GREATER COVERAGE AND AN INCREASE IN POTENTIAL FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS ON SUNDAY. 60 PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 234 PM EDT SAT SEP 22 2012/ SHORT TERM (TONIGHT-MONDAY NIGHT)... AFTER A BUSY START TO THE DAY THIS MORNING DUE TO FLOODING ALONG THE EAST COAST FROM MIAMI- DADE TO PALM BEACH...THE LATEST HRRR MODEL REFLECTIVITIES HAVE INITIALIZED WELL WITH THE CURRENT PATTERN AND CONTINUE TO INDICATE ANOTHER ROUND OF ACTIVITY REDEVELOPING THROUGH THE MID TO LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING PERIODS. FOR COVERAGE...IT IS INDICATING THE BULK OF THE HEAVIEST ACTIVITY SETTING UP OVER THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE LOCAL AREA WITH ANOTHER 1-2 INCHES OF RAINFALL POSSIBLE IN THE HEAVIEST ACTIVITY. THIS SEEMS REASONABLE AS THE LATEST VISIBLE SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS THE LARGEST BREAKS IN CLOUD COVERAGE OVER THESE SOUTHERN AREAS WHERE TEMPERATURES HAVE QUICKLY INCREASED OVER THE PAST 1-2 HRS. AS A RESULT...FLOODING REMAINS THE MAIN CONCERN INTO THE EVENING HOURS. IF THIS ACTIVITY SETS UP OVER THE SAME AREAS AS THIS MORNING WHERE 2-4 INCHES WERE RECORDED...MAINLY FROM AROUND JUST SE OF CUTLER BAY TO NORTH MIAMI BEACH...FLASH FLOODING CANNOT BE RULED OUT. TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT...THE COLD FRONT ENTERING THE REGION FROM THE NORTH IS PROGGED TO CONTINUE SOUTH INTO NORTHERN AND CENTRAL FLORIDA THROUGH THE FIRST HALF OF THE DAY SUNDAY FOLLOWED BY A SURGE OF MUCH DRIER AIR BEFORE STALLING. UNFORTUNATELY...THE DEEP LAY MOISTURE AXIS WITH AROUND 2" PWAT VALUES EXTENDING FROM NE TO SW ACROSS THE AREA WILL REMAIN IN PLACE THROUGH SUNDAY WITH ONLY SOME DRYING POSSIBLE ACROSS THE NORTHERN HALF OR THE LAKE REGION BY TOMORROW NIGHT. THIS COMBINED WITH WEAK UPPER PULSES OF ENERGY TRANSLATING NORTHEAST AHEAD OF THE BROAD UPPER TROUGH JUST WEST OF THE AREA WILL KEEP THE RAIN AND FLOOD CHANCES AS THE PRIMARY CONCERNS THROUGH SUNDAY. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS COULD REACH THE 1 TO 3 INCH RANGE WITH LOCALIZED HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE. MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT...THE LATEST NUMERICAL GUIDANCE REMAINS IN DECENT AGREEMENT AND INDICATES THE BROAD UPPER TROUGH OVER THE EASTERN STATES SHIFTING EAST AND THE MUCH DRIER AIR THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED SHIFTING FARTHER SOUTH INTO OUR AREA IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY. AS A RESULT...DRY AIR WITH LOWER RAINFALL CHANCES CAN BE ANTICIPATED. LONG TERM...(TUESDAY-FRIDAY) THE UPPER RIDGE OVER THE ROCKIES BEGINS TO BREAK DOWN AS AN UPPER LOW MOVES FROM THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST TOWARD THE CENTRAL ROCKIES. THIS SHOVES THE E U.S. TROUGH NE WITH THE COLD FRONT STALLED N OF LAKE OKEECHOBEE. THIS DRIES THE ATMOSPHERE SOMEWHAT FROM THE N TO S ACROSS FLA BUT LONG RANGE MODELS STILL APPEAR TO DEVELOP AN UPPER LOW OVER THE GULF AND WITH THE SW FLOW MAY KEEP AMPLE ATMOSPHERIC MOISTURE OVER THE AREA. PLUS...ANOTHER TROPICAL WAVE MAY NEAR THE AREA MIDWEEK NEXT WEEK. AT HIS TIME...WILL STAY WITH GUIDANCE. MARINE... RAIN CHANCES WILL REMAIN UP ACROSS THE MARINE AREAS THROUGH SUNDAY BEFORE DRIER AIR ASSOCIATED WITH A COLD FRONT SPREADS SOUTH ACROSS THE AREA MONDAY. MODERATE NORTHEAST WINDS WILL FOLLOW THIS BOUNDARY AND LEAD TO INCREASING SEAS MONDAY THROUGH TUESDAY OVER THE ATLANTIC WATERS. FIRE WEATHER... ALTHOUGH SOME DRIER AIR IS FORECAST TO SPREAD SOUTH INTO THE AREA THROUGH THE FIRST HALF OF THE UPCOMING WEEK...RELATIVE HUMIDITIES ARE FORECAST TO REMAIN ABOVE CRITICAL LEVELS EACH DAY. AS A RESULT...THERE ARE NO RED FLAG CONCERNS. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... WEST PALM BEACH 81 77 86 77 / 60 50 20 20 FORT LAUDERDALE 86 75 86 77 / 70 50 30 30 MIAMI 88 75 88 77 / 70 60 30 30 NAPLES 87 74 89 74 / 40 40 20 20 && .MFL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...NONE. AM...NONE. GM...NONE. && $$ DISCUSSION/MARINE/FIRE...15/JR AVIATION/RADAR...10/CD
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS DODGE CITY KS
136 AM CDT SUN SEP 23 2012 ...UPDATED SYNOPSIS... .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 135 AM CDT SUN SEP 23 2012 A DEEP UPPER LEVEL CYCLONE WAS CENTERED SOUTH OF JAMES BAY, AND AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE EXTENDED FROM AN ANTICYCLONE IN SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO TO THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES. A COMPACT UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WAS DIGGING INTO WESTERN WASHINGTON BENEATH THE CANADIAN RIDGE. A WEAK SUBTROPICAL JET WAS EVIDENT ON SATELLITE IMAGERY FROM THE DEEP TROPICS TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, AND ABUNDANT HIGH LEVEL TROPICAL MOISTURE WAS FLOWING FROM THE SOUTH PACIFIC AROUND A WEAK UPPER LEVEL TROUGH NEAR 32N/122W INTO THE SOUTHWESTERN UNITED STATES. AT THE SURFACE, A LARGE CANADIAN HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM CENTERED IN THE EASTERN DAKOTAS COVERED MUCH OF THE EASTERN UNITED STATES. TEMPERATURES AT 06Z IN THE COLD AIR WERE NEAR OR BELOW FREEZING IN THE EASTERN DAKOTAS, NORTHERN IOWA AND MINNESOTA. A STATIONARY FRONT EXTENDED FROM EASTERN COLORADO ACROSS THE TEXAS PANHANDLE TO NORTH TEXAS. VERY WARM AIR WAS EVIDENT SOUTH OF THE STATIONARY FRONT WITH H8 TEMPERATURES IN THE MID 20SC IN WEST TEXAS AND THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. EAST TO SOUTHEAST LOW LEVEL FLOW PREVAILED NORTH OF THE FRONT ACROSS WESTERN KANSAS. A MID LEVEL DEFORMATION ZONE BETWEEN THE FLOW AROUND THE DEEP CYCLONE IN ONTARIO AND INCREASING WESTERLY FLOW ACROSS THE ROCKIES WAS RESULTING IN FRONTOGENESIS IN A BAND FROM EASTERN COLORADO ACROSS SOUTHWEST KANSAS INTO NORTHWEST OKLAHOMA. WEAK MID LEVEL INSTABILITY (CAPE VALUES AS MUCH AS 300 JOULES/KG) WAS BEING TAPPED BY THE UPWARD VERTICAL MOTION IN THE FRONTOGENETIC REGION TO SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT OF SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS. && .