Forecast Discussions mentioning any of "HRRR" "RAP" "RR" "RUC13" "RUC" received at GSD on 03/19/14


AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MOUNT HOLLY NJ
528 AM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 .SYNOPSIS... LOW PRESSURE CENTERED OFF CAPE HATTERAS, NORTH CAROLINA EARLY THIS MORNING WILL MOVE EAST NORTHEASTWARD AND OUT TO SEA TODAY. COLD HIGH PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD INTO OUR REGION FROM THE NORTH FOR TONIGHT AND TUESDAY. A FRONTAL BOUNDARY IS FORECAST TO APPROACH FROM THE WEST ON WEDNESDAY AND IT SHOULD PASS THROUGH OUR REGION ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT. HIGH PRESSURE IS EXPECTED TO FOLLOW FOR THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. A COLD FRONT FROM THE WEST IS ANTICIPATED TO ARRIVE ON SATURDAY WITH ANOTHER AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE FORECAST FOR SUNDAY. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... NO CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE WINTER WEATHER HEADLINES THIS MORNING AS SNOW CONTINUES TO FALL ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE AREA AND CONTINUES TO SLOWLY DRIFT TO EAST-NORTHEAST. AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE TO SLIDE OFF THE NORTH CAROLINA COAST THIS MORNING AND MOVE TO THE EAST-NORTHEAST AND OUT TO SEA TODAY. MEANWHILE, A SHORT WAVE LOCATED ACROSS THE OHIO RIVER VALLEY WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EASTWARD TODAY AS WELL. MOISTURE CONTINUES TO MOVE ACROSS THE AREA WITH THE SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT. WITH THE COLD HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING SOUTHWARD OUT OF CANADA AND DOWN THE EASTERN SEABOARD, SNOWFALL WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS. THE QUESTION IS HOW FAR NORTH THE SNOWFALL WILL GET. THE HIGH IS FAIRLY STRONG, AND DRY ENOUGH THAT IT IS EXPECTED TO SUPPRESS THE SNOW FROM GETTING MUCH FARTHER NORTH THAN WHERE IT IS NOW. WE`VE HAD SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW SO FAR THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT ACROSS SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY AND THE DELMARVA AND WILL CONTINUE TO GET SEVERAL MORE INCHES HERE FOR A FEW MORE HOURS AS THE STRONGEST LIFT IN THE SNOW GROWTH ZONE AND FRONTOGENESIS ARE BEING MAXED NOW. THESE SHOULD BEGIN TO WEAKEN AS WE APPROACH SUNRISE, SO SNOWFALL RATES ARE EXPECTED TO DIMINISH AS WE APPROACH THE RUSH HOUR. HOWEVER, THERE COULD STILL BE A FEW INCHES OF ACCUMULATION WHERE OUR ADVISORIES AND WARNINGS ARE NOW. THE HIGHEST SNOWFALL AMOUNTS ARE ACROSS CENTRAL/SOUTHERN DELMARVA AND SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY WHERE IT HAS BEEN SNOWING THE LONGEST AND HEAVIEST. MOST OF THE GUIDANCE KEEPS THE CHANCE OF LIGHT SNOW INTO AT LEAST THE MID-LATE MORNING HOURS, AND POSSIBLY INTO THE AFTERNOON. HOWEVER, THE RUC AND HRRR ACTUALLY HAVE THE SNOW DISSIPATING AROUND OR SHORTLY AFTER SUNRISE. STILL, WE WILL KEEP A CHANCE OF SNOW IN THE FORECAST INTO THE AFTERNOON, WITH LOWERING CHANCES AS WE PROGRESS THROUGH THE DAY. FOR DAYTIME HIGHS, WE TOOK A BLEND OF THE MAV/MET MOS. HOWEVER, WE USED A MAJORITY OF THE WARMER MAV MOS FOR THE NORTHERN THIRD OF THE AREA WHERE THEY HAVE THE BETTER POSSIBILITY OF SEEING SOME PEEKS OF SUN TODAY, AND THE COOLER MET MOS FOR THE REST OF THE ARE WHERE CLOUD COVER MAY LINGER LONGER INTO THE DAY. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH 6 AM TUESDAY/... ANY REMAINING SNOW ACROSS THE AREA WILL HAVE ENDED BY THE TIME THE EVENING ROLLS AROUND. WE MAY JUST HAVE TO DEAL WITH SOME SCATTERED CLOUD COVER OVERNIGHT, ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE SOUTHERN AREAS, WHERE SOME MOISTURE MAY GET TRAPPED IN THE LOW LEVELS. AS HIGH PRESSURE CONTINUES TO NOSE ITS WAY DOWN THE EASTERN SEABOARD OUT OF CANADA, IT WILL KEEP FILTERING COLD AIR ACROSS THE AREA. TEMPERATURES OVERNIGHT WILL CONTINUE TO BE 5 TO 10 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... COLD HIGH PRESSURE IS FORECAST TO BE CENTERED OVER QUEBEC ON TUESDAY MORNING AND IT WILL NOSE DOWN THE LEE OF THE APPALACHIANS. THE CENTER OF THE HIGH IS FORECAST TO DRIFT EASTWARD ON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY AND IT WILL LOSE ITS INFLUENCE OVER OUR REGION GRADUALLY. TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN BELOW NORMAL FOR TUESDAY AND THEY SHOULD APPROACH NORMAL ON WEDNESDAY. A MID LEVEL TROUGH THAT WAS MOVING ONTO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST COAST EARLY THIS MORNING SHOULD MAKE ITS WAY ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE AXIS OF THE TROUGH IS FORECAST TO PASS OVER OUR REGION ON THURSDAY. A SURFACE COLD FRONT IN ADVANCE OF THE FEATURE IS EXPECTED TO PASS THROUGH OUR FORECAST AREA ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT. WE ARE ANTICIPATING SHOWERS WITH AND AHEAD OF THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY MAINLY ON WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND WEDNESDAY EVENING. SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE IS EXPECTED TO PASS ACROSS THE SOUTHEASTERN STATES ON THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. THE NORTHERN EDGE OF THE AIR MASS SHOULD INFLUENCE OUR REGION. TEMPERATURES ARE FORECAST TO BE SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL. ANOTHER MID LEVEL TROUGH FROM THE WEST SHOULD PUSH A COLD FRONT THROUGH OUR REGION ON SATURDAY. BEFORE THE FRONT ARRIVES, TEMPERATURES MAY RISE NEAR 60 DEGREES ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN PARTS OF OUR FORECAST AREA, AT LEAST THOSE AREAS NOT NEAR THE OCEAN OR THE BAYS. THE SATURDAY FRONT IS ANTICIPATED TO BRING ANOTHER ROUND OF RAIN SHOWERS TO OUR REGION. CHILLY HIGH PRESSURE WILL FOLLOW SATURDAY`S COLD FRONT. TEMPERATURES SHOULD FALL BACK BELOW NORMAL FOR SUNDAY. && .AVIATION /10Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... THE FOLLOWING DISCUSSION IS FOR KPHL, KPNE, KTTN, KABE, KRDG, KILG, KMIV, KACY AND SURROUNDING AREAS. KABE...THE SNOW SHOULD REMAIN MOSTLY TO THE SOUTH OF KABE WITH VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD. KRDG AND KTTN...A PERIOD OF MVFR CONDITIONS IN SNOW IS POSSIBLE BEFORE 1200Z, THEN VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THE BALANCE OF THE TAF PERIOD. KPHL, KPNE AND KILG...IFR CONDITIONS ARE ANTICIPATED THROUGH ABOUT 1200Z OR 1300Z. THE SNOW SHOULD BECOME LIGHT AND SPOTTY AFTER 1200Z OR 1300Z WITH CONDITIONS IMPROVING TO MVFR. VFR CONDITIONS ARE ANTICIPATED FROM ABOUT 1800Z OR 1900Z ONWARD. KMIV AND KACY...IFR CONDITIONS IN SNOW THROUGH ABOUT 1400Z, LIFTING TO MVFR FOR THE PERIOD FROM AROUND 1400Z UNTIL 2000Z, THEN VFR. A NORTHEAST TO EAST WIND AT 10 KNOTS OR LESS AT KRDG AND KABE. FOR OUR REMAINING SIX TAF SITES INCLUDING KPHL, A NORTHEAST WIND AROUND 10 TO 12 KNOTS GUSTING NEAR 20 KNOTS TODAY DIMINISHING TO 6 TO 10 KNOTS FOR TONIGHT. OUTLOOK... TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT....MAINLY VFR. WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT...MAINLY VFR WITH A CHANCE OF RAIN SHOWERS LOWERING CONDITIONS TO MVFR AT TIMES, ESPECIALLY IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...MAINLY VFR. && .MARINE... AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE TO SLIDE OFF THE NORTH CAROLINA COAST THIS MORNING AND MOVE TO THE EAST-NORTHEAST AND OUT TO SEA TODAY, WHILE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS SOUTH ACROSS THE EASTERN SEABOARD THROUGH TONIGHT. THE GALE WARNING FOR THE NORTHERN ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS OFF OF SANDY HOOK WAS DROPPED AND CONVERTED TO A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY AS WINDS NO LONGER ARE EXPECTED TO GUST TO 35 KNOTS HERE. THE GALE WARNING ACROSS THE REST OF THE ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS AND LOWER DELAWARE BAY WAS EXTENDED THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON. ONCE THE GALE FORCE WINDS DIMINISH, A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED. THE SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY ON THE UPPER DELAWARE BAY WAS EXTENDED THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON. OUTLOOK... TUESDAY...A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT ON OUR OCEAN WATERS FOR WAVE HEIGHTS NEAR OR IN EXCESS OF 5 FEET. TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE, ESPECIALLY ON OUR OCEAN WATERS. THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY...NO MARINE HEADLINES ARE ANTICIPATED. && .TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING... TIDAL DEPARTURES ALONG THE NEW JERSEY AND DELAWARE OCEANFRONT WERE RUNNING ABOUT A HALF FOOT TO A FOOT ABOVE NORMAL EARLY THIS MORNING. THE LATEST GUIDANCE AND TRENDS CONTINUE TO SUGGEST THE DEPARTURES WILL NOT INCREASE TO MORE THAN ABOUT A FOOT TO A FOOT AND A HALF ABOVE NORMAL IN THE NORTHEAST FLOW. THE RESULTING WATER LEVELS WOULD NOT REACH THE MINOR FLOODING THRESHOLDS. DEPARTURES OF GREATER THAN A FOOT AND A HALF WOULD BE NEEDED AROUND THE TIMES OF HIGH TIDE TODAY TO CAUSE A PROBLEM. && .CLIMATE... MORE SNOWFALL RECORDS TO FALL AND/OR CLIMBING HIGHER IN THE SNOWFALL RECORD DEPARTMENT. ACY HAS THE BEST CHANCES: DAILY SNOWFALL RECORDS FOR: MARCH 17 ALLENTOWN 4.2 IN 1967 ATLANTIC CITY 1.6 IN 1965 PHILADELPHIA 3.5 IN 1892 WILMINGTON 2.4 IN 1965 IN PHILADELPHIA, WE HAVE HAD 13 SEPARATE CALENDAR DAYS IN WHICH AN INCH OR MORE OF SNOW HAS FALLEN THIS SEASON. WE HAVE A SMALL CHANCE TO MAKE IT 15 CALENDAR DAYS WHICH WOULD GIVE THIS SEASON SOLE POSSESSION OF SECOND PLACE. A MORE LIKELY 14 CALENDAR DAYS WOULD TIE US WITH 1898-99 WHILE THE RECORD IS 17 CALENDAR DAYS IN THE 1917-18 SEASON. SPEAKING OF SECOND PLACE, AN ADDITIONAL 2.7 INCHES WOULD GIVE PHILADELPHIA (62.9 INCHES CURRENTLY) THE SECOND SNOWIEST SEASON ON RECORD, SURPASSING THE 65.5 INCHES DURING THE 1995-6 SEASON. THE ALL-TIME RECORD IS 78.7 INCHES IN 2009-10. IT APPEARS SAFE THROUGH THIS EVENT. IF 6.6 INCHES OR MORE OF SNOW WERE TO FALL EARLY NEXT WEEK, IT WOULD BE THE FIRST TIME EVER THERE HAVE BEEN FOUR DOUBLE DIGIT MONTHS OF SNOWFALL IN ONE SEASON IN PHILADELPHIA. ATLANTIC CITY (33.7 INCHES CURRENTLY) NEEDS ONE TENTH OF AN INCH OF ADDITIONAL SNOW TO CRACK THE TOP 10 SNOWIEST SEASONS ON RECORD AND 8.7 ADDITIONAL INCHES TO SUPPLANT 2002-3 AS THE 5TH SNOWIEST. THE MOST RECENT SNOWIEST WINTER WAS 2010-11 (RANKED 8TH) AT 38.0 INCHES. NUMERO UNO IS THE WINTER OF 2009-10 AT 58.1 INCHES. WILMINGTON (52.9 INCHES CURRENTLY) NEEDS 3.1 ADDITIONAL INCHES TO SUPPLANT 1995-6 AS THE SECOND SNOWIEST SEASON ON RECORD. THE RECORD IS 72.8 INCHES DURING THE 2009-10 SEASON. ALLENTOWN SEASONAL SNOWFALL RANKS. WE MIGHT NOT MOVE UP. 75.4 INCHES IN 1993-4 71.4 INCHES IN 1995-6 67.2 INCHES IN 1966-7 66.9 INCHES IN 2013-4 && .PHI WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL NOON EDT TODAY FOR PAZ070-071- 101-102-104-106. NJ...WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL NOON EDT TODAY FOR NJZ016>018- 020>027. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL NOON EDT TODAY FOR NJZ012>015- 019. DE...WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL NOON EDT TODAY FOR DEZ001>004. MD...WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL NOON EDT TODAY FOR MDZ008-012-015- 019-020. MARINE...GALE WARNING UNTIL 5 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON FOR ANZ431-451>455. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM EDT TUESDAY FOR ANZ450. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 5 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON FOR ANZ430. && $$ SYNOPSIS...IOVINO NEAR TERM...ROBERTSON SHORT TERM...ROBERTSON LONG TERM...IOVINO AVIATION...IOVINO MARINE...IOVINO/ROBERTSON TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...IOVINO CLIMATE...GIGI
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MOUNT HOLLY NJ
410 AM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 .SYNOPSIS... LOW PRESSURE CENTERED OFF CAPE HATTERAS, NORTH CAROLINA EARLY THIS MORNING WILL MOVE EAST NORTHEASTWARD AND OUT TO SEA TODAY. COLD HIGH PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD INTO OUR REGION FROM THE NORTH FOR TONIGHT AND TUESDAY. A FRONTAL BOUNDARY IS FORECAST TO APPROACH FROM THE WEST ON WEDNESDAY AND IT SHOULD PASS THROUGH OUR REGION ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT. HIGH PRESSURE IS EXPECTED TO FOLLOW FOR THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. A COLD FRONT FROM THE WEST IS ANTICIPATED TO ARRIVE ON SATURDAY WITH ANOTHER AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE FORECAST FOR SUNDAY. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... NO CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE WINTER WEATHER HEADLINES THIS MORNING AS SNOW CONTINUES TO FALL ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE AREA AND CONTINUES TO SLOWLY DRIFT TO EAST-NORTHEAST. AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE TO SLIDE OFF THE NORTH CAROLINA COAST THIS MORNING AND MOVE TO THE EAST-NORTHEAST AND OUT TO SEA TODAY. MEANWHILE, A SHORT WAVE LOCATED ACROSS THE OHIO RIVER VALLEY WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EASTWARD TODAY AS WELL. MOISTURE CONTINUES TO MOVE ACROSS THE AREA WITH THE SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT. WITH THE COLD HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING SOUTHWARD OUT OF CANADA AND DOWN THE EASTERN SEABOARD, SNOWFALL WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS. THE QUESTION IS HOW FAR NORTH THE SNOWFALL WILL GET. THE HIGH IS FAIRLY STRONG, AND DRY ENOUGH THAT IT IS EXPECTED TO SUPPRESS THE SNOW FROM GETTING MUCH FARTHER NORTH THAN WHERE IT IS NOW. WE`VE HAD SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW SO FAR THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT ACROSS SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY AND THE DELMARVA AND WILL CONTINUE TO GET SEVERAL MORE INCHES HERE FOR A FEW MORE HOURS AS THE STRONGEST LIFT IN THE SNOW GROWTH ZONE AND FRONTOGENESIS ARE BEING MAXED NOW. THESE SHOULD BEGIN TO WEAKEN AS WE APPROACH SUNRISE, SO SNOWFALL RATES ARE EXPECTED TO DIMINISH AS WE APPROACH THE RUSH HOUR. HOWEVER, THERE COULD STILL BE A FEW INCHES OF ACCUMULATION WHERE OUR ADVISORIES AND WARNINGS ARE NOW. THE HIGHEST SNOWFALL AMOUNTS ARE ACROSS CENTRAL/SOUTHERN DELMARVA AND SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY WHERE IT HAS BEEN SNOWING THE LONGEST AND HEAVIEST. MOST OF THE GUIDANCE KEEPS THE CHANCE OF LIGHT SNOW INTO AT LEAST THE MID-LATE MORNING HOURS, AND POSSIBLY INTO THE AFTERNOON. HOWEVER, THE RUC AND HRRR ACTUALLY HAVE THE SNOW DISSIPATING AROUND OR SHORTLY AFTER SUNRISE. STILL, WE WILL KEEP A CHANCE OF SNOW IN THE FORECAST INTO THE AFTERNOON, WITH LOWERING CHANCES AS WE PROGRESS THROUGH THE DAY. FOR DAYTIME HIGHS, WE TOOK A BLEND OF THE MAV/MET MOS. HOWEVER, WE USED A MAJORITY OF THE WARMER MAV MOS FOR THE NORTHERN THIRD OF THE AREA WHERE THEY HAVE THE BETTER POSSIBILITY OF SEEING SOME PEEKS OF SUN TODAY, AND THE COOLER MET MOS FOR THE REST OF THE ARE WHERE CLOUD COVER MAY LINGER LONGER INTO THE DAY. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH 6 AM TUESDAY/... ANY REMAINING SNOW ACROSS THE AREA WILL HAVE ENDED BY THE TIME THE EVENING ROLLS AROUND. WE MAY JUST HAVE TO DEAL WITH SOME SCATTERED CLOUD COVER OVERNIGHT, ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE SOUTHERN AREAS, WHERE SOME MOISTURE MAY GET TRAPPED IN THE LOW LEVELS. AS HIGH PRESSURE CONTINUES TO NOSE ITS WAY DOWN THE EASTERN SEABOARD OUT OF CANADA, IT WILL KEEP FILTERING COLD AIR ACROSS THE AREA. TEMPERATURES OVERNIGHT WILL CONTINUE TO BE 5 TO 10 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD DOWN FROM CANADA FOR MON NIGHT INTO TUE, BRINGING COOL AND DRY WX. ANOTHER AREA OF LOW PRES IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OFF THE SERN CONUS CST, BUT ATTM, ALL GUID (EXCEPT THE NAM) KEEPS IT WELL OFF THE COAST. BY TUE NIGHT, AN AREA OF LOW PRES WILL MOVE EWD FROM THE UPR MS VLY AND BRING A WMFNT THRU THE REGION. THIS FRONT COULD TRIGGER SOME LIGHT PRECIP BY ERLY WED. DEPENDING ON ONSET TIME, THERE COULD BE SOME SNOW OR A MIX FROM THE I-95 CORRIDOR N AND W, BEFORE A CHANGEOVER TO ALL RAIN AFTER DAYBREAK. THIS LOOKS TO BE A PREDOMINANTLY RAIN EVENT ON WED AS TEMPS RISE. THE CDFNT ASSOCD WITH THIS LOW WILL CROSS THE AREA WED NIGHT. PRECIP CHCS WILL INCREASE THRU THE DAY AHEAD OF FROPA. HIGH PRESSURE WILL THEN BUILD OVER THE SERN STATES AND KEEP THINGS DRY FOR FRI BEFORE ANOTHER WK LOW APPROACHES FROM THE W FRI NIGHT INTO SAT. THIS LOW WILL BRING ANOTHER SHOT OF PRECIP AND WHILE IT LOOKS TO BE PREDOMINANTLY RAIN, TEMPS WILL BE COLD ENOUGH N AND W FOR SNOW OR A MIX FRI NIGHT INTO ERLY SAT. A LARGE HIGH IS THEN EXPECTED TO BUILD DOWN FROM CANADA FOR SUN. TEMPS WILL START OFF BELOW NRML THEN RISE TO NR OR A BIT ABV SEASONAL VALUES FOR MOST OF THE EXTENDD PD. THE VERNAL EQUINOX IS THURSDAY AT 1257 PM. HOPEFULLY MOTHER NATURE CAN TAKE THE HINT! && .AVIATION /08Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... THE FOLLOWING DISCUSSION IS FOR KPHL, KPNE, KTTN, KABE, KRDG, KILG, KMIV, KACY AND SURROUNDING AREAS. KABE...THE SNOW SHOULD REMAIN MOSTLY TO THE SOUTH OF KABE WITH VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD. KRDG AND KTTN...A PERIOD OF MVFR CONDITIONS IN SNOW IS POSSIBLE BEFORE 1200Z, THEN VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THE BALANCE OF THE TAF PERIOD. KPHL, KPNE AND KILG...IFR CONDITIONS ARE ANTICIPATED THROUGH ABOUT 1200Z OR 1300Z. THE SNOW SHOULD BECOME LIGHT AND SPOTTY AFTER 1200Z OR 1300Z WITH CONDITIONS IMPROVING TO MVFR. VFR CONDITIONS ARE ANTICIPATED FROM ABOUT 1800Z OR 1900Z ONWARD. KMIV AND KACY...IFR CONDITIONS IN SNOW THROUGH ABOUT 1400Z, LIFTING TO MVFR FOR THE PERIOD FROM AROUND 1400Z UNTIL 2000Z, THEN VFR. A NORTHEAST TO EAST WIND AT 10 KNOTS OR LESS AT KRDG AND KABE. FOR OUR REMAINING SIX TAF SITES INCLUDING KPHL, A NORTHEAST WIND AROUND 10 TO 12 KNOTS GUSTING NEAR 20 KNOTS TODAY DIMINISHING TO 6 TO 10 KNOTS FOR TONIGHT. OUTLOOK... TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT....MAINLY VFR. WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT...MAINLY VFR WITH A CHANCE OF RAIN SHOWERS LOWERING CONDITIONS TO MVFR AT TIMES, ESPECIALLY IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...MAINLY VFR. && .MARINE... AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE TO SLIDE OFF THE NORTH CAROLINA COAST THIS MORNING AND MOVE TO THE EAST-NORTHEAST AND OUT TO SEA TODAY, WHILE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS SOUTH ACROSS THE EASTERN SEABOARD THROUGH TONIGHT. THE GALE WARNING FOR THE NORTHERN ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS OFF OF SANDY HOOK WAS DROPPED AND CONVERTED TO A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY AS WINDS NO LONGER ARE EXPECTED TO GUST TO 35 KNOTS HERE. THE GALE WARNING ACROSS THE REST OF THE ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS AND LOWER DELAWARE BAY WAS EXTENDED THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON. ONCE THE GALE FORCE WINDS DIMINISH, A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED. THE SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY ON THE UPPER DELAWARE BAY WAS EXTENDED THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON. OUTLOOK... TUESDAY...A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT ON OUR OCEAN WATERS FOR WAVE HEIGHTS NEAR OR IN EXCESS OF 5 FEET. TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE, ESPECIALLY ON OUR OCEAN WATERS. THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY...NO MARINE HEADLINES ARE ANTICIPATED. && .TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING... TIDAL DEPARTURES ALONG THE NEW JERSEY AND DELAWARE OCEANFRONT WERE RUNNING ABOUT A HALF FOOT TO A FOOT ABOVE NORMAL EARLY THIS MORNING. THE LATEST GUIDANCE AND TRENDS CONTINUE TO SUGGEST THE DEPARTURES WILL NOT INCREASE TO MORE THAN ABOUT A FOOT TO A FOOT AND A HALF ABOVE NORMAL IN THE NORTHEAST FLOW. THE RESULTING WATER LEVELS WOULD NOT REACH THE MINOR FLOODING THRESHOLDS. DEPARTURES OF GREATER THAN A FOOT AND A HALF WOULD BE NEEDED AROUND THE TIMES OF HIGH TIDE TODAY TO CAUSE A PROBLEM. && .CLIMATE... MORE SNOWFALL RECORDS TO FALL AND/OR CLIMBING HIGHER IN THE SNOWFALL RECORD DEPARTMENT. ACY HAS THE BEST CHANCES: DAILY SNOWFALL RECORDS FOR: MARCH 17 ALLENTOWN 4.2 IN 1967 ATLANTIC CITY 1.6 IN 1965 PHILADELPHIA 3.5 IN 1892 WILMINGTON 2.4 IN 1965 IN PHILADELPHIA, WE HAVE HAD 13 SEPARATE CALENDAR DAYS IN WHICH AN INCH OR MORE OF SNOW HAS FALLEN THIS SEASON. WE HAVE A SMALL CHANCE TO MAKE IT 15 CALENDAR DAYS WHICH WOULD GIVE THIS SEASON SOLE POSSESSION OF SECOND PLACE. A MORE LIKELY 14 CALENDAR DAYS WOULD TIE US WITH 1898-99 WHILE THE RECORD IS 17 CALENDAR DAYS IN THE 1917-18 SEASON. SPEAKING OF SECOND PLACE, AN ADDITIONAL 2.7 INCHES WOULD GIVE PHILADELPHIA (62.9 INCHES CURRENTLY) THE SECOND SNOWIEST SEASON ON RECORD, SURPASSING THE 65.5 INCHES DURING THE 1995-6 SEASON. THE ALL-TIME RECORD IS 78.7 INCHES IN 2009-10. IT APPEARS SAFE THROUGH THIS EVENT. IF 6.6 INCHES OR MORE OF SNOW WERE TO FALL EARLY NEXT WEEK, IT WOULD BE THE FIRST TIME EVER THERE HAVE BEEN FOUR DOUBLE DIGIT MONTHS OF SNOWFALL IN ONE SEASON IN PHILADELPHIA. ATLANTIC CITY (33.7 INCHES CURRENTLY) NEEDS ONE TENTH OF AN INCH OF ADDITIONAL SNOW TO CRACK THE TOP 10 SNOWIEST SEASONS ON RECORD AND 8.7 ADDITIONAL INCHES TO SUPPLANT 2002-3 AS THE 5TH SNOWIEST. THE MOST RECENT SNOWIEST WINTER WAS 2010-11 (RANKED 8TH) AT 38.0 INCHES. NUMERO UNO IS THE WINTER OF 2009-10 AT 58.1 INCHES. WILMINGTON (52.9 INCHES CURRENTLY) NEEDS 3.1 ADDITIONAL INCHES TO SUPPLANT 1995-6 AS THE SECOND SNOWIEST SEASON ON RECORD. THE RECORD IS 72.8 INCHES DURING THE 2009-10 SEASON. ALLENTOWN SEASONAL SNOWFALL RANKS. WE MIGHT NOT MOVE UP. 75.4 INCHES IN 1993-4 71.4 INCHES IN 1995-6 67.2 INCHES IN 1966-7 66.9 INCHES IN 2013-4 && .PHI WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL NOON EDT TODAY FOR PAZ070-071- 101-102-104-106. NJ...WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL NOON EDT TODAY FOR NJZ016>018- 020>027. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL NOON EDT TODAY FOR NJZ012>015- 019. DE...WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL NOON EDT TODAY FOR DEZ001>004. MD...WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL NOON EDT TODAY FOR MDZ008-012-015- 019-020. MARINE...GALE WARNING UNTIL 5 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON FOR ANZ431-451>455. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM EDT TUESDAY FOR ANZ450. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 5 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON FOR ANZ430. && $$ SYNOPSIS...IOVINO NEAR TERM...ROBERTSON SHORT TERM...ROBERTSON LONG TERM...NIERENBERG AVIATION...IOVINO MARINE...IOVINO/ROBERTSON TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...IOVINO CLIMATE...GIGI
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS JACKSONVILLE FL
934 PM EDT TUE MAR 18 2014 .UPDATE... THE ONLY UPDATE WAS TO INCREASE THE SKY COVERAGE AND SCALE BACK ON THE FOG POTENTIAL OVERNIGHT. LOW STRATUS CLOUDS...TRAPPED BENEATH SUBSIDENCE INVERSION...WERE UNABLE TO DISSIPATE PRIOR TO SUNSET. MESOSCALE MODELS NOW SHOW THE LOW CLOUDS SPREADING BACK TO THE SOUTH AND FILLING IN THE CURRENT HOLES IN THE SOUTHWESTERN PORTIONS OF OUR CWA. OVERCAST SKIES WILL THUS PREVAIL OVERNIGHT...WHICH WILL PRETTY MUCH ELIMINATE THE FOG THREAT. THERE COULD STILL BE SOME PATCHY FOG ACROSS OUR FAR SOUTHWESTERN ZONES IF LOW CLOUDS DO NOT FILL BACK IN THERE BUT THIS IS LOOKING MORE AND MORE UNLIKELY. ANY SIGNIFICANT FOG THREAT WILL REMAIN WELL SOUTH OF THE AREA. OTHERWISE...THE FORECAST IS ON TRACK AND NO OTHER UPDATES ARE PLANNED. && .AVIATION...IR SATELLITE ANIMATION SHOWS MVFR CIGS FILLING IN ACRS SE GA AND OVER COASTAL WATERS...AND STARTING TO SPREAD INLAND OVER ST.JOHNS AND FLAGLER COUNTIES. HRRR CIG GUIDANCE SHOWS IFR CIGS SPREADING S AND W ACROSS OUR ENTIRE FORECAST AREA AFTER 02Z AND REMAINING IN PLACE THRU 13-14Z WED MORNING. OTHER GUIDANCE SUGGESTS LITTLE IN THE WAY OF LOW CLOUDINESS UNTIL AFTER 06Z DESPITE CURRENT OBSERVATIONS. 00Z TAFS FOLLOWED HRRR GUIDANCE FAIRLY CLOSELY WITH CIGS DROPPING TO IFR AFTER 03Z...BECOMING MVFR AROUND 14Z AND CLEARING 15-16Z...A LITTLE SLOWER CLEARING THAN GUIDANCE GIVEN LLVL EASTERLY FLOW. SHOWED LOWER VSBYS KGNV WHERE BETTER CHANCE OF FOG THAN AT OTHER TAF SITES. && .MARINE... WILL LEAVE THE SMALL CRAFT EXERCISE CAUTION IN PLACE OVER THE OFFSHORE ZONES FOR THE REST OF THE NIGHT...IN ORDER TO ACCOUNT FOR LINGERING SEAS IN THE 4 TO 6 FT RANGE. SEAS WILL VERY GRADUALLY BEGIN TO SUBSIDE AFTER MIDNIGHT AS WINDS REMAIN BELOW 15 KNOTS. RIP CURRENTS: LOW RISK. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... AMG 46 74 51 77 / 0 0 0 0 SSI 49 65 53 75 / 10 10 10 10 JAX 49 73 53 78 / 10 10 10 10 SGJ 53 69 55 74 / 10 10 10 10 GNV 50 77 50 80 / 10 10 10 10 OCF 53 78 51 80 / 10 10 10 10 && .JAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...NONE. GA...NONE. AM...NONE. && $$ SHULER/WOLF/
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NWS MIAMI FL
605 PM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 .UPDATE... THE LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE COLD FRONT WAS LOCATED FROM CENTRAL FLORIDA SOUTHWEST INTO THE SOUTHEAST GULF OF MEXICO. THIS LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAS SLOWLY WEAKENED THROUGH LATE THIS AFTERNOON. THE LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD CONTINUE TO MOVE SLOWLY SOUTH INTO THE LAKE OKEECHOBEE REGION LATE THIS EVENING...BEFORE CONTINUING TO MOVE THROUGH SOUTH FLORIDA THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF TUESDAY. SO WILL LOWER THE POPS OVER SOUTH FLORIDA THIS EVENING...BUT KEEP THE LIKELY POPS IN PLACE FOR THE LATE NIGHT HOURS TONIGHT OVER SOUTH FLORIDA. THE LATEST SHORT RANGE MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW THE MID TO UPPER LEVEL TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE OVER THE EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO TO MOVE OVER THE FLORIDA PENINSULA TONIGHT BRINGING A LOW TO MID LEVEL OF 50 KNOTS THROUGH SOUTH FLORIDA. THIS JET COULD HELP REGENERATE THE LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTH FLORIDA AND BRING A SLIGHT RISK OF STRONG TO EVEN SEVERE STORMS TO THE AREA. SO WILL CONTINUE TO MENTION THIS IN THE HWO PACKAGE AT THIS TIME. && .UPDATE...54/BNB .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 334 PM EDT MON MAR 17 2014/ DISCUSSION... AN INTERESTING EVENING/NIGHT IS AHEAD OF US. A POSITIVELY TILTED UPPER LEVEL TROUGH IS LOCATED ACROSS THE MS VALLEY. A SURFACE LOW ACROSS SOUTHEASTERN US WILL CONTINUE MOVING EAST...WITH ITS ASSOCIATED FRONTAL BOUNDARY BEGINNING TO MOVE APPROACH OUR AREA THIS EVENING. THESE FEATURES WERE WELL DEPICTED BY ALL GUIDANCE THIS MORNING. STRONG STORMS...A FEW MAY BY SEVERE...ARE STILL POSSIBLE MAINLY ACROSS THE LAKE OKEECHOBEE AREA AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA COAST BEGINNING THIS EVENING. BOTH THE GFS AND ECMWF SHOW THE MAIN SOURCE OF ENERGY REMAINING ACROSS NORTH/CENTRAL FLORIDA...THEREFORE EXPECT THE MOST INTENSE ACTIVITY TO REMAIN NORTH FROM OUR AREA. DESPITE THAT...THESE MODELS ALSO SHOW A LOW LEVEL JET ACROSS OUR AREA AND UPPER LEVEL JET WITH ASSOCIATED DIVERGENCE ALOFT...THEREFORE DAMAGING STRAIGHT- LINE WINDS COULD BE GENERATED WITH ANY STORM THAT DEVELOPS. CONVERSELY...THE LATEST HRRR AND OTHER HIGH RES MODEL RUNS DEPICT A LESS ACTIVE LINE MOVING ACROSS SOUTH FLORIDA TONIGHT...PARTICULARLY AFTER TRAVERSING THE MAINLAND TOWARD SOUTHEAST FLORIDA OVERNIGHT. BUT AFTER ANALYZING ALL THE OBSERVATIONS AND MODELS AVAILABLE AT THIS POINT...STILL CANT RULE OUT THE POSSIBILITY OF STRONG STORMS OVERNIGHT. DRIER AIR WILL SPREAD ACROSS OUR AREA TUESDAY THROUGH THE MID- WEEK PERIOD IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS EASTWARD. TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN AROUND NORMAL THROUGH THE PERIOD. ANOTHER WEAK BOUNDARY WILL APPROACH THE PENINSULA SOMETIME THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY WITH HIGH PRESSURE QUICKLY BUILDING IN BEHIND IT ACROSS THE REGION FOR THE UPCOMING WEEKEND. RAIN CHANCES WILL REMAIN LOW FOR NOW FOR THE LATTER PART OF THE WEEK INTO NEXT WEEKEND WITH TEMPERATURES ABOVE NORMAL. AVIATION... THERE HAS BEEN A DELAY IN THE ANTICIPATED POTENTIAL FOR CONVECTION THIS AFTERNOON. HOWEVER...THE POTENTIAL FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUES. CURRENTLY THERE IS A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IN THE EASTERN GULF THAT COULD POTENTIALLY REACH TERMINAL KAPF AROUND 00Z. FOR THIS AFTERNOON...THE OCCURRENCE FOR SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS COULD HAPPEN AT ANY TIME BUT IN TAF`S ASSIGNED ALL TERMINALS VCTS AT 20Z AND CONTINUING AT 00Z. THE GREATEST COVERAGE OF SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED AFTER 00Z. WITH THAT IN MIND AND CONSIDERING THE UNCERTAINTY...MOST OF THE TAF`S END AT 00Z WITH VCTS. THERE IS A CHANCE OF SEVERE WEATHER...WITH DAMAGING WINDS BEING THE GREATEST THREAT ALTHOUGH AN ISOLATED TORNADO IS POSSIBLE. SO FAR THE TIMING OF ANY POTENTIAL SEVERE WEATHER IS MAINLY EXPECTED IN THE LATE EVENING AND OVER NIGHT. MARINE... A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH AND MOVE THROUGH THE MARINE AREA THROUGH TONIGHT. MODERATE TO FRESH SOUTH SOUTHWEST WINDS ALONG WITH INCREASING RAIN CHANCES WILL BE ANTICIPATED THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING AS THIS BOUNDARY MOVES THROUGH. WINDS AND SEAS WILL QUICKLY TREND DOWN THROUGH THE MID WEEK PERIOD AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS EAST ACROSS THE REGION. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... WEST PALM BEACH 74 81 68 82 / 70 40 0 10 FORT LAUDERDALE 76 81 69 82 / 70 40 10 10 MIAMI 75 82 69 83 / 70 40 10 10 NAPLES 70 79 61 84 / 60 10 0 10 && .MFL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...NONE. AM...NONE. GM...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...23/SK LONG TERM....54/BNB
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MIAMI FL
334 PM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 .DISCUSSION... AN INTERESTING EVENING/NIGHT IS AHEAD OF US. A POSITIVELY TILTED UPPER LEVEL TROUGH IS LOCATED ACROSS THE MS VALLEY. A SURFACE LOW ACROSS SOUTHEASTERN US WILL CONTINUE MOVING EAST...WITH ITS ASSOCIATED FRONTAL BOUNDARY BEGINNING TO MOVE APPROACH OUR AREA THIS EVENING. THESE FEATURES WERE WELL DEPICTED BY ALL GUIDANCE THIS MORNING. STRONG STORMS...A FEW MAY BY SEVERE...ARE STILL POSSIBLE MAINLY ACROSS THE LAKE OKEECHOBEE AREA AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA COAST BEGINNING THIS EVENING. BOTH THE GFS AND ECMWF SHOW THE MAIN SOURCE OF ENERGY REMAINING ACROSS NORTH/CENTRAL FLORIDA...THEREFORE EXPECT THE MOST INTENSE ACTIVITY TO REMAIN NORTH FROM OUR AREA. DESPITE THAT...THESE MODELS ALSO SHOW A LOW LEVEL JET ACROSS OUR AREA AND UPPER LEVEL JET WITH ASSOCIATED DIVERGENCE ALOFT...THEREFORE DAMAGING STRAIGHT- LINE WINDS COULD BE GENERATED WITH ANY STORM THAT DEVELOPS. CONVERSELY...THE LATEST HRRR AND OTHER HIGH RES MODEL RUNS DEPICT A LESS ACTIVE LINE MOVING ACROSS SOUTH FLORIDA TONIGHT...PARTICULARLY AFTER TRAVERSING THE MAINLAND TOWARD SOUTHEAST FLORIDA OVERNIGHT. BUT AFTER ANALYZING ALL THE OBSERVATIONS AND MODELS AVAILABLE AT THIS POINT...STILL CANT RULE OUT THE POSSIBILITY OF STRONG STORMS OVERNIGHT. DRIER AIR WILL SPREAD ACROSS OUR AREA TUESDAY THROUGH THE MID- WEEK PERIOD IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS EASTWARD. TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN AROUND NORMAL THROUGH THE PERIOD. ANOTHER WEAK BOUNDARY WILL APPROACH THE PENINSULA SOMETIME THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY WITH HIGH PRESSURE QUICKLY BUILDING IN BEHIND IT ACROSS THE REGION FOR THE UPCOMING WEEKEND. RAIN CHANCES WILL REMAIN LOW FOR NOW FOR THE LATTER PART OF THE WEEK INTO NEXT WEEKEND WITH TEMPERATURES ABOVE NORMAL. && .AVIATION... THERE HAS BEEN A DELAY IN THE ANTICIPATED POTENTIAL FOR CONVECTION THIS AFTERNOON. HOWEVER...THE POTENTIAL FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUES. CURRENTLY THERE IS A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IN THE EASTERN GULF THAT COULD POTENTIALLY REACH TERMINAL KAPF AROUND 00Z. FOR THIS AFTERNOON...THE OCCURRENCE FOR SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS COULD HAPPEN AT ANY TIME BUT IN TAF`S ASSIGNED ALL TERMINALS VCTS AT 20Z AND CONTINUING AT 00Z. THE GREATEST COVERAGE OF SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED AFTER 00Z. WITH THAT IN MIND AND CONSIDERING THE UNCERTAINTY...MOST OF THE TAF`S END AT 00Z WITH VCTS. THERE IS A CHANCE OF SEVERE WEATHER...WITH DAMAGING WINDS BEING THE GREATEST THREAT ALTHOUGH AN ISOLATED TORNADO IS POSSIBLE. SO FAR THE TIMING OF ANY POTENTIAL SEVERE WEATHER IS MAINLY EXPECTED IN THE LATE EVENING AND OVER NIGHT. && .MARINE... A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH AND MOVE THROUGH THE MARINE AREA THROUGH TONIGHT. MODERATE TO FRESH SOUTH SOUTHWEST WINDS ALONG WITH INCREASING RAIN CHANCES WILL BE ANTICIPATED THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING AS THIS BOUNDARY MOVES THROUGH. WINDS AND SEAS WILL QUICKLY TREND DOWN THROUGH THE MID WEEK PERIOD AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS EAST ACROSS THE REGION. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... WEST PALM BEACH 74 81 68 82 / 70 40 0 10 FORT LAUDERDALE 76 81 69 82 / 70 40 10 10 MIAMI 75 82 69 83 / 70 40 10 10 NAPLES 70 79 61 84 / 80 10 0 10 && .MFL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...NONE. AM...NONE. GM...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...60/BD LONG TERM....17/ERA AVIATION...60/BD
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NWS TAMPA BAY RUSKIN FL
450 AM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 ...UPDATED MARINE SECTION TO INCLUDE SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY... ...SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE STORMS TODAY... ...ELEVATED RISK OF DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS FOR AREA BEACHES... .SYNOPSIS... 08Z WATER VAPOR AND H4 RAP ANALYSIS SHOWS AND AMPLIFIED UPPER LEVEL PATTERN OVER THE CONUS THIS MORNING HIGHLIGHTED BY RIDGING OVER THE INTER-MOUNTAIN WEST AND DOWNSTREAM LONGWAVE TROUGHING OVER MUCH OF THE EASTERN HALF OF THE NATION. THE MOST IMPORTANT FEATURE FOR OUR WEATHER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS IS A STRONG SHORTWAVE IMPULSE CURRENTLY OVER THE SOUTHERN PLAINS THAT HAS ALMOST COMPLETED ITS FRACTURE FROM THE MAIN NORTHERN STREAM FLOW. THERE ARE ACTUALLY CURRENTLY TWO SEPARATE PIECES OF ENERGY WITHIN THIS FRACTURE. ONE IS PIVOTING TOWARD THE TEXAS COAST...WHILE THE OTHER IS SLIDING EASTWARD OVER THE SOUTHERN MS VALLEY. THESE TWO PIECES OF ENERGY WILL CONSOLIDATE OVER THE NEXT 12 HOURS TO FORM AN ELONGATED POSITIVELY TILTED SHORTWAVE PROGRESSING EASTWARD ALONG THE NORTHERN GULF COAST. THIS SHORTWAVE WILL BECOME QUITE POTENT AS ITS AXIS BECOMES ALIGNED MORE NORTH-SOUTH LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT AND IT APPROACHES THE NORTHEAST GULF COAST. CURRENTLY WV IMAGERY SHOWS A BROAD EXPANSE OF MID/UPPER LEVEL MOISTURE STREAMING EAST AND NORTHEAST OVER THE GULF AND SE CONUS AHEAD OF THESE FEATURES MENTIONED ABOVE. REGIONAL RADAR SHOWS WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ADVANCING INTO THE NATURE COAST TO THE NORTH OF TAMPA BAY. A BROKEN LINE OF STRONGER CONVECTION EXTENDS FROM NEAR CEDAR KEY SOUTHWEST BACK INTO THE GULF. THIS LINE WILL BE THE INITIAL CONCERN FOR SEVERE WEATHER ACROSS THE NATURE COAST EARLY THIS MORNING AS THE CELLS QUICKLY PROPAGATE NORTHEASTWARD...WHILE THE CONVERGENCE FORCING THE STORMS MOVES VERY SLOWLY EAST AND SOUTHEAST. THIS WILL BE THE SETUP FOR MUCH OF THE EARLY/MIDDLE MORNING HOURS...WITH A TIGHT GRADIENT BETWEEN CATEGORICAL RAIN CHANCES JUST NORTH OF I-4...TO CHANCE OR EVEN SLIGHT CHANCE NOT TOO FAR TO THE SOUTH. AT THE SURFACE...A COMPLEX FRONTAL ZONES WITH SEVERAL ANALYZED WAVES ALONG IT EXTENDS FROM THE GA/CAROLINA COASTLINE SOUTHWEST INTO THE EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO. THIS FRONTAL ZONE WILL ONLY VERY SLOWLY CREEP EASTWARD THROUGH TODAY...AND WILL NOT REALLY GET A GOOD EASTWARD PUSH THROUGH THE PENINSULA UNTIL LATER TONIGHT WHEN RENEWED SURFACE REFLECTION CYCLOGENESIS OCCURS OFF THE SE CONUS COAST ASSOCIATED WITH THE APPROACHING POTENT SHORTWAVE ENERGY. AHEAD OF THE FRONT...DEEP SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL CONTINUE TO DELIVER A MOIST BOUNDARY LAYER. AS A RESULT...WE ARE EXPERIENCING A WARM NIGHT FOR MID MARCH WITH MOST SPOTS REPORTING TEMPS IN THE UPPER 60S TO LOWER 70S. && .SHORT TERM (TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY)... TODAY/TONIGHT...THE MAIN FOCUS TODAY WILL BE THE POTENTIAL FOR ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND AREAS OF VERY RAINFALL. THE MORNING WILL BE WETTEST FROM THE I-4 CORRIDOR NORTHWARD INTO THE NATURE COAST WHERE LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE ALONG/AHEAD OF THE ADVANCING COLD FRONT WILL BE COINCIDENT WITH A LARGE SWATH OF UPPER LEVEL DIFFLUENCE OVERSPREAD THE REGION IN ASSOCIATION WITH AN IMPRESSIVE EASTERN CONUS JET STRUCTURE. THE GRADIENT IN RAIN CHANCES WILL BE QUITE TIGHT FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THE DAY...RANGING FROM CATEGORICAL NORTH OF TAMPA BAY TO ONLY CHANCE/SLIGHT CHANCE JUST TO THE SOUTH. IT WILL BE TAMPA BAY THAT IS THE TOUGHEST FORECAST AS TO JUST WHERE THAT SOUTHERN EXTENT OF THE STORMS WILL SET UP. BY THIS AFTERNOON...THE FRONTAL CONVERGENCE WILL HAVE SETTLED FAR ENOUGH SOUTH THAT THE TAMPA BAY/POLK COUNTY/NATURE COAST REGIONS SHOULD ALL BE WET...WITH RAIN CHANCES BEGINNING TO CREEP UP FURTHER TO THE SOUTH THE LATER WE GET INTO THE AFTERNOON. MID AND LOW LEVEL WIND FIELDS AND RESULTING DEEP LAYER SHEAR WILL BE FAVORABLE THROUGH THE DAY TO SUPPORT ORGANIZED CONVECTION AND A RISK FOR ISOLATED DAMAGING WIND GUSTS. THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER CONTINUES TO OUTLOOK THE REGION IN A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER THROUGH TONIGHT. THE THREAT FOR OUR NORTHERN NATURE COAST ZONES WILL GENERALLY BE FOR THE FIRST HALF OF TODAY...WITH THE THREAT ENDING SLOWLY FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST LATER TODAY INTO TONIGHT AS THE BOUNDARY SAGS THROUGH THE REGION. WE ARE LIKELY TO SEE SEVERAL ROUNDS OF THUNDERSTORMS CROSSING THE COAST THROUGH THE DAY...MAKING THIS A MORE PROLONGED SEVERE WEATHER THREAT THAN IS USUAL. THIS IS NOT TO SAY THE COVERAGE OF STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS WILL NECESSARILY BE GREATER...BUT JUST THAT THE TIME SPAN THAT THE ATMOSPHERE IS FAVORABLE FOR SUPPORTING SEVERE WEATHER IS. AS WE HEAD THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS...THE COLD FRONT WILL BEGIN TO PUSH THROUGH THE TAMPA BAY/SUNCOAST REGION AND WORK ITS WAY INLAND. AT THIS POINT IT WILL STILL BE A SLOW PROCESS. AT THE SAME TIME...THE MAIN POTENT SHORTWAVE WILL BEGIN TO CATCH UP AS IT RAPIDLY CROSSES THE NORTHEAST GULF OF MEXICO. A LARGE SWATH OF IMPRESSIVE QVECTOR CONVERGENCE WILL OVERSPREAD THE REGION...LIKELY KEEPING THE NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND STORMS GOING. THE PV ANOMALY ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SHORTWAVE FOLDS THE DYNAMIC TROP DOWN TO ALMOST 700MB PER GFS/ECMWF AND GIVES WAY TO AN IMPRESSIVE MID-LEVEL JET OF 90-100KTS APPROACHING THE FL WEST COAST THIS EVENING...AND A HIGHLY DIFFLUENT PATTERN IN THE MID-LEVELS OVER THE STATE. RENEWED/STRENGTHENING LOW LEVEL WIND FIELDS AND INCREASED FRONTOGENETICAL CONVERGENCE AS CYCLOGENESIS OCCURS OFF THE NE FLORIDA COAST MAY ADD TO THE SEVERE THREAT FOR A TIME THIS EVENING OVER OUR SOUTHERN AND SOUTH-CENTRAL INTERIOR ZONES. HOWEVER...THIS CYCLOGENESIS WILL ALSO HELP TO GIVE THIS FRONT A FINAL PUSH AND EXIT THE BOUNDARY AND SEVERE THREAT DURING THE PRE-DAWN HOURS. ALTHOUGH THE SEVERE THREAT WILL GENERALLY BE GONE FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE NIGHT...LEFTOVER COLUMN MOISTURE LOOK SUFFICIENT FOR THE STRONG SYNOPTIC FORCING WITH THE SHORTWAVE TO FORCE MORE ROUNDS OF SHOWERS...AND WILL KEEP RAIN CHANCES HIGH UNTIL AROUND SUNRISE WHEN THE SHORTWAVE AXIS FINALLY EXITS TO OUR NORTHEAST. TUESDAY/WEDNESDAY... A MUCH MORE BENIGN FORECAST QUICKLY COMES INTO PLAY DURING THE DAY ON TUESDAY. AFTER JUST A SLIGHT CHANCE OF AN EARLY MORNING SHOWER...DRIER AIR WILL BEGIN TO ARRIVE FROM THE NORTHWEST WHILE UPPER LEVEL HEIGHT FIELDS BECOME MORE ZONAL (OR EVEN RIDGED IN NATURE). DEEP LAYER MOISTURE WILL QUICKLY EXIT ALLOWING FOR MORE AND MORE SUN THROUGH THE DAY...WHILE AT THE SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN FROM THE NORTHWEST. BY TUESDAY AFTERNOON...OUR FORECAST LOOKS FAIR AND DRY WITH SEASONABLE TEMPERATURES. THIS GENERAL PATTERN LOOKS TO HOLD THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK WITH NO SIGNIFICANT SENSIBLE WEATHER ISSUES TO SPEAK OF. && .LONG TERM (WEDNESDAY NIGHT - NEXT SUNDAY)... FLOW ALOFT THE GULF REGION REMAINS NEARLY ZONAL AS A SHORT WAVE TROUGH MOVES ACROSS THE EASTERN STATES THU...PUSHING A DRY FRONT THROUGH FL. THEN HIGH PRESSURE MOVES OUT OF THE PLAINS TO THE GULF REGION AND CONTINUES EAST TO THE ATLANTIC BY THE WEEKEND. ANOTHER SHORT WAVE TROUGH MOVES BY TO THE NORTH ON SAT WITH A FRONT APPROACHING NORTH FL. THIS FRONT CONTAINS MORE MOISTURE BUT THE BULK OF THIS MOISTURE STAYS NORTH OF THE AREA. THE SURFACE HIGH DOMINATES WITH A DRY STABLE AND GENERALLY WARM AIRMASS. TEMPERATURES BEGIN ON THE COOL SIDE THU MORNING BUT WARM TO ABOVE NORMAL. && .AVIATION... 17/06Z-18/06Z: VFR WILL GIVE WAY TO PREVAILING MVFR...STARTING IN THE NORTH EARLY THIS MORNING AND SPREADING SOUTH DURING THE DAY. SHRA AND TSRA PUSH INTO TPA/PIE/LAL/SRQ LATE MORNING...PGD/FMY/RSW IN THE AFTERNOON...AND CONTINUE THROUGH THE EVENING. LCL IFR POSSIBLE IN HEAVIER SHRA/TSRA...REQUIRING TAF AMD LATE MORNING OR AFTERNOON. RATHER ROBUST SOUTHERLY WINDS BECOME GUSTY AFTER SUNRISE AND VEER TO MORE S-SW. && .MARINE... WINDS AND SEAS WILL REMAIN ELEVATED THROUGH THE DAY AHEAD OF A SLOW MOVING COLD FRONT. THIS FRONT WILL BEGIN TO SAG SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE FORECAST WATERS EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...BUT NOT EXIT THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN WATERS UNTIL THIS EVENING. A PERIOD OF NEAR ADVISORY LEVEL WINDS IS NOT EXPECTED TO THE SOUTH OF TARPON SPRINGS THROUGH AT LEAST THE EARLY AFTERNOON. WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND STORMS ARE EXPECTED AHEAD OF THIS FRONT...WITH SOME OF THE STORMS BEING SEVERE IN NATURE. LIGHTER WINDS AND SEAS WILL THEN BE IN THE FORECAST FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK AS A SERIES OF SURFACE RIDGES BUILD INTO THE EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO. && .FIRE WEATHER... ABUNDANT MOISTURE AND INCREASING RAIN CHANCES WILL KEEP RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES WELL ABOVE CRITICAL LEVELS TODAY. THE BEST RAIN CHANCES THROUGH THE EARLY AFTERNOON WILL BE FROM THE I-4 CORRIDOR NORTHWARD...AND THEN BEGIN TO EXPAND SOUTH AND EAST THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE DAY. MOST AREAS WILL BE IN A WET PATTERN BY THIS EVENING. WINDS WILL BE QUITE GUSTY TODAY ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE I-4 CORRIDOR BEFORE THE RAINFALL ARRIVES. A COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE AREA THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT WITH SOMEWHAT DRIER AIR ARRIVING INTO THE DAY ON TUESDAY. DESPITE THE DRIER AIR...NO CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE ANTICIPATED THROUGH AT LEAST WEDNESDAY. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... TPA 77 63 76 60 / 100 90 20 0 FMY 85 68 80 59 / 60 80 20 10 GIF 82 64 79 58 / 90 90 30 0 SRQ 79 65 74 57 / 100 90 20 0 BKV 78 59 78 51 / 100 90 20 0 SPG 79 64 75 63 / 100 90 20 10 && .TBW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...RIP CURRENT RISK THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING FOR COASTAL CHARLOTTE-COASTAL HILLSBOROUGH-COASTAL LEE-COASTAL MANATEE-COASTAL SARASOTA-PINELLAS. LAKE WIND ADVISORY FROM 8 AM THIS MORNING TO 6 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR COASTAL CHARLOTTE-COASTAL HILLSBOROUGH- COASTAL LEE-COASTAL MANATEE-COASTAL SARASOTA-DESOTO- HARDEE-HIGHLANDS-INLAND CHARLOTTE-INLAND HILLSBOROUGH- INLAND LEE-INLAND MANATEE-INLAND SARASOTA-PINELLAS- POLK. GULF WATERS...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON FOR BONITA BEACH TO ENGLEWOOD OUT 20 NM-BONITA BEACH TO ENGLEWOOD OUT 20 TO 60 NM-ENGLEWOOD TO TARPON SPRINGS OUT 20 NM-ENGLEWOOD TO TARPON SPRINGS OUT 20 TO 60 NM. && $$ SYNOPSIS/SHORT TERM/MARINE/FIRE WX...MROCZKA LONG TERM/AVIATION...RUDE
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS TAMPA BAY RUSKIN FL
430 AM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 ...SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE STORMS TODAY... ...LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL THROUGH TONIGHT... ...ELEVATED RISK OF DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS FOR AREA BEACHES... .SYNOPSIS... 08Z WATER VAPOR AND H4 RAP ANALYSIS SHOWS AND AMPLIFIED UPPER LEVEL PATTERN OVER THE CONUS THIS MORNING HIGHLIGHTED BY RIDGING OVER THE INTER-MOUNTAIN WEST AND DOWNSTREAM LONGWAVE TROUGHING OVER MUCH OF THE EASTERN HALF OF THE NATION. THE MOST IMPORTANT FEATURE FOR OUR WEATHER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS IS A STRONG SHORTWAVE IMPULSE CURRENTLY OVER THE SOUTHERN PLAINS THAT HAS ALMOST COMPLETED ITS FRACTURE FROM THE MAIN NORTHERN STREAM FLOW. THERE ARE ACTUALLY CURRENTLY TWO SEPARATE PIECES OF ENERGY WITHIN THIS FRACTURE. ONE IS PIVOTING TOWARD THE TEXAS COAST...WHILE THE OTHER IS SLIDING EASTWARD OVER THE SOUTHERN MS VALLEY. THESE TWO PIECES OF ENERGY WILL CONSOLIDATE OVER THE NEXT 12 HOURS TO FORM AN ELONGATED POSITIVELY TILTED SHORTWAVE PROGRESSING EASTWARD ALONG THE NORTHERN GULF COAST. THIS SHORTWAVE WILL BECOME QUITE POTENT AS ITS AXIS BECOMES ALIGNED MORE NORTH-SOUTH LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT AND IT APPROACHES THE NORTHEAST GULF COAST. CURRENTLY WV IMAGERY SHOWS A BROAD EXPANSE OF MID/UPPER LEVEL MOISTURE STREAMING EAST AND NORTHEAST OVER THE GULF AND SE CONUS AHEAD OF THESE FEATURES MENTIONED ABOVE. REGIONAL RADAR SHOWS WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ADVANCING INTO THE NATURE COAST TO THE NORTH OF TAMPA BAY. A BROKEN LINE OF STRONGER CONVECTION EXTENDS FROM NEAR CEDAR KEY SOUTHWEST BACK INTO THE GULF. THIS LINE WILL BE THE INITIAL CONCERN FOR SEVERE WEATHER ACROSS THE NATURE COAST EARLY THIS MORNING AS THE CELLS QUICKLY PROPAGATE NORTHEASTWARD...WHILE THE CONVERGENCE FORCING THE STORMS MOVES VERY SLOWLY EAST AND SOUTHEAST. THIS WILL BE THE SETUP FOR MUCH OF THE EARLY/MIDDLE MORNING HOURS...WITH A TIGHT GRADIENT BETWEEN CATEGORICAL RAIN CHANCES JUST NORTH OF I-4...TO CHANCE OR EVEN SLIGHT CHANCE NOT TOO FAR TO THE SOUTH. AT THE SURFACE...A COMPLEX FRONTAL ZONES WITH SEVERAL ANALYZED WAVES ALONG IT EXTENDS FROM THE GA/CAROLINA COASTLINE SOUTHWEST INTO THE EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO. THIS FRONTAL ZONE WILL ONLY VERY SLOWLY CREEP EASTWARD THROUGH TODAY...AND WILL NOT REALLY GET A GOOD EASTWARD PUSH THROUGH THE PENINSULA UNTIL LATER TONIGHT WHEN RENEWED SURFACE REFLECTION CYCLOGENESIS OCCURS OFF THE SE CONUS COAST ASSOCIATED WITH THE APPROACHING POTENT SHORTWAVE ENERGY. AHEAD OF THE FRONT...DEEP SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL CONTINUE TO DELIVER A MOIST BOUNDARY LAYER. AS A RESULT...WE ARE EXPERIENCING A WARM NIGHT FOR MID MARCH WITH MOST SPOTS REPORTING TEMPS IN THE UPPER 60S TO LOWER 70S. && .SHORT TERM (TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY)... TODAY/TONIGHT...THE MAIN FOCUS TODAY WILL BE THE POTENTIAL FOR ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND AREAS OF VERY RAINFALL. THE MORNING WILL BE WETTEST FROM THE I-4 CORRIDOR NORTHWARD INTO THE NATURE COAST WHERE LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE ALONG/AHEAD OF THE ADVANCING COLD FRONT WILL BE COINCIDENT WITH A LARGE SWATH OF UPPER LEVEL DIFFLUENCE OVERSPREAD THE REGION IN ASSOCIATION WITH AN IMPRESSIVE EASTERN CONUS JET STRUCTURE. THE GRADIENT IN RAIN CHANCES WILL BE QUITE TIGHT FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THE DAY...RANGING FROM CATEGORICAL NORTH OF TAMPA BAY TO ONLY CHANCE/SLIGHT CHANCE JUST TO THE SOUTH. IT WILL BE TAMPA BAY THAT IS THE TOUGHEST FORECAST AS TO JUST WHERE THAT SOUTHERN EXTENT OF THE STORMS WILL SET UP. BY THIS AFTERNOON...THE FRONTAL CONVERGENCE WILL HAVE SETTLED FAR ENOUGH SOUTH THAT THE TAMPA BAY/POLK COUNTY/NATURE COAST REGIONS SHOULD ALL BE WET...WITH RAIN CHANCES BEGINNING TO CREEP UP FURTHER TO THE SOUTH THE LATER WE GET INTO THE AFTERNOON. MID AND LOW LEVEL WIND FIELDS AND RESULTING DEEP LAYER SHEAR WILL BE FAVORABLE THROUGH THE DAY TO SUPPORT ORGANIZED CONVECTION AND A RISK FOR ISOLATED DAMAGING WIND GUSTS. THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER CONTINUES TO OUTLOOK THE REGION IN A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER THROUGH TONIGHT. THE THREAT FOR OUR NORTHERN NATURE COAST ZONES WILL GENERALLY BE FOR THE FIRST HALF OF TODAY...WITH THE THREAT ENDING SLOWLY FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST LATER TODAY INTO TONIGHT AS THE BOUNDARY SAGS THROUGH THE REGION. WE ARE LIKELY TO SEE SEVERAL ROUNDS OF THUNDERSTORMS CROSSING THE COAST THROUGH THE DAY...MAKING THIS A MORE PROLONGED SEVERE WEATHER THREAT THAN IS USUAL. THIS IS NOT TO SAY THE COVERAGE OF STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS WILL NECESSARILY BE GREATER...BUT JUST THAT THE TIME SPAN THAT THE ATMOSPHERE IS FAVORABLE FOR SUPPORTING SEVERE WEATHER IS. AS WE HEAD THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS...THE COLD FRONT WILL BEGIN TO PUSH THROUGH THE TAMPA BAY/SUNCOAST REGION AND WORK ITS WAY INLAND. AT THIS POINT IT WILL STILL BE A SLOW PROCESS. AT THE SAME TIME...THE MAIN POTENT SHORTWAVE WILL BEGIN TO CATCH UP AS IT RAPIDLY CROSSES THE NORTHEAST GULF OF MEXICO. A LARGE SWATH OF IMPRESSIVE QVECTOR CONVERGENCE WILL OVERSPREAD THE REGION...LIKELY KEEPING THE NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND STORMS GOING. THE PV ANOMALY ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SHORTWAVE FOLDS THE DYNAMIC TROP DOWN TO ALMOST 700MB PER GFS/ECMWF AND GIVES WAY TO AN IMPRESSIVE MID-LEVEL JET OF 90-100KTS APPROACHING THE FL WEST COAST THIS EVENING...AND A HIGHLY DIFFLUENT PATTERN IN THE MID-LEVELS OVER THE STATE. RENEWED/STRENGTHENING LOW LEVEL WIND FIELDS AND INCREASED FRONTOGENETICAL CONVERGENCE AS CYCLOGENESIS OCCURS OFF THE NE FLORIDA COAST MAY ADD TO THE SEVERE THREAT FOR A TIME THIS EVENING OVER OUR SOUTHERN AND SOUTH-CENTRAL INTERIOR ZONES. HOWEVER...THIS CYCLOGENESIS WILL ALSO HELP TO GIVE THIS FRONT A FINAL PUSH AND EXIT THE BOUNDARY AND SEVERE THREAT DURING THE PRE-DAWN HOURS. ALTHOUGH THE SEVERE THREAT WILL GENERALLY BE GONE FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE NIGHT...LEFTOVER COLUMN MOISTURE LOOK SUFFICIENT FOR THE STRONG SYNOPTIC FORCING WITH THE SHORTWAVE TO FORCE MORE ROUNDS OF SHOWERS...AND WILL KEEP RAIN CHANCES HIGH UNTIL AROUND SUNRISE WHEN THE SHORTWAVE AXIS FINALLY EXITS TO OUR NORTHEAST. TUESDAY/WEDNESDAY... A MUCH MORE BENIGN FORECAST QUICKLY COMES INTO PLAY DURING THE DAY ON TUESDAY. AFTER JUST A SLIGHT CHANCE OF AN EARLY MORNING SHOWER...DRIER AIR WILL BEGIN TO ARRIVE FROM THE NORTHWEST WHILE UPPER LEVEL HEIGHT FIELDS BECOME MORE ZONAL (OR EVEN RIDGED IN NATURE). DEEP LAYER MOISTURE WILL QUICKLY EXIT ALLOWING FOR MORE AND MORE SUN THROUGH THE DAY...WHILE AT THE SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN FROM THE NORTHWEST. BY TUESDAY AFTERNOON...OUR FORECAST LOOKS FAIR AND DRY WITH SEASONABLE TEMPERATURES. THIS GENERAL PATTERN LOOKS TO HOLD THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK WITH NO SIGNIFICANT SENSIBLE WEATHER ISSUES TO SPEAK OF. && .LONG TERM (WEDNESDAY NIGHT - NEXT SUNDAY)... FLOW ALOFT THE GULF REGION REMAINS NEARLY ZONAL AS A SHORT WAVE TROUGH MOVES ACROSS THE EASTERN STATES THU...PUSHING A DRY FRONT THROUGH FL. THEN HIGH PRESSURE MOVES OUT OF THE PLAINS TO THE GULF REGION AND CONTINUES EAST TO THE ATLANTIC BY THE WEEKEND. ANOTHER SHORT WAVE TROUGH MOVES BY TO THE NORTH ON SAT WITH A FRONT APPROACHING NORTH FL. THIS FRONT CONTAINS MORE MOISTURE BUT THE BULK OF THIS MOISTURE STAYS NORTH OF THE AREA. THE SURFACE HIGH DOMINATES WITH A DRY STABLE AND GENERALLY WARM AIRMASS. TEMPERATURES BEGIN ON THE COOL SIDE THU MORNING BUT WARM TO ABOVE NORMAL. && .AVIATION... 17/06Z-18/06Z: VFR WILL GIVE WAY TO PREVAILING MVFR...STARTING IN THE NORTH EARLY THIS MORNING AND SPREADING SOUTH DURING THE DAY. SHRA AND TSRA PUSH INTO TPA/PIE/LAL/SRQ LATE MORNING...PGD/FMY/RSW IN THE AFTERNOON...AND CONTINUE THROUGH THE EVENING. LCL IFR POSSIBLE IN HEAVIER SHRA/TSRA...REQUIRING TAF AMD LATE MORNING OR AFTERNOON. RATHER ROBUST SOUTHERLY WINDS BECOME GUSTY AFTER SUNRISE AND VEER TO MORE S-SW. && .MARINE... WINDS AND SEAS WILL REMAIN ELEVATED THROUGH THE DAY AHEAD OF A SLOW MOVING COLD FRONT. THIS FRONT WILL BEGIN TO SAG SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE FORECAST WATERS EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...BUT NOT EXIT THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN WATERS UNTIL THIS EVENING. WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND STORMS ARE EXPECTED AHEAD OF THIS FRONT...WITH SOME OF THE STORMS BEING SEVERE IN NATURE. LIGHTER WINDS AND SEAS WILL THEN BE IN THE FORECAST FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK AS A SERIES OF SURFACE RIDGES BUILD INTO THE EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO. && .FIRE WEATHER... ABUNDANT MOISTURE AND INCREASING RAIN CHANCES WILL KEEP RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES WELL ABOVE CRITICAL LEVELS TODAY. THE BEST RAIN CHANCES THROUGH THE EARLY AFTERNOON WILL BE FROM THE I-4 CORRIDOR NORTHWARD...AND THEN BEGIN TO EXPAND SOUTH AND EAST THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE DAY. MOST AREAS WILL BE IN A WET PATTERN BY THIS EVENING. WINDS WILL BE QUITE GUSTY TODAY ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE I-4 CORRIDOR BEFORE THE RAINFALL ARRIVES. A COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE AREA THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT WITH SOMEWHAT DRIER AIR ARRIVING INTO THE DAY ON TUESDAY. DESPITE THE DRIER AIR...NO CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE ANTICIPATED THROUGH AT LEAST WEDNESDAY. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... TPA 77 63 76 60 / 100 90 20 0 FMY 85 68 80 59 / 60 80 20 10 GIF 82 64 79 58 / 90 90 30 0 SRQ 79 65 74 57 / 100 90 20 0 BKV 78 59 78 51 / 100 90 20 0 SPG 79 64 75 63 / 100 90 20 10 && .TBW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...RIP CURRENT RISK THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING FOR COASTAL CHARLOTTE-COASTAL HILLSBOROUGH-COASTAL LEE-COASTAL MANATEE-COASTAL SARASOTA-PINELLAS. LAKE WIND ADVISORY FROM 8 AM THIS MORNING TO 6 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR COASTAL CHARLOTTE-COASTAL HILLSBOROUGH- COASTAL LEE-COASTAL MANATEE-COASTAL SARASOTA-DESOTO- HARDEE-HIGHLANDS-INLAND CHARLOTTE-INLAND HILLSBOROUGH- INLAND LEE-INLAND MANATEE-INLAND SARASOTA-PINELLAS- POLK. GULF WATERS...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS/SHORT TERM/MARINE/FIRE WX...MROCZKA LONG TERM/AVIATION...RUDE
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS COLUMBIA SC
445 PM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 .SYNOPSIS... A FRONTAL SYSTEM WILL REMAIN NEAR THE SOUTHEAST COAST THROUGH TUESDAY. HIGH PRESSURE RIDGING SOUTHWARD FROM THE NORTHEAST STATES WILL MAINTAIN COLD AIR IN THE FORECAST AREA. THE FRONT WILL BEGIN TO MOVE FARTHER OFFSHORE LATE TUESDAY. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM TUESDAY MORNING/... LATE THIS AFTERNOON...RADAR TRENDS SUPPORT THE HIGH-RESOLUTION MODEL FORECAST OF WIDESPREAD RAIN LATE THIS AFTERNOON. COLD HIGH PRESSURE RIDGING INTO OUR AREA FROM THE NORTH WILL MAINTAIN THE COLD TEMPERATURES. TEMPERATURES WERE IN THE MIDDLE AND UPPER 30S IN THE NORTH PART OF THE FORECAST AREA. EXPECT LITTLE TEMPERATURE CHANGE SO PRECIPITATION SHOULD REMAIN ALL LIQUID WHICH IS SUPPORTED BY THE LATEST RAP AND HRRR GUIDANCE. TONIGHT...MUCH OF THE AREA WILL HAVE RAIN AT LEAST EARLY TONIGHT ASSOCIATED WITH LIFT AHEAD OF THE UPPER-LEVEL TROUGH. OFFSHORE LOW PRESSURE INTENSIFYING IN RESPONSE TO THE UPPER-LEVEL SUPPORT MAY RESULT IN A MORE NORTHERLY LOW-LEVEL FLOW WITH FURTHER COOLING AND THE NAM INDICATES POSSIBLE FREEZING RAIN IN THE EXTREME NORTH PART OF THE FORECAST AREA. THE GFS IS WARMER AND KEEPS SURFACE WET-BULB TEMPERATURES ABOVE FREEZING. WE BELIEVE THE WARMER GUIDANCE WILL MORE LIKELY VERIFY WITH CLOUDINESS AND PRECIPITATION FALLING FROM THE WARM LAYER ALOFT HELPING TO KEEP TEMPERATURES JUST ABOVE FREEZING. ALSO...MOISTURE SHOULD BECOME MORE SHALLOW LATE TONIGHT AS THE OFFSHORE LOW SHIFTS FARTHER EASTWARD SO PRECIPITATION SHOULD DIMINISH LATE. WE FORECASTED JUST A CHANCE OF LIGHT FREEZING RAIN IN THE NORTH PART OF LANCASTER COUNTY LATE TONIGHT. NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS ARE EXPECTED BECAUSE OF MARGINAL TEMPERATURES AND LIGHT AMOUNTS. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM TUESDAY MORNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... THE UPPER TROUGH AXIS SHOULD SHIFT OFF THE COAST TUESDAY WITH RIDGING MOVING OVER THE FORECAST AREA. THIS RIDGING SHOULD HELP MAINTAIN A STRONG INVERSION WITH HIGH LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE TRAPPED BELOW THIS FEATURE. THE MODEL TIME-HEIGHT DISPLAYS KEEP HIGH LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE. EXPECT TUESDAY WILL BE CLOUDY WITH THE TEMPERATURE GUIDANCE LIKELY TOO WARM. THE CLOUDINESS MAY CONTINUE TUESDAY NIGHT. MIXING AHEAD OF A WEAK COLD FRONT SHOULD RESULT IN BREAKS IN THE CLOUDINESS WEDNESDAY. THIS FRONT SHOULD MOVE THROUGH THE AREA WEDNESDAY NIGHT...BUT WITH JUST SHALLOW MOISTURE AND LITTLE CONVERGENCE THE SHOWER CHANCE SHOULD BE VERY LOW. USED THE GUIDANCE CONSENSUS FOR THE TEMPERATURE FORECAST TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... THE GFS AND ECMWF SHOW DRY RIDGING DOMINATING THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. A COLD FRONT SUPPORTS A CHANCE OF SHOWERS SATURDAY. THE FRONT MAY STALL JUST TO OUR SOUTH AND MAY REMAIN CLOSE ENOUGH TO OUR AREA FOR A CONTINUED CHANCE OF RAIN. AN AVERAGE OF THE GFS...ECMWF...AND EKD MOS PLUS GFS ENSEMBLE MEAN SUPPORTS A POP AROUND 30 PERCENT SATURDAY...AND 20 PERCENT SUNDAY AND MONDAY. && .AVIATION /21Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... IFR CIGS CONTINUE...WITH VARIABLE VSBYS. RADAR MOSAIC AND SURFACE OBS INDICATE PATCHY LIGHT RAIN AND DRIZZLE OVER THE FA 21Z ...WITH HEAVIER RAIN MAINLY OVER THE EASTERN MIDLANDS AND COASTAL AREAS. MODELS INDICATE THIS RAIN WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MUCH OF THE LATE AFTERNOON/EVENING HOURS AND INTO THE OVERNIGHT PERIOD. THIS WILL LEAD TO IFR TO LIFR CIGS/VSBYS. AS SYSTEM SHIFTS TO OUR EAST EARLY TUESDAY MORNING...THE BULK OF THE PRECIP SHOULD MOVE OUT AS WELL...THOUGH DRIZZLE COULD LINGER TUESDAY MORNING. LOW CLOUDINESS WILL LINGER TUESDAY AND BE SLOW TO CLEAR OUT. SOME IMPROVEMENT IN VSBYS EXPECTED TUESDAY MORNING...WITH GRADUAL RISES IN CIGS POSSIBLE AS WELL. CIG IMPROVEMENT TO MVFR MAY NOT OCCUR UNTIL AFTER 18Z TUE. EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...LINGERING LOW CLOUDINESS WITH MVFR CIGS POSSIBLE LATE TUE...WITH IFR CIGS POSSIBLY REDEVELOPING TUESDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY WEDNESDAY. A RETURN TO VFR EXPECTED BY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. && .CAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SC...NONE. GA...NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS COLUMBIA SC
231 PM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 .SYNOPSIS... A FRONTAL SYSTEM WILL REMAIN NEAR THE SOUTHEAST COAST THROUGH TUESDAY. HIGH PRESSURE RIDGING SOUTHWARD FROM THE NORTHEAST STATES WILL MAINTAIN COLD AIR IN THE FORECAST AREA. THE FRONT WILL BEGIN TO MOVE FARTHER OFFSHORE LATE TUESDAY. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... THIS AFTERNOON...RADAR TRENDS SUPPORT THE HIGH-RESOLUTION MODEL FORECAST OF WIDESPREAD RAIN THIS AFTERNOON. COLD HIGH PRESSURE RIDGING INTO OUR AREA FROM THE NORTH WILL MAINTAIN THE COLD TEMPERATURES. TEMPERATURES WERE IN THE MIDDLE AND UPPER 30S IN THE NORTH PART OF THE FORECAST AREA. EXPECT LITTLE TEMPERATURE CHANGE SO PRECIPITATION SHOULD REMAIN ALL LIQUID WHICH IS SUPPORTED BY THE LATEST RAP AND HRRR GUIDANCE. TONIGHT...MUCH OF THE AREA WILL HAVE RAIN AT LEAST EARLY TONIGHT ASSOCIATED WITH LIFT AHEAD OF THE UPPER-LEVEL TROUGH. OFFSHORE LOW PRESSURE INTENSIFYING IN RESPONSE TO THE UPPER-LEVEL SUPPORT MAY RESULT IN A MORE NORTHERLY LOW-LEVEL FLOW WITH FURTHER COOLING AND THE NAM INDICATES POSSIBLE FREEZING RAIN IN THE EXTREME NORTH PART OF THE FORECAST AREA. THE GFS IS WARMER AND KEEPS SURFACE WET-BULB TEMPERATURES ABOVE FREEZING. WE BELIEVE THE WARMER GUIDANCE WILL MORE LIKELY VERIFY WITH CLOUDINESS AND PRECIPITATION FALLING FROM THE WARM LAYER ALOFT HELPING TO KEEP TEMPERATURES JUST ABOVE FREEZING. ALSO...MOISTURE SHOULD BECOME MORE SHALLOW LATE TONIGHT AS THE OFFSHORE LOW SHIFTS FARTHER EASTWARD SO PRECIPITATION SHOULD DIMINISH LATE. WE FORECASTED JUST A CHANCE OF LIGHT FREEZING RAIN IN THE NORTH PART OF LANCASTER COUNTY LATE TONIGHT. NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS ARE EXPECTED BECAUSE OF MARGINAL TEMPERATURES AND LIGHT AMOUNTS. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... THE UPPER TROUGH AXIS SHOULD SHIFT OFF THE COAST TUESDAY WITH RIDGING MOVING OVER THE FORECAST AREA. THIS RIDGING SHOULD HELP MAINTAIN A STRONG INVERSION WITH HIGH LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE TRAPPED BELOW THIS FEATURE. THE MODEL TIME-HEIGHT DISPLAYS KEEP HIGH LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE. EXPECT TUESDAY WILL BE CLOUDY WITH THE TEMPERATURE GUIDANCE LIKELY TOO WARM. THE CLOUDINESS MAY CONTINUE TUESDAY NIGHT. MIXING AHEAD OF A WEAK COLD FRONT SHOULD RESULT IN BREAKS IN THE CLOUDINESS WEDNESDAY. THIS FRONT SHOULD MOVE THROUGH THE AREA WEDNESDAY NIGHT...BUT WITH JUST SHALLOW MOISTURE AND LITTLE CONVERGENCE THE SHOWER CHANCE SHOULD BE VERY LOW. USED THE GUIDANCE CONSENSUS FOR THE TEMPERATURE FORECAST TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... THE GFS AND ECMWF SHOW DRY RIDGING DOMINATING THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. A COLD FRONT SUPPORTS A CHANCE OF SHOWERS SATURDAY. THE FRONT MAY STALL JUST TO OUR SOUTH AND MAY REMAIN CLOSE ENOUGH TO OUR AREA FOR A CONTINUED CHANCE OF RAIN. AN AVERAGE OF THE GFS...ECMWF...AND EKD MOS PLUS GFS ENSEMBLE MEAN SUPPORTS A POP AROUND 30 PERCENT SATURDAY...AND 20 PERCENT SUNDAY AND MONDAY. && .AVIATION /19Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... IFR CIGS CONTINUE...WITH VARIABLE VSBYS. RADAR MOSAIC AND SURFACE OBS INDICATE JUST PATCHY LIGHT RAIN AND DRIZZLE OVER THE FA AT 17Z...HOWEVER LARGER AREA OF RAIN DEVELOPING JUST TO OUR WEST OVER GA WILL BE MOVING EAST AND AFFECTING AGS/DNL BY 18Z...AND OTHER TERMINALS BY 19Z TO 20Z. MODELS INDICATE THIS RAIN WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MUCH OF THE AFTERNOON AND OVERNIGHT PERIOD. THIS WILL LEAD TO IFR TO LIFR CIGS/VSBYS. AS SYSTEM SHIFTS TO OUR EAST EARLY TUESDAY MORNING...THE BULK OF THE PRECIP SHOULD MOVE OUT AS WELL...THOUGH DRIZZLE COULD LINGER TUESDAY MORNING. LOW CLOUDINESS WILL LINGER TUESDAY AND BE SLOW TO CLEAR OUT. SOME IMPROVEMENT IN VSBYS EXPECTED TUESDAY MORNING...WITH GRADUAL RISES IN CIGS POSSIBLE AS WELL. CIG IMPROVEMENT TO MVFR MAY NOT OCCUR UNTIL AFTER 18Z TUE. EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...LINGERING LOW CLOUDINESS WITH MVFR CIGS POSSIBLE LATE TUE...WITH IFR CIGS POSSIBLY REDEVELOPING TUESDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY WEDNESDAY. A RETURN TO VFR EXPECTED BY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. && .CAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SC...NONE. GA...NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS COLUMBIA SC
123 PM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 .SYNOPSIS... A FRONTAL SYSTEM WILL REMAIN NEAR THE SOUTHEAST COAST THROUGH TUESDAY. HIGH PRESSURE RIDGING SOUTHWARD FROM THE NORTHEAST STATES WILL MAINTAIN COLD AIR IN THE FORECAST AREA. THE FRONT WILL BEGIN TO MOVE FARTHER OFFSHORE LATE TUESDAY. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... THIS AFTERNOON...RADAR TRENDS SUPPORT THE HIGH-RESOLUTION MODEL FORECAST OF WIDESPREAD RAIN THIS AFTERNOON. COLD HIGH PRESSURE RIDGING INTO OUR AREA FROM THE NORTH WILL MAINTAIN THE COLD TEMPERATURES. TEMPERATURES WERE IN THE MIDDLE AND UPPER 30S IN THE NORTH PART OF THE FORECAST AREA. EXPECT LITTLE TEMPERATURE CHANGE SO PRECIPITATION SHOULD REMAIN ALL LIQUID WHICH IS SUPPORTED BY THE LATEST RAP AND HRRR GUIDANCE. TONIGHT...MUCH OF THE AREA WILL HAVE RAIN AT LEAST EARLY TONIGHT ASSOCIATED WITH LIFT AHEAD OF THE UPPER-LEVEL TROUGH. OFFSHORE LOW PRESSURE INTENSIFYING IN RESPONSE TO THE UPPER-LEVEL SUPPORT MAY RESULT IN A MORE NORTHERLY LOW-LEVEL FLOW WITH FURTHER COOLING AND THE NAM INDICATES POSSIBLE FREEZING RAIN IN THE EXTREME NORTH PART OF THE FORECAST AREA. THE GFS IS WARMER AND KEEPS SURFACE WET-BULB TEMPERATURES ABOVE FREEZING. WE BELIEVE THE WARMER GUIDANCE WILL MORE LIKELY VERIFY WITH CLOUDINESS AND PRECIPITATION FALLING FROM THE WARM LAYER ALOFT HELPING TO KEEP TEMPERATURES JUST ABOVE FREEZING. ALSO...MOISTURE SHOULD BECOME MORE SHALLOW LATE TONIGHT AS THE OFFSHORE LOW SHIFTS FARTHER EASTWARD SO PRECIPITATION SHOULD DIMINISH LATE. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... THE UPPER TROUGH AXIS SHOULD SHIFT OFF THE COAST TUESDAY WITH RIDGING MOVING OVER THE FORECAST AREA. THIS RIDGING SHOULD HELP MAINTAIN A STRONG INVERSION WITH HIGH LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE TRAPPED BELOW THIS FEATURE. THE MODEL TIME-HEIGHT DISPLAYS KEEP HIGH LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE. EXPECT TUESDAY WILL BE CLOUDY WITH THE TEMPERATURE GUIDANCE LIKELY TOO WARM. THE CLOUDINESS MAY CONTINUE TUESDAY NIGHT. MIXING AHEAD OF A WEAK COLD FRONT SHOULD RESULT IN BREAKS IN THE CLOUDINESS WEDNESDAY. THIS FRONT SHOULD MOVE THROUGH THE AREA WEDNESDAY NIGHT...BUT WITH JUST SHALLOW MOISTURE AND LITTLE CONVERGENCE THE SHOWER CHANCE SHOULD BE VERY LOW. USED THE GUIDANCE CONSENSUS FOR THE TEMPERATURE FORECAST TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... THE GFS AND ECMWF SHOW DRY RIDGING DOMINATING THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. A COLD FRONT SUPPORTS A CHANCE OF SHOWERS SATURDAY. THE FRONT MAY STALL JUST TO OUR SOUTH AND MAY REMAIN CLOSE ENOUGH TO OUR AREA FOR A CONTINUED CHANCE OF RAIN. AN AVERAGE OF THE GFS...ECMWF...AND EKD MOS PLUS GFS ENSEMBLE MEAN SUPPORTS A POP AROUND 30 PERCENT SATURDAY...AND 20 PERCENT SUNDAY AND MONDAY. && .AVIATION /16Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... IFR CIGS CONTINUE...WITH VARIABLE VSBYS. RADAR MOSIAC AND SURFACE OBS INDICATE JUST PATCHY LIGHT RAIN AND DRIZZLE OVER THE FA AT 17Z...HOWEVER LARGER AREA OF RAIN DEVELOPING JUST TO OUR WEST OVER GA WILL BE MOVING EAST AND AFFECTING AGS/DNL BY 18Z...AND OTHER TERMINALS BY 19Z TO 20Z. MODELS INDICATE THIS RAIN WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MUCH OF THE AFTERNOON AND OVERNIGHT PERIOD. THIS WILL LEAD TO IFR TO LIFR CIGS/VSBYS. AS SYSTEM SHIFTS TO OUR EAST EARLY TUESDAY MORNING...THE BULK OF THE PRECIP SHOULD MOVE OUT AS WELL...THOUGH DRIZZLE COULD LINGER TUESDAY MORNING. LOW CLOUDINESS WILL LINGER TUESDAY AND BE SLOW TO CLEAR OUT. SOME IMPROVEMENT IN VSBYS EXPECTED TUESDAY MORNING...WITH GRADUAL RISES IN CIGS POSSIBLE AS WELL. CIG IMPROVEMENT TO MVFR MAY NOT OCCUR UNTIL AFTER 18Z TUE. EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...LINGERING LOW CLOUDINESS WITH MVFR CIGS POSSIBLE LATE TUE...WITH IFR CIGS POSSIBLY REDEVELOPING TUESDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY WEDNESDAY. A RETURN TO VFR EXPECTED BY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. && .CAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SC...NONE. GA...NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS COLUMBIA SC
