Forecast Discussions mentioning any of "HRRR" "RAP" "RR" "RUC13" "RUC" received at GSD on 03/06/15


AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS PUEBLO CO
1030 PM MST TUE MAR 3 2015 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 843 PM MST TUE MAR 3 2015 UPDATED TO UPGRADE I-25 CORRIDOR AND SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE SOUTHEAST PLAINS TO A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY. STILL IN THE WARM AIR ADVECTION PART OF THE STORM WHICH IS CAUSING HAVOC WITH PRECIPITATION TYPES ACROSS SOUTHEAST CO. JET INDUCED BANDED SNOW CONTINUES TO DEVELOP ACROSS FREMONT COUNTY AND STREAK OFF TO THE NORTHEAST...WHILE ELSEWHERE...COLD AIR IS TOO SHALLOW AND LIFT IS TOO WEAK TO PRODUCE MUCH MORE THAN FREEZING DRIZZLE. STARTING TO SEE EVIDENCE OF FREEZING DRIZZLE BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD IN CDOT CAMS ALONG I-25...AND SUSPECT THIS IS ALSO HAPPENING ALONG OUR SOUTHERN BORDER...THOUGH NETWORK OF CAMERAS AND SFC OBS MUCH MORE SPARSE DOWN THAT WAY. THINGS GETTING PRETTY ICY IN THE PUEBLO AREA...ON SIDEWALKS AND COLD SURFACES...AND THINK UNTREATED ROAD SURFACES WILL BE SOON TO FOLLOW AS TEMPERATURES CONTINUE TO FALL. FREEZING DRIZZLE SHOULD CONTINUE THROUGH THE EVENING AND EARLY OVERNIGHT HOURS BEFORE THE SECONDARY SURGE OF THE FRONT DROPS SOUTHWARD...SPREADING ANOTHER ROUND OF SNOW INTO SOUTHEAST CO AFTER 06Z. HIGH RES MODELS SEEM TO BE BACKING OFF ON SNOW TOTALS ACROSS MUCH OF SOUTHEAST CO. THIS DOESN`T SEEM UNREASONABLE AS DIV-Q FIELDS SHOW MAIN FORCING ACROSS OUR AREA NOW AND WILL BE PUSHING TO THE SOUTHEAST WITH THE TROF AXIS...AND SECONDARY WAVE STAYS MAINLY UP TO THE NORTH. STILL...AS NORTHEAST UPSLOPE DEEPENS BEHIND THE FRONT...SUSPECT THAT SOUTHEAST MOUNTAINS...WETS AND SANGRES SHOULD FAIR WELL ENOUGH TO JUSTIFY KEEPING ADVISORIES UP. AND ADDITIONAL SNOW ON TOP OF ICY ROADS WILL ONLY EXACERBATE TRAVEL PROBLEMS TOMORROW MORNING...SO HAVE EXTENDED THE ADVISORIES THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON ACROSS THE SOUTHERN I-25 CORRIDOR AND SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE SOUTHEAST PLAINS. SUSPECT THAT NORTHERN PORTIONS (SOUTHERN EL PASO AND PERHAPS PUEBLO COUNTIES) MAY BE ABLE TO BE DROPPED SOONER THAN THAT...BUT SOUTHERLY UPSLOPE FLOW MAY ALSO KEEP SOME LIGHT SNOW GOING THROUGH THE AFTERNOON ALONG THE SOUTHERN SLOPES OF THE PALMER DIVIDE...SO WILL LET LATER SHIFTS REFINE TIMING AS NEW RUNS CONTINUE TO FILTER IN. -KT UPDATE ISSUED AT 653 PM MST TUE MAR 3 2015 GETTING REPORTS OF FREEZING DRIZZLE AROUND PUEBLO AND PUEBLO WEST. RAP SOUNDINGS DO NOT LOOK SATURATED THROUGH A DEEP ENOUGH/COLD ENOUGH LAYER UNTIL LATE TONIGHT...THOUGH IF SNOW BAND TO THE WEST CONTINUES TO PULL AWAY TO THE EAST...WE COULD GET SOME SEEDER FEEDER EFFECTS WHICH WILL QUICKLY CONVERT FREEZING DRIZZLE TO SNOW. RAP INDICATES TEMPERATURES FINALLY DROP WITHIN THE SATURATED LAYER TO -10C OR COLDER SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT...AND ONCE THE SECONDARY COLD SURGE MOVES IN...IT WILL BE AN ABRUPT CHANGE OVER TO SNOW. THEREFORE...JUST A NARROW WINDOW OF FREEZING DRIZZLE HERE THIS EVENING TO CONTEND WITH. MONITORING FOR POTENTIAL WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UPGRADE FOR PUEBLO COUNTY ASSOC WITH ICING. -KT UPDATE ISSUED AT 509 PM MST TUE MAR 3 2015 UPDATED FORECAST TO EXPIRE HIGHLIGHTS ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS THIS EVENING. ALSO BUMPED UP POPS ACROSS FREMONT AND TELLER COUNTY. BOTH HRRR AND RAP13 DEPICT THE BAND OF SNOW OUT THERE NOW LIFTING OFF TO THE NORTHEAST THROUGH THE EVENING ASSOC WITH UPGLIDE. THIS BAND COULD PUT DOWN A QUICK 1 TO 2 INCHES WITH LOCALIZED 3 INCH AMOUNTS. -KT UPDATE ISSUED AT 350 PM MST TUE MAR 3 2015 HAD TO MAKE A CORRECTION TO THE BEGINNING TIME OF THE SNOW ADVISORY FOR THE SOUTHERN MOUNTAINS. /HODANISH && .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH WEDNESDAY) ISSUED AT 252 PM MST TUE MAR 3 2015 ...SNOW FOR THE LOWER ELEVATIONS... REST OF TODAY AND TONIGHT... SNOW IS DEVELOPING ACROSS THE PIKES PEAK REGION AS WARM AIR ADVECTION PATTERN SETS UP IN ADVANCE OF NEXT SHORT WAVE DROPPING INTO THE REGION. OTHER LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS MAY DEVELOP FARTHER SOUTH ACROSS THE REGION AND ALONG THE S MTNS...ALTHOUGH I DO NOT EXPECT THE BRUNT OF THE SNOW TO DEVELOP FOR THESE REGIONS UNTIL LATER TONIGHT AS A 2NDRY SURGE OF COLD AIR PLOWS INTO THE REGION...AND THIS SHOULD ALLOW FOR STEADY LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOW TO DEVELOP ACROSS MOST OF THE PLAINS. ONE AREA OF CONCERN I HAVE IS OVER FAR SE PLAINS. ALL GUIDANCE SHOWS A RATHER HEALTHY BAND OF SNOW DEVELOPING OVER THIS REGION WHICH COULD HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO DROP QUITE A BIT OF SNOW. HOWEVER...SOME GUIDANCE KEEPS IT SOUTH OF THE STATE OF CO WHILE OTHERS HAVE IT OCCURRING OVER BACA COUNTY. FOR NOW....HAVE HIGHER SNOW AMOUNTS FOR THIS REGION AND WILL ALERT INCOMING SHIFT TO THE POTENTIAL FOR THIS HEAVY SNOW. I HAVE EXTENDED THE WARNINGS FOR THE C MTNS AS GUIDANCE SHOWS SNOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE NIGHT. SNOW WILL ALSO CONTINUE OVER THE SAN JUANS...BUT SHOULD END BY MID EVENING...SO WILL ALLOW THIS WARNING TO EXPIRE AT 5 PM. COLDER AIR HAS MOVED INTO THE REGION AND THE 2NDRY URGE WILL EVEN BRING COLDER AIR INTO THE AREA. THIS 2NDRY SURGE SHOULD ARRIVE AROUND 3 AM AND MOVE SOUTH ACROSS THE STATE. TOMORROW... RUSH HOUR IS GOING TO BE A MESS OVER THE REGION. STEADY SNOW WILL LIKELY BE OCCURRING ACROSS ALL OF THE PLAINS AND ADJ MTNS AFTER SUNRISE. IT WILL BE QUITE COLD WITH WINDCHILLS RANGING BETWEEN +5F AND -10F ACROSS THE PLAINS. LATEST GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO HOLD ONTO THE SNOW UNTIL MIDDAY ACROSS THE PIKES PEAK REGION AND THEN GRADUALLY DECREASES THE SNOW AS THE AFTERNOON PROGRESSES. SNOW WILL CONTINUE OVER THE SPANISH PEAKS REGION/RATON MESA REGION UNTIL AFTERNOON. THE S SAN LUIS VALLEY AND FAR S SANGRE DE CRISTO MTNS COULD SEE SOME ACCUM SNOW LATE IN THE DAY TOMORROW. OVERALL... I EXPECT WIDESPREAD 2-4 INCH AMOUNTS OVER THE PLAINS WITH THIS EVENT. AREAS OF HEAVIER SNOW ON THE LOWER ELEVATIONS WILL OCCUR ACROSS THE PALMER DVD AND RATON MESA REGIONS...AND POSSIBLY BACA COUNTY WITH THE POTENTIAL SNOW BAND. THE S MTNS SHOULD SEE 4 TO 10 INCH AMOUNTS. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT IF DENDRITIC GROWTH IS FAVORABLE...THEN WE COULD SEE DEEPER AMOUNTS OF FLUFF. .LONG TERM...(WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 252 PM MST TUE MAR 3 2015 WEDNESDAY NIGHT...LATEST MODEL RUNS INDICATE A SLIGHTLY SLOWER PROGRESSION OF THE UPPER TROUGH...SO IT LOOKS AS IF SNOW WILL LINGER OVER THE SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE STATE THROUGH WED EVE. THEREFORE...STAGGERED THE POPS TO SHOW THEM FINALLY DIMINISHING RIGHT AROUND MIDNIGHT. BRISK NW FLOW ALOFT WILL THEN SETTLE IN WITH DOWNWARD FORCING HELPING TO CLEAR THE SKIES...WHICH LEADS TO A VERY COLD NIGHT WITH MIN TEMPS IN THE 5 TO -10 DEG RANGE EXPECTED. THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY...A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO THE WESTERN US AND HOLDS IN PLACE OVER THE WEEKEND...KEEPING THE STATE UNDER NW FLOW ALOFT. THERE REMAINS A HINT OF FLURRIES OVER THE CENTRAL MTS ON THU...AND AGAIN ON SAT...SO INCLUDED THAT IN THE WX GRIDS. OTHERWISE...A GRADUAL WARMING TREND. LOOK FOR THE 30S ON THU...40S FRI AND SAT...THEN 50S TO RIGHT AROUND 60F FOR SUN THROUGH TUE. MOORE && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z WEDNESDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 1025 PM MST TUE MAR 3 2015 KALS...VFR CONDITIONS TONIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING. SNOW IS FORECAST TO MOVE OUT OVER THE SAN LUIS VALLEY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON WITH REDUCED VIS AND CIGS POSSIBLE AT THE TERMINAL. THIS SNOW ACTIVITY SHOULD DISSIPATE BY LATE AFTERNOON OR EARLY EVENING. KCOS...LIGHT SNOW AND FOG WILL CONTINUE TO BRING LIFR CONDITIONS TO THE TERMINAL THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING. A COLD FRONT WILL PASS ACROSS THE TERMINAL BY 11Z WITH GUSTY NORTH WINDS BEHIND IT. THERE SHOULD ALSO BE AN INCREASE IN SNOW INTENSITY AS THE FRONT PASSES. EXPECT IMPROVING CONDITIONS THROUGH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON WITH MVFR TO VFR CONDITIONS BY WEDNESDAY EVENING. KPUB...FREEZING DRIZZLE...FOG AND PERIODS OF LIGHT SNOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MUCH OF TONIGHT. COLD TEMPERATURES WILL ALLOW FOR ICE ACCUMULATIONS ON ELEVATED SURFACES...AND POSSIBLY AREA RUNWAYS. A COLD FRONT WILL PASS ACROSS THE AREA BY 12Z WITH LIGHT SNOW EXPECTED THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON. EXPECT IMPROVING CONDITIONS THROUGH THE LATE AFTERNOON INTO WEDNESDAY EVENING. MOZLEY && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 5 AM MST WEDNESDAY FOR COZ059. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM MST WEDNESDAY FOR COZ072>075- 079-080. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 2 PM MST WEDNESDAY FOR COZ083- 085>088-094-099. WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 5 AM MST WEDNESDAY FOR COZ058-060-061. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 11 AM MST WEDNESDAY FOR COZ081-082- 084. && $$ UPDATE...KT SHORT TERM...HODANISH LONG TERM...MOORE AVIATION...MOZLEY
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS PUEBLO CO
905 PM MST TUE MAR 3 2015 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 843 PM MST TUE MAR 3 2015 UPDATED TO UPGRADE I-25 CORRIDOR AND SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE SOUTHEAST PLAINS TO A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY. STILL IN THE WARM AIR ADVECTION PART OF THE STORM WHICH IS CAUSING HAVOC WITH PRECIPITATION TYPES ACROSS SOUTHEAST CO. JET INDUCED BANDED SNOW CONTINUES TO DEVELOP ACROSS FREMONT COUNTY AND STREAK OFF TO THE NORTHEAST...WHILE ELSEWHERE...COLD AIR IS TOO SHALLOW AND LIFT IS TOO WEAK TO PRODUCE MUCH MORE THAN FREEZING DRIZZLE. STARTING TO SEE EVIDENCE OF FREEZING DRIZZLE BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD IN CDOT CAMS ALONG I-25...AND SUSPECT THIS IS ALSO HAPPENING ALONG OUR SOUTHERN BORDER...THOUGH NETWORK OF CAMERAS AND SFC OBS MUCH MORE SPARSE DOWN THAT WAY. THINGS GETTING PRETTY ICY IN THE PUEBLO AREA...ON SIDEWALKS AND COLD SURFACES...AND THINK UNTREATED ROAD SURFACES WILL BE SOON TO FOLLOW AS TEMPERATURES CONTINUE TO FALL. FREEZING DRIZZLE SHOULD CONTINUE THROUGH THE EVENING AND EARLY OVERNIGHT HOURS BEFORE THE SECONDARY SURGE OF THE FRONT DROPS SOUTHWARD...SPREADING ANOTHER ROUND OF SNOW INTO SOUTHEAST CO AFTER 06Z. HIGH RES MODELS SEEM TO BE BACKING OFF ON SNOW TOTALS ACROSS MUCH OF SOUTHEAST CO. THIS DOESN`T SEEM UNREASONABLE AS DIV-Q FIELDS SHOW MAIN FORCING ACROSS OUR AREA NOW AND WILL BE PUSHING TO THE SOUTHEAST WITH THE TROF AXIS...AND SECONDARY WAVE STAYS MAINLY UP TO THE NORTH. STILL...AS NORTHEAST UPSLOPE DEEPENS BEHIND THE FRONT...SUSPECT THAT SOUTHEAST MOUNTAINS...WETS AND SANGRES SHOULD FAIR WELL ENOUGH TO JUSTIFY KEEPING ADVISORIES UP. AND ADDITIONAL SNOW ON TOP OF ICY ROADS WILL ONLY EXACERBATE TRAVEL PROBLEMS TOMORROW MORNING...SO HAVE EXTENDED THE ADVISORIES THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON ACROSS THE SOUTHERN I-25 CORRIDOR AND SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE SOUTHEAST PLAINS. SUSPECT THAT NORTHERN PORTIONS (SOUTHERN EL PASO AND PERHAPS PUEBLO COUNTIES) MAY BE ABLE TO BE DROPPED SOONER THAN THAT...BUT SOUTHERLY UPSLOPE FLOW MAY ALSO KEEP SOME LIGHT SNOW GOING THROUGH THE AFTERNOON ALONG THE SOUTHERN SLOPES OF THE PALMER DIVIDE...SO WILL LET LATER SHIFTS REFINE TIMING AS NEW RUNS CONTINUE TO FILTER IN. -KT UPDATE ISSUED AT 653 PM MST TUE MAR 3 2015 GETTING REPORTS OF FREEZING DRIZZLE AROUND PUEBLO AND PUEBLO WEST. RAP SOUNDINGS DO NOT LOOK SATURATED THROUGH A DEEP ENOUGH/COLD ENOUGH LAYER UNTIL LATE TONIGHT...THOUGH IF SNOW BAND TO THE WEST CONTINUES TO PULL AWAY TO THE EAST...WE COULD GET SOME SEEDER FEEDER EFFECTS WHICH WILL QUICKLY CONVERT FREEZING DRIZZLE TO SNOW. RAP INDICATES TEMPERATURES FINALLY DROP WITHIN THE SATURATED LAYER TO -10C OR COLDER SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT...AND ONCE THE SECONDARY COLD SURGE MOVES IN...IT WILL BE AN ABRUPT CHANGE OVER TO SNOW. THEREFORE...JUST A NARROW WINDOW OF FREEZING DRIZZLE HERE THIS EVENING TO CONTEND WITH. MONITORING FOR POTENTIAL WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UPGRADE FOR PUEBLO COUNTY ASSOC WITH ICING. -KT UPDATE ISSUED AT 509 PM MST TUE MAR 3 2015 UPDATED FORECAST TO EXPIRE HIGHLIGHTS ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS THIS EVENING. ALSO BUMPED UP POPS ACROSS FREMONT AND TELLER COUNTY. BOTH HRRR AND RAP13 DEPICT THE BAND OF SNOW OUT THERE NOW LIFTING OFF TO THE NORTHEAST THROUGH THE EVENING ASSOC WITH UPGLIDE. THIS BAND COULD PUT DOWN A QUICK 1 TO 2 INCHES WITH LOCALIZED 3 INCH AMOUNTS. -KT UPDATE ISSUED AT 350 PM MST TUE MAR 3 2015 HAD TO MAKE A CORRECTION TO THE BEGINNING TIME OF THE SNOW ADVISORY FOR THE SOUTHERN MOUNTAINS. /HODANISH && .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH WEDNESDAY) ISSUED AT 252 PM MST TUE MAR 3 2015 ...SNOW FOR THE LOWER ELEVATIONS... REST OF TODAY AND TONIGHT... SNOW IS DEVELOPING ACROSS THE PIKES PEAK REGION AS WARM AIR ADVECTION PATTERN SETS UP IN ADVANCE OF NEXT SHORT WAVE DROPPING INTO THE REGION. OTHER LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS MAY DEVELOP FARTHER SOUTH ACROSS THE REGION AND ALONG THE S MTNS...ALTHOUGH I DO NOT EXPECT THE BRUNT OF THE SNOW TO DEVELOP FOR THESE REGIONS UNTIL LATER TONIGHT AS A 2NDRY SURGE OF COLD AIR PLOWS INTO THE REGION...AND THIS SHOULD ALLOW FOR STEADY LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOW TO DEVELOP ACROSS MOST OF THE PLAINS. ONE AREA OF CONCERN I HAVE IS OVER FAR SE PLAINS. ALL GUIDANCE SHOWS A RATHER HEALTHY BAND OF SNOW DEVELOPING OVER THIS REGION WHICH COULD HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO DROP QUITE A BIT OF SNOW. HOWEVER...SOME GUIDANCE KEEPS IT SOUTH OF THE STATE OF CO WHILE OTHERS HAVE IT OCCURRING OVER BACA COUNTY. FOR NOW....HAVE HIGHER SNOW AMOUNTS FOR THIS REGION AND WILL ALERT INCOMING SHIFT TO THE POTENTIAL FOR THIS HEAVY SNOW. I HAVE EXTENDED THE WARNINGS FOR THE C MTNS AS GUIDANCE SHOWS SNOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE NIGHT. SNOW WILL ALSO CONTINUE OVER THE SAN JUANS...BUT SHOULD END BY MID EVENING...SO WILL ALLOW THIS WARNING TO EXPIRE AT 5 PM. COLDER AIR HAS MOVED INTO THE REGION AND THE 2NDRY URGE WILL EVEN BRING COLDER AIR INTO THE AREA. THIS 2NDRY SURGE SHOULD ARRIVE AROUND 3 AM AND MOVE SOUTH ACROSS THE STATE. TOMORROW... RUSH HOUR IS GOING TO BE A MESS OVER THE REGION. STEADY SNOW WILL LIKELY BE OCCURRING ACROSS ALL OF THE PLAINS AND ADJ MTNS AFTER SUNRISE. IT WILL BE QUITE COLD WITH WINDCHILLS RANGING BETWEEN +5F AND -10F ACROSS THE PLAINS. LATEST GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO HOLD ONTO THE SNOW UNTIL MIDDAY ACROSS THE PIKES PEAK REGION AND THEN GRADUALLY DECREASES THE SNOW AS THE AFTERNOON PROGRESSES. SNOW WILL CONTINUE OVER THE SPANISH PEAKS REGION/RATON MESA REGION UNTIL AFTERNOON. THE S SAN LUIS VALLEY AND FAR S SANGRE DE CRISTO MTNS COULD SEE SOME ACCUM SNOW LATE IN THE DAY TOMORROW. OVERALL... I EXPECT WIDESPREAD 2-4 INCH AMOUNTS OVER THE PLAINS WITH THIS EVENT. AREAS OF HEAVIER SNOW ON THE LOWER ELEVATIONS WILL OCCUR ACROSS THE PALMER DVD AND RATON MESA REGIONS...AND POSSIBLY BACA COUNTY WITH THE POTENTIAL SNOW BAND. THE S MTNS SHOULD SEE 4 TO 10 INCH AMOUNTS. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT IF DENDRITIC GROWTH IS FAVORABLE...THEN WE COULD SEE DEEPER AMOUNTS OF FLUFF. .LONG TERM...(WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 252 PM MST TUE MAR 3 2015 WEDNESDAY NIGHT...LATEST MODEL RUNS INDICATE A SLIGHTLY SLOWER PROGRESSION OF THE UPPER TROUGH...SO IT LOOKS AS IF SNOW WILL LINGER OVER THE SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE STATE THROUGH WED EVE. THEREFORE...STAGGERED THE POPS TO SHOW THEM FINALLY DIMINISHING RIGHT AROUND MIDNIGHT. BRISK NW FLOW ALOFT WILL THEN SETTLE IN WITH DOWNWARD FORCING HELPING TO CLEAR THE SKIES...WHICH LEADS TO A VERY COLD NIGHT WITH MIN TEMPS IN THE 5 TO -10 DEG RANGE EXPECTED. THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY...A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO THE WESTERN US AND HOLDS IN PLACE OVER THE WEEKEND...KEEPING THE STATE UNDER NW FLOW ALOFT. THERE REMAINS A HINT OF FLURRIES OVER THE CENTRAL MTS ON THU...AND AGAIN ON SAT...SO INCLUDED THAT IN THE WX GRIDS. OTHERWISE...A GRADUAL WARMING TREND. LOOK FOR THE 30S ON THU...40S FRI AND SAT...THEN 50S TO RIGHT AROUND 60F FOR SUN THROUGH TUE. MOORE && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z WEDNESDAY EVENING) ISSUED AT 252 PM MST TUE MAR 3 2015 IFR TO LIFR CONDITIONS WILL DEVELOP THIS EVENING AT KCOS AND KPUB AND LAST INTO TOMORROW. THE HEAVIER SNOW FOR BOTH TAF SITES WILL OCCUR LATE TONIGHT INTO TOMORROW MORNING. THE SNOW WILL ACCUMULATE. BLOWING SNOW MAY BE AN ISSUE LATE TONIGHT AND TOMORROW MORNING. THE SNOW WILL BEGIN AT KCOS LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AND AT PUEBLO LATER TONIGHT. KALS...VFR UNTIL TOMORROW MORNING WHEN SNOW SHOWERS WILL BE POSSIBLE DURING THE DAY TOMORROW WHICH COULD BRING OCNL IFR CONDITIONS. && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 5 AM MST WEDNESDAY FOR COZ059. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM MST WEDNESDAY FOR COZ072>075- 079-080. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 2 PM MST WEDNESDAY FOR COZ083- 085>088-094-099. WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 5 AM MST WEDNESDAY FOR COZ058-060-061. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 11 AM MST WEDNESDAY FOR COZ081-082- 084. && $$ UPDATE...KT SHORT TERM...HODANISH LONG TERM...MOORE AVIATION...HODANISH
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MOUNT HOLLY NJ
604 PM EST WED MAR 4 2015 .SYNOPSIS... SEVERAL WAVES OF LOW PRESSURE WILL TRACK NORTHEASTWARD ALONG A COLD FRONTAL BOUNDARY TONIGHT AND THURSDAY. THIS COLD FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL MOVE OFFSHORE THURSDAY NIGHT AND WILL GIVE WAY TO AN AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE MOVING INTO THE REGION ON FRIDAY. FOR THE WEEKEND AND EARLY NEXT WEEK, WE WILL ALTERNATE BETWEEN AREAS OF HIGH PRESSURE AND COLD FRONTS MOVING THROUGH THE REGION. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM THURSDAY MORNING/... SOCIAL MEDIA HAS THE UPDATED WED EVENING BRIEFING PACKAGE AND REQUEST FOR OBSERVATIONS. WE WILL BE MONITORING MOSTLY OUR SKYWARN ACCOUNT AND PHI FB. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL YOUR ASSISTANCE INCLUDING THE ENERGY TO HELP US DURING THE NIGHT. SAFETY FIRST. 545PM ESTF UPDATE: ADDED PATCHY FOG MUCH OF THE AREA THIS EVENING IN LIGHT WIND FRONTAL ZONE. HAVE DELAYED THE CHANGE TO SNOW AND SLEET IN NE PA AND NW NJ BY 2 HOURS. NO OTHER SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THIS FCST WILL POST BEFORE 730 PM. OTHERWISE TRENDS VIA 18Z AND 20Z HRRR SHOW A CHANGE TO SNOW FROM NORTH TO SOUTH SUCH THAT PHL SHOULD BE SEEING SNOW ACCUM AROUND 08Z WITH 2-3 INCHES NEAR AND N OF I-80 BY 09Z. COLD FRONT SHOULD BEGIN TO PUSH THROUGH THE REGION LATE THIS EVENING. AS IT DOES SO, THE PRECIPITATION TYPE WILL CHANGE FROM RAIN TO WINTRY PRECIPITATION. EXACTLY WHAT KIND OF WINTRY PRECIPITATION WILL DEPEND ON WHERE IN THE REGION AND WHAT TIME THE FRONT FINALLY COMES THROUGH. FOR THE POCONOS AND LEHIGH VALLEY IN PA AND NORTHWEST NJ, IT LOOKS LIKE A PRETTY FAST AND CLEAN TRANSITION FROM RAIN TO SNOW BY LATE THIS EVENING. FOR THE URBAN CORRIDOR, CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN NJ, AND FAR NORTHERN DELMARVA, A WARM NOSE IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AROUND OR JUST AFTER MIDNIGHT IN THE LOW LEVELS, MAKING A BRIEF PERIOD OF A WINTRY MIX OF SLEET AND SNOW POSSIBLE BEFORE CHANGING OVER TO ALL SNOW. SOUTHERN DELMARVA SHOULD STAY MOSTLY RAIN THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS UNTIL JUST BEFORE SUNRISE - WHICH IS DISCUSSED MORE IN THE SHORT TERM SECTION. THIS ALL DEPENDENT ON THE TIMING OF THE COLD FRONT AND THE TEMPERATURES, WHICH GUIDANCE HAS BEEN POOR FOR TEMPERATURES MOST OF THE DAY. AS FOR SNOW AMOUNTS, THE AXIS OF HEAVIEST QPF HAS SHIFTED FURTHER SOUTH, HOWEVER THIS WILL ALL BE DEPENDENT ON THE TIMING OF THE CHANGE OVER, WHICH AS MENTIONED BEFORE IS STILL UNCERTAIN. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH 6 PM THURSDAY/... RECORD DAILY SNOWFALLS POSSIBLE AT KILG AND KACY. PLS SEE CLIMATE SECTION FOR DETAILS ON THE BIG FOUR CLIMATE SITES. THE WARM NOSE WILL STILL BE PRESENT, AND SHOULD IN FACT BE A BIT DEEPER OVER SOUTHERN DELMARVA AS THEY DROP NEAR AND BELOW FREEZING NEAR SUNRISE. AS SUCH, COULD SEE A MIX OF FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET BEFORE IT CHANGES OVER TO ALL SNOW NO LATER THAN MID MORNING. ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE REGION, DRIER AIR MOVING INTO THE POCONOS AND NW NJ COULD ERODE AND END THE PRECIPITATION FOR THOSE AREAS BY MID DAY. DRY AIR ADVECTION WILL TAKE OVER ACROSS MUCH OF THE REST OF THE AREA THROUGH THE AFTERNOON, ALLOWING THE PRECIPITATION TO TAPER OFF ALMOST EVERYWHERE BY LATE AFTERNOON. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... FAIRLY QUIET WITH A GENERAL NORTHWEST FLOW PATTERN OF ALTERNATING COLD FRONTS AND WEST-SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW WARM-UPS AHEAD OF THESE FRONTS. SLIGHT TO LOW PRECIPITATION CHANCES AHEAD OF THESE FRONTS, FOCUSED NORTH. THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY: A COLD FRIDAY MORNING IS ON TAP WITH SNOWCOVER IN PLACE, CLEAR SKIES AND MAINLY LIGHT WINDS UNDER 10 MPH. RADIATIONAL COOLING SHOULD ALLOW FOR A QUICK TEMPERATURE DROP AFTER CLOUDS CLEAR. WENT COLDER THAN MAV AND MET GUIDANCE SETS CLOSER TO THE MODELED TWO METER TEMPERATURES FROM THE GFS. HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO THE REGION KEEPING THIS PERIOD DRY WITH A EVENTUAL SWING FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS AND MODERATING TEMPERATURES BY SATURDAY. TRENDED COLDER THAN THE MET AND MAV AT NIGHT DUE TO SNOWCOVER AND WARMER DURING THE DAY. THESE GUIDANCE SETS HAVE BEEN RUNNING WITH A COLD BIAS IN THE DAYTIME. SOUNDINGS ALSO YIELD THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME WIND GUSTS AROUND 15 MPH SATURDAY AFTERNOON. SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY: A COLD FRONT WILL DECAY INTO A TROUGH ACROSS NEW ENGLAND BY SUNDAY MORNING PROVIDING AN INCREASE IN CLOUDS AND PERHAPS A LOW CHANCE FOR RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS ACROSS FAR NORTHERN PARTS OF THE REGION, CLOSER TO THE FRONT. A FEW 06Z GEFS MEMBERS HAVE MOISTURE FROM THE GULF COMING NORTH AS WELL, FOR NOW WILL GO WITH THE MODEL CONSENSUS AWAY FROM THIS IDEA. SNOWCOVER SHOULD LESS OF A CONCERN WITH TEMPERATURES BY SUNDAY. WITH MORE CLOUDS AROUND THE ENSEMBLE GUIDANCE FROM WPC IS PREFERRED FOR MOST ELEMENTS. WINDS ARE MORE IN LINE WITH THE NAM/GFS MODELS THOUGH. SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY: ONCE AGAIN HIGH PRESSURE IS IN CONTROL IN THE REGION WITH GENERAL WEST WINDS. THIS WILL RESULT IN A BRIEF PERIOD OF COOLER TEMPERATURES SUNDAY NIGHT BEFORE SPRING LIKE DAYS ON MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. A WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY AGAIN LOOKS TO FOCUS ON NEW ENGLAND FOR MONDAY, ANOTHER LOW CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION. THEN THIS WILL BE FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM. THE AIRMASS BY TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY WILL BE THE WARMEST IN SOME TIME ACROSS THE REGION. LIKED THE DIRECTION OF THE ENSEMBLE GUIDANCE TO TREND TEMPERATURES SEVERAL DEGREES WARMER THAN THE MODELED TWO METER TEMPERATURES. THE MODELED TWO METER TEMPS LOOK TO COOL SHOULD SOME SOUTHERLY COMPONENT GET INVOLVED, THIS LOOKS LIKE IT HAS A FAIR CHANCE OF OCCURRING BY WEDNESDAY. FORECAST HIGH OF 56 AT PHL WEDNESDAY, I`M SURE THIS WILL BE WELCOME TO MANY. LOW PRESSURE THAT FORMS IN THE GULF OF MEXICO TUE-WED LOOKS TO STAY SOUTH OF OUR REGION ATTM. && .AVIATION /00Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... THE FOLLOWING DISCUSSION IS FOR KPHL, KPNE, KTTN, KABE, KRDG, KILG, KMIV, KACY AND SURROUNDING AREAS. TONIGHT...MVFR CONDS IN RAIN/FOG VARIABLE LIFR IN PATCHY DENSE FOG THIS EVENING. THEN AS THE COLDER NORTHWEST WIND INCREASES, THE CHANGE FROM RAIN TO SLEET/FREEZING RAIN FOR 1-2 HOURS AND THEN IFR SNOW OCCURS. PLEASE SEE THE 00Z TAFS FOR DETAILS. MY CONFIDENCE IN MDT 1/2 MI SNOW IS BELOW AVERAGE. HOWEVER, I AM CONFIDENT THAT WIDESPREAD PLOWING AND EXTENSIVE DELAYS WILL DEVELOP BY SUNRISE THURSDAY. NORTH WIND GUSTS TO 18 KT BY 11Z THURSDAY. THURSDAY...IFR SNOW IN THE MORNING WITH TEMPERATURES FALLING INTO THE 20S AT ALL TAF SITES BY 15Z. NORTH WIND GUSTING TO 20 KT. CONDITIONS SHOULD IMPROVE TO VFR FROM NORTH TO SOUTH DURING THE AFTERNOON. PLOWING OPERATIONS AND EXTENSIVE DELAYS ARE ANTICIPATED WITH WIDESPREAD EVENT TOTALS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES. OUTLOOK... THURSDAY NIGHT: IMPROVING TO VFR BY MID-EVENING. NORTHWEST WIND AROUND 10 KNOTS. FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT: VFR, NORTHWEST WIND 10 KNOTS OR LESS. SATURDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT: VFR, WEST TO SOUTHWEST WIND AROUND 10 KNOTS, GUSTS AROUND 15 KNOTS SATURDAY AFTERNOON. MID-LEVEL CLOUDS SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING, PASSING RAIN/SNOW SHOWER CAN NOT BE RULED OUT FOR ABE. MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT: VFR, MID-LEVEL CLOUDS. && .MARINE... WAVES ALONG THE COASTAL WATERS WILL CONTINUE TO REMAIN NEAR OR ABOVE 5 FT. AFTER MIDNIGHT, WINDS INCREASE WITH GUSTS ABOVE 25 KT POSSIBLE. THEREFORE THE SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CONTINUES THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING ALONG THE COASTAL WATERS. ON THE BAY, A FEW GUSTS NEAR 20KT ARE POSSIBLE, BUT CONDITIONS SHOULD GENERALLY REMAIN BELOW SCA CRITERIA. OUTLOOK.. SEAS LOOK TO REMAIN BELOW FIVE FEET THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE OUTLOOK PERIOD, WITH SEAS NEAR FIVE FEET EARLY THURSDAY NIGHT. THE FORECAST IS ABOUT A FOOT HIGHER THAN WAVEWATCH. NORTHWEST WIND GUSTS AROUND 20 KNOTS MAY OCCUR THURSDAY EVENING. OTHERWISE WIND GUSTS SHOULD STAY UNDER 20 KNOTS. SOME FREEZING SPRAY MAY OCCUR THURSDAY NIGHT AND EARLY FRIDAY IN ICE FREE WATERS. CONFIDENCE IS NOT HIGH FOR ANY MODERATE FREEZING SPRAY IN TERMS OF DURATION AND LIKELIHOOD, MAY JUST LAST A FEW HOURS IF IT OCCURS. WITH SOME MODERATE FREEZING SPRAY IN THE GRIDS, DID INCLUDE MENTION IN THE HWO. && .HYDROLOGY... MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW A DECENT AMOUNT OF QPF ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY. IN GENERAL AND BREAKING THE CWA INTO THIRDS, A CHANGEOVER TO SLEET OR SNOW IS EXPECTED ACROSS THE NORTHERN THIRD BY AROUND MIDNIGHT, THE MIDDLE THIRD BY DAYBREAK, AND THE SOUTHERN THIRD BY MID-MORNING TOMORROW. WITH THE GROUND BEING FROZEN EVERYWHERE, ANY RUNOFF WILL BE VERY EFFICIENT BEFORE THE CHANGEOVER. MORNING MODELS CONTINUE TO PRODUCE BETWEEN 0.50 TO 1.00 INCH OF QPF BEFORE THE CHANGEOVER. WITH THIS AMOUNT, WE FEEL NUISANCE POOR DRAINAGE AND LOW LYING FLOODING WILL BE THE MOST LIKELY OUTCOME. WITH MORE SNOW OR SLEET EXPECTED ACROSS THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE CWA, WE`RE LESS CONCERNED ABOUT FLOODING THERE. MODELED SOLUTIONS SUGGEST WE WOULD NEED BETWEEN 1.50 TO 2.00 INCHES OF LIQUID (OVER A 6 TO 12 HOUR PERIOD), EITHER IN THE FORM OF ALL RAIN OR RAIN AND MELTING SNOW TO HAVE OUR SOUTHERN CREEKS AND STREAMS LEAVE THEIR BANKS. NONE OF OUR RIVER FORECAST POINTS ARE FORECAST TO HIT FLOOD STAGE OR EVEN CAUTION STAGE. THE SHORT TERM GOOD NEWS IS THAT RAIN WILL CHANGE OVER TO SNOW QUICKER ACROSS PLACES THAT HAVE A SNOWPACK AND WHERE MORE RAIN IS EXPECTED, THERE IS LESS SNOW PACK. THE LONGER TERM BAD NEWS IS THAT WE`RE POTENTIALLY KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE LINE AND JUST ADDING TO OUR SNOWPACK FOR A FUTURE MELT. WITH THE RAINFALL, THE FLOW ON AREA CREEKS AND STREAMS WILL INCREASE. THIS COULD START TO MOVE ICE, AND IN A WORST CASE SCENARIO, CREATE RESTRICTIONS OR JAMS. THE GOOD NEWS IS WE`VE SEEN SOME RECESSION/MELT THE LAST FEW DAYS. && .CLIMATE... CLIMATE: WITH A SNOWCOVER IN PLACE AND ANOTHER MODIFIED ARCTIC AIRMASS SETTLING INTO THE REGION AND RADIATIONAL COOLING OCCURRING, WE HAVE ANOTHER CHANCE FOR MORE RECORD LOWS ACROSS THE REGION. FRIDAY 3/6 RECORD LOWS ACY 10 1888 PHL 10 1978 ILG 11 1926 ABE 7 1960 TTN 7 1872 GED 10 1978 RDG 7 1978 MPO -5 1909 THE CURRENT FORECAST CURRENTLY HAS MOST LOCATIONS BREAKING THERE RECORD LOW ON FRIDAY MORNING. THE ONE EXCEPTION WOULD BE MOUNT POCONO. SATURDAY 3/7 RECORD LOWS ACY 10 1890 PHL 9 1960 ILG 11 1960 ABE 1 1960 TTN 7 1890 GED 3 1960 RDG 10 1989 MPO -18 1911 MOST LOCATIONS ARE FORECASTED TO BE SEVERAL DEGREES WARMER THAN THE RECORD LOWS FOR SATURDAY MORNING. RECORD DAILY SNOWFALL FOR THURSDAY MARCH 5 KACY 0.3 - 1960 KILG 3.7 - 1981 KABE 7.0 - 1917 KPHL 8.8 - 1981 && .PHI WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM EST THURSDAY FOR PAZ054-055- 061-062. WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 7 PM EST THURSDAY FOR PAZ060- 101>106. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 PM EST THURSDAY FOR PAZ070-071. NJ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM EST THURSDAY FOR NJZ001-007- 008. WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 7 PM EST THURSDAY FOR NJZ009-010- 012-015. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 PM EST THURSDAY FOR NJZ013-014-016>027. DE...WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 PM EST THURSDAY FOR DEZ001-002. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 3 AM TO 7 PM EST THURSDAY FOR DEZ003- 004. MD...WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 PM EST THURSDAY FOR MDZ008-012-015-019-020. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM EST THURSDAY FOR ANZ450>455. && $$ SYNOPSIS...GAINES NEAR TERM...DRAG/JOHNSON 603 SHORT TERM...DRAG/JOHNSON 603 LONG TERM...GAINES AVIATION...DRAG/GAINES/JOHNSON 603 MARINE...DRAG/GAINES/JOHNSON 603 HYDROLOGY... CLIMATE...
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MOUNT HOLLY NJ
441 PM EST WED MAR 4 2015 .SYNOPSIS... SEVERAL WAVES OF LOW PRESSURE WILL TRACK NORTHEASTWARD ALONG A COLD FRONTAL BOUNDARY TONIGHT AND THURSDAY. THIS COLD FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL MOVE OFFSHORE THURSDAY NIGHT AND WILL GIVE WAY TO AN AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE MOVING INTO THE REGION ON FRIDAY. FOR THE WEEKEND AND EARLY NEXT WEEK, WE WILL ALTERNATE BETWEEN AREAS OF HIGH PRESSURE AND COLD FRONTS MOVING THROUGH THE REGION. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM THURSDAY MORNING/... TRENDS VIA 18Z AND 20Z HRRR SHOW A HURRY UP CHANGE TO SNOW FROM NORTH TO SOUTH SUCH THAT PHL SHOULD BE SEEING SNOW ACCUM AROUND 08Z WITH 2-3 INCHES NEAR AND N OF I80 BY 09Z. COLD FRONT SHOULD BEGIN TO PUSH THROUGH THE REGION LATE THIS EVENING. AS IT DOES SO, THE PRECIPITATION TYPE WILL CHANGE FROM RAIN TO WINTRY PRECIPITATION. EXACTLY WHAT KIND OF WINTRY PRECIPITATION WILL DEPEND ON WHERE IN THE REGION AND WHAT TIME THE FRONT FINALLY COMES THROUGH. FOR THE POCONOS AND LEHIGH VALLEY IN PA AND NORTHWEST NJ, IT LOOKS LIKE A PRETTY FAST AND CLEAN TRANSITION FROM RAIN TO SNOW BY LATE THIS EVENING. FOR THE URBAN CORRIDOR, CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN NJ, AND FAR NORTHERN DELMARVA, A WARM NOSE IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AROUND OR JUST AFTER MIDNIGHT IN THE LOW LEVELS, MAKING A BRIEF PERIOD OF A WINTRY MIX OF SLEET AND SNOW POSSIBLE BEFORE CHANGING OVER TO ALL SNOW. SOUTHERN DELMARVA SHOULD STAY MOSTLY RAIN THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS UNTIL JUST BEFORE SUNRISE - WHICH IS DISCUSSED MORE IN THE SHORT TERM SECTION. THIS ALL DEPENDENT ON THE TIMING OF THE COLD FRONT AND THE TEMPERATURES, WHICH GUIDANCE HAS BEEN POOR FOR TEMPERATURES MOST OF THE DAY. AS FOR SNOW AMOUNTS, THE AXIS OF HEAVIEST QPF HAS SHIFTED FURTHER SOUTH, HOWEVER THIS WILL ALL BE DEPENDENT ON THE TIMING OF THE CHANGE OVER, WHICH AS MENTIONED BEFORE IS STILL UNCERTAIN. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH 6 PM THURSDAY/... RECORD DAILY SNOWFALLS POSSIBLE AT KILG AND KACY. PLS SEE CLIMATE SECTION FOR DETAILS ON THE BIG FOUR. THE WARM NOSE WILL STILL BE PRESENT, AND SHOULD IN FACT BE A BIT DEEPER OVER SOUTHERN DELMARVA AS THEY DROP NEAR AND BELOW FREEZING NEAR SUNRISE. AS SUCH, COULD SEE A MIX OF FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET BEFORE IT CHANGES OVER TO ALL SNOW NO LATER THAN MID MORNING. ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE REGION, DRIER AIR MOVING INTO THE POCONOS AND NW NJ COULD ERODE AND END THE PRECIPITATION FOR THOSE AREAS BY MID DAY. DRY AIR ADVECTION WILL TAKE OVER ACROSS MUCH OF THE REST OF THE AREA THROUGH THE AFTERNOON, ALLOWING THE PRECIPITATION TO TAPER OFF ALMOST EVERYWHERE BY LATE AFTERNOON. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... FAIRLY QUIET WITH A GENERAL NORTHWEST FLOW PATTERN OF ALTERNATING COLD FRONTS AND WEST-SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW WARM-UPS AHEAD OF THESE FRONTS. SLIGHT TO LOW PRECIPITATION CHANCES AHEAD OF THESE FRONTS, FOCUSED NORTH. THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY: A COLD FRIDAY MORNING IS ON TAP WITH SNOWCOVER IN PLACE, CLEAR SKIES AND MAINLY LIGHT WINDS UNDER 10 MPH. RADIATIONAL COOLING SHOULD ALLOW FOR A QUICK TEMPERATURE DROP AFTER CLOUDS CLEAR. WENT COLDER THAN MAV AND MET GUIDANCE SETS CLOSER TO THE MODELED TWO METER TEMPERATURES FROM THE GFS. HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO THE REGION KEEPING THIS PERIOD DRY WITH A EVENTUAL SWING FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS AND MODERATING TEMPERATURES BY SATURDAY. TRENDED COLDER THAN THE MET AND MAV AT NIGHT DUE TO SNOWCOVER AND WARMER DURING THE DAY. THESE GUIDANCE SETS HAVE BEEN RUNNING WITH A COLD BIAS IN THE DAYTIME. SOUNDINGS ALSO YIELD THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME WIND GUSTS AROUND 15 MPH SATURDAY AFTERNOON. SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY: A COLD FRONT WILL DECAY INTO A TROUGH ACROSS NEW ENGLAND BY SUNDAY MORNING PROVIDING AN INCREASE IN CLOUDS AND PERHAPS A LOW CHANCE FOR RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS ACROSS FAR NORTHERN PARTS OF THE REGION, CLOSER TO THE FRONT. A FEW 06Z GEFS MEMBERS HAVE MOISTURE FROM THE GULF COMING NORTH AS WELL, FOR NOW WILL GO WITH THE MODEL CONSENSUS AWAY FROM THIS IDEA. SNOWCOVER SHOULD LESS OF A CONCERN WITH TEMPERATURES BY SUNDAY. WITH MORE CLOUDS AROUND THE ENSEMBLE GUIDANCE FROM WPC IS PREFERRED FOR MOST ELEMENTS. WINDS ARE MORE IN LINE WITH THE NAM/GFS MODELS THOUGH. SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY: ONCE AGAIN HIGH PRESSURE IS IN CONTROL IN THE REGION WITH GENERAL WEST WINDS. THIS WILL RESULT IN A BRIEF PERIOD OF COOLER TEMPERATURES SUNDAY NIGHT BEFORE SPRING LIKE DAYS ON MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. A WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY AGAIN LOOKS TO FOCUS ON NEW ENGLAND FOR MONDAY, ANOTHER LOW CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION. THEN THIS WILL BE FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM. THE AIRMASS BY TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY WILL BE THE WARMEST IN SOME TIME ACROSS THE REGION. LIKED THE DIRECTION OF THE ENSEMBLE GUIDANCE TO TREND TEMPERATURES SEVERAL DEGREES WARMER THAN THE MODELED TWO METER TEMPERATURES. THE MODELED TWO METER TEMPS LOOK TO COOL SHOULD SOME SOUTHERLY COMPONENT GET INVOLVED, THIS LOOKS LIKE IT HAS A FAIR CHANCE OF OCCURRING BY WEDNESDAY. FORECAST HIGH OF 56 AT PHL WEDNESDAY, I`M SURE THIS WILL BE WELCOME TO MANY. LOW PRESSURE THAT FORMS IN THE GULF OF MEXICO TUE-WED LOOKS TO STAY SOUTH OF OUR REGION ATTM. && .AVIATION /22Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... THE FOLLOWING DISCUSSION IS FOR KPHL, KPNE, KTTN, KABE, KRDG, KILG, KMIV, KACY AND SURROUNDING AREAS. CEILINGS WILL GRADUALLY LOWER TO IFR CONDITIONS BY 00Z. VISIBILITIES WILL BE VARIABLE BETWEEN IFR AND MVFR THROUGH MUCH OF THIS EVENING, THEN LOWER TO STEADY IFR AS PRECIPITATION CHANGES FROM RAIN TO A WINTRY MIX TO EVENTUALLY ALL SNOW. EXACTLY WHEN THIS WILL HAPPEN IS STILL UNCERTAIN AND WILL START FROM KABE AND KRDG AND MOVE SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. FOR THE TAF SITES, EXPECT A 1 TO 2 HOUR WINDOW FOR A MIX OF SLEET AND SNOW, BEFORE IT CHANGES OVER TO ALL SNOW. CONDITIONS SHOULD SLOWLY IMPROVE, AGAIN FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST BETWEEN 15 AND 00Z THROUGH THE DAY TOMORROW. OUTLOOK... THURSDAY NIGHT: IMPROVING TO VFR BY MID-EVENING. NORTHWEST WIND AROUND 10 KNOTS. FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT: VFR, NORTHWEST WIND 10 KNOTS OR LESS. SATURDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT: VFR, WEST TO SOUTHWEST WIND AROUND 10 KNOTS, GUSTS AROUND 15 KNOTS SATURDAY AFTERNOON. MID-LEVEL CLOUDS SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING, PASSING RAIN/SNOW SHOWER CAN NOT BE RULED OUT FOR ABE. MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT: VFR, MID-LEVEL CLOUDS. && .MARINE... WAVES ALONG THE COASTAL WATERS WILL CONTINUE TO REMAIN NEAR OR ABOVE 5 FT. AFTER MIDNIGHT, WINDS INCREASE WITH GUSTS ABOVE 25 KT POSSIBLE. THEREFORE THE SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CONTINUES THROUGH TOMORROW EVENING ALONG THE COASTAL WATERS. ON THE BAY, A FEW GUSTS NEAR 20KT ARE POSSIBLE, BUT CONDITIONS SHOULD GENERALLY REMAIN BELOW SCA CRITERIA. OUTLOOK.. SEAS LOOK TO REMAIN BELOW FIVE FEET THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE OUTLOOK PERIOD, WITH SEAS NEAR FIVE FEET EARLY THURSDAY NIGHT. THE FORECAST IS ABOUT A FOOT HIGHER THAN WAVEWATCH. NORTHWEST WIND GUSTS AROUND 20 KNOTS MAY OCCUR THURSDAY EVENING. OTHERWISE WIND GUSTS SHOULD STAY UNDER 20 KNOTS. SOME FREEZING SPRAY MAY OCCUR THURSDAY NIGHT AND EARLY FRIDAY IN ICE FREE WATERS. CONFIDENCE IS NOT HIGH FOR ANY MODERATE FREEZING SPRAY IN TERMS OF DURATION AND LIKELIHOOD, MAY JUST LAST A FEW HOURS IF IT OCCURS. WITH SOME MODERATE FREEZING SPRAY IN THE GRIDS, DID INCLUDE MENTION IN THE HWO. && .HYDROLOGY... MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW A DECENT AMOUNT OF QPF ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY. IN GENERAL AND BREAKING THE CWA INTO THIRDS, A CHANGEOVER TO SLEET OR SNOW IS EXPECTED ACROSS THE NORTHERN THIRD BY AROUND MIDNIGHT, THE MIDDLE THIRD BY DAYBREAK, AND THE SOUTHERN THIRD BY MID-MORNING TOMORROW. WITH THE GROUND BEING FROZEN EVERYWHERE, ANY RUNOFF WILL BE VERY EFFICIENT BEFORE THE CHANGEOVER. MORNING MODELS CONTINUE TO PRODUCE BETWEEN 0.50 TO 1.00 INCH OF QPF BEFORE THE CHANGEOVER. WITH THIS AMOUNT, WE FEEL NUISANCE POOR DRAINAGE AND LOW LYING FLOODING WILL BE THE MOST LIKELY OUTCOME. WITH MORE SNOW OR SLEET EXPECTED ACROSS THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE CWA, WE`RE LESS CONCERNED ABOUT FLOODING THERE. MODELED SOLUTIONS SUGGEST WE WOULD NEED BETWEEN 1.50 TO 2.00 INCHES OF LIQUID (OVER A 6 TO 12 HOUR PERIOD), EITHER IN THE FORM OF ALL RAIN OR RAIN AND MELTING SNOW TO HAVE OUR SOUTHERN CREEKS AND STREAMS LEAVE THEIR BANKS. NONE OF OUR RIVER FORECAST POINTS ARE FORECAST TO HIT FLOOD STAGE OR EVEN CAUTION STAGE. THE SHORT TERM GOOD NEWS IS THAT RAIN WILL CHANGE OVER TO SNOW QUICKER ACROSS PLACES THAT HAVE A SNOWPACK AND WHERE MORE RAIN IS EXPECTED, THERE IS LESS SNOW PACK. THE LONGER TERM BAD NEWS IS THAT WE`RE POTENTIALLY KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE LINE AND JUST ADDING TO OUR SNOWPACK FOR A FUTURE MELT. WITH THE RAINFALL, THE FLOW ON AREA CREEKS AND STREAMS WILL INCREASE. THIS COULD START TO MOVE ICE, AND IN A WORST CASE SCENARIO, CREATE RESTRICTIONS OR JAMS. THE GOOD NEWS IS WE`VE SEEN SOME RECESSION/MELT THE LAST FEW DAYS. && .CLIMATE... CLIMATE: WITH A SNOWCOVER IN PLACE AND ANOTHER ARCTIC AIRMASS SETTLING INTO THE REGION AND RADIATIONAL COOLING OCCURRING, WE HAVE ANOTHER CHANCE FOR MORE RECORD LOWS ACROSS THE REGION. FRIDAY 3/6 RECORD LOWS ACY 10 1888 PHL 10 1978 ILG 11 1926 ABE 7 1960 TTN 7 1872 GED 10 1978 RDG 7 1978 MPO -5 1909 THE CURRENT FORECAST CURRENTLY HAS MOST LOCATIONS BREAKING THERE RECORD LOW ON FRIDAY MORNING. THE ONE EXCEPTION WOULD BE MOUNT POCONO. SATURDAY 3/7 RECORD LOWS ACY 10 1890 PHL 9 1960 ILG 11 1960 ABE 1 1960 TTN 7 1890 GED 3 1960 RDG 10 1989 MPO -18 1911 MOST LOCATIONS ARE FORECASTED TO BE SEVERAL DEGREES WARMER THAN THE RECORD LOWS FOR SATURDAY MORNING. RECORD DAILY SNOWFALL FOR THURSDAY MARCH 5 KACY 0.3 - 1960 KILG 3.7 - 1981 KABE 7.0 - 1917 KPHL 8.8 - 1981 && .PHI WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM EST THURSDAY FOR PAZ054-055- 061-062. WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 7 PM EST THURSDAY FOR PAZ060- 101>106. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 PM EST THURSDAY FOR PAZ070-071. NJ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM EST THURSDAY FOR NJZ001-007- 008. WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 7 PM EST THURSDAY FOR NJZ009-010- 012-015. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 PM EST THURSDAY FOR NJZ013-014-016>027. DE...WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 PM EST THURSDAY FOR DEZ001-002. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 3 AM TO 7 PM EST THURSDAY FOR DEZ003- 004. MD...WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 PM EST THURSDAY FOR MDZ008-012-015-019-020. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM EST THURSDAY FOR ANZ450>455. && $$ SYNOPSIS...GAINES NEAR TERM...JOHNSON SHORT TERM...JOHNSON LONG TERM...GAINES AVIATION...GAINES/JOHNSON MARINE...GAINES/JOHNSON HYDROLOGY...KRUZDLO CLIMATE...GAINES/DRAG
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MOUNT HOLLY NJ
438 PM EST WED MAR 4 2015 .SYNOPSIS... SEVERAL WAVES OF LOW PRESSURE WILL TRACK NORTHEASTWARD ALONG A COLD FRONTAL BOUNDARY TONIGHT AND THURSDAY. THIS COLD FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL MOVE OFFSHORE THURSDAY NIGHT AND WILL GIVE WAY TO AN AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE MOVING INTO THE REGION ON FRIDAY. FOR THE WEEKEND AND EARLY NEXT WEEK, WE WILL ALTERNATE BETWEEN AREAS OF HIGH PRESSURE AND COLD FRONTS MOVING THROUGH THE REGION. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM THURSDAY MORNING/... TRENDS VIA 18Z AND 20Z HRRR SHOW A HURRY UP CHANGE TO SNOW FROM NORTH TO SOUTH SUCH THAT PHL SHOULD BE SEEING SNOW ACCUM AROUND 08Z WITH 2-3 INCHES NEAR AND N OF I80 BY 09Z. COLD FRONT SHOULD BEGIN TO PUSH THROUGH THE REGION LATE THIS EVENING. AS IT DOES SO, THE PRECIPITATION TYPE WILL CHANGE FROM RAIN TO WINTRY PRECIPITATION. EXACTLY WHAT KIND OF WINTRY PRECIPITATION WILL DEPEND ON WHERE IN THE REGION AND WHAT TIME THE FRONT FINALLY COMES THROUGH. FOR THE POCONOS AND LEHIGH VALLEY IN PA AND NORTHWEST NJ, IT LOOKS LIKE A PRETTY FAST AND CLEAN TRANSITION FROM RAIN TO SNOW BY LATE THIS EVENING. FOR THE URBAN CORRIDOR, CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN NJ, AND FAR NORTHERN DELMARVA, A WARM NOSE IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AROUND OR JUST AFTER MIDNIGHT IN THE LOW LEVELS, MAKING A BRIEF PERIOD OF A WINTRY MIX OF SLEET AND SNOW POSSIBLE BEFORE CHANGING OVER TO ALL SNOW. SOUTHERN DELMARVA SHOULD STAY MOSTLY RAIN THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS UNTIL JUST BEFORE SUNRISE - WHICH IS DISCUSSED MORE IN THE SHORT TERM SECTION. THIS ALL DEPENDENT ON THE TIMING OF THE COLD FRONT AND THE TEMPERATURES, WHICH GUIDANCE HAS BEEN POOR FOR TEMPERATURES MOST OF THE DAY. AS FOR SNOW AMOUNTS, THE AXIS OF HEAVIEST QPF HAS SHIFTED FURTHER SOUTH, HOWEVER THIS WILL ALL BE DEPENDENT ON THE TIMING OF THE CHANGE OVER, WHICH AS MENTIONED BEFORE IS STILL UNCERTAIN. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH 6 PM THURSDAY/... RECORD DAILY SNOWFALLS POSSIBLE AT KILG AND KACY. PLS SEE CLIMATE SECTION FOR DETAILS ON THE BIG FOUR. THE WARM NOSE WILL STILL BE PRESENT, AND SHOULD IN FACT BE A BIT DEEPER OVER SOUTHERN DELMARVA AS THEY DROP NEAR AND BELOW FREEZING NEAR SUNRISE. AS SUCH, COULD SEE A MIX OF FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET BEFORE IT CHANGES OVER TO ALL SNOW NO LATER THAN MID MORNING. ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE REGION, DRIER AIR MOVING INTO THE POCONOS AND NW NJ COULD ERODE AND END THE PRECIPITATION FOR THOSE AREAS BY MID DAY. DRY AIR ADVECTION WILL TAKE OVER ACROSS MUCH OF THE REST OF THE AREA THROUGH THE AFTERNOON, ALLOWING THE PRECIPITATION TO TAPER OFF ALMOST EVERYWHERE BY LATE AFTERNOON. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... FAIRLY QUIET WITH A GENERAL NORTHWEST FLOW PATTERN OF ALTERNATING COLD FRONTS AND WEST-SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW WARM-UPS AHEAD OF THESE FRONTS. SLIGHT TO LOW PRECIPITATION CHANCES AHEAD OF THESE FRONTS, FOCUSED NORTH. THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY: A COLD FRIDAY MORNING IS ON TAP WITH SNOWCOVER IN PLACE, CLEAR SKIES AND MAINLY LIGHT WINDS UNDER 10 MPH. RADIATIONAL COOLING SHOULD ALLOW FOR A QUICK TEMPERATURE DROP AFTER CLOUDS CLEAR. WENT COLDER THAN MAV AND MET GUIDANCE SETS CLOSER TO THE MODELED TWO METER TEMPERATURES FROM THE GFS. HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO THE REGION KEEPING THIS PERIOD DRY WITH A EVENTUAL SWING FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS AND MODERATING TEMPERATURES BY SATURDAY. TRENDED COLDER THAN THE MET AND MAV AT NIGHT DUE TO SNOWCOVER AND WARMER DURING THE DAY. THESE GUIDANCE SETS HAVE BEEN RUNNING WITH A COLD BIAS IN THE DAYTIME. SOUNDINGS ALSO YIELD THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME WIND GUSTS AROUND 15 MPH SATURDAY AFTERNOON. SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY: A COLD FRONT WILL DECAY INTO A TROUGH ACROSS NEW ENGLAND BY SUNDAY MORNING PROVIDING AN INCREASE IN CLOUDS AND PERHAPS A LOW CHANCE FOR RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS ACROSS FAR NORTHERN PARTS OF THE REGION, CLOSER TO THE FRONT. A FEW 06Z GEFS MEMBERS HAVE MOISTURE FROM THE GULF COMING NORTH AS WELL, FOR NOW WILL GO WITH THE MODEL CONSENSUS AWAY FROM THIS IDEA. SNOWCOVER SHOULD LESS OF A CONCERN WITH TEMPERATURES BY SUNDAY. WITH MORE CLOUDS AROUND THE ENSEMBLE GUIDANCE FROM WPC IS PREFERRED FOR MOST ELEMENTS. WINDS ARE MORE IN LINE WITH THE NAM/GFS MODELS THOUGH. SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY: ONCE AGAIN HIGH PRESSURE IS IN CONTROL IN THE REGION WITH GENERAL WEST WINDS. THIS WILL RESULT IN A BRIEF PERIOD OF COOLER TEMPERATURES SUNDAY NIGHT BEFORE SPRING LIKE DAYS ON MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. A WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY AGAIN LOOKS TO FOCUS ON NEW ENGLAND FOR MONDAY, ANOTHER LOW CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION. THEN THIS WILL BE FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM. THE AIRMASS BY TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY WILL BE THE WARMEST IN SOME TIME ACROSS THE REGION. LIKED THE DIRECTION OF THE ENSEMBLE GUIDANCE TO TREND TEMPERATURES SEVERAL DEGREES WARMER THAN THE MODELED TWO METER TEMPERATURES. THE MODELED TWO METER TEMPS LOOK TO COOL SHOULD SOME SOUTHERLY COMPONENT GET INVOLVED, THIS LOOKS LIKE IT HAS A FAIR CHANCE OF OCCURRING BY WEDNESDAY. FORECAST HIGH OF 56 AT PHL WEDNESDAY, I`M SURE THIS WILL BE WELCOME TO MANY. LOW PRESSURE THAT FORMS IN THE GULF OF MEXICO TUE-WED LOOKS TO STAY SOUTH OF OUR REGION ATTM. && .AVIATION /22Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... THE FOLLOWING DISCUSSION IS FOR KPHL, KPNE, KTTN, KABE, KRDG, KILG, KMIV, KACY AND SURROUNDING AREAS. CEILINGS WILL GRADUALLY LOWER TO IFR CONDITIONS BY 00Z. VISIBILITIES WILL BE VARIABLE BETWEEN IFR AND MVFR THROUGH MUCH OF THIS EVENING, THEN LOWER TO STEADY IFR AS PRECIPITATION CHANGES FROM RAIN TO A WINTRY MIX TO EVENTUALLY ALL SNOW. EXACTLY WHEN THIS WILL HAPPEN IS STILL UNCERTAIN AND WILL START FROM KABE AND KRDG AND MOVE SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. FOR THE TAF SITES, EXPECT A 1 TO 2 HOUR WINDOW FOR A MIX OF SLEET AND SNOW, BEFORE IT CHANGES OVER TO ALL SNOW. CONDITIONS SHOULD SLOWLY IMPROVE, AGAIN FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST BETWEEN 15 AND 00Z THROUGH THE DAY TOMORROW. OUTLOOK... THURSDAY NIGHT: IMPROVING TO VFR BY MID-EVENING. NORTHWEST WIND AROUND 10 KNOTS. FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT: VFR, NORTHWEST WIND 10 KNOTS OR LESS. SATURDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT: VFR, WEST TO SOUTHWEST WIND AROUND 10 KNOTS, GUSTS AROUND 15 KNOTS SATURDAY AFTERNOON. MID-LEVEL CLOUDS SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING, PASSING RAIN/SNOW SHOWER CAN NOT BE RULED OUT FOR ABE. MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT: VFR, MID-LEVEL CLOUDS. && .MARINE... THIS SECTION UPDATES BY 5P. OUTLOOK.. SEAS LOOK TO REMAIN BELOW FIVE FEET THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE OUTLOOK PERIOD, WITH SEAS NEAR FIVE FEET EARLY THURSDAY NIGHT. THE FORECAST IS ABOUT A FOOT HIGHER THAN WAVEWATCH. NORTHWEST WIND GUSTS AROUND 20 KNOTS MAY OCCUR THURSDAY EVENING. OTHERWISE WIND GUSTS SHOULD STAY UNDER 20 KNOTS. SOME FREEZING SPRAY MAY OCCUR THURSDAY NIGHT AND EARLY FRIDAY IN ICE FREE WATERS. CONFIDENCE IS NOT HIGH FOR ANY MODERATE FREEZING SPRAY IN TERMS OF DURATION AND LIKELIHOOD, MAY JUST LAST A FEW HOURS IF IT OCCURS. WITH SOME MODERATE FREEZING SPRAY IN THE GRIDS, DID INCLUDE MENTION IN THE HWO. && .HYDROLOGY... MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW A DECENT AMOUNT OF QPF ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY. IN GENERAL AND BREAKING THE CWA INTO THIRDS, A CHANGEOVER TO SLEET OR SNOW IS EXPECTED ACROSS THE NORTHERN THIRD BY AROUND MIDNIGHT, THE MIDDLE THIRD BY DAYBREAK, AND THE SOUTHERN THIRD BY MID-MORNING TOMORROW. WITH THE GROUND BEING FROZEN EVERYWHERE, ANY RUNOFF WILL BE VERY EFFICIENT BEFORE THE CHANGEOVER. MORNING MODELS CONTINUE TO PRODUCE BETWEEN 0.50 TO 1.00 INCH OF QPF BEFORE THE CHANGEOVER. WITH THIS AMOUNT, WE FEEL NUISANCE POOR DRAINAGE AND LOW LYING FLOODING WILL BE THE MOST LIKELY OUTCOME. WITH MORE SNOW OR SLEET EXPECTED ACROSS THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE CWA, WE`RE LESS CONCERNED ABOUT FLOODING THERE. MODELED SOLUTIONS SUGGEST WE WOULD NEED BETWEEN 1.50 TO 2.00 INCHES OF LIQUID (OVER A 6 TO 12 HOUR PERIOD), EITHER IN THE FORM OF ALL RAIN OR RAIN AND MELTING SNOW TO HAVE OUR SOUTHERN CREEKS AND STREAMS LEAVE THEIR BANKS. NONE OF OUR RIVER FORECAST POINTS ARE FORECAST TO HIT FLOOD STAGE OR EVEN CAUTION STAGE. THE SHORT TERM GOOD NEWS IS THAT RAIN WILL CHANGE OVER TO SNOW QUICKER ACROSS PLACES THAT HAVE A SNOWPACK AND WHERE MORE RAIN IS EXPECTED, THERE IS LESS SNOW PACK. THE LONGER TERM BAD NEWS IS THAT WE`RE POTENTIALLY KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE LINE AND JUST ADDING TO OUR SNOWPACK FOR A FUTURE MELT. WITH THE RAINFALL, THE FLOW ON AREA CREEKS AND STREAMS WILL INCREASE. THIS COULD START TO MOVE ICE, AND IN A WORST CASE SCENARIO, CREATE RESTRICTIONS OR JAMS. THE GOOD NEWS IS WE`VE SEEN SOME RECESSION/MELT THE LAST FEW DAYS. && .CLIMATE... CLIMATE: WITH A SNOWCOVER IN PLACE AND ANOTHER ARCTIC AIRMASS SETTLING INTO THE REGION AND RADIATIONAL COOLING OCCURRING, WE HAVE ANOTHER CHANCE FOR MORE RECORD LOWS ACROSS THE REGION. FRIDAY 3/6 RECORD LOWS ACY 10 1888 PHL 10 1978 ILG 11 1926 ABE 7 1960 TTN 7 1872 GED 10 1978 RDG 7 1978 MPO -5 1909 THE CURRENT FORECAST CURRENTLY HAS MOST LOCATIONS BREAKING THERE RECORD LOW ON FRIDAY MORNING. THE ONE EXCEPTION WOULD BE MOUNT POCONO. SATURDAY 3/7 RECORD LOWS ACY 10 1890 PHL 9 1960 ILG 11 1960 ABE 1 1960 TTN 7 1890 GED 3 1960 RDG 10 1989 MPO -18 1911 MOST LOCATIONS ARE FORECASTED TO BE SEVERAL DEGREES WARMER THAN THE RECORD LOWS FOR SATURDAY MORNING. RECORD DAILY SNOWFALL FOR THURSDAY MARCH 5 KACY 0.3 - 1960 KILG 3.7 - 1981 KABE 7.0 - 1917 KPHL 8.8 - 1981 && .PHI WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM EST THURSDAY FOR PAZ054-055- 061-062. WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 7 PM EST THURSDAY FOR PAZ060- 101>106. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 PM EST THURSDAY FOR PAZ070-071. NJ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM EST THURSDAY FOR NJZ001-007- 008. WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 7 PM EST THURSDAY FOR NJZ009-010- 012-015. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 PM EST THURSDAY FOR NJZ013-014-016>027. DE...WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 PM EST THURSDAY FOR DEZ001-002. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 3 AM TO 7 PM EST THURSDAY FOR DEZ003- 004. MD...WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 PM EST THURSDAY FOR MDZ008-012-015-019-020. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM EST THURSDAY FOR ANZ450>455. && $$ SYNOPSIS...GAINES NEAR TERM...JOHNSON/DRAG 438 SHORT TERM...JOHNSON LONG TERM...GAINES/O`HARA AVIATION...GAINES/JOHNSON/O`HARA MARINE...GAINES/JOHNSON/O`HARA HYDROLOGY... CLIMATE... 438
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MELBOURNE FL
436 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 .DISCUSSION... ...MUCH ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES NEXT COUPLE DAYS... ...NEAR RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURES IN ORLANDO TODAY... CURRENT-TODAY...SOUTHEAST FLOW OVER THE ATLANTIC PUSHING MARINE LAYER STRATUS AND STRATOCUMULUS ASHORE SEBASTIAN INLET SOUTH. PATCHY DENSE FOG SHOULD MAKE FOR HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS MAINLY OVER INTERIOR SECTIONS. THE HRRR LOW LEVEL WINDS SHOW MARINE LAYER CLOUDS BEING PUSHED ASHORE THROUGH THE MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON. AT THE COAST NORTH OF COCOA BEACH AND PORT CANAVERAL AND INLAND PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES THE RULE. SOUTHERLY WIND AND LESS CLOUD COVER INLAND HIGHS IN MID 80S AND REACHING THE UPPER 80S FOR MOST OF THE INTERIOR. HIGHS AT THE COAST LOW AND MID 80S DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH AND HOW LONG THE STRATUS/STRATOCUMULUS OFF THE OCEAN STAYS AROUND. TONIGHT...HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE AXIS OVER CENTRAL FLORIDA RETREATS EAST INTO THE ATLANTIC AS A FRONTAL BOUNDARY PUSHES ACROSS THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY AND SOUTHEAST STATES. SOUTHEAST WINDS BECOME SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST AS THE WESTERN PERIPHERY OF THE HIGH SHIFTS INTO THE ATLANTIC. THE SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL MAKE FOR A WARM NIGHT WITH LOWS IN THE MID 60S NORTH AND CENTRAL FORECAST AREAS AND THE MID TO UPPER 60S FROM SOUTH BREVARD COUNTY SOUTH. THU...UPPER LEVEL RIDGING WILL COMBINE WITH WARM S/SW LOW LEVEL FLOW TO PRODUCE ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES ONCE AGAIN IN THE MID TO UPPER 80S. FORECAST MODEL SOUNDINGS SHOW THERE WILL BE A SMALL INCREASE IN LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WHICH SHOULD PRODUCE A LITTLE MORE CLOUDINESS. OTHERWISE THE ATMOSPHERIC COLUMN LOOKS QUITE DRY SO RAIN CHANCES ARE TOO LOW TO MENTION. THERE MAY BE A FEW SHOWERS DEVELOP AROUND LAKE OKEECHOBEE DURING PEAK HEATING. MOS GUIDANCE INDICATES THAT THE CLOUDS SHOULD HOLD MAX TEMPS DOWN A BIT COMPARED TO TODAY...STILL ABOVE NORMAL BUT SHY OF ANY RECORDS. IF THERE IS MORE SFC HEATING THAN EXPECTED...DAYTONA COULD REACH THEIR RECORD HIGH GIVEN THE OFFSHORE FLOW. THU NIGHT...A WEAK COOL FRONT IS FORECAST TO PUSH INTO CENT FL. A SHALLOW MOIST LAYER OF COOL NORTHERLY FLOW WILL PRODUCE WIDESPREAD LOW CLOUDS AND FOG SPREADING SOUTHWARD ACROSS THE AREA. MEASURABLE RAIN CHANCES LOOK QUITE LOW BUT WILL HOLD ONTO A SMALL 20 POP ALONG THE COAST SOUTH OF THE CAPE LATE. FRI...LOW CLOUDS AND COOL NORTHERLY FLOW ARE EXPECTED BEHIND THE FRONT ACROSS NORTH/CENTRAL SECTIONS. HAVE GONE SEVERAL DEGREES BELOW GFS MOS GUIDANCE ACROSS THE NORTH. THE DIURNAL TEMP RANGE SHOULD BE QUITE SMALL FOR DAB/LEE WITH HIGHS NOT MUCH HIGHER THAN THE MORNING LOWS IN THE LOW TO MID 60S. OUR FORECAST OF LOWER 70S FOR ORLANDO METRO MAY BE OPTIMISTIC AND THIS IS ALREADY 5 DEGREES BELOW MOS GUIDANCE. THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL BE SLOW TO PUSH THROUGH THE SOUTHERN SECTIONS SO HIGHS SHOULD REACH THE LOWER 80S FROM OKEECHOBEE TO THE TREASURE COAST. NOT SURPRISINGLY...THIS IS ALSO WHERE THERE IS THE BEST (30 PERCENT) CHANCE FOR SHOWERS. SAT-TUE...THE FRONT IS FORECAST TO BECOME STATIONARY ACROSS SOUTH FL SAT AND THEN SLOWLY LIFT BACK NORTH EARLY NEXT WEEK BUT REMAIN NEAR CENT FL. THIS WILL KEEP CONSIDERABLE CLOUDS AND A 20 TO 30 PERCENT CHANCE FOR SHOWERS IN THE FORECAST. HIGH TEMPERATURES SHOULD REBOUND SLIGHTLY ACROSS THE NORTH AND BE MORE SEASONABLE IN THE 70S THIS WEEKEND BUT NORTH LAKE/VOLUSIA MAY NOT GET OUT OF THE 60S BOTH SAT-SUN ESPECIALLY IF THE NORTH FLOW PERSISTS. && .AVIATION...AREAS OF MVFR/IFR MIST AND FOG THROUGH 14Z THEN VFR. && .MARINE...CURRENTLY BUOYS RECORDING SOUTH SOUTHEAST WINDS 10 TO 12 KNOTS AND 3 TO 4 FOOT SEAS. TODAY-TONIGHT...WINDS SHIFT TO THE SOUTH THEN SOUTH SOUTHWEST AND INCREASE TO 12 TO 15 KNOTS AS A FRONT MOVES FROM THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY TO GEORGIA...ALABAMA...WESTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE TONIGHT. SEAS 3 TO 4 FEET NEARSHORE AND 4 TO 5 FEET OFFSHORE. THU-SUN...SOUTHERLY FLOW THU 10-15 KNOTS WILL TURN NORTHERLY BEHIND A COOL FRONT THU NIGHT AND FRI. THE BOUNDARY WILL STALL ACROSS SOUTH FL FRI. THE INITIAL SURGE OF NORTH WINDS LOOKS TO BE AROUND 15 KNOTS THU NIGHT BUT A STRONGER PRES GRAD WILL BRING NEAR 20 KNOTS LATE FRI/FRI NIGHT INTO THE NORTH AND CENTRAL WATERS. SO SCA HEADLINES WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED. WINDS SHOULD DECREASE THIS WEEKEND AS THE BOUNDARY LIFTS BACK NORTH ACROSS THE WATERS WITH AN INCREASE IN SE FLOW ACROSS THE SOUTHERN WATERS SUNDAY. && .CLIMATE...RECORD HIGHS FOR MARCH 4TH AND 5TH: ORLANDO HAS THE BEST CHANCE TO EQUAL OR BREAK THEIR RECORD TODAY. DAB 4-MAR 88 1953 MCO 4-MAR 88 1989 MLB 4-MAR 87 1982 VRB 4-MAR 89 2001 DAB 5-MAR 87 1985 MCO 5-MAR 90 1929 MLB 5-MAR 88 1982 VRB 5-MAR 89 2003 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... DAB 85 64 83 63 / 10 10 10 10 MCO 88 65 87 64 / 10 10 10 10 MLB 84 68 84 66 / 10 10 10 10 VRB 85 67 84 65 / 10 10 10 20 LEE 87 66 85 62 / 10 10 10 10 SFB 87 65 87 64 / 10 10 10 10 ORL 87 66 87 64 / 10 10 10 10 FPR 85 67 84 64 / 10 10 10 20 && .MLB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...NONE. AM...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...WIMMER LONG TERM....KELLY AVIATION...WIMMER
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS PEACHTREE CITY GA
