Forecast Discussions mentioning any of "HRRR" "RAP" "RR" "RUC13" "RUC" received at GSD on 05/01/13


AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS TAUNTON MA
724 PM EDT TUE APR 30 2013 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE WILL REMAIN PARKED OVER NEW ENGLAND FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE WORK WEEK AND INTO THE WEEKEND. THIS WILL BRING SEASONABLY MILD DAYS...COOL NIGHTS...AND LITTLE...IF ANY... APPRECIABLE RAINFALL. A BACKDOOR COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT...BRINGING CHILLY WEATHER TO THE COAST FRI AND SAT. TEMPS WILL THEN MODERATE SOME BY EARLY NEXT WEEK...BUT NO APPRECIABLE RAINFALL IS EXPECTED. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING/... 730 PM UPDATE... CONCERNING OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURES...LOW TO MID 20 DEWPOINTS WITH THE EXPECTATION OF MOSTLY CLEAR CONDITIONS UNDER LIGHT AND VARIABLE WINDS ACROSS INTERIOR NEW ENGLAND PRESENTS FAVORABLE CONDITIONS FOR RADIATIONAL COOLING. AM EXPECTING SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES WITHIN INTERIOR VALLEYS. PATCHY FROST IS LIKELY. AS PREVIOUS FORECASTER MENTIONED...TEMPERATURES WILL FALL VERY QUICKLY AFTER SUNSET WITH THE DRY AIRMASS IN PLACE ALONG WITH LIGHT WINDS AND MAINLY CLEAR SKIES. LOWS IN THE LOW-MID 30S ACROSS THE INTERIOR...WITH UPPER 30S TO LOW 40S ALONG THE IMMEDIATE COAST AND WITHIN URBAN AREAS. GROWING SEASON ONLY APPLIES TO SOUTH-COASTAL ZONES OF RHODE ISLAND AND MASSACHUSETTS WHERE TEMPERATURES ARE FLIRTING WITH 36 DEGREES...AND IN ADDITION LOW CLOUDS AND EASTERLY ONSHORE WINDS MAY PREVENT TEMPERATURES FROM FALLING TO FROST ADVISORY CRITERIA. MAIN AREA TO WATCH CLOSELY WILL BE CENTRAL-INTERIOR BRISTOL AND PLYMOUTH COUNTIES OF MASSACHUSETTS WHERE IT GOT DOWN TO FREEZING THE PREVIOUS NIGHT. PRESENT DEWPOINTS IN THIS AREA WERE MILDER TODAY THAN YESTERDAY. AS TO CLOUDS...WATCHING THE LOW DECK OFF THE COASTLINE. HAVE FAVORED THE RAP WITH THE DECK COMING IN TOWARDS MORNING ACROSS THE CAPE AND ISLANDS. ANTICIPATING 800 FOOT CEILINGS WITH MODEST EASTERLY FLOW ACTING TO PREVENT FOG FORMATION. CAN NOT RULE OUT AT LEAST SOME REMOTE POSSIBILITY...THERE ARE HINTS OF PATCHY DENSE FOG OVER THE WATERS THAT MAY ROLL IN ONSHORE. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... WEDNESDAY... ANOTHER GEM OF A DAY WITH DEEP LAYER RIDGE IN PLACE AND ASSOCIATED SUBSIDENCE YIELDING ABUNDANT SUNSHINE. NO AIRMASS CHANGE SO EXPECTING SIMILAR TEMPS/HIGHS TOMORROW...L70S AWAY FROM THE COAST. WARM ALONG THE COAST THEN TEMPS FALLING THROUGH THE 60S AND POSSIBLY INTO THE 50S LATER IN THE DAY WITH AFTN SEABREEZES. COULD BE SOME MORNING FOG AND STRATUS ACROSS CAPE COD AND THE ISLANDS BUT THE HIGH/STRONG MAY SUNSHINE SHOULD BURN THE LOW CLOUDS OFF QUICKLY. WED NIGHT... NOT MUCH CHANGE WITH RIDGE OVER THE AREA. TEMPS FALL FAIRLY QUICKLY WITH SUNSET GIVEN DRY AIRMASS IN PLACE ALONG WITH LIGHT WINDS AND MAINLY CLEAR SKIES. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... * COLD FRONT THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY WITH SPOTTY SHOWERY WEATHER * OTHERWISE CONTINUED DRY AND MILD WITH EASTERLY ONSHORE FLOW */OVERVIEW AND MODEL CONSENSUS... BROAD OMEGA BLOCKING PATTERN RESONATES THROUGH THE ENTIRE FORECAST PERIOD LEAVING THE NORTHEASTERN CONUS UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF HIGH PRESSURE. THERE ARE SUBTLE DIFFERENCES IN THE PATTERN BY THE WEEKEND AND BEYOND BETWEEN THE ECMWF/GFS/CANADIAN THAT RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT OUTCOMES INTO NEXT WEEK. EVALUATING THE SYNOPTIC PATTERN...HAVE MORE FAVORIBILITY TOWARDS THE ECMWF AND WILL TEND THE GREATEST WEIGHT TOWARDS THAT SOLUTION. */DAY-TO-DAY DETAILS... */THURSDAY AND BEYOND... THE ONLY WEATHER APPEARS TO FOCUS ON THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY DURING WHICH TIME A SHARP SHORTWAVE DISTURBANCE ROUNDING THE BROADER LOW OVER THE CENTRAL ATLANTIC USHERS A BACK-DOOR COLD FRONT ACROSS THE REGION. COULD SEE SOME LIGHT SCATTERED SHOWER ACTIVITY ALONG THE FRONT CONSEQUENTIAL OF DEEP-LAYER FORCING OF RESIDUAL MOISTURE. MODEST 15-20 MPH NORTHEAST WINDS TO THE REAR OF THE FRONT WITH GUSTS AROUND 25 MPH LEADING TO MARINE HEADLINES OVER THE WATERS. WINDS SHOULD LIMIT SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES AND SUBSEQUENT FROST/FREEZE HEADLINES...BUT A MUCH COOLER AIRMASS WILL BUILD ACROSS THE REGION LENDING TO A CHILLY DAY ON FRIDAY. BUT AS TO THE REST OF THE FORECAST PERIOD...WILL SEE A SLIGHTLY WOBBLING ELONGATED AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE ACROSS THE NORTHEASTERN CONUS. AN EASTERLY COMPONENT OF FLOW MAINTAINS THROUGH THE ENTIRE ATMOSPHERIC COLUMN...WITH CONTINUAL ADVECTION OF COOLER AIR OFF THE OCEAN AT THE SURFACE /CHILLY ALONG THE IMMEDIATE SHORES WHILE REMAINING SEASONABLE IN THE 60S TO LOW 70S OVER THE INTERIOR/. WHILE SPECIFICITY IS DIMINISHED FURTHER IN TIME WITH THE FORECAST PERIOD...IT IS LIKELY THAT WITH EACH DAY WE MAY NEED TO CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING: - FIRE WEATHER HAZARDS ACROSS THE INTERIOR - POTENTIAL FOR LOWS NEAR SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES - LOW CLOUDS AND POTENTIAL FOR COASTAL FOG /MAINLY OVERNIGHT/ - MARINE WEATHER HEADLINES OVER THE WATERS && .AVIATION /23Z TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... FORECASTER CONFIDENCE LEVELS... LOW...LESS THAN 30 PERCENT. MODERATE...30 TO 60 PERCENT. HIGH...GREATER THAN 60 PERCENT. OVERVIEW...HIGH CONFIDENCE. VFR. ONLY MAIN CONCERN IS ACROSS THE CAPE AND ISLANDS WHERE EAST WINDS WILL BE MODEST OVERNIGHT DRAWING AN IFR STRATUS DECK AROUND 800 FT AGL OFF THE WATERS. DENSE PATCHY FOG WILL BE POSSIBLE AS WELL BUT HAVE LESSER CONFIDENCE. DECK ERODES ACROSS THE CAPE AND ISLANDS INTO LATE MORNING WEDNESDAY. REMAINDER OF FORECAST EXHIBITS LIGHT WINDS AND MOSTLY CLEAR CONDITIONS...MIDDAY TO AFTERNOON SEA-BREEZES ALONG THE SHORES. KBOS TERMINAL...HIGH CONFIDENCE IN TAF. AFTN SEABREEZE AGAIN TOMORROW. KBDL TERMINAL...HIGH CONFIDENCE IN TAF. VFR ALONG WITH LIGHT WINDS. OUTLOOK...THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY... MODERATE CONFIDENCE. WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH SOME SCT -SHRA THURSDAY NIGHT AS A COLD FRONT SWEEPS ACROSS THE TERMINALS. LIKELY BEHIND THE FRONT WE WILL SEE NORTHEAST WINDS SUSTAINED 10-15 KTS WITH GUSTS AROUND 25 KTS /ESPECIALLY CLOSER TO THE SHORES/ CONTINUING INTO FRIDAY. FOR THE WEEKEND...EASTERLY COMPONENT OF FLOW DOMINATES. THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR LOW CLOUDS TO SNEAK IN FROM THE EAST. CHANCES FOR COASTAL FOG WILL BE POSSIBLE DURING THE OVERNIGHT PERIODS. IN SUCH CASES...IFR CONDITIONS ARE PLAUSIBLE. && .MARINE... FORECASTER CONFIDENCE LEVELS... LOW...LESS THAN 30 PERCENT. MODERATE...30 TO 60 PERCENT. HIGH...GREATER THAN 60 PERCENT. HIGH CONFIDENCE THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT. FINE BOATING WEATHER WITH HIGH PRES OVER THE EASTERN SEABOARD. LIGHT WINDS AND 3 FT/13 SECOND EAST-SOUTHEAST SWELL ERODES WITH TIME. ONLY WRINKLE TO THE FORECAST WILL BE POSSIBLE LOW CLOUDS/STRATUS AND LOWER VSBY LATE TONIGHT AND EARLY WED MORNING ACROSS THE WATERS OF NANTUCKET AND CAPE COD. THIS SHOULD BURN OFF BY MIDDAY YIELDING BETTER VSBY. OTHERWISE QUIET WEATHER PREVAILS. OUTLOOK...THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY... MODERATE CONFIDENCE. WILL LIKELY HAVE TO HOIST SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY HEADLINES FOR THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY AS A COLD FRONT OUT OF THE NORTH SWEEPS ACROSS THE WATERS BEHIND WHICH WINDS WILL BE SUSTAINED AROUND 10-15 KTS WITH GUSTS AROUND 25 KTS. WILL SEE SEAS BUILD 5-6 FEET OVER THE OUTER WATERS. WINDS WILL RELAX OVER THE WEEKEND WITH A CONTINUED EASTERLY COMPONENT...WITH WAVES SUBSIDING SLIGHTLY LONGER. MAY NEED TO PROLONG SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY HEADLINES FOR SEAS...OTHERWISE BOATING CONDITIONS SHOULD IMPROVE. && .FIRE WEATHER... NO MAJOR CHANGES TO THE FIRE WEATHER FORECAST THROUGH THE WEEK. OTHER THAN A BRIEF ISOLATED SHOWER THU EVENING DRY WEATHER CONTINUES UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. HOWEVER WINDS WILL REMAIN LIGHT TOMORROW AND THU...THEN PICK UP THU NGT INTO FRI BEHIND BACK DOOR FRONT. HOWEVER WITH THE WIND SHIFT TO THE NORTHEAST RH VALUES WILL INCREASE TO AROUND 50 PERCENT FRI. SO WHILE WINDS PICKUP THU NGT INTO FRI...INCREASING RH VALUES INCREASE AS WELL. THE EXTENDED PERIOD OF DRY WEATHER WILL CONTINUE INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. MINIMUM AFTERNOON RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL CONTINUE TO DROP INTO THE 20 TO 40 PERCENT RANGE INLAND FROM THE COAST FOR MUCH OF THE WEEK. WINDS WILL GENERALLY REMAIN BELOW FIRE WEATHER HEADLINE CRITERIA GIVEN UPPER LEVEL RIDGING. && .BOX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CT...NONE. MA...NONE. NH...NONE. RI...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...NOCERA/SIPPRELL NEAR TERM...NOCERA/SIPPRELL SHORT TERM...NOCERA LONG TERM...SIPPRELL AVIATION...NOCERA/SIPPRELL MARINE...NOCERA/SIPPRELL FIRE WEATHER...NOCERA
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS NEW YORK NY
527 AM EDT MON APR 29 2013 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE WILL REMAIN ANCHORED FROM THE CANADIAN MARITIMES THROUGH THE NEW ENGLAND COAST THROUGH THE WEEKEND...WHILE WEAK LOW PRESSURE PASSES TO THE SOUTH ACROSS THE MID ATLANTIC STATES TODAY AND TUESDAY. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... RAIN ASSOCIATED WITH WEAKENING MID LEVEL SHORTWAVE HAS MOVED INTO WESTERN ZONES...AND IS MAKING SLOW PROGRESS EASTWARD DUE TO DOWNSTREAM RIDGING AND SUBSIDENCE. DECREASE POPS TO CHC ACROSS INTERIOR LOWER HUDSON VALLEY LOCATIONS AS LATEST RADAR TRENDS AND MODEL GUIDANCE INDICATE THAT IT SHOULD BE MORE SCATTERED IN NATURE FROM HERE ON OUT. SFC HIGH OFF THE NEW ENGLAND COAST IS EXPECTED TO LIFT A BIT TO THE NORTH TODAY WHICH WILL ALLOW THE RAIN TO GRADUALLY SPREAD EASTWARD. TOUGH PART OF THE FORECAST IS HOW FAR THE PCPN GETS AND WHEN THE DRIER AIR ASSOCIATED WITH THE HIGH BUILDS BACK IN SHUNTING IT TO THE S AND W. GFS IS AGGRESSIVE BRINGING THE DRY AIR BACK BY AFTN AND KEEPING ALL PCPN S AND W OF THE FORECAST AREA THROUGH TUE. MOST OF THE OTHER MODEL GUIDANCE HOLDS ON TO IT THROUGH AT LEAST THIS EVE. MOST OF THE GUIDANCE WAS TOO SLOW BRINGING THE PCPN INTO NE NJ AND THE LOWER HUDSON VALLEY INCLUDING THE WRFNMM/WRFARW AND RUC. THE HRRR HAS BEEN HANDLING THE SITUATION WELL AND KEEPS PCPN THROUGH THE DAY...ALTHOUGH IT MAY BE BRINGING IT TOO FAR E (LI FORKS). ALL THAT SAID...HAVE HIGHEST POPS THIS MORNING AND IN THE WESTERN THIRD OF THE CWA. WISH THERE WAS MORE CONSISTENCY WITH THE POPS THIS AFTN AND EVE...BUT HAVE LOW CONFIDENCE IN TIMING...DURATION AND LOCATION OF PCPN DURING THIS TIME. HIGHS WILL LIKELY BE A FEW DEGREES WARMER IN EASTERN ZONES WITH THE EXPECTATION THAT RAIN DOESN`T MAKE IT THAT FAR EAST. HAVE FORECASTED LOWER 60S ACROSS THE WESTERN HALF OF THE AREA AND MID TO UPPER 60S EAST...BUT AGAIN WILL ULTIMATELY DEPEND ON WHERE THE PRECIP COMES TO A HALT. LOWS TONIGHT ALSO FOLLOW THE AFOREMENTIONED IDEA WITH COOLER TEMPS EAST WITH CLEARING OCCURRING THERE FIRST AND A FEW DEGREES WARMER WEST WITH MORE CLOUD COVER. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY/... KEPT A FEW HOURS OF SCHC POPS ACROSS W ZONES TUE MORNING FOR ANY STRAY AREAS OF RAIN THAT MAY REMAIN. OTHERWISE...RIDGING BUILDS BACK TO THE W WITH DRY WEATHER AND CLEARING SKIES. WESTERN AREAS MAY NOT SEE A WHOLE LOT OF SUNSHINE DURING THE DAY WITH THE DISTURBANCE TO THE SW...HOWEVER STILL EXPECT SLIGHTLY WARMER MAX TEMPS THAN ON MONDAY. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/... CONDITIONS CONTINUE TO LOOK MOSTLY DRY AND QUIET WEDNESDAY THROUGH THE COMING WEEKEND WITH SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE SITTING OVER THE NORTHEAST AND UPPER LEVEL RIDGING BUILDING ALOFT. AS THE RIDGE BUILDS TUES NIGHT INTO WED...A WEAK SHORTWAVE WITH THE ASSOCIATED VORT MAX LOOKS TO PASS OVER THE FAR WESTERN REGIONS OF THE CWA. THIS COULD TRIGGER VERY LIGHT PCPN OVER PORTIONS OF NJ THROUGH THE NIGHT TUES...THOUGH WITH BUFKIT SOUNDINGS INDICATING A FAIRLY DRY VERTICAL PROFILE...PSBL THAT NO PCPN ACTUALLY OCCURS. WILL KEEP ONLY LOW END SLIGHT CHC POPS. THE RIDGE BUILDS AND TAKES HOLD OF THE REGION BY THURS. SOME MODEL DIFFERENCES ON THE EXTENT OF THE RIDGE AND PLACEMENT...WITH THE 00Z NAM AND ECMWF BOTH KEEPING THE RIDGE SLIGHTLY FARTHER WEST...AND THUS ALLOWING MULTIPLE SHORTWAVES TO PASS WITHIN THE VICINITY OF THE AREA. HOWEVER...WITH LOW CONFIDENCE OF THE SETUP...WILL CONTINUE A DRY FORECAST THROUGH THE WEEKEND. THE NEXT CONCERN WILL BE A DEVELOPING CLOSED LOW ALOFT...WITH THE MODELS NOW SEEMING TO TREND TO A SLIGHTLY SLOWER SOLUTION...KEEPING IT OVER THE CENTRAL US THROUGH THE WEEKEND. DID BRING IN SLIGHT CHC POPS AGAIN FOR THE END OF THE FORECAST...THE BEGINNING OF NEXT WEEK...TO ACCOUNT FOR THE RIDGING PUSHING OFF TO THE EAST...AND MULTIPLE MORE SHORTWAVES PASSING THROUGH THE REGION. LITTLE TEMPERATURE VARIATIONS THROUGH THE PERIOD...WITH HIGHS GENERALLY IN THE 60S TO LOWER 70S...AND OVERNIGHT LOWS IN THE 40S. ONSHORE FLOW WILL KEEP COASTAL REGIONS COOLER...WITH THE HIGHER TEMPS OVER INTERIOR NY...AND CT. USED A BLEND OF WPC/MOS FOR TEMPS AND DEW PTS. && .AVIATION /10Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE WILL REMAIN ANCHORED FROM THE CANADIAN MARITIMES THROUGH THE GULF OF MAINE OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. PERIODS OF LIGHT RAIN WILL IMPACT WRN TERMINALS TODAY. THIS ACTIVITY HOWEVER LOOKS TO REMAIN VFR. THERE IS A LOW POTENTIAL FOR A FEW POCKETS OF MVFR THIS AFTN. ONE OF THE MODELS DOES PROG MORE RAIN AND MVFR/IFR POTENTIAL FOR TNGT. THIS IS THE RESULT OF CONVECTIVE ENHANCEMENT OF SHRA S OF OUR AREA TODAY. ALTHOUGH THIS SCENARIO IS A LOW PROBABILITY...THERE IS A SMALL CHC THAT SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE TAFS ARE POSSIBLE FOR TNGT. S FLOW WILL BACK TO THE SE BY 14Z. THE SE FLOW WILL THEN REMAIN IN PLACE THRU MOST OF TNGT. WIND SPEEDS INCREASE TO 10-15KT BY 18Z...THEN DECREASE AGAIN AFT 00Z. NY METRO ENHANCED AVIATION WEATHER SUPPORT... DETAILED INFORMATION...INCLUDING HOURLY TAF WIND COMPONENT FCSTS CAN BE FOUND AT: HTTP:/WWW.ERH.NOAA.GOV/ZNY/N90 (LOWER CASE) KEWR FCSTER COMMENTS: NO UNSCHEDULED AMENDMENTS EXPECTED. THE AFTERNOON KEWR HAZE POTENTIAL FORECAST IS GREEN...WHICH IMPLIES SLANT RANGE VISIBILITY 7SM OR GREATER OUTSIDE OF CLOUD. KJFK FCSTER COMMENTS: NO UNSCHEDULED AMENDMENTS EXPECTED. KLGA FCSTER COMMENTS: NO UNSCHEDULED AMENDMENTS EXPECTED. KTEB FCSTER COMMENTS: NO UNSCHEDULED AMENDMENTS EXPECTED. KHPN FCSTER COMMENTS: NO UNSCHEDULED AMENDMENTS EXPECTED. KISP FCSTER COMMENTS: NO UNSCHEDULED AMENDMENTS EXPECTED. .OUTLOOK FOR 06Z TUE THROUGH FRI... .MON NGT...MAINLY VFR. MVFR OR LOWER POSSIBLE IS RAIN IS MORE EXTENSIVE THAT EXPECTED ATTM. .TUE-FRI...MAINLY VFR. MVFR OR LOWER CONDS POSSIBLE EACH NIGHT AND MORNING. && .MARINE... SUB-ADVSY CONDS ARE EXPECTED ON THE WATERS THROUGH TUE WITH SELY WINDS BACKING TO THE E AS RETREATING HIGH PRES BUILDS BACK DOWN FROM THE NE TONIGHT AND TUE. WINDS INCREASE A BIT TONIGHT WITH A TIGHTENING PRES GRADIENT AND GUSTS MAY APPROACH SCA LEVELS TONIGHT IF THERE IS SOME MIXING...BUT WOULD ONLY EXPECT OCNL GUSTS UP TO 25 KT AT BEST. ELY SWELL ALSO CONTINUES AND ALTHOUGH WINDS WILL BE RELATIVELY LIGHT...EXPECT THE COMBINATION OF WIND WAVES AND SWELL TO INCREASE SEAS TO AROUND 4 FT ON THE OCEAN WATERS TUE MORNING. GENERALLY SUB-SCA CONDITIONS ON ALL WATERS MID WEEK THROUGH THE BEGINNING OF NEXT WEEK. A PERSISTENT EASTERLY FLOW COULD BUILD THE OCEAN SEAS UP TO 5 FT FOR A PERIOD WED NIGHT INTO THURS. SEAS COULD REACH 5 FT AGAIN OVER THE COMING WEEKEND WITH INCREASED NELY FLOW FROM THE INTERACTION BETWEEN THE SITTING HIGH...AND LOW PRESSURE TO THE SOUTH. && .HYDROLOGY... A THIRD OF AN INCH OF RAINFALL IS POSSIBLE ON AVERAGE ACROSS NYC AND POINTS WEST MON/MON NIGHT...WITH LESSER AMOUNTS TO THE EAST. NO SIGNIFICANT PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. && .EQUIPMENT... RIVERHEAD NY NOAA ALL HAZARDS RADIO TRANSMITTER IS OUT OF SERVICE. RETURN TO SERVICE TIME UNKNOWN ATTM. && .OKX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CT...NONE. NY...NONE. NJ...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS ALBANY NY
130 AM EDT MON APR 29 2013 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE HAS RETREATED TO THE EAST. AN BAND OF SHOWERS WAS ATTEMPTING TO MOVE INTO AREAS WEST OF THE HUDSON. SCATTERED SHOWERS WILL WORK INTO MOST AREAS ON MONDAY. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM THIS MORNING/... AS OF 1230 PM EDT...WENT AHEAD AND RAISED OVERNIGHT LOW TEMPERATURES A FULL CATEGORY (3 DEGREES) ACROSS THE BOARD. CLOUDS WERE IN TO STAY...AND MOST AREAS NOW HAD A BREEZE 5 TO 10 MPH FROM THE SOUTH...AND IN SOME CASES GUSTING TO OVER 20 MPH. THESE TWO FACTORS (CLOUDS AND BREEZE) WILL KEEP TEMPERATURES FROM FALLING A WHOLE LOT MORE OVERNIGHT. WATCHING A BAND OF SHOWERS NEAR I-81 BUT AS THEY MOVE INTO DRY AIR HAVE HAD A HARD TIME MOVING EAST. THE EXPERIMENTAL HRRR EARLIER INDICATED SHOWERS WOULD MOVE INTO THE CAPITAL DISTRICT BY SUNRISE. HOWEVER...THE LATEST VERSION HAS BACKED OFF THIS ARRIVAL TIME UNTIL AFTER SUNRISE...WHICH GENERALLY AGREED WITH THE 00Z AND INCOMING 00Z GFS. FOR NOW...MADE NO CHANGES IN THE POP FIELDS. SO FOR THE REST OF OVERNIGHT...IT WILL STAY RELATIVELY MILD WITH LOWS AROUND 50 IN THE GREATER CAPITAL DISTRICT....MID OR UPPER 40S MOST OTHER PLACES. THE SOUTH BREEZE WILL CONTINUE AND LIGHT SCATTERED SHOWERS WILL SLOWLY WORK TO THE WEST OF THE HUDSON BRINGING UNDER A TENTH OF AN INCH OF RAINFALL. IT SHOULD REMAIN DRY FROM THE HUDSON VALLEY ON EASTWARD ALTHOUGH CLOUDS WILL THICKEN. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM THIS MORNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... SOME QUITE NOTICEABLE DISCREPANCIES IN SOURCES OF GUIDANCE THROUGH THE PERIOD...ESPECIALLY IN THE TOMORROW NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY TIME FRAME. UNTIL THEN...THE WEAKENING UPPER DISTURBANCE IS EXPECTED TO WASH OUT...WITH THE EASTERN EXTENT OF THE AREA OF SHOWERS A BIT IN QUESTION. THE BATTLE BETWEEN THE RIDGING OFF CANADA AND THE ADVANCING MOISTURE IN THE WEAKENING UPPER DISTURBANCE SHOULD SUPPORT SOME AREA OF SCATTERED SHOWERS ALONG AND WEST OF THE HUDSON VALLEY...WITH ONLY ISOLATED ACTIVITY EAST OF THE HUDSON VALLEY INTO WESTERN NEW ENGLAND. SOME PARTS OF WESTERN NEW ENGLAND MAY NOT SEE ANY RAIN THROUGH WEDNESDAY DEPENDING ON HOW THE WEAKENING UPPER DISTURBANCE EVOLVES. SO...ON MONDAY...CLOUDS THICKEN...AND SCATTERED SHOWERS GRADUALLY BUILD EAST. LIGHT SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST WINDS SHOULD NOT HELP MIXING MUCH. SO HIGHS MAINLY IN THE 60S. SCATTERED SHOWERS CONTINUE TO GRADUALLY SPREAD EAST MONDAY NIGHT...BUT HOW FAR EAST IS THE QUESTION. EVEN AREAS THAT DO NOT SEE SHOWERS SHOULD SEE A MOSTLY CLOUDY TO CLOUDY SKY. LOWS SHOULD BE IN THE MID TO UPPER 40S...SOME LOWER 40S SOUTHERN ADIRONDACKS. TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY IS PERIOD OF VERY LOW CONFIDENCE. ONE SET OF GUIDANCE HAS HIGH PRESSURE STRENGTHENING OVER SOUTHEASTERN CANADA AND EASTERN NEW ENGLAND...PUSHING CLEARING AND DRYING WEST INTO OUR REGION. OTHER SETS OF GUIDANCE HAVE LINGERING CLOUDS AND A SLOWER MORE GRADUAL STRENGTHENING OF THE HIGH PRESSURE TO THE EAST AND MORE GRADUAL BUILDING WEST OF THE DRYER AIRMASS. THE CURRENT CLOUD AND MOISTURE FIELD ASSOCIATED WITH THE SYSTEM IS QUITE EXTENSIVE...SO IT WOULD SEEM THAT IT WOULD TAKE QUITE A BIT OF TIME FOR THE ATMOSPHERE TO MIX OUT ALL THAT MOISTURE AS THE UPPER DISTURBANCE WEAKENS...EVEN WE EXPERIENCE LESS RAIN AND MOSTLY MID AND HIGH LEVEL CLOUDINESS. AT THIS TIME...SIDING WITH THE LINGERING MOISTURE AND CLOUDS AND THE SLOWER DEVELOPMENT OF THE RIDGING...WHICH WOULD LIMIT THE SUNSHINE TO SOME DEGREE...AND RESULT IN TEMPERATURES ON THE COOLER SIDE OF GUIDANCE TUESDAY AND LOW TEMPERATURES ON THE WARMER SIDE OF GUIDANCE TUESDAY NIGHT. COOLER BOUNDARY LAYER TEMPERATURES ARE FORECASTED BUILD WEST AS THE RIDGING STRENGTHENS TO THE EAST...SO EVEN IF WE END UP HAVING MORE CLEARING IN EASTERN NY AND WESTERN NEW ENGLAND...THE WARMING COULD BE LIMITED DUE TO THE COOLER BOUNDARY LAYER TEMPERATURES. ALSO...WITH SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST LOW LEVEL FLOW...THERE COULD BE SOME LINGERING MARINE LAYER TYPE CLOUDS...BUT AGAIN...TOO FAR OUT TO HAVE HIGH CONFIDENCE. ALL GUIDANCE SUGGESTS THERE SHOULD BE DECREASING COVERAGE OF SHOWERS LATER MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT...ALSO GETTING CONFINED MORE WESTWARD WITH TIME AS THE UPPER RIDGING DOES BUILD WEST FROM NEW ENGLAND AND CANADA. HIGHS TUESDAY IN THE 60S WITH LOWS TUESDAY NIGHT IN THE 40S...SOME 30S IN THE SOUTHERN ADIRONDACKS...AND PARTS OF THE SOUTHERN GREEN MOUNTAINS AND BERKSHIRES. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE WILL REMAIN IN CONTROL THROUGH MOST OF THIS PERIOD. THIS SHOULD KEEP OUR REGION GENERALLY FAIR...WITH JUST SOME OCCASIONAL CLOUDINESS...ESP ACROSS SOUTHERN AREAS WHERE SOME PERIODIC MARINE INFLUENCE/MOISTURE MAY REACH. TEMPERATURES SHOULD REMAIN ABOVE SEASONAL LEVELS...WITH MAX TEMPS REACHING 70-75 IN VALLEY AREAS...WARMEST ACROSS THE WESTERN MOHAWK VALLEY AND UPPER HUDSON VALLEY WHICH WILL HAVE THE LEAST OF ANY POTENTIAL MARINE INFLUENCE AND COOLING...AND GENERALLY 65-70 ACROSS HIGHER ELEVATIONS. OVERNIGHT MINS SHOULD FALL INTO THE LOWER 40S WITHIN MOST VALLEY LOCALES...AND 30S ACROSS HIGHER ELEVATIONS. THERE IS SOME POSSIBILITY OF A WEAK BACKDOOR COLD FRONT TO SETTLING SOUTH/WEST ACROSS THE REGION DURING FRIDAY...WHICH THE 12Z/28 ECMWF HINTS AT BEST. THIS COULD CREATE A BIT MORE CLOUDINESS AT SOME POINT ON FRIDAY...AND PERHAPS AN ISOLATED SHOWER OR TWO. HOWEVER...AT THIS TIME RANGE...IT APPEARS TO BE A LOW ENOUGH PROBABILITY TO KEEP OUT ANY MENTION IN ONGOING FORECAST. && .AVIATION /06Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE WILL SETTLE ALONG THE NEW ENGLAND COAST TONIGHT INTO MONDAY...AS A WEAKENING UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE APPROACHES FROM THE OHIO VALLEY AND MID ATLANTIC REGION. THIS WILL RESULT IN GRADUALLY INCREASING CLOUDS WITH LOWERING CIGS THROUGH THE PERIOD ENDING AT 06Z TUESDAY. DESPITE THE APPROACH OF THE UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE... EXPECT MAINLY VFR CONDITIONS AT THE KGFL/KALB/KPOU/KPSF TAF SITES THROUGH 06Z TUESDAY AS MODELS INDICATE LITTLE IF ANY PCPN WILL REACH THE TAF SITES. WHERE THE THREAT OF ISOALTED TO SCT SHOWERS EXIST... HAVE INCLUDED VCSH IN THE FORECAST. WINDS WILL BE SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST AT 10 KT OR LESS THORUGH A FEW HOURS AFTER SUNRISE AT KGFL/KALB...BUT THERE COULD STILL BE A FEW GUSTS UP TO AROUND 15 KTS. AT KPSF/KPOU EXPECT LIGHT WINDS DURING THIS PERIOD. LATER MONDAY MORNING THE SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST WINDS WILL INCREASE AGAIN TO 8 TO 12 KTS WITH SOME GUSTS TO 15 TO 18 KTS... ESPECIALLY AT KALB. AFTER SUNSET WITH WINDS WILL BECOME LIGHT ONCE AGAIN...EXCEPT REMAIN SOUTH AT AROUND 10 KTS AT KALB. OUTLOOK... LATE MON NT...MAINLY VFR. CHC -SHRA AND ASSOC MVFR. TUE-TUE NT...MAINLY VFR. SLIGHT CHC -SHRA AND POSS STRATUS WITH MVFR. WED-FRI...VFR. NO SIG WX. && .FIRE WEATHER... SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE WILL DOMINATE THE WEATHER ACROSS THE NORTHEAST UNTIL IT MOVES EAST OFF NEW ENGLAND TOMORROW. THE NEXT THREAT OF RAIN IS LATE TOMORROW INTO TUESDAY AS A WEAK UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE TRACKS THROUGH THE REGION. RH VALUES WILL INCREASE TO THE 75 TO 100 PERCENT RANGE TONIGHT...THEN DROP TO DROP TO MAINLY THE 35 TO 45 PERCENT RANGE TOMORROW AFTERNOON. RH VALUES WILL INCREASE TO THE 75 TO 100 PERCENT RANGE TOMORROW NIGHT...THEN DROP TO DROP TO MAINLY THE 35 TO 45 PERCENT RANGE TUESDAY. WINDS SHOULD BE SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST AT LESS THAN 15 MPH TONIGHT...THEN INCREASE TO AROUND 15 MPH TOMORROW...DROPPING BELOW 15 MPH AGAIN TOMORROW NIGHT...AND AROUND 15 MPH TUESDAY. SHOWERS SHOULD ONLY BE SCATTERED TOMORROW THROUGH TUESDAY...WITH THE BEST COVERAGE WEST OF THE HUDSON VALLEY. RAINFALL AMOUNTS SHOULD BE LESS THAN A QUARTER INCH THROUGH THE PERIOD. && .HYDROLOGY... NO HYDRO PROBLEMS ARE EXPECTED IN THE ALY HYDRO SERVICE AREA THE NEXT 5 DAYS. RAINFALL WITH THE NEXT SYSTEM LATE TOMORROW INTO TUESDAY...LOOKS TO BE A QUARTER INCH OR LESS WHICH WOULD RESULT IN NO SIGNIFICANT RISES ON ANY WATERSHEDS. DRY WEATHER LOOKS TO RETURN LATER TUESDAY INTO MUCH OF THE REMAINDER OF WEEK. THE SPOTTY SNOWPACK IN THE SOUTHERN ADIRONDACKS AND SOUTHERN GREENS IS NOT EXPECTED TO CAUSE ANY HYDRO CONCERNS. OVERALL...FLOWS WILL CONTINUE TO LOWER IN THE PREDOMINANTLY DRY REGIME THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. FOR DETAILS ON SPECIFIC AREA RIVERS AND LAKES...INCLUDING OBSERVED AND FORECAST RIVER STAGES AND LAKE ELEVATIONS...PLEASE VISIT THE ADVANCED HYDROLOGIC PREDICTION SERVICE /AHPS/ GRAPHS ON OUR WEBSITE. && .ALY WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CT...NONE. NY...NONE. MA...NONE. VT...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...HWJIV NEAR TERM...HWJIV/KL SHORT TERM...NAS LONG TERM...KL AVIATION...GJM FIRE WEATHER...NAS HYDROLOGY...NAS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS ALBANY NY
1230 AM EDT MON APR 29 2013 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE HAS RETREATED TO THE EAST. AN BAND OF SHOWERS WAS ATTEMPTING TO MOVE INTO AREAS WEST OF THE HUDSON. SCATTERED SHOWERS WILL WORK INTO MOST AREAS ON MONDAY. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM THIS MORNING/... AS OF 1230 PM EDT...WENT AHEAD AND RAISED OVERNIGHT LOW TEMPERATURES A FULL CATEGORY (3 DEGREES) ACROSS THE BOARD. CLOUDS WERE IN TO STAY...AND MOST AREAS NOW HAD A BREEZE 5 TO 10 MPH FROM THE SOUTH...AND IN SOME CASES GUSTING TO OVER 20 MPH. THESE TWO FACTORS (CLOUDS AND BREEZE) WILL KEEP TEMPERATURES FROM FALLING A WHOLE LOT MORE OVERNIGHT. WATCHING A BAND OF SHOWERS NEAR I-81 BUT AS THEY MOVE INTO DRY AIR HAVE HAD A HARD TIME MOVING EAST. THE EXPERIMENTAL HRRR EARLIER INDICATED SHOWERS WOULD MOVE INTO THE CAPITAL DISTRICT BY SUNRISE. HOWEVER...THE LATEST VERSION HAS BACKED OFF THIS ARRIVAL TIME UNTIL AFTER SUNRISE...WHICH GENERALLY AGREED WITH THE 00Z AND INCOMING 00Z GFS. FOR NOW...MADE NO CHANGES IN THE POP FIELDS. SO FOR THE REST OF OVERNIGHT...IT WILL STAY RELATIVELY MILD WITH LOWS AROUND 50 IN THE GREATER CAPITAL DISTRICT....MID OR UPPER 40S MOST OTHER PLACES. THE SOUTH BREEZE WILL CONTINUE AND LIGHT SCATTERED SHOWERS WILL SLOWLY WORK TO THE WEST OF THE HUDSON BRINGING UNDER A TENTH OF AN INCH OF RAINFALL. IT SHOULD REMAIN DRY FROM THE HUDSON VALLEY ON EASTWARD ALTHOUGH CLOUDS WILL THICKEN. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM THIS MORNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... SOME QUITE NOTICEABLE DISCREPANCIES IN SOURCES OF GUIDANCE THROUGH THE PERIOD...ESPECIALLY IN THE TOMORROW NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY TIME FRAME. UNTIL THEN...THE WEAKENING UPPER DISTURBANCE IS EXPECTED TO WASH OUT...WITH THE EASTERN EXTENT OF THE AREA OF SHOWERS A BIT IN QUESTION. THE BATTLE BETWEEN THE RIDGING OFF CANADA AND THE ADVANCING MOISTURE IN THE WEAKENING UPPER DISTURBANCE SHOULD SUPPORT SOME AREA OF SCATTERED SHOWERS ALONG AND WEST OF THE HUDSON VALLEY...WITH ONLY ISOLATED ACTIVITY EAST OF THE HUDSON VALLEY INTO WESTERN NEW ENGLAND. SOME PARTS OF WESTERN NEW ENGLAND MAY NOT SEE ANY RAIN THROUGH WEDNESDAY DEPENDING ON HOW THE WEAKENING UPPER DISTURBANCE EVOLVES. SO...ON MONDAY...CLOUDS THICKEN...AND SCATTERED SHOWERS GRADUALLY BUILD EAST. LIGHT SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST WINDS SHOULD NOT HELP MIXING MUCH. SO HIGHS MAINLY IN THE 60S. SCATTERED SHOWERS CONTINUE TO GRADUALLY SPREAD EAST MONDAY NIGHT...BUT HOW FAR EAST IS THE QUESTION. EVEN AREAS THAT DO NOT SEE SHOWERS SHOULD SEE A MOSTLY CLOUDY TO CLOUDY SKY. LOWS SHOULD BE IN THE MID TO UPPER 40S...SOME LOWER 40S SOUTHERN ADIRONDACKS. TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY IS PERIOD OF VERY LOW CONFIDENCE. ONE SET OF GUIDANCE HAS HIGH PRESSURE STRENGTHENING OVER SOUTHEASTERN CANADA AND EASTERN NEW ENGLAND...PUSHING CLEARING AND DRYING WEST INTO OUR REGION. OTHER SETS OF GUIDANCE HAVE LINGERING CLOUDS AND A SLOWER MORE GRADUAL STRENGTHENING OF THE HIGH PRESSURE TO THE EAST AND MORE GRADUAL BUILDING WEST OF THE DRYER AIRMASS. THE CURRENT CLOUD AND MOISTURE FIELD ASSOCIATED WITH THE SYSTEM IS QUITE EXTENSIVE...SO IT WOULD SEEM THAT IT WOULD TAKE QUITE A BIT OF TIME FOR THE ATMOSPHERE TO MIX OUT ALL THAT MOISTURE AS THE UPPER DISTURBANCE WEAKENS...EVEN WE EXPERIENCE LESS RAIN AND MOSTLY MID AND HIGH LEVEL CLOUDINESS. AT THIS TIME...SIDING WITH THE LINGERING MOISTURE AND CLOUDS AND THE SLOWER DEVELOPMENT OF THE RIDGING...WHICH WOULD LIMIT THE SUNSHINE TO SOME DEGREE...AND RESULT IN TEMPERATURES ON THE COOLER SIDE OF GUIDANCE TUESDAY AND LOW TEMPERATURES ON THE WARMER SIDE OF GUIDANCE TUESDAY NIGHT. COOLER BOUNDARY LAYER TEMPERATURES ARE FORECASTED BUILD WEST AS THE RIDGING STRENGTHENS TO THE EAST...SO EVEN IF WE END UP HAVING MORE CLEARING IN EASTERN NY AND WESTERN NEW ENGLAND...THE WARMING COULD BE LIMITED DUE TO THE COOLER BOUNDARY LAYER TEMPERATURES. ALSO...WITH SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST LOW LEVEL FLOW...THERE COULD BE SOME LINGERING MARINE LAYER TYPE CLOUDS...BUT AGAIN...TOO FAR OUT TO HAVE HIGH CONFIDENCE. ALL GUIDANCE SUGGESTS THERE SHOULD BE DECREASING COVERAGE OF SHOWERS LATER MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT...ALSO GETTING CONFINED MORE WESTWARD WITH TIME AS THE UPPER RIDGING DOES BUILD WEST FROM NEW ENGLAND AND CANADA. HIGHS TUESDAY IN THE 60S WITH LOWS TUESDAY NIGHT IN THE 40S...SOME 30S IN THE SOUTHERN ADIRONDACKS...AND PARTS OF THE SOUTHERN GREEN MOUNTAINS AND BERKSHIRES. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE WILL REMAIN IN CONTROL THROUGH MOST OF THIS PERIOD. THIS SHOULD KEEP OUR REGION GENERALLY FAIR...WITH JUST SOME OCCASIONAL CLOUDINESS...ESP ACROSS SOUTHERN AREAS WHERE SOME PERIODIC MARINE INFLUENCE/MOISTURE MAY REACH. TEMPERATURES SHOULD REMAIN ABOVE SEASONAL LEVELS...WITH MAX TEMPS REACHING 70-75 IN VALLEY AREAS...WARMEST ACROSS THE WESTERN MOHAWK VALLEY AND UPPER HUDSON VALLEY WHICH WILL HAVE THE LEAST OF ANY POTENTIAL MARINE INFLUENCE AND COOLING...AND GENERALLY 65-70 ACROSS HIGHER ELEVATIONS. OVERNIGHT MINS SHOULD FALL INTO THE LOWER 40S WITHIN MOST VALLEY LOCALES...AND 30S ACROSS HIGHER ELEVATIONS. THERE IS SOME POSSIBILITY OF A WEAK BACKDOOR COLD FRONT TO SETTLING SOUTH/WEST ACROSS THE REGION DURING FRIDAY...WHICH THE 12Z/28 ECMWF HINTS AT BEST. THIS COULD CREATE A BIT MORE CLOUDINESS AT SOME POINT ON FRIDAY...AND PERHAPS AN ISOLATED SHOWER OR TWO. HOWEVER...AT THIS TIME RANGE...IT APPEARS TO BE A LOW ENOUGH PROBABILITY TO KEEP OUT ANY MENTION IN ONGOING FORECAST. && .AVIATION /06Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE WILL SETTLE ALONG THE NEW ENGLAND COAST TONIGHT INTO MONDAY...AS A WEAKENING UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE APPROACHES FROM THE OHIO VALLEY AND MID ATLANTIC REGION. THIS WILL RESULT IN GRADUALLY INCREASING CLOUDS WITH LOWERING CIGS THROUGH THE PERIOD STARTING THIS EVENING. STILL...CIGS EXPECTED TO REMAIN IN VFR RANGE THROUGH MOST OF THE 24 HOUR PERIOD ENDING 00Z TUESDAY. WILL INTRODUCE VCSH AT KPOU AND KALB BETWEEN 08Z-11Z MONDAY ASSOCIATED WITH THE DISTURBANCE MOVING THROUGH...AND 12Z-14Z AT KGFL AND KPSF...AS ISOLATED TO SCATTERED...LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS DEVELOP...AND MAY PERSIST THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON. WINDS WILL BE SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST AT 5-10 KT TONIGHT...AND 8-12 KT BY MONDAY AFTERNOON. SOME SLIGHTLY STRONGER WINDS WILL BE POSSIBLE AT KALB DUE TO ENHANCED CHANNELED FLOW WITHIN THE HUDSON RIVER VALLEY...WITH SOME GUSTS POSSIBLY REACHING AROUND OR OVER 20 KT AT TIMES TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON. OUTLOOK... MON NT...MAINLY VFR. CHC -SHRA AND ASSOC MVFR. TUE-TUE NT...MAINLY VFR. SLIGHT CHC -SHRA AND POSS STRATUS WITH MVFR. WED-FRI...VFR. NO SIG WX. && .FIRE WEATHER... SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE WILL DOMINATE THE WEATHER ACROSS THE NORTHEAST UNTIL IT MOVES EAST OFF NEW ENGLAND TOMORROW. THE NEXT THREAT OF RAIN IS LATE TOMORROW INTO TUESDAY AS A WEAK UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE TRACKS THROUGH THE REGION. RH VALUES WILL INCREASE TO THE 75 TO 100 PERCENT RANGE TONIGHT...THEN DROP TO DROP TO MAINLY THE 35 TO 45 PERCENT RANGE TOMORROW AFTERNOON. RH VALUES WILL INCREASE TO THE 75 TO 100 PERCENT RANGE TOMORROW NIGHT...THEN DROP TO DROP TO MAINLY THE 35 TO 45 PERCENT RANGE TUESDAY. WINDS SHOULD BE SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST AT LESS THAN 15 MPH TONIGHT...THEN INCREASE TO AROUND 15 MPH TOMORROW...DROPPING BELOW 15 MPH AGAIN TOMORROW NIGHT...AND AROUND 15 MPH TUESDAY. SHOWERS SHOULD ONLY BE SCATTERED TOMORROW THROUGH TUESDAY...WITH THE BEST COVERAGE WEST OF THE HUDSON VALLEY. RAINFALL AMOUNTS SHOULD BE LESS THAN A QUARTER INCH THROUGH THE PERIOD. && .HYDROLOGY... NO HYDRO PROBLEMS ARE EXPECTED IN THE ALY HYDRO SERVICE AREA THE NEXT 5 DAYS. RAINFALL WITH THE NEXT SYSTEM LATE TOMORROW INTO TUESDAY...LOOKS TO BE A QUARTER INCH OR LESS WHICH WOULD RESULT IN NO SIGNIFICANT RISES ON ANY WATERSHEDS. DRY WEATHER LOOKS TO RETURN LATER TUESDAY INTO MUCH OF THE REMAINDER OF WEEK. THE SPOTTY SNOWPACK IN THE SOUTHERN ADIRONDACKS AND SOUTHERN GREENS IS NOT EXPECTED TO CAUSE ANY HYDRO CONCERNS. OVERALL...FLOWS WILL CONTINUE TO LOWER IN THE PREDOMINANTLY DRY REGIME THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. FOR DETAILS ON SPECIFIC AREA RIVERS AND LAKES...INCLUDING OBSERVED AND FORECAST RIVER STAGES AND LAKE ELEVATIONS...PLEASE VISIT THE ADVANCED HYDROLOGIC PREDICTION SERVICE /AHPS/ GRAPHS ON OUR WEBSITE. && .ALY WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CT...NONE. NY...NONE. MA...NONE. VT...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...HWJIV NEAR TERM...HWJIV/KL SHORT TERM...NAS LONG TERM...KL AVIATION...KL/JPV FIRE WEATHER...NAS HYDROLOGY...NAS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MELBOURNE FL
915 PM EDT TUE APR 30 2013 .DISCUSSION... CURRENT-OVERNIGHT...ANOTHER ROUND OF STRONG STORMS ACROSS EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA THIS EVENING. CURRENT ACTIVITY IS WINDING DOWN AND EXPECT THIS TREND TO CONTINUE THROUGH LATE EVENING. WILL UPDATE ZONES SHORTLY BUT STILL HANG ONTO A SMALL THREAT FOR SHOWERS OVERNIGHT...THOUGH SUSPECT MOST PLACES WILL REMAIN DRY AFTER CURRENT SHRA/TSRA DISSIPATE. INCREASING MID/UPR LVL CLOUD DECK WILL COUPLE WITH LIGHT ONSHORE BREEZE TO KEEP MIN TEMPS IN THE M/U60S. WEDNESDAY...PREVIOUS...SCT/NMRS SHRAS AND TSRAS TO CONTINUE AS MUCH OF THE GOMEX/SW ATLC REMAINS UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THE SHORT WAVE TROF OFF THE CAROLINA COAST AND THE SHORT WAVE TROF OVER THE NW GOMEX. A WEAK SFC FRONT ASSOCD WITH THE TROF WILL STALL ACRS CENTRAL FL...KEEPING THE PENINSULA UNDER A DEEP MOISTURE BAND WITH PWATS BTWN 1.6"-1.7". RUC ANALYSIS SUGGESTS THE REGION WILL REMAIN COLD ALOFT WITH H50 TEMPS HOLDING ARND -11C...WHILE THE SRN BRANCH OF THE H30-H20 JET STREAM OVER THE SOUTHERN GOMEX/GREATER ANTILLES WILL KEEP THE FL PENINSULA UNDER MODERATE TO STRONG UPR LVL DIVERGENCE. W/NW FLOW ABV H70 BTWN 10-15KTS...DECREASING TO BLO 10KTS THRU THE H100-H70 LYR. THIS WILL LIMIT THE POTENTIAL FOR BLOW BACK PRECIP ALONG THE COAST...WILL FOCUS HIGHEST POPS OVER THE INTERIOR. DENSE CLOUD COVER AND RAIN COOLED AIR WILL KEEP MAX TEMPS AOB CLIMO... GENERALLY L80S ALONG THE COAST AND M80S INTERIOR. && .AVIATION...TIL 01/14Z...PREVAILING VFR WITH CIGS BECOMING AOA FL120...LCL MVFR CIGS/VSBYS IN BR AND LOW STRATUS S OF KISM-KMLB LATE OVERNIGHT AND TOWARDS SUNRISE. AFT 14Z...SFC WNDS BCMG NE BTWN 10-15KTS. ANOTHER ROUND OF SHRA/TSRA ON TAP FOR WED AFTERNOON/EVENING. && .MARINE...OVERNIGHT...ENE/E WINDS MAINLY AOB 10 KTS. A PERSISTENT LONG PD SWELL WILL MAINTAIN 3-4 FT SEAS NEAR SHORE...4-5 FT SEAS OFFSHORE. ONLY AN ISOLD THREAT FOR A SHOWER/STORM THE REMAINDER OF THE NIGHT. WEDNESDAY...PREVIOUS...WINDS WILL GRADUALLY FRESHEN OUT OF THE NE AS A HIGH PRES RIDGE OVER THE NEW ENGLAND/MID ATLC COAST BEGINS TO NOSE ITS WAY DOWN THE ERN SEABOARD. WINDS 10-15KTS N OF SEBASTIAN INLET...AOB 10KTS TO THE S. LITTLE CHANGE IN SEAS AS THE INCREASING SFC/BNDRY LYR WINDS WILL NOT BE IN PLACE LONG ENOUGH TO GENERATE LCL WIND WAVES ON TOP OF THE 4-5FT LONG PD SWELL. && .MLB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...NONE. AM...NONE. && $$ SEDLOCK
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MELBOURNE FL
330 AM EDT MON APR 29 2013 .DISCUSSION... ...HIGHER STORM COVERAGE LATER TODAY WITH STRONG STORMS POSSIBLE... ...INCREASINGLY LONG PERIOD SWELL BRINGS HIGH RIP CURRENT THREAT... CURRENT...AXIS OF MERIDIONAL ATLC HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE LIES ROUGHLY ALONG 70W...WITH LOW TO MID LEVEL SE-SRLY FLOW IN PLACE OVER THE FL PENINSULA. WATER VAPOR IMAGERY AND RUC ANLYS FIELDS SHOW POSITIVE TILT MID-UPPER TROUGH EXTENDING FROM THE CTRL GULF COAST THRU THE TN VALLEY. JUST AHEAD OF THIS FEATURE THERE APPEARS TO BE A WEAK VORT INVOF MOBILE BAY. FAIRLY HEALTHY SWATH OF UPPER LEVEL RH AND DIVG CAN BE SEEN IN THE RUC ANLYS FIELDS TO THE W-NW-N OF FL. SOME SPOTTY SMALL NWD MOVING SHOWERS NOTED ON LOCAL 88D RADARS STRADDLING THE PENINSULA OVER BOTH THE GOMEX AND ADJACENT ATLC. SKIES PRETTY MUCH CLOUD FREE OVER LAND FOR NOW...HOWEVER SOME THICKER CI/CS IS JUST ABOUT TO MOVE OVHD. TODAY/TONIGHT...LOCAL AIR MASS WILL TRANSITION TO ONE MUCH MORE CONDUCIVE FOR PRODUCING PRECIP OVER THE NEXT H12-18 AS DEEPENING S-SW FLOW DRAWS HIGHER PWAT AIR NORTH AND NEWD ACROSS THE STATE WHILE INCREASING UPR DIVG WILL AID ASCENT/DEVELOPMENT OF DIURNAL CONVECTION ALONG/AHEAD OF LOCAL SEA BREEZE BOUNDARIES. THINK MOST OF THE ACTIVITY WILL TAKE PLACE IN THE 6HR TIME FRAME BETWEEN 4PM AND 10PM OWING...AS DEEP LAYER MOISTURE WILL HOLD OFF UNTIL AFTER 18Z...WITH PEAK HEATING AND BOUNDARY INTERACTIONS COINCIDING A FEW HOURS LATER. WENT WITH A 40 POP FOR THIS AFTN ALONG THE SPACE AND TREASURE COASTS NUDGED POPS UP TO 50 INLAND/VOLUSIA AND 60 AROUND LAKE OKEECHOBEE OWING TO EXPECTED LAKE ENHANCEMENT TO PRECIP. KEPT A HEALTHY RAIN CHANCE (50-60) IN FOR MID-LATE AS CONTINUED FORCED ASCENT COUPLED WITH SUFFICIENTLY DEEP MOISTURE AND NUMEROUS RESIDUAL OUTFLOW BOUNDARY INTERACTIONS SHOULD KEEP SHOWERS/STORMS GOING AS THE SWRLY STEERING FLOW CARRIES ACTIVITY BACK TOWARD THE EAST COAST AND INTO THE ATLC. PER SWODY1...THERE IS SOME CONCERN FOR SOME STRONG TO MARGINALLY SEVERE STORMS CENTERED AROUND THE LATE AFTERNOON-SUNSET TIME FRAME AS TEMPS ALOFT ARE FAIRLY COLD (-12C TO -13C) WHEREAS -10C IS GENERALLY A RULE OF THUMB VALUE FOR STRONG STORMS. PLAN TO HIT THE THREATS FOR STRONG WINDS/HAIL IN THE HWO/G-HWO SUITE. TUE-WED...THE SOUTHERN END OF THE SHORTWAVE MOVING INTO THE EASTERN US EARLY THIS WEEK WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST TUES AND WED BEFORE BEING ABSORBED IN THE DEEP TROUGH OVER THE ATLANTIC. THE ASSOCIATED SURFACE FRONT AND WEAK LOW WILL RUN INTO THE LARGE AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE JUST OFFSHORE THE EASTERN US AND STALL OUT...LEAVING WEAK TROUGH ACROSS THE FL PENINSULA THROUGH THE PERIOD. THE SMALL DIFFERENCES THAT REMAIN BETWEEN GFS AND ECMWF WITH THE PLACEMENT OF THE TROUGH/SFC LOW WILL AFFECT WHERE THE HIGHEST RAIN CHANCES END UP FOR BOTH DAYS. HOWEVER...WITH PLENTIFUL DEEP MOISTURE...500 MB TEMPS REMAINING AROUND -12C TO -14C...AND THE SOUTHERN BRANCH OF THE JET STREAM OVER THE SRN GOMEX/GREATER ANTILLES AT 80-90KTS...EXPECT RAIN CHANCES EVERYWHERE TO REMAIN WELL ABOVE CLIMO FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR AT 40-60 PERCENT. TUES LOOKS TO BE THE WETTER OF THE TWO DAYS WITH STEERING FLOW OUT OF THE WEST...GAINING MORE OF AN EASTERLY COMPONENT ON WED. MAX TEMPS NEAR AVERAGE...LOW-MID 80S ALONG THE COAST...MID 80S INLAND. MIN TEMPS SLIGHTLY ABOVE AVERAGE IN THE MID TO UPPER 60S. THU-SUN...BOTH MODELS SHOW AN OMEGA BLOCK EVOLVING ACROSS THE CENTRAL-EASTERN US AND WESTERN ATLANTIC BY LATE WEEK...THE DISAGREEMENT OF COURSE REMAINS IN THE DETAILS. THE NE SURFACE HIGH WILL EXPAND SOUTHWARDS ON THURSDAY BRINGING THE WEAK LOW FROM THE EARLIER FRONT BACK INTO THE FL PENINSULA WHERE IT WILL MEANDER IN THE VICINITY INTO THE WEEKEND. THE ECMWF KEEPS SIGNIFICANTLY MORE MOISTURE ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH THE PERIOD...ALONG WITH A SLIGHTLY DEEPER SURFACE LOW UNDER LOWER UPPER HEIGHTS. THE RESULT IS A MUCH WETTER FRI-SUN WHERE THE GFS HAS POPS AT 20-30 PERCENT. HAVE KEPT THE ONGOING FORECAST AT 30-40 PERCENT RATHER THAN GOING QUITE AS HIGH AS THE ECMWF AS THE FINAL SOLUTION WILL ULTIMATELY DEPEND ON WHERE THE TROUGH/SFC LOW SETS UP IN RELATION TO THE COAST. WITH BRISK ONSHORE FLOW DEVELOPING...THERE WILL BE A POSSIBILITY FOR A FEW HEAVY COASTAL CONVERGENCE BANDS TO SET UP. && .AVIATION...VFR. WITH ISOLD/TS SHRA POSSIBLE ALONG THE VRB-SUA CORRIDOR STARTING 18Z...THEN INCREASING COVERAGE/THREAT FOR IFR CIGS/VSBY IN TS RA/+RA AT ALL SITES FROM 20Z-04Z. && .MARINE...SOLID 4-6FT LONG PERIOD 14-15S SWELL WILL REMAIN IN PLACE TODAY/TONIGHT. WILL KEEP CAUTIONARY STATEMENT IN PLACE...PRIMARILY FOR HIGHER SEAS AS WINDS SHOULD BE RIGHT AROUND 15KT. AM STRONGLY CONTEMPLATING GOING WITH CFW FOR HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK AS LOCAL CHECKLIST YIELDED VALUES IN THE "VERY HIGH" RANGE...EVEN WITH SE FLOW CREATING A NWD FLOWING LONGSHORE CURRENT...THE ENERGY CREATED BY THESE VERY LNG PERIOD WAVES ARE SURE TO CUT NUMEROUS...FREQUENT CHANNELS/BREACHES IN THE SAND BAR UP AND DOWN THE COAST. TUE-FRI...SURFACE TROUGH WILL MOVE INTO THE CENTRAL PENINSULA ON TUES WITH SOUTH-SOUTHWEST WINDS EARLY IN THE DAY BECOMING LIGHT AND VARIABLE BY THE AFTERNOON THROUGH DAYBREAK WED. HIGH PRESSURE WILL NOSE DOWN THE E COAST IN ITS WAKE WITH STEADY NE FLOW AROUND 10KTS THROUGH THURSDAY. THE WINDS LATE IN THE WEEK INTO THE WEEKEND WILL ULTIMATELY DEPEND ON WHERE THE TROUGH AND A WEAK SURFACE LOW SET UP...BUT MODELS POINT TO A PERIOD OF MODERATE EAST-NORTHEAST FLOW OF AT LEAST 10-15KTS. LONG PERIOD SWELL WILL CONTINUE INTO TUES WITH SEAS 4-6FT AT 13-14SEC...SUBSIDING TO 3-5FT WED NIGHT INTO THU...THEN REBUILDING TO 5-8FT FRI AS THE GRADIENT INCREASES BETWEEN THE TROUGH AND HIGH TO THE NORTH. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... DAB 83 65 82 65 / 50 60 60 30 MCO 86 65 86 65 / 40 50 60 20 MLB 83 69 83 68 / 40 60 60 30 VRB 83 69 85 66 / 40 60 60 30 LEE 85 65 85 66 / 50 50 50 20 SFB 87 66 87 67 / 50 50 60 20 ORL 86 66 87 68 / 50 50 60 20 FPR 83 69 85 66 / 40 60 60 30 && .MLB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...NONE. AM...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM/AVIATION...CRISTALDI LONG TERM/IMPACT WX....MOSES
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
511 PM CDT MON APR 29 2013 .DISCUSSION... 323 PM CDT MAIN FORECAST CONCERNS ARE TRYING TO TIME PERIODS OF PRECIP POTENTIAL THROUGH MID-WEEK...AND WARM TEMPS DURING THE SAME TIME PERIOD. BEYOND MID-WEEK...CLOSED UPPER LOW LOOKS TO INFLUENCE LOCAL WEATHER FOR SEVERAL DAYS WITH COOLER TEMPS AND PERSISTENT THREAT OF SCATTERED SHRA/TSRA. NEAR TERM...TONIGHT-WEDNESDAY SMALL CLUSTER OF ISOLATED SHRA/TSRA CONTINUES TO PROPAGATE EAST ALONG THE IL/WI BORDER THIS AFTERNOON...ON NOSE OF 25-30 KT LOW LEVEL JET PER LOCAL VWP AND ASSOCIATED WARM/MOIST ADVECTION. HAS NOT BEEN MUCH REDEVELOPMENT UPSTREAM OF THIS CLUSTER...THOUGH IT HAS BEEN QUITE PERSISTENT IN MAINTAINING AT LEAST ONE FAIRLY STRONG TSRA CORE FOR SEVERAL HOURS. EXPECT THIS WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST ACROSS BOONE/MCHENRY AND LAKE COUNTIES OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS AND MAY PRODUCE SOME ISOLATED NICKEL-QUARTER SIZED HAIL SOUTH OF THE WI STATE LINE. LOOKING AT THE BIGGER PICTURE...GOES VAPOR IMAGERY DEPICTS ONE MID-LEVEL SHORT WAVE MOVING ACROSS WI/NORTHERN GREAT LAKES REGION THIS AFTERNOON...WITH ANOTHER UPSTREAM ACROSS KS/NEBR. IT WOULD APPEAR THAT THERE WOULD BE A LULL IN PRECIP DEVELOPMENT BETWEEN THESE TWO FORCING MECHANISMS THIS EVENING...WITH THE PLAINS WAVE APPROACHING THE AREA LATE TONIGHT. HOWEVER...SEVERAL HIGH-RES CONVECTION-ALLOWING MODELS INDICATE POTENTIAL REDEVELOPMENT OF SHRA/TSRA ACROSS EASTERN IA INTO NORTHERN IL THIS EVENING...WHERE WEAK LOW LEVEL JET AND MOIST/INSTABILITY AXIS LINGER. MID-AFTERNOON VISIBLE SATELLITE IMAGERY DOES INDICATE SOME CU ATTEMPTING TO FORM ACROSS SOUTHEAST IA WITHIN SFC MOIST AXIS...THOUGH IT IS NOT TOO IMPRESSIVE AT THIS TIME. SPC RAP MESOANALYSIS DATA DOES DEPICT AN AXIS OF 1000-2000 J/KG MLCAPE ACROSS SE IA...THOUGH ALSO INDICATES SOME 75-100 J/KG OF CIN. BASED ON PRESENCE OF MOIST/UNSTABLE AXIS AND HIGH-RES GUIDANCE TRENDS OF REDEVELOPMENT HAVE CHOSEN TO MAINTAIN CHANCE POPS FOR SHRA/TSRA ACROSS MAINLY AREAS NORTH OF I-80 THROUGH TONIGHT...ESPECIALLY WEST THIS EVENING AND SPREADING FARTHER EAST LATER TONIGHT. LACK OF STRONGER SHORT WAVE FORCING KEEPS CONFIDENCE ON THE LOW SIDE THIS EVENING HOWEVER...WITH A LITTLE HIGHER CONFIDENCE OVERNIGHT AS PLAINS SHORT WAVE APPROACHES AND PASSES ACROSS THE AREA EARLY TUESDAY MORNING. ON TUESDAY...ONCE MORNING SHORT WAVE PASSES IT APPEARS FORCING FOR ORGANIZED PRECIP WILL BE LACKING. COLD FRONT TO OUR WEST IS NOT EXPECTED TO MAKE PROGRESS EAST AS UPPER FLOW AMPLIFIES IN RESPONSE TO STRONG MID/UPPER LEVEL JET MOVING INTO THE PAC NW. THIS AMPLIFICATION INDUCES SURFACE LOW PRESSURE DEVELOPING AND LIFTING NORTHEAST INTO ONTARIO. THIS ALLOWS STRONGER LOW LEVEL SOUTH FLOW ACROSS IL/IN...WITH WARMER TEMPS. COMBINATION OF LOW LEVEL THERMAL PROGS...850 MB DERIVED TEMP CLIMATOLOGY AND MOS NUMBERS SUGGEST AFTERNOON HIGHS 80-85...PROVIDED MORNING CLOUD COVER MOVES OUT AS EXPECTED. 850 MB TEMPS JUST A BIT LOWER WEDNESDAY AS UPPER TROUGH CONTINUES TO AMPLIFY AND SURFACE COLD FRONTAL TROUGH DRIFTS EAST INTO THE REGION...THOUGH ESPECIALLY EASTERN AREAS WILL LIKELY BE BACK INTO THE LOWER 80S WHILE CLOUDS/PRECIP CHANCES INCREASE FROM THE WEST. VARIOUS GUIDANCE SOLUTIONS SHOW SOME MINOR DIFFERENCES WITH TIMING OF ARRIVAL OF THE FRONT AND ASSOCIATED PRECIP...THOUGH ALL BASICALLY INCREASE POPS FAIRLY QUICKLY ACROSS THE CWA WEDNESDAY NIGHT. LONGER TERM...THURSDAY-MONDAY MODELS CONTINUE THE TREND OF THE AMPLIFYING UPPER TROUGH BECOMING CUT OFF FROM THE MAIN JET AND BECOMING A CLOSED LOW OVER THE MID/LOWER MISSOURI VALLEY...THEN DRIFTING THIS CIRCULATION TO THE EAST/NORTHEAST THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST PERIOD. QUITE A BIT OF SPREAD REMAINS IN ENSEMBLE SOLUTIONS...AS WELL AS THE OPERATIONAL RUNS OF THE ECMWF/GFS. HAVE MADE LITTLE CHANGE TO GOING FORECAST IN THE EXTENDED PERIOD AT THIS POINT BASED ON FAIRLY LOW CONFIDENCE GIVEN MODEL SPREAD...AND THE NOTORIOUSLY PROBLEMATIC JOB OF FORECASTING CUT-OFF CLOSED LOW DETAILS DAYS 4 AND BEYOND. OVERALL HAVE MAINTAINED A FORECAST UTILIZING A BLEND OF GUIDANCE FOR TEMPS AND POPS. WHILE COOLER...LOOKS LIKE 50S/60S FOR HIGHS AND 40S FOR LOWS DEPENDING ON CLOUD COVER AND SHOWER COVERAGE. POPS ARE LIKELY OVERDONE A BIT...AND WILL LIKELY BE ABLE TO BETTER DETAIL THEM IN COMING DAYS AS THE PATH OF THE UPPER LOW BECOMES MORE CLEAR. RATZER && .AVIATION... //ORD AND MDW CONCERNS...UPDATED 22Z... * SHRA/TSRA POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT. MDB //DISCUSSION...UPDATED 22Z... SHRA/TSRA THAT WERE MOVING ALONG THE IL/WI STATE LINE HAVE DISSIPATED WITH A LITTLE LIGHT RAIN REMAINING NEAR UGN. FOCUS SHIFTS TO EAST-CENTRAL/NORTHEAST IOWA WHERE NEW DEVELOPMENT IS POSSIBLE THIS EVENING WHICH WOULD TRACK EASTWARD OVERNIGHT. ADJUSTED TO TEMPO TSRA MENTION AT RFD AS AM UNABLE TO USE PROB30 IN THE FIRST 9 HRS. WITH POTENTIAL AROUND 40 PERCENT FELT TEMPO BETTER REFLECTED THE SCENARIO THAN DROPPING MENTION ALTOGETHER. WILL MAINTAIN PROB30 FOR NOW AT THE REMAINING SITES FOR NOW AND WILL NEED TO RE-EVALUATE WITH 00Z TAF. MDB FROM 18Z... A FRONT IS NEARLY STATIONARY FROM NORTHERN WISCONSIN THROUGH CENTRAL IOWA. ONE AREA OF TSRA DEVELOPED NEAR THE FRONT IN IOWA THIS MORNING AND HAS MOVED INTO WISCONSIN. THERE IS POTENTIAL FOR MORE TSRA TO DEVELOP NEAR THE FRONT THIS AFTERNOON AS AN UPPER LEVEL WAVE MOVES THROUGH THE AREA. ANY DEVELOPMENT SHOULD REMAIN TO THE NORTHWEST OF THE TERMINALS...THOUGH IT COULD GET CLOSE TO RFD AT SOME POINT. CONFIDENCE IS TOO LOW TO INCLUDE ANY TSRA IN THE RFD TAF FOR THIS AFTERNOON. THEN THERE IS A SLIGHTLY BETTER CHANCE OF TSRA AT ALL THE TERMINALS OVERNIGHT WITH ANOTHER WAVE MOVING ACROSS THE AREA. SOUTHERLY WINDS...GUSTY IN THE AFTERNOON...AND VFR-LEVEL CLOUDS WILL CONTINUE AT THE TERMINALS AHEAD OF THE FRONT. PAW //ORD AND MDW CONFIDENCE...UPDATED 22Z... * LOW CONFIDENCE IN SHRA/TSRA AT THE TERMINALS...BETTER CHANCE IS JUST TO THE NORTH. MEDIUM CONFIDENCE IN TIMING OF THE POTENTIAL. MDB //OUTLOOK FOR ORD/MDW FOR 00Z WEDNESDAY-12Z MONDAY...UPDATED 12Z... TUESDAY NIGHT...VFR. WEDNESDAY...CHC OF TSRA. MVFR POSSIBLE BY NIGHT. THURSDAY...CHC OF TSRA. MVFR POSSIBLE. FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...CHC OF SHRA. BMD && .MARINE... 205 PM CDT A POTENT AREA OF LOW PRESSURE IS FORECAST MOVE EASTWARD ACROSS THE DAKOTAS TONIGHT...AND THEN MOVE NORTHEASTWARD ACROSS ONTARIO ON TUESDAY. STRONG PRESSURE FALLS AND A STRENGTHENING PRESSURE GRADIENT SHOULD LEAD TO A PERIOD OF STRONGER SOUTHERLY WINDS ACROSS THE LAKE ON TUESDAY. IT APPEARS WINDS WILL INCREASE TO AROUND 30 KT LAKE-WIDE. THIS LOW WILL EVENTUALLY BEGIN TO PUSH A COLD FRONT DOWN LAKE MICHIGAN DURING THE DAY ON WEDNESDAY. HOWEVER...CONFIDENCE ON THE TIMING OF THIS FRONT IS A BIT LOW AT THIS TIME..ESPECIALLY ALONG THE SOUTHERN HALF OF LAKE MICHIGAN. IT APPEARS THE FRONT MAY BE SLOWED BY THE DEVELOPMENT OF ANOTHER AREA OF LOW PRESSURE ACROSS THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. THIS WILL ULTIMATELY AFFECT THE WIND DIRECTIONS ON SOUTHERN LAKE MICHIGAN LATER THIS WEEK. NORTHERLY WINDS OF 25 TO 30 KT LOOK TO SET UP FOR A PERIOD IN THE WAKE OF THIS FRONTAL BOUNDARY ON THURSDAY. KJB && .LOT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IL...NONE. IN...NONE. LM...NONE. && $$ VISIT US AT HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/CHICAGO (ALL LOWERCASE) FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK...TWITTER...AND YOUTUBE AT: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/US.NATIONALWEATHERSERVICE.CHICAGO.GOV WWW.TWITTER.COM/NWSCHICAGO WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/NWSCHICAGO