922 AM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 .SYNOPSIS... A FRONTAL SYSTEM WILL REMAIN NEAR THE SOUTHEAST COAST THROUGH TUESDAY. HIGH PRESSURE MOVING FROM THE GREAT LAKES REGION INTO NEW ENGLAND WILL PUSH COLD AIR SOUTHWARD AND INTO THE FORECAST AREA. THE FRONT WILL BEGIN TO MOVE FARTHER OFFSHORE LATE TUESDAY. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... MUCH OF THE AREA HAD LIGHT RAIN OR DRIZZLE THIS MORNING. THE HRRR AND RAP INDICATED COVERAGE WILL INCREASE TODAY IN RESPONSE TO UPPER-LEVEL LIFT MOVING INTO THE AREA. COLD HIGH PRESSURE IS RIDGING INTO OUR AREA FROM THE NORTH. TEMPERATURES WERE IN THE MIDDLE 30S IN THE EXTREME NORTH PART OF THE FORECAST AREA. EXPECT LITTLE TEMPERATURE CHANGE SO PRECIPITATION SHOULD REMAIN ALL LIQUID WITH IS SUPPORTED BY THE LATEST RAP AND HRRR GUIDANCE. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... UPPER TROUGH AXIS WILL SHIFT EASTWARD ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA TONIGHT AS THE SOUTHERN STREAM SHORTWAVE DEAMPLIFIES AND TRACKS ACROSS THE EASTERN GULF COAST AND NORTHERN FLORIDA THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING. SURFACE LOW PRESSURE WILL DEVELOP AND DEEPEN OFF THE SOUTHEAST COAST AND BEGIN TO LIFT NORTHEASTWARD AWAY FROM THE COAST LATE TONIGHT AND TUESDAY. FORECAST SOUNDINGS INDICATE THE DEEPER MOISTURE SHIFTING EASTWARD OVERNIGHT WITH SIGNIFICANT DRYING IN THE MID AND UPPER LEVELS TONIGHT INTO TUESDAY AS THE TROUGH AXIS SHIFTS EAST OF THE AREA. LINGERING LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AND WEAK ISENTROPIC LIFT COMBINED WITH FORCING ASSOCIATED WITH THE UPPER TROUGH SUPPORT HIGH CHANCE TO LOW LIKELY POPS AT THE START OF THE PERIOD MONDAY EVENING...BUT POPS DECREASE THROUGH THE THE NIGHT FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST AS THE PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES FALL FROM AROUND AN INCH AT 00Z TO AROUND 0.60 BY 12Z TUESDAY AS DRIER AIR WORKS IN. OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL REMAIN COLD IN THE 30S ACROSS THE MIDLANDS TO AROUND 40 IN THE CSRA. DO NOT ANTICIPATE TEMPERATURES FALLING BELOW FREEZING IN THE NORTHERN MIDLANDS WHICH WOULD SUPPORT POSSIBLE FREEZING RAIN OR DRIZZLE...HOWEVER IT CANNOT BE COMPLETELY RULED OUT. OPERATIONAL MODELS TRY TO HINT AT SOME CLEARING TAKING PLACE BY LATE TUESDAY AFTERNOON AS THE UPPER TROUGH PUSHES EAST AND WEAK SHORTWAVE RIDGING MOVES OVER THE FORECAST AREA. HOWEVER...MODEL TIME HEIGHTS AND CROSS SECTIONS CONTINUE TO SHOW A LAYER OF MOISTURE IN THE 1KFT-5KFT LAYER AND TYPICALLY MODELS TRY TO BREAK THE WEDGE TOO SOON. THEREFORE...WILL FORECAST TEMPERATURES SEVERAL DEGREES BELOW MOS GUIDANCE KEEPING HIGHS ON TUESDAY IN THE 40S TO LOWER 50S. THERE SHOULD BE A BREAK IN THE PRECIPITATION BRIEFLY TUESDAY INTO TUESDAY EVENING BEFORE ANOTHER FAST MOVING SHORTWAVE TROUGH MOVES ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST INTO THE GREAT LAKES REGION LATE TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY. INCREASING ISENTROPIC LIFT ASSOCIATED WITH WARM ADVECTION MAY LEAD TO A FEW SHOWERS MAINLY ACROSS THE NORTHERN MIDLANDS BUT VERY LITTLE RAINFALL ACCUMULATION EXPECTED. A RETURN TO SOUTHERLY LOW LEVEL FLOW ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEPARTING SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE WILL ALLOW HIGH TEMPERATURES ON WEDNESDAY TO REBOUND BACK INTO THE 60S TO LOWER 70S. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... GENERALLY DRY AND MILD WEATHER EXPECTED DURING THE FIRST HALF OF THE EXTENDED FORECAST THEN UNSETTLED WEATHER RETURNS BY SATURDAY. STRONG SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OVER THE AREA ON THURSDAY IN THE WAKE OF A WEAK FRONT PUSHING THROUGH THE REGION. UPPER LEVEL FLOW BECOMES ZONAL ACROSS THE REGION THURSDAY AND FRIDAY WITH DOWNSLOPING 850MB FLOW AIDING IN THE CONTINUING WARMING OF TEMPERATURES ON THURSDAY. ANOTHER FAST MOVING TROUGH WILL MOVE ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY ON SATURDAY BRINGING A COLD FRONT INTO THE AREA BY SATURDAY EVENING. MODERATE SOUTHWESTERLY 850MB FLOW WITH A 30-40 KNOT JET WILL PROVIDE SUFFICIENT MOISTURE AHEAD OF THE FRONT TO PRODUCE SCATTERED SHOWERS ON SATURDAY AND WILL MAINTAIN THE CHANCE POPS WITH THIS FEATURE. SATURDAY FIGURES TO BE THE WARMEST DAY WITH HIGHS IN THE LOWER TO MID 70S AHEAD OF THE FRONT...FOLLOWED BY A COOLER DAY SUNDAY WITH COLD ADVECTION BEHIND THE FRONT. && .AVIATION /13Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... SURFACE FRONT IS SOUTH OF ALL TAF SITES AT THIS TIME. BULK OF THE HEAVIER RAINFALL IS NOW EAST OF ALL TERMINALS...WITH MAINLY INTERMITTENT LIGHT RAINFALL...OR MAINLY LIGHT DRIZZLE BEHIND THE FRONT. EXPECT PERIODS OF LIGHT RAIN/DRIZZLE/PATCHY FOG TO CONTINUE ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH THE DAY. LOW PRESSURE IS FORECAST TO MOVE EASTWARD ALONG THE FRONT AS HIGH PRESSURE WEDGE MOVES IN ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. THIS WILL HELP TO CONTINUE THE CHANCE FOR LOW CLOUDS AND VISIBILITIES THROUGH THE PERIOD. EXPECT IFR/LIFR CONDITIONS TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE PERIOD. EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...A PROLONGED PERIOD OF RAIN AND IFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT. && .CAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SC...NONE. GA...NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS INDIANAPOLIS IN
1027 AM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 .UPDATE... AVIATION SECTION HAS BEEN UPDATED BELOW. && .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 357 AM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 A FAIRLY UNEVENTFUL FORECAST BY RECENT STANDARDS AS A PROGRESSIVE QUASIZONAL PATTERN WITH A FEW FAST MOVING SYSTEMS WILL GOVERN THE AREA THROUGH MUCH OF THE SEVEN DAY FORECAST. && .NEAR TERM /REST OF TODAY/... ISSUED AT 952 AM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 SATELLITE SHOWS NORTHWEST FRINGES OF LOW CLOUD DECK IS STARTING TO THIN...SO CLOUDS SHOULD START BREAKING UP SOON IN THOSE AREAS. CLOUD SHIELD FARTHER TO THE SOUTHEAST LOOKS THICKER...SO IT MAY BE THIS AFTERNOON BEFORE CLOUDS BREAK UP IN THOSE AREAS. WILL LOWER THE HIGHS A FEW DEGREES OVER THE SOUTH/SOUTHEAST ZONES WHERE CLOUD COVER WILL REMAIN THE LONGEST. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION FOLLOWS. NO SENSIBLE WEATHER EXPECTED TODAY WITH HIGH PRESSURE MOVING THROUGH THE AREA. THIS LEAVES TEMPS AS THE ONLY SIGNIFICANT ISSUE. CONSENSUS NUMBERS...BASED ON 850 TEMPS/THICKNESSES AND UPSTREAM NUMBERS...ACTUALLY DID A PRETTY GOOD JOB. THIS GIVES UPPER 30S FAR NORTH...TO THE MID 40S IN THE SOUTH. && .SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... ISSUED AT 357 AM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 MODELS CONTINUE TO ADVERTISE A FAIRLY STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM SWINGING OUT OF THE PLAINS AND INTO THE GREAT LAKES MID WEEK...BUT THEY ALSO CONTINUE TO KEEP THE AREA IN THE WARM SECTOR. THUS...EXPECT ONLY SOME RAIN SHOWERS TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY. K INDICES CONTINUE TO SUGGEST THUNDER IS UNLIKELY...ALTHOUGH A NARROW AXIS OF INSTABILITY MAY PASS THROUGH THE AREA TUESDAY NIGHT. REMAINDER OF SHORT TERM FORECAST WILL BE DRY. ON TEMPS...ADJUSTED CONSENSUS NUMBERS UP A FEW DEGREES TUESDAY IN STRONG PREFRONTAL WARM ADVECTION...AND ADJUSTED SIGNIFICANTLY TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY AS A NONDIURNAL TEMPERATURE PROGRESSION APPEARS LIKELY. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... ISSUED AT 357 AM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 RELATIVELY QUIET PERIOD ANTICIPATED AS A ZONAL FLOW ALOFT THROUGH MUCH OF THE EXTENDED TRANSITIONS TO MORE OF A NORTHWEST FLOW PATTERN BY EARLY NEXT WEEK. HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE WILL BRING DRY WEATHER WITH SEASONABLE TEMPS ON THURSDAY AS AN UPPER TROUGH DEPARTS OFF TO THE EAST. WARMER AIR WILL BE DRAWN NORTH FOR FRIDAY AS A WARM FRONT LIFTS NORTH OF THE REGION AND SOUTHWEST FLOW DEVELOPS AHEAD OF LOW PRESSURE TRACKING THROUGH THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. STRONG WARM ADVECTION AND GOOD LOW LEVEL MIXING SHOULD ENABLE HIGHS TO REACH THE LOWER AND MIDDLE 60S OVER MUCH OF CENTRAL INDIANA. MODEL CONSENSUS IN BETTER AGREEMENT THIS MORNING ON TIMING OF THE SURFACE LOW AS IT MOVES ACROSS THE REGION FRIDAY NIGHT. EXPECT RAIN SHOWERS TO ACCOMPANY ITS PASSAGE AND WILL CONTINUE WITH CHANCE POPS FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT. WILL LEAVE OUT ANY MENTION OF ISOLATED THUNDER AS ELEVATED INSTABILITY APPEARS RATHER PALTRY AT THIS POINT. DRY AND PROGRESSIVELY COOLER WEATHER IS EXPECTED FOR THE WEEKEND AS LARGE CANADIAN HIGH PRESSURE EXPANDS SOUTHEAST INTO THE GREAT LAKES AND OHIO VALLEY. HIGH TEMPS WILL FALL BACK MAINLY INTO THE 40S BY SUNDAY WITH SIGNS POINTING TOWARDS EVEN COOLER WEATHER COMING NEXT WEEK. SPRING REMAINS ELUSIVE AT THIS POINT. && .AVIATION /DISCUSSION FOR 171500Z KIND TAF UPDATE/... ISSUED AT 1027 AM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 STRATUS OVER CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN SECTIONS HAS BEEN MORE PERSISTENT THAN EARLIER EXPECTED. MOST MODEL SOUNDINGS INDICATE IT COULD PERSIST THROUGH 18Z BEFORE BREAKING IT UP. THUS KIND UPDATED TO REFLECT THIS CHANGE. PREVIOUS AVIATION DISCUSSION FOLLOWS... MVFR CEILINGS AT ALL SITES EXCEPT KLAF THIS MORNING...OTHERWISE VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED. COMBINATION OF LOW LEVEL EASTERLY FLOW AND A STRENGTHENING INVERSION HAS ENABLED MVFR STRATUS DECK TO EXPAND BACK NORTHWEST TO ENCOMPASS THE ENTIRE INTERSTATE 70 CORRIDOR EARLY THIS MORNING. ANTICIPATE LOWER CLOUDS TO LINGER ALL MORNING AS RAP RH PROGS AND MODEL SOUNDINGS SUGGEST THE INVERSION WILL NOT WEAKEN UNTIL CLOSER TO MIDDAY. THE REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST PERIOD WILL BE QUIET WITH PERIODIC MID AND HIGH LEVEL CLOUDS MOVING ACROSS THE REGION. E/NE WINDS THIS MORNING WILL DECREASE TO AROUND 5KTS AND BECOME VARIABLE THIS AFTERNOON. LIGHT SOUTHEAST WINDS ARE EXPECTED OVERNIGHT. && .IND WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...NIELD NEAR TERM...NIELD/JAS SHORT TERM...NIELD LONG TERM...RYAN AVIATION...RYAN/JH VISIT US AT HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/IND FOLLOW US ON TWITTER AND YOUTUBE AT: WWW.TWITTER.COM/NWSINDIANAPOLIS WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/NWSINDIANAPOLIS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS INDIANAPOLIS IN
952 AM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 .UPDATE... THE NEAR TERM SECTION HAS BEEN UPDATED BELOW. && .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 357 AM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 A FAIRLY UNEVENTFUL FORECAST BY RECENT STANDARDS AS A PROGRESSIVE QUASIZONAL PATTERN WITH A FEW FAST MOVING SYSTEMS WILL GOVERN THE AREA THROUGH MUCH OF THE SEVEN DAY FORECAST. && .NEAR TERM /REST OF TODAY/... ISSUED AT 952 AM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 SATELLITE SHOWS NORTHWEST FRINGES OF LOW CLOUD DECK IS STARTING TO THIN...SO CLOUDS SHOULD START BREAKING UP SOON IN THOSE AREAS. CLOUD SHIELD FARTHER TO THE SOUTHEAST LOOKS THICKER...SO IT MAY BE THIS AFTERNOON BEFORE CLOUDS BREAK UP IN THOSE AREAS. WILL LOWER THE HIGHS A FEW DEGREES OVER THE SOUTH/SOUTHEAST ZONES WHERE CLOUD COVER WILL REMAIN THE LONGEST. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION FOLLOWS. NO SENSIBLE WEATHER EXPECTED TODAY WITH HIGH PRESSURE MOVING THROUGH THE AREA. THIS LEAVES TEMPS AS THE ONLY SIGNIFICANT ISSUE. CONSENSUS NUMBERS...BASED ON 850 TEMPS/THICKNESSES AND UPSTREAM NUMBERS...ACTUALLY DID A PRETTY GOOD JOB. THIS GIVES UPPER 30S FAR NORTH...TO THE MID 40S IN THE SOUTH. && .SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... ISSUED AT 357 AM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 MODELS CONTINUE TO ADVERTISE A FAIRLY STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM SWINGING OUT OF THE PLAINS AND INTO THE GREAT LAKES MID WEEK...BUT THEY ALSO CONTINUE TO KEEP THE AREA IN THE WARM SECTOR. THUS...EXPECT ONLY SOME RAIN SHOWERS TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY. K INDICES CONTINUE TO SUGGEST THUNDER IS UNLIKELY...ALTHOUGH A NARROW AXIS OF INSTABILITY MAY PASS THROUGH THE AREA TUESDAY NIGHT. REMAINDER OF SHORT TERM FORECAST WILL BE DRY. ON TEMPS...ADJUSTED CONSENSUS NUMBERS UP A FEW DEGREES TUESDAY IN STRONG PREFRONTAL WARM ADVECTION...AND ADJUSTED SIGNIFICANTLY TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY AS A NONDIURNAL TEMPERATURE PROGRESSION APPEARS LIKELY. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... ISSUED AT 357 AM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 RELATIVELY QUIET PERIOD ANTICIPATED AS A ZONAL FLOW ALOFT THROUGH MUCH OF THE EXTENDED TRANSITIONS TO MORE OF A NORTHWEST FLOW PATTERN BY EARLY NEXT WEEK. HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE WILL BRING DRY WEATHER WITH SEASONABLE TEMPS ON THURSDAY AS AN UPPER TROUGH DEPARTS OFF TO THE EAST. WARMER AIR WILL BE DRAWN NORTH FOR FRIDAY AS A WARM FRONT LIFTS NORTH OF THE REGION AND SOUTHWEST FLOW DEVELOPS AHEAD OF LOW PRESSURE TRACKING THROUGH THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. STRONG WARM ADVECTION AND GOOD LOW LEVEL MIXING SHOULD ENABLE HIGHS TO REACH THE LOWER AND MIDDLE 60S OVER MUCH OF CENTRAL INDIANA. MODEL CONSENSUS IN BETTER AGREEMENT THIS MORNING ON TIMING OF THE SURFACE LOW AS IT MOVES ACROSS THE REGION FRIDAY NIGHT. EXPECT RAIN SHOWERS TO ACCOMPANY ITS PASSAGE AND WILL CONTINUE WITH CHANCE POPS FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT. WILL LEAVE OUT ANY MENTION OF ISOLATED THUNDER AS ELEVATED INSTABILITY APPEARS RATHER PALTRY AT THIS POINT. DRY AND PROGRESSIVELY COOLER WEATHER IS EXPECTED FOR THE WEEKEND AS LARGE CANADIAN HIGH PRESSURE EXPANDS SOUTHEAST INTO THE GREAT LAKES AND OHIO VALLEY. HIGH TEMPS WILL FALL BACK MAINLY INTO THE 40S BY SUNDAY WITH SIGNS POINTING TOWARDS EVEN COOLER WEATHER COMING NEXT WEEK. SPRING REMAINS ELUSIVE AT THIS POINT. && .AVIATION /DISCUSSION FOR 171200Z TAF ISSUANCE/... ISSUED AT 654 AM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 MVFR CEILINGS AT ALL SITES EXCEPT KLAF THIS MORNING...OTHERWISE VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED. COMBINATION OF LOW LEVEL EASTERLY FLOW AND A STRENGTHENING INVERSION HAS ENABLED MVFR STRATUS DECK TO EXPAND BACK NORTHWEST TO ENCOMPASS THE ENTIRE INTERSTATE 70 CORRIDOR EARLY THIS MORNING. ANTICIPATE LOWER CLOUDS TO LINGER ALL MORNING AS RAP RH PROGS AND MODEL SOUNDINGS SUGGEST THE INVERSION WILL NOT WEAKEN UNTIL CLOSER TO MIDDAY. THE REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST PERIOD WILL BE QUIET WITH PERIODIC MID AND HIGH LEVEL CLOUDS MOVING ACROSS THE REGION. E/NE WINDS THIS MORNING WILL DECREASE TO AROUND 5KTS AND BECOME VARIABLE THIS AFTERNOON. LIGHT SOUTHEAST WINDS ARE EXPECTED OVERNIGHT. && .IND WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...NIELD NEAR TERM...NIELD/JAS SHORT TERM...NIELD LONG TERM...RYAN AVIATION...RYAN VISIT US AT HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/IND FOLLOW US ON TWITTER AND YOUTUBE AT: WWW.TWITTER.COM/NWSINDIANAPOLIS WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/NWSINDIANAPOLIS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS INDIANAPOLIS IN
654 AM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 .UPDATE... THE AVIATION SECTION HAS BEEN UPDATED BELOW. && .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 357 AM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 A FAIRLY UNEVENTFUL FORECAST BY RECENT STANDARDS AS A PROGRESSIVE QUASIZONAL PATTERN WITH A FEW FAST MOVING SYSTEMS WILL GOVERN THE AREA THROUGH MUCH OF THE SEVEN DAY FORECAST. && .NEAR TERM /TODAY/... ISSUED AT 357 AM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 NO SENSIBLE WEATHER EXPECTED TODAY WITH HIGH PRESSURE MOVING THROUGH THE AREA. THIS LEAVES TEMPS AS THE ONLY SIGNIFICANT ISSUE. CONSENSUS NUMBERS...BASED ON 850 TEMPS/THICKNESSES AND UPSTREAM NUMBERS...ACTUALLY DID A PRETTY GOOD JOB. THIS GIVES UPPER 30S FAR NORTH...TO THE MID 40S IN THE SOUTH. && .SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... ISSUED AT 357 AM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 MODELS CONTINUE TO ADVERTISE A FAIRLY STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM SWINGING OUT OF THE PLAINS AND INTO THE GREAT LAKES MID WEEK...BUT THEY ALSO CONTINUE TO KEEP THE AREA IN THE WARM SECTOR. THUS...EXPECT ONLY SOME RAIN SHOWERS TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY. K INDICES CONTINUE TO SUGGEST THUNDER IS UNLIKELY...ALTHOUGH A NARROW AXIS OF INSTABILITY MAY PASS THROUGH THE AREA TUESDAY NIGHT. REMAINDER OF SHORT TERM FORECAST WILL BE DRY. ON TEMPS...ADJUSTED CONSENSUS NUMBERS UP A FEW DEGREES TUESDAY IN STRONG PREFRONTAL WARM ADVECTION...AND ADJUSTED SIGNIFICANTLY TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY AS A NONDIURNAL TEMPERATURE PROGRESSION APPEARS LIKELY. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... ISSUED AT 357 AM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 RELATIVELY QUIET PERIOD ANTICIPATED AS A ZONAL FLOW ALOFT THROUGH MUCH OF THE EXTENDED TRANSITIONS TO MORE OF A NORTHWEST FLOW PATTERN BY EARLY NEXT WEEK. HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE WILL BRING DRY WEATHER WITH SEASONABLE TEMPS ON THURSDAY AS AN UPPER TROUGH DEPARTS OFF TO THE EAST. WARMER AIR WILL BE DRAWN NORTH FOR FRIDAY AS A WARM FRONT LIFTS NORTH OF THE REGION AND SOUTHWEST FLOW DEVELOPS AHEAD OF LOW PRESSURE TRACKING THROUGH THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. STRONG WARM ADVECTION AND GOOD LOW LEVEL MIXING SHOULD ENABLE HIGHS TO REACH THE LOWER AND MIDDLE 60S OVER MUCH OF CENTRAL INDIANA. MODEL CONSENSUS IN BETTER AGREEMENT THIS MORNING ON TIMING OF THE SURFACE LOW AS IT MOVES ACROSS THE REGION FRIDAY NIGHT. EXPECT RAIN SHOWERS TO ACCOMPANY ITS PASSAGE AND WILL CONTINUE WITH CHANCE POPS FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT. WILL LEAVE OUT ANY MENTION OF ISOLATED THUNDER AS ELEVATED INSTABILITY APPEARS RATHER PALTRY AT THIS POINT. DRY AND PROGRESSIVELY COOLER WEATHER IS EXPECTED FOR THE WEEKEND AS LARGE CANADIAN HIGH PRESSURE EXPANDS SOUTHEAST INTO THE GREAT LAKES AND OHIO VALLEY. HIGH TEMPS WILL FALL BACK MAINLY INTO THE 40S BY SUNDAY WITH SIGNS POINTING TOWARDS EVEN COOLER WEATHER COMING NEXT WEEK. SPRING REMAINS ELUSIVE AT THIS POINT. && .AVIATION /DISCUSSION FOR 171200Z TAF ISSUANCE/... ISSUED AT 654 AM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 MVFR CEILINGS AT ALL SITES EXCEPT KLAF THIS MORNING...OTHERWISE VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED. COMBINATION OF LOW LEVEL EASTERLY FLOW AND A STRENGTHENING INVERSION HAS ENABLED MVFR STRATUS DECK TO EXPAND BACK NORTHWEST TO ENCOMPASS THE ENTIRE INTERSTATE 70 CORRIDOR EARLY THIS MORNING. ANTICIPATE LOWER CLOUDS TO LINGER ALL MORNING AS RAP RH PROGS AND MODEL SOUNDINGS SUGGEST THE INVERSION WILL NOT WEAKEN UNTIL CLOSER TO MIDDAY. THE REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST PERIOD WILL BE QUIET WITH PERIODIC MID AND HIGH LEVEL CLOUDS MOVING ACROSS THE REGION. E/NE WINDS THIS MORNING WILL DECREASE TO AROUND 5KTS AND BECOME VARIABLE THIS AFTERNOON. LIGHT SOUTHEAST WINDS ARE EXPECTED OVERNIGHT. && .IND WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...NIELD NEAR TERM...NIELD SHORT TERM...NIELD LONG TERM...RYAN AVIATION...RYAN VISIT US AT HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/IND FOLLOW US ON TWITTER AND YOUTUBE AT: WWW.TWITTER.COM/NWSINDIANAPOLIS WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/NWSINDIANAPOLIS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GOODLAND KS
818 PM MDT TUE MAR 18 2014 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 817 PM MDT TUE MAR 18 2014 CONDITIONS HAVE IMPROVED ACROSS THE AREA AND ALL ADVISORIES HAVE BEEN DROPPED AN HOUR EARLY. NO OTHER SIGNIFICANT CHANGE MADE TO FORECAST. UPDATE ISSUED AT 616 PM MDT TUE MAR 18 2014 MADE SOME LARGE CHANGES TO THE GOING FORECAST TO ADJUST WIND SPEEDS DOWN AS WIDESPREAD WARNING CONDITIONS ARE NO LONGER EXPECTED. WIND GUSTS OF 45 TO 50 MPH REMAIN POSSIBLE FOR THE NEXT 2 HOURS AND DESPITE THE WET SNOW...SIG BLOWING SNOW OBSERVED WHEN GUSTS EXCEED 40 KTS AT KGLD. ALTHOUGH LARGE AREA OF SNOW WILL CONTINUE TO WEAKEN AND SHIFT TO THE EAST WITH A SCATTERED CONVECTIVE DRIVEN SNOW SHOWERS PERSISTING IN ITS WAKE...RECENTLY OBSERVED VISIBILITIES AND OVERALL IMPACT LEADS ME TO CHANGE AREA TO A BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY FROM HIGH WIND WARNING THROUGH 03Z. SIG SNOW ACCUMULATIONS ARE NOT EXPECTED. UPDATE ISSUED AT 455 PM MDT TUE MAR 18 2014 MAIN CONCERNS CONTINUE TO BE COMBINATION OF SNOW AND STRONG WINDS ONGOING ACROSS THE AREA. HEAVY/BLOWING SNOW CAUSING SOME LOW VISIBILITIES IN SEVERAL AREAS...WILL CONTINUE TO INCLUDE THIS IN CURRENT HIGH WIND WARNING PER COORDINATION EARLIER TODAY AND NOT ISSUE ANY ADDITIONAL WINTER HIGHLIGHTS ATTM. WHILE WINDS HAVE BEEN SLOW TO RISE AND VERY SPORADIC...STARTING TO SEE A LOT OF CONVECTIVE TYPE SHOWERS DEVELOPING BEHIND MAIN BAND OF PRECIPITATION. THIS IS SUPPORTED BY NEAR TERM MODELED SOUNDINGS INDICATING WEAK SFC BASED INSTABILITY THROUGH THE NEXT FEW HOURS. WITH STRONG WINDS JUST OFF THE SFC IN THIS AREA...EXPECT STRONG WINDS TO ACCOMPANY SOME OF THESE SHOWERS AS OPPOSED TO A MORE WIDESPREAD STRONG WIND TYPE EVENT. && .SHORT TERM...(THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY) ISSUED AT 230 PM MDT TUE MAR 18 2014 LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT...AT 19Z UPPER LOW CENTERED ON TOP OF GOODLAND WITH STRONGEST SFC WIND GUSTS GENERALLY WEST OF A LINE FROM FLAGLER TO KIT CARSON WHERE GUSTS IN OUR PART OF THE AREA APPROACHING 50 MPH WHILE JUST OUTSIDE OF IT GUSTS AROUND 60 MPH BEING REPORTED. FOR THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT UPPER LOW FORECAST TO MOVE EAST REACHING NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS AROUND 00Z THEN WEAKENING A BIT AS IT MOVES FURTHER EAST AND AWAY FROM THE AREA. STRONGEST SFC WINDS AND GUSTS STILL EXPECTED TO SLOWLY MOVE EAST BEHIND THE UPPER LOW SO NO CHANGES TO HIGH WIND WARNING. 18Z RUC SHOWS 850-800MB WINDS ACTUALLY INCREASING ON THE BACKSIDE VERY LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH MIDNIGHT. NOT SURE HOW MUCH WILL MIX DOWN AFTER SUNSET OUT EAST WHICH IS WHERE STRONGEST WINDS FORECAST SO FOR NOW WIND ADVISORY WILL CONTINUE. NORTHEAST TO SOUTHWEST ELONGATED BAND OF SNOW...MODERATE TO HEAVY AT TIMES...CONTINUES TO SLOWLY MOVE SOUTHEAST. AM EXPECTING THE WORST CONDITIONS PRESENTLY IN EASTERN COLORADO TO MOVE INTO NORTHWEST KANSAS AND SOUTHWEST NEBRASKA (MAINLY NORTH OF THE INTERSTATE) BY 23Z CONTINUING EAST AND INCREASING COVERAGE ACROSS THE EASTERN 1/3 OF THE AREA DURING THE EVENING HOURS BEFORE EXITING THE AREA AROUND MIDNIGHT. THE COMBINATION OF SNOW AND WIND WILL CREATE AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW WITH REDUCED VISIBILITIES. UNDER QUICKLY CLEARING SKIES LOWS TONIGHT IN THE LOW TO MID 20S (WEST TO EAST). WEDNESDAY...CLOUDINESS INCREASES A BIT AS A WEAK WEATHER DISTURBANCE MOVES THROUGH. NO PRECIPITATION EXPECTED BUT COULD SEE NORTHWEST WINDS GUST 20-25 MPH...MAINLY ACROSS THE NORTHEAST AND EASTERN PARTS OF THE AREA. HIGH TEMPERATURES GENERALLY LOW 50S TO NEAR 60 (WEST TO EAST). .LONG TERM...(WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 206 PM MDT TUE MAR 18 2014 THURSDAY-FRIDAY...SHORTWAVE RIDGE WILL BE IN PLACE OVER THE NORTHERN PLAINS WITH THE NEXT SHORTWAVE TROUGH UPSTREAM OVER THE NORTHERN ROCKIES. RESULT WILL BE INCREASING SOUTHERLY FLOW ALOFT AND WARMING TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE PLAINS THURSDAY. MUCH WARMER TEMPERATURES EXPECTED THURSDAY WITH HIGHS AROUND 70 ACROSS MUCH OF THE CWA. COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE REGION LATE THURSDAY NIGHT WITH HIGHS CLOSER TO SEASONAL NORMALS IN THE 50S. AS THIS FRONT MOVES ACROSS THE REGION WE COULD SEE A PERIOD OF BREEZY WINDS...HOWEVER GUSTS WILL REMAIN BELOW ADVISORY CRITERIA. SATURDAY-TUESDAY...NORTHWEST FLOW WILL REMAIN IN PLACE ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS WHICH WILL ALLOW A SERIES OF WEAK DISTURBANCES TO PASS NEAR OR NORTH OF OF OUR CWA AND SEND REINFORCING SHOTS OF COOLER TEMPS INTO THE PLAINS. THESE QUICK MOVING FEATURES ARE ON LESS THAN IDEAL TRACKS WITH LIMITED MOISTURE RETURN AND THERE IS QUITE A BIT OF SPREAD BETWEEN GUIDANCE RUN-RUN ON EVOLUTION OF THESE WEAK DISTURBANCES. BEST MODEL OVERLAP SEEMS TO BE ON PRECIP CHANCES SATURDAY...HOWEVER THIS WOULD STILL BE FAIRLY LIGHT AND IN THIS PATTERN/THIS RANGE I WAS NOT CONFIDENT ENOUGH TO RAISE POPS. TEMPS SHOULD START OUT BELOW NORMAL SATURDAY (40S) BEFORE SEASONAL TEMPS RETURN SUNDAY AND MONDAY (50S). BY NEXT MONDAY NIGHT/TUESDAY THERE IS SOME INDICATION OF ANOTHER COLD FRONT DROPPING SOUTH OVER THE CWA BRINGING BELOW NORMAL TEMPS BACK TO THE REGION AND POSSIBLY INCREASING PRECIP CHANCES. NOT A LOT OF CONFIDENCE IN THESE LATER PERIODS CONSIDERING THE MODEL SPREAD/LACK OF CONTINUITY...SO DECIDED AGAINST MAKING MAJOR CHANGES TO CONSENSUS BLEND. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z WEDNESDAY EVENING) ISSUED AT 542 PM MDT TUE MAR 18 2014 BANDS OF SNOW SHOWERS ACROSS THE TRI STATE AREA HAVE CAUSED REDUCED VISIBILITIES AT TIMES FOR KGLD AND KMCK...BUT SNOW SHOULD BE MOVING OUT OF THE AREA IN THE NEXT FEW HOURS. UNTIL THEN...OVERCAST CEILINGS AND GUSTY CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE EARLY OVERNIGHT. CLOUDS WILL BEGIN TO BREAK TOWARD THE EARLY MORNING HOURS...BUT SURFACE FOG COULD DEVELOP AS MODEL SOUNDINGS INDICATE SATURATION FOR KGLD AND KMCK. KEPT VISIBILITIES MVFR AT THIS TIME OVERNIGHT BASED ON CLIMATOLOGY...BUT GUIDANCE HAS BEEN ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT FOG UNDER A MILE. VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL TOWARDS MID MORNING FOR BOTH TAF SITES. && .GLD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... KS...NONE. CO...NONE. NE...NONE. && $$ UPDATE...JRM SHORT TERM...99 LONG TERM...DR AVIATION...MK
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GOODLAND KS
620 PM MDT TUE MAR 18 2014 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 616 PM MDT TUE MAR 18 2014 MADE SOME LARGE CHANGES TO THE GOING FORECAST TO ADJUST WIND SPEEDS DOWN AS WIDESPREAD WARNING CONDITIONS ARE NO LONGER EXPECTED. WIND GUSTS OF 45 TO 50 MPH REMAIN POSSIBLE FOR THE NEXT 2 HOURS AND DESPITE THE WET SNOW...SIG BLOWING SNOW OBSERVED WHEN GUSTS EXCEED 40 KTS AT KGLD. ALTHOUGH LARGE AREA OF SNOW WILL CONTINUE TO WEAKEN AND SHIFT TO THE EAST WITH A SCATTERED CONVECTIVE DRIVEN SNOW SHOWERS PERSISTING IN ITS WAKE...RECENTLY OBSERVED VISIBILITIES AND OVERALL IMPACT LEADS ME TO CHANGE AREA TO A BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY FROM HIGH WIND WARNING THROUGH 03Z. SIG SNOW ACCUMULATIONS ARE NOT EXPECTED. UPDATE ISSUED AT 455 PM MDT TUE MAR 18 2014 MAIN CONCERNS CONTINUE TO BE COMBINATION OF SNOW AND STRONG WINDS ONGOING ACROSS THE AREA. HEAVY/BLOWING SNOW CAUSING SOME LOW VISIBILITIES IN SEVERAL AREAS...WILL CONTINUE TO INCLUDE THIS IN CURRENT HIGH WIND WARNING PER COORDINATION EARLIER TODAY AND NOT ISSUE ANY ADDITIONAL WINTER HIGHLIGHTS ATTM. WHILE WINDS HAVE BEEN SLOW TO RISE AND VERY SPORADIC...STARTING TO SEE A LOT OF CONVECTIVE TYPE SHOWERS DEVELOPING BEHIND MAIN BAND OF PRECIPITATION. THIS IS SUPPORTED BY NEAR TERM MODELED SOUNDINGS INDICATING WEAK SFC BASED INSTABILITY THROUGH THE NEXT FEW HOURS. WITH STRONG WINDS JUST OFF THE SFC IN THIS AREA...EXPECT STRONG WINDS TO ACCOMPANY SOME OF THESE SHOWERS AS OPPOSED TO A MORE WIDESPREAD STRONG WIND TYPE EVENT. && .SHORT TERM...(THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY) ISSUED AT 230 PM MDT TUE MAR 18 2014 LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT...AT 19Z UPPER LOW CENTERED ON TOP OF GOODLAND WITH STRONGEST SFC WIND GUSTS GENERALLY WEST OF A LINE FROM FLAGLER TO KIT CARSON WHERE GUSTS IN OUR PART OF THE AREA APPROACHING 50 MPH WHILE JUST OUTSIDE OF IT GUSTS AROUND 60 MPH BEING REPORTED. FOR THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT UPPER LOW FORECAST TO MOVE EAST REACHING NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS AROUND 00Z THEN WEAKENING A BIT AS IT MOVES FURTHER EAST AND AWAY FROM THE AREA. STRONGEST SFC WINDS AND GUSTS STILL EXPECTED TO SLOWLY MOVE EAST BEHIND THE UPPER LOW SO NO CHANGES TO HIGH WIND WARNING. 18Z RUC SHOWS 850-800MB WINDS ACTUALLY INCREASING ON THE BACKSIDE VERY LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH MIDNIGHT. NOT SURE HOW MUCH WILL MIX DOWN AFTER SUNSET OUT EAST WHICH IS WHERE STRONGEST WINDS FORECAST SO FOR NOW WIND ADVISORY WILL CONTINUE. NORTHEAST TO SOUTHWEST ELONGATED BAND OF SNOW...MODERATE TO HEAVY AT TIMES...CONTINUES TO SLOWLY MOVE SOUTHEAST. AM EXPECTING THE WORST CONDITIONS PRESENTLY IN EASTERN COLORADO TO MOVE INTO NORTHWEST KANSAS AND SOUTHWEST NEBRASKA (MAINLY NORTH OF THE INTERSTATE) BY 23Z CONTINUING EAST AND INCREASING COVERAGE ACROSS THE EASTERN 1/3 OF THE AREA DURING THE EVENING HOURS BEFORE EXITING THE AREA AROUND MIDNIGHT. THE COMBINATION OF SNOW AND WIND WILL CREATE AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW WITH REDUCED VISIBILITIES. UNDER QUICKLY CLEARING SKIES LOWS TONIGHT IN THE LOW TO MID 20S (WEST TO EAST). WEDNESDAY...CLOUDINESS INCREASES A BIT AS A WEAK WEATHER DISTURBANCE MOVES THROUGH. NO PRECIPITATION EXPECTED BUT COULD SEE NORTHWEST WINDS GUST 20-25 MPH...MAINLY ACROSS THE NORTHEAST AND EASTERN PARTS OF THE AREA. HIGH TEMPERATURES GENERALLY LOW 50S TO NEAR 60 (WEST TO EAST). .LONG TERM...(WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 206 PM MDT TUE MAR 18 2014 THURSDAY-FRIDAY...SHORTWAVE RIDGE WILL BE IN PLACE OVER THE NORTHERN PLAINS WITH THE NEXT SHORTWAVE TROUGH UPSTREAM OVER THE NORTHERN ROCKIES. RESULT WILL BE INCREASING SOUTHERLY FLOW ALOFT AND WARMING TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE PLAINS THURSDAY. MUCH WARMER TEMPERATURES EXPECTED THURSDAY WITH HIGHS AROUND 70 ACROSS MUCH OF THE CWA. COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE REGION LATE THURSDAY NIGHT WITH HIGHS CLOSER TO SEASONAL NORMALS IN THE 50S. AS THIS FRONT MOVES ACROSS THE REGION WE COULD SEE A PERIOD OF BREEZY WINDS...HOWEVER GUSTS WILL REMAIN BELOW ADVISORY CRITERIA. SATURDAY-TUESDAY...NORTHWEST FLOW WILL REMAIN IN PLACE ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS WHICH WILL ALLOW A SERIES OF WEAK DISTURBANCES TO PASS NEAR OR NORTH OF OF OUR CWA AND SEND REINFORCING SHOTS OF COOLER TEMPS INTO THE PLAINS. THESE QUICK MOVING FEATURES ARE ON LESS THAN IDEAL TRACKS WITH LIMITED MOISTURE RETURN AND THERE IS QUITE A BIT OF SPREAD BETWEEN GUIDANCE RUN-RUN ON EVOLUTION OF THESE WEAK DISTURBANCES. BEST MODEL OVERLAP SEEMS TO BE ON PRECIP CHANCES SATURDAY...HOWEVER THIS WOULD STILL BE FAIRLY LIGHT AND IN THIS PATTERN/THIS RANGE I WAS NOT CONFIDENT ENOUGH TO RAISE POPS. TEMPS SHOULD START OUT BELOW NORMAL SATURDAY (40S) BEFORE SEASONAL TEMPS RETURN SUNDAY AND MONDAY (50S). BY NEXT MONDAY NIGHT/TUESDAY THERE IS SOME INDICATION OF ANOTHER COLD FRONT DROPPING SOUTH OVER THE CWA BRINGING BELOW NORMAL TEMPS BACK TO THE REGION AND POSSIBLY INCREASING PRECIP CHANCES. NOT A LOT OF CONFIDENCE IN THESE LATER PERIODS CONSIDERING THE MODEL SPREAD/LACK OF CONTINUITY...SO DECIDED AGAINST MAKING MAJOR CHANGES TO CONSENSUS BLEND. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z WEDNESDAY EVENING) ISSUED AT 542 PM MDT TUE MAR 18 2014 BANDS OF SNOW SHOWERS ACROSS THE TRI STATE AREA HAVE CAUSED REDUCED VISIBILITIES AT TIMES FOR KGLD AND KMCK...BUT SNOW SHOULD BE MOVING OUT OF THE AREA IN THE NEXT FEW HOURS. UNTIL THEN...OVERCAST CEILINGS AND GUSTY CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE EARLY OVERNIGHT. CLOUDS WILL BEGIN TO BREAK TOWARD THE EARLY MORNING HOURS...BUT SURFACE FOG COULD DEVELOP AS MODEL SOUNDINGS INDICATE SATURATION FOR KGLD AND KMCK. KEPT VISIBILITIES MVFR AT THIS TIME OVERNIGHT BASED ON CLIMATOLOGY...BUT GUIDANCE HAS BEEN ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT FOG UNDER A MILE. VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL TOWARDS MID MORNING FOR BOTH TAF SITES. && .GLD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... KS...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 10 PM MDT /11 PM CDT/ THIS EVENING FOR KSZ001>004-013>016-028-029. WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 10 PM MDT /11 PM CDT/ THIS EVENING FOR KSZ027-041-042. CO...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 10 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR COZ090- 091. WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 10 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR COZ092. NE...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 10 PM MDT /11 PM CDT/ THIS EVENING FOR NEZ079>081. && $$ UPDATE...JRM SHORT TERM...99 LONG TERM...DR AVIATION...MK
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GOODLAND KS
546 PM MDT TUE MAR 18 2014 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 455 PM MDT TUE MAR 18 2014 MAIN CONCERNS CONTINUE TO BE COMBINATION OF SNOW AND STRONG WINDS ONGOING ACROSS THE AREA. HEAVY/BLOWING SNOW CAUSING SOME LOW VISIBILITIES IN SEVERAL AREAS...WILL CONTINUE TO INCLUDE THIS IN CURRENT HIGH WIND WARNING PER COORDINATION EARLIER TODAY AND NOT ISSUE ANY ADDITIONAL WINTER HIGHLIGHTS ATTM. WHILE WINDS HAVE BEEN SLOW TO RISE AND VERY SPORADIC...STARTING TO SEE A LOT OF CONVECTIVE TYPE SHOWERS DEVELOPING BEHIND MAIN BAND OF PRECIPITATION. THIS IS SUPPORTED BY NEAR TERM MODELED SOUNDINGS INDICATING WEAK SFC BASED INSTABILITY THROUGH THE NEXT FEW HOURS. WITH STRONG WINDS JUST OFF THE SFC IN THIS AREA...EXPECT STRONG WINDS TO ACCOMPANY SOME OF THESE SHOWERS AS OPPOSED TO A MORE WIDESPREAD STRONG WIND TYPE EVENT. && .SHORT TERM...(THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY) ISSUED AT 230 PM MDT TUE MAR 18 2014 LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT...AT 19Z UPPER LOW CENTERED ON TOP OF GOODLAND WITH STRONGEST SFC WIND GUSTS GENERALLY WEST OF A LINE FROM FLAGLER TO KIT CARSON WHERE GUSTS IN OUR PART OF THE AREA APPROACHING 50 MPH WHILE JUST OUTSIDE OF IT GUSTS AROUND 60 MPH BEING REPORTED. FOR THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT UPPER LOW FORECAST TO MOVE EAST REACHING NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS AROUND 00Z THEN WEAKENING A BIT AS IT MOVES FURTHER EAST AND AWAY FROM THE AREA. STRONGEST SFC WINDS AND GUSTS STILL EXPECTED TO SLOWLY MOVE EAST BEHIND THE UPPER LOW SO NO CHANGES TO HIGH WIND WARNING. 18Z RUC SHOWS 850-800MB WINDS ACTUALLY INCREASING ON THE BACKSIDE VERY LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH MIDNIGHT. NOT SURE HOW MUCH WILL MIX DOWN AFTER SUNSET OUT EAST WHICH IS WHERE STRONGEST WINDS FORECAST SO FOR NOW WIND ADVISORY WILL CONTINUE. NORTHEAST TO SOUTHWEST ELONGATED BAND OF SNOW...MODERATE TO HEAVY AT TIMES...CONTINUES TO SLOWLY MOVE SOUTHEAST. AM EXPECTING THE WORST CONDITIONS PRESENTLY IN EASTERN COLORADO TO MOVE INTO NORTHWEST KANSAS AND SOUTHWEST NEBRASKA (MAINLY NORTH OF THE INTERSTATE) BY 23Z CONTINUING EAST AND INCREASING COVERAGE ACROSS THE EASTERN 1/3 OF THE AREA DURING THE EVENING HOURS BEFORE EXITING THE AREA AROUND MIDNIGHT. THE COMBINATION OF SNOW AND WIND WILL CREATE AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW WITH REDUCED VISIBILITIES. UNDER QUICKLY CLEARING SKIES LOWS TONIGHT IN THE LOW TO MID 20S (WEST TO EAST). WEDNESDAY...CLOUDINESS INCREASES A BIT AS A WEAK WEATHER DISTURBANCE MOVES THROUGH. NO PRECIPITATION EXPECTED BUT COULD SEE NORTHWEST WINDS GUST 20-25 MPH...MAINLY ACROSS THE NORTHEAST AND EASTERN PARTS OF THE AREA. HIGH TEMPERATURES GENERALLY LOW 50S TO NEAR 60 (WEST TO EAST). .LONG TERM...(WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 206 PM MDT TUE MAR 18 2014 THURSDAY-FRIDAY...SHORTWAVE RIDGE WILL BE IN PLACE OVER THE NORTHERN PLAINS WITH THE NEXT SHORTWAVE TROUGH UPSTREAM OVER THE NORTHERN ROCKIES. RESULT WILL BE INCREASING SOUTHERLY FLOW ALOFT AND WARMING TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE PLAINS THURSDAY. MUCH WARMER TEMPERATURES EXPECTED THURSDAY WITH HIGHS AROUND 70 ACROSS MUCH OF THE CWA. COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE REGION LATE THURSDAY NIGHT WITH HIGHS CLOSER TO SEASONAL NORMALS IN THE 50S. AS THIS FRONT MOVES ACROSS THE REGION WE COULD SEE A PERIOD OF BREEZY WINDS...HOWEVER GUSTS WILL REMAIN BELOW ADVISORY CRITERIA. SATURDAY-TUESDAY...NORTHWEST FLOW WILL REMAIN IN PLACE ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS WHICH WILL ALLOW A SERIES OF WEAK DISTURBANCES TO PASS NEAR OR NORTH OF OF OUR CWA AND SEND REINFORCING SHOTS OF COOLER TEMPS INTO THE PLAINS. THESE QUICK MOVING FEATURES ARE ON LESS THAN IDEAL TRACKS WITH LIMITED MOISTURE RETURN AND THERE IS QUITE A BIT OF SPREAD BETWEEN GUIDANCE RUN-RUN ON EVOLUTION OF THESE WEAK DISTURBANCES. BEST MODEL OVERLAP SEEMS TO BE ON PRECIP CHANCES SATURDAY...HOWEVER THIS WOULD STILL BE FAIRLY LIGHT AND IN THIS PATTERN/THIS RANGE I WAS NOT CONFIDENT ENOUGH TO RAISE POPS. TEMPS SHOULD START OUT BELOW NORMAL SATURDAY (40S) BEFORE SEASONAL TEMPS RETURN SUNDAY AND MONDAY (50S). BY NEXT MONDAY NIGHT/TUESDAY THERE IS SOME INDICATION OF ANOTHER COLD FRONT DROPPING SOUTH OVER THE CWA BRINGING BELOW NORMAL TEMPS BACK TO THE REGION AND POSSIBLY INCREASING PRECIP CHANCES. NOT A LOT OF CONFIDENCE IN THESE LATER PERIODS CONSIDERING THE MODEL SPREAD/LACK OF CONTINUITY...SO DECIDED AGAINST MAKING MAJOR CHANGES TO CONSENSUS BLEND. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z WEDNESDAY EVENING) ISSUED AT 542 PM MDT TUE MAR 18 2014 BANDS OF SNOW SHOWERS ACROSS THE TRI STATE AREA HAVE CAUSED REDUCED VISIBILITIES AT TIMES FOR KGLD AND KMCK...BUT SNOW SHOULD BE MOVING OUT OF THE AREA IN THE NEXT FEW HOURS. UNTIL THEN...OVERCAST CEILINGS AND GUSTY CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE EARLY OVERNIGHT. CLOUDS WILL BEGIN TO BREAK TOWARD THE EARLY MORNING HOURS...BUT SURFACE FOG COULD DEVELOP AS MODEL SOUNDINGS INDICATE SATURATION FOR KGLD AND KMCK. KEPT VISIBILITIES MVFR AT THIS TIME OVERNIGHT BASED ON CLIMATOLOGY...BUT GUIDANCE HAS BEEN ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT FOG UNDER A MILE. VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL TOWARDS MID MORNING FOR BOTH TAF SITES. && .GLD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... KS...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 8 PM MDT /9 PM CDT/ THIS EVENING FOR KSZ001>003-013>015-027>029-041-042. WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR KSZ004-016. CO...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 8 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR COZ090>092. NE...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 8 PM MDT /9 PM CDT/ THIS EVENING FOR NEZ079>081. && $$ UPDATE...JRM SHORT TERM...99 LONG TERM...DR AVIATION...MK
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NWS DODGE CITY KS
638 PM CDT Tue Mar 18 2014 ...Updated for Aviation... .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Wednesday) ISSUED AT 206 PM CDT TUE MAR 18 2014 Models this morning are in good agreement with moving the upper level trough east into central Kansas early this evening. The better upper level dynamics will also begin to shift east as a secondary surface boundary surges south across western Kansas late this afternoon. As this boundary moves across southwest Kansas, northwest winds of 30 to 40 mph will continue as low level moisture increases. Given the timing of the exiting upper level trough and increasing low level moisture will retain small precipitation chances across north central Kansas early this evening. Further south will keep an increase in clouds early this evening but will not mention precipitation chances at this time. Wind speeds across southeast Colorado earlier this afternoon have on occasion approached high wind warning criteria. Visibilities where these stronger winds were reported have been lowered to one mile or less due to blowing dust. 12z NAM and 17z RAP indicated the tightest surface pressure gradient along with the strongest 925mb to 850mb winds between 21z Tuesday and 00z Wednesday will be near the Colorado border with the mean mixdown winds suggesting sustained winds of near high wind warning criteria. Based on that the models continue to suggest winds will be near High wind warning criteria late today in far southwest Kansas and the 18z wind speeds/gusts across southeast Colorado will continue the high wind warning west of highway 83. Will also mention visibility issues due to blowing dust. Further east will keep the wind advisory going until 02z. Surface ridge axis will then begin to build across western Kansas towards 06z as the upper level trough moves from eastern Kansas into Missouri. Given the cloud cover overnight along with wind speeds of 10 to 15 mph the previous forecast still looks on track with lows mainly in the mid to upper 20s Westerly downslope flow will improve across western Kansas on Wednesday with 925mb temperatures warmer around 6c from 00z Wednesday to 00z Thursday. 850mb temperature trends over the same time frame be +3c to +5c. Based on this warming trend and mostly sunny conditions the highs mid week should easily rebound to near 60 degrees for much of western Kansas. .LONG TERM...(Wednesday night through Tuesday) ISSUED AT 343 PM CDT TUE MAR 18 2014 Lee troughing will develop Thursday ahead of the next upper level system entering the northern Rockies, leading to south winds and warmer temperatures. After this system traverses the northern plains on Friday, a cold front will pass through western Kansas in its wake, leading to falling high temperatures into the 60s Friday and 50s Saturday. As the cool air gets deeper by Saturday night, mid level isentropic lift may result in some light rain or light snow, especially over far southwestern Kansas. Temperatures Sunday will still be seasonably cool, with highs in the lower 50s. A slight warming trend can be expected Sunday (highs in the upper 50s to lower 60s) as a weak lee trough develops ahead of the next upper level trough. This system will push yet another cold front through western Kansas by later Monday, with a return of cooler than average high and low temperatures by Monday night and Tuesday. && .AVIATION...(For the 00Z TAFS through 00Z Wednesday evening) ISSUED AT 633 PM CDT TUE MAR 18 2014 Strong northwest winds of 25-45kt will gradually subside by 01-03Z as the surface pressure gradient relaxes. Some IFR/MVFR cigs, with some light rain and snow mixed, will also become VFR by 03Z as an upper level trough moves east. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... DDC 27 60 32 71 / 10 0 0 0 GCK 24 60 32 70 / 10 0 0 0 EHA 26 59 32 72 / 0 0 0 0 LBL 25 61 32 72 / 10 0 0 0 HYS 28 59 30 70 / 30 0 0 0 P28 32 62 33 72 / 10 0 0 0 && .DDC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WIND ADVISORY until 9 PM CDT this evening FOR KSZ030-031-044>046- 064>066-077>081-087>090. HIGH WIND WARNING until 9 PM CDT /8 PM MDT/ this evening FOR KSZ043-061>063-074>076-084>086. && $$ SHORT TERM...Burgert LONG TERM...Finch AVIATION...Kruse
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LOUISVILLE KY
954 PM EDT Tue Mar 18 2014 ...Forecast Update... Issued at 950 PM EDT Tue Mar 18 2014 Quick update for pops based on latest high-res models. Still think isolated to perhaps scattered elevated thunderstorms are possible during the morning hours, mainly over our southern Indiana counties. Temps should be on track for the rest of the night, now that the wind has become more steady across the area from the south and southeast. .SHORT TERM (Now through Wednesday Night)... Issued at 300 PM EDT Tue Mar 18 2014 Clouds have hung around for most of the day, with some sun peaking through here and there this afternoon. Temperatures have reached the upper 40s to low 50s as of this writing, with a little more warming possible this afternoon. For tonight and tomorrow the pressure gradient will strengthen as a low pressure system moves into the Great Lakes region. Southerly winds will increase tonight and be quite gusty on Wednesday. Sustained speeds of 15-20 mph with gusts of 25-35 mph are expected Wednesday. Gusts may be a little stronger and approach Wind Advisory criteria, but that will depend on whether or not the clouds clear. Right now it appears low-level clouds will linger right on into tomorrow afternoon, limiting full mixing. Will need to monitor this in coming forecasts. A cold front associated with this system will swing through on Wednesday. Rain showers should edge into our western forecast area late tonight and continuing pushing east through the morning hours tomorrow. The best coverage would be across southern Indiana and northern Kentucky, with less coverage farther south. There is just enough elevated instability to warrant isolated thunder in the forecast for late tonight and through the morning hours tomorrow. Showers should exit east through the first half of the day. As for temperatures, lows tonight will be on the warmer side with increasing southerly winds and clouds ahead of the front. Expect temps to only drop into the middle and upper 40s. Highs tomorrow should top out in the middle 50s to around 60. Lows tomorrow night should drop into the 30s under clearing skies. Depending on the amount of rainfall we see with this frontal passage, which does not look like much at this time, some fog may form by Thursday morning. .LONG TERM (Thursday through Tuesday)... Issued at 311 PM EDT Tue Mar 18 2014 The forecast period looks to be rather dynamic as winter and spring duke it out; spring trying to take over, winter holding on with it`s last breath. We`ll start off the long term period with near normal temperatures, rise well above normal by the end of the work week, and then drop back off to near and below normal by next week. In the upper levels, zonal flow will dominate throughout much of this forecast period. Further down in the vertical extent of the atmosphere, shortwaves will be traveling through the Ohio Valley. Look for these to traverse on through Friday night - early Saturday, and then again Monday night - early Tuesday. These both have associated cold fronts with them at the surface with high pressure in control in between these two systems. The first surface low should remain well to the north of the region, tracking across the Great Lakes region and stringing the front along with it. The second low currently is progged to take a more southerly route but with this system occurring late in the long-term period, look for this forecast to change over the next few days as the models get a better hold of how it will evolve. The next question with respect to precipitation is how much moisture these systems will have to work with. Should have a decent amount for Friday night through Saturday, allowing for light rain showers to be scattered across much of the forecast area. With lower confidence in the mentionable precip early next week, have only gone with slight to chance PoPs, primarily keeping much of the precip mention confined to the northern half of the forecast area. Now here`s where winter fights to hold on: have included snow wording in this forecast update as temperatures look to be cold enough to support possible light snow. Looking at the 12Z GFS sounding near the Louisville area for overnight Monday, the thermal profile is certainly indicative of snow, we`ll just have to keep an eye on this to see how it plays out. For now, have rain or snow wording in the forecast. && .AVIATION (00Z TAF Update)... Updated at 730 PM EDT Tue Mar 18 2014 Surface low pressure crossing the KS/MO border at this time will head towards northern IL by daybreak Wednesday. Southerly winds ahead of this low have allowed cigs to come up today, and starting to see more breaks in the clouds as this moisture moves into a drier layer aloft. Winds just above the surface will pick up the rest of the night, going to 40-50 knots and creating some low-level wind shear. Latest RAP forecast continues these strong winds even a little past 12Z, so have continued the LLWS well into the morning hours. Should see some scattered showers as that surface low drags a cold front toward the region. Cannot rule out an elevated thunderstorm around KSDF at 12Z, but chance is low enough to keep out of the TAF for now. Winds will turn to westerly with the frontal passage from west to east between 20 and 22Z Wednesday. && .LMK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... KY...NONE. IN...NONE. && $$ Update.........RJS Short Term.....MJP Long Term......lg Aviation.......RJS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LOUISVILLE KY
735 PM EDT Tue Mar 18 2014 ...Updated Aviation Discussion... .SHORT TERM (Now through Wednesday Night)... Issued at 300 PM EDT Tue Mar 18 2014 Clouds have hung around for most of the day, with some sun peaking through here and there this afternoon. Temperatures have reached the upper 40s to low 50s as of this writing, with a little more warming possible this afternoon. For tonight and tomorrow the pressure gradient will strengthen as a low pressure system moves into the Great Lakes region. Southerly winds will increase tonight and be quite gusty on Wednesday. Sustained speeds of 15-20 mph with gusts of 25-35 mph are expected Wednesday. Gusts may be a little stronger and approach Wind Advisory criteria, but that will depend on whether or not the clouds clear. Right now it appears low-level clouds will linger right on into tomorrow afternoon, limiting full mixing. Will need to monitor this in coming forecasts. A cold front associated with this system will swing through on Wednesday. Rain showers should edge into our western forecast area late tonight and continuing pushing east through the morning hours tomorrow. The best coverage would be across southern Indiana and northern Kentucky, with less coverage farther south. There is just enough elevated instability to warrant isolated thunder in the forecast for late tonight and through the morning hours tomorrow. Showers should exit east through the first half of the day. As for temperatures, lows tonight will be on the warmer side with increasing southerly winds and clouds ahead of the front. Expect temps to only drop into the middle and upper 40s. Highs tomorrow should top out in the middle 50s to around 60. Lows tomorrow night should drop into the 30s under clearing skies. Depending on the amount of rainfall we see with this frontal passage, which does not look like much at this time, some fog may form by Thursday morning. .LONG TERM (Thursday through Tuesday)... Issued at 311 PM EDT Tue Mar 18 2014 The forecast period looks to be rather dynamic as winter and spring duke it out; spring trying to take over, winter holding on with it`s last breath. We`ll start off the long term period with near normal temperatures, rise well above normal by the end of the work week, and then drop back off to near and below normal by next week. In the upper levels, zonal flow will dominate throughout much of this forecast period. Further down in the vertical extent of the atmosphere, shortwaves will be traveling through the Ohio Valley. Look for these to traverse on through Friday night - early Saturday, and then again Monday night - early Tuesday. These both have associated cold fronts with them at the surface with high pressure in control in between these two systems. The first surface low should remain well to the north of the region, tracking across the Great Lakes region and stringing the front along with it. The second low currently is progged to take a more southerly route but with this system occurring late in the long-term period, look for this forecast to change over the next few days as the models get a better hold of how it will evolve. The next question with respect to precipitation is how much moisture these systems will have to work with. Should have a decent amount for Friday night through Saturday, allowing for light rain showers to be scattered across much of the forecast area. With lower confidence in the mentionable precip early next week, have only gone with slight to chance PoPs, primarily keeping much of the precip mention confined to the northern half of the forecast area. Now here`s where winter fights to hold on: have included snow wording in this forecast update as temperatures look to be cold enough to support possible light snow. Looking at the 12Z GFS sounding near the Louisville area for overnight Monday, the thermal profile is certainly indicative of snow, we`ll just have to keep an eye on this to see how it plays out. For now, have rain or snow wording in the forecast. && .AVIATION (00Z TAF Update)... Updated at 730 PM EDT Tue Mar 18 2014 Surface low pressure crossing the KS/MO border at this time will head towards northern IL by daybreak Wednesday. Southerly winds ahead of this low have allowed cigs to come up today, and starting to see more breaks in the clouds as this moisture moves into a drier layer aloft. Winds just above the surface will pick up the rest of the night, going to 40-50 knots and creating some low-level wind shear. Latest RAP forecast continues these strong winds even a little past 12Z, so have continued the LLWS well into the morning hours. Should see some scattered showers as that surface low drags a cold front toward the region. Cannot rule out an elevated thunderstorm around KSDF at 12Z, but chance is low enough to keep out of the TAF for now. Winds will turn to westerly with the frontal passage from west to east between 20 and 22Z Wednesday. && .LMK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... KY...NONE. IN...NONE. && $$ Short Term........MJP Long Term.........lg Aviation..........RJS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LOUISVILLE KY
118 AM EDT Mon Mar 17 2014 ...Updated Aviation Discussion... ...Forecast Update... Issued at 1055 PM EDT Sun Mar 16 2014 Precipitation mostly has ended across the winter weather advisory area. Have some lighter snows over the Bluegrass now, but will cover that area with a Traveler`s Advisory (TA). Another batch of precipitation still is headed towards the far southeast corner of the original advisory, so have kept it in place there with temperatures below freezing in that region. A quick look at soundings shows it will be close between them getting sleet or snow. Given that Danville is showing snow now, would lean toward the latter. Once that batch has moved through the rest of the advisory area should be converted to a TA. One other note...given wet conditions across South Central KY, decided to go ahead and throw them in with the TA...given that the wet roads will have the potential to freeze with lows going to around 30 down there and road temperatures falling. Issued at 830 PM EDT Sun Mar 16 2014 As mentioned below, have cancelled part of the winter weather advisory and replaced a portion of the cancelled area with a Travelers Advisory. Looking at webcams up in our northern row of counties, have seen roads already drying, and that region had less precipitation than the rest of the forecast area. Thus kept that northern row out of any further advisories. As for the winter weather advisory, decided to keep it up a little longer from Jefferson KY to Hardin KY, given the number of accident reports we have been hearing from down there. Likely will drop those counties in another hour or two, and replace with a travelers advisory the rest of the night. Issued at 600 PM EDT Sun Mar 16 2014 Have a couple of bands of heavier precipitation with lighter precip surrounding them. One ranges from Tell City to Corydon to Goshen, with reports coming in that this band is producing mostly snow. Webcam out of Paoli earlier indicated some brief accumulations there, but light totals. A second band runs from Hartford to E-town to Harrodsburg. Type is more mixed with this band, but Dual Pol data indicate that it has a better chance to be snow from Washington county in KY to Jessamine county. Had a report from Springfield of all snow and another report of a rain/snow mix east of Bardstown. Will try and update locations for precip type with graphical nowcasts on our webpage the next few hours. Precipitation is starting to end north of that first band, with a dry line quickly eroding southward into it. Still looking at some potential for up to an inch of snow/sleet west of the I-65 corridor, but a better chance to get into the 1-2 inch range east of I-65 in the advisory area. Still, those accumulations should not last too long after the precip ends, given warm ground conditions. Road temperatures are starting to drop some, now in the mid 30s across southern Indiana, but still in the 40s over central and southern KY. At some point later in the evening, likely will convert the Winter Weather Advisory into a Traveller`s Advisory for wet roads that could freeze once those temps drop down enough. Fortunately the place where this happens the quickest...our northern Indiana counties...also have the least total QPF. .SHORT TERM (Now through Monday Night)... Issued at 320 PM EDT Sun Mar 16 2014 It continues to rain across southern Kentucky at this hour, with the rain mixing in with sleet across northern Kentucky and southern Indiana. Reports of sleet stretch generally along the I-64 corridor. There are a few reports of freezing rain on elevated surfaces across the Bluegrass region, which is certainly possible, on elevated surfaces. Ground and subsurface temperatures are still generally in the 40s, a couple lower 50s for subsurface temps. It took a little bit to finally saturate across the north today, but once the moisture worked in it did not take long for the warm nose at about 870 hPa to wetbulb. Latest aircraft soundings indicate this nose of warm air is rather shallow yet maximizes at about +2C. It should not take too much longer to cool that to the point where partial melting will no longer occur and we transition over to all snow by late this afternoon and evening. The deformation zone is setting up across southern Indiana and northern Kentucky, pretty much as advertised. The latest data, including the RAP have trended the best area of snow/sleet accumulations a little farther north. The GFS places the axis of accumulation across southern Indiana and into the far northern Kentucky Bluegrass region. The NAM accumulation axis is a little south of this by about one to two counties. The 17Z RAP (latest as of this writing) still keeps most of the accumulations south of the Ohio River, but now runs from roughly Jefferson County Kentucky eastward into the Bluegrass region. The SREF is still the preferred solution here, which takes into account the both the northern and southern solutions. The SREF probabilities have seemed to be the most consistent. So, will continue with the best accumulation potential being from Perry County in Indiana east-northeastward to Harrison/Nicholas Counties in Kentucky. Precipitation will wane late this evening and through the early morning hours. Still see no reason to make any changes to the Advisory. Still think near an inch accumulation for much of the Advisory area, a little higher (1-2 inches) across the Bluegrass region is on tap. These accumulations are more likely to occur on grassy areas and elevated surfaces. With temperatures dropping into the 20s and lower 30s by daybreak Monday, some slick spots on area roadways could be possible. If the RAP continues to edge northward with it`s accumulation axis, then some of the southeastern counties in the Advisory might be dropped in later updates. Let`s move on to Monday and warming temperatures this week. Monday and Monday night will be dry with much lighter winds than today, as high pressure builds into the Ohio Valley. Temperatures should top out in the middle to upper 40s during the afternoon hours and drop off into the upper 20s and 30s Monday night. .LONG TERM (Tuesday through Sunday)... Issued at 317 PM EDT Sun Mar 16 2014 ================================ Long Term Synoptic Overview ================================ In the long term period, the flow aloft across North America will remain rather progressive...but fairly zonal. Large negative height anomalies at 500 hPa will remain located well to the north near James Bay while an axis of positive height anomalies remains generally in place across the NE Pacific into Alaska. The configuration of the upper flow pattern will lead to a storm path from the NNW to ESE through the period. Two systems look to affect our region during the extended period. The first will arrive on Wednesday with a secondary system coming into the region late Friday and Saturday. This flow pattern will result in more seasonal temperatures across the forecast area. A moderate warm up is expected for Tuesday depending on the extent of return flow. A stronger warm up looks increasingly likely by Friday as a more robust return flow regime develops in advance of the aforementioned second system. ================================ Model Preference & Confidence ================================ Overall, the deterministic runs of the GFS and Euro are in fairly good agreement through the period. There continues to be some timing issues with regards to the system arriving on Wednesday and again late Friday and Saturday. However, the timing issues are showing more convergence with time, so overall confidence is slightly above normal. Raw model temperatures are a little too cool and given recent model cold biases, feel that the statistical MOS guidance is probably a bit better at this point. This would be especially true Tuesday and Friday afternoon. Generally have gone on the warmer side of the multi-model consensus which includes the ensemble solutions. Minimum temperatures look good from a raw model standpoint. Precipitation timing/amounts have average forecast confidence, but the overall forecaster confidence trend is on the upswing. ================================ Sensible Weather Impacts ================================ Overall, milder weather is on tap for the area through much of the work week. A southerly flow is forecast to take shape late Monday night into Tuesday. This combined with mid-march sun angles should result in milder than normal temperatures. As mentioned above, have gone closer to the statistical guidance here with highs in the lower to middle 60s in the north and middle 60s down south. Clouds will increase Tuesday night as the first upper level trough axis and trailing cold front approach the region. This feature should bring a band of showers through the region. Have trended the frontal timing closer to the Euro here with a passage during the day on Wednesday. Lows Tuesday night will be mild with lows in the lower-middle 40s and highs on Wednesday topping out in the middle to upper 50s. Lows Wednesday night look to cool back into the 30s. High pressure and ridging will build back in for Thursday with highs warming back into he upper 50s to the lower 60s. A deeper return flow pattern looks to return Thursday night and into Friday. Friday looks to be the warmest day of the period. After a morning start in the lower 40s, temperatures Friday afternoon look to warm into the upper 60s to near 70 in the north...with 70-72 likely across far southern KY. With the warmth, this only signals yet another frontal passage that will occur late Friday night into Saturday morning. With the warmer profiles and more moisture in the area, rain showers with some scattered thunderstorms look likely. Again in the post-frontal wake, we`ll see a cool down after the front passes with highs on Saturday and Sunday warming into the middle to upper 50s...while overnight lows remain in the upper 30s to the lower 40s. && .AVIATION (06Z TAF Update)... Updated at 115 AM EDT Mon Mar 17 2014 There were only a few snow showers left near LEX as of 5Z. Expect this precip to move east out of the area within the next few hours as the parent low pressure system over the Gulf states continues to track east. Low cigs will hang around through at least this afternoon though. MVFR cigs below 2 kft can be expected at BWG with MVFR cigs above 2 kft at SDF/LEX. By this afternoon, most soundings indicate low level moisture will have thinned a significant amount so did go with VFR conditions for the rest of the day, but wouldn`t be surprised if low clouds stick around longer and hover between sct-bkn. The only other flight restriction in the SDF TAF period might be some reduced vsbys in br for tomorrow morning. Winds will remain out of the NE through this afternoon. Winds may still gust between 20-25 kt for the next few hours especially at LEX. Closer to sunrise, wind speeds should decline to 6-9 kts. This evening expect winds to become light in nature and variable with an easterly component. && .LMK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... KY...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY until 8 AM EDT this morning FOR KYZ056- 057-066-067. IN...NONE. && $$ Update.........RJS Short Term.....MJP Long Term......MJ Aviation.......AMS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MARQUETTE MI
