Forecast Discussions mentioning any of "HRRR" "RAP" "RR" "RUC13" "RUC" received at GSD on 01/09/13


AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS DENVER/BOULDER CO
949 AM MST MON JAN 7 2013 .UPDATE... && .SHORT TERM...CURRENT FORECASTS LOOK REASONABLE. CLOSED UPPER LOW CURRENTLY OVER SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WITH WEAK FLOW ALOFT ACROSS COLORADO. HIGH CLOUDS OVER AREA CONTINUE TO THIN WHICH WILL ALLOW FOR ABUNDANT SUNSHINE AND HELP WITH WARMUP DESPITE SLIGHTLY COOLER AIRMASS OVER REGION. MAY NEED TO INCREASE TEMPS A BIT ACROSS THE PLAINS...BASED ON CURRENT CONDITIONS. .AVIATION...CURRENT TAF TRENDS STILL ON TRACK. LATEST RAP AND HRRR INDICATE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A DENVER CYCLONE DURING THE AFTERNOON WITH SOUTHEAST WINDS AT DEN AND APA...AND WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS AT BJC. SPEEDS STILL EXPECTED TO STAY BELOW 12 KTS. DRAINAGE PATTERN TO DEVELOP THIS EVENING. VFR TO CONTINUE. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 406 AM MST MON JAN 7 2013/ SHORT TERM...CLOSED UPPER LEVEL LOW OVER SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WILL DIVE SOUTHEAST INTO MEXICO TODAY. THE MAIN JET STREAM WILL BE OVER THE NORTHERN ROCKIES AND LEAVE COLORADO IN BETWEEN THESE FEATURES WHICH WILL RESULT IN A WEAK FLOW ALOFT. TEMPERATURES ARE RUNNING MUCH WARMER THIS MORNING THAN THE PAST FEW DUE TO THE CLOUDS OVER THE AREA. IN ADDITION TO THE HIGH CLOUDS...WEST WINDS OVER AND NEAR THE FOOTHILLS ARE ALSO HELPING KEEP TEMPERATURES UP. THE HIGH CLOUDS WILL MOVE OFF TO THE EAST THIS MORNING. EVEN THOUGH THE AIRMASS ABOVE COLORADO WILL BE SLIGHTLY COOLER TODAY...A MUCH WARMER START TO THE DAY AND SUNSHINE WILL ALLOW MOST LOCATIONS TO GET CLOSE OR POSSIBLY A LITTLE WARMER THAN YESTERDAY. THE JET STREAM OVER THE NORTHERN ROCKIES WILL SINK SOUTH SOME TONIGHT AS A SHORT WAVE PASSES TO THE NORTH OF COLORADO. WILL SEE AN INCREASE IN MID AND HIGH CLOUDS TONIGHT AS THIS OCCURS. THE CLOUD COVER WILL BRING ANOTHER MILD NIGHT. MAY BE ABLE TO SQUEEZE OUT A COUPLE OF WEAK SNOW SHOWERS OVER THE MOUNTAINS OF NORTH CENTRAL COLORADO. IF ANY SNOW DEVELOPS...IT WILL BE LIGHT WITH ACCUMULATION LESS THAN AN INCH. LONG TERM...ABOVE AVERAGE TEMPERATURES AND AN ALMOST ZERO CHANCE FOR PRECIP STILL PROGGED FOR THE TUESDAY-THURSDAY TIME PERIOD. BROAD UPPER RIDGE SLOWLY MIGRATES OVER THE REGION DURING THE 3-DAY PERIOD. MODERATE NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT ON TUESDAY WILL TRANSITION TO A LIGHTER WEST-SOUTHWEST FLOW ON WEDNESDAY AND A MORE SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW OF SIMILAR SPEED ON THURSDAY. A CLOSED UPPER LOW PASSING TO OUR SOUTHEAST ON THURSDAY COULD BRUSH SOUTHEASTERN PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA WITH A SHIELD OF MID/HIGH LEVEL CLOUDS DURING THE MORNING HOURS...DON/T SEE ANY PRECIP WITH THIS MOISTURE. SEE SMALL DAY-TO-DAY CHANGE IN TEMPERATURE DURING THE PERIOD WITH TUESDAY THE COOLER OF THE 3 DAYS AND EITHER WEDNESDAY OR THURSDAY THE WARMEST DAY. ALL DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH CLOUD COVER WE SEE ON THURSDAY. ATTENTION NEXT TURNS TO THE DEEP UPPER TROUGH AND STRONG SFC COLD FRONT SWINGING OUT OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST MIDWEEK. 00Z AND 06Z RUNS OF THE OPERATIONAL GFS AND ECMWF APPEAR TO CLUSTER AROUND A SIMILAR SOLUTION FOR WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY...BUT THEN DIVERGE WITH THE GFS BECOMING STRONGER...WETTER AND MORE PROGRESSIVE WITH THE TROUGH THAN THE EC. MOISTURE AND WIND FIELDS OF THE 00Z/06Z CANADIAN GEM APPEAR SIMILAR TO THOSE OF THE ECMWF...AND SIMILAR TO THE HEIGHT AND TEMP FIELDS OF THE GFS. THE GFS INDICATES SFC CYCLOGENSIS IN SERN COLORADO ON FRIDAY WITH A SFC COLD FRONT BACKING INTO NERN COLORADO THAT MORNING AS A LARGE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH CARVES OUT OVER THE ROCKY MTN REGION. THE EC AND GEM DELAY THE ARRIVAL OF THE COLD FRONT UNTIL FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND THE REALLY COLD AIR UNTIL WELL AFTER DARK. THIS WOULD EXPLAIN THE WIDE RANGE IN MAX TEMPERATURES OFFERED BY THE VARIOUS MOS GUIDANCE. FOR INSTANCE...GFS MOS GIVES A MAX TEMP OF 30 AT DENVER ON FRI AND THE ECMWF A MUCH WARMER HIGH OF 58. FOR SATURDAY...GFS GIVES A HIGH AT DENVER OF ONLY 20...AND THE EC A HIGH OF 38. REALLY COULD GO EITHER WAY AT THIS POINT...BUT SURROUNDING WFOS HAVE SIDED WITH THE COLDER GFS. WILL DO THE SAME...AT LEAST FOR NOW. THERE/S ALSO A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF UNCERTAINTY WITH REGARD TO OUR PRECIPITATION CHANCES WITH THIS SYSTEM. GFS WOULD HAVE US BELIEVE WE COULD SEE SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW BOTH MTNS AND PLAINS STARTING FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND ENDING SATURDAY MORNING WITH SEVERAL HOURS OF DEEP CYCLONIC UPSLOPE FLOW. WHEREAS EC AND GEM INDICATE LESS OROGRAPHIC/SYNOPTIC SCALE FORCING AS WELL AS LESS LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE. THEIR SNOW ACCUM GRIDS INDICATE ONLY SCATTERED AREAS OF LIGHT SNOW ACCUMULATION BY SATURDAY MORNING. BOTTOM LINE...WITH SO MUCH UNCERTAINTY IN FORECAST BEYOND THURSDAY NIGHT...NOT PLANNING TO MAKE MANY CHANGES TO CURRENT FCST PACKAGE DURING THIS PERIOD. AVIATION...VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL THE NEXT 24 HOURS WITH HIGH CLOUDS THIS MORNING AND THEN AGAIN TONIGHT. AT KDEN AND KAPA...NORMAL SOUTHERLY DRAINAGE WINDS WILL BECOME LIGHT AND VARIABLE AFTER SUNRISE. BY AFTERNOON...EXPECTING SOME SORT OF WEAK EASTERLY COMPONENT TO THE WIND...LIKELY EAST TO SOUTHEAST. WINDS SPEEDS ARE EXPECTED TO STAY UNDER 12 KNOTS. AT KBJC...WESTERLY WINDS WILL PREVAIL THROUGH EARLY MORNING. MAY SEE WIND GUSTS AS HIGH AS 20 KNOTS AS WINDS ROLL OFF THE FOOTHILLS. WEAKER WINDS ARE EXPECTED DURING THE DAY. THEN TONIGHT...WESTERLY WINDS MAY INCREASE WITH GUSTS TO 25 KNOTS OCCASIONALLY OCCURRING. && .BOU WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...D-L LONG TERM....BAKER AVIATION...D-L
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MOUNT HOLLY NJ
927 PM EST TUE JAN 8 2013 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE TO OUR EAST TONIGHT WILL SLOWLY LESSENS ITS INFLUENCE ON OUR REGION TOMORROW WHILE A WEAK COLD FRONT PUSHES THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT. A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM THEN SLIDES THROUGH THE REGION THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY FOLLOWED BY WEAK HIGH PRESSURE THROUGH SATURDAY. ANOTHER LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL DROP A COLD FRONT ACROSS OUR AREA LATE SUNDAY INTO MONDAY. HIGH PRESSURE THEN MOVES BACK IN BEHIND THE DEPARTING SYSTEM. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING/... THE LOWER CLOUDS TRAPPED UNDER THE INVERSION CONTINUE TO MOVE SLOWLY EAST ACROSS NORTHEAST MARYLAND...DELAWARE AND A PORTION OF SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY. THE INVERSION DOES NOT SHOW UP WELL ON THE 0000 UTC KIAD SOUNDING (TOO FAR WEST TO SAMPLE THE MOISTURE WELL)...THOUGH THE INVERSION IS THERE. THE 0000 UTC KWAL SHOWS THE MOISTURE...BUT THE LOW LEVEL INVERSION IS HIGHER THERE. THE LATEST RAP APPEARS TO HAVE A DECENT HANDLE ON THE MOISTURE TRAPPED UNDER THE INVERSION...THOUGH IT MAY BE TOO QUICK TO WEAKEN THE INVERSION AND ALLOW THE MOISTURE TO MIX OUT. THE TREND IS FOLLOWED...BUT THE LOWER CLOUDS PROBABLY LINGER INTO THE EARLY MORNING HOURS FOR THE SOUTHERN THIRD OF THE AREA. FURTHER NORTH... MAINLY JET CIRRUS IN THE FAST WEST TO SOUTHWEST MID LEVEL FLOW. THE COVERAGE HAS SHRUNK WITH TIME...BUT PATCHES OF CIRRUS SHOULD AFFECT THE REGION OVERNIGHT. WINDS DROPPED OFF AFTER SUNSET...AND TEMPERATURES CRATERED IN SOME AREAS. THE CIRRUS MAY MITIGATE THIS TO SOME DEGREE OVERNIGHT...BUT LOWS WERE DROPPED IN THE PROTECTED LOCATIONS FOR TONIGHT. ELSEWHERE... JUST SOME TWEAKING OF HOUR TEMPERATURES WAS NEEDED. THE RADIATIONAL COOLING COULD ALLOW PATCHY FOG TO FORM. USING THE CROSSOVER TEMPERATURE METHOD...PORTIONS OF EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA AND NORTH CENTRAL NEW JERSEY APPEAR TO BE THE MOST LIKELY PLACES TO SEE THE FOG. BECAUSE OF THE ABOVE...PATCHY FOG WAS ADDED TO THE FORECAST IN THE ABOVEMENTIONED LOCATIONS. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH 6 PM WEDNESDAY/... A MID LEVEL SHORT WAVE WAS LOCATED OVER THE CANADIAN PRAIRIES AND THE NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS THIS AFTERNOON. THE FEATURE WILL RACE TO THE EAST AND IT SHOULD PASS OVER THE NORTHEASTERN STATES LATE ON WEDNESDAY. A SURFACE COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO ACCOMPANY THE SHORT WAVE. AHEAD OF THE APPROACHING SYSTEM ON WEDNESDAY, A SOUTHWESTERLY WIND WILL INCREASE AGAIN FOR THE LATE MORNING AND AFTERNOON HOURS. TEMPERATURES SHOULD RISE INTO THE 50S IN MUCH OF OUR REGION WITH READINGS STAYING IN THE 40S IN OUR NORTHWESTERN COUNTIES. BEING THAT THEY WILL BE FAST MOVING, THE SHORT WAVE AND THE FRONT SHOULD HAVE LIMITED OPPORTUNITY TO TAP INTO ANY SIGNIFICANT MOISTURE SOURCE. AS A RESULT, CLOUDS WILL BE LIMITED AND WE ARE NOT ANTICIPATING ANY PRECIPITATION FOR WEDNESDAY. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/... AFTER THE DRY COLD FRONT PUSHES THROUGH A SHOT OF HIGH PRESSURE NOSES BACK PROVIDING ANOTHER TRANQUIL DAY ACROSS OUR REGION WITH LIGHT NORTHERLY WINDS. THIS WILL BE THE LAST DAY FOR A FEW OF OUR RATHER BENIGN WEATHER AS THINGS START TO BECOME INTERESTING BY FRIDAY MORNING. A ONCE STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL BE EJECTED OUT OF THE MID-WEST AND PASS OVER THE GREAT LAKES REGION ON FRIDAY. THE SYSTEM WILL HAVE LOST A BETTER PART OF ITS ASSOCIATED MID-LEVEL ENERGY WITH NOTHING MORE THAN A SHORTWAVE TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE LEFT OVER. MODELS THIS AFTERNOON HAVE TRENDED A BIT SLOWER WITH THE ONSET OF PRECIPITATION ACROSS A MAJORITY OF THE MID-ATLANTIC REGION WHICH WILL PLAY HAVOC ON TRYING TO FORECAST ANY P-TYPE ISSUES. THERE DOES LOOK TO BE ENOUGH DRY AIR IN THE LOWER PART OF THE COLUMN TO PREVENT PRECIPITATION REACHING THE GROUND BEFORE 12Z FRIDAY. WITH THAT BEING SAID NOT SURE HOW MUCH COLD AIR WILL REMAIN IN PLACE AT THE SURFACE ACROSS OUR NORTHERN ZONES IN THE WAKE OF STRONGER WARM AIR ADVECTION TAKING PLACE...STILL MAINTAIN A FEW HOURS OF FREEZING RAIN ACROSS THE NORTH WITH SOME ACCUMULATION POSSIBLE...DETAILS HAVE TO WORKED OUT. THIS SYSTEM WILL PUSH OFF TO THE NORTHEAST AS THE SOUTHEAST RIDGE RE-ESTABLISHES ITSELF ACROSS OUR AREA LATE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. THIS WILL CONTINUE A STAUNCH MID-LEVEL SOUTHWEST FLOW OVERHEAD PUMPING IN MORE MOISTURE AND WARMER TEMPERATURES. THE DRIER WEATHER WILL BE SHORT LIVED AS ANOTHER COMPLEX LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM APPROACHES FROM THE WEST ON SUNDAY SPILLING INTO MONDAY. THIS SYSTEM IS RATHER SLOW MOVING WHEN COMPARED TO THE PRIOR SYSTEM AND THIS TIME THERE WILL BE MORE MOISTURE TO TAP INTO. MODELS ARE SHOWING MULTIPLE WAVES OF ENERGY MOVING WITHIN THE SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT WHICH COULD PROVIDE A DECENT AMOUNT OF RAIN ACROSS OUR AREA THROUGH MONDAY...LOOKS LIKE A MORE NORTHERLY TRACK IS LIKELY MEANING OUR NORTHERN AREAS HAVE THE BETTER CHANCES. AS THIS SYSTEM SLIDES TO OUR EAST THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY LOOKS TO PUSH TO THE SOUTH OF OUR REGION ALLOWING COLDER, DRIER CANADIAN AIR TO FILTER BACK IN...ANY LINGERING PRECIPITATION COULD CHANGE BACK OVER TO SNOW/FLURRIES. MODELS ARE UNSURE IF THE FRONT WILL COMPLETELY MOVE OUT OF OUR REGION OR KEEP IT CLOSE ENOUGH TO ALLOW MORE ENERGY TO TREK ALONG IT AND THROUGH OUR AREA BY MID-WEEK. TEMPERATURE-WISE, WE WILL CONTINUE THE ABOVE AVERAGE TREND WITH THE WARMEST DAY OF THE EXTENDED LOOKING LIKE SATURDAY AS TEMPERATURES COULD EASILY CLIMB INTO THE UPPER-50S IN A LOT OF THE AREA. WE WAVER A BIT GOING INTO NEXT WEEK BUT SHOULD STILL REMAIN ABOVE NORMAL. AFTER THE FRONT PASSAGE ON MONDAY WE SHOULD DROP BACK TO AROUND NORMAL. && .AVIATION /02Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... THE FOLLOWING DISCUSSION IS FOR KPHL, KPNE, KTTN, KABE, KRDG, KILG, KMIV, KACY AND SURROUNDING AREAS. VFR CONDITIONS CONTINUE EARLY THIS EVENING. FOR MOST PLACES...THERE IS JUST HIGH CLOUDINESS...WHICH IS THINNING WITH TIME. AN AREA OF VFR CLOUDINESS (WITH BASES NEAR 5000 FEET) IS CROSSING DELAWARE AND EXTREME SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY EARLY THIS EVENING. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT KMIV (AND TO A LESSER DEGREE KACY) COULD BE AFFECTED ENOUGH BY THE CLOUDINESS TO ALLOW FOR AN HOUR OR TWO OF VFR CEILINGS IN THESE LOCATIONS. AFTER THE LOWER CLOUDS EXIT LATER THIS EVENING...MAINLY VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED. A SHORT PERIOD OF MVFR VISIBILITIES IN PATCHY FOG IS POSSIBLE IN PLACES LIKE KRDG AND KMIV...MOST LIKELY BETWEEN 0800 UTC AND 1200 UTC WEDNESDAY. MODEL SOUNDINGS ARE INDICATING THE POTENTIAL FOR LIFR CEILINGS IN MOST LOCATIONS BETWEEN 0800 UTC AND 1300 UTC WEDNESDAY. WHILE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE MAY BECOME AVAILABLE DUE TO COOLING...THE POTENTIAL FOR LOW CEILINGS IS LOW AND WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE NEW TERMINAL FORECASTS.. VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WEDNESDAY...WITH MAINLY HIGH AND MID LEVEL CLOUDINESS. LIGHT SOUTHWEST WINDS IN THE MORNING WILL INCREASE DURING THE AFTERNOON. THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR GUSTS NEAR 20 KNOTS BETWEEN 1800 AND 2200 UTC WEDNESDAY...AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT. THE GUSTS WERE INCLUDED IN THE KPHL TERMINAL FORECAST FOR WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. THE COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO CROSS THE KPHL METRO AIRPORTS BETWEEN 0100 AND 0300 UTC THURSDAY. VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITH A WIND SHIFT TO THE WEST NORTHWEST. OUTLOOK... .WEDNESDAY NIGHT - THURSDAY NIGHT...VFR. WINDS NORTHERLY 10-15 KT. .FRI...RAIN DEVELOPING EARLY IN THE DAY WITH POSSIBLE MVFR OR LOWER CONDITIONS. .SAT...VFR. .SUN...VFR. && .MARINE... HIGH PRESSURE LOCATED WELL OFF THE COAST WILL CONTINUE TO INFLUENCE OUR REGION INTO WEDNESDAY. A DRY COLD FRONT WILL LIKELY APPROACH FROM THE NORTHWEST LATE IN THE DAY. WIND SPEEDS AND WAVE HEIGHTS ARE FORECAST TO REMAIN BELOW THE SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CRITERIA FOR TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY. OUTLOOK... AFTER THE AFOREMENTIONED COLD FRONT SWINGS THROUGH THERE LOOKS TO BE A FEW HOURS OF SCA WIND GUSTS AS STRONG COLD AIR ADVECTION, COMBINED WITH A TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT ACROSS OUR NORTHERN WATER ESTABLISHES ITSELF...A SCA FLAG HAS BEEN RAISED FROM 23Z TO 11Z THURSDAY. AFTER THIS WE SHOULD RETURN TO MORE TRANQUIL CONDITIONS EVEN THOUGH ANOTHER LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL IMPACT OUR WATERS THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY. HIGH PRESSURE THEN REGAINS CONTROL ON SATURDAY. && .PHI WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...NONE. NJ...NONE. DE...NONE. MD...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 6 PM WEDNESDAY TO 6 AM EST THURSDAY FOR ANZ450>452. && $$ SYNOPSIS...HEAVENER NEAR TERM...HAYES SHORT TERM...IOVINO LONG TERM...HEAVENER AVIATION...HAYES/HEAVENER MARINE...IOVINO/HEAVENER
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CHARLESTON SC
952 AM EST MON JAN 7 2013 .SYNOPSIS... A WEDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO THE REGION AND PREVAIL THROUGH TUESDAY...WHILE A COASTAL TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE STRENGTHENS OFFSHORE. A WEAK WARM FRONT WILL LIFT NORTH OF THE AREA WEDNESDAY INTO THURSDAY AS A STORM SYSTEM PASSES WELL TO THE WEST. ATLANTIC HIGH PRESSURE WILL THEN PREVAIL INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK BEFORE A COLD FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... 07/14Z SURFACE ANALYSIS SHOWED HIGH PRESSURE WEDGED IN SOLIDLY ACROSS THE REGION. A THICK RIBBON OF JET ENHANCED CIRROSTRATUS IS HOLDING FIRM...BUT RAP MOISTURE PROFILES SUGGEST IT WILL GRADUALLY MIX OUT AS THE SUPPORTING UPPER JET SHIFTS FARTHER OFFSHORE. EXPECT PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES TO GRADUALLY BECOME MOSTLY SUNNY LATER TODAY...MAINLY ACROSS SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA AND POSSIBLY FAR INTERIOR SOUTHEAST GEORGIA. THE ONSHORE FLOW WILL LIKELY SUPPORT A SLIGHT INCREASE IN MOISTURE ACROSS THE SOUTH WHICH COULD TRANSITION TO A SHALLOW CUMULUS FIELD. IN ADDITION...SOME MARINE STRATOCUMULUS WILL LIKELY MOVE ONSHORE ACROSS PARTS OF THE GEORGIA COAST. ALL OF THIS SHOULD PRODUCE PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES FOR MUCH OF SOUTHEAST GEORGIA...ESPECIALLY SOUTH OF I-16. HIGHS FROM THE MID 50S NORTH TO AROUND 60 ALONG THE ALTAMAHA RIVER LOOK ON TRACK. BEACH LOCATIONS WILL LIKELY ONLY TOP OUT IN THE LOWER 50S WITH SOME SPOTS HOLDING IN THE UPPER 40S. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY/... TONIGHT...ISENTROPIC LIFT WILL STRENGTHEN AS WILL A COASTAL TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE OFFSHORE. EXPECT CLOUD COVER TO INCREASE TOWARD DAYBREAK FROM THE SOUTH AND EAST. THERE COULD BE SOME LIGHT RAIN AS WELL...MAINLY NEAR THE COAST LATE. LOWS WILL LIKELY DROP QUICKLY AT SUNSET AND THEN BECOME MAINLY STEADY OVERNIGHT AS THE CLOUD COVER INCREASES...ESPECIALLY AROUND THE COAST. GOING FOR LOWS IN THE MID 30S INLAND AND AROUND 40 CLOSER TO THE COAST...WITH MID TO UPPER 40S LIKELY ALONG THE BEACHES. TUESDAY...A WEDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL BECOME ENTRENCHED OVER THE FORECAST AREA AS A COASTAL TROUGH STRENGTHENS OFFSHORE. LOW LEVEL MOISTURE TRAPPED BENEATH THE INVERSION AND DEVELOPING ISENTROPIC ASCENT WILL RESULT IN CONSIDERABLE CLOUDINESS ACROSS THE AREA. THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE OF RAIN ALONG THE GEORGIA COAST AND NEAR THE ALTAMAHA RIVER ON TUESDAY WHERE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AND CONVERGENCE WILL BE GREATEST. THEN...EXPECT A SLIGHT CHANCE OF RAIN ACROSS THE ENTIRE FORECAST AREA TUESDAY NIGHT AS MOISTURE DEEPENS AND ISENTROPIC LIFT INCREASES. TEMPERATURES WILL STRUGGLE TO WARM WITHIN THE WEDGE...WITH HIGHS RANGING FROM THE MID 50S IN THE NORTHWEST TO THE LOWER 60S NEAR THE ALTAMAHA RIVER AND GEORGIA COAST. LOWS TUESDAY NIGHT SHOULD BE IN THE MID TO UPPER 40S INLAND AND IN THE LOWER 50S NEAR THE COAST. WEDNESDAY...FORECAST CONFIDENCE IS EXTREMELY LOW AS THE MODELS ARE PROVIDING MIXED SIGNALS WITH RESPECT TO THE WEDGE AND HOW QUICKLY IT ERODES. THE MID AND UPPER LEVEL PATTERN WILL CERTAINLY FEATURE A STRENGTHENING RIDGE OVER THE SOUTHEAST STATES. THERE IS SOME INDICATION THAT A WEAK WARM FRONT MAY ACTUALLY TRY TO DEVELOP NEAR THE AREA AND HOOK UP WITH THE COASTAL TROUGH. HOWEVER...WARM AIR ADVECTION ALOFT WITH PLENTIFUL LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AND THE POTENTIAL FOR ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS WOULD ALL SUPPORT MAINTAINING THE WEDGE...AT LEAST INLAND FROM THE COAST WHERE THE TROUGH MAY TRY TO SHIFT ONSHORE. WHILE H8-H5 THICKNESS VALUES SUPPORT HIGHS WELL INTO THE 70S...THIS IS NOT TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE LOW LEVEL ENVIRONMENT. HAVE THEREFORE OPTED TO LEAN HEAVILY ON THE COOLEST GUIDANCE AND WILL KEEP HIGHS ONLY IN THE MID TO UPPER 60S ACROSS MOST OF THE AREA. IF THE WEDGE BREAKS AND SOME CLEARING OCCURS...THEN THESE TEMPERATURES COULD BE A GOOD 5-10 DEGREES TOO COOL. THURSDAY...THE MID AND UPPER LEVEL PATTERN WILL BECOME MORE AMPLIFIED AS THE RIDGE EXTENDS UP THE EASTERN SEABOARD WHILE A STORM SYSTEM LIFTS NORTHEAST ACROSS THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. AS THIS OCCURS...THE WARM FRONT WILL BEGIN TO LIFT NORTH OF THE AREA FINALLY ALLOWING THE WEDGE TO ERODE. THERE WILL BE SCATTERED SHOWERS DURING THE DAY...ESPECIALLY ACROSS SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA CLOSER TO THE WARM FRONT. CONFIDENCE INCREASES THAT MUCH WARMER TEMPERATURES WILL OCCUR...WITH HIGHS IN THE LOWER TO MID 70S ACROSS THE AREA AWAY FROM THE COAST. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/... A WEAKENING COLD FRONT TRAILING FROM A STORM SYSTEM LIFTING ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES REGION COULD DROP INTO THE AREA ON FRIDAY...BUT A LACK OF SUFFICIENT MOISTURE/FORCING SHOULD KEEP CONDITIONS RAIN-FREE. ATLANTIC HIGH PRESSURE AND STRONG RIDGING ALOFT WILL THEN RESULT IN DRY CONDITIONS THROUGH THE WEEKEND ALONG WITH A CONTINUATION OF WELL ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES. THE RIDGING WILL BEGIN TO BREAK DOWN EARLY NEXT WEEK AS A COLD FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. && .AVIATION /15Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL THROUGH 12Z TUESDAY AT KCHS AND KSAV. LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE WILL BE ON THE INCREASE AFTER MIDNIGHT BUT ANY CEILINGS SHOULD REMAIN VFR. EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...MVFR OR LOWER CIGS LIKELY TUESDAY THROUGH LATE WEDNESDAY AS A WEDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE DEVELOPS OVER BOTH TERMINALS. MVFR CIGS/VSBYS POSSIBLE ON THURSDAY WITH A WARM FRONT LIFTING NORTH OVER THE AREA. && .MARINE... TODAY...POOR MARINE CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST ACROSS THE WATERS TODAY WITH SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CONDITIONS OCCURRING OVER THE GEORGIA OFFSHORE WATERS. BUOY AND PILOT BOAT REPORTS INDICATE WINDS ARE A SOLID 15-20 KT NEARSHORE AND ARE LIKELY CLOSER TO 20-25 KT BEYOND 20 NM OFF THE GEORGIA COAST. WILL HAVE TO WATCH FOR A POTENTIAL PINCHING OF THE PRESSURE GRADIENT ALONG THE COAST WHICH COULD TIP WINDS INTO ADVISORY THRESHOLDS OVER THE NEARSHORE WATERS...BUT KEPT CONDITIONS BELOW FOR NOW. TONIGHT...POOR MARINE CONDITIONS TONIGHT AS AN INLAND HIGH PRESSURE WEDGE/OFFSHORE COASTAL TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE PATTERN SETS UP. THIS WILL KEEP BRISK NORTH/NORTHEAST WINDS IN PLACE...ESPECIALLY TODAY. SEAS WILL BUILD AS WELL GIVEN THE STRONG WINDS AND FAVORABLE FETCH AND WE SHOULD SEE SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CONDITIONS AT LEAST BEYOND 20 NM FROM SHORE. TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY...WINDS/SEAS WILL REMAIN ELEVATED OVER THE WATERS THROUGH TUESDAY AS THE PRESSURE GRADIENT REMAINS ENHANCED BETWEEN BUILDING HIGH PRESSURE INLAND AND A STRENGTHENING COASTAL TROUGH ALONG THE SOUTHEAST COAST. A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR THE OUTER GEORGIA WATERS THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING AS A RESULT. THE TROUGH WILL PERSIST THROUGH WEDNESDAY THEN SLOWLY MOVE NORTH OF THE AREA AS A WARM FRONT ON THURSDAY. ALTHOUGH WINDS WILL DIMINISH ACROSS THE ENTIRE MARINE AREA BY TUESDAY NIGHT THERE COULD BE PERIODS OF ENHANCED WINDS THROUGH MID WEEK DEPENDING ON WHERE THE BEST GRADIENT SETS UP...MOST LIKELY ACROSS THE CHARLESTON NEARSHORE WATERS. A SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL THEN DEVELOP LATE THIS WEEK INTO THE WEEKEND AS ATLANTIC HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO THE REGION. A RISK OF SEA FOG REMAINS OVER THE COOL NEARSHORE WATERS LATE WEEK...AS A WARMER AND MORE HUMID AIRMASS MOVES INTO THE AREA. && .CHS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...NONE. SC...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL NOON EST TUESDAY FOR AMZ374. && $$ ST
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS JACKSON KY
131 AM EST MON JAN 7 2013 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 130 AM EST MON JAN 7 2013 CLOUDS WILL LIKELY LINGER MUCH LONGER THAN ORIGINALLY THOUGHT AND INDICATED FROM MODELS. OUTSIDE OF A BRIEF CLEARING PUSHING SOUTH PRESENTLY...CLOUDS EXTEND BACK WELL TO THE NORTH AND UNTIL THE RIDGE AXIS PUSHES ACROSS THE AREA LATER THIS AFTERNOON...WE WILL LIKELY SEE LOW CLOUDS HANG IN SUPPORTED BY SOME WEAK NORTHEAST TO EASTERLY LOW LEVEL FLOW. RUC SEEMS TO HAVE THE BEST HANDLE ON THE CLOUDS. HAVE UPDATED THE FORECAST ACCORDINGLY AND MAY NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT HIGH TEMPERATURES TODAY AS LOW CLOUDS COULD KEEP THINGS A BIT COOLER. THE EXCEPTION IS IN THE FAR SOUTHWEST WHICH SHOULD CLEAR OUT BASED ON CURRENT SATELLITE TRENDS. THUS...KEPT OVERNIGHT LOWS COOLER TO THE SOUTHWEST. OTHERWISE...ADJUSTED EVERYONE ELSE UP WITH THEIR LOWS TONIGHT. UPDATE ISSUED AT 826 PM EST SUN JAN 6 2013 PCPN HAS MOVED EAST AND WINDS HAVE SHIFTED TO THE NORTHWEST BUT ARE STILL GUSTY. WINDS SHOULD DIMINISH LATER THIS EVENING. HAVE UPDATED ZONES AND GRIDS WITH CURRENT CONDITIONS. UPDATE ISSUED AT 625 PM EST SUN JAN 6 2013 SFC COLD FRONT IS THRU ABOUT HALF THE CWFA. WINDS BEHIND THE FRONT HAVE SHIFTED TO THE NORTHWEST AND ARE GUSTY. FEW SPRINKLES OR LIGHT DRIZZLE PUSHING INTO THE ERN COUNTIES. UPDATED GRIDS BUT ZONES STILL IN GOOD SHAPE. NEXT UPDATE AFTER PCPN EXITS THE CWFA. && .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 240 PM EST SUN JAN 6 2013 THE SURFACE COLD FRONT IS CURRENTLY ALIGNED JUST WEST OF A LINE FROM KCVG TO KSDF TO KBWG. THE MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW THE BETTER CHANCES OF MEASURABLE QPF MAINLY NORTHEAST OF THE AREA. AS SUCH...WILL ONLY ALLOW FOR A SLIGHT CHANCE OF MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION FROM LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING...MAINLY FOR THE NORTHEASTERN TWO THIRDS OF THE COUNTIES...WITH JUST SOME SPRINKLES POSSIBLE FOR THE SOUTHWEST. CLEARING WILL LIKELY BE TOUGH TONIGHT...WITH SURFACE COLD AIR ADVECTION AND NORTHWEST WINDS FAVORING A LINGERING STRATOCU DECK. WILL THEREFORE FAVOR THE NAM IDEA ON TEMPERATURES...GENERALLY LOWER 20S IN THE WEST...AND MORE MID 20S IN THE EAST. SKIES WILL CLEAR OUT DURING MORNING HOURS ON MONDAY...WITH HIGHS RECOVERING TO THE LOWER TO MIDDLE 40S AS UPPER LEVEL RIDGING BUILDS IN OVERHEAD. BESIDES SOME HIGH CIRRUS...MONDAY NIGHT WILL BE CLEAR...WITH SOME OF THE DEEPER VALLEYS IN THE EAST LIKELY GETTING DOWN INTO THE TEENS. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 355 PM EST SUN JAN 6 2013 UPPER LEVEL AND SFC RIDGING ARE EXPECTED TO BE SHIFTING EAST OF THE REGION AT THE START OF THE PERIOD. MODELS THEN TAKE A TROUGH FROM THE NORTHERN PLAINS ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES AND INTO EASTERN CANADA FROM TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY WHILE A CLOSED LOW INITIALLY OVER NORTHERN MEXICO MEANDERS TOWARD THE SOUTHERN PLAINS. THE TROUGH PASSING BY TO OUR NORTH ON TUE NIGHT INTO EARLY WED SHOULD SEND A SFC TROUGH ACROSS THE REGION ON TUE NIGHT INTO EARLY ON WED...ALONG WHICH THE ECMWF AND GFS BOTH HAVE MOISTURE INCREASING BRIEFLY. THE GFS IS MORE ROBUST WITH IT...BUT DOES HAVE SOME SUPPORT FORM THE ECMWF. AT THE SAME TIME... THE MODELS SEEM TO BE DEVELOPING SOME LIFT ACROSS THE AREA ASSOCIATED WITH THE RIGHT ENTRANCE REGION PASSING BY TO OUR NORTH DURING THE LATE TUE NIGHT INTO EARLY ON WED PERIOD. POPS WERE INCREASED TO SLIGHT CHANCE ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST HALF OF THE AREA FOR THIS FOR LATE TUE NIGHT INTO EARLY ON WED...PER ISC COORDINATION. THEN...MODELS TRACK THE UPPER LEVEL LOW AND IT SFC SYSTEM SLOWLY FROM THE SOUTHERN PLAINS TO THE MID MS VALLEY FROM WED INTO THU EVENING PER GFS OR A BIT LATER AND SOUTHEAST THU NIGHT PER ECMWF. THIS WOULD HAVE THE WARM FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH THE SYSTEM MOVING NORTH OF THE AREA ON THU EVENING OR THU NIGHT WITH THE COLD FRONT TO FOLLOW ON FRI. THE HIGHEST POPS ON AVERAGE ACROSS THE REGION WILL BE ON THU ON AVERAGE...AND HIGHEST DURING THE WED NIGHT INTO THU NIGHT PERIOD IN THE WEST WITH THE UPPER SYSTEM TO PASS BY TO THE NORTHWEST. THE HIGHEST POPS ON FRI WERE IN THE EAST IN ADVANCE OF THE COLD FRONT. THIS FRONT...HOWEVER...WILL MAINLY JUST USHER IN DRIER AIR WILL LITTLE TEMP DIFFERENCES ANTICIPATED BEHIND IT. THERE SHOULD BE A RATHER BRIEF WINDOW OF INACTIVE WEATHER FROM FRI AFTERNOON INTO MUCH OF SAT NIGHT. AFTER THAT TIME...THE NEXT TROUGH AND ASSOCIATED SFC SYSTEM WILL BEGIN TO APPROACH FROM THE WEST...BUT EVENTUALLY SHOULD SLOW DOWN AND PERHAPS STALL AS IT NEARS THE REGION. THAT SCENARIO WOULD POINT TOWARD THREAT OF HEAVY RAIN...BUT MODEL DIFFERENCES REMAIN BETWEEN MODELS AND RUN TO RUN. WITH THAT IN MIND...A FORECAST VERY CLOSE TO THE GRID LOAD WAS FOLLOWED FOR POPS LATE IN THE PERIOD. TEMPERATURE RANGES FROM WED ON WILL BE DIURNALLY LIMITED DUE TO EXPECTED CLOUD COVER AND PRECIP CHANCES. READINGS THROUGH THE ENTIRE PERIOD WILL AVERAGE ABOVE NORMAL...PERHAPS NEARLY 20 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL FOR THU NIGHT THROUGH SAT NIGHT. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z MONDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 130 AM EST MON JAN 7 2013 MVFR CIGS WILL CONTINUE OVERNIGHT EXCEPT ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL KENTUCKY NEAR KSME...WHERE SKIES ARE EXPECTED TO CLEAR SHORTLY. OTHERWISE...ANY CLEARING FURTHER EAST IS EXPECTED TO TAKE AWHILE WITH CLOUDS HOLDING IN A JKL PERHAPS WELL PAST DAYBREAK AND MAYBE EVEN INTO THE EARLY AFTERNOON HOURS. BY THIS EVENING...WE SHOULD FINALLY SEE A BETTER PUSH FOR CLEARING SKIES AS THE MID LEVEL RIDGE PUSHES EAST. WINDS WILL TURN MORE LIGHT AND VARIABLE AS WE HEAD THROUGH THE NIGHT AND REMAIN THAT WAY THROUGH TODAY AND TONIGHT. && .JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ UPDATE...KAS SHORT TERM...GEOGERIAN LONG TERM....JP AVIATION...KAS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS DULUTH MN
300 AM CST MON JAN 7 2013 .SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH TUESDAY. SURFACE LOW PRESSURE OVER SOUTHERN MANITOBA WILL MOVE INTO ONTARIO TODAY. NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA WILL SEE MORE CLOUDS AND A SLIGHT CHANCE OF FLURRIES DURING THE DAY. THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM COMBINED WITH A SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER THE OHIO RIVER VALLEY WILL BRING BRISK SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS TO THE AREA. CLOUDS WILL DECREASE OVER THE NORTH TONIGHT AS THE LOW MOVES FURTHER TO THE EAST. ON TUESDAY A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER SOUTHERN SASKATCHEWAN WILL MOVE ALONG THE INTERNATIONAL BORDER AND BRING A CHANCE OF LIGHT SNOW TO THE NORTHLAND ON TUESDAY AFTERNOON. TEMPERATURES WILL BE ABOVE NORMAL TODAY WITH THE BRISK SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS THAT WILL BRING HIGHS INTO THE UPPER 20`S AND LOWER 30`S. HIGHS ON TUESDAY WILL ALSO BE ABOVE NORMAL WITH TEMPERATURES GENERALLY IN THE LOWER 30`S. .LONG TERM...TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY. A SFC LOW WILL TRAVEL FROM MANITOBA TO ONTARIO TUESDAY NIGHT ACCOMPANIED BY A NEGATIVELY TILTED UPPER TROF. THESE FEATURES WILL PUSH A FRONTAL BOUNDARY THROUGH THE FA. WILL CONTINUE TO CARRY THE CHANCE POPS...TRENDING DOWNWARD OVERNIGHT. SOME LIGHT ACCUMULATION IS POSSIBLE ESPECIALLY NEAR THE CANADIAN BORDER WHERE UP TO AN INCH COULD FALL...LESSER AMOUNTS FURTHER SOUTH. SOME LINGERING LIGHT SNOW IS PROBABLE OVER THE ARROWHEAD WEDNESDAY MORNING AS THE UPPER TROF DEPARTS. RIDGING FOLLOWS FOR WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. THE RIDGE AXIS MOVES FARTHER EAST WEDNESDAY NIGHT WHICH ALLOWS FOR STRONG WAA TO SET UP AHEAD OF A DEVELOPING SYSTEM IN THE ROCKIES. 850MB TEMPS SURGE TO AROUND 7C BY 12Z THURSDAY LEADING TO MAX TEMPS IN THE MIDDLE TO UPPER 30S ON THURSDAY. CLOUDS WILL BE ON THE INCREASE THURSDAY AFTERNOON AS A CLOSED UPPER LOW MOVES THROUGH THE SOUTHERN PLAINS. THIS WILL HELP PULL SOME GULF MOISTURE NORTHWARD. AS THE UPPER LOW OPENS INTO A LONG WAVE TROF THURSDAY NIGHT...THE FA WILL BE BETWEEN A SFC LOW NEAR CHICAGO AND ANOTHER OVER THE NORTHERN PLAINS. WITH THE WARM AIR IN PLACE...HAVE SMALL POPS OVER THE SOUTHERN FA FOR LIGHT RAIN THURSDAY AFTERNOON. AS COOLING OCCURS THURSDAY NIGHT NEAR THE SFC...A MIX OF LIGHT RAIN/FREEZING RAIN IS POSSIBLE WHERE SFC TEMPS WILL BE NEAR 32F. HAVE A MENTION OF LIGHT SNOW OVER THE FAR NW PORTION OF THE FA WHICH IS SUPPORTED BY FORECAST SOUNDINGS. AS THE SFC LOW MOVES FROM ND INTO SW ONTARIO ON FRIDAY...WILL SEE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR LIGHT RAIN IN THE SE FA...MIXING WITH LIGHT SNOW IN THE CENTRAL FA...TO ALL SNOW OVER THE NORTH AND WEST AS COLDER AIR ARRIVES. AT THIS POINT...THE MODELS BEGIN TO DIVERGE AS THE OVERALL UPPER FLOW BECOMES SW THANKS TO A LARGE WEST COAST TROF. WILL CONTINUE WITH THE BLENDED APPROACH TO POPS FOR THE REST OF THE EXTENDED AND THE PTYPE SHOULD BE ALL SNOW WITH COLDER AIR LEAKING DOWN FROM CANADA. && .AVIATION...06Z TAFS MAINLY VFR CONDITIONS COVERED THE NORTHLAND LATE THIS EVENING. THE MVFR CEILINGS COMING OFF OF LAKE SUPERIOR HAVE DIMINISHED ALONG THE NORTH SHORE AS LOW TEMPERATURES HAVE RISEN. IFR CEILINGS IN NORTHWEST MINNESOTA MAY STILL BRUSH KINL...BUT WE DID NOT PUT ANY MENTION IN THE TAF ATTM. A SHORTWAVE SCOOTING ALONG THE INTERNATIONAL BORDER MAY BRING SOME LOWER CEILINGS TO KINL MONDAY MORNING. THE RAP 900MB CONDENSATION PRESSURE DEFICITS SEEM TO BE HANDLING THIS FAIRLY WELL...AND SHOW LOWER VALUES REACHING KINL AROUND 13Z...BUT IT JUST BRUSHES THAT AREA. WE BRING IN PREDOMINATE MVFR CEILINGS THERE IN THE AFTERNOON. SOME FLURRIES MAY ACCOMPANY THOSE LOWER CEILINGS. LLWS WILL REMAIN A THREAT TONIGHT. THE WOOD LAKE PROFILER SHOWS 50 KNOTS AT 925MB AND THAT IS LINE WITH THE NAM. && .POINT TEMPS/POPS... DLH 31 14 30 22 / 0 0 30 40 INL 31 10 28 19 / 10 10 30 50 BRD 31 12 32 20 / 0 0 30 30 HYR 32 12 33 22 / 0 0 20 40 ASX 32 17 35 25 / 0 0 10 40 && .DLH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MN...NONE. WI...NONE. LS...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 10 PM CST THIS EVENING FOR LSZ121- 140>148. && $$ SHORT TERM...KK LONG TERM....GSF AVIATION...MELDE
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS DULUTH MN