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
324 PM CDT MON APR 29 2013 .DISCUSSION... 323 PM CDT MAIN FORECAST CONCERNS ARE TRYING TO TIME PERIODS OF PRECIP POTENTIAL THROUGH MID-WEEK...AND WARM TEMPS DURING THE SAME TIME PERIOD. BEYOND MID-WEEK...CLOSED UPPER LOW LOOKS TO INFLUENCE LOCAL WEATHER FOR SEVERAL DAYS WITH COOLER TEMPS AND PERSISTENT THREAT OF SCATTERED SHRA/TSRA. NEAR TERM...TONIGHT-WEDNESDAY SMALL CLUSTER OF ISOLATED SHRA/TSRA CONTINUES TO PROPAGATE EAST ALONG THE IL/WI BORDER THIS AFTERNOON...ON NOSE OF 25-30 KT LOW LEVEL JET PER LOCAL VWP AND ASSOCIATED WARM/MOIST ADVECTION. HAS NOT BEEN MUCH REDEVELOPMENT UPSTREAM OF THIS CLUSTER...THOUGH IT HAS BEEN QUITE PERSISTENT IN MAINTAINING AT LEAST ONE FAIRLY STRONG TSRA CORE FOR SEVERAL HOURS. EXPECT THIS WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST ACROSS BOONE/MCHENRY AND LAKE COUNTIES OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS AND MAY PRODUCE SOME ISOLATED NICKEL-QUARTER SIZED HAIL SOUTH OF THE WI STATE LINE. LOOKING AT THE BIGGER PICTURE...GOES VAPOR IMAGERY DEPICTS ONE MID-LEVEL SHORT WAVE MOVING ACROSS WI/NORTHERN GREAT LAKES REGION THIS AFTERNOON...WITH ANOTHER UPSTREAM ACROSS KS/NEBR. IT WOULD APPEAR THAT THERE WOULD BE A LULL IN PRECIP DEVELOPMENT BETWEEN THESE TWO FORCING MECHANISMS THIS EVENING...WITH THE PLAINS WAVE APPROACHING THE AREA LATE TONIGHT. HOWEVER...SEVERAL HIGH-RES CONVECTION-ALLOWING MODELS INDICATE POTENTIAL REDEVELOPMENT OF SHRA/TSRA ACROSS EASTERN IA INTO NORTHERN IL THIS EVENING...WHERE WEAK LOW LEVEL JET AND MOIST/INSTABILITY AXIS LINGER. MID-AFTERNOON VISIBLE SATELLITE IMAGERY DOES INDICATE SOME CU ATTEMPTING TO FORM ACROSS SOUTHEAST IA WITHIN SFC MOIST AXIS...THOUGH IT IS NOT TOO IMPRESSIVE AT THIS TIME. SPC RAP MESOANALYSIS DATA DOES DEPICT AN AXIS OF 1000-2000 J/KG MLCAPE ACROSS SE IA...THOUGH ALSO INDICATES SOME 75-100 J/KG OF CIN. BASED ON PRESENCE OF MOIST/UNSTABLE AXIS AND HIGH-RES GUIDANCE TRENDS OF REDEVELOPMENT HAVE CHOSEN TO MAINTAIN CHANCE POPS FOR SHRA/TSRA ACROSS MAINLY AREAS NORTH OF I-80 THROUGH TONIGHT...ESPECIALLY WEST THIS EVENING AND SPREADING FARTHER EAST LATER TONIGHT. LACK OF STRONGER SHORT WAVE FORCING KEEPS CONFIDENCE ON THE LOW SIDE THIS EVENING HOWEVER...WITH A LITTLE HIGHER CONFIDENCE OVERNIGHT AS PLAINS SHORT WAVE APPROACHES AND PASSES ACROSS THE AREA EARLY TUESDAY MORNING. ON TUESDAY...ONCE MORNING SHORT WAVE PASSES IT APPEARS FORCING FOR ORGANIZED PRECIP WILL BE LACKING. COLD FRONT TO OUR WEST IS NOT EXPECTED TO MAKE PROGRESS EAST AS UPPER FLOW AMPLIFIES IN RESPONSE TO STRONG MID/UPPER LEVEL JET MOVING INTO THE PAC NW. THIS AMPLIFICATION INDUCES SURFACE LOW PRESSURE DEVELOPING AND LIFTING NORTHEAST INTO ONTARIO. THIS ALLOWS STRONGER LOW LEVEL SOUTH FLOW ACROSS IL/IN...WITH WARMER TEMPS. COMBINATION OF LOW LEVEL THERMAL PROGS...850 MB DERIVED TEMP CLIMATOLOGY AND MOS NUMBERS SUGGEST AFTERNOON HIGHS 80-85...PROVIDED MORNING CLOUD COVER MOVES OUT AS EXPECTED. 850 MB TEMPS JUST A BIT LOWER WEDNESDAY AS UPPER TROUGH CONTINUES TO AMPLIFY AND SURFACE COLD FRONTAL TROUGH DRIFTS EAST INTO THE REGION...THOUGH ESPECIALLY EASTERN AREAS WILL LIKELY BE BACK INTO THE LOWER 80S WHILE CLOUDS/PRECIP CHANCES INCREASE FROM THE WEST. VARIOUS GUIDANCE SOLUTIONS SHOW SOME MINOR DIFFERENCES WITH TIMING OF ARRIVAL OF THE FRONT AND ASSOCIATED PRECIP...THOUGH ALL BASICALLY INCREASE POPS FAIRLY QUICKLY ACROSS THE CWA WEDNESDAY NIGHT. LONGER TERM...THURSDAY-MONDAY MODELS CONTINUE THE TREND OF THE AMPLIFYING UPPER TROUGH BECOMING CUT OFF FROM THE MAIN JET AND BECOMING A CLOSED LOW OVER THE MID/LOWER MISSOURI VALLEY...THEN DRIFTING THIS CIRCULATION TO THE EAST/NORTHEAST THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST PERIOD. QUITE A BIT OF SPREAD REMAINS IN ENSEMBLE SOLUTIONS...AS WELL AS THE OPERATIONAL RUNS OF THE ECMWF/GFS. HAVE MADE LITTLE CHANGE TO GOING FORECAST IN THE EXTENDED PERIOD AT THIS POINT BASED ON FAIRLY LOW CONFIDENCE GIVEN MODEL SPREAD...AND THE NOTORIOUSLY PROBLEMATIC JOB OF FORECASTING CUT-OFF CLOSED LOW DETAILS DAYS 4 AND BEYOND. OVERALL HAVE MAINTAINED A FORECAST UTILIZING A BLEND OF GUIDANCE FOR TEMPS AND POPS. WHILE COOLER...LOOKS LIKE 50S/60S FOR HIGHS AND 40S FOR LOWS DEPENDING ON CLOUD COVER AND SHOWER COVERAGE. POPS ARE LIKELY OVERDONE A BIT...AND WILL LIKELY BE ABLE TO BETTER DETAIL THEM IN COMING DAYS AS THE PATH OF THE UPPER LOW BECOMES MORE CLEAR. RATZER && .AVIATION... //ORD AND MDW CONCERNS...UPDATED 20Z... * SOUTHERLY WINDS...GUSTY THIS AFTERNOON AND AGAIN TUESDAY AFTERNOON. * POTENTIAL FOR SHRA/TSRA THIS AFTERNOON AND LATE TONIGHT. PAW //DISCUSSION...UPDATED 18Z... A FRONT IS NEARLY STATIONARY FROM NORTHERN WISCONSIN THROUGH CENTRAL IOWA. ONE AREA OF TSRA DEVELOPED NEAR THE FRONT IN IOWA THIS MORNING AND HAS MOVED INTO WISCONSIN. THERE IS POTENTIAL FOR MORE TSRA TO DEVELOP NEAR THE FRONT THIS AFTERNOON AS AN UPPER LEVEL WAVE MOVES THROUGH THE AREA. ANY DEVELOPMENT SHOULD REMAIN TO THE NORTHWEST OF THE TERMINALS...THOUGH IT COULD GET CLOSE TO RFD AT SOME POINT. CONFIDENCE IS TOO LOW TO INCLUDE ANY TSRA IN THE RFD TAF FOR THIS AFTERNOON. THEN THERE IS A SLIGHTLY BETTER CHANCE OF TSRA AT ALL THE TERMINALS OVERNIGHT WITH ANOTHER WAVE MOVING ACROSS THE AREA. SOUTHERLY WINDS...GUSTY IN THE AFTERNOON...AND VFR-LEVEL CLOUDS WILL CONTINUE AT THE TERMINALS AHEAD OF THE FRONT. PAW //ORD AND MDW CONFIDENCE...UPDATED 20Z... * HIGH CONFIDENCE IN WIND TREND. * LOW CONFIDENCE IN POTENTIAL FOR SHRA/TSRA THIS AFTERNOON AND LATE TONIGHT. PAW //OUTLOOK FOR ORD/MDW FOR 00Z WEDNESDAY-12Z MONDAY...UPDATED 12Z... TUESDAY NIGHT...VFR. WEDNESDAY...CHC OF TSRA. MVFR POSSIBLE BY NIGHT. THURSDAY...CHC OF TSRA. MVFR POSSIBLE. FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...CHC OF SHRA. BMD && .MARINE... 205 PM CDT A POTENT AREA OF LOW PRESSURE IS FORECAST MOVE EASTWARD ACROSS THE DAKOTAS TONIGHT...AND THEN MOVE NORTHEASTWARD ACROSS ONTARIO ON TUESDAY. STRONG PRESSURE FALLS AND A STRENGTHENING PRESSURE GRADIENT SHOULD LEAD TO A PERIOD OF STRONGER SOUTHERLY WINDS ACROSS THE LAKE ON TUESDAY. IT APPEARS WINDS WILL INCREASE TO AROUND 30 KT LAKE-WIDE. THIS LOW WILL EVENTUALLY BEGIN TO PUSH A COLD FRONT DOWN LAKE MICHIGAN DURING THE DAY ON WEDNESDAY. HOWEVER...CONFIDENCE ON THE TIMING OF THIS FRONT IS A BIT LOW AT THIS TIME..ESPECIALLY ALONG THE SOUTHERN HALF OF LAKE MICHIGAN. IT APPEARS THE FRONT MAY BE SLOWED BY THE DEVELOPMENT OF ANOTHER AREA OF LOW PRESSURE ACROSS THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. THIS WILL ULTIMATELY AFFECT THE WIND DIRECTIONS ON SOUTHERN LAKE MICHIGAN LATER THIS WEEK. NORTHERLY WINDS OF 25 TO 30 KT LOOK TO SET UP FOR A PERIOD IN THE WAKE OF THIS FRONTAL BOUNDARY ON THURSDAY. KJB && .LOT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IL...NONE. IN...NONE. LM...NONE. && $$ VISIT US AT HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/CHICAGO (ALL LOWERCASE) FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK...TWITTER...AND YOUTUBE AT: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/US.NATIONALWEATHERSERVICE.CHICAGO.GOV WWW.TWITTER.COM/NWSCHICAGO WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/NWSCHICAGO
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS DES MOINES IA
342 PM CDT MON APR 29 2013 .SHORT TERM.../TONIGHT /... ISSUED AT 338 PM CDT MON APR 29 2013 MAIN CONCERN FOR THE OVERNIGHT PERIOD WILL BE THE TIMING AND LOCATION OF ANY CONVECTION. INSTABILITY HAS BEEN ON THE INCREASE THIS AFTERNOON WITH SBCAPES OF 1000 TO 2000 J/KG ACROSS MUCH OF THE CWA...AND EVEN HIGHER VALUES AROUND THE MISSOURI BORDER. THE 850 TO 700 MB CAP LOOKS TO WEAKEN AFTER THE 23-00Z TIME FRAME AS A 925MB MOISTURE PLUME OVER KANSAS AND MISSOURI WORKS NORTHWARD. EXPECTING CONVECTIVE INITIATION IN THE VICINITY OF THE ASSOCIATED THETA-E CONVERGENCE ZONE IN SOUTHWEST IOWA OR SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA...WITH THE CONVECTION TRACKING EAST AND NORTH DURING THE OVERNIGHT. THIRTY TO FORTY KNOTS OF 0-6 KM SHEAR AND A 40 TO 60 KT LLJ BUILDING IN FROM THE SOUTHWEST AFTER 03Z WILL AID IN INTENSIFYING AND MAINTAINING ANY STORMS THAT DO FORM THIS EVENING. BOTH ELEVATED AND SURFACE BASED CONVECTION IS POSSIBLE WITH THE MAIN THREAT FROM THESE STORMS BEING LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WIND GUSTS. MANY HIGH RESOLUTION MODELS HAVE BEEN TRENDING THE CONVECTION SLIGHTLY NORTH AND WEST TODAY. THIS HAS ALSO BEEN REFLECTED IN THE UPDATED SPC CONVECTIVE DAY 1 SLIGHT RISK OUTLOOKS. IN GENERAL...LEANED TOWARDS A COMBINATION OF THE EAST NMM AND ARW WRF CORES AND THE 16Z HRRR FOR PLACEMENT OF THE HIGHEST POPS AND QPF AMOUNTS. HEAVY RAINFALL IS POSSIBLE WITH SOME OF THESE STORMS OVER CENTRAL IOWA WITH PWATS EXCEEDING ONE INCH AND LOW LEVEL MIXING RATIOS AROUND 13 G/KG. STATIONARY SURFACE BOUNDARY OVER WEST CENTRAL AND NORTH CENTRAL IOWA WASHED OUT EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...ALLOWING WINDS TO VEER SOUTHWARD AND TEMPERATURES TO RISE BACK INTO THE 70S. THESE SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL INCREASE OVERNIGHT AS THE PRESSURE GRADIENT TIGHTENS IN RESPONSE TO AN APPROACHING NORTHERN PLAINS COLD FRONT. COMBINED WITH DEW POINTS IN THE UPPER 50S TO NEAR 60...EXPECT OVERNIGHT LOWS TO ONLY FALL OFF INTO THE LOW 60S. .LONG TERM.../TUESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... ISSUED AT 338 PM CDT MON APR 29 2013 I EXPECT SOME ONGOING CONVECTION MAINLY ACROSS THE EAST IN THE MORNING WITH A LULL LATE MORNING. ANOTHER COLD FRONT WILL STRETCH ACROSS CENTRAL IOWA DURING THE DAY ON TUESDAY AND MAKE SLOW ESE PROGRESS. FORECAST SOUNDINGS SHOW A PRETTY STOUT CAP IN PLACE BUT IT QUICKLY ERODES DURING THE MID TO LATE AFTERNOON AND INTO THE EVENING AND THIS IS WHEN I EXPECT THUNDERSTORMS TO BREAK OUT...AHEAD OF THE BOUNDARY. LOOKING AT SHEAR...THERE IS SOME THAT EXISTS ALONG THE BOUNDARY BUT THE BEST SHEAR IS FOUND BEHIND THE BOUNDARY. SOME STORMS COULD PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WIND. DURING TUESDAY EVENING ADDITIONAL STORMS COULD DEVELOP BEHIND THE FRONT AS WELL WHERE THE BETTER SHEAR WILL EXIST AND THERE WILL STILL BE SOME INSTABILITY. ON WEDNESDAY THE UPPER TROUGH OUT TO THE WEST WILL DIG SOUTH ON THE LEE SIDE OF THE ROCKIES CREATING QUITE THE TEMPERATURE GRADIENT ACROSS IOWA. ACROSS THE NORTHWEST HALF TO TWO THIRDS OF THE STATE HIGHS WILL ONLY BE IN THE 40S AND 50S WHILE ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST TEMPERATURES WILL BE IN THE 60S TO 70S. THIS TROUGH WILL CONTINUE TO DIG AS IT PLOWS EAST THROUGH THURSDAY. FORECAST SOUNDINGS ON THURSDAY SHOW FALLING TEMPERATURES THROUGHOUT THE AFTERNOON HOURS. IN FACT IT LOOKS LIKE HIGHS WILL LIKELY BE REACHED IN THE MORNING AND THOSE READINGS WILL ONLY BE IN THE 40S. PRETTY DECENT MOISTURE TRANSPORT WILL TAKE PLACE DURING THIS TIME AND PRECIPITATION WILL YIELD SOME PRETTY HIGH QPF VALUES THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK. FORECAST SOUNDINGS SHOW THAT WE WILL BE COLD ENOUGH FOR AT MINIMUM A RAIN/SNOW MIX DURING THE DAY ON THURSDAY. IF YOU BELIEVE THE NAM WE WILL BE COLD ENOUGH FOR ALL SNOW. I HAD A HARD TIME BUYING INTO THAT SOLUTION COMPLETELY BECAUSE FOR THE PAST FEW DAYS THE NAM HAD BEEN OVERDOING THE MOISTURE AND THE COOLING. THIS WILL CERTAINLY BEAR WATCHING BUT I WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO SEE SNOW THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND THURSDAY NIGHT. BEYOND THIS PERIOD...THE MODELS CONTINUE TO POORLY HANDLE THE EVOLUTION OF THE CLOSED LOW THAT DEVELOPS OUT OF THE TROUGH. THE EURO LIFTS THIS CLOSED LOW INTO IOWA OVER THE WEEKEND THEN INTO THE GREAT LAKES ON MONDAY WHILE THE GFS AND GEM TAKE THE LOW TO THE SOUTH ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PLAINS. THIS SOLUTION WOULD DRAW DOWN MUCH COLDER AIR ACROSS THE STATE FOR THE WEEKEND. I TRIED TO LEAN COOLER BUT BY SUNDAY FORECAST SOUNDINGS SUPPORT HIGHS IN THE 50S. AT THIS POINT I KEPT 40S NW TO 50S SE ON SATURDAY BUT WE COULD INDEED SEE TEMPS SOME 5 TO 8 DEGREES COOLER THAT WHAT I HAVE GOING. WE WILL NEED TO SEE HOW THAT CLOSED LOW EVOLVES AND SHIFTS ACROSS THE AREA. BEFORE THAT HAPPENS THERE IS JUST TOO MUCH MODEL UNCERTAINTY TO STATE A PREFERENCE. && .AVIATION...29/18Z ISSUED AT 1251 PM CDT MON APR 29 2013 WINDS OVER NORTHERN IOWA WILL VEER TO THE SOUTH THIS AFTERNOON AS A FRONTAL BOUNDARY WEAKENS AND LIFTS NORTHWARD. OTHERWISE LOOK FOR MOSTLY VFR CONDITIONS OVER THE REGION...WITH SOME MID TO HIGH MVFR STRATOCU OVER NORTHEAST IOWA. NEXT SYSTEM APPROACHES FROM THE SOUTH THE EVENING. PLACEMENT AND TIMING OF THE ASSOCIATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS REMAINS SOMEWHAT UNCERTAIN...BUT THE GENERAL TREND WILL BE FOR THE STORMS TO LIFT FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...CLEARING THE REGION SHORTLY AFTER 12Z. && .HYDROLOGY... ISSUED AT 338 PM CDT MON APR 29 2013 HE MODERATE TO HEAVY RAINFALL EVENT FORECAST IN THE LONG TERM PERIOD OF THE FORECAST MAY RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT WITHIN-BANK RISES ALONG MANY STREAMS AND RIVERS. FLOODING IS ALSO POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY ALONG THE SMALLER STREAMS AND IN AREAS THAT RECEIVE HEAVIER RAINFALL. AT THIS TIME IT IS DIFFICULT TO PINPOINT SPECIFIC STREAMS OR RIVERS GIVEN THE UNCERTAINTY IN THE RAINFALL FORECAST. THE FORECAST WILL HAVE TO BE MONITORED FOR POTENTIAL IMPACTS ON AREA RIVERS. && .DMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...SKOW LONG TERM...FAB AVIATION...SKOW HYDROLOGY...ZOGG
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS PITTSBURGH PA
800 PM EDT TUE APR 30 2013 .SYNOPSIS... DRY AND WARM CONDITIONS CAN BE EXPECTED THROUGH THE WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... REMOVED POPS FROM RIDGES AND MADE ADJUSTMENT TO CLOUDS. UPDATED TEMPS TO LATEST RUC NUMBERS. PREVIOUS FORECAST... OVERALL A QUIET AFTERNOON/EVENING IS IN STORE FOR MUCH OF THE AREA. A FEW SHOWERS ASSOCIATED WITH MOISTURE FEED OFF OF THE EAST COAST COULD MAKE IT OVER OUR EASTERN RIDGES THIS AFTERNOON. HOWEVER...WITH CHANCES REMAINING PRETTY SMALL...ONLY KEPT THE SLIGHT CHANCE WORDING THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. FURTHER WEST...NOT MUCH MORE THAN DIURNAL CU AND SOME HIGH CIRRUS BLOW OFF FROM A DYING CONVECTIVE SYSTEM OVER MICHIGAN IS EXPECTED. BUILDING RIDGE SHOULD END SHOWER CHANCES TONIGHT THOUGH CLOUD COVER COULD REMAIN OVER THE EASTERN ZONES WITH EASTERLY FLOW CONTINUING. LOW CLOUD DECK SHOULD BEGIN TO MIX OUT WEDNESDAY MORNING...PROVIDING FOR MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES EVERYWHERE BY AFTERNOON. WITH PLENTY OF INSOLATION...TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE TO REMAIN ABOVE SEASONAL AVERAGES THROUGH THE PERIOD. && .SHORT TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY/... UPPER LEVEL RIDGE WILL CONTINUE TO BE THE PREDOMINANT PLAYER THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK WITH LITTLE MORE THAN SOME DIURNAL CU EXPECTED. BOTH THE NAM AND THE GFS SUGGEST AN INCREASE IN LOW LEVEL MOISTURE LATER FRIDAY WHICH COULD PROVIDE FOR A BIT MORE CLOUD COVER AND LOWER HIGH TEMPERATURES. FOR NOW THOUGH...MAINTAINED VALUES NEAR MEX/MET VALUES...WHICH IS ABOUT 8-10 DEGREES ABOVE SEASONAL NORMALS. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/... BLOCKED UPPER LEVEL PATTERN REMAINS THE STORY INTO THE WEEKEND WITH A CLOSED LOW OVER THE NATIONS MID SECTION AND RIDGING ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY. MODELS CONTINUE TO HAVE DIFFERING SOLUTIONS FOR WHEN AND WHERE CLOSED LOW WILL MOVE FOR THE WEEKEND. SLOWED DOWN TIMING OF SLIGHT SHOWER CHANCES UNTIL LATER SUNDAY WITH LOW CHANCE POPS MONDAY INTO TUESDAY USING A BLEND OF MODELS. TEMPERATURES WILL TREND TO SEASONABLE AVERAGES THROUGH THE PERIOD. && .AVIATION /00Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE WILL PROVIDE GENERALLY CLEAR SKIES AND DRY WEATHER FOR TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY. THE EXCEPTION WILL BE KDUJ WHERE MVFR CIGS WILL HOLD OVERNIGHT AS EASTERLY FLOW CONTINUES ENOUGH LOW LEVEL MOISTURE FOR STRATUS FORMATION. PATCHY MVFR FOG EARLY MORNING WEDNESDAY IS POSSIBLE...OTHERWISE VFR WITH LIGHT EAST TO SOUTHEAST WINDS TO CONTINUE THROUGH WEDNESDAY. .OUTLOOK.../WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/... GENERAL VFR CAN BE ANTICIPATED THROUGH THE WEEKEND. && .PBZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MD...NONE. OH...NONE. PA...NONE. WV...NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS WAKEFIELD VA
224 PM EDT MON APR 29 2013 .SYNOPSIS... LOW PRESSURE LIFTS NORTHEAST ACROSS THE MID ATLANTIC TODAY AND OFF THE COAST TONIGHT. LOW PRESSURE LINGERS OFF THE CAROLINA COAST THROUGH MIDWEEK AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OFF THE NEW ENGLAND COAST. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... CURRENT RADAR TRENDS SHOWING PRECIP CONTINUING TO MOVE E/NE THIS MORNING...WITH AREAS WEST OF RIC BEGINNING TO SEE SOME BREAKS IN THE PRECIP. HAVE UPDATED POPS TO SHOW THIS TREND...BUT HAVE KEPT 30-50 PERCENT CHANCE OF PRECIP IN THE WEST TO ACCOUNT FOR -SHRA DEVELOPMENT THIS AFTERNOON. OTHERWISE FORECAST LOOKS ON TARGET. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION... THE LATEST RUC MAINTAINS THIS STRONG LIFT OVER THE LOCAL AREA THROUGH 12Z BEFORE SHIFTING IT TOWARD THE EASTERN PORTION OF THE AREA FROM 12-16Z AS THE JET CORE PULLS NE TOWARD LONG ISLAND AND THE MID-LEVEL TROUGH AXIS INTRUDES FROM THE WEST. THIS SHOULD ALLOW STEADY RAIN TO SLOWLY TAPER OFF W OF I-95 THROUGH THE MORNING. THE MAIN AREA OF ASCENT THEN SHIFTS TO SE PORTIONS BY AFTERNOON AS A SECONDARY SPEED MAX MOVES OVER CENTRAL VA. A FEW RUMBLES OF THUNDER ARE POSSIBLE OVER SE PORTIONS GIVEN THAT THIS FEATURE ARRIVES DURING THE AFTERNOON. HOWEVER...AMBIENT RAIN COOLED STABLE CONDITIONS WILL LIMIT INSTABILITY (AND LIMIT THE POTENTIAL OF DEEP CONVECTION) HENCE THUNDER WILL NOT BE INCLUDED IN THE GRIDS. THE LATEST DATA SUGGESTS THAT QPF COULD REACH 1.5IN AND POSSIBLY CLOSE TO 2.0IN FOR SOME LOCATIONS BY THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS S-CENTRAL/SE VA/EASTERN SHORE/NE NC. THIS HAS FURTHER SUPPORT FROM UPSTREAM OBS OVER CENTRAL NC WHERE AMOUNTS HAVE REACHED 1.0-1.5IN AND RAIN CONTINUES. THE MID-LEVEL TROUGH AXIS MOVES OFF THE COAST TONIGHT WITH THE ASSOCIATED WIND FLOW BECOMING NW (ALBEIT WEAK). THIS SHOULD ALLOW STEADY RAIN TO TAPER OFF TO SHOWERS THIS EVENING FOR EASTERN AREAS. THERE IS AN ABUNDANT AMOUNT OF LINGERING LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE THAT WILL NOT BE SCOURED OUT BY WEAK FLOW...SO WIDESPREAD STRATUS IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP. THIS COULD EVENTUALLY SETTLE TO THE SURFACE RESULTING IN THE POTENTIAL FOR FOG. CLOUD COVER AND RAIN WILL LIMIT HIGH TEMPERATURES TODAY...WITH READINGS RANGING FROM THE LOW/MID 60S (UPPER 50S ALONG THE ATLANTIC COAST) OVER THE EASTERN SHORE TO THE UPPER 60S/NEAR 70 S. LOWS TONIGHT WILL BE MILD AND LARGELY BE IN THE MID 50S. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE RE-EXERTS ITSELF OVER THE CANADIAN MARITIMES TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY AND NUDGES SW ALONG THE NEW ENGLAND COAST. MEANWHILE...A COASTAL TROUGH LINGERS OFF THE CAROLINA COAST. THIS WILL MAINTAIN ONSHORE FLOW AND PERSISTENT MOSTLY CLOUDY TO OVERCAST CONDITIONS. THE LATEST GFS/NAM/ECMWF DRAW MOISTURE AROUND THE NORTHERN PERIPHERY OF THE TROUGH LATE TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY AHEAD OF A BACKDOOR FRONT. HOWEVER...CONFIDENCE IS LOW REGARDING RAIN POTENTIAL AT THIS TIME...SO WILL GO WITH NO HIGHER THAN A 40 POP. THUNDER POTENTIAL SHOULD REMAIN VERY LIMITED DUE TO ONSHORE FLOW AND SSTS IN THE LOW/MID 50S. IF ANY THUNDER WERE TO OCCUR (MAINLY TUE) IT WOULD BE OVER INTERIOR NE NC AND S-CENTRAL VA. AS FOR TEMPERATURES...THE COOLER MAV GUIDANCE HAS BEEN FOLLOWED AS MET NUMBERS APPEAR TOO WARM BASED ON EXPECTED CLOUD COVER. THIS RESULTS IN HIGHS TUESDAY RANGING FROM THE LOW/MID 60S OVER THE EASTERN SHORE...TO THE LOW 70S ALONG AND S OF THE VA/NC BORDER (AWAY FROM THE COASTS). HIGHS WEDNESDAY SHOULD BE A FEW DEGREES COOLER RANGING FROM THE LOW 60S OVER THE EASTERN SHORE (PERHAPS UPPER 50S ALONG THE COAST) THE THE UPPER 60S S. LOW TEMPERATURES SHOULD REMAIN IN THE 50S. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/... LONG TERM PERIOD WILL BE CHARACTERIZED BY A STAGNANT BLOCKING PATTERN WITH AN UPR-LVL RIDGE STRETCHED ALONG THE ERN SEABOARD. AT THE SFC...HI PRES WILL PERSIST OVER THE MID ATLANTIC OR JUST OFFSHORE LEADING TO LGT ONSHORE FLOW AND GENLY DRY CONDS. ADJUSTED ANY CHC POPS DOWN TO SLGT CHC WITH UPR-LVL CUTOFF LO REMAINING WELL OFFSHORE. OVERALL...STILL FAVORING THE SLIGHTLY SLOWER ECMWF GUIDANCE WRT THE DEVELOPING CUTOFF LO OVER THE CENTRAL CONUS AS MODELS TEND TO BREAK DOWN BLOCKING PATTERNS TOO SOON/PROGRESS CUTOFF LOWS TOO QUICKLY. KEPT POPS CAPPED AT 20-30% OVER THE WEEKEND DUE TO ISSUES WITH PRECIP TIMING WITH THE APPROACHING LO. AS FOR TEMPS...HIGHS AVG IN THE UPR 60S/LWR 70S WITH LO TEMPS IN THE UPR 40S/LWR 50S. && .AVIATION /18Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... WIDESPREAD STRATIFORM RAIN CONTINUES TO MOVE SLIDE NW ACROSS LOWER EASTERN SHORE/NORTHERN NECK THIS AFTN, WITH SOLID IFR/MVFR CONDS ACROSS AREA TERMINALS. CIGS HAVE BEGUN TO RECOVER AS EXPECTED WITH LOW CLOUDS GRADUALLY SCOURING OUT WEST OF RIC. CONDITIONS IMPROVE TO MVFR/VFR AT RIC BY 21-22Z, ONLY TO FALL BACK INTO IFR SHORTLY AFTER SUNSET, WITH LIFR CONDS POSSIBLE AFTER 06Z/2A TNGT. OVER COASTAL TERMINALS, EXPECT CIGS TO REMAIN IN MVFR RANGE THROUGH THIS EVENING, FALLING TO IFR (LCL LIFR) IN LOW CLOUDS/FOG TONIGHT. OUTLOOK...IFR CONDITIONS DO GRADUALLY IMPROVE LATE TUE MORN. HOWEVER, PERSISTENT NE FLOW SHOULD RESULT IN OCCASIONAL RAIN SHOWERS WITH LINGERING LOW CLOUDS THROUGH WED, ESPECIALLY AT COASTAL TERMINALS. && .MARINE... LOW PRESSURE APPROACHES THE AREA FROM THE WEST TODAY...THEN WEAKENS AS IT CROSSES THE WATERS TONIGHT. LIGHT SE FLOW OVER THE WATERS EARLY THIS MORNING WILL INCREASE DURING THE DAY TODAY DUE TO AN INCREASING PRESSURE GRADIENT...ALLOWING FOR WINDS OF 15-20 KNOTS OVER THE WATERS WITH SOME GUSTS UP TO 25 KT ON THE OCEAN. THE EASTERLY COMPONENT TO THE WINDS WILL ALLOW SEAS TO BUILD ON THE OCEAN...REACHING 5-6 BY LATE MORNING. SCA`S REMAIN IN PLACE FOR ALL THE COASTAL WATERS (MAINLY FOR SEAS) TODAY THRU TUESDAY NIGHT. SCA`S FOR THE CHES BAY/CURRITUCK SOUND CONTINUE THRU 7 PM THIS EVENING WHEN THE PRESSURE GRADIENT SHOULD RELAX AND WINDS SUBSIDE. SFC HIGH PRESSURE REMAINS LOCKED IN PLACE OVER NEW ENGLAND THRU THE COMING WEEK ALLOWING FOR PERSISTENT E-NE WINDS OVER THE LOCAL WATERS. ALTHOUGH WINDS WILL LIKELY REMAIN SUB-SCA DURING THIS TIME...SEAS WILL REMAIN AOA 5 FT SO SCA`S WILL LIKELY CONTINUE FOR THE ENTIRE WEEK. && .AKQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MD...NONE. NC...NONE. VA...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR ANZ630>634. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 AM EDT WEDNESDAY FOR ANZ650-652- 654-656-658. && $$ SYNOPSIS...AJZ NEAR TERM...AJZ/DAP SHORT TERM...AJZ LONG TERM...MAS AVIATION...JDM/MAM MARINE...JDM
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS WAKEFIELD VA
1121 AM EDT MON APR 29 2013 .SYNOPSIS... LOW PRESSURE LIFTS NORTHEAST ACROSS THE MID ATLANTIC TODAY AND OFF THE COAST TONIGHT. LOW PRESSURE LINGERS OFF THE CAROLINA COAST THROUGH MIDWEEK AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OFF THE NEW ENGLAND COAST. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... CURRENT RADAR TRENDS SHOWING PRECIP CONTINUING TO MOVE E/NE THIS MORNING...WITH AREAS WEST OF RIC BEGINNING TO SEE SOME BREAKS IN THE PRECIP. HAVE UPDATED POPS TO SHOW THIS TREND...BUT HAVE KEPT 30-50 PERCENT CHANCE OF PRECIP IN THE WEST TO ACCOUNT FOR -SHRA DEVELOPMENT THIS AFTERNOON. OTHERWISE FORECAST LOOKS ON TARGET. ...PREVIOUS DISCUSSION... THE LATEST RUC MAINTAINS THIS STRONG LIFT OVER THE LOCAL AREA THROUGH 12Z BEFORE SHIFTING IT TOWARD THE EASTERN PORTION OF THE AREA FROM 12-16Z AS THE JET CORE PULLS NE TOWARD LONG ISLAND AND THE MID-LEVEL TROUGH AXIS INTRUDES FROM THE WEST. THIS SHOULD ALLOW STEADY RAIN TO SLOWLY TAPER OFF W OF I-95 THROUGH THE MORNING. THE MAIN AREA OF ASCENT THEN SHIFTS TO SE PORTIONS BY AFTERNOON AS A SECONDARY SPEED MAX MOVES OVER CENTRAL VA. A FEW RUMBLES OF THUNDER ARE POSSIBLE OVER SE PORTIONS GIVEN THAT THIS FEATURE ARRIVES DURING THE AFTERNOON. HOWEVER...AMBIENT RAIN COOLED STABLE CONDITIONS WILL LIMIT INSTABILITY (AND LIMIT THE POTENTIAL OF DEEP CONVECTION) HENCE THUNDER WILL NOT BE INCLUDED IN THE GRIDS. THE LATEST DATA SUGGESTS THAT QPF COULD REACH 1.5IN AND POSSIBLY CLOSE TO 2.0IN FOR SOME LOCATIONS BY THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS S-CENTRAL/SE VA/EASTERN SHORE/NE NC. THIS HAS FURTHER SUPPORT FROM UPSTREAM OBS OVER CENTRAL NC WHERE AMOUNTS HAVE REACHED 1.0-1.5IN AND RAIN CONTINUES. THE MID-LEVEL TROUGH AXIS MOVES OFF THE COAST TONIGHT WITH THE ASSOCIATED WIND FLOW BECOMING NW (ALBEIT WEAK). THIS SHOULD ALLOW STEADY RAIN TO TAPER OFF TO SHOWERS THIS EVENING FOR EASTERN AREAS. THERE IS AN ABUNDANT AMOUNT OF LINGERING LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE THAT WILL NOT BE SCOURED OUT BY WEAK FLOW...SO WIDESPREAD STRATUS IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP. THIS COULD EVENTUALLY SETTLE TO THE SURFACE RESULTING IN THE POTENTIAL FOR FOG. CLOUD COVER AND RAIN WILL LIMIT HIGH TEMPERATURES TODAY...WITH READINGS RANGING FROM THE LOW/MID 60S (UPPER 50S ALONG THE ATLANTIC COAST) OVER THE EASTERN SHORE TO THE UPPER 60S/NEAR 70 S. LOWS TONIGHT WILL BE MILD AND LARGELY BE IN THE MID 50S. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE RE-EXERTS ITSELF OVER THE CANADIAN MARITIMES TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY AND NUDGES SW ALONG THE NEW ENGLAND COAST. MEANWHILE...A COASTAL TROUGH LINGERS OFF THE CAROLINA COAST. THIS WILL MAINTAIN ONSHORE FLOW AND PERSISTENT MOSTLY CLOUDY TO OVERCAST CONDITIONS. THE LATEST GFS/NAM/ECMWF DRAW MOISTURE AROUND THE NORTHERN PERIPHERY OF THE TROUGH LATE TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY AHEAD OF A BACKDOOR FRONT. HOWEVER...CONFIDENCE IS LOW REGARDING RAIN POTENTIAL AT THIS TIME...SO WILL GO WITH NO HIGHER THAN A 40 POP. THUNDER POTENTIAL SHOULD REMAIN VERY LIMITED DUE TO ONSHORE FLOW AND SSTS IN THE LOW/MID 50S. IF ANY THUNDER WERE TO OCCUR (MAINLY TUE) IT WOULD BE OVER INTERIOR NE NC AND S-CENTRAL VA. AS FOR TEMPERATURES...THE COOLER MAV GUIDANCE HAS BEEN FOLLOWED AS MET NUMBERS APPEAR TOO WARM BASED ON EXPECTED CLOUD COVER. THIS RESULTS IN HIGHS TUESDAY RANGING FROM THE LOW/MID 60S OVER THE EASTERN SHORE...TO THE LOW 70S ALONG AND S OF THE VA/NC BORDER (AWAY FROM THE COASTS). HIGHS WEDNESDAY SHOULD BE A FEW DEGREES COOLER RANGING FROM THE LOW 60S OVER THE EASTERN SHORE (PERHAPS UPPER 50S ALONG THE COAST) THE THE UPPER 60S S. LOW TEMPERATURES SHOULD REMAIN IN THE 50S. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/... LONG TERM PERIOD WILL BE CHARACTERIZED BY A STAGNANT BLOCKING PATTERN WITH AN UPR-LVL RIDGE STRETCHED ALONG THE ERN SEABOARD. AT THE SFC...HI PRES WILL PERSIST OVER THE MID ATLANTIC OR JUST OFFSHORE LEADING TO LGT ONSHORE FLOW AND GENLY DRY CONDS. ADJUSTED ANY CHC POPS DOWN TO SLGT CHC WITH UPR-LVL CUTOFF LO REMAINING WELL OFFSHORE. OVERALL...STILL FAVORING THE SLIGHTLY SLOWER ECMWF GUIDANCE WRT THE DEVELOPING CUTOFF LO OVER THE CENTRAL CONUS AS MODELS TEND TO BREAK DOWN BLOCKING PATTERNS TOO SOON/PROGRESS CUTOFF LOWS TOO QUICKLY. KEPT POPS CAPPED AT 20-30% OVER THE WEEKEND DUE TO ISSUES WITH PRECIP TIMING WITH THE APPROACHING LO. AS FOR TEMPS...HIGHS AVG IN THE UPR 60S/LWR 70S WITH LO TEMPS IN THE UPR 40S/LWR 50S. && .AVIATION /15Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... WIDESPREAD RAIN CONTINUES ACRS THE LOCAL AREA THIS MORNING, WITH IFR/MVFR (LCL LIFR IVOF SBY BETWEEN 12-15Z) TO LINGER THROUGH THE DAY, AS LOW PRESSURE CONTINUES TO BRING RAIN TO THE AREA. EXPECT CIGS TO BOUNCE BACK SOME BY THIS AFTN, AT LEAST TO HIGH END MVFR AT RIC (POTENTIALLY VFR AFTER 18-20Z). OTHERWISE, SUB-VFR CONDS PERSIST THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD AT COASTAL SITES, REMAINING IN IFR-MVFR RANGE THROUGH THE DAY AT SBY-PHF-ORF-ECG. PCPN WL SLOWLY TAPER OFF FROM WEST TO EAST TONIGHT BUT MAY NEVER TOTALLY END AT THE COASTAL SITES UNTIL LATE TONIGHT. OUTLOOK...DESPITE PCPN ENDING, DIMINISHING WINDS AND PLENTY OF REMNANT LLVL MOISTURE SEEM TO POINT TOWARDS A RETURN OF IFR/LIFR OVERNIGHT IN LOW CLOUDS/FOG OVERNIGHT. CONDITIONS DO GRADUALLY IMPROVE ON TUESDAY. HOWEVER, PERSISTENT NE FLOW SHOULD RESULT IN OCCASIONAL RAIN SHOWERS WITH LINGERING LOW CLOUDS, ESPECIALLY AT COASTAL TERMINALS TUE/WED. && .MARINE... LOW PRESSURE APPROACHES THE AREA FROM THE WEST TODAY...THEN WEAKENS AS IT CROSSES THE WATERS TONIGHT. LIGHT SE FLOW OVER THE WATERS EARLY THIS MORNING WILL INCREASE DURING THE DAY TODAY DUE TO AN INCREASING PRESSURE GRADIENT...ALLOWING FOR WINDS OF 15-20 KNOTS OVER THE WATERS WITH SOME GUSTS UP TO 25 KT ON THE OCEAN. THE EASTERLY COMPONENT TO THE WINDS WILL ALLOW SEAS TO BUILD ON THE OCEAN...REACHING 5-6 BY LATE MORNING. SCA`S REMAIN IN PLACE FOR ALL THE COASTAL WATERS (MAINLY FOR SEAS) TODAY THRU TUESDAY NIGHT. SCA`S FOR THE CHES BAY/CURRITUCK SOUND CONTINUE THRU 7 PM THIS EVENING WHEN THE PRESSURE GRADIENT SHOULD RELAX AND WINDS SUBSIDE. SFC HIGH PRESSURE REMAINS LOCKED IN PLACE OVER NEW ENGLAND THRU THE COMING WEEK ALLOWING FOR PERSISTENT E-NE WINDS OVER THE LOCAL WATERS. ALTHOUGH WINDS WILL LIKELY REMAIN SUB-SCA DURING THIS TIME...SEAS WILL REMAIN AOA 5 FT SO SCA`S WILL LIKELY CONTINUE FOR THE ENTIRE WEEK. && .AKQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MD...NONE. NC...NONE. VA...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR ANZ630>634. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 AM EDT WEDNESDAY FOR ANZ650-652- 654-656-658. && $$ SYNOPSIS...AJZ NEAR TERM...AJZ/DAP SHORT TERM...AJZ LONG TERM...MAS AVIATION...JDM/MAM MARINE...JDM
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS PITTSBURGH PA
1057 AM EDT MON APR 29 2013 .SYNOPSIS... ONE MORE UNSETTLED WEATHER DAY BEFORE HIGH PRESSURE TAKES CHARGE. HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO THE MID ATLANTIC AND CONTROLS OUR WEATHER THROUGH THE WEEKEND. THE MIDDLE TO LATTER PART OF THE WORK WEEK WILL BE THE WARMEST WITH TEMPERATURES 10 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL. COME THE WEEKEND...LOOK FOR HIGHS TO FALL BACK TO SEASONAL NUMBERS. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS CONTINUE EAST OF THE OHIO RIVER. HIGHEST POPS WILL REMAIN THERE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. FOG IS SLOWLY LIFTING BASED ON AREA WEB CAMS AND SFC REPORTING SITES IN GARRETT COUNTY...SO NO NEED TO EXTEND FOG. SKY COVER AND RESULTANT DAYTIME MAXT ARE THE MAIN FORECAST CHALLENGES. LATEST HRRR CLOUD COVERAGE PROGS ILLUSTRATES SCT-BKN OPEN CELLULAR CLOUDS ACROSS THE ENTIRE REGION THIS AFTERNOON ALLOWING THE MERCURY TO CLIMB INTO THE L-M 60S. THIS CONCURS WITH EXISTING FORECAST...SO ONLY TWEAKS NEEDED. IT ONLY TAKES A SHORT DURATION OF SUNSHINE TO JUMP TEMPS INTO THE MID 60S /CASE IN POINT CENTRAL WV ALONG THE OHIO RIVER/. AS TROUGH AXIS PASSES INTO CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA THIS EVENING...CHANCE FOR RAIN SHOULD RAPIDLY DECREASE. HOWEVER...ONLY EXPECT TO SEE PARTIAL CLEARING WITH FLOW REMAINING OUT OF THE EAST-SOUTHEAST BRINGING IN MOISTURE FROM THE ATLANTIC OCEAN. PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES WILL KEEP TEMPERATURES FROM FALLING TOO MUCH...WHICH WILL KEEP OVERNIGHT LOWS ABOVE GUIDANCE. WITH MOISTURE DEPTH AND AREAS THAT EXPERIENCE PARTIAL CLEARING...PATCHY FOG WILL BE A CONCERN. PARCEL TRAJECTORIES TONIGHT ARE FROM IND WHERE WIDESPREAD STRATUS EXISTS. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... UPPER LEVEL HIGH WILL BEGIN TO ESTABLISH ITSELF ACROSS THE EAST COAST DURING THE MIDDLE OF THE WORK WEEK WHILE BROAD UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL REMAIN ACROSS THE WESTERN HALF OF THE UNITED STATES. THIS WILL KEEP WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION AWAY FROM THE REGION. HOWEVER...EASTERLY LOW LEVEL FLOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE PERIOD...WITH ATLANTIC MOISTURE BRINGING CLOUDS AND RAIN EAST OF THE LAUREL HIGHLANDS. THIS PATTERN SHOULD MANAGE TO KEEP SKIES AT LEAST PARTLY CLOUDY...AND AN ISOLATED SHOWER CANNOT BE RULED OUT RIGHT ALONG THE RIDGES. DURING THESE TWO DAYS...TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN NEAR NORMAL IN THE CLOUDY EASTERN COUNTIES...AND TEMPERATURES UP TO 10 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL ARE EXPECTED IN THE SUNNIER WESTERN COUNTIES OUT IN OHIO. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/... MODELS STILL IN GENERAL AGREEMENT ON A BLOCKED UPPER LEVEL PATTERN THROUGH THE EXTENDED AS A POWERFUL COLD CLOSED LOW DIVES INTO THE NATIONS MID SECTION WITH A CLOSED RIDGE ALOFT ACROSS THE NORTHEASTERN STATES. NOT A GREAT DEAL OF CHANGE TO PREVIOUS FORECAST WITH EAST COAST HIGH PRESSURE KEEPING REGION DRY THROUGH THE WORK WEEK. BY THE WEEKEND MODELS DO DIFFER ON HOW FAST BLOCKED PATTERN WILL BREAK. A COMPROMISE SOLUTION TOWARD THE HPC GRIDS BRINGS IN A CHANCE FOR SHOWERS MAINLY SUNDAY AS OCCLUDED FRONTAL BOUNDARY MOVES INTO REGION AS RIDGE WEAKENS AND CLOSED LOW BEGINS TO SHIFT EAST. TEMPERATURES WILL TREND BACK TOWARD NORMAL BY THE WEEKEND. && .AVIATION /15Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... MVFR CIGS WILL BE THE RULE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. MVFR VIS RESTRICTIONS COULD OCCUR AT FKL/DUJ/PIT/LBE WITH A PASSING SHOWER THROUGH 21Z. CIGS WILL LIFT TO VFR THIS EVENING AS HIGH PRESSURE SLOWLY WORKS INTO THE REGION. LOWER CONFIDENCE ON VIS AND CIGS DURING THE PREDAWN HOURS. DEPENDING HOW MANY TERMINALS CLEAR OUT WILL DETERMINE HOW WIDESPREAD OR PATCHY THE FOG IS. IF CLEARING DOES NOT OCCUR TONIGHT...NEITHER WOULD IFR WX. AFTER ANY MORNING FOG LIFTS LOOK FOR VFR CONDS TUE. .OUTLOOK.../MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY/... NO WIDESPREAD IFR WEATHER FORECAST. && .PBZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MD...NONE. OH...NONE. PA...NONE. WV...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...98 NEAR TERM...98/34 SHORT TERM...34 AVIATION...98
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS WAKEFIELD VA
759 AM EDT MON APR 29 2013 .SYNOPSIS... LOW PRESSURE LIFTS NORTHEAST ACROSS THE MID ATLANTIC TODAY AND OFF THE COAST TONIGHT. LOW PRESSURE LINGERS OFF THE CAROLINA COAST THROUGH MIDWEEK AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OFF THE NEW ENGLAND COAST. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... CURRENT WATER VAPOR IMAGERY INDICATES A MOIST FRONTAL BAND EXTENDING FROM THE NORTHERN GULF COAST THROUGH THE MID ATLANTIC AHEAD OF A MID-LEVEL TROUGH OVER THE OHIO VALLEY. VIGOROUS VERTICAL ASCENT...IN THE RRQ OF AN 85KT JET CORE OVER THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY OF PA (PER 29/06Z RUC) HAS RESULTED IN WIDESPREAD RAIN FROM FROM SC TO NJ AS OF 0730Z. THE LATEST RUC MAINTAINS THIS STRONG LIFT OVER THE LOCAL AREA THROUGH 12Z BEFORE SHIFTING IT TOWARD THE EASTERN PORTION OF THE AREA FROM 12-16Z AS THE JET CORE PULLS NE TOWARD LONG ISLAND AND THE MID-LEVEL TROUGH AXIS INTRUDES FROM THE WEST. THIS SHOULD ALLOW STEADY RAIN TO SLOWLY TAPER OFF W OF I-95 THROUGH THE MORNING. THE MAIN AREA OF ASCENT THEN SHIFTS TO SE PORTIONS BY AFTERNOON AS A SECONDARY SPEED MAX MOVES OVER CENTRAL VA. A FEW RUMBLES OF THUNDER ARE POSSIBLE OVER SE PORTIONS GIVEN THAT THIS FEATURE ARRIVES DURING THE AFTERNOON. HOWEVER...AMBIENT RAIN COOLED STABLE CONDITIONS WILL LIMIT INSTABILITY (AND LIMIT THE POTENTIAL OF DEEP CONVECTION) HENCE THUNDER WILL NOT BE INCLUDED IN THE GRIDS. THE LATEST DATA SUGGESTS THAT QPF COULD REACH 1.5IN AND POSSIBLY CLOSE TO 2.0IN FOR SOME LOCATIONS BY THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS S-CENTRAL/SE VA/EASTERN SHORE/NE NC. THIS HAS FURTHER SUPPORT FROM UPSTREAM OBS OVER CENTRAL NC WHERE AMOUNTS HAVE REACHED 1.0-1.5IN AND RAIN CONTINUES. THE MID-LEVEL TROUGH AXIS MOVES OFF THE COAST TONIGHT WITH THE ASSOCIATED WIND FLOW BECOMING NW (ALBEIT WEAK). THIS SHOULD ALLOW STEADY RAIN TO TAPER OFF TO SHOWERS THIS EVENING FOR EASTERN AREAS. THERE IS AN ABUNDANT AMOUNT OF LINGERING LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE THAT WILL NOT BE SCOURED OUT BY WEAK FLOW...SO WIDESPREAD STRATUS IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP. THIS COULD EVENTUALLY SETTLE TO THE SURFACE RESULTING IN THE POTENTIAL FOR FOG. CLOUD COVER AND RAIN WILL LIMIT HIGH TEMPERATURES TODAY...WITH READINGS RANGING FROM THE LOW/MID 60S (UPPER 50S ALONG THE ATLANTIC COAST) OVER THE EASTERN SHORE TO THE UPPER 60S/NEAR 70 S. LOWS TONIGHT WILL BE MILD AND LARGELY BE IN THE MID 50S. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE RE-EXERTS ITSELF OVER THE CANADIAN MARITIMES TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY AND NUDGES SW ALONG THE NEW ENGLAND COAST. MEANWHILE...A COASTAL TROUGH LINGERS OFF THE CAROLINA COAST. THIS WILL MAINTAIN ONSHORE FLOW AND PERSISTENT MOSTLY CLOUDY TO OVERCAST CONDITIONS. THE LATEST GFS/NAM/ECMWF DRAW MOISTURE AROUND THE NORTHERN PERIPHERY OF THE TROUGH LATE TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY AHEAD OF A BACKDOOR FRONT. HOWEVER...CONFIDENCE IS LOW REGARDING RAIN POTENTIAL AT THIS TIME...SO WILL GO WITH NO HIGHER THAN A 40 POP. THUNDER POTENTIAL SHOULD REMAIN VERY LIMITED DUE TO ONSHORE FLOW AND SSTS IN THE LOW/MID 50S. IF ANY THUNDER WERE TO OCCUR (MAINLY TUE) IT WOULD BE OVER INTERIOR NE NC AND S-CENTRAL VA. AS FOR TEMPERATURES...THE COOLER MAV GUIDANCE HAS BEEN FOLLOWED AS MET NUMBERS APPEAR TOO WARM BASED ON EXPECTED CLOUD COVER. THIS RESULTS IN HIGHS TUESDAY RANGING FROM THE LOW/MID 60S OVER THE EASTERN SHORE...TO THE LOW 70S ALONG AND S OF THE VA/NC BORDER (AWAY FROM THE COASTS). HIGHS WEDNESDAY SHOULD BE A FEW DEGREES COOLER RANGING FROM THE LOW 60S OVER THE EASTERN SHORE (PERHAPS UPPER 50S ALONG THE COAST) THE THE UPPER 60S S. LOW TEMPERATURES SHOULD REMAIN IN THE 50S. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/... LONG TERM PERIOD WILL BE CHARACTERIZED BY A STAGNANT BLOCKING PATTERN WITH AN UPR-LVL RIDGE STRETCHED ALONG THE ERN SEABOARD. AT THE SFC...HI PRES WILL PERSIST OVER THE MID ATLANTIC OR JUST OFFSHORE LEADING TO LGT ONSHORE FLOW AND GENLY DRY CONDS. ADJUSTED ANY CHC POPS DOWN TO SLGT CHC WITH UPR-LVL CUTOFF LO REMAINING WELL OFFSHORE. OVERALL...STILL FAVORING THE SLIGHTLY SLOWER ECMWF GUIDANCE WRT THE DEVELOPING CUTOFF LO OVER THE CENTRAL CONUS AS MODELS TEND TO BREAK DOWN BLOCKING PATTERNS TOO SOON/PROGRESS CUTOFF LOWS TOO QUICKLY. KEPT POPS CAPPED AT 20-30% OVER THE WEEKEND DUE TO ISSUES WITH PRECIP TIMING WITH THE APPROACHING LO. AS FOR TEMPS...HIGHS AVG IN THE UPR 60S/LWR 70S WITH LO TEMPS IN THE UPR 40S/LWR 50S. && .AVIATION /12Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... WIDESPREAD RAIN CONTINUES ACRS THE LOCAL AREA THIS MORNING, WITH IFR/MVFR (LCL LIFR IVOF SBY BETWEEN 12-15Z) TO LINGER THROUGH THE DAY, AS LOW PRESSURE CONTINUES TO BRING RAIN TO THE AREA. EXPECT CIGS TO BOUNCE BACK SOME BY THIS AFTN, AT LEAST TO HIGH END MVFR AT RIC (POTENTIALLY VFR AFTER 18-20Z). OTHERWISE, SUB-VFR CONDS PERSIST THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD AT COASTAL SITES, REMAINING IN IFR-MVFR RANGE THROUGH THE DAY AT SBY-PHF-ORF-ECG. PCPN WL SLOWLY TAPER OFF FROM WEST TO EAST TONIGHT BUT MAY NEVER TOTALLY END AT THE COASTAL SITES UNTIL LATE TONIGHT. OUTLOOK...DESPITE PCPN ENDING, DIMINISHING WINDS AND PLENTY OF REMNANT LLVL MOISTURE SEEM TO POINT TOWARDS A RETURN OF IFR/LIFR OVERNIGHT IN LOW CLOUDS/FOG OVERNIGHT. CONDITIONS DO GRADUALLY IMPROVE ON TUESDAY. HOWEVER, PERSISTENT NE FLOW SHOULD RESULT IN OCCASIONAL RAIN SHOWERS WITH LINGERING LOW CLOUDS, ESPECIALLY AT COASTAL TERMINALS TUE/WED. && .MARINE... LOW PRESSURE APPROACHES THE AREA FROM THE WEST TODAY...THEN WEAKENS AS IT CROSSES THE WATERS TONIGHT. LIGHT SE FLOW OVER THE WATERS EARLY THIS MORNING WILL INCREASE DURING THE DAY TODAY DUE TO AN INCREASING PRESSURE GRADIENT...ALLOWING FOR WINDS OF 15-20 KNOTS OVER THE WATERS WITH SOME GUSTS UP TO 25 KT ON THE OCEAN. THE EASTERLY COMPONENT TO THE WINDS WILL ALLOW SEAS TO BUILD ON THE OCEAN...REACHING 5-6 BY LATE MORNING. SCA`S REMAIN IN PLACE FOR ALL THE COASTAL WATERS (MAINLY FOR SEAS) TODAY THRU TUESDAY NIGHT. SCA`S FOR THE CHES BAY/CURRITUCK SOUND CONTINUE THRU 7 PM THIS EVENING WHEN THE PRESSURE GRADIENT SHOULD RELAX AND WINDS SUBSIDE. SFC HIGH PRESSURE REMAINS LOCKED IN PLACE OVER NEW ENGLAND THRU THE COMING WEEK ALLOWING FOR PERSISTENT E-NE WINDS OVER THE LOCAL WATERS. ALTHOUGH WINDS WILL LIKELY REMAIN SUB-SCA DURING THIS TIME...SEAS WILL REMAIN AOA 5 FT SO SCA`S WILL LIKELY CONTINUE FOR THE ENTIRE WEEK. && .AKQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MD...NONE. NC...NONE. VA...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR ANZ630>634. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 AM EDT WEDNESDAY FOR ANZ650-652- 654-656-658. && $$ SYNOPSIS...AJZ NEAR TERM...AJZ SHORT TERM...AJZ LONG TERM...MAS AVIATION...JDM/MAM MARINE...JDM
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...CORRECTED
NWS WAKEFIELD VA