149 PM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 410 AM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 00Z RAOBS/LATEST WV IMAGERY AND RUC ANALYSIS SHOW WNW FLOW ALF OVER THE UPR GRT LKS BTWN CLOSED UPR LO OVER THE CNDN MARITIMES AND AN UPR RDG IN THE ROCKIES. SFC HI PRES AND VERY DRY AIRMASS SHOWN ON THE 00Z APX/GRB RAOBS /PWAT ARND 0.05 INCH/ ARE BRINGING A TRANQUIL EARLY MRNG TO THE CWA...BUT HI CLDS ARE ON THE INCRS IN ADVANCE OF A SHRTWV NEAR LK WINNIPEG WHICH IS DIVING SEWD TOWARD THE UPR LKS. IMPRESSIVE ISENTROPIC ASCENT IN THE SLY FLOW BTWN ACCOMPANYING SFC LO/SE ONTARIO HI PRES AND SOME UPR DVGC IN EXIT REGION OF ASSOCIATED 120KT H3 JET MAX CAUSING AN AREA OF SN OVER NRN MN. VSBYS IN THIS AREA OF SN HAVE BEEN AS LO AS 1/2-3/4SM DESPITE FEED OF VERY DRY LLVL AIR SHOWN ON THE 00Z MPX RAOB...WHERE THE H85 DEWPT DEPRESSION AT 00Z WAS AN IMPRESSIVE 47C. ANOTHER MORE IMPRESSIVE SHRTWV APRCHG THE PAC NW COAST IS CRASHING INTO THE ROCKIES RDG. MAIN FCST CONCERNS THRU TNGT WL REVOLVE ARND POPS ASSOCIATED WITH APRCHG SHRTWV AND ISENTROPIC ASCENT ASSOCIATED WITH FALLING MSLP IN THE PLAINS AHEAD OF SHRTWV NOW APRCHG THE W COAST. TDAY...AREA OF SN NOW IN NRN MN SHOULD MOVE INTO THE WRN CWA BY 12Z UNDER AREA OF IMPRESSIVE ISENTROPIC ASCENT BEST SHOWN ON THE 280- 290K SFCS /H8-6/ AND AREA OF UPR DVGC. BUT VIGOROUS DRY SLOTTING ASSOCIATED WITH THE JET SURGE AT THE SAME TIME THE JET CORE TENDS TO SHEAR OUT/UPR DVGC WEAKENS AS IT ENTERS MORE CONFLUENT UPR FLOW ON THE WRN FLANK OF CUTOFF LO IN THE CNDN MARITIMES SHOULD CAUSE THE PCPN INTENSITY TO DIMINISH STEADILY AS THE AREA MOVES INTO THE DRIER AIR TO THE E. ONE OTHER MECHANISM THAT WL TEND TO WEAKEN THE SN MOVING THRU THE CWA IS H85-7 FRONTAL ZN THAT IS FCST TO SHARPEN IN NCENTRAL WI THIS AFTN AND FOCUS THE SHARPER UVV IN THAT AREA ON THE SRN FLANK OF MID LVL DRY SLOTTING THAT WL IMPACT UPR MI. AS THE SHARPER H7 FGEN SHIFTS TO THE E ACRS THE SCENTRL CWA LATER THIS AFTN...SOME HIER POPS MAY IMPACT THAT AREA LATER IN THE DAY. SN TOTALS...HIEST OVER THE W AND SCENTRAL...SHOULD BE NO MORE THAN ABOUT AN INCH TDAY GIVEN THE NEGATIVES MENTIONED ABV AS WELL AS IMPACTS OF DRY AIR. TNGT...AS SHRTWV NOW MOVING INTO THE PAC NW DIGS THRU THE CENTRAL ROCKIES AND TOWARD THE PLAINS...STRENGTHENING SLY FLOW OVER THE UPR LKS TO THE NE OF DVLPG SFC LO IN THE CENTRAL PLAINS WL TEND TO LIFT THE SHARPER H85-7 FGEN N INTO UPR MI. ALTHOUGH DRY ADVECTION AT H85 WL TEND TO LIMIT SN CHCS OVER THE E HALF OF THE CWA...EXPECT INCRSG POPS OVER THE W ESPECIALLY LATE...WHEN SOME UPR DVGC IS PROGGED TO IMPACT THAT AREA IN THE RRQ OF SHARPENING H3 JET MAX OVER LK SUP. WITH H7 SPECIFIC HUMIDITY APRCHG 3 G/KG...THERE COULD BE AN INCH OR 2 OF OF SN ACCUM OVER THE W IN THE 06Z-12Z TIME WHERE AND WHEN THE FORCING LOOKS MORE FVRBL DESPITE UNFVRBL HIER...THIN DGZ. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 422 AM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 ...COMPLEX AND POSSIBLY MULTI FACETED WINTER STORM TO AFFECT UPR MICHIGAN TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY... PRIMARY UPPER TROUGH DROPPING ACROSS THE PLAINS TUESDAY MORNING WITH SFC LOW IN THE VCNTY OF EASTERN NEB INTO KS. H85 LOW IN SIMILAR POSN WITH SOUTH WINDS DRAWING WARM AIR TOWARD UPR LAKES. AREA OF H8-H6 FGEN OVER UPR MICHIGAN WILL FOCUS SWATH OF SNOW 12Z-18Z ON TUESDAY. DRYING NOSING IN FROM SOUTH WILL RESULT IN SHARP EDGE TO THE SNOW. NAM/GFS AND GEM-NH HAVE TRENDED WITH FARTHER SOUTH H85 BAROCLINIC ZONE AND THUS MORE QPF DURING THE MORNING HOURS THAN THEY PREVIOUSLY SHOWED. DECENT MOISTURE IS ADVECTING INTO THE FGEN BAND WITH H7 MIXING RATIOS AROUND 3G/KG PER ECMWF. BY TUESDAY AFTN...MOST MODELS SHOW FGEN SNOW BAND LIFTING NORTH AS MAIN TROUGH MOVES EAST AND NORTH ACROSS THE PLAINS. SOUNDINGS INDICATE AS MID-UPPER LEVEL MOISTURE EXITS NORTH...COULD SEE DZ FOR UPSLOPE AREAS OF CNTRL WITH EAST WINDS. THIS CLOSES PHASE ONE OF THE SYSTEM. ONLY OTHER ADJUSTMENT OF NOTE ON TUESDAY WAS TO LOWER TEMPS MAINLY IN THE UPR 20S TO LOWER 30S FOR CWA. ON TO THE SECOND AND EVEN MORE COMPLEX PHASE OF THIS SYSTEM AS UPPER TROUGH MOVES EAST ON TUESDAY EVENING. SFC LOW WELL AGREED UPON AT THIS TIME WITH CENTER VCNTY OF IOWA. THIS SYSTEM THEN BECOMES VERY FAVORABLE FOR PRODUCING MODERATE AND POSSIBLY HEAVY PRECIPIATION ACROSS MUCH OF UPR MICHIGAN TUESDAY EVENING THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING. UPPER SUPPORT CERTAINLY THERE FM DIRECT IMPACT OF PVA/H7-H5 Q-VECTOR CONVERGENCE AS MAIN PV ANAMOLY LIFTS ACROSS WISCONSIN AND INCREASING DIFFLUENCE/DIVERGENCE ALOFT AS UPR MICHIGAN IS WITHIN RIGHT ENTRANCE REGION OF JET OVER ONTARIO AND POSSIBLY IN LEFT EXIT REGION OF JET STRONG JET NOSING ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY. ALL THE WHILE...MOISTURE INFLUX INTO SYSTEM IS NOTABLE WITH H85-H7 MOISTURE TRANSPORT AIMED INTO THE REGION BOOSTING H7 MIXING RATIOS TO AROUND 3G/KG. 24HR QPF ENDING AT 00Z THURSDAY HAVE BUMPED UP TO OVER 0.6 INCH AND EVEN PUSHED OVER 0.8 IF GOING WITH NAM. GIVEN THE PLETHORA OF SUPPORT AND ENHANCEMENT TO THIS SYSTEM...THESE FORECASTS DO NOT SEEM THAT OVERDONE. SFC LOW TRACKS TO CNTRL/NORTHERN LK MICHIGAN BY 12Z ON WEDNESDAY. WARM LAYER 900-850MB LOOKS LIKE IT WILL AT LEAST IMPACT SOUTHEAST THIRD OF CWA LATE TUESDAY EVENING TOWARD MIDNIGHT WEDNESDAY THROUGH ABOUT MID MORNING ON WEDNESDAY...BEFORE THINGS TURN QUICKLY BACK TO SNOW EVEN IN THE EASTERN CWA. SOUNDINGS SHOW SATURATION OCCURS THEN THE WARMING TAKES PLACE...LEAVING LESS ROOM FOR EVAPORATIVE COOLING. NAM/GFS SHOW WARM LAYER TEMPS UP TO 2-3C...WHICH WOULD RESULT IN MAINLY FREEZING RAIN AND LESS SLEET. NAM FARTHER NORTH AND WEST WITH WARM LAYER AND WOULD BRING FZRA TO IMT AND SAW AND EVEN CMX FOR A TIME OVERNIGHT ON TUESDAY NIGHT. NAM ALSO MUCH FARTHER WEST WITH H85 CIRCULATION AND BASED ON DPROG/DT SEEMS TO BE PLAYING CATCH UP WITH THE OTHER MODELS. THUS WILL NOT BE AS AGGRESSIVE/NORTHWEST WITH WARM LAYER AS NAM SHOWS ATTM. AT THE SAME TIME...ECMWF AND GEM CONTINUE WITH MAINLY A SNOWSTORM OVER MUCH OF THE AREA AS WARM LAYER IS SHUNTED TO THE EAST BEFORE MAKING IT INTO SE CWA. GRIDS WILL CONTINUE TO SHOW POTENTIAL FOR RAIN/FZRA/PL ONLY OVER FAR SE CWA. SYSTEM IS NOW ONSHORE OVER PACIFIC NORTHWEST SO WE SHOULD START TO SEE ADJUSTMENTS TO TRACK AND EXTENT OF WARM LAYER TODAY INTO TONIGHT. HEADLINES...EVENT IS TRICKY...MAINLY DUE TO THE TWO MAIN TIME FRAMES THAT THERE COULD BE HEAVIER SNOW AND/OR WINTRY MIX. SINCE THE TREND IS FOR MORE SNOW ON TUESDAY OVER THE FAR WEST AND GRADIENT TO THE SNOW COULD BE VERY SHARP /PERHAPS KEEPING MOST OF THIS INITIAL SNOW OUT OF AREAS FARTHER INTO THE CNTRL CWA AS NAM AND OTHER HIGH RES MODELS POINT TO/ THERE WAS ENOUGH CONFIDENCE TO INCLUDE WESTERN TIER OF UPR MICHIGAN IN A WINTER STORM WATCH BEGINNING 10Z TONIGHT AND RUNNING THIS ALL THE WAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING. DID NOT GO WITH ANY ADDITIONAL WATCHES FARTHER TO THE EAST THOUGH SINCE SNOW OVER THE CNTRL CWA AND WINTRY MIX OF SNOW/FZRA/PL FARTHER EAST DOES NOT DEVELOP UNTIL LATER TUESDAY EVENING AND ON INTO WEDNESDAY. IF EVERYTHING CONTINUES AS FORECAST WHICH IS A BIG IF AS MODEL SOLNS MAY VERY WELL JOG AROUND FURTHER WILL EVENTUALLY NEED SOME HEADLINES FOR REST OF CWA AS WELL. GOING TO ISSUE AN SPS SO THERE IS SOME HEADS UP THAT TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY COULD SEE SIGNIFICANT AND HIGH IMPACT WEATHER. IF TIMING HOLDS AS CURRENTLY FORECAST...THE MORNING COMMUTE TO WORK AND SCHOOL ON WEDNESDAY WILL HAVE HIGH PROBABILITY OF BEING IMPACTED ACROSS MUCH OF UPR MICHIGAN. BEYOND WEDNESDAY NIGHT AS SYSTEM WINDS DOWN...EXPECT SOME LGT LAKE ENHANCED SNOW LINGERING ALONG LK SUPERIOR FIRST THING ON THURSDAY. MOISTURE SCOURS OUT BY THURSDAY NIGHT AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN. FRIDAY SYSTEM LOOKS TO STAY SOUTH NOW...THOUGH MODELS HAVE BOUNCED AROUND ON WHETHER TO BRING NORTHERN FRINGE INTO SOUTHERN CWA. COLD FRONT SWEEPS THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT WHICH BRINGS ANOTHER COLD SHOT OF AIR FOR NEXT WEEKEND. SMALL CHANCES FOR LAKE EFFECT SEEMED GOOD FOR SATURDAY IN WAKE OF THE FRONTAL PASSAGE. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 148 PM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 EXPECT INCREASED CHANCES FOR SNOW AND LOWERING CONDITIONS TONIGHT INTO TUESDAY MORNING AS A BAND OF PRECIPITATION MOVES ACROSS THE AREA AHEAD OF A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM. UNSURE ON EXACT TIMING AND INTENSITY OF LOWEST CONDITIONS AS THE BAND WILL BE NARROW AND WILL MOVE THROUGH RATHER QUICKLY. && .MARINE...(FOR THE 4 AM LAKE SUPERIOR FORECAST ISSUANCE) ISSUED AT 410 AM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 S WINDS UP TO 20 KTS EARLY THIS MORNING WILL INCREASE UP TO 25-30 KTS THIS AFTERNOON UNDER SHARPENING PRES GRADIENT BETWEEN SLOWLY DEPARTING HI PRES AND DEVELOPING LO PRES TO THE W IN THE PLAINS. AS THIS LOW MOVES TOWARD THE UPPER GREAT LAKES ON TUE INTO WED...LIKELY PASSING JUST TO THE S OF UPPER MI...THE FLOW WILL BACK TO THE E AND THEN N BY WED...WITH WINDS INCREASING UP TO 30 KTS TO GALES TO 35 KTS ON WED. THE STRONG WINDS WILL DIMINISH STEADILY THRU THU AS A TRAILING HI PRES RIDGE MOVES INTO THE UPPER LAKES. A STRONGER N WIND UP TO 25-30 KTS MAY DEVELOP ON FRI AS A LOW PRES SYSTEM PASSES TO THE S THRU THE LOWER LAKES. && .MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... UPPER MICHIGAN... WINTER STORM WATCH FROM TUESDAY MORNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING FOR MIZ001>003-009. LAKE SUPERIOR... NONE. LAKE MICHIGAN... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...KC LONG TERM...JLA AVIATION...TITUS MARINE...KC
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MARQUETTE MI
722 AM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 410 AM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 00Z RAOBS/LATEST WV IMAGERY AND RUC ANALYSIS SHOW WNW FLOW ALF OVER THE UPR GRT LKS BTWN CLOSED UPR LO OVER THE CNDN MARITIMES AND AN UPR RDG IN THE ROCKIES. SFC HI PRES AND VERY DRY AIRMASS SHOWN ON THE 00Z APX/GRB RAOBS /PWAT ARND 0.05 INCH/ ARE BRINGING A TRANQUIL EARLY MRNG TO THE CWA...BUT HI CLDS ARE ON THE INCRS IN ADVANCE OF A SHRTWV NEAR LK WINNIPEG WHICH IS DIVING SEWD TOWARD THE UPR LKS. IMPRESSIVE ISENTROPIC ASCENT IN THE SLY FLOW BTWN ACCOMPANYING SFC LO/SE ONTARIO HI PRES AND SOME UPR DVGC IN EXIT REGION OF ASSOCIATED 120KT H3 JET MAX CAUSING AN AREA OF SN OVER NRN MN. VSBYS IN THIS AREA OF SN HAVE BEEN AS LO AS 1/2-3/4SM DESPITE FEED OF VERY DRY LLVL AIR SHOWN ON THE 00Z MPX RAOB...WHERE THE H85 DEWPT DEPRESSION AT 00Z WAS AN IMPRESSIVE 47C. ANOTHER MORE IMPRESSIVE SHRTWV APRCHG THE PAC NW COAST IS CRASHING INTO THE ROCKIES RDG. MAIN FCST CONCERNS THRU TNGT WL REVOLVE ARND POPS ASSOCIATED WITH APRCHG SHRTWV AND ISENTROPIC ASCENT ASSOCIATED WITH FALLING MSLP IN THE PLAINS AHEAD OF SHRTWV NOW APRCHG THE W COAST. TDAY...AREA OF SN NOW IN NRN MN SHOULD MOVE INTO THE WRN CWA BY 12Z UNDER AREA OF IMPRESSIVE ISENTROPIC ASCENT BEST SHOWN ON THE 280- 290K SFCS /H8-6/ AND AREA OF UPR DVGC. BUT VIGOROUS DRY SLOTTING ASSOCIATED WITH THE JET SURGE AT THE SAME TIME THE JET CORE TENDS TO SHEAR OUT/UPR DVGC WEAKENS AS IT ENTERS MORE CONFLUENT UPR FLOW ON THE WRN FLANK OF CUTOFF LO IN THE CNDN MARITIMES SHOULD CAUSE THE PCPN INTENSITY TO DIMINISH STEADILY AS THE AREA MOVES INTO THE DRIER AIR TO THE E. ONE OTHER MECHANISM THAT WL TEND TO WEAKEN THE SN MOVING THRU THE CWA IS H85-7 FRONTAL ZN THAT IS FCST TO SHARPEN IN NCENTRAL WI THIS AFTN AND FOCUS THE SHARPER UVV IN THAT AREA ON THE SRN FLANK OF MID LVL DRY SLOTTING THAT WL IMPACT UPR MI. AS THE SHARPER H7 FGEN SHIFTS TO THE E ACRS THE SCENTRL CWA LATER THIS AFTN...SOME HIER POPS MAY IMPACT THAT AREA LATER IN THE DAY. SN TOTALS...HIEST OVER THE W AND SCENTRAL...SHOULD BE NO MORE THAN ABOUT AN INCH TDAY GIVEN THE NEGATIVES MENTIONED ABV AS WELL AS IMPACTS OF DRY AIR. TNGT...AS SHRTWV NOW MOVING INTO THE PAC NW DIGS THRU THE CENTRAL ROCKIES AND TOWARD THE PLAINS...STRENGTHENING SLY FLOW OVER THE UPR LKS TO THE NE OF DVLPG SFC LO IN THE CENTRAL PLAINS WL TEND TO LIFT THE SHARPER H85-7 FGEN N INTO UPR MI. ALTHOUGH DRY ADVECTION AT H85 WL TEND TO LIMIT SN CHCS OVER THE E HALF OF THE CWA...EXPECT INCRSG POPS OVER THE W ESPECIALLY LATE...WHEN SOME UPR DVGC IS PROGGED TO IMPACT THAT AREA IN THE RRQ OF SHARPENING H3 JET MAX OVER LK SUP. WITH H7 SPECIFIC HUMIDITY APRCHG 3 G/KG...THERE COULD BE AN INCH OR 2 OF OF SN ACCUM OVER THE W IN THE 06Z-12Z TIME WHERE AND WHEN THE FORCING LOOKS MORE FVRBL DESPITE UNFVRBL HIER...THIN DGZ. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 422 AM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 ...COMPLEX AND POSSIBLY MULTI FACETED WINTER STORM TO AFFECT UPR MICHIGAN TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY... PRIMARY UPPER TROUGH DROPPING ACROSS THE PLAINS TUESDAY MORNING WITH SFC LOW IN THE VCNTY OF EASTERN NEB INTO KS. H85 LOW IN SIMILAR POSN WITH SOUTH WINDS DRAWING WARM AIR TOWARD UPR LAKES. AREA OF H8-H6 FGEN OVER UPR MICHIGAN WILL FOCUS SWATH OF SNOW 12Z-18Z ON TUESDAY. DRYING NOSING IN FROM SOUTH WILL RESULT IN SHARP EDGE TO THE SNOW. NAM/GFS AND GEM-NH HAVE TRENDED WITH FARTHER SOUTH H85 BAROCLINIC ZONE AND THUS MORE QPF DURING THE MORNING HOURS THAN THEY PREVIOUSLY SHOWED. DECENT MOISTURE IS ADVECTING INTO THE FGEN BAND WITH H7 MIXING RATIOS AROUND 3G/KG PER ECMWF. BY TUESDAY AFTN...MOST MODELS SHOW FGEN SNOW BAND LIFTING NORTH AS MAIN TROUGH MOVES EAST AND NORTH ACROSS THE PLAINS. SOUNDINGS INDICATE AS MID-UPPER LEVEL MOISTURE EXITS NORTH...COULD SEE DZ FOR UPSLOPE AREAS OF CNTRL WITH EAST WINDS. THIS CLOSES PHASE ONE OF THE SYSTEM. ONLY OTHER ADJUSTMENT OF NOTE ON TUESDAY WAS TO LOWER TEMPS MAINLY IN THE UPR 20S TO LOWER 30S FOR CWA. ON TO THE SECOND AND EVEN MORE COMPLEX PHASE OF THIS SYSTEM AS UPPER TROUGH MOVES EAST ON TUESDAY EVENING. SFC LOW WELL AGREED UPON AT THIS TIME WITH CENTER VCNTY OF IOWA. THIS SYSTEM THEN BECOMES VERY FAVORABLE FOR PRODUCING MODERATE AND POSSIBLY HEAVY PRECIPIATION ACROSS MUCH OF UPR MICHIGAN TUESDAY EVENING THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING. UPPER SUPPORT CERTAINLY THERE FM DIRECT IMPACT OF PVA/H7-H5 Q-VECTOR CONVERGENCE AS MAIN PV ANAMOLY LIFTS ACROSS WISCONSIN AND INCREASING DIFFLUENCE/DIVERGENCE ALOFT AS UPR MICHIGAN IS WITHIN RIGHT ENTRANCE REGION OF JET OVER ONTARIO AND POSSIBLY IN LEFT EXIT REGION OF JET STRONG JET NOSING ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY. ALL THE WHILE...MOISTURE INFLUX INTO SYSTEM IS NOTABLE WITH H85-H7 MOISTURE TRANSPORT AIMED INTO THE REGION BOOSTING H7 MIXING RATIOS TO AROUND 3G/KG. 24HR QPF ENDING AT 00Z THURSDAY HAVE BUMPED UP TO OVER 0.6 INCH AND EVEN PUSHED OVER 0.8 IF GOING WITH NAM. GIVEN THE PLETHORA OF SUPPORT AND ENHANCEMENT TO THIS SYSTEM...THESE FORECASTS DO NOT SEEM THAT OVERDONE. SFC LOW TRACKS TO CNTRL/NORTHERN LK MICHIGAN BY 12Z ON WEDNESDAY. WARM LAYER 900-850MB LOOKS LIKE IT WILL AT LEAST IMPACT SOUTHEAST THIRD OF CWA LATE TUESDAY EVENING TOWARD MIDNIGHT WEDNESDAY THROUGH ABOUT MID MORNING ON WEDNESDAY...BEFORE THINGS TURN QUICKLY BACK TO SNOW EVEN IN THE EASTERN CWA. SOUNDINGS SHOW SATURATION OCCURS THEN THE WARMING TAKES PLACE...LEAVING LESS ROOM FOR EVAPORATIVE COOLING. NAM/GFS SHOW WARM LAYER TEMPS UP TO 2-3C...WHICH WOULD RESULT IN MAINLY FREEZING RAIN AND LESS SLEET. NAM FARTHER NORTH AND WEST WITH WARM LAYER AND WOULD BRING FZRA TO IMT AND SAW AND EVEN CMX FOR A TIME OVERNIGHT ON TUESDAY NIGHT. NAM ALSO MUCH FARTHER WEST WITH H85 CIRCULATION AND BASED ON DPROG/DT SEEMS TO BE PLAYING CATCH UP WITH THE OTHER MODELS. THUS WILL NOT BE AS AGGRESSIVE/NORTHWEST WITH WARM LAYER AS NAM SHOWS ATTM. AT THE SAME TIME...ECMWF AND GEM CONTINUE WITH MAINLY A SNOWSTORM OVER MUCH OF THE AREA AS WARM LAYER IS SHUNTED TO THE EAST BEFORE MAKING IT INTO SE CWA. GRIDS WILL CONTINUE TO SHOW POTENTIAL FOR RAIN/FZRA/PL ONLY OVER FAR SE CWA. SYSTEM IS NOW ONSHORE OVER PACIFIC NORTHWEST SO WE SHOULD START TO SEE ADJUSTMENTS TO TRACK AND EXTENT OF WARM LAYER TODAY INTO TONIGHT. HEADLINES...EVENT IS TRICKY...MAINLY DUE TO THE TWO MAIN TIME FRAMES THAT THERE COULD BE HEAVIER SNOW AND/OR WINTRY MIX. SINCE THE TREND IS FOR MORE SNOW ON TUESDAY OVER THE FAR WEST AND GRADIENT TO THE SNOW COULD BE VERY SHARP /PERHAPS KEEPING MOST OF THIS INITIAL SNOW OUT OF AREAS FARTHER INTO THE CNTRL CWA AS NAM AND OTHER HIGH RES MODELS POINT TO/ THERE WAS ENOUGH CONFIDENCE TO INCLUDE WESTERN TIER OF UPR MICHIGAN IN A WINTER STORM WATCH BEGINNING 10Z TONIGHT AND RUNNING THIS ALL THE WAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING. DID NOT GO WITH ANY ADDITIONAL WATCHES FARTHER TO THE EAST THOUGH SINCE SNOW OVER THE CNTRL CWA AND WINTRY MIX OF SNOW/FZRA/PL FARTHER EAST DOES NOT DEVELOP UNTIL LATER TUESDAY EVENING AND ON INTO WEDNESDAY. IF EVERYTHING CONTINUES AS FORECAST WHICH IS A BIG IF AS MODEL SOLNS MAY VERY WELL JOG AROUND FURTHER WILL EVENTUALLY NEED SOME HEADLINES FOR REST OF CWA AS WELL. GOING TO ISSUE AN SPS SO THERE IS SOME HEADS UP THAT TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY COULD SEE SIGNIFICANT AND HIGH IMPACT WEATHER. IF TIMING HOLDS AS CURRENTLY FORECAST...THE MORNING COMMUTE TO WORK AND SCHOOL ON WEDNESDAY WILL HAVE HIGH PROBABILITY OF BEING IMPACTED ACROSS MUCH OF UPR MICHIGAN. BEYOND WEDNESDAY NIGHT AS SYSTEM WINDS DOWN...EXPECT SOME LGT LAKE ENHANCED SNOW LINGERING ALONG LK SUPERIOR FIRST THING ON THURSDAY. MOISTURE SCOURS OUT BY THURSDAY NIGHT AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN. FRIDAY SYSTEM LOOKS TO STAY SOUTH NOW...THOUGH MODELS HAVE BOUNCED AROUND ON WHETHER TO BRING NORTHERN FRINGE INTO SOUTHERN CWA. COLD FRONT SWEEPS THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT WHICH BRINGS ANOTHER COLD SHOT OF AIR FOR NEXT WEEKEND. SMALL CHANCES FOR LAKE EFFECT SEEMED GOOD FOR SATURDAY IN WAKE OF THE FRONTAL PASSAGE. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z TUESDAY MORNING) ISSUED AT 721 AM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 ALTHOUGH SOME -SN MOVING INTO THE AREA MAY CAUSE SOME OCNL MVFR VSBYS AT IWD/CMX THRU THIS MRNG...DRYNESS OF ANTECEDENT AIRMASS AND TENDENCY FOR DYNAMIC FORCING TO WEAKEN WITH TIME WL CAUSE PREDOMINANT VFR CONDITIONS THRU THE DAY WITH DOWNSLOPE SSE FLOW. ALTHOUGH THE DRY AIR WL LIKELY EVAPORATE THE BULK OF THIS PCPN BEFORE IT REACHES SAW...A MORE FVRBL...GUSTY UPSLOPE WIND COMPONENT WL LIKELY CAUSE SOME MVFR CIGS AT THAT LOCATION THIS AFTN THRU THE NGT. LATER TNGT...SOME HEAVIER WAD SN WL ARRIVE OVER FAR WRN UPR MI AND DROP THE VSBY AT IWD INTO THE IFR CATEGORY. && .MARINE...(FOR THE 4 AM LAKE SUPERIOR FORECAST ISSUANCE) ISSUED AT 410 AM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 S WINDS UP TO 20 KTS EARLY THIS MORNING WILL INCREASE UP TO 25-30 KTS THIS AFTERNOON UNDER SHARPENING PRES GRADIENT BETWEEN SLOWLY DEPARTING HI PRES AND DEVELOPING LO PRES TO THE W IN THE PLAINS. AS THIS LOW MOVES TOWARD THE UPPER GREAT LAKES ON TUE INTO WED...LIKELY PASSING JUST TO THE S OF UPPER MI...THE FLOW WILL BACK TO THE E AND THEN N BY WED...WITH WINDS INCREASING UP TO 30 KTS TO GALES TO 35 KTS ON WED. THE STRONG WINDS WILL DIMINISH STEADILY THRU THU AS A TRAILING HI PRES RIDGE MOVES INTO THE UPPER LAKES. A STRONGER N WIND UP TO 25-30 KTS MAY DEVELOP ON FRI AS A LOW PRES SYSTEM PASSES TO THE S THRU THE LOWER LAKES. && .MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... UPPER MICHIGAN... WINTER STORM WATCH FROM TUESDAY MORNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING FOR MIZ001>003-009. LAKE SUPERIOR... NONE. LAKE MICHIGAN... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...KC LONG TERM...JLA AVIATION...KC MARINE...KC
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MARQUETTE MI
423 AM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 410 AM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 00Z RAOBS/LATEST WV IMAGERY AND RUC ANALYSIS SHOW WNW FLOW ALF OVER THE UPR GRT LKS BTWN CLOSED UPR LO OVER THE CNDN MARITIMES AND AN UPR RDG IN THE ROCKIES. SFC HI PRES AND VERY DRY AIRMASS SHOWN ON THE 00Z APX/GRB RAOBS /PWAT ARND 0.05 INCH/ ARE BRINGING A TRANQUIL EARLY MRNG TO THE CWA...BUT HI CLDS ARE ON THE INCRS IN ADVANCE OF A SHRTWV NEAR LK WINNIPEG WHICH IS DIVING SEWD TOWARD THE UPR LKS. IMPRESSIVE ISENTROPIC ASCENT IN THE SLY FLOW BTWN ACCOMPANYING SFC LO/SE ONTARIO HI PRES AND SOME UPR DVGC IN EXIT REGION OF ASSOCIATED 120KT H3 JET MAX CAUSING AN AREA OF SN OVER NRN MN. VSBYS IN THIS AREA OF SN HAVE BEEN AS LO AS 1/2-3/4SM DESPITE FEED OF VERY DRY LLVL AIR SHOWN ON THE 00Z MPX RAOB...WHERE THE H85 DEWPT DEPRESSION AT 00Z WAS AN IMPRESSIVE 47C. ANOTHER MORE IMPRESSIVE SHRTWV APRCHG THE PAC NW COAST IS CRASHING INTO THE ROCKIES RDG. MAIN FCST CONCERNS THRU TNGT WL REVOLVE ARND POPS ASSOCIATED WITH APRCHG SHRTWV AND ISENTROPIC ASCENT ASSOCIATED WITH FALLING MSLP IN THE PLAINS AHEAD OF SHRTWV NOW APRCHG THE W COAST. TDAY...AREA OF SN NOW IN NRN MN SHOULD MOVE INTO THE WRN CWA BY 12Z UNDER AREA OF IMPRESSIVE ISENTROPIC ASCENT BEST SHOWN ON THE 280- 290K SFCS /H8-6/ AND AREA OF UPR DVGC. BUT VIGOROUS DRY SLOTTING ASSOCIATED WITH THE JET SURGE AT THE SAME TIME THE JET CORE TENDS TO SHEAR OUT/UPR DVGC WEAKENS AS IT ENTERS MORE CONFLUENT UPR FLOW ON THE WRN FLANK OF CUTOFF LO IN THE CNDN MARITIMES SHOULD CAUSE THE PCPN INTENSITY TO DIMINISH STEADILY AS THE AREA MOVES INTO THE DRIER AIR TO THE E. ONE OTHER MECHANISM THAT WL TEND TO WEAKEN THE SN MOVING THRU THE CWA IS H85-7 FRONTAL ZN THAT IS FCST TO SHARPEN IN NCENTRAL WI THIS AFTN AND FOCUS THE SHARPER UVV IN THAT AREA ON THE SRN FLANK OF MID LVL DRY SLOTTING THAT WL IMPACT UPR MI. AS THE SHARPER H7 FGEN SHIFTS TO THE E ACRS THE SCENTRL CWA LATER THIS AFTN...SOME HIER POPS MAY IMPACT THAT AREA LATER IN THE DAY. SN TOTALS...HIEST OVER THE W AND SCENTRAL...SHOULD BE NO MORE THAN ABOUT AN INCH TDAY GIVEN THE NEGATIVES MENTIONED ABV AS WELL AS IMPACTS OF DRY AIR. TNGT...AS SHRTWV NOW MOVING INTO THE PAC NW DIGS THRU THE CENTRAL ROCKIES AND TOWARD THE PLAINS...STRENGTHENING SLY FLOW OVER THE UPR LKS TO THE NE OF DVLPG SFC LO IN THE CENTRAL PLAINS WL TEND TO LIFT THE SHARPER H85-7 FGEN N INTO UPR MI. ALTHOUGH DRY ADVECTION AT H85 WL TEND TO LIMIT SN CHCS OVER THE E HALF OF THE CWA...EXPECT INCRSG POPS OVER THE W ESPECIALLY LATE...WHEN SOME UPR DVGC IS PROGGED TO IMPACT THAT AREA IN THE RRQ OF SHARPENING H3 JET MAX OVER LK SUP. WITH H7 SPECIFIC HUMIDITY APRCHG 3 G/KG...THERE COULD BE AN INCH OR 2 OF OF SN ACCUM OVER THE W IN THE 06Z-12Z TIME WHERE AND WHEN THE FORCING LOOKS MORE FVRBL DESPITE UNFVRBL HIER...THIN DGZ. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 422 AM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 ...COMPLEX AND POSSIBLY MULTI FACETED WINTER STORM TO AFFECT UPR MICHIGAN TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY... PRIMARY UPPER TROUGH DROPPING ACROSS THE PLAINS TUESDAY MORNING WITH SFC LOW IN THE VCNTY OF EASTERN NEB INTO KS. H85 LOW IN SIMILAR POSN WITH SOUTH WINDS DRAWING WARM AIR TOWARD UPR LAKES. AREA OF H8-H6 FGEN OVER UPR MICHIGAN WILL FOCUS SWATH OF SNOW 12Z-18Z ON TUESDAY. DRYING NOSING IN FROM SOUTH WILL RESULT IN SHARP EDGE TO THE SNOW. NAM/GFS AND GEM-NH HAVE TRENDED WITH FARTHER SOUTH H85 BAROCLINIC ZONE AND THUS MORE QPF DURING THE MORNING HOURS THAN THEY PREVIOUSLY SHOWED. DECENT MOISTURE IS ADVECTING INTO THE FGEN BAND WITH H7 MIXING RATIOS AROUND 3G/KG PER ECMWF. BY TUESDAY AFTN...MOST MODELS SHOW FGEN SNOW BAND LIFTING NORTH AS MAIN TROUGH MOVES EAST AND NORTH ACROSS THE PLAINS. SOUNDINGS INDICATE AS MID-UPPER LEVEL MOISTURE EXITS NORTH...COULD SEE DZ FOR UPSLOPE AREAS OF CNTRL WITH EAST WINDS. THIS CLOSES PHASE ONE OF THE SYSTEM. ONLY OTHER ADJUSTMENT OF NOTE ON TUESDAY WAS TO LOWER TEMPS MAINLY IN THE UPR 20S TO LOWER 30S FOR CWA. ON TO THE SECOND AND EVEN MORE COMPLEX PHASE OF THIS SYSTEM AS UPPER TROUGH MOVES EAST ON TUESDAY EVENING. SFC LOW WELL AGREED UPON AT THIS TIME WITH CENTER VCNTY OF IOWA. THIS SYSTEM THEN BECOMES VERY FAVORABLE FOR PRODUCING MODERATE AND POSSIBLY HEAVY PRECIPIATION ACROSS MUCH OF UPR MICHIGAN TUESDAY EVENING THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING. UPPER SUPPORT CERTAINLY THERE FM DIRECT IMPACT OF PVA/H7-H5 Q-VECTOR CONVERGENCE AS MAIN PV ANAMOLY LIFTS ACROSS WISCONSIN AND INCREASING DIFFLUENCE/DIVERGENCE ALOFT AS UPR MICHIGAN IS WITHIN RIGHT ENTRANCE REGION OF JET OVER ONTARIO AND POSSIBLY IN LEFT EXIT REGION OF JET STRONG JET NOSING ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY. ALL THE WHILE...MOISTURE INFLUX INTO SYSTEM IS NOTABLE WITH H85-H7 MOISTURE TRANSPORT AIMED INTO THE REGION BOOSTING H7 MIXING RATIOS TO AROUND 3G/KG. 24HR QPF ENDING AT 00Z THURSDAY HAVE BUMPED UP TO OVER 0.6 INCH AND EVEN PUSHED OVER 0.8 IF GOING WITH NAM. GIVEN THE PLETHORA OF SUPPORT AND ENHANCEMENT TO THIS SYSTEM...THESE FORECASTS DO NOT SEEM THAT OVERDONE. SFC LOW TRACKS TO CNTRL/NORTHERN LK MICHIGAN BY 12Z ON WEDNESDAY. WARM LAYER 900-850MB LOOKS LIKE IT WILL AT LEAST IMPACT SOUTHEAST THIRD OF CWA LATE TUESDAY EVENING TOWARD MIDNIGHT WEDNESDAY THROUGH ABOUT MID MORNING ON WEDNESDAY...BEFORE THINGS TURN QUICKLY BACK TO SNOW EVEN IN THE EASTERN CWA. SOUNDINGS SHOW SATURATION OCCURS THEN THE WARMING TAKES PLACE...LEAVING LESS ROOM FOR EVAPORATIVE COOLING. NAM/GFS SHOW WARM LAYER TEMPS UP TO 2-3C...WHICH WOULD RESULT IN MAINLY FREEZING RAIN AND LESS SLEET. NAM FARTHER NORTH AND WEST WITH WARM LAYER AND WOULD BRING FZRA TO IMT AND SAW AND EVEN CMX FOR A TIME OVERNIGHT ON TUESDAY NIGHT. NAM ALSO MUCH FARTHER WEST WITH H85 CIRCULATION AND BASED ON DPROG/DT SEEMS TO BE PLAYING CATCH UP WITH THE OTHER MODELS. THUS WILL NOT BE AS AGGRESSIVE/NORTHWEST WITH WARM LAYER AS NAM SHOWS ATTM. AT THE SAME TIME...ECMWF AND GEM CONTINUE WITH MAINLY A SNOWSTORM OVER MUCH OF THE AREA AS WARM LAYER IS SHUNTED TO THE EAST BEFORE MAKING IT INTO SE CWA. GRIDS WILL CONTINUE TO SHOW POTENTIAL FOR RAIN/FZRA/PL ONLY OVER FAR SE CWA. SYSTEM IS NOW ONSHORE OVER PACIFIC NORTHWEST SO WE SHOULD START TO SEE ADJUSTMENTS TO TRACK AND EXTENT OF WARM LAYER TODAY INTO TONIGHT. HEADLINES...EVENT IS TRICKY...MAINLY DUE TO THE TWO MAIN TIME FRAMES THAT THERE COULD BE HEAVIER SNOW AND/OR WINTRY MIX. SINCE THE TREND IS FOR MORE SNOW ON TUESDAY OVER THE FAR WEST AND GRADIENT TO THE SNOW COULD BE VERY SHARP /PERHAPS KEEPING MOST OF THIS INITIAL SNOW OUT OF AREAS FARTHER INTO THE CNTRL CWA AS NAM AND OTHER HIGH RES MODELS POINT TO/ THERE WAS ENOUGH CONFIDENCE TO INCLUDE WESTERN TIER OF UPR MICHIGAN IN A WINTER STORM WATCH BEGINNING 10Z TONIGHT AND RUNNING THIS ALL THE WAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING. DID NOT GO WITH ANY ADDITIONAL WATCHES FARTHER TO THE EAST THOUGH SINCE SNOW OVER THE CNTRL CWA AND WINTRY MIX OF SNOW/FZRA/PL FARTHER EAST DOES NOT DEVELOP UNTIL LATER TUESDAY EVENING AND ON INTO WEDNESDAY. IF EVERYTHING CONTINUES AS FORECAST WHICH IS A BIG IF AS MODEL SOLNS MAY VERY WELL JOG AROUND FURTHER WILL EVENTUALLY NEED SOME HEADLINES FOR REST OF CWA AS WELL. GOING TO ISSUE AN SPS SO THERE IS SOME HEADS UP THAT TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY COULD SEE SIGNIFICANT AND HIGH IMPACT WEATHER. IF TIMING HOLDS AS CURRENTLY FORECAST...THE MORNING COMMUTE TO WORK AND SCHOOL ON WEDNESDAY WILL HAVE HIGH PROBABILITY OF BEING IMPACTED ACROSS MUCH OF UPR MICHIGAN. BEYOND WEDNESDAY NIGHT AS SYSTEM WINDS DOWN...EXPECT SOME LGT LAKE ENHANCED SNOW LINGERING ALONG LK SUPERIOR FIRST THING ON THURSDAY. MOISTURE SCOURS OUT BY THURSDAY NIGHT AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN. FRIDAY SYSTEM LOOKS TO STAY SOUTH NOW...THOUGH MODELS HAVE BOUNCED AROUND ON WHETHER TO BRING NORTHERN FRINGE INTO SOUTHERN CWA. COLD FRONT SWEEPS THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT WHICH BRINGS ANOTHER COLD SHOT OF AIR FOR NEXT WEEKEND. SMALL CHANCES FOR LAKE EFFECT SEEMED GOOD FOR SATURDAY IN WAKE OF THE FRONTAL PASSAGE. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z MONDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 141 AM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 EXPECT VFR CONDITIONS TO CONTINUE OVERNIGHT AS HIGH PRESSURE DRIFTS FROM THE CENTRAL GREAT LAKES INTO NE ONTARIO. S WINDS AND MID-HIGH CLOUDS WILL INCREASE OVERNIGHT AHEAD OF LOW PRESSURE APPROACHING FROM THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND LLWS WILL BE POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT AT KIWD. APPROACHING LOW PRESSURE WILL ALSO ALLOW CLOUDS TO GRADUALLY LOWER MONDAY MORNING...WITH MVFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED AT IWD AND CMX AROUND 15Z WITH THE ONSET OF LIGHT SNOW. LIGHT SNOW AND MVFR CONDITIONS WILL EVENTUALLY REACH KSAW AFT 18Z. CONDITIONS MAY IMPROVE SOME AT THE WRN TAF SITES MON EVENING AS THE INITIAL SURGE OF WAA PCPN LIFTS NORTHEAST OF THE AREA. && .MARINE...(FOR THE 4 AM LAKE SUPERIOR FORECAST ISSUANCE) ISSUED AT 410 AM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 S WINDS UP TO 20 KTS EARLY THIS MORNING WILL INCREASE UP TO 25-30 KTS THIS AFTERNOON UNDER SHARPENING PRES GRADIENT BETWEEN SLOWLY DEPARTING HI PRES AND DEVELOPING LO PRES TO THE W IN THE PLAINS. AS THIS LOW MOVES TOWARD THE UPPER GREAT LAKES ON TUE INTO WED...LIKELY PASSING JUST TO THE S OF UPPER MI...THE FLOW WILL BACK TO THE E AND THEN N BY WED...WITH WINDS INCREASING UP TO 30 KTS TO GALES TO 35 KTS ON WED. THE STRONG WINDS WILL DIMINISH STEADILY THRU THU AS A TRAILING HI PRES RIDGE MOVES INTO THE UPPER LAKES. A STRONGER N WIND UP TO 25-30 KTS MAY DEVELOP ON FRI AS A LOW PRES SYSTEM PASSES TO THE S THRU THE LOWER LAKES. && .MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... UPPER MICHIGAN... WINTER STORM WATCH FROM TUESDAY MORNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING FOR MIZ001>003-009. LAKE SUPERIOR... NONE. LAKE MICHIGAN... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...KC LONG TERM...JLA AVIATION...VOSS MARINE...KC
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MARQUETTE MI
411 AM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 410 AM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 00Z RAOBS/LATEST WV IMAGERY AND RUC ANALYSIS SHOW WNW FLOW ALF OVER THE UPR GRT LKS BTWN CLOSED UPR LO OVER THE CNDN MARITIMES AND AN UPR RDG IN THE ROCKIES. SFC HI PRES AND VERY DRY AIRMASS SHOWN ON THE 00Z APX/GRB RAOBS /PWAT ARND 0.05 INCH/ ARE BRINGING A TRANQUIL EARLY MRNG TO THE CWA...BUT HI CLDS ARE ON THE INCRS IN ADVANCE OF A SHRTWV NEAR LK WINNIPEG WHICH IS DIVING SEWD TOWARD THE UPR LKS. IMPRESSIVE ISENTROPIC ASCENT IN THE SLY FLOW BTWN ACCOMPANYING SFC LO/SE ONTARIO HI PRES AND SOME UPR DVGC IN EXIT REGION OF ASSOCIATED 120KT H3 JET MAX CAUSING AN AREA OF SN OVER NRN MN. VSBYS IN THIS AREA OF SN HAVE BEEN AS LO AS 1/2-3/4SM DESPITE FEED OF VERY DRY LLVL AIR SHOWN ON THE 00Z MPX RAOB...WHERE THE H85 DEWPT DEPRESSION AT 00Z WAS AN IMPRESSIVE 47C. ANOTHER MORE IMPRESSIVE SHRTWV APRCHG THE PAC NW COAST IS CRASHING INTO THE ROCKIES RDG. MAIN FCST CONCERNS THRU TNGT WL REVOLVE ARND POPS ASSOCIATED WITH APRCHG SHRTWV AND ISENTROPIC ASCENT ASSOCIATED WITH FALLING MSLP IN THE PLAINS AHEAD OF SHRTWV NOW APRCHG THE W COAST. TDAY...AREA OF SN NOW IN NRN MN SHOULD MOVE INTO THE WRN CWA BY 12Z UNDER AREA OF IMPRESSIVE ISENTROPIC ASCENT BEST SHOWN ON THE 280- 290K SFCS /H8-6/ AND AREA OF UPR DVGC. BUT VIGOROUS DRY SLOTTING ASSOCIATED WITH THE JET SURGE AT THE SAME TIME THE JET CORE TENDS TO SHEAR OUT/UPR DVGC WEAKENS AS IT ENTERS MORE CONFLUENT UPR FLOW ON THE WRN FLANK OF CUTOFF LO IN THE CNDN MARITIMES SHOULD CAUSE THE PCPN INTENSITY TO DIMINISH STEADILY AS THE AREA MOVES INTO THE DRIER AIR TO THE E. ONE OTHER MECHANISM THAT WL TEND TO WEAKEN THE SN MOVING THRU THE CWA IS H85-7 FRONTAL ZN THAT IS FCST TO SHARPEN IN NCENTRAL WI THIS AFTN AND FOCUS THE SHARPER UVV IN THAT AREA ON THE SRN FLANK OF MID LVL DRY SLOTTING THAT WL IMPACT UPR MI. AS THE SHARPER H7 FGEN SHIFTS TO THE E ACRS THE SCENTRL CWA LATER THIS AFTN...SOME HIER POPS MAY IMPACT THAT AREA LATER IN THE DAY. SN TOTALS...HIEST OVER THE W AND SCENTRAL...SHOULD BE NO MORE THAN ABOUT AN INCH TDAY GIVEN THE NEGATIVES MENTIONED ABV AS WELL AS IMPACTS OF DRY AIR. TNGT...AS SHRTWV NOW MOVING INTO THE PAC NW DIGS THRU THE CENTRAL ROCKIES AND TOWARD THE PLAINS...STRENGTHENING SLY FLOW OVER THE UPR LKS TO THE NE OF DVLPG SFC LO IN THE CENTRAL PLAINS WL TEND TO LIFT THE SHARPER H85-7 FGEN N INTO UPR MI. ALTHOUGH DRY ADVECTION AT H85 WL TEND TO LIMIT SN CHCS OVER THE E HALF OF THE CWA...EXPECT INCRSG POPS OVER THE W ESPECIALLY LATE...WHEN SOME UPR DVGC IS PROGGED TO IMPACT THAT AREA IN THE RRQ OF SHARPENING H3 JET MAX OVER LK SUP. WITH H7 SPECIFIC HUMIDITY APRCHG 3 G/KG...THERE COULD BE AN INCH OR 2 OF OF SN ACCUM OVER THE W IN THE 06Z-12Z TIME WHERE AND WHEN THE FORCING LOOKS MORE FVRBL DESPITE UNFVRBL HIER...THIN DGZ. .LONG TERM...(MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 318 PM EDT SUN MAR 16 2014 MAIN FORECAST CONCERNS ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK AS A SYSTEM SHOULD IMPACT THE CWA...POSSIBLY BRINGING MIXED PRECIP AND SOME SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL AMOUNTS TO PARTS OF THE CWA. OTHERWISE...ONLY MINOR PRECIP WITH MINIMAL IMPACTS IS EXPECTED. FOR THE MID WEEK SYSTEM...THERE CONTINUES TO BE A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY AS MODEL RUN TO RUN CONTINUITY HAS BEEN FAIR AT BEST FOR MOST MODELS AND MODEL TO MODEL AGREEMENT IS LIMITED. THE POOR CONTINUITY AND HIGH UNCERTAINTY IS UNDERSTANDABLE GIVEN THAT THE UPPER LEVEL ENERGY DRIVING THIS SYSTEM IS CURRENTLY OVER THE GULF OF AK. MODEL TO MODEL AGREEMENT IS NOT ALL THAT BAD IN GENERAL...BUT THE FINE DETAILS NEEDED FOR PTYPE AND PRECIP AMOUNT FORECASTS ARE FAR FROM SETTLED...WHICH IS TYPICAL FOR WHERE THE ENERGY IS CURRENTLY LOCATED. WOULD NOT BE SURPRISE TO SEE MODEL SPREAD INCREASE SIGNIFICANTLY ONCE THE SYSTEM MOVES INTO THE BETTER OBSERVATION NETWORK OF THE PACIFIC NW CONUS ON MON. IN A TYPICAL SITUATION WITH THIS TYPE OF SYSTEM...SHOULD START SEEING BETTER MODEL AGREEMENT AND HAVE GREATER CONFIDENCE TUE AS THE SYSTEM MOVES LEEWARD OF THE ROCKIES...ESPECIALLY SINCE THE SHORTWAVE WILL BE MOVING INTO A STRONG RIDGE UP UNTIL THIS POINT...LEADING TO ADDITIONAL UNCERTAINTY WITH HOW WELL IT DOES AFTER INTERACTING WITH THE RIDGE. MODELS SHOW THE SHORTWAVE DEEPENING AND BECOMING NEGATIVELY TILTED AFTER LEEWARD CYCLOGENESIS OCCURS E OF THE ROCKIES AND NRN/SRN JET STREAM INTERACTION OCCURS ON THE S SIDE OF THE UPPER TROUGH. EXACTLY WHERE AND TO WHAT MAGNITUDE THE LOW DEEPENS IS LESS AGREED ON BETWEEN THE MODELS AND WILL LIKELY CHANGE IN FUTURE RUNS ANYWAY. MODELS THEN SHOW THE SFC LOW MOVING OVER OR NEAR THE CWA SOMETIME TUE NIGHT INTO WED. THE 12Z/16 NAM IS FARTHEST NW WITH THE TRACK OF THE SFC LOW IN BRINGING IT ACROSS WRN LAKE SUPERIOR...WHILE THE 00Z/16 GLOBAL GEM IS FARTHEST SE IN BRINGING IT FROM NEAR CHICAGO TO NEAR GAYLORD. THE 12Z/16 GFS BRINGS THE SFC LOW FROM NEAR MENOMINEE TO NEAR NEWBERRY...WHILE THE 00Z/16 ECMWF IS FROM MILWAUKEE TO NEAR THE SOO. WHILE A MIDDLE OF THE GROUND APPROACH IS CERTAINLY A REASONABLE APPROACH FOR THE FORECAST...AT THIS POINT IT IS QUITE DIFFICULT TO PREFER ANY ONE SOLUTION OVER ANOTHER GIVEN THE UNCERTAINTY ALREADY DISCUSSED. THE POSSIBILITIES FOR THE TRACK OF THIS SYSTEM LEAD TO SUBSTANTIAL DIFFERENCES IN THE PTYPE AND PRECIP AMOUNT...WITH THE FARTHER S SOLUTION OF THE GEM FAVORING MORE SNOW BOTH AS THE SYSTEM PASSES AND AHEAD OF THE SYSTEM IN THE FGEN AREA THAT ALL MODELS SHOW TO THE N/NE OF THE SYSTEM. THE FARTHER N SOLUTION OF THE NAM WOULD RESULT IN LESS OVERALL PRECIP AND MORE OF THAT BEING MIXED OR ALL LIQUID. THE CONSENSUS APPROACH LEADS TO MIXED PRECIP OVER THE SERN PORTIONS OF THE CWA...AND MORE SNOW OVER THE NWRN CWA. AGAIN...THESE DETAILS WILL LIKELY CHANGE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. COULD NOT FIND SIGNIFICANT JUSTIFICATION TO SIGNIFICANTLY CHANGE THE PREVIOUS FORECAST. IT REMAINS WORTH MENTIONING THAT SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL AMOUNTS ARE POSSIBLE SOMEWHERE IN THE REGION BUT DETAILS ARE STILL UNCERTAIN. DEFINITELY A TRICKY FORECAST THAT WILL HAVE TO BE FINE TUNED SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE COMING DAYS. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z MONDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 141 AM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 EXPECT VFR CONDITIONS TO CONTINUE OVERNIGHT AS HIGH PRESSURE DRIFTS FROM THE CENTRAL GREAT LAKES INTO NE ONTARIO. S WINDS AND MID-HIGH CLOUDS WILL INCREASE OVERNIGHT AHEAD OF LOW PRESSURE APPROACHING FROM THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND LLWS WILL BE POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT AT KIWD. APPROACHING LOW PRESSURE WILL ALSO ALLOW CLOUDS TO GRADUALLY LOWER MONDAY MORNING...WITH MVFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED AT IWD AND CMX AROUND 15Z WITH THE ONSET OF LIGHT SNOW. LIGHT SNOW AND MVFR CONDITIONS WILL EVENTUALLY REACH KSAW AFT 18Z. CONDITIONS MAY IMPROVE SOME AT THE WRN TAF SITES MON EVENING AS THE INITIAL SURGE OF WAA PCPN LIFTS NORTHEAST OF THE AREA. && .MARINE...(FOR THE 4 AM LAKE SUPERIOR FORECAST ISSUANCE) ISSUED AT 410 AM EDT MON MAR 17 2014 S WINDS UP TO 20 KTS EARLY THIS MORNING WILL INCREASE UP TO 25-30 KTS THIS AFTERNOON UNDER SHARPENING PRES GRADIENT BETWEEN SLOWLY DEPARTING HI PRES AND DEVELOPING LO PRES TO THE W IN THE PLAINS. AS THIS LOW MOVES TOWARD THE UPPER GREAT LAKES ON TUE INTO WED...LIKELY PASSING JUST TO THE S OF UPPER MI...THE FLOW WILL BACK TO THE E AND THEN N BY WED...WITH WINDS INCREASING UP TO 30 KTS TO GALES TO 35 KTS ON WED. THE STRONG WINDS WILL DIMINISH STEADILY THRU THU AS A TRAILING HI PRES RIDGE MOVES INTO THE UPPER LAKES. A STRONGER N WIND UP TO 25-30 KTS MAY DEVELOP ON FRI AS A LOW PRES SYSTEM PASSES TO THE S THRU THE LOWER LAKES. && .MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... UPPER MICHIGAN... WINTER STORM WATCH FROM TUESDAY MORNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING FOR MIZ001>003-009. LAKE SUPERIOR... NONE. LAKE MICHIGAN... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...KC LONG TERM...TITUS AVIATION...VOSS MARINE...KC
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS DULUTH MN
1142 PM CDT SUN MAR 16 2014 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 1142 PM CDT SUN MAR 16 2014 A STRONG AREA OF WAA CONTINUED TO PRODUCE SNOW ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST MINNESOTA...WITH SOME LIGHT LES ALSO OCCURRING TOWARD KCKC. WE WILL UPDATE GRIDS SHORTLY TO ACCOUNT FOR LATEST TRENDS TONIGHT. WE ALSO MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO POPS ON MONDAY AS MORE OF THE GUIDANCE IS IN AGREEMENT BRINGING ANOTHER AREA OF SNOW ACROSS SOUTHERN AREAS FROM THE BRAINERD LAKES TO AROUND PARK FALLS. UPDATE ISSUED AT 736 PM CDT SUN MAR 16 2014 AN AREA OF SNOW WAS MOVING QUICKLY WEST TO EAST THROUGH WESTERN MINNESOTA THIS EVENING. WE HAVE UPDATED GRIDS TO REFLECT THE FAST MOVEMENT OF THIS BAND...WHICH WAS LARGELY BEING FORCED BY STRONG WAA. WE ALSO MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS FOR CLOUD COVER AS WELL. WE DID NOT MAKE ANY CHANGES TO THE MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY PERIODS AT THIS TIME. IT STILL LOOKS LIKE PORTIONS OF THE NORTHLAND COULD RECEIVE HEAVY SNOWFALL AND THE 18Z NAM CAME INTO MUCH BETTER AGREEMENT WITH THE GFS. THESE SOLUTIONS PUT THE HEAVIEST SNOW...OVER 8 INCHES...FROM THE BRAINERD LAKES REGION NORTH AND NORTHEAST THROUGH MUCH OF NORTHERN MINNESOTA AS WELL AS EXTREME NORTHWEST WISCONSIN. HOWEVER...THE ECMWF AND GEM ARE FURTHER SOUTH WITH THE ECMWF ALSO CONSIDERABLY LIGHTER WITH ITS SNOWFALL FORECAST. THE MODEL UNCERTAINTY HAS KEPT US FROM ISSUING A WATCH AND WE WILL MOST LIKELY WAIT FOR THE 00Z MODELS BEFORE DECIDING ON ANY HEADLINES. && .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH MONDAY) ISSUED AT 314 PM CDT SUN MAR 16 2014 MAIN CONCERN FOR SHORT TERM IS LIGHT SNOW TONIGHT AND MONDAY. CURRENT SURFACE ANALYSIS INDICATE MAINLY CLEAR SKIES ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA EXCEPT FOR A SMALL AREA OF LAKE INDUCED CLOUDS MOVING NE ALONG THE NORTH SHORE. THE NEXT WEATHER-MAKING SYSTEM IS CURRENTLY MOVING THROUGH ND. THE MID-LEVEL TROUGH ALONG WITH ITS` SURFACE REFLECTION IS CURRENTLY MOVING THROUGH THE EASTERN HALF OF ND WITH SOME REPORTS OF LIGHT SNOW HITTING THE GROUND. THE MODELS ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE FEATURE MOVING ACROSS NRN MN TONIGHT AND MONDAY. THE CLOUDS WILL INCREASE WEST TO EAST THIS EVENING AHEAD OF THE TROUGH. THE LIGHT SNOW WILL MOVE INTO WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA BY 03Z...AND GNA/ASX BY 10Z. DUE TO SOME FRONTOGENESIS ACROSS THE AREA...THE LIGHT SNOW WILL CONTINUE ON MONDAY BEFORE ENDING WEST TO EAST LATE MONDAY MORNING IN NE MN/NW WI EXCEPT THE ARROWHEAD WHERE THERE WILL BE AROUND AN INCH MORE DUE TO TERRAIN LIFT. THE BEST ACCUMULATIONS OF SNOW WILL BE MAINLY NORTH OF HIGHWAY 210 IN NE MN AND NORTH OF HIGHWAY 70 IN NW WI. ABOUT AN INCH WILL FALL OVERNIGHT .LONG TERM...(MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 314 PM CDT SUN MAR 16 2014 LONG TERM....MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY FOCUS ON A WELL ORGANIZED LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM THAT WILL TRACK ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST/LAKE SUPERIOR REGION TUESDAY/WEDNESDAY. LATEST SAT IMAGERY SHOWS A NEGATIVELY TILTED LONG WAVE TROUGH CURRENTLY SITUATED OFF OF THE PACIFIC COAST. LATEST GFS/ECM ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT THAT THIS FEATURE MAKES LANDFALL OVERNIGHT...DEEPENING AS IT TRANSLATES EAST ACROSS THE ROCKIES MONDAY. LONG RANGE MODELS SHOW A SIMILAR IDEA THAT A VORT/H85 LOW ROUNDS THE BASE OF THE TROUGH OVER SOUTH DAKOTA/NEBRASKA MONDAY NIGHT...WHILE LIFTING A WARM FRONT OVER MN/WI. THIS LOW THEN DEEPENS INTO A CLOSED H50 LOW AS IT ROTATES TO THE NORTH AND EAST ACROSS THE UPPER GREAT LAKES REGION TUESDAY/WEDNESDAY. DUE TO THE STRONG FORCING AND PWATS AROUND A HALF INCH...CONFIDENCE IS HIGH THAT A BAND OF HEAVY SNOW WITH AMOUNTS IN EXCESS OF 6-8" WILL DEVELOP ALONG THE INVERTED TROUGH ON THE NRN FLANK OF THE LOW TUESDAY/WEDNESDAY. HOWEVER...MODELS ARE ALL OVER BOARD WITH THE LOW TRACK...WHICH WILL HAVE A SIGNIFICANT INFLUENCE ON PTYPE/SN AMOUNTS. AN ENSEMBLE CLUSTER PLOT OF THE LOW TRACK ISSUED BY THE WPC SHOWS VARIANCE IN THE LOW POSITION TUESDAY ANYWHERE FROM NRN MINNESOTA TO SOUTHERN IOWA. WILL BE HOLDING OFF ON ISSUING A WATCH AT THIS TIME DUE TO THE HIGH LEVEL OF UNCERTAINTY WITH THE STORM TRACK. HAVE ONLY MADE MINOR ADJUSTMENTS TO PREVIOUS FCST...CONTINUING TO WEIGH THE POPS/QPF/SN TOWARDS A BLEND OF THE GFS/ECM. LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS WILL LIKELY LINGER ALONG THE SOUTH SHORE/NRN WISC ZONES THURSDAY. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z MONDAY EVENING) ISSUED AT 650 PM CDT SUN MAR 16 2014 MAIN CONCERN DURING THIS PERIOD WILL BE ON CHANCES FOR SNOW AND HOW WIDESPREAD LOWER CEILINGS WILL BE. AN AREA OF SNOW WAS OCCURRING OVER WESTERN MINNESOTA INTO MANITOBA IN RESPONSE TO STRONG WAA. THE BAND OF SNOW WAS MOVING EAST AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO OVERNIGHT. AT THIS TIME...IT LOOKS LIKE A RATHER NARROW BAND OF SNOW WITH A 1-2 HOUR SPAN OF LOW VSBYS/CEILINGS. WE WILL REFINE THE TIMING IN THE TAFS AS THIS BAND CONTINUES TO MOVE EAST OVERNIGHT. THE LATEST RAP SUGGESTS THE COVERAGE OF MVFR CEILINGS WILL BE LIMITED UNTIL MONDAY MORNING...BUT A PERIOD OF MVFR OR EVEN IFR CEILINGS WILL OCCUR WITH THE BAND OF SNOW. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... DLH 14 28 21 31 / 60 50 50 80 INL 15 34 19 30 / 80 40 40 60 BRD 18 36 26 32 / 40 40 60 80 HYR 11 30 22 37 / 50 50 10 40 ASX 11 29 22 35 / 50 60 30 40 && .DLH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MN...NONE. WI...NONE. LS...NONE. && $$ UPDATE...MELDE SHORT TERM...STEWART LONG TERM...GRANING AVIATION...MELDE
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NWS BILLINGS MT
848 PM MDT TUE MAR 18 2014 .UPDATE... WEAK SHORT WAVE AND HIGH LAPSE RATES CONTINUE TO PRODUCE SOME CONVECTIVE RAIN/SNOW SHOWERS FROM ROSEBUD COUNTY DOWN INTO SHERIDAN COUNTY. THIS ACTIVITY WILL SLIDE EAST THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE NIGHT. WE HAD ONE LIGHTNING STRIKE BETWEEN BILLINGS AND HARDIN EARLIER IN THE EVENING. HOWEVER...I DO NOT SEE ANYTHING TO STRONG ON RADAR AT THIS TIME AND WILL LEAVE OUT ANY MENTION OF THUNDER THE REST OF THE NIGHT. JUST SOME MINOR TWEAKS OVERALL FOR THE UPDATE. BT && .SHORT TERM...VALID FOR WED AND THU... SNOW SHOWERS WERE CROSSING THE FORECAST AREA THIS AFTERNOON PER RADAR IMAGERY AND OBSERVATIONS. STILL EXPECTING POSSIBLE ISOLATED THUNDER BASED ON RAP SOUNDINGS SHOWING CLOSE TO 200 J/KG OF CAPE AND SSEO SHOWING DECENT PROBABILITIES OF STRONG RADAR ECHOES. HAVE INCLUDED ISOLATED THUNDER THIS EVENING E OF KBIL. SCATTERED RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS WILL END FROM W TO E TONIGHT AS SHORTWAVE CROSSES THE AREA. MIN TEMPERATURES IN THE 20S WERE IN GOOD SHAPE BASED ON GUIDANCE...AND 850 MB TEMPERATURES A FEW DEGREES BELOW ZERO DEGREES C. WED WILL BE WARMER AND DRY AS WEAK UPPER RIDGING CROSSES THE AREA. HAVE NUDGED UP HIGH TEMPERATURES SLIGHTLY BASED ON EXPECTED MIXING. PACIFIC ENERGY WILL MOVE INTO THE REGION WED NIGHT AHEAD OF ANOTHER SHORTWAVE. NOTED THAT LOW-LEVELS WERE FAIRLY DRY ON THE MODELS...SO HAVE TRIMMED BACK THE EASTWARD EXTENT AND STRENGTH OF POPS. AS A SURFACE LOW MOVES ACROSS THE MT/CANADIAN BORDER...WINDS WILL INCREASE FROM KBIL W. PATTERN DID NOT LOOK SUPPORTIVE OF ADVISORY CRITERIA WINDS IN THE GAP FLOW AREAS. DID RAISE LOW TEMPERATURES IN RESPONSE TO THE WINDS AND CLOUD COVER. THE SHORTWAVE WILL PUSH A PACIFIC COLD FRONT ACROSS THE AREA ON THU. ENSEMBLE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS TABLE SHOWED WIND SPEED ANOMALIES AT 850 MB SO IT WILL BE WINDY ACROSS THE AREA. AIRMASS WILL MOISTEN THROUGH THE DAY SO HAD SLIGHT CHANCE POPS IN THE MORNING AND CHANCE POPS IN THE AFTERNOON. HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL RANGE FROM THE 30S W TO THE 40S E. A MUCH STRONGER COLD FRONT WAS FORECAST TO PUSH S THROUGH THE AREA THU NIGHT AND THE BEST CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION LOOKED TO BE N AND E OF KBIL. WRF WAS SLOWER THAN THE GFS IN BRINGING QPF S INTO THE AREA SO KEPT POPS AT MAINLY CHANCE VALUES FOR NOW...WITH SOME LIKELIES IN THE EASTERN ZONES. AMOUNT OF SNOW ACCUMULATION WAS A BIT UNCERTAIN FOR THU NIGHT DUE TO THE MODEL QPF TIMING DIFFERENCES. WINDY CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE THU NIGHT. ARTHUR .LONG TERM...VALID FOR FRI...SAT...SUN...MON...TUE... MODELS CONTINUE IN PRETTY GOOD AGREEMENT THROUGH THE EXTENDED PERIOD...FAVORING A CHILLY AND UNSETTLED PATTERN. BIGGEST CHANGES WERE TO RAISE PRECIP CHANCES A BIT FRIDAY ACROSS THE ENTIRE REGION AND TO RAISE PRECIP CHANCES A BIT LATE SUNDAY INTO MONDAY. A STRONG SURGE OF COLD AIR MOVES IN FROM THE NE FRIDAY. SHORTWAVE ENERGY MOVING ACROSS THE REGION AND NW FLOW IN THE MID LEVELS WILL HELP ENHANCE THE POTENTIAL FOR SNOW. THE COLD AIR REMAINS ENTRENCHED ACROSS THE REGION INTO SATURDAY AS MORE SHORTWAVE ENERGY MOVES OVERHEAD...THUS THE POTENTIAL FOR SNOW SHOWERS REMAINS. IT WILL BE CHILLY FRIDAY AND SATURDAY...WITH HIGHS IN THE UPPER 20S TO MID 30S. THE COLD AIR APPEARS TO RETREAT TO THE EAST A BIT SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY AHEAD OF ANOTHER SURGE OF COLD CANADIAN AIR THAT IS PROGGED TO MOVE INTO THE REGION SUNDAY NIGHT...WITH MORE SHORTWAVE ENERGY...AND UPPER LEVEL JET ENERGY. THUS...IT APPEARS THAT THE POTENTIAL FOR SNOW AGAIN INCREASES LATE SUNDAY INTO MONDAY. YET ANOTHER REINFORCING SHOT OF COLD AIR IS FORECAST TO IMPACT THE REGION MONDAY NIGHT...WITH FAVORABLE MID/UPPER LEVEL DYNAMICS FOR SNOW SHOWERS ACROSS THE REGION. HIGH TEMPS SUNDAY SHOULD REACH THE MID 30S TO MID 40S...BEFORE COOLING OFF AGAIN MONDAY. STC && .AVIATION... THERE ARE SOME LINGERING RAIN SHOWERS THIS EVENING THAT MAY AFFECT KMLS AND KBHK. OTHERWISE CONDITIONS SHOULD REMAIN MOSTLY VFR INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING. GUSTY SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS WILL RETURN DURING THE DAY AND AFFECT KLVM. SINGER && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMP/POPS... WED THU FRI SAT SUN MON TUE ----------------------------------------------------------- BIL 026/050 033/043 023/032 016/035 023/043 023/037 023/035 10/B 13/W 35/J 33/J 12/J 43/J 33/J LVM 021/044 028/038 018/029 010/034 019/043 022/034 021/043 00/N 24/W 33/J 32/J 13/J 42/J 33/J HDN 024/049 031/044 024/033 014/035 022/043 022/039 022/038 20/B 14/W 45/J 32/J 12/J 43/J 32/J MLS 027/050 032/045 025/032 015/032 021/041 022/037 019/035 20/B 04/W 55/J 21/E 12/J 32/J 22/J 4BQ 023/048 029/044 024/032 015/032 020/042 022/037 020/037 20/B 03/W 45/J 22/J 12/J 32/J 22/J BHK 023/046 029/046 022/028 013/028 016/036 019/034 016/033 20/B 04/W 65/J 21/E 12/J 22/J 22/J SHR 019/044 026/042 021/031 011/033 018/044 019/038 019/042 20/B 03/W 34/J 43/J 12/J 43/J 33/J && .BYZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MT...NONE. WY...NONE. && $$ WEATHER.GOV/BILLINGS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS BILLINGS MT
313 PM MDT MON MAR 17 2014 .SHORT TERM...VALID FOR TUE AND WED... UNSTABLE AIRMASS OVER THE REGION WITH SURFACE LOW PRESSURE MOVING SOUTHEASTWARD ACROSS WESTERN SOUTH DAKOTA. ONE FRONT ALREADY PULLED THROUGH THE AREA AND A SECOND ONE PUSHING INTO THE NORTHERN ZONES AS A DISTURBANCE MOVES THROUGH CENTRAL MONTANA. RADAR SHOWS SHOWER ACTIVITIES WITH ACTIVITY STRONGEST ALONG THE MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS. FORECAST GETS QUIET FOR TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY SO ALL WEATHER CONCERNS CONFINED TO MAINLY THE NEXT 12 HOURS. AREAS FOR GREATEST SNOWFALL TONIGHT WILL BE WHERE UPSLOPE HAS A CHANCE TO WORK WITH THE INSTABILITY. LIGHTNING OBSERVED BY HAVRE SO COLDEST AIR ALOFT IS NORTH OF THE AREA AND LAPSE RATE PROGS SHOW WESTERN ZONES DESTABILIZE DURING THE EVENING HOURS. LAPSE RATES ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BE AS STEEP IN SOUTHEAST MONTANA SO EXPECT PRECIPITATION TO BE FAVORED IN A WRAP AROUND FLOW ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE SOUTH DAKOTA LOW PRESSURE. SNOW ADVISORIES FOR LIVINGSTON AND PARADISE VALLEY LOOK GOOD ALONG WITH THE FOOTHILLS AND BIG HORN MOUNTAINS. SOUTHEAST MONTANA MAY STRUGGLE AS TEMPERATURES ARE STILL MILD AND BEST BAND OF PRECIPITATION DIVES QUICKLY SOUTHWARD DURING THE EVENING. WINDS ARE STARTING TO PICK UP OVER NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA AND EXPECT WIND TO INCREASE FROM THE NORTHWEST OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS. ONE AREA THAT WILL LIKELY SEE LOCAL PROBLEMS IS JUDITH GAP THOUGH BURST OF SNOW WILL BE SHORTER. FOR AREAS NOT COVERED BY ADVISORIES JUST THINK WEATHER IS TRAVELING SO FAST THAT 90 MINUTES OF HEAVY SNOW SHOWERS WILL BE THE GREATEST IMPACT AND ROAD SURFACES MAY BE ABOVE FREEZING FOR MOST OF THE THAT TIME. SNOWFALL CHANCES WILL RAPIDLY DECREASE OVERNIGHT AS SHORTWAVE RIDGING PUSHES DEEPEST MOISTURE SOUTH OF THE AREA. RUC MODEL CONTINUES TO TREND THE WRAP AROUND MOISTURE SOUTH OF THE REGION BUT SUSPECT BIG HORN MOUNTAINS AND SHERIDAN COUNTY STAND THE BEST CHANCE TO KEEP PRECIPITATION GOING. UNSTABLE TUESDAY WITH NORTHWESTERLY FLOW KEEPING TEMPERATURES ON THE COOL SIDE. LAPSE RATES WILL BE QUITE STEEP SO ANTICIPATE SHOWER ACTIVITY THOUGH PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS WILL BE LIGHT AND GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS ESPECIALLY IN SOUTHEAST MONTANA. AFTER A COOLER NIGHT TUESDAY NIGHT WEDNESDAY SEES WEAK UPPER LEVEL RIDGING MOVE INTO THE AREA WITH LEESIDE TROUGHING. THIS WILL BRING A MILD WARMUP AND KEEP THINGS DRY. PATTERN DOES NOT LAST LONG ENOUGH FOR WINDS TO BECOME A PROBLEM AT LIVINGSTON AS A SHORTWAVE ARRIVES WEDNESDAY NIGHT TO WEAKEN PRESSURE GRADIENT BUT IF SHORTWAVE TIMING CHANGES LIVINGSTON WINDS COULD APPROACH ADVISORY. BORSUM .LONG TERM...VALID FOR THU...FRI...SAT...SUN...MON... MODELS REMAIN IN PRETTY GOOD AGREEMENT FOR THE EXTENDED PERIOD...FAVORING A A COOLER AND PROGRESSIVE PATTERN. THURSDAY...ANOTHER PACIFIC COLD FRONT RACES THROUGH THE REGION WITH STRONG...GUSTY NW WINDS. UPPER LEVEL DYNAMICS AND INSTABILITY SUPPORT THE POTENTIAL FOR LOWER ELEVATION RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS AND HIGHER ELEVATION SNOW...BUT DOWNSLOPE FLOW MAY KEEP PRECIP TO A MINIMUM IN THE WESTERN FOOTHILLS. ANOTHER POLAR AIRMASS SLIDES INTO THE REGION FROM THE NORTH AND NORTHEAST THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY AT THE SAME TIME A TROWAL- TYPE FEATURE MOVES SOUTHWARD ACROSS THE EASTERN HALF OF THE REGION AND SHORTWAVES MOVE ACROSS THE REGION IN NW FLOW ALOFT. THE LIFT AND MOISTURE WILL COMBINE WITH THE COLD AIR...850 MB TEMPS WILL DROP WELL BELOW 0C...TO GENERATE WIDESPREAD SNOW SHOWERS/LIGHT SNOW. UPSLOPE FLOW AND OROGRAPHIC EFFECTS MAY ALSO HELP ENHANCE SNOW POTENTIAL ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND WEST. HIGHS FRIDAY ARE ONLY EXPECTED TO REACH THE LOW TO MID 30S. SNOW SHOWERS WILL LINGER INTO SATURDAY AS THE AIRMASS REMAINS UNSTABLE AND SHORTWAVES IN NW FLOW CONTINUE TO INTERACT WITH THE COLDER AIR. TEMPS WILL REMAIN BELOW SEASONAL AVERAGES...WITH HIGHS IN THE 30S TO AROUND 40. SOME WEAK RIDGING TRIES TO NUDGE IN FROM THE WEST SUNDAY...THOUGH MUCH OF THE REGION WILL REMAIN IN NW FLOW ALOFT. AS 850 MB TEMPS RISE ABOVE 0C SUNDAY...HIGH TEMPS WILL BE A BIT WARMER...IN THE UPPER 30S TO UPPER 40S. BEYOND SUNDAY...MODELS ARE TRENDING TOWARDS ANOTHER SURGE OF COLD CANADIAN AIR EARLY NEXT WEEK...WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR MORE SNOW. WE WILL NEED TO KEEP AN EYE ON THAT. STC && .AVIATION... N TO NW WINDS WILL BE GUSTY THROUGH TONIGHT ACROSS THE REGION. AREAS OF RAIN AND SNOW WILL CHANGE TO ALL SNOW BY THIS EVENING...AND CONTINUE THROUGH EARLY TONIGHT BEFORE DIMINISHING. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS. IFR/MVFR CONDITIONS WILL BE FAIRLY WIDESPREAD...WITH AREAS OF LIFR LIKELY THROUGH EARLY TONIGHT IN THE HEAVIEST PRECIP. CONDITIONS WILL GRADUALLY IMPROVE TO VFR LATE TONIGHT...THOUGH SCATTERED LIGHT RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS MAY PRODUCE BRIEF PERIODS OF MVFR CONDITIONS TUESDAY AFTERNOON. EXPECT MOUNTAIN OBSCURATION INTO TUESDAY. STC && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMP/POPS... TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN MON ----------------------------------------------------------- BIL 029/044 028/051 031/047 026/036 020/038 022/046 027/048 63/W 11/B 24/W 33/J 22/J 11/B 22/W LVM 023/038 025/046 027/042 020/034 014/038 018/046 025/045 93/W 11/N 34/W 33/J 22/J 21/B 22/W HDN 030/044 027/050 031/048 026/037 018/039 021/046 025/049 84/W 11/B 24/W 44/J 22/J 11/B 23/W MLS 030/044 028/051 031/049 028/036 019/037 021/044 025/047 94/W 21/B 13/W 44/J 22/J 11/B 22/W 4BQ 030/042 026/049 029/048 026/037 019/038 020/045 025/047 +5/W 21/B 13/W 34/J 22/J 11/B 22/W BHK 027/039 026/047 027/047 025/034 017/034 018/039 022/043 +4/W 31/B 13/W 45/J 22/J 11/B 22/W SHR 028/039 021/048 024/046 023/036 015/038 017/047 023/046 +5/W 21/B 13/W 33/J 23/J 11/B 32/W && .BYZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MT...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 8 PM THIS EVENING TO NOON MDT TUESDAY FOR ZONES 36>38-57-58. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT MDT TONIGHT FOR ZONES 56-63-66. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM MDT TUESDAY FOR ZONES 64-65. WY...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 8 PM THIS EVENING TO NOON MDT TUESDAY FOR ZONE 99. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON MDT TUESDAY FOR ZONE 98. && $$ WEATHER.GOV/BILLINGS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS OMAHA/VALLEY NE
626 PM CDT TUE MAR 18 2014 .SHORT TERM...(TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY) ISSUED AT 315 PM CDT TUE MAR 18 2014 PCPN AMOUNTS AND PCPN TYPE TONIGHT ARE THE MAIN FORECAST CONCERNS IN THIS PERIOD. FAIRLY IMPRESSIVE SHORTWAVE TROUGH WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE THROUGH THE CENTRAL PLAINS THE NEXT 18 HOURS. 120 KNOT 300 MB JET STREAK OVER NEW MEXICO AT 12Z THIS MORNING WILL CONTINUE TO PUNCH EASTWARD. AREA OF 500 MB HEIGHT FALLS (AROUND 100 METERS OVER SOUTHERN COLORADO AND NORTHERN NEW MEXICO AT 12Z) WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO SHIFT EAST ACROSS KANSAS AND OKLAHOMA. MESOSCALE BAND OF MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW THAT HAS BEEN TO OUR WEST TODAY SHOULD MOVE INTO OUR WESTERN COUNTIES THIS EVENING...BUT THE INTENSITY SHOULD DECREASE AS IT MOVES EAST. WE WERE ALREADY STARTING TO SEE SIGNS OF THAT WITH REGIONAL RADAR LOOP AS OF 310 PM. HIGH RESOLUTION RAP MODEL SUGGESTS ANOTHER (BUT WEAKER) BAND WILL DEVELOP FARTHER EAST WITH A NEW AREA OF MID LEVEL FRONTOGENESIS... AND THAT APPEARS REASONABLE. IN GENERAL...SLOWED DOWN THE ENDING OF PCPN TONIGHT AND ALSO THE DECREASE IN CLOUD COVER. ACCUMULATING SNOW SHOULD MAINLY BE LESS THAN AN INCH BUT PARTS OF KNOX AND POSSIBLY ANTELOPE COUNTY MAY SEE A BIT MORE THAN THAT BEFORE 06Z. MEASURABLE PCPN SHOULD END IN ALL OF THE FORECAST AREA BY 09Z. BRISK NORTHWEST WINDS WILL OVERSPREAD THE AREA THIS EVENING BUT DECREASE SOME LATER TONIGHT AS THE PRESSURE GRADIENT WEAKENS. PREVIOUS FORECAST OF LOWS IN THE UPPER 20S AND LOWER 30S SEEMS ON TRACK. A WEAKER SHORTWAVE TROUGH IN THE NORTHWEST MID LEVEL FLOW WILL AFFECT MAINLY THE DAKOTAS AND MINNESOTA ON WEDNESDAY...BUT KEPT SOME LOW POPS GOING IN NORTHEAST NEBRASKA IN THE AFTERNOON. THE 12Z GFS IS THE MOST BULLISH WITH PCPN AMOUNTS WEDNESDAY AND SEEMED A BIT OVERDONE. FUTURE FORECASTS MAY HAVE TO ADD A CHANCE OF SHOWERS INTO WEDNESDAY EVENING BUT LEFT THAT PERIOD DRY FOR NOW. EXPECT HIGHS 45 TO 50 NORTH AND 50 TO 55 SOUTH ON WEDNESDAY. LEFT THE PERIOD FROM THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY DRY...WITH MAIN FORCING EXPECTED TO STAY MOSTLY NORTH OF OUR AREA FRIDAY. HIGHS SHOULD BE MOSTLY 60S THURSDAY AND MAINLY 50S FRIDAY. .LONG TERM...(FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 315 PM CDT TUE MAR 18 2014 THE REGION WILL REMAIN IN NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT THROUGH THE ENTIRE FORECAST PERIOD WITH MOSTLY DRY AND COOL CONDITIONS. A LARGE COLD SFC HIGH PRESSURE AREA WILL DROP SOUTH ACROSS THE CENTRAL PLAINS OVER THE WEEKEND. THIS WILL BRING 850MB TEMPS INTO THE -8C TO -14C RANGE SUNDAY ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA WITH THE 12Z ECMWF BEING SLIGHTLY COLDER THAN THE 12Z GFS. BRIEF RETURN FLOW IS EXPECTED SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY AHEAD OF A POTENT SHORTWAVE TROUGH OVER THE NORTHERN PLAINS. THIS FEATURE WILL MOVE SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND CLIP EASTERN NEBRASKA AND WESTERN IOWA. WILL INCLUDE A SMALL POP IN OUR NORTHEAST ASSOCIATED WITH THIS WAVE. COLDER AIR SPILLS IN BEHIND THIS FEATURE WITH -8C TO -18C 850MB TEMPS ADVERTISED FOR NEXT TUESDAY. && .AVIATION...(00Z TAFS FOR KOFK...KLNK AND KOMA.) ISSUED AT 620 PM CDT TUE MAR 18 2014 CIGS SHOULD LOWER INTO MVFR CATEGORY AT KOMA AND KLNK AS COLD AIR CONTINUES SPREADING SOUTH THIS EVENING. ALTHOUGH THE DEFORMATION BAND OF SNOW IN CNTRL AND NRN NEBRASKA SHOULD MOVE INTO KOFK...IT COULD WEAKEN SOME AS IT ATTEMPTS TO MOVE OR REDEVELOP ACROSS KLNK AND KOMA AREAS LATER THIS EVENING. THUS ONLY TEMPO GROUPS OF PRECIP WERE MENTIONED AT KLNK AND KOMA AND WITH SOMEWHAT WARMER BOUNDARY LAYER TEMPS IN PLACE...PRECIP TYPE WAS CARRIED AS A RAIN/SNOW MIX FOR NOW. AT KOFK...COLDER AIR IN PLACE SHOULD BRING MAINLY SNOW WITH A PERIOD OF IFR CONDITIONS LIKELY BEFORE PRECIP BAND WEAKENS/SHIFTS E LATER THIS EVENING. LOWER CLOUDS ARE EXPECTED TO CLEAR OUT LATER TONIGHT AND SOME DECREASE IN NNW WINDS SHOULD OCCUR LATE. WITH HEATING ON WED...CIGS COULD REDEVELOP...ESPECIALLY AT KOMA...BUT PROBABLY ABOVE FL030...ALONG WITH SOME INCREASE IN NW SFC WINDS AT ALL SITES. && .OAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NE...NONE. IA...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...MILLER LONG TERM...KERN AVIATION...CHERMOK
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...CORRECTED
NWS WILMINGTON NC
1043 PM EDT TUE MAR 18 2014 .SYNOPSIS... A WARMING AND DRYING TREND IS EXPECTED THROUGH SATURDAY AS A LATE WINTER STORM SYSTEM PULLS NORTHEAST AWAY FROM THE AREA AND HIGH PRESSURE SETTLES INTO THE REGION. A COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO CROSS THE COAST LATE IN THE WEEKEND...FOLLOWED BY BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING/... AS OF 9:30 PM TUESDAY...ALTHOUGH NO PRECIP IS BEING RECORDED BY ANY OF OUR SITES...RADAR RETURNS INDICATE THAT IT IS POSSIBLE THAT A FEW SPOTS OVER OUR NC COUNTIES MAY BE SEEING A VERY LIGHT DRIZZLE OR MIST. I WOULDN`T BET ON THAT THOUGH. MOST PLACES WILL STAY DRY OVERNIGHT. FORECAST IN GOOD SHAPE WITH NO CHANGES NEEDED. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION FROM EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON FOLLOWS: THE UPPER LEVEL LOW HAS MOVED WELL OFF SHORE THIS AFTERNOON AND THE SURFACE LOW IS ABOUT 100 MILES SOUTHEAST OF THE CAPE FEAR. WHAT THIS HAS DONE IS SCOUR OUT THE DRY AIR ALOFT AND NOW ONLY THE MOISTURE SEEN ON RAP TIME HEIGHT CROSS SECTION WILL REMAIN OVERNIGHT MAINLY BELOW 800 MB. THE SYNOPTIC SETTING AT THE SURFACE SHOWS COLD AIR DAMMING AND THIS WILL ALLOW NORTH TO NORTHEAST FLOW TO REMAIN OVER THE AREA OVERNIGHT. WITH NO FORCING ALOFT AND ABUNDANT MOISTURE EXPECT STRATUS CLOUDS TO REMAIN OVERNIGHT...WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF SOME LIGHT DRIZZLE AND PATCHY FOG. CURRENT SATELLITE IS SHOWING A BREAK ALONG THE SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA COAST BUT AS LOW MOVES AWAY AND SUBSIDENCE ON THE BACK SIDE WEAKENS EXPECT THE CLOUD COVER TO FILL IN OVERNIGHT. WITH TEMPERATURES STRUGGLING TO MAKE THE LOW TO MID 40S THIS AFTERNOON WILL AGAIN LEAN TOWARD A COOLER SOLUTION AS SEEN IN THE MET MOS GUIDANCE...WHICH MAY BE A BIT TO COLD. TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN IN THE MID 30S BUT WITH CLOUD COVER AND A NORTH WIND THE EXPECTATION OF FROST IS NOT HIGH FOR THE OVERNIGHT. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 3 PM TUESDAY...WESTERLY WIND FLOW IN A PARCHED AIR-MASS PERCHED ABOVE 8000 FEET WILL COVER THE AREA BOTH WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. PATCHY -RA/-DZ MAY LINGER OVER OUR FAR NE ZONES VERY EARLY ON WEDNESDAY AROUND 12Z/8AM...AS A STORM SYSTEM CIRCULATION THROWS MOISTURE OVER-TOP AN ERODING HIGH PRESSURE WEDGE. RESIDUAL LOW- LEVEL MOISTURE AND WEAK SHORT-WAVE ENERGY FROM THE WNW MAY ALSO AID IN LIGHT PCPN AROUND THIS TIME. A WEAK COLD FRONT WEDNESDAY NIGHT WILL BRING A SECONDARY INCREASE IN RELATIVE HUMIDITY UP THROUGH 800 MB BUT THIS LOOKS INADEQUATE TO GENERATE ANY PCPN SO NO MENTIONABLE POP VALUES ARE PLANNED. NO SIGNIFICANT COLD ADVECTION IS EXPECTED AND IN TERMS OF SENSIBLE WEATHER...MAINLY LOW-LEVEL CLOUDS LATE WED/EARLY THU EXPECTED. PLENTIFUL SUNSHINE WILL BE A STRUGGLE EARLY WEDNESDAY DUE TO THE WEAKENING WEDGE AND LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE ON NE TRAJECTORIES...AND AGAIN VERY EARLY ON THURSDAY WE MAY BE GREETED WITH CLOUDS. BREAKS AND PERIODS OF AFTERNOON SUNSHINE HOWEVER SHOULD PERIODICALLY PREVAIL...THIS MOST FAVORABLE THURSDAY. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 3 PM TUESDAY...QUIET AND COOL CONDITIONS WILL KICK OFF THE FORECAST PERIOD AS SFC HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE REGION GRADUALLY TRANSITIONS OFF THE CAROLINA COAST LATE MORNING/EARLY AFTERNOON ON FRIDAY. BEHIND THE EXITING SYSTEM SW FLOW WILL RETURN AT THE SFC WHILE ZONAL WESTERLY FLOW ALOFT RESIDES...MAKING FOR OVERALL DRY CONDITIONS TO PERSIST INTO SATURDAY MORNING. AN BROAD UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WELL TO THE NORTH-NORTHWEST WILL AID IN THE FORWARD PUSHING OF A COLD FRONT...WHICH WILL APPROACH OUR AREA ON SATURDAY. ANTICIPATE CLOUD COVER TO SLOWLY INCREASE BEGINNING AS EARLY AS LATE OVERNIGHT FRIDAY INTO EARLY SATURDAY MORNING PER LATEST FCST SOUNDINGS. AS DRY CONDITIONS PERSIST ALOFT WITH WESTERLY WINDS...WITH THE FRONTAL PASSAGE...ONLY AVAILABLE MOISTURE WILL BE THAT INFILTRATED INTO THE AREA BY THE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED SOUTHWEST FLOW. THUS DO NOT ANTICIPATE MUCH IN THE WAY OF RAINFALL AMOUNTS WITH THE SYSTEM. INTO SUNDAY...CLOUDS WILL DISPERSE AND QUIET CONDITIONS RETURN AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS BACK INTO THE AREA. THOUGH WILL NOTE MUCH COOLER AIR INFILTRATES IN...ALLOWING FOR SLIGHTLY BELOW AVERAGE TEMPS FOR SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. WILL NEED TO MONITOR NEXT WEATHER SYSTEM AS UNSETTLED WEATHER IS POSSIBLE MONDAY INTO TUESDAY AS STALLED SYSTEM OFFSHORE SLOWLY RETROGRADES TOWARDS THE COAST. && .AVIATION /02Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... AS OF 00Z...LOW PRESSURE CONTINUES TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE TERMINALS WITH ABUNDANT WRAP AROUND LOW LEVEL MOISTURE. CIGS ARE CURRENTLY IFR ALONG AND N OF A KLBT TO KILM LINE...AND MVFR TO THE S OF THAT LINE. CIGS HAVE SHOWN A LOWERING TREND OVER THE PAST SEVERAL HOURS. MOS GUIDANCE AND SOUNDINGS SUGGEST AN INCREASING LIKELIHOOD OF IFR CIGS DEVELOPING S THIS EVENING. THIS SEEMS REASONABLE BASED ON CURRENT TRENDS. LOWEST CONFIDENCE IS IN TIMING. OVERNIGHT THERE COULD BE PERIODS OF IFR VSBYS IN -DZBR AND CIGS COULD FLIRT WITH LIFR LEVELS MAINLY AT KILM/KCRE AS A SURFACE WAVE FORMS ON THE COLD FRONT TO THE S OF THE TERMINALS. WEDNESDAY MORNING SLOWLY IMPROVING CONDITIONS EXPECTED WITH MVFR AT MOST TERMINALS BY MID-LATE MORNING. CIGS SHOULD RISE TO LOW VFR LEVELS...POSSIBLY SCATTERED AT TIMES DURING THE AFTERNOON. WINDS SHOULD BECOME SE-SW AS THE DAY PROGRESSES. EXTENDED OUTLOOK...VFR THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. LOW CONFIDENCE FOR POSSIBLE SHOWERS WITH A COLD FRONT SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY. && .MARINE... NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 9:30 PM TUESDAY...HAVE CANCELED THE SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR OUR SC WATERS BASED ON LATEST OBSERVATIONS AND TRENDS. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS IN PLACE FOR OUR NC WATERS THROUGH 6 AM. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION FOLLOWS: THE SURFACE LOW PRESSURE AREA ALONG THE STATIONARY FRONT IS NOW LOCATED AROUND 100 MILES SOUTHEAST OF CAPE FEAR. WITH THE TIGHTENED PRESSURE GRADIENT...THE WINDS OVER THE WATERS ARE BECOMING MORE NORTHERLY AND ARE BLOWING AT 20 TO 25 KNOTS WITH GUSTS NEAR 30 KNOTS. SEAS ARE RUNNING AT 7.5 FEET AT FRYING PAN SHOALS AND 4.5 FEET AT BUOY 41110 OFF WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN FROM THE NORTH WITH THE LOW EXITING OFF TO THE NORTHEAST AND COLD AIR DAMMING OVER THE CAROLINAS CONTINUING OVERNIGHT. AS THE PRESSURE GRADIENT DECREASES OVERNIGHT...THE WINDS AND SEAS WILL DECREASE. SO AT THE TIME WILL CONTINUE WITH A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR ALL THE WATERS THROUGH MIDNIGHT AND NORTH OF LITTLE RIVER INLET THROUGH 6 AM. SHORT TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 3 PM TUESDAY...OVERALL AN IMPROVED MARINE FORECAST AS WINDS FALL OFF IN WAKE OF A DEPARTING STORM SYSTEM OFFSHORE. N WINDS EARLY WEDNESDAY WILL EASE AND BECOME WSW LATER IN THE DAY AS LOWER PRESSURE TO THE NE PULLS AWAY...AND ALLOWS THE LOW-LEVEL PRESSURE GRADIENT TO LOOSEN CONSIDERABLY. WINDS WILL GO NW-N THURSDAY AFTN AS A SURFACE HIGH MOVES IN FROM THE WEST. MODERATE NE WIND SHOULD BE EXPECTED DAYBREAK FRIDAY PRIOR TO THE HIGH MOVING OVERHEAD OF THE COASTAL WATERS MIDDAY FRIDAY. SEAS SPECTRUM WILL FEATURE NE WAVE ENERGY ON THE WANE WEDNESDAY...FOLLOWED BY SMALLER BUT A MYRIAD OF S-SE MINOR WAVE TRAINS OF DIFFERING WAVE PERIODS. LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... AS OF 3 PM TUESDAY...LIGHT WINDS WILL PREVAIL ON FRIDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE REIGNS ACROSS THE WATERS AS SEAS REMAIN FAIRLY QUIET THROUGHOUT THE DAY. INTO THE LATER AFTERNOON HOURS SEAS WILL BUILD TO 2-4 FT...WITH SOME POSSIBLE 5FOOTERS IN THE OUTER WATERS OF AMZ-252 AND 250...AS SOUTH WINDS INCREASE TO 10-12 KTS AND DECENT SWELL ENERGY IS TAPPED INTO ACROSS THE WATERS. EXPECT CONDITIONS TO LAST THROUGH SATURDAY AFTER AS A COLD FRONT PUSHES TOWARDS THE COAST FROM THE NORTHWEST. CONDITIONS QUIET BACK DOWN BEHIND THE COLD FRONT AS HIGH PRESSURE SETTLES IN WITH SEAS ON SUNDAY MAINLY 2-3 FT AND MAINLY NORTH WINDS 10-14 KTS. && .ILM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SC...NONE. NC...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM EDT WEDNESDAY FOR AMZ250-252. && $$ SYNOPSIS...MJC NEAR TERM...REK/DRH SHORT TERM...MJC LONG TERM...SGL AVIATION...MRR MARINE...MJC/REK/SGL/DRH
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS WILMINGTON NC
930 PM EDT TUE MAR 18 2014 .SYNOPSIS... A WARMING AND DRYING TREND IS EXPECTED THROUGH SATURDAY AS A LATE WINTER STORM SYSTEM PULLS NORTHEAST AWAY FROM THE AREA AND HIGH PRESSURE SETTLES INTO THE REGION. A COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO CROSS THE COAST LATE IN THE WEEKEND...FOLLOWED BY BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING/... AS OF 9:30 PM TUESDAY...ALTHOUGH NO PRECIP IS BEING RECORDED BY ANY OF OUR SITES...RADAR RETURNS INDICATE THAT IT IS POSSIBLE THAT A FEW SPOTS OVER OUR NC COUNTIES MAY BE SEEING A VERY LIGHT DRIZZLE OR MIST. I WOULDN`T BET ON THAT THOUGH. MOST PLACES WILL STAY DRY OVERNIGHT. FORECAST IN GOOD SHAPE WITH NO CHANGES NEEDED. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION FROM EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON FOLLOWS: THE UPPER LEVEL LOW HAS MOVED WELL OFF SHORE THIS AFTERNOON AND THE SURFACE LOW IS ABOUT 100 MILES SOUTHEAST OF THE CAPE FEAR. WHAT THIS HAS DONE IS SCOUR OUT THE DRY AIR ALOFT AND NOW ONLY THE MOISTURE SEEN ON RAP TIME HEIGHT CROSS SECTION WILL REMAIN OVERNIGHT MAINLY BELOW 800 MB. THE SYNOPTIC SETTING AT THE SURFACE SHOWS COLD AIR DAMMING AND THIS WILL ALLOW NORTH TO NORTHEAST FLOW TO REMAIN OVER THE AREA OVERNIGHT. WITH NO FORCING ALOFT AND ABUNDANT MOISTURE EXPECT STRATUS CLOUDS TO REMAIN OVERNIGHT...WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF SOME LIGHT DRIZZLE AND PATCHY FOG. CURRENT SATELLITE IS SHOWING A BREAK ALONG THE SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA COAST BUT AS LOW MOVES AWAY AND SUBSIDENCE ON THE BACK SIDE WEAKENS EXPECT THE CLOUD COVER TO FILL IN OVERNIGHT. WITH TEMPERATURES STRUGGLING TO MAKE THE LOW TO MID 40S THIS AFTERNOON WILL AGAIN LEAN TOWARD A COOLER SOLUTION AS SEEN IN THE MET MOS GUIDANCE...WHICH MAY BE A BIT TO COLD. TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN IN THE MID 30S BUT WITH CLOUD COVER AND A NORTH WIND THE EXPECTATION OF FROST IS NOT HIGH FOR THE OVERNIGHT. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 3 PM TUESDAY...WESTERLY WIND FLOW IN A PARCHED AIR-MASS PERCHED ABOVE 8000 FEET WILL COVER THE AREA BOTH WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. PATCHY -RA/-DZ MAY LINGER OVER OUR FAR NE ZONES VERY EARLY ON WEDNESDAY AROUND 12Z/8AM...AS A STORM SYSTEM CIRCULATION THROWS MOISTURE OVER-TOP AN ERODING HIGH PRESSURE WEDGE. RESIDUAL LOW- LEVEL MOISTURE AND WEAK SHORT-WAVE ENERGY FROM THE WNW MAY ALSO AID IN LIGHT PCPN AROUND THIS TIME. A WEAK COLD FRONT WEDNESDAY NIGHT WILL BRING A SECONDARY INCREASE IN RELATIVE HUMIDITY UP THROUGH 800 MB BUT THIS LOOKS INADEQUATE TO GENERATE ANY PCPN SO NO MENTIONABLE POP VALUES ARE PLANNED. NO SIGNIFICANT COLD ADVECTION IS EXPECTED AND IN TERMS OF SENSIBLE WEATHER...MAINLY LOW-LEVEL CLOUDS LATE WED/EARLY THU EXPECTED. PLENTIFUL SUNSHINE WILL BE A STRUGGLE EARLY WEDNESDAY DUE TO THE WEAKENING WEDGE AND LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE ON NE TRAJECTORIES...AND AGAIN VERY EARLY ON THURSDAY WE MAY BE GREETED WITH CLOUDS. BREAKS AND PERIODS OF AFTERNOON SUNSHINE HOWEVER SHOULD PERIODICALLY PREVAIL...THIS MOST FAVORABLE THURSDAY. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 3 PM TUESDAY...QUIET AND COOL CONDITIONS WILL KICK OFF THE FORECAST PERIOD AS SFC HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE REGION GRADUALLY TRANSITIONS OFF THE CAROLINA COAST LATE MORNING/EARLY AFTERNOON ON FRIDAY. BEHIND THE EXITING SYSTEM SW FLOW WILL RETURN AT THE SFC WHILE ZONAL WESTERLY FLOW ALOFT RESIDES...MAKING FOR OVERALL DRY CONDITIONS TO PERSIST INTO SATURDAY MORNING. AN BROAD UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WELL TO THE NORTH-NORTHWEST WILL AID IN THE FORWARD PUSHING OF A COLD FRONT...WHICH WILL APPROACH OUR AREA ON SATURDAY. ANTICIPATE CLOUD COVER TO SLOWLY INCREASE BEGINNING AS EARLY AS LATE OVERNIGHT FRIDAY INTO EARLY SATURDAY MORNING PER LATEST FCST SOUNDINGS. AS DRY CONDITIONS PERSIST ALOFT WITH WESTERLY WINDS...WITH THE FRONTAL PASSAGE...ONLY AVAILABLE MOISTURE WILL BE THAT INFILTRATED INTO THE AREA BY THE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED SOUTHWEST FLOW. THUS DO NOT ANTICIPATE MUCH IN THE WAY OF RAINFALL AMOUNTS WITH THE SYSTEM. INTO SUNDAY...CLOUDS WILL DISPERSE AND QUIET CONDITIONS RETURN AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS BACK INTO THE AREA. THOUGH WILL NOTE MUCH COOLER AIR INFILTRATES IN...ALLOWING FOR SLIGHTLY BELOW AVERAGE TEMPS FOR SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. WILL NEED TO MONITOR NEXT WEATHER SYSTEM AS UNSETTLED WEATHER IS POSSIBLE MONDAY INTO TUESDAY AS STALLED SYSTEM OFFSHORE SLOWLY RETROGRADES TOWARDS THE COAST. && .AVIATION /02Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... AS OF 00Z...LOW PRESSURE CONTINUES TO AWAY FROM THE TERMINALS WITH ABUNDANT WRAP AROUND LOW LEVEL MOISTURE. CIGS ARE CURRENTLY IFR ALONG AND N OF A KLBT TO KILM LINE...AND MVFR TO THE S OF THAT LINE. CIGS HAVE SHOWN A LOWERING TREND OVER THE PAST SEVERAL HOURS. MOS GUIDANCE AND SOUNDINGS SUGGEST AN INCREASING LIKELIHOOD OF IFR CIGS DEVELOPING S THIS EVENING. THIS SEEMS REASONABLE BASED ON CURRENT TRENDS. LOWEST CONFIDENCE IS IN TIMING. OVERNIGHT THERE COULD BE PERIODS OF IFR VSBYS IN -DZBR AND CIGS COULD FLIRT WITH LIFR LEVELS MAINLY AT KILM/KCRE AS A SURFACE WAVE FORMS ON THE COLD FRONT TO THE S OF THE TERMINALS. WEDNESDAY MORNING SLOWLY IMPROVING CONDITIONS EXPECTED WITH MVFR AT MOST TERMINALS BY MID-LATE MORNING. CIGS SHOULD RISE TO LOW VFR LEVELS..POSSIBLY SCATTERED AT TIME DURING THE AFTERNOON. WINDS SHOULD BECOME SE-SW AS THE DAY PROGRESSES. EXTENDED OUTLOOK...VFR THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. LOW CONFIDENCE FOR POSSIBLE SHOWERS WITH A COLD FRONT SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY. && .MARINE... NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 9:30 PM TUESDAY...HAVE CANCELED THE SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR OUR SC WATERS BASED ON LATEST OBSERVATIONS AND TRENDS. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS IN PLACE FOR OUR NC WATERS THROUGH 6 AM. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION FOLLOWS: THE SURFACE LOW PRESSURE AREA ALONG THE STATIONARY FRONT IS NOW LOCATED AROUND 100 MILES SOUTHEAST OF CAPE FEAR. WITH THE TIGHTENED PRESSURE GRADIENT...THE WINDS OVER THE WATERS ARE BECOMING MORE NORTHERLY AND ARE BLOWING AT 20 TO 25 KNOTS WITH GUSTS NEAR 30 KNOTS. SEAS ARE RUNNING AT 7.5 FEET AT FRYING PAN SHOALS AND 4.5 FEET AT BUOY 41110 OFF WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN FROM THE NORTH WITH THE LOW EXITING OFF TO THE NORTHEAST AND COLD AIR DAMMING OVER THE CAROLINAS CONTINUING OVERNIGHT. AS THE PRESSURE GRADIENT DECREASES OVERNIGHT...THE WINDS AND SEAS WILL DECREASE. SO AT THE TIME WILL CONTINUE WITH A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR ALL THE WATERS THROUGH MIDNIGHT AND NORTH OF LITTLE RIVER INLET THROUGH 6 AM. SHORT TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 3 PM TUESDAY...OVERALL AN IMPROVED MARINE FORECAST AS WINDS FALL OFF IN WAKE OF A DEPARTING STORM SYSTEM OFFSHORE. N WINDS EARLY WEDNESDAY WILL EASE AND BECOME WSW LATER IN THE DAY AS LOWER PRESSURE TO THE NE PULLS AWAY...AND ALLOWS THE LOW-LEVEL PRESSURE GRADIENT TO LOOSEN CONSIDERABLY. WINDS WILL GO NW-N THURSDAY AFTN AS A SURFACE HIGH MOVES IN FROM THE WEST. MODERATE NE WIND SHOULD BE EXPECTED DAYBREAK FRIDAY PRIOR TO THE HIGH MOVING OVERHEAD OF THE COASTAL WATERS MIDDAY FRIDAY. SEAS SPECTRUM WILL FEATURE NE WAVE ENERGY ON THE WANE WEDNESDAY...FOLLOWED BY SMALLER BUT A MYRIAD OF S-SE MINOR WAVE TRAINS OF DIFFERING WAVE PERIODS. LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... AS OF 3 PM TUESDAY...LIGHT WINDS WILL PREVAIL ON FRIDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE REIGNS ACROSS THE WATERS AS SEAS REMAIN FAIRLY QUIET THROUGHOUT THE DAY. INTO THE LATER AFTERNOON HOURS SEAS WILL BUILD TO 2-4 FT...WITH SOME POSSIBLE 5FOOTERS IN THE OUTER WATERS OF AMZ-252 AND 250...AS SOUTH WINDS INCREASE TO 10-12 KTS AND DECENT SWELL ENERGY IS TAPPED INTO ACROSS THE WATERS. EXPECT CONDITIONS TO LAST THROUGH SATURDAY AFTER AS A COLD FRONT PUSHES TOWARDS THE COAST FROM THE NORTHWEST. CONDITIONS QUIET BACK DOWN BEHIND THE COLD FRONT AS HIGH PRESSURE SETTLES IN WITH SEAS ON SUNDAY MAINLY 2-3 FT AND MAINLY NORTH WINDS 10-14 KTS. && .ILM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SC...NONE. NC...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM EDT WEDNESDAY FOR AMZ250-252. && $$ SYNOPSIS...MJC NEAR TERM...REK/DRH SHORT TERM...MJC LONG TERM...SGL AVIATION...MRR MARINE...MJC/REK/SGL/DRH