1144 PM CST SUN JAN 6 2013 .AVIATION...06Z TAFS MAINLY VFR CONDITIONS COVERED THE NORTHLAND LATE THIS EVENING. THE MVFR CEILINGS COMING OFF OF LAKE SUPERIOR HAVE DIMINISHED ALONG THE NORTH SHORE AS LOW TEMPERATURES HAVE RISEN. IFR CEILINGS IN NORTHWEST MINNESOTA MAY STILL BRUSH KINL...BUT WE DID NOT PUT ANY MENTION IN THE TAF ATTM. A SHORTWAVE SCOOTING ALONG THE INTERNATIONAL BORDER MAY BRING SOME LOWER CEILINGS TO KINL MONDAY MORNING. THE RAP 900MB CONDENSATION PRESSURE DEFICITS SEEM TO BE HANDLING THIS FAIRLY WELL...AND SHOW LOWER VALUES REACHING KINL AROUND 13Z...BUT IT JUST BRUSHES THAT AREA. WE BRING IN PREDOMINATE MVFR CEILINGS THERE IN THE AFTERNOON. SOME FLURRIES MAY ACCOMPANY THOSE LOWER CEILINGS. LLWS WILL REMAIN A THREAT TONIGHT. THE WOOD LAKE PROFILER SHOWS 50 KNOTS AT 925MB AND THAT IS LINE WITH THE NAM. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 729 PM CST SUN JAN 6 2013/ UPDATE... TEMPERATURES HAVE DROPPED QUICKLY THIS EVENING...WITH SEVERAL AREAS ALREADY BELOW FORECAST MINS. TEMPERATURES WILL BE A CHALLENGE TONIGHT. WINDS SHOULD BE INCREASING...AND THAT WILL ALLOW TEMPS TO REBOUND IN SPOTS...OR AT LEAST SLOW THE RAPID DROP. AS LOW LEVEL WINDS HAVE BECOMING SOUTHERLY...LAKE CLOUDS HAVE MOVED ASHORE BETWEEN SILVER BAY AND GRAND PORTAGE. DELTA-T VALUES FROM THE SURFACE TO 850MB WILL BE AS HIGH AS 13C AT GRAND PORTAGE EARLY THIS EVENING...BUT WAA WILL LEAD LOWERING DELTA-T`S AS THE NIGHT PROGRESSES. WE DON`T EXPECT MUCH IN THE WAY OF SNOW SHOWERS AS THE AIRMASS IS QUITE DRY...AND THEN STABILITIES WILL INCREASE. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 540 PM CST SUN JAN 6 2013/ AVIATION...00Z TAFS MAINLY VFR CONDITIONS COVERED THE NORTHLAND THIS EVENING...BUT THERE WERE SOME MVFR CEILINGS COMING ONSHORE BETWEEN SILVER BAY AND GRAND PORTAGE DUE TO SOUTHERLY WINDS. WE DO NOT EXPECT MUCH IN THE WAY OF SNOW SHOWERS AS LOW LEVEL TEMPS ARE FORECAST TO INCREASE OVERNIGHT. THERE WERE ALSO SOME IFR CEILINGS OVER WESTERN AROUND KADC/KPKD NORTHWEST INTO THE UPPER RED RIVER VALLEY. THE RAP SHOWS SOME LOW CEILINGS MAY AFFECT KINL FOR A FEW HOURS THIS EVENING. INCREASING SOUTH-SOUTHWEST LLJ WILL CREATE SOME LLWS AT ALL TAFS FOR A PERIOD. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 311 PM CST SUN JAN 6 2013/ SHORT TERM... THIS AFTERNOON/TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT... FAIRLY QUIET CONDITIONS THROUGH THE SHORT TERM WITH ONLY A FEW FLURRIES POSSIBLE ACROSS THE NORTHERN COUNTIES DURING THE DAY TOMORROW. TEMPERATURES WILL BE VERY MILD TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT. UPPER RIDGE BUILDING IN ACROSS THE DAKOTAS WITH A SFC RIDGE AXIS EXTENDING FROM JAMES BAY SWWD INTO THE MO RIVER VALLEY. THE NEXT SYSTEM...CURRENTLY LOCATED OVER THE CANADIAN ROCKIES...WILL MOVE EWD ACROSS SRN CANADA AND BRUSH PARTS OF FAR NRN MN WITH A FEW FLURRIES LATE TONIGHT AND THROUGH THE DAY MONDAY. THE MOST FAVORABLE FORCING FOR SNOWFALL WILL REMAIN WELL TO THE NORTH...CLOSER TO THE SFC LOW MOVING THROUGH SRN MANITOBA INTO WRN ONTARIO. WILL SEE MAINLY ADDITIONAL CLOUD COVER WITH THIS SYSTEM ACROSS THE NRN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA...WITH PARTLY CLOUDY TO MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES TO THE SOUTH. SHOULD SEE EVEN MORE CLEARING MONDAY NIGHT AS THE SYSTEM MOVES TO THE EAST AND HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS BACK IN FROM THE WEST. TEMPERATURES TONIGHT WILL DROP INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS AND TEENS ABOVE ZERO...WITH THE COLDEST TEMPS LIKELY OVER NW WI WHERE THE GREATEST AMT OF CLEARING WILL OCCUR. STRONG SWLY FLOW TOMORROW WILL USHER IN A SLIGHTLY WARMER AIR MASS THROUGH THE DAY AND ALLOW TEMPERATURES TO RISE INTO THE UPPER 20S AND LOWER 30S...SOME 10 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL. TEMPS WILL DROP INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS AGAIN MON NIGHT. LONG TERM... TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY... A SHORTWAVE WILL MOVE ACROSS THE NORTH DAKOTA/CANADA BORDER ON TUESDAY AND THEN LIFT INTO NW ONTARIO BY TUESDAY NIGHT. THIS WILL SPREAD LIGHT SNOW ACROSS THE REGION DURING THAT TIME AS THE TROUGH DIGS AND TAKES ON A BIT OF A NEGATIVE TILT. THINGS SHOULD DRY OUT FOR WEDNESDAY WITH A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE ACROSS THE CWA. WAA WILL ALREADY TAKE OVER WEDNESDAY NIGHT AS SOUTHWEST WINDS DEVELOP AHEAD OF LOW PRESSURE MOVING THROUGH THE MANITOBA LAKES REGION. AN UPPER LOW MOVING NORTHWARD FROM THE PLAINS STATES WILL MOVE IN ON THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT. WILL HOLD OFF ON INTRODUCING PRECIPITATION UNTIL THURSDAY AFTERNOON. THAT MAY EVEN BE A BIT QUICK...BUT THE GFS DOES HAVE PRECIPITATION MOVING IN DURING THE AFTERNOON IN THE SOUTH. THE ECMWF IS MUCH FURTHER SOUTH. THE PRECIPITATION SHOULD CONTINUE INTO FRIDAY AND EVEN INTO THE WEEKEND AS LOW PRESSURE EVOLVES TO OUR W/SW. THE MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW SOME PRETTY SIZEABLE DIFFERENCES WITH REGARD TO THE EVOLUTION OF A STRONG SURFACE LOW BY 18Z SATURDAY. THE ECMWF PRETTY MUCH CONFINES THE HEAVIEST PRECIPITATION TO OUR NW...WHILE THE GFS FAVORS OUR CWA. NO MATTER WHAT...THE MODELS CONTINUE TO PICK UP ON SOMETHING OF INTEREST FOR NEXT WEEKEND. WAY TOO EARLY TO DETERMINE HOW EXACTLY IT WILL AFFECT OUR CWA AT THIS POINT. TEMPERATURES WILL WARM CONSIDERABLY DURING THE WEEK WITH TEMPERATURES SOARING THROUGH THE 30S. COULD EVEN SEE A 40 DEGREE READING SOUTH ON THURSDAY/FRIDAY. && .POINT TEMPS/POPS... DLH 15 30 14 30 / 0 0 0 30 INL 11 30 10 28 / 10 10 10 30 BRD 12 30 12 32 / 0 0 0 30 HYR 13 31 12 34 / 0 0 0 20 ASX 15 31 17 35 / 0 0 0 10 && .DLH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MN...NONE. WI...NONE. LS...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 10 PM CST MONDAY FOR LSZ121-140>148. && $$ SHORT TERM...MELDE AVIATION...MELDE
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NWS ST LOUIS MO
945 PM CST TUE JAN 8 2013 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 936 PM CST TUE JAN 8 2013 PRECIP HAS HELD TOGETHER BETTER THAN PROGD BY SOME OF THE GUIDANCE. HAVE THEREFORE INCREASED POPS ACROSS THE SRN HALF OF THE CWA. THE NRN EDGE OF RADAR RETURNS APPEARS TO BE DISSIPATING SOMEWHAT...BUT WILL PULL SLIGHT CHANCE POPS FURTHER NWD IN CASE THESE RETURNS HOLD TOGETHER. RAISED TEMPS OVERNIGHT A LITTLE AS CLOUD COVER HAS HINDERED ANY COOLING AND WITH COOLER AIR NOT ARRIVING UNTIL WED MORNING. ISSUED AT 704 PM CST TUE JAN 8 2013 UPDATE TO INCREASE CLOUDS THRU THE NIGHT. ALSO INCREASED POPS ACROSS SRN PORTIONS OF THE CWA. PRECIP CURRENTLY OVER SW MO CONTINUES TO MOVE NEWD AND SHUD REACH SRN COUNTIES LATE THIS EVENING. GOING FORECAST MAY STILL BE TOO SLOW BASED ON LATEST RADAR TRENDS. HOWEVER...LATEST RAP/HRRR GUIDANCE SUGGESTS FORCING WILL DIMINISH SOMEWHAT THRU THE NIGHT WITH PRECIP BECOMING MORE SCT THAN IS CURRENTLY. ANOTHER AREA OF CONCERN IS THE CDFNT MOVING INTO NWRN MO. GUIDANCE SUGGESTS THIS FNT MAY HELP TO PUSH PRECIP S OF THE REGION. BELIEVE THE FNT IS MOVING TOO SLOWLY TO HAVE MUCH IMPACT THIS EVENING...BUT MAY MOVE PRECIP FURTHER S FASTER LATE TONIGHT. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR AND UPDATE AS NEEDED. TILLY && .SHORT TERM... ISSUED AT 335 PM CST TUE JAN 8 2013 (TONIGHT) A NRN STREAM SHORTWAVE WILL PASS NORTH OF THE AREA TONIGHT ALTHOUGH IT WILL DRAG A WEAK CDFNT THROUGH THE CWA. ATTM NO PCPN IS EXPECTED WITH THE CDFNT DUE TO THE INITIALLY DRY AIR MASS PER 12Z SGF SOUNDING...LIMITED MOISTURE ACCOMPANYING THE NRN STREAM SHORTWAVE...AND UNFAVORABLE DYNAMICS THIS FAR SOUTH OF THE VORT MAX. THE PRIMARY EFFECT OF THE CDFNT WILL BE TO CAUSE WINDS TO VEER FM SLY TO WLY OVERNIGHT. ALTHOUGH THE NAM/SREF SEEM TO BE OVERDOING THE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE BASED ON THE LATEST OBS...MID-LEVEL MOISTURE SHOULD BEGIN MOVING NWD TONIGHT IN RESPONSE TO A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM IN NRN MEXICO/SRN TX. SOME PCPN HAS ALREADY DVLPD OVER AR AHEAD OF THE SRN SYSTEM AND IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THERE MAY BE ENOUGH LIFT TO SUPPORT A FEW SPRINKLES ACROSS THE SRN CWA. KANOFSKY && .LONG TERM... ISSUED AT 335 PM CST TUE JAN 8 2013 (WEDNESDAY THROUGH TUESDAY) A GOOD POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT QPF IS EXPECTED FOR WED NGT THROUGH THU NGT AS THE UPPER LEVEL LOW OVER OLD MEXICO MOVES SLOWLY NEWD THROUGH THE SRN PLAINS WED AND WED NGT...THEN EVENTUALLY MOVES NEWD THROUGH MO THU NGT. PREFER THE MORE NRN SOLUTION OF THE 500 MB LOW TRACK OF THE NAM AND ECMWF MODELS OVER THE GFS. MOST OF THE PRECIPITATION SHOULD REMAIN S OF OUR FORECAST AREA ON WED...BUT THEN SPREAD NEWD INTO MUCH OF THE REGION WED NGT AS A STRONG SLY LOW LEVEL JET BRINGS LOW LEVEL MOISTURE NWD INTO MUCH OF MO AND SRN IL. SHOWERS AND AT LEAST A FEW THUNDERSTORMS CAN BE EXPECTED ON THU AS A WEAK SFC LOW AND WARM FRONT LIFT NWD INTO SRN MO...WITH INCREASING UPPER LEVEL DIVERGENCE OVER OUR AREA AHEAD OF THE APPROACHING UPPER LEVEL TROUGH. MUCH OF THE PRECIPITATION SHOULD SHIFT E OF OUR AREA BY LATE THU NGT AS THE UPPER LEVEL LOW OPENS UP AND WEAKENS AS IT MOVES TOWARDS THE GREAT LAKES REGION. UNSEASONABLY WARM WEATHER WILL CONTINUE ON FRI WITH S-SWLY LOW LEVEL WINDS ALONG WITH A CLEARING SKY. BOTH THE NAM AND ECMWF MODELS FORECAST 850 MB TEMPERATURES OF AROUND 12 DEGREES C BY 00Z SAT ACROSS MUCH OF OUR AREA. WILL LIKELY HAVE HIGHS IN THE LOWER 60S ACROSS MOST OF THE AREA ON FRI. SAT WILL BE THE LAST DAY OF ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES AS A COLD FRONT DROPS SOUTHEASTWARD THROUGH OUR FORECAST AREA LATE FRI NGT AND SAT. ALTHOUGH THE FRONT SHOULD MOVE THROUGH DRY THE MODELS DO GENERATE POST FRONTAL PRECIPITATION SAT NGT AS A WEAK SFC WAVE MOVES ALONG THE FRONT WITH AN APPROACHING POSITIVELY TILTED UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WELL WEST OF THE AREA. LOOKS LIKE MOST OF THE PRECIPITATION WILL BE ACROSS SERN MO AND SWRN IL IN THE WARMER AIR...BUT COULD NOT RULE OUT A LITTLE LIGHT SNOW N AND W OF STL IN THE COLDER AIR. THE POTENTIAL FOR AT LEAST LIGHT PRECIPITATION MAY CONTINUE ACROSS SERN MO AND SWRN IL UNTIL MON WHEN A STRONG SFC RIDGE OVER THE NRN PLAINS FINALLY BUILDS SEWD INTO MO WITH THE COLD FRONT SHIFTING WELL SE OF OUR AREA. MUCH COLDER...MORE SEASONAL TEMPERATURES CAN BE EXPECTED SUN THROUGH TUE. GKS && .AVIATION... ISSUED AT 536 PM CST TUE JAN 8 2013 DRY...VFR CONDITIONS WITH ONLY MID AND HIGH LEVEL CLOUDS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THE DURATION OF THE FORECAST. PRECIPITATION MOVING INTO SOUTHERN MISSOURI TONIGHT IS NOT EXPECTED TO IMPACT THE TERMINALS DUE TO VERY DRY LOW LEVELS AND A LACK OF FORCING OVER OUR AREA. HOWEVER...RAP AND LOCAL WRF MODEL SOUNDINGS CONTINUE TO INDICATE THE POTENTIAL FOR LLWS THIS EVENING...AND THOUGH THE CONDITIONS ARE MARGINAL...HAVE ELECTED TO MENTION FOR METRO AREA TAF SITES BETWEEN 04-10Z WHERE MODEL SOUNDINGS HAD A LLJ AROUND 40KT AT 1500FT THIS EVENING. MODELED WINDS ALOFT AT KUIN AND KCOU APPEARED TO KEEP THOSE SITES BELOW LLWS CRITERIA. OTHERWISE...SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL GRADUALLY VEER TO THE SOUTHWEST AHEAD OF A WEAK COLD FRONT PROGGED TO MOVE THROUGH THE AREA...BECOMING NORTHWESTERLY BY THE END OF THE FORECAST PERIOD. SPECIFICS FOR KSTL... DRY...VFR CONDITIONS AND MID TO HIGH LEVEL CLOUDS ARE EXPECTED FOR THE DURATION OF THE FORECAST. A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE TERMINAL WEDNESDAY MORNING...CAUSING SOUTHERLY WINDS TO VEER TO THE SOUTHWEST...EVENTUALLY BECOMING NORTHWESTERLY BY THE END OF THE PERIOD. HAVE GONE WITH A DRY FORECAST ATTM AHEAD OF A PRECIPITATION EVENT THAT SHOULD IMPACT THE TERMINAL BEGINNING WEDNESDAY NIGHT...AS IT LOOKS LIKE PRECIPITATION ONSET COULD HOLD OFF UNTIL AFTER 06Z THURSDAY. PRIMARY CONCERN THIS FORECAST IS THE POTENTIAL FOR LLWS TONIGHT...AS LOCAL WRF AND RAP MODEL SOUNDINGS CONTINUE TO INDICATE A LLJ AROUND 40KT AT 1500FT. THOUGH CONDITIONS ARE MARGINAL...FELT THE POTENTIAL WAS WORTH MENTIONING...AND THUS HAVE INCLUDED MENTION OF LLWS FROM 04-10Z TONIGHT. JP && .LSX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MO...NONE. IL...NONE. && $$ WFO LSX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NWS ST LOUIS MO
719 PM CST TUE JAN 8 2013 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 704 PM CST TUE JAN 8 2013 UPDATE TO INCREASE CLOUDS THRU THE NIGHT. ALSO INCREASED POPS ACROSS SRN PORTIONS OF THE CWA. PRECIP CURRENTLY OVER SW MO CONTINUES TO MOVE NEWD AND SHUD REACH SRN COUNTIES LATE THIS EVENING. GOING FORECAST MAY STILL BE TOO SLOW BASED ON LATEST RADAR TRENDS. HOWEVER...LATEST RAP/HRRR GUIDANCE SUGGESTS FORCING WILL DIMINISH SOMEWHAT THRU THE NIGHT WITH PRECIP BECOMING MORE SCT THAN IS CURRENTLY. ANOTHER AREA OF CONCERN IS THE CDFNT MOVING INTO NWRN MO. GUIDANCE SUGGESTS THIS FNT MAY HELP TO PUSH PRECIP S OF THE REGION. BELIEVE THE FNT IS MOVING TOO SLOWLY TO HAVE MUCH IMPACT THIS EVENING...BUT MAY MOVE PRECIP FURTHER S FASTER LATE TONIGHT. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR AND UPDATE AS NEEDED. TILLY && .SHORT TERM... ISSUED AT 335 PM CST TUE JAN 8 2013 (TONIGHT) A NRN STREAM SHORTWAVE WILL PASS NORTH OF THE AREA TONIGHT ALTHOUGH IT WILL DRAG A WEAK CDFNT THROUGH THE CWA. ATTM NO PCPN IS EXPECTED WITH THE CDFNT DUE TO THE INITIALLY DRY AIR MASS PER 12Z SGF SOUNDING...LIMITED MOISTURE ACCOMPANYING THE NRN STREAM SHORTWAVE...AND UNFAVORABLE DYNAMICS THIS FAR SOUTH OF THE VORT MAX. THE PRIMARY EFFECT OF THE CDFNT WILL BE TO CAUSE WINDS TO VEER FM SLY TO WLY OVERNIGHT. ALTHOUGH THE NAM/SREF SEEM TO BE OVERDOING THE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE BASED ON THE LATEST OBS...MID-LEVEL MOISTURE SHOULD BEGIN MOVING NWD TONIGHT IN RESPONSE TO A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM IN NRN MEXICO/SRN TX. SOME PCPN HAS ALREADY DVLPD OVER AR AHEAD OF THE SRN SYSTEM AND IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THERE MAY BE ENOUGH LIFT TO SUPPORT A FEW SPRINKLES ACROSS THE SRN CWA. KANOFSKY && .LONG TERM... ISSUED AT 335 PM CST TUE JAN 8 2013 (WEDNESDAY THROUGH TUESDAY) A GOOD POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT QPF IS EXPECTED FOR WED NGT THROUGH THU NGT AS THE UPPER LEVEL LOW OVER OLD MEXICO MOVES SLOWLY NEWD THROUGH THE SRN PLAINS WED AND WED NGT...THEN EVENTUALLY MOVES NEWD THROUGH MO THU NGT. PREFER THE MORE NRN SOLUTION OF THE 500 MB LOW TRACK OF THE NAM AND ECMWF MODELS OVER THE GFS. MOST OF THE PRECIPITATION SHOULD REMAIN S OF OUR FORECAST AREA ON WED...BUT THEN SPREAD NEWD INTO MUCH OF THE REGION WED NGT AS A STRONG SLY LOW LEVEL JET BRINGS LOW LEVEL MOISTURE NWD INTO MUCH OF MO AND SRN IL. SHOWERS AND AT LEAST A FEW THUNDERSTORMS CAN BE EXPECTED ON THU AS A WEAK SFC LOW AND WARM FRONT LIFT NWD INTO SRN MO...WITH INCREASING UPPER LEVEL DIVERGENCE OVER OUR AREA AHEAD OF THE APPROACHING UPPER LEVEL TROUGH. MUCH OF THE PRECIPITATION SHOULD SHIFT E OF OUR AREA BY LATE THU NGT AS THE UPPER LEVEL LOW OPENS UP AND WEAKENS AS IT MOVES TOWARDS THE GREAT LAKES REGION. UNSEASONABLY WARM WEATHER WILL CONTINUE ON FRI WITH S-SWLY LOW LEVEL WINDS ALONG WITH A CLEARING SKY. BOTH THE NAM AND ECMWF MODELS FORECAST 850 MB TEMPERATURES OF AROUND 12 DEGREES C BY 00Z SAT ACROSS MUCH OF OUR AREA. WILL LIKELY HAVE HIGHS IN THE LOWER 60S ACROSS MOST OF THE AREA ON FRI. SAT WILL BE THE LAST DAY OF ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES AS A COLD FRONT DROPS SOUTHEASTWARD THROUGH OUR FORECAST AREA LATE FRI NGT AND SAT. ALTHOUGH THE FRONT SHOULD MOVE THROUGH DRY THE MODELS DO GENERATE POST FRONTAL PRECIPITATION SAT NGT AS A WEAK SFC WAVE MOVES ALONG THE FRONT WITH AN APPROACHING POSITIVELY TILTED UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WELL WEST OF THE AREA. LOOKS LIKE MOST OF THE PRECIPITATION WILL BE ACROSS SERN MO AND SWRN IL IN THE WARMER AIR...BUT COULD NOT RULE OUT A LITTLE LIGHT SNOW N AND W OF STL IN THE COLDER AIR. THE POTENTIAL FOR AT LEAST LIGHT PRECIPITATION MAY CONTINUE ACROSS SERN MO AND SWRN IL UNTIL MON WHEN A STRONG SFC RIDGE OVER THE NRN PLAINS FINALLY BUILDS SEWD INTO MO WITH THE COLD FRONT SHIFTING WELL SE OF OUR AREA. MUCH COLDER...MORE SEASONAL TEMPERATURES CAN BE EXPECTED SUN THROUGH TUE. GKS && .AVIATION... ISSUED AT 536 PM CST TUE JAN 8 2013 DRY...VFR CONDITIONS WITH ONLY MID AND HIGH LEVEL CLOUDS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THE DURATION OF THE FORECAST. PRECIPITATION MOVING INTO SOUTHERN MISSOURI TONIGHT IS NOT EXPECTED TO IMPACT THE TERMINALS DUE TO VERY DRY LOW LEVELS AND A LACK OF FORCING OVER OUR AREA. HOWEVER...RAP AND LOCAL WRF MODEL SOUNDINGS CONTINUE TO INDICATE THE POTENTIAL FOR LLWS THIS EVENING...AND THOUGH THE CONDITIONS ARE MARGINAL...HAVE ELECTED TO MENTION FOR METRO AREA TAF SITES BETWEEN 04-10Z WHERE MODEL SOUNDINGS HAD A LLJ AROUND 40KT AT 1500FT THIS EVENING. MODELED WINDS ALOFT AT KUIN AND KCOU APPEARED TO KEEP THOSE SITES BELOW LLWS CRITERIA. OTHERWISE...SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL GRADUALLY VEER TO THE SOUTHWEST AHEAD OF A WEAK COLD FRONT PROGGED TO MOVE THROUGH THE AREA...BECOMING NORTHWESTERLY BY THE END OF THE FORECAST PERIOD. SPECIFICS FOR KSTL... DRY...VFR CONDITIONS AND MID TO HIGH LEVEL CLOUDS ARE EXPECTED FOR THE DURATION OF THE FORECAST. A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE TERMINAL WEDNESDAY MORNING...CAUSING SOUTHERLY WINDS TO VEER TO THE SOUTHWEST...EVENTUALLY BECOMING NORTHWESTERLY BY THE END OF THE PERIOD. HAVE GONE WITH A DRY FORECAST ATTM AHEAD OF A PRECIPITATION EVENT THAT SHOULD IMPACT THE TERMINAL BEGINNING WEDNESDAY NIGHT...AS IT LOOKS LIKE PRECIPITATION ONSET COULD HOLD OFF UNTIL AFTER 06Z THURSDAY. PRIMARY CONCERN THIS FORECAST IS THE POTENTIAL FOR LLWS TONIGHT...AS LOCAL WRF AND RAP MODEL SOUNDINGS CONTINUE TO INDICATE A LLJ AROUND 40KT AT 1500FT. THOUGH CONDITIONS ARE MARGINAL...FELT THE POTENTIAL WAS WORTH MENTIONING...AND THUS HAVE INCLUDED MENTION OF LLWS FROM 04-10Z TONIGHT. JP && .LSX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MO...NONE. IL...NONE. && $$ WFO LSX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED AVIATION
NWS ST LOUIS MO
552 PM CST TUE JAN 8 2013 .SHORT TERM... ISSUED AT 335 PM CST TUE JAN 8 2013 (TONIGHT) A NRN STREAM SHORTWAVE WILL PASS NORTH OF THE AREA TONIGHT ALTHOUGH IT WILL DRAG A WEAK CDFNT THROUGH THE CWA. ATTM NO PCPN IS EXPECTED WITH THE CDFNT DUE TO THE INITIALLY DRY AIR MASS PER 12Z SGF SOUNDING...LIMITED MOISTURE ACCOMPANYING THE NRN STREAM SHORTWAVE...AND UNFAVORABLE DYNAMICS THIS FAR SOUTH OF THE VORT MAX. THE PRIMARY EFFECT OF THE CDFNT WILL BE TO CAUSE WINDS TO VEER FM SLY TO WLY OVERNIGHT. ALTHOUGH THE NAM/SREF SEEM TO BE OVERDOING THE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE BASED ON THE LATEST OBS...MID-LEVEL MOISTURE SHOULD BEGIN MOVING NWD TONIGHT IN RESPONSE TO A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM IN NRN MEXICO/SRN TX. SOME PCPN HAS ALREADY DVLPD OVER AR AHEAD OF THE SRN SYSTEM AND IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THERE MAY BE ENOUGH LIFT TO SUPPORT A FEW SPRINKLES ACROSS THE SRN CWA. KANOFSKY && .LONG TERM... ISSUED AT 335 PM CST TUE JAN 8 2013 (WEDNESDAY THROUGH TUESDAY) A GOOD POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT QPF IS EXPECTED FOR WED NGT THROUGH THU NGT AS THE UPPER LEVEL LOW OVER OLD MEXICO MOVES SLOWLY NEWD THROUGH THE SRN PLAINS WED AND WED NGT...THEN EVENTUALLY MOVES NEWD THROUGH MO THU NGT. PREFER THE MORE NRN SOLUTION OF THE 500 MB LOW TRACK OF THE NAM AND ECMWF MODELS OVER THE GFS. MOST OF THE PRECIPITATION SHOULD REMAIN S OF OUR FORECAST AREA ON WED...BUT THEN SPREAD NEWD INTO MUCH OF THE REGION WED NGT AS A STRONG SLY LOW LEVEL JET BRINGS LOW LEVEL MOISTURE NWD INTO MUCH OF MO AND SRN IL. SHOWERS AND AT LEAST A FEW THUNDERSTORMS CAN BE EXPECTED ON THU AS A WEAK SFC LOW AND WARM FRONT LIFT NWD INTO SRN MO...WITH INCREASING UPPER LEVEL DIVERGENCE OVER OUR AREA AHEAD OF THE APPROACHING UPPER LEVEL TROUGH. MUCH OF THE PRECIPITATION SHOULD SHIFT E OF OUR AREA BY LATE THU NGT AS THE UPPER LEVEL LOW OPENS UP AND WEAKENS AS IT MOVES TOWARDS THE GREAT LAKES REGION. UNSEASONABLY WARM WEATHER WILL CONTINUE ON FRI WITH S-SWLY LOW LEVEL WINDS ALONG WITH A CLEARING SKY. BOTH THE NAM AND ECMWF MODELS FORECAST 850 MB TEMPERATURES OF AROUND 12 DEGREES C BY 00Z SAT ACROSS MUCH OF OUR AREA. WILL LIKELY HAVE HIGHS IN THE LOWER 60S ACROSS MOST OF THE AREA ON FRI. SAT WILL BE THE LAST DAY OF ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES AS A COLD FRONT DROPS SOUTHEASTWARD THROUGH OUR FORECAST AREA LATE FRI NGT AND SAT. ALTHOUGH THE FRONT SHOULD MOVE THROUGH DRY THE MODELS DO GENERATE POST FRONTAL PRECIPITATION SAT NGT AS A WEAK SFC WAVE MOVES ALONG THE FRONT WITH AN APPROACHING POSITIVELY TILTED UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WELL WEST OF THE AREA. LOOKS LIKE MOST OF THE PRECIPITATION WILL BE ACROSS SERN MO AND SWRN IL IN THE WARMER AIR...BUT COULD NOT RULE OUT A LITTLE LIGHT SNOW N AND W OF STL IN THE COLDER AIR. THE POTENTIAL FOR AT LEAST LIGHT PRECIPITATION MAY CONTINUE ACROSS SERN MO AND SWRN IL UNTIL MON WHEN A STRONG SFC RIDGE OVER THE NRN PLAINS FINALLY BUILDS SEWD INTO MO WITH THE COLD FRONT SHIFTING WELL SE OF OUR AREA. MUCH COLDER...MORE SEASONAL TEMPERATURES CAN BE EXPECTED SUN THROUGH TUE. GKS && .AVIATION... ISSUED AT 536 PM CST TUE JAN 8 2013 DRY...VFR CONDITIONS WITH ONLY MID AND HIGH LEVEL CLOUDS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THE DURATION OF THE FORECAST. PRECIPITATION MOVING INTO SOUTHERN MISSOURI TONIGHT IS NOT EXPECTED TO IMPACT THE TERMINALS DUE TO VERY DRY LOW LEVELS AND A LACK OF FORCING OVER OUR AREA. HOWEVER...RAP AND LOCAL WRF MODEL SOUNDINGS CONTINUE TO INDICATE THE POTENTIAL FOR LLWS THIS EVENING...AND THOUGH THE CONDITIONS ARE MARGINAL...HAVE ELECTED TO MENTION FOR METRO AREA TAF SITES BETWEEN 04-10Z WHERE MODEL SOUNDINGS HAD A LLJ AROUND 40KT AT 1500FT THIS EVENING. MODELED WINDS ALOFT AT KUIN AND KCOU APPEARED TO KEEP THOSE SITES BELOW LLWS CRITERIA. OTHERWISE...SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL GRADUALLY VEER TO THE SOUTHWEST AHEAD OF A WEAK COLD FRONT PROGGED TO MOVE THROUGH THE AREA...BECOMING NORTHWESTERLY BY THE END OF THE FORECAST PERIOD. SPECIFICS FOR KSTL... DRY...VFR CONDITIONS AND MID TO HIGH LEVEL CLOUDS ARE EXPECTED FOR THE DURATION OF THE FORECAST. A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE TERMINAL WEDNESDAY MORNING...CAUSING SOUTHERLY WINDS TO VEER TO THE SOUTHWEST...EVENTUALLY BECOMING NORTHWESTERLY BY THE END OF THE PERIOD. HAVE GONE WITH A DRY FORECAST ATTM AHEAD OF A PRECIPITATION EVENT THAT SHOULD IMPACT THE TERMINAL BEGINNING WEDNESDAY NIGHT...AS IT LOOKS LIKE PRECIPITATION ONSET COULD HOLD OFF UNTIL AFTER 06Z THURSDAY. PRIMARY CONCERN THIS FORECAST IS THE POTENTIAL FOR LLWS TONIGHT...AS LOCAL WRF AND RAP MODEL SOUNDINGS CONTINUE TO INDICATE A LLJ AROUND 40KT AT 1500FT. THOUGH CONDITIONS ARE MARGINAL...FELT THE POTENTIAL WAS WORTH MENTIONING...AND THUS HAVE INCLUDED MENTION OF LLWS FROM 04-10Z TONIGHT. JP && .LSX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MO...NONE. IL...NONE. && $$ WFO LSX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS OMAHA/VALLEY NE
234 PM CST MON JAN 7 2013 .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY. MAIN FORECAST CONCERNS WILL DEAL WITH TEMPERATURES AND TIMING OF SYSTEM MOVING OUT OF THE SOUTHERN PLAINS WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY. DESPITE THICK CIRRUS LAYER ACROSS PARTS OF THE AREA AND LIGHT SURFACE WINDS ALONG A WEAK TROUGH INTO EAST CENTRAL NEBRASKA... TEMPERATURES HAVE MANAGED TO CLIMB INTO THE MID AND UPPER 30S IN SNOW COVERED PORTION OF THE CWA WITH MID 40S TO LOWER 50S IN SNOW FREE PARTS OF SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA AND SOUTHWEST IOWA THIS AFTERNOON. INITIAL CONCERN FOR TONIGHT WILL BE POTENTIAL FOG DEVELOPMENT IN THE SNOW AREAS WHERE SOME MELTING TODAY HAS ADDED MOISTURE TO THE BOUNDARY LAYER. SHORT RANGE RAP HINTS AT DEVELOPMENT AFTER 06Z IN AREA WHERE MENTION OF PATCHY FOG IS ALREADY IN CURRENT FORECAST. FOR TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY QUESTION WILL BE HOW WARM WILL TEMPERATURES BE ABLE TO REACH. BASED ON TODAYS READINGS CLIMBING TO AROUND 50 IN THE SOUTHEAST PART OF THE CWA...HAVE WENT A WARMER THAN GUIDANCE IN THE SNOW FREE AREAS WITH SNOW FIELD STILL EXPECTED TO KEEP TEMPERATURES TO THE NORTH CLOSE TO GUIDANCE. TIMING ISSUES AMONG THE MODELS STILL IN PLAY FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY WITH NAM THE FASTEST AND LEAST REGARDED AT THIS TIME FRAME. GFS AND EURO HAVE BETTER AGREEMENT BUT EURO REMAINS SLOWER IN MOVING THE SYSTEM ACROSS THE AREA. FORECAST SOUNDINGS FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHT SUGGEST TEMPERATURES SHOULD BE WARM ENOUGH ACROSS THE SOUTH HALF OF THE AREA FOR PRECIP TO BE ALL LIQUID WITH TEMPERATURES REMAINING ABOVE FREEZING ON THURSDAY ACROSS ALL THE AREA AS RAIN CONTINUES. .LONG TERM...THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY. THE GFS AND ECM ARE IN RELATIVELY GOOD AGREEMENT WITH REGARDS TO LARGE SCALE IN THE EXTENDED PD. BOTH ALSO SUGGESTING LITTLE CHANGE NEEDED TO GOING FCST. HEADING INTO NEXT WEEKEND...MODELS ADVERTISE SHORTWAVE ENERGY OVER IA QUICKLY LIFTING TO THE GREAT LAKES REGION LATE THURSDAY NIGHT. MEANWHILE UPSTREAM...A DEEP LONGWAVE TROF IS PROGGED TO EXTEND FROM CNTRL CANADA ALL THE WAY TO THE SWRN CONUS. ON FRIDAY AS THE WRN TROF GRADUALLY MIGRATES EAST...INTENSE BAROCLINIC ZONE BEGINS SWEEPING ACROSS THE NRN/CNTRL PLAINS WITH THE LEADING EDGE OF THE BOUNDARY REACHING THE CWA BY EARLY AFTN. COMBINATION OF INCREASING MOISTURE AND STOUT AGEOSTROPHIC LIFT ALONG DEEP FRONTOGENETIC LYR SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO INDUCE LIGHT SNOW ACTIVITY DURING THE FROPA FRIDAY NIGHT. ON SATURDAY...APPEARS TO BE A SMALL CHANCE FOR LIGHT POST-FRONTAL SNOW ACTIVITY PER THE ECM. 300-500MB QVEC CONVERGENCE IMPLYING LIFT VIA DPVA WHEN POTENT OR MAX ROUNDS THE BASE OF THE WRN TROF AND LIFTS ACROSS THE CNTRL PLAINS. ON THE OTHER HAND...GFS AND CMC BOTH SUGGESTING THE DEEP CAA WILL BE ADEQUATE TO SUPPRESS ANY LIFT VIA DPVA. WILL OPTED FOR TOKEN 20S JUST IN CASE ECM SOLUTION WOULD VERIFY. OTHERWISE...TEMPS WILL PLUMMETS OVER THE PLAINS NEXT WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. EXPECT HIGHS SAT-MON WILL STRUGGLE TO REACH THE LOW/MID 20S. && .AVIATION... 18Z TAFS FOR KOFK...KOMA AND KLNK. VFR CONDITIONS WERE FORECAST AT TAF SITES AS A WIND SHIFT BRINGS A WEAKENING SURFACE GRADIENT. HOWEVER...IF HIGH CLOUDS CLEAR MARKEDLY TONIGHT AND DEW POINT TEMPERATURES INCREASE A BIT MORE THAN EXPECTED...FOG AND STRATUS COULD POSSIBLY DEVELOP OVER SNOW AREA WHICH COULD IMPACT LNK/OMA TAF SITES TUESDAY MORNING. THIS THREAT WILL BE ASSESSED IN FUTURE FORECASTS. && .OAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NE...NONE. IA...NONE. && $$ FOBERT/DEE/CHERMOK
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NWS GRAND FORKS ND
922 PM CST TUE JAN 8 2013 .DISCUSSION... SFC OBS SHOW THE MAIN SFC TROUGH NOW MOVING THROUGH THE RED RIVER VALLEY. WATER VAPOR SHOWS UPPER LOW AND SFC LOW NORTHWEST OF WINNIPEG AND A SURGE OF CLOUDS AND WINDS ON THE BACKSIDE OF THE LOW MOVING FROM REGINA AREA WHERE IT WAS LATE THIS AFTN THEN INTO NW ND 00Z-01Z...THEN NOW MOVING THRU RUGBY-ROLLA AT 02-03Z. THIS SURGE OF CLOUDS ROTATING EAST-SOUTHEAST AROUND THE LOW IN MANITOBA WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE INTO NE ND/NRN RRV THRU 06Z. NAM 3 HR PRESSURE RISES SHOWS A HEALTHY 5 MB/3 HR PRESSURE RISE INTO NE ND 06Z-09Z PERIOD AND 1000-850 MB LOW LEVEL LAPSE RATES DECENT (7 TO 8C/KM) MOVING THRU AS WELL. THIS IS ENOUGH FOR A 3-4 HR PERIOD OF GOOD MIXING OF THE 45-50 KTS 925-850 MB LAYER. SEEING WIND GUSTS TO 40 KTS OR HIGHER AT KMIB...CYBR AND NR THAT AT KRUG (RUGBY). DO EXPECT THIS PERIOD OF WIND GUSTS TO NR 40 KTS TO SPREAD EAST THE NEXT FEW HOURS. DUE TO RATHER SHORT NATURE OF EVENT AND ALSO BECAUSE IT IS CAUSING SLICK ROADS DUE TO DRIFTING...COORD WITH WFO BIS AND ISSUED A SPECIAL WX STATEMENT FOR AREAS ALONG AND NORTH OF COOPERSTOWN-HILLSBORO LINE. OTHERWISE...TEMPS STILL MILD BUT WILL FALL OFF LATER AS COOLER AIR MOVES IN WITH STRATOCU. LATEST RAP AND 00Z NAM ALL SHOW CLEARING MOVING BACK IN BEHIND CLOUDS INTO NE ND TOWARD 12Z. CLOUDS TO CLEAR OUT OF NW MN MORE TOWARD 15Z WED. && .AVIATION....WIND GUSTS COMING NOW AND WILL BE WITH US THRU THE NIGHT IN DVL/GFK/FAR/TVF SITES....SPREADING FROM WEST TO EAST. HIGHEST WINDS LIKELY AT DVL 04Z-07Z WITH NR 40 KTS FROM WEST- NORTHWEST DIRECTION. WINDS WILL DIMINISH BY 12Z. CLOUDS MOVING IN AFTER CLEARING MOSTLY IN THE MVFR RANGE AND THESE SHOULD CLEAR OUT OF NE ND 11Z-14Z PERIOD. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 300 PM CST TUE JAN 8 2013/ SHORT TERM... MAIN FORECAST HEADACHES FOR THE PERIOD WILL BE ENDING OF PRECIP ALONG WITH WINDS TONIGHT...AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE SYSTEM COMING IN THURSDAY/FRIDAY. AN UPPER LOW CURRENTLY ROTATING ALONG THE SASKATCHEWAN/MANITOBA BORDER WILL CONTINUE EASTWARD INTO ONTARIO TONIGHT. THE SFC LOW WILL MOVE EASTWARD ALSO...BRINGING A STRONG GRADIENT WITH WEST WINDS. DEFORMATION BANDS THAT ARE CURRENTLY PRODUCING SNOW OVER THE RED RIVER VALLEY AND POINTS EASTWARD WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST THIS EVENING. WILL MAKE LAST MINUTE ADJUSTMENTS FOR GOING RADAR TRENDS...BUT FOR NOW WILL KEEP HIGH POPS OVER ONLY THE NORTHEASTERN CWA THIS EVENING. SOME OF THE MODELS SHOW SIGNS OF SOME WRAP AROUND SNOW SHOWERS TOWARDS MORNING SO KEPT THE 20 POPS GOING IN THAT AREA AFTER MIDNIGHT. ANOTHER ISSUE TONIGHT WILL BE WINDS. A FEW OF THE MODELS HAVE VALUES APPROACHING WIND ADVISORY CRITERIA...PARTICULARLY OVER THE DEVILS LAKE BASIN DURING THE 00Z TO 06Z TIME FRAME. ON ONE HAND THERE WILL BE A FAIRLY TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT AND DECENT SUBSIDENCE ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE DEPARTING LOW. ON THE OTHER HAND...THE BEST WINDS ALOFT WILL BE COMING THROUGH DURING A PERIOD WITH NOT MUCH MIXING...AND COLD AIR ADVECTION IS NOT AS STRONG AS IT COULD BE. WILL MONITOR OBS DURING THE NEXT HOUR OR SO...BUT FOR NOW WILL KEEP WINDS SUB ADVISORY CRITERIA BUT MENTION BLOWING SNOW IN THE NORTHWEST PORTION OF THE CWA. TOMORROW SHOULD BE FAIRLY QUIET AS UPPER RIDGING BRIEFLY BUILDS INTO THE PLAINS. ANOTHER SFC LOW WILL DEVELOP OVER SASKATCHEWAN...WITH SOUTHERLY WINDS AND WARM AIR ADVECTION KICKING IN BY AFTERNOON. AIR MASS WILL CONTINUE TO BE FAIRLY MILD SO KEPT HIGHS IN THE 20S. TEMPS SHOULD REMAIN FAIRLY WARM THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT AS SOUTHERLY WINDS PICK UP AS THE SFC TROUGH OVER SOUTH CENTRAL CANADA DEEPENS. MODELS BRING IN SOME VERY WARM AIR AT 850MB...UP CLOSE TO 10 C OVER THE SOUTHERN CWA. EVEN WITH A FAIRLY LARGE INVERSION TEMPS WEDNESDAY NIGHT SHOULD STAY IN THE UPPER TEENS TO LOW 20S. THE NEXT QUESTION IS WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH THE SYSTEMS COMING THROUGH THURSDAY/FRIDAY. THE MODELS ALL ARE IN FAIRLY GOOD AGREEMENT ON THE GENERAL PATTERN...BRINGING AN UPPER LOW FROM TX/OK INTO THE UPPER MIDWEST AND THEN A LARGER TROUGH INTO THE WESTERN PLAINS BY FRIDAY. HOWEVER...AS FAR AS SPEED AND WHEN PRECIP STARTS MOVING INTO THE AREA MODEL SOLUTIONS ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE. THE NAM IS FASTEST AND HAS PRECIP ENTERING THE SOUTHEASTERN CWA BY THURSDAY AFTERNOON...WHILE THE GFS IS MUCH SLOWER WITH THE SOUTHERN SYSTEM AND DOESN`T BRING PRECIP INTO THAT AREA UNTIL LATE THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING. THE NAM IS AN OUTLIER BUT THE GFS SEEMS A BIT SLOW...SO LEANED MORE TOWARDS A MIDDLE OF THE ROAD ECMWF/GEM SOLUTION. KEPT POPS VERY LOW BEFORE 00Z FRIDAY WITH INCREASING CHANCES THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT. WITH FAIRLY WARM TEMPS IN PLACE AS THE SYSTEM ARRIVES...SOME RAIN/FREEZING RAIN IS A POSSIBILITY IN THE SOUTHEASTERN CWA AS THE PRECIP BEGINS. THINK THAT PRECIP SHOULD CHANGE OVER TO SNOW ON FRIDAY AS A STRONG COLD FRONT BEGINS TO SLOWLY PUSH INTO THE AREA. KEPT POPS IN THE HIGH CHANCE CATEGORY FOR FRIDAY GIVEN FAIRLY HIGH UNCERTAINTY BUT LATER SHIFTS WILL HAVE TO REEVALUATE. FRIDAY COULD SEE FALLING TEMPS IN THE AFTERNOON AS COLD AIR CONTINUES TO PUSH INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS. LONG TERM (FRI NIGHT THRU TUE)... MAJOR LONG RANGE GUIDANCE IN AGREEMENT DEPICTING SOUTHWEST FLOW AT BEGINNING OF PERIOD MOVING A COLORADO SURFACE CYCLONE TO THE VICINITY OF NORTHERN MINNESOTA/WISCONSIN EARLY SATURDAY. COLDER AIR WILL BE IN PLACE IN THE WAKE OF THE EARLIER WARMUP...THIS IN TANDEM WITH H500/H700 LOWS PROXIMAL TO THE RED RIVER VALLEY WOULD PORTEND A MEASURABLE SNOW EVENT FROM LATE FRIDAY INTO THE FIRST PART OF SATURDAY. LONG WAVE UPPER TROUGH LAGGING BEHIND THIS SYSTEM WILL SWING THROUGH LATER IN THE WEEKEND BRINGING DOWN ARCTIC AIR AS NORTHWEST FLOW ESTABLISHES ITSELF EARLY NEXT WEEK. LOWERED ALL BLEND TEMPS JUST A TAD DURING THIS PERIOD IN AN ATTEMPT TO ACCOUNT FOR SEVERAL INCHES OF PRISTINE SNOWFALL. && .FGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ND...NONE. MN...NONE. && $$ RIDDLE/JR
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS STATE COLLEGE PA
