Forecast Discussions mentioning any of "HRRR" "RAP" "RR" "RUC13" "RUC" received at GSD on 01/21/13


AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS DENVER/BOULDER CO
912 AM MST SAT JAN 19 2013 .UPDATE... && .SHORT TERM...IN THE WAKE OF LAST NIGHTS WEAK TROF THERE IS STILL SOME GUSTY WINDS IN THE MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS. THESE WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO DECREASE THIS AFTERNOON. BASED ON THE MORNING DENVER SOUNDING...TEMPERATURES MIGHT BE A DEGREE OR TWO COOLER FROM YESTERDAY WITH SLIGHT COOLING IN THE 600-700MB LAYER. WINDS EXPECTED TO INCREASE AGAIN LATER TONIGHT ALONG EAST SLOPES AS NEXT WEAK RIPPLE MOVES THROUGH THE FLOW. .AVIATION...CURRENT TAFS LOOK GOOD AND STILL PLANNING TO PLAY THE LONGMONT ANTICYCLONE THIS AFTERNOON WITH A LIGHT EAST TO SOUTHEAST WIND AT DEN AND APA. BJC MAY STILL SEE A MORE WESTERLY COMPONENT THIS AFTERNOON. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 243 AM MST SAT JAN 19 2013/ SHORT TERM...DRY NW FLOW ALOFT WILL CONTINUE TODAY AND TONIGHT. A MTN WAVE EARLY THIS MORNING IS ALLOWING FOR SOME GUSTY NWLY WINDS IN AND NR THE FOOTHILLS WHICH WILL LINGER THRU THE MID MORNING HOURS BEFORE DECREASING SOME BY MIDDAY. OTHERWISE GUSTY NW WINDS WILL ALSO OCCUR ALONG AND NR THE WY-NE BORDER ESPECIALLY LATER THIS MORNING INTO THE AFTN HOURS AS BETTER MIXING DEVELOPS. AS FOR HIGHS READINGS WILL BE IN THE 50S ACROSS NERN CO. ONCE AGAIN IN THE HIGHER MTN VALLEYS INVERSIONS WILL LEAD TO WIDE TEMP SPREADS ESPECIALLY ACROSS ZONE 32. FOR TONIGHT ANOTHER MTN WAVE MAY DEVELOP AFTER MIDNIGHT LEADING TO AN INCREASE IN WINDS OVER THE HIGHER MTNS AND FOOTHILLS. AT THIS TIME IT APPEARS SPEEDS SHOULD STAY BLO HIGHLIGHT CRITERIA. LONG TERM...NORTHWESTERLY FLOW ALOFT IS PROGGED TO CONTINUE OVER THE FORECAST AREA SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT. ON MONDAY...THE FLOW IS PROGGED TO BECOME NORTH-NORTHWESTERLY AND INCREASE A BIT IN SPEED. BY TUESDAY MORNING AT 12Z IT WEAKENS AND IS BACK TO A NORTHWESTERLY DIRECTION. AT THAT TIME AN UPPER RIDGE AXIS IS LOCATED OVER THE GREAT BASIN. THE SYNOPTIC SCALE ENERGY IS PROGGED TO BE BENIGN SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT. THE BOUNDARY LAYER FLOW LOOKS TO BE UPSLOPING FOR THE PLAINS AND FOOTHILLS SUNDAY...WITH NORMAL DUIRNAL PATTERNS FOR SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY. LOW LEVEL TROUHGING EAST OF THE MOUNTAINS SETS UP LATER SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT...BUT THE GRADIENT IS PRETTY WEAK. A MIX OF NORMAL TRENDS TO DOWNSLOPING SHOULD PREVAIL THOSE TWO PERIODS. MOISTURE CONTINUES TO BE QUITE LIMITED ACCORDING TO THE MODELS. THERE IS A LITTLE OVER THE PLAINS WITH THE UPSLOPE SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING...MORE SO ON THE GFS. THE GFS ALSO SHOWS A TAD IN THE UPPER LEVELS MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT...BUT THAT`S ABOUT IT. THERE IS NO MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION NOTED ON THE QPF FIELDS FOR THE FORECAST AREA SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT. NO POPS. FOR TEMPERATURES...SUNDAY`S HIGHS ARE 4-8 C COLDER THAN TODAY`S EXPECTED HIGHS. MONDAY`S READINGS WARM UP 3-5 C OVER SUNDAY`S. FOR THE LATER DAYS...TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...MODELS HAVE PRETTY WEAK NORTHWESTERLY FLOW ALOFT FOR THE CWA TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. BY THURSDAY...THE ECMWF AND GFS START DEVELOPING AN UPPER TROUGH NORTH AND NORTHEAST OF COLORADO. THE FLOW ALOFT INCREASES AND IS ZONAL ON THURSDAY. BY FRIDAY...A MEAN TROUGH IS PROGGED TO COVER THE EASTERN HALF OF NORTH AMERICA...AND AN UPPER RIDGE IS OVER THE GREAT BASIN. THE GFS BRINGS SOME MOISTURE OVER THE CWA THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT. THE ECMWF DOES NOT. THE OTHER DAYS ARE PRETTY DRY ON BOTH MODELS. WILL KEEP POPS OUT FOR NOW. TEMPERATURES REMAIN ABOVE SEASONAL NORMALS THROUGH THE PERIOD. AVIATION...WEST WINDS HAVE SPREAD ACROSS THE AIRPORT EARLY THIS MORNING BUT SHOULD BECOME MORE SWLY AFTER SUNRISE. BY 16Z WINDS MAY BECOME MORE SLY. FOR THIS AFTN THERE IS QUITE A DIFFERENCE IN WIND FCSTS AS THE HRRR AND RAP INDICATE A LONGMONT ANTI-CYCLONE DEVELOPING WITH WINDS BECOMING MORE ELY BY EARLY AFTN WHILE THE NAM HAS A WLY COMPONENT. WITH NWLY FLOW OVER THE CHEYENNE RIDGE THAT WOULD FAVOR A POTENTIAL ANTI-CYCLONE SO WILL TREND TAF TOWARDS THE HRRR/RAP SOLUTION. BY EARLY EVENING WINDS SHOULD GRADUALLY TRENDS TOWARDS DRAINAGE. VFR CONDITIONS WILL BE IN PLACE TODAY THRU TONIGHT. && .BOU WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...ENTREKIN LONG TERM....RJK AVIATION...ENTREKIN
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS DENVER/BOULDER CO
243 AM MST SAT JAN 19 2013 .SHORT TERM...DRY NW FLOW ALOFT WILL CONTINUE TODAY AND TONIGHT. A MTN WAVE EARLY THIS MORNING IS ALLOWING FOR SOME GUSTY NWLY WINDS IN AND NR THE FOOTHILLS WHICH WILL LINGER THRU THE MID MORNING HOURS BEFORE DECREASING SOME BY MIDDAY. OTHERWISE GUSTY NW WINDS WILL ALSO OCCUR ALONG AND NR THE WY-NE BORDER ESPECIALLY LATER THIS MORNING INTO THE AFTN HOURS AS BETTER MIXING DEVELOPS. AS FOR HIGHS READINGS WILL BE IN THE 50S ACROSS NERN CO. ONCE AGAIN IN THE HIGHER MTN VALLEYS INVERSIONS WILL LEAD TO WIDE TEMP SPREADS ESPECIALLY ACROSS ZONE 32. FOR TONIGHT ANOTHER MTN WAVE MAY DEVELOP AFTER MIDNIGHT LEADING TO AN INCREASE IN WINDS OVER THE HIGHER MTNS AND FOOTHILLS. AT THIS TIME IT APPEARS SPEEDS SHOULD STAY BLO HIGHLIGHT CRITERIA. .LONG TERM...NORTHWESTERLY FLOW ALOFT IS PROGGED TO CONTINUE OVER THE FORECAST AREA SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT. ON MONDAY...THE FLOW IS PROGGED TO BECOME NORTH-NORTHWESTERLY AND INCREASE A BIT IN SPEED. BY TUESDAY MORNING AT 12Z IT WEAKENS AND IS BACK TO A NORTHWESTERLY DIRECTION. AT THAT TIME AN UPPER RIDGE AXIS IS LOCATED OVER THE GREAT BASIN. THE SYNOPTIC SCALE ENERGY IS PROGGED TO BE BENIGN SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT. THE BOUNDARY LAYER FLOW LOOKS TO BE UPSLOPING FOR THE PLAINS AND FOOTHILLS SUNDAY...WITH NORMAL DUIRNAL PATTERNS FOR SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY. LOW LEVEL TROUHGING EAST OF THE MOUNTAINS SETS UP LATER SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT...BUT THE GRADIENT IS PRETTY WEAK. A MIX OF NORMAL TRENDS TO DOWNSLOPING SHOULD PREVAIL THOSE TWO PERIODS. MOISTURE CONTINUES TO BE QUITE LIMITED ACCORDING TO THE MODELS. THERE IS A LITTLE OVER THE PLAINS WITH THE UPSLOPE SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING...MORE SO ON THE GFS. THE GFS ALSO SHOWS A TAD IN THE UPPER LEVELS MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT...BUT THAT`S ABOUT IT. THERE IS NO MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION NOTED ON THE QPF FIELDS FOR THE FORECAST AREA SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT. NO POPS. FOR TEMPERATURES...SUNDAY`S HIGHS ARE 4-8 C COLDER THAN TODAY`S EXPECTED HIGHS. MONDAY`S READINGS WARM UP 3-5 C OVER SUNDAY`S. FOR THE LATER DAYS...TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...MODELS HAVE PRETTY WEAK NORTHWESTERLY FLOW ALOFT FOR THE CWA TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. BY THURSDAY...THE ECMWF AND GFS START DEVELOPING AN UPPER TROUGH NORTH AND NORTHEAST OF COLORADO. THE FLOW ALOFT INCREASES AND IS ZONAL ON THURSDAY. BY FRIDAY...A MEAN TROUGH IS PROGGED TO COVER THE EASTERN HALF OF NORTH AMERICA...AND AN UPPER RIDGE IS OVER THE GREAT BASIN. THE GFS BRINGS SOME MOISTURE OVER THE CWA THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT. THE ECMWF DOES NOT. THE OTHER DAYS ARE PRETTY DRY ON BOTH MODELS. WILL KEEP POPS OUT FOR NOW. TEMPERATURES REMAIN ABOVE SEASONAL NORMALS THROUGH THE PERIOD. && .AVIATION...WEST WINDS HAVE SPREAD ACROSS THE AIRPORT EARLY THIS MORNING BUT SHOULD BECOME MORE SWLY AFTER SUNRISE. BY 16Z WINDS MAY BECOME MORE SLY. FOR THIS AFTN THERE IS QUITE A DIFFERENCE IN WIND FCSTS AS THE HRRR AND RAP INDICATE A LONGMONT ANTI-CYCLONE DEVELOPING WITH WINDS BECOMING MORE ELY BY EARLY AFTN WHILE THE NAM HAS A WLY COMPONENT. WITH NWLY FLOW OVER THE CHEYENNE RIDGE THAT WOULD FAVOR A POTENTIAL ANTI-CYCLONE SO WILL TREND TAF TOWARDS THE HRRR/RAP SOLUTION. BY EARLY EVENING WINDS SHOULD GRADUALLY TRENDS TOWARDS DRAINAGE. VFR CONDITIONS WILL BE IN PLACE TODAY THRU TONIGHT. && .BOU WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...RPK LONG TERM....RJK AVIATION...RPK
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MIAMI FL
101 PM EST SAT JAN 19 2013 .AVIATION... LOW LEVEL TROUGH LOCATED NEAR KPBI WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE NORTHWARD UP THE COAST THROUGH THE DAY. RAIN HAS ENDED SOUTH OF KFXE...AND VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED SOUTH OF KFXE THROUGH TONIGHT. OLD FRONTAL BOUNDARY REMAINS JUST SOUTH OF THE REGION AND MOSTLY CLOUDY TO CLOUDY SKIES WILL PREVAIL THROUGH THE END OF THE PERIOD. SOME LOW CIGS/VIS MAY BE POSSIBLE FOR KAPF...KFXE...AND KTMB TONIGHT AS WINDS BECOME CALM AND A LAND BREEZE SETS UP. OTHERWISE...LIGHT NORTHEAST WINDS ARE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON...AND AGAIN AFTER 15Z SUNDAY. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 1104 AM EST SAT JAN 19 2013/ UPDATE...LOWERED POPS FOR BASED ON RADAR TRENDS. LOOKS LIKE WE WILL HAVE PREDOMINATELY SCATTERED SHOWER ACTIVITY FROM NE BROWARD AND ALONG THE PALM BEACH COAST WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS ELSEWHERE THROUGH THE DAY. SOME SUNSHINE NOW SOUTH WITH BREAKS DEVELOPING AT OTHER LOCALES SO IT LOOKS LIKE HIGHS ARE ON TRACK. /GREGORIA PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 809 AM EST SAT JAN 19 2013/ UPDATE...UPDATED MOST ELEMENTS FOR CURRENT TRENDS. AREA OF LIGHT RAIN NOW IS FOCUSED ACROSS METRO BROWARD. HRRR AND NAM SHOW A GRADUALLY NORTHWARD SHIFT ALONG THE ATLANTIC COAST WITH TIME TODAY. NAM KEEPS A SOLID AREA OF QPF MOVING UP THE PALM BEACH COAST WHILE THE HRRR LESSENS QPF THIS AFTERNOON, SO TOOK A MIDDLE OF THE ROAD APPROACH. LOOKS LIKE TWO WEAK LOWS HAVE DEVELOPED...ONE OVER OUR ATLANTIC WATERS AND ANOTHER CLEARLY DEFINED ONE ON SAT IMAGERY OVER THE GULF OFF THE SW FL COAST. THESE FEATURES WILL KEEP EXTENSIVE CLOUDINESS OVER THE AREA TODAY, BUT WITH A FEW BREAKS EXPECTED IN THE AFTERNOON. THIS SHOULD MANAGE TO ALLOW TEMPS TO REACH FORECASTED HIGHS, BUT WILL NEED TO MONITOR THIS BC IF THERE ARE NO BREAKS, HIGHS MAY BE A TAD TOO WARM. IT DOESN`T TAKE MUCH BREAKS TO ACHIEVE OUR WARMER HIGHS ADVERTISED SO HAVE KEPT THE FCST AS IS FOR NOW FOR MAX T. /GREGORIA PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 645 AM EST SAT JAN 19 2013/ AVIATION... MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES WILL PREVAIL ACROSS SOUTH FLORIDA THIS MORNING. LIGHT DRAINAGE FLOW IS STILL PRESENT ACROSS THE EASTERN TERMINALS...BUT WILL SHIFT TO THE EAST BY 19/18Z. VCSH WAS KEPT AS PREVAILING AT ALL EASTERN TERMINALS EXCEPT FOR KPBI. SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE DEVELOPING THIS AFTERNOON...FOR THIS REASON KEPT VCSH AT ALL EASTERN TERMINALS THROUGH THE EVENING. FOR KAPF...DRY CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGH THE PERIOD. WIND FLOW WILL BE WEAK ENOUGH TO ALLOW FOR THE SEABREEZE TO DEVELOP BY 19/19Z. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 338 AM EST SAT JAN 19 2013/ DISCUSSION... AN ACTIVE NIGHT ALONG THE ATLANTIC COAST HAS BEEN THE CASE THIS MORNING. SHOWERS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPING ALL NIGHT ALONG A STALLED FRONTAL BOUNDARY, LAYING JUST TO THE SOUTHEAST OF THE CWA. MODELS ARE SHOWING A WEAK LOW FORMING ALONG THIS BOUNDARY, WHICH WILL ACT AS THE FOCAL POINT FOR CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT OF SHOWERS TODAY, MAINLY SCATTERED IN NATURE. THIS ACTIVITY WILL CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING HOURS AND BEGIN TO DIE DOWN TONIGHT. THE LOW THEN LOOKS TO FALL APART LATER ON SUNDAY. THERE LOOKS TO BE SOME UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT FOR THE SHOWERS TO BE NORTH, AS A JET STREAK WILL MOVE IN AND THE LEFT EXIT REGION WILL BE AROUND THE JAX AREA. KEPT A MENTION OF MAINLY A SLIGHT CHANCE OF COASTAL SHOWERS FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS. FOR THE BEGINNING OF THE WEEK, A COLD FRONT, WITH AN ARCTIC PUSH, MOVES THROUGH THE CWA. THERE IS LITTLE EXPECTED IN THE WAY OF PRECIPITATION, BUT IT SHOULD ALLOW TEMPERATURES COOL SOMEWHAT. IT WILL KEEP THE HIGH TEMPERATURES IN THE 70S THIS WEEK, WHICH IS NOT MUCH DIFFERENT THAN THE WEEKEND. HOWEVER, THE LOW TEMPERATURES WILL BE ABLE TO DROP INTO THE MID TO UPPER 40S IN THE NORTHWEST ZONES OF THE CWA. THE MAIN COLD AIR MASS DOES LOOK TO REMAIN WELL TO THE NORTH, SO TEMPERATURES ALONG THE COAST AND FAR SOUTH FLORIDA ARE EXPECTED TO ONLY DROP INTO THE LOW 60S, MAYBE UPPER 50S. BEYOND THE COLD FRONT, HIGH PRESSURE WILL SET UP ONCE AGAIN, WHICH WILL KEEP THE WEATHER QUIET FROM TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK, WITH HIGH TEMPERATURES SLOWLY RISING THROUGH THE WEEK. FIRE WEATHER... A STALLED FRONTAL BOUNDARY AND A DEVELOPING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM NEAR THE AREA, WILL KEEP SHOWERS DEVELOPING ALONG THE ATLANTIC COAST AND KEEP ENOUGH SURFACE MOISTURE IN PLACE TO KEEP RH VALUES ABOVE ANY CRITICAL LEVELS. WINDS LOOK AS THOUGH THEY WILL BE LIGHTER THE ORIGINALLY THOUGH FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS, WHICH WILL MEAN THEY WILL ALSO NOT REACH ANY CRITICAL LEVELS FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. THERE WILL BE A COLD FRONT NEXT WEEK, WHICH MAY BRING SOME GUTSY WINDS AND A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR A SHOWER. BEHIND THIS FRONT, A MUCH DRIER AIR MASS IS EXPECTED. MIN RHS MAY DROP DOWN INTO THE MID 30 PERCENT RANGE IN THE NORTHWESTERN FIRE WEATHER ZONES. HOWEVER, WINDS ARE CURRENTLY EXPECTED TO REMAIN BELOW THRESHOLDS AT THIS TIME. MARINE... FOR THE GULF WATERS...SEAS ARE EXPECTED TO STEADILY SUBSIDE THE REMAINDER OF TODAY AS THE WINDS ACROSS THE REGION ARE FORECAST TO BECOME MORE NORTHEASTERLY AND SLOWLY SUBSIDE. FOR THE ATLANTIC WATERS...AS MODERATE NORTH TO NORTHEAST WINDS CONTINUE TO BUILD INTO THE REGION TODAY...THE ATLANTIC AND GULF STREAM SEAS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE THE REMAINDER OF TODAY THEN FORECAST TO BUILD QUICKLY TO ADVISORY LEVELS BY EARLY SATURDAY MORNING...MAINLY TO THE EAST OF PALM BEACH COUNTY...AND TO PERSIST THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING. A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR THE ATLANTIC WATERS AT 00Z SUNDAY THIS EVENING. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... WEST PALM BEACH 66 78 65 78 / 30 20 20 20 FORT LAUDERDALE 67 79 67 79 / 30 20 20 20 MIAMI 66 80 66 80 / 30 20 20 20 NAPLES 63 77 63 76 / 10 10 10 20 && .MFL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...NONE. AM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS EVENING FOR COASTAL WATERS FROM DEERFIELD BEACH TO OCEAN REEF, FL OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM JUPITER INLET TO DEERFIELD BEACH, FL OUT 20 NM-WATERS FROM DEERFIELD BEACH TO OCEAN REEF, FL EXTENDING FROM 20 NM TO THE TERRITORIAL WATERS OF THE BAHAMAS-WATERS FROM JUPITER INLET TO DEERFIELD BEACH, FL EXTENDING FROM 20 NM TO 60 NM. GM...NONE. && $$ DISCUSSION/MARINE/FIRE...57/DG AVIATION/RADAR...84/AK
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MIAMI FL
1104 AM EST SAT JAN 19 2013 .UPDATE...LOWERED POPS FOR BASED ON RADAR TRENDS. LOOKS LIKE WE WILL HAVE PREDOMINATELY SCATTERED SHOWER ACTIVITY FROM NE BROWARD AND ALONG THE PALM BEACH COAST WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS ELSEWHERE THROUGH THE DAY. SOME SUNSHINE NOW SOUTH WITH BREAKS DEVELOPING AT OTHER LOCALES SO IT LOOKS LIKE HIGHS ARE ON TRACK. /GREGORIA && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 809 AM EST SAT JAN 19 2013/ UPDATE...UPDATED MOST ELEMENTS FOR CURRENT TRENDS. AREA OF LIGHT RAIN NOW IS FOCUSED ACROSS METRO BROWARD. HRRR AND NAM SHOW A GRADUALLY NORTHWARD SHIFT ALONG THE ATLANTIC COAST WITH TIME TODAY. NAM KEEPS A SOLID AREA OF QPF MOVING UP THE PALM BEACH COAST WHILE THE HRRR LESSENS QPF THIS AFTERNOON, SO TOOK A MIDDLE OF THE ROAD APPROACH. LOOKS LIKE TWO WEAK LOWS HAVE DEVELOPED...ONE OVER OUR ATLANTIC WATERS AND ANOTHER CLEARLY DEFINED ONE ON SAT IMAGERY OVER THE GULF OFF THE SW FL COAST. THESE FEATURES WILL KEEP EXTENSIVE CLOUDINESS OVER THE AREA TODAY, BUT WITH A FEW BREAKS EXPECTED IN THE AFTERNOON. THIS SHOULD MANAGE TO ALLOW TEMPS TO REACH FORECASTED HIGHS, BUT WILL NEED TO MONITOR THIS BC IF THERE ARE NO BREAKS, HIGHS MAY BE A TAD TOO WARM. IT DOESN`T TAKE MUCH BREAKS TO ACHIEVE OUR WARMER HIGHS ADVERTISED SO HAVE KEPT THE FCST AS IS FOR NOW FOR MAX T. /GREGORIA PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 645 AM EST SAT JAN 19 2013/ AVIATION... MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES WILL PREVAIL ACROSS SOUTH FLORIDA THIS MORNING. LIGHT DRAINAGE FLOW IS STILL PRESENT ACROSS THE EASTERN TERMINALS...BUT WILL SHIFT TO THE EAST BY 19/18Z. VCSH WAS KEPT AS PREVAILING AT ALL EASTERN TERMINALS EXCEPT FOR KPBI. SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE DEVELOPING THIS AFTERNOON...FOR THIS REASON KEPT VCSH AT ALL EASTERN TERMINALS THROUGH THE EVENING. FOR KAPF...DRY CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGH THE PERIOD. WIND FLOW WILL BE WEAK ENOUGH TO ALLOW FOR THE SEABREEZE TO DEVELOP BY 19/19Z. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 338 AM EST SAT JAN 19 2013/ DISCUSSION... AN ACTIVE NIGHT ALONG THE ATLANTIC COAST HAS BEEN THE CASE THIS MORNING. SHOWERS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPING ALL NIGHT ALONG A STALLED FRONTAL BOUNDARY, LAYING JUST TO THE SOUTHEAST OF THE CWA. MODELS ARE SHOWING A WEAK LOW FORMING ALONG THIS BOUNDARY, WHICH WILL ACT AS THE FOCAL POINT FOR CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT OF SHOWERS TODAY, MAINLY SCATTERED IN NATURE. THIS ACTIVITY WILL CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING HOURS AND BEGIN TO DIE DOWN TONIGHT. THE LOW THEN LOOKS TO FALL APART LATER ON SUNDAY. THERE LOOKS TO BE SOME UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT FOR THE SHOWERS TO BE NORTH, AS A JET STREAK WILL MOVE IN AND THE LEFT EXIT REGION WILL BE AROUND THE JAX AREA. KEPT A MENTION OF MAINLY A SLIGHT CHANCE OF COASTAL SHOWERS FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS. FOR THE BEGINNING OF THE WEEK, A COLD FRONT, WITH AN ARCTIC PUSH, MOVES THROUGH THE CWA. THERE IS LITTLE EXPECTED IN THE WAY OF PRECIPITATION, BUT IT SHOULD ALLOW TEMPERATURES COOL SOMEWHAT. IT WILL KEEP THE HIGH TEMPERATURES IN THE 70S THIS WEEK, WHICH IS NOT MUCH DIFFERENT THAN THE WEEKEND. HOWEVER, THE LOW TEMPERATURES WILL BE ABLE TO DROP INTO THE MID TO UPPER 40S IN THE NORTHWEST ZONES OF THE CWA. THE MAIN COLD AIR MASS DOES LOOK TO REMAIN WELL TO THE NORTH, SO TEMPERATURES ALONG THE COAST AND FAR SOUTH FLORIDA ARE EXPECTED TO ONLY DROP INTO THE LOW 60S, MAYBE UPPER 50S. BEYOND THE COLD FRONT, HIGH PRESSURE WILL SET UP ONCE AGAIN, WHICH WILL KEEP THE WEATHER QUIET FROM TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK, WITH HIGH TEMPERATURES SLOWLY RISING THROUGH THE WEEK. FIRE WEATHER... A STALLED FRONTAL BOUNDARY AND A DEVELOPING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM NEAR THE AREA, WILL KEEP SHOWERS DEVELOPING ALONG THE ATLANTIC COAST AND KEEP ENOUGH SURFACE MOISTURE IN PLACE TO KEEP RH VALUES ABOVE ANY CRITICAL LEVELS. WINDS LOOK AS THOUGH THEY WILL BE LIGHTER THE ORIGINALLY THOUGH FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS, WHICH WILL MEAN THEY WILL ALSO NOT REACH ANY CRITICAL LEVELS FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. THERE WILL BE A COLD FRONT NEXT WEEK, WHICH MAY BRING SOME GUTSY WINDS AND A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR A SHOWER. BEHIND THIS FRONT, A MUCH DRIER AIR MASS IS EXPECTED. MIN RHS MAY DROP DOWN INTO THE MID 30 PERCENT RANGE IN THE NORTHWESTERN FIRE WEATHER ZONES. HOWEVER, WINDS ARE CURRENTLY EXPECTED TO REMAIN BELOW THRESHOLDS AT THIS TIME. MARINE... FOR THE GULF WATERS...SEAS ARE EXPECTED TO STEADILY SUBSIDE THE REMAINDER OF TODAY AS THE WINDS ACROSS THE REGION ARE FORECAST TO BECOME MORE NORTHEASTERLY AND SLOWLY SUBSIDE. FOR THE ATLANTIC WATERS...AS MODERATE NORTH TO NORTHEAST WINDS CONTINUE TO BUILD INTO THE REGION TODAY...THE ATLANTIC AND GULF STREAM SEAS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE THE REMAINDER OF TODAY THEN FORECAST TO BUILD QUICKLY TO ADVISORY LEVELS BY EARLY SATURDAY MORNING...MAINLY TO THE EAST OF PALM BEACH COUNTY...AND TO PERSIST THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING. A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR THE ATLANTIC WATERS AT 00Z SUNDAY THIS EVENING. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... WEST PALM BEACH 77 66 78 65 / 40 30 20 20 FORT LAUDERDALE 78 67 79 67 / 20 30 20 20 MIAMI 79 66 80 66 / 20 30 20 20 NAPLES 75 63 77 63 / 20 10 10 10 && .MFL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...NONE. AM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS EVENING FOR COASTAL WATERS FROM DEERFIELD BEACH TO OCEAN REEF, FL OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM JUPITER INLET TO DEERFIELD BEACH, FL OUT 20 NM-WATERS FROM DEERFIELD BEACH TO OCEAN REEF, FL EXTENDING FROM 20 NM TO THE TERRITORIAL WATERS OF THE BAHAMAS-WATERS FROM JUPITER INLET TO DEERFIELD BEACH, FL EXTENDING FROM 20 NM TO 60 NM. GM...NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MIAMI FL
809 AM EST SAT JAN 19 2013 .UPDATE...UPDATED MOST ELEMENTS FOR CURRENT TRENDS. AREA OF LIGHT RAIN NOW IS FOCUSED ACROSS METRO BROWARD. HRRR AND NAM SHOW A GRADUALLY NORTHWARD SHIFT ALONG THE ATLANTIC COAST WITH TIME TODAY. NAM KEEPS A SOLID AREA OF QPF MOVING UP THE PALM BEACH COAST WHILE THE HRRR LESSENS QPF THIS AFTERNOON, SO TOOK A MIDDLE OF THE ROAD APPROACH. LOOKS LIKE TWO WEAK LOWS HAVE DEVELOPED...ONE OVER OUR ATLANTIC WATERS AND ANOTHER CLEARLY DEFINED ONE ON SAT IMAGERY OVER THE GULF OFF THE SW FL COAST. THESE FEATURES WILL KEEP EXTENSIVE CLOUDINESS OVER THE AREA TODAY, BUT WITH A FEW BREAKS EXPECTED IN THE AFTERNOON. THIS SHOULD MANAGE TO ALLOW TEMPS TO REACH FORECASTED HIGHS, BUT WILL NEED TO MONITOR THIS BC IF THERE ARE NO BREAKS, HIGHS MAY BE A TAD TOO WARM. IT DOESN`T TAKE MUCH BREAKS TO ACHIEVE OUR WARMER HIGHS ADVERTISED SO HAVE KEPT THE FCST AS IS FOR NOW FOR MAX T. /GREGORIA && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 645 AM EST SAT JAN 19 2013/ AVIATION... MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES WILL PREVAIL ACROSS SOUTH FLORIDA THIS MORNING. LIGHT DRAINAGE FLOW IS STILL PRESENT ACROSS THE EASTERN TERMINALS...BUT WILL SHIFT TO THE EAST BY 19/18Z. VCSH WAS KEPT AS PREVAILING AT ALL EASTERN TERMINALS EXCEPT FOR KPBI. SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE DEVELOPING THIS AFTERNOON...FOR THIS REASON KEPT VCSH AT ALL EASTERN TERMINALS THROUGH THE EVENING. FOR KAPF...DRY CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGH THE PERIOD. WIND FLOW WILL BE WEAK ENOUGH TO ALLOW FOR THE SEABREEZE TO DEVELOP BY 19/19Z. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 338 AM EST SAT JAN 19 2013/ DISCUSSION... AN ACTIVE NIGHT ALONG THE ATLANTIC COAST HAS BEEN THE CASE THIS MORNING. SHOWERS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPING ALL NIGHT ALONG A STALLED FRONTAL BOUNDARY, LAYING JUST TO THE SOUTHEAST OF THE CWA. MODELS ARE SHOWING A WEAK LOW FORMING ALONG THIS BOUNDARY, WHICH WILL ACT AS THE FOCAL POINT FOR CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT OF SHOWERS TODAY, MAINLY SCATTERED IN NATURE. THIS ACTIVITY WILL CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING HOURS AND BEGIN TO DIE DOWN TONIGHT. THE LOW THEN LOOKS TO FALL APART LATER ON SUNDAY. THERE LOOKS TO BE SOME UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT FOR THE SHOWERS TO BE NORTH, AS A JET STREAK WILL MOVE IN AND THE LEFT EXIT REGION WILL BE AROUND THE JAX AREA. KEPT A MENTION OF MAINLY A SLIGHT CHANCE OF COASTAL SHOWERS FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS. FOR THE BEGINNING OF THE WEEK, A COLD FRONT, WITH AN ARCTIC PUSH, MOVES THROUGH THE CWA. THERE IS LITTLE EXPECTED IN THE WAY OF PRECIPITATION, BUT IT SHOULD ALLOW TEMPERATURES COOL SOMEWHAT. IT WILL KEEP THE HIGH TEMPERATURES IN THE 70S THIS WEEK, WHICH IS NOT MUCH DIFFERENT THAN THE WEEKEND. HOWEVER, THE LOW TEMPERATURES WILL BE ABLE TO DROP INTO THE MID TO UPPER 40S IN THE NORTHWEST ZONES OF THE CWA. THE MAIN COLD AIR MASS DOES LOOK TO REMAIN WELL TO THE NORTH, SO TEMPERATURES ALONG THE COAST AND FAR SOUTH FLORIDA ARE EXPECTED TO ONLY DROP INTO THE LOW 60S, MAYBE UPPER 50S. BEYOND THE COLD FRONT, HIGH PRESSURE WILL SET UP ONCE AGAIN, WHICH WILL KEEP THE WEATHER QUIET FROM TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK, WITH HIGH TEMPERATURES SLOWLY RISING THROUGH THE WEEK. FIRE WEATHER... A STALLED FRONTAL BOUNDARY AND A DEVELOPING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM NEAR THE AREA, WILL KEEP SHOWERS DEVELOPING ALONG THE ATLANTIC COAST AND KEEP ENOUGH SURFACE MOISTURE IN PLACE TO KEEP RH VALUES ABOVE ANY CRITICAL LEVELS. WINDS LOOK AS THOUGH THEY WILL BE LIGHTER THE ORIGINALLY THOUGH FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS, WHICH WILL MEAN THEY WILL ALSO NOT REACH ANY CRITICAL LEVELS FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. THERE WILL BE A COLD FRONT NEXT WEEK, WHICH MAY BRING SOME GUTSY WINDS AND A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR A SHOWER. BEHIND THIS FRONT, A MUCH DRIER AIR MASS IS EXPECTED. MIN RHS MAY DROP DOWN INTO THE MID 30 PERCENT RANGE IN THE NORTHWESTERN FIRE WEATHER ZONES. HOWEVER, WINDS ARE CURRENTLY EXPECTED TO REMAIN BELOW THRESHOLDS AT THIS TIME. MARINE... FOR THE GULF WATERS...SEAS ARE EXPECTED TO STEADILY SUBSIDE THE REMAINDER OF TODAY AS THE WINDS ACROSS THE REGION ARE FORECAST TO BECOME MORE NORTHEASTERLY AND SLOWLY SUBSIDE. FOR THE ATLANTIC WATERS...AS MODERATE NORTH TO NORTHEAST WINDS CONTINUE TO BUILD INTO THE REGION TODAY...THE ATLANTIC AND GULF STREAM SEAS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE THE REMAINDER OF TODAY THEN FORECAST TO BUILD QUICKLY TO ADVISORY LEVELS BY EARLY SATURDAY MORNING...MAINLY TO THE EAST OF PALM BEACH COUNTY...AND TO PERSIST THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING. A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR THE ATLANTIC WATERS AT 00Z SUNDAY THIS EVENING. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... WEST PALM BEACH 77 66 78 65 / 50 30 20 20 FORT LAUDERDALE 78 67 79 67 / 80 30 20 20 MIAMI 79 66 80 66 / 50 30 20 20 NAPLES 75 63 77 63 / 20 10 10 10 && .MFL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...NONE. AM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS EVENING FOR COASTAL WATERS FROM DEERFIELD BEACH TO OCEAN REEF, FL OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM JUPITER INLET TO DEERFIELD BEACH, FL OUT 20 NM-WATERS FROM DEERFIELD BEACH TO OCEAN REEF, FL EXTENDING FROM 20 NM TO THE TERRITORIAL WATERS OF THE BAHAMAS-WATERS FROM JUPITER INLET TO DEERFIELD BEACH, FL EXTENDING FROM 20 NM TO 60 NM. GM...NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MELBOURNE FL
352 AM EST SAT JAN 19 2013 .DISCUSSION... CURRENTLY...STRONG HI PRES RIDGE EXTENDING FROM THE CAROLINAS TO THE NW GOMEX. THE USAF CAPE PROFILER AND THE KTBW VAD WIND PROFILE SHOWING 25-30KTS OF ERLY FLOW 5KFT...DIMINISHING TO 15-25KTS AT THE KJAX VAD WIND PROFILE. RAP ANALYSIS SHOWS HIGH REGIONAL MOISTURE THRU THE H100-H85 LYR ASSOCD WITH A MARINE STRATOCU DECK. KMFL/KTBW EVENING SOUNDINGS HAVE A SATURATED H100-H80 LYR TRAPPED BLO A STOUT SUBSIDENCE INVERSION...THOUGH PWAT VALUES TOP OUT ARND 0.80". KJAX SOUNDING IS A BIT DRIER WITH PWAT ARND 0.40". RADAR SHOWS PERIODIC BANDS OF LIGHT RAIN MVG ONSHORE S OF CAPE CANAVERAL. TODAY-TONIGHT...THE HI PRES RIDGE WILL MAINTAIN A DEEP/STEADY NERLY SFC/LOW LVL FLOW AS IT GRADUALLY WEAKENS. LOW LVL MOISTURE IS HIGH ENOUGH TO MAINTAIN ISOLD/SCT SHRAS...THOUGH ITS SHALLOW DEPTH WILL LIMIT QPF TO 0.10" OR LESS. DEPTH/STRENGTH OF THE NE FLOW WILL PUSH THESE SHRAS WELL INTO THE INTERIOR THRU THE AFTN. PRECIP WILL END OVER THE INTERIOR OVERNIGHT AS WINDS DIMINISH BUT WILL CONTINUE ALONG THE COAST. THE DEEP ONSHORE FLOW WILL TAP MOIST/MILD OCEAN AIR TO KEEP TEMPS ABV AVG. MAXES IN THE M/U70S...MINS IN THE M/U50S ALONG AND N OF THE I-4 CORRIDOR AND L/M60S ALONG THE SPACE/TREASURE COASTS. SUN...A WEAK INVERTED TROUGH IS FORECAST TO DEVELOP EAST OF FLORIDA WHICH WILL BACK THE LOW LEVEL FLOW SOME...TO THE N/NE. IT WILL ALSO PRODUCE A BAND OF MOISTURE CONVERGENCE EXTENDING FROM THE ATLC SW ACROSS THE COAST TOWARDS OKEECHOBEE...WHICH SHOULD PRODUCE BRING SOME SHOWERS ACROSS THE COAST MAINLY SOUTH OF THE CAPE. SO WILL MAINTAIN A SMALL 20 POP THERE AS WELL AS SOUTHERN INTERIOR SECTIONS THOUGH SOME AREAS COULD SEE A FEW PERIODS OF RAIN WITH LOCALLY HIGHER RAIN CHANCES AND AMOUNTS. FORECAST MODEL SOUNDINGS SHOW CONSIDERABLE STRATOCUMULUS CLOUDS ALONG WITH SOME CIRRUS SO MORE CLOUDS THAN SUN EXPECTED. NONETHELESS... TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL WITH HIGHS IN THE MID 70S. LESS ONSHORE FLOW SUNDAY NIGHT SHOULD ALLOW COASTAL COMMUNITIES SOUTH OF THE CAPE TO COOL A FEW MORE DEGREES WITH LOWS NEAR 60. MON-FRI...THE WEEK BEGINS WITH A HIGHLY AMPLIFIED UPPER PATTERN ACROSS THE U.S...RIDGE IN THE WEST AND TROUGH IN THE EAST. MEANWHILE...AT THE SURFACE A REINFORCING HI PRES RIDGE WILL DROP OUT OF CANADA AND BUILD INTO THE SE U.S. MONDAY AND TUESDAY AND BRING COOLER AND ESPECIALLY DRIER CONDITIONS INTO MIDWEEK. PRIOR TO INFLUX OF MUCH DRIER AIR...THERE STILL LOOKS TO BE ENOUGH MOISTURE TO PRODUCE A FEW SHOWERS MONDAY ALG THE TREASURE COAST TO OKEECHOBEE SO HAVE MAINTAINED SMALL 20 POP THERE. RAIN CHANCES LOOK QUITE SLIM TUE-THU AND HAVE KEPT THE FORECAST DRY. AFTER A MILD MONDAY...BOTH HIGH AND LOW TEMPERATURES ARE FORECAST TO FALL AT OR SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL TUE-WED WITH UPPER 30S POSSIBLE ACROSS NORTH LAKE COUNTY WED MORNING. FREEZING TEMPERATURES ARE STILL NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. HIGH TEMPS ARE FORECAST TO RANGE FROM THE MID 60S NORTH OF ORLANDO TO THE LOWER 70S OKEECHOBEE/ TREASURE COAST. SOME MODERATION OF TEMP/MOISTURE WILL OCCUR BY THU AS HIGH PRESSURE PUSHES EAST INTO THE ATLC AND A MORE DIRECT ONSHORE FLOW DEVELOPS. && .AVIATION... THRU 20/00Z...PREVAILING CIGS BTWN FL040-060. ISOLD MVFR SHRAS E OF KTIX-KISM-KOBE THRU 19/14Z. AFT 19/14Z...ISOLD MVFR SHRAS ALL SITES WITH SFC WND G18-22KTS. && .MARINE... TODAY-TONIGHT...RIDGE AXIS OVER THE DEEP SOUTH WILL MAINTAIN A MODERATE TO FRESH NERLY BREEZE THRU MID AFTN. THE RIDGE WILL GRADUALLY WEAKEN THRU DAYBREAK SUN...ALLOWING WIND TO DIMINISH BLO THE 20KT SCA THRESHOLD BY LATE AFTN. HOWEVER...THE NE COMPONENT WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH SWELL ENERGY INTO THE E FL COAST...KEEPING SEAS ABV SCA CRITERIA THRU EARLY SUN MORNING. WIND SCA EXPIRATION TIME OF 21Z LOOKS REASONABLE...WILL EXTEND THE SCA FOR SEAS THRU 09Z SUN. SUN-WED...INVERTED TROUGH DEVELOPING EAST OF THE WATERS WILL BACK WINDS TO A MORE N/NE DIRECTION SUNDAY WITH SPEEDS AROUND 10-15 KTS AND SEAS 4-6 FT. SO WILL LIKELY NEED A CAUTION HEADLINE AT LEAST FOR THE GULF STREAM SUNDAY. WATERS WILL BE IN A LIGHT NORTHERLY PRES GRAD MONDAY BUT NORTH WINDS WILL INCREASE MONDAY NIGHT/EARLY TUE AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OVER THE AREA FROM THE NORTHWEST. THERE WILL LIKELY BE A BRIEF PERIOD OF HAZARDOUS BOATING CONDITIONS WITH ADVISORIES ISSUED TUE/TUE NIGHT. SWAN MODEL BUILDS SEAS TO 6 FT OFFSHORE WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO SEE 7 FT IN THE GULF STREAM. THEN WINDS DECREASE PRETTY QUICKLY WED AS HIGH PRESSURE CENTER SETTLES OVER THE AREA WITH SEAS SUBSIDING. && .FIRE WEATHER... NO LOW RH CONCERNS THROUGH MONDAY THOUGH MIN RH VALUES WILL BE A LITTLE LOWER...40 TO 45 PERCENT ORLANDO NORTHWARD...MONDAY AFTN. COOLER AND MUCH DRIER AIR IS FORECAST TO OVERSPREAD THE AREA TUE AND PRODUCE MIN RH VALUES BELOW 35 PERCENT WITH N/NW WINDS AROUND 15 MPH. WED COULD BE NEARLY AS DRY ACROSS THE INTERIOR BUT WINDS LOOK LIGHTER. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... DAB 74 60 73 55 / 20 10 10 10 MCO 76 59 76 57 / 20 10 10 10 MLB 75 65 77 61 / 30 20 20 20 VRB 75 65 78 60 / 30 20 20 20 LEE 75 57 75 55 / 20 10 10 10 SFB 75 59 75 57 / 20 10 10 10 ORL 75 59 75 58 / 20 10 10 10 FPR 76 65 77 61 / 30 20 20 20 && .MLB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...NONE. AM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR COASTAL WATERS FROM FLAGLER BEACH TO VOLUSIA BREVARD COUNTY LINE OUT 20 NM-COASTAL WATERS FROM SEBASTIAN INLET TO JUPITER INLET OUT 20 NM-COASTAL WATERS FROM VOLUSIA BREVARD COUNTY LINE TO SEBASTIAN INLET OUT 20 NM-WATERS FROM FLAGLER BEACH TO VOLUSIA BREVARD COUNTY LINE 20 TO 60 NM OFFSHORE-WATERS FROM SEBASTIAN INLET TO JUPITER INLET 20 TO 60 NM OFFSHORE- WATERS FROM VOLUSIA BREVARD COUNTY LINE TO SEBASTIAN INLET 20 TO 60 NM OFFSHORE. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 4 AM EST SUNDAY FOR COASTAL WATERS FROM FLAGLER BEACH TO VOLUSIA BREVARD COUNTY LINE OUT 20 NM-COASTAL WATERS FROM SEBASTIAN INLET TO JUPITER INLET OUT 20 NM-COASTAL WATERS FROM VOLUSIA BREVARD COUNTY LINE TO SEBASTIAN INLET OUT 20 NM-WATERS FROM FLAGLER BEACH TO VOLUSIA BREVARD COUNTY LINE 20 TO 60 NM OFFSHORE-WATERS FROM SEBASTIAN INLET TO JUPITER INLET 20 TO 60 NM OFFSHORE-WATERS FROM VOLUSIA BREVARD COUNTY LINE TO SEBASTIAN INLET 20 TO 60 NM OFFSHORE. && $$ SHORT TERM...BRAGAW LONG TERM....KELLY
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CARIBOU ME
954 PM EST SUN JAN 20 2013 .SYNOPSIS... AN ARCTIC COLD FRONT TO CROSS THE REGION THIS EVENING. LOW PRESSURE PASSES SOUTH OF THE AREA TUESDAY WITH A COLD AIR MASS TO REMAIN ACROSS THE AREA ALL WEEK.&& .NEAR TERM /THROUGH MONDAY/... COLD ARCTIC AIR POURING INTO THE AREA ATTM ON VRY STRONG AND GUSTY NW WNDS... AT 945 PM...STILL GETTING GUSTS OVR 40 MPH ACROSS NRN AND NERN AREAS BEHIND THE SECONDARY ARCTIC BNDRY. HAVE DECIDED TO XTND THE WND ADV SEVERAL MORE HRS - THRU 06Z TO ALLOW TIME FOR WNDS TO COME DOWN A BIT. HAVE ALSO DCRSD POPS TO JUST ISOLD AS VRY DRY AIR ARCTIC AIR WILL MAKE IT TUF TO GENERATE ANY MSRBL PRECIP FROM THIS POINT ON... UPDATE 1700L: PRIMARY ARCTIC BNDRY EXITING THE FA ATTM W/ SECONDARY BNDRY ENTERING FAR NWRN AREAS. THIS SECONDARY BNDRY IS EXPECTED TO SWEEP SEWRD ACROSS THE FA DURING THE EVE HRS AND WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY SOME SNOW SHOWERS SPCLY NRN AREAS. THIS FRONT WILL BE FOLLOWED BY STRONG GUSTY NW WNDS AND STRONG CAA ALLOWING TEMPS TO FALL RAPIDLY LATER THIS EVE AND THRU THE OVERNGT HRS. HAVE ADJUSTED POPS TO BETTER FIT CURRENT AND EXPECTED TRENDS W/ ALL WND CHILL WRNGS/ADVS AND THE WND ADV CONTG... INTENSE AREA OF LOW PRESSURE CURRENTLY MOVING TO THE NORTH OF THE STATE. LINE OF SNOW SHOWERS CURRENTLY MOVING THROUGH. SECONDARY COLD FRONT STILL TO THE WEST OF NEW ENGLAND AND SHOULD MOVE ACROSS THE STATE IN THE EARLY EVENING. EXPECT GUSTY CONDITIONS TO DEVELOP AS COLD AIR MOVES IN. WILL KEEP WIND ADVISORY IN PLACE. HAVE ADJUSTED WIND GUSTS A LITTLE LOWER FOR LATE AFTERNOON. FOR POP AND WEATHER GRIDS HAVE INITIALIZED POPS WITH RUC13 THEN MANUALLY ADJUSTED INCREASE POPS A LITTLE FURTHER TO SOUTH. LATER TONIGHT EXPECT RAPID TEMPERATURE DROP ACCOMPANIED BY STRONG WINDS AND GUSTY CONDITIONS SO WILL ALSO KEEP WIND CHILL ADVISORY FOR NORTH AND WIND CHILL WATCH IN FAR NORTHWEST.&& .SHORT TERM /MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... THE MAIN STORY FOR THIS PORTION OF THE FORECAST WILL BE BITTERLY COLD TEMPERATURES. COMBINED WITH WITH THE BREEZY CONDITIONS WHICH WILL CONTINUE MONDAY THIS WILL CREATE VERY LOW WIND CHILLS, ESPECIALLY NORTH, WHERE VALUES WILL BE IN THE MINUS 20S AND MINUS 30S. HIGHS MONDAY IN THE NORTH WILL RANGE FROM 5 BELOW TO 5 ABOVE ZERO WITH SOUTHERN AREAS SEEING HIGHS IN THE TEENS. WINDS WILL ABATE FOR MONDAY NIGHT WITH TEMPERATURES DIPPING TO NEAR OR BELOW MINUS 20 NORTH. ACROSS THE SOUTH, CLOUDS WILL INCREASE AS A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM DEVELOPS OFF THE MID ATLANTIC COAST AND MOVES NORTH AND EAST. THE NORTHERN EDGE OF THE PRECIPITATION SHIELD LOOKS TO SET UP VERY CLOSE TO COASTAL AREAS OF THE CWA WITH THE NEW GFS TAKING THE SYSTEM SLIGHTLY FARTHER NORTH. IF THIS SOLUTION WERE TO VERIFY IT COULD RESULT IN A COUPLE INCHES OF SNOW RIGHT ALONG THE COAST. HOWEVER THE CANADIAN AND THE ECMWF REMAIN A BIT FARTHER SOUTH SO AT THIS POINT OPTED TO MAINTAIN CONTINUITY WITH PREVIOUS FORECAST KEEPING JUST CHANCE POPS IN ALONG THE COAST FOR LATE MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY. OTHERWISE TUESDAY WILL FEATURE MAINLY CLOUDY SKIES WITH VERY COLD TEMPERATURES. HIGHS LOOK TO BE A COUPLE DEGREES COLDER THAN MONDAY`S VALUES MEANING MANY AREAS IN THE NORTH WILL STAY AT OR BELOW ZERO. AS THE AFOREMENTIONED LOW MOVES OFF TO THE NORTHEAST HEADING INTO TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY THIS WILL DRAG THE CORE OF THE COLDEST AIR DOWN OVER THE CWA. IN ADDITION, WINDS WILL PICK UP AGAIN WEDNESDAY DUE TO THE GRADIENT BETWEEN THE DEPARTING LOW TO THE EAST AND HIGH PRESSURE TO THE WEST. THIS WILL ONCE AGAIN RESULT IN BITTER WIND CHILLS LIKELY REACHING AT LEAST ADVISORY LEVELS IN THE NORTH. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/... IT LOOKS LIKE WE WILL GET A REPRIEVE FROM THIS LATEST ARCTIC BLAST COME LATE WEEK AND THEN A RETURN TO ANOTHER POTENTIAL SHOT OF ARCTIC AIR BY THE WEEKEND. AN UPPER LEVEL IS FORECAST TO SWING ACROSS THE REGION BY WEDNESDAY EVENING W/ANOTHER SHOT OF VERY COLD ARCTIC AIR TO INVADE THE REGION. CLOUDS AND SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS/FLURRIES WILL END BY LATE EVENING W/SKIES CLEARING LATE IN THE NIGHT. THIS WILL SET THE STAGE FOR ANOTHER VERY COLD NIGHT W/WINDS GRADUALLY DROP OFF AS SFC HIGH PRES MOVES E FROM CANADA. WE COULD BE SEEING WIND CHILLS HEADLINES AGAIN IN THURSDAY MORNING. A CAVEAT TO THIS IS THE ECMWF AND THE CANADIAN GLOBAL AS THEY BOTH KEEP THE CENTER OF THE SFC HIGH WELL W OF THE STATE BACK IN OTTAWA W/A WNW WIND CONTINUING. THIS WOULD MEAN OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURES WEDNESDAY NIGHT WOULD BE A BIT WARMER ALTHOUGH WELL BELOW NORMAL AND DAYTIME HIGH TEMPERATURES FOR THURSDAY WILL BE COLDER AS WELL. ATTM, DECIDED TO BLEND THE GMOS AND ECMWF FOR MINS WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND FOR MAXES ON THURSDAY TAKING THIS INTO ACCOUNT. THINGS LOOK TO BE INTERESTING COME FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY AS THE LAST 2 RUNS OF THE ECMWF SHOW A LOW PRES SYSTEM COMING OUT OF THE OHIO VALLEY AND MOVING ACROSS THE GULF OF MAINE. THE CANADIAN GLOBAL INDICATES THE SAME IDEA AND BRING SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL TO EASTERN AND DOWNEAST MAINE AND POSSIBLY NORTHERN AREAS. THE GFS IS WEAKER AND FASTER W/THE SFC LOW AND KEEPS THE LOW FURTHER S. SOME OF THE INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF THE GFS DO SUPPORT THE ECMWF AND CANADIAN GLOBAL SETUP. THEREFORE, A BLEND OF THE GMOS AND ECMWF WAS USED FOR THIS TIME FRAME WHICH MEANS AN INCREASE IN POPS TO 40% AND WENT W/SNOW INSTEAD OF SNOW SHOWERS. DECIDED TO BRING TEMPERATURES UP AS WELL FOR FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY W/LOWER TEENS ACROSS THE NORTH AND MID TEENS TO AROUND 20 CENTRAL AND DOWNEAST. IT WILL INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THE LATER RUNS TREAT THIS POTENTIAL SYSTEM. && .AVIATION /03Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... NEAR TERM: IFR CONDITIONS EARLY IN SNOW SQUALLS THEN VFR CONDITIONS LATER TONIGHT INTO MONDAY. SHORT TERM: VFR EXPECTED MONDAY INTO TUESDAY WITH THE EXCEPTION OF KBHB AND POSSIBLY KBGR TUE AS -SN MAY PRODUCE A PERIOD OF MVFR/IFR. A FEW PATCHES OF HIGHER END MVFR MAY BE FLOATING AROUND IN THE COLD AIR IN THE NORTH WED-THU...BUT VFR SHOULD BY FAR BE THE PREVAILING CONDITION. && .MARINE... NEAR TERM: EXPECT WINDS TO GRADUALLY BECOME OFF-SHORE LATER TONIGHT. GRADIENT SLACKENS OFF BEFORE EXTREMELY COLD AIR GETS OVER COASTAL WATERS SO NOT ENOUGH MIXING TO GET STORM WINDS TO SURFACE. FOR WAVES: SOUTHWEST FETCH WILL END AS WINDS BECOME OFFSHORE. WAVE HEIGHTS COULD TOP OFF AROUND 15 FEET BEFORE FETCH ENDS. SHORT TERM: A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY WILL LIKELY NEED TO CONTINUE INTO AT LEAST MONDAY MORNING BEFORE THE WIND DIMINISHES BELOW ADVISORY LEVELS BY AFTERNOON. ANOTHER PERIOD OF SCA LEVEL WINDS POSSIBLE BY LATE MONDAY NIGHT AS LOW PRESSURE PASSES SOUTH OF THE WATERS. THERE WILL PROBABLY BE ENOUGH OF A PRESSURE GRADIENT IN THE WAKE OF THE LOW AS HIGH PRESSURE BEGINS TO BUILD TOWARD THE WATERS FOR BORDERLINE SCA WIND RIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY. && .CAR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ME...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 1 AM EST MONDAY FOR MEZ001>006-010-011- 015>017-029>032. WIND CHILL ADVISORY FROM 1 AM TO 1 PM EST MONDAY FOR MEZ002- 004>006-010. WIND CHILL WARNING FROM 1 AM TO 1 PM EST MONDAY FOR MEZ001-003. MARINE...GALE WARNING UNTIL 7 AM EST MONDAY FOR ANZ050>052. && $$ NEAR TERM...MIGNONE SHORT TERM...FITZSIMMONS LONG TERM...HEWITT AVIATION...MIGNONE MARINE...MIGNONE/FITZSIMMONS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MARQUETTE MI
642 PM EST SUN JAN 20 2013 .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH MONDAY) ISSUED AT 455 PM EST SUN JAN 20 2013 WATER VAPOR IMAGERY AND RUC ANALYSIS SHOW A HIGH AMPLITUDE PATTERN OVER NAMERICA WITH A RIDGE ALONG THE W COAST THRU AK AND A DEEP TROF COVERING MUCH OF CNTRL/ERN CANADA INTO THE NCNTRL CONUS/GREAT LAKES. BEHIND LAST NIGHTS SHORTWAVE PASSAGE...INCREASINGLY COLDER ARCTIC AIR IS FLOWING INTO THE AREA. LATEST RUC ANALYSIS SHOWS 850MB TEMPS OF -22 TO -24C OVER UPPER MI/LAKE SUPERIOR. UPSTREAM 850MB TEMPS ON 12Z ROABS WERE -25C/-26C/-27C AT KINL/CWPL/CYQD RESPECTIVELY. FARTHER UPSTREAM...POOL OF SUB -30C AIR AT 850MB IS JUST NW OF CYQD AS 00Z RAOB AT CYSM SHOWED -34C AT 850MB. THAT CORE OF ARCTIC AIR WILL BE SETTLING INTO THE UPPER LAKES MON/MON NIGHT BEHIND SHORTWAVE CURRENTLY DROPPING SSE THRU MANITOBA. ANOTHER WEAKER SHORTWAVE IS PASSING THRU THE UPPER GREAT LAKES ATTM. HOWEVER...WAVE HAS HAD NO DISCERNIBLE INFLUENCE ON LES PER RADAR IMAGERY. MOST INTENSE LES BAND IS STREAMING INTO WRN ALGER COUNTY AS LAND BREEZE COMPONENT STRENGTHENS CONVERGENCE OFF MARQUETTE COUNTY. TO THE W...WIND PARALLEL LES BANDS ARE STREAMING INTO WRN UPPER MI. WEBCAMS SHOW HIGHLY VARIABLE VIS AS -SHSN PASS. SINCE ARCTIC AIR HAS PUSHED DGZ TO NEAR THE SFC...SNOWFLAKE SIZE IS SMALL...MAKING THE -SHSN VERY EFFECTIVE AT REDUCING VIS. THIS IS ALSO KEEPING NEW SNOW ACCUMULTIONS ON THE LIGHT SIDE OVER THE W. AFOREMENTIONED SHORTWAVE IN MANITOBA WILL DROP ACROSS THE UPPER LAKES OVERNIGHT TONIGHT THRU MON MORNING. FORCING ASSOCIATED WITH WAVE PER DEEP LAYER QVECTOR CONVERGENCE WILL GIVE A BOOST TO LES TONIGHT THRU MID MORNING MON AS MOISTURE DEPTH INCREASES AND INVERSION RISES TO AROUND 10KFT. NORMALLY WITH SUCH SYNOPTIC ENHANCEMENT...WOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN HVY LES/SNOW ACCUMULATIONS. HOWEVER...WITH INCREASINGLY COLDER AIR CONTINUING TO PUSH DGZ TOWARD THE SFC OR MORE LIKELY ELIMINATING IT ALTOGETHER...SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE LIMITED BY SMALL SNOWFLAKE SIZE. ONLY AREAS LIKELY TO SEE MORE SIGNIFICANT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE THOSE THAT ARE IMPACTED BY LES WITHIN STRONGER CONVERGENCE ZONES AS THE CONVERGENCE WILL PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MORE SIGNIFICANT LAKE MODERATION AND THUS POSSIBLY RAISE DGZ INTO A PORTION OF THE CONVECTIVE LAYER. THOSE ENHANCED CONVERGENCE ZONES WILL BE DIFFICULT TO PIN DOWN EXACTLY...BUT THERE SHOULD BE 2 OR 3. ONE SHOULD OCCUR IN ONTONAGON COUNTY...PROBABLY AROUND THE VCNTY OF THE PORCUPINE MTNS DUE TO STRENGTHENING LAND BREEZE OFF NW WI. THE OTHERS SHOULD BE IN ERN ALGER COUNTY AND A PORTION OF LUCE COUNTY DUE TO STRENGTHENING LAND BREEZES OFF MARQUETTE/WRN ALGER COUNTY AND ALSO OFF ONTARIO. ALL HIGH RES MODEL GUIDANCE POINT TOWARD THE PROGRESSING LAND BREEZES OVER SCNTRL/ERN LAKE SUPERIOR LEADING TO EITHER MESO LOW DEVELOPMENT OR SHARP SFC TROFFING SOMEWHERE IN THE AREA BTWN GRAND MARAIS/CARIBOU ISLAND AND WHITEFISH PT. IF A MESO LOW DEVELOPS FAR ENOUGH OFFSHORE...IT`S POSSIBLE MOST OF THE LES WILL ALSO SHIFT OFFSHORE. IF A SHARP CONVERGENCE ZONE DEVELOPS... MDT/HVY LES COULD STREAM ONSHORE INTO A SMALL PART OF ERN ALGER/NW LUCE FOR SEVERAL HRS. WITH PASSAGE OF SHORTWAVE...AT SOME POINT MON MORNING/EARLY AFTN...THE SHARP SFC TROF/MESO LOW WILL BE PUSHED ONSHORE. GIVEN THE UNCERTAINTY ON THE MESOSCALE DETAILS...WILL CONTINUE TO HIGHLIGHT ERN ALGER/NRN LUCE CLOSE THE LAKE FOR GREATEST ACCUMULATIONS TONIGHT/MON WITH POSSIBLE LOCALIZED 6-11 INCH AMOUNTS. IF SOMETHING SETS UP AND REMAINS STATIONARY...COULD EASILY SEE OVER A FOOT OF SNOW. OVER THE W...BITTER COLD ARCTIC AIR IS MORE LIKELY TO ELIMINATE DGZ ALTOGETHER...RESULTING IN VERY SMALL SNOWFLAKES AND LIMITING SNOW ACCUMULATIONS TO PROBABLY NOTHING MORE THAN 1-2 TO PERHAPS 3 INCHES PER 12HR PERIOD. LOCALIZED ACCUMULATIONS OF MAYBE 4-5 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THE EXPECTED CONVERGENCE ZONE IN ONTONAGON COUNTY. RATHER THAN SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...THE BIGGER CONCERN WILL BE VERY LOW VIS AS THE SMALL SNOWFLAKES WILL BE EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE AT REDUCING VISIBILITY. MAY END UP WITH VERY LOW VIS/NEAR WHITE-OUT CONDITIONS WHENEVER SNOW SHOWERS PASS DUE TO THE CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF FINE SNOWFLAKES IN THE AIR. THIS TYPE OF FINE SNOW IS ALSO VERY EASILY BLOWN ABOUT BY VEHICLES...SO VIS ON ROADS WILL BE ESPECIALLY LOW IN THE VCNTY OF OTHER VEHICLES...MAKING TRAVEL DANGEROUS DESPITE THE LACK OF SIGNIFICANT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS. CONSIDERING VIS IMPACTS RATHER THAN SNOW IMPACTS...WILL BE ISSUING A WINTER WX ADVY FOR ONTONAGON/HOUGHTON/KEWEENAW THRU TUE MORNING TO HIGHLIGHT VERY POOR VIS IN SHSN AND ALSO TO COVER WIND CHILLS WHICH WILL BE FALLING TO AROUND THE WIND CHILL ADVY CRITERIA OF -25F. OTHER CONCERN TONIGHT/MON WILL BE THE BITTER COLD AIR. POOL OF SUB -30C AIR AT 850MB ADVECTING INTO THE UPPER LAKES MON SUGGESTS MOST OF THE W HALF OF UPPER MI AWAY FROM IMMEDIATE LAKE SUPERIOR INFLUENCE WILL STAY BLO ZERO DURING THE DAY MON. IN FACT...IT MAY BE A STRUGGLE TO RISE MUCH ABOVE -10F ACROSS GOGEBIC COUNTY WHERE LAKE MODERATION WILL BE LEAST. OTHERWISE...SINGLE DIGITS BLO ZERO SHOULD BE THE RULE FOR HIGHS OVER THE W MON. WHILE IT`S OFTEN TOUGH TO KEEP WINDS AOA THE 10MPH THRESHOLD AT NIGHT...CAA MAY BE ENOUGH TO KEEP WINDS UP SUFFICIENTLY TO SATISFY WIND CHILL CRITERIA LATER TONIGHT. HAVE EXPANDED WIND CHILL ADVY TO COVER ROUGHLY THE W HALF OF UPPER MI OUTSIDE OF AFOREMENTIONED WINTER WX ADVY AREA. .LONG TERM...(MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 455 PM EST SUN JAN 20 2013 AGREEMENT REMAINS GOOD IN THE LARGE SCALE PATTERN FOR THE UPCOMING WEEK. MODELS ARE NOW EVEN IN OKAY AGREEMENT IN THEIR HANDLING OF BREAKING DOWN THE DEEP TROUGH OVER THE AREA TO START THE WEEK AND RESULTING SFC LOW MOVING FROM CENTRAL PLAINS ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY. BY LATE MONDAY GRIP OF COLD WILL BE IN FULL FORCE WITH H85 TEMPS NEAR -30C OVER FAR WEST AND H95 TEMPS BLO -20C. NO REAL CHANGE TO EXPECTED MSLP PATTERN WITH LAKE INDUCED TROUGHING AS FAR NORTH AS EASTERN LK SUPERIOR WHILE HIGH PRESSURE IS CENTERED FROM SOUTHERN SASKATCHEWAN INTO SOUTHERN MN AND IOWA. RESULT IS PERSISTENT UNIDIRECTIONAL NW FLOW SFC-H5 ALLOWING LK EFFECT TO CONTINUE. AS IT HAS APPEARED LAST COUPLE DAYS...MOST CONCENTRATED AND HEAVIEST LK EFFECT WILL BE OVER FAR NORTHEAST CWA ALONG LK SUPERIOR...EAST OF MUNISING TO NORTH OF SENEY AND NEWBERRY. AVAILABLE HIGHER RESOLUTION MODELS STILL PEGGING QPF AMOUNTS OVER 0.20 INCH/12 HR FOR MON NIGHT AND TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT. NO DOUBT CONVERGENCE WILL BE MAXIMIZED DUE TO LARGE SCALE LAKE INDUCED TROUGHING AND ASSOCIATED MESOLOW FORMING OVER SOUTHEAST LK SUPERIOR DUE TO LAND BREEZES OFF UPR MICHIGAN AND ONTARIO. AS ALLUDED TO IN SHORT TERM DISCUSSION... EXACTLY WHERE HEAVIER SNOW BANDS TIED TO THIS MESOSCALE FEATURE SET UP IS HARD TO PIN DOWN. MAIN ADJUSTMENT TO QPF/SNOW WAS TO KEEP HIGHER AMOUNTS CLOSER TO SHORE THAN WHAT MODELS SHOW AS USUALLY LAND BREEZE DOMINATED CONVERGENCE ZONE ENDS UP CLOSER TO THE LAKE THAN MODELS PORTRAY. GIVEN THE VERY COLD AIRMASS...SLR/S WILL BE LESS THAN 15:1. OUTSIDE OF AREAS WHERE STRONGEST CONVERGENCE/MOISTURE FLUXES OCCUR SLR/S PROBABLY END UP MORE TOWARD 10:1 AS VERY FINE SNOWFLAKES DOMINATE. SNOW AMOUNTS LIKELY END UP 3-5 INCHES EVERY 12 HRS UNDER DOMINATE BAND IN THE EAST...BUT FOR REST OF AREAS FAVORED BY NW FLOW ALONG LK SUPERIOR EXPECT JUST A FEW INCHES EVERY 12 HRS. DUE TO MODERATE SNOW AMOUNTS SNOW AND POOR VSBY ALONG WITH POSSIBILITY OF DOMINATE BAND ENHANCING SNOW AMOUNTS...COORD WITH SHORT TERM FORECASTER AND EXTENDED LK EFFECT SNOW WARNING FOR EASTERN AREAS THROUGH 12Z TUESDAY. FOR MOST LOCATIONS NEAR LK SUPERIOR IT WILL BE THE POOR VSBY INSTEAD OF THE SNOW AMOUNTS THAT WILL BE THE HIGHER IMPACT ISSUE. FREQUENT WHITEOUT CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED AS THE SMALL SNOW FLAKES FALLING WITH EVEN 10-20 MPH WINDS WILL BE VERY PROFICIENT IN LEADING TO LOWER VSBY. BITTER COLD WIND CHILLS ARE THE OTHER ISSUE EARLY THIS WEEK. AS IT APPEARED YDY...TIGHTEST PRESSURE GRADIENT IS PRESENT TO BEGIN THE LONG TERM BUT IT GRADUALLY RELAXES BY TUESDAY MORNING AND EVEN FURTHER BY WEDNESDAY MORNING. EXPECT MIN TEMPS MONDAY NIGHT TO FALL LESS THAN 10 BLO OVER A MAJORITY OF WEST HALF OF UPR MICHIGAN WITH WIND CHILL READINGS DOWN TO 25-30 BLO ZERO. POSSIBLE THAT WINDS MAY NOT TECHNICALLY REACH CRITERIA /SUSTAINED AT 10 MPH/ BUT IT IS CERTAINLY CLOSE ENOUGH TO ISSUE A HEADLINE. AFTER COORD WITH SHORT TERM FORECASTER...DECIDED TO ISSUE CATCH ALL WINTER WEATHER ADVY OVER WESTERN TIER OF CWA FOR LK EFFECT SNOW/POOR VSBY AND THE BITTER COLD WIND CHILLS. THIS HEADLINE WILL RUN THROUGH MIDDAY TUESDAY. ELSEWHERE OVER WEST HALF OF UPR MICHIGAN...GOING TO ISSUE WIND CHILL ADVY THROUGH MIDDAY TUESDAY. FURTHER REFINEMENTS MAY BE NEEDED TO HEADLINES AS WE GET INTO MONDAY/TUESDAY...BUT THIS WILL BE OUR STARTING POINT. WORKING INTO TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY CONDITIONS CHANGE A BIT. MAIN CHANGE IS BLYR WINDS BACKING MORE WSW TUESDAY NIGHT AND H925 WINDS BACKING WESTERLY. CHANGE IN WIND WILL PUSH ONGOING LK EFFECT AND CLOUDS OVER THE WEST FARTHER TO THE NORTH. LK EFFECT STAYS IN PLACE MOSTLY OVER THE EAST...STILL FALLING MODERATE AT TIMES...AS THE STATIONARY MESOLOW REMAINS PRIMARY FEATURE DRIVING THE SNOW THERE. THINKING THAT WITH WEAK PRESSURE GRADIENT AND LOSS OF CLOUDS SHOULD ALLOW FOR WINDS OVER INTERIOR TO BECOME CALM AND PRIME RADIATIONAL COOLING TO DEVELOP. LOWERED MIN TEMPS TOWARD LOWEST GUIDANCE NUMBERS AROUND 20 BLO ZERO. MAY EVEN SEE LOWER TEMPS AT THE FAVORED COLD SPOTS...BUT WILL JUST TREND IN THE COLDER DIRECTION FOR NOW. ONLY CONCERN IN MIN TEMP FCST IS POSSIBLE INCREASING CLOUDS ALOFT AHEAD OF ANOTHER TROUGH THAT DROPS IN ON WEDNESDAY. THINK THOSE MID CLOUDS WILL HOLD OFF LONG ENOUGH TO ALLOW TEMPS TO TANK ON TUESDAY NIGHT. AS UPPER TROUGH BEGINS TO LOSE GRIP OVER AREA ON WEDNESDAY...MODELS SHOWING SHORTWAVE DIPPING FROM NORTHERN PLAINS ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT TO ACROSS LOWER GREAT LAKES LATER THURSDAY. MAJORITY OF SYNOPTIC SNOW FROM THE SYSTEM PROBABLY MISSES UPR MICHIGAN...PERHAPS JUST TO THE SOUTH THOUGH ACROSS WI AND LOWER MICHIGAN. INDICATION IS THAT FLOW WILL BE SPLIT AND THE SOUTHERN SHORTWAVE DRIVES THE MAIN SYSTEM TO THE SOUTH...BUT THERE IS ALSO NORTHERN STREAM WAVE DROPPING ACROSS UPR LAKES THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY. THIS MAY KEEP AN INVERTED SFC TROUGH WELL TO NORTHWEST OF MAIN SFC LOW WHICH COULD LEAD TO SCT SNOW SHOWERS OVR UPR LAKES ENHANCED FURTHER BY ONSHORE FLOW OFF LK SUPERIOR. CONSENSUS POPS LOOKED OKAY...BUT DID INCREASE THEM WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT NEAR LK SUPERIOR. BASED ON MSLP AND H85 RH/TEMPS...LK EFFECT CONTINUES THROUGH FRIDAY AND EVEN INTO SATURDAY OVER THE EASTERN CWA...THOUGH INCREASING LOW-MID LEVEL RIDGING WILL LEAD TO INCREASINGLY HOSTILE CONDITIONS FOR THE LK EFFECT. HEIGHTS FURTHER FLATTEN OUT THROUGH NEXT WEEKEND LEADING TO WARMER AIR SPILLING ACROSS NORTHERN PLAINS AND UPR LAKES. COULD BE WARM AIR ADVECTION TYPE SYSTEM SNOW BUT GFS AND ECMWF DIFFER ON TRACK OF SHORTWAVE AND SFC TROUGH TO ENHANCE THAT SNOW POTENTIAL /ECMWF FARTHER NORTH WHILE GFS MOVES FOCUS ACROSS UPR MICHIGAN/ SO WILL NOT ALTER THE SLIGHT CHANCES THAT CONSENSUS GAVE FOR POPS. AFTER A BITTER COLD START TO THE WEEK...APPEARS THAT TEMPS TO END THE WEEK INTO NEXT WEEKEND WILL SHOW WARMING TREND WITH READINGS CLOSE TO NORMAL BY NEXT SUNDAY. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z MONDAY EVENING) ISSUED AT 641 PM EST SUN JAN 20 2013 WESTERLY TO NORTHWESTERLY FLOW WILL CONTINUE TO BRING LAKE EFFECT SNOW TO MAINLY THE CMX AND IWD TAF SITES. CEILINGS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN AT OR ABOVE 2KFT FOR ALL TAF SITES WITH THE EXCEPTION OF CMX WHERE CEILINGS MAY FALL NEAR 1KFT UNDER THE HEAVIER LES BANDS. LAKE EFFECT SNOW IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE ONCE AGAIN THIS EVENING AND DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...ESPECIALLY NEAR THE CMX TAF SITE. HAVE KEPT REDUCED VISIBILITY IN THE CMX TAF AS WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE ALONG WITH THE LES...WHICH WOULD ENHANCE THE BLOWING SNOW POTENTIAL. IWD WILL LIKELY SEE OCCASIONAL SNOW SHOWERS BUT THEY SHOULD REMAIN LIGHTER THAN THE CMX TAF SITE...THEREFORE KEPT VISIBILITY TREND GOING WITH ONLY SLIGHT REDUCTION. IF A HEAVIER BAND PASSES OVER THE IWD TAF SITE WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO SEE A FEW OBSERVATIONS IN THE 3 TO 5 MILE RANGE. NORTHWESTERLY WINDS ARE NOT PARTICULARLY FAVORABLE FOR LES OVER THE KSAW TAF SITE...THEREFORE HAVE KEPT THE MENTION OUT OF THE TAF BUT IT IS NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION TO HAVE A FEW LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS PASS OVER KSAW BRIEFLY REDUCING VISIBILITY. AS PRESSURE GRADIENT INCREASES BETWEEN HIGH PRESSURE TO THE WEST AND WEAK LOW PRESSURE TO THE EAST...EXPECT WINDS TO INCREASE AT EACH TAF SITE BY MONDAY MORNING. && .MARINE...(FOR THE 4 PM LAKE SUPERIOR FORECAST ISSUANCE) ISSUED AT 455 PM EST SUN JAN 20 2013 NW WINDS OF 15-30KT WILL DOMINATE LAKE SUPERIOR TONIGHT THRU MON AS INCREASINGLY COLDER ARCTIC AIR FLOWS OVER THE LAKE. ONLY EXCEPTION WILL BE OVER THE FAR E WHERE LAND BREEZES OFF UPPER MI AND ONTARIO MAY YIELD A SHARP SFC TROF OR MESOLOW. AS A RESULT...WINDS MAY SHIFT TO A LIGHTER OFFSHORE DIRECTION EAST OF GRAND MARAIS TONIGHT WHILE LAND BREEZE E TO NE WINDS PUSH OVER THE LAKE FROM ONTARIO INTO THE AREA S OF CARIBOU ISLAND. SFC TROF/MESO LOW WILL MOVE S OR SE MON... BRINGING STRONGER N OR NW WINDS BACK TO THAT AREA. HVY FREEZING SPRAY WILL CONTINUE UNDER BITTER COLD AIR FLOWING INTO THE AREA. EXPECT WINDS TO STAY IN THE 20 TO 30 KT RANGE THROUGH MIDDLE OF WEEK THEN WINDS FINALLY RELAX AS HIGH PRESSURE BEGINS TO BUILD ACROSS REGION. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WILL SUBSIDE...BUT NOT UNTIL WEDNESDAY NIGHT. && .MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... UPPER MICHIGAN... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM EST TUESDAY FOR MIZ001>003- 084. LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING UNTIL 7 AM EST TUESDAY FOR MIZ006-007- 085. WIND CHILL ADVISORY FROM 1 AM EST /MIDNIGHT CST/ MONDAY TO 1 PM EST /NOON CST/ TUESDAY FOR MIZ004-005-009>011. LAKE SUPERIOR... HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING UNTIL 7 PM EST /6 PM CST/ WEDNESDAY FOR LSZ162-240>251-263>267. LAKE MICHIGAN... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...ROLFSON LONG TERM...JLA AVIATION...KEC MARINE...ROLFSON/JLA
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS DULUTH MN