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS NEWPORT/MOREHEAD CITY NC
824 PM EDT TUE MAR 18 2014 .SYNOPSIS... AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE NORTHEAST OFF THE COAST TONIGHT. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN FROM THE SOUTHWEST WEDNESDAY. A COLD FRONT WILL PUSH THROUGH THE REGION THURSDAY MORNING. HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN THURSDAY AND FRIDAY BEFORE ANOTHER COLD FRONT PUSHES THROUGH THE AREA LATE SATURDAY. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 515 PM TUE...QUICK UPDATE TO ISSUE A COASTAL FLOOD ADV FOR OBX DARE AND HYDE COUNTY AS HAVE GOTTEN SEVERAL REPORTS OF SOUNDSIDE FLOODING ON HATTERAS ISLAND. WINDS CURRENTLY GUSTING 40-45 KT FROM THE N MOST OF THE WATERS. LATEST HRRR INDICATES THESE STRONG WINDS DIMINISHING AROUND MID EVENING AND RUC 3 HRLY PRES RISES DIMINISH QUITE RAPIDLY AS LOW OFFSHORE MIGRATES EASTWARD. HAVE GALES AND COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY ENDING AT 11 PM. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...AS OF 245 PM TUE...LATEST SFC ANALYSIS SHOWS 1002MB LOW PRESSURE CENTERED OFF THE NC/SC COAST THIS AFTERNOON...WHILE SHORTWAVE PUSHES OFF THE SE COAST AIDING IN SFC CYCLOGENESIS. LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN ONGOING THIS AFTERNOON...WITH HEAVIEST ACTIVITY ALONG THE COAST. EXPECT RAIN TO TAPER OFF LATE THIS AFTERNOON/EVENING AS LOW MOVES FURTHER OFFSHORE...AND TRANSITION MORE TO LIGHT RAIN/AREAS OF DRIZZLE WITH STRONG LOW LEVEL INVERSION OVERNIGHT. GUSTY N/NE WINDS WILL CONTINUE ALONG THE COAST INTO THIS EVENING...WITH GUSTS 30-40MPH FOR THE OUTER BANKS. OVERNIGHT LOWS IN THE UPPER 30S/MID 40S. && .SHORT TERM /WEDNESDAY/... AS OF 245 PM TUE...TEMPERATURES STILL LOOK TRICKY FOR WED...AS INSITU DAMMING/WEDGE CONTINUES THROUGH MUCH OF THE DAY BEFORE SOUTHERLY FLOW RETURNS HELPING TO SCOUR OUT LOW CLOUDS. WILL CONTINUE TO FORECAST HIGHS IN THE MID 50S/LOWER 60S. STILL EXPECT PATCHY DRIZZLE/LIGHT RAIN ACROSS THE AREA EARLY WED MORNING...BECOMING MORE ISOLATED IN THE AFTERNOON. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 300 PM TUESDAY...MODELS IN GENERAL AGREEMENT THAT BUILDING HEIGHTS AND RETURN TO ZONAL FLOW WILL LEAD TO WARMING AND RELATIVELY DRY PERIOD FOR THU-SAT...THEN UPPER TROFFING WILL LEAD TO ANOTHER COLDER AND POSSIBLY WET PERIOD EARLY NEXT WEEK. SHRT WV WILL PUSH A COLD FRONT THROUGH AREA WED NIGHT INTO EARLY THU. SUPPORT FOR PRECIP IS WEAK AND CONTINUED WITH JUST 20% POPS FOR NOW. MAIN EFFECT FROM COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE WILL BE TO SCOUR OUT WEDGE AIR MASS...REPLACED BY MARITIME HIGH PRES FROM W FOR THU AND FRIDAY WITH TEMPS BACK TO NEAR NORMAL. NEXT SIGNIFICANT SHFT WV WILL PUSH IN ANOTHER ARCTIC FRONT LATE SAT THROUGH SUNDAY. MSTR WILL BE LIMITED WITH GULF INFLOW CUT OFF ALOFT AND HAVE KEPT POPS AT JUST 20%. ARCTIC HIGH PRES WILL BUILD IN BEHIND THE FRONT FOR SUN NIGHT AND MONDAY WITH MUCH BELOW NORMAL TEMPS. 12Z GFS AND ECMWF BOTH INDICATE SFC LOW DEVELOPMENT ALONG STALLED BNDRY TO S OF AREA NEXT WEEK BUT DIFFER ON TIMING WITH GFS ABOUT 12-24 HOURS FASTER. THIS WOULD RESULT IN WINTER WX THREAT WITH COLD AIR MASS IN PLACE OVER ERN NC...WHILE ECMWF IS SLOWER AND WARMER. LOW CONDIFIDENCE FCST AT THIS TIME AND HAVE LEANED TO HPC MODEL BLEND AT THIS TIME AND JUST INDICATING 30% POPS FOR RAIN ON TUE. LEANED TO PREVIOUS FCST AND EURO MOS FOR MAX TEMPS THU AND FRI WITH UPR 60S INLAND AROUND 60 OUTER BANKS. SAT LOOKS LIKE WARMEST DAY WITH PRE-FRONTAL SW FLOW AND HIGHS IN LOWER 70S INLAND. MUCH COLDER FOR REST OF PERIOD WITH HIGHS AROUND 60 SUNDAY...AND ONLY AROUND 50 MON AND TUE. && .AVIATION /00Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... SHORT TERM /THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... AS OF 715 PM TUE...IFR THROUGH MUCH OF THE PERIOD. LOW LEVELS WILL REMAIN MOIST AND WITH A STRONG INVERSION CONTINUING...CEILING MAY EVEN LOWER TO LIFR AT TIMES FOR THE OVERNIGHT HOURS WITH INVERSION STRENGTHENING. CONDITIONS WILL SLOWLY IMPROVE WEDNESDAY...BUT WILL PROBABLY REMAIN IFR FOR MUCH OF THE DAY. CONFIDENCE IS LOW WITH THE TIMING OF ENDING OF IFR CONDITIONS WEDNESDAY AS THE STRONG INVERSION WILL REMAIN IN PLACE WITH VERY LIGHT LOW LEVEL FLOW EXPECTED THROUGH THE DAY. AREAS/PATCHY DRIZZLE WILL BE AROUND NC THROUGH MUCH OF THE PERIOD. LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/... AS OF 300 PM TUESDAY...SUB VFR CONDITIONS MAY CONTINUE WED EVENING BUT EXPECTED TO LIFT AS COLD FRONT MOVERS THROUGH OVERNIGHT. VFR CONDITIONS WILL BE EXPECTED THU-SAT WITH DRY HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE AREA. A COLD FRONT APPROACHING SATURDAY WILL BRING A THREAT OF SHOWERS AND SUB VFR CONDITIONS AGAIN SAT NIGHT AND SUNDAY. && .MARINE... SHORT TERM /THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... AS OF 515 PM TUE...UPGRADED ALL WATERS TO GALES AS CURRENT OBS GUSTING 35-45 KT ACROSS MUCH OF THE WATERS. 3 HRLY PRES RISES MAXIMIZED THROUGH EARLY EVENING WHEREAFTER WINDS SHOULD DIMINISH QUITE RAPIDLY AS LOW PULLS AWAY AND FURTHER OFFSHORE THIS EVENING. AS OF 245 PM TUE...GUSTY N/NE WINDS AND ELEVATED SEAS CONTINUE THROUGH THE PERIOD. GALE WARNINGS IN EFFECT FOR WATERS NORTH OF OCRACOKE AND STRONG SCA CONDITIONS ELSEWHERE. CURRENT OBS SHOW N WINDS 20-30KT WITH SOME GUSTS TO 35KT...AND SEAS 10-15FT NORTH AND 7-10FT SOUTH. LOW PRESSURE CENTERED OFF THE NC/SC COAST WILL CONTINUE TO LIFT NORTHWARD THIS EVENING...WITH WINDS PEAKING LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...THEN GRADUALLY DIMINISHING LATE TONIGHT. N/NE WINDS 10-15KT EARLY WED...VEERING AND BECOMING SE IN THE AFTERNOON GENERALLY LESS THAN 15KT. ELEVATED SEAS WILL CONTINUE INTO WED. LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/... AS OF 300 PM TUESDAY...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CONDITIONS...MAINLY FOR SEAS AT OR ABOVE 6 FT...ARE EXPECTED OVER THE NORTH CAROLINA COASTAL WATERS THROUGH MUCH OF THURSDAY SOUTHERN WATERS, AND THURSDAY NIGHT FOR THE CENTRAL AND NORTHERN WATERS. WINDS WILL BE GENERALLY 10 TO 15 KT THROUGH FRIDAY. AS A COLD FRONT APPROACHES THE WATERS SATURDAY SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 20 TO 25 KT IN THE AFTERNOON...SHIFTING TO NRLY 15-20 KT WITH FRONTAL PASSAGE SAT NIGHT AND SUNDAY. SEAS WILL BE BELOW 6 FT BRIEFLY FRI INTO EARLY SAT...THEN BUILD AGAIN TO 5-7 FT FOR OUTER PORTIONS SAT NIGHT AND SUNDAY. && .TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING... AS OF 515 PM TUE...ISSUED SHORT DURATION COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY FOR SOUND SIDE DARE/HYDE COUNTIES ON THE OBX AS SEVERAL REPORTS OF FLOODING ON HATTERAS ISLAND. WINDS CURRENTLY GUSTING ABOVE 40 KT WILL REMAIN THROUGH MID EVENING BEFORE WINDS DIMINISH RAPIDLY LATER THIS EVENING. WILL MAINTAIN HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR NORTHERN OUTER BANKS AS LONG DURATION OF STRONG N/NE WINDS EXPECTED THROUGH TONIGHT. BREAKING WAVES OF 8 TO 12 FEET EXPECTED WITH WAVE RUNUP AND MINOR BEACH EROSION POSSIBLE. THERE COULD EVEN BE SOME MINOR OCEAN OVERWASH IN MORE VULNERABLE AREAS ALONG HWY 12 DURING THE TIMES OF HIGH TIDE...ALTHOUGH A CALL TO DARE CO 911 THIS AFTERNOON INDICATED NO ISSUES AS OF YET ALONG THE NRN OBX OCEANFRONT. MINOR WATER RISES OF A FOOT OR TWO WILL CONTINUE TO BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE PAMLICO SOUND AS WELL. && .MHX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NC...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY UNTIL 11 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR NCZ103- 104. HIGH SURF ADVISORY UNTIL 3 AM EDT WEDNESDAY FOR NCZ103. MARINE...GALE WARNING UNTIL 11 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR AMZ130-135-150- 152-154-156-158. && $$ SYNOPSIS...CQD/DAG NEAR TERM...TL/CQD SHORT TERM...CQD LONG TERM...JBM AVIATION...TL/BM/JBM MARINE...TL/CQD/JBM TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...TL/SK/CQD
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS WILMINGTON NC
744 PM EDT TUE MAR 18 2014 .SYNOPSIS... A WARMING AND DRYING TREND IS EXPECTED THROUGH SATURDAY AS A LATE WINTER STORM SYSTEM PULLS NORTHEAST AWAY FROM THE AREA AND HIGH PRESSURE SETTLES INTO THE REGION. A COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO CROSS THE COAST LATE IN THE WEEKEND...FOLLOWED BY BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 6 PM TUESDAY...FINAL PATCHES OF LIGHT DRIZZLE ARE FADING AS THE MOVE SW ACROSS OUR NC COUNTIES. HAVE CAPPED POPS AT SLIGHT CHANCE OR LOWER FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE OVERNIGHT PERIOD. MOST PLACES WILL STAY DRY. NO OTHER CHANGES TO THE FORECAST WITH THE LATEST UPDATE. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION FOLLOWS: THE UPPER LEVEL LOW HAS MOVED WELL OFF SHORE THIS AFTERNOON AND THE SURFACE LOW IS ABOUT 100 MILES SOUTHEAST OF THE CAPE FEAR. WHAT THIS HAS DONE IS SCOUR OUT THE DRY AIR ALOFT AND NOW ONLY THE MOISTURE SEEN ON RAP TIME HEIGHT CROSS SECTION WILL REMAIN OVERNIGHT MAINLY BELOW 800 MB. THE SYNOPTIC SETTING AT THE SURFACE SHOWS COLD AIR DAMMING AND THIS WILL ALLOW NORTH TO NORTHEAST FLOW TO REMAIN OVER THE AREA OVERNIGHT. WITH NO FORCING ALOFT AND ABUNDANT MOISTURE EXPECT STRATUS CLOUDS TO REMAIN OVERNIGHT...WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF SOME LIGHT DRIZZLE AND PATCHY FOG. CURRENT SATELLITE IS SHOWING A BREAK ALONG THE SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA COAST BUT AS LOW MOVES AWAY AND SUBSIDENCE ON THE BACK SIDE WEAKENS EXPECT THE CLOUD COVER TO FILL IN OVERNIGHT. WITH TEMPERATURES STRUGGLING TO MAKE THE LOW TO MID 40S THIS AFTERNOON WILL AGAIN LEAN TOWARD A COOLER SOLUTION AS SEEN IN THE MET MOS GUIDANCE...WHICH MAY BE A BIT TO COLD. TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN IN THE MID 30S BUT WITH CLOUD COVER AND A NORTH WIND THE EXPECTATION OF FROST IS NOT HIGH FOR THE OVERNIGHT. && .SHORT TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 3 PM TUESDAY...WESTERLY WIND FLOW IN A PARCHED AIR-MASS PERCHED ABOVE 8000 FEET WILL COVER THE AREA BOTH WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. PATCHY -RA/-DZ MAY LINGER OVER OUR FAR NE ZONES VERY EARLY ON WEDNESDAY AROUND 12Z/8AM...AS A STORM SYSTEM CIRCULATION THROWS MOISTURE OVER-TOP AN ERODING HIGH PRESSURE WEDGE. RESIDUAL LOW- LEVEL MOISTURE AND WEAK SHORT-WAVE ENERGY FROM THE WNW MAY ALSO AID IN LIGHT PCPN AROUND THIS TIME. A WEAK COLD FRONT WEDNESDAY NIGHT WILL BRING A SECONDARY INCREASE IN RELATIVE HUMIDITY UP THROUGH 800 MB BUT THIS LOOKS INADEQUATE TO GENERATE ANY PCPN SO NO MENTIONABLE POP VALUES ARE PLANNED. NO SIGNIFICANT COLD ADVECTION IS EXPECTED AND IN TERMS OF SENSIBLE WEATHER...MAINLY LOW-LEVEL CLOUDS LATE WED/EARLY THU EXPECTED. PLENTIFUL SUNSHINE WILL BE A STRUGGLE EARLY WEDNESDAY DUE TO THE WEAKENING WEDGE AND LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE ON NE TRAJECTORIES...AND AGAIN VERY EARLY ON THURSDAY WE MAY BE GREETED WITH CLOUDS. BREAKS AND PERIODS OF AFTERNOON SUNSHINE HOWEVER SHOULD PERIODICALLY PREVAIL...THIS MOST FAVORABLE THURSDAY. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 3 PM TUESDAY...QUIET AND COOL CONDITIONS WILL KICK OFF THE FORECAST PERIOD AS SFC HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE REGION GRADUALLY TRANSITIONS OFF THE CAROLINA COAST LATE MORNING/EARLY AFTERNOON ON FRIDAY. BEHIND THE EXITING SYSTEM SW FLOW WILL RETURN AT THE SFC WHILE ZONAL WESTERLY FLOW ALOFT RESIDES...MAKING FOR OVERALL DRY CONDITIONS TO PERSIST INTO SATURDAY MORNING. AN BROAD UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WELL TO THE NORTH-NORTHWEST WILL AID IN THE FORWARD PUSHING OF A COLD FRONT...WHICH WILL APPROACH OUR AREA ON SATURDAY. ANTICIPATE CLOUD COVER TO SLOWLY INCREASE BEGINNING AS EARLY AS LATE OVERNIGHT FRIDAY INTO EARLY SATURDAY MORNING PER LATEST FCST SOUNDINGS. AS DRY CONDITIONS PERSIST ALOFT WITH WESTERLY WINDS...WITH THE FRONTAL PASSAGE...ONLY AVAILABLE MOISTURE WILL BE THAT INFILTRATED INTO THE AREA BY THE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED SOUTHWEST FLOW. THUS DO NOT ANTICIPATE MUCH IN THE WAY OF RAINFALL AMOUNTS WITH THE SYSTEM. INTO SUNDAY...CLOUDS WILL DISPERSE AND QUIET CONDITIONS RETURN AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS BACK INTO THE AREA. THOUGH WILL NOTE MUCH COOLER AIR INFILTRATES IN...ALLOWING FOR SLIGHTLY BELOW AVERAGE TEMPS FOR SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. WILL NEED TO MONITOR NEXT WEATHER SYSTEM AS UNSETTLED WEATHER IS POSSIBLE MONDAY INTO TUESDAY AS STALLED SYSTEM OFFSHORE SLOWLY RETROGRADES TOWARDS THE COAST. && .AVIATION /00Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... AS OF 00Z...LOW PRESSURE CONTINUES TO AWAY FROM THE TERMINALS WITH ABUNDANT WRAP AROUND LOW LEVEL MOISTURE. CIGS ARE CURRENTLY IFR ALONG AND N OF A KLBT TO KILM LINE...AND MVFR TO THE S OF THAT LINE. CIGS HAVE SHOWN A LOWERING TREND OVER THE PAST SEVERAL HOURS. MOS GUIDANCE AND SOUNDINGS SUGGEST AN INCREASING LIKELIHOOD OF IFR CIGS DEVELOPING S THIS EVENING. THIS SEEMS REASONABLE BASED ON CURRENT TRENDS. LOWEST CONFIDENCE IS IN TIMING. OVERNIGHT THERE COULD BE PERIODS OF IFR VSBYS IN -DZBR AND CIGS COULD FLIRT WITH LIFR LEVELS MAINLY AT KILM/KCRE AS A SURFACE WAVE FORMS ON THE COLD FRONT TO THE S OF THE TERMINALS. WEDNESDAY MORNING SLOWLY IMPROVING CONDITIONS EXPECTED WITH MVFR AT MOST TERMINALS BY MID-LATE MORNING. CIGS SHOULD RISE TO LOW VFR LEVELS..POSSIBLY SCATTERED AT TIME DURING THE AFTERNOON. WINDS SHOULD BECOME SE-SW AS THE DAY PROGRESSES. EXTENDED OUTLOOK...VFR THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. LOW CONFIDENCE FOR POSSIBLE SHOWERS WITH A COLD FRONT SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY. && .MARINE... NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 6 PM TUESDAY...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS IN PLACE WITH LATEST OBS SHOWING GUSTY WINDS TO 25 KTS AND 4 TO 6 FT SEAS. NO CHANGES TO THE FORECAST WITH THE LATEST UPDATE. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION FOLLOWS: THE SURFACE LOW PRESSURE AREA ALONG THE STATIONARY FRONT IS NOW LOCATED AROUND 100 MILES SOUTHEAST OF CAPE FEAR. WITH THE TIGHTENED PRESSURE GRADIENT...THE WINDS OVER THE WATERS ARE BECOMING MORE NORTHERLY AND ARE BLOWING AT 20 TO 25 KNOTS WITH GUSTS NEAR 30 KNOTS. SEAS ARE RUNNING AT 7.5 FEET AT FRYING PAN SHOALS AND 4.5 FEET AT BUOY 41110 OFF WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN FROM THE NORTH WITH THE LOW EXITING OFF TO THE NORTHEAST AND COLD AIR DAMMING OVER THE CAROLINAS CONTINUING OVERNIGHT. AS THE PRESSURE GRADIENT DECREASES OVERNIGHT...THE WINDS AND SEAS WILL DECREASE. SO AT THE TIME WILL CONTINUE WITH A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR ALL THE WATERS THROUGH MIDNIGHT AND NORTH OF LITTLE RIVER INLET THROUGH 6 AM. SHORT TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 3 PM TUESDAY...OVERALL AN IMPROVED MARINE FORECAST AS WINDS FALL OFF IN WAKE OF A DEPARTING STORM SYSTEM OFFSHORE. N WINDS EARLY WEDNESDAY WILL EASE AND BECOME WSW LATER IN THE DAY AS LOWER PRESSURE TO THE NE PULLS AWAY...AND ALLOWS THE LOW-LEVEL PRESSURE GRADIENT TO LOOSEN CONSIDERABLY. WINDS WILL GO NW-N THURSDAY AFTN AS A SURFACE HIGH MOVES IN FROM THE WEST. MODERATE NE WIND SHOULD BE EXPECTED DAYBREAK FRIDAY PRIOR TO THE HIGH MOVING OVERHEAD OF THE COASTAL WATERS MIDDAY FRIDAY. SEAS SPECTRUM WILL FEATURE NE WAVE ENERGY ON THE WANE WEDNESDAY...FOLLOWED BY SMALLER BUT A MYRIAD OF S-SE MINOR WAVE TRAINS OF DIFFERING WAVE PERIODS. LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... AS OF 3 PM TUESDAY...LIGHT WINDS WILL PREVAIL ON FRIDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE REIGNS ACROSS THE WATERS AS SEAS REMAIN FAIRLY QUIET THROUGHOUT THE DAY. INTO THE LATER AFTERNOON HOURS SEAS WILL BUILD TO 2-4 FT...WITH SOME POSSIBLE 5FOOTERS IN THE OUTER WATERS OF AMZ-252 AND 250...AS SOUTH WINDS INCREASE TO 10-12 KTS AND DECENT SWELL ENERGY IS TAPPED INTO ACROSS THE WATERS. EXPECT CONDITIONS TO LAST THROUGH SATURDAY AFTER AS A COLD FRONT PUSHES TOWARDS THE COAST FROM THE NORTHWEST. CONDITIONS QUIET BACK DOWN BEHIND THE COLD FRONT AS HIGH PRESSURE SETTLES IN WITH SEAS ON SUNDAY MAINLY 2-3 FT AND MAINLY NORTH WINDS 10-14 KTS. && .ILM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SC...NONE. NC...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT TONIGHT FOR AMZ254-256. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM EDT WEDNESDAY FOR AMZ250-252. && $$ SYNOPSIS...MJC NEAR TERM...DRH SHORT TERM...MJC LONG TERM...SGL AVIATION...MRR MARINE...MJC/SGL/DRH
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS BISMARCK ND
107 PM CDT MON MAR 17 2014 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 107 PM CDT MON MAR 17 2014 REGIONAL RADARS CONTINUE TO DEPICT LIGHT ECHOES MOVING ACROSS THE CWA EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. NONE OF THE SURFACE OBS HAVE REPORTED PRECIPITATION...SO DO NOT THINK ANY IS REACHING THE GROUND YET. THE SHORT RANGE MODELS CONTINUE TO PROG LIGHT RAIN DEVELOPING OVER WESTERN NORTH DAKOTA LATER THIS AFTERNOON...AND SLOWLY SPREADING SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE EVENING. IT IS CURRENTLY RAINING IN GGW SO THINK THIS IS A VIABLE SOLUTION. THE PRECIP TYPE SHOULD CHANGE OVER TO ALL SNOW BY LATE EVENING AND IS PROGGED TO BE OUT OF THE AREA BY SUNRISE TUESDAY. GIVEN THE WARM SURFACE TEMPERATURES...EXPECTED LIGHT QPF AMOUNTS...AND LOW SNOW TO LIQUID RATIOS...DO NOT THINK SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL AMOUNT TO MUCH BY TUESDAY MORNING. AS A RESULT...DECIDED TO LET THE SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT EXPIRE AS IMPACTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE MINIMAL. UPDATE ISSUED AT 1006 AM CDT MON MAR 17 2014 THE LATEST MODEL RUNS CONTINUE TO PUSH THE PRECIPITATION CHANCES FARTHER SOUTH TODAY AND TONIGHT THAN PREVIOUS RUNS WOULD SUGGEST. AS A RESULT...UPDATED THE FORECAST TO TREND DRYER FOR THE NORTHERN COUNTIES...MAINLY FROM BURKE AND WARD COUNTIES EAST TO THE TURTLE MOUNTAIN REGION. ALSO UPDATED THE FORECAST TO ADD SCATTERED MORNING SPRINKLES OVER THE JAMES RIVER BASIN BASED ON CURRENT RADAR OBS/TRENDS. OTHERWISE...PRECIPITATION CHANCES SHOULD BEGIN INCREASING FROM WEST TO EAST LATER TODAY. THE THERMAL PROFILE OVER WESTERN AND CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA APPEARS CONDUCIVE FOR ALL LIQUID PRECIPITATION TODAY. AS A RESULT...REMOVED MENTION OF A WINTRY MIX AND/OR FREEZING RAIN FROM TODAY`S FORECAST. FURTHERMORE...IF THE WEAKER/FARTHER SOUTH TREND CONTINUES WITH THE SYSTEM EXPECTED TO EFFECT THE REGION TODAY AND TONIGHT...SNOW AMOUNTS WILL LIKELY BE A LOT LOWER THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT. WILL WAIT UNTIL THE 12Z RUNS ARE IN TO MAKE A NEW SNOW FORECAST...BUT CURRENT THINKING IS THAT IT WILL BE LESS THAN 1 TO 2 INCHES SOUTH. UPDATE ISSUED AT 708 AM CDT MON MAR 17 2014 EARLY MORNING RADAR MOSAIC SHOWS RADAR RETURNS GRADUALLY DISSIPATING ACROSS NORTH DAKOTA. THE DECREASE IN PRECIPITATION SHOULD BE SHORT LIVED WITH THE LATEST RAP / HRRR SUGGESTING THE NEXT ROUND OF RAIN WILL BEGIN IN THE WEST LATER THIS MORNING...BEFORE SPREADING INTO THE CENTRAL PART OF THE STATE THIS AFTERNOON. BASED ON THIS GENERAL IDEA...HAVE DECREASED POPS SUBSTANTIALLY OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS...BUT RAMP THEM UP AGAIN QUICKLY THIS AFTERNOON. HAVE SOME CONCERN POPS COULD BE TOO HIGH IN THE NORTH IF THE DEFORMATION AXIS / PRECIPITATION SETS UP AS PER THE RAP...AND ALREADY DECIDED TO MAKE SMALL ADJUSTMENTS TO REFLECT THAT AS WELL. && .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 423 AM CDT MON MAR 17 2014 THE MAIN FORECAST CHALLENGE WILL BE DETERMINING THE PRECIP TYPES ASSOCIATED WITH A LOW PROGGED TO AFFECT THE REGION THROUGH TUESDAY. CURRENT PRECIPITATION EXTENDED FROM THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE STATE SOUTHEAST TO BISMARCK TO LINTON/ELLENDALE. WARM ADVECTION BEHIND A WARM FRONT WAS KEEPING SURFACE TEMPERATURES IN THE 30S ACROSS WESTERN AND CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA. PRECIPITATION WAS MAINLY RAIN...BUT SUSPECT A FEW SPOTS OF FREEZING RAIN - THOUGH NOTHING WIDESPREAD. CONFIDENCE IN MORNING/AFTERNOON TIMING OF DEVELOPMENT OF RAIN IS LOW...BUT MODELS IN GENERAL AGREEMENT THAT A BAROCLINIC ZONE WILL DEVELOP FROM MONTANA EASTWARD INTO WESTERN NORTH DAKOTA...DEVELOPING NORTH OF A LOW WHICH WILL DEVELOP OVER WYOMING/WESTERN SOUTH DAKOTA. MAINLY RAIN THIS MORNING AND AFTERNOON WITH TEMPERATURES REACHING INTO THE UPPER 30S FAR NORTH AND TO THE LOWER 50S FAR SOUTH. AS THE LOW DEEPENS AND WINDS BECOME NORTHEAST ACROSS THE STATE...COLD AIR FROM THE NORTH WILL BE PULLED INTO NORTH DAKOTA...AND RAIN WILL CHANGE TO SNOW DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON NORTH...AND DURING THE EARLY EVENING SOUTH. EVENING/OVERNIGHT HOURS LOOKS TO BE THE TIME FOR THE HEAVIEST AMOUNT OF PRECIPITATION...MAINLY A TENTH OR TWO OF AN INCH OF PRECIPITATION. THIS TRANSLATES TO AN INCH OR TWO OF SNOW MAINLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 94. BY DAYBREAK TUESDAY THE LOW WILL HAVE DEVELOPED INTO IOWA/NEBRASKA AND MOST PRECIPITATION WILL BE SOUTH AND EAST OF THE FORECAST AREA. THUS TUESDAY WILL HAVE JUST A CHANCE OF LINGERING SNOW SHOWERS. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 423 AM CDT MON MAR 17 2014 THE LONG TERM PERIOD WILL FEATURE THE PASSING OF SEVERAL UPPER WAVES...EACH OF WHICH COULD BRING LIGHT PRECIPITATION TO WESTERN AND CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA. THE FIRST WAVE ARRIVES ALREADY TUESDAY NIGHT IN THE WESTERN PART OF THE STATE...AND THEN CROSSES THE REGION ON WEDNESDAY. THE POTENTIALLY STRONGEST WAVE THROUGH THE LONG TERM PERIOD WILL IMPACT THE FORECAST AREA IN THE THURSDAY / FRIDAY TIME FRAME...HOWEVER THERE ARE STILL DIFFERENCE AMONGST THE 00Z GFS AND ECMWF REGARDING THE TIMING. FOR NOW WILL FOLLOW A BLENDED APPROACH FOR POPS WHICH WILL BRING A CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION STARTING THURSDAY...LASTING INTO FRIDAY. THE WEEKEND WILL HAVE YET ANOTHER WAVE MOVING THROUGH THE REGION...HOWEVER THE 00Z GFS AND ECMWF BOTH SUGGEST IT WILL BE RELATIVELY WEAK...SO ANY PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS WOULD BE VERY LIGHT. REGARDING POTENTIAL PRECIPITATION TYPES...OVERALL FAVORED SNOW...BUT WARMER TEMPERATURES IN THE DAYTIME COULD LEAD TO RAIN AT TIMES MIXING IN. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 107 PM CDT MON MAR 17 2014 LIGHT RAIN WILL GRADUALLY OVERSPREAD WESTERN AND SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. MVFR CIGS IN LIGHT RAIN WILL BE POSSIBLE...MAINLY BEGINNING DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING HOURS. RAIN WILL LIKELY CHANGE OVER TO LIGHT SNOW OVER KDIK-KBIS-KJMS BETWEEN 03Z-04Z. IFR VSBYS IN LIGHT SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE ALONG THE I-94 TERMINAL AERODROMES...PRIMARILY BETWEEN 03Z-12Z. TECHNICIANS ARE CURRENTLY TROUBLESHOOTING COMMS ISSUES AT THE KMOT ASOS. A NOTAM HAS BEEN ISSUED AND AN AMD NOT SKED WAS INCLUDED IN THE KMOT TAF UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. && .HYDROLOGY... ISSUED AT 423 AM CDT MON MAR 17 2014 NOTE...ICE IS AFFECTING MANY CREEKS AND RIVERS AND UNTIL THAT ICE CLEARS...SIGNIFICANT FLUCTUATIONS IN WATER LEVELS ARE LIKELY. FLOOD WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT FOR THESE AREAS...IN THE MISSOURI RIVER BASIN... THE MISSOURI RIVER NEAR WILLISTON AFFECTING WILLIAMS AND MCKENZIE COUNTIES. MODERATE FLOODING IS OCCURRING AND IS FORECAST TO CONTINUE UNTIL THE RIVER NEAR WILLISTON BECOMES FREE OF ICE. IN THE SOURIS RIVER BASIN... SOURIS RIVER NEAR TOWNER AFFECTING MCHENRY COUNTY. MINOR FLOODING IS FORECAST BY LATE TUESDAY. && .BIS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ UPDATE...TM SHORT TERM...JV LONG TERM...CK AVIATION...TM HYDROLOGY...TM/AJS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS BISMARCK ND
1006 AM CDT MON MAR 17 2014 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 1006 AM CDT MON MAR 17 2014 THE LATEST MODEL RUNS CONTINUE TO PUSH THE PRECIPITATION CHANCES FARTHER SOUTH TODAY AND TONIGHT THAN PREVIOUS RUNS WOULD SUGGEST. AS A RESULT...UPDATED THE FORECAST TO TREND DRYER FOR THE NORTHERN COUNTIES...MAINLY FROM BURKE AND WARD COUNTIES EAST TO THE TURTLE MOUNTAIN REGION. ALSO UPDATED THE FORECAST TO ADD SCATTERED MORNING SPRINKLES OVER THE JAMES RIVER BASIN BASED ON CURRENT RADAR OBS/TRENDS. OTHERWISE...PRECIPITATION CHANCES SHOULD BEGIN INCREASING FROM WEST TO EAST LATER TODAY. THE THERMAL PROFILE OVER WESTERN AND CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA APPEARS CONDUCIVE FOR ALL LIQUID PRECIPITATION TODAY. AS A RESULT...REMOVED MENTION OF A WINTRY MIX AND/OR FREEZING RAIN FROM TODAY`S FORECAST. FURTHERMORE...IF THE WEAKER/FARTHER SOUTH TREND CONTINUES WITH THE SYSTEM EXPECTED TO EFFECT THE REGION TODAY AND TONIGHT...SNOW AMOUNTS WILL LIKELY BE A LOT LOWER THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT. WILL WAIT UNTIL THE 12Z RUNS ARE IN TO MAKE A NEW SNOW FORECAST...BUT CURRENT THINKING IS THAT IT WILL BE LESS THAN 1 TO 2 INCHES SOUTH. UPDATE ISSUED AT 708 AM CDT MON MAR 17 2014 EARLY MORNING RADAR MOSAIC SHOWS RADAR RETURNS GRADUALLY DISSIPATING ACROSS NORTH DAKOTA. THE DECREASE IN PRECIPITATION SHOULD BE SHORT LIVED WITH THE LATEST RAP / HRRR SUGGESTING THE NEXT ROUND OF RAIN WILL BEGIN IN THE WEST LATER THIS MORNING...BEFORE SPREADING INTO THE CENTRAL PART OF THE STATE THIS AFTERNOON. BASED ON THIS GENERAL IDEA...HAVE DECREASED POPS SUBSTANTIALLY OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS...BUT RAMP THEM UP AGAIN QUICKLY THIS AFTERNOON. HAVE SOME CONCERN POPS COULD BE TOO HIGH IN THE NORTH IF THE DEFORMATION AXIS / PRECIPITATION SETS UP AS PER THE RAP...AND ALREADY DECIDED TO MAKE SMALL ADJUSTMENTS TO REFLECT THAT AS WELL. && .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 423 AM CDT MON MAR 17 2014 THE MAIN FORECAST CHALLENGE WILL BE DETERMINING THE PRECIP TYPES ASSOCIATED WITH A LOW PROGGED TO AFFECT THE REGION THROUGH TUESDAY. CURRENT PRECIPITATION EXTENDED FROM THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE STATE SOUTHEAST TO BISMARCK TO LINTON/ELLENDALE. WARM ADVECTION BEHIND A WARM FRONT WAS KEEPING SURFACE TEMPERATURES IN THE 30S ACROSS WESTERN AND CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA. PRECIPITATION WAS MAINLY RAIN...BUT SUSPECT A FEW SPOTS OF FREEZING RAIN - THOUGH NOTHING WIDESPREAD. CONFIDENCE IN MORNING/AFTERNOON TIMING OF DEVELOPMENT OF RAIN IS LOW...BUT MODELS IN GENERAL AGREEMENT THAT A BAROCLINIC ZONE WILL DEVELOP FROM MONTANA EASTWARD INTO WESTERN NORTH DAKOTA...DEVELOPING NORTH OF A LOW WHICH WILL DEVELOP OVER WYOMING/WESTERN SOUTH DAKOTA. MAINLY RAIN THIS MORNING AND AFTERNOON WITH TEMPERATURES REACHING INTO THE UPPER 30S FAR NORTH AND TO THE LOWER 50S FAR SOUTH. AS THE LOW DEEPENS AND WINDS BECOME NORTHEAST ACROSS THE STATE...COLD AIR FROM THE NORTH WILL BE PULLED INTO NORTH DAKOTA...AND RAIN WILL CHANGE TO SNOW DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON NORTH...AND DURING THE EARLY EVENING SOUTH. EVENING/OVERNIGHT HOURS LOOKS TO BE THE TIME FOR THE HEAVIEST AMOUNT OF PRECIPITATION...MAINLY A TENTH OR TWO OF AN INCH OF PRECIPITATION. THIS TRANSLATES TO AN INCH OR TWO OF SNOW MAINLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 94. BY DAYBREAK TUESDAY THE LOW WILL HAVE DEVELOPED INTO IOWA/NEBRASKA AND MOST PRECIPITATION WILL BE SOUTH AND EAST OF THE FORECAST AREA. THUS TUESDAY WILL HAVE JUST A CHANCE OF LINGERING SNOW SHOWERS. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 423 AM CDT MON MAR 17 2014 THE LONG TERM PERIOD WILL FEATURE THE PASSING OF SEVERAL UPPER WAVES...EACH OF WHICH COULD BRING LIGHT PRECIPITATION TO WESTERN AND CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA. THE FIRST WAVE ARRIVES ALREADY TUESDAY NIGHT IN THE WESTERN PART OF THE STATE...AND THEN CROSSES THE REGION ON WEDNESDAY. THE POTENTIALLY STRONGEST WAVE THROUGH THE LONG TERM PERIOD WILL IMPACT THE FORECAST AREA IN THE THURSDAY / FRIDAY TIME FRAME...HOWEVER THERE ARE STILL DIFFERENCE AMONGST THE 00Z GFS AND ECMWF REGARDING THE TIMING. FOR NOW WILL FOLLOW A BLENDED APPROACH FOR POPS WHICH WILL BRING A CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION STARTING THURSDAY...LASTING INTO FRIDAY. THE WEEKEND WILL HAVE YET ANOTHER WAVE MOVING THROUGH THE REGION...HOWEVER THE 00Z GFS AND ECMWF BOTH SUGGEST IT WILL BE RELATIVELY WEAK...SO ANY PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS WOULD BE VERY LIGHT. REGARDING POTENTIAL PRECIPITATION TYPES...OVERALL FAVORED SNOW...BUT WARMER TEMPERATURES IN THE DAYTIME COULD LEAD TO RAIN AT TIMES MIXING IN. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z TUESDAY MORNING) ISSUED AT 708 AM CDT MON MAR 17 2014 LIGHT RAIN AND LOWERING CIGS TO MVFR EXPECTED TO DEVELOP NEAR KISN AND SPREAD TO KMOT/KBIS/KDIK BY 18Z...AND TO KJMS BY 00Z. RAIN CHANGING TO SNOW AT KMOT/KISN AROUND 21-00Z AND AT KDIK/KBIS/KJMS 00-02Z. MVFR CIGS ALL TAF SITES AFT 00Z. CIGS BECOMING IFR AT KDIK/KBIS/KJMS WITH LIGHT SNOW. && .HYDROLOGY... ISSUED AT 423 AM CDT MON MAR 17 2014 NOTE...ICE IS AFFECTING MANY CREEKS AND RIVERS AND UNTIL THAT ICE CLEARS...SIGNIFICANT FLUCTUATIONS IN WATER LEVELS ARE LIKELY. FLOOD WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT FOR THESE AREAS...IN THE MISSOURI RIVER BASIN... THE MISSOURI RIVER NEAR WILLISTON AFFECTING WILLIAMS AND MCKENZIE COUNTIES. MODERATE FLOODING IS OCCURRING AND IS FORECAST TO CONTINUE UNTIL THE RIVER NEAR WILLISTON BECOMES FREE OF ICE. IN THE SOURIS RIVER BASIN... SOURIS RIVER NEAR TOWNER AFFECTING MCHENRY COUNTY. MINOR FLOODING IS FORECAST BY LATE TUESDAY. && .BIS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ UPDATE...TM SHORT TERM...JV LONG TERM...CK AVIATION...JV HYDROLOGY...TM/AJS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS BISMARCK ND
712 AM CDT MON MAR 17 2014 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 708 AM CDT MON MAR 17 2014 EARLY MORNING RADAR MOSAIC SHOWS RADAR RETURNS GRADUALLY DISSIPATING ACROSS NORTH DAKOTA. THE DECREASE IN PRECIPITATION SHOULD BE SHORT LIVED WITH THE LATEST RAP / HRRR SUGGESTING THE NEXT ROUND OF RAIN WILL BEGIN IN THE WEST LATER THIS MORNING...BEFORE SPREADING INTO THE CENTRAL PART OF THE STATE THIS AFTERNOON. BASED ON THIS GENERAL IDEA...HAVE DECREASED POPS SUBSTANTIALLY OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS...BUT RAMP THEM UP AGAIN QUICKLY THIS AFTERNOON. HAVE SOME CONCERN POPS COULD BE TOO HIGH IN THE NORTH IF THE DEFORMATION AXIS / PRECIPITATION SETS UP AS PER THE RAP...AND ALREADY DECIDED TO MAKE SMALL ADJUSTMENTS TO REFLECT THAT AS WELL. && .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 423 AM CDT MON MAR 17 2014 THE MAIN FORECAST CHALLENGE WILL BE DETERMINING THE PRECIP TYPES ASSOCIATED WITH A LOW PROGGED TO AFFECT THE REGION THROUGH TUESDAY. CURRENT PRECIPITATION EXTENDED FROM THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE STATE SOUTHEAST TO BISMARCK TO LINTON/ELLENDALE. WARM ADVECTION BEHIND A WARM FRONT WAS KEEPING SURFACE TEMPERATURES IN THE 30S ACROSS WESTERN AND CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA. PRECIPITATION WAS MAINLY RAIN...BUT SUSPECT A FEW SPOTS OF FREEZING RAIN - THOUGH NOTHING WIDESPREAD. CONFIDENCE IN MORNING/AFTERNOON TIMING OF DEVELOPMENT OF RAIN IS LOW...BUT MODELS IN GENERAL AGREEMENT THAT A BAROCLINIC ZONE WILL DEVELOP FROM MONTANA EASTWARD INTO WESTERN NORTH DAKOTA...DEVELOPING NORTH OF A LOW WHICH WILL DEVELOP OVER WYOMING/WESTERN SOUTH DAKOTA. MAINLY RAIN THIS MORNING AND AFTERNOON WITH TEMPERATURES REACHING INTO THE UPPER 30S FAR NORTH AND TO THE LOWER 50S FAR SOUTH. AS THE LOW DEEPENS AND WINDS BECOME NORTHEAST ACROSS THE STATE...COLD AIR FROM THE NORTH WILL BE PULLED INTO NORTH DAKOTA...AND RAIN WILL CHANGE TO SNOW DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON NORTH...AND DURING THE EARLY EVENING SOUTH. EVENING/OVERNIGHT HOURS LOOKS TO BE THE TIME FOR THE HEAVIEST AMOUNT OF PRECIPITATION...MAINLY A TENTH OR TWO OF AN INCH OF PRECIPITATION. THIS TRANSLATES TO AN INCH OR TWO OF SNOW MAINLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 94. BY DAYBREAK TUESDAY THE LOW WILL HAVE DEVELOPED INTO IOWA/NEBRASKA AND MOST PRECIPITATION WILL BE SOUTH AND EAST OF THE FORECAST AREA. THUS TUESDAY WILL HAVE JUST A CHANCE OF LINGERING SNOW SHOWERS. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 423 AM CDT MON MAR 17 2014 THE LONG TERM PERIOD WILL FEATURE THE PASSING OF SEVERAL UPPER WAVES...EACH OF WHICH COULD BRING LIGHT PRECIPITATION TO WESTERN AND CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA. THE FIRST WAVE ARRIVES ALREADY TUESDAY NIGHT IN THE WESTERN PART OF THE STATE...AND THEN CROSSES THE REGION ON WEDNESDAY. THE POTENTIALLY STRONGEST WAVE THROUGH THE LONG TERM PERIOD WILL IMPACT THE FORECAST AREA IN THE THURSDAY / FRIDAY TIME FRAME...HOWEVER THERE ARE STILL DIFFERENCE AMONGST THE 00Z GFS AND ECMWF REGARDING THE TIMING. FOR NOW WILL FOLLOW A BLENDED APPROACH FOR POPS WHICH WILL BRING A CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION STARTING THURSDAY...LASTING INTO FRIDAY. THE WEEKEND WILL HAVE YET ANOTHER WAVE MOVING THROUGH THE REGION...HOWEVER THE 00Z GFS AND ECMWF BOTH SUGGEST IT WILL BE RELATIVELY WEAK...SO ANY PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS WOULD BE VERY LIGHT. REGARDING POTENTIAL PRECIPITATION TYPES...OVERALL FAVORED SNOW...BUT WARMER TEMPERATURES IN THE DAYTIME COULD LEAD TO RAIN AT TIMES MIXING IN. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z TUESDAY MORNING) ISSUED AT 708 AM CDT MON MAR 17 2014 LIGHT RAIN AND LOWERING CIGS TO MVFR EXPECTED TO DEVELOP NEAR KISN AND SPREAD TO KMOT/KBIS/KDIK BY 18Z...AND TO KJMS BY 00Z. RAIN CHANGING TO SNOW AT KMOT/KISN AROUND 21-00Z AND AT KDIK/KBIS/KJMS 00-02Z. MVFR CIGS ALL TAF SITES AFT 00Z. CIGS BECOMING IFR AT KDIK/KBIS/KJMS WITH LIGHT SNOW. && .HYDROLOGY... ISSUED AT 423 AM CDT MON MAR 17 2014 NOTE...ICE IS AFFECTING MANY CREEKS AND RIVERS AND UNTIL THAT ICE CLEARS...SIGNIFICANT FLUCTUATIONS IN WATER LEVELS ARE LIKELY. FLOOD WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT FOR THESE AREAS...IN THE MISSOURI RIVER BASIN... THE MISSOURI RIVER NEAR WILLISTON AFFECTING WILLIAMS AND MCKENZIE COUNTIES. MODERATE FLOODING IS OCCURRING AND IS FORECAST TO CONTINUE UNTIL THE RIVER NEAR WILLISTON BECOMES FREE OF ICE. IN THE SOURIS RIVER BASIN... SOURIS RIVER NEAR TOWNER AFFECTING MCHENRY COUNTY. MINOR FLOODING IS FORECAST BY LATE TUESDAY. && .BIS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ UPDATE...CK SHORT TERM...JV LONG TERM...CK AVIATION...JV HYDROLOGY...TM/AJS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GRAND FORKS ND
1149 PM CDT SUN MAR 16 2014 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 1145 PM CDT SUN MAR 16 2014 AROUND 3 INCHES OF SNOW IN THE ROSEAU-WARROAD AREA WITH SNOW JUST ABUOT OVER. WILL END SNOW IN LAKE OF THE WOODS AROUND 07Z. RUC AND OTHER SHORT RANGE MODELS CORRECTING SHOWING A NARROW BAND OF VERY LIGHT PRECIP STREAKING FROM WILLISTON-WATFORD CITY ND AREA SOUTHEAST OVERNIGHT INTO FAR SE ND/WCNTRL MN. SO ADJUSTED POPS FOR THIS. DRY SUB CLOUD LAYER MEANS NOT MUCH MEASURABLE HITTING THE GROUND. && .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 334 PM CDT SUN MAR 16 2014 FORECAST CHALLENGES INCLUDE PRECIP CHANCES/PHASE AND WIND SPEED LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AND THEN PRECIP TIMING/LOCATION/ PHASE AND AMOUNTS MONDAY AND TUESDAY. WILL FOLLOW HIGH RESOLUTION RAP/HRRR FOR THE NEXT 6 TO 12 HOURS AND THEN FOCUS ON A BLENDED SOLUTION BETWEEN THE 12 UTC GFS/ECMWF. WILL IGNORE THE NAM GIVEN ITS EXTREME NORTHERN SOLUTION WITH THE GEM SIMILAR TO THE ECMWF. 20 UTC RADAR DEPICTS A NARROW BAND OF PRECIP FROM LANGDON TO CARRINGTON. STARTING TO SEE A FEW SFC REPORTS OF LIGHT SNOW AT BRANDON MANITOBA AND ROLLA...BUT LATEST DVL LAPS SOUNDING STILL SHOWING A DRY SFC TO 700 HPA DRY LAYER. WILL TAKE SOME TIME TO SATURATE THE LOWER LEVELS...BUT STILL EXPECT SOME ACCUMULATING SNOW MAINLY ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE NORTHERN VALLEY INTO NORTHWEST MN. BY MONDAY MORNING...NEW SNOW ACCUMULATIONS FROM 0.5 TO 1.5 STILL SEEM REASONABLE. THE POTENTIAL STILL EXISTS FOR A SNOW/ FREEZING RAIN MIX AS WARMER/DRIER AIR ALOFT MOVES ACROSS THE REGION LATER TONIGHT...BUT THINK ANY ACCUMULATION WILL BE MINIMAL. SOUTHERLY WINDS CURRENTLY GUSTING TO 30 TO 35 MPH ACROSS NORTHEAST ND AND THIS CORRIDOR OF STRONGER WINDS WILL SHIFT EASTWARD THIS EVENING. STILL EXPECT SOME BLOWING AND DRIFTING...ESPECIALLY IN THE HALLOCK TO ROSEAU TO THIEF RIVER FALLS CORRIDOR. THE WORST CONDITIONS WILL BE RATHER BRIEF GIVEN FORWARD SPEED OF THE SNOW...BUT WILL NEED TO WATCH OBSERVATIONS CAREFULLY FOR A POSSIBLE ADVISORY. MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES...BREEZY SOUTHERLY WIND AND STRONG WARM AIR ADVECTION WILL KEEP TEMPERATURES ELEVATED OVERNIGHT WITH MORNING LOWS RANGING FROM THE UPPER 20S ACROSS THE WEST TO THE UPPER TEENS ACROSS THE EAST. MONDAY INTO TUESDAY...GLOBAL MODELS CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE WITH THE TRACK OF A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM. AT THIS TIME...THE SURFACE LOW TRACK IS FROM NORTHERN MT MONDAY MORNING TO ALONG THE SD/NE BORDER MONDAY NIGHT AND INTO IA BY TUESDAY MORNING. THE PAST SEVERAL RUNS OF BOTH THE GFS/ECMWF HAVE MOVED THE MAIN PRECIP SHIELD WITH THIS SYSTEM FARTHER SOUTH...WHICH SEEMS TO BE A RESULT OF A WEAKER DOWNSTREAM RIDGE IN THE OVERALL LARGE-SCALE PATTERN. PRECIP LIKELY TO HOLD OFF UNTIL MONDAY AFTERNOON ONCE MID-LEVEL THERMAL GRADIENT/FRONTOGENESIS BEGINS TO STRENGTHEN ACROSS THE SOUTHERN FORECAST AREA. WARM TEMPERATURES...HOWEVER...WILL RESULT IN A WINTRY MIX IF NOT PURE RAIN FOR MUCH OF THE DAY MAINLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE HIGHWAY 200 CORRIDOR WITH SNOW CHANCES FARTHER NORTH. HIGH TEMPERATURES MONDAY AFTERNOON LIKELY TO RANGE FROM 35 ACROSS THE NORTH TO NEAR 50 DEGREES ACROSS SOUTHEAST ND. PRECIP TO SLOWLY CHANGE OVER TO ALL SNOW MONDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY TUESDAY MORNING AS SUB FREEZING AIR IS ADVECTED SOUTHWARD BEHIND THE DEPARTING LOW. COULD BE A PERIOD OF MIXED PRECIP/SLICK CONDITIONS ACROSS THE SOUTH MONDAY NIGHT. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 334 PM CDT SUN MAR 16 2014 PRECIP SHOULD BE ALL SNOW BY TUESDAY MORNING...BUT QUESTIONS REMAIN AS TO WHERE THE PRIMARY DEFORMATION SNOW AXIS WILL SET-UP. GFS DEPICTS IT ALONG A LINE FROM SOUTHEAST OF PIERRE SD TO ALEXANDRIA MN WHEREAS THE ECMWF IS A BIT FARTHER SOUTH. GIVEN THESE LOCATIONS AND THE LATEST MODEL TRENDS...CONFIDENCE IS INCREASING THAT THE HEAVIEST SNOW WILL MISS MUCH OF THE FORECAST AREA. HOWEVER...THE POTENTIAL STILL EXISTS FOR 3-4 PLUS INCHES ALONG AND SOUTHEAST OF A LINE FROM FORMAN TO MAHNOMEN TO BAUDETTE. MODEL INCONSISTENCIES AND TRENDS PRECLUDE THE NECESSITY FOR A WATCH...BUT WILL KEEP SPS GOING ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST THIRD OF THE FORECAST AREA AND REMOVE IT ELSEWHERE. TEMPERATURES TUESDAY WILL RISE INTO THE LOWER 30S. SNOW WILL MOVE OUT OF THE FORECAST AREA TUESDAY NIGHT WITH IMPROVING CONDITIONS ON WEDNESDAY AS WEAK HIGH PRESSURE ENTERS THE RED RIVER VALLEY. CLOUDS SHOULD SLOWLY PUSH EAST AND BREAK UP THROUGH THE DAY...BUT TEMPERATURES WILL STAY IN THE LOWER 30S. FOR WED NIGHT-SUN...THE PERIOD SHOULD BEGIN WITH TEMPS NEAR NORMAL...COOLING WELL BELOW NORMAL BY NEXT SAT. THERE SHOULD BE SOME SORT OF A WEAK HYBRID LOW AND THE CHANCE FOR LIGHT SNOW THU NIGHT INTO FRIDAY NIGHT...AND HAVE SOME LOWER POPS. A FAIRLY STRONG COLD FRONT IS PROGGED BY ALL MODELS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY SHOULD BE COLD. HAVE STARTED THE TREND OF LOWERING TEMPS FOR SAT. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z MONDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 1145 PM CDT SUN MAR 16 2014 FOR THE MOST PART KEEPING VFR CIGS THRU THE PD. SOUTH WINDS WILL DIMINISH AND TURN SOUTHWEST AND THEN WEST AS A TROUGH MOVES THROUGH LATER TONIGHT INTO MONDAY MORNING. WINDS WILL THEN TURN NORTH-NORTHEAST AS LOW ORGANIZES TO OUR SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH MONDAY AFTN. MODELS MOS FCSTS WANT TO BRING DOWN CIGS BUT DONT SEE THAT MUCH SATURATION IN THE LOW LEVELS THRU MONDAY EVE BUT DID GO INTO LOW END VFR OR HIGH END MVFR CIGS TOWARD 00Z TUE. WINDS WILL PICK UP FROM THE NORTH-NORTHEAST BY 00Z TUES. KEPT TAF SITES DRY. && .FGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ND...NONE. MN...NONE. && $$ UPDATE...RIDDLE SHORT TERM...ROGERS LONG TERM...DK AVIATION...RIDDLE
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MORRISTOWN TN
905 PM EDT TUE MAR 18 2014 .DISCUSSION...CHALLENGE FOR THE REST OF THE NIGHT IS HOW FAR NE THE CLOUDS BUILD BACK...WHICH WILL SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECT MIN TEMPS. LATEST RUC AND 12KM NAM MODELS SUGGEST THAT THE LEAST AMOUNT OF CLOUD COVER WILL BE CENTRAL TN VALLEY NE INTO SW VA. WILL KEEP THESE AREAS PARTLY CLOUDY...AND OPT FOR MOSTLY CLOUDY OR BECOMING MOSTLY CLOUDY ELSEWHERE. MUCH IN LINE WITH CURRENT FORECAST GRIDS. HOURLY TEMPS HAVE FALLEN BACK IN LINE WITH GRIDS...BUT WILL LIKELY NEED TO AT LEAST TWEAK A FEW SPOTS AFTER 02Z OBSERVATIONS COME IN. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... CHATTANOOGA AIRPORT, TN 45 64 38 65 / 0 10 10 0 KNOXVILLE MCGHEE TYSON AIRPORT, TN 40 63 36 63 / 0 10 10 0 OAK RIDGE, TN 42 62 36 63 / 10 10 10 0 TRI CITIES AIRPORT, TN 36 58 34 60 / 10 20 10 0 && .MRX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NC...NONE. TN...NONE. VA...NONE. && $$ TG
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS NASHVILLE TN
1120 PM CDT SUN MAR 16 2014 .UPDATE...FOR 06Z AVIATION FORECAST && .AVIATION... SURFACE LOW CENTERED IN EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA WITH INVERTED TROUGH RUNNING UP THROUGH THE SMOKIES. MID STATE ON NORTH SIDE OF LOW WITH PRESSURE GRADIENT RATHER TIGHT. THIS WILL KEEP NORTHERLY WINDS UP OVERNIGHT AND GUSTY AT TIMES. THINK WE ARE LOOKING AT IFR/LIFR CEILINGS AND IFR VISIBILITIES OVERNIGHT AND MONDAY MORNING. BELIEVE PRECIP FOR THE MOST PART WILL LIGHT AND LIQUID BUT CLARKSVILLE COULD SEE A PERIOD OF LIGHT FREEZING DRIZZLE AFTER 10Z. RUC FORECAST SOUNDING FOR CLARKSVILLE SHOWING WARM NOSE HAS COOLED TO 1.6 DEGREES CELSIUS WITH SURFACE TEMPS RIGHT AT FREEZING AND PROBABLY BELOW BY 10Z.. MOISTURE IS 200 MBARS DEEP OFF SURFACE SO THINK THIS WILL BE LIGHT FREEZING DRIZZLE AS OPPOSED TO LIGHT FREEZING RAIN WHICH WOULD NEED A LITTLE MORE DEPTH TO THE MOISTURE. WARM NOSE AT NASHVILLE IS QUITE A BIT WARMER AT 3.5 DEGREES WITH SURFACE TEMPS FORECAST TO GO TO ABOUT 32 DEGREES LATE NIGHT...AM LOOKING FOR ALL LIQUID LIGHT RAIN/DRIZZLE FOR NASHVILLE. CROSSVILLE`S SOUNDING IS MUCH WARMER SO ALL LIQUID IS FORECAST. CONDITIONS WILL IMPROVE FIRST AT CLARKSVILLE MONDAY MORNING AND TRANSLATE EASTWARD AS THE DAY MOVES ALONG. SLUGGISH SURFACE SYSTEM NOT IN ANY HURRY TO PULL OUT AS UPPER TROUGH CONTINUES TO HOLD BACK MAKING LITTLE OR NO PROGRESS ON MY SHIFT THIS EVENING. && .OHX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ BOYD 01
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
817 PM CDT TUE MAR 18 2014 .UPDATE... SEE EVENING UPDATE. && .DISCUSSION... AT 00Z...A PRE-FRONTAL TROUGH EXTENDED FROM ABOUT TULSA TO BROWNWOOD TO DEL RIO. A COLD FRONT LAGGED THE TROUGH A BIT AND EXTENDED FROM ARDMORE TO WICHITA FALLS TO MIDLAND. 00Z SOUNDINGS SHOW PW VALUES NEAR 0.50 INCHES AND THE SOUNDINGS LOOK VERY DRY. STILL EXPECTING SOME INCREASE IN CLOUD COVER OVERNIGHT AS THE FRONT APPROACHES. THE RAP AND OTHER SHORT TERM GUIDANCE HINT AT SOME SHOWERS JUST BEHIND THE FRONT WEDNESDAY MORNING. CURRENT FORECAST MENTIONS ISOLATED SHOWERS TO COVER THIS POSSIBILITY. SEASONAL TEMPS AND DRY CONDS WILL PREVAIL IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT. ALL IN ALL...SOME NICE SPRING WEATHER TO END THE WORK WEEK. 43 && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 620 PM CDT TUE MAR 18 2014/ DISCUSSION... SEE THE 00Z AVIATION DISCUSSION BELOW. 40 AVIATION... BREEZY CONDITIONS WILL SUBSIDE QUICKLY THIS EVENING. MODEL SOUNDINGS SHOW VFR MOST LIKELY TO PERSIST THROUGH THE FRONTAL PASSAGE WEDNESDAY MORNING AT KCLL AND KUTS. AS THE FRONT MOVES INTO THE HOUSTON METRO AREA...CHANCES ARE BETTER FROM KCXO SOUTHWARD TO THE COAST FOR MVFR CEILINGS TO DEVELOP BETWEEN 08Z AND 11Z. THE FRONT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE OFF THE COAST AND VFR CONDITIONS SHOULD REDEVELOP AT KCXO...KIAH...KHOU...AND KSGR BY 16Z. HOWEVER...MVFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO PERSIST THE COASTAL AREAS AT BOTH KLBX AND KGLS THROUGHOUT THE REMAINDER OF THE DAY. 40 PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 328 PM CDT TUE MAR 18 2014/ DISCUSSION... WHILE STRONG ONSHORE WINDS HAVE PREVAILED THROUGH MOST OF THE DAY SO FAR...LOW-LEVEL RETURN MOISTURE HAS BEEN LIMITED. AS PER LOCAL SOUNDINGS THIS MORNING THERE IS QUITE A BIT OF DRY OVER THE AREA. THIS ALONG WITH THE STRONG CAP...HAVE SCALED BACK THE ALREADY LOW POPS IN FOR TOMORROW WITH THE NEXT COLD FRONT. A REINFORCING SHOT OF MILD/DRY AIR SHOULD HELP TO KEEP THINGS QUIET OVER SE TX UNTIL THE END OF THE WEEK. MODELS (NOW IN FAIRLY GOOD AGREEMENT) STILL GOING WITH INCREASING POPS OVER THE WEEKEND. AN ACTIVE/ZONAL UPPER FLOW PROGGED AS DIS- TURBANCES MOVE ACROSS FROM THE WEST. THIS COMBINED WITH A WEAKEN- ED CAP AND ANOTHER COLD FRONT DOES SEEM TO SUPPORT THE LIKELIHOOD OF CHANCE PCPN FOR THE WEEKEND. TIMING LOOKS TO BE THE MAIN ISSUE WITH THIS UPCOMING FCST SO HAVE GONE WITH A MORE BROADBRUSHED AP- PROACH WITH POP GRIDS...BUT THE BETTER CHANCES SHOULD BE WITH THE FRONT ON LATE SAT. COOLER WITH POPS TAPERING OFF FOR THE START OF NEXT WEEK IF MODELS VERIFY. 41 MARINE... STRONG ONSHORE FLOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING FRONTAL BOUNDARY. HAVE EXTENDED CAUTION THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS FOR THE FAR OFFSHORE WATERS. FRONT WILL MOVE OFFSHORE AFTER SUNRISE ON WEDNESDAY WITH ONSHORE FLOW RESUMING BY THURSDAY. NEXT FRONT EXPECTED LATE IN THE UPCOMING WEEKEND. 38 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... COLLEGE STATION (CLL) 50 71 46 74 54 / 10 10 10 10 10 HOUSTON (IAH) 54 73 48 74 54 / 10 10 10 10 10 GALVESTON (GLS) 59 72 56 68 58 / 10 10 10 10 10 && .HGX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... TX...NONE. GM...SMALL CRAFT SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION UNTIL 1 AM CDT WEDNESDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: WATERS FROM FREEPORT TO THE MATAGORDA SHIP CHANNEL 20 NM TO 60 NM...WATERS FROM HIGH ISLAND TO FREEPORT 20 TO 60 NM. && $$ DISCUSSION...43
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GREEN BAY WI
1031 PM CDT TUE MAR 18 2014 UPDATED AVIATION PORTION FOR 06Z TAF ISSUANCE AND NEW INFORMATION ADDED TO UPDATE SECTION .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 1024 PM CDT TUE MAR 18 2014 SNOW NOW FALLING ACRS MOST OF THE N AS THE BAND THAT PRODUCED BRIEF HEAVY SNOWS IN CENTRAL WI EARLIER THIS EVENING HAS SHIFTED INTO THE N. ANOTHER SLUG OF PCPN IS HEADING NEWD FM SWRN WI. THAT LOOKS LIKE IT WL IMPACT MAINLY C-NE WI OVERNIGHT. AS LONG AS WE DON/T START TO GET SIGNIFICANT OVERLAP BETWEEN THE INITIAL BAND AND THE SECOND SURGE OF PCPN...SNOWFALL AMNTS SHOULD HOLD. NO CHANGES TO THEM PLANNED AT THIS TIME. NOT MUCH CHANGE TO FCST THINKING WITH RESPECT TO PCPN TYPE IN E-C WI. STILL EXPECT WARM LAYER ALOFT TO MAKE IT NWD TO ABOUT ATG/GRB AREAS AND RESULT IN A PERIOD OF RN OR RN/SN MIX WHICH SHOULD PRECLUDE MUCH SNOW ACCUMULATION IN E-C WI UNTIL WEDNESDAY. SOME SLEET AND ZR ALSO POSSIBLE...BUT DON/T EXPECT THEM TO BE THE DOMINANT PCPN TYPE. UPDATE ISSUED AT 819 PM CDT TUE MAR 18 2014 DO NOT ANTICIPATE MAKING ANY CHANGES TO HEADLINES THIS EVENING...THOUGH WILL CONTINUE TO WATCH SITUATION AS IT EVOLVES AND COULD ALWAYS NEED TO CHANGE COURSE ON THAT. FINALLY STARTING TO ACHIEVE SATURATION IN CENTRAL WI. DESPITE INITIAL WARM BOUNDARY LAYER TEMPS...THE PCPN INTENSITY COMBINED WITH EVAPORATIVE COOLING OF THE DRY AIR AT LOW-LEVELS WAS LEADING TO SNOW. AND A BRIEF BURST OF HEAVY SNOW WAS OCCURRING. THINK IT/S PRETTY SAFE THAT THE NW 2/3 OF THE FCST AREA WILL GET ALMOST ALL SNOW...WITH PERHAPS JUST A LITTLE RAIN AT THE ONSET. STILL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SE 1/3 OF THE AREA. 00Z GRB RAOB WAS CONSISTENT WITH FCST SOUNDINGS FOR GRB. THOSE WOULD SUPPORT ENOUGH EVAPORATIVE COOLING TO GET SNOW OR MAYBE A RN/SN MIX AT THE ONSET. MODEL FCST SOUNDINGS STILL INDICATED ENOUGH WARMING IN THE 925-850 MB LAYER LATER TNGT TO SUPPORT AT LEAST PARTIAL MELTING OF THE SNOWFLAKES. BUT THE DEGREE OF WARMING IN THAT LAYER SEEMS TO BE GETTING PRUNED BACK WITH SUBSEQUENT MODEL RUNS...WITH THE LATEST RAP SOUNDINGS NOW PRETTY CLOSE TO SUPPORTING ALL SNOW. AND...THAT WOULD BE CONSISTENT WITH SFC LOW NOW TRACKING TOWARD SERN WI. WL TREND THE FCST TOWARD MORE SNOW...ESP IN GRB-ATW AREAS. LCNS TO THE S WL PROBABLY STILL GET SOME WARMING ALOFT...BUT NOT SURE BOUNDARY LAYER WL BE COLD ENOUGH IN THOSE AREAS TO GET MUCH ICING FM FZRA. SO TRENDED MORE TOWARD RAIN. SENT UPDATED GRIDS/ZONES ABOUT 15 MIN AGO TO ACCOUNT FOR BURST OF SHSN OCCURRING IN CENTRAL WI. UPDATED WSW WL BE OUT ASAP. UPDATE ISSUED AT 522 PM CDT TUE MAR 18 2014 NOT REAL KEEN ON POTENTIAL FOR MUCH FZG PCPN ACRS THE FCST AREA OVERNIGHT. SFC WET-BULB TEMPERATURES WERE AOA FZG ACRS ABOUT THE SRN 1/2 OF THE FCST AREA...AND THAT/S THE AREA WHERE WARM LAYER ALOFT WOULD SET-UP A TEMPERATURE PROFILE THAT WOULD SUPPORT FZRA. WL PROBABLY GET SOME FALL IN SFC TEMPS THIS EVENING...BUT WITH CLDS THICKENING...THAT WL PROBABLY BE ONLY A FEW DEGREES IN MOST AREAS. AT THIS POINT IT/S TOUGH TO SEE HOW SFC TEMPS WL GET COLD ENOUGH FOR ANY PCPN FALLING AS LIQUID TO RE-FREEZE ON CONTACT WITH THE GROUND/OUTDOOR SURFACES. AS FAR AS THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PCPN IS CONCERNED...DRY AIR AT LOW-LEVELS CONTINUES TO REALLY PLAY HAVOC WITH THE PCPN. RADAR MOSAIC SHOWING CONSIDERABLE RETURNS OVER SWRN WI AND MUCH OF SRN MN...BUT NO PCPN REACHING THE GROUND ACCORDING TO SFC OBS FM THESE AREAS. IN FACT...THERE AREN/T REALLY ANY CLDS AT ALL BENEATH THE PRECIPITATING /I.E. VIRGA PRODUCING/ MID-DECK. SATURATION OF LOW- LEVELS ACRS THE WRN/NWRN PART OF THE FCST AREA SHOULD OCCUR LATER THIS EVENING...THOUGH START TIME OF THE ADVISORY MIGHT BE A LITTLE EARLY. NOT READY TO MAKE SIG CHGS TO THE FCST YET AS THIS IS A VERY COMPLEX SITN AND DON/T WANT TO MAKE CHANGES NOW ONLY TO HAVE TO BACKTRACK A COUPLE HOURS LATER. WL CONT TO MONITOR...BUT IF THINGS SHOW SIGNS OF EVOLOVING AS DESCRIBED ABOVE...FCST ADJUSTMENTS WL BE NEEDED DURING THE EVENING. && .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY ISSUED AT 231 PM CDT TUE MAR 18 2014 VERY TOUGH FORECAST FOR TONIGHT...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE FOX VALLEY DUE TO WARM AIR ALOFT FLOWING NORTHWARD AHEAD OF LOW PRESSURE THAT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO MICHIGAN WEDNESDAY MORNING...AND COLD DRY AIR FILTERING SOUTHWARD DOWN THE BAY ON INCREASING NORTHEAST WINDS. LATEST NUMERICAL GUIDANCE AND BUFKIT SOUNDINGS WOULD SUGGEST THAT THERE WILL BE A PERIOD OF FREEZING RAIN LATER TONIGHT ACROSS THE FOX VALLEY...WITH MAINLY RAIN AT MANITOWOC INTO KEWAUNEE COUNTIES. TO COMPLICATE MATTERS EVEN MORE...THE ECMWF HAS TRENDED FURTHER NORTH AND A LITTLE WARMER THAN THE GFS/WRF THAT COULD LIMIT ICING POTENTIAL. WAS CONTEMPLATING A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR THE FOX VALLEY DUE TO ICING CONCERNS...BUT 12Z ECMWF HAS ME CONCERNED THAT NARROW RIBBON OF FREEZING RAIN WILL BE FURTHER WEST. WILL PASS ON CONCERNS TO EVENING SHIFT TO TAKE ONE LAST LOOK IF AN ADVISORY WOULD BE NEEDED. MAINLY SNOW IS EXPECTED NORTH OF A WISCONSIN RAPIDS TO STURGEON BAY LINE. TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES IS EXPECTED BY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON NORTH OF THE WISCONSIN RAPIDS TO STURGEON BAY LINE...WITH ONLY A COUPLE INCHES TO THE SOUTH. THE SNOW WILL TAPER OFF WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON...AND COULD BE MIXED WITH A LITTLE RAIN OVER THE SOUTH AS HIGH TEMPERATURES SHOULD REACH THE MIDDLE 30S. .LONG TERM...WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY ISSUED AT 231 PM CDT TUE MAR 18 2014 MEAN NW FLOW TO CONTINUE THRU MUCH OF LONG TERM PERIOD PROVIDING FORECAST AREA WITH TEMPS BELOW NORMAL...ESP AFTER FRIDAY...AND A COUPLE PRECIP CHANCES ASSOCIATED WITH CLIPPER ACTIVITY. NEXT SYSTEM IS THE FRIDAY/FRIDAY EVE LOW THAT MOVES ALONG THE US/CANADIAN BORDER THEN SLIDES ESE INTO WISCONSIN. AS WAS THE CASE WITH 19/00Z RUNS...19/12Z SHOWS A RANGE OF SOLUTIONS WITH GFS FARTHEST NORTH AND ECMWF FARTHEST SOUTH. PRECIP WOULD CHANGE TO ALL RAIN IN SOUTHERN HALF OF FORECAST AREA WITH NORTHERN SOLUTION. FRIDAY FORECAST A COMPROMISE BETWEEN GFS AND ECMWF WITH MIXED PRECIP INTO SOUTHERN PART OF AREA. BEYOND FRIDAY`S SYSTEM...MODELS IN GENERAL AGREEMENT AS FLOW BECOMES MORE AMPLIFIED. TROF IN EAST ALLOWS FOR SEVERAL-DAY PERIOD OF TEMPS WELL BELOW NORMAL. && .AVIATION...FOR 06Z TAF ISSUANCE ISSUED AT 1024 PM CDT TUE MAR 18 2014 COMPLEX WX SYSTEM WL CROSS THE REGION DURING THE NEXT 24 HRS. PCPN FINALLY STARTING TO BREAK OUT AS LOW-LEVELS SATURATE. EXPECT A RAPID DETERIORATION IN FLIGHT CONDITIONS DURING THE NEXT 6 HOURS AS PCPN BECOMES WIDESPREAD...WITH THE POOR CONDITIONS CONTINUING WELL INTO WEDNESDAY. && .GRB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM CDT WEDNESDAY FOR WIZ013- 020>022-031-073-074. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM CDT WEDNESDAY FOR WIZ005- 010>012-018-019-030. && $$ UPDATE.........SKOWRONSKI SHORT TERM.....ECKBERG LONG TERM......JKL AVIATION.......SKOWRONSKI
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GREEN BAY WI
832 PM CDT TUE MAR 18 2014 NEW INFORMATION ADDED TO UPDATE SECTION .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 819 PM CDT TUE MAR 18 2014 DO NOT ANTICIPATE MAKING ANY CHANGES TO HEADLINES THIS EVENING...THOUGH WILL CONTINUE TO WATCH SITUATION AS IT EVOLVES AND COULD ALWAYS NEED TO CHANGE COURSE ON THAT. FINALLY STARTING TO ACHIEVE SATURATION IN CENTRAL WI. DESPITE INITIAL WARM BOUNDARY LAYER TEMPS...THE PCPN INTENSITY COMBINED WITH EVAPORATIVE COOLING OF THE DRY AIR AT LOW-LEVELS WAS LEADING TO SNOW. AND A BRIEF BURST OF HEAVY SNOW WAS OCCURRING. THINK IT/S PRETTY SAFE THAT THE NW 2/3 OF THE FCST AREA WILL GET ALMOST ALL SNOW...WITH PERHAPS JUST A LITTLE RAIN AT THE ONSET. STILL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SE 1/3 OF THE AREA. 00Z GRB RAOB WAS CONSISTENT WITH FCST SOUNDINGS FOR GRB. THOSE WOULD SUPPORT ENOUGH EVAPORATIVE COOLING TO GET SNOW OR MAYBE A RN/SN MIX AT THE ONSET. MODEL FCST SOUNDINGS STILL INDICATED ENOUGH WARMING IN THE 925-850 MB LAYER LATER TNGT TO SUPPORT AT LEAST PARTIAL MELTING OF THE SNOWFLAKES. BUT THE DEGREE OF WARMING IN THAT LAYER SEEMS TO BE GETTING PRUNED BACK WITH SUBSEQUENT MODEL RUNS...WITH THE LATEST RAP SOUNDINGS NOW PRETTY CLOSE TO SUPPORTING ALL SNOW. AND...THAT WOULD BE CONSISTENT WITH SFC LOW NOW TRACKING TOWARD SERN WI. WL TREND THE FCST TOWARD MORE SNOW...ESP IN GRB-ATW AREAS. LCNS TO THE S WL PROBABLY STILL GET SOME WARMING ALOFT...BUT NOT SURE BOUNDARY LAYER WL BE COLD ENOUGH IN THOSE AREAS TO GET MUCH ICING FM FZRA. SO TRENDED MORE TOWARD RAIN. SENT UPDATED GRIDS/ZONES ABOUT 15 MIN AGO TO ACCOUNT FOR BURST OF SHSN OCCURRING IN CENTRAL WI. UPDATED WSW WL BE OUT ASAP. UPDATE ISSUED AT 522 PM CDT TUE MAR 18 2014 NOT REAL KEEN ON POTENTIAL FOR MUCH FZG PCPN ACRS THE FCST AREA OVERNIGHT. SFC WET-BULB TEMPERATURES WERE AOA FZG ACRS ABOUT THE SRN 1/2 OF THE FCST AREA...AND THAT/S THE AREA WHERE WARM LAYER ALOFT WOULD SET-UP A TEMPERATURE PROFILE THAT WOULD SUPPORT FZRA. WL PROBABLY GET SOME FALL IN SFC TEMPS THIS EVENING...BUT WITH CLDS THICKENING...THAT WL PROBABLY BE ONLY A FEW DEGREES IN MOST AREAS. AT THIS POINT IT/S TOUGH TO SEE HOW SFC TEMPS WL GET COLD ENOUGH FOR ANY PCPN FALLING AS LIQUID TO RE-FREEZE ON CONTACT WITH THE GROUND/OUTDOOR SURFACES. AS FAR AS THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PCPN IS CONCERNED...DRY AIR AT LOW-LEVELS CONTINUES TO REALLY PLAY HAVOC WITH THE PCPN. RADAR MOSAIC SHOWING CONSIDERABLE RETURNS OVER SWRN WI AND MUCH OF SRN MN...BUT NO PCPN REACHING THE GROUND ACCORDING TO SFC OBS FM THESE AREAS. IN FACT...THERE AREN/T REALLY ANY CLDS AT ALL BENEATH THE PRECIPITATING /I.E. VIRGA PRODUCING/ MID-DECK. SATURATION OF LOW- LEVELS ACRS THE WRN/NWRN PART OF THE FCST AREA SHOULD OCCUR LATER THIS EVENING...THOUGH START TIME OF THE ADVISORY MIGHT BE A LITTLE EARLY. NOT READY TO MAKE SIG CHGS TO THE FCST YET AS THIS IS A VERY COMPLEX SITN AND DON/T WANT TO MAKE CHANGES NOW ONLY TO HAVE TO BACKTRACK A COUPLE HOURS LATER. WL CONT TO MONITOR...BUT IF THINGS SHOW SIGNS OF EVOLOVING AS DESCRIBED ABOVE...FCST ADJUSTMENTS WL BE NEEDED DURING THE EVENING. && .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY ISSUED AT 231 PM CDT TUE MAR 18 2014 VERY TOUGH FORECAST FOR TONIGHT...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE FOX VALLEY DUE TO WARM AIR ALOFT FLOWING NORTHWARD AHEAD OF LOW PRESSURE THAT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO MICHIGAN WEDNESDAY MORNING...AND COLD DRY AIR FILTERING SOUTHWARD DOWN THE BAY ON INCREASING NORTHEAST WINDS. LATEST NUMERICAL GUIDANCE AND BUFKIT SOUNDINGS WOULD SUGGEST THAT THERE WILL BE A PERIOD OF FREEZING RAIN LATER TONIGHT ACROSS THE FOX VALLEY...WITH MAINLY RAIN AT MANITOWOC INTO KEWAUNEE COUNTIES. TO COMPLICATE MATTERS EVEN MORE...THE ECMWF HAS TRENDED FURTHER NORTH AND A LITTLE WARMER THAN THE GFS/WRF THAT COULD LIMIT ICING POTENTIAL. WAS CONTEMPLATING A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR THE FOX VALLEY DUE TO ICING CONCERNS...BUT 12Z ECMWF HAS ME CONCERNED THAT NARROW RIBBON OF FREEZING RAIN WILL BE FURTHER WEST. WILL PASS ON CONCERNS TO EVENING SHIFT TO TAKE ONE LAST LOOK IF AN ADVISORY WOULD BE NEEDED. MAINLY SNOW IS EXPECTED NORTH OF A WISCONSIN RAPIDS TO STURGEON BAY LINE. TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES IS EXPECTED BY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON NORTH OF THE WISCONSIN RAPIDS TO STURGEON BAY LINE...WITH ONLY A COUPLE INCHES TO THE SOUTH. THE SNOW WILL TAPER OFF WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON...AND COULD BE MIXED WITH A LITTLE RAIN OVER THE SOUTH AS HIGH TEMPERATURES SHOULD REACH THE MIDDLE 30S. .LONG TERM...WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY ISSUED AT 231 PM CDT TUE MAR 18 2014 MEAN NW FLOW TO CONTINUE THRU MUCH OF LONG TERM PERIOD PROVIDING FORECAST AREA WITH TEMPS BELOW NORMAL...ESP AFTER FRIDAY...AND A COUPLE PRECIP CHANCES ASSOCIATED WITH CLIPPER ACTIVITY. NEXT SYSTEM IS THE FRIDAY/FRIDAY EVE LOW THAT MOVES ALONG THE US/CANADIAN BORDER THEN SLIDES ESE INTO WISCONSIN. AS WAS THE CASE WITH 19/00Z RUNS...19/12Z SHOWS A RANGE OF SOLUTIONS WITH GFS FARTHEST NORTH AND ECMWF FARTHEST SOUTH. PRECIP WOULD CHANGE TO ALL RAIN IN SOUTHERN HALF OF FORECAST AREA WITH NORTHERN SOLUTION. FRIDAY FORECAST A COMPROMISE BETWEEN GFS AND ECMWF WITH MIXED PRECIP INTO SOUTHERN PART OF AREA. BEYOND FRIDAY`S SYSTEM...MODELS IN GENERAL AGREEMENT AS FLOW BECOMES MORE AMPLIFIED. TROF IN EAST ALLOWS FOR SEVERAL-DAY PERIOD OF TEMPS WELL BELOW NORMAL. && .AVIATION...FOR 00Z TAF ISSUANCE ISSUED AT 522 PM CDT TUE MAR 18 2014 COMPLEX WX SYSTEM WL CROSS THE REGION DURING THE NEXT 24 HRS. PRIMARILY MIDDLE AND UPPER LEVEL CLDS ACRS THE AREA NOW...WITH MAINLY VFR CONDITIONS. EXPECT FLIGHT CONDITIONS TO DETERIORATE STARTING MID-EVENING AS CLOUD BASES LOWER AND VSBYS START GETTING REDUCED BY FG AND PCPN. && .GRB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 1 AM TO 7 PM CDT WEDNESDAY FOR WIZ013-020>022-031-073-074. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM CDT WEDNESDAY FOR WIZ005- 010>012-018-019-030. && $$ UPDATE.........SKOWRONSKI SHORT TERM.....ECKBERG LONG TERM......JKL AVIATION.......SKOWRONSKI
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LA CROSSE WI
605 PM CDT TUE MAR 18 2014 .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY) ISSUED AT 255 PM CDT TUE MAR 18 2014 MAIN CONCERN IS WITH THE PRECIPITATION CHANCES TONIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY. WATER VAPOR SATELLITE THIS AFTERNOON SHOWING AN UPPER LEVEL LOW OVER NEBRASKA AND KANSAS WITH NORTHERN STREAM SHORT WAVE TROUGHS OVER NORTH DAKOTA AND MONTANA. THE 18.12Z MODELS ARE IN REASONABLY GOOD AGREEMENT IN TAKING THE UPPER LEVEL LOW TOWARD THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING AS THE TWO NORTHERN STREAM SHORT WAVE TROUGHS MOVE EAST/SOUTHEAST TOWARD THE NORTHERN GREAT LAKES. THE 18.12Z GFS INDICATES THIS WILL PATTERN WILL TAKE MODERATE PV ADVECTION IN THE 500-300 MB LAYER ACROSS THE SOUTHERN SECTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA TONIGHT AND THEN SWING MODERATE TO STRONG PV ADVECTION ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA WEDNESDAY MORNING. THIS IS EXPECTED TO LEAD TO MODERATE QG CONVERGENCE IN THE 850-500 MB LAYER THIS EVENING AND SOME LINGERING WEAK CONVERGENCE IN THE 500-300 MB LAYER THROUGH WEDNESDAY. AS THE SURFACE LOW TRACKS FROM EASTERN KANSAS INTO NORTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING...A BAND OF WEAK FRONTOGENESIS ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE OF THE LOW IS EXPECTED TO SET UP IN THE 850-500 MB LAYER. THE BEST ISENTROPIC UP GLIDE WILL OCCUR TONIGHT AHEAD OF THE SURFACE LOW WITH 2 TO 4 UBAR/S SHOWN BY THE GFS ON THE 285K SURFACE. ALL THIS FORCING WILL BE MORE THAN SUFFICIENT TO PRODUCE PRECIPITATION ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA TONIGHT. CHANGES TO THE PRECIPITATION CHANCES THAT WERE MADE WERE TO SLOW DOWN THE ARRIVAL OF THE PRECIPITATION ACROSS THE EAST TO THE LATE EVENING HOURS...CARRYING A 100 PERCENT CHANCE AFTER 06Z FOR THE ENTIRE AREA AND THEN HAVING A SHARPER BACK EDGE AS THE PRECIPITATION DEPARTS WEDNESDAY WHICH ENDS UP KEEPING MOST OF THE AREA WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER DRY FOR WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. THE MAIN CONCERN CONTINUES TO BE HOW MUCH WARM AIR WILL WRAP AROUND THE BACK SIDE OF THE SURFACE LOW. THE 18.12Z NAM SHOWS A WARMER SOLUTION THAN EITHER THE GFS OR 18.12Z ECMWF WITH THE 0C LINE FROM NORTH CENTRAL IOWA INTO CENTRAL WISCONSIN WITH ABOUT -2C OVER THE NORTHWEST SECTIONS. THE GFS HAS THE 0C LINE FARTHER SOUTHEAST...JUST BARELY INTO THE SOUTHERN SECTIONS WITH ABOUT -3C AIR OVER THE NORTHWEST. THE ECMWF IS SIMILAR TO THE GFS WITH THE 0C LINE BUT CLOSER TO THE NAM WITH -2C OVER THE NORTHWEST. ALL THE MODELS THEN SHOW THIS WARM AIR ALOFT SLIDING OUT OF THE AREA OVERNIGHT ONCE THE SURFACE LOW GOES BY. THE 18.18Z RAP LOOKS VERY SIMILAR TO THE NAM THROUGH 06Z...SO CONCERNED THAT THE WARMER SOLUTION MAY END UP BEING CORRECT. FOR NOW...SPLIT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SOLUTIONS...BUT WITH ALL OF THEM SHOWING SOME WARM AIR ALOFT...THE LEADS TO THE CONCERN FOR SOME SLEET IN THE TRANSITION BETWEEN THE RAIN TO SNOW AND HAVE ADDED THIS IN AS A POSSIBLE WEATHER TYPE. WHERE IT WILL BE COLD ENOUGH FOR PREDOMINANTLY SNOW...ACCUMULATIONS STILL LOOK TO BE 1 TO 2 INCHES ALONG AND NORTH OF I90 WITH UP TO 3 INCHES IN TAYLOR COUNTY. THUS...NOT PLANNING ANY CHANGES TO THE CURRENT WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY. .LONG TERM...(THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 255 PM CDT TUE MAR 18 2014 THE ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN LOOKS LIKE IT WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THIS PERIOD. THE NEXT SYSTEM WILL BE IN THE NORTHERN STREAM COMING IN FROM SOUTHWEST CANADA. THE CURRENT INDICATIONS FROM THE GFS AND ECMWF ARE THAT THIS SYSTEM WILL FLATTEN OUT AND MOVE ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND NORTHERN GREAT LAKES. THE INITIAL SURFACE LOW IS EXPECTED TO BE CLOSE TO THE UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM BUT THEN SHIFT SOUTH CLOSER TO THE EXISTING BAROCLINIC ZONE. THE MAIN CONCERN WITH THIS SYSTEM LOOKS TO BE WHETHER SATURATION WILL OCCUR BEFORE OR AFTER THE SURFACE LOW HAS PASSED BY THE REGION. THE ECMWF IS THE QUICKEST TO BRING THE PRECIPITATION IN THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY WHILE THE NAM AND GFS PRIMARILY KEEP THE AREA DRY ALLOWING SATURATION TO OCCUR ONCE THE LOW IS PAST THE AREA. WILL SHOW A SMALL CHANCE ACROSS THE WEST LATE THURSDAY NIGHT WITH A 30 TO 40 PERCENT CHANCE FOR MOST OF THE AREA FRIDAY. THE NEXT NORTHERN STREAM SYSTEM IS THEN EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY. THIS SYSTEM COULD BE BATTLING SOME DRY AIR IN THE LOW LEVELS AS BOTH THE GFS AND ECMWF SHOW HIGH PRESSURE AT THE SURFACE OVER THE REGION...SO FOR NOW...THIS LEADS TO 30 TO 40 PERCENT CHANCES THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z WEDNESDAY EVENING) ISSUED AT 605 PM CDT TUE MAR 18 2014 PCPN WILL MOVE ACROSS THE TAF SITES TONIGHT...GRADUALLY EXITING EAST WED MORNING. SOME MID/LOW LEVEL DRYING NEEDS TO BE OVERCOME FIRST...AS EVIDENCED VIA BUFKIT SOUNDINGS AND 88-D RADAR IMAGERY. NAM12/RAP DO A DECENT JOB WITH SHOWING A QUICKLY EXPANDING AREA OF PCPN NORTH OF THE SFC LOW...DEPICTING THE SATURATION OF THE DRY LAYER. -RA LOOKS TO BE THE PRIMARY PCPN TYPE THIS EVENING...WITH A CHANGE OVER TO -SN AS COLDER AIR WORKS IN BEHIND THE LOW OVERNIGHT. THERE COULD BE A PERIOD OF -PL...BUT NOT CONFIDENT ENOUGH TO ADD TO THE TAFS. VSBYS WILL DROP QUICKLY INTO THE 1-2SM RANGE WHEN THE RAIN TO SNOW TRANSITION OCCURS - WITH ACCUMS AROUND 1 INCH POSSIBLE. AS THE PCPN ENDS...THE WINDS WILL PICK UP WED MORNING...CONTINUING THROUGH THE BETTER PART OF THE DAY. SOME GUSTINESS CAN BE EXPECTED. && .ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WI...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 1 PM CDT WEDNESDAY FOR WIZ017. MN...NONE. IA...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...04 LONG TERM....04 AVIATION.....RIECK
