Forecast Discussions mentioning any of "HRRR" "RAP" "RR" "RUC13" "RUC" received at GSD on 05/20/15


AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS RENO NV
300 PM PDT MON MAY 18 2015 .SYNOPSIS... LOW PRESSURE ALOFT WILL REMAIN OVER CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA THROUGH THE END OF THE WORK WEEK, BRINGING BELOW AVERAGE TEMPERATURES AND ROUNDS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS, MAINLY IN THE AFTERNOONS AND EVENINGS. PRECIPITATION CHANCES DECREASE OVER THE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND ALTHOUGH A FEW SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL STILL BE POSSIBLE. && .SHORT TERM... A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE REMAINS OVER THE WEST. AN UPPER DISTURBANCE OVER SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA AND SOUTHERN NEVADA IS ROTATING AROUND THE TROUGH, BRINGING INCREASED DIVERGENCE ALOFT AND HELPING TO INITIATE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTHERN AND EASTERN NEVADA. FOR NORTHEAST CALIFORNIA AND WESTERN NEVADA, ACTIVITY IS RESTRICTED EARLY THIS AFTERNOON WITH THE BEST FORCING SOUTH AND EAST OF THE AREA. HOWEVER, SCATTERED SHOWERS SHOULD STILL DEVELOP GIVEN THE MOIST AND WEAKLY UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE, ESPECIALLY FOR EASTERN CALIFORNIA AND FAR WESTERN NEVADA WHERE THE HRRR AND NAM SHOW A LIGHT WESTERLY FLOW OFF THE SIERRA (TO AID LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE AND UPWARD MOTION) INTO THE EVENING. AS FAR AS THUNDERSTORMS, LOW FREEZING LEVELS AND WEAK INSTABILITY MAKE IT HARD TO RULE OUT BRIEF, ISOLATED CELLS. ANY STORMS THIS EVENING WILL BE WEAK WITH THE MAIN THREAT BEING LIGHTNING AND LARGE QUANTITIES OF SMALL, SOFT HAIL (GRAUPEL TECHNICALLY). LATE TONIGHT, THE HRRR AND LESS-SO THE GFS AND NAM ARE INDICATING WRAP-AROUND PRECIPITATION OVER NORTHEAST CALIFORNIA AND NORTHWEST NEVADA AS THE UPPER LOW ADVANCES INTO EASTERN NEVADA. WITH THIS IN MIND, I HAVE LEFT IN SCATTERED SHOWERS NORTH OF RENO AND FALLON WITH ISOLATED COVERAGE ELSEWHERE. TUESDAY, THE REGION IS BETWEEN UPPER WAVES. HOWEVER, MOISTURE REMAINS IN PLACE AND BETTER HEATING IS POSSIBLE WITH LITTLE UPPER FORCING ALLOWING FOR LESS/THINNER CLOUD COVER IN THE MORNING. THIS SHOULD FACILITATE SCATTERED SHOWERS IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING, WITH A LOW CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS. WEDNESDAY, THE BEST UPPER FORCING OF THE SHORT TERM IS EXPECTED AS ANOTHER DISTURBANCE RELOADS THE SOUTHWEST CONUS TROUGH. THE DISTURBANCE IS EXPECTED TO MOVE FROM SOUTH TO NORTH THROUGH CALIFORNIA WITH THE BEST FORCING IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. WITH THIS IN MIND, I HAVE BUMPED POP A BIT MORE OVER MUCH OF FAR WESTERN NEVADA AND EASTERN CALIFORNIA WITH NUMEROUS SHOWERS EXPECTED BY AFTERNOON. WITH THE FORCING, I WOULD EXPECTED AT LEAST ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WITH HIGHER COVERAGE POSSIBLE IF WE CAN GET DECENT MORNING HEATING (CLEARER SKIES). SNYDER .LONG TERM...THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY... BY THURSDAY AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE WILL AGAIN BE ALONG THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA COAST. THIS WILL CONTINUE TO BRING WIDESPREAD CHANCES OF PRECIPITATION, ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS, AND BELOW AVERAGE DAYTIME TEMPERATURES. THURSDAY CURRENTLY LOOKS TO BE THE WETTEST DAY WITH MOISTURE WRAPPING AROUND THE LOW PRESSURE AND BANKING AGAINST THE SIERRA FROM THE EAST. RELATIVELY DEEP MOISTURE AND UPSLOPE FLOW COULD ALLOW SOME AREAS TO PICK UP ANOTHER ROUND OF SIGNIFICANT PRECIPITATION, ESPECIALLY IN THE CENTRAL SIERRA. BY FRIDAY THE LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE INTO SOUTHERN NEVADA BRINGING NORTHERLY FLOW TO THE AREA. THIS WILL DECREASE THE CHANCE OF SIGNIFICANT QPF IN THE SIERRA, BUT WILL STILL ALLOW WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION TO WESTERN NEVADA AND THE SIERRA. FOR THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND... CHANCES FOR THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE ON THE DECREASE BY THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND AS THE LOW PRESSURE MOVES INTO THE ROCKIES, BUT WITH SOME RESIDUAL MOISTURE AND INCREASING TEMPERATURES THERE IS STILL A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY IN SIERRA AND WESTERN NEVADA THROUGH THE WEEKEND. SIGNIFICANT MODEL DISCREPANCIES EXIST BY THE WEEKEND SO FORECAST CONFIDENCE IS CURRENTLY LOW ON THE BEST AREA FOR THUNDERSTORM CHANCES. EXPECT A WARMING TREND THROUGH THE WEEKEND WITH DAYTIME TEMPERATURES RIGHT AROUND SEASONAL AVERAGES WITH MID 70`S IN WESTERN NEVADA AND MID 60`S IN THE SIERRA. BY MONDAY WESTERN NEVADA VALLEYS COULD HIT 80 WITH SIERRA VALLEYS REACHING 70. TOLBY && .AVIATION... SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED THROUGHOUT THE SIERRA AND WESTERN NEVADA THROUGH THIS EVENING. LOW CLOUD DECKS AND RAIN SHOWERS WILL CREATE SOME MOUNTAIN OBSCURATION IN THE SIERRA. GENERALLY LIGHT WEST WINDS WITH THE CHANCE OF GUSTS TO AROUND 30 KTS NEAR THUNDERSTORMS. TOLBY && .REV WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NV...NONE. CA...NONE. && $$ FOR MORE INFORMATION FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE VISIT... HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/RENO (ALL LOWER CASE)
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GRAND JUNCTION CO
903 PM MDT TUE MAY 19 2015 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 848 PM MDT TUE MAY 19 2015 SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO SLOWLY MARCH ENE THIS EVENING...WITH PUNCH OF DRIER AIR WORKING INTO THE SOUTHERN ZONES. WILL CONTINUE TO UPDATE POPS GRIDS TO BRING THEM MORE INTO LINE WITH CURRENT TRENDS. HRRR BRINGS ONE LAST WAVE OF ENERGY OUT OF CENTRAL UTAH AND ACROSS OUR NORTHERN ZONES AFTER MIDNIGHT...WHICH SHOULD CARRY A FEW LINGERING SHOWERS WITH IT. AREAS SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 70 WILL BE DRYING OUT. EXPECT A CHILLY NIGHT IN MOST AREAS WITH COMBINATION OF FALLING DEW POINT TEMPS...CLEARING SKIES AND LIGHT WINDS. && .SHORT TERM...(TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 252 PM MDT TUE MAY 19 2015 THE LATEST PACIFIC STORM WAS CENTERED OVER THE SALT LAKE CITY AREA EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. A WEAK SHORTWAVE ROTATING THROUGH THE BASE OF THE ZONALLY ELONGATED LOW GOT THUNDERSTORMS OFF TO AN EARLY START TODAY. SEVERAL STORMS GENERATED DIME-SIZED HAIL...THOUGH WIND GUSTS WERE SUBSTANTIALLY WEAKER AS THE LOWER LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE HAVE MOISTENED THEREBY LIMITING DOWNDRAFT SPEED. MEANWHILE...WEB CAM IMAGES FROM THE MOUNTAIN AREAS INDICATED SOME SNOW HERE AND THERE BUT MOUNTAIN PASSES HAD ALL IMPROVED SIGNIFICANTLY AS COMPARED TO THIS MORNING. EXPECT SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING THOUGH THE LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING COMBINED WITH THE EXIT OF THE SHORTWAVE DESCRIBED PREVIOUSLY WILL CAUSE MOIST CONVECTION TO DIMINISH SIGNIFICANTLY BY MIDNIGHT. MODELS INDICATED A FEW SHOWERS MAY LINGER OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF THE NORTH LATE TONIGHT IN AN AREA OF WEAK OVERRUNNING...THOUGH ADDITIONAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE LIGHT AND LOCALIZED. PARTIAL CLEARING WILL TRANSLATE INTO COOLER OVERNIGHT LOWS WITH READINGS RUNNING ABOUT 5 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL. A RIDGE WILL BUILD OVER THE AREA ON WED AND PERSIST THROUGH WED NIGHT. WHILE DRIER AIR WILL WORK IN FROM THE SOUTH...SOME MOISTURE WILL LINGER MAINLY OVER THE NORTH AND MOUNTAINS. MODEL CROSS SECTIONS INDICATE THAT AN OROGRAPHICALLY FAVORED WEST FLOW WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE SHOWERS OVER THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS EARLY IN THE DAY...ESPECIALLY ALONG THE PARK...GORE AND FLATTOPS RANGES. MOISTURE WILL DIMINISH LATE IN THE DAY THROUGH THE EVENING. HOWEVER DAYTIME HEATING WILL HELP BOOST AFTERNOON CONVECTION... AGAIN MAINLY OVER THE MOUNTAINS. BY LATE EVENING THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD DIE OFF...WITH ONLY A FEW SHOWERS LINGERING BEYOND MIDNIGHT. .LONG TERM...(THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 252 PM MDT TUE MAY 19 2015 THE NEXT LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM RELOADS ALONG THE CENTRAL CA COAST ON THU. THEN SWINGS INLAND LATE THU NIGHT AND ACROSS THE DESERT SOUTHWEST/SOUTHERN GREAT BASIN ON FRI/FRI NIGHT. THE RESULTING SOUTH-SOUTHWEST FLOW WILL BRING ENOUGH MOISTURE FOR SOME DIURNALLY DRIVEN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EACH LATE DAY PERIOD. THE MOUNTAINS WILL BE FAVORED. ALSO A LEADING DISTURBANCE WILL EJECT FROM THE PARENT LOW...AND BRUSH THE FORECAST AREA THU EVENING. THIS WILL PROVIDE A BOOST TO CONVECTION THROUGH THE EVENING...WITH SHOWERS LINGERING OVERNIGHT. THERE CONTINUES TO BE SOME DIFFERENCES AT TO THE TRACK OF THE MAIN LOW PRESSURE TROUGH LATE FRI THROUGH SAT...WITH THE GFS SLOWER AND FARTHER SOUTH. BUT IT APPEARS THAT A WET WEEKEND IS AGAIN IN STORE FOR THE AREA. FOR SUNDAY AND BEYOND...THE ECMWF INDICATES THAT ADDITIONAL AND CLOSELY TIMED LOW PRESSURE DISTURBANCES WILL PASS OVER THE REGION. THE GFS SHOWS A DISTINCT RIDGE EARLY IN THE WORK WEEK AFTER THE FIRST LOW EXITS TO THE EAST...BUT WITH SOME DIURNALLY DRIVEN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EACH LATE DAY PERIOD. THEREFORE THE FORECAST WILL REMAIN UNSETTLED THROUGH THE END OF THE PERIOD. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z WEDNESDAY EVENING) ISSUED AT 848 PM MDT TUE MAY 19 2015 A FEW SHOWERS WILL LINGER OVER NORTHEAST UTAH AND NORTHWEST COLORADO THROUGH 14Z...WITH LITTLE TO NO IMPACT EXPECTED AT TERMINAL SITES. THE SHOWERS WILL OBSTRUCT MOUNTAIN TOPS AT TIMES...WITH BRIEF MVFR CIGS EXPECTED IN THE VICINITY. ANOTHER ROUND OF MOUNTAIN CONVECTION IS EXPECTED AFTER 18Z WITH BULK OF THIS ACTIVITY REMAINING ANCHORED TO THE HIGHER TERRAIN. OTHERWISE...VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH LATE WEDNESDAY. && .GJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CO...NONE. UT...NONE. && $$ UPDATE...JDC SHORT TERM...NL/EH LONG TERM...EH AVIATION...JDC
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GRAND JUNCTION CO
1129 PM MDT SUN MAY 17 2015 .SHORT TERM...(TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 331 PM MDT SUN MAY 17 2015 IN SPITE OF BUILDING HIGH PRESSURE OVER UTAH AND WARMING TEMPS ALOFT...AFTERNOON CAPE VALUES OF 250-500 J/KG SUGGEST CONVECTIVE SHOWERS WITH SOME THUNDERSTORMS. MOISTURE TRANSPORT DOES EXIST FROM THE UINTA MOUNTAINS TOWARD VAIL AND INDEPENDENCE PASS REGION...AND SHOWERS/STORMS WILL BE CONCENTRATED ACROSS THIS AREA. CONVECTIVE POTENTIAL EXIST ELSEWHERE BUT NOT AS NUMEROUS OVER SW COLORADO...AND MOSTLY DRY OVER SE UTAH. CONVECTIVE POTENTIAL MOSTLY DIMINISHES WITH SUNSET. NOT SO SURE THIS WILL BE THE CASE ACROSS PARTS OF ERN UTAH AS MOISTURE TRANSPORT INCREASES OVERNIGHT...THE HRRR SHOW CONVECTIVE SHOWERS PERSISTING PAST MIDNIGHT AND TRACKING OVER THE UINTA BASIN/MOUNTAINS. BY DAYBREAK...HIGH CLOUDS WILL BE SPREADING FROM THE SOUTH AS THE NEXT CALIFORNIA UPPER LOW ADVECTS MOISTURE TOWARDS THE FOUR CORNERS REGION. THE PACIFIC WAVE TRAIN CONTINUES MONDAY AS THE NEXT STORM SYSTEM MOVES SLOWLY ONSHORE...ITS CENTER SETTLING OVER CALIFORNIA/S SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY LATE IN THE AFTERNOON. SOUTHERLY FLOW AHEAD OF THE TROUGH WILL CAUSE MOISTURE LEVELS TO RISE ONCE AGAIN AS GULF MOISTURE IS TAPPED. GFS AND NAM BOTH INDICATED PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES RISING TO NEAR 0.6 OF AN INCH. MEANWHILE...AN 110 KT JET ROTATES THROUGH THE BASE OF THE TROUGH GIVING IT A SLIGHTLY NEGATIVE TILT. THE NOSE OF THE JET PUSHES TOWARD THE FOUR CORNERS WHICH WILL PROVIDE CONSIDERABLE DIVERGENCE TO ADD TO THE DIFFLUENT FLOW ALOFT. THE DYNAMIC LIFT JUST DESCRIBED COMBINED WITH DAYTIME HEATING WILL GENERATE SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS FAVORING THE MOUNTAINS. AS MENTIONED IN THE PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...ARRIVING MOISTURE WILL BE HIGH BASED ACCORDING TO AREA TIME SECTIONS SO EXPECT MAIN STORM THREAT...ASIDE FROM LIGHTNING...WILL BE STRONG AND GUSTY OUTFLOW WINDS. WAA ADVECTION WILL CAUSE TEMPERATURES TO CLIMB CLOSER TO SEASONAL NORMS... THOUGH EXPECT CLOUDS AND SHOWERS WILL LIMIT HIGHS. THEREFORE... NUDGED MONDAY/S HIGHS TOWARD COOLER MAV GUIDANCE. MONDAY NIGHT WILL REMAIN ACTIVE AS THE PACIFIC SYSTEM MOVES OVER SOUTHERN NEVADA DURING THE NIGHT. DIFFLUENT/DIVERGENT FORCING REMAINS IN PLACE WHILE MOISTURE CONTINUES TO STREAM INTO THE AREA FROM THE SOUTH. AS A RESULT...WILL CONTINUE WITH LIKELY POPS IN THE MOUNTAINS WITH CHANCE POPS ACROSS THE VALLEYS. COLDER AIR BEGINS TO ADVECT OVER THE REGION DURING THE NIGHT CAUSING SNOW LEVELS TO LOWER TO AROUND 9000 TO 9500 FEET. EXPECT ACCUMULATING SNOW FOR AREAS ABOVE 10000 FEET WITH AMOUNTS OF UP TO 8 INCHES POSSIBLE ABOVE THE TIMBERLINE. MODELS SUGGEST AMOUNTS OF 12 INCHES OR MORE BUT APPEARS CONVECTIVE PARAMETERIZATION MAY BE A BIT OVERDONE AS LAPSE RATES ONLY MODERATELY UNSTABLE. IMPACTS TO ROADWAYS OVER THE HIGH PASSES PROBABLY NEGLIGIBLE WITH MOST SNOW MELTING ON CONTACT SO WILL HOLD OFF ISSUING HILITES. CLOUDS... SHOWERS AND WAA WILL YIELD MILDER OVERNIGHT LOWS AS PREVIOUSLY FORECAST. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 331 PM MDT SUN MAY 17 2015 COOL AND UNSETTLED CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE TUESDAY AS THE PACIFIC STORM MOVES OVER THE REGION. SNOW LEVELS WILL RISE WITH DAYTIME WARMING...ESPECIALLY SOUTH...WHICH WILL INHIBIT ANY ADDITIONAL ACCUMULATIONS BELOW 10000 FEET. CONDITIONS IMPROVE TUESDAY NIGHT AS A TRANSIENT SHORTWAVE RIDGE BUILDS OVER THE AREA. ANOTHER LOW DEVELOPS OVER THE EASTERN PACIFIC AT MIDWEEK BUT STAYS QUASI-STATIONARY UNTIL THURSDAY NIGHT. A DRIER SOUTHWEST FLOW WILL MOVE OVER THE FORECAST AREA AHEAD OF THIS SYSTEM LIMITING MOIST CONVECTION TO THE MOUNTAIN AREAS DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. TEMPERATURES WILL RECOVER DURING THIS PERIOD REACHING NEAR NORMAL LEVELS THURSDAY AFTERNOON. THE PACIFIC SYSTEM THEN FOLLOWS THE WELL BEATEN PATH PREVIOUS STORMS HAVE TAKEN OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS...TRACKING OVER EASTERN UTAH AND WESTERN COLORADO FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. CONSEQUENTLY...LOOK FOR AN UPTICK IN SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY ONCE AGAIN ALONG WITH COOLER THAN NORMAL TEMPERATURES. CONDITIONS ON SUNDAY LESS CERTAIN AS LATEST ECMWF DRIVES A SHORTWAVE TROUGH ACROSS THE REGION FROM THE NORTHWEST WHILE GFS FAVORS A TRANSITORY RIDGE. BOTH SOLUTIONS POINT TO A CONTINUATION OF UNSETTLED CONDITIONS AS MOISTURE WILL LINGER IN EITHER CASE. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z MONDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 1123 PM MDT SUN MAY 17 2015 A FEW SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS ACROSS THE NORTH BEFORE DIMINISHING OVERNIGHT. VFR CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS ON MONDAY. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL INCREASE LATE MONDAY AFTERNOON AND INCREASE IN COVERAGE BY MONDAY EVENING. HAVE INCREASED POPS AT TAF SITES WITH TEMPO/SHOWERS WORDING WITH CATEGORICAL PRECIPITATION OVER MOUNTAIN TAF SITES AT ASE AND TEX DEVELOPING BY 19/02Z. EXPECT VISIBILITY AND CEILINGS TO LOWER IN THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH MOUNTAIN BECOMING OBSCURED. SNOW LEVELS ARE EXPECTED TO BE AROUND 10000 FEET BUT LOWERING TO 9000 FEET IN HEAVIER SHOWERS. && .GJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CO...NONE. UT...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...PF/NL LONG TERM...NL AVIATION...MPM
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS TAUNTON MA
318 PM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 .SYNOPSIS... MARITIME HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OVER NEW ENGLAND BRINGING COOLER MARINE AIR TODAY...BUT IT SILL WILL BE A RATHER MILD DAY ACROSS THE INTERIOR. ANOTHER COLD FRONT WILL BRING SCATTERED SHOWERS TO THE REGION TONIGHT INTO TUE WITH A LOW POTENTIAL FOR AN ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM. WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS ARE POSSIBLE WEDNESDAY...FRIDAY...AND MONDAY. BUT IN GENERAL DRY WEATHER AND SEASONABLE TEMPS ARE EXPECTED FROM MID WEEK THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM TUESDAY MORNING/... 200 PM UPDATE... SKIES HAVE BECOME MOSTLY SUNNY ACROSS THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE REGION AT MID AFTERNOON. TEMPS HAVE CLIMBED INTO THE 70S ACROSS THE INTERIOR...60S JUST INLAND FROM THE COAST...AND BETWEEN 55 AND 60 ALONG THE IMMEDIATE COAST. TEMPS MAY CLIMB ANOTHER FEW DEGREES ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE INTERIOR. HOWEVER...THE MAIN CONCERN ARE THE LOW CLOUDS AND AREAS OF FOG JUST MOVING ONTO THE OUTER-CAPE. MOST OF THE GUIDANCE IS NOT HANDLING THIS WELL...BUT THE HRRR AND TO SOME DEGREE THE RAP SHOWS THESE LOW CLOUDS AND FOG BACKING INTO EASTERN MAY LATE THIS AFTERNOON/EARLY THIS EVENING. CONFIDENCE IS LOW...BUT GIVEN EASTERLY FLOW LEANING TOWARDS THAT HAPPENING. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM TUESDAY MORNING THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/... LOW PRESSURE MOVES INTO QUEBEC BRINGING A COLD FRONT TOWARDS SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND. MUCH OF TONIGHT SHOULD BE DRY WITH INCREASING CLOUDS. SHOWERS SHOULD HOLD OFF UNTIL WELL AFTER MIDNIGHT. TEMPERATURES OVERNIGHT WILL BE A COUPLE OF DEGREES COOLER THAN THIS MORNINGS TEMPS WITH THE CONTINUED EASTERLY FLOW AND HIGH PRESSURE EAST OF SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND. SHOWERS WILL BEGIN WELL AFTER MIDNIGHT AS THE FRONT APPROACHES SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND. INSTABILITY INCREASES AS DAYBREAK APPROACHES WITH INCREASING MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES AND K INDICES ABOVE 30. SHOWALTER INDICES FALL BELOW 0 IN A FEW LOCATIONS BUT THIS IS NOT WIDESPREAD. WITH THE INSTABILITY IN PLACE...EXPECT WE WILL SEE A FEW THUNDERSTORMS BUT BELIEVE THE MAIN THREAT WILL BE FROM AREAS OF HEAVY RAINFALL. PWATS OF 1.5 TO 1.75 INCHES ARE ABOUT 2 STD ABOVE NORMAL FOR MID MAY. IN ADDITION...850MB WINDS ARE ONLY 20-25KTS. NOT ENOUGH TO MOVE STORMS ALONG QUICKLY. DON/T BELIEVE THERE WILL BE WIDESPREAD FLOODING BUT DEPENDING ON THE TRACKS OF STORMS COULD SEE SOME POOR DRAINAGE FLOODING WHERE STORMS TRAIN. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... BIG PICTURE... THE PATTERN EVOLVES THROUGH THE WEEKEND WITH FLAT FLOW IN THE EASTERN USA GIVING WAY TO A DIGGING TROUGH LATE WEEK. THE TROUGH RELAXS A LITTLE OVER THE WEEKEND. TWO SHORTWAVES MOVE THROUGH THE FLOW...ONE ON WEDNESDAY AND THE SECOND ON FRIDAY. CONTOUR HEIGHTS LOWER BELOW SEASONAL NORMS WEDNESDAY-THURSDAY...THEN RETURN TO NEAR SEASONABLE LEVELS OVER THE WEEKEND. JET PATTERN STARTS WITH NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN STREAMS...BUT THESE MERGE LATER IN THE WEEK IN THE EASTERN USA AS THE UPPER TROUGH DIGS. THE DAILIES... WEDNESDAY... COLD FRONT MOVES WELL OFFSHORE WEDNESDAY WITH COOLER DRIER AIR MOVING INTO NEW ENGLAND. UPPER SHORTWAVE AND COLDER TEMPS/MOISTURE ALOFT WILL GENERATE DIURNAL CU ESPECIALLY ALONG AND NORTH OF THE MASS PIKE. THE AIRMASS IS PROBABLY TOO DRY BELOW 5000 FEET FOR SCATTERED AFTERNOON SHOWERS. MIXING SHOULD REACH 850 MB WHICH WHERE TEMPS OF 1-4C SHOULD SUPPORT MAX SFC TEMPS IN THE 60S. TEMPS COULD REACH 70 IN THE SOUTH ESPECIALLY RI/SOUTHEAST MASS WHERE TEMPS ALOFT MAY BE A LITTLE MILDER OR MIXING A LITTLE DEEPER. WINDS IN THE MIXED LAYER WILL BE 20-25 KNOTS...SO WIND GUSTS SHOULD APPROACH THOSE SPEEDS. WINDS DIMINISH WEDNESDAY NIGHT AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN. WITH DEW POINTS IN THE 30S...TEMPS SHOULD FALL TO THE 30S IN THE COLDER SPOTS...WITH 40S SOUTH AND EAST. THURSDAY...AFTER THE CHILLY START HIGH PRESSURE SHOULD PROVIDE A FAIR DRY DAY. MIXING SHOULD REACH 800 MB WHERE TEMPS 0-2C SUPPORT MAX SFC TEMPS 65 TO 70. FRIDAY-SATURDAY-SUNDAY... UPPER SHORTWAVE AND CORRESPONDING SURFACE COLD FRONT SWEEP THROUGH ON FRIDAY. THIS MAY CAUSE WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS BUT PRECIP WATER VALUES AT OR BELOW 0.5 INCHES SUGGEST A DRY ENVIRONMENT TO OVERCOME. WE USED LOW-END SLIGHT CHANCE POPS FOR THIS PASSAGE. HIGH PRESSURE THEN BUILDS EAST SATURDAY AND PROVIDES DRY WEATHER MUCH OF THE WEEKEND. SUNDAY NIGHT-MONDAY...A COLD FRONT DROPS SOUTH INTO NEW ENGLAND. MODEL CONSENSUS SUGGESTS A FEW SHOWERS MOVING THROUGH THE REGION DURING THIS PERIOD...BUT QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW FAR SOUTH THE FRONT PROGRESSES BEFORE STALLING. WE WILL CONTINUE TO INDICATE A CHANCE OF SHOWERS. && .AVIATION /19Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... FORECASTER CONFIDENCE LEVELS... LOW...LESS THAN 30 PERCENT. MODERATE...30 TO 60 PERCENT. HIGH...GREATER THAN 60 PERCENT. SHORT TERM /THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/... THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...LOW TO MODERATE CONFIDENCE. VFR CONDITIONS AT MID AFTERNOON WILL DETERIORATE TO LOW END MVFR/IFR WITH EVEN SOME LIFR CONDITIONS POSSIBLE TONIGHT...BUT TIMING HIGHLY UNCERTAIN. MODELS NOT PICKING UP ON A DECK OF LOW CLOUDS/FOG SITTING OFF CAPE COD WHICH MAY BACK INTO EASTERN MA LATER THIS AFTERNOON/EVENING. OTHER AREAS OF LOW CLOUDS AND FOG ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE REST OF THE REGION...BUT TIMING UNCERTAIN. A CLUSTER OF SHOWERS AND PERHAPS A FEW EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS WILL MAY WORK INTO OUR WESTERN ZONES TOWARD DAYBREAK. TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT...LOW TO MODERATE CONFIDENCE. A CLUSTER OF SHOWERS AND PERHAPS A FEW EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS THE REGION TUE MORNING INTO EARLY AFTERNOON...BEFORE EXITING THE REGION. LOW END MVFR TO IFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED FOR AT LEAST THE MORNING. TEMPORARY IMPROVEMENT TO VFR MAY OCCUR ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE INTERIOR TUE AFTERNOON. A FEW STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MAY WORK INTO WESTERN MA/NORTHERN CT LATE TUE AFTERNOON/EVENING. ISOLATED STRONG WIND GUSTS/HAIL WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS ACTIVITY. EXPECT THE ACTIVITY TO WEAKEN AS IT MOVES INTO EASTERN MA/RI. CONDITIONS THEN IMPROVE TO VFR FROM WEST TO EAST. KBOS TERMINAL...LOW CONFIDENCE. WATCHING A BANK OF LOW CLOUDS/FOG THAT MAY MOVE INTO THE TERMINAL LATE THIS AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING BUT LOW CONFIDENCE. KBDL TERMINAL...MODERATE CONFIDENCE IN TAF. LOW END MVFR TO IFR EXPECTED TO DEVELOP TONIGHT BUT TIMING UNCERTAIN. OUTLOOK...WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY...MODERATE CONFIDENCE. VFR THROUGH THE PERIOD. NORTHWEST WINDS WILL GUST TO 25 KNOTS WEDNESDAY. && .MARINE... FORECASTER CONFIDENCE LEVELS... LOW...LESS THAN 30 PERCENT. MODERATE...30 TO 60 PERCENT. HIGH...GREATER THAN 60 PERCENT. SHORT TERM /THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/...HIGH CONFIDENCE. QUIET BOATING WEATHER EXPECTED WITH HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE WATERS. EASTERLY WINDS 5 TO 10 KTS WILL SHIFT TO THE SOUTH TONIGHT AND INCREASE TO 10 TO 15 KTS WITH GUSTS TO 20 KTS TUESDAY. OUTLOOK...WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY...MODERATE CONFIDENCE. WEDNESDAY... INCREASING NORTHWEST WINDS DURING THE DAY. THIS MAY BRING A PERIOD OF GUSTS TO 25 KNOTS DURING THE AFTERNOON. SEAS SHOULD REMAIN BELOW 5 FEET. WILL MONITOR FOR POTENTIAL SMALL CRAFT HEADLINES DUE TO AFTERNOON WIND GUSTS. THURSDAY-FRIDAY... HIGH PRESSURE MOVES OVERHEAD THURSDAY. A WEAK COLD FRONT PASSES THROUGH ON FRIDAY. WINDS AND SEAS SHOULD REMAIN BELOW SMALL CRAFT THRESHOLDS. FRIDAY NIGHT-SATURDAY... NORTHWEST WINDS BEHIND THE COLD FRONT WILL INCREASE AND BRING GUSTS TO 25 KNOTS ACROSS THE WATERS. THIS MAY BRIEFLY BRING SEAS UP TO 5 FEET. A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY MAY BE NEEDED. && .FIRE WEATHER... WEDNESDAY...COOLER DRIER AIR MOVES IN. THE FORECAST HAS STAYED CLOSE TO MODEL CONSENSUS WHICH BRINGS DEW POINTS DOWN INTO THE 30S WITH RESULTING MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITY PERCENTAGES IN THE 30S. THERE IS SOME CONCERN THAT THIS DATA IS MISSING THE PRESENCE OF DRIER AIR AT 5000 FEET/850 MB...WHERE DEW POINTS ARE FORECAST AT 26-30F DURING THE AFTERNOON. DAYTIME MIXING OF THIS AIRMASS MAY LOWER SURFACE DEW POINTS INTO THE UPPER 20S AND CREATE MIN RH VALUES OF 27-31 PERCENT. ALONG WITH THIS WILL BE EXPECTED WIND GUSTS NEAR 25 KNOTS. SO THE WEATHER PORTION OF THE FIRE WEATHER EQUATION IS INCHING TOWARD HIGHER CONCERN AND WILL NEED TO BE MONITORED. && .BOX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CT...NONE. MA...NONE. RI...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...WTB/RLG NEAR TERM...FRANK SHORT TERM...RLG LONG TERM...WTB AVIATION...WTB/FRANK MARINE...WTB/RLG FIRE WEATHER...
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS TAUNTON MA
200 PM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 .SYNOPSIS... MARITIME HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OVER NEW ENGLAND BRINGING COOLER MARINE AIR TODAY...BUT IT SILL WILL BE A RATHER MILD DAY ACROSS THE INTERIOR. ANOTHER COLD FRONT WILL BRING SCATTERED SHOWERS TO THE REGION TONIGHT INTO TUE WITH A LOW POTENTIAL FOR AN ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM. DRY WEATHER AND SEASONABLE TEMPS WILL FOLLOW FOR MID WEEK LASTING THROUGH NEXT WEEKEND. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... 200 PM UPDATE... SKIES HAVE BECOME MOSTLY SUNNY ACROSS THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE REGION AT MID AFTERNOON. TEMPS HAVE CLIMBED INTO THE 70S ACROSS THE INTERIOR...60S JUST INLAND FROM THE COAST...AND BETWEEN 55 AND 60 ALONG THE IMMEDIATE COAST. TEMPS MAY CLIMB ANOTHER FEW DEGREES ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE INTERIOR. HOWEVER...THE MAIN CONCERN ARE THE LOW CLOUDS AND AREAS OF FOG JUST MOVING ONTO THE OUTER-CAPE. MOST OF THE GUIDANCE IS NOT HANDLING THIS WELL...BUT THE HRRR AND TO SOME DEGREE THE RAP SHOWS THESE LOW CLOUDS AND FOG BACKING INTO EASTERN MAY LATE THIS AFTERNOON/EARLY THIS EVENING. CONFIDENCE IS LOW...BUT GIVEN EASTERLY FLOW LEANING TOWARDS THAT HAPPENING. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH 6 PM TUESDAY/... LOW PRESSURE MOVES INTO QUEBEC BRINGING A COLD FRONT TOWARDS SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND. MUCH OF TONIGHT SHOULD BE DRY WITH INCREASING CLOUDS. SHOWERS SHOULD HOLD OFF UNTIL WELL AFTER MIDNIGHT. TEMPERATURES OVERNIGHT WILL BE A COUPLE OF DEGREES COOLER THAN THIS MORNINGS TEMPS WITH THE CONTINUED EASTERLY FLOW AND HIGH PRESSURE EAST OF SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND. SHOWERS WILL BEGIN WELL AFTER MIDNIGHT AS THE FRONT APPROACHES SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND. INSTABILITY INCREASES AS DAYBREAK APPROACHES WITH INCREASING MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES AND K INDICES ABOVE 30. SHOWALTER INDICES FALL BELOW 0 IN A FEW LOCATIONS BUT THIS IS NOT WIDESPREAD. WITH THE INSTABILITY IN PLACE...EXPECT WE WILL SEE A FEW THUNDERSTORMS BUT BELIEVE THE MAIN THREAT WILL BE FROM AREAS OF HEAVY RAINFALL. PWATS OF 1.5 TO 1.75 INCHES ARE ABOUT 2 STD ABOVE NORMAL FOR MID MAY. IN ADDITION...850MB WINDS ARE ONLY 20-25KTS. NOT ENOUGH TO MOVE STORMS ALONG QUICKLY. DON/T BELIEVE THERE WILL BE WIDESPREAD FLOODING BUT DEPENDING ON THE TRACKS OF STORMS COULD SEE SOME POOR DRAINAGE FLOODING WHERE STORMS TRAIN. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/... HIGHLIGHTS... * SCT SHOWERS AND AN ISOLD TSTM POSSIBLE TUE EVENING * DRY AND SEASONABLE CONDITIONS MID WEEK INTO NEXT WEEKEND WITH WARMING TEMPS NEXT SUNDAY OVERVIEW... MODELS REMAIN IN GOOD AGREEMENT ON LARGE SCALE FLOW PATTERN WITH MID LEVEL VORTEX SETTING UP ACROSS SE CANADA MID TO LATE WEEK WITH BROAD LONGWAVE TROF ACROSS THE GT LAKES AND NEW ENG. A FEW SHORTWAVES ROTATING THROUGH THE CYCLONIC FLOW WILL BRING A FEW FRONTS INTO THE REGION BUT MAINLY DRY AND SEASONABLE CONDITIONS AS POLAR JET WILL KEEP VERY WARM TEMPS SUPPRESSED TO THE SE US. NEXT WEEKEND...THE TROF BEGINS TO LIFT NE WITH RISING HEIGHTS AS RIDGE BUILDS OVER SE US. THIS WILL RESULT IN WARMING TEMPS TOWARD THE END OF THE WEEKEND. TUESDAY NIGHT... COLD FRONT WILL BE MOVING INTO W NEW ENG AROUND 00Z WED. AXIS OF MARGINAL SFC INSTABILITY WITH CAPES AROUND 500 J/KG WILL BE CONFINED TO W ZONES INVOF THE FRONT SO A FEW THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE ALONG THE BOUNDARY IN THE EVENING IN THE WEST. 0-6KM SHEAR AROUND 40 KT BUT INSTABILITY WILL BE A LIMITING FACTOR FOR SEVERE WEATHER. LOW PROB OF A STRONG TSTM IN W NEW ENG IN THE EVENING. OTHERWISE...EXPECT A FEW SHOWERS REST OF SNE IN THE EVENING UNTIL THE FROPA...THEN PARTIAL CLEARING OVERNIGHT BEHIND THE FRONT. WEDNESDAY... DRY POST-FRONTAL NW FLOW WILL PREVAIL AND IT WILL BE GUSTY AT TIMES WITH GUSTS 25-30 MPH. MID LEVEL SHORTWAVE WILL BE MOVING TO THE NORTH WITH MAIN IMPACT BEING SOME DIURNAL CU...ESPECIALLY N ZONES. HIGHS WILL BE MOSTLY IN THE 60S...WITH A FEW 70 DEGREE READINGS IN RI/SE MA. THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY... MODELS BRING A WEAK TROF INTO NEW ENG THU FOLLOWED BY A STRONGER COLD FRONT LATE FRI/FRI EVENING. MAINLY DRY WEATHER EXPECTED ALTHOUGH CANT RULE OUT A SHOWER ON FRI WITH THE COLD FRONT. SEASONABLE TEMPS THU WITH SOME MODERATION FRI AHEAD OF THE FRONT. STRONG HIGH PRES BUILDS INTO THE REGION SAT WITH SOMEWHAT COOLER TEMPS...THEN HIGH MOVES S OF NEW ENG SUN WITH RETURN FLOW BRINGING WARMER TEMPS. && .AVIATION /18Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... FORECASTER CONFIDENCE LEVELS... LOW...LESS THAN 30 PERCENT. MODERATE...30 TO 60 PERCENT. HIGH...GREATER THAN 60 PERCENT. SHORT TERM /THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/... THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...LOW TO MODERATE CONFIDENCE. VFR CONDITIONS AT MID AFTERNOON WILL DETERIORATE TO LOW END MVFR/IFR WITH EVEN SOME LIFR CONDITIONS POSSIBLE TONIGHT...BUT TIMING HIGHLY UNCERTAIN. MODELS NOT PICKING UP ON A DECK OF LOW CLOUDS/FOG SITTING OFF CAPE COD WHICH MAY BACK INTO EASTERN MA LATER THIS AFTERNOON/EVENING. OTHER AREAS OF LOW CLOUDS AND FOG ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE REST OF THE REGION...BUT TIMING UNCERTAIN. A CLUSTER OF SHOWERS AND PERHAPS A FEW EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS WILL MAY WORK INTO OUR WESTERN ZONES TOWARD DAYBREAK. TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT...LOW TO MODERATE CONFIDENCE. A CLUSTER OF SHOWERS AND PERHAPS A FEW EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS THE REGION TUE MORNING INTO EARLY AFTERNOON...BEFORE EXITING THE REGION. LOW END MVFR TO IFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED FOR AT LEAST THE MORNING. TEMPORARY IMPROVEMENT TO VFR MAY OCCUR ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE INTERIOR TUE AFTERNOON. A FEW STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MAY WORK INTO WESTERN MA/NORTHERN CT LATE TUE AFTERNOON/EVENING. ISOLATED STRONG WIND GUSTS/HAIL WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS ACTIVITY. EXPECT THE ACTIVITY TO WEAKEN AS IT MOVES INTO EASTERN MA/RI. CONDITIONS THEN IMPROVE TO VFR FROM WEST TO EAST. KBOS TERMINAL...LOW CONFIDENCE. WATCHING A BANK OF LOW CLOUDS/FOG THAT MAY MOVE INTO THE TERMINAL LATE THIS AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING BUT LOW CONFIDENCE. KBDL TERMINAL...MODERATE CONFIDENCE IN TAF. LOW END MVFR TO IFR EXPECTED TO DEVELOP TONIGHT BUT TIMING UNCERTAIN. OUTLOOK...WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY... WED THROUGH FRI...HIGH CONFIDENCE. VFR. W/NW GUSTS TO 25 KT ON WED. && .MARINE... FORECASTER CONFIDENCE LEVELS... LOW...LESS THAN 30 PERCENT. MODERATE...30 TO 60 PERCENT. HIGH...GREATER THAN 60 PERCENT. SHORT TERM /THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/...HIGH CONFIDENCE. QUIET BOATING WEATHER EXPECTED WITH HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE WATERS. EASTERLY WINDS 5 TO 10 KTS WILL SHIFT TO THE SOUTH TONIGHT AND INCREASE TO 10 TO 15 KTS WITH GUSTS TO 20 KTS TUESDAY. OUTLOOK...TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY...HIGH CONFIDENCE. TUE NIGHT...SW WINDS WITH GUSTS TO 20 KT BECOMING NW AFTER MIDNIGHT. SCT SHOWERS AND PATCHY FOG MAY REDUCE VSBYS IN THE EVENING. WED...W/NW WINDS WITH GUSTS TO 25 KT. MARGINAL SCA CONDITIONS POSSIBLE. THU INTO FRI...MAINLY SW WINDS BELOW SCA WITH SEAS BELOW SCA. && .BOX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CT...NONE. MA...NONE. RI...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...KJC/RLG NEAR TERM...FRANK SHORT TERM...RLG LONG TERM...KJC AVIATION...FRANK/KJC MARINE...KJC/RLG
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS TAMPA BAY RUSKIN FL
349 PM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 .SYNOPSIS... 19Z WATER VAPOR AND H4 RAP ANALYSIS SHOWS YET ANOTHER IN A SERIES OF STRONG LONGWAVE TROUGH ABOUT TO PIVOT OUT OF THE SOUTHWESTERN STATES. THE LAST TROUGH IS JUST NOW BEGINNING TO EXIT THE UPPER MIDWEST...BUT HERE COMES THE NEXT ONE CROSSING INTO THE INTER- MOUNTAIN WEST. THANKFULLY FOR OUR LOCAL AREA...THIS INCLEMENT WEATHER WILL REMAIN WELL TO OUR NORTHWEST...WHILE WE REMAIN UNDER THE CONTROL OF WEAK RIDGING ALOFT INTO TUESDAY. AT THE SURFACE...ATLANTIC HIGH PRESSURE IS RIDGING BACK INTO THE NORTHERN FLORIDA PENINSULA THIS AFTERNOON AND WILL CONTINUE TO BOTH SETTLE SLOWLY SOUTHWARD AND WEAKEN DURING THE NEXT 12-24 HOURS. THE POSITION OF THE RIDGE IS RESULTING IN A LIGHT EASTERLY FLOW FOR THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE AREA...AND A LIGHT AND VARIABLE FLOW TO THE NORTH OF THE TAMPA BAY AREA. ALTHOUGH EASTERLY FLOW IS GENERALLY FAVORABLE FOR CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT ALONG THE WEST COAST SEA BREEZE...TODAY IS DIFFERENT FROM PREVIOUS DAYS WITH A SUBSTANTIAL LAYER OF DRY/HOSTILE AIR TOWARD DEEP CONVECTION IN THE MID LEVELS. CAN NOT RULE OUT A FEW ISOLATED STORMS THAT WILL BE ABLE TO SURVIVE THIS DRIER COLUMN TO THE SOUTH OF THE I-4 CORRIDOR...BUT THEY WILL BE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN. MOISTURE PROFILES ARE SLIGHTLY BETTER OVER OUR FAR NORTHERN AREAS...AND ACTUALLY STARTING TO SEE SOME STORMS DEVELOP UP TOWARD PERRY/CROSS CITY. THINK BETTER CHANCES FOR A FEW EVENING STORMS FOR OUR AREA WILL BE UP TOWARD CITRUS/LEVY/NORTHERN SUMTER COUNTY...AS THE SEA-BREEZE SLOWLY MIGRATES INLAND. && .SHORT TERM... SCT EVENING STORMS DECAY QUICKLY WITH THE LOSS OF DIURNAL HEATING LATER THIS EVENING...SETTING UP A GENERALLY DRY AND SEASONABLY WARM MID MAY OVERNIGHT. OVERNIGHT LOWS GENERALLY IN THE UPPER 60S TO LOWER 70S FOR MOST SPOTS...ALTHOUGH NORMALLY WARMER LOCATIONS SUCH AS SOUTHERN PINELLAS COUNTY AND THE ISLANDS OF CHARLOTTE HARBOR WILL STAY EVEN WARMER WITH DEVELOPING LAND BREEZE FLOW OFF THE BAYS. FOR TUESDAY...UPPER RIDGE IS STILL IN PLACE...BUT WILL BEGIN TO WEAKEN WITH HEIGHTS SLOWLY DROPPING THROUGH THE DAY. AT THE SURFACE THE RIDGE AXIS WILL SETTLE DOWN INTO THE CENTRAL OR EVEN SOUTH-CENTRAL FL PENINSULA. THIS MOTION WILL BE FORCED BY THE SLOW APPROACH OF A WEAK FRONT FROM THE NORTH. THIS FRONT MAY REACH AS FAR SOUTH AS THE I-10 CORRIDOR BEFORE TUESDAY IS OVER. THE SYNOPTIC FLOW SOUTH OF THIS FRONT WILL FINALLY SHIFT TO A MORE WESTERLY DIRECTION ACROSS A LARGE PORTION OF OUR AREA. THE WESTERLY FLOW WILL CERTAINLY BE WEAKER DOWN TOWARD FORT MYERS...BUT SHOULD STILL BE PRESENT. THE WEST FLOW WILL ACT TO STEADILY PROGRESS THE SEA BREEZE INLAND...ESPECIALLY FOR THE NATURE COAST. BETTER MOISTURE PROFILES...AND ADDED FOCUS ASSOCIATED WITH THE APPROACHING SYNOPTIC BOUNDARY SHOULD KEEP THE BEST CHANCES FOR DIURNAL CONVECTION ALONG AND NORTH OF THE I-4 CORRIDOR. WILL HAVE 40-50% POPS FOR THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE AREA...AND GENERALLY 20-30% (AT BEST) FURTHER SOUTH. HOWEVER...AS MENTIONED...AS THE SEA-BREEZE MOVES INLAND...RAIN CHANCES WILL DECREASE NEAR THE COAST (EVEN FOR THE NATURE COAST) AS THE AFTERNOON PROGRESSES. BY THE EVENING HOURS...MUCH OF THE STORM ACTIVITY SHOULD BE WELL INLAND. HIGH TEMPERATURES THURSDAY REACH THE MIDDLE 80S AT THE BEACHES WITH UPPER 80S TO LOWER 90S ALONG THE I-75 CORRIDOR AND FURTHER INLAND. && .LONG TERM (WEDNESDAY THROUGH NEXT MONDAY)... WED-FRI: AN UPPER LOW ROTATES OVER EASTERN CANADA WITH A TROUGH THAT PIVOTS FROM THE UPPER MID-WEST TO THE EASTERN SEA BOARD...FLATTENING AND SHIFTING AN UPPER RIDGE OVER THE GULF BACK TO THE WEST. AT THE SURFACE INITIALLY...HIGH PRESSURE SPRAWLS ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND MID-MISSISSIPPI VALLEY WITH A FRONT THAT ARCS FROM THE SAINT LAWRENCE VALLEY SOUTH ALONG THE EASTERN U.S. COAST THEN BACK WEST THROUGH THE GULF COASTAL STATES...AND ATLANTIC HIGH PRESSURE RIDGES ACROSS SOUTHERN FL INTO THE GULF. WITH TIME...THE HIGH PRESSURE SAGS SOUTH AS IT BUILDS EAST WITH THE FRONT PUSHING EAST AND SOUTH...WITH THE SOUTHERN/WESTERN END DROPPING DOWN ALONG THE GULF COAST AND THROUGH NORTHERN FL. THE ATLANTIC RIDGE MEANDERS OVER OR OFF SOUTHERN FL. SAT-MON: A PACIFIC UPPER LOW MOVES ACROSS THE GREAT BASIN AND OUT OVER THE PLAINS AS AN OPEN WAVE WITH UPPER RIDGING BUILDING BACK OVER THE GULF THEN SLIDING ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST U.S. TO THE ATLANTIC. THE SURFACE HIGH...BY NOW OVER THE UPPER MID-WEST AND UPPER GREAT LAKES...TRACKS ACROSS THE MID-ATLANTIC STATES THEN OFFSHORE. AS IT DOES IT BRIDGES THE DECAYING FRONT IN THE NORTHERN GULF AND NORTHERN FL AND BUILDS IN ACROSS FL. THE CURRENT FORECAST PHILOSOPHY REMAINS VERY SIMILAR TO THE PAST FEW DAYS. THE ATMOSPHERE CONTINUES WITH AMPLE MOISTURE FOR ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS AND STORMS. A WESTERLY FLOW PATTERN SETS UP WED AND CONTINUES THROUGH FRI...WITH A FEW MORNING SHOWERS OR STORMS POSSIBLE ON THE GULF THEN MORE COVERAGE IN THE AFTERNOONS WITH THE HIGHEST INLAND. FOR THE WEEKEND THE PATTERN GOES BACK TO EAST AND SOUTHEAST...AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN FROM THE NORTH...WITH THE GREATEST SHOWER/STORM COVERAGE IN THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING ON THE WEST COAST...A RESULT OF SEA BREEZE CIRCULATIONS. TEMPERATURES WILL RUN ABOVE NORMAL...ALTHOUGH THERE MAY BE A SLIGHT DIP LATE IN THE PERIOD. && .AVIATION... VFR CONDITIONS PREVAILING ACROSS WEST-CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA THIS AFTERNOON. JUST A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR AN ISOLATED STORM FOR ANY OF THE TERMINALS THROUGH 00Z...HOWEVER MOST AREAS WILL REMAIN DRY. VFR CONDITIONS GENERALLY PREVAIL FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE OVERNIGHT INTO TUESDAY MORNING. TOWARD THE END OF THE TAF PERIOD (18Z)...A FEW SHOWERS SHOULD START TO FORM ALONG THE SEA- BREEZE IN THE VICINITY OF KTPA/KPIE...AND MAY NEED MENTION IN UPCOMING TAF PACKAGES. && .MARINE... HIGH PRESSURE THAT HAS BEEN OVER THE EASTERN SEABOARD SHIFTS SOUTHWARD AS A WEAK FRONTAL SYSTEM APPROACHES FROM THE NORTH ON TUESDAY. THIS INTERACTION WILL ALLOW FOR THE WINDS TO SHIFT TO A MORE WEST OR NORTHWEST DIRECTION THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK. THE WESTERLY FLOW WILL HELP KEEP THE BEST CHANCES FOR STORMS INLAND THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. WINDS AND SEAS REMAIN BELOW HEADLINE CRITERIA. && .FIRE WEATHER... NO SIGNIFICANT FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS AS RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES WILL REMAIN ABOVE CRITICAL LEVELS. THE THUNDERSTORM PATTERN THE NEXT FEW DAYS WILL FAVOR THE SEA-BREEZE MOVING INLAND BEYOND THE I-75 CORRIDOR...AND THEREFORE THE HIGHEST RAIN CHANCES WILL BE AWAY FROM THE COAST AND PROGRESSING INLAND THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. FOG IMPACT...NO SIGNIFICANT FOG IS EXPECTED FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS...BUT LATE NIGHT PATCHY GROUND FOG COULD DEVELOP IN AREAS THAT SEE RAIN DURING THE EVENING HOURS. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... TPA 75 87 75 89 / 10 30 20 30 FMY 72 89 74 91 / 10 20 20 40 GIF 72 90 73 92 / 10 30 30 50 SRQ 73 86 74 87 / 20 20 20 30 BKV 69 90 70 90 / 10 30 10 30 SPG 76 87 76 88 / 20 20 20 30 && .TBW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...NONE. GULF WATERS...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS/SHORT TERM/AVIATION/MARINE/FIRE WEATHER...14/MROCZKA LONG TERM/DECISION SUPPORT...09/RUDE
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS COLUMBIA SC
954 PM EDT TUE MAY 19 2015 .SYNOPSIS... A WEAK FRONT WILL CROSS THE AREA TONIGHT WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS AND STORMS EXPECTED AHEAD OF THE FRONT. THE FRONT WILL STALL JUST TO OUR SOUTH WEDNESDAY. AN UPPER DISTURBANCE AND SURFACE WAVE WILL MOVE THROUGH THURSDAY. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 7 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING/... AS OF 23Z...COLD FRONT IS CURRENTLY DRAPED ACROSS THE WESTERN CAROLINAS AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA. RADAR IMAGERY SHOWS ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WHICH HAVE DEVELOPED DUE TO CONVERGENCE AHEAD OF THE FRONT. CONVERGENCE APPEARS WEAK AND HI-RESOLUTION MODELS DO NOT SHOW MUCH COVERAGE THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING SO HAVE ADJUSTED POPS DOWN A BIT. THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL BE SLOW TO MOVE THROUGH THE AREA AS LATEST GUIDANCE SUGGESTS FRONT MAY HANG UP ACROSS THE SOUTHEASTERN MIDLANDS/CSRA. LOWS TONIGHT WILL RANGE FROM THE MID 60S NORTHERN MIDLANDS TO UPPER 60S SOUTHEASTERN MIDLANDS. && .SHORT TERM /7 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... MODELS HAVE INDICATED THAT THE FRONT MAY STALL SLIGHTLY MORE TO THE NORTH THAN PREVIOUS RUNS. THIS WOULD KEEP MOISTURE OVER A GREATER PORTION OF THE CWA. HAVE SHIFTED THE CHANCE FOR DIURNAL SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS NORTHWARD INTO THE MIDLANDS. THE GREATEST CHANCE OF CONVECTION WILL STILL BE ALONG THE SC COAST INTO THE SOUTHERN MIDLANDS AND CSRA. STORMS SHOULD REMAIN UNORGANIZED DUE TO WEAK SHEAR VALUES. THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER IS SLIGHT BUT CANNOT RULE OUT ISOLATED SEVERE STORMS ALONG THE BOUNDARY. A MID-LEVEL SHORTWAVE IS EXPECTED TO MOVE EAST INTO THE CWA LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY. THE UPPER LEVEL ENERGY WILL ALLOW FOR CYCLOGENISIS ALONG THE STALLED BOUNDARY...DEVELOPING A SURFACE LOW OVER THE CAROLINAS. THERE IS A DEEP ELEVATED MIXED LAYER PRESENT OVERNIGHT WEDNESDAY AS THE SHORTWAVE PASSES. THIS MAY ALLOW FOR ELEVATED CONVECTION TO DEVELOP IN THE UPSTATE AND MOVE INTO THE CWA EARLY THURSDAY. THE SEVERE POTENTIAL WILL BE LIMITED DUE TO THE NOCTURNAL BOUNDARY LAYER. AS THE LOW MOVES EAST WINDS BECOME WESTERLY AND DRY OUT THE CWA BY THURSDAY AFTERNOON. HIGH PRESSURE WILL THEN BUILD INTO THE REGION. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE CROSSING THE CENTRAL GREAT LAKES FRIDAY WILL USHER SLIGHTLY COOLER AND DRIER AIR SOUTHWARD INTO THE REGION. IT WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST INTO THE MID-ATLANTIC STATES KEEPING THE REGION DRY SATURDAY. AS THE HIGH SHIFTS OFF THE COAST EARLY NEXT WEEK MOISTURE WILL RETURN TO THE AREA ALLOWING FOR DIURNAL SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO RETURN TO THE AREA. TEMPERATURES THROUGH THE LONG TERM WILL BE NEAR TO SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL. && .AVIATION /02Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... EXPECT MAINLY VFR CONDITIONS DURING THE TAF PERIOD. LITTLE CONVERGENCE WILL BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE COLD FRONT MOVING INTO THE AREA OVERNIGHT. THERE IS ALSO LIMITED NEAR-SURFACE MOISTURE. MOST OF THE GUIDANCE MAINTAINS VFR CONDITIONS. HOWEVER...THE HRRR DOES INDICATE A FEW PATCHES OF IFR IN THE CSRA. THE MODELS SHOW A LITTLE MORE CONVERGENCE IN THE CSRA TOWARD SUNRISE AND WITH THE ADDED RIVER VALLEY MOISTURE A PERIOD OF MVFR OF IFR FOG MAY OCCUR AT AGS. HEATING AND MIXING SHOULD DISSIPATE ANY FOG LATER WEDNESDAY MORNING. SOME WEAK CONVERGENCE ASSOCIATED WITH THE FRONT LINGERING NEAR THE AREA AND HEATING MAY SUPPORT THUNDERSTORMS DURING THE AFTERNOON. H85 WESTERLY FLOW AND SHALLOW MOISTURE PLUS A LACK OF SIGNIFICANT UPPER-LEVEL LIFT SHOULD LIMIT THUNDERSTORM COVERAGE. THE CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS IS TOO LOW TO INCLUDE IN THE TERMINAL FORECASTS AT THIS TIME. EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...RESTRICTIONS POSSIBLE IN MAINLY SCATTERED AFTERNOON AND EVENING THUNDERSTORMS. && .CAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SC...NONE. GA...NONE. && $$ 99
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS COLUMBIA SC
708 PM EDT TUE MAY 19 2015 .SYNOPSIS... A WEAK FRONT WILL CROSS THE AREA TONIGHT WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS AND STORMS EXPECTED AHEAD OF THE FRONT. THE FRONT WILL STALL JUST TO OUR SOUTH WEDNESDAY. AN UPPER DISTURBANCE AND SURFACE WAVE WILL MOVE THROUGH THURSDAY. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 7 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING/... AS OF 23Z...COLD FRONT IS CURRENTLY DRAPED ACROSS THE WESTERN CAROLINAS AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA. RADAR IMAGERY SHOWS ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WHICH HAVE DEVELOPED DUE TO CONVERGENCE AHEAD OF THE FRONT. CONVERGENCE APPEARS WEAK AND HI-RESOLUTION MODELS DO NOT SHOW MUCH COVERAGE THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING SO HAVE ADJUSTED POPS DOWN A BIT. THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL BE SLOW TO MOVE THROUGH THE AREA AS LATEST GUIDANCE SUGGESTS FRONT MAY HANG UP ACROSS THE SOUTHEASTERN MIDLANDS/CSRA. LOWS TONIGHT WILL RANGE FROM THE MID 60S NORTHERN MIDLANDS TO UPPER 60S SOUTHEASTERN MIDLANDS. && .SHORT TERM /7 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... MODELS HAVE INDICATED THAT THE FRONT MAY STALL SLIGHTLY MORE TO THE NORTH THAN PREVIOUS RUNS. THIS WOULD KEEP MOISTURE OVER A GREATER PORTION OF THE CWA. HAVE SHIFTED THE CHANCE FOR DIURNAL SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS NORTHWARD INTO THE MIDLANDS. THE GREATEST CHANCE OF CONVECTION WILL STILL BE ALONG THE SC COAST INTO THE SOUTHERN MIDLANDS AND CSRA. STORMS SHOULD REMAIN UNORGANIZED DUE TO WEAK SHEAR VALUES. THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER IS SLIGHT BUT CANNOT RULE OUT ISOLATED SEVERE STORMS ALONG THE BOUNDARY. A MID-LEVEL SHORTWAVE IS EXPECTED TO MOVE EAST INTO THE CWA LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY. THE UPPER LEVEL ENERGY WILL ALLOW FOR CYCLOGENISIS ALONG THE STALLED BOUNDARY...DEVELOPING A SURFACE LOW OVER THE CAROLINAS. THERE IS A DEEP ELEVATED MIXED LAYER PRESENT OVERNIGHT WEDNESDAY AS THE SHORTWAVE PASSES. THIS MAY ALLOW FOR ELEVATED CONVECTION TO DEVELOP IN THE UPSTATE AND MOVE INTO THE CWA EARLY THURSDAY. THE SEVERE POTENTIAL WILL BE LIMITED DUE TO THE NOCTURNAL BOUNDARY LAYER. AS THE LOW MOVES EAST WINDS BECOME WESTERLY AND DRY OUT THE CWA BY THURSDAY AFTERNOON. HIGH PRESSURE WILL THEN BUILD INTO THE REGION. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE CROSSING THE CENTRAL GREAT LAKES FRIDAY WILL USHER SLIGHTLY COOLER AND DRIER AIR SOUTHWARD INTO THE REGION. IT WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST INTO THE MID-ATLANTIC STATES KEEPING THE REGION DRY SATURDAY. AS THE HIGH SHIFTS OFF THE COAST EARLY NEXT WEEK MOISTURE WILL RETURN TO THE AREA ALLOWING FOR DIURNAL SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO RETURN TO THE AREA. TEMPERATURES THROUGH THE LONG TERM WILL BE NEAR TO SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL. && .AVIATION /00Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... EXPECT MAINLY VFR CONDITIONS DURING THE TAF PERIOD. LITTLE CONVERGENCE WILL BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE COLD FRONT MOVING INTO THE AREA TONIGHT. THERE IS ALSO LIMITED NEAR-SURFACE MOISTURE. MOST OF THE GUIDANCE INCLUDING THE HRRR AND SREF INDICATE VFR CONDITIONS. THE MODELS DO SHOW A LITTLE MORE CONVERGENCE IN THE CSRA TOWARD SUNRISE AND WITH THE ADDED RIVER VALLEY MOISTURE A PERIOD OF MVFR OF IFR FOG MAY OCCUR AT AGS. HEATING AND MIXING SHOULD DISSIPATE ANY FOG LATER WEDNESDAY MORNING. SOME WEAK CONVERGENCE ASSOCIATED WITH THE FRONT LINGERING IN THE AREA AND HEATING MAY SUPPORT THUNDERSTORMS DURING THE AFTERNOON. H85 WESTERLY FLOW AND SHALLOW MOISTURE PLUS A LACK OF SIGNIFICANT UPPER-LEVEL LIFT SHOULD LIMIT THUNDERSTORM COVERAGE. THE CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS IS TOO LOW TO INCLUDE IN THE TERMINAL FORECASTS AT THIS TIME. EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...RESTRICTIONS POSSIBLE IN MAINLY SCATTERED AFTERNOON AND EVENING THUNDERSTORMS. && .CAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SC...NONE. GA...NONE. && $$ 99
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LINCOLN IL
1145 PM CDT SUN MAY 17 2015 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 852 PM CDT SUN MAY 17 2015 OVERNIGHT FORECAST DOING WELL. SOUTHERLY WINDS MAINTAINING SOME WARM TEMPS FOR THE OVERNIGHT...AND MAJORITY OF PRECIP THREAT ALONG AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM TAYLORVILLE TO CHAMPAIGN. SHORT TERM MODELS PREV BLEW SOME CONVECTION INTO SOUTHEASTERN IL WORKING OFF OF OUTFLOW FROM ACTIVITY IN MO. HOWEVER, ATMOSPHERE HAVING DIFFICULT TIME FOCUSING ANY LIFT, PARTICULARLY WITH THE LOSS OF THE DIURNAL COMPONENT TO THE INSTABILITY. SHOWERS SO FAR HAVE REMAINED LIMITED AND THE BULK OF THE THUNDER FURTHER TO THE SOUTH. ISO TS POSSIBLE IN THE FAR SE...BUT NOT WIDESPREAD. NOT MUCH IN THE WAY OF UPDATES ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. && .SHORT TERM...(TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 256 PM CDT SUN MAY 17 2015 POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER THIS AFTERNOON/EVENING IS STILL BEING MONITORED...HOWEVER IT IS BEGINNING TO LOOK LIKE ANY SEVERE WILL BE ISOLATED AT BEST. 18Z KILX UPPER AIR SOUNDING SHOWS SBCAPE OF 2000J/KG AND 0-6KM BULK SHEAR OF 35KT: HOWEVER, A WARM LAYER AT AROUND 900MB IS KEEPING THE ATMOSPHERE MOSTLY CAPPED. REGIONAL MESOSCALE ANALYSIS INDICATES A POCKET OF GREATER INSTABILITY ACROSS NORTH-CENTRAL ILLINOIS FROM PEORIA/BLOOMINGTON NORTHWARD...MAKING THIS THE PRIMARY SPOT FOR POTENTIAL CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS. HRRR SHOWS THIS SCENARIO UNFOLDING...WITH SCATTERED STORMS LIFTING NORTHWARD INTO NORTHERN ILLINOIS/SOUTHERN WISCONSIN LATER THIS AFTERNOON. FURTHER SOUTH...THE UPSTREAM AIRMASS ACROSS MISSOURI/SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS REMAINS STABLE AND CAPPED IN THE WAKE OF A MORNING OUTFLOW BOUNDARY THAT HAS PUSHED WELL TO THE EAST INTO WESTERN SECTIONS OF KENTUCKY AND TENNESSEE. END RESULT WILL LIKELY BE ONLY WIDELY SCATTERED STORMS DEVELOPING ALONG THE I-55 CORRIDOR AFTER 21Z...WITH MINIMAL SEVERE WEATHER THREAT. HIGH-RES MODELS CONTINUE TO SUGGEST CONVECTION WILL RE-DEVELOP OVER SOUTHEAST MISSOURI/ARKANSAS THIS EVENING...THEN LIFT INTO SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS TONIGHT. PARTIAL CLEARING HAS OCCURRED ACROSS THIS AREA...HOWEVER AIRMASS REMAINS STABLE BEHIND THE PREVIOUS OUTFLOW BOUNDARY...SO AM SKEPTICAL OF THIS SOLUTION. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR SOUTHEAST MISSOURI FOR DEVELOPMENT OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS. AT THIS TIME...WILL CARRY ONLY SLIGHT OR LOW CHANCE POPS WEST OF THE I-57 CORRIDOR THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS...WITH DRY CONDITIONS OVERNIGHT. FURTHER EAST...WILL GO WITH HIGHER POPS IN THE HIGHER DEWPOINT/MORE UNSTABLE AIRMASS ALONG/EAST OF I-57. .LONG TERM...(MONDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 256 PM CDT SUN MAY 17 2015 COLD FRONT WILL PASS THROUGH CENTRAL ILLINOIS ON MONDAY...DROPPING SOUTH OF THE I-70 CORRIDOR BY LATE AFTERNOON. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP AHEAD OF THE FRONT...HOWEVER AREAL COVERAGE WILL BE GREATEST FURTHER EAST ACROSS THE OHIO RIVER VALLEY. WILL MAINTAIN CHANCE POPS ALONG/EAST OF A DANVILLE TO SHELBYVILLE LINE THROUGHOUT THE DAY UNTIL THE BOUNDARY EXITS. HIGH PRESSURE WILL TAKE CONTROL OF THE WEATHER BEHIND THE DEPARTING FRONT...PROVIDING COOL/DRY WEATHER FOR TUESDAY. RESULTING HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN IN THE LOWER TO MIDDLE 60S...WHILE OVERNIGHT LOWS DIP INTO THE 40S. PIECE OF ENERGY IS EXPECTED TO EJECT FROM WESTERN CONUS UPPER LOW BY MID-WEEK...BRINGING CLOUDS AND PERHAPS A FEW SHOWERS INTO THE AREA ON WEDNESDAY. MODELS DEPICT A WEAKENING WAVE COMING INTO A VERY DRY AIRMASS...SO THINK ANY RAINFALL WILL BE QUITE LIGHT. HAVE CUT BACK ON POPS...FEATURING LIKELY ACROSS THE FAR SOUTHWEST CWA AROUND JACKSONVILLE TAPERING DOWN TO JUST SLIGHT ALONG THE INDIANA BORDER. ONCE THIS WAVE DEPARTS...COOL/DRY WEATHER WILL RETURN FOR THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. MAIN UPPER LOW WILL GRADUALLY LIFT INTO THE PLAINS LATE IN THE PERIOD...BRINGING THE NEXT SIGNIFICANT CHANCE FOR RAIN BY LATE IN THE WEEKEND. WHILE MODEL DIFFERENCES STILL EXIST...GFS/ECMWF CONSENSUS POINTS TO THE SUNDAY/MONDAY TIME FRAME AS THE PRIMARY TIME FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. HAVE THEREFORE KEPT RAIN CHANCES OUT OF THE FORECAST FOR SATURDAY...THEN HAVE HIT POPS HARD FOR SUNDAY. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z MONDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 1136 PM CDT SUN MAY 17 2015 SOME MINOR ADJUSTMENTS TO INCLUDE A SCT LAYER AT 120-150 THIS EVENING WITH AUGMENTED SITES PICKING UP ON THE MID LEVEL MOISTURE STREAMING IN. SOME PRECIP WELL TO THE WEST KICKING UP ON OUTFLOW BOUNDARY FROM EARLIER STORMS IN SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA. MODELS NOT PICKING UP ON IT AT THIS POINT BUT SEE NO REASON TO INCLUDE IT AT THIS EARLY STAGE...WILL WATCH PIA FOR POTENTIAL IF IT HOLDS TOGETHER. FRONT MOVING THROUGH WILL BRING THE WINDS AROUND TO MORE WESTERLY MID MORNING FOR PIA... MORE MID DAY FOR REMAINING TAF SITES. MOSTLY A CIRRUS KIND OF DAY, THOUGH FORECAST SOUNDINGS AND CU RULE POINT TO A CU FIELD ROUGHLY ALONG AND SOUTHEAST OF A LINE FROM SPI TO BMI...DENSER TO THE SOUTH AND EAST AHEAD OF THE BOUNDARY. && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ UPDATE...HJS SHORT TERM...BARNES LONG TERM...BARNES AVIATION...HJS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS NORTHERN INDIANA
148 PM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 135 PM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 A COLD FRONT DROPPING ACROSS THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON WILL BRING A CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH EARLY EVENING. COOLER AND DRIER AIR WILL SETTLE IN FOR THE WEEK. HIGHS THIS AFTERNOON WILL REACH THE LOWER 80S. LOWS TONIGHT WILL DROP BACK INTO UPPER 40S TO LOWER 50S. EXPECT MUCH COOLER TEMPERATURES TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY...WITH HIGHS IN THE MID 50S TO LOWER 60S. && .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 358 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 DRIER MID LEVEL AIR HAS ADVECTED INTO MOST OF THE FORECAST AREA THIS MORNING. DEEPEST MOISTURE THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS IS EXPECTED TO RESIDE ACROSS APPROXIMATELY THE SOUTHEAST THIRD OF THE AREA WHERE SOME UPSWING IN 850-700 HPA MOISTURE TRANSPORT IS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS. 3-6 HOUR RAP PROGS DO INDICATE ABOUT 250-500 J/KG OF INSTABILITY LINGERING ACROSS THESE LOCATIONS EXPERIENCING STRONGER MOISTURE TRANSPORT THIS MORNING...SO HAVE CONTINUED TO CONCENTRATE LOW CHANCE POPS ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST THIS MORNING AS ADDITIONAL WEAK SHORT WAVES TRACK NORTHEAST THROUGH THE OHIO VALLEY IN ASSOCIATION WITH SOUTHERN STREAM. ATTENTION FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE DAY WILL CENTER ON EVOLUTION OF SFC COLD FRONTAL BOUNDARY AND POTENTIAL OF ANY ADDITIONAL SCATTERED CONVECTION THIS AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING. INSPECTION OF SHORT TERM TRENDS SUGGESTS NAM MAY BE JUST A BIT SLOW WITH COLD FRONT ACROSS THE MID MS RVR VALLEY...AND THE NAM CONTINUES TO BE SOMEWHAT OF A SLOW OUTLIER THROUGH THE NEXT 24 HOURS WITH THE FRONTAL PROGRESSION. EVEN WITH A PROGRESSION SOMEWHAT FASTER THAN THE NAM...PREFRONTAL WARMING SHOULD SUPPORT HIGHS IN THE LOWER 80S FOR MOST LOCATIONS THIS AFTERNOON. OUTSIDE OF FRONTAL CONVERGENCE...MID/UPPER LEVEL FORCING IS EXPECTED TO BE QUITE WEAK...ALTHOUGH WATER VAPOR EARLY THIS MORNING DOES DEPICT SOME INTEGRITY TO AN UPSTREAM WAVE LIFTING NORTHEAST OUT OF OKLAHOMA/SOUTHEAST MISSOURI. THIS FEATURE SHOULD RAPIDLY EJECT NORTHEAST...BUT BECOME LESS POTENT AS IT BECOMES MORE HIGHLY SHEARED ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY/SOUTHERN GREAT LAKES REGION LATER THIS AFTERNOON/THIS EVENING. SOME OF THE NAM AND HIRES OUTPUT DOES INDICATE A NARROW ZONE OF PREFRONTAL CONFLUENCE WITH SOME SUBSTANTIAL MOISTURE POOLING. HAVE SOME SUSPICION THE SLOWER NAM OUTLIER MAY BE A BIT AGGRESSIVE IN TERMS OF THE MAGNITUDE OF THIS MOISTURE POOLING AND HAVE GENERALLY TRENDED AWAY FROM THE INSTABILITY MAGNITUDES ADVERTISED BY THE NAM ALONG THIS PREFRONTAL CORRIDOR. HAVE MAINTAINED LOW TO MID CHANCE TSRA FOR TODAY GIVEN AT LEAST SOME WEAK MID/UPPER FORCING LIFTING INTO THE AREA WITH AFOREMENTIONED OK/MO VORT...ALTHOUGH OUTSIDE OF ANY AREAS OF PREFRONTAL MOISTURE POOLING...LOW LEVELS MAY MIX OUT ENOUGH TO TEMPER INSTABILITY QUITE A BIT BY LATER THIS AFTERNOON. IF SCATTERED CONVECTION IS ABLE TO DEVELOP THERE MAY BE TWO PRIMARY CORRIDORS FOR INITIATION...ONE ALONG ANY WEAK PREFRONTAL CONVERGENCE ZONE...AND THEN ALONG THE ACTUAL FRONTAL BOUNDARY. SEVERE STORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED IN TRENDING TOWARD NON-NAM GUIDANCE FOR THERMAL PROFILES...AND ALSO GIVEN MORE OF THE SUBSTANTIAL DEEP LAYER SHEAR WILL BE POST-FRONTAL. SOME ISOLATED CONVECTION MAY LINGER INTO THE EVENING ACROSS SOUTHEAST HALF OF THE AREA...WITH MAIN STORY THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE NIGHT CENTERING ON THE APPROACH OF A MUCH COOLER AND LESS HUMID AIR MASS. SOME COLD ADVECTION STRATOCU MAY WORK INTO FAR NORTHERN LOCATIONS OVERNIGHT...BUT OTHERWISE MOST LOCATIONS WILL EXPERIENCE CLEARING SKIES IN THE EVENING. && .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 358 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 TRANQUIL WEATHER ANTICIPATED FOR MUCH OF THIS LONG TERM PERIOD. SPLIT FLOW OVER WESTERN NOAM WITH A HIGHLY AMPLIFIED AND ENDURING NORTHERN STREAM PATTERN ACROSS CANADA WILL LEAVE THE GREAT LAKES IN A REGION OF STRONG CONFLUENCE AND GENERAL SUBSIDENCE FOR MOST OF THIS WEEK. WILL ALSO BE MUCH COOLER BEHIND TODAY`S COLD FRONT WITH PERSISTENT N/NW FLOW MAINTAINING AN EFFICIENT FEED OF CANADIAN AIR INTO OUR REGION. EXPECT TEMPS ROUGHLY 10-15 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL DURING THE MIDWEEK PERIOD. TUESDAY NIGHT WILL BE THE COLDEST PERIOD WITH NUMEROUS SOURCES OF RAW AND STATISTICAL GUIDANCE SUGGESTING MID 30S IN OUR NORTHERN COUNTIES...WITH LOWER 40S IN OUR SOUTH. SOME CONCERN FOR PATCHY FROST...ESPECIALLY IN OUR MICHIGAN COUNTIES AWAY FROM THE LAKE. HOWEVER...HIGH BASED CLOUDS WILL BE INCREASING BY WEDNESDAY MORNING AND MODELS SHOW ENOUGH OF A SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT TO KEEP WINDS IN THE 5-10 MPH RANGE. GIVEN THESE CONCERNS AND MARGINAL TEMPS WILL HOLD OFF ON MENTIONING ANY FROST IN THE FORECAST AT THIS POINT AND CONTINUE TO MONITOR. ONE WEAK SOUTHERN STREAM WAVE DOES EJECT OUT OF THE FOUR CORNERS AND ATTEMPT TO PHASE WITH SUBTLE NORTHERN STREAM VORT MAX AS IT CROSSES OUR AREA LATE WEDNESDAY. DEGREE OF DRY AND STABLE LOWER LEVELS IS CONCERNING BUT FAVORABLE 300MB JET PLACEMENT AND SOME MODEST CVA/HEIGHT FALLS COULD GENERATE A FEW LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS. NO MAJOR QUALMS WITH INHERITED LOW CHANCE POPS BUT DID ADJUST THE TIMING UP A LITTLE BIT BASED ON LATEST NAM AND ECMWF SOLUTIONS. NEXT CHANCE OF RAIN THEREAFTER WILL NOT BE UNTIL SUNDAY WHEN SOUTHWEST FLOW FINALLY RETURNS AHEAD OF NEXT WESTERN CONUS TROUGH EJECTING NORTHEAST. THIS PATTERN SHIFT WILL ALSO SIGNAL THE RETURN OF WARMER AND MORE HUMID CONDITIONS FOR AT LEAST THE LATTER HALF OF THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 135 PM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 ABUNDANT CLOUD COVER AND LACK OF SIGNIFICANT INSTABILITY / BOUNDARY LAYER MOISTURE IS PREVENTING CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT OVER THE AREA. ISOLATED SHOWERS HAVE FORMED SOUTH AND EAST OF THE FORECAST AREA AND EXPECT THIS TREND TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING. AS OF 17Z THE SURFACE COLD FRONT IS LOCATED OVER THE SOUTHERN TIP OF LAKE MICHIGAN...CROSSING THE IL/IN BORDER. IN THE CLOUD FREE AREAS THE CU FIELD HAS EXPANDED IN THE PAST FEW HOURS AND EXPECT THAT TREND TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE EVENING. FRONTAL PASSAGE WILL BRING IN DRIER AIR AND EXPECT TO SEE AN ABRUPT WIND SHIFT WITH THE PASSAGE. ADDITIONALLY ALL MODELS INDICATE STRONG BOUNDARLY LAYER PRESSURE GRADIENT SO GUSTING WINDS WILL PERSIST THROUGH MUCH OF THE FORECAST PERIOD. LLWS IS NOT FORECAST...HOWEVER WITH THE ORIENTATION OF THE TROF/SFC FRONT...EXPECT TO HAVE A BRIEF AND NARROW CORRIDOR OF TURBULENCE DURING THE PASSAGE. && .IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IN...NONE. MI...NONE. OH...NONE. LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 5 PM EDT TUESDAY FOR LMZ043-046. && $$ SYNOPSIS...LEWIS SHORT TERM...MARSILI LONG TERM...AGD AVIATION...LEWIS VISIT US AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/IWX (ALL LOWER CASE) FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK...TWITTER...AND YOUTUBE AT: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/NWSNORTHERNINDIANA WWW.TWITTER.COM/NWSIWX WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/NWSNORTHERNINDIANA
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS NORTHERN INDIANA
1029 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 1024 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP ALONG AND JUST IN ADVANCE OF THE FRONT THIS AFTERNOON INTO EARLY THIS EVENING BEFORE DIMINISHING. THE PASSAGE OF THIS COLD FRONT WILL RESULT IN MUCH COOLER CONDITIONS THROUGH THE MIDDLE PORTIONS OF THE WEEK. HIGH TEMPERATURES THIS AFTERNOON WILL BE MAINLY IN THE LOWER 80S. LOW TEMPERATURES TONIGHT WILL DROP BACK INTO UPPER 40S TO LOWER 50S. HIGHS TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY WILL RANGE FROM THE MID 50S TO LOWER 60S. && .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 358 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 DRIER MID LEVEL AIR HAS ADVECTED INTO MOST OF THE FORECAST AREA THIS MORNING. DEEPEST MOISTURE THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS IS EXPECTED TO RESIDE ACROSS APPROXIMATELY THE SOUTHEAST THIRD OF THE AREA WHERE SOME UPSWING IN 850-700 HPA MOISTURE TRANSPORT IS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS. 3-6 HOUR RAP PROGS DO INDICATE ABOUT 250-500 J/KG OF INSTABILITY LINGERING ACROSS THESE LOCATIONS EXPERIENCING STRONGER MOISTURE TRANSPORT THIS MORNING...SO HAVE CONTINUED TO CONCENTRATE LOW CHANCE POPS ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST THIS MORNING AS ADDITIONAL WEAK SHORT WAVES TRACK NORTHEAST THROUGH THE OHIO VALLEY IN ASSOCIATION WITH SOUTHERN STREAM. ATTENTION FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE DAY WILL CENTER ON EVOLUTION OF SFC COLD FRONTAL BOUNDARY AND POTENTIAL OF ANY ADDITIONAL SCATTERED CONVECTION THIS AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING. INSPECTION OF SHORT TERM TRENDS SUGGESTS NAM MAY BE JUST A BIT SLOW WITH COLD FRONT ACROSS THE MID MS RVR VALLEY...AND THE NAM CONTINUES TO BE SOMEWHAT OF A SLOW OUTLIER THROUGH THE NEXT 24 HOURS WITH THE FRONTAL PROGRESSION. EVEN WITH A PROGRESSION SOMEWHAT FASTER THAN THE NAM...PREFRONTAL WARMING SHOULD SUPPORT HIGHS IN THE LOWER 80S FOR MOST LOCATIONS THIS AFTERNOON. OUTSIDE OF FRONTAL CONVERGENCE...MID/UPPER LEVEL FORCING IS EXPECTED TO BE QUITE WEAK...ALTHOUGH WATER VAPOR EARLY THIS MORNING DOES DEPICT SOME INTEGRITY TO AN UPSTREAM WAVE LIFTING NORTHEAST OUT OF OKLAHOMA/SOUTHEAST MISSOURI. THIS FEATURE SHOULD RAPIDLY EJECT NORTHEAST...BUT BECOME LESS POTENT AS IT BECOMES MORE HIGHLY SHEARED ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY/SOUTHERN GREAT LAKES REGION LATER THIS AFTERNOON/THIS EVENING. SOME OF THE NAM AND HIRES OUTPUT DOES INDICATE A NARROW ZONE OF PREFRONTAL CONFLUENCE WITH SOME SUBSTANTIAL MOISTURE POOLING. HAVE SOME SUSPICION THE SLOWER NAM OUTLIER MAY BE A BIT AGGRESSIVE IN TERMS OF THE MAGNITUDE OF THIS MOISTURE POOLING AND HAVE GENERALLY TRENDED AWAY FROM THE INSTABILITY MAGNITUDES ADVERTISED BY THE NAM ALONG THIS PREFRONTAL CORRIDOR. HAVE MAINTAINED LOW TO MID CHANCE TSRA FOR TODAY GIVEN AT LEAST SOME WEAK MID/UPPER FORCING LIFTING INTO THE AREA WITH AFOREMENTIONED OK/MO VORT...ALTHOUGH OUTSIDE OF ANY AREAS OF PREFRONTAL MOISTURE POOLING...LOW LEVELS MAY MIX OUT ENOUGH TO TEMPER INSTABILITY QUITE A BIT BY LATER THIS AFTERNOON. IF SCATTERED CONVECTION IS ABLE TO DEVELOP THERE MAY BE TWO PRIMARY CORRIDORS FOR INITIATION...ONE ALONG ANY WEAK PREFRONTAL CONVERGENCE ZONE...AND THEN ALONG THE ACTUAL FRONTAL BOUNDARY. SEVERE STORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED IN TRENDING TOWARD NON-NAM GUIDANCE FOR THERMAL PROFILES...AND ALSO GIVEN MORE OF THE SUBSTANTIAL DEEP LAYER SHEAR WILL BE POST-FRONTAL. SOME ISOLATED CONVECTION MAY LINGER INTO THE EVENING ACROSS SOUTHEAST HALF OF THE AREA...WITH MAIN STORY THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE NIGHT CENTERING ON THE APPROACH OF A MUCH COOLER AND LESS HUMID AIR MASS. SOME COLD ADVECTION STRATOCU MAY WORK INTO FAR NORTHERN LOCATIONS OVERNIGHT...BUT OTHERWISE MOST LOCATIONS WILL EXPERIENCE CLEARING SKIES IN THE EVENING. && .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 358 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 TRANQUIL WEATHER ANTICIPATED FOR MUCH OF THIS LONG TERM PERIOD. SPLIT FLOW OVER WESTERN NOAM WITH A HIGHLY AMPLIFIED AND ENDURING NORTHERN STREAM PATTERN ACROSS CANADA WILL LEAVE THE GREAT LAKES IN A REGION OF STRONG CONFLUENCE AND GENERAL SUBSIDENCE FOR MOST OF THIS WEEK. WILL ALSO BE MUCH COOLER BEHIND TODAY`S COLD FRONT WITH PERSISTENT N/NW FLOW MAINTAINING AN EFFICIENT FEED OF CANADIAN AIR INTO OUR REGION. EXPECT TEMPS ROUGHLY 10-15 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL DURING THE MIDWEEK PERIOD. TUESDAY NIGHT WILL BE THE COLDEST PERIOD WITH NUMEROUS SOURCES OF RAW AND STATISTICAL GUIDANCE SUGGESTING MID 30S IN OUR NORTHERN COUNTIES...WITH LOWER 40S IN OUR SOUTH. SOME CONCERN FOR PATCHY FROST...ESPECIALLY IN OUR MICHIGAN COUNTIES AWAY FROM THE LAKE. HOWEVER...HIGH BASED CLOUDS WILL BE INCREASING BY WEDNESDAY MORNING AND MODELS SHOW ENOUGH OF A SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT TO KEEP WINDS IN THE 5-10 MPH RANGE. GIVEN THESE CONCERNS AND MARGINAL TEMPS WILL HOLD OFF ON MENTIONING ANY FROST IN THE FORECAST AT THIS POINT AND CONTINUE TO MONITOR. ONE WEAK SOUTHERN STREAM WAVE DOES EJECT OUT OF THE FOUR CORNERS AND ATTEMPT TO PHASE WITH SUBTLE NORTHERN STREAM VORT MAX AS IT CROSSES OUR AREA LATE WEDNESDAY. DEGREE OF DRY AND STABLE LOWER LEVELS IS CONCERNING BUT FAVORABLE 300MB JET PLACEMENT AND SOME MODEST CVA/HEIGHT FALLS COULD GENERATE A FEW LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS. NO MAJOR QUALMS WITH INHERITED LOW CHANCE POPS BUT DID ADJUST THE TIMING UP A LITTLE BIT BASED ON LATEST NAM AND ECMWF SOLUTIONS. NEXT CHANCE OF RAIN THEREAFTER WILL NOT BE UNTIL SUNDAY WHEN SOUTHWEST FLOW FINALLY RETURNS AHEAD OF NEXT WESTERN CONUS TROUGH EJECTING NORTHEAST. THIS PATTERN SHIFT WILL ALSO SIGNAL THE RETURN OF WARMER AND MORE HUMID CONDITIONS FOR AT LEAST THE LATTER HALF OF THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z TUESDAY MORNING) ISSUED AT 637 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 MVFR CIGS TO LINGER THIS MORNING AT KFWA...BUT SHOULD TREND TO VFR BY THE 14Z OR 15Z TIMEFRAME WITH DIURNAL WARMING. MAIN FEATURE OF INTEREST FOR TODAY WILL BE APPROACHING COLD FRONTAL BOUNDARY THAT MAY TRIGGER SOME ISOLATED OR SCATTERED AFTERNOON SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. LOW LEVEL MIXING IN THE AFTERNOON MAY TEND TO DISCOURAGE LARGE MAGNITUDES TO AFTERNOON INSTABILITY HOWEVER...SO CONFIDENCE REMAINS LOW ON THUNDER PROBABILITIES AT KFWA. INSTABILITY EVEN LESS SUBSTANTIAL AT KSBN...SO WILL CONTINUE TO OMIT ANY PRECIP MENTION. LIGHT SOUTH SOUTHWEST WINDS THIS MORNING WILL BECOME GUSTY INTO THE 15 TO 22 KNOT RANGE THIS AFTERNOON AHEAD OF THE FRONT...WITH A WIND SHIFT TO THE WEST OR WEST NORTHWEST FOR LATE AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING BEHIND THE COLD FRONT. && .IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IN...NONE. MI...NONE. OH...NONE. LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 5 PM EDT TUESDAY FOR LMZ043-046. && $$ SYNOPSIS...SKIPPER SHORT TERM...MARSILI LONG TERM...AGD AVIATION...MARSILI/SKIPPER VISIT US AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/IWX (ALL LOWER CASE) FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK...TWITTER...AND YOUTUBE AT: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/NWSNORTHERNINDIANA WWW.TWITTER.COM/NWSIWX WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/NWSNORTHERNINDIANA
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS NORTHERN INDIANA
646 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 358 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP ALONG AND JUST IN ADVANCE OF THE FRONT THIS AFTERNOON INTO EARLY THIS EVENING BEFORE DIMINISHING. THE PASSAGE OF THIS COLD FRONT WILL RESULT IN MUCH COOLER CONDITIONS THROUGH THE MIDDLE PORTIONS OF THE WEEK. HIGH TEMPERATURES THIS AFTERNOON WILL RANGE FROM THE UPPER 70S TO LOWER 80S. LOW TEMPERATURES TONIGHT WILL DROP BACK INTO UPPER 40S TO LOWER 50S. HIGH TEMPERATURES ON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY WILL RANGE FROM THE MID 50S TO LOWER 60S. && .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 358 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 DRIER MID LEVEL AIR HAS ADVECTED INTO MOST OF THE FORECAST AREA THIS MORNING. DEEPEST MOISTURE THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS IS EXPECTED TO RESIDE ACROSS APPROXIMATELY THE SOUTHEAST THIRD OF THE AREA WHERE SOME UPSWING IN 850-700 HPA MOISTURE TRANSPORT IS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS. 3-6 HOUR RAP PROGS DO INDICATE ABOUT 250-500 J/KG OF INSTABILITY LINGERING ACROSS THESE LOCATIONS EXPERIENCING STRONGER MOISTURE TRANSPORT THIS MORNING...SO HAVE CONTINUED TO CONCENTRATE LOW CHANCE POPS ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST THIS MORNING AS ADDITIONAL WEAK SHORT WAVES TRACK NORTHEAST THROUGH THE OHIO VALLEY IN ASSOCIATION WITH SOUTHERN STREAM. ATTENTION FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE DAY WILL CENTER ON EVOLUTION OF SFC COLD FRONTAL BOUNDARY AND POTENTIAL OF ANY ADDITIONAL SCATTERED CONVECTION THIS AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING. INSPECTION OF SHORT TERM TRENDS SUGGESTS NAM MAY BE JUST A BIT SLOW WITH COLD FRONT ACROSS THE MID MS RVR VALLEY...AND THE NAM CONTINUES TO BE SOMEWHAT OF A SLOW OUTLIER THROUGH THE NEXT 24 HOURS WITH THE FRONTAL PROGRESSION. EVEN WITH A PROGRESSION SOMEWHAT FASTER THAN THE NAM...PREFRONTAL WARMING SHOULD SUPPORT HIGHS IN THE LOWER 80S FOR MOST LOCATIONS THIS AFTERNOON. OUTSIDE OF FRONTAL CONVERGENCE...MID/UPPER LEVEL FORCING IS EXPECTED TO BE QUITE WEAK...ALTHOUGH WATER VAPOR EARLY THIS MORNING DOES DEPICT SOME INTEGRITY TO AN UPSTREAM WAVE LIFTING NORTHEAST OUT OF OKLAHOMA/SOUTHEAST MISSOURI. THIS FEATURE SHOULD RAPIDLY EJECT NORTHEAST...BUT BECOME LESS POTENT AS IT BECOMES MORE HIGHLY SHEARED ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY/SOUTHERN GREAT LAKES REGION LATER THIS AFTERNOON/THIS EVENING. SOME OF THE NAM AND HIRES OUTPUT DOES INDICATE A NARROW ZONE OF PREFRONTAL CONFLUENCE WITH SOME SUBSTANTIAL MOISTURE POOLING. HAVE SOME SUSPICION THE SLOWER NAM OUTLIER MAY BE A BIT AGGRESSIVE IN TERMS OF THE MAGNITUDE OF THIS MOISTURE POOLING AND HAVE GENERALLY TRENDED AWAY FROM THE INSTABILITY MAGNITUDES ADVERTISED BY THE NAM ALONG THIS PREFRONTAL CORRIDOR. HAVE MAINTAINED LOW TO MID CHANCE TSRA FOR TODAY GIVEN AT LEAST SOME WEAK MID/UPPER FORCING LIFTING INTO THE AREA WITH AFOREMENTIONED OK/MO VORT...ALTHOUGH OUTSIDE OF ANY AREAS OF PREFRONTAL MOISTURE POOLING...LOW LEVELS MAY MIX OUT ENOUGH TO TEMPER INSTABILITY QUITE A BIT BY LATER THIS AFTERNOON. IF SCATTERED CONVECTION IS ABLE TO DEVELOP THERE MAY BE TWO PRIMARY CORRIDORS FOR INITIATION...ONE ALONG ANY WEAK PREFRONTAL CONVERGENCE ZONE...AND THEN ALONG THE ACTUAL FRONTAL BOUNDARY. SEVERE STORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED IN TRENDING TOWARD NON-NAM GUIDANCE FOR THERMAL PROFILES...AND ALSO GIVEN MORE OF THE SUBSTANTIAL DEEP LAYER SHEAR WILL BE POST-FRONTAL. SOME ISOLATED CONVECTION MAY LINGER INTO THE EVENING ACROSS SOUTHEAST HALF OF THE AREA...WITH MAIN STORY THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE NIGHT CENTERING ON THE APPROACH OF A MUCH COOLER AND LESS HUMID AIR MASS. SOME COLD ADVECTION STRATOCU MAY WORK INTO FAR NORTHERN LOCATIONS OVERNIGHT...BUT OTHERWISE MOST LOCATIONS WILL EXPERIENCE CLEARING SKIES IN THE EVENING. && .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 358 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 TRANQUIL WEATHER ANTICIPATED FOR MUCH OF THIS LONG TERM PERIOD. SPLIT FLOW OVER WESTERN NOAM WITH A HIGHLY AMPLIFIED AND ENDURING NORTHERN STREAM PATTERN ACROSS CANADA WILL LEAVE THE GREAT LAKES IN A REGION OF STRONG CONFLUENCE AND GENERAL SUBSIDENCE FOR MOST OF THIS WEEK. WILL ALSO BE MUCH COOLER BEHIND TODAY`S COLD FRONT WITH PERSISTENT N/NW FLOW MAINTAINING AN EFFICIENT FEED OF CANADIAN AIR INTO OUR REGION. EXPECT TEMPS ROUGHLY 10-15 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL DURING THE MIDWEEK PERIOD. TUESDAY NIGHT WILL BE THE COLDEST PERIOD WITH NUMEROUS SOURCES OF RAW AND STATISTICAL GUIDANCE SUGGESTING MID 30S IN OUR NORTHERN COUNTIES...WITH LOWER 40S IN OUR SOUTH. SOME CONCERN FOR PATCHY FROST...ESPECIALLY IN OUR MICHIGAN COUNTIES AWAY FROM THE LAKE. HOWEVER...HIGH BASED CLOUDS WILL BE INCREASING BY WEDNESDAY MORNING AND MODELS SHOW ENOUGH OF A SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT TO KEEP WINDS IN THE 5-10 MPH RANGE. GIVEN THESE CONCERNS AND MARGINAL TEMPS WILL HOLD OFF ON MENTIONING ANY FROST IN THE FORECAST AT THIS POINT AND CONTINUE TO MONITOR. ONE WEAK SOUTHERN STREAM WAVE DOES EJECT OUT OF THE FOUR CORNERS AND ATTEMPT TO PHASE WITH SUBTLE NORTHERN STREAM VORT MAX AS IT CROSSES OUR AREA LATE WEDNESDAY. DEGREE OF DRY AND STABLE LOWER LEVELS IS CONCERNING BUT FAVORABLE 300MB JET PLACEMENT AND SOME MODEST CVA/HEIGHT FALLS COULD GENERATE A FEW LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS. NO MAJOR QUALMS WITH INHERITED LOW CHANCE POPS BUT DID ADJUST THE TIMING UP A LITTLE BIT BASED ON LATEST NAM AND ECMWF SOLUTIONS. NEXT CHANCE OF RAIN THEREAFTER WILL NOT BE UNTIL SUNDAY WHEN SOUTHWEST FLOW FINALLY RETURNS AHEAD OF NEXT WESTERN CONUS TROUGH EJECTING NORTHEAST. THIS PATTERN SHIFT WILL ALSO SIGNAL THE RETURN OF WARMER AND MORE HUMID CONDITIONS FOR AT LEAST THE LATTER HALF OF THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z TUESDAY MORNING) ISSUED AT 637 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 MVFR CIGS TO LINGER THIS MORNING AT KFWA...BUT SHOULD TREND TO VFR BY THE 14Z OR 15Z TIMEFRAME WITH DIURNAL WARMING. MAIN FEATURE OF INTEREST FOR TODAY WILL BE APPROACHING COLD FRONTAL BOUNDARY THAT MAY TRIGGER SOME ISOLATED OR SCATTERED AFTERNOON SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. LOW LEVEL MIXING IN THE AFTERNOON MAY TEND TO DISCOURAGE LARGE MAGNITUDES TO AFTERNOON INSTABILITY HOWEVER...SO CONFIDENCE REMAINS LOW ON THUNDER PROBABILITIES AT KFWA. INSTABILITY EVEN LESS SUBSTANTIAL AT KSBN...SO WILL CONTINUE TO OMIT ANY PRECIP MENTION. LIGHT SOUTH SOUTHWEST WINDS THIS MORNING WILL BECOME GUSTY INTO THE 15 TO 22 KNOT RANGE THIS AFTERNOON AHEAD OF THE FRONT...WITH A WIND SHIFT TO THE WEST OR WEST NORTHWEST FOR LATE AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING BEHIND THE COLD FRONT. && .IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IN...NONE. MI...NONE. OH...NONE. LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 5 PM EDT TUESDAY FOR LMZ043-046. && $$ SYNOPSIS...MARSILI SHORT TERM...MARSILI LONG TERM...AGD AVIATION...MARSILI VISIT US AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/IWX (ALL LOWER CASE) FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK...TWITTER...AND YOUTUBE AT: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/NWSNORTHERNINDIANA WWW.TWITTER.COM/NWSIWX WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/NWSNORTHERNINDIANA
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS NORTHERN INDIANA
400 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 358 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP ALONG AND JUST IN ADVANCE OF THE FRONT THIS AFTERNOON INTO EARLY THIS EVENING BEFORE DIMINISHING. THE PASSAGE OF THIS COLD FRONT WILL RESULT IN MUCH COOLER CONDITIONS THROUGH THE MIDDLE PORTIONS OF THE WEEK. HIGH TEMPERATURES THIS AFTERNOON WILL RANGE FROM THE UPPER 70S TO LOWER 80S. LOW TEMPERATURES TONIGHT WILL DROP BACK INTO UPPER 40S TO LOWER 50S. HIGH TEMPERATURES ON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY WILL RANGE FROM THE MID 50S TO LOWER 60S. && .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 358 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 DRIER MID LEVEL AIR HAS ADVECTED INTO MOST OF THE FORECAST AREA THIS MORNING. DEEPEST MOISTURE THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS IS EXPECTED TO RESIDE ACROSS APPROXIMATELY THE SOUTHEAST THIRD OF THE AREA WHERE SOME UPSWING IN 850-700 HPA MOISTURE TRANSPORT IS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS. 3-6 HOUR RAP PROGS DO INDICATE ABOUT 250-500 J/KG OF INSTABILITY LINGERING ACROSS THESE LOCATIONS EXPERIENCING STRONGER MOISTURE TRANSPORT THIS MORNING...SO HAVE CONTINUED TO CONCENTRATE LOW CHANCE POPS ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST THIS MORNING AS ADDITIONAL WEAK SHORT WAVES TRACK NORTHEAST THROUGH THE OHIO VALLEY IN ASSOCIATION WITH SOUTHERN STREAM. ATTENTION FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE DAY WILL CENTER ON EVOLUTION OF SFC COLD FRONTAL BOUNDARY AND POTENTIAL OF ANY ADDITIONAL SCATTERED CONVECTION THIS AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING. INSPECTION OF SHORT TERM TRENDS SUGGESTS NAM MAY BE JUST A BIT SLOW WITH COLD FRONT ACROSS THE MID MS RVR VALLEY...AND THE NAM CONTINUES TO BE SOMEWHAT OF A SLOW OUTLIER THROUGH THE NEXT 24 HOURS WITH THE FRONTAL PROGRESSION. EVEN WITH A PROGRESSION SOMEWHAT FASTER THAN THE NAM...PREFRONTAL WARMING SHOULD SUPPORT HIGHS IN THE LOWER 80S FOR MOST LOCATIONS THIS AFTERNOON. OUTSIDE OF FRONTAL CONVERGENCE...MID/UPPER LEVEL FORCING IS EXPECTED TO BE QUITE WEAK...ALTHOUGH WATER VAPOR EARLY THIS MORNING DOES DEPICT SOME INTEGRITY TO AN UPSTREAM WAVE LIFTING NORTHEAST OUT OF OKLAHOMA/SOUTHEAST MISSOURI. THIS FEATURE SHOULD RAPIDLY EJECT NORTHEAST...BUT BECOME LESS POTENT AS IT BECOMES MORE HIGHLY SHEARED ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY/SOUTHERN GREAT LAKES REGION LATER THIS AFTERNOON/THIS EVENING. SOME OF THE NAM AND HIRES OUTPUT DOES INDICATE A NARROW ZONE OF PREFRONTAL CONFLUENCE WITH SOME SUBSTANTIAL MOISTURE POOLING. HAVE SOME SUSPICION THE SLOWER NAM OUTLIER MAY BE A BIT AGGRESSIVE IN TERMS OF THE MAGNITUDE OF THIS MOISTURE POOLING AND HAVE GENERALLY TRENDED AWAY FROM THE INSTABILITY MAGNITUDES ADVERTISED BY THE NAM ALONG THIS PREFRONTAL CORRIDOR. HAVE MAINTAINED LOW TO MID CHANCE TSRA FOR TODAY GIVEN AT LEAST SOME WEAK MID/UPPER FORCING LIFTING INTO THE AREA WITH AFOREMENTIONED OK/MO VORT...ALTHOUGH OUTSIDE OF ANY AREAS OF PREFRONTAL MOISTURE POOLING...LOW LEVELS MAY MIX OUT ENOUGH TO TEMPER INSTABILITY QUITE A BIT BY LATER THIS AFTERNOON. IF SCATTERED CONVECTION IS ABLE TO DEVELOP THERE MAY BE TWO PRIMARY CORRIDORS FOR INITIATION...ONE ALONG ANY WEAK PREFRONTAL CONVERGENCE ZONE...AND THEN ALONG THE ACTUAL FRONTAL BOUNDARY. SEVERE STORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED IN TRENDING TOWARD NON-NAM GUIDANCE FOR THERMAL PROFILES...AND ALSO GIVEN MORE OF THE SUBSTANTIAL DEEP LAYER SHEAR WILL BE POST-FRONTAL. SOME ISOLATED CONVECTION MAY LINGER INTO THE EVENING ACROSS SOUTHEAST HALF OF THE AREA...WITH MAIN STORY THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE NIGHT CENTERING ON THE APPROACH OF A MUCH COOLER AND LESS HUMID AIR MASS. SOME COLD ADVECTION STRATOCU MAY WORK INTO FAR NORTHERN LOCATIONS OVERNIGHT...BUT OTHERWISE MOST LOCATIONS WILL EXPERIENCE CLEARING SKIES IN THE EVENING. && .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 358 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 TRANQUIL WEATHER ANTICIPATED FOR MUCH OF THIS LONG TERM PERIOD. SPLIT FLOW OVER WESTERN NOAM WITH A HIGHLY AMPLIFIED AND ENDURING NORTHERN STREAM PATTERN ACROSS CANADA WILL LEAVE THE GREAT LAKES IN A REGION OF STRONG CONFLUENCE AND GENERAL SUBSIDENCE FOR MOST OF THIS WEEK. WILL ALSO BE MUCH COOLER BEHIND TODAY`S COLD FRONT WITH PERSISTENT N/NW FLOW MAINTAINING AN EFFICIENT FEED OF CANADIAN AIR INTO OUR REGION. EXPECT TEMPS ROUGHLY 10-15 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL DURING THE MIDWEEK PERIOD. TUESDAY NIGHT WILL BE THE COLDEST PERIOD WITH NUMEROUS SOURCES OF RAW AND STATISTICAL GUIDANCE SUGGESTING MID 30S IN OUR NORTHERN COUNTIES...WITH LOWER 40S IN OUR SOUTH. SOME CONCERN FOR PATCHY FROST...ESPECIALLY IN OUR MICHIGAN COUNTIES AWAY FROM THE LAKE. HOWEVER...HIGH BASED CLOUDS WILL BE INCREASING BY WEDNESDAY MORNING AND MODELS SHOW ENOUGH OF A SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT TO KEEP WINDS IN THE 5-10 MPH RANGE. GIVEN THESE CONCERNS AND MARGINAL TEMPS WILL HOLD OFF ON MENTIONING ANY FROST IN THE FORECAST AT THIS POINT AND CONTINUE TO MONITOR. ONE WEAK SOUTHERN STREAM WAVE DOES EJECT OUT OF THE FOUR CORNERS AND ATTEMPT TO PHASE WITH SUBTLE NORTHERN STREAM VORT MAX AS IT CROSSES OUR AREA LATE WEDNESDAY. DEGREE OF DRY AND STABLE LOWER LEVELS IS CONCERNING BUT FAVORABLE 300MB JET PLACEMENT AND SOME MODEST CVA/HEIGHT FALLS COULD GENERATE A FEW LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS. NO MAJOR QUALMS WITH INHERITED LOW CHANCE POPS BUT DID ADJUST THE TIMING UP A LITTLE BIT BASED ON LATEST NAM AND ECMWF SOLUTIONS. NEXT CHANCE OF RAIN THEREAFTER WILL NOT BE UNTIL SUNDAY WHEN SOUTHWEST FLOW FINALLY RETURNS AHEAD OF NEXT WESTERN CONUS TROUGH EJECTING NORTHEAST. THIS PATTERN SHIFT WILL ALSO SIGNAL THE RETURN OF WARMER AND MORE HUMID CONDITIONS FOR AT LEAST THE LATTER HALF OF THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z MONDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 122 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 MID LEVEL DRY SLOT HAS OVERSPREAD THE AREA WITH THE CHANCES OF CONVECTION OVERNIGHT HAVING DIMINISHED SIGNIFICANTLY. ANOTHER WEAK SHORT WAVE KICKING OUT OF SOUTHERN INDIANA MAY ALLOW FOR SOME SCATTERED SHOWERS TO LIFT BACK INTO NORTHEAST INDIANA THROUGH EARLY MONDAY MORNING...BUT BETTER CHANCES APPEAR TO BE SOUTHEAST OF FWA. MVFR CIGS OF 2-3K FT ARE POSSIBLE AT KFWA THROUGH AROUND 12Z...WITH GENERALLY VFR CONDITIONS OTHERWISE. A COLD FRONT TRACKING ACROSS THE AREA MONDAY AFTERNOON MAY ALLOW FOR ISOLD-SCT CONVECTION TO DEVELOP BUT INSTABILITY OF ANY CONSEQUENCE SHOULD BE LIMITED TO A FAIRLY NARROW ZONE ALONG AND IMMEDIATELY AHEAD OF THE FRONT. WITH OVERALL MID/UPPER FORCING ON THE WEAK SIDE...HAVE MAINTAINED VCTS MENTION AT KFWA DUE TO LOW CONFIDENCE OF THUNDER OCCURRENCE AT TERMINALS. SOUTHWEST WINDS IN ADVANCE OF THE FRONT SHOULD BECOME SOMEWHAT GUSTY INTO THE 18-23 KNOT RANGE THIS AFTERNOON...WITH WINDS SHIFTING TO THE WEST BEHIND THE FRONT LATE MONDAY AFTERNOON AT KSBN...AND EARLY MONDAY EVENING AT KFWA. && .IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IN...NONE. MI...NONE. OH...NONE. LM...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...MARSILI SHORT TERM...MARSILI LONG TERM...AGD AVIATION...MARSILI VISIT US AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/IWX (ALL LOWER CASE) FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK...TWITTER...AND YOUTUBE AT: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/NWSNORTHERNINDIANA WWW.TWITTER.COM/NWSIWX WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/NWSNORTHERNINDIANA
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS DODGE CITY KS
1013 PM CDT TUE MAY 19 2015 ...UPDATE TO SYNOPSIS... .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 1012 PM CDT TUE MAY 19 2015 WV IMAGERY AND 00Z UPPER AIR ANALYSIS INDICATE AN UPPER LEVEL SHORTWAVE LIFTING NORTHEAST ACROSS THE WESTERN HIGH PLAINS. NEAR THE SURFACE, A COLD FRONT IS PUSHING SLOWLY SOUTHWARD ACROSS THE TEXAS PANHANDLE AND WESTERN OKLAHOMA. && .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH WEDNESDAY) ISSUED AT 215 PM CDT TUE MAY 19 2015 LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE THIS EVENING AS THE UPPER LEVEL SHORTWAVE MOVES NORTH OF THE AREA. LIGHT RAIN OR DRIZZLE WILL BE POSSIBLE AFTER MIDNIGHT, OTHERWISE MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES WILL BE SEEN ACROSS WESTERN KANSAS. MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES WILL ALSO BE SEEN TOMORROW AS LOWER LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE REMAIN VERY MOIST. HOWEVER, A FEW BREAKS IN THE CLOUDS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS FAR SOUTHWESTERN KANSAS AROUND LATE AFTERNOON. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO THE AREA THIS EVENING INTO TONIGHT PUSHING A FRONTAL BOUNDARY SOUTHWARD INTO TEXAS. THIS WILL SHIFT EASTERLY WINDS TO MORE OF A NORTHERLY DIRECTION OVERNIGHT. WINDS FROM THE NORTHEAST ARE ANTICIPATED TOMORROW AS THE AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE CONTINUES TO SAG SOUTHWARD. THE ABUNDANT CLOUD COVER WILL KEEP OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURES UP WITH LOWS RANGING FROM AROUND 40 DEGREES ACROSS WEST CENTRAL KANSAS TO AROUND 50 DEGREES ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS. CLOUDS WILL ALSO KEEP DAYTIME TEMPERATURES DOWN WITH HIGHS RANGING FROM THE MID 50S ACROSS WEST CENTRAL KANSAS TO LOWER 60S ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS. .LONG TERM...(WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 240 PM CDT TUE MAY 19 2015 THE MAIN CHALLENGE IN THE LONG TERM CONTINUES TO BE TIMING, EXTENT, AND QUANTITY OF RAINFALL THROUGH THE PERIOD BEYOND THURSDAY. ANOTHER STORM SYSTEM WITH SUBTROPICAL INFLUENCE WILL ONCE AGAIN APPROACH THE WESTERN PLAINS WITH THE INITIAL EFFECTS FELT LATE THURSDAY NIGHT AS A LEAD WAVE FOSTERS PRECIPITATION DEVELOPMENT FROM EASTERN COLORADO INTO THE TEXAS PANHANDLE...ALONG NEARLY THE SAME ORIENTATION AS TODAY`S PRECIPITATION EVENT. THE COOL AIRMASS WILL REMAIN IN PLACE, SO SEVERE WEATHER RISK OVERNIGHT APPEARS TO BE NON-EXISTENT. THIS WILL LIFT ON NORTHEAST DURING THE DAY FRIDAY, HOWEVER EXTENSIVE CLOUD COVER WILL REMAIN AS SOUTHEASTERLY WINDS AND RICH MOISTURE WILL ACTUALLY HELP KEEP TEMPERATURES FAIRLY COOL WITH TRAJECTORIES RECIRCULATING THE REMNANT CONTINENTAL POLAR AIRMASS. IN FACT, WE MAY SEE A PROLONGED PERIOD OF VERY LIGHT PRECIPITATION IN THE FORM OF DRIZZLE MUCH OF THE DAY FRIDAY. TEMPERATURES WILL LIKELY REMAIN IN THE 50S...AND FUTURE FORECAST UPDATES WILL LIKELY SEE A FURTHER REDUCTION IN HIGHS. ON SATURDAY, THE MAIN UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM WILL APPROACH, AND WE WILL LIKELY SEE EARLY DAY CONVECTION IN THE 850-700MB ZONE OF WARM ADVECTION/FRONTOGENESIS. THE ECMWF IS STILL THE MODEL OF CHOICE GIVEN PAST PERFORMANCE IN THIS REGIME WE HAVE BEEN IN OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS. THE LATEST RUN OF THE ECMWF KEEPS TEMPERATURES COOL ON SATURDAY ACROSS MUCH OF SOUTHWEST KANSAS WITH AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES IN THE UPPER 50S TO LOWER 60S. THE EXCEPTION WOULD BE EXTREME SOUTHWEST KANSAS WITH PERHAPS UP TO 70 AT ELKHART. ALL OF THIS SUGGESTS THAT ANY SURFACE-BASED SEVERE WEATHER THREAT WILL BE LIMITED ACROSS OUR FORECAST AREA WITH MUCH OF THE ACTIVITY CONFINED ONCE AGAIN TO PORTIONS OF NORTH/NORTHWEST TEXAS INTO OKLAHOMA. THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL MOVE OUT SLOWLY ACROSS THE PLAINS LATE WEEKEND, SO WE WILL PROBABLY SEE ADDITIONAL CONVECTION ON SUNDAY ALONG THE TROUGH AXIS WITH YET ANOTHER SMALL SYSTEM SUGGESTED BY THE ECMWF MOVING ACROSS THE SOUTHERN ROCKIES ON MONDAY. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z WEDNESDAY EVENING) ISSUED AT 604 PM CDT TUE MAY 19 2015 MOISTURE AND LIFT WILL CONTINUE THIS EVENING AHEAD OF AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WHICH WILL CROSS SOUTHWEST KANSAS BETWEEN 00Z AND 03Z WEDNESDAY. THE STEADIER PRECIPITATION WILL TAPER OFF FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST AND THE SURFACE WINDS WILL BACK TO THE NORTH/NORTHEAST EARLY TONIGHT AS THIS UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM PASSES. BUFR SOUNDINGS, RAP, AND HRRR WERE ALL IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH KEEPING THE LOWER LEVELS SATURATED AND CEILINGS AT OR BELOW 800FT AGL THROUGH AT LEAST 15Z WEDNESDAY. DENSE FOG AT THIS TIME DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE AN ISSUE EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING BUT VISIBILITIES AS LOW AS ONE MILE WILL BE POSSIBLE AT TIME BETWEEN 09Z AND 15Z WEDNESDAY. CEILINGS WILL IMPROVE LATE MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON INTO THE 2000 TO 3000FT AGL LEVEL BASE ON THE NAM, ARW, AND NMM. SURFACE WINDS WILL BE NORTHEAST AT 10 KNOTS OR LESS. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... DDC 42 58 42 63 / 70 10 10 10 GCK 41 57 44 63 / 20 10 10 10 EHA 42 59 45 60 / 10 10 20 40 LBL 42 59 44 64 / 30 10 10 30 HYS 41 56 42 63 / 80 20 10 10 P28 50 62 47 66 / 70 10 10 10 && .DDC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...JJOHNSON SHORT TERM...HOVORKA_42 LONG TERM...UMSCHEID AVIATION...BURGERT