336 PM CST SAT JAN 19 2013 .SHORT TERM.../NOW - SUNDAY NIGHT/ THE MAIN CHALLENGES FOR THIS FORECAST INCLUDE 1) THE THREAT OF STRONG WINDS ACROSS THE NORTHLAND THROUGH TONIGHT IN THE WAKE OF A STRONG COLD FRONT...2) THE THREAT OF LAKE EFFECT SNOW FOR THE GOGEBIC RANGE AND 3) THE THREAT OF HAZARDOUS WIND CHILL VALUES TONIGHT AND TOMORROW MORNING. THE MODELS ARE IN REASONABLE AGREEMENT...SO LEANED ON A BLEND. THE LATEST HIGH RESOLUTIONS MODELS INDICATE STRONG WIND GUSTS ALONG THE NORTH SHORE TONIGHT...SO ISSUED A WIND ADVISORY FOR THE NORTH SHORE THAT IS SEPARATE FROM THE WIND ADVISORY FOR PARTS OF EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA AND NORTHWESTERN WISCONSIN. AT 2130Z...THERE WAS A STRONG CLIPPER SYSTEM CENTERED OVER UPPER PENINSULA MICHIGAN. THE NORTHLAND HAD STRONG W TO NW WINDS...WHICH WERE GENERALLY STRENGTHENING IN THE WAKE OF THE CLIPPER. THE NORTHLAND HAD CLOUDY SKIES. TEMPERATURES RANGED FROM THE LOW TO MID 30S IN THE FAR EASTERN FA TO THE SINGLE DIGITS IN THE FAR NW FA. THROUGH TONIGHT...THE CLIPPER SYSTEM WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST. THE STRONG NW WINDS CARRYING QUITE THE ARCTIC BLAST WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE LATE THIS AFTERNOON...PERHAPS PEAK EARLY THIS EVENING...THEN GRADUALLY RELAX THROUGH THE REST OF THE NIGHT. THE EXCEPTION COULD BE ALONG THE IMMEDIATE NORTH SHORE WHERE WINDS...ESPECIALLY GUSTS...WILL LIKELY STRENGTHEN INTO THIS EVENING AND PEAK AROUND MIDNIGHT. THIS IS BASED ON THE LATEST RUNS OF THE HRRR AND LOCAL WRF MODELS. THOSE MODELS SUGGEST WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 KT. NOT SURE IF THE GUSTS WILL BE THAT STRONG...BUT DECIDED TO ISSUE A WIND ADVISORY FOR THE NORTH SHORE THROUGH 09Z TONIGHT FOR GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH. THE CURRENT WIND ADVISORY FROM SOUTHERN CASS COUNTY TO BURNETT COUNTY STILL LOOKS GOOD THROUGH 03Z. WIND CHILL VALUES WILL PLUMMET TONIGHT WITH THE FALLING TEMPERATURES...AND THE CURRENT WIND CHILL ADVISORY FOR TONIGHT AND INTO TOMORROW MORNING DOES NOT NEED ANY CHANGES. LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS WILL INCREASE ACROSS THE SOUTH SHORE TONIGHT...ESPECIALLY THE GOGEBIC RANGE IN IRON COUNTY...AS THE STRONG COLD NW WINDS DEVELOP OVER WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR. WILL NOT BE MAKING CHANGES TO THE CURRENT LAKE EFFECT SNOW ADVISORY FOR IRON COUNTY AS PARTS OF THE COUNTY COULD GET SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING. SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT...IT WILL BE A PARTICULARLY COLD DAY ACROSS THE NORTHLAND WITH MUCH OF REGION NOT EVEN REACHING ZERO DEGREES. LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS WILL LIKELY CONTINUE FOR THE SOUTH SHORE. ANOTHER WIND CHILL ADVISORY OR WARNING WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED. SOME PARTS OF FAR NORTHERN MINNESOTA COULD HAVE WIND CHILL VALUES APPROACHING 50 DEGREES BELOW ZERO. .LONG TERM.../MONDAY - FRIDAY NIGHT/ MODELS SHOWING GOOD AGREEMENT THAT THE CORE OF COLDEST H85-H50 AIR PUSHES INTO THE NORTHERN AREAS EARLY MONDAY MORNING...SWINGING THROUGH THE NORTHLAND THROUGH 00Z TUESDAY. AT THIS TIME WIND CHILL VALUES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF NEGATIVE 30 TO 50 ARE EXPECTED EARLY MONDAY MORNING WITH VERY LITTLE IMPROVEMENT THROUGH THE DAY. THE LATEST ECM/GFS SUGGEST THAT THE WRN LAKE SUPERIOR REGION REMAINS ON THE BACK EDGE OF THE ARCTIC AIR MASS THROUGH MUCH OF THE WEEK WITH A PERSIST ANT NORTHWEST FLOW. HAVE KEPT POPS ACROSS THE SOUTH SHORE ZONES FOR AN ONGOING PERIOD OF LAKE EFFECT SNOW AS WELL. && .AVIATION.../18Z TAF ISSUANCE/ MVFR CIGS WITH -SN AND BLSN WILL PREVAIL THROUGH 00Z..THEN GRADUALLY IMPROVING TO VFR GENERALLY AFTER 06Z. NORTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON WITH GUSTS OF 30 TO 35 KTS COMMON ACROSS THE FORECAST ARES THROUGH THE 20Z TO 06Z PERIOD. HIGHER GUSTS AROUND 40 KT WILL BE POSSIBLE AT THE KBRD AND KDLH TERMINALS AROUND 00Z...WITH THE STRONGEST GUSTS OF 45-50 KT EXPECTED ALONG THE NORTH SHORE OF LAKE SUPERIOR AFTER 03Z. && .POINT TEMPS/POPS... DLH -12 0 -21 -9 / 10 10 10 10 INL -19 -5 -30 -12 / 10 10 10 10 BRD -12 1 -22 -10 / 10 10 10 0 HYR -5 3 -18 -7 / 20 10 10 10 ASX -1 6 -13 -4 / 60 30 50 40 && .DLH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MN...WIND CHILL ADVISORY FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO NOON CST SUNDAY FOR MNZ010>012-018>021-025-026-033>038. WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 9 PM CST THIS EVENING FOR MNZ033-034-036-038. WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 3 AM CST SUNDAY FOR MNZ020-021. WI...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 9 PM CST THIS EVENING FOR WIZ006. WIND CHILL ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO NOON CST SUNDAY FOR WIZ001>004-006>009. LAKE EFFECT SNOW ADVISORY UNTIL NOON CST SUNDAY FOR WIZ004. LS...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...GROCHOCINSKI LONG TERM....GRANING AVIATION...GRANING
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
306 PM CST SAT JAN 19 2013 .DISCUSSION... FORECAST CONCERNS FOR THE 7 DAY PERIOD AHEAD ARE MAINLY CONFINED TO THE NEXT 48 HOURS. THE ARCTIC BOUNDARY IS PASSING THROUGH THE CWA AS FORECAST THIS AFTERNOON. SUSTAINED WINDS NEAR 30 MPH WITH GUSTS REACHING 55 MPH HAVE BEEN COMMON IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT. THE BOUNDARY IS MOVING THROUGH THE TWIN CITIES AT THIS TIME. THE FRONT WILL BE PAST KEAU TO THE IA BORDER BY 5 PM. THE WIND ADVISORY WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT CWA-WIDE THROUGH 9 PM. SOME FLURRY ACTIVITY CAN NOT BE RULED OUT AS WELL IN THE CLOUD STREETS THAT STRETCH BACK TO THE CANADIAN BORDER. OF GREATER CONCERN...WE DEFINITELY HAVE DRIFTING SNOW ACROSS THE NW CWA AROUND KAXN BASED ON MULTIPLE WEB CAMS. THE VISIBILITY IS NOT TOO BAD...BUT IT DOES BECOME MUCH WORSE NW OF OUR CWA TOWARDS FERGUS FALLS AND FARGO. HAVE ADDED BLOWING SNOW TO THE GRIDS FOR THE LATE AFTERNOON/ EVENING HOURS TO AREAS WEST OF A KLXL TO KOVL LINE ALONG WITH ISSUING AN SPS. AS THE EVENING PROGRESSES AND TEMPERATURES CONTINUE TO PLUMMET...WIND CHILL VALUES BECOME CRITICAL ACROSS CENTRAL MN AND PARTS OF WEST CENTRAL WI. THE CURRENT WIND CHILL ADVISORIES LOOK OKAY WITH THE ONE ACROSS CENTRAL MN BEGINNING AFTER 9 PM AND IN WEST CENTRAL WI AFTER MIDNIGHT. AT THIS POINT...THE WIND CHILL VALUES OF 25 BELOW ARE MOST WIDESPREAD ACROSS CENTRAL MN OVERNIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING. A DISTURBANCE MOVING SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE PLAINS ON SUNDAY WILL BRING A PERIOD OF SNOW THAT WILL BRUSH WEST CENTRAL THROUGH SOUTH CENTRAL MN. THE MODELS HAVE BEEN PRETTY CONSISTENT WITH THIS FEATURE FOR THE PAST FEW DAYS ALTHOUGH A SLIGHT SOUTHWEST DRIFT HAS OCCURRED WITH TIME. THE SREF SHOWS 18 OF 21 MEMBERS MEASURING ALONG AND SOUTH THE MN RIVER VALLEY. AS A RESULT...RAISED POPS IN THESE AREAS TO 60-80 PERCENT BASED ON THE ABOVE ALONG WITH THE MID LEVEL FRONTOGENESIS AND THE LOW CONDENSATION PRESSURE DEFICITS/ ADIABATIC OMEGA MOVING THROUGH ON THE 280K SURFACE. CARIBOU SNOW TECHNIQUE PRETTY CONSISTENT AS WELL BETWEEN THE NAM/GFS AND SREF ON SNOW AMOUNTS BEING AROUND A HALF INCH...ALTHOUGH THE GRIDS REFLECT FROM A HALF INCH TO NEARLY AN INCH. ITS INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT THE SATURATED COLUMN ACROSS THE SW CWA ON SUNDAY IS AT OR BELOW -18 DEG C. THIS WOULD BE MORE PLATES AND COLUMNS WITH THE DENDRITIC DEVELOPMENT. THE HEART OF THE ARCTIC AIR WILL BE FROM SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY. MORE WIND CHILL PRODUCTS WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY WITH CURRENT GRIDDED WIND CHILL VALUES IN THE 25 BELOW TO 45 BELOW ZERO RANGE. OVERNIGHT LOWS SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY NIGHT PRETTY MUCH BETWEEN 10 BELOW AND 20 BELOW ZERO ACROSS THE CWA. THE HIGHS ON MONDAY ARE STILL PROGGED BELOW ZERO ACROSS THE ENTIRE CWA. THERE WILL BE SLOW MODERATION TO THE TEMPERATURES IN THE MID WEEK PERIOD. THERE ALSO REMAINS A CHANCE OF LIGHT SNOW FROM THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY AS A PACIFIC SHORT WAVE MOVES THROUGH. ONE OF THE PROBLEMS SEEN WITH THIS SYSTEM IS THAT THE MODELS ARE TRYING TO SHOW BOTH NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN STREAM ENERGY. WE COULD END UP WITH A SPLIT PRECIPITATION PATTERN ACROSS THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY REGION. HENCE...CHANCE POPS CONTINUE WITH LOW CONFIDENCE ON THE OUTCOME. IT WILL LIKELY TURN COLD AGAIN HEADING INTO NEXT WEEKEND IN THE WAKE OF THIS SYSTEM WITH BELOW ZERO TEMPERATURES FOR SATURDAY MORNING. && .AVIATION... /18Z TAF ISSUANCE/ SFC LOW NOW MOVING OVER LK SUPERIOR...WITH THE ARCTIC COLD FRONT NOW STARTING ON A TEAR SOUTH ACROSS MN. WAS INITIALLY THINKING OF SCALING GUSTS BACK SOME...SINCE GUSTS ACROSS NRN MN/NODAK WERE ONLY GUSTING IN THE MID 30S...BUT AS OBS AROUND 1730Z STARTED ROLLING...STARTED TO SEE GUSTS OVER 40 KTS ACROSS WEST CENTRAL MN RIGHT BEHIND THE BOUNDARY...SO LEFT BIG GUSTS IN PLACE. STILL EXPECT A 2 OR 3 HOUR WINDOW WITH SUSTAINED WINDS 30-35 KTS WITH GUSTS 40 TO 45 KTS IMMEDIATELY BEHIND THE FRONT...BEFORE SUSTAINED SPEEDS AND GUSTS SETTLE DOWN ABOUT 10 KTS. FRONT ALSO COMING DOWN WITH MVFR CIGS BETWEEN 010 AND 020. THESE CLOUDS WILL REMAIN IN PLACE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON...BUT CLEARING IS SEEN MOVING SOUTH ACROSS NODAK THIS AFTERNOON. CURRENTLY CLOCKING THIS CLEARING MOVING SOUTH AT ABOUT 50 KTS...SO A RETURN TO VFR CONDS MAY COME ABOUT FASTER THAN CURRENTLY INDICATED. THIS TREND TO VFR CIGS IS SUPPORTED BY THE SREF...WHICH HAS MUCH OF THE MPX CWA VFR OVERNIGHT...BEFORE BRINGING ANOTHER ROUND OF MVFR CIGS IN FROM THE DAKOTAS LATE TONIGHT. AS FOR WX...THERE WILL BE TWO CHANCES FOR SNOW. FIRST WILL BE BEHIND THE COLD FRONT THIS AFTERNOON...THOUGH THIS LOOKING LESS LIKELY OUTSIDE OF CENTRAL MN. RAP SOUNDINGS SHOW POST FRONTAL CLOUD LAYER REACHING UP INTO THE SNOW GROWTH ZONE NORTH...BUT AS YOU HEAD TOWARD MSP/EAU...THE POST FRONTAL CLOUD LAYER IS FORECAST TO BE TOO WARM TO GENERATE ICE CRYSTALS...SO CUT BACK ON SNOW MENTION OUTSIDE OF CENTRAL MN. SECOND CHANCE WILL COME TONIGHT AS AN UPPER WAVE MOVES ACROSS AN ELEVATED FRONTAL BOUNDARY ACROSS SW MN. MOST OF THE SNOW LOOKS TO STAY SW OF MPX TERMINALS...THOUGH RWF LOOKS TO GET A PERIOD OF -SN IN THE MORNING. KMSP...MVFR CIGS ALREADY MOVING INTO THE NW METRO AND SHOULD BE IN AT MSP WITHIN THE FIRST HOUR. WILL START SEEING GUSTS PICK UP WITH THE ARRIVAL OF THE CLOUDS...THOUGH GUSTS NEAR 40 KTS ARE TRAILING THE CLOUDS BY A BIT...THOUGH MAY SEE STRONGER GUSTS SHOW UP A BIT EARLIER THAN 22Z. ALSO PULLED BACK ON SNOW BASED ON WARMER FORECAST CLOUD LAYER...BUT LOOKING AT IR...IS A NICE BAND OF COOLER TOPS MOVING SOUTH ACROSS CENTRAL MN AT THE MOMENT. IF THIS CAN HOLD TOGETHER...MAY NEED TO MENTION AN IFR VIS MENTION IN -SN BETWEEN 21Z AND 23Z. SREF HAS A GOOD HANDEL ON CLEARING CURRENTLY MOVING ACROSS NODAK...SO FOLLOWED IT IN BRINGING VFR CONDITION BACK IN TONIGHT. SNOW MOVING INTO SW MN LOOKS TO REMAIN WELL SW OF MSP...BUT CAN NOT RULE OUT A FLURRY OR TWO WITH MVFR CONDS MOVING BACK IN BY SUNDAY AFTERNOON. /OUTLOOK FOR KMSP/ MON...MVFR CIGS POSSIBLE EARLY. WINDS NW 10 KTS. TUE...VFR. WINDS W 5 KTS. WED...VFR. WINDS SW 5 KTS. && .MPX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MN...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 9 PM CST THIS EVENING FOR ANOKA-BENTON-BLUE EARTH-BROWN-CARVER-CHIPPEWA-CHISAGO-DAKOTA-DOUGLAS- FARIBAULT-FREEBORN-GOODHUE-HENNEPIN-ISANTI-KANABEC- KANDIYOHI-LAC QUI PARLE-LE SUEUR-MARTIN-MCLEOD-MEEKER-MILLE LACS-MORRISON-NICOLLET-POPE-RAMSEY-REDWOOD-RENVILLE-RICE- SCOTT-SHERBURNE-SIBLEY-STEARNS-STEELE-STEVENS-SWIFT-TODD- WASECA-WASHINGTON-WATONWAN-WRIGHT-YELLOW MEDICINE. WIND CHILL ADVISORY FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO 11 AM CST SUNDAY FOR BENTON-DOUGLAS-ISANTI-KANABEC-MILLE LACS-MORRISON-POPE- SHERBURNE-STEARNS-STEVENS-TODD. WIND CHILL ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 11 AM CST SUNDAY FOR ANOKA-CHISAGO. WI...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 9 PM CST THIS EVENING FOR BARRON-CHIPPEWA- DUNN-EAU CLAIRE-PEPIN-PIERCE-POLK-RUSK-ST. CROIX. WIND CHILL ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 11 AM CST SUNDAY FOR BARRON-CHIPPEWA-DUNN-POLK-RUSK-ST. CROIX. && $$ RAH/MPG
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
1240 PM CST SAT JAN 19 2013 .UPDATE... 18Z AVIATION DISCUSSION ADDED BELOW. && UPDATE... /ISSUED 1043 AM CST SAT JAN 19 2013/ COUPLE OF CHANGES MADE TO GRIDS THIS MORNING. BIGGEST CHANGE WAS TO LOWER POPS FOR THIS AFTERNOON...WITH POPS NOW UNDER 50% WITH SCT SNOW SHOWERS WORDING NOTED. THIS WAS BASED ON FORECAST SOUNDINGS FROM THE RAP. YES WE ARE STILL SEEING AGGRESSIVE CAA WITH UNSTABLE LOW LEVEL LAPSE RATES...BUT THERE IS NO SATURATION NOTED WITHIN THE DENDRITIC GROWTH ZONE. SO DESPITE SEEING EXTENSIVE CLOUD COVER...DOUBTING WHETHER THERE WILL BE MUCH OF ANY ACTIVITY BEHIND THE COLD FRONT...WHICH AT 1030AM WAS JUST BEGINNING TO PUSH INTO THE NRN PORTION OF THE MPX MN CWA. ONLY OTHER CHANGES WERE MINOR TIMING CHANGES TO WIND SPEED INCREASE AND TEMP/DEWP DROPS BEHIND THE COLD FRONT. WITH MAIN FRONT COMING IN A LITTLE SLOWER THAN WHAT WAS EXPECTED THIS MORNING...DELAYED THE SPEED INCREASE AND TEMP DROPS BY A COUPLE OF HOURS...BUT STILL LOOKING QUITE BLUSTERY WITH AGGRESSIVE TEMP DROPS ONCE THE FRONT GOES THROUGH...AS SEEN IN FARGO WHERE IT WENT FROM 36 AT 14Z DOWN TO 18 AT 16Z...SO LOSING NEARLY 10 DEGS PER HOUR. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 615 AM CST SAT JAN 19 2013/ BIG CHANGE IN THE WEATHER WILL COMMENCE TODAY. LOCAL WRF MODEL MEAN DOES INDICATE THE NORTHERN CWA WILL SEE SOME SNOW SHOWERS AS STRONG COLD FRONT DROPS SOUTHEAST OVER THE AREA. APPEARS FRONT WILL BE LOCATED JUST NORTH OF KMSP THROUGH 18Z. THEN EXITING THE FAR SOUTH THROUGH 23Z. STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS DEVELOPING BEHIND FRONT WITH STRONG CAA PATTERN AND STEEP LAPSE RATES DEVELOPING. THIS ALONG WITH PV ANOMALY SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO DRIVE 45-50 MPH WIND GUSTS OVER MUCH OF THE AREA INTO THE AFTERNOON WITH FROPA. WILL CONTINUE THE WIND ADV FOR THE REGION THROUGH 9 PM. TEMPERATURES EXPECTED TO TUMBLE RAPIDLY AS WELL AFTER FROPA...INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS NORTHWEST AND THROUGH THE TEENS IN THE SOUTHEAST. WILL NEED WIND CHILL ADVISORY FOR NORTHERN PORTION OF THE CWA DURING THE NIGHT AND SATURDAY MORNING. COLD AIR DROPS OVER THE AREA THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS AS 1050MB HIGH MOVES ACROSS THE DAKOTAS WITH MINUS 28 TO MINUS 30 CELSIUS H85 AIR MOVING ACROSS THE AREA. ANOTHER WEAK SHORT WAVE MOVES ACROSS THE AREA SUNDAY AND CONTINUED SOME CHANCE POPS...MAINLY TO THE SOUTHWEST. THE CORE OF COLDEST AIR TO MOVE THROUGH MONDAY WITH THE ENTIRE CWA EXPECTED TO REMAIN BELOW ZERO. WIND CHILL WARNING/ADVISORY WILL MOST LIKELY BE NEEDED AGAIN SUNDAY NIGHT PERHAPS LINGERING THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT OR TUESDAY MORNING. MODERATION OF THE ARCTIC AIR THEN TAKES PLACE AFTER TUESDAY. LONGER TERM MODELS SUGGEST ANOTHER MORE SIGNIFICANT WAVE MOVES INTO THE REGION THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY WITH ANOTHER SHOT AT SOME ACCUMULATING SNOW. COLDER AIR FOLLOWS THIS SYSTEM AS WELL...BUT NOT AS COLD AS THE AIR MOVING IN EARLY IN THE PERIOD. && .AVIATION.../18Z TAF ISSUANCE/ SFC LOW NOW MOVING OVER LK SUPERIOR...WITH THE ARCTIC COLD FRONT NOW STARTING ON A TEAR SOUTH ACROSS MN. WAS INITIALLY THINKING OF SCALING GUSTS BACK SOME...SINCE GUSTS ACROSS NRN MN/NODAK WERE ONLY GUSTING IN THE MID 30S...BUT AS OBS AROUND 1730Z STARTED ROLLING...STARTED TO SEE GUSTS OVER 40 KTS ACROSS WEST CENTRAL MN RIGHT BEHIND THE BOUNDARY...SO LEFT BIG GUSTS IN PLACE. STILL EXPECT A 2 OR 3 HOUR WINDOW WITH SUSTAINED WINDS 30-35 KTS WITH GUSTS 40 TO 45 KTS IMMEDIATELY BEHIND THE FRONT...BEFORE SUSTAINED SPEEDS AND GUSTS SETTLE DOWN ABOUT 10 KTS. FRONT ALSO COMING DOWN WITH MVFR CIGS BETWEEN 010 AND 020. THESE CLOUDS WILL REMAIN IN PLACE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON...BUT CLEARING IS SEEN MOVING SOUTH ACROSS NODAK THIS AFTERNOON. CURRENTLY CLOCKING THIS CLEARING MOVING SOUTH AT ABOUT 50 KTS...SO A RETURN TO VFR CONDS MAY COME ABOUT FASTER THAN CURRENTLY INDICATED. THIS TREND TO VFR CIGS IS SUPPORTED BY THE SREF...WHICH HAS MUCH OF THE MPX CWA VFR OVERNIGHT...BEFORE BRINGING ANOTHER ROUND OF MVFR CIGS IN FROM THE DAKOTAS LATE TONIGHT. AS FOR WX...THERE WILL BE TWO CHANCES FOR SNOW. FIRST WILL BE BEHIND THE COLD FRONT THIS AFTERNOON...THOUGH THIS LOOKING LESS LIKELY OUTSIDE OF CENTRAL MN. RAP SOUNDINGS SHOW POST FRONTAL CLOUD LAYER REACHING UP INTO THE SNOW GROWTH ZONE NORTH...BUT AS YOU HEAD TOWARD MSP/EAU...THE POST FRONTAL CLOUD LAYER IS FORECAST TO BE TOO WARM TO GENERATE ICE CRYSTALS...SO CUT BACK ON SNOW MENTION OUTSIDE OF CENTRAL MN. SECOND CHANCE WILL COME TONIGHT AS AN UPPER WAVE MOVES ACROSS AN ELEVATED FRONTAL BOUNDARY ACROSS SW MN. MOST OF THE SNOW LOOKS TO STAY SW OF MPX TERMINALS...THOUGH RWF LOOKS TO GET A PERIOD OF -SN IN THE MORNING. KMSP...MVFR CIGS ALREADY MOVING INTO THE NW METRO AND SHOULD BE IN AT MSP WITHIN THE FIRST HOUR. WILL START SEEING GUSTS PICK UP WITH THE ARRIVAL OF THE CLOUDS...THOUGH GUSTS NEAR 40 KTS ARE TRAILING THE CLOUDS BY A BIT...THOUGH MAY SEE STRONGER GUSTS SHOW UP A BIT EARLIER THAN 22Z. ALSO PULLED BACK ON SNOW BASED ON WARMER FORECAST CLOUD LAYER...BUT LOOKING AT IR...IS A NICE BAND OF COOLER TOPS MOVING SOUTH ACROSS CENTRAL MN AT THE MOMENT. IF THIS CAN HOLD TOGETHER...MAY NEED TO MENTION AN IFR VIS MENTION IN -SN BETWEEN 21Z AND 23Z. SREF HAS A GOOD HANDEL ON CLEARING CURRENTLY MOVING ACROSS NODAK...SO FOLLOWED IT IN BRINGING VFR CONDITION BACK IN TONIGHT. SNOW MOVING INTO SW MN LOOKS TO REMAIN WELL SW OF MSP...BUT CAN NOT RULE OUT A FLURRY OR TWO WITH MVFR CONDS MOVING BACK IN BY SUNDAY AFTERNOON. /OUTLOOK FOR KMSP/ MON...MVFR CIGS POSSIBLE EARLY. WINDS NW 10 KTS. TUE...VFR. WINDS W 5 KTS. WED...VFR. WINDS SW 5 KTS. .MPX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MN...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 9 PM CST THIS EVENING FOR ANOKA-BENTON-BLUE EARTH-BROWN-CARVER-CHIPPEWA-CHISAGO-DAKOTA-DOUGLAS- FARIBAULT-FREEBORN-GOODHUE-HENNEPIN-ISANTI-KANABEC- KANDIYOHI-LAC QUI PARLE-LE SUEUR-MARTIN-MCLEOD-MEEKER-MILLE LACS-MORRISON-NICOLLET-POPE-RAMSEY-REDWOOD-RENVILLE-RICE- SCOTT-SHERBURNE-SIBLEY-STEARNS-STEELE-STEVENS-SWIFT-TODD- WASECA-WASHINGTON-WATONWAN-WRIGHT-YELLOW MEDICINE. WIND CHILL ADVISORY FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO 11 AM CST SUNDAY FOR BENTON-DOUGLAS-ISANTI-KANABEC-MILLE LACS-MORRISON-POPE- SHERBURNE-STEARNS-STEVENS-TODD. WIND CHILL ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 11 AM CST SUNDAY FOR ANOKA-CHISAGO. WI...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 9 PM CST THIS EVENING FOR BARRON-CHIPPEWA- DUNN-EAU CLAIRE-PEPIN-PIERCE-POLK-RUSK-ST. CROIX. WIND CHILL ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 11 AM CST SUNDAY FOR BARRON-CHIPPEWA-DUNN-POLK-RUSK-ST. CROIX. && $$ DWE/MPG
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NWS GRAND FORKS ND
1100 AM CST SAT JAN 19 2013 .DISCUSSION... COLD FRONT HAS REACHED ALL BUT THE SOUTHERN VALLEY AND ADJACENT PORTIONS OF WEST CENTRAL MN WHERE 16 UTC OBSERVATIONS SHOWED TEMPERATURES STILL IN THE UPPER 20S AND LOW 30S. HIGHS FOR THE DAY HAVE ALREADY OCCURRED AND WILL SEE FALLING TEMPERATURES THROUGH THE LATE MORNING AND AFTERNOON HOURS. REGIONAL RADARS SHOWING WEAK STREAMERS IN WAKE OF THE FRONT...SO ADDED CHANCE POPS THROUGH THE MID-AFTERNOON FOR POSSIBLY A DUSTING TO A TENTH OF AN INCH ACCUMULATION. REALISTICALLY...WINDS WILL MAKE MEASURING ANY NEW SNOWFALL NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE. STRONGEST WIND SO FAR HAS BEEN CONFINED TO THE HIGHER TERRAIN FROM ROLLA TO RUGBY TO HARVEY TO COOPERSTOWN WHERE GUSTS AT TIMES HAVE EXCEEDED 50 MPH. FARTHER SOUTH AND EAST...GUSTS HAVE BEEN IN THE 35 TO 45 MPH RANGE. LATEST RAP STILL SHOWING 925 HPA WINDS AT OR ABOVE 40 KTS THROUGH THE AFTERNOON...SO AS MIXED LAYER DEEPENS.. STILL EXPECT WINDS TO INCREASE FOR THE NEXT FEW HOURS BEFORE DECREASING LATER THIS AFTERNOON. SINCE THE EVENT IS STILL UNFOLDING...WILL NOT MAKE ANY CHANGES TO HIGH WIND WARNING/WIND ADVISORY HEADLINES AT THIS TIME. REDUCTIONS IN VISIBILITY AT OR BELOW A QUARTER OF A MILE ARE WIDESPREAD ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE DEVILS LAKE BASIN AND NORTHERN VALLEY. THE WORST CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS OPEN COUNTRY AWAY FROM CITIES AND SHELTERED AREAS. MOST VISIBILITY ISSUES ARE DUE TO BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW ON THE GROUND...BUT CANNOT RULE OUT RAPID WORSENING CONDITIONS IF A BRIEF SNOW STREAMER MOVES OVERHEAD. CURRENT BLIZZARD WARNING/WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY LOOKS GOOD WITH NO CHANGES PLANNED. && .AVIATION... MVFR CIGS HAVE SLIPPED SOUTH AND EAST AHEAD OF DRY PUNCH...HAVING REACHED KFAR BY MID MORNING. VENTURI EFFECT HAS SHIFTED VALLEY WINDS TO A MORE NORTHERLY DIRECTION AT INCREASED SPEEDS...WILL CONTINUE FOR A TIME BEFORE BACKING TO NORTHWEST FOR THE AFTERNOON. OTHERWISE... STILL EXPECTING LOWEST VSBY VICINITY OF KDVL LATE MORNING... AFFECTING NORTHERN VALLEY SITES BY EARLY AFTERNOON. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 340 AM CST SAT JAN 19 2013/ DISCUSSION...FORECAST CHALLENGE CONCERNS ONGOING HEADLINES WITH STRONG ARCTIC COLD FRONT. MODELS IN GOOD AGREEMENT AND WILL USE BLEND FOR FORECAST. VERY CHALLENGING FORECAST FOR TODAY AND WILL FOCUS DISCUSSION MAINLY TO THE VERY SHORT TERM . SURFACE LOW OVER NORTHERN VALLEY TO PROPAGATE ESE AND DEEPEN BEFORE REACHING THE GREAT LAKES THIS EVENING. ASSOCIATED STRONG ARCTIC COLD FRONT TO PLOW THROUGH FORECAST AREA TODAY. MAIN CONCERN WITH FEATURE WILL BE STRONG WINDS IN WAKE OF COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE AND POTENTIAL FOR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS AND EVENTUAL HAZARDOUS WIND CHILLS WITH FALLING TEMPERATURES. WILL SPLIT DISCUSSION TO AREAS RECEIVING PARTICULAR HEADLINES. NORTHERN VALLEY INTO DVL BASIN. CURRENT BLIZZARD WARNING LOOKING GOOD. THIS AREA HAS DEEPEST SNOW COVER AND AVAILABLE FRESH SNOW TO BLOW AROUND. CURRENT BAND OF -SN ALONG AND NORTH OF SURFACE LOW SHIFTING INTO FAR NORTHERN MN AND WILL CONTINUE INTO THE MORNING HOURS. MODEL SOUNDINGS INDICATING MIXED LAYER TO AROUND 900MB WITH 30KTS TO MIX AND SHOULD BE EFFICIENT WITH STRONG COLD ADVECTION. WHILE GROUND BLIZZARD CONDITIONS NOT EXPECTED WITHIN TOWNS HAVE EXPANDED BLIZZARD WARNING INTO GRAND FORKS AND WEST POLK COUNTIES WHERE NORTHERN PARTS OF THE COUNTY AND AREAS WEST OF VALLEY RIDGE HAVE BETTER POTENTIAL FOR GROUND BLIZZARD CONDITIONS. REMAINDER OF AREAS WEST OF VALLEY. WINDS ALOFT STRONGER AND MIXED LAYER DEEPER. LOCAL CHECKLIST INDICATING POTENTIAL FOR STRONGEST WINDS THIS AREA. TEMPERATURES HAVE BEEN MILD CURRENTLY AND IN THE PAST WEEK ALONG WITH -RA LAST WEEKEND WHICH HAS CRUSTED SNOW PRETTY WELL. A FEW SNOW SHOWERS POSSIBLE WITH FROPA HOWEVER SHOULD NOT GREATLY AFFECT VSBY. WITH POTENTIAL FOR BLOWING SLIM WILL GO WITH HIGH WIND WARNING. CENTRAL/SOUTHERN VALLEY INTO ADJACENT PORTIONS OF MN...-RA LAST WEEKEND AND WARM TEMPERATURES ALSO PUT A HEAVY CRUST ON AVAILABLE THIN SNOW COVER. WITH LITTLE IN ADDITIONAL SNOW FALL ON TOP OF CRUST THINK BLSN WILL BE MINIMAL CONFINED TO SOME MINOR RESTRICTION IN OPEN COUNTRY. SHSN AGAIN ALONG FRONT TO BE ISOLD AND NOT A GREAT IMPACT ON VSBY. MIXED LAYER ALSO NOT AS DEEP AS WEST OF VALLEY AND BOTH NAM/GFS MODEL SOUNDING INDICATING ABOUT 30KTS TO MIX WHICH AGAIN SHOULD BE PRETTY EFFICIENT WITH STRENGTH OF COLD ADVECTION. WIND DIRECTION MORE NW VS N WHICH WOULD LIMIT FAVORABLE FUNNELING DOWN VALLEY. FOR THIS DO NOT FEEL WE WILL REACH HIGH WIND CRITERIA. WITH SOME BLOWING AND EVENTUAL WIND CHILLS WITH FALLING TEMPERATURES WILL OPT FOR WINTER WX ADVISORY VS JUST WIND ADVISORY TO HEIGHTEN AWARENESS VS WIND ADVISORY. FAR SOUTHERN FA HAS BEEN THE WARMEST AND DO BELIEVE THERE WILL MINIMAL BLOWING SNOW. WITH DELAY IN COLDEST AIR TILL THIS AFTERNOON WILL JUST GO WITH WIND ADVISORY. VERY COLD AIRMASS WILL HOLD OVER FA FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE PERIOD. WILL SE AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF EITHER WIND CHILL ADVISORY/WARNING HEADLINES REMAINDER OF WEEKEND INTO AT LEAST EARLY NEXT WEEK AS TEMPERATURES LIKELY TO CLIMB ABOVE ZERO AT ANY TIME. LONG TERM (TUESDAY-FRIDAY)... NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT WILL KEEP TEMPS BELOW NORMAL THROUGH THIS PERIOD. A BIT OF MODERATION IS POSSIBLE FOR MID-WEEK AS THE UPPER AIR PATTERN DE-AMPLIFIES WITH WEAKENING OF THE WESTERN NORTH AMERICA RIDGE. HOWEVER...RECENT MODEL RUNS HAVE TRENDED A BIT COLDER FOR MID-WEEK WITH MUCH OF THE WARMER AIR REMAINING FARTHER SOUTHWEST. THE GLOBAL MODELS ALL SUGGEST A PACIFIC SHORTWAVE TROUGH WILL LIFT ACROSS THE NORTHERN ROCKIES INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS SOMETIME IN THE LATE WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT TIME FRAME...WITH THE GEM/ECMWF QUICKER THAN THE GFS. THIS SYSTEM WILL BRING ANOTHER CHANCE FOR A BIT OF SNOW TO THE AREA...BUT CONFIDENCE IN THE TIMING AND PLACEMENT IS LOW...GIVEN THE UNCERTAINTY IN THE EVOLUTION OF THE UPPER SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED SFC LOW. BEHIND THE SYSTEM...COLDER TEMPS ARE EXPECTED ONCE AGAIN AS THE NORTHWEST FLOW AMPLIFIES. AVIATION... MVFR/IFR CIGS CONFINED TO FAR NORTHERN AREAS IN AREA OF -SN. REMAINDER OF FA VFR. EXPECT CIGS TO LOWER THIS AFTERNOON IN WAKE OF STRONG COLD FRONT. LOWEST VSBY EXPECTED ACROSS DVL BASIN INTO NORTHERN VALLEY WITH GROUND BLIZZARD CONDITIONS. WINDS WILL INCREASE SIGNIFICANTLY DURING THE MORNING FROM NW-SE. EXPECT WINDS OF 25-40MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. && .FGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ND...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 9 PM CST THIS EVENING FOR NDZ030- 039. WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 9 PM CST THIS EVENING FOR NDZ052-053. BLIZZARD WARNING UNTIL 9 PM CST THIS EVENING FOR NDZ006>008- 014>016-024-026-027-054. HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 9 PM CST THIS EVENING FOR NDZ028-029-038- 049. MN...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 9 PM CST THIS EVENING FOR MNZ002- 003-005-008-013>015-022-027-028. WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 9 PM CST THIS EVENING FOR MNZ029>032-040. BLIZZARD WARNING UNTIL 9 PM CST THIS EVENING FOR MNZ001-004-007. && $$ ROGERS/VOELKER/WJB
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NWS AMARILLO TX
934 PM CST SUN JAN 20 2013 .UPDATE... WITH EACH SUBSEQUENT MODEL RUN...THE PROSPECTS FOR PATCHY FREEZING FOG APPEAR TO BE A BIT LOWER...ESPECIALLY IN THE WESTERN HALF OF THE PANHANDLES. CONSENSUS FCST SOUNDINGS AND MOS FAVOR EITHER LOW CLOUDS OR NOTHING AT ALL FROM ROUGHLY AMARILLO TO GUYMON WESTWARD. EAST OF THIS LINE...FREEZING FOG...THOUGH STILL VERY QUESTIONABLE...LOOKS A BIT MORE LIKELY GIVEN CURRENT DEWPTS NEAR 30F AND EXPECTED LOWS IN THE HIGH TEENS TO MID 20S. HOWEVER...SLIGHTLY STRONGER GRADIENT WINDS AND THE POTENTIAL FOR LOW STRATUS TO MOVE IN FIRST COULD PRECLUDE FREEZING FOG HERE AS WELL. ALL IN ALL...WILL LEAVE THE INHERITED PATCHY FREEZING FOG MENTION IN EVERYWHERE FOR LATE TONIGHT AND TOMORROW MORNING...AS IT IS JUST TOO HARD TO IGNORE THE CURRENT ELEVATED DEWPTS AND CLIMATOLOGICALLY FAVORABLE SETUP. THINK THE BEST CHANCE FOR FREEZING FOG WILL BE IN THE PERRYTON/MIAMI/CANADIAN/BEAVER/LIPSCOMB AREAS...THOUGH PATCHY FREEZING FOG CANNOT BE RULED OUT FOR EVERYONE. SIMPSON && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 535 PM CST SUN JAN 20 2013/ AVIATION... FOR THE 00Z TAFS...VFR CONDITIONS SHOULD CONTINUE THROUGH 06Z. AFTER 06Z...FORECAST CONFIDENCE DECREASES. THERE WILL BE SOME MOISTURE POOLING BEHIND THE COLD FRONT WHICH MOVED THROUGH EARLIER. DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH...THIS COULD LEAD TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF LOW CLOUDS AND FZFG BETWEEN 06 AND 15Z. HOWEVER...LATEST MODELS HAVE TRENDED DOWN WITH THE AMOUNT OF MOISTURE AVAILABLE...SO HAVE ONLY MENTIONED A SCT DECK AND MVFR VISIBILITIES FOR NOW. JOHNSON PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 310 PM CST SUN JAN 20 2013/ DISCUSSION... THROUGH TONIGHT: MAIN CONCERN TONIGHT REVOLVES AROUND POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT OF FREEZING FOG VS. LOW STRATUS. A DRY COLD FRONT LOCATED ALONG THE CANADIAN RIVER VALLEY IS TRUCKING SOUTHWARD THIS AFTERNOON. STRONG NORTHERLY WINDS HAVE DEVELOPED BEHIND THE FRONT WITH A FEW GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH. THIS NORTHERLY SURGE OF GUSTY WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH SOUTHWARD THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS, BUT IT SHOULD DIMINISH IN INTENSITY NEAR SUNSET. LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE IS EXPECTED TO POOL BEHIND THE FRONT TONIGHT, BUT MODEL GUIDANCE SHOWS VARYING DEGREES OF MOISTURE CONTENT. THE LATEST RUC AND HRRR HAVE BACKED OFF ON THE POTENTIAL FOR WIDESPREAD FREEZING FOG, BUT THE GFS AND NAM CONTINUE TO INDICATE THIS POTENTIAL. GIVEN THE SYNOPTIC PATTERN, THIS SETUP IS LOCALLY FAVORABLE FOR SOME PATCHY (FREEZING) FOG, SO WE LEFT THIS IN THE FORECAST. WE EXPECT FREEZING FOG TO DEVELOP BETWEEN 3 AM ACROSS THE EASTERN PANHANDLES AND SPREAD WESTWARD. OTHER MODEL GUIDANCE, INCLUDING THE TEXAS TECH WRF, INDICATES THAT LOW STRATUS WILL BE MORE FAVORED THAN FOG. DUE TO THESE UNCERTAINTIES, WE INCLUDED BOTH INCREASING CLOUDS AND PATCHY FREEZING FOG IN THE FORECAST, BUT OUR FORECAST CONFIDENCE IS LOW. OVERNIGHT LOW TEMPERATURES WILL RANGE FROM THE UPPER TEENS TO UPPER 20S. THE POTENTIAL FOR FREEZING DRIZZLE THAT WE DISCUSSED YESTERDAY HAS DIMINISHED AS THE DEPTH OF THE MOIST LAYER WILL BE LESS THAN 2000 FEET. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY-NIGHT: ANY FREEZING FOG THAT DEVELOPS OVERNIGHT SHOULD DISSIPATE BY 10 AM. LOW CLOUDS, IF THEY DEVELOP, COULD HANG TOUGH INTO THE EARLY AFTERNOON HOURS, ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS PANHANDLE. SURFACE WINDS WILL QUICKLY SHIFT TO THE SOUTH BY THE AFTERNOON HOURS, BUT HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL BE ABOUT 10-15 DEGREES COLDER THAN TODAY DUE TO THE MODIFIED ARCTIC AIR MASS. TUESDAY-SUNDAY: A BACKDOOR COLD FRONT WILL SNEAK INTO THE NORTHEASTERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA TUESDAY MORNING AND MAY BE SLOW TO RETREAT NORTHWARD. THIS SHOULD KEEP AN UPSLOPE COMPONENT TO THE WINDS FOR MUCH OF THE DAY. AS A RESULT, WE COOLED HIGHS OFF SEVERAL DEGREES, AND THERE IS A POSSIBILITY WE MAY STILL BE TOO WARM. THIS FRONT WILL LIFT OUT OF THE FORECAST AREA ON WEDNESDAY AS UPPER RIDGING BUILDS ACROSS THE AREA. HIGHS ON WEDNESDAY ARE EXPECTED TO WARM INTO THE LOWER 60S TO POSSIBLY NEAR 70. AN UPPER TROUGH MOVING INTO NORTHERN PLAINS ON THURSDAY WILL SWING ANOTHER DRY COLD FRONT SOUTHWARD. WE SPED UP THE TIMING OF THE FRONT GIVEN THAT IT WILL ALSO BE A STRONG FRONT. AS A RESULT, HIGHS FOR THURSDAY HAVE BEEN TRIMMED DOWNWARD AND WIND SPEEDS INCREASED, ESPECIALLY BEHIND THE FRONT. COOLER TEMPERATURES WILL RETURN FOR FRIDAY, BUT A WARMING TREND WILL RESUME FOR NEXT WEEKEND. JACKSON FIRE WEATHER... NO ELEVATED OR CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE ANTICIPATED MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY AS RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES WILL REMAIN ABOVE 20 PERCENT AND/OR 20-FOOT WINDS WILL REMAIN BELOW 15 MPH. ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE WESTERN TWO THIRDS OF THE PANHANDLES ON THURSDAY AS DRY NORTHERLY WINDS INCREASE. ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE FAR WESTERN PANHANDLES ON SATURDAY. && .AMA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... TX...NONE. OK...NONE. && $$ 16/09
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NWS AMARILLO TX
535 PM CST SUN JAN 20 2013 .AVIATION... FOR THE 00Z TAFS...VFR CONDITIONS SHOULD CONTINUE THROUGH 06Z. AFTER 06Z...FORECAST CONFIDENCE DECREASES. THERE WILL BE SOME MOISTURE POOLING BEHIND THE COLD FRONT WHICH MOVED THROUGH EARLIER. DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH...THIS COULD LEAD TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF LOW CLOUDS AND FZFG BETWEEN 06 AND 15Z. HOWEVER...LATEST MODELS HAVE TRENDED DOWN WITH THE AMOUNT OF MOISTURE AVAILABLE...SO HAVE ONLY MENTIONED A SCT DECK AND MVFR VISIBILITIES FOR NOW. JOHNSON && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 310 PM CST SUN JAN 20 2013/ DISCUSSION... THROUGH TONIGHT: MAIN CONCERN TONIGHT REVOLVES AROUND POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT OF FREEZING FOG VS. LOW STRATUS. A DRY COLD FRONT LOCATED ALONG THE CANADIAN RIVER VALLEY IS TRUCKING SOUTHWARD THIS AFTERNOON. STRONG NORTHERLY WINDS HAVE DEVELOPED BEHIND THE FRONT WITH A FEW GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH. THIS NORTHERLY SURGE OF GUSTY WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH SOUTHWARD THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS, BUT IT SHOULD DIMINISH IN INTENSITY NEAR SUNSET. LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE IS EXPECTED TO POOL BEHIND THE FRONT TONIGHT, BUT MODEL GUIDANCE SHOWS VARYING DEGREES OF MOISTURE CONTENT. THE LATEST RUC AND HRRR HAVE BACKED OFF ON THE POTENTIAL FOR WIDESPREAD FREEZING FOG, BUT THE GFS AND NAM CONTINUE TO INDICATE THIS POTENTIAL. GIVEN THE SYNOPTIC PATTERN, THIS SETUP IS LOCALLY FAVORABLE FOR SOME PATCHY (FREEZING) FOG, SO WE LEFT THIS IN THE FORECAST. WE EXPECT FREEZING FOG TO DEVELOP BETWEEN 3 AM ACROSS THE EASTERN PANHANDLES AND SPREAD WESTWARD. OTHER MODEL GUIDANCE, INCLUDING THE TEXAS TECH WRF, INDICATES THAT LOW STRATUS WILL BE MORE FAVORED THAN FOG. DUE TO THESE UNCERTAINTIES, WE INCLUDED BOTH INCREASING CLOUDS AND PATCHY FREEZING FOG IN THE FORECAST, BUT OUR FORECAST CONFIDENCE IS LOW. OVERNIGHT LOW TEMPERATURES WILL RANGE FROM THE UPPER TEENS TO UPPER 20S. THE POTENTIAL FOR FREEZING DRIZZLE THAT WE DISCUSSED YESTERDAY HAS DIMINISHED AS THE DEPTH OF THE MOIST LAYER WILL BE LESS THAN 2000 FEET. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY-NIGHT: ANY FREEZING FOG THAT DEVELOPS OVERNIGHT SHOULD DISSIPATE BY 10 AM. LOW CLOUDS, IF THEY DEVELOP, COULD HANG TOUGH INTO THE EARLY AFTERNOON HOURS, ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS PANHANDLE. SURFACE WINDS WILL QUICKLY SHIFT TO THE SOUTH BY THE AFTERNOON HOURS, BUT HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL BE ABOUT 10-15 DEGREES COLDER THAN TODAY DUE TO THE MODIFIED ARCTIC AIR MASS. TUESDAY-SUNDAY: A BACKDOOR COLD FRONT WILL SNEAK INTO THE NORTHEASTERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA TUESDAY MORNING AND MAY BE SLOW TO RETREAT NORTHWARD. THIS SHOULD KEEP AN UPSLOPE COMPONENT TO THE WINDS FOR MUCH OF THE DAY. AS A RESULT, WE COOLED HIGHS OFF SEVERAL DEGREES, AND THERE IS A POSSIBILITY WE MAY STILL BE TOO WARM. THIS FRONT WILL LIFT OUT OF THE FORECAST AREA ON WEDNESDAY AS UPPER RIDGING BUILDS ACROSS THE AREA. HIGHS ON WEDNESDAY ARE EXPECTED TO WARM INTO THE LOWER 60S TO POSSIBLY NEAR 70. AN UPPER TROUGH MOVING INTO NORTHERN PLAINS ON THURSDAY WILL SWING ANOTHER DRY COLD FRONT SOUTHWARD. WE SPED UP THE TIMING OF THE FRONT GIVEN THAT IT WILL ALSO BE A STRONG FRONT. AS A RESULT, HIGHS FOR THURSDAY HAVE BEEN TRIMMED DOWNWARD AND WIND SPEEDS INCREASED, ESPECIALLY BEHIND THE FRONT. COOLER TEMPERATURES WILL RETURN FOR FRIDAY, BUT A WARMING TREND WILL RESUME FOR NEXT WEEKEND. JACKSON FIRE WEATHER... NO ELEVATED OR CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE ANTICIPATED MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY AS RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES WILL REMAIN ABOVE 20 PERCENT AND/OR 20-FOOT WINDS WILL REMAIN BELOW 15 MPH. ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE WESTERN TWO THIRDS OF THE PANHANDLES ON THURSDAY AS DRY NORTHERLY WINDS INCREASE. ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE FAR WESTERN PANHANDLES ON SATURDAY. && .AMA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... TX...NONE. OK...NONE. && $$ 16/09
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LA CROSSE WI
526 PM CST SUN JAN 20 2013 .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY 250 PM CST SUN JAN 20 2013 MAIN FORECAST CONCERNS ARE ON TEMPERATURES/WIND CHILLS THROUGH TUESDAY AND ANY POTENTIAL LIGHT PRECIPITATION THROUGHOUT THE SHORT TERM. CURRENTLY AS OF 20Z...WATER VAPOR LOOP AND RAP 500MB HEIGHT ANALYSIS SHOWED RIDGING ALONG THE U.S. WEST COAST INTO WESTERN BRITISH COLUMBIA...WHILE DEEP TROUGHING ENCOMPASSED THE EASTERN TWO-THIRDS OF CANADA INTO THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY AND GREAT LAKES REGIONS. 500MB HEIGHTS AS WELL AS 850MB TEMPS WERE 1-1.5 STANDARD DEVIATIONS BELOW NORMAL OVER THE FORECAST AREA. REGARDING THE 850MB TEMPS...RAP ANALYSIS SHOWED READINGS OF -16 TO -20C OVER THE FORECAST AREA. WITHIN THE DEEP TROUGHING...A SHORTWAVE WAS EVIDENT FROM EASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA INTO NORTHERN IOWA. DPVA ASSOCIATED WITH THE SHORTWAVE...MID-LEVEL MOISTURE SEEN ON THE 12Z ABR SOUNDING...AS WELL AS LOW TO MID LEVEL FRONTOGENESIS WAS SUPPORTING AN AREA OF LIGHT SNOW JUST SOUTH OF THE SHORTWAVE ACROSS WESTERN AND CENTRAL IOWA. ONLY SOME SCATTERED ALTOSTRATUS HAS OVERSPREAD THE FORECAST AREA ASSOCIATED WITH THE SHORTWAVE. SUNSHINE THROUGH THESE CLOUDS AND THE COLD 850MB TEMPS HAS ONLY ALLOWED TEMPERATURES TO CLIMB INTO THE LOWER TO MID TEENS. ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE DEEP TROUGH...A 120-140 KT JET AT THE TROPOPAUSE WAS DROPPING DOWN THROUGH EASTERN ALBERTA AND SASKATCHEWAN. THE STRENGTH OF THIS JET IS PARTLY DUE TO ANOTHER SURGE OF ARCTIC AIR...WITH THE RAP SHOWING 850MB TEMPS OF -25 TO -30C FROM NORTH DAKOTA INTO MANITOBA. THIS COLD AIR WAS ALSO SITTING RIGHT BEHIND A COLD FRONT STRETCHING FROM NEAR ABERDEEN SOUTH DAKOTA INTO THE MN ARROWHEAD. TONIGHT AND MONDAY...THE 120-140 KT JET STREAK OVER EASTERN ALBERTA INTO SASKATCHEWAN IS PROGGED TO DIG INTO THE DAKOTAS TONIGHT AND INTO IOWA ON MONDAY. THE FORECAST AREA ENDS UP IN THE LEFT EXIT REGION OF THIS JET MONDAY MORNING...WHILE THE TROPOPAUSE DROPS TO AROUND 375MB. THESE STRENGTHENING UPPER DYNAMICS WILL END UP TIGHTENING THE SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT OVER THE FORECAST AREA TONIGHT...HELPING TO BRING IN THAT VERY COLD 850MB AIR ACROSS NORTH DAKOTA. NOT ANTICIPATING ANY PRECIPITATION FROM THE DYNAMICAL FORCING... PRIMARILY BECAUSE THERE IS TOO MUCH MID-LEVEL DRY AIR ACCOMPANYING THE COLD ADVECTION AS SHOWN ON FORECAST SOUNDINGS. IN ADDITION... THERE ARE CLEAR SKIES CURRENTLY PRESENT OVER NORTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA AND SOUTH CENTRAL CANADA IN THE LEFT EXIT REGION. ONLY PRECIPITATION THAT MAY OCCUR WOULD BE LIMITED TO FLURRIES...ASSOCIATED WITH THE LOW CLOUDS AHEAD OF THAT COLD FRONT DROPPING SOUTHEAST OUT OF NORTHERN SOUTH DAKOTA INTO THE MN ARROWHEAD. ADDITIONAL FLURRIES COULD OCCUR ON MONDAY NORTH OF I-94...ASSOCIATED WITH LOW TO MID LEVEL MOISTURE MOVING THROUGH WHICH IS CURRENTLY IN NORTHERN MANITOBA. REGARDING TEMPERATURES...THEY ARE TRICKY GIVEN THE LACK OF SNOW COVER AND THE INCREASING WINDS PROMOTING MIXING. WE DEFINITELY ARE NOT GOING TO GET AS COLD AS THE DAKOTAS AND NORTHERN MN WHERE SNOW EXISTS. STILL...ADVECTION ALONE AND CLEARING SKIES...COMBINED WITH THE FACT THAT THE INCOMING 850MB TEMPS ARE 2-2.5 STANDARD DEVIATIONS BELOW NORMAL...SHOULD ALLOW TEMPERATURES IN MOST LOCATIONS TO DROP BELOW ZERO. SOME LOCATIONS OVER NORTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN AND SOUTHEAST MN COULD EVEN DROP TO 10 BELOW ZERO OR SO. TEMPERATURES WILL STRUGGLE TO RECOVER ON MONDAY BEING UNDER THE 850MB THERMAL TROUGH...BUT SUN AND BARE GROUND SHOULD GET HIGHS TO NEAR OR SLIGHTLY ABOVE ZERO PER THE ECMWF. THE ECMWF HAS DONE WELL HANDLING HIGH TEMPERATURES WITH THE BARE GROUND AND THUS WAS THE PREFERRED GUIDANCE. WIND CHILLS WILL SOLIDLY END UP IN THE WIND CHILL ADVISORY RANGE FROM LATE TONIGHT INTO MUCH OF MONDAY... AND MAY EVEN APPROACH WARNING MONDAY MORNING OVER PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST MN. CONFIDENCE IS STILL NOT HIGH ENOUGH TO GO WITH THE WARNING GIVEN UNCERTAINTY ON LOW TEMPERATURES. MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY...THE DEEP UPPER TROUGH IS PROGGED TO SHIFT SLIGHTLY EASTWARD DURING THIS PERIOD AS THE RIDGE ALONG THE U.S. WEST COAST GETS A PUSH EAST. IN RESPONSE...THE ARCTIC HIGH PRESSURE AREA CURRENTLY SITTING UP IN ALBERTA IS ALLOWED TO BUILD INTO THE FORECAST AREA. MODELS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT OF THE HIGH PRESSURE AREA ENCOMPASSING THE AREA AT 00Z WEDNESDAY. UNTIL THE HIGH BUILDS IN...A SLOWLY WEAKENING PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL EXIST...MAINTAINING A NORTHWESTERLY BREEZE AND KEEPING WIND CHILLS DOWN. THUS...HAVING THE WIND CHILL ADVISORY GO TO 18Z TUESDAY STILL LOOKS GOOD. SKIES SHOULD END UP CLEAR IN MOST AREAS BY 12Z TUESDAY...FAVORING GOOD RADIATIONAL COOLING. AGAIN...THE LACK OF SNOW COVER AND BREEZE WILL ACT AGAINST GETTING TOO COLD. GIVEN THE COLDER MONDAY COMPARED TO TODAY...SHOULD SEE LOWS AT LEAST A FEW DEGREES COLDER...ESPECIALLY OVER THE SNOWPACK NORTH OF HIGHWAY 10. 850MB AND 925MB TEMPERATURES ARE PROGGED TO ONLY SLOWLY RECOVER...CLIMBING TO -18 TO -22C AND -16 TO -22C RESPECTIVELY BY 00Z. DESPITE PLENTY OF SUNSHINE MINUS SOME INCREASING HIGH CLOUDS IN THE AFTERNOON...ONLY ANTICIPATING HIGHS 5 TO 10 DEGREES WARMER PER ECMWF. TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...MODELS PROG A POTENT SHORTWAVE TO DROP SOUTH OUT OF NORTHERN MANITOBA LATE TUESDAY AND HAVE IT CROSS LAKE SUPERIOR LATE WEDNESDAY. MEANWHILE...THE WESTERN UPPER RIDGE BREAKS DOWN AND FLATTENS WHILE SPREADING EAST...IN RESPONSE TO A POTENT SHORTWAVE TROUGH CROSSING THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. THE RESULT OF ALL THIS IS TO STRENGTHEN THE UPPER JET CORE AT THE TROPOPAUSE OVER OR JUST NORTH OF THE FORECAST AREA...TOWARDS 150-170 KT. WITH THE STRENGTHENING UPPER JET COMES AN ISENTROPIC LIFT AND LOW TO MID LEVEL FRONTOGENESIS ZONE ON ITS SOUTHWEST SIDE. THIS RESULTS IN INCREASING AND THICKENING MID AND HIGH CLOUDS OVER THE FORECAST AREA. FORCING IS NOT ALL THAT STRONG PER MODEL DERIVED OMEGA FIELDS...BUT THE LOW LEVELS DO SLOWLY SATURATE OVER TIME. THUS... THINK FLURRIES AT A MINIMUM WILL OCCUR. 20.12Z NAM ACTUALLY PRODUCES SOME LIGHT QPF...ALBEIT IS THE MOST DYNAMIC BY EVEN HAVING A SURFACE LOW DROPPING THROUGH IOWA. FOR NOW JUST WENT WITH ADDING FLURRIES...BUT SOME CHANCES OF PRECIPITATION MAY NEED TO BE ADDED IF MODELS TREND TOWARDS THE NAM. WITH THE THICKENING CLOUD COVER AND BARE GROUND...TEMPERATURES SHOULD NOT FALL ALL THAT MUCH TUESDAY NIGHT. 925MB TEMPS WARM FURTHER ON WEDNESDAY WITH THE UPPER FLOW TURNING MORE WEST-NORTHWESTERLY...CLIMBING TO -8C SOUTHWEST TO -16C NORTHEAST BY 00Z. THUS...DESPITE CLOUD COVER...TEMPERATURES SHOULD BE ABLE TO CLIMB INTO THE MID TEENS TO MID 20S. .LONG TERM...WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY 250 PM CST SUN JAN 20 2013 VERY GOOD AGREEMENT EXISTS ON THE LONG TERM PATTERN FROM THE 20.12Z ECMWF/GFS/CANADIAN AND ECMWF ENSEMBLES. THE SHORTWAVE TROUGH OVER THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST TO START THE PERIOD DIGS INTO NEBRASKA AND IOWA FOR THURSDAY. AN INVERTED TROUGH ACCOMPANIES THE SHORTWAVE... WITH A COMBINATION OF MID-LEVEL FRONTOGENESIS...DPVA AND MOISTURE EXPECTING TO BRING SOME SNOW ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. HOWEVER... THIS HAS BEEN A POINT OF CONTENTION FOR A FEW DAYS...WITH MODELS VARYING ON HOW MUCH QPF WITH EVEN A FEW SUGGESTING DRY EITHER ON THURSDAY AND/OR THURSDAY NIGHT. AS SUCH...HAVE KEPT A CONSENSUS AROUND 30 PERCENT CHANCE FOR BOTH THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT. CERTAINLY IF THE TREND IN THE 20.12Z ECMWF CONTINUES...WE WILL NEED HIGHER CHANCES AS IT NOW SUGGESTS UPWARDS OF 2-3 INCHES OF SNOW. THIS IS QUITE A BIT DIFFERENT FROM ITS PREVIOUS RUN...THOUGH. ANOTHER SURGE OF CANADIAN AIR WITH HIGH PRESSURE IS STILL FORECAST TO DROP INTO THE FORECAST AREA IN THE WAKE OF THIS SYSTEM FOR FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT. HOWEVER...THE 850MB TEMPS ARE NOT NEARLY AS COLD AS THE CURRENT ARCTIC AIR SURGE...ONLY PROGGED TO DIP DOWN TO -20C AT MOST. FOR THE WEEKEND...A DEEP TROUGH IS FORECAST TO FORM JUST OFF OR ON THE WEST COAST OF THE U.S....SETTING UP A PATTERN CHANGE AS 500MB HEIGHTS RISE DOWNSTREAM ACROSS THE REST OF THE U.S.. EVENTUALLY A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM FORMS IN THE VICINITY OF WYOMING AND COLORADO BY LATE SUNDAY...BUT MOISTURE RETURN TOWARDS THE FORECAST AREA IS STILL LIMITED. THUS...A DRY WEEKEND WITH WARMING TEMPERATURES IS IN STORE. HOW WARM WILL DEPEND ON HOW MUCH SNOW OCCURS WITH THE THURSDAY SYSTEM. FOLLOWED THE CONSENSUS FOR HIGH TEMPERATURES FOR THE WEEKEND...BUT THESE MAY STILL BE TOO COOL GIVEN 925MB TEMPS CLIMBING TO 0 TO -4C BY 18Z SUNDAY PER 20.12Z GFS/ECMWF. && .AVIATION...TONIGHT AND MONDAY 526 PM CST SUN JAN 20 2013 AS ARCTIC HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS SOUTHWARD THROUGH THE PLAINS TONIGHT...THE PRESSURE GRADIENT DOES TIGHTEN ACROSS THE AREA BETWEEN THE HIGH AND AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE OVER THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES. THUS EXPECT WINDS TO INCREASE AT THE TAF SITES AROUND 06Z WITH SOME GUSTS TOP 20 TO 25 KNOTS. AS THE GRADIENT RELAXES SOMEWHAT AFTER 18Z MONDAY...THE WINDS WILL DIMINISH SOMEWHAT BUT WILL REMAIN ABOVE 12 KNOTS. AS FOR CEILINGS...EXPECT A BAND OF VFR STRATUS 035K-045K TO PUSH ACROSS THE SITES THIS EVENING BETWEEN 00Z-06Z. OTHERWISE VFR HIGH CLOUDS EXPECTED. && .ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... 250 PM CST SUN JAN 20 2013 WI...WIND CHILL ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO NOON CST TUESDAY FOR WIZ017-029-032>034-041>044-053>055-061. MN...WIND CHILL ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO NOON CST TUESDAY FOR MNZ079-086>088-094>096. IA...WIND CHILL ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO NOON CST TUESDAY FOR IAZ008>011-018-019-029-030. && $$ SHORT TERM...AJ LONG TERM...AJ AVIATION...RABERDING
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GREEN BAY WI
512 PM CST SUN JAN 20 2013 UPDATED AVIATION PORTION FOR 00Z TAF ISSUANCE .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT AND MONDAY. LATEST RUC ANALYSIS AND SATELLITE/RADAR IMAGERY SHOW ARCTIC HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL PLAINS BENEATH NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT. EMBEDDED SHORTWAVE TROUGH WITHIN THIS NW FLOW IS MOVING OVER WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR EARLY THIS AFTERNOON AND IS HELPING TO PRODUCE SNOW SHOWERS AND FLURRIES OVER NORTHERN MINNESOTA WHICH ARE PUSHING INTO NORTHWEST WISCONSIN. THE NEXT PUSH OF BITTERLY COLD ARCTIC AIR EXISTS BEHIND THIS SHORTWAVE WHERE TEMPERATURES REMAIN BELOW 0F. FORECAST CONCERNS INCLUDE SMALL PRECIP CHANCES THIS EVENING...THEN TEMPERATURES AND ASSOCIATED HEADLINES. TONIGHT...THE SHORTWAVE TROUGH WILL MOVE ACROSS THE UPPER PENINSULA OVER THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING. TAIL OF THE VORT MAX WILL PUSH AN AREA OF CLOUDS AND FLURRIES ACROSS THE AREA LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. HAVE ADDED THE CHANCE OF FLURRIES TO THE FORECAST. LOW LEVEL WINDS LOOK TOO WESTERLY FOR LAKE EFFECT SNOW TO BE MUCH OF AN ISSUE FOR VILAS COUNTY. BUT WITH ENHANCEMENT FROM THE SHORTWAVE THIS EVENING...WILL KEEP A CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS OVER VILAS AND ACCUMS LESS THAN A HALF INCH. TIMING THE DEPARTURE OF THE CLOUDS IS DIFFICULT SINCE RH IN THE 900-800MB LAYER REMAINS FAIRLY HIGH. SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS CLEARING TAKING PLACE OVER NORTHERN MINNESOTA AND ONTARIO...SO THINK SKIES WILL AT LEAST PARTIALLY CLEAR FROM WEST TO EAST AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT. TEMPERATURES WERE FIRMLY IN THE TEENS BELOW ZERO OVER NORTHERN MINNESOTA THIS MORNING. WILL HAVE COMPARATIVELY MORE WIND THAN FARTHER WEST...BUT STILL THINK WILL REACH IN THE LOW TEENS BELOW ZERO OVER NORTH-CENTRAL WISCONSIN. WITH NW WINDS 7-12 KTS TONIGHT...WIND CHILL READINGS WILL APPROACH 20 BELOW OVER NORTH-CENTRAL WISCONSIN AROUND 06Z...AND OVER THE FOX VALLEY BY 10Z. WILL BEGIN THE NEW WIND CHILL HEADLINES AT THOSE TIMES. MONDAY...NORTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO POUR BITTERLY COLD ARCTIC AIR ACROSS THE REGION...DROPPING 850MB TEMPS TO 28-29C BELOW ZERO. ANOTHER WEAK SHORTWAVE WILL BE SWINGING ACROSS THE STATE. SOME FLURRIES OR LIGHT SNOW NORTH OF LAKE WINNIPEG WITH THIS FEATURE AND WILL ADD TO THE FORECAST OVER NORTH-CENTRAL AND CENTRAL WISCONSIN. NW WINDS WILL REMAIN BREEZY...AND TEMPS WILL STRUGGLE TO REACH ABOVE 0F. WIND CHILL READINGS MAY BRIEFLY RISE ABOVE ADVISORY CRITERIA FOR A FEW HOURS DURING THE AFTERNOON OVER THE FOX VALLEY AND ADJACENT TO GREEN BAY. BUT HEADLINES WILL HAVE TO BE ISSUED AGAIN BY 23-24Z...SO WILL JUST RUN HEADLINES THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT. HIGHS RANGING FROM 6 BELOW OVER N-C WISCONSIN...TO ABOUT 6 ABOVE NEAR LAKE MICHIGAN. .LONG TERM...MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH NEXT SUNDAY. COLD ARCTIC AIR INTRUSION WILL CONTINUE TO GRAB THE HEADLINES FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THE WEEK. AN ONGOING WIND CHILL ADVISORY EXPECTED OVER WESTERN AREAS TROUGH TUESDAY NOON. THE REST OF THE FORECAST AREA INCLUDING THE LAKESHORE REGION WILL BE ADDED STARTING MONDAY EVENING AND LASTING THROUGH NOON AS WELL AS THE CORE OF THE COLDEST AIR FILTERS OVER THE AREA. MATTER OF FACT...LATER SHIFTS MAY POSSIBLY NEED TO UPGRADE TO A WIND CHILL WARNING OVER PORTIONS OF NORTHERN AND PARTS OF CENTRAL WISCONSIN MONDAY NIGHT. RESURGENT COLD AIR AND NORTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS FAR NORTH BUT DRY AIR MASS AND LOW INVERSIONS WILL LIKELY LIMIT PLUME DEVELOPMENT. WINDS WILL BE ON THE DECREASE LATER TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY AS A COLD HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM SETTLES OVER THE AREA. LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS END AS WINDS TURN MORE SOUTHWEST...BUT ANOTHER COLD NIGHT EXPECTED WITH THE LIGHTER WINDS UNDER THE HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM. MIN TEMPERATURES WILL BE IMPACTED BY CLOUDS THROUGH WEDNESDAY...BUT GUIDANCE TENDS TO OVERDUE THE CLOUDS AT TIMES DUE TO THE RELATIVE EASE TO SATURATE A COLD DRY AIR MASS. WITH SUCH A COLD AIR MASS DROPPING IN FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THE WEEK...YOU WONDER HOW COLD IT COULD HAVE BEEN WITH A FRESH DEEP SNOW COVER. WITH THE LIMITED SNOW COVER...THE ARCTIC AIR WILL DRIVE AREA FROST DEPTHS DEEPER THIS WEEK. WEAK WAA STARTS ON WEDNESDAY AS A SHORT WAVE TROUGH DROPS INTO THE NORTHERN GREAT LAKES REGION. MORE WIDESPREAD CLOUDS IN THE BAROCLINIC ZONE FROM MT TO THE OHIO VALLEY TODAY MAY EDGE NORTH INTO PARTS OF CENTRAL WISCONSIN WEDNESDAY AND CONTINUE TO SPREAD NORTH THROUGH THURSDAY. LIGHT SNOW REMAINS IN THE FORECAST LATER IN THE WEEK AS A CLIPPER SYSTEM DROPS INTO THE REGION AND PHASES WITH SOME SOUTHERN STREAM ENERGY SOUTH AND EAST OF THE AREA. LAKE EFFECT POTENTIAL INCREASES AGAIN THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY AS CAA WITH NORTHWEST WINDS DEVELOP IN THE WAKE OF THE CLIPPER SYSTEM. ANY LAKE EFFECT SNOW WILL END FRIDAY NIGHT AS A MODERATING TEMPERATURE PATTERN STARTS WITH A RETURN TO A ZONAL FLOW WITH WAA FOR THE WEEKEND. && .AVIATION...FOR 00Z TAF ISSUANCE. PATCHES OF CLDS AND SOME FLURRIES WL STREAM SE FM TIME TO TIME UNDER COLD NWLY FLOW ALOFT. EXPECT PRIMARILY VFR CONDITIONS. SKOWRONSKI && .GRB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WIND CHILL ADVISORY FROM 4 AM MONDAY TO NOON CST TUESDAY FOR WIZ013-020-021-031-037>039-045-048-049-073-074. WIND CHILL ADVISORY FROM 6 PM MONDAY TO NOON CST TUESDAY FOR WIZ022-040-050. WIND CHILL ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO NOON CST TUESDAY FOR WIZ005-010>012-018-019-030-035-036. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GREEN BAY WI
443 PM CST SAT JAN 19 2013 UPDATED AVIATION PORTION FOR 00Z TAF ISSUANCE .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT AND SUNDAY. LATEST RUC ANALYSIS AND SATELLITE/RADAR IMAGERY SHOW A STRONG SHORTWAVE DIVING SE OVER NORTHERN MINNESOTA...WHICH IS DRIVING A SURFACE LOW OVER WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR. ARCTIC COLD FRONT EXTENDS WESTWARD FROM THIS LOW OVER CENTRAL MINNESOTA AND NORTHERN SOUTH DAKOTA. RETURNS ON RADAR OVER WESTERN WISCONSIN MAY NOT BE HITTING THE GROUND...BUT THERE IS SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS OCCURRING ALONG THE ARCTIC FRONT AND JUST AHEAD OF THE SHORTWAVE...WHICH ARE DROPPING VISIBILITIES TO AROUND A MILE AT TIMES. WINDS ARE ALSO RAPIDLY INCREASING BEHIND THE FRONT...WITH SOME WIDELY SCATTERED REPORTS JUST HIGHER THAN 40 KTS. TEMPERATURES BEHIND THE FRONT ARE FALLING QUICKLY INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS ABOVE ZERO...WHILE READINGS ARE IN THE UPPER 30S TO LOWER 40S ACROSS NORTHERN WISCONSIN. WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE ARCTIC FRONT THIS EVENING...TEMPERATURE AND WIND HEADLINES ARE THE MAIN FORECAST CONCERNS. TONIGHT...THE STRONG SHORTWAVE WILL PUSH THE ARCTIC COLD FRONT RAPIDLY SOUTHEAST ACROSS NORTH-CENTRAL WISCONSIN LATER THIS AFTERNOON...AND NORTHEAST WISCONSIN EARLY THIS EVENING. DESPITE STRONG MID AND UPPER LEVEL FORCING IN THE FORM OF -DIVQ AND DIVERGENCE AHEAD OF THE WAVE...MID-LEVELS STRUGGLE TO SATURATE. SO THINK WILL SEE NOT MUCH MORE THAN A SCT LINE OF SNOW SHOWERS JUST AHEAD OF THE SHORTWAVE...WHICH WILL PROVIDE A BRIEF BURST OF SNOW AND REDUCE VISIBILITIES...BUT NOT MUCH IN THE WAY OF ACCUMS. SO WILL KEEP POPS IN THE LOW CHANCE RANGE OVER NE WISCONSIN FOR EARLY THIS EVENING WITH THE FRONTAL PASSAGE. CLOUDS EXTEND NORTH ACROSS MINNESOTA TO THE CANADIAN BORDER WHERE SNOW SHOWERS CONTINUE TO FALL UNDER A LOW OVERCAST. SO THINK SNOW SHOWERS WILL FALL OVER NORTH-CENTRAL WISCONSIN FOR MUCH OF THE EVENING. BEHIND THE FRONT BY LATE IN THE EVENING...LOW LEVEL WINDS WILL SHIFT TO THE NORTHWEST WITH GOOD TRAJECTORIES FOR LAKE EFFECT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS. HOWEVER...850MB TEMPS WILL BE PLUMMETING INTO THE LOWER 20S BELOW ZERO WHICH IS GETTING TOO COLD FOR GOOD DENDRITIC SNOW GROWTH. AS A RESULT...FLAKES WILL BE SMALL AND ACCUMS SHOULD BE HELD IN CHECK...AND WILL CONTINUE TO GO WITH 1-3 INCH AMOUNTS TONIGHT IN THE SNOW BELT OF N-C WISCONSIN. LITTLE TO NO ACCUM ELSEWHERE. BIGGER IMPACTS WILL LIKELY BE WIND RELATED. STRONG DESCENT IMMEDIATELY BEHIND THE FRONT IN A REGION OF STRONG COLD ADVECTION...STEEPENING LOW LEVEL LAPSE RATES...AND GOOD ISALLABARIC PUSH WILL CREATE STRONG GUSTY WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS THAT SHOULD APPROACH OR JUST EXCEED WIND ADVISORY CRITERIA LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND THROUGH THE EVENING. STRONGEST WINDS IN THE MIXED LAYER OF 45-50KTS ARE PROGGED TO OCCUR OVER CENTRAL AND EAST-CENTRAL WISCONSIN WHERE THE CURRENT WIND ADVISORY RESIDES...SO PLACEMENT OF HEADLINES LOOK GOOD. THE GUSTY WINDS SEEM TO BE RUNNING AN HOUR OR TWO LATE...AND WILL LIKELY HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE COLDER AIR ALOFT ARRIVES TO STEEPEN THE LOW LEVEL LAPSE RATES FOR THE GUSTY WINDS TO OCCUR...LIKELY IN THE 22-02Z TIME PERIOD. WILL KEEP HEADLINE TIMING STATUS QUO. THE STRONG PRESSURE RISES SHIFT TO THE EAST BY MIDNIGHT...AND WIND GUSTS SHOULD BE SUBSIDING BY THIS TIME. AS A RESULT...STILL THINK THE EVENING OR MIDNIGHT CREW WILL BE ABLE TO END WIND HEADLINES EARLY. THE COMBO OF GUSTY NW WINDS AND INCOMING ARCTIC AIR WILL CREATE WIND CHILL READINGS OF 20-25 DEGREES BELOW ZERO OVER CENTRAL AND NORTH-CENTRAL WISCONSIN LATE TONIGHT. SUNDAY...ARCTIC AIR WILL CONTINUE TO POUR ACROSS THE REGION ON SUNDAY. NORTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS IN THE SNOW BELTS...BUT WINDS DO BACK A BIT SO SNOW SHOWERS SHOULD BE GRADUALLY DIMINISHING OVER THE COURSE OF THE MORNING. AIR WILL REMAIN TOO COLD FOR DENDRITIC SNOW GROWTH SO NOT EXPECTING MUCH ACCUMS. OTHERWISE...STEEP LOW LEVEL LAPSE RATES AND FLOW OFF LAKE SUPERIOR SHOULD KEEP SKIES PARTLY TO MOSTLY CLOUDY. TEMPS IN THE SINGLE DIGITS TO LOWER TEENS. .LONG TERM...SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH NEXT SATURDAY. DURATION OF THE ARCTIC BLAST OF AIR THIS WEEK ALONG WITH LIKELY ADDITIONAL WIND CHILL HEADLINES WILL BE THE PRIMARY ISSUE FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THE NEW WEEK. ANOTHER CLIPPER SYSTEM IS PROGGED TO DROP INTO THE REGION AROUND THURSDAY FOLLOWED WITH A REINFORCING BUT MILDER AND PERHAPS BRIEFER SHOT OF ARCTIC AIR. SOME MDM RANGE MODELS ARE INDICATING A MODERATING TREND LATER NEXT WEEKEND. ADDITIONAL WIND CHILL HEADLINES WILL LIKELY BE POSTED LATER THIS WEEKEND AS THE SATURDAY NIGHT HEADLINES EXPIRE. FORECAST TEMPS SUGGEST THE COLDEST AIR ARRIVES LATER MONDAY WITH SOME CURRENT VALUES APPROACHING WIND CHILL WARNING CRITERIA MONDAY NIGHT. TYPICAL WITH THE VERY COLD PATTERNS...MODELS LIKELY OVERDOING THE COVERAGE OF CLOUDS. WILL TONE DOWN CLOUDS OVER MOST LOCATIONS EXCEPT FOR AREAS JUST DOWNSTREAM FROM LAKE SUPERIOR. LAKE EFFECT SNOWS EXPECTED OVER FAR NORTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN WITH THE COLD AIR INTRUSION. BUT APPEARS TO BE LIMITED AT THIS TIME DUE TO THE DRY AIR MASS...FALLING INVERSION HEIGHTS...AND A BIT TOO WESTERLY WIND DIRECTION. TEMPS TO MODERATE TO NEAR SEASONAL LEVELS LATER THIS WEEK WITH A CLIPPER SYSTEM DROPPING SOUTH INTO THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL PLAINS THURSDAY BEFORE PHASING WITH SOME SOUTHERN STREAM ENERGY THURSDAY NIGHT. GFS IS INDICATING A POSSIBLE ADVISORY SNOW OVER THE SOUTH HALF OR THIRD OF THE STATE THURSDAY NIGHT WITH THIS PHASED SYSTEM. WILL GLANCE AT THE ECMWF THIS AFTERNOON TOO SEE IF A SIMILAR TREND IN ORDER TO MAKE ANY ADJUSTMENTS...BUT GOING FORECAST THAT FAR OUT REASONABLE. && .AVIATION...FOR 00Z TAF ISSUANCE. ARCTIC FRONT SURGING SE ACRS THE AREA. WL SEE A PERIOD OF STG WINDS AND SOME MVFR CIGS AND VSBYS THIS EVENING. BRIEF IFR CONDITONS POSSIBLE. NOT REALLY THAT MUCH SNOW TO BLOW ARND IN THE AREA...SO EXPECT CONDITIONS TO IMPROVE BACK TO VFR BY LATE TNGT. THE EXCEPTION MAY BE IN THE FAR N /RHI/ WHERE CLDS OFF LAKE SUPERIOR WL CONT TO STREAM SE. && .GRB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 3 AM CST SUNDAY FOR WIZ038>040-048>050. WIND ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT FOR WIZ030-031-035>037- 045. WIND CHILL ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 9 AM CST SUNDAY FOR WIZ005-010-011-018-019-030-035-036. WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM CST SUNDAY FOR WIZ022. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