412 AM EDT MON APR 29 2013 .SYNOPSIS... LOW PRESSURE LIFTS NORTHEAST ACROSS THE MID ATLANTIC TODAY AND OFF THE COAST TONIGHT. LOW PRESSURE LINGERS OFF THE CAROLINA COAST THROUGH MIDWEEK AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OFF THE NEW ENGLAND COAST. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... CURRENT WATER VAPOR IMAGERY INDICATES A MOIST FRONTAL BAND EXTENDING FROM THE NORTHERN GULF COAST THROUGH THE MID ATLANTIC AHEAD OF A MID-LEVEL TROUGH OVER THE OHIO VALLEY. VIGOROUS VERTICAL ASCENT...IN THE RRQ OF AN 85KT JET CORE OVER THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY OF PA (PER 29/06Z RUC) HAS RESULTED IN WIDESPREAD RAIN FROM FROM SC TO NJ AS OF 0730Z. THE LATEST RUC MAINTAINS THIS STRONG LIFT OVER THE LOCAL AREA THROUGH 12Z BEFORE SHIFTING IT TOWARD THE EASTERN PORTION OF THE AREA FROM 12-16Z AS THE JET CORE PULLS NE TOWARD LONG ISLAND AND THE MID-LEVEL TROUGH AXIS INTRUDES FROM THE WEST. THIS SHOULD ALLOW STEADY RAIN TO SLOWLY TAPER OFF W OF I-95 THROUGH THE MORNING. THE MAIN AREA OF ASCENT THEN SHIFTS TO SE PORTIONS BY AFTERNOON AS A SECONDARY SPEED MAX MOVES OVER CENTRAL VA. A FEW RUMBLES OF THUNDER ARE POSSIBLE OVER SE PORTIONS GIVEN THAT THIS FEATURE ARRIVES DURING THE AFTERNOON. HOWEVER...AMBIENT RAIN COOLED STABLE CONDITIONS WILL LIMIT INSTABILITY (AND LIMIT THE POTENTIAL OF DEEP CONVECTION) HENCE THUNDER WILL NOT BE INCLUDED IN THE GRIDS. THE LATEST DATA SUGGESTS THAT QPF COULD REACH 1.5IN AND POSSIBLY CLOSE TO 2.0IN FOR SOME LOCATIONS BY THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS S-CENTRAL/SE VA/EASTERN SHORE/NE NC. THIS HAS FURTHER SUPPORT FROM UPSTREAM OBS OVER CENTRAL NC WHERE AMOUNTS HAVE REACHED 1.0-1.5IN AND RAIN CONTINUES. THE MID-LEVEL TROUGH AXIS MOVES OFF THE COAST TONIGHT WITH THE ASSOCIATED WIND FLOW BECOMING NW (ALBEIT WEAK). THIS SHOULD ALLOW STEADY RAIN TO TAPER OFF TO SHOWERS THIS EVENING FOR EASTERN AREAS. THERE IS AN ABUNDANT AMOUNT OF LINGERING LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE THAT WILL NOT BE SCOURED OUT BY WEAK FLOW...SO WIDESPREAD STRATUS IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP. THIS COULD EVENTUALLY SETTLE TO THE SURFACE RESULTING IN THE POTENTIAL FOR FOG. CLOUD COVER AND RAIN WILL LIMIT HIGH TEMPERATURES TODAY...WITH READINGS RANGING FROM THE LOW/MID 60S (UPPER 50S ALONG THE ATLANTIC COAST) OVER THE EASTERN SHORE TO THE UPPER 60S/NEAR 70 S. LOWS TONIGHT WILL BE MILD AND LARGELY BE IN THE MID 50S. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE RE-EXERTS ITSELF OVER THE CANADIAN MARITIMES TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY AND NUDGES SW ALONG THE NEW ENGLAND COAST. MEANWHILE...A COASTAL TROUGH LINGERS OFF THE CAROLINA COAST. THIS WILL MAINTAIN ONSHORE FLOW AND PERSISTENT MOSTLY CLOUDY TO OVERCAST CONDITIONS. THE LATEST GFS/NAM/ECMWF DRAW MOISTURE AROUND THE NORTHERN PERIPHERY OF THE TROUGH LATE TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY AHEAD OF A BACKDOOR FRONT. HOWEVER...CONFIDENCE IS LOW REGARDING RAIN POTENTIAL AT THIS TIME...SO WILL GO WITH NO HIGHER THAN A 40 POP. THUNDER POTENTIAL SHOULD REMAIN VERY LIMITED DUE TO ONSHORE FLOW AND SSTS IN THE LOW/MID 50S. IF ANY THUNDER WERE TO OCCUR (MAINLY TUE) IT WOULD BE OVER INTERIOR NE NC AND S-CENTRAL VA. AS FOR TEMPERATURES...THE COOLER MAV GUIDANCE HAS BEEN FOLLOWED AS MET NUMBERS APPEAR TOO WARM BASED ON EXPECTED CLOUD COVER. THIS RESULTS IN HIGHS TUESDAY RANGING FROM THE LOW/MID 60S OVER THE EASTERN SHORE...TO THE LOW 70S ALONG AND S OF THE VA/NC BORDER (AWAY FROM THE COASTS). HIGHS WEDNESDAY SHOULD BE A FEW DEGREES COOLER RANGING FROM THE LOW 60S OVER THE EASTERN SHORE (PERHAPS UPPER 50S ALONG THE COAST) THE THE UPPER 60S S. LOW TEMPERATURES SHOULD REMAIN IN THE 50S. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/... LONG TERM PERIOD WILL BE CHARACTERIZED BY A STAGNANT BLOCKING PATTERN WITH AN UPR-LVL RIDGE STRETCHED ALONG THE ERN SEABOARD. AT THE SFC...HI PRES WILL PERSIST OVER THE MID ATLANTIC OR JUST OFFSHORE LEADING TO LGT ONSHORE FLOW AND GENLY DRY CONDS. ADJUSTED ANY CHC POPS DOWN TO SLGT CHC WITH UPR-LVL CUTOFF LO REMAINING WELL OFFSHORE. OVERALL...STILL FAVORING THE SLIGHTLY SLOWER ECMWF GUIDANCE WRT THE DEVELOPING CUTOFF LO OVER THE CENTRAL CONUS AS MODELS TEND TO BREAK DOWN BLOCKING PATTERNS TOO SOON/PROGRESS CUTOFF LOWS TOO QUICKLY. KEPT POPS CAPPED AT 20-30% OVER THE WEEKEND DUE TO ISSUES WITH PRECIP TIMING WITH THE APPROACHING LO. AS FOR TEMPS...HIGHS AVG IN THE UPR 60S/LWR 70S WITH LO TEMPS IN THE UPR 40S/LWR 50S. && .AVIATION /08Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... STEADIER PCPN HAS BEGUN TO MOVE INTO THE LOCAL AREA EARLY THIS MORNING WITH MVFR CONDITIONS STARTING TO SHOW UP AT THE TAF SITES. IFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO ARRIVE AROUND DAYBREAK AT KRIC AND AT ALL OTHER TAF SITES BETWEEN 12-14Z THIS MORNING. IFR CONDITIONS ARE THEN EXPECTED TO LINGER THE REMAINDER OF THE DAY AS LOW PRESSURE CONTINUES TO BRING RAIN TO THE AREA. PCPN TRIES TO SLOWLY TAPER OFF FROM WEST TO EAST TONIGHT BUT MAY NEVER TOTALLY END AT THE COASTAL SITES. NEVERTHELESS...IFR CIGS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE INTO TONIGHT. THERE CAN ALSO BE SOME BRIEF IFR CONDITIONS EARLY THIS MORNING IN BOUTS OF STEADIER RAIN. OUTLOOK...CONDITIONS IMPROVE ON TUESDAY BUT CHANCES OF RAIN WILL CONTINUE INTO WEDNESDAY. && .MARINE... LOW PRESSURE APPROACHES THE AREA FROM THE WEST TODAY...THEN WEAKENS AS IT CROSSES THE WATERS TONIGHT. LIGHT SE FLOW OVER THE WATERS EARLY THIS MORNING WILL INCREASE DURING THE DAY TODAY DUE TO AN INCREASING PRESSURE GRADIENT...ALLOWING FOR WINDS OF 15-20 KNOTS OVER THE WATERS WITH SOME GUSTS UP TO 25 KT ON THE OCEAN. THE EASTERLY COMPONENT TO THE WINDS WILL ALLOW SEAS TO BUILD ON THE OCEAN...REACHING 5-6 BY LATE MORNING. SCA`S REMAIN IN PLACE FOR ALL THE COASTAL WATERS (MAINLY FOR SEAS) TODAY THRU TUESDAY NIGHT. SCA`S FOR THE CHES BAY/CURRITUCK SOUND CONTINUE THRU 7 PM THIS EVENING WHEN THE PRESSURE GRADIENT SHOULD RELAX AND WINDS SUBSIDE. SFC HIGH PRESSURE REMAINS LOCKED IN PLACE OVER NEW ENGLAND THRU THE COMING WEEK ALLOWING FOR PERSISTENT E-NE WINDS OVER THE LOCAL WATERS. ALTHOUGH WINDS WILL LIKELY REMAIN SUB-SCA DURING THIS TIME...SEAS WILL REMAIN AOA 5 FT SO SCA`S WILL LIKELY CONTINUE FOR THE ENTIRE WEEK. && .AKQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MD...NONE. NC...NONE. VA...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR ANZ630>634. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 AM EDT WEDNESDAY FOR ANZ650-652- 654-656-658. && $$ SYNOPSIS...AJZ NEAR TERM...AJZ SHORT TERM...AJZ LONG TERM...MAS AVIATION...JDM/LSA MARINE...JDM
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS WAKEFIELD VA
411 AM EDT MON APR 29 2013 .SYNOPSIS... LOW PRESSURE LIFTS NORTHEAST ACROSS THE MID ATLANTIC TODAY AND OFF THE COAST TONIGHT. LOW PRESSURE LINGERS OFF THE CAROLINA COAST THROUGH MIDWEEK AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OFF THE NEW ENGLAND COAST. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... CURRENT WATER VAPOR IMAGERY INDICATES A MOIST FRONTAL BAND EXTENDING FROM THE NORTHERN GULF COAST THROUGH THE MID ATLANTIC AHEAD OF A MID-LEVEL TROUGH OVER THE OHIO VALLEY. VIGOROUS VERTICAL ASCENT...IN THE RRQ OF AN 85KT JET CORE OVER THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY OF PA (PER 29/06Z RUC) HAS RESULTED IN WIDESPREAD RAIN FROM FROM SC TO NJ AS OF 0730Z. THE LATEST RUC MAINTAINS THIS STRONG LIFT OVER THE LOCAL AREA THROUGH 12Z BEFORE SHIFTING IT TOWARD THE EASTERN PORTION OF THE AREA FROM 12-16Z AS THE JET CORE PULLS NE TOWARD LONG ISLAND AND THE MID-LEVEL TROUGH AXIS INTRUDES FROM THE WEST. THIS SHOULD ALLOW STEADY RAIN TO SLOWLY TAPER OFF W OF I-95 THROUGH THE MORNING. THE MAIN AREA OF ASCENT THEN SHIFTS TO SE PORTIONS BY AFTERNOON AS A SECONDARY SPEED MAX MOVES OVER CENTRAL VA. A FEW RUMBLES OF THUNDER ARE POSSIBLE OVER SE PORTIONS GIVEN THAT THIS FEATURE ARRIVES DURING THE AFTERNOON. HOWEVER...AMBIENT RAIN COOLED STABLE CONDITIONS WILL LIMIT INSTABILITY (AND LIMIT THE POTENTIAL OF DEEP CONVECTION) HENCE THUNDER WILL NOT BE INCLUDED IN THE GRIDS. THE LATEST DATA SUGGESTS THAT QPF COULD REACH 1.5IN AND POSSIBLE CLOSE TO 2.0IN FOR SOME LOCATIONS BY THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS S-CENTRAL/SE VA/EASTERN SHORE/NE NC. THIS HAS FURTHER SUPPORT FROM UPSTREAM OBS OVER CENTRAL NC WHERE AMOUNTS HAVE REACHED 1.0-1.5IN AND RAIN CONTINUES. THE MID-LEVEL TROUGH AXIS MOVES OFF THE COAST TONIGHT WITH THE ASSOCIATED WIND FLOW BECOMING NW (ALBEIT WEAK). THIS SHOULD ALLOW STEADY RAIN TO TAPER OFF TO SHOWERS THIS EVENING FOR EASTERN AREAS. THERE IS AN ABUNDANT AMOUNT OF LINGERING LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE THAT WILL NOT BE SCOURED OUT BY WEAK FLOW...SO WIDESPREAD STRATUS IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP. THIS COULD EVENTUALLY SETTLE TO THE SURFACE RESULTING IN THE POTENTIAL FOR FOG. CLOUD COVER AND RAIN WILL LIMIT HIGH TEMPERATURES TODAY...WITH READINGS RANGING FROM THE LOW/MID 60S (UPPER 50S ALONG THE ATLANTIC COAST) OVER THE EASTERN SHORE TO THE UPPER 60S/NEAR 70 S. LOWS TONIGHT WILL BE MILD AND LARGELY BE IN THE MID 50S. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE RE-EXERTS ITSELF OVER THE CANADIAN MARITIMES TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY AND NUDGES SW ALONG THE NEW ENGLAND COAST. MEANWHILE...A COASTAL TROUGH LINGERS OFF THE CAROLINA COAST. THIS WILL MAINTAIN ONSHORE FLOW AND PERSISTENT MOSTLY CLOUDY TO OVERCAST CONDITIONS. THE LATEST GFS/NAM/ECMWF DRAW MOISTURE AROUND THE NORTHERN PERIPHERY OF THE TROUGH LATE TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY AHEAD OF A BACKDOOR FRONT. HOWEVER...CONFIDENCE IS LOW REGARDING RAIN POTENTIAL AT THIS TIME...SO WILL GO WITH NO HIGHER THAN A 40 POP. THUNDER POTENTIAL SHOULD REMAIN VERY LIMITED DUE TO ONSHORE FLOW AND SSTS IN THE LOW/MID 50S. IF ANY THUNDER WERE TO OCCUR (MAINLY TUE) IT WOULD BE OVER INTERIOR NE NC AND S-CENTRAL VA. AS FOR TEMPERATURES...THE COOLER MAV GUIDANCE HAS BEEN FOLLOWED AS MET NUMBERS APPEAR TOO WARM BASED ON EXPECTED CLOUD COVER. THIS RESULTS IN HIGHS TUESDAY RANGING FROM THE LOW/MID 60S OVER THE EASTERN SHORE...TO THE LOW 70S ALONG AND S OF THE VA/NC BORDER (AWAY FROM THE COASTS). HIGHS WEDNESDAY SHOULD BE A FEW DEGREES COOLER RANGING FROM THE LOW 60S OVER THE EASTERN SHORE (PERHAPS UPPER 50S ALONG THE COAST) THE THE UPPER 60S S. LOW TEMPERATURES SHOULD REMAIN IN THE 50S. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/... LONG TERM PERIOD WILL BE CHARACTERIZED BY A STAGNANT BLOCKING PATTERN WITH AN UPR-LVL RIDGE STRETCHED ALONG THE ERN SEABOARD. AT THE SFC...HI PRES WILL PERSIST OVER THE MID ATLANTIC OR JUST OFFSHORE LEADING TO LGT ONSHORE FLOW AND GENLY DRY CONDS. ADJUSTED ANY CHC POPS DOWN TO SLGT CHC WITH UPR-LVL CUTOFF LO REMAINING WELL OFFSHORE. OVERALL...STILL FAVORING THE SLIGHTLY SLOWER ECMWF GUIDANCE WRT THE DEVELOPING CUTOFF LO OVER THE CENTRAL CONUS AS MODELS TEND TO BREAK DOWN BLOCKING PATTERNS TOO SOON/PROGRESS CUTOFF LOWS TOO QUICKLY. KEPT POPS CAPPED AT 20-30% OVER THE WEEKEND DUE TO ISSUES WITH PRECIP TIMING WITH THE APPROACHING LO. AS FOR TEMPS...HIGHS AVG IN THE UPR 60S/LWR 70S WITH LO TEMPS IN THE UPR 40S/LWR 50S. && .AVIATION /08Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... STEADIER PCPN HAS BEGUN TO MOVE INTO THE LOCAL AREA EARLY THIS MORNING WITH MVFR CONDITIONS STARTING TO SHOW UP AT THE TAF SITES. IFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO ARRIVE AROUND DAYBREAK AT KRIC AND AT ALL OTHER TAF SITES BETWEEN 12-14Z THIS MORNING. IFR CONDITIONS ARE THEN EXPECTED TO LINGER THE REMAINDER OF THE DAY AS LOW PRESSURE CONTINUES TO BRING RAIN TO THE AREA. PCPN TRIES TO SLOWLY TAPER OFF FROM WEST TO EAST TONIGHT BUT MAY NEVER TOTALLY END AT THE COASTAL SITES. NEVERTHELESS...IFR CIGS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE INTO TONIGHT. THERE CAN ALSO BE SOME BRIEF IFR CONDITIONS EARLY THIS MORNING IN BOUTS OF STEADIER RAIN. OUTLOOK...CONDITIONS IMPROVE ON TUESDAY BUT CHANCES OF RAIN WILL CONTINUE INTO WEDNESDAY. && .MARINE... LOW PRESSURE APPROACHES THE AREA FROM THE WEST TODAY...THEN WEAKENS AS IT CROSSES THE WATERS TONIGHT. LIGHT SE FLOW OVER THE WATERS EARLY THIS MORNING WILL INCREASE DURING THE DAY TODAY DUE TO AN INCREASING PRESSURE GRADIENT...ALLOWING FOR WINDS OF 15-20 KNOTS OVER THE WATERS WITH SOME GUSTS UP TO 25 KT ON THE OCEAN. THE EASTERLY COMPONENT TO THE WINDS WILL ALLOW SEAS TO BUILD ON THE OCEAN...REACHING 5-6 BY LATE MORNING. SCA`S REMAIN IN PLACE FOR ALL THE COASTAL WATERS (MAINLY FOR SEAS) TODAY THRU TUESDAY NIGHT. SCA`S FOR THE CHES BAY/CURRITUCK SOUND CONTINUE THRU 7 PM THIS EVENING WHEN THE PRESSURE GRADIENT SHOULD RELAX AND WINDS SUBSIDE. SFC HIGH PRESSURE REMAINS LOCKED IN PLACE OVER NEW ENGLAND THRU THE COMING WEEK ALLOWING FOR PERSISTENT E-NE WINDS OVER THE LOCAL WATERS. ALTHOUGH WINDS WILL LIKELY REMAIN SUB-SCA DURING THIS TIME...SEAS WILL REMAIN AOA 5 FT SO SCA`S WILL LIKELY CONTINUE FOR THE ENTIRE WEEK. && .AKQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MD...NONE. NC...NONE. VA...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR ANZ630>634. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 AM EDT WEDNESDAY FOR ANZ650-652- 654-656-658. && $$ SYNOPSIS...AJZ NEAR TERM...AJZ SHORT TERM...AJZ LONG TERM...MAS AVIATION...JDM/LSA MARINE...JDM
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MARQUETTE MI
746 PM EDT TUE APR 30 2013 .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH WEDNESDAY) ISSUED AT 432 PM EDT TUE APR 30 2013 WV IMAGERY AND RUC ANALYSIS INDICATED A BROAD MID/UPPER LEVEL TROUGH OVER THE NW CONUS RESULTING IN SW FLOW FROM THE CNTRL PLAINS TO THE NRN GREAT LAKES. A VIGOROUS SHORTWAVE IN THIS SW FLOW ALOFT WAS LIFTING NORTH INTO NW ONTARIO. AT THE SFC...LOW PRES WAS LOCATED OVER NW ONTARIO WITH A COLD FRONT EXTENDING SOUTH INTO FAR WRN LAKE SUPERIOR AND NW WI. A WARM FRONT WAS DRAPED ACROSS NCNTRL AND NE WI. BULGE OF WARM DRY AIR AT AROUND 850 MB AS NOTED ON 12Z GRB SNDG AND LATEST RAPID RUC SNDGS AT KIMT HAS PRODUCED SEVERAL HUNDRED J/KG OF CIN....KEEPING ATMOSPHERE CAPPED ENOUGH TO PROHIBIT SHOWERS FROM FORMING OVER MUCH OF THE FCST AREA SO FAR THIS AFTERNOON. JUST IN LATEST RADAR VOLUME SCAN STARTING TO SEE A FEW SHOWERS POPPING OVER HOUGHTON COUNTY BUT WITH ONLY AROUND 200-300 J/KG OF MLCAPE NOT REALLY EXPECTED MUCH IN WAY OF THUNDER. AS MODELS SHOW FRONT MOVG SLOWLY EAST INTO CENTRAL FCST AREA...RAP RUC SNDGS FOR KIMT SUGGESTS CAP ALOFT MAY ERODE JUST ENOUGH TO ALLOW FOR SOME ISOLD TO SCT SHRA/TSRA TO FORM TOWARD SUNSET OVER CNTRL FCST AREA. INCREASING 800-700 MB FGEN IN RESPONSE TO RIGHT ENTRANCE REGION FORCING IN 140+ KT 3H JET OVER NRN PLAINS AND WRN ONTARIO WILL BE MAIN DRIVING FORCE FOR BAND OF RAIN WHICH MODELS PROJECT TO FORM LATE THIS EVENING AND EARLY OVERNIGHT OVER CENTRAL PORTION OF THE FCST AREA. THIS BAND OF PCPN IS THEN PROGGED BY MODELS TO SHIFT OVER THE WRN CWA LATE TONIGHT INTO WED AS BEST FGEN FORCING SHIFTS WEST. LOWS TONIGHT WILL BE IN THE 40S UNDER MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES. MODEL AVG QPF INDICATES THAT PORTIONS OF GOGEBIC AND ONTONAGON COUNTIES COULD SEE UP TO QUARTER INCH OF PCPN LATE TONIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY. COLDER AIR (8H TEMPS DROPPING BLO 0C )SEEPING INTO THE WRN CWA COULD CAUSE SOME SNOW TO MIX IN WITH RAIN BY LATE WED AFTERNOON AS TEMPS FALL INTO THE MID TO UPPER 30S TOWARD EVENING. N-NW ONSHORE FLOW OFF COOL LAKE SUPERIOR ALONG CLOUDY SKIES WILL RESULT IN MAX TEMPS ON THE LOWER END OF MODEL GUIDANCE FOR WEDNESDAY WITH HIGHS RANGING FROM THE LOWER TO MID 40S ALONG LAKE SUPERIOR TO GENERALLY THE LOWER TO MID 50S EAST AND SCNTRL. .LONG TERM...(WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 432 PM EDT TUE APR 30 2013 FORECAST CONTINUES TO DEAL WITH THE UPPER TROUGH DEVELOPING IN THE IN THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND WHAT HAPPENS TO IT AS IT CUTS OFF AROUND THE END OF THIS WEEK AND DRIFTS THIS WEEKEND. TO START THE PERIOD...THE FORECAST CONCERN IS THE STALLED 850MB FRONT STRETCHING FROM NORTHERN LAKE SUPERIOR THROUGH SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA AND INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS AS THE UPPER TROUGH SLOWLY SHIFTS EAST THROUGH THE NORTHERN PLAINS. THE POSITION OF THE FRONT WILL BE THE MAIN CONCERN...AS THERE WILL LIKELY BE AN AXIS OF HIGHER PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS ALONG THIS FRONT. LATEST TRENDS IN THE MODELS IS THAT THE 850MB FRONT IS A LITTLE FARTHER WEST AND THE HEAVIEST PRECIPITATION LOOKS TO FALL SOMEWHERE EAST OF DULUTH AND WEST OF A LINE FROM BARAGA TO WATERSMEET. WITH THE AREA THE 850-700MB WAA/FGEN IS LINING UP...WOULD THINK THAT THE BEST PRECIPITATION WOULD BE OVER THE FAR WESTERN CWA...BUT STILL EXPECT LIGHTER VALUES OVER THE REST OF THE WESTERN CWA. THIS MATCHES UP WELL WITH THE 09Z SREF QPF PROBABILITIES. THERE WILL PROBABLY BE SOME SHOWERS OVER THE CENTRAL U.P. BUT THE AMOUNTS SHOULD BE LIGHTER THAN SEEN OVER THE WEST. UNFORTUNATELY...THIS PRECIPITATION WON/T HELP THE ALREADY SWOLLEN RIVERS AND STREAMS OVER FAR WESTERN UPPER MICHIGAN AND WILL HEIGHTEN THE AFFECTS IN THE HWO AND INDIVIDUAL RIVER PRODUCTS. BASED OFF THE THERMAL FIELDS AND BUFKIT SOUNDINGS...IT APPEARS THAT IT WILL MAINLY BE SNOW OVER THE FAR WESTERN CWA...WITH A RAIN/SNOW MIX OVER THE WEST-CENTRAL...BEFORE CHANGING TO ALL RAIN EAST OF A LINE FROM NEGAUNEE TO CRYSTAL FALLS. THERE STILL REMAINS SOME UNCERTAINTY IN THE P-TYPE TYPE AS THEY HAVE BEEN VARYING IN HOW FAR WEST THE WARM AIR ALOFT SLIDES. NAM AND OUR REGIONAL WRF-ARW DO HINT AT A SOME DRYING ALOFT WHICH COULD LIMIT ICE CRYSTAL POTENTIAL OVER THE WEST...WHICH WILL BE SOMETHING TO WATCH. IF THE PRECIP STAYS AS SNOW OVER THE WEST HALF OF GOGEBIC AND WESTERN ONTONAGON COUNTY...THEY COULD SEE SIGNIFICANT LATE SEASON SNOWFALL...ESPECIALLY ON THE COLDER SURFACES AND HIGHER TERRAIN. CURRENTLY HAVE BORDERLINE WARNING SNOW AMOUNTS FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY MORNING...SO WILL CONTINUE TO MENTION IN THE HWO. IF CONFIDENCE WAS A LITTLE GREATER ON EXACT LOCATION OF THE HEAVIEST QPF...AND THERE WEREN/T SEVERAL OTHER FLOOD WARNING/WATCH/ADVISORY PRODUCTS OUT FOR GOGEBIC COUNTY...COULD HAVE ISSUED A WINTER STORM WATCH. THE UPPER TROUGH STARTS THE CUTOFF PROCESS THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING...WHICH WILL ALLOW THE FLOW ALOFT TO BECOME MORE SOUTHEASTERLY AND SHIFT THE FRONT WEST. THIS WILL PULL WARMER AIR INTO THE AREA AND SHOULD LIMIT THE SNOW POTENTIAL. BUT THIS WARMER AIR MOVING IN ALOFT WILL LEAD COLD AIR TRAPPED NEAR THE SURFACE. THIS HAS BEEN HINTED AT OVER THE LAST DAY...BUT HAVE CONCERNS THAT THE GROUND TEMPERATURES WON/T GO BELOW FREEZING. THUS...WILL JUST HAVE A SLIGHT CHANCE MENTION FOR AREAS WITH RAIN AND TEMPS BELOW 31 DEGREES. WITH THE DIFFERENCES IN THE HANDLING OF THE TROUGH CUTTING OFF...THERE ARE DIFFERENCES IN THE MOVEMENT OF THE FRONT...SO WILL GO WITH A BROADER POPS HEADING INTO FRIDAY...BUT THE BEST FOCUS OVER THE SOUTHWEST HALF. THE WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK STILL REMAINS UP IN THE AIR DUE TO THE DIFFERENCES IN THE LOCATION OF THE UPPER LOW. 00Z ECMWF IS CONSISTENT WITH IT/S PREVIOUS RUN AND IS FARTHEST TO THE NORTH. 12Z GFS CONTINUES IT/S TREND OF BEING WELL TO THE SOUTH OF THE AREA /CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI VALLEY/...WHILE THE 12Z GEM HAS IT IN THE GREAT LAKES. AS WITH YESTERDAY...WILL FOLLOW A GENERAL CONSENSUS INTO NEXT WEEK AS THE LOCATION OF THE LOW HAS LARGE IMPLICATIONS ON TEMPERATURES AND PRECIPITATION. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z WEDNESDAY EVENING) ISSUED AT 745 PM EDT TUE APR 30 2013 A COLD FRONT WILL PUSH THROUGH ALL THREE TAF SITES OVERNIGHT. WITH DRIER AIR IN PLACE...PRECIPITATION WILL HOLD OFF UNTIL BETTER UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT ARRIVES LATER TONIGHT OVER THE FAR WEST. THIS DISTURBANCE WILL BRING A CHANCE FOR SHOWERS OVER THE FAR WEST TAF SITES OVERNIGHT. KSAW MAY SEE A SHOWER OR TWO AFTER MIDNIGHT WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE FRONT AS SLIGHTLY HIGHER DEWPOINTS EXIST THERE DUE TO FLOW OFF OF LAKE MICHIGAN...BUT CONFIDENCE IN THIS IS NOT HIGH. WIND SHIFT AND INCREASING MOISTURE ADVECTION WILL PRODUCE LOWER CIGS AND INCREASING CHANCES OF PRECIPITATION DURING THE DAY WITH LIFR CIGS POSSIBLE AT KIWD AND IFR CIGS AT KCMX ON WEDNESDAY. KSAW WILL REMAIN AT LOW END OF VFR FOR CIGS THROUGHOUT THE FORECAST UNTIL POSSIBLY NEAR 0Z. RAIN MAY MIX WITH SNOW AT THE END OF THE FORECAST PERIOD AT KIWD. && .MARINE...(FOR THE 4 PM LAKE SUPERIOR FORECAST ISSUANCE) ISSUED AT 432 PM EDT TUE APR 30 2013 NO GALES SEEN IN THIS FORECAST PERIOD. WINDS WILL GET UP TO 30 KNOTS ACROSS THE EASTERN PORTION OF LAKE SUPERIOR EARLY THIS EVENING WITH TIGHTENING GRAD AHEAD OF COLD FRONT. WINDS THEN STAY GEENRALLY AT OR BELOW 25 KNOTS FOR THE REST OF THE PERIOD. && .HYDROLOGY... ISSUED AT 432 PM EDT TUE APR 30 2013 ANOTHER DAY OF WARM TEMPERATURES HAS CONTINUED THE SNOW MELT AND THE RISING RIVER LEVELS ACROSS THE AREA. FORTUNATELY...RAINFALL AMOUNTS OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS HAVE BEEN FAIRLY LIGHT AND HAS KEPT THE FLOODING CONCERNS TO THE SNOW MELT. THE MAIN SNOW LEFT OVER THE AREA IS OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN LOCATIONS OVER THE WEST...WHERE VALUES ARE IN THE 3-15 INCH RANGE. THE WARM TEMPERATURES TONIGHT SHOULD CONTINUE THE MELT...BUT IS SHOULD BE SLOWED AS TEMPERATURES FALL BEHIND A COLD FRONT THAT MOVES THROUGH TONIGHT. THIS FRONT WILL PRODUCE ISOLATED/SCATTERED SHOWERS BUT WIDESPREAD MODERATE-HEAVY RAINFALL AMOUNTS ARE NOT EXPECTED. ATTENTION THEN TURNS TO AN UPPER LEVEL FRONT THAT STALLS OVER FAR WESTERN UPPER MICHIGAN WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. THIS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE OVER AN INCH OF QPF OVER THE WESTERN THIRD OF UPPER MICHIGAN THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT. THE HEAVIEST AMOUNTS...POTENTIALLY EXCEEDING 1.5 INCHES WILL BE OVER WESTERN ONTONAGON AND WESTERN GOGEBIC COUNTIES. WITH THE COLDER TEMPERATURES...THERE IS UNCERTAINTY IN THE THE EXACT PRECIPITATION TYPE...BUT IT LOOKS LIKE A RAIN/SNOW MIX OVER THE WEST AND MAINLY SNOW OVER THE FAR WEST. THIS PRECIPITATION WILL NOT HELP MATTERS OVER THE WESTERN CWA...WHERE MANY RIVERS/STREAMS/CREEKS ARE EXCEEDING BANKFULL OR FLOODING. THIS PRECIPITATION WILL DEFINITELY NEED TO BE WATCHED OVER THE NEXT DAY OR TWO TO PIN DOWN AMOUNTS AND TYPES...WHICH WILL HELP DETERMINE THE TIME THEY WILL INFLUENCE THE RIVERS. ELSEWHERE...THE TIME LAGGED FLOW INCREASES FROM THE SNOW MELT WILL LEAD TO CONTINUED RISES OVER THE NORTH CENTRAL TRIBUTARIES OF THE ESCANABA AND MICHIGAMME RIVERS. THESE AREAS MAY SEE FLOODING OVER THE COMING DAYS. IN THE NEAR TERM...THE GREATEST FLOODING THREAT IS FOR THE RIVERS IN WEST AND CENTRAL UPPER MICHIGAN. SEVERAL RIVER FLOOD WARNING/WATCH/ADVISORIES ARE ALREADY IN PLACE...ALONG WITH SOME AERIAL FLOOD ADVISORIES. FOR COMPLETE DETAILS...SEE THE LATEST RIVER FLOOD WATCHES...WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES. && .MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... UPPER MICHIGAN... FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 10 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR MIZ009. LAKE SUPERIOR... NONE. LAKE MICHIGAN... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...VOSS LONG TERM...SRF AVIATION...RJT MARINE...VOSS HYDROLOGY...SRF
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MARQUETTE MI
233 PM EDT MON APR 29 2013 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 518 AM EDT MON APR 29 2013 WV IMAGERY AND RUC ANALYSIS INDICATED A STRONG 160 KNOT 250-300 MB JET MOVING INTO THE PAC NW AND A MAINLY ZONAL FLOW DOWNSTREAM TO THE NRN GREAT LAKES. AT THE SFC...A COLD FRONT EXTENDED FROM LOW PRES OVER HUDSON BAY TO NEAR JAMES BAY AND THROUGH WRN UPPER MI INTO NW IA. THE COMBINATION OF LOW LEVEL CONV NEAR THE FRONT AND A WEAK SHRTWV INTO UPPER SUPPORTED AN AREA OF LIGHT SHOWERS ACROSS CNTRL UPPER MI INTO ERN LAKE SUPERIOR. HIGH PRES FROM THE NRN PLAINS WAS BUILDING TOWARD THE REGION BRINGING IN DRIER AIR ALONG WITH CLEARING SKIES FROM NRN MN INTO WRN LAKE SUPERIOR AND WRN UPPER MI. WITH SOME LEFTOVER LOW LEVEL MOISTURE FROM THE LIGHT RAIN AND MELTING SNOW ALONG WITH RADIATIONAL COOLING...SOME FOG HAD DEVELOPED FROM IWD TO CMX. RADAR/SATELLITE TRENDS SUGGEST THAT THE AREA OF SHOWERS WILL MOVE THROUGH THE REST OF THE ERN HALF OF THE CWA THIS MORNING AS THE FRONT GRADUALLY WEAKENS OVER SRN UPPER MI. AS ANOTHER WEAK SHORTWAVE OVER SOUTH DAKOTA MOVES TOWARD THE AREA LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...MODELS SUGGEST THAT PCPN WILL AGAIN DEVELOP AND LIFT TO THE NORTHEAST. HOWEVER...THERE REMAINS SOME UNCERTAINTY WITH THE TIMING OF THE PCPN DEVELOPMENT AND MOVEMENT AND ON HOW FAR TO THE NORTH INTO CNTRL UPPER MI THE PCPN WILL EXPAND. SO...ONLY CHANCE POPS WERE INCLUDED FOR NOW. INSTABILITY TO SUPPORT TSRA...PER MDLS MUCAPE...IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN SOUTH OF THE AREA. FARTHER TO THE NORTHWEST...DRY CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL WITH A SUNSHINE AND WARM CONDITIONS. WITH 850 MB TEMPS AROUND 8C...TEMPS SHOULD AGAIN CLIMB INTO THE MID 60S. READINGS IN THE UPPER 50S AND LOWER 60S AND EXPECTED WHERE GREATER CLOUD COVER PREVAILS. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 518 AM EDT MON APR 29 2013 EXTENDED FORECAST BECOMES MORE COMPLEX WITH ADDITION OF THUNDERSTORMS /SOME ON THE STRONGER SIDE/ TUE AND TUE NIGHT AND SNOW WED NIGHT INTO FRI. WILL FOCUS ON THESE TWO TIME FRAMES DUE TO MORE BENIGN WEATHER AT THESE TIMES AND HELPING MANAGE EXTRA WORKLOAD ON MORE IMPACTFUL HYDROLOGIC ISSUES. FOR TUE...STARTING 12Z TUE THERE IS WILL BE AN UPPER SHORTWAVE TROUGH OVER ND...WITH THE ASSOCIATED 995MB SFC LOW OVER NRN MN. THE SYSTEM WILL MOVE TO HUDSON BAY BY 12Z WED WHILE DRAGGING A COLD FRONT ACROSS THE CWA. THE COLD FRONT WILL ENCOUNTER VERY WARM LOW LEVEL TEMPS AS 850MB TEMPS WILL BE AROUND 15C RESULTING IN HIGHS IN THE 60S AND 70S. THUNDERSTORMS CERTAINLY APPEAR POSSIBLE...WITH EVEN UP TO AROUND 1000 J/KG OF MUCAPE OVER THE REGION. THANKFULLY...SHEAR WILL BE WEAK WHICH WILL FURTHER LIMIT SEVERE POTENTIAL. THERE COULD BE SOME STRONGER STORMS...BUT NO SEVERE WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. DO SEE THE FRONT MOVE INTO WRN UPPER MI AROUND 00Z WED...MOVING TO THE ERN U.P. BY 12Z WED. COULD ALSO SEE SOME HEAVY RAINFALL...WHICH WILL NOT HELP HYDROLOGIC SITUATION DUE TO SNOWMELT OVER THE CWA. AFTER THE SYSTEM MOVES AWAY FROM THE AREA...THE CWA WILL BE SQUEEZED BETWEEN A DEEPENING UPPER TROUGH JUST W OF THE CWA AND A STRENGTHENING UPPER RIDGE JUST E OF THE CWA. AN 850MB TROUGH WILL BE ANCHORED OVER THE CWA. ALL THIS WILL HAPPEN WED AND THU...BEFORE THE UPPER TROUGH CLOSES OFF OVER MY BY FRI AS THE UPPER RIDGE GETS CUT OFF AND MOVES INTO THE CWA FROM THE E. FGEN PRECIP ON THE NW SIDE OF THE 850MB TROUGH WILL LEAD TO THE POSSIBILITY OF SIGNIFICANT PRECIP OVER THE CENTRAL/WESTERN CWA WED NIGHT INTO FRI...MUCH OF WHICH MAY BE SNOW OVER THE FARTHER W ZONES. THERE REMAINS A GOOD AMOUNT OF UNCERTAINTY...BUT HEADLINE WORTHY SNOW DOES LOOK POSSIBLE OVER THE WRN CWA. WITH AFOREMENTIONED HYDRO CONCERNS...WILL HAVE TO CONTINUE TO CLOSELY LOOK AT PTYPE/AMOUNTS AS THE WEEK PROGRESSES. WARMER TEMPS LOOK TO RETURN ON FRI AS 850MB TEMPS INCREASE UP TO 9C...WARMEST E. FOR NEXT WEEKEND...UNCERTAINTY INCREASES SIGNIFICANTLY...SO WILL JUST USE A CONSENSUS OF MODEL GUIDANCE FOR THIS PERIOD. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 231 PM EDT MON APR 29 2013 VFR CEILINGS AND VIS WILL LIKELY FALL THIS EVENING UNDER FOG...GIVEN HIGH LEVELS OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AND INCREASED SOUTHERLY FLOW. LOOK FOR FOG TO SLOWLY WEAKEN DURING THE DAY TUESDAY AS STRONGER SOUTHERLY WINDS TAKE HOLD...WITH GUSTS OF 20-25KTS FROM LATE MORNING ON. THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL BE LIKELY AT IWD AND SAW THROUGH THE DAY. && .MARINE...(FOR THE 4 AM LAKE SUPERIOR FORECAST ISSUANCE) ISSUED AT 518 AM EDT MON APR 29 2013 WINDS SHOULD STAY BELOW 25KT THROUGH THE PERIOD WITH NO GALES EXPECTED. NO STRONG SYSTEMS WILL BE COMING CLOSE TO THE AREA...SO NO STRONG PRESSURE GRADIENTS ARE EXPECTED. && .HYDROLOGY... ISSUED AT 518 AM EDT MON APR 29 2013 YESTERDAY SAW TEMPS IN THE 60S AND 70S...FOLLOWED BY LOWS LAST NIGHT IN THE 40S...WHICH HAS KEPT THE MELTING GOING ACROSS THE CWA. SNOW DEPTHS HAVE FALLEN 15-20 INCHES IN THE LAST WEEK. THE MOST SNOW REMAINS ON THE GROUND ACROSS NORTHERN UPPER MICHIGAN IN THE INLAND AND HIGHER TERRAIN AREAS. STILL HAVE TO MELT ANOTHER 12-20 INCHES OF SNOW IN SOME OF THESE AREAS. TROUGH MOVING THROUGH TONIGHT INTO TODAY IS DROPPING GENERALLY AROUND 0.25 INCHES OF RAIN...BUT IN SOME CASES UP TO .5 INCHES HAS FALLEN. ADDITIONAL RAIN WITH POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORMS MAY OCCUR TUESDAY INTO TUESDAY NIGHT AS A COLD FRONT WORKS ACROSS UPPER MICHIGAN. HIGHER MOISTURE OVER THE AREA MAY RESULT IN HEAVY DOWNPOURS WITH ANY THUNDERSTORMS. MUCH COOLER TEMPERATURES EXPECTED FOR REST OF WEEK BEHIND THE FRONT. ADDITIONAL CHANCES OF RAIN AND EVEN SNOW WILL ALSO CONTINUE ACROSS UPPER MICHIGAN FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK. SO...EVEN THOUGH TEMPERATURES WILL BE COOLER THIS MAY BE OFFSET BY THE ADDITIONAL PRECIPITATION THAT MAY OCCUR. RIVERS OF PARTICULAR CONCERN DUE TO MELTING WILL BE THE TRAP ROCK RIVER...THE STURGEON RIVER OF BARAGA/HOUGHTON COUNTIES...THE PESHEKEE RIVER...THE PAINT RIVER NEAR CRYSTAL FALLS...THE ONTONAGON RIVER AT EWEN AND EVENTUALLY THE MICHIGAMME RIVER NEAR REPUBLIC AND WITCH LAKE. MELTING SCENARIOS STILL REMAIN THE BIGGEST CONFIDENCE REDUCERS IN RIVER FORECASTS FOR THE PESHEKEE AND MICHIGAMME BASINS WHERE MOST OF THE MELTING HAS NOT HIT ANY OBSERVED RIVER POINTS YET...ALTHOUGH READINGS WILL BE GATHERED FROM THE PESHEKEE RIVER AND LAKE MICHIGAMME THIS MORNING BY NWS PERSONNEL WHICH SHOULD HELP GET A BETTER IDEA OF MELTING CONDITIONS INTO THE BASIN. AT OTHER LOCATIONS...SUFFICIENT RUNOFF FROM MELTING HAS BEEN OBSERVED TO MORE ACCURATELY GET A HANDLE OF MELT RATES FOR THE RIVER MODELS. NWS SURVEY OF THE PESHEKEE RIVER ON SATURDAY REVEALED THICK ICE COVERING MOST OF THE RIVER NEAR AND DOWNSTREAM OF THE CHPM4 RIVER GAUGING LOCATION /AUTOMATED GAUGE DISCONTINUED BUT OBS ARE BEING TAKEN USING A WIRE WEIGHT GAUGE AT THE LOCATION/ AND THICK ICE COVER ON MOST OF LAKE MICHIGAMME WHICH THE PESHEKEE DRAINS INTO. ICE JAMS MAY CAUSE SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS AS THE RIVER RISES THROUGH MONDAY. MAIN STEM RIVERS ARE NOT THE ONLY HAZARD...AS THERE IS ALSO A THREAT OF AREAL FLOOD PROBLEMS WITH SMALLER CREEKS/STREAMS AND STANDING WATER ON ROADS. HAVE RECEIVED SOME SPORADIC REPORTS OF AREAL TYPE FLOODING...BUT NOT ENOUGH SIGNIFICANT REPORTS FOR HAZARD ISSUANCE. FOR COMPLETE DETAILS...SEE THE HYDROLOGIC OUTLOOK /ESF/ AND THE LATEST RIVER FLOOD WATCHES...WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES. && .MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... UPPER MICHIGAN... NONE. LAKE SUPERIOR... NONE. LAKE MICHIGAN... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...JLB LONG TERM...TITUS AVIATION...KF MARINE...JLB HYDROLOGY...TITUS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GRAND RAPIDS MI
139 PM EDT MON APR 29 2013 .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 344 AM EDT MON APR 29 2013 AREAS OF FOG WILL BE FOUND EARLY THIS MORNING...ESPECIALLY ACROSS AREAS NEAR AND SOUTH OF I-69. ONCE THE FOG DISSIPATES...MOST AREAS SHOULD WARM UP NICELY TO AROUND 70 WITH A DECENT AMOUNT OF SUNSHINE. THERE WILL BE A CHANCE OF SHOWERS UP NORTH THIS AFTERNOON. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL EXIST TONIGHT AND INTO TUESDAY AS A WAVE OF LOW PRESSURE AND A SURGE OF WARMER AND MORE MOIST AIR MOVES TOWARD THE AREA. A FRONT EXPECTED TO NEARLY STALL OUT TO OUR WEST TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY WILL TRY TO LEAN INTO THE AREA ON THURSDAY AND INCREASE THE CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AND STORMS. MUCH OF THE AREA COULD SEE THEIR FIRST 80 DEGREE TEMPERATURE OF THIS SPRING ON TUESDAY AND/OR WEDNESDAY. && .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 1202 PM EDT MON APR 29 2013 SHORTWAVE TROUGH IS PUSHING FROM MINNESOTA INTO WISCONSIN AT MIDDAY WITH A SURFACE COLD FRONT LOCATED AHEAD OF IT STRETCHING FROM WISCONSIN SOUTHWEST INTO IOWA. A BAND OF SHOWERS AND A FEW EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED NEAR THE FRONT. HI-RES WRF MODELS (NSSL AND SPC) AND THE HRRR KEEP THE BULK OF THE PRECIPITATION TO THE NORTH AND WEST OF THE FORECAST AREA THIS AFTERNOON. SOME SCATTERED SHOWER ACTIVITY IS POSSIBLE ACROSS ABOUT THE NORTHERN THIRD OF THE FORECAST AREA AND HAVE MAINTAINED POPS IN THE FORECAST UP THERE. THROUGH THE AFTERNOON...THE BEST MOISTURE RETURN AND LIFT SHOULD BE WEST AND NORTH OF THE FORECAST AREA. THE UPSTREAM SURFACE COLD FRONT ACTUALLY WASHES OUT WITH TIME OVER ABOUT THE NEXT 18 HOURS AS NEW MID LEVEL ENERGY TAKES OVER FROM THE WEST. THE SHOWER AND POSSIBLY SOME THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY DOES TRY TO SPILL INTO THE CWA THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT. IT APPEARS THE NORTHERN CWA MAY SEE PRECIPITATION THIS EVENING...SPREADING INTO WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST OVERNIGHT. HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL MAKE A RUN INTO THE LOWER TO MIDDLE 70S AT MOST LOCATIONS WITH COOLER READINGS NEAR LAKE MICHIGAN. && .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY) ISSUED AT 344 AM EDT MON APR 29 2013 FORECAST CONCERNS WITH THE SHORT TERM INCLUDE FOG ISSUES THIS MORNING AND PCPN TRENDS THROUGH THE PERIOD. WE HAVE ISSUED A DENSE FOG ADVISORY FOR THE SE CORNER OF THE CWFA FOR THIS MORNING. OBS AT KJXN...KTEW...KRMY...AND EVEN AT KLAN ARE ALL AT OR HAVE BEEN AT 1/4SM EARLY THIS MORNING. THESE LOCATIONS HAVE SEEN THE WORST CONDITIONS AS A RESULT OF THE BETTER RAINFALL THAT OCCURRED ON SUNDAY. THE WORST VISIBILITIES SEEM TO ALIGN VERY WELL WITH THE PLACES THAT SAW THE MOST RAIN PER THE KGRR STORM TOTAL PCPN PRODUCT. WE HAVE KALAMAZOO COUNTY AND EATON COUNTY IN THE ADVISORY EVEN THOUGH NO OBS OFFICIALLY SUPPORT FOG YET. DUE TO THE RAINFALL PLACEMENT ON SUN...WE THINK THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE LOCATIONS IN THESE COUNTIES ARE SEEING ENOUGH FOG TO JUSTIFY THE ADVISORY THERE. AS FAR AS PCPN TRENDS ARE CONCERNED...WE HAVE GENERALLY TRENDED THE CHCS LOWER JUST A LITTLE THROUGH WED AS IT SEEMS LIKE THE FRONT WILL GET HELD UP A LITTLE FURTHER WEST THAN PREVIOUSLY INDICATED. WE BELIEVE THIS IS THE CASE SINCE THE MAIN TROUGH THAT FORMS THE UPPER LOW DIGS A LITTLE FURTHER SOUTH AND WEST...HELPING TO BUILD THE RIDGE CLOSER TO MI. WE WILL SEE THE INITIAL FRONT NOW MAKING ITS WAY PAST KMSP AND INTO WI. THIS FRONT IS EXPECTED TO STALL OUT SOON AS IT ALIGNS WITH THE MID LEVEL FLOW. THE CONVECTION WITH IT SHOULD STAY CLOSE TO IT...AND CLOUD SNEAK INTO THE NW CORNER OF THE CWFA LATER TODAY. WE BELIEVE THAT MOST OF IT SHOULD REMAIN NW OF THE CWFA. THE FRONT WILL GRADUALLY WASH OUT TONIGHT. WE WILL SEE A SURGE OF WARM AND MOIST AIR ALOFT TONIGHT AND EARLY TUE AS A 35-40 KNOT LLJ WILL TRANSLATE NE ACROSS WI AND NRN LOWER MI. MOST OF THE MODELS KEEP THE CONVECTION JUST TO OUR NW ONCE AGAIN. THE OUTLIER IS THE TRUSTY EURO WHICH DEVELOPS PCPN OVER THE NRN 2/3RDS OF THE CWFA AT THE LEADING EDGE OF THE WARM/MOIST SURGE. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY TIMES THE EURO IS THE OUTLIER WITH A PCPN EVENT LIKE THIS...AND HAS BEEN CORRECT. WE HAVE MAINTAINED SMALL CHCS OF SHOWERS AND STORMS TONIGHT AND INTO TUE TO ACCOUNT FOR THAT. WE SHOULD SEE SUNSHINE BREAK OUT TUE AFTERNOON AND MIX INTO H850 TEMPS IN THE MID TEENS C. THIS WILL SUPPORT SOME POTENTIAL 80 DEGREE READINGS TUE AFTERNOON. ONCE THAT SURGE MOVES N AND E OF THE CWFA...WE SHOULD GENERALLY DRY OUT FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE SHORT TERM THROUGH WED. THE FRONT WILL LIKELY LINE UP ALONG THE NW MI COAST ALONG LAKE MICHIGAN. ALL OF THE PCPN WILL BE ON THE COOL SIDE OF THE FRONT WITH THE WARMER AIR OVERRIDING THE FRONT. H850 TEMPS REMAIN UP IN THE MID TEENS C...SO 80 DEGREES LOOKS ATTAINABLE ONCE AGAIN DURING THE DAY ON WED. .LONG TERM...(WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 344 AM EDT MON APR 29 2013 LONG RANGE MODELS CONTINUE TO HAVE VERY POOR RUN TO RUN CONSISTENCY WITH THE BLOCKING PATTERN ACROSS THE EASTERN CONUS THIS WEEK. HAVE BEEN FORCED TO INCLUDE LOW CHANCE OR SLIGHT POPS ALMOST ALL PERIODS ALTHOUGH IT IS POSSIBLE THAT MOST PERIODS WILL REMAIN DRY. 00Z GFS AND EURO SHOW THE BEST CHANCE FOR RAIN WILL BE ACROSS THE WESTERN FORECAST AREA THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY AS THE UPPER TROUGH APPROACHES. THEN IT STALLS AS THE SOUTHERN END OF THE TROUGH CUTS OFF SPINS SOMEWHERE OVER THE PLAINS. A NEW WRINKLE WITH THE 00Z EURO IS THAT THE UPPER LOW LIFTS NORTH AND MISSES THE GREAT LAKES AS UPPER TROUGHING MOVES INTO WESTERN CANADA. THIS IS A DEPARTURE FROM MOST OF THE PAST RUNS...SO WILL NOT GIVE IT MUCH WEIGHT FOR NOW. WILL GO MORE WITH THE GFS IDEA OF BRINGING THE UPPER LOW IN BY SUNDAY...ALTHOUGH THIS HAS TRENDED SLOWER AND COULD BE DELAYED UNTIL MONDAY. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 139 PM EDT MON APR 29 2013 ADDED THE CHANCE FOR AN ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM AT THE INLAND TAF SITES FOR THIS EVENING. AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL CROSS THE REGION IN THIS TIME FRAME ALONG WITH BUILDING INSTABILITY. THE SOUTHERN FLOW WILL INCREASE AROUND SUNRISE TUESDAY...REACHING NEAR 20 KTS TOWARD MID DAY. && .MARINE... ISSUED AT 344 AM EDT MON APR 29 2013 WE ARE GOING TO ISSUE A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR THE NEARSHORE WATERS WITH THIS FCST PACKAGE. WINDS WILL INCREASE TONIGHT AS THE BETTER PRESSURE GRADIENT MOVES IN ACROSS THE AREA. THIS WILL REMAIN IN PLACE GENERALLY UNTIL THE MORNING HOURS ON WED BEFORE IT SHIFTS WEST OF THE AREA WITH THE FRONT. && .FIRE WEATHER... ISSUED AT 344 AM EDT MON APR 29 2013 A SLIGHTLY ELEVATED FIRE DANGER WILL EXIST OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS AS TEMPS WARM UP QUITE A BIT AND WE STILL HAVE A WAYS TO GO BEFORE GREEN UP OCCURS EVERYWHERE. WINDS WILL PICK UP A BIT...ESPECIALLY ON TUE WHEN THE BETTER GRADIENT WILL BE OVERHEAD. FORTUNATELY...RH VALUES ARE NOT EXPECTED TO GET SIGNIFICANTLY LOW. WE HAVE NEAR 50 DEGREE DEW POINTS ALREADY ACROSS THE AREA. A SRLY FLOW WILL HELP KEEP DEW POINTS UP...ALTHOUGH THEY COULD DROP A FEW DEGREES DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS DUE TO MIXING. WE ARE EXPECTING MIN RH VALUES IN THE 35 TO 45 PCT RANGE IN GENERAL FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS. && .HYDROLOGY... ISSUED AT 344 AM EDT MON APR 29 2013 NO ADDITIONAL HYDROLOGY PROBLEMS EXPECTED ON TOP OF THE RESIDUAL FLOOD WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES THAT ARE ALREADY OUT FOR SOME OF THE RIVER POINTS. WE HAVE A CHANCE OF SEEING RAIN ON AT LEAST A COUPLE OF OCCASIONS THIS WEEK. THE RAINS DO NOT LOOK TO BE HEAVY NOR WIDESPREAD OVER OUR AREA. AMOUNTS SHOULD GENERALLY STAY BELOW 0.50 INCHES. ADDITIONAL RAIN SHOWERS WILL REMAIN POSSIBLE INTO NEXT WEEK...WITH NO SIGNIFICANT RAINS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. && .GRR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MI...NONE. LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 11 AM EDT WEDNESDAY FOR LMZ844>849. && $$ UPDATE...DUKE SYNOPSIS...NJJ SHORT TERM...NJJ LONG TERM...OSTUNO AVIATION...JK FIRE WEATHER...NJJ HYDROLOGY...NJJ MARINE...NJJ
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GRAND RAPIDS MI
1203 PM EDT MON APR 29 2013 .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 344 AM EDT MON APR 29 2013 AREAS OF FOG WILL BE FOUND EARLY THIS MORNING...ESPECIALLY ACROSS AREAS NEAR AND SOUTH OF I-69. ONCE THE FOG DISSIPATES...MOST AREAS SHOULD WARM UP NICELY TO AROUND 70 WITH A DECENT AMOUNT OF SUNSHINE. THERE WILL BE A CHANCE OF SHOWERS UP NORTH THIS AFTERNOON. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL EXIST TONIGHT AND INTO TUESDAY AS A WAVE OF LOW PRESSURE AND A SURGE OF WARMER AND MORE MOIST AIR MOVES TOWARD THE AREA. A FRONT EXPECTED TO NEARLY STALL OUT TO OUR WEST TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY WILL TRY TO LEAN INTO THE AREA ON THURSDAY AND INCREASE THE CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AND STORMS. MUCH OF THE AREA COULD SEE THEIR FIRST 80 DEGREE TEMPERATURE OF THIS SPRING ON TUESDAY AND/OR WEDNESDAY. && .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 1202 PM EDT MON APR 29 2013 SHORTWAVE TROUGH IS PUSHING FROM MINNESOTA INTO WISCONSIN AT MIDDAY WITH A SURFACE COLD FRONT LOCATED AHEAD OF IT STRETCHING FROM WISCONSIN SOUTHWEST INTO IOWA. A BAND OF SHOWERS AND A FEW EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED NEAR THE FRONT. HI-RES WRF MODELS (NSSL AND SPC) AND THE HRRR KEEP THE BULK OF THE PRECIPITATION TO THE NORTH AND WEST OF THE FORECAST AREA THIS AFTERNOON. SOME SCATTERED SHOWER ACTIVITY IS POSSIBLE ACROSS ABOUT THE NORTHERN THIRD OF THE FORECAST AREA AND HAVE MAINTAINED POPS IN THE FORECAST UP THERE. THROUGH THE AFTERNOON...THE BEST MOISTURE RETURN AND LIFT SHOULD BE WEST AND NORTH OF THE FORECAST AREA. THE UPSTREAM SURFACE COLD FRONT ACTUALLY WASHES OUT WITH TIME OVER ABOUT THE NEXT 18 HOURS AS NEW MID LEVEL ENERGY TAKES OVER FROM THE WEST. THE SHOWER AND POSSIBLY SOME THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY DOES TRY TO SPILL INTO THE CWA THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT. IT APPEARS THE NORTHERN CWA MAY SEE PRECIPITATION THIS EVENING...SPREADING INTO WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST OVERNIGHT. HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL MAKE A RUN INTO THE LOWER TO MIDDLE 70S AT MOST LOCATIONS WITH COOLER READINGS NEAR LAKE MICHIGAN. && .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY) ISSUED AT 344 AM EDT MON APR 29 2013 FORECAST CONCERNS WITH THE SHORT TERM INCLUDE FOG ISSUES THIS MORNING AND PCPN TRENDS THROUGH THE PERIOD. WE HAVE ISSUED A DENSE FOG ADVISORY FOR THE SE CORNER OF THE CWFA FOR THIS MORNING. OBS AT KJXN...KTEW...KRMY...AND EVEN AT KLAN ARE ALL AT OR HAVE BEEN AT 1/4SM EARLY THIS MORNING. THESE LOCATIONS HAVE SEEN THE WORST CONDITIONS AS A RESULT OF THE BETTER RAINFALL THAT OCCURRED ON SUNDAY. THE WORST VISIBILITIES SEEM TO ALIGN VERY WELL WITH THE PLACES THAT SAW THE MOST RAIN PER THE KGRR STORM TOTAL PCPN PRODUCT. WE HAVE KALAMAZOO COUNTY AND EATON COUNTY IN THE ADVISORY EVEN THOUGH NO OBS OFFICIALLY SUPPORT FOG YET. DUE TO THE RAINFALL PLACEMENT ON SUN...WE THINK THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE LOCATIONS IN THESE COUNTIES ARE SEEING ENOUGH FOG TO JUSTIFY THE ADVISORY THERE. AS FAR AS PCPN TRENDS ARE CONCERNED...WE HAVE GENERALLY TRENDED THE CHCS LOWER JUST A LITTLE THROUGH WED AS IT SEEMS LIKE THE FRONT WILL GET HELD UP A LITTLE FURTHER WEST THAN PREVIOUSLY INDICATED. WE BELIEVE THIS IS THE CASE SINCE THE MAIN TROUGH THAT FORMS THE UPPER LOW DIGS A LITTLE FURTHER SOUTH AND WEST...HELPING TO BUILD THE RIDGE CLOSER TO MI. WE WILL SEE THE INITIAL FRONT NOW MAKING ITS WAY PAST KMSP AND INTO WI. THIS FRONT IS EXPECTED TO STALL OUT SOON AS IT ALIGNS WITH THE MID LEVEL FLOW. THE CONVECTION WITH IT SHOULD STAY CLOSE TO IT...AND CLOUD SNEAK INTO THE NW CORNER OF THE CWFA LATER TODAY. WE BELIEVE THAT MOST OF IT SHOULD REMAIN NW OF THE CWFA. THE FRONT WILL GRADUALLY WASH OUT TONIGHT. WE WILL SEE A SURGE OF WARM AND MOIST AIR ALOFT TONIGHT AND EARLY TUE AS A 35-40 KNOT LLJ WILL TRANSLATE NE ACROSS WI AND NRN LOWER MI. MOST OF THE MODELS KEEP THE CONVECTION JUST TO OUR NW ONCE AGAIN. THE OUTLIER IS THE TRUSTY EURO WHICH DEVELOPS PCPN OVER THE NRN 2/3RDS OF THE CWFA AT THE LEADING EDGE OF THE WARM/MOIST SURGE. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY TIMES THE EURO IS THE OUTLIER WITH A PCPN EVENT LIKE THIS...AND HAS BEEN CORRECT. WE HAVE MAINTAINED SMALL CHCS OF SHOWERS AND STORMS TONIGHT AND INTO TUE TO ACCOUNT FOR THAT. WE SHOULD SEE SUNSHINE BREAK OUT TUE AFTERNOON AND MIX INTO H850 TEMPS IN THE MID TEENS C. THIS WILL SUPPORT SOME POTENTIAL 80 DEGREE READINGS TUE AFTERNOON. ONCE THAT SURGE MOVES N AND E OF THE CWFA...WE SHOULD GENERALLY DRY OUT FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE SHORT TERM THROUGH WED. THE FRONT WILL LIKELY LINE UP ALONG THE NW MI COAST ALONG LAKE MICHIGAN. ALL OF THE PCPN WILL BE ON THE COOL SIDE OF THE FRONT WITH THE WARMER AIR OVERRIDING THE FRONT. H850 TEMPS REMAIN UP IN THE MID TEENS C...SO 80 DEGREES LOOKS ATTAINABLE ONCE AGAIN DURING THE DAY ON WED. .LONG TERM...(WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 344 AM EDT MON APR 29 2013 LONG RANGE MODELS CONTINUE TO HAVE VERY POOR RUN TO RUN CONSISTENCY WITH THE BLOCKING PATTERN ACROSS THE EASTERN CONUS THIS WEEK. HAVE BEEN FORCED TO INCLUDE LOW CHANCE OR SLIGHT POPS ALMOST ALL PERIODS ALTHOUGH IT IS POSSIBLE THAT MOST PERIODS WILL REMAIN DRY. 00Z GFS AND EURO SHOW THE BEST CHANCE FOR RAIN WILL BE ACROSS THE WESTERN FORECAST AREA THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY AS THE UPPER TROUGH APPROACHES. THEN IT STALLS AS THE SOUTHERN END OF THE TROUGH CUTS OFF SPINS SOMEWHERE OVER THE PLAINS. A NEW WRINKLE WITH THE 00Z EURO IS THAT THE UPPER LOW LIFTS NORTH AND MISSES THE GREAT LAKES AS UPPER TROUGHING MOVES INTO WESTERN CANADA. THIS IS A DEPARTURE FROM MOST OF THE PAST RUNS...SO WILL NOT GIVE IT MUCH WEIGHT FOR NOW. WILL GO MORE WITH THE GFS IDEA OF BRINGING THE UPPER LOW IN BY SUNDAY...ALTHOUGH THIS HAS TRENDED SLOWER AND COULD BE DELAYED UNTIL MONDAY. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z TUESDAY MORNING) ISSUED AT 748 AM EDT MON APR 29 2013 SOME PATCHY IFR FOG EARLY THIS MORNING WILL LIFT WITH VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED TODAY. SOUTH WINDS WILL BE AROUND 10 KNOTS. SHOWERS AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE LATER TONIGHT BUT COVERAGE SHOULD BE LOW AND SO WERE LEFT OUT OF THE FORECAST FOR NOW. && .MARINE... ISSUED AT 344 AM EDT MON APR 29 2013 WE ARE GOING TO ISSUE A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR THE NEARSHORE WATERS WITH THIS FCST PACKAGE. WINDS WILL INCREASE TONIGHT AS THE BETTER PRESSURE GRADIENT MOVES IN ACROSS THE AREA. THIS WILL REMAIN IN PLACE GENERALLY UNTIL THE MORNING HOURS ON WED BEFORE IT SHIFTS WEST OF THE AREA WITH THE FRONT. && .FIRE WEATHER... ISSUED AT 344 AM EDT MON APR 29 2013 A SLIGHTLY ELEVATED FIRE DANGER WILL EXIST OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS AS TEMPS WARM UP QUITE A BIT AND WE STILL HAVE A WAYS TO GO BEFORE GREENUP OCCURS EVERYWHERE. WINDS WILL PICK UP A BIT...ESPECIALLY ON TUE WHEN THE BETTER GRADIENT WILL BE OVERHEAD. FORTUNATELY...RH VALUES ARE NOT EXPECTED TO GET SIGNIFICANTLY LOW. WE HAVE NEAR 50 DEGREE DEW POINTS ALREADY ACROSS THE AREA. A SRLY FLOW WILL HELP KEEP DEW POINTS UP...ALTHOUGH THEY COULD DROP A FEW DEGREES DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS DUE TO MIXING. WE ARE EXPECTING MIN RH VALUES IN THE 35 TO 45 PCT RANGE IN GENERAL FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS. && .HYDROLOGY... ISSUED AT 344 AM EDT MON APR 29 2013 NO ADDITIONAL HYDROLOGY PROBLEMS EXPECTED ON TOP OF THE RESIDUAL FLOOD WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES THAT ARE ALREADY OUT FOR SOME OF THE RIVER POINTS. WE HAVE A CHANCE OF SEEING RAIN ON AT LEAST A COUPLE OF OCCASIONS THIS WEEK. THE RAINS DO NOT LOOK TO BE HEAVY NOR WIDESPREAD OVER OUR AREA. AMOUNTS SHOULD GENERALLY STAY BELOW 0.50 INCHES. ADDITIONAL RAIN SHOWERS WILL REMAIN POSSIBLE INTO NEXT WEEK...WITH NO SIGNIFICANT RAINS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. && .GRR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MI...NONE. LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 11 AM EDT WEDNESDAY FOR LMZ844>849. && $$ UPDATE...DUKE SYNOPSIS...NJJ SHORT TERM...NJJ LONG TERM...OSTUNO AVIATION...OSTUNO FIRE WEATHER...NJJ HYDROLOGY...NJJ MARINE...NJJ
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MARQUETTE MI