641 AM EST MON JAN 7 2013 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE WILL DOMINATE THE REGIONAL PATTERN THROUGH MID- WEEK...BRINGING DRY AND TRANQUIL WEATHER CONDITIONS TO THE AREA. A RELATIVELY MILD SOUTHWEST RETURN FLOW SHOULD ALLOW TEMPERATURES TO MODERATE WELL-ABOVE SEASONAL CLIMATE NORMALS BY WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. THE NEXT CHANCE FOR PRECIPITATION WILL COME BY THE END OF THE WEEK...AS LOW PRESSURE MOVES INTO THE GREAT LAKES REGION. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL NOON TODAY/... 12Z UPDATE... VERY MINOR CHANGES MADE TO SIG WX ELEMENTS WITH THE EARLY MORNING UPDATE. ISSUED SPS TO COVER PATCHY -FZDZ AND POTNL ICY ROAD THREAT OVER THE ALLEGHENIES. OTHERWISE...STILL LIKE THE IDEA OF SLOW...GRADUAL CLEARING WITH PLENTY OF RESIDUAL LLVL MSTR/LOW CLOUDS STILL COVERING NEARLY THE ENTIRE CWA PER IR SATL LOOP. TEMPS HAVE REMAINED RELATIVELY WARM OVERNIGHT...AND WITH THE AFOREMENTIONED CLOUDS NOT EXPECTING A HUGE REBOUND THIS AFTN. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION FROM 321 AM... EXTENSIVE LOW-LEVEL MSTR/CLOUD COVER IN THE WAKE OF A NEBULOUS SFC LOW MOVG AWAY FROM NRN NEW ENGLAND WILL PERSIST ACRS MUCH OF WESTERN AND CENTRAL PA THIS MORNING...AS UPSLOPE WLY FLOW CONTINUES TO PROVIDE SUFFICIENT /ALBEIT WEAK/ OROGRAPHIC LIFT OVER THE ALLEGHENIES. REGIONAL RADAR MOSAIC ALSO INDICATES SOME LGT PCPN ACRS THE WRN AND NRN MTNS...EITHER IN THE FORM OF -SN OR PATCHY -FZDZ. THE RAP AND 4KM NAM FCST SOUNDINGS FAVOR -FZDZ PROFILES THRU THE PRE DAWN HOURS AS MID-LVL MSTR IS STRIPPED AWAY. THE CLOUD COVER AND STEADY 5-10KT WNW WIND WILL KEEP TEMPS IN THE UPPER 20S TO MID 30S. LOW CLOUDS WILL LKLY BE SLOW TO ERODE AFT SUNRISE ESP IN THE WRN MTNS AS LOW-LEVEL MSTR GETS TRAPPED UNDER SFC RIDGE MOVG EWD FM THE OH VLY. HOWEVER ANTICIPATE SOME BINOVC E OF THE MTNS. && .SHORT TERM /NOON TODAY THROUGH 6 AM TUESDAY/... LG SCALE SUBSIDENCE ASSOC WITH THE AFOREMENTIONED SFC HIGH AND BACKING LLVL FLOW /TO THE SSW/ SHOULD AFFORD MORE PEAKS OF SUN AS THE DAY WEARS ON. HIGHS SHOULD CLIMB A FEW DEGS ABOVE EARLY JANUARY CLIMATE NORMALS...RANGING FROM THE LOW-MID 30S OVER THE ALLEGHENIES TO THE LOW 40S OVER THE LWR SUSQ VLY. EXPECT MAINLY CLR SKIES OVERNIGHT AS THE RIDGE MOVES OVER THE AREA...WITH LOWS VARYING FROM THE UPPER TEENS TO MID 20S. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... MODERATELY AMPLIFIED SPLIT FLOW PATTERN WILL PREVAIL THROUGH THE UPCOMING WORKWEEK...WITH THE NORTHERN STREAM TAPPING MAINLY PACIFIC AIR THROUGH THE PERIOD. EARLY IN THE PERIOD...A RIDGE OF SFC HIGH PRESSURE WILL EXTEND FROM THE WESTERN ATLANTIC TO THE VIRGINIAS...WITH A DEVELOPING SWRLY FLOW AND ABUNDANT SUNSHINE TEAMING UP TO BOOST TEMPS SOME 7-10F ABOVE NORMAL. POPS WILL BE ZERO FOR THE DAY TUESDAY. FOR TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...A WELL DEFINED AND FAST MOVING NRN STREAM SHORTWAVE WILL TRACK FROM THE UPPER GLAKES...TO THE NERN U.S. BY 00Z THUR. BROAD...UPPER DIFFLUENT FLOW BETWEEN TWO DISTINCT 300 MB JET MAXES IN EXCESS OF 100 KTS AND A BRIEF PUSH OF NEAR 0.50 INCH PWATS WILL BRING JUST A FEW TO SVRL HOUR PERIOD LAYERED BROKEN CLOUD COVER AND PERHAPS A FEW SPRINKLES...OR BRIEF LIGHT RAIN/SNOW SHOWERS ACROSS THE WRN MTNS DURING THE EARLY TO MID MORNING HOURS WEDNESDAY /INVOF OF A MOISTURE CHALLENGED WARM FRONT/. FAIRLY STRONG SUBSIDENCE IN THE WARM SECTOR WILL FOLLOW FOR THE MIDDAY AND AFTERNOON HOURS WEDNESDAY...BENEATH THE THERMALLY INDIRECT RIGHT EXIT REGION OF A 150 KT UPPER JET STREAK CROSSING NEW YORK STATE. PARTLY TO MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES FOR WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON WILL BOOST TEMPS FURTHER /BY ABOUT 5 DEG F HIGHER THAN TUESDAY/. HIGHS WED AFTN WILL VARY FROM THE LOWER 40S ACROSS THE NW MTNS TO THE LOWER 50S IN SOME OF THE SOUTHERN VALLEYS. THESE READINGS WILL BE ROUGHLY 10-15F ABOVE NORMAL...WITH THE GREATER DEPARTURES OCCURRING ACROSS THE MTNS. WESTERLY WINDS WILL QUICKLY INCREASE WEDNESDAY MORNING...AND WILL LIKELY GUST BETWEEN 30-35 MPH AT TIMES IN THE AFTERNOON /ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF THE NORTH AND WEST/. A BRIEF SHOT OF SLIGHTLY COOLER AIR FOLLOWS THE EXIT OF THIS NRN STREAM WAVE WEDNESDAY NIGHT. AS WINDS DIMINISH QUICKLY IN THE EVENING AND SKIES STAY MAINLY CLEAR...TEMPS WILL FALL TO AROUND 20F ACROSS THE NRN MTNS /WHERE THE DEEPEST SNOW COVER WILL REMAIN/ TO NEAR 30F IN THE SOUTHEAST. SFC HIGH WILL BE CENTERED ACROSS WRN PENN TO START THE DAY THURSDAY...AND WILL SLIDE EAST ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH DURING THE AFTERNOON. A SLOW MOVING...CLOSED UPPER LOW IMPACTING FAR WEST TEXAS EARLY IN THE WEEK WILL LIFT NE WED AND THURSDAY...AS AN OPENING WAVE IN THE AMPLIFYING SWRLY FLOW ACROSS THE MIDWEST AND GLAKES REGION. INCREASING DEEP-LAYER WARM ADVECTION AHEAD OF THIS SYSTEM LATE THURSDAY INTO EARLY FRIDAY WILL BRING THICKENING CLOUDS AND HIGH CHC TO LOW LIKELY POPS FOR RAIN SHOWERS. THE VERY DRY LLVLS COULD COOL TO JUST BELOW FREEZING AS THE PRECIP SPREADS NE THURSDAY NIGHT...POSSIBLY LEADING TO SOME SPOTTY LIGHT MIXED PRECIP...MAINLY TO THE NORTH AND EAST OF KIPT WHERE A FEW HOURS OF CLEARING ARE POSSIBLE DURING THE EVENING HOURS. IN THE WAKE OF THIS MINOR PRECIP EVENT AND SOME ADDITIONAL SNOWMELT/RUNOFF...TEMPS WILL SLOWLY RISE TO EVEN GREATER DEPARTURES FROM NORMAL AS A VERY ANOMALOUS UPPER RIDGE OF PLUS 2-3 ST DEVIATIONS AMPLIFIES ACROSS THE GLAKES...EAST THROUGH THE NE U.S. AND SERN CANADA. HIGH TEMPS BY SATURDAY COULD BE EASILY 15-20F ABOVE NORMAL ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND SRN PORTIONS OF THE CWA...WITH MAXES RANGING FROM THE MID 40S IN THE NORTH...TO LOWER AND MID 50S THROUGHOUT SOUTHERN PENN. INCREASING CHCS FOR RAIN WILL DEVELOP FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE WEEKEND AS A SLOW MOVING COLD FRONT PRESSES EAST TWD THE REGION AND ONE OR MORE WAVES OF SFC LOW PRESSURE RIDE NEWD ALONG IT. A BIG PATTERN CHANGE IS LIKELY THE FOLLOWING WEEK AS SIGNIFICANT RIDGING DEVELOPS ACROSS THE EASTERN PACIFIC AND ALLOWS A LARGE AREA OF ARCTIC AIR TO SURGE SE INTO THE NRN ROCKIES AND UPPER MID VALLEY MONDAY AND TUESDAY...WITH COOLER AIR OOZING INTO THE MIDDLE ATLANTIC AND LOWER GLAKES REGION. THE NEXT POTENTIAL WINTRY /OR SIGNIFICANT RAIN EVENT/ WILL LIKELY BE NEXT TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY AS THE NRN AND SRN STREAM PHASES INTO A HIGH AMPLITUDE TROUGH FROM THE UPPER GLAKES...SWD TO THE LOWER MISS VALLEY. && .AVIATION /12Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... SHALLOW MSTR IN THE FORM OF LOW ST/SC CLOUDS WILL REMAIN TRAPPED UNDER SUBSIDENCE INVERSION THRU THIS MORNING...AS HIGH PRES BEGINS TO BUILD INTO THE AREA IN THE WAKE OF DEPARTING UPPER TROF. WEAK LLVL UPSLOPE WILL KEEP IFR TO LOW MVFR CIGS AT BFD AND JST THRU 16-18Z...WHILE DOWNSLOPE WNW FLOW SHOULD HELP PROMOTE GRADUAL IMPROVEMENT/VFR CIGS EAST OF THE MTNS. FCST SOUNDINGS SUPPORT SOME PATCHY -FZDZ AND ICING CONCERNS OVER THE HIER TERRAIN INVOF BFD/JST THRU 13Z. LOW CIGS WILL BE SLOW TO DISSIPATE TDY ESP ACRS THE WRN TAFS WITH WDSPRD VFR CONDS ANTICIPATED /ALONG WITH CLEARING/ BY THIS EVE AND TNT. SFC WNDS WILL GRADUALLY WEAKEN AND BACK TO THE SOUTH BY THE END OF THE PD/12Z TUE. OUTLOOK... TUE-THUR...MAINLY VFR...MVFR CIGS PSBL N/W WED-THUR. THUR NGT-FRI...BCMG MVFR/IFR WITH RAIN SHOWERS. && .CTP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...STEINBUGL NEAR TERM...STEINBUGL SHORT TERM...STEINBUGL LONG TERM...LA CORTE/GARTNER AVIATION...STEINBUGL
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS STATE COLLEGE PA
535 AM EST MON JAN 7 2013 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE WILL DOMINATE THE REGIONAL PATTERN THROUGH MID- WEEK...BRINGING DRY AND TRANQUIL WEATHER CONDITIONS TO THE AREA. A RELATIVELY MILD SOUTHWEST RETURN FLOW SHOULD ALLOW TEMPERATURES TO MODERATE WELL-ABOVE SEASONAL CLIMATE NORMALS BY WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. THE NEXT CHANCE FOR PRECIPITATION WILL COME BY THE END OF THE WEEK...AS LOW PRESSURE MOVES INTO THE GREAT LAKES REGION. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL NOON TODAY/... EXTENSIVE LOW-LEVEL MSTR/CLOUD COVER IN THE WAKE OF A NEBULOUS SFC LOW MOVG AWAY FROM NRN NEW ENGLAND WILL PERSIST ACRS MUCH OF WESTERN AND CENTRAL PA THIS MORNING...AS UPSLOPE WLY FLOW CONTINUES TO PROVIDE SUFFICIENT /ALBEIT WEAK/ OROGRAPHIC LIFT OVER THE ALLEGHENIES. REGIONAL RADAR MOSAIC ALSO INDICATES SOME LGT PCPN ACRS THE WRN AND NRN MTNS...EITHER IN THE FORM OF -SN OR PATCHY -FZDZ. THE RAP AND 4KM NAM FCST SOUNDINGS FAVOR -FZDZ PROFILES THRU THE PRE DAWN HOURS AS MID-LVL MSTR IS STRIPPED AWAY. THE CLOUD COVER AND STEADY 5-10KT WNW WIND WILL KEEP TEMPS IN THE UPPER 20S TO MID 30S. LOW CLOUDS WILL LKLY BE SLOW TO ERODE AFT SUNRISE ESP IN THE WRN MTNS AS LOW-LEVEL MSTR GETS TRAPPED UNDER SFC RIDGE MOVG EWD FM THE OH VLY. HOWEVER ANTICIPATE SOME BINOVC E OF THE MTNS. && .SHORT TERM /NOON TODAY THROUGH 6 AM TUESDAY/... LG SCALE SUBSIDENCE ASSOC WITH THE AFOREMENTIONED SFC HIGH AND BACKING LLVL FLOW /TO THE SSW/ SHOULD AFFORD MORE PEAKS OF SUN AS THE DAY WEARS ON. HIGHS SHOULD CLIMB A FEW DEGS ABOVE EARLY JANUARY CLIMATE NORMALS...RANGING FROM THE LOW-MID 30S OVER THE ALLEGHENIES TO THE LOW 40S OVER THE LWR SUSQ VLY. EXPECT MAINLY CLR SKIES OVERNIGHT AS THE RIDGE MOVES OVER THE AREA...WITH LOWS VARYING FROM THE UPPER TEENS TO MID 20S. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... MODERATELY AMPLIFIED SPLIT FLOW PATTERN WILL PREVAIL THROUGH THE UPCOMING WORKWEEK...WITH THE NORTHERN STREAM TAPPING MAINLY PACIFIC AIR THROUGH THE PERIOD. EARLY IN THE PERIOD...A RIDGE OF SFC HIGH PRESSURE WILL EXTEND FROM THE WESTERN ATLANTIC TO THE VIRGINIAS...WITH A DEVELOPING SWRLY FLOW AND ABUNDANT SUNSHINE TEAMING UP TO BOOST TEMPS SOME 7-10F ABOVE NORMAL. POPS WILL BE ZERO FOR THE DAY TUESDAY. FOR TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...A WELL DEFINED AND FAST MOVING NRN STREAM SHORTWAVE WILL TRACK FROM THE UPPER GLAKES...TO THE NERN U.S. BY 00Z THUR. BROAD...UPPER DIFFLUENT FLOW BETWEEN TWO DISTINCT 300 MB JET MAXES IN EXCESS OF 100 KTS AND A BRIEF PUSH OF NEAR 0.50 INCH PWATS WILL BRING JUST A FEW TO SVRL HOUR PERIOD LAYERED BROKEN CLOUD COVER AND PERHAPS A FEW SPRINKLES...OR BRIEF LIGHT RAIN/SNOW SHOWERS ACROSS THE WRN MTNS DURING THE EARLY TO MID MORNING HOURS WEDNESDAY /INVOF OF A MOISTURE CHALLENGED WARM FRONT/. FAIRLY STRONG SUBSIDENCE IN THE WARM SECTOR WILL FOLLOW FOR THE MIDDAY AND AFTERNOON HOURS WEDNESDAY...BENEATH THE THERMALLY INDIRECT RIGHT EXIT REGION OF A 150 KT UPPER JET STREAK CROSSING NEW YORK STATE. PARTLY TO MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES FOR WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON WILL BOOST TEMPS FURTHER /BY ABOUT 5 DEG F HIGHER THAN TUESDAY/. HIGHS WED AFTN WILL VARY FROM THE LOWER 40S ACROSS THE NW MTNS TO THE LOWER 50S IN SOME OF THE SOUTHERN VALLEYS. THESE READINGS WILL BE ROUGHLY 10-15F ABOVE NORMAL...WITH THE GREATER DEPARTURES OCCURRING ACROSS THE MTNS. WESTERLY WINDS WILL QUICKLY INCREASE WEDNESDAY MORNING...AND WILL LIKELY GUST BETWEEN 30-35 MPH AT TIMES IN THE AFTERNOON /ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF THE NORTH AND WEST/. A BRIEF SHOT OF SLIGHTLY COOLER AIR FOLLOWS THE EXIT OF THIS NRN STREAM WAVE WEDNESDAY NIGHT. AS WINDS DIMINISH QUICKLY IN THE EVENING AND SKIES STAY MAINLY CLEAR...TEMPS WILL FALL TO AROUND 20F ACROSS THE NRN MTNS /WHERE THE DEEPEST SNOW COVER WILL REMAIN/ TO NEAR 30F IN THE SOUTHEAST. SFC HIGH WILL BE CENTERED ACROSS WRN PENN TO START THE DAY THURSDAY...AND WILL SLIDE EAST ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH DURING THE AFTERNOON. A SLOW MOVING...CLOSED UPPER LOW IMPACTING FAR WEST TEXAS EARLY IN THE WEEK WILL LIFT NE WED AND THURSDAY...AS AN OPENING WAVE IN THE AMPLIFYING SWRLY FLOW ACROSS THE MIDWEST AND GLAKES REGION. INCREASING DEEP-LAYER WARM ADVECTION AHEAD OF THIS SYSTEM LATE THURSDAY INTO EARLY FRIDAY WILL BRING THICKENING CLOUDS AND HIGH CHC TO LOW LIKELY POPS FOR RAIN SHOWERS. THE VERY DRY LLVLS COULD COOL TO JUST BELOW FREEZING AS THE PRECIP SPREADS NE THURSDAY NIGHT...POSSIBLY LEADING TO SOME SPOTTY LIGHT MIXED PRECIP...MAINLY TO THE NORTH AND EAST OF KIPT WHERE A FEW HOURS OF CLEARING ARE POSSIBLE DURING THE EVENING HOURS. IN THE WAKE OF THIS MINOR PRECIP EVENT AND SOME ADDITIONAL SNOWMELT/RUNOFF...TEMPS WILL SLOWLY RISE TO EVEN GREATER DEPARTURES FROM NORMAL AS A VERY ANOMALOUS UPPER RIDGE OF PLUS 2-3 ST DEVIATIONS AMPLIFIES ACROSS THE GLAKES...EAST THROUGH THE NE U.S. AND SERN CANADA. HIGH TEMPS BY SATURDAY COULD BE EASILY 15-20F ABOVE NORMAL ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND SRN PORTIONS OF THE CWA...WITH MAXES RANGING FROM THE MID 40S IN THE NORTH...TO LOWER AND MID 50S THROUGHOUT SOUTHERN PENN. INCREASING CHCS FOR RAIN WILL DEVELOP FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE WEEKEND AS A SLOW MOVING COLD FRONT PRESSES EAST TWD THE REGION AND ONE OR MORE WAVES OF SFC LOW PRESSURE RIDE NEWD ALONG IT. A BIG PATTERN CHANGE IS LIKELY THE FOLLOWING WEEK AS SIGNIFICANT RIDGING DEVELOPS ACROSS THE EASTERN PACIFIC AND ALLOWS A LARGE AREA OF ARCTIC AIR TO SURGE SE INTO THE NRN ROCKIES AND UPPER MID VALLEY MONDAY AND TUESDAY...WITH COOLER AIR OOZING INTO THE MIDDLE ATLANTIC AND LOWER GLAKES REGION. THE NEXT POTENTIAL WINTRY /OR SIGNIFICANT RAIN EVENT/ WILL LIKELY BE NEXT TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY AS THE NRN AND SRN STREAM PHASES INTO A HIGH AMPLITUDE TROUGH FROM THE UPPER GLAKES...SWD TO THE LOWER MISS VALLEY. && .AVIATION /12Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... 07/09Z UPDATE...VRY MINOR CHANGES TO 07/06Z TAFS AS FCST IS GENERALLY IN CATG. XPCT IFR TO CONT AT BFD/JST THRU 15Z...WITH MVFR CIGS AT UNV/AOO AND VFR CIGS AT THE ERN AIRFIELDS IN ZNY SECTOR. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION 07/06Z... SHALLOW MSTR IN THE FORM OF LOW ST/SC CLOUDS WILL REMAIN TRAPPED UNDER INC SUBSIDENCE INVERSION THIS MORNING...AS HIGH PRES BEGINS TO BUILD INTO THE AREA IN THE WAKE OF DEPARTING UPPER TROF. WEAK LLVL UPSLOPE WILL KEEP LOW MVFR/IFR CIGS AT BFD AND JST THE LONGEST...WHILE DOWNSLOPE SHOULD HELP PROMOTE GRADUAL IMPROVEMENT TO VFR CIGS EAST OF THE MTNS. SOME SCT LGT SHSN OR FLURRIES ARE POSSIBLE ACRS THE WRN/CNTRL TAFS...BUT ANY VIS REDUCTIONS SHOULD REMAIN AOA 5SM. FCST SOUNDINGS SUGGEST SOME PATCHY -FZDZ IS PSBL OVER THE HIER TERRAIN AND BFD/JST HAVE BOTH REPORTED UP IN THE LAST FEW HOURS...BUT WILL NOT MENTION IN TAF DUE TO ISOLD CVRG AND LOW PROB. LOW CIGS WILL LKLY BE SLOW TO DISSIPATE TDY ESP ACRS THE WRN TAFS...WITH WDSPRD VFR CONDS ANTICIPATED BY THIS EVE/TNT. SFC WNDS WILL GRADUALLY WEAKEN AND BACK TO THE SOUTH BY THE END OF THE PD. OUTLOOK... TUE-THUR...MAINLY VFR...MVFR CIGS PSBL N/W WED-THUR. THUR NGT-FRI...BCMG MVFR/IFR WITH RAIN SHOWERS. && .CTP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...STEINBUGL NEAR TERM...STEINBUGL SHORT TERM...STEINBUGL LONG TERM...LA CORTE/GARTNER AVIATION...STEINBUGL
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS STATE COLLEGE PA
445 AM EST MON JAN 7 2013 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE WILL DOMINATE THE REGIONAL PATTERN THROUGH MID- WEEK...BRINGING DRY AND TRANQUIL WEATHER CONDITIONS TO THE AREA. A RELATIVELY MILD SOUTHWEST RETURN FLOW SHOULD ALLOW TEMPERATURES TO MODERATE WELL-ABOVE SEASONAL CLIMATE NORMALS BY WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. THE NEXT CHANCE FOR PRECIPITATION WILL COME BY THE END OF THE WEEK...AS LOW PRESSURE MOVES INTO THE GREAT LAKES REGION. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL NOON TODAY/... EXTENSIVE LOW-LEVEL MSTR/CLOUD COVER IN THE WAKE OF A NEBULOUS SFC LOW MOVG AWAY FROM NRN NEW ENGLAND WILL PERSIST ACRS MUCH OF WESTERN AND CENTRAL PA THIS MORNING...AS UPSLOPE WLY FLOW CONTINUES TO PROVIDE SUFFICIENT /ALBEIT WEAK/ OROGRAPHIC LIFT OVER THE ALLEGHENIES. REGIONAL RADAR MOSAIC ALSO INDICATES SOME LGT PCPN ACRS THE WRN AND NRN MTNS...EITHER IN THE FORM OF -SN OR PATCHY -FZDZ. THE RAP AND 4KM NAM FCST SOUNDINGS FAVOR -FZDZ PROFILES THRU THE PRE DAWN HOURS AS MID-LVL MSTR IS STRIPPED AWAY. THE CLOUD COVER AND STEADY 5-10KT WNW WIND WILL KEEP TEMPS IN THE UPPER 20S TO MID 30S. LOW CLOUDS WILL LKLY BE SLOW TO ERODE AFT SUNRISE ESP IN THE WRN MTNS AS LOW-LEVEL MSTR GETS TRAPPED UNDER SFC RIDGE MOVG EWD FM THE OH VLY. HOWEVER ANTICIPATE SOME BINOVC E OF THE MTNS. && .SHORT TERM /NOON TODAY THROUGH 6 AM TUESDAY/... LG SCALE SUBSIDENCE ASSOC WITH THE AFOREMENTIONED SFC HIGH AND BACKING LLVL FLOW /TO THE SSW/ SHOULD AFFORD MORE PEAKS OF SUN AS THE DAY WEARS ON. HIGHS SHOULD CLIMB A FEW DEGS ABOVE EARLY JANUARY CLIMATE NORMALS...RANGING FROM THE LOW-MID 30S OVER THE ALLEGHENIES TO THE LOW 40S OVER THE LWR SUSQ VLY. EXPECT MAINLY CLR SKIES OVERNIGHT AS THE RIDGE MOVES OVER THE AREA...WITH LOWS VARYING FROM THE UPPER TEENS TO MID 20S. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... MODERATELY AMPLIFIED SPLIT FLOW PATTERN WILL PREVAIL THROUGH THE UPCOMING WORKWEEK...WITH THE NORTHERN STREAM TAPPING MAINLY PACIFIC AIR THROUGH THE PERIOD. EARLY IN THE PERIOD...A RIDGE OF SFC HIGH PRESSURE WILL EXTEND FROM THE WESTERN ATLANTIC TO THE VIRGINIAS...WITH A DEVELOPING SWRLY FLOW AND ABUNDANT SUNSHINE TEAMING UP TO BOOST TEMPS SOME 7-10F ABOVE NORMAL. POPS WILL BE ZERO FOR THE DAY TUESDAY. FOR TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...A WELL DEFINED AND FAST MOVING NRN STREAM SHORTWAVE WILL TRACK FROM THE UPPER GLAKES...TO THE NERN U.S. BY 00Z THUR. BROAD...UPPER DIFFLUENT FLOW BETWEEN TWO DISTINCT 300 MB JET MAXES IN EXCESS OF 100 KTS AND A BRIEF PUSH OF NEAR 0.50 INCH PWATS WILL BRING JUST A FEW TO SVRL HOUR PERIOD LAYERED BROKEN CLOUD COVER AND PERHAPS A FEW SPRINKLES...OR BRIEF LIGHT RAIN/SNOW SHOWERS ACROSS THE WRN MTNS DURING THE EARLY TO MID MORNING HOURS WEDNESDAY /INVOF OF A MOISTURE CHALLENGED WARM FRONT/. FAIRLY STRONG SUBSIDENCE IN THE WARM SECTOR WILL FOLLOW FOR THE MIDDAY AND AFTERNOON HOURS WEDNESDAY...BENEATH THE THERMALLY INDIRECT RIGHT EXIT REGION OF A 150 KT UPPER JET STREAK CROSSING NEW YORK STATE. PARTLY TO MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES FOR WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON WILL BOOST TEMPS FURTHER /BY ABOUT 5 DEG F HIGHER THAN TUESDAY/. HIGHS WED AFTN WILL VARY FROM THE LOWER 40S ACROSS THE NW MTNS TO THE LOWER 50S IN SOME OF THE SOUTHERN VALLEYS. THESE READINGS WILL BE ROUGHLY 10-15F ABOVE NORMAL...WITH THE GREATER DEPARTURES OCCURRING ACROSS THE MTNS. WESTERLY WINDS WILL QUICKLY INCREASE WEDNESDAY MORNING...AND WILL LIKELY GUST BETWEEN 30-35 MPH AT TIMES IN THE AFTERNOON /ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF THE NORTH AND WEST/. A BRIEF SHOT OF SLIGHTLY COOLER AIR FOLLOWS THE EXIT OF THIS NRN STREAM WAVE WEDNESDAY NIGHT. AS WINDS DIMINISH QUICKLY IN THE EVENING AND SKIES STAY MAINLY CLEAR...TEMPS WILL FALL TO AROUND 20F ACROSS THE NRN MTNS /WHERE THE DEEPEST SNOW COVER WILL REMAIN/ TO NEAR 30F IN THE SOUTHEAST. SFC HIGH WILL BE CENTERED ACROSS WRN PENN TO START THE DAY THURSDAY...AND WILL SLIDE EAST ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH DURING THE AFTERNOON. A SLOW MOVING...CLOSED UPPER LOW IMPACTING FAR WEST TEXAS EARLY IN THE WEEK WILL LIFT NE WED AND THURSDAY...AS AN OPENING WAVE IN THE AMPLIFYING SWRLY FLOW ACROSS THE MIDWEST AND GLAKES REGION. INCREASING DEEP-LAYER WARM ADVECTION AHEAD OF THIS SYSTEM LATE THURSDAY INTO EARLY FRIDAY WILL BRING THICKENING CLOUDS AND HIGH CHC TO LOW LIKELY POPS FOR RAIN SHOWERS. THE VERY DRY LLVLS COULD COOL TO JUST BELOW FREEZING AS THE PRECIP SPREADS NE THURSDAY NIGHT...POSSIBLY LEADING TO SOME SPOTTY LIGHT MIXED PRECIP...MAINLY TO THE NORTH AND EAST OF KIPT WHERE A FEW HOURS OF CLEARING ARE POSSIBLE DURING THE EVENING HOURS. IN THE WAKE OF THIS MINOR PRECIP EVENT AND SOME ADDITIONAL SNOWMELT/RUNOFF...TEMPS WILL SLOWLY RISE TO EVEN GREATER DEPARTURES FROM NORMAL AS A VERY ANOMALOUS UPPER RIDGE OF PLUS 2-3 ST DEVIATIONS AMPLIFIES ACROSS THE GLAKES...EAST THROUGH THE NE U.S. AND SERN CANADA. HIGH TEMPS BY SATURDAY COULD BE EASILY 15-20F ABOVE NORMAL ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND SRN PORTIONS OF THE CWA...WITH MAXES RANGING FROM THE MID 40S IN THE NORTH...TO LOWER AND MID 50S THROUGHOUT SOUTHERN PENN. INCREASING CHCS FOR RAIN WILL DEVELOP FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE WEEKEND AS A SLOW MOVING COLD FRONT PRESSES EAST TWD THE REGION AND ONE OR MORE WAVES OF SFC LOW PRESSURE RIDE NEWD ALONG IT. A BIG PATTERN CHANGE IS LIKELY THE FOLLOWING WEEK AS SIGNIFICANT RIDGING DEVELOPS ACROSS THE EASTERN PACIFIC AND ALLOWS A LARGE AREA OF ARCTIC AIR TO SURGE SE INTO THE NRN ROCKIES AND UPPER MID VALLEY MONDAY AND TUESDAY...WITH COOLER AIR OOZING INTO THE MIDDLE ATLANTIC AND LOWER GLAKES REGION. THE NEXT POTENTIAL WINTRY /OR SIGNIFICANT RAIN EVENT/ WILL LIKELY BE NEXT TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY AS THE NRN AND SRN STREAM PHASES INTO A HIGH AMPLITUDE TROUGH FROM THE UPPER GLAKES...SWD TO THE LOWER MISS VALLEY. && .AVIATION /09Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... SHALLOW MSTR IN THE FORM OF LOW ST/SC CLOUDS WILL REMAIN TRAPPED UNDER INC SUBSIDENCE INVERSION THIS MORNING...AS HIGH PRES BEGINS TO BUILD INTO THE AREA IN THE WAKE OF DEPARTING UPPER TROF. WEAK LLVL UPSLOPE WILL KEEP LOW MVFR/IFR CIGS AT BFD AND JST THE LONGEST...WHILE DOWNSLOPE SHOULD HELP PROMOTE GRADUAL IMPROVEMENT TO VFR CIGS EAST OF THE MTNS. SOME SCT LGT SHSN OR FLURRIES ARE POSSIBLE ACRS THE WRN/CNTRL TAFS...BUT ANY VIS REDUCTIONS SHOULD REMAIN AOA 5SM. FCST SOUNDINGS SUGGEST SOME PATCHY -FZDZ IS PSBL OVER THE HIER TERRAIN AND BFD/JST HAVE BOTH REPORTED UP IN THE LAST FEW HOURS...BUT WILL NOT MENTION IN TAF DUE TO ISOLD CVRG AND LOW PROB. LOW CIGS WILL LKLY BE SLOW TO DISSIPATE TDY ESP ACRS THE WRN TAFS...WITH WDSPRD VFR CONDS ANTICIPATED BY THIS EVE/TNT. SFC WNDS WILL GRADUALLY WEAKEN AND BACK TO THE SOUTH BY THE END OF THE PD. OUTLOOK... TUE-WED...MAINLY VFR...MVFR PSBL ON WED. THU...VFR...DETERIORATING CONDITIONS PSBL LATER THURSDAY NIGHT. FRI...MVFR/IFR WITH RAIN SHOWERS. && .CTP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...STEINBUGL NEAR TERM...STEINBUGL SHORT TERM...STEINBUGL LONG TERM...LA CORTE/GARTNER AVIATION...STEINBUGL
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS STATE COLLEGE PA
321 AM EST MON JAN 7 2013 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE WILL DOMINATE THE REGIONAL PATTERN THROUGH MID- WEEK...BRINGING DRY AND TRANQUIL WEATHER CONDITIONS TO THE AREA. A RELATIVELY MILD SOUTHWEST RETURN FLOW SHOULD ALLOW TEMPERATURES TO MODERATE WELL-ABOVE SEASONAL CLIMATE NORMALS BY WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. THE NEXT CHANCE FOR PRECIPITATION WILL COME BY THE END OF THE WEEK...AS LOW PRESSURE MOVES INTO THE GREAT LAKES REGION. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL NOON TODAY/... EXTENSIVE LOW-LEVEL MSTR/CLOUD COVER IN THE WAKE OF A NEBULOUS SFC LOW MOVG AWAY FROM NRN NEW ENGLAND WILL PERSIST ACRS MUCH OF WESTERN AND CENTRAL PA THIS MORNING...AS UPSLOPE WLY FLOW CONTINUES TO PROVIDE SUFFICIENT /ALBEIT WEAK/ OROGRAPHIC LIFT OVER THE ALLEGHENIES. REGIONAL RADAR MOSAIC ALSO INDICATES SOME LGT PCPN ACRS THE WRN AND NRN MTNS...EITHER IN THE FORM OF -SN OR PATCHY -FZDZ. THE RAP AND 4KM NAM FCST SOUNDINGS FAVOR -FZDZ PROFILES THRU THE PRE DAWN HOURS AS MID-LVL MSTR IS STRIPPED AWAY. THE CLOUD COVER AND STEADY 5-10KT WNW WIND WILL KEEP TEMPS IN THE UPPER 20S TO MID 30S. LOW CLOUDS WILL LKLY BE SLOW TO ERODE AFT SUNRISE ESP IN THE WRN MTNS AS LOW-LEVEL MSTR GETS TRAPPED UNDER SFC RIDGE MOVG EWD FM THE OH VLY. HOWEVER ANTICIPATE SOME BINOVC E OF THE MTNS. && .SHORT TERM /NOON TODAY THROUGH 6 AM TUESDAY/... LG SCALE SUBSIDENCE ASSOC WITH THE AFOREMENTIONED SFC HIGH AND BACKING LLVL FLOW /TO THE SSW/ SHOULD AFFORD MORE PEAKS OF SUN AS THE DAY WEARS ON. HIGHS SHOULD CLIMB A FEW DEGS ABOVE EARLY JANUARY CLIMATE NORMALS...RANGING FROM THE LOW-MID 30S OVER THE ALLEGHENIES TO THE LOW 40S OVER THE LWR SUSQ VLY. EXPECT MAINLY CLR SKIES OVERNIGHT AS THE RIDGE MOVES OVER THE AREA...WITH LOWS VARYING FROM THE UPPER TEENS TO MID 20S. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... MODERATELY AMPLIFIED SPLIT FLOW PATTERN WILL BRING SEVERAL NORTHERN STREAM WAVES ACROSS THE NORTHEAST THIS PERIOD WHILE A CLOSED UPR LOW IN THE SRN STREAM NOW OVER SRN CALIFORNIA MEANDERS ACROSS MEXICO THEN ACROSS THE SOUTHERN U.S. BEFORE POSSIBLY REACHING THE EASTERN PART OF THE COUNTRY NEXT WEEKEND. NORTHERN STORM TRACK LOOKS TO GO MAINLY NORTH OF PA...KEEPING THE PERIOD GENERALLY DRY WITH SFC HIGH PRESSURE DOMINATING PA. IT SHOULD BECOME PROGRESSIVELY WARMER AS LOW LEVEL FLOW REMAINS SWRLY. ONE FROPA WED WILL PROVIDE A SLIGHT SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS MID WEEK. MOISTENING LOW LEVELS ON THE SWRLY FLOW COMBINED WITH THE ARRIVAL OF THE SRN STREAM FORCING WILL BRING INCREASING CHANCES FOR SHOWERS...MAINLY RAIN SHOWERS...LATER THURSDAY AND CONTINUING THROUGH NEXT WEEKEND. && .AVIATION /08Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... SHALLOW MSTR IN THE FORM OF LOW ST/SC CLOUDS WILL REMAIN TRAPPED UNDER INC SUBSIDENCE INVERSION THIS MORNING...AS HIGH PRES BEGINS TO BUILD INTO THE AREA IN THE WAKE OF DEPARTING UPPER TROF. WEAK LLVL UPSLOPE WILL KEEP LOW MVFR/IFR CIGS AT BFD AND JST THE LONGEST...WHILE DOWNSLOPE SHOULD HELP PROMOTE GRADUAL IMPROVEMENT TO VFR CIGS EAST OF THE MTNS. SOME SCT LGT SHSN OR FLURRIES ARE POSSIBLE ACRS THE WRN/CNTRL TAFS...BUT ANY VIS REDUCTIONS SHOULD REMAIN AOA 5SM. FCST SOUNDINGS SUGGEST SOME PATCHY -FZDZ IS PSBL OVER THE HIER TERRAIN AND BFD/JST HAVE BOTH REPORTED UP IN THE LAST FEW HOURS...BUT WILL NOT MENTION IN TAF DUE TO ISOLD CVRG AND LOW PROB. LOW CIGS WILL LKLY BE SLOW TO DISSIPATE TDY ESP ACRS THE WRN TAFS...WITH WDSPRD VFR CONDS ANTICIPATED BY THIS EVE/TNT. SFC WNDS WILL GRADUALLY WEAKEN AND BACK TO THE SOUTH BY THE END OF THE PD. OUTLOOK... TUE-WED...MAINLY VFR...MVFR PSBL ON WED. THU...VFR...DETERIORATING CONDITIONS PSBL LATER THURSDAY NIGHT. FRI...MVFR/IFR WITH RAIN SHOWERS. && .CTP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...STEINBUGL NEAR TERM...STEINBUGL SHORT TERM...STEINBUGL LONG TERM...LA CORTE/GARTNER AVIATION...STEINBUGL
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION FOR SOUTHEAST SD/SOUTHWEST MN/NORTHWEST IA
NWS SIOUX FALLS SD
340 PM CST MON JAN 7 2013 .DISCUSSION.../ISSUED AT 340 PM/ MULTIPLE PLAYERS IN TODAY/S FORECAST FOR TONIGHT INTO TOMORROW. CURRENTLY...MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES ACROSS THE AREA WITH A FEW HIGH CLOUDS ACROSS CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA. THE SUNSHINE HAS PROMOTED SNOW MELT...BUT WITH WEAK WINDS AND STRONG INVERSION...MOISTURE REMAINS IN THE NEAR SURFACE LAYER. COULD SEE FOG DEVELOP OVERNIGHT TONIGHT...BUT TRICKY TO PIN POINT WHERE EXACTLY. HRRR CONTINUES TO SUGGEST THAT PATCHY FOG WILL BE POSSIBLY ACROSS THE NORTH...WHILE NAM FOCUSES ON THE SOUTH AND EAST. HAVE SIDED CLOSER TO NAM...BUT WITH WEAK WINDS...COULD GET RADIATIONAL FOG NEARLY ANYWHERE CLEAR SKIES REMAIN FOR A FEW HOURS. AS MENTIONED IN THE MORNING DISCUSSION...AMPLIFYING WAVE MOVING ACROSS THE AREA LATE TONIGHT WITH UPPER LEVEL DIV Q INCREASING AFTER 06Z MAINLY ACROSS THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA. WITH FAIRLY DRY AIR THROUGH THE MID LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE...AM NOT EXPECTING ANY PRECIPITATION AND DROPPED MENTION OF SPRINKLES/FLURRIES FROM THE FORECAST. IF FOG DEVELOPS IN THE SOUTHEAST...WILL NEED TO KEEP AN EYE ON DRIZZLE POTENTIAL WITH WEAK LIFT IN THE LOW LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE. COLD FRONT IS POISED TO MOVE THROUGH THE AREA ON TUESDAY. SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL BECOME WEST AND SOMEWHAT GUSTY BEHIND THE FRONT WITH 20-30 KNOTS OF FLOW AT 925 HPA. NOT MUCH IN THE WAY OF COLD AIR ADVECTION BEHIND THE FRONT...AND WITH ONLY MEAGER PRESSURE RISES AND STRONG INVERSION REMAINING ALOFT...WILL STRUGGLE TO GET A LOT OF THE MOMENTUM DOWN THE SURFACE. STRONGEST WINDS WILL LIKELY BE ACROSS THE NORTHERN EDGE OF THE FORECAST AREA WITH STRONGEST GRADIENT WINDS THERE...BUT STILL LOOK TO REMAIN BELOW ADVISORY CRITERIA. UPPER LEVEL TROUGH IS EXPECTED TO DIG ACROSS THE DESERT SOUTHWEST MID WEEK...WHICH PUSHES THE RIDGE AXIS OVER THE FORECAST AREA ON WEDNESDAY. EXPECT ANOTHER RELATIVELY MILD DAY WITH MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES AND ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES. EXPECT HIGHS TO REACH JUST ABOVE FREEZING IN SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA AND ADJACENT AREAS...NUDGING INTO THE UPPER 30S IN NORTHWEST IOWA. THE WARMEST READINGS WILL BE FOUND IN SOUTH CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA WITH THE MID OR UPPER 40S IN AREAS WHERE MUCH OF THE SNOWPACK HAS MELTED. FOR THURSDAY...A CUT OFF LOW IS EXPECTED TO FORM IN THE SOUTHWEST PLAINS AND TRACK NORTHEAST INTO THE NORTHERN GREAT LAKES EARLY SATURDAY. SOME MODEL DIFFERENCES STILL EXIST...WITH THE ECMWF AND GEM STILL FOLLOWING A SLOWER AND SLIGHTLY MORE SOUTHERLY TRACK. ALL MODELS DO CLIP OUR SOUTHEASTERN COUNTIES AS THE SURFACE LOW TRACKS INTO IOWA THURSDAY EVENING. TEMPERATURES WILL BE PARTICULARLY TRICKY WITH READINGS EXPECTED TO RISE UP ABOVE FREEZING BY THE AFTERNOON. WITH VERY WARM LOW LEVELS...EXPECT PRECIPITATION TO BE ENTIRELY LIQUID FOR THIS SYSTEM...BUT WITH SURFACE READINGS POTENTIALLY BELOW FREEZING IN THE MORNING AND AGAIN THURSDAY NIGHT...FREEZING RAIN WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE. BUT GIVEN THAT THESE TEMPERATURES WILL ONLY BE A DEGREE OR TWO BELOW FREEZING...ICE ACCUMULATION DOES NOT LOOK TO BE SIGNIFICANT. BUT WILL STILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR FOR ANY CHANGES IN THIS OUTLOOK. TEMPERATURES ON FRIDAY WILL LIKELY BE SOMEWHAT STEADY OR BEGIN TO FALL IN THE AFTERNOON AS COOLER TEMPERATURES BEGIN TO FILTER INTO THE AREA BEHIND THIS SYSTEM. THE BROAD POSITIVELY TILTED TROUGH DIGGING ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST PUSHES INTO THE WESTERN PLAINS FRIDAY EVENING...BRINGING THE NEXT POTENTIAL FOR WET WEATHER TO REGION FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY. AGAIN...THE ECMWF IS A BIT SLOWER AND SHOWS MORE OF A CLOSED UPPER LEVEL FEATURE. A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR SOME LIGHT SNOW OR FLURRIES WILL BE POSSIBLE AHEAD OF THE MAIN WAVE ON FRIDAY. THE DETAILS ARE STILL QUITE UNCERTAIN AT THIS POINT...BUT THE GFS APPEARS TO TAKE THE BEST DYNAMICS WEST AND NORTH OF THE FORECAST AREA...WHILE THE ECMWF HAS A BIT MORE ORGANIZATION WITH A DECENT BAND OF MID LEVEL FRONTOGENESIS MOVING THROUGH THE FORECAST AREA. WILL KEEP MENTION OF POPS AS A HIGH CHANCE FOR SOME LIGHT SNOWFALL FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY. PRELIMINARY AMOUNTS LOOK LIKE A FEW INCHES WOULD BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE CWA. THE LOW EXITS THE AREA SATURDAY NIGHT WITH A STRONGER SHOT OF COLD AIR ADVECTION ARRIVING IN ITS WAKE. TEMPERATURES WILL BE MUCH COOLER FOR THE START OF NEXT WEEK WITH HIGHS MAINLY IN THE TEENS AND LOWS AROUND ZERO. && .AVIATION.../FOR THE 18Z TAF ISSUANCE/ VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THE PERIOD. WEST TO SOUTHWEST FLOW WILL REMAIN LIGHT THROUGHOUT THE DAY TODAY...AND GRADUALLY TRANSITION TO SOUTHERLY ON TUESDAY. THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME FOG TO DEVELOP THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS TONIGHT...AND HAVE ADDED MENTION TO TAFS EAST OF JAMES RIVER INCLUDING KFSD AND KSUX TERMINALS. FOG COULD BE LOCALLY DENSE WITH WEAK WINDS. && .FSD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SD...NONE. MN...NONE. IA...NONE. NE...NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS TALLAHASSEE FL
242 AM EST Wed Jan 9 2013 .NEAR TERM [Through Today]... 03 UTC surface analysis shows a frontal boundary right along the Northern Gulf Coast. This boundary was well defined, separating a moist tropical airmass over the Central Gulf from a modified continental one that has been in place across the Southeast. This frontal boundary will lift northward today as a strong upper level system moves through Central Texas. The best forcing for ascent is expected to remain well off to the west of our region. As a result, only a slight chance of showers are expected today as the warm front lifts northward. This front will also signal the beginning of a warm and humid pattern that will last into much of next week. Even with all the cloudiness in place this morning, expect enough breaks in the cloud cover to support temperatures in the low to mid 70s. Areas in the Southeast Florida Big Bend could also get into the upper 70s should more breaks develop in the overcast. && .SHORT TERM [Tonight Through Friday]... With the warm front lifting northward through the area by tonight, the region will be in an increasingly more humid airmass, which will likely support the formation of fog/stratus after midnight. Temperatures will also be noticeably warmer with lows around 60 degrees. Starting Thursday the storm system across Central Texas will begin to move north northeast around a building mid level ridge centered over the Florida Peninsula. As this system moves into the Great Lakes, a weak cold front will move eastward across the Central Gulf States. The strengthening ridge will slow the eastward progress of this system as the main upper level energy continues to move quickly northward. As a result, only low end rain chances are expected Thursday night into Friday as this front eventually dissipates across the region. As was much the case in the near term period, the short term period will have unseasonably warm temperatures with highs in the low to mid 70s in the western areas (due to more cloud cover) and in the upper 70s to near 80 in the east. Overnight lows will be muggy by January standards, generally in the upper 50s to lower 60s. && .LONG TERM [Friday Night through Tuesday]... There is good agreement between the GFS and ECMWF that deep layer ridging will be the dominant synoptic feature over the Southeast. This correlates to a continuation of above-average temperatures (at least 10 to 15 degrees warmer than climatology) away from the beaches (where SSTs remain in the upper 50s to lower 60s). The PoP will be in the 10 to 30% range- highest along and left of a line from Albany to Panama City as that region will be closer to the Q-G forcing and deep layer moisture associated with a persistent quasi-stationary frontal system. && .AVIATION [through 06z Thursday]... As of 07 UTC there was no fog at the terminals and cigs were low-end MVFR to IFR. Our local WRF and the latest HRRR fog/cig NWP output seem to be verifying best so far, and suggest that this will mainly be a low cig event (except at KVLD where a period of 1/2SM Vis is likely by dawn). Elsewhere, widespread LIFR-IFR cigs will likely remain until late morning or early afternoon. MVFR cigs are expected this afternoon, followed by a return to LIFR-IFR cigs by evening. Fog may develop sooner and be more widespread Wednesday night. && .MARINE... The pressure gradient will remain tight across the marine area as a low pressure area lifts northward across Texas. Cautionary level winds will continue possibly into Thursday before relaxing. Lighter onshore flow is expected by the weekend as high pressure builds just off the Florida Peninsula. && .FIRE WEATHER... Relative humidity levels will remain too moist for red flag conditions for at least the remainder of this week. && .HYDROLOGY... No appreciable rainfall amounts are expected through the next few days. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Tallahassee 75 61 77 59 74 / 10 10 10 20 20 Panama City 71 64 74 63 73 / 20 10 10 40 20 Dothan 71 61 75 62 75 / 20 10 10 30 20 Albany 72 60 75 62 75 / 10 10 10 20 20 Valdosta 76 61 78 60 78 / 10 10 10 10 20 Cross City 79 59 79 58 76 / 10 10 10 10 20 Apalachicola 69 64 70 63 70 / 10 10 10 30 20 && .TAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...None. GA...None. AL...None. GM...None. && $$ NEAR TERM...Godsey SHORT TERM...Godsey LONG TERM...Fournier AVIATION...Fournier MARINE...Godsey FIRE WEATHER...Fournier HYDROLOGY...Godsey
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