345 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 .SHORT TERM /TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... WEDGE IS ERODING ON ITS WESTERN SIDE THIS MORNING. VSBYS AND CIGS HAVE GREATLY IMPROVED UP THE AL/GA STATE LINE...AND ESPECIALLY WHERE WINDS HAVE TURNED SOUTHERLY OR SOUTHWESTERLY. THE FOG IS SHALLOW...AND CIGS ARE AN OBSCURATION RATHER THAN A CLOUD DECK...SO CLEARING WILL BE FAIRLY RAPID WHEN IT OCCURS. WILL BE MAKING ADJUSTMENTS TO THE DENSE FOG ADVISORY WHERE VSBYS HAVE COME UP ABOVE 1/4SM. WILL LIKELY HAVE TO CLEAR ADDITIONAL ZONES BEFORE LEAVING THIS MORNING AS CONDITIONS IMPROVE. A COLD FRONT IS STILL ON TRACK TO IMPACT THE CWFA LATER TODAY INTO THURSDAY. MODELS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THE TIMING OF THE BOUNDARY AND KEEPING MOST OF THE PRECIP ANAFRONTAL. IN THE LAST FEW MODEL RUNS...THE 500MB TROUGH HAS BECOME LESS SHARP OVER THE CWFA...AND WASHES OUT. IN ADDITION...MODELS HAVE ALSO DELAYED THE ARRIVAL OF THE COLD AIR BEHIND THE FRONT. THE TIMING OF THE COLD AIR AT THE SURFACE AND ALOFT IS VERY TRICKY AND MODELS HAVE DEFINITELY STRUGGLED WITH THIS IN PREVIOUS RUNS. CURRENTLY...THE COLDEST AIR DOESN`T BEGIN INFILTRATING THE NORTHERN CWFA UNTIL BETWEEN 12Z AND 15Z THU. IF THIS HOLD TRUE...ANY WINTRY MIX UP NORTH WILL BE MOSTLY DURING THE DAY ON THU RATHER THAN OVERNIGHT WED. HOWEVER...REMEMBER THAT THE MODELS CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE WITH TEMPS AT THE SURFACE AND ALOFT...SO NOT A HIGH CONFIDENCE SITUATION FOR THE TIMING OF THE COLD AIR. PTYPE WILL ALSO HEAVILY DEPEND UPON THE TIMING OF THE COLD AIR. FOR THE LAST FEW RUNS...MODEL SOUNDINGS ARE SHOWING RAIN MIXING WITH SLEET AT TIMES AS THE COLD AIR MOVES INTO THE REGION. THEN...RAIN MAY SWITCH OVER TO A MIXTURE OF SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN...FINALLY FINISHING OFF WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME FREEZING DRIZZLE. IF THE COLD AIR IS DELAYED ANY FURTHER INTO THU...THEN THE POTENTIAL FOR AN IMPACTFUL AMOUNT OF WINTRY MIX BECOMES LESS AND LESS. FOR NOW...NOT EXPECTING MUCH SLEET ACCUMULATION...AMOUNTS SHOULD BE LESS THAN A QUARTER OF AN INCH. DO THINK LIGHT ICING WILL BE AN ISSUE...BUT AMOUNTS SHOULD BE A TENTH OF AN INCH OR LESS IN MOST LOCALES. AGAIN...THE PTYPE IS HEAVILY DEPENDENT UPON THE TEMPERATURES ALOFT AND AT THE SURFACE...SOMETHING THE MODELS HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING WITH...SO CONFIDENCE IS LOW TO MEDIUM IN ACCUMULATIONS. THE ACCUMULATION ISSUE WILL ALSO BE COMPLICATED BY WARM GROUND TEMPS. TEMPS TODAY ARE EXPECTED TO BE WELL ABOVE NORMAL AND EVEN POSSIBLY REACH THE LOWER 80S IN THE FAR SOUTH. A FEW BREAKS IN THE CLOUDS ARE POSSIBLE ALONG AND WEST OF THE ERODING EDGE OF THE WEDGE. TEMPS ON THURSDAY SHOULD BE NEARLY STEADY IN THE NORTH...AND SHOULD FALL THROUGH THE AFTERNOON ELSEWHERE. NLISTEMAA .LONG TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/... PERIOD STARTS OUT COOL BUT MOSTLY DRY AS PRECIPITATION EXITS THE FORECAST AREA LATE IN THE DAY THURSDAY...LINGERING ONLY IN THE SOUTHEAST INTO THURSDAY EVENING. UPPER-LEVEL AND SURFACE PATTERNS ARE NOT TYPICAL OF SUCH A STRONG SHOT OF COLDER AIR THIS LATE IN THE SEASON WITH NEARLY ZONAL FLOW ALOFT AND RAPIDLY WEAKENING SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT...BUT UPSTREAM REGION DOES HAVE GOOD RESIDUAL SNOW COVER. I AM INCLINED BACK OFF A LITTLE ON COLD TEMPERATURES THURSDAY NIGHT...GENERALLY STAY CLOSER TO THE NAM MOS NUMBERS WHICH ARE STILL WELL BELOW SEASONAL NORMALS. THE REMAINDER OF THE EXTENDED FORECAST PERIOD IS RELATIVELY QUIET IF POTENTIALLY WET AT TIMES. UPPER FLOW IS WEAK AND GENERALLY ZONAL THROUGH THE WEEKEND WITH WEAK SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE SOUTHEASTERN U.S. LARGER SCALE FEATURES REMAIN RELATIVELY SIMILAR BETWEEN THE GFS AND ECMWF THROUGH THE MAJORITY OF THE EXTENDED PERIOD...BUT ALSO REMAIN SOMEWHAT VAGUE ON BOTH CONCERNING ANY ENHANCED LIFT FOR RAIN CHANCES. GFS LIFTS WEAK SHORT WAVE THROUGH SUNDAY INTO MONDAY WHILE ECMWF DELAYS THE WEAK SHORT WAVE UNTIL THE MONDAY-TUESDAY PERIOD. FOR NOW I DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH CONFIDENCE IN EITHER SCENARIO TO FOCUS ON ANY SPECIFIC SOLUTION. PLAN ON RUNNING WITH SEASONAL TEMPERATURES AND CHANCE POPS AT BEST SUNDAY THROUGH THE END OF THE FORECAST. 20 && AVIATION... 06Z UPDATE... WEDGE OF LOW CLOUDS AND FOG IS FINALLY BEGINNING TO ERODE ON THE SOUTHWEST SIDE. MEANWHILE...THE NORTHERN TERMINAL SITES REMAIN LOCKED IN AT 1/2SM TO 1/4SM FOG AND VLIFR CIGS. THE TRICKY PART OF THE FORECAST WILL BE TO TIME THE EDGE OF THE CLEARING. DO THINK WHEN THE FOG AND LOW CLOUDS CLEAR...IT WILL GO VERY VERY QUICK. MY TIMING OF IMPROVING VSBYS AND CIGS AT ATL WILL LIKELY HAVE TO BE ADJUSTED DEPENDING UPON THE SPEED OF CLEARING ON THE SW SIDE. EAST WINDS WILL SWITCH AROUND TO THE S AND THEN SW QUICKLY ALSO...WENT WITH THE RAP BECAUSE IT HELD ONTO THE WEDGE A FEW MORE HOURS THAN THE OTHER MODELS WHICH ARE NOTORIOUS FOR CLEARING TOO SOON. COLD FRONT WILL BEGIN TO DROP SOUTH TODAY...BRINGING AN AREA OF PRECIP. DIDN`T ADJUST POPS FOR THIS CYCLE AS MODELS ARE IN PRETTY GOOD AGREEMENT WITH TIMING. HOWEVER...A FEW TWEAKS MAY HAVE TO BE MADE FOR LATER TAF ISSUANCES. //ATL CONFIDENCE...06Z UPDATE... MEDIUM CONFIDENCE ALL ELEMENTS. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... ATHENS 72 60 62 32 / 40 80 80 10 ATLANTA 71 53 55 30 / 40 90 100 10 BLAIRSVILLE 65 45 46 26 / 70 100 100 10 CARTERSVILLE 72 42 44 26 / 60 100 100 5 COLUMBUS 76 63 64 35 / 20 80 80 10 GAINESVILLE 69 54 56 30 / 60 100 100 10 MACON 78 63 66 37 / 20 60 80 10 ROME 70 40 42 24 / 70 100 100 5 PEACHTREE CITY 73 57 58 30 / 40 90 90 10 VIDALIA 81 62 77 41 / 10 20 70 40 && .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... DENSE FOG ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM EST THIS MORNING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: BALDWIN...BANKS...BARROW...BIBB...BUTTS... CHEROKEE...CLARKE...COBB...DAWSON...DEKALB...EMANUEL...FANNIN... FORSYTH...GILMER...GLASCOCK...GREENE...GWINNETT...HALL... HANCOCK...HENRY...JACKSON...JASPER...JEFFERSON...JOHNSON... JONES...LAURENS...LUMPKIN...MADISON...MONROE...MORGAN...NEWTON... NORTH FULTON...OCONEE...OGLETHORPE...PICKENS...PUTNAM... ROCKDALE...TALIAFERRO...TOWNS...TREUTLEN...TWIGGS...UNION... WALTON...WARREN...WASHINGTON...WHITE...WILKES...WILKINSON. && $$ SHORT TERM...NLISTEMAA LONG TERM....20 AVIATION...NLISTEMAA
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS PEACHTREE CITY GA
1258 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 718 PM EST TUE MAR 3 2015/ UPDATED... THE WEDGE OF COOL AIR OVER NORTHEAST GA REMAINS IN PLACE THIS EVENING. THE WARM FRONT EXTENDS FROM NEAR DUBLIN AND MACON TO JUST SOUTH OF PEACHTREE CITY. IT SHOULD GRADUALLY MOVE NORTHEAST THROUGH THE NIGHT WITH CONTINUED WIDESPREAD FOG AND PATCHY RAIN OR DRIZZLE NORTH OF THE WARM FRONT. MOST VISIBILITIES RANGE FROM 1/2 TO 2 MILES WHICH IS ABOVE DENSE FOG ADVISORY CRITERIA. WILL MONITOR CLOSELY IF THAT CHANGES. HAVE BEEN ADJUSTING HOURLY TEMPS AND DEWPOINTS TO REFLECT CURRENT CONDITIONS. EXPECT TEMPS NORTH OF THE WARM FRONT TO REMAIN STEADY OR SLOWLY RISE DURING THE NIGHT WITH THE FRONTAL PASSAGE AND A LIGHT SOUTHERLY WIND. 16 SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... JUST A HYPOTHETICAL STATEMENT HERE...BUT ITS STARTING TO SEEM LIKE WINTER WILL NEVER END. ONCE AGAIN...DEALING WITH WINTER WEATHER GRIDS IN THE SHORT TERM. THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT MODEL GUIDANCE IS SLOWING DOWN THE FRONT FOR THURSDAY JUST A TAD...WHICH MEANS LESS OF A CHANCE OF WINTRY PRECIPITATION. MORE ON THAT LATER. IN THE MEANTIME...HYBRID DAMMING REMAINS FIRMLY ENTRENCHED ACROSS NORTHEAST GEORGIA WITH WIDESPREAD CLOUDS AND LIGHT RAIN/DRIZZLE ACROSS THE AREA. WE WERE SEEING SOME BREAKS IN THE CLOUDS ACROSS SOUTHERN ZONES BUT THEY HAVE SINCE FILLED IN WITH CU...AND LITTLE LIFTING EXPECTED. TREND SHOULD CONTINUE OVERNIGHT AND MAY HAVE TO DEAL WITH SOME AREAS OF DENSE FOG IN THE MORNING. HOWEVER...WINDS SHIFT AROUND TO SOUTHERLY TOMORROW WHICH HELPS TO SCOUR OUT THE DAMMING WITH THE INCREASING LOW LEVEL WAA AND SHOULD SEE SOME SUNSHINE ON WEDNESDAY. WITH THAT COMES SOME REALLY SPRING-LIKE TEMPS WITH HIGHS IN THE 70S ACROSS MOST OF THE AREA...APPROACHING 80 EXTREME SOUTH. SOME QUESTION STILL ABOUT CONVECTIVE POTENTIAL ON WEDNESDAY AND ISOLATED RUMBLES OF THUNDER CANNOT BE TOTALLY RULED OUT ESPECIALLY ACROSS NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL GEORGIA AS THE FRONT BEGINS TO APPROACH...BUT THINKING FOR NOW CHANCES ARE JUST TOO LOW TO INCLUDE. THIS WILL BE REEVALUATED LATER TONIGHT. AS MENTIONED ABOVE...GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO SLOW DOWN THE FRONT... WITH FRONTAL PRECIPITATION REALLY PUSHING INTO NORTHWEST GEORGIA AFTER 06Z THURSDAY. TEMPERATURES REALLY PLUMMET AFTER 06Z ACROSS EXTREME NORTHWEST ZONES WITH MOST DEFINITELY A NON-DIURNAL TREND IN TEMPS ON THURSDAY...BUT A SUBSTANTIAL /+10C/ WARM NOSE REMAINS AS THE UPPER FRONT LAGS BEHIND THE SURFACE FRONT. LOW-LEVEL COLD LAYER DROPS BELOW FREEZING FOR KCHA AS EARLY AS 10Z THURSDAY BUT SURFACE TEMPS STILL ABOVE FREEZING...WHICH OF COURSE WOULD NOT BE SUPPORTIVE OF FREEZING RAIN SO IT LOOKS LIKE AT ONSET WHATEVER MIX THERE MIGHT BE WOULD BE MORE LIKELY SOME LIGHT SLEET MIXING IN WITH THE RAIN. ONCE TEMPERATURES DROP BELOW FREEZING...MAYBE CLOSER TO 15Z OR SO... COULD SEE MORE OF A FREEZING RAIN/SLEET MIX. OVERALL ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE VERY LIGHT AS BY THE TIME THE TEMPERATURES DROP ENOUGH TO MATTER THE BEST QPF WILL BE PUSHING SOUTHEAST. BUT WITH THAT... HAVE ADDED A VERY SMALL AMOUNT TO THE SNOW GRIDS TO ACCOUNT FOR MINOR ACCUMULATIONS OF SLEET POSSIBLE /LESS THAN A QUARTER INCH/ AND WITH THE CONTINUED CHANCE OF A GLACE...LESS THAN A TENTH OF AN INCH...OF FREEZING RAIN. AS WITH ANY WINTER EVENT ACROSS GEORGIA...THIS IS ALL DEPENDENT ON TIMING OF INCOMING COLDER AIR VS. EXITING MOISTURE...BUT THAT SAID CURRENT GUIDANCE AND GUIDANCE TRENDS ALL POINT TO THAT THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE MUCH OF A WINTRY EVENT. HOWEVER...WITH TEMPERATURES DROPPING DURING THE DAY ON THURSDAY...ANY WINTRY PRECIP MAY RESULT IN BLACK ICE ESPECIALLY ON BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES. WILL ISSUE A SPS FOR PORTIONS OF EXTREME NORTH GEORGIA. TDP LONG TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/... MAINLY ONLY TWEAKS TO THE LONG TERM BASED ON THE LATEST GUIDANCE. LOTS OF UNCERTAINTY FOR PRECIP POTENTIAL BETWEEN THE GFS AND EUROPEAN. BDL PREVIOUS DISCUSSION... LOOKS COOL BUT GENERALLY DRY FOR THURSDAY NIGHT/FRIDAY BUT TEMPERATURES REBOUND NICELY INTO THE WEEKEND AS GENERALLY ZONAL UPPER-LEVEL FLOW PATTERN KEEPS THE BETTER COLD AIR NORTH AND WEST OF THE FORECAST AREA. HARD TO GO ABOVE SLIGHT CHANCE/LOW CHANCE FOR POPS THROUGH ANY OF THE REMAINDER OF THE EXTENDED FORECAST PERIOD AS NO SIGNIFICANT FOCUS FOR BETTER...MORE ORGANIZED...PRECIPITATION CHANCES ARE EVIDENT IN THE PERSISTENT ZONAL FLOW. BDL && .AVIATION... 06Z UPDATE... WEDGE OF LOW CLOUDS AND FOG IS FINALLY BEGINNING TO ERODE ON THE SOUTHWEST SIDE. MEANWHILE...THE NORTHERN TERMINAL SITES REMAIN LOCKED IN AT 1/2SM TO 1/4SM FOG AND VLFR CIGS. THE TRICKY PART OF THE FORECAST WILL BE TO TIME THE EDGE OF THE CLEARING. DO THINK WHEN THE FOG AND LOW CLOUDS CLEAR...IT WILL GO VERY VERY QUICK. MY TIMING OF IMPROVING VSBYS AND CIGS AT ATL WILL LIKELY HAVE TO BE ADJUSTED DEPENDING UPON THE SPEED OF CLEARING ON THE SW SIDE. EAST WINDS WILL SWITCH AROUND TO THE S AND THEN SW QUICKLY ALSO...WENT WITH THE RAP BECAUSE IT HELD ONTO THE WEDGE A FEW MORE HOURS THAN THE OTHER MODELS WHICH ARE NOTORIOUS FOR CLEARING TOO SOON. COLD FRONT WILL BEGIN TO DROP SOUTH TODAY...BRINGING AN AREA OF PRECIP. DIDN`T ADJUST POPS FOR THIS CYCLE AS MODELS ARE IN PRETTY GOOD AGREEMENT WITH TIMING. HOWEVER...A FEW TWEAKS MAY HAVE TO BE MADE FOR LATER TAF ISSUANCES. //ATL CONFIDENCE...06Z UPDATE... MEDIUM CONFIDENCE ALL ELEMENTS. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... ATHENS 73 58 59 31 / 10 60 70 10 ATLANTA 72 50 53 29 / 20 70 70 5 BLAIRSVILLE 65 44 47 24 / 50 80 70 5 CARTERSVILLE 71 41 44 26 / 40 80 70 5 COLUMBUS 75 59 61 34 / 10 60 60 20 GAINESVILLE 69 51 53 29 / 30 80 70 5 MACON 77 62 63 36 / 5 40 60 30 ROME 71 38 41 25 / 50 90 70 5 PEACHTREE CITY 73 54 56 30 / 20 70 70 5 VIDALIA 81 63 73 41 / 5 10 50 30 && .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... DENSE FOG ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM EST THIS MORNING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: BALDWIN...BANKS...BARROW...BARTOW...BIBB... BUTTS...CARROLL...CATOOSA...CHATTOOGA...CHEROKEE...CLARKE... CLAYTON...COBB...COWETA...CRAWFORD...DADE...DAWSON...DEKALB... DOUGLAS...EMANUEL...FANNIN...FAYETTE...FLOYD...FORSYTH... GILMER...GLASCOCK...GORDON...GREENE...GWINNETT...HALL... HANCOCK...HARALSON...HEARD...HENRY...JACKSON...JASPER... JEFFERSON...JOHNSON...JONES...LAMAR...LAURENS...LUMPKIN... MADISON...MERIWETHER...MONROE...MORGAN...MURRAY...NEWTON...NORTH FULTON...OCONEE...OGLETHORPE...PAULDING...PICKENS...PIKE... POLK...PUTNAM...ROCKDALE...SOUTH FULTON...SPALDING... TALIAFERRO...TOWNS...TREUTLEN...TROUP...TWIGGS...UNION...UPSON... WALKER...WALTON...WARREN...WASHINGTON...WHITE...WHITFIELD... WILKES...WILKINSON. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
553 AM CST WED MAR 4 2015 .SHORT TERM... 316 AM CST TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY... COLD FRONT WHICH MOVED ACROSS THE AREA LAST EVENING HAS PUSHED INTO THE OHIO VALLEY OVERNIGHT...THOUGH PUSH OF COLDER ARCTIC ORIGIN AIR HAS BEEN GRADUAL. AREA OF STRONGER NORTHWEST WINDS AND A SHARPER GRADIENT TO COLDER/DRIER TEMP/DEW POINT NOTED IN 08Z SURFACE ANALYSIS FROM EAST CENTRAL WI INTO NORTHWEST IL AND NORTHERN MO...AND THIS WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE AREA TODAY. THIS PERSISTENT COLD ADVECTION WILL KEEP TEMPERATURE TREND RATHER FLAT TODAY...WITH ONLY A FEW DEGREES RISE OVER MORNING LOWS NEAR 10 ABOVE NORTHWEST...AND RELATIVELY STEADY READINGS IN THE LOWER 20S IN THE SOUTHEAST. PARTIAL CLEARING WAS WORKING INTO WESTERN PARTS OF THE FORECAST AREA EARLY THIS MORNING...THOUGH ADDITIONAL MID/HIGH CLOUDS WERE NOTED UPSTREAM ACROSS THE PLAINS AND THESE WILL CONTINUE TO SPREAD NORTHEAST ACROSS THE AREA THIS MORNING AS ANOTHER MINOR AMPLITUDE SHORT WAVE LIFTS NORTHEAST ACROSS THE AREA AHEAD OF POSITIVE TILT UPPER TROUGH WHICH WILL SLOWLY PUSH SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING. PASSAGE OF THIS FEATURE AND THE RESULTING HEIGHT RISES AND DEEP SUBSIDENCE BEHIND IT WILL FINALLY ALLOW SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE TO BUILD INTO THE AREA THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT. DURING THIS PERIOD...ARCTIC AIR WILL BE IN PLACE WITH 850 MB TEMPS NEAR -20 C. LOWS TONIGHT WILL DIP INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS BELOW ZERO MAINLY ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL IL WHERE CLEAR SKIES AND LIGHTER WINDS ARE MOST LIKELY...WHILE SOME PATCHY CLOUD COVER AND MODEST NORTHWEST WINDS WILL KEEP EASTERN/SOUTHEASTERN PARTS OF THE CWA GENERALLY IN THE SINGLE DIGITS ABOVE ZERO. DESPITE A GOOD AMOUNT OF SUNSHINE ON THURSDAY...SHALLOW MIXING OF COLD AIR MASS WITHIN THE PASSING SURFACE RIDGE LOOKS TO LIMIT MAX TEMPS TO THE LOW-MID TEENS. CLEAR SKIES AND LIGHT WINDS THURSDAY EVENING SHOULD ALLOW A QUICK DROP IN TEMPS AGAIN INTO +/- SINGLE DIGITS...BEFORE INCREASING SOUTH WINDS AND WARM ADVECTION DEVELOPING ALOFT WORK TO PRODUCE STEADY/RISING TEMPERATURES OVERNIGHT PARTICULARLY ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL IL. WIND CHILL READINGS WILL DROP INTO THE -15 TO -20 DEGREE RANGE BOTH LATE TONIGHT AND AGAIN THURSDAY NIGHT...BUT SHOULD REMAIN JUST ABOVE ADVISORY CRITERIA EXCEPT FOR A BRIEF TIME AT THE COLDEST SPOTS OVER NORTH CENTRAL IL. ON FRIDAY...WHILE FLOW REMAINS NORTHWEST ALOFT THE LOW LEVEL WINDS WILL BE GUSTY FROM THE SOUTH-SOUTHWEST. THIS WILL MARK THE BEGINNING OF A WARMING TREND...WITH TEMPERATURES APPROACHING THE FREEZING MARK ACROSS THE WESTERN COUNTIES OF THE CWA ALBEIT WITH THOSE GUSTY WINDS MAINTAINING A BRISK FEEL TO THE DAY WITH WIND CHILLS IN THE TEENS. RATZER && .LONG TERM... 316 AM CST SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY... FROM THE WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK...THE UPPER FLOW MAINTAINS A BROAD EASTERN CONUS UPPER TROUGH WHICH IS LESS AMPLIFIED THAN IN RECENT WEEKS. A SERIES OF SHORT WAVE IMPULSES DOES PASS SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE FLOW ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST AND GREAT LAKES REGION. HOWEVER...SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE BECOMES ANCHORED FROM TEXAS ACROSS THE SOUTHEASTERN STATES AND KEEPS ANY SIGNIFICANT GULF MOISTURE RETURN FROM REACHING THE MIDWEST. HAVE MAINTAINED A DRY FORECAST THROUGH THE PERIOD...AS TIMING/AMPLITUDE DETAILS OF INDIVIDUAL MINOR SHORT WAVES LOWER CONFIDENCE IN NARROWING A SHORT WINDOW OF ANY LIGHT PRECIP POTENTIAL IN OTHERWISE FAIRLY DRY REGIME. MODERATION OF TEMPERATURES THROUGH THE PERIOD LOOKS TO BRING US BACK TO NORMAL OR SLIGHTLY ABOVE BY MONDAY/TUESDAY. IN ADDITION TO WORKING ON MELTING OUR SNOWPACK...MEDIUM RANGE TEMP FORECASTS BY THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK INDICATE SOME 50 DEGREE WEATHER MAY BE IN STORE FOR OUR WINTER-WEARY CWA. RATZER && .CLIMATE... WE COULD COME CLOSE TO A COUPLE RECORDS WITH THIS NEXT COLD SPELL. THE ONES WITH STARS (*) ARE MOST VULNERABLE. WED 3/4 THU 3/5 ROCKFORD RECORD LOW-11 (2002)-11 (2002) RECORD LOW MAX 14 (2002)* 17 (1960)* CHICAGO RECORD LOW-12 (1873) 0 (1978)* RECORD LOW MAX 17 (1890) 12 (1901) && .AVIATION... //ORD AND MDW CONCERNS...UPDATED 12Z... * GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS. BMD //DISCUSSION...UPDATED 12Z... HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS WILL RESULT IN VFR CONDITIONS AND BREEZY NORTHWEST WINDS THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD. WIND GUSTS WILL LIKELY PICKUP AFTER DAYBREAK AND LAST AT LEAST UNTIL SUNSET IF NOT A LITTLE LATER. GUIDANCE HAS BACKED OFF SOME ON THE WIND SPEEDS TODAY SO TAPERED THE MAGNITUDE OF THE GUSTS BACK INTO THE HIGH TEENS IN THE TAFS. MID AND HIGH LEVEL CLOUDS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THE PERIOD...AND LOWER COLD AIR STRATOCUMULUS MAY FORM LATER TODAY BUT FOR NOW EXPECT COVERAGE TO REMAIN FEW TO SCATTERED. BMD //ORD AND MDW CONFIDENCE...UPDATED 12Z... * MEDIUM-HIGH CONFIDENCE IN WIND DIRECTION...MEDIUM CONFIDENCE IN WIND GUST SPEEDS. BMD //OUTLOOK FOR ORD/MDW FOR 00Z FRIDAY-12Z WEDNESDAY...UPDATED 12Z... THURSDAY NIGHT...VFR. FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...MVFR POSSIBLE. SUNDAY... MONDAY THROUGH TUESDAY...PRIMARILY VFR. BMD && .MARINE... 301 AM CST A COLD FRONT HAS DROPPED ACROSS LAKE MICHIGAN WITH HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS TODAY RESULTING IN MODERATE NORTHWEST WINDS. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO PEAK AROUND 30 KT TODAY WHICH COMBINED WITH COLDER TEMPERATURES MOVING OVER THE LAKE COULD RESULT IN SOME FREEZING SPRAY. WINDS SHOULD TAPER GRADUALLY TONIGHT AS THE HIGH MOVES ACROSS THE MIDWEST...THEN BACK TO THE SOUTHWEST THROUGH THE DAY THURSDAY AS THE HIGH SETTLES ALONG THE OHIO VALLEY. WINDS INCREASE AGAIN FRIDAY AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT...BUT WARM ADVECTION OVER THE LAKE SHOULD HELP KEEP THE GUSTS IN CHECK. THE COLD FRONT WILL PUSH ACROSS LAKE MICHIGAN LATE FRIDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY SATURDAY. BMD && .LOT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IL...NONE. IN...NONE. LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY...NEARSHORE WATERS UNTIL 6 PM WEDNESDAY. && $$ VISIT US AT HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/CHICAGO (ALL LOWERCASE) FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK...TWITTER...AND YOUTUBE AT: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/NWSCHICAGO WWW.TWITTER.COM/NWSCHICAGO WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/NWSCHICAGO
Area Forecast Discussion NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 509 AM CST Wed Mar 4 2015 .SHORT TERM...(Today) ISSUED AT 250 AM CST WED MAR 4 2015 2am surface analysis indicates the cold front has shifted south of the Ohio River with another surge of Arctic air spilling southeast into our area. Quite a range in temperatures across the Midwest early this morning with single digits readings common over parts of north central Iowa, while over far southeast Illinois, temperatures were in the mid to upper 30s. The aforementioned cold front will be located south of the Ohio River Valley over the next 24 hours with models indicating a rather tight baroclinic zone along either side of the boundary with several weak surface waves moving east along the thermal gradient producing periodic precip chances to the north which will include parts of the I-70 corridor through early tonight. Forecast soundings suggest some precip-type issues for the first few hours just after dawn before a deep enough cold layer settles in from the northwest changing any wintry mix over to snow. Latest 06z NAM-WRF soundings over southeast IL are a bit slower in breaking down the elevated warm layer seen between the 850 and 750 mb layer. This should continue to result in some melting of the ice crystals before refreezing again as it falls through a rather deep low level cold layer. This should result in some rain mixing with sleet, with the possibility for a brief period of freezing rain this morning before the precip changes over to snow by mid morning. Models indicating we may see a brief lull in the precip later this morning before the next wave of deep layer forcing accompanied by some enhanced lift associated with the entrance region of a jet max at 300 mb moves across the area this afternoon into this evening. This should produce a steady snowfall mainly south of I-70 with a tight gradient in snowfall amounts with our counties in the far southeast sections of the forecast area seeing around 3 to 4 inches, with higher totals further south. For the rest of central through east central Illinois, much colder air will continue to push southeast into the area during the day with not much response in temperatures. Guidance values look reasonable across the north and central sections today with afternoon temperatures not rising much with upper teens to low 20s common by mid-afternoon, while to the southeast, we should see morning highs in the upper 20s to lower 30s, with the the mercury slowly falling thru the day. && .LONG TERM...(Tonight through Tuesday) ISSUED AT 250 AM CST WED MAR 4 2015 Have made little change to the snow chances south of I-70 tonight, mainly concentrating them through the evening with an additional half to 1.5 inches along the highway 50 corridor. The other concern for tonight is with the wind chills across the northwest. Deepening upper trough currently dropping into the upper Mississippi Valley, and will swing through Illinois with 850 mb temperatures around -18C by Thursday morning. Late-season winter storm over the Ohio Valley won`t be in a big hurry to leave, so winds will stay up some as an area of high pressure moves southeast from the Dakotas. Clearing line will advance southeast through the night, with the northwest CWA mostly clear the longest, allowing temperatures to drop below zero. Wind chills around -15 currently expected late tonight and early Thursday from Galesburg to Toulon. As the -15 area has been fluctuating in size recently, will hold off on a headline due to the uncertainty in coverage area and borderline conditions. The unseasonably cold air will continue into early Friday, but the upper pattern after that is continuing to favor a steady and welcome warming trend. Temperatures will reach the 40s this weekend, and an increasing area of 50s is not far behind for early next week. While some disturbances will move through the upper Midwest, flow from the Gulf will be cut off due to a persistent surface high over the Tennessee Valley and mid-Atlantic regions. This will result in a dry passage of these disturbances. && .AVIATION...(For the 12Z TAFS through 12Z Thursday morning) ISSUED AT 505 AM CST WED MAR 4 2015 A band of MVFR cigs continues to track east across the forecast area this morning but should push east of CMI and DEC by 13z with VFR conditions for the remainder of the period. Another Arctic high was located to our northwest and will bring in gusty northwest winds along with much colder and drier air into the region over the next 12 to 24 hours. A weather system over the Southern Plains this morning is expected to bring snow to areas along and south of I-70 today into this evening missing our TAF sites, but close enough to bring some mid and high level cloud cover during the day and into early this eve. Surface winds will be out of the northwest to north at 12 to 17 kts with a few gusts around 22 kts at times into the afternoon, before we see winds begin to diminish after 00z. && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY until 6 PM CST this evening FOR ILZ071>073. && $$ SHORT TERM...Smith LONG TERM...Geelhart AVIATION...Smith
Area Forecast Discussion NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 509 AM CST Wed Mar 4 2015 .SHORT TERM...(Today) ISSUED AT 250 AM CST WED MAR 4 2015 2am surface analysis indicates the cold front has shifted south of the Ohio River with another surge of Arctic air spilling southeast into our area. Quite a range in temperatures across the Midwest early this morning with single digits readings common over parts of north central Iowa, while over far southeast Illinois, temperatures were in the mid to upper 30s. The aforementioned cold front will be located south of the Ohio River Valley over the next 24 hours with models indicating a rather tight baroclinic zone along either side of the boundary with several weak surface waves moving east along the thermal gradient producing periodic precip chances to the north which will include parts of the I-70 corridor through early tonight. Forecast soundings suggest some precip-type issues for the first few hours just after dawn before a deep enough cold layer settles in from the northwest changing any wintry mix over to snow. Latest 06z NAM-WRF soundings over southeast IL are a bit slower in breaking down the elevated warm layer seen between the 850 and 750 mb layer. This should continue to result in some melting of the ice crystals before refreezing again as it falls through a rather deep low level cold layer. This should result in some rain mixing with sleet, with the possibility for a brief period of freezing rain this morning before the precip changes over to snow by mid morning. Models indicating we may see a brief lull in the precip later this morning before the next wave of deep layer forcing accompanied by some enhanced lift associated with the entrance region of a jet max at 300 mb moves across the area this afternoon into this evening. This should produce a steady snowfall mainly south of I-70 with a tight gradient in snowfall amounts with our counties in the far southeast sections of the forecast area seeing around 3 to 4 inches, with higher totals further south. For the rest of central through east central Illinois, much colder air will continue to push southeast into the area during the day with not much response in temperatures. Guidance values look reasonable across the north and central sections today with afternoon temperatures not rising much with upper teens to low 20s common by mid-afternoon, while to the southeast, we should see morning highs in the upper 20s to lower 30s, with the the mercury slowly falling thru the day. && .LONG TERM...(Tonight through Tuesday) ISSUED AT 250 AM CST WED MAR 4 2015 Have made little change to the snow chances south of I-70 tonight, mainly concentrating them through the evening with an additional half to 1.5 inches along the highway 50 corridor. The other concern for tonight is with the wind chills across the northwest. Deepening upper trough currently dropping into the upper Mississippi Valley, and will swing through Illinois with 850 mb temperatures around -18C by Thursday morning. Late-season winter storm over the Ohio Valley won`t be in a big hurry to leave, so winds will stay up some as an area of high pressure moves southeast from the Dakotas. Clearing line will advance southeast through the night, with the northwest CWA mostly clear the longest, allowing temperatures to drop below zero. Wind chills around -15 currently expected late tonight and early Thursday from Galesburg to Toulon. As the -15 area has been fluctuating in size recently, will hold off on a headline due to the uncertainty in coverage area and borderline conditions. The unseasonably cold air will continue into early Friday, but the upper pattern after that is continuing to favor a steady and welcome warming trend. Temperatures will reach the 40s this weekend, and an increasing area of 50s is not far behind for early next week. While some disturbances will move through the upper Midwest, flow from the Gulf will be cut off due to a persistent surface high over the Tennessee Valley and mid-Atlantic regions. This will result in a dry passage of these disturbances. && .AVIATION...(For the 12Z TAFS through 12Z Thursday morning) ISSUED AT 505 AM CST WED MAR 4 2015 A band of MVFR cigs continues to track east across the forecast area this morning but should push east of CMI and DEC by 13z with VFR conditions for the remainder of the period. Another Arctic high was located to our northwest and will bring in gusty northwest winds along with much colder and drier air into the region over the next 12 to 24 hours. A weather system over the Southern Plains this morning is expected to bring snow to areas along and south of I-70 today into this evening missing our TAF sites, but close enough to bring some mid and high level cloud cover during the day and into early this eve. Surface winds will be out of the northwest to north at 12 to 17 kts with a few gusts around 22 kts at times into the afternoon, before we see winds begin to diminish after 00z. && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY until 6 PM CST this evening FOR ILZ071>073. && $$ SHORT TERM...Smith LONG TERM...Geelhart AVIATION...Smith
Area Forecast Discussion NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 509 AM CST Wed Mar 4 2015 .SHORT TERM...(Today) ISSUED AT 250 AM CST WED MAR 4 2015 2am surface analysis indicates the cold front has shifted south of the Ohio River with another surge of Arctic air spilling southeast into our area. Quite a range in temperatures across the Midwest early this morning with single digits readings common over parts of north central Iowa, while over far southeast Illinois, temperatures were in the mid to upper 30s. The aforementioned cold front will be located south of the Ohio River Valley over the next 24 hours with models indicating a rather tight baroclinic zone along either side of the boundary with several weak surface waves moving east along the thermal gradient producing periodic precip chances to the north which will include parts of the I-70 corridor through early tonight. Forecast soundings suggest some precip-type issues for the first few hours just after dawn before a deep enough cold layer settles in from the northwest changing any wintry mix over to snow. Latest 06z NAM-WRF soundings over southeast IL are a bit slower in breaking down the elevated warm layer seen between the 850 and 750 mb layer. This should continue to result in some melting of the ice crystals before refreezing again as it falls through a rather deep low level cold layer. This should result in some rain mixing with sleet, with the possibility for a brief period of freezing rain this morning before the precip changes over to snow by mid morning. Models indicating we may see a brief lull in the precip later this morning before the next wave of deep layer forcing accompanied by some enhanced lift associated with the entrance region of a jet max at 300 mb moves across the area this afternoon into this evening. This should produce a steady snowfall mainly south of I-70 with a tight gradient in snowfall amounts with our counties in the far southeast sections of the forecast area seeing around 3 to 4 inches, with higher totals further south. For the rest of central through east central Illinois, much colder air will continue to push southeast into the area during the day with not much response in temperatures. Guidance values look reasonable across the north and central sections today with afternoon temperatures not rising much with upper teens to low 20s common by mid-afternoon, while to the southeast, we should see morning highs in the upper 20s to lower 30s, with the the mercury slowly falling thru the day. && .LONG TERM...(Tonight through Tuesday) ISSUED AT 250 AM CST WED MAR 4 2015 Have made little change to the snow chances south of I-70 tonight, mainly concentrating them through the evening with an additional half to 1.5 inches along the highway 50 corridor. The other concern for tonight is with the wind chills across the northwest. Deepening upper trough currently dropping into the upper Mississippi Valley, and will swing through Illinois with 850 mb temperatures around -18C by Thursday morning. Late-season winter storm over the Ohio Valley won`t be in a big hurry to leave, so winds will stay up some as an area of high pressure moves southeast from the Dakotas. Clearing line will advance southeast through the night, with the northwest CWA mostly clear the longest, allowing temperatures to drop below zero. Wind chills around -15 currently expected late tonight and early Thursday from Galesburg to Toulon. As the -15 area has been fluctuating in size recently, will hold off on a headline due to the uncertainty in coverage area and borderline conditions. The unseasonably cold air will continue into early Friday, but the upper pattern after that is continuing to favor a steady and welcome warming trend. Temperatures will reach the 40s this weekend, and an increasing area of 50s is not far behind for early next week. While some disturbances will move through the upper Midwest, flow from the Gulf will be cut off due to a persistent surface high over the Tennessee Valley and mid-Atlantic regions. This will result in a dry passage of these disturbances. && .AVIATION...(For the 12Z TAFS through 12Z Thursday morning) ISSUED AT 505 AM CST WED MAR 4 2015 A band of MVFR cigs continues to track east across the forecast area this morning but should push east of CMI and DEC by 13z with VFR conditions for the remainder of the period. Another Arctic high was located to our northwest and will bring in gusty northwest winds along with much colder and drier air into the region over the next 12 to 24 hours. A weather system over the Southern Plains this morning is expected to bring snow to areas along and south of I-70 today into this evening missing our TAF sites, but close enough to bring some mid and high level cloud cover during the day and into early this eve. Surface winds will be out of the northwest to north at 12 to 17 kts with a few gusts around 22 kts at times into the afternoon, before we see winds begin to diminish after 00z. && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY until 6 PM CST this evening FOR ILZ071>073. && $$ SHORT TERM...Smith LONG TERM...Geelhart AVIATION...Smith
Area Forecast Discussion NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 509 AM CST Wed Mar 4 2015 .SHORT TERM...(Today) ISSUED AT 250 AM CST WED MAR 4 2015 2am surface analysis indicates the cold front has shifted south of the Ohio River with another surge of Arctic air spilling southeast into our area. Quite a range in temperatures across the Midwest early this morning with single digits readings common over parts of north central Iowa, while over far southeast Illinois, temperatures were in the mid to upper 30s. The aforementioned cold front will be located south of the Ohio River Valley over the next 24 hours with models indicating a rather tight baroclinic zone along either side of the boundary with several weak surface waves moving east along the thermal gradient producing periodic precip chances to the north which will include parts of the I-70 corridor through early tonight. Forecast soundings suggest some precip-type issues for the first few hours just after dawn before a deep enough cold layer settles in from the northwest changing any wintry mix over to snow. Latest 06z NAM-WRF soundings over southeast IL are a bit slower in breaking down the elevated warm layer seen between the 850 and 750 mb layer. This should continue to result in some melting of the ice crystals before refreezing again as it falls through a rather deep low level cold layer. This should result in some rain mixing with sleet, with the possibility for a brief period of freezing rain this morning before the precip changes over to snow by mid morning. Models indicating we may see a brief lull in the precip later this morning before the next wave of deep layer forcing accompanied by some enhanced lift associated with the entrance region of a jet max at 300 mb moves across the area this afternoon into this evening. This should produce a steady snowfall mainly south of I-70 with a tight gradient in snowfall amounts with our counties in the far southeast sections of the forecast area seeing around 3 to 4 inches, with higher totals further south. For the rest of central through east central Illinois, much colder air will continue to push southeast into the area during the day with not much response in temperatures. Guidance values look reasonable across the north and central sections today with afternoon temperatures not rising much with upper teens to low 20s common by mid-afternoon, while to the southeast, we should see morning highs in the upper 20s to lower 30s, with the the mercury slowly falling thru the day. && .LONG TERM...(Tonight through Tuesday) ISSUED AT 250 AM CST WED MAR 4 2015 Have made little change to the snow chances south of I-70 tonight, mainly concentrating them through the evening with an additional half to 1.5 inches along the highway 50 corridor. The other concern for tonight is with the wind chills across the northwest. Deepening upper trough currently dropping into the upper Mississippi Valley, and will swing through Illinois with 850 mb temperatures around -18C by Thursday morning. Late-season winter storm over the Ohio Valley won`t be in a big hurry to leave, so winds will stay up some as an area of high pressure moves southeast from the Dakotas. Clearing line will advance southeast through the night, with the northwest CWA mostly clear the longest, allowing temperatures to drop below zero. Wind chills around -15 currently expected late tonight and early Thursday from Galesburg to Toulon. As the -15 area has been fluctuating in size recently, will hold off on a headline due to the uncertainty in coverage area and borderline conditions. The unseasonably cold air will continue into early Friday, but the upper pattern after that is continuing to favor a steady and welcome warming trend. Temperatures will reach the 40s this weekend, and an increasing area of 50s is not far behind for early next week. While some disturbances will move through the upper Midwest, flow from the Gulf will be cut off due to a persistent surface high over the Tennessee Valley and mid-Atlantic regions. This will result in a dry passage of these disturbances. && .AVIATION...(For the 12Z TAFS through 12Z Thursday morning) ISSUED AT 505 AM CST WED MAR 4 2015 A band of MVFR cigs continues to track east across the forecast area this morning but should push east of CMI and DEC by 13z with VFR conditions for the remainder of the period. Another Arctic high was located to our northwest and will bring in gusty northwest winds along with much colder and drier air into the region over the next 12 to 24 hours. A weather system over the Southern Plains this morning is expected to bring snow to areas along and south of I-70 today into this evening missing our TAF sites, but close enough to bring some mid and high level cloud cover during the day and into early this eve. Surface winds will be out of the northwest to north at 12 to 17 kts with a few gusts around 22 kts at times into the afternoon, before we see winds begin to diminish after 00z. && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY until 6 PM CST this evening FOR ILZ071>073. && $$ SHORT TERM...Smith LONG TERM...Geelhart AVIATION...Smith
Area Forecast Discussion NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 251 AM CST Wed Mar 4 2015 .SHORT TERM...(Today) ISSUED AT 250 AM CST WED MAR 4 2015 2am surface analysis indicates the cold front has shifted south of the Ohio River with another surge of Arctic air spilling southeast into our area. Quite a range in temperatures across the Midwest early this morning with single digits readings common over parts of north central Iowa, while over far southeast Illinois, temperatures were in the mid to upper 30s. The aforementioned cold front will be located south of the Ohio River Valley over the next 24 hours with models indicating a rather tight baroclinic zone along either side of the boundary with several weak surface waves moving east along the thermal gradient producing periodic precip chances to the north which will include parts of the I-70 corridor through early tonight. Forecast soundings suggest some precip-type issues for the first few hours just after dawn before a deep enough cold layer settles in from the northwest changing any wintry mix over to snow. Latest 06z NAM-WRF soundings over southeast IL are a bit slower in breaking down the elevated warm layer seen between the 850 and 750 mb layer. This should continue to result in some melting of the ice crystals before refreezing again as it falls through a rather deep low level cold layer. This should result in some rain mixing with sleet, with the possibility for a brief period of freezing rain this morning before the precip changes over to snow by mid morning. Models indicating we may see a brief lull in the precip later this morning before the next wave of deep layer forcing accompanied by some enhanced lift associated with the entrance region of a jet max at 300 mb moves across the area this afternoon into this evening. This should produce a steady snowfall mainly south of I-70 with a tight gradient in snowfall amounts with our counties in the far southeast sections of the forecast area seeing around 3 to 4 inches, with higher totals further south. For the rest of central through east central Illinois, much colder air will continue to push southeast into the area during the day with not much response in temperatures. Guidance values look reasonable across the north and central sections today with afternoon temperatures not rising much with upper teens to low 20s common by mid-afternoon, while to the southeast, we should see morning highs in the upper 20s to lower 30s, with the the mercury slowly falling thru the day. && .LONG TERM...(Tonight through Tuesday) ISSUED AT 250 AM CST WED MAR 4 2015 Have made little change to the snow chances south of I-70 tonight, mainly concentrating them through the evening with an additional half to 1.5 inches along the highway 50 corridor. The other concern for tonight is with the wind chills across the northwest. Deepening upper trough currently dropping into the upper Mississippi Valley, and will swing through Illinois with 850 mb temperatures around -18C by Thursday morning. Late-season winter storm over the Ohio Valley won`t be in a big hurry to leave, so winds will stay up some as an area of high pressure moves southeast from the Dakotas. Clearing line will advance southeast through the night, with the northwest CWA mostly clear the longest, allowing temperatures to drop below zero. Wind chills around -15 currently expected late tonight and early Thursday from Galesburg to Toulon. As the -15 area has been fluctuating in size recently, will hold off on a headline due to the uncertainty in coverage area and borderline conditions. The unseasonably cold air will continue into early Friday, but the upper pattern after that is continuing to favor a steady and welcome warming trend. Temperatures will reach the 40s this weekend, and an increasing area of 50s is not far behind for early next week. While some disturbances will move through the upper Midwest, flow from the Gulf will be cut off due to a persistent surface high over the Tennessee Valley and mid-Atlantic regions. This will result in a dry passage of these disturbances. && .AVIATION...(For the 06Z TAFS through 06Z Wednesday night) ISSUED AT 1149 PM CST TUE MAR 3 2015 MVFR ceilings temporarily cleared at the central Illinois terminals this evening: however, another patch of lower clouds is noted on 05z satellite imagery along/west of the Illinois River. These clouds will spread eastward over the next couple of hours before clearing out once again later tonight. Latest HRRR suggests MVFR ceilings will depart KPIA by 09z, then further east to KCMI by around 13z. Even when the lower clouds exit, a mid-level cloud deck at 12000-15000ft will remain as low pressure tracks along a frontal boundary draped along the Ohio River. Any associated precip will remain south of the central Illinois terminals, although overcast conditions will persist through the entire 06z TAF period. Northwesterly winds will gust to between 15 and 20kt tonight through Wednesday afternoon before subsiding to less than 10kt by Wednesday evening. && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY from 6 AM this morning to 6 PM CST this evening FOR ILZ071>073. && $$ SHORT TERM...Smith LONG TERM...Geelhart AVIATION...Barnes Corrected spelling error in first paragraph of Short Term
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
303 AM CST WED MAR 4 2015 .UPDATE... 818 PM CST NO MAJOR CHANGES TO THE GOING FORECAST THIS EVENING. COLD FRONT HAS CLEARED THE AREA AND COLDER AIR IS FILTERING INTO THE AREA ON WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS. THE RATE OF COOLING WILL INCREASE INTO THE EARLY OVERNIGHT AND HAVE MADE LITTLE IF ANY ADJUSTMENT TO EXPECTED LOWS BY DAYBREAK. LOW CLOUDS HAVE TEMPORARILY SCATTERED IN SOME AREAS BUT WILL FILL BACK IN THROUGH THE REST OF THE EVENING BEFORE ERODING FROM THE NORTHWEST LATER TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY MORNING. MID CLOUD COVER WILL TAKE OVER IN ITS PLACE SO ANY CLEARING WOULD LIKELY BE BRIEF AND SPOTTY. MDB && .SHORT TERM... 247 PM CST THROUGH THURSDAY... SOMEWHAT BAGGY COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REGION THIS EVENING AND USHER IN PROGRESSIVELY COLDER AIR MASS THROUGH THE NIGHT. AHEAD OF THE INTO THE EARLY-MID EVENING ANTICIPATE LOW STRATUS HANGING AROUND AND LIKELY RESULTING IN NEARLY STEADY TEMPS AND HAVE GONE A BIT ABOVE HOURLY GUIDANCE TEMPS HANGING ONTO 30S INTO THE EARLY EVENING OVER MOST OF THE CWA BEFORE BOTTOM DROPS OUT LATE TONIGHT. SOME PARTIAL CLEARING IS EXPECTED OVERNIGHT BUT SOME MID-HIGH CLOUDS WILL MOVE IN AS WELL...SO NOT CURRENTLY EXPECTING SKIES TO GO CLEAR. A COUPLE DAYS OF UNSEASONABLY COLD WEATHER LOOK TO BE ON TAP WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. WEDNESDAY NIGHT HAS POTENTIAL TO GIVE CHICAGO`S RECORD LOW A RUN FOR ITS MONEY...THOUGH GUIDANCE SUGGESTS MID-HIGH LEVEL CLOUDINESS COULD BE RATHER EXTENSIVE FOR MUCH OF THE NIGHT AND WINDS STAYING UP A BIT. BOTH OF THESE FACTORS COULD KEEP TEMPS FROM REALIZING THEIR FULL FRIGID POTENTIAL...THOUGH ANY LATE NIGHT CLEARING COULD ALLOW FOR LAST MINUTE DROPS IN TEMPS. ARCTIC HIGH WILL BE NEAR BY THURSDAY WITH HEART OF THE ARCTIC AIR MASS OVERHEAD TO START THE DAY...SUGGESTING THAT HIGHS COULD THREATEN RECORD LOW MAX TEMPS. FULL SUNSHINE THURSDAY WITH LOWER ALBEDO IN CHICAGO AND RFD METRO AREAS SHOULD ALLOW TEMPS TO MODERATE A BIT ABOVE GUIDANCE AND HAVE TRENDED HIGHS EVER SO SLIGHTLY UPWARD. IZZI && .LONG TERM... 247 PM CST THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY... THURSDAY NIGHT COULD BE ONE OF THOSE NIGHTS THAT SEE TEMPERATURES CRASH DURING THE EVENING HOURS GIVEN CLEAR SKIES AND PROXIMITY OF THE HIGH. HIGH DOES SCOOT OFF TO THE EAST OVERNIGHT AND SOUTHERLY WINDS LOOK TO DEVELOP AFTER MIDNIGHT WHICH SHOULD ALLOW TEMPS TO LEVEL OFF AND THEN BEGIN TO SLOWLY RISE PRIOR TO SUNRISE AND DID REFLECT THIS TREND IN THE HOURLY TEMP GRIDS. FRIDAY INTO NEXT WEEK LOOK TO BE FAIRLY QUIET PERIOD WITH A TREND TO NORMAL AND THEN POTENTIALLY EVEN ABOVE NORMAL TEMPS BY EARLY NEXT WEEK. STRONG MARCH SUN AND TEMPS WARMING ABOVE FREEZING THIS WEEKEND DURING THE DAYTIME SHOULD BEGIN THE PROCESS OF CHIPPING AWAY AT THE DEEP SNOW PACK/GLACIER THAT HAS BLANKETED THE REGION SINCE THE EARLY FEBRUARY BLIZZARD. MEDIUM RANGE GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO SUGGEST AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF ABOVE AVERAGE TEMPERATURES HEADING INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE MONTH...THE QUICKER THE SNOW PACK MELTS THE WARMER TEMPS COULD POTENTIALLY GET AS A MEAN RIDGE IS PROGGED TO DEVELOP OF THE NATION`S MID SECTION. IZZI && .CLIMATE... WE COULD COME CLOSE TO A COUPLE RECORDS WITH THIS NEXT COLD SPELL. THE ONES WITH STARS (*) ARE MOST VULNERABLE. WED 3/4 THU 3/5 ROCKFORD RECORD LOW-11 (2002)-11 (2002) RECORD LOW MAX 14 (2002)* 17 (1960)* CHICAGO RECORD LOW-12 (1873) 0 (1978)* RECORD LOW MAX 17 (1890) 12 (1901) && .AVIATION... //ORD AND MDW CONCERNS...UPDATED 09Z... * GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS WEDNESDAY. BMD //DISCUSSION...UPDATED 06Z... HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY WITH A MODEST NORTHWEST GRADIENT IN PLACE ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD. MVFR STRATUS DESK IS ALSO IN PLACE ACROSS THE MIDWEST THOUGH A CLEARING LINE WAS NOTED DROPPING SOUTHEAST ACROSS IOWA AND WISCONSIN THOUGH HAS SINCE BECOME SHROUDED UNDER HIGHER CLOUDS. BASED ON EXTRAPOLATION...WOULD EXPECT THE MVFR CIGS TO SCATTER OUT DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...WITH VFR CONDITIONS IN PLACE THE REMAINDER OF THE TAF PERIOD. NORTHWEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME GUSTY DURING THE DAY WEDNESDAY. BMD //ORD AND MDW CONFIDENCE...UPDATED 09Z... * MEDIUM-HIGH CONFIDENCE IN WIND DIRECTION...MEDIUM CONFIDENCE IN WIND GUST SPEEDS WEDNESDAY. BMD //OUTLOOK FOR ORD/MDW FOR 12Z THURSDAY-12Z WEDNESDAY...UPDATED 00Z... THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...VFR. SATURDAY...MVFR CIGS PSBL. SUNDAY...SCHC RAIN OR SNOW OVERNIGHT...MVFR CIGS PSBL. MONDAY...MVFR CIGS PSBL IN THE MORNING. JEE && .MARINE... 301 AM CST A COLD FRONT HAS DROPPED ACROSS LAKE MICHIGAN WITH HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS TODAY RESULTING IN MODERATE NORTHWEST WINDS. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO PEAK AROUND 30 KT TODAY WHICH COMBINED WITH COLDER TEMPERATURES MOVING OVER THE LAKE COULD RESULT IN SOME FREEZING SPRAY. WINDS SHOULD TAPER GRADUALLY TONIGHT AS THE HIGH MOVES ACROSS THE MIDWEST...THEN BACK TO THE SOUTHWEST THROUGH THE DAY THURSDAY AS THE HIGH SETTLES ALONG THE OHIO VALLEY. WINDS INCREASE AGAIN FRIDAY AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT...BUT WARM ADVECTION OVER THE LAKE SHOULD HELP KEEP THE GUSTS IN CHECK. THE COLD FRONT WILL PUSH ACROSS LAKE MICHIGAN LATE FRIDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY SATURDAY. BMD && .LOT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IL...NONE. IN...NONE. LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY...NEARSHORE WATERS UNTIL 6 PM WEDNESDAY. && $$ VISIT US AT HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/CHICAGO (ALL LOWERCASE) FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK...TWITTER...AND YOUTUBE AT: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/NWSCHICAGO WWW.TWITTER.COM/NWSCHICAGO WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/NWSCHICAGO
Area Forecast Discussion NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 251 AM CST Wed Mar 4 2015 .SHORT TERM...(Today) ISSUED AT 250 AM CST WED MAR 4 2015 2am surface analysis indicates the cold front has shifted south of the Ohio River with another surge of Arctic air spilling southeast into our area. Quite a range in temperatures across the Midwest early this morning with single digits readings common over parts of north central Iowa, while over far southeast Illinois, temperatures will in the mid to upper 30s. The aforementioned cold front will be located south of the Ohio River Valley over the next 24 hours with models indicating a rather tight baroclinic zone along either side of the boundary with several weak surface waves moving east along the thermal gradient producing periodic precip chances to the north which will include parts of the I-70 corridor through early tonight. Forecast soundings suggest some precip-type issues for the first few hours just after dawn before a deep enough cold layer settles in from the northwest changing any wintry mix over to snow. Latest 06z NAM-WRF soundings over southeast IL are a bit slower in breaking down the elevated warm layer seen between the 850 and 750 mb layer. This should continue to result in some melting of the ice crystals before refreezing again as it falls through a rather deep low level cold layer. This should result in some rain mixing with sleet, with the possibility for a brief period of freezing rain this morning before the precip changes over to snow by mid morning. Models indicating we may see a brief lull in the precip later this morning before the next wave of deep layer forcing accompanied by some enhanced lift associated with the entrance region of a jet max at 300 mb moves across the area this afternoon into this evening. This should produce a steady snowfall mainly south of I-70 with a tight gradient in snowfall amounts with our counties in the far southeast sections of the forecast area seeing around 3 to 4 inches, with higher totals further south. For the rest of central through east central Illinois, much colder air will continue to push southeast into the area during the day with not much response in temperatures. Guidance values look reasonable across the north and central sections today with afternoon temperatures not rising much with upper teens to low 20s common by mid-afternoon, while to the southeast, we should see morning highs in the upper 20s to lower 30s, with the the mercury slowly falling thru the day. && .LONG TERM...(Tonight through Tuesday) ISSUED AT 250 AM CST WED MAR 4 2015 Have made little change to the snow chances south of I-70 tonight, mainly concentrating them through the evening with an additional half to 1.5 inches along the highway 50 corridor. The other concern for tonight is with the wind chills across the northwest. Deepening upper trough currently dropping into the upper Mississippi Valley, and will swing through Illinois with 850 mb temperatures around -18C by Thursday morning. Late-season winter storm over the Ohio Valley won`t be in a big hurry to leave, so winds will stay up some as an area of high pressure moves southeast from the Dakotas. Clearing line will advance southeast through the night, with the northwest CWA mostly clear the longest, allowing temperatures to drop below zero. Wind chills around -15 currently expected late tonight and early Thursday from Galesburg to Toulon. As the -15 area has been fluctuating in size recently, will hold off on a headline due to the uncertainty in coverage area and borderline conditions. The unseasonably cold air will continue into early Friday, but the upper pattern after that is continuing to favor a steady and welcome warming trend. Temperatures will reach the 40s this weekend, and an increasing area of 50s is not far behind for early next week. While some disturbances will move through the upper Midwest, flow from the Gulf will be cut off due to a persistent surface high over the Tennessee Valley and mid-Atlantic regions. This will result in a dry passage of these disturbances. && .AVIATION...(For the 06Z TAFS through 06Z Wednesday night) ISSUED AT 1149 PM CST TUE MAR 3 2015 MVFR ceilings temporarily cleared at the central Illinois terminals this evening: however, another patch of lower clouds is noted on 05z satellite imagery along/west of the Illinois River. These clouds will spread eastward over the next couple of hours before clearing out once again later tonight. Latest HRRR suggests MVFR ceilings will depart KPIA by 09z, then further east to KCMI by around 13z. Even when the lower clouds exit, a mid-level cloud deck at 12000-15000ft will remain as low pressure tracks along a frontal boundary draped along the Ohio River. Any associated precip will remain south of the central Illinois terminals, although overcast conditions will persist through the entire 06z TAF period. Northwesterly winds will gust to between 15 and 20kt tonight through Wednesday afternoon before subsiding to less than 10kt by Wednesday evening. && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY from 6 AM this morning to 6 PM CST this evening FOR ILZ071>073. && $$ SHORT TERM...Smith LONG TERM...Geelhart AVIATION...Barnes
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS INDIANAPOLIS IN
341 PM EST WED MAR 4 2015 .UPDATE... AVIATION SECTION UPDATED. && .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 330 PM EST WED MAR 4 2015 LIGHT SNOW ON THE NORTHERN FRINGES OF A BAND OF PRECIPITATION ASSOCIATED WITH A FRONT TO OUR SOUTH WILL CONTINUE INTO THIS EVENING AND THE EARLY PORTION OF THE OVERNIGHT BEFORE TAPERING OFF. A VERY TIGHT GRADIENT IS EXPECTED AND THUS SIGNIFICANT VARIATION COULD OCCUR WITHIN A VERY SHORT DISTANCE. BEYOND TONIGHT...DRY WEATHER IS THE RULE FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE SEVEN DAY FORECAST. HIGH PRESSURE WILL CREATE VERY COLD CONDITIONS THROUGH FRIDAY...WITH SUB ZERO TEMPERATURES POSSIBLE THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING...BEFORE TEMPERATURES MODERATE SIGNIFICANTLY ACROSS THE REGION. && .NEAR TERM /THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT/... ISSUED AT 330 PM EST WED MAR 4 2015 SNOW FORECAST ACROSS THE SOUTH ESSENTIALLY A NOWCASTING ISSUE AT THIS POINT. BASED ON HRRR AND NATIONAL RADAR MOSAIC TRENDS...HAVE TIGHTENED UP GRADIENT EVEN MORE ACROSS THE SOUTH...EFFECTIVELY DECREASING EXPECTED SNOW HERE IN THE INDY METRO DOWN TO A FEW TENTHS AT BEST. AMOUNTS ARE BASICALLY THE SAME ACROSS THE SOUTH...1 TO 3 ALONG A SULLIVAN TO BLOOMINGTON AND GREENSBURG LINE...AND 2 TO 5 ALONG A VINCENNES TO NORTH VERNON LINE. COULD SEE ISOLATED SPOTS PUSH 6 ACROSS OUR FAR SOUTHERN/SOUTHEASTERN FRINGE. HIGHER RESOLUTION MODELS MOVE THE SNOW OUT FASTER LATE TONIGHT AND HAVE GENERALLY TRENDED TOWARD A SLIGHTLY FASTER END. WILL KEEP ADVISORY GOING AS IS AS CHANGES HAVE BEEN RELATIVELY MINOR AND SEE NO REASON TO DEVIATE FROM CURRENT COURSE OF ACTION. TIGHTENED UP TEMPERATURE GRADIENT DEPICTED BY CONSENSUS TEMPS ON MINS TONIGHT...WITH MID SINGLE DIGITS NORTH TO MID TEENS SOUTH. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... ISSUED AT 330 PM EST WED MAR 4 2015 DRY WEATHER RETURNS TOMORROW AND WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE PERIOD. THIS LEAVES TEMPERATURES AS THE SIGNIFICANT FOCUS. CONSENSUS NUMBERS REQUIRED SOME SLIGHT DOWNWARD TWEAKS...ESPECIALLY ON MIN TEMPS WITH A STILL FAIRLY DEEP SNOWPACK AND HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING INTO THE REGION. SUB ZERO TEMPERATURES ARE IN PLAY FOR THURSDAY NIGHT...SOMETHING THAT HAS ONLY HAPPENED ON TEN OTHER OCCASIONS OF RECORD AT INDIANAPOLIS IN MARCH...AND NOT SINCE 9 MARCH 1984. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... ISSUED AT 145 PM EST WED MAR 4 2015 THIS IS A HIGH CONFIDENCE FORECAST. THE INITIALIZATION FROM THE REGIONAL SOFTWARE IS ACCEPTED. THE GFS ENSEMBLE SPREAD IS QUITE LOW FOR THE PERIOD...SO THERE IS A HIGH CHANCE THE INITIALIZATION WILL VERIFY. ALSO...WHILE THE EUROPEAN AND GFS MODELS HAVE SOME DIFFERENCES IN THEIR DETERMINISTIC FIELDS...THEIR STATISTICAL GUIDANCE IS CLOSE. IN A SENSE IT DOESNT MATTER WHICH VERIFIES BETTER...WE CAN EXPECT THE SAME SENSIBLE WEATHER EITHER WAY. && .AVIATION /DISCUSSION FOR THE 032000Z IND TAF/... RADAR CONTINUES TO SHOW VIRGA ACROSS THE IND TAF SITE WITH COOLER AND DRIER AIR CONTINUING TO FILTER IN ON LOW LEVEL NORTHWEST WINDS. EXPECT SOME FLURRIES TO STILL DEVELOP THIS EVENING AS LOWER LEVELS CONTINUE TO SATURATED THE NEXT 2-4 HOURS. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION BELOW /DISCUSSION FOR THE 041800Z TAF ISSUANCE/... ISSUED AT 1158 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL CAUSE SNOW OVER ABOUT THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON. EXPECT CEILINGS AND VISIBILITY TO BE MAINLY MVFR...BUT IFR AT TIMES. BY 01Z THE SNOW WILL BE OVER...CEILINGS WILL BE LOW END VFR...AND VISIBILITY SHOULD BE UNRESTRICTED. IN THE NORTH THE AFTERNOON SHOULD HAVE CEILINGS AROUND 35 HUNDRED FEET WITH UNRESTRICTED VISIBILITY. AS THE UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE MOVES AWAY...DURING THE NIGHT CLOUDS WILL RISE TO NEAR 10 THOUSAND FEET AND THEN BREAK FROM NORTH TO SOUTH. WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED TO REMAIN NORTHWEST WITH SPEEDS 10-15 KNOTS DAYTIME AND 5-10 KNOTS AT NIGHT. && .IND WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 9 AM EST THURSDAY FOR INZ061>065- 067>072. && $$ SYNOPSIS...NIELD NEAR TERM...NIELD SHORT TERM...NIELD LONG TERM...JK AVIATION...JK/JP VISIT US AT HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/IND FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK...TWITTER AND YOUTUBE AT: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/NWSINDIANAPOLIS WWW.TWITTER.COM/NWSINDIANAPOLIS WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/NWSINDIANAPOLIS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS INDIANAPOLIS IN