754 AM EDT MON APR 29 2013 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 518 AM EDT MON APR 29 2013 WV IMAGERY AND RUC ANALYSIS INDICATED A STRONG 160 KNOT 250-300 MB JET MOVING INTO THE PAC NW AND A MAINLY ZONAL FLOW DOWNSTREAM TO THE NRN GREAT LAKES. AT THE SFC...A COLD FRONT EXTENDED FROM LOW PRES OVER HUDSON BAY TO NEAR JAMES BAY AND THROUGH WRN UPPER MI INTO NW IA. THE COMBINATION OF LOW LEVEL CONV NEAR THE FRONT AND A WEAK SHRTWV INTO UPPER SUPPORTED AN AREA OF LIGHT SHOWERS ACROSS CNTRL UPPER MI INTO ERN LAKE SUPERIOR. HIGH PRES FROM THE NRN PLAINS WAS BUILDING TOWARD THE REGION BRINGING IN DRIER AIR ALONG WITH CLEARING SKIES FROM NRN MN INTO WRN LAKE SUPERIOR AND WRN UPPER MI. WITH SOME LEFTOVER LOW LEVEL MOISTURE FROM THE LIGHT RAIN AND MELTING SNOW ALONG WITH RADIATIONAL COOLING...SOME FOG HAD DEVELOPED FROM IWD TO CMX. RADAR/SATELLITE TRENDS SUGGEST THAT THE AREA OF SHOWERS WILL MOVE THROUGH THE REST OF THE ERN HALF OF THE CWA THIS MORNING AS THE FRONT GRADUALLY WEAKENS OVER SRN UPPER MI. AS ANOTHER WEAK SHORTWAVE OVER SOUTH DAKOTA MOVES TOWARD THE AREA LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...MODELS SUGGEST THAT PCPN WILL AGAIN DEVELOP AND LIFT TO THE NORTHEAST. HOWEVER...THERE REMAINS SOME UNCERTAINTY WITH THE TIMING OF THE PCPN DEVELOPMENT AND MOVEMENT AND ON HOW FAR TO THE NORTH INTO CNTRL UPPER MI THE PCPN WILL EXPAND. SO...ONLY CHANCE POPS WERE INCLUDED FOR NOW. INSTABILITY TO SUPPORT TSRA...PER MDLS MUCAPE...IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN SOUTH OF THE AREA. FARTHER TO THE NORTHWEST...DRY CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL WITH A SUNSHINE AND WARM CONDITIONS. WITH 850 MB TEMPS AROUND 8C...TEMPS SHOULD AGAIN CLIMB INTO THE MID 60S. READINGS IN THE UPPER 50S AND LOWER 60S AND EXPECTED WHERE GREATER CLOUD COVER PREVAILS. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 518 AM EDT MON APR 29 2013 EXTENDED FORECAST BECOMES MORE COMPLEX WITH ADDITION OF THUNDERSTORMS /SOME ON THE STRONGER SIDE/ TUE AND TUE NIGHT AND SNOW WED NIGHT INTO FRI. WILL FOCUS ON THESE TWO TIME FRAMES DUE TO MORE BENIGN WEATHER AT THESE TIMES AND HELPING MANAGE EXTRA WORKLOAD ON MORE IMPACTFUL HYDROLOGIC ISSUES. FOR TUE...STARTING 12Z TUE THERE IS WILL BE AN UPPER SHORTWAVE TROUGH OVER ND...WITH THE ASSOCIATED 995MB SFC LOW OVER NRN MN. THE SYSTEM WILL MOVE TO HUDSON BAY BY 12Z WED WHILE DRAGGING A COLD FRONT ACROSS THE CWA. THE COLD FRONT WILL ENCOUNTER VERY WARM LOW LEVEL TEMPS AS 850MB TEMPS WILL BE AROUND 15C RESULTING IN HIGHS IN THE 60S AND 70S. THUNDERSTORMS CERTAINLY APPEAR POSSIBLE...WITH EVEN UP TO AROUND 1000 J/KG OF MUCAPE OVER THE REGION. THANKFULLY...SHEAR WILL BE WEAK WHICH WILL FURTHER LIMIT SEVERE POTENTIAL. THERE COULD BE SOME STRONGER STORMS...BUT NO SEVERE WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. DO SEE THE FRONT MOVE INTO WRN UPPER MI AROUND 00Z WED...MOVING TO THE ERN U.P. BY 12Z WED. COULD ALSO SEE SOME HEAVY RAINFALL...WHICH WILL NOT HELP HYDROLOGIC SITUATION DUE TO SNOWMELT OVER THE CWA. AFTER THE SYSTEM MOVES AWAY FROM THE AREA...THE CWA WILL BE SQUEEZED BETWEEN A DEEPENING UPPER TROUGH JUST W OF THE CWA AND A STRENGTHENING UPPER RIDGE JUST E OF THE CWA. AN 850MB TROUGH WILL BE ANCHORED OVER THE CWA. ALL THIS WILL HAPPEN WED AND THU...BEFORE THE UPPER TROUGH CLOSES OFF OVER MY BY FRI AS THE UPPER RIDGE GETS CUT OFF AND MOVES INTO THE CWA FROM THE E. FGEN PRECIP ON THE NW SIDE OF THE 850MB TROUGH WILL LEAD TO THE POSSIBILITY OF SIGNIFICANT PRECIP OVER THE CENTRAL/WESTERN CWA WED NIGHT INTO FRI...MUCH OF WHICH MAY BE SNOW OVER THE FARTHER W ZONES. THERE REMAINS A GOOD AMOUNT OF UNCERTAINTY...BUT HEADLINE WORTHY SNOW DOES LOOK POSSIBLE OVER THE WRN CWA. WITH AFOREMENTIONED HYDRO CONCERNS...WILL HAVE TO CONTINUE TO CLOSELY LOOK AT PTYPE/AMOUNTS AS THE WEEK PROGRESSES. WARMER TEMPS LOOK TO RETURN ON FRI AS 850MB TEMPS INCREASE UP TO 9C...WARMEST E. FOR NEXT WEEKEND...UNCERTAINTY INCREASES SIGNIFICANTLY...SO WILL JUST USE A CONSENSUS OF MODEL GUIDANCE FOR THIS PERIOD. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z TUESDAY MORNING) ISSUED AT 754 AM EDT MON APR 29 2013 THE ARRIVAL OF HIGH PRES AND DRIER AIR IN THE PRESENCE OF DAYTIME HEATING LATER THIS MORNING SHOULD RESULT IN VFR CONDITIONS AT ALL 3 SITES TODAY. MORE CLOUDS IN ADVANCE OF A RETURNING WARM FRONT WILL ARRIVE S TO N LATER TODAY. THERE MAY BE SOME -SHRA AND MVFR CONDITIONS AT SAW BY LATE THIS EVENING CLOSER TO THE RETURNING FRONT AND MOISTURE WITH AN UPSLOPE SE FLOW. COOLING THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT ALONG WITH THE INFLUX OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE IS LIKELY TO BRING FOG TO SAW/CMX WITH LIFR OR VLIFR CONDITIONS OVERNIGHT. DOWNSLOPE FLOW AT IWD SHOULD LIMIT FOG DEVELOPMENT. && .MARINE...(FOR THE 4 AM LAKE SUPERIOR FORECAST ISSUANCE) ISSUED AT 518 AM EDT MON APR 29 2013 WINDS SHOULD STAY BELOW 25KT THROUGH THE PERIOD WITH NO GALES EXPECTED. NO STRONG SYSTEMS WILL BE COMING CLOSE TO THE AREA...SO NO STRONG PRESSURE GRADIENTS ARE EXPECTED. && .HYDROLOGY... ISSUED AT 518 AM EDT MON APR 29 2013 YESTERDAY SAW TEMPS IN THE 60S AND 70S...FOLLOWED BY LOWS LAST NIGHT IN THE 40S...WHICH HAS KEPT THE MELTING GOING ACROSS THE CWA. SNOW DEPTHS HAVE FALLEN 15-20 INCHES IN THE LAST WEEK. THE MOST SNOW REMAINS ON THE GROUND ACROSS NORTHERN UPPER MICHIGAN IN THE INLAND AND HIGHER TERRAIN AREAS. STILL HAVE TO MELT ANOTHER 12-20 INCHES OF SNOW IN SOME OF THESE AREAS. TROUGH MOVING THROUGH TONIGHT INTO TODAY IS DROPPING GENERALLY AROUND 0.25 INCHES OF RAIN...BUT IN SOME CASES UP TO .5 INCHES HAS FALLEN. ADDITIONAL RAIN WITH POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORMS MAY OCCUR TUESDAY INTO TUESDAY NIGHT AS A COLD FRONT WORKS ACROSS UPPER MICHIGAN. HIGHER MOISTURE OVER THE AREA MAY RESULT IN HEAVY DOWNPOURS WITH ANY THUNDERSTORMS. MUCH COOLER TEMPERATURES EXPECTED FOR REST OF WEEK BEHIND THE FRONT. ADDITIONAL CHANCES OF RAIN AND EVEN SNOW WILL ALSO CONTINUE ACROSS UPPER MICHIGAN FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK. SO...EVEN THOUGH TEMPERATURES WILL BE COOLER THIS MAY BE OFFSET BY THE ADDITIONAL PRECIPITATION THAT MAY OCCUR. RIVERS OF PARTICULAR CONCERN DUE TO MELTING WILL BE THE TRAP ROCK RIVER...THE STURGEON RIVER OF BARAGA/HOUGHTON COUNTIES...THE PESHEKEE RIVER...THE PAINT RIVER NEAR CRYSTAL FALLS...THE ONTONAGON RIVER AT EWEN AND EVENTUALLY THE MICHIGAMME RIVER NEAR REPUBLIC AND WITCH LAKE. MELTING SCENARIOS STILL REMAIN THE BIGGEST CONFIDENCE REDUCERS IN RIVER FORECASTS FOR THE PESHEKEE AND MICHIGAMME BASINS WHERE MOST OF THE MELTING HAS NOT HIT ANY OBSERVED RIVER POINTS YET...ALTHOUGH READINGS WILL BE GATHERED FROM THE PESHEKEE RIVER AND LAKE MICHIGAMME THIS MORNING BY NWS PERSONNEL WHICH SHOULD HELP GET A BETTER IDEA OF MELTING CONDITIONS INTO THE BASIN. AT OTHER LOCATIONS...SUFFICIENT RUNOFF FROM MELTING HAS BEEN OBSERVED TO MORE ACCURATELY GET A HANDLE OF MELT RATES FOR THE RIVER MODELS. NWS SURVEY OF THE PESHEKEE RIVER ON SATURDAY REVEALED THICK ICE COVERING MOST OF THE RIVER NEAR AND DOWNSTREAM OF THE CHPM4 RIVER GAUGING LOCATION /AUTOMATED GAUGE DISCONTINUED BUT OBS ARE BEING TAKEN USING A WIRE WEIGHT GAUGE AT THE LOCATION/ AND THICK ICE COVER ON MOST OF LAKE MICHIGAMME WHICH THE PESHEKEE DRAINS INTO. ICE JAMS MAY CAUSE SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS AS THE RIVER RISES THROUGH MONDAY. MAIN STEM RIVERS ARE NOT THE ONLY HAZARD...AS THERE IS ALSO A THREAT OF AREAL FLOOD PROBLEMS WITH SMALLER CREEKS/STREAMS AND STANDING WATER ON ROADS. HAVE RECEIVED SOME SPORADIC REPORTS OF AREAL TYPE FLOODING...BUT NOT ENOUGH SIGNIFICANT REPORTS FOR HAZARD ISSUANCE. FOR COMPLETE DETAILS...SEE THE HYDROLOGIC OUTLOOK /ESF/ AND THE LATEST RIVER FLOOD WATCHES...WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES. && .MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... UPPER MICHIGAN... NONE. LAKE SUPERIOR... NONE. LAKE MICHIGAN... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...JLB LONG TERM...TITUS AVIATION...JLB MARINE...JLB HYDROLOGY...TITUS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MARQUETTE MI
521 AM EDT MON APR 29 2013 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 518 AM EDT MON APR 29 2013 WV IMAGERY AND RUC ANALYSIS INDICATED A STRONG 160 KNOT 250-300 MB JET MOVING INTO THE PAC NW AND A MAINLY ZONAL FLOW DOWNSTREAM TO THE NRN GREAT LAKES. AT THE SFC...A COLD FRONT EXTENDED FROM LOW PRES OVER HUDSON BAY TO NEAR JAMES BAY AND THROUGH WRN UPPER MI INTO NW IA. THE COMBINATION OF LOW LEVEL CONV NEAR THE FRONT AND A WEAK SHRTWV INTO UPPER SUPPORTED AN AREA OF LIGHT SHOWERS ACROSS CNTRL UPPER MI INTO ERN LAKE SUPERIOR. HIGH PRES FROM THE NRN PLAINS WAS BUILDING TOWARD THE REGION BRINGING IN DRIER AIR ALONG WITH CLEARING SKIES FROM NRN MN INTO WRN LAKE SUPERIOR AND WRN UPPER MI. WITH SOME LEFTOVER LOW LEVEL MOISTURE FROM THE LIGHT RAIN AND MELTING SNOW ALONG WITH RADIATIONAL COOLING...SOME FOG HAD DEVELOPED FROM IWD TO CMX. RADAR/SATELLITE TRENDS SUGGEST THAT THE AREA OF SHOWERS WILL MOVE THROUGH THE REST OF THE ERN HALF OF THE CWA THIS MORNING AS THE FRONT GRADUALLY WEAKENS OVER SRN UPPER MI. AS ANOTHER WEAK SHORTWAVE OVER SOUTH DAKOTA MOVES TOWARD THE AREA LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...MODELS SUGGEST THAT PCPN WILL AGAIN DEVELOP AND LIFT TO THE NORTHEAST. HOWEVER...THERE REMAINS SOME UNCERTAINTY WITH THE TIMING OF THE PCPN DEVELOPMENT AND MOVEMENT AND ON HOW FAR TO THE NORTH INTO CNTRL UPPER MI THE PCPN WILL EXPAND. SO...ONLY CHANCE POPS WERE INCLUDED FOR NOW. INSTABILITY TO SUPPORT TSRA...PER MDLS MUCAPE...IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN SOUTH OF THE AREA. FARTHER TO THE NORTHWEST...DRY CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL WITH A SUNSHINE AND WARM CONDITIONS. WITH 850 MB TEMPS AROUND 8C...TEMPS SHOULD AGAIN CLIMB INTO THE MID 60S. READINGS IN THE UPPER 50S AND LOWER 60S AND EXPECTED WHERE GREATER CLOUD COVER PREVAILS. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 518 AM EDT MON APR 29 2013 EXTENDED FORECAST BECOMES MORE COMPLEX WITH ADDITION OF THUNDERSTORMS /SOME ON THE STRONGER SIDE/ TUE AND TUE NIGHT AND SNOW WED NIGHT INTO FRI. WILL FOCUS ON THESE TWO TIME FRAMES DUE TO MORE BENIGN WEATHER AT THESE TIMES AND HELPING MANAGE EXTRA WORKLOAD ON MORE IMPACTFUL HYDROLOGIC ISSUES. FOR TUE...STARTING 12Z TUE THERE IS WILL BE AN UPPER SHORTWAVE TROUGH OVER ND...WITH THE ASSOCIATED 995MB SFC LOW OVER NRN MN. THE SYSTEM WILL MOVE TO HUDSON BAY BY 12Z WED WHILE DRAGGING A COLD FRONT ACROSS THE CWA. THE COLD FRONT WILL ENCOUNTER VERY WARM LOW LEVEL TEMPS AS 850MB TEMPS WILL BE AROUND 15C RESULTING IN HIGHS IN THE 60S AND 70S. THUNDERSTORMS CERTAINLY APPEAR POSSIBLE...WITH EVEN UP TO AROUND 1000 J/KG OF MUCAPE OVER THE REGION. THANKFULLY...SHEAR WILL BE WEAK WHICH WILL FURTHER LIMIT SEVERE POTENTIAL. THERE COULD BE SOME STRONGER STORMS...BUT NO SEVERE WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. DO SEE THE FRONT MOVE INTO WRN UPPER MI AROUND 00Z WED...MOVING TO THE ERN U.P. BY 12Z WED. COULD ALSO SEE SOME HEAVY RAINFALL...WHICH WILL NOT HELP HYDROLOGIC SITUATION DUE TO SNOWMELT OVER THE CWA. AFTER THE SYSTEM MOVES AWAY FROM THE AREA...THE CWA WILL BE SQUEEZED BETWEEN A DEEPENING UPPER TROUGH JUST W OF THE CWA AND A STRENGTHENING UPPER RIDGE JUST E OF THE CWA. AN 850MB TROUGH WILL BE ANCHORED OVER THE CWA. ALL THIS WILL HAPPEN WED AND THU...BEFORE THE UPPER TROUGH CLOSES OFF OVER MY BY FRI AS THE UPPER RIDGE GETS CUT OFF AND MOVES INTO THE CWA FROM THE E. FGEN PRECIP ON THE NW SIDE OF THE 850MB TROUGH WILL LEAD TO THE POSSIBILITY OF SIGNIFICANT PRECIP OVER THE CENTRAL/WESTERN CWA WED NIGHT INTO FRI...MUCH OF WHICH MAY BE SNOW OVER THE FARTHER W ZONES. THERE REMAINS A GOOD AMOUNT OF UNCERTAINTY...BUT HEADLINE WORTHY SNOW DOES LOOK POSSIBLE OVER THE WRN CWA. WITH AFOREMENTIONED HYDRO CONCERNS...WILL HAVE TO CONTINUE TO CLOSELY LOOK AT PTYPE/AMOUNTS AS THE WEEK PROGRESSES. WARMER TEMPS LOOK TO RETURN ON FRI AS 850MB TEMPS INCREASE UP TO 9C...WARMEST E. FOR NEXT WEEKEND...UNCERTAINTY INCREASES SIGNIFICANTLY...SO WILL JUST USE A CONSENSUS OF MODEL GUIDANCE FOR THIS PERIOD. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z MONDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 132 AM EDT MON APR 29 2013 EXPECT A PERIOD OF MVFR CONDITIONS TO DVLP EARLY THIS MRNG AS MOISTER LLVL AIR FOLLOWS A BAND OF -SHRA ACRS UPR MI. THE ARRIVAL OF HI PRES AND DRIER AIR NOW IN THE NRN PLAINS IN THE PRESENCE OF DAYTIME HEATING LATER THIS MRNG SHOULD BRING AN IMPROVEMENT TO VFR CONDITIONS AT ALL 3 SITES. MORE CLDS IN ADVANCE OF RETURNING WARM FNT WL ARRIVE S TO N LATER TODAY. THERE MAY BE SOME -SHRA AND MVFR CONDITIONS AT SAW BY LATE THIS EVNG CLOSER TO THE RETURNING FNT/MSTR WITH AN UPSLOPE SE FLOW. && .MARINE...(FOR THE 4 AM LAKE SUPERIOR FORECAST ISSUANCE) ISSUED AT 518 AM EDT MON APR 29 2013 WINDS SHOULD STAY BELOW 25KT THROUGH THE PERIOD WITH NO GALES EXPECTED. NO STRONG SYSTEMS WILL BE COMING CLOSE TO THE AREA...SO NO STRONG PRESSURE GRADIENTS ARE EXPECTED. && .HYDROLOGY... ISSUED AT 518 AM EDT MON APR 29 2013 YESTERDAY SAW TEMPS IN THE 60S AND 70S...FOLLOWED BY LOWS LAST NIGHT IN THE 40S...WHICH HAS KEPT THE MELTING GOING ACROSS THE CWA. SNOW DEPTHS HAVE FALLEN 15-20 INCHES IN THE LAST WEEK. THE MOST SNOW REMAINS ON THE GROUND ACROSS NORTHERN UPPER MICHIGAN IN THE INLAND AND HIGHER TERRAIN AREAS. STILL HAVE TO MELT ANOTHER 12-20 INCHES OF SNOW IN SOME OF THESE AREAS. TROUGH MOVING THROUGH TONIGHT INTO TODAY IS DROPPING GENERALLY AROUND 0.25 INCHES OF RAIN...BUT IN SOME CASES UP TO .5 INCHES HAS FALLEN. ADDITIONAL RAIN WITH POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORMS MAY OCCUR TUESDAY INTO TUESDAY NIGHT AS A COLD FRONT WORKS ACROSS UPPER MICHIGAN. HIGHER MOISTURE OVER THE AREA MAY RESULT IN HEAVY DOWNPOURS WITH ANY THUNDERSTORMS. MUCH COOLER TEMPERATURES EXPECTED FOR REST OF WEEK BEHIND THE FRONT. ADDITIONAL CHANCES OF RAIN AND EVEN SNOW WILL ALSO CONTINUE ACROSS UPPER MICHIGAN FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK. SO...EVEN THOUGH TEMPERATURES WILL BE COOLER THIS MAY BE OFFSET BY THE ADDITIONAL PRECIPITATION THAT MAY OCCUR. RIVERS OF PARTICULAR CONCERN DUE TO MELTING WILL BE THE TRAP ROCK RIVER...THE STURGEON RIVER OF BARAGA/HOUGHTON COUNTIES...THE PESHEKEE RIVER...THE PAINT RIVER NEAR CRYSTAL FALLS...THE ONTONAGON RIVER AT EWEN AND EVENTUALLY THE MICHIGAMME RIVER NEAR REPUBLIC AND WITCH LAKE. MELTING SCENARIOS STILL REMAIN THE BIGGEST CONFIDENCE REDUCERS IN RIVER FORECASTS FOR THE PESHEKEE AND MICHIGAMME BASINS WHERE MOST OF THE MELTING HAS NOT HIT ANY OBSERVED RIVER POINTS YET...ALTHOUGH READINGS WILL BE GATHERED FROM THE PESHEKEE RIVER AND LAKE MICHIGAMME THIS MORNING BY NWS PERSONNEL WHICH SHOULD HELP GET A BETTER IDEA OF MELTING CONDITIONS INTO THE BASIN. AT OTHER LOCATIONS...SUFFICIENT RUNOFF FROM MELTING HAS BEEN OBSERVED TO MORE ACCURATELY GET A HANDLE OF MELT RATES FOR THE RIVER MODELS. NWS SURVEY OF THE PESHEKEE RIVER ON SATURDAY REVEALED THICK ICE COVERING MOST OF THE RIVER NEAR AND DOWNSTREAM OF THE CHPM4 RIVER GAUGING LOCATION /AUTOMATED GAUGE DISCONTINUED BUT OBS ARE BEING TAKEN USING A WIRE WEIGHT GAUGE AT THE LOCATION/ AND THICK ICE COVER ON MOST OF LAKE MICHIGAMME WHICH THE PESHEKEE DRAINS INTO. ICE JAMS MAY CAUSE SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS AS THE RIVER RISES THROUGH MONDAY. MAIN STEM RIVERS ARE NOT THE ONLY HAZARD...AS THERE IS ALSO A THREAT OF AREAL FLOOD PROBLEMS WITH SMALLER CREEKS/STREAMS AND STANDING WATER ON ROADS. HAVE RECEIVED SOME SPORADIC REPORTS OF AREAL TYPE FLOODING...BUT NOT ENOUGH SIGNIFICANT REPORTS FOR HAZARD ISSUANCE. FOR COMPLETE DETAILS...SEE THE HYDROLOGIC OUTLOOK /ESF/ AND THE LATEST RIVER FLOOD WATCHES...WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES. && .MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... UPPER MICHIGAN... NONE. LAKE SUPERIOR... NONE. LAKE MICHIGAN... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...JLB LONG TERM...TITUS AVIATION...KC MARINE...JLB HYDROLOGY...TITUS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MARQUETTE MI
133 AM EDT MON APR 29 2013 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 811 PM EDT SUN APR 28 2013 ADDED A SCHC FOR TS OVER THE FAR WRN CWA THIS EVNG TO ACCOUNT FOR RATHER NARROW LINE OF CONVECTION TAKING SHAPE IN NW WI IN ADVANCE OF HIER H85 DEWPTS/SSI DOWN TO -1C TO -2C. DRY LLVL AIR WITH INVERTED V LLVL TEMP/DEWPT PROFILES EVIDENT ON RUC ANALYSIS SDNGS SUG ANY PCPN WL BE RELATIVELY LGT AND NOT EXACERBATE SN MELT RUNOFF. AS THIS LINE PRESSES FARTHER TO THE E...EXPECT THE CONVECTION TO WEAKEN WITH ONSET OF NOCTURNAL COOLING AND AS THE CONVECTION RUNS INTO DRIER ANTECEDENT AIRMASS. && .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH MONDAY) ISSUED AT 402 PM EDT SUN APR 28 2013 UPPER AIR PATTERN CONSISTS OF A 500 MB CLOSED LOW OVER ILLINOIS WITH AN ASSOCIATED TROUGH. UPPER FLOW ACROSS THE NORTHERN U.S. IS FAIRLY ZONAL WITH A MINOR SHORTWAVE OVER EASTERN MT THIS MORNING. THIS SHORTWAVE MOVES INTO THE AREA TONIGHT AND EXITS THE AREA MON AFTERNOON. NAM SHOWS SOME 850-500 MB Q-VECTOR CONVERGENCE MOVING THROUGH ALONG WITH DEEPER MOISTURE TONIGHT INTO MONDAY. GFS AND ECMWF SHOW ABOUT THE SAME THING. MOISTURE IS PRETTY LIMITED WITH THIS SYSTEM AND SEE A NARROW BAND OF PCPN MOVING THROUGH TONIGHT INTO MON WITH THE BAND GETTING HUNG UP OVER THE EAST LATER IN THE DAY. WITH LIMITED MOISTURE...DO NOT WANT TO GO MORE THAN LIKELY POPS OR HIGH CHANCE AS THIS BAND SLOWLY MOVES THROUGH THE AREA. QPF AMOUNTS UP TO 0.30 INCH WITH THIS EVENT SEEM REASONABLE. OTHERWISE...DID NOT MAKE TOO MANY CHANGES TO THE GOING FORECAST EXCEPT TO DRY THE WEST OUT A BIT FOR MONDAY AS FRONTAL ZONE IS ALREADY EAST OF THEM BY AFTERNOON. DID NOT MAKE TOO MANY CHANGES TO TEMPERATURES EITHER. .LONG TERM...(MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 402 PM EDT SUN APR 28 2013 AFTER A BRIEF PERIOD OF ZONAL FLOW AND A TASTE OF SPRING...UPPER HEIGHT PATTERN BECOMES MORE AMPLIFIED BY MID WEEK AS TROUGH DEEPENS OVER WESTERN CANADA AND RIDGING BUILDS FROM THE LOWER GREAT LAKES TO EASTERN CANADA. BY LATE WEEK...MODELS INDICATE CUTOFF LOW FORMING OVER THE CNTRL CONUS. LOW PRESSURE TROUGH MOVES THROUGH EARLY IN THE WEEK...THEN STALLS OUT JUST TO THE EAST OF UPR GREAT LAKES. BOUNDARY WILL STAY CLOSE ENOUGH TO UPR MICHIGAN TO RESULT IN CHANCES OF PRECIP THROUGH THE REST OF THE WEEK. SFC FRONT ON MONDAY EVENING SHOULD BE JUST TO EAST AND SOUTH OF CWA. SECONDARY SHORTWAVE MOVING THROUGH IN WSW FLOW ALOFT OUT AHEAD OF LARGER SCALE TROUGHING TO THE WEST COULD HELP TO DEVELOP MORE SHOWERS PROBABLY CLOSER TO THE SFC BOUNDARY. HIGHER H85 DWPNTS LIKELY WILL BE INTERCEPTED BY SFC BOUNDARY OVER NORTHEAST WI TO ACROSS LK MICHIGAN AND NORTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN. ADVECTION OF THE MOISTURE THEN LIFTS ACROSS EASTERN HALF OF UPR MICHIGAN THROUGH THE NIGHT. LARGER SHORTWAVE/MID-UPPER LEVEL JET STREAK PUSHES ACROSS NORTHERN PLAINS LATER MONDAY NIGHT AND ACROSS NORTHERN MINNESOTA AND WESTERN LK SUPERIOR TUESDAY INTO TUESDAY EVENING. MODELS DIFFER ON WHICH PART OF WAVE IS STRONGER...AND THUS ARE DIFFERENT ON PRIMARY SFC LOW PLACEMENT. GFS/GEM-NH SHOW A NORTHERN LOW TRACK ALONG MINNESOTA AND ONTARIO BORDER WHILE ECMWF AND NAM INDICATE DOUBLE BARRELLED LOW FROM MINNESOTA/ONTARIO AND INTO CENTRAL MINNESOTA. YET...MODELS ALL SHOW COLD FRONT INTO CNTRL UPR MICHIGAN AROUND 00Z ON WEDNESDAY. DIFFERNCE MAY IMPACT POTENTIAL FOR CLOUDS AND PRECIP WORKING ACROSS WESTERN HALF OF UPR MICHIGAN DURING THE FIRST PART OF THE DAY... WHICH AFFECTS HOW MUCH WARMING WILL BE SEEN AHEAD OF COLD FRONT. PREFER THE ECMWF/NAM/WPC HAND DRAWN PROG IDEA WITH SECOND SFC LOW AND POSSIBLE WARM FRONT ACROSS MN/CNTRL WI. SFC-BLYR DWPNTS INTO 50S WITH THE APPROACHING FRONT ALONG WITH ELEVATED MID-LEVEL LAPSE RATES SUPPORTS MENTION OF TSRA. BEST CHANCE MID-LATE AFTN WOULD BE OVER SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL...WITH CHANCES TUESDAY EVENING MOVING ACROSS REST OF EASTERN HALF OF UPR MICHIGAN FOLLOWING INSTABILITY AXIS AND STRONGER H85 WINDS. CURRENT POP FORECAST SHOWS EXPECTED TRENDS WELL. WILL TRIM BACK POPS/QPF OVER THE NORTHWEST CWA ON TUESDAY EVENING THOUGH IN WAKE OF FRONT AND INSTABILITY AXIS. APPEARS GREATEST INSTABILITY ON TUESDAY WILL STAY SOUTH OF AREA CLOSER TO SFC DWPNTS NEAR 60F. SINCE STRONGER WINDS AT H7/H5/H3 ARE NORTHWEST...REDUCING DEEP LAYER SHEAR...POTENTIAL FOR ANY SVR STORMS IS LOW OVR CWA. HOWEVER...H85 DWPNTS OVER 10C AND SFC FRONT RUNNING PARALLEL TO UPPER HEIGHTS COULD RESULT IN HEAVY DOWNPOURS IN THE CONVECTIVE ELEMENTS. WILL BE SOMETHING TO WATCH AS ANY HEAVIER RAIN WOULD ONLY AGGREVATE THE ONGOING SNOWMELT AND RISING RIVER LEVELS. RIDGING ALOFT CONTINUES BUILDING TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY OVER THE LOWER GREAT LAKES. UPPER PATTERN WILL CONTINUE TO SLOW. SFC FRONT THAT MOVES THROUGH ON TUESDAY EVENING MAY NOT EVEN MAKE IT EAST OF EASTERN UPR OR NORTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN BY 12Z WEDNESDAY. UPR LAKES WILL BE ON LEADING SIDE OF LARGER TROUGH AND IN AREA OF UPPER JET DIVERGENCE/H7-H5 JET WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. FEASIBLE THAT ECMWF/GFS IDEA SHOWING PERSISTENT RIBBON OF QPF THROUGH THURSDAY IS CORRECT WITH THIS LARGE SCALE SETUP AND SINCE UPPER LAKES IS WITHIN H85 TROUGH/AXIS OF HIGHER H85 DWPNTS NEAR +10C WITH AT LEAST SOME AREAS OF H85-H7 FRONTOGENESIS. MAIN QUESTION IS EXACTLY WHERE THIS NARROW RIBBON OF PRECIP WILL SET UP. CONSENSUS OF GFS/ECMWF POINT TO WESTERN HALF OF UPR MICHIGAN. EXACT LOCATION AND INTENSITY OF THE PRECIP WILL BE CRITICAL AS IT WILL BE FALLING OVER BASINS THAT ALREADY SHOULD BE SEEING FLOODING AT THAT TIME. COLDER TEMPS STILL APPEAR IN THE OFFING JUST IN WAKE OF THE SHARP H85 TROUGH. SINCE UPPER PATTERN REMAINS AMPLIFIED AND BLOCKED UP WITH SOMEWHAT OF A OMEGA BLOCK LOOK FROM CNTRL CONUS INTO THE EASTERN ATLANTIC...HAVE TO GO WITH ECMWF IDEA OF FARTHER WEST POSITION OF H85 TROUGH AND LESS COLD AIR INTO UPR LAKES. EVEN WITH ECMWF THERMAL FIELDS... WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL PORTIONS OF UPR MICHIGAN WOULD BE ENOUGH ON THE COLD SIDE TO SEE MAINLY SNOW THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING. POSSIBLE THAT SOME SNOW ACCUMULATIONS COULD OCCUR OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN AREAS. REST OF THE FORECAST PRETTY UNCERTAIN AS IT WILL ALL DEPEND ON HOW FAR NORTH CLOSED OFF UPPER LOW MEANDERS NEXT WEEKEND. OVERALL WILL REMAIN COOL AND UNSETTLED THROUGH THE WEEKEND AND POSSIBLY INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK AS WELL SINCE THE UPPER LOW ONLY SLOWLY LIFTS OUT OF THE MIDWEST/GREAT LAKES REGION. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z MONDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 132 AM EDT MON APR 29 2013 EXPECT A PERIOD OF MVFR CONDITIONS TO DVLP EARLY THIS MRNG AS MOISTER LLVL AIR FOLLOWS A BAND OF -SHRA ACRS UPR MI. THE ARRIVAL OF HI PRES AND DRIER AIR NOW IN THE NRN PLAINS IN THE PRESENCE OF DAYTIME HEATING LATER THIS MRNG SHOULD BRING AN IMPROVEMENT TO VFR CONDITIONS AT ALL 3 SITES. MORE CLDS IN ADVANCE OF RETURNING WARM FNT WL ARRIVE S TO N LATER TODAY. THERE MAY BE SOME -SHRA AND MVFR CONDITIONS AT SAW BY LATE THIS EVNG CLOSER TO THE RETURNING FNT/MSTR WITH AN UPSLOPE SE FLOW. && .MARINE...(FOR THE 4 PM LAKE SUPERIOR FORECAST ISSUANCE) ISSUED AT 402 PM EDT SUN APR 28 2013 WINDS SHOULD STAY BELOW 25KT THROUGH THE PERIOD WITH NO GALES EXPECTED. NO STRONG SYSTEMS WILL BE COMING CLOSE TO THE AREA...SO NO STRONG PRESSURE GRADIENTS ARE EXPECTED. && .HYDROLOGY... ISSUED AT 811 PM EDT SUN APR 28 2013 UPDATE...OPTED TO ISSUE FLOOD ADVY FOR THE CHOCOLAY RIVER AT HARVEY UNTIL TUE AFTN TO ACCOUNT FOR STEEP RISE OF OBSVD WATER LVL AT THAT SITE. MOST RECENT OB AT 730 PM SHOWED THE LVL AT 9.38 FT...JUST AN INCH OR TWO BLO BANKFULL. THE UPDATED RFC FCST SHOWS THIS GAUGE PEAKING AT 9.8 FT MON AFTN...JUST UNDER THE 10.0 FLOOD STAGE. THIS LATEST FCST SHOWS THE RIVER FALLING BLO BANKFULL TUE AFTN. ANOTHER DAY IN THE 60S AND 70S HAS KEPT THE MELTING GOING ACROSS THE CWA. SNOW DEPTHS HAVE FALLEN 15-20 INCHES IN THE LAST WEEK. THE MOST SNOW REMAINS ON THE GROUND ACROSS NORTHERN UPPER MICHIGAN IN THE INLAND AND HIGHER TERRAIN AREAS. STILL HAVE TO MELT ANOTHER 12-20 INCHES OF SNOW IN SOME OF THESE AREAS. TROUGH MOVING THROUGH TONIGHT INTO MONDAY COULD BRING SHOWERS...BUT RAIN AMOUNTS WILL STAY BLO 0.25 INCH. ADDITIONAL RAIN WITH POSSIBLE TSRA MAY OCCUR TUESDAY AS A COLD FRONT WORKS ACROSS UPR MICHIGAN. HIGHER MOISTURE OVER THE AREA MAY RESULT IN HEAVY DOWNPOURS WITH ANY THUNDERSTORMS. MUCH COOLER TEMPERATURES EXPECTED FOR REST OF WEEK BEHIND THE FRONT. ADDITIONAL CHANCES OF RAIN AND EVEN SNOW WILL ALSO CONTINUE ACROSS UPR MICHIGAN FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK. SO...EVEN THOUGH TEMPERATURES WILL BE COOLER THIS MAY BE OFFSET BY THE ADDITIONAL PRECIPITATION THAT MAY OCCUR. RIVERS OF PARTICULAR CONCERN DUE TO MELTING WILL BE THE TRAP ROCK RIVER...THE STURGEON RIVER OF BARAGA/HOUGHTON COUNTIES...THE PESHEKEE RIVER...THE PAINT RIVER NEAR CRYSTAL FALLS...AND EVENTUALLY THE MICHIGAMME RIVER NEAR REPUBLIC AND WITCH LAKE. MELTING SCENARIOS STILL REMAIN THE BIGGEST CONFIDENCE REDUCERS IN RIVER FORECASTS AT THIS POINT...AND IF THE RIVER FORECAST CENTER HAS TO INCREASE THE MELT FACTOR CORRECTION GOING INTO THE RIVER MODELS THE FORECASTS WILL LIKELY END UP QUITE A BIT HIGHER. MELT CORRECTION FACTOR ALREADY WAS INCREASED EARLIER THIS WEEKEND FOR THE MEN RIVER FORECAST GROUP /RIVERS THAT DRAIN INTO THE MENOMINEE RIVER/...WHICH HAS KEPT FORECASTS UP TO NEAR RECORD STAGE AT PESHEKEE AND MODERATE FLOOD STAGE DOWNSTREAM ON THE MICHIGAMME RIVER NEAR REPUBLIC/WITCH LAKE. WFO SURVEY OF THE PESHEKEE RIVER ON SATURDAY REVEALED THICK ICE COVERING MOST OF THE RIVER AND THICK ICE COVER ON MOST OF LAKE MICHIGAMME WHICH THE PESHEKEE DRAINS INTO. ICE JAMS MAY CAUSE SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS AS THE RIVER RISES THROUGH MONDAY. MAIN STEM RIVERS ARE NOT THE ONLY HAZARD...AS THERE IS ALSO A THREAT OF AREAL FLOOD PROBLEMS WITH SMALLER CREEKS/STREAMS AND STANDING WATER ON ROADS. FOR COMPLETE DETAILS...SEE THE HYDROLOGIC OUTLOOK /ESF/ AND THE LATEST RIVER FLOOD WATCHES AND WARNINGS /FFAMQT AND FFWMQT/. && .MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... UPPER MICHIGAN... NONE. LAKE SUPERIOR... NONE. LAKE MICHIGAN... NONE. && $$ UPDATE...KC SHORT TERM...07 LONG TERM...JLA AVIATION...KC MARINE...07 HYDROLOGY...KC
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS ST LOUIS MO
259 PM CDT MON APR 29 2013 .SHORT TERM...(THROUGH LATE TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 256 PM CDT MON APR 29 2013 PRIMARY WEATHER CONCERN FOR TONIGHT IS THE POSSIBILITY OF CONVECTION ACROSS NORTHERN MISSOURI AND WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS. RUC CONTINUES TO FORECAST COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF CAPE SOUTH OF A Q-STATIONARY FRONT EXTENDING THROUGH NORTHEAST KANSAS INTO SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA AND WESTERN IOWA LATE THIS AFTERNOON. GREATEST VALUES EXCEED 4000 J/KG ACROSS PARTS OF WESTERN AND CENTRAL MISSOURI. HOWEVER...RUC ALSO APPEARS TO BE 3 TO 5 DEGREES TOO MOIST ON DEWPOINT FORECASTS LATER THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING WHICH WOULD DEFINITELY ACCOUNT FOR THE GIHEMOUS CAPE VALUES. THAT BEING SAID...THERE IS SOME AGITATED CU OVER SOUTH CENTRAL MISSOURI AND ONE LONE THUNDERSTORM OVER NORTHERN ARKANSAS...SO THERE`S OBVIOUSLY SOME INSTABILITY OUT THERE. CURRENT THINKING IS THAT THE ISOLATED CONVECTION OVER SOUTH CENTRAL MISSOURI WON`T MAKE IT TO OUR AREA...AND THAT CONVECTION WILL FIRE CLOSER TO THE BAROCLINIC ZONE IN NEBRASKA LATE THIS AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING AND RIDE UP ACROSS IOWA. COULD SEE THE TAIL END OF ANY CONVECTIVE COMPLEX THAT FORMS AFFECT NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE CWFA SO HAVE KEPT LOW CHANCE POPS UP THERE. OTHERWISE...SHOULD BE MILD AND QUIET NIGHT. CARNEY .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY THROUGH NEXT MONDAY) ISSUED AT 256 PM CDT MON APR 29 2013 TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY...CONFIDENCE MEDIUM WELL ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY AHEAD OF THE DIGGING TROF AND COLD FRONT. CAN`T ARGUE MUCH WITH MOS GUIDANCE WITH HIGHS IN THE LOWER TO MIDDLE 80S AND LOWS IN THE 60S. MODEL GUIDANCE IN GOOD AGREEMENT THAT COLD FRONT WILL WAIT UNTIL WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY MORNING TO START MOVING ACROSS THE CWA. PRECIPITATION CHANCES TO INCREASE FROM THE WEST...BUT BELIEVE A LARGE PART OF THE CWA WILL REMAIN DRY THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING. THIS WILL CHANGE THURSDAY AFTERNOON. THE MAIN BAND OF RAIN WILL EDGE INTO CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST MISSOURI...WHILE CONVECTION FIRES ON THE FRONT ITSELF ALONG AND EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. I AM SURE SOMEONE IN THE MIDDLE OF THESE TWO AREAS OF PRECIPITATION MAY REMAIN DRY...BUT IT IS TOO FAR OUT TO GET TOO CUTE WITH POP GRADIENTS. SHOULD BE QUITE A TEMPERATURE CONTRAST ACROSS THE CWA ON THURSDAY WITH STEADY OR SLOWLY FALLING TEMPERATURES IN THE 40S IN THE WESTERN CWA...TO THE LOW/MIDDLE 70S IN SOUTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS. FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY...CONFIDENCE LOW MODELS ARE STILL HAVING SOME DIFFICULTY IN HOW THEY HANDLE THE TRACK OF THE CLOSED OFF LOW LATE THIS WEEK AND WEEKEND. PREFER TO KEEP FORECAST TREND THE SAME...ESSENTIALLY FOLLOWING HPC GUIDANCE AND 12Z ECWMF...WITH THE CLOSED OFF LOW DEVELOPING TO OUR WEST AND SPINNING NORTHEAST ACROSS THE MIDWEST TOWARD THE GREAT LAKES THIS WEEKEND. MARCHED THE MAIN BAND OF RAIN EAST THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY WITH LIKELY POPS AND THEN CONTINUED LOW CHANCE POPS FOR RAIN SHOWERS THROUGH MONDAY AS AREA EXPECTED TO REMAIN AT LEAST IN THE VICINITY OF THE COLD CORE SYSTEM. FORECAST RAINFALL AMOUNTS WITH THIS SOLUTION WOULD BE ON THE ORDER OF 1 TO 1.5 INCHES FOR THE EVENT. TEMPERATURES STILL ON TRACK TO FALL BACK BELOW NORMAL FRIDAY AND SATURDAY...BUT SLOWLY WARM SUNDAY AND MONDAY AS INFLUENCE OF THE SYSTEM WAINS BY THE BEGINING OF NEXT WEEK. NOTE...THE 12Z GFS AND GEM CAME IN QUITE A BIT FURTHER TO THE SOUTHWEST AND MUCH SLOWER WITH THE SYSTEM...WHICH WOULD RESULT IN A PROLONGED PERIOD OF RAIN AS THE FRONT AND TROPICAL FETCH PARK ITSELF ACROSS THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY FOR THE ENTIRE WEEKEND. THIS SOLUTION WOULD YIELD WIDESPREAD RAINFALL AMOUNTS IN EXCESS OF 2 INCHES...WITH SOME LOCALS OVER 4 INCHES. CVKING && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 1216 PM CDT MON APR 29 2013 VFR FLIGHT CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING. THE ONLY POSSIBLE EXCEPTION WILL BE IN NORTHEAST MISSOURI AND WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS WHERE A PERIOD OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE THIS EVENING. LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR IS LIKELY OVER CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST MISSOURI AND WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS TONIGHT...THE WIND SHEAR POTENTIAL WILL DECREASE FURTHER EAST ACROSS EAST CENTRAL MISSOURI AND SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS. SPECIFICS FOR KSTL... VFR FLIGHT CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO PREVAIL AT LAMBERT THROUGH TUESDAY. THERE`S STILL A CHANCE THAT THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP OVER PARTS OF NORTHERN MISSOURI THIS EVENING. THIS MAY AFFECT SOME OF THE NORTHERN/NORTHWESTERN ARRIVAL GATES...BUT NO DIRECT IMPACTS TO THE TERMINAL ARE EXPECTED. CARNEY && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... SAINT LOUIS 62 85 63 85 / 10 5 5 10 QUINCY 60 83 61 80 / 30 10 5 10 COLUMBIA 60 84 60 79 / 10 5 5 10 JEFFERSON CITY 61 84 60 81 / 10 5 5 10 SALEM 59 82 61 82 / 10 5 5 10 FARMINGTON 58 82 59 82 / 10 5 5 10 && .LSX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MO...NONE. IL...NONE. && $$ WFO LSX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS NORTH PLATTE NE
104 PM CDT MON APR 29 2013 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 353 AM CDT MON APR 29 2013 A PACIFIC COLD FRONT...CURRENTLY ENTERING WRN WY...WILL MOVE THROUGH THE FCST AREA TONIGHT. LOW PRESSURE AHEAD OF THE FRONT WILL DEEPEN ACROSS WRN SD AND SEND ANOTHER SURGE OF WARM DRY AIR THROUGH THE FCST AREA. THE RAP WHICH HAS BEEN VERIFYING WELL SUGGESTS 80S FOR HIGHS TODAY MOST AREAS. DEW POINTS WILL FALL INTO THE 20S ONCE AGAIN. THE CLEARING AREA ACROSS WY AND SD SHOULD MOVE EAST ACROSS THE FCST AREA AND PROVIDE SUNNY SKIES TODAY. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 353 AM CDT MON APR 29 2013 FORECAST CONCERN FOR THE EXTENDED PERIOD REVOLVES AROUND PRECIPITATION CHANCES MID-WEEK...SOME OF WHICH MAY FALL AS SNOW. THE UNSETTLED PATTERN REMAINS THROUGH THE ENTIRE FORECAST PERIOD...AS MODEL CONSENSUS SUGGESTS A STAGNATE PATTERN DEVELOPS LATE WEEK...WITH A CUTOFF LOW AIMLESSLY MEANDERING THROUGH THE LOWER MISSOURI VALLEY. MODELS HAVE COME INTO GOOD AGREEMENT REGARDING THE TIMING OF THE COLD FRONT...WHICH IS PROGGED TO PASS THROUGH THE FORECAST AREA EARLY TUESDAY...THUS THE ATMOSPHERE WILL BE CHARACTERIZED BY POST FRONTAL CONDITIONS...WITH STRONG CAA FILTERING SOUTH ACROSS THE CWA THROUGH THE DAY ON TUESDAY. HIGHS WILL BE SOME 20-25 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT COOLER THAN OBSERVED TODAY...WITH MOST READINGS REMAINING THE 50S. ALSO OF NOTE...SHOWERS WILL BE ON THE INCREASE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AS A MID LEVEL SHORTWAVE WORKS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE RIGHT REAR ENTRANCE OF A STRONG UPPER JET MAX...PRECIPITATION WILL SPREAD WEST TO EAST THROUGH THE AFTERNOON...AND SHOULD BECOME FOCUSED ALONG AN AREA OF MIDLEVEL FRONTOGENETIC FORCING THAT APPEARS TO BISECT THE CWA FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS /MAINLY THROUGH THE CENTRAL SANDHILLS/. PRECIPITATION CHANCES BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD INTO THE EVENING HOURS AND OVERNIGHT AS DPVA SPREADS EAST FROM ROCKIES ONTO THE NORTHERN HIGH PLAINS. ANALYSIS OF THE 300-305K ISENTROPIC LAYER INDICATES SEVERAL HOURS /00-06Z WEDNESDAY/ OF STRONG UPGLIDE TARGETING WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA...THEREAFTER DOWNGLIDE STARTS TO TAKE CONTROL WITH CONDENSATION PRESSURE DEFICITS RAPIDLY RISING ABOVE 10MB...THUS CUT BACK QPF AMOUNTS SOME ON WEDNESDAY WITH MOST LOCATIONS EXPECTING LESS THAN A HALF OF AN INCH TOTAL QPF. ALSO TRIMMED POPS BACK INTO THE LOW END CHANCE/SLIGHT CHANCE CATEGORY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AS THE UPPER SUPPORT TRANSITIONS EAST WITH THE BEST UPGLIDE. PROBLEMATIC TO THE FORECAST IS THE POTENTIAL FOR SNOW OR A RAIN/SNOW MIX TUESDAY NIGHT AFTER MIDNIGHT THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS ON WEDNESDAY...AS THE OPERATIONAL MODELS GENERATE AS MUCH AS FOUR TO SIX INCHES ACROSS THE SANDHILLS...HOWEVER PROXIMITY SOUNDINGS INDICATE FACTOR THAT MAY LIMIT OVERALL SNOW PRODUCTION AS THE DENDRITIC LAYER IS CENTERED NEAR 500MB OVER SOUTHERN AND EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE CWA /600-700 MB ACROSS THE NORTH AND NORTHWEST/...AND GIVEN A RATHER SHORT PERIOD OF DEEP TROPOSPHERIC MOISTURE...SNOW PRODUCTION MAY BE LIMITED. ANOTHER FACTOR AGAINST ACCUMULATING SNOW IS THE RECENT WARM SPELL...WHICH HAS ALLOWED GROUND TEMPERATURES TO CLIMB INTO THE 40S. SO FOR NOW WILL GO WITH LIMITED TO NIL ACCUMULATIONS WITH THE IDEA THAT SUBSEQUENT FORECASTS WILL HAVE A BETTER IDEA OF WHERE AND IF SNOW ACCUMULATES. A STRONG /~1040MB/ SURFACE HIGH WILL BUILD ACROSS THE HIGH PLAINS EARLY ON THURSDAY AND REMAIN THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING...FROST AND/OR FREEZE CONDITIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE. THE UPPER PATTERN BECOMES STALE BY LATE WEEK WITH A CUTOFF LOW FORMING AND REMAINING SOMEWHERE IN THE VICINITY OF THE LOWER MISSOURI VALLEY. TEMPERATURES HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND SHOULD SLOWLY MODERATE ACROSS OUR WESTERN ZONES...WITH THE EAST...INFLUENCED BY THE UPPER LOW...REMAINING RATHER COOL. THE LONGER RANGE SOLUTIONS CONTINUE TO INDICATE WRAP AROUND QPF POSSIBLY AS FAR WEST AS HIGHWAY 61 THROUGH THE WEEKEND. CONFIDENCE IN STALE PATTERNS USUALLY IS FAIRLY LOW...THUS WON/T MAKE ANY WHOLESALE CHANGES TO THE EXTENDED PROCEDURE FOR NOW. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 102 PM CDT MON APR 29 2013 COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA TOMORROW MORNING. UNTIL THEN SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS...GUSTING TO 20 TO 25 KTS THIS AFTERNOON BENEATH VFR SKIES. CLEAR SKIES WILL SEE SOME HIGH CLOUDS MOVE IN FROM THE NW FOR THE AFTERNOON. INCREASING MID HIGH CLOUDS AHEAD OF THE FRONT OVERNIGHT. LIMITED MOISTURE SO FRONTAL PASSAGE SHOULD BE DRY...HOWEVER WILL SEE A DRAMATIC SWITCH TO N/NNW WINDS. AS THE FRONT CONTINUES TO PUSH TO THE SOUTHEAST...WINDS WILL INCREASE...GUSTING TO 15 TO 25 KTS BY LATE MORNING. && .FIRE WEATHER... ISSUED AT 353 AM CDT MON APR 29 2013 LOW PRESSURE DEEPENS ACROSS WRN SD THIS AFTERNOON TO AROUND 990 MB. THIS SEND ANOTHER SURGE OF WEST/SOUTHWEST WINDS AND VERY DRY AIR THROUGH THE PANHANDLE AND INTO NCNTL NEB. WINDS SHOULD INCREASE TO 15 TO 25 MPH WITH RH BETWEEN 10 AND 15 PERCENT. GREEN UP IS UNDERWAY SO FUEL STATUS IS QUESTIONABLE FOR CRITICAL FIRE DANGER ACROSS NWRN NEB. NO RED FLAG WARNING WILL BE ISSUED. && .LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...CDC LONG TERM...JACOBS AVIATION...MASEK FIRE WEATHER...CDC
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NWS NORTH PLATTE NE
636 AM CDT MON APR 29 2013 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 353 AM CDT MON APR 29 2013 A PACIFIC COLD FRONT...CURRENTLY ENTERING WRN WY...WILL MOVE THROUGH THE FCST AREA TONIGHT. LOW PRESSURE AHEAD OF THE FRONT WILL DEEPEN ACROSS WRN SD AND SEND ANOTHER SURGE OF WARM DRY AIR THROUGH THE FCST AREA. THE RAP WHICH HAS BEEN VERIFYING WELL SUGGESTS 80S FOR HIGHS TODAY MOST AREAS. DEW POINTS WILL FALL INTO THE 20S ONCE AGAIN. THE CLEARING AREA ACROSS WY AND SD SHOULD MOVE EAST ACROSS THE FCST AREA AND PROVIDE SUNNY SKIES TODAY. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 353 AM CDT MON APR 29 2013 FORECAST CONCERN FOR THE EXTENDED PERIOD REVOLVES AROUND PRECIPITATION CHANCES MID-WEEK...SOME OF WHICH MAY FALL AS SNOW. THE UNSETTLED PATTERN REMAINS THROUGH THE ENTIRE FORECAST PERIOD...AS MODEL CONSENSUS SUGGESTS A STAGNATE PATTERN DEVELOPS LATE WEEK...WITH A CUTOFF LOW AIMLESSLY MEANDERING THROUGH THE LOWER MISSOURI VALLEY. MODELS HAVE COME INTO GOOD AGREEMENT REGARDING THE TIMING OF THE COLD FRONT...WHICH IS PROGGED TO PASS THROUGH THE FORECAST AREA EARLY TUESDAY...THUS THE ATMOSPHERE WILL BE CHARACTERIZED BY POST FRONTAL CONDITIONS...WITH STRONG CAA FILTERING SOUTH ACROSS THE CWA THROUGH THE DAY ON TUESDAY. HIGHS WILL BE SOME 20-25 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT COOLER THAN OBSERVED TODAY...WITH MOST READINGS REMAINING THE 50S. ALSO OF NOTE...SHOWERS WILL BE ON THE INCREASE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AS A MID LEVEL SHORTWAVE WORKS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE RIGHT REAR ENTRANCE OF A STRONG UPPER JET MAX...PRECIPITATION WILL SPREAD WEST TO EAST THROUGH THE AFTERNOON...AND SHOULD BECOME FOCUSED ALONG AN AREA OF MIDLEVEL FRONTOGENETIC FORCING THAT APPEARS TO BISECT THE CWA FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS /MAINLY THROUGH THE CENTRAL SANDHILLS/. PRECIPITATION CHANCES BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD INTO THE EVENING HOURS AND OVERNIGHT AS DPVA SPREADS EAST FROM ROCKIES ONTO THE NORTHERN HIGH PLAINS. ANALYSIS OF THE 300-305K ISENTROPIC LAYER INDICATES SEVERAL HOURS /00-06Z WEDNESDAY/ OF STRONG UPGLIDE TARGETING WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA...THEREAFTER DOWNGLIDE STARTS TO TAKE CONTROL WITH CONDENSATION PRESSURE DEFICITS RAPIDLY RISING ABOVE 10MB...THUS CUT BACK QPF AMOUNTS SOME ON WEDNESDAY WITH MOST LOCATIONS EXPECTING LESS THAN A HALF OF AN INCH TOTAL QPF. ALSO TRIMMED POPS BACK INTO THE LOW END CHANCE/SLIGHT CHANCE CATEGORY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AS THE UPPER SUPPORT TRANSITIONS EAST WITH THE BEST UPGLIDE. PROBLEMATIC TO THE FORECAST IS THE POTENTIAL FOR SNOW OR A RAIN/SNOW MIX TUESDAY NIGHT AFTER MIDNIGHT THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS ON WEDNESDAY...AS THE OPERATIONAL MODELS GENERATE AS MUCH AS FOUR TO SIX INCHES ACROSS THE SANDHILLS...HOWEVER PROXIMITY SOUNDINGS INDICATE FACTOR THAT MAY LIMIT OVERALL SNOW PRODUCTION AS THE DENDRITIC LAYER IS CENTERED NEAR 500MB OVER SOUTHERN AND EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE CWA /600-700 MB ACROSS THE NORTH AND NORTHWEST/...AND GIVEN A RATHER SHORT PERIOD OF DEEP TROPOSPHERIC MOISTURE...SNOW PRODUCTION MAY BE LIMITED. ANOTHER FACTOR AGAINST ACCUMULATING SNOW IS THE RECENT WARM SPELL...WHICH HAS ALLOWED GROUND TEMPERATURES TO CLIMB INTO THE 40S. SO FOR NOW WILL GO WITH LIMITED TO NIL ACCUMULATIONS WITH THE IDEA THAT SUBSEQUENT FORECASTS WILL HAVE A BETTER IDEA OF WHERE AND IF SNOW ACCUMULATES. A STRONG /~1040MB/ SURFACE HIGH WILL BUILD ACROSS THE HIGH PLAINS EARLY ON THURSDAY AND REMAIN THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING...FROST AND/OR FREEZE CONDITIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE. THE UPPER PATTERN BECOMES STALE BY LATE WEEK WITH A CUTOFF LOW FORMING AND REMAINING SOMEWHERE IN THE VICINITY OF THE LOWER MISSOURI VALLEY. TEMPERATURES HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND SHOULD SLOWLY MODERATE ACROSS OUR WESTERN ZONES...WITH THE EAST...INFLUENCED BY THE UPPER LOW...REMAINING RATHER COOL. THE LONGER RANGE SOLUTIONS CONTINUE TO INDICATE WRAP AROUND QPF POSSIBLY AS FAR WEST AS HIGHWAY 61 THROUGH THE WEEKEND. CONFIDENCE IN STALE PATTERNS USUALLY IS FAIRLY LOW...THUS WON/T MAKE ANY WHOLESALE CHANGES TO THE EXTENDED PROCEDURE FOR NOW. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z TUESDAY MORNING) ISSUED AT 633 AM CDT MON APR 29 2013 VFR IS EXPECTED ALL AREAS THROUGH 06Z TONIGHT. THEREAFTER...A COLD FRONT WILL ENTER NRN NEB...POSSIBLY PRODUCING A BAND OF MVFR CIGS ALONG THE FRONT. GIVEN THE VERY DRY CONDITIONS ONGOING...THE PROBABILITY OF THIS OCCURRING IS LOW. && .FIRE WEATHER... ISSUED AT 353 AM CDT MON APR 29 2013 LOW PRESSURE DEEPENS ACROSS WRN SD THIS AFTERNOON TO AROUND 990 MB. THIS SEND ANOTHER SURGE OF WEST/SOUTHWEST WINDS AND VERY DRY AIR THROUGH THE PANHANDLE AND INTO NCNTL NEB. WINDS SHOULD INCREASE TO 15 TO 25 MPH WITH RH BETWEEN 10 AND 15 PERCENT. GREEN UP IS UNDERWAY SO FUEL STATUS IS QUESTIONABLE FOR CRITICAL FIRE DANGER ACROSS NWRN NEB. NO RED FLAG WARNING WILL BE ISSUED. && .LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...CDC LONG TERM...JACOBS AVIATION...CDC FIRE WEATHER...CDC
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS NORTH PLATTE NE
354 AM CDT MON APR 29 2013 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 353 AM CDT MON APR 29 2013 A PACIFIC COLD FRONT...CURRENTLY ENTERING WRN WY...WILL MOVE THROUGH THE FCST AREA TONIGHT. LOW PRESSURE AHEAD OF THE FRONT WILL DEEPEN ACROSS WRN SD AND SEND ANOTHER SURGE OF WARM DRY AIR THROUGH THE FCST AREA. THE RAP WHICH HAS BEEN VERIFYING WELL SUGGESTS 80S FOR HIGHS TODAY MOST AREAS. DEW POINTS WILL FALL INTO THE 20S ONCE AGAIN. THE CLEARING AREA ACROSS WY AND SD SHOULD MOVE EAST ACROSS THE FCST AREA AND PROVIDE SUNNY SKIES TODAY. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 353 AM CDT MON APR 29 2013 FORECAST CONCERN FOR THE EXTENDED PERIOD REVOLVES AROUND PRECIPITATION CHANCES MID-WEEK...SOME OF WHICH MAY FALL AS SNOW. THE UNSETTLED PATTERN REMAINS THROUGH THE ENTIRE FORECAST PERIOD...AS MODEL CONSENSUS SUGGESTS A STAGNATE PATTERN DEVELOPS LATE WEEK...WITH A CUTOFF LOW AIMLESSLY MEANDERING THROUGH THE LOWER MISSOURI VALLEY. MODELS HAVE COME INTO GOOD AGREEMENT REGARDING THE TIMING OF THE COLD FRONT...WHICH IS PROGGED TO PASS THROUGH THE FORECAST AREA EARLY TUESDAY...THUS THE ATMOSPHERE WILL BE CHARACTERIZED BY POST FRONTAL CONDITIONS...WITH STRONG CAA FILTERING SOUTH ACROSS THE CWA THROUGH THE DAY ON TUESDAY. HIGHS WILL BE SOME 20-25 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT COOLER THAN OBSERVED TODAY...WITH MOST READINGS REMAINING THE 50S. ALSO OF NOTE...SHOWERS WILL BE ON THE INCREASE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AS A MID LEVEL SHORTWAVE WORKS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE RIGHT REAR ENTRANCE OF A STRONG UPPER JET MAX...PRECIPITATION WILL SPREAD WEST TO EAST THROUGH THE AFTERNOON...AND SHOULD BECOME FOCUSED ALONG AN AREA OF MIDLEVEL FRONTOGENETIC FORCING THAT APPEARS TO BISECT THE CWA FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS /MAINLY THROUGH THE CENTRAL SANDHILLS/. PRECIPITATION CHANCES BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD INTO THE EVENING HOURS AND OVERNIGHT AS DPVA SPREADS EAST FROM ROCKIES ONTO THE NORTHERN HIGH PLAINS. ANALYSIS OF THE 300-305K ISENTROPIC LAYER INDICATES SEVERAL HOURS /00-06Z WEDNESDAY/ OF STRONG UPGLIDE TARGETING WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA...THEREAFTER DOWNGLIDE STARTS TO TAKE CONTROL WITH CONDENSATION PRESSURE DEFICITS RAPIDLY RISING ABOVE 10MB...THUS CUT BACK QPF AMOUNTS SOME ON WEDNESDAY WITH MOST LOCATIONS EXPECTING LESS THAN A HALF OF AN INCH TOTAL QPF. ALSO TRIMMED POPS BACK INTO THE LOW END CHANCE/SLIGHT CHANCE CATEGORY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AS THE UPPER SUPPORT TRANSITIONS EAST WITH THE BEST UPGLIDE. PROBLEMATIC TO THE FORECAST IS THE POTENTIAL FOR SNOW OR A RAIN/SNOW MIX TUESDAY NIGHT AFTER MIDNIGHT THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS ON WEDNESDAY...AS THE OPERATIONAL MODELS GENERATE AS MUCH AS FOUR TO SIX INCHES ACROSS THE SANDHILLS...HOWEVER PROXIMITY SOUNDINGS INDICATE FACTOR THAT MAY LIMIT OVERALL SNOW PRODUCTION AS THE DENDRITIC LAYER IS CENTERED NEAR 500MB OVER SOUTHERN AND EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE CWA /600-700 MB ACROSS THE NORTH AND NORTHWEST/...AND GIVEN A RATHER SHORT PERIOD OF DEEP TROPOSPHERIC MOISTURE...SNOW PRODUCTION MAY BE LIMITED. ANOTHER FACTOR AGAINST ACCUMULATING SNOW IS THE RECENT WARM SPELL...WHICH HAS ALLOWED GROUND TEMPERATURES TO CLIMB INTO THE 40S. SO FOR NOW WILL GO WITH LIMITED TO NIL ACCUMULATIONS WITH THE IDEA THAT SUBSEQUENT FORECASTS WILL HAVE A BETTER IDEA OF WHERE AND IF SNOW ACCUMULATES. A STRONG /~1040MB/ SURFACE HIGH WILL BUILD ACROSS THE HIGH PLAINS EARLY ON THURSDAY AND REMAIN THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING...FROST AND/OR FREEZE CONDITIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE. THE UPPER PATTERN BECOMES STALE BY LATE WEEK WITH A CUTOFF LOW FORMING AND REMAINING SOMEWHERE IN THE VICINITY OF THE LOWER MISSOURI VALLEY. TEMPERATURES HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND SHOULD SLOWLY MODERATE ACROSS OUR WESTERN ZONES...WITH THE EAST...INFLUENCED BY THE UPPER LOW...REMAINING RATHER COOL. THE LONGER RANGE SOLUTIONS CONTINUE TO INDICATE WRAP AROUND QPF POSSIBLY AS FAR WEST AS HIGHWAY 61 THROUGH THE WEEKEND. CONFIDENCE IN STALE PATTERNS USUALLY IS FAIRLY LOW...THUS WON/T MAKE ANY WHOLESALE CHANGES TO THE EXTENDED PROCEDURE FOR NOW. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z MONDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 100 PM CDT SUN APR 28 2013 ANOTHER HOT DAY WITH VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON. A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL CAUSE A SLIGHT WIND SHIFT FROM THE WEST/NORTHWEST TO THE NORTH. WINDS SPEEDS WILL BE SIMILAR BOTH AHEAD AND BEHIND THE FRONT...GUSTING TO 20 TO 25 KTS. A WEAK DISTURBANCE WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT...AND SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO SPARK SOME ISOLD/SCT SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...MAINLY TO IMPACT NORTHERN NEB. FURTHER SOUTH AN INCREASE OF MID/HIGH CLOUDS...HOWEVER DRIER LOWER LEVEL ATMOSPHERE SHOULD PREVENT ANY DEVELOP. SYSTEM MOVES THROUGH QUICKLY WITH VFR AND DRY CONDITIONS FOR MONDAY...WINDS DO BECOME SOUTHERLY DURING THE LATE MORNING HOURS. && .FIRE WEATHER... ISSUED AT 353 AM CDT MON APR 29 2013 LOW PRESSURE DEEPENS ACROSS WRN SD THIS AFTERNOON TO AROUND 990 MB. THIS SEND ANOTHER SURGE OF WEST/SOUTHWEST WINDS AND VERY DRY AIR THROUGH THE PANHANDLE AND INTO NCNTL NEB. WINDS SHOULD INCREASE TO 15 TO 25 MPH WITH RH BETWEEN 10 AND 15 PERCENT. GREEN UP IS UNDERWAY SO FUEL STATUS IS QUESTIONABLE FOR CRITICAL FIRE DANGER ACROSS NWRN NEB. NO RED FLAG WARNING WILL BE ISSUED. && .LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...CDC LONG TERM...JACOBS AVIATION...CDC FIRE WEATHER...CDC