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 930 PM CDT SAT SEP 22 2012 THE FORECAST WAS UPDATED TO INCLUDE A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS WITH AN ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM MAINLY 06Z-15Z...TIED TO A NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST AXIS OF LOWER-MID LEVEL FRONTOGENESIS (PARTICULARLY 800-700MB LAYER). LATEST NAM12 MODEL SOLUTION SUGGESTS 150-300 J/KG OF MUCAPE WITHIN THE ZONE OF STRONGEST WARM FRONTOGENESIS A 750MB...FROM TRIBUNE TO GARDEN CITY TO ASHLAND...SO A FEW LIGHTNING STRIKES WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE. THE 3KM HRRR HAS SHOWN A RUN-TO-RUN CONSISTENCY IN GENERATING SHOWERS ALONG THIS FRONTOGENETIC ZONE. SHOWERS WILL SHIFT TO THE EAST BY DAYBREAK INTO SOUTH CENTRAL KS/NORTH CENTRAL OK WITH POPS DIMINISHING IN THE GRIDS BY MID-MORNING SUNDAY. && .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH TOMORROW) ISSUED AT 248 PM CDT SAT SEP 22 2012 THE MAIN FORECAST CHALLENGES ARE INCREASING CLOUDS TONIGHT AND A FEW SPRINKLES, THEN HIGH TEMPERATURES ON SUNDAY AHEAD OF A WARM FRONT. MODELS IN AGREEMENT WITH MOVING A COLD UPPER LEVEL TROUGH SLOWLY EASTWARD ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST INTO SUNDAY WITH NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT CONTINUING OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS. AS THE UPPER TROUGH MOVES EAST, A RIDGE OF COOLER SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE WILL SLOWLY PROGRESS EASTWARD FROM THE MISSOURI VALLEY INTO THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY ALLOWING A WARM FRONT TO PUSH NORTH INTO EASTERN COLORADO TO JUST SOUTH OF ELKHART AND INTO CENTRAL OKLAHOMA ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON. MID AND UPPER LEVEL MOISTURE AND CLOUDINESS IS ALSO FORECAST TO INCREASE AROUND AND AFTER MIDNIGHT ACROSS WESTERN KANSAS AS WEAK 800-700MB FRONTOGENESIS AND ISENTROPIC LIFT EVOLVE ALOFT AHEAD OF THE SURFACE WARM FRONT. DEEP MOISTURE AND CAPE ARE LACKING FOR ELEVATED THUNDERSTORMS, HOWEVER COULD BE ENOUGH LIFT FOR SOME LIGHT SHOWERS OR SPRINKLES MAINLY IN THE FORM OF VIRGA. WILL KEEP A SILENT POP GOING AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT WITH INCREASING CLOUDINESS. FOR TONIGHT LOOK FOR INCREASING CLOUDINESS WITH SOUTHEAST WINDS DECREASING TO 10 TO 15 MPH. OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL RANGE FROM THE LOWER 40S FROM DIGHTON TO SAINT JOHN AND NORTH TO THE MID AND UPPER 40S ELSEWHERE. THESE TEMPS ARE A FEW DEGREES WARMER THAN CURRENT GUIDANCE DUE TO CLOUDINESS EXPECTED. THEN FOR SUNDAY, MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW INCREASING UPPER LEVEL MOISTURE IN THE FORM OF CIRRUS CLOUDS. HIGH TEMPERATURES WERE LOWERED A FEW DEGREES FROM PREVIOUS FORECAST WITH EXPECTED HIGH LEVEL CLOUDINESS AND SOUTHEASTERLY UPSLOPE FLOW AHEAD OF THE WARM FRONT. WINDS LOOK TO INCREASE TO 15 TO 25 MPH BY LATE MORNING INTO THE AFTERNOON WITH HIGHS FROM THE MID 70S NORTH OF A GARDEN CITY TO DODGE CITY TO MEDICINE LODGE LINE AND WARMER LOW TO MID 80S SOUTH. .LONG TERM...(SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY) ISSUED AT 329 PM CDT SAT SEP 22 2012 FORECAST CHALLENGES LIE AHEAD THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK WITH REGARD TO PRECIPITATION AND CONVECTIVE CHANCES AND TO A LESSER EXTENT TEMPERATURES. WARMER OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL BE EXPECTED ON SUNDAY NIGHT AS A BETTER AS WARMER BOUNDARY LAYER AIR ADVECTS INTO SW KANSAS AHEAD OF THE EASTERN COLORADO TROUGH AND PANHANDLES SURFACE LOW. MONDAY SHOULD REMAIN DRY AND WARMING ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HALF OF WESTERN KANSAS. SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS COULD BE THE WARMEST INTO TUESDAY, AS A SURFACE LOW REMAINS QUASI-STATIONARY OR SLOWLY EAST DURING THE TIMEFRAME. ALTHOUGH THE ATMOSPHERE WOULD BE CONDITIONALLY UNSTABLE, THE LOW` CONVERGENCE REGIONS IN AND OF ITSELF MIGHT NOT BE ENOUGH TO SET OFF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. A BETTER CATALYST APPEARS IN THE MODELS IN THE FORM OF SHORTWAVES BEGINNING AS EARLY AS TUESDAY OR TUESDAY EVENING. WEAK LOW AMPLITUDE TROUGHING WILL REMAIN IN PLACE OVER THE WESTERN STATES AND INTO THE CENTRAL ROCKIES DURING THIS PERIOD WHICH WILL ALLOW OPPORTUNITIES FOR MULTIPLE SHORTWAVE IMPULSES TO INFLUENCE WESTERN AND CENTRAL KANSAS. BY THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEKEND, NEGATIVE VORTICITY ADVECTION AND INCREASED SUBSIDENCE SHOULD BEGIN TO MAKE AN IMPACT AND ELIMINATE CHANCES FOR SHOWERS OR STORMS. TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN SEASONAL THROUGH THE PERIOD, GENERALLY IN THE LOW 80S TO UPPER 70S. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z SUNDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 1258 AM CDT SUN SEP 23 2012 A LARGE CANADIAN HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD SOUTHWARD FROM THE EASTERN DAKOTAS TO KENTUCKY BY MONDAY MORNING. A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE WILL DEEPEN IN THE LEE OF THE ROCKIES TODAY. A STATIONARY FRONT EXTENDING FROM SOUTHEAST COLORADO ACROSS THE TEXAS PANHANDLE TO EXTREME NORTHERN TEXAS WILL BEGIN TO MOVE NORTH AS A WARM FRONT TONIGHT AND WILL EXTEND FROM FROM NEAR ELKHART TO EAST CENTRAL OKLAHOMA BY MONDAY MORNING. MID LEVEL FRONTOGENESIS WILL SUPPORT CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT OF SCATTERED SHOWERS IN SOUTHWEST KANSAS EARLY THIS MORNING. SHOWERS WILL BE IN THE VICINITY OF GCK AND DDC FROM 07Z THROUGH 12Z BUT WILL WEAKEN AND MOVE OFF TO THE SOUTHEAST AFTER 12Z. THE SHOWERS WILL BE LIGHT AND WILL NOT RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT VISIBILITY RESTRICTIONS. BROKEN CLOUDS WITH BASES AOA 100 WILL PREVAIL EARLY THIS MORNING IMPROVING TO ONLY A FEW CLOUDS AOA 150 BY LATE MORNING. SOUTHEAST WINDS 10 TO 15 KNOTS WILL PREVAIL THROUGH THE DAY. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... DDC 76 53 83 62 / 10 0 0 0 GCK 76 52 83 58 / 10 0 0 10 EHA 85 59 89 60 / 10 0 0 10 LBL 84 56 89 62 / 10 0 0 10 HYS 74 52 76 55 / 10 0 0 10 P28 76 56 92 66 / 20 0 0 0 && .DDC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ UPDATE...UMSCHEID SYNOPSIS...RUTHI SHORT TERM...KRUSE LONG TERM...RUSSELL AVIATION...RUTHI
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS DODGE CITY KS
100 AM CDT SUN SEP 23 2012 ...UPDATED AVIATION SECTION... .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 930 PM CDT SAT SEP 22 2012 THE FORECAST WAS UPDATED TO INCLUDE A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS WITH AN ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM MAINLY 06Z-15Z...TIED TO A NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST AXIS OF LOWER-MID LEVEL FRONTOGENESIS (PARTICULARLY 800-700MB LAYER). LATEST NAM12 MODEL SOLUTION SUGGESTS 150-300 J/KG OF MUCAPE WITHIN THE ZONE OF STRONGEST WARM FRONTOGENESIS A 750MB...FROM TRIBUNE TO GARDEN CITY TO ASHLAND...SO A FEW LIGHTNING STRIKES WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE. THE 3KM HRRR HAS SHOWN A RUN-TO-RUN CONSISTENCY IN GENERATING SHOWERS ALONG THIS FRONTOGENETIC ZONE. SHOWERS WILL SHIFT TO THE EAST BY DAYBREAK INTO SOUTH CENTRAL KS/NORTH CENTRAL OK WITH POPS DIMINISHING IN THE GRIDS BY MID-MORNING SUNDAY. && .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH TOMORROW) ISSUED AT 248 PM CDT SAT SEP 22 2012 THE MAIN FORECAST CHALLENGES ARE INCREASING CLOUDS TONIGHT AND A FEW SPRINKLES, THEN HIGH TEMPERATURES ON SUNDAY AHEAD OF A WARM FRONT. MODELS IN AGREEMENT WITH MOVING A COLD UPPER LEVEL TROUGH SLOWLY EASTWARD ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST INTO SUNDAY WITH NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT CONTINUING OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS. AS THE UPPER TROUGH MOVES EAST, A RIDGE OF COOLER SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE WILL SLOWLY PROGRESS EASTWARD FROM THE MISSOURI VALLEY INTO THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY ALLOWING A WARM FRONT TO PUSH NORTH INTO EASTERN COLORADO TO JUST SOUTH OF ELKHART AND INTO CENTRAL OKLAHOMA ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON. MID AND UPPER LEVEL MOISTURE AND CLOUDINESS IS ALSO FORECAST TO INCREASE AROUND AND AFTER MIDNIGHT ACROSS WESTERN KANSAS AS WEAK 800-700MB FRONTOGENESIS AND ISENTROPIC LIFT EVOLVE ALOFT AHEAD OF THE SURFACE WARM FRONT. DEEP MOISTURE AND CAPE ARE LACKING FOR ELEVATED THUNDERSTORMS, HOWEVER COULD BE ENOUGH LIFT FOR SOME LIGHT SHOWERS OR SPRINKLES MAINLY IN THE FORM OF VIRGA. WILL KEEP A SILENT POP GOING AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT WITH INCREASING CLOUDINESS. FOR TONIGHT LOOK FOR INCREASING CLOUDINESS WITH SOUTHEAST WINDS DECREASING TO 10 TO 15 MPH. OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL RANGE FROM THE LOWER 40S FROM DIGHTON TO SAINT JOHN AND NORTH TO THE MID AND UPPER 40S ELSEWHERE. THESE TEMPS ARE A FEW DEGREES WARMER THAN CURRENT GUIDANCE DUE TO CLOUDINESS EXPECTED. THEN FOR SUNDAY, MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW INCREASING UPPER LEVEL MOISTURE IN THE FORM OF CIRRUS CLOUDS. HIGH TEMPERATURES WERE LOWERED A FEW DEGREES FROM PREVIOUS FORECAST WITH EXPECTED HIGH LEVEL CLOUDINESS AND SOUTHEASTERLY UPSLOPE FLOW AHEAD OF THE WARM FRONT. WINDS LOOK TO INCREASE TO 15 TO 25 MPH BY LATE MORNING INTO THE AFTERNOON WITH HIGHS FROM THE MID 70S NORTH OF A GARDEN CITY TO DODGE CITY TO MEDICINE LODGE LINE AND WARMER LOW TO MID 80S SOUTH. .LONG TERM...(SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY) ISSUED AT 329 PM CDT SAT SEP 22 2012 FORECAST CHALLENGES LIE AHEAD THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK WITH REGARD TO PRECIPITATION AND CONVECTIVE CHANCES AND TO A LESSER EXTENT TEMPERATURES. WARMER OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL BE EXPECTED ON SUNDAY NIGHT AS A BETTER AS WARMER BOUNDARY LAYER AIR ADVECTS INTO SW KANSAS AHEAD OF THE EASTERN COLORADO TROUGH AND PANHANDLES SURFACE LOW. MONDAY SHOULD REMAIN DRY AND WARMING ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HALF OF WESTERN KANSAS. SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS COULD BE THE WARMEST INTO TUESDAY, AS A SURFACE LOW REMAINS QUASI-STATIONARY OR SLOWLY EAST DURING THE TIMEFRAME. ALTHOUGH THE ATMOSPHERE WOULD BE CONDITIONALLY UNSTABLE, THE LOW` CONVERGENCE REGIONS IN AND OF ITSELF MIGHT NOT BE ENOUGH TO SET OFF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. A BETTER CATALYST APPEARS IN THE MODELS IN THE FORM OF SHORTWAVES BEGINNING AS EARLY AS TUESDAY OR TUESDAY EVENING. WEAK LOW AMPLITUDE TROUGHING WILL REMAIN IN PLACE OVER THE WESTERN STATES AND INTO THE CENTRAL ROCKIES DURING THIS PERIOD WHICH WILL ALLOW OPPORTUNITIES FOR MULTIPLE SHORTWAVE IMPULSES TO INFLUENCE WESTERN AND CENTRAL KANSAS. BY THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEKEND, NEGATIVE VORTICITY ADVECTION AND INCREASED SUBSIDENCE SHOULD BEGIN TO MAKE AN IMPACT AND ELIMINATE CHANCES FOR SHOWERS OR STORMS. TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN SEASONAL THROUGH THE PERIOD, GENERALLY IN THE LOW 80S TO UPPER 70S. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z SUNDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 1258 AM CDT SUN SEP 23 2012 A LARGE CANADIAN HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD SOUTHWARD FROM THE EASTERN DAKOTAS TO KENTUCKY BY MONDAY MORNING. A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE WILL DEEPEN IN THE LEE OF THE ROCKIES TODAY. A STATIONARY FRONT EXTENDING FROM SOUTHEAST COLORADO ACROSS THE TEXAS PANHANDLE TO EXTREME NORTHERN TEXAS WILL BEGIN TO MOVE NORTH AS A WARM FRONT TONIGHT AND WILL EXTEND FROM FROM NEAR ELKHART TO EAST CENTRAL OKLAHOMA BY MONDAY MORNING. MID LEVEL FRONTOGENESIS WILL SUPPORT CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT OF SCATTERED SHOWERS IN SOUTHWEST KANSAS EARLY THIS MORNING. SHOWERS WILL BE IN THE VICINITY OF GCK AND DDC FROM 07Z THROUGH 12Z BUT WILL WEAKEN AND MOVE OFF TO THE SOUTHEAST AFTER 12Z. THE SHOWERS WILL BE LIGHT AND WILL NOT RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT VISIBILITY RESTRICTIONS. BROKEN CLOUDS WITH BASES AOA 100 WILL PREVAIL EARLY THIS MORNING IMPROVING TO ONLY A FEW CLOUDS AOA 150 BY LATE MORNING. SOUTHEAST WINDS 10 TO 15 KNOTS WILL PREVAIL THROUGH THE DAY. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... DDC 53 83 62 86 / 0 0 0 10 GCK 52 83 58 84 / 0 0 10 10 EHA 59 89 60 87 / 0 0 10 10 LBL 56 89 62 87 / 0 0 10 10 HYS 52 76 55 82 / 0 0 10 10 P28 56 92 66 90 / 0 0 0 10 && .DDC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ UPDATE...UMSCHEID SHORT TERM...KRUSE LONG TERM...RUSSELL AVIATION...RUTHI
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS SAN DIEGO CA
145 PM PDT SUN SEP 23 2012 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE AND HOT CONDITIONS WILL GIVE WAY TO A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE ON MONDAY. THIS WILL BRING A CHANGE TO THE WEATHER...WITH DEEPER AND MORE PERSISTENT LOW CLOUDS...AS WELL AS GUSTY WEST WINDS IN THE MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS AT TIMES. A WARMING TREND SHOULD BEGIN BY MIDWEEK AND CONTINUE THROUGH FRIDAY. && .DISCUSSION...FOR EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA INCLUDING ORANGE... SAN DIEGO...WESTERN RIVERSIDE AND SOUTHWESTERN SAN BERNARDINO COUNTIES... .SHORT TERM (TODAY THROUGH TUESDAY)... THE HRRR MODEL WAS SLOW TO CLEAR THE LOW CLOUDS OUT OF THE COASTAL WATERS TODAY...AND HAD THE RIGHT IDEA UP TO NOW. THERE IS STILL SOME LOW CLOUDS SOUTH COAST THAT SHOULD DISSIPATE LATE AFTERNOON. IT BRINGS A SLIVER OF LOW CLOUDS INTO THE EXTREME SOUTH COAST..QUITE LOW IN FACT...AND SUPPORTS AT LEAST PATCHY DENSE FOG. HAVE PLACED PATCHY DENSE FOG IN THE FORECAST FOR THE HIGHER COASTAL AREAS AND LOWER VALLEY AREAS FOR TONIGHT. FOR MONDAY AND TUESDAY...INLAND TROUGHING IS EXPECTED...AND SHOULD INTRODUCE MORE LOW CLOUDS...AND COOLING... ESPECIALLY INLAND COASTAL AREAS AND WESTERN VALLEYS. GUSTY WESTERLY WINDS WILL DESCEND ON THE MOUNTAIN AND DESERT AREAS...WITH A PEAK ON MONDAY AFTERNOON OR EARLY EVENING. SPEEDS SHOULD BE BELOW ADVISORY STRENGTH. && .LONG TERM (WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY)... THE MIDWEEK TROUGH IS EXPECTED TO PUSH EAST AND THE FLOW SHOULD TREND OFFSHORE ON THURSDAY AND FRIDAY FOR LESS MARINE LAYER LOW CLOUDS AND A WARMING TREND. THE GFS ENSEMBLE MEAN AND ECMWF PLACE THE LOW SOMEWHERE FROM 100 TO 500 MILES TO OUR SOUTHWEST WHICH POINT TOWARD EITHER HOT...OR EVEN HOTTER. I HAVE ADJUSTED THE TEMPERATURE GRIDS UP TO REFLECT THE POTENTIAL FOR A GOOD WARMUP INTO NEXT WEEKEND. A TROPICAL FEATURE COULD GET CLOSE ENOUGH TO GIVE US SOME HIGH CLOUDS AND REINFORCE THE OFFSHORE FLOW...BUT WILL USE A TONED DOWN APPROACH COMPARED TO THE GFS FOR NOW. && .AVIATION... 232030Z...COASTAL AREAS...PATCHY LOW CLOUDS AND FOG LINGERING AT THE BEACHES THIS AFTERNOON. CLOUD BASES ARE AROUND 300 FT MSL AND TOPS AROUND 800 FT MSL. PATCHY VIS 3-5SM. THE LOW CLOUDS AND FOG WILL LIKELY RETURN TO THE COASTAL AREA TAF SITES AFT 08Z MON. EXPECT BKN-OVC CIGS WITH BASES AROUND 300 FT MSL AND TOPS NEAR 1000 FT MSL...ALONG WITH PATCHY VIS 3-5SM...LOCALLY BLO 1SM. KSAN AND KCRQ ARE THE MOST LIKELY TO BE AFFECTED WHILE KSNA IS NOT LIKELY TO BE AFFECTED. EXPECT CLEARING TO THE BEACHES BY 17Z MON. ABV THE MARINE LAYER...SCT CLOUDS LAYERED FROM 7000 FT TO 15000 FT THROUGH MON. ELSEWHERE...SCT LAYERS 7000 FT TO 15000 FT. && .SGX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CA...NONE. PZ...NONE. && $$ PUBLIC...SMALL AVIATION/MARINE...PG