330 PM EST WED MAR 4 2015 .UPDATE... THE SYNOPSIS...NEAR TERM AND SHORT TERM SECTIONS HAVE BEEN UPDATED BELOW. && .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 330 PM EST WED MAR 4 2015 LIGHT SNOW ON THE NORTHERN FRINGES OF A BAND OF PRECIPITATION ASSOCIATED WITH A FRONT TO OUR SOUTH WILL CONTINUE INTO THIS EVENING AND THE EARLY PORTION OF THE OVERNIGHT BEFORE TAPERING OFF. A VERY TIGHT GRADIENT IS EXPECTED AND THUS SIGNIFICANT VARIATION COULD OCCUR WITHIN A VERY SHORT DISTANCE. BEYOND TONIGHT...DRY WEATHER IS THE RULE FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE SEVEN DAY FORECAST. HIGH PRESSURE WILL CREATE VERY COLD CONDITIONS THROUGH FRIDAY...WITH SUB ZERO TEMPERATURES POSSIBLE THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING...BEFORE TEMPERATURES MODERATE SIGNIFICANTLY ACROSS THE REGION. && .NEAR TERM /THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT/... ISSUED AT 330 PM EST WED MAR 4 2015 SNOW FORECAST ACROSS THE SOUTH ESSENTIALLY A NOWCASTING ISSUE AT THIS POINT. BASED ON HRRR AND NATIONAL RADAR MOSAIC TRENDS...HAVE TIGHTENED UP GRADIENT EVEN MORE ACROSS THE SOUTH...EFFECTIVELY DECREASING EXPECTED SNOW HERE IN THE INDY METRO DOWN TO A FEW TENTHS AT BEST. AMOUNTS ARE BASICALLY THE SAME ACROSS THE SOUTH...1 TO 3 ALONG A SULLIVAN TO BLOOMINGTON AND GREENSBURG LINE...AND 2 TO 5 ALONG A VINCENNES TO NORTH VERNON LINE. COULD SEE ISOLATED SPOTS PUSH 6 ACROSS OUR FAR SOUTHERN/SOUTHEASTERN FRINGE. HIGHER RESOLUTION MODELS MOVE THE SNOW OUT FASTER LATE TONIGHT AND HAVE GENERALLY TRENDED TOWARD A SLIGHTLY FASTER END. WILL KEEP ADVISORY GOING AS IS AS CHANGES HAVE BEEN RELATIVELY MINOR AND SEE NO REASON TO DEVIATE FROM CURRENT COURSE OF ACTION. TIGHTENED UP TEMPERATURE GRADIENT DEPICTED BY CONSENSUS TEMPS ON MINS TONIGHT...WITH MID SINGLE DIGITS NORTH TO MID TEENS SOUTH. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... ISSUED AT 330 PM EST WED MAR 4 2015 DRY WEATHER RETURNS TOMORROW AND WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE PERIOD. THIS LEAVES TEMPERATURES AS THE SIGNIFICANT FOCUS. CONSENSUS NUMBERS REQUIRED SOME SLIGHT DOWNWARD TWEAKS...ESPECIALLY ON MIN TEMPS WITH A STILL FAIRLY DEEP SNOWPACK AND HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING INTO THE REGION. SUB ZERO TEMPERATURES ARE IN PLAY FOR THURSDAY NIGHT...SOMETHING THAT HAS ONLY HAPPENED ON TEN OTHER OCCASIONS OF RECORD AT INDIANAPOLIS IN MARCH...AND NOT SINCE 9 MARCH 1984. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... ISSUED AT 145 PM EST WED MAR 4 2015 THIS IS A HIGH CONFIDENCE FORECAST. THE INITIALIZATION FROM THE REGIONAL SOFTWARE IS ACCEPTED. THE GFS ENSEMBLE SPREAD IS QUITE LOW FOR THE PERIOD...SO THERE IS A HIGH CHANCE THE INITIALIZATION WILL VERIFY. ALSO...WHILE THE EUROPEAN AND GFS MODELS HAVE SOME DIFFERENCES IN THEIR DETERMINISTIC FIELDS...THEIR STATISTICAL GUIDANCE IS CLOSE. IN A SENSE IT DOESNT MATTER WHICH VERIFIES BETTER...WE CAN EXPECT THE SAME SENSIBLE WEATHER EITHER WAY. && .AVIATION /DISCUSSION FOR THE 041800Z TAF ISSUANCE/... ISSUED AT 1158 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL CAUSE SNOW OVER ABOUT THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON. EXPECT CEILINGS AND VISIBILITY TO BE MAINLY MVFR...BUT IFR AT TIMES. BY 01Z THE SNOW WILL BE OVER...CEILINGS WILL BE LOW END VFR...AND VISIBILITY SHOULD BE UNRESTRICTED. IN THE NORTH THE AFTERNOON SHOULD HAVE CEILINGS AROUND 35 HUNDRED FEET WITH UNRESTRICTED VISIBILITY. AS THE UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE MOVES AWAY...DURING THE NIGHT CLOUDS WILL RISE TO NEAR 10 THOUSAND FEET AND THEN BREAK FROM NORTH TO SOUTH. WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED TO REMAIN NORTHWEST WITH SPEEDS 10-15 KNOTS DAYTIME AND 5-10 KNOTS AT NIGHT. && .IND WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 9 AM EST THURSDAY FOR INZ061>065- 067>072. && $$ SYNOPSIS...NIELD NEAR TERM...NIELD SHORT TERM...NIELD LONG TERM...JK AVIATION...JK VISIT US AT HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/IND FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK...TWITTER AND YOUTUBE AT: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/NWSINDIANAPOLIS WWW.TWITTER.COM/NWSINDIANAPOLIS WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/NWSINDIANAPOLIS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS INDIANAPOLIS IN
146 PM EST WED MAR 4 2015 .UPDATE... THE LONG TERM SECTION HAS BEEN UPDATED BELOW. && .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 340 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 PRECIPITATION WILL CONTINUE TODAY ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HALF OF CENTRAL INDIANA AS LOW PRESSURE TRACKS ALONG A NEARLY STATIONARY BOUNDARY OVER THE TENNESSEE VALLEY. ACCUMULATING SNOW IS POSSIBLE SOUTH OF I-70 WITH SEVERAL INCHES OVER FAR SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF CENTRAL INDIANA BY THURSDAY MORNING. STRONG HIGH PRESSURE WILL BRING DRY WEATHER INTO NEXT WEEK. COLD TEMPERATURES THURSDAY AND FRIDAY WILL WARM OVER THE WEEKEND...FINALLY RISING ABOVE NORMAL EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /TODAY/... ISSUED AT 944 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 CONTINUED TREND OF LOWERING POPS THIS MORNING AS PRECIPITATION HAS LARGELY STAYED JUST SOUTH OF OUR SOUTHERN BORDER THUS FAR. THIS WILL CUT DOWN ON EXPECTED SNOW AMOUNTS SLIGHTLY. HRRR BRINGS SNOWFALL BACK TO THE AREA BY MIDDAY AND WILL BLEND MORNING ADJUSTMENTS INTO THE AFTERNOON GRIDS. ADDITIONALLY...EXPECT OVERNIGHT LOWS TO LIKELY REPRESENT OR BE VERY NEAR DAYTIME HIGHS TODAY AND HAVE ADJUSTED GRIDS IN THAT MANNER. PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS FOLLOW. ISSUED AT 628 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 LOWERED POPS OVER SOUTHERN COUNTIES FOR MUCH OF THE MORNING BASED ON CURRENT RADAR TRENDS. MOST OF THE SOUTHERN COUNTIES MAY ACTUALLY HAVE A PERIOD OF DRY WEATHER BEFORE THE SNOW ARRIVES IN THE AFTERNOON. ONE INTERESTING NOTE...RAP/HRRR ARE COMING IN FURTHER SOUTH WITH MORE SUBSTANTIAL SNOWFALL LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR GOING FORWARD TO SEE IF THESE TRENDS HOLD. 340 AM DISCUSSION FOLLOWS. RAIN CONTINUES ACROSS MUCH OF THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA EARLY THIS MORNING. OBS AND DUAL POL DATA BOTH SHOWING SLEET MIXING IN WITH THE RAIN ON THE NORTHERN FLANK OF THE PRECIP SHIELD AND EVEN GETTING A FEW WET SNOWFLAKES MIXING IN AS WELL. TEMPS WERE IN THE 30S...RANGING FROM THE LOWER 30S NORTH TO UPPER 30S OVER THE SOUTHEAST. TWO PRIMARY ISSUES TO FOCUS ON OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS. THE FIRST DEALS WITH THE ONGOING PRECIP THIS MORNING AS SHALLOW SUBFREEZING AIR SLOWLY ADVECTS SOUTH BEHIND THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY. THE SECOND ISSUE THEN FOCUSES ON EXPECTED SNOWFALL AS A SECONDARY WAVE RIDES ALONG THE BOUNDARY THROUGH THE TENNESSEE VALLEY LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. WE WILL DISCUSS EACH IN TANDEM. STEADIER PRECIP AT 08Z NOW GENERALLY SOUTH OF I-70. LIGHTER ECHOES EXTEND BACK TO THE NORTHWEST INTO CENTRAL ILLINOIS BUT APPEARS LITTLE IF ANY OF THIS IS REACHING THE GROUND AT THIS TIME. DOPPLER RADAR ESTIMATES OF 0.75 TO 1 INCH OVER FAR SOUTHERN COUNTIES SEEM REASONABLE BUT NOW AS BRIGHT BANDING BECOMES AN ISSUE WITH THE SLEET MIXING IN...AMOUNTS ARE BECOMING DISTORTED. HAVE ISSUED A FLOOD ADVISORY FROM DAVIESS CO NORTHEAST THROUGH JENNINGS CO THROUGH 1330Z. COMBINATION OF THIS RAIN WITH THE SNOWMELT IS LIKELY CAUSING SOME MINOR FLOODING. RAP AND HRRR GUIDANCE STRUGGLING A BIT WITH PLACEMENT/COVERAGE AREA OF THE PRECIP AND WITH CURRENT SURFACE TEMPS THIS MORNING. HRRR IN PARTICULAR HAS PRECIP SHIELD ABOUT 40-50 MILES FURTHER NORTH THAN WHERE IT IS CURRENTLY. ADDITIONALLY...BOTH MODELS HAVE BEEN TOO AGGRESSIVE WITH THE ARRIVAL OF THE SUBFREEZING TEMPS SO FAR THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT...ALTHOUGH MOST RECENT RUNS APPEAR TO BE CAPTURING THE SLOWER TEMP FALLS BETTER. THESE TWO FACTORS HAVE RESULTED IN BOTH THE RAP AND HRRR OVERDOING QPF AMOUNTS IN THE FORM OF EITHER LIGHT ACCUMS OF SLEET OR SNOW ALONG AND JUST SOUTH OF THE I-70 CORRIDOR THIS MORNING. STILL ANTICIPATE TEMPS TO SLOWLY FALL TO 32 AND LOWER OVER ALL BUT THE SOUTHERN THIRD OF THE FORECAST AREA BY DAYBREAK... BUT ANY SLEET OR LIGHT SNOW SHOULD BE MINIMAL AS TEMP FALLS LAG THE SOUTHWARD SHIFT OF THE PRECIP SHIELD. THE LIGHT WINTRY PRECIP COMBINED WITH TEMPS FALLING INTO THE UPPER 20S/LOWER 30S WILL CREATE SLICK CONDITIONS IN SPOTS THROUGH DAYBREAK AND WILL HIGHLIGHT WITH A SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT. MOST OF THE FORECAST AREA WILL EXPERIENCE A PERIOD OF DRY WEATHER LASTING THROUGH THE MORNING AS THE FRONT CONTINUES SOUTH. FAR SOUTHERN COUNTIES HOWEVER WILL CONTINUE TO SEE LIGHT PRECIP THROUGH THE MORNING...GRADUALLY TRANSITIONING FROM RAIN TO A MIX WITH SLEET TO ALL SNOW BY EARLY AFTERNOON AS COLDER AIR ADVANCES SOUTH. THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SECONDARY WAVE ALONG THE FRONT THEN BECOMES THE PRIMARY FOCUS FOR THE REST OF THE PERIOD...AS PRECIP SHIELD WILL EXPAND BACK TO THE NORTH IN RESPONSE THE THE BOUNDARY BECOMING NEARLY STATIONARY OVER THE LOWER TENNESSEE VALLEY. OVERALL MODELS HAVE COME INTO BETTER ALIGNMENT WITH THE STRONG ARCTIC HIGH TO THE NORTHWEST HAVING A GREATER INFLUENCE. BULK OF THE DEEPER MOISTURE AND FORCING WILL REMAIN CLOSER TO THE OHIO RIVER...AND THIS IS WHERE THE AXIS OF HEAVIEST SNOWFALL SHOULD SET UP. AMOUNTS WILL GRADUALLY LIGHTEN FURTHER NORTH INTO FAR SOUTHERN COUNTIES...BUT STILL AM FAIRLY CONFIDENT IN A SWATH OF 3 TO 5 INCHES ALONG AND SOUTH OF A VINCENNES-BLOOMINGTON-GREENSBURG LINE. POTENTIAL IS THERE FOR PORTIONS OF JACKSON AND JENNINGS COUNTIES TO MAKE A RUN AT 6 INCHES...BUT CONFIDENCE JUST NOT HIGH ENOUGH TO SUPPORT A WARNING. AM MORE COMFORTABLE TRANSITIONING THE WATCH TO AN ADVISORY AND ADDING GREENE/MONROE/BARTHOLOMEW/DECATUR COUNTIES CONSIDERING AMOUNTS ABOVE. ADVISORY WILL RUN THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT. FURTHER NORTH...SNOW AMOUNTS WILL DROP OFF RAPIDLY AS DRIER AIR ASSOCIATED WITH THE HIGH EXERTS ITS INFLUENCE. COULD SEE 1 TO PERHAPS 1.5 INCHES IN THE INDY METRO AND ALONG THE I-70 CORRIDOR...DIMINISHING TO FLURRIES OVER FAR NORTHERN COUNTIES. SNOW WILL TAPER OFF FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST AFTER 06Z WITH LINGERING SNOWS CONFINED TO FAR SOUTHEAST COUNTIES AT DAYBREAK THURSDAY. TEMPS...UTILIZED A BLEND OF SHORT RANGE GUIDANCE AND OBS TO CAPTURE CURRENT TEMPS AND TRENDS GOING FORWARD THROUGH THE MORNING. MAY SEE A SUBTLE BUMP OF A DEGREE OR TWO IN TEMPS THIS AFTERNOON OTHERWISE STRENGTHENING COLD ADVECTION WILL LARGELY ENSURE TEMPS FALLING INTO THE LOW/MID 20S BY LATE DAY. ENDED UP CLOSER TO METMOS AS A RESULT. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... ISSUED AT 340 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 FORECAST CHALLENGES ARE MINUSCULE THROUGH THE SHORT TERM AS HIGH PRESSURE SETTLES IN WITH DRY AND CHILLY WEATHER. LAST OF THE LIGHT SNOWS WILL SHIFT OUT OF SOUTHEAST COUNTIES BY MID MORNING THURSDAY. MODEL SOUNDINGS SHOW LINGERING SHALLOW MOISTURE AND LOW CLOUDS BUT AS PROGRESSIVELY DRIER AIR ADVECTS IN FROM THE WEST AND THE WAVE AXIS ALOFT PASSES...EXPECT SKIES TO GRADUALLY CLEAR FROM WEST TO EAST DURING THE AFTERNOON. THE HIGH WILL DRIFT ACROSS THE REGION THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY...EVENTUALLY SETTLING OVER THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY BY FRIDAY NIGHT. WILL SEE MAINLY CLEAR SKIES WITH SUBSIDENCE AND AN ABUNDANCE OF DRY AIR THROUGH THE COLUMN THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING. AN UPPER WAVE WITH A SURFACE LOW ACCOMPANYING WILL TRACK THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES FRIDAY NIGHT AND MAY SPREAD SOME MID AND HIGH CLOUDS INTO CENTRAL INDIANA. NOT EXPECTING ANY PRECIP AS DEEPER MOISTURE AND FORCING ALOFT WITH THE SYSTEM WILL REMAIN WELL NORTH OF THE FORECAST AREA THROUGH DAYBREAK SATURDAY. TEMPS...ANY SUNSHINE WILL DO VERY LITTLE TO MODIFY THE RENEWED ARCTIC AIRMASS OVER THE REGION THURSDAY. TEMPS SHOULD REMAIN 25-30 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL IN THE TEENS. COLDEST HIGH RECORD OF 18 FOR THURSDAY HAS GOOD CHANCE TO BE BROKEN. WITH THE HIGH OVERHEAD THURSDAY NIGHT AND SNOWPACK STILL ACROSS THE REGION...EXPECT SOME AREAS TO FALL BELOW ZERO. AS HAS BEEN MENTIONED SHOULD INDY GO SUBZERO...IT WOULD BE THE FIRST MARCH OCCURRENCE OF A BELOW ZERO READING IN 31 YEARS. IT MAY ALSO BE THE LAST SUBZERO READING OF THE SEASON AS CLIMATOLOGY STARTS WORKING AGAINST US AS WE GO INTO MID MARCH. NEAR MOS GUIDANCE FOR FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT WITH TEMPS BEGINNING TO RECOVER. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... ISSUED AT 145 PM EST WED MAR 4 2015 THIS IS A HIGH CONFIDENCE FORECAST. THE INITIALIZATION FROM THE REGIONAL SOFTWARE IS ACCEPTED. THE GFS ENSEMBLE SPREAD IS QUITE LOW FOR THE PERIOD...SO THERE IS A HIGH CHANCE THE INITIALIZATION WILL VERIFY. ALSO...WHILE THE EUROPEAN AND GFS MODELS HAVE SOME DIFFERENCES IN THEIR DETERMINISTIC FIELDS...THEIR STATISTICAL GUIDANCE IS CLOSE. IN A SENSE IT DOESNT MATTER WHICH VERIFIES BETTER...WE CAN EXPECT THE SAME SENSIBLE WEATHER EITHER WAY. && .AVIATION /DISCUSSION FOR THE 041800Z TAF ISSUANCE/... ISSUED AT 1158 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL CAUSE SNOW OVER ABOUT THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON. EXPECT CEILINGS AND VISIBILITY TO BE MAINLY MVFR...BUT IFR AT TIMES. BY 01Z THE SNOW WILL BE OVER...CEILINGS WILL BE LOW END VFR...AND VISIBILITY SHOULD BE UNRESTRICTED. IN THE NORTH THE AFTERNOON SHOULD HAVE CEILINGS AROUND 35 HUNDRED FEET WITH UNRESTRICTED VISIBILITY. AS THE UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE MOVES AWAY...DURING THE NIGHT CLOUDS WILL RISE TO NEAR 10 THOUSAND FEET AND THEN BREAK FROM NORTH TO SOUTH. WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED TO REMAIN NORTHWEST WITH SPEEDS 10-15 KNOTS DAYTIME AND 5-10 KNOTS AT NIGHT. && .IND WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 9 AM EST THURSDAY FOR INZ061>065- 067>072. && $$ SYNOPSIS...RYAN NEAR TERM...RYAN/NIELD SHORT TERM...RYAN LONG TERM....JK AVIATION...JK VISIT US AT HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/IND FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK...TWITTER AND YOUTUBE AT: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/NWSINDIANAPOLIS WWW.TWITTER.COM/NWSINDIANAPOLIS WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/NWSINDIANAPOLIS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS INDIANAPOLIS IN
1158 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 .UPDATE... THE AVIATION SECTION HAS BEEN UPDATED BELOW. && .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 340 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 PRECIPITATION WILL CONTINUE TODAY ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HALF OF CENTRAL INDIANA AS LOW PRESSURE TRACKS ALONG A NEARLY STATIONARY BOUNDARY OVER THE TENNESSEE VALLEY. ACCUMULATING SNOW IS POSSIBLE SOUTH OF I-70 WITH SEVERAL INCHES OVER FAR SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF CENTRAL INDIANA BY THURSDAY MORNING. STRONG HIGH PRESSURE WILL BRING DRY WEATHER INTO NEXT WEEK. COLD TEMPERATURES THURSDAY AND FRIDAY WILL WARM OVER THE WEEKEND...FINALLY RISING ABOVE NORMAL EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /TODAY/... ISSUED AT 944 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 CONTINUED TREND OF LOWERING POPS THIS MORNING AS PRECIPITATION HAS LARGELY STAYED JUST SOUTH OF OUR SOUTHERN BORDER THUS FAR. THIS WILL CUT DOWN ON EXPECTED SNOW AMOUNTS SLIGHTLY. HRRR BRINGS SNOWFALL BACK TO THE AREA BY MIDDAY AND WILL BLEND MORNING ADJUSTMENTS INTO THE AFTERNOON GRIDS. ADDITIONALLY...EXPECT OVERNIGHT LOWS TO LIKELY REPRESENT OR BE VERY NEAR DAYTIME HIGHS TODAY AND HAVE ADJUSTED GRIDS IN THAT MANNER. PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS FOLLOW. ISSUED AT 628 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 LOWERED POPS OVER SOUTHERN COUNTIES FOR MUCH OF THE MORNING BASED ON CURRENT RADAR TRENDS. MOST OF THE SOUTHERN COUNTIES MAY ACTUALLY HAVE A PERIOD OF DRY WEATHER BEFORE THE SNOW ARRIVES IN THE AFTERNOON. ONE INTERESTING NOTE...RAP/HRRR ARE COMING IN FURTHER SOUTH WITH MORE SUBSTANTIAL SNOWFALL LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR GOING FORWARD TO SEE IF THESE TRENDS HOLD. 340 AM DISCUSSION FOLLOWS. RAIN CONTINUES ACROSS MUCH OF THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA EARLY THIS MORNING. OBS AND DUAL POL DATA BOTH SHOWING SLEET MIXING IN WITH THE RAIN ON THE NORTHERN FLANK OF THE PRECIP SHIELD AND EVEN GETTING A FEW WET SNOWFLAKES MIXING IN AS WELL. TEMPS WERE IN THE 30S...RANGING FROM THE LOWER 30S NORTH TO UPPER 30S OVER THE SOUTHEAST. TWO PRIMARY ISSUES TO FOCUS ON OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS. THE FIRST DEALS WITH THE ONGOING PRECIP THIS MORNING AS SHALLOW SUBFREEZING AIR SLOWLY ADVECTS SOUTH BEHIND THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY. THE SECOND ISSUE THEN FOCUSES ON EXPECTED SNOWFALL AS A SECONDARY WAVE RIDES ALONG THE BOUNDARY THROUGH THE TENNESSEE VALLEY LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. WE WILL DISCUSS EACH IN TANDEM. STEADIER PRECIP AT 08Z NOW GENERALLY SOUTH OF I-70. LIGHTER ECHOES EXTEND BACK TO THE NORTHWEST INTO CENTRAL ILLINOIS BUT APPEARS LITTLE IF ANY OF THIS IS REACHING THE GROUND AT THIS TIME. DOPPLER RADAR ESTIMATES OF 0.75 TO 1 INCH OVER FAR SOUTHERN COUNTIES SEEM REASONABLE BUT NOW AS BRIGHT BANDING BECOMES AN ISSUE WITH THE SLEET MIXING IN...AMOUNTS ARE BECOMING DISTORTED. HAVE ISSUED A FLOOD ADVISORY FROM DAVIESS CO NORTHEAST THROUGH JENNINGS CO THROUGH 1330Z. COMBINATION OF THIS RAIN WITH THE SNOWMELT IS LIKELY CAUSING SOME MINOR FLOODING. RAP AND HRRR GUIDANCE STRUGGLING A BIT WITH PLACEMENT/COVERAGE AREA OF THE PRECIP AND WITH CURRENT SURFACE TEMPS THIS MORNING. HRRR IN PARTICULAR HAS PRECIP SHIELD ABOUT 40-50 MILES FURTHER NORTH THAN WHERE IT IS CURRENTLY. ADDITIONALLY...BOTH MODELS HAVE BEEN TOO AGGRESSIVE WITH THE ARRIVAL OF THE SUBFREEZING TEMPS SO FAR THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT...ALTHOUGH MOST RECENT RUNS APPEAR TO BE CAPTURING THE SLOWER TEMP FALLS BETTER. THESE TWO FACTORS HAVE RESULTED IN BOTH THE RAP AND HRRR OVERDOING QPF AMOUNTS IN THE FORM OF EITHER LIGHT ACCUMS OF SLEET OR SNOW ALONG AND JUST SOUTH OF THE I-70 CORRIDOR THIS MORNING. STILL ANTICIPATE TEMPS TO SLOWLY FALL TO 32 AND LOWER OVER ALL BUT THE SOUTHERN THIRD OF THE FORECAST AREA BY DAYBREAK... BUT ANY SLEET OR LIGHT SNOW SHOULD BE MINIMAL AS TEMP FALLS LAG THE SOUTHWARD SHIFT OF THE PRECIP SHIELD. THE LIGHT WINTRY PRECIP COMBINED WITH TEMPS FALLING INTO THE UPPER 20S/LOWER 30S WILL CREATE SLICK CONDITIONS IN SPOTS THROUGH DAYBREAK AND WILL HIGHLIGHT WITH A SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT. MOST OF THE FORECAST AREA WILL EXPERIENCE A PERIOD OF DRY WEATHER LASTING THROUGH THE MORNING AS THE FRONT CONTINUES SOUTH. FAR SOUTHERN COUNTIES HOWEVER WILL CONTINUE TO SEE LIGHT PRECIP THROUGH THE MORNING...GRADUALLY TRANSITIONING FROM RAIN TO A MIX WITH SLEET TO ALL SNOW BY EARLY AFTERNOON AS COLDER AIR ADVANCES SOUTH. THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SECONDARY WAVE ALONG THE FRONT THEN BECOMES THE PRIMARY FOCUS FOR THE REST OF THE PERIOD...AS PRECIP SHIELD WILL EXPAND BACK TO THE NORTH IN RESPONSE THE THE BOUNDARY BECOMING NEARLY STATIONARY OVER THE LOWER TENNESSEE VALLEY. OVERALL MODELS HAVE COME INTO BETTER ALIGNMENT WITH THE STRONG ARCTIC HIGH TO THE NORTHWEST HAVING A GREATER INFLUENCE. BULK OF THE DEEPER MOISTURE AND FORCING WILL REMAIN CLOSER TO THE OHIO RIVER...AND THIS IS WHERE THE AXIS OF HEAVIEST SNOWFALL SHOULD SET UP. AMOUNTS WILL GRADUALLY LIGHTEN FURTHER NORTH INTO FAR SOUTHERN COUNTIES...BUT STILL AM FAIRLY CONFIDENT IN A SWATH OF 3 TO 5 INCHES ALONG AND SOUTH OF A VINCENNES-BLOOMINGTON-GREENSBURG LINE. POTENTIAL IS THERE FOR PORTIONS OF JACKSON AND JENNINGS COUNTIES TO MAKE A RUN AT 6 INCHES...BUT CONFIDENCE JUST NOT HIGH ENOUGH TO SUPPORT A WARNING. AM MORE COMFORTABLE TRANSITIONING THE WATCH TO AN ADVISORY AND ADDING GREENE/MONROE/BARTHOLOMEW/DECATUR COUNTIES CONSIDERING AMOUNTS ABOVE. ADVISORY WILL RUN THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT. FURTHER NORTH...SNOW AMOUNTS WILL DROP OFF RAPIDLY AS DRIER AIR ASSOCIATED WITH THE HIGH EXERTS ITS INFLUENCE. COULD SEE 1 TO PERHAPS 1.5 INCHES IN THE INDY METRO AND ALONG THE I-70 CORRIDOR...DIMINISHING TO FLURRIES OVER FAR NORTHERN COUNTIES. SNOW WILL TAPER OFF FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST AFTER 06Z WITH LINGERING SNOWS CONFINED TO FAR SOUTHEAST COUNTIES AT DAYBREAK THURSDAY. TEMPS...UTILIZED A BLEND OF SHORT RANGE GUIDANCE AND OBS TO CAPTURE CURRENT TEMPS AND TRENDS GOING FORWARD THROUGH THE MORNING. MAY SEE A SUBTLE BUMP OF A DEGREE OR TWO IN TEMPS THIS AFTERNOON OTHERWISE STRENGTHENING COLD ADVECTION WILL LARGELY ENSURE TEMPS FALLING INTO THE LOW/MID 20S BY LATE DAY. ENDED UP CLOSER TO METMOS AS A RESULT. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... ISSUED AT 340 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 FORECAST CHALLENGES ARE MINUSCULE THROUGH THE SHORT TERM AS HIGH PRESSURE SETTLES IN WITH DRY AND CHILLY WEATHER. LAST OF THE LIGHT SNOWS WILL SHIFT OUT OF SOUTHEAST COUNTIES BY MID MORNING THURSDAY. MODEL SOUNDINGS SHOW LINGERING SHALLOW MOISTURE AND LOW CLOUDS BUT AS PROGRESSIVELY DRIER AIR ADVECTS IN FROM THE WEST AND THE WAVE AXIS ALOFT PASSES...EXPECT SKIES TO GRADUALLY CLEAR FROM WEST TO EAST DURING THE AFTERNOON. THE HIGH WILL DRIFT ACROSS THE REGION THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY...EVENTUALLY SETTLING OVER THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY BY FRIDAY NIGHT. WILL SEE MAINLY CLEAR SKIES WITH SUBSIDENCE AND AN ABUNDANCE OF DRY AIR THROUGH THE COLUMN THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING. AN UPPER WAVE WITH A SURFACE LOW ACCOMPANYING WILL TRACK THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES FRIDAY NIGHT AND MAY SPREAD SOME MID AND HIGH CLOUDS INTO CENTRAL INDIANA. NOT EXPECTING ANY PRECIP AS DEEPER MOISTURE AND FORCING ALOFT WITH THE SYSTEM WILL REMAIN WELL NORTH OF THE FORECAST AREA THROUGH DAYBREAK SATURDAY. TEMPS...ANY SUNSHINE WILL DO VERY LITTLE TO MODIFY THE RENEWED ARCTIC AIRMASS OVER THE REGION THURSDAY. TEMPS SHOULD REMAIN 25-30 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL IN THE TEENS. COLDEST HIGH RECORD OF 18 FOR THURSDAY HAS GOOD CHANCE TO BE BROKEN. WITH THE HIGH OVERHEAD THURSDAY NIGHT AND SNOWPACK STILL ACROSS THE REGION...EXPECT SOME AREAS TO FALL BELOW ZERO. AS HAS BEEN MENTIONED SHOULD INDY GO SUBZERO...IT WOULD BE THE FIRST MARCH OCCURRENCE OF A BELOW ZERO READING IN 31 YEARS. IT MAY ALSO BE THE LAST SUBZERO READING OF THE SEASON AS CLIMATOLOGY STARTS WORKING AGAINST US AS WE GO INTO MID MARCH. NEAR MOS GUIDANCE FOR FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT WITH TEMPS BEGINNING TO RECOVER. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH NEXT TUESDAY/... ISSUED AT 240 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 ENSEMBLES INDICATE THAT A MEAN TROUGH OVER THE EASTERN PARTS OF THE COUNTRY WILL LIFT OFF TO THE EAST BY EARLY NEXT WEEK AS HEIGHTS RISE AND FLOW BECOMES MORE ZONAL. A FEW ENSEMBLE MEMBERS INDICATE SOME VERY LIGHT QPF WITH A POTENTIAL SHORT WAVE TROUGH THAT MAY BE PASSING OVER THE GREAT LAKES AROUND SUNDAY. THE CHANCES OF ANYTHING MEASURABLE STILL LOOKS TOO LOW TO INCLUDE IN THE FORECAST AT THIS TIME. WILL KEEP THE EXTENDED DRY. MODERATING TEMPERATURES EXPECTED THROUGH THE PERIOD AS HEIGHTS GRADUALLY RISE WITH TIME. && .AVIATION /DISCUSSION FOR THE 041800Z TAF ISSUANCE/... ISSUED AT 1158 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL CAUSE SNOW OVER ABOUT THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON. EXPECT CEILINGS AND VISIBILITY TO BE MAINLY MVFR...BUT IFR AT TIMES. BY 01Z THE SNOW WILL BE OVER...CEILINGS WILL BE LOW END VFR...AND VISIBILITY SHOULD BE UNRESTRICTED. IN THE NORTH THE AFTERNOON SHOULD HAVE CEILINGS AROUND 35 HUNDRED FEET WITH UNRESTRICTED VISIBILITY. AS THE UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE MOVES AWAY...DURING THE NIGHT CLOUDS WILL RISE TO NEAR 10 THOUSAND FEET AND THEN BREAK FROM NORTH TO SOUTH. WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED TO REMAIN NORTHWEST WITH SPEEDS 10-15 KNOTS DAYTIME AND 5-10 KNOTS AT NIGHT. && .IND WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 9 AM EST THURSDAY FOR INZ061>065- 067>072. && $$ SYNOPSIS...RYAN NEAR TERM...RYAN/NIELD SHORT TERM...RYAN LONG TERM...JAS AVIATION...JK VISIT US AT HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/IND FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK...TWITTER AND YOUTUBE AT: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/NWSINDIANAPOLIS WWW.TWITTER.COM/NWSINDIANAPOLIS WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/NWSINDIANAPOLIS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS INDIANAPOLIS IN
944 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 .UPDATE... THE NEAR TERM SECTION HAS BEEN UPDATED BELOW. && .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 340 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 PRECIPITATION WILL CONTINUE TODAY ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HALF OF CENTRAL INDIANA AS LOW PRESSURE TRACKS ALONG A NEARLY STATIONARY BOUNDARY OVER THE TENNESSEE VALLEY. ACCUMULATING SNOW IS POSSIBLE SOUTH OF I-70 WITH SEVERAL INCHES OVER FAR SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF CENTRAL INDIANA BY THURSDAY MORNING. STRONG HIGH PRESSURE WILL BRING DRY WEATHER INTO NEXT WEEK. COLD TEMPERATURES THURSDAY AND FRIDAY WILL WARM OVER THE WEEKEND...FINALLY RISING ABOVE NORMAL EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /TODAY/... ISSUED AT 944 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 CONTINUED TREND OF LOWERING POPS THIS MORNING AS PRECIPITATION HAS LARGELY STAYED JUST SOUTH OF OUR SOUTHERN BORDER THUS FAR. THIS WILL CUT DOWN ON EXPECTED SNOW AMOUNTS SLIGHTLY. HRRR BRINGS SNOWFALL BACK TO THE AREA BY MIDDAY AND WILL BLEND MORNING ADJUSTMENTS INTO THE AFTERNOON GRIDS. ADDITIONALLY...EXPECT OVERNIGHT LOWS TO LIKELY REPRESENT OR BE VERY NEAR DAYTIME HIGHS TODAY AND HAVE ADJUSTED GRIDS IN THAT MANNER. PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS FOLLOW. ISSUED AT 628 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 LOWERED POPS OVER SOUTHERN COUNTIES FOR MUCH OF THE MORNING BASED ON CURRENT RADAR TRENDS. MOST OF THE SOUTHERN COUNTIES MAY ACTUALLY HAVE A PERIOD OF DRY WEATHER BEFORE THE SNOW ARRIVES IN THE AFTERNOON. ONE INTERESTING NOTE...RAP/HRRR ARE COMING IN FURTHER SOUTH WITH MORE SUBSTANTIAL SNOWFALL LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR GOING FORWARD TO SEE IF THESE TRENDS HOLD. 340 AM DISCUSSION FOLLOWS. RAIN CONTINUES ACROSS MUCH OF THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA EARLY THIS MORNING. OBS AND DUAL POL DATA BOTH SHOWING SLEET MIXING IN WITH THE RAIN ON THE NORTHERN FLANK OF THE PRECIP SHIELD AND EVEN GETTING A FEW WET SNOWFLAKES MIXING IN AS WELL. TEMPS WERE IN THE 30S...RANGING FROM THE LOWER 30S NORTH TO UPPER 30S OVER THE SOUTHEAST. TWO PRIMARY ISSUES TO FOCUS ON OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS. THE FIRST DEALS WITH THE ONGOING PRECIP THIS MORNING AS SHALLOW SUBFREEZING AIR SLOWLY ADVECTS SOUTH BEHIND THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY. THE SECOND ISSUE THEN FOCUSES ON EXPECTED SNOWFALL AS A SECONDARY WAVE RIDES ALONG THE BOUNDARY THROUGH THE TENNESSEE VALLEY LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. WE WILL DISCUSS EACH IN TANDEM. STEADIER PRECIP AT 08Z NOW GENERALLY SOUTH OF I-70. LIGHTER ECHOES EXTEND BACK TO THE NORTHWEST INTO CENTRAL ILLINOIS BUT APPEARS LITTLE IF ANY OF THIS IS REACHING THE GROUND AT THIS TIME. DOPPLER RADAR ESTIMATES OF 0.75 TO 1 INCH OVER FAR SOUTHERN COUNTIES SEEM REASONABLE BUT NOW AS BRIGHT BANDING BECOMES AN ISSUE WITH THE SLEET MIXING IN...AMOUNTS ARE BECOMING DISTORTED. HAVE ISSUED A FLOOD ADVISORY FROM DAVIESS CO NORTHEAST THROUGH JENNINGS CO THROUGH 1330Z. COMBINATION OF THIS RAIN WITH THE SNOWMELT IS LIKELY CAUSING SOME MINOR FLOODING. RAP AND HRRR GUIDANCE STRUGGLING A BIT WITH PLACEMENT/COVERAGE AREA OF THE PRECIP AND WITH CURRENT SURFACE TEMPS THIS MORNING. HRRR IN PARTICULAR HAS PRECIP SHIELD ABOUT 40-50 MILES FURTHER NORTH THAN WHERE IT IS CURRENTLY. ADDITIONALLY...BOTH MODELS HAVE BEEN TOO AGGRESSIVE WITH THE ARRIVAL OF THE SUBFREEZING TEMPS SO FAR THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT...ALTHOUGH MOST RECENT RUNS APPEAR TO BE CAPTURING THE SLOWER TEMP FALLS BETTER. THESE TWO FACTORS HAVE RESULTED IN BOTH THE RAP AND HRRR OVERDOING QPF AMOUNTS IN THE FORM OF EITHER LIGHT ACCUMS OF SLEET OR SNOW ALONG AND JUST SOUTH OF THE I-70 CORRIDOR THIS MORNING. STILL ANTICIPATE TEMPS TO SLOWLY FALL TO 32 AND LOWER OVER ALL BUT THE SOUTHERN THIRD OF THE FORECAST AREA BY DAYBREAK... BUT ANY SLEET OR LIGHT SNOW SHOULD BE MINIMAL AS TEMP FALLS LAG THE SOUTHWARD SHIFT OF THE PRECIP SHIELD. THE LIGHT WINTRY PRECIP COMBINED WITH TEMPS FALLING INTO THE UPPER 20S/LOWER 30S WILL CREATE SLICK CONDITIONS IN SPOTS THROUGH DAYBREAK AND WILL HIGHLIGHT WITH A SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT. MOST OF THE FORECAST AREA WILL EXPERIENCE A PERIOD OF DRY WEATHER LASTING THROUGH THE MORNING AS THE FRONT CONTINUES SOUTH. FAR SOUTHERN COUNTIES HOWEVER WILL CONTINUE TO SEE LIGHT PRECIP THROUGH THE MORNING...GRADUALLY TRANSITIONING FROM RAIN TO A MIX WITH SLEET TO ALL SNOW BY EARLY AFTERNOON AS COLDER AIR ADVANCES SOUTH. THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SECONDARY WAVE ALONG THE FRONT THEN BECOMES THE PRIMARY FOCUS FOR THE REST OF THE PERIOD...AS PRECIP SHIELD WILL EXPAND BACK TO THE NORTH IN RESPONSE THE THE BOUNDARY BECOMING NEARLY STATIONARY OVER THE LOWER TENNESSEE VALLEY. OVERALL MODELS HAVE COME INTO BETTER ALIGNMENT WITH THE STRONG ARCTIC HIGH TO THE NORTHWEST HAVING A GREATER INFLUENCE. BULK OF THE DEEPER MOISTURE AND FORCING WILL REMAIN CLOSER TO THE OHIO RIVER...AND THIS IS WHERE THE AXIS OF HEAVIEST SNOWFALL SHOULD SET UP. AMOUNTS WILL GRADUALLY LIGHTEN FURTHER NORTH INTO FAR SOUTHERN COUNTIES...BUT STILL AM FAIRLY CONFIDENT IN A SWATH OF 3 TO 5 INCHES ALONG AND SOUTH OF A VINCENNES-BLOOMINGTON-GREENSBURG LINE. POTENTIAL IS THERE FOR PORTIONS OF JACKSON AND JENNINGS COUNTIES TO MAKE A RUN AT 6 INCHES...BUT CONFIDENCE JUST NOT HIGH ENOUGH TO SUPPORT A WARNING. AM MORE COMFORTABLE TRANSITIONING THE WATCH TO AN ADVISORY AND ADDING GREENE/MONROE/BARTHOLOMEW/DECATUR COUNTIES CONSIDERING AMOUNTS ABOVE. ADVISORY WILL RUN THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT. FURTHER NORTH...SNOW AMOUNTS WILL DROP OFF RAPIDLY AS DRIER AIR ASSOCIATED WITH THE HIGH EXERTS ITS INFLUENCE. COULD SEE 1 TO PERHAPS 1.5 INCHES IN THE INDY METRO AND ALONG THE I-70 CORRIDOR...DIMINISHING TO FLURRIES OVER FAR NORTHERN COUNTIES. SNOW WILL TAPER OFF FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST AFTER 06Z WITH LINGERING SNOWS CONFINED TO FAR SOUTHEAST COUNTIES AT DAYBREAK THURSDAY. TEMPS...UTILIZED A BLEND OF SHORT RANGE GUIDANCE AND OBS TO CAPTURE CURRENT TEMPS AND TRENDS GOING FORWARD THROUGH THE MORNING. MAY SEE A SUBTLE BUMP OF A DEGREE OR TWO IN TEMPS THIS AFTERNOON OTHERWISE STRENGTHENING COLD ADVECTION WILL LARGELY ENSURE TEMPS FALLING INTO THE LOW/MID 20S BY LATE DAY. ENDED UP CLOSER TO METMOS AS A RESULT. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... ISSUED AT 340 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 FORECAST CHALLENGES ARE MINUSCULE THROUGH THE SHORT TERM AS HIGH PRESSURE SETTLES IN WITH DRY AND CHILLY WEATHER. LAST OF THE LIGHT SNOWS WILL SHIFT OUT OF SOUTHEAST COUNTIES BY MID MORNING THURSDAY. MODEL SOUNDINGS SHOW LINGERING SHALLOW MOISTURE AND LOW CLOUDS BUT AS PROGRESSIVELY DRIER AIR ADVECTS IN FROM THE WEST AND THE WAVE AXIS ALOFT PASSES...EXPECT SKIES TO GRADUALLY CLEAR FROM WEST TO EAST DURING THE AFTERNOON. THE HIGH WILL DRIFT ACROSS THE REGION THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY...EVENTUALLY SETTLING OVER THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY BY FRIDAY NIGHT. WILL SEE MAINLY CLEAR SKIES WITH SUBSIDENCE AND AN ABUNDANCE OF DRY AIR THROUGH THE COLUMN THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING. AN UPPER WAVE WITH A SURFACE LOW ACCOMPANYING WILL TRACK THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES FRIDAY NIGHT AND MAY SPREAD SOME MID AND HIGH CLOUDS INTO CENTRAL INDIANA. NOT EXPECTING ANY PRECIP AS DEEPER MOISTURE AND FORCING ALOFT WITH THE SYSTEM WILL REMAIN WELL NORTH OF THE FORECAST AREA THROUGH DAYBREAK SATURDAY. TEMPS...ANY SUNSHINE WILL DO VERY LITTLE TO MODIFY THE RENEWED ARCTIC AIRMASS OVER THE REGION THURSDAY. TEMPS SHOULD REMAIN 25-30 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL IN THE TEENS. COLDEST HIGH RECORD OF 18 FOR THURSDAY HAS GOOD CHANCE TO BE BROKEN. WITH THE HIGH OVERHEAD THURSDAY NIGHT AND SNOWPACK STILL ACROSS THE REGION...EXPECT SOME AREAS TO FALL BELOW ZERO. AS HAS BEEN MENTIONED SHOULD INDY GO SUBZERO...IT WOULD BE THE FIRST MARCH OCCURRENCE OF A BELOW ZERO READING IN 31 YEARS. IT MAY ALSO BE THE LAST SUBZERO READING OF THE SEASON AS CLIMATOLOGY STARTS WORKING AGAINST US AS WE GO INTO MID MARCH. NEAR MOS GUIDANCE FOR FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT WITH TEMPS BEGINNING TO RECOVER. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH NEXT TUESDAY/... ISSUED AT 240 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 ENSEMBLES INDICATE THAT A MEAN TROUGH OVER THE EASTERN PARTS OF THE COUNTRY WILL LIFT OFF TO THE EAST BY EARLY NEXT WEEK AS HEIGHTS RISE AND FLOW BECOMES MORE ZONAL. A FEW ENSEMBLE MEMBERS INDICATE SOME VERY LIGHT QPF WITH A POTENTIAL SHORT WAVE TROUGH THAT MAY BE PASSING OVER THE GREAT LAKES AROUND SUNDAY. THE CHANCES OF ANYTHING MEASURABLE STILL LOOKS TOO LOW TO INCLUDE IN THE FORECAST AT THIS TIME. WILL KEEP THE EXTENDED DRY. MODERATING TEMPERATURES EXPECTED THROUGH THE PERIOD AS HEIGHTS GRADUALLY RISE WITH TIME. && .AVIATION /DISCUSSION FOR 041500Z TAF UPDATE/... ISSUED AT 920 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 AN UPPER LEVEL WAVE WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON. THIS SHOULD RESULT IN PRECIPITATION IN THE KBMG/KHUF/KIND AREAS BY MID AFTERNOON. LIGHT SNOW HAS BEEN PLACED IN THEIR TAFS AFTER 19Z. THE BEST THREAT FOR PROLONGED IFR VISIBILITY IS IN THE KBMG AREA...WHICH WILL BE CLOSEST TO THE DEEPEST MOISTURE. OTHERWISE...SHORT TERM GUIDANCE SUGGESTS MVFR CEILINGS 015-025 WILL WILL LINGER MOST OF THE DAY. SURFACE WINDS 310-330 DEGREES AT 8-12 KTS CAN BE EXPECTED TODAY. && .IND WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 9 AM EST THURSDAY FOR INZ061>065- 067>072. && $$ SYNOPSIS...RYAN NEAR TERM...RYAN/NIELD SHORT TERM...RYAN LONG TERM...JAS AVIATION...JK VISIT US AT HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/IND FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK...TWITTER AND YOUTUBE AT: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/NWSINDIANAPOLIS WWW.TWITTER.COM/NWSINDIANAPOLIS WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/NWSINDIANAPOLIS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS INDIANAPOLIS IN
918 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 .UPDATE... THE AVIATION SECTION HAS BEEN UPDATED BELOW. && .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 340 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 PRECIPITATION WILL CONTINUE TODAY ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HALF OF CENTRAL INDIANA AS LOW PRESSURE TRACKS ALONG A NEARLY STATIONARY BOUNDARY OVER THE TENNESSEE VALLEY. ACCUMULATING SNOW IS POSSIBLE SOUTH OF I-70 WITH SEVERAL INCHES OVER FAR SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF CENTRAL INDIANA BY THURSDAY MORNING. STRONG HIGH PRESSURE WILL BRING DRY WEATHER INTO NEXT WEEK. COLD TEMPERATURES THURSDAY AND FRIDAY WILL WARM OVER THE WEEKEND...FINALLY RISING ABOVE NORMAL EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /TODAY/... ISSUED AT 628 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 LOWERED POPS OVER SOUTHERN COUNTIES FOR MUCH OF THE MORNING BASED ON CURRENT RADAR TRENDS. MOST OF THE SOUTHERN COUNTIES MAY ACTUALLY HAVE A PERIOD OF DRY WEATHER BEFORE THE SNOW ARRIVES IN THE AFTERNOON. ONE INTERESTING NOTE...RAP/HRRR ARE COMING IN FURTHER SOUTH WITH MORE SUBSTANTIAL SNOWFALL LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR GOING FORWARD TO SEE IF THESE TRENDS HOLD. 340 AM DISCUSSION FOLLOWS. RAIN CONTINUES ACROSS MUCH OF THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA EARLY THIS MORNING. OBS AND DUAL POL DATA BOTH SHOWING SLEET MIXING IN WITH THE RAIN ON THE NORTHERN FLANK OF THE PRECIP SHIELD AND EVEN GETTING A FEW WET SNOWFLAKES MIXING IN AS WELL. TEMPS WERE IN THE 30S...RANGING FROM THE LOWER 30S NORTH TO UPPER 30S OVER THE SOUTHEAST. TWO PRIMARY ISSUES TO FOCUS ON OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS. THE FIRST DEALS WITH THE ONGOING PRECIP THIS MORNING AS SHALLOW SUBFREEZING AIR SLOWLY ADVECTS SOUTH BEHIND THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY. THE SECOND ISSUE THEN FOCUSES ON EXPECTED SNOWFALL AS A SECONDARY WAVE RIDES ALONG THE BOUNDARY THROUGH THE TENNESSEE VALLEY LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. WE WILL DISCUSS EACH IN TANDEM. STEADIER PRECIP AT 08Z NOW GENERALLY SOUTH OF I-70. LIGHTER ECHOES EXTEND BACK TO THE NORTHWEST INTO CENTRAL ILLINOIS BUT APPEARS LITTLE IF ANY OF THIS IS REACHING THE GROUND AT THIS TIME. DOPPLER RADAR ESTIMATES OF 0.75 TO 1 INCH OVER FAR SOUTHERN COUNTIES SEEM REASONABLE BUT NOW AS BRIGHT BANDING BECOMES AN ISSUE WITH THE SLEET MIXING IN...AMOUNTS ARE BECOMING DISTORTED. HAVE ISSUED A FLOOD ADVISORY FROM DAVIESS CO NORTHEAST THROUGH JENNINGS CO THROUGH 1330Z. COMBINATION OF THIS RAIN WITH THE SNOWMELT IS LIKELY CAUSING SOME MINOR FLOODING. RAP AND HRRR GUIDANCE STRUGGLING A BIT WITH PLACEMENT/COVERAGE AREA OF THE PRECIP AND WITH CURRENT SURFACE TEMPS THIS MORNING. HRRR IN PARTICULAR HAS PRECIP SHIELD ABOUT 40-50 MILES FURTHER NORTH THAN WHERE IT IS CURRENTLY. ADDITIONALLY...BOTH MODELS HAVE BEEN TOO AGGRESSIVE WITH THE ARRIVAL OF THE SUBFREEZING TEMPS SO FAR THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT...ALTHOUGH MOST RECENT RUNS APPEAR TO BE CAPTURING THE SLOWER TEMP FALLS BETTER. THESE TWO FACTORS HAVE RESULTED IN BOTH THE RAP AND HRRR OVERDOING QPF AMOUNTS IN THE FORM OF EITHER LIGHT ACCUMS OF SLEET OR SNOW ALONG AND JUST SOUTH OF THE I-70 CORRIDOR THIS MORNING. STILL ANTICIPATE TEMPS TO SLOWLY FALL TO 32 AND LOWER OVER ALL BUT THE SOUTHERN THIRD OF THE FORECAST AREA BY DAYBREAK... BUT ANY SLEET OR LIGHT SNOW SHOULD BE MINIMAL AS TEMP FALLS LAG THE SOUTHWARD SHIFT OF THE PRECIP SHIELD. THE LIGHT WINTRY PRECIP COMBINED WITH TEMPS FALLING INTO THE UPPER 20S/LOWER 30S WILL CREATE SLICK CONDITIONS IN SPOTS THROUGH DAYBREAK AND WILL HIGHLIGHT WITH A SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT. MOST OF THE FORECAST AREA WILL EXPERIENCE A PERIOD OF DRY WEATHER LASTING THROUGH THE MORNING AS THE FRONT CONTINUES SOUTH. FAR SOUTHERN COUNTIES HOWEVER WILL CONTINUE TO SEE LIGHT PRECIP THROUGH THE MORNING...GRADUALLY TRANSITIONING FROM RAIN TO A MIX WITH SLEET TO ALL SNOW BY EARLY AFTERNOON AS COLDER AIR ADVANCES SOUTH. THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SECONDARY WAVE ALONG THE FRONT THEN BECOMES THE PRIMARY FOCUS FOR THE REST OF THE PERIOD...AS PRECIP SHIELD WILL EXPAND BACK TO THE NORTH IN RESPONSE THE THE BOUNDARY BECOMING NEARLY STATIONARY OVER THE LOWER TENNESSEE VALLEY. OVERALL MODELS HAVE COME INTO BETTER ALIGNMENT WITH THE STRONG ARCTIC HIGH TO THE NORTHWEST HAVING A GREATER INFLUENCE. BULK OF THE DEEPER MOISTURE AND FORCING WILL REMAIN CLOSER TO THE OHIO RIVER...AND THIS IS WHERE THE AXIS OF HEAVIEST SNOWFALL SHOULD SET UP. AMOUNTS WILL GRADUALLY LIGHTEN FURTHER NORTH INTO FAR SOUTHERN COUNTIES...BUT STILL AM FAIRLY CONFIDENT IN A SWATH OF 3 TO 5 INCHES ALONG AND SOUTH OF A VINCENNES-BLOOMINGTON-GREENSBURG LINE. POTENTIAL IS THERE FOR PORTIONS OF JACKSON AND JENNINGS COUNTIES TO MAKE A RUN AT 6 INCHES...BUT CONFIDENCE JUST NOT HIGH ENOUGH TO SUPPORT A WARNING. AM MORE COMFORTABLE TRANSITIONING THE WATCH TO AN ADVISORY AND ADDING GREENE/MONROE/BARTHOLOMEW/DECATUR COUNTIES CONSIDERING AMOUNTS ABOVE. ADVISORY WILL RUN THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT. FURTHER NORTH...SNOW AMOUNTS WILL DROP OFF RAPIDLY AS DRIER AIR ASSOCIATED WITH THE HIGH EXERTS ITS INFLUENCE. COULD SEE 1 TO PERHAPS 1.5 INCHES IN THE INDY METRO AND ALONG THE I-70 CORRIDOR...DIMINISHING TO FLURRIES OVER FAR NORTHERN COUNTIES. SNOW WILL TAPER OFF FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST AFTER 06Z WITH LINGERING SNOWS CONFINED TO FAR SOUTHEAST COUNTIES AT DAYBREAK THURSDAY. TEMPS...UTILIZED A BLEND OF SHORT RANGE GUIDANCE AND OBS TO CAPTURE CURRENT TEMPS AND TRENDS GOING FORWARD THROUGH THE MORNING. MAY SEE A SUBTLE BUMP OF A DEGREE OR TWO IN TEMPS THIS AFTERNOON OTHERWISE STRENGTHENING COLD ADVECTION WILL LARGELY ENSURE TEMPS FALLING INTO THE LOW/MID 20S BY LATE DAY. ENDED UP CLOSER TO METMOS AS A RESULT. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... ISSUED AT 340 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 FORECAST CHALLENGES ARE MINUSCULE THROUGH THE SHORT TERM AS HIGH PRESSURE SETTLES IN WITH DRY AND CHILLY WEATHER. LAST OF THE LIGHT SNOWS WILL SHIFT OUT OF SOUTHEAST COUNTIES BY MID MORNING THURSDAY. MODEL SOUNDINGS SHOW LINGERING SHALLOW MOISTURE AND LOW CLOUDS BUT AS PROGRESSIVELY DRIER AIR ADVECTS IN FROM THE WEST AND THE WAVE AXIS ALOFT PASSES...EXPECT SKIES TO GRADUALLY CLEAR FROM WEST TO EAST DURING THE AFTERNOON. THE HIGH WILL DRIFT ACROSS THE REGION THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY...EVENTUALLY SETTLING OVER THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY BY FRIDAY NIGHT. WILL SEE MAINLY CLEAR SKIES WITH SUBSIDENCE AND AN ABUNDANCE OF DRY AIR THROUGH THE COLUMN THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING. AN UPPER WAVE WITH A SURFACE LOW ACCOMPANYING WILL TRACK THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES FRIDAY NIGHT AND MAY SPREAD SOME MID AND HIGH CLOUDS INTO CENTRAL INDIANA. NOT EXPECTING ANY PRECIP AS DEEPER MOISTURE AND FORCING ALOFT WITH THE SYSTEM WILL REMAIN WELL NORTH OF THE FORECAST AREA THROUGH DAYBREAK SATURDAY. TEMPS...ANY SUNSHINE WILL DO VERY LITTLE TO MODIFY THE RENEWED ARCTIC AIRMASS OVER THE REGION THURSDAY. TEMPS SHOULD REMAIN 25-30 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL IN THE TEENS. COLDEST HIGH RECORD OF 18 FOR THURSDAY HAS GOOD CHANCE TO BE BROKEN. WITH THE HIGH OVERHEAD THURSDAY NIGHT AND SNOWPACK STILL ACROSS THE REGION...EXPECT SOME AREAS TO FALL BELOW ZERO. AS HAS BEEN MENTIONED SHOULD INDY GO SUBZERO...IT WOULD BE THE FIRST MARCH OCCURRENCE OF A BELOW ZERO READING IN 31 YEARS. IT MAY ALSO BE THE LAST SUBZERO READING OF THE SEASON AS CLIMATOLOGY STARTS WORKING AGAINST US AS WE GO INTO MID MARCH. NEAR MOS GUIDANCE FOR FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT WITH TEMPS BEGINNING TO RECOVER. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH NEXT TUESDAY/... ISSUED AT 240 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 ENSEMBLES INDICATE THAT A MEAN TROUGH OVER THE EASTERN PARTS OF THE COUNTRY WILL LIFT OFF TO THE EAST BY EARLY NEXT WEEK AS HEIGHTS RISE AND FLOW BECOMES MORE ZONAL. A FEW ENSEMBLE MEMBERS INDICATE SOME VERY LIGHT QPF WITH A POTENTIAL SHORT WAVE TROUGH THAT MAY BE PASSING OVER THE GREAT LAKES AROUND SUNDAY. THE CHANCES OF ANYTHING MEASURABLE STILL LOOKS TOO LOW TO INCLUDE IN THE FORECAST AT THIS TIME. WILL KEEP THE EXTENDED DRY. MODERATING TEMPERATURES EXPECTED THROUGH THE PERIOD AS HEIGHTS GRADUALLY RISE WITH TIME. && .AVIATION /DISCUSSION FOR 041500Z TAF UPDATE/... ISSUED AT 920 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 AN UPPER LEVEL WAVE WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON. THIS SHOULD RESULT IN PRECIPITATION IN THE KBMG/KHUF/KIND AREAS BY MID AFTERNOON. LIGHT SNOW HAS BEEN PLACED IN THEIR TAFS AFTER 19Z. THE BEST THREAT FOR PROLONGED IFR VISIBILITY IS IN THE KBMG AREA...WHICH WILL BE CLOSEST TO THE DEEPEST MOISTURE. OTHERWISE...SHORT TERM GUIDANCE SUGGESTS MVFR CEILINGS 015-025 WILL WILL LINGER MOST OF THE DAY. SURFACE WINDS 310-330 DEGREES AT 8-12 KTS CAN BE EXPECTED TODAY. && .IND WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 9 AM EST THURSDAY FOR INZ061>065- 067>072. && $$ SYNOPSIS...RYAN NEAR TERM...RYAN SHORT TERM...RYAN LONG TERM....JAS AVIATION...JK VISIT US AT HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/IND FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK...TWITTER AND YOUTUBE AT: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/NWSINDIANAPOLIS WWW.TWITTER.COM/NWSINDIANAPOLIS WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/NWSINDIANAPOLIS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS INDIANAPOLIS IN
628 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 .UPDATE... THE NEAR TERM SECTION HAS BEEN UPDATED BELOW. && .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 340 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 PRECIPITATION WILL CONTINUE TODAY ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HALF OF CENTRAL INDIANA AS LOW PRESSURE TRACKS ALONG A NEARLY STATIONARY BOUNDARY OVER THE TENNESSEE VALLEY. ACCUMULATING SNOW IS POSSIBLE SOUTH OF I-70 WITH SEVERAL INCHES OVER FAR SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF CENTRAL INDIANA BY THURSDAY MORNING. STRONG HIGH PRESSURE WILL BRING DRY WEATHER INTO NEXT WEEK. COLD TEMPERATURES THURSDAY AND FRIDAY WILL WARM OVER THE WEEKEND...FINALLY RISING ABOVE NORMAL EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /TODAY/... ISSUED AT 628 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 LOWERED POPS OVER SOUTHERN COUNTIES FOR MUCH OF THE MORNING BASED ON CURRENT RADAR TRENDS. MOST OF THE SOUTHERN COUNTIES MAY ACTUALLY HAVE A PERIOD OF DRY WEATHER BEFORE THE SNOW ARRIVES IN THE AFTERNOON. ONE INTERESTING NOTE...RAP/HRRR ARE COMING IN FURTHER SOUTH WITH MORE SUBSTANTIAL SNOWFALL LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR GOING FORWARD TO SEE IF THESE TRENDS HOLD. 340 AM DISCUSSION FOLLOWS. RAIN CONTINUES ACROSS MUCH OF THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA EARLY THIS MORNING. OBS AND DUAL POL DATA BOTH SHOWING SLEET MIXING IN WITH THE RAIN ON THE NORTHERN FLANK OF THE PRECIP SHIELD AND EVEN GETTING A FEW WET SNOWFLAKES MIXING IN AS WELL. TEMPS WERE IN THE 30S...RANGING FROM THE LOWER 30S NORTH TO UPPER 30S OVER THE SOUTHEAST. TWO PRIMARY ISSUES TO FOCUS ON OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS. THE FIRST DEALS WITH THE ONGOING PRECIP THIS MORNING AS SHALLOW SUBFREEZING AIR SLOWLY ADVECTS SOUTH BEHIND THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY. THE SECOND ISSUE THEN FOCUSES ON EXPECTED SNOWFALL AS A SECONDARY WAVE RIDES ALONG THE BOUNDARY THROUGH THE TENNESSEE VALLEY LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. WE WILL DISCUSS EACH IN TANDEM. STEADIER PRECIP AT 08Z NOW GENERALLY SOUTH OF I-70. LIGHTER ECHOES EXTEND BACK TO THE NORTHWEST INTO CENTRAL ILLINOIS BUT APPEARS LITTLE IF ANY OF THIS IS REACHING THE GROUND AT THIS TIME. DOPPLER RADAR ESTIMATES OF 0.75 TO 1 INCH OVER FAR SOUTHERN COUNTIES SEEM REASONABLE BUT NOW AS BRIGHT BANDING BECOMES AN ISSUE WITH THE SLEET MIXING IN...AMOUNTS ARE BECOMING DISTORTED. HAVE ISSUED A FLOOD ADVISORY FROM DAVIESS CO NORTHEAST THROUGH JENNINGS CO THROUGH 1330Z. COMBINATION OF THIS RAIN WITH THE SNOWMELT IS LIKELY CAUSING SOME MINOR FLOODING. RAP AND HRRR GUIDANCE STRUGGLING A BIT WITH PLACEMENT/COVERAGE AREA OF THE PRECIP AND WITH CURRENT SURFACE TEMPS THIS MORNING. HRRR IN PARTICULAR HAS PRECIP SHIELD ABOUT 40-50 MILES FURTHER NORTH THAN WHERE IT IS CURRENTLY. ADDITIONALLY...BOTH MODELS HAVE BEEN TOO AGGRESSIVE WITH THE ARRIVAL OF THE SUBFREEZING TEMPS SO FAR THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT...ALTHOUGH MOST RECENT RUNS APPEAR TO BE CAPTURING THE SLOWER TEMP FALLS BETTER. THESE TWO FACTORS HAVE RESULTED IN BOTH THE RAP AND HRRR OVERDOING QPF AMOUNTS IN THE FORM OF EITHER LIGHT ACCUMS OF SLEET OR SNOW ALONG AND JUST SOUTH OF THE I-70 CORRIDOR THIS MORNING. STILL ANTICIPATE TEMPS TO SLOWLY FALL TO 32 AND LOWER OVER ALL BUT THE SOUTHERN THIRD OF THE FORECAST AREA BY DAYBREAK... BUT ANY SLEET OR LIGHT SNOW SHOULD BE MINIMAL AS TEMP FALLS LAG THE SOUTHWARD SHIFT OF THE PRECIP SHIELD. THE LIGHT WINTRY PRECIP COMBINED WITH TEMPS FALLING INTO THE UPPER 20S/LOWER 30S WILL CREATE SLICK CONDITIONS IN SPOTS THROUGH DAYBREAK AND WILL HIGHLIGHT WITH A SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT. MOST OF THE FORECAST AREA WILL EXPERIENCE A PERIOD OF DRY WEATHER LASTING THROUGH THE MORNING AS THE FRONT CONTINUES SOUTH. FAR SOUTHERN COUNTIES HOWEVER WILL CONTINUE TO SEE LIGHT PRECIP THROUGH THE MORNING...GRADUALLY TRANSITIONING FROM RAIN TO A MIX WITH SLEET TO ALL SNOW BY EARLY AFTERNOON AS COLDER AIR ADVANCES SOUTH. THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SECONDARY WAVE ALONG THE FRONT THEN BECOMES THE PRIMARY FOCUS FOR THE REST OF THE PERIOD...AS PRECIP SHIELD WILL EXPAND BACK TO THE NORTH IN RESPONSE THE THE BOUNDARY BECOMING NEARLY STATIONARY OVER THE LOWER TENNESSEE VALLEY. OVERALL MODELS HAVE COME INTO BETTER ALIGNMENT WITH THE STRONG ARCTIC HIGH TO THE NORTHWEST HAVING A GREATER INFLUENCE. BULK OF THE DEEPER MOISTURE AND FORCING WILL REMAIN CLOSER TO THE OHIO RIVER...AND THIS IS WHERE THE AXIS OF HEAVIEST SNOWFALL SHOULD SET UP. AMOUNTS WILL GRADUALLY LIGHTEN FURTHER NORTH INTO FAR SOUTHERN COUNTIES...BUT STILL AM FAIRLY CONFIDENT IN A SWATH OF 3 TO 5 INCHES ALONG AND SOUTH OF A VINCENNES-BLOOMINGTON-GREENSBURG LINE. POTENTIAL IS THERE FOR PORTIONS OF JACKSON AND JENNINGS COUNTIES TO MAKE A RUN AT 6 INCHES...BUT CONFIDENCE JUST NOT HIGH ENOUGH TO SUPPORT A WARNING. AM MORE COMFORTABLE TRANSITIONING THE WATCH TO AN ADVISORY AND ADDING GREENE/MONROE/BARTHOLOMEW/DECATUR COUNTIES CONSIDERING AMOUNTS ABOVE. ADVISORY WILL RUN THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT. FURTHER NORTH...SNOW AMOUNTS WILL DROP OFF RAPIDLY AS DRIER AIR ASSOCIATED WITH THE HIGH EXERTS ITS INFLUENCE. COULD SEE 1 TO PERHAPS 1.5 INCHES IN THE INDY METRO AND ALONG THE I-70 CORRIDOR...DIMINISHING TO FLURRIES OVER FAR NORTHERN COUNTIES. SNOW WILL TAPER OFF FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST AFTER 06Z WITH LINGERING SNOWS CONFINED TO FAR SOUTHEAST COUNTIES AT DAYBREAK THURSDAY. TEMPS...UTILIZED A BLEND OF SHORT RANGE GUIDANCE AND OBS TO CAPTURE CURRENT TEMPS AND TRENDS GOING FORWARD THROUGH THE MORNING. MAY SEE A SUBTLE BUMP OF A DEGREE OR TWO IN TEMPS THIS AFTERNOON OTHERWISE STRENGTHENING COLD ADVECTION WILL LARGELY ENSURE TEMPS FALLING INTO THE LOW/MID 20S BY LATE DAY. ENDED UP CLOSER TO METMOS AS A RESULT. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... ISSUED AT 340 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 FORECAST CHALLENGES ARE MINUSCULE THROUGH THE SHORT TERM AS HIGH PRESSURE SETTLES IN WITH DRY AND CHILLY WEATHER. LAST OF THE LIGHT SNOWS WILL SHIFT OUT OF SOUTHEAST COUNTIES BY MID MORNING THURSDAY. MODEL SOUNDINGS SHOW LINGERING SHALLOW MOISTURE AND LOW CLOUDS BUT AS PROGRESSIVELY DRIER AIR ADVECTS IN FROM THE WEST AND THE WAVE AXIS ALOFT PASSES...EXPECT SKIES TO GRADUALLY CLEAR FROM WEST TO EAST DURING THE AFTERNOON. THE HIGH WILL DRIFT ACROSS THE REGION THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY...EVENTUALLY SETTLING OVER THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY BY FRIDAY NIGHT. WILL SEE MAINLY CLEAR SKIES WITH SUBSIDENCE AND AN ABUNDANCE OF DRY AIR THROUGH THE COLUMN THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING. AN UPPER WAVE WITH A SURFACE LOW ACCOMPANYING WILL TRACK THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES FRIDAY NIGHT AND MAY SPREAD SOME MID AND HIGH CLOUDS INTO CENTRAL INDIANA. NOT EXPECTING ANY PRECIP AS DEEPER MOISTURE AND FORCING ALOFT WITH THE SYSTEM WILL REMAIN WELL NORTH OF THE FORECAST AREA THROUGH DAYBREAK SATURDAY. TEMPS...ANY SUNSHINE WILL DO VERY LITTLE TO MODIFY THE RENEWED ARCTIC AIRMASS OVER THE REGION THURSDAY. TEMPS SHOULD REMAIN 25-30 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL IN THE TEENS. COLDEST HIGH RECORD OF 18 FOR THURSDAY HAS GOOD CHANCE TO BE BROKEN. WITH THE HIGH OVERHEAD THURSDAY NIGHT AND SNOWPACK STILL ACROSS THE REGION...EXPECT SOME AREAS TO FALL BELOW ZERO. AS HAS BEEN MENTIONED SHOULD INDY GO SUBZERO...IT WOULD BE THE FIRST MARCH OCCURRENCE OF A BELOW ZERO READING IN 31 YEARS. IT MAY ALSO BE THE LAST SUBZERO READING OF THE SEASON AS CLIMATOLOGY STARTS WORKING AGAINST US AS WE GO INTO MID MARCH. NEAR MOS GUIDANCE FOR FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT WITH TEMPS BEGINNING TO RECOVER. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH NEXT TUESDAY/... ISSUED AT 240 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 ENSEMBLES INDICATE THAT A MEAN TROUGH OVER THE EASTERN PARTS OF THE COUNTRY WILL LIFT OFF TO THE EAST BY EARLY NEXT WEEK AS HEIGHTS RISE AND FLOW BECOMES MORE ZONAL. A FEW ENSEMBLE MEMBERS INDICATE SOME VERY LIGHT QPF WITH A POTENTIAL SHORT WAVE TROUGH THAT MAY BE PASSING OVER THE GREAT LAKES AROUND SUNDAY. THE CHANCES OF ANYTHING MEASURABLE STILL LOOKS TOO LOW TO INCLUDE IN THE FORECAST AT THIS TIME. WILL KEEP THE EXTENDED DRY. MODERATING TEMPERATURES EXPECTED THROUGH THE PERIOD AS HEIGHTS GRADUALLY RISE WITH TIME. && .AVIATION /DISCUSSION FOR THE 041200Z TAFS/... ISSUED AT 535 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 RADAR LOOP INDICATES PRECIPITATION SHIELD HAS BEEN SHIFTING SOUTH WITH TIME...CURRENTLY IMPACTING ONLY THE KBMG TERMINALAT THIS TIME. APPEARS BY ISSUANCE TIME...PRECIPITATION SHOULD BE SOUTH OF THERE AS WELL. UPPER WAVE CURRENTLY MOVING INTO WESTERN IOWA/MISSOURI IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO THE LOCAL AREA LATER THIS AFTERNOON. THIS SHOULD RESULT IN SOME PRECIPITATION PUSHING BACK INTO THE KBMG/KHUF/KIND AREAS BY MID AFTERNOON. WILL BRING LIGHT SNOW BACK INTO THESE TERMINALS AFTER 041900Z. AT THIS TIME...APPEARS THE BEST THREAT FOR PROLONGED IFR VISIBILITY RESTRICTIONS THIS AFTERNOON WILL BE IN THE KBMG AREA...WHICH WILL BE CLOSEST TO DEEPER MOISTURE FEED. OTHERWISE...SHORT TERM GUIDANCE SUGGEST MVFR CEILINGS 015-025 WILL SPREAD BACK OVER THE TERMINALS AFTER SUNRISE AND LINGER MOST OF THE DAY. SURFACE WINDS 310-330 DEGREES AT 8-12 KTS TODAY. && .IND WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM NOON TODAY TO 9 AM EST THURSDAY FOR INZ061>065-067>072. && $$ SYNOPSIS...RYAN NEAR TERM...RYAN SHORT TERM...RYAN LONG TERM....JAS AVIATION...JAS VISIT US AT HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/IND FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK...TWITTER AND YOUTUBE AT: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/NWSINDIANAPOLIS WWW.TWITTER.COM/NWSINDIANAPOLIS WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/NWSINDIANAPOLIS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS INDIANAPOLIS IN
530 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 .UPDATE... THE AVIATION SECTION HAS BEEN UPDATED BELOW. && .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 340 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 PRECIPITATION WILL CONTINUE TODAY ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HALF OF CENTRAL INDIANA AS LOW PRESSURE TRACKS ALONG A NEARLY STATIONARY BOUNDARY OVER THE TENNESSEE VALLEY. ACCUMULATING SNOW IS POSSIBLE SOUTH OF I-70 WITH SEVERAL INCHES OVER FAR SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF CENTRAL INDIANA BY THURSDAY MORNING. STRONG HIGH PRESSURE WILL BRING DRY WEATHER INTO NEXT WEEK. COLD TEMPERATURES THURSDAY AND FRIDAY WILL WARM OVER THE WEEKEND...FINALLY RISING ABOVE NORMAL EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /TODAY/... ISSUED AT 340 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 RAIN CONTINUES ACROSS MUCH OF THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA EARLY THIS MORNING. OBS AND DUAL POL DATA BOTH SHOWING SLEET MIXING IN WITH THE RAIN ON THE NORTHERN FLANK OF THE PRECIP SHIELD AND EVEN GETTING A FEW WET SNOWFLAKES MIXING IN AS WELL. TEMPS WERE IN THE 30S...RANGING FROM THE LOWER 30S NORTH TO UPPER 30S OVER THE SOUTHEAST. TWO PRIMARY ISSUES TO FOCUS ON OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS. THE FIRST DEALS WITH THE ONGOING PRECIP THIS MORNING AS SHALLOW SUBFREEZING AIR SLOWLY ADVECTS SOUTH BEHIND THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY. THE SECOND ISSUE THEN FOCUSES ON EXPECTED SNOWFALL AS A SECONDARY WAVE RIDES ALONG THE BOUNDARY THROUGH THE TENNESSEE VALLEY LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. WE WILL DISCUSS EACH IN TANDEM. STEADIER PRECIP AT 08Z NOW GENERALLY SOUTH OF I-70. LIGHTER ECHOES EXTEND BACK TO THE NORTHWEST INTO CENTRAL ILLINOIS BUT APPEARS LITTLE IF ANY OF THIS IS REACHING THE GROUND AT THIS TIME. DOPPLER RADAR ESTIMATES OF 0.75 TO 1 INCH OVER FAR SOUTHERN COUNTIES SEEM REASONABLE BUT NOW AS BRIGHT BANDING BECOMES AN ISSUE WITH THE SLEET MIXING IN...AMOUNTS ARE BECOMING DISTORTED. HAVE ISSUED A FLOOD ADVISORY FROM DAVIESS CO NORTHEAST THROUGH JENNINGS CO THROUGH 1330Z. COMBINATION OF THIS RAIN WITH THE SNOWMELT IS LIKELY CAUSING SOME MINOR FLOODING. RAP AND HRRR GUIDANCE STRUGGLING A BIT WITH PLACEMENT/COVERAGE AREA OF THE PRECIP AND WITH CURRENT SURFACE TEMPS THIS MORNING. HRRR IN PARTICULAR HAS PRECIP SHIELD ABOUT 40-50 MILES FURTHER NORTH THAN WHERE IT IS CURRENTLY. ADDITIONALLY...BOTH MODELS HAVE BEEN TOO AGGRESSIVE WITH THE ARRIVAL OF THE SUBFREEZING TEMPS SO FAR THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT...ALTHOUGH MOST RECENT RUNS APPEAR TO BE CAPTURING THE SLOWER TEMP FALLS BETTER. THESE TWO FACTORS HAVE RESULTED IN BOTH THE RAP AND HRRR OVERDOING QPF AMOUNTS IN THE FORM OF EITHER LIGHT ACCUMS OF SLEET OR SNOW ALONG AND JUST SOUTH OF THE I-70 CORRIDOR THIS MORNING. STILL ANTICIPATE TEMPS TO SLOWLY FALL TO 32 AND LOWER OVER ALL BUT THE SOUTHERN THIRD OF THE FORECAST AREA BY DAYBREAK... BUT ANY SLEET OR LIGHT SNOW SHOULD BE MINIMAL AS TEMP FALLS LAG THE SOUTHWARD SHIFT OF THE PRECIP SHIELD. THE LIGHT WINTRY PRECIP COMBINED WITH TEMPS FALLING INTO THE UPPER 20S/LOWER 30S WILL CREATE SLICK CONDITIONS IN SPOTS THROUGH DAYBREAK AND WILL HIGHLIGHT WITH A SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT. MOST OF THE FORECAST AREA WILL EXPERIENCE A PERIOD OF DRY WEATHER LASTING THROUGH THE MORNING AS THE FRONT CONTINUES SOUTH. FAR SOUTHERN COUNTIES HOWEVER WILL CONTINUE TO SEE LIGHT PRECIP THROUGH THE MORNING...GRADUALLY TRANSITIONING FROM RAIN TO A MIX WITH SLEET TO ALL SNOW BY EARLY AFTERNOON AS COLDER AIR ADVANCES SOUTH. THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SECONDARY WAVE ALONG THE FRONT THEN BECOMES THE PRIMARY FOCUS FOR THE REST OF THE PERIOD...AS PRECIP SHIELD WILL EXPAND BACK TO THE NORTH IN RESPONSE THE THE BOUNDARY BECOMING NEARLY STATIONARY OVER THE LOWER TENNESSEE VALLEY. OVERALL MODELS HAVE COME INTO BETTER ALIGNMENT WITH THE STRONG ARCTIC HIGH TO THE NORTHWEST HAVING A GREATER INFLUENCE. BULK OF THE DEEPER MOISTURE AND FORCING WILL REMAIN CLOSER TO THE OHIO RIVER...AND THIS IS WHERE THE AXIS OF HEAVIEST SNOWFALL SHOULD SET UP. AMOUNTS WILL GRADUALLY LIGHTEN FURTHER NORTH INTO FAR SOUTHERN COUNTIES...BUT STILL AM FAIRLY CONFIDENT IN A SWATH OF 3 TO 5 INCHES ALONG AND SOUTH OF A VINCENNES-BLOOMINGTON-GREENSBURG LINE. POTENTIAL IS THERE FOR PORTIONS OF JACKSON AND JENNINGS COUNTIES TO MAKE A RUN AT 6 INCHES...BUT CONFIDENCE JUST NOT HIGH ENOUGH TO SUPPORT A WARNING. AM MORE COMFORTABLE TRANSITIONING THE WATCH TO AN ADVISORY AND ADDING GREENE/MONROE/BARTHOLOMEW/DECATUR COUNTIES CONSIDERING AMOUNTS ABOVE. ADVISORY WILL RUN THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT. FURTHER NORTH...SNOW AMOUNTS WILL DROP OFF RAPIDLY AS DRIER AIR ASSOCIATED WITH THE HIGH EXERTS ITS INFLUENCE. COULD SEE 1 TO PERHAPS 1.5 INCHES IN THE INDY METRO AND ALONG THE I-70 CORRIDOR...DIMINISHING TO FLURRIES OVER FAR NORTHERN COUNTIES. SNOW WILL TAPER OFF FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST AFTER 06Z WITH LINGERING SNOWS CONFINED TO FAR SOUTHEAST COUNTIES AT DAYBREAK THURSDAY. TEMPS...UTILIZED A BLEND OF SHORT RANGE GUIDANCE AND OBS TO CAPTURE CURRENT TEMPS AND TRENDS GOING FORWARD THROUGH THE MORNING. MAY SEE A SUBTLE BUMP OF A DEGREE OR TWO IN TEMPS THIS AFTERNOON OTHERWISE STRENGTHENING COLD ADVECTION WILL LARGELY ENSURE TEMPS FALLING INTO THE LOW/MID 20S BY LATE DAY. ENDED UP CLOSER TO METMOS AS A RESULT. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... ISSUED AT 340 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 FORECAST CHALLENGES ARE MINUSCULE THROUGH THE SHORT TERM AS HIGH PRESSURE SETTLES IN WITH DRY AND CHILLY WEATHER. LAST OF THE LIGHT SNOWS WILL SHIFT OUT OF SOUTHEAST COUNTIES BY MID MORNING THURSDAY. MODEL SOUNDINGS SHOW LINGERING SHALLOW MOISTURE AND LOW CLOUDS BUT AS PROGRESSIVELY DRIER AIR ADVECTS IN FROM THE WEST AND THE WAVE AXIS ALOFT PASSES...EXPECT SKIES TO GRADUALLY CLEAR FROM WEST TO EAST DURING THE AFTERNOON. THE HIGH WILL DRIFT ACROSS THE REGION THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY...EVENTUALLY SETTLING OVER THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY BY FRIDAY NIGHT. WILL SEE MAINLY CLEAR SKIES WITH SUBSIDENCE AND AN ABUNDANCE OF DRY AIR THROUGH THE COLUMN THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING. AN UPPER WAVE WITH A SURFACE LOW ACCOMPANYING WILL TRACK THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES FRIDAY NIGHT AND MAY SPREAD SOME MID AND HIGH CLOUDS INTO CENTRAL INDIANA. NOT EXPECTING ANY PRECIP AS DEEPER MOISTURE AND FORCING ALOFT WITH THE SYSTEM WILL REMAIN WELL NORTH OF THE FORECAST AREA THROUGH DAYBREAK SATURDAY. TEMPS...ANY SUNSHINE WILL DO VERY LITTLE TO MODIFY THE RENEWED ARCTIC AIRMASS OVER THE REGION THURSDAY. TEMPS SHOULD REMAIN 25-30 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL IN THE TEENS. COLDEST HIGH RECORD OF 18 FOR THURSDAY HAS GOOD CHANCE TO BE BROKEN. WITH THE HIGH OVERHEAD THURSDAY NIGHT AND SNOWPACK STILL ACROSS THE REGION...EXPECT SOME AREAS TO FALL BELOW ZERO. AS HAS BEEN MENTIONED SHOULD INDY GO SUBZERO...IT WOULD BE THE FIRST MARCH OCCURRENCE OF A BELOW ZERO READING IN 31 YEARS. IT MAY ALSO BE THE LAST SUBZERO READING OF THE SEASON AS CLIMATOLOGY STARTS WORKING AGAINST US AS WE GO INTO MID MARCH. NEAR MOS GUIDANCE FOR FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT WITH TEMPS BEGINNING TO RECOVER. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH NEXT TUESDAY/... ISSUED AT 240 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 ENSEMBLES INDICATE THAT A MEAN TROUGH OVER THE EASTERN PARTS OF THE COUNTRY WILL LIFT OFF TO THE EAST BY EARLY NEXT WEEK AS HEIGHTS RISE AND FLOW BECOMES MORE ZONAL. A FEW ENSEMBLE MEMBERS INDICATE SOME VERY LIGHT QPF WITH A POTENTIAL SHORT WAVE TROUGH THAT MAY BE PASSING OVER THE GREAT LAKES AROUND SUNDAY. THE CHANCES OF ANYTHING MEASURABLE STILL LOOKS TOO LOW TO INCLUDE IN THE FORECAST AT THIS TIME. WILL KEEP THE EXTENDED DRY. MODERATING TEMPERATURES EXPECTED THROUGH THE PERIOD AS HEIGHTS GRADUALLY RISE WITH TIME. && .AVIATION /DISCUSSION FOR THE 041200Z TAFS/... ISSUED AT 535 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 RADAR LOOP INDICATES PRECIPITATION SHIELD HAS BEEN SHIFTING SOUTH WITH TIME...CURRENTLY IMPACTING ONLY THE KBMG TERMINALAT THIS TIME. APPEARS BY ISSUANCE TIME...PRECIPITATION SHOULD BE SOUTH OF THERE AS WELL. UPPER WAVE CURRENTLY MOVING INTO WESTERN IOWA/MISSOURI IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO THE LOCAL AREA LATER THIS AFTERNOON. THIS SHOULD RESULT IN SOME PRECIPITATION PUSHING BACK INTO THE KBMG/KHUF/KIND AREAS BY MID AFTERNOON. WILL BRING LIGHT SNOW BACK INTO THESE TERMINALS AFTER 041900Z. AT THIS TIME...APPEARS THE BEST THREAT FOR PROLONGED IFR VISIBILITY RESTRICTIONS THIS AFTERNOON WILL BE IN THE KBMG AREA...WHICH WILL BE CLOSEST TO DEEPER MOISTURE FEED. OTHERWISE...SHORT TERM GUIDANCE SUGGEST MVFR CEILINGS 015-025 WILL SPREAD BACK OVER THE TERMINALS AFTER SUNRISE AND LINGER MOST OF THE DAY. SURFACE WINDS 310-330 DEGREES AT 8-12 KTS TODAY. && .IND WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM NOON TODAY TO 9 AM EST THURSDAY FOR INZ061>065-067>072. && $$ SYNOPSIS...RYAN NEAR TERM...RYAN SHORT TERM...RYAN LONG TERM....JAS AVIATION...JAS VISIT US AT HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/IND FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK...TWITTER AND YOUTUBE AT: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/NWSINDIANAPOLIS WWW.TWITTER.COM/NWSINDIANAPOLIS WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/NWSINDIANAPOLIS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS INDIANAPOLIS IN