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS HASTINGS NE
1254 AM CDT MON APR 29 2013 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 1251 AM CDT MON APR 29 2013 MINOR ADJUSTMENTS WERE MADE FOR THE OVERNIGHT AS THE FORECAST IS LARGELY ON TRACK. DEWPOINTS ARE NOT REBOUNDING QUITE AS QUICKLY AS ANTICIPATED FOR SOME SPOTS OF THE CWA...SO MORE ADJUSTMENTS MAY BE NEEDED. UPDATE ISSUED AT 927 PM CDT SUN APR 28 2013 AS OF 02Z RADAR DATA FROM KUEX INDICATES NOTHING IN THE WAY OF PRECIPITATION OVER OUR CWA. WITH THE LOSS OF DIABATIC HEATING FOR THE DAY AND POTENTIAL INSTABILITY RAPIDLY DROPPING OFF...PER THE SPC MESO-ANALYSIS PAGE...THE CHANCES OF CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY BEING REALIZED ACROSS OUR CWA THIS EVENING ARE QUICKLY DWINDLING. GIVEN ALL THIS...WENT AHEAD AND PULLED THE ~20% POPS WE PREVIOUSLY HAD GOING ACROSS OUR NORTHEASTERN CWA THROUGH THIS EVENING. POPS REMAIN INTACT ACROSS OUR NORTHEAST STARTING AFTER 06Z AS THE SUBTLE MID LEVEL SHORT WAVE ADVANCES OVER PORTIONS OF THE REGION...BUT CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY IS NOT CURRENTLY ANTICIPATED WITH ANY PRECIPITATION AFTER 06Z. THE REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST REMAINS IN GREAT SHAPE...WITH ONLY SUBTLE CHANGES MADE TO HOURLY TEMPERATURE...WIND...AND DEWPOINT GRIDS TO BETTER REFLECT CURRENT OBSERVATIONS. && .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH MONDAY) ISSUED AT 240 PM CDT SUN APR 28 2013 PRIMARY FORECAST CONCERN WILL BE SMALL CHANCES FOR THUNDERSTORMS LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING IN THE NORTHEAST PART OF THE CWA AND THEN ANOTHER SMALL CHANCE FOR SHOWERS IN THE NORTH PART OF THE CWA OVERNIGHT. UPPER AIR ANALYSIS AND CURRENT WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SHOW AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH MOVING ACROSS THE EASTERN THIRD OF THE COUNTRY WHILE MORE OF A ZONAL FLOW IS NOTED FROM THE PACIFIC NW INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS. THERE ARE A COUPLE OF WEAK SHORT WAVES TO DEAL WITH...ESPECIALLY ONE MOVING INTO MONTANA WHICH COULD PROVIDE SOME FORCING ACROSS THE NORTHERN PART OF OUR CWA LATER TONIGHT. AT THE SURFACE...A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE WAS JUST MOVING INTO THE FAR WESTERN PART OF THE CWA BY 19Z. TEMPERATURES HAVE CLIMBED STEADILY TODAY AND MOST LOCATIONS SHOULD HIT THE 80S BEFORE THE AFTERNOON IS OUT. DEW POINTS RANGE FROM THE MID TO UPPER 40S EAST OF THE SURFACE TROUGH...IN THE MID 30S ALONG THE TROUGH AXIS...AND THEN DIPPING INTO THE MID 20S 50 TO 100 MILES BEHIND THE TROUGH. REGARDING FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS...RELATIVE HUMIDITIES HAVE FALLEN NEAR OR BELOW 20 PERCENT IN THE WEST...BUT WINDS SHOULD STAY BELOW 20 MPH IN THAT PART OF OUR CWA AS THE TROUGH AXIS LIES OVER THAT AREA. BY THE TIME THE WINDS PICK UP AGAIN FROM THE NW...WE SHOULD BE A FEW HOURS PAST MAX HEATING. VARIOUS SHORT RANGE MODELS SHOWING SOME DECENT INSTABILITY AHEAD OF THE SURFACE TROUGH WHICH COULD TRIGGER CONVECTION LATER THIS AFTERNOON. BOTH THE HRRR AND THE 4KM WRF SHOWING TSTM DEVELOPMENT IN THE NORTHEAST PART OF THE CWA FROM ROUGHLY 5 PM THROUGH 10 PM. WHILE BETTER CHANCES SEEM TO BE JUST A LITTLE FURTHER NORTHEAST THAN OUR CWA...WILL CONTINUE WITH AT LEAST A SLIGHT CHANCE IN OUR NORTHEAST AS WE COULD CERTAINLY GET CLIPPED. THE SHORTWAVE NOTED ABOVE SHOULD HAVE MORE OF AN IMPACT AFTER MIDNIGHT AND CONTINUED THE CHANCE OF SHOWERS MAINLY IN THE NORTHEASTERN HALF OF THE CWA. FORCING AND MOISTURE NOT OVERLY IMPRESSIVE AND WILL KEEP POPS FAIRLY LOW. INSTABILITY ALSO DROPS OFF QUITE A BIT SO WILL KEEP THUNDER MENTION OUT AFTER MIDNIGHT. QUIET WEATHER EXPECTED ON MONDAY AS WE AWAIT THE APPROACH OF THE NEXT SYSTEM UPSTREAM. WITH EASTERLY FLOW AT SURFACE...HIGH TEMPERATURES SHOULD BE JUST A LITTLE BIT COOLER THAN WHAT WE ARE SEEING TODAY...BUT ALL IN ALL STILL NOT BAD. .LONG TERM...(MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 240 PM CDT SUN APR 28 2013 THE WEATHER PATTERN WILL UNDERGO CHANGES DURING THE EXTENDED PERIODS WITH A TREND TO COOLER SPRING CONDITIONS. ON MONDAY NIGHT AN UPPER TROUGH DIGS SOUTH ACROSS THE NORTHWEST/NORTH CENTRAL TIER STATES AND A SFC COLD FRONTAL BOUNDARY PUSHES SOUTH FM THE DAKOTAS...AND IS EXPECTED TO STRETCH FM ROUGHLY KOMA TO KPHG TO SOUTH OF KGLD BY 12Z TUESDAY. WITH FRONT CROSSING MUCH OF OUR NEB CWA OVERNIGHT...CONSIDERED SOME LOW POPS TOWARD TUESDAY MORNING BUT CHCS APPEAR HIT OR MISS AND WILL CARRY SILENT POPS FOR NOW. IN GENERAL...MODELS HAVE CONTINUED TO TREND FASTER WITH FROPA...WITH THE NAM REMAINING FASTER THAN GFS. THE FARTHER SOUTH FRONTAL POSITION NEAR THE NEB/KS STATELINE OR IN NORTHERN KANSAS PLACES CHCS FOR AFTN CONVECTION FARTHER SOUTH AS WELL. DEPENDING ON TIMING/FRONTAL POSITION THERE STILL APPEARS TO BE A WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY...ALBEIT A SHRINKING WINDOW...FOR POTENTIALLY A STRONG/SEVERE TSTMS IN THE LATE AFTN/EVE FOR OUR SOUTHEAST ZONES. SOME PRESENCE OF ELEVATED INSTABILITY IS MAINTAINED INTO THE FIRST PART OF THE NIGHT TUESDAY NIGHT WHICH SHIFTS SOUTH BY WEDNESDAY MORNING. OVERALL PCPN CHCS INCREASE OVERNIGHT TUESDAY NIGHT ACROSS OUR ENTIRE CWA IN INCREASING ISENTROPIC LIFT AHEAD OF THE UPPER TROUGH MOVING ONTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS AND IN PRESENCE OF STRONG MID LEVEL FRONTOGENESIS. MUCH COLDER AIR ADVECTS SOUTH BEHIND THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY AND THE R/S LINE ACROSS WESTERN NEBRASKA LOOKS TO EDGE CLOSE TO OUR NW CWA TOWARDS WEDNESDAY MORNING. WEDNESDAY IS SHAPING UP TO BE A COLD...WET...BREEZY/WINDY DAY UNDER INFLUENCE OF UPPER TROUGH MOVING IN WITH THE BETTER CHCS FOR PCPN EXPECTED IN THE FIRST PART OF THE DAY BEFORE DRIER AIR ADVECTS IN FOLLOWING MID LEVEL TROUGH...BUT THIS WILL BE DEPENDENT UPON SYSTEMN TIMING WITH GFS MORE PROGRESSIVE THAN ECMWF. MODELS CONTINUE TO DEVIATE ON WHERE UPPER LOW WILL CLOSE OFF THURS NIGHT/FRI DUE TO A BLOCKING RIDGE TO THE EAST. 24HRS AGO THE 12Z MODELS CLOSED THE LOW ACROSS THE CENTRAL PLAINS...THEN THE 00Z SUNDAY RUN OF MODELS CLOSED THE LOW IN EASTERN KS/SOUTHERN MISSOURI...AND NOW THE 12Z GFS RUN CLOSES THE LOW EAST OF THE MISSOURI RIVER IN IOWA WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR A CUTOFF SYSTEM TO LIFT AND RETROGRADE TOWARD THE END OF THE WORKWEEK AND INTO THE FIRST PART OF NEXT WEEKEND. THE 12Z ECMWF IS A LITTLE MORE SIMILAR TO ITS PREVIOUS RUN INITIALLY WITH THE SYSTEM CLOSING OFF IN EASTERN KS WITH THE CUTOFF UPPER LOW MEANDERING ACROSS MISSOURI THRU THE WEEKEND. PCPN CHCS WILL BE DEPENDENT UPON THE UPPER LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM POSITION AND IT IS JUST TOO EARLY TO PINPOINT THE BEST CHCS/TIMING JUST YET GIVEN THE VARYING MODEL SOLUTIONS AND DID NOT DEVIATE MUCH FROM THE EXTENDED INIT. UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THE UPPER LOW/TROUGH PATTERN...TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN COOL WITH HIGHS MAINLY 50S...AND LOWS IN THE 30S...ALTHOUGH READINGS COULD RECOVER SOME IF LOW KICKS OUT TOWARD DAY 7. WITH LOWS IN THE 30S WILL NEED TO CLOSELY MONITOR POTENTIAL FOR FROST/FREEZE AS SPRING HEADLINES FOR THIS BEGIN MAY 1. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z MONDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 1251 AM CDT MON APR 29 2013 WIND SPEED SHOULD BE A BIT ELEVATED FROM THE NORTHEAST BEHIND A COLD FRONT...WHICH SEEMS TO BE FRONTOLYTIC. WIND SHOULD BECOME NEARLY CALM BY MID-DAY MONDAY AS A TRANSITION TO A SOUTH WIND OCCURS AS A LEE SIDE TROUGH DEVELOPS TO THE WEST. MAINLY MID-LEVEL CLOUDINESS IS EXPECTED WITH LOW-LEVELS REMAINING DRY. && .GID WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NE...NONE. KS...NONE. && $$ UPDATE...HEINLEIN SHORT TERM...EWALD LONG TERM...FAY AVIATION...HEINLEIN
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CLEVELAND OH
158 PM EDT MON APR 29 2013 .SYNOPSIS... UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE OVER THE EASTERN PART OF THE AREA WILL WEAKEN AND MOVE NORTHEAST TODAY. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD OVER THE AREA TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY AND REMAIN IN PLACE INTO FRIDAY BEFORE WEAKENING AND MOVING EAST. A LOW SHOULD APPROACH THE AREA FROM THE WEST NEXT WEEKEND. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... LATEST HRRR MODEL SHOWS WEAK LINE OF SHOWERS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE OVER NORTHEAST OHIO INTO NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. THIS IS ASSOCIATED WITH SURFACE TROUGH THAT WILL EVENTUALLY PUSH EAST AND OUT OF THE REGION. WILL KEEP THE CHANCE OF SHOWERS GOING IN THE EAST THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. IN THE WEST...SOME CLEARING IS TRYING TO PUSH INTO NORTHWEST OHIO AND THIS SHOULD SUPPORT SOME SUNSHINE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. ELSEWHERE...CLOUDS SHOULD HOLD IN WITH A FEW BREAKS IN THE OVERCAST. DUE TO CLOUDS MOST AREAS AND SHOWERS EAST...WILL GO AHEAD AND BUMP TEMPERATURES DOWN A FEW DEGREES. I STILL THINK THE EAST WILL RECOVER SINCE WE STILL HAVE A FAIR AMOUNT OF DAYLIGHT LEFT THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... MID AND UPPER RIDGING STARTING TO BUILD IN TONIGHT SHOULD CAUSE MOST OF THE SHRA TO END DURING THE EVENING. LIGHT SOUTH WINDS WILL LIKELY ALLOW FOR MORE PATCHY FOG TO DEVELOP TONIGHT. THE MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW THE HIGH TO THE NE HOLDING MOISTURE AROUND 850 MB OVER THE EAST HALF OF THE CWA ON TUE AND EVEN PRODUCE SOME LIGHT PRECIP. HAVING A HARD TIME SEEING TOO MUCH CONVECTION DEVELOP DUE TO THE UPPER RIDGING SO WILL KEEP POPS TO ONLY A SLIGHT CHANCE OR LESS. SIMILAR SITUATION ON WED BUT THE MOISTURE AROUND 850 MB NOW SPREAD OVER MOST OF THE AREA. NAM AGAIN HAS SOME LIGHT PRECIP OVER THE CENTRAL PART OF THE CWA. GUIDANCE POPS LOW AND ONGOING FORECAST HAS BEEN DRY SO WILL MAINTAIN THE CONTINUITY AND KEEP POPS AT 14% OR LESS. UPPER TROUGH MOVES EAST TO NEAR THE MS RIVER ON THU INDUCING A SURFACE LOW TO NOSE NE INTO INDIANA BY LATER IN THE DAY. UPPER RIDGING SHOULD HOLD OFF THE PRECIP IN THE EAST. THE FAR WEST LOOKS TO HAVE TOO MUCH MOISTURE TO WORK WITH ALONG WITH A LITTLE BETTER DYNAMICS SO SOME CONVECTION CAN`T BE RULED OUT. THUS WILL ADD A SLIGHT CHANCE POP IN FOR THAT AREA WHICH WILL ALSO COLLABORATE BETTER WITH BORDERING FORECASTS. TEMPS SHOULD WARM TUE INTO WED THEN STAY ABOVE NORMAL FOR THU. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... LONG TERM BEGINS ON FRIDAY WITH THE GFS AND ECMWF FAIRLY CONSISTENT IN THE PLACEMENT OF WHAT WILL BECOME A CUTOFF UPPER LOW OVER THE NATIONS MID SECTION. 12Z FRIDAY THE MODELS HAVE THE LOW NEAR KANSAS CITY WHILE AN UPPER HIGH WILL BE OVER PA AND NY INFLUENCING THE AREA FROM THE EAST. MEANWHILE WESTERN COUNTIES WILL HAVE INCREASED MOISTURE FROM THE FLOW AROUND THE LOW. SYSTEMS REMAIN NEARLY STATIONARY THROUGH SUNDAY THEN BEGIN TO MOVE EAST SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY. IN GENERAL WILL HAVE CHANCE POPS FOR SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS WEST WITH MORE CLOUD COVER VS EAST. SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY WILL HAVE CHANCE POPS FOR THE ENTIRE AREA AS MOISTURE SHIFTS EAST. TEMPS MILD WITH NORMAL TO A FEW DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL TEMPS EXPECTED. && .AVIATION /18Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... SCATTERED SHOWERS CONTINUE TO AFFECT PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST OHIO AND NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA THIS AFTERNOON AS A WEAK SURFACE TROUGH MOVES EAST OF THE AREA. EASTERN TAF SITES ARE A MIX OF MVFR AND VFR THIS AFTERNOON...AND WILL LIKELY HOVER AROUND THIS THRESHOLD FOR THE NEXT SIX HOURS. DRIER AIR IS BUILDING IN BEHIND THE TROUGH...BUT LOW LEVEL MOISTURE REMAINS. THE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE COMBINED WITH LIGHT WINDS WILL HELP IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF FOG AND LOW LEVEL STRATUS IN THE OVERNIGHT TO EARLY MORNING HOURS. MVFR TO IFR VISIBILITIES ARE EXPECTED WITH THE FOG...ESPECIALLY AFTER 08Z. FOG WILL DISSIPATE BY ABOUT 13Z AS THE SURFACE BEGINS TO HEAT. VFR CEILINGS WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE REST OF THE TAF PERIOD. .OUTLOOK...NON-VFR POSSIBLE TUESDAY MORNING...THURSDAY MORNING AND FRIDAY MORNING. && .MARINE... FOR TODAY LOOKING FOR SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST FLOW BEHIND A WEAK SURFACE TROF MOVING ACROSS THE REGION. TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY...EXPECTING GENERALLY SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST FLOW FOR MUCH OF THE PERIOD WITH HIGH PRESSURE TO OUR EAST AND LOW PRESSURE WEST OF THE AREA. NO HEADLINES ANTICIPATED. && .CLE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OH...NONE. PA...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...ADAMS NEAR TERM...LOMBARDY SHORT TERM...ADAMS LONG TERM...TK AVIATION...YEAGER MARINE...TK
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CLEVELAND OH
1232 PM EDT MON APR 29 2013 .SYNOPSIS... UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE OVER THE EASTERN PART OF THE AREA WILL WEAKEN AND MOVE NORTHEAST TODAY. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD OVER THE AREA TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY AND REMAIN IN PLACE INTO FRIDAY BEFORE WEAKENING AND MOVING EAST. A LOW SHOULD APPROACH THE AREA FROM THE WEST NEXT WEEKEND. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... LATEST HRRR MODEL SHOWS WEAK LINE OF SHOWERS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE OVER NORTHEAST OHIO INTO NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. THIS IS ASSOCIATED WITH SURFACE TROUGH THAT WILL EVENTUALLY PUSH EAST AND OUT OF THE REGION. WILL KEEP THE CHANCE OF SHOWERS GOING IN THE EAST THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. IN THE WEST...SOME CLEARING IS TRYING TO PUSH INTO NORTHWEST OHIO AND THIS SHOULD SUPPORT SOME SUNSHINE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. ELSEWHERE...CLOUDS SHOULD HOLD IN WITH A FEW BREAKS IN THE OVERCAST. DUE TO CLOUDS MOST AREAS AND SHOWERS EAST...WILL GO AHEAD AND BUMP TEMPERATURES DOWN A FEW DEGREES. I STILL THINK THE EAST WILL RECOVER SINCE WE STILL HAVE A FAIR AMOUNT OF DAYLIGHT LEFT THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... MID AND UPPER RIDGING STARTING TO BUILD IN TONIGHT SHOULD CAUSE MOST OF THE SHRA TO END DURING THE EVENING. LIGHT SOUTH WINDS WILL LIKELY ALLOW FOR MORE PATCHY FOG TO DEVELOP TONIGHT. THE MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW THE HIGH TO THE NE HOLDING MOISTURE AROUND 850 MB OVER THE EAST HALF OF THE CWA ON TUE AND EVEN PRODUCE SOME LIGHT PRECIP. HAVING A HARD TIME SEEING TOO MUCH CONVECTION DEVELOP DUE TO THE UPPER RIDGING SO WILL KEEP POPS TO ONLY A SLIGHT CHANCE OR LESS. SIMILAR SITUATION ON WED BUT THE MOISTURE AROUND 850 MB NOW SPREAD OVER MOST OF THE AREA. NAM AGAIN HAS SOME LIGHT PRECIP OVER THE CENTRAL PART OF THE CWA. GUIDANCE POPS LOW AND ONGOING FORECAST HAS BEEN DRY SO WILL MAINTAIN THE CONTINUITY AND KEEP POPS AT 14% OR LESS. UPPER TROUGH MOVES EAST TO NEAR THE MS RIVER ON THU INDUCING A SURFACE LOW TO NOSE NE INTO INDIANA BY LATER IN THE DAY. UPPER RIDGING SHOULD HOLD OFF THE PRECIP IN THE EAST. THE FAR WEST LOOKS TO HAVE TOO MUCH MOISTURE TO WORK WITH ALONG WITH A LITTLE BETTER DYNAMICS SO SOME CONVECTION CAN`T BE RULED OUT. THUS WILL ADD A SLIGHT CHANCE POP IN FOR THAT AREA WHICH WILL ALSO COLLABORATE BETTER WITH BORDERING FORECASTS. TEMPS SHOULD WARM TUE INTO WED THEN STAY ABOVE NORMAL FOR THU. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... LONG TERM BEGINS ON FRIDAY WITH THE GFS AND ECMWF FAIRLY CONSISTENT IN THE PLACEMENT OF WHAT WILL BECOME A CUTOFF UPPER LOW OVER THE NATIONS MID SECTION. 12Z FRIDAY THE MODELS HAVE THE LOW NEAR KANSAS CITY WHILE AN UPPER HIGH WILL BE OVER PA AND NY INFLUENCING THE AREA FROM THE EAST. MEANWHILE WESTERN COUNTIES WILL HAVE INCREASED MOISTURE FROM THE FLOW AROUND THE LOW. SYSTEMS REMAIN NEARLY STATIONARY THROUGH SUNDAY THEN BEGIN TO MOVE EAST SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY. IN GENERAL WILL HAVE CHANCE POPS FOR SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS WEST WITH MORE CLOUD COVER VS EAST. SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY WILL HAVE CHANCE POPS FOR THE ENTIRE AREA AS MOISTURE SHIFTS EAST. TEMPS MILD WITH NORMAL TO A FEW DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL TEMPS EXPECTED. && .AVIATION /18Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... WEAK SURFACE TROF EXTENDING SOUTH FROM THE ISLANDS THROUGH OHIO. SHOWERS ARE MAINLY EAST OF THE TROF IN A MIX OF MVFR AND IFR CONDITIONS ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA. EXPECTING IFR CONDITIONS TO AFFECT MUCH OF THE AREA INTO THE MORNING HOURS...LIFTING TO MVFR THROUGH THE LATE MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON AS DRIER AIR EVENTUALLY BEGINS TO MOVE IN FROM THE WEST. CONCERNED THAT WITH LIGHT FLOW DRYING ALOFT AND LEFTOVER LOW LEVEL MOISTURE...FOG AND POSSIBLY A LOW STRATUS WILL REDEVELOP TONIGHT. .OUTLOOK...NON-VFR POSSIBLE TUESDAY MORNING...THURSDAY MORNING AND FRIDAY MORNING. && .MARINE... FOR TODAY LOOKING FOR SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST FLOW BEHIND A WEAK SURFACE TROF MOVING ACROSS THE REGION. TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY...EXPECTING GENERALLY SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST FLOW FOR MUCH OF THE PERIOD WITH HIGH PRESSURE TO OUR EAST AND LOW PRESSURE WEST OF THE AREA. NO HEADLINES ANTICIPATED. && .CLE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OH...NONE. PA...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...ADAMS NEAR TERM...LOMBARDY SHORT TERM...ADAMS LONG TERM...TK AVIATION...TK MARINE...TK
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS STATE COLLEGE PA
821 PM EDT TUE APR 30 2013 .SYNOPSIS... A LARGE AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE OFF THE NEW ENGLAND COAST WILL BUILD OVER THE LOCAL AREA AND PROVIDE DRIER AND BRIGHTER CONDITIONS INTO THE UPCOMING WEEKEND. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING/... LARGE AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE OFF THE NEW ENGLAND COAST CONTINUES TO PUMP LOW LEVEL MOISTURE ONSHORE AND UP INTO CENTRAL PA. CLOUDS ERODED OVER EASTERN AREAS FOR A TIME BUT LATEST TRENDS SHOW CLOUDS RETURNING AS NIGHT FALLS AND THE ATMOSPHERE BEGINS TO COOL. MEANWHILE AN ANOMALOUS /+2-3 SIGMA/ 500 MB RIDGE WILL AMPLIFY FROM THE TENNESSEE VALLEY TO EASTERN CANADA. DRIER AIR WILL EVENTUALLY WORK IN..WHICH WILL AID IN RAISING CIGS AND GRADUALLY DIMINISHING CLOUDS LATER TONIGHT FROM THE EAST. STUBBORN STRATOCU SHOULD LINGER THE LONGEST /THROUGH 12Z/ IN THE SW WHERE SPOTTY DRIZZLE WILL REMAIN POSS OVERNIGHT /AS PER THE 4KM NAM AND HRRR - THOUGH THEY HAVE BEEN OVERDOING POTENTIAL FOR LIGHT PRECIP OVER THE PAST 24 HRS/. LOW TEMPS WILL BE IN THE 40S...WITH COOLEST READINGS IN THE NORTHEAST AND EAST WHERE CLOUDS WILL THIN FIRST AND DEWPOINTS WILL LOWER FIRST. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... ANOMALOUS /+2-3 SIGMA/ 500 MB RIDGE BEGINS TO QUICKLY AMPLIFY FROM THE TENNESSEE VALLEY TO EASTERN CANADA ON WED. AFTER A CLOUDY START IN THE SW...SKIES SHOULD BECOME PARTLY CLOUDY EVERYWHERE BY LATE MORNING WITH SUNSHINE CONTINUING TO INCREASE IN THE AFTERNOON AS SUBSIDENCE DEEPENS UNDER THE BUILDING HIGH. HIGH TEMPS WEDNESDAY WILL WARM BY 8-10F COMPARED TO TUESDAY...WHICH WILL BE NEAR NORMAL ACROSS THE SUSQ VALLEY...AND 5-8F DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL OVER THE NRN AND WESTERN MTNS. LOWS WED NIGHT WILL BE CHILLY WITH STRENGTHENING HIGH PRESSURE BRINGING LIGHT WINDS AND DRIER AIR. READINGS WILL BOTTOM OUT IN THE 40S...WITH SOME UPPER 30S POSS IN NORTHEASTERN MTNS. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... THE 30/12Z GLOBAL NUMERICAL GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO ADVERTISE A HIGHLY AMPLIFIED MERIDIONAL FLOW PATTERN AT 500MB THROUGH THE MEDIUM RANGE PERIOD...WITH AN ANOMALOUS RIDGE/TROUGH/RIDGE CONFIGURATION EXPECTED FROM JUST OFFSHORE THE PAC NW TO THE CENTRAL US AND INTERIOR NORTHEAST STATES. A MID-ATLANTIC FORECAST PERSPECTIVE SHOWS A SHARP 580DM RIDGE CENTERED BETWEEN THE AFOREMENTIONED CENTRAL CONUS H5 TROUGH/CLOSED LOW AND COMPACT H5 ENERGY PROGGED TO DROP SWD FROM THE MARITIMES ALONG/JUST OFFSHORE THE NEW ENGLAND COAST ON DAY 3-4 /THUR-FRI/. THIS FEATURE WILL RETREAT INTO THE NRN ATLC BY THE WEEKEND...WITH THE FOCUS SHIFTING TO THE EVOLUTION OF THE CLOSED LOW OVER THE CENTRAL STATES. THE ECMWF LIES ON THE WWD SIDE OF THE DETERMINISTIC ENVELOPE SHOWING A MORE COASTAL TRACK WITH THE ENERGY DROPPING OFFSHORE THE NE COAST EARLY IN THE PERIOD. HOWEVER THE OVERALL MODEL SPREAD IS PRETTY LOW WITH THIS FEATURE...WHICH SHOULD SEND A BACKDOOR COLD FRONT INTO THE REGION ON FRIDAY AND ACCENTUATE A WEST-EAST TEMPERATURE GRADIENT. THE DOMINANT SYNOPTIC FEATURE DRIVING THE SENSIBLE WEATHER IN CENTRAL PA THROUGH THE BALANCE OF THE PERIOD WILL BE THE HIGH AMPLITUDE UPPER-LEVEL RIDGE...WHICH SHOULD EFFECTIVELY BLOCK PCPN ASSOCD WITH THE CENTRAL US CLOSED LOW FROM REACHING THE NORTHEAST/MID-ATLC STATES AT LEAST THROUGH THE UPCOMING WEEKEND. THE OPERATIONAL MODELS AND THEIR ENSEMBLE MEANS HAVE MANY VARIED SOLUTIONS CONCERNING THE EVENTUAL EWD PROGRESSION OF THE CENTRAL US CLOSED LOW. IN GENERAL...THERE APPEARS TO BE A SLIGHTLY SLOWER AND SOUTHWARD TREND IN THE MOST RECENT NON-NCEP MODEL DATA. THE SLOWER TREND MAKES SENSE GIVEN THAT THE MODELS USUALLY TRY TO BREAK DOWN THESE PATTERNS TOO QUICKLY. THE LATE-SPRING/EARLY MAY TIMEFRAME IS ALSO A CLIMATALOGICALLY FAVORED PERIOD FOR BLOCKY PATTERNS/CUT-OFF LOWS. WITH REGARD TO THE EWD MVMT OF THE CLOSED LOW AND CORRESPONDING CHCS FOR PCPN...WILL UTILIZE AN EVEN BLEND OF AVAILABLE GUIDANCE. THIS IDEA SEEMS TO FIT THE WPC PREFERENCE OF AN INTERMEDIATE 12Z CANADIAN OR EC/GEFS MEAN SOLUTION. && .AVIATION /00Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... CONDITIONS TOOK NEARLY ALL DAY IMPROVE...BUT MOST LOCATIONS HAVE RISEN TO OR ABOVE 3KFT CEILINGS. CLOUDS BROKE UP OVER MOST EASTERN AREAS IN THE LAST 2 HOURS. LOCALLY IN STATE COLLEGE WE SAW LARGE PATCHES OF BLUE OVER THE PAST HOUR. THE EASTERN HALF OF THE REGION IS NOW MAINLY VFR AND SHOULD REMAIN SO MOST OF THE TIME FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS AND BEYOND. LINGERING LOW CLOUDS NEAR THE ALLEGHENY FRONT AND LINGERING DRIZZLE THAT HAS FINALLY ENDED...SHOULD PROVIDE FOR AREAS OF PATCHY MVFR AND PERHAPS ISOLATED IFR TONIGHT. MAINLY KJST-KAOO UP INTO KBFD. THIS SHOULD ALL BE GONE SHORTLY AFTER SUNRISE WEDNESDAY. ALL THE MODELS SHOW THE EASTERLY FLOW GETTING WEAKER AND STRONGER RIDGING. THE KEY ITEM FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS IS DRY AIR WORKING ITS WAY INTO OUR REGION FROM THE EAST. THIS SHOULD PRODUCE WIDESPREAD VFR OVER THE REGION WEDNESDAY. WINDS SHOULD BE LIGHT. THE RIDGE SHOULD TAKE CONTROL OF OUR WEATHER SO WEAK WINDS...LOW HUMIDITY AND MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES SHOULD DOMINATE INTO THE WEEKEND. .OUTLOOK... WED...LOW CIGS POSS EARLY OVR THE W MTNS...OTHERWISE VFR. THU-SUN...VFR. NO SIG WX EXPECTED. && .CTP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...LA CORTE/RXR NEAR TERM...LA CORTE/RXR SHORT TERM...RXR LONG TERM...STEINBUGL AVIATION...GRUMM
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS STATE COLLEGE PA
726 PM EDT TUE APR 30 2013 .SYNOPSIS... A WEAK AREA OF LOW PRESSURE NEAR THE OUTER BANKS OF NORTH CAROLINA WILL MAINTAIN A SOUTHEASTERLY FLOW OF MOIST AIR INTO CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA TONIGHT...KEEPING CLOUDS AROUND WITH A MENTION OF DRIZZLE FOR THE SOUTHERN MOUNTAINS. A HIGH AMPLITUDE BLOCKING RIDGE WILL SET UP ACROSS THE REGION FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE WEEK...BRINGING DRY AND MILD WEATHER WHICH IS EXPECTED TO LAST INTO THE UPCOMING WEEKEND. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING/... THE MAIN BELT OF ANOMALOUS EASTERLIES SHIFTS GRADUALLY SOUTH TO THE CAROLINAS TONIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY...WHILE AN ANOMALOUS /+2-3 SIGMA/ 500 MB RIDGE AMPLIFIES FROM THE TENNESSEE VALLEY TO EASTERN CANADA. IN ADDITION...DRIER AIR IS ALREADY BEGINNING TO ADVECT IN FROM THE EAST...WHICH WILL AID IN RAISING CIGS AND GRADUALLY DIMINISHING CLOUDS OVERNIGHT FROM THE EAST. STUBBORN STRATOCU SHOULD LINGER THE LONGEST /THROUGH 12Z/ IN THE SW WHERE SPOTTY DRIZZLE WILL REMAIN POSS OVERNIGHT /AS PER THE 4KM NAM AND HRRR - THOUGH THEY HAVE BEEN OVERDOING POTENTIAL FOR LIGHT PRECIP OVER THE PAST 24 HRS/. LOW TEMPS WILL BE IN THE 40S...WITH COOLEST READINGS IN THE NORTHEAST AND EAST WHERE CLOUDS WILL THIN FIRST AND DEWPOINTS WILL LOWER FIRST. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... ANOMALOUS /+2-3 SIGMA/ 500 MB RIDGE BEGINS TO QUICKLY AMPLIFY FROM THE TENNESSEE VALLEY TO EASTERN CANADA ON WED. AFTER A CLOUDY START IN THE SW...SKIES SHOULD BECOME PARTLY CLOUDY EVERYWHERE BY LATE MORNING WITH SUNSHINE CONTINUING TO INCREASE IN THE AFTERNOON AS SUBSIDENCE DEEPENS UNDER THE BUILDING HIGH. HIGH TEMPS WEDNESDAY WILL WARM BY 8-10F COMPARED TO TUESDAY...WHICH WILL BE NEAR NORMAL ACROSS THE SUSQ VALLEY...AND 5-8F DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL OVER THE NRN AND WESTERN MTNS. LOWS WED NIGHT WILL BE CHILLY WITH STRENGTHENING HIGH PRESSURE BRINGING LIGHT WINDS AND DRIER AIR. READINGS WILL BOTTOM OUT IN THE 40S...WITH SOME UPPER 30S POSS IN NORTHEASTERN MTNS. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... THE 30/12Z GLOBAL NUMERICAL GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO ADVERTISE A HIGHLY AMPLIFIED MERIDIONAL FLOW PATTERN AT 500MB THROUGH THE MEDIUM RANGE PERIOD...WITH AN ANOMALOUS RIDGE/TROUGH/RIDGE CONFIGURATION EXPECTED FROM JUST OFFSHORE THE PAC NW TO THE CENTRAL US AND INTERIOR NORTHEAST STATES. A MID-ATLANTIC FORECAST PERSPECTIVE SHOWS A SHARP 580DM RIDGE CENTERED BETWEEN THE AFOREMENTIONED CENTRAL CONUS H5 TROUGH/CLOSED LOW AND COMPACT H5 ENERGY PROGGED TO DROP SWD FROM THE MARITIMES ALONG/JUST OFFSHORE THE NEW ENGLAND COAST ON DAY 3-4 /THUR-FRI/. THIS FEATURE WILL RETREAT INTO THE NRN ATLC BY THE WEEKEND...WITH THE FOCUS SHIFTING TO THE EVOLUTION OF THE CLOSED LOW OVER THE CENTRAL STATES. THE ECMWF LIES ON THE WWD SIDE OF THE DETERMINISTIC ENVELOPE SHOWING A MORE COASTAL TRACK WITH THE ENERGY DROPPING OFFSHORE THE NE COAST EARLY IN THE PERIOD. HOWEVER THE OVERALL MODEL SPREAD IS PRETTY LOW WITH THIS FEATURE...WHICH SHOULD SEND A BACKDOOR COLD FRONT INTO THE REGION ON FRIDAY AND ACCENTUATE A WEST-EAST TEMPERATURE GRADIENT. THE DOMINANT SYNOPTIC FEATURE DRIVING THE SENSIBLE WEATHER IN CENTRAL PA THROUGH THE BALANCE OF THE PERIOD WILL BE THE HIGH AMPLITUDE UPPER-LEVEL RIDGE...WHICH SHOULD EFFECTIVELY BLOCK PCPN ASSOCD WITH THE CENTRAL US CLOSED LOW FROM REACHING THE NORTHEAST/MID-ATLC STATES AT LEAST THROUGH THE UPCOMING WEEKEND. THE OPERATIONAL MODELS AND THEIR ENSEMBLE MEANS HAVE MANY VARIED SOLUTIONS CONCERNING THE EVENTUAL EWD PROGRESSION OF THE CENTRAL US CLOSED LOW. IN GENERAL...THERE APPEARS TO BE A SLIGHTLY SLOWER AND SOUTHWARD TREND IN THE MOST RECENT NON-NCEP MODEL DATA. THE SLOWER TREND MAKES SENSE GIVEN THAT THE MODELS USUALLY TRY TO BREAK DOWN THESE PATTERNS TOO QUICKLY. THE LATE-SPRING/EARLY MAY TIMEFRAME IS ALSO A CLIMATALOGICALLY FAVORED PERIOD FOR BLOCKY PATTERNS/CUT-OFF LOWS. WITH REGARD TO THE EWD MVMT OF THE CLOSED LOW AND CORRESPONDING CHCS FOR PCPN...WILL UTILIZE AN EVEN BLEND OF AVAILABLE GUIDANCE. THIS IDEA SEEMS TO FIT THE WPC PREFERENCE OF AN INTERMEDIATE 12Z CANADIAN OR EC/GEFS MEAN SOLUTION. && .AVIATION /23Z TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... CONDITIONS TOOK NEARLY ALL DAY IMPROVE...BUT MOST LOCATIONS HAVE RISEN TO OR ABOVE 3KFT CEILINGS. CLOUDS BROKE UP OVER MOST EASTERN AREAS IN THE LAST 2 HOURS. LOCALLY IN STATE COLLEGE WE SAW LARGE PATCHES OF BLUE OVER THE PAST HOUR. THE EASTERN HALF OF THE REGION IS NOW MAINLY VFR AND SHOULD REMAIN SO MOST OF THE TIME FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS AND BEYOND. LINGERING LOW CLOUDS NEAR THE ALLEGHENY FRONT AND LINGERING DRIZZLE THAT HAS FINALLY ENDED...SHOULD PROVIDE FOR AREAS OF PATCHY MVFR AND PERHAPS ISOLATED IFR TONIGHT. MAINLY KJST-KAOO UP INTO KBFD. THIS SHOULD ALL BE GONE SHORTLY AFTER SUNRISE WEDNESDAY. ALL THE MODELS SHOW THE EASTERLY FLOW GETTING WEAKER AND STRONGER RIDGING. THE KEY ITEM FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS IS DRY AIR WORKING ITS WAY INTO OUR REGION FROM THE EAST. THIS SHOULD PRODUCE WIDESPREAD VFR OVER THE REGION WEDNESDAY. WINDS SHOULD BE LIGHT. THE RIDGE SHOULD TAKE CONTROL OF OUR WEATHER SO WEAK WINDS...LOW HUMIDITY AND MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES SHOULD DOMINATE INTO THE WEEKEND. .OUTLOOK... WED NIGHT...MAINLY VFR. THU-SUN...VFR. NO SIG WX EXPECTED. && .CTP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...RXR NEAR TERM...RXR SHORT TERM...RXR LONG TERM...STEINBUGL AVIATION...GRUMM
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
531 PM EDT MON APR 29 2013 .SYNOPSIS... A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL STRENGTHEN ATOP THE REGION THROUGH MIDWEEK AND LINGER INTO THE UPCOMING WEEKEND. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 530 PM...LATEST RUC AND WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SHOW THE AXIS OF A SHORT WAVE ALREADY EAST OF THE NC FOOTHILLS. NVA BEHIND THIS FEATURE WAS APPARENTLY DOING ITS BEST TO SQUASH ANY OF THE ENHANCED CU FROM GROWING TO ANY GREAT EXTENT. THE KGSP WAS RELATIVELY QUIET AND EXPECT IT TO STAY THAT WAY. HAVE KNOCKED THE POP DOWN TO KEEP IT IN THE SLIGHT CHANCE RANGE THROUGH THE EARLY PART OF THE EVENING. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION... AS OF 230 PM EDT MONDAY...A SHORT WAVE TROUGH WILL PUSH EAST OF THE REGION THIS EVENING. NVA AND DEEP LAYER RIDGING WILL FOLLOW IN IT/S WAKE. THERE COULD STILL BE SOME SHOWER OR THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...PARTICULARLY ALONG THE BLUE RIDGE AND OUT ACROSS THE NC FOOTHILLS. SO I/VE HELD ON TO SOME LOW END CHANCE POPS ACROSS THESE ZONES. LATER TONIGHT THE STAGE LOOKS SET FOR WIDESPREAD DENSE FOG. THE NAM CONDENSATION PRESSURE DEFICITS FALL TO ZERO ACROSS ALL OF THE FA EXCEPT THE MTN RIDGE-TOPS. THERE WILL BE DEEP LAYER DRYING AND WINDS WILL BE LIGHT. WE HAD WIDESPREAD RAIN OVER THE PAST COUPLE DAYS AND THE GROUND IS QUITE MOIST. I DEBATED ISSUING A DENSE FOG ADVISORY...BUT THERE IS JUST ENOUGH LLVL FLOW THAT A LOW STRATUS DECK COULD DEVELOP INSTEAD. ALSO...THE NEIGHBORING OFFICES I SPOKE WITH WERE INCLINED TO WAIT ON ISSUING AN ADVISORY AND THAT/S WHAT I WILL DO AS WELL. STILL...I DO HAVE WIDESPREAD DENSE FOG IN THE GRIDS AND I/LL HIT IT IN THE HWO. THAT DEEP LAYER RIDGE REMAINS OVERHEAD ON TUESDAY. WINDS WILL BE LIGHT AND THE NAM SOUNDINGS ARE SHOWING A PRONOUNCED INVERSION. A FEW SHRA ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE NC MTNS...BUT I/VE PULLED POPS OVER THE FOOTHILLS AND PIEDMONT. IT WILL BE A MILD DAY WITH NEAR SEASONAL TEMPERATURES. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... AS OF 145 PM MONDAY...AVERAGE MODEL AGREEMENT IN THE SHORT TERM...GIVEN SUBTLE UPPER FEATURES AND OVERALL WEAK FORCING ACRS THE CWFA. AN UPPER RIDGE WILL BUILD OVER THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES THRU THE PERIOD...WHILE A WEAK AREA OF LOW PRES WILL LINGER INVOF THE EASTERN GULF/FL. THIS PATTERN WILL SET UP A DEEP ELY FLOW...WITH AN INVERTED TROF OFF THE CAROLINA COASTS AND HIGH PRES ANCHORED OVR NEW ENGLAND WITH A WEDGE SW DOWN THE ENTIRE APPALACHIAN CHAIN. THERE ARE SUBTLE DIFFERENCES AMONG THE OP MODELS ON A COUPLE OF WEAK WAVES IN THE LLVL ELY FLOW. OVERALL...THE GFS IS MORE STABLE WITH AN ATLANTIC MARINE LAYER AND STRONGER WEDGE THAN THE NAM. A LOOK AT THE STRENGTH OF THE FLOW (850 MB WINDS GENERALLY UNDER 25 KTS) AND LACK OF UPPER Q-VECTOR CONVERGENCE...I THINK TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY WILL BE GENERALLY DRY. THE SW NC MTNS LOOK TO HAVE THE MOST INSTBY AND WITH MTN-TOP CONVERGENCE...MAY HAVE A FEW SHWRS/TSTMS WED AFTN. OTHERWISE...EXPECTING AN INCREASE IN STRATOCUMULUS BY DAYBREAK WEDNESDAY...BREAKING UP SOMEWHAT DURING THE DAY. TEMPS WILL BE NEAR NORMAL FOR LOWS...AND ABOUT A CATEGORY BELOW NORMAL FOR HIGHS. THERE SEEMS TO BE A CONSENSUS ON A SURGE IN 850-700 MB ATLANTIC MOISTURE ADVECTING IN...AS FLOW VEERS FROM ENE TO ESE WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY (PASSAGE OF AN ELY WAVE). MEANWHILE...A SUBSIDENCE INVERSION STRENGTHENS IN BOTH THE NAM AND GFS SNDGS ATOP THE MOIST LAYER. THIS INVERSION SETS UP AROUND 700-600 MB LAYER BY THURSDAY AFTN. THE NAM AND GFS 295 K SFC BOTH SHOW SOME MOIST UPGLIDE. PERSISTING FROM ABOUT 06Z THURSDAY TILL 00Z FRIDAY . THAT ALONG WILL ELY UPSLOPE FLOW ALONG THE BLUE RIDGE SEEMS TO WARRANT KEEPING A SHOTGUN LOW-END CHC POP EARLY THURSDAY MORNING...THEN TAPERING OFF IN THE NE HALF OF THE CWFA THURSDAY AFTN...AS DRY AIR WORKS BACK IN. MIN TEMPS SIMILAR TO TUESDAY NIGHT...BUT EXPECTING COOLER TEMPS ON THURSDAY AS THICKNESSES FALL UNDER THE WEDGE (GENERALLY UPR 60S TO LWR 70S). && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/... AS OF 200 PM MONDAY...THE LATEST AVAILABLE MEDIUM RANGE GUIDANCE IS STILL PROGGING THE CWFA TO BE WITHIN A MOISTURE AND FORCING MINIMA ON FRIDAY AND IT IS DEBATABLE IF THE LLVL EASTERLY FLOW WILL BE ENUF TO FORCE ANYTHING MORE THAN A FEW SHOWERS WHICH I DOUBT. MAX TEMPS ARE SLATED TO BE COOL FOR EARLY MAY...SVRL CATEGORIES BELOW CLIMO. OMEGA BLOCKING PATTERN CONTINUES INTO THE WEEKEND...AND WITH THE 29/12 UTC OP GFS RUN TO RUN INCONSISTENCY IN HANDLING PLAINS UPPER LOW MOVEMENT...PREFER TO LEAN TO 29/00 UTC OP ECMWF WITH RESPECT TO UPPER RIDGE POSITION. BASED ON THIS...WILL PLAN ON ROUGHLY A COOL PERSISTENCE FCST FOR SATURDAY AND SUNDAY WITH JUST A TOKEN SHOWER CHANCE EACH DAY WITH TEMPS BY MONDAY GETTING CLOSER TO CLIMO. && .AVIATION /22Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... AT KCLT AND ELSEWHERE...CIGS WILL SLOWLY LIFT INTO THE VFR RANGE BY LATE AFTN. WINDS WILL GENERALLY BE OUT OF THE SOUTHWEST AT SPEEDS LESS THAN 10 KTS. IT DOESN/T APPEAR THAT MUCH SHOWER ACTIVITY WILL DEVELOP...AND THE TEMPO GROUPS FOR SHRA HAVE BEEN REMOVED. THE BIG NEWS IS THE FOG POTENTIAL FOR TONIGHT. SEVERAL FACTORS SUGGEST DENSE FOG LATER TONIGHT OVER MOST OF THE REGION. IT WILL BE DRY ALOFT. THE LLVL WINDS WILL BE LIGHT...WHICH SHOULD KEEP ORGANIZED STRATUS FROM DEVELOPING. RECENT WIDESPREAD RAIN HAS RESULTED IN VERY MOIST SOIL CONDITIONS. THEREFORE I/VE ADDED FOG TO ALL THE TAFS FOR TONIGHT. I/VE CAPPED THE LOWER END OF THE VSBY AT 1/2SM AT MANY SITES...THOUGH I SUSPECT MOST AIRFIELDS WILL SEE 1/4SM FOR SEVERAL HOURS LATE TONIGHT. OUTLOOK...MORNING LOW CLOUDS AND FOG...WITH A SMALL CHANCE OF AFTERNOON SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS EACH DAY THROUGH AT LEAST MID WEEK. CONFIDENCE TABLE... 21-03Z 03-09Z 09-15Z 15-21Z KCLT MED 64% LOW 59% MED 67% HIGH 94% KGSP HIGH 100% MED 67% LOW 40% HIGH 86% KAVL HIGH 97% MED 79% MED 62% MED 68% KHKY HIGH 98% MED 75% LOW 54% HIGH 98% KGMU HIGH 100% MED 72% LOW 57% HIGH 84% KAND HIGH 92% MED 78% MED 66% HIGH 84% THE PERCENTAGE REFLECTS THE NUMBER OF GUIDANCE MEMBERS AGREEING WITH THE SCHEDULED TAF ISSUANCE FLIGHT RULE CATEGORY. COMPLETE HOURLY EXPERIMENTAL AVIATION FORECAST CONSISTENCY TABLES AND ENSEMBLE FORECASTS ARE AVAILABLE AT THE FOLLOWING LINK: (MUST BE LOWER CASE) WWW.WEATHER.GOV/GSP/AVIATION_TABLES && .GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...NONE. NC...NONE. SC...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...CSH NEAR TERM...MCAVOY/PM SHORT TERM...ARK LONG TERM...CSH AVIATION...MCAVOY
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NWS MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
420 PM CDT MON APR 29 2013 UPDATED TO ADD SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY MARINE ZONE CODING. .VERY SHORT TERM...TONIGHT AND TUESDAY. FORECAST CONFIDENCE IS MEDIUM. LINE OF ELEVATED SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS SHIFTING EAST NORTHEAST THROUGH THE AREA AT THIS TIME...BEING FED BY SOUTH SOUTHWESTERLY 850MB LOW LEVEL JET NOSE. THESE SHOULD CONTINUE TO MOVE THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE AREA LATE THIS AFTERNOON. SOUTHWESTERLY 850MB LOW LEVEL JET NOSE WILL CONTINUE TO POINT INTO THE AREA TONIGHT...GRADUALLY INCREASING IN MAGNITUDE. WARM AIR ADVECTION KICKS IN TONIGHT AS WELL. TAIL END OF 500MB VORTICITY MAXIMUM OVER SOUTHERN MINNESOTA WILL SHIFT CLIP THE NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE AREA THROUGH EARLY EVENING...WITH ANOTHER OVER EASTERN NEBRASKA SHIFTING INTO THE AREA BY 06Z TUESDAY. ADJUSTING AREA FORECAST SOUNDINGS FOR LOWER TO MID 50S DEW POINTS YIELD MEAN LAYER CAPES OF UP TO 500 J/KG INTO EARLY EVENING...THEN SHOW ELEVATED CAPES INCREASING TONIGHT OVER 1000 J/KG. THIS IS IN RESPONSE TO MOISTURE BUILDING IN THE 925MB TO 850MB LEVEL. DEEP LAYER SHEAR IS STRONG INTO EARLY EVENING...THEN WEAKENS SOMEWHAT LATER TONIGHT AS MID LEVEL WINDS WEAKEN. SPC HAS SLIGHT RISK AREA INTO JUST THE FAR SOUTHWESTERN SECTIONS OF THE AREA. MAIN RISK APPEARS TO BE IN IOWA...THOUGH IF HIGHER DEW POINTS MOVE IN AND INCREASE CAPE THIS EVENING...COULD SEE A SEVERE STORM OR TWO OCCUR. 4KM WRF/NMM MODEL SHOWING SPOTTY SHOWERS AND A FEW STORMS THIS EVENING...WITH A MORE ORGANIZED AREA OF SHOWERS AND STORMS FOR LATER TONIGHT WITH LOW LEVEL JET FORCING. HRRR KEEPING BULK OF CONVECTION JUST SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST OF THE AREA TONIGHT. FOR NOW...WILL GO WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED STORMS EARLY THIS EVENING...WITH THUNDER FOR LATER THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. MODELS SHOWING WARM SECTOR AIRMASS MOVING INTO THE AREA TUESDAY...CAPPING OFF THE AREA FROM PRECIPITATION. GUSTY SOUTH/SOUTHWEST WINDS AND EXPECTED 925MB TEMPERATURES SHOULD BRING HIGHS INTO THE LOWER 80S IN MOST AREAS. COOLER VALUES NEAR SHEBOYGAN WITH SOUTH ONSHORE WINDS. APPROACHING COLD FRONT LATER IN THE AFTERNOON SHOULD BRING INCREASED CHANCES FOR THUNDERSTORMS...THOUGH BEST SHOT IS INTO TUESDAY NIGHT. .SHORT TERM...TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY. TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...FORECAST CONFIDENCE LOW TO MEDIUM. THUNDERSTORMS ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY ONGOING AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PERIOD EXPECTED TO TRANSITION TO MAINLY RAIN SHOWERS FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST BEHIND THE FRONT ON WEDNESDAY AS IT SAGS THROUGH THE FORECAST AREA. THOUGH SURFACE FRONT MAKES IT TO OR NEAR SE WI BY 12Z WED...UPPER TROUGH STILL WELL TO THE WEST AND WILL KEEP THE FOCUS FOR PRECIPITATION THROUGH IOWA INTO WESTERN WI. WILL KEEP CHANCE POPS ALONG THE FRONT. LOWS WILL NOT FALL OFF MUCH TUESDAY NIGHT UNTIL LATE IN THE NW...THEN WARM SE WEDNESDAY AHEAD OF STALLED BAROCLINIC ZONE BISECTING THE CWA...THOUGH COOLER ALONG THE LAKE. WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY...FORECAST CONFIDENCE MEDIUM. LIKELY POPS INTO THE WESTERN CWA WITH INCREASING FORCING AHEAD OF SLOWLY APPROACHING TROUGH AS IT DEEPENS OVER THE CENTRAL U.S. MODELS STILL DIFFER WITH THE PLACEMENT OF BAROCLINIC ZONE WHICH AFFECTS NOT ONLY TEMPERATURES BUT LOCATION OF BETTER LOW TO MID LEVEL FRONTOGENESIS AND Q-VECTOR CONVERGENCE. BLENDED SOLUTION KEEPS LIKELY POPS OVER SOUTH CENTRAL WI THROUGH THE DAY THURSDAY...THEN SHIFT ACROSS THE ENTIRE CWA THURSDAY NIGHT. THERMAL RIDGE NOSING INTO THE FAR SOUTH WILL BRING HIGHS IN THE UPPER 50S THERE...THEN TAPER OFF TO THE MID 40S NW WITH UPPER 40S ALONG THE LAKE. .LONG TERM...THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY. FORECAST CONFIDENCE... LOW. MODELS STILL TRYING TO GET A HANDLE ON LOW CUTTING-OFF OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS THURSDAY NIGHT AND THEN LIFTING SLOWLY NWD INTO THE UPPER MIDWEST SUNDAY. SOME THERMAL DIFFERENCES THAT MAY IMPACT PRECIPITATION TYPE AND BRING SOME SNOWFLAKES MIXING IN WITH THE RAIN IN THE FAR WEST/NW LATE THURSDAY NIGHT...BUT WILL LEAVE ALL LIQUID FOR NOW. OTHERWISE A CLOUDY...COOL AND WET PERIOD THROUGH THE WEEKEND WITH TEMPERATURES STRUGGLING INTO THE LOWER 50S...COOLER BY THE LAKE WITH GENERALLY EASTERLY FLOW. PERIODS OF RAIN...WITH INTENSITY DEPENDENT ON STRENGTH OF VORTICITY MAXIMA ROTATING THROUGH THE REGION AND THE AMOUNT OF AVAILABLE MOISTURE WITH STREAMERS OF DRIER AIR WRAPPING AROUND CIRCULATION. SOME HOPE THAT THE LOW WILL LIFT FAR ENOUGH AWAY BY MONDAY TO LOWER RAIN CHANCES AND ALLOW WARMER TEMPS. AVIATION/00Z TAFS/... VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED THIS EVENING ACROSS TAF SITES. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH AT THIS TIME...WITH MORE AT TIMES MAINLY LATER TONIGHT INTO EARLY TUESDAY MORNING. THERE WILL BE LULLS IN THE PRECIPITATION. FOR NOW...WILL KEEP VICINITY THUNDER WORDING IN TAFS...AS THERE IS SOME UNCERTAINTY WITH THE EXACT TIMING AND AREAL COVERAGE OF THE SHOWERS AND STORMS. ANY STORMS WOULD BRING VISIBILITIES DOWN TO NEAR ALTERNATE MINIMUMS...WITH MVFR CEILINGS. SOUTH WINDS TONIGHT WILL GRADUALLY INCREASE AND SHIFT SOUTHWEST BY TUESDAY AFTERNOON. GUSTS TO 25 KNOTS OR SO ARE EXPECTED BY TUESDAY AFTERNOON. MARINE... A TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL DEVELOP OVER THE NEARSHORE WATERS TUESDAY...WHICH WILL RESULT IN GUSTY SOUTH WINDS. FREQUENT GUSTS TO 25 KNOTS ARE EXPECTED. THUS...A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED FROM MID MORNING THROUGH EARLY EVENING TUESDAY. ANOTHER TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL DEVELOP WITH THE INFLUX OF COLDER AIR FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT. THIS WILL BRING BRISK AND GUSTY NORTH TO NORTHEAST WINDS DURING THIS TIME...ALONG WITH HIGH WAVES. A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY MAY BE NEEDED DURING THIS TIME. && .MKX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WI...NONE. LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 10 AM TO 7 PM CDT TUESDAY FOR LMZ643>646. && $$ TONIGHT/TUESDAY AND AVIATION/MARINE...WOOD TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY...REM
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
349 PM CDT MON APR 29 2013 .VERY SHORT TERM...TONIGHT AND TUESDAY. FORECAST CONFIDENCE IS MEDIUM. LINE OF ELEVATED SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS SHIFTING EAST NORTHEAST THROUGH THE AREA AT THIS TIME...BEING FED BY SOUTH SOUTHWESTERLY 850MB LOW LEVEL JET NOSE. THESE SHOULD CONTINUE TO MOVE THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE AREA LATE THIS AFTERNOON. SOUTHWESTERLY 850MB LOW LEVEL JET NOSE WILL CONTINUE TO POINT INTO THE AREA TONIGHT...GRADUALLY INCREASING IN MAGNITUDE. WARM AIR ADVECTION KICKS IN TONIGHT AS WELL. TAIL END OF 500MB VORTICITY MAXIMUM OVER SOUTHERN MINNESOTA WILL SHIFT CLIP THE NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE AREA THROUGH EARLY EVENING...WITH ANOTHER OVER EASTERN NEBRASKA SHIFTING INTO THE AREA BY 06Z TUESDAY. ADJUSTING AREA FORECAST SOUNDINGS FOR LOWER TO MID 50S DEW POINTS YIELD MEAN LAYER CAPES OF UP TO 500 J/KG INTO EARLY EVENING...THEN SHOW ELEVATED CAPES INCREASING TONIGHT OVER 1000 J/KG. THIS IS IN RESPONSE TO MOISTURE BUILDING IN THE 925MB TO 850MB LEVEL. DEEP LAYER SHEAR IS STRONG INTO EARLY EVENING...THEN WEAKENS SOMEWHAT LATER TONIGHT AS MID LEVEL WINDS WEAKEN. SPC HAS SLIGHT RISK AREA INTO JUST THE FAR SOUTHWESTERN SECTIONS OF THE AREA. MAIN RISK APPEARS TO BE IN IOWA...THOUGH IF HIGHER DEW POINTS MOVE IN AND INCREASE CAPE THIS EVENING...COULD SEE A SEVERE STORM OR TWO OCCUR. 4KM WRF/NMM MODEL SHOWING SPOTTY SHOWERS AND A FEW STORMS THIS EVENING...WITH A MORE ORGANIZED AREA OF SHOWERS AND STORMS FOR LATER TONIGHT WITH LOW LEVEL JET FORCING. HRRR KEEPING BULK OF CONVECTION JUST SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST OF THE AREA TONIGHT. FOR NOW...WILL GO WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED STORMS EARLY THIS EVENING...WITH THUNDER FOR LATER THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. MODELS SHOWING WARM SECTOR AIRMASS MOVING INTO THE AREA TUESDAY...CAPPING OFF THE AREA FROM PRECIPITATION. GUSTY SOUTH/SOUTHWEST WINDS AND EXPECTED 925MB TEMPERATURES SHOULD BRING HIGHS INTO THE LOWER 80S IN MOST AREAS. COOLER VALUES NEAR SHEBOYGAN WITH SOUTH ONSHORE WINDS. APPROACHING COLD FRONT LATER IN THE AFTERNOON SHOULD BRING INCREASED CHANCES FOR THUNDERSTORMS...THOUGH BEST SHOT IS INTO TUESDAY NIGHT. .SHORT TERM...TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY. TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...FORECAST CONFIDENCE LOW TO MEDIUM. THUNDERSTORMS ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY ONGOING AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PERIOD EXPECTED TO TRANSITION TO MAINLY RAIN SHOWERS FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST BEHIND THE FRONT ON WEDNESDAY AS IT SAGS THROUGH THE FORECAST AREA. THOUGH SURFACE FRONT MAKES IT TO OR NEAR SE WI BY 12Z WED...UPPER TROUGH STILL WELL TO THE WEST AND WILL KEEP THE FOCUS FOR PRECIPITATION THROUGH IOWA INTO WESTERN WI. WILL KEEP CHANCE POPS ALONG THE FRONT. LOWS WILL NOT FALL OFF MUCH TUESDAY NIGHT UNTIL LATE IN THE NW...THEN WARM SE WEDNESDAY AHEAD OF STALLED BAROCLINIC ZONE BISECTING THE CWA...THOUGH COOLER ALONG THE LAKE. WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY...FORECAST CONFIDENCE MEDIUM. LIKELY POPS INTO THE WESTERN CWA WITH INCREASING FORCING AHEAD OF SLOWLY APPROACHING TROUGH AS IT DEEPENS OVER THE CENTRAL U.S. MODELS STILL DIFFER WITH THE PLACEMENT OF BAROCLINIC ZONE WHICH AFFECTS NOT ONLY TEMPERATURES BUT LOCATION OF BETTER LOW TO MID LEVEL FRONTOGENESIS AND Q-VECTOR CONVERGENCE. BLENDED SOLUTION KEEPS LIKELY POPS OVER SOUTH CENTRAL WI THROUGH THE DAY THURSDAY...THEN SHIFT ACROSS THE ENTIRE CWA THURSDAY NIGHT. THERMAL RIDGE NOSING INTO THE FAR SOUTH WILL BRING HIGHS IN THE UPPER 50S THERE...THEN TAPER OFF TO THE MID 40S NW WITH UPPER 40S ALONG THE LAKE. .LONG TERM...THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY. FORECAST CONFIDENCE... LOW. MODELS STILL TRYING TO GET A HANDLE ON LOW CUTTING-OFF OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS THURSDAY NIGHT AND THEN LIFTING SLOWLY NWD INTO THE UPPER MIDWEST SUNDAY. SOME THERMAL DIFFERENCES THAT MAY IMPACT PRECIPITATION TYPE AND BRING SOME SNOWFLAKES MIXING IN WITH THE RAIN IN THE FAR WEST/NW LATE THURSDAY NIGHT...BUT WILL LEAVE ALL LIQUID FOR NOW. OTHERWISE A CLOUDY...COOL AND WET PERIOD THROUGH THE WEEKEND WITH TEMPERATURES STRUGGLING INTO THE LOWER 50S...COOLER BY THE LAKE WITH GENERALLY EASTERLY FLOW. PERIODS OF RAIN...WITH INTENSITY DEPENDENT ON STRENGTH OF VORTICITY MAXIMA ROTATING THROUGH THE REGION AND THE AMOUNT OF AVAILABLE MOISTURE WITH STREAMERS OF DRIER AIR WRAPPING AROUND CIRCULATION. SOME HOPE THAT THE LOW WILL LIFT FAR ENOUGH AWAY BY MONDAY TO LOWER RAIN CHANCES AND ALLOW WARMER TEMPS. && .AVIATION/00Z TAFS/... VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED THIS EVENING ACROSS TAF SITES. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH AT THIS TIME...WITH MORE AT TIMES MAINLY LATER TONIGHT INTO EARLY TUESDAY MORNING. THERE WILL BE LULLS IN THE PRECIPITATION. FOR NOW...WILL KEEP VICINITY THUNDER WORDING IN TAFS...AS THERE IS SOME UNCERTAINTY WITH THE EXACT TIMING AND AREAL COVERAGE OF THE SHOWERS AND STORMS. ANY STORMS WOULD BRING VISIBILITIES DOWN TO NEAR ALTERNATE MINIMUMS...WITH MVFR CEILINGS. SOUTH WINDS TONIGHT WILL GRADUALLY INCREASE AND SHIFT SOUTHWEST BY TUESDAY AFTERNOON. GUSTS TO 25 KNOTS OR SO ARE EXPECTED BY TUESDAY AFTERNOON. && .MARINE... A TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL DEVELOP OVER THE NEARSHORE WATERS TUESDAY...WHICH WILL RESULT IN GUSTY SOUTH WINDS. FREQUENT GUSTS TO 25 KNOTS ARE EXPECTED. THUS...A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED FROM MID MORNING THROUGH EARLY EVENING TUESDAY. ANOTHER TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL DEVELOP WITH THE INFLUX OF COLDER AIR FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT. THIS WILL BRING BRISK AND GUSTY NORTH TO NORTHEAST WINDS DURING THIS TIME...ALONG WITH HIGH WAVES. A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY MAY BE NEEDED DURING THIS TIME. && .MKX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WI...NONE. LM...NONE. && $$ TONIGHT/TUESDAY AND AVIATION/MARINE...WOOD TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY...REM