FORECAST DISCUSSION FOR ROUTINE AFTERNOON FORECAST ISSUANCE

.SHORT TERM...TONIGHT AND TUESDAY ISSUED AT 309 PM CDT MON MAR 17 2014 IN A NUTSHELL...NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO PREVIOUS FORECAST EXCEPT TO TRIM BACK ON POPS ACROSS THE NORTHERN THIRD OF THE FORECAST AREA ON TUESDAY AND TWEAK TIMING OF EXIT OF LIGHT SNOW AND SNOW SHOWER ACTIVITY AFFECTING MUCH OF THE FORECAST AREA LATE THIS AFTERNOON. BROAD AND RELATIVELY ROBUST LOW TO MID-LEVEL WARM ADVECTION ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA TODAY HAS LED TO LARGE AREA OF POORLY ORGANIZED LIGHT SNOW AND SNOW SHOWER ACTIVITY. THIS PRECIPITATION HAS BEEN BATTLING STUBBORN LAYER OF DRY AIR OVER EASTCENTRAL WISCONSIN ALL DAY. BEST SATURATION HAS BEEN ACROSS THE WESTERN AND NORTHERN PORTION OF THE FORECAST AREA. SURFACE OBSERVATIONS HAVE BEEN SHOWING VISIBILITIES ACROSS NORTHCENTRAL WISCONSIN GENERALLY IN THE 1 TO 2 MILE CATEGORY GENERALLY NORTH OF HIGHWAY 29 WHICH SEEMS TO BE SUPPORTRED BY AREA WEB CAMS. LATEST RAP AND TO LESSER EXTENT GFS CONTINUE TO SUGGEST AREA OF MODEST AND MORE FOCUSED LIFT OVER CENTRAL WISCONSIN AND GRADUALLY SHIFTS IT EAST INTO EARLY EVENING. GIVEN DRY LAYER HAS BEEN BEATEN DOWN BY ONGOING LIGHT SNOW UPSTREAM AND MODEL FORECAST OF PERSISTENT LIFT INTO EARLY EVENING...LIGHT SNOW SHOULD START TO AFFECT THE NORTHEAST PORTION OF THE FORECAST OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS...ESPECIALLY NORTH OF GREEN BAY. DO NOT EXPECT MUCH MORE THAN MAYBE AN INCH OR SO ACROSS THE NORTH FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON. RUC AND HRRR GENERALLY IN AGREEMENT ON ENDING LIGHT SNOW FROM WEST TO EAST EARLY THIS EVENING...PROBABALY AROUND 01Z TO 02Z. SHORT-TERM GUIDANCE GENERALLY IN CONCERT ON A PERIOD OF DRY CONDITIONS THROUGH ABOUT 09Z BEFORE BAND OF MORE ORGANIZED LIGHT SNOW DEVELOPS FROM CENTRAL MINNESOTA TO NORTHERN WISCONSIN. THIS INITIAL SNOW BAND FORCED BY WAA AND FRONTOGENESIS...MAY CLIP THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE FORECAST AREA ALONG AND NORTH OF HIGHWAY 2 TOWARD DAYBREAK. THEN AS THE AFTERNOON WEARS ON...BAND SHOULD BEGIN TO ROTATE NORTHWARD INTO WESTERN UPPER MICHIGAN AND LAKE SUPERIOR. FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST AREA LOOKS MAINLY DRY BUT CLOUDY. ALTHOUGH TEMPERATURES SHOULD REBOUND INTO THE UPPER 30S TO AROUND 40...BRISK EASTERLY WINDS WILL MAKE IT FEEL COLDER. .LONG TERM...TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY ISSUED AT 309 PM CDT MON MAR 17 2014 FOCUS CONTINUES TO BE ON THE STORM SYSTEM TRACKING OVER THE REGION TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY. PRECIPITATION TYPE AS WELL AS THE LONG DURATION OF THE EVENT PROVIDES A BIG CHALLENGE WITH RESPECT TO TIMING OF HEADLINES...OR IF HEADLINES ARE NEEDED AT THIS TIME. WITH THE INITIAL WAA PCPN LIFTED NORTH OF THE AREA OR PERHAPS OVER FAR NORTHERN WISCONSIN TUESDAY...MUCH OF THE FORECAST AREA AT THE ONSET WILL SEE PCPN REDEVELOPING FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST AS THE STORM SYSTEM TRACKS NORTHEAST FROM IOWA. DRY FORECAST SOUNDINGS TUESDAY AFTERNOON SATURATE QUICKLY TUESDAY EVENING TO PRODUCE AN ASSORTMENT OF R/ZR/IP/S OVER LOCATIONS WITH MAINLY SNOW OVER THE NORTH. WITH A RATHER WARM BOUNDARY...WILL KEEP THE ZR WORDING MINIMAL. MODEL POSITION AND TIMING OF THE SURFACE AND H850 LOWS STILL NOT SETTLED WHICH WILL IMPACT PCPN TYPE AS WELL AS A REGION OF HEAVIER SNOW. IN ADDITION SLOWER START TO THE EVENT WILL LIKELY SPREAD WARMER AIR NORTHWARD TO HOLD SNOW AMOUNTS DOWN OVER CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST WISCONSIN. BUT A BLEND OF GFS/ECMWF/NAM MODELS ARE IN FAIRLY GOOD AGREEMENT WITH TRACKING THE H850 LOW OVER CENTRAL WISCONSIN TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY. THE H850 LOW AND SURFACE LOW ARE SLOWER ALONG WITH A HINT OF A H500 NEGATIVE TROUGH FEATURE. WITH HEIGHT 700 TEMPS COLDEST OVER NORTHWEST WISCONSIN INCLUDING PARTS OF NORTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN...WILL INCLUDE VILAS COUNTY IN A WINTER STORM WATCH FOR NOW. THE UKMET AND GEM WERE A BIT FURTHER SOUTH WITH THE SURFACE LOW AND IF THE OTHER MODELS TREND THAT WAY LATER ON...ADJUSTMENTS WILL BE NEEDED WITH THE HEADLINES. AFTER BLUSTERY DAY WEDNESDAY WITH SNOW DIMINISHING...A WEAK RIDGE SLIDES OVER THURSDAY FOR COLD BUT QUIET CONDITIONS. ANOTHER SHORT WAVE SLIDES OVER THE REGION FRIDAY INTO FRIDAY NIGHT FOR ANOTHER CHANCE OF MAINLY SNOW. FOLLOWED BY COLDER AIR AND DRIER CONDITIONS FOR THE WEEKEND. && .AVIATION...FOR 18Z TAF ISSUANCE ISSUED AT 136 PM CDT MON MAR 17 2014 VARIABLE CIGS AND VSBYS ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. BROAD BUT ROBUST WARM AIR ADVECTION OVER THE FORECAST AREA HAS GENERATED AREA OF LIGHT SNOW AND SNOW SHOWERS MAINLY OVER CENTRAL AND NORTHERN WISCONSIN. FOR THE MOST PART THE ACTIVITY HAS BEEN POORLY ORGANIZED. AS THIS ACTIVITY MOVES EAST...IT HAS ENCOUNTERED RATHER DRY AIR OVER NORTHEAST AND EASTCENTRAL WISCONSIN...WHERE LIGHT SNOW HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE SURFACE. EXPECT PRIMARILY MVFR CIGS AND VSBYS TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON HOURS. COULD BE BRIEF PERIODS OF IFR CIGS AND VSBYS WITH HEAVIEST SNOW SHOWER ACTIVITY...ESPECIALLY AT RHI AND PERHAPS AUW. THE LIGHT SNOW SHOULD GRADUALLY WANE AND PUSH ENE OUT OF THE FORECAST AREA DURING THE EARLY EVENING HOURS...WITH A RETURN TO MAINLY VFR CONDITIONS...EXCEPT PERHAPS ACROSS THE FAR N AND NE WHERE LINGERING MFVR CONDITIONS UNTIL LATE EVENING. PRIMARY STORM SYSTEM THEN TO APPROACH THE FORECAST AREA ON TUESDAY...BUT IT APPEARS BULK OF PRECIPITATION WILL STAY NORTH OF THE FORECAST AREA DURING THE DAY ON TUESDAY...WITH MAINLY VFR CONDITIONS WITH CIGS AOA 8000 FEET FOR MOST OF THE DAY. && .GRB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER STORM WATCH FROM TUESDAY EVENING THROUGH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON FOR WIZ005. && $$ SHORT TERM.....ESB LONG TERM......TDH AVIATION.......ESB
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LA CROSSE WI
1216 PM CDT MON MAR 17 2014 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 723 AM CDT MON MAR 17 2014 PRECIPITATION IS BECOMING MORE WIDESPREAD ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA AS LOW LEVEL WARM AIR ADVECTION INCREASES ACROSS THE REGION. THE LOW LEVEL WARM LAYER IS PUSHING A BIT FURTHER TO THE EAST PER THE 17.11Z RAP WHICH TAKES A +1C TO +3C WARM NOSE AROUND 800MB INTO SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA AND NORTHEAST IOWA THROUGH THIS MORNING. SO FAR...THERE HAVE NOT BEEN MANY OBSERVATIONS SHOWING SNOW IN SC MN...RATHER SLEET/UP WHERE THIS WARM LAYER IS IN PLACE. FURTHER EAST ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN...THE DRY LOW LEVEL AIR...AS NOTED ON THE 17.12Z MPX RAOB...BETWEEN 850-700MB HAS KEPT ANY OF THE SNOW FROM REACHING THE GROUND DESPITE COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF RADAR RETURNS PICKING UP ON THE MID LEVEL PRECIP. SHORT TERM GUIDANCE SUGGESTS THAT THIS LAYER SHOULD START TO SATURATE OUT LATER THIS MORNING AS THE MORE POTENT WAVE MOVES IN FROM THE WEST. THE WARM NOSE DOES NOT LOOK LIKE IT WILL MAKE IT EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI UNTIL MID AFTERNOON WHEN MOST OF THE PRECIPITATION SHOULD BE DONE. WILL MAINTAIN THE CURRENT SNOW FORECAST AND ALSO ADD IN SOME SLEET TO PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA/NORTHEAST IOWA THE MORNING/EARLY AFTERNOON. && .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 348 AM CDT MON MAR 17 2014 IMMEDIATE CONCERN WILL BE ACCUMULATING SNOW MAINLY NORTH OF I-94 TODAY...THEN FOCUS TURNS TO RAIN CHANCES TUESDAY. SURFACE MAP EARLY THIS MORNING HAS LOW PRESSURE MOVING INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS WITH A WARM FRONT EXTENDING SOUTHEASTWARD INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS. IR SATELLITE SHOWING A GOOD STREAM OF WARM AIR ADVECTION MID-CLOUD PUSHING INTO THE REGION AHEAD OF THE LOW AND WARM FRONT. RADAR MOSAIC WAS SHOWING SOME ECHOES OUT OF THIS CLOUD ACROSS NORTHERN WI...BUT NOTHING FALLING AT GROUND LEVEL DUE TO DRIER LOWER LEVELS. ALSO...FARTHER UPSTREAM...RADAR MOSAIC WAS SHOWING AN INCREASING BAND OF PRECIPITATION MOVING SOUTHEAST ACROSS ND IN STRONGER WAA/ISENTROPIC LIFT. THIS BAND IS EXPECTED TO TRANSLATE SOUTHEAST INTO AREAS NORTHEAST OF I-94 THIS MORNING. MORE ON THIS LATER. OTHERWISE...CLOUDS AND INCREASING SOUTH WINDS HAVE PRETTY MUCH SHUT DOWN THE TEMPERATURE SLIDE OVERNIGHT WITH READINGS EARLY THIS MORNING IN THE TEENS TO AROUND 20 DEGREES. FOR TODAY...LOOKING FOR THE WAVE OF LOW PRESSURE TO SLIDE EAST ALONG THE CANADIAN/U.S BORDER...PUSHING A WARM FRONT TO INTO THE REGION TODAY. INCREASING ISENTROPIC LIFT AND FAIRLY STRONG 850-700MB FRONTOGENESIS ASSOCIATED WITH THE WAVE AND WARM FRONT DEPICTED BY THE RAP/NAM...MOVES INTO AREAS ALONG/NORTH OF I-94 THIS MORNING. THIS FORCING IS EXPECTED TO SET UP A BAND OF LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOWFALL ALONG/NORTHEAST OF I-94 THIS MORNING...LASTING THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON. RIGHT NOW...FAIRLY CONFIDENT 1 TO 3 INCHES OF SNOW WILL FALL IN THIS AREA WITH THE HIGHER-END AMOUNTS FOCUSED ACROSS CLARK/TAYLOR COUNTIES. WILL HAVE TO MONITOR THIS FORCING CLOSELY FOR SNOWBURST POTENTIAL WHICH COULD LAY DOWN LOCALLY HEAVIER AMOUNTS WHICH MAY WARRANT HEADLINES. OTHERWISE...TEMPERATURES MODERATE SOME TODAY WITH HIGHS RANGING FROM AROUND 30 ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL WI...TO THE UPPER 30S ACROSS NORTHEAST IA/FAR SOUTHWEST WI. FOR TONIGHT...WILL BE MONITORING STRONG SURFACE CYCLOGENESIS OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS WHICH WILL PUSH ANOTHER WARM FRONT THROUGH THE REGION. LIFT AHEAD OF THE FRONT COULD PRODUCE A LIGHT DUSTING OF SNOW ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL WI BEFORE PUSHING THROUGH BY MIDNIGHT. FAIRLY BREEZY SOUTHEAST WINDS AHEAD OF THE SURFACE LOW OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS EXPECTED TO KEEP TEMPERATURES UP OVERNIGHT IN THE 20S TO AROUND 30 DEGREES. ON TUESDAY...THE DEEP SURFACE LOW WILL MOVE INTO SOUTHERN IA WITH MAIN DEFORMATION PRECIPITATION SETTING UP ACROSS NEB INTO NORTHERN MN. MODELS SHOWING LIGHTER PRECIPITATION DEVELOPING OVER OUR REGION IN ISENTROPIC LIFT WITHIN THE WARM SECTOR OF THE LOW MAINLY DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS. TEMPERATURES WARMING INTO THE UPPER 30S TO MIDDLE 40S WOULD SUPPORT MAINLY RAIN WITH GENERALLY LESS THAN A TENTH OF AN INCH EXPECTED. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 348 AM CDT MON MAR 17 2014 MAIN CONCERN IS ON THE POTENT STORM SYSTEM AFFECTING THE AREA TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY WITH RAIN CHANGING TO SNOW AND STRONG WIND. MODEL CONSENSUS TAKES THE DEEP SURFACE LOW THROUGH THE REGION TUESDAY NIGHT AND THEN INTO UPPER MI DURING THE DAY WEDNESDAY. THIS WOULD KEEP WARMER AIR WRAPPED INTO OUR AREA FOR A SLOWER TRANSITION FROM RAIN TO SNOW TUESDAY NIGHT AND THUS LIMITING SNOWFALL AMOUNTS INTO WEDNESDAY IN THE 1-2 INCH RANGE. RIGHT NOW...MORE CONFIDENT ON HEAVIER SNOW BAND SETTING UP FARTHER NORTHWEST ACROSS CENTRAL/NORTHEAST MN...BUT WILL OF COURSE HAVE TO KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON THE MODEL TREND FOR THE EXACT TRACK. ANY SHIFT WITH THE TRACK FARTHER SOUTHEAST COULD EASILY SHIFT THE HEAVIER SNOW INTO OUR AREA. OTHER FACET OF THIS STORM WILL BE STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS ON THE BACKSIDE OF THE LOW IN THE 20-30 MPH RANGE WITH GUSTS APPROACHING 40 MPH IN THE MORE WIND-PRONE AREAS OF SOUTHEAST MN/NORTHEAST IA. THIS MAY WARRANT THE POTENTIAL FOR WIND HEADLINES...OR COULD BE WINTER HEADLINES IF HEAVIER SNOWFALL MATERIALIZES WITH THE WINDS. LOOKS LIKE A QUIET BREAK WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE MOVES INTO THE REGION. HIGHS ON THURSDAY EXPECTED TO BE A FEW DEGREES BELOW NORMAL...TOPPING OFF IN THE MID 30S TO LOWER 40S. MODELS SHOWING A MID-LEVEL TROUGH COMING ACROSS THE PLAINS INTO THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT WITH FRONTOGENETICALLY-FORCED PRECIPITATION POSSIBLY SETTING UP ACROSS THE AREA. COULD BE A RAIN/SNOW MIX INITIALLY THURSDAY NIGHT...GOING OVER TO SNOW LATE IN THE NIGHT...AND BACK TO RAIN WITH WARMING ON FRIDAY INTO THE MID 30S/LOWER 40S. MODELS THEN SHOWING A COLD SIGNAL FOR NEXT WEEKEND AS A LARGE AREA OF CANADIAN HIGH PRESSURE SLIDES SOUTHEAST INTO THE REGION. LOOKS LIKE WELL BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES WITH HIGHS SATURDAY AND SUNDAY LOOKING TO TOP OFF IN THE 20S AND 30S. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 1216 PM CDT MON MAR 17 2014 RADAR TRENDS INDICATE THE BAND OF PRECIPITATION HAS ALREADY MOVED PAST KRST AND WILL BE PAST KLSE BY 18Z...THUS PLAN TO START BOTH TAFS WITHOUT ANY PRECIPITATION. MID LEVEL VFR CEILINGS BEHIND THE PRECIPITATION AND LOOKING AT VISIBLE SATELLITE AND OBSERVATIONS BACK TO THE WEST...EXPECT TO SEE THESE MID LEVEL CLOUDS MOVE OUT DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON WITH EITHER A HIGH VFR CEILING OR HIGH SCATTERED CLOUDS FOR MUCH OF THE NIGHT. THE WINDS WILL SETTLE DOWN EARLY THIS EVENING AS THE LOW LEVEL INVERSION DEVELOPS AND CUTS OFF THE MIXING. AS THE NEXT SYSTEM STARTS TO APPROACH FROM THE WEST TUESDAY...IT APPEARS THE AREA SHOULD REMAIN IN THE WARM SECTOR. THIS WILL KEEP THE WINDS OUT OF THE SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST AND ALSO KEEP THE DEEPER MOISTURE OFF TO THE NORTHWEST THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY. APPEARS THAT THE FORCING WILL BECOME STRONG ENOUGH FOR PRECIPITATION TO DEVELOP FROM THIS SYSTEM...BUT CURRENT TIMING WOULD PLACE THIS BETWEEN 18Z TUESDAY AND 00Z WEDNESDAY. && .ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WI...NONE. MN...NONE. IA...NONE. && $$ UPDATE...HALBACH SHORT TERM...DAS LONG TERM...DAS AVIATION...04
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LA CROSSE WI
723 AM CDT MON MAR 17 2014 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 723 AM CDT MON MAR 17 2014 PRECIPITATION IS BECOMING MORE WIDESPREAD ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA AS LOW LEVEL WARM AIR ADVECTION INCREASES ACROSS THE REGION. THE LOW LEVEL WARM LAYER IS PUSHING A BIT FURTHER TO THE EAST PER THE 17.11Z RAP WHICH TAKES A +1C TO +3C WARM NOSE AROUND 800MB INTO SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA AND NORTHEAST IOWA THROUGH THIS MORNING. SO FAR...THERE HAVE NOT BEEN MANY OBSERVATIONS SHOWING SNOW IN SC MN...RATHER SLEET/UP WHERE THIS WARM LAYER IS IN PLACE. FURTHER EAST ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN...THE DRY LOW LEVEL AIR...AS NOTED ON THE 17.12Z MPX RAOB...BETWEEN 850-700MB HAS KEPT ANY OF THE SNOW FROM REACHING THE GROUND DESPITE COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF RADAR RETURNS PICKING UP ON THE MID LEVEL PRECIP. SHORT TERM GUIDANCE SUGGESTS THAT THIS LAYER SHOULD START TO SATURATE OUT LATER THIS MORNING AS THE MORE POTENT WAVE MOVES IN FROM THE WEST. THE WARM NOSE DOES NOT LOOK LIKE IT WILL MAKE IT EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI UNTIL MID AFTERNOON WHEN MOST OF THE PRECIPITATION SHOULD BE DONE. WILL MAINTAIN THE CURRENT SNOW FORECAST AND ALSO ADD IN SOME SLEET TO PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA/NORTHEAST IOWA THE MORNING/EARLY AFTERNOON. && .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 348 AM CDT MON MAR 17 2014 IMMEDIATE CONCERN WILL BE ACCUMULATING SNOW MAINLY NORTH OF I-94 TODAY...THEN FOCUS TURNS TO RAIN CHANCES TUESDAY. SURFACE MAP EARLY THIS MORNING HAS LOW PRESSURE MOVING INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS WITH A WARM FRONT EXTENDING SOUTHEASTWARD INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS. IR SATELLITE SHOWING A GOOD STREAM OF WARM AIR ADVECTION MID-CLOUD PUSHING INTO THE REGION AHEAD OF THE LOW AND WARM FRONT. RADAR MOSAIC WAS SHOWING SOME ECHOES OUT OF THIS CLOUD ACROSS NORTHERN WI...BUT NOTHING FALLING AT GROUND LEVEL DUE TO DRIER LOWER LEVELS. ALSO...FARTHER UPSTREAM...RADAR MOSAIC WAS SHOWING AN INCREASING BAND OF PRECIPITATION MOVING SOUTHEAST ACROSS ND IN STRONGER WAA/ISENTROPIC LIFT. THIS BAND IS EXPECTED TO TRANSLATE SOUTHEAST INTO AREAS NORTHEAST OF I-94 THIS MORNING. MORE ON THIS LATER. OTHERWISE...CLOUDS AND INCREASING SOUTH WINDS HAVE PRETTY MUCH SHUT DOWN THE TEMPERATURE SLIDE OVERNIGHT WITH READINGS EARLY THIS MORNING IN THE TEENS TO AROUND 20 DEGREES. FOR TODAY...LOOKING FOR THE WAVE OF LOW PRESSURE TO SLIDE EAST ALONG THE CANADIAN/U.S BORDER...PUSHING A WARM FRONT TO INTO THE REGION TODAY. INCREASING ISENTROPIC LIFT AND FAIRLY STRONG 850-700MB FRONTOGENESIS ASSOCIATED WITH THE WAVE AND WARM FRONT DEPICTED BY THE RAP/NAM...MOVES INTO AREAS ALONG/NORTH OF I-94 THIS MORNING. THIS FORCING IS EXPECTED TO SET UP A BAND OF LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOWFALL ALONG/NORTHEAST OF I-94 THIS MORNING...LASTING THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON. RIGHT NOW...FAIRLY CONFIDENT 1 TO 3 INCHES OF SNOW WILL FALL IN THIS AREA WITH THE HIGHER-END AMOUNTS FOCUSED ACROSS CLARK/TAYLOR COUNTIES. WILL HAVE TO MONITOR THIS FORCING CLOSELY FOR SNOWBURST POTENTIAL WHICH COULD LAY DOWN LOCALLY HEAVIER AMOUNTS WHICH MAY WARRANT HEADLINES. OTHERWISE...TEMPERATURES MODERATE SOME TODAY WITH HIGHS RANGING FROM AROUND 30 ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL WI...TO THE UPPER 30S ACROSS NORTHEAST IA/FAR SOUTHWEST WI. FOR TONIGHT...WILL BE MONITORING STRONG SURFACE CYCLOGENESIS OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS WHICH WILL PUSH ANOTHER WARM FRONT THROUGH THE REGION. LIFT AHEAD OF THE FRONT COULD PRODUCE A LIGHT DUSTING OF SNOW ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL WI BEFORE PUSHING THROUGH BY MIDNIGHT. FAIRLY BREEZY SOUTHEAST WINDS AHEAD OF THE SURFACE LOW OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS EXPECTED TO KEEP TEMPERATURES UP OVERNIGHT IN THE 20S TO AROUND 30 DEGREES. ON TUESDAY...THE DEEP SURFACE LOW WILL MOVE INTO SOUTHERN IA WITH MAIN DEFORMATION PRECIPITATION SETTING UP ACROSS NEB INTO NORTHERN MN. MODELS SHOWING LIGHTER PRECIPITATION DEVELOPING OVER OUR REGION IN ISENTROPIC LIFT WITHIN THE WARM SECTOR OF THE LOW MAINLY DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS. TEMPERATURES WARMING INTO THE UPPER 30S TO MIDDLE 40S WOULD SUPPORT MAINLY RAIN WITH GENERALLY LESS THAN A TENTH OF AN INCH EXPECTED. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 348 AM CDT MON MAR 17 2014 MAIN CONCERN IS ON THE POTENT STORM SYSTEM AFFECTING THE AREA TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY WITH RAIN CHANGING TO SNOW AND STRONG WIND. MODEL CONSENSUS TAKES THE DEEP SURFACE LOW THROUGH THE REGION TUESDAY NIGHT AND THEN INTO UPPER MI DURING THE DAY WEDNESDAY. THIS WOULD KEEP WARMER AIR WRAPPED INTO OUR AREA FOR A SLOWER TRANSITION FROM RAIN TO SNOW TUESDAY NIGHT AND THUS LIMITING SNOWFALL AMOUNTS INTO WEDNESDAY IN THE 1-2 INCH RANGE. RIGHT NOW...MORE CONFIDENT ON HEAVIER SNOW BAND SETTING UP FARTHER NORTHWEST ACROSS CENTRAL/NORTHEAST MN...BUT WILL OF COURSE HAVE TO KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON THE MODEL TREND FOR THE EXACT TRACK. ANY SHIFT WITH THE TRACK FARTHER SOUTHEAST COULD EASILY SHIFT THE HEAVIER SNOW INTO OUR AREA. OTHER FACET OF THIS STORM WILL BE STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS ON THE BACKSIDE OF THE LOW IN THE 20-30 MPH RANGE WITH GUSTS APPROACHING 40 MPH IN THE MORE WIND-PRONE AREAS OF SOUTHEAST MN/NORTHEAST IA. THIS MAY WARRANT THE POTENTIAL FOR WIND HEADLINES...OR COULD BE WINTER HEADLINES IF HEAVIER SNOWFALL MATERIALIZES WITH THE WINDS. LOOKS LIKE A QUIET BREAK WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE MOVES INTO THE REGION. HIGHS ON THURSDAY EXPECTED TO BE A FEW DEGREES BELOW NORMAL...TOPPING OFF IN THE MID 30S TO LOWER 40S. MODELS SHOWING A MID-LEVEL TROUGH COMING ACROSS THE PLAINS INTO THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT WITH FRONTOGENETICALLY-FORCED PRECIPITATION POSSIBLY SETTING UP ACROSS THE AREA. COULD BE A RAIN/SNOW MIX INITIALLY THURSDAY NIGHT...GOING OVER TO SNOW LATE IN THE NIGHT...AND BACK TO RAIN WITH WARMING ON FRIDAY INTO THE MID 30S/LOWER 40S. MODELS THEN SHOWING A COLD SIGNAL FOR NEXT WEEKEND AS A LARGE AREA OF CANADIAN HIGH PRESSURE SLIDES SOUTHEAST INTO THE REGION. LOOKS LIKE WELL BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES WITH HIGHS SATURDAY AND SUNDAY LOOKING TO TOP OFF IN THE 20S AND 30S. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z TUESDAY MORNING) ISSUED AT 630 AM CDT MON MAR 17 2014 THE MAIN FOCUS IS ON THIS MORNING WITH A BAND OF SNOW THAT MAY COME THROUGH THE TAF SITES. THIS AREA OF FOCUS IS JUST OFF TO THE WEST IN SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA...BUT MUCH OF IT HAS YET TO REACH THE GROUND OR CAUSE ANY LOWER CEILINGS/VIS. FORECAST GUIDANCE SUGGESTS THAT THIS SNOW SHOULD BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD AND START REACHING THE GROUND OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS...BUT CONFIDENCE IS NOT VERY HIGH IN THIS OCCURRING WITH HOW THE DRY AIR HAS BEEN HOLDING THE SNOW BACK SO FAR. SHOULD THE SNOW DEVELOP...SOME OFF AND ON DROPS TO MVFR/IFR VISIBILITY ARE POSSIBLE. OTHERWISE...CEILINGS WILL BE VFR THROUGH THE PERIOD BETWEEN 8-10KFT WITH WINDS STAYING OUT OF THE SOUTH AND BEING GUSTY AT 20-30KTS THIS AFTERNOON. && .ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WI...NONE. MN...NONE. IA...NONE. && $$ UPDATE...HALBACH SHORT TERM...DAS LONG TERM...DAS AVIATION...HALBACH
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS NORTHERN INDIANA
417 AM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 408 AM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 RAIN CHANCES WILL INCREASE THIS MORNING AS AN UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM APPROACHES THE REGION FROM THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. AN ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE THIS MORNING. PRECIPITATION WILL DIMINISH LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING...POSSIBLY ENDING AS A MIX OF SCATTERED RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS. IN ADDITION TO THE INCREASING CHANCES OF RAIN TODAY...WINDS WILL STRENGTHEN WITH GUSTS AS HIGH AS 35 MPH. COLDER AIR WILL RETURN TO THE REGION TONIGHT BEHIND THIS SYSTEM. && .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 408 AM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 AN ACTIVE SHORT WAVE PATTERN WILL AFFECT THE GREAT LAKES AND OHIO VALLEY TODAY WITH INCREASING RAIN CHANCES THIS MORNING FROM WEST TO EAST. WATER VAPOR IMAGERY EARLY THIS MORNING DEPICTING A FAIRLY VIGOROUS SHORT WAVE TRACKING ACROSS NORTHERN INDIANA. SOME WEAK POOLING OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE HAS BEEN NOTED PER RAP ANALYSES ALONG LOW LEVEL WARM FRONTAL ZONE...BUT OVERALL SIGNIFICANT MOISTURE DEPTH HAS BEEN LACKING WITH THIS LEAD VORT MAX. PRIMARY LOW LEVEL MOIST TONGUE WILL BE ADVECTED EASTWARD ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH 12Z IN ADVANCE OF A STRONG VORT MAX KICKING OUT OF CENTRAL MISSOURI. A PLUME OF STEEP MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES ACCOMPANYING LOW LEVEL THERMAL RIDGING IN ADVANCE OFF THIS WAVE WILL ALSO LIFT INTO THE AREA TOWARD DAYBREAK. COMBINATION OF THIS SHORT WAVE AND NOTABLE UPPER DVG IN LEFT EXIT REGION OF A 130 KNOT JET CORE NOSING INTO WESTERN KENTUCKY/SOUTHERN INDIANA SHOULD ALLOW FOR CONTINUED EXPANSION OF RAIN SHOWERS ACROSS MUCH OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS...WITH EVEN A FEW ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE GIVEN DYNAMICS/STEEP MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES. GREATEST CONCENTRATION OF RAIN SHOWERS THIS MORNING APPEARS TO BE SETTING UP ESPECIALLY ACROSS NORTHWEST HALF OF THE AREA GIVEN NORTHEAST TRACK OF EASTERN MISSOURI VORT MAX. BY LATE MORNING/EARLY AFTERNOON...PREFRONTAL CONFLUENT ZONE ACROSS EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE AREA SHOULD TEND TO INCREASE FRONTAL RESPONSE IN ADVANCE OF THIS SHORT WAVE...AND GIVEN AFOREMENTIONED UPPER DVG FIELDS ASSOCIATED WITH UPPER JET STREAK...WILL CONTINUE WITH CATEGORICAL POPS ACROSS THE EAST DURING THIS PERIOD. WITH PROGRESSIVE NATURE OF THIS PATTERN...RAINFALL AMOUNTS STILL EXPECTED GENERALLY IN THE QUARTER OF AN INCH OR LESS RANGE...BUT SOME LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH EMBEDDED STRONGER CONVECTIVE ELEMENTS THIS MORNING/EARLY AFTERNOON. BEST CHANCE OF THUNDER DOES APPEAR TO BE IN PREFRONTAL ENVIRONMENT THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON BEFORE STEEPER MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES SHIFT EAST AND NORTH OF THE AREA. DIFFICULT DIURNAL TREND TO RESOLVE TEMPERATURE WISE TODAY GIVEN EFFECTS FROM PRECIPITATION AND STRONGER CAA LATER THIS AFTERNOON...BUT WARMEST HIGHS AROUND 50 STILL APPEAR TO BE IN STORE FOR SOUTHEAST LOCATIONS...WITH FALLING TEMPERATURES IN THE AFTERNOON ACROSS THE WEST. BY LATE THIS AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING...TRANSITION TO NEUTRAL OR A SLIGHT NEGATIVELY TILTED UPPER TROUGH WILL FAVOR DEEPEST MOISTURE LINGERING ACROSS THE FAR NORTH WITH TROWAL WRAPPING BACK TO THE WEST. ADDITIONAL NORTHERN STREAM WAVES DROPPING INTO THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES SHOULD ALLOW FOR CONTINUED SCT RAIN/SNOW SHOWERS ACROSS ESPECIALLY NORTHERN HALF OF THE AREA THIS EVENING. MARGINAL WET BULB PROFILES AND PROGRESSION OF DEEPER MOISTURE PROFILES EAST OF THE AREA EARLIER IN THE DAY SHOULD PREVENT ANY SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...ALTHOUGH CANNOT COMPLETELY RULE OUT A DUSTING ACROSS THE FAR NORTH/NORTHEAST TONIGHT BEFORE BETTER MID LEVEL MOISTURE LIFTS NORTH OF THE AREA. SOME PATCHY DRIZZLE/FREEZING DRIZZLE MAY ALSO BE POSSIBLE VERY LATE TONIGHT AS MOISTURE DEPTH DIMINISHES AND AS CONTINUED SHEARED VORTICES DROP INTO THE AREA FROM THE NORTHWEST. HOWEVER...WILL OMIT MENTION IN FORECAST AT THIS TIME WITH LOW CONFIDENCE IN OCCURRENCE AND SHORT DURATION OF THIS POTENTIAL. WELL MIXED LOW LEVELS/CLOUD COVER SHOULD LIMIT MINS TONIGHT FROM THE UPPER 20S TO LOWER 30S. && .LONG TERM...(THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 408 AM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 FLATTER PACIFIC DOMINANT FLOW REGIME EXPECTED THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY...WITH LARGE TEMPERATURE SWINGS DAY TO DAY. MODEST HEIGHT RISES IN WAKE OF TODAY`S UPPER TROUGH WILL ALLOW WEAK RIDGING TO BRIEFLY BUILD IN THURSDAY INTO EARLY THURSDAY EVENING. A NORTHERN STREAM SHORTWAVE NOW JUST OFF THE BRITISH COLUMBIA COAST WILL WORK QUICK EAST-SOUTHEAST TO THE UPPER MIDWEST FRIDAY AND THE GREAT LAKES FRIDAY NIGHT. LEFTOVER BAROCLINIC ZONE WILL LIFT NORTHEAST INTO THE AREA LATER THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY IN RESPONSE TO UPSTREAM HEIGHT FALLS. MAY SEE A NARROW BAND OF LIGHT PRECIP (RAIN/SNOW MIX) DEVELOP LATER THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING AS CONVERGENCE BRIEFLY INCREASES/DEEPENS ALONG BOUNDARY ON NOSE OF DEVELOPING LLJ...WITH SOME ADDED ASCENT FROM AN APPROACHING LEAD/WEAK/SHEARED MID LEVEL IMPULSE. SHIFTED AXIS OF HIGHER CHC POPS SOUTH INTO THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE FA GIVEN TRENDS IN 12/00Z MODELS. REGARDLESS...EXPECT ANY RAIN/SNOW AMOUNTS TO BE LIGHT WITH NO HYDRO/TRAVEL CONCERNS ANTICIPATED. STRONG WARM ADVECTION AND MAINLY DRY CONDITIONS ANTICIPATED LATER FRIDAY MORNING INTO FRIDAY AFTERNOON AS FRONTAL BOUNDARY ATTEMPTS TO LIFT NORTH INTO SOUTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN. ENOUGH INSOLATION WITH 925 MB TEMPS SURGING TO BTW 10-12C WITHIN THERMAL RIDGE BY LATE IN THE DAY SHOULD ALLOW HIGHS TO REACH THE MID 50S TO LOW 60S ACROSS MUCH OF OUR INDIANA/OHIO ZONES. THIS WARM UP WILL UNFORTUNATELY BE SHORT LIVED AS AFOREMENTIONED NORTHERN STREAM PV ANOMALY AND ASSOCIATED DEEPENING SFC REFLECTION TRACKING EAST THROUGH MICHIGAN FORCES A COLD FRONT THROUGH THE AREA FRIDAY NIGHT. EXPECT AT LEAST A BROKEN LINE OF RAIN SHOWERS TO ACCOMPANY THE COLD FRONT WITH TEMPS 15 OR SO DEGREES COOLER ON SATURDAY IN WAKE OF FRONT. A TREND TOWARD EVEN COLDER TEMPS ANTICIPATED BEHIND A SECONDARY ARCTIC FRONT SUNDAY INTO NEXT WEEK AS RIDGE AMPLIFIES ALONG THE WEST COAST FORCING BROAD DOWNSTREAM TROUGHING INTO EASTERN NORTH AMERICA. MODELS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT IN BUILDING A SFC HIGH OF NORTHWEST CANADA ORIGINS SOUTHEAST INTO THE LOCAL AREA SUNDAY INTO MONDAY. THIS SHOULD RESULT IN DRY/COLD CONDITIONS BEFORE A CLIPPER-LIKE SYSTEM POSSIBLY BRINGS SOME SNOW TO THE AREA AROUND MONDAY NIGHT-TUESDAY. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z WEDNESDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 112 AM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 AXIS OF LOW LEVEL THETAE ADVECTION WILL CONTINUE TO OVERSPREAD EXTREME NORTHEAST INDIANA OVER THE NEXT HOUR OR TWO. CIGS HAVE TRENDED TO MVFR IN ASSOCIATION WITH THIS STRONGER LOW LEVEL MOISTURE ADVECTION. MAY TEND TO SEE PERIODIC TRANSITIONS TO MVFR/VFR CONDITIONS WITH THE PASSAGE OF THIS INITIAL ADVECTION DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...BUT HAVE MAINTAINED TREND OF PREVIOUS TAFS IN MORE SOLID MVFR CIGS AFTER 10Z AS DEEPER MOISTURE ADVECTS INTO THE AREA. AN INITIAL SHORT WAVE TRACKING ACROSS NORTHERN INDIANA THROUGH 09Z WILL HAVE SOMEWHAT LIMITED MOISTURE TO WORK WITH IN TERMS OF DEPTH OF SIGNIFICANT MOISTURE...WITH BETTER CHANCES OF SHOWERS AFTER 10Z. POCKET OF STEEP MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES ADVECTING NORTHEAST FROM THE MID MS VALLEY IN ADVANCE OF THE MAIN SHORT WAVE ACROSS WESTERN MISSOURI WILL PROVIDE SOME ISOLD THUNDER POTENTIAL PARTICULARLY IN THE 12Z-18Z TIMEFRAME. HAVE CONTINUED TO OMIT THUNDER MENTION FROM THE 06Z TAFS DUE TO LIMITED ELEVATED INSTABILITY AND DIFFICULTY IN TIMING 1 TO 2 HR PERIODS OF GREATEST POTENTIAL. HAVE ALSO CONTINUED LLWS MENTION FROM THE 06Z- 11Z TIMEFRAME AS LOW LEVEL RAMPS UP AHEAD OF AFOREMENTIONED SYSTEM. BREEZY CONDITIONS STILL EXPECTED FOR MUCH OF THE DAY WEDNESDAY...WITH WINDS SHIFTING WESTERLY BEHIND COLD FRONT DURING THE AFTERNOON...GUSTING AS HIGH AS 25 TO 30 KNOTS. && .IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IN...NONE. MI...NONE. OH...NONE. LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 2 AM EDT THURSDAY FOR LMZ043-046. && $$ SYNOPSIS...MARSILI SHORT TERM...MARSILI LONG TERM...STEINWEDEL AVIATION...MARSILI VISIT US AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/IWX (ALL LOWER CASE) FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK...TWITTER...AND YOUTUBE AT: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/US.NATIONALWEATHERSERVICE.NORTHERNIN.GOV WWW.TWITTER.COM/NWSIWX WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/NWSNORTHERNINDIANA
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS DODGE CITY KS
1230 AM CDT Wed Mar 19 2014 ...Updated aviation discussion... .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Wednesday) ISSUED AT 206 PM CDT TUE MAR 18 2014 Models this morning are in good agreement with moving the upper level trough east into central Kansas early this evening. The better upper level dynamics will also begin to shift east as a secondary surface boundary surges south across western Kansas late this afternoon. As this boundary moves across southwest Kansas, northwest winds of 30 to 40 mph will continue as low level moisture increases. Given the timing of the exiting upper level trough and increasing low level moisture will retain small precipitation chances across north central Kansas early this evening. Further south will keep an increase in clouds early this evening but will not mention precipitation chances at this time. Wind speeds across southeast Colorado earlier this afternoon have on occasion approached high wind warning criteria. Visibilities where these stronger winds were reported have been lowered to one mile or less due to blowing dust. 12z NAM and 17z RAP indicated the tightest surface pressure gradient along with the strongest 925mb to 850mb winds between 21z Tuesday and 00z Wednesday will be near the Colorado border with the mean mixdown winds suggesting sustained winds of near high wind warning criteria. Based on that the models continue to suggest winds will be near High wind warning criteria late today in far southwest Kansas and the 18z wind speeds/gusts across southeast Colorado will continue the high wind warning west of highway 83. Will also mention visibility issues due to blowing dust. Further east will keep the wind advisory going until 02z. Surface ridge axis will then begin to build across western Kansas towards 06z as the upper level trough moves from eastern Kansas into Missouri. Given the cloud cover overnight along with wind speeds of 10 to 15 mph the previous forecast still looks on track with lows mainly in the mid to upper 20s Westerly downslope flow will improve across western Kansas on Wednesday with 925mb temperatures warmer around 6c from 00z Wednesday to 00z Thursday. 850mb temperature trends over the same time frame be +3c to +5c. Based on this warming trend and mostly sunny conditions the highs mid week should easily rebound to near 60 degrees for much of western Kansas. .LONG TERM...(Wednesday night through Tuesday) ISSUED AT 343 PM CDT TUE MAR 18 2014 Lee troughing will develop Thursday ahead of the next upper level system entering the northern Rockies, leading to south winds and warmer temperatures. After this system traverses the northern plains on Friday, a cold front will pass through western Kansas in its wake, leading to falling high temperatures into the 60s Friday and 50s Saturday. As the cool air gets deeper by Saturday night, mid level isentropic lift may result in some light rain or light snow, especially over far southwestern Kansas. Temperatures Sunday will still be seasonably cool, with highs in the lower 50s. A slight warming trend can be expected Sunday (highs in the upper 50s to lower 60s) as a weak lee trough develops ahead of the next upper level trough. This system will push yet another cold front through western Kansas by later Monday, with a return of cooler than average high and low temperatures by Monday night and Tuesday. && .AVIATION...(For the 06Z TAFS through 06Z Wednesday night) ISSUED AT 1229 AM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 Gusty northwest winds at Hays will diminish by 09z with winds at all the TAF sites in central and southwest Kansas continuing from the northwest at around 12 knots through the mid afternoon hours. Winds will become light and variable by late afternoon. VFR skies and visibilities will prevail. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... DDC 32 71 37 61 / 0 0 0 0 GCK 31 70 36 59 / 0 0 0 0 EHA 33 72 36 59 / 0 0 0 0 LBL 32 72 37 61 / 0 0 0 0 HYS 31 70 36 58 / 0 0 0 0 P28 34 72 39 63 / 0 0 0 0 && .DDC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...Burgert LONG TERM...Finch AVIATION...Gerard
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GOODLAND KS
1058 PM MDT TUE MAR 18 2014 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 817 PM MDT TUE MAR 18 2014 CONDITIONS HAVE IMPROVED ACROSS THE AREA AND ALL ADVISORIES HAVE BEEN DROPPED AN HOUR EARLY. NO OTHER SIGNIFICANT CHANGE MADE TO FORECAST. UPDATE ISSUED AT 616 PM MDT TUE MAR 18 2014 MADE SOME LARGE CHANGES TO THE GOING FORECAST TO ADJUST WIND SPEEDS DOWN AS WIDESPREAD WARNING CONDITIONS ARE NO LONGER EXPECTED. WIND GUSTS OF 45 TO 50 MPH REMAIN POSSIBLE FOR THE NEXT 2 HOURS AND DESPITE THE WET SNOW...SIG BLOWING SNOW OBSERVED WHEN GUSTS EXCEED 40 KTS AT KGLD. ALTHOUGH LARGE AREA OF SNOW WILL CONTINUE TO WEAKEN AND SHIFT TO THE EAST WITH A SCATTERED CONVECTIVE DRIVEN SNOW SHOWERS PERSISTING IN ITS WAKE...RECENTLY OBSERVED VISIBILITIES AND OVERALL IMPACT LEADS ME TO CHANGE AREA TO A BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY FROM HIGH WIND WARNING THROUGH 03Z. SIG SNOW ACCUMULATIONS ARE NOT EXPECTED. UPDATE ISSUED AT 455 PM MDT TUE MAR 18 2014 MAIN CONCERNS CONTINUE TO BE COMBINATION OF SNOW AND STRONG WINDS ONGOING ACROSS THE AREA. HEAVY/BLOWING SNOW CAUSING SOME LOW VISIBILITIES IN SEVERAL AREAS...WILL CONTINUE TO INCLUDE THIS IN CURRENT HIGH WIND WARNING PER COORDINATION EARLIER TODAY AND NOT ISSUE ANY ADDITIONAL WINTER HIGHLIGHTS ATTM. WHILE WINDS HAVE BEEN SLOW TO RISE AND VERY SPORADIC...STARTING TO SEE A LOT OF CONVECTIVE TYPE SHOWERS DEVELOPING BEHIND MAIN BAND OF PRECIPITATION. THIS IS SUPPORTED BY NEAR TERM MODELED SOUNDINGS INDICATING WEAK SFC BASED INSTABILITY THROUGH THE NEXT FEW HOURS. WITH STRONG WINDS JUST OFF THE SFC IN THIS AREA...EXPECT STRONG WINDS TO ACCOMPANY SOME OF THESE SHOWERS AS OPPOSED TO A MORE WIDESPREAD STRONG WIND TYPE EVENT. && .SHORT TERM...(THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY) ISSUED AT 230 PM MDT TUE MAR 18 2014 LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT...AT 19Z UPPER LOW CENTERED ON TOP OF GOODLAND WITH STRONGEST SFC WIND GUSTS GENERALLY WEST OF A LINE FROM FLAGLER TO KIT CARSON WHERE GUSTS IN OUR PART OF THE AREA APPROACHING 50 MPH WHILE JUST OUTSIDE OF IT GUSTS AROUND 60 MPH BEING REPORTED. FOR THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT UPPER LOW FORECAST TO MOVE EAST REACHING NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS AROUND 00Z THEN WEAKENING A BIT AS IT MOVES FURTHER EAST AND AWAY FROM THE AREA. STRONGEST SFC WINDS AND GUSTS STILL EXPECTED TO SLOWLY MOVE EAST BEHIND THE UPPER LOW SO NO CHANGES TO HIGH WIND WARNING. 18Z RUC SHOWS 850-800MB WINDS ACTUALLY INCREASING ON THE BACKSIDE VERY LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH MIDNIGHT. NOT SURE HOW MUCH WILL MIX DOWN AFTER SUNSET OUT EAST WHICH IS WHERE STRONGEST WINDS FORECAST SO FOR NOW WIND ADVISORY WILL CONTINUE. NORTHEAST TO SOUTHWEST ELONGATED BAND OF SNOW...MODERATE TO HEAVY AT TIMES...CONTINUES TO SLOWLY MOVE SOUTHEAST. AM EXPECTING THE WORST CONDITIONS PRESENTLY IN EASTERN COLORADO TO MOVE INTO NORTHWEST KANSAS AND SOUTHWEST NEBRASKA (MAINLY NORTH OF THE INTERSTATE) BY 23Z CONTINUING EAST AND INCREASING COVERAGE ACROSS THE EASTERN 1/3 OF THE AREA DURING THE EVENING HOURS BEFORE EXITING THE AREA AROUND MIDNIGHT. THE COMBINATION OF SNOW AND WIND WILL CREATE AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW WITH REDUCED VISIBILITIES. UNDER QUICKLY CLEARING SKIES LOWS TONIGHT IN THE LOW TO MID 20S (WEST TO EAST). WEDNESDAY...CLOUDINESS INCREASES A BIT AS A WEAK WEATHER DISTURBANCE MOVES THROUGH. NO PRECIPITATION EXPECTED BUT COULD SEE NORTHWEST WINDS GUST 20-25 MPH...MAINLY ACROSS THE NORTHEAST AND EASTERN PARTS OF THE AREA. HIGH TEMPERATURES GENERALLY LOW 50S TO NEAR 60 (WEST TO EAST). .LONG TERM...(WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 206 PM MDT TUE MAR 18 2014 THURSDAY-FRIDAY...SHORTWAVE RIDGE WILL BE IN PLACE OVER THE NORTHERN PLAINS WITH THE NEXT SHORTWAVE TROUGH UPSTREAM OVER THE NORTHERN ROCKIES. RESULT WILL BE INCREASING SOUTHERLY FLOW ALOFT AND WARMING TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE PLAINS THURSDAY. MUCH WARMER TEMPERATURES EXPECTED THURSDAY WITH HIGHS AROUND 70 ACROSS MUCH OF THE CWA. COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE REGION LATE THURSDAY NIGHT WITH HIGHS CLOSER TO SEASONAL NORMALS IN THE 50S. AS THIS FRONT MOVES ACROSS THE REGION WE COULD SEE A PERIOD OF BREEZY WINDS...HOWEVER GUSTS WILL REMAIN BELOW ADVISORY CRITERIA. SATURDAY-TUESDAY...NORTHWEST FLOW WILL REMAIN IN PLACE ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS WHICH WILL ALLOW A SERIES OF WEAK DISTURBANCES TO PASS NEAR OR NORTH OF OF OUR CWA AND SEND REINFORCING SHOTS OF COOLER TEMPS INTO THE PLAINS. THESE QUICK MOVING FEATURES ARE ON LESS THAN IDEAL TRACKS WITH LIMITED MOISTURE RETURN AND THERE IS QUITE A BIT OF SPREAD BETWEEN GUIDANCE RUN-RUN ON EVOLUTION OF THESE WEAK DISTURBANCES. BEST MODEL OVERLAP SEEMS TO BE ON PRECIP CHANCES SATURDAY...HOWEVER THIS WOULD STILL BE FAIRLY LIGHT AND IN THIS PATTERN/THIS RANGE I WAS NOT CONFIDENT ENOUGH TO RAISE POPS. TEMPS SHOULD START OUT BELOW NORMAL SATURDAY (40S) BEFORE SEASONAL TEMPS RETURN SUNDAY AND MONDAY (50S). BY NEXT MONDAY NIGHT/TUESDAY THERE IS SOME INDICATION OF ANOTHER COLD FRONT DROPPING SOUTH OVER THE CWA BRINGING BELOW NORMAL TEMPS BACK TO THE REGION AND POSSIBLY INCREASING PRECIP CHANCES. NOT A LOT OF CONFIDENCE IN THESE LATER PERIODS CONSIDERING THE MODEL SPREAD/LACK OF CONTINUITY...SO DECIDED AGAINST MAKING MAJOR CHANGES TO CONSENSUS BLEND. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z WEDNESDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 1055 PM MDT TUE MAR 18 2014 SKIES WILL CLEAR AND WINDS DIMINISH TONIGHT AS STORM SYSTEM DEPARTS. VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL THROUGH THE PERIOD. && .GLD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... KS...NONE. CO...NONE. NE...NONE. && $$ UPDATE...JRM SHORT TERM...99 LONG TERM...DR AVIATION...JRM
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GAYLORD MI
434 AM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 434 AM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM ENTERING THE GREAT LAKES REGION WILL BRING A WINTRY MIX OF PRECIPITATION TO NORTHERN LOWER...WITH MAINLY SNOW FOR UPPER MICHIGAN. COOLER AIR WILL CHANGE PRECIPITATION BACK TO SNOW FOR ALL LOCATIONS LATE WEDNESDAY. HIGH PRESSURE GRADUALLY BRINGS PRECIPITATION TO AN END ON THURSDAY. TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN AT OR BELOW SEASONAL NORMS THROUGH THE WORK WEEK. && .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 434 AM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 ...MIXED PRECIPITATION EVENT TODAY THEN BACK TO SNOW OVERVIEW: POTENT SHORT WAVE TROUGH CROSSING THE CENTRAL PLAINS THIS MORNING...ASSOCIATED SFC LOW PRESSURE CENTER PASSING INTO WESTERN ILLINOIS AS OF 08Z. UPPER AIR ANALYSIS REVEALS A NEARLY CLOSED-OFF LOWER LEVEL (H8-H7) CIRCULATION NEAR THE IOWA/WISCONSIN BORDER WITH AN ASSOCIATED DEFORMATION AXIS AND SPOTTY PRECIP (SNOW) STRETCHING FROM IOWA INTO EASTERN UPPER MICHIGAN...WITH A LITTLE BIT BETTER DEFINED AND NARROW CORRIDOR OF HEAVIER PRECIP NOTED ACROSS ILLINOIS CLOSER TO THE ACTUAL SFC LOW AND LEAD VORTICITY MAX. THUS FAR... DESPITE HOW WELL DEFINED THIS SYSTEM IS...GOOD MOISTURE TAP FROM THE GULF IS DEFINITELY ON THE LACKING SIDE OF THINGS AS EVIDENCED BY SFC DEWPOINTS NEAR THE GULF LARGELY IN THE 40S AND A LACK OF ANY WELL DEFINED "WARM CONVEYOR" BELT STRETCHING UP INTO THE MIDWEST. RATHER UNIMPRESSIVE FOR A WAVE LIKE THIS. TODAY...AFOREMENTIONED SHORT WAVE TROUGH WILL LIFT NORTHEASTWARD INTO THE GREAT LAKES THIS MORNING BEFORE TRAVERSING THE REGION THROUGH THE COURSE OF THE DAY INTO THE THIS EVENING. SFC LOW TRACK...PRETTY MUCH ALL RECENT GUIDANCE SOLUTIONS (NAM/GFS/GEM/EURO/ UKMET) ARE IN DECENT LOCK STEP AND HAVE ALL TRENDED THE SFC LOW TRACK JUST A LITTLE FURTHER SOUTH THAN PREVIOUS FORECASTS... ESSENTIALLY UP THROUGH LUDINGTON TO HOUGHTON LAKE TO ALPENA INTO LAKE HURON BY 00Z. BIGGEST IMPLICATION OF COURSE RESTS WITH PRECIP TYPE AS ELEVATED WARM LAYER JUST SIMPLY DOES NOT PUSH AS FAR NORTH AS ORIGINALLY ANTICIPATED. STILL...HIGH RESOLUTION RUC AND NAM FORECAST SOUNDINGS DO STILL PUSH A MODEST ELEVATED WARM NOSE (+1 TO +2C) AROUND 900 MB AS FAR NORTH AS THE TIP OF THE MITT (ALREADY HAD IT YESTERDAY EVENING PER 00Z APX SOUNDING) WHILE BOUNDARY LAYER WARMING MAINTAINS OR PUSHES SFC TEMPS ABOVE FREEZING FOR MUCH OF THE TODAY. SO...I THINK THE OVERALL LAYOUT OF THE GOING FORECAST IS STILL PRETTY GOOD WITH ALL SNOW IN EASTERN UPPER MICHIGAN/RAIN-SNOW-SLEET OVER A CHUNK OF NRN LOWER PARTICULARLY THE HIGHER TERRAIN AND MAINLY RAIN M-72 SOUTH...WITH JUST SOME MINOR ADJUSTMENTS. DON/T THINK THAT ICING WILL BE MUCH OF AN ISSUE THIS GO AROUND AS SFC TEMPS WILL WARM SUBSTANTIALLY ABOVE FREEZING WHERE LIQUID PRECIP WILL FALL AND NOW THAT A GOOD PORTION OF AREA ROADWAYS HAVE LOST THE SNOW PACK IN RECENT DAYS. TONIGHT...CLOSED CIRCULATION MOVES QUICKLY ACROSS LAKE HURON INTO CANADA WHILE TYPICAL WRAP AROUND/DEFORMATION AXIS OF DEEPER MOISTURE AND PRECIP SWINGS UP THROUGH NW LOWER AND EASTERN UPPER MICHIGAN. SHOULD SEE A FAIRLY QUICK CHANGEOVER OF PRECIP TO ALL SNOW ACROSS THE CWA AS COLDER AIR COLLAPSES BACK THROUGH THE CWA...ALTHOUGH SOME RAIN/MIXED PRECIP MAY HANG ON IN THE SE COUNTIES THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING. DOESN/T GET COLD ENOUGH TO GET LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS IN THE TRUE SENSE OF BANDED NW FLOW LAKE SNOWS. HOWEVER...THERE CONTINUES TO BE A SIGNAL WITHIN GUIDANCE OF GETTING A BIT OF LAKE ENHANCEMENT/LOW LEVEL FORCING THAT HANGS ACROSS A GOOD PART OF NW LOWER MICHIGAN FOR A GOOD PART OF THE NIGHT. TERRAIN MAY ALSO HELP THINGS OUT AS WELL...AND WE COULD SEE SEVERAL HOURS OF LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOWFALL FOCUSED ACROSS PARTS OF NW LOWER MICHIGAN. HAVE NUDGED SNOW ACCUMULATIONS UP A LITTLE TO THE 2 TO 3 INCH RANGE. BUT DAY CREW WILL NEED TO FURTHER ASSESS THIS POTENTIAL AND DECIDE IF A HIGHER SNOW ACCUMS AND A HEADLINE IS WARRANTED. SO NEXT QUESTION BECOMES...WHAT SORT OF HEADLINE CHANGES DO WE NEED. AS ELUDED TO EARLIER...THUS FAR I/M UNIMPRESSED BY THE MOISTURE FEED INTO THIS SYSTEM AND THE TOTAL PRECIP THIS SYSTEM IS/WILL ACTUALLY PRODUCE. U.S. RADAR MOSAIC BEARS THIS OUT WITH A DEFINITIVE LACK OF A WARM CONVEYOR BELT AND OVERALL MEAGER UPSTREAM PRECIP TOTALS THUS FAR DESPITE ITS GREAT DYNAMICS. SURE...THERE IS A NICE INCREASE IN PRECIP COVERAGE/INTENSITY NOW PUSHING UP THROUGH SRN WISCONSIN AHEAD OF LEAD VORTICITY CENTER THAT WILL MOVE UP THROUGH THE AREA THIS MORNING. AND THERE WILL BE A PERIOD OF DEFORMATION/WRAP AROUND SNOWFALL SLIDING UP THROUGH NW LOWER MICHIGAN THROUGH EASTERN UPPER MICHIGAN...ALONG WITH SOME LAKE ENHANCEMENT THAT WILL PERSIST THROUGH A GOOD PART OF TONIGHT. BUT SO FAR IT/S NOT SHAPING UP TO BE A BIG HITTER IN THE QPF DEPARTMENT. SO...IN EASTERN UPPER MICHIGAN...HAVE LOWERED OVERALL SNOWFALL JUST A LITTLE. BUT STILL THINK A GOOD 2 TO MAYBE 3 INCHES IS POSSIBLE THERE TODAY AND ANOTHER INCH OR TWO TONIGHT. AND GIVEN THIS WILL BE A WETTER/HEAVIER SNOW...WILL LEAVE THE ONGOING WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY ALONE FOR NOW. NRN LOWER MICHIGAN...AGAIN...DON/T THINK ICING WILL BE A BIG ISSUE TODAY ALTHOUGH MIXY PRECIP EARLY ON COULD CAUSE SOME TRAVEL ISSUES. SOME HEAVIER SNOWFALL IS POSSIBLE TONIGHT ESPECIALLY ACROSS NW LOWER MICHIGAN DUE TO LAKE EFFECT/ENHANCEMENT. BUT EVEN SO I ONLY HAVE UP TO 3 INCHES IN THERE NOW. THUS...NOT PLANNING ANY HEADLINES FOR NRN LOWER MICHIGAN JUST YET. WILL LIKELY ISSUE AN SPS FOR PARTS OF NRN LOWER MICHIGAN TOWARD MORNING TO ADDRESS MIXED PRECIP ISSUES AND SLICK TRAVEL POSSIBILITIES. && .LONG TERM...(THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 434 AM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 WEATHER IMPACTS: GENERALLY MINOR. SNOW SHOWERS CONTINUE INTO EARLY THURSDAY...WITH ADDITIONAL SNOW OR SNOW SHOWERS FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY. CONFIDENCE: HIGH THURSDAY. MODERATE FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY. EXPECTED WEATHER EVOLUTION: THURSDAY...POTENT SURFACE LOW WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE NE INTO QUEBEC ON THURSDAY. IN ITS WAKE /ESPECIALLY EARLY THURSDAY/ DEEP CYCLONIC FLOW AND SYNOPTIC MOISTURE WILL REMAIN IN PLACE ACROSS THE CENTRAL/EASTERN GREAT LAKES. THIS WILL SUPPORT CONTINUED SNOW SHOWERS...WITH MODEL SOUNDINGS SHOWING RESPECTABLE MOISTURE ABOVE OTHERWISE SHALLOW INVERSION. WITH ONLY MINOR LAKE CONTRIBUTIONS /H8 TEMPS AROUND -10C/ AND A RAPID DECREASE IN MOISTURE EXPECTED BY MIDDAY...LESS THAN AN ADDITIONAL INCH OF NEW SNOW EXPECTED IN THE NORMALLY FAVORED SECTIONS OF NW LOWER. THE MORNING SNOW SHOWERS WILL GIVE WAY TO FLURRIES AS SURFACE RIDGE APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. THURSDAY NIGHT...SURFACE RIDGE WILL MOVE OVERHEAD...AND RESULT IN AT LEAST PARTIALLY CLEAR SKIES. COUPLED WITH LIGHT WINDS...LOW TEMPS WILL FALL INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS AND TEENS /WENT SEVERAL DEG BELOW GUIDANCE/. FRIDAY...SURFACE RIDGE WILL MOVE EAST AS NEXT SHORT WAVE QUICKLY APPROACHES FROM THE WNW BY LATE IN THE DAY. ASSOCIATED SURFACE LOW WILL MOVE FROM MN ARROWHEAD INTO THE U.P. BY LATE IN THE DAY...AS STRONG ISENTROPIC LIFT OVERSPREADS FORECAST AREA AHEAD OF SYSTEM. A RAIN/SNOW MIX IS POSSIBLE LATE IN THE DAY ACROSS NW LOWER AND E UPPER AS DEEPER MOISTURE AND LIFT PUSH EWD. HIGHS WILL PEAK IN THE 30S TO AROUND 40. REMAINDER OF FORECAST /SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...SAME OLD STORY. MEDIUM RANGE GUIDANCE IS IN GOOD AGREEMENT THAT TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN SIGNIFICANTLY /SOME 10-20F/ BELOW NORMAL THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. THIS...THANKS TO PERSISTENT UPPER TROUGHING OVER ERN NORTH AMERICA AND UPSTREAM RIDGE AXIS ALONG WEST COAST. AFOREMENTIONED MID LEVEL SHORT WAVE AND SURFACE LOW WILL BRING PRECIP TO THE REGION FRIDAY NIGHT AND INTO AT LEAST EARLY SATURDAY...BEFORE VERY COLD AIR SPILLS SWD ACROSS REGION SUNDAY /FEATURING H8 TEMPS ONCE AGAIN DOWN NEAR -20C/. GUIDANCE SUPPORTS STRONG HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE GREAT LAKES LATE IN THE WEEKEND WITH CONTINUED COLD BUT MAINLY DRY CONDITIONS /WITH ONLY SOME SPOTTY LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS EXPECTED/. THE NEXT POTENTIAL WEATHER HAZARD /SNOW AND POSSIBLY WIND/ ARRIVES LATE MONDAY AND TUESDAY...AS NEXT SHORT WAVE DROPS SEWD OUT OF CANADA. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z WEDNESDAY EVENING) ISSUED AT 721 PM EDT TUE MAR 18 2014 VFR CONDITIONS THRU MOST OF TONIGHT WILL QUICKLY DETERIORATE TO IFR LATE TONIGHT AS WIDESPREAD MIXED PRECIP DEVELOPS FROM MBL/TVC (AROUND 08Z) TO PLN/APN BY 10Z IN RESPONSE TO DEEP MOISTURE ADVECTING INTO THE REGION AHEAD OF A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM. THE LOW CENTER IS EXPECTED TO TRACK DIRECTLY OVER NRN LWR MICHIGAN ON WEDNESDAY. PRECIP WILL BEGIN AS ALL LIQUID FOR TVC AND MBL LATE TONIGHT...BUT AS A MIX OF FREEZING RAIN/SNOW/POSSIBLY SOME SLEET BEFORE SWITCHING OVER TO ALL RAIN BY AROUND MIDDAY WEDNESDAY. PRECIP WILL REMAIN MIXED FOR THE TIP OF THE MITT (PLN) ALL DAY. E/SE WINDS AROUND 10 KTS WILL BECOME VARIABLE LATE IN THE DAY AS THE SURFACE LOW CENTER MOVES OVERHEAD. && .APX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MI...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT TONIGHT FOR MIZ008- 015. LH...NONE. LM...NONE. LS...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...TL SHORT TERM...ADAM LONG TERM...BS AVIATION...MR
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS NORTH PLATTE NE
346 AM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 334 AM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 SFC LOW PRESSURE ACROSS NRN BRITISH COLUMBIA WILL MOVE INTO SRN SASKATCHEWAN BY 12Z THURSDAY. A WARM FRONT...CURRENTLY...ACROSS WRN ND/ERN MT AND SOUTH THROUGH ERN WY WILL MOVE MOST OF THE WAY THROUGH THE FCST AREA THIS AFTERNOON ACCOMPANIED SPRINKLES OR FLURRIES ACROSS THE NORTHEAST ZONES. THE DEVELOPING CHINOOK BEHIND THE FRONT SENDS H850MB TEMPS IN THE MID SINGLE DIGITS CELSIUS ACROSS WRN NEB. THE RAP SUGGESTED NEAR 50 FOR A HIGH ACROSS THE ERN PANHANDLE ZONES WHICH SEEMS REASONABLE. IT WAS THE WARMEST MODEL. TEMPS WERE MARKED DOWN TO THE LOWER 40S ACROSS THE NEWLY FORMED DEEP SNOW COVER OVER NCNTL NEB. A MIX OF SUN AND CLOUDS ARE EXPECTED TODAY WHICH SHOULD MELT A GOOD PORTION OF THIS SNOW FIELD. THERE IS STILL COLD AIR ALOFT WHICH MIGHT SUSTAIN A DECK OF MID LEVEL CLOUDS ACROSS THE NORTH. THE RAP SUGGESTED A PERIOD OF STRATUS ACROSS NCNTL NEB THIS MORNING BUT SATELLITE SHOWS THOSE CLOUDS ANCHORED ON THE ERN EDGE OF THE FCST AREA AND LIKELY THE RESULT OF REMNANT COLD AIR ADVECTION FROM TUESDAYS CYCLONE. THE CHINOOK STRENGTHENS TONIGHT WITH WESTERLY H850MB WINDS INCREASING TO AROUND 35 KT. TEMPS AT THAT LEVEL REMAIN IN THE MID SINGLE DIGITS CELSIUS. THE BEST GUESS ON LOWS IS MID AND UPPER 20S BUT THE MODELS MAY BE TOO COLD GIVEN THE STRONG WINDS JUST OFF THE SFC. GENERALLY CLEAR SKIES ARE EXPECTED. .LONG TERM...(THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 334 AM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 A THERMAL RIDGE WILL BUILD NORTHEAST ACROSS THE PLAINS THURSDAY...AHEAD OF ANOTHER SHORTWAVE SET TO CROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS FRIDAY. WESTERLY DOWNSLOPE CHINOOK WINDS AND WARMING TEMPERATURES ALOFT WILL LEAD TO A MILD DAY...WITH HIGHS MOST LOCATIONS IN THE 60S. DID COOL HIGHS JUST A BIT...MID TO UPPER 50S...IN AREAS OF SUBSTANTIAL SNOW COVER. THE SHORTWAVE WILL DRAG A PACIFIC COLD FRONT ACROSS THE AREA FRIDAY...WITH HIGHS COOLING BACK INTO THE UPPER 40S AND LOWER 50S AT ALL LOCATIONS. THE UPPER LEVEL PATTERN WILL BECOME MORE AMPLIFIED THIS WEEKEND...ALLOWING ARCTIC AIR TO SPILL SOUTH INTO THE PLAINS. ANOTHER SHORTWAVE WILL INTERACT WITH THE COLDER AIR SATURDAY...WITH PERHAPS SOME LIGHT SNOW OR A MIX OF LIGHT RAIN AND SNOW. THIS WILL BE AN OPEN WAVE...AND SHOULD PASS QUICKLY WITH ONLY VERY LIGHT PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS EXPECTED. WITH THE UPPER FLOW REMAINING AMPLIFIED EARLY NEXT WEEK...EXPECT CONTINUED BOUTS OF ARCTIC AIR TO OOZE SOUTH INTO THE PLAINS. HIGHS WILL REMAIN WELL BELOW NORMAL...WITH SLIGHT CHANCES OF LIGHT SNOW OR A MIX OF RAIN AND SNOW FROM TIME TO TIME WITH THE PASSAGE OF WEAK DISTURBANCES ALOFT. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z WEDNESDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 1216 AM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 CEILINGS WILL MOVE EAST OF AN ONL-BBW LINE BY 08Z. UNTIL THEN... CEILINGS OF 3000-6000 FEET AGL ARE LIKELY. FOR VTN-TIF-LBF... CEILINGS WILL BE AT OR ABOVE 12000 FEET. AFTER 09Z...NO CEILING OR VISIBILITY RESTRICTIONS ARE EXPECTED. WIND 300-340 AT 5-15KT WILL INCREASE TO 10-12G18-12KT WEDNESDAY MORNING ABOUT 16Z. && .LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...CDC LONG TERM...TAYLOR AVIATION...CDC
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS OMAHA/VALLEY NE
1132 PM CDT TUE MAR 18 2014 .SHORT TERM...(TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY) ISSUED AT 315 PM CDT TUE MAR 18 2014 PCPN AMOUNTS AND PCPN TYPE TONIGHT ARE THE MAIN FORECAST CONCERNS IN THIS PERIOD. FAIRLY IMPRESSIVE SHORTWAVE TROUGH WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE THROUGH THE CENTRAL PLAINS THE NEXT 18 HOURS. 120 KNOT 300 MB JET STREAK OVER NEW MEXICO AT 12Z THIS MORNING WILL CONTINUE TO PUNCH EASTWARD. AREA OF 500 MB HEIGHT FALLS (AROUND 100 METERS OVER SOUTHERN COLORADO AND NORTHERN NEW MEXICO AT 12Z) WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO SHIFT EAST ACROSS KANSAS AND OKLAHOMA. MESOSCALE BAND OF MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW THAT HAS BEEN TO OUR WEST TODAY SHOULD MOVE INTO OUR WESTERN COUNTIES THIS EVENING...BUT THE INTENSITY SHOULD DECREASE AS IT MOVES EAST. WE WERE ALREADY STARTING TO SEE SIGNS OF THAT WITH REGIONAL RADAR LOOP AS OF 310 PM. HIGH RESOLUTION RAP MODEL SUGGESTS ANOTHER (BUT WEAKER) BAND WILL DEVELOP FARTHER EAST WITH A NEW AREA OF MID LEVEL FRONTOGENESIS... AND THAT APPEARS REASONABLE. IN GENERAL...SLOWED DOWN THE ENDING OF PCPN TONIGHT AND ALSO THE DECREASE IN CLOUD COVER. ACCUMULATING SNOW SHOULD MAINLY BE LESS THAN AN INCH BUT PARTS OF KNOX AND POSSIBLY ANTELOPE COUNTY MAY SEE A BIT MORE THAN THAT BEFORE 06Z. MEASURABLE PCPN SHOULD END IN ALL OF THE FORECAST AREA BY 09Z. BRISK NORTHWEST WINDS WILL OVERSPREAD THE AREA THIS EVENING BUT DECREASE SOME LATER TONIGHT AS THE PRESSURE GRADIENT WEAKENS. PREVIOUS FORECAST OF LOWS IN THE UPPER 20S AND LOWER 30S SEEMS ON TRACK. A WEAKER SHORTWAVE TROUGH IN THE NORTHWEST MID LEVEL FLOW WILL AFFECT MAINLY THE DAKOTAS AND MINNESOTA ON WEDNESDAY...BUT KEPT SOME LOW POPS GOING IN NORTHEAST NEBRASKA IN THE AFTERNOON. THE 12Z GFS IS THE MOST BULLISH WITH PCPN AMOUNTS WEDNESDAY AND SEEMED A BIT OVERDONE. FUTURE FORECASTS MAY HAVE TO ADD A CHANCE OF SHOWERS INTO WEDNESDAY EVENING BUT LEFT THAT PERIOD DRY FOR NOW. EXPECT HIGHS 45 TO 50 NORTH AND 50 TO 55 SOUTH ON WEDNESDAY. LEFT THE PERIOD FROM THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY DRY...WITH MAIN FORCING EXPECTED TO STAY MOSTLY NORTH OF OUR AREA FRIDAY. HIGHS SHOULD BE MOSTLY 60S THURSDAY AND MAINLY 50S FRIDAY. .LONG TERM...(FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 315 PM CDT TUE MAR 18 2014 THE REGION WILL REMAIN IN NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT THROUGH THE ENTIRE FORECAST PERIOD WITH MOSTLY DRY AND COOL CONDITIONS. A LARGE COLD SFC HIGH PRESSURE AREA WILL DROP SOUTH ACROSS THE CENTRAL PLAINS OVER THE WEEKEND. THIS WILL BRING 850MB TEMPS INTO THE -8C TO -14C RANGE SUNDAY ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA WITH THE 12Z ECMWF BEING SLIGHTLY COLDER THAN THE 12Z GFS. BRIEF RETURN FLOW IS EXPECTED SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY AHEAD OF A POTENT SHORTWAVE TROUGH OVER THE NORTHERN PLAINS. THIS FEATURE WILL MOVE SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND CLIP EASTERN NEBRASKA AND WESTERN IOWA. WILL INCLUDE A SMALL POP IN OUR NORTHEAST ASSOCIATED WITH THIS WAVE. COLDER AIR SPILLS IN BEHIND THIS FEATURE WITH -8C TO -18C 850MB TEMPS ADVERTISED FOR NEXT TUESDAY. && .AVIATION...(06Z TAFS FOR KOFK...KLNK AND KOMA.) ISSUED AT 1130 PM CDT TUE MAR 18 2014 A NARROW BAND OF MODERATE SNOW NEAR A LINCOLN-OMAHA-HARLAN IA LINE AT 0430Z SHOULD CONTINUE SHRINKING THROUGH 07Z OR 08Z AND IS EXPECTED TO HAVE LITTLE/NO IMPACT AT KLNK AND KOMA AFTER THAT TIME. HOWEVER...VISIBILITIES COULD DROP TO 1 MILE OR SO BEFORE 07Z. OTHERWISE LOW CLOUD CIGS ARE STILL FORECAST TO CLEAR LATER TONIGHT AS GUSTY NNW SURFACE WINDS DECREASE SOMEWHAT. A WEAK DISTURBANCE AND COOL AIR ALOFT MOVING ACROSS THE REGION COULD BRING CIGS TO TAF SITES AGAIN ON WEDNESDAY...NOTABLY KOFK AND KOMA...BUT THEY SHOULD BE ABOVE FL030...AND SFC WINDS SHOULD INCREASE WITH HEATING. ISOLATED SHOWERS COULD ALSO DEVELOP...BUT COVERAGE/TIMING TOO UNCERTAIN TO MENTION IN TAF FORECASTS AT THIS TIME. && .OAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NE...NONE. IA...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...MILLER LONG TERM...KERN AVIATION...CHERMOK
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS BINGHAMTON NY
237 AM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 .SYNOPSIS... SKIES WILL BECOME CLOUDY EARLY THIS MORNING. A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH THE REGION LATE TODAY AND CROSS THE AREA TONIGHT. THIS FEATURE WILL BRING THE REGION MIXED RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS. THURSDAY WILL BE WINDY WITH SEASONABLE TEMPERATURES AND SCATTERED RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM THIS MORNING/... 1215 AM UPDATE... AS EXPECTED, LOW CLOUDS ARE DVLPNG ACRS CNTRL PA MUCH LIKE LAST NIGHT. HV UPDATED GRIDS TO GO PRTLY-MOCLDY ACRS FAR SWRN ZONES THRU ABOUT 10Z, BFR MOISTURE OVERSPREADS CWA AHD OF NEXT SYSTEM. ONCE AGAIN LATEST RUC 925MB RH FIELDS HANDLE CLDS BEST. TEMPS ARE HVG A TUFF TIME DROPPING OFF TONIGHT UNDER WARMING TEMPS. HV ADJUSTED MINS UP BY SVRL DEGREES WITH U20S/NR 30 EXPECTED WEST OF I-81 AND LWR 20S TO THE EAST WHERE RADN`L COOLING IS MAXIMIZED AND AREA WL BE LAST TO GET INTO WAA. NO OTHER CHGS NEEDED. PREV DISCOS BLO... 730 PM UPDATE...THE CURRENT FCST IS IN GREAT SHAPE...SO JUST A FEW COSMETIC CHGS WERE MADE ATTM. SAT IMAGERY SHOWED THE LEADING EDGE OF A THICKER SC DECK CREEPING NWD FROM CNTRL PA THIS EVE. NEAR-TERM GUIDANCE SUGGESTS THAT... ALTHOUGH THESE CLDS WILL EVENTUALLY MAKE IT INTO PTNS OF CNY/NE PA TWDS DAYBREAK...THEY WILL HAVE SOME TROUBLE DOING SO OVERNIGHT AS THEY ENCOUNTER INITIALLY DRY AMS TO THE N. THUS...OUR PRESENT SKY COVER GRIDS LOOK REASONABLE...SHOWING MAINLY CLEAR SKIES TIL 06-09Z...THEN INCREASING CLDS FROM SW TO NE. OUR MIN TEMP GRID SHOWS THAT THE COLDEST OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL TAKE PLACE ACRS OUR NRN AND ERN ZNS (TEENS)...WHICH MAKES PERFECT SENSE GIVEN THEY WILL LIKELY STAY CLEAR THE LONGEST...AND HAVE A CHANCE TO COOL RADIATIONALLY THIS EVE. TEMPS WILL LIKELY ONLY DROP INTO THE 20S ELSEWHERE. 4 PM UPDATE.. SFC HIGH PRES OVER NRN NEW ENGLAND WILL PROVIDE MAINLY CLEAR SKIES THROUGH THIS EVENING. LATER TONIGHT SOUTHEAST FLOW WILL BRING INCREASING LOW LEVEL MOISTURE ACROSS THE SOUTHERN FA POSSIBLY TO THE NY/PA BORDER BY MORNING. LOWS WILL GENERALLY RANGE IN THE LOWER TO MIDDLE 20S. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM THIS MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... WEDNESDAY...SFC LOW PRES WILL RACK FROM NRN IL TO LAKE HURON BY EVENING. SFC HIGH PRES OFF THE NEW ENGLAND COAST WILL PRODUCE A SOUTHEAST FLOW OF INCREASING MOISTURE. MODELS SHOW BEST MOISTURE ADVECTION AND CONVERGENCE ALONG THE I81 CORRIDOR WHERE POPS WILL BE THE HIGHEST UNTIL LATE DAY WHEN FRONTAL MOISTURE APPROACHES. PRECIP TYPE WILL BE BOUNDARY LAYER DEPENDENT AND PRIMARILY RAIN SHOWERS. THROUGH LATE AFTERNOON WILL KEEP POPS IN THE HIGH CHC CATEGORY. WEDNESDAY NIGHT...SFC LOW PRES TRACKS THROUGH EASTERN CANADA WITH TRAILING COLD FRONT PASSING THROUGH FA BETWEEN 06Z-12Z. WENT WITH LIKELY/CATEGORICAL POPS WITH POPS LOWERING SIGNIFICANTLY TOWARD DAYBREAK. PRECIP WILL FALL PRIMARILY AS RAIN SHOWERS DURING THE EVENING THEN TRANSITION TO RAIN/SNOW SHOWER MIX AS CAA COOLS BOUNDARY LAYER. THERE COULD BE MINOR SNOW ACCUMS IN THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE NRN SUSQUEHANNA REGION, WESTERN CATSKILLS AND WESTERN MOHAWK VALLEY. THURSDAY...STRONG NORTHWEST FLOW FOLLOWS THE FRONT WITH SCATTERED RAIN/SNOW SHOWERS PRIMARILY OVER THE NRN CWA. TEMPS WILL BE NEAR SEASONAL LEVELS WITH HIGHS IN THE LOWER TO MIDDLE 40S. THURSDAY NIGHT...CONTINUED CAA AND NORTHWEST FLOW WILL BRING LAKE ENHANCED SNOW SHOWERS TO THE NRN CWA PRIMARILY DURING THE EVENING UNDER 275-290 FLOW. WILL CARRY LOW LIKELY POPS HERE AND SNOW ACCUMS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES POSSIBLE ESPECIALLY IN THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF NRN ONEIDA COUNTY. FRIDAY...SFC RIDGING AND AIRMASS DRYING WILL END ANY LINGERING LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS BY MID MORNING. SKIES WILL BE PARTLY TO MOSTLY SUNNY WITH MAXES IN THE LOWER TO MIDDLE 40S. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... 2 AM UPDATE... LITTLE CHANGE. FOLLOWED QPC GUIDANCE. UNSETTLED AND COLDER THAN NORMAL. DETAILS FOLLOW FROM BEFORE. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION... THE ENTIRE LONG TERM IS DOMINATED BY A LARGE TROF EXTENDING FROM NORTHERN CANADA THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES AND NEW ENGLAND. THE TROF WILL DEEPEN THROUGHOUT THIS PERIOD, WITH THE COLD CORE EXTENDING WELL INTO THE MID ATLANTIC REGION BY MONDAY. A CYCLONE WILL SPIN OUT OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY FRIDAY NIGHT AND TREK EASTWARD TO NEAR ATLANTIC CITY BY EARLY SATURDAY. THIS STORM WILL SPIN A MIX OF RAIN AND SNOW INTO NY AND PA THROUGH THE AFTERNOON HOURS. ARCTIC AIR WILL CRASH THROUGH ONTARIO AND QUEBEC INTO NY STATE ON SUNDAY NIGHT. A POWERFUL CYCLONE WELL OFF SHORE WILL DEVELOP ALONG THE PERIPHERY OF THE ARCTIC AIR AND THE RELATIVELY WARM OCEAN WATERS. THIS WILL DRAG ADDITIONAL COLD AIR SOUTHWARD INTO EASTERN NY AND NEW ENGLAND, LEADING TO MUCH BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES. && .AVIATION /07Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... 130 AM UPDATE... VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED MUCH OF TODAY. CLOUDS OVER CENTRAL PA ARE MOVING NE INTO THE AREA BUT EXPECT CEILINGS TO REMAIN VFR. RAIN SHOWERS WILL MOVE IN BETWEEN 18 AND 20Z. AGAIN REMAINING VFR. AT KRME MAYBE SOME SLEET WILL FALL WITH LOW LEVEL TEMPERATURES NEAR FREEZING AT THE START. STEADY RAIN WITH MVFR CONDITIONS WILL MOVE IN AROUND 00Z AND REMAIN THROUGH 6Z. POSSIBLE CIGS BELOW 2K FT AT KBGM IN THE EVENING SO ALTERNATES NEEDED. COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE AFTER 6Z. SE TO S WINDS AT AROUND 5 KTS INCREASING TO 10 KTS LATE MORNING THEN 10 TO 15KTS DURING THE AFTN WITH GUSTS 20 TO 25 CONTINUING INTO THE EVE. OUTLOOK... WED OVERNGT/THU...MVFR AND POSSIBLY IFR IN -SHRA/-SHSN. THUR NGT...MVFR POSSIBLE IN LAKE EFFECT -SHSN ACROSS NY TERMINALS. VFR AVP. FRIDAY/FRIDAY NIGHT...MAINLY VFR. SATURDAY...RESTRICTIONS POSSIBLE IN RAIN/SNOW SHOWERS. SUNDAY...RESTRICTIONS POSSIBLE IN SNOW SHOWERS && .BGM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...NONE. NY...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...RRM NEAR TERM...MLJ/PVN/RRM SHORT TERM...RRM LONG TERM...DJP/TAC AVIATION...TAC
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS BINGHAMTON NY
1220 AM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 .SYNOPSIS... SKIES WILL REMAIN MAINLY CLEAR THROUGH MIDNIGHT FOLLOWED BY INCREASING CLOUDS TOWARD MORNING. A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH THE REGION LATE WEDNESDAY AND CROSS THE AREA WEDNESDAY NIGHT. THIS FEATURE WILL BRING THE REGION MIXED RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS. THURSDAY WILL BE WINDY WITH SEASONABLE TEMPERATURES AND SCATTERED RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM THIS MORNING/... 1215 AM UPDATE... AS EXPECTED, LOW CLOUDS ARE DVLPNG ACRS CNTRL PA MUCH LIKE LAST NIGHT. HV UPDATED GRIDS TO GO PRTLY-MOCLDY ACRS FAR SWRN ZONES THRU ABOUT 10Z, BFR MOISTURE OVERSPREADS CWA AHD OF NEXT SYSTEM. ONCE AGAIN LATEST RUC 925MB RH FIELDS HANDLE CLDS BEST. TEMPS ARE HVG A TUFF TIME DROPPING OFF TONIGHT UNDER WARMING TEMPS. HV ADJUSTED MINS UP BY SVRL DEGREES WITH U20S/NR 30 EXPECTED WEST OF I-81 AND LWR 20S TO THE EAST WHERE RADN`L COOLING IS MAXIMIZED AND AREA WL BE LAST TO GET INTO WAA. NO OTHER CHGS NEEDED. PREV DISCOS BLO... 730 PM UPDATE...THE CURRENT FCST IS IN GREAT SHAPE...SO JUST A FEW COSMETIC CHGS WERE MADE ATTM. SAT IMAGERY SHOWED THE LEADING EDGE OF A THICKER SC DECK CREEPING NWD FROM CNTRL PA THIS EVE. NEAR-TERM GUIDANCE SUGGESTS THAT... ALTHOUGH THESE CLDS WILL EVENTUALLY MAKE IT INTO PTNS OF CNY/NE PA TWDS DAYBREAK...THEY WILL HAVE SOME TROUBLE DOING SO OVERNIGHT AS THEY ENCOUNTER INITIALLY DRY AMS TO THE N. THUS...OUR PRESENT SKY COVER GRIDS LOOK REASONABLE...SHOWING MAINLY CLEAR SKIES TIL 06-09Z...THEN INCREASING CLDS FROM SW TO NE. OUR MIN TEMP GRID SHOWS THAT THE COLDEST OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL TAKE PLACE ACRS OUR NRN AND ERN ZNS (TEENS)...WHICH MAKES PERFECT SENSE GIVEN THEY WILL LIKELY STAY CLEAR THE LONGEST...AND HAVE A CHANCE TO COOL RADIATIONALLY THIS EVE. TEMPS WILL LIKELY ONLY DROP INTO THE 20S ELSEWHERE. 4 PM UPDATE.. SFC HIGH PRES OVER NRN NEW ENGLAND WILL PROVIDE MAINLY CLEAR SKIES THROUGH THIS EVENING. LATER TONIGHT SOUTHEAST FLOW WILL BRING INCREASING LOW LEVEL MOISTURE ACROSS THE SOUTHERN FA POSSIBLY TO THE NY/PA BORDER BY MORNING. LOWS WILL GENERALLY RANGE IN THE LOWER TO MIDDLE 20S. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM THIS MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY/... WEDNESDAY...SFC LOW PRES WILL RACK FROM NRN IL TO LAKE HURON BY EVENING. SFC HIGH PRES OFF THE NEW ENGLAND COAST WILL PRODUCE A SOUTHEAST FLOW OF INCREASING MOISTURE. MODELS SHOW BEST MOISTURE ADVECTION AND CONVERGENCE ALONG THE I81 CORRIDOR WHERE POPS WILL BE THE HIGHEST UNTIL LATE DAY WHEN FRONTAL MOISTURE APPROACHES. PRECIP TYPE WILL BE BOUNDARY LAYER DEPENDENT AND PRIMARILY RAIN SHOWERS. THROUGH LATE AFTERNOON WILL KEEP POPS IN THE HIGH CHC CATEGORY. WEDNESDAY NIGHT...SFC LOW PRES TRACKS THROUGH EASTERN CANADA WITH TRAILING COLD FRONT PASSING THROUGH FA BETWEEN 06Z-12Z. WENT WITH LIKELY/CATEGORICAL POPS WITH POPS LOWERING SIGNIFICANTLY TOWARD DAYBREAK. PRECIP WILL FALL PRIMARILY AS RAIN SHOWERS DURING THE EVENING THEN TRANSITION TO RAIN/SNOW SHOWER MIX AS CAA COOLS BOUNDARY LAYER. THERE COULD BE MINOR SNOW ACCUMS IN THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE NRN SUSQUEHANNA REGION, WESTERN CATSKILLS AND WESTERN MOHAWK VALLEY. THURSDAY...STRONG NORTHWEST FLOW FOLLOWS THE FRONT WITH SCATTERED RAIN/SNOW SHOWERS PRIMARILY OVER THE NRN CWA. TEMPS WILL BE NEAR SEASONAL LEVELS WITH HIGHS IN THE LOWER TO MIDDLE 40S. THURSDAY NIGHT...CONTINUED CAA AND NORTHWEST FLOW WILL BRING LAKE ENHANCED SNOW SHOWERS TO THE NRN CWA PRIMARILY DURING THE EVENING UNDER 275-290 FLOW. WILL CARRY LOW LIKELY POPS HERE AND SNOW ACCUMS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES POSSIBLE ESPECIALLY IN THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF NRN ONEIDA COUNTY. FRIDAY...SFC RIDGING AND AIRMASS DRYING WILL END ANY LINGERING LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS BY MID MORNING. SKIES WILL BE PARTLY TO MOSTLY SUNNY WITH MAXES IN THE LOWER TO MIDDLE 40S. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/... THE ENTIRE LONG TERM IS DOMINATED BY A LARGE TROF EXTENDING FROM NORTHERN CANADA THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES AND NEW ENGLAND. THE TROF WILL DEEPEN THROUGHOUT THIS PERIOD, WITH THE COLD CORE EXTENDING WELL INTO THE MID ATLANTIC REGION BY MONDAY. A CYCLONE WILL SPIN OUT OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY FRIDAY NIGHT AND TREK EASTWARD TO NEAR ATLANTIC CITY BY EARLY SATURDAY. THIS STORM WILL SPIN A MIX OF RAIN AND SNOW INTO NY AND PA THROUGH THE AFTERNOON HOURS. ARCTIC AIR WILL CRASH THROUGH ONTARIO AND QUEBEC INTO NY STATE ON SUNDAY NIGHT. A POWERFUL CYCLONE WELL OFF SHORE WILL DEVELOP ALONG THE PERIPHERY OF THE ARCTIC AIR AND THE RELATIVELY WARM OCEAN WATERS. THIS WILL DRAG ADDITIONAL COLD AIR SOUTHWARD INTO EASTERN NY AND NEW ENGLAND, LEADING TO MUCH BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES. && .AVIATION /04Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TONIGHT THROUGH MUCH OF TOMORROW MORNING. AFTER 15Z WEDNESDAY... LOW AND MID LEVEL MOISTURE WILL START TO MOVE INTO THE REGION AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT AND PREFRONTAL SHOWERS WILL START TO DEVELOP. SHOWERS MAY POSSIBLY BE COMPRISED OF A WINTRY MIX OF SLEET AN RAIN EARLY ON. AS THE AFTERNOON PROGRESSES ALL PRECIP IS EXPECTED TO CHANGE OVER TO RAIN. ATTM THESE SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN VFR. SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL BE QUITE GUSTY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AHEAD OF THE FRONT AS THE MSLP TIGHTENS. THE COLD FRONT IS NOT EXPECTED TO PASS TILL THURSDAY MORNING. OUTLOOK... WED NGT/THU...MVFR AND POSSIBLY IFR IN -SHRA/-SHSN. THUR NGT...MVFR POSSIBLE IN LAKE EFFECT -SHSN, MAINLY ACROSS NY TERMINALS. FRIDAY/FRIDAY NIGHT...MAINLY VFR. SATURDAY...RESTRICTIONS POSSIBLE IN RAIN/SNOW SHOWERS. SUNDAY...RESTRICTIONS POSSIBLE IN SNOW SHOWERS && .BGM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...NONE. NY...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...RRM NEAR TERM...MLJ/PVN/RRM SHORT TERM...RRM LONG TERM...DJP AVIATION...KAH