315 PM CST SAT JAN 19 2013 .SHORT TERM... TONIGHT - CONFIDENCE...MEDIUM STRENGTHENING LOW PRESSURE CONTINUES TO SHIFT EAST FROM NEAR LAKE SUPERIOR. NICE POCKET OF PRESSURE DRIVING SOUTHEAST FROM THE DAKOTAS. THE RUC IS BEHIND SCHEDULE A BIT ON THIS...BUT HAS A A PRESSURE RISE MAX OVER THE CWA AT 6Z...BUT MAY END UP BEING MORE AROUND 3Z. LEADING EDGE OF ARCTIC FRONT DRIVING SE FROM CENTRAL MN. FRONT EXPECTED TO CLEAR THE SOUTHEAST BY 3Z. BUFKIT SOUNDINGS SHOW FAIRLY DEEP POST-FRONTAL MIXING AND STRONG SUBSIDENCE FROM LATER THIS EVENING INTO THE OVERNIGHT WITH WIND ADVISORY CRITERIA STILL LIKELY. IN FACT RAP SOUNDINGS VERY IMPRESSIVE ACTUALLY SHOWING BORDERLINE WARNING FOR A TIME. RUC PROGGED 3 HOUR PRESSURE RISE OF 4-5 MB SLIDING ACROSS LATER COMBINED WITH 50 KNOT 850 WIND MAX SUGGESTS THIS IDEA. AT THIS POINT WE ARE LOOKING AT A HIGH END ADVISORY/LOW END WARNING. WILL RETAIN THE ADVISORY AT THIS POINT BUT WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO SEE A FEW GUSTS EXCEED THE WARNING THRESHOLD. GUIDANCE NUMBERS STILL SUPPORT SINGLE DIGIT LOWS FOR MUCH OF CWA. PREFER THE DRIER LOOK THE NAM/HPC VERSUS GFS/ECMWF WITH RESPECT TO QPF IN THE COLD ADVECTION REGIME. STRATUS POTENTIAL THERE GIVEN MODEL AGREEMENT IN LOW LEVEL RH PROGS. WILL NOT MENTION FLURRIES AT THIS TIME WITH VERY LITTLE REPORTS UPSTREAM THOUGH FLOW WILL BE CYCLONIC BUT LOW LEVELS TO BECOME DOMINATED BY SUBSIDENCE. GIVEN THE SLOWER ARRIVAL OF THE FRONT...PUSHED EASTERN WIND ADVISORY AHEAD AN HOUR. KEPT THE WEST AS IS TO BLEND WITH NEIGHBORS. SUNDAY - CONFIDENCE...MEDIUM ARCTIC AIR-MASS IN PLACE. 925 TEMPS AVERAGING -14 TO -17C SUGGEST TEMPS MODIFYING INTO THE TEENS WHICH SEEMS REASONABLE WITH ABSENCE OF SNOW-COVER. ELONGATED SHORTWAVE DROPS ACROSS THE AREA. NOT OVERLY IMPRESSED WITH THIS FEATURE. QPF PROGS TREND THIS FURTHER WEST OR SOUTHWEST OF THE CWA. FOCUS APPEARS WEST CLOSER TO MAX IN 850-700 MILLIBAR Q-VECTOR CONVERGENCE. MOISTURE LOOKS LIMITED. ADDED SOME FLURRIES IN THE SOUTHWEST IN THE AFTERNOON TO MATCH UP WITH KDVN AND KARX...BUT EVEN NEW 12Z ECMWF HAS TRENDED FURTHER SOUTHWEST THIS FEATURE. .LONG TERM... .SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT...FORECAST CONFIDENCE IS MEDIUM. AN IMPULSE/VORTICITY MAX PROGGED BY MODELS TO SLIDE SOUTHEAST FROM DAKOTAS TO ILLINOIS SUNDAY NIGHT. HOWEVER...MOSTLY CHANNELED VORTICITY WITH THIS FEATURE. MODEL SOUNDINGS SUNDAY EVENING SUGGEST SOME FLURRIES AT BEST....WILL BLEND IN WITH NEIGHBORS ON THE FLURRIES SUNDAY EVENING. BASIC COLD DRY NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT MONDAY INTO TUESDAY NIGHT. CORE OF COLDEST AIR AT 850 MB WILL ARRIVE IN WISCONSIN ON MONDAY WITH -24C TO -26...SETTING UP THE COLDEST NIGHT OF THE WINTER SEASON FOR MONDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY TUESDAY MORNING. PROGGED WIND CHILL VALUES OF -20C TO -25C FOR MONDAY NIGHT UNTIL ABOUT 10 OR 11 AM CST TUESDAY FOR SOUTHERN WISCONSIN WILL REQUIRE A WIND CHILL ADVISORY TO BE ISSUED ON LATER SHIFTS. THIS ASSUMES FORECAST PANS OUT. .WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT...FORECAST CONFIDENCE IS MEDIUM. SURFACE RIDGE WILL EXTEND FROM DAKOTAS TO THE TENNESSEE AREA...SO QUIET AT THIS TIME. BOTH GFS AND ECMWF MODERATE 850 MB TEMPERATURES TO -18C TO -20C BY 6 AM WED...SO SOMEWHAT WARMER SURFACE TEMPS EXPECTED ON WEDNESDAY. HOWEVER...ECMWF BRINGS ANOTHER PUSH OF COLD AIR DOWN INTO SOUTHERN WISCONSIN WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. IN ANY CASE...BOTH MODELS CONTINUE MODERATION TREND LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT. .THURSDAY AND FRIDAY...FORECAST CONFIDENCE IS LOW. ON THURSDAY...MODELS SHOW ANOTHER SHORT-WAVE TROUGH DROPPING EAST SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE WISCONSIN AREA. ASSOCIATED WARM-AIR ADVECTION AND ISENTROPIC LIFT IN MID-LEVELS QUICKLY RESULTS IN CLOUDY SKIES AND CHANCES OF SNOW BY LATE AFTERNOON...CONTINUING INTO THURSDAY NIGHT. A SECONDARY SHORT-WAVE TROUGH ROTATES SOUTH OUT OF WESTERN ONTARIO CANADA ON FRIDAY INTO GREAT LAKES REGION. THIS WILL CONTINUE THE CHANCES OF SOME LIGHT SNOW INTO FRIDAY. MEANWHILE...SURFACE LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE NORTHEAST TO SOUTHERN OHIO BY FRIDAY MORNING PER GFS...AND IN KENTUCKY PER ECMWF. 12Z GFS RUN THIS MORNING HAS THIS LOW PRESSURE DEEPER THAN ECMWF...A FLIP-FLOP FROM 00Z RUN FRIDAY EVENING WHICH HAD ECMWF WITH THE DEEPER SOLUTION. STAY TUNED. && .AVIATION/00Z TAFS/...MAIN CONCERN WILL BE THE STRONG POST-FRONTAL WINDS THAT ARRIVE VERY LATE THIS AFTERNOON/MORE LIKELY THIS EVENING ACROSS SRN WI. NW WINDS OF 25-35 KNOTS LOOK LIKE A GOOD BET WITH SOME GUSTS OVER 40 KNOTS. LOW LEVEL RH PROGS SUGGEST A GLANCING SHOT OF STRATUS IN THE 6-12Z TIME FRAME TONIGHT IN THE COLD ADVECTION REGIME...WITH A DRIER SIGNAL IN THE 12Z-00Z TIME FRAME ON SUNDAY. GRADIENT SLACKENS FOR SUNDAY. WEAK VORT AXIS SLIDES THROUGH THOUGH MOISTURE/LIFT LACKING. A FEW FLURRIES IN PARTS OF SC WI THOUGH ALL MODELS KEEP QPF FURTHER SOUTHWEST OF THE AREA. && .MARINE...NO CHANGES TO HEADLINES AT THIS POINT. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY AND GALE CONDITIONS LOOK VERY FAVORABLE TONIGHT AS STRONG COLD FRONT PUSHES THROUGH THIS EVENING. ONCE GALE EXPIRES...SMALL CRAFT WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED. && .MKX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WI...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT FOR WIZ046-047-056-057- 062-063-067-068. WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 3 AM CST SUNDAY FOR WIZ051-052-058>060- 064>066-069>072. LM...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO NOON CST SUNDAY FOR LMZ643>646. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS EVENING FOR LMZ643>646. GALE WARNING UNTIL 6 AM CST SUNDAY FOR LMZ643>646. && $$ TONIGHT/SUNDAY AND AVIATION/MARINE...COLLAR SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY...KAPELA
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GREEN BAY WI
218 PM CST SAT JAN 19 2013 .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT AND SUNDAY. LATEST RUC ANALYSIS AND SATELLITE/RADAR IMAGERY SHOW A STRONG SHORTWAVE DIVING SE OVER NORTHERN MINNESOTA...WHICH IS DRIVING A SURFACE LOW OVER WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR. ARCTIC COLD FRONT EXTENDS WESTWARD FROM THIS LOW OVER CENTRAL MINNESOTA AND NORTHERN SOUTH DAKOTA. RETURNS ON RADAR OVER WESTERN WISCONSIN MAY NOT BE HITTING THE GROUND...BUT THERE IS SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS OCCURRING ALONG THE ARCTIC FRONT AND JUST AHEAD OF THE SHORTWAVE...WHICH ARE DROPPING VISIBILITIES TO AROUND A MILE AT TIMES. WINDS ARE ALSO RAPIDLY INCREASING BEHIND THE FRONT...WITH SOME WIDELY SCATTERED REPORTS JUST HIGHER THAN 40 KTS. TEMPERATURES BEHIND THE FRONT ARE FALLING QUICKLY INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS ABOVE ZERO...WHILE READINGS ARE IN THE UPPER 30S TO LOWER 40S ACROSS NORTHERN WISCONSIN. WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE ARCTIC FRONT THIS EVENING...TEMPERATURE AND WIND HEADLINES ARE THE MAIN FORECAST CONCERNS. TONIGHT...THE STRONG SHORTWAVE WILL PUSH THE ARCTIC COLD FRONT RAPIDLY SOUTHEAST ACROSS NORTH-CENTRAL WISCONSIN LATER THIS AFTERNOON...AND NORTHEAST WISCONSIN EARLY THIS EVENING. DESPITE STRONG MID AND UPPER LEVEL FORCING IN THE FORM OF -DIVQ AND DIVERGENCE AHEAD OF THE WAVE...MID-LEVELS STRUGGLE TO SATURATE. SO THINK WILL SEE NOT MUCH MORE THAN A SCT LINE OF SNOW SHOWERS JUST AHEAD OF THE SHORTWAVE...WHICH WILL PROVIDE A BRIEF BURST OF SNOW AND REDUCE VISIBILITIES...BUT NOT MUCH IN THE WAY OF ACCUMS. SO WILL KEEP POPS IN THE LOW CHANCE RANGE OVER NE WISCONSIN FOR EARLY THIS EVENING WITH THE FRONTAL PASSAGE. CLOUDS EXTEND NORTH ACROSS MINNESOTA TO THE CANADIAN BORDER WHERE SNOW SHOWERS CONTINUE TO FALL UNDER A LOW OVERCAST. SO THINK SNOW SHOWERS WILL FALL OVER NORTH-CENTRAL WISCONSIN FOR MUCH OF THE EVENING. BEHIND THE FRONT BY LATE IN THE EVENING...LOW LEVEL WINDS WILL SHIFT TO THE NORTHWEST WITH GOOD TRAJECTORIES FOR LAKE EFFECT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS. HOWEVER...850MB TEMPS WILL BE PLUMMETING INTO THE LOWER 20S BELOW ZERO WHICH IS GETTING TOO COLD FOR GOOD DENDRITIC SNOW GROWTH. AS A RESULT...FLAKES WILL BE SMALL AND ACCUMS SHOULD BE HELD IN CHECK...AND WILL CONTINUE TO GO WITH 1-3 INCH AMOUNTS TONIGHT IN THE SNOW BELT OF N-C WISCONSIN. LITTLE TO NO ACCUM ELSEWHERE. BIGGER IMPACTS WILL LIKELY BE WIND RELATED. STRONG DESCENT IMMEDIATELY BEHIND THE FRONT IN A REGION OF STRONG COLD ADVECTION...STEEPENING LOW LEVEL LAPSE RATES...AND GOOD ISALLABARIC PUSH WILL CREATE STRONG GUSTY WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS THAT SHOULD APPROACH OR JUST EXCEED WIND ADVISORY CRITERIA LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND THROUGH THE EVENING. STRONGEST WINDS IN THE MIXED LAYER OF 45-50KTS ARE PROGGED TO OCCUR OVER CENTRAL AND EAST-CENTRAL WISCONSIN WHERE THE CURRENT WIND ADVISORY RESIDES...SO PLACEMENT OF HEADLINES LOOK GOOD. THE GUSTY WINDS SEEM TO BE RUNNING AN HOUR OR TWO LATE...AND WILL LIKELY HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE COLDER AIR ALOFT ARRIVES TO STEEPEN THE LOW LEVEL LAPSE RATES FOR THE GUSTY WINDS TO OCCUR...LIKELY IN THE 22-02Z TIME PERIOD. WILL KEEP HEADLINE TIMING STATUS QUO. THE STRONG PRESSURE RISES SHIFT TO THE EAST BY MIDNIGHT...AND WIND GUSTS SHOULD BE SUBSIDING BY THIS TIME. AS A RESULT...STILL THINK THE EVENING OR MIDNIGHT CREW WILL BE ABLE TO END WIND HEADLINES EARLY. THE COMBO OF GUSTY NW WINDS AND INCOMING ARCTIC AIR WILL CREATE WIND CHILL READINGS OF 20-25 DEGREES BELOW ZERO OVER CENTRAL AND NORTH-CENTRAL WISCONSIN LATE TONIGHT. SUNDAY...ARCTIC AIR WILL CONTINUE TO POUR ACROSS THE REGION ON SUNDAY. NORTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS IN THE SNOW BELTS...BUT WINDS DO BACK A BIT SO SNOW SHOWERS SHOULD BE GRADUALLY DIMINISHING OVER THE COURSE OF THE MORNING. AIR WILL REMAIN TOO COLD FOR DENDRITIC SNOW GROWTH SO NOT EXPECTING MUCH ACCUMS. OTHERWISE...STEEP LOW LEVEL LAPSE RATES AND FLOW OFF LAKE SUPERIOR SHOULD KEEP SKIES PARTLY TO MOSTLY CLOUDY. TEMPS IN THE SINGLE DIGITS TO LOWER TEENS. .LONG TERM...SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH NEXT SATURDAY. DURATION OF THE ARCTIC BLAST OF AIR THIS WEEK ALONG WITH LIKELY ADDITIONAL WIND CHILL HEADLINES WILL BE THE PRIMARY ISSUE FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THE NEW WEEK. ANOTHER CLIPPER SYSTEM IS PROGGED TO DROP INTO THE REGION AROUND THURSDAY FOLLOWED WITH A REINFORCING BUT MILDER AND PERHAPS BRIEFER SHOT OF ARCTIC AIR. SOME MDM RANGE MODELS ARE INDICATING A MODERATING TREND LATER NEXT WEEKEND. ADDITIONAL WIND CHILL HEADLINES WILL LIKELY BE POSTED LATER THIS WEEKEND AS THE SATURDAY NIGHT HEADLINES EXPIRE. FORECAST TEMPS SUGGEST THE COLDEST AIR ARRIVES LATER MONDAY WITH SOME CURRENT VALUES APPROACHING WIND CHILL WARNING CRITERIA MONDAY NIGHT. TYPICAL WITH THE VERY COLD PATTERNS...MODELS LIKELY OVERDOING THE COVERAGE OF CLOUDS. WILL TONE DOWN CLOUDS OVER MOST LOCATIONS EXCEPT FOR AREAS JUST DOWNSTREAM FROM LAKE SUPERIOR. LAKE EFFECT SNOWS EXPECTED OVER FAR NORTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN WITH THE COLD AIR INTRUSION. BUT APPEARS TO BE LIMITED AT THIS TIME DUE TO THE DRY AIR MASS...FALLING INVERSION HEIGHTS...AND A BIT TOO WESTERLY WIND DIRECTION. TEMPS TO MODERATE TO NEAR SEASONAL LEVELS LATER THIS WEEK WITH A CLIPPER SYSTEM DROPPING SOUTH INTO THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL PLAINS THURSDAY BEFORE PHASING WITH SOME SOUTHERN STREAM ENERGY THURSDAY NIGHT. GFS IS INDICATING A POSSIBLE ADVISORY SNOW OVER THE SOUTH HALF OR THIRD OF THE STATE THURSDAY NIGHT WITH THIS PHASED SYSTEM. WILL GLANCE AT THE ECMWF THIS AFTERNOON TOO SEE IF A SIMILAR TREND IN ORDER TO MAKE ANY ADJUSTMENTS...BUT GOING FORECAST THAT FAR OUT REASONABLE. && .AVIATION...WHILE LIGHT MIXED PRECIPITATION HAS EXITED NORTHEAST WISCONSIN...THE BIGGEST AVIATION HAZARDS WILL ACCOMPANY AN ARCTIC COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. SCT SNOW SHOWERS ARE STILL EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ALONG THE FRONT...WITH LOCAL VSBYS BLO 1SM. IN ADDITION...STRONG WEST WINDS WILL DEVELOP BEHIND THE FRONT AS ARCTIC AIR POURS ACROSS THE STATE...WITH GUSTS TO 35 TO 40 KTS...HIGHEST ACROSS C/EC WI AND ALONG THE LAKESHORE. LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS WILL DEVELOP IN NC WI TONIGHT...AND NW WINDS WILL BE STRONG ENOUGH TO CARRY SOME SNOW INTO RHI. IMPROVING CONDITIONS WILL OCCUR AFTER MIDNIGHT IN TERMS OF DIMINISHING WINDS...SNOW SHOWERS...AND INCREASING CIGS. VFR CONDITIONS TOMORROW UNDER ARCTIC HIGH PRESSURE. MPC && .GRB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WIND ADVISORY FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 3 AM CST SUNDAY FOR WIZ038>040-048>050. WIND ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT FOR WIZ030-031-035>037- 045. WIND CHILL ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 9 AM CST SUNDAY FOR WIZ005-010-011-018-019-030-035-036. WIND ADVISORY FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 AM CST SUNDAY FOR WIZ022. && $$ MPC/TDH
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LA CROSSE WI
1135 AM CST SAT JAN 19 2013 .SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT 947 AM CST SAT JAN 19 2013 947 AM UPDATE...FORECAST IN GENERAL REMAINS ON TRACK. POTENT SHORTWAVE WAS NOTED ON THE 15Z WATER VAPOR LOOP OVER SOUTHERN MANITOBA...WITH A 120-140 KT JET AT THE TROPOPAUSE DIGGING INTO THE DAKOTAS ON THE SOUTHWEST SIDE OF THE SHORTWAVE PER RAP ANALYSIS. DPVA AHEAD OF THE SHORTWAVE HAS RESULTED IN A DEEPENING SURFACE LOW...CURRENTLY AROUND 1002MB CENTERED OVER THE MN ARROWHEAD. TRAILING THE LOW IS AN ARCTIC COLD FRONT ALONG THE NORTH DAKOTA/SOUTH DAKOTA BORDER. SURFACE TEMPERATURES DROP FROM THE MID TO UPPER 30S FROM SOUTH DAKOTA INTO THE FORECAST AREA...INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS ABOVE ZERO OVER NORTHERN NORTH DAKOTA. WITH THE RAPID DROP IN TEMPERATURES IS A 2 MB/HR PRESSURE RISE OVER NORTH DAKOTA. THESE PRESSURE RISES AND A TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT BEHIND THE ARCTIC FRONT HAS RESULTED IN WINDS GUSTING 30-50 KT ACROSS NORTH DAKOTA INTO FAR NORTHWEST MN. THERE ARE ALSO SOME SNOW SHOWERS OCCURRING IMMEDIATELY BEHIND THE FRONT...AIDED BY LOW LEVEL FRONTOGENESIS. NAM/RAP/HRRR FORECASTS CONTINUE TO INDICATE THAT THE ARCTIC FRONT WILL CROSS THE FORECAST AREA BETWEEN 21-00Z...WITH WINDS AND GUSTS RAPIDLY INCREASING BEHIND THE FRONT AS INDICATED OVER NORTH DAKOTA. INTERESTING TO SEE THAT AT 00Z...THE RAP WIND GUSTS SHOW UPWARDS OF 40 KT OR SO ACROSS THE ENTIRE FORECAST AREA. NEEDLESS TO SAY...THE WIND ADVISORY LOOKS SOLID. PLUS...THE SURFACE LOW SHOULD BE ABLE TO DEEPEN A LITTLE MORE AS IT MOVES ACROSS THE WARMER LAKE SUPERIOR WATER...AND HAS THE SYNOPTIC SCALE IMPACT TO DEEPEN. THERE ARE 2 ISSUES PRIOR TO THE ARCTIC FRONT ARRIVAL...THOUGH. THE FIRST IS CLOUD COVER. FIRST BAND OF MID CLOUDS...ASSOCIATED WITH A SHORTWAVE SEEN ON WATER VAPOR STRETCHING FROM NORTHEAST NEBRASKA TO LA CROSSE...IS CLEARING OUT OF THE FORECAST AREA RIGHT NOW. ANOTHER BATCH OF MID CLOUDS HAVE DEVELOPED OVER CENTRAL MN...AHEAD OF ANOTHER WEAK SHORTWAVE. THESE CLOUDS APPEAR SLATED TO CROSS THE FORECAST AREA DURING THE NEXT FEW HOURS. HAVE INCREASED CLOUD COVER TO ACCOUNT FOR THESE. THERE STILL MAY BE ANOTHER BREAK IN CLOUDS BEFORE THE ARCTIC FRONT ARRIVES. WITH THE IN-AND-OUT PERIODS OF SUNSHINE AND 925MB TEMPS AROUND 5C PER 12Z MPX AND DVN RAOBS...CONCERNED TEMPERATURES ARE NOT HIGH ENOUGH. HRRR ACTUALLY HAS TEMPERATURES CLIMBING INTO THE LOW 50S OVER THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA. HRRR DID VERY WELL YESTERDAY...ALBEIT WE DID HAVE FULL SUNSHINE. FOR NOW HAVE INCREASED TEMPERATURES SLIGHTLY...MAINLY SOUTH OF I-90. LASTLY...RAP AND 00Z/06Z NCEP HIRES ARW RUNS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT SHOWING THE BAND OF SNOW SHOWERS OVER SOUTHERN NORTH DAKOTA POST- FRONTAL DROPPING THROUGH MOST OF THE FORECAST AREA BETWEEN 18-00Z. PREVIOUS FORECAST HAD THIS COVERED WELL...JUST GAVE A LITTLE MORE TIMING AND SWITCHED TO A COVERAGE SNOW SHOWERS PHRASING SINCE THERE IS A CONVECTIVE NATURE TO THE PRECIPITATION. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION ISSUED AT 318 AM... THE MAIN FOCUS IS ON THE DRASTIC CHANGES THAT ARE ON TAP FOR TODAY AS A COLD FRONT DROPS THROUGH THE REGION. CURRENTLY...BROAD CYCLONIC FLOW ALOFT IS IN PLACE THROUGH MUCH OF CANADA AND THE US WITH THE CORE OF THE LOW CENTERED TO THE EAST OF HUDSON BAY LEAVING THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY IN NORTHWESTERLY FLOW. DESPITE THIS...LOW LEVEL TEMPERATURES REMAIN MILD AT THE MOMENT WITH A SURFACE LOW OVER EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND A WARM FRONT EXTENDING TO THE EAST-SOUTHEAST ACROSS NORTHERN WISCONSIN. THIS MORNING WILL END UP BEING THE WARMEST PART OF THE DAY AS THIS SURFACE LOW TRACKS TO THE EAST TOWARD THE UP OF MICHIGAN. THIS FEATURE WILL BRING A COLD FRONT THROUGH THE REGION EARLY THIS AFTERNOON WITH WINDS SHIFTING TO THE NORTHWEST AND BECOMING STRONG POST-FROPA. NOT A WHOLE LOT OF CHANGES TO THE GOING WIND FORECAST WITH A TIGHTENING SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT...STRONG LOW LEVEL COLD AIR ADVECTION AND 3HR PRESSURE RISES OF 6-8MB SHOULD ALL LEAD TO STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS FOR A 6 TO 9 HOUR PERIOD LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SUBSIDENT AIR SHOULD HELP TO MIX DOWN SOME HIGHER GUSTS IN THE 45-50MPH RANGE...PARTICULARLY IN THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS IN SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA AND NORTHEAST IOWA. BASED ON ALL THIS...THE WIND ADVISORY STILL LOOKS GOOD FOR THE REGION STARTING MID AFTERNOON AND ENDING AROUND MIDNIGHT AS THE WINDS DIMINISH. ANOTHER FEATURE WITH THIS FRONT IS THE BRIEF SHOT OF SNOW THAT WILL COME WITH IT. THE 19.00Z NAM AND MESO-MODELS SHOW A BAND OF SNOW FORMING OUT AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT WHERE THE OVERALL FORCING IS A LITTLE STRONGER ACROSS SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA AND NORTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN. THIS WILL LEAD TO A SHORT PERIOD...LIKELY LESS THAN AN HOUR...OF SNOW WHICH COULD BRIEFLY BE HEAVY. THIS COULD LEAD TO A BRIEF DUSTING OF AROUND A HALF INCH OF SNOW AS IT COMES THROUGH. KEPT SOME FLURRIES THROUGH THE NIGHT ACROSS MUCH OF THE REGION DUE TO THE LOW LEVEL SATURATED LAYER BEING IN THE ICE LAYER OF -8C TO -20C...THOUGH THEY MAY NOT OCCUR IF THE SUBSIDENCE IS TOO STRONG AND CLEARS THINGS OUT. ALTHOUGH WINDS WILL BE ON THE DECREASE AFTER MIDNIGHT...THEY WILL STILL BE IN THE 10-20MPH RANGE AS THE COLDER AIR MOVES INTO THE REGION. BASED ON THE TEMPERATURE/WIND FORECAST...THERE COULD BE SOME -20F TO -25F WIND CHILLS THAT OCCUR ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA AND NORTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN. THIS MAY WARRANT THE NEED FOR A WIND CHILL ADVISORY ONCE THE WIND ADVISORY ENDS. MAY STILL GO FOR ONE THIS MORNING...BUT AM STILL WORKING ON THE COLLABORATION WITH NEIGHBORING OFFICES AT THE MOMENT ON WHETHER TO GO FOR IT NOW OR LATER TODAY. BEYOND THIS ITS ALL ABOUT HOW COLD TEMPERATURES WILL GET WITH LITTLE TO NO SNOW PACK OUT THERE. A WEAKENING MID LEVEL TROUGH THAT HAS LITTLE LOW LEVEL SUPPORT WILL MOVE THROUGH ON SUNDAY AND COULD PROVIDE ANOTHER DUSTING OF SNOW...THOUGH CONFIDENCE IS NOT VERY HIGH ON THIS WITH THE WEAK MID LEVEL LIFT. HAD THE SNOW PACK NOT ERODED AWAY LAST WEEK...OUR TEMPERATURES WOULD LIKELY BE ABOUT 10 DEGREES COLDER THAN WHAT IS BEING FORECAST. DESPITE THIS...THE GUIDANCE ALL REMAINS IN GOOD AGREEMENT OF HAVING SUB-ZERO TEMPERATURES IN PLACE TO START NEXT WEEK. WIND CHILL ADVISORIES WILL DEFINITELY BE NEEDED FROM MONDAY MORNING THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING WITH WIND CHILLS IN THE -20F TO -30F RANGE. .LONG TERM...TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY 318 AM CST SAT JAN 19 2013 THE COLD AIR MASS APPEARS TO REMAIN IN PLACE ACROSS THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY THROUGH THE REST OF THE WEEK THOUGH IT DOES MODERATE SOME GOING INTO WEDNESDAY AND BEYOND AS THE RIDGE AXIS MOVES THROUGH AND THE CORE OF COLD LOW LEVEL AIR SHIFTS TO THE EAST. THERE ARE SOME HINTS THAT A SYSTEM WILL DROP DOWN THROUGH THE NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT TUESDAY INTO TUESDAY NIGHT WHICH COULD BRING SOME SNOW ALONG WITH IT. THE 19.00Z GFS IS THE ONLY MODEL SHOWING THIS SNOW REACHING THE FORECAST AREA WITH THE 19.00Z ECMWF PLACING THE SURFACE RIDGE RIGHT ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. SHOULD THE GFS PAN OUT...THERE COULD BE SOME HIGH RATIO SNOW THAT OCCURS WITH 19.00Z BUFKIT SOUNDINGS SHOWING A DEEP DENDRITIC GROWTH ZONE FROM THE SURFACE ON UP TO 700MB. THE BEST CHANCES FOR AN ACCUMULATING SNOW IS WITH A SYSTEM THAT MAY COME IN ON THURSDAY OR FRIDAY. THE 19.00Z GFS IS SLOW WITH THIS SYSTEM AND BRINGS IT IN THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY WHILE THE 19.00Z ECMWF HAS IT THROUGH BY THURSDAY. THE 19.00Z GFS BUFKIT SOUNDINGS ARE EVEN DEEPER WITH THE DENDRITIC GROWTH ZONE AND LIFT WITH THIS SYSTEM...WHICH COULD AGAIN LEAD TO A HIGH SNOW TO LIQUID RATIO SNOW. TRENDED LOWER ON TEMPERATURES ON THURSDAY WITH GUIDANCE SHOWING THIS SYSTEM TRENDING A BIT FURTHER TO THE SOUTH. && .AVIATION...THROUGH 18Z SUNDAY 1135 AM CST SAT JAN 19 2013 ARCTIC FRONT CONTINUES ITS MARCH TOWARDS THE TAF SITES AND AS OF 17Z STRETCHED FROM NEAR ABERDEEN SD TO DULUTH MN. AHEAD OF THE FRONT...WINDS ARE TURNING WESTERLY AND SHOULD START GUSTING SHORTLY TO 25 KT AT KRST DUE TO DAYTIME MIXING. KLSE IS A LITTLE MORE PROTECTED BY THE VALLEY...BUT STILL BY 20Z ANTICIPATING GUSTS TO DEVELOP THERE. VFR CONDITIONS ANTICIPATED UNTIL THE ARCTIC FRONT ARRIVES DUE TO DRY LOW LEVEL AIR IN PLACE. ARCTIC FRONT SHOULD REACH KRST AROUND 21Z AND KLSE AROUND 22Z. IMMEDIATELY IN ITS WAKE...WINDS VEER TOWARDS THE NORTHWEST AND RAPIDLY INCREASE. EXPECTING BOTH TAF SITES TO SEE SUSTAINED WINDS OF 25-30 KT WITH GUSTS OF 40-45 KT WHICH WILL LAST THROUGH MUCH OF THE EVENING. THE STRONG WINDS ARE A RESULT OF ARCTIC AIR FLOWING...PRESSURES RISING RAPIDLY AND THE LOW PRESSURE AREA RESPONSIBLE FOR A TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT OVER THE TAF SITES DEEPENING AS IT CROSSES LAKE SUPERIOR. ALONG WITH THE FRONT WILL COME A BAND OF MVFR STRATUS WITH SOME FLURRIES/SNOW SHOWERS. VISIBILITIES MAY DROP TO IFR VERY BRIEFLY...BUT MVFR SEEMS MORE LIKELY SINCE THE SNOW SHOWER COVERAGE SHOULD BE SCATTERED AT BEST. KEPT THE TEMPO GROUP OF MVFR VISIBILITY TIL 00Z WHEN SNOW SHOWERS ARE MOST LIKELY. UPSTREAM...CLEARING CAN BE SEEN DROPPING INTO NORTHERN NORTH DAKOTA. ANTICIPATING THIS TO REACH THE TAF SITES AROUND 06Z TO HELP SCATTER OUT THE MVFR CLOUD DECK...LEADING TO VFR CONDITIONS AFTERWARDS THROUGH 18Z SUNDAY. PLAN ON WINDS TO GRADUALLY DIMINISH AS WELL BETWEEN 06-18Z SUNDAY...STAYING THE STRONGEST AT KLSE BEING CLOSER TO THE SURFACE LOW AND FARTHEST AWAY FROM ARCTIC HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING INTO WESTERN MINNESOTA. && .ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... 551 AM CST SAT JAN 19 2013 WI...WIND ADVISORY FROM 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT FOR WIZ017-029-032>034-041>044-053>055-061. WIND CHILL ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 9 AM CST SUNDAY FOR WIZ017-029. MN...WIND ADVISORY FROM 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT FOR MNZ079-086>088-094>096. IA...WIND ADVISORY FROM 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT FOR IAZ008>011-018-019-029-030. && $$ SHORT TERM...HALBACH LONG TERM...HALBACH AVIATION...AJ
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GREEN BAY WI
1130 AM CST SAT JAN 19 2013 UPDATED AVIATION PORTION FOR 18Z TAF ISSUANCE .UPDATE...THE LATEST RUC ANALYSIS AND SATELLITE/RADAR IMAGERY SHOW AN AREA OF MIXED PRECIPITATION OVER NE WISCONSIN LATE THIS MORNING. THIS PRECIPITATION SHOULD EXIT BY AROUND MIDDAY...BUT COULD STILL LEAD TO SLICK ROADWAYS OVER DOOR COUNTY WHERE TEMPERATURES ARE CURRENTLY IN THE UPPER 20S. LOOKING AHEAD...A STRONG SHORTWAVE AND ARCTIC COLD FRONT ARE NOW MOVING QUICKLY EAST OVER NORTHERN MINNESOTA. BOTH THE 12Z NAM AND RUC SHOW THESE FEATURES REACHING NORTH-CENTRAL AND CENTRAL WISCONSIN AROUND 20-21Z AND NORTHEAST WISCONSIN BY AROUND 00Z. UPSTREAM OBS OVER NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHERN MINNESOTA SHOW OBS IN THE 1-3SM RANGE...AND SUPPORT GOING WITH LIKELY SNOW SHOWERS OVER N-C WISCONSIN LATE THIS AFTERNOON. ALSO HAVE OBSERVED SEVERAL WIND GUSTS IN THE UPPER 30S TO LOWER 40S KTS BEHIND THE FRONT...WHERE A STRONG ISALLOBARIC COMPONENT IS LEADING TO HIGHER GUSTS. SINCE THE COLDER AIR BEHIND THE FRONT IS NOT PROGGED TO ARRIVE OVER THE FOX VALLEY AND LAKESHORE UNTIL 00Z...HAVE DELAYED THE WIND ADVISORY HEADLINES BY A FEW HOURS THERE. THE BEST PERIOD OF WIND IS DUE TO ARRIVE LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE THIS EVENING WHEN THE STRONGEST DESCENDING MOTION AND ISALLOBARIC PUSH ARRIVE. THINK THE ADVISORY ENDING TIME IS A BIT TOO LONG...BUT WILL RE-EXAMINE THAT LATER. MPC && .PREV DISCUSSION...ISSUED AT 625 AM CST SAT JAN 19 2013. SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY...PCPN TRENDS...STRONG WINDS... FALLING TEMPERATURES AND ASSOCIATED WIND ADVISORY/WIND CHILL/MARINE HEADLINES ARE THE MAIN FCST CONCERNS. CLIPPER LOW OVER NE ND/NW MN WILL TRACK THROUGH THE UPPER PENINSULA OF MICHIGAN TODAY...AND DRAG AN ARCTIC COLD FRONT THROUGH THE FCST AREA THIS AFTERNOON. SCT SNOW SHOWERS SEEN OVER THER MN ARROWHEAD AND FAR NW WI SHOULD BRUSH THROUGH NORTHERN WI THIS MORNING...AND ADDITIONAL SNOW SHOWERS WILL ACCOMPANY THE COLD FRONT THIS AFTERNOON. ALTHOUGH MOISTURE IS LACKING WITH THIS SYSTEM...VERY STG DYNAMICS ASSOC WITH A STG S/W TROF...THE LFQ OF AN UPPER LEVEL JET...DEEP MID-LEVEL FRONTOGENTIC FORCING AND STEEP 850-700 MB LAPSE RATES WILL HELP GENERATE SCT MODERATE SNOW SHOWERS ALONG THE FRONT THIS AFTERNOON. THIS COULD END UP BEING A HISA (HIGH IMPACT SUB-ADVISORY) EVENT...AS LOCALLY POOR VISIBILITIES WILL LIKELY OCCUR...AND WET ROADS WILL QUICKLY FREEZE AS TEMPERATURES PLUMMET BEHIND THE FRONT LATE THIS AFTERNOON. WILL MENTION THIS POSSIBILITY IN THE HWO...AND ADD AN EXTRA PARAGRAPH ABOUT IT IN THE WIND ADVISORY STATEMENT. THE DAY SHIFT CAN ISSUE AN SPS IF THE SNOW SHOWERS AND TRAVEL CONCERNS DEVELOP AS EXPECTED. HAVE MAINTAINED LIKELY POPS ACROSS NC WI FOR THIS AFTERNOON...WHERE MOST PLACES SHOULD PICK UP AN INCH OR SO OF SNOW THIS AFTERNOON. LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS ARE POSSIBLE IN VILAS COUNTY. PCPN TRENDS WILL TRANSITION TO MORE OF A TYPICAL NW FLOW LAKE EFFECT PATTERN TONIGHT INTO SUNDAY. THE SETUP IS NEVER PERFECT FOR BIG ACCUMS...AS THE WIND TRAJECTORY IS BIT TOO WESTERLY AT TIMES...STG SUBSIDENCE OCCURS AT TIMES...AND LLVL TEMPS BECOME TOO COLD FOR DENDRITES BY MID-EVENING TONIGHT. PLAN TO MENTION ADDITIONAL ACCUMS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES IN VILAS COUNTY TONIGHT AND ANOTHER INCH ON SUNDAY. STG CAA AND SUBSIDENCE IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT...COMBINED WITH 925 MB WINDS 40-45 KTS/850 MB WINDS OF 45-55 KT...AND STEEP LLVL LAPSE RATES...SHOULD RESULT IN WIND GUSTS TO 45 TO 50 MPH ACROSS MOST OF C/EC WI AND THE LAKESHORE LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. HAVE ISSUED A WIND ADVISORY FOR THIS AREA. THE WINDS WILL SUBSIDE A BIT OVERNIGHT...BUT THE COMBINATION OF WIND/TEMPS WILL PRODUCE WIND CHILLS AS COLD AS -25 OVER MUCH OF NC/C WI OVERNIGHT INTO SUNDAY MORNING. HAVE ISSUED A WIND CHILL ADVISORY FOR THAT AREA. LONG TERM...SUNDAY NGT THRU NEXT FRI. THE MAIN STORY FOR THE FIRST PART OF THE EXTENDED FCST TO BE THE ARCTIC BLAST WHICH WL SETTLE OVER THE REGION WITH THE COLDEST AIR THIS WINTER SEASON. NOT UNTIL THE WRN CONUS UPR RDG BREAKS DOWN AT MID-WEEK WL THE ARCTIC AIR BEGIN TO LEAVE WI...TO QUICKLY BE FOLLOWED BY A RELATIVELY STRONG/FAST-MOVING SHORTWAVE TROF ACROSS THE NRN TIER OF STATES. THIS SYSTEM WOULD IMPACT NE WI THU-THU NGT AND BRING THE NEXT CHC FOR MEASURABLE SNOW. TEMPS BY LATE IN THE WORK WEEK SHOULD AT LEAST APPROACH NORMAL ALTHO ANOTHER COOL DOWN IS HINTED AT BY THE MDLS FOR NEXT WEEKEND. ARCTIC AIR WL CONT TO POUR INTO THE GREAT LAKES SUNDAY NGT WITH 8H TEMPS OVER NW WI APPROACHING -30C. THE PRESSURE GRADIENT IS STILL FAIRLY TIGHT BETWEEN THE DEPARTED CLIPPER OVER SE CANADA AND STRONG HI PRES OVER THE NRN/CNTRL PLAINS. EXPECT TO SEE WIND CHILL HEADLINES TO BE ISSUED WITH MIN TEMPS RANGING FROM THE MID-TEENS BELOW ZERO N-CNTRL TO AROUND ZERO LAKESIDE...COUPLED WITH W-NW WINDS AROUND 10 MPH...TO SEND WIND CHILLS INTO THE -20 TO -32 DEGREE RANGE. THESE W-NW WINDS ARE NOT A FAVORABLE TRAJ FOR HEAVY LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHWRS OVER VILAS CNTY...HOWEVER ANTICIPATE SEEING AT LEAST SCT SNOW SHWR ACTIVITY REACH THE FAVORED SNOWBELT AREAS OF THE CNTY WITH PERHAPS UP TO AN INCH OF ACCUMULATION. LITTLE CHANGE EXPECTED SYNOPTICALLY SPEAKING HEADED INTO MON WITH THE NW FLOW ALOFT AND THE ARCTIC AIR MASS LOCKED IN OVER THE REGION. THE BETTER LAKE EFFECT SNOW WL CONT TO FAVOR NW/ERN 1/3 OF UPR MI WITH ONLY SCT ACTIVITY AFFECTING VILAS CNTY. TEMPS WL REMAIN THE BIG STORY AS MUCH OF N-CNTRL AND CNTRL WI WL NOT GET OUR OF THE NEGATIVE NUMBERS (GENERALLY ZERO TO 5 BELOW). ON TOP OF THE VERY COLD TEMPS WL BE A SUSTAINED W-NW WIND OF 10 TO 20 MPH WHICH WOULD PLACE WIND CHILL READINGS AT -20 DEGS OR COLDER FOR ALMOST THE ENTIRE FCST AREA...THUS HEADLINES BY NEED TO BE EXTENDED RIGHT THRU MON. THE AREA OF HI PRES IS FCST TO EXTEND FROM THE UPR MS VALLEY TO THE OZARKS MON NGT WITH WINDS BACKING A BIT MORE TO A 280 OR 290 DEGREE DIRECTION WHICH IS EVEN MORE OF AN UNFAVORABLE TRAJ TO BRING LAKE EFFECT INTO VILAS CNTY...THUS AM NOT EXPECTING MUCH (IF ANY ACCUMULATION). THERE WL BE SOME WIND THRU THE NGT WHICH WOULD HELP TO PREVENT TEMPS FROM COMPLETELY FREE-FALLING. EVEN SO...MON NGT APPEARS TO BE THE COLDEST NGT WITH READINGS DROPPING TO NEAR 20 BELOW ZERO N-CNTRL...AROUND 5 BELOW ZERO ALONG THE LK MI SHORELINE. ADD IN SOME WIND AND WE ARE LOOKING AT ADDITIONAL WIND CHILL HEADLINES FOR ALL OF NE WI. THE HI PRES FINALLY REACHES THE WRN GREAT LAKES REGION ON TUE WHICH SHOULD ALLOW FOR WINDS TO LIGHTEN UP (GENERALLY IN THE 5-10 MPH RANGE). THIS SFC HI DOES NOT HAVE A LOT OF DRY AIR WITH IT AS FCST SOUNDINGS INDICATE SEVERAL LAYERS OF MOISTURE...THUS PARTLY SUNNY SKIES WOULD BE THE BEST CASE SCENARIO. MAX TEMPS WL AGAIN STRUGGLE TO REACH ZERO...ESPECIALLY AFTER THE BITTERLY COLD START TO THE DAY. MAY NEED TO TAKE VALUES DOWN A DEGREE OR TWO FROM THE PREVIOUS FCST. CHANGES IN THE OVERALL SYNOPTIC PATTERN BEGINS TUE NGT AS THE WRN CONUS UPR RDG STARTS TO MOVE TOWARD THE ROCKIES AND WEAKEN A BIT. ONE MORE VERY COLD NGT ANTICIPATED ACROSS NE WI WITH THE SFC HI PRACTICALLY OVERHEAD (THUS LIGHT WINDS). LOOK FOR MIN TEMPS TO RANGE FROM 10 BELOW TO 15 BELOW NORTH TO AROUND ZERO LAKESIDE. SOME MODERATION IN TEMPS IS EXPECTED ON WED AS THE SFC HI SHIFTS TO OUR EAST ALLOWING WINDS TO BACK W-SW AND THE CORE OF THE UPR TROF PULLS FARTHER EAST. IN ADDITION...THE UPR RDG QUICKLY BREAKS DOWN OVER THE ROCKIES ALLOWING FOR SOME MILDER PACIFIC AIR TO BEGIN MOVING INTO THE CNTRL CONUS. SINCE THE MEAN FLOW TO BECOME LESS AMPLIFIED WITH THE BREAK DOWN OF THE UPR RDG...THIS WL ALLOW FOR A PACIFIC SYSTEM TO RACE EWD ACROSS THE CONUS WED NGT INTO FRI. AS ONE WOULD EXPECT...THE MDLS ARE HAVING SERIOUS TIMING ISSUES WITH THIS SYSTEM...AS WELL AS THE TRACK OF THE ACCOMPANYING SFC LOW. SIMPLY TAKING A ROUGH AVERAGE OF THE MDLS WOULD FAVOR THIS SYSTEM AFFECTING NE WI DURING THE THU- THU NGT TIME FRAME WITH SOME MEASURABLE SNOW. AMOUNTS COULD BE LIMITED DUE TO THE SPEED OF THE SYSTEM OVERALL...BUT WAY TOO EARLY TO DETERMINE SNOW EXTENT JUST YET. TEMPS ARE PROGGED TO WARM INTO THE TEENS TO LWR 20S FOR BOTH THU AND FRI...BUT THERE ARE SIGNS OF ANOTHER UPR RDG BUILDING ACROSS THE WRN CONUS TOWARD NEXT WEEKEND WHICH COULD DUMP ANOTHER COLD AIR MASS INTO THE GREAT LAKES. THIS AIR MASS WHILE COLD...WL NOT BE ANYTHING COMPARED TO THE IMPENDING ARCTIC BLAST FROM EARLIER IN THE WEEK. && .AVIATION...WHILE LIGHT MIXED PRECIPITATION HAS EXITED NORTHEAST WISCONSIN...THE BIGGEST AVIATION HAZARDS WILL ACCOMPANY AN ARCTIC COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. SCT SNOW SHOWERS ARE STILL EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ALONG THE FRONT...WITH LOCAL VSBYS BLO 1SM. IN ADDITION...STRONG WEST WINDS WILL DEVELOP BEHIND THE FRONT AS ARCTIC AIR POURS ACROSS THE STATE...WITH GUSTS TO 35 TO 40 KTS...HIGHEST ACROSS C/EC WI AND ALONG THE LAKESHORE. LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS WILL DEVELOP IN NC WI TONIGHT...AND NW WINDS WILL BE STRONG ENOUGH TO CARRY SOME SNOW INTO RHI. IMPROVING CONDITIONS WILL OCCUR AFTER MIDNIGHT IN TERMS OF DIMINISHING WINDS...SNOW SHOWERS...AND INCREASING CIGS. VFR CONDITIONS TOMORROW UNDER ARCTIC HIGH PRESSURE. MPC && .GRB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WIND ADVISORY FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 3 AM CST SUNDAY FOR WIZ038>040-048>050. WIND ADVISORY FROM 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT FOR WIZ030-031-035>037-045. WIND CHILL ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 9 AM CST SUNDAY FOR WIZ005-010-011-018-019-030-035-036. WIND ADVISORY FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 AM CST SUNDAY FOR WIZ022. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GREEN BAY WI
1039 AM CST SAT JAN 19 2013 .UPDATE...THE LATEST RUC ANALYSIS AND SATELLITE/RADAR IMAGERY SHOW AN AREA OF MIXED PRECIPITATION OVER NE WISCONSIN LATE THIS MORNING. THIS PRECIPITATION SHOULD EXIT BY AROUND MIDDAY...BUT COULD STILL LEAD TO SLICK ROADWAYS OVER DOOR COUNTY WHERE TEMPERATURES ARE CURRENTLY IN THE UPPER 20S. LOOKING AHEAD...A STRONG SHORTWAVE AND ARCTIC COLD FRONT ARE NOW MOVING QUICKLY EAST OVER NORTHERN MINNESOTA. BOTH THE 12Z NAM AND RUC SHOW THESE FEATURES REACHING NORTH-CENTRAL AND CENTRAL WISCONSIN AROUND 20-21Z AND NORTHEAST WISCONSIN BY AROUND 00Z. UPSTREAM OBS OVER NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHERN MINNESOTA SHOW OBS IN THE 1-3SM RANGE...AND SUPPORT GOING WITH LIKELY SNOW SHOWERS OVER N-C WISCONSIN LATE THIS AFTERNOON. ALSO HAVE OBSERVED SEVERAL WIND GUSTS IN THE UPPER 30S TO LOWER 40S KTS BEHIND THE FRONT...WHERE A STRONG ISALLOBARIC COMPONENT IS LEADING TO HIGHER GUSTS. SINCE THE COLDER AIR BEHIND THE FRONT IS NOT PROGGED TO ARRIVE OVER THE FOX VALLEY AND LAKESHORE UNTIL 00Z...HAVE DELAYED THE WIND ADVISORY HEADLINES BY A FEW HOURS THERE. THE BEST PERIOD OF WIND IS DUE TO ARRIVE LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE THIS EVENING WHEN THE STRONGEST DESCENDING MOTION AND ISALLOBARIC PUSH ARRIVE. THINK THE ADVISORY ENDING TIME IS A BIT TOO LONG...BUT WILL RE-EXAMINE THAT LATER. MPC && .PREV DISCUSSION...ISSUED AT 625 AM CST SAT JAN 19 2013. SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY...PCPN TRENDS...STRONG WINDS... FALLING TEMPERATURES AND ASSOCIATED WIND ADVISORY/WIND CHILL/MARINE HEADLINES ARE THE MAIN FCST CONCERNS. CLIPPER LOW OVER NE ND/NW MN WILL TRACK THROUGH THE UPPER PENINSULA OF MICHIGAN TODAY...AND DRAG AN ARCTIC COLD FRONT THROUGH THE FCST AREA THIS AFTERNOON. SCT SNOW SHOWERS SEEN OVER THER MN ARROWHEAD AND FAR NW WI SHOULD BRUSH THROUGH NORTHERN WI THIS MORNING...AND ADDITIONAL SNOW SHOWERS WILL ACCOMPANY THE COLD FRONT THIS AFTERNOON. ALTHOUGH MOISTURE IS LACKING WITH THIS SYSTEM...VERY STG DYNAMICS ASSOC WITH A STG S/W TROF...THE LFQ OF AN UPPER LEVEL JET...DEEP MID-LEVEL FRONTOGENTIC FORCING AND STEEP 850-700 MB LAPSE RATES WILL HELP GENERATE SCT MODERATE SNOW SHOWERS ALONG THE FRONT THIS AFTERNOON. THIS COULD END UP BEING A HISA (HIGH IMPACT SUB-ADVISORY) EVENT...AS LOCALLY POOR VISIBILITIES WILL LIKELY OCCUR...AND WET ROADS WILL QUICKLY FREEZE AS TEMPERATURES PLUMMET BEHIND THE FRONT LATE THIS AFTERNOON. WILL MENTION THIS POSSIBILITY IN THE HWO...AND ADD AN EXTRA PARAGRAPH ABOUT IT IN THE WIND ADVISORY STATEMENT. THE DAY SHIFT CAN ISSUE AN SPS IF THE SNOW SHOWERS AND TRAVEL CONCERNS DEVELOP AS EXPECTED. HAVE MAINTAINED LIKELY POPS ACROSS NC WI FOR THIS AFTERNOON...WHERE MOST PLACES SHOULD PICK UP AN INCH OR SO OF SNOW THIS AFTERNOON. LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS ARE POSSIBLE IN VILAS COUNTY. PCPN TRENDS WILL TRANSITION TO MORE OF A TYPICAL NW FLOW LAKE EFFECT PATTERN TONIGHT INTO SUNDAY. THE SETUP IS NEVER PERFECT FOR BIG ACCUMS...AS THE WIND TRAJECTORY IS BIT TOO WESTERLY AT TIMES...STG SUBSIDENCE OCCURS AT TIMES...AND LLVL TEMPS BECOME TOO COLD FOR DENDRITES BY MID-EVENING TONIGHT. PLAN TO MENTION ADDITIONAL ACCUMS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES IN VILAS COUNTY TONIGHT AND ANOTHER INCH ON SUNDAY. STG CAA AND SUBSIDENCE IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT...COMBINED WITH 925 MB WINDS 40-45 KTS/850 MB WINDS OF 45-55 KT...AND STEEP LLVL LAPSE RATES...SHOULD RESULT IN WIND GUSTS TO 45 TO 50 MPH ACROSS MOST OF C/EC WI AND THE LAKESHORE LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. HAVE ISSUED A WIND ADVISORY FOR THIS AREA. THE WINDS WILL SUBSIDE A BIT OVERNIGHT...BUT THE COMBINATION OF WIND/TEMPS WILL PRODUCE WIND CHILLS AS COLD AS -25 OVER MUCH OF NC/C WI OVERNIGHT INTO SUNDAY MORNING. HAVE ISSUED A WIND CHILL ADVISORY FOR THAT AREA. LONG TERM...SUNDAY NGT THRU NEXT FRI. THE MAIN STORY FOR THE FIRST PART OF THE EXTENDED FCST TO BE THE ARCTIC BLAST WHICH WL SETTLE OVER THE REGION WITH THE COLDEST AIR THIS WINTER SEASON. NOT UNTIL THE WRN CONUS UPR RDG BREAKS DOWN AT MID-WEEK WL THE ARCTIC AIR BEGIN TO LEAVE WI...TO QUICKLY BE FOLLOWED BY A RELATIVELY STRONG/FAST-MOVING SHORTWAVE TROF ACROSS THE NRN TIER OF STATES. THIS SYSTEM WOULD IMPACT NE WI THU-THU NGT AND BRING THE NEXT CHC FOR MEASURABLE SNOW. TEMPS BY LATE IN THE WORK WEEK SHOULD AT LEAST APPROACH NORMAL ALTHO ANOTHER COOL DOWN IS HINTED AT BY THE MDLS FOR NEXT WEEKEND. ARCTIC AIR WL CONT TO POUR INTO THE GREAT LAKES SUNDAY NGT WITH 8H TEMPS OVER NW WI APPROACHING -30C. THE PRESSURE GRADIENT IS STILL FAIRLY TIGHT BETWEEN THE DEPARTED CLIPPER OVER SE CANADA AND STRONG HI PRES OVER THE NRN/CNTRL PLAINS. EXPECT TO SEE WIND CHILL HEADLINES TO BE ISSUED WITH MIN TEMPS RANGING FROM THE MID-TEENS BELOW ZERO N-CNTRL TO AROUND ZERO LAKESIDE...COUPLED WITH W-NW WINDS AROUND 10 MPH...TO SEND WIND CHILLS INTO THE -20 TO -32 DEGREE RANGE. THESE W-NW WINDS ARE NOT A FAVORABLE TRAJ FOR HEAVY LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHWRS OVER VILAS CNTY...HOWEVER ANTICIPATE SEEING AT LEAST SCT SNOW SHWR ACTIVITY REACH THE FAVORED SNOWBELT AREAS OF THE CNTY WITH PERHAPS UP TO AN INCH OF ACCUMULATION. LITTLE CHANGE EXPECTED SYNOPTICALLY SPEAKING HEADED INTO MON WITH THE NW FLOW ALOFT AND THE ARCTIC AIR MASS LOCKED IN OVER THE REGION. THE BETTER LAKE EFFECT SNOW WL CONT TO FAVOR NW/ERN 1/3 OF UPR MI WITH ONLY SCT ACTIVITY AFFECTING VILAS CNTY. TEMPS WL REMAIN THE BIG STORY AS MUCH OF N-CNTRL AND CNTRL WI WL NOT GET OUR OF THE NEGATIVE NUMBERS (GENERALLY ZERO TO 5 BELOW). ON TOP OF THE VERY COLD TEMPS WL BE A SUSTAINED W-NW WIND OF 10 TO 20 MPH WHICH WOULD PLACE WIND CHILL READINGS AT -20 DEGS OR COLDER FOR ALMOST THE ENTIRE FCST AREA...THUS HEADLINES BY NEED TO BE EXTENDED RIGHT THRU MON. THE AREA OF HI PRES IS FCST TO EXTEND FROM THE UPR MS VALLEY TO THE OZARKS MON NGT WITH WINDS BACKING A BIT MORE TO A 280 OR 290 DEGREE DIRECTION WHICH IS EVEN MORE OF AN UNFAVORABLE TRAJ TO BRING LAKE EFFECT INTO VILAS CNTY...THUS AM NOT EXPECTING MUCH (IF ANY ACCUMULATION). THERE WL BE SOME WIND THRU THE NGT WHICH WOULD HELP TO PREVENT TEMPS FROM COMPLETELY FREE-FALLING. EVEN SO...MON NGT APPEARS TO BE THE COLDEST NGT WITH READINGS DROPPING TO NEAR 20 BELOW ZERO N-CNTRL...AROUND 5 BELOW ZERO ALONG THE LK MI SHORELINE. ADD IN SOME WIND AND WE ARE LOOKING AT ADDITIONAL WIND CHILL HEADLINES FOR ALL OF NE WI. THE HI PRES FINALLY REACHES THE WRN GREAT LAKES REGION ON TUE WHICH SHOULD ALLOW FOR WINDS TO LIGHTEN UP (GENERALLY IN THE 5-10 MPH RANGE). THIS SFC HI DOES NOT HAVE A LOT OF DRY AIR WITH IT AS FCST SOUNDINGS INDICATE SEVERAL LAYERS OF MOISTURE...THUS PARTLY SUNNY SKIES WOULD BE THE BEST CASE SCENARIO. MAX TEMPS WL AGAIN STRUGGLE TO REACH ZERO...ESPECIALLY AFTER THE BITTERLY COLD START TO THE DAY. MAY NEED TO TAKE VALUES DOWN A DEGREE OR TWO FROM THE PREVIOUS FCST. CHANGES IN THE OVERALL SYNOPTIC PATTERN BEGINS TUE NGT AS THE WRN CONUS UPR RDG STARTS TO MOVE TOWARD THE ROCKIES AND WEAKEN A BIT. ONE MORE VERY COLD NGT ANTICIPATED ACROSS NE WI WITH THE SFC HI PRACTICALLY OVERHEAD (THUS LIGHT WINDS). LOOK FOR MIN TEMPS TO RANGE FROM 10 BELOW TO 15 BELOW NORTH TO AROUND ZERO LAKESIDE. SOME MODERATION IN TEMPS IS EXPECTED ON WED AS THE SFC HI SHIFTS TO OUR EAST ALLOWING WINDS TO BACK W-SW AND THE CORE OF THE UPR TROF PULLS FARTHER EAST. IN ADDITION...THE UPR RDG QUICKLY BREAKS DOWN OVER THE ROCKIES ALLOWING FOR SOME MILDER PACIFIC AIR TO BEGIN MOVING INTO THE CNTRL CONUS. SINCE THE MEAN FLOW TO BECOME LESS AMPLIFIED WITH THE BREAK DOWN OF THE UPR RDG...THIS WL ALLOW FOR A PACIFIC SYSTEM TO RACE EWD ACROSS THE CONUS WED NGT INTO FRI. AS ONE WOULD EXPECT...THE MDLS ARE HAVING SERIOUS TIMING ISSUES WITH THIS SYSTEM...AS WELL AS THE TRACK OF THE ACCOMPANYING SFC LOW. SIMPLY TAKING A ROUGH AVERAGE OF THE MDLS WOULD FAVOR THIS SYSTEM AFFECTING NE WI DURING THE THU- THU NGT TIME FRAME WITH SOME MEASURABLE SNOW. AMOUNTS COULD BE LIMITED DUE TO THE SPEED OF THE SYSTEM OVERALL...BUT WAY TOO EARLY TO DETERMINE SNOW EXTENT JUST YET. TEMPS ARE PROGGED TO WARM INTO THE TEENS TO LWR 20S FOR BOTH THU AND FRI...BUT THERE ARE SIGNS OF ANOTHER UPR RDG BUILDING ACROSS THE WRN CONUS TOWARD NEXT WEEKEND WHICH COULD DUMP ANOTHER COLD AIR MASS INTO THE GREAT LAKES. THIS AIR MASS WHILE COLD...WL NOT BE ANYTHING COMPARED TO THE IMPENDING ARCTIC BLAST FROM EARLIER IN THE WEEK. && .AVIATION...LOW CLOUDS REMAINED ACROSS FAR NORTHERN WI EARLY THIS MORNING...AND SCT SNOW SHOWERS WILL LIKELY IMPACT THAT AREA THIS MORNING. HOWEVER...THE BIGGEST AVIATION HAZARDS WILL ACCOMPANY AN ARCTIC COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE THIS AFTERNOON. SCT SNOW SHOWERS WILL DEVELOP ALONG THE FRONT...WITH LOCAL VSBYS BLO 1SM. IN ADDITION... STRONG WEST WINDS WILL DEVELOP LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT... WITH GUSTS TO 35 TO 45 KTS...HIGHEST ACROSS C/EC WI AND ALONG THE LAKESHORE. LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS WILL DEVELOP IN NC WI LATER TODAY INTO TONIGHT...ESPECIALLY ACROSS VILAS COUNTY. && .GRB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WIND ADVISORY FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 3 AM CST SUNDAY FOR WIZ038>040-048>050. WIND ADVISORY FROM 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT FOR WIZ030-031-035>037-045. WIND CHILL ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 9 AM CST SUNDAY FOR WIZ005-010-011-018-019-030-035-036. WIND ADVISORY FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 AM CST SUNDAY FOR WIZ022. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LA CROSSE WI
947 AM CST SAT JAN 19 2013 .SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT 947 AM CST SAT JAN 19 2013 947 AM UPDATE...FORECAST IN GENERAL REMAINS ON TRACK. POTENT SHORTWAVE WAS NOTED ON THE 15Z WATER VAPOR LOOP OVER SOUTHERN MANITOBA...WITH A 120-140 KT JET AT THE TROPOPAUSE DIGGING INTO THE DAKOTAS ON THE SOUTHWEST SIDE OF THE SHORTWAVE PER RAP ANALYSIS. DPVA AHEAD OF THE SHORTWAVE HAS RESULTED IN A DEEPENING SURFACE LOW...CURRENTLY AROUND 1002MB CENTERED OVER THE MN ARROWHEAD. TRAILING THE LOW IS AN ARCTIC COLD FRONT ALONG THE NORTH DAKOTA/SOUTH DAKOTA BORDER. SURFACE TEMPERATURES DROP FROM THE MID TO UPPER 30S FROM SOUTH DAKOTA INTO THE FORECAST AREA...INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS ABOVE ZERO OVER NORTHERN NORTH DAKOTA. WITH THE RAPID DROP IN TEMPERATURES IS A 2 MB/HR PRESSURE RISE OVER NORTH DAKOTA. THESE PRESSURE RISES AND A TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT BEHIND THE ARCTIC FRONT HAS RESULTED IN WINDS GUSTING 30-50 KT ACROSS NORTH DAKOTA INTO FAR NORTHWEST MN. THERE ARE ALSO SOME SNOW SHOWERS OCCURRING IMMEDIATELY BEHIND THE FRONT...AIDED BY LOW LEVEL FRONTOGENESIS. NAM/RAP/HRRR FORECASTS CONTINUE TO INDICATE THAT THE ARCTIC FRONT WILL CROSS THE FORECAST AREA BETWEEN 21-00Z...WITH WINDS AND GUSTS RAPIDLY INCREASING BEHIND THE FRONT AS INDICATED OVER NORTH DAKOTA. INTERESTING TO SEE THAT AT 00Z...THE RAP WIND GUSTS SHOW UPWARDS OF 40 KT OR SO ACROSS THE ENTIRE FORECAST AREA. NEEDLESS TO SAY...THE WIND ADVISORY LOOKS SOLID. PLUS...THE SURFACE LOW SHOULD BE ABLE TO DEEPEN A LITTLE MORE AS IT MOVES ACROSS THE WARMER LAKE SUPERIOR WATER...AND HAS THE SYNOPTIC SCALE IMPACT TO DEEPEN. THERE ARE 2 ISSUES PRIOR TO THE ARCTIC FRONT ARRIVAL...THOUGH. THE FIRST IS CLOUD COVER. FIRST BAND OF MID CLOUDS...ASSOCIATED WITH A SHORTWAVE SEEN ON WATER VAPOR STRETCHING FROM NORTHEAST NEBRASKA TO LA CROSSE...IS CLEARING OUT OF THE FORECAST AREA RIGHT NOW. ANOTHER BATCH OF MID CLOUDS HAVE DEVELOPED OVER CENTRAL MN...AHEAD OF ANOTHER WEAK SHORTWAVE. THESE CLOUDS APPEAR SLATED TO CROSS THE FORECAST AREA DURING THE NEXT FEW HOURS. HAVE INCREASED CLOUD COVER TO ACCOUNT FOR THESE. THERE STILL MAY BE ANOTHER BREAK IN CLOUDS BEFORE THE ARCTIC FRONT ARRIVES. WITH THE IN-AND-OUT PERIODS OF SUNSHINE AND 925MB TEMPS AROUND 5C PER 12Z MPX AND DVN RAOBS...CONCERNED TEMPERATURES ARE NOT HIGH ENOUGH. HRRR ACTUALLY HAS TEMPERATURES CLIMBING INTO THE LOW 50S OVER THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA. HRRR DID VERY WELL YESTERDAY...ALBEIT WE DID HAVE FULL SUNSHINE. FOR NOW HAVE INCREASED TEMPERATURES SLIGHTLY...MAINLY SOUTH OF I-90. LASTLY...RAP AND 00Z/06Z NCEP HIRES ARW RUNS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT SHOWING THE BAND OF SNOW SHOWERS OVER SOUTHERN NORTH DAKOTA POST- FRONTAL DROPPING THROUGH MOST OF THE FORECAST AREA BETWEEN 18-00Z. PREVIOUS FORECAST HAD THIS COVERED WELL...JUST GAVE A LITTLE MORE TIMING AND SWITCHED TO A COVERAGE SNOW SHOWERS PHRASING SINCE THERE IS A CONVECTIVE NATURE TO THE PRECIPITATION. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION ISSUED AT 318 AM... THE MAIN FOCUS IS ON THE DRASTIC CHANGES THAT ARE ON TAP FOR TODAY AS A COLD FRONT DROPS THROUGH THE REGION. CURRENTLY...BROAD CYCLONIC FLOW ALOFT IS IN PLACE THROUGH MUCH OF CANADA AND THE US WITH THE CORE OF THE LOW CENTERED TO THE EAST OF HUDSON BAY LEAVING THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY IN NORTHWESTERLY FLOW. DESPITE THIS...LOW LEVEL TEMPERATURES REMAIN MILD AT THE MOMENT WITH A SURFACE LOW OVER EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND A WARM FRONT EXTENDING TO THE EAST-SOUTHEAST ACROSS NORTHERN WISCONSIN. THIS MORNING WILL END UP BEING THE WARMEST PART OF THE DAY AS THIS SURFACE LOW TRACKS TO THE EAST TOWARD THE UP OF MICHIGAN. THIS FEATURE WILL BRING A COLD FRONT THROUGH THE REGION EARLY THIS AFTERNOON WITH WINDS SHIFTING TO THE NORTHWEST AND BECOMING STRONG POST-FROPA. NOT A WHOLE LOT OF CHANGES TO THE GOING WIND FORECAST WITH A TIGHTENING SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT...STRONG LOW LEVEL COLD AIR ADVECTION AND 3HR PRESSURE RISES OF 6-8MB SHOULD ALL LEAD TO STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS FOR A 6 TO 9 HOUR PERIOD LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SUBSIDENT AIR SHOULD HELP TO MIX DOWN SOME HIGHER GUSTS IN THE 45-50MPH RANGE...PARTICULARLY IN THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS IN SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA AND NORTHEAST IOWA. BASED ON ALL THIS...THE WIND ADVISORY STILL LOOKS GOOD FOR THE REGION STARTING MID AFTERNOON AND ENDING AROUND MIDNIGHT AS THE WINDS DIMINISH. ANOTHER FEATURE WITH THIS FRONT IS THE BRIEF SHOT OF SNOW THAT WILL COME WITH IT. THE 19.00Z NAM AND MESO-MODELS SHOW A BAND OF SNOW FORMING OUT AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT WHERE THE OVERALL FORCING IS A LITTLE STRONGER ACROSS SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA AND NORTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN. THIS WILL LEAD TO A SHORT PERIOD...LIKELY LESS THAN AN HOUR...OF SNOW WHICH COULD BRIEFLY BE HEAVY. THIS COULD LEAD TO A BRIEF DUSTING OF AROUND A HALF INCH OF SNOW AS IT COMES THROUGH. KEPT SOME FLURRIES THROUGH THE NIGHT ACROSS MUCH OF THE REGION DUE TO THE LOW LEVEL SATURATED LAYER BEING IN THE ICE LAYER OF -8C TO -20C...THOUGH THEY MAY NOT OCCUR IF THE SUBSIDENCE IS TOO STRONG AND CLEARS THINGS OUT. ALTHOUGH WINDS WILL BE ON THE DECREASE AFTER MIDNIGHT...THEY WILL STILL BE IN THE 10-20MPH RANGE AS THE COLDER AIR MOVES INTO THE REGION. BASED ON THE TEMPERATURE/WIND FORECAST...THERE COULD BE SOME -20F TO -25F WIND CHILLS THAT OCCUR ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA AND NORTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN. THIS MAY WARRANT THE NEED FOR A WIND CHILL ADVISORY ONCE THE WIND ADVISORY ENDS. MAY STILL GO FOR ONE THIS MORNING...BUT AM STILL WORKING ON THE COLLABORATION WITH NEIGHBORING OFFICES AT THE MOMENT ON WHETHER TO GO FOR IT NOW OR LATER TODAY. BEYOND THIS ITS ALL ABOUT HOW COLD TEMPERATURES WILL GET WITH LITTLE TO NO SNOW PACK OUT THERE. A WEAKENING MID LEVEL TROUGH THAT HAS LITTLE LOW LEVEL SUPPORT WILL MOVE THROUGH ON SUNDAY AND COULD PROVIDE ANOTHER DUSTING OF SNOW...THOUGH CONFIDENCE IS NOT VERY HIGH ON THIS WITH THE WEAK MID LEVEL LIFT. HAD THE SNOW PACK NOT ERODED AWAY LAST WEEK...OUR TEMPERATURES WOULD LIKELY BE ABOUT 10 DEGREES COLDER THAN WHAT IS BEING FORECAST. DESPITE THIS...THE GUIDANCE ALL REMAINS IN GOOD AGREEMENT OF HAVING SUB-ZERO TEMPERATURES IN PLACE TO START NEXT WEEK. WIND CHILL ADVISORIES WILL DEFINITELY BE NEEDED FROM MONDAY MORNING THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING WITH WIND CHILLS IN THE -20F TO -30F RANGE. .LONG TERM...TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY 318 AM CST SAT JAN 19 2013 THE COLD AIR MASS APPEARS TO REMAIN IN PLACE ACROSS THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY THROUGH THE REST OF THE WEEK THOUGH IT DOES MODERATE SOME GOING INTO WEDNESDAY AND BEYOND AS THE RIDGE AXIS MOVES THROUGH AND THE CORE OF COLD LOW LEVEL AIR SHIFTS TO THE EAST. THERE ARE SOME HINTS THAT A SYSTEM WILL DROP DOWN THROUGH THE NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT TUESDAY INTO TUESDAY NIGHT WHICH COULD BRING SOME SNOW ALONG WITH IT. THE 19.00Z GFS IS THE ONLY MODEL SHOWING THIS SNOW REACHING THE FORECAST AREA WITH THE 19.00Z ECMWF PLACING THE SURFACE RIDGE RIGHT ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. SHOULD THE GFS PAN OUT...THERE COULD BE SOME HIGH RATIO SNOW THAT OCCURS WITH 19.00Z BUFKIT SOUNDINGS SHOWING A DEEP DENDRITIC GROWTH ZONE FROM THE SURFACE ON UP TO 700MB. THE BEST CHANCES FOR AN ACCUMULATING SNOW IS WITH A SYSTEM THAT MAY COME IN ON THURSDAY OR FRIDAY. THE 19.00Z GFS IS SLOW WITH THIS SYSTEM AND BRINGS IT IN THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY WHILE THE 19.00Z ECMWF HAS IT THROUGH BY THURSDAY. THE 19.00Z GFS BUFKIT SOUNDINGS ARE EVEN DEEPER WITH THE DENDRITIC GROWTH ZONE AND LIFT WITH THIS SYSTEM...WHICH COULD AGAIN LEAD TO A HIGH SNOW TO LIQUID RATIO SNOW. TRENDED LOWER ON TEMPERATURES ON THURSDAY WITH GUIDANCE SHOWING THIS SYSTEM TRENDING A BIT FURTHER TO THE SOUTH. && .AVIATION...TODAY AND TONIGHT 551 AM CST SAT JAN 19 2013 ALL EYES ARE ON AN ARCTIC COLD FRONT THAT WILL BLAST THROUGH THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON. UNTIL THEN...EXPECT PATCHY ALTOCUMULUS WITH BASES AOA 10KFT. LOOK FOR SOUTHWEST WINDS IN ADVANCE OF THE FRONT THIS MORNING...THEN SHIFTING TO THE NORTHWEST AND INCREASING INTO THE 25-35KT RANGE WITH GUSTS INTO THE 40-45KT RANGE AROUND 21Z. THIS FRONTAL PASSAGE IS ALSO EXPECTED TO PRODUCE MVFR CLOUDS ALONG WITH SCATTERED SNOW SHOWER ACTIVITY. THESE STRONG WINDS AND LOCALLY REDUCED VISIBILITIES IN SCATTERED SNOW SHOWER ACTIVITY WILL LIKELY POSE PROBLEMS FOR BOTH GROUND AND AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS. LOOK FOR THE STRONG/GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS TO SUBSIDE AFTER MIDNIGHT ALONG WITH SCATTERING CLOUDS. && .ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... 551 AM CST SAT JAN 19 2013 WI...WIND ADVISORY FROM 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT FOR WIZ017-029-032>034-041>044-053>055-061. WIND CHILL ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 9 AM CST SUNDAY FOR WIZ017-029. MN...WIND ADVISORY FROM 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT FOR MNZ079-086>088-094>096. IA...WIND ADVISORY FROM 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT FOR IAZ008>011-018-019-029-030. && $$ SHORT TERM...HALBACH LONG TERM...HALBACH AVIATION...DAS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CHEYENNE WY
421 PM MST SUN JAN 20 2013 .AVIATION...00Z TAFS LATEST HRRR MODEL RUN SHOWS IFR CEILINGS RETURNING TO KAIA AND KCDR SHORTLY AFTER SUNSET. WRF SOUNDINGS FOR KCDR SHOWING A FAIRLY STRONG STRATUS/FOG INVERSION SETTING UP OVER CHADRON AROUND 03Z OR SO AND PERSISTING THROUGH MONDAY MORNING. CONFIDENCE IS HIGH THAT EITHER FOG OR STRATUS WILL REDEVELOP OVER KCDR. WITH THE HRRR SHOWING THIS STRATUS SPREADING SOUTH...TOOK KAIA DOWN SHORTLY AFTER 03Z OR SO. ALSO NEED TO WATCH KSNY AS THE HRR SHOWS THE SOUTHERN PANHANDLE GOING DOWN AFTER 05Z OR SO. FOR OUR SOUTHEAST WYOMING AIRPORTS...VFR CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE. THE EXCEPTION COULD BE DOUGLAS WHERE THE BACKDOOR FRONT COULD PUSH INTO AND DEVELOP SOME IFR/MVFR. CLAYCOMB && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 247 PM MST SUN JAN 20 2013/ SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT UPCOMING WEEK CHARACTERIZED AS WINDY. TWO POSSIBLE HIGH WIND EVENTS LOOK TO TAKE SHAPE THIS WEEK. A PESKY BACKDOOR COLD FRONT HANGS ACROSS EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE CWA AFFECTING TEMPERATURES MAINLY. THESE ARE THE FORECAST CHALLENGES WITH THIS FORECAST PACKAGE. CURRENTLY...BACKDOOR COLD FRONT HAS PUSHED SOUTHWEST THIS MORNING AND CURRENTLY LAYS UP ALONG THE EASTERN SLOPES OF THE LARAMIE RANGE EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. BEHIND THE FRONT...BLUSTERY NORTHEASTERLY WINDS...COLDER TEMPERATURES ARE OCCURRING ACROSS SOUTHEAST WYOMING EAST OF THE LARAMIE RANGE...WITH STRATUS OUT OVER THE NORTHERN PANHANDLE. TEMPERATURES AT CHADRON AT 1 PM ARE BEING REPORTED AT 22 DEGREES WITH LOW 30S HERE AT CHEYENNE AND DOUGLAS. STRATUS LINE CAN BE SEEN ON SATELLITE IMAGERY...GENERALLY FROM NEAR BRIDGEPORT...NORTHWEST TO JUST NORTH OF TORRINGTON TO AROUND BILL IN CONVERSE COUNTY. FRONT LOOKS TO REMAIN IN PLACE THIS EVENING WITH COLD NORTH TO NORTHEASTERLY WINDS EAST OF THE LARAMIE RANGE. OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL BE QUITE COLD...WITH NEAR ZERO LOWS ACROSS THE NORTHERN PANHANDLE AND LOW TEENS ALONG THE LARAMIE RANGE. FRONT REALLY DOES NOT BEGIN TO MOVE EAST UNTIL MONDAY MID MORNING...BUT TAKES ITS SWEET TIME EXITING THE NORTHERN PANHANDLE. MODEL SOUNDING TONIGHT SHOW A PRETTY STRONG INVERSION SETTING UP OVER THE NORTHERN PANHANDLE AND NIOBRARA COUNTY...SO WENT AHEAD AND KEPT INHERITED PATCHY FOG IN THE FORECAST FOR THIS AREA. A PRETTY STRONG GRADIENT IS SET UP FOR MONDAY WITH THE SLOW MOVEMENT OF THIS FRONT. THE LATEST NAM/WRF WRKHGT PRODUCT SHOWING THE CRAIG TO CASPER 850MB GRADIENT AROUND AT 65 METERS BY 06Z TOMORROW NIGHT...700MB GRADIENT AROUND 51 METERS. GFS 700MB WINDS INCREASE TO 50-55 KT MONDAY NIGHT. THOUGH NOT THE BEST WIND DIRECTIONS FOR HIGH WINDS...DO BELIEVE THERE IS A GOOD POSSIBILITY OF A GAP WIND EVENT SETTING UP FOR OUR WIND PRONE AREAS MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY...SO WILL GO AHEAD WITH A HIGH WIND WATCH FOR OUR WIND PRONE AREAS. MID SHIFT CAN TAKE ANOTHER LOOK BEFORE ISSUING ANY UPGRADES. BACKDOOR FRONT FINALLY MOVES EAST TUESDAY MORNING AND WINDS EASE SOME THROUGH THE DAY. STILL LOOKS LIKE A COLD DAY OVERALL FOR THE NORTHERN PANHANDLE TUESDAY WITH UPPER 30S AND LOW 40S FOR HIGHS. ELSEWHERE...A BEAUTIFUL DAY LOOKS TO BE IN STORE WITH MID 50S ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PANHANDLE ALL THE WAY TO THE EAST SLOPES OF THE LARAMIE RANGE. LONG TERM...WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY... THE 12Z MEDIUM RANGE MODELS ARE IN GENERAL AGREEMENT. A SHORTWAVE RIDGE AXIS WILL SHIFT EAST ACROSS THE CWA WEDNESDAY...FOLLOWED BY A SHORTWAVE TROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY MORNING. THE FAST LOW-MID LEVEL TROPOSPHERIC FLOW AND LARGE SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT ASSOCIATED WITH A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL PRODUCE MORE WIDESPREAD STRONG AND GUSTY SURFACE WINDS AT THAT TIME. 700MB WINDS INCREASE TO 70 KT OVER SOUTHEAST WYOMING AND 55 KT OVER THE WESTERN NEBRASKA PANHANDLE WEDNESDAY EVENING. WINDS DECREASE THURSDAY WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE UPPER TROUGH AND SURFACE COLD FRONT. HIGH TEMPERATURES WEDNESDAY WILL BE 10 TO 20 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL... COOLING TO NEAR NORMAL THURSDAY AS CANADIAN HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS. SURFACE TROUGH ALONG THE LARAMIE RANGE THURSDAY NIGHT SHIFTS EAST INTO THE WESTERN NEBRASKA PANHANDLE FRIDAY. A SURFACE RIDGE WILL BE PARKED OVER THE WASATCH RANGE. WESTERLY SURFACE WINDS WILL BE BREEZY OVER THE MOUNTAINS AT THAT TIME. 700MB TEMPERATURES MODERATE FROM -12C THURSDAY TO -2C FRIDAY. DOWNSLOPE FLOW ON THE EASTERN PLAINS WILL RESULT IN 40-DEGREE TEMPERATURES...WITH SOME 30S LINGERING IN EAST CENTRAL WYOMING AND THE NORTHERN PANHANDLE. EVEN MILDER TEMPERATURES ARE IN THE FORECAST FOR THE UPCOMING WEEKEND FOR THE EASTERN PLAINS AND PANHANDLE WITH HIGHS IN THE 50S TO NEAR 60. IT WILL BE BREEZY OVER THE MOUNTAINS. PRECIPITATION CHANCES DURING THE ENTIRE PERIOD WILL BE SLIM TO NONE WITH LIMITED MOISTURE AND JET DYNAMICS WELL NORTH OF THE CWA. AVIATION...18Z TAF ISSUANCE... COLD FRONT HAS PUSHED THROUGH ALL EXCEPT AREAS WEST OF THE LARAMIE RANGE LATE THIS MORNING. SURFACE WINDS SHIFTED FROM WESTERLY TO NORTHERLY BEHIND THE FRONT AND WERE GUSTING AS HIGH AS 25 KT. A LOW CLOUD DECK WAS PUSHING SOUTH ACROSS EASTERN WYOMING AND THE NORTHERN NEBRASKA PANHANDLE. CEILINGS RANGED FROM HIGH END IFR TO MVFR. PREVAILING MVFR CEILINGS ARE FORECAST AT CHADRON AND ALLIANCE THROUGH TONIGHT. VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL FOR THE SOUTHEAST WYOMING AERODROMES THROUGH TONIGHT...WITH GUSTY WESTERLY WINDS DEVELOPING MONDAY MORNING. FIRE WEATHER... STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS ARE THE THEME FOR FIRE WEATHER THIS WEEK. WINDS WILL EASE SOME THIS EVENING AFTER SUNSET WITH OVERNIGHT HUMIDITIES RANGING FROM 70 PERCENT OUT BY RAWLINS TO 100 PERCENT IN THE PANHANDLE. STRONG WINDS EXPECTED MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY IN OUR WIND PRONE AREAS WITH AFTERNOON HUMIDITIES FALLING INTO THE LOW TEENS EAST OF THE LARAMIE RANGE TUESDAY AFTERNOON. A STRONGER AND MORE WIDESPREAD HIGH WIND EVENT LOOKS TO TAKE SHAPE WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY AS A COLD FRONT PASSES THROUGH THE AREA AND LOW PRESSURE TRACKS THROUGH MONTANA. WIDESPREAD WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY... BEFORE SHIFTING NORTHWEST AND EASING THURSDAY AFTERNOON. && .CYS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WY...HIGH WIND WATCH FROM 9 PM MONDAY TO 8 AM TUESDAY FOR WYZ106- WYZ110-WYZ116. NE...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM/FIRE WEATHER...CLAYCOMB LONG TERM/AVIATION...JAMSKI