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS DODGE CITY KS
606 PM CDT TUE MAY 19 2015 ...UPDATED AVIATION DISCUSSION... .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH WEDNESDAY) ISSUED AT 215 PM CDT TUE MAY 19 2015 LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE THIS EVENING AS THE UPPER LEVEL SHORTWAVE MOVES NORTH OF THE AREA. LIGHT RAIN OR DRIZZLE WILL BE POSSIBLE AFTER MIDNIGHT, OTHERWISE MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES WILL BE SEEN ACROSS WESTERN KANSAS. MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES WILL ALSO BE SEEN TOMORROW AS LOWER LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE REMAIN VERY MOIST. HOWEVER, A FEW BREAKS IN THE CLOUDS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS FAR SOUTHWESTERN KANSAS AROUND LATE AFTERNOON. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO THE AREA THIS EVENING INTO TONIGHT PUSHING A FRONTAL BOUNDARY SOUTHWARD INTO TEXAS. THIS WILL SHIFT EASTERLY WINDS TO MORE OF A NORTHERLY DIRECTION OVERNIGHT. WINDS FROM THE NORTHEAST ARE ANTICIPATED TOMORROW AS THE AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE CONTINUES TO SAG SOUTHWARD. THE ABUNDANT CLOUD COVER WILL KEEP OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURES UP WITH LOWS RANGING FROM AROUND 40 DEGREES ACROSS WEST CENTRAL KANSAS TO AROUND 50 DEGREES ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS. CLOUDS WILL ALSO KEEP DAYTIME TEMPERATURES DOWN WITH HIGHS RANGING FROM THE MID 50S ACROSS WEST CENTRAL KANSAS TO LOWER 60S ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS. .LONG TERM...(WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 240 PM CDT TUE MAY 19 2015 THE MAIN CHALLENGE IN THE LONG TERM CONTINUES TO BE TIMING, EXTENT, AND QUANTITY OF RAINFALL THROUGH THE PERIOD BEYOND THURSDAY. ANOTHER STORM SYSTEM WITH SUBTROPICAL INFLUENCE WILL ONCE AGAIN APPROACH THE WESTERN PLAINS WITH THE INITIAL EFFECTS FELT LATE THURSDAY NIGHT AS A LEAD WAVE FOSTERS PRECIPITATION DEVELOPMENT FROM EASTERN COLORADO INTO THE TEXAS PANHANDLE...ALONG NEARLY THE SAME ORIENTATION AS TODAY`S PRECIPITATION EVENT. THE COOL AIRMASS WILL REMAIN IN PLACE, SO SEVERE WEATHER RISK OVERNIGHT APPEARS TO BE NON-EXISTENT. THIS WILL LIFT ON NORTHEAST DURING THE DAY FRIDAY, HOWEVER EXTENSIVE CLOUD COVER WILL REMAIN AS SOUTHEASTERLY WINDS AND RICH MOISTURE WILL ACTUALLY HELP KEEP TEMPERATURES FAIRLY COOL WITH TRAJECTORIES RECIRCULATING THE REMNANT CONTINENTAL POLAR AIRMASS. IN FACT, WE MAY SEE A PROLONGED PERIOD OF VERY LIGHT PRECIPITATION IN THE FORM OF DRIZZLE MUCH OF THE DAY FRIDAY. TEMPERATURES WILL LIKELY REMAIN IN THE 50S...AND FUTURE FORECAST UPDATES WILL LIKELY SEE A FURTHER REDUCTION IN HIGHS. ON SATURDAY, THE MAIN UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM WILL APPROACH, AND WE WILL LIKELY SEE EARLY DAY CONVECTION IN THE 850-700MB ZONE OF WARM ADVECTION/FRONTOGENESIS. THE ECMWF IS STILL THE MODEL OF CHOICE GIVEN PAST PERFORMANCE IN THIS REGIME WE HAVE BEEN IN OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS. THE LATEST RUN OF THE ECMWF KEEPS TEMPERATURES COOL ON SATURDAY ACROSS MUCH OF SOUTHWEST KANSAS WITH AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES IN THE UPPER 50S TO LOWER 60S. THE EXCEPTION WOULD BE EXTREME SOUTHWEST KANSAS WITH PERHAPS UP TO 70 AT ELKHART. ALL OF THIS SUGGESTS THAT ANY SURFACE-BASED SEVERE WEATHER THREAT WILL BE LIMITED ACROSS OUR FORECAST AREA WITH MUCH OF THE ACTIVITY CONFINED ONCE AGAIN TO PORTIONS OF NORTH/NORTHWEST TEXAS INTO OKLAHOMA. THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL MOVE OUT SLOWLY ACROSS THE PLAINS LATE WEEKEND, SO WE WILL PROBABLY SEE ADDITIONAL CONVECTION ON SUNDAY ALONG THE TROUGH AXIS WITH YET ANOTHER SMALL SYSTEM SUGGESTED BY THE ECMWF MOVING ACROSS THE SOUTHERN ROCKIES ON MONDAY. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z WEDNESDAY EVENING) ISSUED AT 604 PM CDT TUE MAY 19 2015 MOISTURE AND LIFT WILL CONTINUE THIS EVENING AHEAD OF AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WHICH WILL CROSS SOUTHWEST KANSAS BETWEEN 00Z AND 03Z WEDNESDAY. THE STEADIER PRECIPITATION WILL TAPER OFF FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST AND THE SURFACE WINDS WILL BACK TO THE NORTH/NORTHEAST EARLY TONIGHT AS THIS UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM PASSES. BUFR SOUNDINGS, RAP, AND HRRR WERE ALL IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH KEEPING THE LOWER LEVELS SATURATED AND CEILINGS AT OR BELOW 800FT AGL THROUGH AT LEAST 15Z WEDNESDAY. DENSE FOG AT THIS TIME DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE AN ISSUE EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING BUT VISIBILITIESAS LOW AS ONE MILE WILL BE POSSIBLE AT TIME BETWEEN 09Z AND 15Z WEDNESDAY. CEILINGS WILL IMPROVE LATE MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON INTO THE 2000 TO 3000FT AGL LEVEL BASE ON THE NAM, ARW, AND NMM. SURFACE WINDS WILL BE NORTHEAST AT 10 KNOTS OR LESS. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... DDC 42 58 42 63 / 90 10 10 10 GCK 41 57 44 63 / 90 10 10 10 EHA 42 59 45 60 / 50 10 20 40 LBL 42 59 44 64 / 80 10 10 30 HYS 41 56 42 63 / 100 20 10 10 P28 50 62 47 66 / 90 10 10 10 && .DDC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...HOVORKA_42 LONG TERM...UMSCHEID AVIATION...BURGERT
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS JACKSON KY
126 PM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 938 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 JUST MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO THE FORECAST GRIDS THROUGH THE REST OF THE MORNING. BASED ON CURRENT RADAR IMAGERY...POPS IN OUR SOUTHWESTERN AND WESTERN COUNTIES NEEDED TO BE INCREASED. WENT THROUGH AND INCREASED HOURLY POPS OVER THE NEXT 4 HOURS BY 10 TO 15 PERCENT TO ACCOUNT FOR REAL TIME TRENDS. THIS DID NOT CHANGE THE WORDING IN THE ZONE FORECAST TEXT PRODUCT SO NO UPDATE TO THAT WAS NECESSARY. IN SUMMARY...THE POP...POP12...AND WEATHER TYPE GRIDS HAVE ALL BEEN UPDATED. UPDATE ISSUED AT 709 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 A FEW ISOLATED SHOWERS MAINLY ACROSS THE EAST SHOWING UP THIS MORNING ON WSR-88D RADAR...WITH MORE SHOWERS SLOWLY MOVING EAST INTO WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE REGION AS WE GO THROUGH THE MORNING. STORM COVERAGE WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE THIS AFTERNOON AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST. UPDATED GRIDS WITH LATEST OBS AND TRENDS. OTHERWISE NO MAJOR CHANGES NEEDED THIS UPDATE. && .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 350 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 03Z SURFACE ANALYSIS SHOWS LOW PRESSURE MOVING INTO THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY AND FRONT STRETCHED SOUTH INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS. BROAD SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE CONTINUES TO CONTROL THE SE US. THIS IS KEEPING REGION IN WARM AND MOIST ENVIRONMENT UNDER BROAD SW FLOW. RADAR THIS MORNING SHOWS AREA OF RAIN SHOWERS CONTINUES TO SLOWLY WANE THIS MORNING NEAR THE TN BORDER. WHILE THE ACTIVITY IN THE TN VALLEY CONTINUES TO DIMINISH AND SLOWLY MOVE NE...THE HRRR CONTINUES TO BRING THAT ACTIVITY ACROSS EASTERN KY. RIGHT NOW THINKING THE HRRR MAY BE A BIT TOO ROBUST WITH THIS ACTIVITY...HOWEVER RIGHT NOW KEEP SOME ISOLATED TO SCATTERED ACTIVITY. OTHERWISE FEEL THAT TODAY WILL BE SIMILAR TO THE PAST FEW DAYS WITH GENERALLY DIURNALLY DRIVEN THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. THE MESO MODELS SHOW STORM ACTIVITY PICKING UP IN COVERAGE AROUND 17Z. AN UPPER LEVEL LOW WILL CONTINUE TO PROGRESS INTO THE GREAT LAKES AND FLATTEN OUT THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGING THAT HAS BEEN IN PLACE THE PAST WEEK. THIS WILL ALLOW A BIT MORE UPPER LEVEL WAVE ENERGY TO PASS THROUGH THE FLOW AND THERE IS A BIT OF DEEPER OMEGA SIGNALS SEEN IN THE TIME HEIGHTS AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE DAY. THE MAIN RISK WILL BE POTENTIAL FOR LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS GIVEN GENERALLY SKINNY CAPE PROFILES WITH NORMALIZED CAPE VALUES AROUND 0.15 AND PWATS GETTING IN THE 1.70 INCH RANGE THIS AFTERNOON. ONCE WE LOOSE DAYTIME HEATING DO DIMINISH STORMS CHANCES OVERNIGHT INTO TUESDAY. THE COLD FRONT DOES LAG BEHIND AND CONTINUES TO WEAKEN...AS CANADIAN HIGH BEGINS TO BUILDS EAST. DID KEEP SOME ISOLATED CHANCES INTO THE DAY ON TUESDAY...BUT THINK THIS WILL MAINLY BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE FAR SE. OTHERWISE DRIER AIR WILL CONTINUE TO SPREAD EAST AND COLUMN WILL CONTINUE TO DRY SEEN IN FORECAST SOUNDINGS AND TIME HEIGHTS. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 434 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE RIDGING SE FROM THE NORTH CENTRAL CONUS WILL PROVIDE DRY WEATHER AT THE START OF THE PERIOD. A PIECE OF AN UPPER LOW CURRENTLY OVER CA WILL MAKE ITS WAY EASTWARD ACROSS THE CONUS AT MIDWEEK...AND AS ANOTHER UPPER LOW DROPS SE TOWARD NEW ENGLAND...THE TWO WILL COMBINE TO BRING AN AMPLIFYING TROUGH TO THE EASTERN CONUS. AS THE WEAK UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM MOVES IN FROM THE WEST...THE ECMWF IS MORE ACTIVE WITH THE SYSTEM...AND IT SHOWS A WEAKENING SURFACE LOW ASSOCIATED WITH IT. THIS BRINGS LIGHT PRECIP TO OUR LOCAL AREA IN THE WEDNESDAY NIGHT/THURSDAY TIME FRAME. THE GFS IS WEAKER WITH THE SYSTEM AND ONLY BRINGS CLOUDS. HAVE OPTED TO USE A MINIMAL 20 PERCENT POP AT THIS POINT. ONCE THIS SYSTEM MOVES TO OUR EAST BY THURSDAY NIGHT...MODELS AGREE ON A SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM BUILDING IN FROM THE NW WITH A REINFORCING PUSH OF DRY AIR. THIS SHOULD HOLD INTO THE WEEKEND. LATE IN THE WEEKEND MOISTURE SHOULD BE ON THE INCREASE AGAIN AS THE HIGH MOVES OFF THE EAST COAST AND LOW PRESSURE DEVELOPS OVER THE PLAINS...TURNING OUR LOW LEVEL FLOW TO THE SOUTH. HAVE INCLUDED LOW POPS ON SUNDAY...BUT THE BETTER CHANCE OF PRECIP WILL BE TO OUR WEST. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 126 PM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 THE PRIMARY FORECAST CONCERN IN THE TAFS WILL BE SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY THAT IS CURRENTLY MOVING ACROSS EASTERN KENTUCKY. THESE SHOWERS AND STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME MORE NUMEROUS AS THE AFTERNOON WEARS ON AS A COLD FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. THE STRONGER STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL AND CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL DURING BREAKS IN THE RAIN. OTHERWISE WE THE TAF SITES COULD EXPERIENCE MVFR TO IFR CONDITIONS WHEN A STRONG SHOWER OR ANY THUNDERSTORMS MOVES PAST. && .JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ UPDATE...AR SHORT TERM...DJ LONG TERM...HAL AVIATION...AR
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS JACKSON KY
938 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 938 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 JUST MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO THE FORECAST GRIDS THROUGH THE REST OF THE MORNING. BASED ON CURRENT RADAR IMAGERY...POPS IN OUR SOUTHWESTERN AND WESTERN COUNTIES NEEDED TO BE INCREASED. WENT THROUGH AND INCREASED HOURLY POPS OVER THE NEXT 4 HOURS BY 10 TO 15 PERCENT TO ACCOUNT FOR REAL TIME TRENDS. THIS DID NOT CHANGE THE WORDING IN THE ZONE FORECAST TEXT PRODUCT SO NO UPDATE TO THAT WAS NECESSARY. IN SUMMARY...THE POP...POP12...AND WEATHER TYPE GRIDS HAVE ALL BEEN UPDATED. UPDATE ISSUED AT 709 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 A FEW ISOLATED SHOWERS MAINLY ACROSS THE EAST SHOWING UP THIS MORNING ON WSR-88D RADAR...WITH MORE SHOWERS SLOWLY MOVING EAST INTO WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE REGION AS WE GO THROUGH THE MORNING. STORM COVERAGE WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE THIS AFTERNOON AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST. UPDATED GRIDS WITH LATEST OBS AND TRENDS. OTHERWISE NO MAJOR CHANGES NEEDED THIS UPDATE. && .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 350 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 03Z SURFACE ANALYSIS SHOWS LOW PRESSURE MOVING INTO THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY AND FRONT STRETCHED SOUTH INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS. BROAD SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE CONTINUES TO CONTROL THE SE US. THIS IS KEEPING REGION IN WARM AND MOIST ENVIRONMENT UNDER BROAD SW FLOW. RADAR THIS MORNING SHOWS AREA OF RAIN SHOWERS CONTINUES TO SLOWLY WANE THIS MORNING NEAR THE TN BORDER. WHILE THE ACTIVITY IN THE TN VALLEY CONTINUES TO DIMINISH AND SLOWLY MOVE NE...THE HRRR CONTINUES TO BRING THAT ACTIVITY ACROSS EASTERN KY. RIGHT NOW THINKING THE HRRR MAY BE A BIT TOO ROBUST WITH THIS ACTIVITY...HOWEVER RIGHT NOW KEEP SOME ISOLATED TO SCATTERED ACTIVITY. OTHERWISE FEEL THAT TODAY WILL BE SIMILAR TO THE PAST FEW DAYS WITH GENERALLY DIURNALLY DRIVEN THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. THE MESO MODELS SHOW STORM ACTIVITY PICKING UP IN COVERAGE AROUND 17Z. AN UPPER LEVEL LOW WILL CONTINUE TO PROGRESS INTO THE GREAT LAKES AND FLATTEN OUT THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGING THAT HAS BEEN IN PLACE THE PAST WEEK. THIS WILL ALLOW A BIT MORE UPPER LEVEL WAVE ENERGY TO PASS THROUGH THE FLOW AND THERE IS A BIT OF DEEPER OMEGA SIGNALS SEEN IN THE TIME HEIGHTS AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE DAY. THE MAIN RISK WILL BE POTENTIAL FOR LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS GIVEN GENERALLY SKINNY CAPE PROFILES WITH NORMALIZED CAPE VALUES AROUND 0.15 AND PWATS GETTING IN THE 1.70 INCH RANGE THIS AFTERNOON. ONCE WE LOOSE DAYTIME HEATING DO DIMINISH STORMS CHANCES OVERNIGHT INTO TUESDAY. THE COLD FRONT DOES LAG BEHIND AND CONTINUES TO WEAKEN...AS CANADIAN HIGH BEGINS TO BUILDS EAST. DID KEEP SOME ISOLATED CHANCES INTO THE DAY ON TUESDAY...BUT THINK THIS WILL MAINLY BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE FAR SE. OTHERWISE DRIER AIR WILL CONTINUE TO SPREAD EAST AND COLUMN WILL CONTINUE TO DRY SEEN IN FORECAST SOUNDINGS AND TIME HEIGHTS. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 434 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE RIDGING SE FROM THE NORTH CENTRAL CONUS WILL PROVIDE DRY WEATHER AT THE START OF THE PERIOD. A PIECE OF AN UPPER LOW CURRENTLY OVER CA WILL MAKE ITS WAY EASTWARD ACROSS THE CONUS AT MIDWEEK...AND AS ANOTHER UPPER LOW DROPS SE TOWARD NEW ENGLAND...THE TWO WILL COMBINE TO BRING AN AMPLIFYING TROUGH TO THE EASTERN CONUS. AS THE WEAK UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM MOVES IN FROM THE WEST...THE ECMWF IS MORE ACTIVE WITH THE SYSTEM...AND IT SHOWS A WEAKENING SURFACE LOW ASSOCIATED WITH IT. THIS BRINGS LIGHT PRECIP TO OUR LOCAL AREA IN THE WEDNESDAY NIGHT/THURSDAY TIME FRAME. THE GFS IS WEAKER WITH THE SYSTEM AND ONLY BRINGS CLOUDS. HAVE OPTED TO USE A MINIMAL 20 PERCENT POP AT THIS POINT. ONCE THIS SYSTEM MOVES TO OUR EAST BY THURSDAY NIGHT...MODELS AGREE ON A SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM BUILDING IN FROM THE NW WITH A REINFORCING PUSH OF DRY AIR. THIS SHOULD HOLD INTO THE WEEKEND. LATE IN THE WEEKEND MOISTURE SHOULD BE ON THE INCREASE AGAIN AS THE HIGH MOVES OFF THE EAST COAST AND LOW PRESSURE DEVELOPS OVER THE PLAINS...TURNING OUR LOW LEVEL FLOW TO THE SOUTH. HAVE INCLUDED LOW POPS ON SUNDAY...BUT THE BETTER CHANCE OF PRECIP WILL BE TO OUR WEST. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z TUESDAY MORNING) ISSUED AT 657 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 FOG DEVELOPMENT WAS WEAKENED BY THE CLOUDS THAT CONTINUED TO BUILD ACROSS THE REGION OVERNIGHT INTO THIS MORNING. PATCHY FOG WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS RIVER VALLEYS AND THOSE AREAS THAT RECEIVED RAIN. A FEW ISOLATED SHOWERS CONTINUE TO POP UP ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE REGION THIS MORNING AND HAVE INCLUDED VCSH AT A FEW SITES TO START...BUT ADD TO ALL SITES AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE MORNING. OTHERWISE BIGGEST ISSUE TODAY WILL BE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING ACROSS EASTERN KENTUCKY THIS AFTERNOON. THE BEST COVERAGE WILL BE IN THE AFTERNOON WITH DAYTIME HEATING. THEREFORE DID OPT TO ADD A TEMPO GROUP WITH MVFR VIS TO THE TAF SITES GENERALLY BETWEEN 18Z AND 19Z. OTHERWISE THINK SITES WILL GENERALLY KEEP VFR CONDITIONS FOR MUCH OF THE TAF PERIOD. KEPT WINDS LIGHT TIL THIS AFTERNOON WITH SITES POSSIBLY SEEING GUSTS UP TO 15 KTS. && .JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ UPDATE...AR SHORT TERM...DJ LONG TERM...HAL AVIATION...DJ
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS JACKSON KY
709 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 709 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 A FEW ISOLATED SHOWERS MAINLY ACROSS THE EAST SHOWING UP THIS MORNING ON WSR-88D RADAR...WITH MORE SHOWERS SLOWLY MOVING EAST INTO WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE REGION AS WE GO THROUGH THE MORNING. STORM COVERAGE WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE THIS AFTERNOON AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST. UPDATED GRIDS WITH LATEST OBS AND TRENDS. OTHERWISE NO MAJOR CHANGES NEEDED THIS UPDATE. && .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 350 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 03Z SURFACE ANALYSIS SHOWS LOW PRESSURE MOVING INTO THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY AND FRONT STRETCHED SOUTH INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS. BROAD SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE CONTINUES TO CONTROL THE SE US. THIS IS KEEPING REGION IN WARM AND MOIST ENVIRONMENT UNDER BROAD SW FLOW. RADAR THIS MORNING SHOWS AREA OF RAIN SHOWERS CONTINUES TO SLOWLY WANE THIS MORNING NEAR THE TN BORDER. WHILE THE ACTIVITY IN THE TN VALLEY CONTINUES TO DIMINISH AND SLOWLY MOVE NE...THE HRRR CONTINUES TO BRING THAT ACTIVITY ACROSS EASTERN KY. RIGHT NOW THINKING THE HRRR MAY BE A BIT TOO ROBUST WITH THIS ACTIVITY...HOWEVER RIGHT NOW KEEP SOME ISOLATED TO SCATTERED ACTIVITY. OTHERWISE FEEL THAT TODAY WILL BE SIMILAR TO THE PAST FEW DAYS WITH GENERALLY DIURNALLY DRIVEN THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. THE MESO MODELS SHOW STORM ACTIVITY PICKING UP IN COVERAGE AROUND 17Z. AN UPPER LEVEL LOW WILL CONTINUE TO PROGRESS INTO THE GREAT LAKES AND FLATTEN OUT THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGING THAT HAS BEEN IN PLACE THE PAST WEEK. THIS WILL ALLOW A BIT MORE UPPER LEVEL WAVE ENERGY TO PASS THROUGH THE FLOW AND THERE IS A BIT OF DEEPER OMEGA SIGNALS SEEN IN THE TIME HEIGHTS AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE DAY. THE MAIN RISK WILL BE POTENTIAL FOR LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS GIVEN GENERALLY SKINNY CAPE PROFILES WITH NORMALIZED CAPE VALUES AROUND 0.15 AND PWATS GETTING IN THE 1.70 INCH RANGE THIS AFTERNOON. ONCE WE LOOSE DAYTIME HEATING DO DIMINISH STORMS CHANCES OVERNIGHT INTO TUESDAY. THE COLD FRONT DOES LAG BEHIND AND CONTINUES TO WEAKEN...AS CANADIAN HIGH BEGINS TO BUILDS EAST. DID KEEP SOME ISOLATED CHANCES INTO THE DAY ON TUESDAY...BUT THINK THIS WILL MAINLY BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE FAR SE. OTHERWISE DRIER AIR WILL CONTINUE TO SPREAD EAST AND COLUMN WILL CONTINUE TO DRY SEEN IN FORECAST SOUNDINGS AND TIME HEIGHTS. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 434 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE RIDGING SE FROM THE NORTH CENTRAL CONUS WILL PROVIDE DRY WEATHER AT THE START OF THE PERIOD. A PIECE OF AN UPPER LOW CURRENTLY OVER CA WILL MAKE ITS WAY EASTWARD ACROSS THE CONUS AT MIDWEEK...AND AS ANOTHER UPPER LOW DROPS SE TOWARD NEW ENGLAND...THE TWO WILL COMBINE TO BRING AN AMPLIFYING TROUGH TO THE EASTERN CONUS. AS THE WEAK UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM MOVES IN FROM THE WEST...THE ECMWF IS MORE ACTIVE WITH THE SYSTEM...AND IT SHOWS A WEAKENING SURFACE LOW ASSOCIATED WITH IT. THIS BRINGS LIGHT PRECIP TO OUR LOCAL AREA IN THE WEDNESDAY NIGHT/THURSDAY TIME FRAME. THE GFS IS WEAKER WITH THE SYSTEM AND ONLY BRINGS CLOUDS. HAVE OPTED TO USE A MINIMAL 20 PERCENT POP AT THIS POINT. ONCE THIS SYSTEM MOVES TO OUR EAST BY THURSDAY NIGHT...MODELS AGREE ON A SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM BUILDING IN FROM THE NW WITH A REINFORCING PUSH OF DRY AIR. THIS SHOULD HOLD INTO THE WEEKEND. LATE IN THE WEEKEND MOISTURE SHOULD BE ON THE INCREASE AGAIN AS THE HIGH MOVES OFF THE EAST COAST AND LOW PRESSURE DEVELOPS OVER THE PLAINS...TURNING OUR LOW LEVEL FLOW TO THE SOUTH. HAVE INCLUDED LOW POPS ON SUNDAY...BUT THE BETTER CHANCE OF PRECIP WILL BE TO OUR WEST. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z TUESDAY MORNING) ISSUED AT 657 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 FOG DEVELOPMENT WAS WEAKENED BY THE CLOUDS THAT CONTINUED TO BUILD ACROSS THE REGION OVERNIGHT INTO THIS MORNING. PATCHY FOG WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS RIVER VALLEYS AND THOSE AREAS THAT RECEIVED RAIN. A FEW ISOLATED SHOWERS CONTINUE TO POP UP ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE REGION THIS MORNING AND HAVE INCLUDED VCSH AT A FEW SITES TO START...BUT ADD TO ALL SITES AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE MORNING. OTHERWISE BIGGEST ISSUE TODAY WILL BE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING ACROSS EASTERN KENTUCKY THIS AFTERNOON. THE BEST COVERAGE WILL BE IN THE AFTERNOON WITH DAYTIME HEATING. THEREFORE DID OPT TO ADD A TEMPO GROUP WITH MVFR VIS TO THE TAF SITES GENERALLY BETWEEN 18Z AND 19Z. OTHERWISE THINK SITES WILL GENERALLY KEEP VFR CONDITIONS FOR MUCH OF THE TAF PERIOD. KEPT WINDS LIGHT TIL THIS AFTERNOON WITH SITES POSSIBLY SEEING GUSTS UP TO 15 KTS. && .JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ UPDATE...DJ SHORT TERM...DJ LONG TERM...HAL AVIATION...DJ
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS JACKSON KY
657 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 350 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 03Z SURFACE ANALYSIS SHOWS LOW PRESSURE MOVING INTO THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY AND FRONT STRETCHED SOUTH INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS. BROAD SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE CONTINUES TO CONTROL THE SE US. THIS IS KEEPING REGION IN WARM AND MOIST ENVIRONMENT UNDER BROAD SW FLOW. RADAR THIS MORNING SHOWS AREA OF RAIN SHOWERS CONTINUES TO SLOWLY WANE THIS MORNING NEAR THE TN BORDER. WHILE THE ACTIVITY IN THE TN VALLEY CONTINUES TO DIMINISH AND SLOWLY MOVE NE...THE HRRR CONTINUES TO BRING THAT ACTIVITY ACROSS EASTERN KY. RIGHT NOW THINKING THE HRRR MAY BE A BIT TOO ROBUST WITH THIS ACTIVITY...HOWEVER RIGHT NOW KEEP SOME ISOLATED TO SCATTERED ACTIVITY. OTHERWISE FEEL THAT TODAY WILL BE SIMILAR TO THE PAST FEW DAYS WITH GENERALLY DIURNALLY DRIVEN THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. THE MESO MODELS SHOW STORM ACTIVITY PICKING UP IN COVERAGE AROUND 17Z. AN UPPER LEVEL LOW WILL CONTINUE TO PROGRESS INTO THE GREAT LAKES AND FLATTEN OUT THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGING THAT HAS BEEN IN PLACE THE PAST WEEK. THIS WILL ALLOW A BIT MORE UPPER LEVEL WAVE ENERGY TO PASS THROUGH THE FLOW AND THERE IS A BIT OF DEEPER OMEGA SIGNALS SEEN IN THE TIME HEIGHTS AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE DAY. THE MAIN RISK WILL BE POTENTIAL FOR LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS GIVEN GENERALLY SKINNY CAPE PROFILES WITH NORMALIZED CAPE VALUES AROUND 0.15 AND PWATS GETTING IN THE 1.70 INCH RANGE THIS AFTERNOON. ONCE WE LOOSE DAYTIME HEATING DO DIMINISH STORMS CHANCES OVERNIGHT INTO TUESDAY. THE COLD FRONT DOES LAG BEHIND AND CONTINUES TO WEAKEN...AS CANADIAN HIGH BEGINS TO BUILDS EAST. DID KEEP SOME ISOLATED CHANCES INTO THE DAY ON TUESDAY...BUT THINK THIS WILL MAINLY BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE FAR SE. OTHERWISE DRIER AIR WILL CONTINUE TO SPREAD EAST AND COLUMN WILL CONTINUE TO DRY SEEN IN FORECAST SOUNDINGS AND TIME HEIGHTS. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 434 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE RIDGING SE FROM THE NORTH CENTRAL CONUS WILL PROVIDE DRY WEATHER AT THE START OF THE PERIOD. A PIECE OF AN UPPER LOW CURRENTLY OVER CA WILL MAKE ITS WAY EASTWARD ACROSS THE CONUS AT MIDWEEK...AND AS ANOTHER UPPER LOW DROPS SE TOWARD NEW ENGLAND...THE TWO WILL COMBINE TO BRING AN AMPLIFYING TROUGH TO THE EASTERN CONUS. AS THE WEAK UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM MOVES IN FROM THE WEST...THE ECMWF IS MORE ACTIVE WITH THE SYSTEM...AND IT SHOWS A WEAKENING SURFACE LOW ASSOCIATED WITH IT. THIS BRINGS LIGHT PRECIP TO OUR LOCAL AREA IN THE WEDNESDAY NIGHT/THURSDAY TIME FRAME. THE GFS IS WEAKER WITH THE SYSTEM AND ONLY BRINGS CLOUDS. HAVE OPTED TO USE A MINIMAL 20 PERCENT POP AT THIS POINT. ONCE THIS SYSTEM MOVES TO OUR EAST BY THURSDAY NIGHT...MODELS AGREE ON A SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM BUILDING IN FROM THE NW WITH A REINFORCING PUSH OF DRY AIR. THIS SHOULD HOLD INTO THE WEEKEND. LATE IN THE WEEKEND MOISTURE SHOULD BE ON THE INCREASE AGAIN AS THE HIGH MOVES OFF THE EAST COAST AND LOW PRESSURE DEVELOPS OVER THE PLAINS...TURNING OUR LOW LEVEL FLOW TO THE SOUTH. HAVE INCLUDED LOW POPS ON SUNDAY...BUT THE BETTER CHANCE OF PRECIP WILL BE TO OUR WEST. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z TUESDAY MORNING) ISSUED AT 657 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 FOG DEVELOPMENT WAS WEAKENED BY THE CLOUDS THAT CONTINUED TO BUILD ACROSS THE REGION OVERNIGHT INTO THIS MORNING. PATCHY FOG WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS RIVER VALLEYS AND THOSE AREAS THAT RECEIVED RAIN. A FEW ISOLATED SHOWERS CONTINUE TO POP UP ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE REGION THIS MORNING AND HAVE INCLUDED VCSH AT A FEW SITES TO START...BUT ADD TO ALL SITES AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE MORNING. OTHERWISE BIGGEST ISSUE TODAY WILL BE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING ACROSS EASTERN KENTUCKY THIS AFTERNOON. THE BEST COVERAGE WILL BE IN THE AFTERNOON WITH DAYTIME HEATING. THEREFORE DID OPT TO ADD A TEMPO GROUP WITH MVFR VIS TO THE TAF SITES GENERALLY BETWEEN 18Z AND 19Z. OTHERWISE THINK SITES WILL GENERALLY KEEP VFR CONDITIONS FOR MUCH OF THE TAF PERIOD. KEPT WINDS LIGHT TIL THIS AFTERNOON WITH SITES POSSIBLY SEEING GUSTS UP TO 15 KTS. && .JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...DJ LONG TERM...HAL AVIATION...DJ
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS JACKSON KY
434 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 350 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 03Z SURFACE ANALYSIS SHOWS LOW PRESSURE MOVING INTO THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY AND FRONT STRETCHED SOUTH INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS. BROAD SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE CONTINUES TO CONTROL THE SE US. THIS IS KEEPING REGION IN WARM AND MOIST ENVIRONMENT UNDER BROAD SW FLOW. RADAR THIS MORNING SHOWS AREA OF RAIN SHOWERS CONTINUES TO SLOWLY WANE THIS MORNING NEAR THE TN BORDER. WHILE THE ACTIVITY IN THE TN VALLEY CONTINUES TO DIMINISH AND SLOWLY MOVE NE...THE HRRR CONTINUES TO BRING THAT ACTIVITY ACROSS EASTERN KY. RIGHT NOW THINKING THE HRRR MAY BE A BIT TOO ROBUST WITH THIS ACTIVITY...HOWEVER RIGHT NOW KEEP SOME ISOLATED TO SCATTERED ACTIVITY. OTHERWISE FEEL THAT TODAY WILL BE SIMILAR TO THE PAST FEW DAYS WITH GENERALLY DIURNALLY DRIVEN THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. THE MESO MODELS SHOW STORM ACTIVITY PICKING UP IN COVERAGE AROUND 17Z. AN UPPER LEVEL LOW WILL CONTINUE TO PROGRESS INTO THE GREAT LAKES AND FLATTEN OUT THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGING THAT HAS BEEN IN PLACE THE PAST WEEK. THIS WILL ALLOW A BIT MORE UPPER LEVEL WAVE ENERGY TO PASS THROUGH THE FLOW AND THERE IS A BIT OF DEEPER OMEGA SIGNALS SEEN IN THE TIME HEIGHTS AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE DAY. THE MAIN RISK WILL BE POTENTIAL FOR LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS GIVEN GENERALLY SKINNY CAPE PROFILES WITH NORMALIZED CAPE VALUES AROUND 0.15 AND PWATS GETTING IN THE 1.70 INCH RANGE THIS AFTERNOON. ONCE WE LOOSE DAYTIME HEATING DO DIMINISH STORMS CHANCES OVERNIGHT INTO TUESDAY. THE COLD FRONT DOES LAG BEHIND AND CONTINUES TO WEAKEN...AS CANADIAN HIGH BEGINS TO BUILDS EAST. DID KEEP SOME ISOLATED CHANCES INTO THE DAY ON TUESDAY...BUT THINK THIS WILL MAINLY BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE FAR SE. OTHERWISE DRIER AIR WILL CONTINUE TO SPREAD EAST AND COLUMN WILL CONTINUE TO DRY SEEN IN FORECAST SOUNDINGS AND TIME HEIGHTS. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 434 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE RIDGING SE FROM THE NORTH CENTRAL CONUS WILL PROVIDE DRY WEATHER AT THE START OF THE PERIOD. A PIECE OF AN UPPER LOW CURRENTLY OVER CA WILL MAKE ITS WAY EASTWARD ACROSS THE CONUS AT MIDWEEK...AND AS ANOTHER UPPER LOW DROPS SE TOWARD NEW ENGLAND...THE TWO WILL COMBINE TO BRING AN AMPLIFYING TROUGH TO THE EASTERN CONUS. AS THE WEAK UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM MOVES IN FROM THE WEST...THE ECMWF IS MORE ACTIVE WITH THE SYSTEM...AND IT SHOWS A WEAKENING SURFACE LOW ASSOCIATED WITH IT. THIS BRINGS LIGHT PRECIP TO OUR LOCAL AREA IN THE WEDNESDAY NIGHT/THURSDAY TIME FRAME. THE GFS IS WEAKER WITH THE SYSTEM AND ONLY BRINGS CLOUDS. HAVE OPTED TO USE A MINIMAL 20 PERCENT POP AT THIS POINT. ONCE THIS SYSTEM MOVES TO OUR EAST BY THURSDAY NIGHT...MODELS AGREE ON A SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM BUILDING IN FROM THE NW WITH A REINFORCING PUSH OF DRY AIR. THIS SHOULD HOLD INTO THE WEEKEND. LATE IN THE WEEKEND MOISTURE SHOULD BE ON THE INCREASE AGAIN AS THE HIGH MOVES OFF THE EAST COAST AND LOW PRESSURE DEVELOPS OVER THE PLAINS...TURNING OUR LOW LEVEL FLOW TO THE SOUTH. HAVE INCLUDED LOW POPS ON SUNDAY...BUT THE BETTER CHANCE OF PRECIP WILL BE TO OUR WEST. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z MONDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 135 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 TAFS TONIGHT WILL START OFF VFR WITH SOME MVFR POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT AND EARLY TUESDAY MORNING. THE MVFR WILL BE WITH FOG POTENTIAL AND DID STAY CLOSE TO PREVIOUS TAF AT THIS TIME. THE UNCERTAINTY WITH THIS REMAINS TO SEE HOW CLOUDS COULD WANE THE DEVELOPMENT. THE FOG WILL HAVE THE BEST POTENTIAL IN THE RIVER VALLEYS AND LOCATIONS THAT RECEIVED RAIN TODAY. SOME SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS SOUTH ACROSS THE TN VALLEY ARE EXPECTED TO WEAKEN...HOWEVER HRRR DOES HOLD ONTO AT LEAST SOME RAIN SHOWERS BY EARLY MORNING. THEREFORE DID KEEP THE VCSH CLOSE TO 12Z AND SEEMS REASONABLE WHEN TIMING THE CURRENT PROGRESSION OF THE AREA OF SHOWERS. WHILE THE RIDGE DOES BEGIN TO BREAKDOWN TOMORROW THINK FORECAST WILL STAY PRETTY CLOSE TO THE SAME WITH DIURNALLY/AFTERNOON DRIVEN THUNDERSTORMS. DID OPT TO KEEP THE VCTS IN THERE FOR EARLY AFTERNOON...BUT DID ADJUST TIMING UP SLIGHTLY. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO BE LIGHT TONIGHT...BUT DID BRING WINDS UP TOMORROW AFTERNOON. && .JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...DJ LONG TERM...HAL AVIATION...DJ
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS JACKSON KY
350 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 350 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 03Z SURFACE ANALYSIS SHOWS LOW PRESSURE MOVING INTO THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY AND FRONT STRETCHED SOUTH INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS. BROAD SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE CONTINUES TO CONTROL THE SE US. THIS IS KEEPING REGION IN WARM AND MOIST ENVIRONMENT UNDER BROAD SW FLOW. RADAR THIS MORNING SHOWS AREA OF RAIN SHOWERS CONTINUES TO SLOWLY WANE THIS MORNING NEAR THE TN BORDER. WHILE THE ACTIVITY IN THE TN VALLEY CONTINUES TO DIMINISH AND SLOWLY MOVE NE...THE HRRR CONTINUES TO BRING THAT ACTIVITY ACROSS EASTERN KY. RIGHT NOW THINKING THE HRRR MAY BE A BIT TOO ROBUST WITH THIS ACTIVITY...HOWEVER RIGHT NOW KEEP SOME ISOLATED TO SCATTERED ACTIVITY. OTHERWISE FEEL THAT TODAY WILL BE SIMILAR TO THE PAST FEW DAYS WITH GENERALLY DIURNALLY DRIVEN THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. THE MESO MODELS SHOW STORM ACTIVITY PICKING UP IN COVERAGE AROUND 17Z. AN UPPER LEVEL LOW WILL CONTINUE TO PROGRESS INTO THE GREAT LAKES AND FLATTEN OUT THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGING THAT HAS BEEN IN PLACE THE PAST WEEK. THIS WILL ALLOW A BIT MORE UPPER LEVEL WAVE ENERGY TO PASS THROUGH THE FLOW AND THERE IS A BIT OF DEEPER OMEGA SIGNALS SEEN IN THE TIME HEIGHTS AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE DAY. THE MAIN RISK WILL BE POTENTIAL FOR LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS GIVEN GENERALLY SKINNY CAPE PROFILES WITH NORMALIZED CAPE VALUES AROUND 0.15 AND PWATS GETTING IN THE 1.70 INCH RANGE THIS AFTERNOON. ONCE WE LOOSE DAYTIME HEATING DO DIMINISH STORMS CHANCES OVERNIGHT INTO TUESDAY. THE COLD FRONT DOES LAG BEHIND AND CONTINUES TO WEAKEN...AS CANADIAN HIGH BEGINS TO BUILDS EAST. DID KEEP SOME ISOLATED CHANCES INTO THE DAY ON TUESDAY...BUT THINK THIS WILL MAINLY BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE FAR SE. OTHERWISE DRIER AIR WILL CONTINUE TO SPREAD EAST AND COLUMN WILL CONTINUE TO DRY SEEN IN FORECAST SOUNDINGS AND TIME HEIGHTS. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 350 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 LONG TERM DISCUSSION WILL BE ISSUES SHORTLY... && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z MONDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 135 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 TAFS TONIGHT WILL START OFF VFR WITH SOME MVFR POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT AND EARLY TUESDAY MORNING. THE MVFR WILL BE WITH FOG POTENTIAL AND DID STAY CLOSE TO PREVIOUS TAF AT THIS TIME. THE UNCERTAINTY WITH THIS REMAINS TO SEE HOW CLOUDS COULD WANE THE DEVELOPMENT. THE FOG WILL HAVE THE BEST POTENTIAL IN THE RIVER VALLEYS AND LOCATIONS THAT RECEIVED RAIN TODAY. SOME SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS SOUTH ACROSS THE TN VALLEY ARE EXPECTED TO WEAKEN...HOWEVER HRRR DOES HOLD ONTO AT LEAST SOME RAIN SHOWERS BY EARLY MORNING. THEREFORE DID KEEP THE VCSH CLOSE TO 12Z AND SEEMS REASONABLE WHEN TIMING THE CURRENT PROGRESSION OF THE AREA OF SHOWERS. WHILE THE RIDGE DOES BEGIN TO BREAKDOWN TOMORROW THINK FORECAST WILL STAY PRETTY CLOSE TO THE SAME WITH DIURNALLY/AFTERNOON DRIVEN THUNDERSTORMS. DID OPT TO KEEP THE VCTS IN THERE FOR EARLY AFTERNOON...BUT DID ADJUST TIMING UP SLIGHTLY. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO BE LIGHT TONIGHT...BUT DID BRING WINDS UP TOMORROW AFTERNOON. && .JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...DJ LONG TERM...HAL AVIATION...DJ
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS JACKSON KY
145 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 145 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 AREA OF SHOWERS MOVING SLOWLY EAST ALONG THE TN/KY BORDER CONTINUE TO DIMINISH AT THIS LATE NIGHT HOUR. THIS WEAKENING TREND IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE AND DID UPDATE POP GRIDS TO REFLECT THIS THOUGHT. THERE IS STILL SOME QUESTION AS TO HOW MUCH FOG WE WILL SEE WITH SOME AREAS ABLE TO CLEAR OUT...WHILE OTHERS MAY SEE LITTLE CLEARING. RIGHT NOW THINK THE BEST CHANCES WILL BE ALONG RIVER VALLEYS AND AREAS THAT RECEIVED RAIN EARLY TODAY AND TONIGHT. UPDATED GRIDS WITH LATEST OBS AND TRENDS WITH NO MAJOR CHANGES NEEDED AT THIS POINT. UPDATE ISSUED AT 1030 PM EDT SUN MAY 17 2015 THE EARLIER CLUSTER OF STORMS FELL APART AS THEY ENCOUNTERED CELLS RUNNING OUT AHEAD OF THEIR LINE AND IN THE FACE OF A WEAKENING COLD POOL. ACCORDINGLY...HAVE UPDATED THE FORECAST TO LOWER POPS THROUGH THE REST OF THE NIGHT AND FINE TUNE SKY COVER. ALSO ADJUSTED THE T AND TD GRIDS TO REFLECT THE LATEST SHORTBLEND GUIDANCE...OBS...AND TRENDS. THESE UPDATED GRIDS HAVE BEEN SENT TO THE NDFD AND WEB SERVERS. FRESHENED ZONES HAVE ALSO BEEN ISSUED. UPDATE ISSUED AT 730 PM EDT SUN MAY 17 2015 23Z SFC ANALYSIS SHOWS A FAIRLY TIGHT GRADIENT OVER THE AREA BETWEEN HIGH PRESSURE TO THE SOUTHEAST AND BROAD LOW PRESSURE TO THE NORTHWEST. THE DIURNAL CYCLE BROUGHT ANOTHER ROUND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO EAST KENTUCKY THAT HAVE NOW WANED. HOWEVER... AN ARC OF MORE ORGANIZED STORMS IS NOW MOVING EAST THROUGH CENTRAL KENTUCKY. THIS AREA HAS DEVELOPED A COLD POOL AND THIS SHOULD HELP IT HOLD TOGETHER AS IT APPROACHES THE SOUTHWEST PARTS OF THE CWA OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS. A FEW STORMS HAVE POPPED UP AHEAD OF THESE AND MAY HELP TO BREAK UP THE LINE OR LOCALLY ENHANCE IT. THE NEAR TERM MODELS HAVE NOT CAPTURED THIS MESOSCALE FEATURE WELL AND FOR THE MOST PART DAMPEN IT OUT FAR TOO QUICK. FOR OUR FORECAST...HAVE BEEFED UP POPS ALONG THIS LINE OF STORMS...AND THE COLD POOL SHOWERS BEHIND IT...AS IT TRACKS THROUGH THE CWA BETWEEN NOW AND 04Z. THIS ENTAILED HIGHER QPF AS WELL AS GUSTIER WINDS AMID THE PASSAGE. LATER AS THE CLOUDS START TO BREAK UP IN THE WAKE OF THE STORMS AND STRATIFORM RAIN...EXPECT PATCHY FOG TO DEVELOP AND LINGER THROUGH DAWN...MAINLY IN THE VALLEYS. THE WHOLE FORECAST HAS BEEN UPDATED FOR THE NIGHT ALSO INCORPORATING THE LATEST SHORTBLEND GUIDANCE...OBS...AND TRENDS. THESE GRIDS HAVE BEEN SENT TO THE NDFD AND WEB SERVERS. ADDITIONALLY...A NEW SET OF ZONES IS FORTHCOMING. && .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 300 PM EDT SUN MAY 17 2015 THE HRRR MODEL HAS HAD THE BEST HANDLE ON THIS AFTERNOONS SHOWER AND STORM ACTIVITY...WITH THE BULK OF CURRENT ACTIVITY OCCURRING IN OUR FAR WESTERN COUNTIES. THE NAM12 HAS BEEN KEEPING CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY MOST EXTENSIVE ACROSS OUR FAR EASTERN COUNTIES...WHICH IS THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING. THEREFORE...THE HRRR SOLUTION WAS USED TO COMPOSE THE FIRST 12 HOURS OF THE SHORT TERM FORECAST...AFTER 12Z...THE CONSALL SOLUTION WAS USED FOR THE FORECAST. MORE SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL CONTINUE TO FORM WEST AND SOUTHWEST OF THE AREA THROUGH THIS EVENING...AND THIS ACTIVITY WILL SLOWLY MOVE WESTWARD INTO AND ACROSS EASTERN KENTUCKY THROUGH 0Z OR SO. AFTER THAT...ONCE THE SUN IS DOWN AND LOSS OF HEATING OCCURS...THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL DROP OFF IN COVERAGE PRETTY QUICKLY. AFTER HIGH RAIN CHANCES THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...THE OVERNIGHT HOURS ARE FORECAST TO SEE ONLY ISOLATED SHOWERS AND STORMS. SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL BE ON THE INCREASE AGAIN ON MONDAY...BEGINNING IN THE LATE MORNING HOURS...AS A COLD FRONT SLOWLY APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. THE PEAK OF ACTIVITY LOOKS TO BE DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS ONCE AGAIN...DURING PEAK HEATING AND FRONTAL PASSAGE. SOME OF THE STRONGER STORMS COULD PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL AND CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. TEMPERATURES DURING THE SHORT TERM ARE STILL ON TRACK TO RUN WELL ABOVE NORMAL FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR...REMAINING IN STEP WITH CURRENT TRENDS AND A PERSISTENT SOUTHERLY FLOW PATTERN THAT HAS BEEN CONSISTENTLY PUMPING WARM MOIST AIR OFF THE GULF OF MEXICO INTO THE REGION. HIGHS ON MONDAY ARE STILL EXPECTED TO TOP OUT IN THE LOWER 80S ACROSS THE AREA...WITH OVERNIGHT LOWS TONIGHT AND TOMORROW NIGHT ONLY FALLING INTO THE LOW TO MID 60S. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 300 PM EDT SUN MAY 17 2015 MODELS APPEAR TO BE IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THE MID AND UPPER LEVEL PATTERN OVER OUR REGION...BUT DIFFER MORE ON DETAILS OF SENSIBLE WEATHER WITH A SHORTWAVE DISTURBANCE LATE WEDNESDAY OR WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY THURSDAY. IN GENERAL ZONAL FLOW WILL DOMINATE THE PATTERN UNTIL THE LAST 48 HOURS OF THE EXTENDED WHERE SHORT WAVE RIDGING WILL BUILD INTO AND ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY IN RESPONSE TO EASTWARD MOVEMENT OF WEST COAST CUT OFF LOW. AT THE SURFACE A COOL CANADIAN AIR MASS...HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL SETTLE DOWN INTO THE HEART OF THE CONUS BEHIND AN EXITING COLD FRONT...NOSING ITS WAY INTO THE OHIO VALLEY. AS A RESULT WE CAN EXPECT DRY...PLEASANTLY COOL WEATHER FOR THE START OF THE EXTENDED. ALOFT...THE AFOREMENTIONED DISTURBANCE WILL ROUND A DEEP HUDSON BAY LOW WEDNESDAY NIGHT. WE APPEAR TO RECEIVE A GLANCING BLOW FROM THIS FEATURE AS IT TRACKS THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES REGION. A SECOND LESS IMPRESSIVE DISTURBANCE BRUSHES THE OHIO VALLEY BY LATE IN THE WEEK...DY6 FRI. THE MAIN FORECAST CHALLENGE IN THE EXTENDED WILL BE THE SHORT WAVE DISTURBANCE MOVING THROUGH THE AREA WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY THURSDAY. THE 0Z AND 12Z ECMWF PRODUCE CONSIDERABLY MORE SENSIBLE WEATHER WITH THIS FEATURE THAN EITHER THE 0Z OR 12Z GFS. NOT SEEING MUCH IN THE WAY OF TRENDS TO HELP WITH PREFERENCE OF SOLUTIONS. THEREFORE RELIED STRONGLY ON MODEL BLENDS CONSIDERING THE MURKY DETAILS WITH SENSIBLE WEATHER. INCREASING HEIGHTS THROUGH THE END OF THE EXTENDED WILL MEAN A GRADUAL RISE IN TEMPS...INTO THE 80S BY THE END OF THE FORECAST WINDOW. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z MONDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 135 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 TAFS TONIGHT WILL START OFF VFR WITH SOME MVFR POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT AND EARLY TUESDAY MORNING. THE MVFR WILL BE WITH FOG POTENTIAL AND DID STAY CLOSE TO PREVIOUS TAF AT THIS TIME. THE UNCERTAINTY WITH THIS REMAINS TO SEE HOW CLOUDS COULD WANE THE DEVELOPMENT. THE FOG WILL HAVE THE BEST POTENTIAL IN THE RIVER VALLEYS AND LOCATIONS THAT RECEIVED RAIN TODAY. SOME SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS SOUTH ACROSS THE TN VALLEY ARE EXPECTED TO WEAKEN...HOWEVER HRRR DOES HOLD ONTO AT LEAST SOME RAIN SHOWERS BY EARLY MORNING. THEREFORE DID KEEP THE VCSH CLOSE TO 12Z AND SEEMS REASONABLE WHEN TIMING THE CURRENT PROGRESSION OF THE AREA OF SHOWERS. WHILE THE RIDGE DOES BEGIN TO BREAKDOWN TOMORROW THINK FORECAST WILL STAY PRETTY CLOSE TO THE SAME WITH DIURNALLY/AFTERNOON DRIVEN THUNDERSTORMS. DID OPT TO KEEP THE VCTS IN THERE FOR EARLY AFTERNOON...BUT DID ADJUST TIMING UP SLIGHTLY. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO BE LIGHT TONIGHT...BUT DID BRING WINDS UP TOMORROW AFTERNOON. && .JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ UPDATE...DJ SHORT TERM...AR LONG TERM...AR AVIATION...DJ
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS JACKSON KY
135 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 1030 PM EDT SUN MAY 17 2015 THE EARLIER CLUSTER OF STORMS FELL APART AS THEY ENCOUNTERED CELLS RUNNING OUT AHEAD OF THEIR LINE AND IN THE FACE OF A WEAKENING COLD POOL. ACCORDINGLY...HAVE UPDATED THE FORECAST TO LOWER POPS THROUGH THE REST OF THE NIGHT AND FINE TUNE SKY COVER. ALSO ADJUSTED THE T AND TD GRIDS TO REFLECT THE LATEST SHORTBLEND GUIDANCE...OBS...AND TRENDS. THESE UPDATED GRIDS HAVE BEEN SENT TO THE NDFD AND WEB SERVERS. FRESHENED ZONES HAVE ALSO BEEN ISSUED. UPDATE ISSUED AT 730 PM EDT SUN MAY 17 2015 23Z SFC ANALYSIS SHOWS A FAIRLY TIGHT GRADIENT OVER THE AREA BETWEEN HIGH PRESSURE TO THE SOUTHEAST AND BROAD LOW PRESSURE TO THE NORTHWEST. THE DIURNAL CYCLE BROUGHT ANOTHER ROUND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO EAST KENTUCKY THAT HAVE NOW WANED. HOWEVER... AN ARC OF MORE ORGANIZED STORMS IS NOW MOVING EAST THROUGH CENTRAL KENTUCKY. THIS AREA HAS DEVELOPED A COLD POOL AND THIS SHOULD HELP IT HOLD TOGETHER AS IT APPROACHES THE SOUTHWEST PARTS OF THE CWA OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS. A FEW STORMS HAVE POPPED UP AHEAD OF THESE AND MAY HELP TO BREAK UP THE LINE OR LOCALLY ENHANCE IT. THE NEAR TERM MODELS HAVE NOT CAPTURED THIS MESOSCALE FEATURE WELL AND FOR THE MOST PART DAMPEN IT OUT FAR TOO QUICK. FOR OUR FORECAST...HAVE BEEFED UP POPS ALONG THIS LINE OF STORMS...AND THE COLD POOL SHOWERS BEHIND IT...AS IT TRACKS THROUGH THE CWA BETWEEN NOW AND 04Z. THIS ENTAILED HIGHER QPF AS WELL AS GUSTIER WINDS AMID THE PASSAGE. LATER AS THE CLOUDS START TO BREAK UP IN THE WAKE OF THE STORMS AND STRATIFORM RAIN...EXPECT PATCHY FOG TO DEVELOP AND LINGER THROUGH DAWN...MAINLY IN THE VALLEYS. THE WHOLE FORECAST HAS BEEN UPDATED FOR THE NIGHT ALSO INCORPORATING THE LATEST SHORTBLEND GUIDANCE...OBS...AND TRENDS. THESE GRIDS HAVE BEEN SENT TO THE NDFD AND WEB SERVERS. ADDITIONALLY...A NEW SET OF ZONES IS FORTHCOMING. && .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 300 PM EDT SUN MAY 17 2015 THE HRRR MODEL HAS HAD THE BEST HANDLE ON THIS AFTERNOONS SHOWER AND STORM ACTIVITY...WITH THE BULK OF CURRENT ACTIVITY OCCURRING IN OUR FAR WESTERN COUNTIES. THE NAM12 HAS BEEN KEEPING CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY MOST EXTENSIVE ACROSS OUR FAR EASTERN COUNTIES...WHICH IS THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING. THEREFORE...THE HRRR SOLUTION WAS USED TO COMPOSE THE FIRST 12 HOURS OF THE SHORT TERM FORECAST...AFTER 12Z...THE CONSALL SOLUTION WAS USED FOR THE FORECAST. MORE SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL CONTINUE TO FORM WEST AND SOUTHWEST OF THE AREA THROUGH THIS EVENING...AND THIS ACTIVITY WILL SLOWLY MOVE WESTWARD INTO AND ACROSS EASTERN KENTUCKY THROUGH 0Z OR SO. AFTER THAT...ONCE THE SUN IS DOWN AND LOSS OF HEATING OCCURS...THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL DROP OFF IN COVERAGE PRETTY QUICKLY. AFTER HIGH RAIN CHANCES THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...THE OVERNIGHT HOURS ARE FORECAST TO SEE ONLY ISOLATED SHOWERS AND STORMS. SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL BE ON THE INCREASE AGAIN ON MONDAY...BEGINNING IN THE LATE MORNING HOURS...AS A COLD FRONT SLOWLY APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. THE PEAK OF ACTIVITY LOOKS TO BE DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS ONCE AGAIN...DURING PEAK HEATING AND FRONTAL PASSAGE. SOME OF THE STRONGER STORMS COULD PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL AND CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. TEMPERATURES DURING THE SHORT TERM ARE STILL ON TRACK TO RUN WELL ABOVE NORMAL FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR...REMAINING IN STEP WITH CURRENT TRENDS AND A PERSISTENT SOUTHERLY FLOW PATTERN THAT HAS BEEN CONSISTENTLY PUMPING WARM MOIST AIR OFF THE GULF OF MEXICO INTO THE REGION. HIGHS ON MONDAY ARE STILL EXPECTED TO TOP OUT IN THE LOWER 80S ACROSS THE AREA...WITH OVERNIGHT LOWS TONIGHT AND TOMORROW NIGHT ONLY FALLING INTO THE LOW TO MID 60S. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 300 PM EDT SUN MAY 17 2015 MODELS APPEAR TO BE IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THE MID AND UPPER LEVEL PATTERN OVER OUR REGION...BUT DIFFER MORE ON DETAILS OF SENSIBLE WEATHER WITH A SHORTWAVE DISTURBANCE LATE WEDNESDAY OR WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY THURSDAY. IN GENERAL ZONAL FLOW WILL DOMINATE THE PATTERN UNTIL THE LAST 48 HOURS OF THE EXTENDED WHERE SHORT WAVE RIDGING WILL BUILD INTO AND ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY IN RESPONSE TO EASTWARD MOVEMENT OF WEST COAST CUT OFF LOW. AT THE SURFACE A COOL CANADIAN AIR MASS...HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL SETTLE DOWN INTO THE HEART OF THE CONUS BEHIND AN EXITING COLD FRONT...NOSING ITS WAY INTO THE OHIO VALLEY. AS A RESULT WE CAN EXPECT DRY...PLEASANTLY COOL WEATHER FOR THE START OF THE EXTENDED. ALOFT...THE AFOREMENTIONED DISTURBANCE WILL ROUND A DEEP HUDSON BAY LOW WEDNESDAY NIGHT. WE APPEAR TO RECEIVE A GLANCING BLOW FROM THIS FEATURE AS IT TRACKS THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES REGION. A SECOND LESS IMPRESSIVE DISTURBANCE BRUSHES THE OHIO VALLEY BY LATE IN THE WEEK...DY6 FRI. THE MAIN FORECAST CHALLENGE IN THE EXTENDED WILL BE THE SHORT WAVE DISTURBANCE MOVING THROUGH THE AREA WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY THURSDAY. THE 0Z AND 12Z ECMWF PRODUCE CONSIDERABLY MORE SENSIBLE WEATHER WITH THIS FEATURE THAN EITHER THE 0Z OR 12Z GFS. NOT SEEING MUCH IN THE WAY OF TRENDS TO HELP WITH PREFERENCE OF SOLUTIONS. THEREFORE RELIED STRONGLY ON MODEL BLENDS CONSIDERING THE MURKY DETAILS WITH SENSIBLE WEATHER. INCREASING HEIGHTS THROUGH THE END OF THE EXTENDED WILL MEAN A GRADUAL RISE IN TEMPS...INTO THE 80S BY THE END OF THE FORECAST WINDOW. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z MONDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 135 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 TAFS TONIGHT WILL START OFF VFR WITH SOME MVFR POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT AND EARLY TUESDAY MORNING. THE MVFR WILL BE WITH FOG POTENTIAL AND DID STAY CLOSE TO PREVIOUS TAF AT THIS TIME. THE UNCERTAINTY WITH THIS REMAINS TO SEE HOW CLOUDS COULD WANE THE DEVELOPMENT. THE FOG WILL HAVE THE BEST POTENTIAL IN THE RIVER VALLEYS AND LOCATIONS THAT RECEIVED RAIN TODAY. SOME SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS SOUTH ACROSS THE TN VALLEY ARE EXPECTED TO WEAKEN...HOWEVER HRRR DOES HOLD ONTO AT LEAST SOME RAIN SHOWERS BY EARLY MORNING. THEREFORE DID KEEP THE VCSH CLOSE TO 12Z AND SEEMS REASONABLE WHEN TIMING THE CURRENT PROGRESSION OF THE AREA OF SHOWERS. WHILE THE RIDGE DOES BEGIN TO BREAKDOWN TOMORROW THINK FORECAST WILL STAY PRETTY CLOSE TO THE SAME WITH DIURNALLY/AFTERNOON DRIVEN THUNDERSTORMS. DID OPT TO KEEP THE VCTS IN THERE FOR EARLY AFTERNOON...BUT DID ADJUST TIMING UP SLIGHTLY. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO BE LIGHT TONIGHT...BUT DID BRING WINDS UP TOMORROW AFTERNOON. && .JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ UPDATE...GREIF SHORT TERM...AR LONG TERM...AR AVIATION...DJ
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS SHREVEPORT LA
949 PM CDT TUE MAY 19 2015 .AVIATION... VFR FLIGHT CATEGORIES WILL PREVAIL UNTIL AFTER 20/06Z WITH EXCEPTION TO ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THAT MAY PRODUCE MVFR BRIEFLY. DURING THE NIGHT EXPECTING THE CEILINGS TO LOWER TO MVFR AND IFR LATE WITH A SLOW IMPROVEMENT BETWEEN 20/16Z TO 2018Z TO VFR AND POSSIBLY MVFR WITH SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE MOVING ACROSS NORTH TEXAS AND CENTRAL OKLAHOMA INTO SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND PARTS OF EAST AND NORTHEAST TEXAS AND SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS IN THE HOURS SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT. THESE WILL LINGER LONGER INTO THE LATE MORNING TO MID DAY HOURS FOR TEXAS AND SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS AND INTO THE AFTERNOON FOR NORTH LOUISIANA AND SOUTH CENTRAL ARKANSAS. WINDS WILL BE SOUTHERLY 5-10 KNOTS OVERNIGHT AND MORE SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST DURING THE DAY WEDNESDAY. A SHIFT TO THE WEST WILL FOLLOW THE BAND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ENTERING FROM THE WEST OVERNIGHT. /06/ && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 345 PM CDT TUE MAY 19 2015/ DISCUSSION... OUR TEMPERATURES ARE IN THE LOW 80S NORTH TO MID 80S ELSEWHERE. THE NORTHEAST WINDS ARE RUNNING OUT OF GAS. AS EXPECTED AFTERNOON THUNDERSTORM INITIATION HAS OCCURRED OVER OUR TEXAS COUNTIES LIFTING NORTHEAST WARD WITH MEAGER COVERAGE SO FAR. THE WINDS THERE ARE MOIST FROM THE SOUTHEAST. FOR NOW...THE MORE STABLE AIR REMAINS OVER OUR EAST AND MAYBE FOR A WHILE YET. FARTHER WEST...THUNDERSTORMS ARE STRONGER AND TO SOME EXTENT A BIT MORE NUMEROUS. THE WATER VAPOR SHOWS THE REASON IS A GOOD PUSH OUT OF THE ROCKIES OUT INTO THE PLAINS WITH A LARGE UPPER LOW. THE TAIL END OF THIS FEATURE WILL CONTINUE IT/S EVOLUTION BEYOND SUNDOWN WITH THE EXPECTATION OF THE UPPER DIVERGENCE ALOFT AHEAD OF THE LOW WORKING EAST OUT INTO THE MID SOUTH OVERNIGHT. SO AFTER A BRIEF BREAK FROM THE ACTION WE HAVE THE WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY NOW ALONG THE AR/LA STATE LINE OR SO WITH A CONTINUED LIFT BACK TO THE NORTH OVERNIGHT. THE HRRR SHOWS A GOOD PUSH OF QPF INTO OUR NW CORNER AFTER MIDNIGHT WITH MUCH OF THE DIURNAL COVERAGE GONE HOURS EARLIER IN THE MID EVENING. THE NAM IS SIMILAR...BUT MUCH SLOWER. THE RAIN THAT ACTUALLY FALLS IN THIS AREA IS CRUCIAL TO RIVER FORECAST WHICH IS QPF DRIVEN. SO CLOSE ATTENTION TO CONDITIONS IS MORE THAN WARRANTED WITH ALREADY PRETTY HIGH WATER AND SOIL SATURATION AS YET ANOTHER FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL SETTLE INTO THE I-20 CORRIDOR LATE TOMORROW AND INTO EARLY THURSDAY. THE WEATHER PATTERN WILL NOT CHANGE GREATLY AS WE SEE ANOTHER DEEP TROUGH MOVING INTO THE ROCKIES OVER THE WEEKEND AND OUT INTO THE PLAINS EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... SHV 69 86 70 79 / 20 30 50 40 MLU 69 88 69 79 / 20 30 50 40 DEQ 68 82 62 74 / 60 50 50 30 TXK 68 83 67 75 / 50 40 50 40 ELD 67 83 65 75 / 20 30 50 40 TYR 70 84 66 78 / 30 30 50 40 GGG 69 85 68 79 / 30 30 50 40 LFK 71 86 71 83 / 20 20 30 40 && .SHV WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AR...NONE. LA...NONE. OK...NONE. TX...NONE. && $$ 06
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LAKE CHARLES LA
1253 PM CDT MON MAY 18 2015 .AVIATION...A THUNDERSTORM COMPLEX CONTINUES TO PUSH SOUTH THROUGH THE TERMINAL AREA. AEX HAS ALREADY ENCOUNTERED VLIFR AT TIMES WITH HEAVY RAIN. ACTIVITY WILL BE TAPERING OFF AS THE MCS PUSHES ON SOUTH...WILL GO MVFR WITH SOME IFR UNTIL LATER THIS AFTERNOON BECOMING VFR LATE THIS AFTERNOON. COULD SEE SOME MVFR CIG/VIS WITH LIGHT FOG TOWARDS DAYBREAK. VFR LATE MORNING. THE REMAINDER OF THE TERMINALS WILL BE DEALING WITH THE CONVECTIVE COMPLEX THIS AFTERNOON WITH MVFR AS THE SYSTEM WEAKENS UNTIL LATE AFTERNOON. IFR CIGS LATE TNITE BECOMING MVFR DURING THE MORNING ON TUESDAY EXCEPT BPT WHERE IFR CIGS COULD LINGER. MVFR EXPECTED LATE TNITE AT LFT WITH FOG DOWN TO IFR AT ARA. SWEENEY && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 1004 AM CDT MON MAY 18 2015/ DISCUSSION... SLOW MOVING MCS ACROSS E TX/C LA WILL BE THE MAIN CONCERN THIS MORNING...ESPECIALLY FOR FLASH FLOOD POTENTIAL ACROSS THIS REGION. FOR THIS...ISSUED FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR TYLER & N JASPER/NEWTON COUNTIES IN SE TX...AND VERNON/RAPIDES/AVOYELLES PARISHES IN C LA. HIGH POPS REMAIN FOR THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON FROM THE I-10 CORRIDOR NORTHWARD. FURTHER SOUTH SOUTH OF THE I-10 CORRIDOR...POPS DROP OFF SIGNIFICANTLY AT THIS TIME...BUT WILL HAVE TO WATCH IF ANY ADDITIONAL OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES MAY GENERATE PRECIP LATER THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT ACROSS THIS REGION. DML PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 701 AM CDT MON MAY 18 2015/ DISCUSSION... FOR THE 12Z TAF PACKAGE. AVIATION... ISOLATED SHOWERS CONTINUING TO DEVELOP AND STREAM NORTH ACROSS PARTS OF SOUTH AND EAST CENTRAL LOUISIANA...WITH MORE ROBUST CONVECTION TO THE NORTH ACROSS NORTH LA...AND FARTHER WEST TO THE NW OF HOUSTON OVER SE TX. CONDITIONS ACROSS THE REGION RANGE FROM LIFR AT KAEX TO VFR AT KLCH. PRIMARY CHALLENGE IS CONVECTIVE EVOLUTION TODAY...WITH THE TEMPO AND PREVAILING THUNDER IN THE TAFS REPRESENTING A BLEND OF THE LATEST HRRR RUNS AND THE ONLINE SPC 4KM WRF...WHICH DEPICT THE ACTIVITY BOTH TO THE NORTH AND WEST EVENTUALLY WORKING INTO THE AREA EITHER LATER THIS MORNING OR THIS AFTERNOON. A MIX OF MVFR AND VFR WILL OTHERWISE PREVAIL WITH CU GENERALLY IN THE 1500 TO 3500 FT RANGE AND SOUTHERLY WINDS NOT AS STRONG AND/OR GUSTY AS YESTERDAY. 13 PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 459 AM CDT MON MAY 18 2015/ SYNOPSIS... LATEST UA ANALYSIS AND WV IMAGERY SHOWS A MOIST SWLY FLOW ALOFT CONTINUING WITH A BROAD TROF OVER THE WRN CONUS AND A RIDGE OVER THE SE. A PAIR OF LOWS WERE SPINNING WITHIN THE TROF...ONE CROSSING THE NRN PLAINS AND ANOTHER ENTERING CA. MEANWHILE...A PERTURBATION OVERRIDING AN OUTFLOW BOUNDARY LEFT BEHIND FROM LAST NIGHTS MCV WAS PRODUCING AN INCREASE IN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACRS NRN LA WITH SCT ACTIVITY DEVELOPING DOWN TO OUR NRN TIER OF PARISHES AND COUNTIES. AT THE SFC...S-SE WINDS AROUND THE WRN PERIPHERY OF HIGH PRES OFF THE SE ATL COAST CONTINUE TO STREAM GULF MOISTURE OVER THE REGION. DISCUSSION... MAIN FCST CONCERN IN THE NEAR TERM IS RAIN CHCS AND THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY RAINFALL. CONVECTION ACRS NRN LA INTO E TX WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE THROUGH THE MORNING AS SLY/SWLY WINDS SPREAD ABUNDANT MOISTURE OVER THE REGION. LIFT WILL BE AUGMENTED BY DIFFLUENCE ALOFT AND LOW LVL FORCING ALONG THE REMNANT BOUNDARY ACRS CNTL LA AND THIS WILL HELP TO FOCUS THE PRECIPITATION ACRS NRN/CNTL LA. RECENT HRRR AND NAM PROGS INDICATE CONVECTION SHOULD SLOWLY PROPAGATE SOUTHWARD DURING THE DAY. AT THIS TIME...THE HIGHEST RAINFALL TOTALS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN NORTH OF THE CWA. HOWEVER...PRECIP WATER VALUES ARE RUNNING BETWEEN 1.8-2.0 INCHES OVER THE AREA...MORE THAN ADEQUATE TO PRODUCE EFFICIENT RAINFALL RATES AND LOCALIZED HEAVY RAIN ESPECIALLY ACRS THE NRN TIER OF ZONES. HAVE HELD OFF ON ISSUANCE OF A FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR NOW WITH FLOODING EXPECTED TO BE MOSTLY LOCALIZED IN NATURE...BUT WILL NEED TO MONITOR TRENDS FOR POSSIBLY ISSUANCE LATER THIS MORNING. RAIN CHCS WILL DIMINISH DURING THE EVENING WITH THE LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING. A WEAK FRONT WILL SAG SOUTH INTO THE AREA TUESDAY...BECOMING STALLED NW-SE ACRS NERN TX INTO CNTL LA. THE PERSISTENT MOIST SWLY FLOW ALOFT AND EMBEDDED DISTURBANCES WILL AGAIN BRING ABOUT SCT CONVECTION ON TUESDAY. ALTHOUGH COVERAGE IS EXPECTED TO BE SLIGHTLY LESS THAN TODAY...EXPECT THE HIGHEST POPS WILL BE CONCENTRATED ALONG THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY ACRS CNTL LA. WEAK FLAT RIDGING WILL BEGIN TO DEVELOP ALOFT BY MIDWEEK...HELPING TO REDUCE BUT NOT ELIMINATE SHOWER COVERAGE AND CHANCES ON WEDNESDAY. ANOTHER FRONT IS FCST TO MOVE INTO THE AREA THURSDAY...BRINGING ANOTHER ROUND OF SCT SHOWERS AND TSTMS. THE FRONT WILL STALL NEAR THE COAST FRIDAY THEN SLOWLY RETREAT BACK NORTH OVER THE WEEKEND. THE RIDGE ALOFT WILL KEEP RAIN CHCS CLOSER TO 20-30 PERCENT FOR FRIDAY AND SATURDAY...WITH POPS EASING BACK INTO THE SCT RANGE BY SUNDAY AS THE RIDGE GETS SHIFTED BACK TO THE EAST OVER THE WEEKEND. THROUGH THE NEXT FEW DAYS...THE THREAT FOR ANY ORGANIZED SVR STORMS WILL REMAIN WELL WEST OF THE AREA. HOWEVER...A FEW ISLTD STORMS COULD PULSE TO STRONG OR MARGINALLY SVR LIMITS DURING THE AFTN WHEN MAX HEATING CONTRIBUTES TO ENHANCED INSTABILITY. THE PRIMARY THREAT WILL STILL BE HEAVY RAINFALL AND LOCALIZED FLOODING IN LOW-LYING OR URBAN AREAS. LITTLE VARIATION IN TEMPERATURE IS EXPECTED THROUGH NEXT WEEKEND WITH MAIN IMPACTS TO DAILY TEMPS FROM CLOUDS AND SHOWERS. IN GENERAL...EXPECT LOWS FROM AROUND 70 INTO THE MIDDLE 70S WHICH IS ABOUT 5-10 DEGREES ABV NORMAL WHILE HIGHS WILL RUN NEAR NORMAL IN THE MIDDLE 80S. 24 MARINE... MODT SELY WINDS WERE OCCURRING OVER THE COASTAL WATERS THIS EARLY MORNING IN RESPONSE TO ELEVATED WINDS ALOFT AND INFLOW INTO COMPLEX OF STORMS ACRS NRN LA INTO SE TX. SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE APPROACHED 20 KNOTS AT TIMES. WITH THIS IN MIND...ADDED EXERCISE CAUTION HEADLINE TO CWF FOR EARLY THIS MORNING. WINDS WILL DIMINISH DURING THE MORNING. OTHERWISE...EXPECT A LT TO MODT ONSHORE FLOW CONTINUING THROUGH THE WEEK AS HIGH PRES REMAINS EAST OF THE REGION. WIDELY SCT SHOWERS AND TSTMS WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH WEDNESDAY AS A SERIES OF DISTURBANCES CROSSES THE REGION. CONVECTION WILL BECOME MORE ISLTD TOWARD THE END OF THE WEEK AS WEAK RIDGING BUILDS IN ALOFT. 24 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... AEX 77 68 86 70 / 80 30 40 30 LCH 84 72 86 73 / 40 20 30 20 LFT 84 72 86 72 / 60 20 50 20 BPT 84 75 86 74 / 40 20 20 10 && .LCH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... LA...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR LAZ027>029. TX...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR TXZ180-259-260. GM...NONE. && $$ AVIATION...11
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LAKE CHARLES LA
1004 AM CDT MON MAY 18 2015 .DISCUSSION... SLOW MOVING MCS ACROSS E TX/C LA WILL BE THE MAIN CONCERN THIS MORNING...ESPECIALLY FOR FLASH FLOOD POTENTIAL ACROSS THIS REGION. FOR THIS...ISSUED FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR TYLER & N JASPER/NEWTON COUNTIES IN SE TX...AND VERNON/RAPIDES/AVOYELLES PARISHES IN C LA. HIGH POPS REMAIN FOR THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON FROM THE I-10 CORRIDOR NORTHWARD. FURTHER SOUTH SOUTH OF THE I-10 CORRIDOR...POPS DROP OFF SIGNIFICANTLY AT THIS TIME...BUT WILL HAVE TO WATCH IF ANY ADDITIONAL OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES MAY GENERATE PRECIP LATER THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT ACROSS THIS REGION. DML && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 701 AM CDT MON MAY 18 2015/ DISCUSSION... FOR THE 12Z TAF PACKAGE. AVIATION... ISOLATED SHOWERS CONTINUING TO DEVELOP AND STREAM NORTH ACROSS PARTS OF SOUTH AND EAST CENTRAL LOUISIANA...WITH MORE ROBUST CONVECTION TO THE NORTH ACROSS NORTH LA...AND FARTHER WEST TO THE NW OF HOUSTON OVER SE TX. CONDITIONS ACROSS THE REGION RANGE FROM LIFR AT KAEX TO VFR AT KLCH. PRIMARY CHALLENGE IS CONVECTIVE EVOLUTION TODAY...WITH THE TEMPO AND PREVAILING THUNDER IN THE TAFS REPRESENTING A BLEND OF THE LATEST HRRR RUNS AND THE ONLINE SPC 4KM WRF...WHICH DEPICT THE ACTIVITY BOTH TO THE NORTH AND WEST EVENTUALLY WORKING INTO THE AREA EITHER LATER THIS MORNING OR THIS AFTERNOON. A MIX OF MVFR AND VFR WILL OTHERWISE PREVAIL WITH CU GENERALLY IN THE 1500 TO 3500 FT RANGE AND SOUTHERLY WINDS NOT AS STRONG AND/OR GUSTY AS YESTERDAY. 13 PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 459 AM CDT MON MAY 18 2015/ SYNOPSIS... LATEST UA ANALYSIS AND WV IMAGERY SHOWS A MOIST SWLY FLOW ALOFT CONTINUING WITH A BROAD TROF OVER THE WRN CONUS AND A RIDGE OVER THE SE. A PAIR OF LOWS WERE SPINNING WITHIN THE TROF...ONE CROSSING THE NRN PLAINS AND ANOTHER ENTERING CA. MEANWHILE...A PERTURBATION OVERRIDING AN OUTFLOW BOUNDARY LEFT BEHIND FROM LAST NIGHTS MCV WAS PRODUCING AN INCREASE IN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACRS NRN LA WITH SCT ACTIVITY DEVELOPING DOWN TO OUR NRN TIER OF PARISHES AND COUNTIES. AT THE SFC...S-SE WINDS AROUND THE WRN PERIPHERY OF HIGH PRES OFF THE SE ATL COAST CONTINUE TO STREAM GULF MOISTURE OVER THE REGION. DISCUSSION... MAIN FCST CONCERN IN THE NEAR TERM IS RAIN CHCS AND THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY RAINFALL. CONVECTION ACRS NRN LA INTO E TX WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE THROUGH THE MORNING AS SLY/SWLY WINDS SPREAD ABUNDANT MOISTURE OVER THE REGION. LIFT WILL BE AUGMENTED BY DIFFLUENCE ALOFT AND LOW LVL FORCING ALONG THE REMNANT BOUNDARY ACRS CNTL LA AND THIS WILL HELP TO FOCUS THE PRECIPITATION ACRS NRN/CNTL LA. RECENT HRRR AND NAM PROGS INDICATE CONVECTION SHOULD SLOWLY PROPAGATE SOUTHWARD DURING THE DAY. AT THIS TIME...THE HIGHEST RAINFALL TOTALS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN NORTH OF THE CWA. HOWEVER...PRECIP WATER VALUES ARE RUNNING BETWEEN 1.8-2.0 INCHES OVER THE AREA...MORE THAN ADEQUATE TO PRODUCE EFFICIENT RAINFALL RATES AND LOCALIZED HEAVY RAIN ESPECIALLY ACRS THE NRN TIER OF ZONES. HAVE HELD OFF ON ISSUANCE OF A FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR NOW WITH FLOODING EXPECTED TO BE MOSTLY LOCALIZED IN NATURE...BUT WILL NEED TO MONITOR TRENDS FOR POSSIBLY ISSUANCE LATER THIS MORNING. RAIN CHCS WILL DIMINISH DURING THE EVENING WITH THE LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING. A WEAK FRONT WILL SAG SOUTH INTO THE AREA TUESDAY...BECOMING STALLED NW-SE ACRS NERN TX INTO CNTL LA. THE PERSISTENT MOIST SWLY FLOW ALOFT AND EMBEDDED DISTURBANCES WILL AGAIN BRING ABOUT SCT CONVECTION ON TUESDAY. ALTHOUGH COVERAGE IS EXPECTED TO BE SLIGHTLY LESS THAN TODAY...EXPECT THE HIGHEST POPS WILL BE CONCENTRATED ALONG THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY ACRS CNTL LA. WEAK FLAT RIDGING WILL BEGIN TO DEVELOP ALOFT BY MIDWEEK...HELPING TO REDUCE BUT NOT ELIMINATE SHOWER COVERAGE AND CHANCES ON WEDNESDAY. ANOTHER FRONT IS FCST TO MOVE INTO THE AREA THURSDAY...BRINGING ANOTHER ROUND OF SCT SHOWERS AND TSTMS. THE FRONT WILL STALL NEAR THE COAST FRIDAY THEN SLOWLY RETREAT BACK NORTH OVER THE WEEKEND. THE RIDGE ALOFT WILL KEEP RAIN CHCS CLOSER TO 20-30 PERCENT FOR FRIDAY AND SATURDAY...WITH POPS EASING BACK INTO THE SCT RANGE BY SUNDAY AS THE RIDGE GETS SHIFTED BACK TO THE EAST OVER THE WEEKEND. THROUGH THE NEXT FEW DAYS...THE THREAT FOR ANY ORGANIZED SVR STORMS WILL REMAIN WELL WEST OF THE AREA. HOWEVER...A FEW ISLTD STORMS COULD PULSE TO STRONG OR MARGINALLY SVR LIMITS DURING THE AFTN WHEN MAX HEATING CONTRIBUTES TO ENHANCED INSTABILITY. THE PRIMARY THREAT WILL STILL BE HEAVY RAINFALL AND LOCALIZED FLOODING IN LOW-LYING OR URBAN AREAS. LITTLE VARIATION IN TEMPERATURE IS EXPECTED THROUGH NEXT WEEKEND WITH MAIN IMPACTS TO DAILY TEMPS FROM CLOUDS AND SHOWERS. IN GENERAL...EXPECT LOWS FROM AROUND 70 INTO THE MIDDLE 70S WHICH IS ABOUT 5-10 DEGREES ABV NORMAL WHILE HIGHS WILL RUN NEAR NORMAL IN THE MIDDLE 80S. 24 MARINE... MODT SELY WINDS WERE OCCURRING OVER THE COASTAL WATERS THIS EARLY MORNING IN RESPONSE TO ELEVATED WINDS ALOFT AND INFLOW INTO COMPLEX OF STORMS ACRS NRN LA INTO SE TX. SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE APPROACHED 20 KNOTS AT TIMES. WITH THIS IN MIND...ADDED EXERCISE CAUTION HEADLINE TO CWF FOR EARLY THIS MORNING. WINDS WILL DIMINISH DURING THE MORNING. OTHERWISE...EXPECT A LT TO MODT ONSHORE FLOW CONTINUING THROUGH THE WEEK AS HIGH PRES REMAINS EAST OF THE REGION. WIDELY SCT SHOWERS AND TSTMS WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH WEDNESDAY AS A SERIES OF DISTURBANCES CROSSES THE REGION. CONVECTION WILL BECOME MORE ISLTD TOWARD THE END OF THE WEEK AS WEAK RIDGING BUILDS IN ALOFT. 24 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... AEX 84 68 86 70 / 80 30 40 30 LCH 86 72 86 73 / 50 20 30 20 LFT 87 72 86 72 / 40 20 50 20 BPT 87 75 86 74 / 50 20 20 10 && .LCH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... LA...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR LAZ027>029. TX...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR TXZ180-259-260. GM...NONE. && $$ PUBLIC...04
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LAKE CHARLES LA
701 AM CDT MON MAY 18 2015 .DISCUSSION... FOR THE 12Z TAF PACKAGE. && .AVIATION... ISOLATED SHOWERS CONTINUING TO DEVELOP AND STREAM NORTH ACROSS PARTS OF SOUTH AND EAST CENTRAL LOUISIANA...WITH MORE ROBUST CONVECTION TO THE NORTH ACROSS NORTH LA...AND FARTHER WEST TO THE NW OF HOUSTON OVER SE TX. CONDITIONS ACROSS THE REGION RANGE FROM LIFR AT KAEX TO VFR AT KLCH. PRIMARY CHALLENGE IS CONVECTIVE EVOLUTION TODAY...WITH THE TEMPO AND PREVAILING THUNDER IN THE TAFS REPRESENTING A BLEND OF THE LATEST HRRR RUNS AND THE ONLINE SPC 4KM WRF...WHICH DEPICT THE ACTIVITY BOTH TO THE NORTH AND WEST EVENTUALLY WORKING INTO THE AREA EITHER LATER THIS MORNING OR THIS AFTERNOON. A MIX OF MVFR AND VFR WILL OTHERWISE PREVAIL WITH CU GENERALLY IN THE 1500 TO 3500 FT RANGE AND SOUTHERLY WINDS NOT AS STRONG AND/OR GUSTY AS YESTERDAY. 13 && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 459 AM CDT MON MAY 18 2015/ SYNOPSIS... LATEST UA ANALYSIS AND WV IMAGERY SHOWS A MOIST SWLY FLOW ALOFT CONTINUING WITH A BROAD TROF OVER THE WRN CONUS AND A RIDGE OVER THE SE. A PAIR OF LOWS WERE SPINNING WITHIN THE TROF...ONE CROSSING THE NRN PLAINS AND ANOTHER ENTERING CA. MEANWHILE...A PERTURBATION OVERRIDING AN OUTFLOW BOUNDARY LEFT BEHIND FROM LAST NIGHTS MCV WAS PRODUCING AN INCREASE IN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACRS NRN LA WITH SCT ACTIVITY DEVELOPING DOWN TO OUR NRN TIER OF PARISHES AND COUNTIES. AT THE SFC...S-SE WINDS AROUND THE WRN PERIPHERY OF HIGH PRES OFF THE SE ATL COAST CONTINUE TO STREAM GULF MOISTURE OVER THE REGION. DISCUSSION... MAIN FCST CONCERN IN THE NEAR TERM IS RAIN CHCS AND THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY RAINFALL. CONVECTION ACRS NRN LA INTO E TX WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE THROUGH THE MORNING AS SLY/SWLY WINDS SPREAD ABUNDANT MOISTURE OVER THE REGION. LIFT WILL BE AUGMENTED BY DIFFLUENCE ALOFT AND LOW LVL FORCING ALONG THE REMNANT BOUNDARY ACRS CNTL LA AND THIS WILL HELP TO FOCUS THE PRECIPITATION ACRS NRN/CNTL LA. RECENT HRRR AND NAM PROGS INDICATE CONVECTION SHOULD SLOWLY PROPAGATE SOUTHWARD DURING THE DAY. AT THIS TIME...THE HIGHEST RAINFALL TOTALS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN NORTH OF THE CWA. HOWEVER...PRECIP WATER VALUES ARE RUNNING BETWEEN 1.8-2.0 INCHES OVER THE AREA...MORE THAN ADEQUATE TO PRODUCE EFFICIENT RAINFALL RATES AND LOCALIZED HEAVY RAIN ESPECIALLY ACRS THE NRN TIER OF ZONES. HAVE HELD OFF ON ISSUANCE OF A FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR NOW WITH FLOODING EXPECTED TO BE MOSTLY LOCALIZED IN NATURE...BUT WILL NEED TO MONITOR TRENDS FOR POSSIBLY ISSUANCE LATER THIS MORNING. RAIN CHCS WILL DIMINISH DURING THE EVENING WITH THE LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING. A WEAK FRONT WILL SAG SOUTH INTO THE AREA TUESDAY...BECOMING STALLED NW-SE ACRS NERN TX INTO CNTL LA. THE PERSISTENT MOIST SWLY FLOW ALOFT AND EMBEDDED DISTURBANCES WILL AGAIN BRING ABOUT SCT CONVECTION ON TUESDAY. ALTHOUGH COVERAGE IS EXPECTED TO BE SLIGHTLY LESS THAN TODAY...EXPECT THE HIGHEST POPS WILL BE CONCENTRATED ALONG THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY ACRS CNTL LA. WEAK FLAT RIDGING WILL BEGIN TO DEVELOP ALOFT BY MIDWEEK...HELPING TO REDUCE BUT NOT ELIMINATE SHOWER COVERAGE AND CHANCES ON WEDNESDAY. ANOTHER FRONT IS FCST TO MOVE INTO THE AREA THURSDAY...BRINGING ANOTHER ROUND OF SCT SHOWERS AND TSTMS. THE FRONT WILL STALL NEAR THE COAST FRIDAY THEN SLOWLY RETREAT BACK NORTH OVER THE WEEKEND. THE RIDGE ALOFT WILL KEEP RAIN CHCS CLOSER TO 20-30 PERCENT FOR FRIDAY AND SATURDAY...WITH POPS EASING BACK INTO THE SCT RANGE BY SUNDAY AS THE RIDGE GETS SHIFTED BACK TO THE EAST OVER THE WEEKEND. THROUGH THE NEXT FEW DAYS...THE THREAT FOR ANY ORGANIZED SVR STORMS WILL REMAIN WELL WEST OF THE AREA. HOWEVER...A FEW ISLTD STORMS COULD PULSE TO STRONG OR MARGINALLY SVR LIMITS DURING THE AFTN WHEN MAX HEATING CONTRIBUTES TO ENHANCED INSTABILITY. THE PRIMARY THREAT WILL STILL BE HEAVY RAINFALL AND LOCALIZED FLOODING IN LOW-LYING OR URBAN AREAS. LITTLE VARIATION IN TEMPERATURE IS EXPECTED THROUGH NEXT WEEKEND WITH MAIN IMPACTS TO DAILY TEMPS FROM CLOUDS AND SHOWERS. IN GENERAL...EXPECT LOWS FROM AROUND 70 INTO THE MIDDLE 70S WHICH IS ABOUT 5-10 DEGREES ABV NORMAL WHILE HIGHS WILL RUN NEAR NORMAL IN THE MIDDLE 80S. 24 MARINE... MODT SELY WINDS WERE OCCURRING OVER THE COASTAL WATERS THIS EARLY MORNING IN RESPONSE TO ELEVATED WINDS ALOFT AND INFLOW INTO COMPLEX OF STORMS ACRS NRN LA INTO SE TX. SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE APPROACHED 20 KNOTS AT TIMES. WITH THIS IN MIND...ADDED EXERCISE CAUTION HEADLINE TO CWF FOR EARLY THIS MORNING. WINDS WILL DIMINISH DURING THE MORNING. OTHERWISE...EXPECT A LT TO MODT ONSHORE FLOW CONTINUING THROUGH THE WEEK AS HIGH PRES REMAINS EAST OF THE REGION. WIDELY SCT SHOWERS AND TSTMS WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH WEDNESDAY AS A SERIES OF DISTURBANCES CROSSES THE REGION. CONVECTION WILL BECOME MORE ISLTD TOWARD THE END OF THE WEEK AS WEAK RIDGING BUILDS IN ALOFT. 24 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... AEX 84 68 86 70 / 70 30 40 30 LCH 86 72 86 73 / 50 20 30 20 LFT 87 72 86 72 / 50 20 50 20 BPT 87 75 86 74 / 50 20 20 10 && .LCH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... LA...NONE. TX...NONE. GM...SMALL CRAFT EXERCISE CAUTION UNTIL 9 AM CDT THIS MORNING FOR GMZ430-432-435-450-452-455-470-472-475. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LAKE CHARLES LA
459 AM CDT MON MAY 18 2015 .SYNOPSIS... LATEST UA ANALYSIS AND WV IMAGERY SHOWS A MOIST SWLY FLOW ALOFT CONTINUING WITH A BROAD TROF OVER THE WRN CONUS AND A RIDGE OVER THE SE. A PAIR OF LOWS WERE SPINNING WITHIN THE TROF...ONE CROSSING THE NRN PLAINS AND ANOTHER ENTERING CA. MEANWHILE...A PERTURBATION OVERRIDING AN OUTFLOW BOUNDARY LEFT BEHIND FROM LAST NIGHTS MCV WAS PRODUCING AN INCREASE IN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACRS NRN LA WITH SCT ACTIVITY DEVELOPING DOWN TO OUR NRN TIER OF PARISHES AND COUNTIES. AT THE SFC...S-SE WINDS AROUND THE WRN PERIPHERY OF HIGH PRES OFF THE SE ATL COAST CONTINUE TO STREAM GULF MOISTURE OVER THE REGION. && .DISCUSSION... MAIN FCST CONCERN IN THE NEAR TERM IS RAIN CHCS AND THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY RAINFALL. CONVECTION ACRS NRN LA INTO E TX WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE THROUGH THE MORNING AS SLY/SWLY WINDS SPREAD ABUNDANT MOISTURE OVER THE REGION. LIFT WILL BE AUGMENTED BY DIFFLUENCE ALOFT AND LOW LVL FORCING ALONG THE REMNANT BOUNDARY ACRS CNTL LA AND THIS WILL HELP TO FOCUS THE PRECIPITATION ACRS NRN/CNTL LA. RECENT HRRR AND NAM PROGS INDICATE CONVECTION SHOULD SLOWLY PROPAGATE SOUTHWARD DURING THE DAY. AT THIS TIME...THE HIGHEST RAINFALL TOTALS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN NORTH OF THE CWA. HOWEVER...PRECIP WATER VALUES ARE RUNNING BETWEEN 1.8-2.0 INCHES OVER THE AREA...MORE THAN ADEQUATE TO PRODUCE EFFICIENT RAINFALL RATES AND LOCALIZED HEAVY RAIN ESPECIALLY ACRS THE NRN TIER OF ZONES. HAVE HELD OFF ON ISSUANCE OF A FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR NOW WITH FLOODING EXPECTED TO BE MOSTLY LOCALIZED IN NATURE...BUT WILL NEED TO MONITOR TRENDS FOR POSSIBLY ISSUANCE LATER THIS MORNING. RAIN CHCS WILL DIMINISH DURING THE EVENING WITH THE LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING. A WEAK FRONT WILL SAG SOUTH INTO THE AREA TUESDAY...BECOMING STALLED NW-SE ACRS NERN TX INTO CNTL LA. THE PERSISTENT MOIST SWLY FLOW ALOFT AND EMBEDDED DISTURBANCES WILL AGAIN BRING ABOUT SCT CONVECTION ON TUESDAY. ALTHOUGH COVERAGE IS EXPECTED TO BE SLIGHTLY LESS THAN TODAY...EXPECT THE HIGHEST POPS WILL BE CONCENTRATED ALONG THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY ACRS CNTL LA. WEAK FLAT RIDGING WILL BEGIN TO DEVELOP ALOFT BY MIDWEEK...HELPING TO REDUCE BUT NOT ELIMINATE SHOWER COVERAGE AND CHANCES ON WEDNESDAY. ANOTHER FRONT IS FCST TO MOVE INTO THE AREA THURSDAY...BRINGING ANOTHER ROUND OF SCT SHOWERS AND TSTMS. THE FRONT WILL STALL NEAR THE COAST FRIDAY THEN SLOWLY RETREAT BACK NORTH OVER THE WEEKEND. THE RIDGE ALOFT WILL KEEP RAIN CHCS CLOSER TO 20-30 PERCENT FOR FRIDAY AND SATURDAY...WITH POPS EASING BACK INTO THE SCT RANGE BY SUNDAY AS THE RIDGE GETS SHIFTED BACK TO THE EAST OVER THE WEEKEND. THROUGH THE NEXT FEW DAYS...THE THREAT FOR ANY ORGANIZED SVR STORMS WILL REMAIN WELL WEST OF THE AREA. HOWEVER...A FEW ISLTD STORMS COULD PULSE TO STRONG OR MARGINALLY SVR LIMITS DURING THE AFTN WHEN MAX HEATING CONTRIBUTES TO ENHANCED INSTABILITY. THE PRIMARY THREAT WILL STILL BE HEAVY RAINFALL AND LOCALIZED FLOODING IN LOW-LYING OR URBAN AREAS. LITTLE VARIATION IN TEMPERATURE IS EXPECTED THROUGH NEXT WEEKEND WITH MAIN IMPACTS TO DAILY TEMPS FROM CLOUDS AND SHOWERS. IN GENERAL...EXPECT LOWS FROM AROUND 70 INTO THE MIDDLE 70S WHICH IS ABOUT 5-10 DEGREES ABV NORMAL WHILE HIGHS WILL RUN NEAR NORMAL IN THE MIDDLE 80S. && .MARINE... MODT SELY WINDS WERE OCCURRING OVER THE COASTAL WATERS THIS EARLY MORNING IN RESPONSE TO ELEVATED WINDS ALOFT AND INFLOW INTO COMPLEX OF STORMS ACRS NRN LA INTO SE TX. SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE APPROACHED 20 KNOTS AT TIMES. WITH THIS IN MIND...ADDED EXERCISE CAUTION HEADLINE TO CWF FOR EARLY THIS MORNING. WINDS WILL DIMINISH DURING THE MORNING. OTHERWISE...EXPECT A LT TO MODT ONSHORE FLOW CONTINUING THROUGH THE WEEK AS HIGH PRES REMAINS EAST OF THE REGION. WIDELY SCT SHOWERS AND TSTMS WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH WEDNESDAY AS A SERIES OF DISTURBANCES CROSSES THE REGION. CONVECTION WILL BECOME MORE ISLTD TOWARD THE END OF THE WEEK AS WEAK RIDGING BUILDS IN ALOFT. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... AEX 84 68 86 70 / 70 30 40 30 LCH 86 72 86 73 / 50 20 30 20 LFT 87 72 86 72 / 50 20 50 20 BPT 87 75 86 74 / 50 20 20 10 && .LCH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... LA...NONE. TX...NONE. GM...SMALL CRAFT EXERCISE CAUTION UNTIL 9 AM CDT THIS MORNING FOR GMZ430-432-435-450-452-455-470-472-475. && $$ PUBLIC...24
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS SHREVEPORT LA
1154 PM CDT SUN MAY 17 2015 .AVIATION... REDEVELOPMENT OF TSTMS IS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS...WITH N LA TERMINALS MOST PRONE TO BE AFFECTED. CONVECTION IS EXPECTED AT LEAST INTERMITTENTLY FOR THE ENTIRE 06Z TAF PD. FOR TONIGHT...LIGHT WINDS AND MOIST SOILS FROM PREVIOUS RAINS WILL ALLOW FOR SOME PATCHY FOG DEVELOPMENT...ESPECIALLY WHERE CLOUDS ARE ABLE TO THIN OUT. ADDITIONALLY...PATCHY MVFR STRATUS WILL BE POSSIBLE AT A FEW OF THE TERMINALS AS WELL. OTHERWISE...EXPECT SLY WINDS GENERALLY LESS THAN 10 KTS THROUGHOUT THE PD. /12/ && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 1032 PM CDT SUN MAY 17 2015/ UPDATE... TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE RAIN CHANCES TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT AND CONTINUED THE THREAT FOR FLASH FLOODING FOR EAST AND NORTHEAST TEXAS...NORTHWEST AND NORTH CENTRAL LOUISIANA AND ADJACENT SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL ARKANSAS AND SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA. DISCUSSION... A CONTINUED SOUTHERLY FLOW OF GULF MOISTURE TO GO ALONG WITH A CONTRIBUTING SUPPLY OF PACIFIC MOISTURE AND A SERIES OF UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES RIDING TOWARD THE FOUR STATE REGION WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVERNIGHT. SOME OF THE STORMS WILL DEVELOP AND SPREAD OVER THE SAME AREAS THAT HAVE HAD LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN LATELY RESULTING IN FLASH FLOODING. /06/ PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 455 PM CDT SUN MAY 17 2015/ DISCUSSION... MOST OF THE REMNANTS OF THE MORNING MCS HAVE EXITED THE REGION AS OF 2115Z...ALTHOUGH SCT CONVECTION HAS REDEVELOPED OVER SE TX/SW LA AND HAVE BEGUN TO SPREAD NE INTO THE HIGHER INSTABILITY AIR WHERE MLCAPES STILL RANGE FROM 2000-2500 J/KG. BELIEVE THAT MUCH OF THIS CONVECTION WILL GRADUALLY DIMINISH BY EARLY/MID EVENING WITH THE LOSS OF HEATING/STABILITY. HOWEVER...OUR FOCUS WILL TURN TO THE W AS THE AFTERNOON WATER VAPOR IMAGERY DEPICTS A WELL- DEFINED SHORTWAVE OVER ERN NM ENTERING FAR W TX...WHICH REMAINS PROGGED TO LIFT NE ACROSS THE RED RIVER VALLEY LATE THIS EVENING/OVERNIGHT. THE AIR MASS OVER E TX/SE OK/SW AR REMAINS SOMEWHAT STABLE THIS AFTERNOON IN WAKE OF THE MORNING MCS...ALTHOUGH SBCIN HAS WEAKENED OVER THIS AREA OVER THE LAST FEW HOURS AS SOME HEATING HAS OCCURRED BENEATH THE DENSE CONVECTIVE DEBRIS IN PLACE. THE SHORT TERM PROGS ARE IN GENERAL AGREEMENT WITH SCT CONVECTION REDEVELOPING LATER THIS EVENING OVER THE REGION...ATOP A STILL MOIST AND SOMEWHAT UNSTABLE AIRMASS WHERE DIFLUENT FLOW ALOFT SPREADS OVER THE REGION. COULD ALREADY BE SEEING EVIDENCE OF THE FORCING ALOFT OVER SCNTRL/WCNTRL TX...WHERE VISIBLE SATELLITE IMAGERY DEPICTS AN ELEVATED CU/AC FIELD DEVELOPING OVER THESE AREAS. THE NAM/GFS ARE A LITTLE MORE AGGRESSIVE IN DEVELOPING SCT CONVECTION BY MID TO LATE EVENING...WITH THE HRRR A BIT SLOWER /AFTER 06Z/ OVER NE TX/SW AR/POSSIBLY NW LA. HOWEVER...QPF PLACEMENTS VARY CONSIDERABLE WITH THE MODELS THIS AFTERNOON...AND HAVE TAKEN A BLEND OF THE MODELS AND ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD WATCH FROM 03Z THIS EVENING THROUGH 18Z MONDAY FOR MUCH OF E TX/SE OK/SW AR/NW LA. THESE AREAS REMAIN SATURATED FROM HEAVY RAINFALL THAT HAS FALLEN OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS...AND WILL BE FAIR GAME FOR CELL TRAINING LATER TONIGHT. HAVE ADDED HEAVY RAINFALL TO THE FORECAST LATE TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY MORNING FOR THE WATCH AREA...AS PW/S CLIMB TO 1.8-2.0 INCHES...VERY NEAR THE MAX MOVING AVERAGE OF CLIMO FOR THE DATE. AREAS TO THE SE OVER THE SRN SECTIONS OF NCNTRL LA HAVE NOT SEEN NEARLY AS MUCH RAIN AS AREAS FARTHER N AND W...AND SHOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE THE HEAVY RAIN AS IT MOVES THROUGH THE AREAS MONDAY. THE HEAVY RAINFALL/FLASH FLOOD THREAT OVER THE WATCH AREAS SHOULD DIMINISH BY EARLY MONDAY AFTERNOON AS THE SHORTWAVE QUICKLY SPREADS ENE INTO THE MID-SOUTH/LOWER MS VALLEY. THE CLOSED LOW A CPL HUNDRED MILES W OF THE CA COAST THIS AFTERNOON IS EXPECTED TO COME ASHORE INTO CA EARLY MONDAY...WITH THE MAIN ATTENDANT TROUGH LIFTING NE INTO THE SRN ROCKIES BY EARLY TUESDAY AND INTO THE PLAINS TUESDAY AFTERNOON. THIS TROUGH WILL HELP TO AMPLIFY SOMEWHAT FLAT UPPER RIDGING ALOFT OVER THE SRN PLAINS/MID AND LOWER MS VALLEY AND SE STATES TUESDAY...WITH THE FLAT RIDGING PERSISTING THROUGH MUCH OF THIS WEEK. THE SHORT TERM PROGS REMAIN IN AGREEMENT WITH A WEAK SFC FRONT BACKDOORING SW INTO ERN OK/CNTRL AR TUESDAY MORNING BEFORE BECOMING STATIONARY. PREFER THE NAM/ECMWF POSITION OF THE FRONT THAN THE GFS...WHICH SEEMS MUCH TOO FAR S GIVEN THE LACK OF HEIGHT FALLS ALOFT TO HELP DRIVE THE FRONT FARTHER S. THE FRONT SHOULD HELP FOCUS SCT CONVECTION DURING PEAK HEATING TUESDAY...WHILE OTHER ISOLATED TO WIDELY SCT CONVECTION DEVELOPS FARTHER S WHERE INSTABILITY/MOISTURE LIE OVER E TX/N LA...EVEN A WEAK PERTURBATIONS SHIFT E ATOP THE FLAT RIDGE ALOFT. THE SFC FRONT SHOULD LIFT BACK N TUESDAY NIGHT...BEFORE ANOTHER WEAK COOL FRONT BEGINS TO BUILD S ACROSS OK/NW AR WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. THE PROGS ARE AGAIN KEYING IN WEAKNESSES IN THE FLOW ALOFT ATOP THE RIDGE TO ENHANCE SCT CONVECTION DEVELOPMENT MAINLY OVER CNTRL/SRN OK/SW AR WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON...BEFORE THE FRONT SLOWLY SLIDE INTO THE REGION WEDNESDAY NIGHT/THURSDAY BEFORE BECOMING STATIONARY. HAVE MAINTAINED LIKELY/HIGH CHANCE POPS WEDNESDAY NIGHT AHEAD OF THE FRONT...WITH MID CHANCE POPS THURSDAY WITH THE FROPA. HAVING THE SFC BNDRY AROUND THROUGH LATE FRIDAY WILL FOCUS SCT CONVECTION DEVELOPMENT THROUGH LATE WEEK...BEFORE THE FRONT BEGINS TO LIFT BACK N OUT OF THE AREA. TEMPS WILL REMAIN NEAR/SLIGHTLY ABOVE CLIMO THROUGH MUCH OF THE PERIOD. PRELIMS TO FOLLOW BELOW... 15 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... SHV 82 71 82 70 / 60 70 70 30 MLU 89 72 81 69 / 50 60 70 40 DEQ 79 68 83 67 / 80 50 40 40 TXK 80 70 83 68 / 80 60 50 40 ELD 84 70 81 68 / 60 70 70 40 TYR 78 71 82 69 / 80 60 50 30 GGG 78 70 82 69 / 80 70 60 30 LFK 81 72 82 71 / 80 40 70 30 && .SHV WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AR...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON FOR ARZ050-051- 059>061-070>073. LA...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON FOR LAZ001>006- 010>012. OK...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON FOR OKZ077. TX...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON FOR TXZ096-097- 108>112-124>126-136>138-149>153. && $$ 12
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MARQUETTE MI
1200 AM EDT WED MAY 20 2015 .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH WEDNESDAY) ISSUED AT 407 PM EDT TUE MAY 19 2015 WV IMAGERY AND RAP ANALYSIS INDICATED A MID/UPPER LEVEL RIDGE OVER WRN CANADA AND A DOWNSTREAM TROUGH FROM ERN CANADA INTO THE NRN GREAT LAKES. STRONG MID-LEVEL DRYING WAS EVIDENT THROUGH THE NORTHERN LAKES BEHIND A SHORTWAVE TROUGH THAT HAS MOVED EAST OF LAKE SUPERIOR. AT THE SFC...HIGH PRES OVER THE ERN DAKOTAS WAS BUILDING INTO THE UPPER MS VALLEY AN WRN LAKES BRINGING DIMINISHING NW WINDS AND CLEARING SKIES. VIS LOOP SHOWED CLEAR SKIES OVER THE WEST AND THINNING CLOUDS CENTRAL. RADAR ALSO INDICATED THAT THE REMAINING - SHSN HAD QUICKLY DISSIPATED WITH ONLY SOME ISOLD FLURRIES OVER THE EAST. TONIGHT...AS THE HIGH PRES RIDGE BUILDS FROM WI INTO LOWER MI...EXPECT SKIES TO CLEAR AND WEST WINDS TO DIMINISH/DECOUPLE. FAVORABLE RADIATIONAL COOLING CONDITIONS WITH PWAT VALUES AT OR BELOW 0.25 INCH WILL ALLOW TEMPS TO DROP TOWARD THE LOWER END OF GUIDANCE. MIN READINGS INTO THE MID TO UPPER 20S INLAND ARE EXPECTED TO TEMPS TO AROUND 30 CLOSER TO THE LAKES. ALTHOUGH OUR FROST/FREEZE PROGRAM HAS NOT STARTED YET...WOULD EXPECT A WIDESPREAD FROST ACROSS UPPER MICHIGAN AND A HARD FREEZE OVER THE INTERIOR WEST. AN SPS HAS BEEN ISSUED TO HIGHLIGHT THE EXPECTED CONDITIONS. WEDNESDAY...WITH DRY HIGH PRES DOMINATING...ABUNDANT SUNSHINE AND MIXING TO AROUND 6K FT (850 MB TEMPS AROUND 4C) WILL SUPPORT INLAND HIGHS IN TOE LOW TO MID 60S. LAKE BREEZES WILL KEEP READINGS IN THE 50S ALONG THE GREAT LAKES. .LONG TERM...(WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 328 PM EDT TUE MAY 19 2015 A QUIET FIRST HALF OF THE LONG TERM PERIOD IS IN STORE FOR THE UPPER GREAT LAKES REGION...DUE TO THE AREA BEING BETWEEN AN UPPER TROUGH OVER EASTERN CANADA AND ANOTHER OVER THE SOUTHWESTERN CONUS. WHILE THE UPPER GREAT LAKES REGION WILL BE BRUSHED BY A FEW WAVES ASSOCIATED WITH THESE FEATURES...THE OVERALL FLOW WILL BE OUT OF THE NORTHWEST OR WEST-NORTHWEST WITH LIMITED MOISTURE. HIGH PRESSURE WILL DOMINATE MUCH OF THE WEDNESDAY TO SATURDAY PERIOD...WITH TEMPERATURES GENERALLY RUNNING BELOW NORMAL (ESPECIALLY NEAR LAKE SUPERIOR). THE ONLY SIGNIFICANT ITEM OF NOTE IS A COLD FRONT THAT WILL DROP SOUTH ACROSS THE REGION ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY. WITH MOISTURE CONTINUING TO LOOK LIMITED...WILL JUST SHOW PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES AS IT MOVES THROUGH THE AREA. THERE ARE SOME HINTS THAT DIURNAL HEATING MAY BE ENOUGH TO KICK OFF A STRAY SHOWER OVER SOUTHERN MENOMINEE COUNTY (MORE LIKELY IN NORTHEAST WISCONSIN) WITH SOME HELP FROM A LAKE BREEZE OFF THE BAY OF GREEN BAY. DON/T HAVE ENOUGH CONFIDENCE TO INCLUDE POPS FOR ANY FARTHER NORTH THAN THE CITY OF MENOMINEE...BUT IT WILL BE SOMETHING TO WATCH. ANOTHER BRIEF COOL DOWN IS EXPECTED BEHIND THE FRONT WITH THE NORTHERLY FLOW OFF LAKE SUPERIOR BEFORE HIGHS SLOWLY RISE TOWARDS MORE NORMAL VALUES ON SATURDAY (DUE TO THE HIGH DEPARTING AND SOUTHERLY FLOW STARTING TO DEVELOP. MODELS REMAIN CONSISTENT ON ENERGY FROM THE SOUTHWESTERN CONUS TROUGH EJECTING NORTHEAST TOWARDS THE AREA SATURDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. A SURFACE LOW DEVELOPING IN THE PLAINS WITH THIS FEATURE WILL MOVE INTO IOWA BY SUNDAY NIGHT BEFORE LIFTING NORTHEAST THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES REGION MONDAY INTO MONDAY NIGHT. THE LATEST TREND IS FOR THE LOW AND ASSOCIATED UPPER LEVEL WAVE TO LIFT FARTHER TO THE NORTH THAN THOUGHT YESTERDAY...SO WILL TREND POPS UP ON SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY AS THE LOW MOVES THROUGH. INSTABILITY AND MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES REMAIN WEAK DURING THAT PERIOD...WITH THE AREA GENERALLY ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE OF THE SURFACE LOW...SO WILL KEEP THUNDER OUT OF THE FORECAST. NEXT WEEK STILL LOOKS TO BE UNSETTLED...AS THE UPPER TROUGH IN THE SOUTHWEST CONUS WEAKENS AND LIFTS THROUGH THE CENTRAL CONUS. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z WEDNESDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 1200 AM EDT WED MAY 20 2015 VFR CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD. SAW WILL SEE A NORTHEAST LAKE BREEZE AGAIN WITH WEAK WINDS WED AFTERNOON. && .MARINE...(FOR THE 4 PM LAKE SUPERIOR FORECAST ISSUANCE) ISSUED AT 407 PM EDT TUE MAY 19 2015 AS HIGH PRES BUILDS ACROSS THE REGION FROM THE WEST AND THE PRES GRADIENT WEAKENS...WINDS WILL DIMINISH TO LESS THAN 20 KNOTS. WED THROUGH SAT...WINDS WILL BE UNDER 20KT AS SFC HIGH PRES REMAINS IN CONTROL THROUGH MUCH OF THE PERIOD. A WEAK FRONT IS EXPECTED TO SAG INTO THE REGION BY SUNDAY BUT WINDS WILL REMAIN GENERALLY LIGHT. && .MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... UPPER MICHIGAN... NONE. LAKE SUPERIOR... NONE. LAKE MICHIGAN... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...JLB LONG TERM...SRF AVIATION...07 MARINE...JLB