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS WILMINGTON NC
126 AM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 .SYNOPSIS... A WARMING AND DRYING TREND IS EXPECTED THROUGH SATURDAY AS A LATE WINTER STORM SYSTEM PULLS NORTHEAST AWAY FROM THE AREA AND HIGH PRESSURE SETTLES INTO THE REGION. A COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO CROSS THE COAST LATE IN THE WEEKEND...FOLLOWED BY BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING/... AS OF 130 AM WEDNESDAY...LIGHT DRIZZLE APPEARS TO BE THE DOMINANT WEATHER TYPE POSSIBLE THROUGH DAYBREAK. RAISED FORECAST LOWS BY A DEGREE OR TWO BUT NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES ARE NECESSARY. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION FROM 900 PM FOLLOWS... ALTHOUGH NO PRECIP IS BEING RECORDED BY ANY OF OUR SITES...RADAR RETURNS INDICATE THAT IT IS POSSIBLE THAT A FEW SPOTS OVER OUR NC COUNTIES MAY BE SEEING A VERY LIGHT DRIZZLE OR MIST. I WOULDN`T BET ON THAT THOUGH. MOST PLACES WILL STAY DRY OVERNIGHT. FORECAST IN GOOD SHAPE WITH NO CHANGES NEEDED. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION FROM EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON FOLLOWS: THE UPPER LEVEL LOW HAS MOVED WELL OFF SHORE THIS AFTERNOON AND THE SURFACE LOW IS ABOUT 100 MILES SOUTHEAST OF THE CAPE FEAR. WHAT THIS HAS DONE IS SCOUR OUT THE DRY AIR ALOFT AND NOW ONLY THE MOISTURE SEEN ON RAP TIME HEIGHT CROSS SECTION WILL REMAIN OVERNIGHT MAINLY BELOW 800 MB. THE SYNOPTIC SETTING AT THE SURFACE SHOWS COLD AIR DAMMING AND THIS WILL ALLOW NORTH TO NORTHEAST FLOW TO REMAIN OVER THE AREA OVERNIGHT. WITH NO FORCING ALOFT AND ABUNDANT MOISTURE EXPECT STRATUS CLOUDS TO REMAIN OVERNIGHT...WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF SOME LIGHT DRIZZLE AND PATCHY FOG. CURRENT SATELLITE IS SHOWING A BREAK ALONG THE SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA COAST BUT AS LOW MOVES AWAY AND SUBSIDENCE ON THE BACK SIDE WEAKENS EXPECT THE CLOUD COVER TO FILL IN OVERNIGHT. WITH TEMPERATURES STRUGGLING TO MAKE THE LOW TO MID 40S THIS AFTERNOON WILL AGAIN LEAN TOWARD A COOLER SOLUTION AS SEEN IN THE MET MOS GUIDANCE...WHICH MAY BE A BIT TO COLD. TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN IN THE MID 30S BUT WITH CLOUD COVER AND A NORTH WIND THE EXPECTATION OF FROST IS NOT HIGH FOR THE OVERNIGHT. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 3 PM TUESDAY...WESTERLY WIND FLOW IN A PARCHED AIR-MASS PERCHED ABOVE 8000 FEET WILL COVER THE AREA BOTH WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. PATCHY -RA/-DZ MAY LINGER OVER OUR FAR NE ZONES VERY EARLY ON WEDNESDAY AROUND 12Z/8AM...AS A STORM SYSTEM CIRCULATION THROWS MOISTURE OVER-TOP AN ERODING HIGH PRESSURE WEDGE. RESIDUAL LOW- LEVEL MOISTURE AND WEAK SHORT-WAVE ENERGY FROM THE WNW MAY ALSO AID IN LIGHT PCPN AROUND THIS TIME. A WEAK COLD FRONT WEDNESDAY NIGHT WILL BRING A SECONDARY INCREASE IN RELATIVE HUMIDITY UP THROUGH 800 MB BUT THIS LOOKS INADEQUATE TO GENERATE ANY PCPN SO NO MENTIONABLE POP VALUES ARE PLANNED. NO SIGNIFICANT COLD ADVECTION IS EXPECTED AND IN TERMS OF SENSIBLE WEATHER...MAINLY LOW-LEVEL CLOUDS LATE WED/EARLY THU EXPECTED. PLENTIFUL SUNSHINE WILL BE A STRUGGLE EARLY WEDNESDAY DUE TO THE WEAKENING WEDGE AND LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE ON NE TRAJECTORIES...AND AGAIN VERY EARLY ON THURSDAY WE MAY BE GREETED WITH CLOUDS. BREAKS AND PERIODS OF AFTERNOON SUNSHINE HOWEVER SHOULD PERIODICALLY PREVAIL...THIS MOST FAVORABLE THURSDAY. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 3 PM TUESDAY...QUIET AND COOL CONDITIONS WILL KICK OFF THE FORECAST PERIOD AS SFC HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE REGION GRADUALLY TRANSITIONS OFF THE CAROLINA COAST LATE MORNING/EARLY AFTERNOON ON FRIDAY. BEHIND THE EXITING SYSTEM SW FLOW WILL RETURN AT THE SFC WHILE ZONAL WESTERLY FLOW ALOFT RESIDES...MAKING FOR OVERALL DRY CONDITIONS TO PERSIST INTO SATURDAY MORNING. AN BROAD UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WELL TO THE NORTH-NORTHWEST WILL AID IN THE FORWARD PUSHING OF A COLD FRONT...WHICH WILL APPROACH OUR AREA ON SATURDAY. ANTICIPATE CLOUD COVER TO SLOWLY INCREASE BEGINNING AS EARLY AS LATE OVERNIGHT FRIDAY INTO EARLY SATURDAY MORNING PER LATEST FCST SOUNDINGS. AS DRY CONDITIONS PERSIST ALOFT WITH WESTERLY WINDS...WITH THE FRONTAL PASSAGE...ONLY AVAILABLE MOISTURE WILL BE THAT INFILTRATED INTO THE AREA BY THE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED SOUTHWEST FLOW. THUS DO NOT ANTICIPATE MUCH IN THE WAY OF RAINFALL AMOUNTS WITH THE SYSTEM. INTO SUNDAY...CLOUDS WILL DISPERSE AND QUIET CONDITIONS RETURN AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS BACK INTO THE AREA. THOUGH WILL NOTE MUCH COOLER AIR INFILTRATES IN...ALLOWING FOR SLIGHTLY BELOW AVERAGE TEMPS FOR SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. WILL NEED TO MONITOR NEXT WEATHER SYSTEM AS UNSETTLED WEATHER IS POSSIBLE MONDAY INTO TUESDAY AS STALLED SYSTEM OFFSHORE SLOWLY RETROGRADES TOWARDS THE COAST. && .AVIATION /06Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... AS OF 06Z...CIGS ARE CURRENTLY IFR ALONG AND N OF A KLBT-KFLO- KILM LINE...AND MVFR TO THE S OF THAT LINE. CIGS HAVE CONTINUE TO SHOW A LOWERING TREND OVER THE PAST SEVERAL HOURS. MOS GUIDANCE AND SOUNDINGS SUGGEST IFR CIGS DEVELOPING S INTO THE KCRE/KMYR TERMINALS EARLY THIS MORNING. THIS SEEMS REASONABLE BASED ON CURRENT TRENDS. LOWEST CONFIDENCE IS IN TIMING. THERE COULD BE PERIODS OF IFR VSBYS IN -DZBR AND CIGS COULD FLIRT WITH LIFR LEVELS MAINLY AT THE COASTAL TERMINALS AS A SURFACE WAVE FORMS ON THE COLD FRONT TO THE S OF THE TERMINALS. AFTER SUNRISE SLOWLY IMPROVING CONDITIONS EXPECTED WITH MVFR AT MOST TERMINALS BY MID-LATE MORNING. CIGS SHOULD RISE TO LOW VFR LEVELS...POSSIBLY SCATTERED...AT TIMES DURING THE AFTERNOON. WINDS SHOULD BECOME SE-SW AS THE DAY PROGRESSES. EXTENDED OUTLOOK...VFR THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. LOW CONFIDENCE FOR POSSIBLE SHOWERS WITH A COLD FRONT SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY. && .MARINE... NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 130 AM WEDNESDAY...RAISED WIND SPEEDS NORTH OF CAPE FEAR SLIGHTLY ON THIS EARLY MORNING UPDATE A FEW KNOTS BASED ON OBSERVATIONS AND THE LATEST RUC MODEL...OTHERWISE FEW CHANGES. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION FROM 900 PM FOLLOWS... HAVE CANCELED THE SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR OUR SC WATERS BASED ON LATEST OBSERVATIONS AND TRENDS. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS IN PLACE FOR OUR NC WATERS THROUGH 6 AM. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION FOLLOWS: THE SURFACE LOW PRESSURE AREA ALONG THE STATIONARY FRONT IS NOW LOCATED AROUND 100 MILES SOUTHEAST OF CAPE FEAR. WITH THE TIGHTENED PRESSURE GRADIENT...THE WINDS OVER THE WATERS ARE BECOMING MORE NORTHERLY AND ARE BLOWING AT 20 TO 25 KNOTS WITH GUSTS NEAR 30 KNOTS. SEAS ARE RUNNING AT 7.5 FEET AT FRYING PAN SHOALS AND 4.5 FEET AT BUOY 41110 OFF WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN FROM THE NORTH WITH THE LOW EXITING OFF TO THE NORTHEAST AND COLD AIR DAMMING OVER THE CAROLINAS CONTINUING OVERNIGHT. AS THE PRESSURE GRADIENT DECREASES OVERNIGHT...THE WINDS AND SEAS WILL DECREASE. SO AT THE TIME WILL CONTINUE WITH A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR ALL THE WATERS THROUGH MIDNIGHT AND NORTH OF LITTLE RIVER INLET THROUGH 6 AM. SHORT TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 3 PM TUESDAY...OVERALL AN IMPROVED MARINE FORECAST AS WINDS FALL OFF IN WAKE OF A DEPARTING STORM SYSTEM OFFSHORE. N WINDS EARLY WEDNESDAY WILL EASE AND BECOME WSW LATER IN THE DAY AS LOWER PRESSURE TO THE NE PULLS AWAY...AND ALLOWS THE LOW-LEVEL PRESSURE GRADIENT TO LOOSEN CONSIDERABLY. WINDS WILL GO NW-N THURSDAY AFTN AS A SURFACE HIGH MOVES IN FROM THE WEST. MODERATE NE WIND SHOULD BE EXPECTED DAYBREAK FRIDAY PRIOR TO THE HIGH MOVING OVERHEAD OF THE COASTAL WATERS MIDDAY FRIDAY. SEAS SPECTRUM WILL FEATURE NE WAVE ENERGY ON THE WANE WEDNESDAY...FOLLOWED BY SMALLER BUT A MYRIAD OF S-SE MINOR WAVE TRAINS OF DIFFERING WAVE PERIODS. LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... AS OF 3 PM TUESDAY...LIGHT WINDS WILL PREVAIL ON FRIDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE REIGNS ACROSS THE WATERS AS SEAS REMAIN FAIRLY QUIET THROUGHOUT THE DAY. INTO THE LATER AFTERNOON HOURS SEAS WILL BUILD TO 2-4 FT...WITH SOME POSSIBLE 5FOOTERS IN THE OUTER WATERS OF AMZ-252 AND 250...AS SOUTH WINDS INCREASE TO 10-12 KTS AND DECENT SWELL ENERGY IS TAPPED INTO ACROSS THE WATERS. EXPECT CONDITIONS TO LAST THROUGH SATURDAY AFTER AS A COLD FRONT PUSHES TOWARDS THE COAST FROM THE NORTHWEST. CONDITIONS QUIET BACK DOWN BEHIND THE COLD FRONT AS HIGH PRESSURE SETTLES IN WITH SEAS ON SUNDAY MAINLY 2-3 FT AND MAINLY NORTH WINDS 10-14 KTS. && .ILM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SC...NONE. NC...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM EDT WEDNESDAY FOR AMZ250-252. && $$ SYNOPSIS...MJC NEAR TERM...REK/DRH/TRA SHORT TERM...MJC LONG TERM...SGL AVIATION...MRR
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
1157 PM CDT TUE MAR 18 2014 .DISCUSSION... SEE THE 06Z AVIATION DISCUSSION BELOW. 40 && .AVIATION... NOT MUCH CHANGE OF THINKING FROM THE 00Z FORECAST SET. AN MVFR CLOUD PATCH FORMED BETWEEN 03Z AND 04Z AT KIAH AND THEN MOVED OFF TO THE EAST. EXPECT THAT AS THE COLD FRONT MOVES INTO SE TX THAT SOME MOISTURE CONVERGENCE WILL LEAD TO BETTER CHANCES FOR MVFR CEILINGS FROM ABOUT KCXO TO THE COAST. THE NAM12 AND NAMBUFR BOTH LIFT THE CEILINGS TO VFR AT KCXO...KIAH...KHOU...AND KSGR BETWEEN 15Z AND 18Z. THE MODEL ALSO SLOWS THE FRONT DOWN TO BECOME NEARLY STATIONARY AT THE COAST WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. THIS SHOULD KEEP CEILINGS DOWN AT KLBX AND KGLS. 40 && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 817 PM CDT TUE MAR 18 2014/ UPDATE... SEE EVENING UPDATE. DISCUSSION... AT 00Z...A PRE-FRONTAL TROUGH EXTENDED FROM ABOUT TULSA TO BROWNWOOD TO DEL RIO. A COLD FRONT LAGGED THE TROUGH A BIT AND EXTENDED FROM ARDMORE TO WICHITA FALLS TO MIDLAND. 00Z SOUNDINGS SHOW PW VALUES NEAR 0.50 INCHES AND THE SOUNDINGS LOOK VERY DRY. STILL EXPECTING SOME INCREASE IN CLOUD COVER OVERNIGHT AS THE FRONT APPROACHES. THE RAP AND OTHER SHORT TERM GUIDANCE HINT AT SOME SHOWERS JUST BEHIND THE FRONT WEDNESDAY MORNING. CURRENT FORECAST MENTIONS ISOLATED SHOWERS TO COVER THIS POSSIBILITY. SEASONAL TEMPS AND DRY CONDS WILL PREVAIL IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT. ALL IN ALL...SOME NICE SPRING WEATHER TO END THE WORK WEEK. 43 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... COLLEGE STATION (CLL) 51 71 46 74 54 / 10 10 10 10 10 HOUSTON (IAH) 56 73 48 74 54 / 10 10 10 10 10 GALVESTON (GLS) 59 72 56 68 58 / 10 10 10 10 10 && .HGX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... TX...NONE. GM...SMALL CRAFT SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION UNTIL 1 AM CDT WEDNESDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: WATERS FROM FREEPORT TO THE MATAGORDA SHIP CHANNEL 20 NM TO 60 NM...WATERS FROM HIGH ISLAND TO FREEPORT 20 TO 60 NM. && $$ DISCUSSION...43 AVIATION/MARINE...40
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS SPOKANE WA
1045 PM PDT TUE MAR 18 2014 .SYNOPSIS...TONIGHT WILL BE DRY OVER THE INLAND NORTHWEST WITH RELATIVELY LIGHT WINDS. A QUICK MOVING COLD FRONT WILL PRODUCE A GOOD CHANCE OF RAIN AND MOUNTAIN SNOW WEDNESDAY, ACCOMPANIED BY WINDY CONDITIONS WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. UPPER LEVEL HIGH PRESSURE IS EXPECTED TO RETURN TO THE REGION FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY BRINGING MAINLY DRY CONDITIONS AND SEASONAL TEMPERATURES. && .DISCUSSION... MINOR UPDATE THIS EVENING TO LOWER POPS THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING. 00Z MODEL GUIDANCE IN CONJUCTION WITH RADAR TRENDS AND THE KOTX SOUNDING INDICATE PRECIPITATION WILL STRUGGLE TO FULLY MATERIALIZE ACROSS THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS AND CASCADES OVERNIGHT. AS OF 830PM...ONLY A FEW LIGHT SHOWERS EXIST ACROSS THE NORTHWESTERN TIP OF WA. 00Z NAM HAS BACKED OFF ON PRECIPITATION REACHING THE CASCADES UNTIL AFTER 06Z AND DOES NOT BRING 0.01" INTO THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS UNTIL AFTER 12Z. LATEST HRRR WOULD SUPPORT THIS IDEA AND KOTX 00Z SOUNDING QUITE A BIT OF DRY AIR TO OVERCOME BETWEEN 700-500MB BEFORE ANY PRECIPITATION CAN MATERIALIZE. MOUNTAIN TEMPERATURES REMAIN COOL ENOUGH TO SUPPORT SNOW AND THIS COULD LEAD TO SLICK ROADS ACROSS THE CASCADE PASSES WEDNESDAY MORNING BUT THE MARCH SUN ANGLE SHOULD QUICKLY LEAD TO MAINLY WET ROADS BY MIDDAY. THERE REMAINS A DECENT CHANCE FOR ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WITH THE COLD FRONT PASSAGE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. NAM/GFS CONTINUE TO SUPPORT 150-250 J/KG OF SB CAPE. NOT OVERLY IMPRESSIVE BY THE NUMBERS BUT FEEL THESE MAY BE SLIGHTLY UNDERDONE DEPENDING HOW QUICKLY THE BOUNDARY LAYER MOISTURE DRIES OUT. ERN WA AND NRN ID WILL BE IN A FAVORABLE LEFT EXIT REGION OF THE UPPER-LEVEL JET WHICH BRINGS RAPID 500MB COOLING OVER THE REGION PRIOR TO THE SURFACE COLD FRONT. THIS IS WILL BE NICELY STACKED FRONT IN THE LOWER LEVELS WHICH WILL PROPEL PARCELS UPWARDS OVERCOMING ANY WEAK CIN AND THIS IS WHY SB CAPE MAY BE ON THE LOWER END. 00Z GFS WAS JUST TRICKLING IN AND WILL ALLOW THE MIDNIGHT SHIFT TO TAKE ONE LAST LOOK BEFORE ADDING INTO THE GRIDS. GUSTY WINDS WILL BE AN ISSUE WITH THE COLD FRONT WITH GUSTS BETWEEN 35-45 MPH. THESE GUSTS COULD BE ENHANCED WITH POTENTIAL THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. /SB && .AVIATION...06Z TAFS: A STRONG COLD FRONT IS APPROACHING THE WA COAST THIS EVENING. MID AND HIGHLEVEL CLOUD COVER WILL CONTINUE SPREADING INTO THE REGION OVERNIGHT AND WEDNESDAY WITH CIGS GENERALLY AOA 6-8K FT AGL THROUGH 20Z. THE FRONT WILL CROSS THE CASCADES ARND 00Z AND RACE TOWARD THE IDAHO/WASHINGTON BORDER ARND 03Z THUR. THE MAIN PCPN THREAT WITH THIS STORM SYSTEM WILL COME WITH THE FRONTAL PASSAGE AND WILL COME THROUGH QUICKLY IN THE FORM OF CONVECTIVE SHOWERS OF RAIN MIXED WITH SNOW OR GRAUPEL. A FEW THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THE FRONTAL PASSAGE WITH THE HIGHEST THREAT ACROSS NE WA/NRN ID. STRONG WINDS WILL ALSO ACCOMPANY THE FRONTAL PASSAGE WITH GUSTS BTWN 30-45 MPH. /SB && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... SPOKANE 32 49 31 45 27 45 / 0 60 60 40 10 0 COEUR D`ALENE 30 47 32 44 26 44 / 0 60 70 60 10 10 PULLMAN 33 50 32 45 28 46 / 0 50 70 30 10 10 LEWISTON 35 57 37 50 31 48 / 0 30 60 40 10 10 COLVILLE 30 50 28 47 24 47 / 10 60 50 20 0 0 SANDPOINT 29 44 30 41 24 41 / 0 70 80 50 10 10 KELLOGG 29 42 30 38 24 38 / 0 70 90 70 30 20 MOSES LAKE 35 58 34 54 28 52 / 0 40 10 0 0 0 WENATCHEE 35 55 33 52 28 48 / 0 30 20 0 0 0 OMAK 32 54 30 48 25 48 / 10 50 10 10 10 0 && .OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ID...NONE. WA...NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS SPOKANE WA
902 PM PDT TUE MAR 18 2014 .SYNOPSIS...TONIGHT WILL BE DRY OVER THE INLAND NORTHWEST WITH RELATIVELY LIGHT WINDS. A QUICK MOVING COLD FRONT WILL PRODUCE A GOOD CHANCE OF RAIN AND MOUNTAIN SNOW WEDNESDAY, ACCOMPANIED BY WINDY CONDITIONS WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. UPPER LEVEL HIGH PRESSURE IS EXPECTED TO RETURN TO THE REGION FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY BRINGING MAINLY DRY CONDITIONS AND SEASONAL TEMPERATURES. && .DISCUSSION... MINOR UPDATE THIS EVENING TO LOWER POPS THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING. 00Z MODEL GUIDANCE IN CONJUCTION WITH RADAR TRENDS AND THE KOTX SOUNDING INDICATE PRECIPITATION WILL STRUGGLE TO FULLY MATERIALIZE ACROSS THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS AND CASCADES OVERNIGHT. AS OF 830PM...ONLY A FEW LIGHT SHOWERS EXIST ACROSS THE NORTHWESTERN TIP OF WA. 00Z NAM HAS BACKED OFF ON PRECIPITATION REACHING THE CASCADES UNTIL AFTER 06Z AND DOES NOT BRING 0.01" INTO THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS UNTIL AFTER 12Z. LATEST HRRR WOULD SUPPORT THIS IDEA AND KOTX 00Z SOUNDING QUITE A BIT OF DRY AIR TO OVERCOME BETWEEN 700-500MB BEFORE ANY PRECIPITATION CAN MATERIALIZE. MOUNTAIN TEMPERATURES REMAIN COOL ENOUGH TO SUPPORT SNOW AND THIS COULD LEAD TO SLICK ROADS ACROSS THE CASCADE PASSES WEDNESDAY MORNING BUT THE MARCH SUN ANGLE SHOULD QUICKLY LEAD TO MAINLY WET ROADS BY MIDDAY. THERE REMAINS A DECENT CHANCE FOR ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WITH THE COLD FRONT PASSAGE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. NAM/GFS CONTINUE TO SUPPORT 150-250 J/KG OF SB CAPE. NOT OVERLY IMPRESSIVE BY THE NUMBERS BUT FEEL THESE MAY BE SLIGHTLY UNDERDONE DEPENDING HOW QUICKLY THE BOUNDARY LAYER MOISTURE DRIES OUT. ERN WA AND NRN ID WILL BE IN A FAVORABLE LEFT EXIT REGION OF THE UPPER-LEVEL JET WHICH BRINGS RAPID 500MB COOLING OVER THE REGION PRIOR TO THE SURFACE COLD FRONT. THIS IS WILL BE NICELY STACKED FRONT IN THE LOWER LEVELS WHICH WILL PROPEL PARCELS UPWARDS OVERCOMING ANY WEAK CIN AND THIS IS WHY SB CAPE MAY BE ON THE LOWER END. 00Z GFS WAS JUST TRICKLING IN AND WILL ALLOW THE MIDNIGHT SHIFT TO TAKE ONE LAST LOOK BEFORE ADDING INTO THE GRIDS. GUSTY WINDS WILL BE AN ISSUE WITH THE COLD FRONT WITH GUSTS BETWEEN 35-45 MPH. THESE GUSTS COULD BE ENHANCED WITH POTENTIAL THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. /SB && .AVIATION...18Z TAFS: SHORTWAVE RIDGING CURRENTLY OVER THER REGION WILL FLATTEN TONIGHT ALLOWING INCREASING HIGH AND MIDLEVEL CLOUD AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING STORM SYSTEM. THIS SYSTEM WILL USHER A STRONG COLD FRONT TROUGH THE REGION WEDNESDAY AFTN WITH CURRENT TIMING BRINGING THE FRONT ACROSS THE CASCADES ARND 00Z AND RACING THROUGH THE IDAHO/WASHINGTON BORDER ARND 03Z THUR. THE MAIN PRECIP THREAT THROUGH 18Z WILL MAINLY BE IN THE MOUNTAINS BUT A SMALL RISK FOR SPRINKLES WILL EXIST AT THE TERMINALS. THE BEST PRECIP CHANCES WILL COME AFT 20Z AS THE ATMOSPHERE DESTABILIZES AND FORCING INCREASES ALONG THE COLD FRONT. PRECIP WILL BECOME MORE CONVECTIVE WITH A VARIATION OF RAIN, SNOW, AND GRAUPEL. AN ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE WITH THE BEST CHANCES CLOSER TO THE CANADIAN BORDER. /SB && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... SPOKANE 32 49 31 45 27 45 / 0 60 60 40 10 0 COEUR D`ALENE 30 47 32 44 26 44 / 0 60 70 60 10 10 PULLMAN 33 50 32 45 28 46 / 0 50 70 30 10 10 LEWISTON 35 57 37 50 31 48 / 0 30 60 40 10 10 COLVILLE 30 50 28 47 24 47 / 10 60 50 20 0 0 SANDPOINT 29 44 30 41 24 41 / 0 70 80 50 10 10 KELLOGG 29 42 30 38 24 38 / 0 70 90 70 30 20 MOSES LAKE 35 58 34 54 28 52 / 0 40 10 0 0 0 WENATCHEE 35 55 33 52 28 48 / 0 30 20 0 0 0 OMAK 32 54 30 48 25 48 / 10 50 10 10 10 0 && .OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ID...NONE. WA...NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LA CROSSE WI
1105 PM CDT TUE MAR 18 2014 .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY) ISSUED AT 255 PM CDT TUE MAR 18 2014 MAIN CONCERN IS WITH THE PRECIPITATION CHANCES TONIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY. WATER VAPOR SATELLITE THIS AFTERNOON SHOWING AN UPPER LEVEL LOW OVER NEBRASKA AND KANSAS WITH NORTHERN STREAM SHORT WAVE TROUGHS OVER NORTH DAKOTA AND MONTANA. THE 18.12Z MODELS ARE IN REASONABLY GOOD AGREEMENT IN TAKING THE UPPER LEVEL LOW TOWARD THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING AS THE TWO NORTHERN STREAM SHORT WAVE TROUGHS MOVE EAST/SOUTHEAST TOWARD THE NORTHERN GREAT LAKES. THE 18.12Z GFS INDICATES THIS WILL PATTERN WILL TAKE MODERATE PV ADVECTION IN THE 500-300 MB LAYER ACROSS THE SOUTHERN SECTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA TONIGHT AND THEN SWING MODERATE TO STRONG PV ADVECTION ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA WEDNESDAY MORNING. THIS IS EXPECTED TO LEAD TO MODERATE QG CONVERGENCE IN THE 850-500 MB LAYER THIS EVENING AND SOME LINGERING WEAK CONVERGENCE IN THE 500-300 MB LAYER THROUGH WEDNESDAY. AS THE SURFACE LOW TRACKS FROM EASTERN KANSAS INTO NORTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING...A BAND OF WEAK FRONTOGENESIS ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE OF THE LOW IS EXPECTED TO SET UP IN THE 850-500 MB LAYER. THE BEST ISENTROPIC UP GLIDE WILL OCCUR TONIGHT AHEAD OF THE SURFACE LOW WITH 2 TO 4 UBAR/S SHOWN BY THE GFS ON THE 285K SURFACE. ALL THIS FORCING WILL BE MORE THAN SUFFICIENT TO PRODUCE PRECIPITATION ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA TONIGHT. CHANGES TO THE PRECIPITATION CHANCES THAT WERE MADE WERE TO SLOW DOWN THE ARRIVAL OF THE PRECIPITATION ACROSS THE EAST TO THE LATE EVENING HOURS...CARRYING A 100 PERCENT CHANCE AFTER 06Z FOR THE ENTIRE AREA AND THEN HAVING A SHARPER BACK EDGE AS THE PRECIPITATION DEPARTS WEDNESDAY WHICH ENDS UP KEEPING MOST OF THE AREA WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER DRY FOR WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. THE MAIN CONCERN CONTINUES TO BE HOW MUCH WARM AIR WILL WRAP AROUND THE BACK SIDE OF THE SURFACE LOW. THE 18.12Z NAM SHOWS A WARMER SOLUTION THAN EITHER THE GFS OR 18.12Z ECMWF WITH THE 0C LINE FROM NORTH CENTRAL IOWA INTO CENTRAL WISCONSIN WITH ABOUT -2C OVER THE NORTHWEST SECTIONS. THE GFS HAS THE 0C LINE FARTHER SOUTHEAST...JUST BARELY INTO THE SOUTHERN SECTIONS WITH ABOUT -3C AIR OVER THE NORTHWEST. THE ECMWF IS SIMILAR TO THE GFS WITH THE 0C LINE BUT CLOSER TO THE NAM WITH -2C OVER THE NORTHWEST. ALL THE MODELS THEN SHOW THIS WARM AIR ALOFT SLIDING OUT OF THE AREA OVERNIGHT ONCE THE SURFACE LOW GOES BY. THE 18.18Z RAP LOOKS VERY SIMILAR TO THE NAM THROUGH 06Z...SO CONCERNED THAT THE WARMER SOLUTION MAY END UP BEING CORRECT. FOR NOW...SPLIT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SOLUTIONS...BUT WITH ALL OF THEM SHOWING SOME WARM AIR ALOFT...THE LEADS TO THE CONCERN FOR SOME SLEET IN THE TRANSITION BETWEEN THE RAIN TO SNOW AND HAVE ADDED THIS IN AS A POSSIBLE WEATHER TYPE. WHERE IT WILL BE COLD ENOUGH FOR PREDOMINANTLY SNOW...ACCUMULATIONS STILL LOOK TO BE 1 TO 2 INCHES ALONG AND NORTH OF I90 WITH UP TO 3 INCHES IN TAYLOR COUNTY. THUS...NOT PLANNING ANY CHANGES TO THE CURRENT WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY. .LONG TERM...(THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 255 PM CDT TUE MAR 18 2014 THE ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN LOOKS LIKE IT WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THIS PERIOD. THE NEXT SYSTEM WILL BE IN THE NORTHERN STREAM COMING IN FROM SOUTHWEST CANADA. THE CURRENT INDICATIONS FROM THE GFS AND ECMWF ARE THAT THIS SYSTEM WILL FLATTEN OUT AND MOVE ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND NORTHERN GREAT LAKES. THE INITIAL SURFACE LOW IS EXPECTED TO BE CLOSE TO THE UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM BUT THEN SHIFT SOUTH CLOSER TO THE EXISTING BAROCLINIC ZONE. THE MAIN CONCERN WITH THIS SYSTEM LOOKS TO BE WHETHER SATURATION WILL OCCUR BEFORE OR AFTER THE SURFACE LOW HAS PASSED BY THE REGION. THE ECMWF IS THE QUICKEST TO BRING THE PRECIPITATION IN THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY WHILE THE NAM AND GFS PRIMARILY KEEP THE AREA DRY ALLOWING SATURATION TO OCCUR ONCE THE LOW IS PAST THE AREA. WILL SHOW A SMALL CHANCE ACROSS THE WEST LATE THURSDAY NIGHT WITH A 30 TO 40 PERCENT CHANCE FOR MOST OF THE AREA FRIDAY. THE NEXT NORTHERN STREAM SYSTEM IS THEN EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY. THIS SYSTEM COULD BE BATTLING SOME DRY AIR IN THE LOW LEVELS AS BOTH THE GFS AND ECMWF SHOW HIGH PRESSURE AT THE SURFACE OVER THE REGION...SO FOR NOW...THIS LEADS TO 30 TO 40 PERCENT CHANCES THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z WEDNESDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 1105 PM CDT TUE MAR 18 2014 PCPN WAS MOVING ACROSS THE AREA...ALTHOUGH SOME LOW LEVEL SATURATION WAS STILL OCCURRING - PER SFC OBS AND BUFKIT SOUNDINGS. TEMP PROFILE SUPPORTS RAIN FOR A FEW HOURS AT KLSE...BUT MORE LIKELY -SN AT THE ONSET FOR KRST. THIS WOULD PERSIST THROUGH 12Z...ENDING SHORTLY AFTER THAT. ACCUMULATIONS UP TO 1 INCH ARE POSSIBLE. VSBYS OF 1-2SM WITH THE SNOW...4-6SM IN THE RAIN. AS THE PCPN ENDS...THE WINDS WILL PICK UP WED MORNING...CONTINUING THROUGH THE BETTER PART OF THE DAY. SOME GUSTINESS CAN BE EXPECTED. IFR/MVFR CIGS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH MUCH OF WED...BUT EXPECT SOME BUMP IN THE CIGS BY WED EVENING. GFS SUGGESTS SKC/SCT CONDITIONS LATER WED NIGHT...WHILE THE NAM IS MORE PESSIMISTIC. GOING TO HOLD ONTO CLOUDS FOR NOW...LETTING LATER MODEL RUNS/SATELLITE TRENDS ADD SOME CLARITY TO THE CLOUD FORECAST. && .ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WI...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY TIL 1 PM CDT WEDNESDAY FOR WIZ017. MN...NONE. IA...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...04 LONG TERM....04 AVIATION.....RIECK
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS NORTHERN INDIANA
653 AM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 408 AM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 RAIN CHANCES WILL INCREASE THIS MORNING AS AN UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM APPROACHES THE REGION FROM THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. AN ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE THIS MORNING. PRECIPITATION WILL DIMINISH LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING...POSSIBLY ENDING AS A MIX OF SCATTERED RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS. IN ADDITION TO THE INCREASING CHANCES OF RAIN TODAY...WINDS WILL STRENGTHEN WITH GUSTS AS HIGH AS 35 MPH. COLDER AIR WILL RETURN TO THE REGION TONIGHT BEHIND THIS SYSTEM. && .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 408 AM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 AN ACTIVE SHORT WAVE PATTERN WILL AFFECT THE GREAT LAKES AND OHIO VALLEY TODAY WITH INCREASING RAIN CHANCES THIS MORNING FROM WEST TO EAST. WATER VAPOR IMAGERY EARLY THIS MORNING DEPICTING A FAIRLY VIGOROUS SHORT WAVE TRACKING ACROSS NORTHERN INDIANA. SOME WEAK POOLING OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE HAS BEEN NOTED PER RAP ANALYSES ALONG LOW LEVEL WARM FRONTAL ZONE...BUT OVERALL SIGNIFICANT MOISTURE DEPTH HAS BEEN LACKING WITH THIS LEAD VORT MAX. PRIMARY LOW LEVEL MOIST TONGUE WILL BE ADVECTED EASTWARD ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH 12Z IN ADVANCE OF A STRONG VORT MAX KICKING OUT OF CENTRAL MISSOURI. A PLUME OF STEEP MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES ACCOMPANYING LOW LEVEL THERMAL RIDGING IN ADVANCE OFF THIS WAVE WILL ALSO LIFT INTO THE AREA TOWARD DAYBREAK. COMBINATION OF THIS SHORT WAVE AND NOTABLE UPPER DVG IN LEFT EXIT REGION OF A 130 KNOT JET CORE NOSING INTO WESTERN KENTUCKY/SOUTHERN INDIANA SHOULD ALLOW FOR CONTINUED EXPANSION OF RAIN SHOWERS ACROSS MUCH OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS...WITH EVEN A FEW ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE GIVEN DYNAMICS/STEEP MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES. GREATEST CONCENTRATION OF RAIN SHOWERS THIS MORNING APPEARS TO BE SETTING UP ESPECIALLY ACROSS NORTHWEST HALF OF THE AREA GIVEN NORTHEAST TRACK OF EASTERN MISSOURI VORT MAX. BY LATE MORNING/EARLY AFTERNOON...PREFRONTAL CONFLUENT ZONE ACROSS EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE AREA SHOULD TEND TO INCREASE FRONTAL RESPONSE IN ADVANCE OF THIS SHORT WAVE...AND GIVEN AFOREMENTIONED UPPER DVG FIELDS ASSOCIATED WITH UPPER JET STREAK...WILL CONTINUE WITH CATEGORICAL POPS ACROSS THE EAST DURING THIS PERIOD. WITH PROGRESSIVE NATURE OF THIS PATTERN...RAINFALL AMOUNTS STILL EXPECTED GENERALLY IN THE QUARTER OF AN INCH OR LESS RANGE...BUT SOME LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH EMBEDDED STRONGER CONVECTIVE ELEMENTS THIS MORNING/EARLY AFTERNOON. BEST CHANCE OF THUNDER DOES APPEAR TO BE IN PREFRONTAL ENVIRONMENT THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON BEFORE STEEPER MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES SHIFT EAST AND NORTH OF THE AREA. DIFFICULT DIURNAL TREND TO RESOLVE TEMPERATURE WISE TODAY GIVEN EFFECTS FROM PRECIPITATION AND STRONGER CAA LATER THIS AFTERNOON...BUT WARMEST HIGHS AROUND 50 STILL APPEAR TO BE IN STORE FOR SOUTHEAST LOCATIONS...WITH FALLING TEMPERATURES IN THE AFTERNOON ACROSS THE WEST. BY LATE THIS AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING...TRANSITION TO NEUTRAL OR A SLIGHT NEGATIVELY TILTED UPPER TROUGH WILL FAVOR DEEPEST MOISTURE LINGERING ACROSS THE FAR NORTH WITH TROWAL WRAPPING BACK TO THE WEST. ADDITIONAL NORTHERN STREAM WAVES DROPPING INTO THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES SHOULD ALLOW FOR CONTINUED SCT RAIN/SNOW SHOWERS ACROSS ESPECIALLY NORTHERN HALF OF THE AREA THIS EVENING. MARGINAL WET BULB PROFILES AND PROGRESSION OF DEEPER MOISTURE PROFILES EAST OF THE AREA EARLIER IN THE DAY SHOULD PREVENT ANY SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...ALTHOUGH CANNOT COMPLETELY RULE OUT A DUSTING ACROSS THE FAR NORTH/NORTHEAST TONIGHT BEFORE BETTER MID LEVEL MOISTURE LIFTS NORTH OF THE AREA. SOME PATCHY DRIZZLE/FREEZING DRIZZLE MAY ALSO BE POSSIBLE VERY LATE TONIGHT AS MOISTURE DEPTH DIMINISHES AND AS CONTINUED SHEARED VORTICES DROP INTO THE AREA FROM THE NORTHWEST. HOWEVER...WILL OMIT MENTION IN FORECAST AT THIS TIME WITH LOW CONFIDENCE IN OCCURRENCE AND SHORT DURATION OF THIS POTENTIAL. WELL MIXED LOW LEVELS/CLOUD COVER SHOULD LIMIT MINS TONIGHT FROM THE UPPER 20S TO LOWER 30S. && .LONG TERM...(THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 408 AM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 FLATTER PACIFIC DOMINANT FLOW REGIME EXPECTED THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY...WITH LARGE TEMPERATURE SWINGS DAY TO DAY. MODEST HEIGHT RISES IN WAKE OF TODAY`S UPPER TROUGH WILL ALLOW WEAK RIDGING TO BRIEFLY BUILD IN THURSDAY INTO EARLY THURSDAY EVENING. A NORTHERN STREAM SHORTWAVE NOW JUST OFF THE BRITISH COLUMBIA COAST WILL WORK QUICKLY EAST-SOUTHEAST TO THE UPPER MIDWEST FRIDAY AND THE GREAT LAKES FRIDAY NIGHT. LEFTOVER BAROCLINIC ZONE WILL LIFT NORTHEAST INTO THE AREA LATER THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY IN RESPONSE TO UPSTREAM HEIGHT FALLS. MAY SEE A NARROW BAND OF LIGHT PRECIP (RAIN/SNOW MIX) DEVELOP LATER THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING AS CONVERGENCE BRIEFLY INCREASES/DEEPENS ALONG BOUNDARY ON NOSE OF DEVELOPING LLJ...WITH SOME ADDED ASCENT FROM AN APPROACHING LEAD/WEAK/SHEARED MID LEVEL IMPULSE. SHIFTED AXIS OF HIGHER CHC POPS SOUTH INTO THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE FA GIVEN TRENDS IN 12/00Z MODELS. REGARDLESS...EXPECT ANY RAIN/SNOW AMOUNTS TO BE LIGHT WITH NO HYDRO/TRAVEL CONCERNS ANTICIPATED. STRONG WARM ADVECTION AND MAINLY DRY CONDITIONS ANTICIPATED LATER FRIDAY MORNING INTO FRIDAY AFTERNOON AS FRONTAL BOUNDARY ATTEMPTS TO LIFT NORTH INTO SOUTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN. ENOUGH INSOLATION WITH 925 MB TEMPS SURGING TO BTW 10-12C WITHIN THERMAL RIDGE BY LATE IN THE DAY SHOULD ALLOW HIGHS TO REACH THE MID 50S TO LOW 60S ACROSS MUCH OF OUR INDIANA/OHIO ZONES. THIS WARM UP WILL UNFORTUNATELY BE SHORT LIVED AS AFOREMENTIONED NORTHERN STREAM PV ANOMALY AND ASSOCIATED DEEPENING SFC REFLECTION TRACKING EAST THROUGH MICHIGAN FORCES A COLD FRONT THROUGH THE AREA FRIDAY NIGHT. EXPECT AT LEAST A BROKEN LINE OF RAIN SHOWERS TO ACCOMPANY THE COLD FRONT WITH TEMPS 15 OR SO DEGREES COOLER ON SATURDAY IN WAKE OF FRONT. A TREND TOWARD EVEN COLDER TEMPS ANTICIPATED BEHIND A SECONDARY ARCTIC FRONT SUNDAY INTO NEXT WEEK AS RIDGE AMPLIFIES ALONG THE WEST COAST FORCING BROAD DOWNSTREAM TROUGHING INTO EASTERN NORTH AMERICA. MODELS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT IN BUILDING A SFC HIGH OF NORTHWEST CANADA ORIGINS SOUTHEAST INTO THE LOCAL AREA SUNDAY INTO MONDAY. THIS SHOULD RESULT IN DRY/COLD CONDITIONS BEFORE A CLIPPER-LIKE SYSTEM POSSIBLY BRINGS SOME SNOW TO THE AREA AROUND MONDAY NIGHT-TUESDAY. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z THURSDAY MORNING) ISSUED AT 635 AM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 LEAD VORT MAX HAS ALLOWED FOR A RELATIVELY NARROW ZONE OF RAIN SHOWERS TO LIFT INTO NORTHERN INDIANA EARLY THIS MORNING. CANNOT COMPLETELY DISCOUNT THE POTENTIAL OF AN ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM IN ASSOCIATION WITH THESE RAIN SHOWERS GIVEN PLUME OF STEEPER MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES ADVECTING NORTHWARD...BUT POINT PROBABILITY IS TOO LOW FOR TAF INCLUSION AT THIS TIME. NEXT UPSTREAM VORT MAX APPEARS POISED TO ENTER THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON FROM FAR EASTERN MISSOURI WHICH COMBINED WITH FAVORABLE UPPER LEVEL JET DYNAMICS SHOULD LEAD TO ADDITIONAL SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWER DEVELOPMENT LATER THIS MORNING THROUGH AT LEAST MID AFTERNOON. GENERALLY EXPECTING MVFR CIGS TO HOLD THROUGH MUCH OF THE DAY...WITH A GOOD PORTION OF MORNING LIKELY BELOW 2000K FT. SOUTH/SOUTHWEST WINDS TO BECOME GUSTY LATER THIS MORNING...WITH WESTERLY GUSTS TO 25 TO 30 KNOTS THIS AFTERNOON BEHIND THE ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT. WEAKER SHORT WAVES APPROACHING THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES FROM NORTHERN STREAM MAY ALLOW SCATTERED RAIN/SNOW SHOWERS TO PERSIST INTO THIS EVENING. && .IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IN...NONE. MI...NONE. OH...NONE. LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 2 AM EDT THURSDAY FOR LMZ043-046. && $$ SYNOPSIS...MARSILI SHORT TERM...MARSILI LONG TERM...STEINWEDEL AVIATION...MARSILI VISIT US AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/IWX (ALL LOWER CASE) FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK...TWITTER...AND YOUTUBE AT: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/US.NATIONALWEATHERSERVICE.NORTHERNIN.GOV WWW.TWITTER.COM/NWSIWX WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/NWSNORTHERNINDIANA
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GAYLORD MI
1033 AM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 434 AM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM ENTERING THE GREAT LAKES REGION WILL BRING A WINTRY MIX OF PRECIPITATION TO NORTHERN LOWER...WITH MAINLY SNOW FOR UPPER MICHIGAN. COOLER AIR WILL CHANGE PRECIPITATION BACK TO SNOW FOR ALL LOCATIONS LATE WEDNESDAY. HIGH PRESSURE GRADUALLY BRINGS PRECIPITATION TO AN END ON THURSDAY. TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN AT OR BELOW SEASONAL NORMS THROUGH THE WORK WEEK. && .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 1021 AM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 VERY BUSY MORNING SO FAR TRYING TO DECIPHER PRECIPITATION TYPES AND IMPACTS. LOOKS LIKE THE SURFACE LOW IS GOING TO END UP BEING EVER SO SLIGHTLY SOUTH OF WHERE ORIGINALLY THOUGHT...ALBEIT BY MAYBE 25 MILES OR SO. HOWEVER...THIS LITTLE DEVIATION IN TRACK HAS HUGE FORECAST IMPLICATIONS AS FAR AS PRECIPITATION TYPE...AND TEMPERATURES TO A CERTAIN DEGREE WHICH IS ALSO HUGE DUE TO THE PROXIMITY AROUND FREEZING. LUCKILY THIS SYSTEM DOES NOT HAVE A LOT OF MOISTURE ASSOCIATED WITH IT AS THE GULF OF MEXICO IS MOSTLY UNTAPPED. HAVE NUDGED SNOW/SLEET FARTHER SOUTH AS WELL AS HELD ONTO FREEZING RAIN FOR A BIT LONGER ACROSS THE INTERIOR SOUTH AS WELL AS LOWERED HIGH TEMPERATURES BY AN AVERAGE OF 2 TO 3 DEGREES. HAVE BEEN HANDLING SLICK SPOTS ON AREA ROADWAYS WITH SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENTS THUS FAR AND WILL CONTINUE WITH THIS FOR A WHILE BUT MAY EVENTUALLY END UP ISSUING WINTER HEADLINES DEPENDING UPON HOW THINGS EVOLVE INTO THIS AFTERNOON. UPDATE ISSUED AT 654 AM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 THIN CORRIDOR OF LIGHT PRECIP HAS DEVELOPED AND SPREAD UP INTO NRN LOWER MICHIGAN OVER THE LAST HOUR OR SO...SLIGHTLY AHEAD SCHEDULE. HAVE TWEAKED FORECASTS ACCORDINGLY. PRECIP IS LIGHT...BUT MAY BE PRODUCING SOME VERY LIGHT ICING OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN AREAS WHERE TEMPS ARE LESS THAN 32F. HAVE ISSUED SPS ACCORDINGLY. && .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 434 AM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 ...MIXED PRECIPITATION EVENT TODAY THEN BACK TO SNOW OVERVIEW: POTENT SHORT WAVE TROUGH CROSSING THE CENTRAL PLAINS THIS MORNING...ASSOCIATED SFC LOW PRESSURE CENTER PASSING INTO WESTERN ILLINOIS AS OF 08Z. UPPER AIR ANALYSIS REVEALS A NEARLY CLOSED-OFF LOWER LEVEL (H8-H7) CIRCULATION NEAR THE IOWA/WISCONSIN BORDER WITH AN ASSOCIATED DEFORMATION AXIS AND SPOTTY PRECIP (SNOW) STRETCHING FROM IOWA INTO EASTERN UPPER MICHIGAN...WITH A LITTLE BIT BETTER DEFINED AND NARROW CORRIDOR OF HEAVIER PRECIP NOTED ACROSS ILLINOIS CLOSER TO THE ACTUAL SFC LOW AND LEAD VORTICITY MAX. THUS FAR... DESPITE HOW WELL DEFINED THIS SYSTEM IS...GOOD MOISTURE TAP FROM THE GULF IS DEFINITELY ON THE LACKING SIDE OF THINGS AS EVIDENCED BY SFC DEWPOINTS NEAR THE GULF LARGELY IN THE 40S AND A LACK OF ANY WELL DEFINED "WARM CONVEYOR" BELT STRETCHING UP INTO THE MIDWEST. RATHER UNIMPRESSIVE FOR A WAVE LIKE THIS. TODAY...AFOREMENTIONED SHORT WAVE TROUGH WILL LIFT NORTHEASTWARD INTO THE GREAT LAKES THIS MORNING BEFORE TRAVERSING THE REGION THROUGH THE COURSE OF THE DAY INTO THE THIS EVENING. SFC LOW TRACK...PRETTY MUCH ALL RECENT GUIDANCE SOLUTIONS (NAM/GFS/GEM/EURO/ UKMET) ARE IN DECENT LOCK STEP AND HAVE ALL TRENDED THE SFC LOW TRACK JUST A LITTLE FURTHER SOUTH THAN PREVIOUS FORECASTS... ESSENTIALLY UP THROUGH LUDINGTON TO HOUGHTON LAKE TO ALPENA INTO LAKE HURON BY 00Z. BIGGEST IMPLICATION OF COURSE RESTS WITH PRECIP TYPE AS ELEVATED WARM LAYER JUST SIMPLY DOES NOT PUSH AS FAR NORTH AS ORIGINALLY ANTICIPATED. STILL...HIGH RESOLUTION RUC AND NAM FORECAST SOUNDINGS DO STILL PUSH A MODEST ELEVATED WARM NOSE (+1 TO +2C) AROUND 900 MB AS FAR NORTH AS THE TIP OF THE MITT (ALREADY HAD IT YESTERDAY EVENING PER 00Z APX SOUNDING) WHILE BOUNDARY LAYER WARMING MAINTAINS OR PUSHES SFC TEMPS ABOVE FREEZING FOR MUCH OF THE TODAY. SO...I THINK THE OVERALL LAYOUT OF THE GOING FORECAST IS STILL PRETTY GOOD WITH ALL SNOW IN EASTERN UPPER MICHIGAN/RAIN-SNOW-SLEET OVER A CHUNK OF NRN LOWER PARTICULARLY THE HIGHER TERRAIN AND MAINLY RAIN M-72 SOUTH...WITH JUST SOME MINOR ADJUSTMENTS. DON/T THINK THAT ICING WILL BE MUCH OF AN ISSUE THIS GO AROUND AS SFC TEMPS WILL WARM SUBSTANTIALLY ABOVE FREEZING WHERE LIQUID PRECIP WILL FALL AND NOW THAT A GOOD PORTION OF AREA ROADWAYS HAVE LOST THE SNOW PACK IN RECENT DAYS. TONIGHT...CLOSED CIRCULATION MOVES QUICKLY ACROSS LAKE HURON INTO CANADA WHILE TYPICAL WRAP AROUND/DEFORMATION AXIS OF DEEPER MOISTURE AND PRECIP SWINGS UP THROUGH NW LOWER AND EASTERN UPPER MICHIGAN. SHOULD SEE A FAIRLY QUICK CHANGEOVER OF PRECIP TO ALL SNOW ACROSS THE CWA AS COLDER AIR COLLAPSES BACK THROUGH THE CWA...ALTHOUGH SOME RAIN/MIXED PRECIP MAY HANG ON IN THE SE COUNTIES THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING. DOESN/T GET COLD ENOUGH TO GET LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS IN THE TRUE SENSE OF BANDED NW FLOW LAKE SNOWS. HOWEVER...THERE CONTINUES TO BE A SIGNAL WITHIN GUIDANCE OF GETTING A BIT OF LAKE ENHANCEMENT/LOW LEVEL FORCING THAT HANGS ACROSS A GOOD PART OF NW LOWER MICHIGAN FOR A GOOD PART OF THE NIGHT. TERRAIN MAY ALSO HELP THINGS OUT AS WELL...AND WE COULD SEE SEVERAL HOURS OF LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOWFALL FOCUSED ACROSS PARTS OF NW LOWER MICHIGAN. HAVE NUDGED SNOW ACCUMULATIONS UP A LITTLE TO THE 2 TO 3 INCH RANGE. BUT DAY CREW WILL NEED TO FURTHER ASSESS THIS POTENTIAL AND DECIDE IF A HIGHER SNOW ACCUMS AND A HEADLINE IS WARRANTED. SO NEXT QUESTION BECOMES...WHAT SORT OF HEADLINE CHANGES DO WE NEED. AS ELUDED TO EARLIER...THUS FAR I/M UNIMPRESSED BY THE MOISTURE FEED INTO THIS SYSTEM AND THE TOTAL PRECIP THIS SYSTEM IS/WILL ACTUALLY PRODUCE. U.S. RADAR MOSAIC BEARS THIS OUT WITH A DEFINITIVE LACK OF A WARM CONVEYOR BELT AND OVERALL MEAGER UPSTREAM PRECIP TOTALS THUS FAR DESPITE ITS GREAT DYNAMICS. SURE...THERE IS A NICE INCREASE IN PRECIP COVERAGE/INTENSITY NOW PUSHING UP THROUGH SRN WISCONSIN AHEAD OF LEAD VORTICITY CENTER THAT WILL MOVE UP THROUGH THE AREA THIS MORNING. AND THERE WILL BE A PERIOD OF DEFORMATION/WRAP AROUND SNOWFALL SLIDING UP THROUGH NW LOWER MICHIGAN THROUGH EASTERN UPPER MICHIGAN...ALONG WITH SOME LAKE ENHANCEMENT THAT WILL PERSIST THROUGH A GOOD PART OF TONIGHT. BUT SO FAR IT/S NOT SHAPING UP TO BE A BIG HITTER IN THE QPF DEPARTMENT. SO...IN EASTERN UPPER MICHIGAN...HAVE LOWERED OVERALL SNOWFALL JUST A LITTLE. BUT STILL THINK A GOOD 2 TO MAYBE 3 INCHES IS POSSIBLE THERE TODAY AND ANOTHER INCH OR TWO TONIGHT. AND GIVEN THIS WILL BE A WETTER/HEAVIER SNOW...WILL LEAVE THE ONGOING WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY ALONE FOR NOW. NRN LOWER MICHIGAN...AGAIN...DON/T THINK ICING WILL BE A BIG ISSUE TODAY ALTHOUGH MIXY PRECIP EARLY ON COULD CAUSE SOME TRAVEL ISSUES. SOME HEAVIER SNOWFALL IS POSSIBLE TONIGHT ESPECIALLY ACROSS NW LOWER MICHIGAN DUE TO LAKE EFFECT/ENHANCEMENT. BUT EVEN SO I ONLY HAVE UP TO 3 INCHES IN THERE NOW. THUS...NOT PLANNING ANY HEADLINES FOR NRN LOWER MICHIGAN JUST YET. WILL LIKELY ISSUE AN SPS FOR PARTS OF NRN LOWER MICHIGAN TOWARD MORNING TO ADDRESS MIXED PRECIP ISSUES AND SLICK TRAVEL POSSIBILITIES. .LONG TERM...(THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 434 AM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 WEATHER IMPACTS: GENERALLY MINOR. SNOW SHOWERS CONTINUE INTO EARLY THURSDAY...WITH ADDITIONAL SNOW OR SNOW SHOWERS FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY. CONFIDENCE: HIGH THURSDAY. MODERATE FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY. EXPECTED WEATHER EVOLUTION: THURSDAY...POTENT SURFACE LOW WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE NE INTO QUEBEC ON THURSDAY. IN ITS WAKE /ESPECIALLY EARLY THURSDAY/ DEEP CYCLONIC FLOW AND SYNOPTIC MOISTURE WILL REMAIN IN PLACE ACROSS THE CENTRAL/EASTERN GREAT LAKES. THIS WILL SUPPORT CONTINUED SNOW SHOWERS...WITH MODEL SOUNDINGS SHOWING RESPECTABLE MOISTURE ABOVE OTHERWISE SHALLOW INVERSION. WITH ONLY MINOR LAKE CONTRIBUTIONS /H8 TEMPS AROUND -10C/ AND A RAPID DECREASE IN MOISTURE EXPECTED BY MIDDAY...LESS THAN AN ADDITIONAL INCH OF NEW SNOW EXPECTED IN THE NORMALLY FAVORED SECTIONS OF NW LOWER. THE MORNING SNOW SHOWERS WILL GIVE WAY TO FLURRIES AS SURFACE RIDGE APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. THURSDAY NIGHT...SURFACE RIDGE WILL MOVE OVERHEAD...AND RESULT IN AT LEAST PARTIALLY CLEAR SKIES. COUPLED WITH LIGHT WINDS...LOW TEMPS WILL FALL INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS AND TEENS /WENT SEVERAL DEG BELOW GUIDANCE/. FRIDAY...SURFACE RIDGE WILL MOVE EAST AS NEXT SHORT WAVE QUICKLY APPROACHES FROM THE WNW BY LATE IN THE DAY. ASSOCIATED SURFACE LOW WILL MOVE FROM MN ARROWHEAD INTO THE U.P. BY LATE IN THE DAY...AS STRONG ISENTROPIC LIFT OVERSPREADS FORECAST AREA AHEAD OF SYSTEM. A RAIN/SNOW MIX IS POSSIBLE LATE IN THE DAY ACROSS NW LOWER AND E UPPER AS DEEPER MOISTURE AND LIFT PUSH EWD. HIGHS WILL PEAK IN THE 30S TO AROUND 40. REMAINDER OF FORECAST /SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...SAME OLD STORY. MEDIUM RANGE GUIDANCE IS IN GOOD AGREEMENT THAT TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN SIGNIFICANTLY /SOME 10-20F/ BELOW NORMAL THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. THIS...THANKS TO PERSISTENT UPPER TROUGHING OVER ERN NORTH AMERICA AND UPSTREAM RIDGE AXIS ALONG WEST COAST. AFOREMENTIONED MID LEVEL SHORT WAVE AND SURFACE LOW WILL BRING PRECIP TO THE REGION FRIDAY NIGHT AND INTO AT LEAST EARLY SATURDAY...BEFORE VERY COLD AIR SPILLS SWD ACROSS REGION SUNDAY /FEATURING H8 TEMPS ONCE AGAIN DOWN NEAR -20C/. GUIDANCE SUPPORTS STRONG HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE GREAT LAKES LATE IN THE WEEKEND WITH CONTINUED COLD BUT MAINLY DRY CONDITIONS /WITH ONLY SOME SPOTTY LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS EXPECTED/. THE NEXT POTENTIAL WEATHER HAZARD /SNOW AND POSSIBLY WIND/ ARRIVES LATE MONDAY AND TUESDAY...AS NEXT SHORT WAVE DROPS SEWD OUT OF CANADA. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z THURSDAY MORNING) ISSUED AT 909 AM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 IFR CONDITIONS AT ALL TAF SITES THROUGH MOST OF THE TAF PERIOD...WITH CEILINGS DROPPING BELOW FL010 AND VISIBILITIES REDUCED TO UNDER 3SM IN SNOW. MBL AND TVC SHOULD SEE RAIN...APN -FZRA CHANGING TO RAIN DURING THE LATE MORNING HOURS...AND -SN AT PLN. PRECIPITATION WILL CHANGE OVER TO SNOW DURING THE EVENING HOURS FOR ALL TAF SITES. EASTERLY WINDS WILL BACK TO WEST-NORTHWESTERLY TONIGHT AND BECOME GUSTY...REDUCING VISIBILITIES WITH FALLING AND BLOWING SNOW. CEILINGS WILL FINALLY BECOME MVFR LATE TONIGHT AND INTO THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. && .APX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MI...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT TONIGHT FOR MIZ008- 015. LH...NONE. LM...NONE. LS...NONE. && $$ UPDATE...AS SYNOPSIS...TL SHORT TERM...ADAM LONG TERM...BS AVIATION...TL
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GAYLORD MI
921 AM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 434 AM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM ENTERING THE GREAT LAKES REGION WILL BRING A WINTRY MIX OF PRECIPITATION TO NORTHERN LOWER...WITH MAINLY SNOW FOR UPPER MICHIGAN. COOLER AIR WILL CHANGE PRECIPITATION BACK TO SNOW FOR ALL LOCATIONS LATE WEDNESDAY. HIGH PRESSURE GRADUALLY BRINGS PRECIPITATION TO AN END ON THURSDAY. TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN AT OR BELOW SEASONAL NORMS THROUGH THE WORK WEEK. && .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 654 AM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 THIN CORRIDOR OF LIGHT PRECIP HAS DEVELOPED AND SPREAD UP INTO NRN LOWER MICHIGAN OVER THE LAST HOUR OR SO...SLIGHTLY AHEAD SCHEDULE. HAVE TWEAKED FORECASTS ACCORDINGLY. PRECIP IS LIGHT...BUT MAY BE PRODUCING SOME VERY LIGHT ICING OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN AREAS WHERE TEMPS ARE LESS THAN 32F. HAVE ISSUED SPS ACCORDINGLY. && .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 434 AM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 ...MIXED PRECIPITATION EVENT TODAY THEN BACK TO SNOW OVERVIEW: POTENT SHORT WAVE TROUGH CROSSING THE CENTRAL PLAINS THIS MORNING...ASSOCIATED SFC LOW PRESSURE CENTER PASSING INTO WESTERN ILLINOIS AS OF 08Z. UPPER AIR ANALYSIS REVEALS A NEARLY CLOSED-OFF LOWER LEVEL (H8-H7) CIRCULATION NEAR THE IOWA/WISCONSIN BORDER WITH AN ASSOCIATED DEFORMATION AXIS AND SPOTTY PRECIP (SNOW) STRETCHING FROM IOWA INTO EASTERN UPPER MICHIGAN...WITH A LITTLE BIT BETTER DEFINED AND NARROW CORRIDOR OF HEAVIER PRECIP NOTED ACROSS ILLINOIS CLOSER TO THE ACTUAL SFC LOW AND LEAD VORTICITY MAX. THUS FAR... DESPITE HOW WELL DEFINED THIS SYSTEM IS...GOOD MOISTURE TAP FROM THE GULF IS DEFINITELY ON THE LACKING SIDE OF THINGS AS EVIDENCED BY SFC DEWPOINTS NEAR THE GULF LARGELY IN THE 40S AND A LACK OF ANY WELL DEFINED "WARM CONVEYOR" BELT STRETCHING UP INTO THE MIDWEST. RATHER UNIMPRESSIVE FOR A WAVE LIKE THIS. TODAY...AFOREMENTIONED SHORT WAVE TROUGH WILL LIFT NORTHEASTWARD INTO THE GREAT LAKES THIS MORNING BEFORE TRAVERSING THE REGION THROUGH THE COURSE OF THE DAY INTO THE THIS EVENING. SFC LOW TRACK...PRETTY MUCH ALL RECENT GUIDANCE SOLUTIONS (NAM/GFS/GEM/EURO/ UKMET) ARE IN DECENT LOCK STEP AND HAVE ALL TRENDED THE SFC LOW TRACK JUST A LITTLE FURTHER SOUTH THAN PREVIOUS FORECASTS... ESSENTIALLY UP THROUGH LUDINGTON TO HOUGHTON LAKE TO ALPENA INTO LAKE HURON BY 00Z. BIGGEST IMPLICATION OF COURSE RESTS WITH PRECIP TYPE AS ELEVATED WARM LAYER JUST SIMPLY DOES NOT PUSH AS FAR NORTH AS ORIGINALLY ANTICIPATED. STILL...HIGH RESOLUTION RUC AND NAM FORECAST SOUNDINGS DO STILL PUSH A MODEST ELEVATED WARM NOSE (+1 TO +2C) AROUND 900 MB AS FAR NORTH AS THE TIP OF THE MITT (ALREADY HAD IT YESTERDAY EVENING PER 00Z APX SOUNDING) WHILE BOUNDARY LAYER WARMING MAINTAINS OR PUSHES SFC TEMPS ABOVE FREEZING FOR MUCH OF THE TODAY. SO...I THINK THE OVERALL LAYOUT OF THE GOING FORECAST IS STILL PRETTY GOOD WITH ALL SNOW IN EASTERN UPPER MICHIGAN/RAIN-SNOW-SLEET OVER A CHUNK OF NRN LOWER PARTICULARLY THE HIGHER TERRAIN AND MAINLY RAIN M-72 SOUTH...WITH JUST SOME MINOR ADJUSTMENTS. DON/T THINK THAT ICING WILL BE MUCH OF AN ISSUE THIS GO AROUND AS SFC TEMPS WILL WARM SUBSTANTIALLY ABOVE FREEZING WHERE LIQUID PRECIP WILL FALL AND NOW THAT A GOOD PORTION OF AREA ROADWAYS HAVE LOST THE SNOW PACK IN RECENT DAYS. TONIGHT...CLOSED CIRCULATION MOVES QUICKLY ACROSS LAKE HURON INTO CANADA WHILE TYPICAL WRAP AROUND/DEFORMATION AXIS OF DEEPER MOISTURE AND PRECIP SWINGS UP THROUGH NW LOWER AND EASTERN UPPER MICHIGAN. SHOULD SEE A FAIRLY QUICK CHANGEOVER OF PRECIP TO ALL SNOW ACROSS THE CWA AS COLDER AIR COLLAPSES BACK THROUGH THE CWA...ALTHOUGH SOME RAIN/MIXED PRECIP MAY HANG ON IN THE SE COUNTIES THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING. DOESN/T GET COLD ENOUGH TO GET LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS IN THE TRUE SENSE OF BANDED NW FLOW LAKE SNOWS. HOWEVER...THERE CONTINUES TO BE A SIGNAL WITHIN GUIDANCE OF GETTING A BIT OF LAKE ENHANCEMENT/LOW LEVEL FORCING THAT HANGS ACROSS A GOOD PART OF NW LOWER MICHIGAN FOR A GOOD PART OF THE NIGHT. TERRAIN MAY ALSO HELP THINGS OUT AS WELL...AND WE COULD SEE SEVERAL HOURS OF LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOWFALL FOCUSED ACROSS PARTS OF NW LOWER MICHIGAN. HAVE NUDGED SNOW ACCUMULATIONS UP A LITTLE TO THE 2 TO 3 INCH RANGE. BUT DAY CREW WILL NEED TO FURTHER ASSESS THIS POTENTIAL AND DECIDE IF A HIGHER SNOW ACCUMS AND A HEADLINE IS WARRANTED. SO NEXT QUESTION BECOMES...WHAT SORT OF HEADLINE CHANGES DO WE NEED. AS ELUDED TO EARLIER...THUS FAR I/M UNIMPRESSED BY THE MOISTURE FEED INTO THIS SYSTEM AND THE TOTAL PRECIP THIS SYSTEM IS/WILL ACTUALLY PRODUCE. U.S. RADAR MOSAIC BEARS THIS OUT WITH A DEFINITIVE LACK OF A WARM CONVEYOR BELT AND OVERALL MEAGER UPSTREAM PRECIP TOTALS THUS FAR DESPITE ITS GREAT DYNAMICS. SURE...THERE IS A NICE INCREASE IN PRECIP COVERAGE/INTENSITY NOW PUSHING UP THROUGH SRN WISCONSIN AHEAD OF LEAD VORTICITY CENTER THAT WILL MOVE UP THROUGH THE AREA THIS MORNING. AND THERE WILL BE A PERIOD OF DEFORMATION/WRAP AROUND SNOWFALL SLIDING UP THROUGH NW LOWER MICHIGAN THROUGH EASTERN UPPER MICHIGAN...ALONG WITH SOME LAKE ENHANCEMENT THAT WILL PERSIST THROUGH A GOOD PART OF TONIGHT. BUT SO FAR IT/S NOT SHAPING UP TO BE A BIG HITTER IN THE QPF DEPARTMENT. SO...IN EASTERN UPPER MICHIGAN...HAVE LOWERED OVERALL SNOWFALL JUST A LITTLE. BUT STILL THINK A GOOD 2 TO MAYBE 3 INCHES IS POSSIBLE THERE TODAY AND ANOTHER INCH OR TWO TONIGHT. AND GIVEN THIS WILL BE A WETTER/HEAVIER SNOW...WILL LEAVE THE ONGOING WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY ALONE FOR NOW. NRN LOWER MICHIGAN...AGAIN...DON/T THINK ICING WILL BE A BIG ISSUE TODAY ALTHOUGH MIXY PRECIP EARLY ON COULD CAUSE SOME TRAVEL ISSUES. SOME HEAVIER SNOWFALL IS POSSIBLE TONIGHT ESPECIALLY ACROSS NW LOWER MICHIGAN DUE TO LAKE EFFECT/ENHANCEMENT. BUT EVEN SO I ONLY HAVE UP TO 3 INCHES IN THERE NOW. THUS...NOT PLANNING ANY HEADLINES FOR NRN LOWER MICHIGAN JUST YET. WILL LIKELY ISSUE AN SPS FOR PARTS OF NRN LOWER MICHIGAN TOWARD MORNING TO ADDRESS MIXED PRECIP ISSUES AND SLICK TRAVEL POSSIBILITIES. .LONG TERM...(THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 434 AM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 WEATHER IMPACTS: GENERALLY MINOR. SNOW SHOWERS CONTINUE INTO EARLY THURSDAY...WITH ADDITIONAL SNOW OR SNOW SHOWERS FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY. CONFIDENCE: HIGH THURSDAY. MODERATE FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY. EXPECTED WEATHER EVOLUTION: THURSDAY...POTENT SURFACE LOW WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE NE INTO QUEBEC ON THURSDAY. IN ITS WAKE /ESPECIALLY EARLY THURSDAY/ DEEP CYCLONIC FLOW AND SYNOPTIC MOISTURE WILL REMAIN IN PLACE ACROSS THE CENTRAL/EASTERN GREAT LAKES. THIS WILL SUPPORT CONTINUED SNOW SHOWERS...WITH MODEL SOUNDINGS SHOWING RESPECTABLE MOISTURE ABOVE OTHERWISE SHALLOW INVERSION. WITH ONLY MINOR LAKE CONTRIBUTIONS /H8 TEMPS AROUND -10C/ AND A RAPID DECREASE IN MOISTURE EXPECTED BY MIDDAY...LESS THAN AN ADDITIONAL INCH OF NEW SNOW EXPECTED IN THE NORMALLY FAVORED SECTIONS OF NW LOWER. THE MORNING SNOW SHOWERS WILL GIVE WAY TO FLURRIES AS SURFACE RIDGE APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. THURSDAY NIGHT...SURFACE RIDGE WILL MOVE OVERHEAD...AND RESULT IN AT LEAST PARTIALLY CLEAR SKIES. COUPLED WITH LIGHT WINDS...LOW TEMPS WILL FALL INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS AND TEENS /WENT SEVERAL DEG BELOW GUIDANCE/. FRIDAY...SURFACE RIDGE WILL MOVE EAST AS NEXT SHORT WAVE QUICKLY APPROACHES FROM THE WNW BY LATE IN THE DAY. ASSOCIATED SURFACE LOW WILL MOVE FROM MN ARROWHEAD INTO THE U.P. BY LATE IN THE DAY...AS STRONG ISENTROPIC LIFT OVERSPREADS FORECAST AREA AHEAD OF SYSTEM. A RAIN/SNOW MIX IS POSSIBLE LATE IN THE DAY ACROSS NW LOWER AND E UPPER AS DEEPER MOISTURE AND LIFT PUSH EWD. HIGHS WILL PEAK IN THE 30S TO AROUND 40. REMAINDER OF FORECAST /SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...SAME OLD STORY. MEDIUM RANGE GUIDANCE IS IN GOOD AGREEMENT THAT TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN SIGNIFICANTLY /SOME 10-20F/ BELOW NORMAL THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. THIS...THANKS TO PERSISTENT UPPER TROUGHING OVER ERN NORTH AMERICA AND UPSTREAM RIDGE AXIS ALONG WEST COAST. AFOREMENTIONED MID LEVEL SHORT WAVE AND SURFACE LOW WILL BRING PRECIP TO THE REGION FRIDAY NIGHT AND INTO AT LEAST EARLY SATURDAY...BEFORE VERY COLD AIR SPILLS SWD ACROSS REGION SUNDAY /FEATURING H8 TEMPS ONCE AGAIN DOWN NEAR -20C/. GUIDANCE SUPPORTS STRONG HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE GREAT LAKES LATE IN THE WEEKEND WITH CONTINUED COLD BUT MAINLY DRY CONDITIONS /WITH ONLY SOME SPOTTY LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS EXPECTED/. THE NEXT POTENTIAL WEATHER HAZARD /SNOW AND POSSIBLY WIND/ ARRIVES LATE MONDAY AND TUESDAY...AS NEXT SHORT WAVE DROPS SEWD OUT OF CANADA. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z THURSDAY MORNING) ISSUED AT 909 AM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 IFR CONDITIONS AT ALL TAF SITES THROUGH MOST OF THE TAF PERIOD...WITH CEILINGS DROPPING BELOW FL010 AND VISIBILITIES REDUCED TO UNDER 3SM IN SNOW. MBL AND TVC SHOULD SEE RAIN...APN -FZRA CHANGING TO RAIN DURING THE LATE MORNING HOURS...AND -SN AT PLN. PRECIPITATION WILL CHANGE OVER TO SNOW DURING THE EVENING HOURS FOR ALL TAF SITES. EASTERLY WINDS WILL BACK TO WEST-NORTHWESTERLY TONIGHT AND BECOME GUSTY...REDUCING VISIBILITIES WITH FALLING AND BLOWING SNOW. CEILINGS WILL FINALLY BECOME MVFR LATE TONIGHT AND INTO THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. && .APX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MI...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT TONIGHT FOR MIZ008- 015. LH...NONE. LM...NONE. LS...NONE. && $$ UPDATE...ADAM SYNOPSIS...TL SHORT TERM...ADAM LONG TERM...BS AVIATION...TL
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GAYLORD MI
654 AM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 434 AM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM ENTERING THE GREAT LAKES REGION WILL BRING A WINTRY MIX OF PRECIPITATION TO NORTHERN LOWER...WITH MAINLY SNOW FOR UPPER MICHIGAN. COOLER AIR WILL CHANGE PRECIPITATION BACK TO SNOW FOR ALL LOCATIONS LATE WEDNESDAY. HIGH PRESSURE GRADUALLY BRINGS PRECIPITATION TO AN END ON THURSDAY. TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN AT OR BELOW SEASONAL NORMS THROUGH THE WORK WEEK. && .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 654 AM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 THIN CORRIDOR OF LIGHT PRECIP HAS DEVELOPED AND SPREAD UP INTO NRN LOWER MICHIGAN OVER THE LAST HOUR OR SO...SLIGHTLY AHEAD SCHEDULE. HAVE TWEAKED FORECASTS ACCORDINGLY. PRECIP IS LIGHT...BUT MAY BE PRODUCING SOME VERY LIGHT ICING OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN AREAS WHERE TEMPS ARE LESS THAN 32F. HAVE ISSUED SPS ACCORDINGLY. && .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 434 AM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 ...MIXED PRECIPITATION EVENT TODAY THEN BACK TO SNOW OVERVIEW: POTENT SHORT WAVE TROUGH CROSSING THE CENTRAL PLAINS THIS MORNING...ASSOCIATED SFC LOW PRESSURE CENTER PASSING INTO WESTERN ILLINOIS AS OF 08Z. UPPER AIR ANALYSIS REVEALS A NEARLY CLOSED-OFF LOWER LEVEL (H8-H7) CIRCULATION NEAR THE IOWA/WISCONSIN BORDER WITH AN ASSOCIATED DEFORMATION AXIS AND SPOTTY PRECIP (SNOW) STRETCHING FROM IOWA INTO EASTERN UPPER MICHIGAN...WITH A LITTLE BIT BETTER DEFINED AND NARROW CORRIDOR OF HEAVIER PRECIP NOTED ACROSS ILLINOIS CLOSER TO THE ACTUAL SFC LOW AND LEAD VORTICITY MAX. THUS FAR... DESPITE HOW WELL DEFINED THIS SYSTEM IS...GOOD MOISTURE TAP FROM THE GULF IS DEFINITELY ON THE LACKING SIDE OF THINGS AS EVIDENCED BY SFC DEWPOINTS NEAR THE GULF LARGELY IN THE 40S AND A LACK OF ANY WELL DEFINED "WARM CONVEYOR" BELT STRETCHING UP INTO THE MIDWEST. RATHER UNIMPRESSIVE FOR A WAVE LIKE THIS. TODAY...AFOREMENTIONED SHORT WAVE TROUGH WILL LIFT NORTHEASTWARD INTO THE GREAT LAKES THIS MORNING BEFORE TRAVERSING THE REGION THROUGH THE COURSE OF THE DAY INTO THE THIS EVENING. SFC LOW TRACK...PRETTY MUCH ALL RECENT GUIDANCE SOLUTIONS (NAM/GFS/GEM/EURO/ UKMET) ARE IN DECENT LOCK STEP AND HAVE ALL TRENDED THE SFC LOW TRACK JUST A LITTLE FURTHER SOUTH THAN PREVIOUS FORECASTS... ESSENTIALLY UP THROUGH LUDINGTON TO HOUGHTON LAKE TO ALPENA INTO LAKE HURON BY 00Z. BIGGEST IMPLICATION OF COURSE RESTS WITH PRECIP TYPE AS ELEVATED WARM LAYER JUST SIMPLY DOES NOT PUSH AS FAR NORTH AS ORIGINALLY ANTICIPATED. STILL...HIGH RESOLUTION RUC AND NAM FORECAST SOUNDINGS DO STILL PUSH A MODEST ELEVATED WARM NOSE (+1 TO +2C) AROUND 900 MB AS FAR NORTH AS THE TIP OF THE MITT (ALREADY HAD IT YESTERDAY EVENING PER 00Z APX SOUNDING) WHILE BOUNDARY LAYER WARMING MAINTAINS OR PUSHES SFC TEMPS ABOVE FREEZING FOR MUCH OF THE TODAY. SO...I THINK THE OVERALL LAYOUT OF THE GOING FORECAST IS STILL PRETTY GOOD WITH ALL SNOW IN EASTERN UPPER MICHIGAN/RAIN-SNOW-SLEET OVER A CHUNK OF NRN LOWER PARTICULARLY THE HIGHER TERRAIN AND MAINLY RAIN M-72 SOUTH...WITH JUST SOME MINOR ADJUSTMENTS. DON/T THINK THAT ICING WILL BE MUCH OF AN ISSUE THIS GO AROUND AS SFC TEMPS WILL WARM SUBSTANTIALLY ABOVE FREEZING WHERE LIQUID PRECIP WILL FALL AND NOW THAT A GOOD PORTION OF AREA ROADWAYS HAVE LOST THE SNOW PACK IN RECENT DAYS. TONIGHT...CLOSED CIRCULATION MOVES QUICKLY ACROSS LAKE HURON INTO CANADA WHILE TYPICAL WRAP AROUND/DEFORMATION AXIS OF DEEPER MOISTURE AND PRECIP SWINGS UP THROUGH NW LOWER AND EASTERN UPPER MICHIGAN. SHOULD SEE A FAIRLY QUICK CHANGEOVER OF PRECIP TO ALL SNOW ACROSS THE CWA AS COLDER AIR COLLAPSES BACK THROUGH THE CWA...ALTHOUGH SOME RAIN/MIXED PRECIP MAY HANG ON IN THE SE COUNTIES THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING. DOESN/T GET COLD ENOUGH TO GET LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS IN THE TRUE SENSE OF BANDED NW FLOW LAKE SNOWS. HOWEVER...THERE CONTINUES TO BE A SIGNAL WITHIN GUIDANCE OF GETTING A BIT OF LAKE ENHANCEMENT/LOW LEVEL FORCING THAT HANGS ACROSS A GOOD PART OF NW LOWER MICHIGAN FOR A GOOD PART OF THE NIGHT. TERRAIN MAY ALSO HELP THINGS OUT AS WELL...AND WE COULD SEE SEVERAL HOURS OF LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOWFALL FOCUSED ACROSS PARTS OF NW LOWER MICHIGAN. HAVE NUDGED SNOW ACCUMULATIONS UP A LITTLE TO THE 2 TO 3 INCH RANGE. BUT DAY CREW WILL NEED TO FURTHER ASSESS THIS POTENTIAL AND DECIDE IF A HIGHER SNOW ACCUMS AND A HEADLINE IS WARRANTED. SO NEXT QUESTION BECOMES...WHAT SORT OF HEADLINE CHANGES DO WE NEED. AS ELUDED TO EARLIER...THUS FAR I/M UNIMPRESSED BY THE MOISTURE FEED INTO THIS SYSTEM AND THE TOTAL PRECIP THIS SYSTEM IS/WILL ACTUALLY PRODUCE. U.S. RADAR MOSAIC BEARS THIS OUT WITH A DEFINITIVE LACK OF A WARM CONVEYOR BELT AND OVERALL MEAGER UPSTREAM PRECIP TOTALS THUS FAR DESPITE ITS GREAT DYNAMICS. SURE...THERE IS A NICE INCREASE IN PRECIP COVERAGE/INTENSITY NOW PUSHING UP THROUGH SRN WISCONSIN AHEAD OF LEAD VORTICITY CENTER THAT WILL MOVE UP THROUGH THE AREA THIS MORNING. AND THERE WILL BE A PERIOD OF DEFORMATION/WRAP AROUND SNOWFALL SLIDING UP THROUGH NW LOWER MICHIGAN THROUGH EASTERN UPPER MICHIGAN...ALONG WITH SOME LAKE ENHANCEMENT THAT WILL PERSIST THROUGH A GOOD PART OF TONIGHT. BUT SO FAR IT/S NOT SHAPING UP TO BE A BIG HITTER IN THE QPF DEPARTMENT. SO...IN EASTERN UPPER MICHIGAN...HAVE LOWERED OVERALL SNOWFALL JUST A LITTLE. BUT STILL THINK A GOOD 2 TO MAYBE 3 INCHES IS POSSIBLE THERE TODAY AND ANOTHER INCH OR TWO TONIGHT. AND GIVEN THIS WILL BE A WETTER/HEAVIER SNOW...WILL LEAVE THE ONGOING WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY ALONE FOR NOW. NRN LOWER MICHIGAN...AGAIN...DON/T THINK ICING WILL BE A BIG ISSUE TODAY ALTHOUGH MIXY PRECIP EARLY ON COULD CAUSE SOME TRAVEL ISSUES. SOME HEAVIER SNOWFALL IS POSSIBLE TONIGHT ESPECIALLY ACROSS NW LOWER MICHIGAN DUE TO LAKE EFFECT/ENHANCEMENT. BUT EVEN SO I ONLY HAVE UP TO 3 INCHES IN THERE NOW. THUS...NOT PLANNING ANY HEADLINES FOR NRN LOWER MICHIGAN JUST YET. WILL LIKELY ISSUE AN SPS FOR PARTS OF NRN LOWER MICHIGAN TOWARD MORNING TO ADDRESS MIXED PRECIP ISSUES AND SLICK TRAVEL POSSIBILITIES. .LONG TERM...(THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 434 AM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 WEATHER IMPACTS: GENERALLY MINOR. SNOW SHOWERS CONTINUE INTO EARLY THURSDAY...WITH ADDITIONAL SNOW OR SNOW SHOWERS FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY. CONFIDENCE: HIGH THURSDAY. MODERATE FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY. EXPECTED WEATHER EVOLUTION: THURSDAY...POTENT SURFACE LOW WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE NE INTO QUEBEC ON THURSDAY. IN ITS WAKE /ESPECIALLY EARLY THURSDAY/ DEEP CYCLONIC FLOW AND SYNOPTIC MOISTURE WILL REMAIN IN PLACE ACROSS THE CENTRAL/EASTERN GREAT LAKES. THIS WILL SUPPORT CONTINUED SNOW SHOWERS...WITH MODEL SOUNDINGS SHOWING RESPECTABLE MOISTURE ABOVE OTHERWISE SHALLOW INVERSION. WITH ONLY MINOR LAKE CONTRIBUTIONS /H8 TEMPS AROUND -10C/ AND A RAPID DECREASE IN MOISTURE EXPECTED BY MIDDAY...LESS THAN AN ADDITIONAL INCH OF NEW SNOW EXPECTED IN THE NORMALLY FAVORED SECTIONS OF NW LOWER. THE MORNING SNOW SHOWERS WILL GIVE WAY TO FLURRIES AS SURFACE RIDGE APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. THURSDAY NIGHT...SURFACE RIDGE WILL MOVE OVERHEAD...AND RESULT IN AT LEAST PARTIALLY CLEAR SKIES. COUPLED WITH LIGHT WINDS...LOW TEMPS WILL FALL INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS AND TEENS /WENT SEVERAL DEG BELOW GUIDANCE/. FRIDAY...SURFACE RIDGE WILL MOVE EAST AS NEXT SHORT WAVE QUICKLY APPROACHES FROM THE WNW BY LATE IN THE DAY. ASSOCIATED SURFACE LOW WILL MOVE FROM MN ARROWHEAD INTO THE U.P. BY LATE IN THE DAY...AS STRONG ISENTROPIC LIFT OVERSPREADS FORECAST AREA AHEAD OF SYSTEM. A RAIN/SNOW MIX IS POSSIBLE LATE IN THE DAY ACROSS NW LOWER AND E UPPER AS DEEPER MOISTURE AND LIFT PUSH EWD. HIGHS WILL PEAK IN THE 30S TO AROUND 40. REMAINDER OF FORECAST /SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...SAME OLD STORY. MEDIUM RANGE GUIDANCE IS IN GOOD AGREEMENT THAT TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN SIGNIFICANTLY /SOME 10-20F/ BELOW NORMAL THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. THIS...THANKS TO PERSISTENT UPPER TROUGHING OVER ERN NORTH AMERICA AND UPSTREAM RIDGE AXIS ALONG WEST COAST. AFOREMENTIONED MID LEVEL SHORT WAVE AND SURFACE LOW WILL BRING PRECIP TO THE REGION FRIDAY NIGHT AND INTO AT LEAST EARLY SATURDAY...BEFORE VERY COLD AIR SPILLS SWD ACROSS REGION SUNDAY /FEATURING H8 TEMPS ONCE AGAIN DOWN NEAR -20C/. GUIDANCE SUPPORTS STRONG HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE GREAT LAKES LATE IN THE WEEKEND WITH CONTINUED COLD BUT MAINLY DRY CONDITIONS /WITH ONLY SOME SPOTTY LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS EXPECTED/. THE NEXT POTENTIAL WEATHER HAZARD /SNOW AND POSSIBLY WIND/ ARRIVES LATE MONDAY AND TUESDAY...AS NEXT SHORT WAVE DROPS SEWD OUT OF CANADA. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z WEDNESDAY EVENING) ISSUED AT 721 PM EDT TUE MAR 18 2014 VFR CONDITIONS THRU MOST OF TONIGHT WILL QUICKLY DETERIORATE TO IFR LATE TONIGHT AS WIDESPREAD MIXED PRECIP DEVELOPS FROM MBL/TVC (AROUND 08Z) TO PLN/APN BY 10Z IN RESPONSE TO DEEP MOISTURE ADVECTING INTO THE REGION AHEAD OF A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM. THE LOW CENTER IS EXPECTED TO TRACK DIRECTLY OVER NRN LWR MICHIGAN ON WEDNESDAY. PRECIP WILL BEGIN AS ALL LIQUID FOR TVC AND MBL LATE TONIGHT...BUT AS A MIX OF FREEZING RAIN/SNOW/POSSIBLY SOME SLEET BEFORE SWITCHING OVER TO ALL RAIN BY AROUND MIDDAY WEDNESDAY. PRECIP WILL REMAIN MIXED FOR THE TIP OF THE MITT (PLN) ALL DAY. E/SE WINDS AROUND 10 KTS WILL BECOME VARIABLE LATE IN THE DAY AS THE SURFACE LOW CENTER MOVES OVERHEAD. && .APX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MI...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT TONIGHT FOR MIZ008- 015. LH...NONE. LM...NONE. LS...NONE. && $$ UPDATE...ADAM SYNOPSIS...TL SHORT TERM...ADAM LONG TERM...BS AVIATION...MR
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NWS NORTH PLATTE NE