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
340 AM CST MON JAN 21 2013 .DISCUSSION... 339 AM CST MAIN CONCERNS/CHALLENGES ARE WITH MUCH COLDER AIR KNOCKING ON OUR DOORSTEPS THIS MORNING...SOME PERIODIC CHANCES FOR FLURRIES THROUGH MID WEEK...AS WELL AS A POSSIBILITY FOR OUR FIRST ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL ARRIVING THURSDAY. WITH THE COLD TEMPS/LOW WIND CHILLS...HAVE ISSUED A WIND CHILL ADVISORY FOR THE NORTHERN TWO TIERS OF COUNTIES IN ILLINOIS FOR TONIGHT INTO TUESDAY MORNING. CHILLY AIR IN PLACE THIS MORNING AS TEMPS ARE IN THE LOWER TEENS AND SINGLE DIGITS AT THIS HOUR...WHILE SCATTERED FLURRIES ARE ONGOING ACROSS THE CWA AT THIS TIME. LATEST SATELLITE IMAGERY DEPICTING LONGWAVE TROUGH CURRENTLY DIGGING ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND UPPER MIDWEST...WITH SEVERAL SHORT WAVE TROUGHS STREAMING OUT AHEAD OF IT. OF WORTHY TO MENTION WITH THIS LONGWAVE TROUGH ARE THE HIGH SPEEDS CURRENTLY BEING OBSERVED ALOFT...WITH LATEST RAP ANALYSIS SHOWING 90-100KT AT 500MB. THESE SHORT WAVE TROUGHS EMBEDDED IN THIS RATHER STRONG FLOW ALOFT ARE HELPING FOR CLOUD COVER TO BLOSSOM OVERHEAD THIS MORNING WITH BOTH MID AND LOW LEVEL CLOUD COVER IN PLACE. EXPECT THIS CLOUD COVER TO SLIGHTLY INCREASE IN OVERALL COVERAGE THIS MORNING WILL ALL AREAS ACROSS NORTHEAST ILLINOIS AND NORTHWEST INDIANA TO START OFF MOSTLY CLOUDY. THIS LIFT COINCIDING WITHIN THIS COLD AIR MASS AND STEEP LOW LEVEL LAPSE RATES...PER LATEST RAP ANALYSIS AND AMDAR SOUNDINGS...HAS ALLOWED FOR SOME SOME SCATTERED FLURRY ACTIVITY ACROSS THE CWA THIS MORNING. LATEST RADAR ANALYSIS DEPICTING THIS ACTIVITY AT THIS TIME WITH SEVERAL SITES REPORTING LIGHT SNOW. EXPECT THESE FLURRIES TO REMAIN POSSIBLE ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA THROUGH PRIMARILY MID MORNING...AND HAVE MADE MENTION OF THIS POSSIBILITY IN THE GRIDS. CLOUD COVER WILL ALSO LINGER ACROSS THE CWA AT LEAST THROUGH MID MORNING BUT WITH LATEST SHORT TERM GUIDANCE HINTING AT THE POSSIBILITY THAT THESE CLOUDS COULD LINGER AROUND THROUGH MID DAY. SO HAVE SLOWED THE CLEARING TREND THROUGH LATE MORNING BASED ON LATEST TRENDS AS WELL AS THIS GUIDANCE...BUT WITH CLEARING DEFINITELY ANTICIPATED BY EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. THE ANTICIPATED MUCH COLDER AIR CONTINUES TO BARREL SOUTH ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST WITH LATEST RAP ANALYSIS DEPICTING 850MB TEMPS OF -21C PUSHING INTO NORTHERN ILLINOIS THIS MORNING. EXPECT THIS AIRMASS TO CONTINUE DROPPING SOUTH THROUGH THIS MORNING...WITH THE CURRENT SINGLE DIGIT/LOWER TEENS TEMPS WHICH WILL BE OBSERVED OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS TO PRETTY MUCH BE OUR HIGH TEMPS TODAY. A SECONDARY PUSH OF COLD AIR OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS WILL RESULT IN FALLING TEMPS THROUGHOUT TODAY. WITH THESE COLD TEMPS AND A STIFF NORTHWEST WIND STILL IN PLACE TODAY...LOW WIND CHILL READINGS OF -10 UP TO -20 WILL MAKE FOR A COLD DAY. STILL EXPECT TONIGHT TO BE THE COLDEST OF THE NIGHTS AS THIS COLD AIRMASS SETTLES IN ACROSS THE REGION WITH FORECAST TEMPS OF 0 TO -5 DEGREES ACROSS NORTHERN ILLINOIS AND TEMPS AROUND 1-2 DEGREES ELSEWHERE. DANGEROUSLY LOW WIND CHILL READINGS OF -15 TO -25 WILL RESULT ACROSS NORTHEAST ILLINOIS AND NORTHWEST INDIANA TONIGHT. SO HAVE OPTED TO ISSUE A WIND CHILL ADVISORY AT THIS TIME FOR THE NORTHERN TWO TIERS OF COUNTIES ACROSS NORTHERN ILLINOIS WITH THESE AREAS LIKELY OBSERVING -20 TO -25 WIND CHILL READINGS STARTING EARLY THIS EVENING AND PERSISTING THROUGH MID MORNING TUESDAY. DO EXPECT THE LOWEST TEMPS AND WIND CHILL READINGS TO BE OBSERVED MORE TOWARDS THE ILLINOIS/WISCONSIN BORDER. COLD AIRMASS TO STILL BE IN PLACE ON TUESDAY WITH HIGH TEMPS OF SINGLE DIGITS TO LOWER TEENS LIKELY ONCE AGAIN. THE ONLY RELIEF WILL BE A LOWER WIND FIELD ACROSS THE AREA AS WELL AS FULL SUNSHINE IN PLACE. DESPITE THIS COLD...RELATIVELY QUIET WEATHER EXPECTED FOR OUR CWA THROUGH MID WEEK. MODELS CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE WITH HANDLING THESE WAVES TRAVERSING THIS NORTHWEST FLOW THROUGH MID WEEK... WITH SOME GUIDANCE DEVELOPING SOME LIGHT QPF TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY. DESPITE THE MODELS HINTING AT THIS...HAVE OPTED TO LEAVE OUT ANY MENTION OF FLURRIES AT THIS TIME. ALTHOUGH THE POSSIBILITY FOR FLURRIES IS THERE...THE TREND OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS HAS BEEN DRY AND FOR THE MODELS TO FLIP FLOP ON LOCATION AND TIMING. ALSO...IF IT WERE TO OCCUR...ANYTHING THAT WOULD DEVELOP WOULD BE AT MOST FLURRY ACTIVITY WITH PRETTY MUCH NIL ACCUMULATION. LAST...MODELS CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE THIS MORNING WITH THE NEXT STRONGER SYSTEM DUE TO ARRIVE SOMETIME ON THURSDAY. PLACEMENT AND TIMING CONTINUE TO BE AN ISSUE FOR ALL MODELS AND SO AM NOT OVERLY EXCITED AT THIS TIME FOR THIS SYSTEM AND AN ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR IT THOUGH...AS PREVIOUS RUNS HAVE INDICATED FOR SOME ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL FOR A GOOD PORTION OF THE CWA...AS WELL AS EVEN OF THE LATEST MODEL RUNS THIS MORNING. RODRIGUEZ && .AVIATION... //ORD AND MDW CONCERNS...UPDATED 09Z... * BRIEF PERIOD OF PATCHY MVFR CIGS IN 2500-3000 FT RANGE EARLY THIS MORNING...WITH A FEW FLURRIES OR LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS. * GUSTY WEST-NORTHWEST WINDS TO 25 KTS THROUGH THE DAY. RATZER //DISCUSSION...UPDATED 09Z... PATCHY MVFR CIGS 2500-3000 FT WITH LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS/FLURRIES HAVE SPREAD EAST ACROSS THE IL TERMINALS AS EXPECTED. EXPECT THESE CONDITIONS TO PERSIST FOR A FEW HOURS THROUGH SUNRISE THIS MORNING BEFORE LARGE SCALE SUBSIDENCE DEVELOPS AND SCATTERS LOWER CLOUDS BY MID-MORNING. WINDS ALREADY COMING UP A BIT WITH COLDER LOW LEVEL AIR MOVING IN...WITH SOME GUSTS 15-20 KTS LIKELY PRIOR TO SUNRISE. RATZER PREVIOUS DISCUSSION FROM 06Z... FORECAST AREA REMAINS IN REGION OF CYCLONIC LOW LEVEL FLOW TO THE EAST OF A SURFACE RIDGE AXIS ACROSS THE PLAINS...AND SOUTH OF A WEAK LOW PRESSURE TROUGH OVER THE NORTHERN LAKES AND ONTARIO. COLD...DRY ARCTIC AIR CONTINUES TO SPILL INTO THE REGION FROM THE NORTHWEST. NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT IS PLAYING HOST TO A SERIES OF SHEARED UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES...AND ONE SUCH SYSTEM WILL DIG SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA THIS MORNING. ENHANCED AREA OF LOW LEVEL LIFT AHEAD OF THIS DISTURBANCE WAS PRODUCING AN AREA OF LOWER CLOUDS ACROSS EASTERN IA AND SOUTHWEST WI AT 0530Z...WHICH WILL MOVE EAST-SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE TERMINALS OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS. DRYNESS OF THE LOW LEVEL ARCTIC AIR MASS WAS MAKING COVERAGE OF THE LOWER CLOUD LAYERS SOMEWHAT PATCHY...THOUGH IT DOES APPEAR THAT A PERIOD OF 2500-3000 FT MVFR CIGS AND A FEW FLURRIES WILL PROPAGATE ACROSS NORTHERN IL AND NORTHWEST INDIANA THROUGH SUNRISE. ONCE THE UPPER WAVE PASSES...SUBSIDENCE SHOULD SCATTER OUT THE CLOUD COVER WITH VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGH REMAINDER OF THE TAF PERIOD. THE SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL TIGHTEN A BIT WITH A RENEWED PUSH OF LOW LEVEL COLD AIR TODAY. WIND DIRECTION SHOULD REMAIN FAIRLY STEADY IN THE 280-300 DEG RANGE...WITH CURRENT SPEEDS OF AROUND 10 KTS INCREASING TO AROUND 15 KT AND GUSTING AROUND 25 KT AFTER ABOUT 12-13Z. WIND GUSTS WILL SLOWLY TAIL OFF TONIGHT. RATZER //ORD AND MDW CONFIDENCE...UPDATED 09Z... * MEDIUM-HIGH CONFIDENCE IN BRIEF MVFR CIGS/FLURRIES THIS AM. * HIGH CONFIDENCE ALL OTHER FORECAST ELEMENTS. RATZER //OUTLOOK FOR ORD/MDW FOR 12Z TUESDAY-12Z SUNDAY...UPDATED 00Z... TUESDAY...VFR. WEDNESDAY...VFR. THURSDAY...CHC SNOW. MVFR/IFR POSSIBLE. FRIDAY...CHC SNOW. MVFR/IFR POSSIBLE. SATURDAY...VFR. BMD && .MARINE... 247 AM CST GUSTY WEST-NORTHWEST WINDS REMAIN THE MAIN FOCUS OF THE MARINE FORECAST INTO WEDNESDAY. THE SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT REMAINS TIGHT ACROSS THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES REGION...BETWEEN A RELATIVELY WEAK AREA OF LOW PRESSURE ACROSS THE NORTHERN LAKES AND COLD HIGH PRESSURE SPREADING SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE PLAINS. WINDS WILL PICK UP A BIT TODAY AS A REINFORCING PUSH OF COLDER AIR MOVES INTO THE REGION...WITH SPEEDS AROUND 30 KTS ACROSS THE LAKE THIS MORNING INTO TUESDAY MORNING. COULD BE SOME GALE FORCE GUSTS TO 35 KT...THOUGH MODEL SOUNDINGS DONT INDICATE SUPPORT FOR WIDESPREAD OR LONG-LASTING GALES AT THIS TIME. 25-30 KT SUSTAINED WINDS AND COLDER TEMPS IN THE SINGLE DIGITS TO LOWER TEENS SHOULD RESULT IN MODERATE FREEZING SPRAY REDEVELOPING THIS MORNING AND PERSISTING INTO EARLY TUESDAY. SHOULD GUSTS ABOVE 30 KT BECOME PREVALENT A HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING COULD BE NEEDED AND WILL BE MONITORED FOR...BUT THIS DOES NOT APPEAR NECESSARY AT THIS TIME. WINDS WILL THEN VERY GRADUALLY DIMINISH LATE TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY AS THE PLAINS HIGH WEAKENS AND MOVES SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE OHIO VALLEY AND INTO THE SOUTHEASTERN STATES. ANOTHER HIGH SPREADS SOUTHEAST ACROSS ONTARIO AND THE UPPER MIDWEST LATE WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY...WHILE ANOTHER LOW DEVELOPS OVER THE SOUTHERN PLAINS. LONGER RANGE MODEL SOLUTIONS CONTINUE TO BRING THIS LOW THROUGH THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY BY THURSDAY NIGHT...WITH THE HIGH WEAKENING ACROSS ONTARIO AND THE GREAT LAKES REGION. THUS WINDS WILL DIMINISH IN THE VICINITY OF THE WEAKENING RIDGE FOR A TIME LATER WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY...BEFORE BECOMING MORE EASTERLY AS THE LOW APPROACHES AND PASSES SOUTH OF THE LAKE...AND THEN NORTH-NORTHWEST AS IT PASSES ON FRIDAY. RATZER && .LOT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IL...WIND CHILL ADVISORY...ILZ003-ILZ004-ILZ005-ILZ006-ILZ008-ILZ010- ILZ011-ILZ012-ILZ013-ILZ014...6 PM MONDAY TO 9 AM TUESDAY. IN...NONE. LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY...NEARSHORE WINTHROP HARBOR TO GARY IN UNTIL 6 PM TUESDAY. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY...NEARSHORE GARY TO MICHIGAN CITY IN UNTIL 4 AM WEDNESDAY. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS DODGE CITY KS
335 AM CST MON JAN 21 2013 ...UPDATED LONG TERM DISCUSSION... .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 219 AM CST MON JAN 21 2013 A DEEP UPPER LEVEL TROUGH OVER THE GREAT LAKES REGION HAS RESULTED IN AN ARCTIC AIR INTRUSION INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS EARLY THIS MORNING. THERE WERE TWO FRONTAL SURGES, ONE THAT PASSED LATE SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH WESTERN KANSAS, AND A MORE PRONOUNCED FRONT LOCATED ACROSS CENTRAL NEBRASKA AS OF 2 AM. THIS 2ND COLDER SURGE WILL NOT MAKE IT THROUGH WESTERN KANSAS TODAY. HOWEVER, A PATCH OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AND LOW CLOUDS, WITH CEILINGS AROUND 1000FT WAS TRAPPED ACROSS WEST CENTRAL KANSAS NEAR THE SURFACE RIDGE IN THE WAKE OF THE FIRST FRONT. WEAK LEE TROUGHING IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP TODAY AS A SMALL COMPONENT OF MID-LEVEL FLOW ACROSS THE ROCKIES RESULTS IN PRESSURE FALLS. THIS WOULD TYPICALLY CLEAR THE CLOUDS OUT OF WESTERN KANSAS. HOWEVER, THERE IS A CHANCE THAT A SHARP LOW-LEVEL INVERSION WILL DEVELOP AND PERSIST IN SPITE OF THE DAYTIME HEATING. THE 00Z AND 06Z NAM SHOW NO SIGN OF THIS SCENARIO, WITH TEMPERATURES IN THE MID 40S AT PLACES LIKE SCOTT CITY AND DIGHTON. BUT THE 05Z RAP SHOWS A SMALL POCKET OF COLDER AIR, WITH HIGHS STAYING IN THE MID TO UPPER 30S THERE, WITH 40S FURTHER EAST AND NEAR 50 IN FAR SOUTHWEST KANSAS. THIS IS A DEPARTURE FROM THE 03Z RAP WHICH WAS SIMILAR TO THE NAM. SO THE MAIN FORECAST PROBLEM THIS MORNING IS WHETHER LOW CLOUDS WILL PERSIST ACROSS WEST CENTRAL KANSAS, ALONG WITH THE COOLER TEMPERATURES. WE OPTED TO GO GENERALLY WITH A NAM SOLUTION, EXCEPT KEEP TEMPERATURES SEVERAL DEGREES COOLER WHERE THE RAP IS SHOWING THE LOW LEVEL COLD POOL. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT GIVEN THE DEVELOPING LOW LEVEL SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS THAT THE COLD POOL MAY SHIFT NORTH OF INTERSTATE 70 BY LATE AFTERNOON. A NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST ORIENTED BAROCLINIC ZONE WILL REMAIN ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN PLAINS TONIGHT AS THE AFOREMENTIONED SECONDARY COLD FRONT STALLS OUT FROM WESTERN NEBRASKA INTO EASTERN KANSAS. ANY REMAINING LOW CLOUDS SHOULD CLEAR, EXCEPT FOR POSSIBLY A FEW HIGHER LEVEL CLOUDS. TEMPERATURES SHOULD FALL INTO THE UPPER TEENS TO LOWER 20S. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 334 AM CST MON JAN 21 2013 THE UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM CENTERED OVER THE HUDSON BAY REGION WILL MIGRATE EAST INTO THE CANADIAN MARITIME LATER THIS WEEK WHICH WILL ALLOW HEIGHTS TO RISE SOMEWHAT OVER THE EASTERN PART OF THE U.S. FARTHER WEST, A PERSISTENT UPPER LEVEL RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE IN PLACE OVER THE WEST COAST. A SHORTWAVE TROUGH WILL PLOW THROUGH THE UPPER RIDGE AND MOVE OUT OVER THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL PLAINS ON THURSDAY. THE OPERATIONAL GFS IS A LITTLE SLOWER THAN THE OTHER MODELS WITH THE TIMING OF THIS FEATURE. THE GFS ENSEMBLE MEMBERS TEND TO BE FASTER THAN THE OPERATIONAL RUN SO WILL LEAN TOWARD THE EURO AND CANADIAN SOLUTIONS. A WARMING TREND WILL BE IN PROGRESS FROM TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY AS UPPER LEVEL RIDGING BUILDS INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS. THE MODELS SHOW A WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY PUSHING SOUTHWESTWARD INTO THE HIGH PLAINS WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON IN RESPONSE TO A SHORTWAVE TROUGH MOVING THROUGH THE UPPER MIDWEST AND GREAT LAKES. TEMPERATURES SHOULD BE ABLE TO RISE INTO THE LOWER 50S AROUND HAYS WITH HIGHS CLIMBING INTO THE MID 60S AT ELKHART. THE NEXT COLD FRONT WILL BE PUSHING SOUTH ACROSS SOUTHWEST KANSAS ON THURSDAY. THIS WILL DROP TEMPERATURES BACK SOME ON THURSDAY. ANOTHER SURGE OF EVEN COLDER AIR WILL BE MOVING DOWN THROUGH THE MIDWEST ON THURSDAY NIGHT BUT THE BULK OF THIS SHOULD STAY IN EASTERN KANSAS. THE MODELS SHOW THE UPPER FLOW BECOMING MORE ZONAL ONCE AGAIN BY THE UPCOMING WEEKEND. DOWNSLOPE FLOW WILL BRING WARMER TEMPERATURES BACK OUT ACROSS THE HIGH PLAINS WHICH SHOULD ALLOW TEMPERATURES TO WARM BACK INTO THE 50S AND POSSIBLY THE LOW 60S. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z MONDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 1143 PM CST SUN JAN 20 2013 A PATCH OF MVFR CIGS OVER KGCK WILL GRADUALLY ERODE THROUGH 09Z AS THE FLOW JUST ABOVE THE SURFACE BECOMES DOWNSLOPE AND SURFACE WINDS BECOME LIGHT. OTHERWISE, VFR CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST AT GCK/HYS. A LEE TROUGH WILL DEVELOP BETWEEN 15 AND 18Z, RESULTING IN A WINDSHIFT TO THE SOUTHWEST AT 10-12KTS. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... DDC 42 21 48 25 / 0 0 0 0 GCK 44 20 51 24 / 0 0 0 0 EHA 50 26 58 29 / 0 0 0 0 LBL 47 24 54 26 / 0 0 0 0 HYS 38 17 42 21 / 0 0 0 0 P28 40 21 47 27 / 0 0 0 0 && .DDC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...FINCH LONG TERM...GERARD AVIATION...FINCH
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS TOPEKA KS
309 AM CST MON JAN 21 2013 .DISCUSSION... SHORT TERM FORECAST (TODAY AND TUESDAY)... COLD AIR CONTINUES TO TRICKLE INTO THE FORECAST AREA THIS MORNING AS THE 8Z RAP INDICATES AN AREA OF SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE STRETCHING FROM THE CENTRAL PLAINS NORTHWESTWARD INTO CENTRAL CANADA. THIS HIGH PRESSURE IS BRINGING LIGHT NORTHWEST WINDS...WHICH IS ALLOWING THE COLD AIR TO ADVECT INTO THE AREA. 11-3.9 MICRON SATELLITE SHOWS AN AREA OF STRATUS STRETCHING FROM KFNB NORTHWESTWARD THROUGH CENTRAL NEBRASKA AND INTO SOUTHWESTERN SOUTH DAKOTA. OBSERVATIONS FROM CENTRAL NEBRASKA UNDER THIS STRATUS ARE INDICATING LIGHT SNOW FALL. AS THE STRATUS STRETCHES SOUTHEASTWARD INTO NORTHEAST KANSAS IT MAY BRING WITH IT A FEW SNOW FLURRIES...MAINLY NORTH OF INTERSTATE 70. FORECAST SOUNDINGS THROUGHOUT THE DAY SHOW A MODEST AMOUNT OF UPWARD MOTION IN THE LOWEST FEW THOUSAND FEET...WHICH WILL AID IN STRATUS DEVELOPMENT AND WITH THE COLUMN BEING SO COLD IT WILL NOT TAKE MUCH LIFT NOR FURTHER COOLING TO PRODUCE A FEW FLURRIES. EXPECT SCATTERED OFF-AND-ON FLURRIES TO REMAIN POSSIBLE THROUGH THE DAYTIME AND OVERNIGHT HOURS ON MONDAY/MONDAY NIGHT. DUE TO THE CLOUD COVER AND COLD AIR ADVECTION DO NOT EXPECT TEMPERATURES ON MONDAY TO WARM MUCH...AS THE GOING HIGH FOR MONDAY WILL BE IN THE LOWER TO MID 20S NORTH OF INTERSTATE 70 AND IN THE LOWER 30S SOUTH OF I-70. DRY AIR WORKS ITS WAY INTO THE AREA BY MONDAY NIGHT CAUSING THE STRATUS TO MOVE TO THE EAST BY MONDAY NIGHT ALLOWING SKIES TO CLEAR BY TUESDAY. IT WILL TAKE ANOTHER DAY TO GET THE COLD AIR OUT OF THE AREA...SO FOR TUESDAY EXPECTING ONLY A MINOR INCREASE IN TEMPS...AS DAY TIME HIGHS FOR TUESDAY WILL REACH NO HIGHER THAN THE LOWER TO MID 30S...WITH POSSIBLY 40 DEGREE TEMPS IN CENTRAL KANSAS. MID RANGE AND EXTENDED FORECAST (WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY)... WEDNESDAY WILL BRING A BRIEF BREAK FROM THE ARCTIC AIR AS WARMER AIR TRIES TO MAKE ITS WAY INTO THE FORECAST AREA. 925 MB TEMPS GO FROM -10 TO -15 C ON TUESDAY TO AROUND 5 C WEDNESDAY...WHICH IF MIXED TO THE SURFACE SHOULD BRING TEMPS BACK INTO THE MID TO UPPER 40S ON WED. PERHAPS AREAS OF CENTRAL AND EAST CENTRAL KANSAS COULD SEE SOME 50 TO 53 DEGREE TEMPS WED. BY THURSDAY ANOTHER COLD AIR MASS PLUNGES INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS CAUSING TEMPS TO RETURN TO NEAR NORMAL FOR THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY...WITH FRIDAY STRUGGLING TO REACH THE 30S. WARM AIR ADVECTION ON THURSDAY EVENING/THURSDAY NIGHT WILL BRING INCREASING CLOUDS...AND PERHAPS SOME VERY LIGHT RAIN IN FAR EAST CENTRAL KANSAS. WITH SURFACE TEMPS DROPPING NEAR FREEZING AND PERHAPS BELOW FREEZING THURSDAY NIGHT THERE COULD BE A PERIOD OF VERY LIGHT FREEZING RAIN...BUT THAT PERIOD SHOULD NOT LAST LONG...NOR IS ANY ACCUMULATION EXPECTED. A WARM UP FROM THE COLD TEMPS IS EXPECTED BY THE END OF THE WEEKEND AS FORECAST HIGHS FOR SUNDAY LOOK LIKE THEY WILL REACH THE LOWER TO POSSIBLY MID 50S AS WARM AIR MOVES BACK INTO THE AREA AND MID LEVEL RIDGING TAKES OVER. BY EARLY NEXT WEEK WITH INCREASING MID LEVEL HEIGHTS MOVING OVER THE AREA AND A WESTERLY DOWN SLOPE FLOW THE LATTER HALF OF THE WEEKEND AND EARLY PART OF NEXT WEEK LOOK FAIRLY PLEASANT. JL && .AVIATION... EXPECT GENERALLY VFR CONDITIONS THROUGH THE FORECAST. CIGS 3500FT AGL EXPECTED AFTER SUNRISE AND COULD APPROACH HIGH END MVFR. WINDS VEER AND BECOME MORE EASTERLY THROUGH THE FORECAST. 67 && .TOP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS DODGE CITY KS
256 AM CST MON JAN 21 2013 ...UPDATED FOR SHORT TERM DISCUSSION... .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 219 AM CST MON JAN 21 2013 A DEEP UPPER LEVEL TROUGH OVER THE GREAT LAKES REGION HAS RESULTED IN AN ARCTIC AIR INTRUSION INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS EARLY THIS MORNING. THERE WERE TWO FRONTAL SURGES, ONE THAT PASSED LATE SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH WESTERN KANSAS, AND A MORE PRONOUNCED FRONT LOCATED ACROSS CENTRAL NEBRASKA AS OF 2 AM. THIS 2ND COLDER SURGE WILL NOT MAKE IT THROUGH WESTERN KANSAS TODAY. HOWEVER, A PATCH OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AND LOW CLOUDS, WITH CEILINGS AROUND 1000FT WAS TRAPPED ACROSS WEST CENTRAL KANSAS NEAR THE SURFACE RIDGE IN THE WAKE OF THE FIRST FRONT. WEAK LEE TROUGHING IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP TODAY AS A SMALL COMPONENT OF MID-LEVEL FLOW ACROSS THE ROCKIES RESULTS IN PRESSURE FALLS. THIS WOULD TYPICALLY CLEAR THE CLOUDS OUT OF WESTERN KANSAS. HOWEVER, THERE IS A CHANCE THAT A SHARP LOW-LEVEL INVERSION WILL DEVELOP AND PERSIST IN SPITE OF THE DAYTIME HEATING. THE 00Z AND 06Z NAM SHOW NO SIGN OF THIS SCENARIO, WITH TEMPERATURES IN THE MID 40S AT PLACES LIKE SCOTT CITY AND DIGHTON. BUT THE 05Z RAP SHOWS A SMALL POCKET OF COLDER AIR, WITH HIGHS STAYING IN THE MID TO UPPER 30S THERE, WITH 40S FURTHER EAST AND NEAR 50 IN FAR SOUTHWEST KANSAS. THIS IS A DEPARTURE FROM THE 03Z RAP WHICH WAS SIMILAR TO THE NAM. SO THE MAIN FORECAST PROBLEM THIS MORNING IS WHETHER LOW CLOUDS WILL PERSIST ACROSS WEST CENTRAL KANSAS, ALONG WITH THE COOLER TEMPERATURES. WE OPTED TO GO GENERALLY WITH A NAM SOLUTION, EXCEPT KEEP TEMPERATURES SEVERAL DEGREES COOLER WHERE THE RAP IS SHOWING THE LOW LEVEL COLD POOL. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT GIVEN THE DEVELOPING LOW LEVEL SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS THAT THE COLD POOL MAY SHIFT NORTH OF INTERSTATE 70 BY LATE AFTERNOON. A NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST ORIENTED BAROCLINIC ZONE WILL REMAIN ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN PLAINS TONIGHT AS THE AFOREMENTIONED SECONDARY COLD FRONT STALLS OUT FROM WESTERN NEBRASKA INTO EASTERN KANSAS. ANY REMAINING LOW CLOUDS SHOULD CLEAR, EXCEPT FOR POSSIBLY A FEW HIGHER LEVEL CLOUDS. TEMPERATURES SHOULD FALL INTO THE UPPER TEENS TO LOWER 20S. .LONG TERM...(MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 248 PM CST SUN JAN 20 2013 NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT WILL CONTINUE ACROSS WESTERN KANSAS THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT DUE TO A PERSISTENT MID TO UPPER LEVEL LONG WAVE TROUGH LOCATED ACROSS THE EASTERN CONUS AND A MID TO UPPER LEVEL RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE ACROSS THE WESTERN CONUS. SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE WILL GENERALLY BE LOCATED EAST OF THE FORECAST AREA DURING THIS TIME FRAME AND WITH NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT, NO SIGNIFICANT WEATHER IS EXPECTED WITH MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES AND DRY CONDITIONS. LOWS TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY MORNING ARE FORECASTED TO DIP INTO THE LOWER TO MID 20S. HIGHS TUESDAY ARE ANTICIPATED TO RANGE FROM THE MID 40S ACROSS CENTRAL KANSAS TO UPPER 50S ACROSS FAR SOUTHWEST KANSAS. HIGHS WEDNESDAY ARE EXPECTED TO BE SLIGHTLY WARMER AND RANGE FORM AROUND 50 DEGREES ACROSS CENTRAL KANSAS TO LOWER 60S ACROSS FAR SOUTHWESTERN KANSAS. THE WEATHER PATTERN CHANGES WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY AS A MID TO UPPER LEVEL SHORTWAVE MOVES DOWN FROM WESTERN CANADA AND INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS. THIS WILL HELP PUSH A SURFACE COLD FRONT THROUGH WESTERN KANSAS SOMETIME WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY MORNING. NO SIGNIFICANT WEATHER IS ANTICIPATED WITH THIS SYSTEM DUE TO THE LACK OF DEEP MOISTURE, HOWEVER, MID TO HIGH LEVEL CLOUDS WILL INCREASE IN COVERAGE. BREEZY NORTHERLY WINDS ARE EXPECTED BEHIND THIS FRONT THURSDAY MORNING INTO THURSDAY AFTERNOON. LOWS THURSDAY MORNING LOOK TO RANGE FROM THE UPPER 20S ACROSS WEST CENTRAL KANSAS TO MID 30S ACROSS THE KS/OK BORDER. HIGHS THURSDAY AFTERNOON ARE FORECASTED TO RANGE FROM THE MID 40S ACROSS CENTRAL KANSAS TO LOWER 50S ELSEWHERE. TRANQUIL WEATHER IS ANTICIPATED FRIDAY INTO THIS WEEKEND AS MID TO UPPER LEVEL RIDGING BUILDS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN ROCKIES AND HIGH PRESSURE AT THE SURFACE POSITIONS ITSELF SOUTH OF THE FORECAST AREA. A GRADUAL WARMING TREND IS FORECASTED WITH HIGHS IN THE 40S FRIDAY AND LOWER 50S SATURDAY. LOWS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY MORNING WILL GENERALLY BE IN THE 20S. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z MONDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 1143 PM CST SUN JAN 20 2013 A PATCH OF MVFR CIGS OVER KGCK WILL GRADUALLY ERODE THROUGH 09Z AS THE FLOW JUST ABOVE THE SURFACE BECOMES DOWNSLOPE AND SURFACE WINDS BECOME LIGHT. OTHERWISE, VFR CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST AT GCK/HYS. A LEE TROUGH WILL DEVELOP BETWEEN 15 AND 18Z, RESULTING IN A WINDSHIFT TO THE SOUTHWEST AT 10-12KTS. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... DDC 42 21 49 25 / 0 0 0 0 GCK 44 20 51 23 / 0 0 0 0 EHA 50 26 57 28 / 0 0 0 0 LBL 47 24 54 26 / 0 0 0 0 HYS 38 17 44 21 / 0 0 0 0 P28 40 21 48 26 / 0 0 0 0 && .DDC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...FINCH LONG TERM...HOVORKA_42 AVIATION...FINCH
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MARQUETTE MI
1234 AM EST MON JAN 21 2013 .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH MONDAY) ISSUED AT 455 PM EST SUN JAN 20 2013 WATER VAPOR IMAGERY AND RUC ANALYSIS SHOW A HIGH AMPLITUDE PATTERN OVER NAMERICA WITH A RIDGE ALONG THE W COAST THRU AK AND A DEEP TROF COVERING MUCH OF CNTRL/ERN CANADA INTO THE NCNTRL CONUS/GREAT LAKES. BEHIND LAST NIGHTS SHORTWAVE PASSAGE...INCREASINGLY COLDER ARCTIC AIR IS FLOWING INTO THE AREA. LATEST RUC ANALYSIS SHOWS 850MB TEMPS OF -22 TO -24C OVER UPPER MI/LAKE SUPERIOR. UPSTREAM 850MB TEMPS ON 12Z ROABS WERE -25C/-26C/-27C AT KINL/CWPL/CYQD RESPECTIVELY. FARTHER UPSTREAM...POOL OF SUB -30C AIR AT 850MB IS JUST NW OF CYQD AS 00Z RAOB AT CYSM SHOWED -34C AT 850MB. THAT CORE OF ARCTIC AIR WILL BE SETTLING INTO THE UPPER LAKES MON/MON NIGHT BEHIND SHORTWAVE CURRENTLY DROPPING SSE THRU MANITOBA. ANOTHER WEAKER SHORTWAVE IS PASSING THRU THE UPPER GREAT LAKES ATTM. HOWEVER...WAVE HAS HAD NO DISCERNIBLE INFLUENCE ON LES PER RADAR IMAGERY. MOST INTENSE LES BAND IS STREAMING INTO WRN ALGER COUNTY AS LAND BREEZE COMPONENT STRENGTHENS CONVERGENCE OFF MARQUETTE COUNTY. TO THE W...WIND PARALLEL LES BANDS ARE STREAMING INTO WRN UPPER MI. WEBCAMS SHOW HIGHLY VARIABLE VIS AS -SHSN PASS. SINCE ARCTIC AIR HAS PUSHED DGZ TO NEAR THE SFC...SNOWFLAKE SIZE IS SMALL...MAKING THE -SHSN VERY EFFECTIVE AT REDUCING VIS. THIS IS ALSO KEEPING NEW SNOW ACCUMULTIONS ON THE LIGHT SIDE OVER THE W. AFOREMENTIONED SHORTWAVE IN MANITOBA WILL DROP ACROSS THE UPPER LAKES OVERNIGHT TONIGHT THRU MON MORNING. FORCING ASSOCIATED WITH WAVE PER DEEP LAYER QVECTOR CONVERGENCE WILL GIVE A BOOST TO LES TONIGHT THRU MID MORNING MON AS MOISTURE DEPTH INCREASES AND INVERSION RISES TO AROUND 10KFT. NORMALLY WITH SUCH SYNOPTIC ENHANCEMENT...WOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN HVY LES/SNOW ACCUMULATIONS. HOWEVER...WITH INCREASINGLY COLDER AIR CONTINUING TO PUSH DGZ TOWARD THE SFC OR MORE LIKELY ELIMINATING IT ALTOGETHER...SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE LIMITED BY SMALL SNOWFLAKE SIZE. ONLY AREAS LIKELY TO SEE MORE SIGNIFICANT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE THOSE THAT ARE IMPACTED BY LES WITHIN STRONGER CONVERGENCE ZONES AS THE CONVERGENCE WILL PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MORE SIGNIFICANT LAKE MODERATION AND THUS POSSIBLY RAISE DGZ INTO A PORTION OF THE CONVECTIVE LAYER. THOSE ENHANCED CONVERGENCE ZONES WILL BE DIFFICULT TO PIN DOWN EXACTLY...BUT THERE SHOULD BE 2 OR 3. ONE SHOULD OCCUR IN ONTONAGON COUNTY...PROBABLY AROUND THE VCNTY OF THE PORCUPINE MTNS DUE TO STRENGTHENING LAND BREEZE OFF NW WI. THE OTHERS SHOULD BE IN ERN ALGER COUNTY AND A PORTION OF LUCE COUNTY DUE TO STRENGTHENING LAND BREEZES OFF MARQUETTE/WRN ALGER COUNTY AND ALSO OFF ONTARIO. ALL HIGH RES MODEL GUIDANCE POINT TOWARD THE PROGRESSING LAND BREEZES OVER SCNTRL/ERN LAKE SUPERIOR LEADING TO EITHER MESO LOW DEVELOPMENT OR SHARP SFC TROFFING SOMEWHERE IN THE AREA BTWN GRAND MARAIS/CARIBOU ISLAND AND WHITEFISH PT. IF A MESO LOW DEVELOPS FAR ENOUGH OFFSHORE...IT`S POSSIBLE MOST OF THE LES WILL ALSO SHIFT OFFSHORE. IF A SHARP CONVERGENCE ZONE DEVELOPS... MDT/HVY LES COULD STREAM ONSHORE INTO A SMALL PART OF ERN ALGER/NW LUCE FOR SEVERAL HRS. WITH PASSAGE OF SHORTWAVE...AT SOME POINT MON MORNING/EARLY AFTN...THE SHARP SFC TROF/MESO LOW WILL BE PUSHED ONSHORE. GIVEN THE UNCERTAINTY ON THE MESOSCALE DETAILS...WILL CONTINUE TO HIGHLIGHT ERN ALGER/NRN LUCE CLOSE THE LAKE FOR GREATEST ACCUMULATIONS TONIGHT/MON WITH POSSIBLE LOCALIZED 6-11 INCH AMOUNTS. IF SOMETHING SETS UP AND REMAINS STATIONARY...COULD EASILY SEE OVER A FOOT OF SNOW. OVER THE W...BITTER COLD ARCTIC AIR IS MORE LIKELY TO ELIMINATE DGZ ALTOGETHER...RESULTING IN VERY SMALL SNOWFLAKES AND LIMITING SNOW ACCUMULATIONS TO PROBABLY NOTHING MORE THAN 1-2 TO PERHAPS 3 INCHES PER 12HR PERIOD. LOCALIZED ACCUMULATIONS OF MAYBE 4-5 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THE EXPECTED CONVERGENCE ZONE IN ONTONAGON COUNTY. RATHER THAN SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...THE BIGGER CONCERN WILL BE VERY LOW VIS AS THE SMALL SNOWFLAKES WILL BE EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE AT REDUCING VISIBILITY. MAY END UP WITH VERY LOW VIS/NEAR WHITE-OUT CONDITIONS WHENEVER SNOW SHOWERS PASS DUE TO THE CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF FINE SNOWFLAKES IN THE AIR. THIS TYPE OF FINE SNOW IS ALSO VERY EASILY BLOWN ABOUT BY VEHICLES...SO VIS ON ROADS WILL BE ESPECIALLY LOW IN THE VCNTY OF OTHER VEHICLES...MAKING TRAVEL DANGEROUS DESPITE THE LACK OF SIGNIFICANT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS. CONSIDERING VIS IMPACTS RATHER THAN SNOW IMPACTS...WILL BE ISSUING A WINTER WX ADVY FOR ONTONAGON/HOUGHTON/KEWEENAW THRU TUE MORNING TO HIGHLIGHT VERY POOR VIS IN SHSN AND ALSO TO COVER WIND CHILLS WHICH WILL BE FALLING TO AROUND THE WIND CHILL ADVY CRITERIA OF -25F. OTHER CONCERN TONIGHT/MON WILL BE THE BITTER COLD AIR. POOL OF SUB -30C AIR AT 850MB ADVECTING INTO THE UPPER LAKES MON SUGGESTS MOST OF THE W HALF OF UPPER MI AWAY FROM IMMEDIATE LAKE SUPERIOR INFLUENCE WILL STAY BLO ZERO DURING THE DAY MON. IN FACT...IT MAY BE A STRUGGLE TO RISE MUCH ABOVE -10F ACROSS GOGEBIC COUNTY WHERE LAKE MODERATION WILL BE LEAST. OTHERWISE...SINGLE DIGITS BLO ZERO SHOULD BE THE RULE FOR HIGHS OVER THE W MON. WHILE IT`S OFTEN TOUGH TO KEEP WINDS AOA THE 10MPH THRESHOLD AT NIGHT...CAA MAY BE ENOUGH TO KEEP WINDS UP SUFFICIENTLY TO SATISFY WIND CHILL CRITERIA LATER TONIGHT. HAVE EXPANDED WIND CHILL ADVY TO COVER ROUGHLY THE W HALF OF UPPER MI OUTSIDE OF AFOREMENTIONED WINTER WX ADVY AREA. .LONG TERM...(MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 455 PM EST SUN JAN 20 2013 AGREEMENT REMAINS GOOD IN THE LARGE SCALE PATTERN FOR THE UPCOMING WEEK. MODELS ARE NOW EVEN IN OKAY AGREEMENT IN THEIR HANDLING OF BREAKING DOWN THE DEEP TROUGH OVER THE AREA TO START THE WEEK AND RESULTING SFC LOW MOVING FROM CENTRAL PLAINS ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY. BY LATE MONDAY GRIP OF COLD WILL BE IN FULL FORCE WITH H85 TEMPS NEAR -30C OVER FAR WEST AND H95 TEMPS BLO -20C. NO REAL CHANGE TO EXPECTED MSLP PATTERN WITH LAKE INDUCED TROUGHING AS FAR NORTH AS EASTERN LK SUPERIOR WHILE HIGH PRESSURE IS CENTERED FROM SOUTHERN SASKATCHEWAN INTO SOUTHERN MN AND IOWA. RESULT IS PERSISTENT UNIDIRECTIONAL NW FLOW SFC-H5 ALLOWING LK EFFECT TO CONTINUE. AS IT HAS APPEARED LAST COUPLE DAYS...MOST CONCENTRATED AND HEAVIEST LK EFFECT WILL BE OVER FAR NORTHEAST CWA ALONG LK SUPERIOR...EAST OF MUNISING TO NORTH OF SENEY AND NEWBERRY. AVAILABLE HIGHER RESOLUTION MODELS STILL PEGGING QPF AMOUNTS OVER 0.20 INCH/12 HR FOR MON NIGHT AND TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT. NO DOUBT CONVERGENCE WILL BE MAXIMIZED DUE TO LARGE SCALE LAKE INDUCED TROUGHING AND ASSOCIATED MESOLOW FORMING OVER SOUTHEAST LK SUPERIOR DUE TO LAND BREEZES OFF UPR MICHIGAN AND ONTARIO. AS ALLUDED TO IN SHORT TERM DISCUSSION... EXACTLY WHERE HEAVIER SNOW BANDS TIED TO THIS MESOSCALE FEATURE SET UP IS HARD TO PIN DOWN. MAIN ADJUSTMENT TO QPF/SNOW WAS TO KEEP HIGHER AMOUNTS CLOSER TO SHORE THAN WHAT MODELS SHOW AS USUALLY LAND BREEZE DOMINATED CONVERGENCE ZONE ENDS UP CLOSER TO THE LAKE THAN MODELS PORTRAY. GIVEN THE VERY COLD AIRMASS...SLR/S WILL BE LESS THAN 15:1. OUTSIDE OF AREAS WHERE STRONGEST CONVERGENCE/MOISTURE FLUXES OCCUR SLR/S PROBABLY END UP MORE TOWARD 10:1 AS VERY FINE SNOWFLAKES DOMINATE. SNOW AMOUNTS LIKELY END UP 3-5 INCHES EVERY 12 HRS UNDER DOMINATE BAND IN THE EAST...BUT FOR REST OF AREAS FAVORED BY NW FLOW ALONG LK SUPERIOR EXPECT JUST A FEW INCHES EVERY 12 HRS. DUE TO MODERATE SNOW AMOUNTS SNOW AND POOR VSBY ALONG WITH POSSIBILITY OF DOMINATE BAND ENHANCING SNOW AMOUNTS...COORD WITH SHORT TERM FORECASTER AND EXTENDED LK EFFECT SNOW WARNING FOR EASTERN AREAS THROUGH 12Z TUESDAY. FOR MOST LOCATIONS NEAR LK SUPERIOR IT WILL BE THE POOR VSBY INSTEAD OF THE SNOW AMOUNTS THAT WILL BE THE HIGHER IMPACT ISSUE. FREQUENT WHITEOUT CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED AS THE SMALL SNOW FLAKES FALLING WITH EVEN 10-20 MPH WINDS WILL BE VERY PROFICIENT IN LEADING TO LOWER VSBY. BITTER COLD WIND CHILLS ARE THE OTHER ISSUE EARLY THIS WEEK. AS IT APPEARED YDY...TIGHTEST PRESSURE GRADIENT IS PRESENT TO BEGIN THE LONG TERM BUT IT GRADUALLY RELAXES BY TUESDAY MORNING AND EVEN FURTHER BY WEDNESDAY MORNING. EXPECT MIN TEMPS MONDAY NIGHT TO FALL LESS THAN 10 BLO OVER A MAJORITY OF WEST HALF OF UPR MICHIGAN WITH WIND CHILL READINGS DOWN TO 25-30 BLO ZERO. POSSIBLE THAT WINDS MAY NOT TECHNICALLY REACH CRITERIA /SUSTAINED AT 10 MPH/ BUT IT IS CERTAINLY CLOSE ENOUGH TO ISSUE A HEADLINE. AFTER COORD WITH SHORT TERM FORECASTER...DECIDED TO ISSUE CATCH ALL WINTER WEATHER ADVY OVER WESTERN TIER OF CWA FOR LK EFFECT SNOW/POOR VSBY AND THE BITTER COLD WIND CHILLS. THIS HEADLINE WILL RUN THROUGH MIDDAY TUESDAY. ELSEWHERE OVER WEST HALF OF UPR MICHIGAN...GOING TO ISSUE WIND CHILL ADVY THROUGH MIDDAY TUESDAY. FURTHER REFINEMENTS MAY BE NEEDED TO HEADLINES AS WE GET INTO MONDAY/TUESDAY...BUT THIS WILL BE OUR STARTING POINT. WORKING INTO TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY CONDITIONS CHANGE A BIT. MAIN CHANGE IS BLYR WINDS BACKING MORE WSW TUESDAY NIGHT AND H925 WINDS BACKING WESTERLY. CHANGE IN WIND WILL PUSH ONGOING LK EFFECT AND CLOUDS OVER THE WEST FARTHER TO THE NORTH. LK EFFECT STAYS IN PLACE MOSTLY OVER THE EAST...STILL FALLING MODERATE AT TIMES...AS THE STATIONARY MESOLOW REMAINS PRIMARY FEATURE DRIVING THE SNOW THERE. THINKING THAT WITH WEAK PRESSURE GRADIENT AND LOSS OF CLOUDS SHOULD ALLOW FOR WINDS OVER INTERIOR TO BECOME CALM AND PRIME RADIATIONAL COOLING TO DEVELOP. LOWERED MIN TEMPS TOWARD LOWEST GUIDANCE NUMBERS AROUND 20 BLO ZERO. MAY EVEN SEE LOWER TEMPS AT THE FAVORED COLD SPOTS...BUT WILL JUST TREND IN THE COLDER DIRECTION FOR NOW. ONLY CONCERN IN MIN TEMP FCST IS POSSIBLE INCREASING CLOUDS ALOFT AHEAD OF ANOTHER TROUGH THAT DROPS IN ON WEDNESDAY. THINK THOSE MID CLOUDS WILL HOLD OFF LONG ENOUGH TO ALLOW TEMPS TO TANK ON TUESDAY NIGHT. AS UPPER TROUGH BEGINS TO LOSE GRIP OVER AREA ON WEDNESDAY...MODELS SHOWING SHORTWAVE DIPPING FROM NORTHERN PLAINS ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT TO ACROSS LOWER GREAT LAKES LATER THURSDAY. MAJORITY OF SYNOPTIC SNOW FROM THE SYSTEM PROBABLY MISSES UPR MICHIGAN...PERHAPS JUST TO THE SOUTH THOUGH ACROSS WI AND LOWER MICHIGAN. INDICATION IS THAT FLOW WILL BE SPLIT AND THE SOUTHERN SHORTWAVE DRIVES THE MAIN SYSTEM TO THE SOUTH...BUT THERE IS ALSO NORTHERN STREAM WAVE DROPPING ACROSS UPR LAKES THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY. THIS MAY KEEP AN INVERTED SFC TROUGH WELL TO NORTHWEST OF MAIN SFC LOW WHICH COULD LEAD TO SCT SNOW SHOWERS OVR UPR LAKES ENHANCED FURTHER BY ONSHORE FLOW OFF LK SUPERIOR. CONSENSUS POPS LOOKED OKAY...BUT DID INCREASE THEM WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT NEAR LK SUPERIOR. BASED ON MSLP AND H85 RH/TEMPS...LK EFFECT CONTINUES THROUGH FRIDAY AND EVEN INTO SATURDAY OVER THE EASTERN CWA...THOUGH INCREASING LOW-MID LEVEL RIDGING WILL LEAD TO INCREASINGLY HOSTILE CONDITIONS FOR THE LK EFFECT. HEIGHTS FURTHER FLATTEN OUT THROUGH NEXT WEEKEND LEADING TO WARMER AIR SPILLING ACROSS NORTHERN PLAINS AND UPR LAKES. COULD BE WARM AIR ADVECTION TYPE SYSTEM SNOW BUT GFS AND ECMWF DIFFER ON TRACK OF SHORTWAVE AND SFC TROUGH TO ENHANCE THAT SNOW POTENTIAL /ECMWF FARTHER NORTH WHILE GFS MOVES FOCUS ACROSS UPR MICHIGAN/ SO WILL NOT ALTER THE SLIGHT CHANCES THAT CONSENSUS GAVE FOR POPS. AFTER A BITTER COLD START TO THE WEEK...APPEARS THAT TEMPS TO END THE WEEK INTO NEXT WEEKEND WILL SHOW WARMING TREND WITH READINGS CLOSE TO NORMAL BY NEXT SUNDAY. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z MONDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 1233 AM EST MON JAN 21 2013 KIWD...WSW FLOW WILL VEER WNW LATE TONIGHT AND SHOULD BRING SOME MVFR CIGS IN LIGHT LAKE EFFECT SNOW. SOME GUSTIER WINDS MONDAY SHOULD CONTRIBUTE TO IFR CONDITIONS BY LATE MORNING WHICH WILL LIKELY PERSIST INTO THE EVENING. KCMX...LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS WITH FINE SNOWFLAKES WILL CONTRIBUTE TO BLOWING SNOW AND SHARPLY REDUCED VSBYS THROUGH THE TAF PD WITH PREVAILING LIFR CONDITIONS. KSAW...WEST FLOW VEERING NORTHWEST ON MONDAY MORNING WILL ALLOW VFR CONDITIONS TO TURN TO MVFR AS SOME LAKE CLOUDS AND OCCASIONAL FLURRIES MOVE INTO THE AREA. VSBY COULD EVEN OCCASIONALLY LOWER TO MVFR IN LIGHT -SHSN DURING THE DAY ON MONDAY. && .MARINE...(FOR THE 4 PM LAKE SUPERIOR FORECAST ISSUANCE) ISSUED AT 455 PM EST SUN JAN 20 2013 NW WINDS OF 15-30KT WILL DOMINATE LAKE SUPERIOR TONIGHT THRU MON AS INCREASINGLY COLDER ARCTIC AIR FLOWS OVER THE LAKE. ONLY EXCEPTION WILL BE OVER THE FAR E WHERE LAND BREEZES OFF UPPER MI AND ONTARIO MAY YIELD A SHARP SFC TROF OR MESOLOW. AS A RESULT...WINDS MAY SHIFT TO A LIGHTER OFFSHORE DIRECTION EAST OF GRAND MARAIS TONIGHT WHILE LAND BREEZE E TO NE WINDS PUSH OVER THE LAKE FROM ONTARIO INTO THE AREA S OF CARIBOU ISLAND. SFC TROF/MESO LOW WILL MOVE S OR SE MON... BRINGING STRONGER N OR NW WINDS BACK TO THAT AREA. HVY FREEZING SPRAY WILL CONTINUE UNDER BITTER COLD AIR FLOWING INTO THE AREA. EXPECT WINDS TO STAY IN THE 20 TO 30 KT RANGE THROUGH MIDDLE OF WEEK THEN WINDS FINALLY RELAX AS HIGH PRESSURE BEGINS TO BUILD ACROSS REGION. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WILL SUBSIDE...BUT NOT UNTIL WEDNESDAY NIGHT. && .MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... UPPER MICHIGAN... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM EST TUESDAY FOR MIZ001>003- 084. LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING UNTIL 7 AM EST TUESDAY FOR MIZ006-007- 085. WIND CHILL ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM EST /NOON CST/ TUESDAY FOR MIZ004- 005-009>011. LAKE SUPERIOR... HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING UNTIL 7 PM EST /6 PM CST/ WEDNESDAY FOR LSZ162-240>251-263>267. LAKE MICHIGAN... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...ROLFSON LONG TERM...JLA AVIATION...VOSS MARINE...ROLFSON/JLA
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NWS AMARILLO TX
1135 PM CST SUN JAN 20 2013 .AVIATION... FOR THE 06Z TAFS...STILL REMAINS A LOW CONFIDENCE FORECAST THROUGH 12Z WITH REGARDS TO THE POTENTIAL OF FG AND LOW STRATUS. FOR NOW...IT LOOKS LIKE THE RISK AT ANY OF THE TAF SITES IS RATHER LOW. THERE IS ONE PATCH OF LOW STRATUS WITH CEILINGS AROUND OVC015 IN SW KS. HOWEVER...SO FAR THIS DECK DOES NOT SEEM TO BE EXPANDING...AND IN FACT DEW POINTS UPSTREAM ARE CONSIDERABLY LOWER THAN WHAT IS CURRENTLY OBSERVED AT THE TAF SITES. IT IS POSSIBLE AS THIS DECK ADVECTS SW...THAT IT COULD MOVE OVER EITHER KGUY OR KDHT...BUT MORE LIKELY THE DECK WILL REMAIN NW OF THOSE SITES. AT KAMA...THE CONCERN IS BR OR FZFG...BUT WITH THE LOWER DEW POINTS UPSTREAM...WINDS REMAINING N INSTEAD OF NE...AND ONLY A BRIEF WINDOW WHERE DEW POINT DEPRESSIONS COULD BE BELOW 5F...THIS SEEMS ALSO UNLIKELY. ANY LOW STRATUS OR FG SHOULD DISSIPATE QUICKLY AFTER SUNRISE LEAVING CLEAR SKIES AND WINDS GRADUALLY SHIFTING TO SW. JOHNSON && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 934 PM CST SUN JAN 20 2013/ UPDATE... WITH EACH SUBSEQUENT MODEL RUN...THE PROSPECTS FOR PATCHY FREEZING FOG APPEAR TO BE A BIT LOWER...ESPECIALLY IN THE WESTERN HALF OF THE PANHANDLES. CONSENSUS FCST SOUNDINGS AND MOS FAVOR EITHER LOW CLOUDS OR NOTHING AT ALL FROM ROUGHLY AMARILLO TO GUYMON WESTWARD. EAST OF THIS LINE...FREEZING FOG...THOUGH STILL VERY QUESTIONABLE...LOOKS A BIT MORE LIKELY GIVEN CURRENT DEWPTS NEAR 30F AND EXPECTED LOWS IN THE HIGH TEENS TO MID 20S. HOWEVER...SLIGHTLY STRONGER GRADIENT WINDS AND THE POTENTIAL FOR LOW STRATUS TO MOVE IN FIRST COULD PRECLUDE FREEZING FOG HERE AS WELL. ALL IN ALL...WILL LEAVE THE INHERITED PATCHY FREEZING FOG MENTION IN EVERYWHERE FOR LATE TONIGHT AND TOMORROW MORNING...AS IT IS JUST TOO HARD TO IGNORE THE CURRENT ELEVATED DEWPTS AND CLIMATOLOGICALLY FAVORABLE SETUP. THINK THE BEST CHANCE FOR FREEZING FOG WILL BE IN THE PERRYTON/MIAMI/CANADIAN/BEAVER/LIPSCOMB AREAS...THOUGH PATCHY FREEZING FOG CANNOT BE RULED OUT FOR EVERYONE. SIMPSON PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 535 PM CST SUN JAN 20 2013/ AVIATION... FOR THE 00Z TAFS...VFR CONDITIONS SHOULD CONTINUE THROUGH 06Z. AFTER 06Z...FORECAST CONFIDENCE DECREASES. THERE WILL BE SOME MOISTURE POOLING BEHIND THE COLD FRONT WHICH MOVED THROUGH EARLIER. DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH...THIS COULD LEAD TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF LOW CLOUDS AND FZFG BETWEEN 06 AND 15Z. HOWEVER...LATEST MODELS HAVE TRENDED DOWN WITH THE AMOUNT OF MOISTURE AVAILABLE...SO HAVE ONLY MENTIONED A SCT DECK AND MVFR VISIBILITIES FOR NOW. JOHNSON PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 310 PM CST SUN JAN 20 2013/ DISCUSSION... THROUGH TONIGHT: MAIN CONCERN TONIGHT REVOLVES AROUND POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT OF FREEZING FOG VS. LOW STRATUS. A DRY COLD FRONT LOCATED ALONG THE CANADIAN RIVER VALLEY IS TRUCKING SOUTHWARD THIS AFTERNOON. STRONG NORTHERLY WINDS HAVE DEVELOPED BEHIND THE FRONT WITH A FEW GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH. THIS NORTHERLY SURGE OF GUSTY WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH SOUTHWARD THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS, BUT IT SHOULD DIMINISH IN INTENSITY NEAR SUNSET. LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE IS EXPECTED TO POOL BEHIND THE FRONT TONIGHT, BUT MODEL GUIDANCE SHOWS VARYING DEGREES OF MOISTURE CONTENT. THE LATEST RUC AND HRRR HAVE BACKED OFF ON THE POTENTIAL FOR WIDESPREAD FREEZING FOG, BUT THE GFS AND NAM CONTINUE TO INDICATE THIS POTENTIAL. GIVEN THE SYNOPTIC PATTERN, THIS SETUP IS LOCALLY FAVORABLE FOR SOME PATCHY (FREEZING) FOG, SO WE LEFT THIS IN THE FORECAST. WE EXPECT FREEZING FOG TO DEVELOP BETWEEN 3 AM ACROSS THE EASTERN PANHANDLES AND SPREAD WESTWARD. OTHER MODEL GUIDANCE, INCLUDING THE TEXAS TECH WRF, INDICATES THAT LOW STRATUS WILL BE MORE FAVORED THAN FOG. DUE TO THESE UNCERTAINTIES, WE INCLUDED BOTH INCREASING CLOUDS AND PATCHY FREEZING FOG IN THE FORECAST, BUT OUR FORECAST CONFIDENCE IS LOW. OVERNIGHT LOW TEMPERATURES WILL RANGE FROM THE UPPER TEENS TO UPPER 20S. THE POTENTIAL FOR FREEZING DRIZZLE THAT WE DISCUSSED YESTERDAY HAS DIMINISHED AS THE DEPTH OF THE MOIST LAYER WILL BE LESS THAN 2000 FEET. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY-NIGHT: ANY FREEZING FOG THAT DEVELOPS OVERNIGHT SHOULD DISSIPATE BY 10 AM. LOW CLOUDS, IF THEY DEVELOP, COULD HANG TOUGH INTO THE EARLY AFTERNOON HOURS, ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS PANHANDLE. SURFACE WINDS WILL QUICKLY SHIFT TO THE SOUTH BY THE AFTERNOON HOURS, BUT HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL BE ABOUT 10-15 DEGREES COLDER THAN TODAY DUE TO THE MODIFIED ARCTIC AIR MASS. TUESDAY-SUNDAY: A BACKDOOR COLD FRONT WILL SNEAK INTO THE NORTHEASTERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA TUESDAY MORNING AND MAY BE SLOW TO RETREAT NORTHWARD. THIS SHOULD KEEP AN UPSLOPE COMPONENT TO THE WINDS FOR MUCH OF THE DAY. AS A RESULT, WE COOLED HIGHS OFF SEVERAL DEGREES, AND THERE IS A POSSIBILITY WE MAY STILL BE TOO WARM. THIS FRONT WILL LIFT OUT OF THE FORECAST AREA ON WEDNESDAY AS UPPER RIDGING BUILDS ACROSS THE AREA. HIGHS ON WEDNESDAY ARE EXPECTED TO WARM INTO THE LOWER 60S TO POSSIBLY NEAR 70. AN UPPER TROUGH MOVING INTO NORTHERN PLAINS ON THURSDAY WILL SWING ANOTHER DRY COLD FRONT SOUTHWARD. WE SPED UP THE TIMING OF THE FRONT GIVEN THAT IT WILL ALSO BE A STRONG FRONT. AS A RESULT, HIGHS FOR THURSDAY HAVE BEEN TRIMMED DOWNWARD AND WIND SPEEDS INCREASED, ESPECIALLY BEHIND THE FRONT. COOLER TEMPERATURES WILL RETURN FOR FRIDAY, BUT A WARMING TREND WILL RESUME FOR NEXT WEEKEND. JACKSON FIRE WEATHER... NO ELEVATED OR CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE ANTICIPATED MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY AS RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES WILL REMAIN ABOVE 20 PERCENT AND/OR 20-FOOT WINDS WILL REMAIN BELOW 15 MPH. ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE WESTERN TWO THIRDS OF THE PANHANDLES ON THURSDAY AS DRY NORTHERLY WINDS INCREASE. ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE FAR WESTERN PANHANDLES ON SATURDAY. && .AMA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... TX...NONE. OK...NONE. && $$ 16/09
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LA CROSSE WI
306 AM CST MON JAN 21 2013 .SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT 306 AM CST MON JAN 21 2013 THE CONTINUED FOCUS REMAINS ON THE BITTERLY COLD AIR MASS THAT HAS HUNKERED DOWN ACROSS THE REGION AND WILL LINGER THROUGH THE NEXT FEW DAYS. BROAD CYCLONIC FLOW ALOFT REMAINS ENTRENCHED ACROSS THE REGION AS THE POLAR VORTEX HAS DRIFTED INTO SOUTHEAST CANADA. AS SHORT WAVE TROUGHS HAVE PROPAGATED ALONG THE WESTERN PERIPHERY OF THIS TROUGH...THEY HAVE BROUGHT REINFORCING SHOTS OF COLD AIR ON DOWN WITH THEM. THE LATEST SHORT WAVE CAME THROUGH EARLY THIS MORNING AS NOTED ON WATER VAPOR IR. AHEAD OF THIS TROUGH...A COLD FRONT ALSO MOVED INTO THE REGION WHICH BROUGHT SOME FLURRIES AND SNOW SHOWERS IN AS WELL. BEHIND THIS FRONT...SKIES CLEAR OUT AND TEMPERATURES DROP BELOW ZERO. A STRENGTHENING PRESSURE GRADIENT ALSO HELPED TO INCREASE THE SURFACE WINDS AND TO DROP WIND CHILLS DOWN INTO THE ADVISORY LEVELS. AS THIS COLDER AIR MASS SHIFTS TO THE SOUTHEAST THIS MORNING THESE LOWER WIND CHILLS WILL ALSO START TO OCCUR AT SITES IN NORTHEAST IOWA AND WESTERN WISCONSIN THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE -5 TO -15F RANGE SO FAR. HAD THERE BEEN ANY SNOW COVER ON THE GROUND...TEMPERATURES PROBABLY WOULD NOT MAKE IT ABOVE ZERO TODAY. FORTUNATELY...THE SNOW PACK MELTED AWAY LAST WEEK AND THE LATEST NOHRSC SNOW DEPTH ANALYSIS AND LOCAL COOP OBSERVERS SHOWS MOSTLY ZERO SNOW COVER OUTSIDE OF A FEW SPORADIC 1-3 INCH REPORTS. EVEN WITHOUT THE SNOW COVER...TEMPERATURES ARE GOING TO REMAIN COLD AS THE CORE OF THE COLD AIR MASS DROPS DOWN ACROSS THE REGION. 850MB TEMPERATURES WILL STICK AROUND -25C FOR MOST OF THE AREA WITH THE COLDEST POCKET OF AIR RUNNING FROM NORTHEAST MINNESOTA INTO NORTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN. WIND CHILLS SHOULD STAY NEAR OR BELOW -20F THROUGH THE DAY...SO WILL NOT MAKE ANY CHANGES TO THE WIND CHILL ADVISORY. 21.06Z RAP SOUNDINGS SHOW THAT THERE COULD BE SOME CU THAT FORMS EAST OF THE RIVER TODAY...SO CAN NOT RULE OUT SOME FLURRIES THERE AS WELL. BASICALLY...IF WE GET ANY LOW LEVEL CLOUD COVER OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS...THERE WILL LIKELY BE SOME FLURRIES OR SNOW SHOWERS THAT ACCOMPANY IT WITH THE LOW LEVEL TEMPERATURE PROFILE BELOW -20C. AT THESE TEMPERATURES...WOULD MAINLY EXPECT THE SNOWFLAKES TO BE PLATES AND COLUMNS AND NOT AMASS TO MUCH IF ANYTHING. TEMPERATURES WILL START TO IMPROVE ON TUESDAY AS THE BROAD UPPER TROUGH SHIFTS EAST AND THE CORE OF THE SURFACE RIDGE MOVES ACROSS THE REGION WITH LOW LEVEL WINDS COMING AROUND TO THE SOUTHWEST. WILL HAVE TO KEEP AN EYE ON TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY FOR THE POTENTIAL OF SOME WARM AIR ADVECTION SNOW. THE 21.00Z NAM IS A BIT STRONGER WITH THE LOW LEVEL LIFT AND SATURATION COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE GUIDANCE. HAVE KEPT JUST FLURRIES IN THE FORECAST FOR NOW...BUT MAY NEED TO RAMP THINGS UP IF THE FORCING DOES LOOK LEGIT. .LONG TERM...THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY 306 AM CST MON JAN 21 2013 GOING INTO THE LATER PORTION OF THE WEEK ON INTO THE WEEKEND...THE MAIN FOCUS IS ON A SYSTEM THAT WILL DROP OUT OF SOUTH CENTRAL CANADA THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY AND BRING THE NEXT BEST CHANCE FOR AN ACCUMULATING SNOW WITH IT. TRENDS HAVE WAVERED BACK AND FORTH ON THE TIMING OF WHEN THIS FEATURE MOVES IN WITH THE 21.00Z GFS/ECMWF SLOWING IT DOWN A TAD WITH MUCH OF THE SNOW FALLING THURSDAY AFTERNOON INTO FRIDAY MORNING. 21.00Z GFS BUFKIT SOUNDINGS FOR THIS EVENT SHOW A FAIRLY DEEP DENDRITIC GROWTH ZONE WITH FORCING THROUGH THIS LAYER WHICH COULD LEAD TO SOME HIGH SNOW RATIOS. DETAILS WILL NEED TO BE WORKED OUT ON THIS SYSTEM...BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THE POTENTIAL IS THERE FOR AN ACCUMULATING SNOW...WITH THE BETTER CHANCES FOR ACCUMULATIONS IN CENTRAL WISCONSIN. TEMPERATURE-WISE...WE ARE STILL IN NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT...SO THE COOL AIR WILL REMAIN IN PLACE THOUGH NEXT WEEKEND WITH TEMPERATURES LINGERING MAINLY JUST BELOW NORMAL. && .AVIATION...THROUGH 06Z TUESDAY 1125 PM CST SUN JAN 20 2013 PRESSURE GRADIENT HAS TIGHTENED THIS EVENING AS WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS NOW GUSTING TO 20 TO 25 KNOTS AT BOTH SITES. THIS TREND WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE NIGHT AND EVEN INTO MONDAY. SHOULD BEGIN TO SEE A DECREASE AFTER 00Z TUESDAY...BUT STILL IN THE 10 TO 13 KNOT RANGE. EXPECT ANY MVFR CEILINGS AND FLURRIES TO PUSH OUT OF THE TAF SITES BY 09Z...WITH VFR CONDITIONS THEN EXPECTED AFTER THAT. && .ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... 306 AM CST MON JAN 21 2013 WI...WIND CHILL ADVISORY UNTIL NOON CST TUESDAY FOR WIZ017-029- 032>034-041>044-053>055-061. MN...WIND CHILL ADVISORY UNTIL NOON CST TUESDAY FOR MNZ079-086>088- 094>096. IA...WIND CHILL ADVISORY UNTIL NOON CST TUESDAY FOR IAZ008>011-018- 019-029-030. && $$ SHORT TERM...HALBACH LONG TERM...HALBACH AVIATION...RABERDING
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LA CROSSE WI
1125 PM CST SUN JAN 20 2013 .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY 250 PM CST SUN JAN 20 2013 MAIN FORECAST CONCERNS ARE ON TEMPERATURES/WIND CHILLS THROUGH TUESDAY AND ANY POTENTIAL LIGHT PRECIPITATION THROUGHOUT THE SHORT TERM. CURRENTLY AS OF 20Z...WATER VAPOR LOOP AND RAP 500MB HEIGHT ANALYSIS SHOWED RIDGING ALONG THE U.S. WEST COAST INTO WESTERN BRITISH COLUMBIA...WHILE DEEP TROUGHING ENCOMPASSED THE EASTERN TWO-THIRDS OF CANADA INTO THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY AND GREAT LAKES REGIONS. 500MB HEIGHTS AS WELL AS 850MB TEMPS WERE 1-1.5 STANDARD DEVIATIONS BELOW NORMAL OVER THE FORECAST AREA. REGARDING THE 850MB TEMPS...RAP ANALYSIS SHOWED READINGS OF -16 TO -20C OVER THE FORECAST AREA. WITHIN THE DEEP TROUGHING...A SHORTWAVE WAS EVIDENT FROM EASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA INTO NORTHERN IOWA. DPVA ASSOCIATED WITH THE SHORTWAVE...MID-LEVEL MOISTURE SEEN ON THE 12Z ABR SOUNDING...AS WELL AS LOW TO MID LEVEL FRONTOGENESIS WAS SUPPORTING AN AREA OF LIGHT SNOW JUST SOUTH OF THE SHORTWAVE ACROSS WESTERN AND CENTRAL IOWA. ONLY SOME SCATTERED ALTOSTRATUS HAS OVERSPREAD THE FORECAST AREA ASSOCIATED WITH THE SHORTWAVE. SUNSHINE THROUGH THESE CLOUDS AND THE COLD 850MB TEMPS HAS ONLY ALLOWED TEMPERATURES TO CLIMB INTO THE LOWER TO MID TEENS. ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE DEEP TROUGH...A 120-140 KT JET AT THE TROPOPAUSE WAS DROPPING DOWN THROUGH EASTERN ALBERTA AND SASKATCHEWAN. THE STRENGTH OF THIS JET IS PARTLY DUE TO ANOTHER SURGE OF ARCTIC AIR...WITH THE RAP SHOWING 850MB TEMPS OF -25 TO -30C FROM NORTH DAKOTA INTO MANITOBA. THIS COLD AIR WAS ALSO SITTING RIGHT BEHIND A COLD FRONT STRETCHING FROM NEAR ABERDEEN SOUTH DAKOTA INTO THE MN ARROWHEAD. TONIGHT AND MONDAY...THE 120-140 KT JET STREAK OVER EASTERN ALBERTA INTO SASKATCHEWAN IS PROGGED TO DIG INTO THE DAKOTAS TONIGHT AND INTO IOWA ON MONDAY. THE FORECAST AREA ENDS UP IN THE LEFT EXIT REGION OF THIS JET MONDAY MORNING...WHILE THE TROPOPAUSE DROPS TO AROUND 375MB. THESE STRENGTHENING UPPER DYNAMICS WILL END UP TIGHTENING THE SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT OVER THE FORECAST AREA TONIGHT...HELPING TO BRING IN THAT VERY COLD 850MB AIR ACROSS NORTH DAKOTA. NOT ANTICIPATING ANY PRECIPITATION FROM THE DYNAMICAL FORCING... PRIMARILY BECAUSE THERE IS TOO MUCH MID-LEVEL DRY AIR ACCOMPANYING THE COLD ADVECTION AS SHOWN ON FORECAST SOUNDINGS. IN ADDITION... THERE ARE CLEAR SKIES CURRENTLY PRESENT OVER NORTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA AND SOUTH CENTRAL CANADA IN THE LEFT EXIT REGION. ONLY PRECIPITATION THAT MAY OCCUR WOULD BE LIMITED TO FLURRIES...ASSOCIATED WITH THE LOW CLOUDS AHEAD OF THAT COLD FRONT DROPPING SOUTHEAST OUT OF NORTHERN SOUTH DAKOTA INTO THE MN ARROWHEAD. ADDITIONAL FLURRIES COULD OCCUR ON MONDAY NORTH OF I-94...ASSOCIATED WITH LOW TO MID LEVEL MOISTURE MOVING THROUGH WHICH IS CURRENTLY IN NORTHERN MANITOBA. REGARDING TEMPERATURES...THEY ARE TRICKY GIVEN THE LACK OF SNOW COVER AND THE INCREASING WINDS PROMOTING MIXING. WE DEFINITELY ARE NOT GOING TO GET AS COLD AS THE DAKOTAS AND NORTHERN MN WHERE SNOW EXISTS. STILL...ADVECTION ALONE AND CLEARING SKIES...COMBINED WITH THE FACT THAT THE INCOMING 850MB TEMPS ARE 2-2.5 STANDARD DEVIATIONS BELOW NORMAL...SHOULD ALLOW TEMPERATURES IN MOST LOCATIONS TO DROP BELOW ZERO. SOME LOCATIONS OVER NORTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN AND SOUTHEAST MN COULD EVEN DROP TO 10 BELOW ZERO OR SO. TEMPERATURES WILL STRUGGLE TO RECOVER ON MONDAY BEING UNDER THE 850MB THERMAL TROUGH...BUT SUN AND BARE GROUND SHOULD GET HIGHS TO NEAR OR SLIGHTLY ABOVE ZERO PER THE ECMWF. THE ECMWF HAS DONE WELL HANDLING HIGH TEMPERATURES WITH THE BARE GROUND AND THUS WAS THE PREFERRED GUIDANCE. WIND CHILLS WILL SOLIDLY END UP IN THE WIND CHILL ADVISORY RANGE FROM LATE TONIGHT INTO MUCH OF MONDAY... AND MAY EVEN APPROACH WARNING MONDAY MORNING OVER PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST MN. CONFIDENCE IS STILL NOT HIGH ENOUGH TO GO WITH THE WARNING GIVEN UNCERTAINTY ON LOW TEMPERATURES. MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY...THE DEEP UPPER TROUGH IS PROGGED TO SHIFT SLIGHTLY EASTWARD DURING THIS PERIOD AS THE RIDGE ALONG THE U.S. WEST COAST GETS A PUSH EAST. IN RESPONSE...THE ARCTIC HIGH PRESSURE AREA CURRENTLY SITTING UP IN ALBERTA IS ALLOWED TO BUILD INTO THE FORECAST AREA. MODELS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT OF THE HIGH PRESSURE AREA ENCOMPASSING THE AREA AT 00Z WEDNESDAY. UNTIL THE HIGH BUILDS IN...A SLOWLY WEAKENING PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL EXIST...MAINTAINING A NORTHWESTERLY BREEZE AND KEEPING WIND CHILLS DOWN. THUS...HAVING THE WIND CHILL ADVISORY GO TO 18Z TUESDAY STILL LOOKS GOOD. SKIES SHOULD END UP CLEAR IN MOST AREAS BY 12Z TUESDAY...FAVORING GOOD RADIATIONAL COOLING. AGAIN...THE LACK OF SNOW COVER AND BREEZE WILL ACT AGAINST GETTING TOO COLD. GIVEN THE COLDER MONDAY COMPARED TO TODAY...SHOULD SEE LOWS AT LEAST A FEW DEGREES COLDER...ESPECIALLY OVER THE SNOWPACK NORTH OF HIGHWAY 10. 850MB AND 925MB TEMPERATURES ARE PROGGED TO ONLY SLOWLY RECOVER...CLIMBING TO -18 TO -22C AND -16 TO -22C RESPECTIVELY BY 00Z. DESPITE PLENTY OF SUNSHINE MINUS SOME INCREASING HIGH CLOUDS IN THE AFTERNOON...ONLY ANTICIPATING HIGHS 5 TO 10 DEGREES WARMER PER ECMWF. TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...MODELS PROG A POTENT SHORTWAVE TO DROP SOUTH OUT OF NORTHERN MANITOBA LATE TUESDAY AND HAVE IT CROSS LAKE SUPERIOR LATE WEDNESDAY. MEANWHILE...THE WESTERN UPPER RIDGE BREAKS DOWN AND FLATTENS WHILE SPREADING EAST...IN RESPONSE TO A POTENT SHORTWAVE TROUGH CROSSING THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. THE RESULT OF ALL THIS IS TO STRENGTHEN THE UPPER JET CORE AT THE TROPOPAUSE OVER OR JUST NORTH OF THE FORECAST AREA...TOWARDS 150-170 KT. WITH THE STRENGTHENING UPPER JET COMES AN ISENTROPIC LIFT AND LOW TO MID LEVEL FRONTOGENESIS ZONE ON ITS SOUTHWEST SIDE. THIS RESULTS IN INCREASING AND THICKENING MID AND HIGH CLOUDS OVER THE FORECAST AREA. FORCING IS NOT ALL THAT STRONG PER MODEL DERIVED OMEGA FIELDS...BUT THE LOW LEVELS DO SLOWLY SATURATE OVER TIME. THUS... THINK FLURRIES AT A MINIMUM WILL OCCUR. 20.12Z NAM ACTUALLY PRODUCES SOME LIGHT QPF...ALBEIT IS THE MOST DYNAMIC BY EVEN HAVING A SURFACE LOW DROPPING THROUGH IOWA. FOR NOW JUST WENT WITH ADDING FLURRIES...BUT SOME CHANCES OF PRECIPITATION MAY NEED TO BE ADDED IF MODELS TREND TOWARDS THE NAM. WITH THE THICKENING CLOUD COVER AND BARE GROUND...TEMPERATURES SHOULD NOT FALL ALL THAT MUCH TUESDAY NIGHT. 925MB TEMPS WARM FURTHER ON WEDNESDAY WITH THE UPPER FLOW TURNING MORE WEST-NORTHWESTERLY...CLIMBING TO -8C SOUTHWEST TO -16C NORTHEAST BY 00Z. THUS...DESPITE CLOUD COVER...TEMPERATURES SHOULD BE ABLE TO CLIMB INTO THE MID TEENS TO MID 20S. .LONG TERM...WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY 250 PM CST SUN JAN 20 2013 VERY GOOD AGREEMENT EXISTS ON THE LONG TERM PATTERN FROM THE 20.12Z ECMWF/GFS/CANADIAN AND ECMWF ENSEMBLES. THE SHORTWAVE TROUGH OVER THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST TO START THE PERIOD DIGS INTO NEBRASKA AND IOWA FOR THURSDAY. AN INVERTED TROUGH ACCOMPANIES THE SHORTWAVE... WITH A COMBINATION OF MID-LEVEL FRONTOGENESIS...DPVA AND MOISTURE EXPECTING TO BRING SOME SNOW ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. HOWEVER... THIS HAS BEEN A POINT OF CONTENTION FOR A FEW DAYS...WITH MODELS VARYING ON HOW MUCH QPF WITH EVEN A FEW SUGGESTING DRY EITHER ON THURSDAY AND/OR THURSDAY NIGHT. AS SUCH...HAVE KEPT A CONSENSUS AROUND 30 PERCENT CHANCE FOR BOTH THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT. CERTAINLY IF THE TREND IN THE 20.12Z ECMWF CONTINUES...WE WILL NEED HIGHER CHANCES AS IT NOW SUGGESTS UPWARDS OF 2-3 INCHES OF SNOW. THIS IS QUITE A BIT DIFFERENT FROM ITS PREVIOUS RUN...THOUGH. ANOTHER SURGE OF CANADIAN AIR WITH HIGH PRESSURE IS STILL FORECAST TO DROP INTO THE FORECAST AREA IN THE WAKE OF THIS SYSTEM FOR FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT. HOWEVER...THE 850MB TEMPS ARE NOT NEARLY AS COLD AS THE CURRENT ARCTIC AIR SURGE...ONLY PROGGED TO DIP DOWN TO -20C AT MOST. FOR THE WEEKEND...A DEEP TROUGH IS FORECAST TO FORM JUST OFF OR ON THE WEST COAST OF THE U.S....SETTING UP A PATTERN CHANGE AS 500MB HEIGHTS RISE DOWNSTREAM ACROSS THE REST OF THE U.S.. EVENTUALLY A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM FORMS IN THE VICINITY OF WYOMING AND COLORADO BY LATE SUNDAY...BUT MOISTURE RETURN TOWARDS THE FORECAST AREA IS STILL LIMITED. THUS...A DRY WEEKEND WITH WARMING TEMPERATURES IS IN STORE. HOW WARM WILL DEPEND ON HOW MUCH SNOW OCCURS WITH THE THURSDAY SYSTEM. FOLLOWED THE CONSENSUS FOR HIGH TEMPERATURES FOR THE WEEKEND...BUT THESE MAY STILL BE TOO COOL GIVEN 925MB TEMPS CLIMBING TO 0 TO -4C BY 18Z SUNDAY PER 20.12Z GFS/ECMWF. && .AVIATION...THROUGH 06Z TUESDAY 1125 PM CST SUN JAN 20 2013 PRESSURE GRADIENT HAS TIGHTENED THIS EVENING AS WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS NOW GUSTING TO 20 TO 25 KNOTS AT BOTH SITES. THIS TREND WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE NIGHT AND EVEN INTO MONDAY. SHOULD BEGIN TO SEE A DECREASE AFTER 00Z TUESDAY...BUT STILL IN THE 10 TO 13 KNOT RANGE. EXPECT ANY MVFR CEILINGS AND FLURRIES TO PUSH OUT OF THE TAF SITES BY 09Z...WITH VFR CONDITIONS THEN EXPECTED AFTER THAT. && .ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... 250 PM CST SUN JAN 20 2013 WI...WIND CHILL ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO NOON CST TUESDAY FOR WIZ017-029-032>034-041>044-053>055-061. MN...WIND CHILL ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO NOON CST TUESDAY FOR MNZ079-086>088-094>096. IA...WIND CHILL ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO NOON CST TUESDAY FOR IAZ008>011-018-019-029-030. && $$ SHORT TERM...AJ LONG TERM...AJ AVIATION...RABERDING