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GRAND RAPIDS MI
725 PM EDT TUE MAY 19 2015 LATEST UPDATE... AVIATION .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 330 PM EDT TUE MAY 19 2015 A COOL AIR MASS HAS SETTLED INTO SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN AND FROST AND FREEZING TEMPERATURES ARE A DISTINCT POSSIBILITY TONIGHT. A FREEZE WARNING HAS BEEN POSTED FOR CENTRAL LOWER MICHIGAN AND A FROST ADVISORY HAS BEEN HOISTED FOR THE REMAINING AREAS OF SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN. DRY WEATHER IS EXPECTED THE REMAINDER OF THE WORK WEEK. CONDITIONS WILL REMAIN ON THE COOL SIDE OF NORMAL THIS WEEK...WITH A WARMUP AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND. ALONG WITH THE WARMER AIR WILL COME CHANCES FOR RAIN...ESPECIALLY SUNDAY INTO MEMORIAL DAY. && .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 330 PM EDT TUE MAY 19 2015 MAIN FOCUS OF THE SHORT TERM WAS ON WHETHER TO EXPAND A FROST HEADLINE INTO THE COUNTIES THAT WERE NOT COVERED BY THE FREEZE WARNING ACROSS CENTRAL LOWER. DECIDED TO DO THAT...SO A FROST ADVISORY IS NOW IN PLACE FOR THE REST OF THE FORECAST AREA...ESSENTIALLY FROM INTERSTATE 96 TO THE SOUTH. DRIER AIR CONTINUES TO POUR INTO THE AREA ON NORTHWEST WINDS...WITH THE DEW POINT CURRENTLY AT GRAND RAPIDS AT 31 DEGREES. THINKING THE STRATOCUMULUS WILL FADE WITH THE SETTING SUN THIS EVENING WHICH SHOULD SET UP OK RADIATIONAL CONDITIONS. ONE ITEM OF CONCERN IS A CORE OF WIND THAT IS SEEN IN NAM CROSS SECTIONS IN BUFKIT. STILL...GIVEN A DECENT AMOUNT OF MAINLY CLEAR SKIES TONIGHT AND VERY DRY/COOL AIR ALREADY IN PLACE FELT HEADLINES WERE WARRANTED ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. THE REMAINDER OF THE SHORT TERM WILL BE QUIET. WE HAVE A DRY FORECAST IN PLACE TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT. THERE IS A SHORTWAVE THAT SLIDES BY THE SOUTHERN GREAT LAKES TOMORROW NIGHT INTO THURSDAY...BUT HAVE SIDED WITH THE DRY ECMWF AND GFS MODELS. THE PRECIP SHOULD MISS US JUST TO THE SOUTH. ALSO ON THURSDAY...A WEAK TROUGH MOVES THROUGH THE LOWER PENINSULA WITH SOME SPOTTY PRECIP AMOUNTS BEING KICKED OUT BY THE MODELS. MOISTURE IS NOT ALL THAT DEEP IN THE WED NIGHT THROUGH THURS NIGHT TIME FRAME SO AM OPTING FOR DRY. IT WILL BE COOL THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS WITH NO MAJOR WARM ADVECTION PUSH AT 850MB/S. .LONG TERM...(FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 330 PM EDT TUE MAY 19 2015 THE MAIN FOCUS IN THE LONG TERM WILL BE THE POSSIBILITY FOR WET WEATHER AND GUSTY WINDS GOING INTO THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BE IN CONTROL EARLY IN THE PERIOD FROM FRIDAY THROUGH THE MAJORITY OF SATURDAY. AS HIGH PRESSURE PROGRESSES TO THE EAST AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE WILL BEGIN TO EJECT OUT OF THE SOUTHWEST AND INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS. A WARM FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL EXTEND OUT AHEAD OF THE SYSTEM...GIVING WAY TO SOUTHERLY INFLUENCE. THIS SYSTEM WILL TAKE SOMEWHAT OF A SIMILAR TRACK TO LAST WEEKENDS SYSTEM...THROUGH THE UPPER MIDWEST. THE BEST PRECIPITATION CHANCES WILL LIKELY BE LATE SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY MORNING AND AGAIN MONDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SATURDAY NIGHTS RAINFALL WILL BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE RESULTING ISENTROPIC LIFT WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE WARM FRONT. LOW PRESSURE THEN TRANSITIONS FROM A CLOSED LOW TO A SHORT WAVE THAT IS EVENTUALLY CONSUMED AROUND THE MAIN CYCLONIC FLOW NEAR THE HUDSON BAY. THE WARM FRONTAL BOUNDARY GETS HINGED UP OVER CENTRAL AND NORTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN AND BECOMES NEARLY STATIONARY. WE MAY VERY WELL SEE A LULL IN ACTIVITY SUNDAY AFTERNOON AS WE LOSE THE LIFT. GOING INTO MEMORIAL DAY IS WHERE WE SEE THE POSSIBILITY OF GUSTY WINDS AND THE POTENTIAL FOR THUNDERSTORMS. WHILE UPPER LEVEL WINDS ARE NOT SO IMPRESSIVE...AN 850MB JET CORE OF 40-50KTS MOVES OVER THE SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD USUALLY TRIGGER SOME CONCERN...BUT THERE ARE A COUPLE OF LIMITING FACTORS TO ANY REAL ORGANIZED CONVECTION. THE BEST LIFT WOULD REMAIN NORTH ALONG THE BOUNDARY...WHILE THE BEST CAPE STAYS SOUTHEAST OF GRAND RAPIDS. THIS MAY BE SOMETHING TO WATCH AS WE CREEP CLOSER TO MONDAY IF CONDITIONS BECOME BETTER ORGANIZED. OTHERWISE...IT SEEMS THE HOLIDAY WILL HAVE SCATTERED AFTERNOON THUNDERSTORMS...SOME LOCALIZED HEAVY RAINFALL AND GUSTY WINDS. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z WEDNESDAY EVENING) ISSUED AT 724 PM EDT TUE MAY 19 2015 WITH A DRY AIRMASS SETTLING IN ON THE REGION...VFR WEATHER IS FORECASTED TO PREVAIL THROUGH THE PERIOD. GUSTY WINDS INITIALLY WILL SETTLE DOWN THROUGH THE EVENING AS THE MIXING GRADUALLY DECREASES. AN ONSHORE FLOW SHOULD DEVELOP WED AFTN ALONG THE LAKESHORE. && .MARINE... ISSUED AT 330 PM EDT TUE MAY 19 2015 EXTENDED THE SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY THROUGH 800 PM. OBS ARE STILL GUST TO AROUND 20 KNOTS IN MOST AREAS. THE BUOYS AT LAST CHECK ARE IN THE 3 TO 5 FOOT RANGE AT MUSKEGON...PORT SHELDON AND SOUTH HAVEN IN TERMS OF WAVE HEIGHTS. EXPECTING THINGS TO DIMINISH TONIGHT. ONE POSSIBLE ISSUE IS HIGH RESOLUTION GUIDANCE LIKE THE HRRR IS SHOWING A SURGE IN WINDS FROM HOLLAND SOUTH AFTER DARK. THIS IS LIKELY DUE TO SOME CHANNELING AND FUNNELING DOWN THE SHORELINE IN NORTHERLY FLOW. THE EVENING SHIFT WILL BE MONITORING THE LATEST TRENDS IN THE HIGH RESO GUIDANCE FOR A POSSIBLE EXTENTION IN TIME SOUTH OF HOLLAND. THE SOUTH HAVEN GLERL OB ON THE PIER AND THE BUOY JUST OFFSHORE WILL BE THE PIECES OF DATA TO WATCH AFTER DARK TO SEE IF THE HRRR VERIFIES. OTHERWISE FAIRLY LIGHT WINDS THE NEXT FEW DAYS. && .HYDROLOGY... ISSUED AT 140 PM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 IN GENERAL...RIVER LEVELS ACROSS SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN ARE GRADUALLY FALLING. THAT WILL CONTINUE TO BE THE CASE WITH LIMITED QPF THIS WEEK. FAIR WEATHER WILL DOMINATE FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK INTO AT LEAST SATURDAY. THE NEXT SIGNIFICANT CHANCE FOR WIDESPREAD RAINFALL WILL BE LATE IN THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND INTO NEXT WEEK. && .GRR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MI...FROST ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 8 AM EDT WEDNESDAY FOR MIZ050-056>059-064>067-071>074. FREEZE WARNING FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 8 AM EDT WEDNESDAY FOR MIZ037>040-043>046-051-052. LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR LMZ844>849. && $$ SYNOPSIS...DUKE SHORT TERM...DUKE LONG TERM...JAM AVIATION...MJS HYDROLOGY...EBW/CAS MARINE...DUKE
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MARQUETTE MI
401 PM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 359 PM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 WV IMAGERY AND RAP ANALYSIS INDICATED A MID/UPPER LEVEL TROUGH FROM NW ONTARIO INTO THE WRN GREAT LAKES WITH THE LOW CIRCULATION CENTER NEAR CYQT. AT THE SFC...A TROUGH EXTENDED THROUGH NRN LAKE SUPERIOR FROM LOW PRES E OF LAKE SUPERIOR. WITH THE WRAP-AROUND MOISTURE/PCPN MOVING EDGING TOWARD THE AREA...RADARS INDICATED DIURNALLY ENHANCED SCT/NMRS -SHSN/SHRA FROM NE MN INTO NW WI. SOME LIGHT RAIN OR DRIZZLE HAD ALSO DEVELOPED INTO UPSLOPE FLOW LOCATIONS OF NW UPPER MI. TONIGHT...THE COMBINATION OF DEEP MOISTURE SLIDING INTO THE AREA BEHIND THE MID LEVEL LOW AND CAA DROPPING 850 MB TEMPS INTO THE -8C TO -11C RANGE WILL SUPPORT SCT/NMRS -SHRA/-SHSN INTO MAINLY THE WEST HALF OF UPPER MI. THE MOST FAVORABLE UPSLOPE FLOW AND LOW LEVEL CONV WILL SHIFT TO LOCATIONS OVER THE W FAVORED BY NRLY FLOW AND INTO N CNTRL UPPER MI LATE. LOW LEVEL THICKNESS AND WET-BULB ZERO HEIGHTS SUGGEST ANY PCPN WILL CHANGE OVER TO MAINLY SNOW FROM WEST TO EAST THIS EVENING. ALTHOUGH QPF AMOUNTS TO AROUND A TENTH OF AN INCH ARE EXPECTED...WITH THE RELATIVELY WARM GROUND...ANY SNOWFALL AMOUNTS SHOULD REMAIN AROUND A HALF INCH OR LESS...MAINLY ON GRASSY SURFACES. TUE...AS HIGH PRES BUILDS TOWARD THE AREA WITH INCREASINGLY ACYC LOW LEVEL FLOW...AND THE DEEPER MOISTURE DEPARTS TO THE EAST...THE LINGERING SNOW SHOWERS SHOULD GRADUALLY DIMINISH AND END OVER MOST OF THE CWA BY 18Z. THERE MAY BE SOME LIGHT PCPN LINGERING OVER THE EAST DURING THE AFTERNOON. CLOUDS WILL ALSO ONLY SLOWLY DISSIPATE FROM WEST TO EAST DURING THE MID TO LATE AFTERNOON. OTHERWISE...UNSEASONABLY COLD CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITH HIGHS ONLY FROM AROUND 40 NORTH TO THE MID AND UPPER 40S SOUTH AND WEST. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY) ISSUED AT 320 PM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 A GENERALLY QUIET LONG TERM PERIOD IS IN STORE FOR THE UPPER GREAT LAKES REGION. THIS IS DUE TO THE AREA LARGELY BEING BETWEEN AN UPPER TROUGH OVER EASTERN CANADA AND ANOTHER OVER THE SOUTHWESTERN CONUS. WHILE THE UPPER GREAT LAKES REGION WILL BE BRUSHED BY A FEW WAVES ASSOCIATED WITH THESE FEATURES...THE OVERALL FLOW WILL BE OUT OF THE NORTHWEST OR WEST-NORTHWEST WITH LIMITED MOISTURE. HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO THE AREA ON TUESDAY NIGHT AND REMAINS INTO WEDNESDAY. THE DRY AIR ASSOCIATED WITH THE HIGH WILL DIMINISH ANY LINGERING CLOUDS OVER THE EASTERN CWA QUICKLY DURING THE EARLY EVENING HOURS. THE CLEARING SKIES AND WEAKENING WINDS WILL LEAD TO A COLD NIGHT ACROSS THE AREA ON TUESDAY NIGHT. HAVE FOLLOWED THE LOWER END OF GUIDANCE (WITH PWAT VALUES ONLY AROUND 0.25IN)...WHICH GIVES VALUES IN THE 20S FOR MOST INTERIOR LOCATIONS. ALTHOUGH OUR FROST/FREEZE PROGRAM HASN/T STARTED...WOULD EXPECT A WIDESPREAD FROST (AND A HARD FREEZE FOR THE INTERIOR WEST) ACROSS UPPER MICHIGAN AND PERSONS WITH SENSITIVE PLANTS WOULD BE WISE TO PREPARE FOR A SOLID FROST. A WEAK COLD FRONT DROPS SOUTH FROM ONTARIO WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND WITH THE LACK OF MOISTURE ONLY SHOWED A PERIOD OF PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES AS IT MOVES THROUGH. BEHIND THE FRONT...NORTHERLY FLOW OFF LAKE SUPERIOR WILL KEEP TEMPERATURES COOLER NEAR LAKE SUPERIOR ON THURSDAY (50S) WHILE AREAS INLAND RISE TO OR JUST ABOVE 60. FRIDAY/SATURDAY CONTINUE TO LOOK DRY (WITH TEMPERATURES WARMING TOWARDS NORMAL) AS ANOTHER CANADIAN HIGH PRESSURE MOVES ACROSS THE AREA. THE HIGH WILL DEPART SATURDAY NIGHT...AS ENERGY FROM THE SOUTHWESTERN CONUS TROUGH EJECTS NORTHEAST TOWARDS THE AREA. A SURFACE LOW DEVELOPING IN THE PLAINS WITH THIS FEATURE WILL MOVE INTO IOWA BY SUNDAY NIGHT BEFORE SLOWLY SHIFTING EAST THROUGH SOUTHERN WISCONSIN BY MONDAY NIGHT. AT THIS POINT...EXPECT THE CWA TO BE ON THE NORTHERN EDGE OF MUCH OF THE FORCING (WARM FRONT STALLS OVER SOUTHERN WISCONSIN) AND BEST CHANCES FOR RAIN WILL BE OVER THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE CWA AS WEAK SHORTWAVES LIFT NORTHEAST ACROSS THE AREA IN THE SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 128 PM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 WRAPAROUND MOISTURE INTO THE WRN TAF SITES WILL PRODUCE SOME SCT RAIN SHOWERS THIS AFTERNOON AT IWD AND CMX UNDER MVFR CONDITIONS. EXPECT CIGS NEAR OF JUST ABOVE THRESHOLD AT SAW UNTIL THIS EVENING WHEN THE COLDER AIR AND GREATER LOW LEVEL MOISTURE MOVE IN. THE PUSH OF COLDER AIR BEHIND SECONDARY COLD FRONT WILL CHANGE RAIN SHOWERS AT KIWD AND KCMX OVER TO SNOW SHOWERS THIS EVENING WITH IFR CONDITIONS DEVELOPING. SCT -SHRA DEVELOPING AT KSAW EARLY EVENING WILL ALSO CHANGE OVER TO -SHSN LATE TONIGHT WITH CONDITIONS NEAR IFR. LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WITH NNW WINDS WILL MAINTAIN MVFR CIGS INTO EARLY TUE AFTERNOON. && .MARINE...(FOR THE 4 PM LAKE SUPERIOR FORECAST ISSUANCE) ISSUED AT 359 PM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 LOW PRES EAST OF LAKE SUPERIOR WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE TO THE EAST TONIGHT. A TIGHTENING PRES GRADIENT AHEAD OF HIGH PRES BUILDING TOWARD THE AREA FROM THE NRN PLAINS WILL BOOST NNW WINDS TO 20 TO 30 KNOTS WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR A FEW GALE FORCE GUSTS OVER THE E HALF LATE TONIGHT AND TUE MORNING. WINDS WILL DIMINISH W TO E TUE AFTERNOON/NIGHT THE HIGH BUILDS IN FM THE WEST. WED THRROUGH SAT...WINDS WILL BE UNDER 20KT. && .MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... UPPER MICHIGAN... NONE. LAKE SUPERIOR... NONE. LAKE MICHIGAN... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...JLB LONG TERM...SRF AVIATION...JLB MARINE...JLB
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MARQUETTE MI
320 PM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 508 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 WATER VAPOR LOOP AND RAP ANALYSIS SHOWS MID-LVL LOW ROTATING OVER NRN MN WITH A DRY SLOT AHEAD OF LOW REACHING ACROSS MUCH OF THE UPPER MI. COLD FRONT MOVING ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA OVERNIGHT HAS ALLOWED DRIER AIR TO ADVECT IN FROM THE SW WHICH HAS DISSIPATED THE DENSE FOG OVER LAKE MI AND AREAS DOWNSTREAM OVER ERN UPPER MI. DRY SLOT HAS LEFT UPPER MI GENERALLY PCPN FREE OVER THE EARLY MORNING HRS. TODAY AND TONIGHT...THE FOCUS TODAY WILL ON COLD SURGE WHICH WILL BE MOVING INTO THE WEST MID-LATE MORNING AND CONTINUE EASTWARD THROUGH THE DAY. AHEAD OF THE FRONT OVER THE EAST HALF OF UPPER MI AND AWAY FROM THE MODERATING INFLUENCE OF LAKE MICHIGAN...SHOULD SEE TEMPERATURES REACH IN THE MID TO UPPER 60S (WITH A FEW 70S POSSIBLE IF THERE ARE BREAKS IN THE LOW CLOUDS). OVER THE WEST HALF WHERE FRONTAL PASSAGE WILL OCCUR EARLIER...MORNING TO EARLY AFTERNOON HIGH TEMPS WILL RANGE FROM UPPER 40S/50F NEAR IRONWOOD TO LOWER 60S ALONG A LINE FM MQT TO MENOMINEE. IN ADDITION...ALL OF THE HIGHER RESOLUTION MODELS ARE SURGING IN A LAKE BREEZE OFF LAKE SUPERIOR (FROM MARQUETTE EASTWARD) WHICH WILL LEAD TO COOLER NORTHERLY FLOW BY MID-LATE AFTERNOON OVER NCNTRL AREAS. WITH THE COLD AIR AND ABUNDANT MOISTURE SURGING INTO THE AREA AS WINDS TURN WESTERLY...EXPECT ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS TO DEVELOP OVER THE WEST FIRST (ESPECIALLY IN THE FAVORED UPSLOPE AREAS) AND THEN SPREAD INTO THE CENTRAL AREAS EVENING AND POSSIBLY EASTERN COUNTIES LATE EVENING/OVERNIGHT. CAA ON BLUSTERY NW TO N WINDS WILL ALLOW 8H TEMPS TO FALL TO -8 TO -10C OVER MUCH OF THE WEST HALF OF UPPER MI BY 12Z TUE. 8H TEMPS WILL FALL TO AROUND -5C OVER THE EAST HALF OVERNIGHT. BEST FORCING OUT AHEAD ANOTHER SHORTWAVE TRACKING ALONG THE MN/ONTARIO BORDER TONIGHT WILL STAY MAINLY NW OF UPPER MI KEEPING MUCH OF THE ASSOCIATED LIGHT PCPN N OF UPPER MI. HOWEVER...DEEP CYCLONIC FLOW/MOISTURE WILL STILL SUPPORT SOME LIGHT PCPN IN UPPER MI AS WELL...ESPECIALLY IN THE UPSLOPE AREAS OF THE W AND N. WITH COLD ADVECTION TAKING PLACE AS NOTED BEFORE...THE -SHRA WILL MIX WITH OR CHANGE TO -SHSN TONIGHT FROM WEST TO EAST. DUE TO THE COLD ADVECTION AND PCPN OCCURRING DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...CAN`T RULE OUT A DUSTING TO LOCALLY A HALFINCH OF SNOW ON GRASSY SFCS BY 12Z TUE. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY) ISSUED AT 320 PM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 A GENERALLY QUIET LONG TERM PERIOD IS IN STORE FOR THE UPPER GREAT LAKES REGION. THIS IS DUE TO THE AREA LARGELY BEING BETWEEN AN UPPER TROUGH OVER EASTERN CANADA AND ANOTHER OVER THE SOUTHWESTERN CONUS. WHILE THE UPPER GREAT LAKES REGION WILL BE BRUSHED BY A FEW WAVES ASSOCIATED WITH THESE FEATURES...THE OVERALL FLOW WILL BE OUT OF THE NORTHWEST OR WEST-NORTHWEST WITH LIMITED MOISTURE. HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO THE AREA ON TUESDAY NIGHT AND REMAINS INTO WEDNESDAY. THE DRY AIR ASSOCIATED WITH THE HIGH WILL DIMINISH ANY LINGERING CLOUDS OVER THE EASTERN CWA QUICKLY DURING THE EARLY EVENING HOURS. THE CLEARING SKIES AND WEAKENING WINDS WILL LEAD TO A COLD NIGHT ACROSS THE AREA ON TUESDAY NIGHT. HAVE FOLLOWED THE LOWER END OF GUIDANCE (WITH PWAT VALUES ONLY AROUND 0.25IN)...WHICH GIVES VALUES IN THE 20S FOR MOST INTERIOR LOCATIONS. ALTHOUGH OUR FROST/FREEZE PROGRAM HASN/T STARTED...WOULD EXPECT A WIDESPREAD FROST (AND A HARD FREEZE FOR THE INTERIOR WEST) ACROSS UPPER MICHIGAN AND PERSONS WITH SENSITIVE PLANTS WOULD BE WISE TO PREPARE FOR A SOLID FROST. A WEAK COLD FRONT DROPS SOUTH FROM ONTARIO WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND WITH THE LACK OF MOISTURE ONLY SHOWED A PERIOD OF PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES AS IT MOVES THROUGH. BEHIND THE FRONT...NORTHERLY FLOW OFF LAKE SUPERIOR WILL KEEP TEMPERATURES COOLER NEAR LAKE SUPERIOR ON THURSDAY (50S) WHILE AREAS INLAND RISE TO OR JUST ABOVE 60. FRIDAY/SATURDAY CONTINUE TO LOOK DRY (WITH TEMPERATURES WARMING TOWARDS NORMAL) AS ANOTHER CANADIAN HIGH PRESSURE MOVES ACROSS THE AREA. THE HIGH WILL DEPART SATURDAY NIGHT...AS ENERGY FROM THE SOUTHWESTERN CONUS TROUGH EJECTS NORTHEAST TOWARDS THE AREA. A SURFACE LOW DEVELOPING IN THE PLAINS WITH THIS FEATURE WILL MOVE INTO IOWA BY SUNDAY NIGHT BEFORE SLOWLY SHIFTING EAST THROUGH SOUTHERN WISCONSIN BY MONDAY NIGHT. AT THIS POINT...EXPECT THE CWA TO BE ON THE NORTHERN EDGE OF MUCH OF THE FORCING (WARM FRONT STALLS OVER SOUTHERN WISCONSIN) AND BEST CHANCES FOR RAIN WILL BE OVER THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE CWA AS WEAK SHORTWAVES LIFT NORTHEAST ACROSS THE AREA IN THE SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 128 PM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 WRAPAROUND MOISTURE INTO THE WRN TAF SITES WILL PRODUCE SOME SCT RAIN SHOWERS THIS AFTERNOON AT IWD AND CMX UNDER MVFR CONDITIONS. EXPECT CIGS NEAR OF JUST ABOVE THRESHOLD AT SAW UNTIL THIS EVENING WHEN THE COLDER AIR AND GREATER LOW LEVEL MOISTURE MOVE IN. THE PUSH OF COLDER AIR BEHIND SECONDARY COLD FRONT WILL CHANGE RAIN SHOWERS AT KIWD AND KCMX OVER TO SNOW SHOWERS THIS EVENING WITH IFR CONDITIONS DEVELOPING. SCT -SHRA DEVELOPING AT KSAW EARLY EVENING WILL ALSO CHANGE OVER TO -SHSN LATE TONIGHT WITH CONDITIONS NEAR IFR. LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WITH NNW WINDS WILL MAINTAIN MVFR CIGS INTO EARLY TUE AFTERNOON. && .MARINE...(FOR THE 4 AM LAKE SUPERIOR FORECAST ISSUANCE) ISSUED AT 508 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 LOW PRES OVER NRN MN WILL MOVE ACROSS LAKE SUPERIOR TODAY INTO THIS EVENING. AS A RESULT...WINDS ON LAKE SUPERIOR WILL VEER FM SW THIS MORNING TO NNW LATE TODAY AND TONIGHT AND RAMP UP TO 20 TO 30 KTS TONIGHT AND TUE...STRONGEST OVER THE EAST HALF. NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION THAT THERE COULD BE SOME GALE FORCE GUSTS OVER THE E HALF OF THE LAKE LATE TONIGHT/TUE MORNING. WINDS WILL DIMINISH W TO E TUE AFTN/NIGHT AS A HIGH PRES RIDGE BUILDS IN FM THE WEST. WED THRU FRI...WINDS WILL BE UNDER 20KT. LINGERING WARM MOIST AIR WILL ALLOW FOG TO CONTINUE OVER THE LAKE TODAY...POSSIBLE LOCALLY DENSE OVER THE EAST HALF THIS MORNING. ALL FOG SHOULD DISSIPATE BY THIS EVENING AS COLDER AIR ARRIVES. && .MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... UPPER MICHIGAN... NONE. LAKE SUPERIOR... NONE. LAKE MICHIGAN... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...VOSS LONG TERM...SRF AVIATION...JLB MARINE...VOSS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GAYLORD MI
156 PM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 156 PM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 SCT SHRA HAVE DEVELOPED OVER THE PAST HOUR...A LITTLE FURTHER INLAND THAN EXPECTED (FROM W BRANCH TO NEAR BLACK RIVER). FORECAST ADJUSTED ACCORDINGLY...EXPANDING AND BOOSTING POPS. FORECAST ALSO ADJUSTED EARLIER TO BOOST MAX TEMPS IN PARTS OF NE LOWER...ESPECIALLY NEAR APN/ROGERS...PER OBS. UPDATE ISSUED AT 947 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 A STRONG COLD FRONT IS OVER EASTERN WI THIS MORNING. TEMPS ARE PUSHING 70F ALONG THE WI LAKE MI COAST...BUT ARE IN THE LOW 40S IN THE NW CORNER OF THE STATE. THERE IS NO PRECIP ALONG THE FRONT...IN FACT THERE IS NO CLOUD COVER ALONG THE FRONT...THOUGH POST-FRONTAL CLOUD COVER IS SUBSTANTIAL. CLOSER TO HOME...PATCHY MID/HIGH CLOUDS ARE SEEN OVER NORTHERN MI...A BIT THICKER ACROSS EASTERN UPPER. A COUPLE OF POINTS OF CONCERN TODAY. THE COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON. ANY POTENTIAL CONVECTION ALONG IT LOOKS TO BE CONFINED TO THE EXTREME SE...AS A GENERAL LACK OF FORCING AND WARM TEMPS ALOFT WILL PROVE A SIGNIFICANT OBSTACLE. WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO MUSTER 500J/KG OF SBCAPE IN FAR SE SECTIONS. THE MOST RECENT HRRR AND RUC RUNS DO TRY TO POP SOMETHING EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...BEFORE DRIER AIR ARRIVES LATER IN THE DAY. HAVE ADDED A SLIGHT CHANCE OF A SHRA EARLY/MID AFTERNOON FROM OSC TO STANDISH. THE OTHER ISSUE IS ANY POTENTIAL FIRE WX CONCERNS. JUST BEHIND A COLD FRONT IS A CLASSIC SUMMER FIRE WX PATTERN FOR US...AS WITH STRONG HEATING WE TEND TO DRY OUT FASTER THAN WE COOL OFF. HOWEVER... IDEALLY COLD FROPA WOULD HAPPEN A FEW HOURS EARLIER...IN THE MORNING AS OPPOSED TO THE PM. HAVE LOWERED DEW POINTS A BIT DURING THE AFTERNOON...BUT HAVE ALSO DONE THE SAME TO LATE-DAY TEMPS AS THE COOLER AIR MAKES INITIAL INROADS. SO DON/T HAVE RH LEVELS GOING BELOW 35 PERCENT OR SO. && .NEAR TERM...(TODAY THROUGH TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 319 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 ALL REMAINING SHOWERS HAVE EXITED NE OUT OF OUR CWA EARLY THIS MORNING...WITH NO ADDITIONAL SHOWER ACTIVITY CURRENTLY PRESENT UPSTREAM AS THE WRN GREAT LAKES REMAINS FIRMLY WITHIN THE DRY SLOT ASSOCIATED WITH DEEP LOW PRESSURE NOW CENTERED OVER NRN MINNESOTA. SKIES HAVE AT LEAST PARTIALLY CLEARED IN RESPONSE TO THIS DRIER AIR WORKING ITS WAY INTO MICHIGAN. OUR CWA WILL REMAIN WITHIN THE DRY SLOT THRU MUCH OF TODAY AS THE SURFACE LOW CENTER MAKES SLOW EASTWARD PROGRESS THRU UPPER MICHIGAN AND INTO QUEBEC BY 00Z TUESDAY. EXPECT A PARTLY TO MOSTLY SUNNY AND DRY DAY ALONG WITH UNSEASONABLY WARM TEMPS FOR MOST OF OUR CWA. AFTERNOON HIGHS WILL ONLY REACH TO AROUND 70 DEGREES ACROSS ERN UPR MICHIGAN WHERE CAA ON THE BACKSIDE OF THE LOW WILL INITIALLY BEGIN THIS AFTERNOON. BUT TEMPS WILL ONCE AGAIN WARM INTO THE UPPER 70S AND LOWER 80S FOR NRN LWR MICHIGAN (COOLER NEAR THE LAKES)...GIVING US ONE LAST DAY OF SUMMER WARMTH BEFORE THE REALITY OF NRN MICHIGAN IN MID MAY KICKS BACK IN ON TUESDAY. LOW LEVEL MOISTURE/CLOUDS WILL WRAP BACK INTO NRN MICHIGAN TONIGHT ON THE BACKSIDE OF THE DEPARTING LOW. THE CAA BEHIND THE LOW WILL BE RAPID AND IMPRESSIVE THRU THE NIGHT...AS 850 MB TEMPS DROP FROM +13C THIS AFTERNOON TO AROUND -2C BY 12Z TUESDAY. AT THIS POINT...THINK THE ONLY LOCATION THAT WILL SEE A CHANCE OF SHOWERS WILL BE NW CHIPPEWA COUNTY THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT WHERE CAA AND LOW LEVEL WRAP AROUND MOISTURE ADVECTION TAKE PLACE SOONEST. THE REST OF OUR CWA SHOULD BE GENERALLY DRY...BUT WITH DEEP CYCLONIC FLOW... INCREASING LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AND EVENTUALLY SOME OVER-LAKE INSTABILITY DEVELOPING LATE TONIGHT THANKS TO CAA...WILL NEED TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME SHOWER ACTIVITY TO DEVELOP. FOR NOW...WILL MAINTAIN A DRY FORECAST WITH INCREASING CLOUDS TONIGHT. TEMPS WILL BE NOTICEABLY COLDER TONIGHT...WITH LOWS FALLING MAINLY INTO THE 40S. && .SHORT TERM...(TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 319 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 HIGH IMPACT WEATHER: TUESDAY NIGHT LOW TEMPERATURES/FROST POTENTIAL FOR N LOWER. FORECAST CHALLENGE: HOW FAR WILL THE TEMPERATURES FALL TUESDAY NIGHT. (05/19)TUESDAY...WITH THE FRONT SEVERAL HUNDRED MILES TO THE EAST, THE COLD AIR WILL BE PUSHING INTO THE REGION THROUGH THE DAY. TEMPERATURES WILL PRETTY MUCH GO NO WHERE AS THE 850 MB TEMPERATURES FALL FROM AROUND 0C TO ABOUT -4 OR -6C DEPENDING ON THE MODEL. THE ECMWF IS BEGINNING TO BACK OFF ON THE -8C AIR THAT IT WAS ADVERTISING THE LAST 2 RUNS, WITH IT AROUND -6C AT ANJ. WHILE THE GFS WILL BE AROUND -4C. WILL HAVE A MIX OF RAIN AND SNOW IN THE AFTERNOON AS THE SFC TEMPERATURES BEGIN TO FALL INTO THE UPPER 30S BY IN E UPPER. THE MOISTURE DOESN`T LOOK DEEP ENOUGH FOR PRECIPITATION IN N LOWER SO WILL LEAVE IT OUT OF THERE, JUST MOSTLY CLOUDY. OVERNIGHT, THE RH AT 850 MB AND IN THE 700-500 MB LAYER WILL DROP TO LESS THAN 20% ON BOTH MODELS BY 12Z. AND WITH THE 850 MB TEMPERATURES MAINTAINING AROUND 0C OR BELOW, AND, AT LEAST ON THE ECMWF, THE WINDS WILL PROBABLY DECOUPLE, FROST IS PROBABLE, AND MAYBE A FREEZE IS POSSIBLE. FOR NOW WILL HAVE PATCHY AND AREAS OF FROST, BUT THIS IS LOOKING MORE WIDE SPREAD IF THE WINDS DROP OFF LIKE THE ECMWF WOULD SUGGEST. (05/20)WEDNESDAY...LOOKS TO BE A SUNNY TO PARTLY CLOUDY DAY WITH LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND HIGH TEMPERATURES, BELOW NORMAL (LOOKS LIKE NOW AROUND 5 TO 10 DEGREES BELOW) IF THE MODELS PAN OUT. OVERNIGHT, A 500 MB SHORTWAVE PUSHES THROUGH THE FORECAST AREA, BUT THE MODELS SUGGEST THAT ONLY THE MOISTURE IN THE 700-500 MB LAYER WOULD INCREASE, IF ANY AT ALL. SO WILL EXPECT THAT THE NIGHT WOULD REMAIN DRY. MAY IDEAS IS THAT THE SKY REMAINS CLEAR TO PARTLY CLOUDY, SO TEMPERATURES LOOK TO BE IN THE LOWER TO MID 30S, SO ANOTHER FROST NIGHT? PUT PATCHY IN FOR THE INLAND AREAS, AND LEFT THE LAKE SHORES FROST FREE WHERE THE AIR TEMPERATURE IS EXPECTED TO BE A LITTLE WARMER. && .LONG TERM...(THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 319 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 EXTENDED (THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY)...WITH THE 500 MB TROUGH THAT PARKS ITSELF OVER THE NEW ENGLAND STARTING TUESDAY AND HANGS THERE THROUGH FRIDAY. FRIDAY, THE LOW BEGINS TO MOVE OUT ALLOWING THE 500 MB RIDGE TO BUILD IN THE UPPER GREAT LAKES. SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE LONG TERM? SFC HIGH PRESSURE WILL CAMP OUT IN THE UPPER GREAT LAKES THROUGH THE WEEK, KEEPING THE AREA DRY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT, AND THE 500 MB PATTERN WILL KEEP THE HIGH TEMPERATURES AROUND OR BELOW NORMAL THROUGH THE WEEK WHEN THE NORMAL HIGH TEMPERATURES IN GAYLORD AND SAULT STE. MARIE ARE IN THE UPPER 60S. SUNDAY, THE MODELS BEGIN TO KEY IN ON THE NEXT 500 MB LOW THAT MOVES OUT OF THE CENTRAL ROCKIES AND INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS, PRODUCING SHOWERS AND POSSIBLY THUNDERSTORMS AS THE WARM FRONT PUSHES UP THROUGH THE STATE. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 126 PM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 VFR THRU THIS EVENING. MVFR CIGS DEVELOPING OVERNIGHT PLN/TVC/MBL. LOW PRESSURE IS CENTERED JUST NE OF LAKE SUPERIOR...AND WILL MOVE QUICKLY INTO QUEBEC THRU THIS EVENING. STRONG COLD FRONT WILL CROSS NORTHERN MI THIS AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING. MINIMAL RISK OF PRECIP WITH THE FRONT...BUT LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WILL INCREASE IN THE MUCH COLDER AIR BEHIND THE FRONT. MVFR CIGS WILL BECOME ESTABLISHED AT PLN/TVC/MBL LATE TONIGHT...AND CONTINUE INTO TUE MORNING. APN WILL STAY VFR. SW WINDS WILL BE GUSTY (20-25KT) THIS AFTERNOON. WINDS VEER W AND NW TONIGHT...BECOMING LESS GUSTY FOR A PERIOD...BEFORE BLUSTERINESS RETURNS TUE MORNING. && .MARINE... ISSUED AT 319 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 WINDS AND WAVES WILL APPROACH SCA CRITERIA TODAY AND ESPECIALLY TONIGHT AS CAA DEVELOPS ON THE WAKE OF A DEPARTING LOW. AT THIS POINT...EXPECT CONDITIONS SHOULD REMAIN UNDER CRITERIA...SO WILL NOT ISSUE A SCA AT THIS TIME. STRONGER NW WINDS WILL LIKELY DEVELOP ON TUESDAY AS CAA STRENGTHENS BEHIND THE DEPARTING LOW. AREAS OF FOG AND LOW STRATUS WILL CONTINUE TO IMPACT OUR NEARSHORE AREAS THRU THIS MORNING BEFORE MIXING OUT THIS AFTERNOON. && .APX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MI...NONE. LH...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 10 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR LHZ345>347. LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 10 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR LMZ341-342. LS...NONE. && $$ UPDATE...JAZ NEAR TERM...MLR SHORT TERM...JSL LONG TERM...JSL AVIATION...JAZ MARINE...MLR
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MARQUETTE MI
129 PM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 508 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 WATER VAPOR LOOP AND RAP ANALYSIS SHOWS MID-LVL LOW ROTATING OVER NRN MN WITH A DRY SLOT AHEAD OF LOW REACHING ACROSS MUCH OF THE UPPER MI. COLD FRONT MOVING ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA OVERNIGHT HAS ALLOWED DRIER AIR TO ADVECT IN FROM THE SW WHICH HAS DISSIPATED THE DENSE FOG OVER LAKE MI AND AREAS DOWNSTREAM OVER ERN UPPER MI. DRY SLOT HAS LEFT UPPER MI GENERALLY PCPN FREE OVER THE EARLY MORNING HRS. TODAY AND TONIGHT...THE FOCUS TODAY WILL ON COLD SURGE WHICH WILL BE MOVING INTO THE WEST MID-LATE MORNING AND CONTINUE EASTWARD THROUGH THE DAY. AHEAD OF THE FRONT OVER THE EAST HALF OF UPPER MI AND AWAY FROM THE MODERATING INFLUENCE OF LAKE MICHIGAN...SHOULD SEE TEMPERATURES REACH IN THE MID TO UPPER 60S (WITH A FEW 70S POSSIBLE IF THERE ARE BREAKS IN THE LOW CLOUDS). OVER THE WEST HALF WHERE FRONTAL PASSAGE WILL OCCUR EARLIER...MORNING TO EARLY AFTERNOON HIGH TEMPS WILL RANGE FROM UPPER 40S/50F NEAR IRONWOOD TO LOWER 60S ALONG A LINE FM MQT TO MENOMINEE. IN ADDITION...ALL OF THE HIGHER RESOLUTION MODELS ARE SURGING IN A LAKE BREEZE OFF LAKE SUPERIOR (FROM MARQUETTE EASTWARD) WHICH WILL LEAD TO COOLER NORTHERLY FLOW BY MID-LATE AFTERNOON OVER NCNTRL AREAS. WITH THE COLD AIR AND ABUNDANT MOISTURE SURGING INTO THE AREA AS WINDS TURN WESTERLY...EXPECT ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS TO DEVELOP OVER THE WEST FIRST (ESPECIALLY IN THE FAVORED UPSLOPE AREAS) AND THEN SPREAD INTO THE CENTRAL AREAS EVENING AND POSSIBLY EASTERN COUNTIES LATE EVENING/OVERNIGHT. CAA ON BLUSTERY NW TO N WINDS WILL ALLOW 8H TEMPS TO FALL TO -8 TO -10C OVER MUCH OF THE WEST HALF OF UPPER MI BY 12Z TUE. 8H TEMPS WILL FALL TO AROUND -5C OVER THE EAST HALF OVERNIGHT. BEST FORCING OUT AHEAD ANOTHER SHORTWAVE TRACKING ALONG THE MN/ONTARIO BORDER TONIGHT WILL STAY MAINLY NW OF UPPER MI KEEPING MUCH OF THE ASSOCIATED LIGHT PCPN N OF UPPER MI. HOWEVER...DEEP CYCLONIC FLOW/MOISTURE WILL STILL SUPPORT SOME LIGHT PCPN IN UPPER MI AS WELL...ESPECIALLY IN THE UPSLOPE AREAS OF THE W AND N. WITH COLD ADVECTION TAKING PLACE AS NOTED BEFORE...THE -SHRA WILL MIX WITH OR CHANGE TO -SHSN TONIGHT FROM WEST TO EAST. DUE TO THE COLD ADVECTION AND PCPN OCCURRING DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...CAN`T RULE OUT A DUSTING TO LOCALLY A HALFINCH OF SNOW ON GRASSY SFCS BY 12Z TUE. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 407 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 TUESDAY WILL BRING ABOUT ONLY SLOWLY RISING TEMPS AS A SECONDARY TROUGH/COLD FRONT SINKING ACROSS CENTRAL TO E UPPER MI. 850MB TEMPS AT A CHILLY -10C OVER THE KEWEENAW PENINSULA /2-5C WARMER OFF THE 17/18Z AND 18/00Z GFS RUNS...AS WELL AS THE REGIONAL WRF/. THE NAM IS THE COLDEST WITH THE ENTIRE W HALF AROUND -11C TUESDAY MORNING. 850MB TEMPS WILL FALL FROM AROUND -4C AT ERY TO AROUND -9C BY 18Z TUESDAY ON NW WINDS. THIS WILL BE AS ANOTHER SHORTWAVE OVER NE MN AT 12Z SLIDES ACROSS LAKE SUPERIOR. YES...SNOW IS POSSIBLE STILL ON TUESDAY...BUT MAY BE LIMITED TO JUST A DUSTING ON MAINLY GRASSY SURFACES THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS...BEFORE THE LOW LEVEL RH DIMINISHES SIGNIFICANTLY. EXPECT BREEZY CONDITIONS...WITH GUSTS AVERAGING 20-25KTS ACROSS MUCH OF THE CWA...STRONGEST ACROSS THE KEWEENAW PENINSULA AND E NEAR LAKE SUPERIOR. DESPITE LIGHT W FLOW RETURNING AT THE SFC TUESDAY NIGHT AND 850MB TEMPS WARMING TO AROUND 0C...LOWS NEAR TO SLIGHTLY BELOW FREEZING WILL BE POSSIBLE /COLDEST IN THE TRADITIONAL COOL SPOTS OF THE INTERIOR W HALF OF UPPER MI/. EXPECT DRIER CONDITIONS WITH LIGHTER WINDS WEDNESDAY AS SFC TEMPS REBOUND TO AROUND 60F. THIS WILL BE DESPITE THE 500MB TROUGH WITH ITS NW FLOW LINGERING OVERHEAD...AS THE LARGE SFC HIGH OVER THE DAKOTAS BUILDS A RIDGE ACROSS UPPER MI. PW VALUES SHOULD BE AROUND 0.25IN FROM OVERNIGHT TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MUCH OF WEDNESDAY /ALTHOUGH SLIGHTLY HIGHER NEAR LAKE MI FROM LATE MORNING ON/. DRY WEATHER SHOULD REMAIN THROUGH THE REST OF THE WORK WEEK AT NW FLOW LINGERS AT 500MB. THERE WILL BE A WEAK COLD FRONT STRETCHING ACROSS N LAKE SUPERIOR AT 00Z THURSDAY THAT SINKS ACROSS UPPER MI WEDNESDAY EVENING AND LOWER MI DURING THE DAY THURSDAY. NOT EXPECTING MUCH MORE THAN THE POSSIBILITY OF TEMPORARY ADDITIONAL CLOUD COVER. HIGH PRESSURE WILL SLIDE IN BEHIND THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY TO WRAP UP THE END OF THE WORK WEEK. EXPECT THIS HIGH TO SHIFT TO THE LOWER GREAT LAKES BY 18Z SATURDAY AND OFF THE MID-ATLANTIC COAST SUNDAY MORNING. THIS EXITING HIGH WILL ALLOW MOISTURE TO RETURN...ALONG WITH A GOOD CHANCE OF SHOWERS FOR SUNDAY. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 128 PM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 WRAPAROUND MOISTURE INTO THE WRN TAF SITES WILL PRODUCE SOME SCT RAIN SHOWERS THIS AFTERNOON AT IWD AND CMX UNDER MVFR CONDITIONS. EXPECT CIGS NEAR OF JUST ABOVE THRESHOLD AT SAW UNTIL THIS EVENING WHEN THE COLDER AIR AND GREATER LOW LEVEL MOISTURE MOVE IN. THE PUSH OF COLDER AIR BEHIND SECONDARY COLD FRONT WILL CHANGE RAIN SHOWERS AT KIWD AND KCMX OVER TO SNOW SHOWERS THIS EVENING WITH IFR CONDITIONS DEVELOPING. SCT -SHRA DEVELOPING AT KSAW EARLY EVENING WILL ALSO CHANGE OVER TO -SHSN LATE TONIGHT WITH CONDITIONS NEAR IFR. LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WITH NNW WINDS WILL MAINTAIN MVFR CIGS INTO EARLY TUE AFTERNOON. && .MARINE...(FOR THE 4 AM LAKE SUPERIOR FORECAST ISSUANCE) ISSUED AT 508 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 LOW PRES OVER NRN MN WILL MOVE ACROSS LAKE SUPERIOR TODAY INTO THIS EVENING. AS A RESULT...WINDS ON LAKE SUPERIOR WILL VEER FM SW THIS MORNING TO NNW LATE TODAY AND TONIGHT AND RAMP UP TO 20 TO 30 KTS TONIGHT AND TUE...STRONGEST OVER THE EAST HALF. NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION THAT THERE COULD BE SOME GALE FORCE GUSTS OVER THE E HALF OF THE LAKE LATE TONIGHT/TUE MORNING. WINDS WILL DIMINISH W TO E TUE AFTN/NIGHT AS A HIGH PRES RIDGE BUILDS IN FM THE WEST. WED THRU FRI...WINDS WILL BE UNDER 20KT. LINGERING WARM MOIST AIR WILL ALLOW FOG TO CONTINUE OVER THE LAKE TODAY...POSSIBLE LOCALLY DENSE OVER THE EAST HALF THIS MORNING. ALL FOG SHOULD DISSIPATE BY THIS EVENING AS COLDER AIR ARRIVES. && .MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... UPPER MICHIGAN... NONE. LAKE SUPERIOR... NONE. LAKE MICHIGAN... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...VOSS LONG TERM...KF AVIATION...JLB MARINE...VOSS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GAYLORD MI
948 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 947 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 A STRONG COLD FRONT IS OVER EASTERN WI THIS MORNING. TEMPS ARE PUSHING 70F ALONG THE WI LAKE MI COAST...BUT ARE IN THE LOW 40S IN THE NW CORNER OF THE STATE. THERE IS NO PRECIP ALONG THE FRONT...IN FACT THERE IS NO CLOUD COVER ALONG THE FRONT...THOUGH POST-FRONTAL CLOUD COVER IS SUBSTANTIAL. CLOSER TO HOME...PATCHY MID/HIGH CLOUDS ARE SEEN OVER NORTHERN MI...A BIT THICKER ACROSS EASTERN UPPER. A COUPLE OF POINTS OF CONCERN TODAY. THE COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON. ANY POTENTIAL CONVECTION ALONG IT LOOKS TO BE CONFINED TO THE EXTREME SE...AS A GENERAL LACK OF FORCING AND WARM TEMPS ALOFT WILL PROVE A SIGNIFICANT OBSTACLE. WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO MUSTER 500J/KG OF SBCAPE IN FAR SE SECTIONS. THE MOST RECENT HRRR AND RUC RUNS DO TRY TO POP SOMETHING EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...BEFORE DRIER AIR ARRIVES LATER IN THE DAY. HAVE ADDED A SLIGHT CHANCE OF A SHRA EARLY/MID AFTERNOON FROM OSC TO STANDISH. THE OTHER ISSUE IS ANY POTENTIAL FIRE WX CONCERNS. JUST BEHIND A COLD FRONT IS A CLASSIC SUMMER FIRE WX PATTERN FOR US...AS WITH STRONG HEATING WE TEND TO DRY OUT FASTER THAN WE COOL OFF. HOWEVER... IDEALLY COLD FROPA WOULD HAPPEN A FEW HOURS EARLIER...IN THE MORNING AS OPPOSED TO THE PM. HAVE LOWERED DEW POINTS A BIT DURING THE AFTERNOON...BUT HAVE ALSO DONE THE SAME TO LATE-DAY TEMPS AS THE COOLER AIR MAKES INITIAL INROADS. SO DON/T HAVE RH LEVELS GOING BELOW 35 PERCENT OR SO. && .NEAR TERM...(TODAY THROUGH TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 319 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 ALL REMAINING SHOWERS HAVE EXITED NE OUT OF OUR CWA EARLY THIS MORNING...WITH NO ADDITIONAL SHOWER ACTIVITY CURRENTLY PRESENT UPSTREAM AS THE WRN GREAT LAKES REMAINS FIRMLY WITHIN THE DRY SLOT ASSOCIATED WITH DEEP LOW PRESSURE NOW CENTERED OVER NRN MINNESOTA. SKIES HAVE AT LEAST PARTIALLY CLEARED IN RESPONSE TO THIS DRIER AIR WORKING ITS WAY INTO MICHIGAN. OUR CWA WILL REMAIN WITHIN THE DRY SLOT THRU MUCH OF TODAY AS THE SURFACE LOW CENTER MAKES SLOW EASTWARD PROGRESS THRU UPPER MICHIGAN AND INTO QUEBEC BY 00Z TUESDAY. EXPECT A PARTLY TO MOSTLY SUNNY AND DRY DAY ALONG WITH UNSEASONABLY WARM TEMPS FOR MOST OF OUR CWA. AFTERNOON HIGHS WILL ONLY REACH TO AROUND 70 DEGREES ACROSS ERN UPR MICHIGAN WHERE CAA ON THE BACKSIDE OF THE LOW WILL INITIALLY BEGIN THIS AFTERNOON. BUT TEMPS WILL ONCE AGAIN WARM INTO THE UPPER 70S AND LOWER 80S FOR NRN LWR MICHIGAN (COOLER NEAR THE LAKES)...GIVING US ONE LAST DAY OF SUMMER WARMTH BEFORE THE REALITY OF NRN MICHIGAN IN MID MAY KICKS BACK IN ON TUESDAY. LOW LEVEL MOISTURE/CLOUDS WILL WRAP BACK INTO NRN MICHIGAN TONIGHT ON THE BACKSIDE OF THE DEPARTING LOW. THE CAA BEHIND THE LOW WILL BE RAPID AND IMPRESSIVE THRU THE NIGHT...AS 850 MB TEMPS DROP FROM +13C THIS AFTERNOON TO AROUND -2C BY 12Z TUESDAY. AT THIS POINT...THINK THE ONLY LOCATION THAT WILL SEE A CHANCE OF SHOWERS WILL BE NW CHIPPEWA COUNTY THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT WHERE CAA AND LOW LEVEL WRAP AROUND MOISTURE ADVECTION TAKE PLACE SOONEST. THE REST OF OUR CWA SHOULD BE GENERALLY DRY...BUT WITH DEEP CYCLONIC FLOW... INCREASING LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AND EVENTUALLY SOME OVER-LAKE INSTABILITY DEVELOPING LATE TONIGHT THANKS TO CAA...WILL NEED TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME SHOWER ACTIVITY TO DEVELOP. FOR NOW...WILL MAINTAIN A DRY FORECAST WITH INCREASING CLOUDS TONIGHT. TEMPS WILL BE NOTICEABLY COLDER TONIGHT...WITH LOWS FALLING MAINLY INTO THE 40S. && .SHORT TERM...(TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 319 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 HIGH IMPACT WEATHER: TUESDAY NIGHT LOW TEMPERATURES/FROST POTENTIAL FOR N LOWER. FORECAST CHALLENGE: HOW FAR WILL THE TEMPERATURES FALL TUESDAY NIGHT. (05/19)TUESDAY...WITH THE FRONT SEVERAL HUNDRED MILES TO THE EAST, THE COLD AIR WILL BE PUSHING INTO THE REGION THROUGH THE DAY. TEMPERATURES WILL PRETTY MUCH GO NO WHERE AS THE 850 MB TEMPERATURES FALL FROM AROUND 0C TO ABOUT -4 OR -6C DEPENDING ON THE MODEL. THE ECMWF IS BEGINNING TO BACK OFF ON THE -8C AIR THAT IT WAS ADVERTISING THE LAST 2 RUNS, WITH IT AROUND -6C AT ANJ. WHILE THE GFS WILL BE AROUND -4C. WILL HAVE A MIX OF RAIN AND SNOW IN THE AFTERNOON AS THE SFC TEMPERATURES BEGIN TO FALL INTO THE UPPER 30S BY IN E UPPER. THE MOISTURE DOESN`T LOOK DEEP ENOUGH FOR PRECIPITATION IN N LOWER SO WILL LEAVE IT OUT OF THERE, JUST MOSTLY CLOUDY. OVERNIGHT, THE RH AT 850 MB AND IN THE 700-500 MB LAYER WILL DROP TO LESS THAN 20% ON BOTH MODELS BY 12Z. AND WITH THE 850 MB TEMPERATURES MAINTAINING AROUND 0C OR BELOW, AND, AT LEAST ON THE ECMWF, THE WINDS WILL PROBABLY DECOUPLE, FROST IS PROBABLE, AND MAYBE A FREEZE IS POSSIBLE. FOR NOW WILL HAVE PATCHY AND AREAS OF FROST, BUT THIS IS LOOKING MORE WIDE SPREAD IF THE WINDS DROP OFF LIKE THE ECMWF WOULD SUGGEST. (05/20)WEDNESDAY...LOOKS TO BE A SUNNY TO PARTLY CLOUDY DAY WITH LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND HIGH TEMPERATURES, BELOW NORMAL (LOOKS LIKE NOW AROUND 5 TO 10 DEGREES BELOW) IF THE MODELS PAN OUT. OVERNIGHT, A 500 MB SHORTWAVE PUSHES THROUGH THE FORECAST AREA, BUT THE MODELS SUGGEST THAT ONLY THE MOISTURE IN THE 700-500 MB LAYER WOULD INCREASE, IF ANY AT ALL. SO WILL EXPECT THAT THE NIGHT WOULD REMAIN DRY. MAY IDEAS IS THAT THE SKY REMAINS CLEAR TO PARTLY CLOUDY, SO TEMPERATURES LOOK TO BE IN THE LOWER TO MID 30S, SO ANOTHER FROST NIGHT? PUT PATCHY IN FOR THE INLAND AREAS, AND LEFT THE LAKE SHORES FROST FREE WHERE THE AIR TEMPERATURE IS EXPECTED TO BE A LITTLE WARMER. && .LONG TERM...(THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 319 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 EXTENDED (THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY)...WITH THE 500 MB TROUGH THAT PARKS ITSELF OVER THE NEW ENGLAND STARTING TUESDAY AND HANGS THERE THROUGH FRIDAY. FRIDAY, THE LOW BEGINS TO MOVE OUT ALLOWING THE 500 MB RIDGE TO BUILD IN THE UPPER GREAT LAKES. SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE LONG TERM? SFC HIGH PRESSURE WILL CAMP OUT IN THE UPPER GREAT LAKES THROUGH THE WEEK, KEEPING THE AREA DRY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT, AND THE 500 MB PATTERN WILL KEEP THE HIGH TEMPERATURES AROUND OR BELOW NORMAL THROUGH THE WEEK WHEN THE NORMAL HIGH TEMPERATURES IN GAYLORD AND SAULT STE. MARIE ARE IN THE UPPER 60S. SUNDAY, THE MODELS BEGIN TO KEY IN ON THE NEXT 500 MB LOW THAT MOVES OUT OF THE CENTRAL ROCKIES AND INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS, PRODUCING SHOWERS AND POSSIBLY THUNDERSTORMS AS THE WARM FRONT PUSHES UP THROUGH THE STATE. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 700 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED AT ALL NRN LWR MICHIGAN TAF SITES THRU TODAY AS THE DRY SLOT (ASSOCIATED WITH DEEP LOW PRESSURE JUST WEST OF MICHIGAN) REMAINS OVERHEAD. A LARGE AREA OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WILL WRAP BACK INTO NRN MICHIGAN TONIGHT AS THE SURFACE LOW RIDES EAST THRU MICHIGAN AND THEN EXITS INTO QUEBEC. SW SURFACE WINDS AROUND 10 KTS WILL SHIFT TO THE W/NW THIS EVENING. && .MARINE... ISSUED AT 319 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 WINDS AND WAVES WILL APPROACH SCA CRITERIA TODAY AND ESPECIALLY TONIGHT AS CAA DEVELOPS ON THE WAKE OF A DEPARTING LOW. AT THIS POINT...EXPECT CONDITIONS SHOULD REMAIN UNDER CRITERIA...SO WILL NOT ISSUE A SCA AT THIS TIME. STRONGER NW WINDS WILL LIKELY DEVELOP ON TUESDAY AS CAA STRENGTHENS BEHIND THE DEPARTING LOW. AREAS OF FOG AND LOW STRATUS WILL CONTINUE TO IMPACT OUR NEARSHORE AREAS THRU THIS MORNING BEFORE MIXING OUT THIS AFTERNOON. && .APX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MI...NONE. LH...NONE. LM...NONE. LS...NONE. && $$ UPDATE...JAZ NEAR TERM...MLR SHORT TERM...JSL LONG TERM...JSL AVIATION...MLR MARINE...MLR
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MARQUETTE MI
751 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 508 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 WATER VAPOR LOOP AND RAP ANALYSIS SHOWS MID-LVL LOW ROTATING OVER NRN MN WITH A DRY SLOT AHEAD OF LOW REACHING ACROSS MUCH OF THE UPPER MI. COLD FRONT MOVING ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA OVERNIGHT HAS ALLOWED DRIER AIR TO ADVECT IN FROM THE SW WHICH HAS DISSIPATED THE DENSE FOG OVER LAKE MI AND AREAS DOWNSTREAM OVER ERN UPPER MI. DRY SLOT HAS LEFT UPPER MI GENERALLY PCPN FREE OVER THE EARLY MORNING HRS. TODAY AND TONIGHT...THE FOCUS TODAY WILL ON COLD SURGE WHICH WILL BE MOVING INTO THE WEST MID-LATE MORNING AND CONTINUE EASTWARD THROUGH THE DAY. AHEAD OF THE FRONT OVER THE EAST HALF OF UPPER MI AND AWAY FROM THE MODERATING INFLUENCE OF LAKE MICHIGAN...SHOULD SEE TEMPERATURES REACH IN THE MID TO UPPER 60S (WITH A FEW 70S POSSIBLE IF THERE ARE BREAKS IN THE LOW CLOUDS). OVER THE WEST HALF WHERE FRONTAL PASSAGE WILL OCCUR EARLIER...MORNING TO EARLY AFTERNOON HIGH TEMPS WILL RANGE FROM UPPER 40S/50F NEAR IRONWOOD TO LOWER 60S ALONG A LINE FM MQT TO MENOMINEE. IN ADDITION...ALL OF THE HIGHER RESOLUTION MODELS ARE SURGING IN A LAKE BREEZE OFF LAKE SUPERIOR (FROM MARQUETTE EASTWARD) WHICH WILL LEAD TO COOLER NORTHERLY FLOW BY MID-LATE AFTERNOON OVER NCNTRL AREAS. WITH THE COLD AIR AND ABUNDANT MOISTURE SURGING INTO THE AREA AS WINDS TURN WESTERLY...EXPECT ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS TO DEVELOP OVER THE WEST FIRST (ESPECIALLY IN THE FAVORED UPSLOPE AREAS) AND THEN SPREAD INTO THE CENTRAL AREAS EVENING AND POSSIBLY EASTERN COUNTIES LATE EVENING/OVERNIGHT. CAA ON BLUSTERY NW TO N WINDS WILL ALLOW 8H TEMPS TO FALL TO -8 TO -10C OVER MUCH OF THE WEST HALF OF UPPER MI BY 12Z TUE. 8H TEMPS WILL FALL TO AROUND -5C OVER THE EAST HALF OVERNIGHT. BEST FORCING OUT AHEAD ANOTHER SHORTWAVE TRACKING ALONG THE MN/ONTARIO BORDER TONIGHT WILL STAY MAINLY NW OF UPPER MI KEEPING MUCH OF THE ASSOCIATED LIGHT PCPN N OF UPPER MI. HOWEVER...DEEP CYCLONIC FLOW/MOISTURE WILL STILL SUPPORT SOME LIGHT PCPN IN UPPER MI AS WELL...ESPECIALLY IN THE UPSLOPE AREAS OF THE W AND N. WITH COLD ADVECTION TAKING PLACE AS NOTED BEFORE...THE -SHRA WILL MIX WITH OR CHANGE TO -SHSN TONIGHT FROM WEST TO EAST. DUE TO THE COLD ADVECTION AND PCPN OCCURRING DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...CAN`T RULE OUT A DUSTING TO LOCALLY A HALFINCH OF SNOW ON GRASSY SFCS BY 12Z TUE. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 407 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 TUESDAY WILL BRING ABOUT ONLY SLOWLY RISING TEMPS AS A SECONDARY TROUGH/COLD FRONT SINKING ACROSS CENTRAL TO E UPPER MI. 850MB TEMPS AT A CHILLY -10C OVER THE KEWEENAW PENINSULA /2-5C WARMER OFF THE 17/18Z AND 18/00Z GFS RUNS...AS WELL AS THE REGIONAL WRF/. THE NAM IS THE COLDEST WITH THE ENTIRE W HALF AROUND -11C TUESDAY MORNING. 850MB TEMPS WILL FALL FROM AROUND -4C AT ERY TO AROUND -9C BY 18Z TUESDAY ON NW WINDS. THIS WILL BE AS ANOTHER SHORTWAVE OVER NE MN AT 12Z SLIDES ACROSS LAKE SUPERIOR. YES...SNOW IS POSSIBLE STILL ON TUESDAY...BUT MAY BE LIMITED TO JUST A DUSTING ON MAINLY GRASSY SURFACES THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS...BEFORE THE LOW LEVEL RH DIMINISHES SIGNIFICANTLY. EXPECT BREEZY CONDITIONS...WITH GUSTS AVERAGING 20-25KTS ACROSS MUCH OF THE CWA...STRONGEST ACROSS THE KEWEENAW PENINSULA AND E NEAR LAKE SUPERIOR. DESPITE LIGHT W FLOW RETURNING AT THE SFC TUESDAY NIGHT AND 850MB TEMPS WARMING TO AROUND 0C...LOWS NEAR TO SLIGHTLY BELOW FREEZING WILL BE POSSIBLE /COLDEST IN THE TRADITIONAL COOL SPOTS OF THE INTERIOR W HALF OF UPPER MI/. EXPECT DRIER CONDITIONS WITH LIGHTER WINDS WEDNESDAY AS SFC TEMPS REBOUND TO AROUND 60F. THIS WILL BE DESPITE THE 500MB TROUGH WITH ITS NW FLOW LINGERING OVERHEAD...AS THE LARGE SFC HIGH OVER THE DAKOTAS BUILDS A RIDGE ACROSS UPPER MI. PW VALUES SHOULD BE AROUND 0.25IN FROM OVERNIGHT TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MUCH OF WEDNESDAY /ALTHOUGH SLIGHTLY HIGHER NEAR LAKE MI FROM LATE MORNING ON/. DRY WEATHER SHOULD REMAIN THROUGH THE REST OF THE WORK WEEK AT NW FLOW LINGERS AT 500MB. THERE WILL BE A WEAK COLD FRONT STRETCHING ACROSS N LAKE SUPERIOR AT 00Z THURSDAY THAT SINKS ACROSS UPPER MI WEDNESDAY EVENING AND LOWER MI DURING THE DAY THURSDAY. NOT EXPECTING MUCH MORE THAN THE POSSIBILITY OF TEMPORARY ADDITIONAL CLOUD COVER. HIGH PRESSURE WILL SLIDE IN BEHIND THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY TO WRAP UP THE END OF THE WORK WEEK. EXPECT THIS HIGH TO SHIFT TO THE LOWER GREAT LAKES BY 18Z SATURDAY AND OFF THE MID-ATLANTIC COAST SUNDAY MORNING. THIS EXITING HIGH WILL ALLOW MOISTURE TO RETURN...ALONG WITH A GOOD CHANCE OF SHOWERS FOR SUNDAY. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z TUESDAY MORNING) ISSUED AT 743 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 WRAPAROUND MOISTURE BEGINNING TO ARRIVE AT THE WRN TAF SITES WILL PRODUCE SOME SCT RAIN SHOWERS THIS AFTERNOON AT IWD AND CMX UNDER MVFR CONDITIONS. DRY AIR WILL KEEP KSAW VFR UNTIL LATE MORNING WHEN MOISTURE AND BANK OF STRATU MOVES IN FROM THE SW...THEN COULD SEE A PERIOD OF MVFR CIGS. PUSH OF COLDER AIR BEHIND SECONDARY COLD FRONT WILL CHANGE RAIN SHOWERS AT KIWD AND KCMX OVER TO SNOW SHOWERS THIS EVENING WITH IFR CONDITIONS DEVELOPING. SCT -SHRA DEVELOPING AT KSAW EARLY EVENING WILL ALSO CHANGE OVER TO -SHSN LATE TONIGHT WITH POSSIBLE IFR CONDITIONS DEVELOPING. && .MARINE...(FOR THE 4 AM LAKE SUPERIOR FORECAST ISSUANCE) ISSUED AT 508 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 LOW PRES OVER NRN MN WILL MOVE ACROSS LAKE SUPERIOR TODAY INTO THIS EVENING. AS A RESULT...WINDS ON LAKE SUPERIOR WILL VEER FM SW THIS MORNING TO NNW LATE TODAY AND TONIGHT AND RAMP UP TO 20 TO 30 KTS TONIGHT AND TUE...STRONGEST OVER THE EAST HALF. NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION THAT THERE COULD BE SOME GALE FORCE GUSTS OVER THE E HALF OF THE LAKE LATE TONIGHT/TUE MORNING. WINDS WILL DIMINISH W TO E TUE AFTN/NIGHT AS A HIGH PRES RIDGE BUILDS IN FM THE WEST. WED THRU FRI...WINDS WILL BE UNDER 20KT. LINGERING WARM MOIST AIR WILL ALLOW FOG TO CONTINUE OVER THE LAKE TODAY...POSSIBLE LOCALLY DENSE OVER THE EAST HALF THIS MORNING. ALL FOG SHOULD DISSIPATE BY THIS EVENING AS COLDER AIR ARRIVES. && .MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... UPPER MICHIGAN... NONE. LAKE SUPERIOR... NONE. LAKE MICHIGAN... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...VOSS LONG TERM...KF AVIATION...VOSS MARINE...VOSS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MARQUETTE MI
509 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 508 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 WATER VAPOR LOOP AND RAP ANALYSIS SHOWS MID-LVL LOW ROTATING OVER NRN MN WITH A DRY SLOT AHEAD OF LOW REACHING ACROSS MUCH OF THE UPPER MI. COLD FRONT MOVING ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA OVERNIGHT HAS ALLOWED DRIER AIR TO ADVECT IN FROM THE SW WHICH HAS DISSIPATED THE DENSE FOG OVER LAKE MI AND AREAS DOWNSTREAM OVER ERN UPPER MI. DRY SLOT HAS LEFT UPPER MI GENERALLY PCPN FREE OVER THE EARLY MORNING HRS. TODAY AND TONIGHT...THE FOCUS TODAY WILL ON COLD SURGE WHICH WILL BE MOVING INTO THE WEST MID-LATE MORNING AND CONTINUE EASTWARD THROUGH THE DAY. AHEAD OF THE FRONT OVER THE EAST HALF OF UPPER MI AND AWAY FROM THE MODERATING INFLUENCE OF LAKE MICHIGAN...SHOULD SEE TEMPERATURES REACH IN THE MID TO UPPER 60S (WITH A FEW 70S POSSIBLE IF THERE ARE BREAKS IN THE LOW CLOUDS). OVER THE WEST HALF WHERE FRONTAL PASSAGE WILL OCCUR EARLIER...MORNING TO EARLY AFTERNOON HIGH TEMPS WILL RANGE FROM UPPER 40S/50F NEAR IRONWOOD TO LOWER 60S ALONG A LINE FM MQT TO MENOMINEE. IN ADDITION...ALL OF THE HIGHER RESOLUTION MODELS ARE SURGING IN A LAKE BREEZE OFF LAKE SUPERIOR (FROM MARQUETTE EASTWARD) WHICH WILL LEAD TO COOLER NORTHERLY FLOW BY MID-LATE AFTERNOON OVER NCNTRL AREAS. WITH THE COLD AIR AND ABUNDANT MOISTURE SURGING INTO THE AREA AS WINDS TURN WESTERLY...EXPECT ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS TO DEVELOP OVER THE WEST FIRST (ESPECIALLY IN THE FAVORED UPSLOPE AREAS) AND THEN SPREAD INTO THE CENTRAL AREAS EVENING AND POSSIBLY EASTERN COUNTIES LATE EVENING/OVERNIGHT. CAA ON BLUSTERY NW TO N WINDS WILL ALLOW 8H TEMPS TO FALL TO -8 TO -10C OVER MUCH OF THE WEST HALF OF UPPER MI BY 12Z TUE. 8H TEMPS WILL FALL TO AROUND -5C OVER THE EAST HALF OVERNIGHT. BEST FORCING OUT AHEAD ANOTHER SHORTWAVE TRACKING ALONG THE MN/ONTARIO BORDER TONIGHT WILL STAY MAINLY NW OF UPPER MI KEEPING MUCH OF THE ASSOCIATED LIGHT PCPN N OF UPPER MI. HOWEVER...DEEP CYCLONIC FLOW/MOISTURE WILL STILL SUPPORT SOME LIGHT PCPN IN UPPER MI AS WELL...ESPECIALLY IN THE UPSLOPE AREAS OF THE W AND N. WITH COLD ADVECTION TAKING PLACE AS NOTED BEFORE...THE -SHRA WILL MIX WITH OR CHANGE TO -SHSN TONIGHT FROM WEST TO EAST. DUE TO THE COLD ADVECTION AND PCPN OCCURRING DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...CAN`T RULE OUT A DUSTING TO LOCALLY A HALFINCH OF SNOW ON GRASSY SFCS BY 12Z TUE. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 407 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 TUESDAY WILL BRING ABOUT ONLY SLOWLY RISING TEMPS AS A SECONDARY TROUGH/COLD FRONT SINKING ACROSS CENTRAL TO E UPPER MI. 850MB TEMPS AT A CHILLY -10C OVER THE KEWEENAW PENINSULA /2-5C WARMER OFF THE 17/18Z AND 18/00Z GFS RUNS...AS WELL AS THE REGIONAL WRF/. THE NAM IS THE COLDEST WITH THE ENTIRE W HALF AROUND -11C TUESDAY MORNING. 850MB TEMPS WILL FALL FROM AROUND -4C AT ERY TO AROUND -9C BY 18Z TUESDAY ON NW WINDS. THIS WILL BE AS ANOTHER SHORTWAVE OVER NE MN AT 12Z SLIDES ACROSS LAKE SUPERIOR. YES...SNOW IS POSSIBLE STILL ON TUESDAY...BUT MAY BE LIMITED TO JUST A DUSTING ON MAINLY GRASSY SURFACES THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS...BEFORE THE LOW LEVEL RH DIMINISHES SIGNIFICANTLY. EXPECT BREEZY CONDITIONS...WITH GUSTS AVERAGING 20-25KTS ACROSS MUCH OF THE CWA...STRONGEST ACROSS THE KEWEENAW PENINSULA AND E NEAR LAKE SUPERIOR. DESPITE LIGHT W FLOW RETURNING AT THE SFC TUESDAY NIGHT AND 850MB TEMPS WARMING TO AROUND 0C...LOWS NEAR TO SLIGHTLY BELOW FREEZING WILL BE POSSIBLE /COLDEST IN THE TRADITIONAL COOL SPOTS OF THE INTERIOR W HALF OF UPPER MI/. EXPECT DRIER CONDITIONS WITH LIGHTER WINDS WEDNESDAY AS SFC TEMPS REBOUND TO AROUND 60F. THIS WILL BE DESPITE THE 500MB TROUGH WITH ITS NW FLOW LINGERING OVERHEAD...AS THE LARGE SFC HIGH OVER THE DAKOTAS BUILDS A RIDGE ACROSS UPPER MI. PW VALUES SHOULD BE AROUND 0.25IN FROM OVERNIGHT TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MUCH OF WEDNESDAY /ALTHOUGH SLIGHTLY HIGHER NEAR LAKE MI FROM LATE MORNING ON/. DRY WEATHER SHOULD REMAIN THROUGH THE REST OF THE WORK WEEK AT NW FLOW LINGERS AT 500MB. THERE WILL BE A WEAK COLD FRONT STRETCHING ACROSS N LAKE SUPERIOR AT 00Z THURSDAY THAT SINKS ACROSS UPPER MI WEDNESDAY EVENING AND LOWER MI DURING THE DAY THURSDAY. NOT EXPECTING MUCH MORE THAN THE POSSIBILITY OF TEMPORARY ADDITIONAL CLOUD COVER. HIGH PRESSURE WILL SLIDE IN BEHIND THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY TO WRAP UP THE END OF THE WORK WEEK. EXPECT THIS HIGH TO SHIFT TO THE LOWER GREAT LAKES BY 18Z SATURDAY AND OFF THE MID-ATLANTIC COAST SUNDAY MORNING. THIS EXITING HIGH WILL ALLOW MOISTURE TO RETURN...ALONG WITH A GOOD CHANCE OF SHOWERS FOR SUNDAY. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z MONDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 137 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 RAIN IS PRETTY MUCH DONE UNTIL WRAPAROUND MOISTURE ARRIVES WITH SOME SHOWERS LATER MON AFTERNOON AND EVENING AT IWD AND CMX. VFR CONDITIONS WILL TRANSITION TO MVFR OVERNIGHT AT KIWD AND KCMX AS WRAPAROUND MOISTURE ASSOC WITH THE LOW COMES IN. WRAPAROUND MOISTURE WON`T REACH SAW UNTIL LATE MON AFTERNOON/EVENING SO EXPECT TRANSITION FROM VFR TO MVFR CONDITIONS TO OCCUR THERE LATER IN THE DAY. SAW WILL ALSO SEE A LAKE BREEZE MON AFTERNOON THAT WILL SWITCH THEIR WIND TO THE NORTHEAST. && .MARINE...(FOR THE 4 AM LAKE SUPERIOR FORECAST ISSUANCE) ISSUED AT 508 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 LOW PRES OVER NRN MN WILL MOVE ACROSS LAKE SUPERIOR TODAY INTO THIS EVENING. AS A RESULT...WINDS ON LAKE SUPERIOR WILL VEER FM SW THIS MORNING TO NNW LATE TODAY AND TONIGHT AND RAMP UP TO 20 TO 30 KTS TONIGHT AND TUE...STRONGEST OVER THE EAST HALF. NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION THAT THERE COULD BE SOME GALE FORCE GUSTS OVER THE E HALF OF THE LAKE LATE TONIGHT/TUE MORNING. WINDS WILL DIMINISH W TO E TUE AFTN/NIGHT AS A HIGH PRES RIDGE BUILDS IN FM THE WEST. WED THRU FRI...WINDS WILL BE UNDER 20KT. LINGERING WARM MOIST AIR WILL ALLOW FOG TO CONTINUE OVER THE LAKE TODAY...POSSIBLE LOCALLY DENSE OVER THE EAST HALF THIS MORNING. ALL FOG SHOULD DISSIPATE BY THIS EVENING AS COLDER AIR ARRIVES. && .MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... UPPER MICHIGAN... NONE. LAKE SUPERIOR... NONE. LAKE MICHIGAN... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...VOSS LONG TERM...KF AVIATION...07 MARINE...VOSS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
105 PM CDT MON MAY 18 2015 .UPDATE FOR 18Z AVIATION DISCUSSION... && .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 352 AM CDT MON MAY 18 2015 SUB-1000MB LOW OVER NORTHERN MN CONTINUES TO FACILITATE WINDY CONDITIONS AND STRATUS CLOUDS OVER THE FORECAST AREA EARLY THIS MORNING. SLIGHT LOOSENING OF THE PRESSURE GRADIENT AS THE TROUGH WEAKENS AND LIFTS TO THE GREAT LAKES SHOULD ALLOW WINDS TO DIP BELOW WIND ADVISORY CRITERIA TODAY /SUSTAINED 30 MPH/...SO WILL NOT REISSUE THE WIND ADVISORY. HOWEVER...IT WILL REMAIN QUITE BREEZY THROUGH THE DAY. MEANWHILE...THE EXTENSIVE AREA OF SHOWERS OVER NORTHERN MN AND THE EASTERN DAKOTAS WILL SLIP SLIGHTLY FARTHER SOUTH INTO CENTRAL MN THIS MORNING. HAVE MAINTED HIGH CHANCE POPS ACROSS CENTRAL MN TOWARD NORTHERN WI...AND ALSO INCLUDED SPRINKLES FARTHER SOUTH TO INCLUDE THE TWIN CITIES AND AREAS DOWN TOWARD SOUTH CENTRAL MN. TEMPERATURES TODAY WILL BE QUITE CHILLY...AVERAGING 25 TO 30 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL. HIGHS WILL STRUGGLE TO REACH 40 IN WEST CENTRAL MN NEAR ALEXANDRIA...WHILE THE REMAINDER OF THE AREA WILL SEE HIGHS IN THE 40S. TEMPS TONIGHT WILL BE AROUND 10 TO 15 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL...WITH ANTICIPATED LOWS IN THE LOW TO MID 30S. HAVE INCLUDED THE MENTION OF FROST IN THE FORECAST...BUT WILL HOLD OFF ON ANY SORT OF A FROST/FREEZE ADVISORY GIVEN SCT-BKN CLOUDS ARE EXPECTED TO HANG IN UNTIL THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF TUESDAY...AND WINDS WILL BE IN THE 6-10 MPH RANGE. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 352 AM CDT MON MAY 18 2015 NOT MUCH CHANGE IN THE EXTENDED PERIOD AS WAS PREVIOUSLY ADVERTISED WITH A COOL PERIOD THIS WEEK...THEN WETTER NEXT WEEKEND. THE MEAN UPPER LEVEL FLOW WILL START THIS WEEK FROM THE W-NW DIRECTION WHICH SHOULD KEEP A STORM SYSTEM MOVING OUT OF THE SOUTHERN ROCKIES AND INTO THE MIDWEST...SOUTH OF OUR REGION. BASICALLY THE CONFLUENT FLOW ALOFT AND DRY E/NE FLOW IN THE BOUNDARY LAYER WILL KEEP ANY PRECIPITATION CHANCES IN FAR SOUTHERN MN. EVEN IN THIS AREA...VERY LIGHT PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED...BUT THE DENSER CLOUD COVER...AND THE CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION...WILL KEEP TEMPS A FEW DEGREES COOLER THAN NORTH IN CENTRAL MN WHERE MORE SUNSHINE WILL OCCUR. CLIMATOLOGY...THIS WEEK WILL REMAIN ON THE COOL SIDE WITH AFTN HIGHS SLOWLY REBOUNDING INTO THE UPPER 60S/LOWER 70S BY THURSDAY/FRIDAY. THE UPPER LEVEL FLOW WILL BEGIN TO BUCKLE BY THE END OF THE WEEK AS A STORM SYSTEM KICKS OUT OF THE SW CONUS...AND A STRONGER RIDGE BUILDS IN THE SE CONUS. THIS WILL LEAD TO A WARMER AND UNSETTLED PATTERN BY NEXT WEEKEND. HOWEVER...BASED ON THE CURRENT MODELS DEPICTION OF THE MAIN SFC FRONT ALONG AND SOUTH OF MN/IA BORDER...MN AND WESTERN WI MAY BE ON THE COOL SIDE WITH OCCASIONAL SHRA/TSRA...BUT NOT AS WARM. THIS COULD CHANGE IF THE RIDGE IN THE SOUTHEASTERN CONUS STRENGTHENS AND ALLOWS THIS SFC FRONT TO MOVE FURTHER NORTHWARD INTO MN. THIS WOULD ALSO LEAD TO MORE SVR WX CHANCES AS WE WOULD BE IN THE WARM SECTOR. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 1257 PM CDT MON MAY 18 2015 WIDESPREAD MVFR CIGS ACROSS THE AREA. SOME RESIDUAL SPRINKLES/LIGHT SHOWERS AROUND. STILL HAVE COLD POOL TO MOVE OVER THE AREA INTO TONIGHT.THE HRRR CONTINUES TO SHOW SOME ISOLD -SHRA INTO TONIGHT AS WEAK SURFACE TROUGH MOVES SOUTHEAST OVER THE NORTHERN CWA. THIS MAY AFFECT CLOUD TRENDS...ESPECIALLY TO THE EAST OVERNIGHT. SOME DRIER AIR TRYING TO WORK OVER SOUTHWEST AREA...WITH MORE CUFORM CLOUDS THIS AFTERNOON. MAY SEE HIGHER END MVFR OR IFR CONDITIONS AT A FEW LOCATIONS IN MN THIS AFTERNOON. WILL TRY AND SCATTERED CLOUDS TO THE WEST OVERNIGHT AS DRIER AIR MOVES EAST. THEY MAY HOLD FIRM FARTHER EAST...BUT OVERALL CONFIDENCE IN CLOUD TREND IS LOW AT THIS TIME. WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS OVER THE AREA GUSTS OVER 30KT TO THE WEST...SHOULD GRADUALLY DIMINISH INTO THE EVENING FROM WEST TO EAST. NORTHWEST/NORTH WINDS GENERALLY 10-15 KTS INTO TUE WITH CLEARING TREND. KMSP... MVFR CIGS INTO THE NIGHT WITH VFR TRENDS INTO TUESDAY MORNING. SOME QUESTION AS TO HOW LOW CIGS MAY DROP AGAIN INTO THE HE EVENING AS A WEAK SURFACE TROUGH APPROACHES FROM THE NORTH. WILL HAVE TO MONITOR THIS INTO THE EVENING. SOME SMALL CHANCE OF -RA/-DZ ASSOCIATED WITH THIS FEATURE AS WELL...BUT FORCING IS LACKING. NORTHWEST WINDS A BIT GUSTY INTO THE EVENING BECOMING MORE NORTH INTO TUESDAY. /OUTLOOK FOR KMSP/ WED...VFR. WINDS N 5 KTS. THU...VFR. WINDS NNW 5 TO 10 KTS. FRI...VFR. WINDS NE 5 TO 10 KTS. && .MPX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MN...NONE. WI...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...LS LONG TERM...JLT AVIATION...DWE
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NWS JACKSON MS
1104 AM CDT MON MAY 18 2015 .UPDATE...LARGE CONVECTIVE COMPLEX AFFECTING MAINLY SW PORTIONS HAS BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR PROLIFIC RAINFALL AMOUNTS OVERNIGHT AND THIS MORNING. WHILE AREAS AROUND VICKSBURG SAW THE GREATEST AMOUNTS OVERNIGHT AND EARLY THIS MORNING...EMPHASIS NOW HAS SHIFTED SOUTH WITH THE ADVANCING COLD POOL AND A NEW SURGE OF CONVECTION DEVELOPING OVER W LA. MOISTURE TRANSPORT VECTORS FROM THE HRRR AND NAM SUGGEST THAT THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL THIS AFTERNOON WILL OCCUR IN FAR EC LA AND SW PORTIONS OF MS. HAVE THEREFORE REPOSITIONED THE FFA TO ACCOUNT FOR THIS. HAD TO MODIFY POP/WX GRIDS BASED ON CURRENT TRENDS. ALSO...MADE ADJUSTMENT TO TEMPS AS CLOUDS/RAIN WILL SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT WARMTH OVER THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON./26 && .AVIATION...AREA RADARS WERE PICKING UP NUMEROUS SHRA/TSRA ACROSS THE WEST HALF OF THE REGION. EXPECT IT TO SPREAD ACROSS THE REGION CAUSING PERIODS OF CIG/VISBY IN IFR/MVFR CONDITIONS IN HEAVIER RAINFALL. EXPECT RAIN CHANCES TO CONTINUE THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING. SO MVFR/IFR CIGS WILL CONTINUE WITH PERIODS OF RAIN OVERNIGHT INTO TUESDAY MORNING./17/ && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 447 AM CDT MON MAY 18 2015/ DISCUSSION... SHORT TERM (TODAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT)...IT HAS BEEN AN ACTIVE OVERNIGHT PERIOD AS AN MCV HAS INCITED PERSISTENT CONVECTION ACROSS THE REGION. AFTER A TEMPORARY LULL IN INTENSITY/COVERAGE SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT...CONSIDERABLE NEW DEVELOPMENT OCCURRED ACROSS NORTH LOUISIANA OVER THE PAST FEW HOURS. MODEL GUIDANCE...PARTICULARLY HIGH RES GUIDANCE...HAS HAD AN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TIME WITH DETAILS IN THIS PATTERN DUE TO POOR INITIALIZATION. THUS LESS FOCUS WAS PLACED ON ACTUAL QPF OUTPUT THAN THE OVERALL SYNOPTIC PICTURE. WITH THAT IN MIND...AN UNSEASONABLY MOIST AIRMASS CURRENTLY RESIDES ACROSS THE AREA (PARTICULARLY THE NORTHWESTERN PORTION OF THE CWA)...WITH PWATS AROUND 2 INCHES (NEAR RECORD MAX FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR). A SURFACE FRONT CURRENTLY EXTENDING ACROSS THE MISSOURI VALLEY WILL SINK SOUTHWARD TOWARD THE AREA THROUGH THE DAY. AS AN UPPER SHORTWAVE...WHICH IS CURRENTLY FORCING CONVECTION JUST WEST OF THE REGION...MOVES EASTWARD SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL OCCUR ACROSS THE CWA TODAY. RADAR ESTIMATES SUGGEST 2 TO 4 INCHES HAVE ALREADY OCCURRED ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE DELTA...WITH PERHAPS EVEN HIGHER LOCALIZED AMOUNTS. THUS IN MANY AREAS IT WILL TAKE LITTLE ADDITIONAL RAIN TO CAUSE FLASH FLOODING. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH WAS POSTED FOR MUCH OF THE DELTA REGION FOR TODAY TO HIGHLIGHT THIS POTENTIAL. THE SURFACE FRONT WILL SAG INTO THE AREA AND STALL ON TUESDAY... PROVIDING A CONTINUED FOCUS FOR SCATTERED CONVECTION ACROSS THE AREA. AS HAS BEEN THE CASE OVER THE PAST FEW DAYS...THOUGH LITTLE TO MARGINAL WIND SHEAR IS EXPECTED SUFFICIENT INSTABILITY MAY EXIST TO GENERATE SOME STRONG/SEVERE CONVECTION. HOWEVER THIS THREAT SHOULD BE ISOLATED ENOUGH TO LEAVE MENTION OUT OF THE HWO AT THIS TIME. /DL/ LONG TERM (WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY)...A SUMMERLIKE PATTERN WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH THE WEEK AS MID/UPPER LEVEL RIDGING REMAINS IN PLACE. A MOIST AIRMASS WILL BE PRESENT OVER THE REGION AS PW VALUES REMAIN AROUND 1.6-1.9 INCHES. SOME DRIER AIR MAY BE PRESENT ACROSS THE NORTH WHICH COULD LIMIT CONVECTION AT TIMES. A WEAK SFC FRONT WILL REMAIN ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA AND WILL LIKELY SERVE AS FOCUSING MECHANISM FOR MAINLY DIURNAL SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. WARM CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL THROUGH THE WEEK INTO THE WEEKEND. ANOTHER POTENT WEATHER SYSTEM ACROSS THE PLAINS WILL TRACK TO THE NORTHEAST AND SEND ANOTHER FRONT IN OUR DIRECTION FOR EARLY NEXT WEEK...WHICH COULD BRING MORE RAIN TO THE REGION. /28/ && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... JACKSON 79 69 86 68 / 77 37 43 25 MERIDIAN 84 69 85 67 / 52 37 46 20 VICKSBURG 78 69 86 69 / 100 43 43 25 HATTIESBURG 87 70 87 69 / 51 33 46 26 NATCHEZ 81 69 85 69 / 100 39 45 31 GREENVILLE 79 69 84 68 / 100 36 31 30 GREENWOOD 79 68 84 66 / 100 37 32 26 && .JAN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MS...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR MSZ047-048-053- 054-059>063. LA...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR LAZ015-016- 023>026. AR...NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LAS VEGAS NV
339 PM PDT MON MAY 18 2015 .SYNOPSIS...AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE EAST ACROSS NEVADA TONIGHT RESULTING IN SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS AROUND ESPECIALLY EARLY AND TO THE NORTH OF LAS VEGAS. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED AGAIN ON TUESDAY ACROSS THE SOUTHERN GREAT BASIN. MOST AREAS WILL SEE DRY CONDITIONS ON WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT. A NEW STORM SYSTEM WILL APPROACH THE AREA ON THURSDAY THEN MOVE ACROSS ON FRIDAY BRINGING ADDITIONAL CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. A SLOW DRYING AND WARMING TREND IS EXPECTED FOR THE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND. && .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT. CLARK AND LINCOLN COUNTIES HAVE REALLY SEEN AN ACTIVE DAY AS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS GOT GOING SHORTLY AFTER DAYBREAK IN THE NORTHEAST QUADRANT OF A MID/UPPER LEVEL LOW. THE CENTER OF THIS LOW COULD BE SEEN THIS AFTERNOON ON WATER VAPOR AND SATELLITE OVER DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK. DESPITE ONLY 0.53 INCH OF PWAT IN THIS MORNING`S NWS VEGAS SOUNDING AND RELATIVELY LOW-TOPPED CONVECTION, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME IMPRESSIVE PRECIPITATION TOTALS TODAY WHERE STRONGER STORMS DEVELOPED OR ACTIVITY TRAINED. A FEW SPOTS IN SUMMERLIN WEST PICKED UP OVER AN INCH OF RAIN AS WELL AS ONE GUAGE JUST SOUTH OF INSPIRADA IN HENDERSON. WHILE WIDESPREAD HEAVY RAIN IS NOT EXPECTED THIS EVENING, ANY SLOWER MOVING OR STRONGER ACTIVITY COULD DUMP A HALF OF AN INCH OR MORE OF RAIN ESPECIALLY IF IT TRAINS. GIVEN THE ATMOSPHERE HAS BECOME WORKED OVER IN AND AROUND THE LAS VEGAS VALLEY EARLIER TODAY, WE THINK THAT THE INTENSITY OF ACTIVITY IMMEDIATELY IN AND AROUND THE VALLEY SHOULD STAY TOWARD THE LOW-MODERATE END. HOWEVER, CLOSER TO THE LOW CENTER IN THE NORTHEAST QUADRANT WHERE ACTIVITY WAS MORE LIMITED EARLIER TODAY, THINGS COULD BE MORE ACTIVE IN ESMERALDA, EASTERN INYO AND CENTRAL NYE COUNTIES. THE HRRR AND LOCAL NMM AND ARW MODELS ALL KEY IN ON THESE AREAS FOR ACTIVITY TO DEVELOP OR PERSIST THIS EVENING AND THUS POPS WERE ADJUSTED UP IN THESE AREAS. THESE AREAS MAY BE THE SLOWEST TO SEE ACTIVITY END THIS EVENING WHILE ELSEWHERE THINGS SHOULD END BETWEEN 7 AND 9 PM. LOW FREEZING LEVELS HAVE ALSO RESULTED IN STRONGER ACTIVITY PRODUCING HAIL WITH REPORTS EARLIER TODAY AS LARGE AS AN INCH IN DIAMETER IN THE MOST INTENSE ACTIVITY. IN ADDITION SNOW LEVELS AROUND 8500 FEET WERE NOTED AND A LIGHT COATING TO AN INCH OR TWO OF SNOW IS POSSIBLE IN THE HIGHEST ELEVATIONS UNDER ANY SHOWER OR THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY OVERNIGHT. THE LOW CENTER WILL TRANSITION ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT WHICH WILL PLACE US ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE LOW FOR TUESDAY. LINGERING ENERGY AND MID-LEVEL MOISTURE WILL BE ENOUGH TO TOUCH OFF SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS MAINLY ACROSS THE SOUTHERN GREAT BASIN BUT OUTSIDE OF LINCOLN AND CENTRAL NYE COUNTIES THE COVERAGE OF ACTIVITY SHOULD BE LOWER TOMORROW. ONCE AGAIN, LOW FREEZING LEVELS WILL ALLOW FOR HAIL IN ANY STRONGER ACTIVITY. HIGH TEMPS SHOULD WARM UP SEVERAL DEGREES AS DRIER AIR WORKS IN AND ERODES AWAY THE CLOUDS OVER THE MOJAVE DESERT. ANOTHER LOW WILL APPROACH THE COAST OF CALIFORNIA ON WEDNESDAY. THIS WILL SPREAD LOTS OF HIGH LEVEL MOISTURE INTO THE AREA AS THE JET STREAM PASSES BY ACROSS SOCAL INTO ARIZONA RESULTING IN A DECENT AMOUNT OF CIRRUS CLOUDS TO START TO THE DAY AND AGAIN WEDNESDAY NIGHT. OTHERWISE, THE BEST MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY WILL BE OVER THE SOUTHERN SIERRA CREST AND EASTERN SLOPES AS WELL AS ESMERALDA COUNTY AND A FEW SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE HERE MAINLY IN THE AFTERNOON. THE REST OF THE AREA LOOKS DRY WITH WINDS PICKING UP FROM THE SOUTH IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING AND GUSTING TO 20-30 MPH. HIGH TEMPS SHOULD WARM BACK UP ANOTHER 3-5 DEGREES OVER TUESDAY. THIS LOW WILL EVENTUALLY LOOP BACK OUT AND MERGE WITH ANOTHER LOW THAT HEADS TOWARD THE COAST ON THURSDAY. .LONG TERM...THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY. THE NEXT UPPER LOW WILL APPROACH THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA COAST THURSDAY. A SHORTWAVE ROTATING AROUND THE LOW WILL MOVE NORTHEAST INTO CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA DURING THE DAY. AN AREA OF DIFFLUENCE AND DECENT MID LEVEL MOISTURE WILL LEAD TO A CHANCE OF SHOWERS OVER MUCH OF INYO COUNTY AND ACROSS ESMERALDA...CENTRAL NYE AND NORTHERN LINCOLN COUNTIES. THE UPPER LOW WILL MOVE INLAND THURSDAY NIGHT AND ACROSS SOUTHERN NEVADA INTO NORTHWEST ARIZONA FRIDAY. PRECIPITATION CHANCES WILL THUS SPREAD EAST ACROSS A GOOD PORTION OF THE FORECAST AREA...MAINLY NORTH OF INTERSTATE 40. WITH THE LOW MOVING OVERHEAD...HIGH TEMPERATURES FRIDAY WILL BE SOME 10 TO 15 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL. PRECIPITATION CHANCES WILL DECREASE AND SHIFT NORTHEAST FRIDAY NIGHT AS THE LOW STARTS TO EXIT THE AREA. HOWEVER...A SHORTWAVE TROUGH FOLLOWING BEHIND FROM THE NORTH WILL BRING A CHANCE OF SHOWERS SATURDAY TO AREAS MAINLY NORTH OF LAS VEGAS. FOR SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY THE MODELS ARE NOT IN VERY GOOD AGREEMENT BUT IN GENERAL IT LOOKS LIKE THERE WILL BE SOME SORT OF UPPER TROUGH ROUGHLY OVER NORTHERN NEVADA. THIS WOULD KEEP AT LEAST A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS OVER THE FAR NORTHERN PART OF THE FORECAST AREA AND I LEFT SLIGHT CHANCE POPS IN FOR THOSE AREAS. && .AVIATION...FOR MCCARRAN...SCT SHRA AND ISO TSRA WILL CONTINUE THROUGH AROUND 03Z TUESDAY. BASES COULD LOWER TO 5K-8K FEET IN AND NEAR SHRA/TSRA AND WINDS MAY BECOME GUSTY AND ERRATIC POTENTIALLY IMPACTING CONFIGURATIONS. OVERALL IT APPEARS WE SHOULD SEE AN DOWNWARD TREND IN SHRA AND TSRA ACTIVITY BY LATER THIS EVENING IN THE LAS VEGAS VALLEY AS WELL AS IN MOST OF THE APPROACH CORRIDORS WITH THE BEATTY CORRIDOR LIKELY TO SEE ACTIVITY LINGER THE LONGEST. WINDS OTHERWISE SHOULD FOLLOW TYPICAL DIURNAL DIRECTIONS AT 8 KTS OR LESS THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING WITH CLOUDS GRADUALLY DECREASING AND MAINLY ABOVE 10K FEET. ALTHOUGH CONDITIONS LOOK DRY IN THE LAS VEGAS VALLEY ON TUESDAY, ISO SHRA/TSRA ARE POSSIBLE IN THE SPRING MOUNTAINS. ADDITIONAL SHRA AND TSRA CHANCES EXIST FOR FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT IN THE LAS VEGAS VALLEY. FOR THE REST OF SOUTHERN NEVADA...NORTHWEST ARIZONA...AND SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA...SHRA/TSRA ARE EXPECTED MAINLY NORTH OF KIYK-KLAS-KIGM LINE WITH ACTIVITY GRADUALLY DIMINISHING BETWEEN 03Z AND 06Z TUESDAY. ISOLATED SHRA/TSRA ACTIVITY MAY LINGER THOUGH THE NIGHT ESPECIALLY IN THE SOUTHERN GREAT BASIN. SHRA/TSRA WILL AGAIN BE POSSIBLE ON TUESDAY ESPECIALLY AFTER 18Z NORTH OF KIYK-KDRA-KACZ LINE. WINDS MAY BE GUSTY AND ERRATIC IN AND NEAR SHRA/TSRA WITH CIGS LOWERING TO 5K- 8K FEET. OTHERWISE LOOK FOR WINDS TO TREND TOWARD TYPICAL DIURNAL DIRECTIONS AT 10 KTS OR LESS WITH SCT-BKN CLOUDS AOA 10K FEET. && .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. && $$ SHORT TERM/AVIATION...STACHELSKI LONG TERM...HARRISON FOR MORE FORECAST INFORMATION...SEE US ON OUR WEBPAGE: HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/LASVEGAS OR FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS BUFFALO NY
757 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 .SYNOPSIS... A WARM AND HUMID AIR MASS WILL REMAIN OVER THE REGION WITH A PERIOD OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS PUSHING ACROSS WESTERN AND CENTRAL NEW YORK TODAY AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT. SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY BRING LOCALIZED HEAVY RAIN. THE FRONT WILL CROSS EARLY TUESDAY THEN A COOLER AND DRIER AIRMASS WILL ARRIVE BEHIND THE FRONT FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... THE FORECAST AREA LIES BENEATH AN AMPLIFIED 500MB RIDGE THIS MORNING WITH STACKED SURFACE AND UPPER LEVEL LOW OVER THE MINNESOTA ARROWHEAD CONTINUING TO SPREAD WARM AND MOIST AIR NORTH ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES. DEWPOINTS RISING INTO THE MID 60S ACROSS WESTERN NEW YORK AS A RIBBON OF HIGH PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES AROUND 1.7 INCHES /NEAR MAX ON MID MAY SOUNDING CLIMO/ RUNNING FROM NORTH OF GEORGIAN BAY TO LAKE ERIE. PLENTY OF MOISTURE TO BE FOUND SO FOCUS FOR TIMING OF SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY TODAY WILL BE ON ANY SYNOPTIC/MESOSCALE FEATURES SHIFTING ACROSS THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES. A PRE-FRONTAL TROUGH IS ANALYZED ROUGHLY FROM NORTHERN MI SOUTHEAST TO NEAR KERI. THIS IS FORECAST TO SHIFT ACROSS WESTERN AND CENTRAL NEW YORK TODAY. LOOKING TO THE MID-LEVELS...FORCING MAY ALSO COME FROM ANY SUBTLE SHORTWAVES ROLLING UP THE WEST SIDE OF THE RIDGE AXIS FROM THE MISS VALLEY TOWARD THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES. MESOSCALE GUIDANCE SUCH AS WRF AND HRRR MODELS SUGGEST A FEW ISOLATED SHOWERS AND STORMS MAY WORK INTO WNY ALONG THE TROUGH THIS MORNING. BY EARLY AFTERNOON FORECAST CAPE OF 2-3K J/KG WILL FEED MORE NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING FROM THE SOUTHERN TIER ACROSS THE GENESEE VALLEY AND FINGER LAKES. A STABLE SOUTHWEST FLOW OFF LAKE ERIE SHOULD KEEP MUCH OF THE NIAGARA FRONTIER PROTECTED FROM THE HEAVIER STORMS BUT LAKE BREEZES COULD TRIGGER ADDITIONAL CELLS TO THE SOUTH AND EAST OF BUFFALO. BULK SHEAR THIS AFTERNOON IS FORECAST ONLY AROUND 15 KTS SO TOO WEAK TO SUPPORT ANY SIGNIFICANT WIND/HAIL THREAT. THE DEEP MOISTURE IN PLACE PER PWATS AND SKINNY CAPE PROFILES WITH SLOW STORM MOTIONS WILL HOWEVER BRING A RISK FOR LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN AND FLOODING IF ANY TRAINING CELLS DEVELOPS. TONIGHT...THE SURFACE LOW WILL SHIFT NORTH OF THE GREAT LAKES TO SOUTHERN QUEBEC. NEAR-TERM MODELS INDICATE THE MAJORITY OF REMAINING CONVECTION WILL BE LIMITED FROM THE FINGER LAKES EASTWARD ACROSS CENTRAL AND EASTERN NEW YORK. WESTERN NEW YORK WILL LARGELY REMAIN DRY. THE COLD FRONT WILL CROSS WNY LATE TONIGHT AND IS FORECAST TO BE NEAR THE FINGER LAKES BY 12Z TUESDAY WITH SKY COVER THINNING FROM WEST TO EAST. THE OVERNIGHT TIMING OF THE FRONT SHOULD LIMIT A SECOND ROUND OF SHOWER/TSTM ACTIVITY. TEMPERATURES TODAY WILL AGAIN RISE ABOVE NORMAL WITHIN A HUMID AIRMASS. 850MB TEMPS OF NEAR +15C WILL SUPPORT SURFACE HIGH TEMPS RANGING FROM THE UPPER 70S TO MID 80S. THE U70S TEMPS WILL ONLY BE LIMITED BY EARLIER START TO CONVECTION WHILE MORE HEATING ACROSS FINGER LAKES AND NORTH COUNTRY WILL HELP BOOST TEMPS TO THE M80S. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE FORECAST AREA DURING THE DAY ON TUESDAY. WHILE THE BULK OF THE PRECIPITATION WILL BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE PRE-FRONTAL TROUGH AND ALREADY WELL TO THE EAST OF THE FORECAST AREA OVER THE ADIRONDACKS/GREEN MOUNTAINS BY TUESDAY MORNING...A FEW SHOWERS WILL STILL BE POSSIBLE ALONG/JUST AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT...PARTICULARLY ACROSS THE NORTH COUNTRY WHERE THE APPROACH OF THE COLD FRONT WILL COINCIDE WITH THE AFTERNOON DIURNAL HEATING MAXIMUM. OTHERWISE...LOOK FOR BREEZY CONDITIONS WITH FALLING TEMPERATURES BEHIND THE COLD FRONT. A PERIOD OF POST-FRONTAL SUBSIDENCE AND SUNSHINE WILL GIVE WAY TO INCREASING CLOUDS LATER IN THE DAY AND INTO THE EVENING AS THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH SWINGS THROUGH. TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE TO FALL INTO THE 40S TUESDAY NIGHT...WITH HIGHER ELEVATIONS DIPPING JUST BELOW THE 40 DEGREE MARK AS THE CORE OF THE COLD AIR ALOFT MOVES ACROSS THE REGION. WITH 850MB TEMPS FALLING BELOW -2C...WE MAY EVEN SEE A DECENT AMOUNT OF LAKE-ENHANCED CLOUD COVER TUESDAY NIGHT AND INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING. THIS COLD AIR ALOFT AND THE ASSOCIATED CLOUD COVER WILL AID IN MAKING WEDNESDAY THE COLDEST DAY OF THIS WEEK WITH HIGHS ONLY TOPPING OUT IN THE LOW TO MID 50S. BY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON WE SHOULD SEE AN INCREASE IN SUNSHINE ONCE MORE AS THE COLDEST AIR ALOFT IS QUICKLY SHUNTED OFF TO THE EAST AS A FLATTER AND FASTER PATTERN TAKES SHAPE IN THE UPPER LEVELS AND SURFACE RIDING BEGINS TO CREEP IN ACROSS THE AREA FROM THE UPPER MIDWEST. A FAST-MOVING SHORTWAVE SHOULD BRING SOME CLOUD COVER TO THE SOUTHERN TIER WEDNESDAY NIGHT BUT HAVE LITTLE OTHER IMPACT OWING TO A DEARTH OF MOISTURE. LOWS ONCE AGAIN WILL RUN IN THE 40S...WITH A FEW UPPER 30S IN THE SOUTHERN TIER. IT NOW APPEARS THAT THERE SHOULD BE ENOUGH OF A BREEZE BOTH TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHTS TO PRECLUDE THE DEVELOPMENT OF FROST IN THE SOUTHERN TIER/NORTH COUNTRY IN SPITE OF TEMPERATURES THAT WILL BE DIPPING INTO THE 30S. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... IT WILL BE A DRY DAY ON THURSDAY WITH PASSING HIGH CLOUDS AS THE REGION WILL REMAIN UNDERNEATH THE FLATTENED BASE OF A DEEP UPPER LEVEL LOW CENTERED NEAR JAMES BAY. THE UPPER LEVEL FLOW WILL AMPLIFY ONCE MORE ACROSS THE AREA ON FRIDAY AS A JET MAX DROPS INTO THE BASE OF THE TROUGH OVER NORTHEASTERN ONTARIO. THIS WILL HELP PUSH ANOTHER WEAK COLD FRONT ACROSS UPSTATE AND WESTERN NEW YORK ON FRIDAY...POTENTIALLY TRIGGERING A SHOWER OR TWO ACROSS THE NORTH COUNTRY. HOWEVER...A LACK OF MOISTURE WILL ONCE AGAIN LIMIT POPS TO A SLIGHT CHANCE AT BEST. AN EVEN MORE BENIGN PATTERN TAKES SHAPE FOR THE COMING WEEKEND AS SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE TRACKS OVER THE LOWER GREAT LAKES. THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF SUNSHINE TO BE HAD FRIDAY AND SATURDAY AS THE HIGH MOVES OVERHEAD BEFORE MOVING OFF THE EAST COAST SUNDAY. AS THE HIGH MOVES OFF THE EAST COAST...LOOK FOR RETURN FLOW TO SET UP ACROSS THE LOWER GREAT LAKES THAT WILL SIGNAL A RETURN TO WARMER CONDITIONS SUNDAY WITH UNSETTLED WEATHER LIKELY TO FOLLOW BY MONDAY AS A WARM FRONT LIFTS NORTH ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES. REGARDING TEMPERATURES...READINGS WILL RUN IN THE 60S ON THURSDAY. WHILE CERTAINLY WARMER THAN THE CHILLY 50S EXPECTED WEDNESDAY...THE LOWER GREAT LAKES REGION WILL REMAIN CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE AFOREMENTIONED UPPER LEVEL LOW TO KEEP TEMPERATURES A FEW DEGREES BELOW NORMAL. INDEED THE PASSAGE OF THE WEAK COOL FRONT FRIDAY WILL KNOCK TEMPS BACK A COUPLE OF DEGREES. WITH HIGH PRESSURE MOVING BUILDING FRIDAY NIGHT AND COOL/DRY AIR IN PLACE...WE SHOULD SEE A CHILLY NIGHT WITH LOWS IN THE LOW/MID 40S...WITH UPPER 30S IN THE SOUTHERN TIER AND NORTH COUNTRY. THIS TIME WINDS MAY BE LIGHT ENOUGH TO POTENTIALLY ALLOW FOR FROST ACROSS THE SHELTERED AREAS OF THE NORTH COUNTRY AND THE SOUTHERN TIER. THEREAFTER...TEMPERATURES SHOULD GRADUALLY REBOUND THROUGH THE WEEKEND AS THE HIGH DRIFTS EAST OF THE REGION AND RETURN FLOW TAKES HOLD WITH WIDESPREAD 70S EXPECTED ONCE AGAIN BY SUNDAY. && .AVIATION /12Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... VFR CONDITIONS IN PLACE EARLY THIS MORNING EXCEPT FOR SOME IFR FOG ACROSS THE HILLTOPS OF THE SOUTHERN TIER. THIS WILL WILL DISSIPATE IN THE MORNING WITH INCREASING CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS FOR KJHW/KROC/KART DURING THE LATE MORNING AND AFTERNOON AS A PRE- FRONTAL TROUGH CROSSES THE FORECAST AREA. A STABLE FLOW OFF LAKE ERIE SHOULD KEEP KBUF/KIAG FREE FROM ANY HEAVY STORMS WHICH WILL DEVELOP FROM THE SOUTHERN TIER TO EAST OF BUFFALO TO ROCHESTER AND SYRACUSE. STORM ACTIVITY WILL SHIFT EAST LATER THIS EVENING WITH MAINLY DRY CONDITIONS EXPECTED TONIGHT. SOME LOW CLOUDS/FOG MAY BRING IFR TO KJHW LATE TONIGHT ESPECIALLY IF HEAVY RAIN FALLS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN TIER. OUTLOOK... TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...VFR. && .MARINE... LIGHT WINDS AND MINIMAL WAVES WILL CONTINUE ON THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES TODAY WITH AREAS OF FOG AS A WARM AND HUMID AIRMASS REMAINS OVER THE COOL LAKE WATERS. CONDITIONS ON THE LAKES SHOULD REMAIN QUIET OUTSIDE OF ANY THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING ASSOCIATED HIGHER WINDS AND WAVES. A COLD FRONT WILL SWEEP ACROSS THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES LATE TONIGHT/TUESDAY WITH AN INCREASE IN WIND SPEED AND WAVE ACTION INTO TUESDAY. A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE LAKE ERIE NEARSHORES COVERING TUESDAY AFTERNOON/EVENING. HIGH PRESSURE WILL THEN BUILD OVER THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES WEDNESDAY THROUGH THE REST OF THE WEEK WITH LOW WIND AND WAVE ACTION. && .BUF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NY...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM NOON TO 11 PM EDT TUESDAY FOR LEZ040- 041. && $$ SYNOPSIS...SMITH NEAR TERM...SMITH SHORT TERM...WOOD LONG TERM...WOOD AVIATION...SMITH MARINE...SMITH
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS BUFFALO NY
515 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 .SYNOPSIS... A WARM AND HUMID AIR MASS WILL REMAIN OVER THE REGION WITH A PERIOD OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS PUSHING ACROSS WESTERN AND CENTRAL NEW YORK TODAY AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT. SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY BRING LOCALIZED HEAVY RAIN. THE FRONT WILL CROSS EARLY TUESDAY THEN A COOLER AND DRIER AIRMASS WILL ARRIVE BEHIND THE FRONT FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... THE FORECAST AREA LIES BENEATH AN AMPLIFIED 500MB RIDGE THIS MORNING WITH STACKED SURFACE AND UPPER LEVEL LOW OVER NORTHERN MINNESOTA CONTINUING TO SPREAD WARM AND MOIST AIR NORTH ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES. DEWPOINTS RUNNING CLOSE TO 60F ACROSS WESTERN NEW YORK WITH MID 60S DEWPOINTS FOUND ACROSS MICHIGAN. SPC MESOSCALE ANALYSIS SHOWS A RIBBON OF HIGH PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES AROUND 1.7 INCHES RUNNING FROM NORTH OF GEORGIAN BAY TO LAKE ERIE. PLENTY OF MOISTURE TO BE FOUND SO FOCUS FOR TIMING OF SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY TODAY WILL BE ON ANY SYNOPTIC/MESOSCALE FEATURES SHIFTING ACROSS THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES. A PRE-FRONTAL TROUGH IS ANALYZED ROUGHLY FROM NORTHERN MI SOUTHEAST TO NEAR KERI. THIS IS FORECAST TO SHIFT ACROSS WESTERN AND CENTRAL NEW YORK TODAY. LOOKING TO THE MID-LEVELS...FORCING MAY ALSO COME FROM ANY SUBTLE SHORTWAVES ROLLING UP THE WEST SIDE OF THE RIDGE AXIS FROM THE MISS VALLEY TOWARD THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES. MESOSCALE GUIDANCE SUCH AS WRF AND HRRR MODELS SUGGEST A FEW ISOLATED SHOWERS AND STORMS MAY WORK INTO WNY ALONG THE TROUGH THIS MORNING. BY EARLY AFTERNOON FORECAST CAPE OF 2-3K J/KG WILL FEED MORE NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING FROM THE SOUTHERN TIER ACROSS THE GENESEE VALLEY AND FINGER LAKES. A STABLE SOUTHWEST FLOW OFF LAKE ERIE SHOULD KEEP MUCH OF THE NIAGARA FRONTIER PROTECTED FROM THE HEAVIER STORMS BUT LAKE BREEZES COULD TRIGGER ADDITIONAL CELLS TO THE SOUTH AND EAST OF BUFFALO. BULK SHEAR THIS AFTERNOON IS FORECAST ONLY AROUND 15 KTS SO TOO WEAK TO SUPPORT ANY SIGNIFICANT WIND/HAIL THREAT. THE DEEP MOISTURE IN PLACE PER PWATS AND SKINNY CAPE PROFILES WITH SLOW STORM MOTIONS WILL HOWEVER BRING A RISK FOR LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN AND FLOODING IF ANY TRAINING CELLS DEVELOPS. TONIGHT...THE SURFACE LOW WILL SHIFT NORTH OF THE GREAT LAKES TO SOUTHERN QUEBEC. NEAR-TERM MODELS INDICATE THE MAJORITY OF REMAINING CONVECTION WILL BE LIMITED FROM THE FINGER LAKES EASTWARD ACROSS CENTRAL AND EASTERN NEW YORK. WESTERN NEW YORK WILL LARGELY REMAIN DRY. THE COLD FRONT WILL CROSS WNY LATE TONIGHT AND IS FORECAST TO BE NEAR THE FINGER LAKES BY 12Z TUESDAY WITH SKY COVER THINNING FROM WEST TO EAST. THE OVERNIGHT TIMING OF THE FRONT SHOULD LIMIT A SECOND ROUND OF SHOWER/TSTM ACTIVITY. TEMPERATURES TODAY WILL AGAIN RISE ABOVE NORMAL WITHIN A HUMID AIRMASS. 850MB TEMPS OF NEAR +15C WILL SUPPORT SURFACE HIGH TEMPS RANGING FROM THE UPPER 70S TO MID 80S. THE U70S TEMPS WILL ONLY BE LIMITED BY EARLIER START TO CONVECTION WHILE MORE HEATING ACROSS FINGER LAKES AND NORTH COUNTRY WILL HELP BOOST TEMPS TO THE M80S. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE FORECAST AREA DURING THE DAY ON TUESDAY. WHILE THE BULK OF THE PRECIPITATION WILL BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE PRE-FRONTAL TROUGH AND ALREADY WELL TO THE EAST OF THE FORECAST AREA OVER THE ADIRONDACKS/GREEN MOUNTAINS BY TUESDAY MORNING...A FEW SHOWERS WILL STILL BE POSSIBLE ALONG/JUST AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT...PARTICULARLY ACROSS THE NORTH COUNTRY WHERE THE APPROACH OF THE COLD FRONT WILL COINCIDE WITH THE AFTERNOON DIURNAL HEATING MAXIMUM. OTHERWISE...LOOK FOR BREEZY CONDITIONS WITH FALLING TEMPERATURES BEHIND THE COLD FRONT. A PERIOD OF POST-FRONTAL SUBSIDENCE AND SUNSHINE WILL GIVE WAY TO INCREASING CLOUDS LATER IN THE DAY AND INTO THE EVENING AS THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH SWINGS THROUGH. TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE TO FALL INTO THE 40S TUESDAY NIGHT...WITH HIGHER ELEVATIONS DIPPING JUST BELOW THE 40 DEGREE MARK AS THE CORE OF THE COLD AIR ALOFT MOVES ACROSS THE REGION. WITH 850MB TEMPS FALLING BELOW -2C...WE MAY EVEN SEE A DECENT AMOUNT OF LAKE-ENHANCED CLOUD COVER TUESDAY NIGHT AND INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING. THIS COLD AIR ALOFT AND THE ASSOCIATED CLOUD COVER WILL AID IN MAKING WEDNESDAY THE COLDEST DAY OF THIS WEEK WITH HIGHS ONLY TOPPING OUT IN THE LOW TO MID 50S. BY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON WE SHOULD SEE AN INCREASE IN SUNSHINE ONCE MORE AS THE COLDEST AIR ALOFT IS QUICKLY SHUNTED OFF TO THE EAST AS A FLATTER AND FASTER PATTERN TAKES SHAPE IN THE UPPER LEVELS AND SURFACE RIDING BEGINS TO CREEP IN ACROSS THE AREA FROM THE UPPER MIDWEST. A FAST-MOVING SHORTWAVE SHOULD BRING SOME CLOUD COVER TO THE SOUTHERN TIER WEDNESDAY NIGHT BUT HAVE LITTLE OTHER IMPACT OWING TO A DEARTH OF MOISTURE. LOWS ONCE AGAIN WILL RUN IN THE 40S...WITH A FEW UPPER 30S IN THE SOUTHERN TIER. IT NOW APPEARS THAT THERE SHOULD BE ENOUGH OF A BREEZE BOTH TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHTS TO PRECLUDE THE DEVELOPMENT OF FROST IN THE SOUTHERN TIER/NORTH COUNTRY IN SPITE OF TEMPERATURES THAT WILL BE DIPPING INTO THE 30S. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... IT WILL BE A DRY DAY ON THURSDAY WITH PASSING HIGH CLOUDS AS THE REGION WILL REMAIN UNDERNEATH THE FLATTENED BASE OF A DEEP UPPER LEVEL LOW CENTERED NEAR JAMES BAY. THE UPPER LEVEL FLOW WILL AMPLIFY ONCE MORE ACROSS THE AREA ON FRIDAY AS A JET MAX DROPS INTO THE BASE OF THE TROUGH OVER NORTHEASTERN ONTARIO. THIS WILL HELP PUSH ANOTHER WEAK COLD FRONT ACROSS UPSTATE AND WESTERN NEW YORK ON FRIDAY...POTENTIALLY TRIGGERING A SHOWER OR TWO ACROSS THE NORTH COUNTRY. HOWEVER...A LACK OF MOISTURE WILL ONCE AGAIN LIMIT POPS TO A SLIGHT CHANCE AT BEST. AN EVEN MORE BENIGN PATTERN TAKES SHAPE FOR THE COMING WEEKEND AS SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE TRACKS OVER THE LOWER GREAT LAKES. THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF SUNSHINE TO BE HAD FRIDAY AND SATURDAY AS THE HIGH MOVES OVERHEAD BEFORE MOVING OFF THE EAST COAST SUNDAY. AS THE HIGH MOVES OFF THE EAST COAST...LOOK FOR RETURN FLOW TO SET UP ACROSS THE LOWER GREAT LAKES THAT WILL SIGNAL A RETURN TO WARMER CONDITIONS SUNDAY WITH UNSETTLED WEATHER LIKELY TO FOLLOW BY MONDAY AS A WARM FRONT LIFTS NORTH ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES. REGARDING TEMPERATURES...READINGS WILL RUN IN THE 60S ON THURSDAY. WHILE CERTAINLY WARMER THAN THE CHILLY 50S EXPECTED WEDNESDAY...THE LOWER GREAT LAKES REGION WILL REMAIN CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE AFOREMENTIONED UPPER LEVEL LOW TO KEEP TEMPERATURES A FEW DEGREES BELOW NORMAL. INDEED THE PASSAGE OF THE WEAK COOL FRONT FRIDAY WILL KNOCK TEMPS BACK A COUPLE OF DEGREES. WITH HIGH PRESSURE MOVING BUILDING FRIDAY NIGHT AND COOL/DRY AIR IN PLACE...WE SHOULD SEE A CHILLY NIGHT WITH LOWS IN THE LOW/MID 40S...WITH UPPER 30S IN THE SOUTHERN TIER AND NORTH COUNTRY. THIS TIME WINDS MAY BE LIGHT ENOUGH TO POTENTIALLY ALLOW FOR FROST ACROSS THE SHELTERED AREAS OF THE NORTH COUNTRY AND THE SOUTHERN TIER. THEREAFTER...TEMPERATURES SHOULD GRADUALLY REBOUND THROUGH THE WEEKEND AS THE HIGH DRIFTS EAST OF THE REGION AND RETURN FLOW TAKES HOLD WITH WIDESPREAD 70S EXPECTED ONCE AGAIN BY SUNDAY. && .AVIATION /09Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... VFR CONDITIONS IN PLACE EARLY THIS MORNING EXCEPT FOR SOME IFR FOG ACROSS THE HILLTOPS OF THE SOUTHERN TIER. THIS WILL WILL DISSIPATE IN THE MORNING WITH INCREASING CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DURING THE LATE MORNING AND AFTERNOON AS A PRE-FRONTAL TROUGH CROSSES THE FORECAST AREA. A STABLE FLOW OFF LAKE ERIE SHOULD KEEP KBUF/KIAG FREE FROM ANY HEAVY STORMS WHICH WILL DEVELOP FROM THE SOUTHERN TIER TO EAST OF BUFFALO TO ROCHESTER AND SYRACUSE. STORM ACTIVITY WILL SHIFT EAST LATER THIS EVENING WITH MAINLY DRY CONDITIONS EXPECTED TONIGHT. OUTLOOK... TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...VFR. && .MARINE... LIGHT WINDS AND MINIMAL WAVES WILL CONTINUE ON THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES TODAY WITH AREAS OF FOG AS A WARM AND HUMID AIRMASS REMAINS OVER THE COOL LAKE WATERS. CONDITIONS ON THE LAKES SHOULD REMAIN QUIET OUTSIDE OF ANY THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING ASSOCIATED HIGHER WINDS AND WAVES. A COLD FRONT WILL SWEEP ACROSS THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES LATE TONIGHT/TUESDAY WITH AN INCREASE IN WIND SPEED AND WAVE ACTION INTO TUESDAY. A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE LAKE ERIE NEARSHORES COVERING TUESDAY AFTERNOON/EVENING. HIGH PRESSURE WILL THEN BUILD OVER THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES WEDNESDAY THROUGH THE REST OF THE WEEK WITH LOW WIND AND WAVE ACTION. && .BUF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NY...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM NOON TO 11 PM EDT TUESDAY FOR LEZ040- 041. && $$ SYNOPSIS...SMITH NEAR TERM...SMITH SHORT TERM...WOOD LONG TERM...WOOD AVIATION...SMITH MARINE...SMITH