340 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 .UPDATE... THE SYNOPSIS...NEAR TERM AND SHORT TERM SECTIONS HAVE BEEN UPDATED BELOW. && .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 340 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 PRECIPITATION WILL CONTINUE TODAY ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HALF OF CENTRAL INDIANA AS LOW PRESSURE TRACKS ALONG A NEARLY STATIONARY BOUNDARY OVER THE TENNESSEE VALLEY. ACCUMULATING SNOW IS POSSIBLE SOUTH OF I-70 WITH SEVERAL INCHES OVER FAR SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF CENTRAL INDIANA BY THURSDAY MORNING. STRONG HIGH PRESSURE WILL BRING DRY WEATHER INTO NEXT WEEK. COLD TEMPERATURES THURSDAY AND FRIDAY WILL WARM OVER THE WEEKEND...FINALLY RISING ABOVE NORMAL EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /TODAY/... ISSUED AT 340 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 RAIN CONTINUES ACROSS MUCH OF THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA EARLY THIS MORNING. OBS AND DUAL POL DATA BOTH SHOWING SLEET MIXING IN WITH THE RAIN ON THE NORTHERN FLANK OF THE PRECIP SHIELD AND EVEN GETTING A FEW WET SNOWFLAKES MIXING IN AS WELL. TEMPS WERE IN THE 30S...RANGING FROM THE LOWER 30S NORTH TO UPPER 30S OVER THE SOUTHEAST. TWO PRIMARY ISSUES TO FOCUS ON OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS. THE FIRST DEALS WITH THE ONGOING PRECIP THIS MORNING AS SHALLOW SUBFREEZING AIR SLOWLY ADVECTS SOUTH BEHIND THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY. THE SECOND ISSUE THEN FOCUSES ON EXPECTED SNOWFALL AS A SECONDARY WAVE RIDES ALONG THE BOUNDARY THROUGH THE TENNESSEE VALLEY LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. WE WILL DISCUSS EACH IN TANDEM. STEADIER PRECIP AT 08Z NOW GENERALLY SOUTH OF I-70. LIGHTER ECHOES EXTEND BACK TO THE NORTHWEST INTO CENTRAL ILLINOIS BUT APPEARS LITTLE IF ANY OF THIS IS REACHING THE GROUND AT THIS TIME. DOPPLER RADAR ESTIMATES OF 0.75 TO 1 INCH OVER FAR SOUTHERN COUNTIES SEEM REASONABLE BUT NOW AS BRIGHT BANDING BECOMES AN ISSUE WITH THE SLEET MIXING IN...AMOUNTS ARE BECOMING DISTORTED. HAVE ISSUED A FLOOD ADVISORY FROM DAVIESS CO NORTHEAST THROUGH JENNINGS CO THROUGH 1330Z. COMBINATION OF THIS RAIN WITH THE SNOWMELT IS LIKELY CAUSING SOME MINOR FLOODING. RAP AND HRRR GUIDANCE STRUGGLING A BIT WITH PLACEMENT/COVERAGE AREA OF THE PRECIP AND WITH CURRENT SURFACE TEMPS THIS MORNING. HRRR IN PARTICULAR HAS PRECIP SHIELD ABOUT 40-50 MILES FURTHER NORTH THAN WHERE IT IS CURRENTLY. ADDITIONALLY...BOTH MODELS HAVE BEEN TOO AGGRESSIVE WITH THE ARRIVAL OF THE SUBFREEZING TEMPS SO FAR THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT...ALTHOUGH MOST RECENT RUNS APPEAR TO BE CAPTURING THE SLOWER TEMP FALLS BETTER. THESE TWO FACTORS HAVE RESULTED IN BOTH THE RAP AND HRRR OVERDOING QPF AMOUNTS IN THE FORM OF EITHER LIGHT ACCUMS OF SLEET OR SNOW ALONG AND JUST SOUTH OF THE I-70 CORRIDOR THIS MORNING. STILL ANTICIPATE TEMPS TO SLOWLY FALL TO 32 AND LOWER OVER ALL BUT THE SOUTHERN THIRD OF THE FORECAST AREA BY DAYBREAK... BUT ANY SLEET OR LIGHT SNOW SHOULD BE MINIMAL AS TEMP FALLS LAG THE SOUTHWARD SHIFT OF THE PRECIP SHIELD. THE LIGHT WINTRY PRECIP COMBINED WITH TEMPS FALLING INTO THE UPPER 20S/LOWER 30S WILL CREATE SLICK CONDITIONS IN SPOTS THROUGH DAYBREAK AND WILL HIGHLIGHT WITH A SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT. MOST OF THE FORECAST AREA WILL EXPERIENCE A PERIOD OF DRY WEATHER LASTING THROUGH THE MORNING AS THE FRONT CONTINUES SOUTH. FAR SOUTHERN COUNTIES HOWEVER WILL CONTINUE TO SEE LIGHT PRECIP THROUGH THE MORNING...GRADUALLY TRANSITIONING FROM RAIN TO A MIX WITH SLEET TO ALL SNOW BY EARLY AFTERNOON AS COLDER AIR ADVANCES SOUTH. THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SECONDARY WAVE ALONG THE FRONT THEN BECOMES THE PRIMARY FOCUS FOR THE REST OF THE PERIOD...AS PRECIP SHIELD WILL EXPAND BACK TO THE NORTH IN RESPONSE THE THE BOUNDARY BECOMING NEARLY STATIONARY OVER THE LOWER TENNESSEE VALLEY. OVERALL MODELS HAVE COME INTO BETTER ALIGNMENT WITH THE STRONG ARCTIC HIGH TO THE NORTHWEST HAVING A GREATER INFLUENCE. BULK OF THE DEEPER MOISTURE AND FORCING WILL REMAIN CLOSER TO THE OHIO RIVER...AND THIS IS WHERE THE AXIS OF HEAVIEST SNOWFALL SHOULD SET UP. AMOUNTS WILL GRADUALLY LIGHTEN FURTHER NORTH INTO FAR SOUTHERN COUNTIES...BUT STILL AM FAIRLY CONFIDENT IN A SWATH OF 3 TO 5 INCHES ALONG AND SOUTH OF A VINCENNES-BLOOMINGTON-GREENSBURG LINE. POTENTIAL IS THERE FOR PORTIONS OF JACKSON AND JENNINGS COUNTIES TO MAKE A RUN AT 6 INCHES...BUT CONFIDENCE JUST NOT HIGH ENOUGH TO SUPPORT A WARNING. AM MORE COMFORTABLE TRANSITIONING THE WATCH TO AN ADVISORY AND ADDING GREENE/MONROE/BARTHOLOMEW/DECATUR COUNTIES CONSIDERING AMOUNTS ABOVE. ADVISORY WILL RUN THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT. FURTHER NORTH...SNOW AMOUNTS WILL DROP OFF RAPIDLY AS DRIER AIR ASSOCIATED WITH THE HIGH EXERTS ITS INFLUENCE. COULD SEE 1 TO PERHAPS 1.5 INCHES IN THE INDY METRO AND ALONG THE I-70 CORRIDOR...DIMINISHING TO FLURRIES OVER FAR NORTHERN COUNTIES. SNOW WILL TAPER OFF FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST AFTER 06Z WITH LINGERING SNOWS CONFINED TO FAR SOUTHEAST COUNTIES AT DAYBREAK THURSDAY. TEMPS...UTILIZED A BLEND OF SHORT RANGE GUIDANCE AND OBS TO CAPTURE CURRENT TEMPS AND TRENDS GOING FORWARD THROUGH THE MORNING. MAY SEE A SUBTLE BUMP OF A DEGREE OR TWO IN TEMPS THIS AFTERNOON OTHERWISE STRENGTHENING COLD ADVECTION WILL LARGELY ENSURE TEMPS FALLING INTO THE LOW/MID 20S BY LATE DAY. ENDED UP CLOSER TO METMOS AS A RESULT. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... ISSUED AT 340 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 FORECAST CHALLENGES ARE MINUSCULE THROUGH THE SHORT TERM AS HIGH PRESSURE SETTLES IN WITH DRY AND CHILLY WEATHER. LAST OF THE LIGHT SNOWS WILL SHIFT OUT OF SOUTHEAST COUNTIES BY MID MORNING THURSDAY. MODEL SOUNDINGS SHOW LINGERING SHALLOW MOISTURE AND LOW CLOUDS BUT AS PROGRESSIVELY DRIER AIR ADVECTS IN FROM THE WEST AND THE WAVE AXIS ALOFT PASSES...EXPECT SKIES TO GRADUALLY CLEAR FROM WEST TO EAST DURING THE AFTERNOON. THE HIGH WILL DRIFT ACROSS THE REGION THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY...EVENTUALLY SETTLING OVER THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY BY FRIDAY NIGHT. WILL SEE MAINLY CLEAR SKIES WITH SUBSIDENCE AND AN ABUNDANCE OF DRY AIR THROUGH THE COLUMN THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING. AN UPPER WAVE WITH A SURFACE LOW ACCOMPANYING WILL TRACK THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES FRIDAY NIGHT AND MAY SPREAD SOME MID AND HIGH CLOUDS INTO CENTRAL INDIANA. NOT EXPECTING ANY PRECIP AS DEEPER MOISTURE AND FORCING ALOFT WITH THE SYSTEM WILL REMAIN WELL NORTH OF THE FORECAST AREA THROUGH DAYBREAK SATURDAY. TEMPS...ANY SUNSHINE WILL DO VERY LITTLE TO MODIFY THE RENEWED ARCTIC AIRMASS OVER THE REGION THURSDAY. TEMPS SHOULD REMAIN 25-30 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL IN THE TEENS. COLDEST HIGH RECORD OF 18 FOR THURSDAY HAS GOOD CHANCE TO BE BROKEN. WITH THE HIGH OVERHEAD THURSDAY NIGHT AND SNOWPACK STILL ACROSS THE REGION...EXPECT SOME AREAS TO FALL BELOW ZERO. AS HAS BEEN MENTIONED SHOULD INDY GO SUBZERO...IT WOULD BE THE FIRST MARCH OCCURRENCE OF A BELOW ZERO READING IN 31 YEARS. IT MAY ALSO BE THE LAST SUBZERO READING OF THE SEASON AS CLIMATOLOGY STARTS WORKING AGAINST US AS WE GO INTO MID MARCH. NEAR MOS GUIDANCE FOR FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT WITH TEMPS BEGINNING TO RECOVER. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH NEXT TUESDAY/... ISSUED AT 240 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 ENSEMBLES INDICATE THAT A MEAN TROUGH OVER THE EASTERN PARTS OF THE COUNTRY WILL LIFT OFF TO THE EAST BY EARLY NEXT WEEK AS HEIGHTS RISE AND FLOW BECOMES MORE ZONAL. A FEW ENSEMBLE MEMBERS INDICATE SOME VERY LIGHT QPF WITH A POTENTIAL SHORT WAVE TROUGH THAT MAY BE PASSING OVER THE GREAT LAKES AROUND SUNDAY. THE CHANCES OF ANYTHING MEASURABLE STILL LOOKS TOO LOW TO INCLUDE IN THE FORECAST AT THIS TIME. WILL KEEP THE EXTENDED DRY. MODERATING TEMPERATURES EXPECTED THROUGH THE PERIOD AS HEIGHTS GRADUALLY RISE WITH TIME. && .AVIATION /DISCUSSION FOR THE 040900Z KIND TAF UPDATE/... ISSUED AT 315 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 RADAR LOOP INDICATES MOST OF THE STEADIER PRECIPITATION HAS MOVED OFF TO THE SOUTH OF THE KIND TERMINAL. WILL PROBABLY BE SOME PERIODS OF LIGHT RAIN/SNOW THROUGH ABOUT SUNRISE...BUT OVERALL SHORT TERM MODELS SUGGEST MORE ORGANIZED PRECIPITATION MAY NOT MOVE BACK INTO THE KIND AREA UNTIL LATER TODAY. MOST OF THE IFR CEILINGS HAVE LIFTED BASED ON SURFACE OBSERVATIONS UPSTREAM...SO WILL PULL THEM FROM THE FORECAST ON THE UPDATE. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION FOLLOWS. IT LOOKS LIKE FLIGHT CATEGORIES WILL WAFFLE BETWEEN MVFR AND IFR THROUGH THE NIGHT...ALTHOUGH TRENDS THE PAST COUPLE OF HOURS HAVE BEEN FAVORING IFR. LIGHT RAIN...POSSIBLY MIXED WITH SNOW SHOULD MOVE BACK IN OVER THE TERMINALS...SAVE LAF...BY ISSUANCE TIME. BY 13Z...GOOD CONFIDENCE THAT THE PRECIPITATION WILL BE ALL SNOW. FLIGHT CONDITIONS SHOULD AGAIN BE BORDERLINE IFR/MVFR PER MODEL RH TIME SECTIONS THROUGH 06Z THURSDAY. WEST WINDS WILL BECOME NORTHWEST BELOW 10 KNOTS OVERNIGHT AND AROUND AND ABOVE KNOTS AFTER 13Z...AS A COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH CENTRAL INDIANA FROM THE NORTHWEST IN THE 07Z-09Z TIME FRAME. && .IND WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM NOON TODAY TO 9 AM EST THURSDAY FOR INZ061>065-067>072. && $$ SYNOPSIS...RYAN NEAR TERM...RYAN SHORT TERM...RYAN LONG TERM....JAS AVIATION...MK/JAS VISIT US AT HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/IND FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK...TWITTER AND YOUTUBE AT: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/NWSINDIANAPOLIS WWW.TWITTER.COM/NWSINDIANAPOLIS WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/NWSINDIANAPOLIS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS DODGE CITY KS
1153 PM CST TUE MAR 3 2015 ...UPDATED AVIATION DISCUSSION... .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH WEDNESDAY) ISSUED AT 245 PM CST TUE MAR 3 2015 MOST OF THE ACTION IS AFTER MIDNIGHT. IN THE MEANTIME, COLDER AIR WILL CONTINUE TO ADVECT IN FROM THE NORTHWEST AND NORTH. BY MIDNIGHT, THE THERMO PROFILE SHOULD BE COLD ENOUGH FOR SNOW. A FORECAST SOUNDING DID SHOW 0.5C WARM TONGUE FOR MEDICINE LODGE BETWEEN 00-06Z, BUT FOR RIGHT NOW, WILL KEEP PRECIPITATION TYPE ALL SNOW THROUGH THE SHORT TERM DOMAIN. SPEAKING OF, HAVE RELIED ON THE MESOSCALE MODELS LIKE THE WRF AND NAM, WHICH SHOWS A MESOSCALE SNOW BAND MOVING ACROSS THE REGION. FROM THE METEOROLOGICAL COOKBOOK... 290-300K ISENTROPIC LIFT, 700-HPA OMEGA AND BAROCLINIC BAND, 800-600-HPA FRONTOGENESIS DO GIVE SUPPORT TO THE PHYSICAL REASONING AS WHY THE MODELS ARE BEHAVING AS SUCH. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE WRF-NMM ACTUALLY SHOWS A STRONGER BAND AND HIGHER SNOW AMOUNTS. WILL GO IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD FOR NOW. HAVE A 2-4" BAND OF SNOW ROUGHLY ALONG THE HIGHWAY 56 CORRIDOR AS WELL AS A 50 MILE BUFFER ZONE SURROUNDING IT. HAVE THE LOWEST CONFIDENCE FARTHER NORTH TOWARDS HAYS. THE RAP SHOWS THE FRONTO BAND STRONGER IN THIS AREA AND HAS HIGH SNOW AMOUNTS. WILL LET THE MID SHIFT ALONG WITH 00Z GUIDANCE SPLIT THAT DETAIL. HAVE ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR MUCH OF THE FORECAST AREA EXCEPT THE NORTHWEST AND NORTHERN ZONES. THE 18Z NAM HAS SHIFTED THE HEAVIEST SNOW BAND ABOUT 20 MILES NORTH FROM WHAT I HAVE IT NOW. AGAIN, WITH INCREASED POPS/SNOWFALL AMOUNTS, FEEL THE POSITIVE TREND COVERS THE SITUATION FOR NOW. THAT BEING SAID, DON`T BE SURPRISED IF THERE ARE TWEAKS BETWEEN NOW AND THE STORM EVENT AS CONFIDENCE ON MESOSCALE EVOLUTION INCREASES. .LONG TERM...(WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 209 PM CST TUE MAR 3 2015 FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHT...ANY LINGERING LIGHT PRECIPITATION NEAR THE OKLAHOMA BORDER WILL END DURING THE EVENING AS AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH CROSSES WESTERN KANSAS. SUBSIDENCE DEVELOPING BEHIND THIS UPPER TROUGH SHOULD BRING SOME CLEARING SKIES DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. WINDS WILL BE LIGHT BASED ON WHERE THE SURFACE RIDGE AXIS WILL BE LOCATED EARLY THURSDAY MORNING ALSO. GIVEN CLEAR SKIES, LIGHT WINDS AND EXPECTED SNOW COVER WILL BE STAY SEVERAL DEGREES BELOW THE COOLER GUIDANCE FOR LOWS, ESPECIALLY EAST OF DODGE CITY. AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE AXIS WILL BECOME ESTABLISHED OVER THE WEST COAST LATE WEEK AND A NORTHWEST FLOW IS EXPECTED ACROSS THE CENTRAL HIGH PLAINS THROUGH THE WEEKEND PERIOD. THE WARMING TREND CURRENTLY ADVERTISED IN THE PREVIOUS FORECAST STILL LOOKS ON TRACK GIVEN THIS NORTHWEST DOWNSLOPE FLOW. TOWARDS SUNDAY AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE EMBEDDED IN THIS NORTHWEST WILL CROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS WHICH WILL BRING ANOTHER COLD FRONT INTO WESTERN KANSAS. AT THIS TIME NOT MUCH IN THE WAY OF COLDER AIR IS EXPECTED TO RETURN TO WESTERN KANSAS BEHIND THIS FRONT. PRECIPITATION CHANCES APPEAR SMALL LATE WEEK INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z WEDNESDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 1153 PM CST TUE MAR 3 2015 SNOW WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP AND SPREAD ACROSS SOUTHWEST AND CENTRAL KANSAS THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. LOOK FOR CEILINGS IN THE MVFR TO OCCASIONAL IFR CATEGORY WITH VISIBILITIES IN THE IFR TO OCCASIONAL LIFR CATEGORY AT GARDEN CITY AND DODGE CITY AT TIMES THROUGH LATE MORNING. HAYS WILL SEE PERIODS OF LIGHT SNOW WITH MVFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED. SNOW SHOULD BE COMING TO AN END AFTER 18Z WEDNESDAY. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... DDC 16 24 7 38 / 80 80 10 0 GCK 15 24 6 38 / 60 60 10 0 EHA 16 23 10 39 / 70 70 10 0 LBL 17 24 9 38 / 80 80 10 0 HYS 15 28 6 40 / 50 50 0 0 P28 19 25 9 39 / 80 80 10 0 && .DDC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM CST WEDNESDAY FOR KSZ045-046- 062>066-074>081-084>090. && $$ SHORT TERM...SUGDEN LONG TERM...BURGERT AVIATION...GERARD
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CARIBOU ME
335 PM EST WED MAR 4 2015 .SYNOPSIS... A SECONDARY ARCTIC COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE REGION OVERNIGHT. STRONG CANADIAN HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD ACROSS THE REGION THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY. ANOTHER COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH LATE FRIDAY NIGHT AND CROSS THE REGION LATE SATURDAY. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... COLDER AIR WILL BE MOVING INTO THE FA OVRNGT IN TWO SUCCESSIVE WVS...THE FIRST MID TO LATE EVE...AND A SECOND ARND DAYBREAK. THE FIRST COULD BE ACCOMPANIED BY SOME CLDNSS AND ISOLD SN SHWRS WITH A COUPLE OF ST LAWRENCE STREAMERS BEING IMPLIED FOR NRN ME BY THE LATEST HRRR HRLY SIM RADAR FCST GOING INTO THE OVRNGT. ANY ORGANIZATION OF SN SHWR STREAMERS SHOULD WEAKEN LATE TNGT AS LLVL LAPSE RATES DECREASE. JUST S OF THE FA...PRECIP WITH A SECOND WV OF LOW PRES MOVG ENE OFF THE MID ATLANTIC COAST SHOULD REMAIN JUST S OF DOWNEAST COAST LATER TNGT INTO THU MORNING...WITH NRN EDGE OF THE HI CLD SHIELD REACHING NWRD INTO INTERIOR DOWNEAST ME. OTHERWISE...SKIES SHOULD BE MSLY SUNNY...OR BECOMING MSLY SUNNY THU AS COLDER ARCTIC AIR PREVAILS ACROSS THE REGION. UNDER FAIRLY BRISK CONDITIONS...HI TEMPS THU WILL MAKE LMTD RECOVERY FROM LOWS TNGT...AND WILL BE ABOUT 20 DEG F COLDER THAN TDY`S HIGHS. WINDS SHOULD DIMINISH UNDER CLR SKIES THU EVE AS THE SFC RIDGE AXIS XTNDS WSW TO ENE ACROSS THE FA...WITH DECENT RADIATIONAL FOR MSLY BROAD VLY AREAS LATE THU NGT WHILE HIER TRRN HOLDS ON ON TO A LGT BREEZE. LOWS THU NGT WILL BE QUITE COLD...POTENTIALLY INTO THE -20S DEG F OVR THE COLDEST NW VLY AREAS WITH SINGLE DIGIT AND TEENS BELOW ZERO ELSEWHERE. && .SHORT TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE WILL BRING DRY WEATHER CONDITIONS TO THE REGION FRIDAY. HIGHS WILL RANGE FROM THE TEENS NORTH THE LOWER 20S DOWNEAST. A COLD FRONT APPROACHES FRIDAY NIGHT WITH INCREASING CLOUDS LATE. LOWS FRIDAY NIGHT WILL BE IN THE SINGLE DIGITS ACROSS THE AREA. A COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE REGION SATURDAY WITH THE CHANCE FOR SOME NORTHERN SNOW SHOWERS. HIGHS ON SATURDAY WILL BE CLOSE TO NORMAL FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... THE UPPER LEVEL PATTERN WILL BE FAIRLY ZONAL THROUGH MOST OF THE LONG TERM PORTION OF THE FORECAST. THIS WILL BRING A SERIES OF SHORT WAVES ACROSS THE REGION DURING THIS PERIOD BUT NO MAJOR STORMS ARE EXPECTED. TEMPERATURES WILL ACTUALLY BE CLOSE TO SEASONAL LEVELS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PERIOD AND THEN RISE TO A BIT ABOVE NORMAL LEVELS BY THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. && .AVIATION /20Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... NEAR TERM: MSLY VFR THRU THU NGT...WITH BRIEF INTERVALS OF MVFR CLGS AND VSBYS POSSIBLE WITH ISOLD SN SHWRS OVR NRN MOST TAF SITES LATE THIS EVE INTO THE OVRNGT TNGT. SHORT TERM: VFR THROUGH MUCH OF THIS PERIOD ALTHOUGH MVFR IS POSSIBLE AT TIMES IN SCT SNOW SHOWER MAINLY ACROSS THE NORTH. && .MARINE... NEAR TERM: SCA WIND AND SEA CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL AT LEAST INTO THU AFTN...SPCLY OVR OUTER MZS050-051. OTHERWISE...WITH COLDER AIR MOVING BACK OVR THE WATERS...A PD OF MDT FZG SPY IS POSSIBLE THU NGT. KEPT CLOSE TO WW3 WV HTS...WITH WV HTS THIS EVE RUNNING ABOUT A FOOT OR TWO ABV GUIDANCE...THEN TO GUIDANCE BY MID THU MORN. SHORT TERM: WINDS/SEAS SHOULD REMAIN BELOW SCA LEVELS FRIDAY. WIND GUSTS COULD APPROACH SCA LEVELS FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY. LIGHT FREEZING SPRAY IS POSSIBLE FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY. && .CAR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ME...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM EST THURSDAY FOR ANZ050>052. && $$ NEAR TERM...VJN SHORT TERM...DUDA LONG TERM...DUDA AVIATION...VJN/DUDA MARINE...VJN/DUDA
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GRAY ME
929 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 .SYNOPSIS... LOW PRESSURE WILL PASS TO OUR NORTH TODAY...DRAGGING A COLD FRONT THROUGH THE REGION. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN FROM THE WEST THURSDAY AND CREST OVER THE REGION ON FRIDAY. A WEAK DISTURBANCE WILL DRAG TRAILING WARM AND COLD FRONTS ACROSS THE REGION THIS WEEKEND. ANOTHER VERY WEAK DISTURBANCE WILL CROSS THE REGION EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... UPDATE...HAVE BLENDED IN CMC-REGIONAL CLOUD COVER FOR THE REST OF THE DAY TO REFLECT FEWER CLOUDS ACROSS NRN ZONES. WITH CANADIAN HIGH PRES NOSING INTO THE NORTHEAST...LOW CLOUDS WILL GRADUALLY BE SHUNTED S OF THE REGION. LATEST HRRR RUN SHOWS ADDITIONAL CLOUD COVER MOVING IN FROM THE W THIS AFTERNOON...BUT COLD CLOUD TOPS REFLECT THAT THESE WILL MAINLY BE HIGH CLOUDS IN NATURE AND PROBABLY ONLY PARTIALLY OBSCURE THE SUN. UPSLOPE CLOUDS WILL CONTINUE IN THE MTNS HOWEVER. OTHERWISE...NO CHANGES TO THE PREVIOUS FORECAST. PREV DISC... THE STEADIER WARM AIR ADVECTION PRECIPITATION WAS EXITING THE AREA AS OF 07Z. IN ITS WAKE...LOW CLOUDS AND PATCHY FOG. THERE WAS SOME SPOTTY SNOW SHOWERS...SLEET...AND FREEZING DRIZZLE AS WELL. WITH STEADIER PRECIPITATION NOW ENDED...THE CURRENT WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES ARE THEREFORE DROPPED AS OF THE NEW PUBLIC PACKAGE ISSUANCE THIS MORNING. THE COLD/OCCLUDED FRONT ENTERING WESTERN NEW ENGLAND AT 07Z WILL RACE EAST AND EXIT THE COAST THIS MORNING. SOUTHWEST FLOW AND PARTIAL CLEARING BEHIND IT WILL ALLOW TEMPERATURES TO WARM TO A FEW DEGREES EITHER SIDE OF 40 ACROSS THE AREA TODAY. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH 6 PM THURSDAY/... SECONDARY COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE AREA TONIGHT WITH A FEW UPSLOPE SNOW SHOWERS POSSIBLE ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN. WITH COLD AIR DEEPENING ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA...LOWS WILL RANGE FROM NEAR 20 AT THE COAST TO THE SINGLE NUMBERS ABOVE ZERO NEAR THE INTERNATIONAL BORDER. ON THURSDAY...SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE TO COASTAL MAINE SEES A FEW CLOUDS WITH THE BAROCLINIC ZONE SITUATED TO OUR SOUTH AND EAST...OTHERWISE A MOSTLY SUNNY AND SEASONABLY COLD DAY WITH HIGHS ONLY IN THE TEENS AND 20S. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/... MOISTURE STARVED WOULD BE A GOOD LABEL FOR THE THEME FOR ANY SYSTEMS CROSSING OUR REGION DURING THE LONG TERM PORTION OF THE FORECAST. AFTER A COLD SHOT OF AIR DURING THE LATER PART OF THE WORK WEEK...A PATTERN CHANGE WILL ALLOW FOR MILDER AIR INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. NEAR NORMAL TEMPERATURES WILL FINALLY ARRIVE NEXT WEEK WITH READINGS IN THE LOWER 40S EXPECTED OVER MANY LOCATIONS. THE JET STREAM WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT OUR REGION FROM CANADA. HOWEVER...UNLIKE FEBRUARY...OUR AIRMASS WILL NOT BE BUILDING FROM THE ARCTIC AND PLUNGING SOUTHWARD. RATHER...THEY WILL BE SIGNIFICANTLY MODIFIED WITH TIME AFTER CROSSING NORTH AMERICA. SEVERAL CLIPPER TYPE SYSTEMS WILL BE CROSSING OUR FORECAST AREA DURING THE EXTENDED PORTION OF THE FORECAST. THREE SEPARATE SYSTEM PASSAGES WILL OCCUR SATURDAY NIGHT...MONDAY AND AGAIN ON TUESDAY. AGAIN...THESE WILL BE VERY MOISTURE STARVED SYSTEMS...SO ONLY VERY LIGHT SNOW...SNOW FLURRIES OR RAIN SHOWERS WILL ACCOMPANY THE AREAS OF LOW PRESSURE. && .AVIATION /15Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... SHORT TERM...CONDS IMPROVING TO VFR THROUGHOUT BY 15Z. LONG TERM...MAINLY VFR CONDITIONS THROUGHOUT THE PERIOD. && .MARINE... SHORT TERM...SMALL CRAFT EXTENDED THROUGH TONIGHT AS COLD/OCCLUDED FRONT CROSSES THE AREA THIS MORNING...WITH A SECONDARY COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE TONIGHT. LONG TERM...WINDS AND SEAS WILL BE MAINLY BELOW SCA THRESHOLDS INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK...HOWEVER WINDS MAY BECOME GUSTY FROM THE WEST ON MONDAY. && .GYX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ME...NONE. NH...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 AM EST THURSDAY FOR ANZ150>154. && $$ NEAR TERM...LEGRO
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED AVIATION
NWS ST LOUIS MO
1118 PM CST Tue Mar 3 2015 .UPDATE: Issued at 1053 PM CST Tue Mar 3 2015 Latest RAP soundings delay the precip changeover by a couple of hours. Updated grids and products have been sent. Kanofsky && .SHORT TERM: (Late tonight through Wednesday evening) Issued at 405 PM CST Tue Mar 3 2015 12z guidance depicts no major changes in expected weather trends across the area. The next round of cold air is just now entering the extreme northwest counties of our CWA, and will attempt to undercut the bands of rain that continue to develop near the KS/OK border and advected ENE into the mid-Mississippi Valley. The cold air will become deep enough to begin a transition of the rain to sleet and perhaps freezing rain as the night progresses, but as the cold air becomes deep enough to create a mix from central MO into central IL it appears that the precipitation will be winding down. However, it should be a different story a bit further south late tonight and into Wednesday morning, where the precipitation will be more sustained as the cold air reaches critical depths. Overall, the general trend overnight across the southeast half of the CWA should be for the rain to first become mixed with sleet and freezing rain as the night progresses. The continued southward progression of the cold air will then change this icy mix over to all snow near the I-44 corridor early Wednesday, with the precip in our far southern counties changing over to all snow no later than midday, and then winding down Wednesday evening. The precipitation late tonight and into Wednesday has a lot going for it. This mornings UA data indicated 10C 850mb dewpoints already into SW MO, and this moisture will increase into Wednesday as the SW low level flow just above the cold air continues the moisture transport. Lift generated by already strong isentropic ascent will be increasing as baroclinicity strengthens to our south, with the southwest flow aloft ejecting several shortwaves into the mid Mississippi Valley enhancing the deep lift further. Believe the intensity of the lift is showing up in most of the synoptic models as they all have some indication of the upper level jet over the upper Great Lakes backbuilding into our area with time. QPF and thermal profiles suggest heavy wintry precipitation is likely from AR into southern MO and southern IL. Snowfall generated from these parameters indicate 4 to 6 inches of snow/sleet can be expected over our far southern counties, and because of this snowfall along with the light glazing produced by the freezing rain will be going out with a Winter Storm Warning for late tonight into Wednesday evening for areas along and south of a Centerville...Sparta line. Just north of the warning area will be a winter weather advisory from the eastern Ozarks into southern Illinois, for lesser snowfalls of 2 to 4 inches along with a possible glaze of ice. It should be noted that there will be an extremely tight gradient on the northern edges of the snowfall...roughtly from near Jefferson City...through St. Louis...to around Vandalia IL. If the system shifts slightly north the advisory may need to be expanded into these areas...this evenings and overnight shifts will be monitoring upstream radar trends to fine tune this tight snowfall gradient. Ah spring... Truett .LONG TERM: (Thursday through Next Tuesday) Issued at 320 PM CST Tue Mar 3 2015 As upper level long wave trof pushes east, the Arctic air that enters the region overnight tonight will continue to build and strengthen over the mid Mississippi Valley. Although the high will mean few clouds and dry weather, temperatures of this airmass will be extremely cold for early March. Currently, we are looking for Thursday morning lows somewhere in the 5 to 12 above range, with highs only rebounding into the 20s during the afternoon even with what should be strong sunshine. Unseasonably cold temperatures will linger on Thursday night, but return flow should mean the beginnings of a welcomed warmup by Friday. A split flow regime will initially be in place at the start of the extended range period featuring a broad longwave trof centered across eastern NOAM and a quasi rex block along the west coast. The block will break down by early next week and the overall strength of the trof weakens, however we largely maintain northwest flow aloft into Monday. There will be several notable disturbances embedded within the flow aloft which will traverse the region, bringing a cold front through the area on Saturday afternoon/night and then again on Sunday Night. Present indications are that cooling associated with these fronts will be weak and short-lived. In general the weekend will be characterized by near average temperatures and benign/tranquil weather conditions. Next week will feature a pronounced pattern change, rising heights aloft and above average temperatures for much of the week. Truett/Glass && .AVIATION: (For the 06z TAFs through 06z Wednesday Night) Issued at 1100 PM CST Tue Mar 3 2015 KCOU AND KUIN TAF sites will see MVFR ceilings until around 12Z. VFR ceilings thereafter as drier air filters in with another arctic airmass. Northwest winds will increase and then become gusty after daybreak at all TAF sites. KSTL area TAF sites will experience IFR visibilities at times for the first several hours as rain, possibly mixed with some sleet at times, moves over the region. Otherwise expect MVFR visibilities, with precip changing to light snow by around 10Z. Precip should end by around 16Z. Ceilings will remain in the MVFR range through around 16Z then improve to VFR. Specifics for KSTL: Northwest winds will increase and then become gusty after daybreak as arctic airmass moves into the region. Expect IFR visibilities at times for the first several hours as rain, possibly mixed with some sleet at times, moves over the region. Otherwise expect MVFR visibilities, with precip changing to light snow by around 10Z. Precip should end by around 16Z. Ceilings will remain in the MVFR range through around 16Z then improve to VFR. Browning && .LSX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES: MO...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY until 6 PM CST Wednesday FOR Crawford MO- Jefferson MO-Washington MO. WINTER STORM WARNING from 3 AM Wednesday to Midnight CST Wednesday Night FOR Iron MO-Madison MO-Reynolds MO-St. Francois MO-Ste. Genevieve MO. IL...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY until 6 PM CST Wednesday FOR Clinton IL- Marion IL-Monroe IL-St. Clair IL-Washington IL. WINTER STORM WARNING from 3 AM Wednesday to Midnight CST Wednesday Night FOR Randolph IL. && $$ WFO LSX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NWS ST LOUIS MO
1054 PM CST Tue Mar 3 2015 .UPDATE: Issued at 1053 PM CST Tue Mar 3 2015 Latest RAP soundings delay the precip changeover by a couple of hours. Updated grids and products have been sent. Kanofsky && .SHORT TERM: (Late tonight through Wednesday evening) Issued at 405 PM CST Tue Mar 3 2015 12z guidance depicts no major changes in expected weather trends across the area. The next round of cold air is just now entering the extreme northwest counties of our CWA, and will attempt to undercut the bands of rain that continue to develop near the KS/OK border and advected ENE into the mid-Mississippi Valley. The cold air will become deep enough to begin a transition of the rain to sleet and perhaps freezing rain as the night progresses, but as the cold air becomes deep enough to create a mix from central MO into central IL it appears that the precipitation will be winding down. However, it should be a different story a bit further south late tonight and into Wednesday morning, where the precipitation will be more sustained as the cold air reaches critical depths. Overall, the general trend overnight across the southeast half of the CWA should be for the rain to first become mixed with sleet and freezing rain as the night progresses. The continued southward progression of the cold air will then change this icy mix over to all snow near the I-44 corridor early Wednesday, with the precip in our far southern counties changing over to all snow no later than midday, and then winding down Wednesday evening. The precipitation late tonight and into Wednesday has a lot going for it. This mornings UA data indicated 10C 850mb dewpoints already into SW MO, and this moisture will increase into Wednesday as the SW low level flow just above the cold air continues the moisture transport. Lift generated by already strong isentropic ascent will be increasing as baroclinicity strengthens to our south, with the southwest flow aloft ejecting several shortwaves into the mid Mississippi Valley enhancing the deep lift further. Believe the intensity of the lift is showing up in most of the synoptic models as they all have some indication of the upper level jet over the upper Great Lakes backbuilding into our area with time. QPF and thermal profiles suggest heavy wintry precipitation is likely from AR into southern MO and southern IL. Snowfall generated from these parameters indicate 4 to 6 inches of snow/sleet can be expected over our far southern counties, and because of this snowfall along with the light glazing produced by the freezing rain will be going out with a Winter Storm Warning for late tonight into Wednesday evening for areas along and south of a Centerville...Sparta line. Just north of the warning area will be a winter weather advisory from the eastern Ozarks into southern Illinois, for lesser snowfalls of 2 to 4 inches along with a possible glaze of ice. It should be noted that there will be an extremely tight gradient on the northern edges of the snowfall...roughtly from near Jefferson City...through St. Louis...to around Vandalia IL. If the system shifts slightly north the advisory may need to be expanded into these areas...this evenings and overnight shifts will be monitoring upstream radar trends to fine tune this tight snowfall gradient. Ah spring... Truett .LONG TERM: (Thursday through Next Tuesday) Issued at 320 PM CST Tue Mar 3 2015 As upper level long wave trof pushes east, the Arctic air that enters the region overnight tonight will continue to build and strengthen over the mid Mississippi Valley. Although the high will mean few clouds and dry weather, temperatures of this airmass will be extremely cold for early March. Currently, we are looking for Thursday morning lows somewhere in the 5 to 12 above range, with highs only rebounding into the 20s during the afternoon even with what should be strong sunshine. Unseasonably cold temperatures will linger on Thursday night, but return flow should mean the beginnings of a welcomed warmup by Friday. A split flow regime will initially be in place at the start of the extended range period featuring a broad longwave trof centered across eastern NOAM and a quasi rex block along the west coast. The block will break down by early next week and the overall strength of the trof weakens, however we largely maintain northwest flow aloft into Monday. There will be several notable disturbances embedded within the flow aloft which will traverse the region, bringing a cold front through the area on Saturday afternoon/night and then again on Sunday Night. Present indications are that cooling associated with these fronts will be weak and short-lived. In general the weekend will be characterized by near average temperatures and benign/tranquil weather conditions. Next week will feature a pronounced pattern change, rising heights aloft and above average temperatures for much of the week. Truett/Glass && .AVIATION: (For the 00z TAFs through 00z Wednesday Evening) Issued at 546 PM CST Tue Mar 3 2015 MVFR ceilings will last through much of the night at all TAF sites as cold front pushes through and stratus deck remains. KUIN and KCOU will likely be VFR by 10-13Z Wednesday, then VFR ceilings reach KSTL TAF sites by around 16Z. Will have to watch radar and surface reports carefully this evening as there is some chance that precip aloft now seen on regional radars may reach the surface at KSTL area TAF sites. For now, it appears a dry layer at 6K to 8K feet may keep this from happening so have left TAFS dry. Northwest winds behind the front will become gusty and last into Wednesday. Specifics for KSTL: MVFR ceilings expected until 16Z. Cold front should reach TAF site by around 06Z, and north winds behind the cold front will increase to around 14 knots and become gusty. Have kept TAF dry for now, but will have to watch surface reports to see if precip aloft now seen on radar begins reaching the ground this evening. Expect dry air aloft to keep most precip just to the south of KSTL on Wednesday, but it is a close call. Browning && .LSX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES: MO...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY until 6 PM CST Wednesday FOR Crawford MO- Jefferson MO-Washington MO. WINTER STORM WARNING from 3 AM Wednesday to Midnight CST Wednesday Night FOR Iron MO-Madison MO-Reynolds MO-St. Francois MO-Ste. Genevieve MO. IL...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY until 6 PM CST Wednesday FOR Clinton IL- Marion IL-Monroe IL-St. Clair IL-Washington IL. WINTER STORM WARNING from 3 AM Wednesday to Midnight CST Wednesday Night FOR Randolph IL. && $$ WFO LSX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NWS BILLINGS MT
840 AM MST WED MAR 4 2015 .UPDATE... FORECAST IN GOOD SHAPE WITH JUST SOME MINOR TWEAKS. THERE IS SOME CLOUDS AND PERHAPS FLURRIES ON THE NORTH SLOPES OF THE BIG HORNS THIS MORNING FROM WEAK QG FORCING IN THE NW FLOW CREATING A LOW LEVEL CONVERGENT ZONE THERE. WILL ADD THIS FOR THE MORNING...BUT EXPECT IT TO DISSIPATE IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND CHILL ADVISORY HITTING OUT BY BAKER...SO WILL LET IT GO THROUGH ITS VALID PERIOD OF 11 AM. BT && .SHORT TERM...VALID FOR TDY AND THU... IT WILL BE ANOTHER COLD START TO THE DAY. THE HRRR CONTINUES TO SHOW WIND CHILL ADVISORY CONDITIONS ACROSS CARTER AND FALLON COUNTIES THIS MORNING...SO WILL BE LEAVING THE ADVISORY IN PLACE. AS A RIDGE BEGINS TO MOVE TOWARDS THE STATE...WINDS WILL BECOME MORE WESTERLY DURING THE DAY TODAY. THIS WILL LEAD TO DOWNSLOPING AND WARMING TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE AREA. AS THE RIDGE CONTINUES TO SETUP OVER THE SOUTHWESTERN US...THE AREA WILL BE IN NORTHWESTERLY FLOW ALOFT. WITH SOME UPPER LEVEL MOISTURE...EXPECTING INCREASING CIRRUS WILL BE LIKELY ON THURSDAY. ALSO...AS A MORE FAVORABLE PRESSURE GRADIENT SETS UP OVER THE PARK...WINDS WILL INCREASE SOME AROUND LIVINGSTON. SOME LOCAL GUIDANCE IS SHOWING HINTS OF WINDS REACHING ADVISORY CRITERIA...BUT ONLY THE ECMWF SHOWS A REALLY TIGHT GRADIENT AROUND LIVINGSTON. AT THE MOMENT...KEEPING WINDS BELOW CRITERIA...GENERALLY 20 TO 25 MPH. REIMER .LONG TERM...VALID FOR FRI...SAT...SUN...MON...TUE... NO MAJOR CHANGES TO THE GOING FORECAST. WEST TO NORTHWEST FLOW WILL PREVAIL OVER THE AREA PROVIDING DOWNSLOPE WARMING AND DRY CONDITIONS FOR MOST LOCATIONS. WEAK PIECES OF PACIFIC ENERGY PUSH THROUGH THE AREA ON FAIRLY FAST FLOW ALOFT...BUT THIS SHOULD AMOUNT ONLY TO PERIODS OF MID AND HIGH LEVEL CLOUD COVER IN MOST CASES. THE STRONGER WAVE FOR FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY THAT HAS BEEN INCONSISTENT IN MODEL PLACEMENT HAS SEEMINGLY RESOLVED ITSELF WELL NORTHEAST OF THE AREA WITH ONLY A SLIGHT CHANCE OF PRODUCING A SHOWER OR TWO EAST OF A MILES CITY TO ALZADA LINE AS AN ASSOCIATED SURFACE TROF SLIDES THROUGH. TEMPERATURES WILL TREND TOWARD 50 DEGREES BY FRIDAY AND POSSIBLY INTO THE LOWER 60S BY EARLY NEXT WEEK. BY THE WEEKEND WILL SEE INCREASING CHANCES FOR STRONGER WINDS OVER THE WESTERN VALLEYS AS GAP WIND FAVORED CONDITIONS DEVELOP...PERSISTING INTO NEXT WEEK. CHAMBERS && .AVIATION... WE EXPECT SOME CUMULUS OR STRATOCUMULUS TO DEVELOP WITH DAYTIME HEATING OVER SOUTHEASTERN MT AND NORTH CENTRAL WY TODAY AND THAT COULD YIELD BRIEF AND LOCALIZED MVFR CEILINGS. OTHERWISE...VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL TODAY AND TONIGHT. SCHULTZ && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMP/POPS... TDY THU FRI SAT SUN MON TUE ------------------------------------------------------- BIL 029 015/046 028/053 029/053 031/056 034/060 035/061 0/U 00/N 00/B 11/B 10/U 00/U 00/U LVM 030 019/045 028/051 031/054 033/055 034/058 035/060 0/U 00/N 01/B 11/B 10/U 00/N 00/N HDN 027 011/048 025/054 026/054 029/057 031/062 032/063 0/U 00/B 00/B 11/B 10/U 00/U 00/U MLS 020 007/047 025/052 027/051 029/054 031/058 032/059 0/U 00/B 00/B 21/B 10/B 00/U 00/U 4BQ 018 002/043 020/047 023/050 027/053 028/059 030/060 0/U 00/B 00/B 11/B 10/B 00/U 00/U BHK 014 000/043 021/047 024/048 026/051 028/055 028/056 0/B 00/B 00/B 21/B 11/B 00/U 00/N SHR 018 005/042 020/047 024/048 025/053 028/058 030/060 1/B 00/B 00/B 11/B 10/U 00/U 00/U && .BYZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MT...WIND CHILL ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM MST THIS MORNING FOR ZONES 33-37. WY...NONE. && $$ WEATHER.GOV/BILLINGS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS BILLINGS MT
311 AM MST WED MAR 4 2015 .SHORT TERM...VALID FOR TDY AND THU... IT WILL BE ANOTHER COLD START TO THE DAY. THE HRRR CONTINUES TO SHOW WIND CHILL ADVISORY CONDITIONS ACROSS CARTER AND FALLON COUNTIES THIS MORNING...SO WILL BE LEAVING THE ADVISORY IN PLACE. AS A RIDGE BEGINS TO MOVE TOWARDS THE STATE...WINDS WILL BECOME MORE WESTERLY DURING THE DAY TODAY. THIS WILL LEAD TO DOWNSLOPING AND WARMING TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE AREA. AS THE RIDGE CONTINUES TO SETUP OVER THE SOUTHWESTERN US...THE AREA WILL BE IN NORTHWESTERLY FLOW ALOFT. WITH SOME UPPER LEVEL MOISTURE...EXPECTING INCREASING CIRRUS WILL BE LIKELY ON THURSDAY. ALSO...AS A MORE FAVORABLE PRESSURE GRADIENT SETS UP OVER THE PARK...WINDS WILL INCREASE SOME AROUND LIVINGSTON. SOME LOCAL GUIDANCE IS SHOWING HINTS OF WINDS REACHING ADVISORY CRITERIA...BUT ONLY THE ECMWF SHOWS A REALLY TIGHT GRADIENT AROUND LIVINGSTON. AT THE MOMENT...KEEPING WINDS BELOW CRITERIA...GENERALLY 20 TO 25 MPH. REIMER .LONG TERM...VALID FOR FRI...SAT...SUN...MON...TUE... NO MAJOR CHANGES TO THE GOING FORECAST. WEST TO NORTHWEST FLOW WILL PREVAIL OVER THE AREA PROVIDING DOWNSLOPE WARMING AND DRY CONDITIONS FOR MOST LOCATIONS. WEAK PIECES OF PACIFIC ENERGY PUSH THROUGH THE AREA ON FAIRLY FAST FLOW ALOFT...BUT THIS SHOULD AMOUNT ONLY TO PERIODS OF MID AND HIGH LEVEL CLOUD COVER IN MOST CASES. THE STRONGER WAVE FOR FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY THAT HAS BEEN INCONSISTENT IN MODEL PLACEMENT HAS SEEMINGLY RESOLVED ITSELF WELL NORTHEAST OF THE AREA WITH ONLY A SLIGHT CHANCE OF PRODUCING A SHOWER OR TWO EAST OF A MILES CITY TO ALZADA LINE AS AN ASSOCIATED SURFACE TROF SLIDES THROUGH. TEMPERATURES WILL TREND TOWARD 50 DEGREES BY FRIDAY AND POSSIBLY INTO THE LOWER 60S BY EARLY NEXT WEEK. BY THE WEEKEND WILL SEE INCREASING CHANCES FOR STRONGER WINDS OVER THE WESTERN VALLEYS AS GAP WIND FAVORED CONDITIONS DEVELOP...PERSISTING INTO NEXT WEEK. CHAMBERS && .AVIATION... VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL ACROSS THE AREA TODAY. HOWEVER...BRIEF LOCALIZED MVFR CEILINGS WILL BE POSSIBLE FROM ROSEBUD COUNTY EAST INTO MID AFTERNOON. CHAMBERS && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMP/POPS... TDY THU FRI SAT SUN MON TUE ------------------------------------------------------- BIL 029 015/046 028/053 029/053 031/056 034/060 035/061 0/U 00/N 00/B 11/B 10/U 00/U 00/U LVM 030 019/045 028/051 031/054 033/055 034/058 035/060 0/B 00/N 01/B 11/B 10/U 00/N 00/N HDN 027 011/048 025/054 026/054 029/057 031/062 032/063 0/U 00/B 00/B 11/B 10/U 00/U 00/U MLS 020 007/047 025/052 027/051 029/054 031/058 032/059 0/U 00/B 00/B 21/B 10/B 00/U 00/U 4BQ 018 002/043 020/047 023/050 027/053 028/059 030/060 0/U 00/B 00/B 11/B 10/B 00/U 00/U BHK 014 000/043 021/047 024/048 026/051 028/055 028/056 0/B 00/B 00/B 21/B 11/B 00/U 00/N SHR 018 005/042 020/047 024/048 025/053 028/058 030/060 0/B 00/B 00/B 11/B 10/U 00/U 00/U && .BYZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MT...WIND CHILL ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM MST THIS MORNING FOR ZONES 33-37. WY...NONE. && $$ WEATHER.GOV/BILLINGS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NWS BILLINGS MT
927 PM MST TUE MAR 3 2015 .UPDATE... FORECASTED LOW TEMPERATURES ON TRACK THIS EVENING. LATEST HRRR GUIDANCE SHOWS A FLURRY OR TWO MAY DEVELOP OVER THE MOUNTAINS BUT ONLY BRIEF ACTIVITY EXPECTED. EXPECT WINDS TO INCREASE BEHIND A WAVE MOVING THROUGH EXTREME EASTERN MONTANA SO WIND CHILL ADVISORY LOOKS GOOD. NO UPDATES. BORSUM && .SHORT TERM...VALID FOR WED AND THU... WEATHER SYSTEM LAST NIGHT CARVED OUT A NICE CYCLONIC FLOW OVER OUR REGION. THERE IS STILL SOME WEAK ENERGY ALOFT IN THE FLOW WHICH WILL DROP THROUGH OUR FORECAST AREA TONIGHT...BUT THERE IS LITTLE IF ANY LOW LEVEL RESPONSE. SO I ANTICIPATE SOME LIGHT SNOW OF PERHAPS FLURRIES IN THE EASTERN BORDER COUNTIES. FURTHER WEST...THE HRRR IS PAINTING SOME VERY LIGHT QPF OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN. THIS IS SUPPORTED SOMEWHAT BY THE GFS. SO I DID ADD SOME SPOTTY LOW POPS OVER THE BEARTOOTHS AND NEARBY ADJACENT AREAS OVERNIGHT. THE BRISK WIND OVER THE COLD AIR MASS DOES DRIVE DOWN THE WIND CHILLS OUT EAST. AS SUCH I WILL ISSUE A WIND CHILL ADVISORY FOR FALLON AND CARTER COUNTIES FROM 11 PM TO 11 AM WEDNESDAY. TOMORROW...WE BEGIN TO TRANSITION TO A MORE CYCLONIC FLOW ALOFT AND SURFACE FLOW WILL SWITCH TO A WESTERLY DOWNSLOPE LATE. THIS WILL LEAD TO SOME WARMING OVER TODAYS HIGHS. I AM GOING LOWER THAN GUIDANCE THROUGH WEDNESDAY IN THE FOOTHILLS DUE TO THE DEEP NEW SNOW THERE. ELSEWHERE...WE MAY BE ABLE TO MELT OFF MOST OF THE SNOW NOW THAT WE ARE IN TO EARLY MARCH. EVEN BETTER WARM UP FOR THURSDAY AS WESTERLY SURFACE FLOW STRENGTHENS AND FLOW ALOFT TURNS ANTI-CYCLONIC OVER THE ENTIRE FORECAST AREA. LOOK FOR BRISK WINDS IN THE GAP LOCATIONS THURSDAY ...BUT DOES NOT LOOK QUITE STRONG ENOUGH FOR ADVISORY HIGHLIGHTS. BT .LONG TERM...VALID FOR FRI...SAT...SUN...MON...TUE... EXTENDED FORECAST LOOKS TO BE IN GOOD SHAPE SO ONLY MADE A FEW MINOR TWEAKS WITH THIS ISSUANCE. A NORTHWEST TO WEST FLOW ALOFT WILL BE OVER THE FORECAST AREA THROUGH THE PERIOD. MODELS BRING A WEAK DISTURBANCE ACROSS EASTERN MONTANA AND THE DAKOTAS FRIDAY NIGHT. THIS IS INCONSISTENT WITH WHAT THEY WERE SHOWING YESTERDAY WITH THE DISTURBANCE BEING FURTHER WEST. IN ANY CASE...REMOVED POPS FROM THE WEST FRIDAY AND ADDED A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR A SNOW SHOWER TO THE EAST FRIDAY NIGHT. OTHER THAN THIS SYSTEM...DRY WEATHER ALONG WITH ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES LOOK TO BE IN STORE FOR THE WEEKEND INTO NEXT WEEK. AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES WILL BE IN THE LOWER 50S FOR THE WEEKEND WARMING INTO THE UPPER 50S EARLY NEXT WEEK. HOOLEY && .AVIATION... SKIES WILL BE MOSTLY CLEAR TO PARTLY CLOUDY WITH VFR CONDITIONS PREVAILING THIS EVENING AND THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. THE EXCEPTION WILL BE FROM KMLS TO KBHK WHERE AN ISOLATED SNOW SHOWER AND MVFR CONDITION WILL BE POSSIBLE. HOOLEY && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMP/POPS... WED THU FRI SAT SUN MON TUE ----------------------------------------------------------- BIL 004/029 016/046 029/050 029/050 030/054 033/058 033/058 00/B 00/N 01/B 21/B 10/B 00/U 00/U LVM 001/031 022/044 029/048 028/049 030/052 031/055 033/056 10/B 00/N 01/B 21/B 00/B 00/U 00/U HDN 002/028 012/047 025/051 026/051 028/055 030/059 030/059 00/U 00/B 01/B 21/B 10/B 00/U 00/U MLS 901/019 006/046 025/048 027/048 028/051 029/055 032/057 20/U 00/B 01/B 21/B 10/B 00/U 00/U 4BQ 902/018 003/042 020/047 024/047 026/051 027/056 029/057 10/B 00/B 00/B 21/B 10/B 00/U 00/U BHK 903/012 000/041 021/046 024/045 025/047 026/051 029/053 20/B 00/B 01/B 21/B 11/B 00/U 00/U SHR 907/018 005/041 021/045 022/044 024/050 027/055 029/056 00/U 00/U 01/B 21/B 00/B 00/U 00/U && .BYZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MT...WIND CHILL ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM MST WEDNESDAY FOR ZONES 33-37. WY...NONE. && $$ WEATHER.GOV/BILLINGS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS NORTH PLATTE NE
1243 PM CST WED MAR 4 2015 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 351 AM CST WED MAR 4 2015 THE SNOW ACROSS SOUTHWESTERN NEB IS DECREASING SLOWLY AND TEMPERATURES APPEAR TO SUPPORT SNOW GROWTH DESPITE THE WEAKENING LIFT. THE FORECAST CALLS FOR FLURRIES THIS MORNING UNTIL SKIES CLEAR BY MID MORNING. NORTH...AN UPPER LEVEL COLD POOL WILL BE MOVING ACROSS NCNTL NEB THIS AFTN. THE NAM WIND AND MOISTURE FIELDS 700MB AND BELOW SUGGEST SOME LATERAL OR TRANSVERSE CONVERGENCE WHICH COULD PRODUCE FLURRIES THIS AFTERNOON. THE BLENDED MODEL QPF EVEN INDICATES SOME SPOTTY VERY LIGHT QPF BUT GIVEN THE DRY AIR BELOW 800 MB FLURRIES WOULD SEEM TO BE THE MOST LIKELY MODE. THE TEMPERATURE FORECAST FOLLOWS THE WARMER RAP MODEL TODAY SUGGESTING 20S FOR HIGHS IN MOST AREAS. THE RAP WAS ACTUALLY A BIT TOO COLD WITH THE ARCTIC BLAST MONDAY SO THE WARMER SOLN MIGHT BE BEST TODAY. 1030 MB ARCTIC HIGH PRESSURE ACROSS ALBERTA AND SASKATCHEWAN WILL TRACK THROUGH THE UPPER MISSOURI BASIN TODAY AND BE LOCATED OVER WRN IOWA BY THURSDAY MORNING. WINDS SHOULD BECOME LIGHT AND VARIABLE THIS EVENING AND THEN LIGHT SOUTHWEST AFTER MIDNIGHT. THIS IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE LOWS IN THE SINGLE DIGITS TO NEAR OR SLIGHTLY BELOW ZERO IN A FEW AREAS ACROSS THE NORTH. .LONG TERM...(THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 351 AM CST WED MAR 4 2015 MORE SPRING LIKE TEMPERATURES AND DRY FOR THE LONG TERM PERIOD. THE LONG WAVE TROUGH THAT HAS BEEN ENTRENCHED OVER THE SW CONUS OVER THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS WILL FINALLY SLIDE EAST WITH THE RETURN OF THE WESTERN RIDGE. THE MODELS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THE RIDGE SLOWLY BUILDING/EXPANDING EASTWARD. THURSDAY WILL SEE THE FIRST DAY OF WARM AIR WITH ONLY WARMER DAYS TO FOLLOW. 850 MB TEMPS WARM TO AROUND ZERO BY 00Z FRIDAY AND CONTINUE TO WARM INTO NEXT WEEK. THE ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN GETS MOVED TO THE NORTH AND EAST. WILL SEE A FEW NW FLOW CLIPPERS ACROSS THE AREA. GENERALLY TEMPS HOLD STEADY BEHIND THE CLIPPERS AS AIR MASS BEHIND EACH WAVE IS PACIFIC. MODEL MOS GUIDANCE IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH HIGHS WARMING INTO THE 40S AND 50S...AT OR ABOVE SEASONAL NORMS...TO START THE WEEKEND. BY EARLY NEXT WEEK GUIDANCE SUGGESTS HIGHS INTO THE 60S. LOWS THROUGH THE PERIOD GENERALLY IN THE 20S WITH MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES TO HELP RADIATE AT NIGHT. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 1240 PM CST WED MAR 4 2015 SCATTERED STRATOCUMULUS CLOUDS THIS AFTERNOON WILL GIVE WAY TO CLEAR SKIES TONIGHT. WINDS WILL BE NORTHWEST AT 15 KTS THIS AFTERNOON...THEN BECOME LIGHT TONIGHT. EXPECT VFR CONDITIONS TO PREVAIL AT ALL LOCATIONS. && .LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...CDC LONG TERM...MASEK AVIATION...TAYLOR
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NWS NORTH PLATTE NE
529 AM CST WED MAR 4 2015 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 351 AM CST WED MAR 4 2015 THE SNOW ACROSS SOUTHWESTERN NEB IS DECREASING SLOWLY AND TEMPERATURES APPEAR TO SUPPORT SNOW GROWTH DESPITE THE WEAKENING LIFT. THE FORECAST CALLS FOR FLURRIES THIS MORNING UNTIL SKIES CLEAR BY MID MORNING. NORTH...AN UPPER LEVEL COLD POOL WILL BE MOVING ACROSS NCNTL NEB THIS AFTN. THE NAM WIND AND MOISTURE FIELDS 700MB AND BELOW SUGGEST SOME LATERAL OR TRANSVERSE CONVERGENCE WHICH COULD PRODUCE FLURRIES THIS AFTERNOON. THE BLENDED MODEL QPF EVEN INDICATES SOME SPOTTY VERY LIGHT QPF BUT GIVEN THE DRY AIR BELOW 800 MB FLURRIES WOULD SEEM TO BE THE MOST LIKELY MODE. THE TEMPERATURE FORECAST FOLLOWS THE WARMER RAP MODEL TODAY SUGGESTING 20S FOR HIGHS IN MOST AREAS. THE RAP WAS ACTUALLY A BIT TOO COLD WITH THE ARCTIC BLAST MONDAY SO THE WARMER SOLN MIGHT BE BEST TODAY. 1030 MB ARCTIC HIGH PRESSURE ACROSS ALBERTA AND SASKATCHEWAN WILL TRACK THROUGH THE UPPER MISSOURI BASIN TODAY AND BE LOCATED OVER WRN IOWA BY THURSDAY MORNING. WINDS SHOULD BECOME LIGHT AND VARIABLE THIS EVENING AND THEN LIGHT SOUTHWEST AFTER MIDNIGHT. THIS IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE LOWS IN THE SINGLE DIGITS TO NEAR OR SLIGHTLY BELOW ZERO IN A FEW AREAS ACROSS THE NORTH. .LONG TERM...(THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 351 AM CST WED MAR 4 2015 MORE SPRING LIKE TEMPERATURES AND DRY FOR THE LONG TERM PERIOD. THE LONG WAVE TROUGH THAT HAS BEEN ENTRENCHED OVER THE SW CONUS OVER THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS WILL FINALLY SLIDE EAST WITH THE RETURN OF THE WESTERN RIDGE. THE MODELS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THE RIDGE SLOWLY BUILDING/EXPANDING EASTWARD. THURSDAY WILL SEE THE FIRST DAY OF WARM AIR WITH ONLY WARMER DAYS TO FOLLOW. 850 MB TEMPS WARM TO AROUND ZERO BY 00Z FRIDAY AND CONTINUE TO WARM INTO NEXT WEEK. THE ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN GETS MOVED TO THE NORTH AND EAST. WILL SEE A FEW NW FLOW CLIPPERS ACROSS THE AREA. GENERALLY TEMPS HOLD STEADY BEHIND THE CLIPPERS AS AIR MASS BEHIND EACH WAVE IS PACIFIC. MODEL MOS GUIDANCE IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH HIGHS WARMING INTO THE 40S AND 50S...AT OR ABOVE SEASONAL NORMS...TO START THE WEEKEND. BY EARLY NEXT WEEK GUIDANCE SUGGESTS HIGHS INTO THE 60S. LOWS THROUGH THE PERIOD GENERALLY IN THE 20S WITH MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES TO HELP RADIATE AT NIGHT. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z THURSDAY MORNING) ISSUED AT 528 AM CST WED MAR 4 2015 VFR IS EXPECTED ALL AREAS TODAY AND TONIGHT. SCT-BKN MIDLEVEL CLOUDS CONTINUE TODAY ACROSS THE SOUTH AND NORTH. SCATTERED FLURRIES MAY DEVELOP ACROSS NCNTL NEB THIS AFTN ASSOCIATED WITH A WEAK MID LEVEL DISTURBANCE PASSING THROUGH THE AREA. GENERALLY CLEAR SKIES AND LIGHT WINDS DEVELOP TONIGHT AS ARCTIC HIGH PRESSURE ACROSS ALBERTA AND SASKATCHEWAN MOVES THROUGH THE UPPER MISSOURI BASIN AND INTO WRN IOWA BY THURSDAY MORNING. && .LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...CDC LONG TERM...MASEK AVIATION...CDC
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS NORTH PLATTE NE
352 AM CST WED MAR 4 2015 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 351 AM CST WED MAR 4 2015 THE SNOW ACROSS SOUTHWESTERN NEB IS DECREASING SLOWLY AND TEMPERATURES APPEAR TO SUPPORT SNOW GROWTH DESPITE THE WEAKENING LIFT. THE FORECAST CALLS FOR FLURRIES THIS MORNING UNTIL SKIES CLEAR BY MID MORNING. NORTH...AN UPPER LEVEL COLD POOL WILL BE MOVING ACROSS NCNTL NEB THIS AFTN. THE NAM WIND AND MOISTURE FIELDS 700MB AND BELOW SUGGEST SOME LATERAL OR TRANSVERSE CONVERGENCE WHICH COULD PRODUCE FLURRIES THIS AFTERNOON. THE BLENDED MODEL QPF EVEN INDICATES SOME SPOTTY VERY LIGHT QPF BUT GIVEN THE DRY AIR BELOW 800 MB FLURRIES WOULD SEEM TO BE THE MOST LIKELY MODE. THE TEMPERATURE FORECAST FOLLOWS THE WARMER RAP MODEL TODAY SUGGESTING 20S FOR HIGHS IN MOST AREAS. THE RAP WAS ACTUALLY A BIT TOO COLD WITH THE ARCTIC BLAST MONDAY SO THE WARMER SOLN MIGHT BE BEST TODAY. 1030 MB ARCTIC HIGH PRESSURE ACROSS ALBERTA AND SASKATCHEWAN WILL TRACK THROUGH THE UPPER MISSOURI BASIN TODAY AND BE LOCATED OVER WRN IOWA BY THURSDAY MORNING. WINDS SHOULD BECOME LIGHT AND VARIABLE THIS EVENING AND THEN LIGHT SOUTHWEST AFTER MIDNIGHT. THIS IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE LOWS IN THE SINGLE DIGITS TO NEAR OR SLIGHTLY BELOW ZERO IN A FEW AREAS ACROSS THE NORTH. .LONG TERM...(THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 351 AM CST WED MAR 4 2015 MORE SPRING LIKE TEMPERATURES AND DRY FOR THE LONG TERM PERIOD. THE LONG WAVE TROUGH THAT HAS BEEN ENTRENCHED OVER THE SW CONUS OVER THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS WILL FINALLY SLIDE EAST WITH THE RETURN OF THE WESTERN RIDGE. THE MODELS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THE RIDGE SLOWLY BUILDING/EXPANDING EASTWARD. THURSDAY WILL SEE THE FIRST DAY OF WARM AIR WITH ONLY WARMER DAYS TO FOLLOW. 850 MB TEMPS WARM TO AROUND ZERO BY 00Z FRIDAY AND CONTINUE TO WARM INTO NEXT WEEK. THE ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN GETS MOVED TO THE NORTH AND EAST. WILL SEE A FEW NW FLOW CLIPPERS ACROSS THE AREA. GENERALLY TEMPS HOLD STEADY BEHIND THE CLIPPERS AS AIR MASS BEHIND EACH WAVE IS PACIFIC. MODEL MOS GUIDANCE IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH HIGHS WARMING INTO THE 40S AND 50S...AT OR ABOVE SEASONAL NORMS...TO START THE WEEKEND. BY EARLY NEXT WEEK GUIDANCE SUGGESTS HIGHS INTO THE 60S. LOWS THROUGH THE PERIOD GENERALLY IN THE 20S WITH MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES TO HELP RADIATE AT NIGHT. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z WEDNESDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 1130 PM CST TUE MAR 3 2015 THE RISK FOR INSTRUMENT CONDITIONS WITH THE LIGHT SNOW HAS MOVED INTO CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA. UNTIL ABOUT 10Z... VISIBILITY MAY BE REDUCED TO 3SM AND POSSIBLE LOWER AT TIMES. && .LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...CDC LONG TERM...MASEK AVIATION...SPRINGER
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS NORTH PLATTE NE
1131 PM CST TUE MAR 3 2015 .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 330 PM CST TUE MAR 3 2015 AT H5 CLOSED LOW OVER WINNIPEG WITH TROUGH EXTENDING SOUTHWEST INTO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. HIGH OVER THE GULF OF MEXICO AD RIDGE OVER THE EASTERN PACIFIC. && .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 807 PM CST TUE MAR 3 2015 SNOW WAS INCREASING OVER THE WESTERN NEBRASKA SANDHILLS AND THE SOUTHERN PANHANDLE. THE LATEST SHORT TERM FORECAST MODELS INDICATE THAT THE SNOW WILL CONSOLIDATE OVER THE CENTRAL SANDHILLS AND SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST NEBRASKA. AS A RESULT...WE HAVE UPDATED THE FORECAST TO REFLECT. && .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH WEDNESDAY) ISSUED AT 330 PM CST TUE MAR 3 2015 WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SHOWS A THE NEXT SHORTWAVE ACROSS SOUTHWEST WYOMING/NORTHWEST COLORADO LATE THIS AFTERNOON. THIS WAVE WILL TRANSLATE EAST ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT...WITH CHANCES FOR SNOW INCREASING THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT ACROSS WEST CENTRAL THROUGH SOUTHWEST NEBRASKA. IT SHOULD REMAIN DRY ACROSS NORTHERN NEBRASKA. MODELS AGREE THAT A NARROW BAND OF LIGHT TO PERHAPS MODERATE SNOW WILL DEVELOP FROM NORTHEAST COLORADO...EASTWARD ACROSS FAR SOUTHWEST NEBRASKA AND INTO FAR SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA LATE THIS EVENING. THE BAND WILL NOT LAST LONG...AROUND 3 OR 4 HOURS. COULD SEE AN INCH OR TWO WITHIN THIS BAND. INITIALLY CROSS SECTIONS INDICATE DRY AIR IN THE LOWER LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE...AND THIS IS CURRENTLY SUPPORTED BY 20 DEGREE PLUS TEMPERATURE/DEW POINT SPREADS. AS THE SYSTEM MOVES EAST INTO THE AREA BY LATE EVENING...DEEP LIFT WILL INCREASE...MAXIMIZED ACROSS FAR SOUTHWEST NEBRASKA BY AROUND 06Z OR SO. LIFT WILL BE WEAKER TO THE NORTH TOWARD INTERSTATE 80. SHOULD SEE A FAIRLY QUICK TOP DOWN SATURATION LATE THIS EVENING...ESPECIALLY ACROSS FAR SOUTHWEST NEBRASKA WHERE THE STRONGER LIFT WILL BE LOCATED. THE LATEST RAP MODEL INDICATES A LITTLE BETTER LIFT WITHIN THE DGZ /EARLIER MODEL RUNS WERE JUST ABOVE THE DGZ/ SO THAT GAVE A BOOST OF CONFIDENCE...AND WILL TAKE LOW END LIKELY POPS ALL THE WAY NORTH INTO THE INTERSTATE 80 CORRIDOR REGION...WHICH IS SUPPORTED BY THE NEW 18Z NAM MODEL RUN. CLOUDS WILL GRADUALLY DECREASE WEDNESDAY...AS DRIER AIR ALOFT ADVECTS INTO THE AREA THROUGH THE DAY. WINDS WILL ALSO BE ON THE DECREASE. STILL PRETTY COLD WEDNESDAY...WITH H850MB NOT WARMING MUCH THROUGH THE DAY...AND STAYING WELL BELOW ZERO. .LONG TERM...(WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 330 PM CST TUE MAR 3 2015 MODELS IN GOOD AGREEMENT IN THE MID AND LONG TERM SOLUTIONS AND HAVE GOOD CONFIDENCE IN THE FORECAST. CAN SEE SOME SNOW ON THE GROUND OVER NORTHERN SHERIDAN COUNTY THROUGH CENTRAL CHERRY COUNTY BUT OVER THE REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST AREA GROUND LOOKS PRETTY BARE. WEDNESDAY NIGHT HAVE LOWS IN THE SINGLE DIGITS WITH BELOW ZERO TEMPERATURES OVER NORTHERN SHERIDAN COUNTY. 850MB TEMPERATURES RISING THROUGH THE DAY ON THURSDAY AS UPPER TROUGH MOVES EAST AND WARMER DRIER AIR MOVES EAST INTO THE FORECAST AREA. QUASI BLOCK ALONG THE WEST COAST WILL SLOW PROGRESSION OF UPPER PATTERN LEAVING NORTHERN PLAINS IN FAST NORTHWEST FLOW. WEAK WAVE WILL MOVE THROUGH NORTHWEST PATTERN SATURDAY WITH MAINLY JUST A WIND SHIFT. TEMPERATURES RISING INTO THE 50S. ANOTHER WEAK WAVE MOVING THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT WILL PULL ANOTHER WEAK COOL FRONT THROUGH THE FORECAST MONDAY DRY. TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE SLOW CLIMB THROUGH THE COMING WEEK AND DRY FORECAST. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z WEDNESDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 1130 PM CST TUE MAR 3 2015 THE RISK FOR INSTRUMENT CONDITIONS WITH THE LIGHT SNOW HAS MOVED INTO CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA. UNTIL ABOUT 10Z... VISIBILITY MAY BE REDUCED TO 3SM AND POSSIBLE LOWER AT TIMES. && .LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ UPDATE...SPRINGER SYNOPSIS...POWER SHORT TERM...TAYLOR LONG TERM...POWER AVIATION...SPRINGER