618 AM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 334 AM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 SFC LOW PRESSURE ACROSS NRN BRITISH COLUMBIA WILL MOVE INTO SRN SASKATCHEWAN BY 12Z THURSDAY. A WARM FRONT...CURRENTLY...ACROSS WRN ND/ERN MT AND SOUTH THROUGH ERN WY WILL MOVE MOST OF THE WAY THROUGH THE FCST AREA THIS AFTERNOON ACCOMPANIED SPRINKLES OR FLURRIES ACROSS THE NORTHEAST ZONES. THE DEVELOPING CHINOOK BEHIND THE FRONT SENDS H850MB TEMPS IN THE MID SINGLE DIGITS CELSIUS ACROSS WRN NEB. THE RAP SUGGESTED NEAR 50 FOR A HIGH ACROSS THE ERN PANHANDLE ZONES WHICH SEEMS REASONABLE. IT WAS THE WARMEST MODEL. TEMPS WERE MARKED DOWN TO THE LOWER 40S ACROSS THE NEWLY FORMED DEEP SNOW COVER OVER NCNTL NEB. A MIX OF SUN AND CLOUDS ARE EXPECTED TODAY WHICH SHOULD MELT A GOOD PORTION OF THIS SNOW FIELD. THERE IS STILL COLD AIR ALOFT WHICH MIGHT SUSTAIN A DECK OF MID LEVEL CLOUDS ACROSS THE NORTH. THE RAP SUGGESTED A PERIOD OF STRATUS ACROSS NCNTL NEB THIS MORNING BUT SATELLITE SHOWS THOSE CLOUDS ANCHORED ON THE ERN EDGE OF THE FCST AREA AND LIKELY THE RESULT OF REMNANT COLD AIR ADVECTION FROM TUESDAYS CYCLONE. THE CHINOOK STRENGTHENS TONIGHT WITH WESTERLY H850MB WINDS INCREASING TO AROUND 35 KT. TEMPS AT THAT LEVEL REMAIN IN THE MID SINGLE DIGITS CELSIUS. THE BEST GUESS ON LOWS IS MID AND UPPER 20S BUT THE MODELS MAY BE TOO COLD GIVEN THE STRONG WINDS JUST OFF THE SFC. GENERALLY CLEAR SKIES ARE EXPECTED. .LONG TERM...(THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 334 AM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 A THERMAL RIDGE WILL BUILD NORTHEAST ACROSS THE PLAINS THURSDAY...AHEAD OF ANOTHER SHORTWAVE SET TO CROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS FRIDAY. WESTERLY DOWNSLOPE CHINOOK WINDS AND WARMING TEMPERATURES ALOFT WILL LEAD TO A MILD DAY...WITH HIGHS MOST LOCATIONS IN THE 60S. DID COOL HIGHS JUST A BIT...MID TO UPPER 50S...IN AREAS OF SUBSTANTIAL SNOW COVER. THE SHORTWAVE WILL DRAG A PACIFIC COLD FRONT ACROSS THE AREA FRIDAY...WITH HIGHS COOLING BACK INTO THE UPPER 40S AND LOWER 50S AT ALL LOCATIONS. THE UPPER LEVEL PATTERN WILL BECOME MORE AMPLIFIED THIS WEEKEND...ALLOWING ARCTIC AIR TO SPILL SOUTH INTO THE PLAINS. ANOTHER SHORTWAVE WILL INTERACT WITH THE COLDER AIR SATURDAY...WITH PERHAPS SOME LIGHT SNOW OR A MIX OF LIGHT RAIN AND SNOW. THIS WILL BE AN OPEN WAVE...AND SHOULD PASS QUICKLY WITH ONLY VERY LIGHT PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS EXPECTED. WITH THE UPPER FLOW REMAINING AMPLIFIED EARLY NEXT WEEK...EXPECT CONTINUED BOUTS OF ARCTIC AIR TO OOZE SOUTH INTO THE PLAINS. HIGHS WILL REMAIN WELL BELOW NORMAL...WITH SLIGHT CHANCES OF LIGHT SNOW OR A MIX OF RAIN AND SNOW FROM TIME TO TIME WITH THE PASSAGE OF WEAK DISTURBANCES ALOFT. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z THURSDAY MORNING) ISSUED AT 618 AM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 VFR IS EXPECTED ALL AREAS TODAY AND TONIGHT. A WARM FRONT ACROSS THE HIGH PLAINS MOVES EAST THROUGH THE FCST AREA TODAY SPREADING MIDLEVEL CLOUDS AND A FEW SPRINKLES OR FLURRIES NORTH. OTHERWISE NO CHANGE IN THE SENSIBLE WEATHER IS EXPECTED. && .LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...CDC LONG TERM...TAYLOR AVIATION...CDC
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS BISMARCK ND
1026 AM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 1026 AM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 ADDED ISOLATED TO SCATTERED RAIN SHOWERS FOR THIS AFTERNOON GENERALLY ALONG...NORTH AND EAST OF THE MISSOURI RIVER AS THE 11 UTC HRRR AND 00 UTC 4KM WRF SIMULATED REFLECTIVITY FORECASTS DEPICT AFTERNOON CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT WITH 100-150 J/KG OF SURFACE BASED CAPE. DO NOT ANTICIPATE THUNDERSTORMS AT THIS TIME. UPDATE ISSUED AT 900 AM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 QUICK UPDATE TO ADD FOG TO THE TURTLE MOUNTAINS THROUGH THE JAMES RIVER VALLEY BASED UPON WEBCAM OBSERVATIONS FROM 13-14 UTC. POPS ALSO ADJUSTED FOR RADAR TRENDS THROUGH 14 UTC. UPDATE ISSUED AT 641 AM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 UPDATE FOR TIMING AND INCREASING THE AREAL EXTENT OF SNOW SHOWERS EXPECTED FOR THE MORNING HOURS. SHOWERS HAD INCREASED IN INTENSITY WITH TIME THE PAST FEW HOURS ASSOCIATED WITH AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH MOVING EASTWARD ACROSS THE STATE. MINOR ADJUSTMENTS IN HOURLY TEMPERATURES. && .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 346 AM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 FOCUS IN THE SHORT TERM IS ON THE CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION TONIGHT INTO TOMORROW MORNING. A WEAK SHORTWAVE CONTINUES TO PROPAGATE EAST-SOUTHEAST ACROSS WESTERN AND CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA. LATEST REFLECTIVITIES AND THE LATEST 00 UTC MODEL GUIDANCE ON TIMING HAS BEEN NEARLY SPOT ON...HOWEVER OBSERVATIONS HAVE SHOWN VERY LITTLE PRECIPITATION MAKING IT TO THE GROUND. EXPECT SHOWERS TO STAY ISOLATED TONIGHT THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF A DUSTING TO AROUND A HALF INCH ARE POSSIBLE. HOWEVER WITH MODERATELY STEEP MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES QUICK BURSTS OF SNOW COULD LAY DOWN UP TO AN INCH IN ISOLATED LOCATIONS. .LONG TERM...(THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 346 AM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 THE TREND FOR AN ACTIVE PATTERN WITH A NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT AND BELOW AVERAGE TEMPERATURES REMAINS ON TRACK. ON THURSDAY A STRONG SHORTWAVE IMPULSE IN MONTANA AT DAYBREAK MOVES INTO NORTH DAKOTA THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND TRACKS EAST ACROSS THE STATE THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT. THIS IMPULSE WILL INDUCE A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM THAT IS PROGGED TO DEVELOP QUICKLY OVER MONTANA AND INTENSIFY DURING THE DAY THURSDAY AS IT TRACKS ACROSS NORTH DAKOTA. SOUTHWEST WINDS AHEAD OF THE LOW WILL BECOME WESTERLY AND INCREASE TO 20 TO 30 MPH ACROSS THE WESTERN HALF OF THE STATE THURSDAY AFTERNOON. WARM ADVECTION AHEAD AND ALONG THE LOW WILL RESULT IN HIGH TEMPERATURES IN THE 40S TO LOWER 50S. PRECIPITATION WITH THIS SYSTEM SHOULD BE IN THE FORM OF RAIN ON THURSDAY. THURSDAY NIGHT THE COLD ADVECTION BEGINS BEHIND THE SYSTEM WITH NORTHWEST WINDS OF 15 TO 25 MPH. RAIN WILL CHANGE TO SNOW FROM NORTH TO SOUTH DURING THE EVENING...AND CONTINUE AS SNOW LATE THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY. LOWS THURSDAY NIGHT EXPECTED TO RANGE FROM THE UPPER TEENS NORTH TO UPPER 20S SOUTH. THE COLD ADVECTION CONTINUES IN EARNEST FRIDAY WITH NORTHWEST WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH...WITH WIND GUSTS TO NEAR 40 MPH POSSIBLE. HIGHS FRIDAY WILL LIKELY REACH ONLY INTO THE LOWER 20S NORTH TO MID/UPPER 30S SOUTH. AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW MAY BEGIN LATE THURSDAY NIGHT AND CONTINUE INTO FRIDAY. BY FRIDAY NIGHT THE NORTHWEST WINDS SHOULD DECREASE TO AROUND 15 MPH...BUT COLD ADVECTION CONTINUES. MUCH BELOW AVERAGE LOWS FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR EXPECTED - WITH LOWS FROM AROUND ZERO IN THE TURTLE MOUNTAINS TO THE LOWER TEENS FAR SOUTH. SNOW AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT...WITH MOST OF THE SNOW FALLING LATE THURSDAY EVENING THROUGH THE DAYTIME FRIDAY. FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY A COLD CANADIAN ARCTIC HIGH MOVES SOUTH ALONG THE CANADIAN FRONT RANGE FOLLOWING THE THURSDAY/FRIDAY CLIPPER...AND HIGHS SATURDAY EXPECTED TO RANGE FROM THE TEENS IN THE TURTLE MOUNTAINS TO THE 20S WEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL. ANOTHER COLD NIGHT SATURDAY NIGHT AS THE ARCTIC HIGH MOVES SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE STATE. LOWS OF ZERO TO 5 BELOW IN THE TURTLE MOUNTAINS TO THE LOWER TEENS SOUTH AND WEST. A SLOW RECOVERY BEGINS SUNDAY...BUT THEN ANOTHER COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE REGION SUNDAY NIGHT KEEPING TEMPERATURES BELOW AVERAGE AND BRINGING SMALL CHANCES OF LIGHT SNOW SUNDAY AND MONDAY...WITH GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS OF 15 TO 25 MPH ON MONDAY. HIGHS IN THE 20S AND 30S EXPECTED THROUGH TUESDAY...BUT THERE IS A HINT IN THE MODELS OF A BIT OF A RECOVERY ON WEDNESDAY WITH HIGHS REACHING INTO THE 30S AND 40S. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z THURSDAY) ISSUED AT 1026 AM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 SNOW WITH IFR CONDITIONS WILL APPROACH KJMS BY 1530 UTC. LIFR CONDITIONS IN STRATUS AND FOG WILL CONTINUE AT KISN THROUGH 16-17 UTC. MVFR STRATUS AT KBIS AND KDIK WILL CLEAR THIS AFTERNOON. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED RAIN SHOWERS WILL DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AND MAY IMPACT KMOT/KBIS/KJMS PRIOR TO SUNSET. && .BIS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ UPDATE...AYD SHORT TERM...MM LONG TERM...JV AVIATION...AYD
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NWS GRAND FORKS ND
1008 AM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 1008 CDT WED MAR 19 2014 15 UTC RADAR SHOWS A NARROW BAND OF LIGHT PRECIP FROM CARRINGTON TO MOBRIDGE SD IN CONNECTION WITH WEAK A SHORT-WAVE PROPAGATING SOUTHEASTWARD ACROSS CENTRAL ND. REPORTS SO FAR HAVE BEEN LIGHT SNOW...BUT AS SURFACE TEMPERATURES RISE ABOVE FREEZING...PRECIP SHOULD SLOWLY CHANGE OVER TO ALL RAIN BY THIS AFTERNOON. ADJUSTED POPS/P-TYPE FOCUSING MAINLY ACROSS SOUTHEAST ND...BUT ANY ACCUMULATION SHOULD BE MINIMAL. WESTERN MN REMAINS SOCKED IN WITH CLOUD COVER AND WITH LATEST RAP LOW-LEVEL RH SUGGESTING SLOW CLEARING...RAISED SKY COVER THROUGH 00 UTC. TEMPERATURES TODAY MAINLY A REFLECTION OF CLOUD COVER...SO EXPECT HIGHS IN THE LOWER 30S ACROSS THE EAST AND INTO THE LOWER 40S ACROSS SOUTHEAST ND AND AREAS WEST OF THE VALLEY. UPDATE ISSUED AT 637 AM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 NO FORECAST CHANGES NECESSARY THIS UPDATE PERIOD. && .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY) ISSUED AT 350 AM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 FORECAST CHALLENGES CONCERN TEMPERATURES AND LATE WORK WEEK SYSTEM. MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW SOME DIFFERENCES IN LOW TRACK AND QPF AMOUNTS/LOCATION ASSOCIATED WITH SHORT WAVE THURSDAY AFTERNOON INTO FRIDAY. WILL USE BLEND FOR CURRENT FORECAST. FOR TODAY WEAK SHORTWAVE TO DROP SE ACROSS W ND AND WEAKEN DURING THE FIRST HALF OF TODAY. WILL BE MONITORING A SMALL AREA OF -SN OVER NW ND AS IT PROPAGATES SE. MAINTAINED ISOLD RW/SW MENTION INTO EARLY AFTERNOON. TEMPERATURES WILL BE TRICKY AND WILL HINGE ON CLOUD COVER. NOT REAL CONFIDENT WE WILL LOSE CLOUDS SO STAYED PRETTY CONSISTENT WITH CURRENT MAX TEMPERATURE FORECAST. RESPECTABLE Q-VECTOR DIVERGENCE/IMPLIED SUBSIDENCE THIS EVENING SO COULD SEE A DECREASE IN CLOUDS TONIGHT AS WEAK HIGH BUILDS IN. COOLEST TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE EAST WITH LOW LEVEL WARM ADVECTION AND WEAK RETURN FLOW HOLDING TEMPERATURES UP ACROSS THE WESTERN FA. CONTINUED WARM ADVECTION AND A BIT OF AN INCREASE IN MIXING AHEAD OF NEXT WAVE SHOULD ALLOW TEMPERATURES TO RECOVER TO AT OR ABOVE AVERAGE THURSDAY. SOME PCPN LIKELY TO MOVE INTO WESTERN AREAS LATE IN THE AFTERNOON. .LONG TERM...(THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 350 AM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 MODELS DIFFER SOME ON TRACK OF SURFACE LOW AS IT PROPAGATES WEST TO EAST ACROSS THE FA THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY. THIS WILL HAVE A BEARING ON WHERE BEST PCPN POTENTIAL WILL BE. GENERAL CONSENSUS AT THIS POINT THAT SOMEWHERE ACROSS THE NORTH HALF OF THE FA WILL SE BEST CHANCES AND INCREASED POPS THIS AREA. WILL LIKELY SEE A WINTRY MIX BEFORE CHANGING TO MAINLY SNOW BY FRIDAY MORNING WITH SOME RESPECTABLE ACCUMULATIONS POSSIBLE AND WILL NEED TO BE MONITORED. AS LOW PASSES EAST FRIDAY WILL SEE SHARP COLD ADVECTION...WINDY CONDITIONS AND POSSIBLE -SN AS COLD FRONT SWEEPS THROUGH THE FA. BASED ON EXPECTED WIND COULD SEE SOME BLSN FRIDAY AND THIS TOO WILL NEED TO BE WATCHED CLOSELY. ANY LINGERING SNOW WILL END FRIDAY EVENING. COLD ADVECTION CONTINUES HOWEVER MIXING SHOULD HOLD MINIMUMS ABOVE ZERO. GFS IS SLIGHTLY FASTER THAN THE ECMWF AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PERIOD. BY DAY 6 THE ECMWF IS FASTER THEN THE GFS. THE TWO MODELS ARE ESSENTIALLY OUT OF PHASE BY DAY 7. WILL BLEND THE TWO MODELS. WILL TRIM BACK POPS ON SUN NIGHT. LITTLE CHANGE TO TEMPS THROUGH THE PERIOD. TEMPS LOWER ONE DEGREE IN THE NORTH ON SUN AND RAISED A DEGREE OR TWO FOR TUE IN THE NORTH. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z THURSDAY MORNING) ISSUED AT 637 AM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 COMBINATION OF CURRENT MVFR/VFR CIGS OVER FA AND UPSTREAM VFR CIGS ASSOCIATED WITH WEAK WAVE WILL KEEP REGION MAINLY CLOUD COVERED GOOD PART OF THE DAY. DO EXPECT MAINLY VFR CIGS THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS THE REGION. && .FGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ND...NONE. MN...NONE. && $$ UPDATE...ROGERS SHORT TERM...VOELKER LONG TERM...HOPPES/VOELKER AVIATION...VOELKER
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS DENVER/BOULDER CO
344 PM MDT WED MAR 19 2014 .SHORT TERM...MODERATE NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT CURRENTLY OVER THE AREA WITH UPPER RIDGE OVER THE GREAT BASIN AND UPPER TROUGH ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES REGION. SATELLITE SHOWING WEAK MID LEVEL DISTURBANCE MOVING ACROSS WYOMING AT THIS TIME...EXTENDING INTO WESTERN COLORADO. SOME CIRRUS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS WEAK WAVE BEGINNING TO SPREAD INTO THE AREA. WINDS HAVE BEEN A BIT GUSTY ACROSS THE RIDGES AND PORTIONS OF THE FOOTHILLS...DUE MAINLY TO MIXING. WAVE MOVES ACROSS THE PLAINS THIS EVENING WITH THE FLOW ALOFT BECOMING WEST NORTHWEST. THERE WILL BE A BIT MORE CIRRUS WITH THE PASSING WAVE. SOME INCREASE IN MID LEVEL SUBSIDENCE BEHIND THE WAVE WHICH WILL HELP INCREASE THE WINDS A BIT OVER THE MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS. OVERNIGHT THE FLOW BECOMES MORE WESTERLY AS THE GREAT BASIN UPPER RIDGE FLATTENS A BIT. SPATIAL CROSS SECTIONS SHOW CROSS MOUNTAIN FLOW INCREASING AFTER MIDNIGHT WITH THE LATEST RUC SHOWING ABOUT 40 KTS AT MOUNTAIN TOP. THERE ARE HINTS AT A WEAK MOUNTAIN WAVE DEVELOPING OVERNIGHT. SOME FAVORED AREAS ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS AND HIGHER FOOTHILLS COULD SEE GUSTS AROUND 50 MPH OVERNIGHT. ON THURSDAY...WESTERLY FLOW ALOFT TO PREVAIL WITH UPPER RIDGE OVER ARIZONA AND WESTERN NEW MEXICO. WEAK MID LEVEL DESCENT COMBINED WITH MIXING WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP GUSTY WINDS GOING ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS. ACROSS THE PLAINS...DOWNSLOPE WINDS TO PREVAIL BY AFTERNOON WITH MORE OF A NORTHWEST COMPONENT AFTER 18Z. MAY ALSO BE GUSTY ALONG THE WYOMING AND NEBRASKA BORDERS DURING THE AFTERNOON WITH SOME GUSTS AROUND 30 MPH POSSIBLE. WARMER AIRMASS AND DOWNSLOPE WINDS WILL BOOST HIGHS INTO THE 60S ACROSS THE PLAINS. .LONG TERM...A PERIOD OF ZONAL FLOW IS EXPECTED ACROSS THE STATE THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. EMBEDDED IN THE MODERATE WEST- NORTHWESTERLY FLOW WILL BE ONE WEATHER DISTURBANCE FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING AND ANOTHER ONE MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT. ALONG WITH THE UPPER FEATURES...SURFACE COLD FRONTS WILL DROP OVER THE NORTHEAST QUARTER OF THE STATE...KEEPING TEMPERATURES ON THE COOL SIDE. AS THE SYSTEMS MOVE ACROSS...AN UPPER LEVEL JET WILL ALSO BE IN THE VICINITY TO HELP ORGANIZE THE PASSING SYSTEMS. MOUNTAIN AREAS SHOULD BE FAVORED FOR RECEIVING OROGRAPHIC SNOWFALL WITH EACH SYSTEM. AT THIS TIME...MOISTURE CONTENT SEEMS LIMITED SINCE THE SYSTEMS ARE COMING IN FROM THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. ON THE OTHER HAND...EACH SYSTEM WILL TAKE 24-30 HOURS TO MOVE ACROSS THE AREA. THIS MAY ALLOW SIGNIFICANT SNOW AMOUNTS TO ACCUMULATE. ON THE PLAINS...TEMPERATURES SHOULD BE IN THE RANGE THAT SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT AND A MIX OF RAIN AND SNOW CAN BE EXPECTED DURING THE DAY. NO SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED ON THE PLAINS. TEMPERATURES WILL BE COOLER THAN NORMAL THROUGH THE PERIOD. && .AVIATION...VARIABLE WINDS CURRENTLY ACROSS THE AREA AIRPORTS TO SWITCH TO MORE OF A DRAINAGE PATTERN THIS EVENING. SPEEDS AROUND 8 KTS TO PREVAIL...THOUGH KBJC MAY SEE SOME BRIEF GUSTS TO 20 KTS OVERNIGHT. WINDS TO SHIFT TO THE NORTHWEST BY 15Z WITH SPEEDS AROUND 10 KTS. A GRADUAL INCREASE IN HIGH LEVEL MOISTURE DURING THE AFTERNOON. VFR TO PREVAIL WITH UNLIMITED CEILINGS. && .BOU WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...D-L LONG TERM....DANKERS AVIATION...D-L
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS NORTHERN INDIANA
237 PM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 408 AM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 RAIN CHANCES WILL INCREASE THIS MORNING AS AN UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM APPROACHES THE REGION FROM THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. AN ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE THIS MORNING. PRECIPITATION WILL DIMINISH LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING...POSSIBLY ENDING AS A MIX OF SCATTERED RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS. IN ADDITION TO THE INCREASING CHANCES OF RAIN TODAY...WINDS WILL STRENGTHEN WITH GUSTS AS HIGH AS 35 MPH. COLDER AIR WILL RETURN TO THE REGION TONIGHT BEHIND THIS SYSTEM. && .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 408 AM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 AN ACTIVE SHORT WAVE PATTERN WILL AFFECT THE GREAT LAKES AND OHIO VALLEY TODAY WITH INCREASING RAIN CHANCES THIS MORNING FROM WEST TO EAST. WATER VAPOR IMAGERY EARLY THIS MORNING DEPICTING A FAIRLY VIGOROUS SHORT WAVE TRACKING ACROSS NORTHERN INDIANA. SOME WEAK POOLING OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE HAS BEEN NOTED PER RAP ANALYSIS ALONG LOW LEVEL WARM FRONTAL ZONE...BUT OVERALL SIGNIFICANT MOISTURE DEPTH HAS BEEN LACKING WITH THIS LEAD VORT MAX. PRIMARY LOW LEVEL MOIST TONGUE WILL BE ADVECTED EASTWARD ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH 12Z IN ADVANCE OF A STRONG VORT MAX KICKING OUT OF CENTRAL MISSOURI. A PLUME OF STEEP MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES ACCOMPANYING LOW LEVEL THERMAL RIDGING IN ADVANCE OFF THIS WAVE WILL ALSO LIFT INTO THE AREA TOWARD DAYBREAK. COMBINATION OF THIS SHORT WAVE AND NOTABLE UPPER DVG IN LEFT EXIT REGION OF A 130 KNOT JET CORE NOSING INTO WESTERN KENTUCKY/SOUTHERN INDIANA SHOULD ALLOW FOR CONTINUED EXPANSION OF RAIN SHOWERS ACROSS MUCH OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS...WITH EVEN A FEW ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE GIVEN DYNAMICS/STEEP MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES. GREATEST CONCENTRATION OF RAIN SHOWERS THIS MORNING APPEARS TO BE SETTING UP ESPECIALLY ACROSS NORTHWEST HALF OF THE AREA GIVEN NORTHEAST TRACK OF EASTERN MISSOURI VORT MAX. BY LATE MORNING/EARLY AFTERNOON...PREFRONTAL CONFLUENT ZONE ACROSS EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE AREA SHOULD TEND TO INCREASE FRONTAL RESPONSE IN ADVANCE OF THIS SHORT WAVE...AND GIVEN AFOREMENTIONED UPPER DVG FIELDS ASSOCIATED WITH UPPER JET STREAK...WILL CONTINUE WITH CATEGORICAL POPS ACROSS THE EAST DURING THIS PERIOD. WITH PROGRESSIVE NATURE OF THIS PATTERN...RAINFALL AMOUNTS STILL EXPECTED GENERALLY IN THE QUARTER OF AN INCH OR LESS RANGE...BUT SOME LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH EMBEDDED STRONGER CONVECTIVE ELEMENTS THIS MORNING/EARLY AFTERNOON. BEST CHANCE OF THUNDER DOES APPEAR TO BE IN PREFRONTAL ENVIRONMENT THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON BEFORE STEEPER MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES SHIFT EAST AND NORTH OF THE AREA. DIFFICULT DIURNAL TREND TO RESOLVE TEMPERATURE WISE TODAY GIVEN EFFECTS FROM PRECIPITATION AND STRONGER CAA LATER THIS AFTERNOON...BUT WARMEST HIGHS AROUND 50 STILL APPEAR TO BE IN STORE FOR SOUTHEAST LOCATIONS...WITH FALLING TEMPERATURES IN THE AFTERNOON ACROSS THE WEST. BY LATE THIS AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING...TRANSITION TO NEUTRAL OR A SLIGHT NEGATIVELY TILTED UPPER TROUGH WILL FAVOR DEEPEST MOISTURE LINGERING ACROSS THE FAR NORTH WITH TROWAL WRAPPING BACK TO THE WEST. ADDITIONAL NORTHERN STREAM WAVES DROPPING INTO THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES SHOULD ALLOW FOR CONTINUED SCT RAIN/SNOW SHOWERS ACROSS ESPECIALLY NORTHERN HALF OF THE AREA THIS EVENING. MARGINAL WET BULB PROFILES AND PROGRESSION OF DEEPER MOISTURE PROFILES EAST OF THE AREA EARLIER IN THE DAY SHOULD PREVENT ANY SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...ALTHOUGH CANNOT COMPLETELY RULE OUT A DUSTING ACROSS THE FAR NORTH/NORTHEAST TONIGHT BEFORE BETTER MID LEVEL MOISTURE LIFTS NORTH OF THE AREA. SOME PATCHY DRIZZLE/FREEZING DRIZZLE MAY ALSO BE POSSIBLE VERY LATE TONIGHT AS MOISTURE DEPTH DIMINISHES AND AS CONTINUED SHEARED VORTICES DROP INTO THE AREA FROM THE NORTHWEST. HOWEVER...WILL OMIT MENTION IN FORECAST AT THIS TIME WITH LOW CONFIDENCE IN OCCURRENCE AND SHORT DURATION OF THIS POTENTIAL. WELL MIXED LOW LEVELS/CLOUD COVER SHOULD LIMIT MINS TONIGHT FROM THE UPPER 20S TO LOWER 30S. && .LONG TERM...(THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 408 AM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 FLATTER PACIFIC DOMINANT FLOW REGIME EXPECTED THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY...WITH LARGE TEMPERATURE SWINGS DAY TO DAY. MODEST HEIGHT RISES IN WAKE OF TODAY`S UPPER TROUGH WILL ALLOW WEAK RIDGING TO BRIEFLY BUILD IN THURSDAY INTO EARLY THURSDAY EVENING. A NORTHERN STREAM SHORTWAVE NOW JUST OFF THE BRITISH COLUMBIA COAST WILL WORK QUICKLY EAST-SOUTHEAST TO THE UPPER MIDWEST FRIDAY AND THE GREAT LAKES FRIDAY NIGHT. LEFTOVER BAROCLINIC ZONE WILL LIFT NORTHEAST INTO THE AREA LATER THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY IN RESPONSE TO UPSTREAM HEIGHT FALLS. MAY SEE A NARROW BAND OF LIGHT PRECIP (RAIN/SNOW MIX) DEVELOP LATER THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING AS CONVERGENCE BRIEFLY INCREASES/DEEPENS ALONG BOUNDARY ON NOSE OF DEVELOPING LLJ...WITH SOME ADDED ASCENT FROM AN APPROACHING LEAD/WEAK/SHEARED MID LEVEL IMPULSE. SHIFTED AXIS OF HIGHER CHC POPS SOUTH INTO THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE FA GIVEN TRENDS IN 12/00Z MODELS. REGARDLESS...EXPECT ANY RAIN/SNOW AMOUNTS TO BE LIGHT WITH NO HYDRO/TRAVEL CONCERNS ANTICIPATED. STRONG WARM ADVECTION AND MAINLY DRY CONDITIONS ANTICIPATED LATER FRIDAY MORNING INTO FRIDAY AFTERNOON AS FRONTAL BOUNDARY ATTEMPTS TO LIFT NORTH INTO SOUTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN. ENOUGH INSOLATION WITH 925 MB TEMPS SURGING TO BTW 10-12C WITHIN THERMAL RIDGE BY LATE IN THE DAY SHOULD ALLOW HIGHS TO REACH THE MID 50S TO LOW 60S ACROSS MUCH OF OUR INDIANA/OHIO ZONES. THIS WARM UP WILL UNFORTUNATELY BE SHORT LIVED AS AFOREMENTIONED NORTHERN STREAM PV ANOMALY AND ASSOCIATED DEEPENING SFC REFLECTION TRACKING EAST THROUGH MICHIGAN FORCES A COLD FRONT THROUGH THE AREA FRIDAY NIGHT. EXPECT AT LEAST A BROKEN LINE OF RAIN SHOWERS TO ACCOMPANY THE COLD FRONT WITH TEMPS 15 OR SO DEGREES COOLER ON SATURDAY IN WAKE OF FRONT. A TREND TOWARD EVEN COLDER TEMPS ANTICIPATED BEHIND A SECONDARY ARCTIC FRONT SUNDAY INTO NEXT WEEK AS RIDGE AMPLIFIES ALONG THE WEST COAST FORCING BROAD DOWNSTREAM TROUGHING INTO EASTERN NORTH AMERICA. MODELS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT IN BUILDING A SFC HIGH OF NORTHWEST CANADA ORIGINS SOUTHEAST INTO THE LOCAL AREA SUNDAY INTO MONDAY. THIS SHOULD RESULT IN DRY/COLD CONDITIONS BEFORE A CLIPPER-LIKE SYSTEM POSSIBLY BRINGS SOME SNOW TO THE AREA AROUND MONDAY NIGHT-TUESDAY. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 151 PM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 AN AREA OF RAIN AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT SHOULD MOVE OUT OF THE SBN AREA VERY EARLY IN THE PERIOD. KEPT A SHORT DURATION IFR TEMPO GROUP FOR THIS AREA OF RAIN. WINDS WILL VEER AFTER FROPA LATE THIS AFTERNOON AT SBN. IN THE WAKE OF THE RAIN...LOW CLOUDS ARE EXPECTED TO PERSIST THROUGH THE EVENING...WITH EVENTUALLY IMPROVEMENT TO VFR OVERNIGHT OR EARLY THURSDAY MORNING. && .IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IN...NONE. MI...NONE. OH...NONE. LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 2 AM EDT THURSDAY FOR LMZ043-046. && $$ SYNOPSIS...MARSILI SHORT TERM...MARSILI LONG TERM...STEINWEDEL AVIATION...SKIPPER VISIT US AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/IWX (ALL LOWER CASE) FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK...TWITTER...AND YOUTUBE AT: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/US.NATIONALWEATHERSERVICE.NORTHERNIN.GOV WWW.TWITTER.COM/NWSIWX WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/NWSNORTHERNINDIANA
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GOODLAND KS
200 PM MDT WED MAR 19 2014 .SHORT TERM...(THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THURSDAY) ISSUED AT 1235 PM MDT WED MAR 19 2014 LATEST WV IMAGERY AND RAP H5 ANALYSIS SHOW TROUGH OVER GREAT LAKES REGION WITH A SHORTWAVE TROUGH AXIS EXTENDING SOUTHWEST ACROSS NEBRASKA/KANSAS. LARGE SCALE SUBSIDENCE IS IN PLACE ACROSS NORTHERN PLAINS BETWEEN THIS TROUGH AND APPROACHING SHORTWAVE RIDGE CURRENTLY OVER THE NORTHERN ROCKIES. AT THE SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE IS IN PLACE ACROSS THE ENTIRE TRI-STATE REGION...WITH MAIN CENTER ACROSS SW KS/OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE. WITH LARGE SCALE PATTERN DOMINATED BY RIDING...MAIN FORECAST CHALLENGE WILL BE TEMPS/POSSIBLE FIRE WEATHER THURSDAY. THIS AFTERNOON TEMPS HAVE BEEN PARTICULARLY CHALLENGING DUE TO MELTING SNOW...BUT WITH AIR MASS ALOFT WARMING THE TEMP TREND HAS BEEN POSITIVE. I WILL PROBABLY NEED TO MAKE A FEW ADDITIONAL ADJUSTMENTS TO TEMP CURVE TO ACCOUNT FOR TRENDS...OTHERWISE AFTERNOON FORECAST SEEMS TO BE ON TRACK. WE COULD STILL SEE A SMALL AREA OF EASTERN RED WILLOW/NORTHERN NORTON COUNTY IMPACTED BY SNOW PACK THURSDAY AFTERNOON (WHERE AMOUNTS 5-6" FELL)...OTHERWISE THIS SHOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE AFTER THIS AFTERNOON. SOUTHERLY FLOW AND GOOD WAA WILL CONTINUE TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY. WITH GOOD MIXING WE SHOULD SEE HIGH TEMPS THURSDAY IN THE UPPER 60S/LOW 70S (POSSIBLY A LITTLE WARMER IN THE WEST). LOW DEW POINTS SHOULD ALSO MIX TO THE SURFACE WHICH SHOULD RESULT IN RH VALUES WELL WITHIN RFW CRITERIA. WITH A SURFACE TROUGH EXPECTED TO BE IN PLACE OVER OUR CWA (MINIMAL SURFACE GRADIENT) WE WILL NEED WINDS ALOFT TO MIX TO THE SURFACE IF WE ARE GOING TO SEE MUCH OTHER THAN LIGHT AND VARIABLE WINDS LESS THAN 10 MPH. THERE IS A LACK OF UNIDIRECTIONAL GRADIENT ALOFT AND VERY LITTLE IN THE WAY OF A VERTICAL THERMAL GRADIENT ON MODEL SOUNDINGS I AM WONDERING IF MODEL WINDS ARE TOO STRONG ALOFT AND POTENTIAL FOR AFTERNOON GUSTS IS EVEN SMALLER. I DO NOT WANT TO COMPLETELY RULE OUT A FEW GUSTS IN THE 20-25 MPH (ASSUMING MODEL WINDS ALOFT ARE RIGHT) DUE TO THE FAVORABLE MIXING...BUT I DOUBT THIS WOULD BE FOR 3HR IF IT DID OCCUR. TAKING INTO ACCOUNT RECENT SNOW MELT ACROSS THE NORTHERN CWA...AND MARGINAL WINDS ACROSS THE ENTIRE CWA I AM NOT PLANNING A RFW AT THIS TIME. .LONG TERM...(THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY) ISSUED AT 150 PM MDT WED MAR 19 2014 THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY...500 MB TROUGH AND ASSOCIATED MOISTURE WILL MOVE ACROSS THE DAKOTAS. ALTHOUGH NO PRECIPITATION WILL OCCUR THIS FAR SOUTH...A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE AREA 09Z-12Z. SURFACE WINDS BEHIND THE FRONT WILL BE NORTH AT 20-25 KNOTS FRIDAY... PER THE HIGHER WIND SPEED SOLUTIONS PRESENTED BY THE GFS MOS GUIDANCE. TEMPERATURES FRIDAY WILL BE ABOUT 15 DEGREES COOLER FROM THURSDAY DUE COLD AIR ADVECTION BEHIND FRONT. FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT...THE PROGRESSIVE PATTERN WILL CONTINUE AS THE NEXT SHORTWAVE TROUGH MOVES OVER THE NORTHERN ROCKIES. ALTHOUGH 250 MB JET CORE WILL BE NORTH OF THE AREA...EXPECT SOME UPWARD VERTICAL MOTION DUE TO DIFFERENTIAL CYCLONIC VORTICITY ADVECTION AND POSITION OF RIGHT ENTRANCE REGION OF JET. EXPECT LIGHT SNOW/FLURRIES TO DEVELOP OVER NORTHERN YUMA COUNTY BY 12Z SATURDAY. GFS/ECMWF ARE IN AGREEMENT KEEPING LIGHT PRECIPITATION NORTH OF INTERSTATE 70 DURING THE DAY. BASED ON TEMPERATURE PROFILES...PLACED A MIXTURE OF RAIN/SNOW AS PRECIPITATION TYPE DURING THE MORNING... BECOMING ALL RAIN IN THE AFTERNOON. LOW LEVEL FRONTOGENESIS REMAINS OVER THE WESTERN THIRD OF THE FORECAST AREA SATURDAY NIGHT...SO INCLUDED A CHANCE FOR LIGHT SNOW THERE. SUNDAY AND MONDAY...WEAK SUBSIDENCE IS PROGGED OVER THE AREA...BUT A COLD AIR MASS WILL REMAIN IN PLACE. SO...EXPECT DRY WEATHER...BUT AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES WILL BE APPROXIMATELY 10 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL. MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY...A VERY AMPLIFIED 500 MB RIDGE WILL DEVELOP OVER THE WEST COAST. THIS WILL PRODUCE NORTHWEST FLOW OVER THE HIGH PLAINS. AS WEAK WAVES MOVE THROUGH THE FLOW...EXPECT A CHANCE FOR LIGHT RAIN AND SNOW. CONFIDENCE IS NOT VERY HIGH WITH THE TIMING OF THESE SYSTEMS OR THEIR INTENSITIES. FOR NOW...KEPT SMALL PRECIPITATION CHANCES THROUGH THE PERIOD. TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...WEST COAST RIDGE WEAKENS AND MOVES EAST BRINGING DRY WEATHER TO THE AREA. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 1117 AM MDT WED MAR 19 2014 VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL AT BOTH KGLD AND KMCK THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD. W-SW WINDS WILL GENERALLY REMAIN BELOW 12KT THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD WITH HIGH PRESSURE AT THE SURFACE. THERE WILL BE A PERIOD THIS AFTERNOON OF GUSTS 15-20KT WITH DAYTIME MIXING...QUICKLY DIMINISHING AROUND SUNSET. && .GLD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... KS...NONE. CO...NONE. NE...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...DR LONG TERM...MENTZER AVIATION...DR
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GOODLAND KS
1236 PM MDT WED MAR 19 2014 .SHORT TERM...(THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THURSDAY) ISSUED AT 1235 PM MDT WED MAR 19 2014 LATEST WV IMAGERY AND RAP H5 ANALYSIS SHOW TROUGH OVER GREAT LAKES REGION WITH A SHORTWAVE TROUGH AXIS EXTENDING SOUTHWEST ACROSS NEBRASKA/KANSAS. LARGE SCALE SUBSIDENCE IS IN PLACE ACROSS NORTHERN PLAINS BETWEEN THIS TROUGH AND APPROACHING SHORTWAVE RIDGE CURRENTLY OVER THE NORTHERN ROCKIES. AT THE SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE IS IN PLACE ACROSS THE ENTIRE TRI-STATE REGION...WITH MAIN CENTER ACROSS SW KS/OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE. WITH LARGE SCALE PATTERN DOMINATED BY RIDING...MAIN FORECAST CHALLENGE WILL BE TEMPS/POSSIBLE FIRE WEATHER THURSDAY. THIS AFTERNOON TEMPS HAVE BEEN PARTICULARLY CHALLENGING DUE TO MELTING SNOW...BUT WITH AIR MASS ALOFT WARMING THE TEMP TREND HAS BEEN POSITIVE. I WILL PROBABLY NEED TO MAKE A FEW ADDITIONAL ADJUSTMENTS TO TEMP CURVE TO ACCOUNT FOR TRENDS...OTHERWISE AFTERNOON FORECAST SEEMS TO BE ON TRACK. WE COULD STILL SEE A SMALL AREA OF EASTERN RED WILLOW/NORTHERN NORTON COUNTY IMPACTED BY SNOW PACK THURSDAY AFTERNOON (WHERE AMOUNTS 5-6" FELL)...OTHERWISE THIS SHOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE AFTER THIS AFTERNOON. SOUTHERLY FLOW (GOOD WAA) WILL CONTINUE TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY. WITH GOOD MIXING WE SHOULD SEE HIGH TEMPS THURSDAY IN THE UPPER 60S/LOW 70S (POSSIBLY A LITTLE WARMER IN THE WEST). LOW TD VALUES SHOULD ALSO MIX TO THE SURFACE WHICH SHOULD RESULT IN RH VALUES WELL WITHIN RFW CRITERIA. WITH A SURFACE TROUGH EXPECTED TO BE IN PLACE OVER OUR CWA (MINIMAL SURFACE GRADIENT) WE WILL NEED WINDS ALOFT TO MIX TO THE SURFACE IF WE ARE GOING TO SEE MUCH OTHER THAN LIGHT AND VARIABLE WINDS LESS THAN 10 MPH. THERE IS A LACK OF UNIDIRECTIONAL GRADIENT ALOFT AND VERY LITTLE IN THE WAY OF A VERTICAL THERMAL GRADIENT ON MODEL SOUNDINGS I AM WONDERING IF MODEL WINDS ARE TOO STRONG ALOFT AND POTENTIAL FOR AFTERNOON GUSTS IS EVEN SMALLER. I DO NOT WANT TO COMPLETELY RULE OUT A FEW GUSTS IN THE 20-25 MPH (ASSUMING MODEL WINDS ALOFT ARE RIGHT) DUE TO THE FAVORABLE MIXING...BUT I DOUBT THIS WOULD BE FOR 3HR IF IT DID OCCUR. TAKING INTO ACCOUNT RECENT SNOW MELT ACROSS THE NORTHERN CWA...AND MARGINAL WINDS ACROSS THE ENTIRE CWA I AM NOT PLANNING A RFW AT THIS TIME. .LONG TERM...(THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 308 AM MDT WED MAR 19 2014 THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY DRY ZONAL FLOW WILL CONTINUE OVER THE AREA WITH A COLD FRONT MOVING THROUGH THE AREA LATE THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY MORNING. 850MB WINDS INCREASE BEHIND THE FRONT BUT THE INVERSION WILL PREVENT THE WINDS FROM MIXING DOWN UNTIL MID MORNING. ONCE THE FRONT IS SOUTH OF THE AREA THE WINDS WILL DECLINE THROUGH THE REST OF THE DAY. HIGHS WILL BE NEAR NORMAL BEHIND THE FRONT. FRIDAY NIGHT THE RIGHT ENTRANCE OF THE 500MB JET WILL MOVE OVER THE AREA...WITH THE MAIN JET NORTH OF THE AREA. MODELS DISAGREE WHEN A 700MB SHORT WAVE TROUGH WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA WHICH WILL AFFECT THE TIMING OF THE MID LEVEL LIFT. AS THE MID LEVEL TROUGH MOVES THROUGH THE ENVIRONMENT BECOMES SATURATED. WITH SYNOPTIC SCALE LIFT FROM THE 500MB JET OVER THE AREA AS WELL AS LIFT FROM THE MID LEVEL TROUGH PASSAGE...WILL INCLUDE A MENTION OF LOW PRECIP. CHANCES FOR THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE AREA AS A RESULT. WILL HAVE THE PRECIP. CHANCES GOING FOR THE ENTIRE NIGHT DUE TO UNCERTAINTY WITH TIMING OF THE MID LEVEL TROUGH. WEEKEND LOOKS TO BE A TAD COOLER THAN NORMAL WITH A CHANCE FOR LIGHT PRECIP SATURDAY INTO EARLY SUNDAY...MOSTLY SNOW. GUIDANCE CAME IN A BIT STRONGER WITH PRECIPITATION AND MOISTURE THROUGHOUT THE COLUMN...INCLUDING THE PREVIOUS OUTLIER GFS/GEFS COMING MORE IN LINE WITH GEM/ECMWF SOLUTIONS FOR THE WEEKEND. SYNOPTIC PATTERN BEGINS ZONAL ACROSS THE CENTRAL PLAINS AS A SHORTWAVE TROUGH APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. ECMWF HAS THIS TROUGH FURTHEST NORTH...GEM IN THE MIDDLE...AND GFS FARTHER SOUTH AS IT APPROACHES THE CENTRAL ROCKIES. EASTERLY FLOW ON SATURDAY COMBINED WITH EXCELLENT LIFT IN THE SNOW GROWTH ZONE WILL LEAD TO A CHANCE OF SNOWFALL SATURDAY INTO SATURDAY NIGHT. GFS IS SLOWER TO SATURATE LOWER LEVELS THAN GEM/ECMWF...BUT EITHER WAY TOTAL PRECIP LOOKS TO BE FAIRLY LIGHT. EARLY NEXT WORK WEEK THE HIGH PLAINS WILL BE UNDER A NORTH/NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT AS AN AMPLIFIED RIDGE DEVELOP OVER THE WEST COAST. A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE FROM NORTH TO SOUTH EARLY MONDAY...BUT A THIS POINT PRECIP CHANCES APPEAR LIMITED. AS WITH THE WEEKEND SYSTEM...ECMWF IS MUCH MORE WET THAN OTHER GUIDANCE...WITH MDL ECMWF MOS PRODUCING POP GUIDANCE OF 20 TO 30 PERCENT ACROSS THE REGION MONDAY INTO TUESDAY...BUT THIS IS AN OUTLIER AT THIS POINT. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 1117 AM MDT WED MAR 19 2014 VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL AT BOTH KGLD AND KMCK THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD. W-SW WINDS WILL GENERALLY REMAIN BELOW 12KT THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD WITH HIGH PRESSURE AT THE SURFACE. THERE WILL BE A PERIOD THIS AFTERNOON OF GUSTS 15-20KT WITH DAYTIME MIXING...QUICKLY DIMINISHING AROUND SUNSET. && .GLD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... KS...NONE. CO...NONE. NE...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...DR LONG TERM...JJM/JTL AVIATION...DR
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GRAND RAPIDS MI
549 PM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 LATEST UPDATE... UPDATE/HYDRO .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 329 PM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 LOW PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE NORTHEAST THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES REGION TONIGHT WITH SCATTERED LIGHT RAIN CHANGING TO LIGHT SNOW THIS EVENING. ANY SNOW WILL BE LIGHT...WITH TRACE AMOUNTS GENERALLY EXPECTED. THE HIGHEST ACCUMULATIONS OF AROUND A HALF INCH WILL BE POSSIBLE ALONG U.S. 10 NEAR BALDWIN AND REED CITY. IT WILL TURN COLDER AND BREEZY TONIGHT AS THE LOW PULLS AWAY. DRY WEATHER IS FORECAST FROM THURSDAY INTO THURSDAY NIGHT BEFORE THE NEXT SYSTEM TAKES AIM ON THE AREA FOR FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT. THIS SYSTEM WILL BRING A MIX OF RAIN AND SNOW TO THE AREA FOR THE END OF THE WEEK. NO MAJOR WEATHER SYSTEMS ARE FORECAST THROUGH THE WEEKEND OR EARLY NEXT WEEK. IT WILL GRADUALLY TURN COLDER THROUGH THIS PERIOD AS COLDER AIR SETTLES SOUTHWARD FROM CANADA. && .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 545 PM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 ISSUED A FLOOD WATCH FOR THE GRAND RIVER FOR KENT AND OTTAWA COUNTIES. ICE ON THE MOVE WITH AT LEAST ONE JAM REPORTED UPSTREAM OF ADA. && .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 329 PM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 FOCUS OF THE SHORT TERM PERTAINS TO THE EXIT OF THE CURRENT SYSTEM MOVING THROUGH THE AREA AND THE AFFECTS OF THE FRIDAY/FRIDAY NIGHT SYSTEM. AS FOR TONIGHT...HI-RES SHORT TERM MODELS LIKE THE HRRR AND THE RAP AS WELL AS CURRENT RADAR TRENDS WOULD SAY ANY ADDITIONAL PRECIPITATION WILL BE LIGHT. THE CURRENT AREA OF RAIN SHOULD LIFT NORTHEAST OUT OF THE FORECAST AREA IN THE NEXT FEW HOURS. LEAVING LITTLE IN THE WAY OF UPSTREAM RETURNS TO WORK THROUGH. THE MODELS DO SHOW A BIT OF LOW LEVEL LIFT OFF OF LAKE MICHIGAN WHICH IS LIKELY DUE TO FRICTIONAL PILLING UP OF THE WIND. LAST FEW FRAMES OF KGRR RADAR IMAGERY SHOW SOME RETURNS OFF THE LAKE OVER OTTAWA AND ALLEGAN COUNTIES. WE WILL NEED TO KEEP AN EYE ON WHETHER OR NOT PRECIP IS GENERATED OFF THE LAKE BUT CONFIDENCE IN THIS IS LOW. DELTA T/S ONLY RISE TO AROUND 10C BY MORNING. MOISTURE DEPTH DECREASES THROUGH THE NIGHT AS WELL. HAVE HIGH POPS CONTINUING THROUGH 00Z...BUT TAPER THEM BACK THEN THROUGH THE COURSE OF THE NIGHT. AGAIN...NOT EXPECTING MUCH PRECIP THROUGH THE NIGHT...BUT CANNOT RULE OUT SOME LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS. BEST CHANCE AT ANY ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE UP ALONG U.S. 10. DENSE FOG FORMED MIDDAY IN AN AREA OF SLACK WINDS AS THE LOW MOVED THROUGH. MOST OF THIS HAS LIFTED WITH ONLY BIG RAPIDS AT A QUARTER. WILL HAVE IT IN THE FORECAST LATE THIS AFTERNOON...BUT THE THREAT LOOKS TO BE ENDING AS WINDS PICK UP IN THE WAKE OF THE LOW. SPEAKING OF WINDS...IT WILL GET BREEZY TONIGHT WITH 15 TO 30 MPH SUSTAINED WINDS. A FEW HIGHER GUSTS WILL BE POSSIBLE ESPECIALLY TOWARDS THE LAKE MICHIGAN SHORE. THINKING THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT WILL BE DRY AS A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE SLIDES THROUGH THE FORECAST AREA. FOLLOWING THE LEAD OF THE 12Z ECMWF ON KEEPING THE FORECAST DRY THROUGH THESE PERIODS. FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT A SYSTEM SLIDES THROUGH THE AREA WHICH IS CURRENTLY UP IN THE GULF OF ALASKA. MODELS HAVE STRUGGLED ON THE EXACT PATH THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES AS IT ZIPS EAST IN THE ZONAL FLOW. HAVE RAIN AND SNOW IN THE FORECAST FROM FRIDAY AFTERNOON INTO FRIDAY NIGHT. THE SYSTEM DOES NOT HAVE A LOT OF MOISTURE TO WORK WITH SO NOT EXPECTING MUCH IN THE WAY OF IMPACTS. THE PRECIP WILL TREND TOWARD RAIN FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND BACK TO SNOW BY SATURDAY MORNING. COULD BE SOME LIGHT ACCUMS ACROSS CENTRAL LOWER FRIDAY NIGHT...AN INCH OR LESS. .LONG TERM...(SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY) ISSUED AT 329 PM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 THE MAIN MESSAGE FOR THE LONG TERM IS THAT THE AREA WILL SEE TEMPS DROP DOWN TO MUCH BELOW AVERAGE LEVELS AND WE WILL SEE UNSETTLED WX THROUGH MOST OF THE PERIOD. THAT SAID...IT DOES NOT LOOK LIKE WE WILL HAVE ANY MAJOR STORMS IMPACT THE AREA FROM SAT THROUGH NEXT WED. THE TREND TOWARD COOLER CONDITIONS WILL START OUT THIS SAT. COOLER TEMPS ARE EXPECTED IN THE WAKE OF THE FRI/FRI NIGHT SYSTEM. WE SHOULD SEE A BREAK A GOOD PORTION OF THE DAY ON SAT BEFORE ANOTHER STRONGER TROUGH DROPS SOUTH OUT OF CANADA. THIS WILL INCREASE THE CHC FOR SOME SNOW LATE SAT AND CONTINUE THEM INTO SUN. THIS SYSTEM WILL NOT HAVE A LOT OF MOISTURE WITH IT COMING FROM THE NORTH. ANY DECENT MOISTURE IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN LOCKED UP WELL SOUTH OF THE STATE. WE WILL SEE ANOTHER BREAK IN THE PCPN FOR LATE SUN THROUGH THE DAY ON MON IN THE WAKE OF THE TROUGH FROM SAT NIGHT. SNOW CHCS WILL INCREASE THEN ONCE AGAIN...AND ONCE AGAIN MOISTURE WILL BE RATHER LIMITED. THE MORE IMPORTANT THING WITH THIS SYSTEM WILL IT WILL HELP TO ESTABLISH A DEEPER TROUGH OVER MOST OF THE ERN U.S.. THE UPPER FLOW TRAJECTORY WILL BE COMING FROM NEAR SIBERIA AND THE ARCTIC AS THE ALL TOO FAMILIAR STRONG ALASKA/WRN COAST UPPER RIDGE BUILDS ONCE AGAIN. THIS WILL ENSURE THAT MUCH BELOW AVERAGE TEMPS WILL REVISIT THE AREA THROUGH THE END OF OF THE LONG TERM...AND MOST LIKELY MANY DAYS BEYOND THE CURRENT LONG TERM PERIOD. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 148 PM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 THE WORST IMPACTS TO AVIATION INTERESTS WILL COME IN THE FIRST FEW HOURS OF THE 18Z FCST. RAIN SHOWERS WITH THE SYSTEM ARE IN THE BEGINNING STAGES OF MOVING OUT. LOW CIGS AND VSBYS ARE IN PLACE...ESPECIALLY AT KGRR AND KMKG CLOSER TO THE CENTER OF THE STORM SYSTEM AND UNDER WEAK WINDS. IT WILL TAKE A FEW HOURS BEFORE CIGS BEGIN TO SHOW SOME IMPROVEMENT...HOWEVER IT WILL BE SLOW AND GRADUAL. ANY RAIN SHOWERS WILL CHANGE OVER TO SNOW SHOWERS LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS COLDER AIR MOVES IN BEHIND THE DEPARTING SYSTEM. WE EXPECT PCPN TO END AT MOST LOCATIONS BEFORE CHANGING TO SNOW. THE EXCEPTION TO THIS WILL BE KMKG. THEY WILL SEE THE DIMINISHING PCPN STARTING TO MOVE OVER LAKE MICHIGAN INTO THIS EVENING BEFORE ENDING. WINDS WILL BEGIN GUSTING FROM THE WEST UP TO 20-25 KNOTS. CIGS WILL CONTINUE TO GRADUALLY LIFT THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT INTO THE HIGHER MVFR CATEGORY. WE EXPECT CIGS TO SCATTER OUT LATE THU MORNING/THU AFTERNOON. && .HYDROLOGY... ISSUED AT 545 PM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 LARGE CHUNKS OF ICE WERE ON THE MOVE AROUND COMSTOCK PARK AND AN ICE JAM WAS REPORTED UPSTREAM OF THE THORNAPPLE ENTRY ON THE GRAND IN ADA. WATER WAS RISING BEHIND THE JAM. WE ISSUED A FLOOD WATCH FOR THIS. CLOSE MONITORING WILL BE NEEDED OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS TO ACCOUNT FOR THIS. && .GRR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MI...FLOOD WATCH THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING FOR MIZ056-057. LM...NONE. && $$ UPDATE...MJS SYNOPSIS...DUKE SHORT TERM...DUKE LONG TERM...NJJ AVIATION...NJJ HYDROLOGY...MJS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GRAND RAPIDS MI
329 PM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 LATEST UPDATE... SYNOPSIS/SHORT TERM/LONG TERM/HYDRO .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 329 PM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 LOW PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE NORTHEAST THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES REGION TONIGHT WITH SCATTERED LIGHT RAIN CHANGING TO LIGHT SNOW THIS EVENING. ANY SNOW WILL BE LIGHT...WITH TRACE AMOUNTS GENERALLY EXPECTED. THE HIGHEST ACCUMULATIONS OF AROUND A HALF INCH WILL BE POSSIBLE ALONG U.S. 10 NEAR BALDWIN AND REED CITY. IT WILL TURN COLDER AND BREEZY TONIGHT AS THE LOW PULLS AWAY. DRY WEATHER IS FORECAST FROM THURSDAY INTO THURSDAY NIGHT BEFORE THE NEXT SYSTEM TAKES AIM ON THE AREA FOR FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT. THIS SYSTEM WILL BRING A MIX OF RAIN AND SNOW TO THE AREA FOR THE END OF THE WEEK. NO MAJOR WEATHER SYSTEMS ARE FORECAST THROUGH THE WEEKEND OR EARLY NEXT WEEK. IT WILL GRADUALLY TURN COLDER THROUGH THIS PERIOD AS COLDER AIR SETTLES SOUTHWARD FROM CANADA. && .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 329 PM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 FOCUS OF THE SHORT TERM PERTAINS TO THE EXIT OF THE CURRENT SYSTEM MOVING THROUGH THE AREA AND THE AFFECTS OF THE FRIDAY/FRIDAY NIGHT SYSTEM. AS FOR TONIGHT...HI-RES SHORT TERM MODELS LIKE THE HRRR AND THE RAP AS WELL AS CURRENT RADAR TRENDS WOULD SAY ANY ADDITIONAL PRECIPITATION WILL BE LIGHT. THE CURRENT AREA OF RAIN SHOULD LIFT NORTHEAST OUT OF THE FORECAST AREA IN THE NEXT FEW HOURS. LEAVING LITTLE IN THE WAY OF UPSTREAM RETURNS TO WORK THROUGH. THE MODELS DO SHOW A BIT OF LOW LEVEL LIFT OFF OF LAKE MICHIGAN WHICH IS LIKELY DUE TO FRICTIONAL PILLING UP OF THE WIND. LAST FEW FRAMES OF KGRR RADAR IMAGERY SHOW SOME RETURNS OFF THE LAKE OVER OTTAWA AND ALLEGAN COUNTIES. WE WILL NEED TO KEEP AN EYE ON WHETHER OR NOT PRECIP IS GENERATED OFF THE LAKE BUT CONFIDENCE IN THIS IS LOW. DELTA T/S ONLY RISE TO AROUND 10C BY MORNING. MOISTURE DEPTH DECREASES THROUGH THE NIGHT AS WELL. HAVE HIGH POPS CONTINUING THROUGH 00Z...BUT TAPER THEM BACK THEN THROUGH THE COURSE OF THE NIGHT. AGAIN...NOT EXPECTING MUCH PRECIP THROUGH THE NIGHT...BUT CANNOT RULE OUT SOME LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS. BEST CHANCE AT ANY ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE UP ALONG U.S. 10. DENSE FOG FORMED MIDDAY IN AN AREA OF SLACK WINDS AS THE LOW MOVED THROUGH. MOST OF THIS HAS LIFTED WITH ONLY BIG RAPIDS AT A QUARTER. WILL HAVE IT IN THE FORECAST LATE THIS AFTERNOON...BUT THE THREAT LOOKS TO BE ENDING AS WINDS PICK UP IN THE WAKE OF THE LOW. SPEAKING OF WINDS...IT WILL GET BREEZY TONIGHT WITH 15 TO 30 MPH SUSTAINED WINDS. A FEW HIGHER GUSTS WILL BE POSSIBLE ESPECIALLY TOWARDS THE LAKE MICHIGAN SHORE. THINKING THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT WILL BE DRY AS A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE SLIDES THROUGH THE FORECAST AREA. FOLLOWING THE LEAD OF THE 12Z ECMWF ON KEEPING THE FORECAST DRY THROUGH THESE PERIODS. FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT A SYSTEM SLIDES THROUGH THE AREA WHICH IS CURRENTLY UP IN THE GULF OF ALASKA. MODELS HAVE STRUGGLED ON THE EXACT PATH THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES AS IT ZIPS EAST IN THE ZONAL FLOW. HAVE RAIN AND SNOW IN THE FORECAST FROM FRIDAY AFTERNOON INTO FRIDAY NIGHT. THE SYSTEM DOES NOT HAVE A LOT OF MOISTURE TO WORK WITH SO NOT EXPECTING MUCH IN THE WAY OF IMPACTS. THE PRECIP WILL TREND TOWARD RAIN FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND BACK TO SNOW BY SATURDAY MORNING. COULD BE SOME LIGHT ACCUMS ACROSS CENTRAL LOWER FRIDAY NIGHT...AN INCH OR LESS. .LONG TERM...(SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY) ISSUED AT 329 PM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 THE MAIN MESSAGE FOR THE LONG TERM IS THAT THE AREA WILL SEE TEMPS DROP DOWN TO MUCH BELOW AVERAGE LEVELS AND WE WILL SEE UNSETTLED WX THROUGH MOST OF THE PERIOD. THAT SAID...IT DOES NOT LOOK LIKE WE WILL HAVE ANY MAJOR STORMS IMPACT THE AREA FROM SAT THROUGH NEXT WED. THE TREND TOWARD COOLER CONDITIONS WILL START OUT THIS SAT. COOLER TEMPS ARE EXPECTED IN THE WAKE OF THE FRI/FRI NIGHT SYSTEM. WE SHOULD SEE A BREAK A GOOD PORTION OF THE DAY ON SAT BEFORE ANOTHER STRONGER TROUGH DROPS SOUTH OUT OF CANADA. THIS WILL INCREASE THE CHC FOR SOME SNOW LATE SAT AND CONTINUE THEM INTO SUN. THIS SYSTEM WILL NOT HAVE A LOT OF MOISTURE WITH IT COMING FROM THE NORTH. ANY DECENT MOISTURE IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN LOCKED UP WELL SOUTH OF THE STATE. WE WILL SEE ANOTHER BREAK IN THE PCPN FOR LATE SUN THROUGH THE DAY ON MON IN THE WAKE OF THE TROUGH FROM SAT NIGHT. SNOW CHCS WILL INCREASE THEN ONCE AGAIN...AND ONCE AGAIN MOISTURE WILL BE RATHER LIMITED. THE MORE IMPORTANT THING WITH THIS SYSTEM WILL IT WILL HELP TO ESTABLISH A DEEPER TROUGH OVER MOST OF THE ERN U.S.. THE UPPER FLOW TRAJECTORY WILL BE COMING FROM NEAR SIBERIA AND THE ARCTIC AS THE ALL TOO FAMILIAR STRONG ALASKA/WRN COAST UPPER RIDGE BUILDS ONCE AGAIN. THIS WILL ENSURE THAT MUCH BELOW AVERAGE TEMPS WILL REVISIT THE AREA THROUGH THE END OF OF THE LONG TERM...AND MOST LIKELY MANY DAYS BEYOND THE CURRENT LONG TERM PERIOD. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 148 PM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 THE WORST IMPACTS TO AVIATION INTERESTS WILL COME IN THE FIRST FEW HOURS OF THE 18Z FCST. RAIN SHOWERS WITH THE SYSTEM ARE IN THE BEGINNING STAGES OF MOVING OUT. LOW CIGS AND VSBYS ARE IN PLACE...ESPECIALLY AT KGRR AND KMKG CLOSER TO THE CENTER OF THE STORM SYSTEM AND UNDER WEAK WINDS. IT WILL TAKE A FEW HOURS BEFORE CIGS BEGIN TO SHOW SOME IMPROVEMENT...HOWEVER IT WILL BE SLOW AND GRADUAL. ANY RAIN SHOWERS WILL CHANGE OVER TO SNOW SHOWERS LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS COLDER AIR MOVES IN BEHIND THE DEPARTING SYSTEM. WE EXPECT PCPN TO END AT MOST LOCATIONS BEFORE CHANGING TO SNOW. THE EXCEPTION TO THIS WILL BE KMKG. THEY WILL SEE THE DIMINISHING PCPN STARTING TO MOVE OVER LAKE MICHIGAN INTO THIS EVENING BEFORE ENDING. WINDS WILL BEGIN GUSTING FROM THE WEST UP TO 20-25 KNOTS. CIGS WILL CONTINUE TO GRADUALLY LIFT THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT INTO THE HIGHER MVFR CATEGORY. WE EXPECT CIGS TO SCATTER OUT LATE THU MORNING/THU AFTERNOON. && .HYDROLOGY... ISSUED AT 329 PM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 SNOWMELT CONTINUES ACROSS THE REGION WITH RIVERS MAINTAINING A STEADY RISE. MANY LOCATIONS ON THE GRAND WILL BE BETWEEN BANKFULL AND FLOOD STAGE (IF NOT ALREADY) WITHIN THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. THE GOOD NEWS IS NO MODERATE OR MAJOR FLOODING IS FORESEEN ON THE GRAND OR OUR OTHER FORECAST POINTS WITH FLOOD ADVISORIES (IE. ALONG THE THORNAPPLE, RED CEDAR, LOOKING GLASS, SYCAMORE CREEK, AND MAPLE RIVER). SO...AT THIS POINT WE EXPECT CONTINUED RISES BUT NO WIDESPREAD FLOODING ALONG THE RIVERS. WITH A DECREASING SNOWPACK...THE SNOW WATER EQUIVALENT VALUES ARE DECREASING AS WELL...ROUGHLY ON THE ORDER OF 1 TO 2 INCHES ALONG THE GRAND RIVER IN PARTICULAR. SO...A CONTINUED SLOW MELT OFF ALONG WITH A LACK OF SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL IS PREVENTING A MORE SIGNIFICANT RIVER FLOOD SITUATION FROM OCCURRING AT THIS TIME. && .GRR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MI...NONE. LM...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...DUKE SHORT TERM...DUKE LONG TERM...NJJ AVIATION...NJJ HYDROLOGY...HOVING
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GAYLORD MI
154 PM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 434 AM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM ENTERING THE GREAT LAKES REGION WILL BRING A WINTRY MIX OF PRECIPITATION TO NORTHERN LOWER...WITH MAINLY SNOW FOR UPPER MICHIGAN. COOLER AIR WILL CHANGE PRECIPITATION BACK TO SNOW FOR ALL LOCATIONS LATE WEDNESDAY. HIGH PRESSURE GRADUALLY BRINGS PRECIPITATION TO AN END ON THURSDAY. TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN AT OR BELOW SEASONAL NORMS THROUGH THE WORK WEEK. && .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 141 PM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 AREA REPORTS COMING IN OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF HOURS ARE THAT ROADS ARE MUCH IMPROVED ACROSS NORTHERN LOWER...AS TEMPERATURES CREEP UP TO JUST ABOVE FREEZING. MEANWHILE...LIGHT TO MODERATE AT TIMES SNOW CONTINUES OVER EASTERN UPPER. PRECIPITATION SHOULD TRANSITION TO ALL SNOW EVERYWHERE LATER THIS AFTERNOON AS COLDER AIR WORKS ITS WAY IN BEHIND THE DEPARTING SYSTEM (CURRENTLY RIGHT ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL LOWER). THUS FAR LOOKING AT SURROUNDING RADARS...NOT A WHOLE LOT OF WRAP AROUND PRECIPITATION. WILL HAVE TO DETERMINE IF THIS WILL INCREASE ENOUGH IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY TO WARRANT ANY ADDITIONAL HEADLINES THAN THE ONES CURRENTLY IN EFFECT ACROSS EASTERN UPPER. IN ADDITION...WILL HAVE TO EVALUATE WHETHER OR NOT TO EXTEND THE ADVISORY PAST THE CURRENT EXPIRATION TIME OF MIDNIGHT. UPDATE ISSUED AT 1021 AM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 VERY BUSY MORNING SO FAR TRYING TO DECIPHER PRECIPITATION TYPES AND IMPACTS. LOOKS LIKE THE SURFACE LOW IS GOING TO END UP BEING EVER SO SLIGHTLY SOUTH OF WHERE ORIGINALLY THOUGHT...ALBEIT BY MAYBE 25 MILES OR SO. HOWEVER...THIS LITTLE DEVIATION IN TRACK HAS HUGE FORECAST IMPLICATIONS AS FAR AS PRECIPITATION TYPE...AND TEMPERATURES TO A CERTAIN DEGREE WHICH IS ALSO HUGE DUE TO THE PROXIMITY AROUND FREEZING. LUCKILY THIS SYSTEM DOES NOT HAVE A LOT OF MOISTURE ASSOCIATED WITH IT AS THE GULF OF MEXICO IS MOSTLY UNTAPPED. HAVE NUDGED SNOW/SLEET FARTHER SOUTH AS WELL AS HELD ONTO FREEZING RAIN FOR A BIT LONGER ACROSS THE INTERIOR SOUTH AS WELL AS LOWERED HIGH TEMPERATURES BY AN AVERAGE OF 2 TO 3 DEGREES. HAVE BEEN HANDLING SLICK SPOTS ON AREA ROADWAYS WITH SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENTS THUS FAR AND WILL CONTINUE WITH THIS FOR A WHILE BUT MAY EVENTUALLY END UP ISSUING WINTER HEADLINES DEPENDING UPON HOW THINGS EVOLVE INTO THIS AFTERNOON. UPDATE ISSUED AT 654 AM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 THIN CORRIDOR OF LIGHT PRECIP HAS DEVELOPED AND SPREAD UP INTO NRN LOWER MICHIGAN OVER THE LAST HOUR OR SO...SLIGHTLY AHEAD SCHEDULE. HAVE TWEAKED FORECASTS ACCORDINGLY. PRECIP IS LIGHT...BUT MAY BE PRODUCING SOME VERY LIGHT ICING OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN AREAS WHERE TEMPS ARE LESS THAN 32F. HAVE ISSUED SPS ACCORDINGLY. && .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 434 AM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 ...MIXED PRECIPITATION EVENT TODAY THEN BACK TO SNOW OVERVIEW: POTENT SHORT WAVE TROUGH CROSSING THE CENTRAL PLAINS THIS MORNING...ASSOCIATED SFC LOW PRESSURE CENTER PASSING INTO WESTERN ILLINOIS AS OF 08Z. UPPER AIR ANALYSIS REVEALS A NEARLY CLOSED-OFF LOWER LEVEL (H8-H7) CIRCULATION NEAR THE IOWA/WISCONSIN BORDER WITH AN ASSOCIATED DEFORMATION AXIS AND SPOTTY PRECIP (SNOW) STRETCHING FROM IOWA INTO EASTERN UPPER MICHIGAN...WITH A LITTLE BIT BETTER DEFINED AND NARROW CORRIDOR OF HEAVIER PRECIP NOTED ACROSS ILLINOIS CLOSER TO THE ACTUAL SFC LOW AND LEAD VORTICITY MAX. THUS FAR... DESPITE HOW WELL DEFINED THIS SYSTEM IS...GOOD MOISTURE TAP FROM THE GULF IS DEFINITELY ON THE LACKING SIDE OF THINGS AS EVIDENCED BY SFC DEWPOINTS NEAR THE GULF LARGELY IN THE 40S AND A LACK OF ANY WELL DEFINED "WARM CONVEYOR" BELT STRETCHING UP INTO THE MIDWEST. RATHER UNIMPRESSIVE FOR A WAVE LIKE THIS. TODAY...AFOREMENTIONED SHORT WAVE TROUGH WILL LIFT NORTHEASTWARD INTO THE GREAT LAKES THIS MORNING BEFORE TRAVERSING THE REGION THROUGH THE COURSE OF THE DAY INTO THE THIS EVENING. SFC LOW TRACK...PRETTY MUCH ALL RECENT GUIDANCE SOLUTIONS (NAM/GFS/GEM/EURO/ UKMET) ARE IN DECENT LOCK STEP AND HAVE ALL TRENDED THE SFC LOW TRACK JUST A LITTLE FURTHER SOUTH THAN PREVIOUS FORECASTS... ESSENTIALLY UP THROUGH LUDINGTON TO HOUGHTON LAKE TO ALPENA INTO LAKE HURON BY 00Z. BIGGEST IMPLICATION OF COURSE RESTS WITH PRECIP TYPE AS ELEVATED WARM LAYER JUST SIMPLY DOES NOT PUSH AS FAR NORTH AS ORIGINALLY ANTICIPATED. STILL...HIGH RESOLUTION RUC AND NAM FORECAST SOUNDINGS DO STILL PUSH A MODEST ELEVATED WARM NOSE (+1 TO +2C) AROUND 900 MB AS FAR NORTH AS THE TIP OF THE MITT (ALREADY HAD IT YESTERDAY EVENING PER 00Z APX SOUNDING) WHILE BOUNDARY LAYER WARMING MAINTAINS OR PUSHES SFC TEMPS ABOVE FREEZING FOR MUCH OF THE TODAY. SO...I THINK THE OVERALL LAYOUT OF THE GOING FORECAST IS STILL PRETTY GOOD WITH ALL SNOW IN EASTERN UPPER MICHIGAN/RAIN-SNOW-SLEET OVER A CHUNK OF NRN LOWER PARTICULARLY THE HIGHER TERRAIN AND MAINLY RAIN M-72 SOUTH...WITH JUST SOME MINOR ADJUSTMENTS. DON/T THINK THAT ICING WILL BE MUCH OF AN ISSUE THIS GO AROUND AS SFC TEMPS WILL WARM SUBSTANTIALLY ABOVE FREEZING WHERE LIQUID PRECIP WILL FALL AND NOW THAT A GOOD PORTION OF AREA ROADWAYS HAVE LOST THE SNOW PACK IN RECENT DAYS. TONIGHT...CLOSED CIRCULATION MOVES QUICKLY ACROSS LAKE HURON INTO CANADA WHILE TYPICAL WRAP AROUND/DEFORMATION AXIS OF DEEPER MOISTURE AND PRECIP SWINGS UP THROUGH NW LOWER AND EASTERN UPPER MICHIGAN. SHOULD SEE A FAIRLY QUICK CHANGEOVER OF PRECIP TO ALL SNOW ACROSS THE CWA AS COLDER AIR COLLAPSES BACK THROUGH THE CWA...ALTHOUGH SOME RAIN/MIXED PRECIP MAY HANG ON IN THE SE COUNTIES THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING. DOESN/T GET COLD ENOUGH TO GET LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS IN THE TRUE SENSE OF BANDED NW FLOW LAKE SNOWS. HOWEVER...THERE CONTINUES TO BE A SIGNAL WITHIN GUIDANCE OF GETTING A BIT OF LAKE ENHANCEMENT/LOW LEVEL FORCING THAT HANGS ACROSS A GOOD PART OF NW LOWER MICHIGAN FOR A GOOD PART OF THE NIGHT. TERRAIN MAY ALSO HELP THINGS OUT AS WELL...AND WE COULD SEE SEVERAL HOURS OF LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOWFALL FOCUSED ACROSS PARTS OF NW LOWER MICHIGAN. HAVE NUDGED SNOW ACCUMULATIONS UP A LITTLE TO THE 2 TO 3 INCH RANGE. BUT DAY CREW WILL NEED TO FURTHER ASSESS THIS POTENTIAL AND DECIDE IF A HIGHER SNOW ACCUMS AND A HEADLINE IS WARRANTED. SO NEXT QUESTION BECOMES...WHAT SORT OF HEADLINE CHANGES DO WE NEED. AS ELUDED TO EARLIER...THUS FAR I/M UNIMPRESSED BY THE MOISTURE FEED INTO THIS SYSTEM AND THE TOTAL PRECIP THIS SYSTEM IS/WILL ACTUALLY PRODUCE. U.S. RADAR MOSAIC BEARS THIS OUT WITH A DEFINITIVE LACK OF A WARM CONVEYOR BELT AND OVERALL MEAGER UPSTREAM PRECIP TOTALS THUS FAR DESPITE ITS GREAT DYNAMICS. SURE...THERE IS A NICE INCREASE IN PRECIP COVERAGE/INTENSITY NOW PUSHING UP THROUGH SRN WISCONSIN AHEAD OF LEAD VORTICITY CENTER THAT WILL MOVE UP THROUGH THE AREA THIS MORNING. AND THERE WILL BE A PERIOD OF DEFORMATION/WRAP AROUND SNOWFALL SLIDING UP THROUGH NW LOWER MICHIGAN THROUGH EASTERN UPPER MICHIGAN...ALONG WITH SOME LAKE ENHANCEMENT THAT WILL PERSIST THROUGH A GOOD PART OF TONIGHT. BUT SO FAR IT/S NOT SHAPING UP TO BE A BIG HITTER IN THE QPF DEPARTMENT. SO...IN EASTERN UPPER MICHIGAN...HAVE LOWERED OVERALL SNOWFALL JUST A LITTLE. BUT STILL THINK A GOOD 2 TO MAYBE 3 INCHES IS POSSIBLE THERE TODAY AND ANOTHER INCH OR TWO TONIGHT. AND GIVEN THIS WILL BE A WETTER/HEAVIER SNOW...WILL LEAVE THE ONGOING WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY ALONE FOR NOW. NRN LOWER MICHIGAN...AGAIN...DON/T THINK ICING WILL BE A BIG ISSUE TODAY ALTHOUGH MIXY PRECIP EARLY ON COULD CAUSE SOME TRAVEL ISSUES. SOME HEAVIER SNOWFALL IS POSSIBLE TONIGHT ESPECIALLY ACROSS NW LOWER MICHIGAN DUE TO LAKE EFFECT/ENHANCEMENT. BUT EVEN SO I ONLY HAVE UP TO 3 INCHES IN THERE NOW. THUS...NOT PLANNING ANY HEADLINES FOR NRN LOWER MICHIGAN JUST YET. WILL LIKELY ISSUE AN SPS FOR PARTS OF NRN LOWER MICHIGAN TOWARD MORNING TO ADDRESS MIXED PRECIP ISSUES AND SLICK TRAVEL POSSIBILITIES. .LONG TERM...(THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 434 AM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 WEATHER IMPACTS: GENERALLY MINOR. SNOW SHOWERS CONTINUE INTO EARLY THURSDAY...WITH ADDITIONAL SNOW OR SNOW SHOWERS FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY. CONFIDENCE: HIGH THURSDAY. MODERATE FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY. EXPECTED WEATHER EVOLUTION: THURSDAY...POTENT SURFACE LOW WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE NE INTO QUEBEC ON THURSDAY. IN ITS WAKE /ESPECIALLY EARLY THURSDAY/ DEEP CYCLONIC FLOW AND SYNOPTIC MOISTURE WILL REMAIN IN PLACE ACROSS THE CENTRAL/EASTERN GREAT LAKES. THIS WILL SUPPORT CONTINUED SNOW SHOWERS...WITH MODEL SOUNDINGS SHOWING RESPECTABLE MOISTURE ABOVE OTHERWISE SHALLOW INVERSION. WITH ONLY MINOR LAKE CONTRIBUTIONS /H8 TEMPS AROUND -10C/ AND A RAPID DECREASE IN MOISTURE EXPECTED BY MIDDAY...LESS THAN AN ADDITIONAL INCH OF NEW SNOW EXPECTED IN THE NORMALLY FAVORED SECTIONS OF NW LOWER. THE MORNING SNOW SHOWERS WILL GIVE WAY TO FLURRIES AS SURFACE RIDGE APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. THURSDAY NIGHT...SURFACE RIDGE WILL MOVE OVERHEAD...AND RESULT IN AT LEAST PARTIALLY CLEAR SKIES. COUPLED WITH LIGHT WINDS...LOW TEMPS WILL FALL INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS AND TEENS /WENT SEVERAL DEG BELOW GUIDANCE/. FRIDAY...SURFACE RIDGE WILL MOVE EAST AS NEXT SHORT WAVE QUICKLY APPROACHES FROM THE WNW BY LATE IN THE DAY. ASSOCIATED SURFACE LOW WILL MOVE FROM MN ARROWHEAD INTO THE U.P. BY LATE IN THE DAY...AS STRONG ISENTROPIC LIFT OVERSPREADS FORECAST AREA AHEAD OF SYSTEM. A RAIN/SNOW MIX IS POSSIBLE LATE IN THE DAY ACROSS NW LOWER AND E UPPER AS DEEPER MOISTURE AND LIFT PUSH EWD. HIGHS WILL PEAK IN THE 30S TO AROUND 40. REMAINDER OF FORECAST /SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...SAME OLD STORY. MEDIUM RANGE GUIDANCE IS IN GOOD AGREEMENT THAT TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN SIGNIFICANTLY /SOME 10-20F/ BELOW NORMAL THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. THIS...THANKS TO PERSISTENT UPPER TROUGHING OVER ERN NORTH AMERICA AND UPSTREAM RIDGE AXIS ALONG WEST COAST. AFOREMENTIONED MID LEVEL SHORT WAVE AND SURFACE LOW WILL BRING PRECIP TO THE REGION FRIDAY NIGHT AND INTO AT LEAST EARLY SATURDAY...BEFORE VERY COLD AIR SPILLS SWD ACROSS REGION SUNDAY /FEATURING H8 TEMPS ONCE AGAIN DOWN NEAR -20C/. GUIDANCE SUPPORTS STRONG HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE GREAT LAKES LATE IN THE WEEKEND WITH CONTINUED COLD BUT MAINLY DRY CONDITIONS /WITH ONLY SOME SPOTTY LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS EXPECTED/. THE NEXT POTENTIAL WEATHER HAZARD /SNOW AND POSSIBLY WIND/ ARRIVES LATE MONDAY AND TUESDAY...AS NEXT SHORT WAVE DROPS SEWD OUT OF CANADA. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 141 PM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 IFR CONDITIONS AT ALL TAF SITES THROUGH THIS EVENING...WITH CEILINGS BELOW FL008 AND VISIBILITIES REDUCED TO UNDER 2SM IN FOG AND MIST. ANY MIXTURE OF RAIN AND SNOW WILL TURN OVER TO TO ALL SNOW DURING THE EVENING HOURS ACROSS ALL TAF SITES. LIGHT EASTERLY WINDS WILL BACK INTO THE WEST-NORTHWESTERLY DIRECTION LATE TODAY AND BE GUSTY THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE TAF PERIOD...REDUCING VISIBILITIES WITH FALLING AND BLOWING SNOW. CEILINGS WILL FINALLY BECOME MVFR LATE TONIGHT AND HOLD STRONG INTO THURSDAY MORNING. && .APX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MI...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT TONIGHT FOR MIZ008- 015. LH...NONE. LM...NONE. LS...NONE. && $$ UPDATE...AS SYNOPSIS...TL SHORT TERM...ADAM LONG TERM...BS AVIATION...AS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS OMAHA/VALLEY NE
601 PM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 .SHORT TERM...(TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY) ISSUED AT 330 PM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 TEMPERATURES ARE THE MAIN CONCERN THROUGH THIS PERIOD. ISOLATED RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS SHOULD DISSIPATE EARLY THIS EVENING...THEN SOME PATCHY FOG IS POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT. SHORTWAVE TROUGH THAT BROUGHT PCPN TO THE REGION YESTERDAY AND LAST NIGHT HAD MOVED OFF WELL TO THE EAST BY 12Z THIS MORNING. HEIGHT FALLS WERE OVER 100 METERS OVER THE SOUTHERN GREAT LAKES REGION. THE NEXT AREA OF UPSTREAM HEIGHT FALLS WAS OVER THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. SURFACE ANALYSIS AT MID AFTERNOON SHOWED A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE EXTENDING FROM WESTERN OKLAHOMA INTO SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA AND A WEAK SURFACE TROUGH ACROSS SOUTH DAKOTA. INSTABILITY SHOWERS SHOWN ON RADAR SHOULD DISSIPATE QUICKLY THIS EVENING AND SHORT RANGE HRRR AND RAP MODELS SHOW THAT. WINDS WILL DROP OFF AND WITH INFLUX OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE FROM SNOW MELT TODAY WE COULD SEE SOME PATCHY FOG. SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL INCREASE LATER TONIGHT TO OUR WEST. THESE SHOULD SPREAD INTO OUR AREA THURSDAY AND ALLOW A WARM FRONT TO LIFT NORTHEAST OVER THE AREA. GENERALLY STAYED FAIRLY CLOSE TO PREVIOUS FORECAST HIGHS FOR THURSDAY...RANGING FROM LOWER 60S NORTH TO UPPER 60S SOUTH. THE AREA OF HEIGHT FALLS CURRENTLY OVER THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST TODAY WILL MOVE INTO THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL PLAINS BY LATE THURSDAY NIGHT. THE SURFACE LOW ASSOCIATED WITH THE SHORTWAVE TROUGH WILL TRACK ACROSS THE DAKOTAS AND MINNESOTA WITH STRONGEST FORCING...BUT THIS WILL HELP BRING A COLD FRONT EASTWARD THROUGH OUR AREA. DID NOT MENTION ANY PCPN WITH THE FRONTAL PASSAGE...AGAIN SINCE BEST LARGE SCALE FORCING STAYS TO OUR NORTH. TEMPERATURES FRIDAY WILL BE A BIT COOLER THAN THOSE THURSDAY. HIGHS SATURDAY WILL BE COOLER THAN THOSE ON FRIDAY AS A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE AT THE SURFACE BUILDS IN FROM THE NORTHWEST. .LONG TERM...(SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY) ISSUED AT 330 PM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 COLD SPRING PATTERN CONTINUES FOR THE EXTENDED WITH NO SIGNIFICANT PRECIPITATION SAVE FOR THE CHANCE OF RAIN/SNOW SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY. THE PATTERN OF THE WINTER WITH COLD AIR AFFECTING THE GREAT LAKES AND EAST COAST...AND THE WESTERN EDGE OF THE COLDER AIR OVER THE FORECAST AREA IS ON TAP FOR THE LOCAL AREA FOR THE FIRST WEEK OF SPRING. SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE WILL BE OVER THE AREA SATURDAY NIGHT...HOWEVER WILL BEGIN TO SHIFT TO THE EAST SUNDAY. MEANWHILE...A WEAK SHORTWAVE IN THE NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT WILL PASS THROUGH THE AREA SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY. THE LOW LEVEL JET STRENGTHENS TO 40KTS ACROSS NEBRASKA WITH THE H85 FRONT PASSING THROUGH. THERE ARE SOME SLIGHT TIMING DIFFERENCES WITH THE EC BEING A LITTLE SLOWER AND SHIFTED MORE OVER OUR FORECAST AREA...COMPARED TO THE NORTH AND EAST PER THE GFS. FOR NOW...DO INCLUDE CHANCE POPS SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY FOR RAIN OR SNOW. LOOK FOR BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES WITH HIGHS ONLY IN THE 30S AND 40S. && .AVIATION...(00Z TAFS FOR KOFK...KLNK AND KOMA.) ISSUED AT 545 PM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 A FEW MOSTLY HIGH-BASED SHOWERS WILL MOVE ACROSS TAF SITES EARLY THIS EVENING BUT THEY SHOULD DISSIPATE WITH LOSS OF HEATING ALONG WITH MUCH OF THE CLOUDS ASSOCIATED WITH THEM. HOWEVER...OTHER MID CLOUDS COULD MOVE ACROSS AREA LATER TONIGHT IN WARM ADVECTION ZONE AHEAD OF A DISTURBANCE APPROACHING NW ND BY 12Z THU. MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES ARE EXPECTED MUCH OF THURSDAY AS WINDS TURN TO THE SOUTH. && .OAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NE...NONE. IA...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...MILLER LONG TERM...ZAPOTOCNY AVIATION...CHERMOK
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS OMAHA/VALLEY NE
330 PM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 .SHORT TERM...(TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY) ISSUED AT 330 PM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 TEMPERATURES ARE THE MAIN CONCERN THROUGH THIS PERIOD. ISOLATED RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS SHOULD DISSIPATE EARLY THIS EVENING...THEN SOME PATCHY FOG IS POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT. SHORTWAVE TROUGH THAT BROUGHT PCPN TO THE REGION YESTERDAY AND LAST NIGHT HAD MOVED OFF WELL TO THE EAST BY 12Z THIS MORNING. HEIGHT FALLS WERE OVER 100 METERS OVER THE SOUTHERN GREAT LAKES REGION. THE NEXT AREA OF UPSTREAM HEIGHT FALLS WAS OVER THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. SURFACE ANALYSIS AT MID AFTERNOON SHOWED A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE EXTENDING FROM WESTERN OKLAHOMA INTO SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA AND A WEAK SURFACE TROUGH ACROSS SOUTH DAKOTA. INSTABILITY SHOWERS SHOWN ON RADAR SHOULD DISSIPATE QUICKLY THIS EVENING AND SHORT RANGE HRRR AND RAP MODELS SHOW THAT. WINDS WILL DROP OFF AND WITH INFLUX OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE FROM SNOW MELT TODAY WE COULD SEE SOME PATCHY FOG. SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL INCREASE LATER TONIGHT TO OUR WEST. THESE SHOULD SPREAD INTO OUR AREA THURSDAY AND ALLOW A WARM FRONT TO LIFT NORTHEAST OVER THE AREA. GENERALLY STAYED FAIRLY CLOSE TO PREVIOUS FORECAST HIGHS FOR THURSDAY...RANGING FROM LOWER 60S NORTH TO UPPER 60S SOUTH. THE AREA OF HEIGHT FALLS CURRENTLY OVER THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST TODAY WILL MOVE INTO THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL PLAINS BY LATE THURSDAY NIGHT. THE SURFACE LOW ASSOCIATED WITH THE SHORTWAVE TROUGH WILL TRACK ACROSS THE DAKOTAS AND MINNESOTA WITH STRONGEST FORCING...BUT THIS WILL HELP BRING A COLD FRONT EASTWARD THROUGH OUR AREA. DID NOT MENTION ANY PCPN WITH THE FRONTAL PASSAGE...AGAIN SINCE BEST LARGE SCALE FORCING STAYS TO OUR NORTH. TEMPERATURES FRIDAY WILL BE A BIT COOLER THAN THOSE THURSDAY. HIGHS SATURDAY WILL BE COOLER THAN THOSE ON FRIDAY AS A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE AT THE SURFACE BUILDS IN FROM THE NORTHWEST. .LONG TERM...(SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY) ISSUED AT 330 PM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 COLD SPRING PATTERN CONTINUES FOR THE EXTENDED WITH NO SIGNIFICANT PRECIPITATION SAVE FOR THE CHANCE OF RAIN/SNOW SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY. THE PATTERN OF THE WINTER WITH COLD AIR AFFECTING THE GREAT LAKES AND EAST COAST...AND THE WESTERN EDGE OF THE COLDER AIR OVER THE FORECAST AREA IS ON TAP FOR THE LOCAL AREA FOR THE FIRST WEEK OF SPRING. SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE WILL BE OVER THE AREA SATURDAY NIGHT...HOWEVER WILL BEGIN TO SHIFT TO THE EAST SUNDAY. MEANWHILE...A WEAK SHORTWAVE IN THE NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT WILL PASS THROUGH THE AREA SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY. THE LOW LEVEL JET STRENGTHENS TO 40KTS ACROSS NEBRASKA WITH THE H85 FRONT PASSING THROUGH. THERE ARE SOME SLIGHT TIMING DIFFERENCES WITH THE EC BEING A LITTLE SLOWER AND SHIFTED MORE OVER OUR FORECAST AREA...COMPARED TO THE NORTH AND EAST PER THE GFS. FOR NOW...DO INCLUDE CHANCE POPS SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY FOR RAIN OR SNOW. LOOK FOR BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES WITH HIGHS ONLY IN THE 30S AND 40S. && .AVIATION...(18Z TAFS FOR KOFK...KLNK AND KOMA.) ISSUED AT 1204 PM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 ONLY AVN ISSUE IS IN THE NEAR TERM WITH POSSIBLE BRIEF -SHRA/VFR CIGS LATE THIS AFTN AT KOFK AND KOMA. OTHERWISE..VFR THRU THE FCST PD. && .OAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NE...NONE. IA...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...MILLER LONG TERM...ZAPOTOCNY AVIATION...DEE