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS BUFFALO NY
444 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 .SYNOPSIS... A WARM AND HUMID AIR MASS WILL REMAIN OVER THE REGION WITH A PERIOD OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS PUSHING ACROSS WESTERN AND CENTRAL NEW YORK TODAY AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT. SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY BRING LOCALIZED HEAVY RAIN. THE FRONT WILL CROSS EARLY TUESDAY THEN A COOLER AND DRIER AIRMASS WILL ARRIVE BEHIND THE FRONT FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... THE FORECAST AREA LIES BENEATH AN AMPLIFIED 500MB RIDGE THIS MORNING WITH STACKED SURFACE AND UPPER LEVEL LOW OVER NORTHERN MINNESOTA CONTINUING TO SPREAD WARM AND MOIST AIR NORTH ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES. DEWPOINTS RUNNING CLOSE TO 60F ACROSS WESTERN NEW YORK WITH MID 60S DEWPOINTS FOUND ACROSS MICHIGAN. SPC MESOSCALE ANALYSIS SHOWS A RIBBON OF HIGH PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES AROUND 1.7 INCHES RUNNING FROM NORTH OF GEORGIAN BAY TO LAKE ERIE. PLENTY OF MOISTURE TO BE FOUND SO FOCUS FOR TIMING OF SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY TODAY WILL BE ON ANY SYNOPTIC/MESOSCALE FEATURES SHIFTING ACROSS THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES. A PRE-FRONTAL TROUGH IS ANALYZED ROUGHLY FROM NORTHERN MI SOUTHEAST TO NEAR KERI. THIS IS FORECAST TO SHIFT ACROSS WESTERN AND CENTRAL NEW YORK TODAY. LOOKING TO THE MID-LEVELS...FORCING MAY ALSO COME FROM ANY SUBTLE SHORTWAVES ROLLING UP THE WEST SIDE OF THE RIDGE AXIS FROM THE MISS VALLEY TOWARD THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES. MESOSCALE GUIDANCE SUCH AS WRF AND HRRR MODELS SUGGEST A FEW ISOLATED SHOWERS AND STORMS MAY WORK INTO WNY ALONG THE TROUGH THIS MORNING. BY EARLY AFTERNOON FORECAST CAPE OF 2-3K J/KG WILL FEED MORE NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING FROM THE SOUTHERN TIER ACROSS THE GENESEE VALLEY AND FINGER LAKES. A STABLE SOUTHWEST FLOW OFF LAKE ERIE SHOULD KEEP MUCH OF THE NIAGARA FRONTIER PROTECTED FROM THE HEAVIER STORMS BUT LAKE BREEZES COULD TRIGGER ADDITIONAL CELLS TO THE SOUTH AND EAST OF BUFFALO. BULK SHEAR THIS AFTERNOON IS FORECAST ONLY AROUND 15 KTS SO TOO WEAK TO SUPPORT ANY SIGNIFICANT WIND/HAIL THREAT. THE DEEP MOISTURE IN PLACE PER PWATS AND SKINNY CAPE PROFILES WITH SLOW STORM MOTIONS WILL HOWEVER BRING A RISK FOR LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN AND FLOODING IF ANY TRAINING CELLS DEVELOPS. TONIGHT...THE SURFACE LOW WILL SHIFT NORTH OF THE GREAT LAKES TO SOUTHERN QUEBEC. NEAR-TERM MODELS INDICATE THE MAJORITY OF REMAINING CONVECTION WILL BE LIMITED FROM THE FINGER LAKES EASTWARD ACROSS CENTRAL AND EASTERN NEW YORK. WESTERN NEW YORK WILL LARGELY REMAIN DRY. THE COLD FRONT WILL CROSS WNY LATE TONIGHT AND IS FORECAST TO BE NEAR THE FINGER LAKES BY 12Z TUESDAY WITH SKY COVER THINNING FROM WEST TO EAST. THE OVERNIGHT TIMING OF THE FRONT SHOULD LIMIT A SECOND ROUND OF SHOWER/TSTM ACTIVITY. TEMPERATURES TODAY WILL AGAIN RISE ABOVE NORMAL WITHIN A HUMID AIRMASS. 850MB TEMPS OF NEAR +15C WILL SUPPORT SURFACE HIGH TEMPS RANGING FROM THE UPPER 70S TO MID 80S. THE U70S TEMPS WILL ONLY BE LIMITED BY EARLIER START TO CONVECTION WHILE MORE HEATING ACROSS FINGER LAKES AND NORTH COUNTRY WILL HELP BOOST TEMPS TO THE M80S. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE FORECAST AREA DURING THE DAY ON TUESDAY. WHILE THE BULK OF THE PRECIPITATION WILL BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE PRE-FRONTAL TROUGH AND ALREADY WELL TO THE EAST OF THE FORECAST AREA OVER THE ADIRONDACKS/GREEN MOUNTAINS BY TUESDAY MORNING...A FEW SHOWERS WILL STILL BE POSSIBLE ALONG/JUST AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT...PARTICULARLY ACROSS THE NORTH COUNTRY WHERE THE APPROACH OF THE COLD FRONT WILL COINCIDE WITH THE AFTERNOON DIURNAL HEATING MAXIMUM. OTHERWISE...LOOK FOR BREEZY CONDITIONS WITH FALLING TEMPERATURES BEHIND THE COLD FRONT. A PERIOD OF POST-FRONTAL SUBSIDENCE AND SUNSHINE WILL GIVE WAY TO INCREASING CLOUDS LATER IN THE DAY AND INTO THE EVENING AS THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH SWINGS THROUGH. TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE TO FALL INTO THE 40S TUESDAY NIGHT...WITH HIGHER ELEVATIONS DIPPING JUST BELOW THE 40 DEGREE MARK AS THE CORE OF THE COLD AIR ALOFT MOVES ACROSS THE REGION. WITH 850MB TEMPS FALLING BELOW -2C...WE MAY EVEN SEE A DECENT AMOUNT OF LAKE-ENHANCED CLOUD COVER TUESDAY NIGHT AND INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING. THIS COLD AIR ALOFT AND THE ASSOCIATED CLOUD COVER WILL AID IN MAKING WEDNESDAY THE COLDEST DAY OF THIS WEEK WITH HIGHS ONLY TOPPING OUT IN THE LOW TO MID 50S. BY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON WE SHOULD SEE AN INCREASE IN SUNSHINE ONCE MORE AS THE COLDEST AIR ALOFT IS QUICKLY SHUNTED OFF TO THE EAST AS A FLATTER AND FASTER PATTERN TAKES SHAPE IN THE UPPER LEVELS AND SURFACE RIDING BEGINS TO CREEP IN ACROSS THE AREA FROM THE UPPER MIDWEST. A FAST-MOVING SHORTWAVE SHOULD BRING SOME CLOUD COVER TO THE SOUTHERN TIER WEDNESDAY NIGHT BUT HAVE LITTLE OTHER IMPACT OWING TO A DEARTH OF MOISTURE. LOWS ONCE AGAIN WILL RUN IN THE 40S...WITH A FEW UPPER 30S IN THE SOUTHERN TIER. IT NOW APPEARS THAT THERE SHOULD BE ENOUGH OF A BREEZE BOTH TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHTS TO PRECLUDE THE DEVELOPMENT OF FROST IN THE SOUTHERN TIER/NORTH COUNTRY IN SPITE OF TEMPERATURES THAT WILL BE DIPPING INTO THE 30S. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... THURSDAY AND FRIDAY...BROAD/FLAT UPPER LEVEL TROUGHING OVER THE GREAT LAKES AND NORTHEAST WILL REAMPLIFY AS A PAIR OF SHORTWAVES DROP THROUGH ITS BACKSIDE AND BASE...WITH AN ATTENDANT SECONDARY COLD FRONT PIVOTING ACROSS OUR REGION BETWEEN THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY. AT THIS JUNCTURE...THIS LATTER FEATURE STILL APPEARS TO BE TOO WEAK AND STARVED FOR BOTH MOISTURE AND UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT TO WARRANT THE INCLUSION OF ANY PRECIP CHANCES IN THE FORECAST...SO HAVE CONTINUED TO LEAVE THINGS DRY WITH SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE AND DRIER AIR CONTINUING TO DOMINATE OUR WEATHER. IN ADVANCE OF THE AFOREMENTIONED FRONT...SOME MODEST WARMING OF OUR AIRMASS SHOULD ALLOW TEMPS TO RECOVER BACK INTO THE LOWER AND MID 60S ON THURSDAY...BEFORE PULLING BACK AT LEAST A LITTLE BEHIND THE BOUNDARY ON FRIDAY. NEXT WEEKEND...SPRAWLING HIGH PRESSURE AND DRY AIR OVER OUR REGION AT THE START OF SATURDAY WILL SLOWLY DRIFT EASTWARD AND OFF THE ATLANTIC COASTLINE...WHILE HEIGHTS ALOFT ALSO REBUILD AS THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH OVER OUR REGION LIFTS OUT...AND THE NEXT MODEST TROUGH BEGINS SLIDING EASTWARD ACROSS THE PLAINS STATES. UNDER THIS REGIME...DRY WEATHER SHOULD PERSIST THROUGH AT LEAST THE FIRST HALF OF SUNDAY...BEFORE AN APPROACHING WARM FRONT OVER THE OHIO VALLEY POTENTIALLY BRINGS A RISK OF SHOWERS SUNDAY AFTERNOON. THIS STATED...HAVE ELECTED TO KEEP THINGS DRY ON SUNDAY FOR NOW GIVEN BOTH THE DISTANT VANTAGE POINT AND THE LACK OF AGREEMENT EXHIBITED BY THE MEDIUM RANGE GUIDANCE WITH RESPECT TO THE TIMING OF THE WARM FRONT...WHICH IS TYPICAL FOR THIS FAR IN ADVANCE. WHAT IS MORE CERTAIN IS THAT THIS PATTERN SHOULD ALLOW FOR A WARMING TREND...WITH DAYTIME HIGHS CLIMBING BACK INTO THE 70S BY NEXT SUNDAY. && .AVIATION /09Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... VFR CONDITIONS IN PLACE EARLY THIS MORNING EXCEPT FOR SOME IFR FOG ACROSS THE HILLTOPS OF THE SOUTHERN TIER. THIS WILL WILL DISSIPATE IN THE MORNING WITH INCREASING CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DURING THE LATE MORNING AND AFTERNOON AS A PRE-FRONTAL TROUGH CROSSES THE FORECAST AREA. A STABLE FLOW OFF LAKE ERIE SHOULD KEEP KBUF/KIAG FREE FROM ANY HEAVY STORMS WHICH WILL DEVELOP FROM THE SOUTHERN TIER TO EAST OF BUFFALO TO ROCHESTER AND SYRACUSE. STORM ACTIVITY WILL SHIFT EAST LATER THIS EVENING WITH MAINLY DRY CONDITIONS EXPECTED TONIGHT. OUTLOOK... TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...VFR. && .MARINE... LIGHT WINDS AND MINIMAL WAVES WILL CONTINUE ON THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES TODAY WITH AREAS OF FOG AS A WARM AND HUMID AIRMASS REMAINS OVER THE COOL LAKE WATERS. CONDITIONS ON THE LAKES SHOULD REMAIN QUIET OUTSIDE OF ANY THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING ASSOCIATED HIGHER WINDS AND WAVES. A COLD FRONT WILL SWEEP ACROSS THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES LATE TONIGHT/TUESDAY WITH AN INCREASE IN WIND SPEED AND WAVE ACTION INTO TUESDAY. A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE LAKE ERIE NEARSHORES COVERING TUESDAY AFTERNOON/EVENING. HIGH PRESSURE WILL THEN BUILD OVER THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES WEDNESDAY THROUGH THE REST OF THE WEEK WITH LOW WIND AND WAVE ACTION. && .BUF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NY...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM NOON TO 11 PM EDT TUESDAY FOR LEZ040- 041. && $$ SYNOPSIS...SMITH NEAR TERM...SMITH SHORT TERM...WOOD LONG TERM...JJR AVIATION...SMITH MARINE...SMITH
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS RALEIGH NC
749 PM EDT TUE MAY 19 2015 .SYNOPSIS...A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA TONIGHT...AND THEN STALL OVER SOUTH CAROLINA ON WEDNESDAY. THE FRONT WILL THEN RETREAT NORTH IN ADVANCE OF AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE THAT WILL CROSS THE CAROLINAS ON THURSDAY. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 225 PM TUESDAY... SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLD TSTMS HAVE BROKEN OUT ACROSS PARTS OF CENTRAL NC AS EXPECTED...WITH ACTIVITY EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND AND MOVE EAST THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON. LATEST MESOANALYSIS STILL SHOWS THE BEST MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY LOCATED ACROSS OUR EASTERN ZONES...AND SUGGESTS THAT SHOWER/TSTM COVERAGE SHOULD INCREASE AS THEY EVOLVE EASTWARD LATER THIS AFTERNOON. ANOTHER NOTABLE FEATURE IS A MID LEVEL VORT CURRENTLY MOVING E ACROSS NE SC. THIS FEATURE MAY AID THE DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF SHOWER/TSTM ACTIVITY ACROSS OUR SE ZONES AS IT MOVES EAST THE REST OF THIS AFTERNOON. OTHERWISE...GIVEN WEAK MID-LEVEL LAPSE RATES AND WEAK SHEAR...CELL INTENSITY SHOULD BE LIMITED...BUT STILL CAPABLE OF PRODUCING BRIEF INTENSE DOWNPOURS GIVEN THE ABUNDANT MOISTURE AND ABOVE-CLIMO PWAT VALUES IN PLACE ACROSS THE AREA. SHOWER/TSTM ACTIVITY IS THEN EXPECTED TO DIMINISH AND MOVE EAST TOWARD THE COAST LATER THIS EVENING. OVERNIGHT...THE COLD FRONT WHICH IS CURRENTLY EXTENDING FROM PITTSBURGH TO NASHVILLE TO MEMPHIS WILL MOVE S AND E AND ACROSS OUR CWA. LATEST HRRR SUGGESTS AN ISOLD SHOWER CAN`T BE RULED OUT WITH PASSAGE OF THE FRONT...BUT MOST PLACES WILL REMAIN DRY AS THE FRONT MOVES ACROSS. MORE LIKELY WILL BE THE FORMATION OF SOME FOG...ESP ACROSS AREAS THAT RECEIVE HEAVIER RAINFALL THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. LOW TEMPS WILL BE COOLEST ACROSS THE NW (AROUND 60) WHERE THE FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH EARLIER IN THE NIGHT...VERSUS OUR SE ZONES WHERE THE FROPA WILL OCCUR LATER IN THE NIGHT AND THUS HAVE LOW IN THE MID TO UPPER 60S. && .SHORT TERM /WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 225 PM TUESDAY... THE COLD FRONT WILL STALL TO OUR SOUTH ACROSS SC ON WEDNESDAY. THIS WILL ALLOW DRIER AND SLIGHTLY COOLER AIR TO MOVE INTO OUR AREA FROM THE NW. AS SUCH...LOOK FOR FAIR WEATHER WITH HIGHS FROM THE MID 80S NORTH TO UPPER 80S SOUTH. WEDNESDAY NIGHT...A SHORT WAVE OVER THE MISS VALLEY WILL MOVE EAST AND INDUCE A LOW PRESSURE WAVE ALONG THE OLD BOUNDARY TO OUR SOUTH. THERE ARE STILL MODEL DIFFERENCES REGARDING WHERE (PARTICULARLY HOW FAR NORTH) THAT WAVE WILL SET UP...BUT EITHER WAY IT APPEARS THAT A FEW SHOWERS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS OUR PIEDMONT ZONES LATER OVERNIGHT. LOWS WILL RANGE FROM AROUND 60 NW TO MID 60S SE. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 315 PM TUESDAY... THURSDAY TROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT: A QUICK MOVING S/W DISTURBANCE IS EXPECTED TO MOVE FROM THE PLAINS TO OFF THE MID-ATLANTIC/NORTHEAST U.S. COAST BY FRIDAY MORNING... SPREADING SHOWERS AND SOME STORMS ACROSS CENTRAL ON THURSDAY. WHILE THE DISTURBANCE WILL TRACK JUST TO OUR NORTH...AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE IN RESPONSE WILL DEVELOP/DEEPEN ALONG THE OLD FRONTAL ZONE NEAR THE NC/SC BORDER... THEN LIFT NORTH AND EASTWARD ON THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY. THIS SHOULD BRING A WIDE RANGE IN TEMPS ACROSS CENTRAL NC ON THURSDAY... WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME ROTATING STORMS NEAR THE BOUNDARY... AS DEEP LAYER SHEAR IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE TO 30 TO 35 KTS WITH A BACKED SURFACE FLOW AS THE SURFACE APPROACHES. HOWEVER... WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF ON GOING SHOWERS AND WIDESPREAD CLOUD COVER THERE IS QUITE A BIT OF UNCERTAINTY WRT HOW MUCH DESTABILIZATION WE WILL SEE IN THE DEVELOPING WARM SECTOR. THUS...SPC HAS PLACED SOUTHEASTERN/EASTERN PORTIONS OF CENTRAL NC IN A MARGINAL RISK FOR SEVERE STORMS. FOR NOW WILL CONTINUE TO MENTION A THREAT FOR ISOLATED SEVERE STORMS ACROSS OUR SE/E COUNTIES IN THE HWO FOR THURSDAY. WILL GO WITH HIGHS TEMPS ON THURSDAY RANGING FROM THE UPPER 60S/NEAR 70 (MAYBE NOT COOL ENOUGH EVEN) NEAR THE NC/VA BORDER TO LOWER TO MID 80S SOUTH/SOUTHEAST. THE PRIMARY SURFACE LOW IS EXPECTED TO LIFT OFF TO THE NORTHEAST LATE THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY... BRINGING A RETURN TO DRY AND QUIET WEATHER... WITH CLEARING/SUNNY SKIES BY FRIDAY AFTERNOON ONWARD AS SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO THE AREA FROM THE NORTHWEST. EXPECT HIGHS ON FRIDAY WILL BE IN THE UPPER 70S TO LOWER 80S. LOWS FRIDAY MORNING WILL BE DEPENDENT ON THE AMOUNT OF CLEARING AND ANY LINGERING COOL STABLE AIRMASS. FOR NOW WILL GO WITH LOWS RANGING FROM THE 50S NORTH TO THE MID 60S SE. LOWS SATURDAY... WITH SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE TO THE NORTH OF THE REGION... ARE EXPECTED TO BE IN THE MID TO UPPER 50S. SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY: SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REGION THIS WEEKEND AND OFFSHORE EARLY NEXT WEEK AS MID LEVEL RIDGING BEGINS TO BUILD AGAIN. THIS WILL YIELD A WARMING TREND EACH DAY FROM HIGHS IN THE UPPER 70S TO LOWER 80S ON SATURDAY TO THE UPPER 80S TO LOWER 90S ON TUESDAY. LOWS WILL FOLLOW A SIMILAR TREND... 50S THIS WEEKEND TO THE MID TO UPPER 60S BY TUESDAY MORNING. DRY CONDITIONS ARE GENERALLY EXPECTED FOR THIS PERIOD... WITH INCREASING CHANCES OF AT LEAST SOME ISOLATED OR WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS AND STORMS BY TUESDAY AFTERNOON (BEST CHANCE NORTHWEST) AS LOW LEVEL MOISTURE INCREASES IN RETURN FLOW. && .AVIATION /00Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... AS OF 745 PM TUESDAY... SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL CONTINUE TO DIMINISH AS THE ACTIVITY MOVES EAST. THERE COULD BE A FEW ISOLATED SHOWERS THROUGH THE FIRST HALF OF THE OVERNIGHT HOURS AS A FRONT CROSSES THE AREA. HOWEVER...CONFIDENCE IS NOT HIGH OF THIS OCCURRENCE AND REGARDLESS COVERAGE WOULD BE TOO MINIMAL TO INCLUDE IN THE TAFS NOW. THERE COULD BE SOME PATCHY FOG OVERNIGHT MAINLY ACROSS THE EAST WHERE THE DRIER AIR WILL BE LAST TO ARRIVE...AND ESPECIALLY WHERE THE RAIN OCCURRED (KRDU/KFAY/KRWI). HOWEVER...CONFIDENCE IS STILL TOO LOW TO INCLUDE IN THE TAFS. THEN...WITH DRIER AIR FILTERING INTO THE AREA BEHIND THE FRONT...VFR CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE CURRENT TAF PERIOD. OUTLOOK: AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE WILL TRACK ACROSS THE CAROLINAS AND RESULT IN A CHANCE OF SUB-VFR CEILINGS AND RAIN LATE WED NIGHT AND EARLY THU...FOLLOWED BY SHOWERS AND STORMS THU AFTERNOON. && .RAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...RAH NEAR TERM...RAH SHORT TERM...RAH LONG TERM...RAH AVIATION...RAH
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS BISMARCK ND
110 AM CDT MON MAY 18 2015 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 109 AM CDT MON MAY 18 2015 ROLLA SUSTAINED WIND AT 37 MPH GUSTING TO 48 MPH AND TURTLE MOUNTAIN RAWS AT 37 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 57 MPH. THESE VALUES ARE JUST BELOW HIGH WIND WARNING CRITERIA...AND LOOKING AT THE DECREASING TREND EXPECTED DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS - WILL ALLOW THE HIGH WIND WARNING FOR ROLETTE AND PIERCE COUNTIES TO EXPIRE. THE STRONG WINDS ARE IN THE WORDING OF THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY THAT IS IN EFFECT FOR NORTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA - INCLUDING ROLETTE AND PIERCE COUNTIES. THIS IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 AM CDT MONDAY...AND FOR NOW WILL KEEP THE ADVISORY GOING. PRECIPITATION TRENDS ON REGIONAL RADARS INDICATE DECREASE IN AREAL COVERAGE AND INTENSITY. SHOULD THIS TREND CONTINUE THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MAY BE DROPPED/ENDED BEFORE DAYBREAK. WILL WAIT A FEW HOURS FOR THAT DECISION. OTHERWISE WINDS ON TRACK WITH THE WIND ADVISORY GOING UNTIL 7 AM...AND WILL RE-EVALUATE IN A FEW HOURS. REST OF FORECAST ELEMENTS ON TRACK FOR THIS UPDATE. UPDATE ISSUED AT 1042 PM CDT SUN MAY 17 2015 ROLLA STILL SUSTAINED AT OVER 40KTS WITH TURTLE MOUNTAIN RAWS STILL GUSTING TO 61 MPH. WILL EXTEND THE HIGH WIND WARNING A COUPLE OF HOURS...TILL 1AM CDT. RAP PRESSURE RISES ON THE DECREASE SO A 1AM EXPIRATION SHOULD BE GOOD. UPDATE ISSUED AT 1004 PM CDT SUN MAY 17 2015 HEADLINES WILL REMAIN AS IS. AN ARGUMENT CAN BE MADE FOR A SMALL AREA FOR BLIZZARD HEADLINES WITH BOTH ROLLA AND HARVEY REPORTING STRONG WINDS GUSTING 35-45KTS AND 1/4 MILE VIS IN HEAVY SNOW. HOWEVER...VIS HAVE BEEN JUMPING FROM 1/4 TO 3/4 AND DO NOT FEEL THE SMALL AREA AND TIME DURATION JUSTIFIES AN UPGRADE. THUS WILL MAINTAIN THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY AS IS WITH NEAR BLIZZARD WORDING AND OTHER DIRE TERMINOLOGY IN THE OVERVIEW AND SEGMENT. HIGH WIND WARNING OVER MY FAR NORTHEAST EXPIRES AT 11PM. WILL REVISIT IN 30-45 MIN FOR A POSSIBLE EXTENSION. UPDATE ISSUED AT 710 PM CDT SUN MAY 17 2015 RAIN CHANGING OVER TO SNOW AS TEMPERATURES AT THE SURFACE AND ALOFT COOL. HAVE HAD A MIX OF SLEET SOUTH CENTRAL WHERE SOUNDINGS INDICATE A WARM LAYER ALOFT...COLD LAYER AROUND 850MB...AND SURFACE TEMPERATURES IN THE MIDDLE 30S. THE WARM LAYER WILL COOL WITH ALL SNOW BY 01-02Z. HEADLINES ALL STILL VALID...AND WILL STAY THE COURSE WITH THIS UPDATE. UPDATE ISSUED AT 608 PM CDT SUN MAY 17 2015 OPTED TO ISSUE A HIGH WIND WARNING OVER ROLETTE AND PIERCE COUNTIES. WINDS CONTINUE TO GUST OVER 60 MPH AT OBSERVING SITES ACROSS MY FAR NORTHEAST. CANNOT IGNORE THIS SO WENT WITH A WARNING. OTHER EDITS MINOR FOR NOW...ANOTHER UPDATE OUT BY 0030Z. && .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH MONDAY) ISSUED AT 330 PM CDT SUN MAY 17 2015 SIGNIFICANT STORM IMPACTING NORTH DAKOTA WILL BEGIN TO WANE TONIGHT AND EXIT THE REGION ON MONDAY. AS COLDER AIR WRAPS UP INTO THE SYSTEM SNOW WILL START TO ACCUMULATE ACROSS THE NORTH CENTRAL...WITH 2 TO NEAR 6 INCHES EXPECTED. STRONG WINDS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE NIGHT. WILL KEEP WIND ADVISORY THROUGH 7 PM NORTH CENTRAL THEN TRANSITION TO A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR THE SNOW AND MENTION THE STRONG WINDS IN THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY. WILL MAINTAIN WIND ADVISORY THROUGH THE NIGHT SOUTH CENTRAL. THE RAIN WILL SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASE AFTER MIDNIGHT. UNTIL THEN THERE IS A FLOOD ADVISORY FOR EAST CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA WHERE WIDESPREAD WARM CONVEYER BELT PRECIP HAS BEEN QUASI STATIONARY TODAY. FINALLY...WIDESPREAD FREEZING TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED ACROSS WEST AND CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA TONIGHT. WILL LET THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY AND ITS SNOW AMOUNTS STAND IN FOR THE FREEZE WARNING NORTH CENTRAL. ACROSS THE WEST AND SOUTH WILL ISSUE A FREEZE WARNING TONIGHT AND EARLY MONDAY. MONDAY WILL BECOME SUNNY WITH DIMINISHING WINDS. .LONG TERM...(MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 330 PM CDT SUN MAY 17 2015 COOL AND DRY WILL CHARACTERIZE THE LONG TERM. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN BEHIND THE DEPARTING WEEKEND STORM MONDAY NIGHT. THIS WILL LEAD TO CLEAR SKIES AND LIGHT WIND. TEMPERATURES OVERNIGHT WILL LIKELY FALL INTO THE MID 20S FOR MOST OF NORTH DAKOTA. A FREEZE WARNING WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH WIDESPREAD FROST. THE REST OF THE WEEK LOOKS DRY WITH SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE REMAINING ENTRENCHED OVER NORTH DAKOTA AND UPPER LEVEL RIDING BUILDING WEST. THIS WILL KEEP MOST OF THE MOISTURE AND STORM TRACKS THIS WEEK SOUTH OF NORTH DAKOTA. TEMPERATURES LOOK TO REBOUND INTO THE 60S BY THURSDAY. THE NEXT CHANCE FOR PRECIPITATION ARRIVES THIS WEEKEND AS THE RIDGE BREAKS DOWN AND AN UPPER LEVEL LOW MOVES INTO THE PLAINS. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z MONDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 109 AM CDT MON MAY 18 2015 VFR AT KISN SHOULD PREVAIL THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD. KDIK SHOULD BE IMPROVING BY AROUND 09Z. WIDESPREAD MVFR CONDITIONS IN SNOW AND FOG AT KMOT/KBIS SHOULD CONTINUE THROUGH AROUND 12Z...THEN IMPROVE TO VFR. KJMS WILL LIKELY REMAIN AT MVFR AND IFR CONDITIONS UNTIL AROUND 00Z. SNOW SHOULD END AT KJMS BY AROUND 15Z BUT LARGE MVFR CLOUD SHIELD SHOULD REMAIN EAST OF KMOT/KBIS BUT ENCOMPASS KJMS THROUGH AROUND 00Z. && .HYDROLOGY... ISSUED AT 330 PM CDT SUN MAY 17 2015 HAVE ISSUED AN AREAL FLOOD ADVISORY THROUGH THIS EVENING EAST CENTRAL. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF TWO TO 4 INCHES WITH SOME ISOLATED HIGHER AMOUNTS CAUSING PONDING...AND FLOODED FIELDS. CALLS AND INQUIRIES SO FAR HAVE REVEALED ROADS TO BE OK WITH SOME MINOR FLOODING. && .BIS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FREEZE WARNING UNTIL 10 AM CDT /9 AM MDT/ THIS MORNING FOR NDZ001-009-017>020-031>037-040>048-050-051. WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 7 AM CDT /6 AM MDT/ THIS MORNING FOR NDZ019- 020-034>037-042-045>048-050-051. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 7 AM CDT THIS MORNING FOR NDZ002>005-010>013-021>023-025. && $$ UPDATE...JV SHORT TERM...WAA LONG TERM...AJ AVIATION...JV HYDROLOGY...WAA
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GRAND FORKS ND
1135 PM CDT SUN MAY 17 2015 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 1135 PM CDT SUN MAY 17 2015 STILL HAVE WINDS NEAR WARNING CRITERIA WITHIN THE DEVILS LAKE BASIN...BUT MODEL GUIDANCE INDICATES 925MB WIND SPEEDS DECREASING 10 KNOTS FROM 03Z TO 06Z...SO ALLOWED HIGH WIND WARNING TO EXPIRE AT 11PM. WILL NEED TO WATCH THE NORTHERN VALLEY WITH DUE NORTH WINDS AND THE RAP INDICATING INCREASING 925MB WIND SPEEDS. GRAFTON AWOS IS CLOSE TO WARNING CRITERIA...AND WITH THE SFC PRESSURE GRADIENT STILL TIGHTENING CANNOT RULE OUT STRONG WINDS HERE. OTHERWISE...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY AREA HAS REPORTS OF SNOW AND SLEET AND SLICK ROADS. ALSO HAD A REPORT OF 2.5 INCHES OF SNOW JUST N/NE OF ROLLA (IN CANADA). IMAGINE THAT THERE IS SOME SLUSHY ACCUMULATION INTO THE STATES. ELSEWHERE...RAIN HAS REDEVELOPED AS EXPECTED ACROSS NW MN (EVEN INTO THE VALLEY). && .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 337 PM CDT SUN MAY 17 2015 FIRST OFF...SFC LOW NEAR SISSETON/WAHPETON AREA AT MID AFTN AND SFC PRESSURE FALLS ARE NOT CENTERED NEAR FOSSTON MN. SO SFC LOW WILL TACK NORTHEAST TOWARD THAT AREA THIS EVENING. EAST OF SFC LOW AREA IN DRY SLOT WHERE HEATING OCCURRED FAVORABLE FOR SOME THUNDERSTORM TO FORM. FOCUS IS FROM ALEXANDRIA NORTH TO EAST OF FERGUS FALLS....TO BEMIDJI...PARK RAPIDS AND WADENA. SFC AND UPPER AIR LOW PLACEMENT FAVORS LOW TOPPED SUPERCELLS WITH POSSIBLE FUNNEL FORMATION. PER SPC NOT EXPECTING WIDESPREAD STORMS THIS STRONG....BUT COULD BE THRU 00Z. ANOTHER QUESTION IS NW EDGE OF DEF ZONE PRECIP. RAIN FALLING PER PUBLIC LANGDON-DEVILS LAKE AREA STILL. MODELS TAKE DRIER AIR WEST AND WANT TO SHUT OFF DEF ZONE HEAVY PRECIP THIS EVENING LEAVING LIGHT PRECIP OVERNIGHT INTO MONDAY MORNING IN THE COLD AIR WHERE IT WILL BE COLD ENOUGH FOR SNOW. SO JUST HOW MUCH SNOW WILL FALL IS QUESTIONABLE. WILL LEAVE WSW OUT FOR 1-3 INCHES IN DVL BASIN-LANGDON AREAS OVERNIGHT AS TOO UNCERTAIN TO TINKER WITH IT. WINDS WILL BE A BIG FACTOR AND CONTINUE TO GUST IN THE 40-55 MPH RANGE IN DVL BASIN AND SPREAD INTO THE RRV THIS EVE. STRONG WINDS OVERNIGHT INTO MONDAY MORNING SO HAVE WIND ADVISORIES OUT. MOVED PRECIP OUT A BIT FASTER THAN EARLIER FCSTS MONDAY. OTHERWISE COLD AND WINDY. CLEARING OVERSPREADS AREA MON NIGHT AND LIKELY FREEZE CONDITIONS IN MANY AREAS. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 337 PM CDT SUN MAY 17 2015 WELCOME DRY WEATHER TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE MOVES IN AND TEMPS BEGIN TO RECOVER. FOR WED NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY...SMALL DISCUSSION TODAY DUE TO SEVERE WEATHER POTENTIAL. BASICALLY KEPT THE THU/FRI PERIOD DRY AND LEFT PCPN CHANCES AS THEY WERE FOR SAT/SUN. TEMPS LOOK TO RETURN TO NEAR NORMAL VALUES. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z MONDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 1135 PM CDT SUN MAY 17 2015 LIFR/IFR CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...WITH CONDITIONS GRADUALLY IMPROVING ON MONDAY. STRONG NORTH WINDS ALONG AND WEST OF THE VALLEY WILL GRADUALLY DIMINISH ON MONDAY. && .FGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ND...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM CDT MONDAY FOR NDZ008-016-026>030-038- 039-049-052>054. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 7 AM CDT MONDAY FOR NDZ006-007-014- 015-024. MN...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM CDT MONDAY FOR MNZ001>004-007-029. && $$ UPDATE...TG SHORT TERM...RIDDLE LONG TERM...GODON/RIDDLE AVIATION...TG
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CHARLESTON WV
309 PM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 .SYNOPSIS... WEAK DISTURBANCES AND WARM MOIST AIR MASS WILL CONTINUE TO RESULT IN PERIODS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH TONIGHT. A COLD FRONT CROSSES TUESDAY. DRYER CONDITIONS BY TUESDAY AFTERNOON. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TUESDAY/... SCATTERED POPCORN CONVECTION IS BEING SEEN ACROSS THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON...AS MOIST AIRMASS HEATS UP IN BOUNDARY LAYER HEATING. OTHERWISE...SLIGHTLY MORE ORGANIZED CONVECTION NOTED OVER EASTERN KY AND SOUTHERN OH...AS WEAK VORT FEATURE APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. IT APPEARS THE LATEST RAP RUNS HAVE A FAIR HANDLE ON THE OVERALL MASS FIELDS AND THE PROGRESSION OF FEATURES ACROSS TONIGHT. USED A RATHER BROAD BRUSH APPROACH TO COVER POPS THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. HAVE FRONT CROSSING LATE TONIGHT AND EARLY MORNING. SPEED UP TIMING SLIGHTLY...BY AN HOUR OR TWO...NOT MUCH TO REALLY MAKE A CHANGE TO THE OVERALL FORECAST. FOR TEMPS...WILL SEE A FEW DEGREES OF COOLING TUESDAY OVER TODAYS HIGHS AS COOLER AIRMASS MOVES IN...WITH DRYING OF THE ATMOSPHERIC COLUMN. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... ZONAL FLOW FOR THE SHORT TERM PART OF THE FORECAST SHOULD PROVIDE FOR A DRY FORECAST. DO HAVE SLIGHT CHANCE POPS WEDNESDAY NIGHT AS SEVERAL UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES MOVE ACROSS THE NORTHERN OHIO VALLEY AROUND THE 520+ LOW OVER NEWFOUNDLAND. WENT MAINLY WITH ALL BLEND GUIDANCE FOR TEMPERATURES THROUGH THE PERIOD...KEEPING THEM BELOW CLIMATOLOGY. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... A HIGH BEGINS TO BUILD IN THE GULF OF MEXICO ON SUNDAY...MIGRATES EAST AND TRIES TO STRENGTHEN. THIS WILL LEAD TO A POTENTIALLY MESSY FORECAST FOR THE OHIO VALLEY WITH SEVERAL UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES ROTATING AROUND THE CANADIAN LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS. HAVE CHANCE POPS ON SUNDAY AND MONDAY AS EXPECT MOISTURE TO BECOME TRAPPED UNDER THE HIGH. THERE REALLY ISN/T ANYTHING SIGNIFICANT TO FOCUS ON TO TIME THESE EVENTS. WENT WITH A BLEND OF GUIDANCE FOR TEMPERATURES. TEMPERATURES WILL RISE THROUGH THE EXTENDED PART OF THE FORECAST. && .AVIATION /19Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... ITS DEJA VU ALL OVER AGAIN...AT LEAST FOR ONE MORE DAY. WILL SEE ISOLD TO SCATTERED CONVECTION THIS AFTERNOON WITH ISOLD IFR IN MORE INTENSE CONVECTIVE CELLS. IN ADDITION...THERE MAY BE A FEW ISOLD OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES PRODUCING SOME LOCAL SFC GUSTS IN THE 20 TO 25 KT RANGE. LATEST RADAR SHOWING A SLIGHTLY MORE ORGANIZED AREA OF...ALBEIT WEAK...CONVECTION MOVING OUT OF EASTERN KY WHICH SHOULD TRACK ACROSS WESTERN WV AND SE OH THROUGH 23Z. ELSEWHERE WILL SEE MORE ISOLD DEVELOPMENT FOR THE REMAINING DAYLIGHT HOURS. AREAS THAT GET RAIN WILL SEE SOME FOG AFTER 10Z AND WILL ALSO SEE FOG IN AND ALONG THE RIVERS...MUCH THE SAME AS PREVIOUS COUPLE OF DAYS. LONE EXCEPTION WILL BE KEKN...WHERE FOG SHOULD BE A LITTLE MORE PREVALENT FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF MORNING IFR. HOWEVER...A FRONT WILL PASS ON TUESDAY...AND THIS FRONT IS PROGGED TO BE ALONG THE OH RIVER BY AROUND 12Z. IT WILL SWING THROUGH DURING THE DAY TUESDAY...HELPING TO SCOUR OUT THE LOW LEVELS FOR SOME DRIER CONDITIONS TO CLOSE OUT THE PERIOD. FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND ALTERNATE SCENARIOS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY... FORECAST CONFIDENCE: MEDIUM. ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: COVERAGE OF STORMS COULD HIGHER THAN EXPECTED...WITH ORE AREAS SEEING IFR OR LOWER CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. EXPERIMENTAL TABLE OF FLIGHT CATEGORY OBJECTIVELY SHOWS CONSISTENCY OF WFO FORECAST TO AVAILABLE MODEL INFORMATION: H = HIGH: TAF CONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL. M = MEDIUM: TAF HAS VARYING LEVEL OF CONSISTENCY WITH MODELS. L = LOW: TAF INCONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL. UTC 1HRLY 18 19 20 21 22 23 00 01 02 03 04 05 EDT 1HRLY 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 00 01 CRW CONSISTENCY H H H H M M H H H H H H HTS CONSISTENCY H H H H M H H H H H H H BKW CONSISTENCY H H M M M M M M M M M H EKN CONSISTENCY H H M M M M M M M M L L PKB CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H H H H CKB CONSISTENCY H H H H H M M M M M H H AFTER 18Z TUESDAY... FOG/LOW CLOUDS POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT TUE NT INTO WED MORNING. REDUCE VISIBILITY POSSIBLE IN AND AROUND THUNDERSTORMS NEXT SUNDAY AND MONDAY. && .RLX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WV...NONE. OH...NONE. KY...NONE. VA...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...FB/KMC NEAR TERM...KMC SHORT TERM...FB LONG TERM...FB AVIATION...KMC
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CHARLESTON WV
236 PM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 .SYNOPSIS... WEAK DISTURBANCES AND WARM MOIST AIR MASS WILL CONTINUE TO RESULT IN PERIODS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH TONIGHT. A COLD FRONT CROSSES TUESDAY. DRYER CONDITIONS BY TUESDAY AFTERNOON. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TUESDAY/... SCATTERED POPCORN CONVECTION IS BEING SEEN ACROSS THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON...AS MOIST AIRMASS HEATS UP IN BOUNDARY LAYER HEATING. OTHERWISE...SLIGHTLY MORE ORGANIZED CONVECTION NOTED OVER EASTERN KY AND SOUTHERN OH...AS WEAK VORT FEATURE APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. IT APPEARS THE LATEST RAP RUNS HAVE A FAIR HANDLE ON THE OVERALL MASS FIELDS AND THE PROGRESSION OF FEATURES ACROSS TONIGHT. USED A RATHER BROAD BRUSH APPROACH TO COVER POPS THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. HAVE FRONT CROSSING LATE TONIGHT AND EARLY MORNING. SPEED UP TIMING SLIGHTLY...BY AN HOUR OR TWO...NOT MUCH TO REALLY MAKE A CHANGE TO THE OVERALL FORECAST. FOR TEMPS...WILL SEE A FEW DEGREES OF COOLING TUESDAY OVER TODAYS HIGHS AS COOLER AIRMASS MOVES IN...WITH DRYING OF THE ATMOSPHERIC COLUMN. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... MADE NO REAL CHANGES WITH THE SHORT TERM PART OF THE FORECAST. RAISED POPS A BIT IN THE EAST MONDAY NIGHT AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT. PW VALUES ARE IN THE 1.5-1.75 INCHES RANGE AHEAD THE FRONT SO THE PROSPECT OF HEAVY RAIN OVERNIGHT IS STILL POSSIBLE. EVEN WITH ALL OF THE RAIN THAT HAS FALLEN UP TO THIS POINT THE GROUND SHOULD BE ABLE TO HANDLE THE SITUATION SO NO REAL CONCERNS. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE SITUATION. IT DRIES OUT QUICKLY BEHIND THE FRONT STARTING TUESDAY NIGHT. DRY WEATHER WITH PLEASANT TEMPERATURES SHOULD PREVAIL TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY AS WEAK HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS TO THE WEST GIVING ZONAL FLOW FOR THE OHIO VALLEY. WENT MAINLY WITH ALL BLEND GUIDANCE FOR TEMPERATURES THROUGH THE PERIOD. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... NOTHING SIGNIFICANT TO FOCUS ON IN THE LONG TERM. HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OVER THE CENTRAL US AND THAT WILL LEAVE ZONAL FLOW OVER THE OHIO VALLEY. THE EXTENDED FORECAST WILL BE DRY FOR THE MOST PART BUT CONFIDENCE IS NOT ALL THAT HIGH AS THERE COULD BE A FEW UPPER LEVEL RIPPLES CAUSED BY THE WEAK FRONT THAT PASSES TO THE NORTH NEXT WEEKEND. PRECIPITATION CHANCES INCREASING ON SUNDAY. WENT WITH A BLEND OF GUIDANCE FOR TEMPERATURES. && .AVIATION /19Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... ITS DEJA VU ALL OVER AGAIN...AT LEAST FOR ONE MORE DAY. WILL SEE ISOLD TO SCATTERED CONVECTION THIS AFTERNOON WITH ISOLD IFR IN MORE INTENSE CONVECTIVE CELLS. IN ADDITION...THERE MAY BE A FEW ISOLD OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES PRODUCING SOME LOCAL SFC GUSTS IN THE 20 TO 25 KT RANGE. LATEST RADAR SHOWING A SLIGHTLY MORE ORGANIZED AREA OF...ALBEIT WEAK...CONVECTION MOVING OUT OF EASTERN KY WHICH SHOULD TRACK ACROSS WESTERN WV AND SE OH THROUGH 23Z. ELSEWHERE WILL SEE MORE ISOLD DEVELOPMENT FOR THE REMAINING DAYLIGHT HOURS. AREAS THAT GET RAIN WILL SEE SOME FOG AFTER 10Z AND WILL ALSO SEE FOG IN AND ALONG THE RIVERS...MUCH THE SAME AS PREVIOUS COUPLE OF DAYS. LONE EXCEPTION WILL BE KEKN...WHERE FOG SHOULD BE A LITTLE MORE PREVALENT FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF MORNING IFR. HOWEVER...A FRONT WILL PASS ON TUESDAY...AND THIS FRONT IS PROGGED TO BE ALONG THE OH RIVER BY AROUND 12Z. IT WILL SWING THROUGH DURING THE DAY TUESDAY...HELPING TO SCOUR OUT THE LOW LEVELS FOR SOME DRIER CONDITIONS TO CLOSE OUT THE PERIOD. FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND ALTERNATE SCENARIOS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY... FORECAST CONFIDENCE: MEDIUM. ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: COVERAGE OF STORMS COULD HIGHER THAN EXPECTED...WITH ORE AREAS SEEING IFR OR LOWER CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. EXPERIMENTAL TABLE OF FLIGHT CATEGORY OBJECTIVELY SHOWS CONSISTENCY OF WFO FORECAST TO AVAILABLE MODEL INFORMATION: H = HIGH: TAF CONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL. M = MEDIUM: TAF HAS VARYING LEVEL OF CONSISTENCY WITH MODELS. L = LOW: TAF INCONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL. UTC 1HRLY 18 19 20 21 22 23 00 01 02 03 04 05 EDT 1HRLY 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 00 01 CRW CONSISTENCY H H H H M M H H H H H H HTS CONSISTENCY H H H H M H H H H H H H BKW CONSISTENCY H H M M M M M M M M M H EKN CONSISTENCY H H M M M M M M M M L L PKB CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H H H H CKB CONSISTENCY H H H H H M M M M M H H AFTER 18Z TUESDAY... FOG/LOW CLOUDS POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT TUE NT INTO WED MORNING. && .RLX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WV...NONE. OH...NONE. KY...NONE. VA...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...JSH/ARJ NEAR TERM...KMC SHORT TERM...FB LONG TERM...FB AVIATION...KMC
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CHARLESTON WV
147 PM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 .SYNOPSIS... WEAK DISTURBANCES AND WARM MOIST AIR MASS WILL CONTINUE TO RESULT IN PERIODS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH TONIGHT. A COLD FRONT CROSSES TUESDAY. DRYER CONDITIONS BY TUESDAY AFTERNOON. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... NO UPDATES TO THE NEAR TERM OTHER THAN TO TWEAK POPS BASED ON CURRENT TRENDS. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION BELOW... LATEST RADAR MOSAIC AND SURFACE OBSERVATIONS SUGGEST REGION IS GENERALLY DRY AT THIS TIME. EXPECT THESE CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...AND HAVE SLIGHT CHANCE POPS CONTINUING. LATEST HRRR SHOWS A SMALL AREA OF SHOWERS...CURRENTLY OVER SOUTHEAST KENTUCKY...WILL SPREAD NORTHEAST AND INCREASE IN AREAL COVERAGE AS IT MOVES INTO OUR SOUTHERN COUNTIES LATER THIS MORNING. THE CURRENT TREND OF THESE SHOWERS HAS BEEN TO WEAKEN. SO NOT SURE HOW MUCH OF THESE SHOWERS WILL ACTUALLY MAKE IT INTO OUR AREA. MOST OF THE MODELS THEN INDICATE WEAK DISTURBANCES WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA TODAY INTO TONIGHT. COMBINATION OF THESE DISTURBANCES AND INCREASING INSTABILITY SHOULD ONCE AGAIN RESULT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SHOWERS AND STORMS TODAY. LOCALIZED DOWNPOURS ARE ONCE AGAIN POSSIBLE TODAY AND TONIGHT...AND CAN RESULT IN MINOR FLOODING OF STREETS...CREEKS...LOW LYING AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. WITH THE LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING...THE COVERAGE AND INTENSITY OF THE CONVECTION SHOULD BEGIN TO WANE. HOWEVER...A COLD FRONT...WHICH IS EXPECTED TO PUSH INTO THE REGION LATE TONIGHT...SHOULD CONTINUE THE THREAT OF SHOWERS AND STORMS. CURRENT THINKING IS THAT THE FRONT SHOULD BE LOCATED NEAR OR JUST EAST OF THE OHIO RIVER AT THE END OF THIS PERIOD. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... MADE NO REAL CHANGES WITH THE SHORT TERM PART OF THE FORECAST. RAISED POPS A BIT IN THE EAST MONDAY NIGHT AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT. PW VALUES ARE IN THE 1.5-1.75 INCHES RANGE AHEAD THE FRONT SO THE PROSPECT OF HEAVY RAIN OVERNIGHT IS STILL POSSIBLE. EVEN WITH ALL OF THE RAIN THAT HAS FALLEN UP TO THIS POINT THE GROUND SHOULD BE ABLE TO HANDLE THE SITUATION SO NO REAL CONCERNS. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE SITUATION. IT DRIES OUT QUICKLY BEHIND THE FRONT STARTING TUESDAY NIGHT. DRY WEATHER WITH PLEASANT TEMPERATURES SHOULD PREVAIL TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY AS WEAK HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS TO THE WEST GIVING ZONAL FLOW FOR THE OHIO VALLEY. WENT MAINLY WITH ALL BLEND GUIDANCE FOR TEMPERATURES THROUGH THE PERIOD. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... NOTHING SIGNIFICANT TO FOCUS ON IN THE LONG TERM. HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OVER THE CENTRAL US AND THAT WILL LEAVE ZONAL FLOW OVER THE OHIO VALLEY. THE EXTENDED FORECAST WILL BE DRY FOR THE MOST PART BUT CONFIDENCE IS NOT ALL THAT HIGH AS THERE COULD BE A FEW UPPER LEVEL RIPPLES CAUSED BY THE WEAK FRONT THAT PASSES TO THE NORTH NEXT WEEKEND. PRECIPITATION CHANCES INCREASING ON SUNDAY. WENT WITH A BLEND OF GUIDANCE FOR TEMPERATURES. && .AVIATION /18Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... ITS DEJA VU ALL OVER AGAIN...AT LEAST FOR ONE MORE DAY. WILL SEE ISOLD TO SCATTERED CONVECTION THIS AFTERNOON WITH ISOLD IFR IN MORE INTENSE CONVECTIVE CELLS. IN ADDITION...THERE MAY BE A FEW ISOLD OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES PRODUCING SOME LOCAL SFC GUSTS IN THE 20 TO 25 KT RANGE. LATEST RADAR SHOWING A SLIGHTLY MORE ORGANIZED AREA OF...ALBEIT WEAK...CONVECTION MOVING OUT OF EASTERN KY WHICH SHOULD TRACK ACROSS WESTERN WV AND SE OH THROUGH 23Z. ELSEWHERE WILL SEE MORE ISOLD DEVELOPMENT FOR THE REMAINING DAYLIGHT HOURS. AREAS THAT GET RAIN WILL SEE SOME FOG AFTER 10Z AND WILL ALSO SEE FOG IN AND ALONG THE RIVERS...MUCH THE SAME AS PREVIOUS COUPLE OF DAYS. LONE EXCEPTION WILL BE KEKN...WHERE FOG SHOULD BE A LITTLE MORE PREVALENT FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF MORNING IFR. HOWEVER...A FRONT WILL PASS ON TUESDAY...AND THIS FRONT IS PROGGED TO BE ALONG THE OH RIVER BY AROUND 12Z. IT WILL SWING THROUGH DURING THE DAY TUESDAY...HELPING TO SCOUR OUT THE LOW LEVELS FOR SOME DRIER CONDITIONS TO CLOSE OUT THE PERIOD. FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND ALTERNATE SCENARIOS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY... FORECAST CONFIDENCE: MEDIUM. ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: COVERAGE OF STORMS COULD HIGHER THAN EXPECTED...WITH ORE AREAS SEEING IFR OR LOWER CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. EXPERIMENTAL TABLE OF FLIGHT CATEGORY OBJECTIVELY SHOWS CONSISTENCY OF WFO FORECAST TO AVAILABLE MODEL INFORMATION: H = HIGH: TAF CONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL. M = MEDIUM: TAF HAS VARYING LEVEL OF CONSISTENCY WITH MODELS. L = LOW: TAF INCONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL. UTC 1HRLY 18 19 20 21 22 23 00 01 02 03 04 05 EDT 1HRLY 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 00 01 CRW CONSISTENCY H H H H M M H H H H H H HTS CONSISTENCY H H H H M H H H H H H H BKW CONSISTENCY H H M M M M M M M M M H EKN CONSISTENCY H H M M M M M M M M L L PKB CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H H H H CKB CONSISTENCY H H H H H M M M M M H H AFTER 18Z TUESDAY... FOG/LOW CLOUDS POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT TUE NT INTO WED MORNING. && .RLX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WV...NONE. OH...NONE. KY...NONE. VA...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...JSH/ARJ NEAR TERM...JSH/KMC SHORT TERM...FB LONG TERM...FB AVIATION...KMC
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CLEVELAND OH
140 PM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 .SYNOPSIS... A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE EAST ACROSS THE AREA THIS EVENING. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD VERY SLOWLY EAST AND SETTLE INTO THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY REGION BY THURSDAY. THE HIGH WILL EXTEND A RIDGE EAST ACROSS THE LOCAL AREA DURING THIS TIME. MORE HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD SOUTHEAST OUT OF CANADA AND MERGE WITH THE EXISTING HIGH PRESSURE AND BECOME CENTERED OVER OHIO BY SATURDAY MORNING. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT IS TAKING PLACE FROM NEAR SANDUSKY BAY SOUTHWEST TO NEAR FDY. WITH MODEST AMOUNT OF WIND SHEAR WE DON`T EXPECT MUCH IN THE WAY OF SEVERE POTENTIAL. DCAPE IS LOW GIVEN THE RATHER HUMID CONDITIONS WITH HIGH PRECIPITABLE WATER AMOUNT NEAR 1.6 INCHES. THE HRRR TIMING OF CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT IS SLOW BY A COUPLE OF HOURS. THE LATEST MESO ANALYSIS DATA SHOW LOW LEVEL CIN HAS DISSIPATED. EXPECT CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY TO INCREASE IN COVERAGE AND PROGRESS TO THE NORTHEAST. SHORT RANGE MESOSCALE MODELS SUGGEST THAT NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL FORM OVER NORTHEAST OHIO ESPECIALLY IN THE SNOW BELT COUNTIES EAST OF CLE. GIVEN THE RATHER DEEP MOISTURE AND LIMITED SHEAR SEVERE POTENTIAL IS LOW. HAVE RAISED MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE JUST SLIGHTLY IN SPOTS. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... COLD FRONT FINALLY ARRIVES AND IS EXPECTED TO SWEEP EAST ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA FROM WEST TO EAST BETWEEN 00Z AND 06Z TONIGHT. DRY SLOT IS EXPECTED TO RACE NORTH AHEAD OF THE FRONT INTO THE AREA AS WELL LIMITING THE EFFECTS FRONT HAS ON PRODUCING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. FRONT PUSHES EAST LATE TONIGHT DIMINISHING THREAT FOR SHOWERS AS WELL AS NEGATIVE VORTICITY ADVECTION AND DRIER AIR MOVE INTO THE REGION. HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE BUILDS EAST INTO THE AREA TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY AND BRINGS A RETURN BACK TO FAIR WEATHER ONCE AGAIN. NOW...THIS IS WHERE THE MODELS SHOW SOME DIFFERENCES. NAM IS THE WETTEST WEDNESDAY NIGHT IN FORCING A FAST MOVING UPPER LEVEL POSITIVE VORTICITY MAXIMUM EAST INTO THE AREA. THIS FEATURE HAS QUITE A BIT OF MOISTURE WITH IT. THE GFS IS SHOWING A SIMILAR SOLUTION BUT IS LIMITED IN MOISTURE WHERE AS THE SREF SHUNTS EVERYTHING SOUTH. SINCE THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENCES IN TIMING AND AREAL EXTENT OF THE PRECIPITATION THREAT...WILL JUST MENTION A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AT THIS TIME AND SEE IF THE MODELS CAN COME TO SOME KIND OF CONSENSUS. UPPER LEVEL FEATURE PULLS OUT TO THE EAST THURSDAY AND BRINGS A RETURN BACK TO FAIR WEATHER THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT. THE BAD NEWS IS THAT CHILLY AIR WILL RETURN BEHIND THE COLD FRONT DROPPING TEMPERATURES BACK INTO THE 50S FOR HIGHS ACROSS THE NORTHERN TIER COUNTIES BY WEDNESDAY AND LOWER 60S ACROSS THE SOUTH. OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL DROP INTO THE 40S. A BIT OF A REBOUND WITH MORE SUN WILL RETURN ON THURSDAY WITH HIGHS IN THE LOWER TO MIDDLE 60S. YET LOWS WILL STILL BE IN THE 40S THURSDAY NIGHT. NOT EXPECTING ANY FROST THROUGH THE PERIOD AT THIS TIME. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... THE LONG TERM BEGINS FRIDAY WITH A COLD FRONT HAVING JUST DROPPED SOUTH ACROSS THE REGION AND AN UNREASONABLE AMOUNT OF COLD AIR JUST TO OUR NORTH. DURING THE DAY HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN FROM THE WEST AND WHILE TEMPS WILL BE ON THE COOL SIDE...BOTH MODELS TAKE THE CORE OF THE COLD AIR EAST ACROSS QUEBEC AND NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND. SATURDAY THE HIGH MOVES EAST AND HEIGHTS BEGIN TO RECOVER AS WARMER AIR BEGINS TO RETURN TO THE REGION. AN UPPER RIDGE WILL BE MOVING INTO THE MIDWEST HOWEVER A SURFACE LOW IN THE CENTRAL PLAINS WILL BEING DEEP MOISTURE INTO THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY UNDER THE RIDGE. BY SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY THIS MOISTURE WILL LIKELY BE SPILLING INTO THE AREA WITH DEEP SOUTHERLY FLOW INTO THE AREA AHEAD OF A DEVELOPING UPPER TROF IN THE PLAINS. WILL KEEP FORECAST DRY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT BUT BRING MID/HIGH CHANCE POPS IN FOR SUNDAY. WILL HAVE LIKELY POPS NORTHWEST SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY WHICH MAY NEED TO BE EXPANDED AS THE FORECAST EVOLVES. TEMPS FRIDAY FROM THE UPPER 50S NORTHEAST LAKESHORE TO THE LOWER 70S SOUTHWEST. MOST AREAS WILL SEE LOWER AND MID 70S SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. && .AVIATION /18Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... STILL WARM AND HUMID AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT THAT WILL BE CROSSING THE AREA THIS EVENING. SCATTERED SHOWERS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO POP UP ALREADY THIS AFTERNOON. ANY OF THESE COULD BRING CONDITIONS DOWN TO IFR/MVFR BRIEFLY. GAVE IT ANOTHER HOUR OR TWO BEFORE ANY THUNDER MENTIONED IN THE TAF. COLD FRONT LAGS UNTIL THIS EVENING AND THIS COULD BRING ANOTHER CHANCE FOR SHRA/TS. REALLY UNCERTAIN WHAT THE COVERAGE OF ANY TS MIGHT BE THEREFORE JUST WENT WITH VCSH WITH FROPA AND A PERIOD OF MVFR. POST FRONT EXPECT A RETURN TO VFR ALTHOUGH GIVEN TIMING...INLAND EAST WILL LIKELY HANG ON TO THE MVFR A BIT LONGER. VFR CU TUESDAY AND A NORTHWEST WIND...WITH ANY GUSTS 20 KNOTS OR LESS. .OUTLOOK... NON-VFR POSSIBLE BEHIND A COLD FRONT IN NE OH/NW PA TUESDAY NIGHT. && .MARINE... LOW PRESSURE OVER LAKE SUPERIOR WILL MOVE NORTHEAST ACROSS ONTARIO TO QUEBEC TODAY. A COLD FRONT EXTENDING SOUTHWEST FROM THE LOW WILL CROSS LAKE ERIE TONIGHT. SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST FLOW TODAY AND TONIGHT WILL REMAIN FAIRLY LIGHT. TUESDAY WINDS WILL INCREASE FROM THE WEST AND SOUTHWEST TO 15 TO 25 KNOTS/ WINDS WILL TURN NORTHWEST TUESDAY NIGHT AS THE COLD AIR DEEPENS ACROSS THE LAKE. A LARGE AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD TOWARD THE LAKE MID WEEK AS IT DROPS INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS. ANOTHER COLD FRONT HOWEVER WILL APPROACH FROM THE NORTH THURSDAY LIKELY DROPPING ACROSS THE LAKE THURSDAY NIGHT OR EARLY FRIDAY. NO GALES ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THE PERIOD HOWEVER A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED SOMETIME TUESDAY AS WINDS INCREASE...CONTINUING TUESDAY NIGHT AND MOST OF WEDNESDAY. && .CLE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OH...NONE. PA...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...LOMBARDY NEAR TERM...LAPLANTE SHORT TERM...LOMBARDY LONG TERM...TK AVIATION...OUDEMAN MARINE...TK
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CLEVELAND OH
1242 PM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 .SYNOPSIS... A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE EAST ACROSS THE AREA THIS EVENING. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD VERY SLOWLY EAST AND SETTLE INTO THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY REGION BY THURSDAY. THE HIGH WILL EXTEND A RIDGE EAST ACROSS THE LOCAL AREA DURING THIS TIME. MORE HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD SOUTHEAST OUT OF CANADA AND MERGE WITH THE EXISTING HIGH PRESSURE AND BECOME CENTERED OVER OHIO BY SATURDAY MORNING. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT IS TAKING PLACE FROM NEAR SANDUSKY BAY SOUTHWEST TO NEAR FDY. WITH MODEST AMOUNT OF WIND SHEAR WE DON`T EXPECT MUCH IN THE WAY OF SEVERE POTENTIAL. DCAPE IS LOW GIVEN THE RATHER HUMID CONDITIONS WITH HIGH PRECIPITAL WATER AMOUNT NEAR 1.6 INCHES. THE HRRR TIMING OF CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT IS SLOW BY A COUPLE OF HOURS. THE LATEST MESO ANAYLSIS DATA SHOW LOW LEVEL CIN HAS DISSIPATED. EXPECT CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY TO INCREASE IN COVERAGE AND PROGRESS TO THE NORTHEAST. SHORT RANGE MESOSCALE MODELS SUGGEST THAT NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL FORM OVER NORTHEAST OHIO ESPECIALLY IN THE SNOW BELT COUNTIES EAST OF CLE. GIVEN THE RATHER DEEP MOISTURE AND LIMITED SHEAR SEVERE POTENTIAL IS LOW. HAVE RAISED MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE JUST SLIGHTLY IN SPOTS. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... COLD FRONT FINALLY ARRIVES AND IS EXPECTED TO SWEEP EAST ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA FROM WEST TO EAST BETWEEN 00Z AND 06Z TONIGHT. DRY SLOT IS EXPECTED TO RACE NORTH AHEAD OF THE FRONT INTO THE AREA AS WELL LIMITING THE EFFECTS FRONT HAS ON PRODUCING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. FRONT PUSHES EAST LATE TONIGHT DIMINISHING THREAT FOR SHOWERS AS WELL AS NEGATIVE VORTICITY ADVECTION AND DRIER AIR MOVE INTO THE REGION. HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE BUILDS EAST INTO THE AREA TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY AND BRINGS A RETURN BACK TO FAIR WEATHER ONCE AGAIN. NOW...THIS IS WHERE THE MODELS SHOW SOME DIFFERENCES. NAM IS THE WETTEST WEDNESDAY NIGHT IN FORCING A FAST MOVING UPPER LEVEL POSITIVE VORTICITY MAXIMUM EAST INTO THE AREA. THIS FEATURE HAS QUITE A BIT OF MOISTURE WITH IT. THE GFS IS SHOWING A SIMILAR SOLUTION BUT IS LIMITED IN MOISTURE WHERE AS THE SREF SHUNTS EVERYTHING SOUTH. SINCE THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENCES IN TIMING AND AREAL EXTENT OF THE PRECIPITATION THREAT...WILL JUST MENTION A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AT THIS TIME AND SEE IF THE MODELS CAN COME TO SOME KIND OF CONSENSUS. UPPER LEVEL FEATURE PULLS OUT TO THE EAST THURSDAY AND BRINGS A RETURN BACK TO FAIR WEATHER THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT. THE BAD NEWS IS THAT CHILLY AIR WILL RETURN BEHIND THE COLD FRONT DROPPING TEMPERATURES BACK INTO THE 50S FOR HIGHS ACROSS THE NORTHERN TIER COUNTIES BY WEDNESDAY AND LOWER 60S ACROSS THE SOUTH. OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL DROP INTO THE 40S. A BIT OF A REBOUND WITH MORE SUN WILL RETURN ON THURSDAY WITH HIGHS IN THE LOWER TO MIDDLE 60S. YET LOWS WILL STILL BE IN THE 40S THURSDAY NIGHT. NOT EXPECTING ANY FROST THROUGH THE PERIOD AT THIS TIME. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... THE LONG TERM BEGINS FRIDAY WITH A COLD FRONT HAVING JUST DROPPED SOUTH ACROSS THE REGION AND AN UNREASONABLE AMOUNT OF COLD AIR JUST TO OUR NORTH. DURING THE DAY HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN FROM THE WEST AND WHILE TEMPS WILL BE ON THE COOL SIDE...BOTH MODELS TAKE THE CORE OF THE COLD AIR EAST ACROSS QUEBEC AND NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND. SATURDAY THE HIGH MOVES EAST AND HEIGHTS BEGIN TO RECOVER AS WARMER AIR BEGINS TO RETURN TO THE REGION. AN UPPER RIDGE WILL BE MOVING INTO THE MIDWEST HOWEVER A SURFACE LOW IN THE CENTRAL PLAINS WILL BEING DEEP MOISTURE INTO THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY UNDER THE RIDGE. BY SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY THIS MOISTURE WILL LIKELY BE SPILLING INTO THE AREA WITH DEEP SOUTHERLY FLOW INTO THE AREA AHEAD OF A DEVELOPING UPPER TROF IN THE PLAINS. WILL KEEP FORECAST DRY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT BUT BRING MID/HIGH CHANCE POPS IN FOR SUNDAY. WILL HAVE LIKELY POPS NORTHWEST SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY WHICH MAY NEED TO BE EXPANDED AS THE FORECAST EVOLVES. TEMPS FRIDAY FROM THE UPPER 50S NORTHEAST LAKESHORE TO THE LOWER 70S SOUTHWEST. MOST AREAS WILL SEE LOWER AND MID 70S SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. && .AVIATION /12Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... AIRMASS QUITE MOIST THIS MORNING WITH DEWPOINTS IN THE MID 60S STILL CONDITIONS REMAIN PRIMARILY VFR ACROSS THE AREA. UPPER RIDGE JUST EAST OF THE AREA CONTINUES TO KEEP A LID ON CONVECTION. FOR TODAY...ASIDE FROM PATCHY MVFR EARLY...EXPECTING MOSTLY VFR CONDITIONS INTO THE AFTERNOON. FOLLOWING THE HRRR...DO EXPECT SCATTERED SHOWERS/POSSIBLY THUNDER TO DEVELOP AND DRIFT ACROSS CENTRAL AND EASTERN TERMINALS...MAINLY INLAND FROM ABOUT 16-20Z. WILL LIKELY SEE ANOTHER SHOT OF SHOWERS/TSTMS THROUGH THE EVENING AND/OR OVERNIGHT WITH MVFR CONDITIONS AHEAD OF THE APPROACHING COLD FRONT. DRIEST AIR IS IN THE NORTHWEST SO DID NOT BRING CONVECTION THERE. OTHERWISE VCTS/VCSH. POST FRONT EXPECT A RETURN TO VFR ALTHOUGH GIVING TIMING INLAND EAST WILL LIKELY END THE FORECAST PERIOD REMAIN MVFR. .OUTLOOK... NON-VFR POSSIBLE BEHIND A COLD FRONT IN NE OH/NW PA TUESDAY NIGHT. && .MARINE... LOW PRESSURE OVER LAKE SUPERIOR WILL MOVE NORTHEAST ACROSS ONTARIO TO QUEBEC TODAY. A COLD FRONT EXTENDING SOUTHWEST FROM THE LOW WILL CROSS LAKE ERIE TONIGHT. SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST FLOW TODAY AND TONIGHT WILL REMAIN FAIRLY LIGHT. TUESDAY WINDS WILL INCREASE FROM THE WEST AND SOUTHWEST TO 15 TO 25 KNOTS/ WINDS WILL TURN NORTHWEST TUESDAY NIGHT AS THE COLD AIR DEEPENS ACROSS THE LAKE. A LARGE AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD TOWARD THE LAKE MID WEEK AS IT DROPS INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS. ANOTHER COLD FRONT HOWEVER WILL APPROACH FROM THE NORTH THURSDAY LIKELY DROPPING ACROSS THE LAKE THURSDAY NIGHT OR EARLY FRIDAY. NO GALES ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THE PERIOD HOWEVER A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED SOMETIME TUESDAY AS WINDS INCREASE...CONTINUING TUESDAY NIGHT AND MOST OF WEDNESDAY. && .CLE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OH...NONE. PA...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...LOMBARDY NEAR TERM...LAPLANTE SHORT TERM...LOMBARDY LONG TERM...TK AVIATION...TK MARINE...TK
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CHARLESTON WV
1108 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 .SYNOPSIS... WEAK DISTURBANCES AND WARM MOIST AIR MASS WILL CONTINUE TO RESULT IN PERIODS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH TONIGHT. A COLD FRONT CROSSES TUESDAY. DRYER CONDITIONS BY TUESDAY AFTERNOON. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... NO UPDATES TO THE NEAR TERM OTHER THAN TO TWEAK POPS BASED ON CURRENT TRENDS. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION BELOW... LATEST RADAR MOSAIC AND SURFACE OBSERVATIONS SUGGEST REGION IS GENERALLY DRY AT THIS TIME. EXPECT THESE CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...AND HAVE SLIGHT CHANCE POPS CONTINUING. LATEST HRRR SHOWS A SMALL AREA OF SHOWERS...CURRENTLY OVER SOUTHEAST KENTUCKY...WILL SPREAD NORTHEAST AND INCREASE IN AREAL COVERAGE AS IT MOVES INTO OUR SOUTHERN COUNTIES LATER THIS MORNING. THE CURRENT TREND OF THESE SHOWERS HAS BEEN TO WEAKEN. SO NOT SURE HOW MUCH OF THESE SHOWERS WILL ACTUALLY MAKE IT INTO OUR AREA. MOST OF THE MODELS THEN INDICATE WEAK DISTURBANCES WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA TODAY INTO TONIGHT. COMBINATION OF THESE DISTURBANCES AND INCREASING INSTABILITY SHOULD ONCE AGAIN RESULT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SHOWERS AND STORMS TODAY. LOCALIZED DOWNPOURS ARE ONCE AGAIN POSSIBLE TODAY AND TONIGHT...AND CAN RESULT IN MINOR FLOODING OF STREETS...CREEKS...LOW LYING AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. WITH THE LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING...THE COVERAGE AND INTENSITY OF THE CONVECTION SHOULD BEGIN TO WANE. HOWEVER...A COLD FRONT...WHICH IS EXPECTED TO PUSH INTO THE REGION LATE TONIGHT...SHOULD CONTINUE THE THREAT OF SHOWERS AND STORMS. CURRENT THINKING IS THAT THE FRONT SHOULD BE LOCATED NEAR OR JUST EAST OF THE OHIO RIVER AT THE END OF THIS PERIOD. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... MADE NO REAL CHANGES WITH THE SHORT TERM PART OF THE FORECAST. RAISED POPS A BIT IN THE EAST MONDAY NIGHT AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT. PW VALUES ARE IN THE 1.5-1.75 INCHES RANGE AHEAD THE FRONT SO THE PROSPECT OF HEAVY RAIN OVERNIGHT IS STILL POSSIBLE. EVEN WITH ALL OF THE RAIN THAT HAS FALLEN UP TO THIS POINT THE GROUND SHOULD BE ABLE TO HANDLE THE SITUATION SO NO REAL CONCERNS. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE SITUATION. IT DRIES OUT QUICKLY BEHIND THE FRONT STARTING TUESDAY NIGHT. DRY WEATHER WITH PLEASANT TEMPERATURES SHOULD PREVAIL TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY AS WEAK HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS TO THE WEST GIVING ZONAL FLOW FOR THE OHIO VALLEY. WENT MAINLY WITH ALL BLEND GUIDANCE FOR TEMPERATURES THROUGH THE PERIOD. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... NOTHING SIGNIFICANT TO FOCUS ON IN THE LONG TERM. HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OVER THE CENTRAL US AND THAT WILL LEAVE ZONAL FLOW OVER THE OHIO VALLEY. THE EXTENDED FORECAST WILL BE DRY FOR THE MOST PART BUT CONFIDENCE IS NOT ALL THAT HIGH AS THERE COULD BE A FEW UPPER LEVEL RIPPLES CAUSED BY THE WEAK FRONT THAT PASSES TO THE NORTH NEXT WEEKEND. PRECIPITATION CHANCES INCREASING ON SUNDAY. WENT WITH A BLEND OF GUIDANCE FOR TEMPERATURES. && .AVIATION /15Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... 12Z MONDAY THRU 12Z TUESDAY... CONDITIONS HAVE IMPROVED SINCE 09Z...WITH MOST LOCATIONS MVFR OR BETTER. HOWEVER...ISOLATED IFR CONDITIONS MAY STILL BE OCCURRING ALONG RIVER VALLEYS. LATEST RADAR SHOWS ISOLATED SHOWERS HAVE BEGUN TO DEVELOP ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST OHIO AND NORTHEAST KENTUCKY. THESE SHOWER WERE DEVELOPING IN RESPONSE TO AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE. EXPECT THESE SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE TO SPREAD ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF THE STATE...AS THE DISTURBANCE MOVES NORTHEAST.. ADDITIONAL DISTURBANCES ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS THE AREA TODAY... WHICH WILL RESULT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS... ESPECIALLY FOR THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS. WHILE MOST LOCATIONS WILL SEE VFR OR MVFR CONDITIONS...EXPECT IFR CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE NEAR THE HEAVIER STORMS. GUSTY WINDS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE NEAR THE STRONGER STORMS. THE STORMS SHOULD THEN WEAKEN AFTER 23Z. HOWEVER...SCATTERED STORMS WILL REMAIN POSSIBLE THROUGH THE END OF THE PERIOD. FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND ALTERNATE SCENARIOS THROUGH 12Z TUESDAY... FORECAST CONFIDENCE: MEDIUM. ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: COVERAGE OF STORMS COULD HIGHER THAN EXPECTED...WITH ORE AREAS SEEING IFR OR LOWER CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. EXPERIMENTAL TABLE OF FLIGHT CATEGORY OBJECTIVELY SHOWS CONSISTENCY OF WFO FORECAST TO AVAILABLE MODEL INFORMATION: H = HIGH: TAF CONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL. M = MEDIUM: TAF HAS VARYING LEVEL OF CONSISTENCY WITH MODELS. L = LOW: TAF INCONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL. UTC 1HRLY 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 00 01 EDT 1HRLY 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 CRW CONSISTENCY H H H H H H M M M M H H HTS CONSISTENCY H H H M M M H H M H H H BKW CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H M M M M EKN CONSISTENCY L M M H M H H H M M M M PKB CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H M H H H CKB CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H M M M M AFTER 12Z TUESDAY... BRIEF IFR IN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE IN LOW CLOUDS TUE MORNING. FOG/LOW CLOUDS POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT TUE NT INTO WED MORNING. && .RLX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WV...NONE. OH...NONE. KY...NONE. VA...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...JSH/ARJ NEAR TERM...JSH/KMC SHORT TERM...FB LONG TERM...FB AVIATION...JSH
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NWS CLEVELAND OH
901 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 .SYNOPSIS... A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE EAST ACROSS THE AREA THIS EVENING. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD VERY SLOWLY EAST AND SETTLE INTO THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY REGION BY THURSDAY. THE HIGH WILL EXTEND A RIDGE EAST ACROSS THE LOCAL AREA DURING THIS TIME. MORE HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD SOUTHEAST OUT OF CANADA AND MERGE WITH THE EXISTING HIGH PRESSURE AND BECOME CENTERED OVER OHIO BY SATURDAY MORNING. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... REMOVED ALL POPS FOR REMAINDER OF MORNING. BUMPED UP TEMPS ALONG THE EASTERN ERIE LAKESHORE DUE TO UPSLOPE FLOW. REMAINDER OF FORECAST LOOKS REASONABLE. ORIGINAL DISCUSSION... WITH SUNRISE...SHOWERS ARE TRYING TO DEVELOP IN THE WESTERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA. WILL KEEP A CHANCE FOR SHOWERS OVER THE WESTERN HALF THIS MORNING AND THEN EXPAND IT OVER THE REST OF THE AREA BY THE AFTERNOON. LATEST HRRR MODEL SHOWS THE SHOWER ACTIVITY OVER SOUTHERN INDIANA GRADUALLY LIFTING NORTHEAST INTO THE REGION WITH TIME. BUMPED MAX TEMPERATURES UP A COUPLE DEGREES IN THE CENTRAL PORTIONS AS LATEST GUIDANCE IS COMING IN A COUPLE DEGREES WARMER. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION... NONE OF THE INGREDIENTS APPEAR TO BE IN PHASE TODAY TO PRODUCE WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. FIRST...UPPER LEVEL POSITIVE VORTICITY ADVECTION WILL MOVE EAST ACROSS THE AREA TODAY. THERE WILL BE SOME MOISTURE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS UPPER LEVEL FEATURE. HOWEVER...THE COLD FRONT IS LAGGING BACK QUITE A BIT AND WILL NOT BE IN PHASE WITH THE UPPER LEVEL ACTIVITY. SO TIMING OF THE THREAT FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS COULD BE A BIT ON THE IFFY SIDE THROUGH THE DAY. WILL KEEP THE MENTION OF SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER MUCH OF THE AREA. BEST CHANCE WILL LIKELY BE LATER IN THE DAY IN THE EAST WITH DAY TIME HEATING AND LINGERING POSITIVE VORTICITY ADVECTION AND APPROACHING COLD FRONT. SO WILL GO LIKELY POPS OVER THAT AREA FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. WARM AIR ADVECTION STILL TAKING PLACE IN THE WARM SECTOR ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. SINCE THE GREATEST THREAT FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR IN THE EAST...TEMPERATURES MAY BE HELD BACK A TAD COMPARED TO THE WEST. SO WILL LEAN TOWARD AROUND 80 IN THE EAST AND 80 TO 84 IN THE WEST. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... COLD FRONT FINALLY ARRIVES AND IS EXPECTED TO SWEEP EAST ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA FROM WEST TO EAST BETWEEN 00Z AND 06Z TONIGHT. DRY SLOT IS EXPECTED TO RACE NORTH AHEAD OF THE FRONT INTO THE AREA AS WELL LIMITING THE EFFECTS FRONT HAS ON PRODUCING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. FRONT PUSHES EAST LATE TONIGHT DIMINISHING THREAT FOR SHOWERS AS WELL AS NEGATIVE VORTICITY ADVECTION AND DRIER AIR MOVE INTO THE REGION. HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE BUILDS EAST INTO THE AREA TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY AND BRINGS A RETURN BACK TO FAIR WEATHER ONCE AGAIN. NOW...THIS IS WHERE THE MODELS SHOW SOME DIFFERENCES. NAM IS THE WETTEST WEDNESDAY NIGHT IN FORCING A FAST MOVING UPPER LEVEL POSITIVE VORTICITY MAXIMUM EAST INTO THE AREA. THIS FEATURE HAS QUITE A BIT OF MOISTURE WITH IT. THE GFS IS SHOWING A SIMILAR SOLUTION BUT IS LIMITED IN MOISTURE WHERE AS THE SREF SHUNTS EVERYTHING SOUTH. SINCE THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENCES IN TIMING AND AREAL EXTENT OF THE PRECIPITATION THREAT...WILL JUST MENTION A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AT THIS TIME AND SEE IF THE MODELS CAN COME TO SOME KIND OF CONSENSUS. UPPER LEVEL FEATURE PULLS OUT TO THE EAST THURSDAY AND BRINGS A RETURN BACK TO FAIR WEATHER THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT. THE BAD NEWS IS THAT CHILLY AIR WILL RETURN BEHIND THE COLD FRONT DROPPING TEMPERATURES BACK INTO THE 50S FOR HIGHS ACROSS THE NORTHERN TIER COUNTIES BY WEDNESDAY AND LOWER 60S ACROSS THE SOUTH. OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL DROP INTO THE 40S. A BIT OF A REBOUND WITH MORE SUN WILL RETURN ON THURSDAY WITH HIGHS IN THE LOWER TO MIDDLE 60S. YET LOWS WILL STILL BE IN THE 40S THURSDAY NIGHT. NOT EXPECTING ANY FROST THROUGH THE PERIOD AT THIS TIME. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... THE LONG TERM BEGINS FRIDAY WITH A COLD FRONT HAVING JUST DROPPED SOUTH ACROSS THE REGION AND AN UNREASONABLE AMOUNT OF COLD AIR JUST TO OUR NORTH. DURING THE DAY HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN FROM THE WEST AND WHILE TEMPS WILL BE ON THE COOL SIDE...BOTH MODELS TAKE THE CORE OF THE COLD AIR EAST ACROSS QUEBEC AND NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND. SATURDAY THE HIGH MOVES EAST AND HEIGHTS BEGIN TO RECOVER AS WARMER AIR BEGINS TO RETURN TO THE REGION. AN UPPER RIDGE WILL BE MOVING INTO THE MIDWEST HOWEVER A SURFACE LOW IN THE CENTRAL PLAINS WILL BEING DEEP MOISTURE INTO THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY UNDER THE RIDGE. BY SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY THIS MOISTURE WILL LIKELY BE SPILLING INTO THE AREA WITH DEEP SOUTHERLY FLOW INTO THE AREA AHEAD OF A DEVELOPING UPPER TROF IN THE PLAINS. WILL KEEP FORECAST DRY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT BUT BRING MID/HIGH CHANCE POPS IN FOR SUNDAY. WILL HAVE LIKELY POPS NORTHWEST SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY WHICH MAY NEED TO BE EXPANDED AS THE FORECAST EVOLVES. TEMPS FRIDAY FROM THE UPPER 50S NORTHEAST LAKESHORE TO THE LOWER 70S SOUTHWEST. MOST AREAS WILL SEE LOWER AND MID 70S SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. && .AVIATION /12Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... AIRMASS QUITE MOIST THIS MORNING WITH DEWPOINTS IN THE MID 60S STILL CONDITIONS REMAIN PRIMARILY VFR ACROSS THE AREA. UPPER RIDGE JUST EAST OF THE AREA CONTINUES TO KEEP A LID ON CONVECTION. FOR TODAY...ASIDE FROM PATCHY MVFR EARLY...EXPECTING MOSTLY VFR CONDITIONS INTO THE AFTERNOON. FOLLOWING THE HRRR...DO EXPECT SCATTERED SHOWERS/POSSIBLY THUNDER TO DEVELOP AND DRIFT ACROSS CENTRAL AND EASTERN TERMINALS...MAINLY INLAND FROM ABOUT 16-20Z. WILL LIKELY SEE ANOTHER SHOT OF SHOWERS/TSTMS THROUGH THE EVENING AND/OR OVERNIGHT WITH MVFR CONDITIONS AHEAD OF THE APPROACHING COLD FRONT. DRIEST AIR IS IN THE NORTHWEST SO DID NOT BRING CONVECTION THERE. OTHERWISE VCTS/VCSH. POST FRONT EXPECT A RETURN TO VFR ALTHOUGH GIVING TIMING INLAND EAST WILL LIKELY END THE FORECAST PERIOD REMAIN MVFR. .OUTLOOK... NON-VFR POSSIBLE BEHIND A COLD FRONT IN NE OH/NW PA TUESDAY NIGHT. && .MARINE... LOW PRESSURE OVER LAKE SUPERIOR WILL MOVE NORTHEAST ACROSS ONTARIO TO QUEBEC TODAY. A COLD FRONT EXTENDING SOUTHWEST FROM THE LOW WILL CROSS LAKE ERIE TONIGHT. SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST FLOW TODAY AND TONIGHT WILL REMAIN FAIRLY LIGHT. TUESDAY WINDS WILL INCREASE FROM THE WEST AND SOUTHWEST TO 15 TO 25 KNOTS/ WINDS WILL TURN NORTHWEST TUESDAY NIGHT AS THE COLD AIR DEEPENS ACROSS THE LAKE. A LARGE AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD TOWARD THE LAKE MID WEEK AS IT DROPS INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS. ANOTHER COLD FRONT HOWEVER WILL APPROACH FROM THE NORTH THURSDAY LIKELY DROPPING ACROSS THE LAKE THURSDAY NIGHT OR EARLY FRIDAY. NO GALES ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THE PERIOD HOWEVER A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED SOMETIME TUESDAY AS WINDS INCREASE...CONTINUING TUESDAY NIGHT AND MOST OF WEDNESDAY. && .CLE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OH...NONE. PA...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...LOMBARDY NEAR TERM...DJB/LOMBARDY SHORT TERM...LOMBARDY LONG TERM...TK AVIATION...TK MARINE...TK
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CLEVELAND OH
727 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 .SYNOPSIS... A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE EAST ACROSS THE AREA THIS EVENING. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD VERY SLOWLY EAST AND SETTLE INTO THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY REGION BY THURSDAY. THE HIGH WILL EXTEND A RIDGE EAST ACROSS THE LOCAL AREA DURING THIS TIME. MORE HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD SOUTHEAST OUT OF CANADA AND MERGE WITH THE EXISTING HIGH PRESSURE AND BECOME CENTERED OVER OHIO BY SATURDAY MORNING. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... WITH SUNRISE...SHOWERS ARE TRYING TO DEVELOP IN THE WESTERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA. WILL KEEP A CHANCE FOR SHOWERS OVER THE WESTERN HALF THIS MORNING AND THEN EXPAND IT OVER THE REST OF THE AREA BY THE AFTERNOON. LATEST HRRR MODEL SHOWS THE SHOWER ACTIVITY OVER SOUTHERN INDIANA GRADUALLY LIFTING NORTHEAST INTO THE REGION WITH TIME. BUMPED MAX TEMPERATURES UP A COUPLE DEGREES IN THE CENTRAL PORTIONS AS LATEST GUIDANCE IS COMING IN A COUPLE DEGREES WARMER. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION... NONE OF THE INGREDIENTS APPEAR TO BE IN PHASE TODAY TO PRODUCE WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. FIRST...UPPER LEVEL POSITIVE VORTICITY ADVECTION WILL MOVE EAST ACROSS THE AREA TODAY. THERE WILL BE SOME MOISTURE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS UPPER LEVEL FEATURE. HOWEVER...THE COLD FRONT IS LAGGING BACK QUITE A BIT AND WILL NOT BE IN PHASE WITH THE UPPER LEVEL ACTIVITY. SO TIMING OF THE THREAT FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS COULD BE A BIT ON THE IFFY SIDE THROUGH THE DAY. WILL KEEP THE MENTION OF SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER MUCH OF THE AREA. BEST CHANCE WILL LIKELY BE LATER IN THE DAY IN THE EAST WITH DAY TIME HEATING AND LINGERING POSITIVE VORTICITY ADVECTION AND APPROACHING COLD FRONT. SO WILL GO LIKELY POPS OVER THAT AREA FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. WARM AIR ADVECTION STILL TAKING PLACE IN THE WARM SECTOR ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. SINCE THE GREATEST THREAT FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR IN THE EAST...TEMPERATURES MAY BE HELD BACK A TAD COMPARED TO THE WEST. SO WILL LEAN TOWARD AROUND 80 IN THE EAST AND 80 TO 84 IN THE WEST. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... COLD FRONT FINALLY ARRIVES AND IS EXPECTED TO SWEEP EAST ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA FROM WEST TO EAST BETWEEN 00Z AND 06Z TONIGHT. DRY SLOT IS EXPECTED TO RACE NORTH AHEAD OF THE FRONT INTO THE AREA AS WELL LIMITING THE EFFECTS FRONT HAS ON PRODUCING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. FRONT PUSHES EAST LATE TONIGHT DIMINISHING THREAT FOR SHOWERS AS WELL AS NEGATIVE VORTICITY ADVECTION AND DRIER AIR MOVE INTO THE REGION. HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE BUILDS EAST INTO THE AREA TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY AND BRINGS A RETURN BACK TO FAIR WEATHER ONCE AGAIN. NOW...THIS IS WHERE THE MODELS SHOW SOME DIFFERENCES. NAM IS THE WETTEST WEDNESDAY NIGHT IN FORCING A FAST MOVING UPPER LEVEL POSITIVE VORTICITY MAXIMUM EAST INTO THE AREA. THIS FEATURE HAS QUITE A BIT OF MOISTURE WITH IT. THE GFS IS SHOWING A SIMILAR SOLUTION BUT IS LIMITED IN MOISTURE WHERE AS THE SREF SHUNTS EVERYTHING SOUTH. SINCE THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENCES IN TIMING AND AREAL EXTENT OF THE PRECIPITATION THREAT...WILL JUST MENTION A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AT THIS TIME AND SEE IF THE MODELS CAN COME TO SOME KIND OF CONSENSUS. UPPER LEVEL FEATURE PULLS OUT TO THE EAST THURSDAY AND BRINGS A RETURN BACK TO FAIR WEATHER THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT. THE BAD NEWS IS THAT CHILLY AIR WILL RETURN BEHIND THE COLD FRONT DROPPING TEMPERATURES BACK INTO THE 50S FOR HIGHS ACROSS THE NORTHERN TIER COUNTIES BY WEDNESDAY AND LOWER 60S ACROSS THE SOUTH. OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL DROP INTO THE 40S. A BIT OF A REBOUND WITH MORE SUN WILL RETURN ON THURSDAY WITH HIGHS IN THE LOWER TO MIDDLE 60S. YET LOWS WILL STILL BE IN THE 40S THURSDAY NIGHT. NOT EXPECTING ANY FROST THROUGH THE PERIOD AT THIS TIME. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... THE LONG TERM BEGINS FRIDAY WITH A COLD FRONT HAVING JUST DROPPED SOUTH ACROSS THE REGION AND AN UNREASONABLE AMOUNT OF COLD AIR JUST TO OUR NORTH. DURING THE DAY HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN FROM THE WEST AND WHILE TEMPS WILL BE ON THE COOL SIDE...BOTH MODELS TAKE THE CORE OF THE COLD AIR EAST ACROSS QUEBEC AND NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND. SATURDAY THE HIGH MOVES EAST AND HEIGHTS BEGIN TO RECOVER AS WARMER AIR BEGINS TO RETURN TO THE REGION. AN UPPER RIDGE WILL BE MOVING INTO THE MIDWEST HOWEVER A SURFACE LOW IN THE CENTRAL PLAINS WILL BEING DEEP MOISTURE INTO THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY UNDER THE RIDGE. BY SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY THIS MOISTURE WILL LIKELY BE SPILLING INTO THE AREA WITH DEEP SOUTHERLY FLOW INTO THE AREA AHEAD OF A DEVELOPING UPPER TROF IN THE PLAINS. WILL KEEP FORECAST DRY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT BUT BRING MID/HIGH CHANCE POPS IN FOR SUNDAY. WILL HAVE LIKELY POPS NORTHWEST SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY WHICH MAY NEED TO BE EXPANDED AS THE FORECAST EVOLVES. TEMPS FRIDAY FROM THE UPPER 50S NORTHEAST LAKESHORE TO THE LOWER 70S SOUTHWEST. MOST AREAS WILL SEE LOWER AND MID 70S SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. && .AVIATION /12Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... AIRMASS QUITE MOIST THIS MORNING WITH DEWPOINTS IN THE MID 60S STILL CONDITIONS REMAIN PRIMARILY VFR ACROSS THE AREA. UPPER RIDGE JUST EAST OF THE AREA CONTINUES TO KEEP A LID ON CONVECTION. FOR TODAY...ASIDE FROM PATCHY MVFR EARLY...EXPECTING MOSTLY VFR CONDITIONS INTO THE AFTERNOON. FOLLOWING THE HRRR...DO EXPECT SCATTERED SHOWERS/POSSIBLY THUNDER TO DEVELOP AND DRIFT ACROSS CENTRAL AND EASTERN TERMINALS...MAINLY INLAND FROM ABOUT 16-20Z. WILL LIKELY SEE ANOTHER SHOT OF SHOWERS/TSTMS THROUGH THE EVENING AND/OR OVERNIGHT WITH MVFR CONDITIONS AHEAD OF THE APPROACHING COLD FRONT. DRIEST AIR IS IN THE NORTHWEST SO DID NOT BRING CONVECTION THERE. OTHERWISE VCTS/VCSH. POST FRONT EXPECT A RETURN TO VFR ALTHOUGH GIVING TIMING INLAND EAST WILL LIKELY END THE FORECAST PERIOD REMAIN MVFR. .OUTLOOK... NON-VFR POSSIBLE BEHIND A COLD FRONT IN NE OH/NW PA TUESDAY NIGHT. && .MARINE... LOW PRESSURE OVER LAKE SUPERIOR WILL MOVE NORTHEAST ACROSS ONTARIO TO QUEBEC TODAY. A COLD FRONT EXTENDING SOUTHWEST FROM THE LOW WILL CROSS LAKE ERIE TONIGHT. SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST FLOW TODAY AND TONIGHT WILL REMAIN FAIRLY LIGHT. TUESDAY WINDS WILL INCREASE FROM THE WEST AND SOUTHWEST TO 15 TO 25 KNOTS/ WINDS WILL TURN NORTHWEST TUESDAY NIGHT AS THE COLD AIR DEEPENS ACROSS THE LAKE. A LARGE AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD TOWARD THE LAKE MID WEEK AS IT DROPS INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS. ANOTHER COLD FRONT HOWEVER WILL APPROACH FROM THE NORTH THURSDAY LIKELY DROPPING ACROSS THE LAKE THURSDAY NIGHT OR EARLY FRIDAY. NO GALES ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THE PERIOD HOWEVER A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED SOMETIME TUESDAY AS WINDS INCREASE...CONTINUING TUESDAY NIGHT AND MOST OF WEDNESDAY. && .CLE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OH...NONE. PA...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...LOMBARDY NEAR TERM...LOMBARDY SHORT TERM...LOMBARDY LONG TERM...TK AVIATION...TK MARINE...TK
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CHARLESTON WV
645 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 .SYNOPSIS... WEAK DISTURBANCES AND WARM MOIST AIR MASS WILL CONTINUE TO RESULT IN PERIODS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH TONIGHT. A COLD FRONT CROSSES TUESDAY. DRYER CONDITIONS BY TUESDAY AFTERNOON. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... LATEST RADAR MOSAIC AND SURFACE OBSERVATIONS SUGGEST REGION IS GENERALLY DRY AT THIS TIME. EXPECT THESE CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...AND HAVE SLIGHT CHANCE POPS CONTINUING. LATEST HRRR SHOWS A SMALL AREA OF SHOWERS...CURRENTLY OVER SOUTHEAST KENTUCKY...WILL SPREAD NORTHEAST AND INCREASE IN AREAL COVERAGE AS IT MOVES INTO OUR SOUTHERN COUNTIES LATER THIS MORNING. THE CURRENT TREND OF THESE SHOWERS HAS BEEN TO WEAKEN. SO NOT SURE HOW MUCH OF THESE SHOWERS WILL ACTUALLY MAKE IT INTO OUR AREA. MOST OF THE MODELS THEN INDICATE WEAK DISTURBANCES WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA TODAY INTO TONIGHT. COMBINATION OF THESE DISTURBANCES AND INCREASING INSTABILITY SHOULD ONCE AGAIN RESULT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SHOWERS AND STORMS TODAY. LOCALIZED DOWNPOURS ARE ONCE AGAIN POSSIBLE TODAY AND TONIGHT...AND CAN RESULT IN MINOR FLOODING OF STREETS...CREEKS...LOW LYING AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. WITH THE LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING...THE COVERAGE AND INTENSITY OF THE CONVECTION SHOULD BEGIN TO WANE. HOWEVER...A COLD FRONT...WHICH IS EXPECTED TO PUSH INTO THE REGION LATE TONIGHT...SHOULD CONTINUE THE THREAT OF SHOWERS AND STORMS. CURRENT THINKING IS THAT THE FRONT SHOULD BE LOCATED NEAR OR JUST EAST OF THE OHIO RIVER AT THE END OF THIS PERIOD. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... MADE NO REAL CHANGES WITH THE SHORT TERM PART OF THE FORECAST. RAISED POPS A BIT IN THE EAST MONDAY NIGHT AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT. PW VALUES ARE IN THE 1.5-1.75 INCHES RANGE AHEAD THE FRONT SO THE PROSPECT OF HEAVY RAIN OVERNIGHT IS STILL POSSIBLE. EVEN WITH ALL OF THE RAIN THAT HAS FALLEN UP TO THIS POINT THE GROUND SHOULD BE ABLE TO HANDLE THE SITUATION SO NO REAL CONCERNS. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE SITUATION. IT DRIES OUT QUICKLY BEHIND THE FRONT STARTING TUESDAY NIGHT. DRY WEATHER WITH PLEASANT TEMPERATURES SHOULD PREVAIL TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY AS WEAK HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS TO THE WEST GIVING ZONAL FLOW FOR THE OHIO VALLEY. WENT MAINLY WITH ALL BLEND GUIDANCE FOR TEMPERATURES THROUGH THE PERIOD. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... NOTHING SIGNIFICANT TO FOCUS ON IN THE LONG TERM. HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OVER THE CENTRAL US AND THAT WILL LEAVE ZONAL FLOW OVER THE OHIO VALLEY. THE EXTENDED FORECAST WILL BE DRY FOR THE MOST PART BUT CONFIDENCE IS NOT ALL THAT HIGH AS THERE COULD BE A FEW UPPER LEVEL RIPPLES CAUSED BY THE WEAK FRONT THAT PASSES TO THE NORTH NEXT WEEKEND. PRECIPITATION CHANCES INCREASING ON SUNDAY. WENT WITH A BLEND OF GUIDANCE FOR TEMPERATURES. && .AVIATION /12Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... 12Z MONDAY THRU 12Z TUESDAY... CONDITIONS HAVE IMPROVED SINCE 09Z...WITH MOST LOCATIONS MVFR OR BETTER. HOWEVER...ISOLATED IFR CONDITIONS MAY STILL BE OCCURRING ALONG RIVER VALLEYS. LATEST RADAR SHOWS ISOLATED SHOWERS HAVE BEGUN TO DEVELOP ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST OHIO AND NORTHEAST KENTUCKY. THESE SHOWER WERE DEVELOPING IN RESPONSE TO AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE. EXPECT THESE SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE TO SPREAD ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF THE STATE...AS THE DISTURBANCE MOVES NORTHEAST.. ADDITIONAL DISTURBANCES ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS THE AREA TODAY... WHICH WILL RESULT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS... ESPECIALLY FOR THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS. WHILE MOST LOCATIONS WILL SEE VFR OR MVFR CONDITIONS...EXPECT IFR CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE NEAR THE HEAVIER STORMS. GUSTY WINDS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE NEAR THE STRONGER STORMS. THE STORMS SHOULD THEN WEAKEN AFTER 23Z. HOWEVER...SCATTERED STORMS WILL REMAIN POSSIBLE THROUGH THE END OF THE PERIOD. FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND ALTERNATE SCENARIOS THROUGH 12Z TUESDAY... FORECAST CONFIDENCE: MEDIUM. ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: COVERAGE OF STORMS COULD HIGHER THAN EXPECTED...WITH ORE AREAS SEEING IFR OR LOWER CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. EXPERIMENTAL TABLE OF FLIGHT CATEGORY OBJECTIVELY SHOWS CONSISTENCY OF WFO FORECAST TO AVAILABLE MODEL INFORMATION: H = HIGH: TAF CONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL. M = MEDIUM: TAF HAS VARYING LEVEL OF CONSISTENCY WITH MODELS. L = LOW: TAF INCONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL. UTC 1HRLY 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 EDT 1HRLY 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 CRW CONSISTENCY L H H H H H H H H M M M HTS CONSISTENCY H H H H H H M M M H H M BKW CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H H H M EKN CONSISTENCY L M L L H H H M H H H M PKB CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H H H M CKB CONSISTENCY H H H H M H H H H H H M AFTER 12Z TUESDAY... BRIEF IFR IN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE IN LOW CLOUDS TUE MORNING. FOG/LOW CLOUDS POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT TUE NT INTO WED MORNING. && .RLX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WV...NONE. OH...NONE. KY...NONE. VA...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...JSH/ARJ NEAR TERM...JSH SHORT TERM...FB LONG TERM...FB AVIATION...JSH
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CLEVELAND OH