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS BURLINGTON VT
355 PM EST WED MAR 4 2015 .SYNOPSIS... A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS THE NORTH COUNTRY TONIGHT. A RETURN TO BELOW-NORMAL TEMPERATURES IS EXPECTED TO CLOSE THE WORKWEEK...WITH SUB-ZERO LOW TEMPERATURES EXPECTED THURSDAY NIGHT. A COUPLE OF CLIPPER SYSTEMS WILL MOVE ACROSS THE NORTH COUNTRY OVER THE WEEKEND...THOUGH PRECIPITATION FROM EACH WILL BE LIMITED. TEMPERATURES MODERATE TOWARD MORE SEASONAL NORMALS FOR THE WEEKEND INTO NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 7 AM THURSDAY MORNING/... AS OF 311 PM EST WEDNESDAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES WITH MORE SEASONAL TEMPERATURES IN THE 30S TO NEAR 40 IN PLACE THIS AFTERNOON. SKY COVER CONDITIONS WILL BE THE TOUGHEST ASPECT OF TONIGHT`S FORECAST. GUIDANCE HAS STRUGGLED WITH THE DEGREE OF CLOUD COVER TODAY, CLEARING THE NORTH COUNTRY WAY TOO QUICK THAN WHAT`S HAPPENING IN REALITY. FEEL THAT WITH CONTINUED WESTERLY LOW- LEVEL FLOW ALLOWING FOR MOISTURE TO STREAM IN FROM THE GREAT LAKES, MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES WILL CONTINUE WELL INTO THE EVENING UNTIL LOW- LEVEL FLOW TURNS MORE WEST-NORTHWEST/DRIER BEHIND A PASSING COLD FRONT. I`VE OFFERED PARTLY TO MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES BASED ON A BLEND OF RECENT RAP AND 12Z NAM RH. MODERATELY STRONG COLD AIR ADVECTION IN THE FRONT`S WAKE WILL ALLOW FOR 925 MB TEMPS TO FALL INTO THE -12 TO -15C RANGE. LOW TEMPERATURES TONIGHT ARE A FEW DEGREES WARMER THAN AVAILABLE MAV/MET MOS GIVEN DEGREE OF CLOUDS AND NORTHERLY WINDS AROUND 10 KNOTS. VALUES RUN FROM THE SINGLE DIGITS IN THE TYPICALLY COLDER NORTHEAST KINGDOM AND ADIRONDACKS AREAS, WITH MID-TEENS FOR THE CHAMPLAIN VALLEY INTO SOUTHERN VERMONT. ANY MELTED SNOW OR SLUSH DURING THE DAY STANDS THE POTENTIAL TO RE-FREEZE OVERNIGHT, LEADING TO SLIPPERY SPOTS ON ROADWAYS AND SIDEWALKS. && .SHORT TERM /7 AM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 311 PM EST WEDNESDAY... ALL-IN-ALL, IT`S A FAIRLY QUIET PERIOD OF WEATHER FOR THE REST OF THE WORKWEEK WITH A RETURN TO BELOW-NORMAL TEMPERATURES FOR EARLY MARCH. FOR THURSDAY: RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS ACROSS THE NORTH COUNTRY WITH MODERATELY STRONG COLD AIR ADVECTION GENERALLY WEAKENING INTO THE AFTERNOON. SKY COVER WILL INITIALLY TEND TO BE GREATEST IN CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN VERMONT INTO THE ADIRONDACKS AS MID- TO HIGH- LEVEL MOISTURE ADVECTS OVER A MORE ACTIVE BAROCLINIC ZONE TO THE SOUTH. GREATER CLEARING EXPECTED INTO THE AFTERNOON. LOOKING AT HIGHS IN THE TEENS TO THE LOW 20S. FOR THURSDAY NIGHT: CLEAR, CALM (OR VERY LIGHT WINDS), AND COLD. IDEAL RADIATIONAL COOLING UNDER RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WITH 925 MB TEMPS OF -17 TO -19C SHOULD ALLOW FOR SUB-ZERO LOWS AREAWIDE, WITH THE COLDEST READINGS IN THE NORTHEAST KINGDOM (NEAR 20 BELOW). FOR FRIDAY: AFTER A COLD START, TEMPERATURES BEGIN TO MODERATE A BIT AS RIDGE AXIS SHIFTS A BIT TO THE SOUTH INTO SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND. INCREASING SOUTHWEST FLOW INTO THE DAY ON FRIDAY AHEAD OF A CLIPPER- TYPE SYSTEM. EXPECT HIGH CLOUDS TO GRADUALLY LOWER AND THICKEN ESPECIALLY AS WE MOVE INTO FRIDAY EVENING. THOUGH HIGHS WILL TOP OUT IN THE UPPER TEENS TO MID 20S, IT PROBABLY WON`T FEEL THAT WAY GIVEN SOUTHWEST WINDS IN THE 10 TO 15 MPH RANGE. FOR FRIDAY NIGHT: CLOUDS INCREASE INTO THE EVENING AS CLIPPER SYSTEM APPROACHES FROM ONTARIO. THERE`S SOME DIFFERENCE IN TIMING BETWEEN THE GLOBAL MODELS, WITH THE 12Z/04TH ECMWF BEING ABOUT 6 HOURS SLOWER THAN THE GFS. THE NAM AND SREF MEAN ALSO LEND SUPPORT TO THE FASTER GFS. FOLLOWING THAT NAM/SREF MEAN/GFS MAJORITY, I`VE OPTED TO SHOW SLIGHT CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS FOR ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY AND THE ADIRONDACKS FOR THE AFTER MIDNIGHT PERIOD FRIDAY NIGHT. SNOW ACCUMS TO AN INCH OR LESS THROUGH 12Z SATURDAY AS MOISTURE SOURCES ARE LIMITED TO THE GREAT LAKES. LOWS IN THE TEENS LOOK TO OCCUR EARLY IN THE EVENING BEFORE LEVELING OFF TOWARD MORNING UNDER CLOUD COVER AND SOUTHWEST FLOW. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... AS OF 355 PM EST WEDNESDAY...OVERALL TREND DURING THE EXTENDED PERIOD WILL BE TOWARDS MORE SEASONAL TEMPERATURES AND SEVERAL CHANCES FOR LIGHT PRECIPITATION AS THE UPPER FLOW GOES MORE ZONAL AND A FEW WEAK SYSTEMS MOVE THROUGH THE NORTHEAST. MOST NOTABLE SYSTEM WILL BE A WEAK CLIPPER RIDING ALONG A STALLED FRONTAL BOUNDARY THIS WEEKEND. MEDIUM RANGE GUIDANCE OF THE GFS AND ECMWF DIFFER WITH THE TIMING OF SHORTWAVE ENERGY MOVING INTO THE AREA ALONG WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE LOW, SO HAVE KEPT POPS IN THE CHANCE CATEGORY FOR THE WEEKEND. IN GENERAL THOUGH, LOOKS TO BE A LIGHT QPF EVENT WITH TEMP PROFILES SUPPORTING SNOW WITH HIGHS IN THE UPPER 20S TO LOWER 30S AND LOWS IN THE TEENS. GOING INTO NEXT WEEK CONDITIONS TREND DRY AS HIGH PRESSURE DRIFTS FROM THE TENNESSEE RIVER VALLEY MONDAY OFF THE EASTERN SEABOARD TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. UPPER FLOW REMAINS ZONAL SO NOT EXPECTING COMPLETELY CLEAR SKIES BUT TEMPERATURES WILL MODERATE UNDER PARTLY CLEAR AND DRY CONDITIONS WITH HIGHS IN THE 30S MONDAY, AND UP INTO THE 40S FOR TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. && .AVIATION /21Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY...VFR/MVFR CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON WILL CONTINUE TO TREND TOWARDS VFR AREA-WIDE BY LATER THIS EVENING,AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO THE REGION. LOTS OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AROUND BELOW INCOMING DRY AIR ALOFT SO THINK SCT-BKN VFR DECK HANGS AROUND UNTIL THE DRIER AIR ALOFT WINS OUT TOWARDS 12Z THURSDAY. AFTER 12Z...CLEAR TO SCT CUMULUS ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN IS EXPECTED. IN REGARDS TO WINDS, GUSTY FROM THE WEST- SOUTHWEST THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON, ESPECIALLY AT KMSS WHERE GUSTS PEAK AROUND 20-25KTS. WINDS SUBSIDE AFTER 00Z, THOUGH REMAIN AROUND 8-12KTS INTO THURSDAY. OUTLOOK 18Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY... 18Z THURSDAY THROUGH 06Z SATURDAY...GENERALLY VFR UNDER INCOMING HIGH PRESSURE. 06Z SATURDAY - 00Z TUESDAY...PERIODS OF MVFR/IFR IN LIGHT SNOW AS SEVERAL SYSTEM TRACK THROUGH THE REGION. && .BTV WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VT...NONE. NY...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...LOCONTO NEAR TERM...LOCONTO SHORT TERM...LOCONTO LONG TERM...LAHIFF AVIATION...LAHIFF
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS BURLINGTON VT
312 PM EST WED MAR 4 2015 .SYNOPSIS... A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS THE NORTH COUNTRY TONIGHT. A RETURN TO BELOW-NORMAL TEMPERATURES IS EXPECTED TO CLOSE THE WORKWEEK...WITH SUB-ZERO LOW TEMPERATURES EXPECTED THURSDAY NIGHT. A COUPLE OF CLIPPER SYSTEMS WILL MOVE ACROSS THE NORTH COUNTRY OVER THE WEEKEND...THOUGH PRECIPITATION FROM EACH WILL BE LIMITED. TEMPERATURES MODERATE TOWARD MORE SEASONAL NORMALS FOR THE WEEKEND INTO NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 7 AM THURSDAY MORNING/... AS OF 311 PM EST WEDNESDAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES WITH MORE SEASONAL TEMPERATURES IN THE 30S TO NEAR 40 IN PLACE THIS AFTERNOON. SKY COVER CONDITIONS WILL BE THE TOUGHEST ASPECT OF TONIGHT`S FORECAST. GUIDANCE HAS STRUGGLED WITH THE DEGREE OF CLOUD COVER TODAY, CLEARING THE NORTH COUNTRY WAY TOO QUICK THAN WHAT`S HAPPENING IN REALITY. FEEL THAT WITH CONTINUED WESTERLY LOW- LEVEL FLOW ALLOWING FOR MOISTURE TO STREAM IN FROM THE GREAT LAKES, MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES WILL CONTINUE WELL INTO THE EVENING UNTIL LOW- LEVEL FLOW TURNS MORE WEST-NORTHWEST/DRIER BEHIND A PASSING COLD FRONT. I`VE OFFERED PARTLY TO MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES BASED ON A BLEND OF RECENT RAP AND 12Z NAM RH. MODERATELY STRONG COLD AIR ADVECTION IN THE FRONT`S WAKE WILL ALLOW FOR 925 MB TEMPS TO FALL INTO THE -12 TO -15C RANGE. LOW TEMPERATURES TONIGHT ARE A FEW DEGREES WARMER THAN AVAILABLE MAV/MET MOS GIVEN DEGREE OF CLOUDS AND NORTHERLY WINDS AROUND 10 KNOTS. VALUES RUN FROM THE SINGLE DIGITS IN THE TYPICALLY COLDER NORTHEAST KINGDOM AND ADIRONDACKS AREAS, WITH MID-TEENS FOR THE CHAMPLAIN VALLEY INTO SOUTHERN VERMONT. ANY MELTED SNOW OR SLUSH DURING THE DAY STANDS THE POTENTIAL TO RE-FREEZE OVERNIGHT, LEADING TO SLIPPERY SPOTS ON ROADWAYS AND SIDEWALKS. && .SHORT TERM /7 AM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 311 PM EST WEDNESDAY... ALL-IN-ALL, IT`S A FAIRLY QUIET PERIOD OF WEATHER FOR THE REST OF THE WORKWEEK WITH A RETURN TO BELOW-NORMAL TEMPERATURES FOR EARLY MARCH. FOR THURSDAY: RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS ACROSS THE NORTH COUNTRY WITH MODERATELY STRONG COLD AIR ADVECTION GENERALLY WEAKENING INTO THE AFTERNOON. SKY COVER WILL INITIALLY TEND TO BE GREATEST IN CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN VERMONT INTO THE ADIRONDACKS AS MID- TO HIGH- LEVEL MOISTURE ADVECTS OVER A MORE ACTIVE BAROCLINIC ZONE TO THE SOUTH. GREATER CLEARING EXPECTED INTO THE AFTERNOON. LOOKING AT HIGHS IN THE TEENS TO THE LOW 20S. FOR THURSDAY NIGHT: CLEAR, CALM (OR VERY LIGHT WINDS), AND COLD. IDEAL RADIATIONAL COOLING UNDER RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WITH 925 MB TEMPS OF -17 TO -19C SHOULD ALLOW FOR SUB-ZERO LOWS AREAWIDE, WITH THE COLDEST READINGS IN THE NORTHEAST KINGDOM (NEAR 20 BELOW). FOR FRIDAY: AFTER A COLD START, TEMPERATURES BEGIN TO MODERATE A BIT AS RIDGE AXIS SHIFTS A BIT TO THE SOUTH INTO SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND. INCREASING SOUTHWEST FLOW INTO THE DAY ON FRIDAY AHEAD OF A CLIPPER- TYPE SYSTEM. EXPECT HIGH CLOUDS TO GRADUALLY LOWER AND THICKEN ESPECIALLY AS WE MOVE INTO FRIDAY EVENING. THOUGH HIGHS WILL TOP OUT IN THE UPPER TEENS TO MID 20S, IT PROBABLY WON`T FEEL THAT WAY GIVEN SOUTHWEST WINDS IN THE 10 TO 15 MPH RANGE. FOR FRIDAY NIGHT: CLOUDS INCREASE INTO THE EVENING AS CLIPPER SYSTEM APPROACHES FROM ONTARIO. THERE`S SOME DIFFERENCE IN TIMING BETWEEN THE GLOBAL MODELS, WITH THE 12Z/04TH ECWMF BEING ABOUT 6 HOURS SLOWER THAN THE GFS. THE NAM AND SREF MEAN ALSO LEND SUPPORT TO THE FASTER GFS. FOLLOWING THAT NAM/SREF MEAN/GFS MAJORITY, I`VE OPTED TO SHOW SLIGHT CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS FOR ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY AND THE ADIRONDACKS FOR THE AFTER MIDNIGHT PERIOD FRIDAY NIGHT. SNOW ACCUMS TO AN INCH OR LESS THROUGH 12Z SATURDAY AS MOISTURE SOURCES ARE LIMITED TO THE GREAT LAKES. LOWS IN THE TEENS LOOK TO OCCUR EARLY IN THE EVENING BEFORE LEVELING OFF TOWARD MORNING UNDER CLOUD COVER AND SOUTHWEST FLOW. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... AS OF 320 AM EST WEDNESDAY...SEVERAL UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES WILL AFFECT THE NORTH COUNTRY, MAINLY LATE SATURDAY-SATURDAY NIGHT AND AGAIN MONDAY. UPPER LEVEL FLOW WILL BECOME MORE ZONAL ACROSS THE EASTERN HALF OF THE COUNTRY, CONTRIBUTING TO MODEL DIFFERENCES IN TIMING OF EACH UPPER LEVEL WAVE. THIS ZONAL PATTERN WILL ALSO ALLOW FOR MODERATING TEMPERATURES, AS MAX TEMPERATURES ON SATURDAY RANGE FROM THE L20S-L30S AND WARM INTO THE U20S TO NEAR 40 IN THE VALLEYS ON TUESDAY. OVERNIGHT MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WILL EXPERIENCE THE SAME TREND WITH FRIDAY NIGHT/SATURDAY MORNING LOWS IN THE SINGLE DIGITS TO LOW TEENS, WARMING TO GENERAL TEENS SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH THE REST OF THE PERIOD. MORE MODERATE TEMPERATURES POSSIBLE TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING WITH LOWS STAYING IN THE 20S. THESE WARMER TEMPERATURES WILL PROVIDE CHANCE FOR RAIN/SNOW MIX IN THE SOUTHERN VALLEYS WITH MONDAY/S DISTURBANCE AND AGAIN TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY. && .AVIATION /20Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY...VFR/MVFR CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON WILL CONTINUE TO TREND TOWARDS VFR AREA-WIDE BY LATER THIS EVENING,AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO THE REGION. LOTS OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AROUND BELOW INCOMING DRY AIR ALOFT SO THINK SCT-BKN VFR DECK HANGS AROUND UNTIL THE DRIER AIR ALOFT WINS OUT TOWARDS 12Z THURSDAY. AFTER 12Z...CLEAR TO SCT CUMULUS ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN IS EXPECTED. IN REGARDS TO WINDS, GUSTY FROM THE WEST- SOUTHWEST THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON, ESPECIALLY AT KMSS WHERE GUSTS PEAK AROUND 20-25KTS. WINDS SUBSIDE AFTER 00Z, THOUGH REMAIN AROUND 8-12KTS INTO THURSDAY. OUTLOOK 18Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY... 18Z THURSDAY THROUGH 06Z SATURDAY...GENERALLY VFR UNDER INCOMING HIGH PRESSURE. 06Z SATURDAY - 00Z TUESDAY...PERIODS OF MVFR/IFR IN LIGHT SNOW AS SEVERAL SYSTEM TRACK THROUGH THE REGION. && .BTV WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VT...NONE. NY...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...LOCONTO NEAR TERM...LOCONTO SHORT TERM...LOCONTO LONG TERM...KGM AVIATION...LAHIFF
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS RALEIGH NC
950 PM EST THU MAR 5 2015 .SYNOPSIS...ARCTIC HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO THE AREA THROUGH FRIDAY AND SETTLE OVER THE REGION FRIDAY NIGHT. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 950 PM THURSDAY... RADAR APPEARS TO SHOW THE LAST OF ANY PRECIP IN A NARROW BAND AS IT IS MOVING INTO THE COASTAL PLAIN. THE PRIMARY UPPER TROUGH IS SHEARING OUT AS IT MOVES THROUGH THE OHIO VALLEY...AND THE GOOD ISENTROPIC LIFT IS BEING LOST AS THE 850MB IS BECOMING NORTHWESTERLY...SO FORCING FOR ASCENT IS WANING. AFTER SCATTERED REPORTS OF SNOW AND SLEET FROM THE TRIAD TO THE TRIANGLE AND NORTHWARD...FORECAST SOUNDINGS SUGGEST MOST OF THE REMAINING MOISTURE ABOVE -10C WILL BE LOST BY 10PM. THE HRRR SOUNDINGS DO STILL SHOW A SMALL WINDOW OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS WHERE THERE COULD BE A LITTLE LIGHT SNOW VIA THE SEEDER FEEDER PROCESS...AND THIS WAS SUPPORTED BY AN AIRCRAFT (AMDAR) SOUNDING AT KRDU JUST BEFORE 900 PM. THIS MAY EXPLAIN THE WEAK AND SHALLOW BANDS STILL DRIFTING ACROSS THE CENTRAL PIEDMONT. HOWEVER...THIS TOO WILL BE GONE BY 11PM... SO THE MAIN PRECIP MAY SEE SOME LIGHT FREEZING DRIZZLE IN THE NORTHERN COASTAL PLAIN AS STRONG WHERE TEMPS ARE FALLING BELOW FREEZING. OTHERWISE IT APPEARS THE POTENTIAL FOR WINTRY PRECIP HAS ENDED. WHILE THERE IS STILL PLENTY OF CLOUD COVER ACROSS THE REGION...THE HRRR SHOWS RAPID CLEARING FROM THE NORTHWEST AFTER MIDNIGHT AS THE REMAINING MOISTURE BELOW 850MB IS SCOURED OUT. WITH THE COLD ADVECTION AND CLEARING...TEMPS WILL DROP DRAMATICALLY AFTER MIDNIGHT...WITH MOST GUIDANCE GIVING UPPER TEENS IN THE NORTH AND UPPER 20S IN THE SOUTH. GIVEN THAT THE COLD AIR HAS BEEN DELAYED SO FAR...WILL NUDGE TEMPS UP TOWARD THE SLIGHTLY WARMER NAM/MET GUIDANCE. THE ROADS WILL REMAIN WET OVERNIGHT...AND WHILE A FEW HOURS OF A DRYING WIND WILL NO DOUBT HELP...BLACK ICE WILL BE AN ISSUE AS THE NIGHT WEARS ON. THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY WILL CONTINUE AS IS. && .SHORT TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 140 PM THURSDAY... HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO THE AREA ON FRIDAY...AND REMAIN OVERHEAD THROUGH THE WEEKEND...RESULTING IN DRY WEATHER. CLEARING SKIES AND DECREASING WINDS ON FRIDAY...BECOMING CLEAR AND CALM OVERNIGHT AND THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT. FRIDAY WILL BE COOL...WITH HIGHS IN THE MID 30S NORTHEAST TO LOW 40S SOUTHWEST AND OVERNIGHT LOWS IN THE UPPER TEENS TO MID 20S. TEMPERATURES WILL BEGIN TO MODERATE ON SATURDAY...HIGHS MAINLY IN THE LOW TO MID 50S AND LOWS IN THE LOW 30S. CLOUDS WILL BUILD BACK IN AGAIN ON SUNDAY AS WARM MOIST AIR BEGINS TO ADVECT IN FROM THE SOUTHWEST. NEAR SEASONAL TEMPERATURES WILL RETURN BY SUNDAY...HIGHS IN THE MID 50S TO LOW 60S AND LOWS IN THE UPPER 30S TO LOW 40S...ALTHOUGH THE CHANCES FOR SOME LIGHT RAIN WILL ALSO INCREASE SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY. && .LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... AS OF 140 PM THURSDAY... SPLIT FLOW REGIME CONTINUES TO CAUSE CONSIDERABLE RUN TO RUN VARIATION IN MODEL SOLUTIONS FOR THE LONGER RANGE FORECAST. A WEAK NORTHERN STREAM FRONT WILL BE MOVING ACROSS THE AREA ON MONDAY... WHICH WOULD ENCOUNTER DEEPER MOISTURE ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS LATE MONDAY INTO MONDAY NIGHT. INCREASING POPS WOULD BE SPREADING BACK INTO THE WEST TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY AS THE FRONT STALLS ALONG THE COAST WITH SURFACE WAVES DEVELOPING AND RIDING NORTHEAST UP THE FRONTAL ZONE. TEMPERATURES TUESDAY WOULD TAKE A HIT WITH SURFACE WAVE DEVELOPMENT ENHANCING IN SITU DAMMING...AND HIGHS WILL STALL IN THE 50S... PERHAPS A BIT LOWER IF THE LOW LEVEL FEATURES ALLOWS FOR A MORE FAVORABLE DAMMING FEATURES TO ALIGN. CONFIDENCE FALLS OFF FURTHER IN THE WED AND THU PERIODS DUE TO QUESTIONABLE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN THE NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN STREAM SYSTEMS. AT THIS POINT...WILL INTRODUCE A SLIGHT CHANCE POP WITH HIGHS AROUND 60 BOTH DAYS. && .AVIATION /00Z THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 740 PM THURSDAY... 24-HOUR TAF PERIOD: WARM MOIST AIR CONTINUES TO OVERRIDE COLD SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE ACROSS CENTRAL NC THIS EVENING... ALLOWING OR GENERALLY MVFR TO IFR CIGS. SEVERAL BANDS OF GENERALLY LIGHT PRECIP ARE MOVING ACROSS THE AREA CURRENTLY AS WELL. PRECIP MAY MIX OR TURN TO SOME LIGHT SNOW OR SLEET AT KGSO/KINT/KRDU/KRWI THIS EVENING BEFORE ENDING BY GENERALLY MIDNIGHT OR SO. GIVEN THE EXPECTED LIGHT PRECIP THINK VISBYS SHOULD REMAIN MVFR OR BETTER THIS EVENING WITH ANY PRECIP. IN ADDITION... AS THE STRONG SURFACE HIGH CONTINUES TO BUILD INTO THE AREA WE WILL SEE A NORTH TO NORTHEASTERLY WIND IN THE 9 TO 14 KT RANGE... WITH GUSTS AS HIGH AS 20 TO 22 KTS OVERNIGHT. DRIER AIR ALOFT IS EXPECTED TO SPREAD INTO THE REGION AFTER MIDNIGHT... WITH VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED TO RETURN TO THE AREA BY GENERALLY 09 TO 12Z. HOWEVER... WE COULD SEE SOME LINGERING AREAS OF MVFR CIGS AT KRWI/KFAY/KRDU UNTIL AS LATE AS 15Z... WITH EVEN A FEW AREAS OF SCATTERED CLOUD COVER AT KGSO/KINT AT AROUND 2500FT DURING THE MID MORNING HOURS AS WELL. MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES AND VFR CONDITIONS ALONG WITH DECREASING WINDS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS CENTRAL NC BY MID TO LATE MORNING... AND CONTINUING FOR THE REST OF THE DAY. OUTLOOK: HIGH CONFIDENCE THAT VFR CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE WEEKEND ACROSS CENTRAL NC AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN AND REMAINS OVER THE REGION. THE NEXT CHANCE FOR SUB-VFR CONDITIONS WILL BE DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY NIGHT AS MORE WARM MOIST AIR ADVECTS INTO CENTRAL NC. && .RAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL NOON EST FRIDAY FOR NCZ007>011-021>028- 038>043-078. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 10 AM EST FRIDAY FOR NCZ073>077-083>086-088-089. && $$ SYNOPSIS...WSS NEAR TERM...WSS/BLS SHORT TERM...KC LONG TERM...MLM AVIATION...BSD/KC
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS WILMINGTON NC
1237 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 .SYNOPSIS... A WARM FRONT WILL LIFT NORTHWARD ACROSS THE CAROLINAS OVERNIGHT...ALLOWING SOUTHWEST WINDS TO SCOUR OUT THE COLD AIR. TEMPERATURES WILL RISE INTO THE 70S WEDNESDAY AWAY FROM THE IMMEDIATE COAST. A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON WITH SHARPLY COLDER AIR INVADING THE REGION THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY...LINGERING INTO SATURDAY. TEMPERATURES WILL GRADUALLY WARM EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING/... AS OF 1230 AM WEDNESDAY...WARM FRONT IS STILL SOUTH OF CHARLESTON BUT IS PROBABLY LESS THAN 15 MILES EAST OF CAPE FEAR. DENSE FOG CONTINUES AND PROBABLY WON`T IMPROVE INLAND UNTIL THE FRONT PUSHES NORTH ACROSS THE AREA LATE TONIGHT INTO THE DAY WEDNESDAY. OTHER THAN CHANGES TO FORECAST TEMPERATURES AND WIND SPEEDS...FEW EDITS WERE NEEDED ON THIS LAST NEAR-TERM UPDATE FOR THE OVERNIGHT PERIOD. DISCUSSION FROM 1030 PM FOLLOWS... MAIN UPDATE HAS BEEN TO RAISE DENSE FOG ADVISORIES FOR ALL LOCATIONS THAT CURRENTLY REMAIN IN THE COLD AIR WEDGE. I PROMISE...THIS WEDGE WILL BREAK! MODELS CONTINUE TO REMAIN VERY OPTIMISTIC IN THE NEAR TERM WITH THE INLAND PROGRESSION OF THE WARM FRONT...AND ITS EVENTUAL LIFT NORTHWARD OVERNIGHT. EVEN THE 1ST LOOK AT 0000Z GUIDANCE HAS IT PARTIALLY THRU THE FA AT THIS TIME. ANYWAY...WILL CONTINUE ITS SLOWER INLAND AND NORTHWARD PROGRESSION OVERNIGHT. LATEST KLTX VWP DOES NOT HAVE ENOUGH DATA TO DISPLAY THE WINDS AT 1K FT...INDICATIVE OF NO CLOUDS OTHER THEN THE DENSE FOG AT THE SFC AND/OR A VERY SHALLOW STRATUS DECK THAT IS UNRECOGNIZABLE BY THE KLTX VWP. THUS...ONCE THE WEDGE FINALLY BREAKS...IT SHOULD DO SO IN A QUICK MANNER. ONCE AGAIN CHANGES WERE DONE TO THE OVERNIGHT POPS...FURTHER REDUCING THEM TO EITHER NONE AT ALL OR JUST A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR LIGHT RAIN...MAINLY ALONG THE WARM FRONT AS IT EVENTUALLY PROGRESSES ACROSS AND NORTH OF THE FA OVERNIGHT. TEMPS WERE ADJUSTED AGAIN...WITH EITHER STEADY OR RISING OVERNIGHT. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 3 PM TUESDAY...MAIN WEATHER HEADLINE IS EXCEPTIONALLY MILD AIR WEDNESDAY AMID WHAT HAS BEEN A FRIGID WINTER...WITH FEBRUARY RANKING AS THE 5TH COLDEST FEBRUARY IN 141 YEARS OF RECORD KEEPING WHICH CRUNCHES OUT TO ABOUT A 1 IN 34 YEAR OCCURRENCE OF COLD. THE OTHER NOTABLE HIGHLIGHT IS RAIN THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT THEN FOLLOWED BY A BITING INTRUSION OF GLACIAL AIR AND LINGERING PCPN. STORM TOTAL QPF FROM THIS SYSTEM THE BULK OF IT THURSDAY...LOOKS TO BE NEARLY A HALF INCH ACROSS SE NC AND LOCALITIES WEST OF I-95 AND CLOSER TO A QUARTER INCH ACROSS NE SC AND COASTAL SC. POPPED IN A SLIGHT CHANCE THUNDER THURSDAY GIVEN JET SUPPORT AND SPC DAY 3 OUTLOOK. SUBSTANTIAL TEMPERATURE DROPS...WHERE MAXIMUMS THURSDAY MINUS MINIMUMS FRIDAY ON THE ORDER OF 30-40 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT...AND JUST A FRESH REMINDER OLD MAN WINTER STILL HAS BREATHINGS INTO EARLY MARCH. AN OVERLAP OF NEAR TO SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES AND LINGERING PCPN WARRANTS A SLIGHT CHANCE OF BRIEF LIGHT SNOW 8Z-10Z OR 3AM- 5AM EARLY FRIDAY. NO ACCUMULATIONS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 3 PM TUESDAY...THE MID LEVEL PATTERN WILL CONTINUE TO DOMINATED BY A BROAD TROUGH TROUGH MOST OF THE PERIOD WITH SOME SIGNS OF RELAXING BY THE MIDDLE PART OF NEXT WEEK. INITIALLY THE TROUGH USHERS IN YET ANOTHER ARCTIC AIRMASS THAT WILL BE IN PLACE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. TEMPERATURES WILL BE WELL BELOW NORMAL WITH HIGHS IN THE 40S FRIDAY AND LOWS IN THE MIDDLE 20S SATURDAY. ANOTHER SHORTWAVE EMERGING FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO RIDES ALONG THE OLD FRONT OFFSHORE SATURDAY WARRANTING LOW CHANCE POPS FOR SATURDAY THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING WITH THE HIGHEST CHANCES ALONG THE COAST. MARCH SUNSHINE WONT HAVE MUCH OF A CHANCE TO WARM THINGS UP WITH HIGHS ONLY THE 50S BUT THE MOISTURE WILL LIMIT LOWS TO THE MIDDLE 30S. LETHARGIC WARMUP CONTINUES SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY UNDER PARTLY SUNNY SKIES AS WEAK HIGH PRESSURE RESIDES AT THE SURFACE. MEDIUM RANGE GUIDANCE IS SHOWING ANOTHER SYSTEM FOR THE MIDDLE PART OF NEXT WEEK WITH THE ECMWF THE FASTER SOLUTION. WILL KEEP THE FORECAST DRY FOR NOW. && .AVIATION /06Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... AS OF 06Z...VERY LOW STRATUS AND AREAS OF DENSE FOG EXIST AHEAD OF A WARM FRONT APPROACHING FROM THE SOUTH. THIS FRONT WILL BE VERY SLOW TO TRANSIT THE EASTERN CAROLINAS...LIKELY TAKING SEVERAL HOURS AFTER DAYBREAK TO LIFT PAST THE ILM AND LBT AIRPORTS. BEHIND THE FRONT VSBYS WILL PROBABLY IMPROVE AT THE LBT/FLO/ILM AIRPORTS...HOWEVER CRE/MYR MAY REMAIN IN THE SOUP AS DENSE SEA FOG GENERATED BY THE INTERACTION OF SUBTROPICAL MOISTURE WITH VERY COLD NEARSHORE OCEAN SURFACE TEMPERATURES CONTINUE. ACCELERATING SOUTH WINDS JUST ABOVE THE SURFACE WILL NOT MIX DOWN EFFECTIVELY TO THE GROUND UNTIL LATE MORNING TO AROUND NOON. UNTIL THEN THIS WILL CREATE HAZARDOUS WIND SHEAR CONDITIONS AS 1000 FOOT WIND SPEEDS INCREASE TO 30-40 KNOTS. EXTENDED OUTLOOK...SHOWERS WEDNESDAY NIGHT...BECOMING IFR WITH LIGHT RAIN AND FALLING TEMPERATURES ON THURSDAY. IFR CONDITIONS MAY LINGER ALONG THE COAST ON FRIDAY. VFR SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY. && .MARINE... NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 1230 AM WEDNESDAY...ONLY SIGNIFICANT CHANGE SINCE THE LAST UPDATE WAS TO LOWER WIND SPEEDS THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT PERIOD. THROWING OUT THE 00Z GFS MODEL WHICH HAS NO CLUE WHERE THE FRONT IS...THE 00Z NAM AND RECENT RUNS OF THE HRRR AND RUC SHOW SURFACE WINDS VERY SLOW TO INCREASE IN SPEED OVERNIGHT AS THE SURFACE WARM FRONT MOVES INTO THE COASTAL WATERS. DENSE FOG WILL CONTINUE AS SUBTROPICAL MOISTURE ENCOUNTERS THE VERY COLD SEA SURFACE WATERS. MUCH OF THE WAVE ENERGY OUT THERE IS 7-SECOND SWELL BEING PUSHING IN FROM THE EAST-SOUTHEAST. SHORT TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 3 PM TUESDAY...MARINE CONDITIONS WILL BECOME INCREASINGLY UNFRIENDLY WEDNESDAY INTO THURSDAY ASSOCIATED WITH AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT...BUT AN ADVISORY MAY NOT BE NEEDED UNTIL THURSDAY...AS THE WARM AIR MAY STRUGGLE REACHING THE COLD DENSE AIR ABOVE THE CHILLY SSTS IN PLACE. IF NOT ADVISORY CONDITIONS PRIOR TO THE FRONTAL PASSAGE THEN CERTAINLY BEHIND IT...AS VERY COLD AIR SPILLS OVER THE WATERS...WITH AT A MINIMUM 30 KT GUSTS EXPECTED LATE INTO THURSDAY NIGHT. THE OTHER HAZARD PRIOR TO FRONTAL PASSAGE IS THE LIKELIHOOD OF SEA FOG AS BALMY AIR TRACKS OVER THE FRIGID WATERS...REDUCING VSBYS AT TIMES. RAIN THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT MAY ALSO RESTRICT LINE OF SIGHT. LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... AS OF 3 PM TUESDAY...BRISK NORTHERLY WINDS ON THE ORDER OF 20-25 KNOTS WILL PREVAIL ACROSS THE WATERS INITIALLY AND MOST OF FRIDAY AS ARCTIC HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN. AS WE HAVE SEEN MANY TIMES THIS SEASON THE WINDS GRADUALLY DIMINISH AS THE HIGH MOVES IN WITH SPEEDS DROPPING TO AROUND TEN KNOTS BY MIDDAY SATURDAY. FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE PERIOD WINDS WILL BE WEAKLY FORCED AS A WEAK PRESSURE PATTERN DEVELOPS. IF ANYTHING WINDS MAINTAIN A NORTHERLY COMPONENT AS A WEAK SHORTWAVE PASSES ALOFT WITH NEGLIGIBLE SURFACE FEATURES. SIGNIFICANT SEAS YIELD NO SURPRISES WITH SOME HIGHER VALUES FRIDAY...MOSTLY CONFINED TO THE OUTER WATERS. BY LATER SATURDAY VALUES DROP TO 1-3 FEET. && .ILM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SC...DENSE FOG ADVISORY UNTIL 9 AM EST WEDNESDAY FOR SCZ017-023-024- 032-033-039-053-055. DENSE FOG ADVISORY UNTIL NOON EST WEDNESDAY FOR SCZ054-056. NC...DENSE FOG ADVISORY UNTIL 9 AM EST WEDNESDAY FOR NCZ087-096-099- 105-107-109. DENSE FOG ADVISORY UNTIL NOON EST WEDNESDAY FOR NCZ106-108-110. MARINE...DENSE FOG ADVISORY UNTIL NOON EST WEDNESDAY FOR AMZ250-252-254- 256. && $$ SYNOPSIS...MBB NEAR TERM...DCH/TRA SHORT TERM...MJC LONG TERM...SHK AVIATION...TRA
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CLEVELAND OH
1148 PM EST TUE MAR 3 2015 .SYNOPSIS... LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE ACROSS ONTARIO INTO QUEBEC TONIGHT DRAGGING A COLD FRONT ACROSS THE REGION. THE FRONT WILL THEN STALL SOUTH OF THE AREA AS ANOTHER LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM TRACKS ALONG IT FOR WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT. HIGH PRESSURE RETURNS TO THE AREA BY FRIDAY. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING/... UPDATE...LOWERED POPS A BIT FASTER NORTH. MODELS SHOW PRECIP ALL BUT MOVING SOUTH OF THE AREA AFTER MIDNIGHT THEN COMING BACK TO THE SOUTHERN COUNTIES SO DIDNT WANT TO END PRECIP TOO QUICK SOUTH. ALSO LOWERED ANY MENTION OF SNOW ACCUM DOWN TO LITTLE OR NO. ADJUSTED TEMPS AS WELL BEGINNING WITH CURRENT READINGS AND BLENDING THEM INTO HRRR MORNING FORECAST TEMPS. ORIGINAL...WARMER AIR HAS TAKEN A LITTLE BIT LONGER TO ARRIVE BUT IS STILL PUSHING NORTHWARD. LOCATIONS SOUTH OF A LINE FROM ELYRIA TO MEDINA TO WARREN LOOK TO BE IN THE CLEAR FOR ADDITIONAL FREEZING RAIN OR SNOW. HOWEVER PARKING LOTS AND SIDEWALKS WILL REMAIN SLICK. OTHERWISE HAVE CONTINUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NE OHIO UNTIL 6 PM AND EXTENDED NW PA UNTIL 9 PM. IT IS EXPECTED THESE LOCATIONS WILL ALL CHANGE OVER TO RAIN THROUGH THE EVENING. AS THE COLD FRONT SAGS SOUTHWARD OVERNIGHT THERE SHOULD BE A TRANSITION BACK TO SNOW. THIS MAY NOT OCCUR UNTIL 3 AM OR LATER. THIS LATE CHANGE OVER TO SNOW AND THE EXPECTED DECREASE IN DECENT LIFT SHOULD KEEP ACCUMULATIONS TO A MINIMUM. AT WORST CASE AN INCH OR SO ACROSS NW PA. TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE TO RISE UNTIL AT LEAST 10 PM THEN SLOWLY FALL THROUGH SUNRISE. MOST LOCATIONS SHOULD DIP TO THE MID 20S TO LOWER 30S. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... THE COLD FRONT MOVES SOUTH OF THE AREA ON WEDNESDAY WITH TEMPERATURES STEADY TO SLOWLY FALLING THROUGH THE DAY. THERE IS A RIPPLE OF LOW PRESSURE THAT WILL MOVE ALONG THE COLD FRONT BUT THE BEST LIFT AND MOISTURE WILL REMAIN WELL TO THE SOUTH. HOWEVER SOME LIGHT SNOW WILL STILL CLIP THE SOUTHERN THIRD OF THE COUNTY WARNING AREA NEAR AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM MARION TO MEADVILLE. THIS SNOW WILL BE LIGHT BUT A DUSTING TO MAYBE AN INCH OR TWO WILL POSSIBLE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON INTO WEDNESDAY NIGHT. SINCE AMOUNTS ARE LIGHT WE DO NOT ANTICIPATE ANY ADVISORIES. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO THE REGION ON THURSDAY AND IS EXPECTED TO DRY THINGS OUT INTO FRIDAY NIGHT. HIGHS ON WEDNESDAY WILL BE EARLY IN THE DAY AND ARE EXPECTED TO SLOWLY DROP THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT WHEN THE REGION DIPS TO THE SINGLE DIGITS. COLD THURSDAY INTO THURSDAY NIGHT THEN SLOWLY RECOVERING INTO THE 20S ON FRIDAY. LOWS THURSDAY NIGHT WILL DIP BELOW ZERO IF SKIES CAN CLEAR AS EXPECTED. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... FINALLY STARTING TO SEE A BREAKDOWN OF LONG WAVE PATTERN THAT HAS DOMINATED THE EASTERN U.S. FOR THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS. THE TROUGH WILL VERY GRADUALLY LIFT MORE NORTH OVER THE WEEKEND ALLOWING FOR A MORE ZONAL FLOW OVER THE REGION. FOR THE WEEKEND WE WILL SEE A FEW MORE CLIPPER SYSTEMS...YET THESE VERY WEAK AND MOISTURE LIMITED DISTURBANCES WILL DO LITTLE MORE THAN BRING SOME LIGHT SNOW...POSSIBLY TURNING OVER TO RAIN AT TIMES...MAINLY LATE SATURDAY AND AGAIN SUNDAY NIGHT. DESPITE TEMPERATURES EXPECTED TO BE BELOW NORMAL FOR EARLY MARCH...THEY WILL FEEL NOTABLY WARMER THAN WE`VE SEEN IN SOME TIME AS SAT-TUE EXPECTED TO EXCEED 32F. STILL FEEL THE GUIDANCE`S CLIMATOLOGY BIAS IS PUSHING TEMPERATURES INTO THE 40S TOO PREMATURELY SAT/SUN...COULD SEE IT HAPPEN TUE AS THE RIDGING BEGINS IN THE PLAINS. && .AVIATION /06Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... PRECIPITATION GRADUALLY PUSHING SOUTHEAST OUT OF THE AREA AT THIS TIME. HOWEVER...ANOTHER SURGE OF PRECIPITATION IS MOVING NORTHEAST ALONG THE NORTHERN FRINGE. THIS MAY SCOOT ACROSS MANSFIELD AND AKRON CANTON BUT WILL LEAVE THEM DRY FOR NOW AND SEE IF THE WHOLE AREA SLIDES SOUTH OF THOSE TWO LOCATIONS. OTHERWISE...GRADUALLY IMPROVING FROM THE NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST BUT IT IS GOING TO TAKE QUITE A BIT OF TIME TO CLEAR OUT THE CLOUDS IN THE SOUTHEAST. WINDS WILL DIMINISH OVERNIGHT. .OUTLOOK...NON-VFR MAY LINGER FOR MFD...CAK YNG LATE WED NIGHT INTO THU THEN IMPROVE. && .MARINE... WINDS AT THE SURFACE HAVE REMAINED UNDER 15KT HOWEVER EXPECT THEM TO INCREASE THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT AS THE TURN TO THE SW AND THEN W. AFTER THE COLD AIR ADVECTION WEAKENS LATE WEDNESDAY...WIND SPEEDS WILL SUBSIDE AND REMAIN AROUND 15KT THROUGH THE BETTER PART OF THE FORECAST AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS WEST OF THE AREA. && .CLE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OH...NONE. PA...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...MULLEN NEAR TERM...TK/MULLEN SHORT TERM...MULLEN LONG TERM...JAMISON AVIATION...LOMBARDY MARINE...JAMISON
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS NORMAN OK
1210 PM CST WED MAR 4 2015 .DISCUSSION... SEE AVIATION && .AVIATION... ALL TERMINALS WILL REMAIN UNDER MVFR WITH SOME PERIODS REDUCED TO IFR THROUGH MOST OF THE FORECAST PERIOD, EVENTUALLY GOING VFR TOWARD THE END OF THE PERIOD. A MIDLEVEL TROUGH WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE ACROSS OUR TERMINALS... PRODUCING A WINTERY MIX OF BOTH FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET AT MOST OF OUR TERMINALS THROUGH 00Z, ALTHOUGH NORTHWEST OKLAHOMA HAS ALREADY TRANSITIONED TO SNOW. AFTER 00Z, ALL PRECIPITATION WILL HAVE TRANSITIONED TO SNOW, WITH SNOW WINDING DOWN TOWARD 06Z, AND COMPLETELY ENDING BY DAYLIGHT 12Z THURSDAY. HIGH SFC PRESSURE ACROSS THE NORTHERN HIGH PLAINS WILL MAINTAIN BREEZY NORTH SFC WINDS THROUGH 12Z, THEN GOING LIGHT THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE PERIOD, AND SHIFTING OUT OF THE SOUTHWEST BY 18Z ACROSS NORTHWEST OKLAHOMA. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 1010 AM CST WED MAR 4 2015/ UPDATE... COMPLEX FORECAST CONTINUES. FREEZING LINE CONTINUES TO MOVE SOUTH AND NOW EXTENDS ALONG AN ADA-PAULS VALLEY-VERNON LINE. MUCH OF THE FIRST ROUND OF PRECIP IS LIQUID ALTHOUGH THERE IS SOME SLEET/FREEZING RAIN ON THE NORTH EDGE IN HUGHES/SEMINOLE/ POTTAWATOMIE COUNTIES. ANOTHER BAND OF PRIMARILY SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN HAS DEVELOPED FROM NEAR ERICK TO CLINTON AND WATONGA. AND LIGHT ECHOES HAVE BEGUN TO EXPAND IN THE LAWTON/ DUNCAN/ ALTUS/ VERNON/ QUANAH AREAS SPREADING NORTHEAST WITH INCREASING REPORTS OF FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET WITH THESE LIGHT ECHOES. ALTHOUGH AMOUNTS MAY ORIGINALLY BE LIGHT... THERE STILL MAY BE SOME DECENT IMPACTS WITH ICING ON ROADWAYS. HIGH- RESOLUTION MODELS SUCH AS THE HRRR AND RAP HAVE NOT PICKED UP ON THIS ENHANCEMENT FROM SOUTHWEST INTO NORTH CENTRAL OKLAHOMA VERY WELL SO CONFIDENCE IS LOW ON HOW THEY HANDLE THE EVOLUTION. WILL GO MORE WITH RADAR TRENDS. STILL THINK THIS IS MAINLY AN ADVISORY EVENT SO WILL KEEP HEADLINES AS THEY ARE. EVEN IN NORTHWEST OKLAHOMA WHERE PRECIPITATION IS LIGHTER... VERY SLICK AND DANGEROUS ROADS HAVE BEEN REPORTED ACROSS THAT AREA THANKS TO THE FREEZING DRIZZLE. HAVE MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO THE POPS AND WEATHER GRIDS BASED ON CURRENT TRENDS... BUT OVERALL FORECAST PHILOSOPHY REMAINS INTACT. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 514 AM CST WED MAR 4 2015/ AVIATION... 12Z TAFS... CEILINGS WILL GRADUALLY DECREASE MOST AREAS TODAY. RAIN WILL CHANGE TO FREEZING RAIN... SLEET... AND SNOW TODAY ACROSS THE AREA. BLOWING SNOW COULD ALSO OCCUR IN SOME AREAS WHICH WOULD REDUCE VISIBILITIES. PRECIPITATION WILL END FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. CEILINGS ARE ALSO EXPECTED TO IMPROVE AT SOME SITES LATER TONIGHT. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 411 AM CST WED MAR 4 2015/ DISCUSSION... VISIBILITIES CONTINUE TO IMPROVE AHEAD OF THE FRONT SO WILL CANCEL THE DENSE FOG ADVISORY. THE COLD FRONT CONTINUES TO MOVE ACROSS THE FA EARLY THIS MORNING. COLD AIR BEHIND THE FRONT WILL CONTINUE TO SPREAD INTO THE REGION TODAY WITH TEMPERATURES LIKELY CONTINUING TO FALL THROUGHOUT THE DAY IN MANY PLACES. MEANWHILE... UPPER WAVE WILL APPROACH AND MOVE ACROSS THE REGION TODAY AND TONIGHT. PRECIPITATION WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP AND MOVE ACROSS THE AREA TODAY AND TONIGHT. THE PRECIPITATION WILL CHANGE FROM RAIN TO FREEZING RAIN... SLEET AND EVENTUALLY JUST SNOW AS SFC TEMPS DROP BELOW FREEZING AND THE COLD AIRMASS DEEPENS. SOME BANDING COULD BE POSSIBLE WITH FRONTOGENETICAL FORCING SO IN SHORT DISTANCES SOME LOCATIONS COULD RECEIVE HEAVIER AMOUNTS THAN OTHERS AND OTHER LOCATIONS MAY RECEIVE LOWER AMOUNTS... BUT GENERALLY ONE TO THREE INCHES OF SNOW AND SLEET ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE. ICE ACCUMULATIONS FROM THE FREEZING RAIN WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE SE HALF OF THE FA... WITH THE HEAVIEST AMOUNTS EXPECTED IN PARTS OF SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA. ICE ACCUMULATIONS OF JUST A GLAZE TO UNDER TWO TENTHS OF AN INCH WILL BE POSSIBLE. IF THE TRANSITION FROM FREEZING RAIN TO SLEET AND SNOW IS SLOWER THAN CURRENTLY FORECAST THEN HIGHER ICE ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE. WILL CONTINUE WITH THE CURRENT WINTER WX ADVISORY CONFIGURATION BUT ADJUSTMENTS MAY NEED TO BE MADE LATER THIS MORNING. THE PRECIPITATION WILL END TONIGHT BUT ROADS WILL LIKELY STILL BE SLICK IN SOME AREAS IN THE MORNING. TEMPERATURES WILL WARM THROUGH THE WEEKEND REACHING SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL LEVELS FOR AT LEAST THE FIRST HALF OF NEXT WEEK. MODELS SHOW SEVERAL UPPER LEVEL SYSTEMS MOVING NEAR/ACROSS THE REGION DURING THIS TIME BUT THESE SYSTEMS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BRING PRECIPITATION TO THE FA. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... OKLAHOMA CITY OK 30 21 37 21 / 80 50 10 10 HOBART OK 30 18 36 20 / 90 40 10 10 WICHITA FALLS TX 37 21 36 19 / 90 60 10 10 GAGE OK 24 11 38 20 / 60 10 10 10 PONCA CITY OK 26 16 35 21 / 70 30 10 10 DURANT OK 44 23 37 21 / 100 90 10 10 && .OUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OK...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT FOR OKZ019- 020-022>048-050>052. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS EVENING FOR OKZ004>018-021. TX...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT FOR TXZ083>090. && $$ 26/03/67
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS NORMAN OK
1010 AM CST WED MAR 4 2015 .UPDATE... COMPLEX FORECAST CONTINUES. FREEZING LINE CONTINUES TO MOVE SOUTH AND NOW EXTENDS ALONG AN ADA-PAULS VALLEY-VERNON LINE. MUCH OF THE FIRST ROUND OF PRECIP IS LIQUID ALTHOUGH THERE IS SOME SLEET/FREEZING RAIN ON THE NORTH EDGE IN HUGHES/SEMINOLE/ POTTAWATOMIE COUNTIES. ANOTHER BAND OF PRIMARILY SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN HAS DEVELOPED FROM NEAR ERICK TO CLINTON AND WATONGA. AND LIGHT ECHOES HAVE BEGUN TO EXPAND IN THE LAWTON/ DUNCAN/ ALTUS/ VERNON/ QUANAH AREAS SPREADING NORTHEAST WITH INCREASING REPORTS OF FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET WITH THESE LIGHT ECHOES. ALTHOUGH AMOUNTS MAY ORIGINALLY BE LIGHT... THERE STILL MAY BE SOME DECENT IMPACTS WITH ICING ON ROADWAYS. HIGH- RESOLUTION MODELS SUCH AS THE HRRR AND RAP HAVE NOT PICKED UP ON THIS ENHANCEMENT FROM SOUTHWEST INTO NORTH CENTRAL OKLAHOMA VERY WELL SO CONFIDENCE IS LOW ON HOW THEY HANDLE THE EVOLUTION. WILL GO MORE WITH RADAR TRENDS. STILL THINK THIS IS MAINLY AN ADVISORY EVENT SO WILL KEEP HEADLINES AS THEY ARE. EVEN IN NORTHWEST OKLAHOMA WHERE PRECIPITATION IS LIGHTER... VERY SLICK AND DANGEROUS ROADS HAVE BEEN REPORTED ACROSS THAT AREA THANKS TO THE FREEZING DRIZZLE. HAVE MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO THE POPS AND WEATHER GRIDS BASED ON CURRENT TRENDS... BUT OVERALL FORECAST PHILOSOPHY REMAINS INTACT. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 514 AM CST WED MAR 4 2015/ AVIATION... 12Z TAFS... CEILINGS WILL GRADUALLY DECREASE MOST AREAS TODAY. RAIN WILL CHANGE TO FREEZING RAIN... SLEET... AND SNOW TODAY ACROSS THE AREA. BLOWING SNOW COULD ALSO OCCUR IN SOME AREAS WHICH WOULD REDUCE VISIBILITIES. PRECIPITATION WILL END FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. CEILINGS ARE ALSO EXPECTED TO IMPROVE AT SOME SITES LATER TONIGHT. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 411 AM CST WED MAR 4 2015/ DISCUSSION... VISIBILITIES CONTINUE TO IMPROVE AHEAD OF THE FRONT SO WILL CANCEL THE DENSE FOG ADVISORY. THE COLD FRONT CONTINUES TO MOVE ACROSS THE FA EARLY THIS MORNING. COLD AIR BEHIND THE FRONT WILL CONTINUE TO SPREAD INTO THE REGION TODAY WITH TEMPERATURES LIKELY CONTINUING TO FALL THROUGHOUT THE DAY IN MANY PLACES. MEANWHILE... UPPER WAVE WILL APPROACH AND MOVE ACROSS THE REGION TODAY AND TONIGHT. PRECIPITATION WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP AND MOVE ACROSS THE AREA TODAY AND TONIGHT. THE PRECIPITATION WILL CHANGE FROM RAIN TO FREEZING RAIN... SLEET AND EVENTUALLY JUST SNOW AS SFC TEMPS DROP BELOW FREEZING AND THE COLD AIRMASS DEEPENS. SOME BANDING COULD BE POSSIBLE WITH FRONTOGENETICAL FORCING SO IN SHORT DISTANCES SOME LOCATIONS COULD RECEIVE HEAVIER AMOUNTS THAN OTHERS AND OTHER LOCATIONS MAY RECEIVE LOWER AMOUNTS... BUT GENERALLY ONE TO THREE INCHES OF SNOW AND SLEET ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE. ICE ACCUMULATIONS FROM THE FREEZING RAIN WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE SE HALF OF THE FA... WITH THE HEAVIEST AMOUNTS EXPECTED IN PARTS OF SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA. ICE ACCUMULATIONS OF JUST A GLAZE TO UNDER TWO TENTHS OF AN INCH WILL BE POSSIBLE. IF THE TRANSITION FROM FREEZING RAIN TO SLEET AND SNOW IS SLOWER THAN CURRENTLY FORECAST THEN HIGHER ICE ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE. WILL CONTINUE WITH THE CURRENT WINTER WX ADVISORY CONFIGURATION BUT ADJUSTMENTS MAY NEED TO BE MADE LATER THIS MORNING. THE PRECIPITATION WILL END TONIGHT BUT ROADS WILL LIKELY STILL BE SLICK IN SOME AREAS IN THE MORNING. TEMPERATURES WILL WARM THROUGH THE WEEKEND REACHING SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL LEVELS FOR AT LEAST THE FIRST HALF OF NEXT WEEK. MODELS SHOW SEVERAL UPPER LEVEL SYSTEMS MOVING NEAR/ACROSS THE REGION DURING THIS TIME BUT THESE SYSTEMS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BRING PRECIPITATION TO THE FA. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... OKLAHOMA CITY OK 30 21 37 21 / 80 50 10 10 HOBART OK 30 18 36 20 / 90 40 10 10 WICHITA FALLS TX 37 21 36 19 / 90 60 10 10 GAGE OK 24 11 38 20 / 60 10 10 10 PONCA CITY OK 26 16 35 21 / 70 30 10 10 DURANT OK 44 23 37 21 / 100 90 10 10 && .OUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OK...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT FOR OKZ019- 020-022>048-050>052. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS EVENING FOR OKZ004>018-021. TX...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT FOR TXZ083>090. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS STATE COLLEGE PA
1029 PM EST THU MAR 5 2015 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD SOUTHEAST INTO THE STATE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. A STRONG UPPER-LEVEL RIDGE WILL BUILD INTO THE REGION EARLY NEXT WEEK. THIS SHOULD PROVIDE GENERALLY FAIR WEATHER AND SEVERAL DAYS OF NEAR NORMAL TEMPERATURES AND RELATIVELY DRY WEATHER. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM FRIDAY MORNING/... AS OF 03Z...SKIES HAVE CLEARED ACROSS MOST OF CENTRAL PA AS ARCTIC HIGH PRES SYSTEM OVERSPREADS THE STATE. BACK EDGE OF MID LVL CLOUD DECK SHOULD CLEAR LANCASTER CO BY 05Z...AND PATCH OF STRATOCU OVR WARREN/MCKEAN COS SHOULD DIMINISH BY 06Z...AS INVERSION HGTS FALL. DIMINISHING WIND...CLEARING SKIES AND FRESH SNOW COVER SHOULD RESULT IN NEAR RECORD LOW TEMPERATURES OVERNIGHT...AVERAGING 5-10 BLW ZERO OVR THE NW MTNS...TO THE LOWER SINGLE DIGITS ACROSS THE LOWER SUSQ VALLEY. HOWEVER...A CALM WIND ACROSS THE ALLEGHENIES SHOULD ALLOW THE NORMALLY COLDER VALLEYS TO GET EVEN COLDER. LATEST RAP SUGGESTS A FEW LOCATIONS ACROSS THE NW COULD DIP AS LOW AS 15 BLW ZERO. AT THIS POINT...WE ARE COUNTING ON THE WIND TO DROP OFF ENOUGH TO MINIMIZE WIND CHILLS...SO NO HEADLINES ARE PLANNED AT THIS TIME. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH 6 PM FRIDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE WILL PROVIDE A MUCH BRIGHTER DAY FRIDAY. FORECAST SOUNDINGS SUGGEST THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME STRATOCU TO GATHER UNDER THE STRONG SUBSIDENCE INVERSION ACROSS THE ALLEGHENY PLATEAU...BUT EVEN THERE A FAIR AMOUNT OF SUNSHINE SHOULD MANAGE TO MIX WITH ANY CLOUDS THAT FORM. MAX TEMPS SHOULD RANGE FROM 20-25F BLW NORMAL FRIDAY. 18Z GEFS MEAN 925MB TEMPS ARND -14C ARE SUPPORTIVE OF HIGHS FROM JUST THE UPPER TEENS OVR THE ALLEGHENY PLATEAU...TO THE L-M20S ACROSS THE SUSQ VALLEY. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... SFC HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE AXIS WILL MIGRATE EWD ACROSS THE MID ATLANTIC REGION FRIDAY NIGHT AND SETTLE INTO THE SOUTHEAST STATES ON SATURDAY. AN INCREASE IN SW GRADIENT WINDS AND CLOUDS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE NW HALF OF THE CWA IN ADVANCE OF A WEAK LOW MOVING ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES. MEANWHILE MAINLY CLEAR SKIES AND LIGHTER WINDS ACROSS THE LOWER SUSQ VALLEY SHOULD PREVAIL NEAR THE DEPARTING SFC RIDGE. THIS PATTERN FAVORS A NON-DIURNAL TREND WITH LOWS IN THE MID TEENS OCCURRING EARLY ACROSS THE NW MTNS FRIDAY NIGHT WITH A STEADY TO SLOW RISE INTO SATURDAY MORNING. A MORE TYPICAL NOCTURNAL TEMP CURVE SHOULD ALLOW TEMPS TO FALL TO AROUND 10F OVER THE LOWER SQV. BROAD UPPER CYCLONIC FLOW WILL CONTINUE INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK AS ADDITIONAL SHORTWAVE IMPULSES MOVE FROM CENTRAL CANADA THROUGH THE NORTHERN TIER OF THE U.S. THERE ARE FEWER DIFFERENCES NOTED OVERALL COMPARED TO PREVIOUS MODEL CYCLES WITH RESPECT TO THE TIMING AND DEPTH OF EACH IMPULSE. ONE IMPULSE WILL DRIVE A SURFACE WAVE AND ASSOCIATED FRONT THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES REGION ON SAT AND THEN INTO NEW ENGLAND ON SUN. AN ADDITIONAL IMPULSE WILL TAKE A SIMILAR TRACK THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES LATER SUN INTO EARLY MON ALONG WITH A WEAK FRONT. GIVEN THE FAST DEEPER LAYER WEST NORTHWEST FLOW OVER THE REGION...THE AMPLITUDE OF EACH IMPULSE SHOULD BE RATHER SMALL WITH MOISTURE AVAILABILITY QUITE LIMITED. THEREFORE EXPECT OCCASIONAL SNOW SHOWERS MAINLY OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF THE NORTHERN ALLEGHENIES WITH 48 ACCUMS OF 1-2" POSSIBLE OVER THE NW MTNS BY 12Z MON. THE MODELS AND ENSEMBLE MEANS ARE AGREEABLE/CONSISTENT WITH THE MAIN THEMES OF THE LARGE SCALE PATTERN INTO NEXT WEEK. THESE INCLUDE AN INCREASINGLY ZONAL/PROGRESSIVE NRN STREAM FLOW ACROSS SRN CANADA...AND SRN ROCKIES/PLAINS INTO MEXICO MEAN TROUGH AND STRONG RIDGE E OF THE BAHAMAS. AS THE MEAN PATTERN ALOFT BECOMES INCREASINGLY FLATTER...CONFIDENCE IS RELATIVELY HIGH IN A MAINLY DRY PERIOD WITH STEADILY INCREASING/MODERATING TEMPERATURES TO AT OR SLIGHTLY ABOVE EARLY-MID MARCH CLIMATE NORMALS. && .AVIATION /04Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... CONDITIONS IMPROVED QUICKLY ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST LATE THIS AFTERNOON AS STORM SYSTEM BEGAN TO PULL AWAY FROM THE REGION. AT 00Z...CONDITIONS ARE VFR ACROSS ALL OF CENTRAL PA. A THICK MID-LEVEL DECK WILL SLOWLY DRIFT SOUTHEASTWARD... PERSISTING OVER THE SE THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS BEFORE SKIES CLEAR. ELSEWHERE...MAINLY CLEAR SKIES WILL BE THE RULE AS STRONG HIGH PRESSURE AREA BUILDS IN. A SMALL AREA OF MVFR STRATOCU COMING OFF OF LAKE ERIE MAY BRIEFLY IMPACT KBFD WITH MVFR CIGS...BUT IF IT REACHES THERE IT SHOULD BE SHORT-LIVED. WINDS THIS EVE WILL START OUT AROUND 10 MPH...BEFORE BECOMING LIGHT DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. VFR PREVAILS ON FRI UNDER HIGH PRESSURE. WINDS TURN TO THE SOUTHWEST AT SPEEDS OF 5-10 MPH. OUTLOOK... FRI-SAT...MAINLY VFR. SUN-MON...MVFR WITH CHC -SHSN MAINLY NORTH AND WEST. VFR SE. TUE...NO SIG WX. && .CLIMATE... DAILY RECORD LOWS ARE IN SERIOUS JEOPARDY TONIGHT AT MANY LOCATIONS. THE RECORD LOW FOR MARCH 6TH AT HARRISBURG IS 7F SET BACK IN 1901 AND -1F AT WILLIAMSPORT SET IN 1978. && .CTP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...LA CORTE NEAR TERM...FITZGERALD SHORT TERM...FITZGERALD/LA CORTE LONG TERM...STEINBUGL AVIATION...RXR CLIMATE...
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS STATE COLLEGE PA
735 PM EST THU MAR 5 2015 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD SOUTHEAST INTO THE STATE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. A STRONG UPPER-LEVEL RIDGE WILL BUILD INTO THE REGION EARLY NEXT WEEK. THIS SHOULD PROVIDE GENERALLY FAIR WEATHER AND SEVERAL DAYS OF NEAR NORMAL TEMPERATURES AND RELATIVELY DRY WEATHER. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM FRIDAY MORNING/... JUST A FEW FLURRIES LEFT ACROSS THE LOWER SUSQ VALLEY AS OF 00Z. BASED ON RADAR TRENDS AND LATEST HRRR...WILL CARRY LOW CHC POPS FROM HARRISBURG SEWRD THRU ARND 01Z. IR LOOP SHOWS CLEARING SKIES ACROSS NW PA AT 00Z...AND EXPECT THIS CLEARING TREND TO SPREAD SE THIS EVENING AS ARCTIC HIGH PRES SYSTEM OVERSPREADS THE STATE. DIMINISHING WIND...CLEARING SKIES AND FRESH SNOW COVER SHOULD RESULT IN NEAR RECORD LOW TEMPERATURES...AVERAGING ARND 10 BLW ZERO OVR THE NW MTNS...TO THE LOWER SINGLE DIGITS ACROSS THE LOWER SUSQ VALLEY. HOWEVER...A CALM WIND ACROSS THE ALLEGHENIES SHOULD ALLOW THE NORMALLY COLDER VALLEYS TO GET EVEN COLDER. LATEST RAP SUGGESTS A FEW LOCATIONS ACROSS THE NW COULD DIP AS LOW AS 15-20 BLW ZERO. AT THIS POINT...WE ARE COUNTING ON THE WIND TO DROP OFF ENOUGH TO MINIMIZE WIND CHILLS...SO NO HEADLINES ARE PLANNED AT THIS TIME. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH 6 PM FRIDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE WILL PROVIDE A MUCH BRIGHTER DAY FRIDAY. FORECAST SOUNDINGS SUGGEST THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME STRATOCU TO GATHER UNDER THE STRONG SUBSIDENCE INVERSION ACROSS THE ALLEGHENY PLATEAU...BUT EVEN THERE A FAIR AMOUNT OF SUNSHINE SHOULD MANAGE TO MIX WITH ANY CLOUDS THAT FORM. MAX TEMPS SHOULD RANGE FROM 20-25F BLW NORMAL FRIDAY. 18Z GEFS MEAN 925MB TEMPS ARND -14C ARE SUPPORTIVE OF HIGHS FROM JUST THE UPPER TEENS OVR THE ALLEGHENY PLATEAU...TO THE L-M20S ACROSS THE SUSQ VALLEY. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... SFC HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE AXIS WILL MIGRATE EWD ACROSS THE MID ATLANTIC REGION FRIDAY NIGHT AND SETTLE INTO THE SOUTHEAST STATES ON SATURDAY. AN INCREASE IN SW GRADIENT WINDS AND CLOUDS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE NW HALF OF THE CWA IN ADVANCE OF A WEAK LOW MOVING ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES. MEANWHILE MAINLY CLEAR SKIES AND LIGHTER WINDS ACROSS THE LOWER SUSQ VALLEY SHOULD PREVAIL NEAR THE DEPARTING SFC RIDGE. THIS PATTERN FAVORS A NON-DIURNAL TREND WITH LOWS IN THE MID TEENS OCCURRING EARLY ACROSS THE NW MTNS FRIDAY NIGHT WITH A STEADY TO SLOW RISE INTO SATURDAY MORNING. A MORE TYPICAL NOCTURNAL TEMP CURVE SHOULD ALLOW TEMPS TO FALL TO AROUND 10F OVER THE LOWER SQV. BROAD UPPER CYCLONIC FLOW WILL CONTINUE INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK AS ADDITIONAL SHORTWAVE IMPULSES MOVE FROM CENTRAL CANADA THROUGH THE NORTHERN TIER OF THE U.S. THERE ARE FEWER DIFFERENCES NOTED OVERALL COMPARED TO PREVIOUS MODEL CYCLES WITH RESPECT TO THE TIMING AND DEPTH OF EACH IMPULSE. ONE IMPULSE WILL DRIVE A SURFACE WAVE AND ASSOCIATED FRONT THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES REGION ON SAT AND THEN INTO NEW ENGLAND ON SUN. AN ADDITIONAL IMPULSE WILL TAKE A SIMILAR TRACK THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES LATER SUN INTO EARLY MON ALONG WITH A WEAK FRONT. GIVEN THE FAST DEEPER LAYER WEST NORTHWEST FLOW OVER THE REGION...THE AMPLITUDE OF EACH IMPULSE SHOULD BE RATHER SMALL WITH MOISTURE AVAILABILITY QUITE LIMITED. THEREFORE EXPECT OCCASIONAL SNOW SHOWERS MAINLY OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF THE NORTHERN ALLEGHENIES WITH 48 ACCUMS OF 1-2" POSSIBLE OVER THE NW MTNS BY 12Z MON. THE MODELS AND ENSEMBLE MEANS ARE AGREEABLE/CONSISTENT WITH THE MAIN THEMES OF THE LARGE SCALE PATTERN INTO NEXT WEEK. THESE INCLUDE AN INCREASINGLY ZONAL/PROGRESSIVE NRN STREAM FLOW ACROSS SRN CANADA...AND SRN ROCKIES/PLAINS INTO MEXICO MEAN TROUGH AND STRONG RIDGE E OF THE BAHAMAS. AS THE MEAN PATTERN ALOFT BECOMES INCREASINGLY FLATTER...CONFIDENCE IS RELATIVELY HIGH IN A MAINLY DRY PERIOD WITH STEADILY INCREASING/MODERATING TEMPERATURES TO AT OR SLIGHTLY ABOVE EARLY-MID MARCH CLIMATE NORMALS. && .AVIATION /00Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... CONDITIONS IMPROVED QUICKLY ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST LATE THIS AFTERNOON AS STORM SYSTEM BEGAN TO PULL AWAY FROM THE REGION. AT 00Z...CONDITIONS ARE VFR ACROSS ALL OF CENTRAL PA. A THICK MID-LEVEL DECK WILL SLOWLY DRIFT SOUTHEASTWARD... PERSISTING OVER THE SE THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS BEFORE SKIES CLEAR. ELSEWHERE...MAINLY CLEAR SKIES WILL BE THE RULE AS STRONG HIGH PRESSURE AREA BUILDS IN. A SMALL AREA OF MVFR STRATOCU COMING OFF OF LAKE ERIE MAY BRIEFLY IMPACT KBFD WITH MVFR CIGS...BUT IF IT REACHES THERE IT SHOULD BE SHORT-LIVED. WINDS THIS EVE WILL START OUT AROUND 10 MPH...BEFORE BECOMING LIGHT DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. VFR PREVAILS ON FRI UNDER HIGH PRESSURE. WINDS TURN TO THE SOUTHWEST AT SPEEDS OF 5-10 MPH. OUTLOOK... FRI-SAT...MAINLY VFR. SUN-MON...MVFR WITH CHC -SHSN MAINLY NORTH AND WEST. VFR SE. TUE...NO SIG WX. && .CLIMATE... DAILY RECORD LOWS ARE IN SERIOUS JEOPARDY TONIGHT AT MANY LOCATIONS. THE RECORD LOW FOR MARCH 6TH AT HARRISBURG IS 7F SET BACK IN 1901 AND -1F AT WILLIAMSPORT SET IN 1978. && .CTP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...LA CORTE NEAR TERM...FITZGERALD SHORT TERM...FITZGERALD/LA CORTE LONG TERM...STEINBUGL AVIATION...RXR CLIMATE...
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS STATE COLLEGE PA
704 PM EST THU MAR 5 2015 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD SOUTHEAST INTO THE STATE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. A STRONG UPPER-LEVEL RIDGE WILL BUILD INTO THE REGION EARLY NEXT WEEK. THIS SHOULD PROVIDE GENERALLY FAIR WEATHER AND SEVERAL DAYS OF NEAR NORMAL TEMPERATURES AND RELATIVELY DRY WEATHER. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM FRIDAY MORNING/... JUST A FEW FLURRIES LEFT ACROSS THE LOWER SUSQ VALLEY AS OF 00Z. BASED ON RADAR TRENDS AND LATEST HRRR...WILL CARRY LOW CHC POPS FROM HARRISBURG SEWRD THRU ARND 01Z. IR LOOP SHOWS CLEARING SKIES ACROSS NW PA AT 00Z...AND EXPECT THIS CLEARING TREND TO SPREAD SE THIS EVENING AS ARCTIC HIGH PRES SYSTEM OVERSPREADS THE STATE. DIMINISHING WIND...CLEARING SKIES AND FRESH SNOW COVER SHOULD RESULT IN NEAR RECORD LOW TEMPERATURES...AVERAGING ARND 10 BLW ZERO OVR THE NW MTNS...TO THE LOWER SINGLE DIGITS ACROSS THE LOWER SUSQ VALLEY. HOWEVER...A CALM WIND ACROSS THE ALLEGHENIES SHOULD ALLOW THE NORMALLY COLDER VALLEYS TO GET EVEN COLDER. LATEST RAP SUGGESTS A FEW LOCATIONS ACROSS THE NW COULD DIP AS LOW AS 15-20 BLW ZERO. AT THIS POINT...WE ARE COUNTING ON THE WIND TO DROP OFF ENOUGH TO MINIMIZE WIND CHILLS...SO NO HEADLINES ARE PLANNED AT THIS TIME. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH 6 PM FRIDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE WILL PROVIDE A MUCH BRIGHTER DAY FRIDAY. FORECAST SOUNDINGS SUGGEST THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME STRATOCU TO GATHER UNDER THE STRONG SUBSIDENCE INVERSION ACROSS THE ALLEGHENY PLATEAU...BUT EVEN THERE A FAIR AMOUNT OF SUNSHINE SHOULD MANAGE TO MIX WITH ANY CLOUDS THAT FORM. MAX TEMPS SHOULD RANGE FROM 20-25F BLW NORMAL FRIDAY. 18Z GEFS MEAN 925MB TEMPS ARND -14C ARE SUPPORTIVE OF HIGHS FROM JUST THE UPPER TEENS OVR THE ALLEGHENY PLATEAU...TO THE L-M20S ACROSS THE SUSQ VALLEY. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... SFC HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE AXIS WILL MIGRATE EWD ACROSS THE MID ATLANTIC REGION FRIDAY NIGHT AND SETTLE INTO THE SOUTHEAST STATES ON SATURDAY. AN INCREASE IN SW GRADIENT WINDS AND CLOUDS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE NW HALF OF THE CWA IN ADVANCE OF A WEAK LOW MOVING ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES. MEANWHILE MAINLY CLEAR SKIES AND LIGHTER WINDS ACROSS THE LOWER SUSQ VALLEY SHOULD PREVAIL NEAR THE DEPARTING SFC RIDGE. THIS PATTERN FAVORS A NON-DIURNAL TREND WITH LOWS IN THE MID TEENS OCCURRING EARLY ACROSS THE NW MTNS FRIDAY NIGHT WITH A STEADY TO SLOW RISE INTO SATURDAY MORNING. A MORE TYPICAL NOCTURNAL TEMP CURVE SHOULD ALLOW TEMPS TO FALL TO AROUND 10F OVER THE LOWER SQV. BROAD UPPER CYCLONIC FLOW WILL CONTINUE INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK AS ADDITIONAL SHORTWAVE IMPULSES MOVE FROM CENTRAL CANADA THROUGH THE NORTHERN TIER OF THE U.S. THERE ARE FEWER DIFFERENCES NOTED OVERALL COMPARED TO PREVIOUS MODEL CYCLES WITH RESPECT TO THE TIMING AND DEPTH OF EACH IMPULSE. ONE IMPULSE WILL DRIVE A SURFACE WAVE AND ASSOCIATED FRONT THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES REGION ON SAT AND THEN INTO NEW ENGLAND ON SUN. AN ADDITIONAL IMPULSE WILL TAKE A SIMILAR TRACK THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES LATER SUN INTO EARLY MON ALONG WITH A WEAK FRONT. GIVEN THE FAST DEEPER LAYER WEST NORTHWEST FLOW OVER THE REGION...THE AMPLITUDE OF EACH IMPULSE SHOULD BE RATHER SMALL WITH MOISTURE AVAILABILITY QUITE LIMITED. THEREFORE EXPECT OCCASIONAL SNOW SHOWERS MAINLY OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF THE NORTHERN ALLEGHENIES WITH 48 ACCUMS OF 1-2" POSSIBLE OVER THE NW MTNS BY 12Z MON. THE MODELS AND ENSEMBLE MEANS ARE AGREEABLE/CONSISTENT WITH THE MAIN THEMES OF THE LARGE SCALE PATTERN INTO NEXT WEEK. THESE INCLUDE AN INCREASINGLY ZONAL/PROGRESSIVE NRN STREAM FLOW ACROSS SRN CANADA...AND SRN ROCKIES/PLAINS INTO MEXICO MEAN TROUGH AND STRONG RIDGE E OF THE BAHAMAS. AS THE MEAN PATTERN ALOFT BECOMES INCREASINGLY FLATTER...CONFIDENCE IS RELATIVELY HIGH IN A MAINLY DRY PERIOD WITH STEADILY INCREASING/MODERATING TEMPERATURES TO AT OR SLIGHTLY ABOVE EARLY-MID MARCH CLIMATE NORMALS. && .AVIATION /00Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... MOST OF THE FLYING AREA WILL REMAIN VFR NORTH OF THE BANDED PRECIPITATION THAT IS CAUSING MVFR-IFR/LIFR FROM JOHNSTOWN EAST THROUGH THE LOWER SUSQ VALLEY. CONDITIONS WILL SLOWLY IMPROVE OVER SOUTHERN AND SOUTHEASTERN AREAS THIS AFTERNOON...WITH LANCASTER-HARRISBURG LIKELY BEING THE LAST TO ENJOY IN THE IMPROVING CONDITIONS. EXPECT MOST TERMINALS TO BE VFR OVERNIGHT. JST MAY BE THE EXCEPTION WITH LOW CLOUDS HANGING IN TOUGH UNDER THE UPSLOPE FLOW. OUTLOOK... FRI-SAT...MAINLY VFR. SUN-MON...MVFR WITH CHC -SHSN MAINLY NORTH AND WEST. VFR SE. TUE...NO SIG WX. && .CLIMATE... DAILY RECORD LOWS ARE IN SERIOUS JEOPARDY TONIGHT AT MANY LOCATIONS. THE RECORD LOW FOR MARCH 6TH AT HARRISBURG IS 7F SET BACK IN 1901 AND -1F AT WILLIAMSPORT SET IN 1978. && .CTP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...LA CORTE NEAR TERM...FITZGERALD SHORT TERM...FITZGERALD/LA CORTE LONG TERM...STEINBUGL AVIATION...LA CORTE CLIMATE...