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GREEN BAY WI
1121 PM CST SUN JAN 20 2013 UPDATED AVIATION PORTION FOR 06Z TAF ISSUANCE .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT AND MONDAY. LATEST RUC ANALYSIS AND SATELLITE/RADAR IMAGERY SHOW ARCTIC HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL PLAINS BENEATH NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT. EMBEDDED SHORTWAVE TROUGH WITHIN THIS NW FLOW IS MOVING OVER WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR EARLY THIS AFTERNOON AND IS HELPING TO PRODUCE SNOW SHOWERS AND FLURRIES OVER NORTHERN MINNESOTA WHICH ARE PUSHING INTO NORTHWEST WISCONSIN. THE NEXT PUSH OF BITTERLY COLD ARCTIC AIR EXISTS BEHIND THIS SHORTWAVE WHERE TEMPERATURES REMAIN BELOW 0F. FORECAST CONCERNS INCLUDE SMALL PRECIP CHANCES THIS EVENING...THEN TEMPERATURES AND ASSOCIATED HEADLINES. TONIGHT...THE SHORTWAVE TROUGH WILL MOVE ACROSS THE UPPER PENINSULA OVER THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING. TAIL OF THE VORT MAX WILL PUSH AN AREA OF CLOUDS AND FLURRIES ACROSS THE AREA LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. HAVE ADDED THE CHANCE OF FLURRIES TO THE FORECAST. LOW LEVEL WINDS LOOK TOO WESTERLY FOR LAKE EFFECT SNOW TO BE MUCH OF AN ISSUE FOR VILAS COUNTY. BUT WITH ENHANCEMENT FROM THE SHORTWAVE THIS EVENING...WILL KEEP A CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS OVER VILAS AND ACCUMS LESS THAN A HALF INCH. TIMING THE DEPARTURE OF THE CLOUDS IS DIFFICULT SINCE RH IN THE 900-800MB LAYER REMAINS FAIRLY HIGH. SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS CLEARING TAKING PLACE OVER NORTHERN MINNESOTA AND ONTARIO...SO THINK SKIES WILL AT LEAST PARTIALLY CLEAR FROM WEST TO EAST AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT. TEMPERATURES WERE FIRMLY IN THE TEENS BELOW ZERO OVER NORTHERN MINNESOTA THIS MORNING. WILL HAVE COMPARATIVELY MORE WIND THAN FARTHER WEST...BUT STILL THINK WILL REACH IN THE LOW TEENS BELOW ZERO OVER NORTH-CENTRAL WISCONSIN. WITH NW WINDS 7-12 KTS TONIGHT...WIND CHILL READINGS WILL APPROACH 20 BELOW OVER NORTH-CENTRAL WISCONSIN AROUND 06Z...AND OVER THE FOX VALLEY BY 10Z. WILL BEGIN THE NEW WIND CHILL HEADLINES AT THOSE TIMES. MONDAY...NORTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO POUR BITTERLY COLD ARCTIC AIR ACROSS THE REGION...DROPPING 850MB TEMPS TO 28-29C BELOW ZERO. ANOTHER WEAK SHORTWAVE WILL BE SWINGING ACROSS THE STATE. SOME FLURRIES OR LIGHT SNOW NORTH OF LAKE WINNIPEG WITH THIS FEATURE AND WILL ADD TO THE FORECAST OVER NORTH-CENTRAL AND CENTRAL WISCONSIN. NW WINDS WILL REMAIN BREEZY...AND TEMPS WILL STRUGGLE TO REACH ABOVE 0F. WIND CHILL READINGS MAY BRIEFLY RISE ABOVE ADVISORY CRITERIA FOR A FEW HOURS DURING THE AFTERNOON OVER THE FOX VALLEY AND ADJACENT TO GREEN BAY. BUT HEADLINES WILL HAVE TO BE ISSUED AGAIN BY 23-24Z...SO WILL JUST RUN HEADLINES THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT. HIGHS RANGING FROM 6 BELOW OVER N-C WISCONSIN...TO ABOUT 6 ABOVE NEAR LAKE MICHIGAN. .LONG TERM...MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH NEXT SUNDAY. COLD ARCTIC AIR INTRUSION WILL CONTINUE TO GRAB THE HEADLINES FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THE WEEK. AN ONGOING WIND CHILL ADVISORY EXPECTED OVER WESTERN AREAS TROUGH TUESDAY NOON. THE REST OF THE FORECAST AREA INCLUDING THE LAKESHORE REGION WILL BE ADDED STARTING MONDAY EVENING AND LASTING THROUGH NOON AS WELL AS THE CORE OF THE COLDEST AIR FILTERS OVER THE AREA. MATTER OF FACT...LATER SHIFTS MAY POSSIBLY NEED TO UPGRADE TO A WIND CHILL WARNING OVER PORTIONS OF NORTHERN AND PARTS OF CENTRAL WISCONSIN MONDAY NIGHT. RESURGENT COLD AIR AND NORTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS FAR NORTH BUT DRY AIR MASS AND LOW INVERSIONS WILL LIKELY LIMIT PLUME DEVELOPMENT. WINDS WILL BE ON THE DECREASE LATER TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY AS A COLD HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM SETTLES OVER THE AREA. LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS END AS WINDS TURN MORE SOUTHWEST...BUT ANOTHER COLD NIGHT EXPECTED WITH THE LIGHTER WINDS UNDER THE HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM. MIN TEMPERATURES WILL BE IMPACTED BY CLOUDS THROUGH WEDNESDAY...BUT GUIDANCE TENDS TO OVERDUE THE CLOUDS AT TIMES DUE TO THE RELATIVE EASE TO SATURATE A COLD DRY AIR MASS. WITH SUCH A COLD AIR MASS DROPPING IN FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THE WEEK...YOU WONDER HOW COLD IT COULD HAVE BEEN WITH A FRESH DEEP SNOW COVER. WITH THE LIMITED SNOW COVER...THE ARCTIC AIR WILL DRIVE AREA FROST DEPTHS DEEPER THIS WEEK. WEAK WAA STARTS ON WEDNESDAY AS A SHORT WAVE TROUGH DROPS INTO THE NORTHERN GREAT LAKES REGION. MORE WIDESPREAD CLOUDS IN THE BAROCLINIC ZONE FROM MT TO THE OHIO VALLEY TODAY MAY EDGE NORTH INTO PARTS OF CENTRAL WISCONSIN WEDNESDAY AND CONTINUE TO SPREAD NORTH THROUGH THURSDAY. LIGHT SNOW REMAINS IN THE FORECAST LATER IN THE WEEK AS A CLIPPER SYSTEM DROPS INTO THE REGION AND PHASES WITH SOME SOUTHERN STREAM ENERGY SOUTH AND EAST OF THE AREA. LAKE EFFECT POTENTIAL INCREASES AGAIN THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY AS CAA WITH NORTHWEST WINDS DEVELOP IN THE WAKE OF THE CLIPPER SYSTEM. ANY LAKE EFFECT SNOW WILL END FRIDAY NIGHT AS A MODERATING TEMPERATURE PATTERN STARTS WITH A RETURN TO A ZONAL FLOW WITH WAA FOR THE WEEKEND. && .AVIATION...FOR 06Z TAF ISSUANCE. PATCHES OF CLDS AND SOME FLURRIES WL CONT TO STREAM SE FM TIME TO TIME UNDER COLD NWLY FLOW ALOFT. EXPECT PRIMARILY VFR CONDITIONS. SKOWRONSKI && .GRB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WIND CHILL ADVISORY FROM 4 AM MONDAY TO NOON CST TUESDAY FOR WIZ013-020-021-031-037>039-045-048-049-073-074. WIND CHILL ADVISORY FROM 6 PM MONDAY TO NOON CST TUESDAY FOR WIZ022-040-050. WIND CHILL ADVISORY UNTIL NOON CST TUESDAY FOR WIZ005-010>012- 018-019-030-035-036. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CHEYENNE WY
1143 PM MST SUN JAN 20 2013 .AVIATION...06Z TAF ISSUANCE... EDGE OF LOWER CLOUD DECK REMAINS IN PLACE NEAR CHADRON BUT THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE FORECAST AREA UNDER MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES AND VFR AT THIS TIME. CHADRON SHOULD BE NEAR THE SOUTHERN EDGE OF THE LOWER CLOUD DECK TONIGHT BUT THIS AREA OF LOW CLOUDS SHOULD SHIFT EAST OF THE AREA AFTER SUNRISE. WINDS WILL BE LIGHT TONIGHT BUT EXPECTING WESTERLY WINDS TO BECOME GUSTY ACROSS SOUTHEAST WYOMING BY LATE MONDAY MORNING AND THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON. GUSTS OVER 30 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED. WIND PRONE AREAS SUCH AS BORDEAUX AND ARLINGTON WILL LIKELY SEE STRONG GUSTY WINDS MONDAY NIGHT WITH GUSTS 50 MPH OR GREATER. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 421 PM MST SUN JAN 20 2013/ AVIATION...00Z TAFS LATEST HRRR MODEL RUN SHOWS IFR CEILINGS RETURNING TO KAIA AND KCDR SHORTLY AFTER SUNSET. WRF SOUNDINGS FOR KCDR SHOWING A FAIRLY STRONG STRATUS/FOG INVERSION SETTING UP OVER CHADRON AROUND 03Z OR SO AND PERSISTING THROUGH MONDAY MORNING. CONFIDENCE IS HIGH THAT EITHER FOG OR STRATUS WILL REDEVELOP OVER KCDR. WITH THE HRRR SHOWING THIS STRATUS SPREADING SOUTH...TOOK KAIA DOWN SHORTLY AFTER 03Z OR SO. ALSO NEED TO WATCH KSNY AS THE HRR SHOWS THE SOUTHERN PANHANDLE GOING DOWN AFTER 05Z OR SO. FOR OUR SOUTHEAST WYOMING AIRPORTS...VFR CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE. THE EXCEPTION COULD BE DOUGLAS WHERE THE BACKDOOR FRONT COULD PUSH INTO AND DEVELOP SOME IFR/MVFR. CLAYCOMB PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 247 PM MST SUN JAN 20 2013/ SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT UPCOMING WEEK CHARACTERIZED AS WINDY. TWO POSSIBLE HIGH WIND EVENTS LOOK TO TAKE SHAPE THIS WEEK. A PESKY BACKDOOR COLD FRONT HANGS ACROSS EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE CWA AFFECTING TEMPERATURES MAINLY. THESE ARE THE FORECAST CHALLENGES WITH THIS FORECAST PACKAGE. CURRENTLY...BACKDOOR COLD FRONT HAS PUSHED SOUTHWEST THIS MORNING AND CURRENTLY LAYS UP ALONG THE EASTERN SLOPES OF THE LARAMIE RANGE EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. BEHIND THE FRONT...BLUSTERY NORTHEASTERLY WINDS...COLDER TEMPERATURES ARE OCCURRING ACROSS SOUTHEAST WYOMING EAST OF THE LARAMIE RANGE...WITH STRATUS OUT OVER THE NORTHERN PANHANDLE. TEMPERATURES AT CHADRON AT 1 PM ARE BEING REPORTED AT 22 DEGREES WITH LOW 30S HERE AT CHEYENNE AND DOUGLAS. STRATUS LINE CAN BE SEEN ON SATELLITE IMAGERY...GENERALLY FROM NEAR BRIDGEPORT...NORTHWEST TO JUST NORTH OF TORRINGTON TO AROUND BILL IN CONVERSE COUNTY. FRONT LOOKS TO REMAIN IN PLACE THIS EVENING WITH COLD NORTH TO NORTHEASTERLY WINDS EAST OF THE LARAMIE RANGE. OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL BE QUITE COLD...WITH NEAR ZERO LOWS ACROSS THE NORTHERN PANHANDLE AND LOW TEENS ALONG THE LARAMIE RANGE. FRONT REALLY DOES NOT BEGIN TO MOVE EAST UNTIL MONDAY MID MORNING...BUT TAKES ITS SWEET TIME EXITING THE NORTHERN PANHANDLE. MODEL SOUNDING TONIGHT SHOW A PRETTY STRONG INVERSION SETTING UP OVER THE NORTHERN PANHANDLE AND NIOBRARA COUNTY...SO WENT AHEAD AND KEPT INHERITED PATCHY FOG IN THE FORECAST FOR THIS AREA. A PRETTY STRONG GRADIENT IS SET UP FOR MONDAY WITH THE SLOW MOVEMENT OF THIS FRONT. THE LATEST NAM/WRF WRKHGT PRODUCT SHOWING THE CRAIG TO CASPER 850MB GRADIENT AROUND AT 65 METERS BY 06Z TOMORROW NIGHT...700MB GRADIENT AROUND 51 METERS. GFS 700MB WINDS INCREASE TO 50-55 KT MONDAY NIGHT. THOUGH NOT THE BEST WIND DIRECTIONS FOR HIGH WINDS...DO BELIEVE THERE IS A GOOD POSSIBILITY OF A GAP WIND EVENT SETTING UP FOR OUR WIND PRONE AREAS MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY...SO WILL GO AHEAD WITH A HIGH WIND WATCH FOR OUR WIND PRONE AREAS. MID SHIFT CAN TAKE ANOTHER LOOK BEFORE ISSUING ANY UPGRADES. BACKDOOR FRONT FINALLY MOVES EAST TUESDAY MORNING AND WINDS EASE SOME THROUGH THE DAY. STILL LOOKS LIKE A COLD DAY OVERALL FOR THE NORTHERN PANHANDLE TUESDAY WITH UPPER 30S AND LOW 40S FOR HIGHS. ELSEWHERE...A BEAUTIFUL DAY LOOKS TO BE IN STORE WITH MID 50S ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PANHANDLE ALL THE WAY TO THE EAST SLOPES OF THE LARAMIE RANGE. LONG TERM...WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY... THE 12Z MEDIUM RANGE MODELS ARE IN GENERAL AGREEMENT. A SHORTWAVE RIDGE AXIS WILL SHIFT EAST ACROSS THE CWA WEDNESDAY...FOLLOWED BY A SHORTWAVE TROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY MORNING. THE FAST LOW-MID LEVEL TROPOSPHERIC FLOW AND LARGE SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT ASSOCIATED WITH A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL PRODUCE MORE WIDESPREAD STRONG AND GUSTY SURFACE WINDS AT THAT TIME. 700MB WINDS INCREASE TO 70 KT OVER SOUTHEAST WYOMING AND 55 KT OVER THE WESTERN NEBRASKA PANHANDLE WEDNESDAY EVENING. WINDS DECREASE THURSDAY WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE UPPER TROUGH AND SURFACE COLD FRONT. HIGH TEMPERATURES WEDNESDAY WILL BE 10 TO 20 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL... COOLING TO NEAR NORMAL THURSDAY AS CANADIAN HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS. SURFACE TROUGH ALONG THE LARAMIE RANGE THURSDAY NIGHT SHIFTS EAST INTO THE WESTERN NEBRASKA PANHANDLE FRIDAY. A SURFACE RIDGE WILL BE PARKED OVER THE WASATCH RANGE. WESTERLY SURFACE WINDS WILL BE BREEZY OVER THE MOUNTAINS AT THAT TIME. 700MB TEMPERATURES MODERATE FROM -12C THURSDAY TO -2C FRIDAY. DOWNSLOPE FLOW ON THE EASTERN PLAINS WILL RESULT IN 40-DEGREE TEMPERATURES...WITH SOME 30S LINGERING IN EAST CENTRAL WYOMING AND THE NORTHERN PANHANDLE. EVEN MILDER TEMPERATURES ARE IN THE FORECAST FOR THE UPCOMING WEEKEND FOR THE EASTERN PLAINS AND PANHANDLE WITH HIGHS IN THE 50S TO NEAR 60. IT WILL BE BREEZY OVER THE MOUNTAINS. PRECIPITATION CHANCES DURING THE ENTIRE PERIOD WILL BE SLIM TO NONE WITH LIMITED MOISTURE AND JET DYNAMICS WELL NORTH OF THE CWA. AVIATION...18Z TAF ISSUANCE... COLD FRONT HAS PUSHED THROUGH ALL EXCEPT AREAS WEST OF THE LARAMIE RANGE LATE THIS MORNING. SURFACE WINDS SHIFTED FROM WESTERLY TO NORTHERLY BEHIND THE FRONT AND WERE GUSTING AS HIGH AS 25 KT. A LOW CLOUD DECK WAS PUSHING SOUTH ACROSS EASTERN WYOMING AND THE NORTHERN NEBRASKA PANHANDLE. CEILINGS RANGED FROM HIGH END IFR TO MVFR. PREVAILING MVFR CEILINGS ARE FORECAST AT CHADRON AND ALLIANCE THROUGH TONIGHT. VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL FOR THE SOUTHEAST WYOMING AERODROMES THROUGH TONIGHT...WITH GUSTY WESTERLY WINDS DEVELOPING MONDAY MORNING. FIRE WEATHER... STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS ARE THE THEME FOR FIRE WEATHER THIS WEEK. WINDS WILL EASE SOME THIS EVENING AFTER SUNSET WITH OVERNIGHT HUMIDITIES RANGING FROM 70 PERCENT OUT BY RAWLINS TO 100 PERCENT IN THE PANHANDLE. STRONG WINDS EXPECTED MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY IN OUR WIND PRONE AREAS WITH AFTERNOON HUMIDITIES FALLING INTO THE LOW TEENS EAST OF THE LARAMIE RANGE TUESDAY AFTERNOON. A STRONGER AND MORE WIDESPREAD HIGH WIND EVENT LOOKS TO TAKE SHAPE WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY AS A COLD FRONT PASSES THROUGH THE AREA AND LOW PRESSURE TRACKS THROUGH MONTANA. WIDESPREAD WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY... BEFORE SHIFTING NORTHWEST AND EASING THURSDAY AFTERNOON. && .CYS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WY...HIGH WIND WATCH FROM 9 PM MONDAY TO 8 AM TUESDAY FOR WYZ106- WYZ110-WYZ116. NE...NONE. && $$ AVIATION...LIEBL
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CHEYENNE WY
1058 PM MST SUN JAN 20 2013 .AVIATION...12Z TAF ISSUANCE... EDGE OF LOWER CLOUD DECK REMAINS IN PLACE NEAR CHADRON BUT THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE FORECAST AREA UNDER MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES AND VFR AT THIS TIME. CHADRON SHOULD BE NEAR THE SOUTHERN EDGE OF THE LOWER CLOUD DECK TONIGHT BUT THIS AREA OF LOW CLOUDS SHOULD SHIFT EAST OF THE AREA AFTER SUNRISE. WINDS WILL BE LIGHT TONIGHT BUT EXPECTING WESTERLY WINDS TO BECOME GUSTY ACROSS SOUTHEAST WYOMING BY LATE MONDAY MORNING AND THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON. GUSTS OVER 30 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED. WIND PRONE AREAS SUCH AS BORDEAUX AND ARLINGTON WILL LIKELY SEE STRONG GUSTY WINDS MONDAY NIGHT WITH GUSTS 50 MPH OR GREATER. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 421 PM MST SUN JAN 20 2013/ AVIATION...00Z TAFS LATEST HRRR MODEL RUN SHOWS IFR CEILINGS RETURNING TO KAIA AND KCDR SHORTLY AFTER SUNSET. WRF SOUNDINGS FOR KCDR SHOWING A FAIRLY STRONG STRATUS/FOG INVERSION SETTING UP OVER CHADRON AROUND 03Z OR SO AND PERSISTING THROUGH MONDAY MORNING. CONFIDENCE IS HIGH THAT EITHER FOG OR STRATUS WILL REDEVELOP OVER KCDR. WITH THE HRRR SHOWING THIS STRATUS SPREADING SOUTH...TOOK KAIA DOWN SHORTLY AFTER 03Z OR SO. ALSO NEED TO WATCH KSNY AS THE HRR SHOWS THE SOUTHERN PANHANDLE GOING DOWN AFTER 05Z OR SO. FOR OUR SOUTHEAST WYOMING AIRPORTS...VFR CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE. THE EXCEPTION COULD BE DOUGLAS WHERE THE BACKDOOR FRONT COULD PUSH INTO AND DEVELOP SOME IFR/MVFR. CLAYCOMB PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 247 PM MST SUN JAN 20 2013/ SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT UPCOMING WEEK CHARACTERIZED AS WINDY. TWO POSSIBLE HIGH WIND EVENTS LOOK TO TAKE SHAPE THIS WEEK. A PESKY BACKDOOR COLD FRONT HANGS ACROSS EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE CWA AFFECTING TEMPERATURES MAINLY. THESE ARE THE FORECAST CHALLENGES WITH THIS FORECAST PACKAGE. CURRENTLY...BACKDOOR COLD FRONT HAS PUSHED SOUTHWEST THIS MORNING AND CURRENTLY LAYS UP ALONG THE EASTERN SLOPES OF THE LARAMIE RANGE EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. BEHIND THE FRONT...BLUSTERY NORTHEASTERLY WINDS...COLDER TEMPERATURES ARE OCCURRING ACROSS SOUTHEAST WYOMING EAST OF THE LARAMIE RANGE...WITH STRATUS OUT OVER THE NORTHERN PANHANDLE. TEMPERATURES AT CHADRON AT 1 PM ARE BEING REPORTED AT 22 DEGREES WITH LOW 30S HERE AT CHEYENNE AND DOUGLAS. STRATUS LINE CAN BE SEEN ON SATELLITE IMAGERY...GENERALLY FROM NEAR BRIDGEPORT...NORTHWEST TO JUST NORTH OF TORRINGTON TO AROUND BILL IN CONVERSE COUNTY. FRONT LOOKS TO REMAIN IN PLACE THIS EVENING WITH COLD NORTH TO NORTHEASTERLY WINDS EAST OF THE LARAMIE RANGE. OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL BE QUITE COLD...WITH NEAR ZERO LOWS ACROSS THE NORTHERN PANHANDLE AND LOW TEENS ALONG THE LARAMIE RANGE. FRONT REALLY DOES NOT BEGIN TO MOVE EAST UNTIL MONDAY MID MORNING...BUT TAKES ITS SWEET TIME EXITING THE NORTHERN PANHANDLE. MODEL SOUNDING TONIGHT SHOW A PRETTY STRONG INVERSION SETTING UP OVER THE NORTHERN PANHANDLE AND NIOBRARA COUNTY...SO WENT AHEAD AND KEPT INHERITED PATCHY FOG IN THE FORECAST FOR THIS AREA. A PRETTY STRONG GRADIENT IS SET UP FOR MONDAY WITH THE SLOW MOVEMENT OF THIS FRONT. THE LATEST NAM/WRF WRKHGT PRODUCT SHOWING THE CRAIG TO CASPER 850MB GRADIENT AROUND AT 65 METERS BY 06Z TOMORROW NIGHT...700MB GRADIENT AROUND 51 METERS. GFS 700MB WINDS INCREASE TO 50-55 KT MONDAY NIGHT. THOUGH NOT THE BEST WIND DIRECTIONS FOR HIGH WINDS...DO BELIEVE THERE IS A GOOD POSSIBILITY OF A GAP WIND EVENT SETTING UP FOR OUR WIND PRONE AREAS MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY...SO WILL GO AHEAD WITH A HIGH WIND WATCH FOR OUR WIND PRONE AREAS. MID SHIFT CAN TAKE ANOTHER LOOK BEFORE ISSUING ANY UPGRADES. BACKDOOR FRONT FINALLY MOVES EAST TUESDAY MORNING AND WINDS EASE SOME THROUGH THE DAY. STILL LOOKS LIKE A COLD DAY OVERALL FOR THE NORTHERN PANHANDLE TUESDAY WITH UPPER 30S AND LOW 40S FOR HIGHS. ELSEWHERE...A BEAUTIFUL DAY LOOKS TO BE IN STORE WITH MID 50S ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PANHANDLE ALL THE WAY TO THE EAST SLOPES OF THE LARAMIE RANGE. LONG TERM...WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY... THE 12Z MEDIUM RANGE MODELS ARE IN GENERAL AGREEMENT. A SHORTWAVE RIDGE AXIS WILL SHIFT EAST ACROSS THE CWA WEDNESDAY...FOLLOWED BY A SHORTWAVE TROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY MORNING. THE FAST LOW-MID LEVEL TROPOSPHERIC FLOW AND LARGE SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT ASSOCIATED WITH A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL PRODUCE MORE WIDESPREAD STRONG AND GUSTY SURFACE WINDS AT THAT TIME. 700MB WINDS INCREASE TO 70 KT OVER SOUTHEAST WYOMING AND 55 KT OVER THE WESTERN NEBRASKA PANHANDLE WEDNESDAY EVENING. WINDS DECREASE THURSDAY WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE UPPER TROUGH AND SURFACE COLD FRONT. HIGH TEMPERATURES WEDNESDAY WILL BE 10 TO 20 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL... COOLING TO NEAR NORMAL THURSDAY AS CANADIAN HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS. SURFACE TROUGH ALONG THE LARAMIE RANGE THURSDAY NIGHT SHIFTS EAST INTO THE WESTERN NEBRASKA PANHANDLE FRIDAY. A SURFACE RIDGE WILL BE PARKED OVER THE WASATCH RANGE. WESTERLY SURFACE WINDS WILL BE BREEZY OVER THE MOUNTAINS AT THAT TIME. 700MB TEMPERATURES MODERATE FROM -12C THURSDAY TO -2C FRIDAY. DOWNSLOPE FLOW ON THE EASTERN PLAINS WILL RESULT IN 40-DEGREE TEMPERATURES...WITH SOME 30S LINGERING IN EAST CENTRAL WYOMING AND THE NORTHERN PANHANDLE. EVEN MILDER TEMPERATURES ARE IN THE FORECAST FOR THE UPCOMING WEEKEND FOR THE EASTERN PLAINS AND PANHANDLE WITH HIGHS IN THE 50S TO NEAR 60. IT WILL BE BREEZY OVER THE MOUNTAINS. PRECIPITATION CHANCES DURING THE ENTIRE PERIOD WILL BE SLIM TO NONE WITH LIMITED MOISTURE AND JET DYNAMICS WELL NORTH OF THE CWA. AVIATION...18Z TAF ISSUANCE... COLD FRONT HAS PUSHED THROUGH ALL EXCEPT AREAS WEST OF THE LARAMIE RANGE LATE THIS MORNING. SURFACE WINDS SHIFTED FROM WESTERLY TO NORTHERLY BEHIND THE FRONT AND WERE GUSTING AS HIGH AS 25 KT. A LOW CLOUD DECK WAS PUSHING SOUTH ACROSS EASTERN WYOMING AND THE NORTHERN NEBRASKA PANHANDLE. CEILINGS RANGED FROM HIGH END IFR TO MVFR. PREVAILING MVFR CEILINGS ARE FORECAST AT CHADRON AND ALLIANCE THROUGH TONIGHT. VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL FOR THE SOUTHEAST WYOMING AERODROMES THROUGH TONIGHT...WITH GUSTY WESTERLY WINDS DEVELOPING MONDAY MORNING. FIRE WEATHER... STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS ARE THE THEME FOR FIRE WEATHER THIS WEEK. WINDS WILL EASE SOME THIS EVENING AFTER SUNSET WITH OVERNIGHT HUMIDITIES RANGING FROM 70 PERCENT OUT BY RAWLINS TO 100 PERCENT IN THE PANHANDLE. STRONG WINDS EXPECTED MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY IN OUR WIND PRONE AREAS WITH AFTERNOON HUMIDITIES FALLING INTO THE LOW TEENS EAST OF THE LARAMIE RANGE TUESDAY AFTERNOON. A STRONGER AND MORE WIDESPREAD HIGH WIND EVENT LOOKS TO TAKE SHAPE WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY AS A COLD FRONT PASSES THROUGH THE AREA AND LOW PRESSURE TRACKS THROUGH MONTANA. WIDESPREAD WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY... BEFORE SHIFTING NORTHWEST AND EASING THURSDAY AFTERNOON. && .CYS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WY...HIGH WIND WATCH FROM 9 PM MONDAY TO 8 AM TUESDAY FOR WYZ106- WYZ110-WYZ116. NE...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM/FIRE WEATHER... LONG TERM/AVIATION...
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
807 AM CST MON JAN 21 2013 .DISCUSSION... 339 AM CST MAIN CONCERNS/CHALLENGES ARE WITH MUCH COLDER AIR KNOCKING ON OUR DOORSTEPS THIS MORNING...SOME PERIODIC CHANCES FOR FLURRIES THROUGH MID WEEK...AS WELL AS A POSSIBILITY FOR OUR FIRST ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL ARRIVING THURSDAY. WITH THE COLD TEMPS/LOW WIND CHILLS...HAVE ISSUED A WIND CHILL ADVISORY FOR THE NORTHERN TWO TIERS OF COUNTIES IN ILLINOIS FOR TONIGHT INTO TUESDAY MORNING. CHILLY AIR IN PLACE THIS MORNING AS TEMPS ARE IN THE LOWER TEENS AND SINGLE DIGITS AT THIS HOUR...WHILE SCATTERED FLURRIES ARE ONGOING ACROSS THE CWA AT THIS TIME. LATEST SATELLITE IMAGERY DEPICTING LONGWAVE TROUGH CURRENTLY DIGGING ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND UPPER MIDWEST...WITH SEVERAL SHORT WAVE TROUGHS STREAMING OUT AHEAD OF IT. OF WORTHY TO MENTION WITH THIS LONGWAVE TROUGH ARE THE HIGH SPEEDS CURRENTLY BEING OBSERVED ALOFT...WITH LATEST RAP ANALYSIS SHOWING 90-100KT AT 500MB. THESE SHORT WAVE TROUGHS EMBEDDED IN THIS RATHER STRONG FLOW ALOFT ARE HELPING FOR CLOUD COVER TO BLOSSOM OVERHEAD THIS MORNING WITH BOTH MID AND LOW LEVEL CLOUD COVER IN PLACE. EXPECT THIS CLOUD COVER TO SLIGHTLY INCREASE IN OVERALL COVERAGE THIS MORNING WILL ALL AREAS ACROSS NORTHEAST ILLINOIS AND NORTHWEST INDIANA TO START OFF MOSTLY CLOUDY. THIS LIFT COINCIDING WITHIN THIS COLD AIR MASS AND STEEP LOW LEVEL LAPSE RATES...PER LATEST RAP ANALYSIS AND AMDAR SOUNDINGS...HAS ALLOWED FOR SOME SOME SCATTERED FLURRY ACTIVITY ACROSS THE CWA THIS MORNING. LATEST RADAR ANALYSIS DEPICTING THIS ACTIVITY AT THIS TIME WITH SEVERAL SITES REPORTING LIGHT SNOW. EXPECT THESE FLURRIES TO REMAIN POSSIBLE ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA THROUGH PRIMARILY MID MORNING...AND HAVE MADE MENTION OF THIS POSSIBILITY IN THE GRIDS. CLOUD COVER WILL ALSO LINGER ACROSS THE CWA AT LEAST THROUGH MID MORNING BUT WITH LATEST SHORT TERM GUIDANCE HINTING AT THE POSSIBILITY THAT THESE CLOUDS COULD LINGER AROUND THROUGH MID DAY. SO HAVE SLOWED THE CLEARING TREND THROUGH LATE MORNING BASED ON LATEST TRENDS AS WELL AS THIS GUIDANCE...BUT WITH CLEARING DEFINITELY ANTICIPATED BY EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. THE ANTICIPATED MUCH COLDER AIR CONTINUES TO BARREL SOUTH ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST WITH LATEST RAP ANALYSIS DEPICTING 850MB TEMPS OF -21C PUSHING INTO NORTHERN ILLINOIS THIS MORNING. EXPECT THIS AIRMASS TO CONTINUE DROPPING SOUTH THROUGH THIS MORNING...WITH THE CURRENT SINGLE DIGIT/LOWER TEENS TEMPS WHICH WILL BE OBSERVED OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS TO PRETTY MUCH BE OUR HIGH TEMPS TODAY. A SECONDARY PUSH OF COLD AIR OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS WILL RESULT IN FALLING TEMPS THROUGHOUT TODAY. WITH THESE COLD TEMPS AND A STIFF NORTHWEST WIND STILL IN PLACE TODAY...LOW WIND CHILL READINGS OF -10 UP TO -20 WILL MAKE FOR A COLD DAY. STILL EXPECT TONIGHT TO BE THE COLDEST OF THE NIGHTS AS THIS COLD AIRMASS SETTLES IN ACROSS THE REGION WITH FORECAST TEMPS OF 0 TO -5 DEGREES ACROSS NORTHERN ILLINOIS AND TEMPS AROUND 1-2 DEGREES ELSEWHERE. DANGEROUSLY LOW WIND CHILL READINGS OF -15 TO -25 WILL RESULT ACROSS NORTHEAST ILLINOIS AND NORTHWEST INDIANA TONIGHT. SO HAVE OPTED TO ISSUE A WIND CHILL ADVISORY AT THIS TIME FOR THE NORTHERN TWO TIERS OF COUNTIES ACROSS NORTHERN ILLINOIS WITH THESE AREAS LIKELY OBSERVING -20 TO -25 WIND CHILL READINGS STARTING EARLY THIS EVENING AND PERSISTING THROUGH MID MORNING TUESDAY. DO EXPECT THE LOWEST TEMPS AND WIND CHILL READINGS TO BE OBSERVED MORE TOWARDS THE ILLINOIS/WISCONSIN BORDER. COLD AIRMASS TO STILL BE IN PLACE ON TUESDAY WITH HIGH TEMPS OF SINGLE DIGITS TO LOWER TEENS LIKELY ONCE AGAIN. THE ONLY RELIEF WILL BE A LOWER WIND FIELD ACROSS THE AREA AS WELL AS FULL SUNSHINE IN PLACE. DESPITE THIS COLD...RELATIVELY QUIET WEATHER EXPECTED FOR OUR CWA THROUGH MID WEEK. MODELS CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE WITH HANDLING THESE WAVES TRAVERSING THIS NORTHWEST FLOW THROUGH MID WEEK... WITH SOME GUIDANCE DEVELOPING SOME LIGHT QPF TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY. DESPITE THE MODELS HINTING AT THIS...HAVE OPTED TO LEAVE OUT ANY MENTION OF FLURRIES AT THIS TIME. ALTHOUGH THE POSSIBILITY FOR FLURRIES IS THERE...THE TREND OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS HAS BEEN DRY AND FOR THE MODELS TO FLIP FLOP ON LOCATION AND TIMING. ALSO...IF IT WERE TO OCCUR...ANYTHING THAT WOULD DEVELOP WOULD BE AT MOST FLURRY ACTIVITY WITH PRETTY MUCH NIL ACCUMULATION. LAST...MODELS CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE THIS MORNING WITH THE NEXT STRONGER SYSTEM DUE TO ARRIVE SOMETIME ON THURSDAY. PLACEMENT AND TIMING CONTINUE TO BE AN ISSUE FOR ALL MODELS AND SO AM NOT OVERLY EXCITED AT THIS TIME FOR THIS SYSTEM AND AN ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR IT THOUGH...AS PREVIOUS RUNS HAVE INDICATED FOR SOME ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL FOR A GOOD PORTION OF THE CWA...AS WELL AS EVEN OF THE LATEST MODEL RUNS THIS MORNING. RODRIGUEZ && .AVIATION... //ORD AND MDW CONCERNS...UPDATED 14Z... * PATCHY MVFR CIGS AND SNOW FLURRIES STEADILY IMPROVING TO VFR AND DRY CONDS BY MIDDAY. * GUSTY WEST-NORTHWEST WINDS AROUND 25 KTS THROUGH THE DAY. RATZER/BEACH //DISCUSSION...UPDATED 12Z... A REINFORCING PUSH OF COLD ARCTIC AIR WAS MOVING ACROSS NORTHERN ILLINOIS EARLY THIS MORNING...ACCOMPANIED BY AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WHICH WAS HELPING TO PRODUCE PATCHY LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS AND FLURRIES. THE COLD FRONT AND UPPER LEVEL WAVE SHOULD PUSH ACROSS THE TERMINALS BY MID MORNING...WITH EVENTUAL SCATTERING OF LOWER CLOUDS...AND BLUSTERY WINDS IN THE 290-300 DEGREE RANGE GUSTING AROUND 25 KTS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE DAY. DUE TO THE DRY NATURE OF THE COLD ARCTIC AIR...COVERAGE OF MVFR CIGS AND SNOW SHOWERS HAS BEEN SOMEWHAT PATCHY OVERNIGHT/EARLY THIS MORNING... AND WILL LIKELY CONTINUE TO BE THE SAME UNTIL CLOUDS DECREASE LATER THIS MORNING WITH INCREASING SUBSIDENCE BEHIND THE DEPARTING UPPER TROUGH. WINDS WILL REMAIN GUSTY EVEN INTO THE EVENING HOURS TONIGHT... THOUGH GUST SPEEDS SHOULD GRADUALLY DECREASE AFTER SUNSET. RATZER //ORD AND MDW CONFIDENCE...UPDATED 14Z... * HIGH CONFIDENCE IN FLURRIES BEFORE 16Z WITH PATCHY MVFR CIGS. * HIGH CONFIDENCE IN CIGS IMPROVING TO VFR BY MIDDAY. * HIGH CONFIDENCE IN ALL OTHER FORECAST ELEMENTS. RATZER/BEACH //OUTLOOK FOR ORD/MDW FOR 00Z WEDNESDAY-12Z MONDAY...UPDATED 12Z... TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...VFR. THURSDAY...CHANCE OF SNOW. MVFR/IFR POSSIBLE. FRIDAY...CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS. MVFR POSSIBLE. SATURDAY AND SUNDAY...VFR. RATZER && .MARINE... 247 AM CST GUSTY WEST-NORTHWEST WINDS REMAIN THE MAIN FOCUS OF THE MARINE FORECAST INTO WEDNESDAY. THE SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT REMAINS TIGHT ACROSS THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES REGION...BETWEEN A RELATIVELY WEAK AREA OF LOW PRESSURE ACROSS THE NORTHERN LAKES AND COLD HIGH PRESSURE SPREADING SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE PLAINS. WINDS WILL PICK UP A BIT TODAY AS A REINFORCING PUSH OF COLDER AIR MOVES INTO THE REGION...WITH SPEEDS AROUND 30 KTS ACROSS THE LAKE THIS MORNING INTO TUESDAY MORNING. COULD BE SOME GALE FORCE GUSTS TO 35 KT...THOUGH MODEL SOUNDINGS DONT INDICATE SUPPORT FOR WIDESPREAD OR LONG-LASTING GALES AT THIS TIME. 25-30 KT SUSTAINED WINDS AND COLDER TEMPS IN THE SINGLE DIGITS TO LOWER TEENS SHOULD RESULT IN MODERATE FREEZING SPRAY REDEVELOPING THIS MORNING AND PERSISTING INTO EARLY TUESDAY. SHOULD GUSTS ABOVE 30 KT BECOME PREVALENT A HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING COULD BE NEEDED AND WILL BE MONITORED FOR...BUT THIS DOES NOT APPEAR NECESSARY AT THIS TIME. WINDS WILL THEN VERY GRADUALLY DIMINISH LATE TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY AS THE PLAINS HIGH WEAKENS AND MOVES SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE OHIO VALLEY AND INTO THE SOUTHEASTERN STATES. ANOTHER HIGH SPREADS SOUTHEAST ACROSS ONTARIO AND THE UPPER MIDWEST LATE WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY...WHILE ANOTHER LOW DEVELOPS OVER THE SOUTHERN PLAINS. LONGER RANGE MODEL SOLUTIONS CONTINUE TO BRING THIS LOW THROUGH THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY BY THURSDAY NIGHT...WITH THE HIGH WEAKENING ACROSS ONTARIO AND THE GREAT LAKES REGION. THUS WINDS WILL DIMINISH IN THE VICINITY OF THE WEAKENING RIDGE FOR A TIME LATER WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY...BEFORE BECOMING MORE EASTERLY AS THE LOW APPROACHES AND PASSES SOUTH OF THE LAKE...AND THEN NORTH-NORTHWEST AS IT PASSES ON FRIDAY. RATZER && .LOT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IL...WIND CHILL ADVISORY...ILZ003-ILZ004-ILZ005-ILZ006-ILZ008-ILZ010- ILZ011-ILZ012-ILZ013-ILZ014...6 PM MONDAY TO 9 AM TUESDAY. IN...NONE. LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY...NEARSHORE WINTHROP HARBOR TO GARY IN UNTIL 6 PM TUESDAY. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY...NEARSHORE GARY TO MICHIGAN CITY IN UNTIL 4 AM WEDNESDAY. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
529 AM CST MON JAN 21 2013 .DISCUSSION... 339 AM CST MAIN CONCERNS/CHALLENGES ARE WITH MUCH COLDER AIR KNOCKING ON OUR DOORSTEPS THIS MORNING...SOME PERIODIC CHANCES FOR FLURRIES THROUGH MID WEEK...AS WELL AS A POSSIBILITY FOR OUR FIRST ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL ARRIVING THURSDAY. WITH THE COLD TEMPS/LOW WIND CHILLS...HAVE ISSUED A WIND CHILL ADVISORY FOR THE NORTHERN TWO TIERS OF COUNTIES IN ILLINOIS FOR TONIGHT INTO TUESDAY MORNING. CHILLY AIR IN PLACE THIS MORNING AS TEMPS ARE IN THE LOWER TEENS AND SINGLE DIGITS AT THIS HOUR...WHILE SCATTERED FLURRIES ARE ONGOING ACROSS THE CWA AT THIS TIME. LATEST SATELLITE IMAGERY DEPICTING LONGWAVE TROUGH CURRENTLY DIGGING ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND UPPER MIDWEST...WITH SEVERAL SHORT WAVE TROUGHS STREAMING OUT AHEAD OF IT. OF WORTHY TO MENTION WITH THIS LONGWAVE TROUGH ARE THE HIGH SPEEDS CURRENTLY BEING OBSERVED ALOFT...WITH LATEST RAP ANALYSIS SHOWING 90-100KT AT 500MB. THESE SHORT WAVE TROUGHS EMBEDDED IN THIS RATHER STRONG FLOW ALOFT ARE HELPING FOR CLOUD COVER TO BLOSSOM OVERHEAD THIS MORNING WITH BOTH MID AND LOW LEVEL CLOUD COVER IN PLACE. EXPECT THIS CLOUD COVER TO SLIGHTLY INCREASE IN OVERALL COVERAGE THIS MORNING WILL ALL AREAS ACROSS NORTHEAST ILLINOIS AND NORTHWEST INDIANA TO START OFF MOSTLY CLOUDY. THIS LIFT COINCIDING WITHIN THIS COLD AIR MASS AND STEEP LOW LEVEL LAPSE RATES...PER LATEST RAP ANALYSIS AND AMDAR SOUNDINGS...HAS ALLOWED FOR SOME SOME SCATTERED FLURRY ACTIVITY ACROSS THE CWA THIS MORNING. LATEST RADAR ANALYSIS DEPICTING THIS ACTIVITY AT THIS TIME WITH SEVERAL SITES REPORTING LIGHT SNOW. EXPECT THESE FLURRIES TO REMAIN POSSIBLE ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA THROUGH PRIMARILY MID MORNING...AND HAVE MADE MENTION OF THIS POSSIBILITY IN THE GRIDS. CLOUD COVER WILL ALSO LINGER ACROSS THE CWA AT LEAST THROUGH MID MORNING BUT WITH LATEST SHORT TERM GUIDANCE HINTING AT THE POSSIBILITY THAT THESE CLOUDS COULD LINGER AROUND THROUGH MID DAY. SO HAVE SLOWED THE CLEARING TREND THROUGH LATE MORNING BASED ON LATEST TRENDS AS WELL AS THIS GUIDANCE...BUT WITH CLEARING DEFINITELY ANTICIPATED BY EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. THE ANTICIPATED MUCH COLDER AIR CONTINUES TO BARREL SOUTH ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST WITH LATEST RAP ANALYSIS DEPICTING 850MB TEMPS OF -21C PUSHING INTO NORTHERN ILLINOIS THIS MORNING. EXPECT THIS AIRMASS TO CONTINUE DROPPING SOUTH THROUGH THIS MORNING...WITH THE CURRENT SINGLE DIGIT/LOWER TEENS TEMPS WHICH WILL BE OBSERVED OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS TO PRETTY MUCH BE OUR HIGH TEMPS TODAY. A SECONDARY PUSH OF COLD AIR OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS WILL RESULT IN FALLING TEMPS THROUGHOUT TODAY. WITH THESE COLD TEMPS AND A STIFF NORTHWEST WIND STILL IN PLACE TODAY...LOW WIND CHILL READINGS OF -10 UP TO -20 WILL MAKE FOR A COLD DAY. STILL EXPECT TONIGHT TO BE THE COLDEST OF THE NIGHTS AS THIS COLD AIRMASS SETTLES IN ACROSS THE REGION WITH FORECAST TEMPS OF 0 TO -5 DEGREES ACROSS NORTHERN ILLINOIS AND TEMPS AROUND 1-2 DEGREES ELSEWHERE. DANGEROUSLY LOW WIND CHILL READINGS OF -15 TO -25 WILL RESULT ACROSS NORTHEAST ILLINOIS AND NORTHWEST INDIANA TONIGHT. SO HAVE OPTED TO ISSUE A WIND CHILL ADVISORY AT THIS TIME FOR THE NORTHERN TWO TIERS OF COUNTIES ACROSS NORTHERN ILLINOIS WITH THESE AREAS LIKELY OBSERVING -20 TO -25 WIND CHILL READINGS STARTING EARLY THIS EVENING AND PERSISTING THROUGH MID MORNING TUESDAY. DO EXPECT THE LOWEST TEMPS AND WIND CHILL READINGS TO BE OBSERVED MORE TOWARDS THE ILLINOIS/WISCONSIN BORDER. COLD AIRMASS TO STILL BE IN PLACE ON TUESDAY WITH HIGH TEMPS OF SINGLE DIGITS TO LOWER TEENS LIKELY ONCE AGAIN. THE ONLY RELIEF WILL BE A LOWER WIND FIELD ACROSS THE AREA AS WELL AS FULL SUNSHINE IN PLACE. DESPITE THIS COLD...RELATIVELY QUIET WEATHER EXPECTED FOR OUR CWA THROUGH MID WEEK. MODELS CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE WITH HANDLING THESE WAVES TRAVERSING THIS NORTHWEST FLOW THROUGH MID WEEK... WITH SOME GUIDANCE DEVELOPING SOME LIGHT QPF TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY. DESPITE THE MODELS HINTING AT THIS...HAVE OPTED TO LEAVE OUT ANY MENTION OF FLURRIES AT THIS TIME. ALTHOUGH THE POSSIBILITY FOR FLURRIES IS THERE...THE TREND OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS HAS BEEN DRY AND FOR THE MODELS TO FLIP FLOP ON LOCATION AND TIMING. ALSO...IF IT WERE TO OCCUR...ANYTHING THAT WOULD DEVELOP WOULD BE AT MOST FLURRY ACTIVITY WITH PRETTY MUCH NIL ACCUMULATION. LAST...MODELS CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE THIS MORNING WITH THE NEXT STRONGER SYSTEM DUE TO ARRIVE SOMETIME ON THURSDAY. PLACEMENT AND TIMING CONTINUE TO BE AN ISSUE FOR ALL MODELS AND SO AM NOT OVERLY EXCITED AT THIS TIME FOR THIS SYSTEM AND AN ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR IT THOUGH...AS PREVIOUS RUNS HAVE INDICATED FOR SOME ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL FOR A GOOD PORTION OF THE CWA...AS WELL AS EVEN OF THE LATEST MODEL RUNS THIS MORNING. RODRIGUEZ && .AVIATION... //ORD AND MDW CONCERNS...UPDATED 12Z... * PATCHY MVFR CIGS AND SNOW FLURRIES EARLY THIS MORNING. * GUSTY WEST-NORTHWEST WINDS AROUND 25 KTS THROUGH THE DAY. RATZER //DISCUSSION...UPDATED 12Z... A REINFORCING PUSH OF COLD ARCTIC AIR WAS MOVING ACROSS NORTHERN ILLINOIS EARLY THIS MORNING...ACCOMPANIED BY AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WHICH WAS HELPING TO PRODUCE PATCHY LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS AND FLURRIES. THE COLD FRONT AND UPPER LEVEL WAVE SHOULD PUSH ACROSS THE TERMINALS BY MID MORNING...WITH EVENTUAL SCATTERING OF LOWER CLOUDS...AND BLUSTERY WINDS IN THE 290-300 DEGREE RANGE GUSTING AROUND 25 KTS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE DAY. DUE TO THE DRY NATURE OF THE COLD ARCTIC AIR...COVERAGE OF MVFR CIGS AND SNOW SHOWERS HAS BEEN SOMEWHAT PATCHY OVERNIGHT/EARLY THIS MORNING... AND WILL LIKELY CONTINUE TO BE THE SAME UNTIL CLOUDS DECREASE LATER THIS MORNING WITH INCREASING SUBSIDENCE BEHIND THE DEPARTING UPPER TROUGH. WINDS WILL REMAIN GUSTY EVEN INTO THE EVENING HOURS TONIGHT... THOUGH GUST SPEEDS SHOULD GRADUALLY DECREASE AFTER SUNSET. RATZER //ORD AND MDW CONFIDENCE...UPDATED 12Z... * MEDIUM-HIGH CONFIDENCE IN MVFR CIGS/FLURRIES THIS MORNING. * HIGH CONFIDENCE IN ALL OTHER FORECAST ELEMENTS. RATZER //OUTLOOK FOR ORD/MDW FOR 00Z WEDNESDAY-12Z MONDAY...UPDATED 12Z... TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...VFR. THURSDAY...CHANCE OF SNOW. MVFR/IFR POSSIBLE. FRIDAY...CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS. MVFR POSSIBLE. SATURDAY AND SUNDAY...VFR. RATZER && .MARINE... 247 AM CST GUSTY WEST-NORTHWEST WINDS REMAIN THE MAIN FOCUS OF THE MARINE FORECAST INTO WEDNESDAY. THE SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT REMAINS TIGHT ACROSS THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES REGION...BETWEEN A RELATIVELY WEAK AREA OF LOW PRESSURE ACROSS THE NORTHERN LAKES AND COLD HIGH PRESSURE SPREADING SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE PLAINS. WINDS WILL PICK UP A BIT TODAY AS A REINFORCING PUSH OF COLDER AIR MOVES INTO THE REGION...WITH SPEEDS AROUND 30 KTS ACROSS THE LAKE THIS MORNING INTO TUESDAY MORNING. COULD BE SOME GALE FORCE GUSTS TO 35 KT...THOUGH MODEL SOUNDINGS DONT INDICATE SUPPORT FOR WIDESPREAD OR LONG-LASTING GALES AT THIS TIME. 25-30 KT SUSTAINED WINDS AND COLDER TEMPS IN THE SINGLE DIGITS TO LOWER TEENS SHOULD RESULT IN MODERATE FREEZING SPRAY REDEVELOPING THIS MORNING AND PERSISTING INTO EARLY TUESDAY. SHOULD GUSTS ABOVE 30 KT BECOME PREVALENT A HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING COULD BE NEEDED AND WILL BE MONITORED FOR...BUT THIS DOES NOT APPEAR NECESSARY AT THIS TIME. WINDS WILL THEN VERY GRADUALLY DIMINISH LATE TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY AS THE PLAINS HIGH WEAKENS AND MOVES SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE OHIO VALLEY AND INTO THE SOUTHEASTERN STATES. ANOTHER HIGH SPREADS SOUTHEAST ACROSS ONTARIO AND THE UPPER MIDWEST LATE WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY...WHILE ANOTHER LOW DEVELOPS OVER THE SOUTHERN PLAINS. LONGER RANGE MODEL SOLUTIONS CONTINUE TO BRING THIS LOW THROUGH THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY BY THURSDAY NIGHT...WITH THE HIGH WEAKENING ACROSS ONTARIO AND THE GREAT LAKES REGION. THUS WINDS WILL DIMINISH IN THE VICINITY OF THE WEAKENING RIDGE FOR A TIME LATER WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY...BEFORE BECOMING MORE EASTERLY AS THE LOW APPROACHES AND PASSES SOUTH OF THE LAKE...AND THEN NORTH-NORTHWEST AS IT PASSES ON FRIDAY. RATZER && .LOT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IL...WIND CHILL ADVISORY...ILZ003-ILZ004-ILZ005-ILZ006-ILZ008-ILZ010- ILZ011-ILZ012-ILZ013-ILZ014...6 PM MONDAY TO 9 AM TUESDAY. IN...NONE. LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY...NEARSHORE WINTHROP HARBOR TO GARY IN UNTIL 6 PM TUESDAY. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY...NEARSHORE GARY TO MICHIGAN CITY IN UNTIL 4 AM WEDNESDAY. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS DODGE CITY KS
552 AM CST MON JAN 21 2013 ...UPDATED AVIATION DISCUSSION... .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 219 AM CST MON JAN 21 2013 A DEEP UPPER LEVEL TROUGH OVER THE GREAT LAKES REGION HAS RESULTED IN AN ARCTIC AIR INTRUSION INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS EARLY THIS MORNING. THERE WERE TWO FRONTAL SURGES, ONE THAT PASSED LATE SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH WESTERN KANSAS, AND A MORE PRONOUNCED FRONT LOCATED ACROSS CENTRAL NEBRASKA AS OF 2 AM. THIS 2ND COLDER SURGE WILL NOT MAKE IT THROUGH WESTERN KANSAS TODAY. HOWEVER, A PATCH OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AND LOW CLOUDS, WITH CEILINGS AROUND 1000FT WAS TRAPPED ACROSS WEST CENTRAL KANSAS NEAR THE SURFACE RIDGE IN THE WAKE OF THE FIRST FRONT. WEAK LEE TROUGHING IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP TODAY AS A SMALL COMPONENT OF MID-LEVEL FLOW ACROSS THE ROCKIES RESULTS IN PRESSURE FALLS. THIS WOULD TYPICALLY CLEAR THE CLOUDS OUT OF WESTERN KANSAS. HOWEVER, THERE IS A CHANCE THAT A SHARP LOW-LEVEL INVERSION WILL DEVELOP AND PERSIST IN SPITE OF THE DAYTIME HEATING. THE 00Z AND 06Z NAM SHOW NO SIGN OF THIS SCENARIO, WITH TEMPERATURES IN THE MID 40S AT PLACES LIKE SCOTT CITY AND DIGHTON. BUT THE 05Z RAP SHOWS A SMALL POCKET OF COLDER AIR, WITH HIGHS STAYING IN THE MID TO UPPER 30S THERE, WITH 40S FURTHER EAST AND NEAR 50 IN FAR SOUTHWEST KANSAS. THIS IS A DEPARTURE FROM THE 03Z RAP WHICH WAS SIMILAR TO THE NAM. SO THE MAIN FORECAST PROBLEM THIS MORNING IS WHETHER LOW CLOUDS WILL PERSIST ACROSS WEST CENTRAL KANSAS, ALONG WITH THE COOLER TEMPERATURES. WE OPTED TO GO GENERALLY WITH A NAM SOLUTION, EXCEPT KEEP TEMPERATURES SEVERAL DEGREES COOLER WHERE THE RAP IS SHOWING THE LOW LEVEL COLD POOL. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT GIVEN THE DEVELOPING LOW LEVEL SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS THAT THE COLD POOL MAY SHIFT NORTH OF INTERSTATE 70 BY LATE AFTERNOON. A NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST ORIENTED BAROCLINIC ZONE WILL REMAIN ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN PLAINS TONIGHT AS THE AFOREMENTIONED SECONDARY COLD FRONT STALLS OUT FROM WESTERN NEBRASKA INTO EASTERN KANSAS. ANY REMAINING LOW CLOUDS SHOULD CLEAR, EXCEPT FOR POSSIBLY A FEW HIGHER LEVEL CLOUDS. TEMPERATURES SHOULD FALL INTO THE UPPER TEENS TO LOWER 20S. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 334 AM CST MON JAN 21 2013 THE UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM CENTERED OVER THE HUDSON BAY REGION WILL MIGRATE EAST INTO THE CANADIAN MARITIME LATER THIS WEEK WHICH WILL ALLOW HEIGHTS TO RISE SOMEWHAT OVER THE EASTERN PART OF THE U.S. FARTHER WEST, A PERSISTENT UPPER LEVEL RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE IN PLACE OVER THE WEST COAST. A SHORTWAVE TROUGH WILL PLOW THROUGH THE UPPER RIDGE AND MOVE OUT OVER THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL PLAINS ON THURSDAY. THE OPERATIONAL GFS IS A LITTLE SLOWER THAN THE OTHER MODELS WITH THE TIMING OF THIS FEATURE. THE GFS ENSEMBLE MEMBERS TEND TO BE FASTER THAN THE OPERATIONAL RUN SO WILL LEAN TOWARD THE EURO AND CANADIAN SOLUTIONS. A WARMING TREND WILL BE IN PROGRESS FROM TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY AS UPPER LEVEL RIDGING BUILDS INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS. THE MODELS SHOW A WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY PUSHING SOUTHWESTWARD INTO THE HIGH PLAINS WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON IN RESPONSE TO A SHORTWAVE TROUGH MOVING THROUGH THE UPPER MIDWEST AND GREAT LAKES. TEMPERATURES SHOULD BE ABLE TO RISE INTO THE LOWER 50S AROUND HAYS WITH HIGHS CLIMBING INTO THE MID 60S AT ELKHART. THE NEXT COLD FRONT WILL BE PUSHING SOUTH ACROSS SOUTHWEST KANSAS ON THURSDAY. THIS WILL DROP TEMPERATURES BACK SOME ON THURSDAY. ANOTHER SURGE OF EVEN COLDER AIR WILL BE MOVING DOWN THROUGH THE MIDWEST ON THURSDAY NIGHT BUT THE BULK OF THIS SHOULD STAY IN EASTERN KANSAS. THE MODELS SHOW THE UPPER FLOW BECOMING MORE ZONAL ONCE AGAIN BY THE UPCOMING WEEKEND. DOWNSLOPE FLOW WILL BRING WARMER TEMPERATURES BACK OUT ACROSS THE HIGH PLAINS WHICH SHOULD ALLOW TEMPERATURES TO WARM BACK INTO THE 50S AND POSSIBLY THE LOW 60S. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z TUESDAY MORNING) ISSUED AT 551 AM CST MON JAN 21 2013 A DECK OF STRATUS OVER FAR WESTERN KANSAS WILL SLOWLY SPREAD NORTHEAST THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. THIS DECK IS JUST WEST OF GARDEN CITY AND COULD IMPACT THE AIRPORT WITH MVFR CIGS THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS AND COULD MOVE INTO THE HAYS AREA BY LATE MORNING. THE CLOUDS SHOULD BE DIMINISHING BY LATE MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... DDC 42 21 48 25 / 0 0 0 0 GCK 44 20 51 24 / 0 0 0 0 EHA 50 26 58 29 / 0 0 0 0 LBL 47 24 54 26 / 0 0 0 0 HYS 38 17 42 21 / 0 0 0 0 P28 40 21 47 27 / 0 0 0 0 && .DDC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...FINCH LONG TERM...GERARD AVIATION...GERARD
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS TOPEKA KS
500 AM CST MON JAN 21 2013 .DISCUSSION... SEE PREV DISCUSSION. && .AVIATION... NAM AND GFS SHOW THE CLOUD DECK OVER NEB MOVING INTO THE TERMINALS BY LATE MORNING. FOR THE MOST PART OBS SHOW CIGS AROUND 3 TO 4 KFT...AND EXPECT THIS TO PERSIST AS THE CLOUDS MOVE SOUTH. THE EXCEPTION MAY BE IF SOME FLURRIES ARE ABLE TO DEVELOP. WITH A VERY COLD AIRMASS IN PLACE...TEMPS IN THE CLOUD DECK ARE IN THE FAVORABLE RANGE FOR ICE CRYSTAL GROWTH. WHILE FORCING IS NOT THAT IMPRESSIVE...MOST OF THE SHORT TERM GUIDANCE SUGGESTS SOME WEAK VERTICAL MOTION IS POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY OVERNIGHT AS 850 WINDS VEER TO THE WEST AND SOUTHWEST INCREASING ISENTROPIC LIFT AND ADVECTING HIGHER THETA-E AIR INTO THE COLD AIR. LOCATION OF FURRIERS IS A LITTLE UNCLEAR AS MODELS SHOW THE BEST SATURATION JUST TO THE NORTHEAST OF TOP...SO WILL NOT MENTION IN THE FORECAST AT THIS TIME. IF FLURRIES DO FORM...THERE COULD BE SOME BRIEF MVFR CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON OR OVERNIGHT. WOLTERS && .PREV DISCUSSION... /309 AM CST MON JAN 21 2013/ TODAY AND TUESDAY...COLD AIR CONTINUES TO TRICKLE INTO THE FORECAST AREA THIS MORNING AS THE 8Z RAP INDICATES AN AREA OF SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE STRETCHING FROM THE CENTRAL PLAINS NORTHWESTWARD INTO CENTRAL CANADA. THIS HIGH PRESSURE IS BRINGING LIGHT NORTHWEST WINDS...WHICH IS ALLOWING THE COLD AIR TO ADVECT INTO THE AREA. 11-3.9 MICRON SATELLITE SHOWS AN AREA OF STRATUS STRETCHING FROM KFNB NORTHWESTWARD THROUGH CENTRAL NEBRASKA AND INTO SOUTHWESTERN SOUTH DAKOTA. OBSERVATIONS FROM CENTRAL NEBRASKA UNDER THIS STRATUS ARE INDICATING LIGHT SNOW FALL. AS THE STRATUS STRETCHES SOUTHEASTWARD INTO NORTHEAST KANSAS IT MAY BRING WITH IT A FEW SNOW FLURRIES...MAINLY NORTH OF INTERSTATE 70. FORECAST SOUNDINGS THROUGHOUT THE DAY SHOW A MODEST AMOUNT OF UPWARD MOTION IN THE LOWEST FEW THOUSAND FEET...WHICH WILL AID IN STRATUS DEVELOPMENT AND WITH THE COLUMN BEING SO COLD IT WILL NOT TAKE MUCH LIFT NOR FURTHER COOLING TO PRODUCE A FEW FLURRIES. EXPECT SCATTERED OFF-AND-ON FLURRIES TO REMAIN POSSIBLE THROUGH THE DAYTIME AND OVERNIGHT HOURS ON MONDAY/MONDAY NIGHT. DUE TO THE CLOUD COVER AND COLD AIR ADVECTION DO NOT EXPECT TEMPERATURES ON MONDAY TO WARM MUCH...AS THE GOING HIGH FOR MONDAY WILL BE IN THE LOWER TO MID 20S NORTH OF INTERSTATE 70 AND IN THE LOWER 30S SOUTH OF I-70. DRY AIR WORKS ITS WAY INTO THE AREA BY MONDAY NIGHT CAUSING THE STRATUS TO MOVE TO THE EAST BY MONDAY NIGHT ALLOWING SKIES TO CLEAR BY TUESDAY. IT WILL TAKE ANOTHER DAY TO GET THE COLD AIR OUT OF THE AREA...SO FOR TUESDAY EXPECTING ONLY A MINOR INCREASE IN TEMPS...AS DAY TIME HIGHS FOR TUESDAY WILL REACH NO HIGHER THAN THE LOWER TO MID 30S...WITH POSSIBLY 40 DEGREE TEMPS IN CENTRAL KANSAS. WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...WEDNESDAY WILL BRING A BRIEF BREAK FROM THE ARCTIC AIR AS WARMER AIR TRIES TO MAKE ITS WAY INTO THE FORECAST AREA. 925 MB TEMPS GO FROM -10 TO -15 C ON TUESDAY TO AROUND 5 C WEDNESDAY...WHICH IF MIXED TO THE SURFACE SHOULD BRING TEMPS BACK INTO THE MID TO UPPER 40S ON WED. PERHAPS AREAS OF CENTRAL AND EAST CENTRAL KANSAS COULD SEE SOME 50 TO 53 DEGREE TEMPS WED. BY THURSDAY ANOTHER COLD AIR MASS PLUNGES INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS CAUSING TEMPS TO RETURN TO NEAR NORMAL FOR THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY...WITH FRIDAY STRUGGLING TO REACH THE 30S. WARM AIR ADVECTION ON THURSDAY EVENING/THURSDAY NIGHT WILL BRING INCREASING CLOUDS...AND PERHAPS SOME VERY LIGHT RAIN IN FAR EAST CENTRAL KANSAS. WITH SURFACE TEMPS DROPPING NEAR FREEZING AND PERHAPS BELOW FREEZING THURSDAY NIGHT THERE COULD BE A PERIOD OF VERY LIGHT FREEZING RAIN...BUT THAT PERIOD SHOULD NOT LAST LONG...NOR IS ANY ACCUMULATION EXPECTED. A WARM UP FROM THE COLD TEMPS IS EXPECTED BY THE END OF THE WEEKEND AS FORECAST HIGHS FOR SUNDAY LOOK LIKE THEY WILL REACH THE LOWER TO POSSIBLY MID 50S AS WARM AIR MOVES BACK INTO THE AREA AND MID LEVEL RIDGING TAKES OVER. BY EARLY NEXT WEEK WITH INCREASING MID LEVEL HEIGHTS MOVING OVER THE AREA AND A WESTERLY DOWN SLOPE FLOW THE LATTER HALF OF THE WEEKEND AND EARLY PART OF NEXT WEEK LOOK FAIRLY PLEASANT. JL && .TOP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MARQUETTE MI
647 AM EST MON JAN 21 2013 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 508 AM EST MON JAN 21 2013 00Z RAOBS/LATEST WV IMAGERY AND RUC ANALYSIS SHOW DEEP UPR TROF OVER E AND CENTRAL NAMERICA DOWNSTREAM OF HI AMPLITUDE RDG OFF THE W COAST. COLDEST AIRMASS OF THE SEASON HAS FLOODED INTO THE UPR LKS IN THE NW LLVL FLOW WITH H85 TEMPS AS LO AS -25C OVER THE WRN CWA. 00Z H85 TEMP WAS AS LO AS -30C AT YPL. THE PASSAGE OF THIS COLD AIRMASS OVER THE RELATIVELY WARM WATERS OF LK SUP HAS RESULTED IN NMRS LK EFFECT SHSN. BUT LLVL FLOW HAS BACKED TO MORE WNW IN ADVANCE OF NEXT SHRTWV DROPPING SEWD THRU NW ONTARIO TOWARD ISLE ROYALE. IN CONCERT WITH NEAR SFC WSW WIND ENHANCED BY LAND BREEZE FLOW OF SUB ZERO TEMPS TOWARD WARMER LK SUP...THIS WSHFT IS CONFINING THE BULK OF THE LES TO AREAS OVER THE W MAINLY N OF THE PORCUPINE MTNS THRU THE KEWEENAW AND TO AREAS NEAR LK SUP E OF PICTURED ROCKS LAKESHORE. ONE IMPACT OF THE VERY COLD AIRMASS IS THE DGZ HAS NEARLY DISAPPEARED AT LEAST OVER THE W...RESULTING IN VERY FINE SN FLAKES THAT EFFICIENTLY REDUCE THE VSBY WHILE LIMITING SN ACCUMS. SKIES ARE GENERALLY CLR-PCLDY OVER AREAS TO THE S OF THE LES...WHICH HAS ALLOWED TEMPS TO FALL BLO ZERO. THE WIND CHILL EARLY THIS MRNG HAS DROPPED AS LO AS -25F AT IWD. TO THE NW...THERE IS AN AREA OF CLDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE DIGGING SHRTWV AND FAIRLY DEEP MSTR DEPICTED ON THE 00Z YPL RAOB. THERE ARE EVEN SOME REPORTS OF -SN IN ONTARIO JUST N OF THE MN BORDER DESPITE PWATS OF 0.06 INCH REPORTED AT INL/YPL. TODAY...AS SHRTWV/ACCOMPANYING DEEP LYR QVECTOR CNVGC/MSTR JUST TO THE NW DIG SEWD ACROSS THE CWA THIS MRNG...EXPECT LES INTENSITY TO INCRS SOMEWHAT WHILE NEAR -30C H85 TEMPS ARE DRAWN INTO WRN UPR MI. ALTHOUGH DEEPENING CONVECTIVE DEPTH/MSTR TO ABV 10K FT AS SHOWN ON FCST SDNGS WOULD NORMALLY BE A CONCERN FOR VERY HEAVY LES...NEAR ABSENCE OF DGZ WITH SUCH COLD H85 TEMPS INDICATES SN FLAKES WL BE VERY SMALL...ESPECIALLY OVER THE W WITH SHORTER FETCH/LESS MODIFICATION OF THE COLD/DRY AIRMASS. ONE ADVANTAGE FOR HEAVIER SHSN WOULD BE INCRSG LLVL CNVGC. SINCE THE LLVL FLOW WL VEER MORE TO THE NW WITH PASSAGE OF SHRTWV...EXPECT LES BANDS TO DRIFT BACK TO THE S. THIS VEERING FLOW OFF THE SFC WL LIKELY RESULT IN SHARPER LLVL CNVGC OVER THE W BTWN LAND BREEZE FLOWS OFF WI/INTERIOR WRN UPR MI AND OVER THE E WITH THESE FLOWS OFF CNTRL UPR MI AND SE ONTARIO/ERN UPR MI. GENERAL CONSENSUS OF HIER RES MODELS SHOWS THE BACK CHC FOR THE SHARPER CNVGC WL BE OVER THE W FM THE PORCUPINE MTNS TO NEAR TWIN LAKES IN CNTRL HOUGHTON COUNTY AND IN AREAS E OF MUNISING AND AS FAR S AS ABOUT HIGHWAY M-28. THESE HI RES MODELS ALL SHOW THE SHARPEST CNVGC/HIER QPF OVER THE ERN CWA...AND SOME INDICATE THE HEAVIER SHSN WL PUSH FARTHER INLAND THAN M-28. ON THE OTHER HAND...SOME OF THE MODELS INDICATE A LK INDUCED VORTEX MAY DVLP NEAR GRAND MARAIS AND LIMIT THE INLAND SPREAD OF THE SHSN. AS FOR SN AMOUNTS...OLD LES CHART INDICATES SN FALL OF 5-9 INCHES/12 HRS GIVEN EXPECTED CONDITIONS. BUT RECENT EXPERIENCE SUGS THE NEAR ABSENCE OF DGZ CUTS THESE TOTALS BY ABOUT HALF. WITH SHARPER LLVL CNVGC/MORE LK MODERATION THAT WOULD MAINTAIN HIER LLVL TEMPS MORE CONDUCIVE TO BIGGER SN FLAKES...BEST CHC TO GET THE HIER LES CHART FCST NUMBERS WOULD BE OVER THE ERN CWA. GOING LES WRNG FOR THIS AREA APPEARS ON TRACK. IF THE SN BANDS IMPACT SRN SCHOOLCRAFT COUNTY AS SOME OF THE HIER RES MODELS SHOW...AN ADVY MIGHT BE NECESSARY FOR THAT AREA. BUT GIVEN UNCERTAINTY ON THIS SCENARIO...HELD OFF FOR NOW. CURRENT WINTER WX ADVYS OVER THE W ALSO SEEM WELL PLACED. WITH H85 TEMPS FCST TO FALL AT LEAST CLOSE TO -30C THRU THE DAY...EXPECT SFC TEMPS OVER MUCH OF THE W TO REMAIN BLO ZERO. ALTHOUGH WIND CHILLS AT MOST PLACES EXCEPT FOR IWD ARE UNDER ADVY CRITERIA...ARRIVAL OF COLDER AIR/INCRSG WINDS WITH LLVL DESTABILIZATION JUSTIFIES CONTINUING ADVYS OVER THE INTERIOR W HALF EVEN IF THERE IS MORE LK MODERATION WITH VEERING LLVL FLOW. THESE WINDS WL ALSO AID BLSN/REDUCING VSBYS AND JUSTIFY HEADLINES EVEN IF SN AMOUNTS ARE SUB HEADLINE. TNGT...WITH DNVA/LARGER SCALE SUBSIDENCE IN THE WAKE OF DEPARTING SHRTWV THAT BEGINS THIS AFTN...EXPECT CONVECTIVE LYR/MSTR DEPTH TO SLOWLY SINK. H925 WINDS ARE ALSO FCST TO VEER A BIT MORE TOWARD THE NW...SO SHSN OVER THE W MIGHT SINK TOWARD IWD. CONSIDERING THE AGREEMENT ON THE MODELS SHOWING HIER QPF OVER IWD WITH THIS VEERING FLOW...OPTED TO INCLUDE GOGEBIC COUNTY IN WINTER WX ADVY IN LIEU OF JUST THE WIND CHILL HEADLINE. ALTHOUGH H85 TEMPS FCST AS LO AS -30C OVER PORTIONS OF THE W INDICATE WELL BLO ZERO LO TEMPS...TENDED TO BUMP UP FCST MIN TEMPS A FEW DEGREES WITH MORE LK MODERATION IN VEERED FLOW. BUT STILL EXPECT WIND CHILLS AS LO AS -25F TO -35F WITH CAD MAINTAINING SOME MIXING...SO MAINTAINED GOING WIND CHILL ADVYS. SHARPEST LLVL CNVGC/SOME LK MODERATION OF ARCTIC CHILL REMAINS OVER THE E. GOING LK EFFECT SN WRNG THRU 12Z TUE IN THAT AREA LOOKS ON TRACK. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 508 AM EST MON JAN 21 2013 AT 12Z TUE...THE COLDEST 850MB TEMPS AS LOW AS -32C WILL BE OVER THE CWA...BUT WILL PUSH E THROUGH THE DAY AS THE UPPER TROUGH OVER MUCH OF THE CONUS SHIFTS SLOWLY E. WITH A SFC RIDGE PUSHING IN FROM THE SW AND A LAKE INDUCED SFC TROUGH STRETCHING INTO ERN LAKE SUPERIOR FROM THE SE...WINDS WILL BE OUT OF THE NW WITH RESULTING NW WIND LES. THESE COLD TEMPS WILL KEEP HIGHS IN THE SINGLE DIGITS ABOVE AND BELOW ZERO...BUT WITH THE PRESSURE GRADIENT RELAXING THROUGH THE DAY...WIND CHILL HEADLINES WILL NOT BE NEEDED AFTER THE MORNING OURS TUE. TUE NIGHT WILL BE QUITE COLD WITH LOWS TO -2 OVER MUCH OF INTERIOR WRN UPPER MI...BUT WINDS WILL BE LIGHT SO AT THIS POINT WIND CHILL HEADLINES DO NOT APPEAR TO BE NECESSARY. A SHORTWAVE TROUGH WILL APPROACH THE CWA WED NIGHT AND MOVE THROUGH ON WED...BUT ANY SYNOPTIC PRECIP WILL REMAIN OUT OF THE CWA. THE SHORTWAVE WILL ACT TO ENHANCE THE SFC TROUGHING OVER LAKE SUPERIOR /POSSIBLY INTO A WEAK LOW OVER THE ERN LAKE/...WHICH MODELS INDICATE WOULD CAUSE LOW LEVEL WINDS TO BECOME MORE WLY AND CYCLONIC OVER MUCH OF LAKE SUPERIOR. IF THE WINDS DO ALIGN AS INDICATED...A MORE DOMINANT LES BAND WOULD PROBABLY RESULT OVER THE KEWEENAW AND POSSIBLY INTO THE FAR NERN CWA /FAR NRN ALGER AND LUCE COUNTIES/. 850MB TEMPS TUE NIGHT LOOK TO BE IN THE -20C TO -25C RANGE...SO SNOW TO LIQUID RATIOS SHOULD BE A BIT BETTER THAN WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IN THE LAST DAY OR SO WITH THE REALLY COLD TEMPS OVER THE CWA. COULD SEE SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW IN THE IMPACTED AREAS IF THESE DETAILS COME TOGETHER. LOW LEVEL WINDS BECOME MORE NWLY ON WED AS THE SHORTWAVE PASSES. CONDITIONS WILL BE MORE THAN SUFFICIENT FOR MODERATE TO POSSIBLY HEAVY LES GIVEN LAKE INDUCED EQUILIBRIUM LEVELS OVER 10KFT PER MODEL SOUNDINGS. CONDITIONS WILL BECOME INCREASINGLY HOSTILE FOR LES WED NIGHT AS A SFC RIDGE MOVES IN FROM THE NW...SO WILL HAVE DECREASING POPS INTO THU. MODELS DISAGREE MORE ON A SHORTWAVE POSSIBLY MOVING S OF THE CWA THU INTO THU NIGHT...BUT CHANCE POPS NEAR LAKE SUPERIOR AS IS IN THE GOING FORECAST SEEM REASONABLE SO WILL LEAVE THAT IDEA IN THERE. 850MB TEMPS WARM INTO THE NEGATIVE TEENS BY LATE THU AS THE UPPER TROUGH PUSHES FARTHER TO THE E. MODELS AGREE WITH BRINGING ANOTHER SHORTWAVE THROUGH ON FRI...BUT DISAGREE ON THE STRENGTH. AGAIN...CHANCE POPS AT LEAST IN NW WIND SNOWBELTS SEEMS REASONABLE FOR FRI. UPPER AND SFC RIDGING PUSHES IN FROM THE W THROUGH THE REST OF THE FORECAST PERIOD...WITH WARMING LOW LEVEL TEMPS...DECREASING CHANCES FOR LES AND NO MAJOR SYSTEM EXPECTED TO MOVE THROUGH. SIMPLY USED A CONSENSUS OF MODELS FOR THIS TIME PERIOD AND FOCUSED MORE ON THE SHORTER TERM ISSUES. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z TUESDAY MORNING) ISSUED AT 644 AM EST MON JAN 21 2013 KIWD...AS THE LLVL FLOW TENDS TO VEER A BIT WITH PASSAGE OF DISTURBANCE MOVING THRU THE UPR LKS...EXPECT MORE -SHSN TO IMPACT THE AREA BY LATER THIS MRNG. SO PREDOMINANT VFR WX SHOULD TRANSITION TO IFR CONDITIONS AS SMALL SN FLAKES WL EFFICIENTLY REDUCE VSBY. KCMX...EXPECT PREDOMINANT IFR/LIFR CONDITONS THIS FCST PERIOD WITH FREQUENT -SHSN/GUSTY NW WINDS/BLSN. SMALL SNOWFLAKES WILL EXACERBATE THE BLSN AND REDUCED VSBY. KSAW...EXPECT DOWNSLOPING W TO NW FLOW TO BRING PREDOMINANT VFR CONDITIONS WITH NOTHING MORE THAN FLURRIES THIS FCST PERIOD. && .MARINE...(FOR THE 4 AM LAKE SUPERIOR FORECAST ISSUANCE) ISSUED AT 508 AM EST MON JAN 21 2013 EXPECT NW WINDS 15 TO 30 KT THRU TONIGHT TO ADVECT ARCTIC AIR OVER THE LAKE AND CAUSE PERIODS OF HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. LIGHTER WINDS AT TIMES INTO THIS AFTERNOON NEAR A LO PRES TROF OVER EASTERN LAKE SUPERIOR MAY BRING A BREAK FROM THE HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. FREEZING SPRAY WILL CONTINUE AT TIMES THROUGH WEDNESDAY. NO GALES ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD. && .MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... UPPER MICHIGAN... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM EST /NOON CST/ TUESDAY FOR MIZ001>003-009-084. LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING UNTIL 7 AM EST TUESDAY FOR MIZ006-007- 085. WIND CHILL ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM EST /NOON CST/ TUESDAY FOR MIZ004- 005-010-011. LAKE SUPERIOR... HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING UNTIL 7 PM EST /6 PM CST/ WEDNESDAY FOR LSZ162-240>251-263>267. LAKE MICHIGAN... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...KC LONG TERM...TITUS AVIATION...KC MARINE...KC/TITUS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MARQUETTE MI