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS SAN DIEGO CA
915 AM PDT SUN SEP 23 2012 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE ALOFT OVER THE WEST WILL BRING ABOVE AVERAGE TEMPERATURES TO THE REGION TODAY. BY MONDAY A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE WILL BEGIN TO DEEPEN OVER THE WESTERN STATES...AND AFFECT THE AREA THROUGH WEDNESDAY. IT WILL BRING MORE PERSISTENT LOW CLOUDS...AS WELL AS GUSTY WEST WINDS TO THE MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS AT TIMES. A WARMING TREND SHOULD BEGIN BY MIDWEEK AND CONTINUE THROUGH FRIDAY. && .DISCUSSION...FOR EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA INCLUDING ORANGE... SAN DIEGO...WESTERN RIVERSIDE AND SOUTHWESTERN SAN BERNARDINO COUNTIES... .SHORT TERM (TODAY THROUGH TUESDAY)... THE HRRR MODEL IS SLOW TO CLEAR THE LOW CLOUDS OUT OF THE COASTAL WATERS...AND IT LOOKS LIKE IF IT BRINGS IT BACK...IT WOULD BE AFTER 04Z THIS EVENING. WITH SUCH A LOW...STRONG INVERSION...WARM TO HOT TODAY LOOKS GOOD. FOR MONDAY AND TUESDAY...TROUGHING WILL INTRODUCE COOLING...MORE LOW CLOUDS...AND COOLING...ESPECIALLY INLAND COASTAL AREAS AND WESTERN VALLEYS. THE FIRST DECENT WESTERLY WINDS IN A WHILE SHOULD SHOW UP IN THE MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS...PEAKING MONDAY SOMETIME LATE AFTERNOON OR EARLY EVENING. && .LONG TERM (WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY)... ONSHORE FLOW WILL WEAKEN AND WEAK HIGH PRESSURE MAY RETURN FOR NEXT WEEKEND FOR A WARMING TREND AND SHALLOWER MARINE LAYER. PRECIPITATION FROM THE REMNANTS OF TROPICAL CYCLONE MIRIAM WILL MOST LIKELY REMAIN TO THE SOUTH AND EAST OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA THOUGH SOME HIGH CLOUDS ARE POSSIBLE AT TIMES NEXT WEEKEND. && .AVIATION... 231530Z...COASTAL AREAS...LOW CLOUDS AND FOG HAVE BEGUN TO LIFT THIS MORNING...BUT PATCHES REMAIN ALONG THE SOUTHERN SAN DIEGO COUNTY COAST WHERE CIGS ARE LOCALLY BKN-OVC WITH BASES AROUND 200 FT MSL AND TOPS TO 800 FT MSL. FOG WITH LOCAL VIS BLO 3SM ACCOMPANIES THE LOW CLOUDS. EXPECT ONLY SCT LOW CLOUDS WITH UNRESTRICTED VIS BY 17Z. THE LOW CLOUDS AND FOG WILL LIKELY TO RETURN TO THE COASTAL AREAS AFT 08Z MON WITH CIGS AND VIS SIMILAR TO THIS MORNING. ABV THE MARINE LAYER...SCT-BKN CLOUDS ABV 15000 FT THROUGH MON. ELSEWHERE...SCT-BKN LAYERS ABV 15000 FT. && .SGX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CA...NONE. PZ...NONE. && $$ PUBLIC...SMALL AVIATION/MARINE...PG
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LINCOLN IL
300 PM CDT SUN SEP 23 2012 .DISCUSSION... ISSUED 300 PM CDT SUN SEP 23 2012 12Z MODELS ARE FAIRLY SIMILAR EARLY THIS WEEK AND THEN DIVERGE DURING 2ND HALF OF THE WEEK. USED A MODEL BLEND AND THINK GFS MAY BE TOO FAR NORTH AND TOO WET WITH QPF THU NIGHT WHILE ECMWF MODEL APPEARS TOO FAR SOUTH. SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT WILL ISSUE FROST ADVISORY OVERNIGHT AND EARLY MONDAY MORNING FOR ENTIRE CWA OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST IL WITH LOWS GENERALLY IN THE MID 30S. THESE LOWS ARE GENERALLY NEAR OR BELOW COOLER MET GUIDANCE LOWS WHICH WORKED BETTER FOR LOWS EARLY THIS MORNING. FROST WILL NOT BE QUITE AS WIDESPREAD IN AREAS SW OF SPRINGFIELD WHERE LIGHT RETURN SSE FLOW STARTS AND SOME THIN CIRRUS CLOUDS BY DAYBREAK. 1027 MB HIGH PRESSURE OVER WESTERN IA INTO NORTHERN MO TO BY NEAR TAYLORVILLE BY 06Z/1 AM TONIGHT AND INTO THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY BY DAWN MONDAY. THIS TO LIKELY BRING FROST TO REGION LATER TONIGHT AND EARLY MON MORNING WITH LIGHT TO CALM WINDS AND CLEAR SKIES AND LOW DEWPOINTS IN THE LOWER 30S. RECORD LOWS ARE MOSTLY IN THE LOWER 30S AND CHAMPAIGN COULD GET CLOSE TO THEIR RECORD LOW OF 33F SET ON SEP 24 1928. NOTE RECORD LOWS FOR SEP 24 BELOW. HIGH PRESSURE DRIFTS EAST INTO THE MID ATLANTIC STATES BY SUNSET MON WITH INCREASING MID/HIGH CLOUDS FROM SW TO NE DURING THE DAY MONDAY. DEVELOPING BREEZY SOUTHERLY FLOW TO WARM UP HIGHS MOSTLY IN THE LOWER 70S. SERIES OF SHORT WAVES TO EJECT FROM THE CENTRAL PLAINS INTO CENTRAL/SE IL FROM MON NIGHT INTO THE REST OF THE WORK WEEK BRINGING CHANCES OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. BEST CHANCES APPEAR TO BE TUE NIGHT AND ESPECIALLY SOUTHERN AREAS. SPC HAS 5% RISK OF MARGINAL LARGE HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS ALONG AND SOUTH OF A RUSHVILLE TO DANVILLE LINE TUE AFTERNOON/EVENING WITH SOME WIND SHHEAR THOUGH INSTABILITY IS SOMEWHAT LIMITED. TEMPS WARM UP INTO THE UPPER 70S TO NEAR 80F TUE AND STAY NEAR OR A BIT ABOVE NORMAL DURING MID WEEK. LONG TERM...WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY BEST CHANCES OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO SHIFT INTO SOUTHERN AREAS WED-FRI THOUGH GET A BIT FURTHER NORTH DURING THU NIGHT. NOT TOO MANY CHANGES MADE TO EXTENDED FORECAST AND HAVE 20-40% CHANCE OF CONVECTION SAT WITH HIGHEST CHANCES IN SE IL WITH ANOTHER DISTURBANCE MOVING UP FROM THE SW. KH && .CLIMATE... ISSUED 300 PM CDT SUN SEP 23 2012 RECORD LOWS FOR MONDAY MORNING SEP 24... PEORIA........ 33F IN 1989 SPRINGFIELD... 33F IN 1989 LINCOLN....... 28F IN 1928 BLOOMINGTON... 33F IN 1942 CHAMPAIGN..... 33F IN 1928 DECATUR....... 31F IN 1928 EFFINGHAM..... 28F IN 1928 GALESBURG..... 33F IN 1942 MATTOON....... 30F IN 1928 PALESTINE..... 