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS STATE COLLEGE PA
304 PM EST WED MAR 4 2015 .SYNOPSIS... A WAVE OF LOW PRESSURE WILL TRACK SOUTH OF PENNSYLVANIA THIS EVENING AND EARLY THURSDAY. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD SOUTHEAST INTO THE STATE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. A STRONG UPPER-LEVEL RIDGE WILL BUILD INTO THE REGION EARLY NEXT WEEK. THIS SHOULD PROVIDE GENERALLY FAIR WEATHER AND SEVERAL DAYS OF NEAR NORMAL TEMPERATURES AND RELATIVELY DRY WEATHER. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM THURSDAY MORNING/... 2 PM UPDATE: AFTER INGESTING NEW 12Z DATA AND LATEST ENSEMBLES...IT IS BECOMING APPARENT THAT THE AXIS OF HEAVIEST PRECIP WILL TEND TO BE A BIT FURTHER SOUTH THAN PREVIOUSLY ANTICIPATED. WE HAVE TRIMMED BACK THE WARNING TO OUR SOUTHERN BORDER COUNTIES...AND LOWERED THE OVERALL NUMBERS MORE IN LINE LATEST QPF/WWD SNOWFALL GUIDANCE. STILL POSSIBLE THE WARNING CONFIGURATION IS A BIT TOO ROBUST AND MAY YET NEED FURTHER TRIMMING LATER THIS EVENING AS WE GATHER NEWER ENSEMBLES AND HRRR DATA. TEMPERATURES HAVE RECOVERED ABOVE FREEZING OVER ALL BUT THE FAR NORTH. TEMPS FOR MUCH OF TODAY WILL REMAIN STEADY OR SLOWLY RISE BEFORE COLDER AIR BEGINS WORKING IN LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT. COLDER AIR ARRIVING LATER TODAY AND THIS EVENING WILL BRING A CHANGE BACK TO SNOW. LATEST BUFKIT SOUNDINGS SHOW SNOW IN JOHNSTOWN BY 20-22Z...ALTOONA/STATE COLLEGE 22-00Z...AND NOT UNTIL 03-6Z IN THE HARRISBURG-YORK-LANCASTER AREAS. IT`S OVER THESE SOUTHEASTERN ZONES WHERE THE PROBLEM WILL BE AS MUCH OF THE PRECIP THAT IS EXPECTED WILL FALL AS RAIN BEFORE THE COLD AIR FINALLY ARRIVES. A STRONG JET ENTRANCE REGION ALOFT WILL SLIDE BY JUST NORTH OF THE REGION TONIGHT AND THURSDAY...SUPPORTING AN AREA OF POTENT LOW-MID LEVEL FRONTOGENETIC FORCING. MODELS RESPOND BY BRINGING A FAIRLY PROLONGED PERIOD OF PRECIP TO MY FAR SOUTHERN ZONES. SREF AND GEFS THREAT PAGES STILL PAINT MY FAR SERN ZONES AS HAVING THE HIGHEST RISK FOR HEAVY SNOW THROUGH MID DAY THURSDAY...WITH A RATHER SHARP CUT OFF ON THE BACK SIDE UP INTO THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH 6 PM THURSDAY/... LATEST GEFS/SREF SHOW PRECIP ENDING FROM NW TO SE AS THE DAY WEARS ON WITH MUCH OF THE DAY ENDING UP DRY OVER MY NORTHERN TIER...AND MAINLY DRY AFTER 18Z NORTH OF I-80. STILL YET ANOTHER VERY COLD DAY IS IN STORE WITH MAX TEMPS SOME 20-30 DEG BELOW NORMAL. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE AND BELOW NORMAL LOW-LEVEL TEMPERATURES WILL DOMINATE THE REGION THURSDAY NIGHT INTO LATE FRIDAY. UNSEASONABLY COLD AIR...PERHAPS THE LAST OF THE SIGNIFICANT ARCTIC SURGES OF OUR ENDLESS WINTER. BASED ON THE LOW TEMPERATURES NEAR AND BELOW 0F AND THE WINDS...THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR SOME AREAS TO EXPERIENCE WIND CHILLS OVERNIGHT THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY WHICH MIGHT REQUIRE AN ADVISORY ACROSS THE NORTHERN TIER COUNTIES. SATURDAY THE TEMPERATURES AT 850 MB RETURN CLOSER TO NORMAL AND HIGH PRESSURE DRIFTS TO OUR SOUTH. PENNSYLVANIA SHOULD REMAIN NORTH OF THIS WEAK HIGH....CUTTING OFF ANY MOISTURE TO THE SOUTH...KEEPING THE REGION IN WEAK WESTERLY FLOW INTO MONDAY. THE PERIOD SHOULD BE RELATIVELY DRY WITH ANY FRONTAL PRECIPITATION SUPPRESSED TO OUR SOUTH AND ONLY WEAK NORTHERN STREAM WAVES TO OUR NORTH TO GENERATE ANY PRECIPITATION. SO...KEPT THE POPS LOW THROUGH THE PERIOD AND ANY LIGHT PRECIPITATION WOULD LIKELY BE SNOW AS 850 HPA TEMPS STAY BELOW 0C. BEST CHANCE OF ANY PRECIPITATION WOULD BE IN NORTHERN AREAS SHOULD ONE OF THE NORTHERN STREAM WAVES PROVE TO BE STRONGER THAN GUIDANCE IMPLIES. A RIDGE IS FORECAST TO BUILD OVER THE REGION TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY AND OUR LOWER TROPOSPHERE TEMPERATURES SHOULD GET AT LEAST SLIGHTLY....ABOVE NORMAL....BOTH TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY. THIS SHOULD PROVIDE AT LEAST 2 DAYS OF NEAR SEASONAL TEMPERATURES FOR A CHANGE. RELATIVELY WARM DAYS AND COLD NIGHTS...A GOOD SLOW WAY TO MELT SNOW WITHOUT FLOODING. THE NAEFSBC AND GEFSBC SUGGEST A FRONTAL PASSAGE THURSDAY WITH SLIGHTLY COLDER TEMPERATURES AS ANOTHER HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM IS FORECAST TO MOVE OVER THE NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES THURSDAY INTO SATURDAY NEXT WEEK. && .AVIATION /20Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... A WAVY COLD FRONT TO THE SOUTH OF THE AREA WILL BRING ANOTHER ROUND OF RAIN/SNOW MAINLY TO AREAS SOUTH OF I-80 TONIGHT INTO EARLY THURSDAY. WIDESPREAD MVFR/IFR WILL CONTINUE OVERNIGHT THROUGH AT LEAST MID DAY THURSDAY BEFORE DRYER AIR BEGINS MOVING INTO THE REGION FROM THE WEST AND NORTH BRINGING IMPROVING CONDITIONS. OUTLOOK... THU...SLOWLY IMPROVING CONDITIONS...LINGERING MVFR NW AND SE. FRI-SAT...MAINLY VFR. SUN-MON...MVFR WITH CHC -SHSN MAINLY NORTH AND WEST. VFR SE. && .CTP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS EVENING FOR PAZ017-024-025-033- 034. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 PM EST THURSDAY FOR PAZ017>019-024>028-049>053-058. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 PM EST THURSDAY FOR PAZ033>036-056-057-059-063>066. && $$ SYNOPSIS...GRUMM/LA CORTE NEAR TERM...LA CORTE SHORT TERM...LA CORTE LONG TERM...GRUMM AVIATION...RXR
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS STATE COLLEGE PA
239 PM EST WED MAR 4 2015 .SYNOPSIS... A WAVE OF LOW PRESSURE WILL TRACK SOUTH OF PENNSYLVANIA THIS EVENING AND EARLY THURSDAY. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD SOUTHEAST INTO THE STATE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. A STRONG UPPER-LEVEL RIDGE WILL BUILD INTO THE REGION EARLY NEXT WEEK. THIS SHOULD PROVIDE GENERALLY FAIR WEATHER AND SEVERAL DAYS OF NEAR NORMAL TEMPERATURES AND RELATIVELY DRY WEATHER. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... 2 PM UPDATE: AFTER INGESTING NEW 12Z DATA AND LATEST ENSEMBLES...IT IS BECOMING APPARENT THAT THE AXIS OF HEAVIEST PRECIP WILL TEND TO BE A BIT FURTHER SOUTH THAN PREVIOUSLY ANTICIPATED. WE HAVE TRIMMED BACK THE WARNING TO OUR SOUTHERN BORDER COUNTIES...AND LOWERED THE OVERALL NUMBERS MORE IN LINE LATEST QPF/WWD SNOWFALL GUIDANCE. STILL POSSIBLE THE WARNING CONFIGURATION IS A BIT TOO ROBUST AND MAY YET NEED FURTHER TRIMMING LATER THIS EVENING AS WE GATHER NEWER ENSEMBLES AND HRRR DATA. TEMPERATURES HAVE RECOVERED ABOVE FREEZING OVER ALL BUT THE FAR NORTH. TEMPS FOR MUCH OF TODAY WILL REMAIN STEADY OR SLOWLY RISE BEFORE COLDER AIR BEGINS WORKING IN LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT. COLDER AIR ARRIVING LATER TODAY AND THIS EVENING WILL BRING A CHANGE BACK TO SNOW. LATEST BUFKIT SOUNDINGS SHOW SNOW IN JOHNSTOWN BY 20-22Z...ALTOONA/STATE COLLEGE 22-00Z...AND NOT UNTIL 03-6Z IN THE HARRISBURG-YORK-LANCASTER AREAS. IT`S OVER THESE SOUTHEASTERN ZONES WHERE THE PROBLEM WILL BE AS MUCH OF THE PRECIP THAT IS EXPECTED WILL FALL AS RAIN BEFORE THE COLD AIR FINALLY ARRIVES. A STRONG JET ENTRANCE REGION ALOFT WILL SLIDE BY JUST NORTH OF THE REGION TONIGHT AND THURSDAY...SUPPORTING AN AREA OF POTENT LOW-MID LEVEL FRONTOGENETIC FORCING. MODELS RESPOND BY BRINGING A FAIRLY PROLONGED PERIOD OF PRECIP TO MY FAR SOUTHERN ZONES. SREF AND GEFS THREAT PAGES STILL PAINT MY FAR SERN ZONES AS HAVING THE HIGHEST RISK FOR HEAVY SNOW THROUGH MID DAY THURSDAY...WITH A RATHER SHARP CUT OFF ON THE BACK SIDE UP INTO THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY/... LATEST GEFS/SREF SHOW PRECIP ENDING FROM NW TO SE AS THE DAY WEARS ON WITH MUCH OF THE DAY ENDING UP DRY OVER MY NORTHERN TIER...AND MAINLY DRY AFTER 18Z NORTH OF I-80. STILL YET ANOTHER VERY COLD DAY IS IN STORE WITH MAX TEMPS SOME 20-30 DEG BELOW NORMAL. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE AND BELOW NORMAL LOW-LEVEL TEMPERATURES WILL DOMINATE THE REGION THURSDAY NIGHT INTO LATE FRIDAY. UNSEASONABLY COLD AIR...PERHAPS THE LAST OF THE SIGNIFICANT ARCTIC SURGES OF OUR ENDLESS WINTER. SATURDAY THE TEMPERATURES AT 850 MB RETURN CLOSER TO NORMAL AND HIGH PRESSURE DRIFTS TO OUR SOUTH. PENNSYLVANIA SHOULD REMAIN NORTH OF THIS WEAK HIGH....CUTTING OFF ANY MOISTURE TO THE SOUTH...KEEPING THE REGION IN WEAK WESTERLY FLOW INTO MONDAY. THE PERIOD SHOULD BE RELATIVELY DRY WITH ANY FRONTAL PRECIPITATION SUPPRESSED TO OUR SOUTH AND ONLY WEAK NORTHERN STREAM WAVES TO OUR NORTH TO GENERATE ANY PRECIPITATION. SO...KEPT THE POPS LOW THROUGH THE PERIOD AND ANY LIGHT PRECIPITATION WOULD LIKELY BE SNOW AS 850 HPA TEMPS STAY BELOW 0C. BEST CHANCE OF ANY PRECIPITATION WOULD BE IN NORTHERN AREAS SHOULD ONE OF THE NORTHERN STREAM WAVES PROVE TO BE STRONGER THAN GUIDANCE IMPLIES. A RIDGE IS FORECAST TO BUILD OVER THE REGION TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY AND OUR LOWER TROPOSPHERE TEMPERATURES SHOULD GET AT LEAST SLIGHTLY....ABOVE NORMAL....BOTH TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY. THIS SHOULD PROVIDE AT LEAST 2 DAYS OF NEAR SEASONAL TEMPERATURES FOR A CHANGE. RELATIVELY WARM DAYS AND COLD NIGHTS...A GOOD SLOW WAY TO MELT SNOW WITHOUT FLOODING. THE NAEFSBC AND GEFSBC SUGGEST A FRONTAL PASSAGE THURSDAY WITH SLIGHTLY COLDER TEMPERATURES AS ANOTHER HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM IS FORECAST TO MOVE OVER THE NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES THURSDAY INTO SATURDAY NEXT WEEK. && .AVIATION /19Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... A WAVY COLD FRONT TO THE SOUTH OF THE AREA WILL BRING ANOTHER ROUND OF RAIN/SNOW MAINLY TO AREAS SOUTH OF I-80 TONIGHT INTO EARLY THURSDAY. WIDESPREAD MVFR/IFR WILL CONTINUE OVERNIGHT THROUGH AT LEAST MID DAY THURSDAY BEFORE DRYER AIR BEGINS MOVING INTO THE REGION FROM THE WEST AND NORTH BRINGING IMPROVING CONDITIONS. OUTLOOK... THU...SLOWLY IMPROVING CONDITIONS...LINGERING MVFR NW AND SE. FRI-SAT...MAINLY VFR. SUN-MON...MVFR WITH CHC -SHSN MAINLY NORTH AND WEST. VFR SE. && .CTP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS EVENING FOR PAZ017-024-025-033- 034. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 PM EST THURSDAY FOR PAZ017>019-024>028-049>053-058. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 PM EST THURSDAY FOR PAZ033>036-056-057-059-063>066. && $$ SYNOPSIS...LA CORTE NEAR TERM...LA CORTE SHORT TERM...LA CORTE LONG TERM...GRUMM AVIATION...RXR
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS STATE COLLEGE PA
207 PM EST WED MAR 4 2015 .SYNOPSIS... A WAVE OF LOW PRESSURE WILL TRACK SOUTH OF PENNSYLVANIA LATER TODAY AND THURSDAY. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD SOUTHEAST INTO THE STATE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... 2 PM UPDATE: AFTER INGESTING NEW 12Z DATA AND LATEST ENSEMBLES...IT IS BECOMING APPARENT THAT THE AXIS OF HEAVIEST PRECIP WILL TEND TO BE A BIT FURTHER SOUTH THAN PREVIOUSLY ANTICIPATED. WE HAVE TRIMMED BACK THE WARNING TO OUR SOUTHERN BORDER COUNTIES...AND LOWERED THE OVERALL NUMBERS MORE IN LINE LATEST QPF/WWD SNOWFALL GUIDANCE. STILL POSSIBLE THE WARNING CONFIGURATION IS A BIT TOO ROBUST AND MAY YET NEED FURTHER TRIMMING LATER THIS EVENING AS WE GATHER NEWER ENSEMBLES AND HRRR DATA. TEMPERATURES HAVE RECOVERED ABOVE FREEZING OVER ALL BUT THE FAR NORTH. TEMPS FOR MUCH OF TODAY WILL REMAIN STEADY OR SLOWLY RISE BEFORE COLDER AIR BEGINS WORKING IN LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT. COLDER AIR ARRIVING LATER TODAY AND THIS EVENING WILL BRING A CHANGE BACK TO SNOW. LATEST BUFKIT SOUNDINGS SHOW SNOW IN JOHNSTOWN BY 20-22Z...ALTOONA/STATE COLLEGE 22-00Z...AND NOT UNTIL 03-6Z IN THE HARRISBURG-YORK-LANCASTER AREAS. IT`S OVER THESE SOUTHEASTERN ZONES WHERE THE PROBLEM WILL BE AS MUCH OF THE PRECIP THAT IS EXPECTED WILL FALL AS RAIN BEFORE THE COLD AIR FINALLY ARRIVES. A STRONG JET ENTRANCE REGION ALOFT WILL SLIDE BY JUST NORTH OF THE REGION TONIGHT AND THURSDAY...SUPPORTING AN AREA OF POTENT LOW-MID LEVEL FRONTOGENETIC FORCING. MODELS RESPOND BY BRINGING A FAIRLY PROLONGED PERIOD OF PRECIP TO MY FAR SOUTHERN ZONES. SREF AND GEFS THREAT PAGES STILL PAINT MY FAR SERN ZONES AS HAVING THE HIGHEST RISK FOR HEAVY SNOW THROUGH MID DAY THURSDAY...WITH A RATHER SHARP CUT OFF ON THE BACK SIDE UP INTO THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY/... LATEST GEFS/SREF SHOW PRECIP ENDING FROM NW TO SE AS THE DAY WEARS ON WITH MUCH OF THE DAY ENDING UP DRY OVER MY NORTHERN TIER...AND MAINLY DRY AFTER 18Z NORTH OF I-80. STILL YET ANOTHER VERY COLD DAY IS IN STORE WITH MAX TEMPS SOME 20-30 DEG BELOW NORMAL. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... AN ACTIVE LATE-WINTER PRECIPITATION PATTERN WILL IMPACT CENTRAL PA THROUGH MIDWEEK FOLLOWED BY WHAT IS HOPEFULLY THE LAST SHOT OF ARCTIC AIR FOR THE SEASON THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY. THE PATTERN SHOULD DRY OUT LATE IN THE WEEK THROUGH THE UPCOMING WEEKEND WITH HIGH PRESSURE IN CONTROL MOST OF THE TIME. THE GENERAL MODEL AND ENSEMBLE CONSENSUS IS TO MAINTAIN A RIDGE IN THE WEST AND TROUGH IN THE EAST THROUGH THE WEEKEND WITH SOME SIGNS OF A PATTERN SHIFT BY THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK WITH TROUGHING FCST TO DEVELOP ALONG THE WEST COAST. BELOW NORMAL TEMPS SHOULD MODERATE CLOSER TO NORMAL EARLY NEXT WEEK WITH SOME HINTS AT EVEN WARMER TEMPS LATER NEXT WEEK. WHAT IS HOPEFULLY THE LAST SHOT OF ARCTIC AIR THIS SEASON SHOULD ARRIVE BEHIND THE COLD FRONT. FRIDAY MORNING LOWS ARE LKLY TO BE 20-30F BELOW NORMAL WITH SINGLE DIGIT LOWS +/- ZERO DEGREES. SUCH READINGS MAY BREAK DAILY RECORDS. && .AVIATION /18Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... A WAVY COLD FRONT TO THE SOUTH OF THE AREA WILL BRING ANOTHER ROUND OF RAIN/SNOW MAINLY TO AREAS SOUTH OF I-80 TONIGHT INTO EARLY THURSDAY. WIDESPREAD MVFR/IFR WILL CONTINUE OVERNIGHT THROUGH AT LEAST MID DAY THURSDAY BEFORE DRYER AIR BEGINS MOVING INTO THE REGION FROM THE WEST AND NORTH BRINGING IMPROVING CONDITIONS. OUTLOOK... THU...SLOWLY IMPROVING CONDITIONS...LINGERING MVFR NW AND SE. FRI-SAT...MAINLY VFR. SUN-MON...MVFR WITH CHC -SHSN MAINLY NORTH AND WEST. VFR SE. && .CTP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS EVENING FOR PAZ017-024-025-033- 034. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 PM EST THURSDAY FOR PAZ017>019-049>053. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 PM EST THURSDAY FOR PAZ024>028-033>036-056>059-063>066. && $$ SYNOPSIS...LA CORTE NEAR TERM...LA CORTE SHORT TERM...LA CORTE LONG TERM...MARTIN/STEINBUGL AVIATION...RXR
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS STATE COLLEGE PA
1149 PM EST TUE MAR 3 2015 .SYNOPSIS... LOW PRESSURE WILL TRACK NORTH OF PENNSYLVANIA TONIGHT...AS ITS TRAILING COLD FRONT SAGS SOUTH THROUGH THE REGION. A WAVE OF LOW PRESSURE WILL TRACK SOUTH OF PENNSYLVANIA WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND EARLY THURSDAY. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD SOUTHEAST INTO THE STATE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING/... LL JET AND ASSOC PUSH OF WARM AIR ALOFT HAS CHANGED PRECIP TO PLAIN RAIN OVR MUCH OF THE ALLEGHENY PLATEAU AS OF 04Z. MEANWHILE...FZRA CONTINUES TO FALL ACROSS MOST OF THE REST OF CENTRAL PA. MDL SOUNDINGS...AS WELL AS LATEST HRRR OUTPUT...CONTINUE TO INDICATE THE LOW LVL COLD AIR WILL ERODE FROM WEST TO EAST OVERNIGHT WITH THE LAST OF THE FZRA ENDING ACROSS THE HIGH TERRAIN NE OF KIPT BTWN 06Z-09Z. BASED ON ASOS ICE ACCRETIONS THRU 02Z AND UPSTREAM RADAR TRENDS...HAVE DOWNGRADED ICE STORM WARNING TO A WINT WX ADV ACROSS THE N MTNS. DESPITE WARMING TEMPS...WILL MAINTAIN WINT WX ADV THRU 06Z ACROSS MUCH OF THE ALLEGHENY PLATEAU...DUE TO POTENTIAL OF RESIDUAL ICY SPOTS ON UNTREATED ROADS. SPOTTER FROM WARREN CO CONFIRMED THE ICY ROADS WITH TEMPS ABV 32F AT 01Z. LOW LVL COLD AIR WILL BE MORE PERSISTENT EAST OF THE MTNS...SO HAVE KEPT ADV IN PLACE THRU 12Z...BUT MID SHIFT MAY NEED TO CANCEL EARLY. REGIONAL RADAR LOOP AT 04Z ALREADY SHOWING PRECIP TAPERING OFF ACROSS THE NORTHERN COUNTIES...AND NR TERM MDL DATA INDICATES THE FOCUS OF ADDITIONAL PRECIP TONIGHT /IN THE FORM OF RAIN/ WILL BE OVR THE LAUREL HIGHLANDS...WHERE SWRLY LL JET AND PLUME OF HIGHER PWATS INTERSECT THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF SW PA. MAY HAVE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT LOCALIZED FLOODING FROM KJST SOUTHWARD...WHERE RAINFALL AND TEMPS APPROACHING 50F COULD WILL PRODUCE SIG SNOWMELT. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH 6 PM WEDNESDAY/... SFC FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL SAG SOUTH OF PA EARLY WEDNESDAY. HOWEVER...LINGERING PRECIP REMAINS LIKELY ACROSS SOUTHERN PA IN REGION OF 8-7H FGEN FORCING. MDL BLYR TEMPS INDICATE PRECIP WILL FALL AS LGT RAIN ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST COUNTIES. HOWEVER...MDL SOUNDINGS JUST COLD ENOUGH TO SUPPORT A RAIN/SNOW MIX ACROSS THE LAUREL HIGHLANDS...WHERE A LIGHT ACCUM OF UP TO AN INCH APPEARS POSSIBLE BY WED EVENING. DRIER AIR ACROSS NORTHERN PA SHOULD TRANSLATE TO A MAINLY DRY DAY THERE WITH JUST A CHC OF -SHSN. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/... AN ACTIVE LATE-WINTER PRECIPITATION PATTERN WILL IMPACT CENTRAL PA THROUGH MIDWEEK FOLLOWED BY WHAT IS HOPEFULLY THE LAST SHOT OF ARCTIC AIR FOR THE SEASON THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY. THE PATTERN SHOULD DRY OUT LATE IN THE WEEK THROUGH THE UPCOMING WEEKEND WITH HIGH PRESSURE IN CONTROL MOST OF THE TIME. THE GENERAL MODEL AND ENSEMBLE CONSENSUS IS TO MAINTAIN A RIDGE IN THE WEST AND TROUGH IN THE EAST THROUGH THE WEEKEND WITH SOME SIGNS OF A PATTERN SHIFT BY THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK WITH TROUGHING FCST TO DEVELOP ALONG THE WEST COAST. BELOW NORMAL TEMPS SHOULD MODERATE CLOSER TO NORMAL EARLY NEXT WEEK WITH SOME HINTS AT EVEN WARMER TEMPS LATER NEXT WEEK. MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW AN AMPLIFIED AND MOIST SW FLOW ALOFT AND JET ENTRANCE REGION DYNAMICS SUPPORTING A BROAD STRIPE OF PCPN ALONG A WELL DEFINED BAROCLINIC ZONE AHEAD OF PHASING UPPER LEVEL ENERGY OVER THE DSW/ROCKIES ON WED AND MOVING EWD THROUGH THE OH VLY AND MID ATLC ON THURSDAY. SEVERAL WAVES OF LOW PRESSURE ARE FCST TO DEVELOP AND MOVE ENEWD ALONG A SW-NE ORIENTED COLD FRONT WHICH SHOULD PROGRESS AND SETTLE SEWD THROUGH THE MID ATLC REGION BY EARLY THURS...AS ARCTIC HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO THE UPPER PLAINS. AMPLE MOISTURE IS FCST BY THE MODELS TO MOVE INTO A DEEPENING COLD SECTOR ALONG/NORTH OF THE SEWD-ADVANCING COLD FRONTAL BOUNDARY WHICH COULD RESULT IN A LATE SEASON HEAVY SNOW EVENT FOR SOUTH CENTRAL PA WED NGT INTO THURS. THERE ARE MODEL DIFFERENCES WITH THE TIMING OF THE FRONT WHICH IS LKLY TIED TO THE CONSOLIDATION OF SHORTWAVE ENERGY UPSTREAM. THAT SAID...THE CONSENSUS FCST AXIS OF MAX QPF /0.50 INCH OR GREATER/ HAS BEEN FAIRLY CONSISTENT PAINTED OVER THE SRN 1/3 OF THE CWA. SIMILAR TO YESTERDAY...USED A MULTI MODEL BLEND WITH PSEUDO BIAS CORRECTION FACTOR TO DERIVE GRIDDED QPF AMTS WHICH GENERALLY RANGE FROM 0.25 TO 0.75 INCHES ACROSS THE SRN 1/2 OF THE CWA. THE COLUMN WILL BE IN A STATE OF TRANSITION AND COOLING DOWN FROM NW TO SE WED-WED NGT AS THE COLD FRONT PUSHES SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE AREA. THIS SHOULD SUPPORT A TRANSITION FROM RAIN TO SNOW. A PERIOD OF SLEET MAY IMPACT FCST SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WITH THE DURATION A KEY FACTOR IN THIS FCST. WITH INCREASING CONFIDENCE AND GREATEST RISK IN THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY SNOW/6+ INCHES...WHICH IS SUPPORTED BY ROBUST WPC ENSEMBLE AS WELL AS THE GEFS MEAN...HAVE ISSUED A WINTER STORM WATCH FOR THE SOUTH-CENTRAL COUNTIES FROM WEDNESDAY EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING. WHAT IS HOPEFULLY THE LAST SHOT OF ARCTIC AIR THIS SEASON SHOULD ARRIVE BEHIND THE COLD FRONT. FRIDAY MORNING LOWS ARE LKLY TO BE 20-30F BELOW NORMAL WITH SINGLE DIGIT LOWS +/- ZERO DEGREES. SUCH READINGS MAY BREAK DAILY RECORDS. && .AVIATION /06Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... 03Z TAFS SENT. MAINLY RAIN NOW IN MOST AREAS. EARLIER DISCUSSION BELOW. A WARM FRONT LIFTING NE FROM THE OH VLY WILL KEEP A LARGE AREA OF FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET ACROSS MOST OF THE AREA THIS EVENING. JST WARM ENOUGH FOR JUST RAIN...BUT GROUND AND OBJECT TEMPS LIKELY STILL COLD. THE OTHER FACTOR OVERNIGHT WILL BE LLWS. THE PRECIPITATION WILL LIKELY GO OVER TO JUST RAIN LATE TONIGHT FOR A SHORT TIME. MANY AREAS MAY JUST SEE NOTHING ONCE THE STRONGER WARM ADVECTION SHUTS OFF. FOR WED...RAIN WILL GO BACK TO SNOW FROM NW TO SE. HARD TO SEE CONDITIONS BEING VERY GOOD. VERY COLD LOW LEVEL AIR WILL BE ADVECTED BACK TO THE SOUTH LATE WED INTO THU. A SERIES OF WEAK LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS WILL TRACK ALONG THE COLD FRONT FROM LATE WED INTO THU...LIKELY GIVING AT LEAST SOUTHERN PA SOME SNOW. THE COMBINATION OF INCREASING WINDS...SNOW...AND FALLING TEMPERATURES WILL LIKELY RESULT IN POOR CONDITIONS FOR AVIATION. IMPROVING CONDITIONS WILL SET IN FOR FRIDAY INTO MONDAY...AS COLD HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO THE AREA. OUTLOOK... WED NIGHT...SIG REDUCTIONS IN SNOW DEVELOPING MAINLY ACROSS THE SOUTH. THU...SLOWLY IMPROVING CONDITIONS...LINGERING MVFR NW AND SE. FRI-SAT...MAINLY VFR. SUN...MVFR WITH CHC -SHSN MAINLY NORTH AND WEST. VFR SE. && .CTP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 7 AM EST WEDNESDAY FOR PAZ012- 018-019-025>028-034>037-041-042-045-046-049>053-056>059- 063>066. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 1 AM EST WEDNESDAY FOR PAZ004>006-010-011-017-024. WINTER STORM WATCH FROM WEDNESDAY EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING FOR PAZ024>028-033>036-056>059-063>066. && $$ SYNOPSIS...FITZGERALD NEAR TERM...FITZGERALD SHORT TERM...FITZGERALD/STEINBUGL LONG TERM...STEINBUGL AVIATION...MARTIN
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
1149 PM CST TUE MAR 3 2015 .DISCUSSION... SEE THE 06Z AVIATION DISCUSSION BELOW. 40 && .AVIATION... THE SEA FOG HAS HAD A DIFFICULT TIME FORMING THIS EVENING. THE 00Z HRRR STILL FORECASTS LOW VISIBILITIES FOR KGLS AND POSSIBLY KLBX THROUGH 15Z. ELSEWHERE IFR TO LIFR CEILINGS FORECASTED BY THE MODELS LOOK REASONABLE. ALSO LIKED HOW THE MODELS SCATTER OUT THE CEILINGS TO VFR AT THE INLAND LOCATIONS FROM ABOUT KIAH TO THE COAST BY MIDDAY. ACTUALLY...THE 00Z NAM12 HUMIDITY FIELDS AND THE 00Z NAMBUFR FORECAST SOUNDINGS BOTH SHOW KGLS AND KLBX SCATTERING OUT TO VFR AT BEST BETWEEN 12Z AND 15Z. THE MODELS WERE FAIRLY CONSISTENT IN MOVING THE COLD FRONT INTO THE KCLL AND KUTS AREAS BY 00Z. CEILINGS AT BOTH LOCATIONS MAY HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME LIFTING ABOVE MVFR FOR MOST OF THE DAY AND FELT THAT CHANCES FOR THUNDERSTORMS WERE BEST AT BOTH SITES BETWEEN 21Z TO AROUND FRONTAL PASSAGE AT 00Z. CHANCES FOR THUNDER WERE LESS AT KCXO AND THE HOUSTON METRO AIRPORTS. THE FRONT SHOULD WORK ITS WAY THROUGH THE HOUSTON METRO BY MID EVENING AND OFF THE COAST AROUND 06Z. GUSTY NORTH WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP BEHIND THE FRONT. 40 && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 900 PM CST TUE MAR 3 2015/ UPDATE... SEE EVENING UPDATE. DISCUSSION... AT 8 PM...A WARM FRONT EXTENDED FROM ABOUT SHREVEPORT TO HALLETSVILLE TO LAREDO. SFC DEW PTS BEHIND THE FRONT ARE IN THE MID TO UPPER 60S. CLOUD COVER AND SOME MIXING FROM MODEST SFC WINDS SHOULD YIELD SLIGHTLY WARMER TEMPERATURES OVERNIGHT SO BUMPED MINS A FEW DEGREES WARMER. KHGX VWP SHOWS A SOUTH FLOW NEAR 30 KNOTS AT 1000 FEET AND SFC WINDS WILL NOT FULLY DECOUPLE SO FEEL LOW CLOUDS ARE FAVORED INSTEAD OF DENSE FOG. GALVESTON HAD DENSE FOG EARLIER THIS EVENING BUT CONDITIONS HAVE IMPROVED SIGNIFICANTLY. THAT SAID...POTENTIAL IS STILL THERE FOR POCKETS OF DENSE SEA FOG TO AFFECT KGLS AS DEW PTS NEAR 70 FLOW OVER SHELF WATERS IN THE LOWER 50S. NOT SURE A DENSE FOG ADVISORY WILL BE REQUIRED ALONG THE COAST AND WILL MONITOR TRENDS AND DECIDE A BIT LATER ON WHETHER AN ADVISORY IS NEEDED. RAIN CHANCES LOOK OVERDONE TONIGHT AS SE TX LIES A LITTLE TOO CLOSE TO A 300 MB RIDGE WITH THE BEST JET DYNAMICS TO THE NORTH AND NORTHWEST OF SE TX. BEST 850-700 MB MOISTURE IS OFF TO THE NORTHEAST SO IT LOOKS LIKE THE BEST RAIN CHANCES WILL HOLD OFF UNTIL LATE WEDNESDAY AFTN AS THE UPPER JET NEARS AND MSTR LEVELS BEGIN TO DEEPEN. NEW ZONES OUT BY 915 PM. 43 PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 558 PM CST TUE MAR 3 2015/ UPDATE... THE VFR TO MVFR CONDITIONS PREVALENT ACROSS MOST OF THE TERMINAL SITES AT 2330Z WILL LOWER FAIRLY QUICKLY TO IFR AND LIFR THIS EVENING. KGLS HAD SEA FOG DEVELOPING AND SHOULD SEE LIFR/VLIFR CONDITIONS FOR MOST OF THE NIGHT. THE WINDS ARE MORE SOUTHERLY EARLY THAN 24 HOURS AGO SINCE THE NEARLY STATIONARY FRONT WAS WELL INLAND THIS EVENING. THIS FACT MAY ALONG HELP KEEP SEA FOG FROM BEING PREDOMINATE OVER THE INLAND AREAS. HOWEVER...A FAIRLY STRONG INVERSION WILL KEEP THE LOW CLOUDS IN PLACE THROUGH MOST OF WEDNESDAY. HOWEVER...ANY LIFR/VLIFR CONDITIONS IN PLACE AT SUNRISE SHOULD BEGIN TO LIFT TO IFR/MVFR BETWEEN 15Z AND 21Z. SHOWERS AHEAD OF A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD WEDNESDAY EVENING. 40 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... COLLEGE STATION (CLL) 64 74 32 37 27 / 20 80 60 30 10 HOUSTON (IAH) 65 76 37 41 30 / 20 40 70 30 10 GALVESTON (GLS) 63 66 41 42 35 / 20 30 50 40 10 && .HGX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... TX...DENSE FOG ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM CST WEDNESDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: GALVESTON. GM...DENSE FOG ADVISORY UNTIL NOON CST WEDNESDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: GALVESTON BAY...MATAGORDA BAY...WATERS FROM FREEPORT TO THE MATAGORDA SHIP CHANNEL 20 NM TO 60 NM...WATERS FROM FREEPORT TO THE MATAGORDA SHIP CHANNEL OUT 20 NM...WATERS FROM HIGH ISLAND TO FREEPORT 20 TO 60 NM...WATERS FROM HIGH ISLAND TO FREEPORT OUT 20 NM. GALE WATCH FROM WEDNESDAY EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: GALVESTON BAY...MATAGORDA BAY. GALE WATCH FROM LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: WATERS FROM FREEPORT TO THE MATAGORDA SHIP CHANNEL 20 NM TO 60 NM...WATERS FROM FREEPORT TO THE MATAGORDA SHIP CHANNEL OUT 20 NM...WATERS FROM HIGH ISLAND TO FREEPORT 20 TO 60 NM...WATERS FROM HIGH ISLAND TO FREEPORT OUT 20 NM. SMALL CRAFT SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION UNTIL 3 AM CST 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 NEW YORK NY
421 AM EST FRI MAR 6 2015 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE EXTENDING FROM THE OHIO VALLEY INTO THE SOUTHERN PLAINS WILL BUILD OVER THE SOUTHEAST STATES THROUGH SATURDAY AS A CLIPPER SYSTEM TRACKS FROM SOUTH CENTRAL CANADA INTO THE GREAT LAKES REGION. A COLD FRONT PASSES THROUGH THE AREA SATURDAY NIGHT FOLLOWED BY HIGH PRESSURE THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. A WEAK SOUTHERN BRANCH LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL THEN PASS SOUTH AND EAST OF THE AREA TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING. HIGH PRESSURE RETURNS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... HIGH PRES EXTENDING FROM THE OHIO VALLEY THROUGH THE SOUTHERN PLAINS AND NOSING INTO THE NORTHEAST WILL PROVIDE DRY AND SUNNY...BUT COLD CONDITIONS TODAY. NW FLOW WILL BECOME SW THIS AFTN WITH H85 TEMPS BETWEEN -10C AND -15C. HIGHS WILL BE 20 AND 25 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL...LOWER TO MID 20S. NO RECORD LOWS HAVE BEEN BROKEN AS OF 5 AM...HOWEVER THE POSSIBILITY REMAINS. SEE CLIMATE SECTION BELOW FOR CURRENT RECORD LOWS FOR TODAY. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH 6 PM SATURDAY/... A MEAN TROUGH WILL REMAIN ACROSS THE NE QUARTER OF THE CONUS THROUGH SAT...ALTHOUGH THE FLOW ALOFT WILL FLATTEN. A SHORTWAVE PASSES THROUGH TONIGHT...ALTHOUGH STRONG SUBSIDENCE WILL RESULT IN LIMITED MOISTURE AND KEEP CONDS DRY. MAINLY HIGH CLOUDS ARE EXPECTED WITH ITS PASSAGE. ANOTHER CHILLY NIGHT TONIGHT WITH LIGHT WINDS AND MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES. THESE CONDS WITH A FRESH SNOWPACK ON THE GROUND WILL RESULT IN AN OPTIMAL RADIATIONAL COOLING NIGHT. LOWS WILL AGAIN BE 20-25 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL...IN THE LOWER TEENS AT THE COAST AND SINGLE DIGITS INLAND. THE HIGH WILL SETTLE OVER THE SOUTHEAST STATES ON SAT AS A CLIPPER SYSTEM TRACKS THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES REGION. HAVE MAINTAINED SCHC POPS FOR ORANGE COUNTY AS PCPN ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SYSTEM MOVES TOWARDS THE AREA...ALTHOUGH ANY PCPN MAY NOT MAKE IT IN UNTIL AFT 00Z SUN. WAA UNDER A CONTINUING SW FLOW WILL RESULT IN HIGHS STILL BELOW NORMAL...ALTHOUGH MANY LOCATIONS SHOULD REACH THE FREEZING MARK. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... A GRADUAL MODERATING TREND IS ON TAP THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK AS A BROAD UPPER TROUGH RESIDES ACROSS EASTERN CANADA...THE GREAT LAKES...AND NORTHEAST STATES. THIS WILL RESULT IN A SERIES OF WEAK IMPULSES PASSING TO THE NORTH...THE STRONGEST OF WHICH WILL SEND A COLD FRONT THROUGH THE AREA SAT NIGHT. A LARGE AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL RESIDE FROM THE CENTRAL PLAINS EAST TO THE MID ATLANTIC COAST. THIS WILL KEEP THE REGION UNDER A PROLONGED PERIOD OF WESTERLY FLOW WITH PAC ORIGINS. IN ADDITION...A CONFLUENT FLOW BETWEEN THE SOUTHERN AND NORTHERN BRANCHES OF THE POLAR JET WILL INITIALLY RESIDE ACROSS THE TN VALLEY AND CAROLINAS...BUT THEN GRADUALLY LIFTS NORTHWARD THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR WARMER HEIGHTS ALOFT AND TEMPS INCREASING TO ABOVE NORMAL LEVELS BY WED AND THU. ADDITIONALLY...THIS WILL ALLOW A WEAK SOUTHERN BRANCH STORM TO PASS OFF THE MID ATLANTIC COAST TUE NIGHT. THE FORECAST AREA AT THIS TIME LOOKS TO BE FAR ENOUGH NORTH TO BE SPARED PCPN. SUBSEQUENT MODELS TRENDS THOUGH WILL HAVE TO BE WATCHED. VERTICAL TEMP PROFILES WOULD SUPPORT RAIN AT THIS TIME. && .AVIATION /09Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE AXIS WILL PASS THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON. VFR. NNW WINDS BCMG VAR THIS AFTN...THEN LIGHT WSW LATE DAY/EARLY EVE. ...NY METRO ENHANCED AVIATION WEATHER SUPPORT... DETAILED INFORMATION...INCLUDING HOURLY TAF WIND COMPONENT FCSTS CAN BE FOUND AT: HTTP://WWW.ERH.NOAA.GOV/ZNY/N90 (LOWER CASE) KJFK FCSTER COMMENTS: NO UNSCHEDULED AMENDMENTS EXPECTED. KLGA FCSTER COMMENTS: NO UNSCHEDULED AMENDMENTS EXPECTED. KEWR FCSTER COMMENTS: NO UNSCHEDULED AMENDMENTS EXPECTED. THE AFTERNOON KEWR HAZE POTENTIAL FORECAST IS GREEN...WHICH IMPLIES SLANT RANGE VISIBILITY 7SM OR GREATER OUTSIDE OF CLOUD. KTEB FCSTER COMMENTS: NO UNSCHEDULED AMENDMENTS EXPECTED. KHPN FCSTER COMMENTS: NO UNSCHEDULED AMENDMENTS EXPECTED. KISP FCSTER COMMENTS: NO UNSCHEDULED AMENDMENTS EXPECTED. .OUTLOOK FOR 06Z SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY... .FRIDAY NIGHT-TUESDAY...MAINLY VFR. && .MARINE... WINDS AND SEAS ON THE OCEAN WATERS STILL REACHING SCA LEVELS EARLY THIS MORNING...HOWEVER GUIDANCE IN INDICATING SUB-ADVSY CONDS AROUND 12Z. THE RUC HOLDS ON TO GUSTS A FEW HOURS LONGER...SO HAVE MAINTAINED THE ADVSY THROUGH 10 AM. SUB-ADVSY CONDS THEN PREVAIL THROUGH TONIGHT. THE PRES GRADIENT WILL BEGIN TO TIGHTEN ON SAT WITH MARGINAL SCA GUSTS POSSIBLE ON THE OCEAN DURING THE AFTN. LIGHT FREEZING SPRAY WILL CONTINUE THIS MORNING ON THE OCEAN WATERS AS WELL...BUT WILL CEASE DURING THE AFTN AS WINDS AND SEAS DIMINISH. A PROLONGED PERIOD OF WESTERLY FLOW AT 10-15 KT WILL RESULT IN SUB-ADVSY CONDS SUN-TUE. && .HYDROLOGY... NO SIGNIFICANT PCPN IS EXPECTED THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. HOWEVER...TEMPS FORECAST TO WARM INTO THE 40S MAY RESULT IN THE START OF ICE BREAK UP ON AREA RIVERS AND STREAMS. && .CLIMATE... RECORD LOWS FOR TODAY MARCH 6 EWR......12/2007 BDR......11/2007 NYC.......6/1872 LGA......14/2007 JFK......13/2007 ISP......12/2007 && .EQUIPMENT... NOAA WEATHER RADIO WEEKLY TEST WILL BE DELAYED UNTIL FRIDAY BETWEEN 11 AM AND NOON DUE TO ON GOING HAZARDOUS WEATHER. && .OKX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CT...NONE. NY...NONE. NJ...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM EST THIS MORNING FOR ANZ350- 353-355. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS TAUNTON MA
241 AM EST FRI MAR 6 2015 .SYNOPSIS... ARCTIC HIGH PRES WILL BUILD TO THE MID ATLANTIC COAST TODAY BEFORE HEADING OFFSHORE THIS WEEKEND ALLOWING TEMPERATURES TO MODERATE. TWO WEAK FRONTS MAY BRING A PERIOD OF SNOW SHOWERS OR FLURRIES... FIRST SAT NIGHT INTO SUN AND AGAIN MONDAY. NEXT WEEK MAINLY DRY WEATHER PREVAILS ALONG WITH TEMPS WARMING TO NEAR NORMAL...BUT TURNING COLDER TOWARD THE END OF THE WEEK.. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TODAY/... 240 AM UPDATE... CLEARING HAS WORKED THROUGH SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND EARLY THIS MORNING AS BACK EDGE OF MID LEVEL CLOUD DECK HAS PUSHED OFFSHORE. IR SATELLITE LOOP SHOWS N-S OCEAN EFFECT CLOUD BANDS E OF CAPE COD...BUT WITH DRYING AT LOWER LEVELS NOT EXPECTING ANY FLURRIES OR SNOW SHOWERS. RAP HAS AN EXCELLENT HANDLE ON TIMING AND SHOWS THESE OCEAN EFFECT CLOUDS BACKING ONTO CAPE COD THIS MORNING...BEFORE LOW LEVEL FLOW BECOMES MORE SW THIS AFTERNOON AND PUSHES THEM OUT TO SEA. OTHERWISE PLENTY OF SUNSHINE EXPECTED TODAY. AFTER A VERY COLD START WITH TEMPERATURES RANGING FROM A FEW DEGREES BELOW ZERO ACROSS INTERIOR TO TEENS AT COAST...HIGHS WILL TOP OUT IN LOW TO MID 20S THIS AFTERNOON WHICH IS IN LINE WITH MODEL CONSENSUS. THESE HIGHS ARE ABOUT 20 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL FOR EARLY MARCH. WE ALSO CHECKED RECORD COLD HIGHS FOR TODAY WHICH LOOK TO BE OUT OF REACH...ESPECIALLY BOSTON! BOSTON...9 IN 1872 /LOW THAT DAY WAS -8/ PROVIDENCE...22 IN 2007 HARTFORD...19 IN 2007 WORCESTER...16 IN 2007 && .SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH 6 PM SATURDAY/... ANOTHER VERY COLD NIGHT IN STORE TONIGHT AS HIGH PRESSURE REMAINS CENTERED OVER THE MID ATLANTIC. LIGHT WINDS...CLEAR SKIES AND DEEP SNOWPACK SHOULD SEND TEMPERATURES WELL DOWN INTO SINGLE NUMBERS AND TEENS. IT PROBABLY WON/T BE AS COLD AS IT IS THIS MORNING DUE TO SLIGHTLY HIGHER DEWPOINTS. SHOULD SEE INCREASING MID/HIGH CLOUDS SAT AS WARM ADVECTION GETS UNDERWAY BETWEEN HIGH PRESSURE MOVING OFFSHORE AND NEXT SYSTEM APPROACHING FROM GREAT LAKES. COULD BE SOME FLURRIES LATER IN DAY ACROSS WESTERN NEW ENGLAND BUT FOR NOW KEPT FORECAST DRY. INCREASING SW FLOW WILL HELP TEMPERATURES RISE INTO 30S. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... HIGHLIGHTS... * TEMPERATURES...MODERATING TO NEAR NORMAL NEXT WEEK BUT COLDER TOWARD THE END OF THE WEEK * PRECIPITATION...RELATIVELY DRY WITH ANY PRECIP EVENTS VERY MINOR OVERVIEW... MODELS IN GOOD AGREEMENT ON THE OVERALL PATTERN DURING THE EXTENDED PERIOD. EASTERN PACIFIC RIDGE AND DOWNSTREAM LONGWAVE TROF WILL PREVAIL OVER THE GT LAKES AND NEW ENGLAND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK WITH A FEW WEAK SHORTWAVES ROTATING THROUGH THE FLOW. TOWARD MIDWEEK...THE FLOW DEAMPLIFIES ALLOWING PACIFIC MODIFIED AIR TO MOVE INTO NEW ENG WITH TEMPS TRENDING TOWARD SEASONABLE NORMALS. HOWEVER...MORE UPSTREAM SHORTWAVE ENERGY WILL REAMPLIFY THE NORTHERN STREAM WITH A RETURN TO COLDER TEMPS TOWARD THE END OF THE WEEK. SAT NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY... A SERIES OF WEAK SHORTWAVES ROTATING THROUGH THE FLOW WILL BRING A CHANCE OF A FEW SNOW SHOWERS OR FLURRIES SAT NIGHT INTO SUN AND AGAIN ON MONDAY...BUT MOST OF THE TIME WILL BE DRY. TEMPS MODERATING BUT REMAINING BELOW NORMAL. TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY... MODERATING TEMPS BUT EXTENT OF WARMING ON TUE WILL LIKELY BE LIMITED BY A POTENTIAL LOW LEVEL INVERSION. WILL ALSO HAVE TO WATCH OFFSHORE LOW PRES TUE AND NORTHERN SHIELD OF SHOWERS WHICH CLOUD COME CLOSE TO THE IMMEDIATE SOUTH COAST. LOW CONFIDENCE TEMP FORECAST ON WED AS GFS/UKMET ARE FASTER AND MORE AGGRESSIVE WITH COLD FROPA WITH COOLER TEMPS THAN ECMWF/GGEM WOULD SUGGEST. THURSDAY... COLDER WITH BELOW NORMAL TEMPS BEHIND FROPA WITH STRONG HIGH PRES BUILDING IN FROM THE NW. && .AVIATION /08Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... FORECASTER CONFIDENCE LEVELS... LOW...LESS THAN 30 PERCENT. MODERATE...30 TO 60 PERCENT. HIGH...GREATER THAN 60 PERCENT. HIGH CONFIDENCE THROUGH SAT. VFR. SHOULD SEE SCT-BKN020 NEAR OUTER CAPE THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON. INCREASING MID/HIGH CLOUDS SAT WITH CIGS AOA 080. KBOS TAF...HIGH CONFIDENCE. KBDL TAF...HIGH CONFIDENCE. OUTLOOK...SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY...MODERATE CONFIDENCE. MAINLY VFR. BRIEF MVFR CIGS/VSBYS POSSIBLE SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY AND AGAIN MONDAY IN WIDELY SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS. && .MARINE... FORECASTER CONFIDENCE LEVELS... LOW...LESS THAN 30 PERCENT. MODERATE...30 TO 60 PERCENT. HIGH...GREATER THAN 60 PERCENT. TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY...HIGH CONFIDENCE. SCA REMAINS POSTED FOR BLOCK ISLAND/RI SOUNDS EARLY THIS MORNING...AND FOR OUTER WATERS THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON DUE TO LINGERING 5 FT SEAS WHICH WILL GRADUALLY SUBSIDE. OTHERWISE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING TO MID ATLANTIC COAST WILL RESULT IN DIMINISHING N WINDS TODAY AND MORE OF W/SW WINDS TONIGHT AND SAT. WINDS APPROACH SCA LATER SAT AFTERNOON ON S COASTAL WATERS. OUTLOOK...SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY...MODERATE CONFIDENCE. SAT NIGHT...SCA WESTERLY WIND GUSTS TO 25-30 KT IN THE EVENING THEN DIMINISHING. SUN AND MON...MAINLY WEST WINDS WITH GUSTS TO 20 KT. LOW PROB FOR A FEW GUSTS NEAR 25 KT. TUE...SW WINDS BELOW SCA. && .BOX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CT...NONE. MA...NONE. RI...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM EST EARLY THIS MORNING FOR ANZ235-237. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR ANZ250- 254>256. && $$ SYNOPSIS...KJC/JWD NEAR TERM...JWD SHORT TERM...JWD LONG TERM...KJC AVIATION...KJC/JWD MARINE...KJC/JWD
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CHARLESTON SC
1226 AM EST FRI MAR 6 2015 .SYNOPSIS... A COLD FRONT WILL PUSH THROUGH THE REGION OVERNIGHT...THEN COLD HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD OVER THE AREA THROUGH SUNDAY. NEXT WEEK...AN UNSETTLED PATTERN WILL DEVELOP BETWEEN A STATIONARY FRONT SOUTH AND EAST OF THE REGION AND HIGH PRESSURE CENTERED TO THE NORTH. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM THIS MORNING/... SECONDARY SURGE OF COLD AIR IS MOVING QUICKLY SOUTH AND IS MARKED BY A FINE LINE ON KCLX 0.5 DEG REFLECTIVITY. THE FRONT WILL CLEAR THE ALTAMAHA RIVER BY 4 AM BASED ON CURRENT TRENDS. RAIN IS QUICKLY ENDING WITH LOW CLOUDS AND DRIZZLE FILLING IN BEHIND THE SECONDARY COLD FRONT. AREAS OF DRIZZLE WILL PERSIST THROUGH SUNRISE. H3R AND RAP WET-BULB FREEZING LINE IS PROGGED TO MOVE INTO NORTHERN PARTS OF BERKELEY COUNTY AFTER 4 AM WITH TEMPERATURES DROPPING TO NEAR FREEZING. THERE IS STILL A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR SOME LIGHT FREEZING DRIZZLE...BUT NO IMPACTS ARE EXPECTED. WILL MAINTAIN A MENTION OF A SLIGHT CHANCE OF -FZDZ IN THE GRIDDED AND TEXT FORECASTS. THE REST OF THE FORECAST IS ON TRACK. LAKE WINDS...WINDS WILL SHIFT TO THE NORTH AND WILL INCREASE BEHIND A STRONG COLD FRONT THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. SPEEDS WILL INCREASE TO THE 20-25 KT RANGE...AND GUSTS AS HIGH AS 30 KT WILL BE POSSIBLE. A LAKE WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM THIS MORNING THROUGH SUNDAY/... THE COLD FRONT WILL GRADUALLY SHIFT OFFSHORE FRIDAY MORNING THOUGH LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AND WEAK ISENTROPIC ASCENT WILL LINGER INTO MID TO LATE MORNING. THIS COULD SPUR SOME LIGHT DRIZZLE THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS UNTIL DRIER AIR SHIFTS IN DURING THE AFTERNOON. MODERATE COLD ADVECTION AND PERSISTENT CLOUD COVER WILL RESULT IN HIGH TEMPS IN THE MID TO UPPER 40S. THE SURFACE HIGH WILL SETTLE OVER THE AREA FRIDAY NIGHT WITH MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES AND LIGHT WINDS. THIS WILL FACILITATE STRONG RADIATIONAL COOLING AND TEMPERATURES DROPPING BELOW FREEZING IN MANY AREAS. THE EXCEPTION LOOKS TO BE THE GA COASTAL ZONES AND IMMEDIATE SC COAST. WE ISSUED A FREEZE WATCH FOR ALL ZONES MINUS THE GA COASTAL AREAS FOR FRIDAY NIGHT. DRY TEMPS AND A WARMING TREND ARE EXPECTED SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY AS THE SURFACE HIGH SHIFTS OFFSHORE AND A SOUTHERLY LOW-LEVEL FLOW DEVELOPS. MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES EXPECTED SATURDAY BEFORE HIGH CIRRUS INCREASES ON SUNDAY. HIGHS WILL BE IN THE LOWER 60S SATURDAY AND UPPER 60S TO NEAR 70 ON SUNDAY. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... BETWEEN A STATIONARY FRONT OFF THE SOUTHEAST COAST AND ACROSS THE FL PENINSULA AND HIGH PRESSURE CENTERED NORTH OF THE REGION...A BAROCLINIC ZONE WILL WAVER OVER THE REGION AND WILL CONTRIBUTE TO UNSETTLED CONDITIONS NEXT WEEK. WHILE A MOSTLY CLOUDY REGIME PUNCTUATED BY PERIODS OF PRECIPITATION AND FINALLY DEVOID OF ANY COLD AIR APPEARS LIKELY...CONFIDENCE REGARDING COMPLEX FORECAST DETAILS REMAINS LOW. FOR INSTANCE...WE MAINTAIN CHANCE POPS MONDAY AND TUESDAY...BUT SOME GUIDANCE SUGGESTS THAT LIKELY/CATEGORICAL POPS WILL EVENTUALLY BE NEEDED FOR THIS PERIOD. ALSO...THE POTENTIAL FOR THUNDERSTORMS COULD INCREASE...BUT THE UNCERTAIN DETAILS REGARDING INDIVIDUAL WAVES OF LOW PRESSURE AND AN ASSOCIATED UNCERTAIN POTENTIAL FOR AN INFLUX OF ANY SIGNIFICANT INSTABILITY DOES NOT JUSTIFY ANY MENTION OF THUNDER. && .AVIATION /06Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... CIGS WILL TEETER BETWEEN IFR AND MVFR THROUGH MUCH OF THE NIGHT...LIKELY SETTING IN TO IFR AFTER 09Z. THERE IS SOME MODEL DISAGREEMENT ON THIS SO CONFIDENCE IS MODERATE AT BEST. WILL MAINTAIN MENTION OF IFR CIGS AT BOTH KCHS/KSAV WITH CONDITIONS IMPROVING TO MVFR 13-14Z. VFR IS EXPECTED TO RETURN BY 18Z AT BOTH TERMINALS. GUSTY WINDS WILL PERSIST ALONG WITH OCCASIONAL BOUTS OF -DZ. EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...VFR LIKELY FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH THIS WEEKEND. FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS POSSIBLE IN RAIN EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .MARINE... NO CHANGES TO GOING FORECAST. GALE WARNINGS AND SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES LOOK WELL PLACED. TONIGHT...A WIND SHIFT TO THE NORTHWEST AND A BRIEF PERIOD OF SUB-SCA WINDS WILL GIVE WAY TO RAPID DETERIORATION AS A SECONDARY COLD FRONT USHERS AN ABRUPT WIND SHIFT TO THE NORTH/NORTHEAST AND QUICKLY INCREASING WINDS AS COLD ADVECTION AND A TIGHTENING PRESSURE GRADIENT SPREAD ACROSS THE WATERS. THE ONGOING GALE WARNING FOR THE CHARLESTON COUNTY WATERS AND THE OUTER GEORGIA WATERS STILL LOOKS ON TRACK AND REMAINS IN EFFECT. ELSEWHERE...INCLUDING CHARLESTON HARBOR...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CONDITIONS WILL DEVELOP LATER THIS EVENING AND WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT. GALES WILL TRANSITION TO SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES ON FRIDAY AS THE GRADIENT RELAXES AND HIGH PRESSURE CONTINUES TO BUILD IN FROM THE NW. ELEVATED N/NE WINDS AND ASSOCIATED SEAS WILL PERSIST INTO SATURDAY. A MORE TRANQUIL REGIME IS EXPECTED AS HIGH PRESSURE SHIFTS OVER THE WATERS SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY. THEN...FORECAST CONFIDENCE DECREASES NEXT WEEK AS WINDS/SEAS WILL DEPEND ON A HIGHLY UNCERTAIN STORM TRACK. THE LATEST FORECAST HOLDS WINDS/SEAS WELL BELOW ADVISORY LEVELS...BUT AN OFFSHORE TRACK FOLLOWED BY DEEPER AREAS OF LOW PRESSURE WILL TRANSLATE TO STRONGER WINDS AND HIGHER SEAS. && .CHS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...FREEZE WATCH FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING FOR GAZ087-088-099>101-114>116-118-137-138-140. SC...FREEZE WATCH FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING FOR SCZ040-042>045-047>052. LAKE WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 2 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR SCZ045. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR AMZ352- 354. GALE WARNING UNTIL 11 AM EST THIS MORNING FOR AMZ350. GALE WARNING UNTIL 2 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR AMZ374. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 11 AM EST THIS MORNING FOR AMZ330. && $$ ST
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS JACKSON MS
1000 PM CST THU MAR 5 2015 .UPDATE...THE WINTRY MIX PRECIPITATION HAS ENDED AND COLD SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE WILL MOVE OVER OUR CWA AND RESULT IN THE COLDEST NIGHT OF THE NEXT SEVEN. AS THE SURFACE HIGH HAS MOVED OVER THE DELTA REGION THIS EVENING THE RELAXED PRESSURE GRADIENT HAS RESULTED IN LIGHTER WINDS. STILL...WINDS WILL COMBINE WITH LOWER 20S AND TEENS FOR NEAR SINGLE DIGIT WIND CHILL TEMPERATURES ESPECIALLY IN THE DELTA. NO CHANGES WERE NEEDED TO THE FORECAST TONIGHT. /22/ && .AVIATION...VFR CONDS WL PREVAIL THROUGH FRIDAY. THE GUSTY NORTH WINDS HAVE BECOME LIGHTER AND LIGHTER NORTH WINDS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT. /22/ SKIES ARE RAPIDLY CLEARING FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON. MVFR FLIGHT STATUSES WILL EXIST AT SITES WHERE CLOUDS ARE OBSERVED. SKIES WILL CONTINUE TO CLEAR THIS EVENING...AND VFR STATUSES ARE EXPECTED TO PREVAIL TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING. TONIGHT AND FRIDAY MORNING...WITH LOWS FALLING INTO THE TEENS AND 20S...ANY RESIDUAL OR STANDING WATER ON AIRCRAFT... RUNWAYS...TARMACS...AND RAMPS WILL FREEZE. WINDS WILL REMAIN NORTHERLY OVERNIGHT...BUT WILL SUBSIDE A BIT AND GENERALLY RANGE BETWEEN 7-10 KNOTS. /19/ && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 427 PM CST THU MAR 5 2015/ DISCUSSION...THE WINTER STORM THAT AFFECTED THE ARKLAMISS LATE LAST NIGHT AND MUCH OF TODAY IS OVER AND ALL ADVISORIES/WARNINGS HAVE ENDED. THERE ARE A FEW REPORTS OF SLEET IN THE PINEBELT REGION BUT TEMPERATURES HAVE STAYED ABOVE FREEZING AND NO TRAVEL ISSUES ARE ANTICIPATED THERE AS THE PRECIPITATION ENDS LATE THIS AFTERNOON. IN AREAS THAT RECEIVED HEAVIER ICE/SLEET...WE HAVE BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT ISSUES WITH REFREEZING FOR TONIGHT GIVEN THAT TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO FALL WELL INTO THE 20S AND TEENS. SKIES HAVE CLEARED OVER MOST OF THE AREA AND THIS IS ALLOWING TEMPERATURES TO RISE ABOVE FREEZING AS DRY NORTHERLY WINDS HELP TO DRY OFF THE ROADS. WHILE REFREEZING MAY OCCUR IN SOME LOCATIONS...IT IS NOT QUITE AS BIG OF A CONCERN AS IT WAS EARLIER...ESPECIALLY ON THE WELL-TRAVELED ROADS. ONCE THE PRECIPITATION ENDS...DRY CONDITIONS ARE THEN FORECAST THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT WITH THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE BEING TEMPERATURES AS COLD HIGH PRESSURE BECOMES CENTERED OVER THE AREA. SOME OF THE GUIDANCE IS OVER-DOING COOLING ASSOCIATED WITH ICE COVER TONIGHT AND THIS IS MAKING FOR A LOW-CONFIDENCE TEMPERATURE FORECAST. DID NOT WANT TO GO NEARLY AS LOW AS HRRR WHICH HAS SINGLE DIGIT READINGS IN QUITE A FEW LOCATIONS...BUT DO BELIEVE TEENS WILL BE COMMON PARTICULARLY OVER NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE ARKLAMISS DELTA REGION WHERE BOUNDARY LAYER DECOUPLING IS MORE LIKELY TO OCCUR. EXPECT MODERATING TEMPERATURES FOR TOMORROW...BUT HIGHS WILL STILL BE WELL BELOW CLIMATOLOGICAL NORMALS. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BE CENTERED OVER THE FORECAST AREA FRIDAY NIGHT AND THIS WILL PROMOTE EXCELLENT NIGHTTIME COOLING CONDITIONS WITH MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES AND LIGHT WIND. HAVE CUT CONSENSUS MODEL BLEND LOW TEMPERATURES A BIT BUT NOT TOO MUCH AS THERE COULD BE A BIT OF CIRRUS THAT DISRUPTS COOLING. /EC/ SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY...A WETTER PATTERN LOOKS TO TAKE SHAPE AS WE GO INTO NEXT WEEK. CLOUDS WILL INCREASE OVER THE WEEKEND AS THE SOUTHERN STREAM UPPER JET BECOMES MORE ACTIVE WITH A SERIES OF SHORTWAVES THAT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE REGION DURING THE PERIOD. THE EURO..GFS...AND GEM MODELS HAD SOME DIFFERENCES WITH AREA PRECIP COVERAGE ASSOCIATED WITH THE SHORT WAVES. THE FIRST ONE WILL BRING SOME RAIN TO THE REGION FOR SATURDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY. A LITTLE STRONGER SHORT WAVE WILL BRING MORE RAIN TO THE REGION FOR TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. THIS ACTIVE PATTERN WILL CONTINUE OVER THE REGION INTO NEXT WEEKEND. EXPECT A WARMING TREND FOR THE UPCOMING WORK WEEK. AS HIGHS GOES FROM THE 50S TO THE 60S. THIS WILL BRING AFTERNOON HIGHS CLOSER TO NORMAL FOR THIS TIME OF THE YEAR. BY THE TIME WE GET TO THURSDAY IT WILL BE SPRING LIKE WITH HIGHS PUSHING TOWARD THE 70 DEGREE MARK IN THE SOUTH. LOWS WILL GRADUALLY RISE TO THE 50S BY WEDNESDAY NIGHT. /17/ && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... JACKSON 21 44 25 58 / 0 0 0 6 MERIDIAN 21 46 21 59 / 0 0 0 5 VICKSBURG 20 44 23 55 / 0 0 0 6 HATTIESBURG 24 51 25 63 / 0 0 0 7 NATCHEZ 21 44 24 58 / 0 0 0 8 GREENVILLE 18 38 23 51 / 0 0 0 4 GREENWOOD 17 41 21 54 / 0 0 0 4 && .JAN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MS...NONE. LA...NONE. AR...NONE. && $$ 22/19/17
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS NORTH PLATTE NE
321 AM CST FRI MAR 6 2015 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 321 AM CST FRI MAR 6 2015 A THERMAL RIDGE WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE OFF THE NRN/CNTL ROCKIES AND INTO WRN AND NCNTL NEB TODAY. THE RAP SUGGESTED HIGHS IN THE UPPER 50S TO LOWER 60S AND THE FORECAST IS SLIGHTLY COOLER THAN THIS MODEL. SCATTERED MID LEVEL CLOUDS ACROSS THE NRN ROCKIES SHOULD SPREAD ACROSS THE FCST AREAS...MAINLY AFFECTING NRN NEB. NORTHWEST WINDS FROM THE SFC TO 700 MB AND NEARLY FULL SUN WOULD SUPPORT MIXING TO 700 MB AS WAS THE CASE THURSDAY. A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL BE DROPPING THROUGH ERN SD LATE TONIGHT. THE MODELS SHOW AN INCREASE IN WIND SPEED AHEAD OF THIS FRONT AND THE COMBINATION OF THE APPROACHING COLD FRONT AND INCREASING WINDS SHOULD KEEP LOWS IN THE 20S TO AROUND 30. THE THERMAL RIDGE WILL REMAIN IN PLACE AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT. .LONG TERM...(SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY) ISSUED AT 321 AM CST FRI MAR 6 2015 RIDGE ACROSS THE WEST...WITH THE RIDGE AXIS SATURDAY JUST OFF THE COAST OF THE WEST COAST. NORTHWEST FLOW ACROSS THE AREA WITH A WEAK COLD FRONT TRACKING ACROSS THE NORTHERN ROCKIES DURING THE AFTERNOON . HEIGHTS AHEAD OF THE SYSTEM VERY SIMILAR TO TODAY...AND EXPECT A VERY SIMILAR CONDITIONS...HIGHS IN THE 50S TO LOWER 60S. DO EXPECT THE NW TO BE SLIGHTLY WARMER AS MOST AREAS BECOME SNOW FREE. SATURDAY NIGHT THE WEAK PACIFIC COLD FRONT WILL PUSH ACROSS THE AREA. MOISTURE IS VERY LIMITED AND ONLY EXPECT AN INCREASE OF MID/HIGH CLOUDS. TEMPS ALOFT FALL OFF A FEW DEGREES BRIEFLY...THEN REBOUND QUICKLY BY SUNDAY AFTERNOON. AT THIS TIME EXPECT TEMPS TO FALL A FEW DEGREES FROM SAT HIGHS...ALTHOUGH THE REBOUNDING OF TEMPS MAY BE FAST ENOUGH TO RETURN TEMPS TO MATCH SATURDAY HIGHS. WILL REMAIN CONSERVATIVE WHICH IS AT THE COOLER SIDE OF GUIDANCE...AND A TREND UPWARD IS POSSIBLE. EARLY NEXT WEEK THE WESTERN RIDGE AXIS MOVES ON SHORE WITH HEIGHTS ON THE RISE OVER THE PLAINS. ACTIVE NORTHERN STREAM GETS PUSH NORTH INTO CANADA AND THE GREAT LAKES. MODELS IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH WARM AIR ADVECTION PUSHING 850 MB TEMPS INTO THE TEENS C FOR MIDWEEK. MOS GUIDANCE HAS HIGHS IN THE 60S TO NEAR 70 AND LITTLE MOISTURE IN THE COLUMN. WITH THE SUNNY SKIES...SHOULD BE ABLE TO MATCH THE GUIDANCE. LATELY WHEN WE HAVE SEEN THESE WARM UPS...GUIDANCE UNDERESTIMATES THE HIGHS BY A COUPLE OF DEGREES. THUS FORECAST WAS TRENDED TO OR SLIGHTLY WARMER THAN THE WARMEST GUIDANCE. THERE IS A CHANCE FOR MUCH OF THE WEEK FOR FAVORED WARM AREAS TO REACH OR SURPASS 70. RECORDS THIS TIME OF YEAR ARE NOW AROUND 80...SO LOWER TO MID 70S WOULD NOT BE OUT OF THE NORM FOR WARM UPS LIKE THIS. AS TEMPS WARM...WILL HAVE TO BEGIN TO MONITOR CLOSER FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS. ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS LIKELY AS FAIRLY DRY AIR WILL RESULT IN MINIMUM RH VALUES COULD FALL TO 20 PERCENT. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z FRIDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 1141 PM CST THU MAR 5 2015 SCATTERED HIGH CLOUDS WILL TRANSITION ACROSS WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA OVERNIGHT TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY. CIGS WILL BE AROUND 25000 FT AGL WITH ANY CLOUD COVER. WINDS WILL BE FROM THE WEST AT 10 KTS...WITH SOME GUSTS UP TO 20 KTS POSSIBLE FRIDAY AFTERNOON. && .LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...CDC LONG TERM...MASEK AVIATION...CLB
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS RALEIGH NC
1255 AM EST FRI MAR 6 2015 .SYNOPSIS...ARCTIC HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO THE AREA THROUGH FRIDAY AND SETTLE OVER THE REGION FRIDAY NIGHT. A MODERATING TREND WILL COMMENCE SUNDAY. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 950 PM THURSDAY... RADAR APPEARS TO SHOW THE LAST OF ANY PRECIP IN A NARROW BAND AS IT IS MOVING INTO THE COASTAL PLAIN. THE PRIMARY UPPER TROUGH IS SHEARING OUT AS IT MOVES THROUGH THE OHIO VALLEY...AND THE GOOD ISENTROPIC LIFT IS BEING LOST AS THE 850MB IS BECOMING NORTHWESTERLY...SO FORCING FOR ASCENT IS WANING. AFTER SCATTERED REPORTS OF SNOW AND SLEET FROM THE TRIAD TO THE TRIANGLE AND NORTHWARD...FORECAST SOUNDINGS SUGGEST MOST OF THE REMAINING MOISTURE ABOVE -10C WILL BE LOST BY 10PM. THE HRRR SOUNDINGS DO STILL SHOW A SMALL WINDOW OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS WHERE THERE COULD BE A LITTLE LIGHT SNOW VIA THE SEEDER FEEDER PROCESS...AND THIS WAS SUPPORTED BY AN AIRCRAFT (AMDAR) SOUNDING AT KRDU JUST BEFORE 900 PM. THIS MAY EXPLAIN THE WEAK AND SHALLOW BANDS STILL DRIFTING ACROSS THE CENTRAL PIEDMONT. HOWEVER...THIS TOO WILL BE GONE BY 11PM... SO THE MAIN PRECIP MAY SEE SOME LIGHT FREEZING DRIZZLE IN THE NORTHERN COASTAL PLAIN AS STRONG WHERE TEMPS ARE FALLING BELOW FREEZING. OTHERWISE IT APPEARS THE POTENTIAL FOR WINTRY PRECIP HAS ENDED. WHILE THERE IS STILL PLENTY OF CLOUD COVER ACROSS THE REGION...THE HRRR SHOWS RAPID CLEARING FROM THE NORTHWEST AFTER MIDNIGHT AS THE REMAINING MOISTURE BELOW 850MB IS SCOURED OUT. WITH THE COLD ADVECTION AND CLEARING...TEMPS WILL DROP DRAMATICALLY AFTER MIDNIGHT...WITH MOST GUIDANCE GIVING UPPER TEENS IN THE NORTH AND UPPER 20S IN THE SOUTH. GIVEN THAT THE COLD AIR HAS BEEN DELAYED SO FAR...WILL NUDGE TEMPS UP TOWARD THE SLIGHTLY WARMER NAM/MET GUIDANCE. THE ROADS WILL REMAIN WET OVERNIGHT...AND WHILE A FEW HOURS OF A DRYING WIND WILL NO DOUBT HELP...BLACK ICE WILL BE AN ISSUE AS THE NIGHT WEARS ON. THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY WILL CONTINUE AS IS. && .SHORT TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 140 PM THURSDAY... HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO THE AREA ON FRIDAY...AND REMAIN OVERHEAD THROUGH THE WEEKEND...RESULTING IN DRY WEATHER. CLEARING SKIES AND DECREASING WINDS ON FRIDAY...BECOMING CLEAR AND CALM OVERNIGHT AND THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT. FRIDAY WILL BE COOL...WITH HIGHS IN THE MID 30S NORTHEAST TO LOW 40S SOUTHWEST AND OVERNIGHT LOWS IN THE UPPER TEENS TO MID 20S. TEMPERATURES WILL BEGIN TO MODERATE ON SATURDAY...HIGHS MAINLY IN THE LOW TO MID 50S AND LOWS IN THE LOW 30S. CLOUDS WILL BUILD BACK IN AGAIN ON SUNDAY AS WARM MOIST AIR BEGINS TO ADVECT IN FROM THE SOUTHWEST. NEAR SEASONAL TEMPERATURES WILL RETURN BY SUNDAY...HIGHS IN THE MID 50S TO LOW 60S AND LOWS IN THE UPPER 30S TO LOW 40S...ALTHOUGH THE CHANCES FOR SOME LIGHT RAIN WILL ALSO INCREASE SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY. && .LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... AS OF 140 PM THURSDAY... SPLIT FLOW REGIME CONTINUES TO CAUSE CONSIDERABLE RUN TO RUN VARIATION IN MODEL SOLUTIONS FOR THE LONGER RANGE FORECAST. A WEAK NORTHERN STREAM FRONT WILL BE MOVING ACROSS THE AREA ON MONDAY... WHICH WOULD ENCOUNTER DEEPER MOISTURE ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS LATE MONDAY INTO MONDAY NIGHT. INCREASING POPS WOULD BE SPREADING BACK INTO THE WEST TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY AS THE FRONT STALLS ALONG THE COAST WITH SURFACE WAVES DEVELOPING AND RIDING NORTHEAST UP THE FRONTAL ZONE. TEMPERATURES TUESDAY WOULD TAKE A HIT WITH SURFACE WAVE DEVELOPMENT ENHANCING IN SITU DAMMING...AND HIGHS WILL STALL IN THE 50S... PERHAPS A BIT LOWER IF THE LOW LEVEL FEATURES ALLOWS FOR A MORE FAVORABLE DAMMING FEATURES TO ALIGN. CONFIDENCE FALLS OFF FURTHER IN THE WED AND THU PERIODS DUE TO QUESTIONABLE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN THE NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN STREAM SYSTEMS. AT THIS POINT...WILL INTRODUCE A SLIGHT CHANCE POP WITH HIGHS AROUND 60 BOTH DAYS. && .AVIATION /06Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 1255 AM FRIDAY... A GRADUAL TREND TOWARD VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL BETWEEN 09Z- 12Z... WITH GENERALLY VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY. OUTLOOK: HIGH CONFIDENCE THAT VFR CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE WEEKEND ACROSS CENTRAL NC AS HIGH PRESSURE WILL LINGER OVER THE REGION. && .RAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL NOON EST FRIDAY FOR NCZ007>011-021>028- 038>043-078. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 10 AM EST FRIDAY FOR NCZ073>077-083>086-088-089. && $$ SYNOPSIS...BADGETT NEAR TERM...WSS/BLS SHORT TERM...KC LONG TERM...MLM AVIATION...BADGETT
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS WILMINGTON NC
1234 AM EST FRI MAR 6 2015 .SYNOPSIS... ARCTIC HIGH PRESSURE WILL SETTLE ACROSS THE AREA IN THE WAKE OF A STRONG COLD FRONT AND PERSIST THROUGH THE WEEKEND. THERE IS A SMALL RISK FOR SOME VERY LIGHT WINTRY PRECIPITATION ACROSS PORTIONS OF COASTAL NORTH CAROLINA BEFORE THE RAIN AND DRIZZLE COMPLETELY SHUTOFF FRIDAY MORNING. WINTER-LIKE TEMPERATURES WILL BEGIN TO MODERATE DURING THE WEEKEND. THE SLOW WARMUP WILL CONTINUE NEXT WEEK WITH SHOWERS POSSIBLE. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM FRIDAY MORNING/... AS OF 1230 AM FRIDAY...THE MAIN PRECIP SHIELD HAS CLEARED THE COAST WITH ASOS/AWOS OBS INDICATING ONLY PATCHY DRIZZLE REMAINING. WHILE THIS WOULD NORMALLY MEAN THE EVENT IS OVER...THE 00Z WAS MOST EMPHATIC THAT A SECOND WAVE OF ISENTROPIC LIFT WILL DEVELOP ALONG THE 300K SURFACE OVERHEAD JUST BEFORE DAYBREAK...ACCOMPANIED BY A SUBTLE BACKING OF THE 700-800 MB FLOW. THE GFS IS FLATTER WITH THIS DEVELOPING WAVE WITH LITTLE IF ANY IMPACT ON LAND. I HAVE MADE NO CHANGES TO THE LATE-NIGHT/FRIDAY MORNING FORECAST...HOWEVER I BELIEVE GIVEN THE PRESENCE OF AN INCREASINGLY DEEP COLD LAYER WITH SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES THICKENING TO 3500-4000 FEET DEPTH BENEATH THE WARM CLOUD ALOFT...SLEET WOULD BE THE PREFERRED PRECIP TYPE RATHER THAN FREEZING RAIN. DISCUSSION FROM 900 PM FOLLOWS... ISENTROPIC LIFT IS THE MAIN DRIVER IN ONGOING PRECIPITATION. THE BACK EDGE OF THE ACCUMULATING RAIN WAS ALONG A CKI TO LBT LINE AND THIS WAS IN LINE WITH THE HRRR. RADAR SHOWED THE BACK EDGE OF THE RAIN SHIELD CREEPING SLOWLY EASTWARD. TEMPERATURES WERE IN THE LOWER 40S FOR THE MOST PART...BUT A FEW SPOTS HAVE DIPPED INTO THE UPPER 30S. FACTOR IN A N WIND OF 15 TO 20 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS...AND IT FEELS AS IF IT WERE IN THE 20S LATE THIS EVE. THE HIGH RESOLUTION HRRR MODEL IS SHOWING A SLOW...BUT STEADY EASTWARD PROGRESSION OF THE PRECIPITATION SHIELD THROUGH MIDNIGHT WITH THE RAIN MAINLY OFFSHORE BY AROUND MIDNIGHT...LASTLY ALONG THE CAPE FEAR COAST. HOWEVER...THE COLD AIR IS SHALLOW WITH N TO NE WINDS THROUGH 4 KFT BEING TOPPED BY A DEEP AND STILL STRONG SW TO WSW FLOW. THIS DOES SUGGEST THE PRECIPITATION MAY LINGER LONGER INTO THE NIGHT. WILL HANG ONTO THE PRECIPITATION IN THE FORM OF LIGHT RAIN AND DRIZZLE FOR MOST INLAND LOCATIONS THROUGH ABOUT MIDNIGHT. WILL THEN SHOW THE PRECIPITATION ENDING ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF THE AREA OVERNIGHT AS THE COLUMN CONTINUES TO SLOWLY DRY FROM ALOFT TO THE SURFACE. SINCE THE PRECIPITATION ENDS BEFORE AIR TEMPS DROP TO 32 DEGREES OR LOWER...WILL NOT INCLUDE MENTION OF WINTRY PRECIPITATION. THE EXCEPTION WILL BE ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE CAPE FEAR AREA WHERE VERY LIGHT PRECIPITATION MAY LINGER INTO EARLY FRI MORNING AS THE CONVEYOR BELT OF DEEPER MOISTURE WILL BE RELUCTANT TO PUSH WELL OFFSHORE. AS COLDER AIR CONTINUES TO FILTER INTO THIS AREA IN THE LOW LEVELS...TEMPERATURES WILL CREEP DOWN TO AROUND 30 DEGREES. ACROSS THE CAPE FEAR AREA...THIS WILL COMPLICATE THINGS AS ANY LIGHT PRECIPITATION WITH TEMPS BELOW FREEZING DOES HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO FREEZE. HOWEVER...GIVEN THE VERY WARM TEMPS OF THE LAST TWO DAYS...GROUND TEMPS TO INCLUDE ROADWAYS...AND EXPOSED SURFACES TO INCLUDE BRIDGES...TREES...POWER LINES AND CARS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO HAVE SUFFICIENT TIME TO REACH FREEZING BEFORE THE LIGHT PRECIPITATION ENDS. THUS...ALTHOUGH INSTRUMENTS MAY REPORT SOME LIGHT FREEZING RAIN OR FREEZING DRIZZLE...NO ICE ACCRUAL IS EXPECTED. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 300 PM THURSDAY...WINTER WILL MAKE AN APPEARANCE THROUGH THE SHORT TERM AS ARCTIC HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO THE CAROLINAS. WHILE WELL BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES ARE A CERTAINTY FOR FRIDAY AND SATURDAY...WHAT IS UNCERTAIN IS WHETHER ANY PRECIP WILL LINGER FRIDAY MORNING...POTENTIALLY AS A WINTRY TYPE. COLD FRONT WILL BE WELL OFFSHORE FRIDAY MORNING...BUT SOME RESIDUAL LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE WILL PERSIST IN THE COLUMN FOR THE FIRST FEW HOURS OF FRIDAY. GUIDANCE HAS BACKED OFF CONSIDERABLY ON AMOUNT OF MOISTURE LEFT IN THE COLUMN...AND SREF PROBABILITIES ARE LESS THAN MENTIONABLE. FOR THIS REASON HAVE CUT BACK POP TO SILENT FOR ALL BUT THE IMMEDIATE BEACHES...AND EVEN THERE ONLY A SCHC IS WARRANTED FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS FRIDAY MORNING. THIS PRECIP MAY BE A BIT OF IP/ZR BUT NO IMPACTS ARE ANTICIPATED FROM ANY WINTRY PRECIP. THEREAFTER...RAPID DRYING OCCURS AND AMPLE SUNSHINE WILL ENVELOP THE AREA FRIDAY AFTN. EVEN WITH FULL MARCH SUN...TEMPS ON FRIDAY WILL RISE ONLY INTO THE MID/UPR 30S - A FULL 25-30 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL! HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS TOWARDS THE AREA FRIDAY CAUSING CAA TO WEAKEN...AND A VERY COLD NIGHT IS EXPECTED AS THE DRY COLUMN AND WEEK WINDS SUPPORT STRONG LONGWAVE COOLING. GUIDANCE HAS COOLED A BIT...AND WE MAY APPROACH RECORD LOWS FRIDAY NIGHT (20 AT WILMINGTON AND 20 AT FLORENCE). CURRENT FORECASTS ARE JUST ABOVE THESE NUMBERS...BUT AN EXCEEDINGLY COLD NIGHT IS EXPECTED. A WARMER DAY EXPECTED SATURDAY AS THE AIRMASS BEGINS TO MODIFY...BUT TEMPS WILL STAY ABOUT 10 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL EVEN BENEATH THE INCREASING MARCH SUN ANGLE. HIGH PRESSURE SHIFTS OFFSHORE LATE SATURDAY ALLOWING FOR WARM RETURN FLOW TO DEVELOP. THIS WILL KEEP MINS MUCH WARMER SATURDAY NIGHT THAN FRIDAY NIGHT...SO WHILE STILL EXPECTING BELOW NORMAL VALUES FOR LOWS...MOST OF THE AREA WILL REMAIN JUST ABOVE FREEZING. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... AS OF 330 PM THURSDAY...MEDIUM RANGE GUIDANCE IS SHOWING A SPLIT FLOW DEVELOPING AS THE MAIN BELT OF WESTERLIES JOGS TO THE NORTH WITH A WEAKER SOUTHWEST FLOW OVER THE SOUTHERN U.S. SURFACE FEATURES INCLUDE A WEAK AND DRY BACKDOOR FRONT SUNDAY WITH A BROAD BAROCLINIC ZONE ALIGNED OFFSHORE. THIS IS WHAT REMAINS OF OF THE ARCTIC FRONT THAT MOVES ACROSS LATER TODAY. BEYOND THIS WEAK HIGH PRESSURE WILL PREVAIL AT THE SURFACE BUT POPS WILL REMAIN IN THE FORECAST DUE TO MID AND UPPER LEVEL INFLUENCES. WITH THE WEAK FORCING...CONFIDENCE IS LOWER THAN USUAL BUT FOR NOW WE HAVE THE HIGHEST POPS...CHANCE VALUES FOR TUESDAY AND THURSDAY WHEN THE FORCING IS SLIGHTLY BETTER. TEMPERATURE TRENDS SHOW A LITTLE BELOW NORMAL FOR DAYTIME HIGHS BUT OVERNIGHT LOWS...MODERATED QUITE A BIT BY THE MOISTURE...WELL ABOVE NORMAL WITH 45-50 DEGREES. && .AVIATION /00Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 06Z...AT THE INLAND TERMINALS MVFR CIGS WILL IMPROVE TO VFR AROUND 09Z...BUT THERE WILL STILL BE SOME POTENTIAL FOR A TEMPO MVFR CIG UNTIL SHORTLY AFTER SUNRISE. WINDS WILL BE N GUSTING TO AROUND 25 KT DECREASING TO NE AROUND 12 KT BY LATE MORNING. AT THE COASTAL TERMINALS THE SAME TREND IN CIGS IS EXPECTED EXCEPT IMPROVEMENT WILL BE SEVERAL HOURS LATER. PRECIPITATION WILL MOVE OFFSHORE EARLY THIS MORNING BUT LINGER JUST ALONG THE COAST THROUGH POTENTIALLY 12-14Z. THERE COULD BE A FEW ICE PELLETS AT KILM AROUND SUNRISE. WINDS WILL BE N GUSTING TO 25-30KT DECEASING TO NE AROUND 12 KT BY EARLY AFTERNOON. VFR EXPECTED BY LATE MORNING WITH CLOUDS BECOMING SCT BY AFTERNOON. N WINDS WILL CONTINUE. EXTENDED OUTLOOK...VFR. EXTENDED OUTLOOK...VFR. && .MARINE... NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 1230 AM FRIDAY...NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES NEEDED TO THE FORECAST. DISCUSSION FROM 900 PM FOLLOWS... A GALE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT. THE STRONGEST NORTHERLY SURGE AND THE TIGHTEST PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL BE IN PLACE OVERNIGHT AND FRI MORNING. WIND SPEEDS WILL BE UP TO 30 TO 35 KT. SEAS WILL PEAK IN THE RANGE OF 5 TO 9 FT. SEAS WILL BE LOWER ACROSS THE VERY NEAR SHORE WATERS TO INCLUDE LONG BAY. SHORT TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 300 PM THURSDAY...ARCTIC COLD FRONT WILL BE WELL OFFSHORE FRIDAY MORNING...BUT A TIGHT GRADIENT WILL REMAIN OVER THE WATERS AND THE GALE WARNING CURRENTLY IN PLACE WILL PERSIST THROUGH 10AM FOR NORTH WINDS GUSTING ABOVE 34 KTS. WINDS BEGIN TO EASE THEREAFTER...BUT WILL ONLY SLOWLY FALL THROUGH FRIDAY...REMAINING 15-20 KTS INTO SATURDAY MORNING. THESE CONTINUED STRONG NORTH WINDS WILL KEEP WAVE HEIGHTS ABOVE 6 FT ALL OF FRIDAY...AND AN SCA WILL BE NEEDED ONCE THE GALE WARNING DROPS. HIGH PRESSURE WILL MOVE TOWARDS...AND THEN OVER...THE WATERS ON SATURDAY BEFORE DRIFTING OFFSHORE SATURDAY NIGHT. THIS WILL DRIVE PRIMARILY LIGHT AND VARIABLE WINDS SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT...EVENTUALLY TAKING ON A PREDOMINANT SW DIRECTION LATE. WAVE HEIGHTS WILL FALL STEADILY ON SATURDAY...LEVELING OFF AT 1-2 FT TOWARDS THE END OF THE PERIOD. LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 330 PM THURSDAY...A RATHER WEAK PRESSURE PATTERN WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE PERIOD. THIS LEADS TO MODEST WIND FIELDS AND SIGNIFICANT SEAS. WITH WEAK HIGH PRESSURE TO THE WEST...NORTHWEST AND AN OLD BOUNDARY LINGERING OFFSHORE WIND DIRECTIONS WILL BE MOSTLY NORTHEAST. SPEEDS WILL DISPLAY SOME VARIATION BUT OVERALL A RANGE OF 10-15 KNOTS SHOULD BE GOOD. SIGNIFICANT SEAS WILL START OFF VERY LOW...1-2 FEET SUNDAY AND INCREASE MONDAY AND TUESDAY AS WINDS HOVER AROUND THE HIGHER END OF THE RANGE FOR SEVERAL PERIODS. COULD EVEN SEE SMALL CRAFT CONDITIONS TUESDAY. && .ILM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SC...NONE. NC...NONE. MARINE...GALE WARNING UNTIL 10 AM EST FRIDAY FOR AMZ250-252-254-256. && $$ NEAR TERM...RJD/TRA SHORT TERM...JDW LONG TERM...SHK AVIATION...MRR
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS STATE COLLEGE PA
407 AM EST FRI MAR 6 2015 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD SOUTHEAST INTO THE STATE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. A STRONG UPPER-LEVEL RIDGE WILL BUILD INTO THE REGION EARLY NEXT WEEK. THIS SHOULD PROVIDE GENERALLY FAIR WEATHER AND SEVERAL DAYS OF NEAR NORMAL TEMPERATURES AND RELATIVELY DRY WEATHER. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM THIS MORNING/... ARCTIC HIGH BUILDING EASTWARD AND MID/HIGH CLOUD HAS CLEARED THE COAST. SMALL PATCH OF STRATOCU STILL EVIDENT OVER EASTERN WARREN AND MCKEAN COUNTIES BUT WILL DISSIPATE IN THE NEXT FEW HOURS AS INVERSION HEIGHTS CONTINUE TO CRASH. DIMINISHING WIND...CLEARING SKIES AND FRESH SNOW COVER SHOULD RESULT IN NEAR RECORD LOW TEMPERATURES OVERNIGHT...AVERAGING 5-10 BLW ZERO OVR THE NW MTNS...TO THE LOWER SINGLE DIGITS ACROSS THE LOWER SUSQ VALLEY. HOWEVER...A CALM WIND ACROSS THE ALLEGHENIES SHOULD ALLOW THE NORMALLY COLDER VALLEYS TO GET EVEN COLDER. LATEST RAP SUGGESTS A FEW LOCATIONS ACROSS THE NW COULD DIP AS LOW AS 15 BLW ZERO. AT THIS POINT...WE ARE COUNTING ON THE WIND TO DROP OFF ENOUGH TO MINIMIZE WIND CHILLS...SO NO HEADLINES ARE PLANNED AT THIS TIME. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM THIS MORNING THROUGH 6 PM SATURDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE WILL PROVIDE A MUCH BRIGHTER DAY FRIDAY. FORECAST SOUNDINGS SUGGEST THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME STRATOCU TO GATHER UNDER THE STRONG SUBSIDENCE INVERSION ACROSS THE ALLEGHENY PLATEAU...BUT EVEN THERE A FAIR AMOUNT OF SUNSHINE SHOULD MANAGE TO MIX WITH ANY CLOUDS THAT FORM. MAX TEMPS SHOULD RANGE FROM 20-25F BLW NORMAL FRIDAY. 18Z GEFS MEAN 925MB TEMPS ARND -14C ARE SUPPORTIVE OF HIGHS FROM JUST THE UPPER TEENS OVR THE ALLEGHENY PLATEAU...TO THE L-M20S ACROSS THE SUSQ VALLEY. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... SFC HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE AXIS WILL MIGRATE EWD ACROSS THE MID ATLANTIC REGION FRIDAY NIGHT AND SETTLE INTO THE SOUTHEAST STATES ON SATURDAY. AN INCREASE IN SW GRADIENT WINDS AND CLOUDS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE NW HALF OF THE CWA IN ADVANCE OF A WEAK LOW MOVING ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES. MEANWHILE MAINLY CLEAR SKIES AND LIGHTER WINDS ACROSS THE LOWER SUSQ VALLEY SHOULD PREVAIL NEAR THE DEPARTING SFC RIDGE. THIS PATTERN FAVORS A NON-DIURNAL TREND WITH LOWS IN THE MID TEENS OCCURRING EARLY ACROSS THE NW MTNS FRIDAY NIGHT WITH A STEADY TO SLOW RISE INTO SATURDAY MORNING. A MORE TYPICAL NOCTURNAL TEMP CURVE SHOULD ALLOW TEMPS TO FALL TO AROUND 10F OVER THE LOWER SQV. BROAD UPPER CYCLONIC FLOW WILL CONTINUE INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK AS ADDITIONAL SHORTWAVE IMPULSES MOVE FROM CENTRAL CANADA THROUGH THE NORTHERN TIER OF THE U.S. THERE ARE FEWER DIFFERENCES NOTED OVERALL COMPARED TO PREVIOUS MODEL CYCLES WITH RESPECT TO THE TIMING AND DEPTH OF EACH IMPULSE. ONE IMPULSE WILL DRIVE A SURFACE WAVE AND ASSOCIATED FRONT THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES REGION ON SAT AND THEN INTO NEW ENGLAND ON SUN. AN ADDITIONAL IMPULSE WILL TAKE A SIMILAR TRACK THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES LATER SUN INTO EARLY MON ALONG WITH A WEAK FRONT. GIVEN THE FAST DEEPER LAYER WEST NORTHWEST FLOW OVER THE REGION...THE AMPLITUDE OF EACH IMPULSE SHOULD BE RATHER SMALL WITH MOISTURE AVAILABILITY QUITE LIMITED. THEREFORE EXPECT OCCASIONAL SNOW SHOWERS MAINLY OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF THE NORTHERN ALLEGHENIES WITH 48 ACCUMS OF 1-2" POSSIBLE OVER THE NW MTNS BY 12Z MON. THE MODELS AND ENSEMBLE MEANS ARE AGREEABLE/CONSISTENT WITH THE MAIN THEMES OF THE LARGE SCALE PATTERN INTO NEXT WEEK. THESE INCLUDE AN INCREASINGLY ZONAL/PROGRESSIVE NRN STREAM FLOW ACROSS SRN CANADA...AND SRN ROCKIES/PLAINS INTO MEXICO MEAN TROUGH AND STRONG RIDGE E OF THE BAHAMAS. AS THE MEAN PATTERN ALOFT BECOMES INCREASINGLY FLATTER...CONFIDENCE IS RELATIVELY HIGH IN A MAINLY DRY PERIOD WITH STEADILY INCREASING/MODERATING TEMPERATURES TO AT OR SLIGHTLY ABOVE EARLY-MID MARCH CLIMATE NORMALS. && .AVIATION /09Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... VFR CONDITIONS WILL BE THE RULE TODAY UNDER HIGH PRESSURE. WINDS TURN TO THE SOUTHWEST AT SPEEDS OF 5-10 MPH. OUTLOOK... FRI-SAT...MAINLY VFR. SUN-MON...MVFR WITH CHC -SHSN MAINLY NORTH AND WEST. VFR SE. TUE...NO SIG WX. && .CLIMATE... DAILY RECORD LOWS ARE IN SERIOUS JEOPARDY TONIGHT AT MANY LOCATIONS. THE RECORD LOW FOR MARCH 6TH AT HARRISBURG IS 7F SET BACK IN 1901 AND -1F AT WILLIAMSPORT SET IN 1978. && .CTP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...LA CORTE NEAR TERM...DEVOIR/FITZGERALD SHORT TERM...FITZGERALD/LA CORTE LONG TERM...STEINBUGL AVIATION...CERU/RXR CLIMATE...