511 AM EST MON JAN 21 2013 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 508 AM EST MON JAN 21 2013 00Z RAOBS/LATEST WV IMAGERY AND RUC ANALYSIS SHOW DEEP UPR TROF OVER E AND CENTRAL NAMERICA DOWNSTREAM OF HI AMPLITUDE RDG OFF THE W COAST. COLDEST AIRMASS OF THE SEASON HAS FLOODED INTO THE UPR LKS IN THE NW LLVL FLOW WITH H85 TEMPS AS LO AS -25C OVER THE WRN CWA. 00Z H85 TEMP WAS AS LO AS -30C AT YPL. THE PASSAGE OF THIS COLD AIRMASS OVER THE RELATIVELY WARM WATERS OF LK SUP HAS RESULTED IN NMRS LK EFFECT SHSN. BUT LLVL FLOW HAS BACKED TO MORE WNW IN ADVANCE OF NEXT SHRTWV DROPPING SEWD THRU NW ONTARIO TOWARD ISLE ROYALE. IN CONCERT WITH NEAR SFC WSW WIND ENHANCED BY LAND BREEZE FLOW OF SUB ZERO TEMPS TOWARD WARMER LK SUP...THIS WSHFT IS CONFINING THE BULK OF THE LES TO AREAS OVER THE W MAINLY N OF THE PORCUPINE MTNS THRU THE KEWEENAW AND TO AREAS NEAR LK SUP E OF PICTURED ROCKS LAKESHORE. ONE IMPACT OF THE VERY COLD AIRMASS IS THE DGZ HAS NEARLY DISAPPEARED AT LEAST OVER THE W...RESULTING IN VERY FINE SN FLAKES THAT EFFICIENTLY REDUCE THE VSBY WHILE LIMITING SN ACCUMS. SKIES ARE GENERALLY CLR-PCLDY OVER AREAS TO THE S OF THE LES...WHICH HAS ALLOWED TEMPS TO FALL BLO ZERO. THE WIND CHILL EARLY THIS MRNG HAS DROPPED AS LO AS -25F AT IWD. TO THE NW...THERE IS AN AREA OF CLDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE DIGGING SHRTWV AND FAIRLY DEEP MSTR DEPICTED ON THE 00Z YPL RAOB. THERE ARE EVEN SOME REPORTS OF -SN IN ONTARIO JUST N OF THE MN BORDER DESPITE PWATS OF 0.06 INCH REPORTED AT INL/YPL. TODAY...AS SHRTWV/ACCOMPANYING DEEP LYR QVECTOR CNVGC/MSTR JUST TO THE NW DIG SEWD ACROSS THE CWA THIS MRNG...EXPECT LES INTENSITY TO INCRS SOMEWHAT WHILE NEAR -30C H85 TEMPS ARE DRAWN INTO WRN UPR MI. ALTHOUGH DEEPENING CONVECTIVE DEPTH/MSTR TO ABV 10K FT AS SHOWN ON FCST SDNGS WOULD NORMALLY BE A CONCERN FOR VERY HEAVY LES...NEAR ABSENCE OF DGZ WITH SUCH COLD H85 TEMPS INDICATES SN FLAKES WL BE VERY SMALL...ESPECIALLY OVER THE W WITH SHORTER FETCH/LESS MODIFICATION OF THE COLD/DRY AIRMASS. ONE ADVANTAGE FOR HEAVIER SHSN WOULD BE INCRSG LLVL CNVGC. SINCE THE LLVL FLOW WL VEER MORE TO THE NW WITH PASSAGE OF SHRTWV...EXPECT LES BANDS TO DRIFT BACK TO THE S. THIS VEERING FLOW OFF THE SFC WL LIKELY RESULT IN SHARPER LLVL CNVGC OVER THE W BTWN LAND BREEZE FLOWS OFF WI/INTERIOR WRN UPR MI AND OVER THE E WITH THESE FLOWS OFF CNTRL UPR MI AND SE ONTARIO/ERN UPR MI. GENERAL CONSENSUS OF HIER RES MODELS SHOWS THE BACK CHC FOR THE SHARPER CNVGC WL BE OVER THE W FM THE PORCUPINE MTNS TO NEAR TWIN LAKES IN CNTRL HOUGHTON COUNTY AND IN AREAS E OF MUNISING AND AS FAR S AS ABOUT HIGHWAY M-28. THESE HI RES MODELS ALL SHOW THE SHARPEST CNVGC/HIER QPF OVER THE ERN CWA...AND SOME INDICATE THE HEAVIER SHSN WL PUSH FARTHER INLAND THAN M-28. ON THE OTHER HAND...SOME OF THE MODELS INDICATE A LK INDUCED VORTEX MAY DVLP NEAR GRAND MARAIS AND LIMIT THE INLAND SPREAD OF THE SHSN. AS FOR SN AMOUNTS...OLD LES CHART INDICATES SN FALL OF 5-9 INCHES/12 HRS GIVEN EXPECTED CONDITIONS. BUT RECENT EXPERIENCE SUGS THE NEAR ABSENCE OF DGZ CUTS THESE TOTALS BY ABOUT HALF. WITH SHARPER LLVL CNVGC/MORE LK MODERATION THAT WOULD MAINTAIN HIER LLVL TEMPS MORE CONDUCIVE TO BIGGER SN FLAKES...BEST CHC TO GET THE HIER LES CHART FCST NUMBERS WOULD BE OVER THE ERN CWA. GOING LES WRNG FOR THIS AREA APPEARS ON TRACK. IF THE SN BANDS IMPACT SRN SCHOOLCRAFT COUNTY AS SOME OF THE HIER RES MODELS SHOW...AN ADVY MIGHT BE NECESSARY FOR THAT AREA. BUT GIVEN UNCERTAINTY ON THIS SCENARIO...HELD OFF FOR NOW. CURRENT WINTER WX ADVYS OVER THE W ALSO SEEM WELL PLACED. WITH H85 TEMPS FCST TO FALL AT LEAST CLOSE TO -30C THRU THE DAY...EXPECT SFC TEMPS OVER MUCH OF THE W TO REMAIN BLO ZERO. ALTHOUGH WIND CHILLS AT MOST PLACES EXCEPT FOR IWD ARE UNDER ADVY CRITERIA...ARRIVAL OF COLDER AIR/INCRSG WINDS WITH LLVL DESTABILIZATION JUSTIFIES CONTINUING ADVYS OVER THE INTERIOR W HALF EVEN IF THERE IS MORE LK MODERATION WITH VEERING LLVL FLOW. THESE WINDS WL ALSO AID BLSN/REDUCING VSBYS AND JUSTIFY HEADLINES EVEN IF SN AMOUNTS ARE SUB HEADLINE. TNGT...WITH DNVA/LARGER SCALE SUBSIDENCE IN THE WAKE OF DEPARTING SHRTWV THAT BEGINS THIS AFTN...EXPECT CONVECTIVE LYR/MSTR DEPTH TO SLOWLY SINK. H925 WINDS ARE ALSO FCST TO VEER A BIT MORE TOWARD THE NW...SO SHSN OVER THE W MIGHT SINK TOWARD IWD. CONSIDERING THE AGREEMENT ON THE MODELS SHOWING HIER QPF OVER IWD WITH THIS VEERING FLOW...OPTED TO INCLUDE GOGEBIC COUNTY IN WINTER WX ADVY IN LIEU OF JUST THE WIND CHILL HEADLINE. ALTHOUGH H85 TEMPS FCST AS LO AS -30C OVER PORTIONS OF THE W INDICATE WELL BLO ZERO LO TEMPS...TENDED TO BUMP UP FCST MIN TEMPS A FEW DEGREES WITH MORE LK MODERATION IN VEERED FLOW. BUT STILL EXPECT WIND CHILLS AS LO AS -25F TO -35F WITH CAD MAINTAINING SOME MIXING...SO MAINTAINED GOING WIND CHILL ADVYS. SHARPEST LLVL CNVGC/SOME LK MODERATION OF ARCTIC CHILL REMAINS OVER THE E. GOING LK EFFECT SN WRNG THRU 12Z TUE IN THAT AREA LOOKS ON TRACK. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 508 AM EST MON JAN 21 2013 AT 12Z TUE...THE COLDEST 850MB TEMPS AS LOW AS -32C WILL BE OVER THE CWA...BUT WILL PUSH E THROUGH THE DAY AS THE UPPER TROUGH OVER MUCH OF THE CONUS SHIFTS SLOWLY E. WITH A SFC RIDGE PUSHING IN FROM THE SW AND A LAKE INDUCED SFC TROUGH STRETCHING INTO ERN LAKE SUPERIOR FROM THE SE...WINDS WILL BE OUT OF THE NW WITH RESULTING NW WIND LES. THESE COLD TEMPS WILL KEEP HIGHS IN THE SINGLE DIGITS ABOVE AND BELOW ZERO...BUT WITH THE PRESSURE GRADIENT RELAXING THROUGH THE DAY...WIND CHILL HEADLINES WILL NOT BE NEEDED AFTER THE MORNING OURS TUE. TUE NIGHT WILL BE QUITE COLD WITH LOWS TO -2 OVER MUCH OF INTERIOR WRN UPPER MI...BUT WINDS WILL BE LIGHT SO AT THIS POINT WIND CHILL HEADLINES DO NOT APPEAR TO BE NECESSARY. A SHORTWAVE TROUGH WILL APPROACH THE CWA WED NIGHT AND MOVE THROUGH ON WED...BUT ANY SYNOPTIC PRECIP WILL REMAIN OUT OF THE CWA. THE SHORTWAVE WILL ACT TO ENHANCE THE SFC TROUGHING OVER LAKE SUPERIOR /POSSIBLY INTO A WEAK LOW OVER THE ERN LAKE/...WHICH MODELS INDICATE WOULD CAUSE LOW LEVEL WINDS TO BECOME MORE WLY AND CYCLONIC OVER MUCH OF LAKE SUPERIOR. IF THE WINDS DO ALIGN AS INDICATED...A MORE DOMINANT LES BAND WOULD PROBABLY RESULT OVER THE KEWEENAW AND POSSIBLY INTO THE FAR NERN CWA /FAR NRN ALGER AND LUCE COUNTIES/. 850MB TEMPS TUE NIGHT LOOK TO BE IN THE -20C TO -25C RANGE...SO SNOW TO LIQUID RATIOS SHOULD BE A BIT BETTER THAN WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IN THE LAST DAY OR SO WITH THE REALLY COLD TEMPS OVER THE CWA. COULD SEE SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW IN THE IMPACTED AREAS IF THESE DETAILS COME TOGETHER. LOW LEVEL WINDS BECOME MORE NWLY ON WED AS THE SHORTWAVE PASSES. CONDITIONS WILL BE MORE THAN SUFFICIENT FOR MODERATE TO POSSIBLY HEAVY LES GIVEN LAKE INDUCED EQUILIBRIUM LEVELS OVER 10KFT PER MODEL SOUNDINGS. CONDITIONS WILL BECOME INCREASINGLY HOSTILE FOR LES WED NIGHT AS A SFC RIDGE MOVES IN FROM THE NW...SO WILL HAVE DECREASING POPS INTO THU. MODELS DISAGREE MORE ON A SHORTWAVE POSSIBLY MOVING S OF THE CWA THU INTO THU NIGHT...BUT CHANCE POPS NEAR LAKE SUPERIOR AS IS IN THE GOING FORECAST SEEM REASONABLE SO WILL LEAVE THAT IDEA IN THERE. 850MB TEMPS WARM INTO THE NEGATIVE TEENS BY LATE THU AS THE UPPER TROUGH PUSHES FARTHER TO THE E. MODELS AGREE WITH BRINGING ANOTHER SHORTWAVE THROUGH ON FRI...BUT DISAGREE ON THE STRENGTH. AGAIN...CHANCE POPS AT LEAST IN NW WIND SNOWBELTS SEEMS REASONABLE FOR FRI. UPPER AND SFC RIDGING PUSHES IN FROM THE W THROUGH THE REST OF THE FORECAST PERIOD...WITH WARMING LOW LEVEL TEMPS...DECREASING CHANCES FOR LES AND NO MAJOR SYSTEM EXPECTED TO MOVE THROUGH. SIMPLY USED A CONSENSUS OF MODELS FOR THIS TIME PERIOD AND FOCUSED MORE ON THE SHORTER TERM ISSUES. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z MONDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 1233 AM EST MON JAN 21 2013 KIWD...WSW FLOW WILL VEER WNW LATE TONIGHT AND SHOULD BRING SOME MVFR CIGS IN LIGHT LAKE EFFECT SNOW. SOME GUSTIER WINDS MONDAY SHOULD CONTRIBUTE TO IFR CONDITIONS BY LATE MORNING WHICH WILL LIKELY PERSIST INTO THE EVENING. KCMX...LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS WITH FINE SNOWFLAKES WILL CONTRIBUTE TO BLOWING SNOW AND SHARPLY REDUCED VSBYS THROUGH THE TAF PD WITH PREVAILING LIFR CONDITIONS. KSAW...WEST FLOW VEERING NORTHWEST ON MONDAY MORNING WILL ALLOW VFR CONDITIONS TO TURN TO MVFR AS SOME LAKE CLOUDS AND OCCASIONAL FLURRIES MOVE INTO THE AREA. VSBY COULD EVEN OCCASIONALLY LOWER TO MVFR IN LIGHT -SHSN DURING THE DAY ON MONDAY. && .MARINE...(FOR THE 4 AM LAKE SUPERIOR FORECAST ISSUANCE) ISSUED AT 508 AM EST MON JAN 21 2013 EXPECT NW WINDS 15 TO 30 KT THRU TONIGHT TO ADVECT ARCTIC AIR OVER THE LAKE AND CAUSE PERIODS OF HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. LIGHTER WINDS AT TIMES INTO THIS AFTERNOON NEAR A LO PRES TROF OVER EASTERN LAKE SUPERIOR MAY BRING A BREAK FROM THE HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. FREEZING SPRAY WILL CONTINUE AT TIMES THROUGH WEDNESDAY. NO GALES ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD. && .MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... UPPER MICHIGAN... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM EST /NOON CST/ TUESDAY FOR MIZ001>003-009-084. LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING UNTIL 7 AM EST TUESDAY FOR MIZ006-007- 085. WIND CHILL ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM EST /NOON CST/ TUESDAY FOR MIZ004- 005-010-011. LAKE SUPERIOR... HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING UNTIL 7 PM EST /6 PM CST/ WEDNESDAY FOR LSZ162-240>251-263>267. LAKE MICHIGAN... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...KC LONG TERM...TITUS AVIATION...VOSS MARINE...KC/TITUS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS PORTLAND OR
248 AM PST MON JAN 21 2013 .SYNOPSIS...A STRONG UPPER LEVEL RIDGE WILL REMAIN OVER THE WESTERN UNITED STATES TODAY...SLOWLY WEAKENING AND MOVING EAST TONIGHT AND TUESDAY. HOWEVER A STRONG INVERSION WILL REMAIN IN PLACE THROUGH TUESDAY...WITH STUBBORN FOG...LOW CLOUDS AND POOR AIR QUALITY BELOW THE INVERSION. EAST WINDS COMING FROM THE COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE WILL DISRUPT THE FOG IN PARTS OF THE PORTLAND AND VANCOUVER METRO AREAS AT TIMES THROUGH TUESDAY. AREAS FROM AROUND SALEM SOUTHWARD WILL REMAIN GENERALLY CLOUDY AND STUCK NEAR FREEZING THROUGH TUESDAY. A PATTERN CHANGE IS EXPECTED BY MIDWEEK WHICH WILL BRING SOME RAIN TO THE DISTRICT...WHICH MAY START OFF AS A LITTLE ICE OR SNOW INLAND... ESPECIALLY IN AND NEAR THE COLUMBIA GORGE. && .SHORT TERM...OFFSHORE SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENTS CONTINUE QUITE STRONG THIS MORNING AT 8 MB FROM KTTD TO KDLS...DOWN SLIGHTLY FROM THE PEAK OF 10 MB LATE SUNDAY. THE OFFSHORE GRADIENT IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN QUITE STRONG THROUGH TODAY AND TONIGHT AND TUESDAY. WITH THE STRONG WARM UPPER RIDGE OVER THE AREA...A STRONG LOW LEVEL TEMPERATURE INVERSION WILL CONTINUE INTO TUESDAY OVER THE AREA... TRAPPING PERSISTENT FOG AND POLLUTANTS BELOW THE INVERSION. FOG AND FREEZING FOG WILL BE PERSISTENT IN THE CENTRAL AND SOUTH WILLAMETTE VALLEY...AND POSSIBLY FROM LONGVIEW NORTHWARD ALONG I5. HOWEVER... THE STRONG EAST WINDS THROUGH THE GORGE INTO THE TROUTDALE AREA WILL KEEP THE AREA NEAR TROUTDALE CLEAR...AND MAY CONTINUE TO DISRUPT ITS FORMATION AND MAINTENANCE IN THE PORTLAND/VANCOUVER METRO AREAS AWAY FROM THE GORGE. SOME FOG SHOULD DEVELOP AWAY FROM THE GORGE...BUT EXPECT CLEARING THIS AFTERNOON SIMILAR TO THAT ON SUNDAY. REALLY DO NOT SEE ANYTHING OTHER THAN SUBTLE CHANGES FROM THIS SCENARIO ON TUESDAY. COLD AIR AND STRATUS IS ALSO ENTRENCHED EAST OF THE CASCADES IN THE COLUMBIA BASIN...AND THIS WILL KEEP THE UPPER HOOD RIVER VALLEY AND THE PORTION OF THE COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE NEAR HOOD RIVER IN THE CLOUDS TODAY AND TUESDAY. TEMPS WILL HAVE TROUBLE EXCEEDING FREEZING IN THOSE AREAS. THE MODELS SHOW GOOD AGREEMENT ON THE UPPER RIDGE WEAKENING AND MOVING EAST ON TUESDAY AS THE NEXT PACIFIC FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. MODEL CONSENSUS IS SLOWING DOWN THE ARRIVAL OF THIS FRONT UNTIL TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...AND ESPECIALLY LATE TUESDAY NIGHT AND DURING THE DAY WEDNESDAY. WE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE A COLD LOW LEVEL AIR MASS OVER THE AREA AS THIS FRONT INITIALLY SPREADS ONSHORE... WHICH COULD LEAD TO A MIX OF WINTER PRECIPITATION ESPECIALLY IN THE GORGE BUT EVEN BRIEFLY IN THE INLAND VALLEYS AS THE PREFRONTAL SURFACE GRADIENT REMAINS EASTERLY. THE PRECIPITATION SHOULD SWITCH OVER TO RAIN FAIRLY RAPIDLY IN THE VALLEYS ON WEDNESDAY AS THE LOW LEVEL FLOW TURNS ONSHORE. BECAUSE OF THE RELATIVELY SLOW MOVEMENT OF THE FRONT...IT MAY TAKE UNTIL WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON BEFORE THE WINTER PRECIPITATION MODERATES IN THE GORGE. THIS FRONT MOVING THROUGH WILL FINALLY BRING AN END TO OUR CURRENT PERIOD OF AIR STAGNATION. TOLLESON .LONG TERM...NO CHANGES. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION FOLLOWS... WEDNESDAY EVENING THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING...SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY THURSDAY AS A QUICK MOVING TROUGH CONTINUES ON EASTWARD. MODELS THEN REBUILD THE RIDGE FOR THURSDAY...WITH DECREASING SHOWER POTENTIAL. A SYSTEM WHICH RIDES OVER THE TOP OF THE RIDGE MAY BRING LIGHT PRECIPITATION TO THE AREA LATE THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY...ESPECIALLY THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA. MODELS CONTINUE TO TRY TO COME TO SOME AGREEMENT ON A SYSTEM BREAKING DOWN THE RIDGE AND SWINGING A FRONTAL SYSTEM THROUGH THE AREA OVER THE WEEKEND...THOUGH DETAILS ARE NOT WELL AGREED UPON AT THIS POINT. HAVE LEFT A VERY CLIMATOLOGICAL FORECAST IN FOR THE WEEKEND. BROWN && .AVIATION...A SURFACE TROUGH APPEARS TO BE ORIENTED PARALLEL TO THE COAST ABOUT 30 MILES OFFSHORE. LOWER RESOLUTION MODELS GENERALLY DEPICT THIS BOUNDARY RETREATING OFFSHORE OVER THE NEXT 12 HRS. HOWEVER...SATELLITE TRENDS SUGGEST OTHERWISE THIS MORNING. INTERESTINGLY...THE HRRR MODEL TRIES TO PUSH THIS LINE OF LOW CLOUDS AND LIGHT SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS TO THE COAST BY LATE THIS MORNING... PARTICULARLY ALONG THE NORTH OREGON COAST. SUSPECT KAST WILL STAY VFR...BUT WILL MONITOR TRENDS IN CASE THE HRRR IS ONTO SOMETHING. OTHERWISE...LIFR FOG THIS MORNING ACROSS THE INTERIOR VALLEYS WILL LIKELY BURN OFF IN A SIMILAR PATTERN TO SATURDAY WITH KSLE AND KEUG LIKELY ONLY EXPERIENCING MARGINAL IMPROVEMENTS TO HIGH END IFR CONDITIONS IN THE AFTERNOON. LIFR FOG SHOULD RETURN MONDAY NIGHT EXCEPT NEAR THE MOUTH OF THE COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE WHERE EAST WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO BLOW AT 20 TO 35 KTS. MAY SEE A SLIGHT TENDENCY FOR WINDS COMING OUT OF THE COLUMBIA GORGE TO PEAK IN THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS RATHER THAN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OVER THE NEXT 36 HOURS DUE TO DIFFERENTIAL SURFACE HEATING ACROSS THE CASCADES. KPDX AND APPROACHES...PRESSURE GRADIENTS CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE NOTION OF KPDX DECOUPLING ENOUGH FOR LIFR FOG TO DEVELOP EARLY THIS MORNING. HOWEVER...TEMPERATURES AT THE SENSORS ON THE I5 AND I205 BRIDGES INDICATE EASTERLY FLOW IS STILL IMPACTING AREAS JUST OFF THE SURFACE AROUND KPDX. FOG HAS CREPT NORTHWARD INTO DOWNTOWN AND PORTIONS OF I205 THOUGH. STILL DECENTLY CONFIDENT THAT THIS FOG WILL LIKELY PUSH IN AND DEVELOP AROUND KPDX IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS AS FURTHER DECOUPLING OCCURS. DUE TO THE SHALLOW NATURE OF THE FOG AND NEARBY EAST WINDS...EXPECT CONDITIONS TO IMPROVE QUICKLY LATE THIS MORNING. FOG FORMATION WILL LIKELY BE SLOW TO OCCUR TONIGHT AS EAST WINDS CONTINUE TO CRANK JUST OFF THE SURFACE. /NEUMAN && .MARINE...RELATIVELY LIGHT WINDS WILL CONTINUE OVER THE COASTAL WATERS THROUGH TONIGHT. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY LEVEL WINDS LOOK LIKELY FOR TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND TUESDAY NIGHT BEFORE FRONTAL PASSAGE CAUSES WINDS TO TURN MORE WESTERLY AND DECREASE. ANOTHER WEAK STORM SYSTEM MAY INCREASE WINDS INTO SMALL CRAFT CRITERIA LATE IN THE WORK WEEK AS WELL. LONG PERIOD SWELL WILL CONTINUE TO DECREASE OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS BEFORE SEAS BEGIN TO INCREASE TUESDAY AFTERNOON. SEAS SHOULD TOP OUT IN THE LOW TEENS WEDNESDAY. EXPECT PERIODS TO ONCE AGAIN BE ON THE HIGHER SIDE OF NORMAL...NEAR 20 SECONDS...AT LEAST INITIALLY WITH THIS NEXT SWELL TRAIN. /NEUMAN && .PQR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OR...AIR STAGNATION ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM PST TUESDAY FOR CENTRAL WILLAMETTE VALLEY-GREATER PORTLAND METRO AREA-LOWER COLUMBIA-SOUTH WILLAMETTE VALLEY. WA...AIR STAGNATION ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM PST TUESDAY FOR GREATER VANCOUVER AREA-I-5 CORRIDOR IN COWLITZ COUNTY-SOUTH WASHINGTON CASCADE FOOTHILLS-WILLAPA HILLS. PZ...NONE. && && .PQR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OR...AIR STAGNATION ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM PST TUESDAY FOR CENTRAL WILLAMETTE VALLEY-GREATER PORTLAND METRO AREA-LOWER COLUMBIA-SOUTH WILLAMETTE VALLEY. WA...AIR STAGNATION ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM PST TUESDAY FOR GREATER VANCOUVER AREA-I-5 CORRIDOR IN COWLITZ COUNTY-SOUTH WASHINGTON CASCADE FOOTHILLS-WILLAPA HILLS. PZ...NONE. && $$ 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 LUBBOCK TX
511 AM CST MON JAN 21 2013 .AVIATION... VFR CONDITIONS MAY BRIEFLY BE INTERRUPTED AT LBB AFTER SUNRISE AS LOW CLOUDS ATTEMPT TO EXPAND SOUTHEAST FROM EAST OF CLOVIS. FOR NOW HAVE KEPT THE PREVIOUS TEMPO SCT010 TO ADDRESS THIS SCENARIO AS CONFIDENCE IN ANY PROLONGED WINDOW OF MVFR/IFR STRATUS IS VERY LOW. OTHERWISE...EXPECT LIGHT NELY WINDS TO VEER SELY BY LATE DAY BEHIND COOL HIGH PRESSURE. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 444 AM CST MON JAN 21 2013/ SHORT TERM... TROUBLE-FREE FROPA OVERNIGHT MAY PROVE MORE COMPLICATED IN THE COMING HOURS WITHIN THE POST-FRONTAL REGIME. SPECIFICALLY...A SHALLOW FRONTAL INVERSION WAS SLOWLY MOISTENING IN THE WRN TX PANHANDLE AS EVIDENCE BY SPOTTY LOW CLOUDS EMERGING ON THE 11-3.9 IR CHANNEL. THIS TRAPPED LAYER OF MOISTURE CONTINUES TO BE OVERDONE BY THE GFS...WHEREAS THE NAM APPEARS CLOSER TO REALITY. THE HRRR MEANWHILE IS STILL BEHIND THE CURVE AS IT STRUGGLES TO CAPTURE THE STRATUS BANK ANCHORED FARTHER NORTH IN THE COMANCHE NAT`L GRASSLAND. PATTERN RECOGNITION IN SUCH SETUPS TENDS TO FAVOR AN INCREASE IN STRATUS /PARTICULARLY AROUND SUNRISE/ AS DEWPOINT DEPRESSIONS ARE AT THEIR LOWEST. EVEN WITH DRIER 2M DEWPOINTS USHERING ACROSS THE TX PANHANDLE...THE CRITICAL CLOUD LAYER IS ABOUT 1K FEET ALOFT ALONG THE FRONTAL INVERSION AND FAR REMOVED FROM THE SHALLOW DRY AIR BELOW. THE 00Z AND 06Z NAM RUNS SUPPORT THIS IDEA OF INCREASING STRATUS BY 12-15Z...SO HAVE RAMPED UP CLOUD COVER ON THE CAPROCK THRU 15Z BEFORE SCATTERING OUT THEREAFTER. EVEN IF LOW CLOUDS FAIL TO MATERIALIZE...BELIEVE HI TEMPS WILL BE STUNTED MORE THAN MODELS ADVERTISE AS THE 850MB THERMAL TROUGH WILL BE SITUATED DIRECTLY OVER THE CWA BY PEAK HEATING COINCIDENT WITH A SURFACE PRESSURE RIDGE. LACK OF SWLY WINDS AND DEEPER MIXING IN THIS SETUP DOESN`T BODE WELL FOR TOO MUCH OF DIURNAL TEMP CURVE...SO HAVE UNDERCUT MOS GUIDANCE MOST PLACES ESPECIALLY OFF THE CAPROCK WHERE NELY WINDS PREVAIL MOST OF THE AFTERNOON. LONG TERM... TEMPERATURES WILL RAPIDLY WARM UP FOR TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. THURSDAY REMAINS PROBLEMATIC AS THE GFS REMAINS INSISTENT ON BRINGING ANOTHER FRONT INTO THE NORTHEASTERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA BEFORE STALLING IT OUT. ALL OTHER NWP GUIDANCE INDICATES THE FRONT TO STALL OUT WELL NORTH OF THE REGION WITH WESTERLY FLOW THROUGH THE DAY THURSDAY. BECAUSE OF THESE DIFFERENCES...SOME LOCATIONS HAVE BEEN GIVEN HIGH TEMPERATURES ON THURSDAY ANYWHERE FROM THE LOW 60S TO UPPER 70S. WITH THE TREND IN MOST OF THE MODELS TO BE WESTERLY SURFACE WIND DEVELOPING THROUGH THE DAY...INCREASED TEMPERATURES FROM PREVIOUS FORECAST A BIT BUT DID NOT GO QUITE AS HIGH AS THE NAM IS PREDICTING. THE GFS IS STILL TRYING TO DEVELOP PRECIPITATION WITH THE FRONTAL PASSAGE BUT THIS APPEARS TO BE OVERDONE AS THIS MODEL HAS SURFACE MOISTURE POOLING ALONG THE FRONT WHILE ALL OTHER MODELS DO NOT REFLECT THIS ALSO CAN SEE SOME ISSUES ON FRIDAY DEPENDING ON WHETHER THE FRONT IS ALREADY THROUGH THE REGION SUCH AS THE ECMWF OR CANADIAN ARE SHOWING...OR WHETHER IT PUSHES THROUGH DURING THE DAY ON FRIDAY AS THE GFS IS SHOWING. TEMPERATURES WILL START TO WARM FOR THE UPCOMING WEEKEND AS SOUTHERLY FLOW RAPIDLY DEVELOPS AT THE SURFACE ACROSS THE REGION AND SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW ALOFT HELPS TO DEVELOP THE LEE SURFACE TROF ONCE AGAIN. JORDAN && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... FRIONA 45 24 62 28 68 / 0 0 0 0 0 TULIA 44 24 63 30 68 / 0 0 0 0 0 PLAINVIEW 45 25 63 30 68 / 0 0 0 0 0 LEVELLAND 48 26 63 30 69 / 0 0 0 0 0 LUBBOCK 46 26 62 31 68 / 0 0 0 0 0 DENVER CITY 49 30 63 34 69 / 0 0 0 0 0 BROWNFIELD 48 28 63 34 71 / 0 0 0 0 0 CHILDRESS 44 27 62 33 68 / 0 0 0 0 0 SPUR 44 28 63 39 71 / 0 0 0 0 0 ASPERMONT 45 30 65 41 72 / 0 0 0 0 0 && .LUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ 93
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LUBBOCK TX
444 AM CST MON JAN 21 2013 .SHORT TERM... TROUBLE-FREE FROPA OVERNIGHT MAY PROVE MORE COMPLICATED IN THE COMING HOURS WITHIN THE POST-FRONTAL REGIME. SPECIFICALLY...A SHALLOW FRONTAL INVERSION WAS SLOWLY MOISTENING IN THE WRN TX PANHANDLE AS EVIDENCE BY SPOTTY LOW CLOUDS EMERGING ON THE 11-3.9 IR CHANNEL. THIS TRAPPED LAYER OF MOISTURE CONTINUES TO BE OVERDONE BY THE GFS...WHEREAS THE NAM APPEARS CLOSER TO REALITY. THE HRRR MEANWHILE IS STILL BEHIND THE CURVE AS IT STRUGGLES TO CAPTURE THE STRATUS BANK ANCHORED FARTHER NORTH IN THE COMANCHE NAT`L GRASSLAND. PATTERN RECOGNITION IN SUCH SETUPS TENDS TO FAVOR AN INCREASE IN STRATUS /PARTICULARLY AROUND SUNRISE/ AS DEWPOINT DEPRESSIONS ARE AT THEIR LOWEST. EVEN WITH DRIER 2M DEWPOINTS USHERING ACROSS THE TX PANHANDLE...THE CRITICAL CLOUD LAYER IS ABOUT 1K FEET ALOFT ALONG THE FRONTAL INVERSION AND FAR REMOVED FROM THE SHALLOW DRY AIR BELOW. THE 00Z AND 06Z NAM RUNS SUPPORT THIS IDEA OF INCREASING STRATUS BY 12-15Z...SO HAVE RAMPED UP CLOUD COVER ON THE CAPROCK THRU 15Z BEFORE SCATTERING OUT THEREAFTER. EVEN IF LOW CLOUDS FAIL TO MATERIALIZE...BELIEVE HI TEMPS WILL BE STUNTED MORE THAN MODELS ADVERTISE AS THE 850MB THERMAL TROUGH WILL BE SITUATED DIRECTLY OVER THE CWA BY PEAK HEATING COINCIDENT WITH A SURFACE PRESSURE RIDGE. LACK OF SWLY WINDS AND DEEPER MIXING IN THIS SETUP DOESN`T BODE WELL FOR TOO MUCH OF DIURNAL TEMP CURVE...SO HAVE UNDERCUT MOS GUIDANCE MOST PLACES ESPECIALLY OFF THE CAPROCK WHERE NELY WINDS PREVAIL MOST OF THE AFTERNOON. && .LONG TERM... TEMPERATURES WILL RAPIDLY WARM UP FOR TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. THURSDAY REMAINS PROBLEMATIC AS THE GFS REMAINS INSISTENT ON BRINGING ANOTHER FRONT INTO THE NORTHEASTERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA BEFORE STALLING IT OUT. ALL OTHER NWP GUIDANCE INDICATES THE FRONT TO STALL OUT WELL NORTH OF THE REGION WITH WESTERLY FLOW THROUGH THE DAY THURSDAY. BECAUSE OF THESE DIFFERENCES...SOME LOCATIONS HAVE BEEN GIVEN HIGH TEMPERATURES ON THURSDAY ANYWHERE FROM THE LOW 60S TO UPPER 70S. WITH THE TREND IN MOST OF THE MODELS TO BE WESTERLY SURFACE WIND DEVELOPING THROUGH THE DAY...INCREASED TEMPERATURES FROM PREVIOUS FORECAST A BIT BUT DID NOT GO QUITE AS HIGH AS THE NAM IS PREDICTING. THE GFS IS STILL TRYING TO DEVELOP PRECIPITATION WITH THE FRONTAL PASSAGE BUT THIS APPEARS TO BE OVERDONE AS THIS MODEL HAS SURFACE MOISTURE POOLING ALONG THE FRONT WHILE ALL OTHER MODELS DO NOT REFLECT THIS ALSO CAN SEE SOME ISSUES ON FRIDAY DEPENDING ON WHETHER THE FRONT IS ALREADY THROUGH THE REGION SUCH AS THE ECMWF OR CANADIAN ARE SHOWING...OR WHETHER IT PUSHES THROUGH DURING THE DAY ON FRIDAY AS THE GFS IS SHOWING. TEMPERATURES WILL START TO WARM FOR THE UPCOMING WEEKEND AS SOUTHERLY FLOW RAPIDLY DEVELOPS AT THE SURFACE ACROSS THE REGION AND SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW ALOFT HELPS TO DEVELOP THE LEE SURFACE TROF ONCE AGAIN. JORDAN && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... FRIONA 45 24 62 28 68 / 0 0 0 0 0 TULIA 44 24 63 30 68 / 0 0 0 0 0 PLAINVIEW 45 25 63 30 68 / 0 0 0 0 0 LEVELLAND 48 26 63 30 69 / 0 0 0 0 0 LUBBOCK 46 26 62 31 68 / 0 0 0 0 0 DENVER CITY 49 30 63 34 69 / 0 0 0 0 0 BROWNFIELD 48 28 63 34 71 / 0 0 0 0 0 CHILDRESS 44 27 62 33 68 / 0 0 0 0 0 SPUR 44 28 63 39 71 / 0 0 0 0 0 ASPERMONT 45 30 65 41 72 / 0 0 0 0 0 && .LUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ 93/14
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LA CROSSE WI
521 AM CST MON JAN 21 2013 .SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT 306 AM CST MON JAN 21 2013 THE CONTINUED FOCUS REMAINS ON THE BITTERLY COLD AIR MASS THAT HAS HUNKERED DOWN ACROSS THE REGION AND WILL LINGER THROUGH THE NEXT FEW DAYS. BROAD CYCLONIC FLOW ALOFT REMAINS ENTRENCHED ACROSS THE REGION AS THE POLAR VORTEX HAS DRIFTED INTO SOUTHEAST CANADA. AS SHORT WAVE TROUGHS HAVE PROPAGATED ALONG THE WESTERN PERIPHERY OF THIS TROUGH...THEY HAVE BROUGHT REINFORCING SHOTS OF COLD AIR ON DOWN WITH THEM. THE LATEST SHORT WAVE CAME THROUGH EARLY THIS MORNING AS NOTED ON WATER VAPOR IR. AHEAD OF THIS TROUGH...A COLD FRONT ALSO MOVED INTO THE REGION WHICH BROUGHT SOME FLURRIES AND SNOW SHOWERS IN AS WELL. BEHIND THIS FRONT...SKIES CLEAR OUT AND TEMPERATURES DROP BELOW ZERO. A STRENGTHENING PRESSURE GRADIENT ALSO HELPED TO INCREASE THE SURFACE WINDS AND TO DROP WIND CHILLS DOWN INTO THE ADVISORY LEVELS. AS THIS COLDER AIR MASS SHIFTS TO THE SOUTHEAST THIS MORNING THESE LOWER WIND CHILLS WILL ALSO START TO OCCUR AT SITES IN NORTHEAST IOWA AND WESTERN WISCONSIN THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE -5 TO -15F RANGE SO FAR. HAD THERE BEEN ANY SNOW COVER ON THE GROUND...TEMPERATURES PROBABLY WOULD NOT MAKE IT ABOVE ZERO TODAY. FORTUNATELY...THE SNOW PACK MELTED AWAY LAST WEEK AND THE LATEST NOHRSC SNOW DEPTH ANALYSIS AND LOCAL COOP OBSERVERS SHOWS MOSTLY ZERO SNOW COVER OUTSIDE OF A FEW SPORADIC 1-3 INCH REPORTS. EVEN WITHOUT THE SNOW COVER...TEMPERATURES ARE GOING TO REMAIN COLD AS THE CORE OF THE COLD AIR MASS DROPS DOWN ACROSS THE REGION. 850MB TEMPERATURES WILL STICK AROUND -25C FOR MOST OF THE AREA WITH THE COLDEST POCKET OF AIR RUNNING FROM NORTHEAST MINNESOTA INTO NORTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN. WIND CHILLS SHOULD STAY NEAR OR BELOW -20F THROUGH THE DAY...SO WILL NOT MAKE ANY CHANGES TO THE WIND CHILL ADVISORY. 21.06Z RAP SOUNDINGS SHOW THAT THERE COULD BE SOME CU THAT FORMS EAST OF THE RIVER TODAY...SO CAN NOT RULE OUT SOME FLURRIES THERE AS WELL. BASICALLY...IF WE GET ANY LOW LEVEL CLOUD COVER OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS...THERE WILL LIKELY BE SOME FLURRIES OR SNOW SHOWERS THAT ACCOMPANY IT WITH THE LOW LEVEL TEMPERATURE PROFILE BELOW -20C. AT THESE TEMPERATURES...WOULD MAINLY EXPECT THE SNOWFLAKES TO BE PLATES AND COLUMNS AND NOT AMASS TO MUCH IF ANYTHING. TEMPERATURES WILL START TO IMPROVE ON TUESDAY AS THE BROAD UPPER TROUGH SHIFTS EAST AND THE CORE OF THE SURFACE RIDGE MOVES ACROSS THE REGION WITH LOW LEVEL WINDS COMING AROUND TO THE SOUTHWEST. WILL HAVE TO KEEP AN EYE ON TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY FOR THE POTENTIAL OF SOME WARM AIR ADVECTION SNOW. THE 21.00Z NAM IS A BIT STRONGER WITH THE LOW LEVEL LIFT AND SATURATION COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE GUIDANCE. HAVE KEPT JUST FLURRIES IN THE FORECAST FOR NOW...BUT MAY NEED TO RAMP THINGS UP IF THE FORCING DOES LOOK LEGIT. .LONG TERM...THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY 306 AM CST MON JAN 21 2013 GOING INTO THE LATER PORTION OF THE WEEK ON INTO THE WEEKEND...THE MAIN FOCUS IS ON A SYSTEM THAT WILL DROP OUT OF SOUTH CENTRAL CANADA THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY AND BRING THE NEXT BEST CHANCE FOR AN ACCUMULATING SNOW WITH IT. TRENDS HAVE WAVERED BACK AND FORTH ON THE TIMING OF WHEN THIS FEATURE MOVES IN WITH THE 21.00Z GFS/ECMWF SLOWING IT DOWN A TAD WITH MUCH OF THE SNOW FALLING THURSDAY AFTERNOON INTO FRIDAY MORNING. 21.00Z GFS BUFKIT SOUNDINGS FOR THIS EVENT SHOW A FAIRLY DEEP DENDRITIC GROWTH ZONE WITH FORCING THROUGH THIS LAYER WHICH COULD LEAD TO SOME HIGH SNOW RATIOS. DETAILS WILL NEED TO BE WORKED OUT ON THIS SYSTEM...BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THE POTENTIAL IS THERE FOR AN ACCUMULATING SNOW...WITH THE BETTER CHANCES FOR ACCUMULATIONS IN CENTRAL WISCONSIN. TEMPERATURE-WISE...WE ARE STILL IN NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT...SO THE COOL AIR WILL REMAIN IN PLACE THOUGH NEXT WEEKEND WITH TEMPERATURES LINGERING MAINLY JUST BELOW NORMAL. && .AVIATION...TODAY AND TONIGHT 521 AM CST MON JAN 21 2013 PLAN ON BRISK NORTHWEST WINDS CONTINUING AT THE KRST/KLSE TAF SITES TODAY AS PRESSURE GRADIENT REMAINS FAIRLY TIGHT BETWEEN LOW PRESSURE OVER THE GREAT LAKES AND HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING IN FROM THE DAKOTAS. VERY COLD CYCLONIC FLOW ALOFT AND WEAK LIFT WILL ALSO PRODUCE SCATTERED STRATOCUMULUS AND A FEW FLURRIES. EXPECTING VFR CONDITIONS THROUGH TONIGHT WITH WINDS SUBSIDING DURING THE EVENING HOURS. && .ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... 306 AM CST MON JAN 21 2013 WI...WIND CHILL ADVISORY UNTIL NOON CST TUESDAY FOR WIZ017-029- 032>034-041>044-053>055-061. MN...WIND CHILL ADVISORY UNTIL NOON CST TUESDAY FOR MNZ079-086>088- 094>096. IA...WIND CHILL ADVISORY UNTIL NOON CST TUESDAY FOR IAZ008>011-018- 019-029-030. && $$ SHORT TERM...HALBACH LONG TERM...HALBACH AVIATION...DAS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MIAMI FL
1236 PM EST MON JAN 21 2013 .AVIATION... SHOWERS WERE BEGINNING TO DEVELOP ALONG THE EAST COAST IN BROWARD AND PALM BEACH COUNTIES EARLY THIS AFTERNOON ALONG THE EAST COAST SEA BREEZE. HRRR INDICATES SHOWER ACTIVITY INCREASING ALONG THE EAST COAST THIS AFTERNOON AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT...ESPECIALLY ACROSS BROWARD AND PALM BEACH COUNTIES. ADDED VCSH TO THE EAST COAST TAF SITES AND MVFR CONDITIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. WINDS MAY SHIFT TO THE SOUTHWEST AROUND 22Z AT THE EAST COAST TAF SITES...AND THEN NORTHWEST AFTER 02Z. AT KAPF...A LOW STRATUS DECK WAS FINALLY BEGINNING TO SCATTER OUT. LOW STRATUS MAY BE POSSIBLE LATE TONIGHT AT KAPF AS WELL. THE FRONT IS EXPECTED TO CLEAR THE REGION BY 12Z TUESDAY. WINDS WILL INCREASE TO AROUND 12 KNOTS AND SHIFT TO THE NORTHEAST BY THE END OF THE TAF PERIOD. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 918 AM EST MON JAN 21 2013/ ..FEW SHOWERS THIS AFTERNOON, FOCUSED EAST COAST, THEN A COOLER AND DRIER AIRMASS MOVES IN BEHIND A WEAK COLD FRONT THIS EVENING... UPDATE...A FEW SHOWERS HAVE AFFECTED THE IMMEDIATE ATLANTIC COAST THIS MORNING. A MORE ORGANIZED AREA OF SHOWERS IS OFF THE FAR SOUTHERN MIAMI-DADE COAST BEYOND 30 NM OF THE COAST (LOOKS LIKE A MESOLOW) AND MOVING AWAY FROM THE AREA. THE MORNING MIAMI SOUNDING SHOWED LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WITH A PWAT OF 1.29 INCHES. WE STILL HAVE A NICE INVERSION AT AROUND 8K FT. MOISTURE IS PROGGED TO INCREASE ALONG THE ATLANTIC COAST THIS AFTERNOON...WITH FCST PWATS TO AROUND 1.4 INCHES. LOW CAPE THOUGH. HOWEVER, MESOSCALE MODELS AND EVEN GFS SHOW QPF MAXIMIZING ALONG THE ATLANTIC COAST THIS AFTERNOON AS A SEA BREEZE DEVELOPS RESULTING IN CONVERGENCE ON THE SYNOPTIC SCALE SW WIND FLOW THIS AFTERNOON RIGHT AHEAD OF A WEAK COLD FRONT. GIVEN THIS HAVE INCREASED POPS A BIT FOR TODAY. THE FEW SHOWERS WHICH DEVELOP WILL BRING SOME HEAVY DOWNPOURS BUT WILL QUICKLY MOVE OFF THE COAST EARLY THIS EVENING WITH THE COOLER AND DRIER AIRMASS MOVING INTO SOUTH FL TONIGHT. /GREGORIA PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 607 AM EST MON JAN 21 2013/ AVIATION... MID LEVEL BKN TO OVC CIGS HAVE MITIGATED WIDESPREAD FOG DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THE AREA THIS MORNING. ISOLATED SHOWERS REMAIN OFFSHORE THE ATLANTIC COAST THIS MORNING AND CONTINUE TO BE BASICALLY STATIONARY AND ARE NOT AFFECTING THE EAST COAST TERMINALS. GENERALLY LIGHT TO CALM WINDS SHOULD TURN MORE TO THE EAST SOUTHEAST AND THEN BACK AROUND TO THE NORTH THROUGH THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 224 AM EST MON JAN 21 2013/ SHORT TERM (TODAY-WEDNESDAY)... THE LATEST NUMERICAL GUIDANCE REMAINS IN GOOD AGREEMENT THROUGH THE FIRST HALF OF THE WEEK AND INDICATES A STRONG/COLD HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING SOUTHEAST OUT OF THE NRN/CNTRL PLAIN STATES TOWARD AND INTO NRN FLORIDA THROUGH THE MID-WEEK PERIOD TRAILING A WEAK COLD FRONT. THE COLD FRONT SHOULD PASS THROUGH SOUTH FLORIDA SOMETIME LATER TUESDAY USHERING IN SOME DRIER AIR ALONG WITH LIGHT TO MODERATE NORTHERLY FLOW. THE BEST CHANCE FOR ANY SHOWERS WILL REMAIN OVER THE ADJACENT ATLANTIC WATERS WITHIN THE MOIST NORTHEAST LOW-LEVEL FLOW. OTHERWISE...DRIER AND SLIGHTLY COOLER TEMPERATURES CAN BE EXPECTED BEGINNING TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THE MID-WEEK PERIOD. THE LATEST GUIDANCE IS INDICATING OVERNIGHT LOWS SEVERAL DEGREES COOLER THAN NORMAL...MAINLY FOR THE INLAND AND NORTHWESTERN LOCATIONS WHERE LOWS ARE FORECAST TO DIP INTO THE MID 40S TO LOW 50S BY WEDNESDAY MORNING. FARTHER EAST AND SOUTHEAST TOWARD THE SE FL COAST...TEMPERATURES ARE FORECAST TO REMAIN AROUND NORMAL WITH OVERNIGHT LOWS DROPPING INTO THE UPPER 50S JUST INLAND OFF THE COAST TO THE LOWER 60S NEAR THE COAST. LONG TERM (THURSDAY-WEEKEND)... THE LONG-RANGE MODELS REMAIN IN DECENT AGREEMENT THROUGH FRIDAY THEN BEGIN TO DIFFER REGARDING THE TIMING AND PROGRESSION OF A COLD FRONT PUSHING INTO THE AREA OVER THE WEEKEND. THE ECMWF PROVIDES THE MORE BULLISH/FASTER SOLUTION AND INDICATES THE EAST COAST UPPER TROUGH FURTHER DEEPENING AND DRIVING A COLD FRONT THROUGH FLORIDA FROM NORTH/SOUTH FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. THE GFS SHOWS A MUCH WEAKER AND SLOWER SOLUTION WITH THE BOUNDARY MAKING ITS WAY SOUTH ACROSS THE STATE LATE FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT. THE GFS ENSEMBLE MEAN (12Z PACKAGE FROM YESTERDAY)...HOWEVER...IS MORE IN LINE WITH THE FASTER ECMWF. THEREFORE...UNCERTAINTY WITH REGARD TO THE TIMING OF THIS FEATURE REMAINS HIGH AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR LATER RUNS FOR MORE CONSISTENCY. GUIDANCE IS CURRENTLY NOT INDICATING TEMPERATURES FLUCTUATING MUCH FROM NORMAL THROUGH WEEKEND AT THIS TIME. MARINE... A STRONG HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD SOUTHEAST OVER THE REGION IN THE WAKE OF THE WEAK COLD FRONT TUESDAY THROUGH THE MID-WEEK PERIOD. SEAS WILL RESPOND AND BUILD TO MODERATE LEVELS ACROSS THE ATLANTIC AND OFFSHORE GULF WATERS LATER TUESDAY THROUGH THE MID-WEEK OUT OF THE NORTH-NORTHEAST. THE BEST CHANCE FOR SHOWERS WILL REMAIN OVER THE ATLANTIC MARINE AREAS OFF THE SOUTHEAST FLORIDA COAST THROUGH THE PERIOD. FIRE WEATHER... DESPITE THE DRIER COMING IN THE WAKE OF THE COLD FRONT THROUGH THE MID-WEEK...RELATIVE HUMIDITIES ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN ABOVE CRITICAL LEVELS. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... WEST PALM BEACH 66 76 62 75 / 10 - - - FORT LAUDERDALE 66 77 64 76 / 10 - - - MIAMI 66 78 64 77 / 10 - - - NAPLES 60 76 56 76 / - - - - && .MFL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...NONE. AM...NONE. GM...NONE. && $$ DISCUSSION/MARINE/FIRE...57/DG AVIATION/RADAR...84/AK
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
312 PM CST MON JAN 21 2013 .DISCUSSION... 1158 AM CST THE GOING WIND CHILL ADVISORY LOOKS GOOD AND HAVE EXPANDED IT SOME TO INCLUDE AREAS SOUTH AND EAST OF THE EXISTING ONE. DID THIS MAINLY FOR IT BEING THE FIRST SIGNIFICANT COLD AIR MASS IN A COUPLE YEARS AND FOR COLLABORATIVE PURPOSES. NORTHWEST WINDS CONTINUE TO REGULARLY GUST AT 25 TO 33 MPH ACROSS THE AREA WITH TEMPERATURES JUST NOW STARTING TO SHOW THE SLIGHTEST OF RECOVERIES...WITH A DEGREE OR TWO CLIMB IN A FEW LOCATIONS. AN IMPRESSIVELY DEEP COLD AND DRY AIR MASS WAS IDENTIFIED THIS MORNING ON AREA RAOBS WITH THE HEART OF THE 850-925MB COLD AIR MOVING SOUTHEAST FROM THE NORTHEAST MN...LAKE SUPERIOR...AND WESTERN ONTARIO REGION. WITH THE SURFACE HIGH REMAINING TO THE WEST TONIGHT...WINDS WILL CONTINUE AT 10 TO 20 MPH...ESPECIALLY IN THE EVENING. AIR TEMPERATURES WILL BE IN THE SINGLE DIGITS AT SUNDOWN ALLOWING READINGS TO WORK THEIR WAY TO BELOW ZERO IN OUTLYING AREAS OF NORTHERN IL BY LATE THIS EVENING/AROUND MIDNIGHT. MIN TEMPS STILL LOOK ON TRACK...AND IF ANYTHING COULD EVEN SEE A DEGREE OR TWO COLDER IN SOME PLACES LOOKING BACK AT PAST BELOW ZERO MINS IN CHICAGO /ORD/ WITH NO SNOW UPSTREAM /AVERAGE OF -4F/. MORE ON THAT IN THE AFTERNOON AFD. WITH THESE FORECAST TEMPS AND NO CHANGES TO WINDS...THE FORECAST WIND CHILLS BOTTOM OUT -20 TO -25 IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE ADVISORY AND NEAR -20 IN THE SOUTHERN PORTION. WITH THE -15 CRITERIA THAT OUR EASTERN CWA NWS NEIGHBORS HAVE...THEY WILL SEE THAT REACHED MORE EASILY THAN OUR EASTERN COUNTIES. HAVE OPTED THOUGH TO JUST FILL THAT AREA IN FOR THE PUBLIC MESSAGE PURPOSE...AS THIS AIR MASS WILL BE THE FIRST SIGNIFICANT COLD OF THE SEASON AND IN A COUPLE SEASONS TO THIS MAGNITUDE. MTF //PREV DISCUSSION... 339 AM CST MAIN CONCERNS/CHALLENGES ARE WITH MUCH COLDER AIR KNOCKING ON OUR DOORSTEPS THIS MORNING...SOME PERIODIC CHANCES FOR FLURRIES THROUGH MID WEEK...AS WELL AS A POSSIBILITY FOR OUR FIRST ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL ARRIVING THURSDAY. WITH THE COLD TEMPS/LOW WIND CHILLS...HAVE ISSUED A WIND CHILL ADVISORY FOR THE NORTHERN TWO TIERS OF COUNTIES IN ILLINOIS FOR TONIGHT INTO TUESDAY MORNING. CHILLY AIR IN PLACE THIS MORNING AS TEMPS ARE IN THE LOWER TEENS AND SINGLE DIGITS AT THIS HOUR...WHILE SCATTERED FLURRIES ARE ONGOING ACROSS THE CWA AT THIS TIME. LATEST SATELLITE IMAGERY DEPICTING LONGWAVE TROUGH CURRENTLY DIGGING ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND UPPER MIDWEST...WITH SEVERAL SHORT WAVE TROUGHS STREAMING OUT AHEAD OF IT. OF WORTHY TO MENTION WITH THIS LONGWAVE TROUGH ARE THE HIGH SPEEDS CURRENTLY BEING OBSERVED ALOFT...WITH LATEST RAP ANALYSIS SHOWING 90-100KT AT 500MB. THESE SHORT WAVE TROUGHS EMBEDDED IN THIS RATHER STRONG FLOW ALOFT ARE HELPING FOR CLOUD COVER TO BLOSSOM OVERHEAD THIS MORNING WITH BOTH MID AND LOW LEVEL CLOUD COVER IN PLACE. EXPECT THIS CLOUD COVER TO SLIGHTLY INCREASE IN OVERALL COVERAGE THIS MORNING WILL ALL AREAS ACROSS NORTHEAST ILLINOIS AND NORTHWEST INDIANA TO START OFF MOSTLY CLOUDY. THIS LIFT COINCIDING WITHIN THIS COLD AIR MASS AND STEEP LOW LEVEL LAPSE RATES...PER LATEST RAP ANALYSIS AND AMDAR SOUNDINGS...HAS ALLOWED FOR SOME SOME SCATTERED FLURRY ACTIVITY ACROSS THE CWA THIS MORNING. LATEST RADAR ANALYSIS DEPICTING THIS ACTIVITY AT THIS TIME WITH SEVERAL SITES REPORTING LIGHT SNOW. EXPECT THESE FLURRIES TO REMAIN POSSIBLE ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA THROUGH PRIMARILY MID MORNING...AND HAVE MADE MENTION OF THIS POSSIBILITY IN THE GRIDS. CLOUD COVER WILL ALSO LINGER ACROSS THE CWA AT LEAST THROUGH MID MORNING BUT WITH LATEST SHORT TERM GUIDANCE HINTING AT THE POSSIBILITY THAT THESE CLOUDS COULD LINGER AROUND THROUGH MID DAY. SO HAVE SLOWED THE CLEARING TREND THROUGH LATE MORNING BASED ON LATEST TRENDS AS WELL AS THIS GUIDANCE...BUT WITH CLEARING DEFINITELY ANTICIPATED BY EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. THE ANTICIPATED MUCH COLDER AIR CONTINUES TO BARREL SOUTH ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST WITH LATEST RAP ANALYSIS DEPICTING 850MB TEMPS OF -21C PUSHING INTO NORTHERN ILLINOIS THIS MORNING. EXPECT THIS AIRMASS TO CONTINUE DROPPING SOUTH THROUGH THIS MORNING...WITH THE CURRENT SINGLE DIGIT/LOWER TEENS TEMPS WHICH WILL BE OBSERVED OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS TO PRETTY MUCH BE OUR HIGH TEMPS TODAY. A SECONDARY PUSH OF COLD AIR OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS WILL RESULT IN FALLING TEMPS THROUGHOUT TODAY. WITH THESE COLD TEMPS AND A STIFF NORTHWEST WIND STILL IN PLACE TODAY...LOW WIND CHILL READINGS OF -10 UP TO -20 WILL MAKE FOR A COLD DAY. STILL EXPECT TONIGHT TO BE THE COLDEST OF THE NIGHTS AS THIS COLD AIRMASS SETTLES IN ACROSS THE REGION WITH FORECAST TEMPS OF 0 TO -5 DEGREES ACROSS NORTHERN ILLINOIS AND TEMPS AROUND 1-2 DEGREES ELSEWHERE. DANGEROUSLY LOW WIND CHILL READINGS OF -15 TO -25 WILL RESULT ACROSS NORTHEAST ILLINOIS AND NORTHWEST INDIANA TONIGHT. SO HAVE OPTED TO ISSUE A WIND CHILL ADVISORY AT THIS TIME FOR THE NORTHERN TWO TIERS OF COUNTIES ACROSS NORTHERN ILLINOIS WITH THESE AREAS LIKELY OBSERVING -20 TO -25 WIND CHILL READINGS STARTING EARLY THIS EVENING AND PERSISTING THROUGH MID MORNING TUESDAY. DO EXPECT THE LOWEST TEMPS AND WIND CHILL READINGS TO BE OBSERVED MORE TOWARDS THE ILLINOIS/WISCONSIN BORDER. COLD AIRMASS TO STILL BE IN PLACE ON TUESDAY WITH HIGH TEMPS OF SINGLE DIGITS TO LOWER TEENS LIKELY ONCE AGAIN. THE ONLY RELIEF WILL BE A LOWER WIND FIELD ACROSS THE AREA AS WELL AS FULL SUNSHINE IN PLACE. DESPITE THIS COLD...RELATIVELY QUIET WEATHER EXPECTED FOR OUR CWA THROUGH MID WEEK. MODELS CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE WITH HANDLING THESE WAVES TRAVERSING THIS NORTHWEST FLOW THROUGH MID WEEK... WITH SOME GUIDANCE DEVELOPING SOME LIGHT QPF TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY. DESPITE THE MODELS HINTING AT THIS...HAVE OPTED TO LEAVE OUT ANY MENTION OF FLURRIES AT THIS TIME. ALTHOUGH THE POSSIBILITY FOR FLURRIES IS THERE...THE TREND OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS HAS BEEN DRY AND FOR THE MODELS TO FLIP FLOP ON LOCATION AND TIMING. ALSO...IF IT WERE TO OCCUR...ANYTHING THAT WOULD DEVELOP WOULD BE AT MOST FLURRY ACTIVITY WITH PRETTY MUCH NIL ACCUMULATION. LAST...MODELS CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE THIS MORNING WITH THE NEXT STRONGER SYSTEM DUE TO ARRIVE SOMETIME ON THURSDAY. PLACEMENT AND TIMING CONTINUE TO BE AN ISSUE FOR ALL MODELS AND SO AM NOT OVERLY EXCITED AT THIS TIME FOR THIS SYSTEM AND AN ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR IT THOUGH...AS PREVIOUS RUNS HAVE INDICATED FOR SOME ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL FOR A GOOD PORTION OF THE CWA...AS WELL AS EVEN OF THE LATEST MODEL RUNS THIS MORNING. RODRIGUEZ && .AVIATION... //ORD AND MDW CONCERNS...UPDATED 20Z... * SCT CIGS THRU THIS EVE...MAY THIN FURTHER TO A FEW DECK ARND 3KFT AGL. * W/NW WINDS WILL PERSIST WITH SUSTAINED WINDS ARND 14KT...OCCASIONAL GUSTS TO 20 KT OR ARND 20 KT. * BREEZY WINDS WILL DIMINISH OVERNIGHT...RETURN AGAIN TUE MIDDAY WITH GUSTS TO 20 KT. BEACHLER //DISCUSSION...UPDATED 18Z... ARCTIC AIR MASS CONTINUES TO SLOWLY FILTER INTO THE GREAT LAKES REGION...WITH VERY COLD AND DRY CONDITIONS. THE DRY AIR WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE A THINNING CLOUD COVER OVER ORD/MDW AND ALL OTHER TAF SITES ACROSS NORTHERN IL THIS EVENING. SO THE REMAINING BKN CIGS ACROSS ORD/MDW ARE EXPECTED TO DISSIPATE TO A SCT DECK...THEN EVENTUALLY TO A FEW CLOUDS ARND 3KFT AGL. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT A FEW SNOW FLAKES WILL FLOAT ACROSS THE SKY...HOWEVER IT IS NOT EXPECTED TO POSE AN IMPACT TO AVIATION. THE GRADIENT DOES REMAIN ELEVATED...SO HAVE MAINTAINED WINDS SUSTAINED ARND 14KT WITH GUSTS ARND 20KT. AT TIMES GUSTS MAY BE LOWER...HOWEVER THE MAJORITY OF THE GUSTS WILL BE IN THE UPPER TEENS TO ARND 20 KT. THEN WINDS FOR TUE WILL CONTINUE TO BE BREEZY AT TIMES FROM THE NORTHWEST. CLOUDS WILL REMAIN MINIMAL WITH VFR CONDS DOMINATING THE SKY...ANY CLOUDS WILL BE ARND 3KFT AGL. BEACHLER //ORD AND MDW CONFIDENCE...UPDATED 20Z... * HIGH CONFIDENCE IN ALL FORECAST ELEMENTS. BEACHLER //OUTLOOK FOR ORD/MDW FOR 00Z WEDNESDAY-12Z MONDAY...UPDATED 12Z... TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...VFR. THURSDAY...CHANCE OF SNOW. MVFR/IFR POSSIBLE. FRIDAY...CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS. MVFR POSSIBLE. SATURDAY AND SUNDAY...VFR. RATZER && .MARINE... 309 PM CST NW TO W WINDS GUSTING BTWN 30 AND 35 KT WILL SLOWLY DIMINISH OVERNIGHT INTO TUESDAY MORNING AS HIGH PRESSURE SPREADS ACROSS THE LAKE. IN FACT ONLY EXPECTING OCCASIONAL LOW END GALES THROUGH THIS EVENING. PERSISTENT WEST FLOW AROUND 20 KT WILL STICK AROUND THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING. THE WINDS THEN TURN NORTHEAST AS HIGH PRESSURE MOVES IN FROM THE NORTHEAST. 10 TO 15 KT WINDS CONTINUE TO TURN TO THE SOUTHEAST THURSDAY BEFORE BECOMING NORTH AS LOW PRESSURE PASSES SOUTH OF THE LAKE FRIDAY. NORTHERLY FLOW CONTINUES THROUGH SATURDAY AS THE NEXT HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM APPROACHES WITH WINDS SOUTHWEST BEHIND THE HIGH SATURDAY NIGHT. FOR THE NEARSHORE WATERS...WIND SPEEDS WILL DIMINISH TONIGHT TO BELOW SMALL CRAFT CRITERIA...BUT LARGE WAVES WILL REMAIN A HAZARD. STILL THINKING HAZARDOUS WAVES WILL FINALLY DIMINISH LATE TUESDAY AFTERNOON ALONG THE ILLINOIS NEARSHORE WATERS...BUT EXTENDED THE SMALL CRAFT FOR THE INDIANA NEARSHORE WATERS THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING. WAVES LOOK LIKE THEY WILL TAKE A LITTLE LONGER TO COME DOWN AFTER THE PERSISTENT FLOW. JEE && .LOT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IL...WIND CHILL ADVISORY...ILZ003-ILZ004-ILZ005-ILZ006-ILZ008-ILZ010- ILZ011-ILZ012-ILZ013-ILZ014-ILZ019-ILZ020-ILZ021-ILZ022- ILZ023 UNTIL 10 AM TUESDAY. IN...WIND CHILL ADVISORY...INZ001-INZ002-INZ010-INZ011-INZ019 UNTIL 10 AM TUESDAY. LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY...NEARSHORE WINTHROP HARBOR TO GARY IN UNTIL 6 PM TUESDAY. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY...NEARSHORE GARY TO MICHIGAN CITY IN UNTIL 10 AM WEDNESDAY. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
155 PM CST MON JAN 21 2013 .DISCUSSION... 1158 AM CST THE GOING WIND CHILL ADVISORY LOOKS GOOD AND HAVE EXPANDED IT SOME TO INCLUDE AREAS SOUTH AND EAST OF THE EXISTING ONE. DID THIS MAINLY FOR IT BEING THE FIRST SIGNIFICANT COLD AIR MASS IN A COUPLE YEARS AND FOR COLLABORATIVE PURPOSES. NORTHWEST WINDS CONTINUE TO REGULARLY GUST AT 25 TO 33 MPH ACROSS THE AREA WITH TEMPERATURES JUST NOW STARTING TO SHOW THE SLIGHTEST OF RECOVERIES...WITH A DEGREE OR TWO CLIMB IN A FEW LOCATIONS. AN IMPRESSIVELY DEEP COLD AND DRY AIR MASS WAS IDENTIFIED THIS MORNING ON AREA RAOBS WITH THE HEART OF THE 850-925MB COLD AIR MOVING SOUTHEAST FROM THE NORTHEAST MN...LAKE SUPERIOR...AND WESTERN ONTARIO REGION. WITH THE SURFACE HIGH REMAINING TO THE WEST TONIGHT...WINDS WILL CONTINUE AT 10 TO 20 MPH...ESPECIALLY IN THE EVENING. AIR TEMPERATURES WILL BE IN THE SINGLE DIGITS AT SUNDOWN ALLOWING READINGS TO WORK THEIR WAY TO BELOW ZERO IN OUTLYING AREAS OF NORTHERN IL BY LATE THIS EVENING/AROUND MIDNIGHT. MIN TEMPS STILL LOOK ON TRACK...AND IF ANYTHING COULD EVEN SEE A DEGREE OR TWO COLDER IN SOME PLACES LOOKING BACK AT PAST BELOW ZERO MINS IN CHICAGO /ORD/ WITH NO SNOW UPSTREAM /AVERAGE OF -4F/. MORE ON THAT IN THE AFTERNOON AFD. WITH THESE FORECAST TEMPS AND NO CHANGES TO WINDS...THE FORECAST WIND CHILLS BOTTOM OUT -20 TO -25 IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE ADVISORY AND NEAR -20 IN THE SOUTHERN PORTION. WITH THE -15 CRITERIA THAT OUR EASTERN CWA NWS NEIGHBORS HAVE...THEY WILL SEE THAT REACHED MORE EASILY THAN OUR EASTERN COUNTIES. HAVE OPTED THOUGH TO JUST FILL THAT AREA IN FOR THE PUBLIC MESSAGE PURPOSE...AS THIS AIR MASS WILL BE THE FIRST SIGNIFICANT COLD OF THE SEASON AND IN A COUPLE SEASONS TO THIS MAGNITUDE. MTF //PREV DISCUSSION... 339 AM CST MAIN CONCERNS/CHALLENGES ARE WITH MUCH COLDER AIR KNOCKING ON OUR DOORSTEPS THIS MORNING...SOME PERIODIC CHANCES FOR FLURRIES THROUGH MID WEEK...AS WELL AS A POSSIBILITY FOR OUR FIRST ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL ARRIVING THURSDAY. WITH THE COLD TEMPS/LOW WIND CHILLS...HAVE ISSUED A WIND CHILL ADVISORY FOR THE NORTHERN TWO TIERS OF COUNTIES IN ILLINOIS FOR TONIGHT INTO TUESDAY MORNING. CHILLY AIR IN PLACE THIS MORNING AS TEMPS ARE IN THE LOWER TEENS AND SINGLE DIGITS AT THIS HOUR...WHILE SCATTERED FLURRIES ARE ONGOING ACROSS THE CWA AT THIS TIME. LATEST SATELLITE IMAGERY DEPICTING LONGWAVE TROUGH CURRENTLY DIGGING ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND UPPER MIDWEST...WITH SEVERAL SHORT WAVE TROUGHS STREAMING OUT AHEAD OF IT. OF WORTHY TO MENTION WITH THIS LONGWAVE TROUGH ARE THE HIGH SPEEDS CURRENTLY BEING OBSERVED ALOFT...WITH LATEST RAP ANALYSIS SHOWING 90-100KT AT 500MB. THESE SHORT WAVE TROUGHS EMBEDDED IN THIS RATHER STRONG FLOW ALOFT ARE HELPING FOR CLOUD COVER TO BLOSSOM OVERHEAD THIS MORNING WITH BOTH MID AND LOW LEVEL CLOUD COVER IN PLACE. EXPECT THIS CLOUD COVER TO SLIGHTLY INCREASE IN OVERALL COVERAGE THIS MORNING WILL ALL AREAS ACROSS NORTHEAST ILLINOIS AND NORTHWEST INDIANA TO START OFF MOSTLY CLOUDY. THIS LIFT COINCIDING WITHIN THIS COLD AIR MASS AND STEEP LOW LEVEL LAPSE RATES...PER LATEST RAP ANALYSIS AND AMDAR SOUNDINGS...HAS ALLOWED FOR SOME SOME SCATTERED FLURRY ACTIVITY ACROSS THE CWA THIS MORNING. LATEST RADAR ANALYSIS DEPICTING THIS ACTIVITY AT THIS TIME WITH SEVERAL SITES REPORTING LIGHT SNOW. EXPECT THESE FLURRIES TO REMAIN POSSIBLE ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA THROUGH PRIMARILY MID MORNING...AND HAVE MADE MENTION OF THIS POSSIBILITY IN THE GRIDS. CLOUD COVER WILL ALSO LINGER ACROSS THE CWA AT LEAST THROUGH MID MORNING BUT WITH LATEST SHORT TERM GUIDANCE HINTING AT THE POSSIBILITY THAT THESE CLOUDS COULD LINGER AROUND THROUGH MID DAY. SO HAVE SLOWED THE CLEARING TREND THROUGH LATE MORNING BASED ON LATEST TRENDS AS WELL AS THIS GUIDANCE...BUT WITH CLEARING DEFINITELY ANTICIPATED BY EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. THE ANTICIPATED MUCH COLDER AIR CONTINUES TO BARREL SOUTH ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST WITH LATEST RAP ANALYSIS DEPICTING 850MB TEMPS OF -21C PUSHING INTO NORTHERN ILLINOIS THIS MORNING. EXPECT THIS AIRMASS TO CONTINUE DROPPING SOUTH THROUGH THIS MORNING...WITH THE CURRENT SINGLE DIGIT/LOWER TEENS TEMPS WHICH WILL BE OBSERVED OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS TO PRETTY MUCH BE OUR HIGH TEMPS TODAY. A SECONDARY PUSH OF COLD AIR OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS WILL RESULT IN FALLING TEMPS THROUGHOUT TODAY. WITH THESE COLD TEMPS AND A STIFF NORTHWEST WIND STILL IN PLACE TODAY...LOW WIND CHILL READINGS OF -10 UP TO -20 WILL MAKE FOR A COLD DAY. STILL EXPECT TONIGHT TO BE THE COLDEST OF THE NIGHTS AS THIS COLD AIRMASS SETTLES IN ACROSS THE REGION WITH FORECAST TEMPS OF 0 TO -5 DEGREES ACROSS NORTHERN ILLINOIS AND TEMPS AROUND 1-2 DEGREES ELSEWHERE. DANGEROUSLY LOW WIND CHILL READINGS OF -15 TO -25 WILL RESULT ACROSS NORTHEAST ILLINOIS AND NORTHWEST INDIANA TONIGHT. SO HAVE OPTED TO ISSUE A WIND CHILL ADVISORY AT THIS TIME FOR THE NORTHERN TWO TIERS OF COUNTIES ACROSS NORTHERN ILLINOIS WITH THESE AREAS LIKELY OBSERVING -20 TO -25 WIND CHILL READINGS STARTING EARLY THIS EVENING AND PERSISTING THROUGH MID MORNING TUESDAY. DO EXPECT THE LOWEST TEMPS AND WIND CHILL READINGS TO BE OBSERVED MORE TOWARDS THE ILLINOIS/WISCONSIN BORDER. COLD AIRMASS TO STILL BE IN PLACE ON TUESDAY WITH HIGH TEMPS OF SINGLE DIGITS TO LOWER TEENS LIKELY ONCE AGAIN. THE ONLY RELIEF WILL BE A LOWER WIND FIELD ACROSS THE AREA AS WELL AS FULL SUNSHINE IN PLACE. DESPITE THIS COLD...RELATIVELY QUIET WEATHER EXPECTED FOR OUR CWA THROUGH MID WEEK. MODELS CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE WITH HANDLING THESE WAVES TRAVERSING THIS NORTHWEST FLOW THROUGH MID WEEK... WITH SOME GUIDANCE DEVELOPING SOME LIGHT QPF TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY. DESPITE THE MODELS HINTING AT THIS...HAVE OPTED TO LEAVE OUT ANY MENTION OF FLURRIES AT THIS TIME. ALTHOUGH THE POSSIBILITY FOR FLURRIES IS THERE...THE TREND OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS HAS BEEN DRY AND FOR THE MODELS TO FLIP FLOP ON LOCATION AND TIMING. ALSO...IF IT WERE TO OCCUR...ANYTHING THAT WOULD DEVELOP WOULD BE AT MOST FLURRY ACTIVITY WITH PRETTY MUCH NIL ACCUMULATION. LAST...MODELS CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE THIS MORNING WITH THE NEXT STRONGER SYSTEM DUE TO ARRIVE SOMETIME ON THURSDAY. PLACEMENT AND TIMING CONTINUE TO BE AN ISSUE FOR ALL MODELS AND SO AM NOT OVERLY EXCITED AT THIS TIME FOR THIS SYSTEM AND AN ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR IT THOUGH...AS PREVIOUS RUNS HAVE INDICATED FOR SOME ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL FOR A GOOD PORTION OF THE CWA...AS WELL AS EVEN OF THE LATEST MODEL RUNS THIS MORNING. RODRIGUEZ && .AVIATION... //ORD AND MDW CONCERNS...UPDATED 20Z... * SCT CIGS THRU THIS EVE...MAY THIN FURTHER TO A FEW DECK ARND 3KFT AGL. * W/NW WINDS WILL PERSIST WITH SUSTAINED WINDS ARND 14KT...OCCASIONAL GUSTS TO 20 KT OR ARND 20 KT. * BREEZY WINDS WILL DIMINISH OVERNIGHT...RETURN AGAIN TUE MIDDAY WITH GUSTS TO 20 KT. BEACHLER //DISCUSSION...UPDATED 18Z... ARCTIC AIR MASS CONTINUES TO SLOWLY FILTER INTO THE GREAT LAKES REGION...WITH VERY COLD AND DRY CONDITIONS. THE DRY AIR WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE A THINNING CLOUD COVER OVER ORD/MDW AND ALL OTHER TAF SITES ACROSS NORTHERN IL THIS EVENING. SO THE REMAINING BKN CIGS ACROSS ORD/MDW ARE EXPECTED TO DISSIPATE TO A SCT DECK...THEN EVENTUALLY TO A FEW CLOUDS ARND 3KFT AGL. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT A FEW SNOW FLAKES WILL FLOAT ACROSS THE SKY...HOWEVER IT IS NOT EXPECTED TO POSE AN IMPACT TO AVIATION. THE GRADIENT DOES REMAIN ELEVATED...SO HAVE MAINTAINED WINDS SUSTAINED ARND 14KT WITH GUSTS ARND 20KT. AT TIMES GUSTS MAY BE LOWER...HOWEVER THE MAJORITY OF THE GUSTS WILL BE IN THE UPPER TEENS TO ARND 20 KT. THEN WINDS FOR TUE WILL CONTINUE TO BE BREEZY AT TIMES FROM THE NORTHWEST. CLOUDS WILL REMAIN MINIMAL WITH VFR CONDS DOMINATING THE SKY...ANY CLOUDS WILL BE ARND 3KFT AGL. BEACHLER //ORD AND MDW CONFIDENCE...UPDATED 20Z... * HIGH CONFIDENCE IN ALL FORECAST ELEMENTS. BEACHLER //OUTLOOK FOR ORD/MDW FOR 00Z WEDNESDAY-12Z MONDAY...UPDATED 12Z... TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...VFR. THURSDAY...CHANCE OF SNOW. MVFR/IFR POSSIBLE. FRIDAY...CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS. MVFR POSSIBLE. SATURDAY AND SUNDAY...VFR. RATZER && .MARINE... 247 AM CST GUSTY WEST-NORTHWEST WINDS REMAIN THE MAIN FOCUS OF THE MARINE FORECAST INTO WEDNESDAY. THE SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT REMAINS TIGHT ACROSS THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES REGION...BETWEEN A RELATIVELY WEAK AREA OF LOW PRESSURE ACROSS THE NORTHERN LAKES AND COLD HIGH PRESSURE SPREADING SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE PLAINS. WINDS WILL PICK UP A BIT TODAY AS A REINFORCING PUSH OF COLDER AIR MOVES INTO THE REGION...WITH SPEEDS AROUND 30 KTS ACROSS THE LAKE THIS MORNING INTO TUESDAY MORNING. COULD BE SOME GALE FORCE GUSTS TO 35 KT...THOUGH MODEL SOUNDINGS DONT INDICATE SUPPORT FOR WIDESPREAD OR LONG-LASTING GALES AT THIS TIME. 25-30 KT SUSTAINED WINDS AND COLDER TEMPS IN THE SINGLE DIGITS TO LOWER TEENS SHOULD RESULT IN MODERATE FREEZING SPRAY REDEVELOPING THIS MORNING AND PERSISTING INTO EARLY TUESDAY. SHOULD GUSTS ABOVE 30 KT BECOME PREVALENT A HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING COULD BE NEEDED AND WILL BE MONITORED FOR...BUT THIS DOES NOT APPEAR NECESSARY AT THIS TIME. WINDS WILL THEN VERY GRADUALLY DIMINISH LATE TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY AS THE PLAINS HIGH WEAKENS AND MOVES SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE OHIO VALLEY AND INTO THE SOUTHEASTERN STATES. ANOTHER HIGH SPREADS SOUTHEAST ACROSS ONTARIO AND THE UPPER MIDWEST LATE WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY...WHILE ANOTHER LOW DEVELOPS OVER THE SOUTHERN PLAINS. LONGER RANGE MODEL SOLUTIONS CONTINUE TO BRING THIS LOW THROUGH THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY BY THURSDAY NIGHT...WITH THE HIGH WEAKENING ACROSS ONTARIO AND THE GREAT LAKES REGION. THUS WINDS WILL DIMINISH IN THE VICINITY OF THE WEAKENING RIDGE FOR A TIME LATER WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY...BEFORE BECOMING MORE EASTERLY AS THE LOW APPROACHES AND PASSES SOUTH OF THE LAKE...AND THEN NORTH-NORTHWEST AS IT PASSES ON FRIDAY. RATZER && .LOT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IL...WIND CHILL ADVISORY...ILZ003-ILZ004-ILZ005-ILZ006-ILZ008-ILZ010- ILZ011-ILZ012-ILZ013-ILZ014-ILZ019-ILZ020-ILZ021-ILZ022- ILZ023...6 PM MONDAY TO 10 AM TUESDAY. IN...WIND CHILL ADVISORY...INZ001-INZ002-INZ010-INZ011-INZ019...6 PM MONDAY TO 10 AM TUESDAY. LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY...NEARSHORE WINTHROP HARBOR TO GARY IN UNTIL 6 PM TUESDAY. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY...NEARSHORE GARY TO MICHIGAN CITY IN UNTIL 4 AM WEDNESDAY. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NWS CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