1114 PM CST TUE JAN 8 2013 .UPDATE... UPDATED FOR AVIATION DISCUSSION BELOW. && .DISCUSSION... /ISSUED AT 310 PM CST TUE JAN 08 2013/ SCHEDULED SHORT WAVE TROUGH MOVING ACROSS EASTERN DAKOTAS THIS AFTERNOON. THIS GENERATED SOME LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS AND SPRINKLES AS IT MOVED INTO NORTHWEST MINNESOTA. THIS FEATURE IS PROGGED TO MOVE EAST DURING THE EVENING AND SHOULD TAKE THE CHANCE OF LIGHT SNOW WITH IT. WILL CONTINUE SMALL CHANCE POPS OVER THE NORTHEAST QUADRANT OF THE CWA THIS EVENING. SOME INDICATIONS OF ANOTHER WEAK WAVE ROTATING AROUND THE TROUGH INTO WESTERN MN THIS EVENING...AND SPREADING BAND OF MID CLOUDS AND POSSIBLE SNOW SHOWERS ALONG THE SECONDARY FRONT AS IT MOVES THROUGH EASTERN MN AROUND 08Z. WILL HAVE TO MONITOR THIS EVENING AND SEE IF THIS WILL BE STRONG ENOUGH TO GENERATE A FEW SNOW SHOWERS. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE BEHIND FRONT AND BECOME A BIT GUSTY OVERNIGHT INTO EARLY WEDNESDAY...MAINLY WEST UNTIL RIDGE BUILDS INTO THE AREA ONCE AGAIN AND CLEARS THE SKY. WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND INTO THURSDAY APPEARS DRY. MODELS HAVE TRENDED SLOWER WITH SOUTHWEST CUTOFF LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM. MODELS WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH TIMING OF EJECTION OF THIS LOW UNTIL THE "KICKER TROUGH" MOVES SHORE ON OVER THE WESTERN CONUS. WILL FOLLOW A GEM/ECMWF MOVEMENT OF THE SYSTEM WHICH WILL KEEP THE AREA DRY THROUGH 18Z THU. WILL SPREAD LIKELY POPS INTO SOUTHERN CWA DURING THE AFTERNOON. MAY NOT QUITE MAKE IT OVER THE NORTHERN CWA BY 00Z FRI. THERMAL STRUCTURE OF THE ATMOSPHERE DOES FAVOR RAIN...BUT THE LEADING EDGE OR FIRST HOUR OR SO OF THE INITIAL SURGE OF RAIN MAY BE LIGHT FREEZING RAIN. WILL KEEP IT LIQUID DURING THE DAY THURSDAY CONSIDERING TIMING OF THE PRECIPITATION MOVING IN DURING THE WARMER PORTION OF THE DAY. SURFACE TEMPERATURES EXPECTED TO WARM THROUGH THE MID AND UPPER 30S THURSDAY AFTERNOON. INTO THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY...THE BAROCLINIC ZONE SHIFTS SLOWLY EAST...MAINLY ON FRIDAY. THIS SHOULD LEAVE MOST IF NOT ALL OF THE CWA IN THE WARM SECTOR AHEAD OF COLD FRONT THURSDAY NIGHT. TEMPERATURES SHOULD REMAIN WARM ENOUGH FOR JUST RAIN OVER THE EASTERN TWO THIRDS OF THE AREA. FOG AND DRIZZLE MAY BE MORE OF AN ISSUE. THE WEST WILL SEE THE POSSIBILITY OF LIGHT FREEZING RAIN. SREF PLUMES/FREEZING RAIN PROBABILITIES ARE STILL RATHER HIGH DURING THIS PERIOD...SO DONT WANT TO REMOVE THAT THREAT JUST YET. AS THE OVERALL TRENDS BECOME CLEARER...WE MAY BE ABLE TO DO THAT IN LATER FORECASTS. THE GEM AND ND ECMWF ARE TRENDING MORE SURFACE LOW DEVELOPMENT TO THE NORTHEAST AS THE TROUGH DEVELOPS AND LIFTS ENERGY RAPIDLY ACROSS THE EASTERN DAKOTAS AND NORTHERN MINNESOTA FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY. THIS SPREADS AN AREA OF SNOW OVER NORTHERN MINNESOTA...AND MAY AFFECT OUR NORTHERN CWA IN MN WITH A CHANGE TO SOME ACCUMULATING SNOW. AGAIN...UNTIL THE WESTERN CONUS TROUGH COMES ASHORE...OVERALL DEVELOPMENT AND MOVEMENT OF SYSTEMS STILL IN DOUBT. MUCH COOLER AIR/BELOW NORMAL FOLLOWS THIS SYSTEM AS IT MOVES ACROSS THE NORTHERN CONUS. NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT BECOMES ESTABLISHED AND SHOULD HELP DRAW THE COLDER AIR IN FROM CANADA THROUGH AT LEAST THROUGH THE END OF NEXT WEEK. && .AVIATION.../06Z TAF ISSUANCE/ BATCH OF MVFR CEILINGS MOVING QUICKLY EAST AND SHOULD EXIT KEAU/KRNH BY 08Z. NEXT LOBE OF MVFR CEILINGS IN ERN ND WHICH IS MOVING ESE. LATEST RAP BRUSHES AXN/STC/RNH AND HAVE ADDED A TEMPO GROUP FOR SOME BROKEN 2000-2500 FOOT CEILINGS. OTHERWISE SOME GUSTY WNW WIND THROUGH MIDDAY UNTIL SURFACE RIDGE APPROACHES. QUICK TRANSITION TO SOUTHERLY WINDS LATER WED AFTERNOON. KMSP... BROKEN MID LEVEL CLOUDS THE REST OF THE NIGHT. LOBE OF STRATUS IN ERN ND AROUND 2000 FEET AGL AND MOVING ESE. THIS SHOULD REMAIN NORTH OF KMSP BUT HAVE ADDED SOME SCATTERED CLOUDS FOR THIS AROUND 11Z. ONLY A SMALL CHANCE OF THIS GOING BROKEN. WINDS GUSTING VOER 20 KNOTS SHOULD REMAIN WEST OR WNW BEFORE BECOMING SOUTH LATE WED AFTERNOON. /OUTLOOK FOR KMSP/ THU...VFR MORNING BECOMING MVFR CIGS/VSBYS LATE AFTERNOON. THU NIGHT...IFR CIGS/VSBYS WITH LIFR AND -FZRA POSSIBLE. WINDS SE AT 10-15KTS. FRI...IFR WITH -RA. LIFR POSSIBLE. WINDS SSW AT 5-10KTS. SAT...MVFR WITH -RASN POSSIBLE. COLD FRONT PASSAGE EARLY. WINDS SSW AT 10KTS BECOMING NW AT 15G25KTS. && .MPX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MN...NONE. WI...NONE. && $$ DWE/TDK
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS ST LOUIS MO
357 AM CST WED JAN 9 2013 .SHORT TERM... ISSUED AT 349 AM CST WED JAN 9 2013 (TODAY) WEAK COLD FRONT CONTINUES TO MOVE SOUTHEAST THROUGH FORECAST AREA EARLY THIS MORNING WITH SOME LIGHT RAIN OUT AHEAD OF IT. FRONT SHOULD WEAKEN/EXIT FORECAST AREA BY MID MORNING. AS FOR THE RAIN...IT IS MAKING PROGRESS TO THE EAST...SO SHOULD COME TO AN END BY BEGINNING OF FORECAST PERIOD. SO MAIN ISSUE TO DEAL WITH TODAY WILL BE THE LINGERING CLOUD COVER AND HOW FAST IT WILL THIN OUT. AREAS ALONG AND NORTH OF I-70 TO SEE THE MOST SUNSHINE TODAY...WHILE AREAS TO THE SOUTH TO REMAIN MOSTLY CLOUDY THIS MORNING...BEFORE SCATTERING OUT LATE THIS AFTERNOON. ALSO...WINDS TO VEER TO THE WEST...THEN EVENTUALLY TO THE NORTH THIS AFTERNOON...BEHIND THIS BOUNDARY. HIGH TEMPS HARD TO PIN DOWN FOR TODAY...DEPENDING ON WHAT THE CLOUDS ULTIMATELY DO TODAY AS WELL AS STRENGTH OF CAA WITH FRONTAL BOUNDARY. FOR NOW WENT WITH UPPER 40S NORTHEAST TO THE MID 50S OVER CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MO. BYRD && .LONG TERM... ISSUED AT 349 AM CST WED JAN 9 2013 (WEDNESDAY NIGHT - FRIDAY NIGHT) MODELS CONTINUE TO COME INTO BETTER AGREEMENT ON A SLOWER EVOLUTION OF UPPER LEVEL LOW TAKING IT FROM CNTRL TX THURSDAY MORNING TO AN OPEN...BUT POTENT...WAVE ACROSS THE CWA THURSDAY NIGHT. THE LOW IS IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING THE LEFT HAND TURN AND HEAD TOWARDS STHRN TX DUE TO STRONG ENERGY ENTERING THE PACIFIC NW. ECMWF IS NOW ONE OF THE FASTER MODELS WHILE THE GFS HAS TRANSITIONED TO A LITTLE DEEPER AND CONSEQUENTLY SLOWER SOLUTION. HAVE BACKED OFF POPS CONSIDERABLY THIS EVENING AND THEN TIGHTENED THE GRADIENT UP SOME AFTER MIDNIGHT DUE TO THE SLOWER SOLUTIONS. SFC WARM FRONT TO LIFT THRU THE CWA THURSDAY AND THEN PACIFIC COLD FRONT THURSDAY EVENING. THINKING ALL PRECIP WILL BE EAST OF AREA BY 12Z FRIDAY. SHOULD BE A DECENT PUSH OF WAA PRECIP TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY MORNING. COULD BE A BREAK IN THE PRECIP BEFORE ANOTHER ROUND ASSOC WITH THE COLD FRONT THURSDAY LATE AFTN/EVNG/OVERNIGHT. SYSTEM WILL BE TAPPING INTO SUBTROPICAL MOISTURE. PWATS REMAIN CLIMATOLOGICALLY HIGH. DPS RISE INTO AT LEAST THE LOWER 50S FOR THE SERN PORTION OF THE CWA THURSDAY NIGHT. 850 DPS OF +10C COVER A GOOD PORTION OF THE CWA THURSDAY AFTN/EVNG. THUNDER IS STILL POSSIBLE EVEN THO PARAMETERS DON`T LOOK AS GOOD AS THEY DID LAST NIGHT. WITH THE STRENGTH OF THE FORCING EXPECTED WITH THIS EVENT...SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT FOR THUNDER. LOW/PRECIP PULL AWAY FRIDAY LEAVING THE CWA IN SW FLOW AT THE SFC AND ALOFT. 925MB AND 850MB TEMPS OF +10C TO +14C FRIDAY AFTN WILL LEAD TO A VERY WARM DAY WITH HIGHS IN THE 60S. CLIMATE SECTION OF AFD HAS HIGH/HIGH LOW RECORDS FOR STL/COU/UIN FOR FRIDAY. (SATURDAY - TUESDAY) THIS MARKS THE BEGINNING OF A TRANSITION PERIOD. SATURDAY WILL BE THE LAST WARM DAY FOR A WHILE. STRONG ARCTIC COLD FRONT PUSHES THRU THE CWA DURING THE DAY. HIGHS...ESP ACROSS THE NORTH WILL BE IN THE MORNING...WITH FALLING TEMPS BEHIND THE FRONT. THE FRONT INITIALLY PASSES THRU DRY...BUT GETS HUNG UP JUST TO THE SE OF THE CWA AS WAVE OF LOW PRESSURE RIDES NE ALONG THE FRONT SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY. THERE ARE PLENTY OF ISSUES TO WORK OUT DURING THIS TIME FRAME. THE GEM IS THE MOST AGGRESSIVE WITH PUSHING THE FRONT SE AND HAS IT ALIGNED FROM LAKE CHARLES LA TO THE STHRN TIP OF OH BY 6Z MONDAY. CONVERSELY...THE GFS IS THE SLOWEST AND HAS IT FROM TEXARKANA TO THE MO BOOTHEEL TO DETROIT. THE ECMWF IS IN BETWEEN. THIS HAS MAJOR IMPLICATIONS ON PLACEMENT OF PRECIP AND DEPTH OF COLD AIR WHICH DETERMINES P-TYPE. THE GFS SOLUTION WOULD MEAN PLENTY OF COLD RAIN WHILE THE GEM SOLUTION KEEPS MOST OF THE PRECIP SE OF THE CWA. RIGHT NOW I DON`T HAVE ENOUGH TO GO ON TO MAKE AN EDUCATED GUESS AS TO WHICH SOLUTION IS RIGHT. IT ALL DEPENDS ON HOW FAR SE THE FRONT CAN GET BEFORE IT GETS HUNG UP AND ONLY TIME WILL TELL. THERE ARE INDICATIONS THAT THE FRONT MAY BECOME STATIONARY TO OUR SE FOR A PORTION OF THE UPCOMING WEEK. AGAIN...DEPENDING ON WHERE IT SETS UP WILL BE CRITICAL FOR OUR SE ZONES UNTIL THE FRONT MOVES. THIS IS A SET-UP THAT CERTAINLY BEARS WATCHING AS OVERRUNNING SITUATIONS LIKE THIS CAN PRODUCE PLENTY OF MIXED PRECIP. ONE THING THAT IS FOR SURE IS THAT NEXT WEEK WILL BE MUCH COLDER THAN THE CURRENT ONE. THE ENERGY THAT GOT THE UPPER LOW MOVING WILL PHASE THE JET STREAMS...WHICH IS WHAT ALLOWS THE ARCTIC FRONT TO SAG INTO THE CWA. THE H500 PATTERN TRANSITIONS TO A BROAD TROF ACROSS THE CNTRL CONUS WITH THE MEAN AXIS EXTENDING FROM HUDSON BAY SW TO THE DESERT SW FOR THE BEGINNING OF THE WEEK. THIS SET UP DOESN/T FAVOR MOVING THE SFC FRONT MUCH. TOWARDS THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK...THE MEAN TROUGH ON THE GFS IS MORE PROGRESSIVE THAN THE ECMWF WHICH STILL WANTS TO CUT OFF THE ENERGY AT THE BASE OF THE TROUGH. PLENTY GOING ON TO WORRY ABOUT BEFORE WE GET TO THIS POINT. MILLER && .AVIATION... ISSUED AT 1131 PM CST TUE JAN 8 2013 PRECIPITATION OVER NORTHERN ARKANSAS AND SOUTHERN MISSOURI HAS MADE A BIT MORE NORTHWARD PROGRESSION THIS EVENING THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT. HOWEVER...IT APPEARS THAT A MAJORITY OF THE PRECIPITATION SHOULD REMAIN SOUTH OF TAF SITES AND THUS HAVE NOT INCLUDED MENTION IN THIS TAF PACKAGE. HOWEVER...CANNOT RULE OUT SOME SPRINKLES FOR KCOU...KSTL...KSUS...AND KCPS...THOUGH IMPACTS TO VISIBILITY AND CIGS SHOULD BE MINIMAL. HAVE ALSO CONTINUED MENTION OF LLWS FOR THE METRO TAF SITES THROUGH 10Z TONIGHT...WITH MODEL SOUNDINGS CONTINUING TO SUPPORT LLWS CRITERIA...THOUGH IT REMAINS MARGINAL. OTHERWISE...EXPECT VFR CONDITIONS TO PREVAIL THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD...WITH SOUTHERLY WINDS BECOMING WESTERLY AS A WEAK COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE AREA...AND EVENTUALLY NORTHERLY LATE IN THE PERIOD. SPECIFICS FOR KSTL... HAVE CONTINUED MENTION OF LLWS IN THE TAF THROUGH 10Z GIVEN CONTINUED INDICATIONS FROM RAP AND LOCAL WRF MODEL SOUNDINGS OF A LLJ AROUND 35-40KT AT 1500-2000FT. ANOTHER CONCERN TONIGHT IS THE NORTHWARD PROGRESSION OF PRECIPITATION OVER SOUTHERN MISSOURI...WHICH SHOULD REMAIN SOUTH OF THE TERMINAL. HOWEVER...CANNOT RULE OUT SOME SPRINKLES AT KSTL TONIGHT...THOUGH IMPACTS WOULD BE MINIMAL. OTHERWISE...DRY AND VFR CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH A MAJORITY OF THE FORECAST PERIOD...WITH SOUTHERLY WINDS VEERING TO THE WEST AS A WEAK COLD FRONT PASSES...AND EVENTUALLY TO THE NORTH BY THE END OF THE PERIOD. GIVEN TIMING INCONSISTENCIES WITH THE NEXT SYSTEM PROGGED TO MOVE INTO THE AREA LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT/EARLY THURSDAY...HAVE KEPT PRECIPITATION MENTION OUT OF THE TAF FOR NOW AND WILL DEFER TO FUTURE ISSUANCES WHEN THE TIMING BECOMES MORE CERTAIN. JP && .CLIMATE... ISSUED AT 349 AM CST WED JAN 9 2013 HIGH HIGH LOW ST. LOUIS 74/1911 60/1890 COLUMBIA 67/1911 48/1890 QUINCY 58/1911 38/2007 && .LSX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MO...NONE. IL...NONE. && $$ WFO LSX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED AVIATION
NWS ST LOUIS MO
1151 PM CST TUE JAN 8 2013 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 936 PM CST TUE JAN 8 2013 PRECIP HAS HELD TOGETHER BETTER THAN PROGD BY SOME OF THE GUIDANCE. HAVE THEREFORE INCREASED POPS ACROSS THE SRN HALF OF THE CWA. THE NRN EDGE OF RADAR RETURNS APPEARS TO BE DISSIPATING SOMEWHAT...BUT WILL PULL SLIGHT CHANCE POPS FURTHER NWD IN CASE THESE RETURNS HOLD TOGETHER. RAISED TEMPS OVERNIGHT A LITTLE AS CLOUD COVER HAS HINDERED ANY COOLING AND WITH COOLER AIR NOT ARRIVING UNTIL WED MORNING. ISSUED AT 704 PM CST TUE JAN 8 2013 UPDATE TO INCREASE CLOUDS THRU THE NIGHT. ALSO INCREASED POPS ACROSS SRN PORTIONS OF THE CWA. PRECIP CURRENTLY OVER SW MO CONTINUES TO MOVE NEWD AND SHUD REACH SRN COUNTIES LATE THIS EVENING. GOING FORECAST MAY STILL BE TOO SLOW BASED ON LATEST RADAR TRENDS. HOWEVER...LATEST RAP/HRRR GUIDANCE SUGGESTS FORCING WILL DIMINISH SOMEWHAT THRU THE NIGHT WITH PRECIP BECOMING MORE SCT THAN IS CURRENTLY. ANOTHER AREA OF CONCERN IS THE CDFNT MOVING INTO NWRN MO. GUIDANCE SUGGESTS THIS FNT MAY HELP TO PUSH PRECIP S OF THE REGION. BELIEVE THE FNT IS MOVING TOO SLOWLY TO HAVE MUCH IMPACT THIS EVENING...BUT MAY MOVE PRECIP FURTHER S FASTER LATE TONIGHT. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR AND UPDATE AS NEEDED. TILLY && .SHORT TERM... ISSUED AT 335 PM CST TUE JAN 8 2013 (TONIGHT) A NRN STREAM SHORTWAVE WILL PASS NORTH OF THE AREA TONIGHT ALTHOUGH IT WILL DRAG A WEAK CDFNT THROUGH THE CWA. ATTM NO PCPN IS EXPECTED WITH THE CDFNT DUE TO THE INITIALLY DRY AIR MASS PER 12Z SGF SOUNDING...LIMITED MOISTURE ACCOMPANYING THE NRN STREAM SHORTWAVE...AND UNFAVORABLE DYNAMICS THIS FAR SOUTH OF THE VORT MAX. THE PRIMARY EFFECT OF THE CDFNT WILL BE TO CAUSE WINDS TO VEER FM SLY TO WLY OVERNIGHT. ALTHOUGH THE NAM/SREF SEEM TO BE OVERDOING THE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE BASED ON THE LATEST OBS...MID-LEVEL MOISTURE SHOULD BEGIN MOVING NWD TONIGHT IN RESPONSE TO A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM IN NRN MEXICO/SRN TX. SOME PCPN HAS ALREADY DVLPD OVER AR AHEAD OF THE SRN SYSTEM AND IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THERE MAY BE ENOUGH LIFT TO SUPPORT A FEW SPRINKLES ACROSS THE SRN CWA. KANOFSKY && .LONG TERM... ISSUED AT 335 PM CST TUE JAN 8 2013 (WEDNESDAY THROUGH TUESDAY) A GOOD POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT QPF IS EXPECTED FOR WED NGT THROUGH THU NGT AS THE UPPER LEVEL LOW OVER OLD MEXICO MOVES SLOWLY NEWD THROUGH THE SRN PLAINS WED AND WED NGT...THEN EVENTUALLY MOVES NEWD THROUGH MO THU NGT. PREFER THE MORE NRN SOLUTION OF THE 500 MB LOW TRACK OF THE NAM AND ECMWF MODELS OVER THE GFS. MOST OF THE PRECIPITATION SHOULD REMAIN S OF OUR FORECAST AREA ON WED...BUT THEN SPREAD NEWD INTO MUCH OF THE REGION WED NGT AS A STRONG SLY LOW LEVEL JET BRINGS LOW LEVEL MOISTURE NWD INTO MUCH OF MO AND SRN IL. SHOWERS AND AT LEAST A FEW THUNDERSTORMS CAN BE EXPECTED ON THU AS A WEAK SFC LOW AND WARM FRONT LIFT NWD INTO SRN MO...WITH INCREASING UPPER LEVEL DIVERGENCE OVER OUR AREA AHEAD OF THE APPROACHING UPPER LEVEL TROUGH. MUCH OF THE PRECIPITATION SHOULD SHIFT E OF OUR AREA BY LATE THU NGT AS THE UPPER LEVEL LOW OPENS UP AND WEAKENS AS IT MOVES TOWARDS THE GREAT LAKES REGION. UNSEASONABLY WARM WEATHER WILL CONTINUE ON FRI WITH S-SWLY LOW LEVEL WINDS ALONG WITH A CLEARING SKY. BOTH THE NAM AND ECMWF MODELS FORECAST 850 MB TEMPERATURES OF AROUND 12 DEGREES C BY 00Z SAT ACROSS MUCH OF OUR AREA. WILL LIKELY HAVE HIGHS IN THE LOWER 60S ACROSS MOST OF THE AREA ON FRI. SAT WILL BE THE LAST DAY OF ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES AS A COLD FRONT DROPS SOUTHEASTWARD THROUGH OUR FORECAST AREA LATE FRI NGT AND SAT. ALTHOUGH THE FRONT SHOULD MOVE THROUGH DRY THE MODELS DO GENERATE POST FRONTAL PRECIPITATION SAT NGT AS A WEAK SFC WAVE MOVES ALONG THE FRONT WITH AN APPROACHING POSITIVELY TILTED UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WELL WEST OF THE AREA. LOOKS LIKE MOST OF THE PRECIPITATION WILL BE ACROSS SERN MO AND SWRN IL IN THE WARMER AIR...BUT COULD NOT RULE OUT A LITTLE LIGHT SNOW N AND W OF STL IN THE COLDER AIR. THE POTENTIAL FOR AT LEAST LIGHT PRECIPITATION MAY CONTINUE ACROSS SERN MO AND SWRN IL UNTIL MON WHEN A STRONG SFC RIDGE OVER THE NRN PLAINS FINALLY BUILDS SEWD INTO MO WITH THE COLD FRONT SHIFTING WELL SE OF OUR AREA. MUCH COLDER...MORE SEASONAL TEMPERATURES CAN BE EXPECTED SUN THROUGH TUE. GKS && .AVIATION... ISSUED AT 1131 PM CST TUE JAN 8 2013 PRECIPITATION OVER NORTHERN ARKANSAS AND SOUTHERN MISSOURI HAS MADE A BIT MORE NORTHWARD PROGRESSION THIS EVENING THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT. HOWEVER...IT APPEARS THAT A MAJORITY OF THE PRECIPITATION SHOULD REMAIN SOUTH OF TAF SITES AND THUS HAVE NOT INCLUDED MENTION IN THIS TAF PACKAGE. HOWEVER...CANNOT RULE OUT SOME SPRINKLES FOR KCOU...KSTL...KSUS...AND KCPS...THOUGH IMPACTS TO VISIBILITY AND CIGS SHOULD BE MINIMAL. HAVE ALSO CONTINUED MENTION OF LLWS FOR THE METRO TAF SITES THROUGH 10Z TONIGHT...WITH MODEL SOUNDINGS CONTINUING TO SUPPORT LLWS CRITERIA...THOUGH IT REMAINS MARGINAL. OTHERWISE...EXPECT VFR CONDITIONS TO PREVAIL THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD...WITH SOUTHERLY WINDS BECOMING WESTERLY AS A WEAK COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE AREA...AND EVENTUALLY NORTHERLY LATE IN THE PERIOD. SPECIFICS FOR KSTL... HAVE CONTINUED MENTION OF LLWS IN THE TAF THROUGH 10Z GIVEN CONTINUED INDICATIONS FROM RAP AND LOCAL WRF MODEL SOUNDINGS OF A LLJ AROUND 35-40KT AT 1500-2000FT. ANOTHER CONCERN TONIGHT IS THE NORTHWARD PROGRESSION OF PRECIPITATION OVER SOUTHERN MISSOURI...WHICH SHOULD REMAIN SOUTH OF THE TERMINAL. HOWEVER...CANNOT RULE OUT SOME SPRINKLES AT KSTL TONIGHT...THOUGH IMPACTS WOULD BE MINIMAL. OTHERWISE...DRY AND VFR CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH A MAJORITY OF THE FORECAST PERIOD...WITH SOUTHERLY WINDS VEERING TO THE WEST AS A WEAK COLD FRONT PASSES...AND EVENTUALLY TO THE NORTH BY THE END OF THE PERIOD. GIVEN TIMING INCONSISTENCIES WITH THE NEXT SYSTEM PROGGED TO MOVE INTO THE AREA LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT/EARLY THURSDAY...HAVE KEPT PRECIPITATION MENTION OUT OF THE TAF FOR NOW AND WILL DEFER TO FUTURE ISSUANCES WHEN THE TIMING BECOMES MORE CERTAIN. JP && .LSX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MO...NONE. IL...NONE. && $$ WFO LSX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GRAND FORKS ND
140 AM CST WED JAN 9 2013 .DISCUSSION... HAVE ISSUED A WIND ADVISORY THROUGH 12Z THIS MORNING ALONG AND WEST OF THE RED RIVER VALLEY. GETTING WINDS GUSTING TO 45MPH AT TIMES WITH A PRESSURE RISE MAX MOVING INTO THE AREA. ALSO GETTING SOME BLOWING SNOW IN THE NORTH. && .AVIATION... WIND GUSTS COMING NOW AND WILL BE WITH US THRU THE NIGHT IN DVL/GFK/FAR/TVF SITES....SPREADING FROM WEST TO EAST. HIGHEST WINDS LIKELY AT DVL 04Z-07Z WITH NR 40 KTS FROM WEST- NORTHWEST DIRECTION. WINDS WILL DIMINISH BY 12Z. CLOUDS MOVING IN AFTER CLEARING MOSTLY IN THE MVFR RANGE AND THESE SHOULD CLEAR OUT OF NE ND 11Z-14Z PERIOD. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 922 PM CST TUE JAN 8 2013/ DISCUSSION... SFC OBS SHOW THE MAIN SFC TROUGH NOW MOVING THROUGH THE RED RIVER VALLEY. WATER VAPOR SHOWS UPPER LOW AND SFC LOW NORTHWEST OF WINNIPEG AND A SURGE OF CLOUDS AND WINDS ON THE BACKSIDE OF THE LOW MOVING FROM REGINA AREA WHERE IT WAS LATE THIS AFTN THEN INTO NW ND 00Z-01Z...THEN NOW MOVING THRU RUGBY-ROLLA AT 02-03Z. THIS SURGE OF CLOUDS ROTATING EAST-SOUTHEAST AROUND THE LOW IN MANITOBA WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE INTO NE ND/NRN RRV THRU 06Z. NAM 3 HR PRESSURE RISES SHOWS A HEALTHY 5 MB/3 HR PRESSURE RISE INTO NE ND 06Z-09Z PERIOD AND 1000-850 MB LOW LEVEL LAPSE RATES DECENT (7 TO 8C/KM) MOVING THRU AS WELL. THIS IS ENOUGH FOR A 3-4 HR PERIOD OF GOOD MIXING OF THE 45-50 KTS 925-850 MB LAYER. SEEING WIND GUSTS TO 40 KTS OR HIGHER AT KMIB...CYBR AND NR THAT AT KRUG (RUGBY). DO EXPECT THIS PERIOD OF WIND GUSTS TO NR 40 KTS TO SPREAD EAST THE NEXT FEW HOURS. DUE TO RATHER SHORT NATURE OF EVENT AND ALSO BECAUSE IT IS CAUSING SLICK ROADS DUE TO DRIFTING...COORD WITH WFO BIS AND ISSUED A SPECIAL WX STATEMENT FOR AREAS ALONG AND NORTH OF COOPERSTOWN-HILLSBORO LINE. OTHERWISE...TEMPS STILL MILD BUT WILL FALL OFF LATER AS COOLER AIR MOVES IN WITH STRATOCU. LATEST RAP AND 00Z NAM ALL SHOW CLEARING MOVING BACK IN BEHIND CLOUDS INTO NE ND TOWARD 12Z. CLOUDS TO CLEAR OUT OF NW MN MORE TOWARD 15Z WED. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 300 PM CST TUE JAN 8 2013/ SHORT TERM... MAIN FORECAST HEADACHES FOR THE PERIOD WILL BE ENDING OF PRECIP ALONG WITH WINDS TONIGHT...AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE SYSTEM COMING IN THURSDAY/FRIDAY. AN UPPER LOW CURRENTLY ROTATING ALONG THE SASKATCHEWAN/MANITOBA BORDER WILL CONTINUE EASTWARD INTO ONTARIO TONIGHT. THE SFC LOW WILL MOVE EASTWARD ALSO...BRINGING A STRONG GRADIENT WITH WEST WINDS. DEFORMATION BANDS THAT ARE CURRENTLY PRODUCING SNOW OVER THE RED RIVER VALLEY AND POINTS EASTWARD WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST THIS EVENING. WILL MAKE LAST MINUTE ADJUSTMENTS FOR GOING RADAR TRENDS...BUT FOR NOW WILL KEEP HIGH POPS OVER ONLY THE NORTHEASTERN CWA THIS EVENING. SOME OF THE MODELS SHOW SIGNS OF SOME WRAP AROUND SNOW SHOWERS TOWARDS MORNING SO KEPT THE 20 POPS GOING IN THAT AREA AFTER MIDNIGHT. ANOTHER ISSUE TONIGHT WILL BE WINDS. A FEW OF THE MODELS HAVE VALUES APPROACHING WIND ADVISORY CRITERIA...PARTICULARLY OVER THE DEVILS LAKE BASIN DURING THE 00Z TO 06Z TIME FRAME. ON ONE HAND THERE WILL BE A FAIRLY TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT AND DECENT SUBSIDENCE ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE DEPARTING LOW. ON THE OTHER HAND...THE BEST WINDS ALOFT WILL BE COMING THROUGH DURING A PERIOD WITH NOT MUCH MIXING...AND COLD AIR ADVECTION IS NOT AS STRONG AS IT COULD BE. WILL MONITOR OBS DURING THE NEXT HOUR OR SO...BUT FOR NOW WILL KEEP WINDS SUB ADVISORY CRITERIA BUT MENTION BLOWING SNOW IN THE NORTHWEST PORTION OF THE CWA. TOMORROW SHOULD BE FAIRLY QUIET AS UPPER RIDGING BRIEFLY BUILDS INTO THE PLAINS. ANOTHER SFC LOW WILL DEVELOP OVER SASKATCHEWAN...WITH SOUTHERLY WINDS AND WARM AIR ADVECTION KICKING IN BY AFTERNOON. AIR MASS WILL CONTINUE TO BE FAIRLY MILD SO KEPT HIGHS IN THE 20S. TEMPS SHOULD REMAIN FAIRLY WARM THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT AS SOUTHERLY WINDS PICK UP AS THE SFC TROUGH OVER SOUTH CENTRAL CANADA DEEPENS. MODELS BRING IN SOME VERY WARM AIR AT 850MB...UP CLOSE TO 10 C OVER THE SOUTHERN CWA. EVEN WITH A FAIRLY LARGE INVERSION TEMPS WEDNESDAY NIGHT SHOULD STAY IN THE UPPER TEENS TO LOW 20S. THE NEXT QUESTION IS WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH THE SYSTEMS COMING THROUGH THURSDAY/FRIDAY. THE MODELS ALL ARE IN FAIRLY GOOD AGREEMENT ON THE GENERAL PATTERN...BRINGING AN UPPER LOW FROM TX/OK INTO THE UPPER MIDWEST AND THEN A LARGER TROUGH INTO THE WESTERN PLAINS BY FRIDAY. HOWEVER...AS FAR AS SPEED AND WHEN PRECIP STARTS MOVING INTO THE AREA MODEL SOLUTIONS ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE. THE NAM IS FASTEST AND HAS PRECIP ENTERING THE SOUTHEASTERN CWA BY THURSDAY AFTERNOON...WHILE THE GFS IS MUCH SLOWER WITH THE SOUTHERN SYSTEM AND DOESN`T BRING PRECIP INTO THAT AREA UNTIL LATE THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING. THE NAM IS AN OUTLIER BUT THE GFS SEEMS A BIT SLOW...SO LEANED MORE TOWARDS A MIDDLE OF THE ROAD ECMWF/GEM SOLUTION. KEPT POPS VERY LOW BEFORE 00Z FRIDAY WITH INCREASING CHANCES THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT. WITH FAIRLY WARM TEMPS IN PLACE AS THE SYSTEM ARRIVES...SOME RAIN/FREEZING RAIN IS A POSSIBILITY IN THE SOUTHEASTERN CWA AS THE PRECIP BEGINS. THINK THAT PRECIP SHOULD CHANGE OVER TO SNOW ON FRIDAY AS A STRONG COLD FRONT BEGINS TO SLOWLY PUSH INTO THE AREA. KEPT POPS IN THE HIGH CHANCE CATEGORY FOR FRIDAY GIVEN FAIRLY HIGH UNCERTAINTY BUT LATER SHIFTS WILL HAVE TO REEVALUATE. FRIDAY COULD SEE FALLING TEMPS IN THE AFTERNOON AS COLD AIR CONTINUES TO PUSH INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS. LONG TERM (FRI NIGHT THRU TUE)... MAJOR LONG RANGE GUIDANCE IN AGREEMENT DEPICTING SOUTHWEST FLOW AT BEGINNING OF PERIOD MOVING A COLORADO SURFACE CYCLONE TO THE VICINITY OF NORTHERN MINNESOTA/WISCONSIN EARLY SATURDAY. COLDER AIR WILL BE IN PLACE IN THE WAKE OF THE EARLIER WARM UP...THIS IN TANDEM WITH H500/H700 LOWS PROXIMAL TO THE RED RIVER VALLEY WOULD PORTEND A MEASURABLE SNOW EVENT FROM LATE FRIDAY INTO THE FIRST PART OF SATURDAY. LONG WAVE UPPER TROUGH LAGGING BEHIND THIS SYSTEM WILL SWING THROUGH LATER IN THE WEEKEND BRINGING DOWN ARCTIC AIR AS NORTHWEST FLOW ESTABLISHES ITSELF EARLY NEXT WEEK. LOWERED ALL BLEND TEMPS JUST A TAD DURING THIS PERIOD IN AN ATTEMPT TO ACCOUNT FOR SEVERAL INCHES OF PRISTINE SNOWFALL. && .FGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ND...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM CST EARLY THIS MORNING FOR NDZ006>008- 014>016-024-026>030-038-039-049-052>054. MN...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM CST EARLY THIS MORNING FOR MNZ001>005- 007-008-013>015-022-027-029-030-040. && $$ DK
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS PORTLAND OR
910 PM PST TUE JAN 8 2013 .SYNOPSIS....RAIN WILL CONTINUE ALONG THE NORTH COAST TONIGHT...WITH MANY AREAS DRY. A COLD FRONT WILL DROP SE THROUGH THE REGION WED FOR A ROUND OF VALLEY RAIN AND FAIRLY LOW SNOW LEVELS. A COLD UPPER TROUGH WILL FOLLOW THE FRONT WED NIGHT AND THU FOR A CHANCE OF RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS. NORTHERLY FLOW ALOFTWILL KEEP A COOL AIR MASS IN PLACE THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK WITH A CHANCE OF SNOW SATURDAY...THEN A DRYING TREND ENSUES FOR NEXT WEEK. && .SHORT TERM...A COLD FRONT IS STILL ON TRACK TO PUSH SOUTHEASTWARD ACROSS THE AREA LATE TONIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING. MODELS AGREE THIS FRONT WILL REMAIN PROGRESSIVE AS IT PUSHES THROUGH THE REGION. THE HRRR SHOWS THE FRONT MOVING ACROSS THE PORTLAND METRO AREA AROUND 5AM...AND CLEARING THE CWA BY 11AM. THIS SHOULD RESULT IN SNOW LEVELS BEHAVING...AND AS SUCH ONLY TWEAKED THE INHERITED FORECAST. WINDS HAVE BEEN GUSTY ALONG THE COAST AND EXPECT THEM TO PICK UP JUST A BIT MORE IN THE NEXT HOUR OR TWO BEFORE BEGINNING TO WANE FROM NORTH TO SOUTH AROUND MIDNIGHT. THERE MAY BE AN ISOLATED GUST TO 60MPH ALONG AN EXPOSED HEADLAND...BUT WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO TOP OUT IN THE 50 MPH RANGE FOR THE POPULATED AREAS. A BURST OF WIND...GENERALLY GUSTS IN THE 35 TO 45 MPH RANGE WILL LIKELY OCCUR IN THE WILLAMETTE VALLEY WITH FRONTAL PASSAGE LATE TONIGHT. WENT AHEAD AND INCLUDED THE LANE COUNTY CASCADES IN THE WINTER WX ADVISORY AS THE LATEST MODEL RUNS SUGGEST THEY WILL SEE SIMILAR QPF AS THEIR COUNTERPARTS TO THE NORTH. HELD OFF ON ISSUING WINTER WX ADVISORIES FOR THE COAST RANGE AND CASCADE FOOTHILLS DUE TO QPF DECREASING SUBSTANTIALLY BY THE TIME SNOW LEVELS DIP BELOW 1500 FT. OROGRAPHICS BECOME INCREASINGLY LESS FAVORABLE WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY MORNING AS THE FLOW BECOMES INCREASINGLY NORTHERLY. ANY PASSING VORT MAX IN THE UNSTABLE AIR MASS COULD AID IN ORGANIZING SHOWER ACTIVITY WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY. TRYING TO PIN POINT WHERE OR EVEN IF ONE WILL MOVE THROUGH THE AREA AT THIS POINT IS SOMEWHAT A LOST CAUSE THIS FAR OUT. AS SUCH...KEPT POPS GENERALLY IN THE 40 TO 60 RANGE DURING THIS TIME. SNOW LEVELS WILL BE LOW ENOUGH THAT JUST ABOUT ANYONE COULD SEE SOME SNOW WITH A PASSING SHOWER BY THURSDAY MORNING...BUT WIDESPREAD ACCUMULATING SNOW IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. /NEUMAN .LONG TERM...FRIDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT... AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE REMAINS OFFSHORE WITH COOL NORTHERLY FLOW ALOFT MOVING OVER THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. THE MODERATE TO STRONG NORTHERLY FLOW IS AT THE BACK EDGE OF AN EXITING COLD AIR MASS TO THE EAST WITH SHOWERS ENDING FRIDAY AS A SYSTEM EXITS THE AREA. MODELS DIFFER IN THE DETAILS OF A SHORT WAVE TROUGH MOVING OVER THE TOP OF THE RIDGE EARLY IN THE WEEKEND AND TO THE OREGON/WASHINGTON BORDER BY LATE SAT. DEPENDINGON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE LOW ASSOCIATED WITH THE TROUGH...IT COULD POTENTIALLY GENERATE ENOUGH CIRCULATION AND BRING ENOUGH MOISTURE TO THE AREA TO DROP A LITTLE BIT OF SNOW OVER THE CWA DURING THE WEEKEND. THE SYSTEM MOVES THROUGH THE AREA FAIRLY RAPIDLY. CURRENTLY THE ECMWF IS THE MODEL SHOWING DEVELOPMENT OF THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM THAT IS MORE PROMISING FOR AN INCH OR SNOW AT LOWER ELEVATIONS...WHILE THE GFS TENDS TO REFLECT A MUCH WEAKER FEATURE AT THE SURFACE. THE TREND TOWARD THE BEGINNING OF NEXT WEEK IS TOWARD THE HIGH PROGRESSING VERY SLOWLY WESTWARD...AND BRINGING SLIGHTLY WEAKER NORTHERLY FLOW TO THE AREA. KWELSON && .AVIATION...CONDITIONS SHOULD REMAIN PRIMARILY VFR TONIGHT ACROSS THE INTERIOR IN A WELL-MIXED MILD AIRMASS. THE MAIN EXCEPTIONS TO THIS WILL BE IN THE SOUTH WILLAMETTE VALLEY AND NEAR THE COLUMBIA RIVER WHERE MVFR STRATUS MAY FORM AFTER 08Z. EXPECT A MIX OF MVFR AND IFR CONDITIONS ALONG THE COAST TONIGHT IN INCREASING RAIN. THIS RAIN WILL PUSH INLAND EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING AS A STRONG COLD FRONT PUSHES ONSHORE FROM ABOUT 9Z TO 12Z ALONG THE COAST AND 12Z TO 15Z INLAND. THEN CONDITIONS MAY IMPROVE BEHIND THE FRONT IN THE AFTERNOON AS WE REMAIN IN A SHOWERY W/NW FLOW PATTERN. KPDX AND APPROACHES...EXPECT MAINLY VFR CONDITIONS OVERNIGHT WITH DRY CONDITIONS AND SOUTHERLY WINDS. CONDITIONS WILL DETERIORATE BETWEEN 12Z AND 15Z AS A STRONG COLD FRONT SPREADS RAIN INLAND. SOME IMPROVEMENT MAY OCCUR LATER IN THE AFTERNOON BEHIND THE FRONT AS WINDS TURN NORTHWESTERLY. && .MARINE...GUSTY WINDS SHOULD CONTINUE THROUGH TONIGHT...WITH GUSTS IN THE 35 TO 40 KT RANGE. LOCALIZED AREAS OF STRONGER WINDS ARE POSSIBLE FROM TIME TO TIME THROUGH THIS EVENING IN THE NORTHERN NEARSHORE WATERS. WINDS WILL TURN W/NW AND DROP OFF SOMEWHAT BEHIND THE FRONT...ROUGHLY BETWEEN 09Z AND 12Z IN THE NORTHERN WATERS AND 09Z TO 12Z IN THE SOUTHERN WATERS. WINDS MAY STRENGTHEN AGAIN TO SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY LEVELS OVER THE OUTER WATERS LATER WEDNESDAY IN A BREEZY POST-FRONTAL AIRMASS. SEAS ARE CURRENTLY IN THE MID TEENS AND SHOULD HOLD ABOVE 10 FEET THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK. SEAS MAY SUBSIDE TO BELOW 10 FEET BY THE WEEKEND. && .PQR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OR...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 7 AM WEDNESDAY TO MIDNIGHT PST WEDNESDAY NIGHT FOR CASCADES IN LANE COUNTY-NORTHERN OREGON CASCADES. WA...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 4 AM WEDNESDAY TO MIDNIGHT PST WEDNESDAY NIGHT FOR SOUTH WASHINGTON CASCADES. PZ...GALE WARNING UNTIL 4 AM PST WEDNESDAY FOR COASTAL WATERS FROM CAPE SHOALWATER WA TO CASCADE HEAD OR OUT 60 NM. GALE WARNING UNTIL 7 AM PST WEDNESDAY FOR COASTAL WATERS FROM CASCADE HEAD OR TO FLORENCE OR OUT 60 NM. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR ROUGH COLUMBIA RIVER BAR UNTIL 4 PM PST WEDNESDAY. && MORE WEATHER INFORMATION ONLINE AT...HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/PORTLAND THIS DISCUSSION IS FOR NORTHWEST OREGON AND SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON FROM THE CASCADE CREST TO 60 NAUTICAL MILES OFFSHORE. THE AREA IS COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS THE FORECAST AREA.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS SAN ANGELO TX
1133 PM CST TUE JAN 8 2013 .UPDATE... THE LATEST SATELLITE AND WSR-88D DATA INDICATE THE UPPER-LEVEL SYSTEM REMAINS POSITIONED FOR MAINLY SHOWERS TO CONTINUE ACROSS WEST CENTRAL TEXAS FOR THE REMAINDER OF TONIGHT. SO FAR...WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE WIDESPREAD HIGHER-AMOUNTS RAINFALL WE WERE ANTICIPATING. HOWEVER...THE LATEST RUC DATA INDICATE THE AREA OF PRECIPITATION WILL CONTINUE TO EXPAND FARTHER NORTH ACROSS WEST CENTRAL TEXAS FOR THE REMAINDER OF TONIGHT. GIVEN PAST TRENDS AND NEW MODEL DATA...I DECIDED TO CONTINUE CATEGORICAL POPS ACROSS THE BOARD FOR THE REMAINDER OF TONIGHT. I DID MAKE A COUPLE CHANGES. I REPLACED THE RAIN SHOWERS PLUS IN OUR WEATHER GRIDS WITH RAIN SHOWERS MODERATE. THIS REMOVED THE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL ZONE FORECAST PRODUCT WORDING FOR TONIGHT. PLUS...I REMOVED THUNDERSTORMS FROM ALL BUT THE NORTHWEST HILL COUNTRY AND SOME OF THE HEARTLAND FOR THE REMAINDER OF TONIGHT. WITH WATER VAPOR IMAGERY INDICATING A BETTER DEFINED DEFORMATION ZONE DEVELOPING OVER WEST CENTRAL TEXAS...THE THUNDERSTORM POTENTIAL HAS DECREASED FOR MOST OF WEST CENTRAL TEXAS FOR TONIGHT. THE LATEST ZONE FORECAST AND POINT FORECAST MATRICES PRODUCTS REFLECT THESE GRIDS CHANGES. HUBER && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 509 PM CST TUE JAN 8 2013/ DISCUSSION... SEE 00Z AVIATION DISCUSSION BELOW. AVIATION... IFR TO LIFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS. HAVE ONLY INCLUDED RAIN AND LIGHT RAIN IN THE TAFS WITH NO MENTION OF THUNDER. ANY THUNDERSTORMS LOOK TO BE ISOLATED AND IT IS UNCERTAIN THAT ANY WILL IMPACT ANY TERMINALS. THE BEST CHANCES WOULD BE AT JUNCTION AND BRADY. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR AND WILL AMEND TAFS AS NEEDED. EXPECTING WINDS OUT OF THE NORTHEAST AROUND 10 KNOTS. 21 PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 330 PM CST TUE JAN 8 2013/ SHORT TERM... THE MAIN FORECAST PROBLEM FOR THE SHORT TERM IS THE CONTINUING RAIN THREAT ACROSS WEST CENTRAL TEXAS. LIGHT RAIN HAS FALLEN ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH MUCH OF THIS MORNING AND MORE IS DEVELOPING SOUTH OF THE AREA. BEST CHANCES FOR RAIN LOOKS TO BE THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT TONIGHT AS THE LOW OVER NORTHERN MEXICO PUSHES FURTHER INTO WEST TEXAS. HPC STANDARD ANOMALIES ARE STILL SHOWING A MODEL CONSENSUS OF 1 TO 2 STANDARD DEVIATIONS ABOVE NORMAL FOR PRECIPITABLE WATER. FOR QPF I USED THE HPC GUIDANCE AS IT IS IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH BOTH THE NAM AND THE ECMWF. I HAVE LITTLE CONFIDENCE IN THE GFS SOLUTION AS IT IS MUCH HIGHER THAN THE NAM OR ECMWF AND THE GEFS MEAN PRECIP IS DOWN PLAYING THESE HIGHER AMOUNTS. RAIN MAY BE HEAVY AT TIME REDUCING VISIBILITIES TO LESS THAN ONE MILE. MOST AREAS CAN EXPECT 1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAIN AND SOME LOCATIONS MAY SEE UP TO 3 INCHES. TEMPERATURES LOOK TO STAY IN THE MID 40S...MOSTLY DUE TO THE THE OVERCAST SKIES THAT ARE EXPECTED. HIGHS WILL BE LITTLE WARMER TOMORROW AS THE RAIN MOVES OUT BUT ONLY EXPECT A COUPLE OF DEGREES MORE. 13 LONG TERM... THE UPPER LEVEL LOW WILL BE MOVING FROM NORTHERN MEXICO NORTHEAST OVER THE SOUTHERN FORECAST AREA BY THURSDAY EVENING WITH THE GFS AND ECMWF FAIRLY CLOSE IN TIMING AND THE NAM A LITTLE FASTER. HAVE GONE WITH A BLEND OF THE TIMING GRADUATING RAIN CHANCES FROM 30 POPS OVER THE SOUTHERN CWA TO 70S POPS OVER THE NORTHERN CWA THROUGH MIDNIGHT WEDNESDAY WITH THE CHANCE OF SHOWERS ENDING FROM THE SOUTH TO THE NORTH THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT. HAVE KEPT A SLIGHT CHANCE OF RESIDUAL SHOWERS OVER THE BIG COUNTRY THURSDAY MORNING. THE UPPER LEVEL LOW WILL OPEN AS IT MOVES NORTHEAST AND MERGES WITH THE SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT BY THE END OF THE WEEK. THE FORECAST AREA WILL REMAIN UNDER A SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT AS ANOTHER UPPER TROUGH DIGS OVER THE WESTERN STATES. THE UPPER WESTERN TROUGH WILL BE SLOW TO MOVE EAST WITH THE TROUGH AXIS WEST OF THE FORECAST AREA THROUGH THE END OF THE EXTENDED. THE NEXT COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE WILL BE SATURDAY WITH THE ECMWF AND GFS SHOWING A SLIGHT CHANCE OF ASSOCIATED RAINFALL OVER THE EASTERN CWA SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY. WILL LEAVE THE FORECAST DRY FOR NOW AND AWAIT ADDITIONAL MODEL RUNS BEFORE INCLUDING ANY RAINFALL. WILL SEE A NICE WARM-UP THURSDAY AND FRIDAY IN ADVANCE OF THE NEXT COLD FRONT WITH HIGHS ON THURSDAY IN THE 60S AND IN THE UPPER 60S TO THE LOWER 70S ON FRIDAY. BY THE BEGINNING OF THE COMING WEEK POSTFRONTAL AFTERNOON HIGHS WILL BE MOSTLY IN THE 40S. MORNING LOWS WILL COOL INTO THE 20S BY SUNDAY AND WILL REMAIN IN THE 20S THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE COMING WEEK. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... ABILENE 45 50 37 58 41 / 90 90 50 20 5 SAN ANGELO 44 48 37 62 38 / 90 80 40 10 5 JUNCTION 45 54 38 66 38 / 100 80 30 10 0 && .SJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ HUBER