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS STATE COLLEGE PA
121 AM EST FRI MAR 6 2015 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD SOUTHEAST INTO THE STATE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. A STRONG UPPER-LEVEL RIDGE WILL BUILD INTO THE REGION EARLY NEXT WEEK. THIS SHOULD PROVIDE GENERALLY FAIR WEATHER AND SEVERAL DAYS OF NEAR NORMAL TEMPERATURES AND RELATIVELY DRY WEATHER. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM THIS MORNING/... ARCTIC HIGH BUILDING EASTWARD AND MID/HIGH CLOUD HAS CLEARED THE COAST. SMALL PATCH OF STRATOCU STILL EVIDENT OVER EASTERN WARREN AND MCKEAN COUNTIES BUT WILL DISSIPATE IN THE NEXT FEW HOURS AS INVERSION HEIGHTS CONTINUE TO CRASH. DIMINISHING WIND...CLEARING SKIES AND FRESH SNOW COVER SHOULD RESULT IN NEAR RECORD LOW TEMPERATURES OVERNIGHT...AVERAGING 5-10 BLW ZERO OVR THE NW MTNS...TO THE LOWER SINGLE DIGITS ACROSS THE LOWER SUSQ VALLEY. HOWEVER...A CALM WIND ACROSS THE ALLEGHENIES SHOULD ALLOW THE NORMALLY COLDER VALLEYS TO GET EVEN COLDER. LATEST RAP SUGGESTS A FEW LOCATIONS ACROSS THE NW COULD DIP AS LOW AS 15 BLW ZERO. AT THIS POINT...WE ARE COUNTING ON THE WIND TO DROP OFF ENOUGH TO MINIMIZE WIND CHILLS...SO NO HEADLINES ARE PLANNED AT THIS TIME. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM THIS MORNING THROUGH 6 PM SATURDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE WILL PROVIDE A MUCH BRIGHTER DAY FRIDAY. FORECAST SOUNDINGS SUGGEST THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME STRATOCU TO GATHER UNDER THE STRONG SUBSIDENCE INVERSION ACROSS THE ALLEGHENY PLATEAU...BUT EVEN THERE A FAIR AMOUNT OF SUNSHINE SHOULD MANAGE TO MIX WITH ANY CLOUDS THAT FORM. MAX TEMPS SHOULD RANGE FROM 20-25F BLW NORMAL FRIDAY. 18Z GEFS MEAN 925MB TEMPS ARND -14C ARE SUPPORTIVE OF HIGHS FROM JUST THE UPPER TEENS OVR THE ALLEGHENY PLATEAU...TO THE L-M20S ACROSS THE SUSQ VALLEY. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... SFC HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE AXIS WILL MIGRATE EWD ACROSS THE MID ATLANTIC REGION FRIDAY NIGHT AND SETTLE INTO THE SOUTHEAST STATES ON SATURDAY. AN INCREASE IN SW GRADIENT WINDS AND CLOUDS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE NW HALF OF THE CWA IN ADVANCE OF A WEAK LOW MOVING ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES. MEANWHILE MAINLY CLEAR SKIES AND LIGHTER WINDS ACROSS THE LOWER SUSQ VALLEY SHOULD PREVAIL NEAR THE DEPARTING SFC RIDGE. THIS PATTERN FAVORS A NON-DIURNAL TREND WITH LOWS IN THE MID TEENS OCCURRING EARLY ACROSS THE NW MTNS FRIDAY NIGHT WITH A STEADY TO SLOW RISE INTO SATURDAY MORNING. A MORE TYPICAL NOCTURNAL TEMP CURVE SHOULD ALLOW TEMPS TO FALL TO AROUND 10F OVER THE LOWER SQV. BROAD UPPER CYCLONIC FLOW WILL CONTINUE INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK AS ADDITIONAL SHORTWAVE IMPULSES MOVE FROM CENTRAL CANADA THROUGH THE NORTHERN TIER OF THE U.S. THERE ARE FEWER DIFFERENCES NOTED OVERALL COMPARED TO PREVIOUS MODEL CYCLES WITH RESPECT TO THE TIMING AND DEPTH OF EACH IMPULSE. ONE IMPULSE WILL DRIVE A SURFACE WAVE AND ASSOCIATED FRONT THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES REGION ON SAT AND THEN INTO NEW ENGLAND ON SUN. AN ADDITIONAL IMPULSE WILL TAKE A SIMILAR TRACK THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES LATER SUN INTO EARLY MON ALONG WITH A WEAK FRONT. GIVEN THE FAST DEEPER LAYER WEST NORTHWEST FLOW OVER THE REGION...THE AMPLITUDE OF EACH IMPULSE SHOULD BE RATHER SMALL WITH MOISTURE AVAILABILITY QUITE LIMITED. THEREFORE EXPECT OCCASIONAL SNOW SHOWERS MAINLY OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF THE NORTHERN ALLEGHENIES WITH 48 ACCUMS OF 1-2" POSSIBLE OVER THE NW MTNS BY 12Z MON. THE MODELS AND ENSEMBLE MEANS ARE AGREEABLE/CONSISTENT WITH THE MAIN THEMES OF THE LARGE SCALE PATTERN INTO NEXT WEEK. THESE INCLUDE AN INCREASINGLY ZONAL/PROGRESSIVE NRN STREAM FLOW ACROSS SRN CANADA...AND SRN ROCKIES/PLAINS INTO MEXICO MEAN TROUGH AND STRONG RIDGE E OF THE BAHAMAS. AS THE MEAN PATTERN ALOFT BECOMES INCREASINGLY FLATTER...CONFIDENCE IS RELATIVELY HIGH IN A MAINLY DRY PERIOD WITH STEADILY INCREASING/MODERATING TEMPERATURES TO AT OR SLIGHTLY ABOVE EARLY-MID MARCH CLIMATE NORMALS. && .AVIATION /06Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING INTO CENTRAL PA AT THIS TIME...WITH PRESSURE GRADIENT KEEPING WINDS IN THE 5-10 MPH RANGE EARLY ON. THESE WILL LIGHTEN AS THE OVERNIGHT PROGRESSES. VFR CONDITIONS WILL BE THE RULE...EXCEPT IN KBFD WHERE A SMALL STRATOCU DECK WILL BRING MVFR CONDITIONS THROUGH ABOUT 06Z BEFORE CONDITIONS IMPROVE BACK TO VFR. VFR PREVAILS ON FRI UNDER HIGH PRESSURE. WINDS TURN TO THE SOUTHWEST AT SPEEDS OF 5-10 MPH. OUTLOOK... FRI-SAT...MAINLY VFR. SUN-MON...MVFR WITH CHC -SHSN MAINLY NORTH AND WEST. VFR SE. TUE...NO SIG WX. && .CLIMATE... DAILY RECORD LOWS ARE IN SERIOUS JEOPARDY TONIGHT AT MANY LOCATIONS. THE RECORD LOW FOR MARCH 6TH AT HARRISBURG IS 7F SET BACK IN 1901 AND -1F AT WILLIAMSPORT SET IN 1978. && .CTP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...LA CORTE NEAR TERM...DEVOIR/FITZGERALD SHORT TERM...FITZGERALD/LA CORTE LONG TERM...STEINBUGL AVIATION...RXR CLIMATE...
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS STATE COLLEGE PA
1138 PM EST THU MAR 5 2015 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD SOUTHEAST INTO THE STATE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. A STRONG UPPER-LEVEL RIDGE WILL BUILD INTO THE REGION EARLY NEXT WEEK. THIS SHOULD PROVIDE GENERALLY FAIR WEATHER AND SEVERAL DAYS OF NEAR NORMAL TEMPERATURES AND RELATIVELY DRY WEATHER. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM FRIDAY MORNING/... AS OF 03Z...SKIES HAVE CLEARED ACROSS MOST OF CENTRAL PA AS ARCTIC HIGH PRES SYSTEM OVERSPREADS THE STATE. BACK EDGE OF MID LVL CLOUD DECK SHOULD CLEAR LANCASTER CO BY 05Z...AND PATCH OF STRATOCU OVR WARREN/MCKEAN COS SHOULD DIMINISH BY 06Z...AS INVERSION HGTS FALL. DIMINISHING WIND...CLEARING SKIES AND FRESH SNOW COVER SHOULD RESULT IN NEAR RECORD LOW TEMPERATURES OVERNIGHT...AVERAGING 5-10 BLW ZERO OVR THE NW MTNS...TO THE LOWER SINGLE DIGITS ACROSS THE LOWER SUSQ VALLEY. HOWEVER...A CALM WIND ACROSS THE ALLEGHENIES SHOULD ALLOW THE NORMALLY COLDER VALLEYS TO GET EVEN COLDER. LATEST RAP SUGGESTS A FEW LOCATIONS ACROSS THE NW COULD DIP AS LOW AS 15 BLW ZERO. AT THIS POINT...WE ARE COUNTING ON THE WIND TO DROP OFF ENOUGH TO MINIMIZE WIND CHILLS...SO NO HEADLINES ARE PLANNED AT THIS TIME. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH 6 PM FRIDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE WILL PROVIDE A MUCH BRIGHTER DAY FRIDAY. FORECAST SOUNDINGS SUGGEST THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME STRATOCU TO GATHER UNDER THE STRONG SUBSIDENCE INVERSION ACROSS THE ALLEGHENY PLATEAU...BUT EVEN THERE A FAIR AMOUNT OF SUNSHINE SHOULD MANAGE TO MIX WITH ANY CLOUDS THAT FORM. MAX TEMPS SHOULD RANGE FROM 20-25F BLW NORMAL FRIDAY. 18Z GEFS MEAN 925MB TEMPS ARND -14C ARE SUPPORTIVE OF HIGHS FROM JUST THE UPPER TEENS OVR THE ALLEGHENY PLATEAU...TO THE L-M20S ACROSS THE SUSQ VALLEY. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... SFC HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE AXIS WILL MIGRATE EWD ACROSS THE MID ATLANTIC REGION FRIDAY NIGHT AND SETTLE INTO THE SOUTHEAST STATES ON SATURDAY. AN INCREASE IN SW GRADIENT WINDS AND CLOUDS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE NW HALF OF THE CWA IN ADVANCE OF A WEAK LOW MOVING ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES. MEANWHILE MAINLY CLEAR SKIES AND LIGHTER WINDS ACROSS THE LOWER SUSQ VALLEY SHOULD PREVAIL NEAR THE DEPARTING SFC RIDGE. THIS PATTERN FAVORS A NON-DIURNAL TREND WITH LOWS IN THE MID TEENS OCCURRING EARLY ACROSS THE NW MTNS FRIDAY NIGHT WITH A STEADY TO SLOW RISE INTO SATURDAY MORNING. A MORE TYPICAL NOCTURNAL TEMP CURVE SHOULD ALLOW TEMPS TO FALL TO AROUND 10F OVER THE LOWER SQV. BROAD UPPER CYCLONIC FLOW WILL CONTINUE INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK AS ADDITIONAL SHORTWAVE IMPULSES MOVE FROM CENTRAL CANADA THROUGH THE NORTHERN TIER OF THE U.S. THERE ARE FEWER DIFFERENCES NOTED OVERALL COMPARED TO PREVIOUS MODEL CYCLES WITH RESPECT TO THE TIMING AND DEPTH OF EACH IMPULSE. ONE IMPULSE WILL DRIVE A SURFACE WAVE AND ASSOCIATED FRONT THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES REGION ON SAT AND THEN INTO NEW ENGLAND ON SUN. AN ADDITIONAL IMPULSE WILL TAKE A SIMILAR TRACK THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES LATER SUN INTO EARLY MON ALONG WITH A WEAK FRONT. GIVEN THE FAST DEEPER LAYER WEST NORTHWEST FLOW OVER THE REGION...THE AMPLITUDE OF EACH IMPULSE SHOULD BE RATHER SMALL WITH MOISTURE AVAILABILITY QUITE LIMITED. THEREFORE EXPECT OCCASIONAL SNOW SHOWERS MAINLY OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF THE NORTHERN ALLEGHENIES WITH 48 ACCUMS OF 1-2" POSSIBLE OVER THE NW MTNS BY 12Z MON. THE MODELS AND ENSEMBLE MEANS ARE AGREEABLE/CONSISTENT WITH THE MAIN THEMES OF THE LARGE SCALE PATTERN INTO NEXT WEEK. THESE INCLUDE AN INCREASINGLY ZONAL/PROGRESSIVE NRN STREAM FLOW ACROSS SRN CANADA...AND SRN ROCKIES/PLAINS INTO MEXICO MEAN TROUGH AND STRONG RIDGE E OF THE BAHAMAS. AS THE MEAN PATTERN ALOFT BECOMES INCREASINGLY FLATTER...CONFIDENCE IS RELATIVELY HIGH IN A MAINLY DRY PERIOD WITH STEADILY INCREASING/MODERATING TEMPERATURES TO AT OR SLIGHTLY ABOVE EARLY-MID MARCH CLIMATE NORMALS. && .AVIATION /06Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING INTO CENTRAL PA AT THIS TIME...WITH PRESSURE GRADIENT KEEPING WINDS IN THE 5-10 MPH RANGE EARLY ON. THESE WILL LIGHTEN AS THE OVERNIGHT PROGRESSES. VFR CONDITIONS WILL BE THE RULE...EXCEPT IN KBFD WHERE A SMALL STRATOCU DECK WILL BRING MVFR CONDITIONS THROUGH ABOUT 06Z BEFORE CONDITIONS IMPROVE BACK TO VFR. VFR PREVAILS ON FRI UNDER HIGH PRESSURE. WINDS TURN TO THE SOUTHWEST AT SPEEDS OF 5-10 MPH. OUTLOOK... FRI-SAT...MAINLY VFR. SUN-MON...MVFR WITH CHC -SHSN MAINLY NORTH AND WEST. VFR SE. TUE...NO SIG WX. && .CLIMATE... DAILY RECORD LOWS ARE IN SERIOUS JEOPARDY TONIGHT AT MANY LOCATIONS. THE RECORD LOW FOR MARCH 6TH AT HARRISBURG IS 7F SET BACK IN 1901 AND -1F AT WILLIAMSPORT SET IN 1978. && .CTP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...LA CORTE NEAR TERM...FITZGERALD SHORT TERM...FITZGERALD/LA CORTE LONG TERM...STEINBUGL AVIATION...RXR CLIMATE...
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS NEW YORK NY
957 AM EST FRI MAR 6 2015 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE EXTENDING FROM THE OHIO VALLEY INTO THE SOUTHERN PLAINS WILL BUILD OVER THE SOUTHEAST STATES THROUGH SATURDAY AS A CLIPPER SYSTEM TRACKS FROM SOUTH CENTRAL CANADA INTO THE GREAT LAKES REGION. A COLD FRONT PASSES THROUGH THE AREA SATURDAY NIGHT FOLLOWED BY HIGH PRESSURE THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. A WEAK SOUTHERN BRANCH LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL THEN PASS SOUTH AND EAST OF THE AREA TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING. HIGH PRESSURE RETURNS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... NO MAJOR CHANGES TO THE FORECAST THIS MORNING. PLEASE SEE THE CLIMATE SECTION BELOW FOR UPDATED RECORD LOW INFORMATION. HIGH PRES EXTENDING FROM THE OHIO VALLEY THROUGH THE SOUTHERN PLAINS AND NOSING INTO THE NORTHEAST WILL PROVIDE DRY AND SUNNY...BUT COLD CONDITIONS TODAY. NW FLOW WILL BECOME SW THIS AFTN WITH H85 TEMPS BETWEEN -10C AND -15C. HIGHS WILL BE 20 AND 25 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL...LOWER TO MID 20S. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH 6 PM SATURDAY/... A MEAN TROUGH WILL REMAIN ACROSS THE NE QUARTER OF THE CONUS THROUGH SAT...ALTHOUGH THE FLOW ALOFT WILL FLATTEN. A SHORTWAVE PASSES THROUGH TONIGHT...ALTHOUGH STRONG SUBSIDENCE WILL RESULT IN LIMITED MOISTURE AND KEEP CONDS DRY. MAINLY HIGH CLOUDS ARE EXPECTED WITH ITS PASSAGE. ANOTHER CHILLY NIGHT TONIGHT WITH LIGHT WINDS AND MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES. THESE CONDS WITH A FRESH SNOWPACK ON THE GROUND WILL RESULT IN AN OPTIMAL RADIATIONAL COOLING NIGHT. LOWS WILL AGAIN BE 20-25 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL...IN THE LOWER TEENS AT THE COAST AND SINGLE DIGITS INLAND. THE HIGH WILL SETTLE OVER THE SOUTHEAST STATES ON SAT AS A CLIPPER SYSTEM TRACKS THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES REGION. HAVE MAINTAINED SCHC POPS FOR ORANGE COUNTY AS PCPN ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SYSTEM MOVES TOWARDS THE AREA...ALTHOUGH ANY PCPN MAY NOT MAKE IT IN UNTIL AFT 00Z SUN. WAA UNDER A CONTINUING SW FLOW WILL RESULT IN HIGHS STILL BELOW NORMAL...ALTHOUGH MANY LOCATIONS SHOULD REACH THE FREEZING MARK. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... A GRADUAL MODERATING TREND IS ON TAP THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK AS A BROAD UPPER TROUGH RESIDES ACROSS EASTERN CANADA...THE GREAT LAKES...AND NORTHEAST STATES. THIS WILL RESULT IN A SERIES OF WEAK IMPULSES PASSING TO THE NORTH...THE STRONGEST OF WHICH WILL SEND A COLD FRONT THROUGH THE AREA SAT NIGHT. A LARGE AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL RESIDE FROM THE CENTRAL PLAINS EAST TO THE MID ATLANTIC COAST. THIS WILL KEEP THE REGION UNDER A PROLONGED PERIOD OF WESTERLY FLOW WITH PAC ORIGINS. IN ADDITION...A CONFLUENT FLOW BETWEEN THE SOUTHERN AND NORTHERN BRANCHES OF THE POLAR JET WILL INITIALLY RESIDE ACROSS THE TN VALLEY AND CAROLINAS...BUT THEN GRADUALLY LIFTS NORTHWARD THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR WARMER HEIGHTS ALOFT AND TEMPS INCREASING TO ABOVE NORMAL LEVELS BY WED AND THU. ADDITIONALLY...THIS WILL ALLOW A WEAK SOUTHERN BRANCH STORM TO PASS OFF THE MID ATLANTIC COAST TUE NIGHT. THE FORECAST AREA AT THIS TIME LOOKS TO BE FAR ENOUGH NORTH TO BE SPARED PCPN. SUBSEQUENT MODELS TRENDS THOUGH WILL HAVE TO BE WATCHED. VERTICAL TEMP PROFILES WOULD SUPPORT RAIN AT THIS TIME. && .AVIATION /15Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE AXIS WILL PASS THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON. VFR. N WINDS 10 KT OR LESS BCMG VAR THIS AFTN...THEN LIGHT WSW LATE DAY/EARLY EVE. NY METRO ENHANCED AVIATION WEATHER SUPPORT... DETAILED INFORMATION...INCLUDING HOURLY TAF WIND COMPONENT FCSTS CAN BE FOUND AT: HTTP:/WWW.ERH.NOAA.GOV/ZNY/N90 (LOWER CASE) KJFK FCSTER COMMENTS: NO UNSCHEDULED AMENDMENTS EXPECTED. KLGA FCSTER COMMENTS: NO UNSCHEDULED AMENDMENTS EXPECTED. KEWR FCSTER COMMENTS: NO UNSCHEDULED AMENDMENTS EXPECTED. THE AFTERNOON KEWR HAZE POTENTIAL FORECAST IS GREEN...WHICH IMPLIES SLANT RANGE VISIBILITY 7SM OR GREATER OUTSIDE OF CLOUD. KTEB FCSTER COMMENTS: NO UNSCHEDULED AMENDMENTS EXPECTED. KHPN FCSTER COMMENTS: NO UNSCHEDULED AMENDMENTS EXPECTED. KISP FCSTER COMMENTS: NO UNSCHEDULED AMENDMENTS EXPECTED. .OUTLOOK FOR 12Z SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY... .SATURDAY...VFR. .SAT NIGHT...SLIGHT CHC MVFR CONDS IN -SHSN NORTH OF THE CITY. .SUNDAY THROUGH-TUESDAY...MAINLY VFR. && .MARINE... WINDS AND SEAS ON THE OCEAN WATERS HAVE DECREASED BELOW SCA CRITERIA AND HAVE CANCELLED THE ADVISORY AS A RESULT. LOCALIZED SEAS BETWEEN 4 AND 5 FEET MAY CONTINUE ACROSS SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE OCEAN WATERS THROUGH MID DAY. THE RUC HOLDS ON TO GUSTS A FEW HOURS LONGER...SO HAVE MAINTAINED THE ADVSY THROUGH 10 AM. SUB- ADVSY CONDS THEN PREVAIL THROUGH TONIGHT. THE PRES GRADIENT WILL BEGIN TO TIGHTEN ON SAT WITH MARGINAL SCA GUSTS POSSIBLE ON THE OCEAN DURING THE AFTN. LIGHT FREEZING SPRAY WILL CONTINUE THIS MORNING ON THE OCEAN WATERS AS WELL...BUT WILL CEASE DURING THE AFTN AS WINDS AND SEAS DIMINISH. A PROLONGED PERIOD OF WESTERLY FLOW AT 10-15 KT WILL RESULT IN SUB-ADVSY CONDS SUN-TUE. && .HYDROLOGY... NO SIGNIFICANT PCPN IS EXPECTED THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. HOWEVER...TEMPS FORECAST TO WARM INTO THE 40S MAY RESULT IN THE START OF ICE BREAK UP ON AREA RIVERS AND STREAMS. && .CLIMATE... RECORD LOW INFORMATION FOR THIS MORNING FOLLOWS. STATION LOW TEMP OLD RECORD EWR 12 12/2007 (TIED) BDR 9 11/2007 (BROKEN) NYC 12 6/1872 (NO RECORD) LGA 15 14/2007 (NO RECORD) JFK 13 13/2007 (TIED) ISP 12 12/2007 (TIED) && .EQUIPMENT... NOAA WEATHER RADIO WEEKLY TEST WILL OCCUR TODAY BETWEEN 11 AM AND NOON. IT HAD BEEN DELAYED DUE TO HAZARDOUS WEATHER BOTH WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. && .OKX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CT...NONE. NY...NONE. NJ...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...GS NEAR TERM...GS SHORT TERM... LONG TERM... AVIATION...BC MARINE...GS HYDROLOGY...GS CLIMATE...GS EQUIPMENT...
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...CORRECTED
NWS NEW YORK NY
642 AM EST FRI MAR 6 2015 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE EXTENDING FROM THE OHIO VALLEY INTO THE SOUTHERN PLAINS WILL BUILD OVER THE SOUTHEAST STATES THROUGH SATURDAY AS A CLIPPER SYSTEM TRACKS FROM SOUTH CENTRAL CANADA INTO THE GREAT LAKES REGION. A COLD FRONT PASSES THROUGH THE AREA SATURDAY NIGHT FOLLOWED BY HIGH PRESSURE THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. A WEAK SOUTHERN BRANCH LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL THEN PASS SOUTH AND EAST OF THE AREA TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING. HIGH PRESSURE RETURNS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... FORECAST IS ON TRACK. HIGH PRES EXTENDING FROM THE OHIO VALLEY THROUGH THE SOUTHERN PLAINS AND NOSING INTO THE NORTHEAST WILL PROVIDE DRY AND SUNNY...BUT COLD CONDITIONS TODAY. NW FLOW WILL BECOME SW THIS AFTN WITH H85 TEMPS BETWEEN -10C AND -15C. HIGHS WILL BE 20 AND 25 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL...LOWER TO MID 20S. NO RECORD LOWS HAVE BEEN BROKEN AS OF 5 AM...HOWEVER THE POSSIBILITY REMAINS. SEE CLIMATE SECTION BELOW FOR CURRENT RECORD LOWS FOR TODAY. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH 6 PM SATURDAY/... A MEAN TROUGH WILL REMAIN ACROSS THE NE QUARTER OF THE CONUS THROUGH SAT...ALTHOUGH THE FLOW ALOFT WILL FLATTEN. A SHORTWAVE PASSES THROUGH TONIGHT...ALTHOUGH STRONG SUBSIDENCE WILL RESULT IN LIMITED MOISTURE AND KEEP CONDS DRY. MAINLY HIGH CLOUDS ARE EXPECTED WITH ITS PASSAGE. ANOTHER CHILLY NIGHT TONIGHT WITH LIGHT WINDS AND MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES. THESE CONDS WITH A FRESH SNOWPACK ON THE GROUND WILL RESULT IN AN OPTIMAL RADIATIONAL COOLING NIGHT. LOWS WILL AGAIN BE 20-25 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL...IN THE LOWER TEENS AT THE COAST AND SINGLE DIGITS INLAND. THE HIGH WILL SETTLE OVER THE SOUTHEAST STATES ON SAT AS A CLIPPER SYSTEM TRACKS THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES REGION. HAVE MAINTAINED SCHC POPS FOR ORANGE COUNTY AS PCPN ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SYSTEM MOVES TOWARDS THE AREA...ALTHOUGH ANY PCPN MAY NOT MAKE IT IN UNTIL AFT 00Z SUN. WAA UNDER A CONTINUING SW FLOW WILL RESULT IN HIGHS STILL BELOW NORMAL...ALTHOUGH MANY LOCATIONS SHOULD REACH THE FREEZING MARK. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... A GRADUAL MODERATING TREND IS ON TAP THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK AS A BROAD UPPER TROUGH RESIDES ACROSS EASTERN CANADA...THE GREAT LAKES...AND NORTHEAST STATES. THIS WILL RESULT IN A SERIES OF WEAK IMPULSES PASSING TO THE NORTH...THE STRONGEST OF WHICH WILL SEND A COLD FRONT THROUGH THE AREA SAT NIGHT. A LARGE AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL RESIDE FROM THE CENTRAL PLAINS EAST TO THE MID ATLANTIC COAST. THIS WILL KEEP THE REGION UNDER A PROLONGED PERIOD OF WESTERLY FLOW WITH PAC ORIGINS. IN ADDITION...A CONFLUENT FLOW BETWEEN THE SOUTHERN AND NORTHERN BRANCHES OF THE POLAR JET WILL INITIALLY RESIDE ACROSS THE TN VALLEY AND CAROLINAS...BUT THEN GRADUALLY LIFTS NORTHWARD THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR WARMER HEIGHTS ALOFT AND TEMPS INCREASING TO ABOVE NORMAL LEVELS BY WED AND THU. ADDITIONALLY...THIS WILL ALLOW A WEAK SOUTHERN BRANCH STORM TO PASS OFF THE MID ATLANTIC COAST TUE NIGHT. THE FORECAST AREA AT THIS TIME LOOKS TO BE FAR ENOUGH NORTH TO BE SPARED PCPN. SUBSEQUENT MODELS TRENDS THOUGH WILL HAVE TO BE WATCHED. VERTICAL TEMP PROFILES WOULD SUPPORT RAIN AT THIS TIME. && .AVIATION /11Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE AXIS WILL PASS THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON. VFR. N WINDS 10 KT OR LESS BCMG VAR THIS AFTN...THEN LIGHT WSW LATE DAY/EARLY EVE. ...NY METRO ENHANCED AVIATION WEATHER SUPPORT... DETAILED INFORMATION...INCLUDING HOURLY TAF WIND COMPONENT FCSTS CAN BE FOUND AT: HTTP://WWW.ERH.NOAA.GOV/ZNY/N90 (LOWER CASE) KJFK FCSTER COMMENTS: NO UNSCHEDULED AMENDMENTS EXPECTED. KLGA FCSTER COMMENTS: NO UNSCHEDULED AMENDMENTS EXPECTED. KEWR FCSTER COMMENTS: NO UNSCHEDULED AMENDMENTS EXPECTED. THE AFTERNOON KEWR HAZE POTENTIAL FORECAST IS GREEN...WHICH IMPLIES SLANT RANGE VISIBILITY 7SM OR GREATER OUTSIDE OF CLOUD. KTEB FCSTER COMMENTS: NO UNSCHEDULED AMENDMENTS EXPECTED. KHPN FCSTER COMMENTS: NO UNSCHEDULED AMENDMENTS EXPECTED. KISP FCSTER COMMENTS: NO UNSCHEDULED AMENDMENTS EXPECTED. .OUTLOOK FOR 12Z SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY... .SATURDAY...VFR. .SAT NIGHT...SLIGHT CHC MVFR CONDS IN -SHSN NORTH OF THE CITY. .SUNDAY THROUGH-TUESDAY...MAINLY VFR. && .MARINE... WINDS AND SEAS ON THE OCEAN WATERS STILL REACHING SCA LEVELS EARLY THIS MORNING...HOWEVER GUIDANCE IN INDICATING SUB-ADVSY CONDS AROUND 12Z. THE RUC HOLDS ON TO GUSTS A FEW HOURS LONGER...SO HAVE MAINTAINED THE ADVSY THROUGH 10 AM. SUB-ADVSY CONDS THEN PREVAIL THROUGH TONIGHT. THE PRES GRADIENT WILL BEGIN TO TIGHTEN ON SAT WITH MARGINAL SCA GUSTS POSSIBLE ON THE OCEAN DURING THE AFTN. LIGHT FREEZING SPRAY WILL CONTINUE THIS MORNING ON THE OCEAN WATERS AS WELL...BUT WILL CEASE DURING THE AFTN AS WINDS AND SEAS DIMINISH. A PROLONGED PERIOD OF WESTERLY FLOW AT 10-15 KT WILL RESULT IN SUB-ADVSY CONDS SUN-TUE. && .HYDROLOGY... NO SIGNIFICANT PCPN IS EXPECTED THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. HOWEVER...TEMPS FORECAST TO WARM INTO THE 40S MAY RESULT IN THE START OF ICE BREAK UP ON AREA RIVERS AND STREAMS. && .CLIMATE... RECORD LOWS FOR TODAY MARCH 6 EWR......12/2007 BDR......11/2007 NYC.......6/1872 LGA......14/2007 JFK......13/2007 ISP......12/2007 && .EQUIPMENT... NOAA WEATHER RADIO WEEKLY TEST WILL BE DELAYED UNTIL FRIDAY BETWEEN 11 AM AND NOON DUE TO ON GOING HAZARDOUS WEATHER. && .OKX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CT...NONE. NY...NONE. NJ...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM EST THIS MORNING FOR ANZ350- 353-355. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS NEW YORK NY
640 AM EST FRI MAR 6 2015 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE EXTENDING FROM THE OHIO VALLEY INTO THE SOUTHERN PLAINS WILL BUILD OVER THE SOUTHEAST STATES THROUGH SATURDAY AS A CLIPPER SYSTEM TRACKS FROM SOUTH CENTRAL CANADA INTO THE GREAT LAKES REGION. A COLD FRONT PASSES THROUGH THE AREA SATURDAY NIGHT FOLLOWED BY HIGH PRESSURE THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. A WEAK SOUTHERN BRANCH LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL THEN PASS SOUTH AND EAST OF THE AREA TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING. HIGH PRESSURE RETURNS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... FORECAST IS ON TRACK. HIGH PRES EXTENDING FROM THE OHIO VALLEY THROUGH THE SOUTHERN PLAINS AND NOSING INTO THE NORTHEAST WILL PROVIDE DRY AND SUNNY...BUT COLD CONDITIONS TODAY. NW FLOW WILL BECOME SW THIS AFTN WITH H85 TEMPS BETWEEN -10C AND -15C. HIGHS WILL BE 20 AND 25 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL...LOWER TO MID 20S. NO RECORD LOWS HAVE BEEN BROKEN AS OF 5 AM...HOWEVER THE POSSIBILITY REMAINS. SEE CLIMATE SECTION BELOW FOR CURRENT RECORD LOWS FOR TODAY. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH 6 PM SATURDAY/... A MEAN TROUGH WILL REMAIN ACROSS THE NE QUARTER OF THE CONUS THROUGH SAT...ALTHOUGH THE FLOW ALOFT WILL FLATTEN. A SHORTWAVE PASSES THROUGH TONIGHT...ALTHOUGH STRONG SUBSIDENCE WILL RESULT IN LIMITED MOISTURE AND KEEP CONDS DRY. MAINLY HIGH CLOUDS ARE EXPECTED WITH ITS PASSAGE. ANOTHER CHILLY NIGHT TONIGHT WITH LIGHT WINDS AND MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES. THESE CONDS WITH A FRESH SNOWPACK ON THE GROUND WILL RESULT IN AN OPTIMAL RADIATIONAL COOLING NIGHT. LOWS WILL AGAIN BE 20-25 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL...IN THE LOWER TEENS AT THE COAST AND SINGLE DIGITS INLAND. THE HIGH WILL SETTLE OVER THE SOUTHEAST STATES ON SAT AS A CLIPPER SYSTEM TRACKS THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES REGION. HAVE MAINTAINED SCHC POPS FOR ORANGE COUNTY AS PCPN ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SYSTEM MOVES TOWARDS THE AREA...ALTHOUGH ANY PCPN MAY NOT MAKE IT IN UNTIL AFT 00Z SUN. WAA UNDER A CONTINUING SW FLOW WILL RESULT IN HIGHS STILL BELOW NORMAL...ALTHOUGH MANY LOCATIONS SHOULD REACH THE FREEZING MARK. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... A GRADUAL MODERATING TREND IS ON TAP THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK AS A BROAD UPPER TROUGH RESIDES ACROSS EASTERN CANADA...THE GREAT LAKES...AND NORTHEAST STATES. THIS WILL RESULT IN A SERIES OF WEAK IMPULSES PASSING TO THE NORTH...THE STRONGEST OF WHICH WILL SEND A COLD FRONT THROUGH THE AREA SAT NIGHT. A LARGE AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL RESIDE FROM THE CENTRAL PLAINS EAST TO THE MID ATLANTIC COAST. THIS WILL KEEP THE REGION UNDER A PROLONGED PERIOD OF WESTERLY FLOW WITH PAC ORIGINS. IN ADDITION...A CONFLUENT FLOW BETWEEN THE SOUTHERN AND NORTHERN BRANCHES OF THE POLAR JET WILL INITIALLY RESIDE ACROSS THE TN VALLEY AND CAROLINAS...BUT THEN GRADUALLY LIFTS NORTHWARD THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR WARMER HEIGHTS ALOFT AND TEMPS INCREASING TO ABOVE NORMAL LEVELS BY WED AND THU. ADDITIONALLY...THIS WILL ALLOW A WEAK SOUTHERN BRANCH STORM TO PASS OFF THE MID ATLANTIC COAST TUE NIGHT. THE FORECAST AREA AT THIS TIME LOOKS TO BE FAR ENOUGH NORTH TO BE SPARED PCPN. SUBSEQUENT MODELS TRENDS THOUGH WILL HAVE TO BE WATCHED. VERTICAL TEMP PROFILES WOULD SUPPORT RAIN AT THIS TIME. && .AVIATION /11Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE AXIS WILL PASS THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON. VFR. NNW WINDS BCMG VAR THIS AFTN...THEN LIGHT WSW LATE DAY/EARLY EVE. NY METRO ENHANCED AVIATION WEATHER SUPPORT... DETAILED INFORMATION...INCLUDING HOURLY TAF WIND COMPONENT FCSTS CAN BE FOUND AT: HTTP:/WWW.ERH.NOAA.GOV/ZNY/N90 (LOWER CASE) KJFK FCSTER COMMENTS: NO UNSCHEDULED AMENDMENTS EXPECTED. KLGA FCSTER COMMENTS: NO UNSCHEDULED AMENDMENTS EXPECTED. KEWR FCSTER COMMENTS: NO UNSCHEDULED AMENDMENTS EXPECTED. THE AFTERNOON KEWR HAZE POTENTIAL FORECAST IS GREEN...WHICH IMPLIES SLANT RANGE VISIBILITY 7SM OR GREATER OUTSIDE OF CLOUD. KTEB FCSTER COMMENTS: NO UNSCHEDULED AMENDMENTS EXPECTED. KHPN FCSTER COMMENTS: NO UNSCHEDULED AMENDMENTS EXPECTED. KISP FCSTER COMMENTS: NO UNSCHEDULED AMENDMENTS EXPECTED. .OUTLOOK FOR 06Z SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY... .FRIDAY NIGHT-TUESDAY...MAINLY VFR. && .MARINE... WINDS AND SEAS ON THE OCEAN WATERS STILL REACHING SCA LEVELS EARLY THIS MORNING...HOWEVER GUIDANCE IN INDICATING SUB-ADVSY CONDS AROUND 12Z. THE RUC HOLDS ON TO GUSTS A FEW HOURS LONGER...SO HAVE MAINTAINED THE ADVSY THROUGH 10 AM. SUB-ADVSY CONDS THEN PREVAIL THROUGH TONIGHT. THE PRES GRADIENT WILL BEGIN TO TIGHTEN ON SAT WITH MARGINAL SCA GUSTS POSSIBLE ON THE OCEAN DURING THE AFTN. LIGHT FREEZING SPRAY WILL CONTINUE THIS MORNING ON THE OCEAN WATERS AS WELL...BUT WILL CEASE DURING THE AFTN AS WINDS AND SEAS DIMINISH. A PROLONGED PERIOD OF WESTERLY FLOW AT 10-15 KT WILL RESULT IN SUB-ADVSY CONDS SUN-TUE. && .HYDROLOGY... NO SIGNIFICANT PCPN IS EXPECTED THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. HOWEVER...TEMPS FORECAST TO WARM INTO THE 40S MAY RESULT IN THE START OF ICE BREAK UP ON AREA RIVERS AND STREAMS. && .CLIMATE... RECORD LOWS FOR TODAY MARCH 6 EWR......12/2007 BDR......11/2007 NYC.......6/1872 LGA......14/2007 JFK......13/2007 ISP......12/2007 && .EQUIPMENT... NOAA WEATHER RADIO WEEKLY TEST WILL BE DELAYED UNTIL FRIDAY BETWEEN 11 AM AND NOON DUE TO ON GOING HAZARDOUS WEATHER. && .OKX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CT...NONE. NY...NONE. NJ...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM EST THIS MORNING FOR ANZ350- 353-355. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS TAUNTON MA
629 AM EST FRI MAR 6 2015 .SYNOPSIS... ARCTIC HIGH PRES WILL BUILD TO THE MID ATLANTIC COAST TODAY BEFORE HEADING OFFSHORE THIS WEEKEND ALLOWING TEMPERATURES TO MODERATE. TWO WEAK FRONTS MAY BRING A PERIOD OF SNOW SHOWERS OR FLURRIES... FIRST SAT NIGHT INTO SUN AND AGAIN MONDAY. NEXT WEEK MAINLY DRY WEATHER PREVAILS ALONG WITH TEMPS WARMING TO NEAR NORMAL...BUT TURNING COLDER TOWARD THE END OF THE WEEK.. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... 630 AM UPDATE... SKIES ARE CLEAR ACROSS SNE EXCEPT FOR SOME OCEAN EFFECT CLOUDS ACROSS CAPE COD. EXPECT OCCASIONAL CLOUDS INTO EARLY AFTERNOON ACROSS THE CAPE AND ACK. RAP HAS AN EXCELLENT HANDLE ON THESE CLOUDS AND PUSHES THEM OUT TO SEA LATER THIS AFTERNOON AS LOW LEVEL FLOW BECOMES MORE SW. OTHERWISE PLENTY OF SUNSHINE EXPECTED TODAY. AFTER A VERY COLD START HIGHS WILL TOP OUT IN LOW TO MID 20S THIS AFTERNOON WHICH IS IN LINE WITH MODEL CONSENSUS. THESE HIGHS ARE ABOUT 20 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL FOR EARLY MARCH. WE ALSO CHECKED RECORD COLD HIGHS FOR TODAY WHICH LOOK TO BE OUT OF REACH...ESPECIALLY BOSTON! BOSTON...9 IN 1872 /LOW THAT DAY WAS -8/ PROVIDENCE...22 IN 2007 HARTFORD...19 IN 2007 WORCESTER...16 IN 2007 && .SHORT TERM /SATURDAY/... ANOTHER VERY COLD NIGHT IN STORE TONIGHT AS HIGH PRESSURE REMAINS CENTERED OVER THE MID ATLANTIC. LIGHT WINDS...CLEAR SKIES AND DEEP SNOWPACK SHOULD SEND TEMPERATURES WELL DOWN INTO SINGLE NUMBERS AND TEENS. IT PROBABLY WON/T BE AS COLD AS IT IS THIS MORNING DUE TO SLIGHTLY HIGHER DEWPOINTS. SHOULD SEE INCREASING MID/HIGH CLOUDS SAT AS WARM ADVECTION GETS UNDERWAY BETWEEN HIGH PRESSURE MOVING OFFSHORE AND NEXT SYSTEM APPROACHING FROM GREAT LAKES. COULD BE SOME FLURRIES LATER IN DAY ACROSS WESTERN NEW ENGLAND BUT FOR NOW KEPT FORECAST DRY. INCREASING SW FLOW WILL HELP TEMPERATURES RISE INTO 30S. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... HIGHLIGHTS... * TEMPERATURES...MODERATING TO NEAR NORMAL NEXT WEEK BUT COLDER TOWARD THE END OF THE WEEK * PRECIPITATION...RELATIVELY DRY WITH ANY PRECIP EVENTS VERY MINOR OVERVIEW... MODELS IN GOOD AGREEMENT ON THE OVERALL PATTERN DURING THE EXTENDED PERIOD. EASTERN PACIFIC RIDGE AND DOWNSTREAM LONGWAVE TROF WILL PREVAIL OVER THE GT LAKES AND NEW ENGLAND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK WITH A FEW WEAK SHORTWAVES ROTATING THROUGH THE FLOW. TOWARD MIDWEEK...THE FLOW DEAMPLIFIES ALLOWING PACIFIC MODIFIED AIR TO MOVE INTO NEW ENG WITH TEMPS TRENDING TOWARD SEASONABLE NORMALS. HOWEVER...MORE UPSTREAM SHORTWAVE ENERGY WILL REAMPLIFY THE NORTHERN STREAM WITH A RETURN TO COLDER TEMPS TOWARD THE END OF THE WEEK. SAT NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY... A SERIES OF WEAK SHORTWAVES ROTATING THROUGH THE FLOW WILL BRING A CHANCE OF A FEW SNOW SHOWERS OR FLURRIES SAT NIGHT INTO SUN AND AGAIN ON MONDAY...BUT MOST OF THE TIME WILL BE DRY. TEMPS MODERATING BUT REMAINING BELOW NORMAL. TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY... MODERATING TEMPS BUT EXTENT OF WARMING ON TUE WILL LIKELY BE LIMITED BY A POTENTIAL LOW LEVEL INVERSION. WILL ALSO HAVE TO WATCH OFFSHORE LOW PRES TUE AND NORTHERN SHIELD OF SHOWERS WHICH COULD COME CLOSE TO THE IMMEDIATE SOUTH COAST. LOW CONFIDENCE TEMP FORECAST ON WED AS GFS/UKMET ARE FASTER AND MORE AGGRESSIVE WITH COLD FROPA WITH COOLER TEMPS THAN ECMWF/GGEM WOULD SUGGEST. THURSDAY... COLDER WITH BELOW NORMAL TEMPS BEHIND FROPA WITH STRONG HIGH PRES BUILDING IN FROM THE NW. && .AVIATION /11Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... FORECASTER CONFIDENCE LEVELS... LOW...LESS THAN 30 PERCENT. MODERATE...30 TO 60 PERCENT. HIGH...GREATER THAN 60 PERCENT. HIGH CONFIDENCE THROUGH SAT. VFR. SHOULD SEE SCT-BKN020 NEAR OUTER CAPE THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON. INCREASING MID/HIGH CLOUDS SAT WITH CIGS AOA 080. KBOS TAF...HIGH CONFIDENCE. KBDL TAF...HIGH CONFIDENCE. OUTLOOK...SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY...MODERATE CONFIDENCE. MAINLY VFR. BRIEF MVFR CIGS/VSBYS POSSIBLE SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY AND AGAIN MONDAY IN WIDELY SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS. && .MARINE... FORECASTER CONFIDENCE LEVELS... LOW...LESS THAN 30 PERCENT. MODERATE...30 TO 60 PERCENT. HIGH...GREATER THAN 60 PERCENT. TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY...HIGH CONFIDENCE. SCA REMAINS POSTED FOR BLOCK ISLAND/RI SOUNDS EARLY THIS MORNING...AND FOR OUTER WATERS THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON DUE TO LINGERING 5 FT SEAS WHICH WILL GRADUALLY SUBSIDE. OTHERWISE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING TO MID ATLANTIC COAST WILL RESULT IN DIMINISHING N WINDS TODAY AND MORE OF W/SW WINDS TONIGHT AND SAT. WINDS APPROACH SCA LATER SAT AFTERNOON ON S COASTAL WATERS. OUTLOOK...SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY...MODERATE CONFIDENCE. SAT NIGHT...SCA WESTERLY WIND GUSTS TO 25-30 KT IN THE EVENING THEN DIMINISHING. SUN AND MON...MAINLY WEST WINDS WITH GUSTS TO 20 KT. LOW PROB FOR A FEW GUSTS NEAR 25 KT. TUE...SW WINDS BELOW SCA. && .BOX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CT...NONE. MA...NONE. RI...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR ANZ250- 254>256. && $$ SYNOPSIS...KJC/JWD NEAR TERM...KJC/JWD SHORT TERM...JWD LONG TERM...KJC AVIATION...KJC/JWD MARINE...KJC/JWD
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATE
NWS PEACHTREE CITY GA
1105 AM EST FRI MAR 6 2015 .LATE MORNING UPDATE... LATEST RADAR LOOP SHOWS A FEW NARROW BANDS OF MAINLY SNOW FLURRIES ALONG AND NORTH OF THE I-20 CORRIDOR WEST OF ATLANTA... AND ALONG AND WEST OF THE I-75 CORRIDOR NORTH OF ATLANTA. RADAR TRENDS SHOW THESE BANDS ARE QUICKLY ERODING... AND THIS TREND WILL CONTINUE OVER THE NEXT HOUR AS WARMER AIR SPREADS IN FROM THE EAST. SATELLITE LOOP SHOWS LARGE BREAKS DEVELOPING IN THE LOW CLOUDS WHICH SHOULD RESULT IN MOSTLY SUNNY CONDITIONS FOR THE AREA BY EARLY AFTERNOON. HAVE UPDATED ZONES TO SHOW AN END TO THE LIGHT SNOW THREAT AND SHOW MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES FOR THIS AFTERNOON. OTHERWISE... THE REST OF THE FORECAST LOOKS ON TRACK WITH INCREASING SUNSHINE HELPING TO PUSH HIGHS IN THE MID AND UPPER 40S NORTH... AND POSSIBLY LOWER 50S SOUTH. /39 .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 554 AM EST FRI MAR 6 2015/ UPDATE... GETTING SOME REPORTS OF LIGHT SNOW ACROSS NORTHERN GA. CANT FIND MANY RETURNS ON THE FFC RADAR...BUT THE COMPOSITE IMAGE IS LENDING A FEW CLUES WITH SOME RETURNS OVER FAR NE GA. IN ADDITION...THE 500MB RAP ANALYSIS IS SHOWING A SHEAR AXIS IN THE SAME VICINITY OF THE RETURNS. SUSPECT MID LEVEL ENERGY IS FORCING LIGHT PRECIP OUT OF ANY LINGERING LOW LEVEL MOISTURE. REPORTS FROM THE NORTH INDICATE THAT SNOW IS STICKING...BUT AMOUNTS ARE LOW...AND LIMITED TO A QUICK COATING. HRRR DOESN`T HAVE A GREAT HANDLE ON THE LIGHT SNOW...BUT IS PRODUCING SOME ISOLATED/SCATTERED SPECKLES IN THE REFLECTIVITY PROGS. ALSO...GETTING SOME SPOTTY REPORTS OF FREEZING DRIZZLE. WILL ISSUE AN SPS COVERING THE LIGHT SNOW AND ANY SLICK SPOTS ATTRIBUTED TO BLACK ICE. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 317 AM EST FRI MAR 6 2015/ SHORT TERM /TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... YESTERDAYS COLD FRONT IS CURRENTLY ACROSS CENTRAL FLORIDA. HIGH PRESSURE CENTERED ACROSS THE MID MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY WILL BUILD SOUTHWARD THROUGH SATURDAY. IR IMAGERY SHOWS COLD AIR STRATOCU ACROSS MUCH OF THE CWFA. THE EARLY MORNING SHOULD BE MOSTLY CLOUDY TO CLOUDY...WITH GRADUAL CLEARING DURING THE MID TO LATE MORNING. NW WINDS MAY TRY TO GO NE BRIEFLY TODAY...BUT SHOULD SWITCH BACK TO THE NW AFTER THE 500MB TROUGH MOVES THROUGH DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING. MAX AND MIN TEMPS FOR FRIDAY WILL BE AROUND 10 TO 15 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL. THE GOOD NEW IS THAT TEMPS WILL QUICKLY REBOUND TO NORMAL VALUES ON SATURDAY. NO PRECIP EXPECTED THROUGH THE SHORT TERM. NLISTEMAA LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... THE LONG TERM STARTS OFF DRY BUT CLOUDS AND RAIN RETURN FOR THE WORK WEEK. NEARLY ZONAL FLOW ALOFT AND WEAK HIGH PRESSURE DOMINATING AT THE SURFACE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE EXTENDED. BY THE END OF THE WEEKEND THOUGH...FLOW ALOFT BECOMES MORE SW AND RESULTS IN THE RETURN OF RAIN TO THE AREA SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY. THIS BETTER CHANCE OF RAIN REMAINS THROUGH MID WEEK. THE GFS SHOWS AROUND 100 J/KG OF MUCAPE TUESDAY AFTERNOON ACROSS THE SE PART OF THE CWA...BUT THIS IS VERY MINIMAL SO HAVE KEPT THE MENTION OF THUNDER OUT OF THE GRIDS. THE GFS AND ECMWF BEGIN TO DIVERGE BY MID TO LATE WEEK WITH THE GFS SHOWING A SLIGHT BREAK IN PRECIPITATION ON THURSDAY...WHILE THE ECMWF CONTINUES THE RAIN ACROSS THE CWA. HAVE LEANED TOWARDS THE GFS SOLUTION...WHICH IS SIMILAR TO THE PREVIOUS /12Z/ ECMWF RUN. LOW TEMPERATURES MODERATE IN THE EXTENDED AND BECOME MORE MILD THROUGH MIDWEEK. HAVE KEPT ALL LOW TEMPERATURES ABOVE FREEZING. 11 && .AVIATION... /ISSUED AT 627 AM EST FRI MAR 6 2015/ 12Z UPDATE... BAND OF LIGHT SNOW AND FREEZING DRIZZLE IMPACTING THE NORTHERN TERMINAL SITES THIS MORNING. LIGHT RETURNS SHOWING UP ON TATL A LITTLE BETTER THAN FFC. THE WINTRY PRECIP SHOULDN`T LAST LONG...AND TURN TO ALL RAIN AS IT MAKES IT SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 20. HI RES MODELS DON`T HAVE A GREAT HANDLE ON THIS. CIGS SHOULD REMAIN MVFR THROUGH LATE MORNING BEFORE CLEARING OCCURS. WINDS WILL FLIRT WITH TRUE NORTH FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS...AND THEN SHOULD SWITCH OVER TO 030-040 FOR A FEW HOURS DURING THE LATE MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON. 500MB TROUGH WILL MOVE THROUGH LATE THIS AFTERNOON...AND WINDS SHOULD SWITCH BACK AROUND TO THE NW FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE NIGHT. //ATL CONFIDENCE...12Z UPDATE... MEDIUM CONFIDENCE CIGS. HIGH CONFIDENCE REMAINING ELEMENTS. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... ATHENS 46 29 61 35 / 30 0 0 0 ATLANTA 47 31 59 37 / 30 0 0 0 BLAIRSVILLE 42 25 55 30 / 10 0 0 0 CARTERSVILLE 45 27 58 31 / 30 0 0 0 COLUMBUS 51 32 64 36 / 10 0 0 0 GAINESVILLE 45 30 58 37 / 30 0 0 0 MACON 49 30 62 34 / 10 0 0 0 ROME 45 26 58 29 / 20 0 0 0 PEACHTREE CITY 48 28 61 31 / 30 0 0 0 VIDALIA 49 34 62 40 / 10 0 0 0 && .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS PEACHTREE CITY GA
627 AM EST FRI MAR 6 2015 .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 554 AM EST FRI MAR 6 2015/ UPDATE... GETTING SOME REPORTS OF LIGHT SNOW ACROSS NORTHERN GA. CANT FIND MANY RETURNS ON THE FFC RADAR...BUT THE COMPOSITE IMAGE IS LENDING A FEW CLUES WITH SOME RETURNS OVER FAR NE GA. IN ADDITION...THE 500MB RAP ANALYSIS IS SHOWING A SHEAR AXIS IN THE SAME VICINITY OF THE RETURNS. SUSPECT MID LEVEL ENERGY IS FORCING LIGHT PRECIP OUT OF ANY LINGERING LOW LEVEL MOISTURE. REPORTS FROM THE NORTH INDICATE THAT SNOW IS STICKING...BUT AMOUNTS ARE LOW...AND LIMITED TO A QUICK COATING. HRRR DOESN`T HAVE A GREAT HANDLE ON THE LIGHT SNOW...BUT IS PRODUCING SOME ISOLATED/SCATTERED SPECKLES IN THE REFLECTIVITY PROGS. ALSO...GETTING SOME SPOTTY REPORTS OF FREEZING DRIZZLE. WILL ISSUE AN SPS COVERING THE LIGHT SNOW AND ANY SLICK SPOTS ATTRIBUTED TO BLACK ICE. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 317 AM EST FRI MAR 6 2015/ SHORT TERM /TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... YESTERDAYS COLD FRONT IS CURRENTLY ACROSS CENTRAL FLORIDA. HIGH PRESSURE CENTERED ACROSS THE MID MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY WILL BUILD SOUTHWARD THROUGH SATURDAY. IR IMAGERY SHOWS COLD AIR STRATOCU ACROSS MUCH OF THE CWFA. THE EARLY MORNING SHOULD BE MOSTLY CLOUDY TO CLOUDY...WITH GRADUAL CLEARING DURING THE MID TO LATE MORNING. NW WINDS MAY TRY TO GO NE BRIEFLY TODAY...BUT SHOULD SWITCH BACK TO THE NW AFTER THE 500MB TROUGH MOVES THROUGH DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING. MAX AND MIN TEMPS FOR FRIDAY WILL BE AROUND 10 TO 15 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL. THE GOOD NEW IS THAT TEMPS WILL QUICKLY REBOUND TO NORMAL VALUES ON SATURDAY. NO PRECIP EXPECTED THROUGH THE SHORT TERM. NLISTEMAA LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... THE LONG TERM STARTS OFF DRY BUT CLOUDS AND RAIN RETURN FOR THE WORK WEEK. NEARLY ZONAL FLOW ALOFT AND WEAK HIGH PRESSURE DOMINATING AT THE SURFACE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE EXTENDED. BY THE END OF THE WEEKEND THOUGH...FLOW ALOFT BECOMES MORE SW AND RESULTS IN THE RETURN OF RAIN TO THE AREA SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY. THIS BETTER CHANCE OF RAIN REMAINS THROUGH MID WEEK. THE GFS SHOWS AROUND 100 J/KG OF MUCAPE TUESDAY AFTERNOON ACROSS THE SE PART OF THE CWA...BUT THIS IS VERY MINIMAL SO HAVE KEPT THE MENTION OF THUNDER OUT OF THE GRIDS. THE GFS AND ECMWF BEGIN TO DIVERGE BY MID TO LATE WEEK WITH THE GFS SHOWING A SLIGHT BREAK IN PRECIPITATION ON THURSDAY...WHILE THE ECMWF CONTINUES THE RAIN ACROSS THE CWA. HAVE LEANED TOWARDS THE GFS SOLUTION...WHICH IS SIMILAR TO THE PREVIOUS /12Z/ ECMWF RUN. LOW TEMPERATURES MODERATE IN THE EXTENDED AND BECOME MORE MILD THROUGH MIDWEEK. HAVE KEPT ALL LOW TEMPERATURES ABOVE FREEZING. 11 && .AVIATION... 12Z UPDATE... BAND OF LIGHT SNOW AND FREEZING DRIZZLE IMPACTING THE NORTHERN TERMINAL SITES THIS MORNING. LIGHT RETURNS SHOWING UP ON TATL A LITTLE BETTER THAN FFC. THE WINTRY PRECIP SHOULDN`T LAST LONG...AND TURN TO ALL RAIN AS IT MAKES IT SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 20. HI RES MODELS DON`T HAVE A GREAT HANDLE ON THIS. CIGS SHOULD REMAIN MVFR THROUGH LATE MORNING BEFORE CLEARING OCCURS. WINDS WILL FLIRT WITH TRUE NORTH FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS...AND THEN SHOULD SWITCH OVER TO 030-040 FOR A FEW HOURS DURING THE LATE MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON. 500MB TROUGH WILL MOVE THROUGH LATE THIS AFTERNOON...AND WINDS SHOULD SWITCH BACK AROUND TO THE NW FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE NIGHT. //ATL CONFIDENCE...12Z UPDATE... MEDIUM CONFIDENCE CIGS. HIGH CONFIDENCE REMAINING ELEMENTS. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... ATHENS 46 29 61 35 / 30 0 0 0 ATLANTA 47 31 59 37 / 30 0 0 0 BLAIRSVILLE 42 25 55 30 / 10 0 0 0 CARTERSVILLE 45 27 58 31 / 30 0 0 0 COLUMBUS 51 32 64 36 / 10 0 0 0 GAINESVILLE 45 30 58 37 / 30 0 0 0 MACON 49 30 62 34 / 10 0 0 0 ROME 45 26 58 29 / 20 0 0 0 PEACHTREE CITY 48 28 61 31 / 30 0 0 0 VIDALIA 49 34 62 40 / 10 0 0 0 && .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS PEACHTREE CITY GA
554 AM EST FRI MAR 6 2015 .UPDATE... GETTING SOME REPORTS OF LIGHT SNOW ACROSS NORTHERN GA. CANT FIND MANY RETURNS ON THE FFC RADAR...BUT THE COMPOSITE IMAGE IS LENDING A FEW CLUES WITH SOME RETURNS OVER FAR NE GA. IN ADDITION...THE 500MB RAP ANALYSIS IS SHOWING A SHEAR AXIS IN THE SAME VICINITY OF THE RETURNS. SUSPECT MID LEVEL ENERGY IS FORCING LIGHT PRECIP OUT OF ANY LINGERING LOW LEVEL MOISTURE. REPORTS FROM THE NORTH INDICATE THAT SNOW IS STICKING...BUT AMOUNTS ARE LOW...AND LIMITED TO A QUICK COATING. HRRR DOESN`T HAVE A GREAT HANDLE ON THE LIGHT SNOW...BUT IS PRODUCING SOME ISOLATED/SCATTERED SPECKLES IN THE REFLECTIVITY PROGS. ALSO...GETTING SOME SPOTTY REPORTS OF FREEZING DRIZZLE. WILL ISSUE AN SPS COVERING THE LIGHT SNOW AND ANY SLICK SPOTS ATTRIBUTED TO BLACK ICE. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 317 AM EST FRI MAR 6 2015/ SHORT TERM /TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... YESTERDAYS COLD FRONT IS CURRENTLY ACROSS CENTRAL FLORIDA. HIGH PRESSURE CENTERED ACROSS THE MID MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY WILL BUILD SOUTHWARD THROUGH SATURDAY. IR IMAGERY SHOWS COLD AIR STRATOCU ACROSS MUCH OF THE CWFA. THE EARLY MORNING SHOULD BE MOSTLY CLOUDY TO CLOUDY...WITH GRADUAL CLEARING DURING THE MID TO LATE MORNING. NW WINDS MAY TRY TO GO NE BRIEFLY TODAY...BUT SHOULD SWITCH BACK TO THE NW AFTER THE 500MB TROUGH MOVES THROUGH DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING. MAX AND MIN TEMPS FOR FRIDAY WILL BE AROUND 10 TO 15 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL. THE GOOD NEW IS THAT TEMPS WILL QUICKLY REBOUND TO NORMAL VALUES ON SATURDAY. NO PRECIP EXPECTED THROUGH THE SHORT TERM. NLISTEMAA LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... THE LONG TERM STARTS OFF DRY BUT CLOUDS AND RAIN RETURN FOR THE WORK WEEK. NEARLY ZONAL FLOW ALOFT AND WEAK HIGH PRESSURE DOMINATING AT THE SURFACE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE EXTENDED. BY THE END OF THE WEEKEND THOUGH...FLOW ALOFT BECOMES MORE SW AND RESULTS IN THE RETURN OF RAIN TO THE AREA SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY. THIS BETTER CHANCE OF RAIN REMAINS THROUGH MID WEEK. THE GFS SHOWS AROUND 100 J/KG OF MUCAPE TUESDAY AFTERNOON ACROSS THE SE PART OF THE CWA...BUT THIS IS VERY MINIMAL SO HAVE KEPT THE MENTION OF THUNDER OUT OF THE GRIDS. THE GFS AND ECMWF BEGIN TO DIVERGE BY MID TO LATE WEEK WITH THE GFS SHOWING A SLIGHT BREAK IN PRECIPITATION ON THURSDAY...WHILE THE ECMWF CONTINUES THE RAIN ACROSS THE CWA. HAVE LEANED TOWARDS THE GFS SOLUTION...WHICH IS SIMILAR TO THE PREVIOUS /12Z/ ECMWF RUN. LOW TEMPERATURES MODERATE IN THE EXTENDED AND BECOME MORE MILD THROUGH MIDWEEK. HAVE KEPT ALL LOW TEMPERATURES ABOVE FREEZING. 11 AVIATION... 06Z UPDATE... COLD FRONT HAS MOVED WELL TO THE SOUTH OF THE TERMINALS EARLY THIS MORNING. A BAND OF COLD AIR STRATOCU IS PUSHING SOUTHWARD AND SHOULD BEGIN AFFECTING THE NORTHERN TERMINAL SITES SHORTLY. MVFR CIGS SHOULD LAST THROUGH MID MORNING BEFORE CLEARING OUT. GUSTY WINDS SHOULD BEGIN TO DIMINISH OVERNIGHT. WINDS WILL RANGE FROM 330-010 THROUGH THE PERIOD. //ATL CONFIDENCE...06Z UPDATE... MEDIUM CONFIDENCE CIGS. OTHERWISE...HIGH CONFIDENCE REMAINING ELEMENTS. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... ATHENS 46 29 61 35 / 30 0 0 0 ATLANTA 47 31 59 37 / 30 0 0 0 BLAIRSVILLE 42 25 55 30 / 10 0 0 0 CARTERSVILLE 45 27 58 31 / 30 0 0 0 COLUMBUS 51 32 64 36 / 10 0 0 0 GAINESVILLE 45 30 58 37 / 30 0 0 0 MACON 49 30 62 34 / 10 0 0 0 ROME 45 26 58 29 / 20 0 0 0 PEACHTREE CITY 48 28 61 31 / 30 0 0 0 VIDALIA 49 34 62 40 / 10 0 0 0 && .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ NLISTEMAA
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS NORTH PLATTE NE
902 AM CST FRI MAR 6 2015 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 901 AM CST FRI MAR 6 2015 UPDATE TO THE FORECAST TO ADDRESS THE POTENTIAL OF LOCALIZED RFW CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON. THE PREVIOUS FORECAST HAS A GOOD HANDLE ON THE CURRENT SITUATION...WHICH INDICATES NEAR CRITICAL CONDITIONS FOR A HOUR OR TWO ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE SANDHILLS AND FIRE ZONE 209. AFTER A SUBJECTIVE ANALYSIS OF THE CURRENT AND FORECAST CONDITIONS...FORECAST TD/S WERE LOWER SLIGHTLY...IN LINE WITH WHAT THE CURRENT HRRR OUTPUT IS SUGGESTING. THUS LOCALIZED AREAS OF 15-20% RH ARE LIKELY THIS AFTERNOON. WIND SPEEDS ARE STILL IN QUESTION HOWEVER AND WHEN USING A HYBRID BLEND OF THE HRRR 80M WIND GUST WITH THE PREVIOUS FORECAST...THE MOST LIKELY LOCATION WHERE FREQUENT WIND GUSTS WOULD EXCEED 25 MPH IS EXPECTED TO BE ACROSS OUR NORTHWESTERN ZONES THIS AFTERNOON...WHERE MINIMUM RH IS FORECAST TO BE ABOVE CRITICAL THRESHOLDS. SO ALL IN ALL...TODAY WE/RE ANTICIPATING NEAR CRITICAL CONDITIONS...BUT A RFW IS NOT EXPECTED. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR. && .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 321 AM CST FRI MAR 6 2015 A THERMAL RIDGE WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE OFF THE NRN/CNTL ROCKIES AND INTO WRN AND NCNTL NEB TODAY. THE RAP SUGGESTED HIGHS IN THE UPPER 50S TO LOWER 60S AND THE FORECAST IS SLIGHTLY COOLER THAN THIS MODEL. SCATTERED MID LEVEL CLOUDS ACROSS THE NRN ROCKIES SHOULD SPREAD ACROSS THE FCST AREAS...MAINLY AFFECTING NRN NEB. NORTHWEST WINDS FROM THE SFC TO 700 MB AND NEARLY FULL SUN WOULD SUPPORT MIXING TO 700 MB AS WAS THE CASE THURSDAY. A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL BE DROPPING THROUGH ERN SD LATE TONIGHT. THE MODELS SHOW AN INCREASE IN WIND SPEED AHEAD OF THIS FRONT AND THE COMBINATION OF THE APPROACHING COLD FRONT AND INCREASING WINDS SHOULD KEEP LOWS IN THE 20S TO AROUND 30. THE THERMAL RIDGE WILL REMAIN IN PLACE AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT. .LONG TERM...(SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY) ISSUED AT 321 AM CST FRI MAR 6 2015 RIDGE ACROSS THE WEST...WITH THE RIDGE AXIS SATURDAY JUST OFF THE COAST OF THE WEST COAST. NORTHWEST FLOW ACROSS THE AREA WITH A WEAK COLD FRONT TRACKING ACROSS THE NORTHERN ROCKIES DURING THE AFTERNOON . HEIGHTS AHEAD OF THE SYSTEM VERY SIMILAR TO TODAY...AND EXPECT A VERY SIMILAR CONDITIONS...HIGHS IN THE 50S TO LOWER 60S. DO EXPECT THE NW TO BE SLIGHTLY WARMER AS MOST AREAS BECOME SNOW FREE. SATURDAY NIGHT THE WEAK PACIFIC COLD FRONT WILL PUSH ACROSS THE AREA. MOISTURE IS VERY LIMITED AND ONLY EXPECT AN INCREASE OF MID/HIGH CLOUDS. TEMPS ALOFT FALL OFF A FEW DEGREES BRIEFLY...THEN REBOUND QUICKLY BY SUNDAY AFTERNOON. AT THIS TIME EXPECT TEMPS TO FALL A FEW DEGREES FROM SAT HIGHS...ALTHOUGH THE REBOUNDING OF TEMPS MAY BE FAST ENOUGH TO RETURN TEMPS TO MATCH SATURDAY HIGHS. WILL REMAIN CONSERVATIVE WHICH IS AT THE COOLER SIDE OF GUIDANCE...AND A TREND UPWARD IS POSSIBLE. EARLY NEXT WEEK THE WESTERN RIDGE AXIS MOVES ON SHORE WITH HEIGHTS ON THE RISE OVER THE PLAINS. ACTIVE NORTHERN STREAM GETS PUSH NORTH INTO CANADA AND THE GREAT LAKES. MODELS IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH WARM AIR ADVECTION PUSHING 850 MB TEMPS INTO THE TEENS C FOR MIDWEEK. MOS GUIDANCE HAS HIGHS IN THE 60S TO NEAR 70 AND LITTLE MOISTURE IN THE COLUMN. WITH THE SUNNY SKIES...SHOULD BE ABLE TO MATCH THE GUIDANCE. LATELY WHEN WE HAVE SEEN THESE WARM UPS...GUIDANCE UNDERESTIMATES THE HIGHS BY A COUPLE OF DEGREES. THUS FORECAST WAS TRENDED TO OR SLIGHTLY WARMER THAN THE WARMEST GUIDANCE. THERE IS A CHANCE FOR MUCH OF THE WEEK FOR FAVORED WARM AREAS TO REACH OR SURPASS 70. RECORDS THIS TIME OF YEAR ARE NOW AROUND 80...SO LOWER TO MID 70S WOULD NOT BE OUT OF THE NORM FOR WARM UPS LIKE THIS. AS TEMPS WARM...WILL HAVE TO BEGIN TO MONITOR CLOSER FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS. ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS LIKELY AS FAIRLY DRY AIR WILL RESULT IN MINIMUM RH VALUES COULD FALL TO 20 PERCENT. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z SATURDAY MORNING) ISSUED AT 531 AM CST FRI MAR 6 2015 VFR IS EXPECTED ALL AREAS TODAY AND TONIGHT. SCT-BKN100-120 CIGS ACROSS NORTHWEST NEBRASKA THIS MORNING WILL SPREAD THROUGH WRN AND NCNTL NEB TODAY. MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES ARE EXPECTED TONIGHT. && .FIRE WEATHER... ISSUED AT 531 AM CST FRI MAR 6 2015 RELATIVE HUMIDITY IN THE RAP AND HRRR MODELS FALLS TO 20 PERCENT OR LOWER ACROSS THE LOUP RIVER BASINS THIS AFTN FOR ABOUT 3 HOURS. WIND GUSTS IN ALL MODELS ARE BELOW 25 MPH IN THESE AREAS. A SURGE OF STRONGER WINDS WILL BE MOVING INTO WRN NEB LATE IN THE AFTN...21Z. IF THESE WINDS DEVELOP SOONER AND SPREAD FARTHER EAST THEN RED FLAG CONDITIONS COULD BE REACHED IN THE LOUP RIVERS BASINS. && .LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ UPDATE...JACOBS SHORT TERM...CDC LONG TERM...MASEK AVIATION...CDC FIRE WEATHER...CDC
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NWS NORTH PLATTE NE
532 AM CST FRI MAR 6 2015 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 321 AM CST FRI MAR 6 2015 A THERMAL RIDGE WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE OFF THE NRN/CNTL ROCKIES AND INTO WRN AND NCNTL NEB TODAY. THE RAP SUGGESTED HIGHS IN THE UPPER 50S TO LOWER 60S AND THE FORECAST IS SLIGHTLY COOLER THAN THIS MODEL. SCATTERED MID LEVEL CLOUDS ACROSS THE NRN ROCKIES SHOULD SPREAD ACROSS THE FCST AREAS...MAINLY AFFECTING NRN NEB. NORTHWEST WINDS FROM THE SFC TO 700 MB AND NEARLY FULL SUN WOULD SUPPORT MIXING TO 700 MB AS WAS THE CASE THURSDAY. A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL BE DROPPING THROUGH ERN SD LATE TONIGHT. THE MODELS SHOW AN INCREASE IN WIND SPEED AHEAD OF THIS FRONT AND THE COMBINATION OF THE APPROACHING COLD FRONT AND INCREASING WINDS SHOULD KEEP LOWS IN THE 20S TO AROUND 30. THE THERMAL RIDGE WILL REMAIN IN PLACE AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT. .LONG TERM...(SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY) ISSUED AT 321 AM CST FRI MAR 6 2015 RIDGE ACROSS THE WEST...WITH THE RIDGE AXIS SATURDAY JUST OFF THE COAST OF THE WEST COAST. NORTHWEST FLOW ACROSS THE AREA WITH A WEAK COLD FRONT TRACKING ACROSS THE NORTHERN ROCKIES DURING THE AFTERNOON . HEIGHTS AHEAD OF THE SYSTEM VERY SIMILAR TO TODAY...AND EXPECT A VERY SIMILAR CONDITIONS...HIGHS IN THE 50S TO LOWER 60S. DO EXPECT THE NW TO BE SLIGHTLY WARMER AS MOST AREAS BECOME SNOW FREE. SATURDAY NIGHT THE WEAK PACIFIC COLD FRONT WILL PUSH ACROSS THE AREA. MOISTURE IS VERY LIMITED AND ONLY EXPECT AN INCREASE OF MID/HIGH CLOUDS. TEMPS ALOFT FALL OFF A FEW DEGREES BRIEFLY...THEN REBOUND QUICKLY BY SUNDAY AFTERNOON. AT THIS TIME EXPECT TEMPS TO FALL A FEW DEGREES FROM SAT HIGHS...ALTHOUGH THE REBOUNDING OF TEMPS MAY BE FAST ENOUGH TO RETURN TEMPS TO MATCH SATURDAY HIGHS. WILL REMAIN CONSERVATIVE WHICH IS AT THE COOLER SIDE OF GUIDANCE...AND A TREND UPWARD IS POSSIBLE. EARLY NEXT WEEK THE WESTERN RIDGE AXIS MOVES ON SHORE WITH HEIGHTS ON THE RISE OVER THE PLAINS. ACTIVE NORTHERN STREAM GETS PUSH NORTH INTO CANADA AND THE GREAT LAKES. MODELS IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH WARM AIR ADVECTION PUSHING 850 MB TEMPS INTO THE TEENS C FOR MIDWEEK. MOS GUIDANCE HAS HIGHS IN THE 60S TO NEAR 70 AND LITTLE MOISTURE IN THE COLUMN. WITH THE SUNNY SKIES...SHOULD BE ABLE TO MATCH THE GUIDANCE. LATELY WHEN WE HAVE SEEN THESE WARM UPS...GUIDANCE UNDERESTIMATES THE HIGHS BY A COUPLE OF DEGREES. THUS FORECAST WAS TRENDED TO OR SLIGHTLY WARMER THAN THE WARMEST GUIDANCE. THERE IS A CHANCE FOR MUCH OF THE WEEK FOR FAVORED WARM AREAS TO REACH OR SURPASS 70. RECORDS THIS TIME OF YEAR ARE NOW AROUND 80...SO LOWER TO MID 70S WOULD NOT BE OUT OF THE NORM FOR WARM UPS LIKE THIS. AS TEMPS WARM...WILL HAVE TO BEGIN TO MONITOR CLOSER FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS. ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS LIKELY AS FAIRLY DRY AIR WILL RESULT IN MINIMUM RH VALUES COULD FALL TO 20 PERCENT. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z SATURDAY MORNING) ISSUED AT 531 AM CST FRI MAR 6 2015 VFR IS EXPECTED ALL AREAS TODAY AND TONIGHT. SCT-BKN100-120 CIGS ACROSS NORTHWEST NEBRASKA THIS MORNING WILL SPREAD THROUGH WRN AND NCNTL NEB TODAY. MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES ARE EXPECTED TONIGHT. && .FIRE WEATHER... ISSUED AT 531 AM CST FRI MAR 6 2015 RELATIVE HUMIDITY IN THE RAP AND HRRR MODELS FALLS TO 20 PERCENT OR LOWER ACROSS THE LOUP RIVER BASINS THIS AFTN FOR ABOUT 3 HOURS. WIND GUSTS IN ALL MODELS ARE BELOW 25 MPH IN THESE AREAS. A SURGE OF STRONGER WINDS WILL BE MOVING INTO WRN NEB LATE IN THE AFTN...21Z. IF THESE WINDS DEVELOP SOONER AND SPREAD FARTHER EAST THEN RED FLAG CONDITIONS COULD BE REACHED IN THE LOUP RIVERS BASINS. && .LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...CDC LONG TERM...MASEK AVIATION...CDC FIRE WEATHER...CDC
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS NEW YORK NY
1239 PM EST FRI MAR 6 2015 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE EXTENDING FROM THE OHIO VALLEY INTO THE SOUTHERN PLAINS WILL BUILD OVER THE SOUTHEAST STATES THROUGH SATURDAY AS A CLIPPER SYSTEM TRACKS FROM SOUTH CENTRAL CANADA INTO THE GREAT LAKES REGION. A COLD FRONT PASSES THROUGH THE AREA SATURDAY NIGHT FOLLOWED BY HIGH PRESSURE THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. A WEAK SOUTHERN BRANCH LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL THEN PASS SOUTH AND EAST OF THE AREA TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING. HIGH PRESSURE RETURNS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... STRONG MARCH SUN WARMING TEMPS ACROSS THE REGION FAIRLY QUICKLY. HAVE BUMPED MAX TEMPS UP AROUND 3 DEGREES FOR MOST AREAS THIS AFTERNOON. SUNNY SKIES AND LIGHT WINDS WILL CONTINUE. PLEASE SEE THE CLIMATE SECTION BELOW FOR RECORD LOW INFORMATION. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH 6 PM SATURDAY/... A MEAN TROUGH WILL REMAIN ACROSS THE NE QUARTER OF THE CONUS THROUGH SAT...ALTHOUGH THE FLOW ALOFT WILL FLATTEN. A SHORTWAVE PASSES THROUGH TONIGHT...ALTHOUGH STRONG SUBSIDENCE WILL RESULT IN LIMITED MOISTURE AND KEEP CONDS DRY. MAINLY HIGH CLOUDS ARE EXPECTED WITH ITS PASSAGE. ANOTHER CHILLY NIGHT TONIGHT WITH LIGHT WINDS AND MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES. THESE CONDS WITH A FRESH SNOWPACK ON THE GROUND WILL RESULT IN AN OPTIMAL RADIATIONAL COOLING NIGHT. LOWS WILL AGAIN BE 20-25 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL...IN THE LOWER TEENS AT THE COAST AND SINGLE DIGITS INLAND. THE HIGH WILL SETTLE OVER THE SOUTHEAST STATES ON SAT AS A CLIPPER SYSTEM TRACKS THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES REGION. HAVE MAINTAINED SCHC POPS FOR ORANGE COUNTY AS PCPN ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SYSTEM MOVES TOWARDS THE AREA...ALTHOUGH ANY PCPN MAY NOT MAKE IT IN UNTIL AFT 00Z SUN. WAA UNDER A CONTINUING SW FLOW WILL RESULT IN HIGHS STILL BELOW NORMAL...ALTHOUGH MANY LOCATIONS SHOULD REACH THE FREEZING MARK. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... A GRADUAL MODERATING TREND IS ON TAP THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK AS A BROAD UPPER TROUGH RESIDES ACROSS EASTERN CANADA...THE GREAT LAKES...AND NORTHEAST STATES. THIS WILL RESULT IN A SERIES OF WEAK IMPULSES PASSING TO THE NORTH...THE STRONGEST OF WHICH WILL SEND A COLD FRONT THROUGH THE AREA SAT NIGHT. A LARGE AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL RESIDE FROM THE CENTRAL PLAINS EAST TO THE MID ATLANTIC COAST. THIS WILL KEEP THE REGION UNDER A PROLONGED PERIOD OF WESTERLY FLOW WITH PAC ORIGINS. IN ADDITION...A CONFLUENT FLOW BETWEEN THE SOUTHERN AND NORTHERN BRANCHES OF THE POLAR JET WILL INITIALLY RESIDE ACROSS THE TN VALLEY AND CAROLINAS...BUT THEN GRADUALLY LIFTS NORTHWARD THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR WARMER HEIGHTS ALOFT AND TEMPS INCREASING TO ABOVE NORMAL LEVELS BY WED AND THU. ADDITIONALLY...THIS WILL ALLOW A WEAK SOUTHERN BRANCH STORM TO PASS OFF THE MID ATLANTIC COAST TUE NIGHT. THE FORECAST AREA AT THIS TIME LOOKS TO BE FAR ENOUGH NORTH TO BE SPARED PCPN. SUBSEQUENT MODELS TRENDS THOUGH WILL HAVE TO BE WATCHED. VERTICAL TEMP PROFILES WOULD SUPPORT RAIN AT THIS TIME. && .AVIATION /18Z FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE AXIS WILL PASS THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON. VFR THROUGH THE PERIOD. LIGHT AND VARIABLE WINDS THIS AFTERNOON...BECOME LIGHT WEST-SOUTHWEST LATE THIS EVENING. WINDS SPEEDS THEN INCREASE A BIT ON SATURDAY...BUT REMAIN LESS THAN 10 KT. NY METRO ENHANCED AVIATION WEATHER SUPPORT... DETAILED INFORMATION...INCLUDING HOURLY TAF WIND COMPONENT FCSTS CAN BE FOUND AT: HTTP:/WWW.ERH.NOAA.GOV/ZNY/N90 (LOWER CASE) KJFK FCSTER COMMENTS: NO UNSCHEDULED AMENDMENTS EXPECTED. KLGA FCSTER COMMENTS: NO UNSCHEDULED AMENDMENTS EXPECTED. KEWR FCSTER COMMENTS: NO UNSCHEDULED AMENDMENTS EXPECTED. KTEB FCSTER COMMENTS: NO UNSCHEDULED AMENDMENTS EXPECTED. KHPN FCSTER COMMENTS: NO UNSCHEDULED AMENDMENTS EXPECTED. KISP FCSTER COMMENTS: NO UNSCHEDULED AMENDMENTS EXPECTED. .OUTLOOK FOR 12Z SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY... .SATURDAY...VFR. .SAT NIGHT...SLIGHT CHC MVFR CONDS IN -SHSN. .SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...MAINLY VFR. && .MARINE... WINDS AND SEAS ON THE OCEAN WATERS HAVE DECREASED BELOW SCA CRITERIA AND HAVE CANCELLED THE ADVISORY AS A RESULT. LOCALIZED SEAS BETWEEN 4 AND 5 FEET MAY CONTINUE ACROSS SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE OCEAN WATERS THROUGH MID DAY. THE RUC HOLDS ON TO GUSTS A FEW HOURS LONGER...SO HAVE MAINTAINED THE ADVSY THROUGH 10 AM. SUB- ADVSY CONDS THEN PREVAIL THROUGH TONIGHT. THE PRES GRADIENT WILL BEGIN TO TIGHTEN ON SAT WITH MARGINAL SCA GUSTS POSSIBLE ON THE OCEAN DURING THE AFTN. LIGHT FREEZING SPRAY WILL CONTINUE THIS MORNING ON THE OCEAN WATERS AS WELL...BUT WILL CEASE DURING THE AFTN AS WINDS AND SEAS DIMINISH. A PROLONGED PERIOD OF WESTERLY FLOW AT 10-15 KT WILL RESULT IN SUB-ADVSY CONDS SUN-TUE. && .HYDROLOGY... NO SIGNIFICANT PCPN IS EXPECTED THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. HOWEVER...TEMPS FORECAST TO WARM INTO THE 40S MAY RESULT IN THE START OF ICE BREAK UP ON AREA RIVERS AND STREAMS. && .CLIMATE... RECORD LOW INFORMATION FOR THIS MORNING FOLLOWS. STATION LOW TEMP OLD RECORD EWR 12 12/2007 (TIED) BDR 9 11/2007 (BROKEN) NYC 12 6/1872 (NO RECORD) LGA 15 14/2007 (NO RECORD) JFK 13 13/2007 (TIED) ISP 12 12/2007 (TIED) && .OKX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CT...NONE. NY...NONE. NJ...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...GS NEAR TERM...GS SHORT TERM... LONG TERM... AVIATION...BC MARINE...GS HYDROLOGY...GS CLIMATE...