1207 PM CST MON JAN 21 2013 .DISCUSSION... 1158 AM CST THE GOING WIND CHILL ADVISORY LOOKS GOOD AND HAVE EXPANDED IT SOME TO INCLUDE AREAS SOUTH AND EAST OF THE EXISTING ONE. DID THIS MAINLY FOR IT BEING THE FIRST SIGNIFICANT COLD AIR MASS IN A COUPLE YEARS AND FOR COLLABORATIVE PURPOSES. NORTHWEST WINDS CONTINUE TO REGULARLY GUST AT 25 TO 33 MPH ACROSS THE AREA WITH TEMPERATURES JUST NOW STARTING TO SHOW THE SLIGHTEST OF RECOVERIES...WITH A DEGREE OR TWO CLIMB IN A FEW LOCATIONS. AN IMPRESSIVELY DEEP COLD AND DRY AIR MASS WAS IDENTIFIED THIS MORNING ON AREA RAOBS WITH THE HEART OF THE 850-925MB COLD AIR MOVING SOUTHEAST FROM THE NORTHEAST MN...LAKE SUPERIOR...AND WESTERN ONTARIO REGION. WITH THE SURFACE HIGH REMAINING TO THE WEST TONIGHT...WINDS WILL CONTINUE AT 10 TO 20 MPH...ESPECIALLY IN THE EVENING. AIR TEMPERATURES WILL BE IN THE SINGLE DIGITS AT SUNDOWN ALLOWING READINGS TO WORK THEIR WAY TO BELOW ZERO IN OUTLYING AREAS OF NORTHERN IL BY LATE THIS EVENING/AROUND MIDNIGHT. MIN TEMPS STILL LOOK ON TRACK...AND IF ANYTHING COULD EVEN SEE A DEGREE OR TWO COLDER IN SOME PLACES LOOKING BACK AT PAST BELOW ZERO MINS IN CHICAGO /ORD/ WITH NO SNOW UPSTREAM /AVERAGE OF -4F/. MORE ON THAT IN THE AFTERNOON AFD. WITH THESE FORECAST TEMPS AND NO CHANGES TO WINDS...THE FORECAST WIND CHILLS BOTTOM OUT -20 TO -25 IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE ADVISORY AND NEAR -20 IN THE SOUTHERN PORTION. WITH THE -15 CRITERIA THAT OUR EASTERN CWA NWS NEIGHBORS HAVE...THEY WILL SEE THAT REACHED MORE EASILY THAN OUR EASTERN COUNTIES. HAVE OPTED THOUGH TO JUST FILL THAT AREA IN FOR THE PUBLIC MESSAGE PURPOSE...AS THIS AIR MASS WILL BE THE FIRST SIGNIFICANT COLD OF THE SEASON AND IN A COUPLE SEASONS TO THIS MAGNITUDE. MTF && .PREV DISCUSSION... 339 AM CST MAIN CONCERNS/CHALLENGES ARE WITH MUCH COLDER AIR KNOCKING ON OUR DOORSTEPS THIS MORNING...SOME PERIODIC CHANCES FOR FLURRIES THROUGH MID WEEK...AS WELL AS A POSSIBILITY FOR OUR FIRST ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL ARRIVING THURSDAY. WITH THE COLD TEMPS/LOW WIND CHILLS...HAVE ISSUED A WIND CHILL ADVISORY FOR THE NORTHERN TWO TIERS OF COUNTIES IN ILLINOIS FOR TONIGHT INTO TUESDAY MORNING. CHILLY AIR IN PLACE THIS MORNING AS TEMPS ARE IN THE LOWER TEENS AND SINGLE DIGITS AT THIS HOUR...WHILE SCATTERED FLURRIES ARE ONGOING ACROSS THE CWA AT THIS TIME. LATEST SATELLITE IMAGERY DEPICTING LONGWAVE TROUGH CURRENTLY DIGGING ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND UPPER MIDWEST...WITH SEVERAL SHORT WAVE TROUGHS STREAMING OUT AHEAD OF IT. OF WORTHY TO MENTION WITH THIS LONGWAVE TROUGH ARE THE HIGH SPEEDS CURRENTLY BEING OBSERVED ALOFT...WITH LATEST RAP ANALYSIS SHOWING 90-100KT AT 500MB. THESE SHORT WAVE TROUGHS EMBEDDED IN THIS RATHER STRONG FLOW ALOFT ARE HELPING FOR CLOUD COVER TO BLOSSOM OVERHEAD THIS MORNING WITH BOTH MID AND LOW LEVEL CLOUD COVER IN PLACE. EXPECT THIS CLOUD COVER TO SLIGHTLY INCREASE IN OVERALL COVERAGE THIS MORNING WILL ALL AREAS ACROSS NORTHEAST ILLINOIS AND NORTHWEST INDIANA TO START OFF MOSTLY CLOUDY. THIS LIFT COINCIDING WITHIN THIS COLD AIR MASS AND STEEP LOW LEVEL LAPSE RATES...PER LATEST RAP ANALYSIS AND AMDAR SOUNDINGS...HAS ALLOWED FOR SOME SOME SCATTERED FLURRY ACTIVITY ACROSS THE CWA THIS MORNING. LATEST RADAR ANALYSIS DEPICTING THIS ACTIVITY AT THIS TIME WITH SEVERAL SITES REPORTING LIGHT SNOW. EXPECT THESE FLURRIES TO REMAIN POSSIBLE ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA THROUGH PRIMARILY MID MORNING...AND HAVE MADE MENTION OF THIS POSSIBILITY IN THE GRIDS. CLOUD COVER WILL ALSO LINGER ACROSS THE CWA AT LEAST THROUGH MID MORNING BUT WITH LATEST SHORT TERM GUIDANCE HINTING AT THE POSSIBILITY THAT THESE CLOUDS COULD LINGER AROUND THROUGH MID DAY. SO HAVE SLOWED THE CLEARING TREND THROUGH LATE MORNING BASED ON LATEST TRENDS AS WELL AS THIS GUIDANCE...BUT WITH CLEARING DEFINITELY ANTICIPATED BY EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. THE ANTICIPATED MUCH COLDER AIR CONTINUES TO BARREL SOUTH ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST WITH LATEST RAP ANALYSIS DEPICTING 850MB TEMPS OF -21C PUSHING INTO NORTHERN ILLINOIS THIS MORNING. EXPECT THIS AIRMASS TO CONTINUE DROPPING SOUTH THROUGH THIS MORNING...WITH THE CURRENT SINGLE DIGIT/LOWER TEENS TEMPS WHICH WILL BE OBSERVED OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS TO PRETTY MUCH BE OUR HIGH TEMPS TODAY. A SECONDARY PUSH OF COLD AIR OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS WILL RESULT IN FALLING TEMPS THROUGHOUT TODAY. WITH THESE COLD TEMPS AND A STIFF NORTHWEST WIND STILL IN PLACE TODAY...LOW WIND CHILL READINGS OF -10 UP TO -20 WILL MAKE FOR A COLD DAY. STILL EXPECT TONIGHT TO BE THE COLDEST OF THE NIGHTS AS THIS COLD AIRMASS SETTLES IN ACROSS THE REGION WITH FORECAST TEMPS OF 0 TO -5 DEGREES ACROSS NORTHERN ILLINOIS AND TEMPS AROUND 1-2 DEGREES ELSEWHERE. DANGEROUSLY LOW WIND CHILL READINGS OF -15 TO -25 WILL RESULT ACROSS NORTHEAST ILLINOIS AND NORTHWEST INDIANA TONIGHT. SO HAVE OPTED TO ISSUE A WIND CHILL ADVISORY AT THIS TIME FOR THE NORTHERN TWO TIERS OF COUNTIES ACROSS NORTHERN ILLINOIS WITH THESE AREAS LIKELY OBSERVING -20 TO -25 WIND CHILL READINGS STARTING EARLY THIS EVENING AND PERSISTING THROUGH MID MORNING TUESDAY. DO EXPECT THE LOWEST TEMPS AND WIND CHILL READINGS TO BE OBSERVED MORE TOWARDS THE ILLINOIS/WISCONSIN BORDER. COLD AIRMASS TO STILL BE IN PLACE ON TUESDAY WITH HIGH TEMPS OF SINGLE DIGITS TO LOWER TEENS LIKELY ONCE AGAIN. THE ONLY RELIEF WILL BE A LOWER WIND FIELD ACROSS THE AREA AS WELL AS FULL SUNSHINE IN PLACE. DESPITE THIS COLD...RELATIVELY QUIET WEATHER EXPECTED FOR OUR CWA THROUGH MID WEEK. MODELS CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE WITH HANDLING THESE WAVES TRAVERSING THIS NORTHWEST FLOW THROUGH MID WEEK... WITH SOME GUIDANCE DEVELOPING SOME LIGHT QPF TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY. DESPITE THE MODELS HINTING AT THIS...HAVE OPTED TO LEAVE OUT ANY MENTION OF FLURRIES AT THIS TIME. ALTHOUGH THE POSSIBILITY FOR FLURRIES IS THERE...THE TREND OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS HAS BEEN DRY AND FOR THE MODELS TO FLIP FLOP ON LOCATION AND TIMING. ALSO...IF IT WERE TO OCCUR...ANYTHING THAT WOULD DEVELOP WOULD BE AT MOST FLURRY ACTIVITY WITH PRETTY MUCH NIL ACCUMULATION. LAST...MODELS CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE THIS MORNING WITH THE NEXT STRONGER SYSTEM DUE TO ARRIVE SOMETIME ON THURSDAY. PLACEMENT AND TIMING CONTINUE TO BE AN ISSUE FOR ALL MODELS AND SO AM NOT OVERLY EXCITED AT THIS TIME FOR THIS SYSTEM AND AN ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR IT THOUGH...AS PREVIOUS RUNS HAVE INDICATED FOR SOME ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL FOR A GOOD PORTION OF THE CWA...AS WELL AS EVEN OF THE LATEST MODEL RUNS THIS MORNING. RODRIGUEZ && .AVIATION... //ORD AND MDW CONCERNS...UPDATED 18Z... * OCCASIONAL BKN 3000FT CIGS...MAINLY SCT CIGS THRU THIS AFTN. * W/NW WINDS WILL PERSIST WITH SUSTAINED WINDS ARND 14KT...OCCASIONAL GUSTS TO 20 KT OR ARND 20 KT. * BREEZY WINDS WILL DIMINISH OVERNIGHT...RETURN AGAIN TUE MIDDAY WITH GUSTS TO 20 KT. BEACHLER //DISCUSSION...UPDATED 18Z... ARCTIC AIR MASS CONTINUES TO SLOWLY FILTER INTO THE GREAT LAKES REGION...WITH VERY COLD AND DRY CONDITIONS. THE DRY AIR WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE A THINNING CLOUD COVER OVER ORD/MDW AND ALL OTHER TAF SITES ACROSS NORTHERN IL THIS EVENING. SO THE REMAINING BKN CIGS ACROSS ORD/MDW ARE EXPECTED TO DISSIPATE TO A SCT DECK...THEN EVENTUALLY TO A FEW CLOUDS ARND 3KFT AGL. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT A FEW SNOW FLAKES WILL FLOAT ACROSS THE SKY...HOWEVER IT IS NOT EXPECTED TO POSE AN IMPACT TO AVIATION. THE GRADIENT DOES REMAIN ELEVATED...SO HAVE MAINTAINED WINDS SUSTAINED ARND 14KT WITH GUSTS ARND 20KT. AT TIMES GUSTS MAY BE LOWER...HOWEVER THE MAJORITY OF THE GUSTS WILL BE IN THE UPPER TEENS TO ARND 20 KT. THEN WINDS FOR TUE WILL CONTINUE TO BE BREEZY AT TIMES FROM THE NORTHWEST. CLOUDS WILL REMAIN MINIMAL WITH VFR CONDS DOMINATING THE SKY...ANY CLOUDS WILL BE ARND 3KFT AGL. BEACHLER //ORD AND MDW CONFIDENCE...UPDATED 18Z... * HIGH CONFIDENCE IN ALL FORECAST ELEMENTS. BEACHLER //OUTLOOK FOR ORD/MDW FOR 00Z WEDNESDAY-12Z MONDAY...UPDATED 12Z... TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...VFR. THURSDAY...CHANCE OF SNOW. MVFR/IFR POSSIBLE. FRIDAY...CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS. MVFR POSSIBLE. SATURDAY AND SUNDAY...VFR. RATZER && .MARINE... 247 AM CST GUSTY WEST-NORTHWEST WINDS REMAIN THE MAIN FOCUS OF THE MARINE FORECAST INTO WEDNESDAY. THE SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT REMAINS TIGHT ACROSS THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES REGION...BETWEEN A RELATIVELY WEAK AREA OF LOW PRESSURE ACROSS THE NORTHERN LAKES AND COLD HIGH PRESSURE SPREADING SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE PLAINS. WINDS WILL PICK UP A BIT TODAY AS A REINFORCING PUSH OF COLDER AIR MOVES INTO THE REGION...WITH SPEEDS AROUND 30 KTS ACROSS THE LAKE THIS MORNING INTO TUESDAY MORNING. COULD BE SOME GALE FORCE GUSTS TO 35 KT...THOUGH MODEL SOUNDINGS DONT INDICATE SUPPORT FOR WIDESPREAD OR LONG-LASTING GALES AT THIS TIME. 25-30 KT SUSTAINED WINDS AND COLDER TEMPS IN THE SINGLE DIGITS TO LOWER TEENS SHOULD RESULT IN MODERATE FREEZING SPRAY REDEVELOPING THIS MORNING AND PERSISTING INTO EARLY TUESDAY. SHOULD GUSTS ABOVE 30 KT BECOME PREVALENT A HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING COULD BE NEEDED AND WILL BE MONITORED FOR...BUT THIS DOES NOT APPEAR NECESSARY AT THIS TIME. WINDS WILL THEN VERY GRADUALLY DIMINISH LATE TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY AS THE PLAINS HIGH WEAKENS AND MOVES SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE OHIO VALLEY AND INTO THE SOUTHEASTERN STATES. ANOTHER HIGH SPREADS SOUTHEAST ACROSS ONTARIO AND THE UPPER MIDWEST LATE WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY...WHILE ANOTHER LOW DEVELOPS OVER THE SOUTHERN PLAINS. LONGER RANGE MODEL SOLUTIONS CONTINUE TO BRING THIS LOW THROUGH THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY BY THURSDAY NIGHT...WITH THE HIGH WEAKENING ACROSS ONTARIO AND THE GREAT LAKES REGION. THUS WINDS WILL DIMINISH IN THE VICINITY OF THE WEAKENING RIDGE FOR A TIME LATER WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY...BEFORE BECOMING MORE EASTERLY AS THE LOW APPROACHES AND PASSES SOUTH OF THE LAKE...AND THEN NORTH-NORTHWEST AS IT PASSES ON FRIDAY. RATZER && .LOT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IL...WIND CHILL ADVISORY...ILZ003-ILZ004-ILZ005-ILZ006-ILZ008-ILZ010- ILZ011-ILZ012-ILZ013-ILZ014-ILZ019-ILZ020-ILZ021-ILZ022- ILZ023...6 PM MONDAY TO 10 AM TUESDAY. IN...WIND CHILL ADVISORY...INZ001-INZ002-INZ010-INZ011-INZ019...6 PM MONDAY TO 10 AM TUESDAY. LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY...NEARSHORE WINTHROP HARBOR TO GARY IN UNTIL 6 PM TUESDAY. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY...NEARSHORE GARY TO MICHIGAN CITY IN UNTIL 4 AM WEDNESDAY. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
1159 AM CST MON JAN 21 2013 .DISCUSSION... 339 AM CST MAIN CONCERNS/CHALLENGES ARE WITH MUCH COLDER AIR KNOCKING ON OUR DOORSTEPS THIS MORNING...SOME PERIODIC CHANCES FOR FLURRIES THROUGH MID WEEK...AS WELL AS A POSSIBILITY FOR OUR FIRST ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL ARRIVING THURSDAY. WITH THE COLD TEMPS/LOW WIND CHILLS...HAVE ISSUED A WIND CHILL ADVISORY FOR THE NORTHERN TWO TIERS OF COUNTIES IN ILLINOIS FOR TONIGHT INTO TUESDAY MORNING. CHILLY AIR IN PLACE THIS MORNING AS TEMPS ARE IN THE LOWER TEENS AND SINGLE DIGITS AT THIS HOUR...WHILE SCATTERED FLURRIES ARE ONGOING ACROSS THE CWA AT THIS TIME. LATEST SATELLITE IMAGERY DEPICTING LONGWAVE TROUGH CURRENTLY DIGGING ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND UPPER MIDWEST...WITH SEVERAL SHORT WAVE TROUGHS STREAMING OUT AHEAD OF IT. OF WORTHY TO MENTION WITH THIS LONGWAVE TROUGH ARE THE HIGH SPEEDS CURRENTLY BEING OBSERVED ALOFT...WITH LATEST RAP ANALYSIS SHOWING 90-100KT AT 500MB. THESE SHORT WAVE TROUGHS EMBEDDED IN THIS RATHER STRONG FLOW ALOFT ARE HELPING FOR CLOUD COVER TO BLOSSOM OVERHEAD THIS MORNING WITH BOTH MID AND LOW LEVEL CLOUD COVER IN PLACE. EXPECT THIS CLOUD COVER TO SLIGHTLY INCREASE IN OVERALL COVERAGE THIS MORNING WILL ALL AREAS ACROSS NORTHEAST ILLINOIS AND NORTHWEST INDIANA TO START OFF MOSTLY CLOUDY. THIS LIFT COINCIDING WITHIN THIS COLD AIR MASS AND STEEP LOW LEVEL LAPSE RATES...PER LATEST RAP ANALYSIS AND AMDAR SOUNDINGS...HAS ALLOWED FOR SOME SOME SCATTERED FLURRY ACTIVITY ACROSS THE CWA THIS MORNING. LATEST RADAR ANALYSIS DEPICTING THIS ACTIVITY AT THIS TIME WITH SEVERAL SITES REPORTING LIGHT SNOW. EXPECT THESE FLURRIES TO REMAIN POSSIBLE ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA THROUGH PRIMARILY MID MORNING...AND HAVE MADE MENTION OF THIS POSSIBILITY IN THE GRIDS. CLOUD COVER WILL ALSO LINGER ACROSS THE CWA AT LEAST THROUGH MID MORNING BUT WITH LATEST SHORT TERM GUIDANCE HINTING AT THE POSSIBILITY THAT THESE CLOUDS COULD LINGER AROUND THROUGH MID DAY. SO HAVE SLOWED THE CLEARING TREND THROUGH LATE MORNING BASED ON LATEST TRENDS AS WELL AS THIS GUIDANCE...BUT WITH CLEARING DEFINITELY ANTICIPATED BY EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. THE ANTICIPATED MUCH COLDER AIR CONTINUES TO BARREL SOUTH ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST WITH LATEST RAP ANALYSIS DEPICTING 850MB TEMPS OF -21C PUSHING INTO NORTHERN ILLINOIS THIS MORNING. EXPECT THIS AIRMASS TO CONTINUE DROPPING SOUTH THROUGH THIS MORNING...WITH THE CURRENT SINGLE DIGIT/LOWER TEENS TEMPS WHICH WILL BE OBSERVED OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS TO PRETTY MUCH BE OUR HIGH TEMPS TODAY. A SECONDARY PUSH OF COLD AIR OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS WILL RESULT IN FALLING TEMPS THROUGHOUT TODAY. WITH THESE COLD TEMPS AND A STIFF NORTHWEST WIND STILL IN PLACE TODAY...LOW WIND CHILL READINGS OF -10 UP TO -20 WILL MAKE FOR A COLD DAY. STILL EXPECT TONIGHT TO BE THE COLDEST OF THE NIGHTS AS THIS COLD AIRMASS SETTLES IN ACROSS THE REGION WITH FORECAST TEMPS OF 0 TO -5 DEGREES ACROSS NORTHERN ILLINOIS AND TEMPS AROUND 1-2 DEGREES ELSEWHERE. DANGEROUSLY LOW WIND CHILL READINGS OF -15 TO -25 WILL RESULT ACROSS NORTHEAST ILLINOIS AND NORTHWEST INDIANA TONIGHT. SO HAVE OPTED TO ISSUE A WIND CHILL ADVISORY AT THIS TIME FOR THE NORTHERN TWO TIERS OF COUNTIES ACROSS NORTHERN ILLINOIS WITH THESE AREAS LIKELY OBSERVING -20 TO -25 WIND CHILL READINGS STARTING EARLY THIS EVENING AND PERSISTING THROUGH MID MORNING TUESDAY. DO EXPECT THE LOWEST TEMPS AND WIND CHILL READINGS TO BE OBSERVED MORE TOWARDS THE ILLINOIS/WISCONSIN BORDER. COLD AIRMASS TO STILL BE IN PLACE ON TUESDAY WITH HIGH TEMPS OF SINGLE DIGITS TO LOWER TEENS LIKELY ONCE AGAIN. THE ONLY RELIEF WILL BE A LOWER WIND FIELD ACROSS THE AREA AS WELL AS FULL SUNSHINE IN PLACE. DESPITE THIS COLD...RELATIVELY QUIET WEATHER EXPECTED FOR OUR CWA THROUGH MID WEEK. MODELS CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE WITH HANDLING THESE WAVES TRAVERSING THIS NORTHWEST FLOW THROUGH MID WEEK... WITH SOME GUIDANCE DEVELOPING SOME LIGHT QPF TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY. DESPITE THE MODELS HINTING AT THIS...HAVE OPTED TO LEAVE OUT ANY MENTION OF FLURRIES AT THIS TIME. ALTHOUGH THE POSSIBILITY FOR FLURRIES IS THERE...THE TREND OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS HAS BEEN DRY AND FOR THE MODELS TO FLIP FLOP ON LOCATION AND TIMING. ALSO...IF IT WERE TO OCCUR...ANYTHING THAT WOULD DEVELOP WOULD BE AT MOST FLURRY ACTIVITY WITH PRETTY MUCH NIL ACCUMULATION. LAST...MODELS CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE THIS MORNING WITH THE NEXT STRONGER SYSTEM DUE TO ARRIVE SOMETIME ON THURSDAY. PLACEMENT AND TIMING CONTINUE TO BE AN ISSUE FOR ALL MODELS AND SO AM NOT OVERLY EXCITED AT THIS TIME FOR THIS SYSTEM AND AN ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR IT THOUGH...AS PREVIOUS RUNS HAVE INDICATED FOR SOME ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL FOR A GOOD PORTION OF THE CWA...AS WELL AS EVEN OF THE LATEST MODEL RUNS THIS MORNING. RODRIGUEZ && .AVIATION... //ORD AND MDW CONCERNS...UPDATED 18Z... * OCCASIONAL BKN 3000FT CIGS...MAINLY SCT CIGS THRU THIS AFTN. * W/NW WINDS WILL PERSIST WITH SUSTAINED WINDS ARND 14KT...OCCASIONAL GUSTS TO 20 KT OR ARND 20 KT. * BREEZY WINDS WILL DIMINISH OVERNIGHT...RETURN AGAIN TUE MIDDAY WITH GUSTS TO 20 KT. BEACHLER //DISCUSSION...UPDATED 18Z... ARCTIC AIR MASS CONTINUES TO SLOWLY FILTER INTO THE GREAT LAKES REGION...WITH VERY COLD AND DRY CONDITIONS. THE DRY AIR WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE A THINNING CLOUD COVER OVER ORD/MDW AND ALL OTHER TAF SITES ACROSS NORTHERN IL THIS EVENING. SO THE REMAINING BKN CIGS ACROSS ORD/MDW ARE EXPECTED TO DISSIPATE TO A SCT DECK...THEN EVENTUALLY TO A FEW CLOUDS ARND 3KFT AGL. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT A FEW SNOW FLAKES WILL FLOAT ACROSS THE SKY...HOWEVER IT IS NOT EXPECTED TO POSE AN IMPACT TO AVIATION. THE GRADIENT DOES REMAIN ELEVATED...SO HAVE MAINTAINED WINDS SUSTAINED ARND 14KT WITH GUSTS ARND 20KT. AT TIMES GUSTS MAY BE LOWER...HOWEVER THE MAJORITY OF THE GUSTS WILL BE IN THE UPPER TEENS TO ARND 20 KT. THEN WINDS FOR TUE WILL CONTINUE TO BE BREEZY AT TIMES FROM THE NORTHWEST. CLOUDS WILL REMAIN MINIMAL WITH VFR CONDS DOMINATING THE SKY...ANY CLOUDS WILL BE ARND 3KFT AGL. BEACHLER //ORD AND MDW CONFIDENCE...UPDATED 18Z... * HIGH CONFIDENCE IN ALL FORECAST ELEMENTS. BEACHLER //OUTLOOK FOR ORD/MDW FOR 00Z WEDNESDAY-12Z MONDAY...UPDATED 12Z... TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...VFR. THURSDAY...CHANCE OF SNOW. MVFR/IFR POSSIBLE. FRIDAY...CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS. MVFR POSSIBLE. SATURDAY AND SUNDAY...VFR. RATZER && .MARINE... 247 AM CST GUSTY WEST-NORTHWEST WINDS REMAIN THE MAIN FOCUS OF THE MARINE FORECAST INTO WEDNESDAY. THE SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT REMAINS TIGHT ACROSS THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES REGION...BETWEEN A RELATIVELY WEAK AREA OF LOW PRESSURE ACROSS THE NORTHERN LAKES AND COLD HIGH PRESSURE SPREADING SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE PLAINS. WINDS WILL PICK UP A BIT TODAY AS A REINFORCING PUSH OF COLDER AIR MOVES INTO THE REGION...WITH SPEEDS AROUND 30 KTS ACROSS THE LAKE THIS MORNING INTO TUESDAY MORNING. COULD BE SOME GALE FORCE GUSTS TO 35 KT...THOUGH MODEL SOUNDINGS DONT INDICATE SUPPORT FOR WIDESPREAD OR LONG-LASTING GALES AT THIS TIME. 25-30 KT SUSTAINED WINDS AND COLDER TEMPS IN THE SINGLE DIGITS TO LOWER TEENS SHOULD RESULT IN MODERATE FREEZING SPRAY REDEVELOPING THIS MORNING AND PERSISTING INTO EARLY TUESDAY. SHOULD GUSTS ABOVE 30 KT BECOME PREVALENT A HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING COULD BE NEEDED AND WILL BE MONITORED FOR...BUT THIS DOES NOT APPEAR NECESSARY AT THIS TIME. WINDS WILL THEN VERY GRADUALLY DIMINISH LATE TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY AS THE PLAINS HIGH WEAKENS AND MOVES SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE OHIO VALLEY AND INTO THE SOUTHEASTERN STATES. ANOTHER HIGH SPREADS SOUTHEAST ACROSS ONTARIO AND THE UPPER MIDWEST LATE WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY...WHILE ANOTHER LOW DEVELOPS OVER THE SOUTHERN PLAINS. LONGER RANGE MODEL SOLUTIONS CONTINUE TO BRING THIS LOW THROUGH THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY BY THURSDAY NIGHT...WITH THE HIGH WEAKENING ACROSS ONTARIO AND THE GREAT LAKES REGION. THUS WINDS WILL DIMINISH IN THE VICINITY OF THE WEAKENING RIDGE FOR A TIME LATER WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY...BEFORE BECOMING MORE EASTERLY AS THE LOW APPROACHES AND PASSES SOUTH OF THE LAKE...AND THEN NORTH-NORTHWEST AS IT PASSES ON FRIDAY. RATZER && .LOT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IL...WIND CHILL ADVISORY...ILZ003-ILZ004-ILZ005-ILZ006-ILZ008-ILZ010- ILZ011-ILZ012-ILZ013-ILZ014-ILZ019-ILZ020-ILZ021-ILZ022- ILZ023...6 PM MONDAY TO 10 AM TUESDAY. IN...WIND CHILL ADVISORY...INZ001-INZ002-INZ010-INZ011-INZ019...6 PM MONDAY TO 10 AM TUESDAY. LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY...NEARSHORE WINTHROP HARBOR TO GARY IN UNTIL 6 PM TUESDAY. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY...NEARSHORE GARY TO MICHIGAN CITY IN UNTIL 4 AM WEDNESDAY. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
1015 AM CST MON JAN 21 2013 .DISCUSSION... 339 AM CST MAIN CONCERNS/CHALLENGES ARE WITH MUCH COLDER AIR KNOCKING ON OUR DOORSTEPS THIS MORNING...SOME PERIODIC CHANCES FOR FLURRIES THROUGH MID WEEK...AS WELL AS A POSSIBILITY FOR OUR FIRST ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL ARRIVING THURSDAY. WITH THE COLD TEMPS/LOW WIND CHILLS...HAVE ISSUED A WIND CHILL ADVISORY FOR THE NORTHERN TWO TIERS OF COUNTIES IN ILLINOIS FOR TONIGHT INTO TUESDAY MORNING. CHILLY AIR IN PLACE THIS MORNING AS TEMPS ARE IN THE LOWER TEENS AND SINGLE DIGITS AT THIS HOUR...WHILE SCATTERED FLURRIES ARE ONGOING ACROSS THE CWA AT THIS TIME. LATEST SATELLITE IMAGERY DEPICTING LONGWAVE TROUGH CURRENTLY DIGGING ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND UPPER MIDWEST...WITH SEVERAL SHORT WAVE TROUGHS STREAMING OUT AHEAD OF IT. OF WORTHY TO MENTION WITH THIS LONGWAVE TROUGH ARE THE HIGH SPEEDS CURRENTLY BEING OBSERVED ALOFT...WITH LATEST RAP ANALYSIS SHOWING 90-100KT AT 500MB. THESE SHORT WAVE TROUGHS EMBEDDED IN THIS RATHER STRONG FLOW ALOFT ARE HELPING FOR CLOUD COVER TO BLOSSOM OVERHEAD THIS MORNING WITH BOTH MID AND LOW LEVEL CLOUD COVER IN PLACE. EXPECT THIS CLOUD COVER TO SLIGHTLY INCREASE IN OVERALL COVERAGE THIS MORNING WILL ALL AREAS ACROSS NORTHEAST ILLINOIS AND NORTHWEST INDIANA TO START OFF MOSTLY CLOUDY. THIS LIFT COINCIDING WITHIN THIS COLD AIR MASS AND STEEP LOW LEVEL LAPSE RATES...PER LATEST RAP ANALYSIS AND AMDAR SOUNDINGS...HAS ALLOWED FOR SOME SOME SCATTERED FLURRY ACTIVITY ACROSS THE CWA THIS MORNING. LATEST RADAR ANALYSIS DEPICTING THIS ACTIVITY AT THIS TIME WITH SEVERAL SITES REPORTING LIGHT SNOW. EXPECT THESE FLURRIES TO REMAIN POSSIBLE ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA THROUGH PRIMARILY MID MORNING...AND HAVE MADE MENTION OF THIS POSSIBILITY IN THE GRIDS. CLOUD COVER WILL ALSO LINGER ACROSS THE CWA AT LEAST THROUGH MID MORNING BUT WITH LATEST SHORT TERM GUIDANCE HINTING AT THE POSSIBILITY THAT THESE CLOUDS COULD LINGER AROUND THROUGH MID DAY. SO HAVE SLOWED THE CLEARING TREND THROUGH LATE MORNING BASED ON LATEST TRENDS AS WELL AS THIS GUIDANCE...BUT WITH CLEARING DEFINITELY ANTICIPATED BY EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. THE ANTICIPATED MUCH COLDER AIR CONTINUES TO BARREL SOUTH ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST WITH LATEST RAP ANALYSIS DEPICTING 850MB TEMPS OF -21C PUSHING INTO NORTHERN ILLINOIS THIS MORNING. EXPECT THIS AIRMASS TO CONTINUE DROPPING SOUTH THROUGH THIS MORNING...WITH THE CURRENT SINGLE DIGIT/LOWER TEENS TEMPS WHICH WILL BE OBSERVED OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS TO PRETTY MUCH BE OUR HIGH TEMPS TODAY. A SECONDARY PUSH OF COLD AIR OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS WILL RESULT IN FALLING TEMPS THROUGHOUT TODAY. WITH THESE COLD TEMPS AND A STIFF NORTHWEST WIND STILL IN PLACE TODAY...LOW WIND CHILL READINGS OF -10 UP TO -20 WILL MAKE FOR A COLD DAY. STILL EXPECT TONIGHT TO BE THE COLDEST OF THE NIGHTS AS THIS COLD AIRMASS SETTLES IN ACROSS THE REGION WITH FORECAST TEMPS OF 0 TO -5 DEGREES ACROSS NORTHERN ILLINOIS AND TEMPS AROUND 1-2 DEGREES ELSEWHERE. DANGEROUSLY LOW WIND CHILL READINGS OF -15 TO -25 WILL RESULT ACROSS NORTHEAST ILLINOIS AND NORTHWEST INDIANA TONIGHT. SO HAVE OPTED TO ISSUE A WIND CHILL ADVISORY AT THIS TIME FOR THE NORTHERN TWO TIERS OF COUNTIES ACROSS NORTHERN ILLINOIS WITH THESE AREAS LIKELY OBSERVING -20 TO -25 WIND CHILL READINGS STARTING EARLY THIS EVENING AND PERSISTING THROUGH MID MORNING TUESDAY. DO EXPECT THE LOWEST TEMPS AND WIND CHILL READINGS TO BE OBSERVED MORE TOWARDS THE ILLINOIS/WISCONSIN BORDER. COLD AIRMASS TO STILL BE IN PLACE ON TUESDAY WITH HIGH TEMPS OF SINGLE DIGITS TO LOWER TEENS LIKELY ONCE AGAIN. THE ONLY RELIEF WILL BE A LOWER WIND FIELD ACROSS THE AREA AS WELL AS FULL SUNSHINE IN PLACE. DESPITE THIS COLD...RELATIVELY QUIET WEATHER EXPECTED FOR OUR CWA THROUGH MID WEEK. MODELS CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE WITH HANDLING THESE WAVES TRAVERSING THIS NORTHWEST FLOW THROUGH MID WEEK... WITH SOME GUIDANCE DEVELOPING SOME LIGHT QPF TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY. DESPITE THE MODELS HINTING AT THIS...HAVE OPTED TO LEAVE OUT ANY MENTION OF FLURRIES AT THIS TIME. ALTHOUGH THE POSSIBILITY FOR FLURRIES IS THERE...THE TREND OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS HAS BEEN DRY AND FOR THE MODELS TO FLIP FLOP ON LOCATION AND TIMING. ALSO...IF IT WERE TO OCCUR...ANYTHING THAT WOULD DEVELOP WOULD BE AT MOST FLURRY ACTIVITY WITH PRETTY MUCH NIL ACCUMULATION. LAST...MODELS CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE THIS MORNING WITH THE NEXT STRONGER SYSTEM DUE TO ARRIVE SOMETIME ON THURSDAY. PLACEMENT AND TIMING CONTINUE TO BE AN ISSUE FOR ALL MODELS AND SO AM NOT OVERLY EXCITED AT THIS TIME FOR THIS SYSTEM AND AN ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR IT THOUGH...AS PREVIOUS RUNS HAVE INDICATED FOR SOME ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL FOR A GOOD PORTION OF THE CWA...AS WELL AS EVEN OF THE LATEST MODEL RUNS THIS MORNING. RODRIGUEZ && .AVIATION... //ORD AND MDW CONCERNS...UPDATED 14Z... * CIGS BECOMING VFR WITH A FEW POCKETS OF MVFR CIGS REMAINING. * WIDELY SCATTERED FLURRIES. * GUSTY WEST-NORTHWEST WINDS AROUND 25 KTS THROUGH THE DAY. BEACHLER //DISCUSSION...UPDATED 12Z... A REINFORCING PUSH OF COLD ARCTIC AIR WAS MOVING ACROSS NORTHERN ILLINOIS EARLY THIS MORNING...ACCOMPANIED BY AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WHICH WAS HELPING TO PRODUCE PATCHY LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS AND FLURRIES. THE COLD FRONT AND UPPER LEVEL WAVE SHOULD PUSH ACROSS THE TERMINALS BY MID MORNING...WITH EVENTUAL SCATTERING OF LOWER CLOUDS...AND BLUSTERY WINDS IN THE 290-300 DEGREE RANGE GUSTING AROUND 25 KTS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE DAY. DUE TO THE DRY NATURE OF THE COLD ARCTIC AIR...COVERAGE OF MVFR CIGS AND SNOW SHOWERS HAS BEEN SOMEWHAT PATCHY OVERNIGHT/EARLY THIS MORNING... AND WILL LIKELY CONTINUE TO BE THE SAME UNTIL CLOUDS DECREASE LATER THIS MORNING WITH INCREASING SUBSIDENCE BEHIND THE DEPARTING UPPER TROUGH. WINDS WILL REMAIN GUSTY EVEN INTO THE EVENING HOURS TONIGHT... THOUGH GUST SPEEDS SHOULD GRADUALLY DECREASE AFTER SUNSET. RATZER //ORD AND MDW CONFIDENCE...UPDATED 14Z... * HIGH CONFIDENCE IN CIGS IMPROVING TO VFR BY MIDDAY. * HIGH CONFIDENCE IN ALL OTHER FORECAST ELEMENTS. BEACHLER //OUTLOOK FOR ORD/MDW FOR 00Z WEDNESDAY-12Z MONDAY...UPDATED 12Z... TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...VFR. THURSDAY...CHANCE OF SNOW. MVFR/IFR POSSIBLE. FRIDAY...CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS. MVFR POSSIBLE. SATURDAY AND SUNDAY...VFR. RATZER && .MARINE... 247 AM CST GUSTY WEST-NORTHWEST WINDS REMAIN THE MAIN FOCUS OF THE MARINE FORECAST INTO WEDNESDAY. THE SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT REMAINS TIGHT ACROSS THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES REGION...BETWEEN A RELATIVELY WEAK AREA OF LOW PRESSURE ACROSS THE NORTHERN LAKES AND COLD HIGH PRESSURE SPREADING SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE PLAINS. WINDS WILL PICK UP A BIT TODAY AS A REINFORCING PUSH OF COLDER AIR MOVES INTO THE REGION...WITH SPEEDS AROUND 30 KTS ACROSS THE LAKE THIS MORNING INTO TUESDAY MORNING. COULD BE SOME GALE FORCE GUSTS TO 35 KT...THOUGH MODEL SOUNDINGS DONT INDICATE SUPPORT FOR WIDESPREAD OR LONG-LASTING GALES AT THIS TIME. 25-30 KT SUSTAINED WINDS AND COLDER TEMPS IN THE SINGLE DIGITS TO LOWER TEENS SHOULD RESULT IN MODERATE FREEZING SPRAY REDEVELOPING THIS MORNING AND PERSISTING INTO EARLY TUESDAY. SHOULD GUSTS ABOVE 30 KT BECOME PREVALENT A HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING COULD BE NEEDED AND WILL BE MONITORED FOR...BUT THIS DOES NOT APPEAR NECESSARY AT THIS TIME. WINDS WILL THEN VERY GRADUALLY DIMINISH LATE TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY AS THE PLAINS HIGH WEAKENS AND MOVES SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE OHIO VALLEY AND INTO THE SOUTHEASTERN STATES. ANOTHER HIGH SPREADS SOUTHEAST ACROSS ONTARIO AND THE UPPER MIDWEST LATE WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY...WHILE ANOTHER LOW DEVELOPS OVER THE SOUTHERN PLAINS. LONGER RANGE MODEL SOLUTIONS CONTINUE TO BRING THIS LOW THROUGH THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY BY THURSDAY NIGHT...WITH THE HIGH WEAKENING ACROSS ONTARIO AND THE GREAT LAKES REGION. THUS WINDS WILL DIMINISH IN THE VICINITY OF THE WEAKENING RIDGE FOR A TIME LATER WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY...BEFORE BECOMING MORE EASTERLY AS THE LOW APPROACHES AND PASSES SOUTH OF THE LAKE...AND THEN NORTH-NORTHWEST AS IT PASSES ON FRIDAY. RATZER && .LOT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IL...WIND CHILL ADVISORY...ILZ003-ILZ004-ILZ005-ILZ006-ILZ008-ILZ010- ILZ011-ILZ012-ILZ013-ILZ014...6 PM MONDAY TO 9 AM TUESDAY. IN...NONE. LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY...NEARSHORE WINTHROP HARBOR TO GARY IN UNTIL 6 PM TUESDAY. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY...NEARSHORE GARY TO MICHIGAN CITY IN UNTIL 4 AM WEDNESDAY. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS WICHITA KS
320 PM CST MON JAN 21 2013 .DISCUSSION... TODAY-WED: COMPLEX SURFACE PATTERN WITH REALLY COLD AIR SLOWLY BACKDOORING INTO FORECAST AREA...AND SOME RETURN FLOW DEVELOPING IN FAR WESTERN SECTIONS. NOT A LOT OF CONFIDENCE IN ANY OF THE MODELS ABILITY TO RESOLVE LOCATION OF COLDEST AIR AND RESULTANT LOW CLOUDS. BEST GUESS IS FOR COLD AIR TO CONTINUE TO SAG AT LEAST OVERNIGHT... POTENTIALLY LEAVING A SHARP BOUNDARY SOMEWHERE ACROSS THE AREA ON TUE. ANTICIPATE ANY LOW CLOUDS EARLY IN THE MORNING WILL BE ERODED FAIRLY QUICKLY AND WILL HAVE FAIR AMOUNT OF MODIFICATION OF COLD AIR NEAR BOUNDARY. BEST GUESS FOR WED IS LITTLE SURFACE FLOW... PROBABLY OUT OF THE EAST. THIS SHOULD RECIRCULATE COOL AIR...SO NOT EXPECTING MUCH RECOVERY AT THIS TIME. WED NIGHT-FRI: RETURN FLOW BEGINS TO DEVELOP ON BOTH ECMWF/GFS...WITH BOTH SHOWING 850MB MOISTURE WORKING NORTH...PRIMARY AFFECTING SOUTHERN SECTIONS DURING THE PERIOD. REMAINS TO BE SEEN WHETHER THERE WILL BE ENOUGH LIFT/MOISTURE TO OVERCOME DRY AIR NEAR SURFACE. BEST LIFT COMES THU AFTERNOON AND ESPECIALLY FRI MORNING. BEST CHANCE FOR PRECIPITATION THU WILL LIKELY BE IN SOUTHEAST KS IN THE AFTERNOON. BY FRI MORNING DRIER AIR WILL HAVE OVERSPREAD THE ENTIRE AREA. COLDER AIR SHOULD BE SPILLING INTO THE AREA ON FRI...WITH HIGH TEMPERATURES LOWER THAN ON THU. SAT-MON: GOOD AGREEMENT THAT LARGE SURFACE HIGH WILL DROP SOUTH ACROSS THE PLAINS ON SAT...WITH RETURN FLOW DEVELOPING ON SUN. HOWEVER SPREAD BETWEEN GFS/ECMWF STARTS TO INCREASE SIGNIFICANTLY DUE TO HANDLING OF SHORTWAVE MOVING THROUGH AND LONG WAVE TROUGH IN THE WESTERN US. BOTH APPEAR TO BE OVERLY AGRESSIVE WITH RETURN MOISTURE ON SUN AND MON AND HAVE OPTED TO KEEP FORECAST DRY FOR NOW. GIVEN SOUTHERN EXTENT OF SURFACE HIGH AND SURFACE TRAJECTORIES DURING THE PERIOD... SEEMS UNLIKELY TO GET SUFFICIENT MOISTURE THIS FAR NORTH THAT QUICK. SHOULD SEE TEMPERATURES REBOUND NICELY GIVEN RELATIVELY DRY AIR/DRY GROUND/SUNSHINE AND RETURN FLOW. -HOWERTON && .AVIATION...18Z TAFS KRSL/KSLN/KHUT/KICT/KCNU KRSL-KSLN-KCNU WILL BE FLIRTING WITH LOW VFR TO HIGH MVFR CIGS THIS AFTERNOON-EVENING...AND POSSIBLY THROUGH TONIGHT...AS SHALLOW COLD AIR TIED TO ARCTIC HIGH PRESSURE ENCROACHES FROM THE NORTHEAST. FOR NOW PLAYED THE CONSERVATIVE APPROACH...ALTHOUGH IF LATEST RUC BUFR SOUNDINGS VERIFY CIGS LESS THAN 2000 FT AGL COULD PREVAIL AS FAR SOUTH AS KHUT AND KICT BY MIDNIGHT. MODELS TEND TO NOT HANDLE SHALLOW COLD AIRMASSES VERY WELL...SO WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR. ADK && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... WICHITA-KICT 20 45 26 52 / 0 0 0 0 HUTCHINSON 19 44 25 51 / 0 0 0 0 NEWTON 19 42 25 50 / 0 0 0 0 ELDORADO 18 41 25 52 / 0 0 0 0 WINFIELD-KWLD 21 46 27 57 / 0 0 0 0 RUSSELL 17 40 22 51 / 0 0 0 0 GREAT BEND 20 44 25 52 / 0 0 0 0 SALINA 17 38 22 49 / 0 0 0 0 MCPHERSON 18 42 24 50 / 0 0 0 0 COFFEYVILLE 19 44 27 58 / 0 0 10 10 CHANUTE 17 39 24 53 / 0 0 10 10 IOLA 17 37 24 51 / 0 0 0 0 PARSONS-KPPF 16 42 24 57 / 0 0 10 10 && .ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS TOPEKA KS
1154 AM CST MON JAN 21 2013 ...UPDATE TO AVIATION... .DISCUSSION... TODAY AND TUESDAY...COLD AIR CONTINUES TO TRICKLE INTO THE FORECAST AREA THIS MORNING AS THE 8Z RAP INDICATES AN AREA OF SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE STRETCHING FROM THE CENTRAL PLAINS NORTHWESTWARD INTO CENTRAL CANADA. THIS HIGH PRESSURE IS BRINGING LIGHT NORTHWEST WINDS...WHICH IS ALLOWING THE COLD AIR TO ADVECT INTO THE AREA. 11-3.9 MICRON SATELLITE SHOWS AN AREA OF STRATUS STRETCHING FROM KFNB NORTHWESTWARD THROUGH CENTRAL NEBRASKA AND INTO SOUTHWESTERN SOUTH DAKOTA. OBSERVATIONS FROM CENTRAL NEBRASKA UNDER THIS STRATUS ARE INDICATING LIGHT SNOW FALL. AS THE STRATUS STRETCHES SOUTHEASTWARD INTO NORTHEAST KANSAS IT MAY BRING WITH IT A FEW SNOW FLURRIES...MAINLY NORTH OF INTERSTATE 70. FORECAST SOUNDINGS THROUGHOUT THE DAY SHOW A MODEST AMOUNT OF UPWARD MOTION IN THE LOWEST FEW THOUSAND FEET...WHICH WILL AID IN STRATUS DEVELOPMENT AND WITH THE COLUMN BEING SO COLD IT WILL NOT TAKE MUCH LIFT NOR FURTHER COOLING TO PRODUCE A FEW FLURRIES. EXPECT SCATTERED OFF-AND-ON FLURRIES TO REMAIN POSSIBLE THROUGH THE DAYTIME AND OVERNIGHT HOURS ON MONDAY/MONDAY NIGHT. DUE TO THE CLOUD COVER AND COLD AIR ADVECTION DO NOT EXPECT TEMPERATURES ON MONDAY TO WARM MUCH...AS THE GOING HIGH FOR MONDAY WILL BE IN THE LOWER TO MID 20S NORTH OF INTERSTATE 70 AND IN THE LOWER 30S SOUTH OF I-70. DRY AIR WORKS ITS WAY INTO THE AREA BY MONDAY NIGHT CAUSING THE STRATUS TO MOVE TO THE EAST BY MONDAY NIGHT ALLOWING SKIES TO CLEAR BY TUESDAY. IT WILL TAKE ANOTHER DAY TO GET THE COLD AIR OUT OF THE AREA...SO FOR TUESDAY EXPECTING ONLY A MINOR INCREASE IN TEMPS...AS DAY TIME HIGHS FOR TUESDAY WILL REACH NO HIGHER THAN THE LOWER TO MID 30S...WITH POSSIBLY 40 DEGREE TEMPS IN CENTRAL KANSAS. WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...WEDNESDAY WILL BRING A BRIEF BREAK FROM THE ARCTIC AIR AS WARMER AIR TRIES TO MAKE ITS WAY INTO THE FORECAST AREA. 925 MB TEMPS GO FROM -10 TO -15 C ON TUESDAY TO AROUND 5 C WEDNESDAY...WHICH IF MIXED TO THE SURFACE SHOULD BRING TEMPS BACK INTO THE MID TO UPPER 40S ON WED. PERHAPS AREAS OF CENTRAL AND EAST CENTRAL KANSAS COULD SEE SOME 50 TO 53 DEGREE TEMPS WED. BY THURSDAY ANOTHER COLD AIR MASS PLUNGES INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS CAUSING TEMPS TO RETURN TO NEAR NORMAL FOR THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY...WITH FRIDAY STRUGGLING TO REACH THE 30S. WARM AIR ADVECTION ON THURSDAY EVENING/THURSDAY NIGHT WILL BRING INCREASING CLOUDS...AND PERHAPS SOME VERY LIGHT RAIN IN FAR EAST CENTRAL KANSAS. WITH SURFACE TEMPS DROPPING NEAR FREEZING AND PERHAPS BELOW FREEZING THURSDAY NIGHT THERE COULD BE A PERIOD OF VERY LIGHT FREEZING RAIN...BUT THAT PERIOD SHOULD NOT LAST LONG...NOR IS ANY ACCUMULATION EXPECTED. A WARM UP FROM THE COLD TEMPS IS EXPECTED BY THE END OF THE WEEKEND AS FORECAST HIGHS FOR SUNDAY LOOK LIKE THEY WILL REACH THE LOWER TO POSSIBLY MID 50S AS WARM AIR MOVES BACK INTO THE AREA AND MID LEVEL RIDGING TAKES OVER. BY EARLY NEXT WEEK WITH INCREASING MID LEVEL HEIGHTS MOVING OVER THE AREA AND A WESTERLY DOWN SLOPE FLOW THE LATTER HALF OF THE WEEKEND AND EARLY PART OF NEXT WEEK LOOK FAIRLY PLEASANT. JL && .AVIATION... CLOUD DECK WITH CIGS AROUND 4KFT HAS MOVED OVER THE TAF SITES. THERE IS AN AREA OF MVFR CIGS IN NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS ON THE SOUTHWEST FLANK OF THE MAIN CLOUD DECK. THE MVFR CIGS ARE CURRENTLY OVER KMHK MOVING SOUTHEAST AND MAY MOVE INTO KTOP AND KFOE WITHIN A FEW HOURS. EXPECT THE MVFR CONDITIONS TO BE POSSIBLE UNTIL AROUND 00Z. THERE A BAND OF LIGHT SNOW AND FLURRIES WHICH HAS DEVELOPED ACROSS NORTHEAST KANSAS WHICH WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. IT APPEARS IT WILL STAY NORTHEAST OF THE AREA AND NOT EFFECT ANY TAF SITES...LATER SHIFTS WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR IN CASE THINGS DEVELOP FURTHER SOUTH. AFTER 00Z THE VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL WITH THE CLOUD DECK SCATTERING OUT AND MOVING OFF TO THE EAST OVERNIGHT. SANDERS && .TOP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS WICHITA KS
1144 AM CST MON JAN 21 2013 .AVIATION...18Z TAFS KRSL/KSLN/KHUT/KICT/KCNU KRSL-KSLN-KCNU WILL BE FLIRTING WITH LOW VFR TO HIGH MVFR CIGS THIS AFTERNOON-EVENING...AND POSSIBLY THROUGH TONIGHT...AS SHALLOW COLD AIR TIED TO ARCTIC HIGH PRESSURE ENCROACHES FROM THE NORTHEAST. FOR NOW PLAYED THE CONSERVATIVE APPROACH...ALTHOUGH IF LATEST RUC BUFR SOUNDINGS VERIFY CIGS LESS THAN 2000 FT AGL COULD PREVAIL AS FAR SOUTH AS KHUT AND KICT BY MIDNIGHT. MODELS TEND TO NOT HANDLE SHALLOW COLD AIRMASSES VERY WELL...SO WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR. ADK && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 514 AM CST MON JAN 21 2013/ AVIATION...12Z TAFS KRSL/KSLN/KHUT/KICT/KCNU VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE REGION FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS. THE ONLY CONCERN WILL BE SOME MID LEVEL CLOUDS IN ERN NEB ASSOCIATED WITH THE CYCLONIC CURVATURE OVER THE GREAT LAKES. THIS CYCLONIC CURVATURE WILL LEAD TO THIS MID CLOUD DECK DROPPING SLOWLY SOUTH-SOUTHEAST THIS AFTERNOON...WITH SOME BKN CEILINGS AROUND 4-6K FEET NEAR THE KSLN/KCNU AND KRSL TAF SITES. THIS CLOUD DECK WILL BE SHORT LIVED...BECOMING SCT BY THIS EVENING...AS SUBSIDENCE ASSOCIATED WITH THE ARCTIC HIGH PRESSURE AREA DROPS INTO IOWA AND NRN MISSOURI. KETCHAM PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 307 AM CST MON JAN 21 2013/ DISCUSSION... THE MAIN FORECAST CONCERN WILL CONTINUE TO BE TEMPERATURES THROUGH THE FORECAST. SYNOPSIS: A DEEP POTENT TROUGH IS SITUATED ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES REGION AND THE NORTHEAST. THIS TROUGH IS ASSOCIATED WITH VERY COLD ARCTIC AIR. TEMPERATURES IN THE NORTHERN PLAINS ARE WELL BELOW ZERO WITH DANGEROUS WIND CHILL VALUES. AN AMPLIFIED RIDGE IS LOCATED OVER THE WEST COAST. CLOSER TO HOME...SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE IS SLIDING INTO THE AREA. THE COLDEST AIR ACROSS THE CENTRAL PLAINS IS LOCATED OVER IOWA...NEBRASKA...NORTHERN KANSAS AND NORTHERN MISSOURI. WINDS ARE LIGHT AND OUT OF THE NORTH. TODAY - WEDNESDAY: SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE WILL SLIDE EASTWARD OVER MISSOURI WHILE SURFACE LOW PRESSURE DEVELOPS IN THE LEE OF THE ROCKIES. THE ARCTIC AIR WILL KEEP TEMPERATURES COLD ACROSS NORTHEASTERN PORTIONS OF KANSAS...BUT THE SOUTHERLY RETURN FLOW OVER THE WESTERN HALF WILL ALLOW TEMPERATURES TO WARM TO NEAR NORMAL. THUS...THERE WILL BE A DRASTIC TEMPERATURE GRADIENT ACROSS THE STATE TODAY. BECAUSE THE STATE WILL TAKE A GLANCING BLOW WITH THE COLDEST ARCTIC AIR...TEMPERATURES WILL BE QUICK TO WARM THROUGH MID-WEEK. TEMPERATURES WILL STEADILY WARM TO ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES THROUGH WEDNESDAY. THURSDAY - FRIDAY: BY THURSDAY THE GUIDANCE INDICATES A WARM FRONT SETTING UP ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE STATE ASSOCIATED WITH A SURFACE LOW MOVING SOUTH OUT OF EASTERN COLORADO. THE GFS IS THE MOST BULLISH IN PRODUCING SOME OVERRUNNING PRECIPITATION FROM THIS FRONT OVER SOUTHEASTERN KANSAS. THERE IS LITTLE TO NO UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT AND SOUNDINGS ARE VERY DRY ALOFT WITH SATURATED LOW LEVELS. BECAUSE OF THIS HAVE KEPT THE PRECIPITATION TYPE TO LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS OR DRIZZLE. DO NOT THINK THERE IS ENOUGH DEPTH TO HAVE MUCH IN THE WAY OF RAIN AND HAVE KEPT CHANCES SMALL. BY THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND INTO FRIDAY THE NEXT UPPER DISTURBANCE WILL PLUNGE ACROSS THE AREA...PUSHING ANOTHER SHOT OF COLD AIR INTO THE REGION. TEMPERATURES WILL DROP BRIEFLY BACK TO BELOW NORMAL FOR THE END OF THE WEEK. SATURDAY - SUNDAY: TEMPERATURES WILL AGAIN MODERATE OVER THE WEEKEND AS THE SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE SLIDES SOUTHEAST SATURDAY AND WARM SOUTHERLY FLOW RETURNS SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND SUNDAY. SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL ALSO BE BREEZY AS THE SURFACE LOW PRESSURE DEEPENS AHEAD OF ANOTHER WEAK UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE. BILLINGS && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... WICHITA-KICT 38 20 48 26 / 0 0 0 0 HUTCHINSON 37 19 47 25 / 0 0 0 0 NEWTON 36 19 44 25 / 0 0 0 0 ELDORADO 36 18 45 25 / 0 0 0 0 WINFIELD-KWLD 39 21 48 26 / 0 0 0 0 RUSSELL 38 16 41 22 / 0 0 0 0 GREAT BEND 40 20 44 25 / 0 0 0 0 SALINA 35 17 41 23 / 0 0 0 0 MCPHERSON 37 18 44 24 / 0 0 0 0 COFFEYVILLE 38 19 45 25 / 0 0 0 0 CHANUTE 35 16 41 23 / 0 0 0 0 IOLA 33 16 39 23 / 0 0 0 0 PARSONS-KPPF 36 15 44 23 / 0 0 0 0 && .ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS DODGE CITY KS
1126 AM CST MON JAN 21 2013 ...UPDATED SYNOPSIS AND AVIATION DISCUSSION... .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 1120 AM CST MON JAN 21 2013 AT 12Z MONDAY A 500MB LOW WAS LOCATED NEAR HUDSON BAY AND AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE AXIS EXTENDED NORTH ALONG THE WEST COAST OF THE UNITED STATE INTO SOUTHERN BRITISH COLUMBIA. IN BETWEEN THIS UPPER RIDGE AND UPPER LOW A NORTHWEST FLOW WAS PRESENT ACROSS THE CENTRAL UNITED STATES WITH AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH LOCATED OVER MINNESOTA. THIS UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WAS LOCATED NEAR THE LEFT EXIT REGION OF A 300MB JET AND AT THE 500MB LEVEL 120 TO 130 METER HEIGHT FALLS WERE PRESENT EAST OF THIS UPPER WAVE OVER WISCONSIN AND NORTHERN INDIANA. A WEDGE OF 850 TO 700MB MOISTURE WAS LOCATED FROM WESTERN NEBRASKA INTO NORTHEAST KANSAS. THIS WAS LOCATED JUST NORTH AND EAST OF THE 850MB BAROCLINIC ZONE AND A SURFACE BOUNDARY. && .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 219 AM CST MON JAN 21 2013 A DEEP UPPER LEVEL TROUGH OVER THE GREAT LAKES REGION HAS RESULTED IN AN ARCTIC AIR INTRUSION INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS EARLY THIS MORNING. THERE WERE TWO FRONTAL SURGES, ONE THAT PASSED LATE SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH WESTERN KANSAS, AND A MORE PRONOUNCED FRONT LOCATED ACROSS CENTRAL NEBRASKA AS OF 2 AM. THIS 2ND COLDER SURGE WILL NOT MAKE IT THROUGH WESTERN KANSAS TODAY. HOWEVER, A PATCH OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AND LOW CLOUDS, WITH CEILINGS AROUND 1000FT WAS TRAPPED ACROSS WEST CENTRAL KANSAS NEAR THE SURFACE RIDGE IN THE WAKE OF THE FIRST FRONT. WEAK LEE TROUGHING IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP TODAY AS A SMALL COMPONENT OF MID-LEVEL FLOW ACROSS THE ROCKIES RESULTS IN PRESSURE FALLS. THIS WOULD TYPICALLY CLEAR THE CLOUDS OUT OF WESTERN KANSAS. HOWEVER, THERE IS A CHANCE THAT A SHARP LOW-LEVEL INVERSION WILL DEVELOP AND PERSIST IN SPITE OF THE DAYTIME HEATING. THE 00Z AND 06Z NAM SHOW NO SIGN OF THIS SCENARIO, WITH TEMPERATURES IN THE MID 40S AT PLACES LIKE SCOTT CITY AND DIGHTON. BUT THE 05Z RAP SHOWS A SMALL POCKET OF COLDER AIR, WITH HIGHS STAYING IN THE MID TO UPPER 30S THERE, WITH 40S FURTHER EAST AND NEAR 50 IN FAR SOUTHWEST KANSAS. THIS IS A DEPARTURE FROM THE 03Z RAP WHICH WAS SIMILAR TO THE NAM. SO THE MAIN FORECAST PROBLEM THIS MORNING IS WHETHER LOW CLOUDS WILL PERSIST ACROSS WEST CENTRAL KANSAS, ALONG WITH THE COOLER TEMPERATURES. WE OPTED TO GO GENERALLY WITH A NAM SOLUTION, EXCEPT KEEP TEMPERATURES SEVERAL DEGREES COOLER WHERE THE RAP IS SHOWING THE LOW LEVEL COLD POOL. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT GIVEN THE DEVELOPING LOW LEVEL SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS THAT THE COLD POOL MAY SHIFT NORTH OF INTERSTATE 70 BY LATE AFTERNOON. A NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST ORIENTED BAROCLINIC ZONE WILL REMAIN ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN PLAINS TONIGHT AS THE AFOREMENTIONED SECONDARY COLD FRONT STALLS OUT FROM WESTERN NEBRASKA INTO EASTERN KANSAS. ANY REMAINING LOW CLOUDS SHOULD CLEAR, EXCEPT FOR POSSIBLY A FEW HIGHER LEVEL CLOUDS. TEMPERATURES SHOULD FALL INTO THE UPPER TEENS TO LOWER 20S. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 334 AM CST MON JAN 21 2013 THE UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM CENTERED OVER THE HUDSON BAY REGION WILL MIGRATE EAST INTO THE CANADIAN MARITIME LATER THIS WEEK WHICH WILL ALLOW HEIGHTS TO RISE SOMEWHAT OVER THE EASTERN PART OF THE U.S. FARTHER WEST, A PERSISTENT UPPER LEVEL RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE IN PLACE OVER THE WEST COAST. A SHORTWAVE TROUGH WILL PLOW THROUGH THE UPPER RIDGE AND MOVE OUT OVER THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL PLAINS ON THURSDAY. THE OPERATIONAL GFS IS A LITTLE SLOWER THAN THE OTHER MODELS WITH THE TIMING OF THIS FEATURE. THE GFS ENSEMBLE MEMBERS TEND TO BE FASTER THAN THE OPERATIONAL RUN SO WILL LEAN TOWARD THE EURO AND CANADIAN SOLUTIONS. A WARMING TREND WILL BE IN PROGRESS FROM TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY AS UPPER LEVEL RIDGING BUILDS INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS. THE MODELS SHOW A WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY PUSHING SOUTHWESTWARD INTO THE HIGH PLAINS WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON IN RESPONSE TO A SHORTWAVE TROUGH MOVING THROUGH THE UPPER MIDWEST AND GREAT LAKES. TEMPERATURES SHOULD BE ABLE TO RISE INTO THE LOWER 50S AROUND HAYS WITH HIGHS CLIMBING INTO THE MID 60S AT ELKHART. THE NEXT COLD FRONT WILL BE PUSHING SOUTH ACROSS SOUTHWEST KANSAS ON THURSDAY. THIS WILL DROP TEMPERATURES BACK SOME ON THURSDAY. ANOTHER SURGE OF EVEN COLDER AIR WILL BE MOVING DOWN THROUGH THE MIDWEST ON THURSDAY NIGHT BUT THE BULK OF THIS SHOULD STAY IN EASTERN KANSAS. THE MODELS SHOW THE UPPER FLOW BECOMING MORE ZONAL ONCE AGAIN BY THE UPCOMING WEEKEND. DOWNSLOPE FLOW WILL BRING WARMER TEMPERATURES BACK OUT ACROSS THE HIGH PLAINS WHICH SHOULD ALLOW TEMPERATURES TO WARM BACK INTO THE 50S AND POSSIBLY THE LOW 60S. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 1120 AM CST MON JAN 21 2013 A SURFACE BOUNDARY LOCATED JUST NORTH OF INTERSTATE 70 EARLIER THIS MORNING WILL REMAIN NEARLY STATIONARY THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE DAY AS AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH MOVES ACROSS WESTERN GREAT LAKES. THIS BOUNDARY WILL MOVE SOUTHWEST ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS EARLY TONIGHT WITH BOTH THE GFS AND NAM APPEARING TO BE GOOD AGREEMENT IN PLACING THIS SURFACE BOUNDARY BETWEEN HAYS AND DODGE CITY AROUND MIDNIGHT. MODEL SOUNDINGS INDICATING LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WILL BE LIMITED JUST NORTHEAST OF THIS BOUNDARY SO VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH EARLY TONIGHT. GIVEN THE LOCATION OF THE SURFACE BOUNDARY TONIGHT WIND SPEEDS ARE EXPECTED TO DECREASE TO LESS THAN 10KTS BY SUNSET. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... DDC 42 21 48 25 / 0 0 0 0 GCK 44 20 51 24 / 0 0 0 0 EHA 50 26 58 29 / 0 0 0 0 LBL 47 24 54 26 / 0 0 0 0 HYS 38 17 42 21 / 0 0 0 0 P28 40 21 47 27 / 0 0 0 0 && .DDC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...BURGERT SHORT TERM...FINCH LONG TERM...GERARD AVIATION...BURGERT
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MARQUETTE MI
437 PM EST MON JAN 21 2013 .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 432 PM EST MON JAN 21 2013 WATER VAPOR IMAGERY AND RUC ANALYSIS CONTINUE TO SHOW A HIGH AMPLITUDE PATTERN OVER NAMERICA WITH A RIDGE ALONG THE W COAST THRU AK AND A DEEP TROF OVER ERN NAMERICA. BEHIND SHORTWAVE THAT HAS PASSED ACROSS THE AREA...BITTER COLD ARCTIC AIR IS FLOWING OVER THE UPPER GREAT LAKES. PER 12Z RAOBS...CORE OF THE COLDEST AIR THIS MORNING WAS JUST UPSTREAM AS KINL SOUNDING SHOWED 850MB TEMP AT A VERY LOW -35C. JUST N AT CWPL...850MB TEMP WAS AN UNUSUALLY LOW -38C. WITH CAA TODAY... TEMPS HAVE STRUGGLED TO RISE WITH SUBZERO READINGS THE RULE OVER ROUGHLY THE W HALF OF UPPER MI JUST INLAND FROM LAKE SUPERIOR. AT KIWD...TEMP HAS ONLY REACHED -11F. OVER THE E...TEMPS HAVE HELD IN THE SINGLE DIGITS ABOVE ZERO. WIND CHILLS REMAIN GENERALLY IN THE -20 TO -35F RANGE OVER THE W HALF AND -10 TO -20F E. WITH EXTREME INSTABILITY OVER THE LAKE...LES OBVIOUSLY CONTINUES FOR MAINLY THE SNOWBELTS FAVORED BY NW WINDS. AS EXPECTED...WITH VERY COLD AIR ELIMINATING THE DGZ...SNOWFLAKE SIZE HAS BEEN VERY SMALL. THE SMALL SNOWFLAKES ARE VERY EFFECTIVE AT REDUCING VIS...SO WHERE LES IS OCCURRING...WHITE-OUTS ARE COMMON. SMALL FLAKES ARE LIMITING ACCUMULATIONS WITH MOST SPOTTER/COOP REPORTS INDICATING MOSTLY 1-3IN/12HR SNOWFALL RATES. EXCEPTION IS OVER THE FAR NE FCST AREA...THOUGH REPORTS ARE DIFFICULT TO OBTAIN. ONE REPORT AT UPPER TAHQUAMENON FALLS WHICH HAS BEEN UNDER A NEARLY STEADY DOMINANT BAND INDICATED ABOUT 7 INCHES OF SNOW SINCE EARLY THIS MORNING. STRONG CONVERGENCE ZONE OWING TO LAKE INDUCED TROFFING AND STRENGTHENED BY STRONG LAND BREEZES IS LIKELY ALLOWING ENOUGH LAKE MODERATION TO PUSH DGZ UP INTO AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE CONVECTIVE LAYER. SO...SOME RATHER SIGNIFICANT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS HAVE PROBABLY OCCURRED OVER THE LAST 12-18HRS OVER SOME PORTIONS OF ERN ALGER/NRN SCHOOLCRAFT/NRN LUCE COUNTIES. CORE OF ARCTIC AIR WILL DROP ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT. IN THE WAKE OF THE SHORTWAVE THAT PASSED TODAY AND WITHOUT ANY ADDITIONAL SHORTWAVES APPROACHING...FCST SOUNDINGS SHOW A GRADUAL DECREASE IN CONVECTIVE/MOIST LAYER...ESPECIALLY DURING THE DAY TUE AS HEIGHTS BEGIN TO RISE. SO...TONIGHT WILL ESSENTIALLY BE JUST A CONTINUATION OF WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING TODAY. OVER THE W...EXPECT MOSTLY 1-3IN ACCUMULATIONS TONIGHT...THOUGH LOCALIZED 4 INCH AMOUNTS COULD OCCUR BTWN KIWD AND THE VCNTY OF THE PORCUPINE MTNS DUE TO ENHANCED CONVERGENCE FROM STRENGTHENING LAND BREEZE OFF NW WI. POOR VIS WILL BE THE BIGGER STORY WITH THE SNOW AS WHITE-OUTS WILL CONTINUE TO BE COMMON DUE TO THE VERY SMALL SNOWFLAKE SIZE. TO THE E... STRENGTHENING LAND BREEZES WILL AGAIN STRENGTHEN THE CONVERGENCE ZONE OVER SCNTRL AND ERN LAKE SUPERIOR INTO PORTIONS OF ALGER/LUCE/NRN SCHOOLCRAFT COUNTIES. MOST GUIDANCE INDICATES A SHARP SFC TROF RATHER THAN MESOLOW DEVELOPMENT...SO THERE IS MORE CONFIDENCE IN MAINTAINING MDT/HVY SNOW STREAMING ONSHORE IN THAT AREA THRU THE NIGHT RATHER THAN HAVING SNOW SHIFT N AND POSSIBLY MOSTLY OFFSHORE IF A MESOLOW DEVELOPED. WHERE HEAVIEST SNOW IS MOST PERSISTENT...MAY SEE UPWARDS OF 8 INCHES TONIGHT. OTHER OBVIOUS STORY IS THE COLD. GIVEN HOW LOW 850MB TEMPS ARE... SFC TEMPS WOULD TANK TO READINGS NOT SEEN IN UPPER MI FOR MANY YEARS IF WINDS WERE TO DROP OFF TO CALM TONIGHT. HOWEVER...SINCE WINDS STAY UP...TEMPS WON`T FALL SIGNIFICANTLY TONIGHT. OVER ROUGHLY THE W HALF INLAND FROM LES...TEENS BLO ZERO SHOULD BE THE RULE WITH A FEW SPOTS POSSIBLY FALLING TO AROUND -20F. ELSEWHERE...EXPECT SINGLE DIGITS BLO ZERO. ONLY LOCATIONS THAT PROBABLY WON`T FALL BLO ZERO WILL BE RIGHT ALONG THE SHORE E OF MUNISING. WINDS SHOULD STAY UP NEAR THE 10MPH THRESHOLD FOR WIND CHILL ADVY...SO ADVYS WILL REMAIN UP FOR -25 TO -35F WIND CHILLS. WILL BE FLIRTING WITH WARNING CRITERIA (-35F OR LWR) TOWARD THE WI BORDER W OF KIMT. AIR MASS BEGINS TO SLOWLY MODERATE TUE...BUT STILL REMAINS COLD ENOUGH TO KEEP DGZ OUT OF THE CONVECTIVE LAYER. SO...MORE FINE VIS RESTRICTING LES IS EXPECTED. SMALL FLAKES COMBINED WITH HEIGHT RISES AND DECREASING CONVECTIVE/MOIST LAYER WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP ACCUMULATIONS ON THE LIGHT SIDE...ESPECIALLY OVER THE W. WILL PROBABLY BEGIN TO SEE MORE GAPS/SEPARATION BTWN LES BANDS AS LOW-LEVEL DRY AIR MAY BEGIN TO MAKE MORE OF AN IMPACT. OVER THE E...MDT/HVY LES IN THE MORNING SHOULD ALSO BEGIN TO DIMINISH GIVEN LARGER SCALE NEGATIVES PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED. TEMPS SHOULD RISE ABOVE 0F IN MOST AREAS...THOUGH OVER THE W HALF...SOME READINGS WILL LIKELY FALL JUST SHORT OF 0F. AS FOR HEADLINES...WILL BE ADDING MENOMINEE/DELTA TO WIND CHILL ADVY TONIGHT/TUE MORNING AND WILL BE EXTENDING LES WARNING FOR ALGER/LUCE/NRN SCHOOLCRAFT THRU TUE AFTN. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY) ISSUED AT 432 PM EST MON JAN 21 2013 GIVEN THE PERSISTENT 500MB LOW SET UP THROUGH WEDNESDAY...EXPECT THE COLD WEATHER TO LINGER THROUGH AT LEAST WEDNESDAY MORNING. LES WILL CONTINUE TO BE A NUISANCE THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING. TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY... DOUBLE DIGIT BELOW ZERO READINGS WILL BE THE RULE AGAIN TUESDAY NIGHT. PERSISTENT W TO WNW FLOW OVER THE WARM WATERS OF LAKE SUPERIOR...AND SLIGHTLY WARMER TEMPS JUST ABOVE THE SFC /850MB WARMING FROM -27/-24C TO AROUND -23/-22C OVERNIGHT BASED OFF THE ECMWF/GFS/. WITH DIMINISHING WINDS OVERNIGHT...WIND CHILLS READINGS WILL BE LESS IMPRESSIVE THAN THE LAST COUPLE OF NIGHTS...BOTTOMING OUT NEAR -25 TO -28F NEAR IWD...WITH THE COLDEST VALUES PRIOR TO MIDNIGHT. THE DGZ WILL PUSH FROM THE SFC UP THROUGH 900MB...AND LINGER AT THOSE LEVELS THROUGH WEDNESDAY. WITH PLENTY OF LINGERING MOISTURE...EXPECT SOME MODERATE ACCUMULATIONS TUESDAY NIGHT OVER THE KEWEENAW PENINSULA AND NEAR AND E OF GRAND MARAIS...TRANSITIONING TO ALL AREAS NEAR LAKE SUPERIOR ON BY LATE WEDNESDAY WITH ENHANCEMENT FROM THE EXITING SFC LOW SWITCHING WINDS TO A W/NW DIRECTION AND A PASSING WAVE ALOFT. ALSO EXPECT MODERATING TEMPS WEDNESDAY...AS 850MB TEMPS REMAIN NEAR -21C. AN ADDITIONAL 4-7IN OF SNOW MAY BE POSSIBLE ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE KEWEENAW PENINSULA...WITH LESSER AMOUNTS ELSEWHERE NEAR LAKE SUPERIOR. WEDNESDAY NIGHT... THE MODERATE LAKE TO 700 AND 850MB TEMP DIFFERENCES WILL REMAIN. THE LATEST INDICATIONS ARE THAT THE BEST CONVERGENT WINDS N AT THE SFC WILL BE FROM BIG BAY THROUGH MQT/SAW AND MUNISING EARLY IN THE EVENING...BEFORE LIGHT AND MORE VARIABLE WINDS ATTEMPT TAKE HOLD OVERNIGHT. MODEL CONSISTENCY PAST LATE EVENING IS STILL A BIT FLAKY AT THIS POINT...SO WILL HOLD OFF ON GOING ADDING TOO MUCH DETAIL TO THE EXPECTED SNOW AMOUNTS EXCEPT TO HIGHLIGHT N CENTRAL AND AREAS FROM IWD TO ROCKLAND. TOTAL SNOWFALL FROM TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT /36HRS/ WILL LIKELY TOP OUT IN THE 7 TO 10IN RANGE E OF MUNISING TO WHITEFISH PT...AND FROM ONTONAGON UP THROUGH TWIN LAKES AND PAINESDALE. ADVISORIES...ALTHOUGH NOT POSTED AT THIS TIME DUE TO CURRENT HEADLINES AND DISTANCE OUT...WILL PROBABLY BE NEEDED...PARTICULARLY IF THE LAKE INDUCED MESO LOW DEVELOPS OVER FAR EAST AS HAS BEEN SHOWN OVER THE PAST DAY OR SO. MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW WOULD BE LIKELY OVER LUCE AND POSSIBLY FAR E ALGER COUNTY. THURSDAY THROUGH NEXT MONDAY... WILE THE 21/06 GFS DIVERGED SIGNIFICANTLY FROM THE THE NAM/ECMWF/CANADIAN DIVERGE FROM THE GFS THURSDAY...WITH ITS SOLUTION BEING ROUGHLY 12HRS SLOWER WITH THE NEXT SHORTWAVE OVER SW CANADA. THE 21/12Z GFS SEEMS TO HAVE CORRECTED THIS ISSUE FOR THE MOST PART...WITH LESS DEVIATION BETWEEN SOLUTIONS THROUGH THE PASSAGE OF THE TROUGH OVER THE UPPER GREAT LAKES THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY. KEPT EXTENDED POPS IN THE CHANCE RANGE AT THE HIGHEST FOR NOW GIVEN THE OVERALL LIGHTER FLOW. LOW TEMPS WILL BRIEFLY RETURN TO BELOW ZERO VALUES FRIDAY NIGHT OVER THE INTERIOR W HALF...BEFORE SLOWLY RISING. HAVE HIGH TEMPS RISING TO AROUND FREEZING MONDAY AFTERNOON AS 850MB TEMPS RISE INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS BELOW 0C. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 1245 PM EST MON JAN 21 2013 DIFFERENT FORECAST OVER THE NEXT 24 HRS FOR EACH OF THE THREE TAF SITES AS ARCTIC AIR SPILLS OVER LAKE SUPERIOR AND INTO UPPER MI. KIWD...LES SNOW BAND IS ANCHORING ITSELF OVER THE TERMINAL AS CONVERGENCE INCREASES BETWEEN NW WINDS OVER LAKE SUPERIOR AND WSW WINDS ON A LAND BREEZE NEAR IWD. EXCEPT VIS UNDER AIRFIELD MINS INTO THIS EVENING BEFORE WINDS BEGIN TO BACK MORE TO THE WEST. TOUGH TO SAY WHEN THAT TIMING WILL BE ATTM. ONE ADDITIONAL ITEM TO NOTE IS THAT IF THE LAND BREEZE IS WEAK ENOUGH...THE LES BAND MAY NOT MOVE OUT QUICKLY AND CAUSE 1/4SM VIS TO LAST WELL INTO THE NIGHT. KCMX...VLIFR/UNDER AIRFIELD MINS EXPECTED WITH VIS THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. WIDESPREAD LAKE EFFECT SHSN AND BLSN WITH NW WINDS WILL KEEP VIS DOWN TO 1/4SM...THOUGH A FEW SHORT BREAKS OF 1/2SM ARE POSSIBLE. WINDS TURN MORE TO THE NORTHWEST THIS EVENING AND SHOULD DISRUPT LES ENOUGH TO BRING VIS BACK TO 1/2SM. KSAW...VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED AS DOWNSLOPE W TO NW WINDS WILL ERODE LAKE EFFECT CLOUDS AS THEY APPROACH THE TERMINAL. SOME BLOWING SNOW IS POSSIBLE WITH STRONGER WINDS THIS AFTERNOON. WINDS WILL TURN A LITTLE MORE NORTHWESTERLY THIS EVENING AND ALLOW FOR A LITTLE MORE MOISTURE...AND POSSIBLY A FEW SNOW SHOWERS...TO AFFECT THE SITE OVERNIGHT. && .MARINE...(FOR THE 4 PM LAKE SUPERIOR FORECAST ISSUANCE) ISSUED AT 432 PM EST MON JAN 21 2013 WITH VERY COLD ARCTIC AIR FLOWING OVER LAKE SUPERIOR...NW WINDS WILL STAY IN THE 20-30KT RANGE TONIGHT. EXPECT SOME GALE FORCE GUSTS OVER THE CNTRL PORTION OF THE LAKE JUST W OF SFC TROFFING OVER ERN LAKE SUPERIOR. WINDS WILL ONLY DIMINISH SLIGHTLY INTO MOSTLY THE 15-25KT RANGE TUE. VERY COLD AIR WILL COMBINE WITH WINDS/WAVES TO PRODUCE PERIODS OF HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY TONIGHT/TUE. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WILL CONTINUE THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING...MAINLY ACROSS THE S SHORELINE OF LAKE SUPERIOR. WITH HIGH PRESSURE PUSHING IN THURSDAY WIND WILL BECOME LIGHT AND VARIABLE...WITH LITTLE WAVES AND A SLIGHT WARM UP /LIMITING THE POTENTIAL FOR FREEZING SPRAY/. N-NW WILL INCREASE FRIDAY...WITH A FEW GUSTS NEARING 20-25KTS. OTHERWISE LIGHT WINDS LESS THAN 20KTS CAN BE EXPECTED FROM THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. && .MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... UPPER MICHIGAN... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM EST /NOON CST/ TUESDAY FOR MIZ001>003-009-084. LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING UNTIL 7 PM EST TUESDAY FOR MIZ006-007- 085. WIND CHILL ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM EST /NOON CST/ TUESDAY FOR MIZ004- 005-010-011. WIND CHILL ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM EST /NOON CST/ TUESDAY FOR MIZ012- 013. LAKE SUPERIOR... HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING UNTIL 7 PM EST /6 PM CST/ WEDNESDAY FOR LSZ240>251-263>267. HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING UNTIL 7 AM EST /6 AM CST/ TUESDAY FOR LSZ162. LAKE MICHIGAN... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...ROLFSON LONG TERM...KF AVIATION...TK MARINE...ROLFSON/KF