635 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 .SYNOPSIS... A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE EAST ACROSS THE AREA THIS EVENING. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD VERY SLOWLY EAST AND SETTLE INTO THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY REGION BY THURSDAY. THE HIGH WILL EXTEND A RIDGE EAST ACROSS THE LOCAL AREA DURING THIS TIME. MORE HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD SOUTHEAST OUT OF CANADA AND MERGE WITH THE EXISTING HIGH PRESSURE AND BECOME CENTERED OVER OHIO BY SATURDAY MORNING. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... WITH SUNRISE...SHOWERS ARE TRYING TO DEVELOP IN THE WESTERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA. WILL KEEP A CHANCE FOR SHOWERS OVER THE WESTERN HALF THIS MORNING AND THEN EXPAND IT OVER THE REST OF THE AREA BY THE AFTERNOON. LATEST HRRR MODEL SHOWS THE SHOWER ACTIVITY OVER SOUTHERN INDIANA GRADUALLY LIFTING NORTHEAST INTO THE REGION WITH TIME. BUMPED MAX TEMPERATURES UP A COUPLE DEGREES IN THE CENTRAL PORTIONS AS LATEST GUIDANCE IS COMING IN A COUPLE DEGREES WARMER. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION... NONE OF THE INGREDIENTS APPEAR TO BE IN PHASE TODAY TO PRODUCE WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. FIRST...UPPER LEVEL POSITIVE VORTICITY ADVECTION WILL MOVE EAST ACROSS THE AREA TODAY. THERE WILL BE SOME MOISTURE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS UPPER LEVEL FEATURE. HOWEVER...THE COLD FRONT IS LAGGING BACK QUITE A BIT AND WILL NOT BE IN PHASE WITH THE UPPER LEVEL ACTIVITY. SO TIMING OF THE THREAT FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS COULD BE A BIT ON THE IFFY SIDE THROUGH THE DAY. WILL KEEP THE MENTION OF SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER MUCH OF THE AREA. BEST CHANCE WILL LIKELY BE LATER IN THE DAY IN THE EAST WITH DAY TIME HEATING AND LINGERING POSITIVE VORTICITY ADVECTION AND APPROACHING COLD FRONT. SO WILL GO LIKELY POPS OVER THAT AREA FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. WARM AIR ADVECTION STILL TAKING PLACE IN THE WARM SECTOR ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. SINCE THE GREATEST THREAT FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR IN THE EAST...TEMPERATURES MAY BE HELD BACK A TAD COMPARED TO THE WEST. SO WILL LEAN TOWARD AROUND 80 IN THE EAST AND 80 TO 84 IN THE WEST. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... COLD FRONT FINALLY ARRIVES AND IS EXPECTED TO SWEEP EAST ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA FROM WEST TO EAST BETWEEN 00Z AND 06Z TONIGHT. DRY SLOT IS EXPECTED TO RACE NORTH AHEAD OF THE FRONT INTO THE AREA AS WELL LIMITING THE EFFECTS FRONT HAS ON PRODUCING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. FRONT PUSHES EAST LATE TONIGHT DIMINISHING THREAT FOR SHOWERS AS WELL AS NEGATIVE VORTICITY ADVECTION AND DRIER AIR MOVE INTO THE REGION. HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE BUILDS EAST INTO THE AREA TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY AND BRINGS A RETURN BACK TO FAIR WEATHER ONCE AGAIN. NOW...THIS IS WHERE THE MODELS SHOW SOME DIFFERENCES. NAM IS THE WETTEST WEDNESDAY NIGHT IN FORCING A FAST MOVING UPPER LEVEL POSITIVE VORTICITY MAXIMUM EAST INTO THE AREA. THIS FEATURE HAS QUITE A BIT OF MOISTURE WITH IT. THE GFS IS SHOWING A SIMILAR SOLUTION BUT IS LIMITED IN MOISTURE WHERE AS THE SREF SHUNTS EVERYTHING SOUTH. SINCE THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENCES IN TIMING AND AREAL EXTENT OF THE PRECIPITATION THREAT...WILL JUST MENTION A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AT THIS TIME AND SEE IF THE MODELS CAN COME TO SOME KIND OF CONSENSUS. UPPER LEVEL FEATURE PULLS OUT TO THE EAST THURSDAY AND BRINGS A RETURN BACK TO FAIR WEATHER THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT. THE BAD NEWS IS THAT CHILLY AIR WILL RETURN BEHIND THE COLD FRONT DROPPING TEMPERATURES BACK INTO THE 50S FOR HIGHS ACROSS THE NORTHERN TIER COUNTIES BY WEDNESDAY AND LOWER 60S ACROSS THE SOUTH. OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL DROP INTO THE 40S. A BIT OF A REBOUND WITH MORE SUN WILL RETURN ON THURSDAY WITH HIGHS IN THE LOWER TO MIDDLE 60S. YET LOWS WILL STILL BE IN THE 40S THURSDAY NIGHT. NOT EXPECTING ANY FROST THROUGH THE PERIOD AT THIS TIME. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... THE LONG TERM BEGINS FRIDAY WITH A COLD FRONT HAVING JUST DROPPED SOUTH ACROSS THE REGION AND AN UNREASONABLE AMOUNT OF COLD AIR JUST TO OUR NORTH. DURING THE DAY HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN FROM THE WEST AND WHILE TEMPS WILL BE ON THE COOL SIDE...BOTH MODELS TAKE THE CORE OF THE COLD AIR EAST ACROSS QUEBEC AND NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND. SATURDAY THE HIGH MOVES EAST AND HEIGHTS BEGIN TO RECOVER AS WARMER AIR BEGINS TO RETURN TO THE REGION. AN UPPER RIDGE WILL BE MOVING INTO THE MIDWEST HOWEVER A SURFACE LOW IN THE CENTRAL PLAINS WILL BEING DEEP MOISTURE INTO THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY UNDER THE RIDGE. BY SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY THIS MOISTURE WILL LIKELY BE SPILLING INTO THE AREA WITH DEEP SOUTHERLY FLOW INTO THE AREA AHEAD OF A DEVELOPING UPPER TROF IN THE PLAINS. WILL KEEP FORECAST DRY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT BUT BRING MID/HIGH CHANCE POPS IN FOR SUNDAY. WILL HAVE LIKELY POPS NORTHWEST SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY WHICH MAY NEED TO BE EXPANDED AS THE FORECAST EVOLVES. TEMPS FRIDAY FROM THE UPPER 50S NORTHEAST LAKESHORE TO THE LOWER 70S SOUTHWEST. MOST AREAS WILL SEE LOWER AND MID 70S SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. && .AVIATION /06Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... CONDITIONS VFR ACROSS NRN OHIO AND NWRN PA AT 05Z. AIRMASS QUITE MOIST BUT UPPER RIDGE JUST EAST OF THE AREA MOSTLY KEEPING A LID ON CONVECTION. GUIDANCE SUGGESTS OVERNIGHT AND INTO THE EARLY MORNING HOURS CIGS AND VISIBILITIES SHOULD GO DOWN TO IFR IN STRATUS AND FOG. AM IN AGREEMENT WITH MVFR VISIBILITIES IN A MORNING FOG/MIST HAVE OPTED TO REMAIN MORE CONSERVATIVE THAN GUIDANCE WHICH MAY BE TOO PESSIMISTIC AS STRATUS THAT HAS DEVELOPED HAS BEEN AT 5 TO 7 KFT. TIME WILL TELL. AS FOR MONDAY GIVEN MOISTURE AND THE APPROACHING COLD FRONT FROM THE WEST WILL CONTINUE WITH VCTS FOR THE AFTERNOON ACROSS THE AREA IN DIURNAL CONVECTION. COULD ALSO HAVE ANOTHER LINE APPROACHING WESTERN TERMINALS TOWARD THE END OF THE PERIOD WITH THE FRONT. .OUTLOOK...NON VFR AT TIMES IN SCATTERED SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS TONIGHT. NON-VFR POSSIBLE BEHIND A COLD FRONT IN NE OH/NW PA TUESDAY AFTERNOON/EVENING. && .MARINE... LOW PRESSURE OVER LAKE SUPERIOR WILL MOVE NORTHEAST ACROSS ONTARIO TO QUEBEC TODAY. A COLD FRONT EXTENDING SOUTHWEST FROM THE LOW WILL CROSS LAKE ERIE TONIGHT. SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST FLOW TODAY AND TONIGHT WILL REMAIN FAIRLY LIGHT. TUESDAY WINDS WILL INCREASE FROM THE WEST AND SOUTHWEST TO 15 TO 25 KNOTS/ WINDS WILL TURN NORTHWEST TUESDAY NIGHT AS THE COLD AIR DEEPENS ACROSS THE LAKE. A LARGE AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD TOWARD THE LAKE MID WEEK AS IT DROPS INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS. ANOTHER COLD FRONT HOWEVER WILL APPROACH FROM THE NORTH THURSDAY LIKELY DROPPING ACROSS THE LAKE THURSDAY NIGHT OR EARLY FRIDAY. NO GALES ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THE PERIOD HOWEVER A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED SOMETIME TUESDAY AS WINDS INCREASE...CONTINUING TUESDAY NIGHT AND MOST OF WEDNESDAY. && .CLE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OH...NONE. PA...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...LOMBARDY NEAR TERM...LOMBARDY SHORT TERM...LOMBARDY LONG TERM...TK AVIATION...TK MARINE...TK
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CHARLESTON WV
213 AM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 .SYNOPSIS... WEAK DISTURBANCES AND WARM MOIST AIR MASS WILL CONTINUE TO RESULT IN PERIODS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH TONIGHT. A COLD FRONT CROSSES TUESDAY. DRYER CONDITIONS BY TUESDAY AFTERNOON. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... LATEST RADAR MOSAIC AND SURFACE OBSERVATIONS SUGGEST REGION IS GENERALLY DRY AT THIS TIME. EXPECT THESE CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...AND HAVE SLIGHT CHANCE POPS CONTINUING. LATEST HRRR SHOWS A SMALL AREA OF SHOWERS...CURRENTLY OVER SOUTHEAST KENTUCKY...WILL SPREAD NORTHEAST AND INCREASE IN AREAL COVERAGE AS IT MOVES INTO OUR SOUTHERN COUNTIES LATER THIS MORNING. THE CURRENT TREND OF THESE SHOWERS HAS BEEN TO WEAKEN. SO NOT SURE HOW MUCH OF THESE SHOWERS WILL ACTUALLY MAKE IT INTO OUR AREA. MOST OF THE MODELS THEN INDICATE WEAK DISTURBANCES WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA TODAY INTO TONIGHT. COMBINATION OF THESE DISTURBANCES AND INCREASING INSTABILITY SHOULD ONCE AGAIN RESULT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SHOWERS AND STORMS TODAY. LOCALIZED DOWNPOURS ARE ONCE AGAIN POSSIBLE TODAY AND TONIGHT...AND CAN RESULT IN MINOR FLOODING OF STREETS...CREEKS...LOW LYING AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. WITH THE LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING...THE COVERAGE AND INTENSITY OF THE CONVECTION SHOULD BEGIN TO WANE. HOWEVER...A COLD FRONT...WHICH IS EXPECTED TO PUSH INTO THE REGION LATE TONIGHT...SHOULD CONTINUE THE THREAT OF SHOWERS AND STORMS. CURRENT THINKING IS THAT THE FRONT SHOULD BE LOCATED NEAR OR JUST EAST OF THE OHIO RIVER AT THE END OF THIS PERIOD. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... MADE NO REAL CHANGES WITH THE SHORT TERM PART OF THE FORECAST. RAISED POPS A BIT IN THE EAST MONDAY NIGHT AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT. PW VALUES ARE IN THE 1.5-1.75 INCHES RANGE AHEAD THE FRONT SO THE PROSPECT OF HEAVY RAIN OVERNIGHT IS STILL POSSIBLE. EVEN WITH ALL OF THE RAIN THAT HAS FALLEN UP TO THIS POINT THE GROUND SHOULD BE ABLE TO HANDLE THE SITUATION SO NO REAL CONCERNS. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE SITUATION. IT DRIES OUT QUICKLY BEHIND THE FRONT STARTING TUESDAY NIGHT. DRY WEATHER WITH PLEASANT TEMPERATURES SHOULD PREVAIL TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY AS WEAK HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS TO THE WEST GIVING ZONAL FLOW FOR THE OHIO VALLEY. WENT MAINLY WITH ALL BLEND GUIDANCE FOR TEMPERATURES THROUGH THE PERIOD. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... NOTHING SIGNIFICANT TO FOCUS ON IN THE LONG TERM. HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OVER THE CENTRAL US AND THAT WILL LEAVE ZONAL FLOW OVER THE OHIO VALLEY. THE EXTENDED FORECAST WILL BE DRY FOR THE MOST PART BUT CONFIDENCE IS NOT ALL THAT HIGH AS THERE COULD BE A FEW UPPER LEVEL RIPPLES CAUSED BY THE WEAK FRONT THAT PASSES TO THE NORTH NEXT WEEKEND. PRECIPITATION CHANCES INCREASING ON SUNDAY. WENT WITH A BLEND OF GUIDANCE FOR TEMPERATURES. && .AVIATION /06Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... 06Z MONDAY THRU 06Z TUESDAY... ALL OF THE SHOWERS AND STORMS HAVE MOVED OUT OF THE REGION...OR HAVE DISSIPATED. A FEW SHOWERS ARE STILL POSSIBLE DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. VFR CONDITIONS PREVAILED IN MOST LOCATIONS. HOWEVER...MVFR/IFR CONDITIONS WERE OCCURRING ALONG SOME RIVER VALLEYS. CONDITIONS SHOULD REMAIN ROUGHLY ABOUT THE SAME THRU 12Z...WHEN CONDITIONS SHOULD IMPROVE AFTER SUNRISE. SEVERAL DISTURBANCES ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS THE AREA TODAY...WHICH WILL RESULT IN THE REDEVELOPMENT OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS FOR THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS. WHILE MOST LOCATIONS WILL SEE VFR OR MVFR CONDITIONS...EXPECT IFR CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE NEAR THE HEAVIER STORMS. GUSTY WINDS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE NEAR THE STRONGER STORMS. THE STORMS SHOULD THEN WEAKEN AFTER 23Z. HOWEVER...SCATTERED STORMS WILL REMAIN POSSIBLE THROUGH THE END OF THE PERIOD. FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND ALTERNATE SCENARIOS THROUGH 06Z TUESDAY... FORECAST CONFIDENCE: MEDIUM. ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: COVERAGE OF FOG REMAINS IN QUESTION OVER WEST VIRGINIA THROUGH 12Z MON. HIGHLY VARIABLE CONDITIONS IN THE SHOWERS AND STORMS TODAY WITH CONDITIONS GOING LOWER THAN FORECAST. EXPERIMENTAL TABLE OF FLIGHT CATEGORY OBJECTIVELY SHOWS CONSISTENCY OF WFO FORECAST TO AVAILABLE MODEL INFORMATION: H = HIGH: TAF CONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL. M = MEDIUM: TAF HAS VARYING LEVEL OF CONSISTENCY WITH MODELS. L = LOW: TAF INCONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL. DATE MON 05/18/15 UTC 1HRLY 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 EDT 1HRLY 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 CRW CONSISTENCY H H L L L L H H H M M H HTS CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H M H H BKW CONSISTENCY M H H H H H H H H M H H EKN CONSISTENCY L L L L L L H M H H M M PKB CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H M M M H CKB CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H H H H AFTER 06Z TUESDAY... BRIEF IFR IN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE MON NIGHT...AND IN LOW CLOUDS TUE MORNING. FOG/LOW CLOUDS POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT TUE NT INTO WED MORNING. && .RLX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WV...NONE. OH...NONE. KY...NONE. VA...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...JSH/ARJ NEAR TERM...JSH SHORT TERM...FB LONG TERM...FB AVIATION...JSH
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NWS NORMAN OK
955 PM CDT TUE MAY 19 2015 .UPDATE... INCREASED RAIN CHANCES OVER MUCH OF THE AREA TONIGHT. LOWERED OVERNIGHT LOWS. && .DISCUSSION... HEAVY RAINFALL...FLOODING...AND SEVERE WEATHER WILL CONTINUE TONIGHT IN SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTH TEXAS. THE ENVIRONMENT SUPPORTS MORE HEAVY RAIN AND SEVERE WEATHER. THINK THE TORNADO THREAT WILL CONTINUE IN SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTH TEXAS WHERE SURFACE DEWPOINTS ARE 70 DEGREES OR HIGHER AND DUE TO HIGH LOW LEVEL SHEAR. THE FLOODING THREAT WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE ACROSS SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTH TEXAS WHERE SEVERAL INCHES OF RAINFALL MAY OCCUR TONIGHT...THAT WILL ONLY AGGRAVATE ONGOING FLOODING. THE CONVECTION IN SOUTHWEST OKLAHOMA AND FAR WESTERN NORTH TEXAS FROM HOBART TO ALTUS TO QUANAH AT 950 PM APPEARS TO BE DEVELOPING A STRONG LOW LEVEL COLD POOL. WITH THIS THOUGHT AND LOOKING AT LATEST HRRR RUNS...THINK THIS LINE WILL GROW UPSCALE...BECOME A LARGE ORGANIZED COMPLEX AND MOVE EAST SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE NIGHT...BRINGING SOME WIND AND HAIL REPORTS. A FEW BRIEF TORNADOES COULD OCCUR ALONG THIS LINE AS WELL. THIS LINE MAY ACCELERATE THROUGH THE NIGHT. MOST OF THE HEAVY RAIN AND SEVERE WEATHER THREAT IS EXPECTED TO STAY SOUTH OF THE OKLAHOMA CITY METRO AREA FOR THE REST OF TONIGHT. A FEW NON SEVERE AND LIGHTER SHOWERS AND STORMS MAY AFFECT NORTHERN OKLAHOMA FOR THE REST OF TONIGHT. COLD FRONT WILL MOVE SOUTH THROUGH THE NIGHT AS WELL. PRODUCTS HAVE BEEN UPDATED. MBS && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 657 PM CDT TUE MAY 19 2015/ DISCUSSION... THE 00Z AVIATION DISCUSSION FOLLOWS.... AVIATION... SHORT-TERM MODELS ARE IN REASONABLY GOOD AGREEMENT THAT THE CURRENT MASS OF TSRA FROM THE TX PANHANDLE E INTO CENTRAL OK WILL FILL IN AND BECOME A SINGLE LARGE STORM COMPLEX TOWARD MIDNIGHT...AS A COLD FRONT ADVANCES S FROM KS. UNTIL THAT HAPPENS...CEILINGS AND VISIBILITIES WILL BE EXTREMELY VARIABLE OVER SPACE AND TIME. IN ADDITION...SCT +TSRA OVER S OK AND N TX WILL CONTINUE THIS EVENING...AND SOME OF THEM WILL BE SEVERE. AFTER MIDNIGHT...A SINGLE LARGE STORM COMPLEX SHOULD ADVANCE SE ACROSS ALL OUR TAF SITES EXCEPT KGAG...KWWR...AND KPNC...WHICH SHOULD BE N OF THE AREA OF DEVELOPMENT. THERE WILL BE ABOUT 2 HOURS OF +TSRA...FOLLOWED BY MAYBE AN HOUR OF -RA AS THE STORMS ADVANCE SOUTH OF EACH SITE. AS THE STORMS DEPART TO THE S/SE...N WINDS WILL BEGIN...AND COOLER AIR WILL FLOW IN. VISIBILITIES SHOULD BE UNLIMITED ONCE THE RAIN STOPS...BUT LOW CEILINGS WILL PERSIST INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING. ONLY SLOW INCREASES IN CEILINGS ARE EXPECTED TOMORROW...BUT IF THE POST-FRONTAL MOISTURE LAYER IS THIN ENOUGH...THERE MAY BE BREAKS IN THE CLOUDS TOMORROW AFTERNOON. CMS PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 444 PM CDT TUE MAY 19 2015/ DISCUSSION... EXISTING CONVECTION WILL LIKELY CONTINUE THROUGH THE EVENING...THEN MERGE INTO A SINGLE CONVECTIVE SYSTEM TOWARD MIDNIGHT AS A COLD FRONT MOVES INTO OKLAHOMA. THE FRONT WILL ADVANCE SOUTHEAST OVERNIGHT...TAKING THE STORMS WITH IT...TEMPORARILY. IN ADDITION TO THE SEVERE WEATHER POTENTIAL...HEAVY RAIN HAS CAUSED...AND WILL CONTINUE TO CAUSE...AREAS OF FLOODING. VERY HEAVY RAINFALL RATES WILL CONTINUE TO CAUSE FLOODING OF STREETS AND HIGHWAYS IN URBANIZED AREAS UNTIL EARLY TOMORROW MORNING. WE HAVE EXPANDED OUR FLOOD WATCH TO INCLUDE ALL OF OUR SOUTH-CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA COUNTIES. RAIN/THUNDERSTORM CHANCES WILL CONTINUE...ALTHOUGH MAINLY OVER OUR SOUTHERN COUNTIES...THROUGH THURSDAY...AS THE FRONT AND LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE REMAIN IN/NEAR OUR FORECAST AREA. ANOTHER UPPER-LEVEL WAVE WILL APPROACH FRIDAY AND THIS WEEKEND. UNLIKE THE LAST TWO WEEKENDS...THIS SYSTEM DOES NOT HAVE THE CLASSIC SEVERE-WEATHER LOOK TO IT. IT LOOKS LESS ORGANIZED. NEVERTHELESS...IF WE DO NOT HAVE WIDESPREAD RAIN ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY...SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE A DEFINITE POSSIBILITY. DRIER AIR IS FORECAST TO ARRIVE EARLY NEXT WEEK...ALONG WITH SHORTWAVE RIDGING ALOFT. THIS MAY BRING US A FEW DAYS OF DRY WEATHER...BUT THAT IS CERTAINLY NOT GUARANTEED. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... OKLAHOMA CITY OK 53 68 53 66 / 70 40 20 10 HOBART OK 53 67 52 66 / 100 20 20 20 WICHITA FALLS TX 60 76 57 69 / 100 40 50 30 GAGE OK 45 62 47 64 / 40 10 10 10 PONCA CITY OK 51 66 50 66 / 60 30 10 10 DURANT OK 62 80 59 71 / 100 50 50 40 && .OUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OK...FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 7 AM CDT WEDNESDAY FOR OKZ007-008-012>014- 016>048-050>052. TX...FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 7 AM CDT WEDNESDAY FOR TXZ085-086-089-090. && $$ MBS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS TULSA OK
1139 PM CDT SUN MAY 17 2015 .AVIATION... CONCERNING TAF SITES KTUL/KRVS/KBVO/KMLC/KXNA/KFYV/KFSM/KROG. PATCHY FOG STILL EXPECTED LATE TONIGHT AS WINDS SUBSIDE AHEAD OF COLD FRONT...WHICH WILL MOVE INTO NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA MONDAY MORNING. THUNDERSTORM CHANCES APPEAR TO LOW AT THIS POINT TO MENTION ALONG/AHEAD OF FROPA. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 935 PM CDT SUN MAY 17 2015/ DISCUSSION... A MUCH QUIETER EVENING AS THE AREA HAS REMAINED PRECIP FREE FOR THE DURATION. BOUNDARY SEPARATING DEW POINTS IN UPPER 60S TO NEAR 70S FROM DRIER AIR EXTENDS FROM SOUTH CENTRAL OK INTO WESTERN OSAGE COUNTY AND NEAR THIS INTERFACE WITH LIGHT WINDS SOME FOG DEVELOPMENT REMAINS POSSIBLE. WARM MOIST SECTOR OVER WESTERN OK AND WESTERN AR REMAINS CAPPED AND SHORT RANGE GUIDANCE INCLUDING THE 00Z NAM TRENDING TOWARD A DRIER SOLUTION FOR TONIGHT. WILL KEEP SLIGHT CHANCE ACROSS FAR EASTERN/SOUTHERN AREAS AS A SUBTLE WAVER MOVES ACROSS TONIGHT AND MAY HAVE JUST ENOUGH LIFT TO SPARK A FEW SHOWERS LATE TONIGHT OR EARLY MON MORNING. UPDATED PRODUCTS WILL BE OUT SHORTLY. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 634 PM CDT SUN MAY 17 2015/ AVIATION... CONCERNING TAF SITES KTUL/KRVS/KBVO/KMLC/KXNA/KFYV/KFSM/KROG. SCATTERED TO BROKEN MID/HIGH CLOUDS WILL CONTINUE OVERNIGHT AS WEAK UPPER DISTURBANCE TRAVERSES THE AREA. COULD SEE SOME LIGHT FOG TOWARDS MORNING AS WINDS BECOME LIGHT AHEAD OF APPROACHING FRONTAL BOUNDARY. OTHERWISE...VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 359 PM CDT SUN MAY 17 2015/ DISCUSSION... NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS MARGINAL CHANCE FOR SHOWERS THUNDERSTORMS MAINLY SOUTH WHERE BETTER MOISTURE RESIDES. WRF MODEL AN OUTLIER REGARDING PRECIP AND POP SOUTHEAST AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS. DRIER SHORT TERM HRRR LOOKS GOOD TONIGHT. NEXT BIG RAIN TUESDAY NIGHT WEDNESDAY WHEN THE NEXT SHOT OF ENERGY EJECTED FROM THE SOUTHWEST. CHANCE POPS THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY. UPPER LOW OVER THE SOUTHWEST FRIDAY MOVES ACROSS THE ROCKIES AND INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS...SUNDAY. ANOTHER SLUG WET WEATHER FOR THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND. GW && .TSA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OK...NONE. AR...NONE. && $$ AVIATION...12
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS PORTLAND
249 PM PDT MON MAY 18 2015 .SYNOPSIS...ONSHORE FLOW RETURNS TONIGHT AND TUESDAY WITH PLENTY OF CLOUDS AND SOMEWHAT COOLER TEMPERATURES. THIS SHOULD RESULT IN GREATER STABILITY AND CONFINE THE THUNDERSTORM THREAT CLOSER TO THE CASCADE CREST TUESDAY WITH POTENTIAL TO SPREAD A LITTLE WESTWARD WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. TEMPERATURES SHOULD BE WITHIN A FEW DEGREES OF NORMAL FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK. && .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY...DEEP CONVECTION AND THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED OVER THE CASCADES ABOUT ON SCHEDULE. THEY HAVE TAKEN ON A VERY SLIGHT WESTWARD DRIFT WHICH HAS ALLOWED THE STORMS A BIT OF LONGEVITY. STRONGEST ACTION HAS BEEN AROUND DETROIT WITH RADAR INDICATED RAIN RATES AS HIGH AS A COUPLE INCHES PER HOUR. THERE HAS BEEN ADDITIONAL FORMATION AROUND AND NORTH OF MT ST HELENS FORTUNATELY...THE WEAK MOVEMENT HAS LIMITED ACCUMULATIONS TO 0.75 TO 1.00 INCHES OVER AN HOUR. THE NORTHERN END OF THE CONVECTIVE LINE NEAR DETROIT HAS WEAKENED A BIT AS IT MOVED OVER THE EASTERN BOUNDARY OF THE FOOTHILL ZONE. LATEST HRRR RUNS STILL MAINTAIN A PRIMARY THREAT FOR THE STORMS TO CONTINUE OVER THE CASCADES THIS EVENING BUT IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW LONG THE VALLEY LASTS BEFORE STARTING CONVECTION. TEMPERATURES ONLY NEED TO RISE 4 TO 5 DEGREES BEFORE POTENTIALLY BREAKING THE 12Z SLE SOUNDING MID LEVEL CAP. STILL EXPECT STORMS WILL FORM...WHEREVER THEY DO...THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING BEFORE WEAKENING CONSIDERABLY WITH THE LOSS OF HEATING. THEN EXPECT SOME CONVECTIVE DEBRIS SHOWERS TO LINGER WEST ACROSS THE VALLEY BEFORE DISSIPATING AND DRIFTING INTO SOUTHWEST OREGON OVERNIGHT. THE VERY BROAD UPPER TROUGH WILL MOVE LITTLE WITH FAIRLY NON-DESCRIPT MID AND UPPER LEVEL FLOW PATTERNS REMAINING OVERHEAD MAKING TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY LARGELY A BROKEN RECORD. TUESDAY WILL SEE A BIT OF A COOL OFF FOR THE LOWER ELEVATIONS AS DEEPENING SURFACE LOW ACROSS THE COLUMBIA BASIN WILL EVENTUALLY DRAW THE MARINE LAYER BACK IN ACROSS THE LOWER ELEVATIONS. SEEMS UNLIKELY THE LAYER WILL BE SUBSTANTIALLY DEEP AND SHOULD SEE SOME AFTERNOON/EVENING CONVECTION ACROSS CASCADES ONCE AGAIN AND PROBABLY STAYING CLOSER TO THE CREST. WILL GET A LITTLE WARMER WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY WITH A LITTLE BIT OF EASTERLY COMPONENT STORM MOTION TO AT LEAST BRING A THREAT OF THE HIGH CASCADE STORMS DRIFTING WEST TOWARD THE FOOTHILLS. MAY SEE SOME LIGHT SHOWER ACTIVITY OVER THE COAST RANGE AND VALLEY AS WELL. /JBONK .LONG TERM...THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY...PACIFIC NORTHWEST REMAINS UNDER LONGWAVE TROUGHING THROUGH THE WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK KEEPING WEATHER AND TEMPERATURES FAIRLY CONSISTENT. EXPECT AFTERNOON/EVENING SHOWERS IN THE CASCADES FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. FRIDAY MAY SEE SHOWERS SPILL WESTWARD INTO THE WILLAMETTE VALLEY...BUT CONFIDENCE IS LOW. HIGH PRESSURE ATTEMPTS TO BUILD ONSHORE SUNDAY...WHICH COULD PUSH MOST OF THE MOISTURE OFF TO THE EAST...THOUGH AS MODELS CONTINUE TO TREND WEAKER WITH THIS RIDGE SUNDAY IS LOOKING MORE LIKELY TO BE SIMILAR TO SATURDAY WITH SHOWERS IN THE CASCADES. MONDAY WILL SEE A RETURN TO THE PATTERN FAVORABLE FOR SHOWERS IN THE CASCADES. -MCCOY && .AVIATION...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE DEVELOPING OVER THE CASCADES THIS AFTERNOON. THERE IS A CHANCE A FEW OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL DRIFT WESTWARD AND IMPACT A WILLAMETTE VALLEY TAF SITE OR TWO LATER TODAY...MOST LIKELY BETWEEN 00Z AND 03Z TUESDAY. CONFIDENCE IN WHICH SITES WILL BE IMPACTED REMAINS LOW SO WILL KEEP A VCSH IN THE TAF FOR NOW. OTHERWISE...INCREASING ONSHORE PRESSURE GRADIENTS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOULD RESULT IN MVFR STRATUS PUSHING BACK SOLIDLY ONTO THE COAST AND INTO THE COASTAL GAPS OVERNIGHT. THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE THESE LOWER FLIGHT CONDITIONS WILL IMPACT A FEW INTERIOR TAF SITES AS WELL. KPDX AND APPROACHES...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE DEVELOPING OVER THE CASCADES THIS AFTERNOON AND WILL LIKELY IMPACT EASTERN APPROACHES. THERE IS A CHANCE A STORM COULD DRIFT WESTWARD AND IMPACT THE TERMINAL...MOST LIKELY BETWEEN 00Z AND 03Z TUESDAY...BUT CONFIDENCE IN THIS SCENARIO PANNING OUT REMAINS LOW. MVFR CONDITIONS SHOULD RETURN TO THE TERMINAL BETWEEN 12Z AND 18Z TUESDAY. /NEUMAN && .MARINE...SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE AND THERMAL LOW PRESSURE OVER THE INLAND NORTHWEST WILL MAINTAIN RELATIVELY LIGHT NORTHWESTERLY WINDS THROUGH THE UPCOMING WEEKEND. VERY STRONG EBBS WILL LIKELY PRODUCE STEEP EBB CHOP THE NEXT SEVERAL MORNINGS ON THE COLUMBIA RIVER BAR...BUT SEAS SHOULD REMAIN SMALL ENOUGH THAT SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES FOR ROUGH BARS DO NOT APPEAR NECESSARY. /NEUMAN && .PQR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OR...NONE. WA...NONE. PZ...NONE. && $$ INTERACT WITH US VIA SOCIAL MEDIA WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/NWSPORTLAND WWW.TWITTER.COM/NWSPORTLAND THIS DISCUSSION IS FOR NORTHWEST OREGON AND SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON FROM THE CASCADE CREST TO 60 NAUTICAL MILES OFFSHORE. THE AREA IS COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS THE FORECAST AREA.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MEDFORD OR
207 PM PDT MON MAY 18 2015 .SHORT TERM...MOISTURE CONTINUES TO ROTATE IN OVER OUR AREA FROM THE EAST AS AN UPPER LOW MOVES INTO THE GREAT BASIN. DYNAMICS ARE WEAK, BUT THERE IS PLENTY OF INSTABILITY PRESENT FROM THE CASCADE CREST AND SISKIYOUS EASTWARD, AND NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS HAVE ALREADY DEVELOPED. THIS CONVECTION WILL INCREASE IN COVERAGE AND MIGRATE TOWARD THE WEST THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. CONVECTION IS ALREADY TRYING TO SPILL OVER ONTO THE WEST SIDE, BUT IT IS BEING INHIBITED BY THE LITTLE REMAINING CAP. THE SUN IS PEAKING THROUGH IN THE WEST SIDE VALLEYS AND THE SURFACE HEATING WILL BREAK THE CAP PRETTY SOON. MESOANALYSIS INDICATES WE`VE BUILT 500-1000 J/KG OF SURFACE BASED CAPE OVER JACKSON AND JOSEPHINE COUNTIES ALREADY, WHICH SHOULD BE RELEASED EVENTUALLY, AND RESULT IN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THERE AS WELL. LATEST RAP AND HRRR GUIDANCE ACTUALLY SHOWS QUITE A LOT OF CONVECTION OVER THE ROGUE AND ILLINOIS VALLEYS LATER THIS AFTERNOON. THEY MAY BE A BIT OVERDONE, BUT PEOPLE IN THESE AREAS SHOULD KEEP AN EYE ON THE SKY. AS OPPOSED TO YESTERDAY, THE SUN IS ALSO POKING OUT IN THE UMPQUA, AND THEY DO STAND A BETTER CHANCE OF SEEING SOME THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AS WELL. THERE IS A LOT OF MOISTURE IN THE PROFILE (PRECIPITABLE WATER IS NEAR AN INCH) AND THUS ANY OF THESE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS. WITH LITTLE WIND ALOFT TO SPEAK OF, STRONG WINDS SHOULDN`T BE MUCH OF A CONCERN, BUT WE COULD SEE GUSTY WINDS AROUND STORMS. THINGS WILL STABILIZE TONIGHT AS THE BOUNDARY LAYER COOLS, BUT SHOWERS ARE LIKELY TO CONTINUE OVERNIGHT ALONG THE MOUNTAINS AND EAST SIDE. AS BROAD TROUGHING REMAINS OVER THE REGION, WE EXPECT TO REPEAT THIS BASIC DIURNAL PATTERN OF NIGHT TIME SHOWERS AND MORE WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AFTERNOONS TOMORROW THROUGH THURSDAY. WE SHOULD GRADUALLY BECOME MORE STABLE ON THE WEST SIDE, SO THUNDERSTORMS BECOME LESS OF AN ISSUE. ONE BIGGER CHANGE I MADE WAS TO INCREASE POPS OVER THE WEST SIDE TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING AS ALL THE MODELS ARE SHOWING A DEFORMATION BAND FORMING OVER THE AREA. -WRIGHT .LONG TERM...THE MODELS SHOW THE WEAK UPPER LOW MOVING INTO ARIZONA WITH WEAK RIDGING BUILDING OFFSHORE. THE GFS SHOWS MORE RIDGING COMPARED TO THE EC AND BOTH CONTINUE TO SHOW QPF OVER MOST OF THE AREA. I SUSPECT THE QPF MAY BE OVERDONE NOT ONLY WITH AMOUNTS, BUT ALSO THE COVERAGE. THUS HAVE SCALED BACK ON POPS FOR FRIDAY. ANOTHER WEAK UPPER LOW MOVES INTO THE AREA SATURDAY, BUT THIS ONE WILL BE COMING IN FROM THE NORTHWEST AND IS NOT EXPECTED TO HAVE ANY OVER WATER TRAJECTORY, THEREFORE MOISTURE WILL BE LIMITED AND ANY SHOWERS SHOULD BE ISOLATED AND EAST OF THE CASCADES. THE EC AND GFS DISAGREE WITH THE PROGRESSION OF THE UPPER LOW SUNDAY AND THE UPSTREAM UPPER LOW. THE GFS KEEPS THE UPPER LOW OVER THE AREA SUNDAY WHILE THE EC MOVES IT INTO NORTHERN CAL. FOR NOW WE`LL GO WITH A BLEND BETWEEN THE TWO AND KEEP A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS EAST OF THE CASCADES. THE ENSEMBLE MEAN SHOWS A LARGE SPREAD IN THIS TIME PERIOD WHICH YIELDS LOWER CONFIDENCE IN THE FORECAST. -PETRUCELLI && .AVIATION...FOR THE 18/18Z TAF CYCLE...THE MAIN CONCERN INTO THIS EVENING WILL BE GUSTY AND ERRATIC WINDS NEAR THUNDERSTORMS. A FEW STORMS COULD ALSO PRODUCE SMALL HAIL. VFR CIGS WILL BE THE DOMINATE CONDITION INTO THIS EVENING FOR ALL TERMINALS, EXCEPT FOR TEMPORARY MVFR CIGS WITH PARTIAL MOUNTAIN OBSCURATION AND REDUCED VISIBILITY IN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. THE ATMOSPHERE WILL STABILIZE TONIGHT AND CIGS WILL LOWER TO MVFR, THEN IFR AT THE COAST. MODELS ALSO SHOW PLENTY OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE INLAND TONIGHT AND IT`S POSSIBLE MVFR CIGS WILL ALSO DEVELOP FOR INLAND LOCATIONS BETWEEN 4-6Z WITH LOCAL IFR CIGS IN THE UMPQUA BASIN LATE TONIGHT. -PETRUCELLI && .MARINE...UPDATED 200 PM PDT, MONDAY 18 MAY 2015...A PATTERN OF WEAK HIGH PRESSURE OFFSHORE AND WEAK LOW PRESSURE INLAND WILL PERSIST MOST OF THIS WEEK WITH LIGHT TO MODERATE NORTH WINDS AND NORTHWEST SWELL OVER THE WATERS. WINDS WILL APPROACH SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY LEVELS ON TUESDAY EVENING AND WEDNESDAY MORNING SOUTH OF CAPE BLANCO. AFTER THIS NORTH WINDS AROUND 10-20 KTS WILL CONTINUE INTO THE WEEKEND. /CS && .FIRE WEATHER...UPDATED 200 PM PDT, MONDAY 18 MAY 2015...AN UPPER LOW CENTERED JUST EAST OF THE BAY AREA IS SENDING MOISTURE NORTHEAST TOWARDS THE AREA. SO FAR ISOLATED STORMS HAVE BEEN CONFINED TO THE CASCADES EAST, BUT THEY ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME MORE FREQUENT AS THE AFTERNOON PROGRESSES INTO THIS EVENING. THE LATEST MESOSCALE ANALYSIS SHOWS HIGHER CAPE VALUES WEST OF THE CASCADES COMPARED TO YESTERDAY AND THE MOIST LAYER IS MUCH DEEPER ALL THE WAY UP TO 400 MB BASED IN THIS MORNINGS SOUNDING. THE 700 MB FLOW WILL BE FROM THE EAST TO NORTHEAST, THERE IS A BETTER CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AND ISOLATED STORMS TO MAKE THEIR WAY WEST OF THE CASCADES. WITH PLENTY OF MOISTURE AVAILABLE, THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY TO BE RAIN PRODUCERS AND THEY WILL BE SLOW MOVERS. SO HEAVY RAINFALL IS POSSIBLE. THUNDERSTORMS WILL DECREASE THIS EVENING AND END TONIGHT, BUT WE`LL CONTINUE TO GET MUCH NEEDED RAIN SHOWERS OVERNIGHT TONIGHT. THE UPPER LOW WILL MOVE EAST AND WEAKEN TUESDAY WITH THE BEST CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS ALONG AND EAST OF THE CASCADES. THE ATMOSPHERE IS EXPECTED TO BE MORE STABLE WEST OF THE CASCADES DUE TO A MARINE INFLUENCE, SO WERE ONLY EXPECTING SHOWERS. -PETRUCELLI && .MFR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OR...NONE. CA...NONE. PACIFIC COASTAL WATERS...NONE. $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS PORTLAND
942 AM PDT MON MAY 18 2015 .SYNOPSIS...BROAD BUT ILL-DEFINED UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE WILL REMAIN OVER MUCH OF THE WESTERN UNITED STATES THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS...KEEPING THE WEATHER UNSETTLED IN GENERAL ACROSS THE REGION. WEAK HIGH PRESSURE OVER EASTERN WASHINGTON HAS WEAKENED ONSHORE FLOW CONSIDERABLY. WITHOUT THE STRONG MARINE INFLUENCE...TEMPERATURES WILL BE A FEW DEGREES WARMER INLAND THAN THE PAST FEW DAYS. THIS WILL DESTABILIZE THE ATMOSPHERE TO THE POINT WHERE THUNDERSTORMS COULD DEVELOP FROM THE COAST RANGE EASTWARD THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE OVERALL AIR MASS IS RATHER MOIST AND STORMS WILL BE SLOW MOVING...SO THE POTENTIAL IS THERE FOR LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN. ONSHORE FLOW RETURNS IN FULL FORCE TONIGHT AND TUESDAY WITH PLENTY OF CLOUDS AND A RETURN TO COOLER TEMPERATURES. THIS SHOULD RESULT IN GREATER STABILITY AND CONFINE THE THUNDERSTORM THREAT TO AREAS ALONG AND EAST OF THE CASCADE CREST FOR MUCH OF THE WEEK. AFTER TODAY...TEMPERATURES SHOULD BE WITHIN A FEW DEGREES OF NORMAL FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK. && .UPDATE...SOME CHANGES TO THE FORECAST PACKAGE FOR TODAY AND TONIGHT...BUT THE OVERALL MESSAGE WILL BE THE SAME. 12Z SALEM SOUNDING SHOWED A LITTLE STRONGER MID LEVEL CAP WITH TEMPERATURES FEW DEGREES WARMER THAN THE EARLIER MODEL RUNS INDICATED. LOOKS LIKE THE 12Z NAM/GFS AND LAST COUPLE HRRR RUNS PICKED UP ON THIS AND HAVE SOMEWHAT DIMINISHED THE THUNDER THREAT FROM THE WILLAMETTE VALLEY/PORTLAND METRO AND AREAS WEST. FORECASTED HIGH TEMPS TODAY WILL STILL BE AROUND THE CONVECTIVE TEMPS SO CONTINUE TO EXPECT A THUNDERSTORM ALONG THE I-5 CORRIDOR AND WILL LIMIT COVERAGE TO ISOLATED. THE CASCADES AND FOOTHILLS STILL APPEAR TO HAVE THE FAR BETTER CHANCE OF SEEING SCATTERED COVERAGE WITH THE HIGHER TERRAIN ACTING AS THE ELEVATED HEAT SOURCE. THAT WILL MAKE IT EASIER TO BREAK THROUGH THAT CAP. THE BIG UNKNOWN WILL BE THE AMOUNT OF STORM MOTION. MODELED STORM MOTIONS FOR YESTERDAY PRODUCED NORTHERLY DRIFT OF AROUND 5 KTS WHICH WAS JUST ENOUGH TO KEEP THE DOWNDRAFT AWAY FROM THE UPDRAFT AND GIVE SOME LONGEVITY TO THE CELLS. MODELED STORM MOTIONS FOR TODAY BROADLY SHOW ZERO MOVEMENT ACROSS THE AREA. MENTAL MODEL OF THIS PROVIDES FOR MORE OF A PULSE STORM SITUATION WHERE STORMS MAY PUT OUR A BRIEF HEAVY RAIN AND SEVERAL LIGHTNING STRIKES BUT THEN COLLAPSE AS THE UPDRAFT IS CUT OFF BY THE DOWNDRAFT. ENVISION SOMETHING LIKE AN OLD SCHOOL PINBALL MACHINE EFFECT WHERE COLLIDING OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES CONVERGE TO PRODUCE A NEW UPDRAFT AS A TRIGGER FOR A NEW CELL. THUNDERSTORM INITIATION TIMING STILL FAVORS EARLY AFTERNOON FOR THE CASCADES AND FOOTHILLS WITH IT TAKING UNTIL MID TO LATE AFTERNOON FOR THE I-5 CORRIDOR. GIVEN THIS WILL BE MORE OF AN AIR MASS THUNDERSTORM DAY WHERE GROUND HEATING IS THE TRIGGER...FEEL MOST DEEP CONVECTIVE ACTION SHOULD QUICKLY DIMINISH TOWARDS THE 7 TO 8 PM HOURS WITH WEAKER NON-THUNDERSTORM SHOWERS CONTINUING TOWARD MIDNIGHT. LINGERING CONVECTIVE DEBRIS SHOWERS MAY ULTIMATELY HANG ON AFTER MIDNIGHT BUT MAINLY CLOSER TO LANE COUNTY. UPDATES SHOULD BE AVAILABLE NOW. /JBONK && .AVIATION...MARINE STRATUS IS CURRENTLY PRODUCING HIGH END IFR TO LOW MVFR CONDITIONS ALONG THE COAST AND ALONG THE COLUMBIA RIVER. EXPECT INTERIOR LOCATIONS TO TURN VFR BETWEEN 17Z AND 18Z TODAY. CONFIDENCE IN TIMING STRATUS BREAKUP ALONG THE COAST IS LOWER...BUT BASED ON SATELLITE AND MODEL GUIDANCE IT APPEARS VFR CONDITIONS WILL BE LONGER LIVED AT KONP THAN KAST TODAY. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY DEVELOP OVER THE CASCADES THIS AFTERNOON. THERE IS A CHANCE A FEW THUNDERSTORMS WILL DRIFT WESTWARD AND IMPACT A WILLAMETTE VALLEY TAF SITE OR TWO LATER TODAY...MOST LIKELY BETWEEN 00Z AND 03Z TUESDAY...BUT LATEST MODEL GUIDANCE HAS BACKED OFF ON THIS IDEA A BIT. AS A RESULT...CONFIDENCE IN DETAILS REMAINS LOW AND WILL KEEP A VCSH IN THE TAFS FOR NOW. OTHERWISE...HEALTHY ONSHORE FLOW THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOULD RESULT IN MVFR STRATUS PUSHING BACK SOLIDLY ONTO THE COAST AND INTO THE COASTAL GAPS OVERNIGHT. THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE THESE LOWER FLIGHT CONDITIONS WILL IMPACT AT LEAST KPDX AND KTTD BY 15Z TUESDAY. KPDX AND APPROACHES...TEMPORARY LOW END MVFR CONDITIONS CURRENTLY AT THE TERMINAL WILL END BETWEEN 17Z AND 18Z MONDAY. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY DEVELOP OVER THE CASCADES LATER TODAY AND COULD DRIFT WESTWARD AND IMPACT THE TERMINAL...MOST LIKELY BETWEEN 00Z AND 03Z TUESDAY...BUT CONFIDENCE IN THIS SCENARIO REMAINS LOW. MVFR CONDITIONS SHOULD RETURN TO THE TERMINAL BETWEEN 12Z AND 18Z TUESDAY AS MARINE STRATUS PUSHES UP THE COLUMBIA RIVER. /NEUMAN && .MARINE...SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE AND THERMAL LOW PRESSURE OVER THE INLAND NORTHWEST WILL MAINTAIN RELATIVELY LIGHT NORTHWESTERLY WINDS THROUGH THE UPCOMING WEEKEND. A WEAK UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MAY TEMPORARILY SHIFT WINDS OUT OF THE SOUTH OVER THE WEEKEND...BUT IMPACTS TO WIND SPEEDS APPEAR NEGLIGIBLE. VERY STRONG EBBS WILL LIKELY PRODUCE STEEP EBB CHOP THE NEXT SEVERAL MORNINGS ON THE COLUMBIA RIVER BAR...BUT SEAS SHOULD REMAIN SMALL ENOUGH THAT SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES FOR ROUGH BARS DO NOT APPEAR NECESSARY. /NEUMAN && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 307 AM PDT MON MAY 18 2015/ SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...AS ADVERTISED FOR SEVERAL DAYS NOW...TODAY CONTINUES TO BE THE BEST THREAT IN QUITE SOME TIME FOR SEVERAL NON-SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP COAST RANGE EASTWARD. MAIN THREAT FROM THESE STORMS WILL BE LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN AND POSSIBLY SMALL HAIL. SOME HIGHLY LOCALIZED AND BRIEF URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOODING ISSUES ARE POSSIBLE IF ANY OF THESE STORMS DEVELOP OVER POOR DRAINAGE AREAS...ESPECIALLY IF THEY MOVE THROUGH THE DENSER URBAN AREAS. TODAY WILL BE AN INTERESTING DAY TO WATCH THE RADAR ACROSS WESTERN OREGON...AND POSSIBLY SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON. THE INGREDIENTS COMING TOGETHER TODAY TO SUPPORT DEEP CONVECTION AND THUNDERSTORMS...1. WEAK HIGH PRESSURE OVER EASTERN WASHINGTON HAS WEAKENED ONSHORE FLOW ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA...LIMITING THE STABILIZING MARINE INFLUENCE TO MAINLY THE COASTAL AREAS. THIS WILL CAUSE INLAND TEMPS TO WARM THROUGH THE 70S...POSSIBLY EVEN UPPER 70S IN THE PORTLAND METRO AREA. 2. SKIES HAVE GENERALLY CLEARED ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA ASIDE FROM SOME THIN HIGH CLOUDS. THIS SHOULD REMAIN THE CASE FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THE DAY. THIS WILL ALSO HELP SFC TEMPS REACH THE CONVECTIVE TEMPS INDICATED ON MODEL SOUNDINGS COAST RANGE EASTWARD. 3. NAM/GFS BUFR SOUNDINGS AGREE THAT THERE WILL BE LITTLE TO NO CAP IN THE ATMOSPHERE UP TO THE TROPOPAUSE. IF SURFACE TEMPS CAN REACH THE CONVECTIVE TEMP OF AROUND 75 DEG F... THERE IS LITTLE TO STOP PARCELS FROM REACHING THE TROPOPAUSE. DEEP BUT FAIRLY SKINNY SBCAPE ON THE ORDER OF 750-1500 J/KG IS BEING SHOWN UP AND DOWN THE WILLAMETTE VALLEY AND CASCADES THIS AFTERNOON WITH LIFTED INDICES OF -1 TO -4 DEG C. AS A RESULT...EQUILIBRIUM LEVELS ARE 30-35 KFT...PLENTY DEEP FOR CHARGE SEPARATION AND LIGHTNING TO DEVELOP. AS USUAL FOR OUR AREA...THERE ARE AT LEAST A COUPLE CONS FOR THUNDER TODAY...AT LEAST FOR AREAS WILLAMETTE VALLEY EASTWARD... 1. MODELS ARE ALREADY OVERESTIMATING THE SFC DEWPOINTS...FORECASTING LOWER 50S THIS MORNING WHILE DEWPOINTS ARE ACTUALLY IN THE MID TO UPPER 40S. IF THIS TREND HOLDS...MODEL CAPE/LI VALUES WILL LIKELY BE EXAGGERATED. 2. LITTLE TO NO SHEAR. UPDRAFTS MAY QUICKLY BE OVERWHELMED BY DOWNDRAFTS...POSSIBLY BEFORE THUNDERSTORMS CAN MATURE. 3. WEAK FORCING. WITH LITTLE FLOW IN OUR VERY BROAD UPPER LEVEL LOW...VORTICITY IS HARD TO COME BY. EXPECT VERY LITTLE HELP FROM ANY SYNOPTIC FEATURES TODAY...DESPITE A WEAK SHORTWAVE DRIFTING WEST ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF OUR CWA. GIVEN THE CONVECTION WHICH DEVELOPED IN THE CASCADES SUNDAY IN A LESS FAVORABLE ENVIRONMENT...CONFIDENCE IS HIGHER THAN USUAL THAT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP ALONG THE CASCADES TODAY. THE SAME ENVIRONMENT FAVORING THUNDER IN THE CASCADES TODAY SHOULD SUPPORT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS POPPING OFF IN THE WILLAMETTE VALLEY BY MID-AFTERNOON...ASSUMING DEBRIS FROM THE EARLIER CASCADE THUNDERSTORMS DO NOT LIMIT SFC HEATING TOO MUCH. ADDITIONALLY SPC SREF CALIBRATED THUNDERSTORM PROBABILITY IS 50-60 PCT ACROSS PORTIONS OF OUR INTERIOR LOWLANDS...THE HIGHEST I HAVE SEEN IT. THEREFORE WE ADDED SCATTERED THUNDERSTORM WORDING TO ALL AREAS COAST RANGE EASTWARD. GIVEN THE WEAK SHEAR ENVIRONMENT...IT IS DOUBTFUL ANY THUNDERSTORMS WILL REACH SEVERE LIMITS. MOST CELLS SHOULD BE PULSE-LIKE...ONLY LASTING FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME WITH LITTLE ORGANIZATION. HOWEVER WITH PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES APPROACHING 1 INCH AND VERY WEAK STEERING FLOW...THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR RAINFALL HEAVY ENOUGH TO CAUSE BRIEF AND LOCALIZED URBAN/SMALL STREAM FLOODING ISSUES. SOME LOCATIONS WILL RECEIVE NO RAIN AT ALL...WHILE SOME MAY SEE UPWARDS OF A HALF INCH OF RAIN IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. HIGHLIGHTED THIS THREAT IN THE GRIDS AND WILL ISSUE A SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT MENTIONING THIS POSSIBILITY FOR THE AFTERNOON/EVENING COMMUTE. MEANWHILE SEMI-THERMALLY INDUCED LOW PRESSURE WILL DEVELOP OVER THE COLUMBIA BASIN THIS AFTERNOON...INCREASING THE ONSHORE COMPONENT OF THE LOW LEVEL FLOW. THIS SHOULD CAUSE A SURGE OF MARINE AIR TONIGHT WHICH WILL CUT OFF THE THUNDERSTORM THREAT AND YIELD A MOSTLY CLOUDY...COOLER DAY TUESDAY. TUESDAY HAS SOME POTENTIAL TO BE A LOT LIKE LAST FRI/SAT...SO DECIDED TO UNDERCUT MOS GUIDANCE BY A FEW DEGREES FOR HIGH TEMPS. THE STABLE MARINE AIR WILL LIKELY CONFINE ANY THUNDERSTORMS TO AREAS ALONG AND EAST OF THE CASCADE CREST. WEDNESDAY IS A BIT OF A TOUGH TEMPERATURE FORECAST AS MODELS SHOW GOOD AGREEMENT ON HIGHS ONCE AGAIN REACHING THE MID-UPPER 70S FOR THE INLAND VALLEYS DESPITE CONTINUED ONSHORE PRESSURE GRADIENTS. THE MARINE LAYER APPEARS A BIT SHALLOWER THAN IT WAS FRI/SAT...SO THERE IS BETTER CHANCE OF IT MIXING OUT FOR THE AFTERNOON. NONETHELESS WE DECIDED TO KEEP FCST TEMPS ON THE LOW SIDE OF GUIDANCE FOR WEDNESDAY. THE SHALLOWER MARINE LAYER MAY LEAD TO A BETTER CHANCE OF THUNDER IN THE CASCADES WED AFTN/EVE...ESPECIALLY WITH SOME MODELS SUGGESTING ANOTHER WEAK SHORTWAVE PIVOTING WESTWARD ACROSS OREGON AT THAT TIME. WEAGLE LONG TERM...NO CHANGES. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION FOLLOWS... WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY...BROAD UPPER-LEVEL TROUGHING REMAINS IN PLACE THROUGH THE END OF WEEK...WITH SHORTWAVES BRINGING CHANCES OF RAIN THURSDAY AND FRIDAY AND MAYBE SOME THUNDERSTORMS IN THE CASCADES. RIDGING SHOWN YESTERDAY IN MODELS FOR THE WEEKEND IS LOOKING WEAKER...AND LIKELY WON`T PULL US OUT OF THE OVERALL LONGWAVE TROUGH PATTERN. THAT SAID...WITH WEAK HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE REGION SATURDAY AND SUNDAY WEATHER COULD DRY OUT FOR THE WEEKEND WITH MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES. CONFIDENCE IS STILL LOW AS OF NOW DUE TO HOW FAR OUT IN THE FORECAST PERIOD THIS IS AS WELL AS THE WEAKENING TREND IN THE MODELS. -MCCOY && .PQR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OR...NONE. WA...NONE. PZ...NONE. && $$ INTERACT WITH US VIA SOCIAL MEDIA WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/NWSPORTLAND WWW.TWITTER.COM/NWSPORTLAND THIS DISCUSSION IS FOR NORTHWEST OREGON AND SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON FROM THE CASCADE CREST TO 60 NAUTICAL MILES OFFSHORE. THE AREA IS COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS THE FORECAST AREA.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS STATE COLLEGE PA
657 PM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 .SYNOPSIS... A COLD FRONT WILL PUSH ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT AND EARLY TUESDAY...PRECEDED BY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. THE FRONT WILL USHER IN A COOL...DRY AIRMASS FOR THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK. MUGGINESS WILL RETURN OVER THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 1 AM TUESDAY MORNING/... VERY HIGH PWAT AIR SITTING OVER THE AREA. CAPE HAS BEEN SOMEWHAT LIMITED UNTIL THE LAST 30 TO 60 MINUTES. THE CAP IS BROKEN AND TC HAS BEEN PASSED. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAVE GROWN OVER ALMOST ALL OF THE CWA WITH LITTLE TO NO PATTERN OR ORGANIZATION. THERE HAS BEEN ONE BACK-BUILDING STORM IN SRN LANC CO. BUT THE HIGH MOISTURE WILL TIELD SOME VERY HIGH RAIN RATES. WILL NEED TO KEEP AN EYE ON AREAS WHICH RECEIVE MULTIPLE STORMS/BACKBUILD. THESE SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING. LATEST NAM RUN PUSHES MOST OF THE RAIN OFF TO THE EAST OF THE SUSQ RIVER SHORTLY AFTER 1 AM. && .SHORT TERM /1 AM TUESDAY MORNING THROUGH 6 PM TUESDAY/... THE FIRST NUDGE OF DRY AIR COMES IN UNDER A SHORT WAVE CURRENTLY OVER KCVG. THIS SHOULD EFFECTIVELY END MOST OF THE SHOWERS. BUT THE REAL COLD/DRY AIR DOES NOT ARRIVE IN THE WEST UNTIL CLOSE TO SUNRISE TUES. THUS...A SLIGHT CHC OF A SHOWER WILL BE MENTIONED FOR MUCH OF THE AREA OVERNIGHT - ESP IN THE EAST. DEWPOINTS DROP THROUGH THE DAY IN THE NW HALF OF THE AREA...BUT THE SE COULD STAY MUGGY AND THE SKY SHOULD BREAK UP LATER TONIGHT. SO SUNSHINE WILL HEAT UP THE ERN VALLEYS. A STORM OR TWO WILL PROBABLY POP UP IN THE HEATING OF THE DAY THERE...BUT ARRIVAL OF THE DRY AIR WILL MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO ALLOW ANYTHING TO GROW ENOUGH IN THE WEST TO PRECIPITATE. FOG AND LOW CLOUDS ARE AGAIN EXPECTED OVER MOST/ALL OF THE AREA. PERHAPS ONLY THE PLACES WHICH CAN KEEP WIND OVER 5-6KTS THROUGH THE NIGHT - MAINLY HIGHER ELEVS IN THE WEST - CAN STAY AWAY FROM BAD VISBYS. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/... AREA OF SHOWERS/TSTMS WILL BE DEPARTING LATE TUE/EARLY TUE EVE...ASSOCIATED WITH A COLD FRONT CLEARING THE REGION. IN IT/S WAKE...RESPECTABLE ANTICYCLONE WILL BUILD IN FROM THE WEST WITH A PUSH OF NOTICEABLY COOLER AND DRIER AIR FILTERING IN FOR MIDWEEK. A WEAK WAVE EJECTS EASTWARD FROM THE S PLAINS TOWARD THE CAROLINA/S ON THU...WHILE TROUGH CONTINUES TO SPIN OVER EASTERN CANADA. CENTRAL PA REMAINS BETWEEN THESE TWO FEATURES...WHICH WILL KEEP US DRY. EVEN WITH NW FLOW...DAYTIME TEMPS WILL REBOUND A BIT WARMER EACH DAY. BUT DIURNAL TEMP RANGES WILL BE FAIRLY LARGE THANKS TO THE DRIER AIRMASS...WHICH WILL BRING CHILLY MORNINGS. THE COLDEST CONTINUES TO LOOK LIKE THURSDAY MORNING WHERE THERE REMAINS A RISK FOR PATCHY FROST...MAINLY OVER THE NORTH-CENTRAL ZONES WHERE GUIDANCE IS SHOWING POSS FOR MID 30S AOA BFD /JUST IN TIME FOR THE START OF THE GROWING SEASON/. THE WEAK LOW OVER CAROLINAS/MID ATLANTIC REGION SLIDES OFFSHORE FRI...WITH SPRAWLING HIGH PRESSURE AREA BUILDING IN FOR SAT/SUN. ONCE RIDGE AXIS SLIDES BY SAT NIGHT...HUMIDITY WILL BEGIN TO INCREASE ON SUNDAY WITH RISING TEMPS /AND ISOLATED CONVECTION POSS/. EVEN WARMER AND MUGGIER ON MEMORIAL DAY...WITH SCATTERED TO EVEN NUMEROUS SHOWERS/TSTMS IN THE FORECAST. && .AVIATION /22Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... SCT SHRA/TSRA WILL CONTINUE TO FORM ACROSS CENTRAL PA THIS EVENING IN UNSTABLE AIR MASS AHEAD OF APPROACHING COLD FRONT OVR THE MIDWEST. ANY OF THESE SHRA/TSRA COULD PRODUCE BRIEF VIS REDUCTIONS. HOWEVER...THE MAIN AVIATION CONCERN THIS EVENING WILL BE THE DEVELOPING LOW CIGS ACROSS EASTERN PA...THE RESULT OF MARINE AIR FLOWING OFF THE ATLANTIC OCEAN. LOWER CIGS ALREADY NOTED ACROSS NJ AT 22Z AND NEAR TERM MDL DATA SUPPORT IFR CIGS MOVING INTO KLNS/KMDT BTWN 00Z-02Z. THE IFR MARINE STRATUS DECK COULD WORK AS FAR WEST AS KIPT OVERNIGHT. FURTHER WEST...EXPECT IFR CIGS TO DEVELOP AFTER 06Z AT KBFD/KJST...WHERE A PLUME OF MOISTURE AHEAD OF COLD FRONT WILL ASCEND THE ALLEGHENY MTNS...PRODUCING THE LOW CIGS. BOTH SREF AND LATEST HRRR SUPPORT THIS SCENARIO. MOST FAVORABLE CONDS SHOULD BE AT KAOO/KUNV OVERNIGHT...WHERE SIG REDUCTIONS APPEAR UNLIKELY. LOW CIGS ACROSS THE W MTNS AND EASTERN PA SHOULD LIFT BY LATE AM. CAN/T RULE OUT AN ISOLD SHRA/TSRA ACROSS EASTERN PA ARND MIDDAY WITH PASSAGE OF COLD FRONT. OTHERWISE...EXPECT A RETURN TO WIDESPREAD VFR CONDS...AS A MUCH DRIER WEST WIND FLOWS IN BEHIND THE COLD FRONT. OUTLOOK... WED-SAT...NO SIG WX EXPECTED. && .CTP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...DANGELO NEAR TERM...DANGELO SHORT TERM...DANGELO LONG TERM...RXR AVIATION...DANGELO/FITZGERALD
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MEMPHIS TN
118 PM CDT MON MAY 18 2015 .UPDATE... UPDATED FOR 18Z AVIATION DISCUSSION. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 1100 AM CDT MON MAY 18 2015/ DISCUSSION... THE MCS THAT MOVED THROUGH OVERNIGHT HAS STABILIZED MUCH OF THE MIDSOUTH AND THE MAIN FOCUS FOR HEAVY RAIN HAS SHIFTED SOUTH OF THE AREA. LATEST HRRR INDICATES THAT SCT REDEVELOPMENT WILL OCCUR THIS AFTERNOON AS AIRMASS TRIES TO DESTABILIZE AGAIN DUE TO SURFACE HEATING BUT COVERAGE WILL BE LIMITED AND THE WIDESPREAD HEAVY RAIN THREAT HAS DIMINISHED. AS A RESULT DECIDED TO CANCEL FLASH FLOOD WATCH EARLY. SJM PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 422 AM CDT MON MAY 18 2015/ A WEAKENING MESOSCALE CONVECTIVE SYSTEM (MCS) WAS LOCATED ALONG THE TN RIVER OF WEST TN INTO NORTHEAST MS EARLY THIS MORNING. THE MCS WAS PUSHING TO THE NORTHEAST. ANOTHER MCS WAS STRENGTHENING OVER NORTH LA AND LOOKS LIKE IT MIGHT SKIRT SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF NORTH MS WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF VERY HEAVY RAINFALL. WITH THE HEAVIER STORMS EARLIER TONIGHT ACROSS NORTH MS...VERY HEAVY RAINFALL WAS INDICATED IN SOME SPOTS...IN EXCESS OF 2 INCHES PLUS PER HOUR AS SHOWN BY DUAL POL RADAR. WILL KEEP THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH GOING FOR TODAY. LATEST MODELS DID COME IN WITH POPS A LITTLE LOWER FOR TODAY ESPECIALLY ACROSS AREAS TO THE NORTHWEST INCLUDING NORTHEAST AR AND THE MO BOOTHEEL. ALSO...MODELS ARE SHOWING PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES DECREASING SLIGHTLY FROM THE NORTHWEST DURING THE DAY. NEVERTHELESS...A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH THE REGION FROM THE NORTH TODAY MOVING INTO NORTHEAST AR LATE THIS AFTERNOON OR EARLY EVENING. INSTABILITY WILL INCREASE ACROSS THE AREA ALLOWING FOR SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP AHEAD OF THE FRONT. PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES WILL BE BETWEEN 1.5 AND 2.1 INCHES ACROSS MOST OF THE AREA. WITH STORMS BEING VERY EFFICIENT RAIN PRODUCERS...THINK LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL COULD STILL BE A PROBLEM LEADING TO FLASH FLOODING. ALSO... THINK INSTABILITY WILL BE SUFFICIENT TO SUPPORT A FEW STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL. THE COLD FRONT IS FORECAST TO MOVE THROUGH THE MIDSOUTH TONIGHT AND TUESDAY...ALTHOUGH THE NAM AND ECWMF ARE SLOWER WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE FRONT THAN THE GFS. THINK THE CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TUESDAY WILL BE MAINLY ACROSS EAST CENTRAL AR INTO PORTIONS OF NORTH MS. DRIER AND A LITTLE COOLER AIR WILL SPREAD INTO THE REGION NORTH OF THE FRONT. THUS MUCH OF THE REGION WILL HAVE A VERY NICE SPRING DAY TUESDAY. FOR TUESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY...FOLLOWED THE ECMWF / NAM SOLUTION VERSUS THE GFS. THE ECMWF AND NAM INDICATE THAT THE FRONTAL SYSTEM WILL PUSH BACK TO NORTH TUESDAY NIGHT WITH THE MIDSOUTH ONCE AGAIN IN THE WARM SECTOR WEDNESDAY. SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE WILL THEN PUSH THE FRONT BACK THROUGH THE REGION WEDNESDAY NIGHT AS A COLD FRONT. THIS WOULD RESULT IN ANOTHER THREAT OF HEAVY RAINFALL AND POSSIBLY A FEW STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WEDNESDAY. HOWEVER...CONFIDENCE IS LOW AND DID NOT MENTION IN THE HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK WITH THE GFS KEEPING THE FRONTAL SYSTEM MORE TO OUR SOUTH AND MOST OF OUR FORECAST AREA NOT GETTING BACK INTO THE WARM SECTOR. MODELS DO AGREE THAT DURING THE DAY THURSDAY DRIER AND A LITTLE COOLER AIR WILL SPREAD IN FROM THE NORTH ENCOMPASSING THE ENTIRE AREA BY THURSDAY NIGHT. PLEASANT AND DRY SPRING WEATHER WILL OCCUR FRIDAY AND FOR MOST OF THE AREA SATURDAY. ANOTHER LARGE SCALE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL APPROACH FROM THE WEST BY THE LATTER HALF OF THE WEEKEND BRINGING ANOTHER CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...BUT ONCE AGAIN AS OBSERVED MUCH OF THIS SPRING...THE TROUGH IS FORECAST TO LIFT TO THE NORTHEAST AS STRONG UPPER LEVEL HIGH PRESSURE IS LOCATED ALONG THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES COAST. JCL .AVIATION... 18Z TAFS VFR..MVFR...AND POSSIBLY IFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED THROUGHOUT THE 24 HR TAF CYCLE. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAVE STARTED TO FORM NEAR ALL FOUR TAF SITES THIS AFTERNOON. COVERAGE WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE THROUGHOUT THE EVENING AND THUNDERSTORMS COULD DEVELOP AS THE ATMOSPHERE CONTINUES TO DESTABILIZE... HOWEVER WE WILL NOT SEE COVERAGE LIKE YESTERDAY. CIGS WILL REMAIN MVFR AND VFR THIS AFTERNOON BEFORE LIFTING AND CLEARING TO VFR LEVELS OVERNIGHT AT ALL SITES EXCEPT KTUP. FROPA WILL CAUSE WINDS TO SHIFT TO THE NORTH AROUND MIDNIGHT FOR KJBR...KMEM...AND KMKL. IFR CONDITIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE AT KTUP OVERNIGHT AND TOMORROW MORNING. JPM3 && .MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AR...NONE. MO...NONE. MS...NONE. TN...NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MEMPHIS TN
1100 AM CDT MON MAY 18 2015 .DISCUSSION... THE MCS THAT MOVED THROUGH OVERNIGHT HAS STABILIZED MUCH OF THE MIDSOUTH AND THE MAIN FOCUS FOR HEAVY RAIN HAS SHIFTED SOUTH OF THE AREA. LATEST HRRR INDICATES THAT SCT REDEVELOPMENT WILL OCCUR THIS AFTERNOON AS AIRMASS TRIES TO DESTABILIZE AGAIN DUE TO SURFACE HEATING BUT COVERAGE WILL BE LIMITED AND THE WIDESPREAD HEAVY RAIN THREAT HAS DIMINISHED. AS A RESULT DECIDED TO CANCEL FLASH FLOOD WATCH EARLY. SJM && PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 422 AM CDT MON MAY 18 2015/ A WEAKENING MESOSCALE CONVECTIVE SYSTEM (MCS) WAS LOCATED ALONG THE TN RIVER OF WEST TN INTO NORTHEAST MS EARLY THIS MORNING. THE MCS WAS PUSHING TO THE NORTHEAST. ANOTHER MCS WAS STRENGTHENING OVER NORTH LA AND LOOKS LIKE IT MIGHT SKIRT SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF NORTH MS WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF VERY HEAVY RAINFALL. WITH THE HEAVIER STORMS EARLIER TONIGHT ACROSS NORTH MS...VERY HEAVY RAINFALL WAS INDICATED IN SOME SPOTS...IN EXCESS OF 2 INCHES PLUS PER HOUR AS SHOWN BY DUAL POL RADAR. WILL KEEP THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH GOING FOR TODAY. LATEST MODELS DID COME IN WITH POPS A LITTLE LOWER FOR TODAY ESPECIALLY ACROSS AREAS TO THE NORTHWEST INCLUDING NORTHEAST AR AND THE MO BOOTHEEL. ALSO...MODELS ARE SHOWING PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES DECREASING SLIGHTLY FROM THE NORTHWEST DURING THE DAY. NEVERTHELESS...A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH THE REGION FROM THE NORTH TODAY MOVING INTO NORTHEAST AR LATE THIS AFTERNOON OR EARLY EVENING. INSTABILITY WILL INCREASE ACROSS THE AREA ALLOWING FOR SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP AHEAD OF THE FRONT. PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES WILL BE BETWEEN 1.5 AND 2.1 INCHES ACROSS MOST OF THE AREA. WITH STORMS BEING VERY EFFICIENT RAIN PRODUCERS...THINK LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL COULD STILL BE A PROBLEM LEADING TO FLASH FLOODING. ALSO... THINK INSTABILITY WILL BE SUFFICIENT TO SUPPORT A FEW STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL. THE COLD FRONT IS FORECAST TO MOVE THROUGH THE MIDSOUTH TONIGHT AND TUESDAY...ALTHOUGH THE NAM AND ECWMF ARE SLOWER WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE FRONT THAN THE GFS. THINK THE CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TUESDAY WILL BE MAINLY ACROSS EAST CENTRAL AR INTO PORTIONS OF NORTH MS. DRIER AND A LITTLE COOLER AIR WILL SPREAD INTO THE REGION NORTH OF THE FRONT. THUS MUCH OF THE REGION WILL HAVE A VERY NICE SPRING DAY TUESDAY. FOR TUESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY...FOLLOWED THE ECMWF / NAM SOLUTION VERSUS THE GFS. THE ECMWF AND NAM INDICATE THAT THE FRONTAL SYSTEM WILL PUSH BACK TO NORTH TUESDAY NIGHT WITH THE MIDSOUTH ONCE AGAIN IN THE WARM SECTOR WEDNESDAY. SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE WILL THEN PUSH THE FRONT BACK THROUGH THE REGION WEDNESDAY NIGHT AS A COLD FRONT. THIS WOULD RESULT IN ANOTHER THREAT OF HEAVY RAINFALL AND POSSIBLY A FEW STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WEDNESDAY. HOWEVER...CONFIDENCE IS LOW AND DID NOT MENTION IN THE HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK WITH THE GFS KEEPING THE FRONTAL SYSTEM MORE TO OUR SOUTH AND MOST OF OUR FORECAST AREA NOT GETTING BACK INTO THE WARM SECTOR. MODELS DO AGREE THAT DURING THE DAY THURSDAY DRIER AND A LITTLE COOLER AIR WILL SPREAD IN FROM THE NORTH ENCOMPASSING THE ENTIRE AREA BY THURSDAY NIGHT. PLEASANT AND DRY SPRING WEATHER WILL OCCUR FRIDAY AND FOR MOST OF THE AREA SATURDAY. ANOTHER LARGE SCALE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL APPROACH FROM THE WEST BY THE LATTER HALF OF THE WEEKEND BRINGING ANOTHER CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...BUT ONCE AGAIN AS OBSERVED MUCH OF THIS SPRING...THE TROUGH IS FORECAST TO LIFT TO THE NORTHEAST AS STRONG UPPER LEVEL HIGH PRESSURE IS LOCATED ALONG THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES COAST. JCL && .AVIATION... 12Z TAFS WIDESPREAD LIGHT RAINFALL WITH A FEW EMBEDDED LIGHTNING STRIKES THIS MORNING ACROSS MOST TERMINALS EXCEPT JBR...WHICH HAS MANAGED TO CLEAR. SIMILAR TO THE PAST FEW DAYS...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE FORECAST TO REDEVELOP TOWARD 17Z ACROSS ALL TERMINALS. COVERAGE OF STORMS SHOULD BE LESS TODAY AND THERE IS A LITTLE MORE UNCERTAINTY IN THAT ASPECT...BUT VCTS IS IN THE FORECAST AT ALL TERMINALS TO ACCOUNT FOR THIS AS OF NOW. CLOUD COVER SHOULD ALSO BE ABUNDANT TODAY...WITH A PERSISTENT BKN TO OVC DECK. A FRONTAL BOUNDARY SHOULD BRING AN END TO THE PRECIP LATE THIS AFTERNOON WITH CIGS LIFTING AFTER 00Z. THE EXCEPTION TO THIS WILL BE TUP WHERE GUIDANCE IS AGGRESSIVE ON DEVELOPING AN IFR DECK AFTER 06Z. DID NOT BRING CIGS DOWN THAT LOW YET BUT TRENDED DOWNWARD...SO THIS WILL NEED TO BE WATCHED. WINDS SHOULD MAINLY BE SOUTH-SOUTHWESTERLY AROUND 10 MPH THROUGH THE DAY. TVT && .MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AR...NONE. MO...NONE. MS...NONE. TN...NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MEMPHIS TN
1123 PM CDT SUN MAY 17 2015 .UPDATE... && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 856 PM CDT SUN MAY 17 2015/ DISCUSSION...WATER VAPOR SATELLITE/WSR-88D VAD WIND PROFILES INDICATE A MESOSCALE CONVECTIVE VORTEX /MCV/ OVER LOUISIANA. THIS MCV ALONG WITH A SUBTLE 700 MB SHORTWAVE TROUGH OVER THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI HAD RESULTED IN ADDITIONAL SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING ACROSS THE MID SOUTH THIS EVENING...MAINLY WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. AS OF 8 PM CDT...TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE MID SOUTH ARE IN THE LOWER 70S AT MOST LOCATIONS. LATEST HRRR ALONG WITH THE 00Z WRF INDICATE POTENTIAL FOR RE- DEVELOPMENT OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE MID SOUTH OVERNIGHT. WILL MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO POPS AND ALL OTHER ELEMENTS AS NEEDED FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE NIGHT. UPDATED GRIDS WILL BE AVAILABLE SHORTLY. CJC PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 639 PM CDT SUN MAY 17 2015/ UPDATE...AVIATION DISCUSSION. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 304 PM CDT SUN MAY 17 2015/ THE MIDSOUTH REMAINS STUCK UNDERNEATH SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT. THE SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT HAS BROUGHT THIS WET PATTERN TO THE REGION AS THE COMBINATION OF SHORTWAVES MOVING THROUGH THE FLOW AND AN ABUNDANCE OF MOISTURE FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO HAS PRODUCED ROUND AFTER ROUND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. LOOKING AT LATEST RADAR IMAGES...MOST OF THE SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY HAS NOW PUSHED EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. MOST OF THIS CONVECTION WILL LIKELY PUSH EAST OF THE CWA BY 7 PM. HOWEVER...LATEST HRRR SHOWS REDEVELOPMENT OCCURRING OVER NORTHEAST ARKANSAS BY THAT TIME. THE CORRIDOR FROM NORTHEAST ARKANSAS AND THE MISSOURI BOOTHEEL MAY SEE MOST OF THE CONVECTION DURING THE LATE EVENING INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS BEFORE IT SHIFTS SOUTHWARD ON MONDAY. HAVE ADJUSTED POPS ACCORDINGLY. IN ADDITION...SINCE THERE ARE PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI THAT HAS SEEN SEVERAL ROUNDS OF HEAVY SHOWERS TODAY...WILL GO AHEAD AND EXPAND THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH SOUTHWARD TO COVER THE ENTIRE CWA THROUGH MONDAY. MONDAY WILL BE ANOTHER RAINY DAY FOR THE MIDSOUTH WITH OFF AND ON PERIODS OF HEAVY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. EXPECT HIGHS IN THE UPPER 70S TO LOWER 80S. THE COLD FRONT WILL FINALLY BEGIN TO PUSH INTO THE AREA MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY. MODELS ARE COMING INTO TO CLOSER AGREEMENT THAT THE FRONT WILL STALL OUT JUST SOUTH OF THE CWA AND BEGIN LIFTING BACK NORTHWARD AS A WARM FRONT LATE TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY. THIS WILL KEEP SMALL CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IN THE FORECAST FOR PORTIONS OF EAST-CENTRAL ARKANSAS AND NORTH MISSISSIPPI WHILE GIVING THE REST OF THE CWA ONLY A BRIEF REPRIEVE ON TUESDAY NIGHT. BY WEDNESDAY...THE ENTIRE MIDSOUTH WILL SEE CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS AGAIN AS A WEAK SHORTWAVE MOVES ACROSS THE CWA. BETTER CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL COME WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY AS THE FRONT MOVES BACK THROUGH THE AREA AS A COLD FRONT. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO THE AREA THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY. NO PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED AS A RESULT. HIGHS WILL BE IN THE MID 70S TO LOWER 80S. LOWS WILL BE IN THE MID 50S TO LOWER 60S. LOOKS LIKE THE MIDSOUTH COULD BE UNDERNEATH SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT AGAIN BY SATURDAY NIGHT CONTINUING INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. THIS COULD BRING ANOTHER EXTENDED WET PERIOD TO THE REGION. KRM && .AVIATION...06Z TAFS MORE OF THE SAME OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS....ALTHOUGH THIS LOOKS LIKE THE END OF SEVERAL DAYS OF DEALING WITH STORMS. PERIODS OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL RESULT IN BRIEF IFR VIS AND VARIABLE GUSTY WINDS. THE NEXT ROUND OF THUNDERSTORMS IS DEVELOPING IN SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS AND NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI...TRACKING TOWARD THE NORTHEAST. FEEL CONFIDENT ENOUGH THAT THEY WILL IMPACT MEM AND MKL TO ADD A PREVAILING THUNDER GROUP FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS STARTING AT 06 AND 0730Z RESPECTIVELY. SHORT RANGE MODELS INDICATE ANOTHER YET ROUND OF TSRAS WILL FIRE UP AFTER MIDNIGHT...SHIFTING ACROSS JBR...MEM...AND MKL PRIOR TO SUNRISE. MODELS DISAGREE ON HOW WIDESPREAD LOW CLOUDS LATER TONIGHT AND MON MORNING. BEST CHANCES APPEAR TO BE AT KTUP AND PLACED A MVFR CIG THERE MONDAY MORNING OTRW WILL GO WITH OPTIMISTIC FORECAST. ANOTHER ROUND OF DAYTIME HEATING DRIVEN STORMS IS EXPECTED TOMORROW. WILL CARRY TEMPO VCTS AT ALL SITES FOR MOST OF THE AFTERNOON. SOUTH WINDS 10-12 KTS WITH HIGHER GUSTS THIS AFTN...8-10 KTS TONIGHT. WINDS SHOULD BEGIN TO SHIFT MORE WESTERLY OR NORTHWESTERLY BY SUNSET TOMORROW...AND PRECIPITATION SHOULD COME TO AN END AFTER SUNSET. 30 && .MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AR...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH MONDAY EVENING FOR CLAY-CRAIGHEAD- CRITTENDEN-CROSS-GREENE-LAWRENCE-LEE AR-MISSISSIPPI- PHILLIPS-POINSETT-RANDOLPH-ST. FRANCIS. MO...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH MONDAY EVENING FOR DUNKLIN-PEMISCOT. MS...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH MONDAY EVENING FOR ALCORN-BENTON MS- CALHOUN-CHICKASAW-COAHOMA-DESOTO-ITAWAMBA-LAFAYETTE-LEE MS- MARSHALL-MONROE-PANOLA-PONTOTOC-PRENTISS-QUITMAN- TALLAHATCHIE-TATE-TIPPAH-TISHOMINGO-TUNICA-UNION-YALOBUSHA. TN...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH MONDAY EVENING FOR BENTON TN-CARROLL- CHESTER-CROCKETT-DECATUR-DYER-FAYETTE-GIBSON-HARDEMAN- HARDIN-HAYWOOD-HENDERSON-HENRY-LAKE-LAUDERDALE-MADISON- MCNAIRY-OBION-SHELBY-TIPTON-WEAKLEY. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NWS LUBBOCK TX
914 PM CDT TUE MAY 19 2015 .UPDATE... UPDATED TO LOWER MIN TEMPS CONSIDERABLY TONIGHT FOR A STRONG COLD FRONT NOW ENTERING THE FAR SOUTHERN TX PANHANDLE. ABUNDANT STRATUS AND FOG AS LOW AS 1/2 MILE WAS NOTED BEHIND THIS FRONT AND THE VISIBILITY AT HEREFORD PLUMMETED FROM 10 MILES TO JUST OVER 1 MILE IN 20 MINUTES. TEMPS IN THE 40S ALREADY ACROSS THE NORTHERN PANHANDLE CONFIRM THE MAGNITUDE OF COLD ADVECTION...SO HAVE UPDATED GRIDS LARGELY IN LINE WITH THE LATEST RAP AND HRRR SOLUTIONS WHICH HAVE A GOOD HANDLE ON THESE TRENDS. POP-WISE...DROPPED MOST PRECIP MENTION FROM THE CAPROCK TONIGHT...HOWEVER WE STILL EXPECT SOME STORMS TO RE-DEVELOP WWD TO NEAR THE I-27 AND HWY 87 CORRIDOR LATER TONIGHT AS THE COLD FRONT AND TRAILING FRONT ALOFT INTERSECT DEEPER MOISTURE EAST OF THE RETREATING DRYLINE. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 643 PM CDT TUE MAY 19 2015/ AVIATION... DETERIORATING CONDITIONS FROM N-S TONIGHT. CDS STANDS THE BEST CHANCE OF TSRA THIS EVENING BEHIND A RECENT COLD FROPA. THIS FRONT SHOULD IMPACT PVW AND LBB FROM 11PM-1AM FOLLOWED BY IFR CIGS AND LIGHT FOG/MIST ON NE WINDS. COULD SEE TS REDEVELOP WWD ALONG THIS FRONT TONIGHT...BUT THE CHANCES OF THESE IMPACTING LBB AND PVW NOW APPEAR LESS. IFR CIGS MAY LINGER WELL INTO THE AFTERNOON IN THIS COOL AND MOIST POST-FRONTAL FLOW...BUT MODELS FAVOR MVFR BY LATE MORNING. .LUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ 93
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LUBBOCK TX
1255 PM CDT MON MAY 18 2015 .AVIATION... VFR DETERIORATING TO IFR TONIGHT AT ALL SITES. SURGE OF MOISTURE INTO THE REGION WILL BREED SCT TSRA SW OF LBB LATER THIS AFTN BEFORE REACHING LBB AND PVW THIS EVENING. MUCH BETTER CHANCE FOR WIDESPREAD TSRA DEVELOPMENT SHOULD OCCUR EARLY TUE MORNING FROM W-E AS AN UPPER TROUGH REACHES THE AREA. IFR CIGS ARE LIKELY TO PERSIST THRU 18Z TUE AS MOIST E-SE UPSLOPE WINDS PERSIST. && PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 340 AM CDT MON MAY 18 2015/ SHORT TERM... THE SHORT TERM PERIOD WILL FOCUS ON THE RETURN OF SCATTERED TO WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...THAT COULD COMMENCE AS EARLY AS LATE THIS AFTN. THE PACIFIC FRONT/DRYLINE THAT AFFECTED THE SOUTHERN PLAINS YESTERDAY WAS WELL SOUTH AND EAST OF THE CWA EARLY THIS MORNING...AS HINTED AT BY DEWPOINTS IN THE 60S AND 70S ACROSS THE CONCHO VALLEY...BIG COUNTRY AND EDWARDS PLATEAU AREAS. AS SUCH...SOME FOG AND/OR LOW CLOUDS HAVE DEVELOPED ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE SAID AREAS. COMPUTER MODELS HINT AT THE BOUNDARY RETREATING TO NEAR THE FAR SRN SOUTH PLAINS AND LOW ROLLING PLAINS BY AOA DAYBREAK...BRINGING WITH IT RICH LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AND A CHANCE FOR THE FOG AND/OR STRATUS DECK TO MAKE HEADWAY TOWARDS THE FA. HOWEVER...MODEL SOLUTIONS SUCH AS THE HRRR AND THE NAM EXHIBIT THE FOG AND LOW CLOUDS TO STOP JUST SHORT OF THE FA AND DISSIPATE...GIVEN SFC WINDS VEERING TO THE W-SW THROUGHOUT DAYBREAK AND THUS MITIGATING THE TRANSPORT OF THE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE. WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR AND SEE IF THIS DOES INDEED OCCUR. ATTENTION WILL TURN TO AN UA LOW THAT WAS IMPINGING ON CNTRL/SRN CALI PER 07Z SATELLITE WATER VAPOR IMAGERY...AND IS PROGGED TO TRANSLATE ENE TO NEAR THE FOUR-CORNERS REGION BY TONIGHT. AS SUCH...SW FLOW ALOFT WILL SHARPEN. EMBEDDED WITHIN THIS SW FLOW IS AN IMPULSE THAT MODEL SOLUTIONS SHOW EJECTING OUT AHEAD OF THE PARENT UA LOW...AND NEAR THE SWRN ZONES LATE THIS AFTN/EARLY EVENING AND PROGRESS TO THE NE TO ACROSS THE NERN ZONES BY TONIGHT. WITH SFC LEE TROUGHING DEEPENING DUE TO THE APPROACHING UA LOW...THIS WILL AID TO BACK SFC WINDS TO THE S-SE AND PWATS WILL SOAR INTO THE 1.00- 1.50 INCH RANGE BY TONIGHT...WHILST THE LLJ CRANKS UP TO 20-40 KTS. WITH ALL THAT SAID...CONVECTION IS STILL EXPECTED TO INITIATE ACROSS THE FAR SW SOUTH PLAINS AS EARLY AS LATE THIS AFTN/EARLY THIS EVENING...ESPECIALLY IF THE TIMING OF THE ANTICIPATED EMBEDDED IMPULSE STAYS TRUE. PRECIP WILL BECOME SCATTERED TO PERHAPS WIDESPREAD AS IT PROGRESSES NE TO ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF THE CWA THROUGH THE NIGHT. TO ADD FUEL TO THE PROVERBIAL FIRE...A COLD FRONT WILL BACKDOOR INTO THE REGION THIS EVENING/TONIGHT...WHICH COULD SERVE AS ANOTHER FOCUS FOR STORM DEVELOPMENT. WITH SUCH HIGH PWATS...MODERATE-HEAVY RAINFALL CAN NOT BE RULED OUT WHICH RAISES CONCERNS FOR LOCALIZED FLOODED. WE ALSO NEED TO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR SOME STORMS BECOMING STRONG TO SEVERE...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE SWRN ZONES LATE THIS AFTN AS PROGGED MUCAPE VALUES OF 2-3 KJ/KG...30-40 KTS OF 0-6 KM BULK SHEAR...STEEPENED LAPSE RATES AND VEERING WIND PROFILES SAYS AS MUCH /HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS WILL BE THE PRIMARY THREATS/. A SEASONABLY WARM DAY WILL PREVAIL WITH HIGHS IN THE 70S AND 80S...FOLLOWED BY OVERNIGHT LOWS IN THE 50S AND 60S. LONG TERM... THE WEATHER FOR THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS /MINUS THE WIND AND LACK OF 70+ DEGREE DEW POINTS/ HAVE MADE IT FEEL LIKE I AM BACK IN MY OLD STOMPING GROUNDS IN SOUTH MS...AND IT DOESN/T LOOK LIKE THE PATTERN WILL CHANGE ANY OVER THE NEXT 7 DAYS AND BEYOND. FOR STARTERS WPC QPF GUIDANCE PRE 00Z SHOWS UPWARDS OF 5 INCHES OF RAIN OVER THE NEXT 7 DAYS. TUESDAY MORNING WILL START VERY WET WITH AN UPPER LEVEL LOW WITH A SLIGHT NEG TILT MOVES OVER NV TOWARDS THE REGION. MODEL OMEGA FIELDS/SOUNDING PROFILES ALL SHOW LIFT AND NO SUBSIDENCE BY 7AM THOUGH THEY DO VARY ON THE AMOUNT OF LIFT. THE GFS HAS THE LEAST AMOUNT OF LIFT WITH THE LEAST AMOUNT OF QPF WHILE THE NAM/ECMWF ARE FAIRLY IN LINE WITH EACH OTHER. PWAT VALUES WILL BE RELATIVELY HIGH...1.25 TO 1.5 INCHES ON THE CAPROCK WHILE APPROACHING 2 INCHES ACROSS THE EASTER ROLLING PLAINS. THIS IS IN PART DUE TO MOIST SURFACE CONDITIONS AS WELL AS A 40KT LLJ PUMPING IN MOISTURE FROM THE GOMEX. ONE CONCERN WITH TUESDAY MORNING WILL BE FLOODING. WITH ALREADY SATURATED SOILS AND FULL PLAYA LAKES RUN OFF...MAINLY IN URBAN AREAS...WILL BE ALL BUT GUARANTEED WITH A QUICK 1 INCH RAINFALL CAUSING PROBLEMS. WHILE ACTUAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS AS WELL AS THE LOCATION OF THE HEAVIEST RAIN IS HARD TO PINPOINT NEARLY 24 HOURS OUT...THE EXPECTED WIDESPREAD DYNAMIC LIFT IN ADDITION TO THE RICH MOISTURE TRANSPORT VIA THE LLJ SHOWS THAT HEAVY RAIN MAY BE FAIRLY WIDESPREAD. GIVEN THAT THIS IS EXPECTED TO HAPPEN DURING THE MORNING TRAFFIC RUSH AN AREAL FLOOD WATCH MAY BE WARRANTED. FOR NOW WE WILL DEFER THE WATCH DECISION TO THE NEXT SHIFT FOR FURTHER EVALUATION OF MORE UP TO DATE INFO. THERE IS A POSSIBLE SEVERE THREAT LATER TOMORROW AFTERNOON/EVENING DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH SURFACE HEATING CAN BE ACHIEVED. THIS WILL BE DEPENDENT ON CLOUD COVER. AS OF NOW OUR WESTERN ZONES HAVE SOMEWHAT HIGHER CHANCES TO SEE SEVERE STORMS THAN THE REST OF THE FA AS CLOUDS WILL BEGIN TO THIN FROM WEST TO EAST. WE SHOULD SEE PRECIP MOVE OFF TO THE EAST BY WED MORNING AS A FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE NORTH. MODEL TIMING WITH THE FROPA DIFFERS WITH THE GFS /FRONT PUSHING INTO OUR NORTHERN ZONES BY 00Z THURS/ BEING SLOWER THAN THE ECMWF /FRONT THRU THE FA BY 00Z/. OTHER THAN A WIND SHIFT AND CLOUD COVER THIS SHOULDN/T CREATE MUCH OF A HEADACHE AS FAR AS THE FORECAST IS CONCERNED. THE FROPA WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY A LOW STRATUS DECK THAT WILL STICK AROUND FOR MUCH OF WED NIGHT INTO THURS AFTERNOON. RAIN WILL BE POSSIBLE MAINLY DUE TO ISENTROPIC LIFTING. THE BIGGEST CHANGE TO THE FORECAST DURING THIS PERIOD IS MAKING THE PRECIP MAINLY IN THE FORM OF RAIN WITH A MENTION OF ISO THUNDER AS THE CHANCE EXISTS FOR SOME ELEVATED CAPE. ANOTHER LOW IS PROGGED TO MOVE INLAND ACROSS SOCAL WHICH WILL RETURN SURFACE FLOW OUT OF THE SOUTH/SOUTHEAST AND SET UP A DRYLINE OVER CENTRAL NM. THIS WILL BE OUR NEXT BIG RAIN MAKER AS THE DRYLINE PUSHES EASTWARD AND THEN RETREATS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. TEMPS WILL CONTINUE TO REMAIN BELOW SEASONAL AVERAGE AS CLOUD COVER WILL BE ABUNDANT THRU THE WEEK AND SURFACE MOISTURE WILL HELP MODERATE SURFACE TEMPS. THURS WILL BE PARTICULARLY CHILLY WITH TEMPS AVERAGING 20 DEGREES BELOW SEASONAL AVERAGE /MID 60S/ DUE TO SURFACE CAA ASSOCIATED WITH THE FROPA. ALDRICH && .LUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ 93
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LUBBOCK TX
620 AM CDT MON MAY 18 2015 .AVIATION... VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED DURING THE DAY...BUT WILL DETERIORATE TO MVFR DECKS AND VIS COURTESY OF INCREASING CHANCES OF THUNDERSTORMS THIS EVENING THROUGH TONIGHT. HAVE INSERTING A PREVAILING TSRA AT ALL THREE TAF SITES...COMMENCING THIS EVENING AT KLBB AND KPVW...AND MORE SO BY TONIGHT AT KCDS. RAINFALL COULD BECOME HEAVY AT TIMES. OTHERWISE...LIGHT SOUTHWEST WINDS EARLY THIS MORNING WILL BACK TO THE SOUTH SOUTHEAST THIS AFTERNOON AT 10-15 KTS. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 340 AM CDT MON MAY 18 2015/ SHORT TERM... THE SHORT TERM PERIOD WILL FOCUS ON THE RETURN OF SCATTERED TO WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...THAT COULD COMMENCE AS EARLY AS LATE THIS AFTN. THE PACIFIC FRONT/DRYLINE THAT AFFECTED THE SOUTHERN PLAINS YESTERDAY WAS WELL SOUTH AND EAST OF THE CWA EARLY THIS MORNING...AS HINTED AT BY DEWPOINTS IN THE 60S AND 70S ACROSS THE CONCHO VALLEY...BIG COUNTRY AND EDWARDS PLATEAU AREAS. AS SUCH...SOME FOG AND/OR LOW CLOUDS HAVE DEVELOPED ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE SAID AREAS. COMPUTER MODELS HINT AT THE BOUNDARY RETREATING TO NEAR THE FAR SRN SOUTH PLAINS AND LOW ROLLING PLAINS BY AOA DAYBREAK...BRINGING WITH IT RICH LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AND A CHANCE FOR THE FOG AND/OR STRATUS DECK TO MAKE HEADWAY TOWARDS THE FA. HOWEVER...MODEL SOLUTIONS SUCH AS THE HRRR AND THE NAM EXHIBIT THE FOG AND LOW CLOUDS TO STOP JUST SHORT OF THE FA AND DISSIPATE...GIVEN SFC WINDS VEERING TO THE W-SW THROUGHOUT DAYBREAK AND THUS MITIGATING THE TRANSPORT OF THE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE. WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR AND SEE IF THIS DOES INDEED OCCUR. ATTENTION WILL TURN TO AN UA LOW THAT WAS IMPINGING ON CNTRL/SRN CALI PER 07Z SATELLITE WATER VAPOR IMAGERY...AND IS PROGGED TO TRANSLATE ENE TO NEAR THE FOUR-CORNERS REGION BY TONIGHT. AS SUCH...SW FLOW ALOFT WILL SHARPEN. EMBEDDED WITHIN THIS SW FLOW IS AN IMPULSE THAT MODEL SOLUTIONS SHOW EJECTING OUT AHEAD OF THE PARENT UA LOW...AND NEAR THE SWRN ZONES LATE THIS AFTN/EARLY EVENING AND PROGRESS TO THE NE TO ACROSS THE NERN ZONES BY TONIGHT. WITH SFC LEE TROUGHING DEEPENING DUE TO THE APPROACHING UA LOW...THIS WILL AID TO BACK SFC WINDS TO THE S-SE AND PWATS WILL SOAR INTO THE 1.00- 1.50 INCH RANGE BY TONIGHT...WHILST THE LLJ CRANKS UP TO 20-40 KTS. WITH ALL THAT SAID...CONVECTION IS STILL EXPECTED TO INITIATE ACROSS THE FAR SW SOUTH PLAINS AS EARLY AS LATE THIS AFTN/EARLY THIS EVENING...ESPECIALLY IF THE TIMING OF THE ANTICIPATED EMBEDDED IMPULSE STAYS TRUE. PRECIP WILL BECOME SCATTERED TO PERHAPS WIDESPREAD AS IT PROGRESSES NE TO ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF THE CWA THROUGH THE NIGHT. TO ADD FUEL TO THE PROVERBIAL FIRE...A COLD FRONT WILL BACKDOOR INTO THE REGION THIS EVENING/TONIGHT...WHICH COULD SERVE AS ANOTHER FOCUS FOR STORM DEVELOPMENT. WITH SUCH HIGH PWATS...MODERATE-HEAVY RAINFALL CAN NOT BE RULED OUT WHICH RAISES CONCERNS FOR LOCALIZED FLOODED. WE ALSO NEED TO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR SOME STORMS BECOMING STRONG TO SEVERE...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE SWRN ZONES LATE THIS AFTN AS PROGGED MUCAPE VALUES OF 2-3 KJ/KG...30-40 KTS OF 0-6 KM BULK SHEAR...STEEPENED LAPSE RATES AND VEERING WIND PROFILES SAYS AS MUCH /HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS WILL BE THE PRIMARY THREATS/. A SEASONABLY WARM DAY WILL PREVAIL WITH HIGHS IN THE 70S AND 80S...FOLLOWED BY OVERNIGHT LOWS IN THE 50S AND 60S. LONG TERM... THE WEATHER FOR THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS /MINUS THE WIND AND LACK OF 70+ DEGREE DEW POINTS/ HAVE MADE IT FEEL LIKE I AM BACK IN MY OLD STOMPING GROUNDS IN SOUTH MS...AND IT DOESN/T LOOK LIKE THE PATTERN WILL CHANGE ANY OVER THE NEXT 7 DAYS AND BEYOND. FOR STARTERS WPC QPF GUIDANCE PRE 00Z SHOWS UPWARDS OF 5 INCHES OF RAIN OVER THE NEXT 7 DAYS. TUESDAY MORNING WILL START VERY WET WITH AN UPPER LEVEL LOW WITH A SLIGHT NEG TILT MOVES OVER NV TOWARDS THE REGION. MODEL OMEGA FIELDS/SOUNDING PROFILES ALL SHOW LIFT AND NO SUBSIDENCE BY 7AM THOUGH THEY DO VARY ON THE AMOUNT OF LIFT. THE GFS HAS THE LEAST AMOUNT OF LIFT WITH THE LEAST AMOUNT OF QPF WHILE THE NAM/ECMWF ARE FAIRLY IN LINE WITH EACH OTHER. PWAT VALUES WILL BE RELATIVELY HIGH...1.25 TO 1.5 INCHES ON THE CAPROCK WHILE APPROACHING 2 INCHES ACROSS THE EASTER ROLLING PLAINS. THIS IS IN PART DUE TO MOIST SURFACE CONDITIONS AS WELL AS A 40KT LLJ PUMPING IN MOISTURE FROM THE GOMEX. ONE CONCERN WITH TUESDAY MORNING WILL BE FLOODING. WITH ALREADY SATURATED SOILS AND FULL PLAYA LAKES RUN OFF...MAINLY IN URBAN AREAS...WILL BE ALL BUT GUARANTEED WITH A QUICK 1 INCH RAINFALL CAUSING PROBLEMS. WHILE ACTUAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS AS WELL AS THE LOCATION OF THE HEAVIEST RAIN IS HARD TO PINPOINT NEARLY 24 HOURS OUT...THE EXPECTED WIDESPREAD DYNAMIC LIFT IN ADDITION TO THE RICH MOISTURE TRANSPORT VIA THE LLJ SHOWS THAT HEAVY RAIN MAY BE FAIRLY WIDESPREAD. GIVEN THAT THIS IS EXPECTED TO HAPPEN DURING THE MORNING TRAFFIC RUSH AN AREAL FLOOD WATCH MAY BE WARRANTED. FOR NOW WE WILL DEFER THE WATCH DECISION TO THE NEXT SHIFT FOR FURTHER EVALUATION OF MORE UP TO DATE INFO. THERE IS A POSSIBLE SEVERE THREAT LATER TOMORROW AFTERNOON/EVENING DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH SURFACE HEATING CAN BE ACHIEVED. THIS WILL BE DEPENDENT ON CLOUD COVER. AS OF NOW OUR WESTERN ZONES HAVE SOMEWHAT HIGHER CHANCES TO SEE SEVERE STORMS THAN THE REST OF THE FA AS CLOUDS WILL BEGIN TO THIN FROM WEST TO EAST. WE SHOULD SEE PRECIP MOVE OFF TO THE EAST BY WED MORNING AS A FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE NORTH. MODEL TIMING WITH THE FROPA DIFFERS WITH THE GFS /FRONT PUSHING INTO OUR NORTHERN ZONES BY 00Z THURS/ BEING SLOWER THAN THE ECMWF /FRONT THRU THE FA BY 00Z/. OTHER THAN A WIND SHIFT AND CLOUD COVER THIS SHOULDN/T CREATE MUCH OF A HEADACHE AS FAR AS THE FORECAST IS CONCERNED. THE FROPA WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY A LOW STRATUS DECK THAT WILL STICK AROUND FOR MUCH OF WED NIGHT INTO THURS AFTERNOON. RAIN WILL BE POSSIBLE MAINLY DUE TO ISENTROPIC LIFTING. THE BIGGEST CHANGE TO THE FORECAST DURING THIS PERIOD IS MAKING THE PRECIP MAINLY IN THE FORM OF RAIN WITH A MENTION OF ISO THUNDER AS THE CHANCE EXISTS FOR SOME ELEVATED CAPE. ANOTHER LOW IS PROGGED TO MOVE INLAND ACROSS SOCAL WHICH WILL RETURN SURFACE FLOW OUT OF THE SOUTH/SOUTHEAST AND SET UP A DRYLINE OVER CENTRAL NM. THIS WILL BE OUR NEXT BIG RAIN MAKER AS THE DRYLINE PUSHES EASTWARD AND THEN RETREATS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. TEMPS WILL CONTINUE TO REMAIN BELOW SEASONAL AVERAGE AS CLOUD COVER WILL BE ABUNDANT THRU THE WEEK AND SURFACE MOISTURE WILL HELP MODERATE SURFACE TEMPS. THURS WILL BE PARTICULARLY CHILLY WITH TEMPS AVERAGING 20 DEGREES BELOW SEASONAL AVERAGE /MID 60S/ DUE TO SURFACE CAA ASSOCIATED WITH THE FROPA. ALDRICH && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... FRIONA 78 55 71 49 / 10 80 90 20 TULIA 79 57 69 51 / 10 80 90 40 PLAINVIEW 79 58 70 53 / 10 80 90 40 LEVELLAND 83 60 74 56 / 20 80 90 30 LUBBOCK 83 61 73 57 / 10 80 90 40 DENVER CITY 82 61 76 60 / 30 80 80 20 BROWNFIELD 84 61 74 59 / 20 80 90 30 CHILDRESS 86 63 71 60 / 10 60 90 60 SPUR 84 63 73 61 / 10 70 90 50 ASPERMONT 87 66 75 64 / 10 70 90 50 && .LUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ 29
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LUBBOCK TX
340 AM CDT MON MAY 18 2015 .SHORT TERM... THE SHORT TERM PERIOD WILL FOCUS ON THE RETURN OF SCATTERED TO WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...THAT COULD COMMENCE AS EARLY AS LATE THIS AFTN. THE PACIFIC FRONT/DRYLINE THAT AFFECTED THE SOUTHERN PLAINS YESTERDAY WAS WELL SOUTH AND EAST OF THE CWA EARLY THIS MORNING...AS HINTED AT BY DEWPOINTS IN THE 60S AND 70S ACROSS THE CONCHO VALLEY...BIG COUNTRY AND EDWARDS PLATEAU AREAS. AS SUCH...SOME FOG AND/OR LOW CLOUDS HAVE DEVELOPED ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE SAID AREAS. COMPUTER MODELS HINT AT THE BOUNDARY RETREATING TO NEAR THE FAR SRN SOUTH PLAINS AND LOW ROLLING PLAINS BY AOA DAYBREAK...BRINGING WITH IT RICH LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AND A CHANCE FOR THE FOG AND/OR STRATUS DECK TO MAKE HEADWAY TOWARDS THE FA. HOWEVER...MODEL SOLUTIONS SUCH AS THE HRRR AND THE NAM EXHIBIT THE FOG AND LOW CLOUDS TO STOP JUST SHORT OF THE FA AND DISSIPATE...GIVEN SFC WINDS VEERING TO THE W-SW THROUGHOUT DAYBREAK AND THUS MITIGATING THE TRANSPORT OF THE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE. WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR AND SEE IF THIS DOES INDEED OCCUR. ATTENTION WILL TURN TO AN UA LOW THAT WAS IMPINGING ON CNTRL/SRN CALI PER 07Z SATELLITE WATER VAPOR IMAGERY...AND IS PROGGED TO TRANSLATE ENE TO NEAR THE FOUR-CORNERS REGION BY TONIGHT. AS SUCH...SW FLOW ALOFT WILL SHARPEN. EMBEDDED WITHIN THIS SW FLOW IS AN IMPULSE THAT MODEL SOLUTIONS SHOW EJECTING OUT AHEAD OF THE PARENT UA LOW...AND NEAR THE SWRN ZONES LATE THIS AFTN/EARLY EVENING AND PROGRESS TO THE NE TO ACROSS THE NERN ZONES BY TONIGHT. WITH SFC LEE TROUGHING DEEPENING DUE TO THE APPROACHING UA LOW...THIS WILL AID TO BACK SFC WINDS TO THE S-SE AND PWATS WILL SOAR INTO THE 1.00- 1.50 INCH RANGE BY TONIGHT...WHILST THE LLJ CRANKS UP TO 20-40 KTS. WITH ALL THAT SAID...CONVECTION IS STILL EXPECTED TO INITIATE ACROSS THE FAR SW SOUTH PLAINS AS EARLY AS LATE THIS AFTN/EARLY THIS EVENING...ESPECIALLY IF THE TIMING OF THE ANTICIPATED EMBEDDED IMPULSE STAYS TRUE. PRECIP WILL BECOME SCATTERED TO PERHAPS WIDESPREAD AS IT PROGRESSES NE TO ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF THE CWA THROUGH THE NIGHT. TO ADD FUEL TO THE PROVERBIAL FIRE...A COLD FRONT WILL BACKDOOR INTO THE REGION THIS EVENING/TONIGHT...WHICH COULD SERVE AS ANOTHER FOCUS FOR STORM DEVELOPMENT. WITH SUCH HIGH PWATS...MODERATE-HEAVY RAINFALL CAN NOT BE RULED OUT WHICH RAISES CONCERNS FOR LOCALIZED FLOODED. WE ALSO NEED TO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR SOME STORMS BECOMING STRONG TO SEVERE...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE SWRN ZONES LATE THIS AFTN AS PROGGED MUCAPE VALUES OF 2-3 KJ/KG...30-40 KTS OF 0-6 KM BULK SHEAR...STEEPENED LAPSE RATES AND VEERING WIND PROFILES SAYS AS MUCH /HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS WILL BE THE PRIMARY THREATS/. A SEASONABLY WARM DAY WILL PREVAIL WITH HIGHS IN THE 70S AND 80S...FOLLOWED BY OVERNIGHT LOWS IN THE 50S AND 60S. .LONG TERM... THE WEATHER FOR THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS /MINUS THE WIND AND LACK OF 70+ DEGREE DEW POINTS/ HAVE MADE IT FEEL LIKE I AM BACK IN MY OLD STOMPING GROUNDS IN SOUTH MS...AND IT DOESN/T LOOK LIKE THE PATTERN WILL CHANGE ANY OVER THE NEXT 7 DAYS AND BEYOND. FOR STARTERS WPC QPF GUIDANCE PRE 00Z SHOWS UPWARDS OF 5 INCHES OF RAIN OVER THE NEXT 7 DAYS. TUESDAY MORNING WILL START VERY WET WITH AN UPPER LEVEL LOW WITH A SLIGHT NEG TILT MOVES OVER NV TOWARDS THE REGION. MODEL OMEGA FIELDS/SOUNDING PROFILES ALL SHOW LIFT AND NO SUBSIDENCE BY 7AM THOUGH THEY DO VARY ON THE AMOUNT OF LIFT. THE GFS HAS THE LEAST AMOUNT OF LIFT WITH THE LEAST AMOUNT OF QPF WHILE THE NAM/ECMWF ARE FAIRLY IN LINE WITH EACH OTHER. PWAT VALUES WILL BE RELATIVELY HIGH...1.25 TO 1.5 INCHES ON THE CAPROCK WHILE APPROACHING 2 INCHES ACROSS THE EASTER ROLLING PLAINS. THIS IS IN PART DUE TO MOIST SURFACE CONDITIONS AS WELL AS A 40KT LLJ PUMPING IN MOISTURE FROM THE GOMEX. ONE CONCERN WITH TUESDAY MORNING WILL BE FLOODING. WITH ALREADY SATURATED SOILS AND FULL PLAYA LAKES RUN OFF...MAINLY IN URBAN AREAS...WILL BE ALL BUT GUARANTEED WITH A QUICK 1 INCH RAINFALL CAUSING PROBLEMS. WHILE ACTUAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS AS WELL AS THE LOCATION OF THE HEAVIEST RAIN IS HARD TO PINPOINT NEARLY 24 HOURS OUT...THE EXPECTED WIDESPREAD DYNAMIC LIFT IN ADDITION TO THE RICH MOISTURE TRANSPORT VIA THE LLJ SHOWS THAT HEAVY RAIN MAY BE FAIRLY WIDESPREAD. GIVEN THAT THIS IS EXPECTED TO HAPPEN DURING THE MORNING TRAFFIC RUSH AN AREAL FLOOD WATCH MAY BE WARRANTED. FOR NOW WE WILL DEFER THE WATCH DECISION TO THE NEXT SHIFT FOR FURTHER EVALUATION OF MORE UP TO DATE INFO. THERE IS A POSSIBLE SEVERE THREAT LATER TOMORROW AFTERNOON/EVENING DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH SURFACE HEATING CAN BE ACHIEVED. THIS WILL BE DEPENDENT ON CLOUD COVER. AS OF NOW OUR WESTERN ZONES HAVE SOMEWHAT HIGHER CHANCES TO SEE SEVERE STORMS THAN THE REST OF THE FA AS CLOUDS WILL BEGIN TO THIN FROM WEST TO EAST. WE SHOULD SEE PRECIP MOVE OFF TO THE EAST BY WED MORNING AS A FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE NORTH. MODEL TIMING WITH THE FROPA DIFFERS WITH THE GFS /FRONT PUSHING INTO OUR NORTHERN ZONES BY 00Z THURS/ BEING SLOWER THAN THE ECMWF /FRONT THRU THE FA BY 00Z/. OTHER THAN A WIND SHIFT AND CLOUD COVER THIS SHOULDN/T CREATE MUCH OF A HEADACHE AS FAR AS THE FORECAST IS CONCERNED. THE FROPA WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY A LOW STRATUS DECK THAT WILL STICK AROUND FOR MUCH OF WED NIGHT INTO THURS AFTERNOON. RAIN WILL BE POSSIBLE MAINLY DUE TO ISENTROPIC LIFTING. THE BIGGEST CHANGE TO THE FORECAST DURING THIS PERIOD IS MAKING THE PRECIP MAINLY IN THE FORM OF RAIN WITH A MENTION OF ISO THUNDER AS THE CHANCE EXISTS FOR SOME ELEVATED CAPE. ANOTHER LOW IS PROGGED TO MOVE INLAND ACROSS SOCAL WHICH WILL RETURN SURFACE FLOW OUT OF THE SOUTH/SOUTHEAST AND SET UP A DRYLINE OVER CENTRAL NM. THIS WILL BE OUR NEXT BIG RAIN MAKER AS THE DRYLINE PUSHES EASTWARD AND THEN RETREATS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. TEMPS WILL CONTINUE TO REMAIN BELOW SEASONAL AVERAGE AS CLOUD COVER WILL BE ABUNDANT THRU THE WEEK AND SURFACE MOISTURE WILL HELP MODERATE SURFACE TEMPS. THURS WILL BE PARTICULARLY CHILLY WITH TEMPS AVERAGING 20 DEGREES BELOW SEASONAL AVERAGE /MID 60S/ DUE TO SURFACE CAA ASSOCIATED WITH THE FROPA. ALDRICH && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... FRIONA 78 55 71 49 / 10 80 90 20 TULIA 79 57 69 51 / 10 80 90 40 PLAINVIEW 79 58 70 53 / 10 80 90 40 LEVELLAND 83 60 74 56 / 20 80 90 30 LUBBOCK 83 61 73 57 / 10 80 90 40 DENVER CITY 82 61 76 60 / 30 80 80 20 BROWNFIELD 84 61 74 59 / 20 80 90 30 CHILDRESS 86 63 71 60 / 10 60 90 60 SPUR 84 63 73 61 / 10 70 90 50 ASPERMONT 87 66 75 64 / 10 70 90 50 && .LUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ 29/51
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LUBBOCK TX