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED AVIATION
NWS PEACHTREE CITY GA
122 PM EST FRI MAR 6 2015 .LATE MORNING UPDATE... /ISSUED AT 1105 AM EST FRI MAR 6 2015/ LATEST RADAR LOOP SHOWS A FEW NARROW BANDS OF MAINLY SNOW FLURRIES ALONG AND NORTH OF THE I-20 CORRIDOR WEST OF ATLANTA... AND ALONG AND WEST OF THE I-75 CORRIDOR NORTH OF ATLANTA. RADAR TRENDS SHOW THESE BANDS ARE QUICKLY ERODING... AND THIS TREND WILL CONTINUE OVER THE NEXT HOUR AS WARMER AIR SPREADS IN FROM THE EAST. SATELLITE LOOP SHOWS LARGE BREAKS DEVELOPING IN THE LOW CLOUDS WHICH SHOULD RESULT IN MOSTLY SUNNY CONDITIONS FOR THE AREA BY EARLY AFTERNOON. HAVE UPDATED ZONES TO SHOW AN END TO THE LIGHT SNOW THREAT AND SHOW MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES FOR THIS AFTERNOON. OTHERWISE... THE REST OF THE FORECAST LOOKS ON TRACK WITH INCREASING SUNSHINE HELPING TO PUSH HIGHS IN THE MID AND UPPER 40S NORTH... AND POSSIBLY LOWER 50S SOUTH. /39 .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 554 AM EST FRI MAR 6 2015/ UPDATE... GETTING SOME REPORTS OF LIGHT SNOW ACROSS NORTHERN GA. CANT FIND MANY RETURNS ON THE FFC RADAR...BUT THE COMPOSITE IMAGE IS LENDING A FEW CLUES WITH SOME RETURNS OVER FAR NE GA. IN ADDITION...THE 500MB RAP ANALYSIS IS SHOWING A SHEAR AXIS IN THE SAME VICINITY OF THE RETURNS. SUSPECT MID LEVEL ENERGY IS FORCING LIGHT PRECIP OUT OF ANY LINGERING LOW LEVEL MOISTURE. REPORTS FROM THE NORTH INDICATE THAT SNOW IS STICKING...BUT AMOUNTS ARE LOW...AND LIMITED TO A QUICK COATING. HRRR DOESN`T HAVE A GREAT HANDLE ON THE LIGHT SNOW...BUT IS PRODUCING SOME ISOLATED/SCATTERED SPECKLES IN THE REFLECTIVITY PROGS. ALSO...GETTING SOME SPOTTY REPORTS OF FREEZING DRIZZLE. WILL ISSUE AN SPS COVERING THE LIGHT SNOW AND ANY SLICK SPOTS ATTRIBUTED TO BLACK ICE. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 317 AM EST FRI MAR 6 2015/ SHORT TERM /TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... YESTERDAYS COLD FRONT IS CURRENTLY ACROSS CENTRAL FLORIDA. HIGH PRESSURE CENTERED ACROSS THE MID MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY WILL BUILD SOUTHWARD THROUGH SATURDAY. IR IMAGERY SHOWS COLD AIR STRATOCU ACROSS MUCH OF THE CWFA. THE EARLY MORNING SHOULD BE MOSTLY CLOUDY TO CLOUDY...WITH GRADUAL CLEARING DURING THE MID TO LATE MORNING. NW WINDS MAY TRY TO GO NE BRIEFLY TODAY...BUT SHOULD SWITCH BACK TO THE NW AFTER THE 500MB TROUGH MOVES THROUGH DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING. MAX AND MIN TEMPS FOR FRIDAY WILL BE AROUND 10 TO 15 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL. THE GOOD NEW IS THAT TEMPS WILL QUICKLY REBOUND TO NORMAL VALUES ON SATURDAY. NO PRECIP EXPECTED THROUGH THE SHORT TERM. NLISTEMAA LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... THE LONG TERM STARTS OFF DRY BUT CLOUDS AND RAIN RETURN FOR THE WORK WEEK. NEARLY ZONAL FLOW ALOFT AND WEAK HIGH PRESSURE DOMINATING AT THE SURFACE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE EXTENDED. BY THE END OF THE WEEKEND THOUGH...FLOW ALOFT BECOMES MORE SW AND RESULTS IN THE RETURN OF RAIN TO THE AREA SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY. THIS BETTER CHANCE OF RAIN REMAINS THROUGH MID WEEK. THE GFS SHOWS AROUND 100 J/KG OF MUCAPE TUESDAY AFTERNOON ACROSS THE SE PART OF THE CWA...BUT THIS IS VERY MINIMAL SO HAVE KEPT THE MENTION OF THUNDER OUT OF THE GRIDS. THE GFS AND ECMWF BEGIN TO DIVERGE BY MID TO LATE WEEK WITH THE GFS SHOWING A SLIGHT BREAK IN PRECIPITATION ON THURSDAY...WHILE THE ECMWF CONTINUES THE RAIN ACROSS THE CWA. HAVE LEANED TOWARDS THE GFS SOLUTION...WHICH IS SIMILAR TO THE PREVIOUS /12Z/ ECMWF RUN. LOW TEMPERATURES MODERATE IN THE EXTENDED AND BECOME MORE MILD THROUGH MIDWEEK. HAVE KEPT ALL LOW TEMPERATURES ABOVE FREEZING. 11 && .AVIATION... 18Z UPDATE... LATEST SATELLITE TRENDS SHOW A GRADUAL ERODING OF MVFR AND LOW MID CLOUDS FROM THE NORTH AND EAST. EXPECT THIS TREND TO CONTINUE... WITH CLOUDS SCATTERING BY 19-20Z TODAY FOR AHN AND ATLANTA AREA TAF SITES... AND A BIT LATER FOR CSG AND MCN. OTHERWISE... EXPECT VFR CONDITIONS TO PREVAIL THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE TAF PERIOD WITH WINDS REMAINING MOSTLY NW AROUND 3-6KTS THROUGH SAT MORNING... THEN BACKING MORE WESTERLY SAT AFTERNOON. //ATL CONFIDENCE...18Z UPDATE... HIGH CONFIDENCE ON ALL ELEMENTS. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... ATHENS 46 29 61 35 / 30 0 0 0 ATLANTA 47 31 59 37 / 30 0 0 0 BLAIRSVILLE 42 25 55 30 / 10 0 0 0 CARTERSVILLE 45 27 58 31 / 30 0 0 0 COLUMBUS 51 32 64 36 / 10 0 0 0 GAINESVILLE 45 30 58 37 / 30 0 0 0 MACON 49 30 62 34 / 10 0 0 0 ROME 45 26 58 29 / 20 0 0 0 PEACHTREE CITY 48 28 61 31 / 30 0 0 0 VIDALIA 49 34 62 40 / 10 0 0 0 && .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GOODLAND KS
153 PM MST FRI MAR 6 2015 .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH SATURDAY) ISSUED AT 151 PM MST FRI MAR 6 2015 RAP ANALYSIS AND WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SHOWED A LARGE RIDGE BUILDING INTO THE WESTERN PART OF THE CONUS...WHICH CONTINUES TO BRING WARM AND DRY CONDITIONS TO THE TRI STATE AREA. RAP AND NAM GUIDANCE SHOWED A 700 MB JET OVER THE AREA OF AROUND 22 KTS...WHICH IS BEING MIXED INTO AND CAUSING SOME GUSTS UP TO 25 MPH INTERMITTENTLY ACROSS THE REGION. GUSTS WILL TAPER OFF THIS EVENING AS THE TEMPERATURE COOLS AND THE LOWER ATMOSPHERE DECOUPLES WITH THE 20 KT WINDS ALOFT. THE UPPER LEVEL PATTERN REMAINS CONDUCIVE TO WARM AND DRY WEATHER ACROSS THE TRI STATE AREA AS THE MAIN JET LIFT AND DYNAMICS REMAIN WELL TO THE SOUTH WITH AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH BUILDING OVER THE SOUTHWEST AND A SHORTWAVE DIVING ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST SATURDAY. TONIGHT WITH NORTHWEST WINDS AND CLEAR SKIES...TEMPERATURES WILL DIP INTO THE MID 20S TO NEAR 30 FOR SOME LOCATIONS. TEMPERATURES WILL WARM AGAIN INTO THE LOW TO MID 60S FOR MOST OF THE FORECAST AREA TOMORROW. BASED ON THE MIXING UP TO 700 MB FOR THE PAST FEW DAYS...EXPECTING SOME WIND GUSTS UP TO 25 KTS IN THE NORTHEAST PORTION OF THE FORECAST AREA WHERE THE LOCATION OF THE 700 MB JET WILL BE POSITIONED. OTHERWISE...QUIET WEATHER EXPECTED TONIGHT AND SATURDAY. .LONG TERM...(SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY) ISSUED AT 151 PM MST FRI MAR 6 2015 SATURDAY NIGHT THRU FRIDAY... FOR THE EXTENDED PERIOD...ABOVE NORMAL WARMTH CAN BE EXPECTED FOR THE ENTIRE FORECAST PERIOD. MODELS HAVE BROAD H5 RIDGE OVER THE WESTERN PORTION OF THE COUNTRY INTO THE BEGINNING OF NEXT WEEK...WITH RIDGE AXIS SHIFTING EAST THRU THE ROCKIES BY NEXT WEDNESDAY...THEN OFF INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS BY NEXT FRIDAY AS A SHORTWAVE MOVE INTO THE CENTRAL ROCKIES. DOWN AT THE SURFACE LEVEL BEFORE THE UPPER TROUGH ARRIVES NEXT WEEK...HIGH PRESSURE MAIN WX FEATURE WITH A FEW LEE-SIDE TROUGHS MOVING OFF THE FRONT RANGE...WHICH AIDS IN INCREASING TEMPS WITH STRONG WAA ON SW FLOW. LATEST GFS/ECMWF DO SHOW SOME DIFFERENCE FOR THE FRIDAY NIGHT PERIOD W/ TROUGH MORE PRONOUNCED IN THE ECMWF AS THE GFS HAS INVERTED RIDGE AXIS NOSING INTO AREA AS TROUGH PASSES. OVERALL SOME LIGHT SCATTERED PRECIP IS POSSIBLE...BUT MORE IN UPSLOPE REGION AS REGION UNDER EASTERLY FETCH. FOR AREA TEMPS THOUGH...925MB NUMBERS WILL RANGE FROM +12C TO +15C OVER THE SUNDAY/MONDAY TIMEFRAME FOR HIGHS...AND +17C TO NEAR +21C FOR TUESDAY-THURSDAY BEFORE DROPPING BACK FOR THE END OF NEXT WEEK...AND THE ARRIVAL OF THE SHORTWAVE TROUGH/INCREASING CLOUDS AND SLIGHT CAA WITH SURFACE RIDGE APPROACHING FROM THE NORTH. THIS IS GOING TO GIVE THE AREA HIGH TEMPS 5-20 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL WITH HIGHS IN THE 50S TO NEAR 60S FOR SUN-MON...AND 60S TO NEAR 70S(WED) FOR REST OF TIME. OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL BE ABOVE NORMAL AS WELL RANGING FROM THE MID 20S TO START UP TO THE MID 30S BY END OF NEXT WEEK. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SATURDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 1029 AM MST FRI MAR 6 2015 VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD WITH LITTLE CHANGE IN THE DRY AND CALM WEATHER. AN OCCASIONAL GUST CAN BE EXPECTED AT KMCK THIS AFTERNOON AND A LIGHT WIND SHIFT AT KGLD LATER IN THE PERIOD. && .GLD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... KS...NONE. CO...NONE. NE...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...MK LONG TERM...JN AVIATION...MK
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MARQUETTE MI
419 PM EST FRI MAR 6 2015 .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH SATURDAY) ISSUED AT 342 PM EST FRI MAR 6 2015 WNW FLOW ALOFT BROUGHT A REALLY WEAK WAVE ALOFT OVER UPR MICHIGAN TODAY. MAINLY A SMATTERING OF MID CLOUDS AND JUST NOW SOME FLURRIES ARE STARTING TO FORM OVER EASTERN CWA. INCREASING LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE AND LIFT BLO H85 PER RAP ALONG SFC TROUGH CROSSING THE EASTERN CWA MAY INCREASE LGT SNOW BRIEFLY INTO EARLY EVENING TO EAST OF P53 AND NORTH OF ERY. RADAR ECHOES PRETTY LIGHT THOUGH...SO FLURRIES ARE PROBABLY ALL THAT MOST AREAS WILL SEE. ONLY OTHER ISSUE TODAY HAS BEEN GUSTY SW WINDS OVER EAST HALF. ERY EVEN GUSTED OVER 40 MPH BRIEFLY EARLY THIS AFTN WITH HAZE REPORTED ON THE AWOS WHICH IS LIKELY BLSN. WEBCAMS OVER REST OF THE EAST INDICATE THAT IS FAIRLY LOCALIZED THOUGH. WINDS HAVE DIMINISHED OVER THE WEST HALF AS LOW-LEVEL JET HAS MOVED EAST OF THE AREA. AFTER THE LIGHT SNOW/FLURRIES IN THE EAST EARLY...A QUIET EVENING EXPECTED AS THERE ARE NOT A LOT OF CLOUDS IMMEDIATELY UPSTREAM IN WAKE OF THE WEAK TROUGH MOVING ACROSS THIS AFTN. TEMPS SHOULD FALL OFF INTO THE TEENS. PERHAPS IF WINDS BECOME CALM FOR A WHILE COULD SEE SINGLE DIGITS FOR THE COLDEST SPOTS IN THE INTERIOR. CHANGES OCCUR OVERNIGHT THROUGH AS SHORTWAVE DIGGING SOUTHEAST OVER NORTHERN SASKATCHEWAN AND MANITOBA BRING DEEPENING SFC LOW TO NORTHERN PART OF LK SUPERIOR BTWN 09Z-12Z SATURDAY. MID-HIGH CLOUDS SHOULD INCREASE BY MIDNIGHT OVER THE WEST AND SPREAD OVER REST OF THE AREA OVERNIGHT. PRECIP CURRENTLY OVER SOUTHERN PORTION OF SASKATCHEWAN WILL EXPAND AS THE SHORTWAVE AND LOW GET CLOSER TO THE AREA. SFC OBS ACTUALLY SHOW LGT LIQUID PRECIP OCCURRING OVER SASKATCHEWAN THIS AFTN...BUT IT APPEARS THAT THE WARMER AIR ABOVE 0C AT H85 GETS SHUNTED TO THE SOUTH BEFORE MAKING IT INTO UPR MICHIGAN. ONLY EXPECTING SNOW LATE TONIGHT INTO SATURDAY MORNING. SOUNDINGS SHOW MOST OF THE MOISTURE ADVECTION AND STRONGEST LIFT OCCURS H8-H7 WITH TEMPS WELL WITHIN THE DGZ. SLR/S SHOULD BE AT LEAST 15:1 IF NOT MORE TOWARD 20:1 WHERE LIFT IS MAXIMIZED ON TEMPS -15C TO -18C. MIXING RATIOS AHEAD OF THE LOW UP TO 2G/KG WOULD SUPPORT 4 INCHES OF SNOW OVER 12 HOURS...BUT DURATION OF THE SNOW IN THIS CASE WILL BE 3- 5 HOURS AT THE MOST. MAYBE COULD SEE A COUPLE INCHES OF SNOW BUT OVERALL SNOW AMOUNTS WILL BE AN INCH OR LESS...A LITTLE MORE IF THE FLUFFIER SLR/S MATERIALIZE FOR THE DURATION OF THE SNOW. IN WAKE OF THE SNOW...WHICH ENDS FM WEST TO EAST ON SATURDAY...IT IS POSSIBLE THERE COULD BE SOME BRIEF FREEZING DRIZZLE BEFORE TEMPS AT H9-H85 COOL SUFFICIENTLY FOR STRICTLY SNOW AS THE MID-LEVEL MOISTURE WILL BE OUT OF THE PICTURE BY THAT TIME. BEST CHANCE FOR ANY PRECIP AT ALL BTWN 15Z-21Z WOULD BE OVER HIGHER TERRAIN OF WESTERN UPR MICHIGAN WITH NW WINDS THAT DEVELOP BEHIND THE SFC LOW. AT LEAST LIGHT LAKE EFFECT COULD ALSO DEVELOP IN THE AFTN AS H85 THERMAL TROUGH WITH H85 TEMPS DOWN TO -14C AND SUFFICIENT MOISTURE AFFECT MAINLY WESTERN CWA. HIGH TEMPS SHOULD REACH UPR 20S TO LOWER 30S MOST LOCATIONS BEFORE COOLER AIR WORKS IN LATE IN THE DAY. .LONG TERM...(SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY) ISSUED AT 419 PM EST FRI MAR 6 2015 A WARMER PATTERN WILL BE TAKING HOLD OVER THE NEXT 7 DAYS. THE VERY PESISTENT TROF THAT HAS DOMINATED ERN NAMERICA WILL BE GIVING WAY AS POSITIVE HEIGHT ANOMALIES OVER WRN NAMERICA/NE PACIFIC DIMINISH AND EXPAND EASTWARD...CAUSING THE ERN TROF TO LIFT NE AND DIMINISH IN AMPLITUDE. THESE CHANGES WILL CAUSE ARCTIC AIR TO RETEAT AND WILL ALLOW PACIFIC AIR TO MAKE INCREASING INROADS ACROSS THE CONUS. FOR UPPER MI...THIS MEANS ABOVE NORMAL TEMPS WILL BE RETURNING TO THE AREA...AND TEMPS WILL LIKELY BE ABOVE NORMAL ON THE MAJORITY OF DAYS OVER THE NEXT 1 TO 2 WEEKS. A SERIES OF DISTURBANCES WILL TRACK ALONG THE SRN EDGE OF THE RETREATING ARCTIC AIR...BUT WITH THE DISTURBANCES PASSING N OF THE AREA NEXT WEEK...THE CHANGING PATTERN WILL REMAIN A DRY ONE FOR UPPER MICHIGAN...CONTINUING THE DRY SYNOPTIC THEME FOR THE YEAR SO FAR. IN FACT...EXCLUDING SUN...MANY LOCATIONS MAY NOT SEE ANY MEASURABLE PCPN NEXT WEEK. FARTHER DOWN THE LINE...THERE ARE STILL SOME HINTS THAT A MORE PERSISTENTLY BLO NORMAL TEMP REGIME MAY RETURN LATE THIS MONTH...BUT PROBABLY NOT SIGNIFICANTLY BLO NORMAL (MORE OF THE GEM ENSEMBLES OUT AT DAY 16 ARE SHOWING REBUILDING OF A FAR WRN NAMERICE RIDGE). PATTERN STILL LOOKS TO REMAIN ON THE DRY SIDE. BEGINNING SAT NIGHT/SUN...2 OR 3 SHORTWAVES WILL SWING THRU THE WRN GREAT LAKES REGION. INITIALLY SAT NIGHT...850MB TEMPS OF -13 TO -14C MAY SUPPORT SOME LIGHT NW FLOW LES. AS WINDS BACK WITH PASSAGE OF SFC HIGH PRES RIDGE AND APPROACH OF LOW PRES TROF...THE LIGHT LES WILL PUSH OFFSHORE OVERNIGHT. LATE IN THE NIGHT...FOCUS OF WAA/ISENTROPIC ASCENT WILL DEVELOP WELL OFF TO THE SW IN SRN MN/NRN IA...AND THAT`S WHERE THE MAIN AREA OF -SN WILL DEVELOP. HOWEVER... DEEP LAYER FORCING AHEAD OF APPROACHING SHORTWAVE FARTHER N MAY SPREAD SOME -SHSN/FLURRIES TO WRN LAKE SUPERIOR LATE. WITH THE SHORTWAVE ARRIVING SUN AFTN...THERE MAY BE MORE OF A DIURNAL COMPONENT TO -SHSN...MORE TYPICAL OF THIS TIME OF YEAR UNDER INCREASING SOLAR INSOLATION. AFTER ANY LINGERING -SHSN/FLURRIES END SUN EVENING WITH LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING/DEPARTURE OF SHORTWAVE... 850MB TEMPS OF -11/-12C SHOULDN`T BE SUFFICIENT TO GENERATE ANY LIGHT LES SUN EVENING. RETREATING FLOW TO THE N WILL THEN LEAD TO WARMING FOR MON/TUE. PERSISTENT WAA WILL CAUSE 850MB TEMPS OF -6 TO -11C MON MORNING TO RISE TO 1 TO 4C BY TUE MORNING. DESPITE THE PERSISTENT WAA/ISENTROPIC ASCENT...THE LOW TO MID LEVELS REMAIN DRY ACROSS THE FCST AREA WITH BETTER MOISTENING INDICATED TO THE N AND E OF HERE... CLOSER TO TRACK OF SHORTWAVE MOVING ACROSS NRN ONTARIO. SO...ONLY EXPECT SOME MID AND HIGH CLOUDS. CLOUD COVER WILL OBVIOUSLY PLAY A BIG ROLE IN SFC TEMPS...BUT IT APPEARS CLOUDS WON`T DOMINATE EITHER DAY. SINCE SUNSHINE ON THE LOWER ALBEDO FORESTED TERRAIN OF UPPER MI AT THIS TIME OF YEAR CAN SIGNIFICANTLY DIMINISH THE INFLUENCE OF SNOW COVER ON DAYTIME HEATING...WILL CONTINUE TO LEAN TOWARD THE WARMER SIDE OF AVBL GUIDANCE FOR MON-TUE. MOST LOCATIONS WILL SEE HIGH TEMPS INTO THE 40S AT SOME POINT MON/TUE. CERTAINLY NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION THAT SOME LOCATIONS WILL TOP 50F EITHER DAY...BUT MORE LIKELY OVER THE SCNTRL ON TUE. BIGGEST MODEL TREND SINCE YESTERDAY IS FOR SHORTWAVE TRACKING ACROSS NRN ONTARIO TO BE QUICKER...AND THUS ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT DROPS THRU UPPER MI SOONER THAN INDICATED BY MODELS YESTERDAY. WILL BE A TREND TO MONITOR THAT MAY AFFECT TUE TEMPS. FOR NOW...THIS MEANS A COOLER WED IS NOW EXPECTED AS SFC HIGH PRES RIDGING NOSES SE INTO THE UPPER LAKES WED...RESULTING IN THE ADDITIVE CHILL OF LIGHT LOW- LEVEL FLOW ACROSS LAKE SUPERIOR INTO UPPER MI. TIGHT 850MB TEMP GRADIENT ACROSS UPPER MI/LAKE SUPERIOR (10C DIFFERENCE FROM SW UPPER MI TO NE LAKE SUPERIOR) WILL SUPPORT A DECENT SFC TEMP GRADIENT ACROSS THE FCST AREA. SCNTRL SHOULD STILL REACH THE LOW/MID 40S WED WHILE LWR 30S SHOULD BE THE RULE ACROSS THE N AND E. ANOTHER DISTURBANCE TRACKING ACROSS NRN ONTARIO MAY GENERATE PATCHY -SN/FLURRIES WITHIN THE TIGHT TEMP GRADIENT...BUT AT THIS POINT... POTENTIAL IS TOO LOW TO INCLUDE MENTION IN FCST. ALTHOUGH WAA GETS UNDERWAY AGAIN THU...IT APPEARS BETTER POTENTIAL OF COLUMN MOISTENING IN THE WAA/ISENTROPIC ASCENT WILL OCCUR DEEPER INTO THE RETREATING COLD AIR TO THE N OF UPPER MI. WILL MAINTAIN A DRY FCST FOR THU. 12Z GFS CONTINUES ALONG THE LINES OF SOME PREVIOUS RUNS IN BRINGING WHAT WOULD LIKELY END UP AS A MIXED PCPN EVENT FRI IN ASSOCIATION WITH PACIFIC ENERGY THAT MOVES ACROSS THE NRN PLAINS. UNTIL OTHER GUIDANCE SUPPORTS THAT IDEA...WILL HOLD OFF FROM INCLUDING AN EXPLICIT MENTION OF PCPN. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SATURDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 1253 PM EST FRI MAR 6 2015 SCT-BKN VFR CLOUDS THIS AFTN AND THROUGH MOST OF THE NIGHT. CLOUDS LOWER TO MVFR OR LOWER VFR LATE TONIGHT INTO SATURDAY MORNING AS A UPPER DISTURBANCE PRODUCES A 3-5 HOUR PERIOD OF LIGHT SNOW. VSBY MAY DROP TO IFR AS THE SNOW MOVES THROUGH. && .MARINE...(FOR THE 4 PM LAKE SUPERIOR FORECAST ISSUANCE) ISSUED AT 342 PM EST FRI MAR 6 2015 NO GALES ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THE PERIOD. SOUTHWEST TO WEST WINDS TO 30 KTS AHEAD OF A SFC LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM AND TROUGH DIMINISH THIS EVENING. EXPECT WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS TO 30 KTS FOR SATURDAY BEHIND THE DEPARTING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM. WINDS DIMINISH LATER SATURDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. ANOTHER ROUND OF SOUTHWEST TO WEST WINDS TO 30 KTS EXPECTED MONDAY AND TUESDAY AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT THAT DROPS NORTH TO SOUTH ACROSS LAKE SUPERIOR BY WEDNESDAY MORNING. BEHIND THAT FRONT...NORTHWEST WINDS SHOULD BE 25 KTS OR LESS ON WEDNESDAY. LAKE SUPERIOR REMAINS MOSTLY ICE COVERED. ALREADY SEEING THE ICE SHIFT AROUND THOUGH WITH THE STRONGER WINDS THAT OCCURRED SINCE EARLY FRIDAY MORNING. EXPECT THE ICE COVERAGE TO DIMINISH SOME INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK DUE TO THE STRONG AND SHIFTING WINDS AT TIMES AND WITH DAYTIME TEMPERATURES RISING ABOVE FREEZING AT LEAST EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... UPPER MICHIGAN... NONE. LAKE SUPERIOR... NONE. LAKE MICHIGAN... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...JLA LONG TERM...ROLFSON AVIATION...JLA MARINE...JLA
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MARQUETTE MI
344 PM EST FRI MAR 6 2015 .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH SATURDAY) ISSUED AT 342 PM EST FRI MAR 6 2015 WNW FLOW ALOFT BROUGHT A REALLY WEAK WAVE ALOFT OVER UPR MICHIGAN TODAY. MAINLY A SMATTERING OF MID CLOUDS AND JUST NOW SOME FLURRIES ARE STARTING TO FORM OVER EASTERN CWA. INCREASING LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE AND LIFT BLO H85 PER RAP ALONG SFC TROUGH CROSSING THE EASTERN CWA MAY INCREASE LGT SNOW BRIEFLY INTO EARLY EVENING TO EAST OF P53 AND NORTH OF ERY. RADAR ECHOES PRETTY LIGHT THOUGH...SO FLURRIES ARE PROBABLY ALL THAT MOST AREAS WILL SEE. ONLY OTHER ISSUE TODAY HAS BEEN GUSTY SW WINDS OVER EAST HALF. ERY EVEN GUSTED OVER 40 MPH BRIEFLY EARLY THIS AFTN WITH HAZE REPORTED ON THE AWOS WHICH IS LIKELY BLSN. WEBCAMS OVER REST OF THE EAST INDICATE THAT IS FAIRLY LOCALIZED THOUGH. WINDS HAVE DIMINISHED OVER THE WEST HALF AS LOW-LEVEL JET HAS MOVED EAST OF THE AREA. AFTER THE LIGHT SNOW/FLURRIES IN THE EAST EARLY...A QUIET EVENING EXPECTED AS THERE ARE NOT A LOT OF CLOUDS IMMEDIATELY UPSTREAM IN WAKE OF THE WEAK TROUGH MOVING ACROSS THIS AFTN. TEMPS SHOULD FALL OFF INTO THE TEENS. PERHAPS IF WINDS BECOME CALM FOR A WHILE COULD SEE SINGLE DIGITS FOR THE COLDEST SPOTS IN THE INTERIOR. CHANGES OCCUR OVERNIGHT THROUGH AS SHORTWAVE DIGGING SOUTHEAST OVER NORTHERN SASKATCHEWAN AND MANITOBA BRING DEEPENING SFC LOW TO NORTHERN PART OF LK SUPERIOR BTWN 09Z-12Z SATURDAY. MID-HIGH CLOUDS SHOULD INCREASE BY MIDNIGHT OVER THE WEST AND SPREAD OVER REST OF THE AREA OVERNIGHT. PRECIP CURRENTLY OVER SOUTHERN PORTION OF SASKATCHEWAN WILL EXPAND AS THE SHORTWAVE AND LOW GET CLOSER TO THE AREA. SFC OBS ACTUALLY SHOW LGT LIQUID PRECIP OCCURRING OVER SASKATCHEWAN THIS AFTN...BUT IT APPEARS THAT THE WARMER AIR ABOVE 0C AT H85 GETS SHUNTED TO THE SOUTH BEFORE MAKING IT INTO UPR MICHIGAN. ONLY EXPECTING SNOW LATE TONIGHT INTO SATURDAY MORNING. SOUNDINGS SHOW MOST OF THE MOISTURE ADVECTION AND STRONGEST LIFT OCCURS H8-H7 WITH TEMPS WELL WITHIN THE DGZ. SLR/S SHOULD BE AT LEAST 15:1 IF NOT MORE TOWARD 20:1 WHERE LIFT IS MAXIMIZED ON TEMPS -15C TO -18C. MIXING RATIOS AHEAD OF THE LOW UP TO 2G/KG WOULD SUPPORT 4 INCHES OF SNOW OVER 12 HOURS...BUT DURATION OF THE SNOW IN THIS CASE WILL BE 3- 5 HOURS AT THE MOST. MAYBE COULD SEE A COUPLE INCHES OF SNOW BUT OVERALL SNOW AMOUNTS WILL BE AN INCH OR LESS...A LITTLE MORE IF THE FLUFFIER SLR/S MATERIALIZE FOR THE DURATION OF THE SNOW. IN WAKE OF THE SNOW...WHICH ENDS FM WEST TO EAST ON SATURDAY...IT IS POSSIBLE THERE COULD BE SOME BRIEF FREEZING DRIZZLE BEFORE TEMPS AT H9-H85 COOL SUFFICIENTLY FOR STRICTLY SNOW AS THE MID-LEVEL MOISTURE WILL BE OUT OF THE PICTURE BY THAT TIME. BEST CHANCE FOR ANY PRECIP AT ALL BTWN 15Z-21Z WOULD BE OVER HIGHER TERRAIN OF WESTERN UPR MICHIGAN WITH NW WINDS THAT DEVELOP BEHIND THE SFC LOW. AT LEAST LIGHT LAKE EFFECT COULD ALSO DEVELOP IN THE AFTN AS H85 THERMAL TROUGH WITH H85 TEMPS DOWN TO -14C AND SUFFICIENT MOISTURE AFFECT MAINLY WESTERN CWA. HIGH TEMPS SHOULD REACH UPR 20S TO LOWER 30S MOST LOCATIONS BEFORE COOLER AIR WORKS IN LATE IN THE DAY. .LONG TERM...(SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY) ISSUED AT 532 AM EST FRI MAR 6 2015 A WARMER PATTERN WILL BE TAKING HOLD LATE THIS WEEKEND INTO NEXT WEEK. THE VERY PERSISTENT TROF THAT HAS DOMINATED WEATHER OVER ERN NAMERICA FOR MORE THAN A MONTH WILL BE WEAKENING AS POSITIVE HEIGHT ANOMALIES OVER WRN NAMERICA/NE PACIFIC DIMINISH. THESE CHANGES WILL RESULT IN A MORE ZONALLY ORIENTED FLOW TAKING SHAPE...ALLOWING PACIFIC AIR TO SPREAD ACROSS THE CONUS. FOR UPPER MI...THIS MEANS ABOVE NORMAL TEMPS WILL RETURN TO THE AREA FOR MUCH OF NEXT WEEK. A SERIES OF DISTURBANCES WILL TRACK ALONG THE SRN EDGE OF THE RETREATING ARCTIC AIR THRU THE WEEKEND...AND THEN NEXT WEEK... DISTURBANCES WILL CONTINUE TO TRACK ACROSS SRN CANADA IN THE MORE ZONALLY ORIENTED FLOW. AS FOR PCPN...DESPITE THE CHANGING PATTERN WEATHER STILL LOOKS MAINLY DRY FOR UPPER MICHIGAN THROUGH MUCH OF THE PERIOD. BEGINNING SAT...A SHORTWAVE DROPPING SE THROUGH SCNTRL CANADA WILL REACH THE UPPER LAKES SAT MORNING. MODELS SHOW A PERIOD OF DEEP LAYER Q-VECT CONVERGENCE AND ISENTROPIC ASCENT BEST VIEWED ON THE 280-285K SFCS (700-850MB) WHICH SHOULD YIELD A SHORT PERIOD OF -SN AT MOST LOCATIONS. MIXING RATIOS ADVECTING INTO THE AREA ARE 2G/KG BUT THE PERIOD OF ISENTROPIC ASCENT IS SHORT-LIVED...AND MUCH OF THE LIFT WILL GO INTO MOISTENING THE DRY LOW-LEVELS ALREADY IN PLACE. SO...EXPECT MAYBE 3HRS OR SO OF STEADIER -SN SAT MORNING IN THE NW AND ERN FCST AREA...CLOSER TO TRACK OF THE SHORTWAVE/BEST HEIGHT FALLS. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS CLOSER TO AN INCH MAY OCCUR IN THOSE AREAS SAT MORNING. ELSEWHERE...EXPECT ONLY PATCHY -SN/FLURRIES AND A DUSTING OF ACCUMULATION. WITH 850MB TEMPS FALLING BACK TO -14C BEHIND SHORTWAVE ON SAT...THERE COULD BE SOME LIGHT LES OFF THE OPEN SPOTS IN THE LAKE SUPERIOR ICE COVER FOR THE NW SNOWBELTS. SAT NIGHT THRU SUN NIGHT...TWO MORE SHORTWAVES WILL DROP THRU THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY/WRN GREAT LAKES. INITIALLY...EXPECT MAINLY DRY WX SAT NIGHT WITH PASSAGE OF SFC RIDGE AXIS/WSHFT TO THE SW THAT WILL PUSH ANY REMAINING LIGHT LES OUT OVER LAKE SUPERIOR BY LATE SAT NIGHT. LATE IN THE NIGHT...FOCUS OF WAA/ISENTROPIC ASCENT ASSOC WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE FIRST SHORTWAVE WILL DEVELOP OFF TO THE SW IN SRN MN/SW WI WHERE THE MAIN AREA OF -SN WILL DEVELOP. WITH THE SECOND SHORTWAVE DUE TO ARRIVE SUN AFTN...ASSOC SHSN MAY BE ENHANCED BY DIURNAL INSTABILITY. 850MB TEMPS -10 TO -12C PROBABLY WON`T BE SUFFICIENTLY COLD TO GENERATE MUCH IF ANY LES SUN EVENING IN A WESTERLY FLOW. RETREATING FLOW TO THE N WILL THEN LEAD TO DRY WEATHER DOMINATING MON THRU THU AS SHORTWAVES PASS BY TO THE N OF THE UPPER LAKES. PERSISTENT WAA WILL CAUSE 850MB TEMPS OF -7 TO -10C MON MORNING TO RISE TO 1 TO 4C BY TUE MORNING...BUT THEN TEMPS WL FALL TO -2C NORTH TO 2C SOUTH BY WED MORNING AS A COLD FRONT BEGINS TO MOVE THROUGH THE AREA. MODEL SNDGS INDICATE THAT THERE SHOULDN/T BE MUCH MORE THAN MID/HIGH CLOUDS AT TIMES. SINCE SUNSHINE ON THE LOWER ALBEDO FORESTED TERRAIN OF UPPER MI BY EARLY MARCH CAN SIGNIFICANTLY DIMINISH THE INFLUENCE OF SNOW COVER ON DAYTIME HEATING...WILL CONTINUE TO LEAN TOWARD THE WARMER SIDE OF ALL AVBL GUIDANCE FOR MON THRU WED. MOST LOCATIONS WILL SEE HIGH TEMPS INTO THE 40S BY TUE WITH THE WARMEST DAYS TUE AND WED. GIVEN EXPECTED PASSAGE OF COLD FRONT...EXPECT THE N TO BE A LITTLE COOLER ON WED THAN TUE WHILE THE S SHOULD REMAIN SIMILAR TO TUESDAYS TEMPS. IF TUE OR WED ENDS UP MOSTLY SUNNY...COULD SEE SOME LOW 50S TEMPS IN THE INTERIOR...MAINLY CLOSER TO THE WI BORDER. SFC HIGH PRES DROPPING TO THE NE AND E OF LAKE SUPERIOR WILL LEAD TO A COOLER DAY ON THU IN AN ERLY FLOW... ESPECIALLY OVER THE KEWEENAW PENINSULA AND NEAR LAKE MICHIGAN. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SATURDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 1253 PM EST FRI MAR 6 2015 SCT-BKN VFR CLOUDS THIS AFTN AND THROUGH MOST OF THE NIGHT. CLOUDS LOWER TO MVFR OR LOWER VFR LATE TONIGHT INTO SATURDAY MORNING AS A UPPER DISTURBANCE PRODUCES A 3-5 HOUR PERIOD OF LIGHT SNOW. VSBY MAY DROP TO IFR AS THE SNOW MOVES THROUGH. && .MARINE...(FOR THE 4 PM LAKE SUPERIOR FORECAST ISSUANCE) ISSUED AT 342 PM EST FRI MAR 6 2015 NO GALES ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THE PERIOD. SOUTHWEST TO WEST WINDS TO 30 KTS AHEAD OF A SFC LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM AND TROUGH DIMINISH THIS EVENING. EXPECT WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS TO 30 KTS FOR SATURDAY BEHIND THE DEPARTING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM. WINDS DIMINISH LATER SATURDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. ANOTHER ROUND OF SOUTHWEST TO WEST WINDS TO 30 KTS EXPECTED MONDAY AND TUESDAY AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT THAT DROPS NORTH TO SOUTH ACROSS LAKE SUPERIOR BY WEDNESDAY MORNING. BEHIND THAT FRONT...NORTHWEST WINDS SHOULD BE 25 KTS OR LESS ON WEDNESDAY. LAKE SUPERIOR REMAINS MOSTLY ICE COVERED. ALREADY SEEING THE ICE SHIFT AROUND THOUGH WITH THE STRONGER WINDS THAT OCCURRED SINCE EARLY FRIDAY MORNING. EXPECT THE ICE COVERAGE TO DIMINISH SOME INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK DUE TO THE STRONG AND SHIFTING WINDS AT TIMES AND WITH DAYTIME TEMPERATURES RISING ABOVE FREEZING AT LEAST EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... UPPER MICHIGAN... NONE. LAKE SUPERIOR... NONE. LAKE MICHIGAN... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...JLA LONG TERM...VOSS AVIATION...JLA MARINE...JLA
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
411 PM CST FRI MAR 6 2015 .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH SATURDAY) ISSUED AT 410 PM CST FRI MAR 6 2015 WATER VAPOR IMAGERY THIS AFTERNOON SHOWS A PAIR OF SHORTWAVES HEADING FOR THE GENERAL VICINITY OF THE UPPER MS RIVER VALLEY. THE NRN MOST ONE IS OVER CENTRAL MANITOBA...WITH THE SRN ONE WORKING THROUGH SRN SASKATCHEWAN. THE NRN WAVE IS ON ITS WAY TO NRN LAKE SUPERIOR WITH AN ATTENDANT SFC LOW HEADING FOR LAKE SUPERIOR. THE SRN WAVE WILL HEAD FOR SW MN...BUT WILL HAVE NO SFC INFLECTION. INSTEAD...THIS SRN WAVE WILL HELP STOP THE PROGRESS OF THE WEAK COLD FRONT CURRENTLY WORKING ACROSS SRN MN AND HELP PUSH IT BACK ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT AS A WARM FRONT. PRECIP POTENTIAL STILL LOOKS FAIRLY MINIMAL...AND SHORT TERM HI-RES MODELS CONTINUE TO POINT TO RATHER BLEAK CHANCES. FORECAST SOUNDINGS SHOW THE PROBLEM...AS THESE WAVES MOISTEN THE ATMO ABOVE 10K FT...BUT NOT MUCH BELOW THAT. THE BEST ISENTROPIC LIFT WITH THIS SYSTEM WILL BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE NRN WAVE...WITH A QUICK HIT OF LIGHT SNOW LIKELY GOING OVER NRN MN. EXISTING POPS HAD SOME SMALL POPS NORTH OF I-94 AND KEPT THOSE IN PLACE...JUST SPED THEM UP A TAD TO BE MORE IN LINE WITH REFLECTIVITY FORECASTS FROM THE NMM AND ARW. TEMPERATURES WILL BE COLD ENOUGH TO KEEP ANY PRECIP WE DO SEE IN THE FORM OF SNOW. SATURDAY MORNING...WE WILL SEE A COLD FRONT QUICKLY SLIP THROUGH THE AREA AS THE SFC LOW WORKS ACROSS LAKE SUPERIOR. WILL LIKELY SEE A BANK OF STRATOCU WORK DOWN IMMEDIATELY BEHIND IT...BUT WE SHOULD SEE INCREASING AMOUNTS OF SUNSHINE AS WE WORK INTO THE AFTERNOON. H85 TEMPS ONLY FALL BACK A DEGREE OR TWO CELSIUS BEHIND THE FRONT...SO WE WILL HAVE ONLY SLIGHTLY COOLER HIGHS FOR TOMORROW. THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SATURDAY AND TODAY THOUGH WILL BE THE BREEZY NW WINDS IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT AS BUFKIT SOUNDINGS SHOW TOP OF THE MIXED CHANNEL WINDS OUT IN THE MN RIVER VALLEY UP AROUND 30 KTS. .LONG TERM...(SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY) ISSUED AT 410 PM CST FRI MAR 6 2015 STILL LOOKING AT A VERY MILD AND QUIET PERIOD IN THE EXTENDED FORECAST. THE WARM-UP EXPECTED NEXT WEEK WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY END UP BEING THE WARMEST AIR WE HAVE SEEN SINCE LAST OCTOBER. WE ARE FORECASTING HIGHS IN THE 50S FOR MOST AREAS TUE-FRI...AND WE`RE BEING CAUTIOUS. 60S ARE WELL WITHIN REACH. THE ECMWF MOS WAS RIGHT ON THE MONEY TODAY WITH HIGH TEMPS AND IT WAS ALSO ON THE WARMER SIDE OF AVAILABLE MODEL GUIDANCE...IF THAT IS TO BE THE TREND OVER THE NEXT WEEK...THEN WE ARE LIKELY YO COOL WITH OUR TEMPERATURE GOING OUT THIS AFTERNOON. IF YOU ARE A FAN OF WARMTH...THAT IS GOOD NEWS AND SUGGESTS A LOT OF LOCATIONS WILL MAKE A RUN AT 60 FOR 2-3 DAYS. THE QUESTION WILL BE HOW WELL WE MIX. THE GFS HAS A KNOWN COOL BIAS WITH TEMPS AND IT APPEARS TO BE UNDER FORECASTING THE MIXING POTENTIAL NEXT WEEK. THE SNOW COVER WILL BE GONE BY NEXT WEEK AND THE RELATIVELY DRY WEATHER LOCALLY AND UPSTREAM SUGGEST FORECASTERS SHOULD LEAN TOWARD THE WARMER MODEL GUIDANCE...LIKE THE ECMWF. HIGH TEMPS NEAR 60 WILL BE AROUND 20 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL. THE STRAIGHT 2M TEMPS OFF THE ECMWF ARE FORECASTING HIGHS WELL INTO THE 60S AND THE ECMWF MOS IS GENERALLY IN THE UPPER 50S TO RIGHT AROUND 60. WE BOOSTED HIGHS TODAY AND IF THE MODEL TREND CONTINUES TO HOLD...WE WILL LIKELY GO WARMER IN THE DAYS TO COME. IN TERMS OF PRECIP...THERE ISN`T MUCH GOING FOR MN/WI. THE BEST CHANCE FOR LIGHT PRECIP COMES SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY MORNING. THE SIGNAL IS WEAK LOCALLY WITH A WEAK NORTHERN WAVE AND WEAK SOUTHERN STREAM WAVE THAT SPLIT THE FORECAST AREA. A DAY AGO IT LOOKED LIKE THE SOUTHERN STREAM WAVE WOULD MOVE OVERHEAD...BUT THAT HAS NOW SHIFTED SOUTH AND MAY MISS THE FORECAST AREA COMPLETELY. WE STILL HAVE CHANCE POPS IN THE FORECAST WITH JUST TRACE-0.02" LIQUID...BUT WE COULD PROBABLY REMOVE THAT AT SOME POINT. THE PROBLEM IS WE ARE TRYING TO ADVECT MOISTURE IN FROM THE W/NW AND THAT TYPICALLY DOES NOT YIELD MUCH...MAY SOME MID CLOUDS AND VERY LIGHT SNOW OR VIRGA IN SOUTHERN MN. SOME OF THE WRF SOLUTIONS WE HAVE ACCESS TO GENERATE LIGHT AMOUNTS JUST TO OUR SOUTH IN IOWA. NOT LOOKING GOOD FOR MOISTURE HERE. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SATURDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 1206 PM CST FRI MAR 6 2015 WAVE CURRENTLY MOVING INTO SOUTHERN SASKATCHEWAN WILL GO ACROSS NRN MN TONIGHT. THIS WILL LEAD TO AN INCREASE IN MID-LEVEL CLOUDS...BUT THE LOW LEVELS LOOK TO STAY DRY ENOUGH OUTSIDE OF NRN MN TO KEEP ALL MPX TAFS DRY. BIGGER QUESTION WITH THIS WAVE IS WHAT WILL THE EXTENT OF MVFR STRATUS IN THE WAKE OF ITS FRONT BE. GFSLAMP DOWNPLAYS THIS THREAT QUITE A BIT...BUT RAP CPDS SUPPORT AT LEAST A NARROW BAND OF MVFR CIGS COMING THROUGH. TIMED 4/5 HOUR WINDOWS FOR MVFR CIGS ALONG THE LINES OF WHAT THE RAP SHOWS. BESIDE THE CLOUDS...IT LOOKS BREEZY IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT...WITH TOP OF THE MIXING CHANNEL WINDS AT RWF UP AT 30KTS...SO BROUGHT GUSTS IN SAT MORNING AS WELL. KMSP...HIGH CONFIDENCE THAT MSP REMAINS DRY...WITH NOTHING MORE THAN VIRGA EXPECTED. LOW CONFIDENCE ON MVFR THREAT IN THE MORNING...BUT BAND OF MVFR CLOUDS CURRENTLY ACROSS CENTRAL ALBERTA AND SASKATCHEWAN IS WHAT WOULD BE HERE IN THE MORNING IF IT CAN HOLD TOGETHER. /OUTLOOK FOR KMSP/ SUN...VFR. CHC MVFR CIGS/-SN. WINDS WSW TO WNW 10 KTS. MON/TUE...VFR. WINDS SW 5-10 KTS. && .MPX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MN...NONE. WI...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...MPG LONG TERM...CLF AVIATION...MPG
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
1206 PM CST FRI MAR 6 2015 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 239 AM CST FRI MAR 6 2015 THE MAIN DILEMMA IS WHETHER THERE WILL BE ENOUGH MOISTURE TO GENERATE MEASURABLE SNOWFALL /AN INCH OR LESS/ LATER TONIGHT AS A SHRTWV MOVES RAPIDLY SE ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST. THIS SHRTWV IN QUESTION IS EVIDENT ON VIS/FOG/WV IMAGERY IN THE WESTERN PART OF THE CANADIAN ROCKIES. EVEN THOUGH MODELS GENERATE A HUNDREDTH OR TWO OF PRECIPITATION...BELIEVE MOST OF THE PRECIPITATION WILL EVAPORATE BEFORE REACHING THE GROUND. ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING LIMITED BOUNDARY LAYER MOISTURE AND WEAK ISENTROPIC LIFT. MORE CONFIDENT ON ONLY VIRGA/FLURRIES AT BEST...BUT THE LATEST CAMS DO SUPPORT A SMALL AREA OF MEASURABLE SNOW ACROSS FAR MPX FAR N/NE CWA DURING THE OVERNIGHT HRS. EARLIER FORECAST HAD 20-40% CHC OF LIGHT SNOW IN THE GENERAL AREA WHERE THE CAMS HAVE MEASURABLE SNOW...SO WILL CONTINUE THE SAME TREND. WINDS WILL SHIFT TO THE W/NW LATE THIS MORNING/EARLY AFTN AS A WEAK FRONT MOVES ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST. AHEAD OF THIS FRONT...TEMPS WILL MANAGE TO RISE INTO THE 20S/30S. WITH ABUNDANT CLOUD COVER AND ELEVATED WIND SPDS TONIGHT...TEMPS WILL ONLY FALL A FEW DEGREES...ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING UPSTREAM OBS IN MT/ND AND SOUTH CENTRAL CANADA REMAINING IN THE 20S/30S. .LONG TERM...(SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY) ISSUED AT 239 AM CST FRI MAR 6 2015 MILD TEMPERATURES WILL PREVAIL THROUGH THE LONG TERM FORECAST PERIOD...WITH NO MAJOR STORM SYSTEMS FORESEEN THROUGH NEXT WEEK. WESTERLY MID LEVEL FLOW WILL PREVAIL ACROSS THE NORTH CENTRAL CONUS AS CYCLONIC FLOW REMAINS WELL TO THE NORTH ANCHORED OVER HUDSON BAY. A FEW SPOKES OF SHORTWAVE ENERGY WILL ROTATE OVER THE REGION THIS WEEKEND. THE ECMWF AND GEM MODELS...WHICH BRING LIGHT SNOW ASSOCIATED WITH ONE SUCH WAVE INTO THE AREA LATE SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY MORNING...WERE THE PREFERRED MODELS FOR PRECIP CHANCES. THERMAL PROFILES INDICATE PRIMARILY SNOW AS THE PRECIP TYPE...WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR UP TO AN INCH ALONG/SOUTH OF THE INTERSTATE 94 CORRIDOR AS THE WARM FRONT LIFTS INTO SOUTHERN MN. AFTER THE WEEKEND...THE FORECAST LOOKS TO BE PRIMARILY DRY...WITH THE MAIN HEADLINE BEING THE MODERATING TEMPERATURE TREND. BY MONDAY AFTERNOON...850MB TEMPS IN THE SINGLE DIGITS ABOVE ZERO ARE EXPECTED...WITH A HEALTHY SOUTHWEST WIND PROVIDING SUFFICIENT MIXING TO YIELD HIGHS WELL INTO THE 40S. ON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY...THE AFOREMENTIONED CANADIAN CYCLONE DIPS A BIT SOUTH/SOUTHEAST. THE 06.00Z GFS WANTS TO SINK THE ASSOCIATED HEIGHT/TEMP REDUCTIONS WELL SOUTH INTO THE UPPER MIDWEST...WHILE THE 06.00Z ECMWF AND GEM KEEP THE RIDGING IN PLACE AND THEREFORE MAINTAIN THE MODERATING TEMPERATURE TREND. HAVE LEANED TOWARD THE CONSENSUS SOLUTION WHICH FAVORS HIGHS IN THE UPPER 40S AND 50S FOR TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY...VERSUS THE 20S AND 30S ILLUSTRATED BY THE GFS. THE GLANCING BLOW OF COLDER AIR DEPICTED BY THE GFS SHIFTS OFF TO THE EAST BY THURSDAY AND FRIDAY...WITH ALL MODELS FORECASTING ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES FOR THE END OF THE WORK WEEK. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SATURDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 1206 PM CST FRI MAR 6 2015 WAVE CURRENTLY MOVING INTO SOUTHERN SASKATCHEWAN WILL GO ACROSS NRN MN TONIGHT. THIS WILL LEAD TO AN INCREASE IN MID-LEVEL CLOUDS...BUT THE LOW LEVELS LOOK TO STAY DRY ENOUGH OUTSIDE OF NRN MN TO KEEP ALL MPX TAFS DRY. BIGGER QUESTION WITH THIS WAVE IS WHAT WILL THE EXTENT OF MVFR STRATUS IN THE WAKE OF ITS FRONT BE. GFSLAMP DOWNPLAYS THIS THREAT QUITE A BIT...BUT RAP CPDS SUPPORT AT LEAST A NARROW BAND OF MVFR CIGS COMING THROUGH. TIMED 4/5 HOUR WINDOWS FOR MVFR CIGS ALONG THE LINES OF WHAT THE RAP SHOWS. BESIDE THE CLOUDS...IT LOOKS BREEZY IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT...WITH TOP OF THE MIXING CHANNEL WINDS AT RWF UP AT 30KTS...SO BROUGHT GUSTS IN SAT MORNING AS WELL. KMSP...HIGH CONFIDENCE THAT MSP REMAINS DRY...WITH NOTHING MORE THAN VIRGA EXPECTED. LOW CONFIDENCE ON MVFR THREAT IN THE MORNING...BUT BAND OF MVFR CLOUDS CURRENTLY ACROSS CENTRAL ALBERTA AND SASKATCHEWAN IS WHAT WOULD BE HERE IN THE MORNING IF IT CAN HOLD TOGETHER. /OUTLOOK FOR KMSP/ SUN...VFR. CHC MVFR CIGS/-SN. WINDS WSW TO WNW 10 KTS. MON/TUE...VFR. WINDS SW 5-10 KTS. && .MPX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MN...NONE. WI...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...JLT LONG TERM...LS AVIATION...MPG
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS NORTH PLATTE NE
1122 AM CST FRI MAR 6 2015 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 901 AM CST FRI MAR 6 2015 UPDATE TO THE FORECAST TO ADDRESS THE POTENTIAL OF LOCALIZED RFW CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON. THE PREVIOUS FORECAST HAS A GOOD HANDLE ON THE CURRENT SITUATION...WHICH INDICATES NEAR CRITICAL CONDITIONS FOR A HOUR OR TWO ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE SANDHILLS AND FIRE ZONE 209. AFTER A SUBJECTIVE ANALYSIS OF THE CURRENT AND FORECAST CONDITIONS...FORECAST TD/S WERE LOWER SLIGHTLY...IN LINE WITH WHAT THE CURRENT HRRR OUTPUT IS SUGGESTING. THUS LOCALIZED AREAS OF 15-20% RH ARE LIKELY THIS AFTERNOON. WIND SPEEDS ARE STILL IN QUESTION HOWEVER AND WHEN USING A HYBRID BLEND OF THE HRRR 80M WIND GUST WITH THE PREVIOUS FORECAST...THE MOST LIKELY LOCATION WHERE FREQUENT WIND GUSTS WOULD EXCEED 25 MPH IS EXPECTED TO BE ACROSS OUR NORTHWESTERN ZONES THIS AFTERNOON...WHERE MINIMUM RH IS FORECAST TO BE ABOVE CRITICAL THRESHOLDS. SO ALL IN ALL...TODAY WE/RE ANTICIPATING NEAR CRITICAL CONDITIONS...BUT A RFW IS NOT EXPECTED. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR. && .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 321 AM CST FRI MAR 6 2015 A THERMAL RIDGE WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE OFF THE NRN/CNTL ROCKIES AND INTO WRN AND NCNTL NEB TODAY. THE RAP SUGGESTED HIGHS IN THE UPPER 50S TO LOWER 60S AND THE FORECAST IS SLIGHTLY COOLER THAN THIS MODEL. SCATTERED MID LEVEL CLOUDS ACROSS THE NRN ROCKIES SHOULD SPREAD ACROSS THE FCST AREAS...MAINLY AFFECTING NRN NEB. NORTHWEST WINDS FROM THE SFC TO 700 MB AND NEARLY FULL SUN WOULD SUPPORT MIXING TO 700 MB AS WAS THE CASE THURSDAY. A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL BE DROPPING THROUGH ERN SD LATE TONIGHT. THE MODELS SHOW AN INCREASE IN WIND SPEED AHEAD OF THIS FRONT AND THE COMBINATION OF THE APPROACHING COLD FRONT AND INCREASING WINDS SHOULD KEEP LOWS IN THE 20S TO AROUND 30. THE THERMAL RIDGE WILL REMAIN IN PLACE AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT. .LONG TERM...(SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY) ISSUED AT 321 AM CST FRI MAR 6 2015 RIDGE ACROSS THE WEST...WITH THE RIDGE AXIS SATURDAY JUST OFF THE COAST OF THE WEST COAST. NORTHWEST FLOW ACROSS THE AREA WITH A WEAK COLD FRONT TRACKING ACROSS THE NORTHERN ROCKIES DURING THE AFTERNOON . HEIGHTS AHEAD OF THE SYSTEM VERY SIMILAR TO TODAY...AND EXPECT A VERY SIMILAR CONDITIONS...HIGHS IN THE 50S TO LOWER 60S. DO EXPECT THE NW TO BE SLIGHTLY WARMER AS MOST AREAS BECOME SNOW FREE. SATURDAY NIGHT THE WEAK PACIFIC COLD FRONT WILL PUSH ACROSS THE AREA. MOISTURE IS VERY LIMITED AND ONLY EXPECT AN INCREASE OF MID/HIGH CLOUDS. TEMPS ALOFT FALL OFF A FEW DEGREES BRIEFLY...THEN REBOUND QUICKLY BY SUNDAY AFTERNOON. AT THIS TIME EXPECT TEMPS TO FALL A FEW DEGREES FROM SAT HIGHS...ALTHOUGH THE REBOUNDING OF TEMPS MAY BE FAST ENOUGH TO RETURN TEMPS TO MATCH SATURDAY HIGHS. WILL REMAIN CONSERVATIVE WHICH IS AT THE COOLER SIDE OF GUIDANCE...AND A TREND UPWARD IS POSSIBLE. EARLY NEXT WEEK THE WESTERN RIDGE AXIS MOVES ON SHORE WITH HEIGHTS ON THE RISE OVER THE PLAINS. ACTIVE NORTHERN STREAM GETS PUSH NORTH INTO CANADA AND THE GREAT LAKES. MODELS IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH WARM AIR ADVECTION PUSHING 850 MB TEMPS INTO THE TEENS C FOR MIDWEEK. MOS GUIDANCE HAS HIGHS IN THE 60S TO NEAR 70 AND LITTLE MOISTURE IN THE COLUMN. WITH THE SUNNY SKIES...SHOULD BE ABLE TO MATCH THE GUIDANCE. LATELY WHEN WE HAVE SEEN THESE WARM UPS...GUIDANCE UNDERESTIMATES THE HIGHS BY A COUPLE OF DEGREES. THUS FORECAST WAS TRENDED TO OR SLIGHTLY WARMER THAN THE WARMEST GUIDANCE. THERE IS A CHANCE FOR MUCH OF THE WEEK FOR FAVORED WARM AREAS TO REACH OR SURPASS 70. RECORDS THIS TIME OF YEAR ARE NOW AROUND 80...SO LOWER TO MID 70S WOULD NOT BE OUT OF THE NORM FOR WARM UPS LIKE THIS. AS TEMPS WARM...WILL HAVE TO BEGIN TO MONITOR CLOSER FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS. ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS LIKELY AS FAIRLY DRY AIR WILL RESULT IN MINIMUM RH VALUES COULD FALL TO 20 PERCENT. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SATURDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 1122 AM CST FRI MAR 6 2015 VFR ANTICIPATED ACROSS ALL WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA TERMINALS THROUGH THE 18Z TAF CYCLE. WESTERLY WINDS WILL BE GUSTY THIS AFTERNOON AS MIXING DRAWS DOWN HIGHER MOMENTUM FROM ALOFT...BUT PEAK GUST POTENTIAL SHOULD REMAIN AT 20KTS OR LESS. THESE GUSTS WILL SUBSIDE WITH THE SETTING SUN. OTHERWISE WILL NEED TO MONITOR WIND SHEAR POTENTIAL ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA OVERNIGHT...GUIDANCE IS POINTING TO A 30KT INCREASE IN 0-1 KM BULK SHEAR AT KVTN...KANW...AND POSSIBLY KTIF NEAR DAWN. && .FIRE WEATHER... ISSUED AT 531 AM CST FRI MAR 6 2015 RELATIVE HUMIDITY IN THE RAP AND HRRR MODELS FALLS TO 20 PERCENT OR LOWER ACROSS THE LOUP RIVER BASINS THIS AFTN FOR ABOUT 3 HOURS. WIND GUSTS IN ALL MODELS ARE BELOW 25 MPH IN THESE AREAS. A SURGE OF STRONGER WINDS WILL BE MOVING INTO WRN NEB LATE IN THE AFTN...21Z. IF THESE WINDS DEVELOP SOONER AND SPREAD FARTHER EAST THEN RED FLAG CONDITIONS COULD BE REACHED IN THE LOUP RIVERS BASINS. && .LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ UPDATE...JACOBS SHORT TERM...CDC LONG TERM...MASEK AVIATION...JACOBS FIRE WEATHER...CDC
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS WILMINGTON OH
408 PM EST FRI MAR 6 2015 .SYNOPSIS... A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL DROP SOUTH TOWARD THE SOUTHEAST U.S. OVERNIGHT. LOW PRESSURE AND AN ASSOCIATED WEAK COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES AND OHIO VALLEY SATURDAY INTO SATURDAY NIGHT. WEAK HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD BACK INTO THE REGION FOR SUNDAY. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM SATURDAY MORNING/... A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL DROP SOUTH TOWARD THE SOUTHEAST U.S. OVERNIGHT. AS IT DOES...LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE TO THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES. A PRESSURE GRADIENT BETWEEN THESE TWO SYSTEMS SHOULD KEEP WINDS UP ACRS THE NORTHWEST OVERNIGHT. THE SOUTHEAST PART OF THE FORECAST AREA WILL HAVE LIGHTER WINDS...AND WITH A DEEP SNOW PACK...SOME VALLEY LOCATIONS MAY EVEN DECOUPLE AS TEMPERATURES COOL. THE NAM AND GFS HAVE BEEN HAVING ISSUES WITH LOW LEVEL RH LATELY...AND THIS WAS SEEN ON THE KILN 12Z SOUNDING IN WHICH THE GFS HAD A MUCH HIGHER RH THAN REALITY. BELIEVE THE NAM AND GFS ARE GROSSLY OVERDONE ON THE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE OVERNIGHT IN WHICH THEY TRY TO DEVELOP LOW CLOUDS. THIS HAS TEMPERATURE IMPLICATIONS (KEEPING IT WARMER) AS WELL AS THE WINDS AND CURRENT SNOW COVER. THE RAP IS NOT AS MOIST AND IS MORE IN LINE WITH THE ECMWF. AS A RESULT...AM FORECASTING JUST AN INCREASE IN HIGH AND MID LEVEL CLOUDS OVERNIGHT WITH LOWS MORE WEIGHTED TOWARD THE ECMWF. HAVE COOLED LOCATIONS IN OUR EAST/SOUTHEAST INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS AS THESE LOCATIONS TEND TO DECOUPLE...AND EVEN MORE SO WITH SNOW COVER. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM SATURDAY MORNING THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/... IN A WEST/NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT...EMBEDDED S/WV ENERGY WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REGION SATURDAY INTO SATURDAY NIGHT. THIS WILL BE REFLECTED AT THE SFC BY LOW PRESSURE OVER THE GREAT LAKES WITH A WEAK COLD FRONT PUSHING SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE REGION SATURDAY NIGHT. AS STATED IN THE NEAR TERM...BELIEVE THE NAM AND GFS ARE OVERDONE ON THE LOW LEVEL RH AND HAVE LEANED MORE TOWARD THE ECMWF. WE SHOULD STILL SEE AN INCREASE IN CLOUDS IN THE WAA AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT. BELIEVE THE SYSTEM IS MOISTURE STARVED...AND THE LIGHT QPF BEING GENERATED BY THE GFS AND NAM IS MORE A REFLECTION OF ITS HIGH RH BIAS IN THE LOW LEVELS. HIGH RESOLUTION MODELS CONCUR AND GENERATE WEAK PCPN NORTH OF THE AREA. THUS...WEAK ISENTROPIC LIFT AHEAD OF THE FRONT SHOULD KEEP THE CHANCE OF PCPN NORTH OF THE FORECAST AREA AND OVER THE GREAT LAKES. AGAIN...THE PROSPECTS OF LOW CLOUDS ALONG WITH WIND AND SNOW COVER WILL PLAY A HUGE PART ON HOW WARM IT WILL GET ON SATURDAY. WE WILL BE IN A WAA PATTERN WITH A PRETTY GOOD SOUTH/SOUTHWEST FETCH WITH SOME GUSTINESS. THE GFS AND NAM SEEM TO BE HOLDING TEMPERATURES DOWN TOO MUCH GIVEN THE HIGH RH BIAS AND THE NAM/S TENDENCY TO KEEP SKIN TEMPERATURES CLOSE TO FREEZING WHEN THEIR IS A SNOW COVER DESPITE GOOD WAA. SO...HAVE TAKEN A BLEND OF THE PREVIOUS FORECAST AND THE ECMWF WHICH YIELDS HIGHS IN THE UPPER 30S NORTH TO THE LOWER 40S SOUTH. AS THE FRONT PUSHES THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT...WINDS WILL SHIFT TO THE WEST AND SKIES SHOULD EVENTUALLY BECOME PARTLY CLOUDY. HAVE USED A BLEND OF MODELS/MOS GUIDANCE FOR OVERNIGHT LOWS. FOR SUNDAY INTO SUNDAY NIGHT...WEAK SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE WILL SETTLE OVER THE OHIO VALLEY. WE WILL REMAIN IN A WEST/NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT WITH EMBEDDED DISTURBANCES BRINGING CLOUDS TO REGION FROM TIME TO TIME. NAM/GFS ARE A LITTLE STRONGER WITH POST FRONTAL CAA ON SUNDAY WHILE THE ECMWF SHOWS LITTLE CAA. HAVE TAKEN A BLEND OF MODELS SO AS NOT TO BIAS FROM ONE END OF THE SPECTRUM TO THE OTHER END OF THE SPECTRUM. THIS RESULTS IN SLIGHT COOLING IN THE NORTH WITH TEMPERATURES SIMILAR TO SATURDAYS HIGHS IN THE SOUTH. LOWS SUNDAY NIGHT WILL RANGE FROM THE MID 20S NORTH TO NEAR 30 SOUTH. && .LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... FAIRLY BENIGN EXTENDED PATTERN WITH THE AREA. THOUGH SOME MODEL DIFFERENCES IN A SOUTHERN STREAM SYSTEM LIFTING THROUGH THE KY/TN AREA...WHICH MAY BRING SHOWERS FOR TUE/TUE NIGHT. FOR NOW HAVE BROUGHT SHOWERS UP TO FCST AREA AND AFFECTING THE FAR SOUTH...BUT GENERALLY WENT WITH A GFS/ECMWF BLEND WITH THE ECMWF BEING FURTHER NORTH WITH THIS SYSTEM...SO SUBSEQUENT SHIFTS MAY NEED TO TWEAK UPWARD. STARTED OUT WITH BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES WITH THE ANTICIPATION OF LINGERING SNOW COVER...THOUGH SOME WARMING AS THIS SYSTEM APPROACHES BRINGING AMPLE WAA. DRY CONDITIONS THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE PERIOD...BUT AHEAD OF A SYSTEM WHICH COULD BRING A WARM/WET PATTERN FOR NEXT WEEKEND. && .AVIATION /21Z FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... TAF SITES CURRENTLY VFR ACROSS THE REGION AS SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE REMAINS IN CONTROL. FORECAST SOUNDINGS FROM THE NAM AND GFS ALL SHOW IFR CONDITIONS TOMORROW MORNING BUT THE GFS AND NAM HAVE ALL PERFORMED POORLY WITH LOW LEVEL MOISTURE THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS. THE SREF CIG PROBABILITIES DON`T LOOK TO PROMISING FOR IFR TOMORROW MORNING BUT DO SHOW SOME MVFR CIGS. AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL MOVE OVERHEAD TOMORROW AFTERNOON BUT WITH ONLY AVERAGE MOISTURE LEVELS AND LIMITED LIFT HAVE LEFT THE MENTION OF PRECIP OUT OF THE TAFS. THE UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL PROVIDE STRONGER WINDS ACROSS THE AREA THOUGH. OUTLOOK...MVFR CIGS AND VSBYS POSSIBLE INTO SUNDAY. && .ILN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OH...NONE. KY...NONE. IN...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...HICKMAN NEAR TERM...HICKMAN SHORT TERM...HICKMAN LONG TERM...JDR AVIATION...HAINES