28F IN 1928 && .AVIATION... ISSUED 1229 PM CDT SUN SEP 23 2012 VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL THROUGHOUT THE NEXT 24 HOURS. THE LATEST SURFACE ANALYSIS INDICATED SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE CENTERED IN WESTERN IA...WITH A RIDGE AXIS EXTENDING SOUTHEAST TO THE OZARKS. MIXING IN THE LOWER LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE AHEAD OF THIS RIDGE WAS RESULTING IN OCCASIONAL GUSTS FROM THE NW. THE NAM BUFKIT FORECAST SOUNDINGS INDICATE THE POTENTIAL FOR GUSTS UP TO 15KTS UNTIL 23-00Z WHEN WE LOSE THE MIXING AND START TO DECOUPLE THE LOWER ATMOSPHERE. A LITTLE BIT OF MOISTURE EAST OF THE RIDGE AXIS WILL ALSO RESULT IN FEW TO SCT CUMULUS AROUND 5KFT THIS AFTERNOON...PARTICULARLY IN EASTERN IL. THE LATEST NAM AND HRRR BOTH INDICATE THAT THE SURFACE RIDGE AXIS WILL BE OVER CENTRAL IL LATE THIS EVENING...AND SHIFT EAST OF THE AREA BY DAYBREAK. LOW LEVEL MIXING WILL ONCE AGAIN DEVELOP BY LATE MORNING...PRODUCING A S-SSW WIND AROUND 10 KTS BY 15Z. DRY AIR WILL ONCE AGAIN RESULT IN A CLEAR SKY THROUGH LATE MORNING IN ALL OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN IL. MILLER && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FROST ADVISORY FROM 1 AM TO 8 AM CDT MONDAY FOR ILZ027>031- 036>038-040>057-061>063-066>068-071>073. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LINCOLN IL
1229 PM CDT SUN SEP 23 2012 .DISCUSSION... ISSUED 1109 AM CDT SUN SEP 23 2012 UPDATED THE FORECAST TO BUMP UP HIGH TEMPERTURES A FEW DEGREES PARTICULARLY IN WEST CENTRAL IL. PLENTY OF MIXING IS ANTICIPATED... MOST LIKELY ABOVE 850 MB...BASED ON THE 12Z ILX RAOB. THIS WOULD RESULT IN HIGHS IN THE MID 60S ACROSS MUCH OF THE FORECAST AREA. LOW LEVELS WINDS ARE NOT AS STRONG AS YESTERDAY...SO WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS OF 10 TO 15 MPH WITH OCCASIONAL GUSTS UP TO 20 MPH WILL BE RULE. OTHERWISE...EVERYTHING ELSE IN THE CURRENT FORECAST LOOKS GOOD. WILL BE ANALYZING THE POTENTIAL FOR FROST AGAIN TONIGHT...ESPECIALLY EAST OF I-55...AND MAY NEED AN ADVISORY FOR EARLY MONDAY MORNING IF IT APPEARS THAT THE FROST WILL BE WIDESPREAD ENOUGH. && .AVIATION... ISSUED 1229 PM CDT SUN SEP 23 2012 VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL THROUGHOUT THE NEXT 24 HOURS. THE LATEST SURFACE ANALYSIS INDICATED SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE CENTERED IN WESTERN IA...WITH A RIDGE AXIS EXTENDING SOUTHEAST TO THE OZARKS. MIXING IN THE LOWER LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE AHEAD OF THIS RIDGE WAS RESULTING IN OCCASIONAL GUSTS FROM THE NW. THE NAM BUFKIT FORECAST SOUNDINGS INDICATE THE POTENTIAL FOR GUSTS UP TO 15KTS UNTIL 23-00Z WHEN WE LOSE THE MIXING AND START TO DECOUPLE THE LOWER ATMOSPHERE. A LITTLE BIT OF MOISTURE EAST OF THE RIDGE AXIS WILL ALSO RESULT IN FEW TO SCT CUMULUS AROUND 5KFT THIS AFTERNOON...PARTICULARLY IN EASTERN IL. THE LATEST NAM AND HRRR BOTH INDICATE THAT THE SURFACE RIDGE AXIS WILL BE OVER CENTRAL IL LATE THIS EVENING...AND SHIFT EAST OF THE AREA BY DAYBREAK. LOW LEVEL MIXING WILL ONCE AGAIN DEVELOP BY LATE MORNING...PRODUCING A S-SSW WIND AROUND 10 KTS BY 15Z. DRY AIR WILL ONCE AGAIN RESULT IN A CLEAR SKY THROUGH LATE MORNING IN ALL OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN IL. MILLER && .CLIMATE... ISSUED 200 AM CDT SUN SEP 23 2012 RECORD LOWS FOR MONDAY MORNING... PEORIA........ 33F IN 1989 SPRINGFIELD... 33F IN 1989 LINCOLN....... 28F IN 1928 BLOOMINGTON... 33F IN 1942 CHAMPAIGN..... 33F IN 1928 DECATUR....... 31F IN 1928 EFFINGHAM..... 28F IN 1928 GALESBURG..... 33F IN 1942 MATTOON....... 30F IN 1928 PALESTINE..... 28F IN 1928 GEELHART && .PREV DISCUSSION... ISSUED 300 AM CDT SUN SEP 23 2012 EARLY MORNING SURFACE MAP SHOWED HIGH PRESSURE CENTERED OVER NORTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA...EXTENDING SOUTHWARD INTO THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. SKIES MAINLY CLEAR THE LAST FEW HOURS OVER THE FORECAST AREA...EXCEPT FOR SOME PATCHY STRATOCUMULUS FROM DECATUR TO RANTOUL. WINDS IN MANY AREAS HAVE GONE CALM AND ALLOWED TEMPERATURES TO DIP INTO THE UPPER 30S...WHILE SOME 40S HUNG ON ESPECIALLY FROM PEORIA SOUTHEAST TO LAWRENCEVILLE...WHERE WINDS HAVE REMAINED AROUND 5 MPH. TEMPERATURES MONDAY MORNING REMAIN A CONCERN...ALONG WITH MORE FROST POTENTIAL. HOWEVER...THE MAIN FORECAST ISSUE WILL BE WITH PERIODIC SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...WITH A FRONTAL BOUNDARY THAT WILL BE DRAPED OVER THE AREA MUCH OF THIS WEEK. SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH TUESDAY... THE CENTER OF THE HIGH SHOULD BE OVER SOUTHWEST INDIANA BY LATE EVENING. TEMPERATURES TODAY WILL BE SIMILAR TO THOSE ON SATURDAY...BUT WILL FEEL MORE PLEASANT WITH MUCH LOWER WIND SPEEDS. MAIN FOCUS FOR FROST WILL BE ACROSS THE EASTERN CWA TONIGHT. WILL NEED TO MONITOR THIS AREA FOR ANY ADVISORIES...BUT WILL LET THE DAY SHIFT HANDLE THAT AFTER EVALUATING WHAT ENDS UP HAPPENING THIS MORNING FROST-WISE. THERMAL GRADIENT AT 850 MB WILL BE FOCUSING ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER LATE TONIGHT AND WILL MOVE THROUGH THE CWA ON MONDAY. THE WARMER SURFACE TEMPS WILL BE ACROSS THE WESTERN CWA...AS 850 MB TEMPS RISE TO +14C. ANOTHER SURGE OF WARM AIR ALOFT WILL PUSH THROUGH THE CWA MONDAY NIGHT...AS SOME ELEVATED CONVECTION DEVELOPS OUT IN MISSOURI ALONG ANOTHER DEVELOPING FRONT...BEFORE