329 AM CDT MON MAY 18 2015 .SHORT TERM... THE SHORT TERM PERIOD WILL FOCUS ON THE RETURN OF SCATTERED TO WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...THAT COULD COMMENCE AS EARLY AS LATE THIS AFTN. THE PACIFIC FRONT/DRYLINE THAT AFFECTED THE SOUTHERN PLAINS YESTERDAY WAS WELL SOUTH AND EAST OF THE CWA EARLY THIS MORNING...AS HINTED AT BY DEWPOINTS IN THE 60S AND 70S ACROSS THE CONCHO VALLEY...BIG COUNTRY AND EDWARDS PLATEAU AREAS. AS SUCH...SOME FOG AND/OR LOW CLOUDS HAVE DEVELOPED ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE SAID AREAS. COMPUTER MODELS HINT AT THE BOUNDARY RETREATING TO NEAR THE FAR SRN SOUTH PLAINS AND LOW ROLLING PLAINS BY AOA DAYBREAK...BRINGING WITH IT RICH LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AND A CHANCE FOR THE FOG AND/OR STRATUS DECK TO MAKE HEADWAY TOWARDS THE FA. HOWEVER...MODEL SOLUTIONS SUCH AS THE HRRR AND THE NAM EXHIBIT THE FOG AND LOW CLOUDS TO STOP JUST SHORT OF THE FA AND DISSIPATE...GIVEN SFC WINDS VEERING TO THE W-SW THROUGHOUT DAYBREAK AND THUS MITIGATING THE TRANSPORT OF THE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE. WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR AND SEE IF THIS DOES INDEED OCCUR. ATTENTION WILL TURN TO AN UA LOW THAT WAS IMPINGING ON CNTRL/SRN CALI PER 07Z SATELLITE WATER VAPOR IMAGERY...AND IS PROGGED TO TRANSLATE ENE TO NEAR THE FOUR-CORNERS REGION BY TONIGHT. AS SUCH...SW FLOW ALOFT WILL SHARPEN. EMBEDDED WITHIN THIS SW FLOW IS AN IMPULSE THAT MODEL SOLUTIONS SHOW EJECTING OUT AHEAD OF THE PARENT UA LOW...AND NEAR THE SWRN ZONES LATE THIS AFTN/EARLY EVENING AND PROGRESS TO THE NE TO ACROSS THE NERN ZONES BY TONIGHT. WITH SFC LEE TROUGHING DEEPENING DUE TO THE APPROACHING UA LOW...THIS WILL AID TO BACK SFC WINDS TO THE S-SE AND PWATS WILL SOAR INTO THE 1.00- 1.50 INCH RANGE BY TONIGHT...WHILST THE LLJ CRANKS UP TO 20-40 KTS. WITH ALL THAT SAID...CONVECTION IS STILL EXPECTED TO INITIATE ACROSS THE FAR SW SOUTH PLAINS AS EARLY AS LATE THIS AFTN/EARLY THIS EVENING...ESPECIALLY IF THE TIMING OF THE ANTICIPATED EMBEDDED IMPULSE STAYS TRUE. PRECIP WILL BECOME SCATTERED TO PERHAPS WIDESPREAD AS IT PROGRESSES NE TO ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF THE CWA THROUGH THE NIGHT. TO ADD FUEL TO THE PROVERBIAL FIRE...A COLD FRONT WILL BACKDOOR INTO THE REGION THIS EVENING/TONIGHT...WHICH COULD SERVE AS ANOTHER FOCUS FOR STORM DEVELOPMENT. WITH SUCH HIGH PWATS...MODERATE-HEAVY RAINFALL CAN NOT BE RULED OUT WHICH RAISES CONCERNS FOR LOCALIZED FLOODED. WE ALSO NEED TO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR SOME STORMS BECOMING STRONG TO SEVERE...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE SWRN ZONES LATE THIS AFTN AS PROGGED MUCAPE VALUES OF 2-3 KJ/KG...30-40 KTS OF 0-6 KM BULK SHEAR...STEEPENED LAPSE RATES AND VEERING WIND PROFILES SAYS AS MUCH /HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS WILL BE THE PRIMARY THREATS/. A SEASONABLY WARM DAY WILL PREVAIL WITH HIGHS IN THE 70S AND 80S...FOLLOWED BY OVERNIGHT LOWS IN THE 50S AND 60S. .LONG TERM... THE WEATHER FOR THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS /MINUS THE WIND AND LACK OF 70+ DEGREE DEW POINTS/ HAVE MADE IT FEEL LIKE I AM BACK IN MY OLD STOMPING GROUNDS IN SOUTH MS...AND IT DOESN/T LOOK LIKE THE PATTERN WILL CHANGE ANY OVER THE NEXT 7 DAYS AND BEYOND. FOR STARTERS WPC QPF GUIDANCE PRE 00Z SHOWS UPWARDS OF 5 INCHES OF RAIN OVER THE NEXT 7 DAYS. TUESDAY MORNING WILL START VERY WET WITH AN UPPER LEVEL LOW WITH A SLIGHT NEG TILT MOVES OVER NV TOWARDS THE REGION. MODEL OMEGA FIELDS/SOUNDING PROFILES SHOW ALL LIFT AND NO SUBSIDENCE BY 7AM THOUGH THEY DO VARY ON THE AMOUNT OF LIFT. THE GFS HAS THE LEAST AMOUNT OF LIFT WITH THE LEAST AMOUNT OF QPF WHILE THE NAM/ECMWF ARE FAIRLY IN LINE WITH EACH OTHER. PWAT VALUES WILL BE RELATIVELY HIGH...1.25 TO 1.5 INCHES ON THE CAPROCK WHILE APPROACHING 2 INCHES ACROSS THE EASTER ROLLING PLAINS. THIS IS IN PART DUE TO MOIST SURFACE CONDITIONS AS WELL AS A 40KT LLJ PUMPING IN MOISTURE FROM THE GOMEX. ONE CONCERN WITH TUESDAY MORNING WILL BE FLOODING. WITH ALREADY SATURATED SOILS AND FULL PLAYA LAKES RUN OFF...MAINLY IN URBAN AREAS...WILL BE ALL BUT GUARANTEED WITH A QUICK 1 INCH RAINFALL CAUSING PROBLEMS. WHILE ACTUAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS AS WELL AS THE LOCATION OF THE HEAVIEST RAIN IS HARD TO PINPOINT NEARLY 24 HOURS OUT...THE EXPECTED WIDESPREAD DYNAMIC LIFT IN ADDITION TO THE RICH MOISTURE TRANSPORT VIA THE LLJ SHOWS THAT HEAVY RAIN MAY BE FAIRLY WIDESPREAD. GIVEN THAT THIS IS EXPECTED TO HAPPEN DURING THE MORNING TRAFFIC RUSH AN AREAL FLOOD WATCH MAY BE WARRANTED. FOR NOW WE WILL DEFER THE WATCH DECISION TO THE NEXT SHIFT FOR FURTHER EVALUATION OF MORE UP TO DATE INFO. THERE IS A POSSIBLE SEVERE THREAT LATER TOMORROW AFTERNOON/EVENING DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH SURFACE HEATING CAN BE ACHIEVED. THIS WILL BE DEPENDENT ON CLOUD COVER. AS OF NOW OUR WESTERN ZONES HAVE SOMEWHAT HIGHER CHANCES TO SEE SEVERE STORMS THAN THE REST OF THE FA AS CLOUDS WILL BEGIN TO THIN FROM WEST TO EAST. WE SHOULD SEE PRECIP MOVE OFF THE THE EAST BY WED MORNING AS A FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE NORTH. MODEL TIMING WITH THE FROPA DIFFERS WITH THE GFS /FRONT PUSHING INTO OUR NORTHERN ZONES BY 00Z THURS/ BEING SLOWER THAN THE ECMWF /FRONT THRU THE FA BY 00Z/. OTHER THAN WIND SHIFT AND CLOUD COVER THIS SHOULDN/T CREATE MUCH OF A HEADACHE AS FAR AS THE FORECAST IS CONCERNED. THE FROPA WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY A LOW STRATUS DECK THAT WILL STICK AROUND FOR MUCH OF WED NIGHT INTO THURS AFTERNOON. RAIN WILL BE POSSIBLE MAINLY DUE TO ISENTROPIC LIFTING. THE BIGGEST CHANGE TO THE FORECAST DURING THIS PERIOD IS MAKING THE PRECIP MAINLY IN THE FORM OF RAIN WITH A MENTION OF ISO THUNDER AS THE CHANCE EXISTS FOR SOME ELEVATED CAPE. ANOTHER LOW IS PROGGED TO MOVE INLAND ACROSS SOCAL WHICH WILL RETURN SURFACE FLOW TO OUT OF THE SOUTH/SOUTHEAST AND SET UP A DRYLINE OVER CENTRAL NM. THIS WILL BE OUR NEXT BIG RAIN MAKER AS THE DRYLINE PUSHES EASTWARD AND THEN RETREATS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. TEMPS WILL CONTINUE TO REMAIN BELOW SEASONAL AVERAGE AS CLOUD COVER WILL BE ABUNDANT THRU THE WEEK AND SURFACE MOISTURE WILL HELP MODERATE SURFACE TEMPS. THURS WILL BE PARTICULARLY CHILLY WITH TEMPS AVERAGING 20 DEGREES BELOW SEASONAL AVERAGE /MID 60S/ DUE TO SURFACE CAA ASSOCIATED WITH THE FROPA. ALDRICH && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... FRIONA 78 55 71 49 / 10 80 90 20 TULIA 79 57 69 51 / 10 80 90 40 PLAINVIEW 79 58 70 53 / 10 80 90 40 LEVELLAND 83 60 74 56 / 20 80 90 30 LUBBOCK 83 61 73 57 / 10 80 90 40 DENVER CITY 82 61 76 60 / 30 80 80 20 BROWNFIELD 84 61 74 59 / 20 80 90 30 CHILDRESS 86 63 71 60 / 10 60 90 60 SPUR 84 63 73 61 / 10 70 90 50 ASPERMONT 87 66 75 64 / 10 70 90 50 && .LUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ 29/51
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS BLACKSBURG VA
648 PM EDT MON MAY 18 2015 .SYNOPSIS... A COLD FRONT EXTENDS FROM MICHIGAN TO SOUTHERN MISSOURI. THIS FRONT WILL MOVE EAST ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY OVERNIGHT...CROSSING THE MID ATLANTIC REGION TUESDAY. MOIST SOUTHERLY FLOW AHEAD OF THE FRONT WILL HELP FUEL SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. ONCE THE FRONT PASSES EAST OF THE AREA TUESDAY...COOLER...DRIER AIR WILL FILTER INTO THE REGION FOR MID WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 640 PM EDT MONDAY... NO MAJOR CHANGES TO THE FORECAST AS WE HEAD INTO THE EVENING HOURS. WE STILL EXPECT SCATTERED SHOWERS AND SOME STORMS ACROSS MUCH OF THE REGION. WHAT DID CHANGE WAS THE FOCUS FOR WHERE THE BEST CHANCES WOULD BE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS BASED UPON WHERE THE GREATEST CONCENTRATION IS CURRENTLY LOCATED...FROM FRANKLIN COUNTY VA SOUTHWEST TO AROUND PILOT MOUNTAIN IN NORTH CAROLINA...AND WEST TO THE GRAYSON HIGHLANDS OF SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA. ALSO...ANOTHER GENEROUS REGION OF PRECIPITATION WAS MOVING THROUGH ROCKBRIDGE COUNTY VA...AND THERE WAS ANOTHER ONE APPROACHING WESTERN GREENBRIER COUNTY AND SUMMERS COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST WEST VIRGINIA. AS WE PROGRESS INTO THE LATE EVENING AND TOWARDS MIDNIGHT....FORECAST CHANGES WERE A LITTLE MORE EXPANSIVE. BASED UPON THE LATEST HRRR AND RNK WRF. THE FORECAST WILL NOW REFLECT LITTLE OR NO COVERAGE OF PRECIPITATION OUTSIDE SOUTHEAST WEST VIRGINIA AND NEIGHBORING PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA ONCE WE REACH THAT TIME TONIGHT. AS OF 330 PM EDT MONDAY... PWATS 2-3 STANDARD DEVIATIONS ABOVE NORMAL WILL HELP FUEL SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS EVENING. THE AIRMASS IS UNSEASONABLY JUICY BUT LACK OF ANY GOOD DYNAMICS SHOULD KEEP ACTIVITY UNORGANIZED. NEVER THE LESS...SLOW MOVEMENT WILL YIELD HEAVY DOWNPOURS FOR ANY PASSING SHOWER/STORM. FORECAST AREA REMAINS UNDERNEATH A VERY SHARP UPPER LEVEL RIDGE...WHICH IS PROMOTING VERY LIGHT STEERING WINDS...0-8KM MEAN WIND OF ONLY 11 KTS...FROM 290 DEGREES. THIS UPPER RIDGE IS EXPECTED TO WEAKEN AS WE TRANSITION THROUGH THE NEXT 12-18 HOURS...AS LOW PRESSURE MOVES ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES AND INTO ONTARIO CANADA. AT THE SURFACE...A COLD FRONT WILL TRAIL SOUTH FROM THE LOW...CROSSING THE OHIO VALLEY TONIGHT. AS THE FRONT APPROACHES...IT WILL FOCUS THE DEEPER MOISTURE FROM THE OH/TN VALLEYS INTO THE WEST SIDE OF THE APPALACHIANS. THIS SQUEEZE PLAY OF DEEPER MOISTURE IN ADDITION TO LINGERING INSTABILITY OVER THE MOUNTAINS WILL RESULT IN GOOD COVERAGE OF SHOWER ACTIVITY THROUGH THIS EVENING. COVERAGE AND INTENSITY OF SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL DECREASE WITH THE LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING. HOWEVER...WITH THE COLD FRONT CONTINUING ITS APPROACH OVERNIGHT...SHOWER THREAT WILL NOT SUBSIDE ALTOGETHER. MOISTURE TRANSPORT AND CONVERGENCE PER SOUTHWEST WIND FLOW AHEAD OF THE FRONT WILL CONTINUE TO GENERATE ACTIVITY INTO THE LATE NIGHT. SURFACE FRONT IS EXPECTED TO REACH THE WESTERN SLOPES OF THE APPALACHIANS BY DAYBREAK TUESDAY...THEN MOVE OVER AND EAST OF THE MTNS MID-DAY...CLEARING THE CWA BY TUESDAY EVENING. WILL MAINTAIN THREAT FOR SHOWERS UNTIL THE PASSAGE OF THE FRONT...FOLLOWED BY CLEARING AND DRYING WITH FROPA. MET/MAV TEMPERATURE GUIDANCE LOOKS GOOD...AND USED A BLEND FOR TONIGHT`S LOWS AND TUESDAYS HIGHS...READINGS REMAINING QUITE MILD TONIGHT...AOA 60 FOR LOWS...FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER WARM DAY TUESDAY WITH HIGHS RANGING IN THE 70S MTNS TO THE 80S IN THE LOWER ELEVATIONS. ANY SIGNIFICANT COOLING/DRYING WILL NOT TAKE PLACE UNTIL WE CHANGE AIRMASSES LATER TUESDAY...BECOMING NOTICEABLE ONCE THE SUN GOES DOWN TUESDAY EVENING. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 300 PM EDT MONDAY... ANY LINGERING CONVECTION IN THE FAR SOUTHEAST PORTIONS OF FORECAST AREA WILL TAPER OFF BY 06Z WEDNESDAY. LOW TEMPERATURES TUESDAY NIGHT WILL RANGE FROM THE UPPER 40S IN THE NORTHWEST MOUNTAINS TO THE LOWER 60S IN THE PIEDMONT. HIGH PRESSURE IN THE MIDWEST WILL RIDGE SOUTHEAST INTO OUR AREA FOR WEDNESDAY PROVIDING A BREAK FROM THE ACTIVE CONVECTION. THE COOLER HIGH TEMPERATURES ON WEDNESDAY WILL ALSO BE A WELCOME CHANGE WITH READINGS FROM THE LOWER 60S IN THE NORTHWEST MOUNTAINS TO THE MID 80S IN THE PIEDMONT. WITH A WEAK SHORTWAVE ROTATING EAST ACROSS THE REGION WEDNESDAY NIGHT...ALLOW FOR SOME LIGHT POPS IN THE WEST. LOW TEMPERATURES WEDNESDAY NIGHT WILL VARY FROM THE UPPER 40S IN THE WEST TO THE UPPER 50S IN THE EAST. THURSDAYS FORECAST REMAINS A CHALLENGE WITH THE LATEST MODEL RUNS ALL DEPICT A STRONGER SHORTWAVE TRACKING ACROSS THE AREA...BUT WITH WIDELY VARYING DEGREES OF INTENSITY AND RESULTANT MOISTURE/PRECIPITATION. WITH CAUTION...ELECTED TO USE A BLEND OF SUPERBLEND AND HPCGUIDE WITH SCATTERED POPS FOR THURSDAY. HIGH TEMPERATURES THURSDAY WILL WARM TO AROUND 60 DEGREES IN THE NORTHWEST TO AROUND 80 DEGREES ALONG THE SOUTHERN BLUE RIDGE. SHORTWAVE WILL EXIT TO THE SOUTHEAST THURSDAY NIGHT AS SFC HIGH PRESSURE SLIDES FROM THE PLAINS TO THE GREAT LAKES. OVERALL...THE AIRMASS APPEARS TO BE TOO STABLE AND DRY IN THE LOWER LEVELS TO SUPPORT MUCH THUNDER WITH THIS EVENT. HOWEVER...A NOSE OF INSTABILITY SUPPORT ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM ACROSS SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF FORECAST AREA. DIURNAL CONVECTION TAPERS OFF QUICKLY THURSDAY NIGHT. LOW TEMPERATURES THURSDAY NIGHT WILL GENERALLY VARY FROM THE UPPER 40S IN THE MOUNTAINS TO THE UPPER 50S IN THE PIEDMONT. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... AS OF 300 PM EDT MONDAY... MOISTURE...WARMTH...AND HUMIDITY ARE POISED TO RETURN BY EARLY NEXT WEEK AS YET ANOTHER DEEP UPPER LOW BUILDS INTO THE SOUTHWEST UNITED STATE...THE NORTHEAST TROUGH PUSHES EASTWARD INTO THE NORTHERN ATLANTIC...AND AN ELONGATED RIDGE BETWEEN THESE TWO FEATURES DRIFTS INTO OUR REGION. HIGH TEMPERATURES FRIDAY WARM INTO THE MID 60S IN THE MOUNTAINS TO THE MID 70S IN THE PIEDMONT. LOW TEMPERATURES WILL DROP INTO THE MID 40S TO THE 50S IN GENERAL. ON SATURDAY...CANADIAN HIGH PRESSURE SHIFTS OFF THE MID-ATLANTIC COAST...AS FRONTAL BOUNDARY IS CENTRAL U.S. LIFTS NORTHEAST. KEPT SATURDAY DRY...WITH HIGH TEMPERATURES RANGING FROM THE MID 60S IN THE NORTHWEST MOUNTAINS TO THE UPPER 70S IN THE PIEDMONT. AS THE HIGH CENTER MOVES EAST...AN EAST TO SOUTHEAST RETURN FLOW ON THE BACKSIDE MAY DEVELOP A WEDGE ACROSS THE REGION OVER THE WEEKEND. WITH THE POTENTIAL OF OVERRUNNING PRECIPITATION DEVELOPING FROM THE WEST. ADDED A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN THE NORTHWEST MOUNTAINS OF NORTH CAROLINA. MODERATED LOW TEMPERATURES SATURDAY NIGHT WITH VALUES MAINLY IN THE 50S...WITH INCREASED CLOUD COVER. SCATTERED SHOWERS CONTINUED ON SUNDAY WITH THE BEST CHANCES IN THE NORTHWEST. THE UPPER RIDGE WILL SHIFT SOUTHEAST BY MONDAY...ALLOWING AN ACTIVE BAROCLINIC ZONE TO SHIFT SOUTH AND EAST INTO THE REGION FROM THE OH/TN VALLEY. CONTINUED THE POTENTIAL FOR SCATTERED CONVECTION ON TUESDAY. && .AVIATION /00Z TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... AS OF 200 PM EDT MONDAY... A VERY MOIST AIR MASS REMAINS ACROSS THE REGION STUCK UNDER AN UPPER RIDGE AS THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS. HOWEVER...THE PATTERN IS FINALLY ABOUT TO CHANGE. THE UPPER LOW THAT HAS PLAGUED THE CENTRAL U.S. THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS IS SHEARING OUT AND MOVING TOWARD THE GREAT LAKES WHERE IT WILL AID IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A DEEP UPPER LOW ACROSS SOUTHEAST CANADA BY MIDWEEK. THIS WILL PUSH A FRONT INTO OUR REGION BY EARLY TUESDAY...THEN EAST OF THE REGION BY TUE EVENING. FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED IN ADVANCE OF THE UPPER TROUGH/FRONT. THE ACTIVITY WILL EXTEND FROM THE OH/TN VALLEYS EASTWARD INTO THE MID ATLANTIC...AND FARTHER EAST INTO THE PIEDMONT AS COMPARED TO THE PAST FEW AFTERNOONS. DURING THE AFTERNOON/EVENING...THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD BE MOST NUMEROUS WEST OF THE BLUE RIDGE...SOME WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. THE STRONGER STORMS WILL CONTAIN LOCALIZED OUTFLOW WINDS OF 25-30KTS IN ADDITION TO MVFR CIGS AND BRIEF PERIODS OF MVFR-IFR VSBYS. LACK OF ORGANIZATION MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO PINPOINT TIMING AT ANY OF THE TERMINALS...ESP THOSE EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE. AS SUCH...WILL CONTINUE TO MENTION VCNTY SHRA/TSRA AND AMEND TAFS PER RADAR TRENDS. COVERAGE OF THE SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS WILL DECREASE AFTER SUNSET...BUT GIVEN THE SYNOPTIC PATTERN WOULD EXPECT SOME ACTIVITY TO LINGER ALL NIGHT ACROSS MUCH OF THE CWA. WITH WINDS BECOMING NW...UPSLOPE MVFR CIGS APPEAR LIKELY ACROSS EASTERN WV INTO FAR SOUTHWEST VA...WITH MODELS SUGGESTING PERIOD OF IFR CIGS PRIOR TO DAYBREAK TUESDAY AT KBLF/KLWB. MVFR VSBYS WILL ALSO PREVAIL IN MANY AREAS OVERNIGHT IN A NEAR SATURATED BOUNDARY LAYER WITH MOIST/WET GROUND AND LIGHT WSW-WNW WINDS. ANY LOW CIG/VSBY ELEMENTS SHOULD QUICKLY IMPROVE AFTER 13Z/9AM TUESDAY WITH RETURN OF VFR FOR THE AFTERNOON. SURFACE FRONT WILL PASS THROUGH ALL TERMINALS TUESDAY WITH SKIES CLEARING AND WINDS BECOMING NORTHWEST 6 TO 12 KTS. EXTENDED AVIATION DISCUSSION... DRIER/COOLER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY. AN UPPER DISTURBANCE WILL LIKELY BRING SOME MVFR CIGS AND -SHRA BACK INTO THE AREA THU...MOVING OUT FRIDAY WITH VFR CONDITIONS RETURNING FRI-SAT. && .RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VA...NONE. NC...NONE. WV...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...PM NEAR TERM...DS/PM SHORT TERM...KK LONG TERM...KK AVIATION...PM Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Spokane WA 725 PM PDT TUE MAY 19 2015 .SYNOPSIS... A mild, occasionally unsettled pattern will persist over the region through the week. While most of the region will remain dry, scattered showers and a few afternoon and evening thunderstorms will be possible mainly over a small portion of southeast Washington, north-central Idaho and near the Cascade crest. The chances of showers and thunderstorms will increase by Friday as a weak low pressure system drops into northwest Washington. Some of these thunderstorms could produce locally heavy rain near the Cascades. A shift toward cooler and wetter weather will move into the region for the upcoming holiday weekend. && .DISCUSSION... An update has been sent to make minor adjustments to the forecast. The majority of Eastern Washington and north Idaho is under the influence of dry easterly flow courtesy of a large blocking upper ridge over western Canada. The only exceptions is over extreme southeast Washington and the Lewiston area, as well as along the Washington Cascade crest where moisture wrapping around a broad low south of the region is clipping these areas. The best instability this evening is along the Washington Cascade crest, especially western Chelan county including the Methow Valley. Uncapped CAPE values as high as 500-1000 J/KG will lead to the potential for isolated thunderstorms mainly near the Cascade crest although can`t completely rule out a storm in the Methow Valley with radar showing a few cells in this area. Easterly flow will tend to steer most of these storms near the crest towards the west slopes of the Cascades. Brief heavy rain and gusty winds are the main threats with these storms. Elsewhere most of the instability around the Lewiston area is capped...however just enough moisture and instability is present that a few light showers are expected through the evening. JW && .AVIATION... 00Z TAFS: Expect a near repeat of weather tomorrow as what happened today as a persistent weather pattern continues. This will mean a continuation of VFR conditions at all TAF sites. Isolated thunderstorms will be focused mainly south of the region across Oregon, and in the Cascades...mainly along and west of the Cascade crest. JW && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Spokane 50 77 52 79 54 80 / 0 0 10 20 10 20 Coeur d`Alene 48 77 51 78 52 79 / 0 0 10 20 20 20 Pullman 48 76 51 76 50 74 / 10 10 10 30 40 40 Lewiston 54 81 56 81 57 80 / 20 10 20 30 40 50 Colville 49 80 51 83 51 84 / 0 0 10 10 10 10 Sandpoint 49 75 45 78 47 79 / 0 0 10 10 10 10 Kellogg 46 76 48 77 48 77 / 0 10 10 30 20 30 Moses Lake 55 83 56 85 56 83 / 0 0 10 10 20 30 Wenatchee 56 83 60 84 59 82 / 0 10 10 10 20 50 Omak 49 83 50 84 53 83 / 0 0 10 10 10 40 && .OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ID...None. WA...None. && $$
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Spokane WA 725 PM PDT TUE MAY 19 2015 .SYNOPSIS... A mild, occasionally unsettled pattern will persist over the region through the week. While most of the region will remain dry, scattered showers and a few afternoon and evening thunderstorms will be possible mainly over a small portion of southeast Washington, north-central Idaho and near the Cascade crest. The chances of showers and thunderstorms will increase by Friday as a weak low pressure system drops into northwest Washington. Some of these thunderstorms could produce locally heavy rain near the Cascades. A shift toward cooler and wetter weather will move into the region for the upcoming holiday weekend. && .DISCUSSION... An update has been sent to make minor adjustments to the forecast. The majority of Eastern Washington and north Idaho is under the influence of dry easterly flow courtesy of a large blocking upper ridge over western Canada. The only exceptions is over extreme southeast Washington and the Lewiston area, as well as along the Washington Cascade crest where moisture wrapping around a broad low south of the region is clipping these areas. The best instability this evening is along the Washington Cascade crest, especially western Chelan county including the Methow Valley. Uncapped CAPE values as high as 500-1000 J/KG will lead to the potential for isolated thunderstorms mainly near the Cascade crest although can`t completely rule out a storm in the Methow Valley with radar showing a few cells in this area. Easterly flow will tend to steer most of these storms near the crest towards the west slopes of the Cascades. Brief heavy rain and gusty winds are the main threats with these storms. Elsewhere most of the instability around the Lewiston area is capped...however just enough moisture and instability is present that a few light showers are expected through the evening. JW && .AVIATION... 00Z TAFS: Expect a near repeat of weather tomorrow as what happened today as a persistent weather pattern continues. This will mean a continuation of VFR conditions at all TAF sites. Isolated thunderstorms will be focused mainly south of the region across Oregon, and in the Cascades...mainly along and west of the Cascade crest. JW && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Spokane 50 77 52 79 54 80 / 0 0 10 20 10 20 Coeur d`Alene 48 77 51 78 52 79 / 0 0 10 20 20 20 Pullman 48 76 51 76 50 74 / 10 10 10 30 40 40 Lewiston 54 81 56 81 57 80 / 20 10 20 30 40 50 Colville 49 80 51 83 51 84 / 0 0 10 10 10 10 Sandpoint 49 75 45 78 47 79 / 0 0 10 10 10 10 Kellogg 46 76 48 77 48 77 / 0 10 10 30 20 30 Moses Lake 55 83 56 85 56 83 / 0 0 10 10 20 30 Wenatchee 56 83 60 84 59 82 / 0 10 10 10 20 50 Omak 49 83 50 84 53 83 / 0 0 10 10 10 40 && .OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ID...None. WA...None. && $$
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Spokane WA 725 PM PDT TUE MAY 19 2015 .SYNOPSIS... A mild, occasionally unsettled pattern will persist over the region through the week. While most of the region will remain dry, scattered showers and a few afternoon and evening thunderstorms will be possible mainly over a small portion of southeast Washington, north-central Idaho and near the Cascade crest. The chances of showers and thunderstorms will increase by Friday as a weak low pressure system drops into northwest Washington. Some of these thunderstorms could produce locally heavy rain near the Cascades. A shift toward cooler and wetter weather will move into the region for the upcoming holiday weekend. && .DISCUSSION... An update has been sent to make minor adjustments to the forecast. The majority of Eastern Washington and north Idaho is under the influence of dry easterly flow courtesy of a large blocking upper ridge over western Canada. The only exceptions is over extreme southeast Washington and the Lewiston area, as well as along the Washington Cascade crest where moisture wrapping around a broad low south of the region is clipping these areas. The best instability this evening is along the Washington Cascade crest, especially western Chelan county including the Methow Valley. Uncapped CAPE values as high as 500-1000 J/KG will lead to the potential for isolated thunderstorms mainly near the Cascade crest although can`t completely rule out a storm in the Methow Valley with radar showing a few cells in this area. Easterly flow will tend to steer most of these storms near the crest towards the west slopes of the Cascades. Brief heavy rain and gusty winds are the main threats with these storms. Elsewhere most of the instability around the Lewiston area is capped...however just enough moisture and instability is present that a few light showers are expected through the evening. JW && .AVIATION... 00Z TAFS: Expect a near repeat of weather tomorrow as what happened today as a persistent weather pattern continues. This will mean a continuation of VFR conditions at all TAF sites. Isolated thunderstorms will be focused mainly south of the region across Oregon, and in the Cascades...mainly along and west of the Cascade crest. JW && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Spokane 50 77 52 79 54 80 / 0 0 10 20 10 20 Coeur d`Alene 48 77 51 78 52 79 / 0 0 10 20 20 20 Pullman 48 76 51 76 50 74 / 10 10 10 30 40 40 Lewiston 54 81 56 81 57 80 / 20 10 20 30 40 50 Colville 49 80 51 83 51 84 / 0 0 10 10 10 10 Sandpoint 49 75 45 78 47 79 / 0 0 10 10 10 10 Kellogg 46 76 48 77 48 77 / 0 10 10 30 20 30 Moses Lake 55 83 56 85 56 83 / 0 0 10 10 20 30 Wenatchee 56 83 60 84 59 82 / 0 10 10 10 20 50 Omak 49 83 50 84 53 83 / 0 0 10 10 10 40 && .OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ID...None. WA...None. && $$
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Spokane WA 725 PM PDT TUE MAY 19 2015 .SYNOPSIS... A mild, occasionally unsettled pattern will persist over the region through the week. While most of the region will remain dry, scattered showers and a few afternoon and evening thunderstorms will be possible mainly over a small portion of southeast Washington, north-central Idaho and near the Cascade crest. The chances of showers and thunderstorms will increase by Friday as a weak low pressure system drops into northwest Washington. Some of these thunderstorms could produce locally heavy rain near the Cascades. A shift toward cooler and wetter weather will move into the region for the upcoming holiday weekend. && .DISCUSSION... An update has been sent to make minor adjustments to the forecast. The majority of Eastern Washington and north Idaho is under the influence of dry easterly flow courtesy of a large blocking upper ridge over western Canada. The only exceptions is over extreme southeast Washington and the Lewiston area, as well as along the Washington Cascade crest where moisture wrapping around a broad low south of the region is clipping these areas. The best instability this evening is along the Washington Cascade crest, especially western Chelan county including the Methow Valley. Uncapped CAPE values as high as 500-1000 J/KG will lead to the potential for isolated thunderstorms mainly near the Cascade crest although can`t completely rule out a storm in the Methow Valley with radar showing a few cells in this area. Easterly flow will tend to steer most of these storms near the crest towards the west slopes of the Cascades. Brief heavy rain and gusty winds are the main threats with these storms. Elsewhere most of the instability around the Lewiston area is capped...however just enough moisture and instability is present that a few light showers are expected through the evening. JW && .AVIATION... 00Z TAFS: Expect a near repeat of weather tomorrow as what happened today as a persistent weather pattern continues. This will mean a continuation of VFR conditions at all TAF sites. Isolated thunderstorms will be focused mainly south of the region across Oregon, and in the Cascades...mainly along and west of the Cascade crest. JW && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Spokane 50 77 52 79 54 80 / 0 0 10 20 10 20 Coeur d`Alene 48 77 51 78 52 79 / 0 0 10 20 20 20 Pullman 48 76 51 76 50 74 / 10 10 10 30 40 40 Lewiston 54 81 56 81 57 80 / 20 10 20 30 40 50 Colville 49 80 51 83 51 84 / 0 0 10 10 10 10 Sandpoint 49 75 45 78 47 79 / 0 0 10 10 10 10 Kellogg 46 76 48 77 48 77 / 0 10 10 30 20 30 Moses Lake 55 83 56 85 56 83 / 0 0 10 10 20 30 Wenatchee 56 83 60 84 59 82 / 0 10 10 10 20 50 Omak 49 83 50 84 53 83 / 0 0 10 10 10 40 && .OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ID...None. WA...None. && $$
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Spokane WA 434 PM PDT TUE MAY 19 2015 .SYNOPSIS... A mild, occasionally unsettled pattern will persist over the region through the week. While most of the region will remain dry, scattered showers and a few afternoon and evening thunderstorms will be possible mainly over a small portion of southeast Washington, north-central Idaho and near the Cascade crest. The chances of showers and thunderstorms will increase by Friday as a weak low pressure system drops into northwest Washington. Some of these thunderstorms could produce locally heavy rain near the Cascades. A shift toward cooler and wetter weather will move into the region for the upcoming holiday weekend. && .DISCUSSION... Tonight through Wednesday evening...A complex of upper level lows centered between the northern California Coast and northern Utah will persist through this period. Meanwhile a strong upper level high will remain fixed over eastern Montana. Most of our forecast area will feel the effects of the latter system with relatively dry air continuing to surge into our area from the northeast. This drier air will continue inhibit any deep convection over most of the Inland NW. The exceptions will continue to occur near the Cascade Crest and over extreme SE Washington and adjacent portions of the Idaho Panhandle. The latest visible and IR satellite imagery is showing convection over these areas as of early afternoon. The most developed convection was over extreme western Chelan County, near Stevens Pass, with a slow southwest movement exhibited. The HRRR has consistently suggested this activity will not become any more widespread with a tapering off by early evening. The other area where we could see some convection develop this evening would be over extreme southern Garfield and eastern Asotin Counties however satellite trends do not look promising. Once the convection dies off this evening it will remain dry through early Wednesday afternoon. Once again any convective activity will fire over the same areas we are seeing it today. The model instability parameters are on par with what we are seeing today, however the lack of significant upper level support will ensure that any convection we see will be spotty. Temperatures will remain above seasonal normals with most locations climbing into the mid 70s to mid 80s. fx Wednesday night through Friday evening: Little in the way of big changes are anticipated Wednesday and Thursday. Low pressure over the southwest portion of the U.S. will continue to draw up moisture into portions of southern WA and the southern and central ID Panhandle. This will keep the atmosphere unstable with the best instability over the northern Cascade Mtns, southeast WA and into the Central Panhandle Mtns. Even though the instability looks to be present there is a question of a trigger to get convection going either Wednesday or Thursday. Higher elevations will have less CIN to overcome and will see a better chance for convection to fire during the afternoon. The basin will have a harder time overcoming the capping inversion without kicker pushing through to generate lift. Thunderstorms that do develop will be slow moving and will likely contain heavy rainfall. By Friday: A shortwave trough of lower pressure will approach the region off of the eastern Pacific. This disturbance will provide good synoptic scale lift. The proximity of this disturbance to the northern Cascade Mtns will give this area the best chance for convection to fire off through the afternoon and into the evening. CAPE values off of the NAM and GFS top out at around 700-1000 J/KG; P-Wats will be up around 0.90 inches; and the steering flow will be 5-10 kts out of the south-southeast. All these factors coming together would pose a threat for slow moving and wet thunderstorms. There are some model differences, but the GFS, NAM, and Canadian models show general agreement with the potential for heavy rain along the east slopes of the Northern Cascades. The ECMWF is less unstable and does not show as high of a threat. I decided to lean more away from the 12Z ECMWF model guidance in favor of the better agreement between the GFS, NAM and Canadian model guidance. The main concern will be for the possibility of Flash Flooding and/or Debris Flows. Recent burn scar locations will be most susceptible, but the threat will not only be limited to these locations. Specifics in where the heaviest rain will fall is uncertain at this time. This leads to moderate to high confidence in the possibility for scattered thunderstorm activity over this area, but low confidence in any actual impacts occurring. This situation will need to be monitored with future updates as the event approaches. The threat of thunderstorms will spread eastward into Friday evening. The southeast portion of the the forecast area will be another prime location for instability and will see a good chance for thunderstorms. Models are more uncertain about the northwestern portion of the region with questions regarding instability and lift. Temperatures will be warm and above normal through the latter half of the work week. Temperatures are expected to peak Thursday and Friday with some locations potentially reaching 80s for the first time this season. /SVH Friday night through Tuesday...Confidence is growing that there will be a wet event during the holiday weekend but medium range models are not playing well with others. Both the GFS and ECMWF show an upper level low moving through the region but there remain significant differences in the track of the low as well as some timing issues. The GFS seems to have more run-to-run consistency so for now the forecast will lean toward that solution. PoPs have been raised to likely category for a chunk of the forecast area for the Friday night/Saturday period. Until models show a trend toward consensus, the Saturday night/Sunday period will stay within the chance category and the remainder of the extended period will trend near climo PoPs. The eventual track of the low will determine where the heaviest precipitation will fall but with Pwats hovering around an inch, it should be a decent wetting rain. Some afternoon/evening thunderstorms will be possible through the weekend, but for now we will keep a broad brush slight chance thunder across the entire forecast area during peak heating. Temperatures will be on a cooling trend for the weekend, with areas of precipitation dictating where the coolest daytime temps will be. /Kelch && .AVIATION... 00Z TAFS: Expect a near repeat of weather tomorrow as what happened today as a persistent weather pattern continues. This will mean a continuation of VFR conditions at all TAF sites. Isolated thunderstorms will be focused mainly south of the region across Oregon, and in the Cascades...mainly along and west of the Cascade crest. JW && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Spokane 50 77 52 79 54 80 / 0 0 10 20 10 20 Coeur d`Alene 48 77 51 78 52 79 / 0 0 10 20 20 20 Pullman 48 76 51 76 50 74 / 10 10 10 30 40 40 Lewiston 54 81 56 81 57 80 / 20 10 20 30 40 50 Colville 49 80 51 83 51 84 / 0 0 10 10 10 10 Sandpoint 46 75 45 78 47 79 / 0 0 10 10 10 10 Kellogg 46 76 48 77 48 77 / 10 10 10 30 20 30 Moses Lake 55 83 56 85 56 83 / 0 0 10 10 20 30 Wenatchee 56 83 60 84 59 82 / 10 10 10 10 20 50 Omak 49 83 50 84 53 83 / 0 0 10 10 10 40 && .OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ID...None. WA...None. && $$
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Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Spokane WA 256 PM PDT TUE MAY 19 2015 .SYNOPSIS... A mild, occasionally unsettled pattern will persist over the region through the week. While most of the region will remain dry, scattered showers and a few afternoon and evening thunderstorms will be possible mainly over a small portion of southeast Washington, north-central Idaho and near the Cascade crest. The chances of showers and thunderstorms will increase by Friday as a weak low pressure system drops into northwest Washington. Some of these thunderstorms could produce locally heavy rain near the Cascades. A shift toward cooler and wetter weather will move into the region for the upcoming holiday weekend. && .DISCUSSION... Tonight through Wednesday evening...A complex of upper level lows centered between the northern California Coast and northern Utah will persist through this period. Meanwhile a strong upper level high will remain fixed over eastern Montana. Most of our forecast area will feel the effects of the latter system with relatively dry air continuing to surge into our area from the northeast. This drier air will continue inhibit any deep convection over most of the Inland NW. The exceptions will continue to occur near the Cascade Crest and over extreme SE Washington and adjacent portions of the Idaho Panhandle. The latest visible and IR satellite imagery is showing convection over these areas as of early afternoon. The most developed convection was over extreme western Chelan County, near Stevens Pass, with a slow southwest movement exhibited. The HRRR has consistently suggested this activity will not become any more widespread with a tapering off by early evening. The other area where we could see some convection develop this evening would be over extreme southern Garfield and eastern Asotin Counties however satellite trends do not look promising. Once the convection dies off this evening it will remain dry through early Wednesday afternoon. Once again any convective activity will fire over the same areas we are seeing it today. The model instability parameters are on par with what we are seeing today, however the lack of significant upper level support will ensure that any convection we see will be spotty. Temperatures will remain above seasonal normals with most locations climbing into the mid 70s to mid 80s. fx Wednesday night through Friday evening: Little in the way of big changes are anticipated Wednesday and Thursday. Low pressure over the southwest portion of the U.S. will continue to draw up moisture into portions of southern WA and the southern and central ID Panhandle. This will keep the atmosphere unstable with the best instability over the northern Cascade Mtns, southeast WA and into the Central Panhandle Mtns. Even though the instability looks to be present there is a question of a trigger to get convection going either Wednesday or Thursday. Higher elevations will have less CIN to overcome and will see a better chance for convection to fire during the afternoon. The basin will have a harder time overcoming the capping inversion without kicker pushing through to generate lift. Thunderstorms that do develop will be slow moving and will likely contain heavy rainfall. By Friday: A shortwave trough of lower pressure will approach the region off of the eastern Pacific. This disturbance will provide good synoptic scale lift. The proximity of this disturbance to the northern Cascade Mtns will give this area the best chance for convection to fire off through the afternoon and into the evening. CAPE values off of the NAM and GFS top out at around 700-1000 J/KG; P-Wats will be up around 0.90 inches; and the steering flow will be 5-10 kts out of the south-southeast. All these factors coming together would pose a threat for slow moving and wet thunderstorms. There are some model differences, but the GFS, NAM, and Canadian models show general agreement with the potential for heavy rain along the east slopes of the Northern Cascades. The ECMWF is less unstable and does not show as high of a threat. I decided to lean more away from the 12Z ECMWF model guidance in favor of the better agreement between the GFS, NAM and Canadian model guidance. The main concern will be for the possibility of Flash Flooding and/or Debris Flows. Recent burn scar locations will be most susceptible, but the threat will not only be limited to these locations. Specifics in where the heaviest rain will fall is uncertain at this time. This leads to moderate to high confidence in the possibility for scattered thunderstorm activity over this area, but low confidence in any actual impacts occurring. This situation will need to be monitored with future updates as the event approaches. The threat of thunderstorms will spread eastward into Friday evening. The southeast portion of the the forecast area will be another prime location for instability and will see a good chance for thunderstorms. Models are more uncertain about the northwestern portion of the region with questions regarding instability and lift. Temperatures will be warm and above normal through the latter half of the work week. Temperatures are expected to peak Thursday and Friday with some locations potentially reaching 80s for the first time this season. /SVH Friday night through Tuesday...Confidence is growing that there will be a wet event during the holiday weekend but medium range models are not playing well with others. Both the GFS and ECMWF show an upper level low moving through the region but there remain significant differences in the track of the low as well as some timing issues. The GFS seems to have more run-to-run consistency so for now the forecast will lean toward that solution. PoPs have been raised to likely category for a chunk of the forecast area for the Friday night/Saturday period. Until models show a trend toward consensus, the Saturday night/Sunday period will stay within the chance category and the remainder of the extended period will trend near climo PoPs. The eventual track of the low will determine where the heaviest precipitation will fall but with Pwats hovering around an inch, it should be a decent wetting rain. Some afternoon/evening thunderstorms will be possible through the weekend, but for now we will keep a broad brush slight chance thunder across the entire forecast area during peak heating. Temperatures will be on a cooling trend for the weekend, with areas of precipitation dictating where the coolest daytime temps will be. /Kelch && .AVIATION... 18Z TAFS: Dry northeast flow will deliver VFR conditions to all forecast sites. There will be a small chance of -shra that could develop over extreme SE WA/NC ID and an westward drift could move them close enough to LWS to warrant the mention of vcsh in their forecast. The HRRR keeps this threat through 04-06z or so. After that we should see any chance of convection move out of that area with VFR conditions prevailing. fx && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Spokane 50 77 52 79 54 80 / 0 0 10 20 10 20 Coeur d`Alene 48 77 51 78 52 79 / 0 0 10 20 20 20 Pullman 48 76 51 76 50 74 / 10 10 10 30 40 40 Lewiston 54 81 56 81 57 80 / 20 10 20 30 40 50 Colville 49 80 51 83 51 84 / 0 0 10 10 10 10 Sandpoint 46 75 45 78 47 79 / 0 0 10 10 10 10 Kellogg 46 76 48 77 48 77 / 10 10 10 30 20 30 Moses Lake 55 83 56 85 56 83 / 0 0 10 10 20 30 Wenatchee 56 83 60 84 59 82 / 10 10 10 10 20 50 Omak 49 83 50 84 53 83 / 0 0 10 10 10 40 && .OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ID...None. WA...None. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GREEN BAY WI
550 PM CDT MON MAY 18 2015 UPDATED AVIATION PORTION FOR 00Z TAF ISSUANCE .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT AND TUESDAY ISSUED AT 235 PM CDT MON MAY 18 2015 THE LATEST RAP ANALYSIS AND SATELLITE/RADAR IMAGERY SHOW OCCLUDED LOW PRESSURE MOVING EAST OVER WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR. A VERY CHILLY AIRMASS FOR THIS TIME OF THE YEAR IS WRAPPING AROUND THE LOW AND GRADUALLY MOVING EAST OVER THE WESTERN HALF OF WISCONSIN. THE LOW STRATUS HAS MOVED VERY LITTLE EASTWARD SO FAR TODAY...BUT SHOULD GAIN SOME MOMENTUM THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AS THE COLDER AIR AT 850MB OVER TAKES IT. PLENTY OF OBS ARE REPORTING LIGHT RAIN/DRIZZLE...AND EVEN A FEW FLAKES UPSTREAM OVER NORTHWEST WISCONSIN AND NORTHERN MINNESOTA. AS THE COLDER AIR AND LIGHT PRECIP SPREAD ACROSS THE REGION...TEMPS AND PRECIP TRENDS ARE THE MAIN FORECAST CONCERNS. TONIGHT...OCCLUDED LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE EAST OVER LAKE SUPERIOR AND NORTHERN ONTARIO AND WEAKEN AT THE SAME TIME. AS WINDS SHIFT TO THE NORTHWEST...COLD ADVECTION WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE STATE THROUGH THE NIGHT...DROPPING 850MB TEMPS TO AROUND -8C TO -10C. DEEPER MOISTURE WILL BE ROTATING ACROSS NORTHERN WISCONSIN AND COMBINED WITH UPSLOPE FLOW OFF LAKE SUPERIOR AND UNSTABLE CONDITIONS...SHOULD SEE PERIODS OF LIGHT RAIN/DRIZZLE...MIXED WITH SNOW AT TIMES. TEMPERATURES WILL BE FALLING INTO THE 30-32 DEGREE RANGE OVER NORTHERN WISCONSIN FOR A FEW HOURS LATE TONIGHT. BUT AREAS OVER THE UPPER PENINSULA AND NORTHWEST WISCONSIN HAVE NOT OFFICIALLY STARTED THEIR GROWING SEASONS...SO WILL HIGHLIGHT THE COLD IN A SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT. ELSEWHERE...LOOK FOR A CLOUDY AND BLUSTERY NIGHT. TUESDAY...THERMAL TROUGHING AND FLOW OFF LAKE SUPERIOR ARGUE FOR A CLOUDY/MOSTLY CLOUDY START TO THE DAY. BUT SHOULD SEE CLOUDS GRADUALLY ERODE FROM SOUTHWEST THROUGH NORTHEAST THROUGH THE DAY AS CYCLONIC FLOW ABATES AND LOW LEVEL TEMPS MODERATE. LOWERED MAX TEMPS A DEGREE...AND WENT WITH HIGHS RANGING FROM THE MID 40S NORTH TO MID 50S SOUTH. .LONG TERM...TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY ISSUED AT 235 PM CDT MON MAY 18 2015 FROST/FREEZE HEADLINE POTENTIAL TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT... AND PCPN TRENDS FOR THE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND...ARE THE MAIN FCST CONCERNS. CANADIAN HIGH PRESSURE WILL BE RIDGED OVER THE WSTRN GREAT LAKES ON TUESDAY NIGHT...AND WILL BRING LIGHT WINDS TO THE FORECAST AREA. EXPECT SKIES TO BE MOSTLY CLEAR OVER NORTHERN WI...LEADING TO WIDESPREAD SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES. AVERAGE MIXING RATIOS OF 2.5 TO 3 G/KG SUPPORT THE POTENTIAL FOR MIN TEMPS AS COLD AS 20 TO 25 AT THE CLIMATOLOGICALLY FAVORED COLD SPOTS. HIGH CLOUDS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE OVER C/EC WI...ON THE ANTICYCLONIC SHEAR SIDE...AND WITHIN THE RRQ...OF A STRONG UPPER JET STREAK. WHILE THIS LIKELY WILL NOT PREVENT FROST DEVELOPMENT IN OUR SOUTHERN COUNTIES...IT SHOULD AT LEAST KEEP MOST PLACES ABOVE FREEZING. WILL NOT ISSUE ANY HEADLINES WITH THIS FORECAST PACKAGE...BUT FROST/FREEZE HEADLINES APPEAR IMMINENT. THE POTENTIAL FOR FROST WILL CONTINUE INTO WEDNESDAY NIGHT... BUT SHOULD SHIFT TO MAINLY NORTHERN WI...WHERE MIN TEMPS ARE EXPECTED TO DROP INTO THE LOWER TO MIDDLE 30S. A WEAK BACK DOOR COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO DROP SOUTH THROUGH THE REGION SOMETIME DURING THE WEDS NGT TO THU NGT PERIOD. THE GFS IS FOCUSING ON WEDS NGT/THU...WHILE THE ECMWF IS SLOWER AND BRINGS THE FRONT THROUGH THU AND EARLY THU NGT. A VERY DRY AIR MASS SHOULD PRECLUDE ANY PCPN DEVELOPMENT. CANADIAN HIGH PRESSURE WILL RETURN TO THE WSTRN GREAT LAKES FRIDAY...AND SHOULD HOLD ANY PCPN AT BAY THROUGH AT LEAST SATURDAY. A COLD FRONT/INVERTED SFC TROF AND UPPER TROF WILL IMPACT THE REGION FOR THE LATTER HALF OF THE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND...BUT TIMING DIFFERENCES ARE SIGNIFICANT BETWEEN THE MODELS. THE GFS HAS PCPN OVER THE REGION FROM SAT NGT THROUGH MONDAY...WITH THE HEAVIEST QPF FCST ON SUNDAY. THE ECMWF IS SLOWER...AND FOCUSES MOST OF THE PCPN DURING THE SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY PERIODS. DUE TO THE TIMING DIFFERENCES...HAVE BACKED OFF ON LIKELY POPS FOR ANY SPECIFIC PERIOD...BUT OVERALL TRENDS SUPPORT AT LEAST A PERIOD OR TWO OF MODERATE RAINFALL. SLIGHTLY BLO NORMAL TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED AT THE BEGINNING AND END OF THE EXTENDED PERIOD...WITH NEAR NORMAL READINGS FOR THE REST OF THE DAYS. && .AVIATION...FOR 00Z TAF ISSUANCE ISSUED AT 548 PM CDT MON MAY 18 2015 A MUCH COLDER AIR MASS WILL POUR ACROSS THE TAF SITES OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS. OCCASIONAL RAIN SHOWERS...DRIZZLE AND A SNOW SHOWER OR TWO ARE LIKELY ACROSS NORTH-CENTRAL WISCONSIN TONIGHT AS DEEPER MOISTURE MOVES OVERHEAD. OTHERWISE...WINDS WILL VEER TO THE NORTHWEST TONIGHT AND REMAIN GUSTY. BROKEN MVFR CIGS WILL SPREAD EAST INTO EASTERN WISCONSIN LATER THIS EVENING AND HANG AROUND INTO TUESDAY MORNING. COOL DRY HIGH PRESSURE SETTLING INTO THE GREAT LAKES REGION WILL PRODUCE VFR CIGS LATER TUESDAY. && .GRB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM.....MPC LONG TERM......KIECKBUSCH AVIATION.......TDH
FORECAST DISCUSSION FOR ROUTINE AFTERNOON FORECAST ISSUANCE

.SHORT TERM...TONIGHT AND TUESDAY ISSUED AT 235 PM CDT MON MAY 18 2015 THE LATEST RAP ANALYSIS AND SATELLITE/RADAR IMAGERY SHOW OCCLUDED LOW PRESSURE MOVING EAST OVER WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR. A VERY CHILLY AIRMASS FOR THIS TIME OF THE YEAR IS WRAPPING AROUND THE LOW AND GRADUALLY MOVING EAST OVER THE WESTERN HALF OF WISCONSIN. THE LOW STRATUS HAS MOVED VERY LITTLE EASTWARD SO FAR TODAY...BUT SHOULD GAIN SOME MOMENTUM THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AS THE COLDER AIR AT 850MB OVER TAKES IT. PLENTY OF OBS ARE REPORTING LIGHT RAIN/DRIZZLE...AND EVEN A FEW FLAKES UPSTREAM OVER NORTHWEST WISCONSIN AND NORTHERN MINNESOTA. AS THE COLDER AIR AND LIGHT PRECIP SPREAD ACROSS THE REGION...TEMPS AND PRECIP TRENDS ARE THE MAIN FORECAST CONCERNS. TONIGHT...OCCLUDED LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE EAST OVER LAKE SUPERIOR AND NORTHERN ONTARIO AND WEAKEN AT THE SAME TIME. AS WINDS SHIFT TO THE NORTHWEST...COLD ADVECTION WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE STATE THROUGH THE NIGHT...DROPPING 850MB TEMPS TO AROUND -8C TO -10C. DEEPER MOISTURE WILL BE ROTATING ACROSS NORTHERN WISCONSIN AND COMBINED WITH UPSLOPE FLOW OFF LAKE SUPERIOR AND UNSTABLE CONDITIONS...SHOULD SEE PERIODS OF LIGHT RAIN/DRIZZLE...MIXED WITH SNOW AT TIMES. TEMPERATURES WILL BE FALLING INTO THE 30-32 DEGREE RANGE OVER NORTHERN WISCONSIN FOR A FEW HOURS LATE TONIGHT. BUT AREAS OVER THE UPPER PENINSULA AND NORTHWEST WISCONSIN HAVE NOT OFFICIALLY STARTED THEIR GROWING SEASONS...SO WILL HIGHLIGHT THE COLD IN A SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT. ELSEWHERE...LOOK FOR A CLOUDY AND BLUSTERY NIGHT. TUESDAY...THERMAL TROUGHING AND FLOW OFF LAKE SUPERIOR ARGUE FOR A CLOUDY/MOSTLY CLOUDY START TO THE DAY. BUT SHOULD SEE CLOUDS GRADUALLY ERODE FROM SOUTHWEST THROUGH NORTHEAST THROUGH THE DAY AS CYCLONIC FLOW ABATES AND LOW LEVEL TEMPS MODERATE. LOWERED MAX TEMPS A DEGREE...AND WENT WITH HIGHS RANGING FROM THE MID 40S NORTH TO MID 50S SOUTH. .LONG TERM...TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY ISSUED AT 235 PM CDT MON MAY 18 2015 FROST/FREEZE HEADLINE POTENTIAL TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT... AND PCPN TRENDS FOR THE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND...ARE THE MAIN FCST CONCERNS. CANADIAN HIGH PRESSURE WILL BE RIDGED OVER THE WSTRN GREAT LAKES ON TUESDAY NIGHT...AND WILL BRING LIGHT WINDS TO THE FORECAST AREA. EXPECT SKIES TO BE MOSTLY CLEAR OVER NORTHERN WI...LEADING TO WIDESPREAD SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES. AVERAGE MIXING RATIOS OF 2.5 TO 3 G/KG SUPPORT THE POTENTIAL FOR MIN TEMPS AS COLD AS 20 TO 25 AT THE CLIMATOLOGICALLY FAVORED COLD SPOTS. HIGH CLOUDS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE OVER C/EC WI...ON THE ANTICYCLONIC SHEAR SIDE...AND WITHIN THE RRQ...OF A STRONG UPPER JET STREAK. WHILE THIS LIKELY WILL NOT PREVENT FROST DEVELOPMENT IN OUR SOUTHERN COUNTIES...IT SHOULD AT LEAST KEEP MOST PLACES ABOVE FREEZING. WILL NOT ISSUE ANY HEADLINES WITH THIS FORECAST PACKAGE...BUT FROST/FREEZE HEADLINES APPEAR IMMINENT. THE POTENTIAL FOR FROST WILL CONTINUE INTO WEDNESDAY NIGHT... BUT SHOULD SHIFT TO MAINLY NORTHERN WI...WHERE MIN TEMPS ARE EXPECTED TO DROP INTO THE LOWER TO MIDDLE 30S. A WEAK BACK DOOR COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO DROP SOUTH THROUGH THE REGION SOMETIME DURING THE WEDS NGT TO THU NGT PERIOD. THE GFS IS FOCUSING ON WEDS NGT/THU...WHILE THE ECMWF IS SLOWER AND BRINGS THE FRONT THROUGH THU AND EARLY THU NGT. A VERY DRY AIR MASS SHOULD PRECLUDE ANY PCPN DEVELOPMENT. CANADIAN HIGH PRESSURE WILL RETURN TO THE WSTRN GREAT LAKES FRIDAY...AND SHOULD HOLD ANY PCPN AT BAY THROUGH AT LEAST SATURDAY. A COLD FRONT/INVERTED SFC TROF AND UPPER TROF WILL IMPACT THE REGION FOR THE LATTER HALF OF THE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND...BUT TIMING DIFFERENCES ARE SIGNIFICANT BETWEEN THE MODELS. THE GFS HAS PCPN OVER THE REGION FROM SAT NGT THROUGH MONDAY...WITH THE HEAVIEST QPF FCST ON SUNDAY. THE ECMWF IS SLOWER...AND FOCUSES MOST OF THE PCPN DURING THE SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY PERIODS. DUE TO THE TIMING DIFFERENCES...HAVE BACKED OFF ON LIKELY POPS FOR ANY SPECIFIC PERIOD...BUT OVERALL TRENDS SUPPORT AT LEAST A PERIOD OR TWO OF MODERATE RAINFALL. SLIGHTLY BLO NORMAL TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED AT THE BEGINNING AND END OF THE EXTENDED PERIOD...WITH NEAR NORMAL READINGS FOR THE REST OF THE DAYS. && .AVIATION...FOR 18Z TAF ISSUANCE ISSUED AT 1207 PM CDT MON MAY 18 2015 A MUCH COLDER AIRMASS WILL FILTER ACROSS THE TAF SITES OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS. OCCASIONAL RAIN SHOWERS...DRIZZLE...AND A SNOW SHOWER OR TWO ARE LIKELY ACROSS NORTH-CENTRAL WISCONSIN TONIGHT AS DEEPER MOISTURE MOVES OVERHEAD. OTHERWISE...WINDS WILL VEER TO THE NORTHWEST TONIGHT AND REMAIN GUSTY. BROKEN MVFR CIGS WILL SPREAD EAST INTO EASTERN WISCONSIN THIS EVENING AND LOOK TO HANG AROUND THROUGH THE END OF THE TAF PERIOD. && .GRB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM.....MPC LONG TERM......KIECKBUSCH AVIATION.......MPC
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GREEN BAY WI
1136 PM CDT SUN MAY 17 2015 UPDATED AVIATION PORTION FOR 06Z TAF ISSUANCE .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 608 PM CDT SUN MAY 17 2015 STORMS HAVE DIMINISHED IN INTENSITY AND COVERAGE THE LAST FEW HOURS OVER THE FORECAST AREA. MESO DATA SUGGESTS THE REGION OF POTENTIAL NEW DEVELOPMENT OF STORMS LIKELY OVER THE NORTHWEST HALF OF THE STATE...INCLUDING PARTS OF CENTRAL AND NORTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN WITH THE BEST SHEAR VALUES...AND STEEP SURFACE LAPSE RATES. ANTICIPATE THE SURFACE LAPSE RATES TO BE ON THE DECLINE THE NEXT FEW HOURS...SO THE THREAT OF STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS SHOULD LESSON. SPIRALING BANDS OF CONVECTION OVER EASTERN MINNESOTA AND FAR WESTERN WISCONSIN CLOSER TO THE LOW PRESSURE AREA OVER NORTHERN MINNESOTA MAY ROTATE INTO THIS ENVIRONMENT AND INTENSIFY OVER NORTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN THIS EVENING. && .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT AND MONDAY ISSUED AT 229 PM CDT SUN MAY 17 2015 THE LATEST RAP ANALYSIS AND SATELLITE/RADAR IMAGERY SHOW AN OCCLUDED LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM SPINNING OVER THE EASTERN DAKOTAS. SHORTWAVES ARE ROTATING NORTHWARD AHEAD OF THIS OCCLUDED CYCLONE...THE STRONGEST OF WHICH IS LOCATED OVER EASTERN IOWA. A PWAT AXIS IS MOVING ACROSS WISCONSIN EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...WHICH COMBINED WITH MOISTURE CONVERGENCE...IS CONTRIBUTING TO SCATTERED SHOWER DEVELOPMENT OVER CENTRAL WISCONSIN. CLOUD COVER HAS SIGNIFICANTLY SLOWED THE HEATING CURVE SO FAR TODAY...KEEPING ML CAPES BELOW 200 J/KG. WITH SHOWER COVERAGE EXPECT TO INCREASE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON...IT WILL BE TOUGH TO SEE MUCH OF AN INCREASE OF INSTABILITY. STILL THOUGH...RADAR ECHOES SUGGEST SOME THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE...AND ANY STORMS COULD BRING DOWN STRONG WINDS FROM ALOFT. WILL HAVE TO KEEP A MENTION OF ISOLATED DAMAGING WINDS THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING. OTHERWISE...THE LATEST HRRR CONGEALS THE SHOWER ACTIVITY INTO BAND AND PROGRESSES IT ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA FOR THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON. TONIGHT...LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE EAST ACROSS NORTHERN MINNESOTA...WHILE A COLD FRONT WILL PUSH EAST THROUGH ALL BUT FAR EASTERN WISCONSIN OVERNIGHT. THOUGH SHORTWAVE ENERGY WILL BE ROTATING NORTHEAST OVER NORTHWEST WISCONSIN THROUGH THE EVENING...CONCERNED THAT STRONG DRYING AND INCREASING CAPPING IN THE MID-LEVELS WILL EVEN FURTHER LIMIT THUNDERSTORM POTENTIAL FOR THE FIRST COUPLE HOURS IN THE EVENING. WILL KEEP A MENTION OF ISOLATED DAMAGING WINDS THROUGH 02Z IN CASE SOME THUNDERSTORMS MAKE A RUN INTO N-C WISCONSIN FROM MINNESOTA. ONCE THE THREAT OF STORMS ENDS...MODELS SHOW CLEARING TAKING PLACE UNTIL LOW CLOUDS FLOOD EAST BEHIND THE COLD FRONT LATE TONIGHT. LOW TEMPS NEAR 60 OVER THE EAST...BUT COOLING TO NEAR 50 OVER THE WEST. MONDAY...OCCLUDED LOW PRESSURE WILL BE WEAKENING AS IT MOVES TO THE EAST ACROSS LAKE SUPERIOR. WEST WINDS ON THE SOUTHERN FLANK OF THE LOW WILL BE COLD ADVECTING THROUGH THE DAY...WHILE PUSHING IN WRAP AROUND MOISTURE. SHOULD SEE AMPLE CLOUD COVER OVER CENTRAL AND NORTH-CENTRAL WISCONSIN THROUGH THE DAY...BUT EAST-CENTRAL WISCONSIN WILL LIKELY SEE SOME SUN IN THE MORNING BEFORE CLOUDS INCREASE IN THE AFTERNOON. WITH THE SUNSHINE...TEMPS SHOULD WARM TO NEAR 70 IN THE EAST...BUT ONLY INTO THE MID AND UPPER 50S OVER THE WEST. .LONG TERM...MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY ISSUED AT 229 PM CDT SUN MAY 17 2015 MUCH COOLER TEMPERATURES FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THE WORK WEEK...DRY AND MILDER CONDITIONS FOR THE LATTER HALF...AND A POSSIBLE RETURN TO WET WEATHER LATER IN THE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND...ARE THE MAIN FCST CONCERNS. THE REMNANTS OF THE UPPER LOW WILL TRACK ACROSS NORTHERN LAKE SUPERIOR ON MONDAY NIGHT...FOLLOWED BY A S/W TROF PASSING NORTH OF WI ON TUESDAY. UNSEASONABLY COLD AIR (H8 TEMPS -8 TO -10 C) WILL FLOW INTO THE REGION ON NNW WINDS...SETTING THE STAGE FOR SOME LAKE-ENHANCED SHOWERS OVER NC WI. LOW-LEVEL TEMPS AND THICKNESSES SUPPORT A MIX THEN CHANGEOVER TO SNOW LATE MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY MORNING...WITH LITTLE OR NO ACCUMULATION EXPECTED. ANY LINGERING PCPN SHOULD END TUESDAY AFTERNOON AS CANADIAN HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO THE REGION. HIGH PRESSURE WILL COVER THE AREA TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY. STILL EXPECTING FROST TUESDAY NIGHT...BUT GETTING A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF THICKER HIGH LEVEL CLOUDS...DUE TO THE PRESENCE OF A STRONG JET STREAK OVER THE REGION. RIGHT NOW...HAVE JUST BUMPED UP CLOUD COVER A BIT OVER C/EC WI...BUT KEPT MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES OVER NORTHERN WI. WILL CONTINUE TO CARRY WIDESPREAD FROST OR FREEZE CONDITIONS OVER NORTHERN WI...AND PATCHY FROST OVER MOST OF C/EC WI. A WEAK BACK DOOR COLD FRONT WILL SAG THROUGH THE FORECAST AREA THURSDAY INTO THURSDAY NIGHT...BUT WILL NOT HAVE ANY MOISTURE TO WORK WITH...SO DRY WEATHER WILL PREVAIL. BEHIND THE FRONT...CANADIAN HIGH PRESSURE WILL REESTABLISH ITSELF OVER THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES...AND IS EXPECTED TO LINGER INTO SATURDAY. ABUNDANT SUNSHINE SHOULD BRING A RETURN TO NEAR NORMAL TEMPERATURES FOR THE LATTER HALF OF THE WEEK. AN UPPER TROF...LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT WILL IMPACT THE REGION FROM SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY. GULF MOISTURE IS EXPECTED TO FLOW INTO THE REGION AHEAD OF THE FRONT...WITH PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES REACHING 1.00-1.25 INCHES. HAVE RAMPED POPS UP TO LIKELY FOR SUNDAY. THE ECMWF PULLS MOST OF THE PCPN OUT OF THE REGION SUNDAY EVG...WHILE THE GFS HANGS ONTO SIGNIFICANT QPF INTO MEMORIAL DAY...SO FCST CONFIDENCE WANES BEYOND SUNDAY. && .AVIATION...FOR 06Z TAF ISSUANCE ISSUED AT 1135 PM CDT SUN MAY 17 2015 LAST OF THE SHOWERS WERE DEPARTING FAR NORTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN LATE THIS EVENING. OTHERWISE VFR CONDITIONS TO PREVAIL OVERNIGHT ALONG WITH LLWS CONDITIONS. LLWS CONDITIONS WILL END MONDAY MORNING BUT BLUSTERY WEST SURFACE WINDS WILL DEVELOP. WRAP AROUND MVFR CIGS DUE TO THE DEPARTING UPPER LOW SYSTEM WILL BEGIN TO WORK INTO CENTRAL AND NORTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN MONDAY MORNING. CIGS WILL CONTINUE TO WORK INTO EASTERN AREAS BUT WILL MORE OF THE LOWER END VFR CIGS. && .GRB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ UPDATE.........TDH SHORT TERM.....MPC LONG TERM......KIECKBUSCH AVIATION.......TDH
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LITTLE ROCK AR
417 AM CDT WED MAY 20 2015 .SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAS CONTINUED TO PUSH EASTWARD AND INTO THE AREA DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. SO FAR RAINFALL RATES EXCEEDING ONE TO TWO INCHES PER HOUR HAVE BEEN SEEN ACROSS WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE CWA. HRRR...ARW...NMM HAVE ALL HAD A GOOD HANDLE ON THE SYSTEM TONIGHT AND DO AGREE THAT THE SYSTEM WILL WEAKEN BY MIDMORNING. DO BELIEVE SOME DRIER AIR WILL FILTER INTO WESTERN ARKANSAS...BUT AT THIS TIME ONLY THE HRRR COMPLETELY DRIES THINGS OUT DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS. DID CONTINUE WITH CHANCE POPS DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS FOR MUCH OF THE CWA...BUT THIS WILL NEED TO CONTINUE TO BE MONITORED AND UPDATED AS NEEDED. FRONT IS EXPECTED TO CLEAR THE STATE BY 00Z AND WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH SOUTH AND REMAIN ACROSS LOUISIANA. FOR THE MOST PART...THURSDAY WILL REMAIN DRY FOR MUCH OF THE STATE...WITH SOME PRECIP CHANCES REMAINING ACROSS SOUTHERN ARKANSAS. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN BRIEFLY BEFORE PRECIPITATION CHANCES RETURN TO THE FORECAST ON FRIDAY. MODELS HAVE COME IN BETTER AGREEMENT WITH THE PRECIP ON FRIDAY...BUT IT LOOKS LIKE PRECIPITATION CHANCES WILL REMAIN GENERALLY ACROSS WESTERN ARKANSAS. UNSETTLED WEATHER WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE WEEKEND WITH A LONGWAVE TROUGH ACROSS THE WESTERN CONUS. && .LONG TERM...SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY MODEL DATA THIS MRNG CONT TO INDC AN UNSETTLED WX PATTERN WL PERSIST ACRS THE REGION TO CLOSE OUT THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND. AN UPR RDG WL SET UP OVR THE SOUTHEASTERN STATES...RESULTING IN A SWLY FLOW ALOFT ACRS AR. A SERIES OF IMPULSES WL TRACK NEWD AND BRING CONTD CHCS OF SHRA/TSRA EACH DAY. KEPT POPS IN THE CHC CAT FOR NOW AS TIMING OF EACH SHRTWV WL RMN DIFFICULT THIS FAR IN ADVANCE. HVY RAIN POTENTIAL WL ALSO BE A CONCERN THRU THE PD...ALONG WITH THE CONTD THREAT OF FLOODING. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... BATESVILLE AR 68 52 68 51 / 70 30 10 10 CAMDEN AR 86 63 73 59 / 70 40 20 10 HARRISON AR 70 49 66 50 / 70 20 10 10 HOT SPRINGS AR 83 62 71 56 / 70 30 20 10 LITTLE ROCK AR 81 60 71 56 / 70 30 20 10 MONTICELLO AR 85 63 71 57 / 70 30 20 10 MOUNT IDA AR 83 59 70 54 / 70 30 20 10 MOUNTAIN HOME AR 67 49 68 51 / 70 20 10 10 NEWPORT AR 70 52 67 51 / 70 40 10 10 PINE BLUFF AR 83 61 70 56 / 70 30 20 10 RUSSELLVILLE AR 80 58 71 55 / 70 20 20 10 SEARCY AR 76 57 69 51 / 70 40 10 10 STUTTGART AR 79 58 70 54 / 70 40 20 10 && .LZK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...65 / LONG TERM...44
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS TOPEKA KS
332 AM CDT Wed May 20 2015 .SHORT TERM...(Today and Tonight) Issued at 331 AM CDT WED MAY 20 2015 Mid/upper level trough currently lifting northeastward over SD and NE, and will eventually merge with energy tracking over the upper Midwest. An expansive area of light to moderate rain will move across northeast KS early this morning, which is supported by upper level forcing associated with the trough and low level frontogenesis. Most of the forcing is forecast to continue eastward and mainly exiting the area around 12Z. There are indications that light rain showers and or drizzle could linger through the early afternoon hours after the mid/upper levels dry out. Both RAP and NAM soundings show steep low level lapse rates coinciding with saturation along with weak lift. This could be enough to generate these light showers and or drizzle. Although these models also suggest isentropic downglide on the backside of the wave so very little precip accumulations are expected after 12Z. Clouds will stick around most of the day and northerly flow will keep temperatures from warming up much, therefore highs will generally be in the mid 50s. Surface high pressure will build into the region tonight and clouds may begin to scatter out as the drier air filters southward. As surface winds begin to lighten and temperatures cool there is a chance fog could develop especially given the recent rainfall. Temperatures are expected to drop into the low to mid 40s with a few isolated locations in the upper 30s. .LONG TERM...(Thursday through Tuesday) Issued at 331 AM CDT WED MAY 20 2015 Thursday through Thursday night, A surface ridge of high pressure over eastern KS will shift east into MO by Friday morning. An upper level trough will move onshore across southern CA. Expect mostly sunny skies on Thursday with highs reaching the mid 60s. Thursday night will be a bit warmer as the center of the surface ridge moves east into MO, allowing light winds to become southerly. Lows Friday morning will only drop into the mid to upper 40s. High and mid level clouds will increase late Thursday night. Friday through Monday, The upper trough over southern CA will slowly drift northeast into western CO and slowly fill. Southwest flow aloft across the central Rockies will cause a surface lee trough to deepen across the central and southern high plains. Deeper gulf moisture will gradually be advected northward into the southern plains Friday afternoon. The resulting isentropic lift ahead of the deeper moisture return combined with any ascent from minor H5 troughs embedded within the southern stream of the H5 jet will provide an increasing chance for showers and isolated thunderstorms during the day Friday and into the Friday evening. The ECMWF shows a brief amplification of the main H5 trough across AZ. This may amplify a downstream H5 ridge across the southern plains which may provide a break from the showers and thunderstorms across eastern KS on Saturday. Due to cloud cover and increasing rain chances on Friday, highs will only reach the mid 60s. If we see more insolation on Saturday highs will reach the lower 70s. Saturday night through Sunday night, the Upper trough will fill as it lifts northeast into western CO. The southern stream H5 ridge will shift east across the Gulf coast states. Embedded shortwave trough combined with deeper moisture advection will cause periods of showers and thunderstorms to develop. The mid level flow will weaken below 40 KTS. The weaker vertical wind shear should prevent organized storms updrafts. Also, the instability may be lower due to the cloud cover. I don`t expect severe thunderstorms this weekend. The primary hazard may be occasional heavy rainfall. Highs on Sunday will reach the mid 70s Monday (Memorial Day), The ECMWF and GEM forecast a slightly more amplified H5 trough to move northeast from southwest TX into central OK. The better ascent ahead of this trough will be across northern TX and southern OK. Both models do not forecast much in the way of QPF during the day. The showers and thunderstorms may increase Monday night as the H5 trough lifts northeast into western MO. Highs on Monday should reach the mid 70s Tuesday, the H5 trough across western MO will lift northeast into eastern IA and IL. We may see a break in the precip. The GFS is slower moving the H5 trough northeast across MO and forecast higher QPF across eastern KS on Tuesday. Looks a bit warmer on Tuesday as 16 to 18 degree C 850mb temps advect northeast across the CWA. Highs should reach into the upper 70s to around 80. && .AVIATION...(For the 06Z TAFs through 06Z Wednesday Night) Issued at 1127 PM CDT TUE MAY 19 2015 Drier air behind the departing wave has allowed the lower categories to remain west of terminals thus far. Short term guidance is still trending with the showers west of KMHK to track east through 11Z. Confidence is decent in MVFR ceilings, however IFR is a bit more uncertain at KTOP/KFOE, with the better chances for a heavier shower and therefore the lower ceilings to impact KMHK. Ceilings gradually recover back to high end MVFR by the afternoon as northerly winds hover near 10 kts throughout the period. && .TOP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...Sanders LONG TERM...Gargan AVIATION...Bowen
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS PADUCAH KY
318 AM CDT WED MAY 20 2015 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 316 AM CDT WED MAY 20 2015 TIGHTER ZONAL GRADIENT DEVELOPS TODAY IN THE WAKE OF THE DEPARTING AND DAMPENING LOW/MIDDLE LEVEL RIDGE. COMBINED WITH SLIGHTLY STRONGER VORTICITY IN MINOR LOW AMPLITUDE NORTH-SOUTH SHORTWAVE SHOULD PROVIDE SUFFICIENT LIFT FOR SHOWER ACTIVITY. STILL BELIEVE THE ANTECEDENT CLOUD COVER AND COOLER BOUNDARY LAYER TEMPERATURES IN NORTHERLY/NORTHEASTERLY WOULD PROVIDE SUFFICIENT LIFT FOR SHOWER GENERATION. OVERALL INSTABILITY ALOFT WILL BE ENOUGH TO SUPPORTED LIMITED THUNDERSTORM CHANCES ALONG THE SOUTHERN 1/3 OF THE WFO PAH FORECAST AREA. THE EXTENT OF CLOUD COVER AND NORTH/NORTHEASTERLY COOL/DRY FLOW FROM THE DEPARTING RIDGE WILL DETERMINE THE EASTWARD MOVEMENT OF THE PRECIPITATION TODAY AND THIS EVENING ACROSS THE WFO PAH FORECAST AREA. THE HRRR AND GFS GUIDANCE SUPPORT A MORE PROGRESSIVE AND FASTER SCENARIO, BUT WITH LESSER RESIDENCE TIME FOR INSTABILITY ACROSS THE AREA. BLENDED THIS GUIDANCE WITH EXISTING FORECAST. BEYOND TONIGHT...DRY CONDITIONS SHOULD RETURN TO THE FORECAST AREA THROUGH NEARLY ALL OF FRIDAY NIGHT. .LONG TERM...(SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 316 AM CDT WED MAY 20 2015 ABOVE AVERAGE FORECAST CONFIDENCE IN THE LONG TERM WITH MODELS SHOWING MINOR DISAGREEMENTS. AT THE BEGINNING OF THE LONG TERM PERIOD...AN H5 RIDGE IN PLACE OVER THE REGION BEGINS TO FLATTEN AND SHIFT EASTWARD ALLOWING DEEPER MOISTURE AND A SERIES OF UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES TO SPREAD PRECIPITATION CHANCES EASTWARD ACROSS THE REGION. AS THE RIDGE AXIS SHIFTS FARTHER EASTWARD...PRECIPITATION CHANCES WILL GENERALLY INCREASE THROUGH THE LONG TERM PERIOD. TEMPERATURES SHOULD REMAIN AT OR ABOVE NORMAL THROUGH THE PERIOD. && .AVIATION... ISSUED AT 1157 PM CDT TUE MAY 19 2015 NORTH/NORTHEAST WINDS AND VFR CONDITIONS INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING. A WEAKENING SURFACE LOW/TROUGH WILL PASS EAST TO THE SOUTH OF THE AREA THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS. SHRA/RA WILL BE ACCOMPANY IT THROUGH THE REGION. NOT SURE HOW FAST SATURATION WILL OCCUR...BUT IT SHOULD BE QUICKER AND RESULT IN LOWER CONDITIONS AT KCGI AND KPAH THAN AT KEVV AND KOWB. THE WORST CONDITIONS IN BR/DZ WILL BE BEHIND THE MORE SIGNIFICANT RAINS INTO THE EVENING. WENT AS LOW AS IFR CONDITIONS IN THE EVENING IN THE SOUTHWEST...BUT KEPT IT AT MVFR IN THE NORTHEAST. TRIED TO STAY ON THE OPTIMISTIC SIDE OF GUIDANCE...SO LOWER CONDITIONS CANNOT BE RULED OUT. && .PAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IL...NONE. MO...NONE. IN...NONE. KY...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...SMITH LONG TERM...JP AVIATION...DRS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS STATE COLLEGE PA
258 AM EDT WED MAY 20 2015 .SYNOPSIS... A SEASONABLY COOL AND MAINLY DRY WEATHER PATTERN WILL CONTINUE INTO WEEKEND...FOLLOWED BY A GRADUAL WARMING TREND WITH UNSETTLED CONDITIONS RETURNING EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... IR STLT SHOWS A PRETTY SOLID STRATOCUMULS CLOUD SHIELD COVERING THE WRN 1/2 OF THE CWA EARLY THIS MORNING. THERE HAS EVEN BEEN SOME LIGHT RAIN/SPRINKLES REPORTED AT BFD/OLE IN COOL UPSLOPE NW FLOW REGIME. THE LOW CLOUDS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH A 850MB COOL POOL ALOFT WHICH IS FCST TO MODERATE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. WITH NO SIGNIFICANT WX EXPECTED ON DAY 1 THE SENSIBLE WX FCST CHALLENGES INVOLVE T/TD...SKY...WINDS AND RH VALUES WITH PERHAPS SOME MARGINAL FIRE WX CONCERNS. WILL TAKE CLOSER LOOK AT THIS WITH THE NEXT UPDATE...BUT FOR NOW LEANED ON THE HRRR WHICH HAS SUBJECTIVELY PERFORMED BETTER THAN THE BLENDED MODEL DATA WITH DEWPOINTS AND SUBSEQUENT RH/S. CLOUD COVER MAY BE CRITICAL KEEPING TEMPS LOWER AND THUS RH/S HIGHER. BREEZY AND NOTICEABLY COOLER WILL DESCRIBE TODAY QUITE WELL WITH HIGHS RUNNING 15 TO 20 DEGREES LOWER THAN YESTERDAY...AND ABOUT 5 TO 15 DEGREES BELOW LATE MAY CLIMATOLOGY. LOOK FOR CLOUDS TO INCREASE BY EARLY TONIGHT IN ADVANCE OF SHORTWAVE TROUGH TRACKING THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES EMBEDDED WITHIN LARGE SCALE UPPER TROUGH ANCHORING THE NORTHEASTERN SECTOR OF THE CONTINENT. THE MODELS SEEM TO BE IN SLIGHTLY BETTER AGREEMENT IN POSSIBLE SHOWERS DEVELOPING OVER SOUTH-CENTRAL PA LATE TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY. THE PCPN ACTIVITY APPEARS TO BE TIED TO WAA DOWNSTREAM OF HEIGHT FALL CENTER REACHING THE UPPER OH VLY. AS A RESULT HAVE INCREASED POPS INTO THE LOW-MID CHC RANGE FOR THE SOUTH-CENTRAL ZONES WITH THE HIGHEST POPS ALONG THE MD BORDER. FINALLY...BLENDED MIN TEMPS ARE IN THE UPPER 30S OVER THE NW MTNS BUT THE OVERALL PATTERN AND EXPECTED CLOUD COVER DOES NOT REALLY SUPPORT FROST FORMATION. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... DAY 2/THURSDAY MAY END UP BEING THE COOLEST DAY OF THE WEEK AS LOW CLOUDS PERSIST FOR MUCH OF THE DAY ACROSS SOUTH-CENTRAL PA. GUIDANCE BLEND SUGGEST DAYTIME READINGS HOLDING IN THE 50S IN THE LAUREL HIGHLANDS. PCPN CHANCES SHOULD LINGER ALONG THE SRN TIER DURING THE DAY BEFORE DRIER AIR RETURNS TO CENTRAL PA BEHIND A WEAK FRONTAL PASSAGE THU NGT. WINDS SHOULD PICK UP SOME THU NIGHT BUT OVERALL EXPECT CLEARING SKIES FROM NW TO SE AND NO SIG WX. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... A WEAK SFC LOW IS FCST TO EMERGE OFF THE CAROLINAS INTO FRIDAY WITH SOME SPREAD IN THE GUIDANCE...OWING TO VARIABILITY IN THE HANDLING OF THE PARENT SHORTWAVE. A SECONDARY COLD FRONT SHOULD CROSS THE AREA ON FRIDAY FOLLOWED BY A REINFORCING SHOT OF COOL AIR. CONFIDENCE REMAINS ON THE LOW SIDE FOR FROST THU MORNING IN THE NORTH AS THE PATTERN DOES NOT LOOK FAVORABLE OR CONDUCIVE. CONFIDENCE IN FROST POTENTIAL IS MUCH HIGHER ON SATURDAY MORNING OVER THE NORTH-CNTRL ZONES WITH A LARGE AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE FCST TO SETTLE OVER CENTRAL PA. MAINTAINED FROST WORDING IN SOME NORTHERN ZONES. DRY WX SHOULD HOLD ON UNTIL EARLY NEXT WEEK AS THE UPPER RIDGE BUILDS AGAIN OVER THE ERN U.S. AN E-W FRONTAL BOUNDARY LOOKS TO BECOME A FOCUS FOR PCPN MON-TUE AS IT PIVOTS AND LIFTS NWD IN A SIMILAR FASHION TO THIS PAST WEEKEND. ALL GUIDANCE POINTS TO A GRADUAL WARMING TREND OVER THE WEEKEND...WITH EVEN MILDER AND MORE MUGGY CONDITIONS STARTING MEMORIAL DAY AND CONTINUING INTO NEXT WEEK. && .AVIATION /07Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... 11 PM UPDATE... THE AVIATION CONCERN OVERNIGHT AND INTO THE MONRING IS THE SHIELD OF MVFR CEILINGS THAT ARE SPREADING OVER CENTRAL AND NORTHWEST PA. CURRENTLY BFD AND JST ARE AT MVFR WITH BFD AT TIMES DOWN TO IFR IN LOW STRATOCU. EXPECT MVFR TO SPREAD TO AOO...UNV AND IPT. HOWEVER IFR IS LESS LIKELY CONSIDERING THE WINDS...BUT THIS DOWNSLOPE FLOW TO THE LOWER SUSQ SHOULD KEEP SKIES MAINLY SCATTERED AND VFR. THE PERSISTENT NORTHWESTERLY FLOW SHOULD KEEP ANY REDUCTION IN VSBYS. LOW CEILINGS WILL MIX OUT AND LIFT QUICKLY THIS MORNING LEAVING VFR CONDITIONS AT ALL SITES BY MID DAY. GUSTY WINDS WILL CONTINUE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 10-15 KT OVERNIGHT BEFORE INCREASING ONCE AGAIN WED TO 15-25 KT. HOWEVER AS THE WINDS SHIFT TO THE NORTH LATER IN THE DAY...THE GUSTS WILL SUBSIDE AND WINDS WILL DECREASE TO NEAR CALM BETWEEN 23Z TO 02Z THURSDAY. OUTLOOK... THU-FRI...NO SIG WX. SUN...MAINLY VFR...MVFR POSS IN SHRA/TSRA. && .CTP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...STEINBUGL NEAR TERM...STEINBUGL SHORT TERM...STEINBUGL LONG TERM...RXR/STEINBUGL AVIATION...LA CORTE/CERU
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS STATE COLLEGE PA
209 AM EDT WED MAY 20 2015 .SYNOPSIS... A SEASONABLY COOL AND MAINLY DRY WEATHER PATTERN WILL CONTINUE INTO WEEKEND...FOLLOWED BY A GRADUAL WARMING TREND WITH UNSETTLED CONDITIONS RETURNING EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... IR STLT SHOWS A PRETTY SOLID STRATOCUMULS CLOUD SHIELD COVERING THE WRN 1/2 OF THE CWA EARLY THIS MORNING. THERE HAS EVEN BEEN SOME LIGHT RAIN/SPRINKLES REPORTED AT BFD/OLE IN COOL UPSLOPE NW FLOW REGIME. THE LOW CLOUDS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH A 850MB COOL POOL ALOFT WHICH IS FCST TO MODERATE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. WITH NO SIGNIFICANT WX EXPECTED ON DAY 1 THE SENSIBLE WX FCST CHALLENGES INVOLVE T/TD...SKY...WINDS AND RH VALUES WITH PERHAPS SOME MARGINAL FIRE WX CONCERNS. WILL TAKE CLOSER LOOK AT THIS WITH THE NEXT UPDATE...BUT FOR NOW LEANED ON THE HRRR WHICH HAS SUBJECTIVELY PERFORMED BETTER THAN THE BLENDED MODEL DATA WITH DEWPOINTS AND SUBSEQUENT RH/S. CLOUD COVER MAY BE CRITICAL KEEPING TEMPS LOWER AND THUS RH/S HIGHER. BREEZY AND NOTICEABLY COOLER WILL DESCRIBE TODAY QUITE WELL WITH HIGHS RUNNING 15 TO 20 DEGREES LOWER THAN YESTERDAY...AND ABOUT 5 TO 15 DEGREES BELOW LATE MAY CLIMATOLOGY. LOOK FOR CLOUDS TO INCREASE BY EARLY TONIGHT IN ADVANCE OF SHORTWAVE TROUGH TRACKING THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES EMBEDDED WITHIN LARGE SCALE UPPER TROUGH ANCHORING THE NORTHEASTERN SECTOR OF THE CONTINENT. THE MODELS SEEM TO BE IN SLIGHTLY BETTER AGREEMENT IN POSSIBLE SHOWERS DEVELOPING OVER SOUTH-CENTRAL PA LATE TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY. THE PCPN ACTIVITY APPEARS TO BE TIED TO WAA DOWNSTREAM OF HEIGHT FALL CENTER REACHING THE UPPER OH VLY. AS A RESULT HAVE INCREASED POPS INTO THE LOW-MID CHC RANGE FOR THE SOUTH-CENTRAL ZONES WITH THE HIGHEST POPS ALONG THE MD BORDER. FINALLY...BLENDED MIN TEMPS ARE IN THE UPPER 30S OVER THE NW MTNS BUT THE OVERALL PATTERN AND EXPECTED CLOUD COVER DOES NOT REALLY SUPPORT FROST FORMATION. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... DAY 2/THURSDAY MAY END UP BEING THE COOLEST DAY OF THE WEEK AS LOW CLOUDS PERSIST FOR MUCH OF THE DAY ACROSS SOUTH-CENTRAL PA. GUIDANCE BLEND SUGGEST DAYTIME READINGS HOLDING IN THE 50S IN THE LAUREL HIGHLANDS. PCPN CHANCES SHOULD LINGER ALONG THE SRN TIER DURING THE DAY BEFORE DRIER AIR RETURNS TO CENTRAL PA BEHIND A WEAK FRONTAL PASSAGE THU NGT. WINDS SHOULD PICK UP SOME THU NIGHT BUT OVERALL EXPECT CLEARING SKIES FROM NW TO SE AND NO SIG WX. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... A WEAK SFC LOW IS FCST TO EMERGE OFF THE CAROLINAS INTO FRIDAY WITH SOME SPREAD IN THE GUIDANCE...OWING TO VARIABILITY IN THE HANDLING OF THE PARENT SHORTWAVE. A SECONDARY COLD FRONT SHOULD CROSS THE AREA ON FRIDAY FOLLOWED BY A REINFORCING SHOT OF COOL AIR. CONFIDENCE REMAINS ON THE LOW SIDE FOR FROST THU MORNING IN THE NORTH AS THE PATTERN DOES NOT LOOK FAVORABLE OR CONDUCIVE. CONFIDENCE IN FROST POTENTIAL IS MUCH HIGHER ON SATURDAY MORNING OVER THE NORTH-CNTRL ZONES WITH A LARGE AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE FCST TO SETTLE OVER CENTRAL PA. MAINTAINED FROST WORDING IN SOME NORTHERN ZONES. DRY WX SHOULD HOLD ON UNTIL EARLY NEXT WEEK AS THE UPPER RIDGE BUILDS AGAIN OVER THE ERN U.S. AN E-W FRONTAL BOUNDARY LOOKS TO BECOME A FOCUS FOR PCPN MON-TUE AS IT PIVOTS AND LIFTS NWD IN A SIMILAR FASHION TO THIS PAST WEEKEND. ALL GUIDANCE POINTS TO A GRADUAL WARMING TREND OVER THE WEEKEND...WITH EVEN MILDER AND MORE MUGGY CONDITIONS STARTING MEMORIAL DAY AND CONTINUING INTO NEXT WEEK. && .AVIATION /06Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... 11 PM UPDATE... A SHIELD OF MVFR CEILINGS HAS MOVED INTO THE LAURELS UP INTO THE NW MOUNTAINS...AND WILL KEEP CEILINGS IN THE 1500-4000` RANGE IN PLACE FOR MUCH OF THE OVERNIGHT. CEILINGS OF 3000-5000` MAY MAKE IT DOWN INTO THE AREA FROM ALTOONA TO STATE COLLEGE AND WILLIAMSPORT BUT DOWNSLOPE FLOW INTO THE LOWER SUSQ VALLEY SHOULD FAVOR MAINLY SCATTERED SKIES. LOW CEILINGS WILL MIX OUT AND LIFT QUICKLY WEDNESDAY MORNING LEAVING VFR CONDITIONS AT ALL SITES BY MID DAY. A GUSTY WIND WILL CONTINUE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 10-15 KT OVERNIGHT BEFORE INCREASING ONCE AGAIN WED TO 15-25 KT. OUTLOOK... THU-FRI...NO SIG WX. SUN...MAINLY VFR...MVFR POSS IN SHRA/TSRA. && .CTP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...STEINBUGL NEAR TERM...STEINBUGL SHORT TERM...STEINBUGL LONG TERM...RXR/STEINBUGL AVIATION...LA CORTE
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION FOR WESTERN SD AND NORTHEASTERN WY
NWS RAPID CITY SD
252 AM MDT WED MAY 20 2015 .SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT ISSUED AT 250 AM MDT WED MAY 20 2015 08Z SURFACE ANALYSIS HAD HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE DAKOTAS. WATER VAPOUR LOOP HAD UPPER LOW SPINNING OVER NORTH CENTRAL NE. DEFORMATION ZONE -RASN ACROSS SOUTHERN SD STARTING TO WANE AS MOISTURE PLUME IS CUTOFF AND MAIN FORCING SHIFTS NORTHEAST ON 90KT JET STREAK ACROSS THE MIDDLE MO RIVER VALLEY. FEW INCHES OF SNOW OVER THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS PER WEB CAMS/ROAD REPORTS SINCE TUESDAY AFTERNOON. 00Z NAM/GFS AND LATEST RAP SHOW PRECIPITATION WANING THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS WITH MOST SYNOPTIC SCALE ACTIVITY/LIFT DONE BY 18Z. LOW LEVEL INSTABILITY SUGGESTS A FEW POPCORN SHOWERS POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS THE FAR SOUTH GIVEN RESIDUAL LOW LEVEL MOISTURE...BUT DRIER AIR INFILTRATING BOUNDARY LAYER UNDER SURFACE HIGH MAY LIMIT ACTIVITY TO SPRINKLES/VIRGA. TEMPERATURES WILL COOL AND BE BELOW GUIDANCE ACROSS THE SOUTH BUT NEAR GUIDANCE ACROSS THE NORTH WHERE CLEARING SKIES WILL MAKE FOR A PLEASANT DAY...ALBEIT BELOW NORMAL. TONIGHT/THURSDAY...WEAK UPPER RIDGE BUILDS INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS AS SURFACE HIGH SHIFTS INTO THE MIDDLE MS RIVER VALLEY. FROST MAY OCCUR OVER PARTS OF THE SD PLAINS AND LATER SHIFTS WILL NEED TO ASSESS FOR HEADLINES. WEAK RETURN FLOW EXPECTED THURSDAY WITH WARM AIR ADVECTION PUSHING TEMPERATURES INTO THE 60S ON THE PLAINS AND 50S IN THE BLACK HILLS. THURSDAY NIGHT...UPPER FLOW BECOMES SOUTHWEST IN RESPONSE TO UPPER LOW/TROUGH OVER THE WEST COAST. SHORTWAVE MOVING THROUGH WY MAY PRODUCE SMALL POPS OVER THE FAR SOUTHWEST LATE. TEMPERATURES WILL BE NEAR GUIDANCE. .LONG TERM...FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY ISSUED AT 250 AM MDT WED MAY 20 2015 THE NEXT LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM TO EJECT OUT OF THE WESTERN CONUS TROF WILL BEGIN TO IMPACT THE AREA ON FRIDAY...WITH CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS INCREASING FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST ACROSS THE CWA INTO FRIDAY EVENING. MEDIUM RANGE MODELS SEEM TO BE IN BETTER AGREEMENT ON THE TRACK OF THE SYSTEM...WITH SOME DIFFERENCES ON TIMING AND WHERE HEAVIER RAINFALL MAY DEVELOP. THE BEST CHANCES FOR MORE WIDESPREAD PCPN STILL LOOK TO BE FROM LATE FRIDAY INTO SUNDAY MORNING...WITH THE THREAT FOR HEAVIEST RAINFALL GENERALLY BEING SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT. SATURDAY LOOKS TO BE THE MOST FAVORABLE DAY FOR STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS AS WELL... ESPECIALLY FROM THE BLACK HILLS AREA AND EASTWARD. AS THE SYSTEM WEAKENS TO THE NORTH AND EAST OF THE AREA LATE IN THE WEEKEND...SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT WILL REMAIN OVER THE REGION. THIS WILL KEEP THE UNSETTLED PATTERN CONTINUING INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. TEMPERATURES WILL STAY BELOW AVERAGE THROUGH THE WEEKEND WITH CLOUDS AND MOISTURE ACROSS THE AREA. WILL LIKELY SEE A WARMING TREND TO NEAR AVERAGE TEMPERATURES EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .AVIATION...FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z WEDNESDAY NIGHT ISSUED AT 250 AM MDT WED MAY 20 2015 LOW PRESSURE ALOFT WILL WEAKEN AND SHIFT EAST OF THE REGION THIS MORNING. LIGHT RAIN/SNOW WITH MVFR/IFR CONDITIONS OVER SOUTHERN SD AND PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST WY WILL CONTINUE EARLY THIS MORNING...WITH PCPN TAPERING OFF AND CONDITIONS IMPROVING TO VFR FROM NORTH TO SOUTH THROUGH THE REST OF THE MORNING AND MIDDAY HOURS. VFR CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST ACROSS NORTHWEST SD. && .UNR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SD...NONE. WY...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...HELGESON LONG TERM...26 AVIATION...26
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS SAN ANGELO TX
450 AM CDT Wed May 20 2015 .SHORT TERM... (Today and Tonight) This morning, a cool front extended across central and southwest Oklahoma and southwest to south of Lubbock. Also, a complex of thunderstorms (latest IR indicating warming cloud tops) was located across north Texas and southern Oklahoma or mainly along the Red River valley. Scattered showers and storms extended back west into Haskell and Throckmorton counties. For today, the cool front will make some progress south across West Central Texas to probably along a San Angelo to Brownwood line by 00Z. Looks like the best potential for thunderstorms will be in the warm sector across the southern half of the area, along and ahead of the front. All the models indicate at least scattered thunderstorms developing, with the high res HRRR the most aggressive. The combination of moderate instability and 0-6km shear values of 30-35 knots will lead to a few storms becoming severe during mainly this afternoon and evening. the main hazards will be large hail and damaging winds. The Big Country will probably see more stable conditions behind the front, so the severe weather concern is mainly low for the next 24 hours. Highs today will range from the upper 60s to lower 70s across the Northern Big Country to lower 80s along the I-10 corridor. For tonight, the scattered afternoon storms may form into an organized complex during this evening. However, there is some uncertainty on how and where the storms will organize. For now, will keep the likely Pops going across the southeast half of the area and chance Pops elsewhere. Locally heavy rainfall will be possible mainly due to PW values of 1.25 to 1.5 inches. Again, A few storms may be severe during the evening. The cool front should move south of the area after midnight and convection should begin to weaken some. .LONG TERM... (Thursday through Tuesday) ...Unsettled weather will continue through the Memorial Day Weekend... Cloudy and cool conditions will start off the extended period on Thursday, as the cold front remains stalled south of the area during the day. Temperatures will be well below normal for this time of year, with highs ranging from the upper 60s across the Big Country, to the middle 70s along the I-10 corridor. Best rain chances will be across the southern half of the forecast area during the day, but will ramp up areawide by Thursday night as a shortwave lifts northeast across the area. Southerly flow returns on Friday as the stalled front lifts back north as a warm front during the day. Temperatures will be warmer but still below normal, with highs mainly in the upper 70s and lower 80s. There will be a continued chance for showers and thunderstorms on Friday, with highest POPs across northern sections where aformentioned front is expected to lift north during the afternoon hours. Maintaining high POPs for next weekend as a short wave trough moves east from the Four Corners region on Saturday and across the southern Rockies by Sunday. This system will bring a threat of strong to severe storms and heavy rainfall potential to the area for the Memorial Day weekend. Precipitation chances will start to wane by early next week as weak short wave ridging develops in the wake of the departing upper trough. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Abilene 74 59 68 58 77 / 40 50 40 60 50 San Angelo 80 63 71 61 81 / 40 60 40 60 40 Junction 83 67 75 64 83 / 20 60 50 50 40 && .SJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ 21/24
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