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS EUREKA CA
437 AM PST WED JAN 9 2013 .SYNOPSIS...A COLD FRONT WILL BRING A QUICK SHOT OF RAIN THIS MORNING. SNOW LEVELS WILL FALL RAPIDLY THIS AFTERNOON BEHIND THE FRONT AS SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS IMPACT THE REGION. ANOTHER DISTURBANCE WILL MAINTAIN SHOWER ACTIVITY INTO THE WEEKEND BEFORE A BUILDING UPPER LEVEL RIDGE BRINGS DRIER WEATHER TO THE REGION EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .DISCUSSION...SAT IMAGERY SHOWS UPPER TROUGH MOVG PAST 130W EARLY THIS MORNING WITH PLENTY OF OPEN CELL CU BEHIND THE ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT. RADAR SHOWS LGT RETURNS NEAR THE ORCA BORDER WITH SFC OBS ALREADY REPORTING INTERMITTENT LGT PRECIP NEAR THE COAST. PERIODS OF -RA WILL CONTINUE UNTIL THE FRONT ARRIVES. EXPECT FRONT TO MOVE INTO DEL NORTE COUNTY AROUND SUNRISE AND PUSH S AND E THROUGH THE MORNING...EXITING CWA THIS AFTERNOON. A BRIEF BREAK IN CLOUDS AND PRECIP BEHIND THE FRONT BEFORE SHOWERS ARRIVE LATER THIS MORNING AND AFTERNOON. FCST SOUNDINGS CONTINUE TO SHOW FAVORABLE DYNAMICS FOR SMALL HAIL AND ISOLD TSTMS THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THU MORNING. SN LEVELS INITIALLY ABOVE 5KFT THIS MORNING WILL FALL RAPIDLY BEHIND THE FRONT AS THE ASSOCIATED COLD UPPER TROUGH APPROACHES THE REGION. SNOW LEVELS WILL FALL TO 2500 FT BY THIS AFTERNOON AND TO 1000 FT BY THU MORNING AS THE COLD AIRMASS SETTLES OVER THE REGION. SHOWER ACTIVITY WILL PEAK THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT AS THE TROUGH AXIS CROSSES THE REGION. RAPIDLY FALLING SNOW LEVELS COMBINED WITH CONVECTIVE NATURE OF THE PRECIP MAKE THE MAIN FCST CHALLENGE SNOW ACCUMULATIONS. CONTINUED TO TREND FCST TOWARDS THE HIGHER EC AND SREF QPF SOLNS RESULTING IN HIGHER SNOW AMT FCST. EXPECT 3-7 INCH ACCUMULATIONS IN ZONES 3 AND 4 WITH 6-10 INCHES WITH LOCALIZED AMOUNTS TO 12-15 INCHES ABOVE 3KFT...SO EXPANDED WINTER WX ADVISORY TO INCLUDE TRINITY COUNTY. HEAVIEST PRECIP AND HIGHEST SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE ACROSS THE SISKIYOU AND SOUTH FORK RANGES. LIGHTER ACCUMULATIONS EXPECTED OVER MENDOCINO COUNTY WHERE 1-3 INCHES EXPECTED ABOVE 1500 FT THROUGH THU MORNING. UPPER RIDGE WILL BEGIN TO BUILD OVER THE NE PAC THU RESULTING IN UPPER FLOW BECOMING NLY ACROSS THE REGION. PRECIP CHCS WILL DIMINISH AND SHIFT SLIGHTLY OFFSHORE THU AFTERNOON AS A RESULT. A COUPLE OF MINOR PERTURBATIONS IN THE NLY FLOW WILL MAINTAIN ISOLD TO SCT SHOWER ACTIVITY MAINLY N OF CAPE MENDO INTO THE WEEKEND. MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW UPPER RIDGE SHIFTING ONSHORE EARLY NEXT WEEK...BUT 09/00Z MODELS SLOWED THIS SLIGHTLY COMPARED TO PREV RUNS. HOWEVER...MADE LITTLE CHANGE TO THE EXTENDED AS WARMER TEMPS AND DRIER WX EXPECTED ACROSS THE REGION EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .AVIATION...COLD FRONT APPEARS TO BE WITHIN 3 TO 5 HOURS OF CROSSING THE NORTH COAST PER RUC ANALYSIS AND SATELLITE IMAGERY. CIGS ARE STILL BELOW 1000FT AT KACV BUT ARE BEGINNING TO COME UP WITH INCREASED MIXING AHEAD OF THE FRONT...JUST VFR CONDITIONS AT KACV. EXPECT A FEW HOURS OF IMPROVED CONDITIONS BEFORE THE FRONT ARRIVES. 2 TO 4 MI VSBYS MAY LAST AN HOUR OR SO WITH A PERIOD OF RAIN ALONG THE COLD FRONT 15-17Z AT KACV/KCEC...A COUPLE HOURS LATER AT KUKI. NOT EXPECTING SIGNIFICANT REDUCED VSBYS AT KUKI TODAY THOUGH WITH LIGHTER SHOWER ACTIVITY SOUTH OF CAPE MENDOCINO. WINDS WILL SHIFT TO THE NW IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT BUT EXPECT GUSTS TO BE MAINLY 15 KT OR LESS. SHOWERS LATE TODAY AND TONIGHT WILL LIKELY CONTAIN SMALL HAIL WITH BRIEF TSRA POSSIBLE AND TEMPORARY IFR CIGS/VSBYS POSSIBLE IN THE HEAVIER SHOWERS. CONDITIONS WILL IMPROVE ON THURSDAY. AAD && .MARINE...CANCELLED HAZ SEAS WARNING FOR THE OUTER WATERS TODAY BUT LEFT SCA RUNNING THROUGH AT LEAST FRI MORNING. BEGINNING TO SEE LONGER PERIOD WAVES SHOW UP 9-10 FT AT 13-14 SECS. BUOY 2 NEARING 15 FT WHICH IS AT OR JUST BELOW FCST HEIGHTS. SWAN IS COMING IN A TOUCH LOWER AS WELL...AND WINDS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BE QUITE AS HIGH IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT AND WILL TEND TO SUBSIDE FOR AWHILE TONIGHT. NOT TO SAY THAT CONDITIONS WILL NOT BE POOR ACROSS THE OUTER WATERS WITH SCT HEAVY SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WITH SMALL HAIL AROUND...ALONG WITH 15-25 KT NW WINDS ON TOP OF BUILDING MODERATE LONG-PERIOD SEAS. THESE SEAS WILL ONLY TEND TO BUILD FURTHER THROUGH THURDAY. NRLY GRADIENT WILL INCREASE AS WELL RESULTING IN WIDESPREAD 15-25 KT WINDS. EVEN SOME GALE FORCE GUSTS LIKELY BEYOND 8-10 NM. THIS WOULD PUT CONDITIONS SOLIDLY IN HAZ SEAS FOR TOMORROW BUT WILL LET THE DAY SHIFT MAKE THE CALL ON WHETHER OR NOT TO HOIST A WARNING. LONG PERIOD SEAS WILL DECAY AND SUBSIDE THROUGH THE WEEKEND BUT MODERATE NORTHERLY WINDS 10-20 KT AND STEEPER SHORT PERIOD SEAS WILL TEND TO PERSIST. AAD && .COASTAL FLOODING...ANOTHER ROUND OF HIGH ASTRONOMICAL TIDES EXPECTED THIS WEEK. FCST HIGH TIDES OF 8.4FT TODAY...AND 8.6FT THU AND FRI. FCST ANOMALIES CONTINUE TO RUN SLIGHTLY LOWER THAN FCST...INCREASING SLY WINDS EARLY THIS MORNING FOLLOWED BY FRONTAL PASSAGE WILL LIKELY SHIFT ANOMALIES TO SLIGHTLY ABOVE FCST. ALTHOUGH NO FLOODING IS ANTICIPATED ATTM...WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR FOR POTENTIAL IMPACTS...ESPECIALLY FOR THU AND FRI HIGH TIDES. && .EKA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 4 AM PST THU ABOVE 1500 FEET FOR CAZ004. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 10 AM PST THU ABOVE 1500 FEET FOR CAZ003. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 9 AM PST FRI FOR PZZ450-470. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 3 PM PST FRI FOR PZZ455-475. && $$ VISIT US AT HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/EUREKA FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER AT: HTTP://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/US.NATIONALWEATHERSERVICE.EUREKA.GOV HTTP://WWW.TWITTER.COM/NWSEUREKA
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS TALLAHASSEE FL
1007 AM EST Wed Jan 9 2013 .NEAR TERM [Through Rest of Today]... The large scale split flow long wave pattern remains highly amplified especially across Srn stream. This is highlighted in Nrn stream by ridging over Wrn states, trough over Wrn most Great Lakes and ridging over Ern seaboard into adjacent Atlc. Srn stream highlighted by trough over Srn plains with closed low over NE old Mex and Srn TX and ridging over se region into Wrn Atlc. At surface, morning analysis shows a low near TX with cold front swd into SE TX, and W-E warm front extending Ewd across FL Gulf Coast. Warm front is well defined, separating a moist tropical airmass over the Nrn Gulf from a modified continental one that has been in place across the SE. Dew points just S of front in low to mid 60s. It was also responsible for generating area of fog, sprinkles and drizzle along and north of it across our land area. Inverted coastal trough also noted just off NE FL coast. During the rest of today, NRN stream trough will move quickly across Great Lakes region then Ewd towards NE states in response to next trough that begins to dig SEWD across extreme Ern PAC into West coast. TX low will shift NEWD across rest of TX (and eventually into Lwr MS Valley) generating widespread convection. In response, SE ridge builds NWD. The combination of NRN trough and lifting TX low will accelerate cold front across TX and lift warm front NWD, However main forcing will remain well to our west in the vicinity of cold front. This front will also signal the beginning of a warm and humid pattern that will last into much of next week. It will also lift coastal trough NEWD as local winds veer. Even with all the cloudiness and some sprinkles and drizzle in place this morning, expect enough breaks in the cloud cover into the aftn to support temperatures in the low to mid 70s. Latest guidance and satellite pix suggest cloud/fog erosion from E-W next few hours. So even though 14z-15z temps running 3-5 degrees below forecast max, they should rebound some into aftn so won`t make any updates at this time but monitor closely. So areas in the SE Fl Big Bend could also get into the mid-upper 70s should more breaks develop in the overcast. The increasingly warm and moist onshore flow moving over cooler shelf waters of Gulf will likely continue to generate sea fog over the marine area and adjacent coast. This is evident in the local NAM DNG5, other guidance and satellite pix. This reflected in latest GRIDS. && .SHORT TERM [Tonight Through Friday]... With the warm front lifting northward through the area by tonight, the region will be in an increasingly more humid airmass, which will likely support the formation of fog/stratus after midnight. Temperatures will also be noticeably warmer with lows around 60 degrees. Starting Thursday the storm system across Central Texas will begin to move north northeast around a building mid level ridge centered over the Florida Peninsula. As this system moves into the Great Lakes, a weak cold front will move eastward across the Central Gulf States. The strengthening ridge will slow the eastward progress of this system as the main upper level energy continues to move quickly northward. As a result, only low end rain chances are expected Thursday night into Friday as this front eventually dissipates across the region. As was much the case in the near term period, the short term period will have unseasonably warm temperatures with highs in the low to mid 70s in the western areas (due to more cloud cover) and in the upper 70s to near 80 in the east. Overnight lows will be muggy by January standards, generally in the upper 50s to lower 60s. && .LONG TERM [Friday Night through Tuesday]... There is good agreement between the GFS and ECMWF that deep layer ridging will be the dominant synoptic feature over the Southeast. This correlates to a continuation of above-average temperatures (at least 10 to 15 degrees warmer than climatology) away from the beaches (where SSTs remain in the upper 50s to lower 60s). The PoP will be in the 10 to 30% range- highest along and left of a line from Albany to Panama City as that region will be closer to the Q-G forcing and deep layer moisture associated with a persistent quasi-stationary frontal system. && .AVIATION [through 18z Thursday]... Updated at 950 am EST- MVFR cigs will persist across our area (except IFR in fog and light rain especially at KECP and KVLD until early afternoon. Then, most cigs will lift to high MVFR, but IFR cigs may persist all day at KECP. Widespread LIFR (or worse) Vis & cigs are likely tonight, beginning near the coast shortly after sunset, then spreading inland later tonight. Our forecast is a blend of the GFS/NAM MOS and latest HRRR, with emphasis on the HRRR (which has verified well so far this morning) through this afternoon. && .MARINE... The pressure gradient will remain tight across the marine area as a low pressure area lifts northward across Texas and high pressure persists over the NE gulf. Cautionary level winds will continue possibly into Thursday before relaxing. Lighter onshore flow is expected by the weekend as high pressure builds just off the Florida Peninsula. && .FIRE WEATHER... Relative humidity levels will remain too moist for red flag conditions for at least the remainder of this week. && .HYDROLOGY... No appreciable rainfall amounts are expected through the next few days. .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Tallahassee 75 61 77 59 74 / 10 10 10 20 20 Panama City 71 64 74 63 73 / 20 10 10 40 20 Dothan 71 61 75 62 75 / 30 10 10 30 20 Albany 72 60 75 62 75 / 20 10 10 20 20 Valdosta 76 61 78 60 78 / 10 10 10 10 20 Cross City 79 59 79 58 76 / 10 10 10 10 20 Apalachicola 69 64 70 63 70 / 10 10 10 30 20 && .TAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...None. GA...None. AL...None. GM...None. && $$ NEAR TERM...Block SHORT TERM...Godsey LONG TERM...Fournier AVIATION...Block MARINE...Block/Godsey FIRE WEATHER...Fournier HYDROLOGY...Godsey
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS TALLAHASSEE FL
730 AM EST Wed Jan 9 2013 .UPDATE... Radar and obs showing sprinkles Wrn third and drizzle Cntrl third of area. Patchy to areas of fog also seen across much of area including Ern 2/rd of waters. Updated GRIDS to reflected 12z-15z. Also tweaked temps/dew points to refelct current scenario. .NEAR TERM [Through Today]... 03 UTC surface analysis shows a frontal boundary right along the Northern Gulf Coast. This boundary was well defined, separating a moist tropical airmass over the Central Gulf from a modified continental one that has been in place across the Southeast. This frontal boundary will lift northward today as a strong upper level system moves through Central Texas. The best forcing for ascent is expected to remain well off to the west of our region. As a result, only a slight chance of showers are expected today as the warm front lifts northward. This front will also signal the beginning of a warm and humid pattern that will last into much of next week. Even with all the cloudiness in place this morning, expect enough breaks in the cloud cover to support temperatures in the low to mid 70s. Areas in the Southeast Florida Big Bend could also get into the upper 70s should more breaks develop in the overcast. && .SHORT TERM [Tonight Through Friday]... With the warm front lifting northward through the area by tonight, the region will be in an increasingly more humid airmass, which will likely support the formation of fog/stratus after midnight. Temperatures will also be noticeably warmer with lows around 60 degrees. Starting Thursday the storm system across Central Texas will begin to move north northeast around a building mid level ridge centered over the Florida Peninsula. As this system moves into the Great Lakes, a weak cold front will move eastward across the Central Gulf States. The strengthening ridge will slow the eastward progress of this system as the main upper level energy continues to move quickly northward. As a result, only low end rain chances are expected Thursday night into Friday as this front eventually dissipates across the region. As was much the case in the near term period, the short term period will have unseasonably warm temperatures with highs in the low to mid 70s in the western areas (due to more cloud cover) and in the upper 70s to near 80 in the east. Overnight lows will be muggy by January standards, generally in the upper 50s to lower 60s. && .LONG TERM [Friday Night through Tuesday]... There is good agreement between the GFS and ECMWF that deep layer ridging will be the dominant synoptic feature over the Southeast. This correlates to a continuation of above-average temperatures (at least 10 to 15 degrees warmer than climatology) away from the beaches (where SSTs remain in the upper 50s to lower 60s). The PoP will be in the 10 to 30% range- highest along and left of a line from Albany to Panama City as that region will be closer to the Q-G forcing and deep layer moisture associated with a persistent quasi-stationary frontal system. && .AVIATION [through 12z Thursday]... Updated at 626 am EST- KVLD is the only site expected to have IFR Vis this morning. Otherwise, IFR to low-end MVFR cigs will persist across our area until early afternoon. Most cigs will lift to MVFR mid to late afternoon, but IFR cigs may persist all day at KECP. Widespread LIFR (or worse) Vis & cigs are likely tonight, beginning near the coast shortly after sunset, then spreading inland later tonight. Our forecast is a blend of the GFS/NAM MOS and latest HRRR, with emphasis on the HRRR (which has verified well so far this morning) through this afternoon. && .MARINE... The pressure gradient will remain tight across the marine area as a low pressure area lifts northward across Texas. Cautionary level winds will continue possibly into Thursday before relaxing. Lighter onshore flow is expected by the weekend as high pressure builds just off the Florida Peninsula. && .FIRE WEATHER... Relative humidity levels will remain too moist for red flag conditions for at least the remainder of this week. && .HYDROLOGY... No appreciable rainfall amounts are expected through the next few days. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Tallahassee 75 61 77 59 74 / 10 10 10 20 20 Panama City 71 64 74 63 73 / 20 10 10 40 20 Dothan 71 61 75 62 75 / 20 10 10 30 20 Albany 72 60 75 62 75 / 10 10 10 20 20 Valdosta 76 61 78 60 78 / 10 10 10 10 20 Cross City 79 59 79 58 76 / 10 10 10 10 20 Apalachicola 69 64 70 63 70 / 10 10 10 30 20 && .TAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...None. GA...None. AL...None. GM...None. && $$ NEAR TERM...Godsey SHORT TERM...Godsey LONG TERM...Fournier AVIATION...Fournier MARINE...Godsey FIRE WEATHER...Fournier HYDROLOGY...Godsey
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS TALLAHASSEE FL
626 AM EST Wed Jan 9 2013 .NEAR TERM [Through Today]... 03 UTC surface analysis shows a frontal boundary right along the Northern Gulf Coast. This boundary was well defined, separating a moist tropical airmass over the Central Gulf from a modified continental one that has been in place across the Southeast. This frontal boundary will lift northward today as a strong upper level system moves through Central Texas. The best forcing for ascent is expected to remain well off to the west of our region. As a result, only a slight chance of showers are expected today as the warm front lifts northward. This front will also signal the beginning of a warm and humid pattern that will last into much of next week. Even with all the cloudiness in place this morning, expect enough breaks in the cloud cover to support temperatures in the low to mid 70s. Areas in the Southeast Florida Big Bend could also get into the upper 70s should more breaks develop in the overcast. && .SHORT TERM [Tonight Through Friday]... With the warm front lifting northward through the area by tonight, the region will be in an increasingly more humid airmass, which will likely support the formation of fog/stratus after midnight. Temperatures will also be noticeably warmer with lows around 60 degrees. Starting Thursday the storm system across Central Texas will begin to move north northeast around a building mid level ridge centered over the Florida Peninsula. As this system moves into the Great Lakes, a weak cold front will move eastward across the Central Gulf States. The strengthening ridge will slow the eastward progress of this system as the main upper level energy continues to move quickly northward. As a result, only low end rain chances are expected Thursday night into Friday as this front eventually dissipates across the region. As was much the case in the near term period, the short term period will have unseasonably warm temperatures with highs in the low to mid 70s in the western areas (due to more cloud cover) and in the upper 70s to near 80 in the east. Overnight lows will be muggy by January standards, generally in the upper 50s to lower 60s. && .LONG TERM [Friday Night through Tuesday]... There is good agreement between the GFS and ECMWF that deep layer ridging will be the dominant synoptic feature over the Southeast. This correlates to a continuation of above-average temperatures (at least 10 to 15 degrees warmer than climatology) away from the beaches (where SSTs remain in the upper 50s to lower 60s). The PoP will be in the 10 to 30% range- highest along and left of a line from Albany to Panama City as that region will be closer to the Q-G forcing and deep layer moisture associated with a persistent quasi-stationary frontal system. && .AVIATION [through 12z Thursday]... Updated at 626 am EST- KVLD is the only site expected to have IFR Vis this morning. Otherwise, IFR to low-end MVFR cigs will persist across our area until early afternoon. Most cigs will lift to MVFR mid to late afternoon, but IFR cigs may persist all day at KECP. Widespread LIFR (or worse) Vis & cigs are likely tonight, beginning near the coast shortly after sunset, then spreading inland later tonight. Our forecast is a blend of the GFS/NAM MOS and latest HRRR, with emphasis on the HRRR (which has verified well so far this morning) through this afternoon. && .MARINE... The pressure gradient will remain tight across the marine area as a low pressure area lifts northward across Texas. Cautionary level winds will continue possibly into Thursday before relaxing. Lighter onshore flow is expected by the weekend as high pressure builds just off the Florida Peninsula. && .FIRE WEATHER... Relative humidity levels will remain too moist for red flag conditions for at least the remainder of this week. && .HYDROLOGY... No appreciable rainfall amounts are expected through the next few days. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Tallahassee 75 61 77 59 74 / 10 10 10 20 20 Panama City 71 64 74 63 73 / 20 10 10 40 20 Dothan 71 61 75 62 75 / 20 10 10 30 20 Albany 72 60 75 62 75 / 10 10 10 20 20 Valdosta 76 61 78 60 78 / 10 10 10 10 20 Cross City 79 59 79 58 76 / 10 10 10 10 20 Apalachicola 69 64 70 63 70 / 10 10 10 30 20 && .TAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...None. GA...None. AL...None. GM...None. && $$ NEAR TERM...Godsey SHORT TERM...Godsey LONG TERM...Fournier AVIATION...Fournier MARINE...Godsey FIRE WEATHER...Fournier HYDROLOGY...Godsey
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MARQUETTE MI
649 AM EST WED JAN 9 2013 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 526 AM EST WED JAN 9 2013 WATER VAPOR IMAGERY AND RUC ANALYSIS SHOW A CONTINUED PROGRESSIVE NRN STREAM ACROSS THE NRN CONUS/SRN CANADA. SHORTWAVE TROF IS CURRENTLY MOVING OVER THE WRN GREAT LAKES. AT THE SFC...ASSOCIATED LOW PRES IS OVER NRN ONTARIO. DESPITE RATHER VIGOROUS LOOK OF SHORTWAVE...VERY LITTLE PCPN HAS OCCURRED OVER THE FCST AREA OVERNIGHT. SOME PCPN PROBABLY OCCURRED OVER LAKE SUPERIOR PER RADAR IMAGERY. OVER UPPER MI...NARROW BAND OF PCPN APPEARED TO DEVELOP OVER THE ERN FCST AREA BTWN 07-09Z...BUT ONLY OB TO REPORT ANY PCPN WAS AT KERY AND THAT WAS -RA. FOCUS TODAY SHIFTS TO WINDS AND -SHSN CHANCES IN THE WAKE OF SHORTWAVE. WEST WINDS WILL BE INCREASING ACROSS THE KEWEENAW OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL HRS AS CAA INCREASES INSTABILITY/BUILDS MIXING DEPTH TOWARD THE 45-50KT LOW-LEVEL WIND MAX AT 2-4KFT. COMBINED WITH IDEAL WNW WIND DIRECTION FOR STRONG WINDS MAKES WIND ADVY ON THE KEWEENAW AN OBVIOUS CALL. EXPECT STRONGEST WINDS TO OCCUR MID MORNING INTO EARLY AFTN JUST AHEAD OF APPROACHING AREA OF 5MB/3HR PRES RISES WHICH IS NOW OVER NE ND/FAR NW MN. GUSTS OF 45-50MPH APPEAR LIKELY DURING THAT TIME. FARTHER S...WINDS ALONG THE SHORE TOWARD ONTONAGON/SILVER CITY WILL BE CLOSE TO 45MPH. TO THE E... SHORELINE LOCATIONS FROM PICTURED ROCKS EASTWARD WILL ALSO SEE GUSTS TO AROUND 45 MPH. W WINDS SHOULD KEEP THESE HIGHER GUSTS CONFINED MOSTLY TO THE BEACHES/SHORELINE. ELSEWHERE...IT WILL BE A BREEZY DAY WITH WIND GUSTS GENERALLY IN THE 25 TO 35 MPH RANGE. AS FOR PCPN...850MB TEMPS FALLING BRIEFLY TO AROUND -10C WILL BE MARGINAL FOR LES OFF LAKE SUPERIOR. HOWEVER...SINCE THERE IS A SMALL AREA OF -SN MOVING ACROSS NRN MN ATTM...EXPECT SOME -SHSN ON THE KEWEENAW FOR A PORTION OF THE MORNING INTO EARLY AFTN...AND OVER THE FAR NE FCST AREA DURING THE AFTN. A COUPLE OF OBS IN NRN MN HAVE DROPPED TO AROUND 1SM...SO THERE CERTAINLY COULD BE A BRIEF PERIOD OF HEAVIER SHSN. WILL BE SOMETHING TO MONITOR. RIGHT NOW...IT APPEARS SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE UNDER AN INCH. ALTHOUGH THERE WILL BE A TREND TOWARD CLEARING SKIES AWAY FROM THE KEWEENAW AND FAR NE FCST AREA...CAA THRU MID DAY WILL LIMIT TEMP RISE. MAX TEMPS SHOULDN`T BE TOO MUCH HIGHER THAN CURRENT READINGS. 30S WILL BE THE RULE. SFC HIGH PRES RIDGE QUICKLY SHIFTS ACROSS UPPER MI TONIGHT. WITH SKIES TRENDING TOWARD MAINLY CLEAR...THERE WILL BE A WINDOW FOR TEMPS TO FALL SHARPLY UNDER A BRIEF PERIOD OF LIGHT/CALM WIND BEFORE RETURN FLOW DEVELOPS. INDICATED MINS AS LOW AS THE LOW TEENS IN SOME OF THE TRADITIONAL COLD SPOTS...BUT WOULDN`T BE SURPRISED TO SEE A FEW SPOTS FALL INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS. .LONG TERM...(THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 526 AM EST WED JAN 9 2013 A CONTINUED ACTIVE PATTERN WILL BE THE RULE THROUGH THE WEEKEND AS MULTIPLE TROUGHS ARE PROGGED TO CROSS THE UPPER GREAT LAKES...BRINGING WELL ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES AND APPRECIABLE RAIN FOR THE EAST HALF OF THE CWA. THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT...THE UPPER GREAT LAKES AND MIDWEST WILL BE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF A PRONOUNCED MID-LEVEL TROUGH. THE LAYER SHOULD BE FAIRLY DRY AND ALLOW FOR ABUNDANT SUNSHINE ACROSS THE CWA. MEANWHILE...SOUTHERLY RETURN FLOW AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING MID-LEVEL/SFC LOW OVER THE MID-MS VALLEY WILL BRING INCREASING WINDS AND THIN...HIGH CIRRUS CLOUDS IN THE AFTERNOON. EXPECTATION IS THAT MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES AND THE LOWER ALBEDO OF THE DENSE UPPER MI FORESTS WILL RESULT IN TEMPS WELL-ABOVE NORMAL...AND EVEN SLIGHTLY ABOVE CURRENT GUIDANCE. KEPT FORECAST VERY SIMILAR TO PREVIOUS SHIFT...WITH UPPER 30S ACROSS MUCH OF THE INTERIOR AND LOW 40S FOR DOWNSLOPE LOCATIONS ALONG LAKE SUPERIOR. SOME LOCATIONS WILL APPROACH RECORD HIGHS IF DOWNSLOPE INFLUENCE IS STRONGER THAN ANTICIPATED. NOW ONTO THE SYSTEM TAKING AIM ON THE AREA THURSDAY NIGHT. A COMPACT MID-LEVEL CUTOFF LOW NEAR THE GREAT BEND OF TEXAS IS BEGINNING ITS TURN NORTHEASTWARD AND IS SET TO REACH THE MID-MS VALLEY BY LATE THURSDAY NIGHT. MODEL AGREEMENT ON THIS SYSTEM HAS BECOME VERY GOOD WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE GFS...WHICH HAS BEEN TRENDING SLOWER. WILL STICK WITH THE MORE CONSISTENT ECMWF/GEM SOLUTION. THOUGH THE MAIN MID-LEVEL FORCING WITH THE SHORTWAVE WILL PASS JUST TO THE SOUTHEAST OF THE CWA...DECENT ISENTROPIC LIFT ON THE 295-305K SURFACES AND CONSIDERABLE LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE TRANSPORT ON THE NOSE OF A 60KT H8 JET WILL SUPPORT MODERATE RAIN OVER THE EAST HALF OF THE CWA. MOISTURE CONTENT OF THE COLUMN WILL BE AN IMPRESSIVE 1.1"/450 PERCENT OF NORMAL. GIVEN THE SET-UP AND HIGH WATER CONTENT FOR JANUARY...HAVE CONTINUED THE TREND OF BUMPING UP POPS TO WIDESPREAD RAIN ACROSS THE EASTERN TWO-THIRDS OF THE CWA BEGINNING LATE THURSDAY EVENING. HELD OFF POPS FOR ALL BUT THE SOUTH-CENTRAL CWA UNTIL THIS TIME. STORM TOTAL QPF OF A HALF INCH OR MORE FOR THE EAST HALF SEEMS REASONABLE ATTM. AS FOR PRECIP TYPE...TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE INTERIOR WEST AND CENTRAL MAY FALL BELOW FREEZING IN THE EVENING BEFORE THICKER CLOUDS AND WAA TAKE CONTROL AND WARM TEMPS BACK ABOVE FREEZING. INITIAL RAIN WILL BE FALLING INTO QUITE A DRY LAYER...WITH SFC WET-BULB TEMPS JUST UNDER FREEZING. HOWEVER...GIVEN WARM HIGHS AND CONSIDERABLE SUNSHINE THURSDAY...A NARROW WINDOW OF BELOW FREEING TEMPS...AND WARM RAIN FROM A 6 TO 8C WARM LAYER ABOVE THE SFC...ONLY PUT IN A SLIGHT CHANCE OF FREEZING RAIN MAINLY INTERIOR CENTRAL. NOT REALLY EXPECTING ANY ICING...BUT DID WANT TO PUT A SMALL MENTION IN THERE. FRIDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT...PRECIP WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE EAST HALF FRIDAY MORNING AS THE INFLUX OF MOISTURE CONTINUES OVER THE AREA. A SECONDARY DEEP TROUGH MOVING INTO THE ROCKIES FRIDAY AFTERNOON WILL BEGIN TO LIFT NORTHEASTWARD BY FRIDAY EVENING. IN COMBINATION WITH THE LEFT EXIT OF A 140KT UPPER JET OVER THE UPPER-MS VALLEY...A SFC LOW WILL QUICKLY FORM OVER MN FRIDAY NIGHT. THERE SHOULD BE A LAPSE IN PRECIP FOR ALL BUT THE WESTERN CWA FRIDAY NIGHT AS PLENTY OF DRY AIR IS DRAWN INTO THE REGION AHEAD OF THE TROUGH/SFC LOW. SOME DRIZZLE IS POSSIBLE WITHIN A THICK LOW-LEVEL STRATUS DECK WHERE RAIN SHOWERS MAY NOT BE AS PREVALENT CENTRAL AND EAST. ALSO HAVE AREAS OF FOG IN THE FORECAST GIVEN RELATIVELY WARM/MOIST AIR FLOWING OVER MELTING SNOW. SATURDAY...AS THE SURFACE LOW TRACKS OVER LAKE SUPERIOR LATE FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY...IT WILL DRAW DOWN COLDER AIR FROM CANADA AND SWEEP A COLD FRONT ACROSS THE CWA. HIGHS WILL LIKELY BE EARLY IN THE DAY AS TEMPERATURES WILL QUICKLY FALL AT MOST LOCATIONS BY THE AFTERNOON. EXPECT ANY RAIN SHOWERS TO TRANSITION TO SNOW SHOWERS FROM WEST TO EAST THROUGHOUT THE DAY. ONLY MINOR ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED AS MID/UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT WILL BE NORTH OF THE CWA AND DECENT H5 Q-VECTOR DIVERGENCE WILL BE PASSING OVER THE CWA. SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY...DID NOT MAKE MANY CHANGES PAST THIS POINT. LAKE EFFECT SNOW LOOKS LIKELY FOR THE KEWEENAW AND FAR NORTHEAST SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY WITH WNW WINDS. A CORE OF -17 TO -19C AIR GETS WRAPPED AROUND THE DEPARTING LOW AND CROSSES LAKE SUPERIOR SATURDAY NIGHT. INVERSION HEIGHTS SHOULD STAY BETWEEN 4-5 KFT THROUGH MUCH OF SUNDAY UNDERNEATH SUBSIDENCE BEHIND THE DEPARTING TROUGH. THOSE HEIGHTS THEN FALL UNDER 3 KFT AND DRY AIR ADVECTS INTO THE REGION FROM THE SW SUNDAY NIGHT...THEREBY DECREASING LES COVERAGE BY MONDAY. TEMPERATURES THEN REMAIN AROUND SEASONAL NORMS TO START NEXT WEEK WITH MINIMAL PRECIP CHANCES. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z THURSDAY MORNING) ISSUED AT 644 AM EST WED JAN 9 2013 COLD FRONT MOVING ACROSS UPPER MI WILL USHER IN STRONG/GUSTY W WINDS TODAY. AT THE MORE EXPOSED KCMX LOCATION...WINDS WILL BE STRONGEST...GUSTING TO AROUND 40KT FROM MID MORNING THRU EARLY AFTN. AT KIWD/KSAW...WINDS SHOULD GUST TO AROUND 30KT. WINDS WILL QUICKLY DIMINISH W TO E LATE AFTN/EVENING AS HIGH PRES RIDGE ARRIVES. PER RADAR TRENDS/SFC OBS UPSTREAM...EXPECT A PERIOD OF IFR CONDITIONS WITH -SHSN MID TO LATE MORNING AT KCMX. COULD SEE BRIEF LIFR CONDITIONS. -SHSN SHOULD BE SHORT LIVED AS DRIER AIR ARRIVES THIS AFTN. MVFR CIGS WILL PROBABLY PREVAIL AT KCMX DURING THE AFTN...THEN SCATTER OUT TONIGHT AS WINDS BACK SRLY WITH PASSAGE OF SFC HIGH PRES RIDGE. MAY SEE A PERIOD OF MVFR CIGS AT KIWD MID MORNING THRU EARLY AFTN. AT KSAW...EXPECT DOWNSLOPING WESTERLY WINDS TO RESULT IN VFR CONDITIONS THRU THE PERIOD. && .MARINE...(FOR THE 4 AM LAKE SUPERIOR FORECAST ISSUANCE) ISSUED AT 526 AM EST WED JAN 9 2013 IN THE WAKE OF COLD FRONT PASSING ACROSS LAKE SUPERIOR THIS MORNING...EXPECT W GALES OF 35-45KT TODAY. HIGH OBS PLATFORMS MAY HAVE A COUPLE OF HRS OF GUSTS TO STORM FORCE JUST AHEAD OF 5MB/3HR PRES RISES THAT WILL SHIFT ACROSS THE AREA TODAY. WINDS WILL QUICKLY DIMINISH TO UNDER 20KT W TO E TONIGHT AS SFC HIGH PRES RIDGE MOVES ACROSS LAKE SUPERIOR. INCREASING SOUTHERLY WINDS TO 20 TO 30 KNOTS AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING LOW PRESSURE IN THE MID-MISSISSIPPI VALLEY WILL AFFECT MAINLY THE EAST HALF OF LAKE SUPERIOR THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT. LIGHT SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL THEN TAKE HOLD FRIDAY BEFORE A COLD FRONT SWEEPS ACROSS THE LAKE FROM WEST TO EAST ON SATURDAY. WESTERLY WINDS OF 25 TO 30 KNOTS WILL DEVELOP BY SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE INTO EARLY SATURDAY EVENING. A FEW GALES TO 35 KNOTS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE EAST HALF OF THE LAKE LATE SATURDAY AFTERNOON. THE PATTERN BECOMES QUITE BENIGN BY SUNDAY...WITH MAINLY WESTERLY WINDS UNDER 20 KNOTS THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE PERIOD. && .MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... UPPER MICHIGAN... WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 5 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR MIZ001-003. LAKE SUPERIOR... GALE WARNING UNTIL 10 PM EST THIS EVENING FOR LSZ249>251-266-267. GALE WARNING UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS EVENING FOR LSZ243>248-264-265. GALE WARNING UNTIL 4 PM EST /3 PM CST/ THIS AFTERNOON FOR LSZ162- 240>242-263. LAKE MICHIGAN... GALE WARNING UNTIL 4 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR LMZ248-250. GALE WARNING UNTIL 1 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR LMZ221. && $$ SHORT TERM...ROLFSON LONG TERM...TK AVIATION...ROLFSON MARINE...ROLFSON/TK
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MARQUETTE MI