SHIFTING EASTWARD INTO ILLINOIS. CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN CWA APPEAR MORE LIKELY TO SEE SOME OF THIS ARRIVE BY TUESDAY MORNING. MEANWHILE...THE MAIN COLD FRONT WILL BE DROPPING SOUTHWARD ON TUESDAY...AS ANOTHER WAVE SWINGS THROUGH THE UPPER GREAT LAKES IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE BROAD TROUGH THAT HAS BEEN IN PLACE FOR SEVERAL DAYS NOW. MUCH OF THE CWA WILL BE IN THE WARM SECTOR TUESDAY...ALLOWING CAPES TO RISE TO AROUND 1500 J/KG...SUPPORTING CONTINUED THUNDERSTORM CHANCES. MAY SEE SOME STORMS WITH HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS...BUT SEVERE THREAT APPEARS RELATIVELY LOW...WITH 5 PERCENT CHANCES MENTIONED IN THE LATEST SPC DAY3 OUTLOOK. WILL CARRY THE HIGHEST RAIN CHANCES TUESDAY NIGHT. LONG TERM...WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY... MAIN QUESTION IS HOW FAR THIS FRONT WILL MAKE IT...AS IT WILL BECOME SANDWICHED BETWEEN THE NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN BRANCHES OF THE JET STREAM. MOST OF THE EVENING MODELS HAVE IT GENERALLY ALONG AN WEST-EAST AXIS CENTERED NEAR THE I-72 CORRIDOR BY WEDNESDAY MORNING...THEN REACHING THE OHIO RIVER AREA TOWARD LATE EVENING AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO THE GREAT LAKES. THE NOTABLE EXCEPTION IS THE GFS MODEL...WHICH KEEPS IT OVER CENTRAL ILLINOIS UNTIL A DEVELOPING SURFACE LOW ARRIVES FRIDAY MORNING. THAT SOLUTION KEEPS PERIODIC RAIN CHANCES GOING THROUGH FRIDAY...WHEREAS THE ECMWF/CANADIAN SOLUTIONS WOULD LIKELY BRING DRY WEATHER TO THE NORTHERN CWA FOR A GOOD PORTION OF THIS PERIOD. FOR THIS FORECAST...WILL SLOWLY SPREAD THE SLIGHT CHANCE POPS SOUTHWARD THROUGH THURSDAY...BEFORE BRINGING THEM BACK UP THURSDAY NIGHT INTO THE 30-40 PERCENT RANGE AS A SHORTWAVE APPROACHES FROM THE WEST IN THE SOUTHERN JET STREAM. ONCE THIS PARTICULAR WAVE CLEARS THE AREA ON FRIDAY...DRY WEATHER IS EXPECTED AS THE WEEKEND BEGINS. GEELHART && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MARQUETTE MI
134 PM EDT SUN SEP 23 2012 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 534 AM EDT SUN SEP 23 2012 WATER VAPOR IMAGERY AND RUC ANALYSIS SHOW A DEEP TROF OVER THE GREAT LAKES REGION. LAST SIGNIFICANT SHORTWAVE ROTATING THRU TROF PASSED ACROSS UPPER MI LATE YESTERDAY AFTN/EARLY EVENING...PROVIDING A GOOD BOOST TO LAKE EFFECT PCPN. UNDER DEEP CYCLONIC FLOW/DEEP MOISTURE (UPSTREAM 00Z CWPL SOUNDING SHOWED SATURATION TO 700MB) AND 850MB TEMPS OF -2 TO -4C PER LATEST RUC ANALYSIS...LAKE EFFECT SHRA CONTINUE WITHIN GENERAL NNW WIND FLOW. DESPITE DEEP MOISTURE/FAVORABLE OVERWATER INSTABILITY...SHRA COVERAGE IS A LITTLE LESS THAN EXPECTED. HOWEVER...DEEP CONVECTION/MOISTURE IS NO DOUBT LEADING TO SOME BRIEF HVY RAINFALL/GRAUPEL WITH SOME OF THE SHRA. MID/UPPER TROF OVER THE GREAT LAKES WILL BEGIN TO SHIFT E TODAY... RESULTING IN RISING HEIGHTS. AT THE LOWER LEVELS...THE UPPER LAKES WILL REMAIN FIRMLY WITHIN THE THERMAL TROF. WITH MORNING 850MB TEMPS OF -2 TO -4C ONLY RISING TO 0 TO -2C BY LATE AFTN...LAKE EFFECT -SHRA WILL CONTINUE THRU THE DAY. HOWEVER...RISING HEIGHTS ALONG WITH ADVECTION OF DRIER AIR AT THE LOW LEVELS AS WINDS BACK MORE WESTERLY WILL SPELL DIMINISHING SHRA FROM W TO E THRU THE DAY. BEING VERY EARLY IN THE LAKE EFFECT SEASON...DIURNAL HEATING WILL ALSO DISRUPT LAKE EFFECT PROCESSES THIS AFTN...AIDING THE DIMINISHING TREND. SO...EXPECT LINGERING NW FLOW LAKE EFFECT SHRA OVER THE W TO END BY EARLY AFTN. OVER THE E...LAKE EFFECT SHRA WILL DECREASE IN COVERAGE...BUT PROBABLY NOT END UNTIL LATER THIS EVENING WHEN WINDS BACK TO AN OFFSHORE DIRECTION. GIVEN VIGOROUS CONVECTION/DEEP CLOUD DEPTH THIS MORNING...HEAVIER SHRA WILL CONTINUE TO MIX WITH GRAUPEL AT TIMES. WAA REGIME RAMPS UP ON WESTERLY WINDS TONIGHT AHEAD OF THE NEXT SHORTWAVE TROF WHICH WILL BE DROPPING S TOWARD THE UPPER LAKES. BEFORE HIGH CLOUDS ARRIVE AHEAD OF APPROACHING SHORTWAVE AND BEFORE LOW-LEVEL WINDS BEGIN TO INCREASE SUBSTANTIALLY...TEMPS WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO FALL QUICKLY THIS EVENING UNDER DRY AIR MASS (PRECIPITABLE WATER 50-60PCT OF NORMAL). FAVORED THE LOWER SIDE OF GUIDANCE GIVEN THE COOL AFTN TODAY. TEMPS WILL PROBABLY SLIP BLO FREEZING ACROSS A GOOD PORTION OF THE FCST AREA WELL INLAND FROM LAKE SUPERIOR. TEMPS SHOULD BEGIN TO RISE SLOWLY OVERNIGHT AS CLOUDS/WINDS INCREASE. .LONG TERM...(MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY) ISSUED AT 534 AM EDT SUN SEP 23 2012 UPPER TROUGH THAT HAS BEEN PROVIDING THE COOL AND WET CONDITIONS OVER THE LAST WEEK WILL HAVE SHIFTED EAST BY THE START OF THE PERIOD. BUT...A SECONDARY WAVE WILL DROP S TOWARDS THAT AREA MON AFTN AND THROUGH THE UPPER GREAT LAKES MON NIGHT. A SFC HIGH TO THE S AND APPROACHING TROUGH/SHORTWAVE WILL LEAD TO STRONG SW LLVL JET OVER THE CWA AT THE START OF THE LONG TERM PERIOD. WIND GUSTS FOR MON WILL DEPEND ON HOW QUICKLY AREA CAN MIX INTO THE STRONGER WINDS ALOFT...SINCE LLVL JET WILL QUICKLY SHIFT SE THROUGH THE DAY. STRONGEST WINDS WILL BE OVER WRN LK SUPERIOR AND FAR WRN UPPER MI...CLOSEST TO THE TIGHTENING PRESSURE GRADIENT. WITH H925-850 WINDS DURING THE MORNING IN THE 40-50KT RANGE WOULD THINK EXPOSED...HIGHER TERRAIN LOCATIONS WOULD SEE GUSTS TO 40KTS NEAR THE KEWEENAW AND EVEN HIGHER IF MIXING CAN OCCUR FASTER. ELSEWHERE...WITH THE LLVL JET QUICKLY SHIFTING THROUGH...ONLY EXPECT A FEW HOURS OF GUSTS TO 20-30KTS. FRONT WILL