426 AM CDT WED MAY 20 2015 .SHORT TERM (TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY)... AREA STREAMS AND RIVERS ARE HAVING A BRIEF PERIOD TO RECOVER THROUGH EARLY TODAY BEFORE A COLD FRONT ARRIVES TO TRIGGER NEW CONVECTION AND POSSIBLY RIVER RISES. MOST OF THE HIGHER RES MODELS GENERATE WHAT LOOKS TO BE STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS OVER THE WESTERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA WHERE THE COLD FRONT INTERACTS WITH HIGH EVENING CAPE VALUES AND LIGHT TO MODERATE SHEAR. WITH SPC MESO- ANALYSIS SHOWING HIGH PWAT VALUES OVER THE COMPLEX RIDING ALONG THE COLD FRONT OVER THE RED RIVER VALLEY EARLY THIS MORNING...WILL EXPECT A SIMILAR ENVIRONMENT SETTING UP FOR CENTRAL TX INTO THE WESTERN HILL COUNTRY THIS EVENING. THE PAST COUPLE RUNS OF THE NAM MODEL SEEM TO REFLECT A GOOD MIDDLE GROUND FROM THE HIGH RES CAMPS THAT SHOW EXTRA EMPHASIS OVER WESTERN COUNTIES AND OTHERS... INCLUDING RECENT HRRR RUNS...THAT KEEP THE CURRENT COMPLEX ALIVE AND MOVE IT INTO MAINLY CENTRAL AND EASTERN COUNTIES IN THE LATE AFTERNOON HOURS. IN THE FIRST OPERATIONAL PERIOD FOR TODAY...WILL FOLLOW A PORTION OF THE EASTERN SOLUTIONS OF HIGHER RES RUNS WITH THE EXPECTATION THAT SOME GRAVITY WAVE INDUCED SHOWER ACTIVITY TAPS INTO LOCALLY HIGHER PWAT VALUES. SLIGHTLY HIGHER POPS ARE SHOWN OVER CENTRAL TX FOR THIS AFTERNOON. HOWEVER...EXPECT THE SURFACE FRONTAL BOUNDARY TO MIX OUT...AND MID LEVEL STABILITY TO HOLD BACK MOST DEEP CONVECTION. WILL NEED TO MONITOR THE CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT CLOSELY OVER CENTRAL TX SHOULD THE CONVECTIVE OUTFLOW BE MORE ROBUST OVER NORTH TX IN THE LATE MORNING HOURS. BY THIS EVENING...THE NAM COMPROMISE SOLUTION SHOWS ITS HIGHEST IMPACT OVER THE NORTHERN HILL COUNTRY AND COULD MEAN A THREAT FOR BOTH SEVERE WEATHER AND FLASH FLOODING WITH SLOW SOUTHWARD PROPAGATING CELLS MOVING DOWN HIGHWAY 281. WHILE THIS SIGNAL WAS SIMILAR IN TWO STRAIGHT NAM RUNS...LOWER RES SOLUTIONS SHOW HIGHEST RAIN POTENTIAL MUCH FARTHER TO THE WEST WITH FRONTAL FORCING LIMITED OVER EASTERN COUNTIES. THUS WILL BALK AT ISSUING AN FFA...AS FLOODING THREATS SHOULD BE SOMEWHAT ISOLATED SHOULD THE WESTERN SOLUTIONS PREVAIL. TOWARD DAYBREAK...MUCH OF THE AREA SHOULD SHOW SOME LOW LEVEL STABILITY FROM THE FRONT...WITH MOST OF THE ELEVATED RAINS EXPECTED TO BE LIGHT TO MODERATE INTO THURSDAY. THE FRONT IS EXPECTED TO BE WEAK AND SHALLOW...SO WILL SHOW CHANCE CATEGORY POPS WHICH SIDE WITH THE LOWER RES MODELS OVER THE DRIER SOLUTIONS OF MOST HIGHER RES RUNS. && .LONG TERM (THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY)... ASSUMING WE GET THROUGH TONIGHTS SITUATIONAL HEAVY RAIN THREAT WITHOUT A MAJOR ORDEAL...THE HEAVY RAIN EMPHASIS WE ARE MOST CONCERNED ABOUT IS OVER THE WEEKEND. A SHARPENING AND HIGH AMPLITUDE UPPER TROUGH TO THE SOUTHWEST WILL INCREASE POPS GRADUALLY FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY...AND THEN AGRESSIVELY SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING. A WIDESPREAD HEAVY RAIN OF 1 TO 3 INCHES IS EXPECTED FOR THIS ENHANCED PERIOD WITH ISOLATED HIGHER AMOUNTS OF 4 TO 6 INCHES POSSIBLE. THE ECMWF AND CANADIAN EVEN CARRY THE EVENT INTO MEMORIAL DAY...WHICH COULD SEND PROJECTIONS EVEN HIGHER. FOR NOW...WILL ASSUME THAT A WIDESPREAD MCS OVER THE WEEKEND SHOULD TEMPORARILY STABILIZE THE AIR FOR MONDAY WHICH FAVORS THE MORE CONSERVATIVE GFS SOLUTION. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... AUSTIN CAMP MABRY 86 69 79 66 83 / 30 50 30 40 40 AUSTIN BERGSTROM INTL AIRPORT 85 68 79 66 83 / 30 50 30 40 40 NEW BRAUNFELS MUNI AIRPORT 86 70 81 67 83 / 30 40 40 40 40 BURNET MUNI AIRPORT 83 66 75 63 80 / 30 60 30 40 40 DEL RIO INTL AIRPORT 86 71 82 69 85 / 20 60 50 60 40 GEORGETOWN MUNI AIRPORT 84 66 76 64 82 / 30 60 30 40 40 HONDO MUNI AIRPORT 86 71 82 68 84 / 20 50 40 50 40 SAN MARCOS MUNI AIRPORT 85 69 79 66 82 / 30 40 30 40 40 LA GRANGE - FAYETTE REGIONAL 86 70 81 69 83 / 30 20 40 30 40 SAN ANTONIO INTL AIRPORT 86 71 81 69 83 / 20 40 40 40 40 STINSON MUNI AIRPORT 87 72 82 69 84 / 20 30 40 40 40 && .EWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ MESOSCALE/AVIATION...76 SYNOPTIC/GRIDS...18
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LUBBOCK TX
1224 AM CDT WED MAY 20 2015 .AVIATION... HIGH CONFIDENCE OF IFR CIGS PREVAILING FOR MOST/IF NOT ALL/ OF THIS TAF CYCLE. STRONG COLD FRONT IS ON SCHEDULE TO CLEAR LBB SHORTLY BEFORE 06Z AHEAD OF A SHIELD OF IFR STRATUS AND SOME FOG. VISBYS HAVE FALLEN TO AS LOW AS 1/2SM AT TIMES BEHIND THE FRONT AND THIS THREAT SEEMS MOST PRUDENT AT LBB AND PVW WHEREAS NEARBY SHRA/TSRA AT CDS FOR ANOTHER HOUR SHOULD KEEP THE LOW LEVELS MIXED TO AVOID POOR VISBYS. EXTENT OF LOW CIGS AS FAR NORTH AS KANSAS SUGGEST IFR WILL PREVAIL ALL MORNING AND LIKELY THE AFTERNOON...THOUGH A FEW MODELS INDICATE CIGS RISING TO MVFR FOR A COUPLE HOURS THIS AFTN BEFORE RESUMING IFR THEREAFTER. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 914 PM CDT TUE MAY 19 2015/ UPDATE... UPDATED TO LOWER MIN TEMPS CONSIDERABLY TONIGHT FOR A STRONG COLD FRONT NOW ENTERING THE FAR SOUTHERN TX PANHANDLE. ABUNDANT STRATUS AND FOG AS LOW AS 1/2 MILE WAS NOTED BEHIND THIS FRONT AND THE VISIBILITY AT HEREFORD PLUMMETED FROM 10 MILES TO JUST OVER 1 MILE IN 20 MINUTES. TEMPS IN THE 40S ALREADY ACROSS THE NORTHERN PANHANDLE CONFIRM THE MAGNITUDE OF COLD ADVECTION...SO HAVE UPDATED GRIDS LARGELY IN LINE WITH THE LATEST RAP AND HRRR SOLUTIONS WHICH HAVE A GOOD HANDLE ON THESE TRENDS. POP-WISE...DROPPED MOST PRECIP MENTION FROM THE CAPROCK TONIGHT...HOWEVER WE STILL EXPECT SOME STORMS TO RE-DEVELOP WWD TO NEAR THE I-27 AND HWY 87 CORRIDOR LATER TONIGHT AS THE COLD FRONT AND TRAILING FRONT ALOFT INTERSECT DEEPER MOISTURE EAST OF THE RETREATING DRYLINE. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 349 PM CDT TUE MAY 19 2015/ SHORT TERM... THE MORNING SHOWER AND THUNDER ACTIVITY HAS CLEARED AWAY LEAVING PLENTY OF SUN TO WARM THE SURFACE. BY MID AFTERNOON WITH RECOVERY AND WEAK SURFACE PRESSURE FALLS UNDERWAY...SURFACE BASED CAPES HAD INCREASED TO OVER 3000 JOULES PER KILOGRAM WHILE SURFACE FLOW WAS MOSTLY SOUTHERLY AND BULK SHEAR VALUES 40+ KNOTS. MOST SHORT RANGE SOLUTIONS SHOWED SOME DEGREE OF THUNDERSTORM INITIATION WITH THESE FAVORABLE CONDITIONS LATE THIS AFTERNOON. SEVERAL SHORT CUMULUS STREETS OVER THE WESTERN SOUTH PLAINS WITHIN A WEAK SURFACE CONVERGENCE ZONE/DRYLINE...WERE BUBBLING WITH NORTHERN END OF THIS AREA OVER THE NORTHWESTERN SOUTH PLAINS APPEARING CLOSEST TO BREAKING OUT ALTHOUGH AS OF YET UNSUCCESSFUL. WITH ABOVE INDICES AND CURRENT CONDITIONS WE WILL RETAIN A SOLID CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS AND A POTENTIAL SEVERE THREAT INTO THE EARLY EVENING. A STATIONARY FRONTAL BOUNDARY ACROSS THE CENTRAL PANHANDLE INTO WESTERN OKLAHOMA ALSO APPEARS WILL GET SHOVED SOUTHWARD THIS EVENING AS A SHORT-WAVE UPPER TROUGH ROTATES NORTHWARD THROUGH THE CENTRAL PLAINS. THIS FRONT MAY LEAD TO MORE ORGANIZED THUNDERSTORMS SPREADING OUT OF THE PANHANDLE FAVORING NORTH CENTRAL TO NORTHEAST ZONES...ALTHOUGH SHORT RANGE SOLUTIONS HAVE BEEN TRENDING FURTHER WEST WITH DEVELOPMENT RECENTLY. AND THIS ACTIVITY WOULD THEN FOLLOW THE FRONT SOUTHWARD LATER TONIGHT AND EARLY WEDNESDAY...WITH WESTERN DEVELOPMENT STILL LESS CERTAIN THAN EAST THOUGH ALSO TRENDING MORE FAVORABLE. BOUNDARY SHOULD MOVE SOUTH OF THE AREA EARLY WEDNESDAY AND REMAINING THUNDER CHANCES WILL BECOME INCREASINGLY MOST FAVORABLE SOUTH OF OUR AREA DURING THE DAY WEDNESDAY. TEMPERATURES HAVE TRENDED SLIGHTLY COOLER FOR MUCH OF THE AREA WEDNESDAY AS WELL. ANYWAY...WITH SOMEWHAT MARGINAL CONFIDENCE ABOVE IS OUR LATEST THINKING AND WE HAVE MADE A NUMBER OF ADJUSTMENTS TO MATCH. THE HEAVY RAIN THREAT MAY REDEVELOP AS WELL OVERNIGHT SHOULD A WELL- ORGANIZED CONVECTIVE COMPLEX COME TOGETHER BUT SIGNALS TOO MIXED TO JUMP ALL-IN JUST YET. SO...BE READY FOR POTENTIALLY FAST-BREAKING WEATHER THROUGH THE NIGHT WITH A BONA-FIDE THOUGH NOT AT ALL CERTAIN RISK FOR SEVERE STORMS AND STILL AT LEAST LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN LEADING TO A MINOR FLOODING THREAT. RMCQUEEN LONG TERM... THE ACTIVE MAY WEATHER SHOWS NO SIGN OF LETTING UP THROUGH AT LEAST THIS WEEKEND. THIS WILL OCCUR AS SOME FORM OF SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW ALOFT PERSISTS OVER WEST TEXAS DOWNSTREAM OF WESTERN CONUS TROUGHING. THIS UNSETTLED PATTERN WILL PROVIDE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SEVERE WEATHER AS WELL AS HEAVY RAINFALL. TO KICK OFF THE EXTENDED...THE SOUTH PLAINS REGION SHOULD FIND ITSELF NORTH OF A COLD FRONT WITH SURFACE RIDGING AND ABUNDANT CLOUD COVER PROVIDING COOL AND MOIST CONDITIONS WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY. THAT SAID...THERE WILL BE ENOUGH ELEVATED INSTABILITY AND RETURNING SOUTHEASTERLY FLOW OFF THE DECK THAT ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS/STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE. A FEW STRONGER ELEVATED STORMS COULD EVEN OCCUR THOUGH MUTED SURFACE-BASED HEATING/INSTABILITY SHOULD KEEP THE OVERALL SEVERE THREAT RELATIVELY LOW. THE COVERAGE AND INTENSITY OF THE CONVECTION MAY TREND UPWARD LATE THURSDAY INTO EARLY FRIDAY AS A LEAD SHORTWAVE TROUGH IS PROGGED TO EJECT THROUGH THE SOUTHWEST FLOW OVER THE SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS. EVENTUALLY THE WARM FRONT AND WARM SECTOR IS FORECAST TO LIFT NORTH ACROSS THE AREA OPENING THE DOOR FOR BETTER CHANCES FOR SURFACE- BASED CONVECTION BY FRIDAY AFTERNOON...THOUGH WHETHER THERE WILL BE ANY FORCING FOR LARGE-SCALE ASCENT IS UNCLEAR. THAT MAY CHANGE BY LATE FRIDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY SATURDAY WHEN ANOTHER WEAK UPPER-LEVEL DISTURBANCE MAY RACE THROUGH THE FLOW. THE WESTERN TROUGH IS THEN PROGGED TO APPROACH FROM THE WEST ON SATURDAY WITH THE DRYLINE LIKELY SOMEWHERE NEAR THE TX/NM LINE BY LATE IN THE DAY WHERE IT WILL PROVIDE A FOCUS FOR CONVECTIVE INITIATION. MODERATE TO STRONG INSTABILITY AND DEEP-LAYER SHEAR WILL BRING THE RISK FOR SEVERE STORMS. THIS SAME PATTERN WILL CONTINUE INTO SUNDAY THOUGH THE DRYLINE AND BEST LARGE-SCALE ASCENT MAY SHIFT EASTWARD A BIT. A WEAK FRONT MAY SNEAK INTO THE AREA BEHIND THE WEEKEND TROUGH EARLY MONDAY...BUT IT IS NOT EXPECTED TO HAVE A STRONG PUSH WHICH SHOULD ALLOW GOOD MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY TO CONTINUE TO RESIDE NEARBY INTO MUCH OF NEXT WEEK. IT DOES APPEAR THE UPPER FLOW MAY FLATTEN AND WEAKEN NEXT WEEK...BUT GIVEN THE MAGNITUDE OF THE PROGGED INSTABILITY AT LEAST ISOLATED LATE DAY STORMS MAY BE POSSIBLE AND WE HAVE RETAINED SLIGHT CHANCE POPS FROM MONDAY ONWARD. HIGHS ON THURSDAY WILL ONLY BE IN THE 50S AND 60S...BUT SHOULD MODERATE INTO THE UPPER 60S TO UPPER 70S FRIDAY BEFORE FURTHER WARMING INTO THE 70S AND LOWER 80S SATURDAY...WHERE HIGHS WILL GENERALLY REMAIN THROUGH THE REST OF THE EXTENDED. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... FRIONA 50 59 49 69 / 30 50 60 40 TULIA 50 58 49 67 / 30 40 70 60 PLAINVIEW 51 59 51 68 / 30 40 70 60 LEVELLAND 52 60 52 72 / 40 60 60 50 LUBBOCK 51 61 52 71 / 40 50 70 60 DENVER CITY 54 61 52 75 / 40 60 60 50 BROWNFIELD 54 61 52 74 / 40 60 60 50 CHILDRESS 53 64 55 71 / 30 20 60 60 SPUR 53 62 53 72 / 40 40 60 60 ASPERMONT 56 65 56 77 / 50 40 60 60 && .LUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ 93/31
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS SAN ANGELO TX
1200 AM CDT Wed May 20 2015 .AVIATION... /06Z TAFS/ Look for challenging flight weather during the next 24 hours. Stratus is already return to our southern terminals. Others will follow soon. Another cold front will push into the Big Country before noon tomorrow. This front may stall somewhere across the Concho Valley. Thunderstorms will likely develop along and near this boundary. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 602 PM CDT Tue May 19 2015/ AVIATION... /00Z TAFS/ Scattered showers and thunderstorms are affecting mainly the KABI TAF this evening, where a VCTS group was included. Elsewhere, convection should remain isolated. Stratus will move back into all of the TAF sites after 06z, resulting in MVFR/IFR ceilings. VFR ceilings should return to all sites by late morning or early afternoon Wednesday. A cold front will approach KABI around 17z, then slowly move south. Scattered showers and thunderstorms will be possible along and behind the front, along with a wind shift to the north at 8 to 12 knots. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 353 PM CDT Tue May 19 2015/ SHORT TERM... (Today and Tonight) .Flash flood Watch has been extended until 10 PM CDT tonight for the Big Country, Concho Valley, and Heartland... The atmosphere is unstable this afternoon with RUC SB CAPES of 4000 J/KG. Severe storms are certainly possible this afternoon and evening with the very strong instability. Strong storms were already developing in the Trans Pecos and eastern Permian basin, where less stratus was bringing more heating and instability. These will likely move eastward into the Concho Valley this evening. Scattered showers and thunderstorms were also developing from Robert Lee to Brownwood, then northward into the Big Country. With saturated soil conditions from Wednesday storms, the flash flood watch has been extended to 10 PM CDT to catch the evening storms. While coverage is expected to be less, excessive rainfall rates from slow moving storms will likely cause localized flash flooding on saturated soils. The atmosphere remains very moist, with the SPC mesoanalysis page indicating very high precipitable waters of 1.5 to 1.7 inches, which could bring very efficient rainfall production. Wednesday, a cold front will move into the Big Country in the afternoon, and through the rest of West Central Texas overnight. The atmosphere will remain unstable, and the front may be a focus for severe thunderstorm development and localized flooding. 04 LONG TERM... (Wednesday night through Tuesday) The slow moving cold front is forecast to be near the I-20 corridor by Wednesday evening. A potent shortwave trough is progged to be lifting northeast across Far West TX by this time, increasing large scale forcing for ascent. Precipitable water values will be in the 1.4 to 1.6" range, providing ample moisture for convective development. As thunderstorms develop along/north of this cold front, southerly winds above the boundary layer will feed Gulf moisture into the complex. This will help propagate the cold front slowly south across the CWA through Thursday morning, with east to northeast surface winds developing across West Central TX. Relatively weak winds aloft will result in slower storm motions, enhancing the potential for locally heavy rainfall. Another Flash Flood Watch may be required for this period. The best rain chances shift to the southern zones on Thursday as slightly drier air advects into the area behind this cold front. Cooler temperatures are anticipated on Thursday, with highs in the mid/upper 60s across the Big Country to the mid 70s along the I-10 corridor. The next shortwave trough is progged to approach West TX Thursday and Thursday night. Rain chances ramp up accordingly, as fairly widespread convection is anticipated across West Central TX. Additional locally heavy rainfall will be possible during the overnight hours. Southerly winds are forecast to resume on Friday as the aforementioned surface boundary washes out. Temperatures are expected to respond by warming into the upper 70s to lower 80s. Again, showers and thunderstorms will be possible, especially during the afternoon and evening hours as thunderstorms over the Permian Basin drift east into West Central TX. The weather pattern over the weekend suggests a potential not only for heavy rainfall, but also for severe weather. Southwest flow aloft increases as a strong shortwave trough moves slowly east across the Four Corners. Warmer surface temperatures, rich Gulf moisture, and steepening mid-level lapse rates will increase the potential for strong to severe thunderstorms. In summary, showers and thunderstorms will be possible areawide through Monday. The severe weather threat will be relatively low, albeit still present. The potential for severe thunderstorms will increase this weekend. Heavy rainfall will be the primary concern through the period. Total rainfall amounts exceeding 4 inches are possible. Johnson && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Abilene 68 78 59 69 60 / 30 40 50 30 60 San Angelo 68 83 63 73 63 / 20 30 60 40 60 Junction 69 83 67 77 65 / 20 20 60 50 50 && .SJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LUBBOCK TX
1147 PM CDT TUE MAY 19 2015 .AVIATION... HIGH CONFIDENCE OF IFR CIGS PREVAILING FOR MOST/IF NOT ALL/ OF THIS TAF CYCLE. STRONG COLD FRONT IS ON SCHEDULE TO CLEAR LBB SHORTLY BEFORE 06Z AHEAD OF A SHIELD OF IFR STRATUS AND SOME FOG. VISBYS HAVE FALLEN TO AS LOW AS 1/2SM AT TIMES BEHIND THE FRONT AND THIS THREAT SEEMS MOST PRUDENT AT LBB AND PVW WHEREAS NEARBY SHRA/TSRA AT CDS FOR ANOTHER HOUR SHOULD KEEP THE LOW LEVELS MIXED TO AVOID POOR VISBYS. EXTENT OF LOW CIGS AS FAR NORTH AS KANSAS SUGGEST IFR WILL PREVAIL ALL MORNING AND LIKELY THE AFTERNOON...THOUGH A FEW MODELS INDICATE CIGS RISING TO MVFR FOR A COUPLE HOURS THIS AFTN BEFORE RESUMING IFR THEREAFTER. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 914 PM CDT TUE MAY 19 2015/ UPDATE... UPDATED TO LOWER MIN TEMPS CONSIDERABLY TONIGHT FOR A STRONG COLD FRONT NOW ENTERING THE FAR SOUTHERN TX PANHANDLE. ABUNDANT STRATUS AND FOG AS LOW AS 1/2 MILE WAS NOTED BEHIND THIS FRONT AND THE VISIBILITY AT HEREFORD PLUMMETED FROM 10 MILES TO JUST OVER 1 MILE IN 20 MINUTES. TEMPS IN THE 40S ALREADY ACROSS THE NORTHERN PANHANDLE CONFIRM THE MAGNITUDE OF COLD ADVECTION...SO HAVE UPDATED GRIDS LARGELY IN LINE WITH THE LATEST RAP AND HRRR SOLUTIONS WHICH HAVE A GOOD HANDLE ON THESE TRENDS. POP-WISE...DROPPED MOST PRECIP MENTION FROM THE CAPROCK TONIGHT...HOWEVER WE STILL EXPECT SOME STORMS TO RE-DEVELOP WWD TO NEAR THE I-27 AND HWY 87 CORRIDOR LATER TONIGHT AS THE COLD FRONT AND TRAILING FRONT ALOFT INTERSECT DEEPER MOISTURE EAST OF THE RETREATING DRYLINE. && .LUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ 93
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS BLACKSBURG VA
153 AM EDT WED MAY 20 2015 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE GREAT LAKES WILL MOVE EAST TODAY...FOLLOWED BY AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE THAT WILL AFFECT THE REGION THURSDAY. DRY AND TRANQUIL WEATHER EXPECTED FOR FRIDAY AND SATURDAY COURTESY OF DRY HIGH PRESSURE. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TODAY/... AS OF 145 AM EDT WEDNESDAY... FAIR/DRY WEATHER TODAY AND AS HIGH PRESSURE WHICH IS BUILDS INTO THE MID ATLANTIC REGION FROM THE NORTHWEST. TEMPERATURES NEAR NORMAL WITH 70S TO AROUND 80 FOR HIGHS. OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL BE HELD UP SOMEWHAT..GENERALLY IN THE 50S TO NEAR 60 BY ADVANCING HIGH CLOUDS AHEAD OF NEXT WEATHER SYSTEM WHICH WILL AFFECT AREA ON THURSDAY. && .SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 330 PM EDT TUESDAY... A GOOD DEGREE OF UNCERTAINTY IN THE FORECAST EARLY IN THE SHORT TERM PERIOD AS GUIDANCE DIFFERENCES ON HANDLING OF SURFACE FEATURES... WHICH WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON RAIN CHANCES WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY. SHORT WAVE ENERGY EJECTING OUT OF AN WESTERN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE WILL COMBINE WITH SOME SHORT WAVE ENERGY ROTATING AROUND AN UPPER TROF OVER THE GREAT LAKES AND HEAD IN OUR DIRECTION. THIS WILL HELP DRIVE DEVELOPMENT OF A SURFACE LOW OVER THE SOUTHEAST US LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT...WHICH WILL THEN MOVE OFF THE MIDDLE ATLANTIC COAST BY THURSDAY NIGHT. THE OPERATIONAL GFS RUN IS ON BOARD WITH OTHER MODELS IN HANDLING OF DYNAMICS BUT IS MUCH LESS AGGRESSIVE AND FURTHER EAST IN DEVELOPING PRECIPITATION OVER THE AREA. OTHER OPERATIONAL RUNS AND ENSEMBLES DO GENERATE A MUCH MORE COHESIVE PRECIPITATION SHIELD NORTH AND WEST OF THE LOW ASSOCIATED WITH ENHANCED LIFT IN DEFORMATION AREAS AND RR QUAD OF UPPER JET WHERE WE NORMALLY EXPECT TO SEE THESE FEATURES. THUS WILL LEAN TOWARD THE WETTER GUIDANCE AND RAMP POPS UP TO HIGH CHANCE FOR MOST AREAS BY LATE WED NIGHT AND THROUGH THURSDAY. BELIEVE THUNDER CHANCES WILL STAY JUST SOUTH OF THE FOOTHILLS/PIEDMONT OF NC SINCE WE WILL BE IN A COOLER AND MORE STABLE ENVIRONMENT WITH THE LOW TRACKING TO OUR SOUTH. AS THE LOW DEPARTS THURSDAY NIGHT...HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN FROM THE UPPER MIDWEST AND WE WILL SEE STEADILY IMPROVING CONDITIONS WITH QUIET WEATHER EXPECTED AS WE HEAD INTO THE WEEKEND. TEMPERATURES WILL START OFF A BIT COOL ON THURSDAY WITH PRECIPITATION ON THE COOL SIDE OF THE LOW...BUT VALUES WILL REBOUND TO SEASONAL LEVELS WITH GENERALLY UPPER 60S/AROUND 70 BLUE RIDGE WEST AND LOW TO MID 70S EAST. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 330 PM EDT TUESDAY... UPPER PATTERN WILL BE DEVELOPING A LARGE TROF OVER THE EASTERN US DURING THE EXTENDED PERIOD...WITH A BERMUDA HIGH OFF THE COAST. THIS WILL GIVE US A VERY COMFORTABLE AND PLEASANT SATURDAY FOLLOWED BY HEAT AND HUMIDITY MOVING BACK INTO THE REGION BY SUNDAY...WITH THE TRULY UNCOMFORTABLE CONDITIONS HOLDING OFF UNTIL THE FIRST PART OF NEXT WEEK. HOWEVER THE CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE ONLY MODEST AS SIGNIFICANT DYNAMIC FORCING WILL BE ABSENT...LEAVING US TO RELY ON OROGRAPHIC FORCING FROM THE BLUE RIDGE WEST TO FOCUS LIFT AND GENERATE SOME CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY. PWATS WILL ONCE AGAIN BE RISING ABOVE ONE INCH SO THE POSSIBILITY OF LOCAL DOWNPOURS WILL BE INCREASING. BY TUESDAY A COLD FRONT WILL BE APPROACHING FROM THE WEST AND LOOKS TO BRING GREATER COVERAGE OF PRECIPITATION TO THE REGION TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. AFTER A COMFORTABLE SATURDAY...EXPECT RISING TEMPERATURES TO BE ABOUT 10 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL AS WE HEAD INTO NEXT WEEK. && .AVIATION /06Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... AS OF 145 AM EDT WEDNESDAY... VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED TO PREVAIL IN REST OF THE OVERNIGHT AND EARLY MORNING AS HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE GREAT LAKES RIDGES INTO CENTRAL MID-ATLANTIC REGION. EVEN KLWB MAINTAINING LIGHT NW WINDS AT THIS TIME AND A WIDE T-TD SPREAD WITH LITTLE LIKELIHOOD OF FOG DEVELOPMENT. HIGH OVERCAST IN ADVANCE OF FAST-MOVING SYSTEM EXPECTED BY THE EVENING BUT NO IMPACT TO AVIATION. EXTENDED AVIATION DISCUSSION... AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL LIKELY BRING SOME MVFR CEILINGS AND SHOWERS BACK INTO THE AREA THURSDAY...MOVING OUT FRIDAY MORNING...WITH VFR CONDITIONS RETURNING FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND SATURDAY. && .RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VA...NONE. NC...NONE. WV...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...PM NEAR TERM...PM SHORT TERM...MBS LONG TERM...MBS AVIATION...AMS/PC
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATE
NWS LITTLE ROCK AR
1035 AM CDT WED MAY 20 2015 .DISCUSSION... MID MORNING UPDATE LOWERED POPS IN THE WEST TO CENTRAL AR...WHILE THE HIGHEST IN THE EAST. RADAR TRENDS ARE TAKING MUCH OF THE RAIN OUT OF THE CWA BY NOON...THEN SHORT RANGE MODELS ONLY SHOW LOW AMOUNTS OVER THE STATE THE REST OF TODAY. UNTIL THE SURFACE LOW PULLS EAST AND THE COLD FRONT IS TOTALLY THROUGH AR...WILL HAVE TO KEEP SOME CHANCES OF RAIN...ISOLATED THUNDER...IN THE FORECAST. AT MID MORNING THE SURFACE LOW WAS OVER SW MO...WITH THE COLD FRONT SOUTHWEST TO EASTERN OK. WILL SEE IT GRADUALLY MOVE THROUGH AR TODAY TO THIS EVENING...WITH A WIND SHIFT TO THE W TO NW BEHIND THE FRONT. LATER THIS EVENING...THE FRONT IS EXPECTED IN SOUTHERN AR...BUT LOCATION WILL BE A BIT UNCERTAIN...ESPECIALLY HOW FAR SOUTH IT GOES. AT SOME POINT OVER SOUTHERN AR THE STEERING FLOW WILL BECOME PARALLEL AND BOUNDARY WILL STALL...MORE LIKELY NEAR THE AR AND LA STATE LINE. LATE MORNING UPDATE WILL ADJUST POPS THIS AFTERNOON...CLOUDS...TEMPS AND WINDS. (59) && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 656 AM CDT WED MAY 20 2015/ .AVIATION...20/12Z TAF CYCLE VFR CONDS WL CONT ACRS SERN AR UNTIL CONVECTION ARRIVES THERE TOWARDS MID MRNG. ELSEWHERE...MVFR/IFR CONDS WL PREVAIL THIS MRNG AS A COMPLEX OF SHRA/TSRA CONTS TO AFFECT MUCH OF AR. THE ENTIRE SYS WL EVENTUALLY SHIFT EWD...WITH ASSOCD PRECIP TAPERING OFF ACRS WRN AR LATER THIS MRNG. THIS TREND WL CONT OVR CNTRL AND ERN AR EARLY THIS AFTN. EXPECT VFR/MVFR CIGS TO LINGER OVR THE AREA INTO THIS EVENING...WITH MVFR CIGS BCMG MORE PREVALENT AFT 21/06Z. /44/ && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 417 AM CDT WED MAY 20 2015/ SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAS CONTINUED TO PUSH EASTWARD AND INTO THE AREA DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. SO FAR RAINFALL RATES EXCEEDING ONE TO TWO INCHES PER HOUR HAVE BEEN SEEN ACROSS WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE CWA. HRRR...ARW...NMM HAVE ALL HAD A GOOD HANDLE ON THE SYSTEM TONIGHT AND DO AGREE THAT THE SYSTEM WILL WEAKEN BY MIDMORNING. DO BELIEVE SOME DRIER AIR WILL FILTER INTO WESTERN ARKANSAS...BUT AT THIS TIME ONLY THE HRRR COMPLETELY DRIES THINGS OUT DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS. DID CONTINUE WITH CHANCE POPS DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS FOR MUCH OF THE CWA...BUT THIS WILL NEED TO CONTINUE TO BE MONITORED AND UPDATED AS NEEDED. FRONT IS EXPECTED TO CLEAR THE STATE BY 00Z AND WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH SOUTH AND REMAIN ACROSS LOUISIANA. FOR THE MOST PART...THURSDAY WILL REMAIN DRY FOR MUCH OF THE STATE...WITH SOME PRECIP CHANCES REMAINING ACROSS SOUTHERN ARKANSAS. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN BRIEFLY BEFORE PRECIPITATION CHANCES RETURN TO THE FORECAST ON FRIDAY. MODELS HAVE COME IN BETTER AGREEMENT WITH THE PRECIP ON FRIDAY...BUT IT LOOKS LIKE PRECIPITATION CHANCES WILL REMAIN GENERALLY ACROSS WESTERN ARKANSAS. UNSETTLED WEATHER WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE WEEKEND WITH A LONGWAVE TROUGH ACROSS THE WESTERN CONUS. LONG TERM...SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY MODEL DATA THIS MRNG CONT TO INDC AN UNSETTLED WX PATTERN WL PERSIST ACRS THE REGION TO CLOSE OUT THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND. AN UPR RDG WL SET UP OVR THE SOUTHEASTERN STATES...RESULTING IN A SWLY FLOW ALOFT ACRS AR. A SERIES OF IMPULSES WL TRACK NEWD AND BRING CONTD CHCS OF SHRA/TSRA EACH DAY. KEPT POPS IN THE CHC CAT FOR NOW AS TIMING OF EACH SHRTWV WL RMN DIFFICULT THIS FAR IN ADVANCE. HVY RAIN POTENTIAL WL ALSO BE A CONCERN THRU THE PD...ALONG WITH THE CONTD THREAT OF FLOODING. && .LZK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LITTLE ROCK AR
656 AM CDT WED MAY 20 2015 .AVIATION...20/12Z TAF CYCLE VFR CONDS WL CONT ACRS SERN AR UNTIL CONVECTION ARRIVES THERE TOWARDS MID MRNG. ELSEWHERE...MVFR/IFR CONDS WL PREVAIL THIS MRNG AS A COMPLEX OF SHRA/TSRA CONTS TO AFFECT MUCH OF AR. THE ENTIRE SYS WL EVENTUALLY SHIFT EWD...WITH ASSOCD PRECIP TAPERING OFF ACRS WRN AR LATER THIS MRNG. THIS TREND WL CONT OVR CNTRL AND ERN AR EARLY THIS AFTN. EXPECT VFR/MVFR CIGS TO LINGER OVR THE AREA INTO THIS EVENING...WITH MVFR CIGS BCMG MORE PREVALENT AFT 21/06Z. /44/ && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 417 AM CDT WED MAY 20 2015/ SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAS CONTINUED TO PUSH EASTWARD AND INTO THE AREA DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. SO FAR RAINFALL RATES EXCEEDING ONE TO TWO INCHES PER HOUR HAVE BEEN SEEN ACROSS WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE CWA. HRRR...ARW...NMM HAVE ALL HAD A GOOD HANDLE ON THE SYSTEM TONIGHT AND DO AGREE THAT THE SYSTEM WILL WEAKEN BY MIDMORNING. DO BELIEVE SOME DRIER AIR WILL FILTER INTO WESTERN ARKANSAS...BUT AT THIS TIME ONLY THE HRRR COMPLETELY DRIES THINGS OUT DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS. DID CONTINUE WITH CHANCE POPS DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS FOR MUCH OF THE CWA...BUT THIS WILL NEED TO CONTINUE TO BE MONITORED AND UPDATED AS NEEDED. FRONT IS EXPECTED TO CLEAR THE STATE BY 00Z AND WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH SOUTH AND REMAIN ACROSS LOUISIANA. FOR THE MOST PART...THURSDAY WILL REMAIN DRY FOR MUCH OF THE STATE...WITH SOME PRECIP CHANCES REMAINING ACROSS SOUTHERN ARKANSAS. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN BRIEFLY BEFORE PRECIPITATION CHANCES RETURN TO THE FORECAST ON FRIDAY. MODELS HAVE COME IN BETTER AGREEMENT WITH THE PRECIP ON FRIDAY...BUT IT LOOKS LIKE PRECIPITATION CHANCES WILL REMAIN GENERALLY ACROSS WESTERN ARKANSAS. UNSETTLED WEATHER WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE WEEKEND WITH A LONGWAVE TROUGH ACROSS THE WESTERN CONUS. LONG TERM...SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY MODEL DATA THIS MRNG CONT TO INDC AN UNSETTLED WX PATTERN WL PERSIST ACRS THE REGION TO CLOSE OUT THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND. AN UPR RDG WL SET UP OVR THE SOUTHEASTERN STATES...RESULTING IN A SWLY FLOW ALOFT ACRS AR. A SERIES OF IMPULSES WL TRACK NEWD AND BRING CONTD CHCS OF SHRA/TSRA EACH DAY. KEPT POPS IN THE CHC CAT FOR NOW AS TIMING OF EACH SHRTWV WL RMN DIFFICULT THIS FAR IN ADVANCE. HVY RAIN POTENTIAL WL ALSO BE A CONCERN THRU THE PD...ALONG WITH THE CONTD THREAT OF FLOODING. && .LZK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS MELBOURNE FL
930 AM EDT WED MAY 20 2015 .DISCUSSION... CURRENT...TAILEND OF A FRONT JUST SKIRTING ST JOHN AND FLAGLER COUNTIES AND APPROACHING NORTHEAST VOLUSIA COUNTY. DIURNAL CUMULUS FIELD SHOULD START FORMING WITHIN THE HOUR WITH THE INCREASING TEMPERATURES AND THE INCREASING MOISTURE PER THE MORNING CAPE CANAVERAL SOUNDING. THE VERTICAL WIND PROFILER(S) AT KSC WERE DETECTING SOUTHWEST TO WEST WINDS TO 10 KNOTS THROUGH ABOUT 4000 FEET THEN A QUICK SHIFT TO THE NORTH THEN NORTHEAST THROUGH ABOUT 10000 FEET. THE LOW LEVEL SOUTHWEST TO WEST WIND COULD DELAY THE EAST COAST SEA BREEZE BY AN HOUR OR TWO THIS AFTERNOON. LIGHT NORTH TO SOUTH WINDS ABOVE THE BOUNDARY LAYER AN INDICATOR OF A SLOW SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST STORM MOTION THIS AFTERNOON. COOLER TEMPERATURES ALOFT...-10C AT CAPE CANAVERAL AND -8C AT JACKSONVILLE...A GOOD INDICATOR FOR STRONG WIND GUSTS AND HAIL IN ANY OF THE STRONGER STORMS THAT DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON. LATEST HRRR MODEL RUN SUGGESTING SEA BREEZES FORMING EARLY AFTERNOON AND MOVING SLOWLY INLAND AS IT PUSHES AGAINST THE PREVAILING LOW LEVEL SOUTHWEST TO WEST WINDFLOW. THE HRRR ALSO IS SUGGESTING THE BEST TIME FRAME FOR STORMS ALONG A LINE FROM FROM AROUND DAYTONA BEACH TO OKEECHOBEE COUNTY WITH A SLOW SOUTHEAST TO SOUTH MOTION ALONG THE SEA BREEZE. THE MORNING ZONES UPDATE WILL TAKE A LOOK AT AMENDING WIND FIELDS AND THE TIMING OF THE AFTERNOON STORMS. && .AVIATION...PREVIOUS...PREVAILING VFR THROUGH 18Z WITH LCL MVFR CIGS BKN025-030 DURING ONSET OF DIURNAL CU FIELD ~14Z-16Z. AFT 18Z...ISOLD SHRA/TS INCREASING IN COVERAGE 22Z-02Z. G30KT/1SM +TSRA IN LOCALES WHERE CELL CORES MOVE OVHD...TYPICAL OF SUMMER CONVECTION. && .MARINE...PREVIOUS...LIGHT S-SWRLY FLOW WILL GIVE WAY TO ONSHORE ESE/SERLY SEA BREEZE AROUND 10KT NEAR THE COAST. SEAS 2-3FT...LCLY HIGHER WINDS AND SEAS IN OFFSHORE MOVG TS MAINLY NORTH OF CAPE CANAVERAL AND THE LATE AFTERNOON ON THE INLAND LAKES && .MLB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...NONE. AM...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM/AVIATION...WIMMER LONG TERM/IMPACT WX...LASCODY
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS TOPEKA KS
625 AM CDT Wed May 20 2015 ...Update to aviation forecast discussion... .SHORT TERM...(Today and Tonight) Issued at 331 AM CDT WED MAY 20 2015 Mid/upper level trough currently lifting northeastward over SD and NE, and will eventually merge with energy tracking over the upper Midwest. An expansive area of light to moderate rain will move across northeast KS early this morning, which is supported by upper level forcing associated with the trough and low level frontogenesis. Most of the forcing is forecast to continue eastward and mainly exiting the area around 12Z. There are indications that light rain showers and or drizzle could linger through the early afternoon hours after the mid/upper levels dry out. Both RAP and NAM soundings show steep low level lapse rates coinciding with saturation along with weak lift. This could be enough to generate these light showers and or drizzle. Although these models also suggest isentropic downglide on the backside of the wave so very little precip accumulations are expected after 12Z. Clouds will stick around most of the day and northerly flow will keep temperatures from warming up much, therefore highs will generally be in the mid 50s. Surface high pressure will build into the region tonight and clouds may begin to scatter out as the drier air filters southward. As surface winds begin to lighten and temperatures cool there is a chance fog could develop especially given the recent rainfall. Temperatures are expected to drop into the low to mid 40s with a few isolated locations in the upper 30s. .LONG TERM...(Thursday through Tuesday) Issued at 331 AM CDT WED MAY 20 2015 Thursday through Thursday night, A surface ridge of high pressure over eastern KS will shift east into MO by Friday morning. An upper level trough will move onshore across southern CA. Expect mostly sunny skies on Thursday with highs reaching the mid 60s. Thursday night will be a bit warmer as the center of the surface ridge moves east into MO, allowing light winds to become southerly. Lows Friday morning will only drop into the mid to upper 40s. High and mid level clouds will increase late Thursday night. Friday through Monday, The upper trough over southern CA will slowly drift northeast into western CO and slowly fill. Southwest flow aloft across the central Rockies will cause a surface lee trough to deepen across the central and southern high plains. Deeper gulf moisture will gradually be advected northward into the southern plains Friday afternoon. The resulting isentropic lift ahead of the deeper moisture return combined with any ascent from minor H5 troughs embedded within the southern stream of the H5 jet will provide an increasing chance for showers and isolated thunderstorms during the day Friday and into the Friday evening. The ECMWF shows a brief amplification of the main H5 trough across AZ. This may amplify a downstream H5 ridge across the southern plains which may provide a break from the showers and thunderstorms across eastern KS on Saturday. Due to cloud cover and increasing rain chances on Friday, highs will only reach the mid 60s. If we see more insolation on Saturday highs will reach the lower 70s. Saturday night through Sunday night, the Upper trough will fill as it lifts northeast into western CO. The southern stream H5 ridge will shift east across the Gulf coast states. Embedded shortwave trough combined with deeper moisture advection will cause periods of showers and thunderstorms to develop. The mid level flow will weaken below 40 KTS. The weaker vertical wind shear should prevent organized storms updrafts. Also, the instability may be lower due to the cloud cover. I don`t expect severe thunderstorms this weekend. The primary hazard may be occasional heavy rainfall. Highs on Sunday will reach the mid 70s Monday (Memorial Day), The ECMWF and GEM forecast a slightly more amplified H5 trough to move northeast from southwest TX into central OK. The better ascent ahead of this trough will be across northern TX and southern OK. Both models do not forecast much in the way of QPF during the day. The showers and thunderstorms may increase Monday night as the H5 trough lifts northeast into western MO. Highs on Monday should reach the mid 70s Tuesday, the H5 trough across western MO will lift northeast into eastern IA and IL. We may see a break in the precip. The GFS is slower moving the H5 trough northeast across MO and forecast higher QPF across eastern KS on Tuesday. Looks a bit warmer on Tuesday as 16 to 18 degree C 850mb temps advect northeast across the CWA. Highs should reach into the upper 70s to around 80. && .AVIATION...(For the 12Z TAFs through 12Z Thursday Morning) Issued at 619 AM CDT WED MAY 20 2015 MVFR/IFR conditions look to persist through a majority of the taf period. Most of the rain has ended although an isolated shower can not be ruled out through early afternoon. These showers should not really affect the flight conditions. Model forecasts have ceilings around 1 kft making it difficult to predict the category. There are signs the clouds try to scatter out tonight and fog could also be an issue late in the period. && .TOP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...Sanders LONG TERM...Gargan AVIATION...Sanders
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS PADUCAH KY
635 AM CDT WED MAY 20 2015 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 316 AM CDT WED MAY 20 2015 TIGHTER ZONAL GRADIENT DEVELOPS TODAY IN THE WAKE OF THE DEPARTING AND DAMPENING LOW/MIDDLE LEVEL RIDGE. COMBINED WITH SLIGHTLY STRONGER VORTICITY IN MINOR LOW AMPLITUDE NORTH-SOUTH SHORTWAVE SHOULD PROVIDE SUFFICIENT LIFT FOR SHOWER ACTIVITY. STILL BELIEVE THE ANTECEDENT CLOUD COVER AND COOLER BOUNDARY LAYER TEMPERATURES IN NORTHERLY/NORTHEASTERLY WOULD PROVIDE SUFFICIENT LIFT FOR SHOWER GENERATION. OVERALL INSTABILITY ALOFT WILL BE ENOUGH TO SUPPORTED LIMITED THUNDERSTORM CHANCES ALONG THE SOUTHERN 1/3 OF THE WFO PAH FORECAST AREA. THE EXTENT OF CLOUD COVER AND NORTH/NORTHEASTERLY COOL/DRY FLOW FROM THE DEPARTING RIDGE WILL DETERMINE THE EASTWARD MOVEMENT OF THE PRECIPITATION TODAY AND THIS EVENING ACROSS THE WFO PAH FORECAST AREA. THE HRRR AND GFS GUIDANCE SUPPORT A MORE PROGRESSIVE AND FASTER SCENARIO, BUT WITH LESSER RESIDENCE TIME FOR INSTABILITY ACROSS THE AREA. BLENDED THIS GUIDANCE WITH EXISTING FORECAST. BEYOND TONIGHT...DRY CONDITIONS SHOULD RETURN TO THE FORECAST AREA THROUGH NEARLY ALL OF FRIDAY NIGHT. .LONG TERM...(SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 316 AM CDT WED MAY 20 2015 ABOVE AVERAGE FORECAST CONFIDENCE IN THE LONG TERM WITH MODELS SHOWING MINOR DISAGREEMENTS. AT THE BEGINNING OF THE LONG TERM PERIOD...AN H5 RIDGE IN PLACE OVER THE REGION BEGINS TO FLATTEN AND SHIFT EASTWARD ALLOWING DEEPER MOISTURE AND A SERIES OF UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES TO SPREAD PRECIPITATION CHANCES EASTWARD ACROSS THE REGION. AS THE RIDGE AXIS SHIFTS FARTHER EASTWARD...PRECIPITATION CHANCES WILL GENERALLY INCREASE THROUGH THE LONG TERM PERIOD. TEMPERATURES SHOULD REMAIN AT OR ABOVE NORMAL THROUGH THE PERIOD. && .AVIATION... ISSUED AT 635 AM CDT WED MAY 20 2015 ONLY A SLIGHT CHANGE FROM THE 06Z WEDNESDAY WFO PAH TAF ISSUANCE. THE MAIN ADJUSTMENT WAS TO RAISE CEILINGS/CLOUD DECKS BY 1-2KFT AT THE ONSET OF CLOUD COVER AND RAISE LATTER PERIOD CEILINGS FROM UPPER IFR TO LOWER MVFR, ESPECIALLY DURING THE LAST 10-13 HOURS OF THE FORECAST PERIOD. && .PAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IL...NONE. MO...NONE. IN...NONE. KY...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...SMITH LONG TERM...JP AVIATION...SMITH
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATE
NWS JACKSON MS
1045 AM CDT WED MAY 20 2015 .UPDATE...LATEST SATELLITE AND UPPER AIR ANALYSIS SHOWED THE REGION UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF MEAN RIDGING WITH BETTER JET ENERGY WELL NORTH OF THE REGION. THE REMANTS OF AN MCS THAT CROSSED THE OZARKS EARLIER WAS NOTED ACROSS NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI. THERE WAS SOME GOOD UPPER DIFFLUENCE OVER THE OZARKS EARLIER THIS MORNING WITH THE MCS...PUSHING TOWARD THE REGION. HOWEVER MEAN RIDGING HAD SHUNTED THE MCS IN AREAL COVERAGE AS OF LATE THIS MORNING. LATEST SURFACE ANALYSIS SHOWED A WARM FRONTAL BOUNDARY EXTENDING ACROSS THE NORTH WITH AN IMPRESSIVE BAROCLINIC ZONE NORTH OF THE COLD FRONT FROM NW ARKANSAS THROUGH SOUTHEAST OK TO NORTH TEXAS. THIS WILL HELP TO FOCUS THE PRECIP IN THE NORTH. LATEST SOUNDING ANALYSIS SHOWED SOME DECENT MIDLEVEL FLOW OVER SHV AND LZK OF 30-35 KNOTS...WHICH ALONG WITH THE UPPER DIVERGENCE WILL PUSH ACROSS THE REGION. ALSO SOME GOOD LOW LEVEL INFLOW. LAPSE RATES AT SHV WAS AROUND 6C. OUR SNDG SHOWED WEAK LAPSE RATES WITH PWATS AROUND 1.6...WHICH ACCOUNTS FOR THE SUNNY SKIES ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND SOUTH EARLIER THIS MORNING. LATEST HIRES MODELS SHOWS THAT MOST OF THE CONCENTRATION OF COVECTION SHOULD BE CONCENTRATED IN THE NORTHWEST FOR THIS AFTERNOON. THE HRRR TRIED TO GET SOME GOING INTO THE EAST FOR THIS AFTERNOON... BUT WAS DISCOUNTED DUE TO THE OTHER HIRES MODELS FOCUSING MORE IN THE NORTHWEST FOR THIS AFTERNOON...WHICH SEEMS SENSIBLE. HRRR SHOWS SOME LAPSE RATES AROUND 6C WITH MIDLEVEL FLOW AROUND 25-35 KNOTS. SO WITH THE MCS TO THE NORTH OF THE REGION...IT COULD SEND A BOUNDARY FOR A POSSIBLE STRONG OR SEVERE STORM FOR THIS AFTERNOON GENERALLY ALONG AND NORTH OF THE HIGHWAY 82 CORRIDOR. DUE TO THE ISOLATED NATURE WILL KEEP THE HWO CLEAR FOR NOW. SO WITH THIS IN MIND WILL KEEP CLOSE TO CURRENT POPS AND CURRENT HIGHS IN THE 80S LOOKS TO BE ON TRACK./17/ && .AVIATION...THE EARLY MORNING FOG/STRATUS HAS DISSIPATED AND THE APPROACHING THUNDERSTORM COMPLEX HAS WEAKENED PRIOR TO MOVING INTO OUR AREA. VFR CONDITIONS WERE BEING REPORTED AREAWIDE AT 13Z AND WL CONT THROUGH 17Z. A FEW STORMS WL COME IN VCTY OF GLH AROUND 17Z AND HI-RES MODELS SUGGEST TSTM ACTIVITY WL MOSTLY AFFECT THE HIGHWAY 82 CORRIDOR THIS AFTN. VFR CONDS SHOULD CONTINUE TO PREVAIL CNTRL AND S UNTIL THIS EVENING. A COLD FRONT WL DROP SOUTH ACROSS THE AREA LATER TONIGHT INTO EARLY THURSDAY MORNING RESULTING IN A GREATER CHANCE FOR IFR CIGS/VSBYS WITH CONVECTION. /22/ && ./PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...501 AM CDT WED MAY 20 2015 .SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT... AN IMPRESSIVE BAROCLINIC ZONE EXTENDING FROM THE SRN/CNTRL PLAINS EWD TO THE MID MS VALLEY IS SUPPORTING A LARGE SLOW-MOVING MCS MOVING INTO THE ARKLATEX REGION. CURRENT ANALYSES INDICATE A DEEP MOISTURE AXIS (1.9 PRECIPITABLE WATER AND 335+ H850 THETA-E) EXTENDING INTO NW PORTIONS OF THE ARKLAMISS ALONG A SURFACE FRONTAL BOUNDARY...BUT SOUTHEASTWARD DEVELOPMENT OF THE MCS IS BEING HINDERED BY THE SUBTROPICAL RIDGE THAT CONTINUES TO DEFLECT THE BULK OF ENERGY ASSOC WITH THE WESTERLIES NORTH OF THE FORECAST AREA. IN SPITE OF THE LACK OF LARGE SCALE SUPPORT...UPWIND PROPAGATION VECTORS AND LOW LEVEL MOISTURE TRANSPORT SUGGEST THAT NW/NRN PORTION OF THE ARKLAMISS WILL GET SOME SHOWER/TSTM ACTIVITY LATER THIS MORNING...WITH EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE REGION HOLDING OFF UNTIL LATE MORNING/EARLY AFTERNOON AFTER SUBSTANTIAL HEATING. STRONGER LOW-MID LEVEL FLOW (20-30KT) ALONG AND NORTH OF THE HIGHWAY 82 CORRIDOR COULD SUPPORT ORGANIZED STRONG STORMS LATER TODAY...BUT AIRMASS RECOVERY AND INSTABILITY ARE MORE IN QUESTION THERE DEPENDING ON HOW THINGS EVOLVE THIS MORNING. AS YOU GO FARTHER SOUTH TOWARD THE INTERSTATE 20 CORRIDOR...MOISTURE/INSTABILITY INCREASE BUT THE FLOW DECREASES. GIVEN THE UNCERTAINTIES AND DEPENDENCE ON MESOSCALE INFLUENCES...WILL HOLD OFF ON MENTIONING ANY POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER IN THE HWO/GRAPHICS FOR TODAY. GOING INTO TONIGHT AND THURSDAY...A COLD FRONT WILL PUSH SOUTH THROUGH THE AREA FOLLOWED BY LESS HUMID CONDITIONS AND DECREASING SHOWER/TSTM CHANCES - WITH POPS EVENTUALLY BECOME CONFINED TO AREAS ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE HWY 84 CORRIDOR BY THURSDAY EVENING. LOW TEMPERATURES IN THE MID/UPPER 50S COULD BE COMMON BY FRIDAY MORNING OVER NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA. /EC/ .LONG TERM...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...FAIRLY DRY AND WARM CONDITIONS WILL OCCUR LATE THIS WEEK THROUGH THE WEEKEND. THIS OCCURS AS HIGH PRESSURE AT THE SFC MOVES INTO THE NORTHERN PART OF THE CWA AND UPPER RIDGING TAKES HOLD. SOME AFTERNOON STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE BUT THE UPPER RIDGE AND SUBSEQUENT CAPPING SHOULD KEEP THIS CONVECTION AT BAY. THE UPPER RIDGE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE AN INFLUENCE OVER OUR WEATHER HEADING INTO THE WORK WEEK BUT THE CENTER OF IT SHOULD BE MOVING EAST OF THE AREA. THIS WILL OPEN SOME POTENTIAL FOR A LITTLE MORE IN THE WAY OF MAINLY AFTERNOON SHOWERS AND STORMS. HIGHS WILL GENERALLY BE IN THE LOWER TO MID 80S THROUGH THE PERIOD WITH LOWS STARTING IN THE MID TO UPPER 60S AND REACHING BACK INTO THE 70S. /28/ && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... JACKSON 86 68 78 60 / 38 43 33 12 MERIDIAN 86 68 81 59 / 37 36 29 11 VICKSBURG 87 67 76 61 / 30 40 30 14 HATTIESBURG 89 70 86 64 / 34 25 43 24 NATCHEZ 86 69 79 61 / 30 26 41 19 GREENVILLE 85 62 72 58 / 51 50 21 8 GREENWOOD 84 62 73 57 / 49 47 16 7 && .JAN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MS...NONE. LA...NONE. AR...NONE. && $$ 17/22/EC/28
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED AVIATION
NWS ST LOUIS MO
711 AM CDT Wed May 20 2015 .SHORT TERM: (Through Tonight) Issued at 316 AM CDT Wed May 20 2015 A broad area of rain progresses across the forecast area today in association with a wave of low pressure riding along a quasistationary frontal boundary. The precipitation is forced and maintained by a strong southerly H85 LLJ interacting with a quasistationary boundary. Isolated embedded thunderstorms are possible. The upper vort center behind the surface wave moves into weakly confluent flow and merges with a separate vort center which originates over Manitoba. The resulting trough forms over Iowa tonight and moves to the east or slightly south of east. Surface high pressure will have already spread into the forecast area by this time and no additional precipitation is expected with the trough overnight, although the slight increase in lift could prolong any ongoing showers across the eastern forecast area between 00-06z. The forecast area remains on the cool side of a quasistationary boundary today and extensive clouds/precip will limit insolation. These unusually cool conditions might set or tie some climate records. Please refer to the climate section below. 42 .LONG TERM: (Thursday through Tuesday) Issued at 316 AM CDT Wed May 20 2015 High pressure remains in place on Thursday and Friday. An upper ridge also builds over the central US on Friday then amplifies on Saturday ahead of a deepening trough over the western half of the US. Several disturbances lift through the trough between Saturday and Monday. These disturbances should bring a period of unsettled weather to the forecast area, especially between Sunday and Tuesday. Similar to the last two weekends, day to day precipitation chances will depend both on synoptic scale shortwaves and on any MCVs which form upstream. Refinements are likely. Temperatures begin to warm up again on Saturday when winds become southerly around the retreating surface high. A more noticeable jump in warmth is expected on Sunday after a warm frontal passage. 42 && .AVIATION: (For the 12z TAFs through 12z Thursday Morning) Issued at 705 AM CDT Wed May 20 2015 Have used extrapolation of current radar trends for onset of the rain this morning, and the latest (10z) HRRR data to time the end of the rain later this morning and early this afternoon. For cig/vsby trends, it looks like a very atypical May day with MVFR vsbys in rain/fog, and IFR to MVFR cigs developing in the steady rainfall. I`ve gone with prevailing MVFR vsbys/IFR cigs in COU by midday where low level saturation should be greatest due to the rain this morning, but elsewhere I`ve kept cigs MVFR with the thinking that rainfall will be somewhat less, and because NE winds will be attempting to advect relatively drier low level air in from the ridge to our north. This thinking dovetails fairly well with 06z MAV guidance. Heading into tonight there is lots of uncertainty...will the southward oozing of the surface ridge scour out the residual low level moisture or will the moisture become trapped beneath an inversion? Because of this, forecast specifics trail off early this evening, and will let day shift take a crack at this time period as we get a better feel for trends later this afternoon. Specifics for KSTL: Steady rain is expected to develop by mid morning, with cigs/vsbys heading into MVFR category by midday. Latest HRRR guidance suggests rain ending by mid afternoon, but have maintained MVFR cigs into the evening due to saturation produced by the rainfall. Some lingering MVFR vsbys in fog is also anticipated for several hours after the rain ends. Truett && .CLIMATE: Issued at 316 AM CDT Wed May 20 2015 Record cool high temperatures for May 20th are as follows. St. Louis, MO....55/1924 (KSTL) Columbia, MO.....57/1924 (KCOU) Quincy, IL.......57/1967 (KUIN) Farmington, MO...66/1954 (co-op station) && .LSX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES: MO...NONE. IL...NONE. && $$ WFO LSX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION FOR WESTERN SD AND NORTHEASTERN WY
NWS RAPID CITY SD
914 AM MDT WED MAY 20 2015 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 909 AM MDT WED MAY 20 2015 UPPER HIGH IS PUSHING DRIER AIR INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS. SKIES ARE BECOMING CLEAR FROM NORTH TO SOUTH...AND PRECIP IS DIMINISHING. SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE IS DRAPED ACROSS THE CWA. WINDS ARE LIGHT AND VARIABLE WITH TEMPS RISING INTO THE 40S AND LOWER 50S. ADJUSTED SKY GRIDS AND POPS TO MATCH CURRENT TRENDS...BUT REST OF FORECAST LOOKS ON TRACK. && .SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT ISSUED AT 250 AM MDT WED MAY 20 2015 08Z SURFACE ANALYSIS HAD HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE DAKOTAS. WATER VAPOR LOOP HAD UPPER LOW SPINNING OVER NORTH CENTRAL NE. DEFORMATION ZONE -RASN ACROSS SOUTHERN SD STARTING TO WANE AS MOISTURE PLUME IS CUTOFF AND MAIN FORCING SHIFTS NORTHEAST ON 90KT JET STREAK ACROSS THE MIDDLE MO RIVER VALLEY. FEW INCHES OF SNOW OVER THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS PER WEB CAMS/ROAD REPORTS SINCE TUESDAY AFTERNOON. 00Z NAM/GFS AND LATEST RAP SHOW PRECIPITATION WANING THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS WITH MOST SYNOPTIC SCALE ACTIVITY/LIFT DONE BY 18Z. LOW LEVEL INSTABILITY SUGGESTS A FEW POPCORN SHOWERS POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS THE FAR SOUTH GIVEN RESIDUAL LOW LEVEL MOISTURE...BUT DRIER AIR INFILTRATING BOUNDARY LAYER UNDER SURFACE HIGH MAY LIMIT ACTIVITY TO SPRINKLES/VIRGA. TEMPERATURES WILL COOL AND BE BELOW GUIDANCE ACROSS THE SOUTH BUT NEAR GUIDANCE ACROSS THE NORTH WHERE CLEARING SKIES WILL MAKE FOR A PLEASANT DAY...ALBEIT BELOW NORMAL. TONIGHT/THURSDAY...WEAK UPPER RIDGE BUILDS INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS AS SURFACE HIGH SHIFTS INTO THE MIDDLE MS RIVER VALLEY. FROST MAY OCCUR OVER PARTS OF THE SD PLAINS AND LATER SHIFTS WILL NEED TO ASSESS FOR HEADLINES. WEAK RETURN FLOW EXPECTED THURSDAY WITH WARM AIR ADVECTION PUSHING TEMPERATURES INTO THE 60S ON THE PLAINS AND 50S IN THE BLACK HILLS. THURSDAY NIGHT...UPPER FLOW BECOMES SOUTHWEST IN RESPONSE TO UPPER LOW/TROUGH OVER THE WEST COAST. SHORTWAVE MOVING THROUGH WY MAY PRODUCE SMALL POPS OVER THE FAR SOUTHWEST LATE. TEMPERATURES WILL BE NEAR GUIDANCE. .LONG TERM...FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY ISSUED AT 250 AM MDT WED MAY 20 2015 THE NEXT LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM TO EJECT OUT OF THE WESTERN CONUS TROF WILL BEGIN TO IMPACT THE AREA ON FRIDAY...WITH CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS INCREASING FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST ACROSS THE CWA INTO FRIDAY EVENING. MEDIUM RANGE MODELS SEEM TO BE IN BETTER AGREEMENT ON THE TRACK OF THE SYSTEM...WITH SOME DIFFERENCES ON TIMING AND WHERE HEAVIER RAINFALL MAY DEVELOP. THE BEST CHANCES FOR MORE WIDESPREAD PCPN STILL LOOK TO BE FROM LATE FRIDAY INTO SUNDAY MORNING...WITH THE THREAT FOR HEAVIEST RAINFALL GENERALLY BEING SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT. SATURDAY LOOKS TO BE THE MOST FAVORABLE DAY FOR STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS AS WELL... ESPECIALLY FROM THE BLACK HILLS AREA AND EASTWARD. AS THE SYSTEM WEAKENS TO THE NORTH AND EAST OF THE AREA LATE IN THE WEEKEND...SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT WILL REMAIN OVER THE REGION. THIS WILL KEEP THE UNSETTLED PATTERN CONTINUING INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. TEMPERATURES WILL STAY BELOW AVERAGE THROUGH THE WEEKEND WITH CLOUDS AND MOISTURE ACROSS THE AREA. WILL LIKELY SEE A WARMING TREND TO NEAR AVERAGE TEMPERATURES EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .AVIATION...FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z THURSDAY MORNING ISSUED AT 535 AM MDT WED MAY 20 2015 LOW PRESSURE ALOFT WILL WEAKEN AND SHIFT EAST OF THE REGION TODAY. AREAS OF LIGHT RAIN/SNOW WITH MVFR/IFR CONDITIONS OVER SOUTHERN SD AND FAR NORTHEAST WY WILL CONTINUE EARLY THIS MORNING...WITH PCPN TAPERING OFF AND CONDITIONS IMPROVING TO VFR FROM NORTH TO SOUTH THROUGH THE REST OF THE MORNING AND MIDDAY HOURS. VFR CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST ACROSS NORTHWEST SD. && .UNR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SD...NONE. WY...NONE. && $$ UPDATE...POJORLIE SHORT TERM...HELGESON LONG TERM...26 AVIATION...26
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION FOR WESTERN SD AND NORTHEASTERN WY
NWS RAPID CITY SD
536 AM MDT WED MAY 20 2015 .SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT ISSUED AT 250 AM MDT WED MAY 20 2015 08Z SURFACE ANALYSIS HAD HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE DAKOTAS. WATER VAPOUR LOOP HAD UPPER LOW SPINNING OVER NORTH CENTRAL NE. DEFORMATION ZONE -RASN ACROSS SOUTHERN SD STARTING TO WANE AS MOISTURE PLUME IS CUTOFF AND MAIN FORCING SHIFTS NORTHEAST ON 90KT JET STREAK ACROSS THE MIDDLE MO RIVER VALLEY. FEW INCHES OF SNOW OVER THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS PER WEB CAMS/ROAD REPORTS SINCE TUESDAY AFTERNOON. 00Z NAM/GFS AND LATEST RAP SHOW PRECIPITATION WANING THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS WITH MOST SYNOPTIC SCALE ACTIVITY/LIFT DONE BY 18Z. LOW LEVEL INSTABILITY SUGGESTS A FEW POPCORN SHOWERS POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS THE FAR SOUTH GIVEN RESIDUAL LOW LEVEL MOISTURE...BUT DRIER AIR INFILTRATING BOUNDARY LAYER UNDER SURFACE HIGH MAY LIMIT ACTIVITY TO SPRINKLES/VIRGA. TEMPERATURES WILL COOL AND BE BELOW GUIDANCE ACROSS THE SOUTH BUT NEAR GUIDANCE ACROSS THE NORTH WHERE CLEARING SKIES WILL MAKE FOR A PLEASANT DAY...ALBEIT BELOW NORMAL. TONIGHT/THURSDAY...WEAK UPPER RIDGE BUILDS INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS AS SURFACE HIGH SHIFTS INTO THE MIDDLE MS RIVER VALLEY. FROST MAY OCCUR OVER PARTS OF THE SD PLAINS AND LATER SHIFTS WILL NEED TO ASSESS FOR HEADLINES. WEAK RETURN FLOW EXPECTED THURSDAY WITH WARM AIR ADVECTION PUSHING TEMPERATURES INTO THE 60S ON THE PLAINS AND 50S IN THE BLACK HILLS. THURSDAY NIGHT...UPPER FLOW BECOMES SOUTHWEST IN RESPONSE TO UPPER LOW/TROUGH OVER THE WEST COAST. SHORTWAVE MOVING THROUGH WY MAY PRODUCE SMALL POPS OVER THE FAR SOUTHWEST LATE. TEMPERATURES WILL BE NEAR GUIDANCE. .LONG TERM...FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY ISSUED AT 250 AM MDT WED MAY 20 2015 THE NEXT LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM TO EJECT OUT OF THE WESTERN CONUS TROF WILL BEGIN TO IMPACT THE AREA ON FRIDAY...WITH CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS INCREASING FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST ACROSS THE CWA INTO FRIDAY EVENING. MEDIUM RANGE MODELS SEEM TO BE IN BETTER AGREEMENT ON THE TRACK OF THE SYSTEM...WITH SOME DIFFERENCES ON TIMING AND WHERE HEAVIER RAINFALL MAY DEVELOP. THE BEST CHANCES FOR MORE WIDESPREAD PCPN STILL LOOK TO BE FROM LATE FRIDAY INTO SUNDAY MORNING...WITH THE THREAT FOR HEAVIEST RAINFALL GENERALLY BEING SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT. SATURDAY LOOKS TO BE THE MOST FAVORABLE DAY FOR STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS AS WELL... ESPECIALLY FROM THE BLACK HILLS AREA AND EASTWARD. AS THE SYSTEM WEAKENS TO THE NORTH AND EAST OF THE AREA LATE IN THE WEEKEND...SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT WILL REMAIN OVER THE REGION. THIS WILL KEEP THE UNSETTLED PATTERN CONTINUING INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. TEMPERATURES WILL STAY BELOW AVERAGE THROUGH THE WEEKEND WITH CLOUDS AND MOISTURE ACROSS THE AREA. WILL LIKELY SEE A WARMING TREND TO NEAR AVERAGE TEMPERATURES EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .AVIATION...FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z THURSDAY MORNING ISSUED AT 535 AM MDT WED MAY 20 2015 LOW PRESSURE ALOFT WILL WEAKEN AND SHIFT EAST OF THE REGION TODAY. AREAS OF LIGHT RAIN/SNOW WITH MVFR/IFR CONDITIONS OVER SOUTHERN SD AND FAR NORTHEAST WY WILL CONTINUE EARLY THIS MORNING...WITH PCPN TAPERING OFF AND CONDITIONS IMPROVING TO VFR FROM NORTH TO SOUTH THROUGH THE REST OF THE MORNING AND MIDDAY HOURS. VFR CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST ACROSS NORTHWEST SD. && .UNR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SD...NONE. WY...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...HELGESON LONG TERM...26 AVIATION...26
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS SAN ANGELO TX
950 AM CDT Wed May 20 2015 .UPDATE... A cold front is moving slowly south across the Big Country this morning, currently extending from just near Big Spring, to just north of Abilene, to Jacksboro. A few showers have developed along and north of this boundary, but should remain relatively light and unorganized. Temperatures have dropped into the upper 50s and lower 60s in areas north of I-20, with dewpoints as low as the 50s. An outflow boundary from overnight convection has moved south to near a Brownwood to San Angelo line and continues to sag slowly toward I-10. Precipitation amounts should remain rather light through early afternoon, but as the boundary layer destabilizes, scattered convection is expected to develop. The most likely area for convective initiation is roughly south of a San Angelo to Brownwood line (where the cold front is forecast to be near peak heating). If we get enough breaks in the cloud cover, instability and vertical shear should be sufficient to support strong to severe thunderstorms. This would present a potential for localized heavy rainfall, but coverage is expected to be limited, so not Flash Flood Watch will be issued. Temperatures were lowered a few degrees across the Big Country this afternoon, but otherwise minimal changes were made to the inherited forecast. Johnson && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 650 AM CDT Wed May 20 2015/ AVIATION... /12Z TAFS/ Widespread stratus is expected across West Central Texas this morning, with MVFR/IFR ceilings. The ceilings will lift to low end VFR across much of the area this afternoon and continue this evening, besides the KABI terminal remaining MVFR. Scattered thunderstorms should develop this afternoon and evening across the mainly the southern 2/3 of the area and have VCTS at most of the terminals. A few storms may be severe. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 450 AM CDT Wed May 20 2015/ SHORT TERM... (Today and Tonight) This morning, a cool front extended across central and southwest Oklahoma and southwest to south of Lubbock. Also, a complex of thunderstorms (latest IR indicating warming cloud tops) was located across north Texas and southern Oklahoma or mainly along the Red River valley. Scattered showers and storms extended back west into Haskell and Throckmorton counties. For today, the cool front will make some progress south across West Central Texas to probably along a San Angelo to Brownwood line by 00Z. Looks like the best potential for thunderstorms will be in the warm sector across the southern half of the area, along and ahead of the front. All the models indicate at least scattered thunderstorms developing, with the high res HRRR the most aggressive. The combination of moderate instability and 0-6km shear values of 30-35 knots will lead to a few storms becoming severe during mainly this afternoon and evening. the main hazards will be large hail and damaging winds. The Big Country will probably see more stable conditions behind the front, so the severe weather concern is mainly low for the next 24 hours. Highs today will range from the upper 60s to lower 70s across the Northern Big Country to lower 80s along the I-10 corridor. For tonight, the scattered afternoon storms may form into an organized complex during this evening. However, there is some uncertainty on how and where the storms will organize. For now, will keep the likely Pops going across the southeast half of the area and chance Pops elsewhere. Locally heavy rainfall will be possible mainly due to PW values of 1.25 to 1.5 inches. Again, A few storms may be severe during the evening. The cool front should move south of the area after midnight and convection should begin to weaken some. LONG TERM... (Thursday through Tuesday) .Unsettled weather will continue through the Memorial Day Weekend... Cloudy and cool conditions will start off the extended period on Thursday, as the cold front remains stalled south of the area during the day. Temperatures will be well below normal for this time of year, with highs ranging from the upper 60s across the Big Country, to the middle 70s along the I-10 corridor. Best rain chances will be across the southern half of the forecast area during the day, but will ramp up areawide by Thursday night as a shortwave lifts northeast across the area. Southerly flow returns on Friday as the stalled front lifts back north as a warm front during the day. Temperatures will be warmer but still below normal, with highs mainly in the upper 70s and lower 80s. There will be a continued chance for showers and thunderstorms on Friday, with highest POPs across northern sections where aforementioned front is expected to lift north during the afternoon hours. Maintaining high POPs for next weekend as a short wave trough moves east from the Four Corners region on Saturday and across the southern Rockies by Sunday. This system will bring a threat of strong to severe storms and heavy rainfall potential to the area for the Memorial Day weekend. Precipitation chances will start to wane by early next week as weak short wave ridging develops in the wake of the departing upper trough. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Abilene 74 59 68 58 77 / 40 50 40 60 50 San Angelo 80 63 71 61 81 / 40 60 40 60 40 Junction 83 67 75 64 83 / 20 60 50 50 40 && .SJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ 25
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS SAN ANGELO TX
650 AM CDT Wed May 20 2015 .AVIATION... /12Z TAFS/ Widespread stratus is expected across West Central Texas this morning, with MVFR/IFR ceilings. The ceilings will lift to low end VFR across much of the area this afternoon and continue this evening, besides the KABI terminal remaining MVFR. Scattered thunderstorms should develop this afternoon and evening across the mainly the southern 2/3 of the area and have VCTS at most of the terminals. A few storms may be severe. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 450 AM CDT Wed May 20 2015/ SHORT TERM... (Today and Tonight) This morning, a cool front extended across central and southwest Oklahoma and southwest to south of Lubbock. Also, a complex of thunderstorms (latest IR indicating warming cloud tops) was located across north Texas and southern Oklahoma or mainly along the Red River valley. Scattered showers and storms extended back west into Haskell and Throckmorton counties. For today, the cool front will make some progress south across West Central Texas to probably along a San Angelo to Brownwood line by 00Z. Looks like the best potential for thunderstorms will be in the warm sector across the southern half of the area, along and ahead of the front. All the models indicate at least scattered thunderstorms developing, with the high res HRRR the most aggressive. The combination of moderate instability and 0-6km shear values of 30-35 knots will lead to a few storms becoming severe during mainly this afternoon and evening. the main hazards will be large hail and damaging winds. The Big Country will probably see more stable conditions behind the front, so the severe weather concern is mainly low for the next 24 hours. Highs today will range from the upper 60s to lower 70s across the Northern Big Country to lower 80s along the I-10 corridor. For tonight, the scattered afternoon storms may form into an organized complex during this evening. However, there is some uncertainty on how and where the storms will organize. For now, will keep the likely Pops going across the southeast half of the area and chance Pops elsewhere. Locally heavy rainfall will be possible mainly due to PW values of 1.25 to 1.5 inches. Again, A few storms may be severe during the evening. The cool front should move south of the area after midnight and convection should begin to weaken some. LONG TERM... (Thursday through Tuesday) ..Unsettled weather will continue through the Memorial Day Weekend... Cloudy and cool conditions will start off the extended period on Thursday, as the cold front remains stalled south of the area during the day. Temperatures will be well below normal for this time of year, with highs ranging from the upper 60s across the Big Country, to the middle 70s along the I-10 corridor. Best rain chances will be across the southern half of the forecast area during the day, but will ramp up areawide by Thursday night as a shortwave lifts northeast across the area. Southerly flow returns on Friday as the stalled front lifts back north as a warm front during the day. Temperatures will be warmer but still below normal, with highs mainly in the upper 70s and lower 80s. There will be a continued chance for showers and thunderstorms on Friday, with highest POPs across northern sections where aformentioned front is expected to lift north during the afternoon hours. Maintaining high POPs for next weekend as a short wave trough moves east from the Four Corners region on Saturday and across the southern Rockies by Sunday. This system will bring a threat of strong to severe storms and heavy rainfall potential to the area for the Memorial Day weekend. Precipitation chances will start to wane by early next week as weak short wave ridging develops in the wake of the departing upper trough. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Abilene 74 59 68 58 77 / 40 50 40 60 50 San Angelo 80 63 71 61 81 / 40 60 40 60 40 Junction 83 67 75 64 83 / 20 60 50 50 40 && .SJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ 21
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
626 AM CDT WED MAY 20 2015 .DISCUSSION...12Z AVIATION DISCUSSION BELOW. && .AVIATION...MVFR STRATUS PREVAILS ACROSS MOST OF SOUTH-CENTRAL TEXAS EARLY THIS MORNING...WITH SOME ISOLATED SPOTS IN IFR RANGE. CEILINGS IMPROVING BACK TO VFR 18Z-21Z. ISOLATED SHRAS AND TSTMS POSSIBLE DURING THE AFTERNOON ACROSS NORTHERN AND EASTERN AREAS...INCLUDING VICINITY OF AUS. A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH THE HILL COUNTRY DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON...WITH SCATTERED SHRAS AND TSTMS ALONG IT. TREND AMONG HI RESOLUTION MODELS HAS BEEN QUICKER WITH THE SOUTHWARD PROGRESSION OF THE FRONT THROUGH THE DAY... ALTHOUGH CONVECTIVE OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES WILL ULTIMATELY PLAY A KEY ROLE IN EXACTLY HOW FAST THE FRONT MOVES SOUTH AND EXACT TIMING INTO THE CWA. HAVE MOVED THE TIMING OF TSTMS UP IN THE 12Z AUS AND DRT TAFS...WITH TSTMS MENTIONED AS EARLY AS 00Z NOW. THE TIMING WILL LIKELY BE REFINED FURTHER IN THE 18Z TAFS AS TRENDS BECOME BETTER ESTABLISHED. CONDITIONS WILL BE FAVORABLE FOR A FEW STORMS TO BECOME STRONG TO SEVERE ALONG AND NORTH OF AN AUS TO UVA LINE. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 426 AM CDT WED MAY 20 2015/ SHORT TERM (TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY)... AREA STREAMS AND RIVERS ARE HAVING A BRIEF PERIOD TO RECOVER THROUGH EARLY TODAY BEFORE A COLD FRONT ARRIVES TO TRIGGER NEW CONVECTION AND POSSIBLY RIVER RISES. MOST OF THE HIGHER RES MODELS GENERATE WHAT LOOKS TO BE STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS OVER THE WESTERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA WHERE THE COLD FRONT INTERACTS WITH HIGH EVENING CAPE VALUES AND LIGHT TO MODERATE SHEAR. WITH SPC MESO- ANALYSIS SHOWING HIGH PWAT VALUES OVER THE COMPLEX RIDING ALONG THE COLD FRONT OVER THE RED RIVER VALLEY EARLY THIS MORNING...WILL EXPECT A SIMILAR ENVIRONMENT SETTING UP FOR CENTRAL TX INTO THE WESTERN HILL COUNTRY THIS EVENING. THE PAST COUPLE RUNS OF THE NAM MODEL SEEM TO REFLECT A GOOD MIDDLE GROUND FROM THE HIGH RES CAMPS THAT SHOW EXTRA EMPHASIS OVER WESTERN COUNTIES AND OTHERS... INCLUDING RECENT HRRR RUNS...THAT KEEP THE CURRENT COMPLEX ALIVE AND MOVE IT INTO MAINLY CENTRAL AND EASTERN COUNTIES IN THE LATE AFTERNOON HOURS. IN THE FIRST OPERATIONAL PERIOD FOR TODAY...WILL FOLLOW A PORTION OF THE EASTERN SOLUTIONS OF HIGHER RES RUNS WITH THE EXPECTATION THAT SOME GRAVITY WAVE INDUCED SHOWER ACTIVITY TAPS INTO LOCALLY HIGHER PWAT VALUES. SLIGHTLY HIGHER POPS ARE SHOWN OVER CENTRAL TX FOR THIS AFTERNOON. HOWEVER...EXPECT THE SURFACE FRONTAL BOUNDARY TO MIX OUT...AND MID LEVEL STABILITY TO HOLD BACK MOST DEEP CONVECTION. WILL NEED TO MONITOR THE CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT CLOSELY OVER CENTRAL TX SHOULD THE CONVECTIVE OUTFLOW BE MORE ROBUST OVER NORTH TX IN THE LATE MORNING HOURS. BY THIS EVENING...THE NAM COMPROMISE SOLUTION SHOWS ITS HIGHEST IMPACT OVER THE NORTHERN HILL COUNTRY AND COULD MEAN A THREAT FOR BOTH SEVERE WEATHER AND FLASH FLOODING WITH SLOW SOUTHWARD PROPAGATING CELLS MOVING DOWN HIGHWAY 281. WHILE THIS SIGNAL WAS SIMILAR IN TWO STRAIGHT NAM RUNS...LOWER RES SOLUTIONS SHOW HIGHEST RAIN POTENTIAL MUCH FARTHER TO THE WEST WITH FRONTAL FORCING LIMITED OVER EASTERN COUNTIES. THUS WILL BALK AT ISSUING AN FFA...AS FLOODING THREATS SHOULD BE SOMEWHAT ISOLATED SHOULD THE WESTERN SOLUTIONS PREVAIL. TOWARD DAYBREAK...MUCH OF THE AREA SHOULD SHOW SOME LOW LEVEL STABILITY FROM THE FRONT...WITH MOST OF THE ELEVATED RAINS EXPECTED TO BE LIGHT TO MODERATE INTO THURSDAY. THE FRONT IS EXPECTED TO BE WEAK AND SHALLOW...SO WILL SHOW CHANCE CATEGORY POPS WHICH SIDE WITH THE LOWER RES MODELS OVER THE DRIER SOLUTIONS OF MOST HIGHER RES RUNS. LONG TERM (THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY)... ASSUMING WE GET THROUGH TONIGHTS SITUATIONAL HEAVY RAIN THREAT WITHOUT A MAJOR ORDEAL...THE HEAVY RAIN EMPHASIS WE ARE MOST CONCERNED ABOUT IS OVER THE WEEKEND. A SHARPENING AND HIGH AMPLITUDE UPPER TROUGH TO THE SOUTHWEST WILL INCREASE POPS GRADUALLY FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY...AND THEN AGRESSIVELY SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING. A WIDESPREAD HEAVY RAIN OF 1 TO 3 INCHES IS EXPECTED FOR THIS ENHANCED PERIOD WITH ISOLATED HIGHER AMOUNTS OF 4 TO 6 INCHES POSSIBLE. THE ECMWF AND CANADIAN EVEN CARRY THE EVENT INTO MEMORIAL DAY...WHICH COULD SEND PROJECTIONS EVEN HIGHER. FOR NOW...WILL ASSUME THAT A WIDESPREAD MCS OVER THE WEEKEND SHOULD TEMPORARILY STABILIZE THE AIR FOR MONDAY WHICH FAVORS THE MORE CONSERVATIVE GFS SOLUTION. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... AUSTIN CAMP MABRY 86 69 79 66 83 / 30 50 30 40 40 AUSTIN BERGSTROM INTL AIRPORT 85 68 79 66 83 / 30 50 30 40 40 NEW BRAUNFELS MUNI AIRPORT 86 70 81 67 83 / 30 40 40 40 40 BURNET MUNI AIRPORT 83 66 75 63 80 / 30 60 30 40 40 DEL RIO INTL AIRPORT 86 71 82 69 85 / 20 60 50 60 40 GEORGETOWN MUNI AIRPORT 84 66 76 64 82 / 30 60 30 40 40 HONDO MUNI AIRPORT 86 71 82 68 84 / 20 50 40 50 40 SAN MARCOS MUNI AIRPORT 85 69 79 66 82 / 30 40 30 40 40 LA GRANGE - FAYETTE REGIONAL 86 70 81 69 83 / 30 20 40 30 40 SAN ANTONIO INTL AIRPORT 86 71 81 69 83 / 20 40 40 40 40 STINSON MUNI AIRPORT 87 72 82 69 84 / 20 30 40 40 40 && .EWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ MESOSCALE/AVIATION...76 SYNOPTIC/GRIDS...18
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LA CROSSE WI
937 AM CDT WED MAY 20 2015 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 937 AM CDT WED MAY 20 2015 INCREASED/MOVED PRECIPITATION CHANCES A BIT MORE NORTHWARD ACROSS NORTHEAST IA/SOUTHWEST WI THIS MORNING INTO THIS AFTERNOON WITH INCOMING MID-LEVEL TROUGH/CIRCULATION. LATEST RAP SHOWS INTENSIFICATION IN MID-LEVEL/700MB FRONTOGENESIS...SO EXPECTING DESPITE DRYER LOW LEVELS...THE F-GEN WILL BE STRONG ENOUGH TO GENERATE SOME SHOWERS. UPDATE ISSUED AT 802 AM CDT WED MAY 20 2015 UPDATED TO REMOVE FROST ADVISORY. && .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 405 AM CDT WED MAY 20 2015 MAIN FCST CONCERNS THIS PERIOD...SMALL -SHRA CHANCES SOUTH TODAY... TEMPERATURES. DATA ANALYSIS AT 06Z HAD A BROAD AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND UPPER MIDWEST. THE HIGH WAS BRINGING CLEAR SKIES AND SUB-FREEZING TEMPS TO MUCH OF NORTHERN MN/WI INTO CENTRAL WI EARLY THIS MORNING. WV IMAGERY SHOWED A RATHER VIGOROUS LOOKING SHORTWAVE MOVING EAST ALONG THE NEB/SD BORDER. MID/HIGH CLOUDS WITH THIS WAVE SPREADING ACROSS SOUTHERN MN/WI...HELPING KEEP TEMPS ABOVE FREEZING. THE SHORTWAVE WAS BRINGING SOME LOWER LEVEL MOISTURE TO IA...BUT EVEN THERE CLOUDS WERE MOSTLY ABOVE 5K- 6K FT. REGIONAL RADARS SHOWED REFLECTIVITY WITH THE SHORTWAVE FROM SOUTH- CENTRAL SD TO NORTHERN MO BUT SFC OBS SHOW PRECIP REACHING THE GROUND WAS MAINLY ALONG/SOUTH OF I-80 EARLY THIS MORNING. 20.00Z MODEL INITIALIZATIONS LOOK GOOD. MODELS OFFER A TIGHTER CONSENSUS ON THE SD/NEB SHORTWAVE AS IT TRACKS EAST TODAY...AHEAD OF BUT PARTLY PHASING WITH THE NORTHERN STREAM SHORTWAVE DROPPING INTO EASTERN SD. TREND IS TO KEEP THE WAVES AS 2 SEPARATE PIECES OF ENERGY QUICKLY FOLLOWING EACH OTHER THRU A MERGED TROUGH OVER THE UPPER MIDWEST. TREND FAVORS STRONGER OF THE EARLIER MODELS AS THE NORTHERN STREAM SHORTWAVE MOVES SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE REGION. WITH THE TIGHT CONSENSUS OF SOLUTIONS...SHORT TERM FCST CONFIDENCE IS GOOD THIS CYCLE. IN THE SHORT TERM...SMALL -SHRA CHANCES ACROSS THE FAR SOUTH END OF THE FCST AREA REMAIN A BATTLE OF 700-500MB FN/QG CONVERGENCE AND PV ADVECTION WITH THE SHORTWAVE AND OVERCOMING DRIER NORTH TO NORTHEAST FLOW/AIRMASS IN THE SFC-700MB PORTION OF THE COLUMN. PW VALUES IN THE 0.5 TO 0.75 INCH RANGE ACROSS THE SOUTH END OF THE FCST AREA TODAY BUT MAIN 850MB MOISTURE TRANSPORT STAYS WELL SOUTH IN MO AND THE 700MB TRANSPORT MAINLY REACHES INTO THE SOUTHERN 2/3 OF IA. MODELS...INCLUDING LOCAL/REGIONAL WRF MODELS ABOUT EVENLY SPLIT ON -SHRA MAKING IT AS FAR NORTH AS THE KCCY/KOLZ AREAS. CONTINUED SOME 20-40 PERCENT -SHRA CHANCES ACROSS PARTS OF NORTHEAST IA INTO EXTREME SOUTHWEST WI TODAY...PARTLY TO BLEND WITH NEIGHBORING GRIDS. MAIN SHOT OF FORCING/LIFT MOVES ACROSS THE AREA THIS MORNING AND CARRIED HIGHEST RAIN CHANCES AROUND 15Z...WITH RAIN CHANCES DIMINISHING THRU THE AFTERNOON AS THE LEAD SHORTWAVE PASSES AND THE COLUMN BEGINS TO DRY. MID/HIGH CLOUDS ACROSS THE AREA TODAY WILL TEMPER HIGHS. 700-500MB TROUGH AXIS DROPS SOUTH OF THE AREA THIS EVENING WITH AN INCREASE OF NORTHWEST TO NORTH FLOW AND DRIER AIR SPREADING SOUTH ACROSS THE FCST AREA. CLOUDS LOOKING TO DECREASE THIS EVENING WITH MOSTLY CLEAR TO CLEAR SKIES OVERNIGHT. ANOTHER COOL NIGHT TONIGHT UNDER MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES...A DRY LOW LEVEL AIRMASS AND WINDS EXPECTED TO BE LIGHT. MAY YET BE SOME PATCHY FROST ACROSS THE NORTHEAST END OF THE FCST AREA LATE TONIGHT INTO EARLY THU MORNING. WILL LEAVE IT TO DAY CREW TO FURTHER EVALUATE THIS AFTER THE CURRENT ADVISORY HAS EXPIRED. FAVORED A BLEND OF THE GUIDANCE HIGHS/LOWS FOR TODAY/TONIGHT. .LONG TERM...(THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 405 AM CDT WED MAY 20 2015 MAIN FCST CONCERNS FOR THU THRU FRI NIGHT...TEMPERATURES. 20.00Z MODELS IN GOOD AGREEMENT ON NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT OVER THE UPPER MIDWEST THU THRU FRI...AND REMAIN IN GOOD AGREEMENT FOR HGTS TO RISE/RIDGING TO BUILD INTO THE REGION FRI NIGHT. MODELS ALSO WITH RATHER GOOD RUN-TO-RUN CONSISTENCY THIS PERIOD. TREND BY FRI NIGHT IS TOWARD STRONGER OF THE EARLIER RUNS WITH THE RIDGING OVER THE REGION. FCST CONFIDENCE FOR THU THRU FRI NIGHT IS GOOD THIS CYCLE. UNDER THE NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT MODEL SOUNDINGS AND TIME-HGT X- SECTIONS SHOWING A RATHER DRY AIRMASS/COLUMN OVER THE AREA FOR THU THRU FRI. OTHER THAN PERHAPS SOME SCT AFTERNOON CUMULUS DURING PEAK HEATING...THU THRU FRI SHAPING UP TO BE A CLEAR/SUNNY PERIOD. DECENT CONSENSUS AMONG THE MODEL FOR A WEAK WAVE TO DROP ACROSS THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES THU BUT ANY IMPACTS FROM THIS LOOKING TO REMAIN WELL EAST OF THE FCST AREA. SFC PRESSURE GRADIENTS ON THE WEAK SIDE FOR LIGHT WINDS...ESPECIALLY FRI WITH A SFC RIDGE AXIS OVER THE REGION. MODEL SOUNDINGS INDICATING MIXING TO ABOUT 750MB THU...WITH AROUND 25KTS OF WIND IN THE 850-750MB PORTION OF THE MIXED LAYER. INCREASED WINDS/GUSTS A BIT THU AFTERNOON. COLUMN MIXES TO AROUND 825MB FRI...WITH WINDS PROGGED TO BE LESS THAN 10KT THRU 800MB. 850MB TEMPS IN THE +7C TO +9C RANGE BOTH THU/FRI AFTERNOONS... SUPPORTING HIGHS IN THE UPPER 60S TO NEAR 75. LIGHT WINDS AND CLEAR SKIES FOR STRONGER RADIATIONAL COOLING THU NIGHT...FOR A LARGER THAN NORMAL DIURNAL SWING OF TEMPERATURES. AS PATTERN PROGRESSES FRI NIGHT...SFC-700MB TROUGHING STRENGTHENS IN THE PLAINS. INCREASING SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST LOW LEVEL FLOW STARTS TO SPREAD MOISTURE/WARMING NORTHEAST INTO THE UPPER MIDWEST...ALONG WITH HIGHER LEVEL MOISTURE AHEAD OF THE WESTERN CONUS TROUGHING SPILLING THRU THE RIDGING AND INTO THE REGION. TREND OF WARMER LOWS AND SOME INCREASE OF CLOUDS FRI NIGHT LOOKS GOOD. TRENDED TOWARD WARMER OF GUIDANCE HIGHS THU/FRI...THEN FAVORED A BLEND OF THE GUIDANCE LOWS THU/FRI NIGHTS. FOR SATURDAY THRU TUESDAY...DAYS 4 TO 7... MEDIUM RANGE MODEL RUNS OF 20.00Z IN QUITE GOOD AGREEMENT SAT/SUN SHOWING THE MID LEVEL RIDGE AXIS TO SLOWLY MOVE EAST OF THE REGION AND DEEP SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT OVER MUCH OF THE UPPER MIDWEST BY LATE SUN. DIFFERENCES BEGIN TO APPEAR BY SUN NIGHT/MON...ON THE TIMING/ STRENGTH DETAILS OF SHORTWAVE ENERGY EJECTING OUT OF THE WESTERN CONUS TROUGH AND TOWARD/INTO THE UPPER MIDWEST. DETAIL DIFFERENCES CONTINUE TUE...BUT GENERAL LONGWAVE CONSENSUS FOR BROAD TROUGHING OVER MUCH OF THE CENTRAL/WESTERN CONUS. WITH THIS TRENDING TO BE A MORE UNSETTLED WEATHER PERIOD AND SENSIBLE WEATHER ANY ONE DAY STRONGLY IMPACTED BY THE SHORTWAVE/MESO-SCALE DETAILS...FCST CONFIDENCE IN THE DAY 4-7 PERIOD IS AVERAGE THIS CYCLE. MODEL CONSENSUS HAS SOUTHERLY FLOW AND MOISTURE CONTINUING TO INCREASE INTO THE UPPER MIDWEST SATURDAY THRU SUN. PW VALUES PROGGED IN THE 1.5 INCH RANGE OVER MUCH OF THE FCST AREA BY 12Z SUN. THIS WITH A BROAD INCREASE OF LOWER LEVEL THERMO-DYNAMIC FORCING/LIFT AND INSTABILITY. MODEL CONSENSUS OF INCREASING SHRA/TSRA CHANCES FROM WEST TO EAST ACROSS THE AREA FROM SAT THRU SUN NIGHT LOOKING WELL TRENDED...THOUGH THE SPECIFIC DETAILS OF PERIOD HAVE YET TO BE SORTED OUT. WITH SLOW PROGRESSION OF THE LONGWAVE PATTERN...AND ADDITIONAL SHORTWAVES TO COME THRU LONGWAVE TROUGHING THAT IS PROGGED TO REMAIN OVER THE WEST HALF OF THE CONUS...THE MODEL/ ENSEMBLE CONSENSUS SHRA/ TSRA CHANCES CONTINUING THRU MON/TUE ARE REASONABLE FOR NOW. GIVEN UNCERTAINTIES WITH SHRA/TSRA CHANCES/ TIMING/COVERAGE /AND CLOUD COVER/ ANY ONE DAY...DID NOT DEVIATE FROM THE MODEL CONSENSUS HIGHS/LOWS FOR SAT THRU TUE. IF ANY ONE OR MORE OF DAYS 4 TO 7 END UP DRY AND SUNNIER THAN CURRENTLY EXPECTED... HIGHS THAT DAY COULD EASILY BE 5F TO 10F WARMER THAN THOSE IN THE FCST GRIDS. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z THURSDAY MORNING) ISSUED AT 638 AM CDT WED MAY 20 2015 MID CLOUDS...ASSOCIATED WITH A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVING THROUGH THE SOUTHERN MISSOURI...WILL REMAIN OVER BOTH TAF SITES THROUGH THIS EVENING...AND THEN SKIES WILL CLEAR. LIGHT WINDS WILL GRADUALLY VEER FROM THE NORTH THIS MORNING TO SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST BY THIS AFTERNOON AND REMAIN THAT WAY THROUGH TONIGHT. && .ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WI...NONE. MN...NONE. IA...NONE. && $$ UPDATE...DAS SHORT TERM...RRS LONG TERM....RRS AVIATION...BOYNE
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NWS LITTLE ROCK AR
1253 PM CDT WED MAY 20 2015 .AVIATION... DRIER AIR MOVING INTO SOUTHERN ARKANSAS...WITH CONDITIONS IMPROVING THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. HOWEVER...WITH ABUNDANT RAINFALL...CONDITIONS WILL DETERIORATE AND IFR CIGS WILL BE POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 1035 AM CDT WED MAY 20 2015/ DISCUSSION... MID MORNING UPDATE LOWERED POPS IN THE WEST TO CENTRAL AR...WHILE THE HIGHEST IN THE EAST. RADAR TRENDS ARE TAKING MUCH OF THE RAIN OUT OF THE CWA BY NOON...THEN SHORT RANGE MODELS ONLY SHOW LOW AMOUNTS OVER THE STATE THE REST OF TODAY. UNTIL THE SURFACE LOW PULLS EAST AND THE COLD FRONT IS TOTALLY THROUGH AR...WILL HAVE TO KEEP SOME CHANCES OF RAIN...ISOLATED THUNDER...IN THE FORECAST. AT MID MORNING THE SURFACE LOW WAS OVER SW MO...WITH THE COLD FRONT SOUTHWEST TO EASTERN OK. WILL SEE IT GRADUALLY MOVE THROUGH AR TODAY TO THIS EVENING...WITH A WIND SHIFT TO THE W TO NW BEHIND THE FRONT. LATER THIS EVENING...THE FRONT IS EXPECTED IN SOUTHERN AR...BUT LOCATION WILL BE A BIT UNCERTAIN...ESPECIALLY HOW FAR SOUTH IT GOES. AT SOME POINT OVER SOUTHERN AR THE STEERING FLOW WILL BECOME PARALLEL AND BOUNDARY WILL STALL...MORE LIKELY NEAR THE AR AND LA STATE LINE. LATE MORNING UPDATE WILL ADJUST POPS THIS AFTERNOON...CLOUDS...TEMPS AND WINDS. (59) PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 417 AM CDT WED MAY 20 2015/ SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAS CONTINUED TO PUSH EASTWARD AND INTO THE AREA DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. SO FAR RAINFALL RATES EXCEEDING ONE TO TWO INCHES PER HOUR HAVE BEEN SEEN ACROSS WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE CWA. HRRR...ARW...NMM HAVE ALL HAD A GOOD HANDLE ON THE SYSTEM TONIGHT AND DO AGREE THAT THE SYSTEM WILL WEAKEN BY MIDMORNING. DO BELIEVE SOME DRIER AIR WILL FILTER INTO WESTERN ARKANSAS...BUT AT THIS TIME ONLY THE HRRR COMPLETELY DRIES THINGS OUT DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS. DID CONTINUE WITH CHANCE POPS DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS FOR MUCH OF THE CWA...BUT THIS WILL NEED TO CONTINUE TO BE MONITORED AND UPDATED AS NEEDED. FRONT IS EXPECTED TO CLEAR THE STATE BY 00Z AND WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH SOUTH AND REMAIN ACROSS LOUISIANA. FOR THE MOST PART...THURSDAY WILL REMAIN DRY FOR MUCH OF THE STATE...WITH SOME PRECIP CHANCES REMAINING ACROSS SOUTHERN ARKANSAS. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN BRIEFLY BEFORE PRECIPITATION CHANCES RETURN TO THE FORECAST ON FRIDAY. MODELS HAVE COME IN BETTER AGREEMENT WITH THE PRECIP ON FRIDAY...BUT IT LOOKS LIKE PRECIPITATION CHANCES WILL REMAIN GENERALLY ACROSS WESTERN ARKANSAS. UNSETTLED WEATHER WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE WEEKEND WITH A LONGWAVE TROUGH ACROSS THE WESTERN CONUS. LONG TERM...SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY MODEL DATA THIS MRNG CONT TO INDC AN UNSETTLED WX PATTERN WL PERSIST ACRS THE REGION TO CLOSE OUT THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND. AN UPR RDG WL SET UP OVR THE SOUTHEASTERN STATES...RESULTING IN A SWLY FLOW ALOFT ACRS AR. A SERIES OF IMPULSES WL TRACK NEWD AND BRING CONTD CHCS OF SHRA/TSRA EACH DAY. KEPT POPS IN THE CHC CAT FOR NOW AS TIMING OF EACH SHRTWV WL RMN DIFFICULT THIS FAR IN ADVANCE. HVY RAIN POTENTIAL WL ALSO BE A CONCERN THRU THE PD...ALONG WITH THE CONTD THREAT OF FLOODING. && .LZK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && $$ AVIATION...58
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS PUEBLO CO
328 PM MDT WED MAY 20 2015 .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY) ISSUED AT 328 PM MDT WED MAY 20 2015 CURRENT WATER VAPOR IMAGERY AND UPPER AIR ANALYSIS INDICATING A UPPER RIDGING BUILDING ACROSS THE STATE WITH A BROAD UPPER TROUGH DIGGING ACROSS THE WEST COAST. WATER VAPOR IMAGERY ALSO INDICATING AN EMBEDDED SHORT WAVE LIFTING OUT ACROSS THE SOUTHERN GREAT BASIN WITH ANOTHER ONE ROUNDING THE BASE OF THE TROUGH ACROSS THE SOUTHERN CALIF COAST ATTM. WARMING ALOFT AND MOIST LOW LEVEL UPSLOPE KEEPING LOW CLOUDS TRAPPED AND COOL TEMPERATURES IN THE 40S AND 50S ACROSS THE EASTERN PLAINS AT THIS TIME. REGIONAL SATELLITE AND RADAR DATA INDICATING INSOLATION ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN TERRAIN WEST OF THE FRONT RANGE IS HELPING TO DEVELOP ISOLATED SHOWERS AND A FEW EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THE EARLY AFTERNOON...WITH THE BEST COVERAGE ACROSS THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL MTS. TONIGHT...TRANSITORY UPPER RIDGE CONTINUES TO BUILD ACROSS THE STATE WITH THE PASSING GREAT BASIN EMBEDDED WAVE HELPING TO DEVELOP CONVECTION THROUGH THE LATE EVENING HOURS...MAINLY OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN. LATEST NAM...GFS AND EC ARE BULLISH WITH BRINGING SHOWERS ACROSS THE STABLE I-25 CORRIDOR...AND HAVE STAYED CLOSER TO THE HRRR AND RAP WHICH KEEPS BEST CHANCES OF GENERALLY LIGHT RAIN ACROSS EL PASO COUNTY. MODEL SOUNDINGS INDICATING CLOUDS TO LOWER ACROSS THE PLAINS AGAIN OVERNIGHT...WITH FOG AND PATCHY DRIZZLE POSSIBLE ALONG AND WEST OF THE I-25 CORRIDOR. THURSDAY...SOUTHERLY FLOW ALOFT INCREASES THROUGH THE DAY AS THE WEST COAST SYSTEM SLOWLY MOVES EAST. LATEST MODELS ARE A TAD SLOWLY WITH THE SOUTHERN CALIF SHORT WAVE LIFTING OUT ACROSS THE DESERT SOUTHWEST AND INTO THE ROCKIES...WHICH MAY DELAY THE ONSET...COVERAGE AND INTENSITY OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE AREA. AT ANY RATE...WILL SEE SHOWERS AND STORMS DEVELOPING ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN THROUGH THE AFTERNOON WITH STORMS MOVING ACROSS THE ADJACENT PLAINS THROUGH THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. SLOWER MOVEMENT OF THE SYSTEM LOOKS TO HINDER MIXING ACROSS THE EASTERN PLAINS...WITH LOW CLOUDS SLOWLY LIFTING THROUGH THE LATE MORNING AND AFTERNOON. .LONG TERM...(THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY) ISSUED AT 328 PM MDT WED MAY 20 2015 THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY...AN UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST US IS FORECAST TO EJECT A RATHER STRONG SHORTWAVE TROUGH INTO COLORADO. SURFACE FLOW FROM THE SOUTHEAST WITH BRING IN A DEEP LAYER OF MOISTURE...WHICH WILL BE LIFTED BY THE TERRAIN AND SHORTWAVE DYNAMICS TO PRODUCE ANOTHER EPISODE OF WIDESPREAD MODERATE...AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL TO THE EASTERN MOUNTAINS AND PLAINS. THE SHOWERS AND STORMS ARE DEPICTED BY THE GFS AND NAM TO MAINLY OCCUR DURING THE FIRST HALF OF THURSDAY NIGHT...AND QUICKLY SPREAD NORTH AND EAST DURING THE OVERNIGHT. A FEW LIGHTNING STRIKES ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE CWA WITH ELEVATED INSTABILITY...HOWEVER SEVERE WEATHER IS UNLIKELY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT. GFS IS MORE HEAVY HANDED WITH PRECIPITATION ACROSS THE I-25 AND EASTERN MOUNTAINS THAN THE NAM ON THE LATEST RUNS. MORE THAN AN INCH OF RAIN IS POSSIBLE OVER THE EASTERN HALF OF THE CWA...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS. WITH SATURATED GROUND...THE POTENTIAL FOR FLASH FLOODING AND FLOODING IS THERE. RIVERS AND LARGE CREEKS MAY ALSO EXPERIENCE MORE EROSION ISSUES. SNOW LEVELS WILL REMAIN HIGH...WITH SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW POSSIBLE THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING ABOVE 10 KFT. IN THE WAKE OF THE SHORTWAVE...SINKING MOTION AND DRYING WILL OCCUR. MODELS ARE HINTING AT A DRY LINE ACROSS THE FAR EASTERN PLAINS...WHICH COULD SPARK STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS NEAR THE KANSAS BORDER. CAPES OVER 1000 J/KG AND 0-6 KM BULK SHEARS ABOVE 50 KNOTS COULD CAUSE SOME STORM ROTATION. ELSEWHERE ON FRIDAY...ISOLATED SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL OCCUR ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND DISSIPATE FRIDAY EVENING. SATURDAY...THE MAIN UPPER SYSTEM WILL MIGRATE THROUGH THE GREAT BASIN...WITH SOUTH-SOUTHWEST FLOW ACROSS THE CWA. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS AND STORMS MAY DEVELOP ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS AND HIGH VALLEYS...AND THE DRY LINE IS FORECAST TO BE ACROSS THE EASTERN COUNTIES AGAIN...WITH A RISK OF STRONG TO MARGINALLY SEVERE STORMS DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SUNDAY AND MONDAY...THE NEXT SYSTEM WILL MOVE ACROSS THE ROCKIES SUNDAY INTO MONDAY. A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL PUSH THROUGH THE PLAINS SUNDAY MORNING BRINGING MOISTURE INTO THE REGION. AN UPPER DISTURBANCE WILL BRING SOME SHOWERS AND STORM TO THE AREA...LASTING INTO MONDAY AFTERNOON. TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY...A MODEST RIDGE MAY BUILD INTO THE AREA...PROVIDING SOME SUNSHINE...AND ONLY THE POSSIBILITY OF AFTERNOON AND EVENING ISOLATED SHOWERS AND STORMS. -TLM- && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z THURSDAY EVENING) ISSUED AT 328 PM MDT WED MAY 20 2015 MVFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED TO PERSIST AT COS AND PUB WITH MOIST LOW LEVEL UPSLOPE KEEPING CLOUDS IN PLACE. COULD SEE -SHRA AND ISOLD -TRSA OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN WEST OF THE TERMINALS...THOUGH DOES NOT LOOK TO AFFECT THE TERMINALS ATTM. EXPECTING IFR AND LOCAL LIFR CONDITIONS TO REDEVELOP OVERNIGHT...WITH BR/FG AND DZ POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY AT COS. MVFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED AFT 16Z WITH POSSIBLE SHOWERS AND STORMS DEVELOPING ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN AFT 20Z. VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED AT ALS OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS WITH INCREASING COVERAGE OF SHOWERS AND STORMS ACROSS THE AREA AFT 18Z. && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...MW LONG TERM...TM AVIATION...MW