529 AM EST WED JAN 9 2013 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 526 AM EST WED JAN 9 2013 WATER VAPOR IMAGERY AND RUC ANALYSIS SHOW A CONTINUED PROGRESSIVE NRN STREAM ACROSS THE NRN CONUS/SRN CANADA. SHORTWAVE TROF IS CURRENTLY MOVING OVER THE WRN GREAT LAKES. AT THE SFC...ASSOCIATED LOW PRES IS OVER NRN ONTARIO. DESPITE RATHER VIGOROUS LOOK OF SHORTWAVE...VERY LITTLE PCPN HAS OCCURRED OVER THE FCST AREA OVERNIGHT. SOME PCPN PROBABLY OCCURRED OVER LAKE SUPERIOR PER RADAR IMAGERY. OVER UPPER MI...NARROW BAND OF PCPN APPEARED TO DEVELOP OVER THE ERN FCST AREA BTWN 07-09Z...BUT ONLY OB TO REPORT ANY PCPN WAS AT KERY AND THAT WAS -RA. FOCUS TODAY SHIFTS TO WINDS AND -SHSN CHANCES IN THE WAKE OF SHORTWAVE. WEST WINDS WILL BE INCREASING ACROSS THE KEWEENAW OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL HRS AS CAA INCREASES INSTABILITY/BUILDS MIXING DEPTH TOWARD THE 45-50KT LOW-LEVEL WIND MAX AT 2-4KFT. COMBINED WITH IDEAL WNW WIND DIRECTION FOR STRONG WINDS MAKES WIND ADVY ON THE KEWEENAW AN OBVIOUS CALL. EXPECT STRONGEST WINDS TO OCCUR MID MORNING INTO EARLY AFTN JUST AHEAD OF APPROACHING AREA OF 5MB/3HR PRES RISES WHICH IS NOW OVER NE ND/FAR NW MN. GUSTS OF 45-50MPH APPEAR LIKELY DURING THAT TIME. FARTHER S...WINDS ALONG THE SHORE TOWARD ONTONAGON/SILVER CITY WILL BE CLOSE TO 45MPH. TO THE E... SHORELINE LOCATIONS FROM PICTURED ROCKS EASTWARD WILL ALSO SEE GUSTS TO AROUND 45 MPH. W WINDS SHOULD KEEP THESE HIGHER GUSTS CONFINED MOSTLY TO THE BEACHES/SHORELINE. ELSEWHERE...IT WILL BE A BREEZY DAY WITH WIND GUSTS GENERALLY IN THE 25 TO 35 MPH RANGE. AS FOR PCPN...850MB TEMPS FALLING BRIEFLY TO AROUND -10C WILL BE MARGINAL FOR LES OFF LAKE SUPERIOR. HOWEVER...SINCE THERE IS A SMALL AREA OF -SN MOVING ACROSS NRN MN ATTM...EXPECT SOME -SHSN ON THE KEWEENAW FOR A PORTION OF THE MORNING INTO EARLY AFTN...AND OVER THE FAR NE FCST AREA DURING THE AFTN. A COUPLE OF OBS IN NRN MN HAVE DROPPED TO AROUND 1SM...SO THERE CERTAINLY COULD BE A BRIEF PERIOD OF HEAVIER SHSN. WILL BE SOMETHING TO MONITOR. RIGHT NOW...IT APPEARS SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE UNDER AN INCH. ALTHOUGH THERE WILL BE A TREND TOWARD CLEARING SKIES AWAY FROM THE KEWEENAW AND FAR NE FCST AREA...CAA THRU MID DAY WILL LIMIT TEMP RISE. MAX TEMPS SHOULDN`T BE TOO MUCH HIGHER THAN CURRENT READINGS. 30S WILL BE THE RULE. SFC HIGH PRES RIDGE QUICKLY SHIFTS ACROSS UPPER MI TONIGHT. WITH SKIES TRENDING TOWARD MAINLY CLEAR...THERE WILL BE A WINDOW FOR TEMPS TO FALL SHARPLY UNDER A BRIEF PERIOD OF LIGHT/CALM WIND BEFORE RETURN FLOW DEVELOPS. INDICATED MINS AS LOW AS THE LOW TEENS IN SOME OF THE TRADITIONAL COLD SPOTS...BUT WOULDN`T BE SURPRISED TO SEE A FEW SPOTS FALL INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS. .LONG TERM...(THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 526 AM EST WED JAN 9 2013 A CONTINUED ACTIVE PATTERN WILL BE THE RULE THROUGH THE WEEKEND AS MULTIPLE TROUGHS ARE PROGGED TO CROSS THE UPPER GREAT LAKES...BRINGING WELL ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES AND APPRECIABLE RAIN FOR THE EAST HALF OF THE CWA. THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT...THE UPPER GREAT LAKES AND MIDWEST WILL BE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF A PRONOUNCED MID-LEVEL TROUGH. THE LAYER SHOULD BE FAIRLY DRY AND ALLOW FOR ABUNDANT SUNSHINE ACROSS THE CWA. MEANWHILE...SOUTHERLY RETURN FLOW AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING MID-LEVEL/SFC LOW OVER THE MID-MS VALLEY WILL BRING INCREASING WINDS AND THIN...HIGH CIRRUS CLOUDS IN THE AFTERNOON. EXPECTATION IS THAT MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES AND THE LOWER ALBEDO OF THE DENSE UPPER MI FORESTS WILL RESULT IN TEMPS WELL-ABOVE NORMAL...AND EVEN SLIGHTLY ABOVE CURRENT GUIDANCE. KEPT FORECAST VERY SIMILAR TO PREVIOUS SHIFT...WITH UPPER 30S ACROSS MUCH OF THE INTERIOR AND LOW 40S FOR DOWNSLOPE LOCATIONS ALONG LAKE SUPERIOR. SOME LOCATIONS WILL APPROACH RECORD HIGHS IF DOWNSLOPE INFLUENCE IS STRONGER THAN ANTICIPATED. NOW ONTO THE SYSTEM TAKING AIM ON THE AREA THURSDAY NIGHT. A COMPACT MID-LEVEL CUTOFF LOW NEAR THE GREAT BEND OF TEXAS IS BEGINNING ITS TURN NORTHEASTWARD AND IS SET TO REACH THE MID-MS VALLEY BY LATE THURSDAY NIGHT. MODEL AGREEMENT ON THIS SYSTEM HAS BECOME VERY GOOD WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE GFS...WHICH HAS BEEN TRENDING SLOWER. WILL STICK WITH THE MORE CONSISTENT ECMWF/GEM SOLUTION. THOUGH THE MAIN MID-LEVEL FORCING WITH THE SHORTWAVE WILL PASS JUST TO THE SOUTHEAST OF THE CWA...DECENT ISENTROPIC LIFT ON THE 295-305K SURFACES AND CONSIDERABLE LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE TRANSPORT ON THE NOSE OF A 60KT H8 JET WILL SUPPORT MODERATE RAIN OVER THE EAST HALF OF THE CWA. MOISTURE CONTENT OF THE COLUMN WILL BE AN IMPRESSIVE 1.1"/450 PERCENT OF NORMAL. GIVEN THE SET-UP AND HIGH WATER CONTENT FOR JANUARY...HAVE CONTINUED THE TREND OF BUMPING UP POPS TO WIDESPREAD RAIN ACROSS THE EASTERN TWO-THIRDS OF THE CWA BEGINNING LATE THURSDAY EVENING. HELD OFF POPS FOR ALL BUT THE SOUTH-CENTRAL CWA UNTIL THIS TIME. STORM TOTAL QPF OF A HALF INCH OR MORE FOR THE EAST HALF SEEMS REASONABLE ATTM. AS FOR PRECIP TYPE...TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE INTERIOR WEST AND CENTRAL MAY FALL BELOW FREEZING IN THE EVENING BEFORE THICKER CLOUDS AND WAA TAKE CONTROL AND WARM TEMPS BACK ABOVE FREEZING. INITIAL RAIN WILL BE FALLING INTO QUITE A DRY LAYER...WITH SFC WET-BULB TEMPS JUST UNDER FREEZING. HOWEVER...GIVEN WARM HIGHS AND CONSIDERABLE SUNSHINE THURSDAY...A NARROW WINDOW OF BELOW FREEING TEMPS...AND WARM RAIN FROM A 6 TO 8C WARM LAYER ABOVE THE SFC...ONLY PUT IN A SLIGHT CHANCE OF FREEZING RAIN MAINLY INTERIOR CENTRAL. NOT REALLY EXPECTING ANY ICING...BUT DID WANT TO PUT A SMALL MENTION IN THERE. FRIDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT...PRECIP WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE EAST HALF FRIDAY MORNING AS THE INFLUX OF MOISTURE CONTINUES OVER THE AREA. A SECONDARY DEEP TROUGH MOVING INTO THE ROCKIES FRIDAY AFTERNOON WILL BEGIN TO LIFT NORTHEASTWARD BY FRIDAY EVENING. IN COMBINATION WITH THE LEFT EXIT OF A 140KT UPPER JET OVER THE UPPER-MS VALLEY...A SFC LOW WILL QUICKLY FORM OVER MN FRIDAY NIGHT. THERE SHOULD BE A LAPSE IN PRECIP FOR ALL BUT THE WESTERN CWA FRIDAY NIGHT AS PLENTY OF DRY AIR IS DRAWN INTO THE REGION AHEAD OF THE TROUGH/SFC LOW. SOME DRIZZLE IS POSSIBLE WITHIN A THICK LOW-LEVEL STRATUS DECK WHERE RAIN SHOWERS MAY NOT BE AS PREVALENT CENTRAL AND EAST. ALSO HAVE AREAS OF FOG IN THE FORECAST GIVEN RELATIVELY WARM/MOIST AIR FLOWING OVER MELTING SNOW. SATURDAY...AS THE SURFACE LOW TRACKS OVER LAKE SUPERIOR LATE FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY...IT WILL DRAW DOWN COLDER AIR FROM CANADA AND SWEEP A COLD FRONT ACROSS THE CWA. HIGHS WILL LIKELY BE EARLY IN THE DAY AS TEMPERATURES WILL QUICKLY FALL AT MOST LOCATIONS BY THE AFTERNOON. EXPECT ANY RAIN SHOWERS TO TRANSITION TO SNOW SHOWERS FROM WEST TO EAST THROUGHOUT THE DAY. ONLY MINOR ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED AS MID/UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT WILL BE NORTH OF THE CWA AND DECENT H5 Q-VECTOR DIVERGENCE WILL BE PASSING OVER THE CWA. SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY...DID NOT MAKE MANY CHANGES PAST THIS POINT. LAKE EFFECT SNOW LOOKS LIKELY FOR THE KEWEENAW AND FAR NORTHEAST SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY WITH WNW WINDS. A CORE OF -17 TO -19C AIR GETS WRAPPED AROUND THE DEPARTING LOW AND CROSSES LAKE SUPERIOR SATURDAY NIGHT. INVERSION HEIGHTS SHOULD STAY BETWEEN 4-5 KFT THROUGH MUCH OF SUNDAY UNDERNEATH SUBSIDENCE BEHIND THE DEPARTING TROUGH. THOSE HEIGHTS THEN FALL UNDER 3 KFT AND DRY AIR ADVECTS INTO THE REGION FROM THE SW SUNDAY NIGHT...THEREBY DECREASING LES COVERAGE BY MONDAY. TEMPERATURES THEN REMAIN AROUND SEASONAL NORMS TO START NEXT WEEK WITH MINIMAL PRECIP CHANCES. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z THURSDAY MORNING) ISSUED AT 526 AM EST WED JAN 9 2013 SOUTHERLY WINDS AHEAD OF A FRONTAL SYSTEM HAS BROUGHT LOW CLOUDS ACROSS UPPER MICHIGAN THIS EVENING. EXPECT THE MVFR CLOUDS TO PERSIST UNTIL MIDDAY WHEN DRIER AIR WILL MOVE IN FROM THE WEST. EXPECT GUSTY WESTERLY WINDS LATE IN THE NIGHT INTO TODAY BEHIND THE FRONT. DECENT COLD AIR MOVING OVER LAKE SUPERIOR WILL SUPPORT GUSTS TO 40KTS AT KCMX AROUND DAYBREAK AND CONTINUING FOR MUCH OF THE MORNING. AT THE OTHER TWO SITES...WINDS WILL BE GUSTY AND IN THE 20-30KT RANGE. WINDS WILL DIMINISH TOWARD EVENING AS A RIDGE BUILDS FROM THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY INTO THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES. && .MARINE...(FOR THE 4 AM LAKE SUPERIOR FORECAST ISSUANCE) ISSUED AT 526 AM EST WED JAN 9 2013 IN THE WAKE OF COLD FRONT PASSING ACROSS LAKE SUPERIOR THIS MORNING...EXPECT W GALES OF 35-45KT TODAY. HIGH OBS PLATFORMS MAY HAVE A COUPLE OF HRS OF GUSTS TO STORM FORCE JUST AHEAD OF 5MB/3HR PRES RISES THAT WILL SHIFT ACROSS THE AREA TODAY. WINDS WILL QUICKLY DIMINISH TO UNDER 20KT W TO E TONIGHT AS SFC HIGH PRES RIDGE MOVES ACROSS LAKE SUPERIOR. INCREASING SOUTHERLY WINDS TO 20 TO 30 KNOTS AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING LOW PRESSURE IN THE MID-MISSISSIPPI VALLEY WILL AFFECT MAINLY THE EAST HALF OF LAKE SUPERIOR THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT. LIGHT SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL THEN TAKE HOLD FRIDAY BEFORE A COLD FRONT SWEEPS ACROSS THE LAKE FROM WEST TO EAST ON SATURDAY. WESTERLY WINDS OF 25 TO 30 KNOTS WILL DEVELOP BY SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE INTO EARLY SATURDAY EVENING. A FEW GALES TO 35 KNOTS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE EAST HALF OF THE LAKE LATE SATURDAY AFTERNOON. THE PATTERN BECOMES QUITE BENIGN BY SUNDAY...WITH MAINLY WESTERLY WINDS UNDER 20 KNOTS THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE PERIOD. && .MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... UPPER MICHIGAN... WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 5 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR MIZ001-003. LAKE SUPERIOR... GALE WARNING UNTIL 10 PM EST THIS EVENING FOR LSZ249>251-266-267. GALE WARNING UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS EVENING FOR LSZ243>248-264-265. GALE WARNING UNTIL 4 PM EST /3 PM CST/ THIS AFTERNOON FOR LSZ162- 240>242-263. LAKE MICHIGAN... GALE WARNING UNTIL 4 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR LMZ248-250. GALE WARNING UNTIL 1 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR LMZ221. && $$ SHORT TERM...ROLFSON LONG TERM...TK AVIATION...JLB MARINE...ROLFSON/TK
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NWS TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
614 AM CST WED JAN 9 2013 .UPDATE...UPDATED FOR AVIATION DISCUSSION BELOW. && .PREV DISCUSSION.../ISSUED 437 AM CST WED JAN 9 2013/ MAIN FORECAST CONCERN FOR THIS PERIOD WAS IN THE THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY TIME FRAME AS AN UNCHARACTERISTICALLY WARM AND MOIST SYSTEM FOR JANUARY STANDARDS IMPACTS THE AREA...WITH WHAT LOOKS TO BE PRIMARILY RAIN THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...WITH A TRANSITION BACK TO SNOW FRIDAY EVENING. VERY MILD CONDITIONS TO START THE DAY...WITH MANY AREAS STILL IN THE 30S AT 3AM AS THE AREA SITS OUT AHEAD OF PACIFIC COLD FRONT CURRENTLY MOVING ACROSS THE DAKOTAS. CURRENT HIGHS FOR TODAY ONLY 5 TO 10 DEGS HIGHER THAN CURRENT TEMPS...SO COULD END UP BEING A BIT WARMER THAN CURRENTLY FORECAST...ESPECIALLY EAST OF THE BUFFALO RIDGE IN SW MN...WHERE TEMPS ARE A DEGREE OR TWO ON EITHER SIDE OF 35 AT THE MOMENT. ALSO GETTING SOME STRONG WINDS IN THE WRN CWA THIS MORNING...WITH SPEEDS UP NEAR ADVY LEVELS...WITH SOME SUSTAINED WINDS IN THE AXN/MOX AREA NEAR 30 MPH...WITH GUSTS APPROACHING 40. FORTUNATELY...NOT EXPECTING THINGS TO GET ANY WORSE THAN WHAT WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN SINCE MAIN PUSH OF PRESSURE RISES WILL BE GOING NORTH OF HERE...ALONG WITH A STRONG INVERSION MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO MIX MUCH WIND TO THE GROUND. THIS SECOND PART IS FORTUNATE...AS RAP SHOWS 1K FT WINDS UP AT 40 KTS...BUT THE INVERSION WILL KEEP THOSE UP THERE...MEANING A WIND ADVY IS UNNECESSARY FOR TODAY. THE WEATHER LOOKS QUIET TODAY THROUGH TONIGHT...BUT STILL LOOKS TO TURN SOUTH IN A HURRY THURSDAY AFTERNOON. CUT OFF LOW WITH A WALL OF WATER OVER TX THIS MORNING WILL SLOWLY DRIFT NORTH TODAY AS A SHARP THROUGH MOVES ONSHORE OUT WEST. AS THE MAIN TROUGH WORKS ACROSS THE ROCKIES THURSDAY...IT WILL PICK UP THE CLOSED LOW A QUICKLY SEND IT AND ITS RAIN NORTH TOWARD THE GREAT LAKES. AS WITH PREVIOUS FORECAST...FAVORED A GEM/ECMWF BLEND FOR TIMING PRECIP IN THURSDAY/THURSDAY NIGHT AS THIS IS A GOOD COMPROMISE BETWEEN THE NAM...WHICH IS ABOUT 6 HOURS FASTER AND THE GFS WHICH IS 6 HOURS SLOWER THAN THE GEM/ECMWF. HOWEVER...WORRIED NAM MAY BE RIGHT WITH THE FASTER TIMING. THIS IS BECAUSE A QUICK LOOK AT H85 MOISTURE TRANSPORT ON THE ECMWF SHOWS THAT IT AGREES MUCH MORE WITH THE TIMING INDICATED BY THE NAM QPF THAN ITS OWN...SO WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED IF WE NEED TO START SPEEDING UP THE SPREAD OF POPS NORTH THURSDAY AFTERNOON. BIG ISSUE WITH PRECIP THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY IS ALL MODELS ARE SHOWING THE MPX CWA GETTING DRY SLOTTED...WITH MOISTURE REMAINING RATHER SHALLOW AFTER THE INITIAL PUSH OF PRECIP THURSDAY AFTERNOON. DID FAVOR QPF THU/THU NIGHT TOWARD THE HIGHER HPC NUMBERS AS BOTH THE NAM AND GFS SHOW PWATS WITH THIS INITIAL SURGE OF PRECIP INCREASE TO AND EVEN EXCEEDING 1 INCH. THIS IS A GOOD 400-500 PERCENT OF NORMAL. THE HIGHEST PWAT EVER OBSERVED AT MPX/STC IN JANUARY IS 0.92...SO WHAT WE WILL BE SEEING THURSDAY WILL BE QUITE RARE INDEED. BASED ON THE HIGH PWAT...LIKE THE HIGHER HPC NUMBERS...THOUGH HEAVIEST RAIN WILL BE DIRECTED MORE TOWARD GREEN BAY...WHERE BEST LLJ AND MOISTURE TRANSPORT WILL BE DIRECTED. DRY SLOTTING THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY RESULTS IN SOUNDINGS LACKING ANY ICE CRYSTALS...WITH DRIZZLE LOOKING TO BE THE PRIMARY PRECIP SEEN IN THIS PERIOD. AS FOR P-TYPE...FAVORED TEMPERATURE FORECAST THU-FRI TOWARD THE GEM/ECMWF AS WELL...WHICH RESULTS IN A MUCH WARMER SCENARIO. BY THE TIME PRECIP GETS HERE THURSDAY AFTERNOON...CURRENTLY HAVE THE ENTIRE CWA ABV FREEZING...SO KEPT PRECIP MENTION THURSDAY AS ONLY RAIN. FOR THURSDAY NIGHT...MAY BE QUESTIONABLE IF LOWS ANYWHERE IN THE MPX CWA DROP BELOW FREEZING...WHICH MEANS RAIN WILL LIKELY BE THE PRIMARY P-TYPE RIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT. ON FRIDAY...MODELS BEGINNING TO REALLY TIGHTEN UP BAROCLINIC ZONE THAT WILL BE JUST WEST/NW OF THE MPX AREA...WITH WINDS BACKING TO THE SE. THIS SHOULD ALLOW 40 DEG TEMPERATURES TO SNEAK INTO ERN AREAS FRIDAY. THIS FRONT DOES NOT LOOK TO START WORKING ACROSS THE MPX CWA UNTIL FRIDAY NIGHT BASED ON AN ECMWF/GFS/NAM BLEND AS A RAPIDLY DEEPENING SFC LOW MOVES UP FROM NEAR SIOUX FALLS UP TO THE ARROWHEAD. NO OTHER WAY TO EXPLAIN THE CAA BEHIND THIS FRONT FRIDAY NIGHT OTHER THAN AS INTENSE...WITH WIND ADVY STRENGTH WINDS LOOKING LIKELY AND TEMPERATURES LIKELY DROPPING 20 DEGREES OR MORE WITHIN AN HOUR OR TWO. THIS WILL QUICKLY TURN ANY PRECIP OVER TO SNOW...THOUGH TRACK OF THE LOW WILL KEEP PRIMARY BAND OF SNOW ACROSS NW MN. LOOKING AT POTENTIAL HEADLINES...THERE WILL BE THE POSSIBILITY FOR TWO WITH THIS SYSTEM...A WINTER WEATHER AND WIND ADVY. AT THE MOMENT...THE MOST LIKELY PLACE THAT MAY NEED A WINTER WX ADVY IS THE FAR NW CWA. THIS IS WHERE THE HIGHEST POTENTIAL FOR SEEING FZRA WILL BE THURSDAY NIGHT...FOLLOWED BY THE POTENTIAL FOR A FEW INCHES OF SNOW FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY DEPENDING ON HOW FAR SE THE DEFORMATION PRECIP BAND SETS UP. AS FOR THE WIND ADVY...FRIDAY NIGHT IS LOOKING QUITE BREEZY...ESPECIALLY ON THE ECMWF...WHICH DEVELOPS SUSTAINED WINDS IN WRN MN IN EXCESS OF 30 MPH...WITH GUSTS OVER 40 MPH IN RESPONSE TO IT SENDING A 990 LOW OVER TO THE WEST END OF LAKE SUPERIOR AS A 1030 MB HIGH MOVES INTO THE BLACK HILLS. AS FOR THE REST OF THE FORECAST...IT IS LOOKING COOLER...ESPECIALLY SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY...WHEN BELOW ZERO LOWS WILL RETURN WITH HIGHS IN THE SINGLE DIGITS AND TEENS...THOUGH WE COULD GET WARMER THAN THAT AS WARM TEMPS THURSDAY/FRIDAY WILL LIKELY PUNCH A LOT OF HOLES IN THE SNOWPACK OUTSIDE OF THE NW CWA...WHICH WILL LIKELY GET SOME SNOW FRIDAY NIGHT. BY THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK...BOTH THE GFS/ECMWF SHOW TEMPERATURES MODERATING OUT AHEAD OF CLIPPER COMING DOWN TUESDAY NIGHT/WEDNESDAY. ALSO INTERESTING IS THAT AS NEXT WEEK GROWS CLOSER...THE GFS/ECMWF CONTINUE TO BACK OFF ON THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE ARCTIC AIR MAKES IN INTO THE US...WITH EACH NEW RUN SEEMING TO KEEP IT FURTHER AND FURTHER NORTH...SO THAT WILL BE SOMETHING TO WATCH. AS FOR WEATHER...AFTER THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY IT LOOKS DRY. && .AVIATION.../12Z TAF ISSUANCE/ MAIN FORECAST CONCERN FOR THIS ISSUANCE IS WIND...WITH VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED FOR THE NEXT 24 TO 30 HOURS. GUSTY WEST WINDS WILL SUBSIDE LATER THIS MORNING AND BACK SOUTHERLY BY EVENING. AS A NEW STORM SYSTEM DEVELOPS TO THE WEST...WINDS WILL STRENGTHEN AGAIN OVERNIGHT...ESPECIALLY ACROSS WRN MN WHERE SOME GUSTS MAY EXCEED 25 KTS. IN ADDITION...A STRONG LOW LEVEL JET OF 50 TO 55 KTS IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AROUND 1000 FT AFTER 06Z WHICH HAS LED TO THE INCLUSION OF WIND SHEAR MENTION AT AXN...RWF...AND STC. KMSP...VFR CONDITIONS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY WITH SKC. RAPIDLY DETERIORATING CONDITIONS EXPECTED JUST AFTER THE CURRENT PERIOD WITH TREMENDOUS AMOUNTS OF INCOMING MOISTURE. MVFR OR LOWER CONDITIONS LIKELY BY LATE THURSDAY AFTERNOON. GUSTY WEST WINDS WILL SUBSIDE LATER THIS MORNING AND BACK SOUTH BY EVENING. COULD SEE WINDS APPROACH 50 KTS AT 1000FT LATE TONIGHT...BUT DECIDED AGAINST INCLUDING WIND SHEAR WITH THIS ISSUANCE GIVEN MORE UNCERTAINTY ACROSS ERN MN. /OUTLOOK FOR KMSP/ THU NIGHT...IFR CIGS/VSBYS WITH RAIN EARLY...THEN LIFR CONDITIONS POSSIBLE IN DZ AND FG. WINDS SE AT 5-10 KTS. FRI...IFR WITH DZ AND FG. LIFR POSSIBLE. WINDS SE AT 5-10 KTS. SAT...MVFR WITH -SHSN POSSIBLE. COLD FRONT PASSAGE EARLY. WINDS W AT 20G30KTS. && .MPX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MN...NONE. WI...NONE. && $$ MPG/BORGHOFF
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
437 AM CST WED JAN 9 2013 .DISCUSSION... MAIN FORECAST CONCERN FOR THIS PERIOD WAS IN THE THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY TIME FRAME AS AN UNCHARACTERISTICALLY WARM AND MOIST SYSTEM FOR JANUARY STANDARDS IMPACTS THE AREA...WITH WHAT LOOKS TO BE PRIMARILY RAIN THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...WITH A TRANSITION BACK TO SNOW FRIDAY EVENING. VERY MILD CONDITIONS TO START THE DAY...WITH MANY AREAS STILL IN THE 30S AT 3AM AS THE AREA SITS OUT AHEAD OF PACIFIC COLD FRONT CURRENTLY MOVING ACROSS THE DAKOTAS. CURRENT HIGHS FOR TODAY ONLY 5 TO 10 DEGS HIGHER THAN CURRENT TEMPS...SO COULD END UP BEING A BIT WARMER THAN CURRENTLY FORECAST...ESPECIALLY EAST OF THE BUFFALO RIDGE IN SW MN...WHERE TEMPS ARE A DEGREE OR TWO ON EITHER SIDE OF 35 AT THE MOMENT. ALSO GETTING SOME STRONG WINDS IN THE WRN CWA THIS MORNING...WITH SPEEDS UP NEAR ADVY LEVELS...WITH SOME SUSTAINED WINDS IN THE AXN/MOX AREA NEAR 30 MPH...WITH GUSTS APPROACHING 40. FORTUNATELY...NOT EXPECTING THINGS TO GET ANY WORSE THAN WHAT WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN SINCE MAIN PUSH OF PRESSURE RISES WILL BE GOING NORTH OF HERE...ALONG WITH A STRONG INVERSION MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO MIX MUCH WIND TO THE GROUND. THIS SECOND PART IS FORTUNATE...AS RAP SHOWS 1K FT WINDS UP AT 40 KTS...BUT THE INVERSION WILL KEEP THOSE UP THERE...MEANING A WIND ADVY IS UNNECESSARY FOR TODAY. THE WEATHER LOOKS QUIET TODAY THROUGH TONIGHT...BUT STILL LOOKS TO TURN SOUTH IN A HURRY THURSDAY AFTERNOON. CUT OFF LOW WITH A WALL OF WATER OVER TX THIS MORNING WILL SLOWLY DRIFT NORTH TODAY AS A SHARP THROUGH MOVES ONSHORE OUT WEST. AS THE MAIN TROUGH WORKS ACROSS THE ROCKIES THURSDAY...IT WILL PICK UP THE CLOSED LOW A QUICKLY SEND IT AND ITS RAIN NORTH TOWARD THE GREAT LAKES. AS WITH PREVIOUS FORECAST...FAVORED A GEM/ECMWF BLEND FOR TIMING PRECIP IN THURSDAY/THURSDAY NIGHT AS THIS IS A GOOD COMPROMISE BETWEEN THE NAM...WHICH IS ABOUT 6 HOURS FASTER AND THE GFS WHICH IS 6 HOURS SLOWER THAN THE GEM/ECMWF. HOWEVER...WORRIED NAM MAY BE RIGHT WITH THE FASTER TIMING. THIS IS BECAUSE A QUICK LOOK AT H85 MOISTURE TRANSPORT ON THE ECMWF SHOWS THAT IT AGREES MUCH MORE WITH THE TIMING INDICATED BY THE NAM QPF THAN ITS OWN...SO WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED IF WE NEED TO START SPEEDING UP THE SPREAD OF POPS NORTH THURSDAY AFTERNOON. BIG ISSUE WITH PRECIP THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY IS ALL MODELS ARE SHOWING THE MPX CWA GETTING DRY SLOTTED...WITH MOISTURE REMAINING RATHER SHALLOW AFTER THE INITIAL PUSH OF PRECIP THURSDAY AFTERNOON. DID FAVOR QPF THU/THU NIGHT TOWARD THE HIGHER HPC NUMBERS AS BOTH THE NAM AND GFS SHOW PWATS WITH THIS INITIAL SURGE OF PRECIP INCREASE TO AND EVEN EXCEEDING 1 INCH. THIS IS A GOOD 400-500 PERCENT OF NORMAL. THE HIGHEST PWAT EVER OBSERVED AT MPX/STC IN JANUARY IS 0.92...SO WHAT WE WILL BE SEEING THURSDAY WILL BE QUITE RARE INDEED. BASED ON THE HIGH PWAT...LIKE THE HIGHER HPC NUMBERS...THOUGH HEAVIEST RAIN WILL BE DIRECTED MORE TOWARD GREEN BAY...WHERE BEST LLJ AND MOISTURE TRANSPORT WILL BE DIRECTED. DRY SLOTTING THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY RESULTS IN SOUNDINGS LACKING ANY ICE CRYSTALS...WITH DRIZZLE LOOKING TO BE THE PRIMARY PRECIP SEEN IN THIS PERIOD. AS FOR P-TYPE...FAVORED TEMPERATURE FORECAST THU-FRI TOWARD THE GEM/ECMWF AS WELL...WHICH RESULTS IN A MUCH WARMER SCENARIO. BY THE TIME PRECIP GETS HERE THURSDAY AFTERNOON...CURRENTLY HAVE THE ENTIRE CWA ABV FREEZING...SO KEPT PRECIP MENTION THURSDAY AS ONLY RAIN. FOR THURSDAY NIGHT...MAY BE QUESTIONABLE IF LOWS ANYWHERE IN THE MPX CWA DROP BELOW FREEZING...WHICH MEANS RAIN WILL LIKELY BE THE PRIMARY P-TYPE RIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT. ON FRIDAY...MODELS BEGINNING TO REALLY TIGHTEN UP BAROCLINIC ZONE THAT WILL BE JUST WEST/NW OF THE MPX AREA...WITH WINDS BACKING TO THE SE. THIS SHOULD ALLOW 40 DEG TEMPERATURES TO SNEAK INTO ERN AREAS FRIDAY. THIS FRONT DOES NOT LOOK TO START WORKING ACROSS THE MPX CWA UNTIL FRIDAY NIGHT BASED ON AN ECMWF/GFS/NAM BLEND AS A RAPIDLY DEEPENING SFC LOW MOVES UP FROM NEAR SIOUX FALLS UP TO THE ARROWHEAD. NO OTHER WAY TO EXPLAIN THE CAA BEHIND THIS FRONT FRIDAY NIGHT OTHER THAN AS INTENSE...WITH WIND ADVY STRENGTH WINDS LOOKING LIKELY AND TEMPERATURES LIKELY DROPPING 20 DEGREES OR MORE WITHIN AN HOUR OR TWO. THIS WILL QUICKLY TURN ANY PRECIP OVER TO SNOW...THOUGH TRACK OF THE LOW WILL KEEP PRIMARY BAND OF SNOW ACROSS NW MN. LOOKING AT POTENTIAL HEADLINES...THERE WILL BE THE POSSIBILITY FOR TWO WITH THIS SYSTEM...A WINTER WEATHER AND WIND ADVY. AT THE MOMENT...THE MOST LIKELY PLACE THAT MAY NEED A WINTER WX ADVY IS THE FAR NW CWA. THIS IS WHERE THE HIGHEST POTENTIAL FOR SEEING FZRA WILL BE THURSDAY NIGHT...FOLLOWED BY THE POTENTIAL FOR A FEW INCHES OF SNOW FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY DEPENDING ON HOW FAR SE THE DEFORMATION PRECIP BAND SETS UP. AS FOR THE WIND ADVY...FRIDAY NIGHT IS LOOKING QUITE BREEZY...ESPECIALLY ON THE ECMWF...WHICH DEVELOPS SUSTAINED WINDS IN WRN MN IN EXCESS OF 30 MPH...WITH GUSTS OVER 40 MPH IN RESPONSE TO IT SENDING A 990 LOW OVER TO THE WEST END OF LAKE SUPERIOR AS A 1030 MB HIGH MOVES INTO THE BLACK HILLS. AS FOR THE REST OF THE FORECAST...IT IS LOOKING COOLER...ESPECIALLY SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY...WHEN BELOW ZERO LOWS WILL RETURN WITH HIGHS IN THE SINGLE DIGITS AND TEENS...THOUGH WE COULD GET WARMER THAN THAT AS WARM TEMPS THURSDAY/FRIDAY WILL LIKELY PUNCH A LOT OF HOLES IN THE SNOWPACK OUTSIDE OF THE NW CWA...WHICH WILL LIKELY GET SOME SNOW FRIDAY NIGHT. BY THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK...BOTH THE GFS/ECMWF SHOW TEMPERATURES MODERATING OUT AHEAD OF CLIPPER COMING DOWN TUESDAY NIGHT/WEDNESDAY. ALSO INTERESTING IS THAT AS NEXT WEEK GROWS CLOSER...THE GFS/ECMWF CONTINUE TO BACK OFF ON THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE ARCTIC AIR MAKES IN INTO THE US...WITH EACH NEW RUN SEEMING TO KEEP IT FURTHER AND FURTHER NORTH...SO THAT WILL BE SOMETHING TO WATCH. AS FOR WEATHER...AFTER THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY IT LOOKS DRY. && .AVIATION.../06Z TAF ISSUANCE/ BATCH OF MVFR CEILINGS MOVING QUICKLY EAST AND SHOULD EXIT KEAU/KRNH BY 08Z. NEXT LOBE OF MVFR CEILINGS IN ERN ND WHICH IS MOVING ESE. LATEST RAP BRUSHES AXN/STC/RNH AND HAVE ADDED A TEMPO GROUP FOR SOME BROKEN 2000-2500 FOOT CEILINGS. OTHERWISE SOME GUSTY WNW WIND THROUGH MIDDAY UNTIL SURFACE RIDGE APPROACHES. QUICK TRANSITION TO SOUTHERLY WINDS LATER WED AFTERNOON. KMSP... BROKEN MID LEVEL CLOUDS THE REST OF THE NIGHT. LOBE OF STRATUS IN ERN ND AROUND 2000 FEET AGL AND MOVING ESE. THIS SHOULD REMAIN NORTH OF KMSP BUT HAVE ADDED SOME SCATTERED CLOUDS FOR THIS AROUND 11Z. ONLY A SMALL CHANCE OF THIS GOING BROKEN. WINDS GUSTING OVER 20 KNOTS SHOULD REMAIN WEST OR WNW BEFORE BECOMING SOUTH LATE WED AFTERNOON. /OUTLOOK FOR KMSP/ THU...VFR MORNING BECOMING MVFR CIGS/VSBYS LATE AFTERNOON. THU NIGHT...IFR CIGS/VSBYS WITH LIFR AND -FZRA POSSIBLE. WINDS SE AT 10-15KTS. FRI...IFR WITH -RA. LIFR POSSIBLE. WINDS SSW AT 5-10KTS. SAT...MVFR WITH -RASN POSSIBLE. COLD FRONT PASSAGE EARLY. WINDS SSW AT 10KTS BECOMING NW AT 15G25KTS. && .MPX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MN...NONE. WI...NONE. && $$ MPG/TDK
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MORRISTOWN TN
942 AM EST WED JAN 9 2013 .DISCUSSION...RAIN GRADUALLY SPREADING NE THIS MORNING WITH SOME LIGHT ACCUMULATIONS MAINLY NOTED OVER THE WRN THIRD OF THE FORECAST AREA. LATEST RUC MODEL RUN SPREADS THESE LIGHT ACCUMULATIONS INTO MUCH OF THE TN VALLEY AND INTO LEE/WISE COUNTIES OF SW VA OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS. PLAN TO UPDATE THE FORECAST GRIDS AND PRODUCTS SHORTLY WITH AN INCREASE IN POPS FOR THOSE AREAS. PROBABLY WILL STAY WITH NO MORE THAN HIGH CHANCE POPS FOR THE FAR NE AREAS. 12Z OHX SOUNDING HAD VERY HIGH PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUE OF 1.32 INCHES...AND THIS MOISTURE WILL BE WORKING EASTWARD THROUGH THE WEEKEND. STAY TUNED FOR SOME WET WEATHER INTO THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... CHATTANOOGA AIRPORT, TN 59 48 66 55 69 / 60 50 40 60 60 KNOXVILLE MCGHEE TYSON AIRPORT, TN 58 46 66 51 66 / 40 40 40 60 60 OAK RIDGE, TN 57 46 65 52 67 / 40 40 40 50 60 TRI CITIES AIRPORT, TN 55 43 64 45 64 / 30 20 30 30 30 && .MRX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NC...NONE. TN...NONE. VA...NONE. && $$ TG
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS PUEBLO CO
247 PM MST WED JAN 9 2013 .SHORT TERM... (TONIGHT AND TOMORROW) ...MAIN SHORT TERM CONCERN IS THE CHANCE OF RAIN AND FREEZING RAIN ACROSS THE FAR SE PLAINS... CURRENT WATER VAPOR IMAGERY AND UPPER AIR ANALYSIS INDICATING WEAK MAINLY WESTERLY FLOW ALOFT ACROSS THE AREA WITH A LARGE UPPER LOW STILL SPINNING ACROSS NORTHEASTERN MEXICO JUST SOUTH AND WEST OF DEL RIO TEXAS AT THIS TIME. WATER VAPOR IMAGERY INDICATING MID AND UPPER LEVEL MOISTURE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SYSTEM SPREADING NORTH INTO EASTERN NEW MEXICO AND WESTERN TEXAS...WITH MID AND UPPER LEVEL MOISTURE ALSO SPREADING INTO THE GREAT BASIN REGION AHEAD OF A DEVELOPING STORM SYSTEM MOVING ONSHORE ACROSS THE PAC NW COAST AT THIS TIME. WITH THE LIGHT WINDS...TEMPERATURES HAVE STRUGGLED TO WARM WITH READINGS IN THE MID 40S TO LOWER 50S ACROSS THE LOWER ELEVATIONS AND 20S AND 30S ACROSS THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS. TEMPS IN THE SAN LUIS VALLEY CONTINUE TO LAG BEHIND WITH READINGS MAINLY IN THE TEENS AND 20S...WITH THE COLDEST READINGS IN THE CENTRAL PORTIONS OF THE VALLEY. TONIGHT...MODELS STILL DIFFER ON LOCATION OF EJECTING LOW WITH THE 12Z GFS AND EC THE FURTHEST NORTH AND WEST WITH THE LOW NORTH OF ABILENE TEXAS AT 12Z THU...WHERE AS THE HIGHER RES NAM AND RAP KEEP THE LOW FURTHER SOUTH AND EAST. THE FURTHER NORTH SOLUTIONS OF THE EC AND ESPECIALLY THE GFS ARE INDICATING STRONGER MID LEVEL WAA ACROSS THE WESTERN TX AND OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE THROUGH EASTERN COLORADO AND WESTERN KANSAS AND ARE PRINTING OUT MORE QPF ACROSS THE FAR SOUTHEAST PLAINS AS A RESULT. THE HIGHER RES MODELS KEEP THE BEST LIFT AND WAA FURTHER EAST ACROSS WESTERN AND CENTRAL KANSAS WHICH IS ALSO SUPPORTED BY LOCAL HIGH RES WRF MODEL. WITH THAT SAID...HAVE KEPT CURRENT FORECAST TRENDED TOWARDS THE HIGHER RES MODELS KEEPING SILENT POPS THROUGH 06Z WITH CHANCE POPS ACROSS EASTERN PORTIONS OF BACA AND PROWERS COUNTIES AND SLIGHT POPS FURTHER NORTH AND WEST INTO KIOWA AND WESTERN PROWERS AND BACA COUNTIES THEREAFTER. SOUNDINGS INDICATING MAINLY LIGHT RAIN ACROSS BACA COUNTY THOUGH DO INDICATE A BRIEF PERIOD OF LIGHT FREEZING RAIN POSSIBLE ACROSS PROWERS AND KIOWA COUNTIES...WITH LATER SHIFTS NEEDING TO MONITOR LATEST MODELS AND TRENDS. ELSEWHERE...WEAK WESTERLY FLOW THIS EVENING BECOMES MORE SOUTHWEST AND SLOWLY INCREASES OVERNIGHT AS EASTERN PACIFIC SYSTEM CONTINUES TO MOVE ONSHORE ACROSS THE WEST COAST. MAINLY CLEAR SKIES WEST OF THE PLAINS WILL HELP COOL TEMPS ONCE AGAIN IN THE SAN LUIS VALLEY...WITH THE WARMEST READINGS EXPECTED ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN ALONG AND WEST OF THE I-25 CORRIDOR WHERE LEE TROUGHING DEVELOPS OVERNIGHT. TOMORROW...SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT CONTINUES TO INCREASE THROUGH THE DAY AS THE WEST COAST SYSTEM TRANSLATES INTO THE GREAT BASIN. MOISTURE PROGGED TO INCREASE FROM WEST TO EAST AND WITH INCREASING OROGRAPHICS COULD SEE SOME LIGHT SNOW DEVELOPING ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF THE SOUTHWEST MTS BY THE LATE AFTERNOON. LEE TROUGHING STRENGTHENS ACROSS THE I-25 CORRIDOR WITH BREEZY SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS DEVELOPING ACROSS THE PLAINS BOOSTING TEMPS INTO THE LOWER TO MID 50S. INCREASING CLOUDS AND SLIGHT COOLING ALOFT WILL LEAD TO SLIGHTLY COOLER TEMPS ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN AND HIGH VALLEYS. .LONG TERM... (THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY) ...HIGH IMPACT WEATHER TO AFFECT PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY...WITH A TURN TOWARDS MUCH COLDER TEMPERATURES THROUGH THE WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK... A CLOSED UPPER LOW CARVES OUT ACROSS THE GREAT BASIN THURSDAY NIGHT SENDING STRONG SOUTHWEST FLOW...WITH 110-120+ KT UPPER JET ACROSS COLORADO BY 12Z FRIDAY. MOISTURE DEEPENS ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE THURSDAY EVENING...WITH SNOW RAMPING UP ALONG THE OROGRAPHICALLY FAVORED EASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS. COMBINED WITH MTN TOP WINDS OF 50-60 KTS...HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE DUE TO WHITE OUT CONDITIONS IN BLOWING SNOW ACROSS ZONE 68...WHICH INCLUDES THE WOLF CREEK PASS. HAVE UPGRADED THE WINTER STORM WATCH TO A BLIZZARD WATCH FOR THIS ZONE. SNOW SHOULD SPREAD NORTH AND EASTWARD AFTER MIDNIGHT THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS...WITH THE HEAVIEST SNOW EXPECTED TO FALL BEFORE 18Z WHEN BEST FORCING MOVES THROUGH. WINDS THEN SHIFT MORE FROM THE WEST TO NORTHWEST FRIDAY AFTERNOON...WITH THE FOCUS FOR SNOW SHIFTING INTO THE EASTERN SAWATCH AND WESTERN MOSQUITO RANGES DURING THE AFTERNOON. OVERALL SNOWFALL AMOUNTS FOR THE BRUNT OF THE EVENT...THURS NIGHT/FRI...SHOULD RANGE FROM 8 TO 17 INCHES ACROSS THE EASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS...WITH AROUND 5 TO 10 INCHES WITH LOCALLY UP TO A FOOT FOR THE LA GARITAS...EASTERN SAWATCH AND WESTERN MOSQUITO RANGES. THINK THAT THESE LATTER AREAS WILL EVENTUALLY NEED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY...BUT SINCE SNOW AMOUNTS HAVE BEEN CONSISTENTLY COMING UP SHORT OF WARNING NUMBERS (12" OR MORE IN GREATER THAN 12 HOURS)...NO WATCHES WILL BE ISSUED AT THIS POINT. AS THE UPPER JET TRANSLATES ACROSS THE AREA THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY...A BORA COLD FRONT WILL MOVE FROM WEST TO EAST ACROSS THE REGION. HIGHER PEAKS SHOULD START BLOWING FIRST AS MTN TOP WINDS INCREASE TO AROUND 50-60 KTS. THERE IS QUITE A BIT OF FORWARD SHEAR WITH THIS SYSTEM...SO THIS DOESN`T APPEAR TO BE A MTN WAVE EVENT. HOWEVER AS THE NORTH-SOUTH ORIENTED COLD FRONT CROSSES THE MOUNTAINS...IT COULD BRING A PERIOD OF STRONG GUSTY WINDS INTO THE ADJACENT LOWER ELEVATIONS OF THE SAN LUIS VALLEY AND THE I-25 CORRIDOR EARLY FRIDAY MORNING AS COLD DENSE AIR SPILLS OVER THE MOUNTAINS. SFC PRESSURE GRADIENT IS IMPRESSIVE FRIDAY MORNING AS THE SURFACE LOW DEEPENS ACROSS NORTHEAST COLORADO WHICH SHOULD ALSO AID IN MIXING STRONG WINDS ALOFT TO THE SURFACE ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF THE SOUTHEAST PLAINS. ALREADY HAVE A HIGH WIND WATCH OUT AND PLAN TO MAINTAIN IT. DID BUMP UP THE START TIME OF THE HIGH WIND WATCH TO MIDNIGHT ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST MTS AS WINDS ALOFT WILL BE INCREASING AFTER MIDNIGHT...THOUGH THINK STRONGER GUSTS WILL STAY ACROSS THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS UNTIL FRIDAY MORNING WHEN THE FRONT MOVES THROUGH. WINDS MAY COME UP JUST SHY OF HIGH WIND CRITERIA ACROSS CENTER PORTIONS OF THE SAN LUIS VALLEY...BUT VALLEY EDGES...PARTICULARLY ON THE WESTERN SIDE COULD SEE A PERIOD OF HIGH WINDS FRIDAY MORNING. BROAD TROFFING REMAINS ACROSS THE GREAT BASIN AND ROCKIES REGION THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK AS ENERGY CONTINUES TO DROP SOUTHWARD OUT OF CANADA. THIS WILL KEEP VERY COLD AND GENERALLY UNSETTLED CONDITIONS ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. TEMPERATURES WILL DROP OFF CONSIDERABLY ACROSS THE PLAINS...WITH HIGHS STRUGGLING TO REACH THE 30S BY THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. MEANWHILE...THE MOUNTAINS AND VALLEYS WILL BE DROPPING INTO THE NEGATIVE DIGITS AT NIGHT...WITH KALS LIKELY TO HIT -30 OR BELOW AS A NEW BATCH OF COLD AIR GETS ENTRENCHED IN THE VALLEY. NEXT WAVE OF ENERGY LIFTS OUT OF THE MEAN TROF ACROSS SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE AREA SAT NIGHT...AND WITH SHALLOW UPSLOPE AND COLD AIR...WE COULD SEE SOME ADDITIONAL LIGHT SNOW ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS AND ADJACENT PLAINS...BUT EACH SUCCESSIVE MODEL RUN HAS BEEN DRIER...SO WILL LEAVE THE SILENT POPS ACROSS THE PLAINS...WITH GENERALLY ISOLATED TO LOW END SCATTERED POPS ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS. SAME THING HAPPENS FOR MONDAY NIGHT AS ANOTHER WAVE OF ENERGY DROPPING INTO THE BASE OF THE TROF CLOSES OFF AN UPPER LOW ACROSS THE DESSERT SOUTHWEST AND LEADING SHORTWAVE ENERGY EJECTS TO THE NORTHEAST ACROSS THE AREA. ONCE AGAIN...IF IT OCCURS...ANY SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS APPEAR TO REMAIN LIGHT. GFS AND ECMWF ORPHAN THE UPPER LOW ACROSS EXTREME SOUTHERN AZ/NRN OLD MEXICO THROUGH WEDNESDAY WHICH IS TOO FAR SOUTH TO BRING ANY PRECIPITATION TO THE AREA THROUGH WEDNESDAY. TEMPERATURES SHOULD SLOWLY MODERATE SOME INTO THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. -KT && .AVIATION... VFR CONDITIONS TO PREVAIL AT KCOS AND KPUB THROUGH THE NEXT 24 HOURS WITH GENERALLY LIGHT WINDS THROUGH TONIGHT. BREEZY SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 15-20KTS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AFT 18Z THU. KALS HAD STRONG RADIATIONAL COOLING AND SCT001 TO LOCALLY BKN001 ACROSS THE VALLEY FLOOR LATE LAST NIGHT AND EARLY THIS MORNING...BUT VIS DID NOT DROP BELOW MFVR. WOULD THINK THE SAME FOR TONIGHT...AS TEMPS DID NOT WARM AS MUCH AS EXPECTED. AT ANY RATE...VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGH 06Z THU...WITH LOCAL IFR AND LIFR CIGS THEN POSSIBLE THROUGH 16Z. VFR AGAIN AFT 16Z THU. -MW && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... HIGH WIND WATCH FROM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON FOR COZ069>071-083>089-093>099. HIGH WIND WATCH FROM LATE THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON FOR COZ072>082. BLIZZARD WATCH FROM THURSDAY EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON FOR COZ068. && $$ 23/31