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LA CROSSE WI
1240 PM CDT MON APR 29 2013 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 354 AM CDT MON APR 29 2013 A VERY ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN IN STORE FOR THE REGION THIS WEEK. FIRST OFF...WILL BE WATCHING A WEAK COLD FRONT SAGGING SOUTH ACROSS THE AREA TODAY. TWO SHORTWAVE TROUGHS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY TODAY AND INTERACT WITH THE FRONT AS IT EDGES SOUTH...SPARKING OFF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. THE FIRST LEADING SHORTWAVE WAS RACING EAST ACROSS SOUTH DAKOTA EARLY THIS MORNING WHILE THE SECOND WAVE WAS MOVING EAST ACROSS WYOMING. THE LEADING TROUGH WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REGION THIS MORNING KEEPING SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS GOING THROUGH MUCH OF THE MORNING HOURS. THE TRAILING WAVE WILL ARRIVE EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...PUSHING ACROSS NORTHERN IOWA THEN INTO SOUTHERN WISCONSIN BY LATE AFTERNOON INTO THE EARLY EVENING HOURS. THE FRONT IS EXPECTED TO STALL OUT ACROSS NORTHERN IOWA THROUGH SOUTHERN WISCONSIN LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND THEN START TO LIFT NORTH AND ACT AS A WARM FRONT LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING AS VIGOROUS TROUGH DIVES INTO THE NORTHWEST CONUS. AN INTERESTING ENVIRONMENT SETS UP OVER NORTHEAST IOWA AND FAR SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN LATE THIS AFTERNOON AS THIS WARM FRONT TAKES SHAPE. KBLR NAM FORECAST SOUNDINGS SHOW RATHER IMPRESSIVE SHEAR PROFILES...WITH 0-6 KM BULK SHEAR OF 45 TO 50 KTS...AND 0-1 KM BULK SHEAR OF 20 TO 25 KTS. CURVATURE ALSO NOTED IN THE HODOGRAPH FROM THE SURFACE TO 2 KM. THE RAP IS ALSO SHOWING SIMILAR SHEAR PROFILES. THE NAM IS INDICATING NEARLY 1500 J/KG 0-3KM MUCAPE VALUES ACROSS THESE AREAS THIS AFTERNOON...BUT THIS IS LIKELY WAY OVERDONE GIVEN THE NAM IS SHOWING DEWPOINTS CLIMBING TO 60 DEGREES THIS AFTERNOON. 60 DEGREE DEWPOINTS ARE DISPLACED WAY TO THE SOUTH...OVER NORTHERN TEXAS. THINKING THE HIGHEST DEWPOINTS THAT WOULD BE ADVECTED INTO THE AREA WOULD BE IN MID 50S. THE GFS SEEMS TO BE A LITTLE MORE REALISTIC WITH DEWPOINTS CREEPING INTO THE MID 50S. THINKING THE HIGHEST MUCAPE VALUES WILL BE IN THE 500 TO 800 J/KG RANGE. SOME SURFACE BASED CAPE IS POSSIBLE NEAR THE WARM FRONT. THE MAJOR LIMITING FACTOR FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORM POTENTIAL THIS AFTERNOON IS THE LACK OF MOISTURE/CAPE. THERE MAY BE A BRIEF WINDOW FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER FAR SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN INTO NORTHEAST IOWA. PLENTY OF SHEAR FOR SUPERCELLS. THINKING THE MAIN THREATS WILL BE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. IF A SURFACE BASED STORM COULD DEVELOP ALONG THE FRONT...THERE COULD BE A VERY SHORT WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY FOR AN ISOLATED TORNADO...BUT IT APPEARS UNLIKELY AT THIS TIME. WILL HAVE TO KEEP A VERY CLOSE WATCH ALONG THE WARM FRONT THIS AFTERNOON TO SEE HOW SURFACE DEWPOINTS RESPOND AS SOUTHERLY FLOW INCREASES INTO THE FRONT. HIGHS TODAY ARE EXPECTED TO BE A LITTLE COOLER THAN YESTERDAY WITH THE CLOUDS AND PRECIPITATION OVER THE AREA. PLAN ON HIGHS RANGING FROM THE MID TO UPPER 60S. THE WARM FRONT WILL LIFT NORTH ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA TONIGHT THROUGH EARLY TUESDAY MORNING. 925 MB WARM AIR ADVECTION INCREASES ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA IN THE WAKE OF THE WARM FRONT...IN THE WARM SECTOR. DRY AIR ALOFT MOVES IN WITHIN THE WARM SECTOR AND LOOKS TO EFFECTIVELY CAP THE ENVIRONMENT. HOWEVER...THE NAM IS SUGGESTING THERE COULD BE ELEVATED CAPE. LIFTING FROM 900 MB YIELDS AROUND 700 J/KG CAPE. DECIDED TO KEEP THE SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM CHANCES GOING TONIGHT MAINLY AFTER 06Z. LOWS TONIGHT WILL BE ON THE MILD SIDE...ESPECIALLY IN THE WAKE OF THE WARM FRONT...WITH LOWS IN THE MID TO UPPER 50S. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 354 AM CDT MON APR 29 2013 THE UPPER TROUGH WILL CONTINUE TO DIG INTO THE CENTRAL CONUS ON TUESDAY. MEANWHILE...SURFACE LOW PRESSURE IS EXPECTED TO DEEPEN AND LIFT NORTH ACROSS NORTHERN MINNESOTA AND EVENTUALLY INTO WESTERN ONTARIO. A COLD FRONT LOOKS TO PUSH SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY THROUGH THE DAY ON TUESDAY...WITH SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING ALONG THE FRONT MAINLY DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS. TEMPERATURES WILL WARM RATHER NICELY AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT...WITH HIGHS CLIMBING TO AROUND 80 DEGREES ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST IOWA THROUGH SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN. THE NAM/GFS/GEM ARE IN FAIRLY DECENT AGREEMENT...SHOWING CONVECTION DEVELOPING ALONG THE FRONT LATE TUESDAY AFTERNOON INTO TUESDAY EVENING. THE NAM SEEMS WAY TO AGGRESSIVE WITH ITS DEWPOINTS TUESDAY AFTERNOON SHOWING SURFACE DEWPOINTS CLIMBING INTO THE MID 60S. MID TO UPPER 50S SEEM MORE REASONABLE AND THIS IS WHAT IS BEING ADVERTISED BY THE GEM...WITH 0-3 MUCAPE VALUES AROUND 1500 J/KG. 0-6 KM SHEAR VALUES AROUND 40 KTS WOULD SUPPORT THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. PLAN ON SHOWERS AND STORMS ERUPTING ALONG THE FRONT DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS. SOME OF THE STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS THE MAIN THREATS. THE TROUGH CONTINUES TO DIG TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY WITH A DEFORMATION ZONE SETTING UP ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST...STRETCHING FROM EASTERN NEBRASKA NORTHEAST THROUGH THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY REGION AND NORTH INTO CENTRAL ONTARIO. A VERY IMPRESSIVE FRONTOGENESIS ZONE SETS UP ACROSS THE AREA TUESDAY NIGHT AND SITS RIGHT OVER THE FORECAST AREA WEDNESDAY INTO THURSDAY. LOOKING AT FORECAST MODEL CROSS SECTIONS RUNNING FROM EAST TO WEST ACROSS THE AREA...A VERY IMPRESSIVE FRONTOGENESIS ZONE SETS UP OVER THE REGION AND EXTENDS FROM 875 MB THROUGH 500 MB...WITH NEGATIVE EPV POSITIONED RIGHT OVER THE FRONTOGENESIS ZONE. THIS ZONE STAYS OVER THE AREA ALL THE WAY INTO THURSDAY. THIS WILL LEAD TO A PROLONGED PERIOD OF PRECIPITATION OVER THE AREA WHICH COULD BE MODERATE TO HEAVY AT TIMES. DRY AND COOL NORTHERLY FLOW INTO THE REGION THEN RAISES THE QUESTION OF PRECIPITATION TYPE. DEPENDING ON WHICH MODEL SOLUTION VERIFIES...IT APPEARS THAT THE PRECIPITATION SHOULD FALL AS RAIN TUESDAY NIGHT AND THROUGH MOST OF THE DAY ON WEDNESDAY THEN SWITCH OVER TO A RAIN SNOW MIX WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY THURSDAY MORNING. A RAIN SNOW MIX IS POSSIBLE AGAIN THURSDAY NIGHT...THEN THE PRECIPITATION WILL SWITCH BACK OVER TO ALL RAIN DURING THE DAY ON FRIDAY AS THE TROUGH CLOSES INTO AN UPPER LOW OVER MISSOURI AND WARMER AIR FLOWS BACK TO THE NORTH. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS ARE POSSIBLE LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND AGAIN THURSDAY NIGHT. AT THIS TIME IT APPEARS A SLUSHY 1-3 INCHES IS POSSIBLE MAINLY ON GRASS SURFACES. WILL ALSO HAVE TO KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON PRECIPITATION TYPE...ESPECIALLY THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING AS THE WARM LAYER SURGES BACK TO THE NORTH. A BRIEF PERIOD OF SLEET IS POSSIBLE BEFORE TEMPERATURES NEAR THE SURFACE WARM ABOVE FREEZING. MODEL SOLUTIONS START TO DIVERGE THIS WEEKEND WITH THE HANDLING OF THE LOW AS IT CUTS OFF. THE GEM TAKES THE LOW INTO THE SOUTHERN PLAINS...WHILE THE ECMWF LIFTS IT NORTHWEST THROUGH THE DAKOTAS. THE GFS KEEPS IT STALLED OVER MISSOURI THEN FINALLY LIFTS IT NORTH INTO THE GREAT LAKES LATE ON SUNDAY. AFTER A COOL PERIOD THURSDAY AND FRIDAY...WHERE HIGHS WILL ONLY BE IN THE LOWER 40S...SLIGHTLY WARMER TEMPERATURES ARE POSSIBLE THIS WEEKEND DESPITE CHANCES FOR RAIN...WITH HIGHS IN THE LOWER TO MIDDLE 50S. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 1240 PM CDT MON APR 29 2013 A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM LOCATED OVER EASTERN NEBRASKA WILL MOVE EAST NORTHEAST ACROSS IOWA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. AT THIS TIME...THE BEST SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM THREAT LOOKS TO BE SOUTH OF TAF SITES ACROSS NORTHEAST IOWA AND SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN. WITH THE LOSS OF DIURNAL HEATING THIS AFTERNOON...EXPECT THE 2500 TO 5000 CUMULUS DECK NEAR INTERSTATE 90 TO GRADUALLY DISSIPATE BETWEEN 29.22Z AND 30.04Z. AS A COLD FRONT APPROACHES THE AREA ON TUESDAY MORNING...EXPECT A BROKEN 10 TO 15K FOOT DECK OF CLOUDS TO MOVE INTO KRST AROUND 30.16Z. IN ADDITION AS DIURNAL HEATING OCCURS...EXPECT THE WINDS TO GUST INTO THE 25 TO 30 KNOT RANGE AT BOTH TAF SITES AFTER 30.15Z. && .HYDROLOGY... ISSUED AT 354 AM CDT MON APR 29 2013 HEAVY RAINFALL IS POSSIBLE THIS WEEK AS A SYSTEM STALLS OUT ACROSS THE REGION TOWARD MID WEEK. FORECAST GUIDANCE SUGGESTS TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE BY THE END OF THE WEEK. SOME OF THIS PRECIPITATION COULD FALL AS A SLEET/SNOW MIX. IF THESE RAINFALL AMOUNTS ARE REALIZED...THERE WOULD BE AN INCREASE IN RIVER LEVELS. && .ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WI...NONE. MN...NONE. IA...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...WETENKAMP LONG TERM....WETENKAMP AVIATION...BOYNE HYDROLOGY....WETENKAMP
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LA CROSSE WI
652 AM CDT MON APR 29 2013 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 354 AM CDT MON APR 29 2013 A VERY ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN IN STORE FOR THE REGION THIS WEEK. FIRST OFF...WILL BE WATCHING A WEAK COLD FRONT SAGGING SOUTH ACROSS THE AREA TODAY. TWO SHORTWAVE TROUGHS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY TODAY AND INTERACT WITH THE FRONT AS IT EDGES SOUTH...SPARKING OFF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. THE FIRST LEADING SHORTWAVE WAS RACING EAST ACROSS SOUTH DAKOTA EARLY THIS MORNING WHILE THE SECOND WAVE WAS MOVING EAST ACROSS WYOMING. THE LEADING TROUGH WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REGION THIS MORNING KEEPING SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS GOING THROUGH MUCH OF THE MORNING HOURS. THE TRAILING WAVE WILL ARRIVE EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...PUSHING ACROSS NORTHERN IOWA THEN INTO SOUTHERN WISCONSIN BY LATE AFTERNOON INTO THE EARLY EVENING HOURS. THE FRONT IS EXPECTED TO STALL OUT ACROSS NORTHERN IOWA THROUGH SOUTHERN WISCONSIN LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND THEN START TO LIFT NORTH AND ACT AS A WARM FRONT LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING AS VIGOROUS TROUGH DIVES INTO THE NORTHWEST CONUS. AN INTERESTING ENVIRONMENT SETS UP OVER NORTHEAST IOWA AND FAR SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN LATE THIS AFTERNOON AS THIS WARM FRONT TAKES SHAPE. KBLR NAM FORECAST SOUNDINGS SHOW RATHER IMPRESSIVE SHEAR PROFILES...WITH 0-6 KM BULK SHEAR OF 45 TO 50 KTS...AND 0-1 KM BULK SHEAR OF 20 TO 25 KTS. CURVATURE ALSO NOTED IN THE HODOGRAPH FROM THE SURFACE TO 2 KM. THE RAP IS ALSO SHOWING SIMILAR SHEAR PROFILES. THE NAM IS INDICATING NEARLY 1500 J/KG 0-3KM MUCAPE VALUES ACROSS THESE AREAS THIS AFTERNOON...BUT THIS IS LIKELY WAY OVERDONE GIVEN THE NAM IS SHOWING DEWPOINTS CLIMBING TO 60 DEGREES THIS AFTERNOON. 60 DEGREE DEWPOINTS ARE DISPLACED WAY TO THE SOUTH...OVER NORTHERN TEXAS. THINKING THE HIGHEST DEWPOINTS THAT WOULD BE ADVECTED INTO THE AREA WOULD BE IN MID 50S. THE GFS SEEMS TO BE A LITTLE MORE REALISTIC WITH DEWPOINTS CREEPING INTO THE MID 50S. THINKING THE HIGHEST MUCAPE VALUES WILL BE IN THE 500 TO 800 J/KG RANGE. SOME SURFACE BASED CAPE IS POSSIBLE NEAR THE WARM FRONT. THE MAJOR LIMITING FACTOR FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORM POTENTIAL THIS AFTERNOON IS THE LACK OF MOISTURE/CAPE. THERE MAY BE A BRIEF WINDOW FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER FAR SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN INTO NORTHEAST IOWA. PLENTY OF SHEAR FOR SUPERCELLS. THINKING THE MAIN THREATS WILL BE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. IF A SURFACE BASED STORM COULD DEVELOP ALONG THE FRONT...THERE COULD BE A VERY SHORT WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY FOR AN ISOLATED TORNADO...BUT IT APPEARS UNLIKELY AT THIS TIME. WILL HAVE TO KEEP A VERY CLOSE WATCH ALONG THE WARM FRONT THIS AFTERNOON TO SEE HOW SURFACE DEWPOINTS RESPOND AS SOUTHERLY FLOW INCREASES INTO THE FRONT. HIGHS TODAY ARE EXPECTED TO BE A LITTLE COOLER THAN YESTERDAY WITH THE CLOUDS AND PRECIPITATION OVER THE AREA. PLAN ON HIGHS RANGING FROM THE MID TO UPPER 60S. THE WARM FRONT WILL LIFT NORTH ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA TONIGHT THROUGH EARLY TUESDAY MORNING. 925 MB WARM AIR ADVECTION INCREASES ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA IN THE WAKE OF THE WARM FRONT...IN THE WARM SECTOR. DRY AIR ALOFT MOVES IN WITHIN THE WARM SECTOR AND LOOKS TO EFFECTIVELY CAP THE ENVIRONMENT. HOWEVER...THE NAM IS SUGGESTING THERE COULD BE ELEVATED CAPE. LIFTING FROM 900 MB YIELDS AROUND 700 J/KG CAPE. DECIDED TO KEEP THE SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM CHANCES GOING TONIGHT MAINLY AFTER 06Z. LOWS TONIGHT WILL BE ON THE MILD SIDE...ESPECIALLY IN THE WAKE OF THE WARM FRONT...WITH LOWS IN THE MID TO UPPER 50S. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 354 AM CDT MON APR 29 2013 THE UPPER TROUGH WILL CONTINUE TO DIG INTO THE CENTRAL CONUS ON TUESDAY. MEANWHILE...SURFACE LOW PRESSURE IS EXPECTED TO DEEPEN AND LIFT NORTH ACROSS NORTHERN MINNESOTA AND EVENTUALLY INTO WESTERN ONTARIO. A COLD FRONT LOOKS TO PUSH SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY THROUGH THE DAY ON TUESDAY...WITH SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING ALONG THE FRONT MAINLY DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS. TEMPERATURES WILL WARM RATHER NICELY AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT...WITH HIGHS CLIMBING TO AROUND 80 DEGREES ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST IOWA THROUGH SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN. THE NAM/GFS/GEM ARE IN FAIRLY DECENT AGREEMENT...SHOWING CONVECTION DEVELOPING ALONG THE FRONT LATE TUESDAY AFTERNOON INTO TUESDAY EVENING. THE NAM SEEMS WAY TO AGGRESSIVE WITH ITS DEWPOINTS TUESDAY AFTERNOON SHOWING SURFACE DEWPOINTS CLIMBING INTO THE MID 60S. MID TO UPPER 50S SEEM MORE REASONABLE AND THIS IS WHAT IS BEING ADVERTISED BY THE GEM...WITH 0-3 MUCAPE VALUES AROUND 1500 J/KG. 0-6 KM SHEAR VALUES AROUND 40 KTS WOULD SUPPORT THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. PLAN ON SHOWERS AND STORMS ERUPTING ALONG THE FRONT DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS. SOME OF THE STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS THE MAIN THREATS. THE TROUGH CONTINUES TO DIG TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY WITH A DEFORMATION ZONE SETTING UP ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST...STRETCHING FROM EASTERN NEBRASKA NORTHEAST THROUGH THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY REGION AND NORTH INTO CENTRAL ONTARIO. A VERY IMPRESSIVE FRONTOGENESIS ZONE SETS UP ACROSS THE AREA TUESDAY NIGHT AND SITS RIGHT OVER THE FORECAST AREA WEDNESDAY INTO THURSDAY. LOOKING AT FORECAST MODEL CROSS SECTIONS RUNNING FROM EAST TO WEST ACROSS THE AREA...A VERY IMPRESSIVE FRONTOGENESIS ZONE SETS UP OVER THE REGION AND EXTENDS FROM 875 MB THROUGH 500 MB...WITH NEGATIVE EPV POSITIONED RIGHT OVER THE FRONTOGENESIS ZONE. THIS ZONE STAYS OVER THE AREA ALL THE WAY INTO THURSDAY. THIS WILL LEAD TO A PROLONGED PERIOD OF PRECIPITATION OVER THE AREA WHICH COULD BE MODERATE TO HEAVY AT TIMES. DRY AND COOL NORTHERLY FLOW INTO THE REGION THEN RAISES THE QUESTION OF PRECIPITATION TYPE. DEPENDING ON WHICH MODEL SOLUTION VERIFIES...IT APPEARS THAT THE PRECIPITATION SHOULD FALL AS RAIN TUESDAY NIGHT AND THROUGH MOST OF THE DAY ON WEDNESDAY THEN SWITCH OVER TO A RAIN SNOW MIX WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY THURSDAY MORNING. A RAIN SNOW MIX IS POSSIBLE AGAIN THURSDAY NIGHT...THEN THE PRECIPITATION WILL SWITCH BACK OVER TO ALL RAIN DURING THE DAY ON FRIDAY AS THE TROUGH CLOSES INTO AN UPPER LOW OVER MISSOURI AND WARMER AIR FLOWS BACK TO THE NORTH. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS ARE POSSIBLE LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND AGAIN THURSDAY NIGHT. AT THIS TIME IT APPEARS A SLUSHY 1-3 INCHES IS POSSIBLE MAINLY ON GRASS SURFACES. WILL ALSO HAVE TO KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON PRECIPITATION TYPE...ESPECIALLY THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING AS THE WARM LAYER SURGES BACK TO THE NORTH. A BRIEF PERIOD OF SLEET IS POSSIBLE BEFORE TEMPERATURES NEAR THE SURFACE WARM ABOVE FREEZING. MODEL SOLUTIONS START TO DIVERGE THIS WEEKEND WITH THE HANDLING OF THE LOW AS IT CUTS OFF. THE GEM TAKES THE LOW INTO THE SOUTHERN PLAINS...WHILE THE ECMWF LIFTS IT NORTHWEST THROUGH THE DAKOTAS. THE GFS KEEPS IT STALLED OVER MISSOURI THEN FINALLY LIFTS IT NORTH INTO THE GREAT LAKES LATE ON SUNDAY. AFTER A COOL PERIOD THURSDAY AND FRIDAY...WHERE HIGHS WILL ONLY BE IN THE LOWER 40S...SLIGHTLY WARMER TEMPERATURES ARE POSSIBLE THIS WEEKEND DESPITE CHANCES FOR RAIN...WITH HIGHS IN THE LOWER TO MIDDLE 50S. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z TUESDAY MORNING) ISSUED AT 652 AM CDT MON APR 29 2013 APPEARS THE TAF SITES WILL CATCH A BREAK FROM SHRA AND ANY REDUCED CIGS/VSBYS THIS MORNING WITH THE FORCING/INSTABILITY SHIFTING SOUTH OF THE AREA. OVERNIGHT RAINS AT KRST PLUS LIGHT WINDS PRODUCING SOME BR/FG ACROSS SOUTHEAST MN AND ADDED SOME BR MENTION TO KRST EARLY THIS MORNING. AFTER THAT THOUGH...CONFIDENCE REMAINS ON THE LOW SIDE FOR THE AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT AS FAR AS CONVECTION CHANCES AND EVOLUTION AT THE TAF SITES. A STALLED/WEAKENING FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL REMAIN IN THE AREA...AND BE A POTENTIAL TRIGGER FOR MORE SHRA/TSRA THIS AFTERNOON/EVENING. CONVECTION POTENTIAL IS GOING TO DEPEND ON HOW MUCH LOWER LEVEL MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY CAN OR DOES MOVE NORTHWARD INTO THE AREA TODAY. GIVEN INCONSISTENT MODEL SIGNALS FOR THE MOISTURE INCREASE AND ABILITY OF THE STALLED/WEAKENING BOUNDARY TO TRIGGER CONVECTION...ONLY INCLUDED A VCSH MENTION AT THE TAF SITES IN THE 22-02Z TIME PERIOD FOR NOW. BOUNDARY LIFTS NORTH AS A WARM FRONT TONIGHT...WITH THE INCREASING LOWER LEVEL MOISTURE EXPECTED TO SPREAD NORTH ACROSS THE AREA. STILL PLENTY OF POSSIBLE SCENARIOS FOR CONVECTION EVOLUTION TONIGHT INTO TUE. WITH THE INCREASE OF MOISTURE AND MOISTURE CONVERGENCE LATE TONIGHT...INCLUDED A VCSH MENTION AFTER 09Z FOR NOW UNTIL A MORE CONSISTENT SIGNAL IS SEEN. ADDED A LATE NIGHT MVFR BR MENTION AT KRST AS WELL DUE TO THE SOUTHEAST FLOW AND MOISTURE INCREASE. && .HYDROLOGY... ISSUED AT 354 AM CDT MON APR 29 2013 HEAVY RAINFALL IS POSSIBLE THIS WEEK AS A SYSTEM STALLS OUT ACROSS THE REGION TOWARD MID WEEK. FORECAST GUIDANCE SUGGESTS TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE BY THE END OF THE WEEK. SOME OF THIS PRECIPITATION COULD FALL AS A SLEET/SNOW MIX. IF THESE RAINFALL AMOUNTS ARE REALIZED...THERE WOULD BE AN INCREASE IN RIVER LEVELS. && .ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WI...NONE. MN...NONE. IA...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...WETENKAMP LONG TERM....WETENKAMP AVIATION.....RRS HYDROLOGY....WETENKAMP
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LA CROSSE WI
1157 PM CDT SUN APR 28 2013 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 558 PM CDT SUN APR 28 2013 CURRENTLY A NARROW LINE OF CONVECTION HAS INITIATED ALONG THE COLD FRONT IN MINNESOTA FROM RUSH CITY TO MINNEAPOLIS AND ST JAMES. LAPS ANALYSIS SHOWED MLCAPE VALUES OF 250-600 J/KG...MOSTLY RIGHT ALONG THE FRONT. KMPX RADAR IMAGERY DOES SUGGEST THAT THE LINE OF CONVECTION MAY HAVE JUMPED OFF THE FRONT RECENTLY...THOUGH. MEANWHILE...OVER THE FORECAST AREA...SOME RIDGING HAS BUILT IN ALOFT PER RAP ANALYSIS...HELPING TO CLEAR SKIES OUT. PRECIPITATION CHANCES CONTINUE TO BE THE FOCUS TONIGHT. THE 28.12Z REGIONAL CANADIAN AND 28.19/20/21Z HRRR RUNS HAVE BEEN DOING A GREAT JOB WITH THE CONVECTION ON THE FRONT. ALL OF THESE MODELS SUGGEST A WEAKENING TREND AS THEY PUSH EAST THROUGH THE EVENING. THIS MAKES SENSE AS THEY SEEM TO BE DIURNALLY ASSISTED WITH THE CAPE THAT BUILT AHEAD OF THE FRONT. ONCE DIURNAL COOLING TAKES PLACE...INSTABILITY WILL WANE AND THUS THE STORMS AS WELL. PERHAPS A FEW MAY MAKE IT INTO NORTHWEST SECTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA...ENOUGH TO WARRANT 20-30 PERCENT CHANCES...LOWER THAN THE PREVIOUS FORECAST. SEEING SOME OF THE CONVECTION JUMPING OFF THE FRONT ALSO IS WORRISOME TO HOLD IT TOGETHER BECAUSE INSTABILITY WANES PRETTY QUICK. THERE COULD BE A GENERALLY DRY PERIOD THEN UNTIL LATE IN THE NIGHT...WHICH IS WHEN THE COLD FRONT SLIDES INTO THE AREA. BEHIND THIS FRONT...TWO FORCING MECHANISMS SHOULD HELP DEVELOP PRECIPITATION... 1. A SHORTWAVE OVER NORTHWEST WYOMING PUSHING EAST INTO EASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA BY LATE IN THE NIGHT...YIELDING SOME DPVA DOWNSTREAM INTO NORTHERN IOWA AND SOUTHERN MINNESOTA. 2. MID-LEVEL FRONTOGENESIS IN PLACE BEHIND THE FRONT. RADAR SHOWS THIS FRONTOGENESIS ALREADY BY A BAND OF SHOWERS FROM NEAR ABERDEEN SOUTH DAKOTA TO DULUTH MN. THUS STILL HAVE KEPT SOME HIGHER PRECIPITATION CHANCES FOR LATE IN THE NIGHT INTO MONDAY MORNING...ESPECIALLY OVER NORTHEAST IOWA WHERE CONSENSUS EXISTS FROM ALL MODELS FOR PRECIPITATION TO OCCUR. && .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH MONDAY) ISSUED AT 327 PM CDT SUN APR 28 2013 THE MAIN FOCUS FOR TONIGHT INTO MONDAY IS WITH A TWO TIERED SYSTEM AND THE PRECIPITATION CHANCES THAT COME ALONG WITH IT. THE FIRST WAVE APPROACHES THE REGION THIS EVENING IN THE FORM OF A SURFACE COLD FRONT THAT IS CURRENTLY ANALYZED IN WESTERN MINNESOTA. MUCH OF THE 28.12Z GUIDANCE ARE FORECASTING TOO HIGH OF SURFACE DEW POINTS...IN THE LOW TO MID 50S WHEN CURRENT OBS SHOW MID 40S...WHICH IN TURN IS MAKING THE INSTABILITY IN THESE MODELS TOO HIGH. THIS IS CAUSING A LOT OF THE GUIDANCE TO COME UP WITH A LARGE AREA OF CONVECTION THAT DEVELOPS THIS EVENING AHEAD OF THE FRONT AND BRINGS IT THROUGH THE REGION IN AN DIMINISHING FASHION AS THE INSTABILITY WANES OVERNIGHT. THAT TREND IS OKAY...BUT AM NOT VERY CONFIDENT THAT THIS CONVECTION WILL BE AS WIDESPREAD AS GUIDANCE SUGGESTS. THE 28.12Z ARW EAST/WEST MODELS SEEM TO DO THE BEST JOB AT LIMITING THE CLIMBING DEW POINTS AND KEEP 0-3KM MUCAPE IN THE 200-400 J/KG RANGE OVERNIGHT AND MATCHES BEST TO THESE THOUGHTS OF MORE SCATTERED THAN WIDESPREAD CONVECTION OVERNIGHT. WITH JUST A FEW HUNDRED J/KG OF CAPE TO WORK WITH...HAVE LIMITED THE THUNDER COVERAGE TO BEING ISOLATED TONIGHT. THERE IS SOME INCREASING MID LEVEL WINDS AS THIS FRONT APPROACHES...SO SHEAR MAY BE DECENT ENOUGH THAT...COMBINED WITH SOME LOW FREEZING LEVELS...THERE COULD BE SOME SMALL HAIL THAT OCCURS WITH A FEW OF THE STORMS BUT NOTHING THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED SEVERE. THE MAIN MID LEVEL TROUGH DIVES DOWN ACROSS THE REGION TOMORROW MORNING AND IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP A MORE WIDESPREAD AREA OF CONVECTION ALONG THE WEAKENING SURFACE FRONT. THIS MID LEVEL TROUGH IS CURRENTLY NOTED ON GOES WATER VAPOR IMAGERY EXTENDING EAST TO WEST FROM SOUTHWEST ONTARIO INTO SOUTHEAST MONTANA. AS THIS TROUGH SAGS SOUTHEAST TOMORROW...SOME DIFFERENCES ARISE BETWEEN THE 28.12Z MESO AND SYNOPTIC SCALE MODELS. THE 28.12Z NAM/GFS/ECMWF/GEM ALL SHOW SOME STRONG LOW LEVEL MOISTURE TRANSPORT NOSING UP INTO EASTERN IOWA BY LATE MORNING THAT ALSO BRING SURFACE DEW POINTS UP INTO THE 60S AHEAD OF THE SURFACE/LOW LEVEL LOW. THIS BRINGS SFC/0-3KM MUCAPE UP TO ABOVE 2000 J/KG AND DEVELOPS A WIDESPREAD AREA OF CONVECTION ALONG THE NOSE OF THE LOW LEVEL JET. MEANWHILE...28.12Z ARW/NMM ARE MUCH MORE TAME WITH THE MOISTURE RETURN/DEW POINTS/INSTABILITY AND CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT. HAVE KEPT THE LIKELY PRECIPITATION CHANCES GOING FOR NORTHEAST IOWA/SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN TOMORROW WHERE THIS CONVECTION IS A BIT MORE CERTAIN...BUT THINK THAT THE SYNOPTIC MODELS ARE A TAD OVERDONE. IF THE MOISTURE RETURN CAN DEVELOP AS ADVERTISED ON THESE SYNOPTIC MODELS...WILL HAVE TO WATCH FOR A BRIEF PERIOD OF SEVERE STORMS THAT COULD PRODUCE SOME LARGE HAIL/GUSTY WINDS. .LONG TERM...(MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 327 PM CDT SUN APR 28 2013 THE 28.12Z GUIDANCE REMAINS STUBBORN WITH NO DIFFERING TRENDS NOTED BETWEEN THIS RUN AND THE 28.00Z RUN FOR A COLD FRONT THAT WILL MOVE THROUGH ON TUESDAY. AHEAD OF THIS FRONT ON MONDAY NIGHT...THE LOW LEVEL JET/MOISTURE TRANSPORT WILL PUSH BACK TO THE NORTH AHEAD OF THE FRONT AND COULD SPARK OFF SOME CONVECTION AS IT LIFTS NORTHWARD. FOR TUESDAY...THE 28.12Z ECMWF REMAINS THE SLOW OUTLIER WITH THE EASTWARD PROGRESSION OF THE SURFACE COLD FRONT ON TUESDAY AND PRESENTS THE WARMEST SOLUTION FOR TEMPERATURES. BY 00Z WEDNESDAY...THE 28.12Z NAM/GFS BOTH HAVE THIS FRONT INTO NORTHWEST ILLINOIS WHILE THE ECMWF STILL HAS IT BACK IN NORTHWEST WISCONSIN/JUST CLEARING SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA. WITH LOW LEVEL MOISTURE TRANSPORT INCREASING AHEAD OF THIS FRONT ON TUESDAY AND DECENT LOW LEVEL LIFT ALONG THE FRONT...SOME SEVERE WEATHER IS POSSIBLE IN THE WARM SECTOR TUESDAY. WHERE THAT WARM SECTOR IS ALIGNED BY MID AFTERNOON IS UNCERTAIN STILL...BUT WILL HAVE TO WATCH FOR WHICH WAY THIS FRONT TRENDS. DUE TO THERE NOT BEING MUCH IN THE WAY OF CHANGES IN THE GUIDANCE...HAVE NOT MADE MANY ADJUSTMENTS TO THE GOING FORECAST OVER THIS PERIOD. AFTER THIS COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH BY TUESDAY NIGHT IT WILL THEN STALL OUT TO THE EAST OF THE REGION AS A MID TO UPPER LEVEL TROUGH AMPLIFIES ACROSS THE CENTRAL US TOWARD THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK. THIS TROUGH GETS CUT OFF FROM THE FLOW WITH THE CORE OF THE LOW SITTING RIGHT OVER THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY THROUGH NEXT WEEKEND. STRONG FORCING WILL DEVELOP ON WEDNESDAY IN RESPONSE TO A STRENGTHENING LOW TO MID LEVEL BAND OF FRONTOGENESIS THAT FORMS TO THE WEST OF THE SURFACE FRONT. WHILE THE 28.12Z ECMWF CONTINUES TO BE AN OUTLIER WITH A WARMER SOLUTION FROM 700MB DOWN TO THE SURFACE ON WEDNESDAY AND WANTS TO KEEP THE PRECIPITATION AS MAINLY RAIN TO BEGIN...IT DOES APPEAR TO BE COMING AROUND TO BEING COLD ENOUGH TO PRODUCE ALL SNOW FROM WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY THURSDAY. THIS IS ESPECIALLY THE CASE ACROSS SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA AND NORTHEAST IOWA WHERE SOME SIGNIFICANT SNOW RATES AND ACCUMULATIONS ARE POSSIBLE. 28.12Z GFS THERMAL PROFILES SHOW THAT THE MAIN QUESTION IS WITH SURFACE TEMPERATURES AND HOW MUCH THEY WILL COOL AS THE PRECIPITATION COMMENCES ON WEDNESDAY. THE HIGHEST CONFIDENCE FOR ANY SNOW ACCUMULATION AT THIS POINT IS WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY MORNING AS THE COLDEST LOW LEVEL AIR COMES IN. CURRENT FORECAST TEMPERATURES FOR WEDNESDAY INTO THURSDAY MAY END UP BEING TOO HIGH...BUT FOR NOW HAVE DONE A SEMI-BLEND OF THE 28.12Z GFS/ECMWF. BEYOND THIS FEATURE...THE 28.12Z GFS IS FASTER WITH CLEARING OUT THE PRECIPITATION ON THURSDAY COMPARED TO THE ECMWF AND GEM WHICH LINGER THE FRONTOGENETIC BAND OVER THE REGION THROUGH THE REST OF THE WEEK AS THE MID LEVEL LOW GETS CUT OFF FROM THE FLOW. THIS MID LEVEL AND SURFACE LOW RETROGRADE BACK INTO IOWA/MISSOURI BY NEXT WEEKEND...WHICH MAY HELP TO BRING SOME SLIGHTLY WARMER AIR BACK INTO THE REGION. OVERALL...EXPECTING PERIODS OF PRECIPITATION AS THIS LOW SITS AND SPINS WITH SHORTWAVE TROUGHS ROTATING AROUND IT THROUGH NEXT WEEK. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z MONDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 1157 PM CDT SUN APR 28 2013 CONFIDENCE REMAINS LOW FOR THE AVIATION FORECAST...PRIMARILY ON IF PRECIPITATION WILL IMPACT THE TAF SITES. AS OF 05Z...A BAND OF SHOWERS AND A FEW EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS STRETCHED FROM NORTHWEST IOWA TO THE EAU CLAIRE AREA. THIS BAND SHOULD SINK SOUTH WITH TIME...BUT THERE ARE CONFLICTING SIGNALS AS TO ITS SPEED AND WHETHER IT WILL HOLD TOGETHER. A STRONGER SIGNAL SHOWS UP IN THE 12-18Z TIME PERIOD OF AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND SOME THUNDERSTORMS FORMING OVER NORTHERN IOWA AND MARCHING NORTHEAST...POSSIBLY CLIPPING THE TAF SITES. HAVE KEPT THE VCSH GOING BECAUSE OF THE UNCERTAINTY...RUNNING FROM 06Z-15Z AT KRST AND 09-21Z AT KLSE. EVEN IF SHOWERS IMPACT THE TAF SITES...CONDITIONS LOOK TO STAY VFR. THE BIGGER CONCERN WOULD BE ANY THUNDERSTORMS...BUT GIVEN THE ISOLATED NATURE OF THEM AND THE UNCERTAINTY ON SHOWERS IMPACTING THE TAF SITES...HAVE NOT INCLUDED ANY THUNDER IN THE TAFS. DRYING CONDITIONS LOOK TO TAKE HOLD FOR THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS AS THE FORCING FOR PRECIPITATION SHIFTS OFF TO THE EAST. THE VFR CLOUDS IN PLACE MAY EVEN BREAK UP DURING THIS TIME. ONE SIDE NOTE IS THAT BETWEEN NOW AND 09Z...CONDITIONS ARE MARGINAL FOR LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR AT KLSE. A SOUTHWESTERLY 30-35 KT JET EXISTS BETWEEN 1000-1500 FT AGL DURING THIS TIME. HAVE NOT INCLUDED THE LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR DUE TO AGAIN THE MARGINAL NATURE. && .HYDROLOGY... ISSUED AT 327 PM CDT SUN APR 28 2013 POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR SOME HEAVY RAINFALL THIS WEEK AS A SYSTEM STALLS OUT ACROSS THE REGION TOWARD MID WEEK. THERE IS SOME QUESTION ABOUT WHAT THE PRECIPITATION TYPE WILL BE...BUT THE FORECAST GUIDANCE IS SUGGESTING RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF OVER AN INCH BY THE END OF THE WEEK. SHOULD THIS PRECIPITATION FALLS AS RAIN...THERE COULD BE AN INCREASE IN LOCAL RIVER LEVELS. && .ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WI...NONE. MN...NONE. IA...NONE. && $$ UPDATE...AJ SHORT TERM...HALBACH LONG TERM...HALBACH AVIATION...AJ HYDROLOGY...HALBACH
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MARQUETTE MI
116 AM EDT WED MAY 1 2013 .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH WEDNESDAY) ISSUED AT 432 PM EDT TUE APR 30 2013 WV IMAGERY AND RUC ANALYSIS INDICATED A BROAD MID/UPPER LEVEL TROUGH OVER THE NW CONUS RESULTING IN SW FLOW FROM THE CNTRL PLAINS TO THE NRN GREAT LAKES. A VIGOROUS SHORTWAVE IN THIS SW FLOW ALOFT WAS LIFTING NORTH INTO NW ONTARIO. AT THE SFC...LOW PRES WAS LOCATED OVER NW ONTARIO WITH A COLD FRONT EXTENDING SOUTH INTO FAR WRN LAKE SUPERIOR AND NW WI. A WARM FRONT WAS DRAPED ACROSS NCNTRL AND NE WI. BULGE OF WARM DRY AIR AT AROUND 850 MB AS NOTED ON 12Z GRB SNDG AND LATEST RAPID RUC SNDGS AT KIMT HAS PRODUCED SEVERAL HUNDRED J/KG OF CIN....KEEPING ATMOSPHERE CAPPED ENOUGH TO PROHIBIT SHOWERS FROM FORMING OVER MUCH OF THE FCST AREA SO FAR THIS AFTERNOON. JUST IN LATEST RADAR VOLUME SCAN STARTING TO SEE A FEW SHOWERS POPPING OVER HOUGHTON COUNTY BUT WITH ONLY AROUND 200-300 J/KG OF MLCAPE NOT REALLY EXPECTED MUCH IN WAY OF THUNDER. AS MODELS SHOW FRONT MOVG SLOWLY EAST INTO CENTRAL FCST AREA...RAP RUC SNDGS FOR KIMT SUGGESTS CAP ALOFT MAY ERODE JUST ENOUGH TO ALLOW FOR SOME ISOLD TO SCT SHRA/TSRA TO FORM TOWARD SUNSET OVER CNTRL FCST AREA. INCREASING 800-700 MB FGEN IN RESPONSE TO RIGHT ENTRANCE REGION FORCING IN 140+ KT 3H JET OVER NRN PLAINS AND WRN ONTARIO WILL BE MAIN DRIVING FORCE FOR BAND OF RAIN WHICH MODELS PROJECT TO FORM LATE THIS EVENING AND EARLY OVERNIGHT OVER CENTRAL PORTION OF THE FCST AREA. THIS BAND OF PCPN IS THEN PROGGED BY MODELS TO SHIFT OVER THE WRN CWA LATE TONIGHT INTO WED AS BEST FGEN FORCING SHIFTS WEST. LOWS TONIGHT WILL BE IN THE 40S UNDER MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES. MODEL AVG QPF INDICATES THAT PORTIONS OF GOGEBIC AND ONTONAGON COUNTIES COULD SEE UP TO QUARTER INCH OF PCPN LATE TONIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY. COLDER AIR (8H TEMPS DROPPING BLO 0C )SEEPING INTO THE WRN CWA COULD CAUSE SOME SNOW TO MIX IN WITH RAIN BY LATE WED AFTERNOON AS TEMPS FALL INTO THE MID TO UPPER 30S TOWARD EVENING. N-NW ONSHORE FLOW OFF COOL LAKE SUPERIOR ALONG CLOUDY SKIES WILL RESULT IN MAX TEMPS ON THE LOWER END OF MODEL GUIDANCE FOR WEDNESDAY WITH HIGHS RANGING FROM THE LOWER TO MID 40S ALONG LAKE SUPERIOR TO GENERALLY THE LOWER TO MID 50S EAST AND SCNTRL. .LONG TERM...(WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 432 PM EDT TUE APR 30 2013 FORECAST CONTINUES TO DEAL WITH THE UPPER TROUGH DEVELOPING IN THE IN THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND WHAT HAPPENS TO IT AS IT CUTS OFF AROUND THE END OF THIS WEEK AND DRIFTS THIS WEEKEND. TO START THE PERIOD...THE FORECAST CONCERN IS THE STALLED 850MB FRONT STRETCHING FROM NORTHERN LAKE SUPERIOR THROUGH SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA AND INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS AS THE UPPER TROUGH SLOWLY SHIFTS EAST THROUGH THE NORTHERN PLAINS. THE POSITION OF THE FRONT WILL BE THE MAIN CONCERN...AS THERE WILL LIKELY BE AN AXIS OF HIGHER PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS ALONG THIS FRONT. LATEST TRENDS IN THE MODELS IS THAT THE 850MB FRONT IS A LITTLE FARTHER WEST AND THE HEAVIEST PRECIPITATION LOOKS TO FALL SOMEWHERE EAST OF DULUTH AND WEST OF A LINE FROM BARAGA TO WATERSMEET. WITH THE AREA THE 850-700MB WAA/FGEN IS LINING UP...WOULD THINK THAT THE BEST PRECIPITATION WOULD BE OVER THE FAR WESTERN CWA...BUT STILL EXPECT LIGHTER VALUES OVER THE REST OF THE WESTERN CWA. THIS MATCHES UP WELL WITH THE 09Z SREF QPF PROBABILITIES. THERE WILL PROBABLY BE SOME SHOWERS OVER THE CENTRAL U.P. BUT THE AMOUNTS SHOULD BE LIGHTER THAN SEEN OVER THE WEST. UNFORTUNATELY...THIS PRECIPITATION WON/T HELP THE ALREADY SWOLLEN RIVERS AND STREAMS OVER FAR WESTERN UPPER MICHIGAN AND WILL HEIGHTEN THE AFFECTS IN THE HWO AND INDIVIDUAL RIVER PRODUCTS. BASED OFF THE THERMAL FIELDS AND BUFKIT SOUNDINGS...IT APPEARS THAT IT WILL MAINLY BE SNOW OVER THE FAR WESTERN CWA...WITH A RAIN/SNOW MIX OVER THE WEST-CENTRAL...BEFORE CHANGING TO ALL RAIN EAST OF A LINE FROM NEGAUNEE TO CRYSTAL FALLS. THERE STILL REMAINS SOME UNCERTAINTY IN THE P-TYPE TYPE AS THEY HAVE BEEN VARYING IN HOW FAR WEST THE WARM AIR ALOFT SLIDES. NAM AND OUR REGIONAL WRF-ARW DO HINT AT A SOME DRYING ALOFT WHICH COULD LIMIT ICE CRYSTAL POTENTIAL OVER THE WEST...WHICH WILL BE SOMETHING TO WATCH. IF THE PRECIP STAYS AS SNOW OVER THE WEST HALF OF GOGEBIC AND WESTERN ONTONAGON COUNTY...THEY COULD SEE SIGNIFICANT LATE SEASON SNOWFALL...ESPECIALLY ON THE COLDER SURFACES AND HIGHER TERRAIN. CURRENTLY HAVE BORDERLINE WARNING SNOW AMOUNTS FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY MORNING...SO WILL CONTINUE TO MENTION IN THE HWO. IF CONFIDENCE WAS A LITTLE GREATER ON EXACT LOCATION OF THE HEAVIEST QPF...AND THERE WEREN/T SEVERAL OTHER FLOOD WARNING/WATCH/ADVISORY PRODUCTS OUT FOR GOGEBIC COUNTY...COULD HAVE ISSUED A WINTER STORM WATCH. THE UPPER TROUGH STARTS THE CUTOFF PROCESS THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING...WHICH WILL ALLOW THE FLOW ALOFT TO BECOME MORE SOUTHEASTERLY AND SHIFT THE FRONT WEST. THIS WILL PULL WARMER AIR INTO THE AREA AND SHOULD LIMIT THE SNOW POTENTIAL. BUT THIS WARMER AIR MOVING IN ALOFT WILL LEAD COLD AIR TRAPPED NEAR THE SURFACE. THIS HAS BEEN HINTED AT OVER THE LAST DAY...BUT HAVE CONCERNS THAT THE GROUND TEMPERATURES WON/T GO BELOW FREEZING. THUS...WILL JUST HAVE A SLIGHT CHANCE MENTION FOR AREAS WITH RAIN AND TEMPS BELOW 31 DEGREES. WITH THE DIFFERENCES IN THE HANDLING OF THE TROUGH CUTTING OFF...THERE ARE DIFFERENCES IN THE MOVEMENT OF THE FRONT...SO WILL GO WITH A BROADER POPS HEADING INTO FRIDAY...BUT THE BEST FOCUS OVER THE SOUTHWEST HALF. THE WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK STILL REMAINS UP IN THE AIR DUE TO THE DIFFERENCES IN THE LOCATION OF THE UPPER LOW. 00Z ECMWF IS CONSISTENT WITH IT/S PREVIOUS RUN AND IS FARTHEST TO THE NORTH. 12Z GFS CONTINUES IT/S TREND OF BEING WELL TO THE SOUTH OF THE AREA /CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI VALLEY/...WHILE THE 12Z GEM HAS IT IN THE GREAT LAKES. AS WITH YESTERDAY...WILL FOLLOW A GENERAL CONSENSUS INTO NEXT WEEK AS THE LOCATION OF THE LOW HAS LARGE IMPLICATIONS ON TEMPERATURES AND PRECIPITATION. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z WEDNESDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 115 AM EDT WED MAY 1 2013 A COLD FRONT WILL PUSH THROUGH ALL THREE TAF SITES OVERNIGHT AND WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. THIS WILL BRING RAIN SHOWERS TO ALL THREE TAF SITES THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT TONIGHT AND INTO THE DAY ON WEDNESDAY. RADAR SHOWS PRECIPITATION MOVING INTO SOUTHWESTERN UPPER MICHIGAN AS OF 430Z. LATER IN THE DAY WEDNESDAY...WITH COLD AIR FILTERING IN BEHIND THE FRONT...THE WESTERN TAF SITES KCMX/KIWD WILL START TO SEE A CHANGEOVER TO RAIN/SNOW MIX. KIWD WILL GRADUALLY CHANGE TO ALL SNOW AFTER 00Z 5/2. EXPECT THE SNOW TO BECOME MODERATE AFTER ABOUT 3Z WHEN THE BETTER FORCING ARRIVES ALOFT. AS A RESULT....HAVE IWD DIMINISHING TO LIFR CONDITIONS TOWARDS THE END OF THE TAF PERIOD. && .MARINE...(FOR THE 4 PM LAKE SUPERIOR FORECAST ISSUANCE) ISSUED AT 432 PM EDT TUE APR 30 2013 NO GALES SEEN IN THIS FORECAST PERIOD. WINDS WILL GET UP TO 30 KNOTS ACROSS THE EASTERN PORTION OF LAKE SUPERIOR EARLY THIS EVENING WITH TIGHTENING GRAD AHEAD OF COLD FRONT. WINDS THEN STAY GEENRALLY AT OR BELOW 25 KNOTS FOR THE REST OF THE PERIOD. && .HYDROLOGY... ISSUED AT 432 PM EDT TUE APR 30 2013 ANOTHER DAY OF WARM TEMPERATURES HAS CONTINUED THE SNOW MELT AND THE RISING RIVER LEVELS ACROSS THE AREA. FORTUNATELY...RAINFALL AMOUNTS OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS HAVE BEEN FAIRLY LIGHT AND HAS KEPT THE FLOODING CONCERNS TO THE SNOW MELT. THE MAIN SNOW LEFT OVER THE AREA IS OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN LOCATIONS OVER THE WEST...WHERE VALUES ARE IN THE 3-15 INCH RANGE. THE WARM TEMPERATURES TONIGHT SHOULD CONTINUE THE MELT...BUT IS SHOULD BE SLOWED AS TEMPERATURES FALL BEHIND A COLD FRONT THAT MOVES THROUGH TONIGHT. THIS FRONT WILL PRODUCE ISOLATED/SCATTERED SHOWERS BUT WIDESPREAD MODERATE-HEAVY RAINFALL AMOUNTS ARE NOT EXPECTED. ATTENTION THEN TURNS TO AN UPPER LEVEL FRONT THAT STALLS OVER FAR WESTERN UPPER MICHIGAN WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. THIS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE OVER AN INCH OF QPF OVER THE WESTERN THIRD OF UPPER MICHIGAN THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT. THE HEAVIEST AMOUNTS...POTENTIALLY EXCEEDING 1.5 INCHES WILL BE OVER WESTERN ONTONAGON AND WESTERN GOGEBIC COUNTIES. WITH THE COLDER TEMPERATURES...THERE IS UNCERTAINTY IN THE THE EXACT PRECIPITATION TYPE...BUT IT LOOKS LIKE A RAIN/SNOW MIX OVER THE WEST AND MAINLY SNOW OVER THE FAR WEST. THIS PRECIPITATION WILL NOT HELP MATTERS OVER THE WESTERN CWA...WHERE MANY RIVERS/STREAMS/CREEKS ARE EXCEEDING BANKFULL OR FLOODING. THIS PRECIPITATION WILL DEFINITELY NEED TO BE WATCHED OVER THE NEXT DAY OR TWO TO PIN DOWN AMOUNTS AND TYPES...WHICH WILL HELP DETERMINE THE TIME THEY WILL INFLUENCE THE RIVERS. ELSEWHERE...THE TIME LAGGED FLOW INCREASES FROM THE SNOW MELT WILL LEAD TO CONTINUED RISES OVER THE NORTH CENTRAL TRIBUTARIES OF THE ESCANABA AND MICHIGAMME RIVERS. THESE AREAS MAY SEE FLOODING OVER THE COMING DAYS. IN THE NEAR TERM...THE GREATEST FLOODING THREAT IS FOR THE RIVERS IN WEST AND CENTRAL UPPER MICHIGAN. SEVERAL RIVER FLOOD WARNING/WATCH/ADVISORIES ARE ALREADY IN PLACE...ALONG WITH SOME AERIAL FLOOD ADVISORIES. FOR COMPLETE DETAILS...SEE THE LATEST RIVER FLOOD WATCHES...WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES. && .MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... UPPER MICHIGAN... FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON FOR MIZ009. LAKE SUPERIOR... NONE. LAKE MICHIGAN... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...VOSS LONG TERM...SRF AVIATION...MCD MARINE...VOSS HYDROLOGY...SRF
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
452 AM CDT WED MAY 1 2013 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 441 AM CDT WED MAY 1 2013 NOT THE TYPICAL MAY FORECAST. CDFNT HAS SETTLED OVER SE WI AND STRETCHES SWWD INTO CENTRAL AND SRN IA...AND WILL REMAIN QUASI- STNRY OVER THESE AREAS THRU THE NEXT 24 HRS. SIGNIFICANT CAA IS IN PROGRESS AS EVIDENCED BY TEMPS IN THE LOW 30S IN NRN AND WRN MN WHILE THE ERN AND SRN MN INTO WRN WI IS IN THE 40S AND 50S. A POTENT UPR LEVEL TROF WILL STALL OUT OVER THE NRN PLAINS AND UPR MISS RIVER VALLEY...DIGGING FURTHER S AND SLIGHTLY PIVOTING TO ENHANCE LIFT AND ALSO ALLOW A PROLONGED STREAM OF SRN MOISTURE TO ADVECT WELL N INTO THIS REGION...DEEPENING THE MOISTURE COLUMN. PWATS SURGE TO WELL OVER AN INCH THRU TNGT. IN ADDITION...MOST RAIN/SNOW LAYER THRESHOLDS BECOME MUCH SHORTER PER BUFKIT PROFILES BY LATE AFTN...INDICATING THAT THE PRECIP FALLING WILL TAKE THE FORM OF SNOW RATHER THAN RAIN...HIGHLY UNUSUAL FOR THE MONTH OF MAY. IN FACT...LOCAL HOPWRF GUIDANCE SHOWS SEVERAL SWATHS OF 1-3 IN/HR SNOW BANDS INTO CENTRAL-ERN MN BY MIDDAY WHICH MAKES SENSE GIVEN THAT SPC SREF AND RAP GUIDANCE INDICATES VERY STRONG H7 FGEN. THE MAIN CONCERN IS THAT DEWPOINTS ARE STILL IN THE LOWER 20S WHERE TEMPS HAVE DROPPED TO THE FREEZING MARK. SHOULD WETBULBING EFFECTS OCCUR...DROPPING THE TEMP FASTER THAN ADVERTISED AND KEEPING IT THERE...ACCUMULATIONS COULD OCCUR QUICKER AND EARLIER THAN ADVERTISED DESPITE THE WARM ROAD SFC TEMPS OF THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS. COULD SEE 1-3 INCHES OF SOLID ACCUMULATION THIS AFTN ONCE THE RAIN CHANGES OVER TO SNOW AND INTENSITY IS MOD-HVY. WILL STILL LOOK FOR TEMPS TO FALL THRU THE DAY TDA AND TNGT AS THE UPR TROF CONTINUES TO DIG OVER THE DAKOTAS AND SFC WINDS SHIFT TO NW-N. GOING INTO TNGT...AT LEAST ONE HVY BAND OF SNOW IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP FROM NRN IA INTO SRN AND SE MN...WITH STRONG FGEN OVER THIS SAME AREA LASTING THROUGH DAYBREAK ON THU. BUFKIT SOUNDINGS STILL SHOW SOLID SUBFREEZING SOUNDINGS WITH MOD-HVY SNOW ALONG A MANKATO-MINNEAPOLIS-BARRON LINE WHERE 6-9 INCHES OF ACCUMULATION IS CERTAINLY WITHIN REASON IN THIS FORECAST. GOING FURTHER E AND W...ACCUMULATIONS DROP OFF IN A RATHER TIGHT GRADIENT...SUCH THAT NWRN PORTIONS OF THE MPX CWFA MAY NOT EVEN SEE 1 INCH. THAT SAID...WPC GUIDANCE STILL PINS A 8-10 INCH SWATH OF SNOWFALL OVER S-CENTRAL MN INTO E-CENTRAL MN AND W-CENTRAL WI...AND WITH QPF NEARING AN INCH...EVEN SNOWFALL RATIOS IN THE 4 OR 5 TO 1 AREA PRODUCE A STORM TOTAL OF 4-7 INCHES THRU TNGT WITH SLIGHT ADDITIONS FOR THU. NORMALLY THE WARMER GROUND WOULD BE ABLE TO MELT THE SNOW AS IT FALLS...AND THE WET NATURE OF THE SNOW WOULD ALSO HINDER ACCUMULATIONS. HOWEVER... THE STRONG FGEN WITH HIGH SNOWFALL RATES FOR SEEM TO COMBAT THAT THINKING IN THIS CASE...LEANING MORE TWD AGREEMENT WITH THE WPC OUTPUT. .LONG TERM...(THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 441 AM CDT WED MAY 1 2013 MODEL AGREEMENT THIS PERIOD REMAINS HIGH THROUGH FRIDAY...BUT QUICKLY DISAPPEARS FROM FRIDAY NIGHT ONWARDS WITH HOW EACH MODEL HANDLES THE PROGRESSION OF WHAT WILL BE A CUT OFF LOW THAT SETS UP NEAR KANSAS CITY BY SATURDAY MORNING. ABOUT THE ONLY THING THERE IS AGREEMENT ON BEYOND FRIDAY IS THAT HEIGHTS WILL SLOWLY MODIFY FROM THE WEEKEND INTO NEXT WEEK...WHICH WILL ALLOW HIGHS TO WORK BACK CLOSER TO EARLY MAY NORMALS. FOR THURSDAY...FGEN INDUCED BAND OF HEAVY PRECIPITATION WILL SLOWLY MOVE INTO WRN WI THU MORNING...AND LOOKS TO SPEND MOST OF THE DAY CONFINED TO AREAS EAST OF AN ALBERT LEA TO RUSH CITY LINE. GIVEN EXPECTED PERSISTENT PRECIPITATION AND CLOUD COVER...NUDGED HIGHS DOWN INTO THE MID 30S FOR THURSDAY ACROSS ERN AREAS...WHICH IS ABOUT 30 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL. OF COURSE THE OTHER IMPACT OF THE COOLER TEMPS FOR THURSDAY IS THIS MAY ALLOW SNOW TO BE THE PREDOMINATE P-TYPE FROM WED NIGHT RIGHT THROUGH THE DAY ON THURSDAY. THE ONLY THING THAT HAS REALLY CHANGED IS A WESTWARD SHIFT IN THE WARM NOSE BETWEEN H8 AND H7. THE GFS IN PARTICULAR BRINGS THIS OUT TO ABOUT AN EAU CLAIRE TO LADYSMITH LINE...WITH A PRETTY SHARP GRADIENT IN POTENTIAL SNOW TOTALS RESULTING ACROSS THE ERN CWA...WITH VERY LITTLE ACCUMS AT AUGUSTA...WHILE A MENOMONIE WOULD HAVE THE POTENTIAL FOR AROUND 8 INCHES. GIVEN THE COOLER TEMPERATURES FOR THURSDAY AND THE POTENTIAL FOR CONTINUED SNOW ACCUMS THROUGH THE DAY...WE DECIDED TO CARRY WINTER HEADLINES THROUGH 00Z /7 PM THU/. AS WITH THE SHORT TERM...SNOW TOTALS ARE TRICKY HERE AS GIVEN THE RATHER HIGH QPF NUMBERS...EVEN POTENTIALLY UNREALISTIC SNOW RATIOS OF 4-6:1 STILL YIELD SNOWFALL AMOUNTS THAT ARE OFF INTO UNCHARTED TERRITORY FOR MAY SNOWFALLS IN THIS AREA. CURRENT GRIDS HAVE ABOUT A 100 MILE WIDE SWATH OF 6-9 INCHES OF SNOW THAT IS CENTERED ALONG A BLUE EARTH /CITY/...TO HASTINGS...TO CUMBERLAND...WI LINE. THOUGH CERTAINLY THE WARM SOILS/PAVEMENT TEMPS FROM THE RECENT WARM SPELL WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO LIMIT ACCUMULATIONS... EXPECTED SNOWFALL RATES FROM TONIGHT INTO AT LEAST THURSDAY MORNING IN THE 1-2 INCH PLUS RANGE WILL BE MORE THAN ENOUGH TO ACCUMULATE ON ANY SURFACE WHILE THOSE TYPES OF RATES ARE BEING OBSERVED. THERE IS CERTAINLY POTENTIAL FOR SNOWFALL AMOUNTS TO GO EITHER WAY /HIGHER OR LOWER/ WITH THIS SYSTEM...BUT IF THE CURRENT FORECAST DOES PAN OUT...THIS STORM WILL CERTAINLY BE RE- WRITING THE RECORD BOOKS FOR MAY SNOWFALL ACROSS SOUTHERN MN AND WRN WI. FOR THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY...THE FOCUS FOR THE HEAVY PRECIPITATION SHIFTS EAST FROM ERN IA INTO CENTRAL WI AS LLJ SLOWLY SHIFTS EAST. AS RESULT...HAVE CUT BACK ON POPS IN THIS PERIOD... ESPECIALLY ACROSS MN...WITH MUCH OF THE AREA LIKELY SEEING A BIT OF A REPRIEVE FROM THE PRECIPITATION. IN ADDITION...WRN MN WILL LIKELY SEE SOME FILTERED SUNSHINE...WHICH WILL ALLOW WRN AREAS TO WARM BACK TOWARD THE 50S. FOR FRIDAY NIGHT...MODEL DISAGREEMENTS START TO INCREASE DRAMATICALLY WITH HANDLING OF A SURGE OF WAA ADVECTIVE PRECIP THAT WILL BE COMING IN FROM THE SE AS A STRONG VORT MAX ROTATES AROUND THE MAIN UPPER LOW OVER NRN MO /OFF THE NAM ANYWAYS/. THE NAM IS THE MIDDLE MEMBER WITH THIS FEATURE...BRINGING ANOTHER SHIELD OF HEAVY PRECIPITATION ACROSS THE MPX CWA FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY MORNING. THE GFS HAS A SIMILAR FEATURE...BUT KEEPS THE BRUNT OF THE PRECIPITATION DOWN ACROSS IA. THE ECMWF HAS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT IDEA WITH HOW THIS UPPER LOW WILL EVOLVE. WHERE THE GFS ON SAT HAS THE UPPER LOW OVER NRN ARK...THE NAM OVER NRN MO...THE 01.00 ECMWF HAS THE SAME...MUCH SHALLOWER LOW UP NEAR THE MN/DAKOTAS BORDER! GIVEN THE DISAGREEMENTS...HELD POPS TO NO HIGHER THAN LIKELY ON SATURDAY AS IT COULD RANGE FROM ANYWHERE BETWEEN A WASHOUT TO JUST COOL AND CLOUDY. AT THE VERY LEAST...AT LEAST THIS POTENTIAL WAVE OF PRECIPITATION LOOKS TO BE WARM ENOUGH TO KEEP EVERYTHING LIQUID. GOING INTO NEXT WORK WEEK...BOTH THE GFS AND THE ECMWF SHOW ANOTHER OMEGA BLOCK DEVELOPING...ONLY THIS TIME ACROSS THE WRN US. THE ECMWF IS THE FARTHEST WEST WITH THIS FEATURE...WHICH ALLOWS IT TO SEND ANOTHER STRONG SHORTWAVE AND COLD FRONT THROUGH THE MPX AREA MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY. THE GFS HAS THE BLOCK FARTHER EAST AND WOULD KEEP THE REGION DRY. AT THIS POINT...KEPT THE MAINLY CHANCE POPS THAT WERE IN PLACE DURING THIS TIME FRAME. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z WEDNESDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 1058 PM CDT TUE APR 30 2013 RAIN CHANCES WILL BE ON THE INCREASE TONIGHT...WITH CIGS EXPECTED TO LOWER TO MVFR CATEGORY OVERNIGHT AND EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING AT KMSP/KRNH/KEAU. CONVERSELY...CONDITIONS AT KAXN AND KSTC ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN VFR THROUGH THE PERIOD/EVENT. THERE/S STILL UNCERTAINTY AS TO WHEN THE CHANGEOVER TO SNOW WILL BE...BUT LATE MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON IN MN...AND EARLY EVE IN WI...SEEM LIKE REASONABLE TIME FRAMES. MVFR CIGS/VSBYS WITH OCCASIONAL IFR VSBYS IN -SN ARE THEN EXPECTED INTO THURSDAY. WINDS OF 330-360 DEGREES WILL PREVAIL THROUGH THE PERIOD...WITH GUSTS UP TO 20 KTS DEVELOPING WEDNESDAY. KMSP... PRETTY MUCH STATUS QUO IN THE TAF. STILL EXPECTING TO MIX SOME FLAKES IN WITH THE RAIN DURING THE DAY ON WEDNESDAY. THERE IS STILL A FAIR AMOUNT OF UNCERTAINTY IN HOW FAST WE COOL FOR THE TRANSITION TO SNOW. AT ANY RATE...EVEN IF SNOW BEGINS IN THE MORNING...LITTLE TO NO ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED GIVEN THE WARM GROUND AND RELATIVELY LIGHT INTENSITY OF PRECIPITATION. ONCE THE SNOW BEGINS...VSBY REDUCTIONS TO IFR WILL BE POSSIBLE. WINDS FROM 320-350 DEGREES AOB 11 KTS THROUGH WEDNESDAY...THEN GUSTS TO 20 KTS DEVELOPING WEDNESDAY EVE. /OUTLOOK FOR KMSP/ THU...MVFR CIGS/VSBYS POSSIBLE WITH CHC -RA/-SN. NW WINDS 15 KT. FRI...MVFR CIGS/VSBYS POSSIBLE WITH CHC -RA/-SN. NE WINDS 10-15 KT. SAT...MVFR CIGS/VSBYS POSSIBLE WITH CHC -RA. ENE WINDS 5 KT. && .MPX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MN...WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 7 PM CDT THURSDAY FOR MNZ053-060>063-067>070-074>078-082>085-091>093. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 7 PM CDT THURSDAY FOR MNZ044-045-051-052-058-059-065-066-073. WI...WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 7 PM CDT THURSDAY FOR WIZ014>016-023>025. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 7 PM CDT THURSDAY FOR WIZ026>028. && $$ SHORT TERM...JPC LONG TERM...MPG AVIATION...LS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MIAMI FL