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS PEACHTREE CITY GA
336 PM EDT WED MAY 20 2015 .SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... MAIN FORECAST CONCERN IS WITH PRECIP POTENTIAL THIS EVENING INTO THE EARLY MORNING AS A SHORTWAVE AND SOME ENHANCED MOISTURE APPROACHES THE CWA FROM THE WEST. CURRENTLY A BAND OF SHOWERS AND STORMS IS PUSHING INTO WESTERN ALABAMA AHEAD OF THIS DISTURBANCE WITH A WEAK TRANSLATED SFC LOW. WHILE SOME HI-RES SOLUTIONS DO NOT APPEAR TO SUPPORT THIS HOLDING TOGETHER AND PUSHING INTO WEST GA...SOME PREVIOUS RAP SOLUTIONS SUPPORTED IT AND WILL NEED TO BE CLOSELY MONITORED ESPECIALLY IF SOME OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES OR OTHER MESOSCALE FORCING COMES TO AID. THIS MAY RESULT IN UPPING POPS IN WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE AREA BY THIS EVENING. STILL SOME MLCAPE NEAR 1000 J/KG AND DECENT DCAPE IN PLACE. IF ANY STORM DEVELOPMENT CAN MUSTER...THERE COULD STILL BE STRONG DOWNDRAFT WINDS EVEN THOUGH IT IS A SHEAR DEPRIVED ENVIRONMENT. KEEPING BEST CHANCE POPS MAINLY NORTH OF I-20 CORRIDOR INTO THE EARLY MORNING WITH THE SHORTWAVE INFLUENCE. PROGGED THERMAL PROFILES INDICATE GOOD DRYING OF THE COLUMN FOR THURSDAY AND NOW BETTER AGREEMENT WITH A NOTABLE CAPPING INVERSION ABOVE 850 MB. HAVE TRIMMED BACK POPS NOW TO ONLY HAVE A SLIGHT CHANCE IN THE FAR SOUTHERN TIER FOR THE AFTERNOON...OTHERWISE LOOKING TO STAY TOO DRY AND STABLE. WINDS LOOK TO BE KICKING IN WITH THE STRENGTHENING PRESSURE GRADIENT AND AFTERNOON MIXING. WHILE CURRENTLY LOOKING TO STAY A BIT BELOW CRITERIA...WILL NEED TO KEEP AN EYE ON TRENDS FOR ANY FIRE DANGER CONCERNS WITH ALREADY DRY FUELS /THOUGH MAY BE ALTERED WITH AFOREMENTIONED PRECIP CHANCES/. TEMPS THURSDAY LOOK TO HAVE A STRONG GRADIENT WITH BELOW NORMAL HIGHS IN THE MID/UPPER 70S FOR THE NW TO THE LOW 90S SE. BAKER .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... HAVE MADE A FEW MINOR ADJUSTMENTS TO POP AND WEATHER THROUGH THE WEEKEND. LATEST LONG TERM MODELS HINT AT A MORE PROMINENT SURFACE HIGH KEEPING MOISTURE TO THE WEST LARGELY AT BAY THROUGH SUNDAY...WITH ONLY PORTIONS OF WESTERN AND NORTHERN GEORGIA AT RISK FOR AN ISOLATED STORM. HAVE SCALED POPS BACK SOMEWHAT AS A RESULT. 31 PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 424 AM EDT WED MAY 20 2015/ LONG TERM PERIOD BEGINS A BIT DRIER AS THE FRONTAL SYSTEM WILL BE SOUTH AND EAST OF THE AREA. HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING IN FROM THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND MID WESTERN STATES BECOMES CENTERED OFF THE MID ATLANTIC COAST AND STAYS THERE THROUGH THE WEEKEND. THIS RIDGE CONTINUES TO ROTATE AND KEEPS THE DEEPER MOISTURE NORTH AND WEST OF THE REGION THROUGH THE BEGINNING OF NEXT WEEK. THERE IS STILL SOME MID AND UPPER LEVEL MOISTURE AROUND THE AREA SO WILL KEEP SLIGHT CHANCE DIURNALLY DRIVEN POPS IN THE FORECAST DAYS 3-5. BY TUESDAY THE RIDGE IS BEGINNING TO WEAKEN AND TRANSITION INTO MORE OF A BERMUDA LIKE RIDGE. THIS WILL ALLOW DEEPER MOISTURE TO MOVE IN FROM THE WEST ASSOCIATED WITH A WEAKENING FRONTAL BOUNDARY. LOOKING AT INSTABILITIES INCREASING A BIT TUESDAY/WEDNESDAY ALONG WITH PWS SO WILL INCREASE TO CHANCE POPS DAYS 6 AND 7. 01 && .AVIATION... 18Z UPDATE... INITIAL VFR CONDITIONS WITH SCT-BKN CU FIELD IN 4-5 KFT AND SOME VCSH IS POSSIBLE FOR MOST SITES FOR THE AFTERNOON. OTHERWISE NEXT DISTURBANCE BRINGING SLIGHTLY BETTER CHANCE FOR -SHRA TONIGHT IN 03-07Z PERIOD FOR KATL AND NEARBY NORTHERN SITES. ALSO CHANCE FOR NORTHERN SITES TO GET MVFR CIGS IN 09-15Z THURSDAY MORNING. WINDS MAINLY WNW 5-7 KTS INTO TONIGHT...THEN INCREASE TO 10-12 KTS THURSDAY WITH GUSTS POSSIBLE 18-22 KTS. //ATL CONFIDENCE...18Z UPDATE... MEDIUM ON OVERNIGHT CIGS. HIGH ON ALL ELSE. BAKER && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... ATHENS 66 85 56 81 / 20 10 10 5 ATLANTA 67 80 58 80 / 30 10 5 5 BLAIRSVILLE 61 74 48 74 / 30 20 10 5 CARTERSVILLE 64 79 53 79 / 30 10 5 5 COLUMBUS 70 88 61 84 / 10 10 10 5 GAINESVILLE 65 80 55 78 / 30 10 10 5 MACON 67 89 59 85 / 20 10 10 5 ROME 65 77 52 79 / 40 10 10 5 PEACHTREE CITY 65 83 54 81 / 20 10 5 5 VIDALIA 71 92 65 86 / 30 20 10 5 && .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...BAKER LONG TERM....31 AVIATION...BAKER
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS TOPEKA KS
1232 PM CDT Wed May 20 2015 ...Update to aviation forecast discussion... .SHORT TERM...(Today and Tonight) Issued at 331 AM CDT WED MAY 20 2015 Mid/upper level trough currently lifting northeastward over SD and NE, and will eventually merge with energy tracking over the upper Midwest. An expansive area of light to moderate rain will move across northeast KS early this morning, which is supported by upper level forcing associated with the trough and low level frontogenesis. Most of the forcing is forecast to continue eastward and mainly exiting the area around 12Z. There are indications that light rain showers and or drizzle could linger through the early afternoon hours after the mid/upper levels dry out. Both RAP and NAM soundings show steep low level lapse rates coinciding with saturation along with weak lift. This could be enough to generate these light showers and or drizzle. Although these models also suggest isentropic downglide on the backside of the wave so very little precip accumulations are expected after 12Z. Clouds will stick around most of the day and northerly flow will keep temperatures from warming up much, therefore highs will generally be in the mid 50s. Surface high pressure will build into the region tonight and clouds may begin to scatter out as the drier air filters southward. As surface winds begin to lighten and temperatures cool there is a chance fog could develop especially given the recent rainfall. Temperatures are expected to drop into the low to mid 40s with a few isolated locations in the upper 30s. .LONG TERM...(Thursday through Tuesday) Issued at 331 AM CDT WED MAY 20 2015 Thursday through Thursday night, A surface ridge of high pressure over eastern KS will shift east into MO by Friday morning. An upper level trough will move onshore across southern CA. Expect mostly sunny skies on Thursday with highs reaching the mid 60s. Thursday night will be a bit warmer as the center of the surface ridge moves east into MO, allowing light winds to become southerly. Lows Friday morning will only drop into the mid to upper 40s. High and mid level clouds will increase late Thursday night. Friday through Monday, The upper trough over southern CA will slowly drift northeast into western CO and slowly fill. Southwest flow aloft across the central Rockies will cause a surface lee trough to deepen across the central and southern high plains. Deeper gulf moisture will gradually be advected northward into the southern plains Friday afternoon. The resulting isentropic lift ahead of the deeper moisture return combined with any ascent from minor H5 troughs embedded within the southern stream of the H5 jet will provide an increasing chance for showers and isolated thunderstorms during the day Friday and into the Friday evening. The ECMWF shows a brief amplification of the main H5 trough across AZ. This may amplify a downstream H5 ridge across the southern plains which may provide a break from the showers and thunderstorms across eastern KS on Saturday. Due to cloud cover and increasing rain chances on Friday, highs will only reach the mid 60s. If we see more insolation on Saturday highs will reach the lower 70s. Saturday night through Sunday night, the Upper trough will fill as it lifts northeast into western CO. The southern stream H5 ridge will shift east across the Gulf coast states. Embedded shortwave trough combined with deeper moisture advection will cause periods of showers and thunderstorms to develop. The mid level flow will weaken below 40 KTS. The weaker vertical wind shear should prevent organized storms updrafts. Also, the instability may be lower due to the cloud cover. I don`t expect severe thunderstorms this weekend. The primary hazard may be occasional heavy rainfall. Highs on Sunday will reach the mid 70s Monday (Memorial Day), The ECMWF and GEM forecast a slightly more amplified H5 trough to move northeast from southwest TX into central OK. The better ascent ahead of this trough will be across northern TX and southern OK. Both models do not forecast much in the way of QPF during the day. The showers and thunderstorms may increase Monday night as the H5 trough lifts northeast into western MO. Highs on Monday should reach the mid 70s Tuesday, the H5 trough across western MO will lift northeast into eastern IA and IL. We may see a break in the precip. The GFS is slower moving the H5 trough northeast across MO and forecast higher QPF across eastern KS on Tuesday. Looks a bit warmer on Tuesday as 16 to 18 degree C 850mb temps advect northeast across the CWA. Highs should reach into the upper 70s to around 80. && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFs through 18Z Thursday Afternoon) Issued at 1232 PM CDT WED MAY 20 2015 Expect slight improvements to rather frequent IFR cigs in next few hours given typical diurnal trends and upstream obs, though confidence is not high. Timing of stratus exit also difficult, but guidance similar with a delayed exit from earlier expectations. Am not too worried about FG development around 11Z at this point with some boundary layer mixing occuring. && .TOP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...Sanders LONG TERM...Gargan AVIATION...65
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GRAND RAPIDS MI
604 PM EDT WED MAY 20 2015 LATEST UPDATE... UPDATE .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 329 PM EDT WED MAY 20 2015 COOLER THAN NORMAL WEATHER WILL CONTINUE THE REST OF THE WORK WEEK...WITH FROST A GOOD BET EACH NIGHT ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL LOWER MICHIGAN. SOME LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS OR SPRINKLES ARE POSSIBLE ALONG INTERSTATE 94 THIS EVENING INTO TONIGHT. ANY RAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL BE VERY LIGHT. AFTER A DRY AND PARTLY TO MOSTLY SUNNY DAY ON THURSDAY SOME LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS WILL MOVE THROUGH THE AREA THURSDAY NIGHT ALONG AND AHEAD OF A COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE. WARMER AIR WILL MOVE IN FOR THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND WITH CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND STORMS RETURNING FOR SUNDAY INTO MEMORIAL DAY. HIGHS WILL REMAIN IN THE 60S THE REST OF THE WORK WEEK RISING INTO THE 70S FOR SUNDAY AND MEMORIAL DAY. && .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 604 PM EDT WED MAY 20 2015 ADDED CHANCE OF A MIX OF LIGHT RAIN AND SLEET TO THE FORECAST THIS EVENING ACROSS THE SOUTHERN CWA PER NUMEROUS REPORTS OF A RAIN/SLEET MIX IN THE CHICAGO AREA. AFTER THE PRECIP MOVED IN...SOUTH HAVEN DROPPED TO 41 DEGREES REPORTING UP. THE FORECAST IS DRY AFTER 06Z. && .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 329 PM EDT WED MAY 20 2015 SHORT TERM FOCUS WAS ON CHANCES FOR RAIN IN THE SOUTH THIS EVENING...FROST POTENTIAL ACROSS CENTRAL LOWER MI TONIGHT AND THE CHANCE FOR RAIN THURSDAY NIGHT WITH THE NEXT FRONT. DECIDED TO ADD A MENTION OF LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS ALONG INTERSTATE 94 THIS EVENING AFTER ALL. HI-RES MODELS LIKE THE HRRR CONTINUE TO INDICATE RAIN MAKING IT INTO OUR CWA...AND UPSTREAM RADAR TRENDS WOULD AGREE. THAT SAID DRY AIR OVER LOWER MICHIGAN WILL TRY TO ERODE IT AS IT MOVES IN. DEW POINT DEPRESSIONS AT THE SURFACE ACROSS THE GRR CWA ARE IN EXCESS OF 20F IN MOST AREAS. PRECIP IS JUST TOO CLOSE AT THIS POINT TO IGNORE. HAVE 20 PCT WORDING ALONG I-94 FOR NOW. WE WILL BE WATCHING TO SEE IF IT MAKES IT INTO THE CWA AS WELL AS IF IT TRENDS FURTHER NORTH TOWARDS I-96 WHICH THE HRRR CONTINUES TO SHOW AS WELL. OPTED TO ISSUE A FROST ADVISORY ACROSS THE FAR NORTHERN ROW OF COUNTIES ALONG U.S. 10. CLOUDS WILL CLEAR OUT UP THERE OVERNIGHT WITH VERY DRY AIR IN PLACE. VERY COLD READINGS OCCURRED LAST NIGHT UP THERE AND THE AIR MASS HAS NOT CHANGED. FROST AND FREEZING TEMPERATURES WILL BE POSSIBLE THE NEXT COUPLE NIGHTS UP THERE AS WELL...THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY NIGHT. A COLD FRONT WILL SWING THROUGH LOWER MICHIGAN THURSDAY NIGHT WITH ALL OF THE SHORT TERM MODELS KICKING OUT SOME LIGHT PRECIPITATION. THE COLD FRONT IS ASSOCIATED WITH AN UPPER LOW DRIFTING SOUTHEAST ACROSS ONTARIO. MAY BE JUST ENOUGH MOISTURE AND LIFT FOR A FEW SHOWERS. WILL CARRY 30 PCT CHANCES FOR RAIN THURSDAY NIGHT. OTHERWISE QUIET WEATHER IS EXPECTED DURING THE DAY ON THURSDAY AND AGAIN FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT. .LONG TERM...(SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY) ISSUED AT 329 PM EDT WED MAY 20 2015 MULTIPLE ROUNDS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE LATE SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. THE WEATHER WILL TREND WARMER AND MORE HUMID THIS WEEKEND INTO THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. SATURDAY IS SHAPING UP TO BE A BEAUTIFUL DAY WITH SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE SLIDING OFF TO THE SOUTHEAST AND AN UPPER RIDGE BUILDING INTO THE GREAT LAKES REGION. SOUTHWESTERLY RETURN FLOW SETS UP ON SATURDAY...AND LOWER MICHIGAN WILL FINALLY START TO WARM UP AFTER A COOL WEEK. HIGHS SHOULD BE AROUND 70 ON SATURDAY. TEMPS WILL BE WARMER STILL ON SUNDAY AS A WARM FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE SOUTH. TIMING DIFFERENCES EXIST BETWEEN THE LATEST GFS AND EURO. THE 12Z EURO KEEPS SW LOWER MI MOSTLY DRY ON SUNDAY...WITH PERHAPS SOME LIGHT RAIN MOVING INTO THE EXTREME SW CWA SUNDAY EVENING. THE GFS IS MUCH WETTER SUNDAY. I WOULD DEFINITELY FAVOR A DRY SUNDAY MORNING WITH PRECIP CHANCES INCREASING SUNDAY EVENING AND ESPECIALLY SUNDAY NIGHT. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY...WITH SOME BREAKS IN THERE OF COURSE. CONFIDENCE IN SEVERE WEATHER IS LOW AT THIS TIME...BUT SOME INSTABILITY DOES DEVELOP MONDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING PRIMARILY SOUTH OF I-96 ALONG WITH 30-40 KNOTS OF 0-6 KM BULK SHEAR. HIGHS MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY OF NEXT WEEK SHOULD BE IN THE MID TO UPPER 70S. 80 DEGREES SEEMS POSSIBLE ON WEDNESDAY. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 154 PM EDT WED MAY 20 2015 VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO PERSIST THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON. HIGH CLOUDS WILL CONTINUE TO STREAM IN FROM THE WEST THIS AFTERNOON AS AN UPPER WAVE OF LOW PRESSURE SWINGS INTO THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES. CONSIDERABLE MID CLOUDS CAN BE EXPECTED AFTER 23Z THIS EVENING...BASED BETWEEN 5 KFT AND 7KFT. SCATTERED CLOUDS BELOW 5 KFT ARE POSSIBLE AFTER 00Z AT AZO/BTL/JXN. IN ADDITION...A BAND OF LIGHT RAIN IS EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS SOUTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN MAINLY BETWEEN 23Z AND 04Z THIS EVENING. RAIN SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED TO ERODE SOMEWHAT AS THEY MOVE EAST INTO LOWER MICHIGAN. FAIR AMOUNT OF UNCERTAINTY...SO INCLUDED VCSH AT AZO/BTL. BOTTOM LINE...LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS ARE A POSSIBILITY AT AZO/BTL/JXN AFTER 23Z...BUT CIGS AND VSBYS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN VFR. && .MARINE... ISSUED AT 329 PM EDT WED MAY 20 2015 NOT EXPECTING SIGNIFICANT WINDS OR WAVES THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. WINDS WILL COME UP A BIT THIS EVENING FROM HOLLAND SOUTH AND THEN AGAIN THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING AHEAD OF A COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE. IN BOTH CASES EXPECTING WINDS AND WAVES TO REMAIN BELOW SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY THRESHOLDS. WAVES MAY RISE INTO THE 2-3 FOOT RANGE DURING THE AFOREMENTIONED TIMES. && .HYDROLOGY... ISSUED AT 1139 AM EDT WED MAY 20 2015 NO REAL IMPACTS ARE EXPECTED IN THE NEAR FUTURE. RIVERS ARE STABLE OR SLOWLY FALLING. ONLY SLIGHT CHANCES OF RAIN EXIST LATE THURSDAY INTO EARLY FRIDAY. ANY MEANINGFUL PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO HOLD OFF UNTIL AT LEAST SUNDAY. BY SUNDAY...CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION WILL INCREASE AS A WARM FRONT LIFTS NORTH AND BECOMES STATIONARY SOMEWHERE OVER THE GREAT LAKES REGION. THE PLACEMENT OF THIS BOUNDARY...AND THE POSSIBILITY OF IT MEANDERING A BIT...MAY PROVIDE MULTIPLE CHANCES FOR RAIN THROUGH MUCH OF NEXT WEEK. THIS WILL BE SOMETHING TO MONITOR AND UPDATES WILL BE PROVIDED AS WE GET CLOSER TO THE WEEKEND. && .GRR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MI...FROST ADVISORY FROM 2 AM TO 8 AM EDT THURSDAY FOR MIZ037>040. LM...NONE. && $$ UPDATE...EBW SYNOPSIS...DUKE SHORT TERM...DUKE LONG TERM...EBW AVIATION...EBW HYDROLOGY...JAM MARINE...DUKE
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GRAND RAPIDS MI
329 PM EDT WED MAY 20 2015 LATEST UPDATE... SYNOPSIS/SHORT TERM/LONG TERM/MARINE .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 329 PM EDT WED MAY 20 2015 COOLER THAN NORMAL WEATHER WILL CONTINUE THE REST OF THE WORK WEEK...WITH FROST A GOOD BET EACH NIGHT ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL LOWER MICHIGAN. SOME LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS OR SPRINKLES ARE POSSIBLE ALONG INTERSTATE 94 THIS EVENING INTO TONIGHT. ANY RAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL BE VERY LIGHT. AFTER A DRY AND PARTLY TO MOSTLY SUNNY DAY ON THURSDAY SOME LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS WILL MOVE THROUGH THE AREA THURSDAY NIGHT ALONG AND AHEAD OF A COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE. WARMER AIR WILL MOVE IN FOR THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND WITH CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND STORMS RETURNING FOR SUNDAY INTO MEMORIAL DAY. HIGHS WILL REMAIN IN THE 60S THE REST OF THE WORK WEEK RISING INTO THE 70S FOR SUNDAY AND MEMORIAL DAY. && .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 329 PM EDT WED MAY 20 2015 SHORT TERM FOCUS WAS ON CHANCES FOR RAIN IN THE SOUTH THIS EVENING...FROST POTENTIAL ACROSS CENTRAL LOWER MI TONIGHT AND THE CHANCE FOR RAIN THURSDAY NIGHT WITH THE NEXT FRONT. DECIDED TO ADD A MENTION OF LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS ALONG INTERSTATE 94 THIS EVENING AFTER ALL. HI-RES MODELS LIKE THE HRRR CONTINUE TO INDICATE RAIN MAKING IT INTO OUR CWA...AND UPSTREAM RADAR TRENDS WOULD AGREE. THAT SAID DRY AIR OVER LOWER MICHIGAN WILL TRY TO ERODE IT AS IT MOVES IN. DEW POINT DEPRESSIONS AT THE SURFACE ACROSS THE GRR CWA ARE IN EXCESS OF 20F IN MOST AREAS. PRECIP IS JUST TOO CLOSE AT THIS POINT TO IGNORE. HAVE 20 PCT WORDING ALONG I-94 FOR NOW. WE WILL BE WATCHING TO SEE IF IT MAKES IT INTO THE CWA AS WELL AS IF IT TRENDS FURTHER NORTH TOWARDS I-96 WHICH THE HRRR CONTINUES TO SHOW AS WELL. OPTED TO ISSUE A FROST ADVISORY ACROSS THE FAR NORTHERN ROW OF COUNTIES ALONG U.S. 10. CLOUDS WILL CLEAR OUT UP THERE OVERNIGHT WITH VERY DRY AIR IN PLACE. VERY COLD READINGS OCCURRED LAST NIGHT UP THERE AND THE AIR MASS HAS NOT CHANGED. FROST AND FREEZING TEMPERATURES WILL BE POSSIBLE THE NEXT COUPLE NIGHTS UP THERE AS WELL...THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY NIGHT. A COLD FRONT WILL SWING THROUGH LOWER MICHIGAN THURSDAY NIGHT WITH ALL OF THE SHORT TERM MODELS KICKING OUT SOME LIGHT PRECIPITATION. THE COLD FRONT IS ASSOCIATED WITH AN UPPER LOW DRIFTING SOUTHEAST ACROSS ONTARIO. MAY BE JUST ENOUGH MOISTURE AND LIFT FOR A FEW SHOWERS. WILL CARRY 30 PCT CHANCES FOR RAIN THURSDAY NIGHT. OTHERWISE QUIET WEATHER IS EXPECTED DURING THE DAY ON THURSDAY AND AGAIN FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT. .LONG TERM...(SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY) ISSUED AT 329 PM EDT WED MAY 20 2015 MULTIPLE ROUNDS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE LATE SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. THE WEATHER WILL TREND WARMER AND MORE HUMID THIS WEEKEND INTO THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. SATURDAY IS SHAPING UP TO BE A BEAUTIFUL DAY WITH SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE SLIDING OFF TO THE SOUTHEAST AND AN UPPER RIDGE BUILDING INTO THE GREAT LAKES REGION. SOUTHWESTERLY RETURN FLOW SETS UP ON SATURDAY...AND LOWER MICHIGAN WILL FINALLY START TO WARM UP AFTER A COOL WEEK. HIGHS SHOULD BE AROUND 70 ON SATURDAY. TEMPS WILL BE WARMER STILL ON SUNDAY AS A WARM FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE SOUTH. TIMING DIFFERENCES EXIST BETWEEN THE LATEST GFS AND EURO. THE 12Z EURO KEEPS SW LOWER MI MOSTLY DRY ON SUNDAY...WITH PERHAPS SOME LIGHT RAIN MOVING INTO THE EXTREME SW CWA SUNDAY EVENING. THE GFS IS MUCH WETTER SUNDAY. I WOULD DEFINITELY FAVOR A DRY SUNDAY MORNING WITH PRECIP CHANCES INCREASING SUNDAY EVENING AND ESPECIALLY SUNDAY NIGHT. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY...WITH SOME BREAKS IN THERE OF COURSE. CONFIDENCE IS SEVERE WEATHER IS LOW AT THIS TIME...BUT SOME INSTABILITY DOES DEVELOP MONDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING PRIMARILY SOUTH OF I-96 ALONG WITH 30-40 KNOTS OF 0-6 KM BULK SHEAR. HIGHS MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY OF NEXT WEEK SHOULD BE IN THE MID TO UPPER 70S. 80 DEGREES SEEMS POSSIBLE ON WEDNESDAY. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 154 PM EDT WED MAY 20 2015 VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO PERSIST THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON. HIGH CLOUDS WILL CONTINUE TO STREAM IN FROM THE WEST THIS AFTERNOON AS AN UPPER WAVE OF LOW PRESSURE SWINGS INTO THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES. CONSIDERABLE MID CLOUDS CAN BE EXPECTED AFTER 23Z THIS EVENING...BASED BETWEEN 5 KFT AND 7KFT. SCATTERED CLOUDS BELOW 5 KFT ARE POSSIBLE AFTER 00Z AT AZO/BTL/JXN. IN ADDITION...A BAND OF LIGHT RAIN IS EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS SOUTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN MAINLY BETWEEN 23Z AND 04Z THIS EVENING. RAIN SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED TO ERODE SOMEWHAT AS THEY MOVE EAST INTO LOWER MICHIGAN. FAIR AMOUNT OF UNCERTAINTY...SO INCLUDED VCSH AT AZO/BTL. BOTTOM LINE...LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS ARE A POSSIBILITY AT AZO/BTL/JXN AFTER 23Z...BUT CIGS AND VSBYS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN VFR. && .MARINE... ISSUED AT 329 PM EDT WED MAY 20 2015 NOT EXPECTING SIGNIFICANT WINDS OR WAVES THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. WINDS WILL COME UP A BIT THIS EVENING FROM HOLLAND SOUTH AND THEN AGAIN THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING AHEAD OF A COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE. IN BOTH CASES EXPECTING WINDS AND WAVES TO REMAIN BELOW SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY THRESHOLDS. WAVES MAY RISE INTO THE 2-3 FOOT RANGE DURING THE AFOREMENTIONED TIMES. && .HYDROLOGY... ISSUED AT 1139 AM EDT WED MAY 20 2015 NO REAL IMPACTS ARE EXPECTED IN THE NEAR FUTURE. RIVERS ARE STABLE OR SLOWLY FALLING. ONLY SLIGHT CHANCES OF RAIN EXIST LATE THURSDAY INTO EARLY FRIDAY. ANY MEANINGFUL PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO HOLD OFF UNTIL AT LEAST SUNDAY. BY SUNDAY...CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION WILL INCREASE AS A WARM FRONT LIFTS NORTH AND BECOMES STATIONARY SOMEWHERE OVER THE GREAT LAKES REGION. THE PLACEMENT OF THIS BOUNDARY...AND THE POSSIBILITY OF IT MEANDERING A BIT...MAY PROVIDE MULTIPLE CHANCES FOR RAIN THROUGH MUCH OF NEXT WEEK. THIS WILL BE SOMETHING TO MONITOR AND UPDATES WILL BE PROVIDED AS WE GET CLOSER TO THE WEEKEND. && .GRR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MI...FROST ADVISORY FROM 2 AM TO 8 AM EDT THURSDAY FOR MIZ037>040. LM...NONE. && $$ SYNOPSIS...DUKE SHORT TERM...DUKE LONG TERM...EBW AVIATION...EBW HYDROLOGY...JAM MARINE...DUKE
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GRAND RAPIDS MI
154 PM EDT WED MAY 20 2015 LATEST UPDATE... AVIATION .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 326 AM EDT WED MAY 20 2015 EXPECT BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES THROUGH AT LEAST SATURDAY AS A SERIES OF CANADIAN COLD FRONTS COME THROUGH THE AREA. THE NEXT COLD FRONT COMES THROUGH EARLY FRIDAY MORNING AND THAT WILL BE PRECEDED BY A FEW LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS THURSDAY EVENING. A WARM UP IS EXPECTED TOWARD MEMORIAL DAY. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE SUNDAY INTO TUESDAY. && .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 1208 PM EDT WED MAY 20 2015 UPSTREAM SHORTWAVE SLIDING EAST FROM THE PLAINS WILL SPREAD CLOUDS INTO SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SKIES IN MOST AREAS WILL TURN MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH TIME. DILEMMA IS WHETHER OR NOT WE WILL SEE PRECIPITATION INTO THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE STATE. MORNING RUNS OF THE HRRR ARE TRYING TO BRING LIGHT RETURNS INTO ABOUT THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE GRR FORECAST AREA THIS EVENING. AT THIS POINT HAVE DECIDED TO KEEP THE DRY FORECAST GOING AS WE BELIEVE THE DRY AIR IS GOING TO WIN OUT. PRECIP UPSTREAM IS LIGHT AND MAINLY FALLING OUT OF A MID DECK ON THE LEADING EDGE. IF THE SYSTEM OVERPERFORMS IT WOULD BE IN THE FORM OF SPRINKLES ALONG I-94 BETWEEN 800PM AND MIDNIGHT OR SO. && .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY) ISSUED AT 326 AM EDT WED MAY 20 2015 LITTLE QUESTION THE PRECIPITATION EVENT ASSOCIATED WITH THE NEXT SYSTEM WILL PASS SOUTH OF LOWER MICHIGAN THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THEN... ANOTHER DIGGING POLAR JET CORE FROM NORTHERN CANADA WILL PUSH ANOTHER COLD FRONT THROUGH THE AREA LATER THURSDAY NIGHT OR EARLY FRIDAY. THERE IS JUST MOIST LOW TO MID LEVEL MOISTURE TO GET A FEW RAIN SHOWERS AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT. BEYOND THAT A CANADIAN HIGH MOVES IN BY MID MORNING FRIDAY ASSURING MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES BUT COOLER TEMPERATURES. SOME FROST WILL BE POSSIBLE SATURDAY MORNING. EARLY THIS WEDNESDAY MORNING WE HAVE A SOUTHERN STREAM SYSTEM CAUSING AN AREA OF RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS NEAR THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. IT IS CURRENTLY HEADING EASTWARD AND WOULD NORMALLY BRING RAIN TO OUR AREA TODAY. HOWEVER THIS TIME WE HAVE A DIGGING NORTHERN STREAM SHORTWAVE AND ASSOCIATED POLAR JET CORE HEADING FOR THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES. THAT WILL FORCE THE SOUTHERN STREAM SYSTEM SOUTH OF MICHIGAN THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. WE WILL SEE CONSIDERABLE HIGH AND MID CLOUDS TODAY WITH AREAS NEAR I-94 SEEING THE THICKER CLOUDS WHILE AREA NORTH OF I-96 WILL HAVE CONSIDERABLE MORE SUNSHINE. EVEN SO IT WILL NOT GET ALL THAT WARM TODAY...HIGHS SHOULD MOSTLY BE IN THE 50S. SOME CLEARING IS EXPECTED TONIGHT WITH LIGHTER WINDS SO NORTHERN AREA COULD SEE A LITTLE PATCHY FROST. MEANWHILE A CLOSED...COLD CORE UPPER LOW...CURRENTLY NEAR BAFFIN`SISLAND DROPS SOUTHWARD...REACHING SOUTHERN HUDSON BAY THURSDAY MORNING. THIS WILL BRING ANOTHER COLD FRONT THROUGH THE AREA LATE THURSDAY NIGHT. THERE WILL BE JUST ENOUGH LOW TO MID LEVEL MOISTURE AND LIFT AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT TO CREATE A LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS. CLEARING WILL QUICKLY FOLLOW BY MID MORNING FRIDAY. .LONG TERM...(FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 326 AM EDT WED MAY 20 2015 TWO MAIN CONCERNS IN THE EXTENDED...FIRST IS THE FROST THREAT ON FRIDAY NIGHT AND THEN STORMY WEATHER FROM SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. SFC HIGH MOVES EAST BY 12Z SATURDAY...BUT RETURN FLOW MAY NOT BE STRONG ENOUGH TO PREVENT FREEZING TEMPS UP NORTH AND SOME FROST ESPECIALLY ACROSS EASTERN ZONES. ONCE THE HIGH DEPARTS SATURDAY NIGHT...RETURN FLOW STRENGTHENS WITH WARMER AND MORE HUMID AIR RETURNING BY MONDAY. ISENTROPIC ASCENT NORTH OF THE SFC WARM FRONT SHOULD BRING SHOWERS BY SUNDAY MORNING AND A SERIES OF WEAK WAVES MOVING ALONG STALLED FRONT WILL CONTINUE INTO TUESDAY. CONFIDENCE IS HIGH ON THE OVERALL PATTERN ALTHOUGH THERE ARE THE USUAL DIFFERENCES IN THE DETAILS. OVERALL THERE IS A HIGH CONFIDENCE OF SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THE PERIOD FROM SUNDAY TO TUESDAY. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 154 PM EDT WED MAY 20 2015 VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO PERSIST THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON. HIGH CLOUDS WILL CONTINUE TO STREAM IN FROM THE WEST THIS AFTERNOON AS AN UPPER WAVE OF LOW PRESSURE SWINGS INTO THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES. CONSIDERABLE MID CLOUDS CAN BE EXPECTED AFTER 23Z THIS EVENING...BASED BETWEEN 5 KFT AND 7KFT. SCATTERED CLOUDS BELOW 5 KFT ARE POSSIBLE AFTER 00Z AT AZO/BTL/JXN. IN ADDITION...A BAND OF LIGHT RAIN IS EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS SOUTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN MAINLY BETWEEN 23Z AND 04Z THIS EVENING. RAIN SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED TO ERODE SOMEWHAT AS THEY MOVE EAST INTO LOWER MICHIGAN. FAIR AMOUNT OF UNCERTAINTY...SO INCLUDED VCSH AT AZO/BTL. BOTTOM LINE...LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS ARE A POSSIBILITY AT AZO/BTL/JXN AFTER 23Z...BUT CIGS AND VSBYS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN VFR. && .MARINE... ISSUED AT 1208 PM EDT WED MAY 20 2015 WE WILL BE KEEPING AN EYE ON A CORE OF WIND THAT THE HRRR IS TRYING TO DEVELOP DOWN THE SHORELINE SOUTH OF HOLLAND LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. CHANNELING/FUNNELING DOWN THE SHORELINE BLUFFS ARE LIKELY THE REASON FOR THE WIND THAT IS SHOWING UP IN THE MODELS. NORTHWEST WINDS OF 15-20 KNOTS OR SO DEVELOP WHICH WILL LIKELY KICK THE WAVE FIELD UP A BIT. THINKING WE WILL STAY BELOW SCA CRITERIA...BUT WORTH WATCHING THE SOUTH HAVEN PIER AND BUOY OBS BETWEEN 300PM AND 900PM OR SO. && .HYDROLOGY... ISSUED AT 1139 AM EDT WED MAY 20 2015 NO REAL IMPACTS ARE EXPECTED IN THE NEAR FUTURE. RIVERS ARE STABLE OR SLOWLY FALLING. ONLY SLIGHT CHANCES OF RAIN EXIST LATE THURSDAY INTO EARLY FRIDAY. ANY MEANINGFUL PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO HOLD OFF UNTIL AT LEAST SUNDAY. BY SUNDAY...CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION WILL INCREASE AS A WARM FRONT LIFTS NORTH AND BECOMES STATIONARY SOMEWHERE OVER THE GREAT LAKES REGION. THE PLACEMENT OF THIS BOUNDARY...AND THE POSSIBILITY OF IT MEANDERING A BIT...MAY PROVIDE MULTIPLE CHANCES FOR RAIN THROUGH MUCH OF NEXT WEEK. THIS WILL BE SOMETHING TO MONITOR AND UPDATES WILL BE PROVIDED AS WE GET CLOSER TO THE WEEKEND. && .GRR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MI...NONE. LM...NONE. && $$ UPDATE...DUKE SYNOPSIS...WDM SHORT TERM...WDM LONG TERM...OSTUNO AVIATION...EBW HYDROLOGY...JAM MARINE...DUKE
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS GRAND RAPIDS MI
1208 PM EDT WED MAY 20 2015 LATEST UPDATE... UPDATE/MARINE .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 326 AM EDT WED MAY 20 2015 EXPECT BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES THROUGH AT LEAST SATURDAY AS A SERIES OF CANADIAN COLD FRONTS COME THROUGH THE AREA. THE NEXT COLD FRONT COMES THROUGH EARLY FRIDAY MORNING AND THAT WILL BE PRECEDED BY A FEW LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS THURSDAY EVENING. A WARM UP IS EXPECTED TOWARD MEMORIAL DAY. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE SUNDAY INTO TUESDAY. && .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 1208 PM EDT WED MAY 20 2015 UPSTREAM SHORTWAVE SLIDING EAST FROM THE PLAINS WILL SPREAD CLOUDS INTO SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SKIES IN MOST AREAS WILL TURN MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH TIME. DILEMMA IS WHETHER OR NOT WE WILL SEE PRECIPITATION INTO THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE STATE. MORNING RUNS OF THE HRRR ARE TRYING TO BRING LIGHT RETURNS INTO ABOUT THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE GRR FORECAST AREA THIS EVENING. AT THIS POINT HAVE DECIDED TO KEEP THE DRY FORECAST GOING AS WE BELIEVE THE DRY AIR IS GOING TO WIN OUT. PRECIP UPSTREAM IS LIGHT AND MAINLY FALLING OUT OF A MID DECK ON THE LEADING EDGE. IF THE SYSTEM OVERPERFORMS IT WOULD BE IN THE FORM OF SPRINKLES ALONG I-94 BETWEEN 800PM AND MIDNIGHT OR SO. && .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY) ISSUED AT 326 AM EDT WED MAY 20 2015 LITTLE QUESTION THE PRECIPITATION EVENT ASSOCIATED WITH THE NEXT SYSTEM WILL PASS SOUTH OF LOWER MICHIGAN THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THEN... ANOTHER DIGGING POLAR JET CORE FROM NORTHERN CANADA WILL PUSH ANOTHER COLD FRONT THROUGH THE AREA LATER THURSDAY NIGHT OR EARLY FRIDAY. THERE IS JUST MOIST LOW TO MID LEVEL MOISTURE TO GET A FEW RAIN SHOWERS AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT. BEYOND THAT A CANADIAN HIGH MOVES IN BY MID MORNING FRIDAY ASSURING MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES BUT COOLER TEMPERATURES. SOME FROST WILL BE POSSIBLE SATURDAY MORNING. EARLY THIS WEDNESDAY MORNING WE HAVE A SOUTHERN STREAM SYSTEM CAUSING AN AREA OF RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS NEAR THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. IT IS CURRENTLY HEADING EASTWARD AND WOULD NORMALLY BRING RAIN TO OUR AREA TODAY. HOWEVER THIS TIME WE HAVE A DIGGING NORTHERN STREAM SHORTWAVE AND ASSOCIATED POLAR JET CORE HEADING FOR THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES. THAT WILL FORCE THE SOUTHERN STREAM SYSTEM SOUTH OF MICHIGAN THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. WE WILL SEE CONSIDERABLE HIGH AND MID CLOUDS TODAY WITH AREAS NEAR I-94 SEEING THE THICKER CLOUDS WHILE AREA NORTH OF I-96 WILL HAVE CONSIDERABLE MORE SUNSHINE. EVEN SO IT WILL NOT GET ALL THAT WARM TODAY...HIGHS SHOULD MOSTLY BE IN THE 50S. SOME CLEARING IS EXPECTED TONIGHT WITH LIGHTER WINDS SO NORTHERN AREA COULD SEE A LITTLE PATCHY FROST. MEANWHILE A CLOSED...COLD CORE UPPER LOW...CURRENTLY NEAR BAFFIN`SISLAND DROPS SOUTHWARD...REACHING SOUTHERN HUDSON BAY THURSDAY MORNING. THIS WILL BRING ANOTHER COLD FRONT THROUGH THE AREA LATE THURSDAY NIGHT. THERE WILL BE JUST ENOUGH LOW TO MID LEVEL MOISTURE AND LIFT AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT TO CREATE A LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS. CLEARING WILL QUICKLY FOLLOW BY MID MORNING FRIDAY. .LONG TERM...(FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 326 AM EDT WED MAY 20 2015 TWO MAIN CONCERNS IN THE EXTENDED...FIRST IS THE FROST THREAT ON FRIDAY NIGHT AND THEN STORMY WEATHER FROM SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. SFC HIGH MOVES EAST BY 12Z SATURDAY...BUT RETURN FLOW MAY NOT BE STRONG ENOUGH TO PREVENT FREEZING TEMPS UP NORTH AND SOME FROST ESPECIALLY ACROSS EASTERN ZONES. ONCE THE HIGH DEPARTS SATURDAY NIGHT...RETURN FLOW STRENGTHENS WITH WARMER AND MORE HUMID AIR RETURNING BY MONDAY. ISENTROPIC ASCENT NORTH OF THE SFC WARM FRONT SHOULD BRING SHOWERS BY SUNDAY MORNING AND A SERIES OF WEAK WAVES MOVING ALONG STALLED FRONT WILL CONTINUE INTO TUESDAY. CONFIDENCE IS HIGH ON THE OVERALL PATTERN ALTHOUGH THERE ARE THE USUAL DIFFERENCES IN THE DETAILS. OVERALL THERE IS A HIGH CONFIDENCE OF SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THE PERIOD FROM SUNDAY TO TUESDAY. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z THURSDAY MORNING) ISSUED AT 725 AM EDT WED MAY 20 2015 SOME MVFR CONDITIONS NEAR JXN THIS MORNING WITH CEILINGS AROUND 2500 FEET AGL AT TIMES. ELSEWHERE...VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGH TONIGHT WITH WINDS BELOW 10 KNOTS. && .MARINE... ISSUED AT 1208 PM EDT WED MAY 20 2015 WE WILL BE KEEPING AN EYE ON A CORE OF WIND THAT THE HRRR IS TRYING TO DEVELOP DOWN THE SHORELINE SOUTH OF HOLLAND LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. CHANNELING/FUNNELING DOWN THE SHORELINE BLUFFS ARE LIKELY THE REASON FOR THE WIND THAT IS SHOWING UP IN THE MODELS. NORTHWEST WINDS OF 15-20 KNOTS OR SO DEVELOP WHICH WILL LIKELY KICK THE WAVE FIELD UP A BIT. THINKING WE WILL STAY BELOW SCA CRITERIA...BUT WORTH WATCHING THE SOUTH HAVEN PIER AND BUOY OBS BETWEEN 300PM AND 900PM OR SO. && .HYDROLOGY... ISSUED AT 1139 AM EDT WED MAY 20 2015 NO REAL IMPACTS ARE EXPECTED IN THE NEAR FUTURE. RIVERS ARE STABLE OR SLOWLY FALLING. ONLY SLIGHT CHANCES OF RAIN EXIST LATE THURSDAY INTO EARLY FRIDAY. ANY MEANINGFUL PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO HOLD OFF UNTIL AT LEAST SUNDAY. BY SUNDAY...CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION WILL INCREASE AS A WARM FRONT LIFTS NORTH AND BECOMES STATIONARY SOMEWHERE OVER THE GREAT LAKES REGION. THE PLACEMENT OF THIS BOUNDARY...AND THE POSSIBILITY OF IT MEANDERING A BIT...MAY PROVIDE MULTIPLE CHANCES FOR RAIN THROUGH MUCH OF NEXT WEEK. THIS WILL BE SOMETHING TO MONITOR AND UPDATES WILL BE PROVIDED AS WE GET CLOSER TO THE WEEKEND. && .GRR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MI...NONE. LM...NONE. && $$ UPDATE...DUKE SYNOPSIS...WDM SHORT TERM...WDM LONG TERM...OSTUNO AVIATION...OSTUNO HYDROLOGY...JAM MARINE...DUKE
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS PORTLAND
951 AM PDT WED MAY 20 2015 .SYNOPSIS...A BROAD UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE AND ONSHORE FLOW WILL BRING A THREAT OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO MAINLY THE CASCADES TODAY AND THURSDAY. PLENTY OF LOW CLOUDS AND NEAR AVERAGE TEMPERATURES WILL LINGER ALONG THE COAST AND IN THE WILLAMETTE VALLEY. ANOTHER WEAK UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SLIDING DOWN FROM BRITISH COLUMBIA MAY BRING A FEW AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOWERS AND POSSIBLY A THUNDERSTORM TO THE HIGHER TERRAIN FOR THE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND. && .SHORT TERM...WATER VAPOR SATELLITE IMAGERY THIS MORNING REVEALS A BROAD UPPER LEVEL TROUGH LINGERING OVER THE EASTERN PACIFIC AND WESTERN US. AN EMBEDDED SHORTWAVE TROUGH SITUATED OVER NORTHERN CALIFORNIA CONTINUES TO PLACE THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST IN MID TO UPPER LEVEL EASTERLY FLOW. SURFACE ANALYSIS SHOWS PRESSURE GRADIENTS REMAINING ONSHORE...ALBEIT A BIT WEAKER THAN 24 HOURS AGO. AN EXTENSIVE MARINE LAYER WITH PLENTY OF LOW CLOUDS EXISTS BELOW ABOUT 5000 FT ACROSS NORTHWEST OREGON AND SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON THIS MORNING. AREAS OF DRIZZLE HAVE DEVELOPED ALONG THE COAST AND ALONG THE LOWER COLUMBIA RIVER VALLEY. EXPECT MARINE CLOUDS TO BE A LITTLE LESS STUBBORN TO BURN OFF THAN YESTERDAY...BUT NOT SURE ALL INTERIOR VALLEYS WILL SEE SUNSHINE LATER THIS AFTERNOON EITHER. KEPT FORECAST HIGH TEMPERATURES NEAR 70F FOR THE WILLAMETTE VALLEY...BUT IF MARINE CLOUDS HOLD...THIS MAY BE A BIT HIGH BASED ON YESTERDAY. MEANWHILE...THE MID TO UPPER LEVEL EASTERLY FLOW AND DAYTIME HEATING WILL BRING A THREAT OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO THE CASCADES BEGINNING MIDDAY...AND PERSISTING INTO THIS EVENING. DEBRIS CLOUDS FROM EARLIER CONVECTION ARE MOVING WESTWARD AND WILL MOVE OVER THE NORTH OREGON CASCADES LATER THIS MORNING. THIS FEATURE SHOULD BE ARRIVING EARLIER ENOUGH IN THE DAY THAT IT MAY END UP INHIBITING...RATHER THAN ENHANCING...CONVECTION BETWEEN MOUNT JEFFERSON AND MOUNT HOOD. THE NAM AND GFS BOTH CONTINUE TO SUGGEST PLENTY OF CAPE WITH LITTLE CONVECTIVE INHIBITION WILL DEVELOP OVER THE SOUTH WASHINGTON CASCADES THIS AFTERNOON SO IT SEEMS SOME CONVECTION SHOULD DEVELOP IN THIS REGION THIS AFTERNOON. HOWEVER...IT APPEARS THE MARINE LAYER WILL REMAIN STRONG ENOUGH TO PREVENT VALLEY LOCATIONS FROM LIKELY GETTING INTO THE ACTION WITH A NICE CAP INHIBITING CONVECTION.AS A RESULT...THE MENTION OF THUNDER WAS REMOVED FROM TODAYS FORECAST. NONETHELESS...SREF 12 HR THUNDER PROBABILITIES EXCEED 50 PERCENT FOR THE WILLAMETTE VALLEY THIS EVENING. CANNOT IGNORE THIS SO RETAINED THE SLIGHT CHANCE MENTION OF THUNDER FOR THIS EVENING IN THE NORTHERN WILLAMETTE VALLEY AND LOWER COLUMBIA RIVER VALLEY. STORM SCALE ENSEMBLE GUIDANCE AND THE LATEST HRRR RUNS DO SUGGEST CONVECTION WILL BE MOST LIKELY TO DEVELOP OVER THE LANE AND LINN COUNTY CASCADES THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...WHICH SEEMS PLAUSIBLE GIVEN THIS REGIONS PROXIMITY TO THE MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY PRESENT IN SOUTHERN OREGON. BOTH SETS OF GUIDANCE SUGGEST THERE IS A CHANCE THESE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS COULD DRIFT WESTWARD OVER THE SOUTHERN WILLAMETTE VALLEY THIS EVENING. HOWEVER...CONFIDENCE IN THIS SCENARIO PANNING OUT IS STILL RELATIVELY LOW GIVEN THE MARINE LAYER IN PLACE...AND NO STRONG UPPER LEVEL FORCING MECHANISMS HAVE BEEN NOTED TO ALLOW FOR ELEVATED CONVECTION TO SUSTAIN ITSELF. IF THE SOUTHERN VALLEY CLEARS EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...AND WARMS WELL INTO THE 70S THEN THESE SHORT TERM MODELS MAY BE ONTO SOMETHING...BUT AM SKEPTICAL AT THIS POINT. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR TRENDS AND UPDATE THE FORECAST ACCORDINGLY. ADDITIONAL CONVECTION APPEARS POSSIBLE OVER THE CASCADES THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. ONSHORE PRESSURE GRADIENTS WILL INCREASE THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY...WHICH SHOULD RESULT IN ANOTHER EXTENSIVE MARINE CLOUD LAYER DAY. AREAS OF MORNING DRIZZLE CERTAINLY APPEAR POSSIBLE. ALTHOUGH...THE THREAT OF CONVECTION SHOULD SHIFT EAST OF THE CASCADES ON FRIDAY...A LIGHT SHOWER OR TWO ACROSS THE WILLAMETTE VALLEY OR IN THE CASCADES CANNOT BE RULED OUT AS THE MARINE LAYER LIFTS WITH DAYTIME HEATING EACH DAY. /NEUMAN .LONG TERM...NO CHANGES. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION FOLLOWS... FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY...MODEL GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO REMAIN IN GENERAL AGREEMENT FOR THE END OF THE WEEK WITH THE BLOCKING PATTERN CONTINUING WITH HIGH PRESSURE OVER ALASKA AND WESTERN CANADA ABOVE UPPER LOW PRESSURE SLOWLY SLIDING EAST ACROSS THE SOUTHWESTERN U.S. AND GREAT BASIN. KEPT SOME SLIGHT CHANCE SHOWERS IN THE CASCADES FOR THE WEEKEND WITH PERHAPS SHOWERS ATTEMPTING TO MAKE THEIR WAY INTO THE FOOTHILLS OR EASTERN VALLEY...THOUGH CONFIDENCE IS LOW. HEIGHTS MAY RISE A BIT FOR THE START OF THE WEEK THOUGH MODELS DIVERGE CONSIDERABLY IN THE DETAILS SO CONFIDENCE REMAINS LOWER IN THE SPECIFICS FOR THIS TIME. CULLEN && .AVIATION...CONDITIONS ALONG THE COAST REMAIN MOSTLY IFR UNDER ONSHORE FLOW WITH CIGS GENERALLY AOB 800 FT. EXPECT CONDITIONS TO GRADUALLY IMPROVE TO MVFR WITH GUSTY WINDS POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON/EVENING. HOWEVER...CIGS LOOK TO REMAIN AOB 2000 FT. CONDITIONS INLAND REMAIN MOSTLY MVFR UNDER GENERALLY LIGHT AND VARIABLE FLOW. CONDITIONS SHOULD IMPROVE TO VFR AFTER 18Z WITH CIGS AROUND 4000 FT. THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY REDEVELOP OVER THE CASCADES THIS AFTERNOON AND COULD DRIFT OVER THE VALLEY...BUT CONFIDENCE REMAINS TOO LOW TO INCLUDE IN THE 18Z TAF PACKAGE. MOST LIKELY TIMES FOR THUNDERSTORMS IMPACTING INLAND TERMINALS WILL BE BETWEEN 00Z-06Z THU. KPDX AND APPROACHES...LOW-END MVFR CIGS EXPECTED THROUGH AROUND 20Z WITH CIGS GRADUALLY LIFTING OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS. THERE IS A CHANCE THAT THUNDERSTORMS COULD DRIFT OVER THE TERMINAL BETWEEN 00Z-06Z THU...BUT CONFIDENCE IS STILL TO LOW TO INCLUDE IN THE 18Z TAF PACKAGE. /64 && .MARINE...SURFACE HIGH PRES OFFSHORE AND THERMAL LOW PRES OVER THE INLAND NW SHOULD GIVE US RELATIVELY BENIGN WEATHER FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. WINDS SHOULD STAY BELOW 20 KT...BUT WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO SEE ISOLATED GUSTS TO 25 KT IN THE AFTERNOON/EVENING OVER THE OUTER WATERS. SEAS WILL HOVER BETWEEN 3 AND 6 FT OVER THE FORECAST PERIOD. HOWEVER...STEEP AND CHOPPY SEAS CAN BE EXPECTED AT TIMES DUE TO A FRESH NW SWELL. /64 && .PQR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OR...NONE. WA...NONE. PZ...NONE. && $$ INTERACT WITH US VIA SOCIAL MEDIA WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/NWSPORTLAND WWW.TWITTER.COM/NWSPORTLAND THIS DISCUSSION IS FOR NORTHWEST OREGON AND SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON FROM THE CASCADE CREST TO 60 NAUTICAL MILES OFFSHORE. THE AREA IS COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS THE FORECAST AREA.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION FOR WESTERN SD AND NORTHEASTERN WY
NWS RAPID CITY SD
1131 AM MDT WED MAY 20 2015 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 909 AM MDT WED MAY 20 2015 UPPER HIGH IS PUSHING DRIER AIR INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS. SKIES ARE BECOMING CLEAR FROM NORTH TO SOUTH...AND PRECIP IS DIMINISHING. SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE IS DRAPED ACROSS THE CWA. WINDS ARE LIGHT AND VARIABLE WITH TEMPS RISING INTO THE 40S AND LOWER 50S. ADJUSTED SKY GRIDS AND POPS TO MATCH CURRENT TRENDS...BUT REST OF FORECAST LOOKS ON TRACK. && .SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT ISSUED AT 250 AM MDT WED MAY 20 2015 08Z SURFACE ANALYSIS HAD HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE DAKOTAS. WATER VAPOR LOOP HAD UPPER LOW SPINNING OVER NORTH CENTRAL NE. DEFORMATION ZONE -RASN ACROSS SOUTHERN SD STARTING TO WANE AS MOISTURE PLUME IS CUTOFF AND MAIN FORCING SHIFTS NORTHEAST ON 90KT JET STREAK ACROSS THE MIDDLE MO RIVER VALLEY. FEW INCHES OF SNOW OVER THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS PER WEB CAMS/ROAD REPORTS SINCE TUESDAY AFTERNOON. 00Z NAM/GFS AND LATEST RAP SHOW PRECIPITATION WANING THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS WITH MOST SYNOPTIC SCALE ACTIVITY/LIFT DONE BY 18Z. LOW LEVEL INSTABILITY SUGGESTS A FEW POPCORN SHOWERS POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS THE FAR SOUTH GIVEN RESIDUAL LOW LEVEL MOISTURE...BUT DRIER AIR INFILTRATING BOUNDARY LAYER UNDER SURFACE HIGH MAY LIMIT ACTIVITY TO SPRINKLES/VIRGA. TEMPERATURES WILL COOL AND BE BELOW GUIDANCE ACROSS THE SOUTH BUT NEAR GUIDANCE ACROSS THE NORTH WHERE CLEARING SKIES WILL MAKE FOR A PLEASANT DAY...ALBEIT BELOW NORMAL. TONIGHT/THURSDAY...WEAK UPPER RIDGE BUILDS INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS AS SURFACE HIGH SHIFTS INTO THE MIDDLE MS RIVER VALLEY. FROST MAY OCCUR OVER PARTS OF THE SD PLAINS AND LATER SHIFTS WILL NEED TO ASSESS FOR HEADLINES. WEAK RETURN FLOW EXPECTED THURSDAY WITH WARM AIR ADVECTION PUSHING TEMPERATURES INTO THE 60S ON THE PLAINS AND 50S IN THE BLACK HILLS. THURSDAY NIGHT...UPPER FLOW BECOMES SOUTHWEST IN RESPONSE TO UPPER LOW/TROUGH OVER THE WEST COAST. SHORTWAVE MOVING THROUGH WY MAY PRODUCE SMALL POPS OVER THE FAR SOUTHWEST LATE. TEMPERATURES WILL BE NEAR GUIDANCE. .LONG TERM...FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY ISSUED AT 250 AM MDT WED MAY 20 2015 THE NEXT LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM TO EJECT OUT OF THE WESTERN CONUS TROF WILL BEGIN TO IMPACT THE AREA ON FRIDAY...WITH CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS INCREASING FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST ACROSS THE CWA INTO FRIDAY EVENING. MEDIUM RANGE MODELS SEEM TO BE IN BETTER AGREEMENT ON THE TRACK OF THE SYSTEM...WITH SOME DIFFERENCES ON TIMING AND WHERE HEAVIER RAINFALL MAY DEVELOP. THE BEST CHANCES FOR MORE WIDESPREAD PCPN STILL LOOK TO BE FROM LATE FRIDAY INTO SUNDAY MORNING...WITH THE THREAT FOR HEAVIEST RAINFALL GENERALLY BEING SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT. SATURDAY LOOKS TO BE THE MOST FAVORABLE DAY FOR STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS AS WELL... ESPECIALLY FROM THE BLACK HILLS AREA AND EASTWARD. AS THE SYSTEM WEAKENS TO THE NORTH AND EAST OF THE AREA LATE IN THE WEEKEND...SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT WILL REMAIN OVER THE REGION. THIS WILL KEEP THE UNSETTLED PATTERN CONTINUING INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. TEMPERATURES WILL STAY BELOW AVERAGE THROUGH THE WEEKEND WITH CLOUDS AND MOISTURE ACROSS THE AREA. WILL LIKELY SEE A WARMING TREND TO NEAR AVERAGE TEMPERATURES EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .AVIATION...FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY ISSUED AT 1126 AM MDT WED MAY 20 2015 VFR CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST ACROSS NORTHWESTERN SOUTH DAKOTA. A FEW LIGHT SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AROUND THE BLACK HILLS...CREATING ISOLD MVFR CIGS. OTHERWISE CONDITIONS WILL IMPROVE TO VFR FROM NORTH TO SOUTH THROUGH THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON. && .UNR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SD...NONE. WY...NONE. && $$ UPDATE...POJORLIE SHORT TERM...HELGESON LONG TERM...26 AVIATION...MLS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS SAN ANGELO TX
552 PM CDT Wed May 20 2015 .UPDATE... Thunderstorms, some severe, will continue to develop along or near the cold front this evening. The cold front now extends near a line from Barnhart...to Eldorado...to Brady. After coordination with the Storm Prediction Central...we have issued Severe Thunderstorm Watch number 192, which is valid until midnight CDT tonight, for counties along and south of a line from Mertzon to Brady. The latest Zone package headlines this watch for the appropriate counties. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 350 PM CDT Wed May 20 2015/ SHORT TERM... (Tonight and Thursday) A rather strong cold front has moved south of a San Angelo to Coleman line this afternoon, dropping temperatures into the upper 50s and lower 60s across the Big Country. Low clouds and cold advection north of the front has greatly reduced instability, limiting the potential for diurnal convection. Ahead of the front, temperatures have warmed into the lower 80s with dewpoints hanging in the mid/upper 60s. Modified RAP soundings indicate SBCAPE values on the order of 2000-2500 J/kg in the warm sector with effective shear values exceeding 35 kts. This will support organized convection this afternoon and during the evening hours, with the primary focus along and south of the front. The primary concern is for large hail and damaging winds. However, a tornadic storm cannot be ruled out in the vicinity of this boundary. Right moving supercell vectors are from the west and northwest at 10 to 15 mph. This slow storm motion and the presence of the aforementioned cold front will support the potential for locally heavy rainfall along the I-10 corridor tonight. Additional storms will be possible overnight as isentropic ascent develops over the frontal zone. As the front moves south overnight and early Thursday, rain chances are expected to diminish during the morning hours. However, shortwave ridging aloft will be shifting to the east as a strong shortwave trough moves across the southern Rockies. Increasing large scale ascent will promote the development of scattered showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon hours. Fortunately, the severe weather potential is expected to remain low on Thursday. Much cooler temperatures are anticipated tomorrow, with highs in the 60s across most of the area. Johnson LONG TERM... (Thursday night through next Wednesday) The main focus is with the severe weather and heavy rainfall possibility for the Memorial Day holiday weekend. Increased chance and coverage of showers and thunderstorms is expected across our area Thursday night, with the arrival of a stronger shortwave in southwest flow aloft. With subsidence and advection of some drier mid-level air in the wake of this departing shortwave, will have reduced chances for showers and thunderstorms on Friday. An upper low will move northeast into southeastern Utah Friday night, with an upper trough trailing from the low across the Desert Southwest. The main chance for showers and thunderstorms Friday night will be overnight, and across our northwestern counties, with the possibility of a weak embedded disturbance out ahead of the main trough lifting northeast into far west or northwest Texas. The aforementioned upper trough will move slowly east across Arizona and New Mexico over the holiday weekend. Given the forecast strength of this system, will have increased potential for severe weather with stronger instability and increased vertical shear. Carrying higher PoPs over the weekend with the highest rain chance on Saturday night. Heavy rainfall will also be possible with repeat convective activity and precipitable water values at or above 1.5 inches across much of our area. The upper trough is progged to eventually lift northeast across Texas, but the 12Z GFS and ECMWF differ on the timing. Following departure of this system, drier and warmer conditions look to be in store for our area as heights build aloft. May have another upper trough approach from the southwestern states next Wednesday, but keeping PoPs below mention with the uncertainty at this time. 19 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Abilene 57 66 58 78 67 / 50 40 60 50 40 San Angelo 60 68 61 81 67 / 60 40 60 30 30 Junction 65 72 65 82 68 / 70 50 50 30 30 && .SJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS SAN ANGELO TX
350 PM CDT Wed May 20 2015 .SHORT TERM... (Tonight and Thursday) A rather strong cold front has moved south of a San Angelo to Coleman line this afternoon, dropping temperatures into the upper 50s and lower 60s across the Big Country. Low clouds and cold advection north of the front has greatly reduced instability, limiting the potential for diurnal convection. Ahead of the front, temperatures have warmed into the lower 80s with dewpoints hanging in the mid/upper 60s. Modified RAP soundings indicate SBCAPE values on the order of 2000-2500 J/kg in the warm sector with effective shear values exceeding 35 kts. This will support organized convection this afternoon and during the evening hours, with the primary focus along and south of the front. The primary concern is for large hail and damaging winds. However, a tornadic storm cannot be ruled out in the vicinity of this boundary. Right moving supercell vectors are from the west and northwest at 10 to 15 mph. This slow storm motion and the presence of the aforementioned cold front will support the potential for locally heavy rainfall along the I-10 corridor tonight. Additional storms will be possible overnight as isentropic ascent develops over the frontal zone. As the front moves south overnight and early Thursday, rain chances are expected to diminish during the morning hours. However, shortwave ridging aloft will be shifting to the east as a strong shortwave trough moves across the southern Rockies. Increasing large scale ascent will promote the development of scattered showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon hours. Fortunately, the severe weather potential is expected to remain low on Thursday. Much cooler temperatures are anticipated tomorrow, with highs in the 60s across most of the area. Johnson .LONG TERM... (Thursday night through next Wednesday) The main focus is with the severe weather and heavy rainfall possibility for the Memorial Day holiday weekend. Increased chance and coverage of showers and thunderstorms is expected across our area Thursday night, with the arrival of a stronger shortwave in southwest flow aloft. With subsidence and advection of some drier mid-level air in the wake of this departing shortwave, will have reduced chances for showers and thunderstorms on Friday. An upper low will move northeast into southeastern Utah Friday night, with an upper trough trailing from the low across the Desert Southwest. The main chance for showers and thunderstorms Friday night will be overnight, and across our northwestern counties, with the possibility of a weak embedded disturbance out ahead of the main trough lifting northeast into far west or northwest Texas. The aforementioned upper trough will move slowly east across Arizona and New Mexico over the holiday weekend. Given the forecast strength of this system, will have increased potential for severe weather with stronger instability and increased vertical shear. Carrying higher PoPs over the weekend with the highest rain chance on Saturday night. Heavy rainfall will also be possible with repeat convective activity and precipitable water values at or above 1.5 inches across much of our area. The upper trough is progged to eventually lift northeast across Texas, but the 12Z GFS and ECMWF differ on the timing. Following departure of this system, drier and warmer conditions look to be in store for our area as heights build aloft. May have another upper trough approach from the southwestern states next Wednesday, but keeping PoPs below mention with the uncertainty at this time. 19 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Abilene 57 66 58 78 67 / 50 40 60 50 40 San Angelo 60 68 61 81 67 / 60 40 60 30 30 Junction 65 72 65 82 68 / 70 50 50 30 30 && .SJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS SAN ANGELO TX
1244 PM CDT Wed May 20 2015 .AVIATION... /18Z TAFS/ IFR to LIFR conditions are prevalent behind the cold front moving south across the area this afternoon. This will result ceilings below 700 ft at both KABI and KSWW. This front should reach KSJT by mid-afternoon, resulting in similar conditions after 20z. Scattered, short-lived showers are developing across the area, but are expected to become more organized this afternoon as temperatures along the I-10 corridor approach 80 degrees. Thunderstorms are expected south of a KSJT to KBBD line this afternoon and evening, and could persist well into the overnight hours as the boundary stalls across the southern portion of the CWA. Expect southeast/east winds to shift to the north and northeast behind this cold front. Johnson && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 950 AM CDT Wed May 20 2015/ UPDATE... A cold front is moving slowly south across the Big Country this morning, currently extending from just near Big Spring, to just north of Abilene, to Jacksboro. A few showers have developed along and north of this boundary, but should remain relatively light and unorganized. Temperatures have dropped into the upper 50s and lower 60s in areas north of I-20, with dewpoints as low as the 50s. An outflow boundary from overnight convection has moved south to near a Brownwood to San Angelo line and continues to sag slowly toward I-10. Precipitation amounts should remain rather light through early afternoon, but as the boundary layer destabilizes, scattered convection is expected to develop. The most likely area for convective initiation is roughly south of a San Angelo to Brownwood line (where the cold front is forecast to be near peak heating). If we get enough breaks in the cloud cover, instability and vertical shear should be sufficient to support strong to severe thunderstorms. This would present a potential for localized heavy rainfall, but coverage is expected to be limited, so not Flash Flood Watch will be issued. Temperatures were lowered a few degrees across the Big Country this afternoon, but otherwise minimal changes were made to the inherited forecast. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 650 AM CDT Wed May 20 2015/ AVIATION... /12Z TAFS/ Widespread stratus is expected across West Central Texas this morning, with MVFR/IFR ceilings. The ceilings will lift to low end VFR across much of the area this afternoon and continue this evening, besides the KABI terminal remaining MVFR. Scattered thunderstorms should develop this afternoon and evening across the mainly the southern 2/3 of the area and have VCTS at most of the terminals. A few storms may be severe. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 450 AM CDT Wed May 20 2015/ SHORT TERM... (Today and Tonight) This morning, a cool front extended across central and southwest Oklahoma and southwest to south of Lubbock. Also, a complex of thunderstorms (latest IR indicating warming cloud tops) was located across north Texas and southern Oklahoma or mainly along the Red River valley. Scattered showers and storms extended back west into Haskell and Throckmorton counties. For today, the cool front will make some progress south across West Central Texas to probably along a San Angelo to Brownwood line by 00Z. Looks like the best potential for thunderstorms will be in the warm sector across the southern half of the area, along and ahead of the front. All the models indicate at least scattered thunderstorms developing, with the high res HRRR the most aggressive. The combination of moderate instability and 0-6km shear values of 30-35 knots will lead to a few storms becoming severe during mainly this afternoon and evening. the main hazards will be large hail and damaging winds. The Big Country will probably see more stable conditions behind the front, so the severe weather concern is mainly low for the next 24 hours. Highs today will range from the upper 60s to lower 70s across the Northern Big Country to lower 80s along the I-10 corridor. For tonight, the scattered afternoon storms may form into an organized complex during this evening. However, there is some uncertainty on how and where the storms will organize. For now, will keep the likely Pops going across the southeast half of the area and chance Pops elsewhere. Locally heavy rainfall will be possible mainly due to PW values of 1.25 to 1.5 inches. Again, A few storms may be severe during the evening. The cool front should move south of the area after midnight and convection should begin to weaken some. LONG TERM... (Thursday through Tuesday) Unsettled weather will continue through the Memorial Day Weekend... Cloudy and cool conditions will start off the extended period on Thursday, as the cold front remains stalled south of the area during the day. Temperatures will be well below normal for this time of year, with highs ranging from the upper 60s across the Big Country, to the middle 70s along the I-10 corridor. Best rain chances will be across the southern half of the forecast area during the day, but will ramp up areawide by Thursday night as a shortwave lifts northeast across the area. Southerly flow returns on Friday as the stalled front lifts back north as a warm front during the day. Temperatures will be warmer but still below normal, with highs mainly in the upper 70s and lower 80s. There will be a continued chance for showers and thunderstorms on Friday, with highest POPs across northern sections where aforementioned front is expected to lift north during the afternoon hours. Maintaining high POPs for next weekend as a short wave trough moves east from the Four Corners region on Saturday and across the southern Rockies by Sunday. This system will bring a threat of strong to severe storms and heavy rainfall potential to the area for the Memorial Day weekend. Precipitation chances will start to wane by early next week as weak short wave ridging develops in the wake of the departing upper trough. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Abilene 74 59 68 58 77 / 40 50 40 60 50 San Angelo 80 63 71 61 81 / 40 60 40 60 40 Junction 83 67 75 64 83 / 20 60 50 50 40 && .SJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && $$ 25
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS LA CROSSE WI
1201 PM CDT WED MAY 20 2015 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 937 AM CDT WED MAY 20 2015 INCREASED/MOVED PRECIPITATION CHANCES A BIT MORE NORTHWARD ACROSS NORTHEAST IA/SOUTHWEST WI THIS MORNING INTO THIS AFTERNOON WITH INCOMING MID-LEVEL TROUGH/CIRCULATION. LATEST RAP SHOWS INTENSIFICATION IN MID-LEVEL/700MB FRONTOGENESIS...SO EXPECTING DESPITE DRYER LOW LEVELS...THE F-GEN WILL BE STRONG ENOUGH TO GENERATE SOME SHOWERS. UPDATE ISSUED AT 802 AM CDT WED MAY 20 2015 UPDATED TO REMOVE FROST ADVISORY. && .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 405 AM CDT WED MAY 20 2015 MAIN FCST CONCERNS THIS PERIOD...SMALL -SHRA CHANCES SOUTH TODAY... TEMPERATURES. DATA ANALYSIS AT 06Z HAD A BROAD AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND UPPER MIDWEST. THE HIGH WAS BRINGING CLEAR SKIES AND SUB-FREEZING TEMPS TO MUCH OF NORTHERN MN/WI INTO CENTRAL WI EARLY THIS MORNING. WV IMAGERY SHOWED A RATHER VIGOROUS LOOKING SHORTWAVE MOVING EAST ALONG THE NEB/SD BORDER. MID/HIGH CLOUDS WITH THIS WAVE SPREADING ACROSS SOUTHERN MN/WI...HELPING KEEP TEMPS ABOVE FREEZING. THE SHORTWAVE WAS BRINGING SOME LOWER LEVEL MOISTURE TO IA...BUT EVEN THERE CLOUDS WERE MOSTLY ABOVE 5K- 6K FT. REGIONAL RADARS SHOWED REFLECTIVITY WITH THE SHORTWAVE FROM SOUTH- CENTRAL SD TO NORTHERN MO BUT SFC OBS SHOW PRECIP REACHING THE GROUND WAS MAINLY ALONG/SOUTH OF I-80 EARLY THIS MORNING. 20.00Z MODEL INITIALIZATIONS LOOK GOOD. MODELS OFFER A TIGHTER CONSENSUS ON THE SD/NEB SHORTWAVE AS IT TRACKS EAST TODAY...AHEAD OF BUT PARTLY PHASING WITH THE NORTHERN STREAM SHORTWAVE DROPPING INTO EASTERN SD. TREND IS TO KEEP THE WAVES AS 2 SEPARATE PIECES OF ENERGY QUICKLY FOLLOWING EACH OTHER THRU A MERGED TROUGH OVER THE UPPER MIDWEST. TREND FAVORS STRONGER OF THE EARLIER MODELS AS THE NORTHERN STREAM SHORTWAVE MOVES SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE REGION. WITH THE TIGHT CONSENSUS OF SOLUTIONS...SHORT TERM FCST CONFIDENCE IS GOOD THIS CYCLE. IN THE SHORT TERM...SMALL -SHRA CHANCES ACROSS THE FAR SOUTH END OF THE FCST AREA REMAIN A BATTLE OF 700-500MB FN/QG CONVERGENCE AND PV ADVECTION WITH THE SHORTWAVE AND OVERCOMING DRIER NORTH TO NORTHEAST FLOW/AIRMASS IN THE SFC-700MB PORTION OF THE COLUMN. PW VALUES IN THE 0.5 TO 0.75 INCH RANGE ACROSS THE SOUTH END OF THE FCST AREA TODAY BUT MAIN 850MB MOISTURE TRANSPORT STAYS WELL SOUTH IN MO AND THE 700MB TRANSPORT MAINLY REACHES INTO THE SOUTHERN 2/3 OF IA. MODELS...INCLUDING LOCAL/REGIONAL WRF MODELS ABOUT EVENLY SPLIT ON -SHRA MAKING IT AS FAR NORTH AS THE KCCY/KOLZ AREAS. CONTINUED SOME 20-40 PERCENT -SHRA CHANCES ACROSS PARTS OF NORTHEAST IA INTO EXTREME SOUTHWEST WI TODAY...PARTLY TO BLEND WITH NEIGHBORING GRIDS. MAIN SHOT OF FORCING/LIFT MOVES ACROSS THE AREA THIS MORNING AND CARRIED HIGHEST RAIN CHANCES AROUND 15Z...WITH RAIN CHANCES DIMINISHING THRU THE AFTERNOON AS THE LEAD SHORTWAVE PASSES AND THE COLUMN BEGINS TO DRY. MID/HIGH CLOUDS ACROSS THE AREA TODAY WILL TEMPER HIGHS. 700-500MB TROUGH AXIS DROPS SOUTH OF THE AREA THIS EVENING WITH AN INCREASE OF NORTHWEST TO NORTH FLOW AND DRIER AIR SPREADING SOUTH ACROSS THE FCST AREA. CLOUDS LOOKING TO DECREASE THIS EVENING WITH MOSTLY CLEAR TO CLEAR SKIES OVERNIGHT. ANOTHER COOL NIGHT TONIGHT UNDER MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES...A DRY LOW LEVEL AIRMASS AND WINDS EXPECTED TO BE LIGHT. MAY YET BE SOME PATCHY FROST ACROSS THE NORTHEAST END OF THE FCST AREA LATE TONIGHT INTO EARLY THU MORNING. WILL LEAVE IT TO DAY CREW TO FURTHER EVALUATE THIS AFTER THE CURRENT ADVISORY HAS EXPIRED. FAVORED A BLEND OF THE GUIDANCE HIGHS/LOWS FOR TODAY/TONIGHT. .LONG TERM...(THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 405 AM CDT WED MAY 20 2015 MAIN FCST CONCERNS FOR THU THRU FRI NIGHT...TEMPERATURES. 20.00Z MODELS IN GOOD AGREEMENT ON NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT OVER THE UPPER MIDWEST THU THRU FRI...AND REMAIN IN GOOD AGREEMENT FOR HGTS TO RISE/RIDGING TO BUILD INTO THE REGION FRI NIGHT. MODELS ALSO WITH RATHER GOOD RUN-TO-RUN CONSISTENCY THIS PERIOD. TREND BY FRI NIGHT IS TOWARD STRONGER OF THE EARLIER RUNS WITH THE RIDGING OVER THE REGION. FCST CONFIDENCE FOR THU THRU FRI NIGHT IS GOOD THIS CYCLE. UNDER THE NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT MODEL SOUNDINGS AND TIME-HGT X- SECTIONS SHOWING A RATHER DRY AIRMASS/COLUMN OVER THE AREA FOR THU THRU FRI. OTHER THAN PERHAPS SOME SCT AFTERNOON CUMULUS DURING PEAK HEATING...THU THRU FRI SHAPING UP TO BE A CLEAR/SUNNY PERIOD. DECENT CONSENSUS AMONG THE MODEL FOR A WEAK WAVE TO DROP ACROSS THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES THU BUT ANY IMPACTS FROM THIS LOOKING TO REMAIN WELL EAST OF THE FCST AREA. SFC PRESSURE GRADIENTS ON THE WEAK SIDE FOR LIGHT WINDS...ESPECIALLY FRI WITH A SFC RIDGE AXIS OVER THE REGION. MODEL SOUNDINGS INDICATING MIXING TO ABOUT 750MB THU...WITH AROUND 25KTS OF WIND IN THE 850-750MB PORTION OF THE MIXED LAYER. INCREASED WINDS/GUSTS A BIT THU AFTERNOON. COLUMN MIXES TO AROUND 825MB FRI...WITH WINDS PROGGED TO BE LESS THAN 10KT THRU 800MB. 850MB TEMPS IN THE +7C TO +9C RANGE BOTH THU/FRI AFTERNOONS... SUPPORTING HIGHS IN THE UPPER 60S TO NEAR 75. LIGHT WINDS AND CLEAR SKIES FOR STRONGER RADIATIONAL COOLING THU NIGHT...FOR A LARGER THAN NORMAL DIURNAL SWING OF TEMPERATURES. AS PATTERN PROGRESSES FRI NIGHT...SFC-700MB TROUGHING STRENGTHENS IN THE PLAINS. INCREASING SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST LOW LEVEL FLOW STARTS TO SPREAD MOISTURE/WARMING NORTHEAST INTO THE UPPER MIDWEST...ALONG WITH HIGHER LEVEL MOISTURE AHEAD OF THE WESTERN CONUS TROUGHING SPILLING THRU THE RIDGING AND INTO THE REGION. TREND OF WARMER LOWS AND SOME INCREASE OF CLOUDS FRI NIGHT LOOKS GOOD. TRENDED TOWARD WARMER OF GUIDANCE HIGHS THU/FRI...THEN FAVORED A BLEND OF THE GUIDANCE LOWS THU/FRI NIGHTS. FOR SATURDAY THRU TUESDAY...DAYS 4 TO 7... MEDIUM RANGE MODEL RUNS OF 20.00Z IN QUITE GOOD AGREEMENT SAT/SUN SHOWING THE MID LEVEL RIDGE AXIS TO SLOWLY MOVE EAST OF THE REGION AND DEEP SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT OVER MUCH OF THE UPPER MIDWEST BY LATE SUN. DIFFERENCES BEGIN TO APPEAR BY SUN NIGHT/MON...ON THE TIMING/ STRENGTH DETAILS OF SHORTWAVE ENERGY EJECTING OUT OF THE WESTERN CONUS TROUGH AND TOWARD/INTO THE UPPER MIDWEST. DETAIL DIFFERENCES CONTINUE TUE...BUT GENERAL LONGWAVE CONSENSUS FOR BROAD TROUGHING OVER MUCH OF THE CENTRAL/WESTERN CONUS. WITH THIS TRENDING TO BE A MORE UNSETTLED WEATHER PERIOD AND SENSIBLE WEATHER ANY ONE DAY STRONGLY IMPACTED BY THE SHORTWAVE/MESO-SCALE DETAILS...FCST CONFIDENCE IN THE DAY 4-7 PERIOD IS AVERAGE THIS CYCLE. MODEL CONSENSUS HAS SOUTHERLY FLOW AND MOISTURE CONTINUING TO INCREASE INTO THE UPPER MIDWEST SATURDAY THRU SUN. PW VALUES PROGGED IN THE 1.5 INCH RANGE OVER MUCH OF THE FCST AREA BY 12Z SUN. THIS WITH A BROAD INCREASE OF LOWER LEVEL THERMO-DYNAMIC FORCING/LIFT AND INSTABILITY. MODEL CONSENSUS OF INCREASING SHRA/TSRA CHANCES FROM WEST TO EAST ACROSS THE AREA FROM SAT THRU SUN NIGHT LOOKING WELL TRENDED...THOUGH THE SPECIFIC DETAILS OF PERIOD HAVE YET TO BE SORTED OUT. WITH SLOW PROGRESSION OF THE LONGWAVE PATTERN...AND ADDITIONAL SHORTWAVES TO COME THRU LONGWAVE TROUGHING THAT IS PROGGED TO REMAIN OVER THE WEST HALF OF THE CONUS...THE MODEL/ ENSEMBLE CONSENSUS SHRA/ TSRA CHANCES CONTINUING THRU MON/TUE ARE REASONABLE FOR NOW. GIVEN UNCERTAINTIES WITH SHRA/TSRA CHANCES/ TIMING/COVERAGE /AND CLOUD COVER/ ANY ONE DAY...DID NOT DEVIATE FROM THE MODEL CONSENSUS HIGHS/LOWS FOR SAT THRU TUE. IF ANY ONE OR MORE OF DAYS 4 TO 7 END UP DRY AND SUNNIER THAN CURRENTLY EXPECTED... HIGHS THAT DAY COULD EASILY BE 5F TO 10F WARMER THAN THOSE IN THE FCST GRIDS. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 1201 PM CDT WED MAY 20 2015 CURRENTLY TRACKING A MID-LEVEL TROUGH/CIRCULATION OVER NORTHWEST IA. SO FAR...RAIN SHOWER ASSOCIATED WITH THIS WAVE ARE REMAINING SOUTH OF THE KRST/KLSE TAF SITES WITH JUST BROKEN/OVERCAST VFR MID-LEVEL CLOUD IN PLACE. THIS WAVE WILL CONTINUE TO PASS SOUTH OF THE AREA THIS EVENING...KEEPING VFR CONDITIONS GOING AT KRST/KLSE TAF SITES. WILL BE WATCHING ANOTHER TROUGH DROP SOUTH ACROSS THE AREA OVERNIGHT INTO THURSDAY. WITH VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED...MAIN IMPACT WILL BE INCREASING WESTERLY WINDS THURSDAY IN THE 10-20KT RANGE AS THE TROUGH DROPS THROUGH. && .ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WI...NONE. MN...NONE. IA...NONE. && $$ UPDATE...DAS SHORT TERM...RRS LONG TERM....RRS AVIATION...DAS
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CHEYENNE WY
333 PM MDT WED MAY 20 2015 .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 243 PM MDT WED MAY 20 2015 SFC ANALYSIS SHOWS THE HIGH PRESSURE CENTER LOCATED NEAR THE PINE RIDGE WITH EAST TO NORTHEAST UPSLOPE AND PERSISTENT LOW CLOUDS ACROSS THE REGION. IT HAS BEEN ANOTHER COOL DAY WITH TEMPS A GOOD 20 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL. EXPIRED THE DENSE FOG ADVISORY FOR THE SOUTH LARAMIE RANGE WITH WYDOT OBS SHOWING MOST VIS ABOVE 1 MILE. THE HRRR DOES INDICATE VIS DROPPING BELOW ONE HALF MILE OVER THE SOUTH LARAMIE RANGE BY 03Z. THIS MAKES SENSE WITH SFC WINDS REMAINING SOUTHEAST TO SOUTH OVERNIGHT. HAVE AREAS OF FOG FROM BUFORD TO THE SUMMIT BY EARLY TONIGHT AND CONTINUING THROUGH THURSDAY MORING. WILL LET THE EVENING/NIGHT SHIFT MONITOR THE OBS AND WEBCAMS OVER THE SUMMIT...AS DENSE FOG IS DEFINITELY POSSIBLE IN THIS PATTERN. SHOWERS DEVELOPING THIS AFTN ALONG AND WEST OF THE LARAMIE RANGE HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING TO STAY TOGETHER IN THE VERY STABLE AIRMASS OVER THE PLAINS. KEPT ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS CONFINED TO MAINLY THE LARAMIE RANGE AND POINTS WEST THROUGH THE EVENING. PATTERN DOES NOT CHANGE A WHOLE LOT BY THURSDAY. LOW CLOUDS WILL BE STUBBORN TO CLEAR YET AGAIN WITH MOIST SOUTHEAST LLVL FLOW. SLIGHTLY BETTER INSTABILITY WILL EXIST ALONG THE LARAMIE RANGE (CAPE VALUES OF 100-200 J/KG) BUT THIS IS LARGELY DEPENDENT ON SOME AFTN CLEARING...WHICH IS QUESTIONABLE. INSTABILITY REALLY DROPS OFF TO THE EAST OF CHEYENNE SO EXPECTING STORMS TO REMAIN CONFINED IN VICINITY OF THE LARAMIE RANGE. A SHORTWAVE WILL EJECT NORTHWARD FROM COLORADO BY LATE THURS NIGHT AND FRI MORNING. WITH GOOD UPPER LEVEL DIFLUENCE...MODELS HAVE BEEN CONSISTENT AT SHOWING WIDESPREAD RAIN DEVELOPING OVER THE PLAINS BY FRI MORNING AND CONTINUING THROUGH MUCH OF THE DAY. THIS IS LOOKING LIKE ANOTHER 0.25-0.75 INCH MAINLY STRATIFORM RAIN EVENT FOR LOCATIONS TO THE EAST OF THE LARAMIE RANGE. DID LOWER HIGHS A FEW DEGREES ON FRI WITH HIGHS STRUGGLING TO GET ABOVE THE MID 50S. .LONG TERM...(SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY) ISSUED AT 243 PM MDT WED MAY 20 2015 THE MAIN CONCERN WITH THIS PORTION OF THE FORECAST IS THE SEVERE WEATHER POTENTIAL SATURDAY. SATURDAY-SATURDAY NIGHT: LATEST LOOK AT THE GEM/GEFS ENSEMBLES AND ECMWF ARE SHOWING REALLY GOOD AGREEMENT IN THE TRACK OF THE UPPER LEVEL TROF THIS WEEKEND. THE MODELS ARE ALSO IN AGREEMENT IN SHOWING THIS CLOSED UPPER TROF OPENING UP IN NORTHWEST COLORADO AND SENDING ITS FIRST PIECE OF ENERGY INTO OUR REGION SATURDAY. HOWEVER...THERE IS QUITE A BIT OF STANDARD DEVIATION IN THE PLACEMENT OF THE SURFACE LOW AROUND 00Z SUNDAY. THE MEAN ENSEMBLES ARE SHOWING THE SURFACE LOW DEVELOPING IN EASTERN COLORADO. HOWEVER...THERE IS SOME HINTS THAT THIS SURFACE LOW MAY ACTUALLY DEVELOP FURTHER NORTH IN NORTHEAST COLORADO AND LIFT NORTHEAST THROUGH THE NEBRASKA PANHANDLE. IF THIS SURFACE LOW DEVELOPS FURTHER NORTH...WE MAY SEE WARMER TEMPERATURES AND HIGHER LOW LEVEL MOISTURE BEING DRAWN INTO AREAS EAST OF THE LARAMIE WHICH WILL RESULT IN HIGHER INSTABILITY. THIS COULD SET THE STAGE FOR SEVERE WEATHER IN AREAS EAST OF THE LARAMIE RANGE SATURDAY AFTN/EVE...ESPECIALLY WITH 0-6KM SHEAR VALUES APPROACHING 40 TO 50 KTS. ANOTHER CONCERN IS WHETHER OR NOT WE WILL SEE LOW CLOUDS. AT THIS POINT...IT DOES NOT APPEAR THAT THE LOW CLOUDS WILL BE PRESENT...BUT WE WILL HAVE TO SEE HOW THAT EVOLVES. IF THE LOW CLOUDS ARE NOT PRESENT...TEMPERATURES SHOULD BE ABLE TO CLIMB TO THE 60S. SUNDAY-SUNDAY NIGHT: THE MODELS ARE SHOWING THE MAIN UPPER LEVEL TROF MOVING INTO THE AREA ON SUNDAY IN ITS WEAKENED STATE. THERE IS A LITTLE MORE UNCERTAINTY ON HOW THIS TROF WILL IMPACT THE AREA ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON INTO SUNDAY EVENING. AT THIS POINT...IT APPEARS LIKE THE MAIN CONVECTION SHOW WILL BE ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON/EVENING. HOWEVER...IF WE DO NOT SEE MANY STORMS DURING THAT TIME...THEN SUNDAY MAY BE A DAY TO WATCH AS WELL. IF WE DO SEE WIDESPREAD CONVECTION ON SATURDAY THEN SUNDAY CHANCES MAY BE MUCH SMALLER. FOR NOW...WE WILL STAY WITH THE MODEL BLENDS FOR CONSISTENCY SAKE. MONDAY-WEDNESDAY: MODELS/ENSEMBLES ARE IN PRETTY GOOD AGREEMENT IN SHOWING THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGE BUILDING OVER THE AREA AHEAD OF THE NEXT UPPER LEVEL TROF MOVING INTO THE NORTHERN ROCKIES. THIS TROF WILL INDUCE UPPER LEVEL DIFFLUENCE OVER THE AREA ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY WHICH COULD SPARK SOME CONVECTION OVER THE MOUNTAINS WITH SOME OF THIS CONVECTION POSSIBLY SPILLING OVER INTO THE PLAINS. OVERALL...IT DOES NOT LOOK LIKE A REAL WET PATTERN...BUT WE CANNOT RULE OUT THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING CONVECTION CHANCES OVER OUR AREA EITHER. ALTHOUGH...TEMPERATURES WILL NOT BE TOO COOL WITH HIGHS CLIMBING TO NEAR NORMAL READING WITH HIGHS MAINLY IN THE 60S. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 1059 AM MDT WED MAY 20 2015 THE MAIN CONCERN WITH THIS TAF ISSUANCE IS THE TIMING OF WHEN THE IFR/MVFR CEILINGS WILL BEGIN TO CLEAR OUT. LATEST SURFACE ANALYSIS WAS SHOWING COLD AIR DAMMING PERSISTING ALONG THE LEE SIDE OF THE LARAMIE RANGE AROUND LUNCHTIME. THE MODELS ARE CURRENTLY TOO FAST IN MOVING THIS CANADIAN SURFACE HIGH EAST THIS AFTERNOON. AS A RESULT...WE ARE EXPECTING THE LOW CEILINGS TO HANG ON TO MUCH OF THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON. THE LOWEST CEILINGS ARE AROUND CYS (AROUND 800FT) AND POINTS WEST TO THE I-80 SUMMIT WHERE THEY ARE STILL EXPERIENCING DENSE FOG. THIS SURFACE HIGH SHOULD GRADUALLY SHIFT EAST LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING. HOWEVER...WE ARE NOT CONFIDENT THAT CYS CEILINGS WILL CLIMB VERY MUCH DUE TO THE EASTERLY FLOW KICKING IN. WE ARE LITTLE MORE CONFIDENT THAT THE LOWER CEILINGS SHOULD BEGIN TO SCOUR OUT FROM NORTH TO SOUTH ACROSS THE PANHANDLE SITES LATE THIS AFTERNOON BASED ON THE LATEST SATELLITE TRENDS. HOWEVER...THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT SOME PATCHY FOG COULD DEVELOP IN ITS WAKE. OTHERWISE...WEAK ISENTROPIC ASCENT WILL BRING SOME VFR CEILINGS INTO THE AREA AFTER MIDNIGHT. && .FIRE WEATHER... ISSUED AT 243 PM MDT WED MAY 20 2015 NO FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS THROUGH THE WEEKEND. TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN BELOW NORMAL AND AFTERNOON HUMIDITY VALUES WILL BE ABOVE 50 PERCENT. THE BEST CHANCE OF WIDESPREAD WETTING RAIN WILL COME THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY. && .HYDROLOGY... ISSUED AT 243 PM MDT WED MAY 20 2015 LARAMIE RIVER AT FORT LARAMIE AND LARAMIE WILL CONTINUE TO RUN AT RELATIVELY HIGH LEVELS THROUGH THIS WEEK...BUT AT THIS TIME IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN WITHIN ITS BANKS. ANOTHER ROUND OF MODERATE TO HEAVY RAINFALL IS EXPECTED OVER THE HIGH PLAINS AND POSSIBLY THE LARAMIE VALLEY ON FRIDAY...SO WILL NEED TO CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LARAMIE RIVER THROUGH LATE THIS WEEK. && .CYS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WY...NONE. NE...NONE. && $$ SHORT TERM...ZF LONG TERM...REC AVIATION...REC FIRE WEATHER...ZF HYDROLOGY...ZF
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CHEYENNE WY
1155 AM MDT WED MAY 20 2015 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 1059 AM MDT WED MAY 20 2015 LOWERED HIGHS FOR TODAY MAINLY FROM LARAMIE TO CHEYENNE AS LOW CLOUDS WILL BE QUITE PERSISTENT INTO THE AFTERNOON. THE HRRR DOES SHOW VIS IMPROVING OVER THE SOUTHERN LARAMIE RANGE AND THE ARLINGTON AREA AFTER 18Z...AND WYDOT VIS IS SLOWLY STARTING TO COME UP. DENSE FOG ADVISORY WILL PROBABLY BE EXPIRED AT NOON...BUT WILL MONITOR OVER THE NEXT HOUR. WITH A STABLE AIRMASS OVER THE PLAINS...SHOWERS AND AN ISOLATED TSTM WILL MAINLY BE CONFINED TO THE SNOWY RANGE WESTWARD. && .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY) ISSUED AT 346 AM MDT WED MAY 20 2015 THE PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM WHICH BROUGHT RAIN AND EVEN SOME SNOW TO THE REGION YESTERDAY IS CURRENTLY WEAKENING AND MOVING EASTWARD OVER THE NORTHERN PLAINS THIS MORNING. THERE IS STILL SOME LIGHT SNOW BEING REPORTED ACROSS PORTIONS OF FAR EASTERN WYOMING AND WESTERN NEBRASKA...BUT ACCUMULATIONS HAVE BEEN MINIMAL. OF MORE SIGNIFICANCE IS THE FREEZING DRIZZLE NEAR THE RIDGE TOPS AND ALONG THE LARAMIE RANGE...WITH CHEYENNE REPORTING FREEZING DRIZZLE THROUGH MOST OF THE NIGHT. THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW REPORTS OF BLACK ICE ON THE ROADWAYS...BUT SO FAR IT HAS BEEN RELATIVELY ISOLATED WITH MAINLY JUST WET ROADWAYS. WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP AN EYE ON THIS AS TEMPERATURES CONTINUE TO LOWER THROUGH THE UPPER 20S EARLY THIS MORNING. HIGH TEMPERATURES TODAY WILL STRUGGLE TO REACH THE MID TO UPPER 40S DUE TO A PERSISTENT LOW CLOUD DECK AND EVEN SOME PATCHY FOG/DRIZZLE ALONG THE SOUTH FACING RIDGES. EVENTUALLY...WINDS WILL SHIFT INTO THE EAST TO NORTHEAST TODAY WITH CLOUD CEILINGS INCREASING A BIT BY THE AFTERNOON. NOT MUCH SUN TODAY...WITH VALLEY LOCATIONS WEST OF THE LARAMIE RANGE HAVING THE BEST CHANCE TO SEE SOME SUNSHINE. WITH SO MUCH MOISTURE AND NEARLY SATURATED LOW TO MIDLEVELS...IT WILL NOT TAKE MUCH INSTABILITY TO GENERATE SOME LIGHT SHOWERS. KEPT POP BETWEEN 20 TO 40 PERCENT FOR NOW...WITH SHOWERS LIKELY IN THE MOUNTAINS. TONIGHT WILL BE MORE OF THE SAME...BUT WITH LESS CLOUD COVER OVER THE NORTHERN AND WESTERN PORTION OF THE FORECAST AREA. MODELS SHOW WINDS SHIFTING BACK INTO THE SOUTH OR SOUTHEAST...RESULTING IN ANOTHER ROUND OF FOG AND/OR DRIZZLE FOR THE CHEYENNE AND PINE RIDGE...ALONG WITH THE EASTERN FOOTHILLS OF THE LARAMIE RANGE. DO NOT EXPECT THIS STRATUS DECK TO MAKE IT WEST OF THE LARAMIE RANGE...SO LARAMIE AND RAWLINS MAY JUST BE PARTLY CLOUDY TONIGHT BUT RELATIVELY COLD. MAY NEED A FROST OR FREEZE ADVISORY FOR PORTIONS OF THE NORTHERN NEBRASKA PANHANDLE AS LOW TEMPERATURES ARE PROGGED TO BE NEAR OR JUST BELOW FREEZING AT CHADRON AND ALLIANCE...WHICH IS OVER ONE WEEK PAST THE AVERAGE LAST FREEZE. IT IS UNCLEAR HOW MUCH CLOUDINESS WILL BE PRESENT IN THESE AREAS...SO WILL HOLD OFF ON ANY HEADLINES FOR NOW. WARMER TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED ON THURSDAY AS A SHORT WAVE RIDGES MOVES ACROSS THE AREA. TEMPERATURES WILL STILL BE BELOW NORMAL THOUGH AND GENERALLY IN THE MID 50S TO LOW 60S. THERE SHOULD BE A BREAK IN THE PRECIPITATION ACROSS THE AREA DUE TO THE MIDLEVEL SUBSIDENCE ASSOCIATED WITH THE RIDGE ALOFT. THE BREAK IN THE PRECIPITATION WILL BE SHORT LIVED HOWEVER...AS ALL MODELS INDICATE ANOTHER PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM MOVING TOWARDS THE AREA. INITIALLY...EXPECT A ROUND OF SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED TSTORMS LATE ON THURSDAY AND INTO THURSDAY EVENING. WILL HAVE TO WATCH THE NEXT SIGNIFICANT SHORTWAVE TROUGH LIFTING NORTHEAST OUT OF THE SOUTHWEST LATE THURSDAY AND INTO FRIDAY. MODELS SHOW THIS SHORTWAVE MOVING ACROSS COLORADO AND WYOMING EARLY ON FRIDAY BRINGING ANOTHER ROUND OF RAINFALL AND MOUNTAIN SNOWS DUE TO A LARGE AREA OF UPPER LEVEL DIFFLUENCE. SNOWLEVELS SHOULD BE BETWEEN 7500 TO 8500 FEET THIS TIME AROUND...SO DO NOT EXPECT ANY SNOW FLAKES OVER THE HIGH PLAINS AT THIS TIME. THIS SYSTEM HAS A BETTER CHANCE TO CONTAIN HEAVIER RAIN SHOWERS COMPARED TO YESTERDAYS SYSTEM...MAINLY BECAUSE OF THE CONDITIONAL INSTABILITY ALOFT SHOWN BY MODEL SOUNDINGS. AFTER THE MAIN AREA OF PRECIPITATION...EXPECT PARTIAL CLEARING SKIES FRIDAY AFTERNOON. WITH THE COLD POOL ALOFT ASSOCIATED WITH THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH OVERHEAD...IT WILL NOT TAKE MUCH TO TRIGGER SCATTERED SHOWERS AND TSTORMS LATE IN THE AFTERNOON EVEN AFTER THE TROUGH MOVES NORTHWARD...WHICH IS TYPICAL THIS TIME OF THE YEAR. CONTINUED INCREASING POP BETWEEN 60 TO 80 PERCENT...ESPECIALLY ALONG AND EAST OF THE LARAMIE RANGE. .LONG TERM...(FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 340 AM MDT WED MAY 20 2015 ACTIVITY WEATHER PATTERN TO REMAIN IN PLACE THROUGH THE LONG TERM FORECAST PERIOD. CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL EXIST EVERY DAY AS COOL UNSTABLE AIR ALOFT REMAINS IN PLACE ALONG WITH SEVERAL DISTURBANCES WHICH WILL MOVE ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. DIFFICULT TO PINPOINT THE BEST CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION GIVEN THE FACT IT IS TOUGH FOR THE MODELS TO RESOLVE A NEARLY CONTINUOUS STREAM OF UPPER DISTURBANCES...BUT SAFE TO SAY AFTERNOON SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE COMMON DUE TO DIURNAL HEATING PRODUCING INSTABILITY MANY DAYS. NOT OVERLY CONCERNED ABOUT SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THE PERIOD BUT IF THERE IS A DAY TO WATCH IT IS SATURDAY. AT THIS TIME IT LOOKS AT THROUGH THE BOUNDARY LAYER MAY STAY CAPPED WHILE A DISTURBANCE MOVES ACROSS THE AREA EARLY IN THE DAY...BUT ELEVATED CONVECTION MAY BE POSSIBLE TOO. SOMETHING TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE NEXT FEW DAYS. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 1059 AM MDT WED MAY 20 2015 THE MAIN CONCERN WITH THIS TAF ISSUANCE IS THE TIMING OF WHEN THE IFR/MVFR CEILINGS WILL BEGIN TO CLEAR OUT. LATEST SURFACE ANALYSIS WAS SHOWING COLD AIR DAMMING PERSISTING ALONG THE LEE SIDE OF THE LARAMIE RANGE AROUND LUNCHTIME. THE MODELS ARE CURRENTLY TOO FAST IN MOVING THIS CANADIAN SURFACE HIGH EAST THIS AFTERNOON. AS A RESULT...WE ARE EXPECTING THE LOW CEILINGS TO HANG ON TO MUCH OF THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON. THE LOWEST CEILINGS ARE AROUND CYS (AROUND 800FT) AND POINTS WEST TO THE I-80 SUMMIT WHERE THEY ARE STILL EXPERIENCING DENSE FOG. THIS SURFACE HIGH SHOULD GRADUALLY SHIFT EAST LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING. HOWEVER...WE ARE NOT CONFIDENT THAT CYS CEILINGS WILL CLIMB VERY MUCH DUE TO THE EASTERLY FLOW KICKING IN. WE ARE LITTLE MORE CONFIDENT THAT THE LOWER CEILINGS SHOULD BEGIN TO SCOUR OUT FROM NORTH TO SOUTH ACROSS THE PANHANDLE SITES LATE THIS AFTERNOON BASED ON THE LATEST SATELLITE TRENDS. HOWEVER...THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT SOME PATCHY FOG COULD DEVELOP IN ITS WAKE. OTHERWISE...WEAK ISENTROPIC ASCENT WILL BRING SOME VFR CEILINGS INTO THE AREA AFTER MIDNIGHT. && .FIRE WEATHER... ISSUED AT 246 AM MDT WED MAY 20 2015 NO FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS THIS WEEK DUE TO UNSEASONABLY COOL TEMPERATURES AND HIGH CHANCES OF PRECIPITATION. EVEN SOME SNOW IS EXPECTED OVER THE MOUNTAINS EARLY TODAY AND ON FRIDAY. DAYTIME RELATIVE HUMIDITIES ACROSS THE HIGH VALLEYS AND HIGH PLAINS WILL LIKELY NOT LOWER BELOW 50 PERCENT UNTIL EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .HYDROLOGY... ISSUED AT 246 AM MDT WED MAY 20 2015 LARAMIE RIVER AT FORT LARAMIE WILL CONTINUE TO RUN AT RELATIVELY HIGH LEVELS THROUGH THIS WEEK...BUT AT THIS TIME IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN WITHIN ITS BANKS. THE PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM WHICH PUSHED ACROSS THE REGION YESTERDAY DID NOT IMPACT RIVER LEVELS TOO MUCH ACROSS THE AREA. HOWEVER...ANOTHER PACIFIC SYSTEM ON FRIDAY MAY BRING MODERATE TO HEAVY RAINFALL AMOUNTS TO THE HIGH PLAINS AND POSSIBLY THE LARAMIE VALLEY...SO WILL NEED TO CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LARAMIE RIVER THROUGH LATE THIS WEEK. THE LARAMIE RIVER AT LARAMIE IS FORECAST TO FALL BELOW ACTION STAGE THIS WEEKEND OR EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .CYS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WY...DENSE FOG ADVISORY UNTIL NOON MDT TODAY FOR WYZ110-116. NE...NONE. && $$ UPDATE...ZF SHORT TERM...TJT LONG TERM...SML AVIATION...REC FIRE WEATHER...TJT HYDROLOGY...TJT