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS DENVER/BOULDER CO
935 AM MST WED JAN 9 2013 .UPDATE... && .SHORT TERM...LATEST LAPS SURFACE ANALYSIS SHOWING LOW PRESSURE BEGINNING TO DEVELOP ALONG THE FRONT RANGE IN RESPONSE TO UPPER LOW OVER MEXICO AND UPPER TROUGH MOVING INTO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. GUSTY SOUTHWESTERLY HAVE DEVELOPED ACROSS MUCH OF THE PLAINS...ROUGHLY AREAS SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 70. WILL NEED TO INCREASE WINDS ACROSS PLAINS A BIT FOR THIS AFTERNOON. WINDS STILL EXPECTED TO INCREASE THIS EVENING AS BOUNDARY LAYER SOUTHEAST GRADIENT STRENGTHENS. REST OF FORECASTS LOOK ON TRACK FOR NOW. .AVIATION...GUSTY SOUTHWEST WINDS HAVE DEVELOPED ACROSS DEN DUE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF SURFACE LOW PRESSURE ALONG THE FRONT RANGE. THE GUSTY WINDS SHOULD CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING. WILL CONTINUE THE TREND OF THE LATEST TAFS FOR THE UPCOMING ISSUANCE. LATEST HRRR AND TO A LESSER EXTENT THE RAP SHOW A WEAK BOUNDARY MOVING INTO THE DENVER AREA AROUND 00Z...WEAKENING THE SOUTHERLY WINDS. NOT SURE IF THIS BOUNDARY WILL AFFECT DEN...AND WILL WAIT TO SEE WHAT DEVELOPS. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 329 AM MST WED JAN 9 2013/ SHORT TERM...UPPER LOW TRACKING SLOWLY NORTHEASTWARD OVER WRN TEXAS/WRN OKLA DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS WILL SEND HIGH CLOUDS NORTHWARD OVER SOUTHERN AND EASTERN SECTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA DURING THE DAY. OTHERWISE MID-LEVEL SUBSIDENCE AND A DRIER NWLY FLOW ALOFT SHOULD KEEP SKIES GENERALLY CLEAR FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE FCST AREA AND TEMPERATURES ABOVE AVERAGE TODAY. THE HIGH MTN VALLEYS SHOULD ALSO SEE TEMPERATURE READINGS MODERATE TODAY AS THE STG SFC BASED INVERSIONS OF THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS CONTINUE TO WEAKEN...ALLOWING WARMER AIR ALOFT TO MIX DOWN. HIGHS TODAY ON THE PLAINS GENERALLY 8-12 DEG F ABOVE AVERAGE. AVERAGE HIGH AT DENVER THIS TIME OF YEAR IS 44F. NEXT...MODELS PARTICULARLY THE NAM SHOW SOUTHERLY SFC/BNDRY LAYER WINDS INCREASING ON THE PLAINS DURING THE AFTERNOON WITH PRESSURE FALLS TO OUR NORTH. STRONGEST WINDS...IN THE 15-25 KT RANGE...SHOULD DEVELOP ROUGHLY EAST OF A STERLING TO ELBERT/KIOWA LINE. OVERNIGHT...FURTHER STRENGTHENING OF THESE SOUTH-SOUTHEASTERLY SFC/BNDRY LAYER WINDS IS FORECASTED. MODELS ALSO INDICATE AN INCREASE IN MID AND HIGH LEVEL MOISTURE OVER FAR EASTERN SECTIONS OF THE CWFA AS THE UPPER LOW PASSES TO OUR SOUTHEAST. THE GUSTY WINDS SHOULD KEEP THE BNDRY LAYER ADEQUATELY MIXED RESULTING IN WARMER OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURES IN THIS AREA. LONG TERM...SW FLOW ALOFT WILL BE OVER THE AREA ON THU AHEAD OF AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH OVER THE WRN US. SFC LOW PRESSURE WILL DEVELOP FM SERN WY INTO ERN CO WITH DOWNSLOPE FLOW EAST OF THE MTNS. ALTHOUGH SOME MID AND HIGH LEVEL MOISTURE WILL INCREASE BY AFTN IT SHOULD BE DRY ACROSS THE RGN. ONE MORE MILD DAY WILL OCCUR OVER NERN CO WITH READINGS IN THE LOWER TO MID 50S EXCEPT OVER THE FAR NERN CORNER WHERE READINGS WILL BE MAINLY IN THE UPPER 40S. FOR THU NIGHT INTO FRI THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL BEGIN TO MOVE EASTWARD WITH AN UPPER LEVEL LOW OVER SWRN WY BY FRI AFTN. MEANWHILE SFC LOW PRES WILL INTENSIFY OVER ERN CO AS A CDFNT MOVES NR THE WY-CO BORDER BY 12Z. CROSS-SECTIONS SHOW SWLY FLOW IN THE MTNS THRU FRI AFTN WITH THE BEST CHC OF SNOW IN ZNS 31 AND 33 SO THAT IS WHERE I WILL HAVE THE HIGHEST POPS. OVER NERN CO LATEST 00Z RUNS ARE NOT AS FAVORABLE FOR SNOW LATE FRI AFTN INTO FRI EVENING AS 12Z RUNS WERE DUE TO LESS MOISTURE...LACK OF QG ASCENT AND WEAKER UPSLOPE. HOWEVER LAPSE RATES ARE STILL FCST NR 8 C/KM FRI EVENING SO IF MOISTURE IS MORE LIKE 12Z RUNS THEN THERE COULD STILL BE A PERIOD OF SNOW SO WILL LEAVE IN CHC POPS FOR LATE FRI AFTN INTO FRI EVENING. AS FOR HIGHS ON FRI OVER NERN CO THE FNTL BNDRY IS SLOWER AS COMPARED TO THE 12Z RUNS. AT THIS POINT WILL KEEP HIGHS IN THE 30S EXCEPT OVER SRN LINCOLN COUNTY WHERE READINGS MAY GET INTO THE 40S. BY LATE FRI NIGHT THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL EXIT THE RGN AS A SECOND FEATURE MOVES SE INTO THE AREA ON SAT. ALTHOUGH THERE IS ONLY SOME WK QG ASCENT THRU THE DAY LAPSE RATES WILL STILL BE RATHER UNSTABLEL SO EXPECT SOME LIGHT SNOW IN THE MTNS. OVER NERN CO AM NOT COMPLETELY CONVINCED ITS GOING TO BE PCPN FREE ESPECIALLY IN AND NR THE FOOTHILLS WHERE WEAK UPSLOPE FLOW WILL EXIST AS A SECONDARY SURGE OF COLDER AIR MOVES IN. THUS WILL KEEP IN SOME LOW POPS MAINLY WEST OF I-25. HIGHS ON SAT WILL GENERALLY RANGE FROM 15-20 DEGREES OVER NERN CO. FOR SUN THRU MON BOTH THE ECMWF AND GFS SHOWS A BROAD UPPER LEVEL TROUGH OVER THE RGN ALTHOUGH TO SOME EXTENT THEY SHOW A SECONDARY UPPER LEVEL LOW DEVELOPING OVER THE GREAT BASIN SUN NIGHT INTO MON AS ANOTHER SURGE OF COLDER AIR MOVES INTO NERN CO. THE ECMWF IS MUCH DRIER THAN THE GFS BOTH DAYS AND WOULD ONLY HAVE A SLIGHT CHC OF SNOW IN THE MTNS. ON THE OTHER HAND THE GFS HAS MORE MOISTURE ESPECIALLY SUN NIGHT INTO MON WHICH WOULD LEAD TO A CHC OF SOME LIGHT SNOW IN THE MTNS AND ALONG THE FRONT RANGE. CONSIDERING HOW VASTLY DIFFERENT THE MOISTURE FIELDS ARE IN THE MODELS FOR NOW WILL ONLY MENTION A SLIGHT CHC OF SNOW IN THE MTNS. TEMPS WILL CONTINUE WELL BLO NORMAL BOTH SUN AND MON WITH READINGS OVER NERN CO STILL HAVING A HARD TIME GETTING ABV 20 DEGREES. AVIATION...VFR CONDITIONS ANTICIPATED AT DENVER AREA AIRPORTS AND SOUTH-SOUTHEAST WINDS OF 7-14KTS AT DIA AND APA FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS. MEANWHILE LIGHT SLY BREEZES AT BJC THIS MORNING ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME EAST-NORTHEAST AT SPEEDS UNDER 10 KTS THIS AFTERNOON WITH THE FORMATION OF A WEAK DENVER CYCLONE ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE METRO AREA. OVERNIGHT...THERE IS A CHANCE THAT DIA AND APA COULD SEE SOUTH-SOUTHEAST WINDS OF 15-22KTS SOMETIME BETWEEN 04Z-10Z ACCORDING TO THE FCST MODELS SHOULD THE CORE OF STRONGEST SLY WINDS ON THE PLAINS SHIFT FARTHER WEST THAN EXPECTED. && .BOU WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...D-L LONG TERM....RPK AVIATION...D-L
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MOUNT HOLLY NJ
335 PM EST WED JAN 9 2013 .SYNOPSIS... WEAK COLD FRONT SWINGS THROUGH THE REGION LATE TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY MORNING. HIGH PRESSURE RE-ESTABLISHES ITSELF ACROSS THE AREA ON THURSDAY AND SLOWLY MOVES OFF TO THE EAST THROUGH THE WEEKEND. ANOTHER LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL BEGIN TO IMPACT THE REGION LATE ON SUNDAY AS IT PUSHES ITS ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT THROUGH THE AREA BY MONDAY. THE FRONT SHOULD DROP TO OUR SOUTH ON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE FILLS BACK IN. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM THURSDAY MORNING/... THE GFS INITIALIZATION LOOKED BETTER THAN THE WRF-NMMB AND THERMAL FIELDS WERE USED MORE SO THAN THE WRF-NMMB WHICH WAS COLDER THROUGH THURSDAY. THE JET STREAK AND A SHORT WAVE WAS ENOUGH TO GENERATE SOME SPRINKLES AROUND OUR CWA. HRRR HAS A GOOD HANDLE ON RADAR ECHOES AND WAS USED INTO EARLY THIS EVENING. THE SHORT WAVE EXITS QUICKLY AND BASED ON UPSTREAM SATELLITE IMAGERY, WE DO CLEAR THE SKIES QUICKLY THIS EVENING. THE WRF-NMMB DOES TRAP MOISTURE UNDERNEATH THE DEVELOPING INVERSION WHICH BRINGS BACK SHADES OF LAST WEEK. BUT UNLIKE LAST WEEK, WE ARE NOT SEEING ANY UPSTREAM STRATOCU AND THE LOW HEIGHT OF THE INVERSION IS WELL WITHIN THE DOWNSLOPING FLOW. ONE AREA OF CONCERN IS FAR NORTH WHERE SOME LAKE EFFECT FLOW SHOULD OCCUR TONIGHT. RIGHT NOW THE TRAJECTORY IS NORTHEAST OF OUR CWA. THERE COULD BE SOME GUSTINESS, IN PARTICULAR THIS EVENING AS THE FRONT MOVES THROUGH. BUT AS JANUARY EVENINGS GO, THIS IS NEARLY SEASONAL. FOR MIN TEMPS A STAT GUIDANCE COMPROMISE WAS USED. BOUNDARY LAYER WINDS SHOULD BE STRONG ENOUGH TO PREVENT TOTAL DECOUPLING. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH 6 PM THURSDAY/... AS JANUARY DAYS GO, UNLESS ONE IS LOOKING FOR SNOW, THURSDAY SHOULD BE PRETTY PRETTY GOOD. THE NEXT HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL BE NEARING AND THE RIDGE AXIS IS FORECAST TO STILL BE WEST OF OUR CWA. THE FORECAST CONVECTIVE TEMPERATURE IS BEYOND REACH. WE ARE ONLY EXPECTING SOME CIRRUS. VERY SHALLOW COLD, OK COOLER, AIR IN PLACE FOR THE DAY. THE FORECAST WINDS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BE THAT STRONG AND NEITHER IS THE JANUARY SUN. SO THROUGH THE DAY, THE INVERSION SHOULD HOLD AND WE WERE CONSERVATIVE WITH MAX TEMPS, LEANING TOWARD A STAT GUIDANCE COMPROMISE. FULL SUN MACROS OFF THE GFS SOUNDINGS SUPPORT NAM MOS MORE THAN GFS MOS. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... 5-WAVE MODEL GUIDANCE SHOWS THAT THE DOMINANT SOUTHEAST RIDGE VERY SLOWLY FLATTENS OUT BY MID NEXT WEEK. THIS IS DUE TO DEEPER CENTRAL UNITED STATES LONGWAVE TROUGHING AS A MASSIVE RIDGE BUILDS INTO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. HIGH PRESSURE RETURNS FOR A TIME PERIOD ON FRIDAY WHILE THE ONCE STRONG SOUTHWEST CUT-OFF LOW EJECTS TOWARDS THE NORTHEAST AND PASSES THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES. HAVING LOST ITS PHASING WITH A NORTHERN STREAM SYSTEM AND UNABLE TO SUPPORT ITSELF ANY FURTHER, THE LOW IS FORCED TO OPEN UP AS IT TRIES, BUT FAILS, TO CUT INTO THE TOP OF THE EAST COAST RIDGE. IT THEN GETS PICKED UP BY THE 170KT JET OVERHEAD AND IS SWEPT THROUGH THE NORTHEAST. DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH REMAINING MOISTURE IS INVOLVED WITH THIS SYSTEM DICTATES HOW FAST WE CAN SATURATE THE COLUMN AND SEE AN ACCUMULATING PRECIPITATION. TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE NORTH WILL BE BELOW FREEZING FOR A FEW HOURS DURING THE FORECASTED ONSET OF PRECIPITATION, I.E. FREEZING RAIN IS POSSIBLE. THERE WAS AN EVENT MUCH LIKE THIS ABOUT A MONTH AGO WHERE THE COLD AIR AT THE SURFACE WAS ERODED PRIOR TO ANY PRECIPITATION FALLING DUE TO A VERY DRY COLUMN. THIS ONE LOOKS TO BE TRENDING IN THE SAME DIRECTION ALTHOUGH NOT WITH THE TEMPERATURES RISING OVERNIGHT BUT RATHER THE P-TYPE ISSUES. BY LATE FRIDAY MORNING OUR SURFACES TEMPERATURES WILL ALL BE ABOVE FREEZING WITH MORE RAIN ON THE WAY UP FROM THE SOUTHWEST...NORTHERN ZONES HAVE THE HIGHEST CHANCES. THIS SHORTWAVE THEN SKIRTS OFF TO THE NORTHEAST LATE FRIDAY NIGHT AND THE SOUTHEAST RIDGE RE-ESTABLISHES ITSELF ALONG THE EAST COAST. THIS KEEPS A STRONG SOUTHWESTERLY SURGE ALOFT ULTIMATELY ALLOWING TEMPERATURES TO CLIMB WELL ABOVE NORMAL ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. THIS ALSO KEEPS MOST, IF NOT ALL, THE SHORTWAVE ENERGY TO OUR NORTHWEST HEADING INTO SOUTHERN ONTARIO. THE NEXT CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION WILL BE ON SUNDAY INTO MONDAY AS A STRONGER COLD FRONT DROPS THROUGH FROM THE NORTHWEST. THE SOUTHEAST RIDGE SHOULD KEEP THE FRONT FROM TRAVELING TOO FAR TO OUR SOUTH. THIS WILL ALLOW THE BAROCLINIC ZONE TO FUNNEL A FEW MORE PIECES OF ENERGY THROUGH OUR REGION ON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. THE MID-LEVEL FLOW TURNS A BIT MORE ZONAL AND THIS WILL ALLOW SOME COLDER AIR TO BLEED INTO THE REGION FROM THE NORTHWEST...THOUGH WE ARE NOT LOOKING AT A SUBSTANTIAL COOL DOWN BY ANY MEANS, MORE OF A RETURN TO SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES. IF TEMPERATURES CAN COOL ENOUGH ALOFT ON WEDNESDAY WE COULD SEE A CHANGE OVER FROM RAIN TO SNOW SHOWERS FALLING AS FAR SOUTH AS THE LEHIGH VALLEY. ALTHOUGH WE WILL REMAIN MILD THROUGH A LOT OF THE EXTENDED WE WILL ALSO REMAIN UNSETTLED. && .AVIATION /20Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... THE FOLLOWING DISCUSSION IS FOR KPHL, KPNE, KTTN, KABE, KRDG, KILG, KMIV, KACY AND SURROUNDING AREAS. THE 18Z TAFS CONTINUED THE PREDOMINATELY VFR FORECAST. WE DID NOT FOLLOW ONE OF OUR COMPUTER MODELS THAT DEVELOPS AN IFR STRATUS CIG AROUND MIDNIGHT TONIGHT. FOR THIS AFTERNOON, A MID LEVEL CIG WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE ACROSS THE TERMINALS. WINDS ALOFT ARE INCREASING AND WE START SOME GUSTINESS TOWARD EVENING. THERE COULD BE SOME SPRINKLES AT THE TERMINALS, NO VSBY RESTRICTIONS EXPECTED FROM THEM. BUT THE FOG AND HAZE HAS BEEN TOUGH TO DISLODGE FROM KABE AND KRDG, THE MIXING HAS NOT COME TO FRUITION. THE COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE TERMINALS EARLY THIS EVENING. WE ARE EXPECTING GUSTINESS FROM THE WEST AND NORTHWEST AROUND ITS PASSAGE TIME AND IN THE COLD AIR ADVECTION BEHIND IT FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS. PEAK GUSTS SHOULD BE 15 TO 20 KTS. THERE SHOULD BE ENOUGH MIXING TO PREVENT LLWS CONDITIONS. WINDS AT 2K ARE FORECAST TO AVERAGE 40KT. SKIES SHOULD CLEAR. WE ARE NOT FORECASTING GUSTS OVERNIGHT. THE NEW AND FRESHER COLDER AIR MASS WILL PREVENT FOG FROM FORMING ON THURSDAY MORNING. THEN, EXCELLENT VFR CONDITIONS ARE FORECAST FOR THURSDAY MORNING INTO EARLY AFTERNOON WITH ONLY A FEW CIRRUS CLOUDS AND LIGHT NORTHWEST WINDS. OUTLOOK... THURSDAY NIGHT - FRIDAY MORNING...VFR. FRIDAY - FRIDAY NIGHT...RAIN DEVELOPING EARLY IN THE DAY. MVFR AND IFR CONDITIONS POSSIBLE WITHIN THE RAIN. SATURDAY - SUNDAY...VFR. SUNDAY NIGHT - MONDAY...RAIN DEVELOPING EARLY MONDAY MORNING. MVFR OR LOWER POSSIBLE WITHIN SHOWERS. && .MARINE... THE SCA WILL BE CONTINUED FOR TONIGHT AS IS. HIGHER CONFIDENCE ON THE NORTHERN OCEANIC WATERS THAN THE SOUTHERN WATERS AND LOWER DELAWARE BAY. THE CHANCES FOR SCA CONDITIONS LESSEN TOWARD AND DEFINITELY DURING THURSDAY MORNING. RIGHT NOW THE ADVISORY EXPIRATION IS PRETTY CLOSE AND WE WILL LEAVE IT AS IS. MIGHT NEED A SLIGHT TIME EXTENSION EAST OF DELAWARE BAY. THE REST OF THURSDAY WILL BE SPENT WITH SUB SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CRITERIA AS THE HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM GETS CLOSER. OUTLOOK... SUB-ADVISORY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS OUR WATERS THROUGH THE OUTLOOK PERIOD. THOUGH IT WILL BE AN ACTIVE PERIOD WITH MULTIPLE SYSTEM PASSING THROUGH A LARGE SOUTHEAST UNITED STATES HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL FORCE THESE SYSTEMS FAR TO OUR NORTH. THIS WILL KEEP THE PRESSURE GRADIENT RATHER WEAK SO NOT EXPECTING WINDS AND SEAS TO JUMP MUCH THROUGH THE PERIOD. WINDS WILL PREDOMINANTLY BE FROM THE NORTH ON FRIDAY BEFORE SHIFTING TOWARDS THE SOUTH FOR THE WEEKEND AND EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .PHI WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...NONE. NJ...NONE. DE...NONE. MD...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM EST THURSDAY FOR ANZ431- 450>455. && $$ SYNOPSIS...HEAVENER NEAR TERM...GIGI SHORT TERM...GIGI LONG TERM...HEAVENER AVIATION...GIGI/HEAVENER MARINE...GIGI/HEAVENER
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS TALLAHASSEE FL
1117 AM EST Wed Jan 9 2013 .UPDATED... Clouds and fog held in longer than expected this morning so forecast max temps have been nudged down 2-3 degrees. .NEAR TERM [Through Rest of Today]... The large scale split flow long wave pattern remains highly amplified especially across Srn stream. This is highlighted in Nrn stream by ridging over Wrn states, trough over Wrn most Great Lakes and ridging over Ern seaboard into adjacent Atlc. Srn stream highlighted by trough over Srn plains with closed low over NE old Mex and Srn TX and ridging over se region into Wrn Atlc. At surface, morning analysis shows a low near TX with cold front swd into SE TX, and W-E warm front extending Ewd across FL Gulf Coast. Warm front is well defined, separating a moist tropical airmass over the Nrn Gulf from a modified continental one that has been in place across the SE. Dew points just S of front in low to mid 60s. It was also responsible for generating area of fog, sprinkles and drizzle along and north of it across our land area. Inverted coastal trough also noted just off NE FL coast. During the rest of today, NRN stream trough will move quickly across Great Lakes region then Ewd towards NE states in response to next trough that begins to dig SEWD across extreme Ern PAC into West coast. TX low will shift NEWD across rest of TX (and eventually into Lwr MS Valley) generating widespread convection. In response, SE ridge builds NWD. The combination of NRN trough and lifting TX low will accelerate cold front across TX and lift warm front NWD, However main forcing will remain well to our west in the vicinity of cold front. This front will also signal the beginning of a warm and humid pattern that will last into much of next week. It will also lift coastal trough NEWD as local winds veer. Even with all the cloudiness and some sprinkles and drizzle in place this morning, expect enough breaks in the cloud cover into the aftn to support temperatures in the low to mid 70s. Latest guidance and satellite pix suggest cloud/fog erosion from E-W next few hours. So even though 14z-15z temps running 3-5 degrees below forecast max, they should rebound some into aftn so won`t make any updates at this time but monitor closely. So areas in the SE Fl Big Bend could also get into the mid-upper 70s should more breaks develop in the overcast. The increasingly warm and moist onshore flow moving over cooler shelf waters of Gulf will likely continue to generate sea fog over the marine area and adjacent coast. This is evident in the local NAM DNG5, other guidance and satellite pix. This reflected in latest GRIDS. && .SHORT TERM [Tonight Through Friday]... With the warm front lifting northward through the area by tonight, the region will be in an increasingly more humid airmass, which will likely support the formation of fog/stratus after midnight. Temperatures will also be noticeably warmer with lows around 60 degrees. Starting Thursday the storm system across Central Texas will begin to move north northeast around a building mid level ridge centered over the Florida Peninsula. As this system moves into the Great Lakes, a weak cold front will move eastward across the Central Gulf States. The strengthening ridge will slow the eastward progress of this system as the main upper level energy continues to move quickly northward. As a result, only low end rain chances are expected Thursday night into Friday as this front eventually dissipates across the region. As was much the case in the near term period, the short term period will have unseasonably warm temperatures with highs in the low to mid 70s in the western areas (due to more cloud cover) and in the upper 70s to near 80 in the east. Overnight lows will be muggy by January standards, generally in the upper 50s to lower 60s. && .LONG TERM [Friday Night through Tuesday]... There is good agreement between the GFS and ECMWF that deep layer ridging will be the dominant synoptic feature over the Southeast. This correlates to a continuation of above-average temperatures (at least 10 to 15 degrees warmer than climatology) away from the beaches (where SSTs remain in the upper 50s to lower 60s). The PoP will be in the 10 to 30% range- highest along and left of a line from Albany to Panama City as that region will be closer to the Q-G forcing and deep layer moisture associated with a persistent quasi-stationary frontal system. && .AVIATION [through 18z Thursday]... Updated at 950 am EST- MVFR cigs will persist across our area (except IFR in fog and light rain especially at KECP and KVLD until early afternoon. Then, most cigs will lift to high MVFR, but IFR cigs may persist all day at KECP. Widespread LIFR (or worse) Vis & cigs are likely tonight, beginning near the coast shortly after sunset, then spreading inland later tonight. Our forecast is a blend of the GFS/NAM MOS and latest HRRR, with emphasis on the HRRR (which has verified well so far this morning) through this afternoon. && .MARINE... The pressure gradient will remain tight across the marine area as a low pressure area lifts northward across Texas and high pressure persists over the NE gulf. Cautionary level winds will continue possibly into Thursday before relaxing. Lighter onshore flow is expected by the weekend as high pressure builds just off the Florida Peninsula. && .FIRE WEATHER... Relative humidity levels will remain too moist for red flag conditions for at least the remainder of this week. && .HYDROLOGY... No appreciable rainfall amounts are expected through the next few days. .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Tallahassee 75 61 77 59 74 / 10 10 10 20 20 Panama City 71 64 74 63 73 / 20 10 10 40 20 Dothan 71 61 75 62 75 / 30 10 10 30 20 Albany 72 60 75 62 75 / 20 10 10 20 20 Valdosta 76 61 78 60 78 / 10 10 10 10 20 Cross City 79 59 79 58 76 / 10 10 10 10 20 Apalachicola 69 64 70 63 70 / 10 10 10 30 20 && .TAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...None. GA...None. AL...None. GM...None. && $$ NEAR TERM...Block SHORT TERM...Godsey LONG TERM...Fournier AVIATION...Block MARINE...Block/Godsey FIRE WEATHER...Fournier HYDROLOGY...Godsey
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GAYLORD MI
117 PM EST WED JAN 9 2013 .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 405 AM EST WED JAN 9 2013 A WEAK COLD FRONT CROSSING THE AREA THIS MORNING WILL USHER IN A BRIEF PERIOD OF WINDY AND COOLER CONDITIONS TODAY...BUT WITH LITTLE MORE THAN A FEW LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS OR FLURRIES EXPECTED. HIGH PRESSURE IS THEN SET TO ARRIVE WITH WARMER WEATHER FOR THURSDAY... BEFORE LOW PRESSURE TRACKS THROUGH THE AREA INTO FRIDAY. THIS SYSTEM WILL BRING A WIDESPREAD ROUND OF RAIN TO ALL AREAS...WITH TEMPERATURES SOARING WELL ABOVE NORMAL. THAT WARMTH WILL STICK AROUND INTO SATURDAY...BEFORE ANOTHER COLD FRONT BRINGS A RETURN TO COLDER WEATHER SUNDAY AND INTO NEXT WEEK. && .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 1247 PM EST WED JAN 9 2013 THE COLD POOL FOLLOWING THE FRONT HAS FINALLY ARRIVED WITH THE TEMPERATURES NEEDED FOR SELF-DESTRUCT SUNSHINE. 850 MB TEMPERATURES BASED ON THE HRRR ARE NOW CREEPING DOWN TO AROUND -8C WITH THE WIND FLOW OVER N LAKE MICHIGAN, AND MAINLY A WEST FLOW. SO MAIN CLOUD AREAS AND LIGHT SNOW/SPRINKLE RETURNS ARE SPREADING SOUTH AND EAST OVER THE FORECAST AREA. CLOUDS ARE AS FAR SOUTH AS M-55, WHILE THE FLURRIES ARE ONLY TO AROUND M-72 WITH THE WEST WIND WILL EXPECT THAT THIS WILL SPREAD TO THE EAST NORTH OF M-72 THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON. HOWEVER, THE DRY AIR IN THE LOWER PART OF THE ATMOSPHERE WILL LIMIT ANY MAJOR SNOW IN N LOWER, AND IS PROBABLY THE REASON THAT WE ARE SNOWING WITH THE SFC TEMPERATURES BETWEEN 35 AND 40F THIS AFTERNOON. WILL HAVE TO SEE IF THE CLOUDS WILL CONTINUE TO GENERATE OFF OF LAKE MICHIGAN, OR WILL THEY DRY OUT LIKE OVER IN N WISCONSIN. WITH THE 850 MB TEMPERATURES, WILL SEE CLOUDS FOR A FEW MORE HOURS, BEFORE THE WARMER AIR MOVES IN THIS EVENING AND KICKS THE CLOUDS OUT OF HERE. UPDATE ISSUED AT 1027 AM EST WED JAN 9 2013 TWEAKED THE TEMPERATURES, BOTH HOURLY AND HIGHS FOR TODAY. MAIN PROBLEM HAS BEEN THAT WHILE WE ARE COLD ADVECTING, THE MIXING AND SUNSHINE THAT IS BREAKING THROUGH, HAS BEEN ABLE TO OVERCOME THE COLD ADVECTION. THE COLDER AIR IS PUSHING INTO THE REGION, BUT IT WILL TAKE UNTIL THIS AFTERNOON BEFORE WE SEE THE TEMPERATURES BEGIN TO FALL. THERE WAS A BRIEF LINE OF RAIN SHOWERS THAT MOVED THROUGH E UPPER AND THE TIP OF THE MITT, BUT IT HAS SINCE FALLEN APART AND MOVED EAST. UPDATE ISSUED AT 654 AM EST WED JAN 9 2013 MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO SKY COVER FORECAST BASED ON SATELLITE TRENDS. THINK WE MAY SEE MORE SUN ACROSS CENTRAL LOWER COUNTIES BY LATER THIS MORNING WITH MORE CLOUDS NORTH...AND HAVE ADJUSTED FORECAST TO REFLECT THIS. && .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 405 AM EST WED JAN 9 2013 THREE MAIN FEATURES IN THE LARGE SCALE FLOW PATTERN EARLY THIS MORNING...ONE CLOSEST TO HOME IS A SHORT WAVE TROUGH CROSSING THE UPPER MIDWEST/UPPER GREAT LAKES WITHIN A PROGRESSIVE NORTHERN BRANCH SPLIT FLOW PATTERN...WITH AN UPPER LOW OVER NORTHERN MEXICO WITHIN THE SOUTHERN BRANCH. ANOTHER STRONG UPPER WAVE WAS JUST OFF THE WEST COAST OF NORTH AMERICA. MIDNIGHT SURFACE ANALYSIS SHOWS A COLD FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH THE UPPER MIDWEST SHORT WAVE TROUGH STRETCHING FROM A 996MB SURFACE LOW OVER NORTHWEST ONTARIO...SOUTH ACROSS WESTERN WISCONSIN/EASTERN IOWA. A SECONDARY FRONT WAS TRAILING BACK ACROSS CENTRAL MANITOBA/NORTH DAKOTA. AHEAD OF THE UPPER LEVEL WAVE...CLOUDS HAVE OVERSPREAD NORTHERN MICHIGAN. CLOUD TOPS HAVE BEEN COOLING ACROSS WISCONSIN AHEAD OF THE 700MB TROUGH AXIS WHERE STRONGEST UPWARD QG RESPONSE WAS OCCURRING ALONG WITH A BIT OF SLOPED FRONTOGENETIC FORCING...AND GETTING AN INCREASE IN RADAR RETURNS AS WELL THOUGH SURFACE BASED PRECIPITATION REPORTS HAVE BEEN HARD TO COME BY GIVEN RELATIVE DRYNESS IN THE 850-650MB LAYER. THERE IS A NARROW BAND OF SNOW THAT HAS DEVELOPED ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL LOWER...AND IT IS SNOWING RATHER IMPRESSIVELY OUT THE WINDOW AS I TYPE. NORTHERN ONTARIO LOW HAS BEEN TRACKING EAST SINCE THIS AFTERNOON... WITH A BROAD AREA OF 3-5MB/3H PRESSURE FALLS AHEAD OF IT. LOW IS EXPECTED TO TRACK TOWARD THE SOUTHERN TIP OF JAMES BAY TODAY...WHICH IN TURN WILL DRAG THE LEADING COLD FRONT ACROSS NORTHERN MICHIGAN BY MID TO LATE MORNING. DECENT CYCLONIC PRESSURE GRADIENT ACROSS THE UPPER LAKES TODAY...GIVING WAY TO SURFACE RIDGING TONIGHT WITH STRONG HEIGHT RISES ALOFT (570DM 500MB HEIGHTS FORECAST BY THURSDAY MORNING...2-3 STANDARD DEVIATIONS ABOVE THE MEAN FOR EARLY JANUARY). MAIN FORECAST ISSUES IN THE NEAR TERM WILL FOCUS ON SHORT WAVE PASSAGE THIS MORNING...GUSTY WEST WINDS LATER TODAY...AND LAKE RESPONSE WITH COLD ADVECTION IN THE WAKE OF THIS MORNING`S COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE. WHATEVER PRECIPITATION FALLS WITH THE INITIAL PUSH OF UPWARD FORCING WILL BE QUICK TO DEPART AS 700MB WAVE SWEEPS QUICKLY THROUGH THE FORECAST AREA (EXTRAPOLATION FROM IR/WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SUGGESTS BY 12Z-13Z). GOOD DEAL OF LOW CLOUDS BEHIND THE FRONT THAT WILL SPREAD INTO EASTERN UPPER AND NORTHWEST LOWER AROUND OR SHORTLY AFTER DAYBREAK. NARROW 925MB THERMAL TROUGH FORECAST TO CROSS NORTHERN LAKE MICHIGAN BEHIND THE FRONT...WITH TEMPERATURES OF -3 TO -4C ENOUGH TO SUPPORT A SHALLOW LAKE RESPONSE. FORECAST SOUNDINGS SHOW A SATURATED MIXED LAYER BELOW 875MB...AND AT TEMPERATURES MOSTLY ABOVE -7C. IR CLOUD TOP TEMPERATURES ACROSS NORTHWEST WISCONSIN AROUND -9 TO -11C...WITH CEILINGS IN THE VICINITY OF 1500 FEET. SO DEFINITELY A DRIZZLE/FREEZING DRIZZLE SIGNATURE IN THERE FOR A TIME THIS MORNING...AIDED BY LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE AND UPSLOPE FLOW. THIS DRIZZLE CHANCE WILL PROBABLY BE CONFINED TO JUST THE MORNING HOURS...AS CONTINUED COLD ADVECTION WILL ALLOW CONVECTIVE BOUNDARY LAYER TO DEEPEN ENOUGH TO SUPPORT SOME LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS/FLURRIES. ANOTHER FEATURE TO WATCH FOR THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON IS ANOTHER LOBE OF MOISTURE WRAPPING SOUTHWARD INTO NORTHERN MINNESOTA ON IR IMAGERY. THIS IS ASSOCIATED WITH ANOTHER 700MB TROUGH THAT WILL ROTATE ACROSS LAKE SUPERIOR AND THE UPPER PENINSULA AROUND MIDDAY...AND MAY CONTRIBUTE SOME ADDITIONAL SNOWFLAKES THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON. GUSTY WINDS WILL ALSO BE AN ISSUE TODAY...GIVEN STRONG GRADIENT AND ACCOMPANYING ISALLOBARIC CONTRIBUTION...AND LOW LEVEL COLD ADVECTION WILL HELP MIX DOWN STRONGER MOMENTUM. EXPECT WIND GUSTS IN THE 25-35 MPH RANGE ACROSS EASTERN UPPER...AND 30-40 MPH ACROSS NORTHERN LOWER AND POSSIBLY HIGHER ALONG THE LAKE MICHIGAN SHORELINE COUNTIES. TEMPERATURES TODAY WILL LIKELY REMAIN STEADY OR DROP OFF A BIT...ESPECIALLY OVER NORTHWEST LOWER WHERE TEMPERATURES ARE AROUND 40 DEGREES TO START THE DAY AT MBL/FKS/TVC. INCREASING HEIGHTS/DEEP LAYER ANTICYCLONIC FLOW AND ONSET OF WARM ADVECTION WILL QUICKLY DIMINISH LINGERING LAKE CONVECTION THIS EVENING WITH IMPRESSIVE HEIGHT RISES FOR EARLY JANUARY AS MENTIONED ABOVE (ALMOST RIDICULOUSLY IMPRESSIVE). .LONG TERM...(THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 405 AM EST WED JAN 9 2013 TRANSITION TOWARD A CLASSIC "JANUARY THAW" PATTERN IS NOW WELL UNDERWAY ACROSS THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE...WITH WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SHOWING STRONG NORTH PACIFIC JET SOUTH OF THE BERING SEA COLLAPSING INTO STRONG CLOSED LOW WEST OF THE ALEUTIANS. THIS IS ALREADY SENDING DOWNSTREAM HEIGHTS RISING INTO THE GULF OF ALASKA...WHILE STRONG UPPER TROUGHING IS SLIDING TOWARD THE WESTERN CONUS...FURTHER SENDING DOWNSTREAM HEIGHTS RISING THROUGH THE PLAINS. THIS TRANSITION WILL ONLY STRENGTHEN FURTHER WITH TIME THE NEXT FEW DAYS AS A STRONG NEGATIVE PNA TYPE PATTERN BECOME ESTABLISHED WITH PRONOUNCED MERIDIONAL TROUGHING OVER MUCH OF THE WESTERN CONUS...WHILE IMPRESSIVE SOUTHEAST RIDGE SETUP BECOMES ESTABLISHED OVER THE EASTERN HALF OF THE COUNTRY. SAID SETUP WILL FAVOR THE OCCASIONAL EJECTION OF UPPER ENERGY FROM THE PARENT WESTERN TROUGH...WHILE DEEPENING SOUTHWEST FLOW REGIME THROUGHOUT THE TROPOSPHERE TRANSPORTS TREMENDOUSLY WARM AIR THROUGHOUT ALL AREAS EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI THROUGH AT LEAST THE FIRST PART OF THE WEEKEND. THE PRIMARY FORECAST CONCERNS THROUGHOUT THE EXTENDED REMAIN THE TIMING OF VARIOUS RAIN CHANCES...ALONG WITH JUST HOW WARM TEMPS WILL GET FRIDAY/SATURDAY...AND HOW COLD IT MAY GET INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. FIRST THINGS FIRST...THE DAYLIGHT HOURS OF THURSDAY CONTINUE TO LOOK DRY AS SHORTWAVE LOW/MID LEVEL RIDGING BUILD OVERHEAD...IN ADVANCE OF CLOSED OR NEGATIVE TILT UPPER TROUGH LIFTING THROUGH THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. MARKED AXIS OF DRY AIR THROUGHOUT THE COLUMN BELOW 600MB WILL EASILY PREVENT ANY PRECIP...THOUGH WE WILL SEE INCREASING HIGH CLOUDS WITH TIME. STILL THINKING THIS COULD BE YET ANOTHER SNEAKY WARM DAY AS LOW LEVEL WARM ADVECTION CRANKS UP WHILE CLOUD COVER ONLY GRADUALLY THICKENS. GIVEN TRENDS THE PAST FEW DAYS FOR TEMPS TO WAY OVER-PERFORM (BY SOME 4-8F ABOVE THE WARMEST GUIDANCE)...HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO BUMP NUMBERS UP ONCE AGAIN INTO THE 38-46F RANGE...AND COULD BE WARMER PENDING ARRIVAL OF THICKER CIRRUS. THE MAIN SHOW STILL ARRIVES THURSDAY NIGHT INTO THE FIRST PART OF FRIDAY...AS AFOREMENTIONED UPPER TROUGH SLIDES OVERHEAD. BEST QG FORCING AXIS LOOKS TO SLIDE SOUTH OF THE AREA...BUT STRONG PUSH OF DEEP LAYER WARM ADVECTION ASCENT WILL EASILY COMPENSATE...WITH SOME 40-50 KNOTS PERPENDICULAR TO THE PRESSURE SURFACES INDICATIVE OF IMPRESSIVE LIFT...ESPECIALLY WHEN COMBINED WITH PWATS OVER AN INCH. INTERESTINGLY...THESE MOISTURE VALUES ARE EASILY ABOVE THE 99TH PERCENTILE FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR...AND IF THE NAM/GFS VALUES UP AROUND 1.10 INCHES VERIFY AT 12Z FRIDAY...THIS WILL BE A NEW PWAT RECORD FOR THE APX SITE FOR JANUARY!! SIMPLY PUT...IT`S GOING TO RAIN AND GOING 100 PERCENT POPS WILL REMAIN. STILL SOME SMALL POTENTIAL FOR FREEZING RAIN AT THE ONSET ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN AND INTO THE EASTERN U.P...BUT HONESTLY BECOMING LESS IMPRESSED BY THIS POSSIBILITY GIVEN EXPECTED WARMER START THROUGH THE EVENING. SREF PRECIP TYPE GUIDANCE AGREES WITH A STARK REDUCTION IN FZRA PROBS THE PAST 24 HOURS...BUT CAN`T COMPLETELY RULE IT OUT... ESPECIALLY WITH SOME COLDER ROAD SURFACES DIRECTLY AT THE GROUND. SYNOPTIC RAIN WILL TAPER OFF QUICKLY BY MIDDAY FRIDAY WITH LOSS OF FORCING FOR ASCENT...LEAVING IS IN NO-MAN`S LAND INTO EARLY SATURDAY...OUT AHEAD OF A STRONGER WAVE LIFTING FROM THE CENTRAL PLAINS THROUGH THE UPPER MIDWEST. THIS PERIOD WILL NO DOUBT CONTINUE TO BE MILD...WITH UNOBSTRUCTED DEEP LAYER SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW KICKING DEW POINTS WELL INTO THE 40S...WITH TEMPS FOLLOWING SUIT. BIGGEST QUESTION IS JUST HOW MUCH STRATUS/FOG/DRIZZLE WILL BE POSSIBLE AS WARMTH CUTS ACROSS REMAINING SNOW PACK. NORMALLY REALLY LIKE TO SEE A WARM FRONT TO FOCUS FOG/STRATUS POTENTIAL AND WE WON`T HAVE THAT (IT`S WAY UP INTO ONTARIO). INSTEAD WE WILL HAVE QUITE STRONG SYNOPTIC SOUTHERLY FLOW CUTTING THROUGH THE AREA. NO DOUBT WE WILL SEE SOME DEGREE OF LIGHT FOG AND/OR HAZE AS SNOW MELT CONTINUES...BUT NO TOTALLY SOLD THAT WE WILL ALSO BE ENCASED IN WIDESPREAD STRATUS THE WHOLE TIME. NAM/GFS FCST RAOBS ARE USELESS AS THEY CAN`T WARM OVER THE SNOW PACK...BUT ECMWF/GGEM GUIDANCE (WHICH HAVE NO TROUBLE WARMING OVER SNOW PACK) CONTINUES TO SUGGEST WE MIGHT SHED THE LOW STUFF FOR A WHILE AS TEMPS CONTINUE TO RISE THROUGH THE 40S...IF NOT LOW 50S. NOT REALLY A HUGE DEAL...BUT WILL BE AN INTERESTING FORECAST TO WATCH UNFOLD. AFTER THAT...FOCUS WILL BE ON THE EVOLUTION OF A QUITE POTENT COLD FRONT SATURDAY INTO SATURDAY NIGHT AS THE ENTIRE WESTERN TROUGH GRADUALLY WORKS EAST. AS MENTIONED IN THIS SPACE YESTERDAY...NOT COMPLETELY SOLD THAT WE WILL SEE ANY ADDITIONAL SIGNIFICANT PRECIP WITH THE ACTUAL FRONTAL APPROACH...AS FORCING WITH THE UPPER WAVE SHEARS OUT INTO WESTERN ONTARIO WHILE DEEPER LAYER WARM ADVECTION ASCENT AND JET HELP SLIDE THROUGH THE TENNESSEE AND OHIO VALLEYS. CAN EASILY ENVISION A SCENARIO WHERE NORTHERN MICHIGAN IS SPLIT... AND IN FACT...JUST ABOUT ALL THE LATEST AVAILABLE GUIDANCE SUPPORTS THIS NOTION. TEMPS ON SATURDAY ARE TRICKY WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR A VERY WARM DAY IN SPOTS AHEAD OF THE FRONT. 12Z ECMWF SPED UP THE FRONTAL PASSAGE BY ABOUT 6 HOURS (MIDDAY SATURDAY)...WHILE OTHER GUIDANCE REMAINS A BIT SLOWER. TRENDS IN THIS SETUP ALMOST ALWAYS ARE SLOWER AS THE FLOW ALOFT PARALLELS THE SURFACE FEATURE...SO WILL SIDE WITH YET ANOTHER VERY WARM DAY SATURDAY WITH HIGHS LIKELY PUSHING 50 OR BETTER IN SPOTS (RECORDS ARE IN JEOPARDY IN SPOTS - SEE BELOW FOR DETAILS)). WHAT HAPPENS THEREAFTER IS MUCH IN QUESTION...BUT COLDER WEATHER DOES LOOK TO MAKE AN APPEARANCE. LOTS OF JET ENERGY POURING DOWN THE SPINE OF THE ROCKIES COMBINED WITH A STRONG SOUTHEAST RIDGE DOES ARGUE THE WESTERN TROUGH WILL ONLY SLOWLY WORK EASTWARD...SETTING UP A STRONG BAROCLINIC ZONE SOMEWHERE NEARBY. GUIDANCE TRENDS THE PAST 5-7 DAYS HAVE SUGGESTED THIS ZONE WILL BE EAST OF MICHIGAN...AND SADLY FOR THE WINTER WEATHER FANS...THE LATEST GUIDANCE TRENDS ALSO SUPPORT THIS...LEAVING THE CORE OF THE UPPER JET SQUARELY OVER NORTHERN MICHIGAN...NEVER A GOOD PLACE TO BE IF YOU WANT WEATHER. COULD SEE SOME PESKY LAKE EFFECT...BUT AIR MASS IS PROGGED TO BE VERY DRY AND JUST NOT FEELING THIS AS A BIG EVENT...WITH TRENDS TENDING TO SUPPORT A GRADUAL MODIFICATION TO THE LOW LEVEL AIR MASS WITH TIME AS WELL. NOW...WITH THAT SAID...I`M NOT TOTALLY SOLD THAT WE WON`T AT LEAST CATCH A LITTLE SYNOPTIC SNOW AS THE MODELS ARE NOTORIOUSLY BAD AT PLACING SUCH STRONG THERMAL ZONES THIS FAR OUT. OF MORE INTEREST REMAINS THE ONGOING VERY STRONG (NEAR HISTORIC VALUES BEING OBSERVED CURRENTLY) STRATOSPHERIC WARMING EVENT THAT HAS MARCHED FROM THE HIMALAYAS TOWARD THE ARCTIC...WITH MEDIUM RANGE MODELS FINALLY CATCHING ONTO THE POSSIBILITY THAT SOME TRULY COLD AIR MAY BE DRAWN DOWN INTO THE AREA AS THE POLAR VORTEX DISLODGES DOWN INTO CANADA LATE NEXT WEEK OR JUST BEYOND. DEFINITELY SOMETHING TO WATCH HERE. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 1247 PM EST WED JAN 9 2013 THERE ARE ENOUGH HOLES IN THE CIGS AND THE CIGS THEMSELVES VARY ENOUGH THAT THERE ARE MVFR AND VFR CIGS AT THE TAF SITES. THIS WILL CONTINUE WITH THE STRONG WINDS TO AROUND 00Z. AFTER 00Z, THE WINDS WILL DIMINISH AS THE GRADIENT RELAXES THIS EVENING, AND THE CLOUD COVER WILL CLEAR OUT AS THE DRIER AIR IN THE MID LEVELS MOVES THROUGH N MICHIGAN TONIGHT. WITH THE HIGH PRESSURE MOVING INTO THE REGION OVERNIGHT THE START OF THE DAY ON THURSDAY WILL BE VFR. && .MARINE... ISSUED AT 405 AM EST WED JAN 9 2013 GALE WARNINGS AND SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES ALREADY IN EFFECT THIS MORNING FOR ANTICIPATED WINDS TODAY THROUGH THIS EVENING. ONLY CHANGE TO HEADLINES THAT MAY BE NEEDED IS AN UPGRADE TO A GALE WARNING FOR WHITEFISH BAY STARTING THIS AFTERNOON. A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO THE UPPER GREAT LAKES TONIGHT...WHICH WILL ALLOW WINDS TO GRADUALLY RAMP DOWN AS THE NIGHT PROGRESSES WHILE BACKING TO A MORE SOUTHERLY COMPONENT. && .CLIMATE... ISSUED AT 405 AM EST WED JAN 9 2013 BELOW IS A LOOK AT THE CURRENT RECORD HIGHS FOR BOTH FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. AS TALKED ABOUT IN THE DISCUSSION ABOVE...SOME OF THESE MAY WELL BE IN JEOPARDY. THE THURSDAY RECORD IN GAYLORD MAY ALSO BE MET OR TIED IF ENOUGH SUNSHINE CAN MAKE AN APPEARANCE...CURRENTLY SITTING AT 42 DEGREES FROM 1972. ALSO...IT IS NOT COMPLETELY IMPOSSIBLE WE COULD APPROACH THE ALL-TIME JANUARY RECORD HIGH AT GAYLORD...WHICH IS 53 DEGREES SET IN 1996 AND 1973. LOCATION FRIDAY RECORD (1/11) SATURDAY RECORD (1/12) ------------------------------------------------------------ ALPENA 50 FROM 2012 49 FROM 2005 GAYLORD 47 FROM 1980 45 FROM 2005 PELLSTON 49 FROM 1975 45 FROM 2005 TRAVERSE CITY 53 FROM 2012 50 FROM 2006 HOUGHTON LAKE 50 FROM 2012 47 FROM 2005 SAULT STE MARIE 44 FROM 1980 43 FROM 1932 && .APX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MI...NONE. LH...GALE WARNING UNTIL 4 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR LHZ345. GALE WARNING UNTIL 11 PM EST THIS EVENING FOR LHZ346>349. LM...GALE WARNING UNTIL 4 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR LMZ323-341-342- 344>346. LS...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR LSZ322. GALE WARNING UNTIL 11 PM EST THIS EVENING FOR LSZ321. && $$ UPDATE...JL SYNOPSIS...DML SHORT TERM...JPB LONG TERM...DML AVIATION...JL CLIMATE...DML MARINE...JPB