943 AM EDT WED MAY 1 2013 .UPDATE... MASSIVE CLOUD FIELD CURRENTLY OVER THE EASTERN GOFMEX ASSOCIATED WITH LARGE CONVECTIVE COMPLEX ROTATING BENEATH CUT-OFF LOW WHICH IS OVER THE SOUTH CENTRAL GULF STATES. THIS LINE OF CONVECTION HAS BEEN PRODUCING A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF LIGHTNING WITH NEARLY 800 STRIKES IN THE PAST 15 MINUTES. THE CONVECTIVE FIELD IS MOVING EAST BUT THE QUESTION IS IF IT WILL HOLD TOGETHER BEFORE REACHING THE LOCAL GULF WATERS AND HOW MUCH EFFECT THE DEBRIS CLOUD FIELD WILL HAVE ON DIURNAL HEATING OVER THE MAINLAND. FORECAST SOUNDINGS ALONG WITH THE 12Z MFL SOUNDING WOULD SUGGEST THE POSSIBILITY OF AT LEAST SOME STRONG STORMS ESPECIALLY ALONG THE EAST COAST WITH THE LOW LEVEL SOUTHEAST FLOW. HOWEVER, IT IS ALSO POSSIBLE THAT HEATING WILL BE HELD OFF ENOUGH TO NOT ALLOW SIGNIFICANT UPDRAFTS TO OCCUR. THE HRRR IS SHOWING SOME WEAKENING AS THE SYSTEM APPROACHES THE GULF COAST BUT WITH ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT OVER THE MAINLAND AS SOME HEATING TAKES PLACE WITH MOVEMENT TOWARDS THE EAST COAST. THE 12Z MFL SOUNDING DOES INDICATE A STORM MOTION TO THE EAST AT AROUND 5 KNOTS. ALL OF THIS SAID, CURRENT THINKING IS TO ADD MENTION OF POSSIBLE STRONG STORMS FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND EXTEND HIGHER POPS BACK TO THE WEST COAST TO ACCOUNT FOR THE APPROACHING CONVECTION. KOB && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 807 AM EDT WED MAY 1 2013/ AVIATION... TODAY WILL LIKELY BE A REPLAY OF THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS, ONCE AGAIN. EXPECT SOME CONVECTIVE SHOWER ACTIVITY IN THE MORNING, THEN THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP IN THE LATE MORNING TO EARLY AFTERNOON. THESE CAN LEAD TO MVFR AND IFR CONDITIONS AT TIMES. HAVE ADDED PROB30 GROUPS TO ALL EAST COAST TAF SITES FOR THE AFTERNOON HOURS. THIS TIME THERE IS A BETTER CHANCE TSTMS COULD LINGER INTO THE EVENING HOURS SO LEFT VCTS IN THE FORECAST FOR THE EVENING HOURS ALSO. WINDS WILL BE LIGHT AND VARIABLE THIS MORNING AND PICK UP OUT OF THE SOUTHEAST MID TO LATE MORNING AROUND 10 KTS WITH A CHANCE OF A SOUTHWEST SEA BREEZE OF 5 T0 10 KNOTS AT APF IN THE MID TO LATE AFTERNOON FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 416 AM EDT WED MAY 1 2013/ .WET WEATHER CONTINUES OVER SOUTH FLORIDA THROUGH EARLY THIS WEEKEND... .SOME STRONG STORMS POSSIBLE TODAY AND AGAIN THURSDAY OVER SOUTH FLORIDA... SHORT TERM... LOW PRESSURE OVER THE WESTERN ATLANTIC WATERS WILL MOVE EAST TODAY AS A MID TO UPPER LEVEL LOW OVER THE SOUTHERN GULF COAST STATES MOVES SOUTHEAST INTO THE NORTHERN GULF OF MEXICO. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE OVER CENTRAL FLORIDA TO MOVE SOUTH INTO THE LAKE OKEECHOBEE REGION TODAY KEEPING THE STEERING FLOW IN A SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST DIRECTION OVER SOUTH FLORIDA. SO THE DEEP TROPICAL MOISTURE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK INTO THE AREA FROM THE SOUTH ALLOWING FOR SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. THE STORMS WILL ALSO BE SLOW MOVERS TODAY LEADING TO HEAVY RAINFALL OVER SOUTH FLORIDA. SO WILL CONTINUE TO MENTION THE HEAVY RAINFALL IN THE ZONES FOR TODAY OVER SOUTH FLORIDA. THE TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE WILL REMAIN NEARLY STATIONARY TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY...AS THE MID TO UPPER LEVEL LOW MOVES SLOWLY SOUTHEAST INTO THE EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO. A SURFACE LOW WILL ALSO DEVELOP IN THE EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO ON THURSDAY WHICH WILL HELP KEEP THE SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST STEERING FLOW OVER SOUTH FLORIDA ALONG WITH THE DEEP TROPICAL MOISTURE. SO WILL CONTINUE THE SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTH FLORIDA FOR THURSDAY ALONG WITH THE HEAVY RAINFALL WORDING. THE 500 MB TEMPS WILL ALSO COOL OFF A BIT FROM AROUND -10C THIS MORNING TO -12C TO -13C ON THURSDAY. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR SOME STRONG STORMS OVER SOUTH FLORIDA TODAY...AND STRONG TO EVEN SEVERE STORMS (WITH POTENTIAL FOR MORE THAN THE ORDINARY DEPENDING HOW MUCH SURFACE HEATING WE END UP GETTING) ON THURSDAY OVER SOUTH FLORIDA. ALTHOUGH THE PRIMARY THREAT FROM THE STORMS WILL CONTINUE TO BE FLOODING POTENTIAL...SECONDARY THREATS FROM THE STORMS WILL BE GUSTY WINDS...HAIL...AND FREQUENT LIGHTING STRIKES. THE LOW OVER THE EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO WILL SLOWLY MOVE EAST ON FRIDAY TOWARDS SOUTH FLORIDA...AS THE TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE REMAINS OVER SOUTH FLORIDA. THIS WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP THE DEEP TROPICAL MOISTURE IN PLACE OVER SOUTH FLORIDA ON FRIDAY. SO WILL CONTINUE THE SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS POPS OVER THE AREA FOR FRIDAY ALONG WITH THE HEAVY RAINFALL WORDING. LONG TERM... THE LOW WILL MOVE EAST OVER SOUTH FLORIDA ON SATURDAY BEFORE MOVING INTO THE WESTERN ATLANTIC WATERS ON SUNDAY. THIS WILL KEEP THE AREA IN THE DEEP TROPICAL MOISTURE ON SATURDAY...BEFORE ALLOWING FOR SOME DRIER AIR TO WORK INTO THE AREA FROM THE WEST ON SUNDAY. THEREFORE...THE POPS ON SATURDAY WILL BE IN THE SCATTERED RANGE OVER SOUTH FLORIDA WHILE ON SUNDAY THE POPS WILL BE IN SLIGHT CHANCE TO LOW END CHANCE. FOR EARLY NEXT WEEK...THE DRIER WEATHER WILL CONTINUE TO WORK INTO THE AREA FROM THE NORTH AND WEST. SO THE WEATHER SHOULD BE DRY OVER SOUTH FLORIDA FOR EARLY NEXT WEEK...AND WILL REMOVE THE SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM WORDING OVER SOUTH FLORIDA FOR EARLY NEXT WEEK. HOWEVER...THERE REMAINS QUITE A BIT OF UNCERTAINTY AMONG THE MODELS AND THIS OUTLOOK COULD CHANGE WITH THE WET PERIOD EITHER ENDING EARLIER THAN SUNDAY OR LATER THAN ANTICIPATED INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. MARINE... THE WINDS OVER SOUTH FLORIDA TODAY INTO THURSDAY WILL BE FROM THE EAST TO SOUTHEAST AT 10 KNOTS OR LESS...BEFORE INCREASING TO BREEZY CONDITIONS BY EARLY THIS WEEKEND FROM THE SOUTHERLY DIRECTION. AT THE SAME TIME...A NORTHEAST SWELL OF 2 TO 3 FEET WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO AFFECT THE PALM BEACH WATERS OF SOUTH FLORIDA. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR THE SEAS TO REMAIN BELOW 6 FEET IN THE ATLANTIC WATERS TODAY INTO THURSDAY...BEFORE INCREASING TO 7 FEET BY FRIDAY IN THE PALM BEACH WATERS. FOR THE GULF SIDE...THE SEAS WILL REMAIN BELOW 6 FEET TODAY INTO EARLY THIS WEEKEND. FIRE WEATHER... THE RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL REMAIN ABOVE THE 35 PERCENT CRITICAL VALUE EACH DAY OVER SOUTH FLORIDA THROUGH END OF THIS WEEK...DUE TO THE TROPICAL MOISTURE REMAINING OVER THE AREA. SO NO PROBLEMS ARE EXPECTED WITH THE FIRE WEATHER OVER SOUTH FLORIDA. && .MFL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...NONE. AM...NONE. GM...NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS DULUTH MN
1055 AM CDT WED MAY 1 2013 .UPDATE... A NARROW BAND OF RAIN AND SNOW EXTENDED NORTHEAST ACROSS SOUTHERN PINE COUNTY ACROSS BURNETT...WASHBURN...DOUGLAS AND BAYFIELD COUNTIES. KRZN HAS RECENTLY WENT TO SNOW...AND A SPOTTER IN HERBSTER WAS ALSO REPORTING SNOW. THE RAP WAS SHOWING LOWER WETBULB ZERO VALUES THIS MORNING...BUT HAD THEM INCREASING AGAIN THIS AFTERNOON. WE THINK THE RAP MAY BE OVERDOING THE INCREASE THIS AFTERNOON SOME AS THEY RAISE SURFACE TEMPS BACK INTO THE FORTIES WHICH LOOKS UNLIKELY. SNOWFALL TODAY SHOULD BE LIMITED TO LESS THAN AN INCH. THE LATEST NAM STILL SHOWS IMPRESSIVE FGEN TONIGHT...AND WE EXPECT HEAVY SNOW TO DEVELOP. THE CURRENT HEADLINES BASED ON THE NAM STILL LOOK GOOD ACROSS WISCONSIN...BUT IT`S LOOKING MORE LIKELY WE`LL NEED TO UPGRADE IRON COUNTY TO A WARNING. PRICE IS STILL QUESTIONABLE...BUT THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE COUNTY SHOULD RECEIVE SOME HEAVY SNOW SO WE MAY HAVE TO UPGRADE THEM AS WELL. WE`LL LOOK OVER THE LATEST MODELS AND WAIT UNTIL THE AFTERNOON BEFORE MAKING ANY CHANGES. WE ALSO MAY HAVE TO INCREASE SNOW TOTALS ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST WISCONSIN GIVEN THE LATEST NAM. WE`LL WAIT FOR THE GFS/ECMWF BEFORE FINALIZING SNOW TOTALS THIS AFTERNOON. WE WOULDN`T BE SURPRISED IF SOME THUNDERSNOW DEVELOPS OVERNIGHT...AS CROSS SECTIONS SHOW IMPRESSIVE FGEN WITH SOME NEGATIVE EPV AND EVEN LOW CAPE FEEDING INTO NORTHWEST WISCONSIN. CONVECTIVE SNOWFALL CAN PRODUCE HEAVY SNOW RATES...WITH 2 TO 3 INCHES PER HOUR POSSIBLE. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 657 AM CDT WED MAY 1 2013/ AVIATION...12Z TAF ISSUANCE... FRONT HAS STALLED FROM IOWA INTO CENTRAL WISCONSIN THIS MORNING..WITH FOCUS FOR PRECIPITATION REMAINING LOCKED IN THE CORRIDOR JUST ON THE COOL SIDE OF THE FRONT ACROSS NW WISCONSIN..INCLUDING KHYR TAF SITE THROUGH TONIGHT. RAIN IS ALREADY AFFECTING KHYR WITH VFR CEILING AS OF 11Z THIS MORNING. HOWEVER..CEILINGS/VISIBILITIES ARE EXPECTED TO GRADUALLY LOWER THROUGH THE DAY..WITH RAIN MIXING WITH AND EVENTUALLY CHANGING TO SNOW THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT WITH IFR CIGS/VSBYS DEVELOPING. THERE IS EXPECTED TO BE A VERY SHARP GRADIENT/CUT OFF IN PRECIP ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE OF THIS SYSTEM..AND THUS KDLH/KBRD/KINL/KHIB HAVE NO PRECIP MENTIONED THRU THE PERIOD WITH VFR CEILINGS AND WINDS GRADUALLY VEERING FROM WNW TO N OR NNE BY TONIGHT. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 430 AM CDT WED MAY 1 2013/ SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY. THINGS ARE COMING TOGETHER FOR A FAIRLY MAJOR EARLY MAY SNOW STORM ACROSS THE NORTHLAND. THE MODELS CONTINUE TO INDICATE THE POTENTIAL FOR VERY HEAVY SNOW ACCUMULATION TONIGHT AND THURSDAY ACROSS NORTHWESTERN WISCONSIN. THE MODELS DIFFER TO SOME EXTENT ON THE SNOW POTENTIAL ON THE MINNESOTA SIDE...AND ALSO IN THE HURLEY AND PARK FALLS AREAS. HAVE UPGRADED THE WATCH FOR MOST OF NORTHWESTERN WISCONSIN TO A WARNING...BUT WILL KEEP IRON AND PRICE COUNTIES IN A WATCH FOR NOW. ON THE MINNESOTA SIDE...HAVE ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW FROM PINE COUNTY...TOWARD DULUTH AND INTO THE ARROWHEAD. THE MAJORITY OF THE MODEL SOLUTIONS PAINT ANYWHERE FROM 6 TO 12 INCHES OF TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATION ACROSS MUCH OF NORTHWESTERN WISCONSIN. THE SREF PLUMES SHOW A WIDE SPREAD OF POSSIBLE TOTAL SNOWFALL...WITH AMOUNTS RANGING FROM LESS THAN AN INCH TO AS MUCH AS 19 INCHES. THE MAJORITY OF THE VALUES LIE SOMEWHERE NEAR THE MEAN...WHICH IS AROUND 11 INCHES AT KHYR. THE MEAN AT SIREN WI IS CLOSE TO 8 INCHES...WITH A LITTLE OVER 10 INCHES AT ASHLAND. FURTHER WEST...THERE IS A LOT MORE QUESTION ACROSS THE MN SIDE. THE MEAN FROM THE PLUMES FOR DULUTH IS BETWEEN 3 AND 4 INCHES BUT WITH A HUGE MODEL SPREAD. WE ARE FAIRLY CONFIDENT THAT A BAND OF VERY HEAVY SNOW WILL SET UP ACROSS MUCH OF NW WI...BUT AMOUNTS FURTHER WEST ARE STILL TRICKY DUE TO THE SHARP GRADIENT IN SNOWFALL EXPECTED. FOR EXAMPLE...THE NAM AND THE GFS BRING VERY LITTLE SNOW ACCUMULATION TO DULUTH...WHILE THE ECMWF BRINGS A GOOD 4 TO 6 INCHES. FOR TODAY...WILL START WITH LIGHT RAIN ACROSS THE REGION...AS IT SPREADS QUICKLY IN FROM THE SOUTHWEST. TEMPS WILL START OUT IN THE 30S NORTHWEST AND 50S SOUTHEAST. TEMPS WILL BEGIN TO FALL DURING THE DAY...RESULTING IN A MIXING WITH SNOW. THE PRECIPITATION SHOULD LARGELY BECOME ALL SNOW TONIGHT...WITH SNOWFALL RATES OF MORE THAN AN INCH AN HOUR AT TIMES...ESPECIALLY IN THE WARNING AREA. THE SNOW WILL THEN BEGIN TO MIX WITH RAIN AS IT DIMINISHES BY THURSDAY AFTERNOON. IN ALL WE THINK 6 TO 12 IN NW WI...AND 2 TO 4 OR 3 TO 6 IN ADJACENT AREAS OF NE MN. LONG TERM...THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY... QUITE A BIT OF UNCERTAINTY THROUGHOUT THE LONG TERM PERIODS.. BEGINNING WITH HANDLING OF UPPER LOW THAT WILL DEVELOP OVER THE CENTRAL U.S. OVER THE NEXT 36 HOURS. THERE IS STILL FAIRLY WIDE RANGING DIVERGENCE IN THE MODEL GUIDANCE..WITH SEVERAL RUNS TAKING THE LOW MORE EAST INTO THE OHIO VALLEY/LOWER GRT LAKES..WITH THE ECMWF STILL BEING THE LONE MODEL OUT IN LIFTING THE LOW NWD ACROSS MN FRIDAY-SATURDAY. IF THE ECM SOLUTION COMES TO BEAR..WE WILL LIKELY HAVE A LONGER DURATION RAIN/SNOW EVENT OVER MUCH OF THE CWA TO DEAL WITH EVEN AFTER THE HEAVY SNOWS OVER NW WISCONSIN IN THE IMMEDIATE SHORT TERM. SIMILAR STORY FOR HANDLING OF THE FLOW PATTERN AND FORCING FOR THE SUNDAY-TUESDAY TIME FRAME..WITH EVEN MORE SPREAD IN THE VARIOUS DETERMINISTIC AND ENSEMBLE SOLUTIONS. SOME HAVE A VERY BLOCKED/CUT OFF PATTERN, WHILE OTHERS TRANSITION TO A MORE WNW PROGRESSIVE NRN STREAM PATTERN BY TUESDAY. NEEDLESS TO SAY..CONFIDENCE IN ANY DETAILS WHATSOEVER IS VERY LOW RIGHT NOW FOR THE ENTIRE DAY 2-7 TIME PERIOD. GIVEN THIS..WE HAVE OPTED TO KEEP A MENTION OF AT LEAST SOME CHANCES FOR PRECIP IN MOST PERIODS..ALONG WITH TEMPS AT OR SLIGHTLY BELOW SEASONAL NORMS. HYDROLOGY... RIVERS LEVELS CONTINUE TO RISE..ALTHOUGH AT A SLOWER RATE THAN THE PAST FEW DAYS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PARTS OF THE CWA AS MOST SNOW HAS MELTED AND IN MOVING WITHIN THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM. FLOOD WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AT AITKIN AND FORT RIPLEY AND ALONG THE ST. LOUIS RIVER AT SCANLON FOR MINOR FLOODING. THERE ARE ALSO AREAL FLOOD ADVISORIES ACROSS PARTS OF THE NORTHLAND DUE TO SOME REPORTS OF FLOODING...INCLUDING ALONG AND OVER SOME ROADWAYS. OF PARTICULAR CONCERN THE NEXT 48-60 HOURS IS VERY RAPID MELT/RUNOFF AND AREAL/RIVER FLOODING ACROSS THE GOGEBIC RANGE AREA OF NORTHWEST WISCONSIN. THE BAD RIVER CONTINUES TO RISE AS WELL...AND WE MAY BE UPGRADING TO WARNING THERE AS WELL BUT ARE WAITING FOR SOME MORE INFORMATION BEFORE DOING SO. PRECIPITATION WILL OVERSPREAD NW WISCONSIN AND FAR EASTERN MINNESOTA TODAY...AND IT WILL LIKELY CONTINUE THROUGH AT LEAST THURSDAY.. INITIALLY IN THE FORM OF RAIN..BUT TRANSITIONING TO SNOW LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. MUCH OF NORTHWEST WISCONSIN WILL LIKELY GET AT LEAST A HALF INCH OF QPF THROUGH THURSDAY...WITH SOME INDICATIONS OF OVER AN INCH. ALTHOUGH HEAVY WET SNOW IS EXPECTED TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY...THIS PRECIPITATION WILL EVENTUALLY IMPACT THE RIVER AND STREAMS. THE PRECIPITATION IS NOT EXPECTED TO HAVE LARGE IMPACTS IMMEDIATELY TO FLOODING CONCERNS...BUT IT WILL LIKELY RESULT IN ADDITIONAL RISES ALONG SOME STREAMS AND RIVERS LATER THIS WEEK INTO THE WEEKEND. && .POINT TEMPS/POPS... DLH 45 31 43 32 / 50 70 70 20 INL 40 27 43 28 / 10 10 10 10 BRD 44 28 46 32 / 20 10 10 10 HYR 44 31 37 30 / 90 100 90 50 ASX 46 30 35 30 / 90 100 100 50 && .DLH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MN...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 PM CDT THURSDAY FOR MNZ012-020-021-037-038. WI...WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 PM CDT THURSDAY FOR WIZ001>003-006>008. WINTER STORM WATCH FROM 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING FOR WIZ004-009. LS...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...MELDE
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
712 AM CDT WED MAY 1 2013 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 643 AM CDT WED MAY 1 2013 UPDATED TO INCLUDE 12Z AVIATION DISCUSSION BELOW. && .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 441 AM CDT WED MAY 1 2013 NOT THE TYPICAL MAY FORECAST. CDFNT HAS SETTLED OVER SE WI AND STRETCHES SWWD INTO CENTRAL AND SRN IA...AND WILL REMAIN QUASI- STNRY OVER THESE AREAS THRU THE NEXT 24 HRS. SIGNIFICANT CAA IS IN PROGRESS AS EVIDENCED BY TEMPS IN THE LOW 30S IN NRN AND WRN MN WHILE THE ERN AND SRN MN INTO WRN WI IS IN THE 40S AND 50S. A POTENT UPR LEVEL TROF WILL STALL OUT OVER THE NRN PLAINS AND UPR MISS RIVER VALLEY...DIGGING FURTHER S AND SLIGHTLY PIVOTING TO ENHANCE LIFT AND ALSO ALLOW A PROLONGED STREAM OF SRN MOISTURE TO ADVECT WELL N INTO THIS REGION...DEEPENING THE MOISTURE COLUMN. PWATS SURGE TO WELL OVER AN INCH THRU TNGT. IN ADDITION...MOST RAIN/SNOW LAYER THRESHOLDS BECOME MUCH SHORTER PER BUFKIT PROFILES BY LATE AFTN...INDICATING THAT THE PRECIP FALLING WILL TAKE THE FORM OF SNOW RATHER THAN RAIN...HIGHLY UNUSUAL FOR THE MONTH OF MAY. IN FACT...LOCAL HOPWRF GUIDANCE SHOWS SEVERAL SWATHS OF 1-3 IN/HR SNOW BANDS INTO CENTRAL-ERN MN BY MIDDAY WHICH MAKES SENSE GIVEN THAT SPC SREF AND RAP GUIDANCE INDICATES VERY STRONG H7 FGEN. THE MAIN CONCERN IS THAT DEWPOINTS ARE STILL IN THE LOWER 20S WHERE TEMPS HAVE DROPPED TO THE FREEZING MARK. SHOULD WETBULBING EFFECTS OCCUR...DROPPING THE TEMP FASTER THAN ADVERTISED AND KEEPING IT THERE...ACCUMULATIONS COULD OCCUR QUICKER AND EARLIER THAN ADVERTISED DESPITE THE WARM ROAD SFC TEMPS OF THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS. COULD SEE 1-3 INCHES OF SOLID ACCUMULATION THIS AFTN ONCE THE RAIN CHANGES OVER TO SNOW AND INTENSITY IS MOD-HVY. WILL STILL LOOK FOR TEMPS TO FALL THRU THE DAY TDA AND TNGT AS THE UPR TROF CONTINUES TO DIG OVER THE DAKOTAS AND SFC WINDS SHIFT TO NW-N. GOING INTO TNGT...AT LEAST ONE HVY BAND OF SNOW IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP FROM NRN IA INTO SRN AND SE MN...WITH STRONG FGEN OVER THIS SAME AREA LASTING THROUGH DAYBREAK ON THU. BUFKIT SOUNDINGS STILL SHOW SOLID SUBFREEZING SOUNDINGS WITH MOD-HVY SNOW ALONG A MANKATO-MINNEAPOLIS-BARRON LINE WHERE 6-9 INCHES OF ACCUMULATION IS CERTAINLY WITHIN REASON IN THIS FORECAST. GOING FURTHER E AND W...ACCUMULATIONS DROP OFF IN A RATHER TIGHT GRADIENT...SUCH THAT NWRN PORTIONS OF THE MPX CWFA MAY NOT EVEN SEE 1 INCH. THAT SAID...WPC GUIDANCE STILL PINS A 8-10 INCH SWATH OF SNOWFALL OVER S-CENTRAL MN INTO E-CENTRAL MN AND W-CENTRAL WI...AND WITH QPF NEARING AN INCH...EVEN SNOWFALL RATIOS IN THE 4 OR 5 TO 1 AREA PRODUCE A STORM TOTAL OF 4-7 INCHES THRU TNGT WITH SLIGHT ADDITIONS FOR THU. NORMALLY THE WARMER GROUND WOULD BE ABLE TO MELT THE SNOW AS IT FALLS...AND THE WET NATURE OF THE SNOW WOULD ALSO HINDER ACCUMULATIONS. HOWEVER... THE STRONG FGEN WITH HIGH SNOWFALL RATES FOR SEEM TO COMBAT THAT THINKING IN THIS CASE...LEANING MORE TWD AGREEMENT WITH THE WPC OUTPUT. .LONG TERM...(THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 441 AM CDT WED MAY 1 2013 MODEL AGREEMENT THIS PERIOD REMAINS HIGH THROUGH FRIDAY...BUT QUICKLY DISAPPEARS FROM FRIDAY NIGHT ONWARDS WITH HOW EACH MODEL HANDLES THE PROGRESSION OF WHAT WILL BE A CUT OFF LOW THAT SETS UP NEAR KANSAS CITY BY SATURDAY MORNING. ABOUT THE ONLY THING THERE IS AGREEMENT ON BEYOND FRIDAY IS THAT HEIGHTS WILL SLOWLY MODIFY FROM THE WEEKEND INTO NEXT WEEK...WHICH WILL ALLOW HIGHS TO WORK BACK CLOSER TO EARLY MAY NORMALS. FOR THURSDAY...FGEN INDUCED BAND OF HEAVY PRECIPITATION WILL SLOWLY MOVE INTO WRN WI THU MORNING...AND LOOKS TO SPEND MOST OF THE DAY CONFINED TO AREAS EAST OF AN ALBERT LEA TO RUSH CITY LINE. GIVEN EXPECTED PERSISTENT PRECIPITATION AND CLOUD COVER...NUDGED HIGHS DOWN INTO THE MID 30S FOR THURSDAY ACROSS ERN AREAS...WHICH IS ABOUT 30 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL. OF COURSE THE OTHER IMPACT OF THE COOLER TEMPS FOR THURSDAY IS THIS MAY ALLOW SNOW TO BE THE PREDOMINATE P-TYPE FROM WED NIGHT RIGHT THROUGH THE DAY ON THURSDAY. THE ONLY THING THAT HAS REALLY CHANGED IS A WESTWARD SHIFT IN THE WARM NOSE BETWEEN H8 AND H7. THE GFS IN PARTICULAR BRINGS THIS OUT TO ABOUT AN EAU CLAIRE TO LADYSMITH LINE...WITH A PRETTY SHARP GRADIENT IN POTENTIAL SNOW TOTALS RESULTING ACROSS THE ERN CWA...WITH VERY LITTLE ACCUMS AT AUGUSTA...WHILE A MENOMONIE WOULD HAVE THE POTENTIAL FOR AROUND 8 INCHES. GIVEN THE COOLER TEMPERATURES FOR THURSDAY AND THE POTENTIAL FOR CONTINUED SNOW ACCUMS THROUGH THE DAY...WE DECIDED TO CARRY WINTER HEADLINES THROUGH 00Z /7 PM THU/. AS WITH THE SHORT TERM...SNOW TOTALS ARE TRICKY HERE AS GIVEN THE RATHER HIGH QPF NUMBERS...EVEN POTENTIALLY UNREALISTIC SNOW RATIOS OF 4-6:1 STILL YIELD SNOWFALL AMOUNTS THAT ARE OFF INTO UNCHARTED TERRITORY FOR MAY SNOWFALLS IN THIS AREA. CURRENT GRIDS HAVE ABOUT A 100 MILE WIDE SWATH OF 6-9 INCHES OF SNOW THAT IS CENTERED ALONG A BLUE EARTH /CITY/...TO HASTINGS...TO CUMBERLAND...WI LINE. THOUGH CERTAINLY THE WARM SOILS/PAVEMENT TEMPS FROM THE RECENT WARM SPELL WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO LIMIT ACCUMULATIONS... EXPECTED SNOWFALL RATES FROM TONIGHT INTO AT LEAST THURSDAY MORNING IN THE 1-2 INCH PLUS RANGE WILL BE MORE THAN ENOUGH TO ACCUMULATE ON ANY SURFACE WHILE THOSE TYPES OF RATES ARE BEING OBSERVED. THERE IS CERTAINLY POTENTIAL FOR SNOWFALL AMOUNTS TO GO EITHER WAY /HIGHER OR LOWER/ WITH THIS SYSTEM...BUT IF THE CURRENT FORECAST DOES PAN OUT...THIS STORM WILL CERTAINLY BE RE- WRITING THE RECORD BOOKS FOR MAY SNOWFALL ACROSS SOUTHERN MN AND WRN WI. FOR THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY...THE FOCUS FOR THE HEAVY PRECIPITATION SHIFTS EAST FROM ERN IA INTO CENTRAL WI AS LLJ SLOWLY SHIFTS EAST. AS RESULT...HAVE CUT BACK ON POPS IN THIS PERIOD... ESPECIALLY ACROSS MN...WITH MUCH OF THE AREA LIKELY SEEING A BIT OF A REPRIEVE FROM THE PRECIPITATION. IN ADDITION...WRN MN WILL LIKELY SEE SOME FILTERED SUNSHINE...WHICH WILL ALLOW WRN AREAS TO WARM BACK TOWARD THE 50S. FOR FRIDAY NIGHT...MODEL DISAGREEMENTS START TO INCREASE DRAMATICALLY WITH HANDLING OF A SURGE OF WAA ADVECTIVE PRECIP THAT WILL BE COMING IN FROM THE SE AS A STRONG VORT MAX ROTATES AROUND THE MAIN UPPER LOW OVER NRN MO /OFF THE NAM ANYWAYS/. THE NAM IS THE MIDDLE MEMBER WITH THIS FEATURE...BRINGING ANOTHER SHIELD OF HEAVY PRECIPITATION ACROSS THE MPX CWA FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY MORNING. THE GFS HAS A SIMILAR FEATURE...BUT KEEPS THE BRUNT OF THE PRECIPITATION DOWN ACROSS IA. THE ECMWF HAS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT IDEA WITH HOW THIS UPPER LOW WILL EVOLVE. WHERE THE GFS ON SAT HAS THE UPPER LOW OVER NRN ARK...THE NAM OVER NRN MO...THE 01.00 ECMWF HAS THE SAME...MUCH SHALLOWER LOW UP NEAR THE MN/DAKOTAS BORDER! GIVEN THE DISAGREEMENTS...HELD POPS TO NO HIGHER THAN LIKELY ON SATURDAY AS IT COULD RANGE FROM ANYWHERE BETWEEN A WASHOUT TO JUST COOL AND CLOUDY. AT THE VERY LEAST...AT LEAST THIS POTENTIAL WAVE OF PRECIPITATION LOOKS TO BE WARM ENOUGH TO KEEP EVERYTHING LIQUID. GOING INTO NEXT WORK WEEK...BOTH THE GFS AND THE ECMWF SHOW ANOTHER OMEGA BLOCK DEVELOPING...ONLY THIS TIME ACROSS THE WRN US. THE ECMWF IS THE FARTHEST WEST WITH THIS FEATURE...WHICH ALLOWS IT TO SEND ANOTHER STRONG SHORTWAVE AND COLD FRONT THROUGH THE MPX AREA MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY. THE GFS HAS THE BLOCK FARTHER EAST AND WOULD KEEP THE REGION DRY. AT THIS POINT...KEPT THE MAINLY CHANCE POPS THAT WERE IN PLACE DURING THIS TIME FRAME. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z THURSDAY MORNING) ISSUED AT 643 AM CDT WED MAY 1 2013 CDFNT WILL SETTLE S AND E OF THE AREA THRU TMRW MRNG WHILE SEVERAL WAVES OF LOW PRES RIDE NE ALONG THE STALLED FRONT. SIGNIFICANT INCRS IN MOISTURE FROM THE S WHILE WINDS SHIFT ARND TO NLY WILL CREATE A WINTRY P-TYPE ISSUE ALONG WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOW ACCUMULATION. PRECIP CURRENTLY MOVING SW-NE ACRS SRN-CENTRAL MN INTO NW WI...MOSTLY AS -RA ALTHOUGH AM ALREADY SEEING OBS REPORTING -SN...INCLUDING KRWF. COLDER AIR MAKING STRONG PROGRESS INTO WRN AND SWRN MN...AND WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE E THROUGH THE REST OF MN TDA AND INTO WI LATER THIS AFTN INTO TNGT. THIS WILL GRADUALLY CHANGE OVER THE PRECIP FROM -RA TO -SN...AND INTENSITIES MAY EASILY AND IN A SHORT DURATION INCRS FROM LGT TO HVY...SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTING VSBY WITH LITTLE ADVANCE NOTICE. THE ONLY SITES EXPECTED TO GET AWAY UNSCATHED LOOKS TO BE KAXN-KSTC. THE REST OF THE TAF SITES ARE EXPECTED TO SEE -RA CHANGING TO -SN...WITH KEAU THE LAST. KMSP LOOKS TO BE THE MOST SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED AS KMSP IS CENTERED WITHIN THE HEAVIEST BAND OF PRECIP. AS ALL SITES CHANGE OVER TO -SN...BOTH CIGS AND VSBYS WILL BE IMPACTED...LIKELY TO IFR...BUT THE TIMING IS STILL QUESTIONABLE SO FREQUENT AMENDMENTS MAY BE NECESSARY. KMSP...CONDS TO DETERIORATE STEADILY THRU THE DAY AS MOISTURE SURGING FROM THE SW BRINGS RAIN...LGT TO MOD...TO THE FIELD THIS MRNG. AS COLDER AIR SHIFTS SE INTO THE AREA...THE PRECIP WILL CHANGE OVER TO -SN BY LATE AFTN. COULD BE AN ABRUPT CHANGEOVER AT TIMES...THE TIMING OF WHICH COULD BE QUITE TROUBLESOME TO PIN DOWN. HENCE THE INCLUSION OF SEVERAL TEMPO GROUPS THROUGH THE FIRST HALF OF THE 01/12Z TAF. PRECIP IS EXPECTED TO FULLY CHANGE OVER TO SNOW BY LATE AFTN...AND THE SNOW WILL THEN PERSIST OVERNIGHT THRU TMRW MRNG. WILL LOOK FOR A POTENTIALLY SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL ACCUMULATION OF WET SNOW...AND MAY OCCUR RAPIDLY AT TIMES WITH RATES OF 1-2 INCHES PER HOUR POSSIBLE. CONDS WILL GRADUALLY IMPROVE LATE TMRW MRNG INTO TMRW AFTN AS THE STALLED CDFNT SHIFTS AWAY. /OUTLOOK FOR KMSP/ FRI...MVFR CIGS/VSBYS POSSIBLE WITH CHC -RA/-SN. NE WINDS 10-15 KT. SAT...MVFR CIGS/VSBYS POSSIBLE WITH CHC -RA. ENE WINDS 5 KT. SUN...MVFR CIGS/VSBYS POSSIBLE WITH CHC -RA. LGT/VRBL WINDS. && .MPX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MN...WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 7 PM CDT THURSDAY FOR MNZ053-060>063-067>070-074>078-082>085-091>093. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 7 PM CDT THURSDAY FOR MNZ044-045-051-052-058-059-065-066-073. WI...WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 7 PM CDT THURSDAY FOR WIZ014>016-023>025. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 7 PM CDT THURSDAY FOR WIZ026>028. && $$ UPDATE...JPC SHORT TERM...JPC LONG TERM...MPG AVIATION...JPC
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NWS MORRISTOWN TN
947 AM EDT WED MAY 1 2013 .DISCUSSION... 12Z RAOBS FROM OHX...FFC...AND GSO SHOW AN INVERSION AROUND 750 MB...WHICH SHOULD HELP CAP CONVECTION TODAY IN MOST LOCATIONS. THE LATEST RUC SOUNDINGS SHOW THIS INVERSION WEAKENING A BIT THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS THE CUMBERLAND PLATEAU. IF ANY SHOWERS ARE ABLE TO DEVELOP...THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE THE AREA IT WOULD OCCUR WITH THE MIDLEVEL RIDGE AXIS TO OUR EAST. THE CURRENT FORECAST HAS A SLIGHT CHANCE POP IN THE NORTHERN PLATEAU...AND THIS SEEMS REASONABLE. FORECAST TEMPS LOOK A BIT COOL NORTH BASED ON THE LATEST OBS AND GUIDANCE...AND LACK OF CLOUD COVER SO FAR. TRI SHOULD BE AT LEAST AS WARM AS YESTERDAY WHEN THE HIGH REACHED 80. WILL ISSUE AN UPDATE FOR TEMPS IN THAT AREA. && .MRX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NC...NONE. TN...NONE. VA...NONE. && $$ DGS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MELBOURNE FL
348 PM EDT WED MAY 1 2013 .DISCUSSION... ...HEAVY RAIN MOVING NORTH ACROSS LAKE OKEECHOBEE AND THE TREASURE COAST REGION THIS AFTERNOON... CURRENT...LARGE SQUALL LINE EXTENDING FROM TAMPA BAY TO THE SW SHORE OF LAKE OKEECHOBEE WILL LIFT N INTO E CENTRAL FL THRU THE REMAINDER OF THE AFTN. SCT SHRAS/ISOLD TSRAS DVLPG BCMG NMRS THRU LATE AFTN. HEAVY RAIN AND FQNT CG LTG PRIMARY THREATS. NO INDICATIONS OF SVR WND/HAIL FROM WFO TAMPA OR WFO MIAMI...THOUGH STORMS OVER LAKE OKEECHOBEE HAVE PROMPTED SPECIAL MARINE WARNINGS. SCT SHRAS/ISOLD TSRAS HAVE DVLPD ALONG AND N OF THE FL TURNPIKE...EXPECT THIS ACTIVITY WILL ROB THE SQUALL LINE OF MUCH OF THE NECESSARY ENERGY TO GENERATE SVR WX...THOUGH 40-50MPH SFC GUSTS WILL BE POSSIBLE THRU EARLY EVENING. TEMPS ALOFT HAVE WARMED A TOUCH...BUT RUC ANALYSIS STILL SHOWS MUCH OF CENTRAL FL BTWN -10C AND -11C. SCT/NMRS SHRAS AND ISOLD TSRAS WILL LINGER INTO LATE EVNG WITH ACTIVITY DIMINISHING AS SFC BNDRY INTERACTIONS PLAY OUT. MOIST ONSHORE FLOW WILL ALLOW FOR A SCT COASTAL SHOWERS THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...ESPECIALLY AS ADDITIONAL RIPPLES OF H85-H50 VORTICITY OVER THE ERN AND CENTRAL GOMEX WORK THEIR WAY ACRS THE FL PENINSULA. MILD NIGHT WITH LOWS IN THE M/U60S...L70S PSBL ALONG THE IMMEDIATE TREASURE COAST. THURSDAY... ANOTHER ROUND OF RAIN IN THE WORKS FOR E CNTRL FL. SHORT WAVE TROF AXIS CENTERED OVER THE LWR MS VALLEY WILL REMAIN NEARLY STATIONARY WITH ITS ASSOCD SFC LOW SAGGING INTO THE ERN GULF. INTERACTION BTWN THE TROF AND A STRONG SFC RIDGE PARKED ALONG THE ERN SEABOARD WILL ALLOW WINDS TO FRESHEN OUT OF THE E/NE. DEEP MOISTURE POOLING WITHIN THE TROF WILL REMAIN OVER CENTRAL FL...KEEPING PWATS BTWN 1.5"-1.6". SRN BRANCH OF THE JET STREAM WILL REMAIN S OF CENTRAL FL WHERE IT WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE STRONG UPR LVL DIVERGENCE. TEMPS ALOFT WILL TAKE ANOTHER DIP AS H50 TEMPS BTWN -12C AND -14C OVER THE NW GOMEX WORK THEMSELVES INTO THE REGION. MOS GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO INDICATE POPS NEAR OR ABV 70PCT...GIVING IT GOOD RUN-TO-RUN CONSISTENCY. CAN SEE NO AREA THAT IS OVERLY FAVORED...WILL PAINT THE ENTIRE CWA WITH 70PCT. THE INCREASED LOW LEVEL FLOW WILL ENHANCE THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY RAIN. FRI-SUN...(PREVIOUS) THE NAM AND GFS SHOW THE WEAK SURFACE LOW PUSHING EAST TOWARDS THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE STATE. THIS WOULD KEEP THE AREA IN A MOIST ONSHORE WIND FLOW. THERE IS SOME UNCERTAINTY THOUGH IN THE EVOLUTION OF THIS SYSTEM AS THE 00Z ECMWF SHOWS A BROAD LOW OVER THE STATE BY THE WEEKEND. WILL FOLLOW CLOSER TO THE GFS THOUGH AS THE SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE OVER THE EASTERN SEABOARD SHOULD SUSTAIN AN ONSHORE WIND. THIS IS IN AGREEMENT WITH THE LATEST WPC PROGS. WITH BREEZY EASTERLY FLOW...THERE SHOULD BE A CONTINUED CHANCE FOR HEAVY RAIN...ESPECIALLY FRI AND MAYBE INTO SAT. WILL FOLLOW CLOSE TO MOS POPS AND HAVE INDICATED 50-60 PERCENT RAIN CHANCES FOR FRI- SAT. TAKEN AT FACE VALUE...THE GFS SOLUTION ALSO SHOWS LOW LEVEL VEERING FLOW DUE TO THE APPROACHING SURFACE LOW. THIS COULD BRING A SLIGHT RISK OF TORNADOES. BY SUN BOTH THE GFS AND ECMWF SHOW DRYING AND HAVE FOLLOWED THE PREVIOUS FORECAST TREND FOR LOWERING POPS. MON-WED...THE MEDIUM RANGE MODELS DIVERGE WITH THE GFS SHOWING A LOW PRESSURE CENTER VICINITY OF THE MID ATLANTIC COAST...WHICH PUSHES A WEAK FRONT THROUGH THE LOCAL AREA. THE ECMWF INDICATES A BROAD LOW FARTHER SOUTH AND WEAKER...WITH BASICALLY AN ONSHORE WIND FLOW DUE TO THE LARGE SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE ALONG THE EASTERN SEABOARD. THIS SOLUTION IS CLOSER TO THE WPC PROGS SO HAVE FOLLOWED CLOSE TO THAT SCENARIO FOR NOW. WILL CARRY SLIGHT CHANCE POPS MON THEN MAINTAIN THE DRYING TREND FROM THE PREVIOUS FORECAST. OF COURSE...THIS PART OF THE FORECAST COULD BE SUBJECT TO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES. && .AVIATION... THRU 02/00Z...SQLN LN EXTENDING FROM LAKE OKEECHOBEE TO TAMPA BAY WILL LIFT N/NE...NMRS MVFR SHRAS/SCT IFR TSRAS DVLPG ALL SITES BCMG WDSPRD W OF I-95...ISOLD LIFR CIGS/VSBYS IN +TSRA WITH SFC WND G35KTS PSBL. BTWN 02/02Z-02/04Z...TSRAS ENDING...CHC OF MVFR SHRAS ALL SITES CONTG THRU 02/14Z...AREAS MVFR CIGS N OF KMLB-KISM. && .MARINE... TONIGHT-THURSDAY...WINDS WILL FRESHEN OUT OF THE E/NE AS A HIGH PRES RIDGE OVER THE ERN SEABOARD INTERACTS WITH A DLVPG STORM SYSTEM OVER THE GOMEX. FRESH SWELL WILL WORK ITS WAY INTO THE LCL ATLC AS THE WINDS INCREASE...SEAS 4-5FT OVERNIGHT WILL BUILD TO 5-6FT NEARSHORE AND 6-8FT OFFSHORE...DOMINANT PDS SHORTENING TO 9-10SEC. FRI...(PREVIOUS) SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE ALONG THE EASTERN SEABOARD AND WEAK LOW PRESSURE IN THE EASTERN GULF SHOULD LEAD TO CONTINUED FRESH EASTERLY WINDS WITH MOST OF THE WATERS WILL BE AROUND 20+ KNOTS. IN ADDITION...INCREASING LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE SHOULD PRODUCE BANDS OF SHOWERS/STORMS WITH A FAIRLY HIGH COVERAGE EXPECTED. WEEKEND...THE FORECAST DEPENDS ON THE EVOLUTION OF THE SURFACE LOW THAT IS FORECAST TO BE PUSHING ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE STATE. RIGHT NOW IT LOOKS LIKE ADVISORY CONDITIONS MIGHT BE CONTINUING ON SAT WITH GRADUALLY DECREASING EAST WINDS ON SUNDAY. CONFIDENCE IS NOT HIGH THOUGH...SO MARINERS WILL NEED TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECAST TRENDS FOR THE WEEKEND. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... DAB 66 77 66 80 / 50 70 50 50 MCO 66 83 65 84 / 50 70 50 60 MLB 68 80 69 80 / 50 70 50 60 VRB 68 80 68 81 / 50 70 40 60 LEE 65 83 65 83 / 50 70 40 60 SFB 65 83 65 83 / 50 70 50 50 ORL 66 83 67 83 / 50 70 50 60 FPR 68 79 67 82 / 60 70 40 60 && .MLB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...NONE. AM...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...BRAGAW LONG TERM....PENDERGRAST RADAR...VOLKMER
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MIAMI FL
238 PM EDT WED MAY 1 2013 .SHORT TERM (TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT)... LARGE CUT-OFF MID LEVEL LOW CONTINUES TO SLOWLY DRIFT EAST ACROSS THE SOUTH CENTRAL GULF STATES. A LARGE CLUSTER OF CONVECTION DEVELOPED ON THE SOUTHERN FRINGES OF THIS LOW AND HAS MOVED EAST THROUGH EARLY THIS AFTERNOON AND AS OF 1830Z WAS MOVING ACROSS THE INTERIOR AND TOWARDS THE EAST COAST METRO AREA. ANOTHER CLUSTER OF CONVECTION IS ALSO CURRENTLY DEVELOPING OVER THE CENTRAL GULF WITH THE HRRR SHOWING THIS MOVING ACROSS SOUTH FLORIDA THIS EVENING SO HAVE INCREASED THE POPS FOR THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. AT THE SAME TIME, A DEEPENING TROUGH INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS STATES ON THURSDAY WILL CONTINUE TO DEEPEN AND CUT OFF OVER THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY WITH THE SOUTHERN CUT-OFF LOW BECOMING PHASED IN WITH THIS LOW. THIS KEEPS SOUTH FLORIDA IN RICH TROPICAL FLOW OF AIR THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK WITH HIGH CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. FORECAST SOUNDINGS THROUGH THIS PERIOD LOOK QUITE SIMILAR WITH PWAT REMAINING WELL ABOVE NORMAL FOR EARLY MAY AND A WEAK WESTERLY STEERING FLOW. GLOBAL MODELS ARE NOW MORE IN AGREEMENT WITH THE OVERALL SOLUTION DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS AND SHOW THE LOW DRIFTING TO THE SOUTHEAST BEFORE GETTING PHASED IN WITH THE UPSTREAM DEEPENING TROUGH. THIS ON THURSDAY AND POSSIBLY FRIDAY WILL DESTABILIZE THE ATMOSPHERE WITH COOLING 500 MB TEMPERATURES. THE 12Z MFL SOUNDING SHOWED A TEMPERATURE OF -10 CELSIUS AND THE GFS SHOWS COOLING TO AROUND -12 ON THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY. SO THE CONTINUED THREAT FOR STRONG STORMS WILL ALSO BE A FACTOR. OF COURSE THERE WILL ALWAYS BE SOME DAY TO DAY FLUCTUATIONS WITH WEAK DISTURBANCES MOVING THROUGH THE BASE OF THE TROUGH. .LONG TERM (SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY)... THE EXTENDED PORTION OF THE FORECAST CONTINUES TO BE HIGHLY UNCERTAIN WITH THE GFS AND ECMWF HAVING TWO DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS TO THE DEEPENING TROUGH. BOTH CUT THIS LOW OFF FROM THE NORTHERN LATITUDE FLOW AS MENTIONED ABOVE. THE GFS THEN DEVELOPS A MASSIVE CUT-OFF LOW AND THEN SLOWLY DRIFTS IT TO THE EAST THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. THIS WOULD TEND TO DRAW A DRIER AIR MASS ACROSS SOUTH FLORIDA FOR LESSER STORM ACTIVITY. HOWEVER, THE ECMWF SPLITS THE CUT-OFF LOW DRIFTING THE SOUTHERN PORTION TO THE SOUTH WHICH WOULD KEEP SOUTH FLORIDA VERY UNSTABLE. FOR NOW, WILL GO WITH THE GFS SOLUTION AS THIS MODEL HAS BEEN THE MOST CONSISTENT IN ITS FORECAST WHERE THE ECMWF HAS HAD DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS WITH EACH RUN. && .MARINE... TRANQUIL CONDITIONS OUTSIDE OF ISOLATED STRONG CONVECTION WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THURSDAY. SOME INCREASE IN A NORTHEAST SWELL IS EXPECTED LATE IN THE WEEK INTO THE WEEKEND WITH POSSIBLE SEAS BUILDING TO 7 FEET OVER THE PALM BEACH WATERS. && .FIRE WEATHER... NO PROBLEMS OR CONCERNS WITH DEEP TROPICAL MOISTURE REMAINING IN PLACE. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... WEST PALM BEACH 72 81 70 81 / 60 70 50 60 FORT LAUDERDALE 71 81 71 82 / 60 70 50 60 MIAMI 75 81 71 83 / 60 70 50 60 NAPLES 68 85 67 83 / 60 50 40 50 && .MFL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...NONE. AM...NONE. GM...NONE. && $$ DISCUSSION/MARINE/FIRE...30/KOB AVIATION/RADAR...23/SK
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MIAMI FL
204 PM EDT WED MAY 1 2013 .AVIATION... SIGNIFICANT TAF CHANGES WITH 18Z UPDATE DUE TO EVOLVING MCS THAT IS MOVING THROUGH KAPF. PRESENT MOTION PLACES THE LEADING EDGE OF COMPLEX INTO EAST COAST TERMINALS BY 20Z...SO HAVE ADDED PREVAILING TSRA FROM 1930-22Z...ALONG WITH MVFR CONDITIONS. LIKELY IFR RESTRICTIONS FOR RELATIVELY BRIEF TIMES. SIGNIFICANT WINDS ARE POSSIBLE WITH THE CONVECTIVE BAND...AND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 35 KTS ARE REALISTIC. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS COULD CONTINUE OVERNIGHT...AND WILL LIKELY REINVIGORATE DURING THE MORNING THURSDAY. VCSH WARRANTED BUT CONFIDENCE TOO LOW FOR PREVAIL PCPN ATTM. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 943 AM EDT WED MAY 1 2013/ UPDATE... MASSIVE CLOUD FIELD CURRENTLY OVER THE EASTERN GOFMEX ASSOCIATED WITH LARGE CONVECTIVE COMPLEX ROTATING BENEATH CUT-OFF LOW WHICH IS OVER THE SOUTH CENTRAL GULF STATES. THIS LINE OF CONVECTION HAS BEEN PRODUCING A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF LIGHTNING WITH NEARLY 800 STRIKES IN THE PAST 15 MINUTES. THE CONVECTIVE FIELD IS MOVING EAST BUT THE QUESTION IS IF IT WILL HOLD TOGETHER BEFORE REACHING THE LOCAL GULF WATERS AND HOW MUCH EFFECT THE DEBRIS CLOUD FIELD WILL HAVE ON DIURNAL HEATING OVER THE MAINLAND. FORECAST SOUNDINGS ALONG WITH THE 12Z MFL SOUNDING WOULD SUGGEST THE POSSIBILITY OF AT LEAST SOME STRONG STORMS ESPECIALLY ALONG THE EAST COAST WITH THE LOW LEVEL SOUTHEAST FLOW. HOWEVER, IT IS ALSO POSSIBLE THAT HEATING WILL BE HELD OFF ENOUGH TO NOT ALLOW SIGNIFICANT UPDRAFTS TO OCCUR. THE HRRR IS SHOWING SOME WEAKENING AS THE SYSTEM APPROACHES THE GULF COAST BUT WITH ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT OVER THE MAINLAND AS SOME HEATING TAKES PLACE WITH MOVEMENT TOWARDS THE EAST COAST. THE 12Z MFL SOUNDING DOES INDICATE A STORM MOTION TO THE EAST AT AROUND 5 KNOTS. ALL OF THIS SAID, CURRENT THINKING IS TO ADD MENTION OF POSSIBLE STRONG STORMS FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND EXTEND HIGHER POPS BACK TO THE WEST COAST TO ACCOUNT FOR THE APPROACHING CONVECTION. KOB PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 807 AM EDT WED MAY 1 2013/ AVIATION... TODAY WILL LIKELY BE A REPLAY OF THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS, ONCE AGAIN. EXPECT SOME CONVECTIVE SHOWER ACTIVITY IN THE MORNING, THEN THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP IN THE LATE MORNING TO EARLY AFTERNOON. THESE CAN LEAD TO MVFR AND IFR CONDITIONS AT TIMES. HAVE ADDED PROB30 GROUPS TO ALL EAST COAST TAF SITES FOR THE AFTERNOON HOURS. THIS TIME THERE IS A BETTER CHANCE TSTMS COULD LINGER INTO THE EVENING HOURS SO LEFT VCTS IN THE FORECAST FOR THE EVENING HOURS ALSO. WINDS WILL BE LIGHT AND VARIABLE THIS MORNING AND PICK UP OUT OF THE SOUTHEAST MID TO LATE MORNING AROUND 10 KTS WITH A CHANCE OF A SOUTHWEST SEA BREEZE OF 5 T0 10 KNOTS AT APF IN THE MID TO LATE AFTERNOON FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 416 AM EDT WED MAY 1 2013/ WET WEATHER CONTINUES OVER SOUTH FLORIDA THROUGH EARLY THIS WEEKEND... SOME STRONG STORMS POSSIBLE TODAY AND AGAIN THURSDAY OVER SOUTH FLORIDA... SHORT TERM... LOW PRESSURE OVER THE WESTERN ATLANTIC WATERS WILL MOVE EAST TODAY AS A MID TO UPPER LEVEL LOW OVER THE SOUTHERN GULF COAST STATES MOVES SOUTHEAST INTO THE NORTHERN GULF OF MEXICO. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE OVER CENTRAL FLORIDA TO MOVE SOUTH INTO THE LAKE OKEECHOBEE REGION TODAY KEEPING THE STEERING FLOW IN A SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST DIRECTION OVER SOUTH FLORIDA. SO THE DEEP TROPICAL MOISTURE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK INTO THE AREA FROM THE SOUTH ALLOWING FOR SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. THE STORMS WILL ALSO BE SLOW MOVERS TODAY LEADING TO HEAVY RAINFALL OVER SOUTH FLORIDA. SO WILL CONTINUE TO MENTION THE HEAVY RAINFALL IN THE ZONES FOR TODAY OVER SOUTH FLORIDA. THE TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE WILL REMAIN NEARLY STATIONARY TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY...AS THE MID TO UPPER LEVEL LOW MOVES SLOWLY SOUTHEAST INTO THE EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO. A SURFACE LOW WILL ALSO DEVELOP IN THE EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO ON THURSDAY WHICH WILL HELP KEEP THE SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST STEERING FLOW OVER SOUTH FLORIDA ALONG WITH THE DEEP TROPICAL MOISTURE. SO WILL CONTINUE THE SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTH FLORIDA FOR THURSDAY ALONG WITH THE HEAVY RAINFALL WORDING. THE 500 MB TEMPS WILL ALSO COOL OFF A BIT FROM AROUND -10C THIS MORNING TO -12C TO -13C ON THURSDAY. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR SOME STRONG STORMS OVER SOUTH FLORIDA TODAY...AND STRONG TO EVEN SEVERE STORMS (WITH POTENTIAL FOR MORE THAN THE ORDINARY DEPENDING HOW MUCH SURFACE HEATING WE END UP GETTING) ON THURSDAY OVER SOUTH FLORIDA. ALTHOUGH THE PRIMARY THREAT FROM THE STORMS WILL CONTINUE TO BE FLOODING POTENTIAL...SECONDARY THREATS FROM THE STORMS WILL BE GUSTY WINDS...HAIL...AND FREQUENT LIGHTING STRIKES. THE LOW OVER THE EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO WILL SLOWLY MOVE EAST ON FRIDAY TOWARDS SOUTH FLORIDA...AS THE TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE REMAINS OVER SOUTH FLORIDA. THIS WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP THE DEEP TROPICAL MOISTURE IN PLACE OVER SOUTH FLORIDA ON FRIDAY. SO WILL CONTINUE THE SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS POPS OVER THE AREA FOR FRIDAY ALONG WITH THE HEAVY RAINFALL WORDING. LONG TERM... THE LOW WILL MOVE EAST OVER SOUTH FLORIDA ON SATURDAY BEFORE MOVING INTO THE WESTERN ATLANTIC WATERS ON SUNDAY. THIS WILL KEEP THE AREA IN THE DEEP TROPICAL MOISTURE ON SATURDAY...BEFORE ALLOWING FOR SOME DRIER AIR TO WORK INTO THE AREA FROM THE WEST ON SUNDAY. THEREFORE...THE POPS ON SATURDAY WILL BE IN THE SCATTERED RANGE OVER SOUTH FLORIDA WHILE ON SUNDAY THE POPS WILL BE IN SLIGHT CHANCE TO LOW END CHANCE. FOR EARLY NEXT WEEK...THE DRIER WEATHER WILL CONTINUE TO WORK INTO THE AREA FROM THE NORTH AND WEST. SO THE WEATHER SHOULD BE DRY OVER SOUTH FLORIDA FOR EARLY NEXT WEEK...AND WILL REMOVE THE SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM WORDING OVER SOUTH FLORIDA FOR EARLY NEXT WEEK. HOWEVER...THERE REMAINS QUITE A BIT OF UNCERTAINTY AMONG THE MODELS AND THIS OUTLOOK COULD CHANGE WITH THE WET PERIOD EITHER ENDING EARLIER THAN SUNDAY OR LATER THAN ANTICIPATED INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. MARINE... THE WINDS OVER SOUTH FLORIDA TODAY INTO THURSDAY WILL BE FROM THE EAST TO SOUTHEAST AT 10 KNOTS OR LESS...BEFORE INCREASING TO BREEZY CONDITIONS BY EARLY THIS WEEKEND FROM THE SOUTHERLY DIRECTION. AT THE SAME TIME...A NORTHEAST SWELL OF 2 TO 3 FEET WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO AFFECT THE PALM BEACH WATERS OF SOUTH FLORIDA. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR THE SEAS TO REMAIN BELOW 6 FEET IN THE ATLANTIC WATERS TODAY INTO THURSDAY...BEFORE INCREASING TO 7 FEET BY FRIDAY IN THE PALM BEACH WATERS. FOR THE GULF SIDE...THE SEAS WILL REMAIN BELOW 6 FEET TODAY INTO EARLY THIS WEEKEND. FIRE WEATHER... THE RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL REMAIN ABOVE THE 35 PERCENT CRITICAL VALUE EACH DAY OVER SOUTH FLORIDA THROUGH END OF THIS WEEK...DUE TO THE TROPICAL MOISTURE REMAINING OVER THE AREA. SO NO PROBLEMS ARE EXPECTED WITH THE FIRE WEATHER OVER SOUTH FLORIDA. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... WEST PALM BEACH 70 82 70 82 / 50 70 50 60 FORT LAUDERDALE 71 82 71 83 / 50 70 50 60 MIAMI 71 83 71 84 / 50 70 50 60 NAPLES 68 85 68 85 / 50 50 40 50 && .MFL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...NONE. AM...NONE. GM...NONE. && $$ DISCUSSION/MARINE/FIRE...30/KOB AVIATION/RADAR...23/SK