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS NORTH PLATTE NE
1245 PM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 334 AM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 SFC LOW PRESSURE ACROSS NRN BRITISH COLUMBIA WILL MOVE INTO SRN SASKATCHEWAN BY 12Z THURSDAY. A WARM FRONT...CURRENTLY...ACROSS WRN ND/ERN MT AND SOUTH THROUGH ERN WY WILL MOVE MOST OF THE WAY THROUGH THE FCST AREA THIS AFTERNOON ACCOMPANIED SPRINKLES OR FLURRIES ACROSS THE NORTHEAST ZONES. THE DEVELOPING CHINOOK BEHIND THE FRONT SENDS H850MB TEMPS IN THE MID SINGLE DIGITS CELSIUS ACROSS WRN NEB. THE RAP SUGGESTED NEAR 50 FOR A HIGH ACROSS THE ERN PANHANDLE ZONES WHICH SEEMS REASONABLE. IT WAS THE WARMEST MODEL. TEMPS WERE MARKED DOWN TO THE LOWER 40S ACROSS THE NEWLY FORMED DEEP SNOW COVER OVER NCNTL NEB. A MIX OF SUN AND CLOUDS ARE EXPECTED TODAY WHICH SHOULD MELT A GOOD PORTION OF THIS SNOW FIELD. THERE IS STILL COLD AIR ALOFT WHICH MIGHT SUSTAIN A DECK OF MID LEVEL CLOUDS ACROSS THE NORTH. THE RAP SUGGESTED A PERIOD OF STRATUS ACROSS NCNTL NEB THIS MORNING BUT SATELLITE SHOWS THOSE CLOUDS ANCHORED ON THE ERN EDGE OF THE FCST AREA AND LIKELY THE RESULT OF REMNANT COLD AIR ADVECTION FROM TUESDAYS CYCLONE. THE CHINOOK STRENGTHENS TONIGHT WITH WESTERLY H850MB WINDS INCREASING TO AROUND 35 KT. TEMPS AT THAT LEVEL REMAIN IN THE MID SINGLE DIGITS CELSIUS. THE BEST GUESS ON LOWS IS MID AND UPPER 20S BUT THE MODELS MAY BE TOO COLD GIVEN THE STRONG WINDS JUST OFF THE SFC. GENERALLY CLEAR SKIES ARE EXPECTED. .LONG TERM...(THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 334 AM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 A THERMAL RIDGE WILL BUILD NORTHEAST ACROSS THE PLAINS THURSDAY...AHEAD OF ANOTHER SHORTWAVE SET TO CROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS FRIDAY. WESTERLY DOWNSLOPE CHINOOK WINDS AND WARMING TEMPERATURES ALOFT WILL LEAD TO A MILD DAY...WITH HIGHS MOST LOCATIONS IN THE 60S. DID COOL HIGHS JUST A BIT...MID TO UPPER 50S...IN AREAS OF SUBSTANTIAL SNOW COVER. THE SHORTWAVE WILL DRAG A PACIFIC COLD FRONT ACROSS THE AREA FRIDAY...WITH HIGHS COOLING BACK INTO THE UPPER 40S AND LOWER 50S AT ALL LOCATIONS. THE UPPER LEVEL PATTERN WILL BECOME MORE AMPLIFIED THIS WEEKEND...ALLOWING ARCTIC AIR TO SPILL SOUTH INTO THE PLAINS. ANOTHER SHORTWAVE WILL INTERACT WITH THE COLDER AIR SATURDAY...WITH PERHAPS SOME LIGHT SNOW OR A MIX OF LIGHT RAIN AND SNOW. THIS WILL BE AN OPEN WAVE...AND SHOULD PASS QUICKLY WITH ONLY VERY LIGHT PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS EXPECTED. WITH THE UPPER FLOW REMAINING AMPLIFIED EARLY NEXT WEEK...EXPECT CONTINUED BOUTS OF ARCTIC AIR TO OOZE SOUTH INTO THE PLAINS. HIGHS WILL REMAIN WELL BELOW NORMAL...WITH SLIGHT CHANCES OF LIGHT SNOW OR A MIX OF RAIN AND SNOW FROM TIME TO TIME WITH THE PASSAGE OF WEAK DISTURBANCES ALOFT. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 1244 PM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 GENERALLY A QUIET AND VFR 24 HOURS. A CLIPPER SYSTEM WILL PUSH ACROSS EASTERN S DAKOTA AND EASTERN NEBRASKA WHICH MAY CLIP PORTIONS OF N CENTRAL WITH SOME SPRINKLES OR FLURRIES...HOWEVER MOST AREAS WILL ONLY SEE AN INCREASE OF MID/HIGH CLOUDS. ALL PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN WELL EAST OF THE TERMINAL SITES. WESTERLY WINDS AROUND 15 KTS WILL BECOME LIGHT OVERNIGHT AS BL DECOUPLES. TOMORROW MORNING WINDS PICK BACK UP...HOWEVER GENERALLY LESS THAN 10 KTS UNTIL AFTER 18Z. && .LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...CDC LONG TERM...TAYLOR AVIATION...MASEK
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS BUFFALO NY
532 PM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 .SYNOPSIS... LOW PRESSURE WILL LIFT NORTH OF LAKE ONTARIO AND SWING A COLD FRONT ACROSS THE REGION TONIGHT. THIS WILL BRING SOME RAIN TO THE REGION...BUT THIS CHANGE OVER TO SNOW SHOWERS LATE TONIGHT AND LINGER THROUGHOUT THURSDAY. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BRIEFLY RIDGE INTO THE REGION FRIDAY...BUT ANOTHER LOW WILL BRING MORE RAIN OR SNOW FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY/... LOW PRESSURE ACROSS THE CENTRAL LAKES WILL LIFT INTO SOUTHERN ONTARIO AND QUEBEC TONIGHT. THIS HAS BROUGHT A WARM SOUTHERLY FLOW WHICH HAS ALLOWED TEMPERATURES TO CLIMB INTO THE UPPER 40S TO LOWER 50S SOUTH OF LAKE ONTARIO TODAY. GENERAL WARM AIR ADVECTION EXTENDS ENE OF THE LOW...BUT THIS IS ONLY BRINGING LIGHT PRECIPITATION DUE TO DRY AIR IN THE LOWER LEVELS. HOWEVER JUST BEHIND THIS IS AN AREA OF STEADY RAIN LIFTING INTO WESTERN NEW YORK LATE THIS AFTERNOON. THIS IS MAINLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE LEFT FRONT JET STREAK...AND SUPPORTED BY THE 12Z NAM BUFKIT FORECAST WHICH SHOWS MOST OF THE LIFT IN THE UPPER LEVELS. THIS AREA IS LARGELY CAPTURED BY THE 12Z NAM/RGEM AND HRRR GUIDANCE...WITH IT FORECAST TO CONTINUE TO LIFT ACROSS WESTERN NEW YORK THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING. GIVEN THE LARGE SCALE LIFT THERE IS HIGH CONFIDENCE THAT IT WILL BRING A ROUND OF MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION. SLIGHTLY COOLER TEMPERATURES EAST OF LAKE ONTARIO MAY RESULT IN PRECIPITATION STARTING OFF AS SNOW ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN. FOR TONIGHT...A COLD FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS LOW WILL MOVE ACROSS OUR REGION. A CONSENSUS OF HIGH RESOLUTION GUIDANCE SHOWS DECENT QPF BOTH AHEAD OF AND ALONG THIS FRONTAL BOUNDARY. LOOKING UPSTREAM...THE STEADIEST SHOWERS ARE ALONG THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY ITSELF...RATHER THAN AHEAD OF IT. BECAUSE OF THIS...THERE MAY BE A BRIEF BREAK BETWEEN SHOWERS WITH THE UPPER LEVEL LIFT AND THE FRONT. THE STEADIEST RAINS WILL BE ACROSS THE NIAGARA FRONTIER AND EAST OF LAKE ONTARIO WHERE BETWEEN A QUARTER AND HALF INCH OF RAIN IS EXPECTED. IN ADDITION TO THE RAIN...SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS BEHIND THE FRONT WILL PICK UP. THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL BE NEAR THE LAKE ERIE SHORELINE...MAINLY DUE TO FUNNELING UP THE CHAUTAUQUA RIDGE. THIS WILL PRODUCE GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH BEHIND THE COLD FRONT LATE TONIGHT...AND INTO THURSDAY IN THESE LOCATIONS...WITH SLIGHTLY LESS WINDY LOCATIONS INLAND. BASED ON THIS...WILL ISSUE A WIND ADVISORY FOR THESE LOCATIONS. ELSEWHERE WILL BE WINDY ON THURSDAY TOO...BUT WITH MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES EXPECT ONLY MARGINAL MIXING WITH WINDS ALOFT...WHICH SHOULD KEEP GUSTS DOWN JUST A BIT. THE SURFACE LOW WILL LIFT INTO SOUTHERN QUEBEC ON THURSDAY...WHICH WILL BRING ANOTHER SHOT OF COLDER AIR INTO OUR REGION. THE UPPER LEVEL TROF WILL BRING A CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS...BUT SNOW WILL BE STEADIER WITH SOME CONTRIBUTION FROM UPSLOPING EAST OF THE LAKES. FEEL MODEL QPF IS A BIT OVERDONE...ESPECIALLY INLAND AND ON THE LAKES...BUT WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE SOUTHERN TIER COULD GET AN INCH OR SO ON THURSDAY...WITH A FEW INCHES POSSIBLE IN JEFFERSON AND LEWIS COUNTIES. TEMPERATURES WILL BE BELOW NORMAL...WITH HIGHS ONLY IN THE 30S. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/... THURSDAY NIGHT A SURFACE LOW WILL MOVE FROM CENTRAL QUEBEC TO THE GULF OF SAINT LAWRENCE. DEEP WRAP AROUND MOISTURE WILL STILL BE IN PLACE ACROSS THE LOWER LAKES DURING THE EVENING....WITH A FEW MORE WEAK VORTICITY MAXIMA ROTATING THROUGH THE MEAN LONGWAVE TROUGH AND PROVIDING SOME WEAK ASCENT. THE PRIMARY FORCING THROUGH THE EVENING WILL CONTINUE TO BE UPSLOPE FLOW...WHICH WILL FOCUS ON THE CHAUTAUQUA RIDGE SOUTH OF BUFFALO AND ESPECIALLY THE TUG HILL AND WESTERN FOOTHILLS OF THE ADIRONDACKS EAST OF LAKE ONTARIO. BY EARLY EVENING THE COLUMN WILL HAVE COOLED ENOUGH TO SUPPORT ALL SNOW FOR PRECIP TYPE...EVEN AT LOWER ELEVATIONS. EXPECT THIS TO BE FAIRLY ORGANIZED DURING THE EVENING...THEN SLOWLY TAPER OFF FROM WEST TO EAST OVERNIGHT. THE HIGHER TERRAIN SOUTH OF BUFFALO MAY SEE AN INCH OR TWO OF ACCUMULATION DURING THE EVENING. THE TUG HILL REGION MAY SEE A SOLID 3-4 INCHES AS WELL IF UPSLOPE PERSISTS LONG ENOUGH. OUTSIDE OF THE UPSLOPE AREAS...THE EASTERN LAKE ONTARIO REGION MAY SEE AN INCH OR SO...WITH JUST A LIGHT COATING ELSEWHERE. BLACK ICE WILL BE A CONCERN DURING THE EVENING JUST ABOUT ANYWHERE AS TEMPERATURES DROP BELOW FREEZING AROUND SUNSET. THIS MAY ALLOW WATER FROM MELTING WET SNOW TO FREEZE. SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD ACROSS THE LOWER LAKES ON FRIDAY WITH A RETURN TO DRY WEATHER. THERE SHOULD BE A DECENT AMOUNT OF SUNSHINE AS WELL WITH LOW LEVEL MOISTURE BEING SCOURED AWAY. SOME HIGH CLOUDS WILL INCREASE LATE IN THE DAY ACROSS WESTERN NY IN ADVANCE OF THE NEXT SYSTEM. HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL BE IN THE UPPER 30S TO AROUND 40 IN MOST AREAS...WITH LOW TO MID 30S EAST OF LAKE ONTARIO. FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY THE NEXT SYSTEM WILL MOVE QUICKLY ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES AND INTO NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND. A WARM FRONT WILL LIFT NORTHEAST ACROSS THE AREA LATE FRIDAY NIGHT. ISENTROPIC UPGLIDE AND CONVERGENCE WILL BE ENHANCED ON THE NOSE OF A STRONG 50+ KNOT LOW LEVEL JET. THIS WILL SUPPORT THE LIKELIHOOD OF PRECIP OVERNIGHT. PRECIP TYPE WILL BE TRICKY AS WARM AIR ADVANCES INTO THE AREA WITH A PERIOD OF WET SNOW POSSIBLE BEFORE A CHANGEOVER TO MAINLY RAIN. THERE COULD BE A LITTLE SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN AS WELL...BUT WITH INHERENT UNCERTAINTIES IN EXACT THERMAL PROFILES AT THIS TIME RANGE WILL JUST GO WITH RAIN/SNOW FOR NOW. THE WARM FRONTAL PRECIP WILL EXIT THE NORTH COUNTRY SATURDAY MORNING. A DRY SLOT WILL CROSS THE REGION DURING THE MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON JUST SOUTH OF THE LOW TRACK BEFORE SOME WRAP AROUND MOISTURE ARRIVES LATER IN THE AFTERNOON. TEMPERATURES WILL LIKELY PEAK IN THE MORNING WITH COLD ADVECTION FORCING A DOWNWARD TREND IN THE AFTERNOON. ANY PRECIP WILL CHANGE BACK TO SNOW BY SATURDAY NIGHT AS COLDER AIR FILTERS BACK INTO THE REGION. A FEW SNOW SHOWERS WILL DEVELOP OVERNIGHT...BUT NOTHING NOTABLE. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... BEHIND THE SATURDAY SYSTEM A DEEP LONGWAVE TROUGH WILL ONCE AGAIN BECOME ESTABLISHED ACROSS THE EASTERN HALF OF THE NATION WITH THE START OF WHAT WILL LIKELY BE AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF WELL BELOW AVERAGE TEMPERATURES. HIGHS ON SUNDAY AND MONDAY WILL BE IN THE 20S...WITH LOWS IN THE SINGLE NUMBERS OR LOWER TEENS SUNDAY NIGHT. THESE NUMBERS ARE ABOUT 20 DEGREES BELOW AVERAGE. THE NORTHWEST FLOW OF COLD AIR WILL PRODUCE AT LEAST A FEW LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS SOUTHEAST OF LAKE ONTARIO...WITH DIURNAL INSTABILITY SNOW SHOWERS POSSIBLE JUST ABOUT ANYWHERE DURING THE AFTERNOON. ALL OF THIS APPEARS LIGHT GIVEN THE DRY AIRMASS. THE LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS WILL SLOWLY END LATER MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OVER THE LOWER LAKES. ANOTHER SYSTEM WILL MOVE INTO THE OHIO VALLEY LATER MONDAY NIGHT AND TOWARDS OUR REGION ON TUESDAY...AS SHOWN BY BOTH THE GFS AND ECMWF. LATEST 12Z MODEL GUIDANCE IS A LITTLE WEAKER AND FARTHER SOUTH WITH THIS SYSTEM THAN YESTERDAY...SO FOR NOW WILL JUST CARRY A LOW CHANCE POP. LOOKING A LITTLE FURTHER AHEAD...THE DEEP LONGWAVE TROUGH WILL REMAIN IN PLACE THROUGH THE END OF NEXT WEEK. AFTER THAT...THERE MAY BE SOME LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL AS BOTH THE 12Z GFS AND ECMWF SHOW THE PATTERN RELAXING BY DAY 9-10 AS WE HEAD INTO THE LAST WEEKEND OF MARCH. A MORE ZONAL FLOW MAY BECOME ESTABLISHED AT LEAST FOR A TIME...WHICH WOULD ALLOW A WARMING TREND IN THE GREAT LAKES AND NORTHEAST. THIS PATTERN CHANGE SEEMS TO HAVE FAIRLY GOOD SUPPORT FROM THE GEFS ENSEMBLE MEAN. && .AVIATION /22Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... AS OF 21Z...VFR CONDITIONS WERE STILL IN PLACE FOR ALL BUT THE HIGHER TERRAIN (KELZ, KJHW). THIS DESPITE WIDESPREAD AREAS OF LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN SHOWERS. DURING THE COURSE OF THIS EVENING...ADDITIONAL SHOWERS WILL PUSH ACROSS THE REGION WITH VSBYS OCCASIONALLY DIPPING TO BETWEEN 3-5SM. DOWNSLOPE WINDS AHEAD OF AN APRPAOCHING COLD FRONT SOULD KEEP CIGS ABV 3K FT...BUT IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT (AFT 04Z)...WE CAN EXPECT CIGS TO LOWER SIGNIFICANTLY WITH MVFR CONDITIONS PREVAILING. BY DAYBREAK...IFR CONDITIONS WILL BE IN PLACE FOR MOST SITES. ON THURSDAY...IFR CIGS EARLY ON WILL GRADUALLY COME UP TO MVFR LEVELS. SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS MAY BRIEFLY REDUCE VSBYS TO 3-5SM. OUTLOOK... THURSDAY NIGHT...MVFR WITH A CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWER. FRIDAY...VFR. FRIDAY NIGHT...MVFR WITH RAIN OR SNOW LIKELY. SATURDAY...MVFR WITH A CHANCE OF RAIN OR SNOW SHOWERS. SUNDAY...VFR/MVFR WITH A CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS. MONDAY...VFR. && .MARINE... LOW PRESSURE WILL TRACK NORTH OF LAKE ONTARIO TONIGHT. A COLD FRONT TRAILING FROM THIS LOW WILL THEN CROSS THE LOWER LAKES REGION TONIGHT AND USHER IN A PERIOD OF STRONGER SOUTHWESTERLIES AND WESTERLIES THAT WILL LAST THROUGH THURSDAY ON LAKE ERIE...AND INTO THURSDAY NIGHT ON LAKE ONTARIO. GALE WARNINGS ARE UP ON BOTH LAKES. && .HYDROLOGY... WARMER TEMPERATURES THROUGH TODAY WILL BRING ANOTHER ROUND OF SNOWMELT TO THE AREA...ALTHOUGH THE SNOWPACK WAS GREATLY REDUCED BY THE LAST WARMUP. SOME RAIN WILL ALSO FALL WITH BASIN AVERAGE RAINFALL AMOUNTS RUNNING AROUND A THIRD OF AN INCH. SUCH LIGHT RAIN AMOUNTS WOULD NORMALLY NOT BE AN ISSUE...BUT AFTER THE COLD WINTER SOME AREA RIVERS AND CREEKS CONTINUE TO HAVE ICE COVER. SOME ICE JAMS ARE ALREADY IN PLACE...AND THE POTENTIAL REMAINS FOR NEW ICE JAMS TO FORM AS ICE BEGINS TO MOVE WITH WARMER TEMPERATURES. ON THE OTHER HAND...THE LOW RAINFALL AMOUNTS AND LOWER AMOUNTS OF SNOW LEFT TO MELT MAY HELP MITIGATE FLOOD ISSUES TO SOME EXTENT. WITH THIS IN MIND...WE HAVE CONTINUED TO HOLD OFF ON A FLOOD WATCH FOR NOW...ALTHOUGH SOME ICE JAM ISSUES CANNOT BE RULED OUT TODAY IN A FEW AREAS. && .BUF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NY...WIND ADVISORY FROM 1 AM TO 5 PM EDT THURSDAY FOR NYZ001-010- 019-085. MARINE...GALE WARNING FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 4 PM EDT THURSDAY FOR LEZ040-041. GALE WARNING FROM 8 AM THURSDAY TO 5 AM EDT FRIDAY FOR LOZ043>045-063>065. GALE WARNING FROM 8 AM TO 11 PM EDT THURSDAY FOR LOZ042- 062. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 8 AM EDT THURSDAY FOR LOZ042>044. && $$ SYNOPSIS...APFFEL NEAR TERM...APFFEL/JJR SHORT TERM...HITCHCOCK LONG TERM...HITCHCOCK AVIATION...APFFEL/RSH MARINE...JJR HYDROLOGY...JJR/HITCHCOCK
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS BUFFALO NY
349 PM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 .SYNOPSIS... LOW PRESSURE WILL LIFT NORTH OF LAKE ONTARIO AND SWING A COLD FRONT ACROSS THE REGION TONIGHT. THIS WILL BRING SOME RAIN TO THE REGION...BUT THIS CHANGE OVER TO SNOW SHOWERS LATE TONIGHT AND LINGER THROUGHOUT THURSDAY. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BRIEFLY RIDGE INTO THE REGION FRIDAY...BUT ANOTHER LOW WILL BRING MORE RAIN OR SNOW FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY/... LOW PRESSURE ACROSS THE CENTRAL LAKES WILL LIFT INTO SOUTHERN ONTARIO AND QUEBEC TONIGHT. THIS HAS BROUGHT A WARM SOUTHERLY FLOW WHICH HAS ALLOWED TEMPERATURES TO CLIMB INTO THE UPPER 40S TO LOWER 50S SOUTH OF LAKE ONTARIO TODAY. GENERAL WARM AIR ADVECTION EXTENDS ENE OF THE LOW...BUT THIS IS ONLY BRINGING LIGHT PRECIPITATION DUE TO DRY AIR IN THE LOWER LEVELS. HOWEVER JUST BEHIND THIS IS AN AREA OF STEADY RAIN LIFTING INTO WESTERN NEW YORK LATE THIS AFTERNOON. THIS IS MAINLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE LEFT FRONT JET STREAK...AND SUPPORTED BY THE 12Z NAM BUFKIT FORECAST WHICH SHOWS MOST OF THE LIFT IN THE UPPER LEVELS. THIS AREA IS LARGELY CAPTURED BY THE 12Z NAM/RGEM AND HRRR GUIDANCE...WITH IT FORECAST TO CONTINUE TO LIFT ACROSS WESTERN NEW YORK THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING. GIVEN THE LARGE SCALE LIFT THERE IS HIGH CONFIDENCE THAT IT WILL BRING A ROUND OF MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION. SLIGHTLY COOLER TEMPERATURES EAST OF LAKE ONTARIO MAY RESULT IN PRECIPITATION STARTING OFF AS SNOW ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN. FOR TONIGHT...A COLD FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS LOW WILL MOVE ACROSS OUR REGION. A CONSENSUS OF HIGH RESOLUTION GUIDANCE SHOWS DECENT QPF BOTH AHEAD OF AND ALONG THIS FRONTAL BOUNDARY. LOOKING UPSTREAM...THE STEADIEST SHOWERS ARE ALONG THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY ITSELF...RATHER THAN AHEAD OF IT. BECAUSE OF THIS...THERE MAY BE A BRIEF BREAK BETWEEN SHOWERS WITH THE UPPER LEVEL LIFT AND THE FRONT. THE STEADIEST RAINS WILL BE ACROSS THE NIAGARA FRONTIER AND EAST OF LAKE ONTARIO WHERE BETWEEN A QUARTER AND HALF INCH OF RAIN IS EXPECTED. IN ADDITION TO THE RAIN...SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS BEHIND THE FRONT WILL PICK UP. THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL BE NEAR THE LAKE ERIE SHORELINE...MAINLY DUE TO FUNNELING UP THE CHAUTAUQUA RIDGE. THIS WILL PRODUCE GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH BEHIND THE COLD FRONT LATE TONIGHT...AND INTO THURSDAY IN THESE LOCATIONS...WITH SLIGHTLY LESS WINDY LOCATIONS INLAND. BASED ON THIS...WILL ISSUE A WIND ADVISORY FOR THESE LOCATIONS. ELSEWHERE WILL BE WINDY ON THURSDAY TOO...BUT WITH MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES EXPECT ONLY MARGINAL MIXING WITH WINDS ALOFT...WHICH SHOULD KEEP GUSTS DOWN JUST A BIT. THE SURFACE LOW WILL LIFT INTO SOUTHERN QUEBEC ON THURSDAY...WHICH WILL BRING ANOTHER SHOT OF COLDER AIR INTO OUR REGION. THE UPPER LEVEL TROF WILL BRING A CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS...BUT SNOW WILL BE STEADIER WITH SOME CONTRIBUTION FROM UPSLOPING EAST OF THE LAKES. FEEL MODEL QPF IS A BIT OVERDONE...ESPECIALLY INLAND AND ON THE LAKES...BUT WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE SOUTHERN TIER COULD GET AN INCH OR SO ON THURSDAY...WITH A FEW INCHES POSSIBLE IN JEFFERSON AND LEWIS COUNTIES. TEMPERATURES WILL BE BELOW NORMAL...WITH HIGHS ONLY IN THE 30S. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/... THURSDAY NIGHT A SURFACE LOW WILL MOVE FROM CENTRAL QUEBEC TO THE GULF OF SAINT LAWRENCE. DEEP WRAP AROUND MOISTURE WILL STILL BE IN PLACE ACROSS THE LOWER LAKES DURING THE EVENING....WITH A FEW MORE WEAK VORTICITY MAXIMA ROTATING THROUGH THE MEAN LONGWAVE TROUGH AND PROVIDING SOME WEAK ASCENT. THE PRIMARY FORCING THROUGH THE EVENING WILL CONTINUE TO BE UPSLOPE FLOW...WHICH WILL FOCUS ON THE CHAUTAUQUA RIDGE SOUTH OF BUFFALO AND ESPECIALLY THE TUG HILL AND WESTERN FOOTHILLS OF THE ADIRONDACKS EAST OF LAKE ONTARIO. BY EARLY EVENING THE COLUMN WILL HAVE COOLED ENOUGH TO SUPPORT ALL SNOW FOR PRECIP TYPE...EVEN AT LOWER ELEVATIONS. EXPECT THIS TO BE FAIRLY ORGANIZED DURING THE EVENING...THEN SLOWLY TAPER OFF FROM WEST TO EAST OVERNIGHT. THE HIGHER TERRAIN SOUTH OF BUFFALO MAY SEE AN INCH OR TWO OF ACCUMULATION DURING THE EVENING. THE TUG HILL REGION MAY SEE A SOLID 3-4 INCHES AS WELL IF UPSLOPE PERSISTS LONG ENOUGH. OUTSIDE OF THE UPSLOPE AREAS...THE EASTERN LAKE ONTARIO REGION MAY SEE AN INCH OR SO...WITH JUST A LIGHT COATING ELSEWHERE. BLACK ICE WILL BE A CONCERN DURING THE EVENING JUST ABOUT ANYWHERE AS TEMPERATURES DROP BELOW FREEZING AROUND SUNSET. THIS MAY ALLOW WATER FROM MELTING WET SNOW TO FREEZE. SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD ACROSS THE LOWER LAKES ON FRIDAY WITH A RETURN TO DRY WEATHER. THERE SHOULD BE A DECENT AMOUNT OF SUNSHINE AS WELL WITH LOW LEVEL MOISTURE BEING SCOURED AWAY. SOME HIGH CLOUDS WILL INCREASE LATE IN THE DAY ACROSS WESTERN NY IN ADVANCE OF THE NEXT SYSTEM. HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL BE IN THE UPPER 30S TO AROUND 40 IN MOST AREAS...WITH LOW TO MID 30S EAST OF LAKE ONTARIO. FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY THE NEXT SYSTEM WILL MOVE QUICKLY ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES AND INTO NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND. A WARM FRONT WILL LIFT NORTHEAST ACROSS THE AREA LATE FRIDAY NIGHT. ISENTROPIC UPGLIDE AND CONVERGENCE WILL BE ENHANCED ON THE NOSE OF A STRONG 50+ KNOT LOW LEVEL JET. THIS WILL SUPPORT THE LIKELIHOOD OF PRECIP OVERNIGHT. PRECIP TYPE WILL BE TRICKY AS WARM AIR ADVANCES INTO THE AREA WITH A PERIOD OF WET SNOW POSSIBLE BEFORE A CHANGEOVER TO MAINLY RAIN. THERE COULD BE A LITTLE SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN AS WELL...BUT WITH INHERENT UNCERTAINTIES IN EXACT THERMAL PROFILES AT THIS TIME RANGE WILL JUST GO WITH RAIN/SNOW FOR NOW. THE WARM FRONTAL PRECIP WILL EXIT THE NORTH COUNTRY SATURDAY MORNING. A DRY SLOT WILL CROSS THE REGION DURING THE MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON JUST SOUTH OF THE LOW TRACK BEFORE SOME WRAP AROUND MOISTURE ARRIVES LATER IN THE AFTERNOON. TEMPERATURES WILL LIKELY PEAK IN THE MORNING WITH COLD ADVECTION FORCING A DOWNWARD TREND IN THE AFTERNOON. ANY PRECIP WILL CHANGE BACK TO SNOW BY SATURDAY NIGHT AS COLDER AIR FILTERS BACK INTO THE REGION. A FEW SNOW SHOWERS WILL DEVELOP OVERNIGHT...BUT NOTHING NOTABLE. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... BEHIND THE SATURDAY SYSTEM A DEEP LONGWAVE TROUGH WILL ONCE AGAIN BECOME ESTABLISHED ACROSS THE EASTERN HALF OF THE NATION WITH THE START OF WHAT WILL LIKELY BE AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF WELL BELOW AVERAGE TEMPERATURES. HIGHS ON SUNDAY AND MONDAY WILL BE IN THE 20S...WITH LOWS IN THE SINGLE NUMBERS OR LOWER TEENS SUNDAY NIGHT. THESE NUMBERS ARE ABOUT 20 DEGREES BELOW AVERAGE. THE NORTHWEST FLOW OF COLD AIR WILL PRODUCE AT LEAST A FEW LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS SOUTHEAST OF LAKE ONTARIO...WITH DIURNAL INSTABILITY SNOW SHOWERS POSSIBLE JUST ABOUT ANYWHERE DURING THE AFTERNOON. ALL OF THIS APPEARS LIGHT GIVEN THE DRY AIRMASS. THE LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS WILL SLOWLY END LATER MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OVER THE LOWER LAKES. ANOTHER SYSTEM WILL MOVE INTO THE OHIO VALLEY LATER MONDAY NIGHT AND TOWARDS OUR REGION ON TUESDAY...AS SHOWN BY BOTH THE GFS AND ECMWF. LATEST 12Z MODEL GUIDANCE IS A LITTLE WEAKER AND FARTHER SOUTH WITH THIS SYSTEM THAN YESTERDAY...SO FOR NOW WILL JUST CARRY A LOW CHANCE POP. LOOKING A LITTLE FURTHER AHEAD...THE DEEP LONGWAVE TROUGH WILL REMAIN IN PLACE THROUGH THE END OF NEXT WEEK. AFTER THAT...THERE MAY BE SOME LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL AS BOTH THE 12Z GFS AND ECMWF SHOW THE PATTERN RELAXING BY DAY 9-10 AS WE HEAD INTO THE LAST WEEKEND OF MARCH. A MORE ZONAL FLOW MAY BECOME ESTABLISHED AT LEAST FOR A TIME...WHICH WOULD ALLOW A WARMING TREND IN THE GREAT LAKES AND NORTHEAST. THIS PATTERN CHANGE SEEMS TO HAVE FAIRLY GOOD SUPPORT FROM THE GEFS ENSEMBLE MEAN. && .AVIATION /20Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... AT 18Z...MAINLY VFR CONDITIONS WERE IN PLACE ACROSS THE REGION WITH THE EXCEPTION OF JHW WHERE CIGS HAVE LOWERED TO MVFR. FOR THE MOST PART...EXPECT CONDITIONS TO LOWER TO MVFR/VFR AT BUF/ROC/IAG/ART AS RAIN MOVES INTO THE REGION. DOWNSLOPING WILL OFFSET THE INCREASING MOISTURE AT THESE LOCATIONS...EXCEPT AT JHW WHERE A SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL OFTEN RESULT IN IFR CONDITIONS IN LOW CIGS. THERE WILL BE MODEST WIND SHEAR THROUGH THIS EVENING...BUT IT LOOKS TO FALL JUST SHY OF LLWS CRITERIA FOR INCLUSION IN THE TAFS. EXPECT CIGS TO LOWER SIGNIFICANTLY BEHIND A COLD FRONT WHICH WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REGION TONIGHT. MOST STATIONS SHOULD LOWER TO IFR...OR CLOSE TO IT...BEHIND THIS FRONT. THERE ALSO WILL BE GUSTY SW WINDS BEHIND THE FRONT ON THURSDAY. OUTLOOK... THURSDAY NIGHT...MVFR WITH A CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWER. FRIDAY...VFR. FRIDAY NIGHT...MVFR WITH RAIN OR SNOW LIKELY. SATURDAY...MVFR WITH A CHANCE OF RAIN OR SNOW SHOWERS. SUNDAY...VFR/MVFR WITH A CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS. MONDAY...VFR. && .MARINE... LOW PRESSURE WILL TRACK NORTH OF LAKE ONTARIO TONIGHT. A COLD FRONT TRAILING FROM THIS LOW WILL THEN CROSS THE LOWER LAKES REGION TONIGHT AND USHER IN A PERIOD OF STRONGER SOUTHWESTERLIES AND WESTERLIES THAT WILL LAST THROUGH THURSDAY ON LAKE ERIE...AND INTO THURSDAY NIGHT ON LAKE ONTARIO. GALE WARNINGS ARE UP ON BOTH LAKES. && .HYDROLOGY... WARMER TEMPERATURES THROUGH TODAY WILL BRING ANOTHER ROUND OF SNOWMELT TO THE AREA...ALTHOUGH THE SNOWPACK WAS GREATLY REDUCED BY THE LAST WARMUP. SOME RAIN WILL ALSO FALL WITH BASIN AVERAGE RAINFALL AMOUNTS RUNNING AROUND A THIRD OF AN INCH. SUCH LIGHT RAIN AMOUNTS WOULD NORMALLY NOT BE AN ISSUE...BUT AFTER THE COLD WINTER SOME AREA RIVERS AND CREEKS CONTINUE TO HAVE ICE COVER. SOME ICE JAMS ARE ALREADY IN PLACE...AND THE POTENTIAL REMAINS FOR NEW ICE JAMS TO FORM AS ICE BEGINS TO MOVE WITH WARMER TEMPERATURES. ON THE OTHER HAND...THE LOW RAINFALL AMOUNTS AND LOWER AMOUNTS OF SNOW LEFT TO MELT MAY HELP MITIGATE FLOOD ISSUES TO SOME EXTENT. WITH THIS IN MIND...WE HAVE CONTINUED TO HOLD OFF ON A FLOOD WATCH FOR NOW...ALTHOUGH SOME ICE JAM ISSUES CANNOT BE RULED OUT TODAY IN A FEW AREAS. && .BUF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NY...WIND ADVISORY FROM 1 AM TO 5 PM EDT THURSDAY FOR NYZ001-010- 019-085. MARINE...GALE WARNING FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 4 PM EDT THURSDAY FOR LEZ040-041. GALE WARNING FROM 8 AM THURSDAY TO 5 AM EDT FRIDAY FOR LOZ043>045-063>065. GALE WARNING FROM 8 AM TO 11 PM EDT THURSDAY FOR LOZ042- 062. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 8 AM EDT THURSDAY FOR LOZ042>044. && $$ SYNOPSIS...APFFEL NEAR TERM...APFFEL/JJR SHORT TERM...HITCHCOCK LONG TERM...HITCHCOCK AVIATION...APFFEL MARINE...JJR HYDROLOGY...JJR/HITCHCOCK
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GRAND FORKS ND
336 PM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 336 PM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 MAIN CHALLENGES CONCERN PRECIP TIMING/LOCATION/AMOUNTS/PHASE AND ASSOCIATED HEADLINES THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY WITH THE NEXT PACIFIC SHORT-WAVE. WILL USE A BLENDED 12 UTC GFS/ECMWF SOLUTION...WHICH HAS ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM THE GEM. THE NAM SFC LOW TRACK/QPF PLACEMENT IS FARTHER NORTH AND WILL NOT USE AT THIS TIME. LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EARLY EVENING...SPOTTY INSTABILITY INDUCED RAIN/SNOW SHOWERS ASSOCIATED DEPARTING SHORT-WAVE ALOFT WILL DISSIPATE AND/OR MOVE OUT OF THE FORECAST AREA BY 03 UTC. ANY ACCUMULATION WILL BE MINIMAL...BUT COULD MAKE AREA ROADWAYS SLICK. FOR TONIGHT...SOME DEGREE OF CLEARING COMBINED WITH LIGHT WINDS WILL ALLOW TEMPERATURES TO DROP INTO THE UPPER TEENS TO MID 20S. WITH TEMPERATURES TODAY ABOVE FREEZING MELTING SNOW...THINK THERE WILL BE AT LEAST ENOUGH LOW LEVEL MOISTURE TO PROMOTE SOME FOG DEVELOPMENT. ADDED PATCHY FOG WORDING TO THE GRIDS FROM 06 TO 15 UTC ACROSS MOST OF THE FORECAST AREA. ATTENTION THEN TURNS TO A STRONG WINTER STORM THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. GFS/ECMWF SFC LOW TRACK IS FROM NORTHERN MT AT 12 UTC THURSDAY TO THE CENTRAL VALLEY INTO WEST CENTRAL MN BY 12 UTC FRIDAY. BEST PRECIP POTENTIAL WILL BE ALONG THE 850 HPA LOW TRACK AND ITS ASSOCIATED FRONTAL BOUNDARIES. THURSDAY MORNING SHOULD BE DRY... BUT WILL EXTEND LIKELY POPS FROM WEST TO EAST CWA-WIDE THURSDAY AFTERNOON. NEAR SFC LAYER WILL RISE ABOVE FREEZING...SO MOST PRECIP WILL FALL AS RAIN. MAY EVEN BE A FEW CLAPS OF THUNDER WITH WEAK INSTABILITY ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST ND. WILL NOT INCLUDE THUNDER MENTION AT THIS TIME...BUT SOMETHING TO WATCH. PRECIP WILL BEGIN TO MIX WITH SNOW LATE THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING FROM NORTH TO SOUTH AND THEN CHANGE OVER TO ALL SNOW BY 06 UTC AS COLDER AIR ADVECTS SOUTHWARD. WITH PWATS AROUND 0.5 INCHES AND STRONG MID- LEVEL FORCING...MODELS ARE TRYING TO DEVELOP AN AREA OF MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW ALONG THE 850 HPA LOW TRACK WHICH MORE OR LESS FOLLOWS THE HIGHWAY 2 CORRIDOR FRIDAY NIGHT. THINK A SOLID 3 TO 5 INCHES WILL BE COMMONPLACE...BUT IF STRONG BANDING DEVELOPS... THERE COULD BE A NARROW RIBBON THAT EXCEEDS 6 INCHES. .LONG TERM...(FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY) ISSUED AT 336 PM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 PERIODS OF LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOW WILL CONTINUE FRIDAY MORNING ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT. IN ADDITION...GFS/ECMWF 925 HPA WINDS INCREASE FROM THE NORTH BETWEEN 40 AND 50 KTS BY 18 UTC FRIDAY. MUCH OF THE FALLING SNOW WILL HAVE ENDED BY THEN...BUT DEPENDING ON ITS WETNESS THERE COULD BE CONSIDERABLE REDUCED VISIBILITY IN BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW ALONG AND WEST OF THE VALLEY. GIVEN THE SNOW AMOUNT POTENTIAL AND STRONGER WINDS ON FRIDAY...WILL ISSUE A WINTER STORM WATCH FOR THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA FROM 18 UTC THURSDAY UNTIL 00 UTC SATURDAY. WARM TEMPERATURES FRIDAY MORNING WILL FALL RAPIDLY THROUGH THE DAY IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONTAL PASSAGE. CONDITIONS WILL IMPROVE FRIDAY NIGHT FROM WEST TO EAST. SATURDAY WILL BE PARTLY SUNNY AND BREEZY...BUT DRY AS HIGH PRESSURE BEGINS TO BUILD ACROSS THE REGION. TEMPERATURES WILL BE DOWNRIGHT COLD FOR LATE MARCH WITH HIGHS IN THE TEENS TO LOWER 20S. SATURDAY NIGHT-WEDNESDAY...MODELS IN GENERAL AGREEMENT DEPICTING NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT AND SFC HIGH PRESSURE FOR MUCH OF THE PERIOD. THERE MAY BE A COLD FRONT MONDAY OR TUESDAY LEADING TO LIGHT SNOW. OTHERWISE...GENERALLY QUIET WITH TEMPERATURES BELOW NORMAL VALUES. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 100 PM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 CEILING HEIGHTS ARE GRADUALLY LIFTING AND ARE EXPECTED TO BE MAINLY VFR THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. RAP GUIDANCE IS SUGGESTING THESE CIGS AGAIN LOWERING TO MVFR CATEGORY TONIGHT...BUT OTHER GUIDANCE IS VFR. CONFIDENCE FOR TONIGHT INTO THUR MORNING CONCERNING CEILINGS IS LOW...AND WILL GO WITH WHAT WE HAVE THE MOST CONFIDENCE IN (VFR). && .FGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ND...WINTER STORM WATCH FROM THURSDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING FOR NDZ006>008-014>016-024-026>030-054. MN...WINTER STORM WATCH FROM THURSDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING FOR MNZ001-002-004>009-013>017-022-023. && $$ SHORT TERM...ROGERS LONG TERM...TG AVIATION...TG
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS BISMARCK ND
109 PM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 109 PM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES WITH THIS UPDATE. CONTINUE TO EXPECT ISOLATED TO SCATTERED RAIN SHOWER DEVELOPMENT THIS AFTERNOON GENERALLY ALONG...NORTH AND EAST OF THE MISSOURI RIVER BASED UPON THE 17 UTC RAP AND 14 UTC HRRR WITH SURFACE DESTABILIZATION THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. UPDATE ISSUED AT 1026 AM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 ADDED ISOLATED TO SCATTERED RAIN SHOWERS FOR THIS AFTERNOON GENERALLY ALONG...NORTH AND EAST OF THE MISSOURI RIVER AS THE 11 UTC HRRR AND 00 UTC 4KM WRF SIMULATED REFLECTIVITY FORECASTS DEPICT AFTERNOON CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT WITH 100-150 J/KG OF SURFACE BASED CAPE. DO NOT ANTICIPATE THUNDERSTORMS AT THIS TIME. UPDATE ISSUED AT 900 AM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 QUICK UPDATE TO ADD FOG TO THE TURTLE MOUNTAINS THROUGH THE JAMES RIVER VALLEY BASED UPON WEBCAM OBSERVATIONS FROM 13-14 UTC. POPS ALSO ADJUSTED FOR RADAR TRENDS THROUGH 14 UTC. UPDATE ISSUED AT 641 AM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 UPDATE FOR TIMING AND INCREASING THE AREAL EXTENT OF SNOW SHOWERS EXPECTED FOR THE MORNING HOURS. SHOWERS HAD INCREASED IN INTENSITY WITH TIME THE PAST FEW HOURS ASSOCIATED WITH AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH MOVING EASTWARD ACROSS THE STATE. MINOR ADJUSTMENTS IN HOURLY TEMPERATURES. && .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 346 AM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 FOCUS IN THE SHORT TERM IS ON THE CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION TONIGHT INTO TOMORROW MORNING. A WEAK SHORTWAVE CONTINUES TO PROPAGATE EAST-SOUTHEAST ACROSS WESTERN AND CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA. LATEST REFLECTIVITIES AND THE LATEST 00 UTC MODEL GUIDANCE ON TIMING HAS BEEN NEARLY SPOT ON...HOWEVER OBSERVATIONS HAVE SHOWN VERY LITTLE PRECIPITATION MAKING IT TO THE GROUND. EXPECT SHOWERS TO STAY ISOLATED TONIGHT THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF A DUSTING TO AROUND A HALF INCH ARE POSSIBLE. HOWEVER WITH MODERATELY STEEP MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES QUICK BURSTS OF SNOW COULD LAY DOWN UP TO AN INCH IN ISOLATED LOCATIONS. .LONG TERM...(THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 346 AM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 THE TREND FOR AN ACTIVE PATTERN WITH A NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT AND BELOW AVERAGE TEMPERATURES REMAINS ON TRACK. ON THURSDAY A STRONG SHORTWAVE IMPULSE IN MONTANA AT DAYBREAK MOVES INTO NORTH DAKOTA THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND TRACKS EAST ACROSS THE STATE THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT. THIS IMPULSE WILL INDUCE A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM THAT IS PROGGED TO DEVELOP QUICKLY OVER MONTANA AND INTENSIFY DURING THE DAY THURSDAY AS IT TRACKS ACROSS NORTH DAKOTA. SOUTHWEST WINDS AHEAD OF THE LOW WILL BECOME WESTERLY AND INCREASE TO 20 TO 30 MPH ACROSS THE WESTERN HALF OF THE STATE THURSDAY AFTERNOON. WARM ADVECTION AHEAD AND ALONG THE LOW WILL RESULT IN HIGH TEMPERATURES IN THE 40S TO LOWER 50S. PRECIPITATION WITH THIS SYSTEM SHOULD BE IN THE FORM OF RAIN ON THURSDAY. THURSDAY NIGHT THE COLD ADVECTION BEGINS BEHIND THE SYSTEM WITH NORTHWEST WINDS OF 15 TO 25 MPH. RAIN WILL CHANGE TO SNOW FROM NORTH TO SOUTH DURING THE EVENING...AND CONTINUE AS SNOW LATE THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY. LOWS THURSDAY NIGHT EXPECTED TO RANGE FROM THE UPPER TEENS NORTH TO UPPER 20S SOUTH. THE COLD ADVECTION CONTINUES IN EARNEST FRIDAY WITH NORTHWEST WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH...WITH WIND GUSTS TO NEAR 40 MPH POSSIBLE. HIGHS FRIDAY WILL LIKELY REACH ONLY INTO THE LOWER 20S NORTH TO MID/UPPER 30S SOUTH. AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW MAY BEGIN LATE THURSDAY NIGHT AND CONTINUE INTO FRIDAY. BY FRIDAY NIGHT THE NORTHWEST WINDS SHOULD DECREASE TO AROUND 15 MPH...BUT COLD ADVECTION CONTINUES. MUCH BELOW AVERAGE LOWS FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR EXPECTED - WITH LOWS FROM AROUND ZERO IN THE TURTLE MOUNTAINS TO THE LOWER TEENS FAR SOUTH. SNOW AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT...WITH MOST OF THE SNOW FALLING LATE THURSDAY EVENING THROUGH THE DAYTIME FRIDAY. FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY A COLD CANADIAN ARCTIC HIGH MOVES SOUTH ALONG THE CANADIAN FRONT RANGE FOLLOWING THE THURSDAY/FRIDAY CLIPPER...AND HIGHS SATURDAY EXPECTED TO RANGE FROM THE TEENS IN THE TURTLE MOUNTAINS TO THE 20S WEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL. ANOTHER COLD NIGHT SATURDAY NIGHT AS THE ARCTIC HIGH MOVES SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE STATE. LOWS OF ZERO TO 5 BELOW IN THE TURTLE MOUNTAINS TO THE LOWER TEENS SOUTH AND WEST. A SLOW RECOVERY BEGINS SUNDAY...BUT THEN ANOTHER COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE REGION SUNDAY NIGHT KEEPING TEMPERATURES BELOW AVERAGE AND BRINGING SMALL CHANCES OF LIGHT SNOW SUNDAY AND MONDAY...WITH GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS OF 15 TO 25 MPH ON MONDAY. HIGHS IN THE 20S AND 30S EXPECTED THROUGH TUESDAY...BUT THERE IS A HINT IN THE MODELS OF A BIT OF A RECOVERY ON WEDNESDAY WITH HIGHS REACHING INTO THE 30S AND 40S. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 109 PM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 KJMS WILL SOON BECOME VFR AS SNOW EXITS THE TERMINAL AREA. OTHERWISE....VFR CUMULUS FIELDS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED RAIN SHOWERS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND MAY IMPACT KMOT/KBIS/KJMS PRIOR TO SUNSET. && .BIS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ UPDATE...AYD SHORT TERM...MM LONG TERM...JV AVIATION...AYD
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NWS GRAND FORKS ND
100 PM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 100 PM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 BAND OF LIGHT PRECIP HAS MOVED INTO BARNES/RANSOM/SARGENT COUNTIES. SFC TEMPS ARE IN THE MID TO UPPER 30S. MOST RECENT OBS HAVE REPORTED LIGHT SNOW...BUT WITH WARMING NEAR SFC LAYER...REMAINING PRECIP SHOULD CHANGE TO A RAIN/SNOW MIX OR ALL RAIN. ANY ACCUMULATION WILL STILL BE MINIMAL. MADE SOME MINOR ADJUSTMENTS TO POPS/WX/SKY BASED ON LATEST OBSERVATIONAL TRENDS. OTHERWISE...FORECAST IS IN GOOD SHAPE. UPDATE ISSUED AT 1008 CDT WED MAR 19 2014 15 UTC RADAR SHOWS A NARROW BAND OF LIGHT PRECIP FROM CARRINGTON TO MOBRIDGE SD IN CONNECTION WITH WEAK A SHORT-WAVE PROPAGATING SOUTHEASTWARD ACROSS CENTRAL ND. REPORTS SO FAR HAVE BEEN LIGHT SNOW...BUT AS SURFACE TEMPERATURES RISE ABOVE FREEZING...PRECIP SHOULD SLOWLY CHANGE OVER TO ALL RAIN BY THIS AFTERNOON. ADJUSTED POPS/P-TYPE FOCUSING MAINLY ACROSS SOUTHEAST ND...BUT ANY ACCUMULATION SHOULD BE MINIMAL. WESTERN MN REMAINS SOCKED IN WITH CLOUD COVER AND WITH LATEST RAP LOW-LEVEL RH SUGGESTING SLOW CLEARING...RAISED SKY COVER THROUGH 00 UTC. TEMPERATURES TODAY MAINLY A REFLECTION OF CLOUD COVER...SO EXPECT HIGHS IN THE LOWER 30S ACROSS THE EAST AND INTO THE LOWER 40S ACROSS SOUTHEAST ND AND AREAS WEST OF THE VALLEY. UPDATE ISSUED AT 637 AM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 NO FORECAST CHANGES NECESSARY THIS UPDATE PERIOD. && .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY) ISSUED AT 350 AM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 FORECAST CHALLENGES CONCERN TEMPERATURES AND LATE WORK WEEK SYSTEM. MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW SOME DIFFERENCES IN LOW TRACK AND QPF AMOUNTS/LOCATION ASSOCIATED WITH SHORT WAVE THURSDAY AFTERNOON INTO FRIDAY. WILL USE BLEND FOR CURRENT FORECAST. FOR TODAY WEAK SHORTWAVE TO DROP SE ACROSS W ND AND WEAKEN DURING THE FIRST HALF OF TODAY. WILL BE MONITORING A SMALL AREA OF -SN OVER NW ND AS IT PROPAGATES SE. MAINTAINED ISOLD RW/SW MENTION INTO EARLY AFTERNOON. TEMPERATURES WILL BE TRICKY AND WILL HINGE ON CLOUD COVER. NOT REAL CONFIDENT WE WILL LOSE CLOUDS SO STAYED PRETTY CONSISTENT WITH CURRENT MAX TEMPERATURE FORECAST. RESPECTABLE Q-VECTOR DIVERGENCE/IMPLIED SUBSIDENCE THIS EVENING SO COULD SEE A DECREASE IN CLOUDS TONIGHT AS WEAK HIGH BUILDS IN. COOLEST TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE EAST WITH LOW LEVEL WARM ADVECTION AND WEAK RETURN FLOW HOLDING TEMPERATURES UP ACROSS THE WESTERN FA. CONTINUED WARM ADVECTION AND A BIT OF AN INCREASE IN MIXING AHEAD OF NEXT WAVE SHOULD ALLOW TEMPERATURES TO RECOVER TO AT OR ABOVE AVERAGE THURSDAY. SOME PCPN LIKELY TO MOVE INTO WESTERN AREAS LATE IN THE AFTERNOON. .LONG TERM...(THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 350 AM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 MODELS DIFFER SOME ON TRACK OF SURFACE LOW AS IT PROPAGATES WEST TO EAST ACROSS THE FA THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY. THIS WILL HAVE A BEARING ON WHERE BEST PCPN POTENTIAL WILL BE. GENERAL CONSENSUS AT THIS POINT THAT SOMEWHERE ACROSS THE NORTH HALF OF THE FA WILL SE BEST CHANCES AND INCREASED POPS THIS AREA. WILL LIKELY SEE A WINTRY MIX BEFORE CHANGING TO MAINLY SNOW BY FRIDAY MORNING WITH SOME RESPECTABLE ACCUMULATIONS POSSIBLE AND WILL NEED TO BE MONITORED. AS LOW PASSES EAST FRIDAY WILL SEE SHARP COLD ADVECTION...WINDY CONDITIONS AND POSSIBLE -SN AS COLD FRONT SWEEPS THROUGH THE FA. BASED ON EXPECTED WIND COULD SEE SOME BLSN FRIDAY AND THIS TOO WILL NEED TO BE WATCHED CLOSELY. ANY LINGERING SNOW WILL END FRIDAY EVENING. COLD ADVECTION CONTINUES HOWEVER MIXING SHOULD HOLD MINIMUMS ABOVE ZERO. GFS IS SLIGHTLY FASTER THAN THE ECMWF AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PERIOD. BY DAY 6 THE ECMWF IS FASTER THEN THE GFS. THE TWO MODELS ARE ESSENTIALLY OUT OF PHASE BY DAY 7. WILL BLEND THE TWO MODELS. WILL TRIM BACK POPS ON SUN NIGHT. LITTLE CHANGE TO TEMPS THROUGH THE PERIOD. TEMPS LOWER ONE DEGREE IN THE NORTH ON SUN AND RAISED A DEGREE OR TWO FOR TUE IN THE NORTH. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 100 PM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 CEILING HEIGHTS ARE GRADUALLY LIFTING AND ARE EXPECTED TO BE MAINLY VFR THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. RAP GUIDANCE IS SUGGESTING THESE CIGS AGAIN LOWERING TO MVFR CATEGORY TONIGHT...BUT OTHER GUIDANCE IS VFR. CONFIDENCE FOR TONIGHT INTO THUR MORNING CONCERNING CEILINGS IS LOW...AND WILL GO WITH WHAT WE HAVE THE MOST CONFIDENCE IN (VFR). && .FGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ND...NONE. MN...NONE. && $$ UPDATE...ROGERS SHORT TERM...VOELKER LONG TERM...HOPPES/VOELKER AVIATION...TG
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MIDLAND/ODESSA TX
445 PM CDT Wed Mar 19 2014 .AVIATION... VFR conditions will prevail next 24 hours, as sfc winds veer to the south. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 249 PM CDT Wed Mar 19 2014/ DISCUSSION... Current visible satellite imagery shows some high clouds over southwest and southern portions of the CWA. Surface observations still continue to show some of the lingering dust at Presidio associated with a cold front that moved into the area yesterday evening and overnight. With surface high pressure having built into the area behind the cold front...the area is currently experiencing north to northeast prevailing surface flow. The HRRR and other models suggest that this surface high pressure ridge will begin to slide east later this afternoon. This should result in surface winds transitioning to east to southeast across a good portion of the area by tonight. With the ridge over the area for a good portion of the day today...high temperatures will likely remain slightly cooler than normal. With zonal upper flow expected on Thursday and Friday... associated surface trough development is expected on the lee side of the Rockies. This will allow for south to southwest surface flow on Thursday and downslope west winds Friday. The end result of these dry warm winds will be a notable warming trend through Friday. 850 mb temperatures on the NAM support temperatures in the mid 80s on Friday for most of the Permian Basin...with temperatures potentially in the lower 90s for portions of the Trans Pecos Region. GFS temperatures are progged to be slightly cooler than the NAM. For now...will trend towards our current forecast...a hint cooler than the latest NAM and ECMWF guidance. A cold front will make its way into the area late Friday and overnight early Saturday. The front will continue to build into the area into Sunday...with last night`s European model run and this mornings GFS being in decent agreement with regards to potential rain chances over the southeast portions of our CWA on Sunday. These rain chances are currently indicated in our current forecast package and will be maintained. FIRE WEATHER... West winds on Friday will help develop a dryline over the eastern Permian Basin during the late morning. This dryline will continue to slide east of the area during the afternoon. Afternoon relative humidity values of 7 to 11 percent are expected across much of our area west of that dryline. 20 foot winds speeds could reach critical thresholds for the Guadalupe and Davis Mountains and the Marfa Plateau. I would expect later shifts to be issuing a Fire Weather Watch and eventually Red Flag warnings for these locations if current trends persist. There is still some uncertainly on how strong winds will be across the adjacent plains on Friday. The NAM guidance is indicating slightly stronger winds than the GFS. At this point it is a difficult determination as to which model is more reasonable. If the NAM is correct...we could see critical fire weather conditions over portions of Eddy and Lea County as well. && .MAF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NM...NONE. TX...NONE. && $$ 44
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MIDLAND/ODESSA TX
249 PM CDT Wed Mar 19 2014 .DISCUSSION... Current visible satellite imagery shows some high clouds over southwest and southern portions of the CWA. Surface observations still continue to show some of the lingering dust at Presidio associated with a cold front that moved into the area yesterday evening and overnight. With surface high pressure having built into the area behind the cold front...the area is currently experiencing north to northeast prevailing surface flow. The HRRR and other models suggest that this surface high pressure ridge will begin to slide east later this afternoon. This should result in surface winds transitioning to east to southeast across a good portion of the area by tonight. With the ridge over the area for a good portion of the day today...high temperatures will likely remain slightly cooler than normal. With zonal upper flow expected on Thursday and Friday... associated surface trough development is expected on the lee side of the Rockies. This will allow for south to southwest surface flow on Thursday and downslope west winds Friday. The end result of these dry warm winds will be a notable warming trend through Friday. 850 mb temperatures on the NAM support temperatures in the mid 80s on Friday for most of the Permian Basin...with temperatures potentially in the lower 90s for portions of the Trans Pecos Region. GFS temperatures are progged to be slightly cooler than the NAM. For now...will trend towards our current forecast...a hint cooler than the latest NAM and ECMWF guidance. A cold front will make its way into the area late Friday and overnight early Saturday. The front will continue to build into the area into Sunday...with last night`s European model run and this mornings GFS being in decent agreement with regards to potential rain chances over the southeast portions of our CWA on Sunday. These rain chances are currently indicated in our current forecast package and will be maintained. && .FIRE WEATHER... West winds on Friday will help develop a dryline over the eastern Permian Basin during the late morning. This dryline will continue to slide east of the area during the afternoon. Afternoon relative humidity values of 7 to 11 percent are expected across much of our area west of that dryline. 20 foot winds speeds could reach critical thresholds for the Guadalupe and Davis Mountains and the Marfa Plateau. I would expect later shifts to be issuing a Fire Weather Watch and eventually Red Flag warnings for these locations if current trends persist. There is still some uncertainly on how strong winds will be across the adjacent plains on Friday. The NAM guidance is indicating slightly stronger winds than the GFS. At this point it is a difficult determination as to which model is more reasonable. If the NAM is correct...we could see critical fire weather conditions over portions of Eddy and Lea County as well. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... ANDREWS TX 39 77 50 85 / 0 0 0 0 BIG SPRING TX 40 78 51 89 / 0 0 0 0 CARLSBAD NM 37 82 51 90 / 0 0 0 0 DRYDEN TX 45 78 53 89 / 0 0 0 0 FORT STOCKTON TX 45 80 56 92 / 0 0 0 0 GUADALUPE PASS TX 44 72 54 82 / 0 0 0 0 HOBBS NM 36 78 45 79 / 0 0 0 0 MARFA TX 28 72 37 82 / 0 0 0 0 MIDLAND INTL AIRPORT TX 38 77 52 86 / 0 0 0 0 ODESSA TX 41 77 54 86 / 0 0 0 0 WINK TX 37 80 50 91 / 0 0 0 0 && .MAF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NM...NONE. TX...NONE. && $$ 05/03
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS BLACKSBURG VA
339 PM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 .SYNOPSIS... A COLD FRONT APPROACHES THE REGION FROM THE WEST THIS EVENING WILL MOVE EAST ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD ACROSS REGION THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY. ANOTHER FRONT WILL PASS THROUGH ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY/... AS OF 330 PM EDT WEDNESDAY... SHORTWAVE TROUGH AND AN ATTENDANT SFC LOW WILL TRAVEL EAST ACROSS THE LOWER GREAT LAKES TONIGHT...AND THEN LIFT NORTHEAST INTO NEW ENGLAND ON THURSDAY. SAT IMAGES SHOWED CLEARING ACROSS THE WESTERN MOUNTAINS AND SCATTERING ACROSS THE MIDDLE...WHILE THICK CLOUDS REMAIN OVER THE FOOTHILLS AND PIEDMONT. CLEARING AND SCATTERING TREND TO CONTINUE WITH STRENGTHENING SOUTHWEST FLOW AHEAD OF THE APPROACHING COLD FRONT. IMPRESSIVE ON HOW SUNSHINE HAS ALLOW TEMPERATURES TO CLIMB IN THE MID 60S IN THE WEST. CURRENT REGIONAL RADARS ARE SHOWING SCATTERED SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS ALONG THE FRONT ACROSS PORTIONS OF OHIO. EXPECT THE FRONT TO BE REACHING THE EXTREME WESTERN COUNTY WARNING AREA AROUND 00Z/8PM THEN CROSS THE AREA TONIGHT. DEEPER MOISTURE AND PROBABILITY OF PRECIPITATION WILL BE CONFINED TO THE WESTERN MOUNTAINS...ESPECIALLY THE NORTHWEST MOUNTAINS. PLAYED QPF CLOSE TO HPCQPF. HOWEVER..CLOUDS COULD LINGER INTO THE EVENING OVER NORTH CAROLINA PIEDMONT BEFORE WESTERLY FLOW WITH FROPA SCOURS THE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE OUT OF THE AREA. ALLOWED FOR SOME PATCHY FOG OVERNIGHT IN THE PIEDMONT WITH LOW LEVEL MOISTURE. WENT WITH LOW TEMPERATURES TONIGHT CLOSE TO THE ADJMAV WITH READINGS FROM AROUND FREEZING IN THE NORTHWEST MOUNTAINS TO THE LOWER 40S IN THE SOUTHEAST. ANY LINGERING RAIN/SNOW SHOWERS ACROSS SOUTHEAST WEST VIRGINIA WILL END QUICKLY THURSDAY MORNING AS HIGH PRESSURE SHIFTS EAST ACROSS THE GULF COAST. THE WESTERLY FLOW AROUND THE HIGH CENTER...COMBINED WITH ABUNDANT SUNSHINE HEADING INTO THE AFTERNOON...WILL RESULT IN TEMPERATURES MUCH CLOSER TO NORMAL WITH HIGHS RANGING FROM THE LOWER 50S ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS TO THE MID 60S IN THE PIEDMONT. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/... AS OF 320 PM EDT WEDNESDAY... UPPER HEIGHTS START TO RISE FRI-SAT WITH ZONAL FLOW ALOFT. KEEPING THINGS MAINLY DRY INTO FRIDAY NIGHT. A WEAK UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE MOVES ACROSS THE EASTERN OHIO VALLEY INTO NRN VA FRIDAY...SO A FEW CLOUDS WILL MOVE OVER THE SHENANDOAH VLY. BIG THEME THIS PERIOD WILL BE THE WARM TEMPS WITH HIGHS MOSTLY IN THE 60S FRI...WARMING TO THE LOWER 70S ACROSS THE PIEDMONT SATURDAY. SATURDAYS FRONT COMES THROUGH MOSTLY DRY ALTHOUGH SOME SHOWERS WILL AFFECT THE MTNS. WINDS WILL BE GUSTY AS FRONT MOVES ACROSS. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... AS OF 200 PM EDT WEDNESDAY... MODELS ARE IN GENERAL AGREEMENT EARLY IN THE FORECAST BY DIVERGE INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK AS THEY HANDLE THE STRENGTH OF THE UPPER PATTERN...WITH THE GFS MORE PROGRESSIVE THAN THE ECMWF/ECMWF MEAN. TREND FROM BOTH STILL FAVORS A SHOT OF WINTRY WX PERHAPS NEXT TUESDAY AS COLD AIR ALREADY IN PLACE WITH SRN LOW FORMING ALONG THE GULF COAST AND SHIFTING OUT OFF THE SOUTHEAST COAST. MODELS HAVE BEEN SUPRESSING THIS WITH NRN EDGE OF PRECIP SHIELD NOSING INTO SRN VA...WITH BULK OF MOISTURE STAYING OVER THE SOUTHEAST COAST. FOR NOW WILL HAVE POPS IN THE CHANCE RANGE NEXT TUESDAY. PRIOR TO THIS...WILL SEE ONE FRONT EXITED BY SATURDAY EVENING...STALLING OUT OFF THE SOUTHEAST COAST. SOME DIFFERENCE IN GFS/ECMWF AS SHORTWAVE ENERGY MOVES ALONG THE NORTH SIDE OF THE FRONT ACROSS THE NRN GULF COAST STATES...PULLING MOISTURE BACK NORTH. A SLIGHT CHANCE OF LIGHT RAIN IN FAR SRN CWA POSSIBLE...WHILE AN NRN STREAM WAVE MOVES ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY WITH SLIGHT CHANCE OF RAIN/SNOW SHOWERS INTO THE NRN CWA. THIS WAVE RETURNS THE COLDER THAN NORMAL AIR INTO OUR AREA FOR SUNDAY...WITH BRUNT OF THE COLD AIR ARRIVES BY MONDAY. SFC HIGH BUILDS FROM THE GREAT LAKES MONDAY MORNING INTO NEW ENGLAND MONDAY NIGHT. INTERACTION BETWEEN NRN AND SRN STREAM AND DEVELOPMENT OF SRN STREAM LOW WILL HAVE TO BE WATCHED FOR TUESDAYS EVENING. LOW CONFIDENCE FORECAST. LOOKS LIKE WE WILL GET DRY AGAIN WEDNESDAY WITH BREEZY CONDITIONS BUT STAYING CHILLY FOR LATE MARCH WITH HIGHS IN THE UPPER 30S/LOWER 40S WEST TO NEAR 50 EAST. && .AVIATION /20Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... AS OF 135 PM EDT WEDNESDAY... THE WIDESPREAD IFR/LIFR CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH A RESIDUAL COLD AIR DAMMING WEDGE OVER THE REGION IS SLOWING SCOURING OUT THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING. LYH WILL BE THE LAST TAF LOCATION TO GET OUT OF THE WEDGE THIS EVENING. WSR-88D SHOWED THAT ONLY SPOTTY DRIZZLE REMAIN IN THE EAST. HRRR HINTS AT SOME LIGHT RAIN OR DRIZZLE FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS IN THE FAR EAST. A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS THIS EVENING AND EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE OVERNIGHT. WINDS COME AROUND TO THE WEST WITH GUSTS UP TO 25 KNOTS POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT. THERE IS A LOW CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN THE MOUNTAINS AT LWB AND BLF. IN THE EAST...IT IS HARD TO TELL IF WITH MOIST/DAMP SOIL CONDITIONS...IT IS POSSIBLE THAT RADIATIONAL COOLING THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT COULD RESULT IN FOG DEVELOPMENT. THERE IS A BETTER CHANCE FOR FOG DEVELOPMENT TO OUR SOUTH ACROSS NORTH CAROLINA TONIGHT. LOW TO MEDIUM CONFIDENCE IN CEILINGS. HIGH TO MEDIUM IN VISIBILITY AND WINDS DURING THE PERIOD. .EXTENDED AVIATION DISCUSSION... VFR WEATHER IS EXPECTED FOR THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. SUB VFR CONDITIONS MAY RETURN FOR THE WEEKEND AS A CANADIAN COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE REGION ACCOMPANIED BY SHOWERS SATURDAY. VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED SUNDAY AFTERNOON INTO MONDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE SLIDES EAST ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY AND INTO NEW ENGLAND. && .RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VA...NONE. NC...NONE. WV...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...AMS/KK NEAR TERM...KK SHORT TERM...WP LONG TERM...WP AVIATION...AMS/KK
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS BLACKSBURG VA
144 PM EDT WED MAR 19 2014 .SYNOPSIS... THE PERSISTENT WEDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL FINALLY ERODE TODAY AS A COLD FRONT APPROACHES THE REGION FROM THE WEST. THIS COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THROUGH THE AREA TONIGHT. ANOTHER FRONT WILL PASS THROUGH ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 1015 AM EDT WEDNESDAY... CANCELLED THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY...WITH TEMPERATURES SLOWLY RISING INTO THE LOWER AND MID 30S THIS MORNING. BECAUSE TEMPERATURES ARE CLIMBING ABOVE FREEZING THE THREAT FOR WIDESPREAD FREEZING RAIN AND FREEZING DRIZZLE HAS ENDED. HOWEVER...AREAS OF FOG WILL CONTINUE THIS MORNING. THE COLD AIR DAMMING WEDGE REMAINS IN PLACE ACROSS THE REGION WILL LIKELY PERSIST INTO THIS AFTERNOON BUT WILL BEGIN TO WEAKEN AND MIX OUT DURING THE AFTERNOON AS LOW- LEVEL FLOW VEERS AND STRENGTHENS IN ADVANCE OF THE TROUGH APPROACHING THE REGION. MORE OFTEN THAT NOT...MODEL GUIDANCE WILL SCOUR OUT THE COLD AIR DAMMING WEDGE TOO QUICKLY. THINNING OF THE CLOUDS AND BREAKING OF THE WEDGE WILL HAVE MAJOR IMPACTS ON THIS AFTERNOON HIGH TEMPERATURES. ADJUSTED THIS MORNING TEMPERATURES INTO THIS AFTERNOON. HIGHS THIS AFTERNOON WILL RANGE FROM AROUND 40 TO THE MID 50S WITH MORE SUNSHINE. MORE CHANGES LATER TODAY... AS OF 400 AM EDT WEDNESDAY... LOCATIONS RIGHT ALONG THE BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY AND IN BATH AND ROCKBRIDGE COUNTIES WERE THE ONLY LOCATIONS AT 4AM THAT WERE AROUND FREEZING. WILL BE CANCELING SOME COUNTIES IN THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY WHERE TEMPERATURES WILL STAY STEADY FOR THE REST OF THE EARLY MORNING. MODELS SHOW THE WEDGE ERODING THIS AFTERNOON. FAR WESTERN COUNTY WARNING AREA WAS ALREADY ALONG THE EDGE OF THE LOWER CLOUDS. EXPECT EASTERN COUNTIES TO BE CLOUDY MUCH OF THE DAY.BUFKTI SOUNDINGS HAVE LYNCHBURG AND DANVILLE NOT GETTING SOME BREAKS IN THE CLOUDS UNTIL AFTER 3PM. OF COURSE LOCATIONS WITH MORE SUN TODAY WILL HAVE THE HIGHER TEMPERATURES. SHORT WAVE CROSSING THROUGH THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY AND CONTINUING ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY TODAY. AT THE SURFACE THE LOW WAS IN EASTERN IOWA EARLY THIS MORNING WITH THE COLD FRONT EXTENDING INTO CENTRAL TEXAS. EXPECT THE FRONT TO BE JUST REACHING THE EXTREME WESTERN COUNTY WARNING AREA AROUND 00Z/8PM THEN CROSS THE AREA TONIGHT. DEEPER MOISTURE AND PROBABILITY OF PRECIPITATION WILL BE CONFINED TO THE MOUNTAINS. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 400 AM EDT WEDNESDAY... ANY LINGERING RAIN/SNOW SHOWERS ACROSS SOUTHEAST WEST VIRGINIA WILL END QUICKLY THURSDAY MORNING AS HIGH PRESSURE SHIFTS EAST ACROSS THE GULF COAST REGION. THE WESTERLY WINDFLOW AROUND THE HIGH...COMBINED WITH ABUNDANT SUNSHINE HEADING INTO THE AFTERNOON...WILL MAKE FOR TEMPERATURES MUCH CLOSER TO NORMAL FOR THE SECOND HALF OF MARCH...WITH HIGHS RANGING FROM THE LOW/MID 50S ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS...TO THE LOW/MID 60S EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE. HIGH PRESSURE WILL THEN SETTLE ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE APPALACHIANS THURSDAY NIGHT...ALLOWING LOWS TO DROP TO THE LOW 30S WITH A FEW UPPER 20S. HIGH PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST ON FRIDAY...PASSING OFFSHORE DURING THE AFTERNOON AND ALLOWING WINDS ACROSS THE MID ATLANTIC TO SHIFT INCREASINGLY SOUTHWESTERLY. MODELS STILL HINTING AT A WEAK UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE PASSING UP THE OHIO RIVER VALLEY DURING THE MORNING...WHICH MAY BRING A FEW SHOWERS AS FAR SOUTH AS THE INTERSTATE 64 CORRIDOR. OTHERWISE...MID AND HIGH CLOUDS WILL BE ON THE INCREASE DURING THE AFTERNOON AS OUR NEXT COLD FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. AFTERNOON HIGHS WILL BE SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL...RISING INTO THE 60S MOST AREAS. THE SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW WILL HELP KEEP FRIDAY NIGHT LOWS WARMER AS WELL...WITH UPPER 30S AND LOW 40S IN THE FORECAST. A COLD FRONT WILL PUSH THROUGH THE REGION ON SATURDAY MORNING AND AFTERNOON. WITH ONLY LIMITED MOISTURE FOR THIS FRONT TO WORK WITH...EXPECT ONLY SPOTTY RAIN SHOWERS ALONG OUR WESTERN RIDGES THAT WILL DRY UP IN THE NORTHWESTERLY DOWNSLOPE WINDFLOW AS THEY CROSS THE NEW RIVER VALLEY. MAY SEE LIGHT RAIN DEVELOP ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS LATE SATURDAY NIGHT AS ANOTHER WAVE OF LOW PRESSURE DEVELOPS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PLAINS. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 135 PM EDT TUESDAY... SUNDAY...THE FLOW TURNS SHARPER ALOFT TOWARD A TROUGH OVER THE EAST. ANOTHER SFC TROUGH ARRIVES SUNDAY MORNING WITH ANOTHER SHOT OF COLD AIR FOR SUNDAY INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. LEAVING JUST A SLIGHT CHANCE OF UPSLOPE SNOW SHOWERS IN WRN GREENBRIER. HIGH PRESSURE TRACKS FROM THE NORTHERN PLAINS SUNDAY INTO THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES MONDAY. SHOULD BE DRY AND COOL. STARTING MONDAY NIGHT...MODELS VARY WITH THE 12Z GFS SHOWING A SHARPER FURTHER SOUTH TRACK WITH THE UPPER VORT AND COLD AIR SURGING INTO THE EAST...WHILE THE 00Z ECMWF LAGS IT BY 12 HOURS. THE MAIN ISSUE WILL BE SRN STREAM ENERGY TRYING TO BUCKLE BACK NORTH NEXT TUESDAY. AT THIS TIME...MODEL CONSENSUS SEEMS TO FAVOR A NORTHERN STREAM DOMINATED FLOW...SO OVERALL THE SYSTEM NEXT TUESDAY LOOKS COLD WITH A CHANCE OF SNOW...BUT DEVELOPMENT OF ANY OFFSHORE LOW STAYS NORTH. WILL HAVE TO WATCH WRAP-AROUND ON BACKSIDE OF SFC LOW LATER TUESDAY-TUESDAY NIGHT. && .AVIATION /18Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... AS OF 135 PM EDT WEDNESDAY... THE WIDESPREAD IFR/LIFR CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH A RESIDUAL COLD AIR DAMMING WEDGE OVER THE REGION IS SLOWING SCOURING OUT THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING. LYH WILL BE THE LAST TAF LOCATION TO GET OUT OF THE WEDGE THIS EVENING. WSR-88D SHOWED THAT ONLY SPOTTY DRIZZLE REMAIN IN THE EAST. HRRR HINTS AT SOME LIGHT RAIN OR DRIZZLE FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS IN THE FAR EAST. A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS THIS EVENING AND EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE OVERNIGHT. WINDS COME AROUND TO THE WEST WITH GUSTS UP TO 25 KNOTS POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT. THERE IS A LOW CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN THE MOUNTAINS AT LWB AND BLF. IN THE EAST...IT IS HARD TO TELL IF WITH MOIST/DAMP SOIL CONDITIONS...IT IS POSSIBLE THAT RADIATIONAL COOLING THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT COULD RESULT IN FOG DEVELOPMENT. THERE IS A BETTER CHANCE FOR FOG DEVELOPMENT TO OUR SOUTH ACROSS NORTH CAROLINA TONIGHT. LOW TO MEDIUM CONFIDENCE IN CEILINGS. HIGH TO MEDIUM IN VISIBILITY AND WINDS DURING THE PERIOD. .EXTENDED AVIATION DISCUSSION... VFR WEATHER IS EXPECTED FOR THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. SUB VFR CONDITIONS MAY RETURN FOR THE WEEKEND AS A CANADIAN COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE REGION ACCOMPANIED BY SHOWERS SATURDAY. VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED SUNDAY AFTERNOON INTO MONDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE SLIDES EAST ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY AND INTO NEW ENGLAND. && .RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VA...NONE. NC...NONE. WV...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...AMS NEAR TERM...AMS/KK SHORT TERM...NF LONG TERM...WP AVIATION...AMS/KK
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LA CROSSE WI
535 PM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY) ISSUED AT 316 PM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 AT 3 PM...WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SHOWS A SHORT WAVE TROUGH MOVING THROUGH THE EASTERN DAKOTAS. THIS SYSTEM HAS BEEN PRODUCING FLURRIES AND LIGHT SNOW IN ABERDEEN/S FORECAST AREA FOR MUCH OF TODAY. THE 19.12Z MODELS ARE IN GENERAL AGREEMENT THAT THIS SYSTEM WILL MOVE ACROSS SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA...NORTHEAST IOWA...AND SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN BETWEEN 20.04Z AND 21.09Z. AS A RESULT...ADDED A 20 PERCENT CHANCE OF SNOW FOR THESE AREAS TONIGHT...AND SOME FLURRIES ACROSS WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL RANGE FROM A TRACE TO A FEW TENTHS OF AN INCH. ON THURSDAY...WARM AIR ADVECTION DEVELOPS ACROSS THE AREA. THIS IS AHEAD OF A SHORT WAVE TROUGH MOVING SOUTHEAST INTO NORTH DAKOTA. 850 MB TEMPERATURES WARM ABOUT 4C DURING THE DAY. THIS IS WARM AIR ADVECTION IS A BIT SLOWER THAN ORIGINALLY ANTICIPATED...SO COOLED TEMPERATURES A COUPLE OF DEGREES. WITH THE BEST ISENTROPIC UPGLIDE AROUND 300K OR 500 MB...ONLY EXPECT SOME MID AND HIGH CLOUDS AHEAD OF THE WARM FRONT. .LONG TERM...(THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY) ISSUED AT 316 PM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 FROM THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY...THE WARM AIR ADVECTION CONTINUES AS A WARM FRONT SLIDES ACROSS SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA... NORTHEAST IOWA...AND IN WESTERN WISCONSIN GENERALLY SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 90. 850 MB TEMPERATURES WARM ANOTHER 2C TO 4C ALONG AND SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 90. MEANWHILE ALONG AND NORTH OF THE INTERSTATE 94 CORRIDOR /NORTH AND EAST OF THE WARM FRONT/ THE ISENTROPIC LIFT INCREASES DRAMATICALLY. AS THIS OCCURS...EXPECT PRECIPITATION TO RAPIDLY DEVELOP ON FRIDAY MORNING. SOUNDINGS SUGGEST IF THE PRECIPITATION DEVELOPS EARLY ENOUGH THAT THERE COULD BE A WINTRY MIX OF SLEET...SNOW...AND POSSIBLY SOME FREEZING RAIN PRIOR TO CHANGING TO MAINLY RAIN. FOR THE WEEKEND...COLD AIR ADVECTION DEVELOP IN THE WAKE OF THE COLD FRONT ON FRIDAY NIGHT. 850 MB TEMPERATURES FALL INTO THE -4 TO -8C RANGE BY SATURDAY MORNING. A MUCH STRONG COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE AREA ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON. 850 MB TEMPERATURES COOL INTO THE -12 TO -16C RANGE BY SUNDAY MORNING. AS A RESULT...EXPECT TEMPERATURES TO COOL DRAMATICALLY THIS WEEKEND. BY SUNDAY...THE HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL RANGE FROM THE UPPER TEENS IN NORTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN TO UPPER 20S IN NORTHEAST IOWA AND SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN. NORMALLY... HIGH TEMPERATURES ARE IN THE LOWER AND MID 40S. FROM MONDAY INTO MONDAY NIGHT...THE 19.12Z MODELS CONTINUE TO SHIFT THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM FURTHER SOUTHWEST. AS A RESULT...THE TEMPERATURES ALOFT IN THE GFS HAVE COOLED MUCH CLOSER TO THE ECMWF. AS A RESULT...ANY PRECIPITATION WITH THIS SYSTEM WOULD BE IN THE FORM OF SNOW. WITH THE BEST FORCING SOUTHWEST OF THE AREA...ONLY EXPECTING 1 TO 3 INCHES OF SNOW ACROSS SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA AND NORTHEAST IOWA AT THIS TIME. HOWEVER IF THE SOUTHWEST TREND CONTINUES...WE MAY NOT EVEN SEE THIS MUCH SNOW FROM THIS SYSTEM. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z THURSDAY EVENING) ISSUED AT 535 PM CDT WED MAR 19 2014 DIFFICULT CIG/VSBY FORECAST TONIGHT AS NAM12/RAP13 POINT TO AN INCREASE IN LOW LEVEL SATURATION TONIGHT VIA BUFKIT SOUNDINGS THAT COULD RESULT IN SOME IFR CIGS AND MVFR VSBYS. MELTING SNOW OVER SOUTHWEST MN IS PLAYING A PART IN AN INCREASE IN SFC MOISTURE. THAT SAID...THE RAP SFC TDS SUGGEST THAT DRIER AIR WILL WORK SOUTHEAST TOWARD THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER...IN A REGION OF SUBSIDENCE POST THE DEPARTING UPPER LEVEL TROUGH. CURRENT CLOUD SHIELD ACROSS KRST/KLSE IS MAKING STEADY PROGRESS EAST...AND SHOULD CLEAR KRST/KLSE BEFORE 06Z. MEANWHILE...SOME CLOUDS ACROSS THE DAKOTAS APPEAR DIURNAL IN NATURE...AND ASSOCIATED WITH A WEAK PERTURBATION A LOFT. SOME RADAR RETURNS WITH THE CLOUDS...AND SOME OBS SUPPORTING PCPN AT THE SFC. MODELS AREN/T TOO EXCITED ABOUT HOLDING THIS AREA TOGETHER...AT LEAST TO A POINT WHERE KRST/KLSE WOULD BE IMPACTED. SO THE QUESTION SWINGS BACK TO WHETHER LOW STRATUS WILL REDEVELOP LATER TONIGHT...AND THE POTENTIAL FOR FOG IF IT DOES NOT. NAM/RAP SOUNDINGS LEANING TOWARD FOG MORE THAN STRATUS...AND THINK THIS IS A BETTER WAY TO GO. WILL HOLD ONTO TO SOME LOW CIGS AT KRST FOR NOW...NOT CONFIDENT ENOUGH TO REMOVE YET. EXPECT ADJUSTMENTS TO THE FORECAST AS THE CLOUD TRENDS BECOME MORE EVIDENT TONIGHT. && .ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WI...NONE. MN...NONE. IA...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...BOYNE LONG TERM....BOYNE AVIATION.....RIECK