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MARQUETTE MI
1224 PM EST WED JAN 9 2013 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 526 AM EST WED JAN 9 2013 WATER VAPOR IMAGERY AND RUC ANALYSIS SHOW A CONTINUED PROGRESSIVE NRN STREAM ACROSS THE NRN CONUS/SRN CANADA. SHORTWAVE TROF IS CURRENTLY MOVING OVER THE WRN GREAT LAKES. AT THE SFC...ASSOCIATED LOW PRES IS OVER NRN ONTARIO. DESPITE RATHER VIGOROUS LOOK OF SHORTWAVE...VERY LITTLE PCPN HAS OCCURRED OVER THE FCST AREA OVERNIGHT. SOME PCPN PROBABLY OCCURRED OVER LAKE SUPERIOR PER RADAR IMAGERY. OVER UPPER MI...NARROW BAND OF PCPN APPEARED TO DEVELOP OVER THE ERN FCST AREA BTWN 07-09Z...BUT ONLY OB TO REPORT ANY PCPN WAS AT KERY AND THAT WAS -RA. FOCUS TODAY SHIFTS TO WINDS AND -SHSN CHANCES IN THE WAKE OF SHORTWAVE. WEST WINDS WILL BE INCREASING ACROSS THE KEWEENAW OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL HRS AS CAA INCREASES INSTABILITY/BUILDS MIXING DEPTH TOWARD THE 45-50KT LOW-LEVEL WIND MAX AT 2-4KFT. COMBINED WITH IDEAL WNW WIND DIRECTION FOR STRONG WINDS MAKES WIND ADVY ON THE KEWEENAW AN OBVIOUS CALL. EXPECT STRONGEST WINDS TO OCCUR MID MORNING INTO EARLY AFTN JUST AHEAD OF APPROACHING AREA OF 5MB/3HR PRES RISES WHICH IS NOW OVER NE ND/FAR NW MN. GUSTS OF 45-50MPH APPEAR LIKELY DURING THAT TIME. FARTHER S...WINDS ALONG THE SHORE TOWARD ONTONAGON/SILVER CITY WILL BE CLOSE TO 45MPH. TO THE E... SHORELINE LOCATIONS FROM PICTURED ROCKS EASTWARD WILL ALSO SEE GUSTS TO AROUND 45 MPH. W WINDS SHOULD KEEP THESE HIGHER GUSTS CONFINED MOSTLY TO THE BEACHES/SHORELINE. ELSEWHERE...IT WILL BE A BREEZY DAY WITH WIND GUSTS GENERALLY IN THE 25 TO 35 MPH RANGE. AS FOR PCPN...850MB TEMPS FALLING BRIEFLY TO AROUND -10C WILL BE MARGINAL FOR LES OFF LAKE SUPERIOR. HOWEVER...SINCE THERE IS A SMALL AREA OF -SN MOVING ACROSS NRN MN ATTM...EXPECT SOME -SHSN ON THE KEWEENAW FOR A PORTION OF THE MORNING INTO EARLY AFTN...AND OVER THE FAR NE FCST AREA DURING THE AFTN. A COUPLE OF OBS IN NRN MN HAVE DROPPED TO AROUND 1SM...SO THERE CERTAINLY COULD BE A BRIEF PERIOD OF HEAVIER SHSN. WILL BE SOMETHING TO MONITOR. RIGHT NOW...IT APPEARS SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE UNDER AN INCH. ALTHOUGH THERE WILL BE A TREND TOWARD CLEARING SKIES AWAY FROM THE KEWEENAW AND FAR NE FCST AREA...CAA THRU MID DAY WILL LIMIT TEMP RISE. MAX TEMPS SHOULDN`T BE TOO MUCH HIGHER THAN CURRENT READINGS. 30S WILL BE THE RULE. SFC HIGH PRES RIDGE QUICKLY SHIFTS ACROSS UPPER MI TONIGHT. WITH SKIES TRENDING TOWARD MAINLY CLEAR...THERE WILL BE A WINDOW FOR TEMPS TO FALL SHARPLY UNDER A BRIEF PERIOD OF LIGHT/CALM WIND BEFORE RETURN FLOW DEVELOPS. INDICATED MINS AS LOW AS THE LOW TEENS IN SOME OF THE TRADITIONAL COLD SPOTS...BUT WOULDN`T BE SURPRISED TO SEE A FEW SPOTS FALL INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS. .LONG TERM...(THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 526 AM EST WED JAN 9 2013 A CONTINUED ACTIVE PATTERN WILL BE THE RULE THROUGH THE WEEKEND AS MULTIPLE TROUGHS ARE PROGGED TO CROSS THE UPPER GREAT LAKES...BRINGING WELL ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES AND APPRECIABLE RAIN FOR THE EAST HALF OF THE CWA. THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT...THE UPPER GREAT LAKES AND MIDWEST WILL BE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF A PRONOUNCED MID-LEVEL TROUGH. THE LAYER SHOULD BE FAIRLY DRY AND ALLOW FOR ABUNDANT SUNSHINE ACROSS THE CWA. MEANWHILE...SOUTHERLY RETURN FLOW AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING MID-LEVEL/SFC LOW OVER THE MID-MS VALLEY WILL BRING INCREASING WINDS AND THIN...HIGH CIRRUS CLOUDS IN THE AFTERNOON. EXPECTATION IS THAT MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES AND THE LOWER ALBEDO OF THE DENSE UPPER MI FORESTS WILL RESULT IN TEMPS WELL-ABOVE NORMAL...AND EVEN SLIGHTLY ABOVE CURRENT GUIDANCE. KEPT FORECAST VERY SIMILAR TO PREVIOUS SHIFT...WITH UPPER 30S ACROSS MUCH OF THE INTERIOR AND LOW 40S FOR DOWNSLOPE LOCATIONS ALONG LAKE SUPERIOR. SOME LOCATIONS WILL APPROACH RECORD HIGHS IF DOWNSLOPE INFLUENCE IS STRONGER THAN ANTICIPATED. NOW ONTO THE SYSTEM TAKING AIM ON THE AREA THURSDAY NIGHT. A COMPACT MID-LEVEL CUTOFF LOW NEAR THE GREAT BEND OF TEXAS IS BEGINNING ITS TURN NORTHEASTWARD AND IS SET TO REACH THE MID-MS VALLEY BY LATE THURSDAY NIGHT. MODEL AGREEMENT ON THIS SYSTEM HAS BECOME VERY GOOD WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE GFS...WHICH HAS BEEN TRENDING SLOWER. WILL STICK WITH THE MORE CONSISTENT ECMWF/GEM SOLUTION. THOUGH THE MAIN MID-LEVEL FORCING WITH THE SHORTWAVE WILL PASS JUST TO THE SOUTHEAST OF THE CWA...DECENT ISENTROPIC LIFT ON THE 295-305K SURFACES AND CONSIDERABLE LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE TRANSPORT ON THE NOSE OF A 60KT H8 JET WILL SUPPORT MODERATE RAIN OVER THE EAST HALF OF THE CWA. MOISTURE CONTENT OF THE COLUMN WILL BE AN IMPRESSIVE 1.1"/450 PERCENT OF NORMAL. GIVEN THE SET-UP AND HIGH WATER CONTENT FOR JANUARY...HAVE CONTINUED THE TREND OF BUMPING UP POPS TO WIDESPREAD RAIN ACROSS THE EASTERN TWO-THIRDS OF THE CWA BEGINNING LATE THURSDAY EVENING. HELD OFF POPS FOR ALL BUT THE SOUTH-CENTRAL CWA UNTIL THIS TIME. STORM TOTAL QPF OF A HALF INCH OR MORE FOR THE EAST HALF SEEMS REASONABLE ATTM. AS FOR PRECIP TYPE...TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE INTERIOR WEST AND CENTRAL MAY FALL BELOW FREEZING IN THE EVENING BEFORE THICKER CLOUDS AND WAA TAKE CONTROL AND WARM TEMPS BACK ABOVE FREEZING. INITIAL RAIN WILL BE FALLING INTO QUITE A DRY LAYER...WITH SFC WET-BULB TEMPS JUST UNDER FREEZING. HOWEVER...GIVEN WARM HIGHS AND CONSIDERABLE SUNSHINE THURSDAY...A NARROW WINDOW OF BELOW FREEING TEMPS...AND WARM RAIN FROM A 6 TO 8C WARM LAYER ABOVE THE SFC...ONLY PUT IN A SLIGHT CHANCE OF FREEZING RAIN MAINLY INTERIOR CENTRAL. NOT REALLY EXPECTING ANY ICING...BUT DID WANT TO PUT A SMALL MENTION IN THERE. FRIDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT...PRECIP WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE EAST HALF FRIDAY MORNING AS THE INFLUX OF MOISTURE CONTINUES OVER THE AREA. A SECONDARY DEEP TROUGH MOVING INTO THE ROCKIES FRIDAY AFTERNOON WILL BEGIN TO LIFT NORTHEASTWARD BY FRIDAY EVENING. IN COMBINATION WITH THE LEFT EXIT OF A 140KT UPPER JET OVER THE UPPER-MS VALLEY...A SFC LOW WILL QUICKLY FORM OVER MN FRIDAY NIGHT. THERE SHOULD BE A LAPSE IN PRECIP FOR ALL BUT THE WESTERN CWA FRIDAY NIGHT AS PLENTY OF DRY AIR IS DRAWN INTO THE REGION AHEAD OF THE TROUGH/SFC LOW. SOME DRIZZLE IS POSSIBLE WITHIN A THICK LOW-LEVEL STRATUS DECK WHERE RAIN SHOWERS MAY NOT BE AS PREVALENT CENTRAL AND EAST. ALSO HAVE AREAS OF FOG IN THE FORECAST GIVEN RELATIVELY WARM/MOIST AIR FLOWING OVER MELTING SNOW. SATURDAY...AS THE SURFACE LOW TRACKS OVER LAKE SUPERIOR LATE FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY...IT WILL DRAW DOWN COLDER AIR FROM CANADA AND SWEEP A COLD FRONT ACROSS THE CWA. HIGHS WILL LIKELY BE EARLY IN THE DAY AS TEMPERATURES WILL QUICKLY FALL AT MOST LOCATIONS BY THE AFTERNOON. EXPECT ANY RAIN SHOWERS TO TRANSITION TO SNOW SHOWERS FROM WEST TO EAST THROUGHOUT THE DAY. ONLY MINOR ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED AS MID/UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT WILL BE NORTH OF THE CWA AND DECENT H5 Q-VECTOR DIVERGENCE WILL BE PASSING OVER THE CWA. SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY...DID NOT MAKE MANY CHANGES PAST THIS POINT. LAKE EFFECT SNOW LOOKS LIKELY FOR THE KEWEENAW AND FAR NORTHEAST SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY WITH WNW WINDS. A CORE OF -17 TO -19C AIR GETS WRAPPED AROUND THE DEPARTING LOW AND CROSSES LAKE SUPERIOR SATURDAY NIGHT. INVERSION HEIGHTS SHOULD STAY BETWEEN 4-5 KFT THROUGH MUCH OF SUNDAY UNDERNEATH SUBSIDENCE BEHIND THE DEPARTING TROUGH. THOSE HEIGHTS THEN FALL UNDER 3 KFT AND DRY AIR ADVECTS INTO THE REGION FROM THE SW SUNDAY NIGHT...THEREBY DECREASING LES COVERAGE BY MONDAY. TEMPERATURES THEN REMAIN AROUND SEASONAL NORMS TO START NEXT WEEK WITH MINIMAL PRECIP CHANCES. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 1223 PM EST WED JAN 9 2013 A STRONG PRESSURE GRADIENT BETWEEN A LOW NEAR HUDSON BAY AND A HIGH IN MINNESOTA WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE GUSTY WINDS THIS AFTERNOON AT ALL TAF SITES. THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO BE AT KCMX...WHERE GUSTS TO 45-55MPH HAVE BEEN OCCURRING. EXPECT THE WINDS TO DECREASE LATER THIS AFTERNOON AS THE HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE SHIFTS OVER THE AREA. OTHER THAN LINGERING LAKE EFFECT SNOW AND CLOUDS AT THIS EVENING...DECREASING CLOUDS ARE IN STORE FOR ALL SITES OVER THE NEXT 3-9HOURS. THE HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE WILL THEN PRODUCE VFR CONDITIONS TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY. ONE FINAL ITEM OF NOTE...AN INCREASING LOW LEVEL JET ABOVE THE INVERSION IS EXPECTED TOMORROW MORNING...UP TO 45-50KTS AROUND 1KFT ABOVE THE SURFACE. OPTED TO ADD IN A MENTION OF LLWS AT KIWD/KCMX SINCE THE INVERSION SHOULD KEEP SURFACE WINDS TOMORROW MORNING AROUND 10KTS. && .MARINE...(FOR THE 4 AM LAKE SUPERIOR FORECAST ISSUANCE) ISSUED AT 526 AM EST WED JAN 9 2013 IN THE WAKE OF COLD FRONT PASSING ACROSS LAKE SUPERIOR THIS MORNING...EXPECT W GALES OF 35-45KT TODAY. HIGH OBS PLATFORMS MAY HAVE A COUPLE OF HRS OF GUSTS TO STORM FORCE JUST AHEAD OF 5MB/3HR PRES RISES THAT WILL SHIFT ACROSS THE AREA TODAY. WINDS WILL QUICKLY DIMINISH TO UNDER 20KT W TO E TONIGHT AS SFC HIGH PRES RIDGE MOVES ACROSS LAKE SUPERIOR. INCREASING SOUTHERLY WINDS TO 20 TO 30 KNOTS AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING LOW PRESSURE IN THE MID-MISSISSIPPI VALLEY WILL AFFECT MAINLY THE EAST HALF OF LAKE SUPERIOR THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT. LIGHT SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL THEN TAKE HOLD FRIDAY BEFORE A COLD FRONT SWEEPS ACROSS THE LAKE FROM WEST TO EAST ON SATURDAY. WESTERLY WINDS OF 25 TO 30 KNOTS WILL DEVELOP BY SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE INTO EARLY SATURDAY EVENING. A FEW GALES TO 35 KNOTS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE EAST HALF OF THE LAKE LATE SATURDAY AFTERNOON. THE PATTERN BECOMES QUITE BENIGN BY SUNDAY...WITH MAINLY WESTERLY WINDS UNDER 20 KNOTS THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE PERIOD. && .MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... UPPER MICHIGAN... WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 5 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR MIZ001-003. LAKE SUPERIOR... GALE WARNING UNTIL 10 PM EST THIS EVENING FOR LSZ249>251-266-267. GALE WARNING UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS EVENING FOR LSZ243>248-264-265. GALE WARNING UNTIL 4 PM EST /3 PM CST/ THIS AFTERNOON FOR LSZ162- 240>242-263. LAKE MICHIGAN... GALE WARNING UNTIL 4 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR LMZ221-248-250. && $$ SHORT TERM...ROLFSON LONG TERM...TK AVIATION...SRF MARINE...ROLFSON/TK
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
1138 AM CST WED JAN 9 2013 .UPDATE...FOR 18Z AVIATION DISCUSSION BELOW && .DISCUSSION.../ISSUED 437 AM CST WED JAN 9 2013/ MAIN FORECAST CONCERN FOR THIS PERIOD WAS IN THE THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY TIME FRAME AS AN UNCHARACTERISTICALLY WARM AND MOIST SYSTEM FOR JANUARY STANDARDS IMPACTS THE AREA...WITH WHAT LOOKS TO BE PRIMARILY RAIN THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...WITH A TRANSITION BACK TO SNOW FRIDAY EVENING. VERY MILD CONDITIONS TO START THE DAY...WITH MANY AREAS STILL IN THE 30S AT 3AM AS THE AREA SITS OUT AHEAD OF PACIFIC COLD FRONT CURRENTLY MOVING ACROSS THE DAKOTAS. CURRENT HIGHS FOR TODAY ONLY 5 TO 10 DEGS HIGHER THAN CURRENT TEMPS...SO COULD END UP BEING A BIT WARMER THAN CURRENTLY FORECAST...ESPECIALLY EAST OF THE BUFFALO RIDGE IN SW MN...WHERE TEMPS ARE A DEGREE OR TWO ON EITHER SIDE OF 35 AT THE MOMENT. ALSO GETTING SOME STRONG WINDS IN THE WRN CWA THIS MORNING...WITH SPEEDS UP NEAR ADVY LEVELS...WITH SOME SUSTAINED WINDS IN THE AXN/MOX AREA NEAR 30 MPH...WITH GUSTS APPROACHING 40. FORTUNATELY...NOT EXPECTING THINGS TO GET ANY WORSE THAN WHAT WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN SINCE MAIN PUSH OF PRESSURE RISES WILL BE GOING NORTH OF HERE...ALONG WITH A STRONG INVERSION MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO MIX MUCH WIND TO THE GROUND. THIS SECOND PART IS FORTUNATE...AS RAP SHOWS 1K FT WINDS UP AT 40 KTS...BUT THE INVERSION WILL KEEP THOSE UP THERE...MEANING A WIND ADVY IS UNNECESSARY FOR TODAY. THE WEATHER LOOKS QUIET TODAY THROUGH TONIGHT...BUT STILL LOOKS TO TURN SOUTH IN A HURRY THURSDAY AFTERNOON. CUT OFF LOW WITH A WALL OF WATER OVER TX THIS MORNING WILL SLOWLY DRIFT NORTH TODAY AS A SHARP THROUGH MOVES ONSHORE OUT WEST. AS THE MAIN TROUGH WORKS ACROSS THE ROCKIES THURSDAY...IT WILL PICK UP THE CLOSED LOW A QUICKLY SEND IT AND ITS RAIN NORTH TOWARD THE GREAT LAKES. AS WITH PREVIOUS FORECAST...FAVORED A GEM/ECMWF BLEND FOR TIMING PRECIP IN THURSDAY/THURSDAY NIGHT AS THIS IS A GOOD COMPROMISE BETWEEN THE NAM...WHICH IS ABOUT 6 HOURS FASTER AND THE GFS WHICH IS 6 HOURS SLOWER THAN THE GEM/ECMWF. HOWEVER...WORRIED NAM MAY BE RIGHT WITH THE FASTER TIMING. THIS IS BECAUSE A QUICK LOOK AT H85 MOISTURE TRANSPORT ON THE ECMWF SHOWS THAT IT AGREES MUCH MORE WITH THE TIMING INDICATED BY THE NAM QPF THAN ITS OWN...SO WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED IF WE NEED TO START SPEEDING UP THE SPREAD OF POPS NORTH THURSDAY AFTERNOON. BIG ISSUE WITH PRECIP THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY IS ALL MODELS ARE SHOWING THE MPX CWA GETTING DRY SLOTTED...WITH MOISTURE REMAINING RATHER SHALLOW AFTER THE INITIAL PUSH OF PRECIP THURSDAY AFTERNOON. DID FAVOR QPF THU/THU NIGHT TOWARD THE HIGHER HPC NUMBERS AS BOTH THE NAM AND GFS SHOW PWATS WITH THIS INITIAL SURGE OF PRECIP INCREASE TO AND EVEN EXCEEDING 1 INCH. THIS IS A GOOD 400-500 PERCENT OF NORMAL. THE HIGHEST PWAT EVER OBSERVED AT MPX/STC IN JANUARY IS 0.92...SO WHAT WE WILL BE SEEING THURSDAY WILL BE QUITE RARE INDEED. BASED ON THE HIGH PWAT...LIKE THE HIGHER HPC NUMBERS...THOUGH HEAVIEST RAIN WILL BE DIRECTED MORE TOWARD GREEN BAY...WHERE BEST LLJ AND MOISTURE TRANSPORT WILL BE DIRECTED. DRY SLOTTING THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY RESULTS IN SOUNDINGS LACKING ANY ICE CRYSTALS...WITH DRIZZLE LOOKING TO BE THE PRIMARY PRECIP SEEN IN THIS PERIOD. AS FOR P-TYPE...FAVORED TEMPERATURE FORECAST THU-FRI TOWARD THE GEM/ECMWF AS WELL...WHICH RESULTS IN A MUCH WARMER SCENARIO. BY THE TIME PRECIP GETS HERE THURSDAY AFTERNOON...CURRENTLY HAVE THE ENTIRE CWA ABV FREEZING...SO KEPT PRECIP MENTION THURSDAY AS ONLY RAIN. FOR THURSDAY NIGHT...MAY BE QUESTIONABLE IF LOWS ANYWHERE IN THE MPX CWA DROP BELOW FREEZING...WHICH MEANS RAIN WILL LIKELY BE THE PRIMARY P-TYPE RIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT. ON FRIDAY...MODELS BEGINNING TO REALLY TIGHTEN UP BAROCLINIC ZONE THAT WILL BE JUST WEST/NW OF THE MPX AREA...WITH WINDS BACKING TO THE SE. THIS SHOULD ALLOW 40 DEG TEMPERATURES TO SNEAK INTO ERN AREAS FRIDAY. THIS FRONT DOES NOT LOOK TO START WORKING ACROSS THE MPX CWA UNTIL FRIDAY NIGHT BASED ON AN ECMWF/GFS/NAM BLEND AS A RAPIDLY DEEPENING SFC LOW MOVES UP FROM NEAR SIOUX FALLS UP TO THE ARROWHEAD. NO OTHER WAY TO EXPLAIN THE CAA BEHIND THIS FRONT FRIDAY NIGHT OTHER THAN AS INTENSE...WITH WIND ADVY STRENGTH WINDS LOOKING LIKELY AND TEMPERATURES LIKELY DROPPING 20 DEGREES OR MORE WITHIN AN HOUR OR TWO. THIS WILL QUICKLY TURN ANY PRECIP OVER TO SNOW...THOUGH TRACK OF THE LOW WILL KEEP PRIMARY BAND OF SNOW ACROSS NW MN. LOOKING AT POTENTIAL HEADLINES...THERE WILL BE THE POSSIBILITY FOR TWO WITH THIS SYSTEM...A WINTER WEATHER AND WIND ADVY. AT THE MOMENT...THE MOST LIKELY PLACE THAT MAY NEED A WINTER WX ADVY IS THE FAR NW CWA. THIS IS WHERE THE HIGHEST POTENTIAL FOR SEEING FZRA WILL BE THURSDAY NIGHT...FOLLOWED BY THE POTENTIAL FOR A FEW INCHES OF SNOW FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY DEPENDING ON HOW FAR SE THE DEFORMATION PRECIP BAND SETS UP. AS FOR THE WIND ADVY...FRIDAY NIGHT IS LOOKING QUITE BREEZY...ESPECIALLY ON THE ECMWF...WHICH DEVELOPS SUSTAINED WINDS IN WRN MN IN EXCESS OF 30 MPH...WITH GUSTS OVER 40 MPH IN RESPONSE TO IT SENDING A 990 LOW OVER TO THE WEST END OF LAKE SUPERIOR AS A 1030 MB HIGH MOVES INTO THE BLACK HILLS. AS FOR THE REST OF THE FORECAST...IT IS LOOKING COOLER...ESPECIALLY SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY...WHEN BELOW ZERO LOWS WILL RETURN WITH HIGHS IN THE SINGLE DIGITS AND TEENS...THOUGH WE COULD GET WARMER THAN THAT AS WARM TEMPS THURSDAY/FRIDAY WILL LIKELY PUNCH A LOT OF HOLES IN THE SNOWPACK OUTSIDE OF THE NW CWA...WHICH WILL LIKELY GET SOME SNOW FRIDAY NIGHT. BY THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK...BOTH THE GFS/ECMWF SHOW TEMPERATURES MODERATING OUT AHEAD OF CLIPPER COMING DOWN TUESDAY NIGHT/WEDNESDAY. ALSO INTERESTING IS THAT AS NEXT WEEK GROWS CLOSER...THE GFS/ECMWF CONTINUE TO BACK OFF ON THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE ARCTIC AIR MAKES IN INTO THE US...WITH EACH NEW RUN SEEMING TO KEEP IT FURTHER AND FURTHER NORTH...SO THAT WILL BE SOMETHING TO WATCH. AS FOR WEATHER...AFTER THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY IT LOOKS DRY. && .AVIATION.../18Z TAF ISSUANCE/ VFR CONDITIONS WITH CLEAR SKIES WILL PREVAIL THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING...ALTHOUGH WIND SHEAR IS EXPECTED TO IMPACT SEVERAL SITES OVER WEST CENTRAL AND CENTRAL MN TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING. IN THE MEANTIME...SURFACE WINDS WILL CONTINUE SUBSIDING BELOW 10 KTS FROM WEST TO EAST AND BACKING THIS AFTERNOON AS RIDGING BUILDS INTO THE AREA. AROUND/AFTER 06Z TONIGHT...A LOW LEVEL JET NOSES INTO WESTERN/CENTRAL MN...WHEN THE NAM INDICATES 0-1KM AGL SHEAR MAGNITUDE AROUND 50 KTS DEVELOPING. HAVE INCLUDED LLVL WIND SHEAR IN THE KAXN/KRWF/KSTC TAFS AROUND 1500 FT TONIGHT UNTIL LATE THURSDAY MORNING. ATTENTION THEN TURNS TO INCREASING CLOUD COVER AND PRECIP CHANCES WITH THE NEXT SYSTEM. SHOULD SEE MID/HIGH CLOUDS ON THE INCREASE AFTER 18Z THURSDAY...WITH SUB-VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED TO HOLD OFF UNTIL 23Z. SHOULD THEN SEE RAPID DETERIORATION IN CONDITIONS AFTER 00Z FRIDAY IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE ONSET OF -RA AND DZ. KMSP... HIGH CONFIDENCE IN VFR CONDITIONS THROUGH 21Z THURSDAY...AND THEN DETERIORATING CONDITIONS TO IFR CIGS/VSBYS EXPECTED AROUND/AFTER 23Z THURSDAY AS LIGHT PRECIP BEGINS. WINDS AROUND 270-290 DEGREES TO START THE PERIOD...BACKING TO AROUND 190-200 DEGREES BY 00Z...THEN FURTHER BACKING TO AROUND 150 DEGREES FROM 03Z THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE PERIOD. SPEEDS INITIALLY AROUND 12-15 KTS...THEN RANGING BETWEEN 6 AND 12 KTS AFTER 21Z. WHILE THE MAIN CORE OF THE LOW LEVEL JET IS EXPECTED WEST/NORTHWEST OF KMSP...COULD SEE 1500-2000FT WINDS OF 45-50 KTS AFTER 06Z. /OUTLOOK FOR KMSP/ THU NIGHT...IFR CIGS/VSBYS WITH RAIN EARLY...THEN LIFR CONDITIONS POSSIBLE IN DZ AND FG. WINDS SE AT 5-10 KTS. FRI...IFR WITH DZ AND FG. LIFR POSSIBLE. WINDS SE AT 5-10 KTS. SAT...MVFR WITH -SHSN POSSIBLE. COLD FRONT PASSAGE EARLY. WINDS W AT 20G30KTS. && .MPX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MN...NONE. WI...NONE. && $$ BORGHOFF/LS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS NASHVILLE TN
1137 AM CST WED JAN 9 2013 .UPDATE...FOR AVIATION. && .AVIATION... 18Z TAFS...WITH THE INFLUENCE OF A NORTHERN STREAM WAVE MOVING EAST...RAINFALL WILL BE TAPERING OFF SOME THIS AFTERNOON. RAIN WILL RAMP UP AGAIN TONIGHT AS A WARM FRONT MOVES IN FROM THE SOUTH. PLENTY OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WILL REMAIN OVER THE AREA. FOR CKV AND BNA...A COUPLE HOURS YET OF LINGERING SHOWERS AND INTERMITTENT IFR CIGS...THEN CONDITIONS WILL IMPROVE TO MVFR WITH SOME PERIODS OF VFR LATER TODAY. CONDITIONS WILL RAPIDLY DETERIORATE TO IFR OVERNIGHT AS THE WARM FRONT APPROACHES. CSV WILL SEE SOME IMPROVEMENT IN VSBY THIS AFTERNOON...BUT CIGS WILL REMAIN LOW. RAIN AND LOWER CIGS/VSBYS WILL MOVE IN AGAIN TONIGHT. 13 && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 1007 AM CST WED JAN 9 2013/ UPDATE... 12Z OHX SOUNDING DEPICTS A VERY MOIST ATMOSPHERE WITH A PWAT OF 1.32 INCHES...WHICH IS ABOVE THE 99TH PERCENTILE PWAT FOR JANUARY AND NOT FAR FROM THE TYPICALLY OBSERVED MAXIMUM FOR THE MONTH. LATEST RADAR IMAGERY SHOWS LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN HAS OVERSPREAD NEARLY THE ENTIRE CWA...WITH THE HEAVIEST RAIN AXIS FROM LAWRENCEBURG TO LA VERGNE TO CELINA. RADAR ESTIMATES AND RAIN GAUGE REPORTS INDICATE MANY LOCATIONS ALONG AND EITHER SIDE OF THIS AXIS HAVE ALREADY SEEN OVER A HALF INCH OF RAIN TODAY. 12Z GFS/NAM/ECMWF GUIDANCE SUGGESTS RAIN WILL TAPER OFF CONSIDERABLY THIS AFTERNOON...BUT MOSAIC RADAR IMAGERY SHOWING PLUME OF MOISTURE AND RAIN EXTENDING HUNDREDS OF MILES TO THE SOUTHWEST INTO LOUISIANA AND THE WESTERN GULF OF MEXICO ARGUES RAIN WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MUCH OF THE DAY. RECENT HRRR RUNS AGREE WITH THIS AND DEPICT AREAS OF LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN CONTINUING INTO THE EVENING. WILL BUMP UP POPS INTO THE AFTERNOON HOURS BASED ON RADAR TRENDS AND HRRR BEFORE DECREASING RAIN CHANCES LATER TODAY. APPEARS WIDESPREAD CLOUDS AND PRECIPITATION MAY KEEP HIGH TEMPS JUST UNDER CURRENT FORECAST AND LOWERED TEMPS A TAD IN SOME AREAS. REST OF FORECAST LOOKS TO BE ON TRACK AND NO OTHER CHANGES WERE MADE. SS PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 711 AM CST WED JAN 9 2013/ UPDATE... INCREASED POPS BEFORE NOON FOR ALL OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE. ALSO INCREASED QPF TODAY BASED ON RAINFALL REPORTS OF 0.25 TO HALF AN INCH THIS MORNING...WHICH AGREES WITH RADAR ESTIMATES. AS AN UPPER LOW OVER EASTERN CANADA MOVES OFF TO THE EAST AND THE TEXAS LOW MOVES NORTH THIS MOISTURE AXIS WILL BECOME MORE EAST TO WEST ORIENTED THIS MORNING CAUSING A DECREASE IN POPS IN THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE MID STATE AND KEEPING LIKELY POPS SOUTH OF I-40 THIS AFTERNOON. 11 PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 448 AM CST WED JAN 9 2013/ DISCUSSION... RADAR INDICATES WIDESPREAD SHOWERS ENTERING THE AREA FROM THE SOUTHWEST THIS MORNING WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS DEVELOPING ACROSS MOST OF MIDDLE TN. EXPECT THAT RAINFALL WILL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE DAY BEING MORE WIDESPREAD IN THE SOUTHERN AND WESTERN COUNTIES. THIS SURGE OF MOISTURE IS BEING URGED UPWARD BY A CUTOFF LOW OVER TEXAS THAT WILL GRADUALLY MOVE NORTH INTO OKLAHOMA TODAY. WEDNESDAY NIGHT...HEAVIEST PRECIP IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN IN THE WESTERN HALF OF MIDDLE TN. OVERCAST SKIES WILL SETTLE IN TODAY AND TONIGHT KEEPING LOW TEMPERATURES MILD...AROUND 50 DEGREES. THE LOW IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN WELL TO OUR WEST...MOVING FROM OKLAHOMA TO THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY ON THURSDAY. THEREFORE, POPS WILL REMAIN HIGH IN THE WEST ON THURSDAY WITH ONLY CHANCE POPS AROUND THE PLATEAU. THUNDERSTORM CHANCES REMAIN HIGHEST IN THE WEST AS WELL AND ARE INTRODUCED INTO THE FORECAST AS EARLY AS 06Z THURSDAY. A WARM FRONT IS EXPECTED TO LIFT NORTH THROUGH THE MID STATE SOMETIME DURING THE MORNING HOURS ON THURSDAY ENCOURAGING MORE THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT ALONG WITH HEAVY SHOWERS. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE LESS LIKELY EARLY FRIDAY MORNING PRIOR TO THE MAIN MOISTURE AXIS PUSHING THROUGH. AN ENHANCED LOW LEVEL JET AND THE PASSAGE OF ANOTHER BAND OF DEEP MOISTURE LATER IN THE MORNING COULD INFLUENCE SOME STORMS TO BECOME STRONG...WITH GUSTY WINDS, HEAVY DOWNPOURS, AND SMALL HAIL. WIDESPREAD RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 INCH ARE LIKELY WITH LOCALIZED AMOUNTS AROUND 2 TO 3 INCHES POSSIBLE AT THE END OF THE SHORT TERM. FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING CLOUDS ARE EXPECTED TO THIN OUT, BUT NOT DISAPPEAR AS THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVES OFF TO THE NORTHEAST. HIGH TEMPERATURES ON FRIDAY COULD REACH 65 DEGREES ALONG THE PLATEAU AND NEAR 70 ELSEWHERE...VERY CLOSE TO THE DAILY RECORD OF 72 IN NASHVILLE AND 64 IN CROSSVILLE...HOWEVER THIS IS VERY DEPENDENT ON THE AMOUNT OF CLOUD COVER AND HOW QUICKLY IT PARTIALLY CLEARS OUT AFTER THE BAND OF MOISTURE. THIS WEEKEND QUICKLY BECOMES A RAINY ONE WITH THE NEXT SYSTEM PUSHING INTO THE MID STATE SATURDAY MORNING AND LINGERING THROUGH THE END OF THE FORECAST PERIOD. MODELS AGREE THAT A BAND OF DEEP MOISTURE WILL SET UP ACROSS THE TENNESSEE AND OHIO VALLEYS AS A STRONG RIDGE STAYS IN PLACE OFF THE EAST COAST. STRONG UPPER LEVEL WINDS FROM THE SOUTHWEST WILL BRING DEEP SUBTROPICAL MOISTURE INTO THE SOUTHEAST. PWAT VALUES STILL LOOK EXCEPTIONALLY HIGH FOR THIS TIME OF THE YEAR..AROUND 1.5 INCHES...THROUGH AT LEAST MONDAY NIGHT. THE DIFFERENCES IN THE BOUNDARY LOCATION WILL DETERMINE WHERE THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL TOTALS DEVELOP AND ALSO THE TEMPERATURES IN THE LONG TERM. COLDER AIR...NEAR SEASONAL NORMS...WILL FILE IN BEHIND THE BOUNDARY BY MID WEEK NEXT WEEK. 11 && .OHX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS NASHVILLE TN
1007 AM CST WED JAN 9 2013 .UPDATE... 12Z OHX SOUNDING DEPICTS A VERY MOIST ATMOSPHERE WITH A PWAT OF 1.32 INCHES...WHICH IS ABOVE THE 99TH PERCENTILE PWAT FOR JANUARY AND NOT FAR FROM THE TYPICALLY OBSERVED MAXIMUM FOR THE MONTH. LATEST RADAR IMAGERY SHOWS LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN HAS OVERSPREAD NEARLY THE ENTIRE CWA...WITH THE HEAVIEST RAIN AXIS FROM LAWRENCEBURG TO LA VERGNE TO CELINA. RADAR ESTIMATES AND RAIN GAUGE REPORTS INDICATE MANY LOCATIONS ALONG AND EITHER SIDE OF THIS AXIS HAVE ALREADY SEEN OVER A HALF INCH OF RAIN TODAY. 12Z GFS/NAM/ECMWF GUIDANCE SUGGESTS RAIN WILL TAPER OFF CONSIDERABLY THIS AFTERNOON...BUT MOSAIC RADAR IMAGERY SHOWING PLUME OF MOISTURE AND RAIN EXTENDING HUNDREDS OF MILES TO THE SOUTHWEST INTO LOUISIANA AND THE WESTERN GULF OF MEXICO ARGUES RAIN WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MUCH OF THE DAY. RECENT HRRR RUNS AGREE WITH THIS AND DEPICT AREAS OF LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN CONTINUING INTO THE EVENING. WILL BUMP UP POPS INTO THE AFTERNOON HOURS BASED ON RADAR TRENDS AND HRRR BEFORE DECREASING RAIN CHANCES LATER TODAY. APPEARS WIDESPREAD CLOUDS AND PRECIPITATION MAY KEEP HIGH TEMPS JUST UNDER CURRENT FORECAST AND LOWERED TEMPS A TAD IN SOME AREAS. REST OF FORECAST LOOKS TO BE ON TRACK AND NO OTHER CHANGES WERE MADE. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 711 AM CST WED JAN 9 2013/ UPDATE... INCREASED POPS BEFORE NOON FOR ALL OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE. ALSO INCREASED QPF TODAY BASED ON RAINFALL REPORTS OF 0.25 TO HALF AN INCH THIS MORNING...WHICH AGREES WITH RADAR ESTIMATES. AS AN UPPER LOW OVER EASTERN CANADA MOVES OFF TO THE EAST AND THE TEXAS LOW MOVES NORTH THIS MOISTURE AXIS WILL BECOME MORE EAST TO WEST ORIENTED THIS MORNING CAUSING A DECREASE IN POPS IN THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE MID STATE AND KEEPING LIKELY POPS SOUTH OF I-40 THIS AFTERNOON. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 448 AM CST WED JAN 9 2013/ DISCUSSION... RADAR INDICATES WIDESPREAD SHOWERS ENTERING THE AREA FROM THE SOUTHWEST THIS MORNING WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS DEVELOPING ACROSS MOST OF MIDDLE TN. EXPECT THAT RAINFALL WILL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE DAY BEING MORE WIDESPREAD IN THE SOUTHERN AND WESTERN COUNTIES. THIS SURGE OF MOISTURE IS BEING URGED UPWARD BY A CUTOFF LOW OVER TEXAS THAT WILL GRADUALLY MOVE NORTH INTO OKLAHOMA TODAY. WEDNESDAY NIGHT...HEAVIEST PRECIP IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN IN THE WESTERN HALF OF MIDDLE TN. OVERCAST SKIES WILL SETTLE IN TODAY AND TONIGHT KEEPING LOW TEMPERATURES MILD...AROUND 50 DEGREES. THE LOW IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN WELL TO OUR WEST...MOVING FROM OKLAHOMA TO THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY ON THURSDAY. THEREFORE, POPS WILL REMAIN HIGH IN THE WEST ON THURSDAY WITH ONLY CHANCE POPS AROUND THE PLATEAU. THUNDERSTORM CHANCES REMAIN HIGHEST IN THE WEST AS WELL AND ARE INTRODUCED INTO THE FORECAST AS EARLY AS 06Z THURSDAY. A WARM FRONT IS EXPECTED TO LIFT NORTH THROUGH THE MID STATE SOMETIME DURING THE MORNING HOURS ON THURSDAY ENCOURAGING MORE THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT ALONG WITH HEAVY SHOWERS. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE LESS LIKELY EARLY FRIDAY MORNING PRIOR TO THE MAIN MOISTURE AXIS PUSHING THROUGH. AN ENHANCED LOW LEVEL JET AND THE PASSAGE OF ANOTHER BAND OF DEEP MOISTURE LATER IN THE MORNING COULD INFLUENCE SOME STORMS TO BECOME STRONG...WITH GUSTY WINDS, HEAVY DOWNPOURS, AND SMALL HAIL. WIDESPREAD RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 INCH ARE LIKELY WITH LOCALIZED AMOUNTS AROUND 2 TO 3 INCHES POSSIBLE AT THE END OF THE SHORT TERM. FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING CLOUDS ARE EXPECTED TO THIN OUT, BUT NOT DISAPPEAR AS THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVES OFF TO THE NORTHEAST. HIGH TEMPERATURES ON FRIDAY COULD REACH 65 DEGREES ALONG THE PLATEAU AND NEAR 70 ELSEWHERE...VERY CLOSE TO THE DAILY RECORD OF 72 IN NASHVILLE AND 64 IN CROSSVILLE...HOWEVER THIS IS VERY DEPENDENT ON THE AMOUNT OF CLOUD COVER AND HOW QUICKLY IT PARTIALLY CLEARS OUT AFTER THE BAND OF MOISTURE. THIS WEEKEND QUICKLY BECOMES A RAINY ONE WITH THE NEXT SYSTEM PUSHING INTO THE MID STATE SATURDAY MORNING AND LINGERING THROUGH THE END OF THE FORECAST PERIOD. MODELS AGREE THAT A BAND OF DEEP MOISTURE WILL SET UP ACROSS THE TENNESSEE AND OHIO VALLEYS AS A STRONG RIDGE STAYS IN PLACE OFF THE EAST COAST. STRONG UPPER LEVEL WINDS FROM THE SOUTHWEST WILL BRING DEEP SUBTROPICAL MOISTURE INTO THE SOUTHEAST. PWAT VALUES STILL LOOK EXCEPTIONALLY HIGH FOR THIS TIME OF THE YEAR..AROUND 1.5 INCHES...THROUGH AT LEAST MONDAY NIGHT. THE DIFFERENCES IN THE BOUNDARY LOCATION WILL DETERMINE WHERE THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL TOTALS DEVELOP AND ALSO THE TEMPERATURES IN THE LONG TERM. COLDER AIR...NEAR SEASONAL NORMS...WILL FILE IN BEHIND THE BOUNDARY BY MID WEEK NEXT WEEK. && .OHX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SHAMBURGER