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NWS TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
149 PM CDT WED MAY 1 2013 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 441 AM CDT WED MAY 1 2013 NOT THE TYPICAL MAY FORECAST. CDFNT HAS SETTLED OVER SE WI AND STRETCHES SWWD INTO CENTRAL AND SRN IA...AND WILL REMAIN QUASI- STNRY OVER THESE AREAS THRU THE NEXT 24 HRS. SIGNIFICANT CAA IS IN PROGRESS AS EVIDENCED BY TEMPS IN THE LOW 30S IN NRN AND WRN MN WHILE THE ERN AND SRN MN INTO WRN WI IS IN THE 40S AND 50S. A POTENT UPR LEVEL TROF WILL STALL OUT OVER THE NRN PLAINS AND UPR MISS RIVER VALLEY...DIGGING FURTHER S AND SLIGHTLY PIVOTING TO ENHANCE LIFT AND ALSO ALLOW A PROLONGED STREAM OF SRN MOISTURE TO ADVECT WELL N INTO THIS REGION...DEEPENING THE MOISTURE COLUMN. PWATS SURGE TO WELL OVER AN INCH THRU TNGT. IN ADDITION...MOST RAIN/SNOW LAYER THRESHOLDS BECOME MUCH SHORTER PER BUFKIT PROFILES BY LATE AFTN...INDICATING THAT THE PRECIP FALLING WILL TAKE THE FORM OF SNOW RATHER THAN RAIN...HIGHLY UNUSUAL FOR THE MONTH OF MAY. IN FACT...LOCAL HOPWRF GUIDANCE SHOWS SEVERAL SWATHS OF 1-3 IN/HR SNOW BANDS INTO CENTRAL-ERN MN BY MIDDAY WHICH MAKES SENSE GIVEN THAT SPC SREF AND RAP GUIDANCE INDICATES VERY STRONG H7 FGEN. THE MAIN CONCERN IS THAT DEWPOINTS ARE STILL IN THE LOWER 20S WHERE TEMPS HAVE DROPPED TO THE FREEZING MARK. SHOULD WETBULBING EFFECTS OCCUR...DROPPING THE TEMP FASTER THAN ADVERTISED AND KEEPING IT THERE...ACCUMULATIONS COULD OCCUR QUICKER AND EARLIER THAN ADVERTISED DESPITE THE WARM ROAD SFC TEMPS OF THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS. COULD SEE 1-3 INCHES OF SOLID ACCUMULATION THIS AFTN ONCE THE RAIN CHANGES OVER TO SNOW AND INTENSITY IS MOD-HVY. WILL STILL LOOK FOR TEMPS TO FALL THRU THE DAY TDA AND TNGT AS THE UPR TROF CONTINUES TO DIG OVER THE DAKOTAS AND SFC WINDS SHIFT TO NW-N. GOING INTO TNGT...AT LEAST ONE HVY BAND OF SNOW IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP FROM NRN IA INTO SRN AND SE MN...WITH STRONG FGEN OVER THIS SAME AREA LASTING THROUGH DAYBREAK ON THU. BUFKIT SOUNDINGS STILL SHOW SOLID SUBFREEZING SOUNDINGS WITH MOD-HVY SNOW ALONG A MANKATO-MINNEAPOLIS-BARRON LINE WHERE 6-9 INCHES OF ACCUMULATION IS CERTAINLY WITHIN REASON IN THIS FORECAST. GOING FURTHER E AND W...ACCUMULATIONS DROP OFF IN A RATHER TIGHT GRADIENT...SUCH THAT NWRN PORTIONS OF THE MPX CWFA MAY NOT EVEN SEE 1 INCH. THAT SAID...WPC GUIDANCE STILL PINS A 8-10 INCH SWATH OF SNOWFALL OVER S-CENTRAL MN INTO E-CENTRAL MN AND W-CENTRAL WI...AND WITH QPF NEARING AN INCH...EVEN SNOWFALL RATIOS IN THE 4 OR 5 TO 1 AREA PRODUCE A STORM TOTAL OF 4-7 INCHES THRU TNGT WITH SLIGHT ADDITIONS FOR THU. NORMALLY THE WARMER GROUND WOULD BE ABLE TO MELT THE SNOW AS IT FALLS...AND THE WET NATURE OF THE SNOW WOULD ALSO HINDER ACCUMULATIONS. HOWEVER... THE STRONG FGEN WITH HIGH SNOWFALL RATES FOR SEEM TO COMBAT THAT THINKING IN THIS CASE...LEANING MORE TWD AGREEMENT WITH THE WPC OUTPUT. .LONG TERM...(THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 441 AM CDT WED MAY 1 2013 MODEL AGREEMENT THIS PERIOD REMAINS HIGH THROUGH FRIDAY...BUT QUICKLY DISAPPEARS FROM FRIDAY NIGHT ONWARDS WITH HOW EACH MODEL HANDLES THE PROGRESSION OF WHAT WILL BE A CUT OFF LOW THAT SETS UP NEAR KANSAS CITY BY SATURDAY MORNING. ABOUT THE ONLY THING THERE IS AGREEMENT ON BEYOND FRIDAY IS THAT HEIGHTS WILL SLOWLY MODIFY FROM THE WEEKEND INTO NEXT WEEK...WHICH WILL ALLOW HIGHS TO WORK BACK CLOSER TO EARLY MAY NORMALS. FOR THURSDAY...FGEN INDUCED BAND OF HEAVY PRECIPITATION WILL SLOWLY MOVE INTO WRN WI THU MORNING...AND LOOKS TO SPEND MOST OF THE DAY CONFINED TO AREAS EAST OF AN ALBERT LEA TO RUSH CITY LINE. GIVEN EXPECTED PERSISTENT PRECIPITATION AND CLOUD COVER...NUDGED HIGHS DOWN INTO THE MID 30S FOR THURSDAY ACROSS ERN AREAS...WHICH IS ABOUT 30 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL. OF COURSE THE OTHER IMPACT OF THE COOLER TEMPS FOR THURSDAY IS THIS MAY ALLOW SNOW TO BE THE PREDOMINATE P-TYPE FROM WED NIGHT RIGHT THROUGH THE DAY ON THURSDAY. THE ONLY THING THAT HAS REALLY CHANGED IS A WESTWARD SHIFT IN THE WARM NOSE BETWEEN H8 AND H7. THE GFS IN PARTICULAR BRINGS THIS OUT TO ABOUT AN EAU CLAIRE TO LADYSMITH LINE...WITH A PRETTY SHARP GRADIENT IN POTENTIAL SNOW TOTALS RESULTING ACROSS THE ERN CWA...WITH VERY LITTLE ACCUMS AT AUGUSTA...WHILE A MENOMONIE WOULD HAVE THE POTENTIAL FOR AROUND 8 INCHES. GIVEN THE COOLER TEMPERATURES FOR THURSDAY AND THE POTENTIAL FOR CONTINUED SNOW ACCUMS THROUGH THE DAY...WE DECIDED TO CARRY WINTER HEADLINES THROUGH 00Z /7 PM THU/. AS WITH THE SHORT TERM...SNOW TOTALS ARE TRICKY HERE AS GIVEN THE RATHER HIGH QPF NUMBERS...EVEN POTENTIALLY UNREALISTIC SNOW RATIOS OF 4-6:1 STILL YIELD SNOWFALL AMOUNTS THAT ARE OFF INTO UNCHARTED TERRITORY FOR MAY SNOWFALLS IN THIS AREA. CURRENT GRIDS HAVE ABOUT A 100 MILE WIDE SWATH OF 6-9 INCHES OF SNOW THAT IS CENTERED ALONG A BLUE EARTH /CITY/...TO HASTINGS...TO CUMBERLAND...WI LINE. THOUGH CERTAINLY THE WARM SOILS/PAVEMENT TEMPS FROM THE RECENT WARM SPELL WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO LIMIT ACCUMULATIONS... EXPECTED SNOWFALL RATES FROM TONIGHT INTO AT LEAST THURSDAY MORNING IN THE 1-2 INCH PLUS RANGE WILL BE MORE THAN ENOUGH TO ACCUMULATE ON ANY SURFACE WHILE THOSE TYPES OF RATES ARE BEING OBSERVED. THERE IS CERTAINLY POTENTIAL FOR SNOWFALL AMOUNTS TO GO EITHER WAY /HIGHER OR LOWER/ WITH THIS SYSTEM...BUT IF THE CURRENT FORECAST DOES PAN OUT...THIS STORM WILL CERTAINLY BE RE- WRITING THE RECORD BOOKS FOR MAY SNOWFALL ACROSS SOUTHERN MN AND WRN WI. FOR THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY...THE FOCUS FOR THE HEAVY PRECIPITATION SHIFTS EAST FROM ERN IA INTO CENTRAL WI AS LLJ SLOWLY SHIFTS EAST. AS RESULT...HAVE CUT BACK ON POPS IN THIS PERIOD... ESPECIALLY ACROSS MN...WITH MUCH OF THE AREA LIKELY SEEING A BIT OF A REPRIEVE FROM THE PRECIPITATION. IN ADDITION...WRN MN WILL LIKELY SEE SOME FILTERED SUNSHINE...WHICH WILL ALLOW WRN AREAS TO WARM BACK TOWARD THE 50S. FOR FRIDAY NIGHT...MODEL DISAGREEMENTS START TO INCREASE DRAMATICALLY WITH HANDLING OF A SURGE OF WAA ADVECTIVE PRECIP THAT WILL BE COMING IN FROM THE SE AS A STRONG VORT MAX ROTATES AROUND THE MAIN UPPER LOW OVER NRN MO /OFF THE NAM ANYWAYS/. THE NAM IS THE MIDDLE MEMBER WITH THIS FEATURE...BRINGING ANOTHER SHIELD OF HEAVY PRECIPITATION ACROSS THE MPX CWA FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY MORNING. THE GFS HAS A SIMILAR FEATURE...BUT KEEPS THE BRUNT OF THE PRECIPITATION DOWN ACROSS IA. THE ECMWF HAS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT IDEA WITH HOW THIS UPPER LOW WILL EVOLVE. WHERE THE GFS ON SAT HAS THE UPPER LOW OVER NRN ARK...THE NAM OVER NRN MO...THE 01.00 ECMWF HAS THE SAME...MUCH SHALLOWER LOW UP NEAR THE MN/DAKOTAS BORDER! GIVEN THE DISAGREEMENTS...HELD POPS TO NO HIGHER THAN LIKELY ON SATURDAY AS IT COULD RANGE FROM ANYWHERE BETWEEN A WASHOUT TO JUST COOL AND CLOUDY. AT THE VERY LEAST...AT LEAST THIS POTENTIAL WAVE OF PRECIPITATION LOOKS TO BE WARM ENOUGH TO KEEP EVERYTHING LIQUID. GOING INTO NEXT WORK WEEK...BOTH THE GFS AND THE ECMWF SHOW ANOTHER OMEGA BLOCK DEVELOPING...ONLY THIS TIME ACROSS THE WRN US. THE ECMWF IS THE FARTHEST WEST WITH THIS FEATURE...WHICH ALLOWS IT TO SEND ANOTHER STRONG SHORTWAVE AND COLD FRONT THROUGH THE MPX AREA MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY. THE GFS HAS THE BLOCK FARTHER EAST AND WOULD KEEP THE REGION DRY. AT THIS POINT...KEPT THE MAINLY CHANCE POPS THAT WERE IN PLACE DURING THIS TIME FRAME. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 119 PM CDT WED MAY 1 2013 PESKY BAND OF RAIN AND SNOW STILL EXTENDS FROM JUST WEST OF RNH TO MSP AND SOUTHEAST OF RWF. THINK A DIMINISHING TREND WILL CONTINUE DURING THE AFTERNOON BEFORE THE NEXT ROUND BEGINS TO PUSH IN FROM THE SOUTHWEST. THE NEXT ROUND THIS EVENING WILL BE MAINLY SNOW...EXCEPT TOWARD EAU WHERE IT WILL REMAIN A MIX INTO THE OVERNIGHT. COULD SEE BANDS OF HEAVY SNOW FROM MKT TO MSP AND NORTHEAST AROUND MIDNIGHT...BEFORE THE PRECIP BEGINS TO INCH EASTWARD INTO THURSDAY MORNING. RWF/STC/AXN SHOULD MISS OUT ON PRECIPITATION FOR THE REST OF THE PERIOD WITH VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED. KMSP...MAIN FORECAST CONCERN IS HOW MUCH SNOW STICKS TO PAVEMENT TONIGHT. LOOKING AT A PERIOD OF HEAVY SNOW POTENTIALLY LATE THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT WHILE TEMPERATURES HOVER NEAR FREEZING. THIS COULD BE SUFFICIENT TO GET ACCUMULATING SNOW. /OUTLOOK FOR KMSP/ FRI...MVFR CIGS/VSBYS POSSIBLE WITH CHC -RA/-SN. NE WINDS 10-15 KT. SAT...MVFR CIGS/VSBYS POSSIBLE WITH CHC -RA. ENE WINDS 5 KT. SUN...MVFR CIGS/VSBYS POSSIBLE WITH CHC -RA. LGT/VRBL WINDS. && .MPX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MN...WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 7 PM CDT THURSDAY FOR MNZ053-060>063- 067>070-074>078-082>085-091>093. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM CDT THURSDAY FOR MNZ044-045- 051-052-058-059-065-066-073. WI...WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 7 PM CDT THURSDAY FOR WIZ014>016- 023>025. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM CDT THURSDAY FOR WIZ026>028. && $$ SHORT TERM...JPC LONG TERM...MPG AVIATION...BORGHOFF
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS DULUTH MN
1227 PM CDT WED MAY 1 2013 .AVIATION.../18Z TAF ISSUANCE/ A STORM SYSTEM WILL BRING WINTRY WEATHER LATER TODAY AND INTO TOMORROW MORNING FOR NW WISCONSIN AND SOME PARTS OF FAR EASTERN MINNESOTA...INCLUDING KDLH. RAIN ACROSS NW WISCONSIN THIS AFTERNOON WILL TRANSITION TO SNOW BY THIS EVENING AND THEN CONTINUE THROUGH TOMORROW MORNING. MOST OF THE PRECIPITATION WILL BE CONFINED TO NW WISCONSIN...BUT SOME LIGHT SNOW MAY MOVE INTO THE KDLH AREA. EXPECT A PROLONGED PERIOD OF LIFR/IFR CONDITIONS AT KHYR DUE TO THE LOW CIGS AND REDUCED VSBY FROM THE SNOW. I THINK KDLH WILL NOT BE QUITE AS AFFECTED...BUT THERE SHOULD BE PERIODS OF MVFR CIGS AND/OR VSBYS. THE REST OF NE MINNESOTA SHOULD BE UNAFFECTED BY THE STORM SYSTEM. THERE WILL BE PERIODS OF MVFR CIGS AT KHIB AND KDLH DUE TO LINGERING LOW CIGS IN THE NW WINDS. I AM NOT CONFIDENT ENOUGH THAT THESE CLOUDS WILL CONTINUE BEYOND THIS AFTERNOON TO MAINTAIN THE MVFR THROUGH THIS EVENING...BUT THE LOW CIGS COULD CONTINUE OVERNIGHT. THE WNW WINDS AROUND 10 KNOTS WILL BECOME NNW TONIGHT. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 1055 AM CDT WED MAY 1 2013/ UPDATE... A NARROW BAND OF RAIN AND SNOW EXTENDED NORTHEAST ACROSS SOUTHERN PINE COUNTY ACROSS BURNETT...WASHBURN...DOUGLAS AND BAYFIELD COUNTIES. KRZN HAS RECENTLY WENT TO SNOW...AND A SPOTTER IN HERBSTER WAS ALSO REPORTING SNOW. THE RAP WAS SHOWING LOWER WETBULB ZERO VALUES THIS MORNING...BUT HAD THEM INCREASING AGAIN THIS AFTERNOON. WE THINK THE RAP MAY BE OVERDOING THE INCREASE THIS AFTERNOON SOME AS THEY RAISE SURFACE TEMPS BACK INTO THE FORTIES WHICH LOOKS UNLIKELY. SNOWFALL TODAY SHOULD BE LIMITED TO LESS THAN AN INCH. THE LATEST NAM STILL SHOWS IMPRESSIVE FGEN TONIGHT...AND WE EXPECT HEAVY SNOW TO DEVELOP. THE CURRENT HEADLINES BASED ON THE NAM STILL LOOK GOOD ACROSS WISCONSIN...BUT IT`S LOOKING MORE LIKELY WE`LL NEED TO UPGRADE IRON COUNTY TO A WARNING. PRICE IS STILL QUESTIONABLE...BUT THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE COUNTY SHOULD RECEIVE SOME HEAVY SNOW SO WE MAY HAVE TO UPGRADE THEM AS WELL. WE`LL LOOK OVER THE LATEST MODELS AND WAIT UNTIL THE AFTERNOON BEFORE MAKING ANY CHANGES. WE ALSO MAY HAVE TO INCREASE SNOW TOTALS ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST WISCONSIN GIVEN THE LATEST NAM. WE`LL WAIT FOR THE GFS/ECMWF BEFORE FINALIZING SNOW TOTALS THIS AFTERNOON. WE WOULDN`T BE SURPRISED IF SOME THUNDERSNOW DEVELOPS OVERNIGHT...AS CROSS SECTIONS SHOW IMPRESSIVE FGEN WITH SOME NEGATIVE EPV AND EVEN LOW CAPE FEEDING INTO NORTHWEST WISCONSIN. CONVECTIVE SNOWFALL CAN PRODUCE HEAVY SNOW RATES...WITH 2 TO 3 INCHES PER HOUR POSSIBLE. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 430 AM CDT WED MAY 1 2013/ SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY. THINGS ARE COMING TOGETHER FOR A FAIRLY MAJOR EARLY MAY SNOW STORM ACROSS THE NORTHLAND. THE MODELS CONTINUE TO INDICATE THE POTENTIAL FOR VERY HEAVY SNOW ACCUMULATION TONIGHT AND THURSDAY ACROSS NORTHWESTERN WISCONSIN. THE MODELS DIFFER TO SOME EXTENT ON THE SNOW POTENTIAL ON THE MINNESOTA SIDE...AND ALSO IN THE HURLEY AND PARK FALLS AREAS. HAVE UPGRADED THE WATCH FOR MOST OF NORTHWESTERN WISCONSIN TO A WARNING...BUT WILL KEEP IRON AND PRICE COUNTIES IN A WATCH FOR NOW. ON THE MINNESOTA SIDE...HAVE ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW FROM PINE COUNTY...TOWARD DULUTH AND INTO THE ARROWHEAD. THE MAJORITY OF THE MODEL SOLUTIONS PAINT ANYWHERE FROM 6 TO 12 INCHES OF TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATION ACROSS MUCH OF NORTHWESTERN WISCONSIN. THE SREF PLUMES SHOW A WIDE SPREAD OF POSSIBLE TOTAL SNOWFALL...WITH AMOUNTS RANGING FROM LESS THAN AN INCH TO AS MUCH AS 19 INCHES. THE MAJORITY OF THE VALUES LIE SOMEWHERE NEAR THE MEAN...WHICH IS AROUND 11 INCHES AT KHYR. THE MEAN AT SIREN WI IS CLOSE TO 8 INCHES...WITH A LITTLE OVER 10 INCHES AT ASHLAND. FURTHER WEST...THERE IS A LOT MORE QUESTION ACROSS THE MN SIDE. THE MEAN FROM THE PLUMES FOR DULUTH IS BETWEEN 3 AND 4 INCHES BUT WITH A HUGE MODEL SPREAD. WE ARE FAIRLY CONFIDENT THAT A BAND OF VERY HEAVY SNOW WILL SET UP ACROSS MUCH OF NW WI...BUT AMOUNTS FURTHER WEST ARE STILL TRICKY DUE TO THE SHARP GRADIENT IN SNOWFALL EXPECTED. FOR EXAMPLE...THE NAM AND THE GFS BRING VERY LITTLE SNOW ACCUMULATION TO DULUTH...WHILE THE ECMWF BRINGS A GOOD 4 TO 6 INCHES. FOR TODAY...WILL START WITH LIGHT RAIN ACROSS THE REGION...AS IT SPREADS QUICKLY IN FROM THE SOUTHWEST. TEMPS WILL START OUT IN THE 30S NORTHWEST AND 50S SOUTHEAST. TEMPS WILL BEGIN TO FALL DURING THE DAY...RESULTING IN A MIXING WITH SNOW. THE PRECIPITATION SHOULD LARGELY BECOME ALL SNOW TONIGHT...WITH SNOWFALL RATES OF MORE THAN AN INCH AN HOUR AT TIMES...ESPECIALLY IN THE WARNING AREA. THE SNOW WILL THEN BEGIN TO MIX WITH RAIN AS IT DIMINISHES BY THURSDAY AFTERNOON. IN ALL WE THINK 6 TO 12 IN NW WI...AND 2 TO 4 OR 3 TO 6 IN ADJACENT AREAS OF NE MN. LONG TERM...THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY... QUITE A BIT OF UNCERTAINTY THROUGHOUT THE LONG TERM PERIODS.. BEGINNING WITH HANDLING OF UPPER LOW THAT WILL DEVELOP OVER THE CENTRAL U.S. OVER THE NEXT 36 HOURS. THERE IS STILL FAIRLY WIDE RANGING DIVERGENCE IN THE MODEL GUIDANCE..WITH SEVERAL RUNS TAKING THE LOW MORE EAST INTO THE OHIO VALLEY/LOWER GRT LAKES..WITH THE ECMWF STILL BEING THE LONE MODEL OUT IN LIFTING THE LOW NWD ACROSS MN FRIDAY-SATURDAY. IF THE ECM SOLUTION COMES TO BEAR..WE WILL LIKELY HAVE A LONGER DURATION RAIN/SNOW EVENT OVER MUCH OF THE CWA TO DEAL WITH EVEN AFTER THE HEAVY SNOWS OVER NW WISCONSIN IN THE IMMEDIATE SHORT TERM. SIMILAR STORY FOR HANDLING OF THE FLOW PATTERN AND FORCING FOR THE SUNDAY-TUESDAY TIME FRAME..WITH EVEN MORE SPREAD IN THE VARIOUS DETERMINISTIC AND ENSEMBLE SOLUTIONS. SOME HAVE A VERY BLOCKED/CUT OFF PATTERN, WHILE OTHERS TRANSITION TO A MORE WNW PROGRESSIVE NRN STREAM PATTERN BY TUESDAY. NEEDLESS TO SAY..CONFIDENCE IN ANY DETAILS WHATSOEVER IS VERY LOW RIGHT NOW FOR THE ENTIRE DAY 2-7 TIME PERIOD. GIVEN THIS..WE HAVE OPTED TO KEEP A MENTION OF AT LEAST SOME CHANCES FOR PRECIP IN MOST PERIODS..ALONG WITH TEMPS AT OR SLIGHTLY BELOW SEASONAL NORMS. HYDROLOGY... RIVERS LEVELS CONTINUE TO RISE..ALTHOUGH AT A SLOWER RATE THAN THE PAST FEW DAYS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PARTS OF THE CWA AS MOST SNOW HAS MELTED AND IN MOVING WITHIN THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM. FLOOD WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AT AITKIN AND FORT RIPLEY AND ALONG THE ST. LOUIS RIVER AT SCANLON FOR MINOR FLOODING. THERE ARE ALSO AREAL FLOOD ADVISORIES ACROSS PARTS OF THE NORTHLAND DUE TO SOME REPORTS OF FLOODING...INCLUDING ALONG AND OVER SOME ROADWAYS. OF PARTICULAR CONCERN THE NEXT 48-60 HOURS IS VERY RAPID MELT/RUNOFF AND AREAL/RIVER FLOODING ACROSS THE GOGEBIC RANGE AREA OF NORTHWEST WISCONSIN. THE BAD RIVER CONTINUES TO RISE AS WELL...AND WE MAY BE UPGRADING TO WARNING THERE AS WELL BUT ARE WAITING FOR SOME MORE INFORMATION BEFORE DOING SO. PRECIPITATION WILL OVERSPREAD NW WISCONSIN AND FAR EASTERN MINNESOTA TODAY...AND IT WILL LIKELY CONTINUE THROUGH AT LEAST THURSDAY.. INITIALLY IN THE FORM OF RAIN..BUT TRANSITIONING TO SNOW LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. MUCH OF NORTHWEST WISCONSIN WILL LIKELY GET AT LEAST A HALF INCH OF QPF THROUGH THURSDAY...WITH SOME INDICATIONS OF OVER AN INCH. ALTHOUGH HEAVY WET SNOW IS EXPECTED TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY...THIS PRECIPITATION WILL EVENTUALLY IMPACT THE RIVER AND STREAMS. THE PRECIPITATION IS NOT EXPECTED TO HAVE LARGE IMPACTS IMMEDIATELY TO FLOODING CONCERNS...BUT IT WILL LIKELY RESULT IN ADDITIONAL RISES ALONG SOME STREAMS AND RIVERS LATER THIS WEEK INTO THE WEEKEND. && .POINT TEMPS/POPS... DLH 31 43 32 39 / 70 70 20 40 INL 27 43 28 48 / 10 10 10 20 BRD 28 46 32 48 / 10 10 10 30 HYR 31 37 30 39 / 100 100 50 60 ASX 30 35 30 36 / 100 100 50 60 && .DLH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MN...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 PM CDT THURSDAY FOR MNZ012-020-021-037-038. WI...WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 PM CDT THURSDAY FOR WIZ001>003-006>008. WINTER STORM WATCH FROM 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING FOR WIZ004-009. LS...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...MELDE AVIATION...GROCHOCINSKI
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS RALEIGH NC
312 PM EDT WED MAY 1 2013 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE WILL EXTEND DOWN THE EAST COAST THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE WORK WEEK. LOW LEVEL NE FLOW WILL MAINTAIN A MOIST AIR MASS THROUGH EARLY THURSDAY...AFTERWHICH DRIER AIR WILL OVERSPREAD THE REGION. && .NEAR TERM /TONIGHT/... AS OF 312 PM WEDNESDAY... TONIGHT...925-850MB FLOW VEERS THIS EVENING TO MORE OF A E-SE DIRECTION. THIS UPSLOPE COMPONENT AND FETCH OFF THE ATLANTIC WILL MAINTAIN LOW OVERCAST SKIES. ISENTROPIC LIFT IN THE 290-295K LAYER SHOULD RESULT IN AREAS OF DRIZZLE AND POSSIBLY SOME POCKETS OF LIGHT RAIN. GFS DEPICTS A DECENT POCKET OF LIFT OVER THE WESTERN PIEDMONT LATE TONIGHT WHICH WOULD SUPPORT A GREATER CHANCE OF RAIN OVERNIGHT. HRRR VERIFYING RELATIVELY WELL WITH ISOLATED/SCATTERED SHOWERS ALONG IMMEDIATE COAST AND SPOTS OF LIGHT PRECIP INLAND. THIS MODEL SUGGEST BULK OF VERY LIGHT PRECIP DEVELOPING OVER THE PIEDMONT BY 02-05Z. PLAN TO MAINTAIN MEASURABLE POPS AT 20 PERCENT THOUGH EXPECT AREAS OF DRIZZLE TO DEVELOP BY LATE EVENING AND CONTINUE INTO THE OVERNIGHT. MIN TEMPS MID-UPPER 50S. ANY FOG THAT DEVELOPS WILL BE SPOTTY AS STEADY NE SFC WIND WILL KEEP AIR MASS MIXED. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 312 PM WEDNESDAY... THURSDAY...CONSIDERABLE CLOUDINESS IN THE MORNING WILL GRADUALLY BECOME MOSTLY SUNNY/PARTLY CLOUDY ACROSS THE REGION AS AS LOW LEVEL HIGH PRESSURE DRIFTS SOUTHWEST INTO THE NORTHERN MID ATLANTIC. THE CLOSER PROXIMITY OF THIS FEATURE TO OUR REGION PLUS ADVECTION OF DRIER AIR WILL AID TO SLOWLY ERODE THE CLOUD COVER FROM THE EAST LATE THU AM THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. THE WESTERN-SOUTHERN PIEDMONT WILL BE THE LAST TO EXPERIENCE PARTIAL CLEARING. BASED ON THIS SKY TREND...EXPECT WARMER TEMPS EAST VERSUS WEST. MAX TEMPS LOWER 70S FAR SOUTH-SE TO UPPER 60S W-NW. THURSDAY NIGHT..RIDGE AT THE SURFACE AND ALOFT WILL RESULT IN FAIR SKIES. RESIDUAL LOW LEVEL MOISTURE SHOULD ALLOW PATCHES OF FOG TO DEVELOP. IF SFC WINDS ABLE TO DECOUPLE...MAY SEE WIDESPREAD FOG WITH POCKETS OF DENSE FOG. COOLER OVERNIGHT TEMPS IN THE UPPER 40S TO THE LOWER 50S. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... AS OF 250 PM WEDNESDAY... FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY: MEDIUM RANGE MODELS CONTINUE TO INDICATE AN AMPLIFIED PATTERN FOR THE START OF THE PERIOD (LATE WEEK INTO THE WEEKEND)... WITH HIGH PRESSURE ALOFT CENTERED JUST TO THE NORTH OF THE AREA AND SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE LOCATED TO THE NORTHEAST OF THE REGION WITH CLOSED LOWS FLANKING THE RIDGE ALOFT TO THE WEST AND EAST (ACROSS THE CENTRAL CONUS AND WESTERN ATLANTIC). THIS WILL KEEP CENTRAL NC IN THE CURRENT PATTERN OF A COOL EAST TO NORTHEASTERLY LOW LEVEL FLOW... WITH PERIODS OF LOW CLOUDS AND POSSIBLE DRIZZLE. HOWEVER... THINK WE WILL SEE AT LEAST SOME BREAKS IN THE CLOUDS OVER THE WEEKEND. THUS... EXPECT HIGH TEMPS WILL GENERALLY BE BELOW NORMAL RANGING FROM THE UPPER 60S TO THE 70S... WITH MORNING LOWS EXPECTED TO BE NEAR NORMAL. THE COOLEST TEMPS ARE EXPECTED FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY WHEN IT APPEARS ANOTHER REINFORCING SURGE OF MOISTURE AND COOLER TEMPS WILL FILTER INTO THE REGION... ASSOCIATED WITH ANOTHER DISTURBANCE MOVING THROUGH THE CYCLONIC FLOW AROUND THE WESTERN ATLANTIC LOW. SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY: CONFIDENCE IN THE FORECAST PAST THE UPCOMING WEEKEND GOES DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY... AS THE MEDIUM RANGE MODEL GUIDANCE IS STRUGGLING WITH THE EVENTUAL PROGRESSION AND EVOLUTION OF THE CENTRAL CONUS CLOSED LOW. HAVE STUCK CLOSE TO THE PREVIOUS FORECAST AND WPC AT THIS TIME... WITH WPC GOING GENERALLY WITH THE 00Z/01ST ECENS MEAN AS A SYNOPTIC GUIDE. WPC ALSO NOTED THE GFS/GEFS MEANS ARE INCREASING OUTLIERS TO EVEN THE GEM GLOBAL AND UKMET (WHICH YESTERDAY WERE MORE CORRELATED WITH THE GFS). NONETHELESS... IT STILL LOOKS LIKE WE MAY SEE CHANCES FOR SHOWERS INCREASE NEXT WEEK AS THE RIDGE BEGINS TO BREAK DOWN SOME/SHIFT MORE TO THE EAST OF THE AREA. THUS... WILL ADVERTISE LOW END CHANCE POPS/SLIGHT CHANCE POPS ACROSS THE AREA FOR EARLY NEXT WEEK... WITH SLOWLY MODERATING TEMPS. && .AVIATION /18Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... AS OF 140 PM WEDNESDAY... A RELATIVELY MOIST NE FLOW OFF THE ATLANTIC WILL MAINTAIN A STRATUS DECK WITH MVFR CEILINGS ACROSS MOST OF CENTRAL NC THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY EVENING. THE EXCEPTION MAY BE IN VICINITY OF KFAY AND KRWI WHERE THE CLOUD DECK MAY SCATTER INTO THE LOW END VFR FOR A FEW HOURS LATE THIS AFTERNOON-EARLY EVENING. A STEADY NE WIND 9-14KTS WITH GUSTS 17-22KTS WILL BE COMMON. ANY CLEARING THAT OCCURS EARLY THIS EVENING WILL QUICKLY FILL IN WITH LOW CLOUDS AND ASSOCIATED IFR/LOW END MVFR CEILINGS. MAY ALSO SEE POCKETS OF MVFR VISIBILITY DUE TO FOG AND/OR DRIZZLE OVERNIGHT INTO EARLY THU...MAINLY ACROSS THE PIEDMONT. THURSDAY...LOW CLOUDS EARLY IN THE DAY MAY LIFT/DISSIPATE INTO A FEW/SCATTERED STRATOCU DECK WITH BASES 2500-3500FT. MAINLY VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED THU EVENING THEN WIDESPREAD MVFR/IFR VISIBILITY IN FOG IS ANTICIPATED. FOR FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY...HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE REGION SHOULD PROVIDE PROLONGED PERIODS OF VFR CONDITIONS. EXCEPTIONS WILL BE DURING THE LATE NIGHT/EARLY MORNING HOURS WHEN A 4-6 HOUR PERIOD OF MVFR/IFR CEILINGS AND FOG ARE PROBABLE. && .RAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...WSS NEAR TERM...WSS SHORT TERM...WSS LONG TERM...BSD AVIATION...WSS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS WILMINGTON NC
250 PM EDT WED MAY 1 2013 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE RIDGING INTO THE CAROLINAS FROM THE NORTH WILL KEEP PLEASANT BUT COOL WEATHER IN PLACE MUCH OF THE WEEK INTO THE WEEKEND. A COLD FRONT MAY APPROACH THE REGION WITH MORE UNSETTLED WEATHER EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM THURSDAY MORNING/... AS OF 2:10 PM WEDNESDAY...LATEST RADAR AND SATELLITE LOOPS AND SURFACE OBS REVEAL THAT AN EXTENSIVE LAYER OF STRATO-CU CONTINUES TO BLANKET THE AREA AS SOME LIGHT SHOWERS OR PATCHES OF DRIZZLE APPROACH THE CAPE FEAR REGION FROM JUST OFFSHORE. THE BIGGER PICTURE HAS A STRONG SURFACE RIDGE EXTENDING SW ALONG THE APPALACHIANS AS A SURFACE TROUGH EXTENDS JUST OFFSHORE. EXTENSIVE CLOUDINESS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE NEAR TERM AS A RELATIVELY COOL AND MOIST EASTERLY LOW LEVEL FLOW CONTINUES ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. MODEST COLD ADVECTION AND EXTENSIVE CLOUD COVER WILL KEEP AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES GENERALLY BELOW NORMAL...ALTHOUGH ANY BREAKS IN THE CLOUD COVER COULD ALLOW TEMPERATURES TO SPIKE INTO THE MID 70S. OTHERWISE...MOST PLACES WILL SEE UPPER 60S TO AROUND 70 FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON. CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION WILL INCREASE MODESTLY THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS THE SURFACE TROUGH OVER THE COASTAL WATERS MOVES ASHORE. P/W VALUES WILL PEAK AT OVER AN INCH TONIGHT AS MOISTURE FLUX INCREASES. HAVE MADE NO SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES TO PRECIPITATION CHANCES FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE NEAR TERM FROM THE PREVIOUS FORECAST PACKAGES. STILL EXPECT ISOLATED SHOWERS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...WITH THE SLIGHT CHANCE FOR RAIN OVERNIGHT...AND QPF VALUES ON THE ORDER OF A FEW HUNDREDTHS OF AN INCH. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 3 PM WEDNESDAY...THE FORECAST AREA WILL CONTINUE TO BE ENTANGLED IN A BLOCKING/OMEGA PATTERN ALOFT. MID LEVEL LOW PRESSURE/TROUGHS WILL BE SITUATED ACROSS THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY AND THE WESTERN ATLANTIC WITH HIGH PRESSURE AXIS OVER THE UPPER GREAT LAKES REGION EXTENDING SOUTH. AT THE SURFACE...HIGH PRESSURE WILL REMAIN ALIGNED JUST UNDER THE UPPER RIDGE AXIS. LOW CLOUDS AND COOL TEMPERATURES WILL PREVAIL THURSDAY WITH CONDITIONS A BIT DRIER FRIDAY. SOUNDINGS SHOW MOISTURE DECREASES APPRECIABLY FRIDAY ALLOWING A BETTER CHANCE FOR DEEPER MIXING. REGARDING TEMPERATURES...GUIDANCE IS IN GENERALLY GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THE PERSISTENT LOW LEVEL FLOW KEEPING THE BOUNDARY LAYER MIXED OVERNIGHT...AND IT IS THESE PERIODS WHERE I DEVIATED...WARMER...AWAY FROM GUIDANCE. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... AS OF 3 PM WEDNESDAY...A RATHER MUDDLED FORECAST AS THE CAROLINAS WILL BE UNDERNEATH THE RIDGE PORTION OF AN OMEGA BLOCK THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE CLOSING OFF. THAT IS...THE WESTERN CUTOFF WILL BE TRYING TO PROGRESS EASTWARD UNDER THE RIDGE AND IMPINGE UPON THE REGION FROM THE WEST. MODEL SOLUTIONS HAVE VARIED WILDLY AND THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION AT THIS POINT SEEMS TO BE TO MINIMIZE CHANGES ESPECIALLY SINCE PREVIOUS FORECAST ITERATIONS HAVE INCORPORATED MODEL BIAS AND FAVORED CLIMATOLOGICALLY LIKELY PATTERN EVOLUTION. THAT SAID...GUIDANCE SUCH AS THE GFS WHICH AGGRESSIVELY BRING THE WESTERN CUTOFF INTO THE REGION BY EARLY NEXT WEEK APPEAR LEAST LIKELY. THE EC SPLITS THE TROUGH AND HAS THE SOUTHERN FEATURE CUTTING BENEATH THE RIDGE NOW ALBEIT IN A MUCH WEAKENED STATE AND ALSO WELL SUPPRESSED TO THE SOUTH BY THE STALWART RIDGE...SO MUCH SO THAT IT MAY BE HARD PRESSED TO GENERATE WEATHER LOCALLY SAVE FOR PERHAPS FAR SRN ZONES. MEANWHILE THE REMAINING ENERGY IS FORCED TO RIDE UP OVER THE RIDGE AND GETS SHUNTED INTO CANADA. DOWNSTREAM FROM ALL OF THIS ACTION WILL BE THE WEST ATLANTIC RIDGE...THE DEGREE OF ITS AMPLIFICATION AFFECTED BY ALL ALREADY DISCUSSED. SINCE THIS WILL BE THE FEATURE AIDING IN PUSHING HIGHER PRESSURES/SLIGHTLY COOLER AIR INTO THE CAROLINAS IT TOO WILL BE A PLAYER IN THE FORECAST...MAINLY DICTATING HOW MUCH COOLER THAN CLIMO AFTERNOONS END UP OVER THE WEEKEND. THE WEAKENING OF BOTH UPPER LOWS LATER IN THE PERIOD SHOULD ALLOW TEMPS TO CREEP UP BACK TOWARDS CLIMO. RAIN CHANCES ARGUABLY MAY INCREASE LATE IN THE PERIOD BUT OVERALL WILL STILL REMAIN QUITE LOW. && .AVIATION /19Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... AS OF 18Z...VISIBLE SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS AN EXTENSIVE STRATOCU DECK ACROSS THE CWA...THOUGH CIGS AT MOST TERMS HAVE NOW LIFTED TO VFR LEVELS. LOW CLOUDS WILL LIKELY PERSIST THRU THE PERIOD WITH HIGH PRESSURE WEDGED INTO THE CAROLINAS. HAVE INCLUDED VCSH FOR KILM BASED ON RADAR TRENDS AND LATEST HRRR OUTPUT. EXPECT VFR CIGS TO BECOME MVFR AFTER 00Z WITH IFR STRATUS CERTAINLY POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT AT ALL TERMS. NORTHEAST WINDS 10-12 KTS WILL WEAKEN SLIGHTLY TONIGHT BEFORE PICKING BACK UP TO AROUND 10 KTS EARLY THURSDAY. DURING THE DAY...EXPECT MVFR CIGS WITH E-NE WINDS 10 TO 15 KTS AND GUSTS OF 20-25 KTS. EXTENDED OUTLOOK...SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS THURSDAY WITH BREEZY CONDITIONS THROUGH FRIDAY. OTHERWISE VFR. && .MARINE... NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 2:10 PM WEDNESDAY...HIGH PRESSURE PRESSING DOWN FROM THE NORTH WILL MAINTAIN A STEADY NORTHEASTERLY FLOW THOUGH THE NEAR TERM...WITH WINDS INCREASING TO 15 TO 20 KTS THIS EVENING. SEAS WILL BUILD INTO THE 4 TO 6 FT RANGE TONIGHT...SO KEEPING PRESENT SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN PLACE FOR TONIGHT WITH NO SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES. SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 3 PM WEDNESDAY...PERSISTENT NORTHEAST FLOW WILL BE THE STORY THROUGH THE PERIOD. DIFFICULT TO ACTUALLY NAIL DOWN THE PERIOD WHERE WINDS WILL BE THE HIGHEST OTHER THAN A GENERAL INCREASE LATE FRIDAY/EARLY SATURDAY WHEN THE GRADIENT PICKS UP A BIT WITH LOW PRESSURE DEVELOPING INTO THE TENNESSEE VALLEY. OVERALL EXPECT HEALTHY 15-20 KNOTS. WAVEWATCH SEAS OF 3-7 FEET LOOK REASONABLE AND THE SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CONTINUES FOR ALL WATERS THURSDAY. LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... AS OF 3 PM WEDNESDAY...ON SATURDAY THE COASTAL WATERS WILL SIT BETWEEN TWO UPPER LEVEL CUTOFF TROUGHS WITH A RIDGE POKED UP BETWEEN UP THE COASTLINE. THE EASTERN TROUGH WILL HELP DRIVE SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE DOWN THE EASTERN THIRD OF THE U.S. BRINGING A NORTHEASTERLY GRADIENT WIND LOCALLY. THE STRENGTH OF THE WIND AND RESULTING WAVES PAIRED WITH LONG FETCH SWELL ENERGY COULD NECESSITATE AND ADVISORY. HEADING INTO SUNDAY THE SURFACE FLOW MAY VEER AND WEAKEN JUST ENOUGH TO DROP FLAGS DOWN TO CAUTIONARY HEADLINES. ONE CAVEAT BEING THAT THE UPPER LEVEL PATTERN IS ONE THAT IS OFTEN POORLY HANDLED BY GUIDANCE. SPECIFICALLY IT IS USUALLY BROKEN DOWN FROM BEING BLOCKED TO PROGRESSIVE TOO QUICKLY. THAT SAID ADVISORY MAY LAST A BIT LONGER THAN CURRENTLY IMPLIED BY FCST. WITH A SIMILAR POSSIBILITY OF SLOWER PROGRESSION MONDAY WILL BRING ADDITIONAL SLIGHT VEERING AND OF WINDS. GUIDANCE SHOWING JUST ENOUGH SWELL TO PUSH SEAS BACK CLOSE TO SCA/SCEC THRESHOLDS. && .ILM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SC...NONE. NC...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 PM EDT THURSDAY FOR AMZ250-252-254-256. && $$ SYNOPSIS...SHK NEAR TERM...REK SHORT TERM...SHK LONG TERM...MBB AVIATION...BJR
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS WILMINGTON NC
210 PM EDT WED MAY 1 2013 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE RIDGING INTO THE CAROLINAS FROM THE NORTH WILL KEEP PLEASANT BUT COOL WEATHER IN PLACE MUCH OF THE WEEK INTO THE WEEKEND. A COLD FRONT MAY APPROACH THE REGION WITH MORE UNSETTLED WEATHER EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 2:10 PM WEDNESDAY...LATEST RADAR AND SATELLITE LOOPS AND SURFACE OBS REVEAL THAT AN EXTENSIVE LAYER OF STRATO-CU CONTINUES TO BLANKET THE AREA AS SOME LIGHT SHOWERS OR PATCHES OF DRIZZLE APPROACH THE CAPE FEAR REGION FROM JUST OFFSHORE. THE BIGGER PICTURE HAS A STRONG SURFACE RIDGE EXTENDING SW ALONG THE APPALACHIANS AS A SURFACE TROUGH EXTENDS JUST OFFSHORE. EXTENSIVE CLOUDINESS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE NEAR TERM AS A RELATIVELY COOL AND MOIST EASTERLY LOW LEVEL FLOW CONTINUES ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. MODEST COLD ADVECTION AND EXTENSIVE CLOUD COVER WILL KEEP AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES GENERALLY BELOW NORMAL...ALTHOUGH ANY BREAKS IN THE CLOUD COVER COULD ALLOW TEMPERATURES TO SPIKE INTO THE MID 70S. OTHERWISE...MOST PLACES WILL SEE UPPER 60S TO AROUND 70 FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON. CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION WILL INCREASE MODESTLY THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS THE SURFACE TROUGH OVER THE COASTAL WATERS MOVES ASHORE. P/W VALUES WILL PEAK AT OVER AN INCH TONIGHT AS MOISTURE FLUX INCREASES. HAVE MADE NO SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES TO PRECIPITATION CHANCES FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE NEAR TERM FROM THE PREVIOUS FORECAST PACKAGES. STILL EXPECT ISOLATED SHOWERS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...WITH THE SLIGHT CHANCE FOR RAIN OVERNIGHT...AND QPF VALUES ON THE ORDER OF A FEW HUNDREDTHS OF AN INCH. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 300 AM WEDNESDAY...HIGHLY AMPLIFIED PATTERN DEVELOPS DURING THE END OF THE WEEK AS ANOMALOUSLY STRONG 5H RIDGE TRANSITIONS INTO AN OMEGA-BLOCK TYPE PATTERN INTO FRIDAY. THIS RIDGE IS SANDWICHED BETWEEN TWO STRONG CLOSED LOWS...ONE ACROSS THE WESTERN ATLANTIC...AND ONE STALLED OVER THE GREAT PLAINS. A THIRD...WEAKER...AREA OF LOW PRESSURE IS SQUELCHED SOUTHWARD THROUGH THE GULF OF MEXICO. TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE OFFSHORE THURSDAY WILL GET SHUNTED WELL SOUTH BY RIDGE ADVANCING FROM THE NE. WHILE ISOLATED SHOWERS WILL REMAIN POSSIBLE THROUGH THURSDAY WITH DIURNAL HEATING IN A MODESTLY MOIST ENVIRONMENT AND ONSHORE FLOW...TREND WILL BE FOR A DRYING COLUMN AND HENCE DECREASING RAIN CHANCES BY THURSDAY NIGHT. AS HIGH MORE STRONGLY RIDGES DOWN THE COAST ON FRIDAY...COMBINED WITH DEVELOPING OMEGA BLOCK ALONG THE EASTERN CONUS...FRIDAY WILL BE A DRY DAY WITH AMPLE SUNSHINE. EVEN WITH A RIDGE BUILDING ALOFT...COOL NE FLOW WILL KEEP TEMPS SOMEWHAT BELOW NORMAL FOR EARLY MAY...IN THE LOW 70S MOST SPOTS BOTH DAYS. WHILE RADIATIONAL COOLING WILL BE MINIMIZED OVERALL BY NE WINDS...COOL ADVECTION WILL HELP LOWS FALL TO A FEW DEGREES BELOW NORMAL AS WELL...LOW 50S INLAND...MID 50S AT THE COAST. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 300 AM WEDNESDAY...STILL MUCH UNCERTAINTY IN THE EXTENDED AS LONG-RANGE GUIDANCE REFUSES TO COOPERATE WITH ONE-ANOTHER. OMEGA BLOCK IN PLACE AT THE START OF THE PERIOD WILL FUNCTION AS A DAM TO THE ATMOSPHERIC RIVER...LIMITING ANY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE SENSIBLE WEATHER. WITH LARGE RIDGE ALOFT AND SURFACE HIGH RIDGING DOWN THE COAST...EXPECT QUITE A BIT OF SUNSHINE...BUT NE WINDS WILL KEEP TEMPS A LITTLE BELOW CLIMO EACH AFTN THROUGH THE WKND. GFS CONTINUES TO BE MORE AGGRESSIVE BREAKING DOWN THE RIDGE...A KNOWN BIAS OF THE GUIDANCE...AND WILL FAVOR THE MORE-CONSISTENT ECMWF AND LOWER POP TO SILENT FOR THE WKND. MAJOR DIFFERENCES EXIST EARLY WEEK WITH THE BEHAVIOR OF A CLOSED LOW ACROSS THE GREAT PLAINS AND THE EVOLUTION OF THE OMEGA BLOCK. ECMWF/CMC/MANY-ENSEMBLES SUPPORT THE CLOSED LOW MOVING WELL NORTH OVER TOP THE RIDGE THROUGH TUESDAY...WHILE THE GFS SUGGESTS THE LOW WILL BREAK DOWN THE RIDGE AND MOVE BASICALLY OVERHEAD...AND BY EARLY NEXT WEEK THE MODELS ARE 180 DEGREES OUT OF PHASE. THE GFS SOLUTION SEEMS UNLIKELY...AND THUS WILL SHOW A WARMING TREND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. WILL CONTINUE WITH INHERITED SCHC/SILENT POP FOR NEXT WEEK TO ACCOUNT FOR THE GFS...BUT IT CERTAINLY SEEMS PLAUSIBLE THAT THE ENTIRETY OF THE EXTENDED WILL BE RAIN-FREE WITH COOL-TO-PLEASANT MID-SPRING WEATHER. && .AVIATION /18Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... AS OF 18Z...VISIBLE SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS AN EXTENSIVE STRATOCU DECK ACROSS THE CWA...THOUGH CIGS AT MOST TERMS HAVE NOW LIFTED TO VFR LEVELS. LOW CLOUDS WILL LIKELY PERSIST THRU THE PERIOD WITH HIGH PRESSURE WEDGED INTO THE CAROLINAS. HAVE INCLUDED VCSH FOR KILM BASED ON RADAR TRENDS AND LATEST HRRR OUTPUT. EXPECT VFR CIGS TO BECOME MVFR AFTER 00Z WITH IFR STRATUS CERTAINLY POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT AT ALL TERMS. NORTHEAST WINDS 10-12 KTS WILL WEAKEN SLIGHTLY TONIGHT BEFORE PICKING BACK UP TO AROUND 10 KTS EARLY THURSDAY. DURING THE DAY...EXPECT MVFR CIGS WITH E-NE WINDS 10 TO 15 KTS AND GUSTS OF 20-25 KTS. EXTENDED OUTLOOK...SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS THURSDAY WITH BREEZY CONDITIONS THROUGH FRIDAY. OTHERWISE VFR. && .MARINE... NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 2:10 PM WEDNESDAY...HIGH PRESSURE PRESSING DOWN FROM THE NORTH WILL MAINTAIN A STEADY NORTHEASTERLY FLOW THOUGH THE NEAR TERM...WITH WINDS INCREASING TO 15 TO 20 KTS THIS EVENING. SEAS WILL BUILD INTO THE 4 TO 6 FT RANGE TONIGHT...SO KEEPING PRESENT SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN PLACE FOR TONIGHT WITH NO SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES. SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 3:00 AM WEDNESDAY...HIGH PRESSURE RIDGING DOWN THE EAST COAST WILL CREATE GUSTY NE WINDS THROUGH THE SHORT TERM...AND A LONG DURATION SCA...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FOR THURSDAY ATTM...WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED FOR THE ENTIRETY OF THE PERIOD. WINDS OF 15-25 KTS WILL BE PERSISTENT THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK...FORCING WIND- DRIVEN WAVES TO 4-7 FT EACH DAY. THE SEA SPECTRUM WILL BE COMPRISED OF A NE WIND CHOP AND AN INCREASING-PERIOD NE SWELL DUE TO THE LONG NE FETCH. LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... AS OF 6:18 AM WEDNESDAY...STATIC PATTERN FOR THE EXTENDED AS HIGH PRESSURE CONTINUES TO PUSH DOWN THE COAST...PINCHING THE PRESSURE GRADIENT ACROSS THE WATERS AND CREATING GUSTY NE WINDS THROUGH THE WKND...ALTHOUGH SOME RELAXING IS LIKELY LATE. WINDS FROM THE NE WILL BE 15-20 KTS SATURDAY AND INTO SUNDAY...BEFORE SLOWLY EASING LATE AS RIDGE BREAKS DOWN SLIGHTLY WITH A WEAKENING GRADIENT. THESE WINDS WILL HELP DRIVE SEAS TO 4-6 FT SATURDAY WHEN AN SCA WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED...BEFORE FALLING SLOWLY SUNDAY TO 3-5 FT. SEA SPECTRUM WILL CONSIST OF NE WIND WAVE AND A DECAYING NE SWELL. && .ILM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SC...NONE. NC...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 PM EDT THURSDAY FOR AMZ250-252-254-256. && $$ NEAR TERM...REK SHORT TERM...JDW LONG TERM...JDW AVIATION...BJR MARINE...REK/JDW
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NWS MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
1128 AM CDT WED MAY 1 2013 .UPDATE... A STALLED FRONTAL BOUNDARY EXTENDS FROM ROUGHLY FROM SHEBOYGAN THROUGH MADISON THROUGH MONROE LATE THIS MORNING...MARKED BY SOUTHERLY WINDS ON THE SOUTH SIDE AND NORTHERLY WINDS ON THE NORTH SIDE. HRRR IS DOING A NICE JOB HANDING THE CURRENT LOCATION OF THE FRONT...AND SHOWS THAT FRONT LIFTING NORTHWARD A BIT THIS AFTERNOON. TEMPERATURES ARE WARMING QUICKLY SOUTH OF THE FRONT...AND WARMING SLOWLY NORTH OF IT. RACINE HAS ALREADY HIT 82 AND MILWAUKEE WILL HIT LOWER 80S AS WELL. THERE IS A LOT MORE UNCERTAINTY FOR HIGH TEMPS IN MADISON... WITH THE FRONT WAFFLING AROUND RIGHT OVER THE CITY TODAY. THERE IS A WEAK ENOUGH PRESSURE GRADIENT OVER SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN TO ALLOW A LAKE BREEZE TO DEVELOP. TIMING OF THIS LAKE BREEZE IS VERY UNCERTAIN...BUT SOUTHEAST WINDS COULD DEVELOP AT MILWAUKEE AIRPORT BY 1 PM TODAY AND MOVE INLAND TO KENOSHA BY MID AFTERNOON. SCATTERED CUMULUS CLOUDS COULD DEVELOP ALONG THE LAKE BREEZE THIS AFTERNOON...BUT CLEAR SKIES ARE EXPECTED ELSEWHERE. REMOVED ANY POPS NORTHWEST OF MADISON FOR TODAY. IT APPEARS THAT ANY LIGHT RAIN DEVELOPING WELL BEHIND THE COLD FRONT WILL REMAIN NORTHWEST OF THE MKX FORECAST AREA DURING THE DAY. EXPECT SOME RAIN TO SPREAD INTO NORTHWEST AREAS OVERNIGHT...AND INTO PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST WI THURSDAY MORNING. CUT BACK ON POPS FOR THE EVENING AND WILL CONTINUE TO EVALUATE PRECIP CHANCES THROUGH THU. THE 13Z HRRR AND 12Z NAM AND REGIONAL CANADIAN MODELS ARE STILL ADVERTISING THIS COLD FRONT CHARACTERIZED BY NNE GUSTY WINDS RACING DOWN THE LAKE...SOMETIMES CALLED A PNEUMONIA FRONT...TO OCCUR EITHER LATE AFTERNOON OR EARLY THIS EVENING. THERE IS STILL UNCERTAINTY ABOUT WHETHER LOW CLOUDS WILL DEVELOP WITH THE FRONT OR NOT. THERE ARE NO SIGNS OF LOW CLOUDS AT THIS TIME. && .AVIATION/18Z TAFS/... LAKE BREEZE WILL DEVELOP EARLY THIS AFTERNOON FROM MILWAUKEE AND SOUTH...ALTHOUGH TIMING IS VERY UNCERTAIN. VFR CUMULUS CLOUDS COULD DEVELOP ALONG THE LAKE BREEZE. ELSEHWERE...WINDS WILL BE NORTH TO NORTHEAST ON THE NORTH SIDE OF A STALLED FRONT. WINDS WILL BE SOUTHWEST TO SOUTH ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE FRONT. THE FRONT WILL BE WAFFLING AROUND ACROSS THE CENTRAL PORTION OF SOUTHERN WISCONSIN...INCLUDING MADISON...WATERTOWN AND WAUKESHA. VFR CONDITIONS FOR MOST OF THE PERIOD...HOWEVER NEED TO WATCH FOR POTENTIAL LOW CLOUDS FORMING NEAR LAKE MICHIGAN IN MOIST ONSHORE FLOW TONIGHT AND SPREADING WESTWARD. CLOUDS WOULD BE IFR CAT. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 326 AM CDT WED MAY 1 2013/ TODAY AND TONIGHT...FORECAST CONFIDENCE - VERY LOW. KMKX WSR-88D CONTINUES TO SHOW SFC COOL FRONT SLIDING SOUTHEAST ACROSS SOUTHERN WI. SFC OBS AND RADAR FINE LINE ESTIMATE BOUNDARY ROUGHLY FROM VCNTY OF KSBM TO KEFT AT 08Z. SFC FRONT A LITTLE FASTER THAN DEPICTED BY SHORT TERM GUIDANCE DUE TO 3 HOUR 4-6MB PRESSURE RISES UPSTREAM OVER CENTRAL/NORTHERN WI. LOW LEVEL FLOW APPEARS TO BE WEAKENING BEHIND FRONT SO WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO SEE FRONT STALL FOR A TIME ACROSS SOUTHEAST WI. HOWEVER HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING INTO THE PLAINS WILL ALSO BUILD INTO NORTHERN WI. INCREASING UPSTREAM PRESSURE SHOULD EITHER GIVE NUDGE TO SFC FRONT TO THE SOUTH...OR ELSE WILL RESULT IN PNEUMONIA-TYPE FRONT SLIDING SOUTH DOWN LAKE MI TODAY...EVENTUALLY MELDING WITH SFC FRONT TO THE WEST. THESE PNEUMONIA FRONTS HAVE FOUND TO BE MOST FREQUENT IN THE MONTH OF MAY BEFORE LAKE MI WATER TEMPS BEGIN TO MODIFY. EITHER WAY...NOT EXPECTING QUITE AS WARM A DAY ACROSS SOUTHERN WI...WITH THE WARMEST TEMPERATURES IN THE FAR SOUTH CENTRAL INTO PARTS OF THE SOUTHEAST...BEFORE WINDS TURN ONSHORE LATER THIS MRNG OR EARLY AFTERNOON. HOWEVER TIMING IS CRITICAL. FOR NOW HAVE KMKE RISING INTO THE MIDDLE TO UPPER 70S BEFORE WINDS TURN ONSHORE...BUT COULD EASILY CRACK THE 80 MARK AGAIN IF WINDS DELAY TURNING SEVERAL HOURS. A LARGE RANGE OF DAYTIME HIGH TEMPS ARE EXPECTED...VARYING FROM THE MID TO UPPER 60S IN THE NORTHWEST TO THE LOWER 80S SOUTHEAST. MAIN FORCING ASSOCIATED WITH SLOPING FRONTOGENETICAL FORCING REMAINS NORTHWEST OF AREA TODAY...AND WITH RH REMAINING LIMITED IN THE LOW TO MID LEVELS...WL GO MOSTLY DRY...WITH A SMALL CHANCE IN THE AFTN WEST OF KMSN. LAYER Q-VECTOR CONVERGENCE AXIS BEGINS TO SLIDE EWD ACROSS SOUTHERN WI TONIGHT AS LOW LEVEL MOISTURE GRADUALLY INCREASES. UPPER LEVEL TROF OVER PLAINS BEGINS TO SHARPEN AND CAUSE FLOW TO PIVOT NORTHWEST...WHILE LOW LEVEL FLOW INFLUENCED BY INCREASING ELY FLOW. INCREASING LOW LEVEL JET RESULTS IN WEAK WAA AND SAID Q-VECTOR CONVERGENCE TONIGHT...SO WL SPREAD SMALL POPS ACROSS ENTIRE AREA. ELEVATED CAPE APPROACHES 1000 J/KG SO KEPT SMALL THUNDER THREAT IN AS WELL. THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...FORECAST CONFIDENCE...LOW TO MEDIUM THE STORY FOR LATE THIS WEEK INTO THE WEEKEND CONTINUES TO BE THE LARGE UPPER LOW THAT WILL MEANDER THROUGH THE REGION. AS IS OFTEN THE CASE WITH CUTOFF LOWS...MODELS CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE WITH THE TRACK OF THIS LOW. BY SUNDAY EVENING...THE GFS AND CANADIAN HAVE THE LOW CENTERED OVER MISSOURI...WITH THE ECMWF PUTTING IT ALONG THE MINNESOTA/CANADA BORDER. AS A RESULT...STILL A GOOD AMOUNT VARIANCE AMONG MODELS IN TIMING OF PRECIP CHANCES AND TEMPS THROUGH THE WEEKEND. GENERALLY CONTINUED THE TREND OF GOING DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD FOR NOW. EITHER WAY...LOOKS COOLER AND WET THROUGH THIS PERIOD. MONDAY AND TUESDAY...FORECAST CONFIDENCE...LOW TO MEDIUM UPPER LOW WILL FINALLY BE OUT OF THE AREA BY MONDAY...WITH A SHORTWAVE TO IMPACT THE STATE EITHER MONDAY NIGHT OR TUESDAY NIGHT...DEPENDING ON THE MODEL. KEPT SOME POPS THROUGH EARLY WEEK DUE TO THE UNCERTAINTY IN TIMING. SPLIT THE DIFFERENCE IN MODEL TEMPS...RESULTING IN NEAR NORMAL VALUES FOR EARLY MAY. AVIATION/12Z TAFS/...VFR CONDITIONS FOR MOST OF THE PERIOD...HOWEVER NEED TO WATCH FOR POTENTIAL LOW CLOUDS FORMING NEAR LAKE MICHIGAN IN MOIST ONSHORE FLOW TONIGHT AND SPREADING WESTWARD. CLOUDS WOULD BE IFR CAT. SMALL THREAT FOR -SHRA...MAINLY TNGT. MARINE...EXPECT BUILDING SFC PRESSURE TO THE NORTH TO EITHER CONTINUE TO NUDGE SURFACE COOL FRONT OVER SOUTH CENTRAL WI FURTHER SOUTHEAST...OR ELSE EXPECT PNEUMONIA-TYPE FRONT TO SLIDE SOUTH ACROSS NEARSHORE WATERS DURING THE DAY...TURNING WINDS TO THE EAST OR NORTHEAST. WINDS AND WAVES MAY GET CLOSE TO SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY LEVELS LATE TODAY AND TONIGHT...BUT TOO MUCH UNCERTAINTY IN TIMING AND STRENGTH AT THIS TIME TO ISSUE HEADLINE. NEARSHORE WATER HAS WARMED /FOR NOW/ INTO THE LOW TO MID 50S PER SGNW3 SO THREAT FOR FOG IN THE NEARSHORE THIS MRNG APPEARS LOW. BETTER CHANCE TOWARD MID-LAKE WHERE LAKE WATER TEMPS REMAIN AROUND 40 PER BUOY 45007. && .MKX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WI...NONE. LM...NONE. && $$ UPDATE...MRC TODAY/TONIGHT AND AVIATION/MARINE...MBK THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY...DDV