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MARQUETTE MI
1245 PM EST MON JAN 21 2013 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 508 AM EST MON JAN 21 2013 00Z RAOBS/LATEST WV IMAGERY AND RUC ANALYSIS SHOW DEEP UPR TROF OVER E AND CENTRAL NAMERICA DOWNSTREAM OF HI AMPLITUDE RDG OFF THE W COAST. COLDEST AIRMASS OF THE SEASON HAS FLOODED INTO THE UPR LKS IN THE NW LLVL FLOW WITH H85 TEMPS AS LO AS -25C OVER THE WRN CWA. 00Z H85 TEMP WAS AS LO AS -30C AT YPL. THE PASSAGE OF THIS COLD AIRMASS OVER THE RELATIVELY WARM WATERS OF LK SUP HAS RESULTED IN NMRS LK EFFECT SHSN. BUT LLVL FLOW HAS BACKED TO MORE WNW IN ADVANCE OF NEXT SHRTWV DROPPING SEWD THRU NW ONTARIO TOWARD ISLE ROYALE. IN CONCERT WITH NEAR SFC WSW WIND ENHANCED BY LAND BREEZE FLOW OF SUB ZERO TEMPS TOWARD WARMER LK SUP...THIS WSHFT IS CONFINING THE BULK OF THE LES TO AREAS OVER THE W MAINLY N OF THE PORCUPINE MTNS THRU THE KEWEENAW AND TO AREAS NEAR LK SUP E OF PICTURED ROCKS LAKESHORE. ONE IMPACT OF THE VERY COLD AIRMASS IS THE DGZ HAS NEARLY DISAPPEARED AT LEAST OVER THE W...RESULTING IN VERY FINE SN FLAKES THAT EFFICIENTLY REDUCE THE VSBY WHILE LIMITING SN ACCUMS. SKIES ARE GENERALLY CLR-PCLDY OVER AREAS TO THE S OF THE LES...WHICH HAS ALLOWED TEMPS TO FALL BLO ZERO. THE WIND CHILL EARLY THIS MRNG HAS DROPPED AS LO AS -25F AT IWD. TO THE NW...THERE IS AN AREA OF CLDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE DIGGING SHRTWV AND FAIRLY DEEP MSTR DEPICTED ON THE 00Z YPL RAOB. THERE ARE EVEN SOME REPORTS OF -SN IN ONTARIO JUST N OF THE MN BORDER DESPITE PWATS OF 0.06 INCH REPORTED AT INL/YPL. TODAY...AS SHRTWV/ACCOMPANYING DEEP LYR QVECTOR CNVGC/MSTR JUST TO THE NW DIG SEWD ACROSS THE CWA THIS MRNG...EXPECT LES INTENSITY TO INCRS SOMEWHAT WHILE NEAR -30C H85 TEMPS ARE DRAWN INTO WRN UPR MI. ALTHOUGH DEEPENING CONVECTIVE DEPTH/MSTR TO ABV 10K FT AS SHOWN ON FCST SDNGS WOULD NORMALLY BE A CONCERN FOR VERY HEAVY LES...NEAR ABSENCE OF DGZ WITH SUCH COLD H85 TEMPS INDICATES SN FLAKES WL BE VERY SMALL...ESPECIALLY OVER THE W WITH SHORTER FETCH/LESS MODIFICATION OF THE COLD/DRY AIRMASS. ONE ADVANTAGE FOR HEAVIER SHSN WOULD BE INCRSG LLVL CNVGC. SINCE THE LLVL FLOW WL VEER MORE TO THE NW WITH PASSAGE OF SHRTWV...EXPECT LES BANDS TO DRIFT BACK TO THE S. THIS VEERING FLOW OFF THE SFC WL LIKELY RESULT IN SHARPER LLVL CNVGC OVER THE W BTWN LAND BREEZE FLOWS OFF WI/INTERIOR WRN UPR MI AND OVER THE E WITH THESE FLOWS OFF CNTRL UPR MI AND SE ONTARIO/ERN UPR MI. GENERAL CONSENSUS OF HIER RES MODELS SHOWS THE BACK CHC FOR THE SHARPER CNVGC WL BE OVER THE W FM THE PORCUPINE MTNS TO NEAR TWIN LAKES IN CNTRL HOUGHTON COUNTY AND IN AREAS E OF MUNISING AND AS FAR S AS ABOUT HIGHWAY M-28. THESE HI RES MODELS ALL SHOW THE SHARPEST CNVGC/HIER QPF OVER THE ERN CWA...AND SOME INDICATE THE HEAVIER SHSN WL PUSH FARTHER INLAND THAN M-28. ON THE OTHER HAND...SOME OF THE MODELS INDICATE A LK INDUCED VORTEX MAY DVLP NEAR GRAND MARAIS AND LIMIT THE INLAND SPREAD OF THE SHSN. AS FOR SN AMOUNTS...OLD LES CHART INDICATES SN FALL OF 5-9 INCHES/12 HRS GIVEN EXPECTED CONDITIONS. BUT RECENT EXPERIENCE SUGS THE NEAR ABSENCE OF DGZ CUTS THESE TOTALS BY ABOUT HALF. WITH SHARPER LLVL CNVGC/MORE LK MODERATION THAT WOULD MAINTAIN HIER LLVL TEMPS MORE CONDUCIVE TO BIGGER SN FLAKES...BEST CHC TO GET THE HIER LES CHART FCST NUMBERS WOULD BE OVER THE ERN CWA. GOING LES WRNG FOR THIS AREA APPEARS ON TRACK. IF THE SN BANDS IMPACT SRN SCHOOLCRAFT COUNTY AS SOME OF THE HIER RES MODELS SHOW...AN ADVY MIGHT BE NECESSARY FOR THAT AREA. BUT GIVEN UNCERTAINTY ON THIS SCENARIO...HELD OFF FOR NOW. CURRENT WINTER WX ADVYS OVER THE W ALSO SEEM WELL PLACED. WITH H85 TEMPS FCST TO FALL AT LEAST CLOSE TO -30C THRU THE DAY...EXPECT SFC TEMPS OVER MUCH OF THE W TO REMAIN BLO ZERO. ALTHOUGH WIND CHILLS AT MOST PLACES EXCEPT FOR IWD ARE UNDER ADVY CRITERIA...ARRIVAL OF COLDER AIR/INCRSG WINDS WITH LLVL DESTABILIZATION JUSTIFIES CONTINUING ADVYS OVER THE INTERIOR W HALF EVEN IF THERE IS MORE LK MODERATION WITH VEERING LLVL FLOW. THESE WINDS WL ALSO AID BLSN/REDUCING VSBYS AND JUSTIFY HEADLINES EVEN IF SN AMOUNTS ARE SUB HEADLINE. TNGT...WITH DNVA/LARGER SCALE SUBSIDENCE IN THE WAKE OF DEPARTING SHRTWV THAT BEGINS THIS AFTN...EXPECT CONVECTIVE LYR/MSTR DEPTH TO SLOWLY SINK. H925 WINDS ARE ALSO FCST TO VEER A BIT MORE TOWARD THE NW...SO SHSN OVER THE W MIGHT SINK TOWARD IWD. CONSIDERING THE AGREEMENT ON THE MODELS SHOWING HIER QPF OVER IWD WITH THIS VEERING FLOW...OPTED TO INCLUDE GOGEBIC COUNTY IN WINTER WX ADVY IN LIEU OF JUST THE WIND CHILL HEADLINE. ALTHOUGH H85 TEMPS FCST AS LO AS -30C OVER PORTIONS OF THE W INDICATE WELL BLO ZERO LO TEMPS...TENDED TO BUMP UP FCST MIN TEMPS A FEW DEGREES WITH MORE LK MODERATION IN VEERED FLOW. BUT STILL EXPECT WIND CHILLS AS LO AS -25F TO -35F WITH CAD MAINTAINING SOME MIXING...SO MAINTAINED GOING WIND CHILL ADVYS. SHARPEST LLVL CNVGC/SOME LK MODERATION OF ARCTIC CHILL REMAINS OVER THE E. GOING LK EFFECT SN WRNG THRU 12Z TUE IN THAT AREA LOOKS ON TRACK. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 508 AM EST MON JAN 21 2013 AT 12Z TUE...THE COLDEST 850MB TEMPS AS LOW AS -32C WILL BE OVER THE CWA...BUT WILL PUSH E THROUGH THE DAY AS THE UPPER TROUGH OVER MUCH OF THE CONUS SHIFTS SLOWLY E. WITH A SFC RIDGE PUSHING IN FROM THE SW AND A LAKE INDUCED SFC TROUGH STRETCHING INTO ERN LAKE SUPERIOR FROM THE SE...WINDS WILL BE OUT OF THE NW WITH RESULTING NW WIND LES. THESE COLD TEMPS WILL KEEP HIGHS IN THE SINGLE DIGITS ABOVE AND BELOW ZERO...BUT WITH THE PRESSURE GRADIENT RELAXING THROUGH THE DAY...WIND CHILL HEADLINES WILL NOT BE NEEDED AFTER THE MORNING OURS TUE. TUE NIGHT WILL BE QUITE COLD WITH LOWS TO -2 OVER MUCH OF INTERIOR WRN UPPER MI...BUT WINDS WILL BE LIGHT SO AT THIS POINT WIND CHILL HEADLINES DO NOT APPEAR TO BE NECESSARY. A SHORTWAVE TROUGH WILL APPROACH THE CWA WED NIGHT AND MOVE THROUGH ON WED...BUT ANY SYNOPTIC PRECIP WILL REMAIN OUT OF THE CWA. THE SHORTWAVE WILL ACT TO ENHANCE THE SFC TROUGHING OVER LAKE SUPERIOR /POSSIBLY INTO A WEAK LOW OVER THE ERN LAKE/...WHICH MODELS INDICATE WOULD CAUSE LOW LEVEL WINDS TO BECOME MORE WLY AND CYCLONIC OVER MUCH OF LAKE SUPERIOR. IF THE WINDS DO ALIGN AS INDICATED...A MORE DOMINANT LES BAND WOULD PROBABLY RESULT OVER THE KEWEENAW AND POSSIBLY INTO THE FAR NERN CWA /FAR NRN ALGER AND LUCE COUNTIES/. 850MB TEMPS TUE NIGHT LOOK TO BE IN THE -20C TO -25C RANGE...SO SNOW TO LIQUID RATIOS SHOULD BE A BIT BETTER THAN WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IN THE LAST DAY OR SO WITH THE REALLY COLD TEMPS OVER THE CWA. COULD SEE SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW IN THE IMPACTED AREAS IF THESE DETAILS COME TOGETHER. LOW LEVEL WINDS BECOME MORE NWLY ON WED AS THE SHORTWAVE PASSES. CONDITIONS WILL BE MORE THAN SUFFICIENT FOR MODERATE TO POSSIBLY HEAVY LES GIVEN LAKE INDUCED EQUILIBRIUM LEVELS OVER 10KFT PER MODEL SOUNDINGS. CONDITIONS WILL BECOME INCREASINGLY HOSTILE FOR LES WED NIGHT AS A SFC RIDGE MOVES IN FROM THE NW...SO WILL HAVE DECREASING POPS INTO THU. MODELS DISAGREE MORE ON A SHORTWAVE POSSIBLY MOVING S OF THE CWA THU INTO THU NIGHT...BUT CHANCE POPS NEAR LAKE SUPERIOR AS IS IN THE GOING FORECAST SEEM REASONABLE SO WILL LEAVE THAT IDEA IN THERE. 850MB TEMPS WARM INTO THE NEGATIVE TEENS BY LATE THU AS THE UPPER TROUGH PUSHES FARTHER TO THE E. MODELS AGREE WITH BRINGING ANOTHER SHORTWAVE THROUGH ON FRI...BUT DISAGREE ON THE STRENGTH. AGAIN...CHANCE POPS AT LEAST IN NW WIND SNOWBELTS SEEMS REASONABLE FOR FRI. UPPER AND SFC RIDGING PUSHES IN FROM THE W THROUGH THE REST OF THE FORECAST PERIOD...WITH WARMING LOW LEVEL TEMPS...DECREASING CHANCES FOR LES AND NO MAJOR SYSTEM EXPECTED TO MOVE THROUGH. SIMPLY USED A CONSENSUS OF MODELS FOR THIS TIME PERIOD AND FOCUSED MORE ON THE SHORTER TERM ISSUES. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 1245 PM EST MON JAN 21 2013 DIFFERENT FORECAST OVER THE NEXT 24 HRS FOR EACH OF THE THREE TAF SITES AS ARCTIC AIR SPILLS OVER LAKE SUPERIOR AND INTO UPPER MI. KIWD...LES SNOW BAND IS ANCHORING ITSELF OVER THE TERMINAL AS CONVERGENCE INCREASES BETWEEN NW WINDS OVER LAKE SUPERIOR AND WSW WINDS ON A LAND BREEZE NEAR IWD. EXCEPT VIS UNDER AIRFIELD MINS INTO THIS EVENING BEFORE WINDS BEGIN TO BACK MORE TO THE WEST. TOUGH TO SAY WHEN THAT TIMING WILL BE ATTM. ONE ADDITIONAL ITEM TO NOTE IS THAT IF THE LAND BREEZE IS WEAK ENOUGH...THE LES BAND MAY NOT MOVE OUT QUICKLY AND CAUSE 1/4SM VIS TO LAST WELL INTO THE NIGHT. KCMX...VLIFR/UNDER AIRFIELD MINS EXPECTED WITH VIS THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. WIDESPREAD LAKE EFFECT SHSN AND BLSN WITH NW WINDS WILL KEEP VIS DOWN TO 1/4SM...THOUGH A FEW SHORT BREAKS OF 1/2SM ARE POSSIBLE. WINDS TURN MORE TO THE NORTHWEST THIS EVENING AND SHOULD DISRUPT LES ENOUGH TO BRING VIS BACK TO 1/2SM. KSAW...VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED AS DOWNSLOPE W TO NW WINDS WILL ERODE LAKE EFFECT CLOUDS AS THEY APPROACH THE TERMINAL. SOME BLOWING SNOW IS POSSIBLE WITH STRONGER WINDS THIS AFTERNOON. WINDS WILL TURN A LITTLE MORE NORTHWESTERLY THIS EVENING AND ALLOW FOR A LITTLE MORE MOISTURE...AND POSSIBLY A FEW SNOW SHOWERS...TO AFFECT THE SITE OVERNIGHT. && .MARINE...(FOR THE 4 AM LAKE SUPERIOR FORECAST ISSUANCE) ISSUED AT 508 AM EST MON JAN 21 2013 EXPECT NW WINDS 15 TO 30 KT THRU TONIGHT TO ADVECT ARCTIC AIR OVER THE LAKE AND CAUSE PERIODS OF HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. LIGHTER WINDS AT TIMES INTO THIS AFTERNOON NEAR A LO PRES TROF OVER EASTERN LAKE SUPERIOR MAY BRING A BREAK FROM THE HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY. FREEZING SPRAY WILL CONTINUE AT TIMES THROUGH WEDNESDAY. NO GALES ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD. && .MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... UPPER MICHIGAN... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM EST /NOON CST/ TUESDAY FOR MIZ001>003-009-084. LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING UNTIL 7 AM EST TUESDAY FOR MIZ006-007- 085. WIND CHILL ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM EST /NOON CST/ TUESDAY FOR MIZ004- 005-010-011. LAKE SUPERIOR... HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING UNTIL 7 PM EST /6 PM CST/ WEDNESDAY FOR LSZ162-240>251-263>267. LAKE MICHIGAN... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...KC LONG TERM...TITUS AVIATION...TK MARINE...KC/TITUS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS BINGHAMTON NY
503 PM EST MON JAN 21 2013 .SYNOPSIS... PERIODS OF LIGHT SNOW WILL TAPER OFF THIS EVENING AS A WEAK AREA OF LOW PRESSURE TRACKS OUT OF THE REGION. COLDER AIR WILL ARRIVE ON GUSTY WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS LATER TONIGHT...WHICH WILL ALLOW LAKE EFFECT SNOWS TO DEVELOP. THIS ACTIVITY WILL DIMINISH ON THURSDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE BRIEFLY MOVES INTO THE AREA. OUTSIDE OF THE LAKE EFFECT SNOW...PARTLY TO MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES AND SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS OR FLURRIES ARE EXPECTED. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TUESDAY/... 450 PM UPDATE... HAVE HOISTED A QUICK WINTER WX ADVISORY FROM THE CENTRAL SOUTHERN TIER NORTHEAST THROUGH THE FINGER LAKES AND UPPER SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY REGIONS AS A NOTABLE LOW-LEVEL CONVERGENT SIGNATURE AS NOTED IN THE LATEST MSLP FIELD IS LEADING TO AN IMPRESSIVE LINEAR SNOW BAND. HAVE RECEIVED MULTIPLE 3 TO 5 INCH REPORTS ACROSS THE CENTRAL FINGER LAKES REGION AND BASED ON LATEST RR FORECASTS FROM THE SPC MESO PAGE...WE EXPECT THIS LOW-LEVEL CONVERGENCE REGION TO REMAIN IN PLACE FOR A FEW MORE HRS BEFORE FINALLY WINDING DOWN AFTER 00Z. BASED ON THIS...HAVE INCREASED SNOWFALL TOTALS ACROSS THE REGION WITH 4 TO 6 INCHES POSSIBLE FOR AREAS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE LOW-LEVEL CONVERGENT MAXIMUM. NO OTHER CHANGES NEEDED AT THIS TIME. PREVIOUS NEAR TERM DISCUSSION... FCST AREA WILL REMAIN UNDER NW FLOW ALOFT WITH A FEW EMBEDDED S/WV`S TRAVERSING THE RGN. 1ST ONE IS CRNTLY AFFECTING THE FCST AREA WITH AREAS OF LGT SNOW...AND 2ND ONE IS FCST TO MOVE INTO THE RGN ON WED NGT. A MEANDERING FNTL BNDRY AND LES INFLUENCES WILL CONTINUE TO MODULATE THE SHSN ACTIVITY ACRS THE FCST AREA INTO MID WEEK. LATER TNGT AS THE 1ST WAVE DEPARTS...LOW LVL FLOW WILL BCM WRLY AND FOCUS LES EFFECTS INTO NRN ONEIDA COUNTY AS 850 TEMPS DROPS TO ARND -20C. LOW LVL 270 FLOW BCMS ALIGNED BY 06Z. HIGH INVERSION LVL (10K FT)...ALIGNED FLOW AND GOOD SNOW GROWTH PROFILE. CRNT FCST HAS ACCUMS OF 6-10 INCHES PRIMARILY NEAR THE OSWEGO/LEWIS COUNTY BORDER. BOTTOM LINE IS THAT SRN PERIPHERY OF THIS BAND IS XPCTD TO BE OVER NRN ONEIDA WITH LOW END WARNING ACCUMS. THIS BAND IS FCST TO DROP SWD LATE TUE AFTN INTO NRN ONON/MAD/SRN ONEIDA/NRN OTSEGO. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... LES BAND XPCTD TO MEANDER ACRS FAVORED 290-300 FLOW REGIONS INTO WED MRNG...WHICH MAY BE ENHANCED BY LOW LVL CONVERGENCE ASSCD WITH SAGGING ARCTIC BNDRY. THIS ACTIVITY SHUD WEAKEN BY WED AFTN. PROFILES STILL LOOKING GOOD DURING THIS TIME FRAME...AS INVERSION LVL REMAINS HIGH AT 9-10 K FT AND LOW LVL FLOW REMAINS ALIGNED ARND 300 DEG...THEN THE INVERSION LOWERS AND FLOW WEAKENS BY WED AFTN. INITIAL THOUGHTS ARE THAT WE`LL NEED LES ADVISORIES FOR THIS TIME PERIOD. WE`LL DEFER ON THE POTNL HEADLINES ATTM...AND LET THE EVNG/MID SHIFTS RE-ASSESS. HAVE MENTIONED POTNL IN THE UPDATED HWO. OUSIDE THE MAIN LES AREAS...SLGT CHC TO LOW CHC POPS...WITH POTNL FOR LAKE ERIE ACTIVITY TO CUT ACRS PORTIONS OF THE SRN TIER AND NE PA. CONCERNING WIND CHILLS...GIVEN CRNT FCST TEMPS AND WINDS WE DO NOT SHOW ANY VALUES BLO -15 UNTIL TMRW NGT ACRS ONEIDA COUNTY. PSBL THAT A FEW OTHER LOCATIONS COULD APRCH VALUES. LATER SHIFTS CAN RE-EVALUATE THIS. ON WED XPCT LES ACTIVITY TO DIMINISH BUT APRCHNG S/WV COULD RESULT IN DVLPMNT OF MORE --SHSN AS THE DAY PROGRESSES SO WE CONTINUE WITH CHC POPS MOST LOCATIONS. BEST CHC FOR A DRY DAY WILL BE THURSDAY AS SFC HIGH IS XPCTD TO CREST OVER THE RGN LATE IN THE DAY. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/... MEDIUM RANGE MODELS ARE IN FAIR AGREEMENT THROUGH THE EXTENDED. INITIALLY A SOUTHERN STREAM SYSTEM WILL TRACK THROUGH THE MID ATLANTIC REGION ON FRIDAY. THE ECMWF/CANADIAN IS MUCH FASTER THAN THE GFS, LEANED TOWARD THE ECMWF ENSEMBLE WHICH IS A GOOD COMPROMISE. THURSDAY NIGHT BACKED OFF ON POPS TO JUST CHC THEN CHC/LIKELY ON FRIDAY WITH LIKELY POPS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN TIER AND NE PA. MODELS INDICATE ALL SNOW WITH NO HINT OF ANY WARM LAYER. BEHIND THIS WAVE THE UPPER LEVEL TROF WILL AMPLIFY OVER THE NORTHEAST MAKING FOR A COLD WEEKEND WITH SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS IN NORTH/NORTHWEST FLOW. BY SUNDAY/MONDAY, UPPER LEVEL HEIGHTS RISE WITH THE AIRMASS EXPECTED TO MODIFY UNDER SOUTHWEST FLOW. && .AVIATION /22Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE AND ITS ASSOCIATED WEAK SFC FEATURE WILL TRACK ACROSS CENTRAL PA LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING. THIS SYSTEM WILL PRODUCE WIDESPREAD MVFR CONDITIONS IN LIGHT SNOW ACROSS ALL OF THE TERMINALS THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING PERIOD. ACROSS THE SOUTHERN TERMINALS IFR CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE BETWEEN 18Z-00Z, BUT MOST LIKELY AT KBGM/KAVP. BEHIND THIS WAVE NORTHWEST FLOW WILL DEVELOP KEEPING PRIMARILY MVFR CONDITIONS ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH 06Z WITH SCATTERED FLURRIES AND SNOW SHOWERS. AFTER 06Z CONDITIONS WILL BE PRIMARILY VFR WITH SOUTHWEST WINDS DEVELOPING. THE LAKE EFFECT SNOW IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN NORTH OF THE KRME/KSYR TERMINALS THROUGH 18Z BUT AFTER 18Z IT IS EXPECTED TO AFFECT THE AIRPORTS WITH IFR CONDITIONS LIKELY. SOUTHWEST WINDS AROUND 5 KNOTS OT LIGHT AND VARIABLE BECOMING NORTHWEST THIS EVENING AROUND 10 KNOTS SHIFTING TO THE SOUTHWEST TOWARD DAYBREAK AND INCREASING TO 12-15 KNOTS WITH GUSTS AROUND 25 KNOTS. .OUTLOOK... TUE NIGHT THRU WED...MVFR/IFR IN SNOW SHOWERS FOR KRME/KSYR OTHERWISE PRIMARILY VFR. THURSDAY/THURSDAY NIGHT...PRIMARILY VFR. FRI... IFR CONDITIONS POSSIBLE IN SNOW. FRIDAY NIGHT/SATURDAY...MVFR SNOW SHOWERS RESTRICTIONS LIKELY FOR CENTRAL NY. && .BGM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...NONE. NY...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM EST THIS EVENING FOR NYZ009- 015>018-022-023-025-036-037-044. LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING FROM 1 AM TUESDAY TO 1 PM EST WEDNESDAY FOR NYZ009. && $$ SYNOPSIS... NEAR TERM...CMG SHORT TERM... LONG TERM...RRM AVIATION...RRM
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION FOR WESTERN SD AND NORTHEASTERN WY
NWS RAPID CITY SD
242 PM MST MON JAN 21 2013 .DISCUSSION...21Z SURFACE ANALYSIS HAD WARM FRONT FROM CENTRAL MT INTO WESTERN NE. LIFT ALONG 140KT JET STREAK ON COLD SIDE OF WARM FRONT CONTINUING TO PRODUCE -SN OVER WESTERN SD PER KUDX RADAR. 12Z GUIDANCE AS WELL AS 18Z RAP SHOW ACTIVITY WANING AND SLOWLY MOVING EAST TONIGHT. MOST ACTIVITY SHOULD EXIT CWA BY 12Z TUESDAY. ACCUMULATIONS WILL CONTINUE TO BE MINOR. TEMPERATURES NEAR GUIDANCE LOOK REASONABLE. TUESDAY...UPPER RIDGE BUILDS EAST INTO THE ROCKIES AS SURFACE WARM FRONT WORKS ACROSS WESTERN SD. HOW FAR EAST IT GOES IT THE MAIN QUESTION...BUT IT SHOULD AT LEAST MAKE IT TO A K2WX TO KVTN LINE. BEHIND IT TEMPERATURES SHOULD REACH WELL INTO THE 30S TO LOWER 40S GIVEN FORECAST LOWER TROPOSPHERIC PROFILES. WEDNESDAY...UPPER RIDGE MOVES OVER THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND DEAMPLIFIES AS SHORTWAVE TROUGHS MOVES INTO THE NORTHERN ROCKIES. INITIAL TROUGH/COOL FRONT WILL SLIDE INTO THE CWA. TEMPERATURES SHOULD ROCKET INTO THE 40S OVER WY/HIGHER ELEVATIONS...BUT AS AN EASTERLY COMPONENT TO THE SURFACE WIND DEVELOPS ON THE SD PLAINS BY AFTERNOON...EXPECT TEMPERATURES RISES TO BE HALTED MAINLY IN THE 20S. ST/BR MAY DEVELOP WEDNESDAY NIGHT GIVEN WEAK UPSLOPE FLOW AHEAD OF NEXT FRONT FOR THURSDAY. EXTENDED...A FAST MOVING CLIPPER SYSTEM WILL MOVE THROUGH THE NRN PLAINS ON THURSDAY...BRINGING GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS ALONG WITH CHANCES FOR PRECIP MAINLY OVER THE NRN CWA. RIDGE OVER THE WRN CONUS WILL THEN SLOWLY SHIFT EAST...BRINGING MILD AND DRY CONDITIONS FOR THE WEEKEND. MODELS START TO DIVERGE ON A SOLUTION TO START NEXT WEEK THOUGH OVERALL PATTERN REMAINS UNSETTLED...SO WILL LEAVE LOW POPS IN FOR NOW. && .AVIATION...18Z TAF UPDATE LIGHT SNOW OVER THE WESTERN SD PLAINS INTO EXTREME NERN WY WILL CONTINUE INTO THIS EVENING BRINGING MAINLY MVFR CIGS/VIS...THOUGH LCL IFR VIS WILL BE POSSIBLE. -SN WILL SLOWLY SHIFT EAST EARLY TUESDAY MORNING WITH CIGS IMPROVING TO VFR. && .UNR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SD...NONE. WY...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...HELGESON LONG TERM...77 AVIATION...77
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LUBBOCK TX
1220 PM CST MON JAN 21 2013 .AVIATION... VFR CONDITIONS WITH LIGHT WINDS EXPECTED AS A WEAK SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE NOSES INTO THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON...WEAK SURFACE TROUGHING WILL FOLLOW TONIGHT INTO TUESDAY. LOW CLOUD DECK EXPECTED TO DEVELOP SOUTHEAST OF THE AREA EARLY TUESDAY. RMCQUEEN && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 511 AM CST MON JAN 21 2013/ AVIATION... VFR CONDITIONS MAY BRIEFLY BE INTERRUPTED AT LBB AFTER SUNRISE AS LOW CLOUDS ATTEMPT TO EXPAND SOUTHEAST FROM EAST OF CLOVIS. FOR NOW HAVE KEPT THE PREVIOUS TEMPO SCT010 TO ADDRESS THIS SCENARIO AS CONFIDENCE IN ANY PROLONGED WINDOW OF MVFR/IFR STRATUS IS VERY LOW. OTHERWISE...EXPECT LIGHT NELY WINDS TO VEER SELY BY LATE DAY BEHIND COOL HIGH PRESSURE. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 444 AM CST MON JAN 21 2013/ SHORT TERM... TROUBLE-FREE FROPA OVERNIGHT MAY PROVE MORE COMPLICATED IN THE COMING HOURS WITHIN THE POST-FRONTAL REGIME. SPECIFICALLY...A SHALLOW FRONTAL INVERSION WAS SLOWLY MOISTENING IN THE WRN TX PANHANDLE AS EVIDENCE BY SPOTTY LOW CLOUDS EMERGING ON THE 11-3.9 IR CHANNEL. THIS TRAPPED LAYER OF MOISTURE CONTINUES TO BE OVERDONE BY THE GFS...WHEREAS THE NAM APPEARS CLOSER TO REALITY. THE HRRR MEANWHILE IS STILL BEHIND THE CURVE AS IT STRUGGLES TO CAPTURE THE STRATUS BANK ANCHORED FARTHER NORTH IN THE COMANCHE NAT`L GRASSLAND. PATTERN RECOGNITION IN SUCH SETUPS TENDS TO FAVOR AN INCREASE IN STRATUS /PARTICULARLY AROUND SUNRISE/ AS DEWPOINT DEPRESSIONS ARE AT THEIR LOWEST. EVEN WITH DRIER 2M DEWPOINTS USHERING ACROSS THE TX PANHANDLE...THE CRITICAL CLOUD LAYER IS ABOUT 1K FEET ALOFT ALONG THE FRONTAL INVERSION AND FAR REMOVED FROM THE SHALLOW DRY AIR BELOW. THE 00Z AND 06Z NAM RUNS SUPPORT THIS IDEA OF INCREASING STRATUS BY 12-15Z...SO HAVE RAMPED UP CLOUD COVER ON THE CAPROCK THRU 15Z BEFORE SCATTERING OUT THEREAFTER. EVEN IF LOW CLOUDS FAIL TO MATERIALIZE...BELIEVE HI TEMPS WILL BE STUNTED MORE THAN MODELS ADVERTISE AS THE 850MB THERMAL TROUGH WILL BE SITUATED DIRECTLY OVER THE CWA BY PEAK HEATING COINCIDENT WITH A SURFACE PRESSURE RIDGE. LACK OF SWLY WINDS AND DEEPER MIXING IN THIS SETUP DOESN`T BODE WELL FOR TOO MUCH OF DIURNAL TEMP CURVE...SO HAVE UNDERCUT MOS GUIDANCE MOST PLACES ESPECIALLY OFF THE CAPROCK WHERE NELY WINDS PREVAIL MOST OF THE AFTERNOON. LONG TERM... TEMPERATURES WILL RAPIDLY WARM UP FOR TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. THURSDAY REMAINS PROBLEMATIC AS THE GFS REMAINS INSISTENT ON BRINGING ANOTHER FRONT INTO THE NORTHEASTERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA BEFORE STALLING IT OUT. ALL OTHER NWP GUIDANCE INDICATES THE FRONT TO STALL OUT WELL NORTH OF THE REGION WITH WESTERLY FLOW THROUGH THE DAY THURSDAY. BECAUSE OF THESE DIFFERENCES...SOME LOCATIONS HAVE BEEN GIVEN HIGH TEMPERATURES ON THURSDAY ANYWHERE FROM THE LOW 60S TO UPPER 70S. WITH THE TREND IN MOST OF THE MODELS TO BE WESTERLY SURFACE WIND DEVELOPING THROUGH THE DAY...INCREASED TEMPERATURES FROM PREVIOUS FORECAST A BIT BUT DID NOT GO QUITE AS HIGH AS THE NAM IS PREDICTING. THE GFS IS STILL TRYING TO DEVELOP PRECIPITATION WITH THE FRONTAL PASSAGE BUT THIS APPEARS TO BE OVERDONE AS THIS MODEL HAS SURFACE MOISTURE POOLING ALONG THE FRONT WHILE ALL OTHER MODELS DO NOT REFLECT THIS ALSO CAN SEE SOME ISSUES ON FRIDAY DEPENDING ON WHETHER THE FRONT IS ALREADY THROUGH THE REGION SUCH AS THE ECMWF OR CANADIAN ARE SHOWING...OR WHETHER IT PUSHES THROUGH DURING THE DAY ON FRIDAY AS THE GFS IS SHOWING. TEMPERATURES WILL START TO WARM FOR THE UPCOMING WEEKEND AS SOUTHERLY FLOW RAPIDLY DEVELOPS AT THE SURFACE ACROSS THE REGION AND SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW ALOFT HELPS TO DEVELOP THE LEE SURFACE TROF ONCE AGAIN. JORDAN && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... FRIONA 24 62 27 68 33 / 0 0 0 0 0 TULIA 24 63 29 68 33 / 0 0 0 0 0 PLAINVIEW 25 63 29 68 33 / 0 0 0 0 0 LEVELLAND 26 63 29 69 34 / 0 0 0 0 0 LUBBOCK 26 63 30 69 34 / 0 0 0 0 0 DENVER CITY 30 63 33 69 35 / 0 0 0 0 0 BROWNFIELD 28 63 33 71 34 / 0 0 0 0 0 CHILDRESS 27 62 33 68 39 / 0 0 0 0 0 SPUR 28 63 38 71 41 / 0 0 0 0 0 ASPERMONT 30 65 40 72 45 / 0 0 0 0 0 && .LUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ 99/99/05
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GREEN BAY WI
448 PM CST MON JAN 21 2013 UPDATED AVIATION PORTION FOR 00Z TAF ISSUANCE .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT AND TUESDAY. THE LATEST RUC ANALYSIS AND SATELLITE/RADAR IMAGERY SHOW ARCTIC HIGH PRESSURE STRETCHING SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE GREAT PLAINS EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. WEAK SHORTWAVE IS DROPPING ACROSS THE STATE WHICH IS CONTRIBUTING TO A STRATO-CU FIELD...WITH THE HELP FROM STEEP LOW LEVEL LAPSE RATES. SCT FLURRIES ARE FALLING OUT OF THIS STRATO-CU DECK FROM THE SOUTHERN FOX VALLEY TO CENTRAL AND NORTH-CENTRAL WISCONSIN. TEMPERATURES AND WIND CHILL READINGS HAVE HARDLY BUDGED SINCE EARLIER THIS MORNING...AND PLENTY OF 30-35 BELOW WIND CHILL READINGS REMAIN OVER NORTH-CENTRAL WISCONSIN. FORECAST CONCERNS INCLUDE CLOUD TRENDS AND WIND CHILL HEADLINES. TONIGHT...ARCTIC HIGH PRESSURE WILL BE BUILDING SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE NORTHERN MISSISSIPPI VALLEY THROUGH THE NIGHT. SHORTWAVE TROUGH OVERHEAD WILL BE EXITING THE REGION BY LATE THIS AFTERNOON OR EARLY THIS EVENING. WITH LOSS OF A SMALL DIURNAL COMPONENT...AM COUNTING ON INCREASING SUBSIDENCE TO HELP GRADUALLY DISSIPATE MUCH OF THE STRATO-CU FIELD OVER CENTRAL AND EAST-CENTRAL WISCONSIN THIS EVENING. NORTH-CENTRAL WISCONSIN MAY NOT CLEAR OUT MUCH AT ALL...AS LOW LEVEL WINDS VEER AROUND SLIGHTLY TO THE NORTHWEST AND PUSH LAKE EFFECT CLOUDS SOUTHEAST BENEATH A FAIRLY SHARP INVERSION. TOO COLD FOR MUCH ACCUMS...BUT POSSIBLY UP TO AN INCH OVER THE FAR NORTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY. THE CLEARING SKIES WILL HELP TEMPS BECOME COLDER TONIGHT COMPARED TO LAST NIGHT...BUT THIS WILL BE OFFSET BY A WEAKENING PRESSURE GRADIENT AND WIND SPEEDS. APPARENT TEMP GRIDS SHOW WIND CHILLS FALLING ONLY A FEW DEGREES THIS EVENING...BUT READINGS HAVE REMAINED STEADY ACROSS NORTH-CENTRAL WISCONSIN TODAY...SO WILL NOT TAKE MUCH OF A FALL TO REACH WARNING CRITERIA. AFTER COORDINATING WITH SURROUNDING OFFICES...WILL ISSUE A WIND CHILL WARNING WHERE AM MOST CONFIDENT IN REACHING CRITERIA...FROM LINCOLN AND LANGLADE TO VILAS AND FOREST COUNTY STARTING THIS EVENING AND GOING THROUGH MID-MORNING TUESDAY. TUESDAY...ARCTIC HIGH PRESSURE WILL BE SLIDING TO THE OHIO VALLEY. CORE OF THE COLDEST AIR WILL BE SHIFTING TO THE NORTHEAST...ALONG WITH THE HIGHER LOW LEVEL HUMIDITY. BUT WILL ALREADY BE OFF TO A VERY COLD START SO TEMPS WILL NOT BE SIGNIFICANTLY WARMER THAN TODAYS READINGS. WITH WINDS BACKING TO THE WEST...SHOULD SEE MORE SUNSHINE THAN TODAY. WINDS WILL ALSO BE LIGHTER...AND WIND CHILL READINGS SHOULD BE IMPROVING RAPIDLY BY MID TO LATE MORNING. WILL CONTINUE TO RUN WIND CHILL HEADLINES TO 18Z. HIGHS RANGING FROM 5 BELOW NORTH TO ABOUT 4 ABOVE NEAR LAKE MICHIGAN. .LONG TERM...TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH NEXT MONDAY. PRIMARY ISSUE CONTINUES TO BE THE DURATION OF THE COLD AIR THIS WEEK FOLLOWED BY A CLIPPER TYPE SYSTEM LATER THIS WEEK. COLD AIR INTRUSION CONTINUES TUESDAY NIGHT WITH THE LIKELY CHANCE OF ADDITIONAL WIND CHILL HEADLINES ACROSS AT LEAST THE NORTH HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA. A WEAK TROUGH IS PROGGED DROPS OVER THE GREAT LAKES REGION IN THE NORTHWEST FLOW WED INTO WED EVENING...FOLLOWED WITH ANOTHER BRIEF PERIOD OF CAA INTO THURSDAY MORNING. THIS BIT LONGER DURATION OF COLDER AIR INTO WEDNESDAY NIGHT PRECEDES THE TREND OF SLOWING DOWN THE CLIPPER TYPE SYSTEM FOR LATER THURSDAY AND INTO FRIDAY MORNING...WHICH IS SUPPORTED BY THE LAST FEW MODEL RUNS. WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED WITH LATER RUNS INDICATING THE CLIPPER WILL LINGER MORE INTO FRIDAY AS THIS CLIPPER SYSTEM PHASES WITH A SOUTHERN STREAM SYSTEM. COULD SEE A FEW INCHES OF SNOW BY FRIDAY OVER MOST LOCATIONS. AFTER A BRIEF PERIOD OF CAA IN THE WAKE OF THE CLIPPER...GRADUALLY MODERATING TEMPERATURES TO NEAR SEASONAL NORMS STILL EXPECTED FOR THE WEEKEND AND INTO MONDAY. WAA FOR SUNDAY ALONG WITH A H850 TROUGH TRACKING OVER THE AREA MAY WILL PROVIDE A CHANCE FOR LIGHT SNOW OR FLURRIES. LAKE EFFECT POTENTIAL. THE CHANCE FOR LAKE EFFECT SNOWS INCREASE TOWARD WEDNESDAY NIGHT OVER FAR NORTHERN WISCONSIN AS THE SHORT WAVE TROUGH SWINGS THROUGH AND WINDS TURN BRIEFLY NORTHWEST AGAIN. NORTHWEST WINDS WILL NOT LAST LONG AS THE COLD SURFACE HIGH DROPS INTO THE REGION. BUT WINDS BEGIN TO TURN MORE EASTERLY THURSDAY INTO THURSDAY NIGHT TO INCREASE THE POTENTIAL OF MORE SNOW SHOWERS ALONG LAKE MICHIGAN..ESPECIALLY AS THE WEAK CLIPPER TRACKS THROUGH TO PROVIDE SOME LIFT. COULD HAVE HIGHER SNOW AMOUNTS ALONG THE LAKE MICHIGAN SHORELINE THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY. && .AVIATION...FOR 00Z TAF ISSUANCE. VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED AS ARCTIC AIR DOMINATES THE AREA. THE ONLY EXCEPTION WL BE NR THE UPPER MICHIGAN BORDER WHERE CLDS OFF LAKE SUPERIOR WL DROP CIGS INTO MVFR CAT AT TIMES. SKOWRONSKI && .GRB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WIND CHILL ADVISORY UNTIL NOON CST TUESDAY FOR WIZ012-013- 020>022-030-031-035>040-045-048>050-073-074. WIND CHILL WARNING UNTIL NOON CST TUESDAY FOR WIZ005-010-011-018- 019. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LA CROSSE WI
300 PM CST MON JAN 21 2013 .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY 300 PM CST MON JAN 21 2013 MAIN FORECAST CONCERNS ARE ON HOW QUICK THE CURRENT ARCTIC AIRMASS MODIFIES...IF SNOW CAN FORM OFF OF LAKE PEPIN AGAIN TONIGHT...AND LIGHT SNOW CHANCES TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY. CURRENTLY AS OF 21Z...WATER VAPOR LOOP AND RAP 500MB HEIGHT ANALYSIS SHOWED RIDGING ALONG THE WEST COAST OF THE U.S. INTO BRITISH COLUMBIA...WHILE DEEP TROUGHING WAS IN PLACE OVER SOUTHEAST CANADA INTO THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES REGION. UNDER THIS DEEP TROUGHING... 850MB TEMPS WERE -25C AT MPX...-27C AT GRB AND -35C AT INL PER 12Z SOUNDINGS...OR 2 TO 2.5 STANDARD DEVIATIONS BELOW NORMAL. THESE COLD READINGS...COMBINED WITH A NORTHWEST BREEZE RESULTING FROM A TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT BETWEEN LOW PRESSURE IN NORTHERN LAKE HURON AND ARCTIC HIGH PRESSURE IN THE DAKOTAS...HAVE RESULTED IN TEMPERATURES ONLY SLOWLY RISING TODAY. STILL...WITH MOST OF THE AREA EXCLUDING NORTH OF HIGHWAY 10 HAVING BARE GROUND...AND SUNSHINE THROUGH SOME CONVECTIVELY INDUCED STRATOCUMULUS UNDER THE 850MB THERMAL TROUGH HAS ALLOWED TEMPERATURES SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 10 TO CLIMB TO OR SLIGHTLY ABOVE ZERO. WIND CHILLS ARE STILL 15 TO 30 BELOW...THOUGH. TO THE WEST...RAP ANALYSIS SHOWED A 140KT JET AT THE TROPOPAUSE DROPPING DOWN THROUGH THE EASTERN DAKOTAS. ALONG AND WEST OF THIS UPPER JET STREAK...MID AND HIGH CLOUDS ARE PRESENT...REFLECTING THE UPPER LEVEL MOISTURE SEEN ON WATER VAPOR. 850MB TEMPS WARM QUITE A BIT TOO WEST OF THE UPPER JET...AS EXPECTED THROUGH THE THERMAL WIND RELATIONSHIP...CLIMBING FROM -23C AT BIS TO -14C AT UNR PER 12Z SOUNDINGS. TONIGHT AND TUESDAY...THE UPPER LEVEL PATTERN IS NOT FORECAST TO CHANGE MUCH OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS...WITH PERHAPS ONLY A SLIGHT EASTWARD PROGRESSION TO THE WESTERN RIDGE AND DEEP TROUGH. HOWEVER...THIS PROGRESSION WILL BE ENOUGH TO SLIDE THE ARCTIC HIGH OVER THE DAKOTAS INTO THE FORECAST AREA BY 00Z WEDNESDAY...ALONG WITH THE UPPER JET STREAK AND THE MID/HIGH CLOUDS ACCOMPANYING THE JET STREAK. OF INTEREST TONIGHT IS TO SEE IF ANOTHER NARROW BAND CAN FORM OFF LAKE PEPIN...WHICH WILL DEPEND ON IF THE LAKE WAS ABLE TO FREEZE OVER. LAST NIGHT...WITH THE ARCTIC AIR FLOWING IN...A NARROW BAND FORMED WITH VISIBILITIES LESS THAN 1/4 MILE. SEE OUR NEWS STORY ON OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE ABOUT THE BAND. THE 20.12Z HIRES-ARW YESTERDAY SHOWED THE BAND HAPPENING LAST NIGHT...THOUGH THE THOUGHT AT THE TIME WAS THAT THE ENTIRE MISSISSIPPI RIVER SYSTEM WAS FROZEN OVER. THE 21.06Z/12Z HIRES-ARW SHOW A BAND FORMING AGAIN TONIGHT... AND GIVEN THAT IT HAS STAYED BREEZY TODAY TO HELP PREVENT ICE FORMATION ON LAKE PEPIN...HAVE THUS INCLUDED SOME SMALL PRECIPITATION CHANCES FOR THE BAND BETWEEN 06-15Z TUESDAY. OTHERWISE TEMPERATURES AND WIND CHILLS ARE THE MAIN ISSUE. THE 925MB THERMAL TROUGH REMAINS IN PLACE TONIGHT WITH READINGS OF -24 TO -28C... COLDEST NORTH OF I-94. SINCE WE MAINTAIN A BREEZE MOST OF THE NIGHT...THE BOUNDARY LAYER SHOULD REMAIN MIXED AT LEAST UP TO 950MB IF NOT TO THAT 925MB LEVEL...RESULTING IN LOWS BETWEEN 5 AND 15 BELOW. COLDEST READINGS WOULD OCCUR NORTH OF HIGHWAY 10 WHERE A LITTLE SNOW PACK EXISTS. ON TUESDAY...GRADUAL WARMING TAKES PLACE TO THE 925MB TEMPS WITH THE SHIFT EAST OF THE DEEP TROUGHING...CLIMBING TO -19 TO -23C BY 21Z. THUS...WE SHOULD SEE HIGHS JUST A FEW DEGREES WARMER THAN THOSE TODAY UNDER MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES. TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...THERE HAS BEEN A TREND TO SLOW UP THE PATTERN MORE DURING THIS TIME PERIOD COMPARED TO PREVIOUS FORECASTS...AND TO SOME DEGREE DRAMATICALLY. THE REASON FOR THE SLOW DOWN IS THAT MODELS HAVE FOCUSED ON A POTENT SHORTWAVE DROPPING SOUTH OUT OF NORTHERN MANITOBA. ALL MODELS HAVE IT DIGGING DOWN INTO UPPER MICHIGAN AND EVEN NORTHERN WISCONSIN BY 00Z THURSDAY. THIS HOLDS UP THE RIDGE OVER THE WESTERN U.S. FROM PUSHING EAST. IN ADDITION...WE END UP NOW SEEING ANOTHER ARCTIC HIGH DROPPING DOWN INTO THE RED RIVER VALLEY OF NORTH DAKOTA...WITH A COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE COMING THROUGH THE FORECAST AREA AHEAD OF IT DURING THE DAY WEDNESDAY. PRIOR TO THIS FRONTAL PASSAGE...THE 21.12Z CANADIAN/UKMET AND 21.00Z ECMWF DEPICT A BAND OF LIGHT QPF COMING INTO THE FORECAST AREA FROM THE WEST...REACHING ABOUT THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER SOUTH OF I-90 BY 12Z WEDNESDAY. THIS BAND IS THAT SAME BAND OF MID/HIGH CLOUDS TRAVERSING THE PLAINS WHICH ENDS UP MARCHING EAST. GIVEN THAT THERE ARE OBSERVATIONS OF SNOW UNDER THE BAND...HAVE MAINTAINED FLURRIES AND INCLUDED 20 PERCENT CHANCES. THE BAND DOES WEAKEN OVER TIME AS THAT POTENT SHORTWAVE DIGS SOUTH...AND AFTER 18Z ANY FLURRIES ASSOCIATED WITH IT SHOULD HAVE SHIFTED OFF TO THE SOUTHEAST. SOME FLURRY ACTIVITY COULD OCCUR NORTH OF I-94 IN THE AFTERNOON WITH THE SHORTWAVE. WITH MORE CLOUDS TUESDAY NIGHT... EXPECT A WARMER NIGHT...AND IN FACT TEMPERATURES COULD RISE AFTER MIDNIGHT AS 925MB TEMPS WARM WITH THE SOUTHWEST WINDS AHEAD OF THE FRONT. THE WARMER NIGHT PLUS 925MB TEMPS OF -12 TO -18C AT 18Z WEDNESDAY SHOULD YIELD HIGHS IN THE TEENS TO LOW 20S IN MOST LOCATIONS. WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY...GOOD AGREEMENT EXISTS AMONG THE 21.12Z GFS/ECMWF/UKMET/CANADIAN OF TAKING A POTENT SHORTWAVE TROUGH COMING INTO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST AT 00Z THURSDAY ACROSS THE NORTHERN ROCKIES...THEN INTO THE DAKOTAS BY 00Z FRIDAY. AGAIN...THIS IS QUITE A BIT SLOWER THAN YESTERDAYS FORECAST. THE NAM IS AN OUTLIER BY ALMOST BRINGING IT INTO MN...BUT IS NOT DEEP ENOUGH DIGGING THE WEDNESDAY SHORTWAVE. GIVEN THE SLOWER TREND...THE SPREAD OF DPVA AND WARM ADVECTION / FRONTOGENESIS INDUCED SNOW DOWNSTREAM IS SLOWER TOO...WITH DRY CONDITIONS NOW INDICATED THROUGH AT LEAST 18Z THURSDAY FOR THE FORECAST AREA. AFTER 18Z...MODELS CONTINUE TO BACK OFF ON THE AMOUNT OF PRECIPITATION...PRIMARILY BECAUSE THIS POTENT SHORTWAVE TROUGH IS MOISTURE STARVED. ALL THE BETTER MOISTURE IS TIED UP WITH A SOUTHERN STREAM-TYPE SHORTWAVE AND SURFACE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER THE SOUTHERN PLAINS. THERE STILL IS SOME LIGHT SNOW INDICATED OVER THE AREA PER THE 27.12Z ECMWF...BUT THE 27.12Z GFS IS DRY. THEREFORE...HAVE LOWERED CHANCES ABOUT 10 PERCENT. IF TRENDS CONTINUE...LIKELY THURSDAY WILL END UP DRY WITH JUST SOME INCREASING MID AND HIGH CLOUDS. DUE TO THE DEEPER WEDNESDAY SHORTWAVE TROUGH...HAVE LOWERED LOWS A FEW DEGREES WEDNESDAY NIGHT TO ACCOUNT FOR MORE CANADIAN AIR ADVECTING IN. 925MB TEMPS ACTUALLY FALL TO AROUND -20C BY 12Z THURSDAY. WIND CHILLS LOOK TO STAY OUT OF ADVISORY CRITERIA THIS TIME...THOUGH. WITH MORE CANADIAN AIR IN PLACE ON THURSDAY...ENDING UP ALSO COOLING THURSDAY JUST SLIGHTLY...BUT HAVING BARE GROUND AND A LITTLE MORE SUN WILL HELP COUNTERACT THE COLDER 850MB TEMPS. .LONG TERM...THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY 300 PM CST MON JAN 21 2013 21.12Z ECMWF/CANADIAN/GFS AND ECMWF ENSEMBLES STILL IN PRETTY GOOD AGREEMENT FOR THE LONG TERM FORECAST AND SHOW A SIMILAR SOLUTION TO YESTERDAY. THERE ARE TWO MAIN DIFFERENCES: 1. THE THURSDAY NIGHT DEAL WITH RESPECT TO PRECIPITATION IS NOW LOOKING A LOT LESS THAN WHAT THE 20.12Z ECMWF HAD...SINCE WE ARE ONLY INFLUENCED BY THAT POTENT SHORTWAVE DROPPING THROUGH THE AREA FRIDAY MORNING. ALL OF THE MOISTURE AGAIN IS TIED UP WITH THE SOUTHERN STREAM SYSTEM...SO AT MOST WE END UP WITH A FEW HUNDREDTHS OF LIQUID EQUIVALENT. GIVEN THE POTENT NATURE OF THE TROUGH... DEFINITELY MAINTAINED SOME 30-40 PERCENT CHANCES OF PRECIPITATION FOR THURSDAY NIGHT. FUTURE FORECASTS MAY HAVE TO RAISE THESE SINCE IT IS LOOKING LIKE MOST LOCATIONS SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET A HUNDREDTH. ALSO ADDED SOME LOW CHANCES OF PRECIPITATION TO FRIDAY BEING UNDER THE SHORTWAVE TROUGH TO ALLOW FOR A MORE CONVECTIVE SITUATION. 2. UPPER RIDGING IS STILL PROGGED TO BUILD TOWARDS THE AREA FOR THE WEEKEND...BRINGING TEMPERATURES BACK UP TO NEAR AND EVEN ABOVE NORMAL FOR SUNDAY. HOWEVER...NOW THERE ARE INDICATIONS OF A SHORTWAVE TROUGH MOVING THROUGH THIS RIDGING...IMPACTING THE AREA ON SUNDAY. FOLLOWED THE CONSENSUS AND ADDED 20 PERCENT CHANCES OF SNOW TO THE FORECAST. THIS TROUGH ALSO HOLDS BACK SOME OF THE WARMING THAT WOULD HAVE OCCURRED UNDER THE LOW LEVEL SOUTHWEST FLOW. HEADING INTO MONDAY...MORE TROUGHING IS SUGGESTED ALONG THE WEST COAST OF THE U.S....BUT UNCERTAINTY EXISTS ON WHETHER IT SPLITS INTO TWO AS SHOWN BY THE 21.12Z ECMWF OR STAYS TOGETHER PER 21.12Z GFS. 21.12Z ECMWF ENSEMBLE MEAN SEEMS TO SUGGEST BOTH SCENARIOS ARE PLAUSIBLE. EITHER SCENARIO AT LEAST FOR MONDAY DOES NOT RESULT IN ANY PRECIPITATION FOR US...WITH WARMING COMING BACK INTO THE AREA IN THE WAKE OF THE SUNDAY SHORTWAVE TROUGH. READINGS LOOK LIKE THEY SHOULD GET BACK ABOVE FREEZING FOR HIGHS. && .AVIATION...THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TUESDAY 1130 AM CST MON JAN 21 2013 MAIN PROBLEM IS THE APPARENT OVER-REPORTING OF BKN-OVC CIGS BY THE ASOS/AWOS SYSTEMS AROUND THE AREA LATE THIS MORNING...WHICH SEEMS MORE COMMON IN VERY COLD AIRMASSES. PERUSAL OF WEB CAMS AND LOOK OUT THE OFFICE WINDOWS/AROUND THE LOCAL HORIZON SHOWS PLENTY OF SUNSHINE AND CLOUDS MORE SCT AT BOTH KRST/KLSE LATE THIS MORNING. THUS CARRIED SCT MVFR CLOUDS THIS AFTERNOON AT BOTH KRST/KLSE. MODELS HANG ONTO SOME LOWER LEVEL MOISTURE NEAR 925MB TONIGHT INTO TUE MORNING...AND CONTINUED SCT MVFR CLOUDS THRU TONIGHT/TUE MORNING. MAY BE A FEW PERIODS OF BKN MVFR CLOUDS AT ANY TIME THIS AFTERNOON THRU TONIGHT...BUT WITH WEAK SUBSIDENCE AND FLOW GRADUALLY BECOMING MORE ANTICYCLONIC...SCT/FEW CLOUDS LOOKS TO PREVAIL. GRADIENT WILL REMAIN FAIRLY TIGHT THIS AFTERNOON FOR CONTINUED BRISK NORTHWEST WINDS. GRADIENT GRADUALLY RELAXES TONIGHT/TUE AS THE SFC RIDGE AXIS SLOWLY DRIFTS EAST FROM THE DAKOTAS TO NEAR THE MS RIVER BY 00Z WED. WIND CHILLS ACROSS THE AIR FIELDS WILL REMAIN IN THE -20 TO -35 RANGE THRU LATE MORNING TUE. && .ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... 300 PM CST MON JAN 21 2013 WI...WIND CHILL ADVISORY UNTIL NOON CST TUESDAY FOR WIZ017-029- 032>034-041>044-053>055-061. MN...WIND CHILL ADVISORY UNTIL NOON CST TUESDAY FOR MNZ079-086>088- 094>096. IA...WIND CHILL ADVISORY UNTIL NOON CST TUESDAY FOR IAZ008>011-018- 019-029-030. && $$ SHORT TERM...AJ LONG TERM...AJ AVIATION.....RRS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
255 PM CST MON JAN 21 2013 .TONIGHT AND TUESDAY - CONFIDENCE...MEDIUM TO HIGH CORRIDOR OF ARCTIC CHILL CONTINUES THIS PERIOD. TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT CONTINUES TONIGHT INTO AT LEAST EARLY TUESDAY. NOT THE BEST RADIATIONAL CONDITIONS WITH THE MIXING. DECENT AGREEMENT AMONGST THE MODELS ON 925 TEMPS OF -24 TO -26C. WILL DROP BELOW ZERO CWA WIDE YIELDING DANGEROUS WIND CHILLS OF 20 TO 30 BELOW ZERO. RAP SOUNDINGS SHOW A FAIRLY WELL MIXED LOWEST 2K FEET THROUGH 4 AM OR SO...THEN SOUNDINGS SHOW LESS MIXING. DANGEROUS CONDITIONS THROUGH THE MORNING COMMUTE GIVEN THE BITTER AIRMASS/WIND CHILLS. MODELS IN DECENT AGREEMENT TO BRING READINGS ABOVE ZERO INTO THE LOW/MID SINGLE DIGITS FOR TUESDAY. GRADIENT SHOWS SOME SLACKENING INTO THE AFTERNOON SO GOING MIDDAY EXPIRATION SEEMS REASONABLE. .TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...FORECAST CONFIDENCE IS MEDIUM. EXPECT INCREASING CLOUDS LATER TUESDAY NIGHT AS A SHOT OF WARM ADVECTION APPROACHES. THIS IS AHEAD OF A WEAK TROF/COLD FRONT DROPPING IN FROM THE NORTHWEST. THE EARLY CLEAR SKIES TUESDAY EVENING ALONG WITH LIGHT WINDS UNDER A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL ALLOW TEMPS TO PLUMMET QUICKLY DURING THE EVENING. LOWS WILL RANGE FROM 4 ABOVE TO 4 BELOW...THOUGH WIND CHILLS WON/T BE MUCH OF A FACTOR. THE WARM ADVECTION WITH SOME ADDITIONAL MOISTURE COULD BRING SOME SCATTERED FLURRIES TO THE AREA ON WEDNESDAY. THERE IS AN OUTSIDE CHANCE A FEW SITES WILL MEASURE...BUT NOT ENOUGH TO HAVE POPS ABOVE 14 PERCENT ATTM. .WEDNESDAY NIGHT...FORECAST CONFIDENCE IS MEDIUM. THE WEAK COLD FRONT SHOULD HAVE EXITED SOUTHERN WISCONSIN BY EVENING. HIGH PRESSURE AND COLD AIR SETTLE IN FOR THE NIGHT. SKIES WILL ALSO CLEAR. SO...EXPECT LOWS IN THE SINGLE DIGITS THURSDAY MORNING. .THURSDAY AND FRIDAY...FORECAST CONFIDENCE IS MEDIUM. THE MODELS HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING ON TIMING WITH REGARD TO LOW PRESSURE MOVING THROUGH THE REGION LATE IN THE WEEK...LIKELY BRINGING A LITTLE ACCUMULATING SNOW. THIS WOULD BE ON THE ORDER OF 1/2 TO POSSIBLY 2 INCHES...THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY. NOTHING MAJOR. THE MID LEVELS FEATURE A DECENT SHORT WAVE PUSHING OUT OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST ON WEDNESDAY...THEN PHASING WITH THE LARGE TROF OVER EASTERN CANADA ON THURSDAY. AS IT DIVES INTO THE NORTHERN U.S. A RATHER LARGE LONG WAVE TROF FORMS FROM HUDSON BAY CANADA TO NORTHERN IOWA BY FRIDAY MORNING. SFC CYCLOGENESIS OCCURS OVER BOTH THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND THE SOUTHERN MS VALLEY...EVENTUALLY THEY MERGE INTO ONE SFC LOW THAT MOVES WELL SOUTH OF WI...TOWARD THE EAST COAST. THE MODELS HAVE SLOWED ALL THIS DOWN BY A GOOD 6 TO 12 HOURS. HIGH PRESSURE WILL KEEP IT QUIET FOR MOST OF THURSDAY. THEN THE WARM AIR ADVECTION ARRIVES THURSDAY AFTERNOON INTO THURSDAY NIGHT...AND THAT/S GOOD FOR A CHANCE OF SNOW. THEN THE WEAK NORTHERN LOW SLIDES BY ON FRIDAY...KEEPING THE CHANCE OF SNOW ALIVE. THIS LOW THEN MERGES WITH THE SOUTHERN LOW...BRINGING A SLOW END TO THE LIGHT SNOW BY FRIDAY NIGHT. AGAIN...ANY SNOW AMOUNTS WILL LIKELY BE KEPT AT BETWEEN 1/2 TO MAYBE 2 INCHES. .SATURDAY AND SUNDAY...FORECAST CONFIDENCE IS MEDIUM. HIGH PRESSURE ARRIVES BY SATURDAY FOR A QUIET STRETCH INTO EARLY SUNDAY. THEN A WEAK TROF PUSHES IN FROM THE WEST AND THIS COULD LEAD TO SOME LIGHT SNOW CHANCES LATER ON SUNDAY. && .AVIATION/00Z TAFS/...NW WINDS RAMPED UP WITH TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT BETWEEN PLAINS SURFACE RIDGE AND LOW PRESSURE OVER EASTERN UPPER MICHIGAN. STILL QUITE A BIT OF MVFR IN THE COLD CYCLONIC REGIME. WOULD EXPECT KEEPING SOME OF THIS AROUND TONIGHT. LOW LEVEL RH PROGS SHOWING CONSIDERABLY LESS CU POTENTIAL TUESDAY. && .MARINE...NO CHANGE TO SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY A WINDS EXPECTED TO REMAIN GUSTY WITH TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT. EXPECT WINDS TO EASE BY MIDDAY TUESDAY AS GRADIENT LOOSENS UP SOME. && .MKX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WI...WIND CHILL ADVISORY UNTIL NOON CST TUESDAY FOR WIZ046-047-051- 052-056>060-062>072. LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL NOON CST TUESDAY FOR LMZ643>646. && $$ TONIGHT/TUESDAY AND AVIATION/MARINE...COLLAR TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY...DAVIS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GREEN BAY WI
232 PM CST MON JAN 21 2013 .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT AND TUESDAY. THE LATEST RUC ANALYSIS AND SATELLITE/RADAR IMAGERY SHOW ARCTIC HIGH PRESSURE STRETCHING SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE GREAT PLAINS EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. WEAK SHORTWAVE IS DROPPING ACROSS THE STATE WHICH IS CONTRIBUTING TO A STRATO-CU FIELD...WITH THE HELP FROM STEEP LOW LEVEL LAPSE RATES. SCT FLURRIES ARE FALLING OUT OF THIS STRATO-CU DECK FROM THE SOUTHERN FOX VALLEY TO CENTRAL AND NORTH-CENTRAL WISCONSIN. TEMPERATURES AND WIND CHILL READINGS HAVE HARDLY BUDGED SINCE EARLIER THIS MORNING...AND PLENTY OF 30-35 BELOW WIND CHILL READINGS REMAIN OVER NORTH-CENTRAL WISCONSIN. FORECAST CONCERNS INCLUDE CLOUD TRENDS AND WIND CHILL HEADLINES. TONIGHT...ARCTIC HIGH PRESSURE WILL BE BUILDING SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE NORTHERN MISSISSIPPI VALLEY THROUGH THE NIGHT. SHORTWAVE TROUGH OVERHEAD WILL BE EXITING THE REGION BY LATE THIS AFTERNOON OR EARLY THIS EVENING. WITH LOSS OF A SMALL DIURNAL COMPONENT...AM COUNTING ON INCREASING SUBSIDENCE TO HELP GRADUALLY DISSIPATE MUCH OF THE STRATO-CU FIELD OVER CENTRAL AND EAST-CENTRAL WISCONSIN THIS EVENING. NORTH-CENTRAL WISCONSIN MAY NOT CLEAR OUT MUCH AT ALL...AS LOW LEVEL WINDS VEER AROUND SLIGHTLY TO THE NORTHWEST AND PUSH LAKE EFFECT CLOUDS SOUTHEAST BENEATH A FAIRLY SHARP INVERSION. TOO COLD FOR MUCH ACCUMS...BUT POSSIBLY UP TO AN INCH OVER THE FAR NORTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY. THE CLEARING SKIES WILL HELP TEMPS BECOME COLDER TONIGHT COMPARED TO LAST NIGHT...BUT THIS WILL BE OFFSET BY A WEAKENING PRESSURE GRADIENT AND WIND SPEEDS. APPARENT TEMP GRIDS SHOW WIND CHILLS FALLING ONLY A FEW DEGREES THIS EVENING...BUT READINGS HAVE REMAINED STEADY ACROSS NORTH-CENTRAL WISCONSIN TODAY...SO WILL NOT TAKE MUCH OF A FALL TO REACH WARNING CRITERIA. AFTER COORDINATING WITH SURROUNDING OFFICES...WILL ISSUE A WIND CHILL WARNING WHERE AM MOST CONFIDENT IN REACHING CRITERIA...FROM LINCOLN AND LANGLADE TO VILAS AND FOREST COUNTY STARTING THIS EVENING AND GOING THROUGH MID-MORNING TUESDAY. TUESDAY...ARCTIC HIGH PRESSURE WILL BE SLIDING TO THE OHIO VALLEY. CORE OF THE COLDEST AIR WILL BE SHIFTING TO THE NORTHEAST...ALONG WITH THE HIGHER LOW LEVEL HUMIDITY. BUT WILL ALREADY BE OFF TO A VERY COLD START SO TEMPS WILL NOT BE SIGNIFICANTLY WARMER THAN TODAYS READINGS. WITH WINDS BACKING TO THE WEST...SHOULD SEE MORE SUNSHINE THAN TODAY. WINDS WILL ALSO BE LIGHTER...AND WIND CHILL READINGS SHOULD BE IMPROVING RAPIDLY BY MID TO LATE MORNING. WILL CONTINUE TO RUN WIND CHILL HEADLINES TO 18Z. HIGHS RANGING FROM 5 BELOW NORTH TO ABOUT 4 ABOVE NEAR LAKE MICHIGAN. .LONG TERM...TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH NEXT MONDAY. PRIMARY ISSUE CONTINUES TO BE THE DURATION OF THE COLD AIR THIS WEEK FOLLOWED BY A CLIPPER TYPE SYSTEM LATER THIS WEEK. COLD AIR INTRUSION CONTINUES TUESDAY NIGHT WITH THE LIKELY CHANCE OF ADDITIONAL WIND CHILL HEADLINES ACROSS AT LEAST THE NORTH HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA. A WEAK TROUGH IS PROGGED DROPS OVER THE GREAT LAKES REGION IN THE NORTHWEST FLOW WED INTO WED EVENING...FOLLOWED WITH ANOTHER BRIEF PERIOD OF CAA INTO THURSDAY MORNING. THIS BIT LONGER DURATION OF COLDER AIR INTO WEDNESDAY NIGHT PRECEDES THE TREND OF SLOWING DOWN THE CLIPPER TYPE SYSTEM FOR LATER THURSDAY AND INTO FRIDAY MORNING...WHICH IS SUPPORTED BY THE LAST FEW MODEL RUNS. WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED WITH LATER RUNS INDICATING THE CLIPPER WILL LINGER MORE INTO FRIDAY AS THIS CLIPPER SYSTEM PHASES WITH A SOUTHERN STREAM SYSTEM. COULD SEE A FEW INCHES OF SNOW BY FRIDAY OVER MOST LOCATIONS. AFTER A BRIEF PERIOD OF CAA IN THE WAKE OF THE CLIPPER...GRADUALLY MODERATING TEMPERATURES TO NEAR SEASONAL NORMS STILL EXPECTED FOR THE WEEKEND AND INTO MONDAY. WAA FOR SUNDAY ALONG WITH A H850 TROUGH TRACKING OVER THE AREA MAY WILL PROVIDE A CHANCE FOR LIGHT SNOW OR FLURRIES. LAKE EFFECT POTENTIAL. THE CHANCE FOR LAKE EFFECT SNOWS INCREASE TOWARD WEDNESDAY NIGHT OVER FAR NORTHERN WISCONSIN AS THE SHORT WAVE TROUGH SWINGS THROUGH AND WINDS TURN BRIEFLY NORTHWEST AGAIN. NORTHWEST WINDS WILL NOT LAST LONG AS THE COLD SURFACE HIGH DROPS INTO THE REGION. BUT WINDS BEGIN TO TURN MORE EASTERLY THURSDAY INTO THURSDAY NIGHT TO INCREASE THE POTENTIAL OF MORE SNOW SHOWERS ALONG LAKE MICHIGAN..ESPECIALLY AS THE WEAK CLIPPER TRACKS THROUGH TO PROVIDE SOME LIFT. COULD HAVE HIGHER SNOW AMOUNTS ALONG THE LAKE MICHIGAN SHORELINE THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY. && .AVIATION...EXPECT MAINLY VFR CONDITIONS TODAY AND TONIGHT... ALTHOUGH ISOLD MVFR CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE AS AN UPPER TROF AND SECONDARY SURGE OF ARCTIC AIR PUSHES THROUGH THIS MORNING. LAKE- EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS WILL ALSO IMPACT VILAS COUNTY AT TIMES... BRINGING OCNL MVFR/IFR CONDITIONS NEAR THE UPPER PENINSULA BORDER. && .GRB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WIND CHILL ADVISORY UNTIL NOON CST TUESDAY FOR WIZ012-013- 020>022-030-031-035>040-045-048>050-073-074. WIND CHILL WARNING UNTIL NOON CST TUESDAY FOR WIZ005-010-011-018- 019. && $$ MPC/TDH
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LA CROSSE WI
1130 AM CST MON JAN 21 2013 .SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT 306 AM CST MON JAN 21 2013 THE CONTINUED FOCUS REMAINS ON THE BITTERLY COLD AIR MASS THAT HAS HUNKERED DOWN ACROSS THE REGION AND WILL LINGER THROUGH THE NEXT FEW DAYS. BROAD CYCLONIC FLOW ALOFT REMAINS ENTRENCHED ACROSS THE REGION AS THE POLAR VORTEX HAS DRIFTED INTO SOUTHEAST CANADA. AS SHORT WAVE TROUGHS HAVE PROPAGATED ALONG THE WESTERN PERIPHERY OF THIS TROUGH...THEY HAVE BROUGHT REINFORCING SHOTS OF COLD AIR ON DOWN WITH THEM. THE LATEST SHORT WAVE CAME THROUGH EARLY THIS MORNING AS NOTED ON WATER VAPOR IR. AHEAD OF THIS TROUGH...A COLD FRONT ALSO MOVED INTO THE REGION WHICH BROUGHT SOME FLURRIES AND SNOW SHOWERS IN AS WELL. BEHIND THIS FRONT...SKIES CLEAR OUT AND TEMPERATURES DROP BELOW ZERO. A STRENGTHENING PRESSURE GRADIENT ALSO HELPED TO INCREASE THE SURFACE WINDS AND TO DROP WIND CHILLS DOWN INTO THE ADVISORY LEVELS. AS THIS COLDER AIR MASS SHIFTS TO THE SOUTHEAST THIS MORNING THESE LOWER WIND CHILLS WILL ALSO START TO OCCUR AT SITES IN NORTHEAST IOWA AND WESTERN WISCONSIN THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE -5 TO -15F RANGE SO FAR. HAD THERE BEEN ANY SNOW COVER ON THE GROUND...TEMPERATURES PROBABLY WOULD NOT MAKE IT ABOVE ZERO TODAY. FORTUNATELY...THE SNOW PACK MELTED AWAY LAST WEEK AND THE LATEST NOHRSC SNOW DEPTH ANALYSIS AND LOCAL COOP OBSERVERS SHOWS MOSTLY ZERO SNOW COVER OUTSIDE OF A FEW SPORADIC 1-3 INCH REPORTS. EVEN WITHOUT THE SNOW COVER...TEMPERATURES ARE GOING TO REMAIN COLD AS THE CORE OF THE COLD AIR MASS DROPS DOWN ACROSS THE REGION. 850MB TEMPERATURES WILL STICK AROUND -25C FOR MOST OF THE AREA WITH THE COLDEST POCKET OF AIR RUNNING FROM NORTHEAST MINNESOTA INTO NORTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN. WIND CHILLS SHOULD STAY NEAR OR BELOW -20F THROUGH THE DAY...SO WILL NOT MAKE ANY CHANGES TO THE WIND CHILL ADVISORY. 21.06Z RAP SOUNDINGS SHOW THAT THERE COULD BE SOME CU THAT FORMS EAST OF THE RIVER TODAY...SO CAN NOT RULE OUT SOME FLURRIES THERE AS WELL. BASICALLY...IF WE GET ANY LOW LEVEL CLOUD COVER OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS...THERE WILL LIKELY BE SOME FLURRIES OR SNOW SHOWERS THAT ACCOMPANY IT WITH THE LOW LEVEL TEMPERATURE PROFILE BELOW -20C. AT THESE TEMPERATURES...WOULD MAINLY EXPECT THE SNOWFLAKES TO BE PLATES AND COLUMNS AND NOT AMASS TO MUCH IF ANYTHING. TEMPERATURES WILL START TO IMPROVE ON TUESDAY AS THE BROAD UPPER TROUGH SHIFTS EAST AND THE CORE OF THE SURFACE RIDGE MOVES ACROSS THE REGION WITH LOW LEVEL WINDS COMING AROUND TO THE SOUTHWEST. WILL HAVE TO KEEP AN EYE ON TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY FOR THE POTENTIAL OF SOME WARM AIR ADVECTION SNOW. THE 21.00Z NAM IS A BIT STRONGER WITH THE LOW LEVEL LIFT AND SATURATION COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE GUIDANCE. HAVE KEPT JUST FLURRIES IN THE FORECAST FOR NOW...BUT MAY NEED TO RAMP THINGS UP IF THE FORCING DOES LOOK LEGIT. .LONG TERM...THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY 306 AM CST MON JAN 21 2013 GOING INTO THE LATER PORTION OF THE WEEK ON INTO THE WEEKEND...THE MAIN FOCUS IS ON A SYSTEM THAT WILL DROP OUT OF SOUTH CENTRAL CANADA THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY AND BRING THE NEXT BEST CHANCE FOR AN ACCUMULATING SNOW WITH IT. TRENDS HAVE WAVERED BACK AND FORTH ON THE TIMING OF WHEN THIS FEATURE MOVES IN WITH THE 21.00Z GFS/ECMWF SLOWING IT DOWN A TAD WITH MUCH OF THE SNOW FALLING THURSDAY AFTERNOON INTO FRIDAY MORNING. 21.00Z GFS BUFKIT SOUNDINGS FOR THIS EVENT SHOW A FAIRLY DEEP DENDRITIC GROWTH ZONE WITH FORCING THROUGH THIS LAYER WHICH COULD LEAD TO SOME HIGH SNOW RATIOS. DETAILS WILL NEED TO BE WORKED OUT ON THIS SYSTEM...BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THE POTENTIAL IS THERE FOR AN ACCUMULATING SNOW...WITH THE BETTER CHANCES FOR ACCUMULATIONS IN CENTRAL WISCONSIN. TEMPERATURE-WISE...WE ARE STILL IN NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT...SO THE COOL AIR WILL REMAIN IN PLACE THOUGH NEXT WEEKEND WITH TEMPERATURES LINGERING MAINLY JUST BELOW NORMAL. && .AVIATION...THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TUESDAY 1130 AM CST MON JAN 21 2013 MAIN PROBLEM IS THE APPARENT OVER-REPORTING OF BKN-OVC CIGS BY THE ASOS/AWOS SYSTEMS AROUND THE AREA LATE THIS MORNING...WHICH SEEMS MORE COMMON IN VERY COLD AIRMASSES. PERUSAL OF WEB CAMS AND LOOK OUT THE OFFICE WINDOWS/AROUND THE LOCAL HORIZON SHOWS PLENTY OF SUNSHINE AND CLOUDS MORE SCT AT BOTH KRST/KLSE LATE THIS MORNING. THUS CARRIED SCT MVFR CLOUDS THIS AFTERNOON AT BOTH KRST/KLSE. MODELS HANG ONTO SOME LOWER LEVEL MOISTURE NEAR 925MB TONIGHT INTO TUE MORNING...AND CONTINUED SCT MVFR CLOUDS THRU TONIGHT/TUE MORNING. MAY BE A FEW PERIODS OF BKN MVFR CLOUDS AT ANY TIME THIS AFTERNOON THRU TONIGHT...BUT WITH WEAK SUBSIDENCE AND FLOW GRADUALLY BECOMING MORE ANTICYCLONIC...SCT/FEW CLOUDS LOOKS TO PREVAIL. GRADIENT WILL REMAIN FAIRLY TIGHT THIS AFTERNOON FOR CONTINUED BRISK NORTHWEST WINDS. GRADIENT GRADUALLY RELAXES TONIGHT/TUE AS THE SFC RIDGE AXIS SLOWLY DRIFTS EAST FROM THE DAKOTAS TO NEAR THE MS RIVER BY 00Z WED. WIND CHILLS ACROSS THE AIR FIELDS WILL REMAIN IN THE -20 TO -35 RANGE THRU LATE MORNING TUE. && .ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... 306 AM CST MON JAN 21 2013 WI...WIND CHILL ADVISORY UNTIL NOON CST TUESDAY FOR WIZ017-029- 032>034-041>044-053>055-061. MN...WIND CHILL ADVISORY UNTIL NOON CST TUESDAY FOR MNZ079-086>088- 094>096. IA...WIND CHILL ADVISORY UNTIL NOON CST TUESDAY FOR IAZ008>011-018- 019-029-030. && $$ SHORT TERM...HALBACH LONG TERM....HALBACH AVIATION.....RRS