SLIDE FROM NW TO SE ACROSS THE CWA MON AFTN INTO EARLY EVENING AND WINDS WILL QUICKLY DIMINISH AS IT PUSHES THROUGH. AS FOR CLOUDS/PCPN...EXPECT MAINLY MID CLOUDS TO AFFECT MUCH OF THE CWA THROUGH THE DAY. LLVLS DON/T BECOME MOIST UNTIL WELL AFTER THE FRONT HAS SHIFTED TO THE S OF THE AREA AND NRLY FLOW DROPS THE LOWER CLOUDS IN FROM WRN ONTARIO. THEREFORE...EXPECT PCPN STAYING OVER NE LK SUPERIOR UNDER THE DEEPER MOISTURE AND BETTER H850-700 Q-VECTOR CONV. THIS AREA WILL ALSO HAVE ADDITIONAL MOISTURE FROM LEFT OVER LK ENHANCED PCPN THAT WILL MOVE NE WITH THE SW WINDS. IT/S THOSE SHOWERS THAT COULD SLIDE S AS THE WINDS SHIFT AND AFFECT FAR ERN UPPER MI LATE IN THE AFTN AND EARLY EVENING. FINALLY...MONDAY WILL BE THE FIRST 60 DEGREE DAY IN A WEEK FOR MUCH OF UPPER MI...WITH WARM H850 TEMPS EASILY PUSHING TEMPS INTO THE 60S. LK ENHANCED CLOUDS INCREASING MON NIGHT AND COULD SEE SOME LIGHT SHOWERS OVER THE NCNTRL HIGHER TERRAIN AS H850 TEMPS FALL ENOUGH TO PUT DELTA-T VALUES TO 14. SHALLOW MOISTURE SHOULD LIMIT IT TO VERY ISOLATED SHOWERS OVER THE NCNTRL CWA AND EXPECT THIS TO CONTINUE INTO TUES. HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE WILL ALSO BEGIN TO SLIDE OVER THE UPPER GREAT LAKES FROM THE CANADIAN PRAIRIES ON TUES AND LEAD TO A DIMINISHING TREND TO POPS. HIGHS ON TUES SHOULD BE IN THE 50S AND LOWER 60S...WITH THE WARMEST TEMPS AWAY FROM LK SUPERIOR WHERE THERE WILL BE MORE SUN. SECONDARY SHORTWAVE PROGGED TO DROP THROUGH THE UPPER GREAT LKS ON TUES NIGHT. LLVL MOISTURE ASSOCIATED WITH THE FEATURE AND H850 TEMPS FALLING TO AROUND -1C SHOULD LEAD TO LK ENHANCED CLOUDS/SHOWERS REDEVELOPING UNDER NNW FLOW. WITH DECENT LLVL MOISTURE FROM THE WAVE...EXPECT LK ENHANCED CLOUDS/SHOWERS TO DEVELOP UNDER THE NNW FLOW THROUGH THE NIGHT. MAY BE A LITTLE DEEPER MOISTURE OVER ERN LK SUPERIOR AND WITH THE SLIGHTLY COOLER TEMPS...HAVE POPS INTO THE CHANCE CAT OVER SCNTRL/ERN PORTIONS OF LK SUPERIOR AND SLIGHT CHANCES ONSHORE. EXPECT THESE SHOWERS TO CONTINUE INTO THE FIRST HALF OF WED. SFC HIGH AND UPPER RIDGING WILL THEN BUILD OVER THE CWA WED AFTN INTO THURS AND PRODUCE DRY CONDITIONS. LLVL MOISTURE SHOULD EXIT AND LEAD TO CLEARING SKIES WED NIGHT. THUS...EXPECT A COLD NIGHT WITH THE AREA UNDER THE SFC HIGH AND PWATS AROUND 50 PERCENT OF NORMAL. WILL FOLLOW PREVIOUS SHIFTS ON GOING BELOW GUIDANCE AND INTERIOR TEMPS AROUND 30 DEGREES. THIS SHOULD PRODUCE ANOTHER FROST/FREEZE OVER MUCH OF THE CWA. UNCERTAINTY STARTS TO ARRIVE IN THE MODELS FOR FRI...AS GFS/GEM/ECMWF ARE ALL SHOWING A SHORTWAVE APPROACHING THE UPPER GREAT LAKES BUT DIFFER GREATLY IN TIMING AND LOCATION. THIS IS TO BE EXPECTED AS THERE ARE INDICATIONS THAT IT BECOMES CUTOFF FROM THE NRN STREAM FLOW DUE TO A STRONGER WAVE EXITING THE PAC NW. WITH THIS UNCERTAINTY...AND DRY HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE LIKELY REMAINING OVER THE CWA...WILL GO WITH A DRY FORECAST FOR FRI/SAT. STANDARDIZED ANOMALIES OF H500 HEIGHTS ARE AROUND 0.5 TOWARDS FOR THE END OF THE WEEK...WHICH SHOULD LEAD TO NORMAL TO ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z MONDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 134 PM EDT SUN SEP 23 2012 NW FLOW LAKE EFFECT CLOUDS AND SCATTERED SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE TODAY...AND WILL BE CONTINUING TO WIND DOWN FROM W TO E AS INCREASINGLY DRIER AIR ADVECTS INTO THE AREA. -SHRA HAVE ALREADY ENDED AT KIWD...AND VFR CONDITIONS WILL BE THE RULE THRU THE FCST PERIOD. AT KCMX THERE IS POTENTIAL FOR BRIEF PERIODS OF MVFR CIGS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...BUT VFR CONDITIONS WILL LIKELY PREVAIL. AT KSAW...A FEW LAKE EFFECT RAIN SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED FOR THE FIRST 2 HOURS OR SO OF THE TAF PERIOD UNTIL WINDS TURN MORE NW...WHICH IS NOT FAVORABLE FOR LAKE EFFECT...SO VFR CONDITIONS SHOULD BE THE RULE. TIGHTENING PRES GRADIENT TONIGHT WILL LEAD TO POSSIBLE LLWS TONIGHT...THEN GUSTY WINDS MONDAY...ESPECIALLY AT CMX. && .MARINE...(FOR THE 4 AM LAKE SUPERIOR FORECAST ISSUANCE) ISSUED AT 534 AM EDT SUN SEP 23 2012 SINCE HIGH PRES CURRENTLY OVER THE CNTRL STATES MOVES TO THE OHIO VALLEY RATHER THAN ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES...WINDS WON`T DIMINISH MUCH TODAY. SPEEDS WILL LIKELY REMAIN MOSTLY IN THE 15-25KT RANGE AS NW WINDS BACK MORE WESTERLY. TONIGHT AND MON...TIGHTENING PRES GRADIENT BTWN THE HIGH TO THE S AND AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT FROM THE N WILL RESULT IN WINDS RAMPING UP TONIGHT THRU MON MORNING. WSW GALES OF 35-40KT APPEAR LIKELY OVER MUCH OF THE LAKE. STRONGEST WINDS WILL OCCUR BTWN ISLE ROYALE AND THE KEWEENAW AND IN PARTICULAR AROUND THE W SIDE OF THE KEWEENAW DUE TO COASTAL CONVERGENCE. SOME GUSTS MAY REACH 45KT. AS FRONT PASSES...WINDS WILL QUICKLY DIMINISH LATE MON AFTN/EVENING. WINDS TUE THRU THU SHOULD BE UNDER 20KT AS SFC HIGH PRES BUILDS OVER THE GREAT LAKES. && .MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... UPPER MICHIGAN... NONE. LAKE SUPERIOR... GALE WARNING FROM 8 AM TO 5 PM EDT MONDAY FOR LSZ245-265-267. GALE WARNING FROM 2 AM TO 5 PM EDT MONDAY FOR LSZ263-264-266. GALE WARNING FROM 5 AM TO 5 PM EDT MONDAY FOR LSZ243-244. LAKE MICHIGAN... GALE WATCH FROM MONDAY MORNING THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON FOR LMZ221-248-250. && $$ SHORT TERM...ROLFSON LONG TERM...SRF AVIATION...TITUS MARINE...ROLFSON